Country Feast: featuring....Get Yo Man Chicken

So last week I was watching Down Home with the Neeley's and they were talking about all the recipes they made when they were dating and the ones that won her husband's heart over. Now I don't eat chicken but the recipe did sound good and with a name like 'Get Yo Man Chicken' I had to try it and it was a hit. I also have never been big on cabbage of any kind but this cabbage is spicy and delicious. However if you don't eat a lot of meat beware of the bacon, for its hard to pick out with how this is cooked down. I made a smaller version of this menu for Chad last week and it was so good I'm making it again tonight for my parents and their friends that are in town.

----------------------------------------------------------------------
Menu
Get Yo Man Chicken
Braised Cabbage and Carrots
Green Beans
Creamed Corn
Buttered Thyme Rice
Herb Biscuits
Sweet Tea
Pecan Bars

--------------------------------------------------------------------

Get Yo Man Chicken

from Down Home with the Neeley's on the Food Network's Website

• 2 tablespoons olive oil
• 6 chicken thighs, skinless
• 1 teaspoons salt
• 1/2 teaspoons pepper
• 1 medium onion, sliced
• 1 cup chicken stock
• 1/2 cup white wine
• 1 (14.5-ounce) can crushed tomatoes in thick puree
• 1 teaspoon dried thyme
• 1/2 tablespoon dried rosemary
• 1 tablespoon lemon-pepper
• 2 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley leaves

Heat the oil in a 12-inch skillet over medium-high heat.

Pat chicken dry with a paper towel and season with salt and pepper. Brown the chicken, meat-side down first, and turning once, about 4 minutes on each side. Transfer to a plate to reserve.

Pour off all but 1 tablespoon of oil from the pan.

Add onion to the pan and saute until tender, roughly 3 minutes. Add the stock and wine and stir, scrapping any brown bits off the bottom of the pan. Turn heat to high and reduce by half, about 3 minutes. Pour in the crushed tomatoes and add the dried herbs and lemon pepper. Add the chicken thighs back into the pan.Cover and cook on medium-low heat for 40 minutes.

Remove chicken from liquid and serve on hot buttered rice. Ladle the sauce on top and garnish with fresh chopped parsley.

-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Braised Cabbage & Carrots from Down Home with the Neeley's on the Food Network's Website

• 1 large head (about 3 pounds) green cabbage
• 4 slices extra-thick bacon, cut into 1-inch squares
• 1 cup water
• 2 tablespoons Smash Seasoning, recipe follows
• 1 (10-ounce) bag baby carrots
• Salt and freshly ground black pepper

Core cabbage and chop into 2-inch pieces. Clean thoroughly and let drain.

In a large pot over medium heat, cook bacon halfway through. Cook's Note: It will release its fat and be lightly browned, but still moist.

Add the cabbage, water and Smash Seasoning. Cover and reduce to a simmer and steam 2 hours, stirring every 15 minutes. Drain water from pot and add carrots. Cover and simmer another 15 minutes, until carrots are tender. Add salt and pepper, to taste.

Smash Seasoning:

• 1 teaspoon cayenne
• 1 teaspoon celery seed
• 1/2 tablespoon lemon pepper
• 1 tablespoon garlic powder

Mix ingredients thoroughly and keep in a tightly sealed container for up to 6 months.

-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Buttered Thyme Rice

• 2 cups Jasmine Rice
• 3 cups Water (as package directs)
  
• Salt (to taste)
  
• 2-4 Tbs. Salted Butter
• 2-3 Tbs. Fresh Thyme

Cook rice as directed. Fluff rice and mix in butter, salt and thyme. Serve.

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Herb Biscuits - I didn't realize how easy and quick biscuits are to make.
taken from Ina Garten's recipe on the food network website

• cups all-purpose flour
• 1 tablespoon baking powder
• 1 teaspoon kosher salt
• 1 teaspoon sugar
• 1/4 pound (1 stick) cold unsalted butter, diced (I used salted and it was fine)
  
• 3/4 cup half-and-half (I used buttermilk instead)
  
• 1/2 cup chopped fresh chives or fresh parsley leaves (You can use any herb or mix here)
  
• 1 egg mixed with 1 tablespoon water, for egg wash

Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F.

Combine the flour, baking powder, salt, and sugar in the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the paddle attachment. Add the butter and mix on low speed until the butter is the size of peas. With the mixer on low, add the half-and-half or buttermilk and beat until just mixed. Add the herbs and mix until just combined.

Dump the dough out on a well-floured board and knead lightly into a rectangle 3/4-inch thick. Cut out rounds with a 2 1/2-inch round cutter and place on a sheet pan lined with parchment paper. Brush with the egg wash.

Bake for 20 to 22 minutes, until the tops are browned and the insides are firm. Serve warm.

(these are GOOD!)

----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

4 Ingredient Cookies! Chocolate Banana Walnut & Banana Peanut Butter Cookies

Taken from Mrs. Sarah Boggs Ford's recipes these cookies are almost too good to be true. They are fast, easy, cheap and actually not that bad for you. I think they are good for kids and the non-chocolate ones are good for puppies too (banjo loves the banana peanut butter bars).

Banana Cookies

3-4 Ripe Bananas
1 box Yellow Cake Mix
Oats
Applesauce (if needed)

Pre-heat oven to 350 degrees.
Mash up bananas and yellow cake mix. Add lots of oats until the consistency of cookie dough (roughly 2-3 cups). If it gets too thick add a half cup of applesauce.
Spoon out onto non-greased baking sheet and bake for 15 minutes. Cool on wire rack.


Banana Bars with Peanut Butter and Nuts

3-4 Ripe Bananas
1 box Yellow Cake Mix
Oats
Peanut Butter
Toasted Nuts

Pre-heat oven to 350 degrees.
Mash up bananas and yellow cake mix. Add lots of oats until the consistency of a thick cookie dough (roughly 2-3 cups). Press into a square, lightly buttered baking pan and bake for 20 minutes. While still warm spread peanut butter on top until covered. Sprinkle with toasted nuts. Cool before you cut them.
**if making doggie treats put directly into the freezer and freeze. Then cut into small triangles and store in freezer. Banjo LOVES these treats (and i do too, they are good when you have a peanut butter craving)


Chocolate Banana Walnut Cookies

3-4 Ripe Bananas
1 box Brownie Mix with Walnuts
Oats
Applesauce (if needed)

Pre-heat oven to 350 degrees.
Mash up bananas and brownie mix. Add lots of oats until the consistency of cookie dough (roughly 2-3 cups). If it gets too thick add a half cup of applesauce.
Spoon out onto non-greased baking sheet and bake for 15 minutes. Cool on wire rack.
THESE ARE MY FAVORITE :)


THANKS SARAH!~

Broccoli Slaw

Inspired from a hearing about Jennifer Collin's vinegar-based coleslaw I tried a recipe myself. Hers was a little different, but this one made a great healthy summery side or snack. Enjoy

Broccoli Slaw
veggies
1 bag broccoli slaw
1/4 c. Golden Raisins
1/4 c. Red Onion, finely diced
1/4 c. Nuts or Sunflower Seeds (options)

dressing*
1/4 c. Red Wine Vinegar
2 Tbs. Low Fat Mayonnaise made with Olive Oil
1 Tbs. Honey
1 tsp. Olive Oil
1 tsp. Sugar
1/2 tsp. Cayanne (to taste)
Sea Salt & Cracked Pepper (to taste)

Mix all ingredients to the dressing together until they form a smooth dressing.
Pour over veggies, raisins and nuts. Stir well. Serve.

*I like my coleslaw lightly dressed, if you prefer more dressing you may want to double the recipe and add it to the veggies until you get the amount you prefer.

Shrimp Tacos!

Ok made this a couple of days ago....it was really good.
I'll separate it out into the different parts of the meal to make it easier to follow.

Grilled Shrimp Tacos
Preheat oven to 400 degrees. I would marinate shrimp first, then get the veggies in the oven, then get rice going, then make sour cream sauce. When veggies, rice and sauce are done grill shrimp and heat tortillas.

List of All ingredients needed:

• 3/4 - 1 # Shrimp, cleaned and deveined
• 1 pkg. Soft Tortillas (I used and really liked the new Mission Low Carb ones, they are white and have 11 g. fiber! They were really good.)
• Jasmine Rice
• Chicken or Vegetable Broth (optional for rice)
  
• 1 small can Chipotle Chilies in Adobo
  
• 1 small can Chopped Green Chilies
  
• 1 jar Pico de Gallo (I used Pace, it was surprisingly good)
• 1 small can Corn
  
• 1 bunch Cilantro
  
• 2-3 Limes (for juice and zest)
• 1/2 Red Onion
• 1/2 Sweet Onion
• 1 Zucchini
• Lite Sour Cream
• Cumin
• Coriander Seeds
  
• Sea Salt
  
• Cracked Pepper
• Olive Oil and Canola Oil
  
• Red Wine Vinegar
• Honey
• Sugar
  

Grilled Shrimp
3/4 # Shrimp, cleaned and deveined
1 lrg. Chipotle Chili with 2 Tbs. Adobo (these come in a can w/the adobo sauce)
2 Tbs. Chopped Green Chilies
Honey (a good drizzle over top)
1/2 Tbs. Cumin
Juice from 1/4 lime
Sea Salt & Cracked Pepper (to taste)
Olive Oil (a good drizzle)

Mix all ingredients together from above to marinate shrimp, cover and put back in the fridge. Continue on to make other items below.
Once everything is done, you will either be grilling the shrimp on a grill or grill pan. If its the grill I suggest using skewers. I used the grill pan, which was easier for such a small batch.
Put burner on a little higher than medium and brush grill pan with canola oil. When pan is hot, cook shrimp 2 minutes and flip, cook 1-2 minutes or until cooked. Serve.

Grilled Vegetables
1/2 Red Onion chopped into quarter moons
1/2 Sweet Onion chopped into quarter moons
1 Zucchini chopped into half moons
Red Wine Vinegar(a good drizzle over top)
Honey (a good drizzle over top)
1 Tbs. Corriander Seeds
1 tsp. Cumin
Juice from 1/2 lime
Sea Salt & Cracked Pepper (to taste)
Olive Oil (a good drizzle)

Mix dressing together and pour over vegetables. Spread onto a non-lined baking sheet and roast at400 degrees for 30 minutes.

Mexican Rice
1 C. Jasmine Rice
1 1/2 c. Water or broth (follow package directions)
2 tsp. Cumin
2 cloves Garlic smashed and peeled
Juice and Zest from 1 lime
2 Tbs. Pico de Gallo
1 tsp. Green Chilies (if you want it spicier)
1/4 c. Corn, drained
Sea Salt & Cracked Pepper (to taste)
1 tsp. Olive Oil (optional)
1/4 c. Chopped Cilantro

Mix everything together (except cilantro), cook as package directs. Bring to a boil, stir. Reduce heat to simmer, cover and cook for 20 minutes. Take off heat when done and fluff.


Cilantro Lime Sour Cream
1/2 c. Sour Cream
Zest from 1 lime
Juice from 1/4 lime
1/2 tsp. cumin
1/2 tsp. sugar
1/2 tsp. Cracked Pepper
1 tsp. Chopped Cilantro

Mix everything together. Serve.
(can be made ahead)

What's Cooking Tonight: Tom Yum Soup with Pineapple

Ok so I really made this last week, when it was all rainy and cool out. It was so good, I served it with Veggie Egg Rolls and Baked Sweet Potatoes.
I used Eating Well's recipe and then ended up changing it around a bit. I did not have time to find an Asian market so the changes I made might be because I did not have all the right ingredients. The soup originally came out not too spicy and a little bitter, so I added the brown sugar and siracha. This soup does get spicier as time goes on, so keep that in mind when making it.
I aslo added more veggies because I didn't add the shrimp.
I will put my changes to the original in RED.

Tom Yum Soup with Pineapple
6 servings, about 1 1/3 cups each

Active Time: 45 minutes

Total Time: 45 minutes

Ingredients

• 1 stalk lemongrass, cut into 1-inch pieces (see Tip) (2 Tbs. Lemon Grass Paste)
  
• 2 1/4-inch-thick slices galangal, (see Tip) or ginger (3 1/4-inch-thick slices Ginger)
  
• 6 cups reduced-sodium chicken broth (8 C. Chicken Broth)
  
• 2 jalapeños, sliced (1 lrg. Serrano Pepper sliced)
  
• 4 Thai lime leaves, (see Tip) or 3 2-inch strips lime zest (3 2-inch pieces lime zest)
  
• 1 1/2 cups chopped fresh pineapple
  
• 1 cup sliced shiitake mushroom caps
• 1 medium tomato, chopped
• 1 small green bell pepper, cut into 1-inch cubes
  
• 1 small red bell pepper, cut into 1-inch cubes
• 2 tablespoons fish sauce, (see Tip)
• 1 teaspoon sugar (+ 1/4 c. Brown Sugar)
  
• 8 ounces peeled and deveined raw shrimp, (26-30 per pound) (did not use)
  
• 1/4 cup fresh lime juice
• 2 scallions, sliced
• 1/3 cup chopped fresh cilantro
• Siracha (to taste)
  

Preparation

1. Gently smash lemongrass and galangal (or ginger) on a cutting board with the side of a knife. Place in a large saucepan with broth, jalapeños and lime leaves (or zest). Bring to a boil, reduce to a simmer; cover and cook for 15 minutes. Strain into a bowl. Discard solids.
2. Return the broth to the pan. Add pineapple, mushrooms, tomato, bell pepper, fish sauce and sugar. Bring to a simmer and cook, uncovered, for 5 minutes. Add shrimp and cook until they are pink and just cooked through, 2 to 3 minutes. Remove from the heat and stir in lime juice, scallions and cilantro.

Tips & Notes

• Tip: Lemongrass, galangal, Thai lime leaves (sometimes called Kaffir or makrut lime leaves) and fish sauce lend the signature Thai flavors to this soup. If unavailable at your supermarket, find these ingredients at Asian markets.

Nutrition

Per serving: 105 calories; 1 g fat (1 g sat, 0 g mono); 62 mg cholesterol; 11 g carbohydrates; 1 g added sugars; 13 g protein; 1 g fiber; 596 mg sodium; 252 mg potassium.

Nutrition Bonus: Vitamin C (58% daily value), Vitamin A (19% dv)

Genie's Portobello Sandwich

This sandwich is somewhat high maintenance, but worth it. These mushrooms are delicious....and I don't even particularly like portobellos normally. I am posting this as a request after the Ladies Luncheon. Enjoy!

Genie's Portobello Sandwich
* This will make 4 large sandwiches or 6-8 mini sandwiches (depending on loaf)

2 Packages Portobello Mushrooms, degilled and sliced
1 Sweet Onion, cut into wedges
1 small jar Roasted Red Peppers, julienned
3-4 Roma Tomatoes, Sliced
Provolone Cheese, 6-8 Slices
Spring Greens - 1 bag
Salt & Pepper (optional)
Dijon Mustard or Basil Mayo (I used basil mayo for the luncheon)
1/2 loaf Sunflower Bread (found at Publix)

Pre-heat oven to 400 degrees.

Roast Veggies
Toss sliced and degilled portobellos with canola, balsalmic, honey, salt & pepper, rosemary. The measurements are to taste, I drizzle over everything and mix until it looks like vegetables have been tossed with a nice vinaigrette. Then spread onto an UNlined baking sheet.
Toss the cut up onion with canola, salt and pepper and sherry wine vinegar (measurements similar to portobellos). Spread out on a separate unlined cookie sheet
Roast both the portobellos and the onions at the same time, for about 15-20 minutes. Check on them at 15 minutes. The portobellos may finish before the onions.

Basil Mayo
Mix 1/2 c. mayo with 2-4 Tbs. Basil Pesto (to taste) to make basil mayo if you would like to try this instead of dijon.)

Assemble Sandwich:
Spread both sides of bread with either dijon or basil mayo. Assemble sandwich in this order: spring greens, roasted portobellos, roasted onions, cheese, tomatoes. Salt and pepper tomatoes. Top with second slice of bread. Serve.
Serve!

Bridge Luncheon Menu for Tuesday June 29th, 2010 & my Favorite Brownie Recipe :) !!

As a belated Christmas present for my mother I am catering their weekly bridge get together this coming Tuesday. In addition to the menu I am also posting the to-die-for brownie recipe I used to make when I worked in catering.

Bridge Luncheon Menu
Tuesday June 29th 2010
1:00 pm

Fresh Vegetable & Cracker Assortment with Ginger Water Chestnut Dip

Assorted Gourmet Sandwiches
to include:
~Cucumber & Sweet Onion Butter Tea Sandwiches~
~Tarragon Chicken Salad on Mini Croissants~
~Genie's Portobello Sandwich~
Fresh Mozzarella, Marinated Portobello Mushrooms,
Fresh Basil Aioli, Sliced Tomatoes on Honey Sunflower Bread

Lemon Tortellini Salad
Cheese Tortellini, Julienned Red Bell Peppers, Scallions,
Asparagus, Parmesan and Almonds all tossed
in a Homemade Lemon Vinaigrette

Petite Sweets
Homemade Pecan Bars
&
Rich Chocolate Chunk Brownies w/toasted nuts

Sparkling White Sangria

********************************************************************************************

Rich Chocolate Chunk Brownies w/Toasted Nuts
These are the brownies I used to make for catering jobs, I tweaked the original recipe until I eventually ended up with this. Its all about the chocolate you use. Lots of people ask for this recipe so here it is!

Ingredients

4 oz. Unsweetened Chocolate (not bakers, use a finer quality)

3 C. Ghiradelli 60% Cacao Bittersweet Chocolate Chips (set aside 1 C)

2 Sticks Unsalted Butter (cubed)

2 ½ C. Sugar

1 ½ tsp. Salt

6 eggs, whipped with a fork

1 ½ C. Flour
*You can also add chocolate covered espresso chips (found at publix) instead of extra chocolate chips OR add additional toasted nuts of your choice.

Directions
Pre-heat oven to 350 degrees, line a 9 x 14" baking pan with parchment.

Melt unsweetened chocolate, 2 ¼ C chocolate chips and butter in a double boiler.

Pour a medium sized bowl mix sugar and salt with melted chocolate and let cool.

Stir in whipped eggs. Stir in flour. Mix until smooth. Stir in extra 1 C. Chocolate Chips and Nuts. Pour into pan lined with parchment. Bake at 350 degrees for 15 minutes, then rotate pan and bake for an additional 12-13 minutes. Check with a toothpick. When it is not gooey in the center its done. Baking times may vary depending on your oven. Cool pan on wire rack. Refrigerate over night (or at least 1-2 hours) before cutting.

This recipe makes approximately:

12 large brownies for 1x or approximately 128 petite sweets (32 per quarter pan).

So maybe Tuna is not so bad??

Basic Tuna Salad & using what's around the house to make a healthier Tuna Noodle Casserole...
Hello! back again. This week I gave canned tuna a try. I know most would wrinkle up their noses at this...but it actually turned out to be pretty good. Good thing when you're super broke. I've always been told how good it is for you, but could never get past the smell. It's cheap, low fat and good protein. So I gave it a shot and was pleasantly surprised. I figured if I now like and eat fish dip how far off could this be? ?

----------------------------------------------------- --------------------------------------
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Basic Tuna Salad
I made mine low on the mayo (just enough to make it all stick together), high on the hot sauce and relish. It made a great lunch that was a quick fix.

1 can Tuna, drained
Lite Mayo (to taste)
Dijon Mustard (to taste)
Pickle Relish
Salt & Fresh Cracked Pepper
Hot Sauce

Mix it all together. Serve on crackers or carrot chips with extra hot sauce.


-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Tuna Noodle Casserole
The same week I wanted to make something good and hearty for dinner (without going to the store). So I looked up the following recipe for a Skillet Tuna Noodle Casserole from Eating Well's web page. Didn't have all the ingredients so just adapted it. I'll first list Eating Well's recipe and then what I actually made. It was really good and filling.

Eating Well's Skillet Tuna Noodle Casserole
this family-friendly tuna noodle casserole tends to be made with canned soup and whole milk, which means high fat and sodium. We remedy this by making our own creamy mushroom sauce with nonfat milk thickened with a bit of flour. Look for whole-wheat egg noodles—they have more fiber than regular egg noodles (but this dish will work well and taste great with either).

6 servings, about 1 1/3 cups each | Active Time: 40 minutes | Total Time: 40 minutes

Ingredients

• 8 ounces whole-wheat egg noodles
• 1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil
• 1 medium onion, finely chopped
• 8 ounces mushrooms, sliced
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1/2 cup dry white wine
• 6 tablespoons all-purpose flour
• 3 cups nonfat milk
• 1/2 teaspoon freshly ground pepper
• 12 ounces canned chunk light tuna drained (see Note)
• 1 cup frozen peas, thawed
• 1 cup finely grated Parmesan cheese, divided
• 1/2 cup coarse dry whole-wheat breadcrumbs (see Tip)

Preparation

1. Bring a large pot of water to a boil. Cook noodles until just tender, 6 to 8 minutes or according to package directions. Drain and rinse.
2. Position rack in upper third of oven and preheat broiler.
3. Meanwhile, heat oil in a large ovenproof skillet over medium-high heat. Add onion, mushrooms and salt and cook, stirring often, until the onion is softened but not browned, about 5 minutes. Add wine and cook until evaporated, 4 to 5 minutes. Sprinkle flour over the vegetables; stir to coat. Add milk and pepper and bring to a simmer, stirring constantly. Stir in tuna, peas and 1/2 cup Parmesan until evenly incorporated. Then, stir in the noodles (the pan will be very full). Remove from the heat.
4. Sprinkle the casserole with breadcrumbs and the remaining 1/2 cup Parmesan. Broil until bubbly and lightly browned on top, 3 to 4 minutes.

Nutrition

Per serving : 406 Calories; 8 g Fat; 3 g Sat; 3 g Mono; 53 mg Cholesterol; 47 g Carbohydrates; 32 g Protein; 5 g Fiber; 684 mg Sodium; 593 mg Potassium

3 Carbohydrate Serving

Exchanges: 2 1/2 starch, 1/2 nonfat milk, 3 lean meat

*******************************************************************************

Shelley's Adaption of Tuna Noodle Casserole

• 1/2 Box whole-wheat Rigatoni, cooked al dente and drained.
  
• 1/2 Tbs. extra-virgin olive oil
• 1/2 Tbs. Butter
  
• 1 medium onion, finely chopped
• 1 Yellow Squash, Sliced in small half moons
  
• 4 Carrots, peeled and chopped
  
• 2 Cloves Garlic, minced
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1/2 cup Miller Lite
  
• 4 tablespoons all-purpose flour
• 2 cups 2% milk
• 1/2 teaspoon freshly ground pepper
• Crystal Hot Sauce (to taste)
• Red Pepper Flake (to taste)
  
• 12 ounces canned chunk light tuna, drained
• 1 cup frozen peas, thawed
• 1/2 cup finely grated Parmesan cheese, divided
• 1/2 cup coarse panko breadcrumbs
  

Preparation

1. Position rack in upper third of oven and preheat to 400 degrees.
   
2. Meanwhile, heat oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add onion, squash, carrots and pepper and cook, stirring often, until the onion is softened but not browned, about 5 minutes. Add garlic and cook about 1 minute or until fragrant. Add beer and cook until evaporated, 4 to 5 minutes. Sprinkle flour over the vegetables; stir to coat. Add milk, salt, pepper, red pepper flake and hot sauce bring to a simmer, stirring constantly. Stir in tuna, peas and 1/4 cup Parmesan until evenly incorporated. Then, stir in the noodles (the pan will be very full). Remove from the heat.
3. Pour mixture into an oven safe casserole dish
   
4. Sprinkle the casserole with breadcrumbs and the remaining 1/4 cup Parmesan. Bake 20-25 minutes or until bubbly and lightly browned on top.

Enjoy!

What's Cooking: Menu for the Week: June 7th - 11th

Menu for the Week of
June 7th - 11th

Monday
Coconut Chicken in the Crock Pot
Jasmine Rice with Peas
Savory Refried White Beans
Steamed Mixed Veggies
in an Asian Vinaigrette
(Carrots, Tomatoes and Broccoli)

Tuesday
Green Gazpacho served with Grilled Shrimp
Tomatoes stuffed with Crab Orzo Salad
Baked Brown Sugar Sweet Potatoes

Wednesday
Baked Lemon Herb Tilapia
with a Wine Sauce
Cilantro Pesto Roasted
Green Beans & Carrots
Green Salad with Honey Mustard Dressing

Thursday
Caesar Salad
Mussels in a Spicy Red Sauce
over Whole Grain Linguine
Toasted Multi-Grain Baguette

Friday
Fish Tacos
served with Soft Tortillas
Mexican Rice
Black Bean & Corn Salad

Turning Two Home-Cooked Classics into Vegetarian Meals: Chicken Tortilla Soup & Shepherd's Pie

Last week I didn't do much blogging due to the fact that I was one: busy, and two: trying out new things. I will first list the original recipe and then my adaptation. They were all good.

Mexican Chicken Soup
Barefoot Contessa's recipe from the Food Network (see below). It looked super good when I saw her make it, I however did not load mine with cheese and sour cream like she did. It was still delicious and I love how you use the corn tortillas to thicken the soup. I served mine with chips, avocado and lime.

Ingredients (MEAT VERSION)

nocoupons

• 4 split (2 whole) chicken breasts, bone in, skin on
• Good olive oil
• Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
• 2 cups chopped onions (2 onions)
• 1 cup chopped celery (2 stalks)
• 2 cups chopped carrots (4 carrots)
• 4 large cloves garlic, chopped
• 2 1/2 quarts chicken stock, preferably homemade
• 1 (28-ounce) can whole tomatoes in puree, crushed
• 2 to 4 jalapeno peppers, seeded and minced
• 1 teaspoon ground cumin
• 1 teaspoon ground coriander seed
• 1/4 to 1/2 cup chopped fresh cilantro leaves, optional
• 6 (6-inch) fresh white corn tortillas

Directions

For serving: sliced avocado, sour cream, grated Cheddar cheese, and tortilla chips

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.

Place the chicken breasts skin side up on a sheet pan. Rub with olive oil, sprinkle with salt and pepper, and roast for 35 to 40 minutes, until done. When the chicken is cool enough to handle, discard the skin and bones, and shred the meat. Cover and set aside.

Meanwhile, heat 3 tablespoons of olive oil in a large pot or Dutch oven. Add the onions, celery, and carrots and cook over medium-low heat for 10 minutes, or until the onions start to brown. Add the garlic and cook for 30 seconds. Add the chicken stock, tomatoes with their puree, jalapenos, cumin, coriander, 1 tablespoon salt (depending on the saltiness of the chicken stock), 1 teaspoon pepper, and the cilantro, if using. Cut the tortillas in 1/2, then cut them crosswise into 1/2-inch strips and add to the soup. Bring the soup to a boil, then lower the heat and simmer for 25 minutes. Add the shredded chicken and season to taste. Serve the soup hot topped with sliced avocado, a dollop of sour cream, grated Cheddar cheese, and broken tortilla chips.

********************************************************************************

Using this recipe as an inspiration to make my
Spicy Tortilla Soup

Ingredients (VEGGIE VERSION)

• Good olive oil
• Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
• 2 cups chopped onions (2 onions)
• 1 cup chopped celery (2 stalks)
• 2 cups chopped carrots (4 carrots)
• 2 ears corn chopped off the cob
  
• 4 large cloves garlic, chopped
• 1-2 quarts vegetable stock (I used one and made a thicker soup)
  
• 1 (28-ounce) can whole tomatoes in puree, crushed
• 2 to 4 serrano peppers, seeded and minced
• 1 can dark red kidney beans, rinsed and drained
  
• 1 teaspoon ground cumin
• 1 teaspoon whole coriander seed
• 1/4 to 1/2 cup chopped fresh cilantro leaves, optional
• 4 (6-inch) fresh corn tortillas cut into strips

heat 3 tablespoons of olive oil in a large pot or Dutch oven. Add the onions, celery, and carrots and cook over medium-low heat for 10 minutes, or until the onions start to brown. Add the garlic and cook for 30 seconds. Add the chicken stock, tomatoes with their puree, serranos, cumin, coriander, 1 tablespoon salt, 1 teaspoon pepper, and the cilantro, if using. Cut the tortillas in 1/2, then cut them crosswise into 1/2-inch strips and add to the soup. Bring the soup to a boil, then lower the heat and simmer for 25 minutes. Serve the soup hot topped with sliced avocado, and broken tortilla chips.
***************************************************************************
***************************************************************************
Shephard's Pie VEGGIE VERSION
(for the original Meat recipe check out the archives from May)
In the original version this is a rather heavy meal with the cheesy mashed potatoes and red meat. This is a lighter version with no cheese and added protein and fiber with the added vegetables and beans. It was SO good and still had the same benefits of being able to be made ahead of time and popped in the oven.

Ingredients:
Mashed Potatoes

• 2 large baking potatoes, peeled and cubed
  
• 1/2 Onion, diced
• 2-3 cloves garlic, minced
• 2/3 can White Beans, drained but not rinsed (reserve the rest)
  
• 1 Tbs. Olive Oil
  
• Thyme (dried is ok)
• 1-2 Splashes of Whole Milk
• 1-2 Tbs. Butter
  

Veggie Filling

• Olive Oil
  
• 2 cloves garlic, minced
• 1/4 sweet onion, diced
  
• 4 stalks celery, sliced
  
• 3 carrots, peeled and sliced
  
• 2 stalks broccoli, peeled and sliced
• 2 ears corn, cut off cob
• 1/2 c. frozen lima beans
• 1/2 c. frozen peas
  
• 1/3 can white beans, drained but not rinsed
• 1/2 c. Crushed Tomatoes
  
• 1-2 tsp. flour
• 1/4 c. dark beer, yengling
• 1/4 c. broth ( I used beef broth, but a true vegetarian would use vegetable)
• Crystal Hot Sauce 3-4 pours (to taste)
• Salt & Pepper (to taste)
• Thyme (to taste)
• Red Pepper Flake, a couple shakes (to taste)

Mashed Potatoes:
(Make mashed potatoes first, and then set aside. Just don't eat them all!)
Boil peeled and cubed potatoes in a large pot of salted boiling water until potatoes are tender when pierced with a knife. In a large skillet over medium heat, heat up 1 Tbs. Olive Oil. Saute onion until caramelized then add drained cooked potatoes. Salt and pepper and thyme to taste. Cook until potatoes start to brown. Then add minced garlic. Saute 1 minute until fragrant. Pour white beans in and cook until they are heated up. Then pour the mixture back into the empty potato pot. Add butter and a splash or so of milk and smash potato mixture. Season with salt, pepper and thyme to taste. Set aside.

Veggie Filling:
Pre-heat oven to 350 degrees.
Heat up olive oil in large skillet. Then saute onion, carrot, celery, and broccoli stalks. Once veggies begin to get browned add garlic and corn, saute for 1-2 more minutes. Season with salt, pepper and thyme to taste. Add lima beans, peas and beans. Mix well and heat up. Then mix in the crushed tomatos, these will begin to lose a little moisture as they heat up. Sprinkle the flour over all the veggies and saute 1-2 minutes until the flour taste has been cooked out. Then add the beer and veggie (or beef) stock. Stir through the veggies incorporating all flour, this should make a thicker sauce. Taste and season again with salt, pepper, red pepper flake, crystal hot sauce and thyme.

Once veggie filling tastes savory and ready pour entire mixture into a medium oven safe casserole dish. Top with mashed potatoes making sure entire mixture is covered to all edges of the casserole. Bake at 350 for 45 minutes or until potatoes are golden brown and the veggie mixture is beginning to bubble up around the edges.

Serve.
:)

What's Cooking Tonight: Sherry's Sugga-Shack's Shrimp Creole

So as people have heard about my blogging I have gotten more and more recipes to try. Its great! Tonight's dinner is from my friend Sarah, its quick, easy and can be cooked in the crock-pot. For whatever reason I normally have a hard time following a recipe to the 'T' so I will be sure to put in parentheses what I added outside of the original recipe.

Sherry Sugar-Shack's Shrimp Creole
(and I got the name right, this is what I remember Sarah calling it)

Cooking Time: 3 hours 10 minutes (crock pot) or 1 to 2 hours (stove top)

Ingredients:

• 2 Tbs. Olive Oil
  
• 1/2 c. diced celery
• 1/2 c. diced green bell pepper
• 1/2 c. diced sweet onion
• 1/2 c. fresh corn (cut off the cob)*
• 2 cloves garlic minced*
• 1 tsp. chili powder (i substituted a pinch of cayenne)*
• 1 (14 oz.) can diced tomatoes
• 1 (8 oz.) can tomato sauce
• 1 Tbs. Hot sauce ( I used Tabasco)
  
• 1 Tbs. Worcestershire
• 1 tsp. White Sugar
• 1 tsp. Cumin
  
• 3 Chipotle Chilies diced*
• 2 Tbs. Adobo Sauce (from Chipotle Chili can)*
• Red Pepper Flake*
  
• Salt and Pepper
• 1 1/2 # Shrimp, cleaned/deveined/tail-less (I got away with using 1 #)
• Green Onions, chopped (optional)
  

(*Items I added to recipe)

Directions

Preheat crock pot on high.(If using crock pot)

In fry pan, heat olive oil. Add peppers, onions and celery. Cook until softened. Add Corn, Garlic, and chili powder and saute until caramelized. Remove from heat and pour into crock pot. If not using crock pot add to large pot or dutch oven on stove top. Add tomatoes, tomato sauce, hot sauce, Worcestershire, white sugar, cumin, chilies, adobo, red pepper flake salt and pepper.

Stove Top: Mix well and bring to a boil, then reduce to low. Cover and simmer on low for 1-2 hours. One hour will be fine, but it can go longer. Just don't scorch and check on it every now and then.

Crock Pot: Cook for 3 hours on high.

Add shrimp right before you get ready to eat and cook for about 3-4 minutes. Serve over rice. Top with chopped green onions (optional).

It was delicious..thanks Sarah!

We love Breakfast!

Hey Banjo and I were just featured as guest reviewers on Tampa Bay Breakfasts. Pretty cool pretty cool.
A couple of weeks ago Banjo and I were out for breakfast at Skyway Jacks II, where we met Andy and Marek. Banjo and Marek totally hit it off and turns out Andy and I are both Bay Area Regional Food Epicurean Reporters...who knew!
I had the veggie omelet and banjo had the sausage patty. A good time was had by all.

Check it out:

http://www.tampabaybreakfasts.com/?p=1463

Recipe of the Week: Mexican Grilled Cheese

I am posting this recipe for my good friend Carol. I made this Terranova favorite about a month ago and invited her over, she didn't come eat but has asked me to tell her about it a couple times since then. It's everything you love about a grilled cheese with a spicy kick. I serve this with a traditional tomato soup and avocado with salt and lime, but it would also go very well with a salad if you want to curb the guilt.

The dips listed are from Terranova Catering (in Gainesville FL) and are sold at the downtown farmer's market every Wednesday. If you can not make it there, I've listed some substitute recipes below. They are good to make and have to eat with other things too!

Mexican Grilled Cheese

Sharp Cheddar Cheese, grated
Jalapeno Jack Cheese, grated
Chipoltle Dip (recipe below)
Cilantro Pesto (recipe below)
Red Onion, sliced in thin half moons
Fresh Cracked Pepper
Publix White Mountain Bread, sliced
Butter

Heat skillet over medium heat. Butter outsides of bread with butter. On insides of bread, each sandwich should have one side spread with cilantro pesto, and the other side spread with chipoltle dip. Once skillet is hot, place one slice of bread butter side down. Then proceed to sprinkle a healthy amount of each cheese and layer in slices of red onion. Pepper to taste.
Top with second slice of bread (butter side up). Grill each side till golden brown and cheese is melted. Serve immediately.

-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Chipoltle Dip
I am sure there is an exact recipe online, however if short on time this is a good substitute.

1/4 c. mayo
1/4 c. sour cream
2-3 Chipoltle Peppers, sliced from can (buy chipoltle peppers in adobo sauce)
2-3 Spoonfuls of sauce from chipoltle pepper can (to taste)
Fresh Cracked Pepper (to taste)

Mix Well.

-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Cilantro Pesto
I used this recipe from AllRecipes.com and it was good. I used half as much olive oil and it was fine with me, especially for this recipe since you don't want to soak the bread.
This is also good to have around, good on baked potatoes and pasta.

1 bunch Cilantro, stems removed
5 cloves Garlic, minced
1 Tbs. White Wine Vinegar
1/4 c. grated Parmesan Cheese
1/2 tsp. Cayenne Pepper
1/2 c. Walnuts or Pecans
Salt to taste
1/2 c. Olive Oil

Blend everything, except olive oil, in electric food processor or blender. Add 1/4 c. Olive oil, blend pesto. Add additional olive oil until pesto reaches the consistency you like.


Enjoy~

What's Cooking Tonight: Basil Pesto Pasta Primavera

Friday night pasta night :) I often make pasta primavera, it's not really a recipe so I don't normally write down what I do but tonight's was really good so I'm writing it down. I typically use whatever I have around. So for tonights recipe I didn't have to go get anything except garlic and butter ( just b/c we're out). The picture shown is not this meal, I can't seem to find my camera cord. This meal is actually very nice looking with all of the colors of the vegetables and beans (red, purplish, green, orange etc..).

Basil Pesto Pasta Primavera

1/2 box Rigati Ziti, cooked al dente
1 Tbs. Olive Oil
3 Tbs. Salted Butter
3-4 large Garlic Cloves, minced
1 Tbs. All Purpose Flour
2-3 Tbs. Whole Milk (a good splash)
2-3 Tbs. Basil Pesto
1/4- 1/2 c. White Wine (I used a chardonnay)
Kosher Salt (to taste)
Cracked Black Pepper (to taste)
Red Pepper Flake (to taste)
Garam Masala ( I used a good sprinkle of this and it was good, but I felt it wasn't needed)
1 can of Dark Kidney Beans, rinsed and drained
1/2 c. Frozen Peas
1/2 c. Frozen Cut Green Beans
1/2 c. Edamame, shelled and cooked
1/2 c. Shredded Carrots
3/4 c. Grape Tomatoes, sliced on the diagonal
1/2 c. Walnuts, toasted and roughly chopped

Have all your veggies and pasta prepped and ready to go.
In a large sauce pan melt butter over medium heat. Cook 1-2 minutes. Add garlic and cook until butter begins to brown and garlic is fragrant, about 2 minutes more. Sprinkle flour over butter and garlic and wisk in. Cook flour 1-2 minutes until it begins to lightly brown. Wisk in a good splash of milk (I think it would be around 2-3 Tbs.). You don't want it to be super runny, more like a sauce consistency. The flour should make it thicken. Wisk in pesto, and then white wine. Salt and Pepper to taste. Add the rest of the vegetables and the kidney beans. Stir well to coat all of the vegetables. Drizzle with olive oil. Cook 3-4 minutes until all of the vegetables are cooked and heated through. Season to taste with salt, pepper and red pepper flake. Stir in cooked pasta. Cook until heated. Add seasoning and wine as needed. Take off heat and stir in toasted walnuts. Serve.

I served this dish with a salad, I also made pepperoni stuffed shells for Chad since this dish is meatless and almost totally cheese-less besides the pesto.
Happy Friday Everyone :) ~ s

What's Cooking Tonight: Eating Well's Egyptian Edamame Stew

This one may sound a bit out there, but its easy-tasty-and packs protein for those who don't eat meat. I literally was able to throw it together in 30 minutes done. I like that a lot. Just make sure you buy the shelled edamame. It took forever to find at Publix so I just grabbed the first one I found. This was another recipe where I only had to pick up 3 things, so I like it.
I'm serving it over whole wheat cous cous, with a side of fresh corn on the cob.

This is taken directly from Eating Well.com...they go on to explain exactly how this is Egyptian. I for one, know little about what they eat over there:
A riff on the Egyptian classic ful medames, a highly seasoned fava bean mash, this version is made with easier-to-find edamame. Edamame (fresh green soybeans) have been shown to lower LDL cholesterol. They can be found shelled in the freezer section of well-stocked supermarkets.

Egyptian Edamame Stew

4 servings, about 2 cups each

Active Time: 30 minutes

Total Time: 30 minutes

• 1 1/2 10-ounce packages frozen shelled edamame, (about 3 cups), thawed
• 1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil
• 1 large onion, chopped
• 1 large zucchini, diced
• 2 tablespoons minced garlic
• 2 teaspoons ground cumin
• 1 teaspoon ground coriander
• 1/8 teaspoon cayenne pepper, or to taste
• 1 28-ounce can diced tomatoes
• 1/4 cup chopped fresh cilantro, or mint
• 3 tablespoons lemon juice

1. Bring a large saucepan of water to a boil. Add edamame and cook until tender, 4 to 5 minutes or according to package directions. Drain.
2. Heat oil in a large saucepan over medium heat. Add onion and cook, covered, stirring occasionally, until starting to soften, about 3 minutes. Add zucchini and cook, covered, until the onions are starting to brown, about 3 minutes more. Add garlic, cumin, coriander and cayenne and cook, stirring, until fragrant, about 30 seconds. Stir in tomatoes and bring to a boil; reduce heat to a simmer and cook until slightly reduced, about 5 minutes.
3. Stir in the edamame and cook until heated through, about 2 minutes more. Remove from the heat and stir in cilantro (or mint) and lemon juice.

(I LOVE that Eating Well always includes the nutritionals)

Per serving: 257 calories; 8 g fat (1 g sat, 3 g mono); 0 mg cholesterol; 29 g carbohydrates; 0 g added sugars; 15 g protein; 10 g fiber; 520 mg sodium; 304 mg potassium.

Nutrition Bonus: Vitamin C (90% daily value), Vitamin A (35% dv), Iron (25% dv).

1 Carbohydrate Serving

Exchanges: 1 starch, 2 vegetable, 1 very lean meat, 1 fat

ENJOY! ~

What's Cooking Tonight: Cooks Illustrated's Best French Onion Soup

It had been awhile since I've made French Onion soup and I saw online that Cook's Illustrated had updated their recipe. ..so I figured I'd give this new recipe a try. Its such a rich tasting soup and my favorite part about this recipe is the non-active cook time. You actually caramelize the onions in the oven. Yes it does take a long time to make, but if you're going to be around the house anyway it is an easy recipe to do. I recommend it. I made 1/2 a portion since I don't own a 7 qt. pot and it was enough to make 6 ramekin sized bowls full. We tried it last night when it was really for tonight. They say its better the day after. . . I'm looking forward to finding out.

My mother makes a great French Onion Soup and when she serves it it is paired with a Spinach Salad with a Hot Bacon Dressing and homemade croutons. (go for it if you eat meat)

The Best French Onion Soup

From: Cook’s Illustrated

Serves 6

Notes:

For the best flavor, make the soup a day or 2 in advance. Alternatively, the onions can be prepared through step 1, cooled in the pot, and refrigerated for up to 3 days before proceeding with the recipe.
Ingredients:

Soup

• 3 tablespoons unsalted butter , cut into 3 pieces
• 6 large yellow onions (about 4 pounds), halved and cut pole to pole into 1/4-inch-thick slices (Make sure you get Yellow)
• Table salt
• 2 cups water, plus extra for deglazing
• 1/2 cup dry sherry
• 4 cups low-sodium chicken broth (They recommend Swanson Certified Organic Free Range Chicken Broth )
• 2 cups beef broth (They recommend Pacific Beef Broth)
• 6 sprigs fresh thyme , tied with kitchen twine
• 1 bay leaf
• Ground black pepper

Cheese Croutons

• 1 small baguette , cut into 1/2-inch slices
• 8 ounces shredded Gruyère cheese (about 2 1/2 cups)

Directions:

For the soup:

1. Adjust the oven rack to the lower-middle position and heat the oven to 400 degrees.
2. Generously spray the inside of a heavy-bottomed large (at least 7-quart) Dutch oven with a nonstick cooking spray. Place the butter in the pot and add the onions and 1 teaspoon salt. Cook, covered, for 1 hour (the onions will be moist and slightly reduced in volume). Remove the pot from the oven and stir the onions, scraping the bottom and sides of the pot. Return the pot to the oven with the lid slightly ajar and continue to cook until the onions are very soft and golden brown, 1 1/2 to 1 3/4 hours longer, stirring the onions and scraping bottom and sides of pot after 1 hour.
3. Carefully remove pot from oven and place over medium-high heat. Using oven mitts to handle pot, cook onions, stirring frequently and scraping bottom and sides of pot, until the liquid evaporates and the onions brown, 15 to 20 minutes, reducing the heat to medium if the onions are browning too quickly. Continue to cook, stirring frequently, until the pot bottom is coated with a dark crust, roughly 6 to 8 minutes, adjusting the heat as necessary. (Scrape any fond that collects on spoon back into onions.)
4. Stir in 1/4 cup water, scraping the pot bottom to loosen crust, and cook until water evaporates and pot bottom has formed another dark crust, 6 to 8 minutes. Repeat process of deglazing 2 or 3 more times, until onions are very dark brown. Stir in the sherry and cook, stirring frequently, until the sherry evaporates, about 5 minutes.
5. Stir in the broths, 2 cups of water, thyme, bay leaf, and 1/2 teaspoon salt, scraping up any final bits of browned crust on bottom and sides of pot.
6. Increase heat to high and bring to simmer. Reduce the heat to low, cover, and simmer for 30 minutes. Remove and discard herbs, then season with salt and pepper.

For the croutons:

1. While the soup simmers, arrange the baguette slices in single layer on baking sheet and bake in a 400-degree oven until the bread is dry, crisp, and golden at edges, about 10 minutes. Set aside.

To serve:

1. Adjust oven rack 6 inches from broiler element and heat broiler. Set individual broiler-safe crocks on baking sheet and fill each with about 1 3/4 cups soup. Top each bowl with 1 or 2 baguette slices (do not overlap slices) and sprinkle evenly with Gruyère. Broil until cheese is melted and bubbly around edges, 3 to 5 minutes. Let cool 5 minutes before serving.

A great blog which I follow off and on featured this recipe and added wonderful step by step pictures. Check it out:
http://www.cookography.com/2008/the-best-french-onion-soup-ever

What's Cooking Tonight: Sesame Noodles and Grilled Fish

After work today I decided to do a little experimenting. I have been craving this Asian-inspired pasta salad for a couple of days. They used to make a version of it at Civilization (a restaurant in Gainesville I used to work for), theirs wasn't always my favorite but it definitely had some shining qualities. I wanted a quick way to get that rich sesame flavor, the light creamy sauce and lots of crunchy veggies without buying a store full of ingredients. All I had to buy for this was the salad dressing, green onions, carrots and sesame oil. I'm sure there is a much more gourmet recipe out there, but this seemed to work out pretty darn well and will now be a part of my regular rotation of recipes :)

Spicy Chilled Sesame Noodles

1/2 box Whole Wheat Linguine
1/4 c. Marzetti All-Natural Asian Ginger Dressing
1/2 c. Sour Cream (low fat)
1/2 tsp. Sesame Oil
1-2 Tbs. Sriracha *to taste
1-2 tsp. Kosher Salt*to taste
1/2 Tbs. Red Pepper Flake *to taste
1 Tbs. Toasted Sesame Seeds
1/4 c. Toasted Slivered Almonds (optional)
1/2 c. Frozen Green Peas
1/2 c. Shredded Carrots (raw)
1/4 c. Green Onions (thinly sliced)

Cook pasta in large salted pot of boiling water 10-11 minutes until al dente. Drain and set aside.
Wisk together the salad dressing, sour cream and sesame oil. Adjust to taste. Add in siracha to taste. In a medium bowl pour dressing mixture over pasta and stir. Toss in frozen peas and carrot shreds. The heat from the pasta makes the peas defrost pretty quickly. Stir in red pepper flake, salt, sesame seeds and almonds. At this point taste it to see if you need to add anything else. Chill in the fridge. Add the green onions just before you serve it. Can be made a couple hours ahead of time. However this gives the noodles more time to soak up the dressing, so if you do make it ahead of time be ready to add 2-4 more Tbs. of salad dressing and red pepper flake to taste.

*Notes: Sriracha is found sometimes at Publix, definitely at Asian supermarkets. Its really good red spicy sauce and has a rooster on the front of the bottle.

ps- if you don't like spicy, the dressing is good without the sriacha and red pepper flake. just not as good in my opinion :)

Enjoy~

Mother's Day Brunch

Happy Mother's Day to all of you mommies out there. This year unfortunately I am not with my mother today, but she is on my mind. In honor of her I would like to share our last mother's day brunch menu with everyone because it was a good one.
It was a beautiful day, we ate outside on the patio. I decorated the table with fresh daises and set the table with a combination of green fiesta ware and depression glass.

Mother's Day Brunch

Fresh Fruit Salad: with orange sections, strawberries, peaches and bananas topped with toasted nuts and coconut.

Butter Pecan Waffles with hot maple syrup

Bacon

Iced Coffee

Grapefruit Juice

------------------------------------------------------------------
Helpful hints and reminders . . .
*Any time you are making waffles or pancakes and working to get everything to come out on time you need to keep the oven warm and place prepared waffles in as you go working in batches. Everyone, especially mom, needs a hot waffle.
*Be sure to take the butter out of the fridge ahead of time so it is not rock hard.
* Make the coffee first and cool before pouring over ice, you can also use coffee ice cubes so you don't get all watered down. I used organic milk in this batch. trust me its good.
*Use your favorite recipe for waffles ( I used one from Cooks Illustrated) and add chopped candied pecans to the batter as cooking.

Recipe of the Week: Jeanie's Killer BLTs

Ok, so I don't eat too many BLTs anymore since becoming vegetarian. But back when I did eat meat I was visiting my cousin Jeanie in St. Augustine and we were hanging out and she suggested we make BLTs for lunch. I actually had never had one until that point. I used to not be a big fan of raw veggies on sandwiches and didn't like mayo. Well she insisted and let me tell you she can make aBLT. We grubbed out that day.
Since then I became a BLT lover and have tried many a BLT out and made many at home...but somehow they don't touch hers. It's a simple sandwich, but it's the details with each ingredient that make this sandwich so good.
This is her recipe below. . . .

Jeanie's Killer BLTs

Thick Sliced Bacon
Suggested Brand = Maverick Ranch Applewood Smoked Bacon. Organic if available.
Cook bacon in the oven at 375 for 12-15 minutes, she cooks the bacon on a regular baking sheet that's been covered with foil. Always check the bacon after 8-10 minutes. Don't burn it! You may have to rotate your pan if your oven cooks unevenly.

Crisp Romaine Lettuce
Washed and torn into sandwich sized pieces.

Beef Steak Tomato or a good hardy in-season Tomato
Washed and sliced medium to thick.

Mayonnaise
Suggested Brand: Hellmans

Salt & Pepper

Bread
Suggested Brand: Publix Italian Bread from the bakery OR Spelt bread (found in freezer section) Toast or crisp bread, make sure you time everything out so that the bread is warm when you're ready to put the sandwich together.

ASSEMBLY:
Spread Mayo on both sides of bread. Place 2-3 strips of bacon on one side of bread, layer lettuce then tomato slices on the other side of bread. Salt & Pepper the tomato. Put it all together and serve immediately. yum!

Serve with cold bread & butter crinkle cut pickles, raw veggies and lite bleu cheese dressing and kettle cooked potato chips.

Variations: If you are at a swanky grocery store you could try this with heirloom tomatoes, they are delicious. Also, if you are not a mayo fan a good honey mustard can be substituted. Try the mayo first. :)

enjoy~

In the Beginning . . .

Wow so where to begin? ? ?
I have recently been able to really spend time cooking for the love of cooking. And big surprise...I love it. I just moved to St. Petersburg, Florida and work an almost full time job. Leaving just enough time for me to be able to cook consistently. I got the idea for a blog from being bored in a meeting the other day and I started scribbling down all of the things that I have made in the last month or so since I've been here. My boyfriend is one lucky dude :) I think he'd agree.

For the last 8-10 months or so I have been mostly vegetarian and a lot of that time I did no dairy. This Spring I have modified my eating so that I have a more balanced approach by adding fish, eggs, butter (or ghee) and yogurt to my diet. Don't know that I have any fancy name or classification. However, it does make it challenging to feed a meat eater along with this mix. So I'll be sure to keep a menu posting as I go along (more for my record than anything else).

So this will be a collection of thoughts, recipes, ideas and experiences from going out and a good track of what I'm making each week. I love cooking because it's a good way to share a part of your life with others and good food flat out makes people happy :)