New Recipe Saturday

Greek Lemon Cake

2010-05-14T09:00:00.001-04:00

Lemons are a staple of Greek cooking, because the mild climate is perfect for citrus trees. This is a simple lemon cake that is not too heavy, but still very satisfying. A word of advice: use only fresh lemons for the juice and zest called for in this recipe. They make a world of difference!

Ingredients:

* 3 cups cake flour
* 1 teaspoon baking soda
* 1/4 teaspoon salt
* 6 eggs
* 2 cups sugar
* 1 cup butter, softened
* 2 teaspoons lemon zest
* 2 tablespoons lemon juice
* 1 cup plain yogurt

Let’s prepare!

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Grease a bundt cake pan and set aside. Sift the flour, baking soda, and salt together and set aside. Separate the eggs (always my favorite part). In a small bowl, beat the egg whites until soft peaks form. Gradually add 1/2 of the sugar, beating a little more until stiff glossy peaks form. Set aside.

Cream the butter, 1 1/2 cups sugar, egg yolks, lemon zest, and lemon juice until fluffy. Add the flour mixture alternately with the yogurt. Then gently fold in the egg whites and pour the batter into the prepared pan.

Bake for 50-60 minutes and let the cake cool in the pan for about 15 minutes before turning out on a rack to finish. Serve with a nice cup of coffee or lemon tea and enjoy!

Baba Ghannouj & Pita Chips

2010-05-13T09:00:00.001-04:00

Baba Ghannouj is an eggplant spread that is popular throughout the world. Variations on it can be found in Turkey, Israel, Greece and now, right here in middle Georgia! What a simple spread to put together when you want to try some international cuisine! Great as an appetizer or party dish, especially when paired with these toasted pita chips.

Baba Ghannouj ingredients:

* 1 eggplant
* 2 garlic cloves
* 2 ounces fresh lemon juice
* 2 tablespoons tahini paste
* 1/2 bunch parsley, leaves only
* Salt and pepper

Pita Chips ingredients:

* 4-6 pita shells
* 1 teaspoon oregano
* 1 teaspoon salt
* 1 teaspoon pepper
* olive oil

Pierce some holes in the skin of the eggplant and roast your eggplant in a 375 degree F oven for about 30 minutes, turning about every 7-8 minutes.

Once the eggplant is cool enough to handle, peel away the skin and discard. Place the eggplant flesh in a colander and drain for 10 minutes. In a food processor, combine the garlic, lemon juice, tahini paste and parsley. Pulse to combine. Add the eggplant flesh. Season with salt and pepper to taste. Adjust the flavor with more tahini or lemon juice if you prefer. You can also add in a sprinkle of honey of sugar!

Let’s prepare the pita slices. Cut each pita in half, then two more times to make 8 wedges. Arrange on a large baking sheet. Brush the pita chips with olive oil, and sprinkle with even amounts of oregano, salt, and pepper. Bake for 7 minutes in a 400 degree oven, or until toasted and golden in color.

Enjoy!

Greek Style Shrimp Scampi

2010-05-12T09:00:00.000-04:00

If you love pasta like we do around our house, this is a quick, fresh-tasting alternative to the same old spaghetti and fettuccine alfredo you have had a million times before. It is extremely easy to put together and that is why it makes the perfect weeknight meal!

Ingredients:

* 12 oz linguini or spaghetti
* Salt
* 1 lb medium to large shrimp, deveined, peeled, and tails removed
* Pepper
* 1/3 cup olive oil
* 4 cloves garlic, thinly sliced
* Couple pinches of red pepper flakes
* 1/2 lemon, zested and juiced
* 1 1/2 teaspoon dried oregano
* 20 (or more) Kalamata olives, pitted, and halved
* 1/2 cup white wine
* 1/2 cup flat leaf parsley
* 1 cup feta cheese

Bring a large pot of water to boil. Salt the water and cook the pasta according to package directions.

Season the shrimp with salt and pepper. While the pasta water comes to a boil, heat the olive oil and garlic in a deep skillet. Once the garlic has browned (but before it burns!), remove and reserve. Add and cook the shrimp, about 3-4 minutes. Toss in red pepper flakes, lemon zest, oregano, olives, and wine and cook for a couple more minutes. Remove from heat. Add a ladle of the pasta water to the sauce along with the lemon juice. Drain pasta and add to the skillet. Let the pasta soak in the juices, then toss in parsley and feta.

All that is left is to enjoy!

Greek Orzo & Mahi Mahi with Mustard-Dill Vinaigrette

2010-05-11T09:00:00.002-04:00

Quick, filling, and tasty! Those are three words to describe this perfect weeknight Greek dinner. And let me tell you, the orzo with the vinaigrette-perfect just by itself. And even better, the vinaigrette works well just over a nice garden salad! If Mahi Mahi is not your preferred fish, feel free to use some other type of seafood.

Ingredients:

* 8 oz orzo, cooked al dente
* 1 large cucumber, seeded, quartered lengthwise, and sliced
*3 green onions, thinly sliced
* 3 roma tomatoes, chopped
* 1/4 cup white wine vinegar
* 1 teaspoon dried dill
* 3 tablespoons Dijon mustard
* 1/2 cup olive oil
* salt and freshly ground black pepper
* 6 oz feta cheese (with Mediterranean herbs), crumbled
* 2 Mahi Mahi fillets
* 1 teaspoon Greek Seasoning
* 1/2 teaspoon salt
* 1/2 teaspoon pepper
* olive oil

To begin, cook the orzo according to package directions. Once it is cooked al dente, combine with the cucumber, green onions, and tomatoes. In a blender, pulse (until smooth) the dill, vinegar, and mustard. With the motor still running, slowly add the olive oil until emulsified. Season with salt and pepper to taste. Pour the vinaigrette over the orzo mixture and stir to combine. Gently fold in the feta cheese.

To prepare the fish, combine the Greek seasoning with 1/2 teaspoon of salt and pepper. Sprinkle both sides of the fish and let it rest for a few minutes. Heat a heavy skillet with 2 tablespoons of olive oil and cook the fish about 7 minutes on each side, or until done.

Plate the fish on top of the orzo mixture and enjoy! How could a weeknight meal be easier?

Eggplant & Potato Moussaka

2010-05-10T09:00:00.001-04:00

I recently found a great recipe for this classic Greek favorite by celebrity chef Emeril Lagasse, which prompted me to try my hand at it. Emeril’s recipe calls for half of your meat to be ground lamb, but I stuck with ground chuck, which is a lot easier to find at our local supermarkets. A word of warning… this is the perfect weekend recipe, not something for your hurried weeknights! Take that word of caution from my experience! But please do not pass this great recipe by because of the steps involved. Your time and patience will be rewarded!

Ingredients:

* 3 large eggplants, peeled and sliced into 1/4-inch slices
* 1 1/2 cups olive oil, plus more as needed
* 3 large baking potatoes, peeled and sliced into 1/4-inch thick slices
* 1 1/4 cups all purpose flour
* 5 tablespoons unsalted butter
* 1 medium onion, finely chopped
* 1 ½ pound ground chuck
* 1 tablespoon minced garlic
* 1/2 teaspoon dried oregano
* 1/4 cup dry red wine
* 2 tablespoons tomato paste
* 1/2 cup crushed tomatoes
* 1/2 cup water
* 2 tablespoons minced fresh parsley leaves
* 1/2 cup salt, plus more for seasoning
* Freshly ground black pepper
* 2 1/2 cups milk
* 1 egg, lightly beaten
* 1 egg yolk
* 1 1/3 cup crumbled feta cheese

Once you have all of your ingredients ready, let’s get started.

Place the peeled eggplant slices in a large bowl and cover with water. Add 1/2 cup of salt and gently combine. Let this stand for 20 minutes, drain, and pat dry with paper towels. (Tip: Lay out a few layers of paper towels, lay your eggplant slices on them, and top with more paper towels. This will help draw out the water.)

While the eggplant is soaking, let’s work on the potatoes. Heat 1/2 cup of the olive oil in a large skillet (I actually had two skillets going to cut down on the time) and, working in batches, add the potato slices and cook until lightly golden on both sides, about 3 to 4 minutes. Transfer to a paper-lined plate to drain and repeat with any remaining potato slices. Season lightly with salt.

Place 1 cup of flour into a bowl and coat both sides of the eggplant slices in the flour. Shake to remove any excess flour. Add 1/4 cup of the remaining oil to the skillet and, working in batches, fry the eggplant slices until golden, about 2 to 3 minutes per side. Add more oil to the skillet as needed in 1/4 cup increments. Repeat until all of the eggplant has been cooked and transfer to a paper-lined plate to drain.

Moving on to the meat. Melt 2 tablespoons of butter in a large skillet. Cook the meat and drain off the grease. Add the onions, and cook until tender, about 4 minutes. Toss in the garlic and oregano. Add the red wine and cook until evaporated. Add the tomato paste, stir to incorporate, then add the crushed tomatoes, water, and parsley. Stir occasionally, until almost all liquid has evaporated, about 5 to 10 minutes. Season with salt and pepper to taste and set aside.

Let’s make the béchamel sauce. In a medium saucepan, melt the remaining 3 tablespoons of butter. Once it is hot, whisk in the flour, stirring for 2 to 3 minutes. Gradually whisk in the milk, until smooth and thick. Season with salt to taste. Whisk in the egg and egg yolk. Stir in 1/2 cup of the cheese, cover, and set aside.

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F and lightly grease a 9 by 13-inch casserole dish. The first layer will be all of the sliced potatoes in an even layer. Next, top with half of the eggplant slices then half of the meat sauce. Spoon 3/4 cup of the béchamel sauce evenly over the meat sauce and sprinkle with 1/2 cup of the cheese. Finally, top with the remaining eggplant slices, pressing down on the layers gently with your hands to compress (if needed) and top with the remaining meat sauce and then spread the remaining béchamel sauce evenly over the top. Sprinkle with the remaining cheese. Bake (uncovered) 50 minutes to 1 hour until golden brown on the top and heated throughout. Let stand for at least 15-20 minutes before cutting into squares and serving.

Enjoy!!

Fish Tacos with Guacamole Sauce

2010-05-09T09:00:00.002-04:00

Most of us are familiar with plain old ground beef tacos. However, along the coast of Southern California and Mexico, tacos are often made with chunks of fried fish instead. Any mild white fish will do. The guacamole sauce is also a star, and you may find yourself enjoying the extra sauce with chips. It is that good!

* 3 Tilapia fillets
* olive oil, for drizzling
* Salt and pepper
* 1/2 teaspoon paprika
* 1 lime, juiced
* 3 avocados, pitted and scooped from skins
* 1 lemon, juiced
* 1/2 teaspoon cayenne pepper
* 1 cup plain yogurt
* 1 teaspoon coarse salt
* 2 plum tomatoes, seeded and chopped
* 2 scallions, thinly sliced on an angle
* Flour tortillas
* Garnish: Shredded Cheese of your choice, salsa, and radicchio leaves

Let’s start with the sauce. In a blender, combine avocado flesh, lemon juice, cayenne pepper, yogurt and salt. Process guacamole sauce until smooth. Remove guacamole sauce to a bowl and stir in diced tomatoes and chopped scallions.

Preheat a skillet and drizzle tilapia with olive oil to keep fish from sticking. Season fish with paprika, salt, and pepper. Pan sear the fish 4 to 5 minutes on each side or until opaque. Drizzle the fish with the lime and remove from the skillet. Flake fish into large chunks with a fork.

To serve, prepare your tacos with the fish at the bottom, then add the cheese, salsa, radicchio, and top with the guacamole sauce. Fold and enjoy!

Black Bean Cakes with Orange Basil Salsa

2010-05-08T09:00:00.000-04:00

What a pleasant surprise with this recipe. The fresh basil mixed with the orange really made this fresh salsa a hit in my house! And when topped over these delicious bean cakes… how could you go wrong?

Salsa

* 2 navel oranges, separated and cut into small pieces
* 2 large tomatoes, cored and diced finely
* 2 scallion, sliced thin
* 1 tablespoon fresh basil, minced
* 1 garlic clove, minced
* 1 tablespoon fresh lime juice
* 2 teaspoon olive oil
* 1 small jalapeno pepper seeded and minced
* 1 dash salt

Bean Cakes

* 4 cups cooked black beans, rinsed and drained if canned
* 2 eggs
* 1/2 cup breadcrumbs
* 1 tablespoon olive oil
* 1 medium onion, diced finely
* 2 garlic cloves, minced
* 1 celery rib, sliced thin
* 1 teaspoon ground cumin
* 1/2 tsp salt
* freshly ground pepper

Combine all the salsa ingredients in a bowl. Let sit for at least 1 hour.

Place 3 cups of the black beans in a large bowl. In a food processor, process the remaining cup of beans with the eggs until smooth. Stir this mixture into the whole beans along with the breadcrumbs.

Heat the oil in a medium skillet over medium heat. Add the onion, garlic, and celery and sauté until very tender and beginning to brown. Sprinkle on the cumin and cook 1 more minute.

Add the vegetables into the bean mixture and add the salt and pepper. Stir to mix well.

Preheat oven to 375 degrees and spray a cookie sheet. Using a 1/3 cup measuring cup, scoop up 10-12 portions of the bean mixture and place on the baking sheet. Flatten out with your hand. Bake 10 minutes, flip and bake 10 more minutes. Serve the bean cakes topped with the salsa.

Baked Chili Fries

2010-05-07T09:00:00.002-04:00

Craving fries without the grease? You must give this recipe a try! Simple to put together and perfect for munching on while hanging out with friends. Serve these up with your favorite Ranch or Blue Cheese dressing!

* 1 1/2 pounds poblano peppers, seeded & cut into long strips
* 1 cup flour, divided
* 2 eggs, lightly beaten
* 2 tablespoons mustard
* 1 cup breadcrumbs
* 1/3 cup grated Parmesan Cheese
* Salt and ground black pepper

Preheat oven to 400ºF. Set up 3 plates for your breading process; in one spread the flour, in the second beat the eggs with the mustard and about 2 tablespoons of flour, in the third combine the breadcrumbs, cheese, and some salt and pepper.

Coat the peppers in the flour, then in egg, and finally in the breadcrumbs, pressing to make sure coating sticks. Place the coated peppers on a baking sheet and roast about 18 minutes, turning halfway through baking until golden brown and crispy. All that is left is to enjoy!

Chili Tamale Bowls

2010-05-06T09:00:00.001-04:00

I found this really neat twist on tamales that I just have to share with you. The concept of this recipe works with any chili recipe out there, but seriously, give this one a try! The polenta mixed with the chili really adds something extra special.

* 3 dried chili peppers, seeds and stems removed
* 1 quart chicken stock
* 1 1/2 pounds ground chuck
* 1 tablespoon ground cumin
* 3/4 tablespoon ground coriander
* 3/4 tablespoon paprika
* 1 1/2 pinches cinnamon
* 1/2 pinch of ground cloves
* 3 teaspoons brown sugar
* Salt and black pepper
* 1 onion, finely chopped
* 4 cloves garlic, finely chopped
* 1 cup lager beer
* 2 tablespoons tomato paste
* 1 1/2 cups whole milk
* 1 cup quick cooking polenta
* 2 tablespoons butter
* 1 rounded tablespoon honey
* 2 cups shredded Pepper Jack cheese

Let’s get started! Place the chilies in a pot and cover with 2 1/2 cups stock and bring to a boil. Reduce heat and simmer to soften, 7 to 8 minutes.

Meanwhile, brown meat, breaking into small pieces. Season the meat with cumin, coriander, paprika, cinnamon, cloves, salt and pepper. Add onions and garlic to meat and cook to tender. Stir in tomato paste, incorporate it, and then add beer to the pan, scraping up the bits.

In a blender, purée the stock and softened peppers, then stir into chili. Add the brown sugar and let the chili simmer on low for about 30 minutes.

Right before you are ready to serve the chili, bring remaining 1 1/2 cups of stock and milk to a boil then whisk in polenta and whisk about 2 to 3 minutes to thicken. Stir in butter and honey and season the polenta with salt and pepper to taste.

Pour polenta into individual bowl and form a well in the center. Fill polenta lined bowls with chili and top with shredded cheese. Enjoy!

Tilapia with Tomatillo Sauce & Corn and Pepper Succotash

2010-05-05T16:56:00.003-04:00

This recipe is one of our all-time favorites, especially during the summer. Tomatillos (known as tomate verde, or “green tomatoes” in Mexico) are a staple of Latin American cooking. Interestingly, they are not tomatoes at all, but are more closely related to gooseberries. Tomatillos have a sweet, slightly tart flavor that works well with this spicy fish recipe.

Tilapia and Tomatillo Sauce

* 1 to 1 1/2 pounds tilapia (3 fillets)
* Coarse salt
* Ground pepper
* 1 teaspoon ground cumin
* 1/2 teaspoon sweet paprika
* 1/2 teaspoon chile powder
* 2 tablespoons olive oil
* 1 lime, halved
* 1/2 medium red onion, chopped
* 1 jalapeno seeded and finely chopped
* 2 or 3 cloves garlic, finely chopped
* 8 to 10 tomatillos, husks removed and diced
* 1/2 bottle of beer (Killian’s Irish Red and similar lagers work well)
* 2 tablespoons chopped cilantro leaves

Corn & Pepper Succotash

* 1 tablespoon olive oil
* 1/2 medium red onion, chopped
* 1 jalapeno, seeded and finely chopped
* 1 small red or green bell pepper, seeded and chopped
* 1 15 oz can yellow corn
* sugar to taste
* Dash chili powder
* Salt
* 2 tablespoons butter
* 1 lime, juiced

Let’s get started! Season fish with salt, pepper, cumin, paprika, and chili powder. Heat a nonstick skillet or sauté pan over medium high heat. Add 1 tablespoon oil. Heat an ovenproof serving plate in a warm oven. Sauté fish 3 to 4 minutes on each side until opaque, then squeeze the juice of 1/2 lime over the fish and carefully slide the fillets onto the warm plate. Cover the fish to keep it warm.

Return pan to heat and add the remaining oil. Over medium high heat, quickly sauté the red onion, jalapeno and garlic for a minute or so, then add the diced tomatillos (with seeds and juice). Season mixture with coarse salt and sauté the mixture of vegetables for 5 minutes to thicken and meld it.

Once you get your tomatillo sauce going, get a second sauté pan hot over moderate heat for the succotash. Add 1 tablespoon olive oil, chopped onion, jalapeno and bell pepper. Sauté 2 or 3 minutes. Combine corn with peppers and onions. Season with a sprinkle of sugar, a dash of chili powder and salt. When the mixture bubbles, reduce heat to simmer. Cut butter into pieces and stir into corn mixture. Allow mixture to simmer and cook 3-5 more minutes.

While corn is working, go back to your sauce for the fish. Add the beer and the juice of 1/2 lime and cilantro to the pan. Simmer sauce 5 minutes longer, then spoon hot sauce down over the fish fillets.

Chocolate Amaretti Cake

2010-03-09T17:10:00.001-05:00

I am 100% in love with this cake! Its texture makes me think of a brownie and a cheesecake. When I came across this recipe by Giada de Laurentiis, I knew I would fall in love.

Ingredients

* 3/4 cup semisweet chocolate chips
* 1 cup slivered almonds
* 1 cup amaretti cookies
* 1 stick unsalted butter, at room temperature
* 2/3 cup sugar
* 2 teaspoons grated orange zest
* 4 large eggs
* about 2 tablespoons unsweetened cocoa powder, for sifting

Before we start, spray a 9-inch spring form pan with nonstick spray, place it in the fridge, and preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.

In a small bowl, melt the chocolate chips, stirring every 30 seconds, until melted and smooth.

Combine the almonds and amaretti cookies in a food processor and pulse until finely ground. Transfer that to a bowl and set aside. Place the butter, sugar and orange zest in the food processor and process until smooth and creamy. Add the eggs one at a time, with the machine running. Finally, add the nut mixture back to the processor along with the melted chocolate. Pulse until blended.

Pour the batter into the spring form pan and bake for about 35 minutes, until the center puffs up and a tester comes out clean. Allow the cake to cool for 15 minutes before sifting the cocoa powder. Enjoy!

Baked Tilapia, Lemon Spaghetti, Broccoli and Green Beans

2010-03-08T17:49:00.000-05:00

This meal makes for a very beautiful plate! Using the freshest of foods whenever possible really does infuse the flavors of your meals. Even though you have three parts to this meal, it is simple to put together. Keep in mind that any of these three parts can be served with other sides or your main dish. The spaghetti makes 6 side dish servings and the broccoli/green beans make 4 side dish servings.

Ingredients (Tilapia)

* 2-3 Tilapia filets
* Fish Seasoning: ½ teaspoon each of chili powder, garlic powder, salt and black pepper

Ingredients (Lemon Spaghetti)

* 2/3 cup olive oil
* 2/3 grated Parmesan Cheese
* 1/2 cup lemon juice (from about 2 lemons)
* 3/4 teaspoon salt, plus more to taste
* 1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper, plus more to taste
* 1 pound dried spaghetti
* 1/3 cup chopped fresh basil
* 1 tablespoon grated lemon zest

Ingredients (Broccoli and Green Beans)

* 8 cups broccoli florets
* 1/2 pound green beans, rimmed
* 1/2 cup olive oil
* 2 garlic cloves, minced
* 1 1/2 teaspoons dried red pepper flakes
* 1/2 teaspoon sea salt, plus more to taste
* 1/2 teaspoon freshly ground pepper, plus more to taste

Let’s begin with the fish. Lightly drizzle the filets with olive oil. Sprinkle both sides of the fish with the seasoning mixture and bake in the oven at 400F for 18-22 minutes or until it flakes easily.

Let’s prepare the Lemon Spaghetti. In a bowl, whisk the oil, Parmesan cheese, lemon juice, salt and pepper. Set aside. Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Add in the spaghetti and cook according to package directions. Drain, reserving 1 cup of the pasta water, and add the spaghetti to the lemon sauce, tossing with the basil and lemon zest. Add 1/4 cup of the pasta water at a time to moisten. Season with more salt and pepper if needed.

In a large pot of salted boiling water, add the broccoli and cook just until the color brightens (about 2 minutes). Transfer the broccoli to a bowl of ice water to cool then drain and set aside. In the same pot of boiling water, cook the green beans about 4 minutes. Transfer to a boil of ice water to cool then drain and set aside. In a large sauté pan, heat the oil, garlic, and red pepper flakes. Add in the broccoli and green beans, along with 1/2 teaspoon each of salt and pepper. Sauté for about 5 minutes until the veggies are heated and crisp-tender. Season with more red pepper flakes, salt and pepper if needed.
Enjoy!

Grilled Shrimp with Arugula Pesto

2010-03-07T17:48:00.000-05:00

Pesto is extremely easy to make and very versatile (and freezes well). You can serve it with toasted Italian bread or top it over pasta. Adding shrimp (or any other meat) to this meal makes for a light weeknight dinner that is healthy and filling.

Ingredients (Pesto)

* 2 cups (packed) fresh baby arugula
* 1 garlic clove
* 1/2 cup olive oil
* 1/2 cup grated Parmesan Cheese
* 1/2 teaspoon salt, plus more to taste
* 1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper, plus more to taste
* 12 oz pasta (your choice)

Ingredients (Grilled Shrimp)

* 1 teaspoon plus 2 tablespoons of olive oil
* 1 pound jumbo shrimp, shelled and deveined
* 2 tablespoons salt
* 1/2 teaspoon pepper

Let’s get started. First, place a pot of water on the stove, bring to a boil, and cook your pasta of choice according to package directions.

In a food processor, blend the arugula and garlic until finely chopped. With the machine still running, slowly add the olive oil until blended. Transfer the pesto to a bowl and mix in the Parmesan cheese, salt, and pepper. Mix over your choice of cooked pasta.

Prepare an indoor grill (our outdoor if you prefer) on medium high heat with 1 teaspoon of olive oil. Brush 2 tablespoons of olive oil over the shrimp, and then sprinkle with salt and pepper. Grill the shrimp until cooked through, about 3 minutes per side.
Plate the shrimp over the arugula pesto pasta and enjoy!

Roasted Eggplant Pasta with Goat Cheese

2010-03-06T17:47:00.002-05:00

Who doesn’t love Eggplant Parmesan? This recipe reminds me of just that, without all of the frying and breading! You cannot see the eggplant in this dish, but trust me, you certainly can taste it. The goat cheese crumbled on top adds a nice creamy texture!

Ingredients:

* 2 small, firm eggplants, peeled and cut into 1 inch cubes
* 1/2 cup plus 2 tablespoons olive oil
* Salt and freshly ground pepper
* 6-8 garlic cloves, cracked from the skins
* 1 lb penne rigate pasta
* 1 medium onion, finely chopped
* 1 28 oz can crushed tomatoes
* 20-25 fresh basil leaves, shredded
* 2 cups Goat Cheese, crumbled

Let's cook! Turn on the oven to 425F while you cut up the eggplant and crack the garlic. Place the garlic and eggplant on a baking sheet (you may need two). Brush the eggplant and garlic with 1/2 cup olive oil then lightly add salt and pepper. Roast for 18-20 minutes.

Cook your pasta according to package directions. While the eggplant is roasting and the pasta is cooking, chop up the onion and basil. Here is a trick I use when cutting fresh basil. I gather several leaves together and roll them up. Then slice. You have nice little strips of basil when you are finished.

Ok! Heat a large skillet over medium heat, add 2 tablespoons of olive oil and sauté the onions. Meanwhile, the eggplant should be finished. Take it out and place it into a food processor and process into a smooth paste. Add the paste to the onions and stir in the tomatoes. Adjust salt and pepper as needed and heat the tomatoes. Right before serving, stir in the basil then top with the goat cheese. Enjoy!

Winter Minestrone

2010-03-05T17:45:00.001-05:00

I love wintertime. And I love all of the soups that come with this season. Since we are nearing the end of winter in Georgia, I really wanted to share this Italian classic with you. There are as many ways to make minestrone as there are cooks who make it, but this version was inspired by the one Food Network chef Giada de Laurentiis makes (with a few tweaks, of course). It is a very nice “comfort type” soup.

Ingredients

* 2 tablespoons olive oil
* 1 onion, chopped
* 2 carrots, peeled, chopped
* 2 celery stalks, chopped
* 3 ounces thinly sliced pancetta, coarsely chopped
* 2 garlic cloves, minced
* 1 pound Kale, stems trimmed, leaves coarsely chopped
* 1 russet potato, peeled, cubed
* 1 (14 1/2-ounce) can diced tomatoes
* 1 fresh rosemary sprig
* 1 (15-ounce) can cannellini beans, drained, rinsed
* 2 (14-ounce) cans low-sodium beef broth
* 2 tablespoons chopped fresh Italian parsley leaves
* Salt and Pepper
* Parmesan Cheese

Let’s get started by heating the oil in a large heavy pot over medium heat. Add the carrots, onion, celery, pancetta and garlic and season with salt and pepper. Sauté for about 10 minutes. Add in the kale and potato and sauté for 2-5 minutes. I actually covered the pot at this point to help the greens wilt down. Add the tomatoes and rosemary sprig (I de-leafed mine first). Simmer until the greens are wilted - about 10 minutes.

While the greens are wilting down, blend 3/4 cup of the beans with 1/4 of the broth in a processor until almost smooth. Add the pureed mixture, remaining broth, remaining beans and a nice sprinkle of Parmesan Cheese to the vegetable mixture. Season with salt and pepper to taste. Simmer for 30 minutes until the potato pieces are tender, stirring occasionally.
Ladle the soup into bowls, top with some parsley, and most importantly, Enjoy!

Quick Aussie Meat Pie

2010-02-02T19:30:00.003-05:00

I am not sure what I am more excited about - to share this recipe with you, or to find out from my Australian friends if this anywhere close to what they would consider a meat pie. This recipe comes to you by way of Rachael Ray and this is her "quick" version of an Australian Meat Pie. And to be honest, it is very similar to a Sloppy Joe, and very tasty!!!

Ingredients:

2 Sheets Puff Pastry, defrosted, but kept chilled
salt and pepper
1 tablespoon olive oil
2 tablespoons butter, unsalted
1 1/2 lbs ground chuck
1 medium onion, finely chopped
2 tablespoons flour, all purpose
2 tablespoons Worcestershire sauce
1 rounded tablespoon brown sugar
1 rounded tablespoon tomato paste
1 cup of beef stock or broth
1 tablespoon grill seasoning (I actually mixed up my own - 1 tsp each of sea salt, freshly cracked black pepper, onion powder and garlic powder)
ketchup for garnish (which I forgot)
2 tablespoons chopped fresh chives (which I didn't use)

Let's cook!

Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F. Cut the thawed but chilled pasty sheets into 4 squares each (total of 8 squares if you cook both sheets of puff pastry at the same time). Season the squares with salt and pepper. Bake the pastries for about 12-15 minutes until fluffy and golden brown!

Meanwhile, heat a skillet with the olive oil and butter and add to that the ground chuck and brown. (NOTE: The recipe did not say to drain the liquid from the cooked meat, however, I did. Just cuts down on the amount of grease.)

While the meat is browning, in a separate bowl, whisk together the brown sugar, Worcestershire sauce, beef broth and tomato paste and set aside.

Back to the meat! Toss in the onions and cook for 4-5 minutes until tender. Next add in the flour and mix it into the meat and onions. To the meat and onions, add in the Worcestershire/broth/tomato paste/brown sugar mixture and incorporate. Finally, add in the grill seasoning. Once everything is hot, you are good to go!

Let's plate it! Place one square of the puff pastry in a bowl. On top of that, add some of the meat mixture. Add ketchup if you prefer, and top with another puff pastry. Enjoy!!!

I have to say, this recipe is a keeper. But, I am VERY interested to see how this measures up to the wonderful Meat Pies my friends in Australia make! I want to hear from you!!!

Thanks for reading!

Sausage, Mushroom, Olive Polenta "Lasagna"

2010-01-25T15:45:00.007-05:00

Is it breakfast? Dinner? I will let you decide because it can go either way! We made this recipe Saturday night for dinner and it is very versatile! It comes to you by Rachel Ray and has 5 different versions that change the taste of the dish!

This meal can easily be made into a vegetarian meal! Here is what you do: Omit the sausage. Swap Dry White Wine for the chicken stock/broth, and add 2 additional portobello mushrooms and 1 jarred roasted red pepper (Drained and Chopped).

Let me make one note before beginning - the olive tapenade can be omitted if you prefer. That was one of the versions presented and we decided to make it that way. So, let's see what the ingredients are to make it with the sausage.

Ingredients:

2 tablespoons Olive Oil
2 tablespoons unsalted butter
1/2 lb sweet bulk sausage
1 portobello mushroom, stem removed and thinly sliced
1 small yellow onion, chopped
4 garlic cloves chopped
2 fresh rosemary sprigs, leaves removed and chopped
4 tablespoons store bought olive tapenade (if you want to make your own like I did, see this post)
1/2 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes
Salt and Freshly ground black pepper
1/2 cup chicken stock or broth
Zest and juice of one lemon
2 cups ricotta cheese
1 egg
1/2 cup grated Parmesan Cheese
1/2 cup plain bread crumbs
1 24oz tube prepared polenta, cut into 21 disks about 1/4 inch thick
1 cup shredded mozzarella

Preheat the oven to 450F.

Preheat a large skillet with the oil and butter over medium-high heat. Once the butter melts, add in the sausage, breaking it up with a wooden spoon. Once the sausage starts to brown, add in the portobello mushrooms and incorporate with the meat. Next add in the onions, garlic, and rosemary. Season the mixture with salt, pepper, and red pepper flakes. Finish cooking the sausage and once the mushrooms and onions have wilted, add in the stock/broth and lemon juice. Bump up the heat to high and cook for 3-4 minutes until the liquid has almost evaporated. Give everything a taste and adjust salt/pepper/red pepper flakes if needed.

Meanwhile, in a bowl, mix together the following: Ricotta Cheese, 1 egg, lemon zest, Parmesan Cheese, bread crumbs, and the olive tapenade.

NOTE: Before I continue... if your tastes prefer, you can omit the olive tapenade and use pesto in it's place. Or remember, you don't even have to use either of those!!!

Brush a 8x8 baking dish with a little olive oil and place 7 of the polenta disks on the bottom of the dish. Divide the cheese mixture into thirds as well as the sausage mixture. Now you will layer like a "lasagna". First 7 disks of polenta, 1/3 cheese mixture, 1/3 sausage mixture. Repeat two more times, finishing with the sausage mixture. When you are finished, top with the mozzarella, cover with foil, and bake 15-18 minutes until everything is nice and hot!

The last thing is to enjoy! Like I said, this dish really works for breakfast or dinner. The photo doesn't make this meal look like anything snazzy, but let me tell you, it is so yummy. You can really taste all of the elements to this dish! I hope you will give it a try!

Thanks for reading and I hope you try something new for dinner tonight!

Citrus Biscotti

2009-12-30T12:01:00.002-05:00

So for my Birthday this year (Dec 21), my husband bought me Giada de Laurentiis' first cookbook. Let me say that I am in heaven. I have 6 recipes set for this week that are from her cookbook, three of which have already been made. So, hunker down and get ready for some Italian!!!

On a whim on Monday, I decided to make some Citrus Biscotti. Sure the orange and lemons sitting on my counter are for other recipes, but I really wanted some Biscotti. I figured the grocery store isn't going anywhere! I also did not have any pistachios so I used cashews and almonds. I figured that any nut would work :)

Ingredients:

2 cups all purpose flour
3/4 cup fine yellow cornmeal
1 1/2 tsp baking powder
1 tsp salt
1 cup sugar
3 large eggs
1 tablespoon grated orange zest (from about 1 orange)
1 tablespoon grated lemon zest (from about 2 lemons)
1/2 cup coarsely chopped shelled pistachios

Let's get started.

Preheat the oven to 325F. Line a large baking sheet with parchment paper. In a large bowl, whisk together the flour, cornmeal, baking powder, and salt. Set aside.

In another large bowl, beat the sugar and eggs with an electric mixer until they become pale yellow and fluffy, about 3 minutes. Mix in the orange and lemon zests, then the flour mixture, and beat just until blended. A soft and sticky dough will form. Stir in the pistachios and let stand for 5 minutes.

Divide the dough in half and spread on the cookie sheet. Moisten your hands with water and shape the dough into two 11 inch by 4 inch logs. Bake until the logs are lightly browned (35 minutes). Cool for 5 minutes. Using a serrated knife, cut the logs crosswise into 1/2 inch thick diagonal slices. Arrange the Biscotti cut side down on the same baking sheet and cook for 13 minutes. Take out the pan, flip all of the pieces so the other cut side is down and make for 12 more minutes, until the cookies are pale golden. Let cool before serving.

If you want to add chocolate, just get some Bakers Semi Sweet Chocolate (white or dark) and melt using the microwave or double boiler.

Let's have a look!
Doesn't that look great?? Get into the kitchen, whip this up, put on a nice pot of coffee and enjoy!!!

Mushroom Marsala with Artichokes and Orecchiette

2009-12-29T16:37:00.001-05:00

I came across this recipe a few weeks ago and since I had some Marsala wine left over from another recipe, I decided to make it. The recipe calls for thimble pasta (which is really just any small type of pasta). I chose to go with Orecchiette. In Italian, "ear" is orecchio, so this basically translates as "little ears". I guess my Italian in college comes in handy sometimes.

So, let's see what you need to create this simple, easy meal!!!

Ingredients:

3 tablespoons olive oil
1 small onion, finely chopped
1 pound mushrooms, trimmed, cleaned and finely chopped
1 teaspoon kosher salt, plus 3/4 teaspoon
1 cup dry Marsala wine
1 pound thimble pasta
1 can of artichokes, liquid drained
3/4 cup grated Parmesan
1/2 cup heavy cream
1/2 cup chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley
1 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

Let's cook.

Heat the oil in a skillet over medium high heat. Add the onions and cook for 1 minute. Add the mushrooms and 1 teaspoon of the salt. Saute, stirring occasionally, until all the moisture has evaporated and the mushrooms have cooked down, about 10 minutes. You want to get your mushrooms tender. Add the Marsala and continue cooking until almost all the wine has evaporated, about 5-10 minutes.

Meanwhile, bring a large pot of water to a boil over high heat. Stir in remaining salt. Add the pasta and cook according to package directions. Drain pasta and add it into the mushrooms, Marsala, and onions. Or you can use a Spider strainer like this one that I got for Christmas this year!

Add the artichoke hearts, Parmesan, and cream and cook until the artichokes are heated through, about 5 minutes or so. Stir in the parsley and pepper.

Easy, right? Let's take a look.

Simple! Can't ask for anything better for a weeknight dinner! Enjoy and thanks for reading.

Butternut Squash Lasagna

2009-12-28T16:17:00.005-05:00

I love Lasagna. So I was more than pleased when I found this take on it a few weeks ago (by Giada de Laurentiis). It made tons for my husband and I. We even had some to freeze for dinner "for the future".

Oh, this recipe calls for amaretti cookies. They are crisp and crunchy on the outside and sorta soft and airy on the inside. I did not find them at our regular grocery store so I went to our Fresh Market to find them. I would imagine that you could use Ginger Snaps just the same if you can't find these cookies. But I recommend you look for them because they are so good to snack on!!!

So, let's see what you need to get started.

Ingredients

1 tablespoon olive oil
1 (1 1/2 to 2-pound) butternut squash, peeled, seeded, and cut into 1-inch cubes
Salt and freshly ground black pepper
1/2 cup water
3 amaretti cookies, crumbled
1/4 cup butter
1/4 cup all-purpose flour
3 1/2 cups whole milk
Pinch nutmeg
3/4 cup (lightly packed) fresh basil leaves
12 lasagna noodles
2 1/2 cups shredded mozzarella cheese
1/3 cup grated Parmesan

Let's cook and layer!!!

In a large skillet over medium high heat, heat the oil. To that, add the squash, coat with the oil, and sprinkle with salt and pepper. Pour the water into the skillet, cover, and cook over medium heat until the squash is tender, stirring occasionally (about 20 minutes). Cool slightly and transfer the squash to a food processor. To this, add the amaretti cookies and blend until smooth. Add salt and pepper to taste.

Meanwhile, cook your lasagna noodles according to package directions (unless you are lucky enough to find the no-boil kind). I like to season the water with some salt!

Over medium heat, in a saucepan, melt the butter. Add in the flour and whisk for 1 minute. Gradually whisk in the milk. Bring the mixture to a boil over medium-high heat. Then reduce the heat to medium and simmer until the sauce thickens slightly. It takes about 5 minutes, but whisk often. Don't walk away or your milk will scorch. Finally, whisk in the nutmeg.

Cool the mixture slightly. Transfer half of the sauce to a blender (be very careful when blending hot liquids - A tip: Release one corner of the lid. This prevents the vacuum effect that creates heat explosions. Place a towel over the top of the machine, pulse a few times then process on high speed until smooth.). Add the basil and blend until smooth. Return the basil sauce to the sauce in the pan and stir to blend. Season the sauce with salt and pepper, to taste.

Preheat the oven to 375 degrees F.

In a 13 by 9 by 2-inch baking dish, spread 3/4 cup of the sauce over the prepared baking dish. Arrange 3 lasagna noodles on the bottom of the pan. Spread 1/3 of the squash puree over the noodles. Sprinkle with 1/2 cup of mozzarella cheese (I used more to be honest). Drizzle 3/4 cup of sauce over the noodles. Repeat layering 3 more times.

Cover the baking dish with foil and bake the lasagna for 40 minutes. Sprinkle the remaining mozzarella and Parmesan cheeses over the lasagna. Continue baking uncovered until the sauce bubbles and the top is golden, 15 minutes longer. Let the lasagna stand for 15 minutes before serving.

Putting Lasagnas together can be alot of work, but are well worth it. I really hope you will give this one a try. Let's see what it looks like.

You know you want to make this dish! I hope you will. I promise, you will not be sorry! Enjoy and thanks for reading.

Jeremy’s Mediterranean Shrimp

2009-12-18T12:01:00.001-05:00

I love unexpected surprises. This is the perfect example of a meal created with leftover items. My husband “created” this one weekday night when we had no clue what to have for supper. Since that first time, he has added a little of this and a little of that to create this simple weeknight meal!

Ingredients
➢ 1 lb medium shrimp, deveined and cleaned
➢ 16 oz pasta sauce (your choice)
➢ 14 oz Artichoke Hearts, draining half of the liquid
➢ 20 Kalamata Olives, pitted
➢ 2 teaspoons minced garlic
➢ 1 medium bell pepper, chopped
➢ 1/2 red onion, chopped
➢ 1 teaspoon cracked black pepper
➢ 8 oz Linguine

Let’s get saucy! Add the pasta sauce and garlic to a skillet and heat over medium high heat. Once the sauce simmers, turn down the heat to medium. Add the bell pepper, onion, olives and artichoke hearts. Cover and cook for 12 minutes stirring occasionally.

Meanwhile cook the linguine according to package directions.

Finally, add the shrimp to the sauce mixture and cook until they are pink (usually takes about 4-5 minutes). Serve over the pasta!
Enjoy!

Pumpkin Pasta with Sausage and Wild Mushrooms

2009-12-17T12:01:00.002-05:00

For a few weeks, I was on a serious mission to find a good pumpkin pasta recipe. I finally found one! This recipe turned out to be a pleasant surprise (created by Rachel Ray). I thought this was a creative and unique way to have pasta without your normal pasta sauce. Plus, it’s a great way to sneak a serving of vitamin-rich vegetables into dinner without tipping off the kids! Aren’t you curious just from looking at the ingredient list? (If you don’t like sausage, you can always use ground turkey/chicken/beef.)

Ingredients:
➢ 2 tablespoons olive oil
➢ 1 lb bulk sweet Italian sausage (we used sausage with sage, which works well, too)
➢ 1/4 lb shiitake mushroom caps (we used button mushrooms)
➢ 2 portabella mushroom caps, halved and thinly sliced
➢ 3 garlic cloves, minced
➢ 1 medium yellow onion, chopped (I used a red onion)
➢ Salt, Black Pepper
➢ 1/2 cup dry white wine
➢ 1 cup chicken stock
➢ 1 14oz can Pumpkin (100% pumpkin, not pie filling)
➢ 1/2 cup heavy whipping cream
➢ 2-3 tablespoons fresh sage, thinly sliced
➢ 1/2 teaspoon ground nutmeg
➢ A pinch of ground cinnamon
➢ 3/4 lb penne pasta

Let’s get started! First, bring a large pot of water to a boil. Meanwhile, heat a deep skillet with olive oil over medium-high heat. Add and brown the sausage and crumble it with a wooden spoon. Push the sausage over to one side of the pan and add the mushrooms, garlic and onion. Cook until the mushrooms are brown. Season with salt and pepper.

When your pasta water begins to boil, add the pasta and a dash of salt and cook according to package directions.

Combine the veggies and sausage and pour in the wine to deglaze the pan. Cook for a minute or two. Add the chicken stock and cook for another 1-2 minutes. Stir in the pumpkin slowly. Once it is incorporated, add the cream, sage, nutmeg and cinnamon. Adjust the salt and pepper if necessary, and reduce the heat to low. Simmer for 15 min to let the flavors meld together.

When the pasta is finished, drain the water and add to the sausage mixture. To serve, plate the pasta and top with the cheese and chives!
Enjoy!

Chinese Lemon Chicken

2009-12-16T12:01:00.001-05:00

My dear friend passed this crock-pot recipe to me. It is divine! I think crock-pots have to be one of the greatest things invented. Something about “setting it and forgetting it” is a wonderful thing!

Ingredients:
➢ 4 boneless, skinless chicken breasts
➢ 1/2 cup all purpose flour
➢ 1 tablespoon kosher salt
➢ 12 oz frozen lemonade concentrate, thawed
➢ 6 tablespoons brown sugar
➢ 2 teaspoon balsamic vinegar
➢ 6 tablespoons ketchup
➢ Olive oil for browning chicken

Let’s prepare! Cut the chicken into strips or large chunks. Your choice! Mix the flour and salt together and toss each piece of chicken in the mixture. Brown the chicken in a skillet with some olive oil. You just want to brown the chicken to give it some color, not cook it. Place the chicken in the crock pot. In a separate bowl, mix together the orange juice, brown sugar, balsamic vinegar and ketchup and pour over the chicken. Because I like a little kick, I added between ¼ teaspoon and ½ teaspoon of red pepper flakes! Cover and cook on low for 6-8 hours (or high for 4).

To complete the meal, I cooked some rice in my rice cooker and popped some frozen eggrolls in the oven and voila! A nice, easy dinner that is yummy and versatile.
Enjoy!

Cinnamon-Apple Pork Chops with Maple Glazed Acorn Squash

2009-12-15T12:01:00.000-05:00

I found this recipe on the Taste of Home website and not only is it delicious, but low calorie (1 pork chop, 2/3 cup apple topping, and ½ squash is only 567 calories!). This meal is simple to put together and the cinnamon-apple topping is phenomenal. The sweetness of the topping with the tartness of the apples … Mmmm! And this is a topping that you can put on other things as well – warm pound cake with ice cream for one! Use your imagination.

Ingredients – Pork Chops:
➢ 4 boneless pork chops
➢ 2 tablespoons butter
➢ 3 tablespoons brown sugar
➢ 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
➢ 1/2 teaspoon ground nutmeg
➢ 1/4 teaspoon salt
➢ 4 medium tart apples, thinly sliced (we used Granny Smiths)
➢ 2 tablespoons chopped pecans

Ingredients – Acorn Squash:
➢ 1 medium acorn squash, halved
➢ 1-1/2 cups water
➢ 1/4 cup maple syrup
➢ 2 tablespoons brown sugar
➢ 1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
➢ 1/4 teaspoon ground ginger
➢ 1/4 teaspoon salt

Let’s cook! First you need to prepare the acorn squash. Cut it in half lengthwise, scoop out and discard the seeds and surrounding pulp. Place cut side down in baking dish with water. Bake uncovered 350F for 45 minutes. While it is cooking, combine the syrup, brown sugar, cinnamon, ginger and salt. When the squash is finished cooking, drain the water from the pan and turn squash cut side up, pour the syrup topping into the halves. Bake uncovered for 10 minutes until glaze is heated through.

Moving on to the chops… In a large skillet over medium heat, cook pork chops in 1 tablespoon melted butter for 4-5 minutes on each side or until done. While they are cooking, in a small bowl combine the brown sugar, cinnamon, nutmeg and salt. When the chops are done, remove and place in a foil wrap to keep warm (but don’t seal – you don’t want the chops to sweat). Add the apples, pecans, brown sugar mixture and remaining butter to the pan; cook and stir until apples are tender.

Easy, right? Let's check it out.
To serve simply top the pork chops with the apples! Gently mix the maple syrup mixture into the squash. Enjoy!

Tilapia with Mango-Pineapple Chutney over Jasmine Rice

2009-12-14T12:01:00.000-05:00

I love tilapia. I love mango. I love pineapple. I love Jasmine Rice. I guess this makes for a great recipe for myself :) Sweet, but not too sweet. Savory. Delish! Let's get started!

Ingredients
* 1 tablespoon olive oil
* 1 small red onion, chopped
* 1 jalapeno, seeded and chopped
* Salt and Pepper
* 1 8-ounze can Pineapple Chunks, drained
* 2 tablespoons honey
* 2-3 Tilapia filets
* Fish Seasoning: ½ teaspoon of cumin, coriander, black pepper, and salt
* 1 ripe mango, peeled and diced
* Juice of one lime
* Handful of fresh parsley, chopped
* Handful of fresh cilantro, chopped
* Jasmine Rice

Let’s get to work! Prepare the rice according to the package’s directions (we prefer to use a rice cooker).

Mix the seasonings together and sprinkle on both sides of the Tilapia. Place the filets onto a pan greased with some olive oil. Dot butter on the Tilapia and bake at 400 F for 20 minutes or until it flakes easily.

Moving on to the chutney. In a sauce pot, sauté the onion, jalapeno, and a dash of salt and pepper in 1 tablespoon of olive oil over medium-high heat. Cook for 3 to 4 minutes. Add the pineapple, honey, and ½ cup of water, turn down the heat to medium-low and simmer for 5 minutes. To finish off the chutney, add the mango, lime, cilantro, and parsley and stir to combine. Turn the heat to warm (or low) and let it simmer until the fish is finished.

Plate, serve, and enjoy! Let's see what it looks like.
I hope you have enjoyed this recipe and that you will give it a try! Thanks for reading.

Pico de Gallo

2009-12-13T12:05:00.003-05:00

Yesterday, I gave you a yummy Frito Pie recipe. In my opinion, nothing is better than making your own pico de gallo. Remember, you can put this over a variety of things. Remember the Honey Lime Chicken recipe? Now you are thinking. See how versatile simple cooking can be? Let's see what you need.

Ingredients:
* 2 large tomatoes, cored, seeded, and chopped finely
* 1/2 cup onion, finely chopped
* 1 ½ teaspoon minced garlic
* 2 fresh jalapeno peppers, seeded and minced
* 3 tablespoons cilantro, chopped finely
* 1 tablespoon olive oil
* 1 tablespoon lime juice, fresh
* ½ teaspoon sugar
* salt (to taste)

Mix all ingredients together and place in the fridge for about an hour before serving to let the flavors meld together! We substituted one seeded habanero for a jalapeno to add some heat.

Let's check it out!
Hope you enjoy! Thanks for reading!

Frito Pie

2009-12-12T18:49:00.004-05:00

Ahhh, I love a good crock-pot meal! Something about dumping food into one and letting it cook for 8 hours makes me feel like I didn’t have to do anything to create a delicious meal! I also made a Pico de Gallo to go as a topping on this meal. I will post it tomorrow for you! Let's move on to the main course (and keep in mind, if you don't want meat, just omit)!

Ingredients
* 1 1/4 pound ground chuck
* 1/2 red onion, chopped
* 1 (16 ounce) can black beans, drain liquid
* 1 (15 ounce) can kidney beans, drain liquid
* 1 (11 ounce) can whole kernel corn, drain liquid
* 1 (8 ounce) can tomato sauce
* 1/2 cup water
* 1 (28 ounce) can diced tomatoes
* 1 (4 ounce) can diced green chile peppers
* 1 and 1/2 (1.25 ounce) packages taco seasoning mix (adjust to 1 or 2 packs depending on how seasoned you want it)
* 1 tablespoon brown sugar
* salt to taste
* 1 teaspoon of minced garlic

Toppings:
* Pico de Gallo
* Sour Cream
* Shredded cheese
* Fritos

Before we can dump, turn on, and walk away, we need to cook the ground chuck. In a medium skillet, cook the ground chuck until browned, then drain. Now, here comes the dump part! Place the ground chuck, onion, chili beans, kidney beans, corn, tomato sauce, water, diced tomatoes, green chile peppers, brown sugar, garlic, salt (to taste), and taco seasoning mix in a slow cooker. Mix to blend, and cook on the low setting for 8 hours. Our crock-pot is a 3 quart and we did experience a tiny bit of overflow! I recommend placing a pan under the crock-pot to catch the spillage.

Let’s eat! Arrange the Fritos in a bowl, pour on your taco soup, then add your toppings! Let's have a look:
Mmmmm right? Well, get to the grocery to get what you need and make it! Thanks for reading!

Orzo with Sausage, Peppers and Tomatoes

2009-12-06T17:28:00.001-05:00

Third day in a row! What do you think about that? Today, I am cooking up a yummy Orzo dish for you to enjoy. This meal is fantastic! So filling and tons of left overs. Let's see what you need!!!

Ingredients:

1 red bell pepper
1 orange bell pepper
1 pound orzo pasta
1.5 cups chicken stock
1.5 cups water
1 tablespoon kosher salt
2 tablespoons olive oil
7 ounces Italian Sausage (you can use turkey sausage if you so choose)
1 clove garlic, minced
2 plum tomatoes, hopped
1/4 teaspoon red pepper flakes, optional
2 tablespoons chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley
Salt and freshly ground black pepper
1/2 cup ricotta salata cheese, crumbled (or goat cheese)

Let's get cooking! First off, I used two green peppers over the red and orange. Call me cheap, but peppers other than the green colored ones are so expensive! To start off this recipe, you need to get a nice char on the peppers. Place them on a baking sheet, turn the oven on to broil, and place the peppers in under the broiler for about 8 minutes (2 minutes per side). Then place the charred peppers in a medium bowl and cover with plastic wrap for 20 minutes. What will happen is they will steam up and get all nice and soft! Under running water, peel away the charred skin from the peppers and pat dry. Remove the stem and seeds from the peppers and cut into 1/4 inch thick slices.

Moving along... in a saucepan (medium) over high heat, bring the chicken stock, water, and kosher salt to a boil. Add the pasta and cook until tender, but firm to the bite (about 8-10 minutes).

In a large skillet, heat the oil over medium high heat. Add the sausage and saute until cooked through. Add the garlic and cook for 1-2 more minutes. Add the peppers, tomatoes, and red pepper flakes and cook for 2 minutes. Season with salt and pepper to taste.

Reserve 1/2 cup of the pasta water and drain the rest off of the orzo. Transfer to a large serving bowl. To the pasta, add the sausage mixture and 1 tablespoon of parsley. Toss well to combine all ingredients. If needed, add some of the reserved pasta water.

Plate up a nice bowl for yourself and top with the ricotta salata (or goat cheese) and sprinkle with some parsley. Enjoy!!

We really really really enjoyed this meal! We probably had 3-4 servings left over. Additionally, we did not add all of the orzo into the sausage mixture. We felt the recipe called for too much. So, I just added some tomatoes we had in the fridge to the left over orzo and had a cold pasta for lunch the next day. Remember, cooking is never perfect! Sometimes you just have to be creative and think on your toes!

Let's check this dish out!

Yumm! The cheese melted and added a nice creamy texture! What are you waiting for? You know you want to try this. Get into your kitchen and try something new.

Olivada with Veggies

2009-12-05T15:00:00.001-05:00

As promised, I am back with another new recipe for you!

With the Holidays right around the corner, if you are like me, I have several parties to go to. And I think this is a perfect snack type dish to take to a Holiday party (and it is festive looking as well). I just love Giada! And I found this Olivada recipe one day watching her show, Everyday Italian, on the Food Network! I knew I had to make it. Let's see what you need.

Ingredients:

1 can medium, pitted, black olives, drained
1 teaspoon lemon zest
2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
3 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
1/4 cup chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley
1 small clove garlic, coarsely chopped
Salt and freshly ground black pepper
Vegetables of your choice (Giada recommends carrots, cucumber, fennel, cherry tomatoes)

Let's put it all together. Place the olives, zest, lemon juice, olive oil, parsley, and garlic into the bowl of a food processor. Blend until the mixture is chunky. Season with salt and pepper to taste.

Cut up your veggies of choice. I suggest fennel as one of your veggies. I have never had it before, but it is SO yummy. Has a nice licorice taste to it! We also used carrots and cherry tomatoes fresh from our garden.

All that is left is to plate everything up and enjoy!!! Let's have a look.

Doesn't it look pretty? And pretty good to eat? I hope you try this. It is really fantastic! Get into your kitchen and try something new!

Winter Minestrone

2009-12-04T16:59:00.007-05:00

Happy December! Sorry I have been slack here. I feel like I start off my posts with that very comment here lately. We have made several new dishes and I just have them looking at me waiting for me to write about them. I promise to be better about this!!! So, let's talk soup!

Who doesn't love a good comfort soup??? We made this recipe, curtsy of Giada de Laurentiis, and wow! It was so good. We did two things different in this recipe. We did not use the Parmesan Cheese rind. Also, we used Kale instead of Swiss Chard. I thought the Kale was terrific in this soup and we will be making this again for sure!

Let's see what you need!

Ingredients:

2 tablespoons olive oil
1 onion, chopped
2 carrots, peeled, chopped
2 celery stalks, chopped
3 ounces thinly sliced pancetta, coarsely chopped
2 garlic cloves, minced
1 pound Swiss chard, stems trimmed, leaves coarsely chopped
1 russet potato, peeled, cubed
1 (14 1/2-ounce) can diced tomatoes
1 fresh rosemary sprig
1 (15-ounce) can cannellini beans, drained, rinsed
2 (14-ounce) cans low-sodium beef broth
1 ounce piece Parmesan cheese rind
2 tablespoons chopped fresh Italian parsley leaves
Salt and Pepper

Let's get cooking!!! Heat the oil in a large heavy pot over medium heat. Add the carrots, onion, celery, pancetta and garlic. Season with some salt and pepper. Saute for about 10 minutes. Add the Swiss chard (or Kale) and potato and saute for 2-5 minutes. I actually covered the pot at this point to help the greens wilt down. Add the tomatoes and rosemary sprig (I de-leafed mine first). Simmer until the greens are wilted - about 10 minutes.

While the greens are wilting down, blend 3/4 cup of the beans with 1/4 of the broth in a processor until almost smooth. Add the pureed mixture, remaining broth, remaining beans and cheese rind (note: I did not use this) to the vegetable mixture. Season with salt and pepper to taste. Simmer for 30 minutes until the potato pieces are tender, stirring occasionally. (Giada's recipe says to only simmer for 15 min, but I felt it needed to go longer!).

Ladle the soup into bowls, top with some parsley, and enjoy!!!

Yes! It really is that simple! So hearty! So healthy! How could you not want to try it? Want to see what it looks like?

I do hope you will try it!!! I hope to have some more recipes up for you in the next few days!!! Now, get into your kitchen and try something new!

Ghosts!

2009-10-30T12:49:00.004-04:00

My mom and I loved to be in the kitchen. Growing up, she had all of these little cute food crafts to make. These cute little ghosts were one of the many things we would make together. So, if you need a quick Halloween treat for tomorrow, be sure to try this one. OR, you can try it anytime during the year if you like :)

Ingredients:

1 package of Nutter Butter cookies
12 oz Bakers White Chocolate
Miniature Chocolate Chips

That is it! Now, here is what you do to make them. Lay out some wax paper or parchment paper in a cookie sheet. Melt your white chocolate. I melt in 15 second increments (stirring in between) because white chocolate can burn very easily. When you have your white chocolate all melted, dip one side of all of the cookies in the melted chocolate. Lay them out on your wax/parchment paper, give them two eyes and put them in the fridge to let the chocolate harden.

Let's have a look at them:

I love easy fun things! I am taking these to a Halloween party tomorrow, along with a Spider Web Cheesecake! I will post the recipe to that (and a photo) once the cheesecake comes out of the oven, cools, and I can decorate it!

Have fun and if you celebrate Halloween, be safe while Trick or Treating.

Roasted Eggplant Pasta with Goat Cheese

2009-10-17T19:36:00.006-04:00

Hi there!

I have a great recipe for you tonight. I found this recipe from one of Rachael Ray's cookbooks and I am GLAD I made it! It really reminded me of Eggplant Parmesan without all of the work of frying the eggplant :) The Goat Cheese (well she uses Ricotta Salata) is a nice creamy taste when combined with the eggplant pasta sauce! So want to know how to make it? It is easy! Let's get started.

Ingredients:

2 small, firm eggplants, peeled and cut into 1 inch cubes
1/2 cup plus 2 tablespoons olive oil
salt and freshly ground pepper
6 garlic cloves, cracked from the skins (I used 9)
1 lb penne rigate pasta
1 medium yellow onion, finely chopped (I used red onion)
1 28 oz can crushed tomatoes
20-25 fresh basil leaves, shredded or torn
2 cups ricotta salata cheese, crumbled (any type of crumbled goat cheese will do)

Let's cook! Turn on the oven to 425F while you cut up the eggplant and crack the garlic. Place the garlic and eggplant on a baking sheet (I had to use two). Brush eggplant and garlic with 1/2 cup olive oil and lightly salt and pepper. Roast for 20 minutes (I found 18 minutes did just fine).

Cook your pasta according to package directions. While the eggplant is roasting and the pasta is cooking, chop up the onion and basil. Here is a trick I use when cutting fresh basil. I gather several leaves together and roll them up. Then slice. You have nice little strips of basil when you are finished.

Ok! Heat a large skillet over medium heat, add 2 tablespoons of olive oil and saute the onions. Meanwhile, the eggplant should be finished. Take it out and place it into a food processor and process into a smooth paste. Add the paste to the onions and stir in the tomatoes. Adjust salt and pepper as needed and heat the tomatoes. Right before serving, mix in the basil.

And you are finished! Easy right? And it is VERY tasty! Serve in a nice bowl and top with the goat cheese. ENJOY!

Let's have a look:

You can't see the eggplant but you sure can taste it! I recommend pairing with a nice red wine. We picked up this one from our local wine store, WineStyles. It is called Good Dog ... Bad Dog. Really nice!

Cute label right? Well, what are you waiting for? Head to the grocery, pick up these ingredients, and treat yourself to a great home cooked meal!

Pumpkin Roll

2009-10-11T13:18:00.004-04:00

Hi there!

I am sorry I have been slack! Let me tell you why! I was asked by a local magazine to do a monthly recipe feature, featuring 5-6 recipes each month. I have been busily cooking things for the magazine and I have neglected my blog. So sorry about that!

Before I get started with my recipe, I wanted to give a shout out to my friend who has started a blog on party ideas that she has done in the past. Give her a visit or two or more if you can! She has such fab ideas on entertaining!!!

So, do you need a new festive dessert for the holidays this year???? If so, I have one for you. I found this recipe on a Pumpkin Cake Roll. Looked interested and it has CREAM CHEESE in it. I love cream cheese! I made it last night and wow! It is yummy. Let's get started!

Ingredients

3 eggs, separated
1 cup sugar, divided
2/3 cup canned pumpkin
3/4 cup all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/8 teaspoon salt

Filling

1 package (8 ounces) cream cheese, softened
2 tablespoons butter, softened
1 cup confectioners' sugar
3/4 teaspoon vanilla extract
Additional confectioners' sugar, optional

Let's put it together.

Line a 15-in. x 10-in. x 1-in. baking pan with waxed paper. (I used parchment paper and it turned out just fine. Also, my pan was not 1 inch thick - more like .5 inch and I had no problem). Grease the paper and set aside.

In a large bowl, beat egg yolks on high speed until thick and lemon-colored. Gradually add 1/2 cup sugar and pumpkin, beating on high until sugar is almost dissolved.

In a small bowl, beat egg whites until soft peaks form. (If you are not sure what soft peaks are, here is how you tell. When you lift your beaters out of the mixture, the mixture lifts up but doesn't stay there). Gradually add remaining sugar, beating until stiff peaks form. Fold into egg yolk mixture. Combine the flour, baking soda, cinnamon and salt; gently fold into pumpkin mixture. Spread into prepared pan.

Now you want to bake at 375°F for 12-15 minutes or until cake springs back when lightly touched. Mine took only 12 minutes. So, keep an eye out if you set your timer for 15 minutes. Cool for 5 minutes. Turn cake onto a kitchen towel dusted with confectioners’ sugar. Gently peel off waxed paper. (Ugh, this was frustrating for me. You just have to get the guts and flip really fast or your cake will break in half.) Roll up cake in the towel jelly-roll style, starting with a short side. Cool completely on a wire rack.

While that is cooling, beat the cream cheese, butter, confectioners sugar and vanilla until smooth.

Once the cake has cooled, you are ready to add the filling! Unroll the cake and spread the filling evenly to within 1/2 in. of edges. Roll up again. Cover and freeze until firm.

To serve: Remove from the freezer 15 minutes before you are ready to eat. Let's have a look!

See how pretty! The pumpkin flavor is so yummy and with the cream cheese filling... YUMM. You have to try this. I have not frozen this for a lengthy time, but I would assume like many cake type things, you can freeze for a few months and be just fine.

Now, get a move on it! Get in the kitchen and try something new!

Roasted Sage Cauliflower with Gnocchi

2009-09-28T19:55:00.005-04:00

Hi there! Wow. I really didn't mean to slack off on my blog. September has been a very busy month work wise for me. And I did receive a bit of exciting news! A friend of mine publishes a local magazine here in my town and she asked me to do a monthly recipe feature for her magazine. Cool huh? I do have some recipes in the feature that are new, so once the magazine hits stands, I will post them to the blog.

Let's talk about what I did for dinner tonight. I found this recipe in the latest Real Simple magazine. It looked intriguing. First off, I love gnocchi! No, I didn't make it. It was store bought, but let me tell you that if you ever have the chance to have some homemade gnocchi, take up the offer. It is so good. My friend's mom makes gnocchi all the time. The unfortunate thing is she lives in San Francisco and I have not seen her in 10 years. Perhaps I should fly out :) Second, I LOVE cauliflower. So two things to this SIMPLE weeknight recipe really drew me in! Let's see what you need:

Ingredients:

1 lb gnocchi
1 small head of cauliflower, cut into small florets
3 tablespoons olive oil
12 sage leaves
1/2 teaspoon Kosher salt
1/4 teaspoon black pepper
1/4 cup shaved Parmesan cheese

Yes! That is all you need. Simple right? Let's get cooking:

In a rimmed baking pan, combine the florets, olive oil, sage, salt and pepper. Roast in a 400F oven, tossing once or twice during baking. Bake for 25-30 minutes or until the cauliflower is golden brown and tender.

While the cauliflower is baking in the oven, prepare the gnocchi according to package directions.

Plate your gnocchi, then the cauliflower mixture, and sprinkle with the Parmesan cheese. That is it! Now, my husband smoked a chicken yesterday and I took one of the left over breasts and sliced it up to mix in with this dish.

We enjoyed this meal very much! Simple. Tasty! However... there was one problem with it. It was a little dry. Once I plated our meal, I decided to melt about 3 tablespoons of butter with a dash of Terragon and poured over our dinner to add some liquid. I plan to work on this recipe and make it better! When I do, I will revisit it and share! Do you ever watch Giada on Food Network? She always adds some of the pasta water when she is making a butter/olive oil sauce for her pasta. Perhaps that was what I should have done?

Moving on... let's take a look at the finished product.
Mmmmm! Let me add that this cauliflower "topping" would make a fantastic side to any dinner you may make ;)

Alright. What are you waiting for. Head to your kitchen and make something new! Thanks for reading.

South of the Border Lasagne

2009-08-23T18:38:00.006-04:00

Happy Sunday!

Two new recipes in two days! How about that?

I have been craving something similar to a Mexican Layer Dip, and I came across this recipe and knew I had to try it. Again, this is from the AJLI Centennial Cookbook and the recipe specifically comes from the Junior League of Austin. This recipe serves 8-10 (so prepare for leftovers!!!).

Ingredients:

2 lbs ground chuck
1 onion, chopped (I used a red onion)
1 clove garlic, minced
2 tablespoons chili powder
3 cups tomato sauce
1 teaspoon sugar
1 tablespoon salt
1/2 cup sliced black olives
1 4-ounce can of green chilies (chopped)
12 corn tortillas
Vegetable Oil
2 cups cottage cheese, small curd
1 egg
8 ounces Monterrey Jack Cheese, shredded
1 cup shredded Cheddar Cheese
Toppings - use whatever you want - Olives, Sour Cream, Chopped Scallions, Tortilla Chips

Let's get started!!!

First you need to brown your ground chuck over medium-high heat, stirring occasionally. Then, add the onion, and saute for about 3 minutes, until the onion is translucent. Add the garlic and cook for another minute. Sprinkle the chili powder and mix. Add the tomato sauce, sugar, salt, olives, and chilies. Simmer for 15 minutes. NOTE: I felt there was too much salt. When I make it again, I will use only 1/2 tablespoon, rather than 1 tablespoon.

In a small bowl, mix together the egg and cottage cheese.

In a small skillet, heat 1-2 tablespoons vegetable oil and add the tortillas one at a time to get them soft and pliable. NOTE: Since they hold so much oil, I recommend having a plate with paper towels nearby to put the tortillas on so the paper towel helps pull out some of the excess oil. Additionally, you will need to add more oil as you go through your stack of tortillas, so don't put that up! Also, I don't know if corn tortillas come in different sizes, but our grocery carries the 4 inch sizes, and that is perfect!

In a 13x9 greased baking dish, layer 1/3 of the meat mixture, 1/2 of the Monterrey Jack cheese, 1/2 of the Cottage Cheese mixture, and 6 tortillas. Repeat. Pour the remaining meat mixture over the tortillas and top with the Cheddar Cheese. Bake in a 350F degree oven for 30 minutes. Let the lasagne rest for 5 minutes or so before serving.

Doesn't that look good??? Now, let's plate it with some chips.

This hit the spot! And we have leftovers to enjoy! Even better! You better get a move on! Time is "a wasting". Get in your kitchen and try something new!

Thanks for reading!

Acorn Squash, BBQ, and Tomatoes

2009-08-22T20:20:00.001-04:00

Happy Saturday!

Tonight's dinner was a tag team effort. My husband was in charge of the meat, and I took care of the sides. Speaking of the meat, he bought a Boston Butt. He did two days of brining to it in a mixture of several things. Molasses is about all I remember. He smoked it all day today so it would be nice and tender then he shredded it into BBQ. If you are interested in his recipe, I will be glad to get it from him.

Now, let's talk about the sides. The first one was a repeat of last week, sorta. We have a vegetable garden, and we planted Jelly Bean Tomatoes. Basically, they are like cherry tomatoes but are supposed to be red and yellow. Apparently we had cross pollination and they came out orange! Since we have a million of them, I cut up some and added salt, pepper, shredded mozzarella cheese, and a dash of basil. The Acorn Squash recipe was one out of an AJLI cookbook. I spoke of the cookbooks last week. This recipe specifically comes from the Junior League of Greater Vancouver, BC. So, let's see what you need to make Acorn Squash with Applesauce.

Ingredients (serves 4):

2 acorn squash
2 teaspoons lemon juice
1/4 cup raisins
1 1/2 cups applesauce
1/4 packed brown sugar
3 tablespoons chopped walnuts
Butter

Here is how you prepare it. Wash the squash, halve it lengthwise, and scoop out the seeds. Mix together the lemon juice, raisins, applesauce, brown sugar, and walnuts (I didn't have walnuts, but had pecans, so I used those instead). Spoon the mixture into the squash halves and dot with butter (Mixture and Squash). Place in a baking dish with 1/2 inch of hot water in the bottom. Cover and bake at 400F for 30 minutes; then remove the cover and bake for an additional 30 minutes.

Easy!

When you plate your squash, simply take a fork and mix the squash with the applesauce mixture. So, let's see this dish plated...

Yummy huh? We sure thought so!

Well, what are you waiting for. Get to the grocery, get you some acorn squash, and try something new!! As always, thanks for reading.

Baked Grouper with Mango Salsa and Baked Zucchini

2009-08-15T19:09:00.006-04:00

I am back! Sorry that I got slack on posting recipes!

This morning, I pulled out two cookbooks that I have neglected. Both are AJLI cookbooks. AJLI is the Association of Junior Leagues International. Within AJLI, there are almost 300 leagues in 4 countries of women devoted to improve their communities through volunteer efforts.

The two recipes I used for tonight's dinner came out of two different cookbooks put out by AJLI, specifically from the Junior League of Mobile. The Grouper with the salsa was really supposed to be Grilled Snapper, but I decided to use Grouper and bake it. So, let's see what we need to get started:

Baked Grouper with Mango Salsa

1/4 cup fresh lime juice
2 tablespoons chopped fresh cilantro, divided
2 teaspoons olive oil
4 grouper fillets
1/4 teaspoon each salt and freshly ground pepper
Mango Salsa

Mango Salsa

1 cup chopped Roma tomatoes
1 cup chopped mango
1 tablespoon chopped red onion
1 tablespoon chopped fresh cilantro
1/2 teaspoon sugar
1/2 teaspoon ground cumin
1/8 teaspoon salt
1/8 teaspoon freshly ground pepper
Dash of hot sauce
2 tablespoons fresh lime juice

Baked Zucchini

1 1/2 lbs zucchini, scrubbed, and trimmed
1 onion, chopped
1 1/2 tablespoons butter
1/2 teaspoons poppy seeds
1/2 teaspoon garlic salt
1/2 teaspoon ground black pepper
Shaved Parmesan Cheese

Let's get started. First, I must admit. I bailed on the Mango Salsa. When I got to the grocery store, the mangos were not ripe. So, I bought a Mango and Peach salsa.

So, on to the fish: Combine the lime juice, 2 tablespoons of cilantro, and olive oil in a large shallow dish and mix well. Place the fish in the marinade, turning to coat. Let it marinate in the fridge for 30 minutes, turning several times. In your baking dish, coat the pan with a little olive oil, and place the fish in the pan. Salt and pepper both sides, and add several pats of butter on the fish. Bake for about 20 minutes at 375F, until the fish flakes.

This baked zucchini was amazing! It is a keeper in my recipe book for sure. Let's put it together. Slice the zucchini in 1/4 inch rounds. Boil gently in salted water with the onion for 7-10 minutes, until fork tender. Drain in a colander and pour into a sprayed baking pan. In a separate bowl, mix the butter, poppy seeds, garlic salt and pepper, then place on top of the zucchini and lightly toss. Sprinkle with the Parmesan cheese. Bake uncovered for 30 minutes at 375F.

We grow tomatoes, and since we had one that needed to be eaten, I sliced it up, gave it a sprinkle of salt and pepper, topped it with slices of fresh mozzarella and dried basil.

So, let's check it out.

A nice easy meal! Just the way I like it. The baked zucchini was a surprise! My husband went back for seconds! When he does that, I know he really enjoyed what was served to him!

As always, thanks for reading. Now, get into your kitchen and make something new!!!

Marbled Chocolate Bark

2009-08-08T09:46:00.004-04:00

Hi there!

I have fallen behind and I apologize. We are going to a friend's house tonight, so there won't be a "new" recipe to share... well, not exactly. I first tried this recipe back in 2007, I think. It came out of the Kraft Magazine. It is a really simple and yummy dessert. I am sharing with you because I made it last night to take over to my friend's house for our gathering tonight. (As usual, I had two helpers!)

Ingredients:

8 to 9 HONEY MAID Honey Grahams
6 squares BAKER'S Semi-Sweet Chocolate
1/2 cup creamy peanut butter
3 squares BAKER'S White Chocolate

Let's make it!! Line a 13x9-inch pan with foil, with ends of foil extending over sides of pan. Arrange grahams on bottom of pan, cutting as needed to completely cover bottom of pan; set aside.

Microwave the semi-sweet chocolate and peanut butter in medium microwaveable bowl on igh for 30 seconds. Stir. Repeat until it is well blended. Pour over grahams; spread with spatula to cover completely.

Repeat the above microwave melting steps with the white chocolate. Drop spoonfuls of the white chocolate over chocolate-covered grahams. Immediately cut through the chocolate mixtures with knife (or use a toothpick or chopstick) several times for tiger-stripe effect.

I would place in the fridge at least 1 hour or until firm. (I like to make the night before and let them get nice and firm overnight.) Use foil handles to remove dessert from pan. Peel off foil. Break the dessert into bars. Store in tightly covered container in refrigerator.

Let's see what it looks like. (Please note my assistants! And don't worry, they were not allowed to taste test!)
A simple and easy fun dessert! Thanks for reading and go ahead and get into your kitchen and try something new!

Island Bird: Pineapple-Rum Chicken

2009-07-31T00:05:00.000-04:00

Hi there!

One think you will learn about me is I LOVE PINEAPPLE! Remind me to share a great pineapple casserole with you later! Once again, I am going into the recipe file on my Mac and sharing with you all a recipe that was new to us about a month ago! Fun, huh?

Island Bird: Pineapple-Rum Chicken

1 ½ cups jasmine rice
1 whole pineapple, cored and peeled (or a can of pineapple tidbits)
3 tablespoons vegetable oil
1 small yellow onion, diced (again, I prefer red onion)
2 garlic cloves, chopped
Coarse Salt
½ teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes
¼ cup spiced rum (I just used light rum)
2 cups chicken stock
4 6-oz boneless skinless chicken breast halves
Coarse black pepper
¼ fresh flat leaf parsley leaves, chopped
2 tablespoons fresh cilantro leaves, chopped

Let's make it!!!

Cook the rice according to package directions. We have a rice cooker, which when we finally got one, I wondered what took me so long to get one!

Cut the pineapple into bite size chunks. Heat 1 tablespoon of vegetable oil in a medium saucepan over medium high heat. Add the onions, garlic, salt, and crushed red pepper flakes and cook for 2 minutes, stirring frequently. Add the pineapple chunks and the juice from the container, no more than ½ cup, and stir to combine. Remove the pan from the heat and add the rum. Return the pan to the heat, keeping a little distance in case the pot flames up. Let the alcohol cook away, about a minute. Add the chicken stock and bring to a simmer, then cook until it is reduced by half and has thickened slightly. (I actually ended up spooning out some of the extra liquid as it didn't really reduce for me.)

While the sauce is simmering, preheat a large skillet over medium high heat with the remaining 2 tablespoons of vegetable oil. Season the chicken with salt and pepper and add to the hot skillet. Cook the chicken for 6 minutes on each side.

Time to serve! I forgot the parsley and cilantro. Whoops! Still tasted good.

I also paired this meal with a Mediterranean Chopped Salad. Read down and you will see the recipe on how to make it.

Thanks for reading and get out there and try something new!

Mediterranean Chopped Salad

2009-07-31T00:01:00.002-04:00

Hi there!

Yesterday I shared a Pineapple-Rum Chicken recipe with you. With that meal, I added this chopped salad. Let's see how to make it.

Ingredients:

½ cup flat leaf parsley leaves, coarsely chopped
3 tablespoons Olive Oil
½ seedless cucumber, chopped
1 green bell pepper, cored, seeded and chopped
1 small red onion, chopped
3 plum tomatoes, chopped
1 cup pitted kalamata olives
1 cup feta cheese crumbles
8 pepperoncini peppers, chopped (or Roasted Red Peppers)
Juice of 2 lemons
Salt and ground black pepper to taste

Combine all vegetables with the parsley, the olives, cheese, and hot peppers. Dress the salad with the juice of 2 lemons and 3 tablespoons olive oil. Season the salad with salt and pepper.

Easy! Let's look at the salad again.

Thank you for reading. Much appreciated. Now, get in the kitchen and try something new!

Grilled Honey Lime Chicken

2009-07-29T19:01:00.002-04:00

Hi there!

Tonight for dinner, we tried out this new recipe. I wanted a simple weeknight dinner, and this one proved to be just that! Let's see what you need:

Ingredients:

The juice of one lime
2 tablespoons honey
1 rounded teaspoon cumin (this could be omitted)
A handful cilantro finely chopped (I used dried - about 1 tablespoon)
2 tablespoons olive oil
1 teaspoon steak seasoning blend OR salt and pepper
4 pieces boneless, skinless chicken breast (6 to 8 ounces each)

Toppings:

Lettuce, sliced tomatoes, red onion, and avocado (all optional)
1 cup prepared Salsa Verde
4 crusty rolls, split
Flavored Tortilla Chips (such as blue corn, red corn, black bean, chili lime, etc)

So, let's put it together. Grab yourself a gallon bag (or quart bag if you half the recipe), and add the first 6 ingredients and mix. To that, add your chicken, seal the bag, and squish around to coat the chicken. Now, put the bag in the fridge for at least 10 minutes. I marinated mine for about 4 hours.

Note: My husband mixed up our own seasoning blend. I have no idea what he put in it and when I asked him, he said he just eyeballed a whole bunch of stuff, lol!

Time to cook! We used an indoor grill (The Griddler) to cook ours, but you can use an outside grill if that is what you prefer. Cook until done. Pending on the size of rolls you purchase, you may have to cut your chicken in half!

Time to eat! We decided to top our sandwiches with lettuce, avocado, and Salsa Verde. I highly recommend all three of these! We would have added tomato if we had one. And we had red onion, I simply forgot to get it out and slice. The avocado added a nice surprise and texture when I bit into the sandwich.

Simple! Fast! Tasty! This is a winner in my books! So what does it look like?

Yup! Makes you want to go make it, right?

Thanks for reading today! What are you waiting for? Get in the kitchen and try something new!

Chicken Enchilada

2009-07-29T00:01:00.001-04:00

Hi there!

This once was a new recipe for us, but we have been making it for well over a year. This is also a recipe that you can freeze if you wish! And we all know how nice it is to take something out of your freezer before you go to work, come home, and pop it in the oven! So, let's see how to make it:

Ingredients:

3 cups of cooked shredded chicken (I normally buy canned chicken)
1 8oz cream cheese, softened
2 ½ cups shredded cheddar cheese
1 small onion finely chopped (I prefer red onion)
2 green bell peppers, finely chopped
salt/pepper to taste
10 (8 inch) flour tortillas
2 cans of red enchilada sauce
1 16oz jar of salsa

Let's put it together!

In a large bowl, mix the softened cream cheese, shredded chicken, onion/bell pepper (reserve about 1 cup for the topping), 1 ½ cups of cheddar cheese, salt and pepper. Stuff tortillas with ½ cup stuffing and roll (or fold - pending on how you like to do it). Place tortillas in a greased pan. Cover with 1 cup left over peppers and onions, enchilada sauce, and salsa. Top with 1 cup cheese.

Bake at 350 for 45 minutes or until heated thoroughly.

Easy! Now, let's prepare it if you want to freeze before cooking. Based on my past experience, this is what I recommend. Prepare as directed. Place the 1 cup left over peppers/onions in a plastic bag. Place the enchilada sauce/salsa in another plastic bag. Place the 1 cup cheese in a plastic bag. Place the plastic bags on top of the stuffed tortillas. Then freeze.

Oh, ready to cook? Once you thaw the dish, sprinkle pepper/onions, pour over the sauce mixture, and top with cheese. Then bake at 350 for 45 minutes. The reason for doing it this way is I froze this dish once after I prepared and when I thawed it then baked it, the tortillas were soggy. No one likes soggy tortillas, lol!

I actually did this for dinner last week. Let's take a look!
To go along with the meal, we opened a bottle of red wine :) We are frequent shoppers (and club members) at Winestyles. Because of this, we have become fans of wines from Chile. 35 South makes this wine with organic grapes and it is absolutely delish! It is a Cabernet Merlot blend.

Well, thanks for reading once again! As I always say, get out there and try something new!

Thai Chicken Wrap with Spicy Peanut Sauce

2009-07-27T00:01:00.001-04:00

Hi there and Happy Monday!

We made this a few weeks ago and really enjoyed it! We found it on the Food TV website. I wanted to share with you, even though it is not a Saturday! Really any day is a good day to try something new :) Let's see what you need to make it!

Ingredients:

3 (6-ounce) chicken breasts - boneless skinless
1 tablespoon soy sauce
1 tablespoon vegetable oil
1 tablespoon grill seasoning

Salad:

1/2 seedless cucumber, peeled, halved lengthwise and thinly sliced on an angle
2 cups fresh bean sprouts
1 cup chopped carrots
3 scallions, sliced on an angle
12 leaves basil, chopped or torn
3 tablespoons (or 4 sprigs) chopped mint leaves
1 tablespoon sesame seeds
2 teaspoons sugar
2 tablespoons rice wine vinegar or white vinegar
Salt

Spicy Peanut Sauce:

1/4 cup room temperature chunky peanut butter, soften in microwave if it has been refrigerated
2 tablespoons soy sauce
1 tablespoon rice wine vinegar or white vinegar
1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper
2 tablespoons vegetable oil
4 (12-inch) flour tortilla wraps

So how do you make it? Place the chicken, soy, oil and seasoning in a bag. Mix together and put in the fridge for about 30 minutes. Heat a grill pan over high heat and grill 6 minutes on each side.

In a bowl, combine cucumber, sprouts, carrots, scallions, basil, mint and sesame with a generous sprinkle of sugar and vinegar. Season salad with salt.

Whisk peanut butter, soy sauce, vinegar and cayenne together. Stream in vegetable oil.

Slice cooked chicken on an angle. Toss it in with the veggies and herbs.

I put the tortillas in the oven, top rack, on broil and heated each side. Keep a close eye on it!

Now the fun part! Pile chicken and veggies in wraps and drizzle liberally with spicy peanut sauce before wrapping and rolling. Rolling has been a struggle for me. But, I think I finally have figured it out. Let's look at the mixture on the tortilla.

Ok, see how it is laid out lengthwise? Fold those ends (the short ends) in first. Then your "longer" sides, fold one then the other. You can always roll it like a fruit roll up, but I think rolling this way keeps everything in!

So let's see it plated (and the inside too)! I paired it with some Olive Oil noodles (in a box!!). Additionally, we had some cherry tomatoes on their way "out". So, I halved them, tore up a few pieces of basil and sprinkled with lime juice.

Thanks for reading! Get out there and try something new!!!

Crispy Orange Rosemary Chicken and Edamame Succotash

2009-07-25T19:55:00.001-04:00

Hi there!

Guess what day it is? You got it! It is Saturday and that means time for a new recipe. I love using fresh herbs, and since I have a rosemary bush in my backyard, this recipe seemed perfect.

I have to say this was a great summer meal, light, tasty, and a bit of a surprise! The ingredients call for breadcrumbs, so you may suspect you will fry the chicken, but you don't.

Let's see what we need to get this going. (Both are Rachel Ray recipes, however, I did change the succotash recipe.)

Ingredients (for the Chicken dish):

2 Tablespoons olive oil
4 6-oz Boneless, Skinless Chicken Breasts, cut into bite size pieces
2 sprigs of Rosemary, chopped
Salt and Fresh Ground Black Pepper
1 large yellow onion (again, I used red)
2 large carrots (thinly sliced)
2 large garlic cloves, chopped OR 1 teaspoon minced garlic
2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
Zest and juice of one Orange
2 1/2 cups Chicken Stock
10 pitted kalamata olives, coarsely chopped
1 cup plain bread crumbs (See my note below)
1/2 cup fresh flat-leaf parsley, chopped
1/4 cup Parmesan

Ingredients (for the succotash - using my changes):

2 tablespoons olive oil
2 cloves of garlic, chopped OR 1 teaspoon minced garlic
1 bell pepper (green)
1 jalapeno (red) - optional
1 1/4 cups frozen corn kernels
8 oz frozen edamame (in the steamer bags located in the frozen section of your grocery)
Salt and Freshly Ground Pepper
A handful of chopped fresh parsley

Let's get cooking. First here is how to prepare the chicken dish. Preheat a large skillet over medium high heat with 2 tablespoons of oil. Add the chicken, rosemary, salt and pepper. Cook and stir for 6-7 minutes or until lightly browned, then add the onions, carrots and garlic. Continue to cook for another 2 minutes.

Turn your oven on to broil!

Dust the chicken and veggies with the flour and cook for 1 minute. Stir in the orange juice and chicken stock, bring to a simmer and cook until the liquid has reduced by half, then add the olives (which I forgot to do!!!).

While the liquid is reducing, make the bread-crumb topping. Combine the breadcrumbs, orange zest, parsley and 1/4 cup Parmesan. NOTE: My personal opinion was the recipe called for too much of the breadcrumbs. I would reduce it to 3/4 cup if I make it again.

Transfer the chicken and veggies to a baking dish and top with the breadcrumb mixture, covering all of the chicken and veggies. Place under the broiler until the topping is brown and crispy. About minutes, BUT keep a close eye on it!

Moving on to the succotash. The reason I added the red jalapeno is because my great aunt grows them and last week, she gave us about 12 of them in a brown bag. So, I have been adding them to pretty much everything. Some of them were red rather than green. I have to be honest, I didn't know red jalapenos existed. I don't know if there was cross pollination when they were growing, or what. Anyways, they added a nice addition to the succotash and color too! So, if you want jalapeno (seeds or no seeds), I will leave that up to you!

To prepare: Pop your steamer bag of edamame in the microwave and prepare accordingly. Heat a medium skillet over medium high heat. Add oil, garlic and peppers (bell and jalapeno). Saute, stirring frequently for about 5 minutes until tender. Add the corn and cook for an additional 2 minutes. Add the edamame at this time. Season with salt and pepper and stir in parsley. Remove from heat and serve.

I love a good succotash! And this one was really yummy. I will defiantly make it again. The regular recipe from Rachael Ray called for butter beans.

I added some mashed potatoes to complete the dish. Let's take a look:

Additionally, I paired this meal with a white wine from Portugal, Aveleda Fonte. It was nice and light with fruity tones. I picked it up at my local Winestyles store. If you have one in your area, you should check it out. I like the label of this wine too. Check it out.

Thanks again for reading! Now, get a move on it! Get in your kitchen and try something new!

Grilled Chicken with Warm Cranberry Salsa & Sweet Potatoes

2009-07-23T00:01:00.001-04:00

Hi there!!

A few months ago, we made this yummy dinner. This is another Rachel Ray recipe, with the exception of the sweet potatoes.

I think by far, the Warm Cranberry Salsa has been one of my favorite things I have made with our New Recipe Saturday nights. We have made this salsa on many occasions and served it over not only chicken, but fish, pork, and shrimp.

Ingredients:

2 medium sweet potatoes scrubbed clean and cut in thin circles
olive oil, brown sugar, and butter for the sweet potatoes
1 1/2 to 2 lbs of Boneless skinless chicken breasts (cut in half)
2 teaspoons of poultry seasoning
salt and pepper
1 tablespoons vegetable oil, plus some for drizzling
1 small red onion finely chopped
1 jalapeno pepper, seeded and minced
1/4 cup cranberry juice
1/2 cup dried cranberries
1 cup chicken stock or broth
2 tablespoons of honey
2 limes
2 tablespoons fresh cilantro, chopped

Let's make it:

Sweet Potatoes: These are easy! Thinly slice the potatoes and place on a baking pan rubbed with olive oil. Put a pat of butter on each one and sprinkle brown sugar on top. Bake in a 350 degree oven for 12-15 minutes until they are brown and tender.

Chicken: We have a griddler and generally use it in the summertime over the grill. Season chicken with salt, pepper, and poultry seasoning (we do not have poultry seasoning, so we made our own with 2 parts each of salt, pepper, season salt, sugar, paprika, and 1 part sage). Drizzle with a little vegetable oil and add to a hot grill. Grill until done. Before removing, squeeze the juice of one lime over the chicken.

Cranberry Salsa: Preheat a small sauce pot over medium-high heat with 1 tablespoon of vegatable oil. Add the red onions, jalapeno, salt and pepper. Cook for about 2 minuets. Add the cranberry juice, dried cranberries, chicken stock, and honey. Bring to a simmer, turn down the heat to low, and simmer for 5 minutes or until the liquids have reduced by half. Ours really did not reduce by half, so I strained out some of the liquid until it was the consistency that I liked.

Before serving the cranberry salsa, remove from the heat and add the juice of one lime and cilantro. Stir to combine and serve over the chicken.

We paired the meal with some broccoli rice. Let's see the final meal.

Thanks for reading! I hope you enjoyed it and get out there and try something new!

Spicy Shrimp and Bok Choy Noodle Bowl

2009-07-21T00:01:00.001-04:00

Hi there!

I am backtracking a bit. We made this dinner on Saturday, July 11. This was a very yummy meal, I must admit. I had never cooked Bok Choy before, and didn't know anything about how to pick it or clean it. My great friend over at KZK Bags sent me some great YouTube videos on Bok Choy. If you are interested in cooking with this and need a little more knowledge, then start with this video on how to clean Bok Choy and go from there.

Ingredients:

3 tablespoons vegetable oil
2 teaspoons crushed red pepper flakes
4 cloves garlic, chopped
2 inches ginger root, peeled and cut into very thin matchsticks or grated
1/2 pound shiitake mushroom caps, sliced, a couple of cups
1 medium bok choy, trimmed and cut into 3-inch pieces, then cut sticks lengthwise
Salt and pepper
1 quart chicken broth
1 cup seafood stock
1 1/2 pounds medium peeled and deveined shrimp
1/2 pound vermicelli
4 scallions, cut into 3 inch pieces, then shredded lengthwise into thin sticks

This recipe comes from Rachel Ray over at the Food TV website. So, here is how you make it:

Put vegetable oil, crushed red pepper flakes, garlic, ginger, mushrooms (I used portabello, rather than shiitake), bok choy, salt/pepper in a medium soup pot and turn the heat to medium-high heat. After a minute or so, add chicken broth and seafood stock. Put a lid on the pot and bring soup to a boil.

Note: I let ours boil for a bit until the bok choy got tender. Additionally, our grocery store did not have seafood stock. This can easily be made using your shrimp shells for this meal.

Next, add shrimp and noodles and cook 3 minutes. Add in scallions and cook 2 minutes, then turn off soup and let it sit 2 to 3 minutes more. Adjust salt and serve.

This dinner was very easy to make! I do caution that it was very spicy! I love spicy foods and can tolerate at a high heat, but this burned my lips! We will cut back on the red pepper flakes when we make this again! And here is the finished product:

Thanks for reading! Hope you enjoyed it and get out there and try something new!

Smoked Tenderloin, Mashed Red Potatoes, and Strawberry/Cucumber Salad

2009-07-19T08:55:00.002-04:00

Hi there!

Several friends have been on me about starting a blog, so here I am. I will start off with our dinner last night, but may go back and catch up on some other meals we have cooked that have been winners!

Last night was Smoked Pork Tenderloin, Mashed Red Potatoes, and Cucumber and Strawberry Salad. My husband handled the Pork 100%, while I did the rest. So, let's get cooking:

Ingredients

Pork Marinade (3 tablespoons of seasoned salt, 3 tablespoons of brown sugar, 1 tablespoon of minced garlic, 1/2 tablespoon each of paprika and black pepper, and a teaspoon each of cumin, onion powder, coriander and orange zest. Toss all of that in a gallon bag with enough apple cider vinegar and olive oil to coat the meat. Marinate in the fridge for at least 4 hours.)
2 - 2 1/4 lbs Red Potatoes
1 1/2 cups Half and Half
3 tablespoons butter
Salt/Pepper to taste
Salad Dressing: 1/2 cup orange juice, 2 tablespoons lemon juice, 1 tablespoon olive oil, 2 teaspoons Dijon mustard, and 2 teaspoons fresh chives (chopped)
2 cups Strawberries (halved or quartered)
1 large Cucumber
1/2 cup Gorgonzola
Red Lettuce Leaves (or substitute any other lettuce you prefer)

Pork Tenderloin: My husband was 100% responsible for this. He smoked it for about 3 hours, then placed it in the oven for 20 minutes or so at Broil to crisp up the outside.

The Mashed Red Potatoes were easy! Half the potatoes (skin on please), and place in a pot with just enough water to cover. Place a lid on the pot and on high heat, bring to a boil. Remove the lid, add some salt (just a sprinkle around once or twice), and let boil for 10-15 min, until they are tender. Drain off the water, and put the potatoes back into the pot. Add the Half and Half, butter, salt/pepper, and mash!

The Strawberry and Cucumber Salad was a nice refreshing surprise. We have a vegetable garden, and have cucumbers coming out the yin yang. I wanted to try something new so I hopped over to Food TV's website and found this nice recipe. You actually are supposed to add scallops to the salad, but we omitted these for our dinner.

Let's make the salad: Whisk the ingredients for the dressing then add in the strawberries and sliced cucumber. Serve over the lettuce and top with the cheese! Simple!

A nice dinner for a hot summer night! And here is the finished product!

Thanks for reading this first post of New Recipe Saturday. Hope you enjoyed it and get out there and try something new!