Recipe: Boneless Short Ribs in Tomato Sauce

I’m not sure where my recent obsession came from for The Pioneer Woman-Ree Drummond, but she has been my inspiration lately. I have been on her Web site daily, and my mom is letting me borrow the book “From Black Heels to Tractor Wheels, A Love Story by Ree Drummond’, which I can’t put down. My son was given Ree Drummond’s children’s book, ‘Charlie the Ranch Dog’ for his 5th birthday and I adore the illustrations. I saw a brief video clip of Ree’s new cooking show and was wishing I actually had a TV so I could watch it, but then I probably wouldn’t get anything else done because I would be so hooked on watching The Food Network and favorite cooking shows, so therefore we don’t have a TV! I can’t wait to get a copy of her cookbook, ‘The Pioneer Woman’s Cookbook- Recipes from an Accidental Country Girl’ either.

One of the recipes I found from The Pioneer Women’s blog, that looks amazing, are the Short Ribs in Tomato Sauce. Of course I never seem to completely follow the recipe exactly, so instead of using short ribs with the bone-in like Ree did, I used boneless short ribs. Instead of using thyme like Ree did, I used Herbes de Provence, and instead of a can of whole tomatoes, well like Ree did, I used a can of diced tomatoes because that is what I had in my pantry and wanted to use up. Here is my own spin on the recipe.

Boneless Short Ribs in Tomato Sauce

5 boneless short ribs, cut in half crosswise

Salt and pepper, to taste

1 cup baby carrots, sliced

½ white onion, chopped

3 heads of garlic, minced

1 (28 ounce) can diced tomatoes

1 (15 ounce) can tomato sauce

1 cup red cooking wine

1 teaspoon Herbes de Provence

1 teaspoon red pepper

1 pound fettuccini

Finely shredded Italian cheese, for garnish

Fresh parsley, for garnish

Preheat oven to 325 degrees.

In a pan with a drizzle of olive oil, turn on high heat.

Sprinkle short ribs with salt and pepper, to taste.

With tongs, place each short rib in the smoking hot pan and brown on each side for 1 minute.

Remove short ribs and place in an ovenproof dish.

Turn heat down to medium-high and add carrots to pan.

Sauté for 3 minutes stirring often, then add in onions and garlic and mix together till carrots and onions are soft, about 2 minutes.

Add diced tomatoes, tomato sauce, wine, Herbes de Provence, and red pepper to onions.

Mix well and let the sauce simmer for 10-12 minutes, stirring occasionally.

Add the tomato mix over ribs and cover tightly with tin foil.

Place in preheated oven for 1 ½ hours.

Bring a pot of water to boil, add the fettuccini, and boil till noodles are soft.

Place noodles on bottom of serving dish, then add tomato mix (not all of it, as you will have leftover sauce), and place short ribs on top, sprinkle ribs with cheese, and add some fresh parsley to the dish.

Serve immediately.

Makes 4 servings.

NOTE: You can use the leftover tomato sauce to make spaghetti!

Random Post: Things I have learned about blogging

When I started this blog in March 2009 I had no idea what I was getting myself into. I just got this idea to start a blog and have taken it one posting at a time. Although I feel like I have come a long ways, I feel like I have a ways to go.  When I first started posting, I would find a recipe I wanted to try, cook it, post the recipe, add the picture, and site the recipe if it wasn’t my own, and that was that. Now, I am completely redoing my site; adding a section about gardening and the outdoors, my crafty things, a new recipe search, and adding my own voice more.  A few things I have learned about blogging along the way.

Be yourself. Write like you are talking to your best friend. I am very quiet natured in person and usually not real wordy while blogging either, but I’m working on adding my own voice more.

I need to take a photography class. I am not a photographer by any means and really not too fond of taking pictures, to be honest. In my photos, the lighting doesn’t seem to be right to capture the yumminess of my food, the angle seems off, the photo comes out blurry, or I just completely forget to take a picture of the final dish and then I remember after the food has been devoured. Where is my mother-in-law when I need her to take the pictures?!

Blog Often.  When I first started, I would post up to 2-3 posts a day. As my life became more insane, the blogging slowed down and eventually was neglecting for months, specifically while I was planning my wedding and what seemed like I was spending every minute of my evenings making my wedding isle décor called kissing balls. Now I have recently been inspired, I understand how important it is to blog often.

Write about varied topics. Since this blog was created mainly to write about food, I do like to mix it up a little and throw in a quote, a kitchen tip, write about a restaurant I had just eaten at, or just whatever I feel like writing about. I just want to make it fun!

Re-read what I just typed. This can be a challenge for me since I know what I mean when I write, but do others understand what I mean when they read it? With the new design of my blog I am in the process of working on, I am embarrassed to see some mistakes I have in recipes: “Preheat the oven to 3275 degrees”. I didn’t know my oven went that high, or does she mean 325 degrees?, or wait, is that 375 degrees?!” There is a big difference there.

I don’t know what to write about aka writer’s block. Most of the time this is very true, but I still need to sit down and post something. As I mentioned previously, I neglected my blog while planning my wedding when I could have been posting things about the wedding planning process. I recently found some inspiration, so on I go with the blogging!

Value my readers. Although I don’t know who most of you are that read my blog, I appreciate your comments and taking the time to read my posts. You are appreciated more than I let you know.

Recipe: Simple Breakfast Croissant

I am not a breakfast person but I LOVE eating breakfast food. For sure I have to have my coffee in the morning with cream and sugar. I definately enjoy having breakfast for dinner. I really don't have time to make breakfast in the morning with my crazy schedule, especially a big breakfast so that is why I like to take the time in the evening to make a big dinner-breakfast for my family.

Tonight I made some easy breakfast sandwiches. I made some shredded hash browns on the side cooked in butter, and a fresh fruit (strawberries, raspberries, and blueberries) salad. For "dessert" I made some cinnamon rolls.

4 butter croissants, sliced lengthwise, toasted, if desired

Mayo

Honey ham, thinly sliced (I just used the lunch meat packages)

8 slices of Bacon, figure 2 slices of bacon per sandwich

Shredded Mexican style cheese

4 Eggs, scrambled

Take each croissants and slice them in half lengthwise and toast if you like it that way.

Add enough mayo to cover each slice of croissant, or to your desired liking.

Take a small pan, add some butter and turn it up to medium-high heat.

Add the honey ham and fry for a few minutes on each side; remove and keep warm.

Cook bacon until crispy, and break each strip in half.

Using the same pan from cooking the ham, add a little bit of butter and cook the egg, preferrably scrambled. (If you fry the egg with a soft and runny yolk, beware when you take a bite- the yolk will run everywhere and can make a real disaster! Trust me I do know about this.)

To assemble the breakfast croissant: take the bottom half of croissant and add mayo, slices of ham, then the bacon, half a handfull of shredded cheese, egg, and put the other half of the croissant on top.

Serve immediately while hot.

Makes 4 servings; 1 sandwich per person

Random Post: Trader Joe's Raffle: Part 1

I love to shop at Trader Joes! They have some very unique items, but it is always fresh and have never been disappointed during my shopping experience. I don't go too often but my husband and I love the Sea Salt Pita Chips with hummus for a snack! YUM!

At every register there is a small container and a roll of tickets. If you bring your own bag for the groceries you can put your name and phone number on a ticket and drop it in the container at the register knowing it will be never be drawn since they have 8 registers and all the buckets full with tickets from the week, proabably a good couple hundred tickets to draw from.

Well this last Friday I had received a message from our local Trader Joes saying they had drawn MY name for the week! I was so excited that it could actually be ME! I went to the store as soon as I could and was handed a gift card for $10, which isn't a lot but, it is $10! I can definately put that to good use.

Random Picks: What I Love About My Kitchen!

A few months ago I came across an article that was titled, "What do you love most about your kitchen?" I often dream of my future kitchen and the features I one day look forward to having but this article got me thinking about my current kitchen. Although we currently rent and can't call this kitchen "mine" there are things I do love about it:

• It is centrally located in the house.


• There is tons of wide counter space.


• I love watching my husband cook the bacon or hamburger meat and still have plenty of room to prep the rest of the dinner together.


• There is plenty of cupboard space to hold all my necessary kitchen utencils and equipment.


• It has all the necessities I need to make a scrumptious meal.


• I have a view out my kitchen window into my backyard right to where all the bird feeders are and can enjoy watching the birds come and go.


• I can open the kitchen window and talk to my amazing husband while he BBQs on the deck as I prep the other side dishes inside.


• I have a colorful view of the flowers on my deck and can enjoy them all summer long!


• It is square and just the perfect size kitchen.

Recipe: Greek Salad

One of my most favorite things to eat is salad. Just about every dinner I make a salad but it tends to be the quick green salad with a few toppings and a jar of our favorite dressing, either Bleu cheese, or Ceasar dressing. I came across this recipe and it looked so good I couldn't wait to try this salad. I have had Greek salads before and love them. The result of this dressing was delicious!

This recipe came from the Cook's Country April/May 2008 issue.

1 1/4 cups crumbled feta cheese

1/2 cup red wine vinegar

3 tablespoons plain whole-milk yogurt (I used a Plain Greek yogurt)

1 teaspoon dried oregano

1 garlic clove, minced

3 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil

1/2 red onion, sliced thin

1 cucumber, peeled, halved lengthwise, seeded, and sliced thin

1 pint cherry tomatoes, halved

3/4 cup pitted kalamata olives

2 romaine hearts, torn into bite-sized pieces (about 8 cups)

salt and pepper

Process 1/2 cup feta, yogurt, oregano, garlic, vinegar, and oil in blender until smooth, about 30 seconds.

Combine dressing and onion in large bowl and let sit for 20 minutes.

Add remaining feta, cucumber, tomatoes, olives, and romaine to bowl with dressing mixture and toss to combine.

Season with salt and pepper.

Serve.

Serves 4 to 6.

Recipe: Mashed Potato Casserole

We often eat boneless skinless chicken breasts a couple times a week. I like to have our chicken, potatoes, a vegetable, green salad and/or a fruit salad. I came across this mashed potato casserole and wanted to see the results with this chicken dinner. Since there are only two adults and two small children in the household I cut the recipe in half and there was still tons leftover. The end results of the mashed potato casserole were "mmmmmm.....that is really good!"

This recipe is the full version as printed in the Cook's County December/January 2008 issue.

4 pounds russet potatoes, peeled and cut into 1-inch chunks

1/2 cup half-and-half

1/2 cup low-sodium chicken broth

12 tablespoons (1 1/2 sticks) unsalted butter, cut into pieces

1 garlic clove, minced

2 teaspoons Dijon mustard

2 teaspoons salt

4 large eggs

1/4 cup finely chopped fresh chives

Adjust oven rack to upper-middle position and heat oven to 375 degrees.

Bring potatoes and water to cover by 1 inch to boil in large pot over high heat.

Reduce heat to medium and simmer until potatoes are tender, about 20 minutes.

Heat half-and-half, broth, butter, garlic, mustard, and salt in saucepan over medium-low heat until smooth, about 5 minutes. Keep warm.

Drain potatoes and transfer to large bowl.

With electric mixer on medium-low speed, beat potatoes, slowly adding half-and-half mixture, until smooth and creamy, about 1 minute.

Scrape down bowl; beat in eggs 1 at a time until incorporated, about 1 minute.

Fold in chives.

Transfer potato mixture to a greased 2-quart baking dish.

Bake until potatoes rise and begin to brown, about 35 minutes.

Let cool 10 minutes.

Serve.

NOTE: The mashed potatoes will look very soupe when they are poured into the casserole dish. They will firm up and rise in the oven.

For better browing and an impressive presentation, use a fork to make a peaked design on top of the potato casserole.

MAKE AHEAD: The baking dish with the potatoes can be covered with plastic and refrigerated for up to 24 hours. When ready to bake, let the casserole sit at room temperature for 1 hour. Increase baking time by 10 minutes.

Random Picks: Garbage Can Composting

Lately I have really been wanting to start composting. It seems like every chance I get I am outside working in the yard trying to do little 'mini makeovers' in some areas of the yard. We have lots of weeds and wanted to improve the dirt in our garden area. It also helps on cutting down on the amount of trash we have.

I checked some books out on composting at the library and have spent quite a bit of time visting Web sites about composting and how to do it and techniques. I didn't want to build a permanent compost structure and couldn't quite justify spending literally hundreds of dollars on a composting bin so I decided to go with the basic trash can method. I went to The Home Depot and purchased a black Rubbermaid 32 gallon trash can with a lid. I also got a small pitchfork (for turning the compost). I left the store paying a total of $40. My dad drilled about 16 half inch holes in the can with a drill and got two pieces of wood (to set the trash can on so the bottom has air circulation). Simple as that.

I have been collecting kitchen scraps under my kitchen sink for a few days. I got a box of bio bags, purchased a $2 bathroom sized trash can at Goodwill and keep the can under my kitchen sink for easy access to throw decent composting scraps in.

Tonight I started my first pile. I ripped up some old newspaper, threw in my bio bag fill of goodies, added some recently pulled greens from the yard and a small shovelful of dirt, added a little bit of water (enough to get it damp) and closed the lid. I will check on it in a few days, turn it over, maybe add to it some more, and just let it do its thing.

I'm excited to see this process the kind of 'black gold' I get from it!

Random Picks: Cake Pops

I recently got interested in making cake pops. They looked fun, easy, and we all like a small sweet treat once in awhile. I saw a really fun looking cookbook, "Cake Pops: Tips, Tricks, and Recipes for More Than 40 Irresistable Mini Treats" with all the fun ways to display them and ways you could make them for the holidays, birthdays, or everyday treats.

The first time I made them I had a mess on my hands. My cake balls seems lumpy and I had melted chocolate all over. Although they tasted good, they didn't look so pretty. I had used a boxed strawberry cake mix with white chocolate coating and some sprinkles on top.

I had an excuse to try again. My son's preschool was celebrating July birthdays early since school was ending and decided to make each kid in his class and two teachers cake pops. WOW! They turned out amazing. The balls were not lumpy and the chocolate coating was so smooth. This time I used a white cake mix with a light cocoa chocolate coating, dipped in sprinkles. I wrapped each one in a plastic treat bag and tied it with ribbon. Everyone seemed to enjoy them!

Recipe: Chicken Club Pizza

It seems at least once a week (usually on a Friday) my family has pizza for dinner at home. With two adults in the house working full-time, and two hungry kids when we walk in the door, we are tired at the end of the week and want something quick for dinner. I came across this recipe on Kraft.com. I love the mix of chicken and bacon on pizza topped with lettuce and tomatoes. Pure yumminess! It is very easy to prep after a long day and can get it on the table quickly for the family to enjoy!

1 can (13.8 ounce) refrigerated pizza crust (I used the premade Boboli brand pizza instead)
1/4 cup Mayo with Olive Oil Mayonnaise

1/2 cup Ranch Dressing, divided
1 1/2 cups shredded Kraft triple cheddar cheese with a touch of Philadelphia, divided
1 1/2 cups finely chopped cooked chicken
6 slices bacon, cooked, crumbled
1 1/2 cups finely shredded lettuce
1 tomato, finely chopped

Heat oven to 400 degrees.

Mix mayo and 1/3 cup dressing; spread onto crust.

Top with half the cheese, chicken, remaining cheese and bacon.

Bake 5 minutes or until crust is deep golden brown and cheese is melted.

Top with lettuce and tomatoes; drizzle with remaining dressing.

Happy eating!


Recipe from Kraftrecipes.com

Guacamole

I love chips and dip! That salty crunch is just so satisfying. I also enjoy a good guacamole on the side. While I was grocery shopping yesterday, I got an instant craving for guacamole. I went to the refrigerated dairy section and found many varieties/brands of guacamole. It was hard to decide so I grabbed a small container of La Mexicana Guacamole. It has a layer of salsa on the top, plus it came in a smaller container (I got the 10-ounce size) which was smaller than my other options, since I needed just a little bit. As soon as I got a chance to take a bite I was instantly disappointed and disgusted. There was a certain spice that was not satisfying and almost tasted like it had too much lemon juice in it–quite sour. I’m still on the lookout for a good store bought guacamole. In the meantime, while I continue my good-quality tasting, store bought guacamole search, here is the homemade guacamole recipe my family uses:

1 avocado, peeled, sliced, and smashed
2 tablespoons sour cream
½ teaspoon seasoning salt
A few splashes of hot jalapeño sauce
1 slice of white onion, chunked in small pieces, sautéed, optional

Combine all ingredients in a bowl and mix to combine. Serve immediately with tortilla chips.
NOTE: If using the white onion, you can use it raw, however it can overpower the guacamole so I like to sauté it for a minute so it’s not so oniony, but still gives a nice flavor.

For every whole avocado you use, double the recipe. For example; if you use 2 whole avocados, use 4 tablespoons sour cream, 1 teaspoon seasoning salt, 2 slices of white onion, etc.

Check back for updates while I continue my search for a ‘good-quality tasting, store bought guacamole’.

Happy Cooking!

Best Grape Salad

This recipe is very creamy and sweet, and a great mix of flavors. It is kid friendly too! It is so easy to make. I cut the recipe in half and there was still plenty of leftovers for a snack.

2 pounds green seedless grapes

2 pounds red seedless grapes

8 ounces sour cream

8 ounces cream cheese, softened

1/2 cup granulated sugar

1 teaspoon vanilla extract, to taste

1 cup brown sugar, packed, to taste

1 cup crushed pecans, to taste

Wash and stem grapes; set aside.

Mix sour cream, cream cheese, white sugar, and vanilla by hand until blended.

Stir grapes into mixture, and pour in large serving bowl.

For topping: Combine brown sugar, and crushed pecans.

Sprinkle over top of grapes to cover completely.

Chill overnight.

www.recipezarr.com Recipe #35450

So Busy...

I know it has been awhile since I have posted a recipe. I have been planning my wedding and know I have neglected my blog. Thank you for your patience and please check back often and I will have new recipes posted soon!

Bon Appetit!

Recipe: Peppermint Bonbon Cookies

8 ounces bittersweet or semisweet chocolate, chopped

1/2 cup unsalted butter

1 1/2 ounces unsweetened chocolate, chopped

1/2 cup finely crushed hard peppermint candies

6 tablespoons granulated sugar

3 large eggs

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

1 teaspoon peppermint extract

1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour

3/4 teaspoon baking powder

1/4 teaspoon salt

1/2 cup semisweet chocolate morsels

Additional coarsely crushed hard peppermint candies, divided

1/2 cup powdered sugar (optional)

2 1/2 teaspoons milk (optional)

1/2 cup semisweet chocolate morsels, melted (optional)

Combine first 3 ingredients in a large saucepan; cook over low heat until chocolate melts and mixture is smooth, stirring occasionally.

Remove from heat, and stir in 1/2 cup crushed peppermint and 6 tablespoons sugar.

Let cool 30 minutes.

Add eggs to melted chocolate, 1 at a time, stirring well.

Stir in extacts.

Combine flour, baking powder, and salt; add to chocolate mixture, stirring until combined.

Stir in chocolate morsels.

Cover and chill dough 2 hours or until firm enough to shape.

Shape dough into 1 1/2 inch balls; place on parchment paper-lined baking sheets.

Bake at 325 degrees for 12 to 13 minutes or until cookies are puffed and cracked on top.

Sprinkle coarsely crushed peppermints onto cookies; press candy lightly into cookies.

Let cookies cool 5 minutes on baking sheets.

Transfer to wire rack to cool completely.

Whisk together powdered sugar and milk; drizzle over cooled cookies, if desired.

Drizzle with melted chocolate, if desired.

Sprinkle cookies again with chopped peppermint, if desired.

Let cookies stand until glaze and chocolate are firm.

Makes about 2 1/2 dozen

Oxmoor House, June 2007

Recipe: Green Beans with Mustard Vinaigrette

2 pounds green beans, trimmed

1 tablespoon olive oil

2 shallots, sliced

2 tablespoons apple cider vinegar

2 tablespoons grey poupon mustard

Bring a large pot of water to a boil.

Add green beans and cook just until tender, 4 to 5 minutes.

Drain and run under cold water to cool; transfer to a serving bowl.

In a saucepan, add heat olive oil over medium-high heat.

Add shallots and cook till tender, 3-4 minutes, stirring occasionally.

Stir in vinegar and mustard.

Serve on side or toss to combine with green beans.

Makes 8 servings

My own recipe- December 2010

Recipe: Peanut Butter Chocolate Chip Cookies

These cookies are delicious- crispy on the outside, soft and chewy in the middle. They make big sized cookies, but well worth it! -Susan

1/2 cup butter, softened

1/2 cup peanut butter

1 cup packed brown sugar

1/2 cup white sugar

2 eggs

2 tablespoons light corn syrup

2 tablespoons water

2 teaspoons vanilla extract

2 1/2 cups all-purpose flour

1 teaspoon baking soda

1/2 teaspoon salt

2 cups chopped semisweet chocolate

Preheat overn to 375 degrees.

In a large bowl, cream together the butter, peanut butter, brown sugar, and white sugar until smooth.

Beat in the eggs one at a time, then stir in the corn syrup, water, vanilla extract.

In another bowl, combine the flour, baking soda, and salt; stir into peanut butter mixture.

Fold in chocolate chunks.

Drop by 1/4 cupfuls 3 inches apart on an ungreased baking sheet.

Bake for 12 to 14 minutes in a preheated oven, or until edges are golden.

Allow cookies to cool for 1 minute on the cookie sheet before removing to wire racks to cool completely.

Makes 2 dozen

Recipe by Kathy Bliesner, found on Allrecipes.com

Recipe: Chocolate Chunk-Peanut Cookies

1/2 cup butter, softened

1/2 cup shortening

1 cup chunky peanut butter

1 cup granulated sugar

1 cup firmly packed brown sugar

2 large eggs

2 1/2 cups all-purpose flour

1 1/2 teaspoons baking soda

1 teaspoon baking powder

1/2 teaspoon salt

1 teaspoon ground cinnamon

1 cup unsalted dry-roasted peanuts

1 (11.5 ounce) bag chocolate chunks (I used milk chocolate chips)

Beat butter and shortening at medium speed with an electric mixer until creamy; add chunky peanut butter and sugars, beating well.

Add eggs, beating until blended.

Combine flour and next 4 ingredients.

Add to butter mixture, beating well.

Stir in peanuts and chocolate chunks (or chips).

Shape dough into 2-inch balls (about 2 tablespoons for each cookie).

Flatten slightly, and place on ungreased baking sheets.

Bake at 375 degrees for 12 to 15 minutes or until lightly browned.

Cool on pan 1 to 2 minutes; remove to wire rack to cool completely.

Makes about 28 cookies.

Southern Living, May 2004

Recipe: Buttermilk Chicken Tenders

1/2 cup buttermilk

3/4 teaspoon Tabasco sauce

1 1/3 pounds chicken tenders

3/4 cup all-purpose flour

2 teaspoon kosher salt

1/8 teaspoon cayenne pepper

2 eggs

2 cups bread crumbs (Panko)

3/4 cup vegetable oil

Mix buttermilk and Tabasco in a resealable plastic bag.

Add chicken tenders and marinate for at least 1 hour up to 1 day.

In a shallow dish, mix flour with salt and cayenne pepper.

In another shallow bowl, beat together eggs with 2 tablespoons water.

Place bread crumbs in a separate shallow dish.

Remove chicken tenders from buttermilk, draining any excess, and dredge individually in flour mixture, shaking off excess; then dip into egg, draining any excess.

Next, dip chicken in bread crumbs, pressing gently into crumbs to coat.

(Chicken may be prepared up to 5 hours ahead; cover and refrigerate).

In a large skillet, heat 1/4 cup vegetable oil over medium-high heat.

When hot, add one third of chicken tenders and cook, turning, until golden, about 4 minutes.

Transfer to a plate and keep warm.

Wipe out pan and repeat cooking procedure in 2 more batches with remaining oil and tenders.

Makes 6 servings

All You, April 2006

Recipes: Stuffed Peppers

1 pound ground beef

1/2 cup uncooked long grain white rice

1 cup water

6 green bell peppers

2 (8 ounce) cans tomato sauce

1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce

1/4 teaspoon garlic powder

1/4 teaspoon onion powder

salt and pepper to taste

1 teaspoon Italian seasoning

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

Place the rice and water in a saucepan, and bring to a boil.

Reduce heat, cover, and cook 20 minutes.

In a skillet over medium heat, cook the beef until evenly browned.

Remove and discard the tops, seeds, and membranes of the bell peppers.

Arrange peppers in a baking dish with the hollowed sides facing upward. (Slice the bottoms of the peppers, if necessary, so that they will stand upright).

In a bowl, mix the browned beef, cooked rice, 1 can tomato sauce, Worcestershire sauce, garlic powder, onion powder, salt, and pepper.

Spoon an equal amount of the mixture into each hollowed pepper.

Mix the remaining tomato sauce and Italian seasoning in a bowl, and pour over the stuffed peppers.

Bake 1 hour in the preheated oven, basting with sauce every 15 minutes, until the peppers are tender.

Makes 6 servings

Allrecipes.com

Recipe: Korean-Style Pork with Asian Slaw

1 large or 2 small pork tenderloins (about 1 1/4 pound), trimmed

1/3 cup soy sauce

1/4 cup rice vinegar

3 tablespoons light brown sugar

2 medium cloves garlic, minced

1 1/2 tablespoons minced fresh ginger

1 tablespoons Asian sesame oil

1 tablespoon Asian chile sauce (like Sriracha)

1 pound Napa cabbage, thinly sliced

1 cup grated carrot (about 2 medium carrots)

4 scallions (both white and green parts), trimmed and thinly sliced

5 tablespoons canola or peanut oil

Kosher salt

Cut the pork on the diagonal into 1/2 inch thick medallions.

In a small measuring cup, whisk the soy sauce, 2 tablespoons of the rice vinegar, 2 tablespoons of the brown sugar, the garlic, ginger, 1/2 tablespoon of the sesame oil, and 2 teaspoon of the chile sauce.

Toss 1/2 cup of this mixture with the pork medallions in a large bowl; reserve the remaining mixture to use as a sauce.

Let the pork sit at room temperature for 25 minutes or refrigerate for up to 2 hours.

Meanwhile, in another large bowl, toss the cabbage and the carrot with half of the scallions, 1 tablespoon of the canola oil, 1 teaspoon salt, and the remaining 2 tablespoon rice vinegar, 1 tablespoon brown sugar, 1/2 tablespoon sesame oil, and 1 teaspoon chile sauce.

Let sit for 15 minutes, toss again, and transfer to a large serving platter.

Heat 2 tablespoons of the canola oil in a heavy based 12 inch skillet over medium-high heat. Remove the pork from the marinade, shaking off the excess, and transfer the pork to a clean plate.

Discard the marinade.

Add half of the pork medallions to the skillet, spacing them evenly.

Cook them until well browned on one side, about 2 minutes.

Flip and cook until the pork is just cooked through, about another 2 minutes.

Set the pork on top of the slaw.

Pour out the oil and wipe the pan with paper towels.

Return the pan to medium-high heat.

Add the remaining 2 tablespoons canola oil, and cook the remaining medallions in the same manner.

Top the slaw with the remaining pork and pour the reserved soy-ginger sauce over the medallions.

Serve immediately, sprinkled with the remaining scallions.

Makes 4 to 6 servings.

Fine Cooking magazine, Fall 2008

Recipe: Cauliflower with Mustard-Lemon Butter

1 small head of cauliflower (about 1 3/4 pound)

1 teaspoon coarse kosher salt

6 tablespoons (3/4 stick) butter

2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice

2 tablespoons whole grain Dijon mustard

1 1/2 teaspoons finely grated lemon peel

1 tablespoon chopped fresh parsley

Preheat oven to 400 degrees.

Butter rimmed baking sheet.

Cut cauliflower in half, then cut crosswise into 1/4 inch thick slices.

Arrange slices in single layer on prepared sheet; sprinkle with salt.

Roast until cauliflower is slightly softened, about 15 minutes.

Meanwhile, melt butter in small saucepan over medium heat.

Whisk in lemon juice, mustard, and lemon peel.

Spoon mustard-lemon butter evenly over cauliflower and roast until crisp-tender, about 10 minutes longer.

Transfer cauliflower to platter.

Sprinkle parsley and serve warm.

Makes 6 servings

Source unknown

Recipe: Gooey Mozzarella-Garlic Bread

1 loaf Italian or French bread, halved crosswise
olive oil
garlic powder
shredded mozzarella cheese

Preheat oven to 400 degrees.
Sprinkle olive oil evenly to coat each side of bread.
Sprinkle garlic powder evenly on both sides of bread.
Place enough cheese to cover evenly on each slice of bread.
Close bread, as if making a sandwich.
Wrap in foil and bake 10 to 15 minutes, or until cheese melts.
Makes 4 servings

Recipe from Robin Miller on Food Network.com

Recipe: Chicken with Provencal Sauce

4 (6 ounce) skinless, boneless chicken breast halves

1/4 teaspoon salt

1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

1 1/2 tablespoons olive oil

1 garlic clove, minced

1 cup less-sodium chicken broth

1 1/2 teaspoons dried herbes de Provence

1 teaspoon butter

1 teaspoon fresh lemon juice

fresh thyme sprigs (optional)

Place chicken breast half between 2 sheets of heavy-duty plastic wrap; pound to 1/2-inch thickness using a meat mallet or rolling pin.

Sprinkle chicken evenly with salt and pepper.

Heat oil in a large nonstick skillet over medium heat.

Add chicken; cook 6 miutes on each side or until done.

Remove chicken from pan; keep warm.

Add garlic to pan; cook 1 minute, stirring constantly.

Add broth and herbes de Provence, bring to a boil, scraping pan to loosen browned bits.

Cook until broth mixture is reduced to 1/2 cup (about 3 minutes).

Remove from heat, add butter, and lemon juice, stirring until butter melts.

Serve sauce over chicken.

Garnish with thyme sprigs, if desired.

Makes 4 servings

Cooking Light, January 2005

Recipe: Chicken Pot Pie

This is such a simple recipe but so delicious and a great company meal.

2 cups baby carrots, sliced
1 onion, chopped
3-4 large baking potatoes, cut into bite size pieces, slightly cooked
1 (12 ounce) package frozen peas
2 chicken breasts, throughly cooked and cut into bite size pieces
1 (12 ounce) can cream of chicken soup
1 cup milk
1 package refrigerated pie crust

Grease a 13 x 9 inch baking dish.
In a saute pan, add carrots and onions and saute until slightly soft.
In a pot, boil potatoes until soft but do not completely cook.
Mix carrots, onions, and potatoes in the baking dish.
Add the frozen peas and chicken pieces, mix well.
In another bowl, add soup and milk; mix well.
Pour soup mixture over ingredients in baking dish.
Cover top of pot pie with the pie crust.
Place in oven and cook for 30-40 minutes, or until crust is slightly brown.

Makes 4-6 servings

NOTE: You don't want to thoroughly cook the vegetables since they will be cooking again in the oven. If you overcook, they will get very soft and mushy.

My own recipe by Susan

Recipe: Enchilada Casserole

1 1/2 pounds ground beef
1 cup onion
1 1/2 teaspoon ground cumin
2 cloves garlic, crushed
4 tablespoons chili powder
1 1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon pepper
1 cup water
1/2 cup enchilada sauce
1/2 cup tomato sauce
1 dozen corn tortillas
1 pound shredded Mexican blend, shredded

Preheat oven to 375 degrees.
Grease a 13 x 9 baking dish.
In a skillet cook beef and onions.
Add next ingredients and simmer for 10 munutes uncovered till liquid evaporates.
Pour 1/2 of sauce in dish and arrange 1/2 of tortillas to cover bottom of dish.
Pour 1/2 of remaining sauce evenly over tortillas.
Spoon in beef mixture, and sprinkle with 1/2 of cheese.
Place remaining tortillas and spread with remaining sauce.
Top the rest of cheese.
Cover with foil and bake 40 minutes, then another 5 minutes uncovered.
May be prepared 24 hours in advance.

Recipe modified by Susan, original recipe by Sara Stickland

Recipe: Herbed Chicken Parmesan

1/3 cup (1 1/2 ounces) grated fresh Parmesan cheese, divided

1/4 cup dry breadcrumbs (I used Panko breadcrumbs, usually found in the ethnic section of your grocery store)

1 tablespoon minced fresh parsley

1/2 teaspoon dried basil

1/4 teaspoon salt, divided

1 large egg white, lightly beaten

1 pound chicken breast tenders

1 tablespoon butter

1 1/2 cups tomato-basil pasta sauce

2 teaspoons balsalmic vinegar

1/4 teaspoon black pepper

1/3 cup (1 1/2 ounces) shredded provolone cheese (I used sliced provolone and used enough cheese to cover the top of each chicken tender)

Preheat broiler.

Combine 2 tablespoons of Parmesan, breadcrumbs, parsley, basil, and 1/8 teaspoon salt in a shallow dish.

Place egg white in a shallow dish.

Dip each chicken tender in egg white; dredge in the breadcrumb mixture.

Melt butter in a large nonstick skillet over medium-high heat.

Add chicken; cook 3 minutes on each side or until done. Set aside.

Combine 1/8 teaspoon salt, pasta sauce, vinegar, and pepper in a microwave-safe bowl.

Cover with plastic wrap; vent.

Microwave sauce mixture on HIGH 2 minutes or until thoroughly heated.

Pour the sauce over chicken in pan.

Sprinkle evenly with the remaining Parmesan and provolone cheese.

Wrap handle of pan with foil, and broil 2 minutes or until the cheese melts.

Makes 4 servings

Cooking Light, November 2003

Recipe: Applesauce Cake

This recipe can also be used to make muffins. Simply reduce the baking time by 15 minutes.

1/2 cup vegetable oil, plus more for cake pan
3 large apples, peeled, cored, quartered, and cut into chunks
1/2 cup light-brown sugar
2 large eggs
1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
3/4 teaspoon coarse salt
1/2 teaspoon baking powder
3/4 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon ground c innamon
1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg
confectioners' sugar (optional), for serving

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
Lightly oil an 8-inch round cake pan.
In a medium saucepan, bring apples and 1/4 cup water to a simmer over high.
Cover, reduce heat to medium, and cook until apples are very tender, 12 minutes.
Mash apples with a whisk, stirring to dry mixture slightly, 2 minutes.
Remove from heat.
Whisk brown sugar into apples, then oil.
Whisk in eggs, then flour, salt, baking powder, baking soda, cinnamon, and nutmeg.
Transfer batter to pan and bake until golden brown and a toothpick inserted in center comes out clean, 30 to 35 minutes.
Let cool in pan on a wire rack 20 minutes.
Invert and let cake cool on rack.
To serve, dust trop with confectioners' sugar, if desired.
Makes 6 servings

Martha Stewart Everyday Food, October 2005
www.marthastewart.com/recipe/applesauce-cake

Recipe: White Chocolate Chip Macadamia Nut cookies

This recipe makes a ton so feel free to cut the recipe in half. These are some of the best cookies! MMM...my mouth is just watering typing this up!

1 pound (2 cups) butter, room temperature

1 2/3 cup brown sugar,

1 cup granulated sugar

3 large eggs, room temperature

1 Tablespoon vanilla

4 1/2 cup all purpose unbleached white flour

2 teaspoons baking soda

1 teaspoon salt

2 cups (12 ounce bag) white chocolate chips or chunks

1 1/4 cups (4 ounces) macadamia nuts, roughly chopped

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

Line baking sheets with parchment paper (no need to grease).

Measure flour, baking soda, and salt in a large bowl and blend together. Set aside.

In a large mixing bowl, preferably a heavy-duty mixer, and using the paddle or beater attachment, beat butter until creamy.

Add brown sugar and beat again.

Scrape down the bowl and add the granulated sugar. Beat until fluffy.

Add eggs one at a time, beating after each addition.

Add vanilla, beat, and scrape again.

On low speed, add flour mixture 2 cups at a time, and mix well.

Mix in white chocolate and macadamia nuts. Mix only until blended.

Using a cookie scoop, place dough on prepared baking sheets, spacing evenly to allow for spreading.

Bake at 350 degrees for 10-12 minutes or until light browned. DO NOT over bake these cookies. THey continue to bake for a few minutes after they are removed from the oven.

in air tight containier or plastic bag to stay soft and moist.

Makes 48 warm and gooey cookies.

Site unknown

Recipe: Mixed Berry Tartlets

1 (15 ounce) package rolled refrigerated unbaked pie crusts (2)

nonstick cooking spray

2 tablespoons sugar

1 tablespoons cornstarch

1 (12 ounce) package frozen mixed berries

1 tablespoon lemon juice

1/3 cup whipping cream

1/4 cup purchased lemon curd

1 teaspoon sugar

1/4 teaspoon vanilla

Fresh mint sprigs, optional

Let piecrust stand according to package directions.

Preheat oven to 400 degrees.

Lightly coat twelve 2 1/2 inch muffin cups with cooking spray.

For pastry shells, unroll pie crusts on lightly floured surface.

Use 3 1/4 to 4 inch round cutter to cut 6 rounds from each crust.

Press rounds into prepared muffin cups, pleating to fit.

For tartlet filling, in medium bowl combine the 2 tablespoons sugar and cornstarch; stir in mixed berries and lemon juice.

Spoon filling into pastry shells.

Bake about 20 minutes or until pastry is golden.

Cool in muffin cups on wire racks for 5 minutes.

Carefully remove tartlets from muffin cups; cool completely on wire rack.

In medium mixing bowl combine whipping cream, lemon curd, the 1 teaspoon sugar, and vanilla; beat with wire whisk or with electric mixer on medium speed until cream mixture mounds and is fluffy.

Spoon on tartlets.

Garnish each with a mint sprig.

Makes 12 tartlets.

Better Homes and Garden Cookbook

Recipe: BBQ Chicken Melt

1 baguette (12 ounces) cut lengthwise in half, then crosswise into quarters

1/4 cup mayonnaise

1/4 cup Original Barbeque Sauce

4 cooked chicken breasts, thinly sliced

1/2 cup thinly sliced red onions

4 Pepper Jack cheese slices, cut diagonally in half

Heat broiler.

Place bread, cut sides-up, in single layer on baking sheet.

Sprinkle bread with olive oil, then top with mayo, bbq chicken slices, onion, and slice of cheese.

Broil 2 to 3 minutes or until cheese is melted.

Serve hot.

Makes 4 servings.

Kraft Foods Food & Family Summer 2010 magazine

Recipe: Cheesy Beef-Corn Chip Skillet

1 pound ground beef

1 small onion, chopped

3/4 cup water

1 package (1 1/4 ounces) Taco Seasoning Mix

2 cup corn chips

4 slices cheddar cheese

2 cups shredded lettuce

2 tomatoes, chopped

Brown meat with onion in large skillet; drain.

Add water and seasoning mix; cook as directed on package; add corn chips.

Place meat mixture in microwave safe rimmed dish.

Put the 4 slices on top to cover mixture.

Microwave for 1 minute to melt cheese.

Top with lettuce and tomatoes.

Makes 6 servings.

Food & Family magazine (Kraft Foods) Fall 2010

Recipe: Peanut Butter-Caramel Candy Bites with Colorful Candies

1 (16.5 ounce) package refrigerated peanut butter cookie dough

24 bite-size chocolate-covered caramel-peanut nougat (Snickers bar)

72 candy-coated chocolate pieces (M&Ms)

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

Shape cookie dough into 24 (1-inch) balls, and place in cups of lightly greased miniature muffin pans.

Bake 15 to 18 minutes or until edges are lightly browned.

Remove from oven, and press 1 bite-size Snickers bar into each cookie.

Sprinkle cookies evenly with M&M pieces.

Makes 24 cookies.

NOTE: Instead of buying the bite-size Snickers bars, I got a regular sized bar and cut it into 1-inch pieces and pressed the pieces into the center of each cookie.

Southern Living, July 2009

Recipe: Emeril's Peanut Butter-Chocolate Chip Cookies

These are some of the easiest, yummiest cookies to make in just minutes. The best part was I didn't even have to pull my Kitchen Aid mixer out either. All I needed was a large metal bowl, wooden spoon, a couple measuring cups, ingredients, and cookies were ready.

1 cup creamy peanut butter

1/2 cup granulated sugar

1/2 cup packed light-brown sugar

1/2 cup semisweet chocolate chips

1 large egg, beaten

1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract

Preheat oven to 350 degrees, with racks in upper and lower thirds.

In a large bowl, combine all ingredients and stir with a wooden spoon until smooth.

Using a 1 teaspoon, place dough 1 inch apart on a ungreased baking sheet.

Bake cookies until puffed and lightly golden, 10 to 12 minutes, rotating sheets halfway through.

Let cookies cool on sheets.

(To store, keep cookies in an airtight container at room temperature, up to 3 days.)

Martha Stewart Everyday Food magazine, date unknown

Recipe: Tortilla Soup

1 small onion, finely chopped (about 1/4 cup)

1 clove garlic, finely chopped

2 cups chicken broth

3/4 to 1 teaspoon chili powder

1 can (15 ounces) tomato sauce

2 cups cut-up cooked chicken

2 cups tortilla chips

1 cup shredded Monterey Jack cheese (4 ounces)

1 small avocado, peeled and sliced

Place onion, garlic, broth, chili powder, tomato sauce, and chicken in a crockpot.

Place on HIGH for 4-6 hours.

Divide tortilla chips on the bottom of each bowl.

Add soup.

Place cheese on top with some avacados.

Serve immediately.

Makes 4-6 servings.

Recipe site unknown

Recipe: Puffed-Rice Bars with Peanut Butter and Chocolate

3 tablespoons unsalted butter, plus more for baking dish

4 cups miniature marshmallows

1/3 cup creamy peanut butter, preferably natural

1/2 teaspoon coarse salt

6 cups puffed-rice cereal

nonstick cooking spray or vegetable oil, for preserving

1 package (12 ounces) semisweet chocolate chips, melted

1/4 cup chopped, roasted, salted peanuts

Butter an 8-inch square baking dish.

In a large pot, combine marshmallows, peanut butter, buter, and salt.

Cook over medium, stirring, until melted, about 4 minutes.

Add cereal and stir to combine.

With a wooden spoon greased with cooking spray or oil, press half the cereal mixture into dish.

Spread half the melted chocolate on top.

Repeat with remaining cereal mixture and chocolate; sprinkle with peanuts.

(Store in an airtight container, up to 3 days.)

Makes 16 bars

Martha Stewart Everyday Food magazine

Recipe: Raspberry-Lemon Whoopie Pies

1/2 cup (1 stick) butter, room temperature

1 cup plus 3 tablespoons light-brown sugar

1 tablespoon grated lemon zest

1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract

1 large egg

2 1/4 cups all-purpose flour

3/4 teaspoon baking powder

1/4 teaspoon baking soda

1/2 teaspoon coarse salt

1 cup whole milk

3/4 cup heavy cream

1 cup fresh raspberries (4 ounces)

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

In a large bowl, using an electric mixer, beat butter, 1 cup brown sugar, and lemon zest until light and creamy.

Add vanilla and egg and beat to combine, scraping down bowl as needed.

In a medium bowl, whisk together flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt.

With mixer on low, beat in flour mixture in 3 additions, alternating with milk and ending with flour mixture (scrape bowl as needed).

Beat well to combine.

Drop batter in 1 tablespoon mounds, about 2 inches apart, onto two parchment-lined baking sheets.

Bake until puffed and golden around edges, 10-12 minutes, rotating sheets halfway through. Let cakes cool completely on sheets on wire racks.

In a large bowl, whip cream, and 3 tablespoons brown sugar to soft peaks.

In a small bowl, mash raspberries with a fork, then fold into whipped cream.

Divide raspberry cream evenly among bottomrs of half the cakes, then sandwich with remaining cakes.

Martha Stewart Everyday Food

Recipe: Hash Brown Casserole with Bacon, Onions, and Cheese

I have to say I am not much of a morning breakfast person. I always have to have my hot cup of coffee in the morning to get my day started. One of my favorites is breakfast food for dinner. Whether it is just simple bacon, eggs, and shredded hashbrowns or breakfast burritos for dinner, I definately enjoy my breakfast food.

I came across this recipe and it has all my favorite things in it. When the potato casserole was in the oven cooking I wasn't sure just the best side dish to serve with this. All of a sudden I realized how yummy this potato casserole might as a filling with scrambled eggs, sour cream, salsa, and shredded cheddar cheese wrapped in a flour tortilla...a breakfast burrito.

Hash Brown Casserole with Bacon, Onions, and Cheese

6 bacon slices

1 cup chopped onion

2 garlic cloves, minced

1 (32 ounce) package frozen Southern-style hash brown potatoes

1 cup (4 ounces) shredded cheddar cheese, divided

1/2 cup chopped green onions

1/2 cup sour cream

1/2 teaspoon salt

1/4 teaspoon black pepper

1 (10 3/4 ounces) can cream of mushroom soup, undiluted

Cooking spray

Cook bacon in a large nonstick skillet over medium heat until crisp.

Remove bacon from pan, and crumble.

Discard drippings in pan.

Add 1 cup onion and garlic to pan; cook for 5 minutes or until tender, stirring frequently.

Stir in potatoes; cover and cook for 15 minutes, stirring occasionally.

Combine crumbled bacon, 1/4 cup cheese, green onions, sour cream, salt, pepper, and soup in a large bowl.

Add potato mixture; toss gently to combine.

Spoon mixture into an 11 x 17 inch baking dish coated with cooking spray.

Sprinkle with remaining 3/4 cup cheese.

Cover with foil coated with cooking spray.

Refrigerate 8 hours or overnight.

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

Remove casserole from refrigerator; let stand at room temperature 15 minutes.

Bake casserole, covered, at 350 degrees for 30 minutes.

Uncover and bake an additional 30 minutes or until bubbly around edges and cheese begins to brown.

Makes 6 servings

Cooking Light, November 2005

Recipe: Caramel Cups

I absolutely love caramel! When I came across this recipe my mouth started to water as I imagined the smooth, sweet, taste of the caramel and couldn't wait to try these little desserts out. These desserts are quite sweet. I whipped my own cream using heavy whipping cream and left it unsweetened, which evened out the sweetness.

1 (1.9 ounce) package mini phyllo shells

about 20 soft caramel candies, unwrapped

1/4 cup half and half

whipped cream

1 (1.4 ounce) Heath candy bar, finely chopped

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

Arrange phyllo shells on a baking sheet.

Bake phyllo shells at 350 degrees for 5 minutes or until crisp; cool slightly.

In a glass microwave safe bowl, add caramels and half and half.

Heat for 1 minute; stir, and continue to heat until mixture is smooth, 30 seconds at a time.

Spoon caramel mixture into each phyllo cup filling about 3/4 full.

Add a dollop of whipped cream and a sprinkle of Heath candy bar.

Serve immediately.

Makes 15 phyllo cups.

Recipe revised from Cooking Light Fresh Food Fast Weeknight Meals

Recipe: Tostada with Egg

Lately, as I have been flipping through recipe books to get inspired and get my foodie creative juices running, I've seen a lot of recipes for Huevos Rancheros, which is Spanish for "rancher's eggs," although the more common translation is "country" or "country-style" eggs. Huevos rancheros consists of fried corn tortillas topped with fried eggs and then a layer of salsa.

All the pictures have looked so delicious, so I put my own take on it. I took a tostada shell and put a layer of refried beans, shredded mexican style cheese, chopped tomatoes, green onions, avocados, salsa, sour cream, and a fried egg on top. It turned out so delicious!

Random Post: Ways of Summer

Some of us are still waiting for Summer to arrive in our state. I came across this list of fun things to do in the summertime. I have picked out my favorites, and hopefully whenever the sunshine decides to shine here I might just be able to enjoy one or two of these on this list:

• Eating a ripe peach at its peak.
• Dig into a funnel cake or corn dog at a state fair or hometown street festival.
• Watermelon juice for a day at the beach: puree the fruit in a blender and don't forget the ice.
• Make homemade barbecue sauce for grilled chicken or ribs.
• Strawberry ice cream in a waffle cone is worth sticky fingers.
• Sharing a box of saltwater taffy on the boardwalk.
• Throw summery herbs like basil and cilantro into a dinner salad.
• BLTs with heirloom tomoatoes and smoky, thick-cut bacon.
• After picking blueberries and eating your fill, freeze the rest for pancakes.
• Corn on the cob with salt, pepper, and fresh lime.
• Cooking what you've bought at the farmer's market as soon as you get home.
• Making jam.
• Cracker Jacks and a foot-long hotdog at the ballpark.
• A special occasion calls for a double-crusted jumble-berry pie with raspberries, blueberries, and blackberries.
• Delicious potato salad: toss the spuds with dressing while they're still warm.
• Sipping the perfect iced coffee.
• Salads for dinner because it's too hot to cook.
• Best tomato sandwich: thick slices of juicy beefsteaks, mayonnaise, salt, and pepper, on lightly toasted bread.
• Any excuse for a pool party.
• Stir pesto into softened butter and add to grilled vegetables, corn, or steak.
• Nothing beats chips and salsa.
• A big jug of iced tea with fresh spearmint.
• Finding the perfect stick for roasting marshmallows.
• Sitting in the pool eating watermelon.

Taken from Martha Stewart Everyday Food Summer 2010

Recipe: Chicken Breasts with Brown Onion Gravy

Of course after an excellent dinner has been consumed and no evidence remaining, I sit down to write about it and NOW remember I should of taken a picture. I am completely bummed I don't have a picture for this recipe.

This is my own recipe. I served the chicken with mashed potatoes (mixed with butter and heavy whipping cream), fresh corn cut off the ear (browned in some butter), and a ceasar salad.

4 tablespoons olive oil
2 chicken breasts, flattened to 1/4 inch thick
1/2 cup all-purpose flour
1/2 white onion, thinly sliced
1 cup less sodium beef broth

Heat oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat.
Flatten the chicken breasts till about 1/4 inch thick.
Dredge chicken in flour.
Add chicken to hot pan and cook 2 to 3 minutes on both sides or until chicken is browned; transfer to a plate.
Reduce heat to medium.
Add onions to pan and cook 3 minutes or until tender.
Stir in broth, scraping to loosen browned bits.
Return chicken to pan.
Bring to a boil; reduce heat and cook until chicken is done; about 8-10 minutes.
Makes 2-4 servings

Random Picks: Chopped Cafe Salad (with recipe)

Salads are so refreshing, healthy, and versitile. They can be served hot or cold. There are hundreds of varieties of toppings: fresh or cooked vegetables, meat (cold cut, hamburger, bacon, beef, chicken, steak), fruit, fresh herbs, and the list is endless.

Salad is like an art. They can be served layered, the toppings can be placed in strips on top, or simply put in a bowl all mixed together. There really is no right or wrong way to make a salad.

I could eat a salad everyday. I enjoy tasting the fresh ingredients, and the satisfying crunch. One of my most recent creations of a salad is a bowl with a fresh, rinsed and dried, chopped head of romaine lettuce, a strip of feta cheese, tomatoes, cucumbers, strips of bacon, bean sprouts, and a hard-boiled egg topped with my homemade bleu cheese dressing (recipe below). I call this salad my Chopped Cafe Salad. Happy chopping!


Blue Cheese Dressing
1/2 pound blue cheese (1 cup packed)
1/2 cup buttermilk
1/2 cup mayonnaise
1/4 cup sour cream
1 tablespoon red wine vinegar
1 teaspoon dry mustard

In a bowl, break blue cheese into 1/2 inch chunks.
Add buttermilk, mayonnaise, sour cream, red wine vinegar, and dry mustard; stir until blended.
If making up to 4 days ahead, cover and chill; stir before using.

NOTE: You can also use gorgonzola cheese instead of the blue cheese.

Recipe: Caramel Macchiato Coffee Shake

I love coffee! I enjoy my hot black drip coffee with cream and sugar every morning. If I go out for coffee I usually order an Americano (made with espresso and water). If I feel like treating myself I will order the caramel macchiato extra hot with whipped cream. Today I had a coupon for one pint of Starbucks ice cream and selected the Caramel Macchiato flavor. I got inspired and here is the recipe I came up with. This makes a creamy, smooth, refreshing drink with a coffee kick.

Caramel Macchiato Coffee Shake

3/4 cup strong brewed coffee, cooled to room temperature

1/4 cup dark chocolate covered espresso beans

1/2 cup half and half

one pint Starbucks Caramel Macchiato ice cream

Place all ingredients in a blender.

Blend until smooth and espresso beans are in small pieces.

Makes 2 shakes.

Random Picks: Meatballs (recipe included)

Lately I have been so hungry for meatballs and gravy, served with boiled potatoes. I have yet to master a meatball recipe or even find a delicious recipe I like- so tonight I went for the frozen meatballs. I am definately not one for many frozen foods, with a few exceptions. I like the satisfaction of chopping, the fresh taste, and enjoy taking the time to make something, instead of pulling out a plastic bag from the freezer and throwing it in the microwave for a few minutes.

One of my favorite grocery stores is Trader Joes. They have a variety of fresh fruits, vegetables, meat, cheeses, and so many unique kinds of food. They do have a frozen food isle. I have tried numerous kinds of their frozen foods, and dinners and they are actually quite good. I hadn't tried their meatballs yet and decided to give them a try.

My first thought when I put them in the shopping cart was to serve them with brown gravy, mashed potatoes, a vegetable, and green salad. Today I was shopping at Costco and all around the store they had the food sample tables set up. One of the samples was a big bottle of this Veri Veri Terriakyi Sauce and Marinade. They had served this sample with meat. It looked delicious! I couldn't resist the marinade and thought I would try it with the meatballs. After I returned home, I dumped a little bit over the meatballs and let it marinade for about an hour. For dinner, I served this recipe with diced boiled potatoes, and fresh corn kernals cut off the ear on the stove in butter with salt and pepper to taste.

Teriyaki Marinated Meatballs

1 (16 ounce) frozen package of Italian style meatballs

1 cup Veri Veri Teriyaki Sauce and Marinade

In a bowl, take meatballs and place teriyaki marinade on top; stir to blend.

Let sit for 1 hour.

In a heavy saucepan, put in meatballs and marinade.

On medium-high heat, bring sauce to a boil; stir occasionally.

Let cook for about 20 minutes or until meatballs are heated through.

Serve immediately.

Random Picks: Dessert Idea

For some reason, most of the ideas I think of come as I am lying in bed about ready to go to sleep. The other night I thought of this dessert idea and put my idea in action. It is rather quite simple and looks fun. I took tall stemmed champagne glasses. I made some vanilla pudding and set it aside in a separate bowl, then made some chocolate pudding in another bowl. I layered the vanilla and chocolate pudding and filled the glasses about 3/4 full. I added the rest with fresh whipped cream, and garnished with a strawberry. It is a very simple, quick, elegant looking dessert!

Random Picks: Sushi

I just tried sushi for the first time. Phew, I did! Really...!! For those of you that know me very well, you know I can't stand to eat anything from the sea. I have never had the pallete for seafood. Tonight Scott wanted to go out to eat and as we were discussing where to go I got out the phone book for more ideas. I turned to a Japanese restaurant ad and he said he could go for some sushi. I gave him a scrunched up face and said, "Eww". I knew they would have other choices of food to order so off we went to Osaka Japanese Restaurant located in Olympia, WA. On the way he was convincing me that sushi really was good and he had the same reaction as I did at first. Just the thought of raw fish doesn't sound to appetizing. I ordered the Beef Yakisoba (picture below), Scott ordered the plate of Sake (Salmon) sushimi (picture to the right). When we got our food, Scott poured the soy sauce into the little dish they bring you, and added just a little wasabi to make the flavor mild for me. He gave me a large piece of ginger to cleanse my pallete and cut off a small piece of fish, dipped it in the sauce, and in my mouth it went. First reaction was: it was okay- melt in your mouth though, soft but chewy- definately not fishy. Atleast I was proud of myself for trying it and so was Scott! He also ordered some Spicy Salmon sushi rolls (Salmon, some diced veggies, seaweed wrap and white rice). That was actually my favorite. I couldn't even taste the raw fish in it at all and was very spicy, rolled in rice with vegetables inside. Yum!

The Beef Yakisoba (the red is pickled ginger)