Rachel's Kitchen

Thanksgiving Leftover Eggrolls with Spicy Cranberry Sweet and Sour Sauce

2011-12-15T12:49:00.000-08:00

Wondering what to do with leftovers from your Thanksgiving leftovers? Christmas maybe? Try making it into eggrolls for something different. It may sound weird, but holy toledo, it is so delicious. Especially the dip. The dip is to die for!

Thanksgiving Eggrolls
*1 cup Leftover turkey, chopped up
*1 cup Leftover stuffing, chopped up
1 clove garlic, minced
2 tsp sesame oil
1 tsp soy sauce
1/2 tsp ground ginger
1/2 tsp oyster sauce (optional)
12 Eggroll Wrappers

Spicy Cranberry Sweet and Sour Sauce
1 cup Cranberry Sauce
1/4 cup rice vinegar
1 tsp soy sauce
1 tsp Sriracha Sauce (optional, but this is where the spice comes in)

1. Saute the leftover turkey and stuffing, and garlic in sesame oil over medium high heat. Add in soy sauce, ginger, and oyster sauce. Saute for just a couple minutes until the garlic releases its flavor.

2. Put the filling into the eggroll wrappers and roll.

3. Place eggrolls on a greased pan. Bake at 400 degrees for about 20 minutes, until the eggrolls get a nice crispy brown.

4. Make the dipping sauce by combining cranberry sauce, rice vinegar, soy sauce, and sriracha. Mix it all together.

*Alternately, this recipe could be made using chicken, shredded carrot, chopped mushrooms, chopped celery instead of using leftovers.

Sweet Potato and Coconut Soup

2011-12-12T07:00:00.000-08:00

1 1/2 pounds sweet potatoes
1 tablespoon olive oil
1 onion, chopped
1 (2 inch) piece fresh ginger root, thinly sliced
1 tablespoon red curry paste
1 (15 ounce) can unsweetened coconut milk
3 cups vegetable broth
3 1/2 tablespoons lemon juice
1 teaspoon sea salt
1/2 cup chopped fresh cilantro

1. Peel the sweet potatoes and dice into 1 inch cubes. Boil in a large pot of water for about 15 minutes, till tender.

2. Heat the oil in a large saucepan or soup pot over medium heat. Add the onion and ginger; cook and stir until tender, about 5 minutes. Stir in the curry paste and heat for 1 minute, then whisk in the coconut milk and vegetable broth. Bring to a boil, then reduce heat to low and simmer for about 5 minutes.

3. Add sweet potatoes to the soup and cook for 5 more minutes so they can soak up the flavor. Either puree in a blender or food processor, or use a hand blending stick. Stir in lemon juice and season with salt. Ladle into bowls and garnish with a little bit of cilantro.

Pumpkin Gnocchi with Brown Butter and Crispy Sage

2011-12-11T07:00:00.000-08:00

This dish just screams fall. It also passes off as a fancy meal without requiring too much effort. Seriously, the whole thing takes me less than 20 minutes to make. Easy peazy.

1 cup pumpkin puree
1 egg yolk
1/2 tsp salt
About 1 cup flour

1/4 cup butter
1 handful fresh Sage leaves

1. Mix together the pumpkin puree, egg yolk and salt.
2. Add flour to form a soft dough. Knead for a few minutes.
3. Divide the dough into handfuls. Roll out some 1/2 inch dough snakes. (ya know, roll it out into ropes).
4. Use a butter knife to cut the snakes/ropes into 1/2 pieces.
5. Cook the gnocchi in boiling water (in small batches) until they float, about 2-3 minutes. Remove from water and set aside.
6. In a saucepan melt the butter over medium heat. Toss in the sage leaves. Continue to cook the butter over medium heat, stirring constantly, until the butter begins to brown. Remove from heat immediately.
7. Toss in the gnocchi. Enjoy.

Slow Cooker Mexican Pork for Tacos

2011-12-10T13:07:00.000-08:00

This is a re-post from July 2009. I made it last night and, as always, was devouring it with such satisfaction that I decided it really needed to be shared again. Enjoy!

I love Mexican food. We do not have an outstanding Mexican restaurant where we currently live. Sure we have some that are good enough, but none that make my mouth water and cause me to rush over in a craving frenzy once a week. It is very disappointing to me. The key to good Mexican food is all in the meat. I have been desperately working on a good recipe for Mexican meat. After watching "Drive-ins Diners and Dives" on the FoodNetwork I found inspiration to use from the Red Iguana in Salt Lake City. I have finally developed a good concoction and think it is pretty darn close to what the Red Iguana serves up. As with most things in life, I cook it in the crock pot to save myself time and to ensure a splendidly tender result.

1 Pork Butt/Shoulder Roast
2 T Cumin
1 T Chili Powder
1/2-1 T Cayenne Pepper (how spicy do you want it?
3/4 T Garlic Powder
1 tsp Ground Cloves
2 Bay leaves
1/2-1 T Salt (how much do you like salty meat?)
Vegetable Oil

1. Trim roast and slice into 1/4 inch thick pieces. Put directly into crock pot (or baking pan). I hate eating gristle and fat so trim, trim, trim!

2. Combine spices and toss into crock pot (or baking pan).

3. Add enough vegetable oil to cover meat.

4. Toss together using hands until evenly coated with spice and oil goodness.

5. For crock pot, cook on low setting for 8 hours. If baking, cook at 350 for 2 hours.

You can use beef, pork, or even chicken. Whatever suits you best. I love the pork. It is the best at soaking up the flavor.

You don't need much to dress these tacos. Some nice white onion, chopped with some cilantro and a little lime juice on a corn tortilla and you have yourself a little piece of heaven. Or you can use your own favorite toppings!

Oatmeal Tortillas

2011-10-26T17:48:00.001-07:00

So many healthy things can be placed inside a tortilla to create something delicious, but then you ruin the healthiness by serving it on a tortilla. I hate that. Try using these oatmeal tortillas. There's a bit of white flour, sure, but are still sneaking in some whole grains! My kids were fighting over these. Granted the little one will eat just about anything.

3/4 cup oats (grind into a powder using a food processor or blender)
1/2 cup whole wheat flour
1/2 - 1 cup white flour
1/2 tablespoon salt
1/4 cup olive oil
1/2 cup cold water

1. Place ground oats, wheat flour, 1/2 cup white flour, and salt into a stand mixer using a dough hook.

2. Add olive oil and water and knead for 5 minutes. Add more white flour as needed to form a firm dough.

3. Allow dough to rest for at least 20 minutes.

4. Using a tortilla press, press golf ball size portions between parchment paper. On a dry griddle over medium-high heat, cook tortillas until lightly browned.

Spaghetti Squash Tacos and Fire Roasted Tomato Salsa

2011-10-26T17:25:00.000-07:00

De-lish.

One time when I was a little girl my mom made spaghetti squash for the first time. I don't know what she did to it, but that meal lives to this day in infamy. It was disgusting. No one ate it, including my mom. I've had mixed feelings toward spaghetti squash ever since.

Fast forward to today. I made spaghetti squash tacos for dinner and loved it! Who needs meat when you can make delicious, crave-able tacos using fresh veggies. I served the tacos on oatmeal tortillas with a fresh fire-roasted tomato sauce and a little bit of queso fresco. Oh.....my!

SPAGHETTI SQUASH TACOS

1 Spaghetti Squash
1 tablespoon olive oil
1 Red Onion, sliced
1 jalapeno, diced
1/2 tablespoon chili powder
1/2 tablespoon cumin

1. Cut spaghetti squash in half. Scoop out the "guts." Put both halves face down in a 9x13 pan. Put enough water in the pan to cover the bottom of the pan twice over (this will keep your squash moist). Bake at 350 degrees for 45-60 minutes.

2. Heat olive oil in a pan over medium high heat. Saute onion and jalapeno for 5 minutes. Add in chili powder, cumin, and garlic. Saute for another couple of minutes until fragrant.

3. Scoop out the cooked squash and add it to the onionhttp://www.blogger.com/img/blank.gif mixture. Mix it all up.

4. Serve on tortillas (preferably whole wheat or oatmeal tortillas to keep it healthy!) and a little fresh salsa.

FIRE ROASTED TOMATO SALSA

3 tomatoes
1/2 red onion
1 bunch cilantro
1 lime, juiced
1/2 tsp salt

1. Roast the tomatoes and onion under your broiler until they begin to blacken.

2. Toss everything into a food processor (or blender).

Cinnamon Syrup (AKA Liquid Cinnamon Roll)

2011-10-13T12:25:00.000-07:00

I've been doing some experimenting this week in search of the best syrup to pair with my delicious French Toast. My search is over. This is absolutely delicious syrup. It tastes like a liquid cinnamon roll. I pour it over my French Toast in the morning and feel like I'm eating in a gourmet restaurant for breakfast. It is heavenly. Oh, and did I mention how easy it is to make syrup?

1/2 cup butter
1 cup sugar
1 cup buttermilk
1 tablespoon vanilla extract
1 tablespoon corn syrup
1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon baking soda

Directions

1. Bring butter, sugar, buttermilk, vanilla extract, corn syrup, and cinnamon to a simmer in a large saucepan over medium-high heat. Make sure you do it in a large saucepan otherwise it will boil over when you add the baking soda. Stir constantly.

2. Simmer for 2 minutes, stirring constantly.

3. Whisk in baking soda, and cook for 30 seconds before removing from heat. The foam will go away.

4. Let it cool, or serve it warm. It will thicken as it cools. Store it in a jar in the fridge.

Roasted Red Pepper Cream Sauce

2011-10-08T08:00:00.000-07:00

I love a good cream sauce. Who doesn't? I served this sauce over some ravioli and it was divinely tasty.

2 large red bell peppers
2 tablespoons minced garlic
1/4 cup fresh basil, chopped
3 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
2 cups half-and-half
1/4 cup grated parmesan cheese
4 tablespoons butter
salt and pepper to taste

1. Preheat broiler. Lightly coat the red peppers with olive oil. Grill peppers under the broiler until the skin is blackened, and the flesh has softened slightly. Place peppers in a paper bag or resealable plastic bag to cool for approximately 45 minutes.

2. Remove the seeds and skin from the peppers (the skin should come off the peppers easily now). Cut peppers into small pieces.

3. In a skillet, cook and stir the garlic, basil, and red peppers in 3 tablespoons olive oil over medium heat. Cook for 10 minutes, so that the flavors mix.

4. Place mixture in blender or food processor(careful it is hot), and puree to desired consistency. Return puree to skillet, and reheat to a boil. Stir in the half-and-half and the parmesan cheese; cook and stir until the cheese melts. Add the butter, and stir until melted. Season with salt and pepper to taste. Simmer for 5 minutes.

Baked Latin Eggrolls

2011-10-07T13:07:00.000-07:00

I recently attended a couple of potlucks where I had the opportunity to bring a latin inspired dish. I have seen several recipes online for interesting eggrolls. I decided to come up with my own Latin inspired eggroll. They were a huge hit. They were like really delicious mini burritos.

1 package of eggroll wrappers (24)
1 can refried beans
1 log of chorizo
1 onion, chopped
1/2 can chipotle peppers, chopped (optional)
1 bunch cilantro, chopped
1 block queso fresco, crumbled
2 cups shredded cabbage

1. Saute chorizo over medium-high heat for about 10 minutes. Remove and put in a mixing bowl.

2. In same saute pan, saute onions over medium-high heat for about 5 minutes. Add onions to chorizo.

3. Mix together chorizo, onion, refried beans, and chipotle peppers.

4. Layer your eggroll fillings onto your eggroll wrapper: cabbage, bean mixture, cheese, then cilantro. Roll (see directions below).

5. Line up filled eggrolls on a lightly greased baking sheet.

5. Bake at 400 degrees for 15-20 minutes.

How to fold an Eggroll

Step 1: Put filling onto eggroll wrapper. Line the filling from one corner to another.

Step 2: Fold up the bottom point of your diamond.

Step 3: Fold in the side points of your diamond. It will now look like an envelope.

Step 4: Roll it from the bottom to the top point. Not too tight, not too loose.

Extreme Dessert: Peanut Butter Chocolate Cookie Brownie Cake Creation

2011-09-16T15:10:00.000-07:00

Inspired by the amazing creations I've been seeing lately on pinterest (specifically this one), I decided to have my go at an extreme dessert.

Doesn't it look delicious? It was. I took it to a party that involved a number of adults and a whole slew of teenagers. It was adored. It was enjoyed. It was sinful. It was delicious.It was like a giant peanut butter cup, but with extra added deliciousness.

Layer #1 - These brownies. Seriously, best brownies ever. I recommend not adding the chocolate chips for this particular creation though.

Layer #2 - Chocolate Chip Cookie. I went ahead and added vanilla chips and butterscotch chips to the dough instead of chocolate. I meant to add peanut butter chips instead of butterscotch, but whoops, they sort of look the same.

Layer #3 - A little creation that reminds me of the filling for a Reese's Peanut Butter cup.

Layer #4 - Another cookie

Layer #5 - More Brownie

In between layers - A marshmallow creme frosting.

To top it off - A hard chocolate frosting.

BEST DESSERT EVER.

It was so rich I almost had a heart attack just making it. I don't know if I'll ever be able to make it again without weighing 400 lbs.

Now to the tricky business....how you make a peanut butter brownie cookie cake creation.

First, make the peanut butter layer.

Ingredients
1 8 oz package cream cheese
1 cup sugar
1 cup peanut butter

1. Just whip it all together with a hand mixer.

2. Line one 9 inch round cake pan with parchment paper. Smash your delicious peanut butter concoction into the pan and smooth out the top. Put it in the freezer. Use the parchment paper to transfer it out of the cake pan when frozen (especially if you are like me and only own two round cake pans because you'll need them for the other layers).

Second, Make the brownie layer.

Use this recipe for brownies. You will never be sorry if you make those (except when you have to run 10 miles to burn the calories, but even then it will be worth it).

The only difference you need to make is to line two 9 inch round cake pans with parchment paper, spray with cooking spray, and divide your brownie dough up among the two pans. Bake like normal. Cool on a wire rack. The parchment paper will allow you to transfer them out of the pan once they are cool. Easy peazy.

Third, make the cookie layer.

Mix up your favorite chocolate chip cookie recipe. Mine is:

1 cup shortening (this grosses me out, but I still do it)
1 cup brown sugar
1/2 cup sugar
1 egg
2 tsp vanilla
1 tsp baking soda
1/2 tsp salt
2 cups flour
1 cup chips (peanut butter, chocolate, or vanilla)

1. Put the shortening, brown sugar, and sugar into the mixing bowl of your stand mixer. Whip it up.

2. Add in the egg vanilla, baking soda, and salt. Mix it up until everything gets pretty smooth.

3. Add in the flour and mix until you've got a good dough.

4. Fold in the chips.

Now this is the part where it changes for the cake.

5. Line your two 9 inch round cake pans with parchment paper. Spray with cooking spray. Put half your dough in each pan. Smash the dough down so it fills up the circle.

6. Bake at 325 degrees for about 12 minutes.

7. Cool completely on a wire rack.

Fourth, make the marshmallow creme frosting.

Ingredients

1/2 cup butter
1 cup powdered sugar
7 oz marshmallow creme

1. Put ingredients in bowl. Whip it up with a hand mixer.
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It doesn't look like it will be enough, but it totally will be.

Fifth make your hard chocolate glaze.

Ingredients

1/2 cup butter
10 oz chocolate, chopped up into small bits (I used half milk chocolate and half semi-sweet)

1. Melt the butter and chocolate together in a double boiler.

ASSEMBLY

1. Pull out one of your brownie layers and plop it onto your chosen cake display device. Remove the parchment paper. Smother the brownie with marshmallow creme frosting.

2. Whip out one of your giant cookies. Put it on top of the brownie. Smother it with marshmallow creme frosting.

3. Remove your frozen peanut butter deliciousness and plop it on as well. Smother with marshmallow creme.

4. Repeat step 1.

5. Repeat step 2.

6. Slowly pour your hard chocolate glaze over the cake. You can let it drip down if you like that look, or you can be really patient and wait until the chocolate starts to harden and spread it out evenly over the top and sides. Hint: the fridge helps it harden faster.

Leave it out for a bit to let everything meld together and for the peanut butter layer to thaw a bit. Then, slice into it and reveal all that goodness.

Enjoy your extreme dessert-ing!

Healthy Bran and Flax Muffins

2011-09-12T13:30:00.000-07:00

If you are looking for a bran muffin recipe then you probably have business you are hoping to attend to. This healthy recipe will help you be on your way. Enough said.

Ingredients

1 1/2 cups all bran cereal
1 cup buttermilk OR 1 cup milk + 1 Tablespoon lemon juice or vinegar (let sit for 5 minutes)
1/3 cup applesauce(plain, no sugar added)
1 egg
2/3 cup honey
1 teaspoon vanilla
3/4 cup wheat flour
1/2 cup ground flax seed
1 teaspoon baking soda
1 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon salt

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Grease muffin cups or line with paper muffin liners.

2. Mix together all bran cereal and buttermilk; let stand for 10 minutes.

3. Add in applesauce, egg, honey and vanilla. Stir.

4. Add in flour, baking soda, baking powder and salt. Stir until blended.

5. Bake for 15 to 20 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted into the center of a muffin comes out clean. Cool.

Gourmet French Toast (Freezable for a Ready-Set-Go Breakfast)

2011-08-31T12:30:00.001-07:00

I love wonderful breakfasts, but I never have time to make myself something extravagantly delicious in the morning. Making freezable gourmet French Toast is an indulgent treat that makes breakfast oh so heavenly.

First you have to start with a good bread. You aren't going to have gourmet French Toast without quality bread. I recommend Challah. Sure, you can probably buy it at your neighborhood bakery, but why not just make it yourself? It's actually pretty easy. This recipe makes 2 loaves which should give you plenty to freeze.

CHALLAH

2 1/2 cups warm water
1 tablespoon active dry yeast
1/2 cup honey
4 tablespoons vegetable oil
2 eggs
1 tablespoon salt
8-9 cups all-purpose flour
1 egg + 1 T water (egg wash)

Directions

1. In a large mixer bowl, sprinkle yeast over barely warm water. Mix in honey, oil, 2 eggs, and salt. Add the flour one cup at a time, mixing on low after each addition, graduating to kneading it on medium to medium high as dough thickens. Knead until smooth and elastic and no longer sticky, adding flour as needed. Cover with a damp clean cloth and let rise for 1 1/2 hours or until dough has doubled in bulk.

2. Punch down the risen dough and turn out onto floured surface. Divide in half and knead each half for five minutes or so, adding flour as needed to keep from getting sticky. Divide each half into thirds and roll into long snake about 1 1/2 inches in diameter. Put the snakes onto two greased baking trays. Pinch the ends of the three snakes together firmly and braid from middle. Cover with towel and let rise about one hour.

3. Preheat oven to 375 degrees.

4. Beat the remaining egg with 1 T water and brush a generous amount over each braid.

5. Bake at 375 degrees F for about 25 minutes. Bread should have a nice hollow sound when thumped on the bottom. Cool on a rack for at least one hour before slicing.

So now that you have your delicious bread, time for the French Toast recipe.

FRENCH TOAST

1/2 cup all-purpose flour
2 1/2 cups milk
1/2 tsp salt
7 eggs
3 teaspoons ground cinnamon
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
4 Tablespoons brown sugar
2 Challah Loaves, sliced thick

Directions

1. Measure flour into a large mixing bowl. Slowly whisk in the milk. Whisk in the salt, eggs, cinnamon, vanilla extract and sugar until smooth.

2. Heat a lightly oiled griddle or frying pan over medium high heat.

3. Soak bread slices in mixture until saturated. Cook bread on each side until golden brown.

FREEZING
Now that you've made your French Toast, let the slices cool on a rack for 10 minutes. Lay them in a single layer on a baking tray lined with wax paper. Freeze for a few hours and transfer them to a freezer quality bag.

REHEAT
Reheat the French Toast by microwaving for 30-60 seconds (watch it carefully) or put it in a toaster.

Mmmmmm, delicious breakfasts.

Shepherd's Pie

2011-08-11T17:28:00.001-07:00

Inspired by the latest episode of MasterChef I decided to give my own go at Shepherd's Pie. The Shepherd's Pie I grew up with involved cream of mushroom soup and canned green beans. It never appealed to me. In my farm fresh produce box this week I got green beans and potatoes. I also had some corn I had decobbed and frozen a few weeks ago and my delicious Piedmontese ground beef. I had all the makings for a possibly delicious Shepherd's Pie. I searched for a recipe and didn't find any that I liked so I forged ahead and came up with my own. It was delicious. I never thought I would say this but here I go: I love Shepherd's Pie.

Meat Filling:
1 lb ground beef (of course you can use ground lamb if you are privileged enough to have access to that sort of deliciousness)
1 onion, diced
1 bell pepper, seeded and diced
1/4 cup flour
2 cups beef broth
1/4 cup Worcestershire sauce
Salt and Pepper to taste

vegetable Layer:
2 lbs Fresh Green Beans, snapped and stringed
1 cup Corn Kernels
1/4 tsp oregano
1/4 tsp thyme
1/4 tsp garlic powder

**Note: You can mix up the vegetables to your likings. I would love to have used carrots, but they weren't in my produce box this week.

Mashed Potatoes:
6 Potatoes, peeled and cubed
1/4 cup butter
1/4 cup cream cheese
1/4 tsp salt

Cheese to top. I would highly recommend using a smoked cheddar, but choose what suites your fancy (and your budget)

1. Boil the potatoes until soft, 15-20 minutes.

2. Meanwhile, steam the green beans until soft, 10-15 minutes.

3. Also meanwhile (this is a multi-tasking dish), saute your ground beef, bell pepper, and onion until the beef is cooked through. Add in the flour and stir until mixed enough that you can't see the flour (this will allow the sauce to thicken without the flour clumping). Pour in the beef broth and Worcestershire sauce and stir occasionally until the sauce thickens. Add salt and pepper to taste.

4. By this point the potatoes should be done. Mash them up and mix in the butter, cream cheese, and salt until everything is melted and fluffy.

5. Mix the green beans and corn with the seasonings.

6. In 6 ramekins (or one giant casserole dish) put your Pie together. Bottom: meat, Middle: vegetables, Top: Potatoes. Top with cheese.

7. Bake in a 350 degree oven for about 15-20 minutes.

Fruit Leather

2011-07-13T13:13:00.000-07:00

I've been overwhelmed by peaches and nectarines lately that all come ripe at once and mold quickly. Instead of letting all that ripe food go bad, I've been trying to utilize preserving methods. Fruit leather has been one of the answers that my family loves. Fruit leather is one of those things where you don't need are a recipe, just a how-to. I used peaches for this batch of leather, but you can use almost any fruit, or combination of fruit using the same basic steps.

First, I pitted the peaches and threw them in a big pot skins and all. You could skin the peaches for a smoother texture if you are willing to take the time.

I put on the lid and boiled them down in their own juices, stirring occasionally. You can add sugar if you want, but I chose not to. Once the fruit is soft you can use a stick blender to puree it, or puree it in a blender or food processor in batches.

Line a jelly roll pan with parchment paper. Preheat your oven to its lowest setting. Mine is 200 degrees.

Spread out the pureed fruit on the prepared parchment paper very thinly. If it is too thick it will take forever to dry. Also, if you spread it terribly uneven then you are going to be kicking yourself during the drying process because the thinnest spots will get crispy waiting for the thick spots to dry making for a weird fruit roll up.

Pop them in the oven and TURN OFF THE OVEN. Walk away and leave it for an hour. Come back and turn on the oven again, then turn it off immediately when it reaches temperature (the lowest setting). Walk away for another hour. Check it this time to see how it is drying. It is done when it just sticky to the touch instead of wet. It may take 2 hours it may take upwards of 6 or 8 hours. It all depends on the humidity that day. Just keep turning the oven on and off every hour until it dries.

Then, just cut it into strips, roll it if you'd like, and store it in an air tight container. It should stay good for about a month.

Zucchini Pasta

2011-06-17T15:38:00.000-07:00

I feel like the incredible shrinking woman lately. I'm losing all my baby weight fairly quickly. I wasn't able to get the breastfeeding boost. It's all due to diet and exercise. One of the things I have been missing is pasta. So, when I came across the idea of zucchini pasta I jumped on it. My husband had been repeatedly requesting to have Cajun Chicken Pasta. I kept turning him down because I couldn't afford to eat the calories in the sauce AND the pasta! So, I made my zucchini pastas and made a dish out of that instead. Delicious! It totally fulfilled my craving for "pasta" and didn't scream zucchini either. I bet if you mastered the art of shaving off the "noodles" you could trick kids into eating a green veggie.

Zucchini
Olive Oil

1. Use a vegetable peeler to shave off strips/noodles of zucchini. Peel down the zucchini until you get to the core (that's the part with the seeds). Discard the core.

2. Saute the "noodles" in a little olive oil over medium-high heat for a few minutes until they begin to get translucent.

3. Serve with whatever sauce you'd like.

Fava Bean Dip

2011-06-05T20:39:00.000-07:00

I've altered by fava bean dip recipe. Here's the new one!

1 1/2 cups fava beans, shelled and de-skinned
1 can garbanzo beans
1/4 cup tahini sauce
1 tsp crushed garlic
1/4 tsp cayenne pepper
1/2 - 1 Tablespoon lemon juice
olive oil

1. Blend beans, tahini sauce, garlic, cayenne pepper and lemon juice in food processor or blender.

2. Add in olive oil slowly until it forms a dip consistency.

Homemade Hamburger Buns

2011-05-30T18:59:00.000-07:00

I hate purchasing bread products that I know I could make myself. So when I planned hamburgers for my menu this week I figured I'd give homemade hamburger buns a try. They were delicious! Way better than the crap I was buying at the store. I did half wheat flour, half white flour to boost the nutrition a bit.

1 cup milk
1 cup water
2 tablespoons butter
1 tablespoon white sugar
1 1/2 teaspoons salt
4-5 cups all-purpose flour (can substitute wheat flour for half of it)
2 1/2 tsp yeast
1 egg yolk
1 tablespoon water

1. Combine the milk, 1 cup of water, butter, sugar and salt in a saucepan. Bring to a boil then remove from the heat and let stand until lukewarm. If the mixture is too hot, it will kill the yeast.

2. In a large bowl, stir together the flour and yeast. Pour in wet ingredients and stir until the dough starts to pull together. If you have a stand mixer, use the dough hook to mix for about 8 minutes. If not, knead the dough on a floured surface for about 10 minutes. Place the dough in a greased bowl, turning to coat. Cover and let stand until doubled in size, about 1 hour.

3. Punch down the dough and divide into 12 portions They should be a little larger than a golf ball. Make tight balls out of the dough by pulling the dough tightly around and pinching it at the bottom. Place on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper or aluminum foil. After the rolls sit for a minute and relax, flatten each ball with the palm of your hand until it is 3 to 4 inches wide. You may want to oil your hand first. Set rolls aside until they double in size, about 20 minutes.

4. Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F (200 degrees C). Mix together the egg yolk and 1 tablespoon of water in a cup or small bowl. Brush onto the tops of the rolls. Position 2 oven racks so they are not too close to the top or bottom of the oven.

5. Bake for 10 minutes in the preheated oven. Remove the rolls from the oven and return them to different shelves so each one spends a little time on the top. Continue to bake for another 5 to 10 minutes, or until nicely browned on the top and bottom.

Wheat Potato Rolls

2011-05-20T14:10:00.000-07:00

1 medium potato, baked, peeled, mashed
1 cup water (warm)
2 teaspoons yeast
2 tablespoons honey
1/2 tablespoon appleasauce
3/4 teaspoon salt
1 egg, lightly beaten
2 cups whole wheat flour
1 to 1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour

Directions

1. In a large mixing bowl, dissolve yeast in warm water. Add the honey, applesauce, salt, egg, wheat flour and mashed potato. Beat until smooth. Stir in enough remaining flour to form a soft dough. Slowly add in all-purpose flour until the dough is smooth and elastic. It will probably still be pretty sticky.

2. Place in a greased bowl, turning once to grease top. Cover and let rise in a warm place until doubled, about 1 hour.

3. Punch dough down. Turn onto a lightly floured surface; divide into 15 pieces. Shape each into a ball. Place in a greased 9 x 13 inch baking pan. Cover and let rise until doubled, about 30 minutes.

4. Bake at 375 degrees F for 20-25 minutes or until golden brown. Serve warm.

Chocolate Chip Cookie Dough Dip

2011-05-19T09:02:00.000-07:00

Oh deliciousness! The title says it all. The one thing I will say is don't expect this to taste just like your regular old cookie dough. It has a lot of cream cheese flavor to it. Still absolutely delicious!

1 8-ounce block of cream cheese, softened
1 cup powdered sugar
1/2 cup butter (melted)
2/3 cup brown sugar
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
1 cup chocolate chips

Cream together cream cheese and powdered sugar for 60 seconds. With mixer on low speed, add in brown sugar, melted butter, and vanilla. Mix until combined. Fold in chocolate chips.

Serve with vanilla wafers, fruit, cookies, or pretzels.

Buffalo Chicken Dip

2011-05-19T08:40:00.000-07:00

We are big fans of buffalo chicken in this house so it would make sense that we'd absolutely love it in dip form. Yup, we do. I made it for a little guys night out and they gobbled it up.

2-8 0z blocks of cream cheese, softened
1/2 cup of blue cheese dressing
1/2 cup of ranch dressing
1 cup of Frank’s Red Hot Buffalo Wing sauce
3 skinless, boneless chicken breasts, boiled and shredded
2 cups shredded cheddar cheese

Preheat oven to 375.

In a large bowl combine softened cream cheese, ranch dressing, blue cheese dressing, and buffalo wing sauce. Using a hand mixer, mix until smooth and creamy, about 3 minutes. Fold in shredded chicken and 1 cup of shredded cheese. Pour into a 9x9 baking dish. Top with remaining 1 cup of shredded cheese.

Bake for 20 minutes, or until dip is warmed through.

Serve with tortilla chips, bread, crackers, and celery.

Zucchini Fritter

2011-05-18T14:02:00.000-07:00

Summer is coming upon us which means many gardeners out there will be overloaded with zucchinis. This is a delicious recipe to use up some of those zucchini.

3 cups grated zucchini (squeeze dry it with a paper towel)
2 eggs, beaten
1/4 cup chopped onion
1/2 cup all-purpose flour
1/2 cup shredded mozzarella cheese
1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper
1/2 teaspoon basil
1 tsp minced garlic
salt to taste
olive oil

1. In a medium bowl, combine the zucchini, eggs, onion, flour, mozzarella cheese,cayenne pepper, basil, garlic, and salt. Stir well enough to distribute ingredients evenly.

2. Heat a small amount of oil in a skillet over medium-high heat. Drop zucchini mixture by heaping spoonfuls, press down on it a little to make a little cake, and cook for a few minutes on each side until golden.

*Great served with a little marinara sauce or sour cream.
**Can be served on a bun or roll as a sandwich/slider.

Quinoa and Black Beans

2011-04-11T12:20:00.000-07:00

One of my new favorite ingredients: Quinoa. Seriously, where have you been all my life? Quinoa is one of those healthy ingredients that might scare a lot of people. If it is so healthy, how can it possibly be any good? Let me tell you, it is awesome. You could use it instead of rice in a lot of recipes. Let me tell you, it is a lot more palatable than brown rice. It is becoming more and more available. In fact, quinoa is probably better for you than brown rice. It is a complete protein and a good source of fiber among other things. You can pick it up for a good price at Trader Joes or Winco. Who knows, you may be lucky enough to find it in your local grocery store. This recipe is a great recipe to try it out. Trust me, it is delicious!

1 teaspoon olive oil
1 onion, chopped
3 cloves garlic, peeled and chopped
1 cup uncooked quinoa
2 cups chicken broth
1 teaspoon ground cumin
1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper
salt and pepper to taste
1 cup frozen corn kernels
1 (15 ounce) cans black beans, rinsed and drained
1/2 cup chopped fresh cilantro

Directions

1. Heat the oil in a medium saucepan over medium heat. Stir in the onion and garlic, and saute until lightly browned.

2. Mix quinoa into the saucepan and cover with chicken broth. Season with cumin, cayenne pepper, salt, and pepper. Bring the mixture to a boil. Cover, reduce heat, and simmer 20 minutes.

3. Stir frozen corn into the saucepan, and continue to simmer about 5 minutes until heated through. Mix in the black beans and cilantro.

***Serve with a small dollop of sour cream for added deliciousness.

Chocolate Chip Cookie Pie

2011-03-19T14:27:00.000-07:00

Warning: this pie is irresistible. My sister was going to be at my house for her birthday, but she didn't want a chocolate cake. That is pretty much the only baking trick I have up my sleeve. I searched for something else and found this over at How Sweet It Is. It was devoured instantly. I had to make a second pie the next day to satisfy the intense cravings of my guests. A week later I can't stop thinking about it. I keep looking for excuses to make it again. I almost cried when my husband said he wanted something else for his birthday dessert. Seriously, don't try it though. It could very well lead to addiction.

2 eggs
1/2 cup flour
1/2 cup sugar
1/2 cup packed brown sugar
1 cup butter, melted and cooled to room temperature
1 cup chocolate chips
1 unbaked pie shell (deep dish if buying pre-made frozen ones like me)

Preheat oven to 325. In large bowl, beat eggs until foamy. Beat in flour, sugar and brown sugar until well blended. Blend in melted butter. Stir in chocolate chips. Pour into pie shell. Bake for 60 minutes.

Serve warm with ice cream. Oo-la-la!

Braided Butternut Squash Bread

2011-03-19T09:49:00.000-07:00

My son loves bread and isn't too fond of vegetables so any bread I can sneak something into is right up my alley. I even used this trick on my mom who hates butternut squash.

2 1/4 tsp active dry yeast
2 tablespoons warm water (110 degrees F to 115 degrees F)
1 cup mashed, cooked butternut squash
1/3 cup warm milk (110 to 115 degrees F)
1/4 cup butter or margarine, softened
1 egg
3 tablespoons brown sugar
1/4 teaspoon salt
3 cups all-purpose flour
GLAZE:
1 egg, beaten
1 tablespoon water

1. In a small bowl, dissolve yeast in water. In a mixing bowl, combine squash, milk, butter, egg, brown sugar and salt; mix well. Add yeast mixture and 1-1/2 cups flour; mix well. Add enough remaining flour to form a soft dough. Turn onto a floured surface; knead until smooth and elastic, about 6-8 minutes. Place in a greased bowl, turning once to grease top. Cover and let rise in a warm place until doubled, about 1 hour. Punch dough down. Divide into thirds; roll each third into a 18-in. rope. Place on a greased baking sheet. Braid ropes together; pinch ends. Cover and let rise until nearly doubled, about 30 minutes. Combine glaze ingredients; brush over braid. Bake at 350 degrees F for 20-25 minutes or until golden brown. Remove from pan and cool on a wire rack.

Baked Chicken Nuggets

2011-03-06T18:21:00.000-08:00

Rarely do I cater a meal to my two year old. Today I did. I made chicken nuggets. Of course I made sure they were tasty for us adults as well. They turned out great and I will definitely be making them again!

3 skinless, boneless chicken breasts
1 cup bread crumbs
1/4 cup grated Parmesan cheese
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon dried thyme
1/2 tablespoon dried basil
1/2 cup butter, melted

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 400 degrees F (200 degrees C).
2. Cut chicken breasts into 1 1/2-inch sized pieces. In a medium bowl, mix together the bread crumbs, cheese, salt, thyme and basil. Mix well. Put melted butter in a bowl or dish for dipping.
3. Dip chicken pieces into the melted butter first, then coat with the breadcrumb mixture. Place the well-coated chicken pieces on a lightly greased cookie sheet in a single layer, and bake in the preheated oven for 20 minutes.

Caramelized Brussel Sprouts and Carrots

2011-03-05T10:45:00.001-08:00

I have been experimenting with fresh brussel sprouts in my kitchen. This is a nice sweet recipe that completely combats any bitterness you might find with brussel sprouts. I thought 2 lbs would be way too much for three adults, but it was gobbled right up. Delicious!

2 T Butter
1 small onion, or 2-3 shallots
2 lbs Fresh Brussel Sprouts, trimmed and halved
3 Carrots, cut into small sticks
1 1/2 T Brown Sugar
Salt and Pepper to taste

1. Saute onion or shallot in butter over medium high heat, about 5 minutes.

2. Meanwhile, put brussel sprouts and carrot sticks into a sauce pan with enough water to just cover the bottom of the pan. Cover and let steam over high heat for 8 minutes.

3. Add brussel sprouts and carrots to onions. Add brown sugar and cook over medium high heat another 2-3 minutes.

Crispy Orange Beef and Broccoli

2011-02-21T10:14:00.000-08:00

This recipe was just downright tasty. It was pretty simple to make even though it involved frying. Give it a try! My husband was pretty excited about it and I didn't really see what was so appealing until I sat down and tried it. This is definitely a "make again" dish in our house.

1 pound beef top sirloin, thinly sliced (or skirt steak, thinly sliced)
1/3 cup white sugar
1/3 cup rice wine vinegar
1 Orange, juiced
1 teaspoon salt
1 tablespoon soy sauce
1 cup long grain rice
2 cups water
1/4 cup cornstarch
2 teaspoons orange zest
3 tablespoons grated fresh ginger OR 1 1/2 tsp ground ginger
1 tablespoon minced garlic
8 broccoli florets, lightly steamed or blanched
2 cups oil for frying

Directions

1. Rinse beef and pat dry. Set aside. In a small bowl, mix together the sugar, rice vinegar, orange juice concentrate, salt and soy sauce. Set aside.

2. Meanwhile, combine rice and water in a medium saucepan. Bring to a boil, then reduce heat to medium-low and simmer for 20 minutes, or until rice is tender. Add more water at the end if necessary.

3. Heat oil in a wok or heavy skillet over medium-high heat. Toss dried beef in cornstarch to coat. Fry in the hot oil in small batches until crispy and golden brown; set aside. Drain all of the oil from the wok except about 1 tablespoon.

4. Add orange zest, ginger and garlic to the remaining oil, and cook briefly until fragrant. Add the soy sauce mixture to the wok, bring to a boil, and cook until thick and syrupy, about 5 minutes. Add beef, and heat through, stirring to coat. Serve immediately over steamed rice, and garnish with broccoli.

Tikil Gomen - Ethiopian Cabbage Dish

2011-02-21T10:09:00.000-08:00

I love finding recipes that are worth keeping. This one is great. It is incredibly easy and simple and a one pot meal to boot. Can't go wrong! Ethiopian food is all the rage these days you know.

1/3 cup olive oil
4 carrots, sliced
1 onion, thinly sliced
1 teaspoon sea salt
1 teaspoon ground black pepper
1 teaspoon ground cumin
1/2 teaspoon ground turmeric
1 head cabbage, shredded
5 potatoes, peeled and cut into 1-inch cubes

Directions

1. Heat the olive oil in a skillet over medium heat. Cook the carrots and onion in the hot oil about 5 minutes. Stir in the salt, pepper, cumin, turmeric, and cabbage and cook another 10 minutes. Add the potatoes; cover. Reduce heat to medium-low and cook until potatoes are soft, about 30 minutes.

Chocolate Cake with Chocolate Ganache

2011-02-14T14:28:00.000-08:00

If you browse through my recipes you may realize I am totally not a baker. I love eating tasty delights, but I just don't find the same joy in whipping up tasty desserts. So, in the spirit of easy desserts that sound and taste fancy without slaving over them, here is my recipe for a rich Chocolate Cake with Chocolate Ganache.

Cake
1 (18.25 ounce) package devil's food cake mix
1 (5.9 ounce) package instant chocolate pudding mix
1 cup sour cream
3/4 cup vegetable oil
4 eggs
1/2 cup warm water

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C).

2. In a large bowl, mix together the cake and pudding mixes, sour cream, oil, beaten eggs and water. Pour batter into 2 well greased round cake pans.

3. Bake for 35 to 40 minutes, or until top is springy to the touch and a wooden toothpick inserted comes out clean. Cool cake thoroughly in pan at least 30 minutes before inverting onto a plate or cake stand.

Ganache
9 ounces bittersweet chocolate, chopped OR 1 1/2 cups milk chocolate chips, chopped OR 1 1/2 cups semi-sweet chocolate chips, chopped (it is all personal taste preference)
1 cup heavy cream

4. Place the chocolate into a medium bowl. Heat the cream in a small sauce pan over medium heat stirring constantly. Bring just to a boil, watching very carefully because if it boils for a few seconds, it will boil out of the pot. When the cream has come to a boil, pour over the chopped chocolate, and whisk until smooth.

5. Allow the ganache to cool slightly before pouring over a cake. Pour 1/3 of the ganache over the first cake layer before placing the second layer on top. Pour the rest of the ganache over the whole cake. Start at the center of the cake and work outward. For a fluffy frosting or chocolate filling, allow it to cool until thick, then whip with a whisk until light and fluffy.

Mushroom Risotto

2011-02-14T13:00:00.000-08:00

I love rice which means I'm a total sucker for risotto. I also love mushrooms, which means mushroom risotto is right up my alley. It takes a little time, but seriously, it's not that big of a deal.

6 cups chicken broth
3 tablespoons olive oil, divided (or if you want to go the expensive route you can make the last tablespoon black truffle oil)
1 pound portobello mushrooms, thinly sliced
1 pound white mushrooms, thinly sliced
2 shallots, diced
1 1/2 cups Arborio rice (if you can't find it, you can use regular rice, but it won't be quite the same)
sea salt to taste
freshly ground black pepper to taste
4 tablespoons butter
1/3 cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese

Directions

1. In a saucepan, warm the broth over low heat.

2. Warm 2 tablespoons olive oil in a large saucepan over medium-high heat. Stir in the mushrooms, and cook until soft, about 3 minutes. Remove mushrooms and their liquid, and set aside.

3. Add 1 tablespoon olive oil to skillet, and stir in the shallots. Cook 1 minute. Add rice, stirring to coat with oil, about 2 minutes. When the rice has taken on a pale, golden color, pour in 1/2 cup broth, stirring constantly until it is fully absorbed. Continue adding broth 1/2 cup at a time, stirring continuously, until the liquid is absorbed and the rice is al dente, about 15 to 20 minutes.

4. Remove from heat, and stir in mushrooms with their liquid, butter, and parmesan. Season with salt and pepper to taste.

Filet Mignon with Balsamic Glaze

2011-02-14T12:57:00.000-08:00

Special occasion? You can't go wrong with melt in your mouth filet mignon. This simple recipe will let you enjoy the tender cut meat in all its delicious glory.

2 (4-6 ounce) filet mignon steaks
1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper to taste
salt to taste
1/4 cup balsamic vinegar
2 Tablespoons red wine vinegar
2 Tablespoons apple juice

Directions

1. Sprinkle freshly ground pepper over both sides of each steak, and sprinkle with salt to taste.

2. Heat a nonstick skillet over medium-high heat. Place steaks in hot pan, and cook for 1 minute on each side, or until browned. Reduce heat to medium-low, and add balsamic vinegar, red wine vinegar, and apply juice. Cover, and cook for 4 minutes on each side, basting with sauce when you turn the meat over.

3. Remove steaks to two warmed plates, spoon one tablespoon of glaze over each, and serve immediately.

Harvest Soup

2011-02-14T12:52:00.000-08:00

This soup is really quite delicious and is a good way to utilize all the bounty of a Fall harvest. And guess what? It is pretty darn healthy to boot!

2 tablespoons butter OR 2 tablespoons olive oil
2 large leeks (white and pale green parts only), chopped
1 large onion, chopped
1 large potato, peeled and cubed
1 large sweet potato, peeled and cubed
2 cups cubed butternut squash
1 cup diced carrots
1 apple, peeled, cored, and sliced 1/4-inch thick
1 quart chicken stock
1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg
1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper
salt and pepper to taste

Directions

1. Melt butter (or heat oil) in a large pot over medium heat. Stir in leeks and onions, and cook until the onion softens and turns translucent, about 5 minutes. Add potato, sweet potato, squash, carrots, apple, and chicken stock. Bring to a boil, then reduce heat to medium-low, cover, and simmer until the vegetables are soft, about 20 minutes.

2. Carefully puree the soup in batches in a blender, or use a stick blender to puree the soup right in the pot. Once the soup has been pureed, return it to the pot. Season with nutmeg, salt, and pepper; simmer gently for 5 minutes.

Leek and Potato Soup II

2011-02-14T12:47:00.000-08:00

I love Leek and Potato Soup, but I my body seriously can't afford to make the creamy deliciousness very often. I found a recipe that can still provide me with the delicious comfort that is Leek and Potato Soup without viciously attaching itself to my hips.

5 pounds potatoes, peeled and quartered
6 cups chicken broth
3 large leeks, bulb only
1/4 cup butter
1/2 tsp salt
1/4 teaspoon freshly ground white pepper

1. Cook potatoes in chicken stock until soft. Set aside, do not drain.
2. Put potatoes in the work bowl of a food processor in batches. Add 5 cups of chicken stock from the potato cooking pot. Puree until smooth.
3. Half the leeks lengthwise, and soak in water to clean. Finely slice. Saute in butter until transparent.
4. In a soup pot, combine remaining cup of chicken stock from the potato cooking pot and sauteed leeks. Stir in pureed potatoes, and bring to a simmer. Season with salt and white pepper. Cook to desired consistency, adding more stock if necessary.

Survival Mode Cooking

2011-01-14T13:30:00.000-08:00

Some days are all about survival. Whether it is just one hectic day, a foreseeable event, weeks, or months sometimes we just need those survival meals. You know, the meals that we can put on the table without much effort.

Well, my kitchen has been in survival mode off and on (more on than off) for about 7 months now. But guess what? We are still eating pretty darn good. You won't find us eating hamburger helper or expensive frozen meals from the freezer section. We're eating quick and delicious meals utilizing a little survival cooking technique.

What's the secret? Let me share.

Survival Mode Cooking Tip #1
Use your crockpot. I'm not just talking about your standard crockpot recipes or all in one meals. I often utilize the crockpot to cook several chicken breasts to use in my meals during the week. Just throw the breasts in there with some cream of chicken. Store the cooked chicken in the fridge to use later. They will be plain...no spices or anything so you can use them in a variety of ways. Just add some spices, toss into a casserole or whatever.

Let's look at Buffalo Chicken Subs for an example. I slice an onion and saute it. I chop up some of my crockpot cooked chicken and toss it in with the onions. Add a little Frank's Hot Sauce, melt some cheese over it, and throw it on some hoagies. Top with a little sliced tomatoes. You could do something similar with a BBQ chicken sub. Start to table time is 15 minutes or less.

Other recipes with which I used my pre-cooked crockpot chicken:
Quick Pasta
Cajun Chicken Pasta
Chicken Crepes
Cilantro Lime Quesadillas
Chicken Pot Pie

Some of those recipes are faster and more suitable to survival cooking mode than others. The point is that nixing the step of cooking the meat saves a lot of time.

Other ideas: Salads, Soups, Casseroles

Survival Mode Cooking Tip #2:
Keep it simple. Tossing a couple steaks on the grill and serving it with wilted spinach with a splash of balsamic vinegar is super quick. Throw a frozen pork roast in the crockpot with some seasonings. Serve it with a side of steamed broccoli and some rice. Bam, 15 minutes. I'm not advocating making all your meals meat-centric, but you get the idea right? Meat + side(s) of vegetables + maybe a starch as well.

Survival Mode Cooking Tip #3:
Utilize the good days to prepare for the bad. My current situation involves an illness that has some ups and downs. Sometimes I am lucky enough to know that the downs are coming and can prepare. Right now in my freezer I have 8 pizzas (1 Pepperoni, 2 Supreme, 3 BBQ Chicken, 2 Buffalo Chicken) and a casserole that will be utilized in the next couple of weeks during a down time that I knew was coming. All it took was setting aside a little time during 2 different afternoons on good days and I have 8 delicious pizzas waiting for me. With the casserole I simply doubled what I was making one night and froze half of it. You'd be surprised what you can freeze. If you are wondering about how an ingredient fairs during freezing just do a quick google search.

In my freezer I also have cooked shredded pork for tacos. I have sliced mushrooms ready to toss in a pasta, on a pizza, or whatever else might come up. I also have frozen buffalo chicken and BBQ chicken for pizza toppings. I just chopped up the meat into pizza topping sized portions and spread it out on a wax paper lined jelly roll pan, froze, and plopped into a labeled freezer bag. That way they aren't stuck together so I can literally just throw them on a pizza (or whatever other creative idea I might come up with)and call it good. I like pizza. Can you tell?

More survival mode cooking tips to come in the future.

Cauliflower Puree

2011-01-09T16:58:00.000-08:00

Alright, I'm in love with cauliflower puree now. They are always doing some sort of cauliflower puree and such on shows like Top Chef. It is so simple, yet it comes across as being something pretty fancy. It is mild and delicious. Honestly, your kids will probably just think it is mashed potatoes. Just think, cauliflower (unlike potato which have very little nutrients)is a good source of Protein, Thiamin, Riboflavin, Phosphorus and Potassium, and a very good source of Dietary Fiber, Vitamin C, Vitamin K, Vitamin B6, Folate, Pantothenic Acid and Manganese. Sure I add a little cream and butter...

1 large or 2 small heads of Cauliflower
4 cloves of Garlic
1 russet Potato
1/2 cup Cream
1/4 cup Sweet Butter

Cauliflower Puree:

1. Bring a large pot of water to a boil. Salt the water.

2. Meanwhile, wash and dry cauliflower. Cut in half, remove center core. Separate cauliflower into florets.

3. Peel and dice potato.

4. Add florets, potato and garlic to the boiling water. Cook for 20-30 minutes or until tender. Drain, but reserve at least a cup of the water to thin the puree if necessary.

5. In a food processor (or a blender) puree the cauliflower, potato, cream and butter. Add some of the reserved cooking waters to adjust the consistency of the puree to your liking. Season with salt to taste.

Perfect Frozen Pizzas

2011-01-04T13:16:00.000-08:00

I almost always have frozen pizzas in my freezer. I love pizza and they are so convenient to have on those nights where dinner just isn't going to work out. Here's the thing though, most store bought frozen pizzas just don't meet my standards for taste. So, of course, I make my own. I've come up with a system that makes it really quite easy. Occasionally I'll just use up a couple hours (okay, hands on time it is only like 30 minutes total) one afternoon when I have time and make several pizzas to store for those days when I don't have time on my hands.

If you've ever seen my frozen pizzas, they look pretty darn good. I traced my pizza stone onto some clean cardboard and cut out several circles to freeze my pizzas on. I use them over and over and over. This way there is something to freeze them on that they will come off of easily AND they are just the right size for my pizza stone AND they end up looking all professional AND they are a piece of cake to put onto a pizza stone because they are frozen solid.

1 1/2 Tablespoons yeast
1 1/2 Tablespoons brown sugar
2 cups warm water (110 degrees F/45 degrees C)
1 1/2 teaspoons salt
3 Tablespoons olive oil
5-6 cups flour
(makes 3 large pizzas)

1. Place all ingredients in bread machine on dough only setting OR dissolve yeast and brown sugar in water in a stand mixer bowl. Let sit 10 minutes until bubbly. Add all other ingredients and mix until well combined. Keep the dough light and fluffy by slowly adding the flour just until the dough is workable. Let it rise for about an hour.

2. Divide dough into 3 portions. Roll out each portion in a circle to the size of your cardboard cutouts. It will be pretty thin, but don't worry, they rise.

To get your dough onto the cardboard first, fold it in half.

Second pick up the folded dough and plop it onto your cardboard. Unfold it.

It will stick to itself a little and lose its shape. Don't despair! It is so easy to fix it. Just use your hands and stretch it out until it is the size and shape of your cutout.

3. Let the pizzas rise for about 20-30 minutes.

4. Top with desired toppings. Pepperoni, Supreme, Buffalo Chicken, and BBQ Chicken are our favorites. You can also just make them sort of plain and add more toppings when you actually bake them. Just be sure to add the toppings quickly before baking. Once the pizza starts to thaw you'll have trouble getting it onto your pizza stone.

Now you have a bunch of beautiful pizzas.

5. Stick them in the freezer to freeze.

6. Once frozen solid, remove from cardboard backing and wrap tightly in plastic wrap to store.

7. Bake on pizza stone at 425 degrees until done. You'll have to eyeball this based on your toppings. It should take around 10-15 minutes. The more toppings you have the longer it takes to cook.

It's really just so convenient to have these puppies in your freezer. It has helped us eat out less, and we never have to compromise our tastes to those store bought atrocities.

Macaroni and Cheese for One (and 2 and more!)

2011-01-04T12:55:00.000-08:00

I love macaroni and cheese. Sometimes I feel dumb making a box of Kraft Mac and Cheese for myself for lunch. I'm an adult for heaven's sake! The mystery powder, while delicious, is full of chemicals and who knows what else. So, instead of whipping out the quick box, I suppose I can spend an extra 10 minutes and make it using all real, adult ingredients. I end up making lunch just for myself so I'll give the different measurements based on servings for convenience sakes.

A Hearty Portion for One
6 tablespoons uncooked macaroni pasta
1 tablespoon butter
1 tablespoon all-purpose flour
1/8 teaspoon salt
1 pinch pepper
1/8 teaspoon onion powder
1/8 teaspoon ground mustard
1/2 cup milk
1/3 cup shredded Cheddar cheese
1-3 dashes Frank's hot sauce (to taste)

Directions

1. Preheat an oven to 400 degrees. Grease a ramekin.

2. Fill a small saucepan with water, and bring to a boil. Stir in the macaroni; cook until al dente. Drain well.

3. Meanwhile in another small saucepan, melt the butter over medium heat. Stir in the flour, salt, pepper, onion powder, mustard powder, and milk; whisk until smooth. Cook, stirring, for 3-5 minutes until the sauce just starts to thicken. Reduce heat to low, and whisk in 1/3 cup cheese and hot sauce. Stir in the cooked macaroni. Spoon the macaroni and cheese into the prepared dish.

4. Bake, uncovered,about 10 minutes.

Hearty Lunch for Two Adults, or a Mom and 2 Kids
3/4 cup uncooked macaroni pasta
2 tablespoon butter
2 tablespoon all-purpose flour
1/4 teaspoon salt
1 pinch pepper
1/4 teaspoon onion powder
1/4 teaspoon ground mustard
1 cup milk
2/3 cup shredded Cheddar cheese
2-6 dashes Frank's hot sauce (to taste)
(2 ramekins)

Family Sized
1 1/2 cups uncooked macaroni pasta
4 tablespoon butter
1/4 cup all-purpose flour
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon pepper
1/2 teaspoon onion powder
1/2 teaspoon ground mustard
2 cups milk
1 1/3 cups shredded Cheddar cheese
4 dashes - 1 tablespoon Frank's hot sauce (to taste)
(4 ramekins)

Roasted Beets 'n' Sweets

2010-12-24T12:12:00.000-08:00

I've got a new recipe that I'm digging. I stumbled across it when I realized that three beets don't feed five people. Coincidentally I had 10lbs of sweet potatoes to use and thought this recipe might turn out okay. Let me tell you, I was pleasantly surprised. It was delicious! People are always saying they don't like beets. #1, most of you have never even tried fresh beets #2, beets are extremely mild (we're talking as mild as corn). Try this recipe, you might discover the beauty of beets!

6 medium beets, peeled and cut into chunks
2 1/2 tablespoons olive oil, divided
1 teaspoon garlic powder
1 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon ground black pepper
1 teaspoon brown sugar
3 medium sweet potatoes, cut into chunks
1 large sweet onion, chopped

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 400 degrees F (200 degrees C).
2. In a bowl, toss the beets with 1/2 tablespoon olive oil to coat. Spread in a single layer on a baking sheet.
3. Mix the remaining 2 tablespoons olive oil, garlic powder, salt, pepper, and sugar in a large resealable plastic bag. Place the sweet potatoes and onion in the bag. Seal bag, and shake to coat vegetables with the oil mixture.
4. Bake beets 15 minutes in the preheated oven. Mix sweet potato mixture with the beets on the baking sheet. Continue baking 25-45 minutes (depends on how big you cut your chunks really), stirring after 20 minutes, until all vegetables are tender.

Oatmeal Chocolate Caramel Bars

2010-12-17T15:40:00.000-08:00

My sister over at TheCraftPatch gave me this recipe. Oh my, it is truly delicious. I was looking for a way to use some leftover caramel topping and this was definitely a good way to go.

Ingredients:
1 cup all-purpose flour
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1 cup quick cooking oats
3/4 cup packed brown sugar
3/4 cup melted butter
1/4 teaspoon salt
1 cup chocolate chips
1/2 cup chopped pecans (optional)
3/4 cup caramel ice cream topping
3 T flour (only use the flour if you have caramel topping that is runny)

Directions:
Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Grease one 9x9 (or 8x8) inch square pan. Combine flour, baking soda, oats, brown sugar, salt and melted butter. Press a little over half of the mixture into the bottom of the prepared pan. Bake at 350 degrees for 10 minutes. Let cool slightly then sprinkle chocolate chips and chopped nuts over the crust. Mix ice cream topping with flour and drizzle over chocolate chips. Crumble the remaining flour mixture over the top and press it down. Bake at 350 degrees for 15 minutes. Let bars cool completely before cutting.

Chocolate Caramel Pie

2010-11-15T12:32:00.000-08:00

1 graham cracker pie crust
***7 oz caramels, unwrapped
***1/4 cup evaporated milk
1/2 cup milk
20 large marshmallows
1 cup semi-sweet chocolate chips
3 T butter
1 tsp vanilla
1 8 oz cool whip, thawed

***1. Over medium heat melt the caramels in the evaporated milk. Stir until smooth. Cool 10 minutes. Stir thoroughly, pour over the crust and refrigerate.

2. Over low heat melt the milk, marshmallows, chocolate chips, and butter until smooth. Remove from heat and stir in vanilla. Cool to room temperature, stirring occasionally to keep smooth. When it is completely cooled fold in the cool whip. Spread over the caramel and refrigerate overnight.

***Instead of melting caramels in evaporated milk you can use a very thick caramel ice cream topping (like Mrs. Richardson's).

Thanksgiving 2010 Menu

2010-11-12T12:24:00.001-08:00

It's that time of year again and Rachel is putting on a Thanksgiving feast for 12. Here's what we have on the menu:

Breakfast
Pumpkin Scones with Cream Cheese Butter

Appetizers
Artichoke and Cheese Triangles
Deviled Eggs with Horseradish
Stuffed Mushrooms
Caprese Skewers

Main Course
Organic Free-Range Turkey with Cajun Injection
Jalapeno Cranberry Sauce
Mashed Potatoes and Gravy
Stuffing
Sweet Potatoes
Green Beans and Caramelized Shallots
Rolls
Jello with Fresh Raspberries

Dessert
Pumpkin Pie
New York Cheesecake
Chocolate Cream Pie
Apple Pie
Chocolate and Caramel Pie
Oreo Pie
(Can you tell we are chocolate lovers and not fruit pie lovers?)

This menu takes two days worth of cooking to pull off. It is going to be a delicious Thanksgiving.

Salmon with Honey Mustard Glaze

2010-10-22T08:00:00.000-07:00

Easy and tasty. I thought I didn't like salmon until I tasted this version a number of years ago. I'm a salmon convert. This recipe took me down a road where I discovered things I never knew were possible with salmon.

1 T packed brown sugar
1 T butter, melted
1 T olive oil
1 T honey
1 T soy sauce
1 T Dijon mustard
1 clove garlic, finely chopped
1 salmon fillet (1 lb.)

1. In small bowl, mix all ingredients but salmon.

2. Place salmon, skin side down in shallow glass or plastic dish. Pour marinade over salmon. Cover and refrigerate at least 15 minutes, but no longer than 1 hour.

3. Set oven control to broil. Remove salmon from marinade, reserve marinade. Place salmon, skin side down, on rack in broiler pan. Broil with top 4-6 inches from medium heat 10-15 minutes, brushing 2-3 times with marinade, until salmon flakes easily with fork. Discard any remaining marinade.

Fried Rice

2010-10-19T08:00:00.001-07:00

Why pay for Chinese take out when a lot of the stuff is easy to make at home? Here's some Americanized fried rice.

2 cups enriched white rice
4 cups water
⅔ cup chopped baby carrots
½ cup frozen green peas
2 tablespoons vegetable oil
2 eggs
soy sauce to taste
sesame oil, to taste

1. In a saucepan, combine rice and water. Bring to a boil. Reduce heat, cover, and simmer for 20 minutes.

2. In a small saucepan, boil carrots in water about 3 to 5 minutes. Drop peas into boiling water, and drain.

3. Heat large frying pan over high heat. Pour in oil, then stir in carrots and peas; cook about 30 seconds. Crack in eggs, stirring quickly to scramble eggs with vegetables. Stir in cooked rice. Shake in soy sauce, and toss rice to coat. Drizzle with sesame oil, and toss again.

Pumpkin Pancakes

2010-10-16T17:48:00.000-07:00

It's just that time of year! Pumpkin everything! Can you tell we like pumpkins in our house? These are delicious pumpkin pancakes that make you feel like you are having pumpkin pie for breakfast (or dinner as usually happens here).

1 1/2 cups milk
1 cup pumpkin puree
1 egg
2 tablespoons vegetable oil
2 tablespoons vinegar
2 cups all-purpose flour
3 tbsp brown sugar
2 tsp baking powder
1 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 tsp nutmeg
1/2 tsp cloves
1 tsp cinnamon
1/2 tsp ground ginger
1/2 tsp salt

Directions

1. Combine all ingredients in a mixing bowl and stir just enough to combine.
2. Heat a lightly oiled griddle or frying pan over medium high heat. Pour or scoop the batter onto the griddle, using approximately 1/4 cup for each pancake. Brown on both sides and serve hot.

Homemade Sweet and Sour Sauce

2010-10-16T08:00:00.000-07:00

Homemade sweet and sour sauce. You heard me right. Nothing wrong with the store bought stuff, but it's nice to know you can make it yourself when you get the craving. Throw it on some chicken, use it for some egg rolls, etc. It's one of those recipes that can come in handy.

¾ cup white sugar
⅓ cup white vinegar
⅔ cup water
¼ cup soy sauce
1 tablespoon ketchup
2 tablespoons cornstarch

Place the sugar, vinegar, water, soy sauce, ketchup and cornstarch in a medium saucepan, and bring to a boil. Stir continuously until the mixture has thickened.

Pumpkin Scones with Cream Cheese Butter

2010-10-11T08:00:00.000-07:00

Fall...Halloween...Thanksgiving...it is the time of pumpkins. One of our favorite fall treats are Pumpkin Scones with Cream Cheese Butter. Oh my, I'm salivating just thinking about them.

1 T instant dry yeast
1/3 C sugar
1 C milk, warmed to 110 degrees
7-8 c flour
1/4 tsp nutmeg
1/4 tsp nutmeg
1 tsp cinnamon
1 pinch cloves
1 tsp salt
1/2 C cold butter, cut in pieces
1 large egg, slightly beaten
2 C pumpkin puree (16 oz)
oil for frying

1. In a large bowl, combine yeast, sugar, and warm milk. Let stand a few minutes, until foamy.

2. In a second bowl, combine 5 C flour, nutmeg, cinnamon, cloves, and salt.

3. Add cold butter, and cut in until mixture resembles cornmeal.

4. Put dry ingredients in large bowl with the yeast. Mix slightly.

5. Add egg and pumpkin. Beat on low until well mixed.

6. Continue to mix on low (knead), adding small amounts of the remaining flour until the dough pulls away from the sides of the bowl.

7. Beat another 3-4 minutes, and then transfer to a well greased bowl. Cover and let rise until double (about 1 hour).

8. Punch the dough down and transfer to a floured counter. Break off golf ball size pieces. Roll the balls out into flat pieces, 1/2" thick.

9. Fry in hot oil (375 degrees) on both sides. Cool on a paper towel covered rack. Serve with cream cheese butter.

Cream Cheese Butter
1 8 oz pkg. cream cheese, softened
1/2 C butter, softened
1 C powdered sugar
1 tsp vanilla
1/2 tsp cinnamon

1. Beat ingredients with an electric hand mixer until smooth.
2. Serve with warm pumpkin scones.
3. Refrigerate leftover mixture.

Sweet Potato Bread

2010-10-08T08:00:00.000-07:00

Fall is here and sweet potatoes/yams are definitely on the menu at our house. Here's a scrumptious sweet potato quick bread recipe. Simple and easy.

1½ cups white sugar
½ cup vegetable oil
2 eggs
1¾ cups sifted all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon baking soda
¼ teaspoon salt
½ teaspoon ground cinnamon
½ teaspoon ground nutmeg
⅓ cup water
1 cup cooked and mashed sweet potatoes
½ cup chopped pecans (optional)

1. Combine sugar and oil; beat well. Add eggs and beat. Combine flour, baking soda, salt, cinnamon and nutmeg. Stir flour mixture into egg mixture alternately with water. Stir in sweet potatoes and chopped nuts.

2. Pour batter into greased 9x5 inch loaf pan (or 2 small loaf pans). Bake at 350 degrees F for about one hour.

Broiled Tomatoes

2010-10-05T10:00:00.000-07:00

Got a bunch of tomatoes from that garden that you are looking for even more ways to use? Here's a quick side dish using the tasty garden delights.

3 large tomatoes
6 T salad dressing (pretty much any kind)
6 T Parmesan cheese

Wash and remove the core from 3 large tomatoes. Slice the tomatoes in 8 pieces each. Put tomato slices on top of a jelly roll pan.

Combine 6 T salad dressing with 6 T Parmesan cheese. Spoon onto tomato slices.

Broil until cheese is bubbly and lightly browned.

Stuffed Zucchinis

2010-10-04T08:00:00.000-07:00

When summer rolls around I always hear people complaining about what they should do with all those zucchinis. These stuffed zucchinis are an easy way to turn those green things into something spectacular.

3 small zucchini, cut in half, lengthwise
¾ cup small croutons
6 T mushrooms, drained, chopped
1 T melted butter
6 T grated cheese

1. Parboil zucchini 5 minutes. Cool.

2. Combine croutons, mushrooms, butter. Remove center portion of zucchini; add to crouton mixture, stir to mix. Fill the zucchini with the mushroom mixture. Top with cheese.

3. Broil until lightly browned.

Breakfast Strudel

2010-10-02T18:45:00.000-07:00

This is my go to recipe for brunches or anytime you need an impressive breakfast dish. It's easy, it's quick, it's tasty, and it looks like you know what you are doing. It can also be made ahead.

1 box puff pastry dough (1.1 lb.) Thaw according to package directions.
2 T butter
½ C diced onion
1 C frozen hash browns
1 C red or green bell peppers, diced
11 eggs
4 oz cream cheese
2 T fresh chives (or 1 tsp dry)
2 T orange juice

----
1 egg, beaten
1 T water
2 T Parmesan cheese, shredded

1. Melt butter in a large skillet. Add potatoes and saute 5 minutes.

2. Add bell pepper and onion. Saute 3.

3. Whisk eggs, chives, salt and pepper (to taste) together. Add to the pan and cook, stirring, until just set.

4. Remove from heat. Add cream cheese and juice. Stir to combine.

5. Unfold pastry and roll to 10“ x 12”. Transfer to parchment lined baking sheet. Lightly mark dough lengthwise, in thirds. On each outside section, cut 8 slices.

6. Fill the center section with half the egg mixture. Fold the strips, right then left, over the egg to form a rbaid.

7. Beat the single egg and 1 T water. Brush on the strudel. Sprinkle parmesan cheese on top.

8. Bake at 400° for 20-30 minutes, until golden brown. Let cool 5 minutes before slicing.

Greek Salad

2010-06-28T12:39:00.000-07:00

I don't have a picture for this salad because I was just too hungry to stop and take one! This salad just screams summer. Light, seasonal, delicious. It is super quick to make too.

2 cucumbers, diced-ish
1 pint cherry tomatoes, sliced in half
1 small red onion, diced
1 can whole olives
1 lemon, juiced
1 cup feta cheese (I used tomato basil seasoned feta)
1/4 c olive oil

Combine all ingredients in a bowl, toss.

Goat Cheese Arugula Pizza

2010-06-21T17:51:00.000-07:00

1 unbaked pizza crust
6 tablespoons prepared pesto sauce (see below)
3 roma tomatoes, thinly sliced
1 (5-6 ounce) package seasoned goat cheese
2 cloves garlic, peeled and thinly sliced
1 cup fresh arugula
1 teaspoon olive oil

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 450 degrees.
2. Dab pesto onto the center of the pizza base, and spread toward the outer edges. Cut the goat cheese into thin coins, and spread or crumble across the pizza. Arrange tomato slices over goat cheese. Sprinkle with garlic. Brush the crust edges lightly with olive oil.
3. Place pizza directly on preheated pizza stone. Bake for 10 to 15 minutes, or until the crust edges are golden.
4. After taking pizza out of the oven, allow to cool for a few minutes so that the cheese has time to set. After a couple of minutes, cover the pizza with a few handfuls of arugula.

PESTO
1 1/2 cups fresh basil leaves
1/2 cup chopped walnuts (optional)
2 cloves garlic, peeled
3 Tablespoons grated Parmesan cheese
1/4 cup olive oil
salt and pepper to taste

Put all ingredients in a food processor and blend together.

Pizza Dough

2010-06-21T10:38:00.000-07:00

2 teaspoons active dry yeast
2 Tablespoons brown sugar
1 cup warm water (110 degrees F/45 degrees C)
3/4 teaspoon salt
1 1/2 tablespoon olive oil
2 1/2 - 3 cups flour

1. Place all ingredients in bread machine on dough only setting OR dissolve yeast and brown sugar in water in a stand mixer bowl. Let sit 10 minutes until bubbly. Add all other ingredients and mix until well combined. Keep the dough light and fluffy by slowly adding the flour just until the dough is workable.

2. Toss dough or roll out. This makes a thin crust, but not New York Style thin. The dough will rise later.

3. Either let the dough rise for 30 minutes, or freeze immediately (that way you have a crust ready and just have to throw some toppings on when you need it later).

3. Top with desired toppings.

3. Bake on pizza stone at 425 degrees until done. You'll have to eyeball this based on your toppings. It should take around 10-15 minutes. The more toppings you have the longer it takes to cook.

If you don't have a pizza stone, I highly recommend you get one.

Chocolate Tiramisu Pie (No Coffee)

2010-06-20T19:19:00.000-07:00

So I wanted to make my husband Tiramisu for Father's Day, but couldn't find a good recipe for a coffeeless version. So, I've once again made my own. I did my research and came up with the best recipe I possibly could that would match the coffee and booze laced original version. So ya, it probably is nothing like it. But... It turned out quite tasty! I've never had "real" Tiramisu and never will (I don't drink coffee) so we'll just call this a Chocolate Tiramisu Pie. It takes about 45 minutes to make, but is well worth the effort.

CHOCOLATE CUSTARD
1/4 cup white sugar
3 T cornstarch
½ cup milk
½ cup heavy cream
3 tablespoons semi-sweet chocolate chips
1 ½ tablespoons milk chocolate chips
2 egg yolks
1 tablespoons butter
½ teaspoon vanilla extract

1. Combine sugar, flour, milk, cream and chopped up chocolate in 2 quart saucepan. Stirring constantly, cook over medium heat until mixture begins to bubble. Continue stirring for 2 minutes.

2. Mix a little of the hot mixture into the egg yolks, beating rapidly to avoid cooking the yolks. Stir the warm yolk mixture into the remainder of the chocolate mixture, and cook for an additional 90 seconds. Remove from heat, and stir in butter or margarine and vanilla.

3. Poor in a glass bowl and put in the fridge to cool.

MASCARPONE FILLING
1 (8 ounce) container mascarpone cheese
1/2 cup confectioners' sugar

4. In a small bowl, using an electric mixer set on low speed, combine mascarpone, and 1/2 cup confectioners' sugar; beat just until smooth. Cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate.

FROSTING
2 cups heavy cream
1/4 cup confectioners' sugar

5. In a medium bowl, using an electric mixer set on medium-high speed, beat the cream, and 1/4 cup confectioners' sugar until stiff. Fold 1/2 cup of frosting mixture into the mascarpone filling mixture.

LADY FINGERS
1 T unsweetened cocoa powder
3/4 cups hot water
36 lady fingers

6. Dissolve cocoa powder in hot water.

7. ASSEMBLE:
Cover bottom of a 9 inch pie pan with lady fingers. Drizzle cocoa powder/water mixture over the lady fingers, soaking them.
Spread mascarpone mixture over lady finger layer.
Spread chocolate custard over mascarpone layer.
Add another layer of lady fingers. Drizzle cocoa powder/water mixture over the lady fingers.
Spread mascarpone mixture over lady finger layer.
Spread chocolate custard over mascarpone layer.
Top with the whipped cream.

8. Use a vegetable peeler to shave a chocolate bar. Scatter the shavings over the finished product.

Menu June 19 - 25 - Kinda Fancy Like!

2010-06-19T14:28:00.000-07:00

This weeks menu seems a little fancier than normal, but I am so excited about it!

Saturday night we'll have Ravioli in a Butter Sage Sauce and a salad on the side. Last time we had the ravioli I just couldn't get enough of it! I also found some really pretty heirloom tomatoes that I'll probably slice up as well, perhaps as a little caprese.

Sunday night we'll be celebrating Father's Day with some delicious steaks. I bought a Ribeye and a Porterhouse (Choice Grade, don't waste your money on the Select Grade Stuff. Choice or Prime baby!) and I'll season them with my favorite Steak Rub and plop them on the grill. On the side we'll have a small salad and some fresh green beans tossed with shallots.

Monday, oh Monday! I'm so excited for Monday's dinner of a Goat Cheese and Arugula Pizza. I salivate like crazy just thinking about it. I don't have a recipe ready for you yet so I have linked to Allrecipes.com

Tuesday we're going with a nice Veggie Quesadilla. With Summer here we've got to celebrate by taking advantage of all the wonderful vegetables ready for us to enjoy.

Wednesday I'm using up my over abundance of plums by making a spicy plum sauce served over grilled pork chops. We'll have some baked potatoes on the side.

Thursday I'm taking it easy and serving the tried and true classic: spaghetti.

Friday, well, Friday is up in the air. I'm going to leave it to my imagination, or perhaps I'll actually eat out. There's a new Vietnamese place I'm dying to try.

Happy Eating!

Green Chili Burgers

2010-06-16T13:27:00.000-07:00

(makes 4 burgers)

1 lb ground buffalo (alright, you can cheap out and go hamburger if you want)
salt and pepper
4 slices pepper jack cheese
1 onion, sliced
1 can whole green chilis
lettuce
4 whole wheat hamburger buns

Sauce/Spread
1/4 cup mayonnaise
1/4 tsp paprika
1/4 tsp cayenne
1/4 tsp curry powder
1 pinch salt

1. Season ground buffalo with salt and pepper and form into patties. Cook on grill. When they are almost done, put cheese and green chili on top until cheese is melted and green chili is heated through.

2. Meanwhile, sautee onions until soft and semi-transparent.

3. To make the spread simply mix the spread ingredients together.

3. Put the hamburgers together layered bottom to top: bottom bun, meat, cheese, chili, grilled onions, letttuce, spread, top bun.

Sauteed Chard with Parmesan Cheese

2010-06-14T14:53:00.000-07:00

So you may hear "chard" and throw up a little in your mouth or immediately make a "yuck" face. Think again. Chard doesn't have to be bitter or nasty. It can be turned into a flavorful, colorful side dish. This recipe is actually pretty tasty, especially for a green vegetable. Give it a try, you may have a whole new attitude towards chard.

2 tablespoons butter
2 tablespoons olive oil (or use 4 T olive oil and omit butter to cut calories)
4 cloves garlic, minced
1/2 small red onion, diced
1 bunch Swiss chard, stems and center ribs cut out and chopped together, leaves coarsely chopped separately
1/2 cup chicken broth
2 tsp lemon juice, or to taste
2 tablespoons freshly grated Parmesan cheese
salt to taste (optional)

Directions

1. Melt butter and olive oil together in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Stir in the garlic and onion, and cook for about a minute.

2. Add the chard stems and the chicken broth. Simmer until the stems begin to soften, about 5 minutes.

3. Stir in the chard leaves, and cook until wilted. Finally, stir in lemon juice and Parmesan cheese; season to taste with salt if needed.

Mac and Cheese with a Kick

2010-06-14T14:45:00.001-07:00

I love pasta. I love cheese. So of course, I love mac and cheese. This recipe for mac and cheese utilizes regular old cheeses that you find in the cheese section at your grocery store, yet produces a mac and cheese that is a little different than your standard cheddar based cheesiness. The pepper jack gives it a nice kick, without making it spicy. My little almost two year old gobbled it all up.

4 T butter
2 cups half and half
8 oz Pepper Jack Cheese
8 oz mozzarella
4 oz sharp cheddar
1 lb pasta (pictured: whole wheat penne)

1. Shred all cheeses by hand or use a food processor. Don't use pre-shredded cheese. It has chemicals on it that effect flavor and texture.

2. Cook pasta according to package directions.

3. Meanwhile, melt butter in a sauce pan over low heat. Whisk in half and half. Heat through, stirring constantly.

4. Add in a handful of the shredded cheese and stir in. Repeat until all cheese has been added.

5. Continue stirring cheese slowly until it is all melted through and creamy.

6. Pour cheese over cooked pasta. You can either put it in ramekins for single servings, or you can use a 9x13 baking dish. Either way, lightly greased.

7. Bake at 350 degrees for about 20 minutes.

Ful Medames Hummus

2010-06-12T17:32:00.000-07:00

It's not the prettiest thing ever, but it sure is tasty. I used traditional ingredients for Ful Medames ( a traditional Egyptian dish featuring fava beans) to make a Ful Medames Hummus. Fava beans have a nutty flavor and are delicious even just eating plain.

About 2 lbs fava beans
1/3 cup Tahini Sauce
4 cloves garlic, crushed
3 T freshly squeezed lemon juice
several T olive oil
1/2 tsp cayenne pepper (optional)

1. Preheat oven to 425 degrees. Spread out whole fava beans on a lightly greased cookie sheet. Roast for about 20 minutes. Set aside to cool enough to handle.

2. Remove beans from fava pods. They should come out of the pods quite easily.

3. Blend fava beans, tahini sauce, garlic, lemon juice and cayenne pepper in a food processor (or a blender). Add olive oil slowly until the mixture gets the desired dip like texture.

Serve with pita bread.

Vegetable Cornish Pasties

2010-06-07T13:13:00.000-07:00

Based on tasting the filling by itself I was skeptical of these little English treats called pasties. But once in it's little dough pocket I found myself quite pleased.

Ingredients

1 package puff pastry dough
1/4 cup butter
1 onion, thinly sliced
1 carrot, diced
1 turnip, peeled and diced
1 large potato, peeled and diced
2/3 cup frozen peas
1/4 tsp black pepper
1/4 tsp salt
1/2 tsp paprika
2 tablespoons water
1 chicken bouillon cube
1/4 cup milk
1 egg
1 1/2 cups shredded Cheddar cheese

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 400 degrees F (200 degrees C).
2. Thaw pastry dough according to package directions.
3. Meanwhile, place a large skillet over medium heat. Add butter and allow to melt. Add onion and saute for 5 minutes, until translucent and beginning to brown. Add carrot, turnip, potato, peas, water, salt, pepper, and paprika. Lower heat and cover skillet. Allow mixture to cook for 10 minutes, stirring occasionally.
4. In a small bowl, dissolve bouillon in milk. Whisk in 1 egg. Stir this mixture into cooked vegetables. Add cheese and stir until it is all melted in. Set aside.
5. Divide pastry dough into 4 square portions. Roll it out if necessary. Place 1/4 of filling on one half of each pastry square. Fold pastry diagonally and seal edges.
6. Place pasties on a baking sheet and bake in preheated oven for 30 minutes, until pastry is golden brown.

World Tour Menu - Week of June 5 - June 11

2010-06-05T17:07:00.001-07:00

I've got quite a world food tour lined up for my family this week. Here is what I got this week in my amazing seasonal produce box from Abundant Harvest Organics:

4 small lemons
3 large tomatoes
4 carrots
4 potatoes
3 large turnips
2 red onions
2 huge heads of lettuce
Kale
Fava beans
7 Plums
20 Nectarines
10Peaches
1 squash
Chamomille

Saturday night we are heading south of the border for pork tacos. Chop a little cilantro, some onion, and some tomato, throw in a little cheese and sour cream on a tortilla and we are eating some finger-licking good food for dinner. The meat is tossed in the crockpot in the morning and we can hardly wait until dinner time.

Sunday we're doing things UK style with some Vegetable Cornish Pasties. This is a new recipe for me and I'll be posting what I end up with as my recipe. I'll be altering things just a bit. For those of you who aren't familiar, a pasty is simply a filled pastry pocket. We'll be having some baked kale chips on the side something along the lines of this recipe.

Monday night we'll be sticking to more "normal" food by grilling up some chicken (or possibly fish depending on whether or not the fish at the grocery store look any good). Toss in a salad full of delicious vegetables and well call it a nice light meal.

Tuesday night is scrounge night. We've got some plans that will be taking me out of the kitchen for the evening.

Wednesday we are heading to the Middle East for Israeli Moroccan Couscous. This will be a nice healthy meal full of vegetables. This recipe calls for saffron. Don't be scared. It can be hard to find. I know my local grocers don't carry it, but if you are blessed to have more than two options in town then you will probably be much more successful in finding it. If you don't have it, well, leave it out. It will definitely not be the same, but it will still probably taste alright.

Thursday night we're having breakfast for dinner. One of my favorites. The homemade hashbrowns are always the most popular.

Friday night we'll be getting adventurous by heading to the African Continent for some Ful Medammas. This will be kind of like a hummus made from fava beans instead of garbanzo beans. I'm going to serve it with some freshly baked pita bread.

Thus ends a "world cuisine" week.

Cheese Rolls

2010-06-01T12:05:00.001-07:00

Once again, my sister over at The Craft Patch has given me another tasty recipe. These are like cinnamon rolls, but cheese instead. The recipe is pretty vague, but it shouldn't be too hard to turn out something good.

1 recipe roll dough
cheese, cheese cheese
garlic powder, onion powder, parsley

Make roll dough in bread machine or however you make roll dough.

Roll it out into a big rectangle, just like you would for cinnamon rolls. Sprinkle with cheese. I used cheddar and mozzarella, but any cheese would be good. Sprinkle with onion/garlic/parsley, as little or as much as you'd like. I went light on the seasonings and heavy on the cheese (yeah, baby). Starting at the long end of the rectangle, roll tightly just like when you make cinnamon rolls. Cut into slices and raise for 20 minutes or so. Bake at 350 until golden brown and bubbly.

Homemade Soft Pretzels

2010-06-01T11:59:00.000-07:00

My sister over at The Craft Patch posted the recipe for these delectable treats a long time ago and I've been meaning to give them a try. Oh boy, am I glad I did. These are delicious! They are super easy, kids love them, and they cost pennies to make.

Ingredients
1 1/4 cups water
1 tablespoon yeast
1/4 cup brown sugar
4 + cups flour

Dipping Solution
1/4 cup baking soda
1 1/2 cups hot water

melted butter

Directions
Dissolve yeast into warm water. Add sugar, then flour & mix well---do not knead as this toughens the dough. Mix just until combined well. Let rise until doubled, at least 20 minutes. Roll into long ropes. Twist into pretzel shapes, then dip into prepared dipping solution (baking soda dissolved in hot water). Place on well-greased cookie sheet and bake at 500-550°F for 4-6 minutes until golden brown. Dip face of pretzel into melted butter and sprinkle with kosher salt.

Butter Sage Sauce

2010-05-07T17:47:00.000-07:00

This is a delicious, mild cream sauce you can use over pasta or meat.

Ingredients

- 4 tablespoons butter
- 10 fresh sage leaves, chopped
- 1/2 tablespoon corn starch
- 1 cup half and half
- 1/2 cup chicken broth
- 1 pinch salt and ground black pepper to taste

Directions

1. Melt the butter in a skillet over medium heat; add the sage leaves and cook for 2 minutes.

2. Whisk corn starch into butter.

3. Pour in the heavy cream and chicken broth and cook until it begins to thicken; about 3-5 minutes more. Season with salt and pepper to serve.

Rye Bread

2010-05-05T11:11:00.001-07:00

Switch things up a bit and try Rye bread. It is delicious and healthy. It is great for sandwiches or just eating plain.

Ingredients

- 1 1/8 cups warm water
- 2 teaspoons yeast
- 1 cup all-purpose flour
- 1 cup whole wheat flour
- 1 1/2 cups rye flour
- 3 tablespoons packed brown sugar
- 1 tablespoon unsweetened cocoa powder
- 3/4 teaspoon caraway seed
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 2 tablespoons molasses
- 1 tablespoon vegetable oil

1. Dissolve yeast in warm water. Let it sit for 10 minutes until bubbly.

2. Meanwhile, in a large bowl or stand mixer, stir together flours, brown sugar, cocoa powder, and caraway seed.

3. Add in wet ingredients (molasses, vegetable oil, yeast/water mixture). Knead together by hand or using a dough hook.

4. Shape into a free form oval loaf and place on a lightly greased cookie sheet or jelly roll pan. Cover with a towel and let it rise for 1 hour.

5. Bake for 40 minutes at 375 degrees.

Quick Pasta

2010-04-27T15:50:00.000-07:00

Sometimes I don't want to make dinner. I'll admit it. This is one of those dishes I throw together on those nights. It is quick and simple. 15 minutes from start to finish and healthy to boot! In fact, this pasta is so quick I failed to snap a picture of it.

1 package whole wheat thin spaghetti (I recommend Healthy Harvest, your kids will never know it is whole wheat)
3 Tablespoons olive oil
1 onion, diced
1 zucchini, diced
1 package of mushrooms, sliced
3 cloves garlic, crushed
1 tomato, diced (or a can of diced tomatoes)
2 lemons, juiced

1. Cook pasta according to package directions.

2. Meanwhile, in a large frying pan saute onion, zucchini, and mushrooms in olive oil for about 5 minutes. Add in crushed garlic and continue to saute for another 2 minutes.

3. Add in tomato, lemon juice, and cooked pasta. Stir up and cook another 2 minutes so that everything heats through. Serve with grated Parmesan cheese.

***Other vegetable ideas: artichokes, sugar snap peas

Bierocks (Runzas)

2010-04-19T18:21:00.000-07:00

My Granny is a full blooded German woman who has been serving me German food since I was a little girl. Needless to say, this kind of food reminds me of her. You could make smaller versions of these and serve them as appetizers.

Dough
- 1 cup warm water
- 3 tsp yeast
- 1/4 cup white sugar
- 2 Tablespoons shortening
- 1 egg
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 3 1/2 cups all-purpose flour

Filling
- 1/2 pound ground sirloin
- 2 shallots, diced
- 1 clove garlic, crushed
- 1/2 teaspoons salt
- 1 teaspoon lemon pepper
- 1 small head cabbage, chopped
- 2 tablespoons Worcestershire sauce
- 1 1/2 teaspoons caraway seeds

1. Put bread ingredients into a bread mixer. Run on dough only cycle and allow the dough to rise for 1 hour.

2. Saute beef and shallot in a large skillet over medium high heat, until beef is browned. Add garlic, salt, and lemon pepper. Saute for 1 more minute. Add cabbage, worcestershire sauce and caraway seeds. Cook until cabbage is limp, about 15 minutes. There shouldn't be a need to drain any liquids since you should be using a nice lean ground sirloin.
.
3. Roll out the dough into a large 18 x 18 inch rectangle. Cut into 9 six-inch squares. Spoon about 2 heaping tablespoons of filling onto each square until all of the filling has been used. Pull the opposing corners of the square up over the filling, pinching them closed at the top. Make sure you pinch it well to get a good seal so it doesn't burst open during cooking. Place each bierock onto a lightly greased cookie sheet.

4. Bake for 20 minutes at 350 degrees, or until golden brown. Serve hot, or wrap and freeze for heating later.

French Bread

2010-04-17T18:18:00.000-07:00

I had tried several different recipes for French Bread before coming up with my own. I found a great one that I like to use for sandwiches, but not one that I can just slice up and serve with a pasta dish, etc. So I came up with my own. Enjoy!

1 cup warm water
1/3 cup nonfat dry milk (instant or non-instant)
2 Tablespoons yeast
2 Tablespoons sugar
1 tsp salt
3 Tablespoons butter
1 egg
1 1/2 to 2 cups all purpose or bread flour
1 cups fine whole wheat flour
****if you don't want wheat, just do 2 1/2 cups to 3 cups regular flour

1. Put all ingredients in a bread maker and run on dough only setting.

2. After bread maker is done mixing and kneading, let rise 45 minutes to 1 hour.

3. Roll out dough flat into a 16 x 12 inch rectangle

4. Roll up into a 12 inch long baguette. Roll dough up to form a 12 inch long baguette. Roll gently back and forth to taper ends, pinching the ends shut if needed. Let rise again for 30-45 minutes.

5. Place baguette on a greased cookie sheet. Bake at 375 degrees for 15-20 minutes or until golden brown. Use a spray bottle to spray the bread with water at the 5, 10, and 15 minute marks during cooking. This will help give it a nice chewy crust.

Cajun Chicken Pasta

2010-04-17T18:11:00.000-07:00

8 ounces linguine pasta
2 chicken breasts
2 tsp cajun seasoning
2 T butter
1 red bell pepper, sliced
1 green bell pepper, sliced
6 fresh mushrooms, sliced
1 green onion, chopped
1 c heavy cream
Cajun Seasoning to taste (1 Tablespoon-ish)
1/4 c Parmesan cheese

1. Cook pasta according to package directions.
2. Place chicken breasts in a baggie with cajun seasoning (see recipe below). Shake until covered.
3. Cook chicken in frying pan over medium to medium-high heat or cook chicken on a grill over high heat until cooked through. Remove chicken, slice into strips, and set aside.
4. Melt butter in frying pan used to cook chicken (no need to clean it). Saute bell peppers, mushrooms, and onion. Return sliced chicken to pan.
5. Add cajun seasoning to taste. You can add more later as the sauce thickens.
6. Add heavy cream. Allow to cook until sauce thickens (about 5 minutes).
7. Add freshly grated Parmesan cheese before serving.

*** You can mix up the veggies in the pasta. I love to add zucchini to mine when the mood strikes.

Cajun Seasoning:
2 tsp onion powder
2 tsp garlic powder
2 tsp dried oregano
2 tsp dried basil
1 tsp thyme
1 tsp black pepper
1 tsp white pepper (if you have it, if not, don't fret)
1 tsp cayenne pepper (or less depending on how much heat you can handle)
4 1/2 tsp paprika
2 1/2 tsp salt

Make a batch and save it in a little jar or baggie. This can be used on tons of different stuf

Asian Greens and Noodle Stir Fry

2010-04-14T17:21:00.000-07:00

I got a mix of Asian leaf vegetables from my co-op. The mix included bok choy, choi sum (Chinese flowering cabbage), kai-lan (Chinese broccoli), and gai choy (Chinese mustard greens). What better way to use them than to come up with a stir fry! This turned out quite delicious and was definitely a hit.

Ingredients
- 1 lb Spaghetti noodles (you can use asian noodles, but spaghetti will do just fine)
- Favorite mix of stir fry vegetables
- 4 T Corn Oil
- 4 T Sesame Oil
- 4 T Soy Sauce
- 1/2 tsp ground ginger
- 1/2 to 1 tsp red pepper flakes (depending on how hot you want it)
- 2 cloves garlic, crushed

1. Cook the spaghetti noodles according to package directions.

2. Meanwhile, in a wok or large skillet heat oils and soy sauce. Add in stir fry vegetables. If you are using a mix of Asian greens cook them until they wilt and soften up. If you are using more americanized stir fry vegetables (carrots, broccoli, etc) cook until they soften up a bit, but remain crisp. Stir frequently.

3. After vegetables are cooked, add in ground ginger, red pepper flakes, and garlic. Cook 2-3 more minutes, stirying frequently.

4. Add cooked noodles to the wok/skillet and toss everything until well mixed.

Spinach Lasagna

2010-04-10T14:59:00.000-07:00

1 8 oz package lasagna noodles
1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil
8 oz frozen chopped spinach
1/2 onion, diced
1/2 teaspoon dried oregano
1/2 teaspoon dried basil
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 (32 ounce) jar spaghetti sauce (I recommend Wild Harvest Organic Pasta Sauces)
2 cups ricotta cheese
8 oz mozzarella cheese, shredded
1/4 cup grated Parmesan cheese
1/2 cup chopped fresh parsley
1 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon black pepper
2 eggs

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C).

2. Cook lasagna noodles according to package directions.

3. Meanwhile, in a sauce pot over medium heat saute onion in the olive oil. Add the garlic and continue to saute for another minute. Add oregano, basil and spaghetti sauce (reserve a little to put in the bottom of the pan) and the spinach; simmer 10 minutes.

4. In a large bowl mix ricotta cheese, mozzarella cheese, Parmesan cheese, parsley, salt, pepper and egg. Reserve some of the mozzarella to top of the lasagna.

5. Place a small amount of reserved spaghetti sauce in the bottom of a 9 x 13 pan. Place 4 cooked noodles on top of sauce and top with layer of spinach mixture. Add 4 more noodles and layer with half of the cheese mixture, put more of the spinach mixture on top of that. Add 4 more noodles and repeat with the cheese mixture and spinach mixture. Add 4 more noodles, add the spinach mixture and top with mozzarella.

5. Cover with foil and bake in a preheated oven for 30 minutes. Remove foil and bake another 5-10 minutes.

Cheese Crackers

2010-03-29T15:07:00.000-07:00

Why make your own crackers? #1 It is ridiculously easy. #2 It is cheaper. #3 You control what goes in: no preservatives, no unknown chemicals, you can make them truly whole grain. #4 They taste pretty darn good. Tip: If you roll them nice and thin you'll really get a nice crisp cracker, but I suggest trying them on the thicker, softer side sometime. It is almost like eating a cheesy pie crust.

1 cup grated cheddar cheese
1 cup flour (you could use white or fresh ground wheat for whole grain)
4 Tbl butter or margarine
1/2 tsp salt, plus more to sprinkle on top
1/4 tsp paprika
1 dash cayenne pepper
1/4 c water

1. Grate cheese in food processor. Switch food processor from the grate to the blade.
2. Add flour, butter, salt, paprika, cayenne to cheese in food processor. Process until everything is mixed/crumbled (maybe 10 seconds?)
3. Add water and process for another 10 seconds.
4. Roll the mixture out onto a greased cookie sheet. Get it as flat as possible.
5. Sprinkle on your desired *seasonings and then cut into your desired shape. You can just use a pizza roller or a knife. I used a pastry wheel for mine.
6. Bake at 425 degrees for about 10 minutes, watching carefully.
7. Cool and enjoy. Once entirely cooled, store in an airtight container (if there are any left to store).

Seasoning Ideas
- sea salt
- garlic salt
- garlic powder
- onion powder
- cajun seasoning
- italian seasoning
- rosemary
- curry powder
- get creative! almost any spice will work!

Santa Fe Chicken Sandwiches

2010-02-25T17:56:00.000-08:00

When I was 12 years old, my mother introduced me to the Carl's Jr. Santa Fe Chicken Sandwich. I feel in love and have been enjoying them ever since. This recipe is my twist on the fast food sandwich. I think it is even more delicious at home, and best of all it is absolutely simple to make.

Ingredients:
2 Chicken Breasts
1 can Whole Green Chilis
2 slices Pepper Jack Cheese
1 avocado, sliced
2 tablespoons Brianna's Cheddar Chipotle Dressing
2 Whole Wheat Hamburger Buns

Directions:
1. Grill chicken breasts on high over a gas grill until cooked all the way through, turning over half way through (5-7 minutes per side). You can rub some of the dressing on each side of the chicken if you want.

2. Slice open green chilis so they lay flat. After flipping chicken, lay green chilis on top. Continue cooking until chicken is done.

3. Add pepper jack cheese on top of chicken and green chili, let melt and immediately remove from grill.

4. Serve on a whole wheat hamburger bun with avocado slices and cheddar chipotle dressing.

Cheesy Rice Pilaf

2010-02-24T17:32:00.000-08:00

This is a nice, subtle side dish that goes really well with fish.

Ingredients

- 1/2 tablespoon butter
- 1/2 tablespoon olive oil
- 1/2 small onion, finely chopped
- 1 cup rice
- 2 cups chicken broth
- 1/2 cup grated Parmesan cheese
- 1/4 teaspoon ground pepper
- 1/8 teaspoon salt

Directions

1. Heat butter and oil in a large saucepan over medium-high heat. Add onion; saute until softened, 3 to 4 minutes. Add rice; stir to coat.

2. Add broth, cover, and bring to a simmer. Reduce heat to low and simmer, stirring occasionally, until stock is absorbed and rice is creamy and soft with a little "chew" at the center, about 12 minutes. Stir in cheese and pepper; add salt. Serve hot.

Grilled Halibut

2010-02-23T17:24:00.000-08:00

This is the best halibut recipe I have ever had. The subtle flavors really enhance the delicacy of the fish. It makes for a very pleasant meal.

Ingredients

- 2 tablespoons butter
- 2 tablespoons honey
- 2 cloves garlic, minced
- 1 tablespoon lemon juice
- 2 teaspoons soy sauce
- 1/2 teaspoon ground black pepper
- 1 fresh halibut filet

Directions

1. Place butter, honey, garlic, lemon juice, soy sauce, and pepper in a small saucepan. Warm over medium heat, stirring occasionally, until butter is melted.

2. Brush fish with sauce, and place on grill. (I usually grill my fish on a piece of foil to avoid losing it if it flakes apart on the grill). Cook for 5 minutes per side, or until fish can be easily flaked with a fork, basting with sauce. Serve with lemon quarters for fresh squeezed lemon juice to individual taste.

Indian Chicken Curry

2010-02-17T13:13:00.000-08:00

I love, love, love Indian food. This recipe may have a lot of ingredients, but it is really easy to make. You basically just throw things in a pan and simmer. It is absolutely delightful served over rice with some homemade naan.

Ingredients

3 tablespoons olive oil
1 small onion, chopped
2 cloves garlic, minced
3 tablespoons curry powder
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1 teaspoon paprika
1 bay leaf
1/2 teaspoon grated fresh ginger root
1/2 teaspoon white sugar
salt to taste
2 skinless, boneless chicken breast halves - grilled, and cut into bite-size pieces
1 tablespoon tomato paste
1 cup plain yogurt
3/4 cup coconut milk
1/2 teaspoon cayenne pepper (optional)

Directions

1. Heat olive oil in a skillet over medium heat. Saute onion until lightly browned. Stir in garlic, curry powder, cinnamon, paprika, bay leaf, ginger, sugar and salt. Continue stirring for 2 minutes. Add chicken pieces, tomato paste, yogurt, and coconut milk. Bring to a boil, reduce heat, and simmer for 20 to 25 minutes.

2. Remove bay leaf, and stir in cayenne pepper. Simmer 5 more minutes.

Valentine's Day Menu

2010-02-07T11:15:00.000-08:00

I had the chance to host a Valentine's Day Dinner party this weekend. A Valentine's dinner should be fancy, romantic, and full of aphrodisiacs. Here is what I served:

Appetizer
Spinach and Artichoke Dip served with Rosemary Bread

Main Course
New York Strip Steaks (cooked on the grill)
Grilled Asparagus seasoned with olive oil, salt and pepper
Honey and Mustard Roasted Potatoes

Dessert:
Chocolate Cake topped with Raspberries

Steak Rub

2010-02-07T11:09:00.000-08:00

There is nothing like grilling up some steaks that are good enough to stand on their own two feet. No sauce, no dip, just meat.

1 T Sea Salt
1 T Garlic Powder
1/2 T White Pepper
1/2 T Black Pepper
1/2 T Onion Powder

***Steaks should be set out 30 minutes to an hour before grilling or cooking. Rub the meat down when you first take it out of the refrigerator and let the meat soak in some of the flavor.

Honey & Mustard Roasted Potatoes

2010-02-07T11:03:00.000-08:00

Mmmmmmmm. These potatoes have a nice sweetness to them that makes them the perfect compliment to a nice steak (or other piece of meat).

Ingredients

1 pound red potatoes, quartered
2 tablespoons shallots, finely chopped
2 tablespoons butter
2 tablespoon honey
1 tablespoon mustard
1/2 tsp oregano
1/4 tsp salt
1 pinch ground black pepper

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Lightly coat an 11x7 inch baking dish with nonstick cooking spray.
2. Place potatoes in a single layer in prepared dish.
3. In a small saucepan, combine shallots, butter, honey, mustard, salt and pepper. Heat until butter is melted.
4. Drizzle mixture over potatoes.
5. Bake in the preheated oven for 35 minutes or until tender, stirring halfway through the cooking time.

Spinach Artichoke Dip

2010-02-07T10:57:00.000-08:00

I love, love, love Spinach Artichoke Dip. If it didn't go straight to my thighs I would probably eat it every day.

Ingredients
8 oz cream cheese, softened
1/4 cup mayonnaise
1/2 cup grated Parmesan cheese
1 clove garlic, peeled and minced
1/2 teaspoon dried basil
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/4 tsp black pepper
14 oz artichoke hearts, chopped
1/2 package frozen chopped spinach, thawed and drained
Shredded mozzarella cheese

Directions
1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Lightly grease a small baking dish.
2. In a medium bowl, mix together cream cheese, mayonnaise, Parmesan cheese, garlic, basil, salt, and pepper. Gently stir in artichoke hearts and spinach.
3. Transfer the mixture to the prepared baking dish. Top with mozzarella cheese. Bake in the preheated oven 25 minutes, until bubbly and lightly browned.

(This is wonderful served with sliced Rosemary Bread)

Indian Frybread

2010-02-01T14:21:00.000-08:00

This recipe comes from my dear Aunt Bonnie who learned how to make frybread from her friend Beverly, (Goshute). I have fond memories of devouring her frybread. You can put a little honey and powdered sugar on them for a dessert frybread, or you can make delicious Indian tacos.

4 cups flour
1 teaspoons salt
1 ½ tablespoons baking powder
1 ½ or more cups HOT tap water
½ cup vegetable oil
frying vegetable oil or shortening

Mix flour, salt, and baking powder. Add water gradually; mixing with your hands until very sticky. It will turn slimy like snot when it relaxes. Let sit for a couple of hours. Pour vegetable oil over top. DO NOT MIX. Cover hands in oil to keep the dough from sticking to your hands, then carefully stretch out a ball of dough to paper-thin. The thinner, the better. In a large fry pan, heat more oil or shortening until almost smoking. Cook stretched fry bread in VERY HOT oil, turning once. Transfer plate covered with paper towels to drain oils. Serve warm.

Fried bread can be kept warm in the oven until there is enough to serve.

**For those that get tough dough or crackers, you've kneaded or worked the dough too long or added too much flour. As for cooking frybread, I always try to use an old black cooking skillet. It keeps the oil or shortening temperature more consistent.

Cranberry Salsa Over Cream Cheese

2009-12-18T14:54:00.000-08:00

One of my favorite Holiday treats comes from my dear Aunt Cynthia. It is delicious, pretty to look at, seasonal, and good for potlucks. What more could you need from a Christmas dish?

1 12 oz bag or 3 cups of fresh cranberries, rinsed and drained.
1/4 cup minced green onions
2 small jalapeño peppers, cored, seeded and minced
1/2 c. sugar
1/4 c. fresh cilantro leaves, minced
2 tbsp. finely grated fresh ginger
2 tbsp. fresh lemon juice
2 8oz packages of cream cheese

1. Rinse, drain, and pick over cranberries, (discarding all that are soft or bruised). Place them in a food processor; pulse until finely chopped but not mushy.

2. Place crushed cranberries in a bowl; mix together with onions jalapeño peppers, sugar, cilantro leaves, ginger and lemon juice.

3. Cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate at least 4 hours so flavors develop (salsa will be too sharp and tart to begin with).

4. On a serving plate, place cream cheese; cover with the salsa. Serve with crackers (Wheat thins work best)

Chicken Crepes

2009-12-01T16:08:00.001-08:00

Crepes
3 eggs, beaten
½ tsp salt
⅔ cup flour
1 cup milk

Filling
1 cup sour cream
1 can cream of chicken soup
½ lb fresh mushrooms, sliced
¼ cup sliced black olives (small can)
¼ cup thinly sliced green onion
¼ cup finely chopped celery
2 cups diced, cooked chicken

1. Beat crepe ingredients together.

2. Cook using an oiled omelet pan.

3. Combine filling ingredients, then fill shells.

4. Bake 30 minutes at 325°. Remove from oven and sprinkle on 1 cup grated cheese.

5. Bake 10 more minutes, until cheese is melted.

Stuffed Zucchini

2009-12-01T16:06:00.000-08:00

This is an awesome way to serve zucchini. It is simple and delicious.

3 small zucchini, cut in half, lengthwise
¾ cup small croutons
6 T mushrooms, drained, chopped
1 T melted butter (optional)
6 T grated cheese

1. Parboil zucchini 5 minutes. Cool.

2. Combine croutons, mushrooms, butter. Remove center portion of zucchini; add to crouton mixture, stir to mix. Fill the zucchini with the mushroom mixture. Top with cheese.

3. Broil until lightly browned.

Cinnamon Swirl Bread

2009-12-01T16:05:00.000-08:00

Bread
¾ cup milk
½ cup warm water
2¼ tsp dry yeast
1 egg
¼ cup white sugar
½ teaspoon salt
¼ cup margarine, softened
4 cups all-purpose flour

Filling
1 tablespoon milk
¼ cup and 2 tablespoons white sugar
1 tablespoon ground cinnamon
1 tablespoon butter, melted

1. Add bread ingredients to bread machine. Use dough only setting that allows the bread to rise for 1 hour.

2. Roll out on a lightly floured surface into a large rectangle ½ inch thick. Moisten dough with 1 tablespoon milk. Mix together filling sugar and 1 tablespoon cinnamon, and sprinkle mixture on top of the moistened dough. Roll up tightly; the roll should be about 3 inches in diameter. Tuck under ends and gently shape into a loaf. Place loaf into well greased 9 x 5 inch pans. Lightly grease tops of loaves. Let rise again for 1 hour.

3. Bake at 350 degrees F for 45 minutes, or until loaf is lightly browned and sound hollow when knocked. Remove loaves from pans, and brush with melted butter or margarine. Let cool before slicing.

Cajun Turkey Injection

2009-11-24T19:41:00.001-08:00

I have finally decided what I am going to do with my Turkey. I'm aiming for a really flavorful, moist bird so I've decided to do a cajun injection. You can buy an injector at most major stores (Walmart, Kmart, Target).

1/4 cup oil
1/4 cup water
3 tablespoons Worcestershire sauce
1 tablespoon salt
3 tablespoon Cajun seasoning

Combine all ingredients in a saucepan and simmer for a few minutes while stirring. You want to make sure the mixture is well mixed and that any herb is small enough to fit through your needle.

Inject mixture into the Turkey at least 3 hours before baking. Inject small amounts of the mixture all over the bird.

Cajun Seasoning:
2 tsp onion powder
2 tsp garlic powder
2 tsp dried oregano
2 tsp dried basil
1 tsp thyme
1 tsp black pepper
1 tsp white pepper (if you have it, if not, don’t fret)
1 tsp cayenne pepper (or less depending on how much heat you can handle)
4½ tsp paprika
2½ tsp salt

Mix it all together and store in a plastic bag, or a jar.

Thanksgiving Shopping List

2009-11-20T15:08:00.000-08:00

Here is your shopping list for a Rachel's Kitchen Thanksgiving meal.

7 Apples
1 ¾ cup Brown sugar
3 ½ cups Butter
2 Carrots
2 stalks Celery
2 tsp, 3 cubes Chicken bouillon
¼ cup Cider Vinegar
3 tsp Cinnamon
1 pinch Cloves
12 oz Cranberries
6 packages Cream Cheese
3 cans Cream of Chicken Soup
28 Eggs
12 ½ cups Flour
30 oz Frozen Corn
½ tsp Garlic Powder
1 T Fresh Garlic (to mince)
½ tsp Ginger
15 Graham Crackers
3 pounds Green Beans
½ cup Green Onions
2 cup Heavy Cream
2 ½ tsp Hot Pepper Sauce
3 T Maple Syrup
½ cup Mayonnaise
5 cups Milk
3 packages Mushrooms
1/3 cup Nonfat dry milk
1 tsp Nutmeg
1 T Olive Oil
2 onion
½ cup Orange Juice
paprika (garnish)
1 T Parsley
½ cup Chopped Pecans
5 Pie Shells
½ tsp Poultry Seasoning
1 cup Powdered sugar
2 tsp Prepared Horseradish
2 tsp Prepared Mustard
3, 15 oz cans Pumpkin
1 Red Bell Pepper
5 lbs Red Potatoes
½ tsp Sage
2 Bags Salad
2 tsp Salt
2 rolls Jimmy Dean Sausage
½ tsp Seasoned Salt
2 cups Shallots
15 slices Slices Bread
1 cup, 8 oz Sour Cream
4 ½ cups Sugar
6 T Sweet Pickle Relish
4 cups Sweet Potatoes
1 can 14 oz Sweetened Condensed Milk
3 cups Turkey Stock
2 tsp Turmeric
4 oz Unsweetened Chocolate
1 T, 3 ½ tsp Vanilla
3 1/3 cups Vegetable Oil
2 T Yeast

*This shopping list does not include the Turkey! I'm still undecided as to how I will be preparing my Turkey this year. Just don't forget to brine it the day before!

**A Rachel's Kitchen Thanksgiving dinner (with Turkey) will cost you about $100.

Rolls

2009-11-20T14:35:00.000-08:00

1 cup warm water
⅓ cup nonfat dry milk (instant or non-instant)
1 T dry yeast
2 T sugar
1 tsp salt
3 T butter, shortening, or margarine
1 egg
About 3 cups all-purpose flour

1. Place all ingredients in bread machine. Run on the dough only cycle.

2. Shape dough into 12 rolls. Place on greased baking pans. Let rise in a warm place for 30-45 minutes until double in size.

3. Bake at 375 degrees for 15-20 minutes or until browned. Brush with melted butter while hot (optional).

Cheesecake

2009-11-20T14:30:00.000-08:00

15 graham crackers, crushed
2 tablespoons butter, melted

4 (8 ounce) packages cream cheese
1 1/2 cups white sugar
3/4 cup milk
4 eggs
1 cup sour cream
1 tablespoon vanilla extract
1/4 cup all-purpose flour

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Grease a 9 inch springform pan.

2. In a medium bowl, mix graham cracker crumbs with melted butter. Press onto bottom of springform pan.

3. In a large bowl, mix cream cheese with sugar until smooth. Blend in milk, and then mix in the eggs one at a time, mixing just enough to incorporate. Mix in sour cream, vanilla and flour until smooth. Pour filling into prepared crust.

4. Bake in preheated oven for 1 hour. Turn the oven off, and let cake cool in oven with the door closed for 5 to 6 hours; this prevents cracking. Chill in refrigerator until serving.

Apple Pie

2009-11-20T14:22:00.001-08:00

3/4 cup brown sugar
2 T flour
1/4 tsp ground nutmeg
1/8 tsp salt
6 cups prepared baking apples
2 T butter
2-3 T milk
sugar
Prepared bottom and top crusts.

1. Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Peel, core and thinly slice apples.

2. In a mixing bowl, combine brown sugar, four, nutmeg and salt. Add apples and toss to coat.

3. Pour filling into the prepared bottom crust. Dot with butter.

4. Place top crust over filling. Traditionally a 12" pastry circle is cut into 1/2" strips. Weave the strips over the filling to make a lattice. Press the ends of the strips into the rim of the bottom crust. Fold the bottom crust over the strips and flute the edge to seal. Brush the crust with milk and sprinkle with sugar.

5. Fold a 12" square of aluminum foil into quarters. Curt out the center section making a 7 1/2" circle. Unfold the foil and place the square section over the pie. Loosely mold the foil over the edges to protect them from burning.

6. Bake for 25 minutes. Remove foil, and bake for 20-25 minutes more until the crust is golden and the filling is bubbly.

Pumpkin Pie

2009-11-20T14:18:00.000-08:00

What is Thanksgiving without pumpkin pie?

15 oz canned pumpkin
14 oz Sweetened Condensed Milk
2 eggs
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon ground ginger
1/2 teaspoon ground nutmeg
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 unbaked pie crust

1. Preheat oven to 425 degrees F. Whisk pumpkin, sweetened condensed milk, eggs, spices and salt in medium bowl until smooth. Pour into crust. Bake 15 minutes.

2. Reduce oven temperature to 350 degrees F and continue baking 35 to 40 minutes or until knife inserted 1 inch from crust comes out clean. Cool. Store leftovers covered in refrigerator.

Turkey Gravy

2009-11-18T13:38:00.000-08:00

3 cups turkey stock with pan drippings
1/2 can condensed cream of chicken soup
1/2 teaspoon poultry seasoning
1/4 teaspoon black pepper
1/2 teaspoon seasoned salt
1/8 teaspoon garlic powder
1/2 cup milk
2 tablespoons flour

1. Bring the turkey stock to a boil in a large saucepan. Stir in soup, and season with poultry seasoning, pepper, seasoned salt, and garlic powder. Reduce heat to low, and let simmer.

2. Warm the milk in the microwave, and whisk in the flour with a fork until there are no lumps. Return the gravy to a boil, and gradually stir in the milk mixture. Continue to cook, stirring constantly, for 1 minute, or until thickened. Be careful not to let the bottom scorch.

Chocolate Cream Pie

2009-11-18T13:30:00.000-08:00

3/4 cup white sugar
1/3 cup cornstarch
1 cup milk
1 cup heavy cream
3 (1 ounce) squares unsweetened chocolate\
3 tablespoons milk chocolate chips
3 egg yolks
2 tablespoons butter
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 (9 inch) pie shell, baked

1. Combine sugar, flour, milk, cream and chopped up chocolate in 2 quart saucepan. Stirring constantly, cook over medium heat until mixture begins to bubble. Continue stirring for 2 minutes.

2. Mix a little of the hot mixture into the egg yolks, beating rapidly to avoid cooking the yolks. Stir the warm yolk mixture into the remainder of the chocolate mixture, and cook for an additional 90 seconds. Remove from heat, and stir in butter or margarine and vanilla.

3. Pour filling into pie shell, and chill until set. Top with whipped topping, and a little grated chocolate.

Green Beans and Caramelized Shallots

2009-11-18T13:24:00.000-08:00

3 pounds fresh green beans, rinsed and trimmed
4 shallots, thinly sliced
2 T olive oil
salt and black pepper to taste

1. Bring a large pot of lightly salted water to a boil. Add the green beans and boil 3 to 4 minutes until just tender. Drain beans and immediately plunge into ice water. Allow to sit in ice water until cold, then drain well, and set aside.
2. Heat olive oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Stir in shallots and cook gently until the shallots have turned dark golden brown, about 10 minutes. Place green beans in skillet; toss and cook until warmed through, about 2 minutes. Season to taste with salt and pepper before serving.

Deviled Eggs

2009-11-18T13:23:00.001-08:00

6 eggs
1/4 cup mayonnaise
2 tablespoons finely chopped onion
3 tablespoons sweet pickle relish
1 tablespoon prepared horseradish
1 tablespoon prepared mustard
paprika, for garnish
salt and pepper to taste

1. Place eggs in a medium saucepan and cover with cold water. Bring water to a boil and immediately remove from heat. Cover and let eggs stand in hot water for 10 to 12 minutes. Remove from hot water, cool, peel and cut lengthwise.
2. Remove yolks from eggs. In a medium bowl, mash the yolks and mix together with mayonnaise, onion, sweet pickle relish, horseradish and mustard.
3. With a fork or pastry bag, fill the egg halves with the yolk mixture. Garnish with paprika, salt and pepper. Chill until serving.

Stuffed Mushrooms

2009-11-18T13:17:00.000-08:00

This recipe may not seem like much, but it makes the best stuffed mushrooms I've ever had. No frills at all. It is so easy that I can use it as a Holiday appetizer without sacrificing my other dishes.

2 packages whole mushrooms
1 roll of Jimmy Dean Sausage (must be Jimmy Dean, no substitutions. It wouldn't be the same without)

1. Remove stems from mushrooms.
2. Stuff sausage into mushrooms.
3. Broil until sausage is cooked.

It really is that easy and they really are delicious. I got this "recipe" from my Mom. People are always asking her for the recipe which as you can see there really isn't one.

Mashed Potatoes - Slow Cooker

2009-11-18T13:13:00.000-08:00

What is Thanksgiving dinner without mashed potatoes?

5 pounds red potatoes, cut into chunks
1 tablespoon minced garlic, or to taste
3 cubes chicken bouillon
1 (8 ounce) container sour cream
1 (8 ounce) package cream cheese, softened
1/2 cup butter
salt and pepper to taste

1. In a large pot of lightly salted boiling water, cook the potatoes, garlic, and bouillon until potatoes are tender but firm, about 15 minutes. Drain, reserving water. In a bowl, mash potatoes with sour cream and cream cheese, adding reserved water as needed to attain desired consistency.
2. Transfer the potato mixture to a slow cooker, cover, and cook on Low for 2 to 3 hours. Just before serving, stir in butter and season with salt and pepper to taste.

Breakfast Strudel

2009-11-17T12:40:00.000-08:00

This is a wonderful, impressive dish for a brunch or breakfast. It is easy and quick to make and quite delicious. You may make this a day ahead and refrigerate over night.

1 box puff pastry dough (1.1 lb.) Thaw according to package directions.
2 T butter
½ C diced onion
1 C frozen hash browns
1 C red or green bell peppers, diced
11 eggs
4 oz cream cheese
2 T fresh chives (or 1 tsp dry)
2 T orange juice

----

1 egg, beaten
1 T water
2 T Parmesan cheese, shredded

1. Melt butter in a large skillet. Add potatoes and saute 5 minutes.

2. Add bell pepper and onion. Saute 3.

3. Whisk eggs, chives, salt and pepper (to taste) together. Add to the pan and cook, stirring, until just set.

4. Remove from heat. Add cream cheese and juice. Stir to combine.

5. Unfold pastry and roll to 10“ x 12”. Transfer to parchment lined baking sheet. Lightly mark dough lengthwise, in thirds. On each outside section, cut 8 slices.

6. Fill the center section with half the egg mixture. Fold the strips, right then left, over the egg to form a rbaid.

7. Beat the single egg and 1 T water. Brush on the strudel. Sprinkle parmesan cheese on top.

8. Bake at 400° for 20-30 minutes, until golden brown. Let cool 5 minutes before slicing.

Yields: 2 Strudels

***You can also add cooked breakfast meats to the egg mixture (ham, sausage, bacon).

Rustic Rosemary Bread

2009-11-16T13:07:00.000-08:00

I do love a good loaf of bread. My sista over at thecraftpatch provided me with this wonderful recipe that I use quite frequently.

In a bread machine, add:

1 TBSP yeast

1 TBSP sugar

1 cup warm water

2 cups flour

1 teaspoon salt

1 tablespoon rosemary

1 tablespoon butter

Let the machine mix on the dough setting and gradually add in 1/2-1 cup more flour until a nice dough forms. It shouldn't be sticky or too stiff. When the dough cycle is finished, remove the dough and separate into two equal pieces. Shape each piece into a smooth circle. Drizzle a baking sheet with olive oil; place dough on baking sheet. Plop 1/2 TBSP butter on top of each loaf. Let rise in a warm place for 15-20 minutes. Bake at 375 until golden brown.

Grandma Reynold's Stuffing

2009-11-02T12:46:00.000-08:00

This is the stuffing I grew up with. My family can't get enough of it to eat at Thanksgiving (or any other time it is made)

Start to Finish Time: 2 hours
Hands on Time: 40 minutes
Oven Time: 1 hour, 30 minutes

Ingredients:
15 slices bread
2 cups water
2 tsp instant chicken bouillon
1 medium onion, chopped
2 stalks celery, chopped
1 apple, cored, peeled, chopped
2 carrots, peeled, grated
2 cans cream of chicken soup
1 tbsp dried parsley flakes
1/4 tsp garlic powder
1/2 tsp ground sage
1/4 tsp pepper
1 pound mild sausage
1 cup fresh mushrooms, sliced (optional)

Directions:
Preheat oven to 300 degrees. Cut or tear bread into 1/2" cubes (about 10-11 cups). Spread bread cubes evenly on a large cookie sheet; toast at 300 degrees until golden about 30-35 minutes; stirring once. Remove from oven; set aside to cool. Increase oven temp to 350 degrees. In large saucepan, add water, bouillon, onion, celery, apple and carrot. Simmer for 10 minutes. Stir in soup, herbs and spices. In skillet, brown sausage. In a very large mixing bowl, combine toasted bread cubes, sausage, and sauce. Toss until well coated. Pour into a 9"x13" greased cake pan. Bake at 350 degrees for for 45-60 minutes.