Foodie Chickie

2011-12-21T12:06:00.005-05:00

Want pork ribs in the winter but it's too cold to bbq(never for some) or live in an apartment building? Well if you have a crockpot and an oven you are in luck. This BBQ rib recipe I found on Mmm is for Mommy is absolutely quick and scrumptious. The meat fell off the bone. Truly great recipe. I followed the cooks advice of slashing the recipe in half. I also added a store brand pork spice rub and two different kinds of bbq sauce. Otherwise followed the recipe to a tee.

Easy Barbecued Ribs
Adapted from Mmm is for Mommy

1.5 tbsp sweet paprika (3tbsp)
1 tbsp light brown sugar, lightly packed (2 tbsp)
1/8 tsp cayenne pepper (1/4 tsp)
S&P to taste (about 1 tsp each is what I used)
2 lbs pork (baby) back ribs (6 lbs) - leave the membrane on the ribs to help hold them together
1 cup barbecue sauce (3 cups)
Vegetable oil spray.

In a small bowl, mix together paprika, brown sugar, cayenne and S&P. Rub this mixture all over both sides of your ribs well. Arrange ribs in the slow cooker by standing them up against the wall of the stoneware pot, thicker side down and meaty side against the pot. Pour barbecue sauce over the ribs, cover and cook for 6-8 hours on low (I did 7 hours and they were perfect).

Now comes the only stove/oven work involved, we need to reduce the sauce and then brown the ribs under the broiler. These steps are what turn the ordinary into the extraordinary, so don't you dare skip them even if your ribs already look pretty good. Once the initial slow cooking is done, very carefully (as they are tennnnderrrrr) remove the ribs to a baking pan which you have lined with foil and put a rack on (like in my photo collage), bone side up. Set to the side. Skim any fat that has risen to the top and strain all of the remaining juices from the slow cooker through a mesh strainer into a small saucepan. Bring to boil and allow to simmer and reduce by about a third, approximately 15 minutes. Put your oven's broiler on to heat up and make sure that there is an oven rack about 10 inches below the broiler element. When the broiler is preheated, brush the ribs with sauce and broil for 3 or 4 minutes. Take them out and very carefully flip them over, brush with sauce and broil again, meat side up, for approximately 9 minutes, taking them out once or twice (I did only once because I forgot) to baste with more sauce. Serve any remaining sauce on the side with the ribs.

2011-12-19T11:57:00.000-05:00

My husband's a big meat eater. His favorite is chicken. It's not my favorite. I don't like meat. Much. I think bacon is my gateway meat. To ribs. To lamb. Ok back to the chicken. I'm looking for recipes for chicken that make both of us happy. He loves chicken. I like finding more ways I can enjoy it to. So when I stumbled upon the recipe for Jamaican Curry Chicken I knew I had to try it. I love curry and was curious to try the Jamaicans take on curry. The chicken came out so very flavorful. And it smelled fantastic while cooking. The combo of the various spices was fantastic. I highly recommend it.

Jamaican Chicken Curry
adapted from That's so Yummy)

Jamaican Curry Chicken

1 chicken (about 3 lbs)

1.5 tablespoon Vegetable oil

2 cloves garlic, chopped

2 Scallions, chopped

3 sprigs fresh thyme, chopped

3-4 tablespoon Jamaican curry powder

1 tablespoon allspice

2 teaspoons salt

2 cups water

2 teaspoon pepper

1 small-sized potato, diced

scotch bonnet

**Boiled Dumpling recipe below

First start off by chopping up a whole chicken in small pieces. Dice green onions, garlic cloves, and a medium onion. Season the chicken with curry powder, allspice, black pepper, and salt. After add the diced green onions, chopped garlic cloves, onion, thyme, and scotch bonnet pepper.

In a large pot, or dutch pan add vegetable oil and allow it to get hot. Once the oil is hot add the some of the chopped onion and garlic and brown.

Next, add the seasoned chicken in batches, cooking for 5-10 minutes, turning over once to cook the other side. When adding the chicken take out the thyme and scotch bonnet for later use.

Once all the chicken is browned add all the chicken again to the dutch pot along with the remaining onions, garlic, scallion, and scotch bonnet.

Add 2 cups of water to the pot, cover and simmer for 30-40 minutes.

As the chicken is simmering, peel and chop one small-sized potato. Add the potato to the pot and allow the potato to cook.

As the potato cook assemble the spinners to add to the chicken. If your asking yourself what spinners are they are little pieces of dough heaven.

2011-12-14T14:30:00.003-05:00

I found this recipe on my Facebook Crockpot group. What everybody doesn't have a Crockpot group on their Facebook page? Well that is ok because I would like to share with you a delicious and tender recipe for pork chops. Trully a flavorful recipe. We ate it with some corn and my husband's cheese and garlic mashed potatoes. As you can tell the recipe has lots of delicious gravy to put on top of the potatoes.

The Most Amazing Pork Chops

4 whole thick cut bone in pork chops (need to be the thick cut bone in ones with a little fat)
1 envelope onion soup mix (1 oz)
1 1/2 cups of chicken broth
1 10.5 oz can of cream of chicken soup
1 envelope dry pork gravy mix

place pork chops in the slow cooker
mix all other ingredients in a bowl and pour on to chops.
cook on low 6-8 hours until they are VERY fork tender...if they still aren't fall apart cook 30 minutes more and then check again ( continue until they are how you want them)

2011-12-09T15:15:00.001-05:00

I love salad. Is that ok to admit to? I like the various ingredients that can be put together to make a great and easy meal or side dish. I think there can be dinner salad. It does not have to be regulated to a side dish. A salad can be perked up with fabulous dressing as well.

I love all the ingredients in the following recipe I found but of course like all recipes they can be altered to your taste. Enjoy!

Chopped Salad
adapted from Stacey Snacks Online)

1 can of chickpeas (garbanzo beans), drained and rinsed
1/4 red onion, diced (1/2")
1 ball of fresh mozzarella, diced (1/2")
1/2 cucumber, diced (1/2")
1 small red bell pepper, diced (1/2")
handful of cherry tomatoes, quartered
2 oz. Genoa salami, diced (1/2")
1 cup of arugula, chopped

Place all ingredients in a large bowl, and place in the fridge. Leave the vegetables, cheese, salami, beans, etc. separate without mixing, until ready to serve.

Oregano Dressing: (adapted from Nancy Silverton in the L.A. Times)

1 cloves garlic, minced
2 tablespoons dried oregano
1 tsp kosher salt
1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
2 tbsp fresh lemon juice
1/4 cup good red wine vinegar
1/4 cup extra-virgin olive oil

Whisk dressing ingredients together and let sit on the counter at least 30 minutes.

Just before serving, whisk the dressing again and pour over salad components. Mix together and sprinkle with some fleur de sel and black pepper.

2011-12-07T15:14:00.004-05:00

Who doesn't like a good Oreo cookie. Even the store brand is just as good.

I personally like to eat the cream first then the cookie. But everyone has their own method for enjoying one. Or two or three. Ahem.

Anyway my daughter needed cupcakes for class recently and I thought to myself what is better than an Oreo cupcake when I saw the recipe.

They were a hit!

Oreo cupcakes
(adapted from Cate's World Kitchen)

Ingredients
cupcakes
1 stick unsalted butter, at room temperature
1 cup milk
2 tsp vanilla extract
2 1/4 cups flour, plus 2 tbsp
1 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp salt
1 2/3 cup sugar
3 large egg whites, at room temperature
1 package Oreo Cookies (about 45 cookies)

frosting
6 tbsp softened butter
3 cups powedered sugar
1 tsp vanilla
Oreo crumbs
2-4 tbsp milk

Preheat over to 350F. Line 24 cupcake tins with paper liners.

Twist apart 24 Oreos. Place the cookie with filling on it, filling side up, in the bottom of each cupcake pan. Cut 12 of the filling-less cookies in half for garnish, and crush the others in a plastic bag with a rolling pin to make fine crumbs. Reserve these crumbs to mix into the frosting.

Roughly chop the remaining Oreos and toss with 2 tbsp flour.

Cream the butter in the bowl of a stand mixer until light and fluffy. Beat in the milk and vanilla.

Sift the flour, baking powder, and salt together into the butter mixture. Stir a few times, then mix in the sugar and beat with the mixer on low for about 30 seconds. Add the egg whites. Turn the speed up to medium and beat for two minutes. Fold in the roughly chopped cookies

Divide the batter evenly among the prepared pans and bake for about 18 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in the center of cupcakes comes out clean. Cool cupcakes in the pan for 10 minutes before transferring them to a wire rack to cool completely.

To make the frosting, beat the butter, powdered sugar, and vanilla in the bowl of a stand mixer and add milk 1/2 tsp at a time until it has a smooth, spreadable consistency. Add the Oreo crumbs and mix well. Put in a piping bag and pipe onto the cooled cupcakes, then top with half a filling-less cookie.

2011-12-05T12:25:00.000-05:00

I have been wanting tuna lately. But not necessarily tuna salad with mayo or cooked tuna either. Then I found a recipe for Tuna Panzanella restaurant. I really enjoy Panzanella salad. I've been making it even before I knew a recipe existed. What person doesn't like nice crunchy bread soaking up olive oil and vinegar in the bottom of their salad. I thought the tuna would give a nice little kick to the salad recipe. And it really did. It is a great combination. I may never have Panzanella salad the original way again.

Tuna Panzanella Salad
adapted Framed Cooks

2 cans of tuna (12 oz each) or 2 pouches of tuna (5 oz or 6.4 oz each)
3 tablespoons olive oil
2 taspoons minced garlic
1/2 teaspoon dried oregano
1 loaf (4-5 cups) Italian bread, cubed
1 teaspoon kosher salt
1 large tomato, cubed
1 medium cucumber, cubed
1 red onion, diced
15 large fresh basil leaves, chopped
1/2 cup light balsamic vinaigrette

Preheat oven to 300° F. In a large bowl, toss bread cubes with olive oil, garlic and salt. Spread on a baking sheet and bake for 7-10 minutes until toasted. In another large bowl, mix tuna, peppers, tomato, cucumber onion, and oregano together to blend well. Add bread cubes, basil, and vinaigrette and toss well. Garnish with fresh basil, and salt and pepper to taste.

2011-12-03T09:32:00.002-05:00

Here is another banana bread recipe. Come on can one have too many banana bread recipes. I think not? Also another very moist cake. And that is not a bad thing when it comes to cake. It should not be hard as bricks. So if you have a problem with the word moist then perhaps eat a brick?

Banana Bread
INGREDIENTS
3 or 4 ripe bananas, smashed
1/3 cup melted butter
1 cup sugar (can easily reduce to 3/4 cup)
1 egg, beaten
1 teaspoon vanilla
1 teaspoon baking soda
Pinch of salt
1 1/2 cups of all-purpose flour
METHOD
No need for a mixer for this recipe. Preheat the oven to 350°F (175°C). With
a wooden spoon, mix butter into the mashed bananas in a large mixing bowl.
Mix in the sugar, egg, and vanilla. Sprinkle the baking soda and salt over
the mixture and mix in. Add the flour last, mix. Pour mixture into a
buttered 4x8 inch loaf pan. Bake for 1 hour. Cool on a rack. Remove from pan
and slice to serve.

2011-11-30T16:20:00.001-05:00

I found a delicious recipe for cobbler. A Texas Blueberry Cobbler.

The outcome seemed like cake to me. I consider Cobbler to have crumbles on top. Or am I thinking of something else. As I read the post further I realized that this is what Texans consider Cobbler. And who am I to argue with a Texan.

It was a very soft and flavorful cake none the less. Quite easy to make. And I am sure to be a hit at any meal or snack. So good.

Texas-Style Blueberry Cobbler, from Adapted from Framed Cooks

4 tablespoons butter cut into 4 pieces
8 tablespoons butter, melted and cooled
1 1/2 cups sugar
1 1/2 teaspoons lemon zest
3 cups blueberries
1 1/2 cups flour
2 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
3/4 teaspoons salt
1 1/2 cups milk

1. Preheat oven to 350. Place 4 tablespoons cut up butter in 9x13 inch baking pan and put in oven until butter is melted, 8 to 10 minutes. Remove but leave oven on.
2. Pulse 1/4 cup sugar and lemon zest in food processor until combined, about 5 pulses.
3. Using potato masher, mash blueberries with 1 tablespoon of the lemon sugar until berries are coarsely crushed.
4. Combine flour, remaining sugar, baking powder and salt in large bowl. Whisk in 8 tablespoons melted cooled butter and milk until smooth. Pour batter into the baking dish with the melted butter.
5. Drop spoonfuls of blueberry mixture evenly over batter, sprinkle with remaining lemon sugar and bake until golden brown and edges are crispy, about 45-50 minutes.
6. Cool about 30 minutes and serve warm.

2011-11-28T15:33:00.004-05:00

This sweet potato recipe was well received at Thanksgiving and was requested as one of the sides for Christmas dinner. And no one guessed that it was a low fat dish. Sweet potatoes are essentially a good carb but surprisingly or not so much they can be paired with butter and sugar and still be healthy. And delicious. Oh so delicious.

Mashed Sweet Potatoes Brulee

Adapted from Skinnytaste.com
Servings: 14
Ingredients:
5 1/2 lbs sweet potatoes, peeled and boiled until soft
3/4 cup 1% milk
3 tbsp light butter, softened
1/2 tsp salt
1/4 tsp ground cinnamon
1/8 teaspoon ground nutmeg
1/2 cup unpacked light brown sugar

Directions:

When the potatoes are cooked and soft, combine them with milk, light butter, salt, cinnamon and nutmeg and mash or puree until smooth.

Spoon into a 9 x 9 or 11 x 7-inch baking dish. Preheat the broiler. Sprinkle 1/2 cup brown sugar evenly over top. Broil 2 minutes or until sugar melts, careful not to burn. Let it stand until the melted sugar hardens (about 5 minutes).

2011-11-16T06:38:00.004-05:00

This was really a good recipe for pot roast. The most flavorful I have ever had. The meat was even more tender because I cut it in small pieces.

The Best Pot Roast Ever

1 (3 lb) beef roast
1 tablespoon minced onion
2 tablespoons minced fresh garlic (or to taste)
1 (1 1/4 ounce) package au jus mix
1 (1 ounce) package dried Italian salad dressing mix
2 teaspoons black pepper (or to taste)
1 pinch cayenne (optional)
1 (12 ounce) can tomato juice

Place onion and garlic in the bottom of the crock pot, then place the roast on top of them. In a bowl whisk together the tomato juice with both packages of seasonings, black pepper and cayenne (don't worry if there is lumps, they will work out during the cooking). Pour the mixture over the roast. Cook on LOW for 8-12 hours or on HIGH for about 4-1/2 hours.

2011-11-14T07:32:00.001-05:00

I love the Neely's. They seem to really care about each other. Watching them together is just fun. And a bonus their food is really good. Simple yet amazing. So when I found this recipe on Honey Mustard Chicken Fingers I knew I had to try it. It would have been easier with chicken pieces but the end result was still tasty.

Honey Mustard Chicken Fingers
adapted from The Neelys

Olive oil nonstick cooking spray
1 large eggs, beaten
1 tablespoon Dijon mustard
1 tablespoon honey
1/4 tsp cayenne pepper
Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
1 cup panko bread crumbs
2 teaspoons salt
1/2 teaspoon ground black pepper
1/2 teaspoon smoked paprika
1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper
1/4 teaspoon garlic powder
2 large boneless chicken breast

Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F. In a pie plate or shallow bowl, whisk the egg, mustard, honey, cayenne, and salt and pepper, to taste, together until thoroughly combined.

Add the panko, salt and pepper, to taste, the paprika, cayenne, and garlic powder to another pie plate and whisk to combine.

Slice each chicken breast into 3-4 strips. Dredge the chicken through the wet mixture, then the dry mixture, patting the breading on so it adheres. Arrange on a baking sheet, making sure there is ample space between each piece of chicken. Give the chicken a spritz of the olive cooking spray. This will help brown and crisp up the coating.

Bake at 400 for 15-18 minutes. Serve with your favorite dipping sauce.

2011-11-10T08:01:00.002-05:00

I love the potato. How can one not? It is so versatile and tasty. However one prepares a potato or whatever ingredient is added to it only makes the potato better. And what a better recipe than baked potato soup during the colder months.

I used 365 Days of Slow Cooking's recipe and it was oh so easy and delicious. My youngest loved especially.

Baked Potato Soup

Ingredients:
- 5lbs Russet Potatoes, washed but NOT peeled. Diced into 1/2 inch(ish) cubes
- 1 large yellow onion, diced
- 10 cloves of garlic, whole
- 8 cups chicken stock
- 16 oz cream cheese (I used 8oz regular and 8oz lowfat)
- 1 TBS seasoned salt or all-purpose seasoning (I use Aunt Cora's Soulful Seasoning)

Garnishes:
- Crumbled bacon
- Shredded cheddar cheese
- Green onions

Directions:
- Add potatoes, onion, garlic, seasoning and chicken stock to slow cooker.
- Cook on high for 6 hours or low for 10 hours.
- Remove and puree the garlic cloves along with 1/2 to 1/3rd of the soup, and then reintroduce to the remainder in the crock pot.
- Stir in the cream cheese and allow to melt. Stir every 10-15 minutes until soup is well blended.
- Top with your choice of garnishes & serve!

Yields about 10-12 servings.

2011-11-08T10:22:00.004-05:00

Though my life is still has the same problems I still have to eat and at least I now have a working oven. Yay! I still have recipes from when I was at the mercy of my handy dandy slow cooker.

I pretty much have only a few recipes on how to prepare pork chops and I wanted to increase my choices.

I found a recipe for Slow Cooker Pork Chops over at Eat Cake for Dinner. It was filling and tasty. Be cautious of how much liquid you add however because if it is too much then you also need to increase the spices. I paired it with some rice which is my carb of choice for dishes like these and some corn. Yum yum.

Slow Cooker Pork Chops

4 thick-cut pork chops, bone in or boneless
1 can cream of chicken soup
1 pkg. dry ranch dressing mix
4 cloves garlic, minced
1/2 c. chicken broth
pepper

Combine soup, dressing mix, garlic, and broth. Sprinkle chops with pepper (do not salt). Place chops in slow cooker and pour soup mixture over top. Cover and cook on high 4 hours or low 6-7 hours. Serve over rice.

2011-08-25T11:57:00.004-04:00

I'm always on the lookout for recipes that come from only using a crock pot. The prep time is cut short and in the end a satisfying meal is waiting.

This particular recipe uses only three ingredients. But after I had a taste I still felt it needed more so I ended up adding garlic and onion powder and Italian herbs to it. It really only was three more ingredients.

3 Ingredient Crock Pot Pasta Sauce
Adapted from Real Mom Kitchen

1 lb. Italian sausage (I used a 19.76 oz pkg of mild links and removed the casings)
5 cloves garlic, crushed
3 (14.5 oz) cans crushed tomatoes (if you like hunks of tomatoes you can use 1 can of diced tomatoes in place of one of the cans of crushed)
Brown the sausage in a skillet along with the garlic. Drain off the grease and add to a crock pot.
Add the canned tomatoes to the sausage in the crock pot. Stir to combine and cook on low for 6 – 8 hours. Serve over cooked pasta

2011-08-23T11:58:00.008-04:00

I'm guess I am indeed on a salad kick because I find it great to enjoy a flavorful and nutritious meal in no time at all. I am so glad I was able to expand my recipes for salads because usually we just have a tossed green salad, pasta salad, tuna or egg salad. It's nice to have options.

This latest recipe has seafood in it. Specifically juicy, sweet scallops. Big or small still delicious. And the scallops are paired with chickpeas. A pleasant combination of sweet and mild.

Again I had altered the recipe a bit I used mixed salad as this is what I used and I omitted the parsley. Still quite good.

Sorry for the quite poor photo. Hope to be corrected soon.

Grilled Scallops with Lemon Chickpea Salad
Adapted from The Cooking Photographer

15.5 ounce can garbanzo beans
1 clove garlic, minced
1 stalk celery
1/3 cup chopped fresh leaf parsley (Or 1 teaspoon dried.)
3 tablespoons fresh squeezed lemon juice, divided
1 tablespoon plus 2 teaspoons extra virgin olive oil, divided
1/2 pound sea scallops, rinsed and patted dry.
4 cups baby spinach
Salt and pepper

1. Preheat the grill to high. Pull beards off of scallops if they’re still attached. Set aside.

2. In medium-sized bowl combine chickpeas, garlic, celery, parsley, 2 tablespoons lemon juice, and 1 tablespoon olive oil.

3. In another medium-sized bowl combine 2 teaspoons olive oil and 1 tablespoon lemon juice. Season with salt and pepper and toss in scallops to coat.

4. Divide spinach onto four plates and evenly spoon chickpea mixture over the top.

5. Grill scallops for 2 to 3 minutes per side, until firm to the touch but not rubbery. Evenly divide among salads and serve immediately.

4 Servings

2011-08-17T14:07:00.003-04:00

I love salads. I think not only they are great for the warmer months but all year round. Great for digestion and for the taste buds. I found this dinner salad that is a good fit for meat lovers as well. I of course changed the recipe around a bit. Didn't add the cherries but instead grape tomatoes and used a dressing made of olive oil and red wine vinegar. The Blue Cheese I found was Gargonzola. It was a perfect blue cheese for this salad. For more salad ideas visit Family Circle.

Steak Salad with Mixed Baby Greens
Adapted from Family Circle

Ingredients
1 1/2 pounds flank steak
1 teaspoon Italian seasoning
1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon pepper
Pinch cayenne
2 teaspoons olive oil
1 1/2 5 ounce packages baby arugula
1/2 pound bing cherries, pitted
1/2 cup crumbled blue cheese
1/2 cup bottled low-fat blue cheese dressing (such as Bolthouse)
Directions
1. Heat grill or broiler. Spread flank steak on a cutting board. In a small bowl, combine Italian seasoning, garlic powder and salt, pepper and cayenne. Coat steak with olive oil and then rub spice mixture into steak. Grill or broil for 6 minutes per side, turning once, for a total of 12 minutes. Transfer to a clean board and let rest 5 minutes.
2. Meanwhile, in a large bowl, combine baby arugula, bing cherries, and crumbled blue cheese. Toss gently with blue cheese dressing. Slice steak against the grain (starting on a small side), into thin slices. Toss with salad mixture. Serve immediately.

2011-08-15T15:12:00.008-04:00

Long time no see stranger. It has been far too long since I have posted. Family problems are still the same. Then my laptop and camera decided to die at the same time. Got those two things remided eventually however I am still without a full time stove. Thus I am forced to get creative. Though chicken salad is not very creative I waned to use up the left over BBQ'd chicken. And my husband requested it. He hardly ever requests specific dishes so I wanted to make him happy. Wouldn't you know it the internet has a variety of chicken salad recipes. But I wanted to keep it simple. I decided to adapt this recipe and it was a winner. The only thing I did differently was add hard boiled eggs and omit the almonds. Next time I think I will either add some grapes or apples because it did need a crunch factor. I just didn't want almonds in this particular salad.

Basic Chicken Salad
Adapted from All recipes

INGREDIENTS:
1/2 cup mayonnaise
1 tablespoon lemon juice
1/4 teaspoon ground black pepper
2 cups chopped, cooked chicken meat
1 stalk celery, chopped

DIRECTIONS:
In a medium bowl, mix together mayonnaise, lemon juice, and pepper. Toss with chicken and celery.

2011-05-31T13:37:00.005-04:00

I know I haven't posted in almost three months but dealing with a very sick family member and a move on top of that leaves a person consumed with those things. And although I currently do not have an oven I am trying to make do with what I have. There is a sandwich recipe I have been wanting to make from scratch with what feels like forever now. You are thinking what kind of sandwich could this be. It is an international one and it is called Falafel. I love a good Falafel sandwich. Falafel balls, stuffed in pita bread with tomatoes, cucumbers with some Tahini sauce. Yum yum yum. When I saw this version I knew I had to try it.

Falafel with Tahini-Lemon Sauce
The Curvy Carrot

Servings: about 24 2-inch falafel balls (4-6 per serving)

Ingredients

For the Falafel:

2 15-ounce canned chick peas

4 medium garlic cloves, minced

2 teaspoons cumin

1 teaspoon turmeric

1 teaspoon salt

1/2 cup minced scallions (aka green onions)

1/4 cup minced cilantro

1/4 cup water

1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice

Pinch cayenne

1/3 cup flour

Oil for frying

For the Tahini-Lemon Sauce:

3/4 cup sesame tahini

5 tablespoons fresh lemon juice

1 small to medium garlic clove, minced

3/4 to 1 and 1/2 cups water, depending on desired thickness

1/2 to 1 teaspoon salt, to taste

Instructions:

1. For the falafel: Rinse the chickpeas, and drain them well.

2. Combine all the ingredients except flour in a food processor until smooth.

3. Transfer to a large bowl and add the flour. (At this point, you can refrigerate the “batter” for up to 3 days.)

4. In the meantime, add about 3 tablespoons of oil to a heavy skillet over medium heat.

5. Once heated and shimmering, drop rounded tablespoons of the falafel batter into to oil, flattening each slightly with a spatula.

6. Sauté for about 10 minutes on each side, until golden and crisp.

7. Place the cooked falafel on a plate line with paper towels, and, if necessary, keep warm in a 300 degree oven until serving time.

8. For the Tahini-Lemon Sauce: Place tahini, lemon juice, and garlic in a food processor fitted with the steel blade (or you can use a blender).

9. Keeping the motor running, slowly drizzle in the water, checking every now and then to monitor the consistency.

10. Transfer to a small bowl or container, and cover tightly. Refrigerate until ready for use.

2011-03-16T09:00:00.002-04:00

To me the combining of pasta with pretty much any meat and taco seasonings was such an easy idea why hadn't I thought of it earlier. I guess I always assumed taco meat should well go well with tacos only. The pasta made the recipe heartier and satisfied me.

Creamy Taco Mac
Recipe Indulgence

1¼ lbs ground beef
8 oz dry pasta shapes
1 small onion, chopped
1 clove garlic, minced
1 (14 ounce) can diced tomatoes, drained
4 tbsp taco seasoning
3 oz cream cheese
½ cup sour cream
Salt and pepper
Shredded cheddar cheese (optional)

Directions:

1. Bring a large pot of water to boil. Cook pasta according to the package directions. Set aside.
2. Meanwhile, in a large skillet or sauté pan, cook the ground turkey over medium-high heat until no longer pink. A few minutes before the turkey is cooked through, add the chopped onion to the skillet.
3. Once the turkey is cooked through, mix in the garlic and cook until fragrant, about 30 seconds. Mix in the diced tomatoes and taco seasoning and let simmer over medium heat for about 5 minutes.
3. Stir in the cooked pasta, cream cheese, and sour cream, and continue stirring until the cream cheese is melted and the sauce is well blended. Season with salt and pepper to taste.
4. Simmer over medium-low heat 3-5 minutes to reduce the sauce a bit. Remove from the heat and top with shredded cheddar cheese, if desired.

2011-03-14T09:12:00.001-04:00

All you have to say to me is "We're going for Thai food." and I am in. There are a variety of flavors in Thai cooking yet they all come together so smoothly.

I found this recipe on my local news channel. I had the majority of these ingredients on hand and was able to cook up this dish rather quickly. Which is a bonus in my book.

I served it with rice and it was fantastic. The only thing I would do differently is make this a bit thicker next time. And it would work well with chicken.

Coconut Curry Shrimp
Adapted from New York One News

Serves: 4
INGREDIENTS
16 medium size raw, peeled and deveined shrimp
1 15-ounce can coconut milk*
1 15-ounce can of diced tomatoes
1 jar Thai style red curry paste*
1 medium onion
1 medium sweet potato
1 clove garlic
1 tbs minced ginger
chopped fresh cilantro
chicken stock
vegetable oil

METHOD
Begin by adding a splash of vegetable oil to a large, heavy bottomed pot on medium to medium high heat and add 1 medium rough chopped onion.

Once the onion has softened up, add 1 large minced clove of garlic, about 1 tbs finely minced peeled ginger, and 1 medium 1/2 inch cubed sweet potato. Let that go a minute or so and then add 1 15-ounce can of coconut milk.

Turn the heat up a bit and add just enough chicken stock to just cover the sweet potatoes and let that simmer along.

After 6 minutes or so, when the sweet potatoes are just about cooked through, add 1 heaping tbs red curry paste, 1 15-ounce can of diced tomatoes juice and all 16 medium size raw, peeled and deveined shrimp. Add just enough chicken stock to cover those and let that simmer along until the shrimp are cooked through.

You could also add some chopped green onions at this point if you like and, once the shrimp are cooked through, serve it up in individual bowls with fresh chopped cilantro over the top.

*You can find canned coconut milk and Thai curry paste in Asian food stores or in the specialty food aisle of larger supermarkets.

2011-03-12T09:00:00.001-05:00

I want Paula Deen to be my grandmother. Have I ever mentioned that? She is just so sweet, engaging and has great Southern recipes.

This dish caught my attention because I love grilled cheese sandwiches and to make it into a casserole is a great idea.

I would serve this for a brunch for a family get together or shower of some kind.

Croque Madame Casserole
Adapted from Paula Deen

6 tablespoons (1 stick) butter, plus 2 tablespoons for eggs
1/4 cup all-purpose flour
2 cups milk
2 tablespoons Dijon mustard
3/4 teaspoon salt, plus more for seasoning
1/2 teaspoon pepper, plus more for seasoning
1/2 teaspoon freshly grated nutmeg
10 to 12 slices white bread
3/4 pound deli ham
1 1/2 cups (6 ounces) grated Gruyere, reserve some for top of casserole
6 eggs
Directions

Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F. Grease an 8-inch square baking dish.
Melt 6 tablespoons of butter in a large skillet over low heat until bubbling. Whisk in the flour and cook for 1 minute. Slowly whisk in the milk and cook until thick and bubbling, 3 to 5 minutes more. Whisk in the mustard, salt, pepper, and nutmeg.
Pour a thin layer of the sauce into the prepared baking dish and cover it with 5 or 6 slices of the bread, then slices of the ham and an even layer of the Gruyere. Repeat the layers once more, ending with a third layer of sauce to cover all. Bake the casserole for 30 minutes. Remove it from the oven and cut into 6 equal pieces.
Working in 2 batches, melt 1tablespoon of butter in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Crack 3 eggs into the skillet and season with salt and pepper, to taste. Cook until the whites are nearly set, about 3 minutes. Carefully flip the eggs and continue cooking until the whites are completely set, about 1 minute more. You're going to top each portion of the casserole with a fried egg. Repeat with the remaining 3 eggs and 1 tablespoon butter. Top with Gruyere and it in the oven for a few minutes until cheese melts.

2011-03-10T12:52:00.004-05:00

I love most potato dishes and Pierogies are no different. But it seemed a lot of work to make the dough and the filling. So I was thrilled to find a recipe that gave me a shortcut and why didn't I think of this before?! Wonton dough can be used as the dough. I use Wonton dough when I make my grandmother's chicken dumplings. Why not for Pierogies also? However it is not as soft as if you would make the dough from scratch but it doesn't make the recipe any less delicious. Actually it is kind of nice there is a bite to it.

Quick Potato Pierogi
Adapted from Mel's Kitchen Cafe

1½ pounds baking potatoes, peeled and cut into chunks
4 tablespoons butter
3 onions, finely chopped (it sounds like a lot but I used three and it wasn’t overpowering)
Salt and black pepper to taste
1 to 2 packages of round gyoza (pot sticker) wrappers (I have found these in the produce section of my grocery store near the egg roll wraps – if you can’t find round wrappers, you can buy square and cut them into circles with a cookie or biscuit cutter)
3 to 5 green onions, thinly sliced or ¼ cup chopped chives or 2 tablespoons chopped parsley or additional fried onions (see note), to serve
Sour cream, melted butter or vinegar to serve

Cook the potatoes in a large pot of salted boiling water until just tender. Drain and set aside.

Melt the butter in a large nonstick skillet and cook the onions until they soften then lightly brown, darkly browned in spots.

Mash the potatoes in a bowl then mix in the onions and their cooking butter. Season generously with salt and pepper.

Working one at a time, brush the edge of the round wrapper with water (I just used my finger dipped in a bowl of water) and place a spoonful of filling in the center. Fold dumpling in half, pressing the edges together to thoroughly seal. Place each dumpling on a parchment or waxed paper lined baking sheet and repeat until all filling has been used.

Chill in the refrigerator if you are making them ahead of time. If you wish to freeze the dumplings for later use, make sure they are not touching, then freeze them until solid and later gather them into a freezer bag. This ensures that you will avoid having one mega-pierogi clump when you are ready to cook them.

To cook the pierogi: Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil and add the dumplings one at a time, until the surface of the pan is covered with dumplings. Do not overcrowd; you’ll have to work in batches. When they are done, about 2-3 minutes, remove with a slotted spoon.

Transfer to bowls and serve sprinkled with green onions, parsley or chives, drizzled with a little melted butter or vinegar or topped with a dab of sour cream.

Alternatively, you can pan-brown the pierogi. Heat a tiny bit of oil (maybe a tablespoon or two is all) in a nonstick skillet and add dumplings in a single layer. When they are golden and in spots, browned, turn and brown other side. Add enough water to reach about 1/4-inch in depth, being careful not to add too much water or pierogi will get mushy. Cover and cook 3-4 minutes; remove lid and check for doneness. When pierogi are tender but not mushy to the tooth, and the liquid is evaporated, they are ready.

Note: To make fried onions, sauté 2 to 3 thinly sliced onions, in butter in a heavy frying pan until they are limp and lightly browned; add several tablespoons water and cook until the onions are soft and silky, the liquid mostly evaporated. Season with salt and pepper.

2011-03-08T15:35:00.002-05:00

Meatloaf is another recipe I want to perfect and I think I am almost there. Who know all it took was a little Sirachi sauce to liven up a meatloaf.

It gave it that much needed oomph to the recipe. That is what I used instead of mustard.

I didn't have the correct meatloaf container to frost the entire meatloaf. Someday very soon I hope to because this certainly is an interesting way to liven up meatloaf and mashed potatoes.

Frosted Meatloaf
Adapted from My Life In Pictures

Frosted Meat Loaf
1 cup Whole Milk
6 slices White Bread
2 pounds Ground Beef
1 cup (heaping) Freshly Grated Parmesan Cheese
¼ teaspoons Seasoned Salt
¾ teaspoons Salt
Freshly Ground Black Pepper
⅓ cups Minced Flat-leaf Parsley
4 whole Eggs Beaten
1-½ cup Ketchup
⅓ cups Brown Sugar
1 teaspoon Dry Mustard or Sirachi
Tabasco To Taste
2-3 cups prepared mashed potatoes (I used the Simply Potatoes brand)
1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Pour milk over the bread slices. Allow it to soak in for several minutes.
Place the ground beef, milk-soaked bread, Parmesan, seasoned salt, salt, black pepper, and parsley in a large mixing bowl. Pour in beaten eggs.

2. With clean hands, mix the ingredients until well combined. Form the mixture into a loaf shape on a broiler pan, which will allow the fat to drain. (Line the bottom of the pan with foil to avoid a big mess!)

3. Make the sauce: add ketchup, brown sugar, mustard, and hot sauce in a mixing bowl. Stir together. Pour 1/3 of the mixture over the top of the meatloaf. Spread with a spoon.

4. Bake for 45 minutes, then pour another 1/3 of the sauce over the top. Bake for another 15 minutes.
Remove from oven and let raise oven temperature to 450.

5. Cool meatloaf for 10 minutes, then "frost" top and sides with warm mashed potatoes. Brush with melted butter and return to oven and bake until potatoes are slightly tipped with brown, about 5-10 minutes. Slice and serve!

2011-03-06T16:11:00.002-05:00

I love fish and seafood. Prepared in all kinds of ways. From Lox on my bagel to steamed lobster to whitefish salad. It is all good in my opinion. But I have never made fish and chips. A simple enough recipe. I hope to taste fish and chips from an authentic pub one day. I elimenated the fries part. That is what the chips actually are by the way. And just made the coleslaw to go along with the fish. I never had home made coleslaw that tasted so good. My husband wouldn't stop raving about it. If he can compliment a recipe without prodding then I know and you should also that a recipe is that good.

Fish, Chips and Coleslaw
From Anne Burell

Fish and Chips
Recipe courtesy Anne Burrell

Prep Time:20 minInactive Prep Time:--Cook Time:20 min
Level:
Intermediate
Serves:
2 to 4 servings
Ingredients
3 quarts peanut or vegetable oil, for frying
4 large russet potatoes, peeled and cut lengthwise into 1/4-inch wide sticks
2 cups all-purpose flour
2 teaspoons seafood seasoning (recommended: Old Bay)
1 teaspoon baking soda
Kosher salt
1 bottle cold beer
Directions
2 pounds haddock fillets, skinned and cut diagonally into 1 1/2-inch wide strips, 5 to 6 inches long

Heat the oil in a large deep, pot over medium heat. Bring the oil to 325 degrees F. Regulate the temperature with a candy thermometer. Keep the potato sticks in a bowl of water to prevent browning before frying. Remove to paper towels and dry well before placing in oil. Working in batches, fry the potatoes until they are cooked through and tender but have no color, about 4 to 5 minutes. Be sure the fries have plenty of room and gently swish them around as they are cooking. Remove them from the oil and put them immediately on a paper towel lined baking sheet.

Preheat the oven to 300 degrees F and raise the temperature of the cooking oil to 375 degrees F.

In a medium bowl, combine the flour, seafood seasoning, baking soda and pinch of salt. Make a well in the center of the flour mixture and gently stir in the cold beer. Mix until just combined. When the oil is preheated to the correct temperature, dip the fish fillets in the batter mixture. Coat the fish generously. When adding the fish to the oil, dip about 1/3 to 1/2 of the fillet into the oil and allow the batter to start puffing and then gently slide it into the oil. Fry the fish until they are golden brown and crispy, about 5 minutes turning the fish over during the cooking time. When the fish are done, remove from the oil and put immediately on paper towels to blot the excess oil. Arrange the fish on a baking sheet lined with a cooling rack. Hold the fish in the preheated oven until serving. Work in batches and be sure not to crowd the oil.

Again, working in batches, fry the fries a second time at 375 degrees F, until they are golden brown and crispy. Remove them from the oil, immediately put them on paper towels and toss with kosher salt. Transfer the fish to a serving platter and serve with the fries.

Red Cabbage Slaw
Recipe courtesy Anne Burrell

Prep Time:15 minInactive Prep Time:1 hr 0 minCook Time:--
Level:
Easy
Serves:
6 to 8 servings
Ingredients
1 head purple cabbage, tough bottom ribs discarded, leaves shredded
3 carrots, peeled and grated
1 red onion, peeled and very thinly sliced
1 cup malt vinegar
Kosher salt
1 1/2 to 2 cups mayonnaise
2 tablespoons Dijon mustard
Directions
Combine the cabbage, carrots and onions in a large serving bowl. Douse the vegetables with the malt vinegar, season with salt and let sit for at least 1 hour. This will soften the cabbage and make it seem almost cooked but still with a great texture.

Stir in the mayonnaise and the mustard. Taste for seasoning. The final outcome should be a creamy and tart slaw. Serve cold or at room temperature. Refrigerate leftovers.

2011-03-04T16:03:00.001-05:00

Finding a perfect meatball recipe has been on my list of things to do. Yes I have a perfect recipes list. And the following meatball dish sounded good. I only used the recipe to make the meatballs. I just poured it over cooked pasta and the meatballs turned out phenomenal. The right amount of garlic and the trick with combing the bread and milk made the meatballs very light. I am posting the entire recipe as I found it incase you want to make the original.

SKILLET SPAGHETTI AND MEATBALLS
From My Life In Pictures

2 slices sandwich bread, crusts removed
1/4 cup buttermilk
1 pound meatloaf mix (the combo of ground beef/pork/veal)
1/3 cup grated Parmesan
1 egg yolk
2 minced garlic cloves
1/2 teaspoon oregano
Salt and pepper
2 tablespoons olive oil
3 cups prepared marinara sauce
2 cups water
8 ounces spaghetti, broken in half
2 tablespoons chopped fresh basil

1. Tear bread into small pieces and mix with buttermilk in medium bowl until it forms a paste. Add meat, cheese, egg yolk, garlic, oregano, salt and pepper and mix. Form into meatballs, using 2 tablespoons of meat mixture per meatball.

2. Heat oil in large skillet over high heat. Sear meatballs on one side for one minute. Turn meatballs over to cook very briefly on the other side and transfer to plate lined with paper towel. Wipe out skillet.

3. Add sauce and water to skillet, add pasta and turn heat to medium high. Cover and cook, stirring often, for 8 minutes.

4. Nestle meatballs into spaghetti, seared side up. Reduce heat to medium low, cover and cook for 4 more minutes, stirring from time to time. Uncover and cook for 4 more minutes or until spaghetti is done, stirring gently from time to time.

5. Transfer to plates and sprinkle with basil and more Parmesan cheese.

2011-03-02T15:57:00.002-05:00

This following recipe makes a favorite appetizer of mine easier to eat. I love buffalo wings. But sometimes find it messy to eat. Ok all the time. I guess for some the messy factor is part of the fun. Licking fingers and all. But I can't be sitting at work licking my fingers. So when I found this recipe I thought it was easy enough to make and now I want to share it with you.

Buffalo Chicken Wraps Recipe
From Debbie Does Healthy

2 lbs. boneless skinless chicken breasts
1/2 tsp. salt
3/4 cup Franks Buffalo Wing Sauce
3/4 cup ranch dressing, light
10 - 100 calorie whole wheat tortillas
Lettuce

Place chicken and salt in the crockpot. Cover and cook for 6 - 7 hours on
low. Remove chicken and empty crock pot of water. Shred the chicken and add
back to the slow cooker. Mix ranch and buffalo wing sauce in a small bowl.
Add the sauce to the chicken and stir. Serve on tortillas with lettuce.

2011-02-28T16:34:00.000-05:00

Please don't let the picture fool you. I just didn't have enough time to cut the pears into pretty little shapes for the pear clafouti. But the recipe is incredible. It sort of reminds me of a french pear tart but easier. The recipe is from The Pioneer Woman and she provides three different versions. I went with the second option and instead of ginger I added a drop of almond extract. A little goes a long way. So if you are looking for an impressive, yet easy to put together dessert please look no further.

Pear Clafouti

From The Pioneer Woman

Prep Time: 15 Minutes | Cook Time: 45 Minutes | Servings: 12

Print Recipe
3"x5" Cards
4"x6" Cards
Full Page
Ingredients
2 whole Pears
2 teaspoons Minced Or Grated Ginger
2 Tablespoons Sugar
2 teaspoons Brandy, Optional
¾ cups All-purpose Flour
½ teaspoons Salt
½ cups Sugar
3 whole Eggs, Beaten With A Fork
2 cups Whole Milk (substitute Half With Cream If You Desire)
1 teaspoon Vanilla
Preparation Instructions

Preheat oven to 375 degrees.
Peel pears and slice in half. Core each half, then slice pears thinly. Arrange in a pinwheel design in a pie dish. Sprinkle 2 tablespoons of sugar and minced ginger over the top. Sprinkle brandy over the top if using.
Whisk together flour, salt, eggs, sugar, milk, and vanilla until smooth. Pour over the top of the pears.
Bake for 45 minutes or until poufy and no longer overly jiggly. Remove from oven and allow to cool for at least 10 minutes. Serve with freshly whipped cream flavored with sugar and cinnamon.
VERSION 2: Substitute 1 1/2 cups of heavy cream for 1 1/2 cups of milk.

2011-02-25T15:12:00.003-05:00

Paella has been on my list of meals to try to make myself for a while now. But
like most folks I was lean on time. So when I saw Nigella Lawson(one of my two favorite chefs) make an easy of version of Paella I knew I had to try the recipe.

The recipe had a few steps to it but didn't take a long time to make and was delicious.

Pantry Paella
From Nigella Kitchen by Nigella Lawson

Ingredients
Pinch saffron threads
1/4 cup sherry (recommended: Oloroso)
2 tablespoons regular olive oil
3 scallions, finely sliced
1 clove garlic, peeled and finely sliced
1 1/4 cups rice, such as Bomba, Paella or Arborio
8 ounces peeled raw frozen prawns, thawed
3 tubes baby squid, frozen, thawed and sliced (about 1 cup)
1 1/2 cups diced cold cooked pork
1 1/4 cups frozen peas
2 cups chicken stock (ready-made, concentrate or cubes) preferably organic
Salt
1 lemon, cut into wedges, for serving
Chopped cilantro leaves, for serving
Directions
Put the saffron threads into a small pan over a medium heat with the sherry
and warm them, not letting the liquid come to a boil. Remove the pan from
the heat and let cool.

Heat the oil in a wide, heavy based pan over low heat. Add the onions and
saute for a few minutes.

Add the sliced garlic and cook for a minute or so more. Stir in the rice,
coat the grains in the oil, then add the prawns, baby squid, pork and peas.
Mix to combine.

Heat the chicken stock in a small pot over medium heat, or make up the
concentrate or cubes with boiling water. Stir in the sherry and saffron
mixture and combine well. Add the stock mixture to the rice and bring it to
a bubble, then turn the heat down to a low simmer, but leave uncovered.

Cook without stirring for 15 to 20 minutes, and by that time the rice should
have absorbed the liquid and be tender. Gently stir with a fork to separate
the grains, and check the seasoning, adding salt, if needed.

Serve the paella edged with lemon wedges, and sprinkled with cilantro.

2011-02-23T09:00:00.002-05:00

I really love Brie and I was curious about what it would taste like baked. I kept seeing all of these recipes out there where Brie is paired with something sweet in a puff pastry.

However I wanted savory with the Brie. So when I found this recipe I thought I would give it a go.

Sorry for not including a picture of the Brie being all melty with the caramelized onions. We ate it too quickly.

Brie and Caramelized Onion Bake
Adapted from Noble Pig

2 large Vidalia or yellow onions, sliced thin
1 Tablespoon olive oil
Pinch of sugar
Pinch of salt
1 sheet of frozen puff pastry, thawed
1 (8 ounce) Brie wheel
1 large egg, slightly beaten

Caramelize onion in olive oil with sugar and salt in a heavy skillet over
medium low-heat. Stir occasionally to prevent scorching, but do not stir
too often. They will brown better if left alone. After 5 minutes of
cooking, cover the pan (the lid keeps moisture inside so the onions won't
burn easily). Cook until brown and very soft, 20-25 minutes. Let cool
completely.

Roll out thawed sheet of pastry to a 12" square (not bigger, get the ruler
out if you need to). I would do this on parchment or wax paper to prevent
sticking. Place the onions in the middle of the pastry sheet and place your
Brie wheel right on top.

Brush the edges of the pastry with egg and fold the pastry over the Brie,
completely enclosing the Brie and the onions in the dough. Make sure all
the seams are pressed together and sealed. Place the round on a baking
sheet with parchment paper or a silicone mat, seam side down. Brush the
pastry with egg so that it browns nicely. Bake at 400o F until golden
brown, about 25 minutes.

Wait a good 15 or 20 minutes before cutting into the pastry.

2011-02-21T09:00:00.007-05:00

Ok here is another Nigella Lawson recipe but so what? Let's say one doesn't know what to make with that piece of salmon they found on sale and a what to use that bag of couscous you have sitting around. Well Nigella saved me one night from a meal that could of gone wrong. Instead the meal went very right.

Lemony Salmon with Cherry Tomato Couscous

Adapted from Nigella Lawson

Directions

Ingredients
Heaping 1 cup couscous
3 teaspoons kosher salt or 1 1/2 teaspoons table salt
1/2 teaspoon paprika
1 tablespoon grated fresh gingerroot
1 cup freshly boiled water
1/2 small red onion, finely chopped (about 1/4 cup)
1 lemon, halved
1 tablespoon garlic flavored oil, plus 1 teaspoon
1 pint cherry or grape tomatoes
4 salmon fillets
1 cup chopped fresh cilantro leaves
Put the couscous into a heatproof bowl, with 2 teaspoons kosher salt (or 1
teaspoon table salt), 1/4 teaspoon of the paprika, and all the grated
ginger. Give everything a bit of a mix before adding the hot boiled water.
Cover the bowl, either with plastic wrap or a plate, and set aside.

Into another bowl, put the finely chopped onion.

In a wide, shallow dish, big enough to take the salmon fillets later, zest
the lemon into the dish.

Squeeze the lemon juice into the bowl with the onions.

Add the remaining salt and the paprika to the bowl with the lemon zest and
stir in 1 tablespoon garlic flavored oil.

Halve the cherry or grape tomatoes and put them into yet another bowl. Stir
in the remaining teaspoon of garlic flavored oil and set aside.

Heat a large frying pan for the salmon fillets. While the pan is getting
hot, add the fillets to the dish with the lemon zest and coat both sides
with the mixture.

Put the fillets in the hot pan and cook for 2 to 3 minutes on each side,
depending on thickness. The fillets should be juicy and have a vivid coral
color in the middle, so do check as you cook.

Meanwhile, uncover and fluff the couscous, which should have absorbed all
the water. Add the tomatoes with lemony onion mixture and stir with a fork.

Add nearly all of the cilantro to the couscous, and stir it through, then
taste for seasoning, adding more salt if needed.

Spoon some couscous onto each plate and arrange a salmon fillet alongside.
Sprinkle with a little more cilantro as you hand out each plate.

2011-02-19T13:51:00.001-05:00

My daughter insists I buy bananas. Yet they don't always get eaten. So I am always on the look out for desserts with bananas in them. The cake was so moist and delicious I didn't bother to include the sauce on top.

Banana Rum Cake
Adapted from Baking Bites

1/2 cup butter, room temperature
1 1/2 cups sugar
3 large eggs
1 1/2 tsp vanilla extract
1/4 cup vegetable oil
3 ripe, medium bananas, mashed (about 1 1 1/4 cups)
3 tbsp dark rum
2 3/4 cups all purpose flour
2 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp baking soda
1/2 tsp salt
1/2 cup buttermilk

Preheat oven to 350F and lightly grease a 10-inch bundt pan
In a large bowl, cream together butter and sugar until light. Beat in the
eggs one by one, waiting until each has been incorporated to add the next.
Beat in vanilla extract, vegetable oil, mashed bananas and rum.
In a medium bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder, baking soda and
salt. Add half of the flour mixture to the butter mix and stir to combine.
Add in the buttermilk, followed by the remaining flour mixture.
Pour batter into prepared pan
Bake for 45-50 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted into the center of the
cake comes out clean and the top springs back when lightly pressed.
Allow cake to cool for 10 minutes in the pan, then turn cake out onto a wire
rack to cool completely.

Rum Drizzle
2 tbsp butter, room temperature
2 tbsp dark rum
1 tbsp milk
1 tsp vanilla extract
1 1/2 2 cups confectioners¹ sugar

Beat together butter, rum, milk, vanilla and about 1/2 cup confectioners
sugar in a bowl until smooth. Gradually blend in additional confectioners
sugar until you have a glaze that is smooth and thick enough to drizzle over
the cake. Additional confectioners¹ sugar will make a glaze suitable for a
thicker drizzle (i.e. from a piping bag).

2011-02-17T09:00:00.002-05:00

I will try to make anything that Nigella Lawson cooks. But for a split second I thought the dish would be difficult to make. I don't know why. However Ms. Lawson has me under her spell. I proceeded to finish reading the recipe and I realized that all of her dishes are quite effortless to make and even more enjoyable to eat. This is the kind of cooking I am into these days. Quick and tasty.

Scallops with Thai-Scented Pea Puree
Adapted from Nigella Lawson

Directions

Ingredients
1 pound (3 1/2 cups) frozen petits pois or peas
1 to 2 tablespoons Thai green curry paste
1/3 cup creme fraiche or sour cream
Salt
2 teaspoons peanut or other flavourless oil
2 teaspoons butter
6 big scallops (such as sold in shell by fishmongers) or 10 to 12 small bay scallops (such as sold in packages in the supermarket), preferably diver-caught
Juice of a lime
1 to 2 tablespoons chopped fresh cilantro or Thai basil
Cook the peas in boiling, slightly salted water until tender, then drain and tip into a blender, adding 1 tablespoon curry paste and the creme fraiche or sour cream. Season to taste with salt and perhaps add more curry paste, depending on how strong it is.

Heat the oil and butter in a frying pan until foamy, and then fry the scallops for 2 minutes a side. If you are using big scallops then it is sometimes easier to cut them in half across.

When they are cooked, they will have just lost their raw look in the middle and be lusciously tender, while golden and almost caramelised on the outside.

Lift the scallops onto two warmed plates and then deglaze the hot pan by squeezing in the lime juice. Stir to mix well and pick up every scrap of flavour, and then pour over the scallops on each plate.

Dish up the pea puree alongside the scallops, and sprinkle with the chopped cilantro or Thai basil. Serve with another wedge of lime if you feel like it.

Make Ahead Notes: The pea puree can be made 2 to 3 hours ahead. Drain peas and immediately rinse with plenty of cold water. Puree when cold with 1 tablespoon of the curry paste and creme fraiche or sour cream. Put in a bowl, cover and leave in a cool place or refrigerator. Reheat gently in a saucepan, taste and adjust seasoning before serving. If using sour cream, make sure the puree doesn't boil, otherwise it will turn grainy.

2011-02-15T08:50:00.003-05:00

I used to be a big, big, big fan of pork ribs. I smuggly thought how could anyone eat beef ribs. I don't know what I was thinking or what made me want to try this recipe. But oh my word I think I couldn't eat another pork rib again after tasting how good the ingredients pair with the beef ribs. Just every pork rib version I have tried prior to this does not compare. I know this is a big compliment and there might be some who disagree but I love this recipe so much I make it once a month. One of the best parts is you can bake it in your oven so if you are a city dweller like me with no yard then do not worry about a grill!

OVEN-BAKED BARBECUE RIBS
Adapted from Dixie Caviar

3 – 4 pounds beef back ribs

For the marinade:

1/4 cup butter, melted
1/4 cup vinegar
1/4 cup extra virgin olive oil
2 Tbsp brown sugar
1 tsp soy sauce
1 tsp worcestershire sauce
1 tsp garlic powder
1/2 tsp onionpowder
1/2 tsp black pepper
1/4 tsp Paprika

Preheat oven to 260 degrees.

Place ribs in a large baking dish (break up if necessary). Combine all ingredients together to make marinade, mixing well. Brush over both sides of the ribs, cover with plastic wrap and allow to marinate in the refrigerator for at least 30 minutes.

Remove plastic wrap and cook ribs — meatiest side up — in oven for one hour. After one hour flip ribs and cook for an additional 30 minutes. Meanwhile, make the barbecue sauce (see recipe below).

After the 30 minutes, remove ribs from oven and apply barbecue sauce on the bony side. Flip ribs to meaty side up (do not sauce this side yet). Raise oven temperature to 350 degrees and cook ribs for 15 more minutes. After 15 minutes, apply first layer of barbecue sauce to meaty side. Cook ribs for another 15 minutes and reapply sauce to meaty side. Cook another 15 minutes, then check internal temperature of ribs. If ribs are at 150 degrees or above, remove from oven. If not yet at 150 degrees, continue cooking until desired temperature is reached. (Total cook time average is 2 hours and 15 minutes). Sauce again, if desired. YIELDS: 4-5 servings.

For the barbecue sauce:

1/2 to 1 cup brown sugar, to taste
1 (6 ounce) can tomato paste
1/4 cup water
1 cup apple cider vinegar
1 1/2 tablespoons corn syrup
2 tablespoons worcestershire sauce
2 tablespoons soy sauce
1 1/2 teaspoons yellow mustard
1 1/2 teaspoons salt, or to taste
1 1/2 teaspoons cayenne pepper, or to taste

Heat all ingredients in a medium sauce pan at medium-low heat, approximately 15 minutes. Stir occasionally.

2011-02-13T09:00:00.007-05:00

I first had this cake over 4th of July. This dessert brought by a friend of the hostess was the highlight of the entire get together. Sure there were other desserts but this was phenomenal. It was flavorful and light. Suprising since I find most crumb cakes heavy. I have since seen various versions of this recipe. This is the easiest I have found and oh so satisfying.

I finally got the person to share it with me. Not sure where she found the recipe originally. But I made the recipe over the holidays and forgot to take a photo before being cut into but if the photo below shows how good the cake is since it was going so quickly.

Crumb Cake

Ingredients:

GREASE AND FLOUR COOKIE SHEET

1 YELLOW CAKE MIX
1 PKG. INSTANT VANILLA PUDDING
4 EGGS
1 CUP WATER
½ CUP OIL

Directions

PREHEAT OVEN TO 350
MIX ALL INGREDIENTS FOR 2 MINUTES. POUR IN PAN. BAKE FOR 20
MINUTES.

REMOVE FROM OVEN AND SPREAD JELLY (I USE EITHER
RASPBERRY OR APRICOT). ADD TOPPING AND BAKE FOR 15
MINUTES MORE.

TOPPING
½ POUND BUTTER MELTED
2 CUPS FLOUR-NO SIFTING
1 CUP SUGAR
4 TSP. CINNAMON

MIX TOGETHER-PUT ON CAKE AFTER IT HAS BAKED FOR TWENTY
MINUTES.

I ALSO PUT CONFECTIONERS SUGAR ON TOP AFTER THE CAKE
HAS COOLED.

2011-02-11T09:00:00.002-05:00

This was such a delicious and tasty dish. It was a Paula Deen recipe so of course it was delicious and took no time to make. The recipe combines shrimp, cheese, rice, green pepper, onions and cream of mushroom soup. Then in the oven it goes and outcomes a comforting meal. I think it would be nice to add some grated carrot to this dish instead of the pepper and you can easily substitute chicken instead of using shrimp.

Shrimp and Wild Rice Casserole
Adapted from Paula Deen

Ingredients:
1 10 3/4 ounce can condensed cream of mushroom soup
1/2 onion, chopped
1/2 green bell pepper chopped(I omitted it)
2 tablespoon butter
1 lb medium shrimp, peeled and divined
1 package wild rice
2 cup grated sharp cheddar cheese
Salt and pepper

Directions
Cook the rice according to package directions minus 1/4 cup water. Let cool.

Bring 2 cups water and 1/2 tablespoon salt to a boil in a medium saucepan and cook the shrimp for 1 minute. Drain immediately and set aside.

Heat the butter in saucepan and saute the pepper and onion until soft, about 5 minutes.

Preheat oven to 325 degrees.

In a large bowl, combine the rice, soup, 1 1/2 cups of cheese, shrimp and vegetables. Add salt and pepper to taste. Mix well. Spray a 9 inch square aluminum cake pan or an 11 by 7 inch glass casserole dish with vegetable spray. Place the mixture in the pan and top with remaining 1/2 cup cheese. Bake for 30 minutes, until bubbly.

2011-02-09T08:50:00.001-05:00

I seem to be making a lot of headway with my list of dishes to make. And Baked Potato Soup has been on that list for sometime now. Baked Potatoes combined with a soup on a cold, miserable winter day and topped off with cheese and bacon is a win win!

Baked Potato Soup
Adapted from Our Best Bites

3 Tbs butter
2-3 cloves garlic, minced
1/2 C flour
4 1/2 C milk (low fat works great)
1 14oz can chicken broth
4 medium baking potatoes (about 2 1/2 pounds) baked*
2 C grated cheddar (or sharp cheddar) cheese, divided
1 1/2 tsp. salt
1/2 tsp. black pepper
1 1/2 C sour cream (low fat is fine), divided
1/2 C chopped green onions, divided
8 slices bacon, cooked and crumbled, divided

*don't have time to bake potatoes in the oven? Just pierce them with a fork a few times and then pop them in the microwave. Cook in 5 minute intervals until a knife easily pierces through them. It usually takes 5-10 minutes. To bake in the oven, pierce each potato with a fork and place directly on oven rack. Bake at 375 for 45-60 minutes.

Melt butter in a stock pot over medium heat. Add garlic and saute for 30-60 seconds until fragrant. Add flour to pan. Slowly add milk a little at a time while whisking constantly to eliminate lumps. Whisk until smooth and then add chicken broth. (Now, if you get to this point and don't have a smooth liquid. Stop! Save your soup by popping the mixture in the blender, then continue.) Bring soup just to a simmer and heat until thickened, stirring often, about 5 minutes.

Once soup is thickened, turn heat down to medium-low. Cut potatoes in half length-wise and use a spoon to scoop out potato flesh into the pot. Use a wooden spoon to smash potatoes, breaking up large clumps. Add 1 1/2 C grated cheese and salt and pepper and stir until cheese is melted. Remove pan from heat and stir in 3/4 C sour cream, 1/4 C green onions, and 4 strips of the crumbled bacon. Add additional salt and pepper to taste. Ladle into bowls and top with each serving with the remaining sour cream, onions, cheese, and bacon.

2011-02-07T11:15:00.001-05:00

I love Italian food. I mean what is not to love about it. Italian food is flavorful, easy to make and there are a variety of meals to choose from. I mean if you think it is just pasta then you are sadly mistaken. Although there is nothing wrong with just pasta. There is nothing ever wrong with just pasta.

But I did do a happy little dance when I found a dish that incorporated eggplant. It is a favorite veggie of mine. Fried, used in a dip, baked, however an eggplant is cooked I will devour it.

Eggplant Ricotta Bake
Adapted from Shutter Bean

-2 large eggplants (about 1- 1 1/2lbs each)
-1 16oz jar of your favorite marinara sauce (I love Classico Tomato & Basil)
-1 15oz container ricotta cheese
-1 cup grated Parmesan cheese
-1/2 cup chopped italian parsley
-1/2 cup chopped fresh basil
-1 teaspoon garlic powder
-2 heaping teaspoons of oregano
-3 eggs
-salt & pepper

1. Preheat oven to 450 degrees. Cut eggplant into rounds about 3/4 inch thick. Coat front and back with olive oil. Put eggplant on two baking sheets. Add salt & pepper. Bake in the oven for 20-25 minutes--flipping them half way. Eggplant should be nice and golden brown.

2. While eggplant bakes, mix the ricotta, eggs, spices & 1/2 cup of Parmesan together in a small bowl. Add some salt & pepper.

3. In an oven safe casserole dish, layer the bottom with a bit of the marinara sauce. Add 1 layer of your eggplant on top. Then add more sauce, and a layer of ricotta. Repeat until you run out of eggplant. Make sure the top layer is all ricotta filling. Add Parmesan and then put in the oven for 20 minutes. The top should be brown & the marinara should be bubbly. Let sit for at least 10 minutes before serving. There's nothing worse than burning your mouth on marinara sauce.

Pair it with some crusty garlic bread and a nice salad....and you've got yourself a wonderful meal

2011-02-05T13:30:00.003-05:00

Making Tres Leches cake has been on my list of desserts to try to make and after a disaster I had some years ago where the cake wouldn't come out of the mold I was determined to find a good recipe for it.

The trick is letting the cake rest for a while and not blaming the mold. Mine was an igloo mold I found. And seriously once the darn thing is covered in whipped cream no one can tell it is an igloo. I would have been fine with a round pan as well.

But I digress the cake is moist and delicious. Don't let the many steps scare you into trying to bake it yourself. And of course it is another Pioneer Woman recipe.

Tres Leches Cake
Adapted from The Pioneer Woman

Ingredients
1 cup All-purpose Flour
1-½ teaspoon Baking Powder
¼ teaspoons Salt
5 whole Eggs
1 cup Sugar, Divided
1 teaspoon Vanilla
⅓ cups Milk
1 can Evaporated Milk
1 can Sweetened, Condensed Milk
¼ cups Heavy Cream
_____
FOR THE ICING:
1 pint Heavy Cream, For Whipping
3 Tablespoons Sugar
Preparation Instructions

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Spray a 9 x 13 inch pan liberally until coated.
Combine flour, baking powder, and salt in a large bowl. Separate eggs.
Beat egg yolks with 3/4 cup sugar on high speed until yolks are pale yellow.
Stir in milk and vanilla. Pour egg yolk mixture over the flour mixture and
stir very gently until combined.
Beat egg whites on high speed until soft peaks form. With the mixer on, pour
in remaining 1/4 cup sugar and beat until egg whites are stiff but not dry.
Fold egg white mixture into the batter very gently until just combined. Pour
into prepared pan and spread to even out the surface.
Bake for 35 to 45 minutes or until a toothpick comes out clean. Turn cake
out onto a rimmed platter and allow to cool.
Combine condensed milk, evaporated milk, and heavy cream in a small pitcher.
When cake is cool, pierce the surface with a fork several times. Slowly
drizzle all but about 1 cup of the milk mixture―try to get as much around
the edges of the cake as you can.
Allow the cake to absorb the milk mixture for 30 minutes. To ice the cake,
whip 1 pint heavy cream with 3 tablespoons of sugar until thick and
spreadable.
Spread over the surface of the cake. Decorate cake with whole or chopped
maraschino cherries. Cut into squares and serve.

2011-02-03T12:14:00.002-05:00

This has become my go to dessert. It is so easy to put together, simple yet so delicious. What's not to love about apples, cinnamon, sugar and butter. Sometimes dessert does not require several steps to leave a positive impression. And I am sure most of these ingredients are in a person's kitchen that if company is coming over they can whip it up quickly and impress their guests.

Apple Dumplings
Recipe Adapted from The Pioneer Woman

Ingredients
2 whole Granny Smith Apples
2 cans (8 Oz. Cans) Crescent Rolls
2 sticks Butter
1-12 cup Sugar
1 teaspoon Vanilla
Cinnamon, To Taste
1 can (12 Oz.) Mountain Dew Soda
Preparation Instructions
Peel and core apples. Cut each apple into 8 slices each. Roll each apple
slice in a crescent roll. Place in a 9 x 13 buttered pan.
Melt butter, then add sugar and barely stir. Add vanilla, stir, and pour
entire mixture over apples. Pour Mountain Dew around the edges of the pan.
Sprinkle with cinnamon and bake at 350 degrees for 40 minutes. Serve with
ice cream, and spoon some of the sweet sauces from the pan over the top.
WARNING: Prepare this dish at your own risk. It is beyond imaginable.

2011-02-01T12:01:00.005-05:00

This is what happens when you misplace the piece that helps your camera upload photos to your computer. Your blog doesn't have a new post in quite some time.

For a while I had been on a baking kick and one of my husband's favorite desserts is a Blondie. On a side note doesn't that sentence make you think I have more than one husband. Hah!

Anyway the recipe was really easy to make and the finishing result is a gooey, sweet, sugary, delicious dessert.

Blondies
Adapted from The Cooking Photographer
(Original name Disappearing Marshmallow Brownies)

Ingredients
1/2 cup butter
1 cup butterscotch chips
2/3 cup packed brown sugar
2 eggs
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
2 teaspoons baking powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
2 cups miniature marshmallows
1 cup semisweet chocolate chips

Directions
1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). Grease a 9x13 inch pan.

2. Using a microwave-safe bowl, melt the butterscotch chips and butter
together in the microwave, stirring occasionally until smooth. Set aside to
cool.

3. In a large bowl, stir together the brown sugar, eggs, and vanilla. Mix in
the melted butterscotch chips, then the flour, baking powder, and salt until
smooth. Stir in the marshmallows and chocolate chips last. Spread the batter
evenly into the prepared baking pan.

4. Bake for 15 to 20 minutes in preheated oven. Cool, and cut into squares
or diamonds.

Notes: I line my pan with foil before greasing. Once the bars are cool I
freeze them for about 30 minutes and then lift them out of the pan by the
foil for easier cutting.

2010-12-29T09:00:00.003-05:00

I don't know why I waited six years to make this dessert again. It is fabulous for any time of year. You know you have a can of pumpkin puree somewhere in your cupboard. This recipe is decadent and just plain delicious.

Pumpkin Gooey Butter Cakes
Adapted from Pauladeen.com

Ingredients
Cake:
1 (18 1/4-ounce) package yellow cake mix<
1 egg
8 tablespoons butter, melted

Filling:
1 (8-ounce) package cream cheese, softened
1 (15-ounce) can pumpkin
3 eggs
1 teaspoon vanilla
8 tablespoons butter, melted
1 (16-ounce) box powdered sugar
1 teaspoon cinnamon
1 teaspoon nutmeg

Directions
Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.
Combine the cake mix, egg, and butter and mix well with an electric mixer. Pat the mixture into the bottom of a lightly greased 13 by 9-inch baking pan.
To make the filling: In a large bowl, beat the cream cheese and pumpkin until smooth. Add the eggs, vanilla, and butter, and beat together. Next, add the powdered sugar, cinnamon, nutmeg, and mix well. Spread pumpkin mixture over cake batter and bake for 40 to 50 minutes. Make sure not to overbake as the center should be a little gooey.
Serve with fresh whipped cream.
Variations: For a Pineapple Gooey Cake: Instead of the pumpkin, add a drained 20-ounce can of crushed pineapple to the cream cheese filling. Proceed as directed above.
For a Banana Gooey Cake: Prepare cream cheese filling as directed, beating in 2 ripe bananas instead of the pumpkin. Proceed as directed above.
For a Peanut Butter Gooey Cake: Use a chocolate cake mix. Add 1 cup creamy peanut butter to the cream cheese filling instead of the pumpkin. Proceed as directed above.

2010-12-27T15:20:00.006-05:00

Ham and Cheese Bake
Originally uploaded by foodiechickie4775

This delicious recipe is a new favorite of mine found on an old favorite blog Shallwecook.blogspot.com.

The combination of ham, cheese and shredded hashbrowns though simple is yet rich with flavors. It will leave you satisfied. Great for any meal.

Ham and Cheese Breakfast Bake
Adapted from shallwecook.blogspot.com
Makes 6 to 8 servings

Ingredients
2 12-ounce bags frozen, shredded hashbrowns, thawed overnight in fridge
1/3 cup unsalted butter, melted
1 boneless ham steak, diced
1.5 to 2 cups shredded Monterey Jack cheese
4 large eggs
1 cup heavy cream
A few dashes of hot sauce

Directions
1. Preheat oven to 425 degrees.
2. Squeeze moisture out of thawed potatoes then put them in a large bowl. Pour melted butter over potatoes and stir until well-combined. Line ungreased casserole dish with buttered potatoes, and press to make a crust. Bake 10 minutes or until potatoes are just crisped and brown on the edges. Remove dish from oven and set aside.
3. In a medium bowl whisk eggs, cream and hot sauce.
4. Sprinkle ham over potato crust. Then add cheese. Pour cream and egg mixture over ingredients.
5. Bake 30 minutes or until set and gold and bubbling at edges.

2010-12-06T14:17:00.003-05:00

So if you noticed there are some changes around here. My blog has a brand new look!

And the very talented Jess at jesser.org is the one behind the revamped site.

So if you would like a spiffy new site. Please go and visit her!!

Thank you so much again Jess!

2010-12-02T09:00:00.003-05:00

Cheeseburger & Fries Casserole

This recipe reminds me of a Tatertot Casserole except with crinkle fries. None the less it was delicious and a very easy dinner to make on the spot or ahead of time as I tend to do these days. And it serves both as a main and a side dishes.

Cheeseburger & Fries Casserole

Ingredients
2 pounds lean ground beef (90% lean)
1 can (10-3/4 ounces) condensed golden mushroom soup, undiluted
1 can (10-3/4 ounces) condensed cheddar cheese soup, undiluted
1 package (20 ounces) frozen crinkle-cut French fries

Directions
In a large skillet, cook beef over medium heat until no longer pink; drain. Stir in soups. Pour into a greased 13-in. x 9-in. baking dish.
Arrange French fries on top. Bake, uncovered, at 350° for 50-55 minutes or until the fries are golden brown. Yield: 6-8 servings.

2010-12-01T09:00:00.003-05:00

Apple Puff Pancake

I used to have a recipe for breakfast which I loved loved loved. It was a baked apple pancake recipe. I used to know how to make it from scratch. I used to chop the apples and cook them on the stove top with butter, granulated sugar and brown sugar and top it with a similar but more cakey mixture as below and bake it in the oven at 325 for 25 minutes. That is until I found the following recipe. I could only describe it to my friend as "Girl this is smack you in the face good. Serve it with bacon or breakfast sausage on the side and you know what the angels eat for breakfast."

Apple Puff Pancake

Mix the follwing ingredients in a blender.
1/2 cups milk
3eggs
1 tsp. vanilla
1/2 cup flour
1/2 tsp. cinnamon
1 tbsp. sugar
pinch of salt
2 tbsp brown sugar or
sprinkle with icing sugar after it is baked

1 apple peeled and thinly sliced
2 tbsp. butter
Preheat oven to 425

Place butter in pie pan and melt the butter in the oven.
Thinly slice apple and when butter is melted arrange apples in to the pan.
Mix the remaining ingredients in a blender (or by hand),
Carefully pour into the hot pan.
Sprinkle with brown sugar and extra cinnamon if you desire.
Bake for 15-20 minutes or till puffed and golden.

2010-11-29T13:21:00.002-05:00

As long as I could remember I loved the Haribo Coca Cola gummy candies.

The hubby came home the other day with a mini packet for me so I can pack in my lunch!

Mini plus my favorite candy brought by my hubby makes me a lucky gal.

2010-11-19T08:39:00.002-05:00

Barbecue Chili with Corn

I am always on the lookout for a different chili recipe. There are countless ways to make chili. With beans. Without beans. With meat. Without. You get the point. This one peaked my interest because of the BBQ sauce. Got to have my BBQ fix anyway I can.

And this version certainly was not a disappointment.

Barbecue Chili with Corn

1 lb lean (at least 80%) ground beef
1 large onion, chopped (1 cup)
1 can (22 oz) Bush’s southern pit barbecue grilling beans, undrained
1 can (14.5 oz) fire roasted diced tomatoes, undrained
1 can (8 oz) tomato sauce
1 can corn, undrained
1 tablespoon chili powder
1 teaspoon ground cumin
1/2 cup shredded Cheddar cheese (2 oz)
2 cups corn chips
In heavy 3-quart saucepan, cook beef and onion over medium-high heat 5 to 7 minutes, stirring occasionally, until beef is thoroughly cooked; drain.
Stir in remaining ingredients except cheese and corn chips. Heat to boiling; reduce heat. Simmer uncovered 5 to 10 minutes, stirring occasionally, until corn is tender. Top with whatever fixings you enjoy.

2010-11-17T14:46:00.005-05:00

Steak Diane

Who doesn't like a good steak and potatoes dinner. Especially during these chilly months where you want stick to your bones kind of food.

Of course a Paula Deen recipe. It is a creamy tender quick meal to put together for after work or for a dinner party.

Pair with mashed potatoes or any side dish to your liking and you are good to go!

Steak Diane

Ingredients:
6 tablespoons butter
1/2 cup sliced mushrooms
2 tablespoons minced onion
1 clove garlic, crushed
1 teaspoon fresh lemon juice
1 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce
1/8 teaspoon salt
2 tablespoons snipped fresh parsley leaves
1 pound beef tenderloin, cut into 8 slices

Directions
Melt 4 tablespoons of the butter in a large skillet over medium heat. Add the mushrooms, onions, garlic, lemon juice, Worcestershire sauce, and salt, and cook, stirring, until the mushrooms are tender. Stir in the parsley; pour the sauce into a small metal bowl or saucepan, cover, and keep warm. Melt the remaining 2 tablespoons of butter in the skillet. Cook the steaks over medium-high heat, turning them once, for 3 to 4 minutes on each side for medium. Serve the steaks with the mushroom sauce.

2010-11-15T16:46:00.010-05:00

Gorilla Bread

My husband is a big fan of this recipe. It is his first time eating and my first time making Gorilla Bread.

I have made it a couple of times now by request so he can take it to his office to share with coworkers.

The recipe is ooey, gooey and completely Paula Deen. Who I am convinced is made of butter.

Anyway the dessert is very easy to make and will be a hit during the holidays.

Gorilla Bread-Adapted from Paula Deen

Ingredients
3 tablespoons granulated sugar
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1 cup light brown sugar, packed
8 tablespoons butter (1 stick)
2 tubes refrigerated crescent roll dough (12 ounces)
3 tablespoons sweetened condensed milk
2 bananas, sliced 1/4-inch to make thick 48 slices
4 ounces semisweet chocolate chips (about 2/3 cup)
1 1/2 cups walnuts, chopped
Cooking Directions
Preheat oven to 350°F. Spray a Bundt pan with non-stick cooking spray. Mix the granulated sugar and cinnamon. In a small saucepan, melt the brown sugar with the butter over low heat.
Break open the crescent roll packages and separate the triangles of dough. Brush each triangle with sweetened condensed milk and top with 2 banana slices and 1 teaspoon chocolate chips; fold the edges of the triangle together and seal. Sprinkle each with 1/4 teaspoon of the cinnamon sugar.
Place half of the walnuts in the pan and top with half of the dough packets. Pour half of the brown sugar-butter mixture over the dough and sprinkle with 2 teaspoons of the cinnamon sugar. Repeat with the remaining ingredients. Bake for 1 hour, until puffed, golden brown, and firm to the touch. Transfer the pan to a rack and allow to cool for 5 minutes. Place a platter on top of the pan and invert. Serve warm.

2010-11-12T09:00:00.000-05:00

I was a bit too giddy when I saw Dunkin Donuts come out with pancake bites. Little bits of sausage cooked in pancake batter. sort of like a corn dog but with breakfast sausage. They are quite tasty and I think easy enough to replicate at home.

2010-11-10T09:00:00.003-05:00

Slow Cooker Bolognese Sauce

I like to have back up meals ready when running late or when I just have not planned well enough. Something I could keep in small containers in my freezer. The following recipe is perfect just for that. Because an entire batch of yummy meat sauce waits to make your mouth happy. Plenty of food for to enjoy after a day of rushing around and enough left overs for another long day.

SLOW COOKER BOLOGNESE SAUCE

2 pounds ground beef(I used Turkey and it turned out fine)
1 medium onion, chopped
8 cloves garlic, minced
3 14 oz cans chopped tomatoes, drained
2 15 oz cans tomato sauce
2 6 oz cans tomato paste
1/3 cup sugar
2 tablespoons dried oregano
1 tablespoon dried basil
2 teaspoons dried marjoram
1 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon pepper

1. Cook beef in large skillet until browned.

2. Transfer to 5 quart slow cooker. Stir in all remaining ingredients, mix well.

3. Cover and cook on low for 8 hours.

4. Serve over your favorite pasta

2010-11-08T09:00:00.003-05:00

BARBECUE CASSEROLE

I am a big fan of barbecue. Big. My favorites are ribs, brisket and burnt ends. However it is almost winter in the North East and I don't have a yard nor a BBQ to grill in. So when I found this recipe that combined BBQ and a casserole I knew I needed to try it. The recipe was quite easy and had another favorite cheese. It is stick to your ribs good. Don't pass up the chance to enjoy this meal.

BARBECUE CASSEROLE

1 pound ground beef
1/2 chopped onion
3/4 cup barbecue sauce
Tabasco sauce to taste
1 large can refrigerated biscuits
2 cups shredded cheddar cheese

1. Preheat oven to 375 and grease 9x13 baking dish.

2. Cook ground beef in a large skillet until it begins to brown, and then add onion. Cook until beef is fully browned. Stir in barbecue sauce and Tabasco.

3. Lay biscuits in single layer in the baking dish. Top with beef mixture. Sprinkle cheddar cheese evenly over all.

4. Bake until biscuits are cooked and cheese is melted, about 20 minutes. Let cool for about 5 minutes and then serve.

2010-11-05T09:00:00.001-04:00

Macaroni and Cheese

I admit it. I love, love, love macaroni and cheese from a box. The easiness of it all. And to me it tastes just fantastic. Plus my local market even carries a whole wheat version of it. I don't think of it as pasta. Although it obviously is. I was curious to try one of the gazzillion recipes out there for mac and cheese made from scratch.

I chose the following recipe because of it seemed as simple as making it from a box. It was certainly was that as well as being creamy and filling. A perfect side and one pot meal.

Macaroni and Cheese

serves 6, prep 10 min, cook 20 min
16 oz small shell pasta, or elbows or any other pasta shape you like
4 tbsp butter
1/4 cup flour
2 1/4 cups low-fat milk
1 lb deli American cheese, grated
salt
Bring a large pot of water to a rolling boil.
Add a sprinkle of salt and your noodles.
Melt butter over medium heat in a large skillet.
Sprinkle flour over, stir and cook for several minutes.
When butter and flour have cooked several minutes and the mixture is golden brown and bubbly, stir in milk.
Stir and cook until smooth and thick. Season with salt to taste. You can also add mustard, cayenne, Tabasco, lemon pepper, etc.. to taste at this point.
Stir in cheese until smooth and fully combined.
Drain cooked noodles, stir into hot sauce. Serve.

2010-11-03T10:39:00.008-04:00

Beef and Macaroni

As the days grow shorter, colder and darker I like most find myself wanting foods that will fill me up and make me warm. I also like most want something quick to make when I get home or to make ahead and have it ready for me after a long day. So when I came upon this recipe I know I had to make it. The only thing I did differently is I omitted the green pepper and carrots. And I used ground turkey instead of beef. Yet it was still delicious and did warm me up.

Beef and Macaroni

serves 6, prep 15 min, cook 40 min
1 pound ground beef, I used 85/15
1 onion, finely diced
1 bell pepper, finely diced
2 carrots, finely diced
2 garlic cloves, minced
1 tbsp butter
1 tbsp oil
2 tbsp tomato paste (or 1 small can)
28 oz canned diced tomatoes
1 tbsp dried oregano
1 tbsp dried parsley (or dried basil, I was out)
1 tsp sweet paprika
2 tsp sugar
salt and pepper
2 cups uncooked macaroni noodles

First finely dice the onion, pepper, and carrots. This works with kids if the pieces are very small and uniform-big chunks of peppers and onions are going to lead to hysterical refusal to eat (“but there’s green stuff on it!”). Kay puts hers through the food processor.

Cook the ground beef, seasoning with salt and pepper. Drain fat and reserve.
In the same pan, heat oil over medium heat and add butter.
Add the vegetables and garlic and stir to cook several minutes until soft.
Add the tomato paste and cook, stirring for a minute.
Add the un-drained diced tomatoes to the pan and the cooked ground beef.
Add the spices and turn down the heat to a simmer, cover the pan and cook for 30 min.

While sauce is cooking bring a large pot of salted water to a boil.
Cook macaroni until tender, reserve 1 cup of pasta water, drain. Do not rinse. If your sauce seems to be drying out at any point add in some of your reserved pasta water as needed.
Taste sauce and season with salt and pepper.
Combine with noodles. Toss to mix well and separate the noodles. Serve.

2010-10-27T11:13:00.005-04:00

Banana Bread

I have made a banana loaf before. It's not my favorite dessert to make. But my husband likes bananas in desserts and we always manage to have bananas around the house that are getting too sweet so I am always looking for recipes to use bananas in. The easiest thing is a banana loaf. By the way I call it a loaf and not a bread because personally I think breads should be savory. But obviously it's too dense to be a cake so I call it a loaf. Ok I usually make my banana loaf with bits of chocolate inside and I guess I could have added chocolate to the following recipe, but the pretty picture of the banana loaf with the brown sugar called to me so I left the recipe as is.

Something interesting about this recipe is it has an additional step which is to get rid of the extra moisture. Most banana loaf recipes I have found don't have this step. I thought why the heck not and tried it anyway. I thought the loaf came out a bit more denser than other recipes but still quite tasty.

I also didn't add the bananas on the side because I just didn't.

Banana Bread
Printer-Friendly Version
Ingredients:
1¾ cups all-purpose flour
1 tsp. baking soda
½ tsp. salt
6 large, very ripe bananas (about 2¼ lbs.), peeled
8 tbsp. unsalted butter, melted and cooled slightly
2 large eggs
¾ cup packed light brown sugar
1 tsp. vanilla extract
2 tsp. granulated sugar

Directions:
Preheat the oven to 350˚ F. Lightly spray a loaf pan (about 9 x 5 inches) with cooking spray. In a medium bowl, combine the flour, baking soda and salt; whisk together and set aside.
Place 5 bananas in a microwave safe bowl; cover with plastic wrap and make several slits in the wrap to act as steam vents. Microwave on high until the bananas are soft and have released liquid, about 5 minutes. Transfer the bananas to a fine mesh strainer set over a medium bowl and let drain, stirring occasionally, about 15 minutes (you should have ½-¾ cup liquid).
Transfer the reserved banana liquid to a medium saucepan over medium-high heat. Cook until reduced to about ¼ cup, 5-10 minutes. Remove the pan from the heat. In a large bowl, combine the bananas and the reduced banana liquid. Mash with a potato masher or whisk until fairly smooth. Whisk in the melted butter, eggs, brown sugar and vanilla. Add the dry ingredients to the bowl with the banana mixture. Fold together gently, just until all of the dry ingredients are incorporated. Pour the batter into the prepared pan and smooth with a spatula.
Slice the remaining banana diagonally into ¼-inch thick slices. Layer the banana slices along both sides of the top of the batter, leaving a couple of inches in the center to allow an even rise. Sprinkle the sugar evenly over the assembled loaf.
Bake until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean, 55-75 minutes. Transfer to a wire rack and allow to cool at least 15 minutes in the pan before removing. Continue to cool and serve warm or at room temperature.

2010-10-06T11:50:00.014-04:00

I know I have not written in a few months. That is cause there is another kid in my brood and I just was not in the mood for blogging. But I have recently gained a new perspective on blogging so now I am.

This is a post of suggested meals post delivery. They were quite helpful as the family has become busier and we just wanted to eat and not really deal with the entire preparation of the meal.

I will get back to posting with pictures and recipes soon but right now the below recipes are links to other sites with dishes that saved me a lot of time but also filled our bellies.

Breakfast
We ate a lot of cereal, bagels and also breakfast wraps and muffins.

Dinner and next day for lunch.

Sure we ate sandwiches, tacos, burgers, hot dogs, sloppy joes but we also enjoyed the following:

Tatertot Casserole
Something so comforting about this recipe. And simple.

Slow Cooker Bolognese.
If you love pasta this is great to use in a bake or just on top. Makes a bunch of tasty sauce. Freezes well so you can make it ahead of time. Or even during the day.

Turkey Stroganoff
So so simple to make this recipe and big big favorite in our house.

Meatballs
This is great option instead of Bolognese. Good on top of pasta or in a sandwich.

Empanadas
This is a great option for on the go. At home. Anywhere. Tasty and freeze well. Just don't fry and freeze in advance.

Spare ribs. Anything more need to be said?

2010-05-21T08:57:00.003-04:00

I've made tatertot casserole but with meat. It was rich and hearty. A meal of it's own because of the ground turkey. But I wanted a side dish version instead. So I searched till I found a recipe omitting the meat. But this recipe still wasn't basic enough for me. So I didn't include the onion topping. And added a can of cheese sauce. My husband loved it. Next time I don't think I will use the cream of mushroom soup. Use a fat free sour cream instead of the light version. You couldn't taste the sour cream was a light version. Nothing was missed. Perhaps next time I will even try to make the cheese sauce from scratch? I think I could use a lighter cheese but would need the whole milk for texture.

Vegetarian Tatertot Casserole
Originally uploaded by foodiechickie4775

2010-05-19T10:25:00.002-04:00

I like both my mom and mother in laws recipes for potato salad. But I wanted something of my own.

I really like German potato salad. Well the kind a semi local BBQ joint serves and I am still trying to find a good one. I also had some awesome potato salad with dill at a concert in the park I attended a while back. But there is no way to replicate that.

However I was quite please with the recipe I found. It has bacon in it. Now there is nothing wrong with that.

Plus I got to finish off my bag of mini potatoes. The only thing I didn't do was make my own mayo.

Mini potatoes
Originally uploaded by foodiechickie4775

Potato salad
Originally uploaded by foodiechickie4775

2010-05-17T11:57:00.007-04:00

I was on a Korean BBQ kick last Summer. And my love has not waned. So when I found this recipe to make them in a crock pot I thought I would give it a try. Holy moly it was delicious.

I wish I had made more of it. It is a bit spicy so if you don't like spicy don't include the red pepper flakes or as much.

Crockpot Korean Ribs
Originally uploaded by foodiechickie4775

2010-05-05T09:28:00.003-04:00

I try to commemorate holidays with some type of dinner relevant to the holiday. And since it was Cinco De Mayo I decided to finally make Empanadas. I love love Empanadas. Any kind of hand held pie savory or sweet is tops with me. It's great for dinner or to pack in a lunchbox and for picnics.

I found a premade dough(Goya) in my freezer section because I haven't had luck with making hand pie dough. I once tried to make a Jamaican beef patty dough and the results were horrible.

For the filling I used half a pound of ground sirloin, one hard boiled egg, a packet of Knorr Sazon, 16 ounces of crushed tomatoes, and chopped pimento olives. I first cooked the meat until no longer pink. Then added the Sazon, then the can of tomatoes, then egg and olives. After all the ingredients have cooled I added them to the uncooked shell. Sealed them by pressing a fork down on the edge. Then fried the Empanadas in corn oil a minute each side and they turned out wonderfully. Though they probably can be baked. But I have not tried it to see what the texture of the shell would be. I served with a side of Spanish rice(from a box....gasp) and Guacamole. The hubby really enjoyed the meal.

I thought it was a good base. I will experiment with different fillings again.

2010-04-12T13:30:00.001-04:00

Felt like I have been in a cooking rut lately. Pretty much everything new I have tried I have not been happy with. I think I have blog envy. I see all the wonderful dishes other food bloggers have made and I want to do the same. I should take into consideration I work outside the home and have a toddler.

I should cut myself some slack it's OK to stick with the recipes I do know and make well. And that it's OK to find simple yet delicious recipes.

I like the two recipes I found on I Like To Cook below because it helped save me time and money. Time because they were so easy to set up and money because I do not have to purchase my breakfast on the way to work. Not to mention quite tasty as well.

You can mix and match any cheese, bread, and meat or tofu meat and cheese you like. For the biscuit I like to use ham and the wrap the two times I have made this it has been bacon.

I apologize for the dark photos. They were on my cell and with not the best light.

Breakfast wraps
Originally uploaded by foodiechickie4775

Breakfast muffins
Originally uploaded by foodiechickie4775

2010-03-17T08:57:00.002-04:00

Happy St. Patrick's Day!!
Originally uploaded by foodiechickie4775

2010-03-11T12:06:00.004-05:00

Read my review of Pizza Kone here .

2010-02-24T09:09:00.007-05:00

What I am posting again? I didn't drop off the face of the earth?

You see there is a little person inhabiting my body for a few months now; so during the first as well as part of the second trimester any time I ate or thought of eating I would get nauseus or barf. Basically the thought of food repulsed me. Cooking, eating and searching for recipes gave me no interest or pleasure. And as person who used to clean their plate being grossed out by food was strange.

If I tell you what my family and I survived on you would gasp!

My husband took pity on my status and he was trying to figure out what I would like. And he knew after trying fried macaroni and cheese at the Cheese Cake Factory that I would probably like Target's version. I baked them and served them with some chicken patties and they were pretty good.

Now that the little person has allowed me to eat again I want to try to make them from scratch.

2009-11-18T10:23:00.000-05:00

In addition to family it's nice to have people to regularly cook for. I get to try out different and new recipes. I love Indian food and making it for me is easy. I decided on meals I have made before lamb with chickpeas and chicken Tika and paired them with a few new recipes such as the Aloo Maatar. I served it with premade mix of Lentil balls, Naan, Paratha, pickled mangoes and of course Basmati rice. Fantastic!!!

Chicken Tika
Originally uploaded by foodiechickie4775

Lentil balls with yogurt
Originally uploaded by foodiechickie4775

Alooh Matar
Originally uploaded by foodiechickie4775

Lamb with chickpeas
Originally uploaded by foodiechickie4775

Naan and Paratha
Originally uploaded by foodiechickie4775

Rice
Originally uploaded by foodiechickie4775

2009-11-16T10:41:00.006-05:00

I found this amazing dish for salmon which my husband is a huge fan of it. I tend to enjoy salmon when it is in lox form or as Sushi.

But this meal won me over as well. Recipe via Confabulation. I added asparagus on the side and some ended up in the sauce. Thus looking a bit lumpier than the photo in the original recipe.

Yummy salmon and asparagus
Originally uploaded by foodiechickie4775

2009-10-26T16:09:00.004-04:00

Fried cauliflower
Originally uploaded by foodiechickie4775

I am still on my Indian recipes kick. I love Cauliflower and was delighted to find so many different Indian dishes that used this awesome veggie. A girl can only have cauliflower with cheese so many times before she grows tired of it.
Recipe here

2009-10-19T00:59:00.001-04:00

Baked chicken
Originally uploaded by foodiechickie4775

They may not look pretty but they were quite tasty. Would you believe I do like the bottoms crunchy?

Recipe here

2009-10-15T10:43:00.002-04:00

Trader Joe's Potatoes Au Gratin
Originally uploaded by foodiechickie4775

Though Potatoes Au Gratin is easy enough to make I like the Trader Joe's brand. Easy to make and delicious.

Trader Joe's Potatoes Au Gratin
Originally uploaded by foodiechickie4775

2009-10-14T12:04:00.008-04:00

Pakistani Chana Pulao
Originally uploaded by foodiechickie4775

All Summer I was on a Bulgogi kick.

Lately I seem to be on an Indian/Pakastani food quest. My latest find is a Chickpea pilaf. It was very tasty though my husband found it a bit sweet. I think it goes great with curry.

Recipe found at Once Upon A Feast..

2009-10-02T09:36:00.007-04:00

I hate seeing commercials for restaurants I won't be able to get too. At least not for a while anyway. But when we heard there would be a Sonic opening about half an hour from us we were so there. Ok so the drive took a bit longer and there was an issue with an overzealous state trooper but the food was very very good. Ok the onion rings were meh but everything else top notch!

Sonic
Originally uploaded by foodiechickie4775

Bacon Cheeseburger Toaster Sandwich
Originally uploaded by foodiechickie4775

Chili cheese tator tots
Originally uploaded by foodiechickie4775

Jalapeno Poppers
Originally uploaded by foodiechickie4775

Onion Rings
Originally uploaded by foodiechickie4775

2009-09-29T09:06:00.004-04:00

Pico De Gallo
Originally uploaded by foodiechickie4775

I was having some friends over and I decided to serve buffet style. I usually don't follow any specific plan for cooking. I just make what sounds good to me. For the meal I broiled and grilled a variety of meats with salads on the side. Sort of healthy.

One of the salads was Pico De Gallo. Found the recipe at Pioneer Woman.

Bulgogi
Originally uploaded by foodiechickie4775

Of course I would make Bulgogi. I was on a Bulgogi kick all summer. It's Korean BBQ. After finding a premarinated version of it at Trader Joe's I decided to make some myself. Any kind of thin cut meat with bone(for flavor) will work. I marinated the meat with soy sauce, a little sugar, sesame oil, chili oil, garlic and scallion. Then I grilled it up on the old Foreman grill. It was heavenly!

Caprese skewers
Originally uploaded by foodiechickie4775

One of the other salads I served was a variation of a Caprese salad. Which I absolutely adore. This version called for tiny bits of mozzarella and cherry tomatoes on skewers. And the dipping sauce was home made pesto.

Moroccan Chicken
Originally uploaded by foodiechickie4775

Thankfully chicken is a versatile meat because I find it quite boring. Luckily
this recipe
gives it a flavorful kick. Easy to make dish as well.

Grilled pork with Tzizki
Originally uploaded by foodiechickie4775

I cut cup and marinated some pork with oregano(one of my favorite herbs) olive oil, lemon juice, salt and pepper. Put them through skewers and grilled them on the Foreman grill. Served it with a side of Tziki. Yum yum.

Berry Cloufouti
Originally uploaded by foodiechickie4775

For dessert I served a berry and cherry Cloufouti but I wouldn't call it a claoufuti because it was more dense. Probably because it had flour in it. And Cloufouti is custardy. It was good none the less.

2009-09-25T10:01:00.003-04:00

Broccoli Salad
Originally uploaded by foodiechickie4775

I really enjoy salads. They are easy and quick to prepare and you can add anything you want to them.

This recipe I don't remember where I found. If it's from your site let me know.

Boil the broccoli for 5 minutes and then put in ice water so it stops the cooking process. This is where I went wrong. I overcooked it.

Then you add cooked bacon(I prefer the thick cut), cheddar cheese, half a red onion and a mixture of red wine vinegar and mayo. Delicious.

2009-09-03T12:00:00.002-04:00

Though I won't be going to London any time soon. Not even London, Ontario. I still like to experience another culture. Especially British. I was doing my usual grocery shopping when I saw a tin for Plum Pudding. My neighborhood has a large population of Irish immigrants so my local supermarket tries to provide foods they had been accustomed to.

Well I should have made it from scratch. I didn't care for it at all.

2009-08-31T09:40:00.004-04:00

Who doesn't like Tater Tots? "Gimme your tots!" A nemesis of Napoleon Dynamite proclaimed prior to smashing them.

And when I saw a recipe for Tater Tot Casserole on D Lightful Designs (which is like a Shepherd's pie but with tater tots topping (instead of mashed potatoes) I know I had to try it.

For a simple dish it is yet so hearty and flavorful. No need to get fancy to get satisfaction

2009-08-28T08:43:00.005-04:00

I had some extra buttermilk handy so what did I do with it? I made waffles and pancakes of course.

Whole Wheat Buttermilk Waffles
Adapted from Mark Bittman’s How to Cook Everything

2 cups all-purpose flour (or 100% whole wheat)
1/2 tsp salt
2 TBL sugar
1 1/2 tsp baking soda
1 3/4 cup buttermilk*
2 eggs, separated
4 TBL (1/2 stick) butter, melted and cooled
1/2 tsp vanilla extract
Canola oil for brushing the waffle iron

Optional Additions: ground cinnamon, chopped nuts (walnuts
or pecans.

Directions:
Combine dry ingredients. Mix together the buttermilk and
the egg yolks. Stir in the butter and the vanilla.
Brush waffle iron lightly with oil and preheat. Stir the
wet into the dry ingredients. Beat the egg whites with a whisk or electric
mixer until theymform soft peaks. Stir them gently into the batter.
Spread a ladleful or so of batter onto the waffle ironmand bake until the
waffle is done, usually 3 to 5 minutes. Serve immediately (with butter and
syrup or agave nectar!) or keep warm for a few minutes in low oven.

The pancakes I found over at Bethany Actually.

2009-08-26T09:00:00.000-04:00

While on vacation I stumbled upon an open market where I found aoili. I've heard about it but never tried it. How could have I gone so long without this stuff? I love garlic!!

Purchased a variety pack from the Saratoga Garlic company. Spicy and great for snacking, dipping and for appetizers.

2009-08-24T09:12:00.004-04:00

I've mentioned the food blog Full Bellies before apparently.

All the recipes look so good. I've made a lot of them but only took a pics of few.

Virginia's Baked Spaghetti

Bacon and Beef Pinwheels

Creamy Oven Chicken

Beef stew with potato dumplings

2009-08-21T08:39:00.001-04:00

My bounty of Asian goodies after a visit to Hmart. Mmmm happy belly!

2009-08-19T09:41:00.002-04:00

I got into Brisket a few years ago and order it any chance I get. But the very best Brisket I have found in Brooklyn at Fette Sau.

It's a family style, order and bring to your table kind of place. Quaint, cozy but very popular.

The food is incredible. It's a meat bonanza. Even their baked beans has meat in it.

I highly recommend the Brisket and the pork belly. Yum. Yum. Yum.

2009-08-17T08:42:00.000-04:00

I love potatoes no matter how they are made. Baked, mashed, fried, etc. And who doesn't love Paula Deen? The woman is made of butter. I am convinced. And her recipe was easy enough however it left me lacking. But I posted it anyway cause the ingredients sounded yummy.

Mashed Bake

2009-08-14T09:42:00.004-04:00

I love Trader Joe's. That is an understatement though. I always find something different to buy. My latest find was Korean BBQ or Bulgogi. It was so delicious. Cooked wonderfully on the Foreman. The meat was so tender and tasty. We enjoyed it with some Chipotle Ranch fries. Also from Trader Joe's. But buying the ribs can get a bit pricey, even though they are premarinated so it inspired me to find my own recipe and start making it myself. Very easy and the results are the same, marinate short ribs over night with garlic, soy sauce, chili oil, scallion and sesame oil.

2009-08-12T09:00:00.001-04:00

During the summer months most folk look forward to ice cream, Italian ice, smoothies and iced coffee. I personally looked forward to Piragua. It's a Puerto Rican shaved iced with a simple flavored syrup. I really like grape. But Niel has got me hooked on Tamarind.

2009-08-10T09:11:00.003-04:00

When I make pasta for a meal I generally only make six different dishes baked Ziti with hot Italian sausage, Linguine with corn and ham, bow tie pasta with pesto and hot Italian sausage or chicken Parmesan with Linguine Alfredo. And the occasional lasagna ad shells. I have wanted to try Spaghetti Carbonara for a long time but was concerned about the eggs. See with this particular dish you throw in the eggs while the pasta is hot. I was concerned about Salmonella poisoning. Until I found this simple recipe. I omitted the broccoli(though I do love the veggie) and used prosciutto instead of bacon. Plus I let the eggs cook in the cream. It turned out to be very rich yet satisfying dish. Something I am adding to my pasta repertoire.

2009-07-22T09:34:00.000-04:00

Over the weekend I went to a Super Hmart in Northern Virginia. This place is fantastic. Had a very delicious and affordable lunch. I ordered a soup with bits of tofu, meat and veggies in it. It reminded me of Miso but with a bit of heat to it.

Hmart is a Korean supermarket but they offer lots of other Asian groceries. My husband send me information on a few in our location. I just hope it's as super as the one we went to.

2009-07-20T16:55:00.001-04:00

M & M's has released a coconut flavored M & M's. I do love coconut but I was skeptical. But I was pleasently surprised. I think I will stick to Mounds for my coconut and chocolate indulgence.

Image via the candy blog.

2009-07-17T06:51:00.001-04:00

Recently while grocery shopping the husband noticed that our freezer section had a few containers of Turkey Hill ice cream which were popcorn flavored. Though I do love popcorn and recently did purchase girl scout cookie ice cream. But I can't stand popcorn flavored jelly beans so I sure won't be purchasing the ice cream.

2009-07-15T09:21:00.000-04:00

I am so excited the film Julie/Julia. is being made into a film. I loved the book by Julie Powell.

I was kind of annoyed though when I saw Norah Ephron's name in big letters partly taking credit for adapting the book into the screenplay.

I hope people realize the brilliant story is because of Julie Powell's who spent a year cooking the recipes of the wonderful Julia Child.

2009-07-13T13:59:00.005-04:00

Ever since I had my first taste of the yummy baked goods of Tim Horton's in Toronto a few years back I was hooked. I was happy to see them in Maine last summer and I yelped with glee when the hubby mentioned they have now opened 12 locations in New York city.

Their baked goods are so go good. Fluffy, fresh and clean. However they are partnering with Reise (owns Dunkin Donuts in NYC) and they're decor is a bit off putting. Hopefully Tim Horton's food will encourage people to eat there.

2009-07-08T09:15:00.005-04:00

I recently got the opportunity to attend a Met game at the new Citi Field. Beautiful new stadium. Roomy and more importantly for me has a lot more food options.

Now I enjoy a sausage and peppers and peanuts at a game. But sometimes a person would like a bit more variety.

Citi Field now also offers, Sushi, Mexican, upscale burgers and fries and BBQ!

And not just any barbecue but Blue Smoke BBQ. We ordered ribs and a pulled pork sandwich. Both were very flavorful, perfect amount of sweet to savory for the ribs and the pulled pork had a bit of cumin in it which is one of my favorite spices.

2009-06-17T12:20:00.003-04:00

This a photo from the buffet of food that was served for my daughter's first birthday party. We served Chicken Skewers, Beef Bulogi, Ribs, rice, steamed buns, and an Asian chip mixture.

Photo courtesy of Lisanne Jensen.

2009-06-10T00:53:00.003-04:00

When we were grocery shopping my husband placed a container of McCormick's pork rub in our cart. I didn't think anything of it till I had a chuck steak that I wanted to grill for one of our meals. I threw caution to the wind and decided to use it on the steak along with some soy sauce, Worcestershire and steak sauce. It was fabulous.

So the pork rub can be used on any meat.

2009-06-08T11:21:00.002-04:00

The hubby found a McDonald's near us that sold a Big Mac Wrap. It tasted fine. Just like a Big Mac. But in a wrap. It was a bit odd to eat a Big Mac without the bun and though that may getting some used to it was just as tasty.

Photo found on: http://foodbeast.com/content

2009-06-05T14:52:00.005-04:00

Corned beef with cabbage
Originally uploaded by foodiechickie4775

I made Corned Beef with Cabbage a few months back. A recipe I found at Simply Recipes. The cabbage I was so so about but the corned beef was fantastic. I would omit the cloves next time though. We made sandwiches with the leftovers.

Corned beef sandwich
Originally uploaded by foodiechickie4775

2009-06-04T09:54:00.008-04:00

I'm not sure but I think I may be one of the few people who enjoys going to Starbucks but not for their caffeine. I really like their breakfast items. The cherry and granola yogurt, scones, cheese platter, breakfast sandwiches etc. etc. Oh my!

Photos from http://www.flickr.com/photos/jdong/1702018493/
http://www.pdxhomelife.com/2008/09/starbucks-esque-vanilla-scones.html
http://biggestmenu.com/rdr/WA/Seattle/Starbucks-Coffee-Pine-Street-1590779/Fruit-and-Cheese-Plate-11112
http://www.foodmall.org
http://www.iateapie.net/reviews/archives/2008/10/starbucks_reduc.php

2009-06-03T16:53:00.004-04:00

Fatty melt
Originally uploaded by foodiechickie4775

I made this yummy Fatty Melt a few months back inspired by a post in Serious Eats. Sinfully delicious.

A Fatty Melt is two burgers in between two grilled cheese sandwiches.

2009-05-19T11:36:00.004-04:00

For my birthday last month the husband gave me a copy of How To Cook A Wolf By M.K. Fisher. He had heard about the book on NPR and thought I would enjoy it.

How To Cook A Wolf first gained popularity for not only the author's frugal and creative recipes but the way she made very little sound enticing. Ms. Fisher certainly did have a way with words. A must read for any foodie.

2009-05-15T11:02:00.005-04:00

Since we were on a kick of trying different soda's my husband found Pepsi and Mountain Dew throw back. So we had another taste test.

The Pepsi tasted like Dr. Pepper. Fine if you like Dr. Pepper. Me not so much. So I was pretty grossed out.

The Dew was very good. Not much difference in taste from the current kind. Both sodas are only available for a limited time.

2009-05-13T09:00:00.003-04:00

I've heard about Kosher for Passover Coca Cola for a few years, but couldn't find any. Until this year. I really did not like it at all. I found it overly bubbly and not sweet at all.

Coca Cola is normally Kosher(did you know that. Most manufactured foods are) but Kosher for Passover is different. You could tell which bottles are Kosher for Passover because of the yellow caps. They are made with cane sugar instead of fructose. Those lucky Canadians have Coca Cola made with real sugar all year long. Although when Niel and I were in Canada their Coke didn't taste anything like the Kosher for Passover Coke.

One of my favorite sites, Not Martha conducted her own taste test. Go over and read her opinion on it as well.

Pic from All Over Albany.com

2009-05-04T15:41:00.004-04:00

I should have paid attention to the packaging. But see I am stubborn. Now I really think I have found a snack that is too spicy. Even for me. Someone who LOVES spice. It's Flaimin Hot Cheetos. Holy Moly there is a lot of Tobasco sauce in them!

Photo found at: http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2109/2229886118_714b22b668.jpg