Delicious

Greek Tortellini Salad

2012-01-12T13:37:00.000-08:00

Keeping with this months salad theme here is a hearty, flavorful salad that is easy to whip together for a quick lunch. I always keep tortellini in the freezer, it comes in handy when you want to make a simple meal or snack.

Ingredients

fresh whole wheat cheese filled Tortellini Pasta, family size
1/2 cup of pitted kalamata olives, sliced in half
1/2 a jar of roasted red peppers marinated in oil, sliced
1 cup of marinated artichoke hearts, chopped
1 cup of crumbled feta cheese

Directions

Cook your tortellini till it is al dente, about 3 to 4 minutes once your water comes to a rapid boil. It is very important to not over cook your pasta, because then your salad is soggy. Drain your pasta and place in a large bowl. Add to you pasta all of your chopped vegetables, olives and cheese. The oil from your chopped peppers and artichokes make a nice natural dressing. There is no need to add more oil. Add your feta, toss and serve. This salad is delicious warm or cold.

Enjoy!

Lemon Orzo Salad

2012-01-01T14:10:00.000-08:00

Happy New Year!

2012 is going to filled with healthy delicious cooking. To start this new year off right I am dedicating the whole month of January to salads. This first salad is a quick, light, pasta salad that is not only nutritious but bursting with tons of tangy flavor!

Ingredients

12 oz. Orzo
1 bunch of fresh asparagus, cut into 1" pieces
1 pint of cherry tomatoes, sliced in half
1 lemon, zest and juiced
4 Tbs. olive oil
2 cloves of garlic, minced
2 Tbs. fresh parsley, minced
1 cup of freshly grated parmesan
kosher salt and pepper

Directions

Cook orzo, blanch asparagus the last minute of cooking the pasta. Add cooked orzo, asparagus and sliced tomatoes to a large bowl.

Mix olive oil, lemon, zest, lemon juice, garlic, salt and pepper in a small bowl, whisk. Drizzle the oil dressing over pasta. Stir in fresh parsley and parmesan. Serve warm or cold.

Enjoy!

Herb Roasted Chicken with Mashed Potatoes & Gravy

2011-12-19T20:21:00.000-08:00

This dinner is my husbands favorite meal. The meal itself looks intimidating but really it's quite easy. I make this dish at least twice a month in the winter. We are only a family of three but I always roast two birds for leftovers. As for the mashed potatoes, I am the queen of potatoes. I could live off them, so you know my mashed potatoes are the best, YUM!

•Herb Roasted Chicken•

Ingredients

2 fresh whole chickens
1 stick of butter, softened
1 bunch of fresh rosemary, chopped
1 bunch of fresh sage, chopped
1 bunch of thyme, chopped
1 apple, quartered
2 lemons cut in half
1 yellow onion, quartered
2 cups of dry white wine
salt & pepper to taste

Directions

I buy disposable foil pans big enough for one bird. This just makes clean up much easier! I always roast two birds so there are plenty of leftovers. Gather your herbs and chop all of them together. Loosen the chickens skin and place half of the chopped herbs under the skin of each chicken. Rub each bird with a half a stick of butter and sprinkle the rest of the chopped herbs over your chickens. Pour one cup of wine in each of the bottom of the foil tins. Chop two lemons in half place one of the chopped lemons inside the chicken cavity and the other chopped lemon in the foil tin. Quarter your onion and apple and place in the foil tin. Season your birds generously with salt and pepper. Cover your birds with foil and place both birds in a preheated 450˙oven. Bake your birds covered for 30 minutes. Remove the foil and continue to bake for another 45 minutes, basting now and then with the juices in the pan. Your chicken should be golden brown when finished cooking. Remove your chickens from the oven and transfer to a serving dish to let rest. Reserve one cup of the chicken drippings for your gravy.

•Mashed Potatoes•

Ingredients

6 Russet potatoes, peeled and chopped
2 quarts of chicken broth
2 cups of sour cream
1 stick of butter
salt and pepper to taste

Directions

Peel and chop your potatoes, place them in a large boiling pot. Add your chicken stock to the pot, your potatoes should be all the way covered by the broth. Boil your potatoes in the chicken broth, until completely tender. Drain about one cup of liquid off your potatoes and mash with one stick of butter and 2 cups of sour cream. Add salt and pepper to taste.

•Gravy•

Ingredients

1 cup of chicken drippings
1 cup of chicken broth
1 Tbs of flour
salt and pepper to taste

Directions

In a large sauce pan on medium high heat add your chicken drippings. Add a tablespoon of flour to your drippings, stirring constantly cooking your flour for about two minutes. Add the chicken broth slowly, stirring constantly until thickened, serve.

Enjoy!

Raspberry Thumbprints

2011-12-12T05:00:00.000-08:00

How about a virtual cookie swap? One of my dear childhood friends organized this fun recipe swap, thank you Kristen for including me. I love baking this time of year and one of my favorite Christmas cookies is the Raspberry Thumbprint. This cookie is a buttery shortbread that melts in your mouth with a chewy raspberry center. Head on over to the other yummy food blogs to find some of their favorite holiday cookies!

Kristen Gough, My Kids Eat Squid

Brette Sember, Martha and Me

Jodi Reinman, Garlic Girl

Teresa Robeson, Raising Our Home

Laura Davis, Del.ic.ious (me)

Susan Johnston, Building Community Through Creative Food

Melanie McMinn, Frugal Kiwi

•Raspberry Thumbprints•

Ingredients

1 stick of butter

1/3 cup of sugar

1/2 tsp. of vanilla

1/4 tsp. salt

1 egg yolk

1 cup of flour

1/4 cup of raspberry preserve

Directions

In a mixer cream together butter and sugar, add the vanilla, salt and egg yolk. Beat this mixture until fluffy. Add the flour until the dough forms a stiff dough. Scrape the dough onto a large sheet of wax paper. Roll the dough until it forms a 12" rope that is 3/4" in diameter. Roll your dough rope up in the wax paper and refrigerate for 30 minutes. Remove your dough from the fried and let rest for 10 minutes at room temperature. Preheat the oven to 300˙. Unwrap and slice your dough into 1" slices, roll them into little balls and place them on an ungreased cookie sheet. Press your them into the center of each cookie ball, fill each hallow with 1/4 teaspoon of preserve. Bake your cookies until they are lightly browned, about 20 minutes. Remove from the oven and let them cool 5 minutes before taking them off the cookie sheet.

Enjoy!

Turkey Meatloaf

2011-12-05T06:56:00.001-08:00

These long winter months are sometimes tough to get through without eating heavy unhealthy foods known as, comfort foods. Here is a lighter, healthier version of a family favorite, Turkey Meatloaf. This recipe is full of flavor and really satisfies that need for a warm and hearty meal.

Ingredients

1 small yellow onion, chopped
3 large cloves of garlic, chopped
2 Tbs. olive oil
Salt and pepper to taste
1 tsp fresh thyme leaves
2 Tbs. of Worcestershire sauce
1/2 cup of chicken stock
1 tsp tomato paste
1 1/2 pounds of ground turkey
1/2 cup of italian seasoned bread crumbs
1 large egg, beaten
1/2 cup of ketchup

Directions

In a medium pan saute chopped onion, garlic, salt, pepper and thyme in olive oil on medium heat until translucent. Add chicken stock, worcestershire sauce and tomato paste, mix well. Allow to cool. Combine your ground turkey in a bowl with the bread crumbs and one egg. Add onion mixture to your ground turkey once cooled. Mix well. Add your seasoned turkey to a lightly greased loaf pan. Spread ketchup evenly over the top of your turkey loaf. Bake at 375˙ for 1 1/2 hours or until meatloaf is cooked through. Serve hot.

Enjoy!

Caramel Corn

2011-10-31T05:00:00.000-07:00

• Happy Halloween •

Here is a tasty treat that I only make once a year on this special Halloween day. It's sweet, chewy, crunchy and fun to make with the whole family!

Ingredients

Corn

1/2 cup of corn

3 Tbs. oil (I use coconut oil, it's healthier)

In a large pot over medium heat add your oil and corn. Cover and slightly ajar the lid so the steam can escape. When the popping slows, remove pan from heat.

Caramel

1 cup of brown sugar
1 stick of salted butter
1/4 cup kayro syrup
1/2 tsp baking soda
4 qt. popped corn

Directions

Combine first 3 ingredients in a saucepan, when these ingredients have melted stir once and let the mixture boil on medium heat for 3 minutes. Stir once while cooking. Remove the pan from the heat and stir in soda until foamy. Put your popped pop corn in a large brown paper bag that you have your groceries packed in at the grocery store. Pour the caramel syrup over the corn stir with a wooden spoon. Close the bag and place in the microwave for 1 1/2 min. Remove and shake closed bag vigorously. Pour your caramel corn on a cookie sheet covered in parchment paper to cool.

Enjoy!

Kung Pao Tofu

2011-10-26T18:44:00.000-07:00

I love a good spicy kung pao with lots of crunchy vegetables. I thought I would try this dish at home with tofu and brown rice and my family loved it. The next time I make this dish I might make it with scallops or shrimp.

Ingredients

1 pound of firm tofu cut into cubes
1 zucchini sliced and then the pieces cut in half
3 carrots chopped
2 cups of sugar pea pods
Brown rice, cooked

2 Tbs. white wine
2 Tbs. soy sauce
2 Tbs. sesame oil
2 Tbs. cornstarch, dissolved in water
1 Tbs. Sriracha, chili sauce
1 tsp. distilled white vinegar
2 tsp. brown sugar
2 green onions, chopped
2 Tbs. garlic, chopped
1 handful of unsalted peanuts

Directions

Marinade:
Combine, 1Tbs. wine, Tbs. soy sauce, 1Tbs. oil and 1Tbs. cornstarch and water mixture, mix together. Place tofu pieces in a large zip lock bag add marinade. Marinate for 30 minutes, then drain.

Combine 1Tbs. wine, 1Tbs. soy sauce, 1Tbs. cornstarch/water mixture, 1Tbs. oil, chili paste, vinegar, and sugar in a bowl mix well. Add sauce to a medium high skillet add green onion, garlic, and peanuts heat sauce until it slightly thickens. In a separate skillet add a little bit of oil in a medium high pan sear your marinated tofu. Add your chopped vegetable and sauté for 2 to 3 minutes. Add the tofu and vegetables to your thickened sauce, mix well. Serve over brown rice.

Enjoy!

Vegetable Pizza

2011-10-19T18:16:00.000-07:00

I love making homemade pizza's, especially on days I don't feel like making a big fuss in the kitchen. Here is a yummy pie with all my favorite vegetables. This pie is light, flavorful, crunchy and chewy.

•Pizza Toppings•

4 Tbs of pre made pesto, for the sauce

1 cup of crumbled feta

1/2 cup of marinated artichokes, drained and coarsely chopped

1/2 cup of julienned tomatoes

1/2 cup of a zucchini, thinly sliced

•Crust•

Ingredients

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

Directions

In a large bowl, dissolve the yeast and brown sugar in the water, and let sit for 10 minutes.
Stir the salt and oil into the yeast solution. Mix in 2 1/2 cups of the flour.
Turn dough out onto a clean, well floured surface, and knead in more flour until the dough is no longer sticky. Place the dough into a well oiled bowl, and cover with a cloth. Let the dough rise until double; this should take about 1 hour. If you are limited on time sticking the whole bowl into a warm oven (200˙) works beautifully. Punch down the dough, and form a tight ball. Allow the dough to relax for a minute before rolling out. Use for your favorite pizza topping recipe.
Preheat oven to 425 degrees F (220 degrees C). If you are baking the dough on a pizza stone, you may place your toppings on the dough, and bake immediately. If you are baking your pizza in a pan, lightly oil the pan, and let the dough rise for 15 or 20 minutes before topping and baking it.
Bake pizza in preheated oven, until the cheese and crust are golden brown, about 15 to 20 minutes.

Enjoy!

Protein Pasta Salad

2011-10-10T15:19:00.000-07:00

In my home my family and I have beef red meat free for about twelve years. This past week we have decided to go vegetarian, to be specific we will be practicing ovo-lacto vegetarianism (diet includes both eggs and dairy products, excluding meat products)

I have always been more of a herbivore than a meat eater and also a strong advocate to stop animal testing and cruelty, so the transition seemed logical. We will see how this change goes, in our quest to eat clean and meat free.

My first vegetarian recipe is my Protein Pasta. I have packed this pasta salad to the brim with protein. This salad is always better the next day when all the flavors have melded together.

Ingredients

Spiral vegetable/protein pasta, cooked al dente
1 green bell pepper, seeded and chopped
1 red, bell pepper, seeded and chopped
1 cup of whole raw almonds
1 can of pitted black olives
2 cups of cubed mozzarella cheese
1/2 cup of grated parmesan cheese

Dressing

1 cup of grated parmesan cheese
2 green onions, chopped
1/2 cup of Newman's Own Balsamic Vinaigrette
salt and pepper to taste

Directions

In a large pot cook your protein pasta al dente. Drain and set aside to cool. Meanwhile chop your peppers into big pieces, and cube your mozzarella cheese. In a large bowl add your cooled pasta, nuts, peppers, black olives, 2 cups of mozzarella cheese, and 1 cup of grated parmesan cheese.

For your pasta salad dressing, chop up two green onions and place in a food processor alone with 1 cup of parmesan cheese and 1/2 cup of Newman's Own Balsamic Vinaigrette. Blend until dressing is smooth. Season with salt and pepper. Add your dressing to the pasta salad and mix.

Enjoy!

The Pioneer Woman's•Grilled Chicken with Lemon Basil Pasta

2011-10-05T18:04:00.000-07:00

I am a huge fan of Ree Drummond also known as The Pioneer Woman. Ree's enthusiasm is intoxicating and inspires me on a daily basis. Recently I was thumbing through her awesome blog and came across this recipe. This pasta dish was such a huge hit with my family that they requested it twice in one week! Thank you Ree. :)

Ingredients

Chicken Marinade

4 chicken breasts
1/2 cup olive oil
Juice from 4 lemons
2 Tlbs. honey

Place your chicken breasts in a ziplock baggie and lightly pound the chicken with a meat tenderizer. Add the lemon juice, olive oil, and honey. Mix and refrigerate for 3 to 4 hours. Grill and slice.

Pasta Sauce

1/2 stick of butter
3 whole lemons, juiced
3/4 cup of heavy cream
1/4 cup of half and half
1 1/2 cups of freshly grated parmesan cheese
salt and pepper
20 whole basil leaves, chopped

1 pound of penne pasta, cooked

Directions

Cook pasta reserving 1 cup of the hot pasta water. In a large skillet melt butter over medium heat. Squeeze in the juice of 3 to 4 lemons, whisk together. Pour in cream and half and half, dump in your grated cheese and whisk until melted. Add salt and pepper. Add Some of the reserved hot pasta water if sauce is to thick.
Pour the drained pasta right into the skillet with the sauce. Sprinkle with basil and top with your grilled sliced chicken.

Enjoy!

Applesauce Cake

2011-09-22T16:36:00.000-07:00

Fall is finally here, and this is hands down my favorite time of year. Baking is an essential during this season and I thought I would kick off this season with a yummy spice cake.

Cake • Ingredients

3 cups of flour
2 tsp. baking soda
1 tsp. ground cinnamon
1/2 tsp. ground nutmeg
1/4 tsp. salt
1 1/2 cups packed brown sugar
1/3 cup of chilled butter
1 1/2 cups of chunky applesauce
1/4 cup apple butter
2 large egg whites
1 large egg
1 cup of craisins
cream cheese frosting
1/4 cup chopped pecans, toasted

Directions

Preheat oven to 350˙. Lightly spoon flour into a measuring cup level with a knife. Combine flour, baking soda, cinnamon, nutmeg, and salt. Stir dry ingredients with a whisk. Set aside. Eat sugar, and butterfat a medium speed, add applesauce and next three ingredients. Beat well. Add flour mixture, beating until well blended. Stir in craisins. Pour batter into a bunt cake pan coated heavily with grease and dusted with flour. Bake at 350˙for 35 to 40 minutes. Cool completely on a wire rack, frost with cream cheese frosting and sprinkle the top of cake with toasted pecans.

Cream Cheese Frosting • Ingredients

1/2 cup (4oz) block style cream cheese, chilled
1/4 cup butter, softened
1 tsp. grated lemon rind
1 tsp. vanilla
3 1/2 cups powdered sugar

Directions

Beat first four ingredients at medium speed until smooth. Gradually add sugar to buyer mixture, beat at a low speed just until blended. (do not over beat)

Enjoy!

Egg Rolls

2011-09-15T21:18:00.000-07:00

I love chinese take out a lot, but I do not like the way fried foods make me feel. Here is a healthier version of egg rolls. They are easy and my family loves them. :)

Ingredients

1tsp. olive oil
2 cups of shredded cabbage
2 cups of shredded carrots
2 cup of bean sprouts
1 can of water chestnuts, chopped
2 Tbsp green onions, sliced
1tsp. fresh ginger, minced
2 cloves of minced garlic
2 Tbsp soy sauce
1 Tbsp corn starch
1/4 cup water 14 egg roll wraps
Chinese hot mustard for dipping

How to Wrap an Egg Roll

Directions

Heat olive oil in a large skillet over medium high heat. Add cabbage, sprouts, carrots, chestnuts, ginger, and garlic to the pan, cook stirring frequently. Cook until the vegetables start to wilt. Mix the corn starch mixture and the soy sauce to the pan along with the green onions, garlic and ginger. Cook until the sauce thickens.

Place two tablespoons of cooled mixture on the center of the egg roll wrap. Fold the bottom up over the filling. Next fold the two sides over, then roll it up like a burrito.

Preheat the oven to 400 ˙. Spray a cooking sheet with PAM. Place the rolled egg rolls onto the baking sheet , spray the top of each egg roll with cooking spray. Bake for 10 to 12 minutes or until crispy and golden brown. Serve with soy sauce and chinese hot mustard.

Enjoy!

Claudia's Meringue Cookies

2011-09-07T15:01:00.000-07:00

My sixteen year old daughter, Claudia has a new found love for baking, so the other night we decided to give these simple meringue cookies a whirl. Meringue cookies are light, airy and very sweet so we decided a small sprinkle of dark chocolate bits would balance out these little tasty treats.

Ingredients

2 egg whites
1/8 tsp. cream of tartar
1/8 tsp. salt
1 tsp. vanilla
3/4 cup of sugar
1/4 cup of dark chocolate, chopped

Directions

Preheat your oven to 300˙. Separate eggs carefully, (make sure no egg yolk gets mixed in with your egg whites) Place the egg whites in a large mixer. In a separate bowl measure cream of tartar, salt and sugar together. Beat the egg whites on a high speed with an electric mixer until white peaks start to form and they hold their shape when the mixer is lifted from the bowl. Slowly add the dry ingredients and vanilla while the mixer is on a high speed. This should take 3-5 minutes if the ingredients are added slowly. Mix until whites hold a firm peak and look glossy. Fold in your chocolate bits. Drop a small spoonful onto a baking sheet lined with parchment paper. Bake for 25 minutes. Do not let the cookies turn brown.

Enjoy!

Hash Brown Baskets

2011-08-31T18:05:00.000-07:00

This dish is so easy to make, perfect for those lazy weekend mornings or as a casual dinner. Sometimes it is fun to have breakfast for dinner, my family always loves it. I always serve this dish with a big fruit salad.

Ingredients

20 ounce bag of thawed hash browns

2 Tbs. olive oil

1/2 cup of sharp cheddar cheese, grated

Pam

Salt and pepper to taste

12 medium eggs

Directions

In a large serving bowl mix together the hash browns, olive oil, 1/3 cup of grated cheddar cheese, and salt and pepper. Spray a muffin tin well with Pam, press your hash brown mix into each well, making a nest. Bake at 425˙for 20 minuted or until golden brown. Lower the oven to 350˙crack a medium egg into each hash brown nest. Top with the rest of the grated cheese. Bake for 15 more minutes. Gently slide a knife along the edges and gently lift the baskets up with a fork. Serve immediately.

Enjoy!

We Have a Winner!!

2011-08-30T08:59:00.000-07:00

Thank you to everyone who played along with this yummy birthday giveaway! I loved reading all of your comments. I will be having more delicious treats to give away in the near future so stay tuned! :)

Now for the winner of our Delicious Birthday Giveaway... Ashley Nguyen Newell

Congrats Ashley, I hope to meet you one day too!! :D Email me your mailing information and I will ship your goodies off to you!

Hugs,

A Birthday Giveaway!

2011-08-27T05:00:00.000-07:00

Today is my birthday, and I was taught at a very young age that it is always better to give than to receive.

I want to give you all a chance to win this fabulous apron, every cook needs at least one.

All that is required of you is to leave a sweet comment, in the comments section at the bottom of this post. You may leave as many comments as you would like, increasing your chances of winning. :)

Also I would be honored if you all started following my blog. Just click on the "join this site" button, on the right hand side of my blog, and you are set. I will randomly choose a winner Tuesday, August 30th, Good Luck!

I am also giving away a scrappy prize on my crafty blog,

A Day in the Life of the Paper Poppy!!

Enjoy!

Greek Salad

2011-08-25T18:22:00.000-07:00

I LOVE salads and I LOVE noodles, so the perfect match for me is Noodles & Company. Noodles makes a great greek salad called the Med Salad. I dream about this dish, so I had to recreate it at home. The best part about this salad is the dressing, I love the kick it has. Thanks Noodles & Company for the inspiration.

Ingredients

1 cup of cavatappi pasta (my favorite pasta)

1 cucumber, chopped with skin

5 cups of romain and spring mix lettuce

1 tomato, seeded and diced

1 cup of kalamata olives

1/2 of red onion, finely sliced

1 cup of feta cheese

4 skinless and boneless chicken breasts, pounded slightly

1 cup of pre-made balsamic vinaigrette

Dressing

1/4 cup olive oil

1/4 cup plain greek yogurt

1/2 of a fresh lemon, squeezed

1 to 2 tsp. Srirach (red chili sauce)

1/2 cup of crumbled feta

1 clove of garlic, minced

salt and pepper to taste

Directions

First place your chicken breasts in a large ziplock bag and pound them slightly, with a meat tenderizer. Add your cup of purchased balsamic vinaigrette to your chicken. Seal the ziplock and place in the referigerator to marinade for at least 2 hours. When chicken is done marinading, grill until your chicken is completely cooked, set aside to cool.

Second boil water to cook your cavatapi pasta. Cook the pasta until it is al dente, you want your pasta to be chewy. When the pasta is done cooking, drain and set aside to cool.

While your chicken and pasta are cooling, Make your salad dressing by, mixing your yogurt, lemon juice, and minced garlic. In a fine stream slowly pour in your olive oil while constantly whisking. Next whisk in your sriracha sauce. Fold your crumbled feta into the dressing. Season the dressing with salt and paper.

Next seed and chop your tomato and cucumber, dice your red onion. Wash your lettuce and chop.

Assemble your salad with lettuce, cucumber, tomato, onion, olives, and noodles. Top with your grilled chicken, feta, and your homemade dressing!

Enjoy!

Tropical Chicken Salad

2011-08-18T18:47:00.000-07:00

This salad is light, and tasty with so many fresh flavors. The fresh mango is a must in this salad, it's so sweet and tropical. Also, do not be scared by the red chili sauce it just gives a hint of heat, balancing out all of the yummy sweetness going on. I like making this salad on those really hot summer days, when cooking just seems like a burden. This salad also makes a fantastic lunch.

Ingredients

1 large package of baby field greens

1 avocado, diced

2 cups of ripe mango, diced

1 small jicama, diced

1/2 cup of unsweetened shaved coconut, toasted

1 pound of skinless, boneless chicken breasts, pounded slightly

3 Tbs. of mango or apricot preserve

1 Tbs. Sriracha (red chili sauce)

1/2 cup of olive oil

salt and pepper

Balsamic Vinaigrette

Directions

Place your chicken breasts in a large ziplock bag, slightly pound your chicken with a heavy meat tenderizer, set aside. In a medium bowl add your mango or apricot preserve, sriracha, and olive oil. Mix throughly and pour over chicken in the zip lock bag. Let your chicken marinade for at least 2 hours or over night. (sometimes I reserve just a little bit of this sauce and baste my chicken with it while cooking) After your chicken has marinaded, grill your chicken until throughly cooked. When cooled dice into strips.

Dice your avocado, and jicama, set aside. On a cookie sheet spread out your coconut and bake at 350˙bake until golden brown. This only takes about 2 minutes. When finished assemble your salad. I serve this salad with balsamic vinaigrette.

Enjoy!

My Kitchen

2011-08-12T19:04:00.000-07:00

Here is the entry into my kitchen, with one of my kitties, Guy.

I love my center island with a third deep sink.

Lots of cub bard space, makes me happy. :)

My Viking gas stove, swoon. Yes, that pasta pot faucet above the stove is functional and very useful:)

A double oven is so helpful.

Our eating area, I love to sit in my long back chairs with a cup of coffee in the mornings.

My very favorite special feature, one item that I could never live without... a hot water faucet, perfect for a cup of tea. :)

I am one of "those" people who loves to look at other peoples kitchens. I look at appliances first followed by the layout and then I hunt out the small details that make the kitchen special. Here is a peek at my special space, where all my experimenting happens. I adore my kitchen, I feel that it is cozy, functional, and it even has a few of those special features.

Enjoy!

Chicken Lettuce Wraps

2011-08-09T16:29:00.000-07:00

This is one yummy, fast, and easy asian dish. It's fresh and light and my family loves it, I guess that is what really matters... pleasing the family. This dish is also perfect for a fast appetizer for a party or a spicy date night. Who ever is your company these unique yummy wraps are a pleaser.

Ingredients

16 Boston Bibb or Butter Lettuce leaves

1 pound of ground or finely diced chicken

2 Tbs. sesame oil, divided

1 large white onion, chopped

4 cloves of garlic, chopped

1 Tbs. soy sauce

1/4 cup Hoisin sauce

1 Tbs. rice wine vinegar

2 tsp. fresh minced ginger

1 Tbs. Siricha (red chili sauce)

1 8oz can of water chestnut, drained and finely chopped

3 green onions, sliced

Directions

Rinse your whole lettuce leaves and pat dry, set aside. In a large skillet or wok over med high heat cook chicken in sesame oil until golden brown, 3 to 5 min. Take chicken out of skillet and set aside. Cook the onion in the same pan over med high heat until it starts to carmelize. Add garlic, soy sauce, hoisin sauce, ginger, rice wine vinegar, and chili sauce. Stir in water chestnuts, green onions and sesame oil. Cook for 2 minutes until sauce thicken a little. Add the cooked chicken back to the sauce. Cook for 2 more minutes and serve. Wrap the meat mixture in the crisp lettuce leaves.

Enjoy!

Creamy Mac & Cheese

2011-08-04T20:25:00.000-07:00

I will admit, I am a macaroni and cheese addict. What could be better than, warm pasta and cheese. Here is a fast yummy mac & cheese recipe that is rich, creamy and will for sure put a fix to that craving.

Ingredients

8 oz. of elbow macaroni

1 cup of 2% milk

2 Tbs. of flour

1 tsp. dry mustard

Cayenne to taste

2 cups of extra sharp cheddar cheese

1/2 cup of parmesan cheese, grated

salt and pepper to taste

Directions

Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Add your macaroni and cook till al dente. Drain well.

In a large saucepan over medium high heat mix together milk, flour, mustard, and cayenne, stirring constantly until thickened. Add the cheeses and stir until melted. Add your pasta to the cheese sauce, stir. Season with salt and pepper.

Enjoy!

Herbed Chicken with Red Potato Mashers

2011-07-22T09:08:00.000-07:00

Nothing is better than a warm home cooked meal. Here is a family favorite that is perfect for those comfort food kind of evenings, from my family to yours. Enjoy!

Herbed Chicken Ingredients

1 whole chicken with skin, cut into pieces

1 yellow onion chopped

6 cloves of garlic, minced

4 sprigs of fresh rosemary, finely chopped

6 sage leaves, finely chopped

rotisserie chicken dry rub seasonings

salt and pepper to taste

3 Tbs. olive oil

1 cup of dry white wine, Pinot Grigio

2 lemons, cut in half

4 whole carrots, chopped into thick pieces

Directions

Pat dry your cut up chicken. Heavily season with your chicken rub of choice and salt and pepper. I make sure I get under the skin and in every nook and cranny for a well seasoned chicken. In a large non stick skillet heat up your olive oil and add your chopped onion, rosemary and sage. Add your seasoned chicken to the medium high temp pan stir well to coat the chicken with the onion and herbs. Let the chicken brown for a good 5 to 10 minutes before turning your chicken pieces. After the chicken is golden brown on both sides (20 min) add your chopped garlic, carrots and wine. Let the chicken cook for another 10 minutes on med low heat or until sauce slightly thickens. Squeeze lemons on top to season right before serving.

Red Potato Mashers Ingredients

10 to 15 red potatoes washed and cut in half

1 container of chicken broth

1 cup of sour cream

1/2 cube of salted butter

salt and pepper to taste

Directions

Wash and cut your potatoes in half. Boil your potatoes in your chicken broth. When your potatoes are tender, about 15 to 20 mins drain half of the liquid from your potatoes. Add sour cream and butter to your pot. With a potato masher, mash your potatoes until the desired thickness of your potatoes. I like mine a little chunky. Season with salt and pepper. Serve your potatoes with chicken.

Enjoy!

Egg Salad Sandwich

2011-07-07T20:11:00.000-07:00

One of my guilty pleasures is egg salad, I believe the actually craving is for a really good mayonnaise followed up by an even better soft fresh bread. This cold sandwich is light and perfect for this hot summer weather.

Ingredients

2/3 cup of Real Mayonnaise

4 large eggs, hard boiled and chopped

2 Tbs. of yellow mustard

Salt to taste

Fresh Oat Nut bread

Directions

Hard boil your eggs (make sure you do not over cook your eggs, I boil mine for 10 mins) run them under cold water to let them cool. Peel your eggs and chop. Mix your chopped eggs with mayonnaise, mustard, and salt. Scoop your egg mixture into your fresh bread and slice in half.

Enjoy!

Cherry Cheesecake Tarts

2011-05-30T16:42:00.000-07:00

Anything with cheese in it always puts a smile on my face! I remember when I was little my mom making these yummy little cheesecake tarts for church functions, picnics, and family gatherings. They are so simple to make and always disappear fast.

Ingredients

2 8oz cream cheese

1Tbs. lemon juice

2 Tbs. vanilla

2 eggs

3/4 cup sugar

1 box Vanilla Wafer cookies

1 can of cherry pie filling

cup cake papers

Directions

Blend cream cheese, vanilla, eggs, lemon juice, sugar, mix until fluffy. Place a vanilla wafer into the bottom of a cupcake paper in a muffin tin. Then fill each cup 2/3 full with cheese filling. Bake at 375˙ for 15 minutes. Chill and top with cherry pie filling.

Enjoy!

Mediterranean Cous Cous Salad

2011-05-12T10:07:00.000-07:00

I am always trying to eat light and healthy. I feel better, move faster, and love the extra energy. Here is an easy, light cous cous salad that is bursting with flavor. Be careful you might eat the whole bowl, it's that yummy!

Ingredients

1 box of cous cous, prepared with the instructions on the box.

(Near East Roasted Garlic & Olive Oil)

1 15oz can of garbanzo beans, drained

5 green onions, sliced

12oz of crumbled feta

1 cup of greek olives, pitted

1 cup of Newmans balsamic salad dressing

Directions

Prepare cous cous and set aside to cool. Drain your garbanzo beans and place in a large mixing bowl. Add your sliced green onions, olives, and feta cheese. When your prepared cous cous is cool add it to the bowl along with the salad dressing. Mix throughly, chill and serve.

Enjoy!

Apple Craisin Bran Muffins

2011-04-26T18:46:00.000-07:00

I love the hum of my convection oven cooking up delightful treats. Here is a yummy muffin recipe that is also good for you, it's packed full of bran, fiber, and tart fruits. These little hot cakes always disappear fast at my house.

Ingredients

1cup flour

1 cup wheat bran

1 cup plain oats

2 tsp.baking powder

1/2 tsp. baking soda

1 1/2 tsp. cinnamon

1/4 tsp. salt

1 tart apple cored and chopped

1/2 cup craisins

1/2 cup packed brown sugar

2 eggs

1/2 cup lowfat milk

1/4 cup lowfat buttermilk

1/2 cup applesauce

1/4 cup butter, melted

1 tsp. vanilla

Directions

Combine all of your wet ingredients into a mixer, mix until creamy. Slowly add in your dry ingredients, mix until just combined. Do not over mix, you want your muffins to be light and fluffy. When completely mixed, scoop your batter into paper baking cups that are nestled in a muffin tin. Bake at 375˙ for 20 to 25 minutes. Let cool.

Enjoy!

Sunshine Salad

2011-04-16T14:48:00.000-07:00

One of my favorite places to eat is a little pizza place by my house called Sazza. Sazza's ingredients are mostly organic and bursting with unique flavor combinations. My favorite salad on the menu is their Sunshine Salad with Creamy Lemon Vinaigrette. I crave this salad on a daily basis so I thought I would try and recreate it at home, and it was a success. Here is to happy and healthy eating!

Salad Ingredients

1 large bag of field greens

1 tomato, diced

1 green bell peppers, seeded and diced

1 cucumber, peeled, and diced

1 can of garbanzo beans, rinsed and drained

1 avocado, sliced

1/2 cup of unsalted sunflower seeds

1 cup of sharp white cheddar cheese, grated

4 grilled chicken breasts, sliced (optional)

Directions

Prepare all of your vegetables. Grill your chicken and set aside to cool. Mix in a large bowl your greens, vegetables, seeds, cheese, and sliced grilled chicken. Top with your creamy lemon vinaigrette, serve.

Creamy Lemon Vinaigrette

1/2 large egg yolk

2 Tbs. fresh lemon juice

1/3 cup of extra virgin olive oil

2 Tbs. heavy cream

Salt and freshly ground pepper

Directions

In a small bowl whisk the egg yolk and the lemon juice. Slowly add in the olive oil and cream whisking rapidly. Season with salt and pepper.

Enjoy!

S'mores

2011-04-01T08:48:00.000-07:00

I came across the most scrumptious picture on facebook from one of my friends the other day, she had just pulled a batch of these yummy s'mores out of the oven. Thank you Ronda for this simple and yummy recipe!

Ingredients

Graham Crackers, broken in half

Ghirardelli 60% Cocoa Squares

Marshmallows, large

Directions

Break your graham crackers in half and place them on a large cookie sheet. Unwrap your chocolate squares and center them on your crackers. Top each square with a large marshmallow. Broil your s'mores in the oven until the chocolate has melted and the marshmallow is golden and toasty. Serve immediately.

Enjoy!

Green Goddess Pasta Salad

2011-03-25T09:51:00.000-07:00

This pasta salad is light, healthy, full of flavor and crunch. The fusilli whole grain pasta gives it a chewy satisfying bite. I love this salad on a warm spring day on the back porch with a tall glass of iced green tea. Perfection!

Ingredients

1 lb. of whole grain fusilli, cooked al dente and drained

1 medium zucchini, sliced and cut in half

1 medium yellow squash, sliced and cut in half

1 cup of freshly shucked peas

2 cups of fresh spinach

1 tub of store bought basil pesto

3/4 to 1 cup of fresh goat cheese

salt & pepper to taste

Directions

Cook your pasta. When your pasta is almost finished add your freshly shucked raw peas to the boiling water. Let them cook for 1 minute. Drain your pasta and peas and place them in a large bowl. Add your sliced zucchini and yellow squash, spinach, pesto, and goats cheese. Season with salt and pepper. Mix lightly and serve warm or cold.

Enjoy!

Rigatoni with Caramelized Onions in Gorgonzola Sauce

2011-03-18T16:06:00.000-07:00

This dish is creamy, and rich, perfect for a special date night or an anniversary dinner. I love serving this dish with a big green salad with lots of fresh vegetables. The boldness of the caramelized onions along side with the creamy gorgonzola makes this dish a hit. Impress your sweetheart with this savory meal.

Ingredients

2 Tbs. olive oil

3/4 cup heavy cream

4 oz. hard gorgonzola, crumbled

2 large yellow onions, sliced

1/2 pound rigatoni

button mushrooms, quartered

1 cup of freshly grated parmesan cheese

sliced grilled chicken

1 Tbs. of freshly chopped rosemary

salt and pepper to taste

Directions

Marinate your chicken breasts over night in your favorite marinade. I use a rosemary vinaigrette. Grill and let rest. Slice and set aside. Cook your pasta just a little bit under so it will finish cooking in the sauce. In a frying pan over medium high heat add olive oil. Saute your onion slices until caramelized. This takes about 20 minutes. In a saucepan heat the cream over medium low. Do not let your pan get to hot. Add the gorgonzola, stir to melt. Once your pasta is cooked, drain do not rinse. Return pasta to the pot, put the pot back over medium low heat. Add your sauce to the pasta. Mix throughly. Add your onions, and parmesan, and sliced grilled chicken to the pasta, mix. Garnish with fresh rosemary. Serve immediately.

Enjoy!

Tuna Melt

2011-03-10T09:49:00.000-08:00

Spring is coming and I am in the mood to eat lighter and healthier. Here is an easy yummy sandwich recipe that could be served for dinner or lunch. I love the sharpness of the cheese, mixed with rich tuna and crisp, crunchy bread, in this hearty melt, healthy and satisfying.

Ingredients

1 large can of white tuna, packed in water

2 Tbs of Real mayonnaise

1 Tbs of sweet relish

salt and pepper to taste

Whole grain bread, 2 slices

Fresh ripe tomato

Extra sharp cheddar cheese

Directions

In a large bowl mix your drained can of tuna with your mayonnaise, and sweet relish. Season with salt and pepper to taste. Meanwhile toast your bread in a toaster, set aside. Thinly slice your tomato and cheese. I use two slices of tomato and cheese for each slice of bread. Spoon a large mound of tuna on each slice of bread. Top with cheese and tomato slices. Place your tuna melts on a cookie sheet and broil under a broiler until the cheese is melted and bubbly. Serve hot.

Enjoy!

Fresh Basil Gnocchi

2011-03-05T18:49:00.000-08:00

This dish is rich, elegant and very comforting. A little Basil Gnocchi goes a long way. I like to serve it when the weather is a little cold and you can cozy up to a roaring fire with a small bowl of this decadent dish and a glass of red wine. Yum!

Ingredients

1 package of gnocchi

1/2 cup of chicken stock

1 cup of heavy cream

3 cups of freshly grated parmesan

6 cloves of garlic, chopped

3 Tbs of basil pesto

Fresh basil, julienned

Salt and pepper to taste

Directions

In a medium saucepan bring your chicken stock to a slight simmer. Add your chopped garlic, cream, pesto, and salt and pepper. Bring this mixture to a slight boil over medium high heat. Add your cheese one cup at a time stir until all the cheese is melted. Let this mixture cook until it becomes slightly thicker, about 10 minutes. Meanwhile cook your gnocchi according to package. When your gnocchi is finished cooking spoon sauce over your pasta and top with extra parmesan and fresh basil.

Enjoy!

Chocolate Chip Muffins

2011-02-26T14:52:00.000-08:00

Weekends are meant for baking in my mind. We don't eat a lot of sweets in my house, so once a week or so I like to make something special. I love the smell of yummy goodness baking away in my oven. These chocolate chip muffins are light and fluffy, and just melt in your mouth.

Ingredients

1/2 cup unsalted butter, melted and cooled

2 large eggs

1 cup of milk

1 1/2 tsp vanilla

2 cups all purpose flour

2/3 cup white sugar

1Tbs baking powder

1/2 tsp salt

1 cup of semisweet chocolate chips

Directions

Preheat oven to 375˙ Spray your muffin tins or line with baking papers. In a large bowl mix together the flour, sugar, baking powder, and salt. In a separate bowl mix together melted butter, eggs, and milk. Fold your wet ingredients into your dry ingredients. Stir until your ingredients are combined, do not over mix. You want fluffy muffins. Fold in your chocolate chips. Fill your muffin cups evenly. Bake until a toothpick comes clean, about 18 to 20 minutes.

Enjoy!

Spicy Tofu Sugar Pea Stir Fry

2011-02-20T08:56:00.000-08:00

Healthy, clean eating is very appealing. Achieving this can be hard sometimes with a hectic and busy daily routine. I am going to make it a goal of mine to live this way of eating clean more often. Here is a simple healthy and nutritional dish, that has two of my favorites, spicy and sugar peas.

Ingredients

1/4 cup soy sauce

2 Tbs dry Sherry

1 Tbs brown sugar

2 tsp cornstarch

1 tsp rice wine vinegar

3/4 tsp red pepper flakes

2 Tbs sesame oil

1 lb. firm tofu, patted dry and cut into small cubes

3 medium shallots, thinly diced

3 cloves of garlic, minced

3 cups of sugar peas

1 tsp. roasted sesame seeds

Brown rice

Directions

Whisk together soy sauce, sherry, sugar, cornstarch, vinegar, and red pepper flakes in a small bowl. Heat 1 tablespoon of the oil in a large frying pan or wok over high heat. When the oil starts to smoke, add tofu. Make sure your tofu is pretty dry. You want to caramelize the outside of your tofu not boil it. Cook your tofu until it is a golden brown on all sides. Remove tofu from your pan and set aside. Reduce your heat to medium add remaining 1 tsp. oil, shallots, and garlic. Cook until this starts to brown. Add sugar peas and sesame seeds, saute until your peas are a bright green and slightly softened, about 5 minutes. Add the reserved tofu and sauce mixture. Cook until the sauce thickens up, about 1 minute. Serve over steamed brown rice.

Enjoy!

Valentine's Pudding

2011-02-14T07:31:00.000-08:00

♥Happy Valentines Day♥

I hope your day is as sweet as can be, filled with love and surrounded by the sweethearts in your life! Here is a little treat I made for the love's of my life this Valentine's Day. Nothing says I love you more than homemade pudding. I assembled my pudding in already made chocolate heart cups topped with chocolate curls and fresh raspberries.

Chocolate Pudding

Ingredients

2 cups of whole milk

1/2 cup of sugar

1/3 cup of cocoa powder

4 tsp of cornstarch

4 large egg yolks

2 tsp vanilla

1/4 tsp of fine salt

Directions

Put 1 1/2 cups of milk and sugar into a saucepan, bring to a boil. Simmer over med/high heat then remove from heat. Do not let boil. Whisk the remaining 1/2 cup of milk, cornstarch, salt, and egg yolks, and vanilla in a bowl. Gradually whisk the hot milk mixture in with the egg mixture. Return the combined mixtures over medium/high heat whisking constantly until the pudding comes to a full boil. Reduce the heat to remain a simmer, continue whisking until the pudding becomes thick. Cover with plastic wrap so a skin does not form and place in refrigerator over night until set.

Vanilla Pudding

Ingredients

2 cups of whole milk

1/2 cup of white sugar

2 whole large eggs

3 Tbs cornstarch

1/4 tsp fine salt

1 tsp vanilla

1 Tbs butter

Directions

In a medium saucepan over med/high heat, heat milk. Do not bring to a boil. In a bowl, combine sugar, cornstarch, salt. Pour mixture into milk a little at a time stirring to dissolve. Whisk eggs in a separate bowl and slowly add to the mixture. Whisk constantly until mixture thickens. Do not bring to a boil or you will scramble your eggs. Remove from heat and add vanilla and butter. Chill overnight.

Enjoy!

Game Day Queso

2011-02-06T07:00:00.000-08:00

Today is game day and one of the items on our menu is my absolute favorite! I actually dream about queso. Ya it's that bad. Here is my take on this cheesy dip. I hope you all are having a fun day. Go Packers!!

Ingredients

1 Tbs. Canola oil

1/2 white onion, finely chopped

2 jalapeno peppers, seeded and finely chopped

12 oz extra sharp Cheddar cheese, shredded

4 oz monterey jack cheese

4 oz Velveeta American cheese, cut into cubes

2/3 cup of milk

1 tomato, seeded and diced

Directions

Heat the oil in a medium saucepan over med/high heat. Add diced onion and jalapeno to the pan and cook. Cook until onion is translucent. Reduce heat to med/low, add all of your cheese and your milk. Whisk until cheese is completely melted. Mix in the tomato, reserving a few cubes to garnish. If your queso is to thick add additional milk until it reaches the desired consistency. Serve Immediately.

Enjoy!

Garlic Knots

2011-01-27T08:29:00.000-08:00

These little garlic knots are heavenly. You have to be a garlic lover though and I totally am. You can never have too much garlic! These knots are easy to make especially if you cheat and use Whole Foods pre made pizza dough. I love Whole Foods dough it is the perfect elasticity, chewy and full of flavor.

Ingredients

1 lb. of prepared pizza dough, thawed (Whole Foods) or you can use my dough recipe, pizza dough

8 garlic cloves, minced

1/4 cup, plus 2 Tbs. olive oil

1 tsp. dried parsley

Kosher salt to taste

A dash of garlic salt

1 Tbs. of freshly grated parmesan cheese

Directions

Preheat oven to 425˙. Lightly grease a muffin tin. I use olive oil or soft butter for this. Cut pizza dough into 12 pieces, roll gently with the palms of your hands to create a slight ball and place one ball in each muffin tin. Divide all but 3-4 cloves of garlic among the pieces of dough, pressing the garlic into the centers of the dough. Drizzle with 1/4 cup olive oil and bake in the oven until golden brown, about 15 to 18 minutes. While the dough bakes, heat remaining oil, garlic, and parsley over low heat in a small pan. Do not simmer. Toss your baked garlic knots in prepared garlic oil, in large bowl. Season with kosher salt and a dash of garlic salt. Sprinkle with freshly grated parmesan. Serve hot!

Enjoy!

Grilled Rosemary Chicken Club

2011-01-21T07:56:00.000-08:00

This is the time of year where I am getting Spring Fever! I know it's a little early, but Spring is one of my favorite seasons. I am itching to get my gardening under way, start grilling on the grill, and enjoy the warm sun and fresh clean air. This sandwich is satisfying, light, and bursting with flavor. It's one of my favorites for sure!

Ingredients

1 cup of Cindy's Kitchen Rosemary Roasted Garlic Vinaigrette

1 pound of skinless chicken breasts, pounded thin

1 bottle of marinated roasted red peppers

Creamy goats cheese, 6oz

Romaine lettuce leaves, 4 to 5

Balsamic Vinaigrette

Olive Oil

Salt and pepper, to taste

1 large loaf of soft french bread

Directions

Place your chicken breasts in a large ziplock bag, gently pound your chicken until it is nice and thin. Double bag your chicken, just to be on the safe side, incase holes were made while pounding. Add your one cup Cindy's Vinaigrette to your chicken. ( This vinaigrette can be found at Whole Foods) Let this marinade for at least 3 hours.

Grill your chicken on an outside grill. Season your meat with salt and pepper, let cool. Cut your loaf of french bread length wise so it looks like you are making one giant sandwich. On the bottom half of the sandwich spread all of your creamy goats cheese. ( you can never have enough of this creamy goodness )

Next layer your drained roasted red peppers over the cheese. Once your chicken has cooled lay the grilled chicken over the peppers. Top the chicken with whole crisp, freshly washed romaine lettuce leaves.

Take the top of your french bread loaf and turn it over exposing the soft chewy bread, generously douse the bread with balsamic vinegar and olive oil. Letting this combination soak into the bread for a couple of minutes. Put the top of the loaf on the rest of the sandwich. Carefully cut the sandwich into 4 or 5 individual sandwiches. Serve.

Enjoy!

Blueberry Buckle

2011-01-15T22:15:00.000-08:00

I love using fresh in season produce in my cooking. The blueberries this season are huge and bursting with rich juicy flavor. Well, I went overboard and bought tons of berries and had to use them up, this buckle is perfect and no one will pass up this crumbly cake. Blueberry Buckle can be served for breakfast or dessert with vanilla ice cream.

Ingredients

Crust:

1 cup of sugar

1 teaspoon baking powder

3 cups of flour

2 sticks (1 cup) of cold butter, cut into small pieces

1 egg, beaten

1/4 teaspoon salt

Lemon zest from one lemon

Berry Mix:

Juice from one lemon

4 cups of fresh blueberries

1/2 cup of sugar

4 teaspoons of cornstarch

Directions

Preheat oven to 375˙and grease a 9x13 inch pan. In a bowl stir together 1 cup of sugar, 3 cups of flour, and baking powder. Mix in salt and lemon zest. Cut your cold butter into small pieces and add with one egg to flour mix. Gently mix with clean hands. Your crust will be crumbly. Pay half of the dough mixture into the bottom of your pan. In another bowl, stir together 1/2 cup of sugar, 4 teaspoons of cornstarch and lemon juice. Add your fresh blueberries to this mixture and coat them. Spread the blueberry mixture evenly over the crust. Crumble the remaining dough over the berry layer. Bake your Blueberry Buckle for 45 minutes or until golden brown. Cool completely before cutting.

Enjoy!

Turkey Sloppy Joe's

2011-01-09T17:00:00.000-08:00

Here is an easy, no hassle recipe for those busy weeknight. The Sloppy Joe is an American classic that is sure to please your family. I usually serve this warm yummy sandwich with a big fruit salad.

Ingredients:

1 pound of lean ground turkey

1 tablespoon olive oil

1/2 of a yellow onion

1 green bell pepper, chopped

2 cloves of garlic, chopped

salt and pepper to taste

1 8oz can of tomato sauce

1 cup of barbecue sauce

1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce

a dash of Cayenne Pepper

White hamburger buns

Directions:

In a large pot heat your olive oil and saute your chopped onion on medium heat until translucent. Add your garlic, green bell pepper, and turkey to the pot and crumble until your meat is cooked throughly. In a bowl mix together your tomato sauce, barbecue sauce, and Worcestershire sauce. Season with salt, pepper and cayenne pepper. Pour sauce over meat mixture let the meat sauce simmer for 20 minutes. Serve hot over hamburger buns.

Enjoy!

Creamy Rigatoni with Goat Cheese

2011-01-03T13:51:00.000-08:00

It's a new year and I am excited to get back in the kitchen and start food blogging again. I want to dedicate this year to yummy healthy eating. To start 2011 here is an easy rigatoni pasta dish that creamy, luscious, and bursting with all different wonderful flavors.

Ingredients

1 lb. of rigatoni pasta

1 jar of Bertolli Four Cheese Rosa sauce

4 sausage links of spicy chicken italian sausage

1 cup of frozen green peas

1/2 cup of sun dried tomatoes

4 cloves of roasted garlic, chopped

1 bunch of fresh basil, julienned

5 fresh mushrooms, sliced

fresh creamy goats cheese

Directions

Bring a large pot of boiling water to a boil and cook your pasta. When you are about to drain your pasta add your frozen peas to the boiling water, for 2 min until cooked. Drain your pasta and peas and set aside in a large pasta bowl. In a medium sauce pan remove casings off of your sausage links. Crumble your links into to bite size pieces, cook all the way through. Add the sausage and Rosa sauce to the pasta. Mix in the chopped roasted garlic, fresh basil, sliced fresh mushrooms, and sundried tomatoes. Season with salt and freshly ground pepper. Top with creamy goats cheese. Serves about 5.

Serve Hot & Enjoy!

Katie's Fiesta Salad

2010-09-06T11:04:00.000-07:00

A couple of weekends ago my girlfriends and I had a great girls night filled with great food, wine and a 80's cover band at a local restaurant. My friend Katie made the most delicious Fiesta Salad that we sampled with wine and other appetizers, before going out on the town.

I thought I would recreate this salad for my family and it was a hit. Thank you Katie you are the queen of salad in my book! Katie is also a very talented interior designer check out her awesome business here.

Ingredients

1 pound of chicken breasts seasoned with olive oil and taco seasoning, grilled

5 cups of fresh baby field greens

3 ears of freshly roasted sweet corn, cut from the husk

1 can (15oz) low sodium black beans rinsed and drained

1 pint of cherry tomatoes, cut in half

1 yellow bell pepper, seeded and diced

1/2 cup of small diced red onion

2 Tbs. minced jalapeno peppers, seeded

Juice from 2 limes

1/2 tsp. freshly grated lime zest

1/4 cup olive oil

1 tsp. kosher salt

1/2 tsp. freshly ground black pepper

1/2 tsp. minced garlic

1/4 tsp. ground cayenne pepper

2 ripe Hass avocados, seeded peeled, and diced

Directions

Grill your chicken, let rest then slice into strips. Set aside. Wrap your 3 ears of corn in tin foil and grill along with your chicken. Let your corn cool and sheer your corn kernels from the husk. Place the tomatoes, corn, yellow pepper, black beans, red onion, jalapeno peppers, and lime zest into a large bowl. Whisk together the lime juice, olive oil, salt and pepper, garlic and cayenne pepper pour over the vegetables. Let marinade for 10 minutes. Toss the vegetables with your baby greens in a large bowl. Fold your avocados into the salad just before serving. Top the salad with your grilled chicken. Serve at room temperature.

Enjoy!

Summer Scampi

2010-08-15T15:28:00.000-07:00

Nothing screams summer than an abundant of fragrant ripe red tomatoes. Here is a recipe that is fresh and easy, a family favorite that is full of flavor. This recipe is perfect for when your garden is bursting with summer tomatoes.

Ingredients

1 lb. of peeled raw shrimp, medium size

6 large ripe red tomatoes, chopped

2 cups of white wine

1 cup of fresh basil pesto

6 cloves of garlic, chopped

1 Tbs. of olive oil

2 cups of parmesan, grated

Salt & pepper to taste

1 lb. of linguini, cooked

Directions

Defrost, rinse, and peel your shrimp. Lay your shrimp in a single layer on paper towel and pat them dry. Cook your pasta according to package directions, set aside. In a large non stick skillet add 1 tablespoon of olive oil and your chopped garlic let cook on medium heat of 2 minutes. Add all of your shrimp to pan and a cup of pesto. let cook for 2 minutes. Add your wine and all the tomatoes. Simmer on medium high heat, letting all the flavors melt together for 6 minutes. The tomatoes will cook into the sauce. At the very end add 1 cup of grated parmesan cheese to your shrimp mixture and season with salt and pepper. Serve the shrimp mixture over your cooked linguini. Top with more parmesan. Serve hot.

Enjoy!

Spicy Scallops

2010-08-03T12:32:00.000-07:00

One of my favorite things to do is mix ingredients and flavors and come up with new easy throw together recipes. This dish is one of them. The process is so simple yet the outcome is elegant and very flavorful. The scallops are the main focus of this dish, and are buttery, tender and full of their own natural flavors.

Ingredients

1 lb. of fresh medium size scallops

1/2 of a box of wide linguini noodles

2 Tbs. butter

2 Tbs. olive oil

2 tsp. lemon pepper seasoning

2 tsp. spicy Italian seasoning

1/2 cup of any white wine

1/2 cup of heavy whipping cream

fresh cracked pepper

Directions

Cook your noodles according to the package and set aside. In a medium high skillet melt your butter add your olive oil. Add your scallops and letting them sear for about 2 minutes. Add your seasoning, more or less can be added depending on your taste. Let the scallops cook for another 2 minutes. Add the white wine, degassing the pan, then slowly add your cream. Stir all together, add your pasta to the pan. Let your sauce thicken, serve hot.

Enjoy!

Claudia's Tofu Orzo Dish

2010-07-13T07:40:00.000-07:00

Getting your kids involved in cooking can be fun, if they are old enough to clean up their messes. I gave my 15 year old daughter the other night full access to the kitchen to make dinner for our family, if she cleaned up her mess. She came up with, Claudia's Tofu Orzo. This dish is simple, yummy and becoming a family favorite.

Ingredients

1 container of firm tofu, cut into small chunks.

1 1/2 cups of feta cheese

2 cups of baby spinach

1 cup of uncooked Orzo pasta

Low sodium soy sauce

Dried Italian seasoning blend

1 Tlbs. Olive oil

Directions

Cook your Orzo according to the package, drain and set aside. In a non stick skillet heat up your olive oil on medium high heat. Add your tofu, let the tofu cook for 3 minutes stirring occasionally. Add a couple of dashes of soy sauce to your tofu and let cook another 3 minutes. Repeat this process with the soy sauce. Add a generous amount of your dried Italian seasoning to your tofu, mix well. Add your orzo pasta and cooked tofu into a large bowl, mixing in your feta and spinach. Serve warm or cold.

Enjoy!

All American Cherry Pie

2010-07-04T09:47:00.000-07:00

Cherry pie is my all time favorite. I love the tartness of this pie, and a good buttery flaky crust. This pie is perfect served with vanilla ice cream on a warm summers day. Happy 4th of July!

Ingredients

2 pre made Pillsbury pie crust

1 cup of sugar

3 Tlbs cornstarch

1/4 tsp salt

4 cups canned pitted sour cherries plus 1/3 cup cherry liquid

1 tsp vanilla extract

2 Tlbs cold unsalted butter, cut into small pieces

Directions

Place one of your pre made pie crusts into a pie plate. Pat the pie crust so it is firmly in the pie plate. In a bowl stir together the sugar, cornstarch and salt. Mix in your cherries add your cherry juice and vanilla, mix well. Pour your cherry pie filling into your dough lined pie plate. Dot with your cold butter.

Using your second pie crust dough, make a lattice top. Making a lattice top: Using a pastry wheel, cut your dough into 16 strips about 3/4 inch wide. Lay about 8 of the strips across the pie filled shell horizontally. Fold every other strip halfway back. Lay a vertical strip down the center and lay the folded strips back down. Repeat this process until you have the whole pie filled with a lattice top. Cut the excess dough from the edges and pinch the edges down.

Refrigerate your pie until the dough is firm for 20 minutes. Bake your pie for 15 minutes at 425˙. Reduce the oven temperature to 350˙, continue to bake until your crust is golden brown, 40 to 50 minutes. Serve at room temperature with vanilla ice cream.

Enjoy!

Grilled Cheese Gone Wild

2010-05-21T09:52:00.000-07:00

There is nothing better than a grilled cheese sandwich. This comfort food can be twisted and turned into anything your heart desires. Here is a my take on the old fashioned grilled cheese sandwich.

Ingredients

2 slices of fresh Oat Nut bread

4 slices of green apple, thinly sliced

4 slices of creamy Havarti cheese

4 slices of Boars Head Honey Turkey

4 slices of butter

Directions

In a non stick skillet on medium high heat, butter one side of one slice of bread. Place your bread butter side down in your skillet. Add two slices of your Havarti cheese to that slice of bread followed by 4 of your apple slices. Add your turkey on top of your apple slices along with two more slices of Havarti. Butter your second piece of bread, placing it on top of your sandwich, butter side up. Let this side cook for 3 to 5 minutes. It is now time to flip your sandwich. The bottom piece of bread should be nice and golden brown and your cheese should also be melting. Flip carefully and let the other side of your sandwich grill to a golden brown. When your sandwich is nice and brown and all of your cheese is melted and bubbly you can remove it from the pan. Cut your sandwich in half and serve immediately. This recipe makes one sandwich.

Enjoy!

Thai Green Chicken Curry

2010-05-13T19:30:00.000-07:00

My craving for this dish is becoming a problem! I could possibly eat this dish for dinner every night. Thai Green Curry is fresh and light, but super satisfying. Spicy and sweet, and the green beans give it that perfect crunch. Yum!!

Ingredients

1 Tbsp. canola oil

2 cups of french green beans, trimmed

1 onion, halved and sliced

4 gloves of garlic, chopped

2 Tbsp. Thai green curry paste

4 cups of thinly sliced chicken breasts, cooked

1 can (14oz) coconut milk

1/2 cup chicken broth

1 cup of sliced fresh basil

juice from 2 limes

Salt and pepper

Cooked basmati rice

Directions

Cook your rice and set aside.

Heat your oil in a large non stick skillet on med high heat. Let your oil heat up, add your raw chicken that is thinly sliced. Add your chopped garlic and cook your chicken until it is a golden brown and cooked throughly. Remove your chicken and set aside. Add your sliced onion to the skillet cook until translucent, about 5 minutes. Add your green beans, season with salt and pepper. Cook another 5 minutes. Add your curry paste, cook the paste scraping the bottom of your skillet, until the paste darkens a little, about 3 to 4 minutes. Add the chicken back into the pan, along with the coconut milk, and chicken broth; bring to a boil.

Stir occasionally until the sauce starts to thicken. Cook for about 10 minutes. Remove the pan from the heat. Add the lime juice and fresh basil. Serve over cooked rice. Serves 4

Enjoy!

Shrimp Tacos with Avocado Mango Salsa

2010-04-22T07:23:00.000-07:00

Fresh Mex, is defiantly one of my favorites! Here is my twist on the Shrimp Taco. I love the sweet and spicy of this dish, perfect for a warm Spring evening with a cold beer!

Ingredients

1 pound of raw, shelled shrimp

3 Tbsp taco seasoning powder

1 cup of sour cream

2 ripe avocados

1 cup of diced ripe mango

1/2 red onion, diced

1/2 jalapeno pepper

2 limes, juiced

9 corn tortillas, taco size

Directions

Defrost and rince your shrimp, pat them dry add 2 Tbsp of your taco seasonings. Mix well. In a non stick skillet cook your shrimp until pink. About 4 to 5 minutes, set aside. Cut your avocado's, and mango into cubes. Also mince your red onion and jalapeno pepper. In a bowl combine your avocado, mango, jalapeno, onion and lime juice, mix gently. In another bowl mix 1 cup of sour cream with 1 Tbsp of taco seasoning, for a creamy taco sauce. Place your corn tortillas on a cookie sheet and bake at 500˙just until they are warm. Assemble your shrimp tacos.

Enjoy!

Gorgonzola Pear Pizza

2010-04-15T07:22:00.000-07:00

Gorgonzola, caramelized onions, pears, pesto, and chicken. What could be a better combination? This pizza is sweet and savory all at the same time. It's one of my favorites for sure! This pizza is great sliced into little slivers and served as an appetizer.

Ingredients

2 ripe pears, sliced

1 yellow onion, sliced and caramelized

1 1/2 cups of pesto

1 cup of rotisserie chicken, chopped

1 cup of creamy gorgonzola

pizza crust recipe

Directions

Prepare your pizza crust. Roll out your crust onto a cookie sheet or a pizza stone. In a small sauce pan caramelize your sliced onion on med heat with a small amount of olive oil, for about 20 minutes. Add your pesto as the sauce for your pie. Top with gorgonzola, caramelized onion, chicken and your sliced pear. Pop your pizza into the oven and bake at 425˙ until the bottom of your pie is golden brown. I then like to put my oven on broil and brown the top of my pizza, this only takes 2 to 3 minutes.

Remove from the oven

Enjoy!

Greek Orzo Salad

2010-04-07T16:56:00.000-07:00

I whipped up this Orzo salad recipe the other night thinking that my family would probably not like it, and that I could eat it for lunches. Well, I was wrong the whole bowl of salad was gone within the hour, I guess it was a hit. The recipe is easy, healthy and light. I hope you enjoy it as much as we did.

Ingredients

1 1/2 cups of Orzo

1/2 cup of Paul Newmans Balsamic Vinaigrette salad dressing

( you can add more or less depending on how wet you like your salad)

1 cup of plain feta cheese

3/4 cup of greek olives, pitted

1 cup of cherry tomatoes

3 cups of fresh baby spinach

Directions

Cook your Orzo till al dente, drain and set aside to cool. Slice your cherry tomatoes in half and place in a large bowl. add your cooled Orzo, along with your feta, olives, spinach, and salad dressing. Mix well and refrigerate for 1 hour before serving. You will not need salt for this salad, because the olives are pretty salty.

Enjoy!

Spring Salad

2010-03-30T07:30:00.000-07:00

I think I have mentioned before that I am completely obsessed with yummy salads! Here is a fresh Spring Salad that is healthy, earthy and very satisfying. This salad would be perfect for a Sunday brunch or a quick healthy dinner. I hope you like it as much as I do.

Ingredients

4 cups of Spring tender greens

5 to 6 red potatoes

1 bunch of fresh green beans

Sharp Cheddar Cheese

4 hard boiled eggs

1 cup of Buttermilk salad dressing

salt and pepper

olive oil

Directions

Boil your eggs just until the centers are cooked, about 10 minutes. Just before you drain the water from your eggs quickly blanch your green beans in the same boiling water. Do not over cook, just a quick 1 min in the boiling water is perfect for your green beans. Peel your eggs while hot and set aside to cool. Wash and dice your red potatoes, place them on a cookie sheet and drench in olive oil and season with salt and pepper. Bake at 425˙until potatoes are crisp and golden brown. Take your potatoes out of the oven and set aside to let cool. Slice your sharp cheddar cheese, and hard boiled eggs. When all of your ingredients are cool, assemble your Spring Salad. Toss with your buttermilk dressing and season with salt and pepper.

Enjoy!

Breakfast Burrito

2010-03-23T20:18:00.001-07:00

There is nothing more satisfying than breakfast for dinner. Breakfast burritos are easy and fun to make. My secret to a successful yummy burrito is to take your flour tortillas and put them on a dinner plate each separated by a damp piece of paper towel, then microwave them for 2 to 3 minutes. This makes the tortillas warm and chewy. :) Do this step last then assemble your burrito.

Ingredients

Flour tortillas

2 cups of frozen cubed potatoes

9 eggs

1 pound of chicken chorizo, crumbled

1 small can of sliced jalapenos

2 cups of sharp cheddar cheese, shredded

4 Tbs. butter

a splash of milk

salt and pepper

Directions

In a large non stick skillet on med high heat melt you butter. Add your frozen potatoes to the pan and cook until potatoes are golden brown, season with salt. Take your potatoes out of your pan and set aside. In a medium sauce pan crumble your chorizo until cooked through. The pan will still be buttery, you do not need to add more. Crack your eggs and beat then with a splash of milk and salt and pepper. Add them to your pan and scramble them. Grate your cheese and set aside. When your eggs are finished assemble your burritos to your liking. I like mine spicy so I add lots of jalapenos. This recipe makes 3 to 4 burritos.

Enjoy!

Bruschetta

2010-03-17T07:31:00.000-07:00

This recipe is one of my Spring favorites! I could easily be a herbivore. I love the pungent fresh flavors this appetizer offers. The smell of ripe tomatoes is the best, I wish I could bottle this divine smell. I often serve bruschetta for a light dinner, along side a good red wine, a perfect combonation.

Ingredients

1 loaf of fresh french bread, sliced thick

3 to 4 ripe red tomatoes, chopped

1 bunch of fresh basil, chopped

1 large ball of fresh mozzarella cheese, sliced

good olive oil

good balsamic vinegar

2 whole garlics, roasted

sea salt and fresh cracked pepper

Directions

Roast your garlic, set aside to cool. •Roasted Garlic Recipe• Slice your french bread into thick slices and place on cookie sheet. Place in oven on broil and brown both sides of your bread. Be careful your bread will burn quickly on broil. Take you bread out of the oven and set aside. Chop your tomatoes, basil, and slice your cheese. On a big platter assemble your bread slices in one single layer. Once your roasted garlic has cooled take all the caramelized cloves out of the garlic paper. Lightly smear the roasted garlic gloves onto the toasted bread without crushing your bread. Lay a slice of cheese over each slice of bread. Top with your tomatoes and fresh basil. Drizzle generously with olive oil and balsamic vinegar. Season with salt and pepper.

Enjoy!

Homemade Pizza

2010-03-12T06:56:00.000-08:00

Pizza pie is an open canvas, you could go wild and top this yummy crust with anything. My pizza's are always different. This particular pie is topped with, store bought Mariana sauce, basil pesto, feta cheese, freshly grated parmesan cheese, fresh basil leaves, and Italian chicken sausage.

•Crust•

Ingredients

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

Directions

Enjoy!

Tuna Pasta Salad

2010-03-08T09:00:00.000-08:00

Spring is calling my name so I have been craving light pasta salads. Serve this salad on a bed of lettuce with fresh blueberries or cantaloupe, the salty tuna with sweet fruit is a tasty combo. :)

Ingredients

1 pound of shell macaroni

1 cup of mayonnaise

2 green onions, chopped

1/2 tsp. dried thyme

1 large handfull of snow peas, diagonally cut in half

2 large carrots, chopped

2 6 oz. cans of tuna in water

Salt and pepper, to taste

Directions

Cook your pasta and set aside to cool. In a large bowl mix, mayonnaise, onions, thyme, snow peas, carrots, salt and pepper, and tuna. When the pasta is cooled add pasta. Mix well and refrigerate until the salad is cool.

Enjoy!

Baked Ziti

2010-03-04T06:43:00.000-08:00

A comfort dish for sure, Baked Ziti is one of my favorites, of course it's a pasta dish. Baked Ziti easy to prepare and even tastes better the next day when all of the flavor have melded together. This recipe goes well with, garlic bread, a big leafy Caesar salad or even a simple side as broccolini.

Ingredients

1 pound of ziti

4 cloves of garlic

1 pound of Italian sausage, removed from casing. ( I use chicken Italian sausage)

15 ounces of ricotta cheese

1 pound of fresh mozzarella cheese, diced

1 cup of freshly grated parmesan cheese

2 Tbs fresh basil, chopped

26 ounce jar of marinara sauce

Salt and pepper to taste

Directions

Heat oven to 400˙ Cook pasta so it is al dente. Set aside. In a skillet crumble your sausage along with your garlic on med high heat until cooked through. In a large bowl toss the pasta with the meat mixture along with the marinara sauce, basil, ricotta, mozzarella, and parmesan. Salt and pepper to taste. Transfer mixture to a large baking dish that is lightly greased with olive oil. Sprinkle the top of your pasta dish with extra parmesan . Bake until bubbly and golden brown about 25 minutes.

Enjoy!

Chicken Soft Tacos

2010-02-28T18:34:00.000-08:00

Here is a quick and yummy dinner for those busy weeknights that your family will love. Fresh and healthy Tex-Mex is very popular, and this recipe can be added to with other ingredient possibilities that suits your family.

Ingredients

3 cups of shredded rotisserie chicken

Taco sauce, liquid

Iceberg lettuce, chopped

1 cup of sharp cheddar cheese, grated

1 red tomato, chopped

2 ripe avocados, cut into chunks

Low fat sour cream

Corn tortillas

Directions

Debone your rotisserie chicken, then shred. In a bowl toss your chicken with the taco sauce. I use hot Ortega Taco Sauce, and I use the whole bottle. Set your chicken aside and prepare your other ingredients. Chop your lettuce, grate your cheese, chop your tomato, and avocados. In a non stick pan on medium high heat. Heat up your corn tortillas, flipping both sides. Place your corn tortillas in the microwave to keep them warm. Then add your chicken to the pan and cook just to heat up the chicken. Assemble your tacos and serve.

Enjoy!

Food & Review • Denver 10

2010-02-22T07:49:00.000-08:00

Cru House Salad: mixed greens, gorgonzola & lemon vinaigrette

Fried Brie: honey and black peppercorns

Pear & Gorgonzola Pizza: comice pears, caramelized onions, honey, parmesan & basil

Recently I had the privilege to have a girls wine night with a good friend. We decided to go to a new local wine bar called Cru' A Wine Bar. The bar was warm, inviting, and pleasantly casual. The wine was wonderful and the food even better! I enjoyed the Sexy Red Flight, a collection of three different wines to sample, and my friend Kim enjoyed the Magnificent Merlots. What a fun way to sample a bunch of wines without being tied down to only one huge glass of wine.

Kim and I then picked a few dishes to share off their Sharing Menu. We indulged in the Cru' House Salad, the Fried Brie, and the Pear and Gorgonzola Pizza. All three were divine. My favorite was the pizza, the pears and caramelized onions were the perfection and the gorgonzola gave it that perfect savory kick, YUM! I can't wait to go back and sample some more exotic wines accompanied by simply delicious food.

Enjoy!

French Quiche

2010-02-19T06:39:00.000-08:00

This recipe is simple and scrumptious. I often double the recipe and freeze the other quiche for a later date. Serve this with a big fresh green salad and your meal is complete. Or this could be served for breakfast.

Ingredients

2 cups of heavy cream

2 cups of swiss cheese, grated

4 eggs, beaten

1 cup of chopped Boars Head Honey Ham

(we do not eat pork so I use cooked turkey bacon)

salt and pepper to taste

1 pre-made Pillsbury pie shell

Directions

Combine all your ingredients into a large bowl starting with the cream and eggs first. Mix all together. Roll out your pie crust into a pie plate and shape the edges so they are pretty. Pour mixture into pie shell. Bake at 375˙ until golden brown. Let your quiche rest for 30 minutes before serving.

Enjoy!

Fettucini Alfredo

2010-02-16T18:03:00.000-08:00

Cream sauce is good for you right? I wish it was. This Alfredo sauce is bursting with flavor, creamy, sinful and oh so satisfying for that comfort food crave. It's worth every bite.

Ingredients

5 cloves of garlic, chopped

3 Tbs. butter

2 cups heavy cream

3 cups parmesan cheese, freshly grated

1 pound of fettucini noodles

Salt and pepper

Directions

Cook your pasta, rinse with warm water and set aside.

In a heavy sauce pan melt your butter over medium low heat, add your chopped garlic allow to sweat but do not let your garlic brown. Cook for 3 to 5 minutes. Add your heavy cream, turn your heat up a little bit and add your grated cheese stir all together and cook for 10 minutes to let sauce thicken up. Add salt and pepper to taste. Pour sauce over noodles and serve.

Enjoy!

Caramel Sauce

2010-02-14T09:01:00.000-08:00

Happy Heart Day! Here is an easy recipe to serve over vanilla ice cream for your sweethearts. An extra bonus is to melt some chocolate chips in your microwave and spoon chocolate hearts on parchment paper. Just let your hearts cool, and they will lift right off your paper giving your caramel sundae a little extra love.

Ingredients

1 cup of heavy cream

5 Tbs. unsalted butter, cut into small pieces

1 tsp. kosher salt

1 1/2 cups of sugar

1/4 cup light corn syrup

1/4 cup water

Directions

Bring cream, butter, and salt to a boil in a small saucepan, then remove from heat and set aside. Boil sugar, corn syrup, and water in a 3 to 4 quart heavy sauce pan, stirring until sugar dissolves. Gently swirl pan, until mixture is a light golden brown. Stir in cream mixture (mixture will bubble up) and simmer, stirring frequently, until caramel registers 248˙ on your candy thermometer 10 to 15 minutes. Pour into a mason jar, keep refrigerated. Serve hot over ice cream.

Enjoy!

Spaghetti & Meatballs

2010-02-12T06:44:00.000-08:00

Since Valentine's Day is right around the corner a perfect romantic meal in my mind is homemade spaghetti and meatballs. It reminds me of the Disney movie Lady and the Tramp where the two love pups share a plate of spaghetti. Your sweetie will not be disappointed with this dish. A big fresh green salad, crusty french bread and a glass of red wine will make the perfect combination.

Meatballs Ingredients

2 pound of ground turkey

1 cup of Italian seasoned bread crumbs

2 Tbs. of fresh parsley

1 cup of grated fresh Parmesan cheese

2 tsp. kosher salt

1/2 tsp. fresh black pepper

1/4 tsp. ground nutmeg

1 large egg, beaten

Olive oil

1 pound of spaghetti noodles

Directions

Mix all of your ingredients in a large bowl. Roll your mixture into small balls. You will have a lot of meatballs. I always freeze half for a later date. In a large non stick skillet on medium high heat up olive oil. Place your meatballs in your skillet in a single layer and cook until golden brown and cook through. Take your meatballs out of your pan and set aside.

Red Sauce Ingredients

1 Tbs. olive oil

1 cup of yellow onion, chopped

4 cloves of garlic, chopped

1/2 cup of good wine, Chianti

12 to 15 plum tomatoes, chopped then pureed

salt and pepper to taste

Directions

In the same skillet you cooked your meatballs in add your onions and garlic and cook until tender, 5 to 10 minutes. Add your wine and cook on high heat scrapping all the brown bits in the pan. Cook until all the liquid is almost evaporated. Stir in your pureed tomatoes add salt and pepper. Cook on high for 5 to 10 minutes. Add your meatballs to the sauce cover and simmer on low until your pasta is cooked. Serve hot on cooked spaghetti, top with lots of parmesan cheese.

Enjoy!

Spicy Chicken Sausage with Pasta & White Beans

2010-02-09T06:41:00.000-08:00

This dish was inspired by Ellie Krieger from the Food Network. With a couple of tweaks I came up with this recipe. It's a simple, healthy and very tasty dish. The secret ingredient... Sage!

Ingredients

3/4 pound whole-wheat bowtie (or other shape) pasta
1 tablespoon olive oil
1/2 medium onion, chopped, about 1 cup
3 cloves garlic, minced
6 ounces lowfat Italian-style chicken sausage, casings removed, crumbled (I use spicy Italian chicken from Whole Foods)
1 medium bag of fresh spinach
2 (14-ounce) can low-sodium cannellini beans, drained and rinsed
1 1/2 cups low-sodium chicken broth
1/2 teaspoon red pepper flakes
1 tablespoon chopped fresh sage leaves
Salt
Freshly ground black pepper
1 cup grated Parmesan

Directions

Cook the pasta according to the directions on the package.

Heat the oil over a medium heat in a large, deep saute pan or 8-quart stockpot. Saute the onion until soft and translucent, about 5 minutes. Add the garlic and cook an additional 1 minute. Stir in the sausage and cook until heated through and browned, about 4 minutes. Add the spinach and cook until wilted, about 3 to 4 minutes. Add the beans, 1 cup of chicken stock, sage and red pepper flakes and simmer until the mixture is heated through and liquid is slightly reduced. Add the sausage-bean mixture to pasta and toss well, loosening with the additional 1/2 cup chicken stock if necessary. Season with freshly ground pepper and salt, to taste. Divide among 4 pasta bowls and top with parmesan cheese.

Enjoy!

Shrimp Etouffe

2010-02-07T09:03:00.000-08:00

Happy Super Bowl Sunday, Geaux Saints! today is also my 16th wedding anniversary. This morning we woke up to snow so I think today will be spent snuggling, eating, and watching the game. In honor of the great state of Louisiana I thought I would share a savory, and spicy authentic southern dish, Shrimp Etouffe.

Ingredients

2 lb. uncooked shrimp, peeled

1 cup onion, finely chopped

1/2 cup celery, finely chopped

1/2 cup green bel pepper, finely chopped

4 cloves garlic, minced

1 stick of butter

1 Tbs. cornstarch

1 1/2 cup of cold water

1/2 tsp. salt

1/4 tsp. pepper

1/2 tsp. cayenne pepper

White Rice

Directions

Cook your rice and set aside. Rinse shrimp. Season with salt, black pepper, and cayenne pepper. In a heavy non stick skillet melt butter over medium heat add onions, bell pepper, celery, and garlic saute until tender. Add seasoned shrimp and continue cooking until your shrimp turns pink. Dissolve cornstarch in water and add to your shrimp mixture, simmer over medium heat just until the sauce gets thick. Serve over rice.

Enjoy!

Zucchini Bread

2010-02-05T06:02:00.000-08:00

Whenever I make this quick bread my family always asks without fail "what in the heck are you making??" I respond, "zucchini bread?" "EWWWWW, bread with zucchini in it!" is always their comeback. It's almost like they are struck with a temporary amnesia and have never had zucchini bread before! The story always ends with this delicious bread completely gone 20 minutes after taking it out of the oven! My daughter even asked me the other day, what ever happened to that bread I was making? I giggled and told her, she ate it! This bread is so good your family will never know a vegetable is in it.

Ingredients

3 eggs, beaten

1 cup of butter, softened

1 cup of brown sugar

1 cup of white sugar

3 tsp. vanilla

3 cups of grated zucchini

3 cups of flour

1 tsp. soda

2 tsp. cinnamon

1/2 tsp. baking powder

1/2 tsp. baking soda

Directions

Sift in a large bowl, flour, cinnamon, salt,baking soda, and baking powder; set aside. In a mixer mix eggs, sugars, butter, and vanilla. Slowly add in flour mixture, mix until just incorporated. Stir in grated zucchini. Pour into greased and lightly floured loaf pans. Bake at 325 for 60 to 70 minutes.

Enjoy!

Chicken Enchilada Casserole

2010-02-03T06:14:00.000-08:00

I love Mexican food, and although this dish is no where near authentic it fixes that crave. This dish is again easy and very tasty with it's tangy green enchilada sauce and yummy melted cheeses. I like to serve this meal with fresh limes and a big green salad.

Ingredients

1 whole rotisserie chicken, deboned and chopped

1 white onion, chopped

2 4 oz cans of diced green chilies

2 Tbs. canola oil

1 12 oz can of green mild enchilada sauce

1 cup of chicken broth

1 cup of half and half

2 cups of Monterey Jack cheese, grated

3 cups of sharp Cheddar cheese

18 soft corn tortillas (1 whole package)

pinch of salt

Directions

Chop and saute onion in a non stick skillet with oil until translucent and caramelized, add green chilies. Add cream, broth monterey jack cheese and enchilada sauce and stir until all the cheese is melted. Add the chicken to the mixture and a pinch of salt. Put a layer of corn tortillas in the bottom of a lightly greased 3 quart casserole dish. Spoon some of the liquid mixture over tortillas and sprinkle with cheddar cheese. Continue layering your tortillas, sauce mixture, and cheese. Make sure your last layer is cheddar cheese on top. Bake uncovered at 300˙until heated through and bubbly. About 45 minutes. Serve hot.

Enjoy!

Chicken Fried Rice

2010-02-01T07:39:00.000-08:00

This dinner is tasty and easy for those hectic nights. You can really save time and make your rice ahead of time and refrigerate it. I always add a few more bean sprouts on top for extra crunchiness!

Ingredients

1 1/2 cup of long grain white rice

1 lb. chicken cut into small chunks

1 cup of low sodium soy sauce

3 Tbs. brown sugar

2 Tbs. rice wine vinegar

1 Tbs. grated fresh ginger

1 Tbs. canola oil

2 carrots, cut into matchstick size strips

2 cups snow peas, cut into thirds

2 cups bean sprouts

4 scallions, thinly sliced

4 large eggs, beaten

Directions

Cook the rice and set aside. In a small bowl combine the soy sauce, sugar, vinegar and ginger. Cut up your chicken into small chunks and put into your sauce marinade. Let chicken marinade for at least 30 minutes. Heat the oil in a large nonstick pan over med high heat. Add the carrots and cook, stirring for 2 minutes. Add the snow peas, bean sprouts. Cook stirring until vegetables are slightly tender. Transfer to a bowl. With tongs fish out your chicken chunks leaving the sauce behind. Cook the chicken on high heat so that the meat caramelizes on the outside. Leaving your chicken in the skillet turn down the heat on your skillet to medium. Add the cooked rice, scallions and the chicken marinade. Cook until heated through. Push the rice to the edges of the pan. Pour the egg mixture into the center and scramble, until set. Stir the eggs into the rice and add your vegetables, cook for 2 minutes and serve.

Enjoy!

Classic Ebelskivers

2010-01-28T17:39:00.000-08:00

I have been drooling over this ebelskivers pan in the William Sonoma magazine for a long, long time. Or should I say I have been drooling over the picture of these delicious little round pancakes. My mom gave me the pan and the special wooden skewers for Christmas this year! Thanks mom :) Now this recipe that I am sharing today is just a little taste of what you can create with this awesome pan! These pancakes can be filled with just about anything! You will be seeing more little round pancakes in the future for sure. But first lets start with the basics.

Basic Batter Ingredients

1 cup of all purpose flour

1 1/2 tsp. sugar

1/2 tsp. baking powder1/4 tsp. salt

2 large eggs, separated

1 cup whole milk

2 Tbs. unsalted butter, melted

Basic Batter Directions

In a large bowl, whisk together the flour, sugar, baking powder, and salt. In a small bowl lightly whisk the egg yolks, then whisk in the milk and melted butter. Add the yolk mixture to the flour mixture. Stir by hand until all incorporated. The batter will be lumpy. In a mixer on high speed beat the egg whites until stiff. Using a spatula, fold one-third of the egg whites into the batter to lighten it, then fold in the rest just until no white streaks remain. Use the batter right away.

•Makes 21 pancakes

Classic Ebelskivers

Ingredients

Basic Batter recipe

1 Tbs. unsalted butter, melted

Powdered sugar for dusting

Directions

Preheat oven to 200˙ Make your batter. Brush the wells of the ebelskivers pan with some melted butter and place over med heat. When the butter starts to bubble, add about three tablespoons of batter to each well. Cook until the bottoms of the pancakes are lightly browned and crisp, 3 to 5 minutes. Use two wooden skewers to turn all the pancakes over. Let the other side cook for another three minutes. Transfer the finished pancakes to a platter and keep warm in the oven while you repeat to make two more batches. Dust the warm pancakes with powdered sugar and serve right away.

Enjoy!

Cobb Salad

2010-01-28T05:38:00.000-08:00

I have a huge problem with salads, it's called an odd over compulsive craving for them, all the time! I just can't get enough! They are hugely satisfying, fresh, crunchy, creamy, and bursting with flavor. Oh and all the possibilities!! Here is one of my favorites, my version of the classic Cobb Salad.

Ingredients

1 lb. of Boars Head honey turkey, lunch meat

1/2 lb. swiss cheese, sliced

1/2 lb. sharp cheddar cheese

1/2 of one package of turkey bacon

10 cherry tomatoes

2 ripe avocados

4 hard boiled eggs

1 bag of fresh romaine lettuce

Blue Cheese dressing

Directions

1st boil your eggs for about 10 minutes until they are cook through, rinse with cold water and set aside to cool. Once cool slice your hard boiled eggs. Slice your lunch meat and both cheeses into thin strips. Cook your turkey bacon according to directions on package and chop. Slice your cherry tomatoes into quarters. Slice your ripe avocados then cut into chunks. Assemble with fresh romaine and top with blue cheese dressing.

Enjoy!

Chocolate Molten Cakes

2010-01-26T06:16:00.000-08:00

This recipe is purely sinful, so easy to make and double easy to devour! These molten cakes are a family favorite in my house. I also serve these quite often at dinner parties because they are a cinch to whip up, and the presentation looks amazing. The center of your cake should be gooey like molten lava.

Ingredients

4 squares of semisweet baking chocolate

1/2 cup of butter (1 stick)

1 cup of powdered sugar

2 eggs

2 egg yolks

2 1/2 Tbs. flour

Vanilla ice cream

Directions

Preheat oven to 425˙

Combine 1 stick of butter and the 4 chocolate squares in a glass bowl. Microwave the butter and chocolate for 1 to 2 minutes only. If everything in the bowl does not look melted that is o.k. keep stirring the mixture and everything will eventually melt. You do not want to burn your chocolate. When all melted add 1 cup of powdered sugar, 2 eggs and 2 egg yolk, stir by hand. Then by hand add your flour. Mix well.

Butter heavily small ramekins, pour batter into each cup, about half way up. Bake for 13 to 14 minutes. The inside should be gooey. Serve warm and with Ice cream.

Enjoy!

Yakitori Chicken

2010-01-24T04:02:00.000-08:00

I love my dishes exploding with flavor. Asian dishes are perfect for experimenting and adding lots of different spices to make a lovely melody. This dish is sweet, spicy, crunchy and very satisfying! Traditional Yakitori Chicken is usually skewered and grilled. This technique would also be easy to do with this recipe, just marinate, skewer, and then grill.

Ingredients

1 pound of boneless chicken breast, cut into thin cubes

Cooked white rice

1 bunch of fresh green beans

1 cup of fresh bean sprouts

1/2 cup soy sauce

1 Tbs. brown sugar

1/4 cup coconut milk

1 Tbs. chili sauce

1 Tbs. sesame oil

1 Tbs. white wine vinegar

Just from 1/2 of a fresh lime

1 Tbs. fresh ginger

4 cloves of garlic chopped

1 small can of sliced water chestnuts

Directions

Cook rice and set aside. Wash green beans and set aside. Cut your chicken breasts and place in a large zip lock baggie. Add soy sauce, brown sugar, coconut milk, chili sauce, sesame oil, white wine vinegar, lime juice to the zip lock baggie. Mix the sauce all up with your chicken and refrigerate/marinate for 1 to 2 hours. In a large hot non stick skillet or wok heat 1 Tbs. of sesame oil. With tongs fish out your chicken chunks and fry in skillet, caramelizing the outside of your chicken. When chicken is cooked through take chicken out of pan, and set aside. Pour the left over sauce and cook until it is reduced by half. Add the chicken back to the pan with the sauce and add green beans and water chestnuts, cook all together for 2 to 3 minutes longer. Serve chicken mixture over white rice and top with bean sprouts. Serve hot. The sauce can be doubled if desired.

Enjoy!

Dinner Rolls

2010-01-22T05:14:00.000-08:00

I have come to the realization that bread making is an art. But, with lots and lots of practice light fluffy melt in your mouth bread can be achieved, and nothing is better than it's homemade goodness! Here is a great recipe that makes any meal complete.

Ingredients

1 package of active dry yeast

1/4 cup warm water

1 cup of whole milk

2 Tbs. sugar

2 lrg. eggs at room temperature

plus one egg beaten

6 Tbs. unsalted butter, at room temperature

4 1/2 cups of all purpose flour, plus extra for kneading

2 tsp. salt

Directions

In a stand mixer dissolve the yeast in warm water and let stand until foamy, about 5 minutes. Add the milk and sugar, 2 eggs, butter, flour and salt. Make sure you are using a dough hook on your mixer. Knead on low speed. Add a little more flour only if the dough is sticking to the sides of your mixer. Knead until the dough is smooth and elastic. 5 to 7 minutes. The dough should be soft but not sticky. Remove the dough from the mixer bowl. Form the dough into a ball, transfer to a lightly oiled bowl. Cover the bowl with plastic wrap. Let the dough rise in a warm spot until it doubles in size. 1 to 2 hours. Punch down the dough and turn it out onto a clean work surface. Cut the dough in half with a sharp knife. Cut each half into eight equal pieces. Roll each piece against the work surface into a round ball. Place each ball into your prepared pan. Cover dough with a damp kitchen towel and let them rise until puffy and pillow soft when gently squeezed. 30 to 40 minutes. Preheat oven to 400˙position oven rack to the lower third of the oven. Brush the rolls lightly with the beaten egg. Bake until puffed and golden brown20 to 25 minutes. Serve hot!

Enjoy!

Clam Chowder

2010-01-20T05:56:00.000-08:00

Who does not love a hot bowl of Clam Chowder? I actually dream about this soup, really it just does not get better than this. A rich creamy, velvety soup that hits the spot. This soup is perfect for a dinner party. It's easy enough that you won't be stressing and in the kitchen neglecting your guests, but the outcome is so exquisite everyone will think you slaved over the meal.

Ingredients

1 1/2 sticks (12 Tbsp.) of unsalted butter, divided

1 yellow onion, chopped

2 cup of celery, diced

2 cups of carrots, diced

3 cups of boiling potatoes, diced

1 1/2 teaspoon minced fresh thyme leaves

1 tsp. kosher salt

1/2 tsp. fresh ground pepper

2 cups clam juice

1 quart chicken stock

1/2 cup all purpose flour

1/2 cup heavy cream

3 cups chopped fresh chowder clams

Directions

Melt 4 Tbsp. (1/2 stick) butter in a large heavy stock pot. Add onions and cook over medium low heat until onions are soft. Add celery, carrots, potatoes, thyme, salt, and pepper saute' for 10 minutes. Add the clam juice and chicken stock and bring to a boil, let simmer until vegetables are tender, about 20 minutes. In a small pot melt the remaining 8 Tbsp. of butter and whisk in the flour. Cook over very low heat for a couple of minutes constantly stirring. Whisk in one cup of the hot broth and then pour this mixture back into the cooked vegetables. Simmer for a few minutes until the broth is thickened. Add the cream and the clams and heat gently for a few minutes to cook the clams. Season with salt and pepper. Serve hot.

Enjoy!

Ice Cream Cake

2010-01-18T08:30:00.000-08:00

This ice cream cake can be considered cheating but the outcome is so delicious to matter! A quick solution to make kids in any household happy. The cake is so easy to make even the kids could make this themselves. Have fun with this cake and experiment with different toppings.

Ingredients

1 cup of heavy cream

2 Tbsp. of confectioners sugar

1 Tbsp. vanilla

6 ice cream sandwiches (store bought)

1/2 cup chocolate chips, chopped

4 Pirouette cookies, crumbled (or your favorite candy bar)

Directions

Line a bread pan with a piece of parchment paper, allowing the paper to hang off the long sides of the pan. In a mixer beat the cream and sugar until stiff peaks form. In the bottom of the pan, arrange 3 of the sandwiches in a single layer, cutting them to fit, if necessary. Spread with half the whipped cream. Repeat with the remaining sandwiches and whipped cream. Sprinkle the top of the cake with your chocolate or candy. Cover with plastic wrap and freeze until firm. Holding both sides of the overhanging paper, lift the cake out of the pan and transfer to a plate. Discard the paper and serve.

Enjoy!

Parmesan Chicken with Pesto Cavatappi

2010-01-16T06:38:00.000-08:00

I'm thinking... this is my kind of dish. A pasta dish bursting with lots of color and flavor. Yes, I will admit I'm a pasta girl. My husband thinks I might have some sort of vitamin deficiency with all my starch cravings. Nah, I just love me some carbs. Cavatappi shaped pasta has to my favorite shape too. It's nooks seem to trap all the yummy flavors you add to it, making my tummy very happy!

Parmesan Chicken

Ingredients

4 to 5 pounded thin chicken breasts

1 cup of Italian seasoned breadcrumbs

1 cup of shredded parmesan cheese

salt and pepper to taste

1 Tbsp. olive oil

1 egg beaten

Directions

Heat olive oil in a non stick skillet over med-high. In a storage size ziplock bag put breadcrumbs, 1/2 of parmesan cheese and salt and pepper. Mix all together. After you have pounded your chicken very thin, place them in your zip lock baggie and shake all the bag around till the chicken is coated. In a shallow dish, beat one egg. Take each piece of chicken and dredge in egg, then back into the baggie for a second coating of breadcrumbs. Place all the chicken in your hot skillet with oil. Fry on both sides until golden brown. About 3 minutes each. At the last minute sprinkle the rest of the parmesan cheese over the top of the chicken breasts. Let melt then place chicken on a plate and set aside. Microwave your chicken for 2 minutes when your pasta is finished, so it is warm to serve.

Pesto Cavatappi

Ingredients

1 box of Cavatappi pasta

1 tub of fresh basil pesto

2 to 3 cloves of garlic, chopped

4 fresh Roma tomatoes

4 to 5 button mushrooms

3/4 cup of white wine

a splash of heavy cream

1 cup of parmesan

Directions

Cook your pasta till al dente, drain, rinse and set aside. Chop your garlic, and tomatoes (tomatoes in big chunks) slice your mushrooms. Dump your noodles into the same skillet you cooked your chicken in and toss on medium high heat. Add pesto and garlic mix throughly. Let the pasta get real hot, almost searing the noodles. Add the tomatoes, mushrooms, and wine. Cook for about 5 minutes. Right at the end add heavy cream and parmesan mix all together. Serve hot with parmesan chicken.

Enjoy!

Peanut Butter & Banana Sandwich

2010-01-14T06:01:00.000-08:00

Do you ever have one of those days where you are starving but nothing sounds yummy? Well, I was having one of those days until I came across a friends facebook posts. She had posted what she made for dinner and I knew right then that's what I wanted... A peanut butter and banana sandwich! YUM!! I have never had one of these sandwiches before, I was about to indulge.

The whole time I was preparing this ooey gooey delight I could not stop thinking about the late Elvis Presley and his obsession for these. At last I was not disappointed the sandwich was every bit of heaven as it sounds. Thank you my very talented friend Charys!

•Makes one sandwich

Ingredients

2 slices of honey nut bread

2 Tbs. peanut butter

1/2 of a ripe banana

1 tsp. sugar

2 Tbs. butter

Directions

In a non stick skillet on med- high, butter one side of a piece of bread lay in skillet, butter side down. Slice your banana and lay them on the bread. Sprinkle the banana's with sugar. Spread peanut butter on your second piece of bread. Sandwich the pieces together and butter the top of the sandwich, When the bottom piece is brown, carefully flip the sandwich to grill on the other side. When the sandwich is all toasty brown and the peanut butter is oozing out, and the sugar is crunchy and caramelized with the banana's.... Serve hot.

Enjoy!

Chewy Chocolate Chip Cookies

2010-01-12T05:51:00.000-08:00

Nothing tops a homemade chocolate chip cookie. These little delights are dangerous in my home, only because I can easily polish all 4 dozen of them myself. I usually send these tasty treats off in a ziplock storage baggie to school with my daughter for her and her friends to enjoy, always with requests and orders for more the next day! These cookies have more brown sugar in them than other recipes making these cookies nice and chewy.

Ingredients

1 cup (2 sticks) salted butter, softened

1/2 cup sugar

1 1/2 cups brown sugar

2 eggs

2 tsp. vanilla extract

3 cups all purpose flour

1/2 tsp. salt

1 tsp. baking soda

1 1/2 tsp. baking powder

2 cups semi sweet chocolate chips

Directions

Preheat oven to 360.˙ Cream butter, sugar, and brown sugar until fluffy (5 min) Add both eggs and vanilla and beat for additional 2 minutes. Add baking soda, baking powder, salt, and flour until fully incorporated. Finally add chocolate chips. Drop 2 tablespoons of dough onto a lined cookie sheet with parchment paper. Fill cookie sheet and bake for 12 to 14 minutes until nice and golden brown. Allow cookies to cool. Makes about 4 dozen cookies.

Enjoy!

Miso Salmon with Sake Butter

2010-01-10T06:30:00.000-08:00

This by far is my favorite salmon dish, the miso is the secret ingredient. Inspired by an entree at the Cheesecake Factory, I just had to recreate this dish. Yes, it was a sucess and my family agrees! This dish is easy and fairly healthy minus the butter but, who is counting? Oh ya, I am.

Ingredients

1/4 cup of brown sugar, packed

2 Tbsp. soy sauce

1 tsp. minced ginger

2 Tbsp. hot water

2 Tbsp. miso (yellow soybean paste)

1 1/2 pounds of fresh salmon

1 cup uncooked rice

1 cup of fresh snow peas

Sake Butter Ingredients

2 Tbsp. of peeled, julliened ginger

3 to 4 garlic cloves, minced

1 Tbsp unsalted butter

1/2 cup plus 1 Tbsp. of good sake

1 Tbsp. heavy cream

1/2 cup of cold unsalted butter (1 stick) cut into chunks

1/2 tsp. fresh lime juice

Kosher salt to taste

Directions

Cook rice, one cup of rice to two cups of water. Once water boils, turn heat to low and cover with lid. Right before you are about to serve your meal put the snow peas on top of the rice to get a quick steam. Your rice should be done in 30 minutes.

Preheat broiler. Combine first four ingredients, whisk. Arrange fish in a foil covered baking dish. Spoon miso mixture over fish. Broil fish until golden and flakes easily with a fork. About 20 minutes. Baste fish with sauce while cooking.

Sake Butter

In a small saucepan over medium high heat cook garlic and ginger in one tablespoon of butter for two to three minutes. Add a 1/2 a cup of sake, bring to a boil and reduce by two thirds about three minutes. Add the the heavy cream, bring to a boi, and reduce by half, about two minutes. Add the pieces of cold butter to the sauce, one by one, whisking constantly over med high heat. The butter will emulsify, creating a thick creamy sauce. Once all the butter is incorporated, remove the pan from the heat. Whisk in the remaining one tablespoon of sake and the lime juice. Season to taste with salt.

Spoon sake butter on plate, place rice in the middle of plate and top with salmon, arrange snow peas around the plate. Serve.

Enjoy!

Blueberry Muffins

2010-01-08T05:40:00.000-08:00

Mmmmm warm blueberry muffins to go with your coffee in the morning! I love fresh blueberries, they offer so many possibilities, and they are packed full of antioxidants. Two of my favorite childhood books also share a love for blueberries and baking, Blueberries for Sal & Panda Cake . Two darling children's books to treasure. What is your favorite "food" children's book?

Ingredients

•Makes one dozen

1/2 cup (1 stick) of unsalted butter, softened. Plus more for your pan

2 cups of all purpose flour, plus more for pan

1 1/2 teaspoons of baking powder

1/2 teaspoon salt

2 cups of fresh blueberries

1 cup of sugar

2 large eggs

1 Tbsp. vanilla

1/2 cup of milk

Directions

Preheat oven to 375˙ Generously butter your muffin pan and dust with flour. In a medium bowl, whisk together flour, baking powder, and salt. In a electric mixer fitted with a paddle attachment beat butter, sugar, on med/high until light and fluffy. About 3 minutes. Add eggs one at a time, beating until combined. Add vanilla. With your mixer on low add the flour mixture. Beat until just combined. Do not over mix. Add milk, again just mix until combined.

Fold blueberrues into your batter. Divide batter evenly among muffin cups. Bake until muffins are golden brown. About 30 minutes. Serve warm.

Enjoy!

Buffalo Chicken Salad

2010-01-06T05:23:00.000-08:00

We all have hectic stessfull days and the last thing we all want to do is make dinner. Instead of stopping and getting fast food, here is a quick, yummy, and crunchy salad. Blue cheese is my all time favorite cheese. I love the creamy tang of the dressing mixed with the hot and spicy.

Ingredients

1 head of romaine lettuce, chopped

4 stalks of celery, julliened

4 carrots, julliened

5 breaded chicken stripes, diced (pre-cooked)

blue cheese crumbles, creamy

blue cheese dressing

Franks Origional Red Hot Sauce

Directions

Wash and chop your romaine. Jullien your celery and carrots. Dice your chicken strips, I buy mine pre- made, remember this is an easy dinner! Place your chicken strips in a bowl and add as much or as little hot sauce as you wish depending on taste. I like spicy so I add a lot. Assemble your salad with your celery, carrots, blue cheese, and dressing, and walla you have dinner.

Enjoy!

Turkey Chili

2010-01-04T06:49:00.000-08:00

On cold winter days their is nothing more comforting than a warm bowl of chili. This dish is easy to put on in the early morning and let cook all day making your home smell of yummy goodness. Chili is a true comfort food.

Ingredients

1 lrg. can of hot chili beans
1 lrg. can of pinto beans, drained
1 pkg. of ground turkey (1 lb.)
1 med can of diced tomatoes
1 med can of tomato sauce
1/2 white onion, minced
3-4 cloves of garlic, minced
1 Tlbp. kosher salt
1 Tlbp. olive oil
Chili powder, to taste
Cayenne pepper, to taste

Directions

In a large pot with olive oil add white onion and garlic saute until soft. Add ground turkey and crumble the meat until cooked through. Add the beans, tomatoes and sauce, let simmer.
After all the ingredients have simmered awhile add chili powder, cayenne, and salt to taste. Let the chili simmer most of the day on low. Right before serving turn heat up and bring chili to a boil.
Serve with: Fritos, sharp cheddar cheese, and warm cornbread. Also a nice big yummy salad goes well.

Enjoy!

Cranberry Pear Rustic Tartlet

2010-01-02T08:40:00.000-08:00

This is such a fun and easy recipe. You don't need to worry about making your crust from scratch, Pillsbury makes a delicious pre made crust. I always keep a few boxes of these pie crusts in my freezer for that spur of the minute creation. Bartlett pears are so sweet and juicy that the cranberries give the perfect perk to this yummy tart!

Ingredients

1 Pillsbury pie crust

2 fresh pears, Bartlett

1 handfull of fresh cranberries

1 Tbs. brown sugar

1 Tbs. of sugar

1/2 tsp. cinnamon

1/4 tsp. salt

1 tsp. flour

2 Tbs. butter, cut into small pieces

1 egg, beaten

Directions

Lay your pie crust onto a lightly floured surface. Cut your pears into small and thin pieces and place into a large bowl with a handful of fresh cranberries. Add your sugars, cinnamon, salt and flour. Mix until all coated. Spoon fruit mixture into the center of your pie crust. Dot with butter. Fold the edges of your pie up accordion style. Brush crust with egg wash and sprinkle with white sugar. Bake in a 375˙ oven for 30 to 40 min or until bubbly and golden brown.

Enjoy!

Blue Cheese Turkey Burgers & Homemade Fries

2009-12-31T05:26:00.000-08:00

These turkey burgers are always a hit in my home. The red wine mixed with the Worcesteshire sauce make these burger yummy and juicy. Topped with a tangy blue cheese, they are sure to please!

Happy New Year!!

•Turkey Burgers•

Ingredients

2 pounds of ground turkey

1/4 cup dry red wine

1/4 cup Worcesteshire sauce

salt & pepper to taste

Big crusty buns

lettuce

red onion, sliced

creamy blue cheese, crumbled

Directions

Mix the first five ingredients by hand in a big bowl. Shape meat into flat round patties. Het a non stick pan to med high heat add a small amount of olive oil and coat pan. Grill patties on both sides until meat is cooked through. Cut your buns in half and toat them under your oven broiler until they are golden brown. Top cooked turkey patties with lots of blue cheese crumbles, place under broiler too until cheese is bubbly. Assemble your turkey burger and serve.

Enjoy!

•Homemade Fries•

Ingredients

6 to 8 Russet potatoes

olive oil

salt & pepper

Directions

Wash and scrub your whole potatoes. On a cutting board cut your potatoes in half long ways. Then cut each half in half, still long ways. Then cut halfs into skinny fries. Repeat with all of your potatoes. Place cut potatoes on a cookie sheet. Drizzle generously with olive oil. Add salt & pepper and toss. Cook at 400˙until golden brown.

Enjoy!

Banana Nut Bread

2009-12-29T06:57:00.000-08:00

Sweet breads are super easy to whip up. The perfect treat with your morning cup of coffee, a warm slice banana nut bread with a dollop of plain cream cheese. I like to top my banana bread with fresh pecans to give a nutty crunch.

Ingredients

1/2 cup butter, softened

1 cup sugar

4 soft ripe bananas

2 cups of flour

1tsp. baking soda

1 Tbsp. vanilla

2 eggs

1 handfull of fresh pecan halves

Directions

Mix to a cream, soda, sugar, butter, eggs, bananas, and vanilla. Then add flour. Grease and flour bread pan. Fill pan with bread mix. Top with pecan pieces. Bake for 1 hour at 350˙

Enjoy!

Turkey Bacon & Avocado Sandwich

2009-12-27T05:08:00.000-08:00

My family and I do not eat bacon solely for the reason that... pigs are to cute to eat! But, we still love the idea of the classic BLT sandwich. Although, this sandwich is far from the classic three ingredients of bacon, lettuce, and tomato, it is close and a yummy twist.

Ingredients

2 slices of oat nut bread

6 slices of Turkey Bacon

Mayonnaise

1/2 of a ripe avocado, sliced

Spring mix lettuce leaves

Salt & pepper

Directions

Toast your two pieces of bread. Spread mayonnaise on one piece of your bread, salt and pepper. Microwave your favorite turkey bacon between paper towel on a plate until crisp. Lay your cooked bacon on your bread. Lay your sliced avocado on top of your bacon and top with lettuce and your other piece of bread. This recipe make one sandwich.

Enjoy!

Christmas Morning Monkey Bread

2009-12-25T09:41:00.000-08:00

A Christmas morning tradition in our home, this nutty warm gooey pull apart sweet bread really hits the spot. I hope you and your family have a very Merry Christmas!

Ingredients

18 frozen Rhodes brand roll dough balls

1 stick melted butter (not margarine)

1 cup chopped pecans

½ cup brown sugar

1 small package butterscotch pudding (not instant)

1 tsp cinnamon

Directions

Grease Bundt pan. Spread frozen roll balls evenly around pan. Pour melted butter over dough balls. Sprinkle with cinnamon and chopped nuts. Sprinkle brown sugar and dry pudding.

Cover with damp cloth and let rise overnight. Bake at 350 degrees for 30 minutes. Invert on large dish to catch drippings. Serve hot!

Enjoy!

Calzones

2009-12-22T06:13:00.000-08:00

I wish I could say I slaved and slaved over homemade bread to make these delicious calzones, but I took a shortcut and they are just as yummy. I used Rhodes frozen dough, their bread is outstanding. I always keep it stocked in my freezer. For a busy mom this is the perfect family pleaser recipe.

Ingredients

2 loaves Rhodes Italian Dough

1 lb. spicy chicken sausage

2 cups of mozzarella

1 cup of parmesan

2 cups of fresh spinach

1 egg, beaten

Directions

Place two frozen loaves in a large glass bowl, sprayed with with Pam and covered with saran wrap. Let the bread thaw and rise for at least 3 hours. Crumble your chicken sausage, and grate your cheeses. Place a small amount of flour on your work surface. Roll out your dough and cut into fours. Two loaves of dough should be enough for 3 to 4 calzones. Pile your meat, cheeses and spinach onto your individual slabs of dough. fold over and pinch the ends. Brush the tops of your calzones with the egg wash. bake at 375˙ until golden brown, 20 to 30 minutes.

Enjoy!

Cranberry Tart

2009-12-20T05:11:00.000-08:00

This tart recipe is definitely a crowd pleaser. It can be served as a dessert or for breakfast, it's warm, colorful and oh so yummy! Perfect for holiday gatherings.

Ingredients

1 cup of pecans, chopped

1 1/2 sticks of unsalted butter, plus more to butter pie plate

3/4 cup of granulated sugar, plus more to sprinkle on top

2 large eggs

1 Tbs. vanilla

1 cup of flour

2 cups of fresh cranberries

Vanilla ice cream

Directions

Heat oven to 325˙Spread nuts onto a cookie sheet and bake until fragrant. Set aside. Butter a pie plate generously. In a electric mixer whisk together melted butter, sugar, eggs, vanilla and flour. (batter will be thick) Stir in cranberries and 3/4 cups of p chopped pecans.

Scoop batter into pie plate. Sprinkle the top with the remaining pecans and sugar. Bake until golden brown and crusty on top. 30 to 40 minutes. Serve with vanilla ice cream.

Enjoy!