Breaking the recipe rut

Fastest Appetizers In The West

2011-12-22T18:32:00.000-08:00

I've gotten a lot of requests for quick and easy appetizers. These are the fastest I've got - and they are ALL winners...

Jalapeno Cuties

Roasted Raspberry Chipotle Dip

and Queso Dip

There you go!!

Feta & Sundried Tomato Dip

2011-12-22T18:18:00.000-08:00

Yes. I'm alive. I've taken quite a long break from blogging - I've been busy baking a baby in my tummy:) I've only got 4(ish) weeks to go!!

We are attending a few holiday parties and with everything going on - I want to take something super fast but delicious. I came across a super fancy version of this recipe and simplified it to suit my laziness...

Feta & Sundried Tomato Dip

2 cucumbers
8-12 ounces crumbled feta
3 tablespoons Greek yogurt
3 tablespoons finely diced sundried tomatoes
1 tablespoon roughly chopped dill or oregano
2 teaspoons lemon juice
salt & pepper to taste

Add the feta and yogurt to a medium bowl. Mash to combine using a fork. Add the rest of the ingredients. Stir well to combine. Refrigerate before serving. Serve with sliced cucumbers.

For a fancier version – check the original recipe HERE

Thanksgiving Feast 2011

2011-11-15T13:42:00.000-08:00

Last year was my first year doing Thanksgiving dinner all by myself. I have to say that all the research, testing and tasting paid off BIG TIME! Both my husband and I declared it the best Thanksgiving dinner we've ever had - EVER.

The recipes last year all turned out so well that I am planning on making the same dishes this year - with a few possible additions (?) Here's the run down - click on each link to get the full recipe, review and pictures!!

Ina Garten's Sausage and Herb Stuffing
Decadent Mashed Potatoes
Isabelle's Thanksgiving Rolls

Patty's Beet Salad

Alton Browns Super Tasty, No Fuss, Time Tested, Totally Foolproof Bird (with a bonus section from Bobby Flay about how to carve your turkey.)

If nothing else - you have to read the section on Alton Brown's turkey. Considering I've never roasted a turkey - or anything remotely like it in my life and that it turned out beautiful, juicy, mouthwatering and down right amazing - it's a must do. Going along with the turkey tips - equally important are Bobby Flay's tips on how to carve it.

I'll post any recipes I am going to add to this years feast - but for now - ORDER YOUR TURKEY!! And get excited for the greatest meal of your life!

Soup!

2011-11-08T15:26:00.000-08:00

I've done a terrible job blogging lately - but I have been cooking. This week things finally cooled off and there's a definite chill in the air. We are in the 50's baby! I love fall weather. We've had soup almost every night. I love how comforting soup is - especially when your nose and cheeks are chilled or when you have a nasty cold (as is the case in this house!)

Here are the soups I've made in the last 2 weeks - all tried and true and well loved!

Creamy Tomato Basil Soup

Runnin' Ute Tailgate Chili

Cheesy Potato Soup

Black Bean Soup

White Bean Chicken Chili

Tortilla Soup

I'm excited to try some new soup recipes as well - I'll post them soon!

NOW GO MAKE SOME SOUP!

Runnin' UTE Tailgate Chili

2011-10-29T11:52:00.000-07:00

I've been making this chili for a few years and it's always a hit. I took it last night to a "Chili Cook Off" and it won another award!!

It's another one of those easy peasy - even your kids can do most of the work recipes (my girls are only 6 & 3!)

The ingredient list is a long one - but they are basics - you probably have all the ingredients in your house right now!!

Runnin' UTE Tailgate Chili
1 1/2 lbs ground beef
1 lb mild italian sausage
2 15 oz cans kidney beans, rinsed
2 15 oz cans black beans, rinsed
1 28 oz can diced tomatoes (with juice)
2 15 oz cans Original Rotel w juice
1 large yellow onion, diced
15 oz can tomato sauce
6 oz can tomato paste
1 to 1 1/2 c diced celery
4 cubes beef bouillon (or the equivelent)
3 to 4 c stock (I use chicken stock b/c it's what I've always got on hand but any stock works)
1/4 c chili powder
1 T Worcestershire sauce
1 T minced garlic
1 T dried oregano
1 t dried basil
1 t salt
1 t pepper
1 t cayenne pepper
1 t paprika
3 t white sugar

In a large stock pot cook the ground beef and sausage until evenly browned. Pour all of your canned items in. Add all seasonings and stir to blend. Cover and simmer over low heat for at least 2 hours, stirring occasionally.

Top with sour cream and shredded cheese and serve with tortilla or frito chips!

Dinner In A Pumpkin

2011-10-29T11:46:00.001-07:00

Every October, usually a few days before Halloween I make this recipe. The kids get so excited!!
I wasn't going to post this picture - b/c the dinner just doesn't look appetizing - BUT as my husband says "this is the best prison food I've ever had!" (because of the way it looks) but I promise it'll make up for it's terrible appearance in TASTE - and since you'll be stuffing your face with this - that's all that matters!!

Dinner In A Pumpkin
1 1/2 lbs ground sausage (hamburger or turkey)
1 onion, diced
2 T vegetable oil
2 T Soy sauce
2 T Brown sugar
1 can cream of chicken (mushroom, etc) soup
1 1/2 c cooked rice
1 can water chestnuts, diced

Cook ground sausage. Add all other ingredients together and put into a cleaned out pumpkin.
Bake at 350 degrees for 1 hour or until pumpkin meat is tender and everything is warmed through.

*When you clean out your pumpkin, just get all the seeds and stringy yuck out. Leave as much flesh as possible - if you haven't eaten pumpkin before - it's good - similar to squash.

**I add whatever else I have on hand - corn, carrots, celery, broccoli, cauliflower, etc. Feel free to go crazy!!

Buttermilk Ranch Dressing

2011-08-21T15:22:00.000-07:00

The perfect dressing for a Wedge Salad...

Buttermilk Ranch Dressing
1 packet Hidden Valley Ranch Buttermilk dressing
1 c mayonnaise
1 c buttermilk
1/2 c crumbled Feta cheese
1/4 t cayenne pepper
1/4 t garlic powder
salt & pepper to taste

Combine all ingredients and blend until incorporated. Refrigerate at least 30 minutes before serving.

Wedge Salad

2011-08-21T15:13:00.000-07:00

Oh yeah baby. This salad is SO SIMPLE and SO DELICIOUS. I recently read an article on iceberg lettuce and how it gets such a bad rap - for no good reason. I'll try to find the article and link to it soon. Anyway... the wedge - here we go...

Wedge Salad
Iceberg lettuce (1 head = 4 servings)
1 lb bacon, cooked and crumbled
1 avocado, diced
1/2 red onion, diced
grape tomatoes
3 hard boiled eggs, diced
cheddar cheese, shredded
Buttermilk Ranch Dressing

Cut the core out of the head of lettuce. Divide head into 4 wedges. I like to drizzle the wedge with dressing before adding my toppings - so that it gets in all those bitty cracks. Add all other toppings to taste - enjoy!!

School Lunch Ideas

2011-08-19T11:00:00.000-07:00

I taught a little class on ideas for school lunch. Nerve wracking eh? I thought I'd share my thoughts with you all!! Sorry I didn't take pictures of the samples I served - but I'll make those sandwiches again soon and take pictures then!

First Things First
Give your kids choices. What will they eat – what do they eat? Include them in the meal planning for the week. Let them explore food and encourage them to try new things before packing it in their lunch. My kids are always more open to trying something if they know what is in it – and if they’ve had a hand in making it. I always tell my kids “just try a bite – if you don’t like it – that’s fine – you don’t have to have any more” and that's it. This little sentence has gotten my kids to realize that they love things like beets and asparagus!!! I usually don't try to get them to eat that particular item for another 6 months to a year. Maybe they'll never like a certain food - but if they are willing to try different foods that's all I can ask.

Hot and Cold
Soup – use a coffee thermos cup
To keep things warm – use a heat pack
To keep things cool – use a freezer pack, frozen juice box or water bottle

Sandwich Ideas
Homemade Lunchables: English muffin, pepperonis, shredded cheese with a side of pizza sauce or marinara
Easter Ham, cheese and crackers
Cucumber and cream cheese on bagel thins
Sushi wrap – tortilla, rice, carrots, cucumber, wasabi mayo, avocado
Salad wraps
*Turkey, raspberry chipotle, cream cheese, lettuce wrapped in a tortilla
*Ham, cheese, pesto and bread

Warm or Cold Pasta
Pasta + Dressing + Veggies + protein = fast, easy lunch

My son loves BBQ Sauce. One of his fav sandwiches is whole wheat bread, ham and BBQ sauce. Not appealling to me AT ALL - but it's something he'll eat. Work around their likes and dislikes. Just because it may not be conventional doesn't mean it isn't out of bounds - right?

Dips/Spreads
This is a big one for me. Think about what your kids like. If you can find a dip that your child likes - you have the key to having them love fresh veggies or fruit for the rest of their lives. Seriously. My son is allergic to eggs, so he can't have most salad dressings. I started drizzling honey on his salads a few years ago instead of dressing and he ate it up like crazy. He is at the point now that he knows which veg he likes and will eat them with or without honey - b/c he knows he likes the vegetable - pretty amazing hu?

Mayo - tons of flavor options out there
BBQ Sauce
Ranch dressing
Salad dressing
honey
Salsa
Honey Mustard
Sweet and Sour
Hummus
Cream Cheese
Peanut Sauce
Jam/Jelly
Pesto

Sides/Snacks
Jicama
Grape Tomatoes
Small sweet peppers
Cucumbers
Carrots
Celery Sticks
Trail Mix
Bag of nuts
String Cheese
Dried Fruit

Beat The Soggy Effect
Pack bread and condiments separately OR put condiment in the middle of the sandwich –put the cheese or lettuce (pat dry) next to the bread.

Fun ideas
Cookie cutters for sandwiches or fruit and veg
Little notes – offer encouragement, give reminders, share your thoughts, show appreciation, etc.

So there you go - a few ideas - I'd love you to share your ideas too!!

*For those of you that were there - these were the samples we ate

Mexican Verano (Summer) Salad

2011-08-13T19:57:00.000-07:00

I was at a local fav restraunt called the Flying Star Cafe the other night and saw an advertisement for this amazing salad (after I had ordered my dinner). It looked so good though that I wrote down the ingredients then and there - I knew I had to try it.

Verano means Summer and that is the perfect word to describe this salad. Crisp, refreshing, light and different. Ahhh the dog days of summer have some redeeming qualities don't they?

Mexican Verano Salad
1 c Jicama, shredded, diced or julienned
1/2 c White Cheddar, shredded
1 c Roasted Corn
3 or 4 c Romaine lettuce
1 c Grape Tomatoes
1/2 c Avocado, diced
Blue Corn tortilla strips (or chips)
*Grilled chicken
*Carrots, diced

Add all ingredients together and serve with Chipotle Honey Dijon Dressing - so delish!

*Not in the original salad

Chipotle Honey Dijon Dressing

2011-08-13T19:48:00.001-07:00

This dressing is another new found fav!! Don't you just love that?? I found it on the 'DOLE' website. Sorry the picture isn't so great - I had a hungry family to feed!

I used 1 tsp of Chipotle Chili Pepper for this recipe and it gave it a real kick. My husband LOVED it! I'm not a huge fan of real spicy food and I liked the dressing too. I'd start with 1/2 tsp then add to your liking from there...Chipotle Honey Dijon Dressing
1/4 cup mayonnaise
3 tablespoons water
2 tablespoons whole grain mustard
2 tablespoons Dijon-style mustard
2 tablespoons honey
1/2 to 1 teaspoon chipotle chile powder (or pepper)

Whisk together all ingredients and refrigerate until ready for use. Serve on the Mexican Verano Salad.

Caramel Butter Bars

2011-08-10T18:07:00.000-07:00

I don't post desserts often - I'm not a baker and I'm not a huge dessert fan - BUT - this dessert is worthy of blogging about.

In fact, one of my guests told me that his family rates food on a 1 - 5 stars level and he rated this dessert as a 4.5. He even asked for the recipe to take home to his wife... thanks Cookies and Cups for this awesome recipe!!

Salted Caramel Butter Bars
For the Crust:
1 lb. salted butter room temp
1 cup sugar
1½ cups powdered sugar
2 Tbs vanilla
4 cups flour

For the Filling:
1 bag (14 oz.) caramel candies (about 50 individual caramels), unwrapped
1/3 cup milk or cream
½ teaspoon vanilla
1 T. coarse sea salt (optional)

To make the crust:
In a large bowl, combine the butter and sugars. Using mixer on medium speed, beat together until creamy. Add the vanilla and beat until combined. Sift the flour into the butter mixture and beat on low speed until a smooth soft dough forms.
Spray a 9×13 inch baking pan lightly with non-stick cooking spray. Press one-third of the dough evenly into the pan to form a bottom crust.
Preheat to 325F.
Bake until firm and the edges are a pale golden brown approx 20 minutes. Transfer pan to a wire rack and let cool about 15 minutes.
While the bottom crust is baking and the remaining dough is chilling, make the caramel filling. Place the unwrapped caramels in a microwave-safe bowl. Add the cream. Microwave on high for 1 minute. Remove from the microwave and stir until smooth. If caramels are not completely melted, microwave on high for 30-second intervals, stirring after each interval, until smooth.
Pour the caramel filling over the crust. If you are going to salt the caramel sprinkle it on caramel layer now.
Remove the remaining chilled dough from the refrigerator and crumble it evenly over the caramel.
Return the pan to the oven and bake until the filling is bubbly and the crumbled shortbread topping is firm and lightly golden, about 25 – 30 minutes.
*Let cool before cutting into squares.

*I made this dessert for guests and the bars didn't have time to completely cool before I served them - they were so stinkin' good a little warm. In fact, we had a few left the next day and I warmed them in the microwave before we ate them.

Twisty Breadsticks

2011-08-05T11:02:00.001-07:00

A while back, HERE I received a couple of Rhodes Bake N Serv cookbooks and a bunch of FREE coupons for their products because of one of the recipes I posted. So - Rhodes Bake N Serv rolls have become a staple in our house.

I was making pizza and wanted a new 'twist' on breadsticks. So I made these...Twisty Breadsticks
Rhodes Bake N Serve White Dinner Rolls (2 per twist)
Kabob Skewers (12" used here)
3 T melted butter
1/4 t oregano
1/4 t parsley
1/4 t garlic salt
1/4 t garlic powder
Grated parmesan in a can

Thaw rolls according to package directions. Once thawed, knead 2 rolls together and roll out into a thin(ish) rope. Twist the dough around the kabob skewer, pinching the ends to secure them in place. Place each kabob stick over a roasting pan (or cake pan) so the wood on the kabob rests on the top of the roasting pan and the dough is suspended. Cover with plastic wrap (coated w PAM) and let rise until doubled.

Bake at 375 degrees for 10 - 12 minutes. Pull them out when lightly browned and brush with combined butter, oregano, parsley, garlic salt and garlic powder.

I also sprinkled them with shredded parm, asiago and romano cheeses (from a can) BUT - I really wish I had grated parm from a can - the powdery texture would've been perfect for these rolls.

BIG hit with the kids!!

Fabulous Red Wine Vinaigrette

2011-08-02T12:38:00.000-07:00

My cute friend Katie was a guest blogger here last week and posted this amazing salad. I am reposting the dressing recipe because I just can't get enough of it.

I like vinaigrette's well enough, but I usually go for the creamy dressings. This dressing - is my new favorite FOOD. I have had it on absolutely everything I can lay my hands on in the last week since Katie gave me 1/2 of the batch she made.

It's sweet and acidic and peppery and mouth watering and seriously to die for. It's so good - I even renamed it - adding FABULOUS to the title.Fabulous Red Wine Vinaigrette:
2/3 cup red wine vinegar
1 1/2 cups sugar
1/4 cup red onions, finely grated (about 1/4 of a large red onion)
2 tablespoons Dijon mustard
2 teaspoons salt
ground pepper to taste
2 cups canola oil

Add all ingredients except oil in a blender. Blend well. While processing, slowly add the canola oil and blend well. Transfer dressing to a jar or cruet. It keeps well in the refrigerator for 1-2 weeks (although I've found it gets a little thick if it is too cold so I'll pop it in the microwave for 5-10 seconds to help thin it out before I use it if it has been in the refrigerator for several days).

Make it. Love it. You will thank yourself daily.

Cheddar Bay Biscuits

2011-07-31T11:39:00.000-07:00

I came across this copycat version of Red Lobster's Cheddar Bay Biscuits on Life as a Lofthouse - it's a great recipe. I served them to company and there were smiles all around.
CHEDDAR BAY BISCUITS
2 1/2 cups Bisquick (I used Krusteaz)
4 Tablespoons cold Butter
3/4 cup cold Whole Milk
1 Heaping cup Cheddar Cheese, shredded
1/2 teaspoon Garlic Salt

TO BRUSH ON TOP:
2 Tablespoons Butter, melted
1 teaspoon fresh Parsley, finely chopped or 1/2 tsp dried Parsley
1/2 teaspoon Garlic Salt

Directions: In a large bowl add the Bisquick and butter. Using a fork or pastry cutter, cut the butter into the mix. There should be small pieces of butter (pea size amounts) throughout the mix. Stir in the cold milk, cheese and garlic salt. With a cookie or ice cream scoop, scoop 1/4 cup portions onto a large, ungreased cookie sheet. There should be enough mix for 12 biscuits.

Bake at 400 degrees for 15-17 minutes or until golden brown. As soon as biscuits come out of oven, mix together the melted butter, parsley and garlic salt in a small bowl. Brush mixture over the tops of hot biscuits. Serve immediately!

Corn Off The Cob

2011-07-31T11:29:00.001-07:00

My 6 year old got a new kids cookbook Williams Sonoma's "The Kids Cookbook" filled with recipes that clearly explain how to make recipes that any kid can make on their own - very cool.

This is the first recipe she made - we all loved it! Simple. Easy. Great way to get your kids introduced to cooking!

Corn Off The Cob
4 ears of corn
1/4 c butter
salt & pepper

1. Peel away the husk and silky threads from each ear of corn. Using both hands, snap the ears in half.
2. Place half an ear, snapped end down, on the cutting board. Hold the top so it stays upright. Starting at the top, run the knife down the length of the corn, cutting between the cob and the kernels. Rotate the cob about one-quarter turn and cut again. Repeat until the cob is completely stripped of kernels. Repeat with the other corn halves. (I helped her w this step)
3. Put the butter in a frying pan and set it over medium heat. When the butter is melted and foamy, stir in the corn kernels, 1/4 tsp salt and a pinch of pepper. Cook, stirring frequently with the wooden spoon, until the corn is bright yellow and crisp-tender, 3 to 5 minutes. Taste and add more salt and pepper, if you like. Using the pot holder, remove the pan from the heat and serve the corn immediately.

*My daughter helps me cook often - but she was especially proud of herself for making a new recipe that was just her own - she is still beaming...

Gourmet Green Salad Gourmet Green Salad with Homemade Red Wine Vinaigrette

2011-07-26T20:54:00.000-07:00

Head's Up: I the guest blogger, Katie. I hope you can live through my post long enough to get to the recipe because this salad will not disappoint. If you have ever been so lucky as to live by/near Jen then you know that she is a wonderful cook, and that her family eats well. I am her lucky neighbor. This past week they went out of town for the night, and she graciously let me clean out her fridge and pantry to whip up this yummy salad. I have been trying to integrate new salads into my weekly menus and have them as much as possible this summer, so I have been leaning heavily on Breaking the Recipe Rut for some tasty options. My family really enjoyed this little salad, and we have been using the dressing on just about everything since I made it last week. Thanks to Jen for letting me be a foodie wanna be and posting here, and thanks to "Mel's Kitchen Cafe" for the delish recipe. I give it two thumbs up!

Salad:
10-12 cups mixed greens (Costco)
1 pound white button mushrooms, sliced
2 ripe, fresh pears, sliced thinly (you can also use fresh strawberries, raspberries, or apples)
1/4 cup thinly sliced Parmesan cheese (I grab my big block of Parmesan cheese and use my vegetable peeler to slice of thin peels of Parmesan)
1 large carrot (or about 5-6 baby carrots), thinly sliced
1/4 cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese
1/4 to 1/2 cup thinly sliced red onion
5-7 slices of bacon, cooked and coarsely chopped
3 cups of homemade croutons

Put mixed greens in a large salad bowl. Top with other ingredients and toss. Serve with red wine vinaigrette dressing below (or any other favorite salad dressing).

Red Wine Vinaigrette:
2/3 cup red wine vinegar
1 1/2 cups sugar
1/4 cup red onions, finely grated (about 1/4 of a large red onion)
2 tablespoons Dijon mustard
2 teaspoons salt
ground pepper to taste
2 cups canola oil

Add all ingredients except oil in a blender. Blend well. While processing, slowly add the canola oil and blend well. Transfer dressing to a jar or cruet. It keeps well in the refrigerator for 1-2 weeks (although I've found it gets a little thick if it is too cold so I'll pop it in the microwave for 5-10 seconds to help thin it out before I use it if it has been in the refrigerator for several days).

Popcorn, Almonds & Apricots

2011-07-06T17:20:00.000-07:00

My son saw this 'recipe' on tv via "Ze Fronk" a cartoon dog that show kids fun snack ideas - he asked me to post it on my food blog...

...and how could I say no to this face? He gives it a 'thumbs up'Snack Time
Popcorn*
Whole Almonds
Dried Apricot pieces

Salty, sweet, filling - delicious. What else could you ask for?

*We have a "Stir Crazy" popcorn machine - it makes great popcorn. My friend has a "whirly pop" that she loves as well. Microwave popcorn will do the trick too:)

Slow Cooked Pulled Pork Sandwiches

2011-07-05T12:37:00.000-07:00

I got this recipe from my friend, Stathi - who is a tremendous cook and an over the top entertainer. He throws some of the best parties I've been to. He was adamant about using ciabatta rolls - and I figured out why - the bread doesn't get too soggy!
Slow Cooked Pulled Pork
1 medium onion, chopped
1/2 c ketchup
1/3 c cider vinegar
1/4 c packed brown sugar
1/4 c tomato paste
2 T sweet paprika
2 T Worcestershire sauce
2 T yellow mustard
1 1/2 t salt
1 1/4 t ground black pepper
4 lbs boneless pork shoulder, cut into 4 pieces
12 soft sandwich buns or ciabatta rolls, warmed

In 4 1/2- to 6-quart slow-cooker pot, stir onion, ketchup, vinegar, brown sugar, tomato paste, paprika, Worcestershire, mustard, salt, and pepper until combined. Add pork to sauce mixture and turn to coat well with sauce.
Cover slow cooker with lid and cook pork mixture on low setting as manufacturer directs, 8 to 10 hours or until pork is very tender.
With tongs, transfer pork to large bowl. Turn setting on slow cooker to high; cover and heat sauce to boiling to thicken and reduce slightly.
While sauce boils, with 2 forks, pull pork into shreds. Return shredded pork to slow cooker and toss with sauce to combine. Cover slow cooker and heat through on high setting if necessary.
Spoon pork mixture onto bottom of sandwich buns; replace tops of buns. Serve sandwiches with pickles, potato chips, and hot sauce if you like.

*I couldn't find 'sweet paprika' so I used regular paprika instead.

Lime and Cilantro Coleslaw

2011-07-05T12:34:00.001-07:00

A few months ago, I tried a different take on Coleslaw. It was bright and refreshing and so flavorful. It was so delicious I ate it as a side dish - and used it on my sandwiche instead of plain lettuce. Seriously good. I asked for the recipe - but am still waiting on it!! Since then, I've been trying to find something similar to add to my 4th of July menu - and I think this is the ticket!!

*Update - this was exactly what I had hoped it would be! So delicious and refreshing. I'll be eating this all summer!

Lime and Cilantro Coleslaw - Tyler Florence
1 head Savoy cabbage*
4 scallions
1/2 bunch fresh cilantro, torn
1/2 cup sour cream
1/2 cup mayonnaise
1 1/2 tablespoons sugar
2 limes
Kosher salt and freshly ground pepper

Shave the cabbage with a sharp knife or mandoline so you have thin ribbons. Cut the scallions long and on the bias so you have pieces similar in shape to the cabbage. Toss the cabbage, scallions and cilantro in a large salad bowl.
Make the dressing by combining the sour cream, mayonnaise, sugar and the zest of the limes in a medium bowl. Season with salt and pepper and finish with a squeeze of lime juice. Pour the dressing over the cabbage mixture and toss to combine.

*I just grabbed a bag of coleslaw in the produce section

4th of July Menu

2011-07-03T12:15:00.000-07:00

Here is my 4th of July Menu as promised!

Slow-Cooker Pulled Pork Sandwiches

Lime and Cilantro Coleslaw

Homestyle Baked Beans

Grilled Corn on the Cobb

Oprah's Fav Baked Brownies

Fruit Pizza

Watermelon Salsa

Looking for more 4th inspiration? Try Ina Garten's 4th of July Cake (a real crowd pleaser), or the Red White and Blue Potato Salad - do you have any 4th favs?? Share!!

Oprah's Fav Baked Brownie

2011-07-03T11:36:00.000-07:00

I found this recipe via Browned Eyed Baker via Pinterest. These brownies were featured on Oprah's Favorite Things...

Oprah's Fav Baked Brownie
1¼ cups all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon salt
2 tablespoons dark unsweetened cocoa powder
11 ounces dark chocolate, coarsely chopped
1 cup (8 ounces) unsalted butter, cut into 1-inch pieces
1 teaspoon instant espresso powder
1½ cups granulated sugar
½ cup packed light brown sugar
5 eggs, at room temperature
2 teaspoons vanilla extract

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Butter the sides and bottom of a 9×13-inch glass or light-colored baking pan. Line the pan with parchment paper.
In a medium bowl, whisk the flour, salt, and cocoa powder together.
Put the chocolate, butter and instant espresso powder in a large bowl and set it over a saucepan of simmering water, stirring occasionally, until the chocolate and butter are completely melted and smooth. Turn off the heat, but keep the bowl over the water and add the sugars. Whisk until completely combined, then remove the bowl from the pan. The mixture should be room temperature.
Add 3 eggs to the chocolate mixture and whisk until combined. Add the remaining eggs and whisk until combined. Add the vanilla and stir until combined. Do not overbeat the batter at this stage or your brownies will be cakey.
Sprinkle the flour mixture over the chocolate mixture. Using a rubber spatula (not a whisk), fold the flour mixture into the chocolate until just a bit of the flour mixture is visible.
Pour the batter into the prepared pan and smooth the top. Bake in the center of the oven for 30 minutes, rotating the pan halfway through the baking time, until a toothpick inserted into the center of the brownies comes out with a few moist crumbs sticking to it. Let the brownies cool completely, then lift them out of the pan using the parchment paper. Cut into squares and serve.
Store at room temperature in an airtight container or wrap with plastic wrap for up to 3 days.

*I couldn't find espresso powder anywhere! I was told that Starbucks Instant Italian Roast blend was comparable - I'll let you know tomorrow!

Picture thanks to Brown Eyed Baker

Homestyle Baked Beans

2011-07-03T11:25:00.000-07:00

*I promise to add pictures tomorrow!

Growing up - there were a few things my Mom made that I just couldn't get enough of. One of them was her Homestyle Baked Beans. The recipe couldn't be more simple and inexpensive - but man what a crowd pleaser...

Homestyle Baked Beans

3 cans Campbell's pork and beans

1 medium yellow onion, diced

1 lb bacon

2 T brown sugar

1/4 c apple cider vinegar

In frying pan, fry bacon until crisp. Remove and drain on paper towels. Fry onion in bacon drippings. Add brown sugar and vinegar. Drain the beans and add to pan. Crumble bacon and add. *Cook until warmed through. Once you add the beans, don't stir too much or cook too long - they'll get mushy.

*Instead of cooking them until they are warmed through, I plan to make these and keep them warm in my crock pot before serving. I use the "Keep Warm" setting or the very lowest setting on your crock pot - the beans will be warmed through but not mushy.

4th of July Weekend!

2011-07-01T11:48:00.000-07:00

I'm sorry I haven't been posting lately. I have a new resident in my tummy who is making me tired and craves only bland food. Yes - I'm pregnant (YAHOO!). Luckily for all of us - my first trimester is nearly over so my food cravings should kick back in gear (and maybe go a little sideways - we'll have to see).

Anyway... I wanted to let you know that I'm going to post some fun 4th of July recipes for this weekend. I found "Oprah's fav double chocolate brownie" recipe - that sounds absolutely divine. A BBQ pork sandwich recipe (made in a crock pot) and a new kicked up coleslaw salad recipe. I'm sure grilled corn, watermelon and strawberries will make it into the mix too - stay tuned!

Lime Chicken Soft Tacos

2011-06-21T19:27:00.001-07:00

I am going to have a few "Guest Foodie Bloggers" on in the next few weeks. First up, MY SISTER BRITTANY. She is one of those people who has immaculate taste in everything - furniture, home decor, food, clothing - everything you can think of! Her true calling is as a BAKER. Since I don't bake much, I'll have to beg her to submit a few of her go to dessert recipes soon.

This is a recipe my sister found on allrecipes.com recipe and picture submitted by Marissa Wright
Lime Chicken Soft Tacos
1 1/2 pounds skinless, boneless chicken breast meat - cubed
1/8 cup red wine vinegar
1/2 lime, juiced
1 teaspoon white sugar
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon ground black pepper
2 green onions, chopped
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 teaspoon dried oregano
10 (6 inch) flour tortillas
1 tomato, diced
*1/4 cup shredded lettuce
*1/4 cup shredded Monterey Jack cheese
*1/4 cup salsa

Saute chicken in a medium saucepan over medium high heat for about 20 minutes. Add vinegar, lime juice, sugar, salt, pepper, green onion, garlic and oregano. Simmer for an extra 10 minutes.
Heat an iron skillet over medium heat. Place a tortilla in the pan, warm, and turn over to heat the other side. Repeat with remaining tortillas. Serve lime chicken mixture in warm tortillas topped with tomato, lettuce, cheese and salsa.

*My sister served these up with slices of avocado, fresh cilantro and feta. Cotija cheese would also be delish on these! Thanks B!

**I'll make sure to post a picture of my own as soon as I can!

Food Finds III

2011-06-16T20:51:00.001-07:00

Another round of food finds! This'll be short and sweet.

First up - not really a 'food find' per se - parmesan cheese - the real deal. A hunk of it. I've been using fresh parm for a couple years now and you just can't beat it. Use your cheese slicer to shave a few pieces on any salad - or if you really want to pump up the flavor - use your vegetable slicer for a nice thick piece...

Nature Valley Dark Chocolate Granola Thins - perfect snack - soooooper delish...

Provincio Black Pepper & Blue Cheese Panne (Bread). I have to tell you that I DO NOT like Blue cheese. It's a bit too pungent for me - but this bread is perfect. It doesn't taste like Blue Cheese - but the cheese adds a richness and a depth of flavor that is hard to describe.

I find this every once in a while at Costco - when they have it I usually get 3 loaves - one to eat soon and 2 to freeze - it really is that good...

Share your food finds!

Sweet Broccoli Salad

2011-06-15T19:18:00.000-07:00

I posted this recipe originally 2 1/2 years ago - but recently went to look it up and couldn't find it. So, I'm re-posting it. If you have a hard time getting your kids to eat broccoli - have them try this salad - the dressing, cheese and bacon are all kid pleasers!

Sweet Broccoli Salad
3 large Broccoli heads
1 lb Bacon, crumbled
1/2 c sunflower seeds
1 c Cheddar cheese, small cubes

Dressing
1/2 c Sugar
1 1/2 c mayonnaise
1/4 Apple Cider Vinegar
1 small purple onion, diced

Combine salad dressing components. Refrigerate for 30 - 1 hour - this dressing needs time for all the flavors to meld. *If you or your kids aren't big on onions - don't add them to the dressing - just add them straight to the salad.

Cut the broccoli down into bite sized pieces. Toss with bacon, cheese and dressing - add sunflower seeds just before serving.

You can make this up to 24 hours in advance - the longer it sits the better it gets!

Layered Jicama Salad

2011-06-14T10:04:00.000-07:00

This recipe is probably older than I am - but that just goes to show that it's tried and true - and well loved.

I wanted to make a salad that I hadn't made in a while and this one fit the bill - my kids don't remember ever having it and they RAVED. My husband and I haven't had it for a while either and we both wondered why I don't make this all the time...

Layered Jicama Salad
1 head Romaine lettuce - shredded
1 large cucumber, peeled and but into bite sized pieces
1 1/2 c celery, diced
1 medium jicama, peeled and shredded (about 2 cups)
1 small red onion, diced *I used green onions today
1 1/2 c frozen peas (run under cool water)
2 8 oz cans sliced water chestnuts, diced
1 c bacon, crumbled
2 tomatoes on the vine, diced
1/2 c parmesan cheese

Dressing
Mayonnaise
3 T Sugar
3 T Season All

Layer lettuce, cucumber, celery, jicama, onion, peas and water chestnuts.

Spread a layer of mayonnaise on top of the water chestnuts. Sprinkle with Season All and sugar. Remember you are seasoning A LOT of veg in this dish - so don't hesitate with the components of the dressing.

Chill for at least an hour. Top with bacon, tomatoes and parmesan cheese. Serve!

*I love the look of this salad in my trifle dish. You can use any bowl, or even a casserole dish to assemble this.

Feta Stuffed Burgers

2011-06-11T13:08:00.001-07:00

Oh yeah baby - these were so delicious! They are made with only 4 ingredients and a grill - you've gotta make em this weekend!
Feta Stuffed Burgers
2 lbs ground beef (I prefer 80/20)
Kosher Salt and Fresh Cracked Pepper
4 T crumbled Feta
1/4 - 1/3 c worcestershire sauce

Put ground beef into a large bowl, add worcestershire sauce and salt and pepper to taste. Mix with your hands well. Pat out the meat into one large patty at the bottom of the bowl. Score it into 4 pieces (a little trick I learned from Rachael Ray - that way you get even sized burgers). Or 8 pieces - depending on how big you want your burgers. For these - I made 4 patties - but these were honkin'. I ended up splitting mine.

Pat out each portion into a thin patty. Use an overfull Tbsp of Feta for the big burgers or an overfull tsp for the small burgers. Squeeze the Feta in your fist making it one compacted piece. Set the Feta in the middle of half of the patties. Top Feta with a second patty and crimp the edges of the two patties together making one cohesive burger.

Grill on Medium-High heat for 7 minutes a side for the big burgers or 5 minutes a side for the small burgers.

Top with your fav burger toppings!!

Chive Butter

2011-06-11T13:01:00.000-07:00

One of my favorite ways to make a simple ingredient like butter and turn it into a craveable must have component. Couldn't be easier.
Chive Butter
2 sticks butter, room temperature
1 c diced chives (as small or as large as you want them)
1 t salt

Combine all ingredients using a spatula (or spoon) gently until incorporated. Serve on baguettes, sour dough toasts, veggies, grilled ciabatta, or Perfect Fingerling Potatoes.

Perfect Fingerling Potatoes

2011-06-11T12:48:00.000-07:00

Sounds fancy shcmancy doesn't it? It's so easy you'll be amazed. I love to use fingerling potatoes to mix it up a bit. First, I love the way they look - the purple ones are my favorite. I wish I would've taken a picture of the inside of one of the purple potatoes - they are a brilliant amethyst color - breath taking.

I also love to use fingerling potatoes b/c you don't have to peel them or cut them and they cook really fast b/c of their size. I got this recipe from Alton Brown several years ago - he hasn't let me down yet! Give 'em a try!Perfect Fingerling Potatoes
4.5 quarts cold water
2 lbs fingerling potatoes
salt

Rinse all potatoes and add to a large (6 qt.) stock pot. Fill 3/4 of the way with water. Salt the water and turn the heat on to high. Bring to a boil and then cook for about 25 - 30 minutes - until the potatoes are fork tender. Remove from the pot to a cooling rack and let stand for 5 - 7 minutes. Serve with Chive Butter.

Mediterranean Salad

2011-06-03T09:17:00.001-07:00

My husband has been craving a Mediterranean/Greek salad for weeks. I can honestly say that I've never ordered a Med/Greek salad at a restaurant - ever. My husband, however, used to get a Med/Greek salad from a famous Mediterranean Market in our home town on a weekly basis.

A tall order to fill. Especially since (as I said) I've never actually had said salad. I'll have to say - I did a pretty good job - even my husband said he liked my salad more than the famous deli he used to order from (he may be a little biased or just trying to butter me up)...

Mediterranean Salad
3 c Romaine Lettuce
1 orange bell pepper, bite sized
1 yellow bell pepper, bite sized
1/2 red onion, sliced
1 c grape tomatoes
1 English cucumber, halved and deseeded w a spoon
Peppercini's
Kalamata Olives
Feta, crumbled
Artichoke hearts

Arrange ingredients to your liking!

I tried to make 2 different recipes I found for Greek salad dressing - and neither of them tasted good. So, I ran to the store and bought Girard's Greek Feta Vinaigrette - it was great!

Asian Slaw

2011-05-31T13:53:00.000-07:00

I saw this awesome Asian Slaw on "Guys Big Bite" with Guy Fieri. It looked so good that I immediately put it on my "to make" list.

Last night, looking for a different way to use the bag of cole slaw mix in my fridge - it dawned on me... I could make this asian slaw - only without all of the ingredients - for me - it's all about the dressing. If I like the dressing, I can make the salad with some or all of the veg components - it turned out amazing - my 6 year old was actually licking her plate clean...

Asian Slaw
1/4 c EVOO, divided
3 T minced ginger
1 T minced garlic
2 T brown sugar
5 T soy sauce
4 T white wine
1 t sesame oil
1/4 c rice wine vinegar
1 c thinly sliced napa cabbage*
1/2 c thinly sliced green cabbage*
1 c julienned carrots*
1/2 c thinly sliced red onion
1/2 c thinly sliced red bell pepper
1/2 c thinly sliced bok choy
1/2 c bean sprouts
1/2 c julienned snap peas
1/2 c julienned green onions
15 wonton skins, fried
Peanuts, for garnish

In a small saucepan add 2 tablespoons olive oil, ginger and garlic, lightly saute until lightly brown. Add brown sugar, soy sauce, and white wine. Saute for 5 minutes and remove from heat. When cool whisk in olive oil, sesame oil and rice wine vinegar.
Mix all vegetables in a bowl and toss with dressing. Garnish with crushed wontons and peanuts.

*I used a bag of Cole Slaw mix from the produce department.
**I used Chow Mein Noodles (the dry, crunchy kind) and toasted almonds b/c that's what I had!!

Cilantro Lime Dressing

2011-05-23T09:56:00.000-07:00

I have made this recipe 1000 times without the cilantro b/c of my husbands adversion to it. A few nights ago, I decided to make it by the 'book' and see if he noticed anything... he did notice. He said "you've never made this dressing before - it's delicious!" So even if you think you don't like cilantro - maybe just maybe it's time to try it again - you may change your mind too! I have listed this recipe under Cafe Rio Creamy Ranch Dressing as well - if you keep up with this blog - you may recognize it.
Cilantro Lime Dressing aka Cafe Rio Creamy Ranch Dressing
1 pkg dry Hidden Valley Ranch Dressing, Original
1 c mayonnaise
1 c chopped cilantro
2 garlic cloves, minced
3 tomatiolls (peel off husk and wash before chunking into blender sized pieces)
1/3 c milk
1 T lime juice
1 T sugar
1/2 t cayenne pepper

Put all ingredients in blender and blend until smooth. Refrigerate for atleast 30 minutes before serving.

Cafe Rio Black Beans

2011-05-23T09:50:00.000-07:00

Cafe Rio Black Beans
2 T EVOO
2 cloves garlic, minced or pasted
1 t cumin
15 oz black beans, rinsed and drained
¾ c tomato juice
Salt & Pepper to taste

In a nonstick skillet, cook garlic and cumin in olive oil over medium heat until you can smell it. Add beans, tomato juice, salt and pepper. Stir until heated through. Use a slotted spoon to plate.

Cilantro Lime Rice

2011-05-23T09:33:00.000-07:00

Couple this rice with the other ingredients listed in Cafe Rio Pork Salad - or serve it as a bright side dish to any mexican feast.

Cilantro Lime Rice
1 c. uncooked rice (I use Jasmine or Basamati)
1 t butter or margarine
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 t freshly squeezed lime juice
2 c chicken broth
1 c water
1 T freshly squeezed lime juice
2 t sugar
3 t fresh chopped cilantro

In your rice machine (or saucepan) combine rice, butter, garlic, t lime juice, chicken broth and water. Cook until your ricer alerts you it’s ready – or according to package directions in your saucepan. Remove from heat. In a small bowl combine remaining lime juice, sugar and cilantro. Pour over hot cooked rice and mix in as you fluff the rice.

Cafe Rio Pork

2011-05-23T09:24:00.000-07:00

This is the main component in the Cafe Rio Pork Salad - my kids also love to eat this meat on a hamburger bun topped with crispy coleslaw.

Cafe Rio Pork
5-6 lb pork roast
1 T cumin
1 c packed brown sugar
12 oz bottle La Victoria Red Taco sauce (mild)
20 oz Coca-Cola (I've also used Dr. Pepper)

Cook roast on low for 12 hours in crock pot with water added half way up the roast. After 12 hours, drain water off roast and add remaining ingredients and continue cooking on low for 4 more hours. Then shred the meat and cook on Low or "Keep Warm" setting 2 more hours.

*I am having trouble with blogger so I can't link to the other recipes that make this salad so terrific. But - you can go to the "Search" box at the top right of the blog and search these terms: Cilantro Lime Rice, Cafe Rio Black Beans, Cafe Rio Pork Salad, Cilantro Lime Dressing.

Cafe Rio Pork Salad

2011-05-23T09:02:00.000-07:00

Cafe Rio Pork Salad was the first recipe I posted on this blog over 2 years ago. I also posted recipes for the famous Cafe Rio Pork in the salad Cilantro Lime Rice, Black Beans, and Cilantro Lime Dressing. BUT - I posted them all mixed up - so that it wasn't obvious that all of those ingredients together make the Ultimate Sweet Pork Salad aka Cafe Rio Pork Salad. I have now remedied that:)

Cafe Rio restraunt is in only a few western states - but everyone in the world must try this salad - it really is that good.

This is the end game - so I'll go ahead and tell you how to assemble this bad boy.
1. Nice fresh tortilla warmed on a dry skillet on the bottom of the plate
2. Thin layer of the Cilantro Lime Rice
3. Thin layer of the Black Beans
4. Layer of the Sweet Pork
5. Layer of the romain lettuce
6. Spinkling of pico de gallo
7. Dollup of both guacamole and sour scream
8. Sprinkled with cojito cheese* and tortilla strips.

The perfect salad.

*Cojito cheese can easily be found at your supermarket - it will be in with the specialty cheeses. I have seen people mention that parmesan cheese can be substituted for cojito cheese (I assume b/c they look similar) but I disagree. Cojito has it's own distinct mild flavor and texture.

Grilled Watermelon Salad

2011-05-22T19:43:00.000-07:00

Watermelon has been a great deal at my grocery store lately - and we've been eating it by the pound. I saw this interesting take on a watermelon salad. I have to say that I'm not a fan of arugula - it has a very zesty, bold, bite to it and needs to be paired perfectly - I'll have to say arugula is a great compliment to this dish.

I made this for me - but my husband ended up eating just as much of this as I did! We both remarked that it was very good - but very different - surprisingly different - in a good way. Try it and let me know what you think...

Grilled Watermelon Salad
1/2 (5-pound) seedless watermelon
1/4 cup balsamic vinegar
EVOO
Salt & Pepper
2 cups fresh baby arugula, washed and dried
1 cup goat cheese, crumbled*

Stand the watermelon half cut side down on a cutting board and slice away the rind, leaving a solid block of melon. Turn the block on its side and cut it into 8 squares, roughly 3 by 3 inches and 1-inch thick.
Pour the vinegar into a small saucepan and bring to a simmer over medium-high heat. Cook until reduced to a thick syrup consistency. Set aside.
Heat a nonstick grill pan over medium-high heat. Drizzle just enough olive oil over watermelon slices to thinly coat and place on hot grill pan. Grill each side about 2 minutes until grill marks appear; transfer to a plate and season with salt.
To assemble the salads, put about 1/4 cup of baby arugula on a serving plate, followed by a grilled slice of watermelon in the center, and top with a tablespoon of crumbled cheese and another 1/4 cup arugula. Add another watermelon slice and another tablespoon of cheese. Finish each salad with a very light drizzle of olive oil and balsamic syrup. Dust with black pepper and serve immediately.

The bite of the arugula, the crispness of the watermelon, the creaminess of the feta (or goat cheese) and the sweetness of the balsamic reduction are an incredible mix. You may fall in love at first bite like I did - or it may take you 2 or 3 bites to find your groove - but it is definetly worth a try - especially with all the watermelon we consume this time of year:)

*I didn't have goat cheese on hand - but I did have crumbled Feta in the fridge - which I have to say was a great stand in.

Tortilla & Black Bean Pie

2011-05-20T15:42:00.000-07:00

This is a very easy, flavorful, vegetarian dish. My kids all loved it - asked for seconds and then asked me today if we could have it again for dinner tonight!

Tortilla & Black Bean Pie
4 flour tortillas 10"
1 T oil
1 large onion, diced
1 jalapeno, minced (deveined and deseeded)
2 garlic cloves, minced
1/2 t ground cumin
2 15 oz cans black beans, drained and rinsed
1 c water or stock
1 1/2 c frozen corn (I LOVE Bybee foods Organic sweet corn, Costco)
4 scallions, thinly sliced - plus more for garnish
2 1/2 c shredded cheddar cheese

Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Use a paring knife to trim the tortillas to fit a 9" springform pan - use the bottom of the pan as a guide. Set aside. Heat the oil in a skillet over medium heat. Add the onion, jalapeno, garlic and cumin. Season with salt and pepper. Cook, stirring occasionally until the onion is softened - 5 to 7 minutes. Add the beans and the stock to the skillet and bring to a boil. Reduce heat to medium, simmer until the liquid has almost evaporated - 10 minutes. Stir in the corn and scallions and remove from the heat. Spray bottom of pan with PAM. Fit a trimmed tortilla in the bottom of the pan. Layer 1/4 of the bean mixture and 1/2 cup cheese. Repeat 3 times, using 1 cup cheese on the top layer.

Bake for about 20 minutes - or until the cheese is melted. Serve with sour cream and salsa.

*I only had a 8" pie pan on hand - so I only got 2 layers. I divided the pie into 4 (me + 3 kiddos). When I make this again, I will either buy a 9" spring form - or make two 8" pie tins - to make sure there is plenty to go around.

Shrimp Scampi

2011-05-19T11:51:00.000-07:00

This is Ina Garten's recipe for Shrimp Scampi - it is SO AMAZING.

I literally made this stunner in less than 15 minutes - what else could you ask for? I served it with my go to baguettes referenced HERE... When I started my water, I turned on my oven to 400. The baguettes take about 10 minutes - so everything is done at the same time! Plus, those baguettes are perfect for mopping up that delicious sauce.

Ina Garten's Shrimp Scampi

Vegetable oil
Kosher salt
3/4 pound linguine
3 T unsalted butter
2 1/2 T good olive oil
1 1/2 T minced garlic
1 lb large shrimp, peeled and deveined
1/4 t freshly ground black pepper
1/3 c chopped fresh parsley leaves
1/2 lemon, zest grated
1/4 c freshly squeezed lemon juice (2 lemons)
1/4 lemon thinly sliced in half-rounds
1/8 t hot red pepper flakes

Drizzle some oil in a large pot of boiling salted water, add 1 tablespoon of salt and the linguine, and cook for 7 to 10 minutes, or according to the directions on the package.
Meanwhile, in another large (12-inch), heavy-bottomed pan, melt the butter and olive oil over medium-low heat. Add the garlic. Saute for 1 minute. Be careful, the garlic burns easily! Add the shrimp, 1 1/2 teaspoons of salt, and the pepper and saute until the shrimp have just turned pink, about 5 minutes, stirring often. Remove from the heat, add the parsley, lemon zest, lemon juice, lemon slices, and red pepper flakes. Toss to combine.
When the pasta is done, drain the cooked linguine and then put it back in the pot. Immediately add the shrimp and sauce, toss well, and serve.

Jalapeno Cuties

2011-05-18T13:16:00.001-07:00

Don't shy away from these because you think they will be too spicy. I do not like spicy food. The way to ensure that the spice factor doesn't blow your mouth out is to deseed and devein them. Of course, if you like it hot - feel free to leave them in according to your pallet.

Jalapeno Cuties

Jalapenos sliced in half (lengthwise) deseeded and deveined
Crumbled feta cheese
Honey

Spoon feta into the jalapeno 'boats'. Bake at 350 for about 20 minutes. The feta won't melt - in fact, as you can see in the picture above, the feta will retain its shape. But, when you bite into it, it will be nice and creamy.

I like a little 'bite' to my jalapeno - so 20 minutes was perfect - I just tested it with a fork.

Pull out of the oven, plate and drizzle honey on top.

The bite and little spice of the jalapeno, the creaminess of the cheese and the sweetness of the honey make this easy appetizer on you've gotta try!

Asian Noodle Salad

2011-05-15T19:26:00.001-07:00

This is a recipe I got from Jamie Oliver. He is such a fantastic chef and has such an amazing culinary point of view. I watched the 1st season of Jamie Oliver's Food Revolution last year and (although it is on hiatus until June) have watched every episode from season 2. I can't wait to see how the season ends. If you haven't already, please link HERE and sign his petition that states "I support the Food Revolution. America's kids need better foods at school and better health prospects. We need to keep cooking skills alive." There are also links to watch episodes, recipes, and to get involved in your community.

My husband went on a hard core 4 hour mountain bike ride and was star-ving when he walked through the door. He said "I feel like a BIG STEAK and a baked potato for dinner" when I informed him that dinner was ready and sitting in the fridge, he looked a bit disappointed - but the great guy that he is - sounded positive and thanked me for making a great dinner (when he didn't even know what was for dinner yet).

I plated this nutritious, healthy, veg filled delightfulness for all of us and we sat down to eat. Huband's comments were "this is so good" "this is so refreshing" "this really hit the spot" and the kids loved it too.

Delicious, filling AND vegetarian too!

Asian Noodle Salad - Jamie Oliver
16 oz. linguine, cooked according to package directions, rinsed & cooled*
½ head Sliced Napa Cabbage
½ head Sliced Purple Cabbage
½ bag Baby Spinach
Red Bell Pepper, bite sized
Yellow Bell Pepper, bite sized
Orange Bell Pepper, bite sized
1 bag/can (drained and rinsed) bean sprouts
Cilantro, chopped to taste**
1 bunch green onions, sliced
3 cucumbers sliced
Cashews, lightly toasted***

Dressing:
Juice of 1 lime
8 T EVOO
8 T Soy Sauce
2 T Sesame Oil
⅓ c Brown Sugar
3 T Fresh Ginger****
2 cloves garlic, minced
2 Jalapenos, seeded, de-ribbed and minced

Mix salad ingredients together. Whisk dressing ingredients together and pour over salad. Mix with tongs or hands and serve on a platter.

I only mentioned my husbands predisposition and comments b/c they just kept coming. He probably thanked me for dinner (average 3 x a night) 10 times. Not like - "thanks for dinner." Like - pulled me aside (several times), kissed me and thanked me for making dinner. This recipe was very, very different than the tastes we usually have for dinner - but it was so delicious and different - it was really a refreshing change.

*I used/love Barilla PLUS Multigrain Pasta with Omega 3 – or you could use whole wheat pasta as well
**Hubs has a serious aversion to cilantro – so I omitted it tonight
***I didn’t have cashews on hand so I used sliced almonds instead
****Hubs & I have an aversion to ginger – also omitted tonight

I actually cut this recipe in half and it was still A TON OF FOOD! I could def get a dinner and a lunch for the fam out of 1/2 this recipe.

Herb Garden

2011-05-15T18:43:00.000-07:00

I planted my herb garden this weekend! I've had one for the last 3 summers - but the previous 2 summers herbs and veg were planted in whiskey barrels - which are a much safer bet than these plastic containers, but having fresh herbs right in my back yard is so amazing, I thought I'd give these a try...

Sweet Basil. I. Love. Basil. He's looking a bit sad - but I hope he'll perk up in a few days once his roots have a little time to stretch...

This is going to be the first year I've planted cilantro - my husband has a serious aversion to cilantro, but it has been in a few things lately that he has liked - so I'm going to give it a go...

fernleaf dill - ahh dill. So great for dips and fish.

Rosemary. For the last couple years, my rosemary bush was HUGE! Hope this one is just as strong...

...and although tomatoes aren't herbs, I am going to give these a try too...

You can do this too! I suggest whiskey barrels or planting right in the ground. Living here in the extreme desert, the ground is not a good idea and since I no longer have my whiskey barrels - I got these - at Wal-Mart. 10" plastic planters for $8 each. They come in a bunch of fun colors. Since I'm taking a chance on this plastic, I chose to plant only a few herbs. Each little potted herb (they come at the size seen here) for $3 each. The tomatoes came at this size as well and already in a 10" pot - that cost me $10.

Hopefully all goes well and I'll have mounds of fresh herbs in my garden in no time! My girls and I had such a great time planting together. They always love to check on their progress and help out watering and caring for them. Their favorite thing to do is be sent into the back yard to retreive fresh herbs. Even my 3 year old knows what each of the herbs smell like! When we use fresh herbs from our garden - my girls love to tell Daddy why dinner tastes so good... "Dad - can you taste the basil? I picked it fresh from our garden..." and that, my friends, gives me a big ol' smile every. single. time.

Do you have any gardening tips, tricks, suggestions, adventures??

BASICS: Cutting On A Bias

2011-05-13T12:15:00.000-07:00

Do you know why you cut veggies or protein on a bias? Well, because it looks pretty - but more importantly - it is so more surface area is exposed to the heat source.

When I cut on the bias, I also like to cut the protein or veg fairly thin - that way with all the surface area exposed it cooks faster as well!!

*Pic borrowed from the internet

Pasta Primavera

2011-05-09T19:48:00.000-07:00

Yum yum yummers.

Something I recently learned - it is best to use the smaller sized squash and zucchini when you sautee b/c there are few to no seeds. True.

I am going to list the veggies I used tonight - but as always - the possibilities are endless...

*One tip to keep in mind. Vegetables sautee at different rates b/c of their density/structure. So, I sautee my veggies in small groups. Sautee like veggies with like veggies. I did 4 batches - garlic and onion, carrots and asparagus, squash and zucchini, broccoli and bell pepper - that way all your veg is cooked to perfection.

Also, for some reason I always make dinner like I am cooking for an army. This meal would feed 6-8 as a stand alone dinner (no sides). All veg cut into bite sized pieces.

Pasta Primavera
3 zucchini
2 yellow squash
3 carrots
1 red bell pepper
broccoli
1 red onion, diced
2 t minced garlic (the stuff in the jar at the grocery store)
1 bunch asparagus
12 oz pasta
Butter
EVOO
Alfredo Sauce
2 T Basil
1 T Oregano
1 t parsley

Slice and dice your veggies. Set your water to boil for the pasta.

Sautee the veggies in EVOO and butter *see note above. Use a 1 to 1 ratio. Each time you sautee veg to your liking, pour them into a big bowl - and start with the next batch.

As soon as your water comes to a boil - cook pasta according to package directions. Start your alfredo sauce while the pasta is cooking.

Add drained pasta to your bowl of sauteed veggies. Pour alfredo sauce over pasta and veggies. Stir to incorporate all ingredients. Salt and pepper to taste.

Blueberry Oatmeal Pancakes

2011-05-09T13:12:00.001-07:00

My husband is the breakfast master. For Mothers Day, we had friends over for brunch and along with the Sleepin' In Omelette I made, my husband made these babies. Our kids LOVE pancakes!

Blueberry Oatmeal Pancakes

Krusteaz brand pancake mix

Quick Oats

Blueberries

Water

Prepare pancake mix as directed on the box. Add 1/4 c quick oats for every 1 c of pancake mix. Mix well to combine. You may need to add water to get the consistency you want.

Ladel the batter onto your griddle. THEN add the blueberries. You have to kind of huck them on the pancake - so they get down in the batter and don't burn on the griddle when you flip them. Wait for the batter to bubble - then flip - about 90 seconds per side.

They are really filling and so delicious!

Weekly Meal Plan 5/8

2011-05-08T14:58:00.000-07:00

It is heating up here and I am super excited to try some new spring/summer recipes! How bout you??

Sunday: Brunch - Sleepin' In Omelette; Dinner - Queensland Salad Dessert - Fruit Pizza

Monday: Pasta Primavera

Tuesday: Jamie Olivers Asian Noodle Salad

Wednesday: Pasta Chicken Salad with Sun Dried Tomatoes, Spinach and Bacon

Thursday: Vietti Lasagna and Garlic Bread

Friday: Cornflake Tilapia and grilled asparagus

Saturday: Chopped Salad with Salsa Verde Dressing and grilled chicken

As always, I will post pictures as I make these babies all week long. I am so excited to try the new pasta primavera recipe and am completely drooling over Jamie Olivers Asian Noodle Salad - he's such an amazing chef!! Happy cooking!

Sleepin' In Omelette

2011-05-07T13:56:00.000-07:00

We all love Pioneer Woman - I used to check her food blog a few times a week - but I haven't checked it in a while. Considering tomorrow is Mothers Day, I wanted to do something a little extra special for breakfast - but not have to do any of the work! I remembered that I read PW's "Sleepin' In Omelette" a few years ago - so I went on over to her blog, looked it up and just finished making it.

The picture is borrowed from good ol' Pdub - since mine is sitting in the fridge soaking up all that goodness and won't be cooked until tomorrow.

I made a few changes b/c I didn't want to run out to the store...

Sleepin' In Omelette - Ree Drummond, PW
6 whole Onion Rolls*
1 cup Grated Cheddar Cheese
8 ounces, weight Cream Cheese
1-½ stick Butter
10 whole Eggs
2 cups Milk
1 teaspoon Chopped Chives**
½ teaspoons Dry Mustard
½ teaspoons Salt
1 dash Cayenne Pepper
Preparation Instructions
Generously butter an 9×13 baking dish.
Tear onion rolls into chunks and place them in the bottom of the baking dish. Sprinkle with cheddar cheese, then tear cream cheese into small pieces and place over the top. Cut 1 ½ sticks butter into pats and place over the top.
Mix remaining ingredients and pour over the top of the dish. Cover and refrigerate overnight.
The next morning, bake at 325 degrees, covered, for 45 minutes. The remove foil and continue baking at 350 for 10-15 minutes.

*First substitution - I didn't have onion rolls - but I did have regular rolls. I tore the rolls up, then sprinkled them with a little garlic powder, dried minced onion and black pepper.

**Substitution 2 - I also didn't have fresh chives - so I just cut the green parts of some green onions into little pieces.

Coyote Quesadillas

2011-05-05T22:01:00.001-07:00

I saw these on Guy Fieri's "Guys Big Bite" on the Food Network the other day. Guy Fieri happens to be my 8 year old sons "favorite chef" as I have just recently learned... I didn't even know he was aware of that tv genre!TWO pictures for you - we all loved these so much - it really deserves 2 shots...Coyote Quesadillas
1 (6oz) boneless, skinless chicken breast
1 T Blackening Spice, recipe follows
1 T vegetable oil
6 oz canned refried beans
3/4 c shredded mozzarella cheese
3/4 c shredded pepper jack cheese
2 T chopped green onion
1 T finely chopped cilantro leaves
1 Roma tomato, diced
3 large flour tortillas
Black Bean Salsa, recipe follows
Chipotle Ranch Dressing

Preheat the oven to 425 degrees F.
Rinse and pat dry the chicken breast, trim off any excess fat, and rub with 1 tablespoon of the Blackening Spice. Heat the oil in a cast iron skillet over high heat, add the chicken and cook until brown and cooked through, about 6 minutes on each side. Remove to a cutting board, cool slightly and slice. Cover to keep warm.
Heat the beans in a small pot over low heat until heated through and keep warm. Prepare the remaining ingredients and have them ready for assembly.
Heat a griddle or cast iron pan to high and toast the tortillas on both sides until crisp (if you try to fold them, they will crack).
Lay out 1 tortilla on a cookie sheet and evenly spread it with half of the beans, 1/3 of the cheeses, 1/2 of the blackened chicken, 1 tablespoon of the green onions, and cover with a second tortilla. Repeat this layering order with the remaining ingredients. Finish with the third tortilla and garnish with the remaining cheese, cilantro and diced tomatoes. Bake for 5 minutes. Remove from the oven and portion with a slicing knife into 4 wedges. Serve with the Black Bean Salsa and Chipotle Ranch Dressing.

Blackening Spice Rub:
1 T granulated garlic
1 T freshly crack black pepper
2 t granulated onion
2 t ground cumin
1 t cayenne pepper
1 t paprika
1/2 T salt
Combine all of the ingredients in a small bowl. Store in an airtight container.

Chipotle Ranch Dressing

2011-05-05T21:51:00.000-07:00

This dressing is what Guy Fieri suggests to drizzle over your Coyote Quesadillas. My husband loved the dressing - I asked him what he like about it specifically and he said "the chipotle" - I interpret that as the smokey, slightly spicy, deep flavor.

Chipotle Ranch Dressing:
1 cup ranch dressing, store-bought *I actually used my homemade ranch
1/4 cup sour cream
2 tablespoons chipotle peppers
Process all of the ingredients in a blender until smooth. Pour the dressing into a serving bowl, cover and refrigerate for 30 minutes before serving.

Tilapia With Browned Butter Balsamic Sauce

2011-04-29T19:39:00.000-07:00

I love this Browned Butter Balsamic sauce. I've used it here too on my Avocado and Pistachio Crusted Halibut - mmmm...Tilapia With Browned Butter Balsamic Sauce

Tilapia Filets (I get mine at Costco)

2 T EVOO

Salt

Pepper

Flour

3 T butter

1/4 c Balsamic Vinegar

Heat EVOO in large sautee pan over medium heat for a few minutes before adding the fish. Season fish with salt and pepper. Dredge in flour and shake off excess. Add fish to your sautee pan and cook for about 4 minutes on each side. Don't fuss with your filets except for when you flip them.

Take the fish out of the pan and set on a plate. Use foil to cover the fish while you make the sauce. Add butter to the sautee pan. Brown butter for 3 to 4 minutes. Add balsamic vinegar and let reduce for about 2 minutes. Drizzle over each filet and serve.

Peas And Mint Sauce

2011-04-29T19:29:00.000-07:00

Need a new way to eat your peas?? Trying to get your kiddos to eat their greens? Try this!

I should preface this post with the fact that I'm not a big fan of mint - unless it's part of dessert. I was very pleasantly surprised when I accidentally happened on this combo - you will be too!

Peas And Mint Sauce
Frozen Peas
Mint Sauce*

Prepare peas as directed on package. Dress with Mint Sauce - DONE!!

*I use Crosse & Blackwell brand "Mint Sauce with Egyptian Mint Leaves" that I get at Smith's Grocery Store.

Food Finds III

2011-04-27T20:48:00.001-07:00

Another round of Food Finds - short and sweet - well, actually salty.

Riceworks Gourmet Brown Rice Chips. Flavors: Sea Salt, Salsa Fresca, Tangy BBQ, Parmesan and my personal fav - Sweet Chili. Really so good and super healthy... I get them at Whole Foods and my local gourmet market...
My husband and I had these chips (camping - see! gourmet camping peeps!) with salsa and my husband couldn't stop talking about the salsa. I told him that it wasn't the salsa - it was the chips. I was right (of course!) These chips are absolutely amazing. They add depth and flavor to anything you would normally serve with tortilla chips. The girl that bought these got them at Costco (in another state) but I found them at Smith's grocery store...

What are your fave food finds? Share!!

Spinach Salad with Carmelized Onions

2011-04-27T13:02:00.000-07:00

My new friend, Michelle, made this salad for us while we were camping last week. If you look closely, you can see this is on a paper plate!! As you will soon see - this wasn't your typical camping food!!

I put this salad on a slice of Rosemary and Olive Oil bread - it was fab. It's also delish all by itself...Spinach Salad with Carmelized Onions

1 bag of fresh spinach (10 oz)

1 pack of sliced mushrooms (16 0z)

1 large red onion - very thinly sliced

6 tomatoes on the vine, diced

Crumbled goat cheese (4 oz)

Litehouse Brand "Spinach Salad" dressing

I know - dressing from a bottle - but, you'll have to trust me on this one (until I find a dressing recipe that is comparable)

Put your sliced mushrooms and thinly sliced red onion in a sautee pan. Sautee them in a little olive oil until the onions are carmelized.

Add the spinach, tomatoes and goat cheese in your salad bowl. Top with mushrooms and onions and toss together. The spinach will wilt from the heat of the mushrooms and onions.

Dress with salad dressing and serve.

Sweet Spinach Salad

2011-04-25T19:50:00.000-07:00

I'm back!! I am so sorry I haven't posted for so long. I'm sure you expected me to post my fav Easter recipes - but guess what?? I DIDN'T MAKE EASTER DINNER! I know - shocking. It was the first time in a long time that I didn't even contribute to Easter Dinner - but I have a great excuse - I was on vacation!

Even though I failed you on the Easter Dinner front - I came back with a TON of super delicious new recipes. Lucky me (and lucky you too!) I vacationed with a bunch of foodies that brought the good stuff.

Considering that I just got back in town a couple of hours ago - I am not going to sit and post the recipe for this salad right now - but I wanted to give you a picture and let you know that I'll be back with LOADS of new fantastic recipes tomorrow!!

The picture is of this amazing take on Spinach Salad. It's like none I've ever had before - and really people - how many different ways can you make a salad? Just in the last week I've learned that there are several!! I'll be back tomorrow with a new post!! Eat happy:)

Jamie Oliver's Food Revolution

2011-04-13T09:29:00.000-07:00

If you didn't get to catch last seasons show of Jamie Oliver's Food Revolution when he took on the "fattest city in America" Huntington, WV - you have to watchi this season. He takes his idea on the road to LA and is met with great resistance on the road to make the schools in the LA area provide healthier food.

It is really fascinating. You can't believe the statistics he throws out - or the food he shows that are being consumed by those children.

This cause is worth getting behind. Join the Revolution!!

See last nights episode of Jamie Oliver's Food Revolution HERE

BASICS: BBQ Chicken

2011-04-10T20:29:00.000-07:00

Oh how I had a picture to post - I will def post a picture next time we have BBQ Chicken!

BBQ Chicken
4 boneless, skinless, chicken breasts
EVOO (extra virgin olive oil)
Kosher salt
Freshly cracked black pepper
Garlic powder BBQ sauce - my family loves KRAFT Original BBQ Sauce - or your favorite BBQ sauce

Bring your chicken out about 20 minutes before you are going to put it on the grill to come up to temperature. Trim the fat off of each chicken breast.

Pre-heat grill on medium-high heat. Then, drizzle a little bit of EVOO on one side of the chicken breasts, followed by salt, pepper and garlic powder (to your taste). Use your fingers to sprinkle each of those seasonings onto each breast. I try to make sure to get a little of each seasoning on every part of the breast. There is such a thing as over seasoning - but when we are talking about chicken seasoned with salt, pepper and garlic - think about the way you season all of the foods you make at home. Are you a pepper person? (like my husband) are you a salt person (ME, Me, me)? If you are unsure about whether or not you are a garlic person, you are - just trust me. Use garlic powder like you would your 'non-prefferential' seasoning. If you are a salt person - use garlic powder like you would use pepper and vice versa until you find your garlic preference.

Flip the breasts over and repeat the process.

Put them on your pre-heated grill for about 5 - 7 minutes. Flip with tongs and cook for about 4 minutes. When they are done they should pass the 'firmness' test talked about HERE.

With just about 2 minutes to go - flip the chicken on to the original side and use a basting brush to paint BBQ sauce on the surface - let cook four about 30-60 seconds and repeat on the other side. Pull off the grill and let the meat rest for 4-5 minutes to keep all the juices in.

BBQ Chicken & Ranch Salad

2011-04-10T20:21:00.000-07:00

There is a restraunt in my home town that makes this fantastic salad called the "BBQ Salad" living out of state - I haven't had it for a while. I asked my hubs what he wanted for dinner and when he replied 'BBQ chicken' I though hmmmmm. My husband and ALL my kids love themselves some BBQ - I'm not a huge fan of BBQ chicken - but as the Mom - I want to make everybody happy (as I am sure all of you do too!)

I thought of the salad I ate with BBQ chicken and LOVED and decided to re-create it to the best of my knowledge and ability. When I told my husband my idea that incorporated his BBQ Chicken with my idea for dinner - he was skeptical. He watched me make the kids salads per their specifications and waited for me to make my salad the way it's "supposed" to be made per the recipe. When my masterpiece was perfect - he asked for a bite to decide how he was going to eat his BBQ Chicken tonight. He took one bite and was sold...

BBQ Chicken & Ranch Salad
4 BBQ Chicken Breasts cut into chunks
2 heads of Romain lettuce, washed and cut into chunks
2 c sweet corn
1 can black beans, rinsed
1/2 c tomatoes, diced
1/2 c onion, diced
1 T jalepeno, diced finely
1 T cilantro
1 t lime juice
2 c Mozzarella cheese, shredded
Tortilla strips
Ranch Dressing

Assemble ingredients to your liking. I put the Romaine on the bottom, sprinkle with corn, beans, tomatoes, onion, jalepeno & cilantro. Drizzle with a bit of lime juice. Add mozzarella, BBQ chicken, torilla strips (or in today's case - tortilla chips) and Ranch dressing. All 5 of us licked our plates clean - my 3 year old literally licked her plate clean. It was a crowd pleaser. Considering it made me rethink BBQ chicken at home and turned my husband onto a BBQ Salad - this is a winner!

*You can substitute the tomato, onion, jalapeno, cilantro & lime juice by using pre-made Pico de Gallo!

Carla's Pasta Salad

2011-04-09T20:36:00.000-07:00

Grrrrr! I am having trouble with my blogger! I format the recipes as I always do and when I publish my post it comes out all in one never ending sentance. BUGGED! So, I am trying to post this one again -

My Mother In Law made this pasta salad for almost every family gathering for years and years. I'm tellin' ya - you could put this dressing on pretty much anything and it would be lip smackin' good. When my husband had some of this today - he said how much he loves and has missed this salad. He also told me that I didn't add enough kidney beans (I know kidney beans right? It took a while for them to grow on me in this salad - but I have to tell you that now, I wouldn't make the salad without them!)

Carla's Pasta Salad
5 celery ribs, halved and diced
2 English cucumbers, sliced
2 bunched of radishes, sliced
2 c carrots, diced
12 oz pasta

Dressing:
1 c mayonnaise
1/2 c sugar
1/4 c red wine vinegar
1 red onion, diced

Assemble dressing ingredients except onion and beat until smooth. Add onions and incorporate well. Refrigerate for at least 1 hour.

Then, cook pasta according to packge directions. Carla always uses rotini (the tri-color rotini is especially attractive) - I just used what I had on hand. Drain and rinse pasta with cold water. I usually put the pasta in the strainer (towel underneath) in the fridge while I chop all the veggies. Wash and cut all veggies. Add the veggies, pasta and dressing together. Mix well. Refrigerate until time to eat. This pasta is even better the next day!

*I make this without the pasta also - such a great way to get your kids to try new foods like radishes or kidney beans - paving the way for them to try them in a different venue.

Guy Fieri's Homemade Croutons

2011-04-06T13:59:00.000-07:00

Guy Fieri serves these on top of his Family Favorite Salad

Guy Fieri’s Homemade Croutons:
1/2 teaspoon salt, plus more for sprinkling
1 teaspoon freshly cracked black pepper
1/4 teaspoon cayenne
1/2 teaspoon paprika
2 teaspoons dried parsley
1 teaspoon dried basil
2 teaspoons garlic paste, (2 cloves garlic smashed with the flat side of a knife and a sprinkle of salt, to make paste)
1/3 cup extra-virgin olive oil
4 cups cubed stale Italian bread, cut into 3/4-inch cubes

Preheat the oven to 325 degrees F. In a large bowl, combine all the ingredients, except the bread, until well combined. Adjust the seasoning, if needed. Add in the bread and mix well with your hands, tossing to coat all sides of cubes. Pour out onto a baking sheet and spread evenly. Bake in the oven for 20 to 30 minutes, turning after 10 minutes. Remove from the oven and let cool. Store in an airtight container.

Guy Fieri's Ranch Dressing

2011-04-06T13:58:00.000-07:00

Guy Fieri serves this delicious dressing on top of his Family Favorite Salad

Guy Fieri’s Ranch Dressing:
1/3 cup sour cream
1/2 cup mayonnaise
1 cup buttermilk
3 tablespoons freshly chopped chives
2 tablespoons freshly chopped Italian parsley leaves
1/2 teaspoon dried dill
1 teaspoon salt, divided
1 teaspoon freshly cracked black pepper
1 tablespoon white vinegar
1 tablespoon garlic paste, (use half of the salt and 5 cloves garlic smashed with the flat side of a knife, to make paste.

In a medium bowl, combine the ingredients and blend well with fork or immersion blender. Cover and refrigerate for at least 1 hour before serving.

*If you don't like dill - you won't like this dressing. I however, am a fan and I really liked it.

**The next day, I added an additional cup of mayonnaise to thicken up the dressing so it is more the consistency of the Ranch dressings we all know and love. It helped to chill out the dill flavor a bit and made it possible to be used as a dip as well.

Family Favorite Salad

2011-04-06T13:34:00.000-07:00

I saw this recipe on Guy Fieri's "Guy's Big Bite" I have probably posted these exact ingredients for a salad somewhere on this blog - because these ingredients are actually my family faves too. The difference is that he has a different Ranch Dressing recipe and a different Homemade Crouton recipe - def link to those - they are super delish.

Family Favorite Salad by Guy Fieri
1 head butter lettuce, washed, spun dry and torn or cut into bite-size pieces
1/2 head red leaf lettuce, washed, spun dry and torn or cut into bite-size pieces
3/4 cup Ranch dressing, recipe follows
1 cup Croutons, recipe follows
1 pint cherry or grape tomatoes, cut in 1/2
2 ripe avocados, halved, pitted and flesh diced
2 pieces bacon, cooked until crisp and crumbled

In a chilled salad bowl, add the greens and lightly coat the inside of the bowl with Ranch Dressing. Add the Croutons and toss lightly. Garnish with the tomatoes, avocado and bacon, serve immediately.

French Fries, Fry Sauce & Food Finds

2011-04-05T11:44:00.000-07:00

That is 5 F's baby. I have had a hankering for French Fries lately. Like obsessed. Maybe my diet has been potato deficient for too long or something. Anyway... I've tried every single kind of frozen french fry out there (well, probably not - but I've tried many, many, many over the years) I finally found the perfect fry. I tend to go for "steak" fries - but these Ore-Ida's Extra Crispy Seasoned Crinkles are the bomb. I made hamburgers and french fries the other night and we were all so full from our burgers (more on that later!) that only a few fries were eaten (by me of course). I was bugged that all these fries were going to go to waste - b/c who eats left over cold fries?? But my husband suggested we have them for breakfast - sounded good enough for me.

We didn't use them for breakfast (but would've been delish). So, it's lunch time and I have to have fries. Like willing to go across town to my fav fry place to get some. Ridiculous. I looked in the fridge and saw the tupperware with our leftover french fries. I thought - what do I have to lose? Leftover French Fries Heat about 2 T EVOO in a sautee pan. When it's nice and hot - add your leftover french fries. Sautee them in the oil for about 8-10 minutes tossing them every 2 minutes or so. You end up with nearly perfect fries. They are nice and crunchy on the outside and soft in the middle - almost as good as they were when they were originally made. Drain on paper towels - and eat!! I was so impressed! Who knew? On to the perfect fry sauce. I have posted here about fry sauce before - but I have perfected the stuff. Seriously. It involves this magic here... SIRACHA

Kicked Up Fry Sauce 2 parts Hellman's Mayonnaise 1 part Sweet Baby Ray's BBQ Sauce (Original) 1 t Siracha 1/2 t salt 1 t pepper Blend together and enjoy!! Great on burgers too!!

Wrap Apps

2011-04-04T13:31:00.000-07:00

This appetizer is so super easy and just as delicious... Wrap Apps Tortillas (I used Garden Veggie variety) Pico de Gallo* Cream Cheese (plain) Spread a thin layer of cream cheese on the entire surface of the tortilla. Spoon the pico de gallo down the middle of the tortilla starting at the tippy top and ending down at the bottom of the tortilla - your pico should be in a single layer about 2 1/2" wide. Roll tortilla up so that you hit the line of pico de gallo after about 1 1/2" turns. Roll it up completely and slice into bite sized pieces. YUM! *I have found a super delicious pre-made Pico de Gallo at my local market. You can find it almost anywhere. If you can't find it or would rather make your own it is just diced tomatoes, white onions, jalepeno, cilantro and lime juice. Since this does have a bit of jalepeno, you might be scared off - don't be. I don't like hot food at all - this isn't hot but it's very flavorful.

Food Finds II

2011-03-28T13:48:00.000-07:00

A few more food finds - that I've been using forever... so much so that I forgot they are "food finds" just b/c I've known about them for years doesn't mean you do! First up - Kirkland Cibo Naturals Fresh Basil Pesto. I divide this up into 1.2 cup Rubbermaid containers and freeze to use whenever dinner needs a little brightning up! Next - Bella Sun Luci Sun Dried Tomatoes (Julienne Cut). I buy the 2lb size. I divide about half the bottle of julienne cut tomatoes into these neato Rubbermaid 1.2 cup size containers. The cool thing about these containers is that they have screw on lids - so you know it has a good seal. Then, I take the other half of the tomatoes and use my immersion blender to blend them up and divide them between the same 1.2 cup containers. I put one of each the julienned and blended containers in my fridge and the rest go in the freezer. They only take a couple of hours to defrost in the freezer to be used. I use them for appetizers and for most anything I use tomatoes in - marinara sauce, lasagna, stuffed chicken, etc. I like to make my own breads - but I don't always have time. That is where these babies come in. Le Petit Francais Baguettes. I buy them in the frozen foods isle in a box of 10. Each pack has 2 baguettes. You get them out of your freezer and thaw them on your counter for 15 minutes. Then cook at 400 degrees for 8 minutes - what could be easier? Oh - AND they are fat and sugar free:)

Hummus. Yummus. This is my favorite kind. I often add a bit more pine nuts to it - b/c I love a bite.

There you go!!

Baked Macaroni

2011-03-23T10:17:00.000-07:00

I had a hankering for a good decadent macaroni. I've tried a bunch of different recipes from Ina Garten's Gourmet Macaroni to Velveeta's macaroni. This is my go to... made up in my head... Baked Macaroni
4 c Tillamook cheddar, shredded (divided)

2 c Dubliners Irish white cheddar, shredded

4 c milk

6 T butter

1/2 c flour

1 lb pasta

salt & pepper

Cook pasta according to package directions. Drain and set aside.

Preheat your oven to 375 degrees. Warm milk in the microwave. You don't want to boil it. I warm it in 30 second increments until it's warm to the touch - about 3 minutes total. In a large stockpot (you will end up with all the ingredients in it - so take that into consideration) melt the butter. Add the flour and wisk together until it's nice and smooth. Add the warmed milk a little at a time. Continue to wisk until incorporated. Take the pot off the heat. Add 2 cups of the shredded Tillamook cheddar and the Dubliners cheddar. The cheese won't be melted completely - don't worry. Add the pasta and mix well.

Pam a 9x13" casserole dish. Pour the mixture into the casserole. Top with remaining Tillamook cheddar. Bake at 375 for about 30 minutes - it should be bubbly and the top will be a bit browned.

Decadent. Sinful. In my husbands words "a cardiac arrest."

Food Finds

2011-03-21T18:43:00.000-07:00

Krystal and I talked about doing a new section on the blog called "Food Finds" pretty self explanitory...

Sensible Portions Veggie Straws and Potato Straws - my kids love 'em. The Potato Straws come in Cheddar and BBQ flavors - I get a box of 24 individual bags at Costco...
Krystal actually turned me on to these. Orowheat Multigrain Sandwich Thins. Really good. I love to use them instead of hamburger buns...

I couldn't find the picture of the actual product I wanted, but it is Philadelphia Cream Cheese individual packets. I get a bag of 50 at Costco (they should be paying for all this advertising!). I love the individual packets b/c they stay fresh for a few months. I use them for everything from bagels, dips, dinners, desserts, etc.

Mrs. Mays Freeze-Dried Fruit Chips. Variety pack (you guessed it at Costco) that includes apples, strawberries and pear chips. My 8 year old asked me to bring these as his "birthday treat" for his class - seriously. After that day, the teacher and several Mom's asked me where I got them - they are yummm...

Kraft Sandwich Shop Mayo - Garlic and Herb is my fav flavor - it adds just a little zip to your sandwich - makes you feel like you are eating in a deli:)

Another little luxury item? Mission brand Wraps - I like the Sun Dried Tomato & Basil ones...

...and the Garden Spinach Herb kind too. They even have recipes on the back of them - I'll try to remember to post a few recipes for these soon

There you go! What are some of your favorite "Food Finds"?

BASICS: Mashed Potatoes

2011-03-20T17:15:00.001-07:00

Mashed potatoes is one of the most basic and delicious sides you can make. A few things to keep in mind. Choose good potatoes. I usually get Yukon Gold potatoes (they are my fav) but I also like red potatoes (which I used in the picture below). Your 'creaming' agent. We only eat mashed potatoes every once in a while - so I always do it right by using Heavy Cream. There are several low fat solutions though - I would recommend - fat free half and half. Your butter preference. After reading an article several years ago about how margarine is only 1 molecule different than plastic - I've used real butter for everything - I don't think you can beat it. Salt & Pepper. Kosher salt and fresh cracked black pepper - enough said.
Mashed Potatoes
2 1/2 lbs potatoes
1 c heavy cream
4 T butter
Kosher salt
Fresh cracked black pepper
1 Bay leaf

Peel and cube your potatoes to about 2"x 2" size. Fill a large stock pot 3/4 of the way with water. Bring to a boil and add potatoes. Boil for 20 minutes - or until fork tender. Remove bay leaf and drain potatoes. Meanwhile, heat cream and butter in a small sauce pan.

After the potatoes have been drained, put them in your mixer (or in a plastic bowl so you can use your hand mixer). Mix on the lowest level until the potatoes are no longer distingishable individual pieces. Add about 1/4 cup of the cream and butter mixture at a time - until your potatoes are smooth and creamy.

Season with salt and pepper and enjoy!

Irish Soda Bread

2011-03-14T14:01:00.000-07:00

Another fav around the ol' St. Patrick's Day table is this one:

Irish Soda Bread
3 c all purpose flour
1 T baking powder
1/3 c white sugar
1 t salt
1 t baking soda
1 egg, lightly beaten
2 c buttermilk
1/4 c butter, melted

Preheat oven to 325 degrees. Grease a 9x5" loaf pan. combine flour, baking powder, sugar, salt and baking soda. Blend egg and buttermilk together and add all at once to the flour mixture. Mix just until moistened. Stir in butter. Pour into prepared pan. Bake for 65 to 70 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted in the bread comes out clean. cool on a wire rack. Wrap in foil for several hours, or overnight for best flavor.

Corned Beef and Cabbage

2011-03-14T13:41:00.001-07:00

I usually follow the recipe below to a T. This year though, I just did the corned beef and cabbage - I left out all the other veg...
See how good it turns out?? Mmmmm....

I got this recipe from a dear family friend who made it for my husband on a St. Patrick's Day many, many, many years ago. Only, I cheat a bit...

This little baby is the secret to Corned Beef and Cabbage heaven. I get "Bill Bailey's" brand of corned beef that is preseasoned (found at Costco)
Add that to my recipe below - and you will be one happy leprechaun!! I have made this for several years - and have had many corned beef and cabbage raised Irish boys in my kitchen professing their love for this tasty meal...

Corned Beef and Cabbage
4 lbs corned beef
2 1/2 quarts cold wter
1 lb red potatoes (8) peeled
1 head green cabbage cut into wedges
2 med onions, peeled and quartered
1 cup carrots, diced
2 bay leaves
1/2 t dried thyme
Salt and pepper to taste

Remove corned beef from the package. Put it and the juices and seasonings in your biggest stock pot and cover with the water. Bring the water to a gentle boil. Skim off and discard any impurities (foam). Reduce heat to simmer, cover and cook for 90 minutes per pound of beef (that would be 6 hours for this recipe). The last 30 minutes add veggies, bay leaves, thyme, salt and pepper. Remove the corned beef from the pot and cut into thin slices. Remove and discard the bay leaves. Serve a few slices of corned beef along side all those delish veggies and Irish Soda Bread.

Weekly Meal Plan

2011-03-14T11:38:00.000-07:00

Weekly Menu
This week is Spring Break for me and the kiddos no school, no dance, no soccer, no waking up at the crack of dawn - Spring Break baby!! All the items on my Spring Break are going to be EASY. Not necessarily fast - but with a little planning - EASY!

I'll def post the recipes of the meals I haven't made before. I still can't believe I haven't posted my Corned Beef and Cabbage recipe - I've made it for years and it is so delicious!! I will do my best to post it tomorrow - I've just got to make a run to the store...

Monday: Neely's Smoked Sausage Jambalaya
Tuesday: Hamburgers and Sweet Potato Fries
Wednesday: Salmon Steaks and Grilled Asparagus
Thursday: ST. PATRICK'S DAY Corned Beef and Cabbage (best and easiest EVER!) with Irish Soda Bread
Friday: Reuben Sandwiches (w/ left over Corned Beef) and green salad
Saturday: Pizza Night
Sunday: Crock Pot Chicken & Salsa Delite

Lazy Blogger

2011-03-11T22:11:00.000-08:00

I am so sorry that I have been such a lazy blogger! A few weeks ago, I said to my husband "get ready for craziness!" and that is what it has been. Pure craziness. We are back into dance, soccer (2 kids - Sweets is coaching Maisie's team and I am coaching Jack's team) and I am starting a "Love and Logic" class. My husband is travelling more than ever and his parents are coming in town at the end of this month.

I can't wait for summer - seriously. I promise to do better. I do. Please hang with me during this crazy busy time - you won't regret it:)

Tomato Feta Salad

2011-02-27T08:27:00.000-08:00

I got this recipe from Ina Garten aka The Barefoot Contessa - good. easy. simple.
Tomato Feta Salad
4 pints grape tomatoes, red or mixed colors
1 1/2 cups small-diced red onion (2 onions)
1/4 cup good white wine vinegar
6 tablespoons good olive oil
1 tablespoon kosher salt
1 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
1/4 cup chopped fresh basil leaves
1/4 cup chopped fresh parsley leaves
1 1/2 pounds feta cheese

Cut the tomatoes in half and place them in a large bowl. Add the onion, vinegar, olive oil, salt, pepper, basil, and parsley and toss well. Dice the feta in 1/2 to 3/4-inch cubes, crumbling it as little as possible. Gently fold it into the salad and serve at room temperature.

Heirloom Tomatoes

2011-02-27T08:00:00.000-08:00

I got these beautiful heirloom tomatoes up at the farmers market. So delicious - and they couldn't be a more simple side.
Heirloom Tomatoes
3 or 4 Heirloom Tomatoes (I love getting them in different colors)
Balsamic Vinegar
Kosher Salt
Fresh Cracked Black Pepper

That's it!! Just quarter your tomatoes, drizzle with balsamic vinegar and sprinkle with salt and pepper. Serve.

The Perfect Pork Chop

2011-02-24T21:35:00.000-08:00

I wanted to make a special dinner for my husband tonight. I called him and asked him if he could have anything in the world to eat - what would it be. This happens pretty regularly, so he tries to mix it up. He requested Scalloped Potatoes and a Pork Chop. Usually I delight in the challenges he presents me. Not this one.

He was raised on this meal. He luuuuves his pork chops. Me, on the other hand have never met a pork chop I liked. My Mom made pork chops all the time when I was growing up but they were waaay over cooked and took 25 minutes to chew 1 bite - stupid pork chops...

I have recently learned the importance of premium meat. So, first thing first. I went to my local organic butcher and bought 2 pork chops. Premium pork chops baby. Since I have never cooked a pork chop in my life, I did some research. I googled "how to cook pork chops" and read on several different sites - several different methods/ideas and I settled on this one on Wikihow HERE. I edited the verbage and didn't use rosemary as in the original recipe.

The Perfect Pork Chop
Pork chops
Kosher salt
Cracked black pepper
EVOO
Butter
Chicken Stock

Use a heavy pan - cast iron, anodized aluminum, or a good stainless steel pan is best. Non-stick pans will suffice, but they won't give you as good of a crusty caramelized exterior.
Heat the pan on the stove top on medium high. Season the chops with salt and pepper.
Add the oil. Don't add oil to a cold pan.
Add the chops gently. Be careful not to splatter yourself with hot oil in the process!
Leave the chops alone for 3 to 5 minutes. Once the edges of the chops start to come up slightly from the pan, it's time to flip the chops. DO NOT use a fork, only use tongs or a metal spatula. If you try to flip too early, the pork could be stuck to the pan and tear, making the pan very hard to clean and ruining the caramelization.
Cook the chops on the new side until the edges come up from the pan, like before - about 5 minutes.
*MY NOTE You can tell they are done with the "touch test." They should be firm. If you are unsure, use your knife and make a slit in the middle of the chop to make sure it is no longer pink.*

When they are done, take them out of the pan and set aside on a warm plate.
Add some water, wine, or broth to the pan and scrape up the browned bits on the pan. This will deglaze the pan. The liquid will boil shortly and begin to evaporate off. In cooking terms, this is called "reducing". In fat guy terms, this is called "making gravy". Once the liquid has boiled almost all the way off, you'll notice a new sound. Now is your time to spring into furious action!
Grab a couple pats of butter and start swirling the liquid around the pan to combine. Add the chops back to the pan with the juices that have run out. Flip the chops and coat the other side.

*MY NOTE Make sure you drizzle that delicious pork chop with that heavenly gravy.

So, Mr. Pork Chop Expert finished his dinner and said "Top 3 best meals I have ever had in my life" TOP 3!! AND guess what! I ate that pork chop with all that delicious gravy and thought to myself - Oh. My. Gosh! Where have you been all my life!?! AND all 3 of my kids loved them. I am officially adding pork chops to the Vietti household 'regulars'.

Emeril's Scalloped Potatoes

2011-02-24T20:44:00.000-08:00

Proceed with CAUTION. These potatoes are rich, delicious and creamy... and should only be made on occasion OR after you've had one of the best workouts of your life. Otherwise you may blow up to look like Marlon Brando...
I followed this recipe almost exactly the only substitution I made was that I didn't use Swiss cheese I used this delicious, wonderful Irish white cheddar... mmm...mmm...

Emeril's Scalloped Potatoes

1 teaspoon unsalted butter
4 cups heavy cream
2 teaspoons salt, divided
1 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
3 to 3 1/4 pounds Idaho potatoes, peeled and cut into 1/4-inch slices
8 ounces Swiss cheese, grated

Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F. Lightly grease a 2-quart baking dish with the butter and set aside.
Place the cream in a large saucepan and bring to a simmer over medium-high heat. Add 1 teaspoon of the salt and the pepper, and stir well. Add the potatoes, adding more cream if necessary to completely cover the potatoes. Lower the heat to medium-low and simmer until the potatoes are barely fork tender, about 10 to 12 minutes. Remove from the heat.
With a large spoon, transfer 1/3 of the potatoes with some of the cream to the prepared dish, forming an even layer on the bottom. Top with 1/3 of the cheese, and continue layering the potatoes and cheese, ending with cheese on top. Place on a baking sheet and roast until golden brown and bubbly, about 30 minutes.
Remove from the oven and let sit for 5 minutes. Serve hot.

Mexican Chicken Lasagna

2011-02-23T22:05:00.000-08:00

I made both chicken and bean burritos for dinner the other night. One of my sons fav things for dinner is a bean burrito (black beans and refried beans mixed up together, microwaved, topped with cheese and then folded burrito style). We had a bunch of left overs (including the chicken) so I came up with this simple recipe that satisfied us all...
Mexican Chicken Lasagna
3 c cooked rice (cooked in chicken stock is ALWAYS the way to go OR mexican rice would be awesome)
2 boneless skinless grilled chicken breasts, diced
1 c corn (I love Bybee Foods Organic frozen corn)
16 oz black beans, drained and rinsed
16 oz refried beans
1 large onion, diced
1 large tomato, diced (or 16 oz canned diced tomatoes)
2 cloves garlic (or 1 t of the minced in a jar)
3 T chili powder*
1 1/2 T paprika*
1 1/2 T cumin *
Tomatillo sauce
Flour tortillas
3 cups cheddar cheese, shredded (or if you don't have little ones a mix of cheddar and pepper jack would be delish)

Sautee onion, tomato and garlic until the onions start to soften. Add chili powder, paprika, cumin, chicken, black beans and refried beans. Mix well.

PAM a casserole dish. Pour in your Tomatillo sauce - just to coat. Put a layer of tortillas on top of the sauce. Layer the tortillas with rice. Then layer the rice with 1/2 the cheese. Then cover the cheese with the layer of chicken and bean mixture. Layer with more tortillas. Layer the tortillas with corn and then layer the corn with the rest of the cheese.

Bake at 375 for 30 minutes or until the casserole is bubbly and the cheese is all melty and crusty on top.

My son tore the top layers of tortilla, corn and cheese off the top in one piece and started mackin' on that - he told me that part was his favorite Mexican food ever (I swear it's that sweet corn!) next to bean burritos of course...

*These 3 ingredients make up your average Taco Seasoning mix - but without all the silicone dioxide, monosodium gluteamate, etc. You can substitute them for your fav Taco Seasoning mix.

**I just want to say that I absolutely don't intend to sound judgy. It is easy to take short cuts - I've taken short cuts all my life. With that said, through my "food knowledge" journey I have realized that there are several easy substitutes for pre-packaged seasoning mixes. Not judging - just sharing knowledge here...

Adult Grilled Cheese Sammie

2011-02-23T21:03:00.000-08:00

I was a short order cook tonight. I gave the kids their 'grilled sammie' options. My son wanted a plain old grilled cheese sammie. Both my daughters wanted tuna melts. Since I stumbled on this recipe for Tuna Sammies - it's the only way the tuna base is made in our house - the tuna, mustard, w-sauce, mayo, salt and pepper part. I made a tuna melt for my husband this past weekend and he said "growing up on tuna sandwiches and loving them is one thing. Eating tuna sandwiches this way - is just the best sandwich ever."

I didn't have either the grilled cheese or the tuna melt - I opted for an invention of my own...
Adult Grilled Cheese Sammie
2 slices sourdough bread 1" thick
Butter
Mayonnaise
Tomato, thinly sliced
Red Onion, thinly sliced
Basil Leaves
Mozzarella, shredded or sliced
Havarti, shredded or sliced
Salt & Pepper

Spread mayonnaise on one slice of bread. Salt and pepper to taste. Top with Havarti cheese. Top with tomatoes, onions and basil. Then top with Mozzerella and the other slice of bread. Butter the outsides of the bread. Grill in a panini - or cook in a skillet and use a heavy pan to smoosh the bread down. Cook until the cheeses are all melty and the bread is nice and golden.

This sandwich was a toothy bite. It could definitely feed 2 adults - depending on which part of the sourdough loaf you get your slices from - mine were from the middle - A HUGE sandwich!

Snacks

2011-02-22T17:09:00.000-08:00

Muriel, my super awesome friend asked me for some ideas on after school snacks for her kids - some of these are SUPER obvious - so bear with me...

I also recently read an article via O magazine on Jessica Seinfeld (the author or Double Delicious and Deceptively Delicious) did she has a ton of great ideas and has given me lots to think about. She gives a lot more great ideas for after school snacks HERE.

Fav's around my house:
Jicama Chips
Sweet Peppers
Sweet corn (I buy the Bybee Foods Organic Sweet corn frozen at Costco - when they want a snack, I just get a little bowl full out of the bag and run them cool water to thaw. That way they are still nice and cold and delish!)
Whole Wheat tortillas (my kids love to warm them up in the microwave for 15 seconds - then they roll them up and eat away)
String Cheese
Yogurt
Hard Boiled eggs
Ants on a Log
Peanut butter or Sunbutter on everything from crackers to whole wheat toast
Cucumbers drizzled with lime juice and sprinkled with chili powder
All kinds of nuts
'Ann's House' brand Soy Energy Blend (which I personally do not like - but my husband and son love)

Things to dip in your favorite salad dressing or honey
Baby Carrots
Sugar Snap Peas
Cucumbers
Radishes

What are your favorite go to snacks? Share!
*We also do fruit snacks, granola bars, Cheerios, etc.
**I save the fruit for dessert - a much better alternative...

I don't know how many of you read the comments - so I am going to post them right here for all of you to see - we are all looking for great snack ideas!!

From Wendymo: My favorite go-to snack right now is trail mix. My favorite has unsalted peanuts, dried pineapple, dried cranberries, raisins, and mini white chocolate chips. So tasty!

I also eat whole wheat toast with a wedge of light Laughing Cow Swiss cheese spread over it instead of butter. It's delish!

Thanks Wendymo!!

Skillet Lasagna

2011-02-22T14:37:00.001-08:00

So this recipe is from the AMAZING blog of Sisters Stuff. These girls are great! I have been following their blog for awhile and using their ideas and recipes. I just love everything about them! This recipe has recently become a staple at our house. Even my picky baby loves the stuff and usually wants seconds! I modified it a little bit for our taste but here is the original recipe. You can find my add-ons and substitutions at the bottom. Enjoy! And PLEASE check out their site. SistersStuff.blogspot.com

Skillet Lasagna
1 pound ground beef
1 small onion, chopped
1 clove minced garlic
1 1/2 cups diced tomatoes, undrained
1 1/4 cups water
1 8-ounce can tomato sauce
1 tablespoon dried parsley flakes
1 teaspoon dried basil leaves
1 teaspoon dried oregano leaves
1 teaspoon salt
2 1/2 cups bow tie pasta, uncooked
1 cup cottage cheese
1/4 cup grated Parmesan cheese
Dash basil, pepper

In large skillet, brown beef with onions and garlic; drain. Add tomatoes, water, tomato sauce, parsley, basil, oregano, and salt. Mix well. Stir in uncooked pasta. Bring to a boil, stirring occasionally. Reduce heat; cover, simmer for 20 minutes or until pasta is tender, stirring once. Stir in cottage cheese. Cover with and Parmesan cheese, and sprinkle in basil and pepper to taste if desired. Cover and cook for 5 minutes.

Sisters Stuff Tips:
* I usually just use dried chopped onion and garlic. It is just easier for me.
* I strain the cottage cheese before adding it.
* I only add 1 tsp. dried parsley.

My subs:
*I have made it with ground beef and it is DELISH! But my hubs and I LOVE it with Italian sausage instead of ground beef. It is amazing!
*I also use italian flavored stewed tomatoes sometimes instead of diced tomatoes and it adds a lot of flavor.

Thanks Sisters Stuff for this recipe it really has become one of my "GO TO" meals. We LOVE it!

The picture shows mozzarella cheese on top instead of parmesan.

Food Rules

2011-02-21T14:47:00.000-08:00

I watched an episode of Oprah last week on "The Vegan Challenge" I missed the first half of the show, so I was bummed - but what I did see was very informational.

That show helped me realize that I am personally responsible for the food choices of 5 people. My likes, dislikes, preferences and food choices directly affect not only me - but my husband and my 3 kids. WHAT A HUGE RESPONSIBILITY!

MY GENERAL FOOD RULES
In general, I felt pretty good about my food choices. I try to buy organic (but I don't go out of my way to find it), I try to introduce and serve as many veggies as possible (my kids request beets and asparagus on a regular basis - how many kids do you know that do?) and even with beverages - options here are water and milk. Every once in a while I'll buy juice boxes (that are 100% juice) or orange juice but that's an exception. Soda is a complete no-no here. About a year ago, we went out to pizza with friends that ordered a pitcher of Sprite for the kids. Feeling a little peer pressure, hubs and I let the kids try Sprite (or any soda for that matter) for the first time. My son absolutely hated it "it's too spicy" all those bubbles I guess. My daugter fell in love - sweet nectar of the earth. My 2 yr old didn't get a sample...

In the last 2 years I have completely cut out white bread. We only eat whole grain bread - unless I make the bread myself. If you are looking to switch to wheat bread that your family won't complain about, try Oroweat. My personal fav is Oroweat Oatnut (so frakin' delish!) but since we have nut allergies in our house we also always have Oroweat Whole Grain 100% Whole Wheat on hand. It really is so good - and no one complained at all during the switch over and they've never asked for white bread since. That said - I felt like I've been pretty responsible with the food choices I've made for my family.

MEAT TO TABLE
I have to preface this part of the post with a 'little ditty about Ham & Je-en...' haha. 3 or 4 years ago I bought a ham. The kind you buy for Christmas or Easter. My husband usually dissects the meat/poultry/pork. I decided that I was going to slice it into lunch meat, julienne it for salads and cube it for breakfasts, quick (kid) snacks, soups, etc. I wasn't even 1/4 of the way into this process when I realized that this was THE. MOST. DISGUSTING. THING. EVER. Being the go-getter I am - I resolved to accomplish my original goal no matter what. That lead to lots of perfectly cut ham to eat in the following week(s) and freeze BUT it also lead to a full year+ of no ham or pork product for me. I was so grossed out having dealt with that process I really couldn't even look at it for a very, very long time.

I got online and viewed some of the Oprah show I missed. I started watching the segment on how beef goes from the cow to our plates. Feeling a sense of obligation towards the 5 mouths I feed I watched as much of that process as possible. Not too far into the video, I slammed my computer shut, shivered, gagged and realized that while I want to have more knowledge as far as what I am feeding my family and making 'good' choices as far as what to feed them - I just can't go there.

Should I just suck it up and watch those segments for the greater good? What do you think??

I shared all of this with my husband and he nearly fainted when the words "Vegan Challenge" escaped my lips. So, just as I did with him - I must explain that I don't judge any lifestyle. I think there are tremendous benefits to most ways of eating. I know that for myself and my family I will never be Vegan. I personally know that my husband will never go for that. I also personally think that the protein and fat in meat and poultry is necessary in a child's diet. Only now, I am reconsidering where that meat and poultry come from.

EDUCATION
On that episode of Oprah, she had Michael Pollan as a guest. He is an author of several books, one being "Food Rules" that I bought and have found as an interesting read. He is not Vegan. He lays his food rules out and a lot of them make sense and are practical for the average person.

A few of his Food Rules are:
Eat Food. Mostly Plants. Not too much.
Don't eat anything your great-grandmother wouldn't recognize as food. He uses "Go-gurts" as an example.
Avoid food products containing ingredients that a third-grader cannot pronounce.
Eat only foods that will eventually rot. He uses "Twinkies" as an example of something that won't rot.
Eat all the junk food you want as long as you cook it yourself.
Stop eating before you are full.
The whiter the bread, the sooner you'll be dead.
Don't eat breakfast cereals that change the color of the milk.
Don't get your fuel at the same place your car does.
It's not food if it arrived through the window of your car.
It's not food if it is called by the same name in every language i.e. Big Mac, Cheetos, Pringles, etc.

Good rules right??
He also says "A lot of what you see in the supermarket I would argue is not really food," Michael says. "It's what I call edible, food-like substances." Another thing he says is "My research has convinced me cooking is an important part of the solution. It's the only way to take back our diet from the big companies." Smarty pants.

REALITY
Through this knowledge quest I've kept my husband updated on my research. He is happy with the way I've been feeding him and the kids. He doesn't want things to change. He feels that I have been responsible with my food choices. With my updates, I mentioned that the Santa Fe Farmers Market is the only year round Farmers Market in New Mexico and that through my research, I learned that at the Santa Fe Farmers Market we can purchase "grass fed" beef - which is apparently the way to go. Go organic, go grass fed, go crazy...

Hubs surprised me Saturday morning. He was determined to take me to the Santa Fe Farmers Market to give this new fangled path/discovery a try - for my sake. We bought 2 New York Strip Steaks that were from grass fed beef as well as 2 lbs of grass fed ground beef for a total of $36. WOWSA. I posted HERE about those steaks and will post again when I use the “grass fed” ground beef later this week.

As I said – it’s a food knowledge journey for me. I would appreciate any feedback, information, research, articles, what have you on food knowledge that you have and I will continue to post my findings here for you too!

BASICS: Vegetable Storage

2011-02-19T07:25:00.000-08:00

I just may be the biggest food idiot on the planet. I've come to accept and change this. I think the drawer in my refrigerator labeled "vegetables" is to blame for this - that's my story and I'm stickin' to it. I used to refrigerate all my vegetables - until I knew better.

Here are some veggie rules:
Beet greens, Swiss chard, Collards, Green onions, Kale, Lettuce, Mustard greens, Spinach, Turnip greens
Store in the refrigerator crisper and maintain high humidity by keeping the crisper more than
half full. Wash and drain well before storage.

Store the following vegetables in a crisper separate from the above vegetables, in plastic bags or containers in the main compartment of the refrigerator.
Asparagus, Beets, Broccoli, Brussel sprouts, Cabbage, Carrots, Cauliflower, Celery, Lima beans, Mushrooms, Peas, Radishes, Rhubarb, Sweetcorn (if unhusked, keep close to the freezer compartment), Turnips

Ideally, the following vegetables keep best at 45 to 55 degrees F due to their sensitivity to chilling injury. Store in the refrigerator no longer than about seven days. Use soon after removing from refrigerator.
Bell peppers, Hot peppers, Cucumbers, Ripe melons, Snapbeans, Summer squash

Store the following vegetables at room temperature (65 to 70 degrees F) and away from direct sunlight.
Dry garlic, Melons, Dry onions, Tomatoes (mature green, partly ripe and ripe)

Food Allergies

2011-02-17T19:54:00.001-08:00

We found out my oldest (almost 8!) was allergic to eggs when he was 3 years old. Through careful monitoring his diet and complete abstinence - he grew out of that allergy. He is still gun shy about eggs in general. At this point, he'll eat things made with eggs (like pancakes and waffles) but I'd never be able to talk him into eating an egg salad sandwich.

Because of his food allergy, I have been very sensitive to my other kids likes/tastes/reactions to food. My 6 year old has no allergies whatsoever - but my baby (now 3) started showing signs of eczema when she started eating solids. I was suspicious that she also had food allergies - but as far as food allergies go - doctor's won't 'test' for it until the child is atleast 1 year old.

I got her tested as close to her 1st bday as possible and found out that she was allergic to eggs and peanuts. When your child tests allergic to peanuts at such a young age, they suggest you abstain from all tree nuts as well - just to be safe.

We moved out of state right after my kids were tested - proving that my oldest had grown out of his egg allergy and proving that my youngest was allergic to eggs and peanuts. Since we moved, I have tried several times to locate a doctor that specializes in children's food allergies. I have come up empty handed. It's crazy. And frustrating. And annoying. And infuriating.

Children diagnosed with egg allergy often grow out of that allergy - as my oldest did - and more recently (although not 'tested' in a dr's office - tested in my house under my supervision) my youngest also outgrew her egg allergy. She is thrilled to be able to eat cakes, cookies, pancakes, etc.

Children diagnosed with peanut or tree nut allergies are most likely NOT able to grow out of that allergy. The great thing is that since I caught this food allergy when she was at such a young age - if she accidentally ingests a peanut or tree nut - her exposure has been so minimal that her symptoms are managable. I can't imagine being a Mom to one of those kids that goes into anaphylactic shock when a bag of peanuts is opened - bless them:)

Since my approach with the egg allergy has been complete abstinence - I took the same approach with my youngests peanut and treenut allergies. Until recently...

Through this whole "food knowledge" quest I am going through (which I promise to post about!) I have realized that abstinence in the traditional manner isn't the way to go. She will most likely have this peanut and tree nut allergy her entire life - so substitution is important.

Peanut butter is a great source of protein for my older kids - I lamented the fact that my youngest didn't get that yummy protein in her snacks like the other kids did. Who doesn't love celery with peanut butter (and raisins aka ants on a log) or peanut butter and apple slices or pretzels dipped in peanut butter?

I found this awesome peanut butter substitute through my research. It is made from sunflower seeds (which are seeds and not nuts) AND it has just as much protein and good fat as your run of the mill peanut butter does...
AND I found it at my local Wal-Mart. I know! I have several 'shopping lists' on my iPhone - one for the Asian market, one for Whole Foods, one for Wal-Mart, one for the gourmet store, etc. and although my shopping lists are seperate - I look for obsure ingredients wherever I shop. I was surprised and excited to find this at Wal-Mart.

To be honest, it doesn't taste like peanut butter. But, it is the same texture, and it has a peanut butter 'quality' about it AND my daughter loves it. She is so excited to be able to have peanut butter toast, PB&J's, pretzels, apples and celery with it. So - although it is more expensive - it's totally worth it.

BASICS: Bacon

2011-02-17T14:31:00.000-08:00

A family friend (my kids call her Nammy) mentioned HERE and HERE is one of the best chefs I personally know. Everything she makes is divine. Her and her daughter (my sister in law) mentioned HERE, HERE and HERE inspired me to be a better cook and to make things the right way - even though it takes more time.

Several years ago Eleanor gave me one of the greatest cooking tips ever. She learned this tip from watching "Good Eats" with Alton Brown...
The best, easiest way to prepare bacon: Line your baking sheet with aluminum foil. Lay out the bacon (this picture is of 1 lb of bacon). Put the bacon in a cold oven. Turn the oven to 400 degrees and set the timer for 25 minutes. That's it!! Perfect bacon.

Since every oven is different - I'd check your bacon around 20 minutes and then keep an eye on it the first time around to find out how long your bacon needs to cook in your specific oven. ENJOY!!

Steak...

2011-02-16T12:39:00.000-08:00

Per the post below, my husband and I packed up the kids - drove for an hour up to the only year round Farmers Market to buy some grass fed beef. It's was our first time buying and eating grass fed beef and let me tell ya - IT. WAS. GOOD.
I saw this video on how to make the perfect steak - and that is just how we made ours - only we cooked it on the grill. Perfect.

Check out this great MSN video: Perfectly simple steak

and by the way... if you want your kids to eat mushrooms - sautee them up with onions and butter. My kids will eat mushrooms for days made that way!

Grass Fed Beef

2011-02-16T12:37:00.000-08:00

As I have mentioned, I am going through this whole "food knowledge" quest of sorts. I started a post about it - but the information is so vast and extensive, I feel like it will never be complete. I will post about it. I will.

In the meantime, if you too are interested in expanding your food knowledge like I am - take a look at this informative video on grass fed beef!
Check out this great MSN video: Where grass-fed beef is king

BASICS: Salad Dressing

2011-02-13T21:10:00.000-08:00

I make all of my family's salad dressings myself. There is so much junk in store bought salad dressings that I feel like it's silly not to make your own. I forgot to add lemon juice and dijon mustard in this pic. Here is my arsenal... Apple Cider Vinegar, White Vinegar, Sesame Oil, Red Wine Vinegar, Honey, Rice Wine Vinegar, Extra Virgin Olive Oil, Balsamic Vinegar, and even though the Hidden Valley Ranch Salad Dressing Mix has some of the junk in it - the mix has far fewer of those ingredients than any salad dressing at the store...
This is what's currently in my fridge... Honey Lime Dressing, Mary's Vinagrette (made with White vinegar) and Ranch dressing

If you make a vinagrette, make sure you just make enough for the event/dinner. Home made vinagrette doesn't refrigerate well b/c of the olive oil, but you can't leave it out on your counter b/c mustard needs to be refrigerated.

Occasionally, I'll make Ranch from scratch using this recipe HERE.

Don't be intimidated. It's easy. It's much healthier than the alternative and it's delicious.

Links to other dressings on this site: Cafe Rio Creamy House Dressing, Broccoli Salad Dressing, Creamy Basil Dressing, Vietti Pasta Salad Dressing,

Cheesy Rice Ball Fritters

2011-02-10T13:03:00.000-08:00

I saw these on "Down Home With The Neely's" on the Food Network. I made them for dinner last night - and they were good. All my kids agreed!
The only thing I'd do different next time is to serve them at an appetizer/potluck party instead of for dinner - they are FILLING!!

Cheesy Rice Ball Fritters
1 shallot, finely chopped
2 cloves garlic, finely chopped
2 tablespoons butter
4 ounces ham steak, diced into chunks
2 cups cooked long-grain white rice
4 ounces cream cheese, room temperature
1/2 cup grated Parmesan
1/2 cup shredded mozzarella
3 tablespoons finely chopped parsley leaves
Salt and freshly ground black pepper
1/2 cup all-purpose flour
3 eggs, beaten*
2 cups panko bread crumbs
Peanut oil, for frying

Preheat a deep-fryer to 375 degrees F.
Saute the shallot and garlic with the butter in a saute pan over medium heat. Add the ham, cook until lightly crisp and then stir in the rice.
Mix the ham mixture, cream cheese, Parmesan, mozzarella, and parsley together in a large mixing bowl. Season with salt and pepper, to taste. Roll the mixture into 2-inch balls and put on a baking sheet.
Add the flour, beaten eggs, and panko to separate pie plates. Season the panko with salt and pepper. Roll the balls through the flour, then the egg and then the panko. Gently add the fritters to the deep-fryer and fry until golden and crisp, 3 to 4 minutes. Transfer the fritters to a serving platter and serve.

*We have food allergies in our house - so instead of using eggs, I used a milk and sour cream blend and it worked great!

BASICS: Cookware Care

2011-02-03T20:35:00.000-08:00

For Christmas, my husband and I got a new set of pots and pans. The miscellaneous pots and pans we had accrued or inherited over the years had seen their day - and even on their very best days - none of them were half way decent.

We didn't spend a lot of money (relatively speaking!) for a new set. We spent about $100 at Costco for this 10 piece Bialetti "Commercial Cookware" set. I can't believe the difference it has made in my cooking in such a short time. Other than having even heat on the entire pans surface. That is something you may think you are getting - but if you pay close attention the next time you cook with one of your old pots or pans you may notice 'hot spots' or warping (does your pot/pan ever wobble?) The thing I have been most impressed with is the non-stick factor. I was constantly scrubbing stuff, bits, gunk off of my pots and pans - no more my friends, my new (perfectly cared after) pots and pans practically clean themselves!
I think most cookware sets are non-stick these days - BUT taking care of your cookware makes all the difference when it comes to keeping them non-stick (contrary to popular belief - non-stick pans do lose their coatings) and in tip top shape.

A few basic principals to keep in mind:

1. Only use wooden or plastic utencils with your cookware. Metal utencils (even your serving spoon) scratch the non-stick coating and ruin the integrity of the pan. There are so many great options out there. My recent fav purchase is a plastic coated whisk. Great investment - very little cost.

2. NEVER have your dishwasher clean your cookware for you. I mean never. Use a plastic cleaning brush and dish soap to clean.

3. On that note, use water tempered to the temperature of your pan. If your pan is still warm when you are ready to wash it - use warm water to clean it - that will prevent warping.

4. Don't leave your pan full of soapy water. If your pan is aluminum, it will get discolored.

That's basically it. Start with a decent set of pots and pans and take care of them - they will serve you well, make your life so much easier and will actually make you smile instead of grimace when you are considering what to make for dinner. Instead of thinking "ugh! I have to use so many different pots and pans to make that recipe!" you'll think "my family will love this recipe - I can't wait to try it!"

Good Luck!

BASICS: Alfredo Sauce

2011-02-03T20:21:00.001-08:00

One thing I love is Alfredo sauce - or "white sauce" as my kids call it. It's so easy to make!!

Basic Alfredo Sauce
4 tablespoons butter
1 clove garlic, minced*
2 T flour
2 c heavy cream
1/2 c half and half
Salt
Pepper

Melt the butter in medium sauce pan over medium heat. Add the garlic and cook for about 1 minute - be careful not to cook it for too long – it will get bitter. Add the flour and whisk until smooth. Gradually add the heavy cream and half and half whisking constantly. Once incorporated, whisk less frequently. It will start to thicken and bubble. Add salt and pepper to taste and serve over your fav pasta – or on top of your pizza dough.

*I use the minced garlic in a jar. The brand I get says ½ tsp = 1 clove.

BASICS: Roasted Garlic

2011-02-03T20:12:00.001-08:00

As promised, another installment in my BASICS posts. Roasted Garlic - yummmm...
Peel away the outer layers of the garlic bulb skin, leaving the skins of the individual cloves intact. Cut off approx 1/2" of the top of cloves. Set the cloves on a sheet of aluminum foil. Drizzle olive oil over the garlic. Make sure you cover it well. Wrap the cloves up in the foil. Bake at 400 degrees for 35 minutes.

Use your fingers to squeeze the roasted garlic cloves out of their skins. Use in your fav recipe!

Missy's Jalapeno Chicken

2011-01-28T12:12:00.000-08:00

My friend Missy Green wrote on her FB page "mmmmm, had my favorite new kind of chicken for dinner: jalapeno and cream cheese stuffed grilled chicken wrapped in bacon, mmmmmm!"

I agree with Missy - this recipe is just that good:)
Ooey and gooey in the middle...
Missy's Jalapeno Chicken
4 boneless, skinless chicken breasts, pounded out to 1/4" or butterflied
1 lb bacon
4 oz cream cheese
4 jalapeno peppers, seeded and diced

Pound out your chicken breasts* use 1 oz of cream cheese for each breast. Spread (or plop) the cream cheese down the middle of the chicken. Top with jalapenos (as many as you want) and roll up the chicken. Secure with toothpicks. Grab your bacon and wrap each chicken roll with it.

Take it out to your (preheated) grill. Lay a sheet of aluminum foil on the grill and place each of the chicken rolls on top of the aluminum foil. I used aluminum foil so that the bacon didn't stick to the grill. You still get that great grilled flavor - but you get to keep the integrity of the bacon and you don't have the mess!

Grill for about 25 minutes on a medium flame. Bacon will be cooked and the juices from the chicken will run clear.

So Super Good!! Thanks Missy!!

*put plastic wrap on the counter, chicken breast on top of that, cover the chicken with another layer of plastic wrap and pound. I use the bottom of my heavy sauce pan - but after last night, I am def going to invest in a proper meat pounder - you have so much more control.

Butterscotch and Black Pepper Carrots

2011-01-28T12:04:00.000-08:00

I have a HUGE bag of baby carrots in my fridge. I was looking for a different way to prepare them and I found this great recipe from the Deen Brothers (Paula Deen's sons) on the Food Network site - a definite keeper...

Butterscotch and Black Pepper Carrots
2 1/2 tablespoons butter
2 1/2 tablespoons packed light brown sugar
1/4 teaspoon kosher salt
1 pound baby carrots, halved lengthwise
1 tablespoon freshly ground black pepper

In a medium skillet, heat the butter, sugar, and salt over medium-high heat, stirring until smooth. Add the carrots and toss to coat. Cover and reduce the heat to medium. Simmer for 15 minutes or until the carrots are tender and glazed. Top with black pepper. Serve hot or warm.

Burger Sauce

2011-01-28T11:49:00.000-08:00

I am from Salt Lake City - relocated to New Mexico 2 years ago. "Burger Sauce" also known as "Fry Sauce" is well known, used, available at a lot of restraunts and fast food joints. That is not the case here. People look at me like I'm a crazy person when I order a side of mayo (so I can make my Burger Sauce when we eat out).

If you haven't tried this, you should...

Burger Sauce
1 c Hellmann's/Best Food's mayonnaise
1/2 c ketchup
Garlic powder
Salt
Pepper

Mix the mayo and ketchup together until they are well incorporated. Add garlic powder, salt and pepper to taste. Spread on your burger bun and enjoy that goodness...
We also use this sauce with our fries instead of ketchup.

Sausage Burger

2011-01-28T11:09:00.000-08:00

I read an article on the top 25 burgers in America. I started thinking about what makes a really great burger. The sauce? The toppings? The meat? The meat...

I decided to make a burger that is 50% mild italian sausage and 50% ground beef...

All smiles around the table. The next night my son asked if I'd make those burgers again:)
Sausage Burger
1 1/2 lbs Mild (or hot) Italian Sausage
1 1/2 lbs Ground Beef
Tomato, thinly sliced
Onion, thinly sliced
Avocado, thinly sliced
Pepper Jack Cheese (or Cheddar for the kiddies)
Lettuce
Burger Sauce
Buns

Combine the sausage and ground beef. Make sure they are well incorporated. Divide into even portions and form into patties. Then, just cook them as you would normally cook your burger - I like my burgers grilled...

Top with everything else listed! Yummm

Are You A Supertaster?

2011-01-27T08:45:00.000-08:00

My husband actually told me about this. He was out of town and needed a place to work on his computer to send emails and quotes as well as eat. He ended up at what he called "the nicest, cleanest, greatest, SUBWAY shop ever." It was pretty vacant (great for working) and they had a tv there tuned to the Rachael Ray Show. They had a segment titled "Are you a SUPERTASTER" that peaked his interest.

As I've said a million times - my son is honestly the pickiest eater on the planet. My husband and I have struggled through the years with that. We've done everything you can think of to get him to just eat his darned dinner!

After watching that segment, my husband thought to himself "WOW! I'll bet Jen and Jack are both Supertasters! It explains SO much!"

If you are a picky eater - or know someone who is - I strongly suggest checking out the link.

Cheesy Potato Soup

2011-01-24T19:45:00.001-08:00

Want to make a delicious, satisfying soup in no time? Yes. You. Do.

This soup was so good - even my 7 year old pickiest eater (hates potatoes) exclaimed "this is really delicious Mom! Maybe I do like potatoes..."
Cheesy Potato Soup
1 11 oz pkg Bear Creek Potato Soup

16 oz Velveeta, cubed

16 oz Ore-Ida Southern Style Hashbrowns (freezer section)

1 onion, diced

1 lb bacon, cooked and crumbled

Get your bacon going. Many years ago I learned a little trick from a wonderful friend. Get your largest cookie sheet and line up your bacon on it. Put it in a cold oven, turn the temp up to 425 and set your timer for 20 minutes. Perfect. Bacon. Every. Time.

Dice your onion and sautee it in a little EVOO in the bottom of your biggest stock pot. This step is 2 fold. Cooking the 'bite' out of your onions and seasoning the pot. When the onions are nice and tender, take them off the heat and set them aside (in another vessle). Then, follow the directions on the back of the Bear Creek Soup (bring 8 c water to a boil, wisk in soup mix. Reduce heat to medium and simmer uncovered 15 min. stirring occasionally.)

Follow the directions on the back of the hashbrown pkg. Cook them until they are nice and browned. Then add the hashbrowns, sauteed onion, crumbled bacon and cubed Velveeta. Stir often until the Velveeta is melted.

Delish!

*I cracked a little black pepper on top

Contenders

2011-01-22T10:51:00.000-08:00

Alright people... your silence is KILLING me! I can see you are visiting (thanks to my handy dandy tracker) but still no commenting:) I have made a list of my "contenders" for the community cookbook. Please (asking, begging) comment on whether or not you've tried one of these recipes - if you liked them, hated them, changed them, etc. PU-LEASE!

If you haven't tried these recipes - this is a good place to start - these are (obvious) favs of mine.

Here we go:
Mindi’s Sausage Bread
Isabelle’s Famous Rolls
Baked Pasta with Sausage
Divine Shrimp Pasta
Decadent Mashed Potatoes
Spice Coated Pork Tenderloin
Chinese Simmer Chicken
Southwestern Lasagna
Nancy’s Spinach Salad
Watermelon Salsa
Café Rio Pork
Runnin’ UTE Tailgate Chili
Funeral Potatoes
White Bean Chicken Chili
Tuna Puff Sandwich
Sweet Jasmine Rice
Patty’s Beet Salad
Cinnamon Rolls
Chili's Caribbean Salad

I try very hard to give credit where credit is due (notice how many recipes have the people's names who gave me the recipe in them?) I will make sure that carries over into the cookbook as well.

Hope to hear from you!!

Community Cookbook Submission

2011-01-20T10:11:00.001-08:00

My kids school is doing a fundraiser. They are asking for recipe submissions from the community and then have those recipes posted in a cookbook to raise money for the school. What a great idea!

I am excited about participating - but I can't decide which recipes to submit!! I need your feedback!! Which recipes have you tried and loved? Which recipes have made their way into your "frequents" arsenal? What recipes do you have on your "to make list?" What recipe just sounds good?

I know you are out there reading - help a sisa out!!