Angie M & Annika. Another busy week for us with homecoming and shopping and everything else life throws our way. We decided we wanted clam chowder bread bowls and chicken Caesar salads and we also decided that getting everything at Costco making it easy warming it up and enjoying time together watching zombie movies was the best route to go... This was a great meal idea for us!! Thanks for putting up with us, we don't always do things the traditional way but we enjoy participating... XOXO, Angie M and Annika ❤️❤️❤️ NikitaMatt was out of town for a whole week which is a looonnng time in our family. He flew in Tuesday evening and came home to a hot bowl of Homestyle Chicken Noodle Soup with a Mixed Green Salad. This was my first try at this recipe, and it was delicious! Nothing is more homely than a comforting soup and a fuzzy blanket to curl up in. Enjoy! Serve warm, garnished with extra black pepper and fresh parsley if desired. Love, 99 Click the link below for the recipe Chicken Noodle Soup Angie C. AmySalami Salad and Chameleon Soup Soup and salad sounds like a perfect Autumn meal. Alas, the thermometer hit 100° today. Summer doesn't intend on leaving Oklahoma anytime soon. I scraped my original soup for one that could be made in very little time and paired with a somewhat original no fuss salad. I just didn't feel like being in the kitchen for very long. I decided to make a soup I tried several months ago with a salad that I first made just last week. It required less than 30 minutes in the kitchen. So, bonus. The salad consisted of chopped and diced items such as red bell pepper, celery, seedless cucumber, grape tomatoes and salami. Along with a properly whisked homemade dressing consisting of heavy cream and soft garlic and herb cheese. Quite the delight! For the recipe click below Chameleon Soup Recipe Georgia Tossed Salad and French Onion Soup Randy's favorite soup is French Onion. So when Angie C sent over her menu item of soup & salad for this week I knew right away I wanted to make French Onion. Something I've never made nor eaten. Should be interesting. Being Randy's favorite I really didn't want to mess this up.. So I did the only logical thing I could. I hunted down Julia Child's version.. Best move I've ever made. The RanMan's comments. Better than the French Onion soup he had when we were in Chicago. Quite possibly the best he's ever had. Yay me!! Served the soup with a tossed salad. For the recipe click below French Onion Soup Recipe Beautiful Soup by Lewis Carrol BEAUTIFUL Soup, so rich and green, Waiting in a hot tureen! Who for such dainties would not stoop? Soup of the evening, beautiful Soup! Soup of the evening, beautiful Soup! Beau- ootiful Soo-oop! Beau- ootiful Soo-oop! Soo- oop of the e- e- evening, Beautiful, beautiful Soup! Beautiful Soup! Who cares for fish, Game, or any other dish? Who would not give all else for two Pennyworth only of Beautiful Soup? Pennyworth only of beautiful Soup? Beau- ootiful Soo-oop! Beau- ootiful Soo-oop! Soo- oop of the e- e- evening, Beautiful, beauti- FUL SOUP! Blessings, Angie & Anni, Nikita, Angie C, Amy & gigi If you are interested in joining our Saturday Bites club please complete the form below and I will include you in our weekly email and also include your photos and recipes.
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Angie MHere is our guacamole… I totally made it up. We had never made it before. So I squished up three medium avocados, added the following ingredients to taste: Salt, pepper, lemon juice, pace picante salsa, and some mayonnaise. I think I am going to make some more, it was delish!!!! Nikita
AmyOkay so, I love guacamole! My initial plan was to make a basic guacamole with fresh ingredients. Which is part of the reason why I love guacamole. When I do grocery shopping I treat myself to posh cheese. A new chunk of cheese every now and then. Anyway, I was laying around this morning listening to music when a series of texts began to arrive about the damn guacamole. I was slightly vexxed because I prefer to have my mornings nice and lazy. Shortly after the texts arrived who should show up? That damn best friend. He could sense that I was a little perturbed and asked what the hell my problem is. Well, there's a list buddy and you're at the top. All that aside, I mentioned that I had to get off of my fat ass and make guacamole to get my sister off of my back. To which the bff asked," Are you making that guacamole with the bacon?" Whoa whoa whoa! I did make guacamole with bacon...earlier this year...and Tremain remembered. This cat's memory is so short term that it can be rather frustrating. This means that the guacamole I made many months ago had to be outstanding. I even had instant recall as to where this little gem of a recipe could be found. And you'll soon learn why I mentioned the cheese. I readjusted the ingredients to fit the waning Summer. We're having higher temperatures than normal for September. To me, some of the ingredients didn't sound...comfortable. You'll see! Winter Guacamole adapted from Cold Weather Cooking by Sarah Leah Chase 3 ripe avocados, preferably Hass 3 tablespoons fresh lime juice 3 scallions, trimmed and finely minced (I used red onion) 2 jalapeño chiles, stemmed, seeded and minced (I omitted this) 4 sun-dried tomatoes, packed in oil, drained and minced (I chopped up a couple of fresh tomatoes) 1cup shredded sharp Cheddar cheese (I used 1/2 cheddar and Italian cheese with red pepper. The red pepper and red onion give a nice kick in lieu of the jalapeño) 5 slices bacon, cooked crisp and coarsely crumbled (I added little more as it's usually the menfolk's favorite food group) 3 tablespoons minced cilantro Salt to taste (I felt the bacon was salty enough) Pit and peel the avocados and mash the pulp in a medium-sized mixing bowl to a chunky consistency. Add lime juice, scallions, jalapeño chiles, and sun-dried tomatoes, then fold in the cheese, bacon, and cilantro. Season to taste with salt. Serve the guacamole as soon as possible to keep the bacon crisp. Accompany with your favorite chips for dipping. Makes 3 to 4 cups GeorgiaThis week was all about guacamole. Up until the other night I had never made guacamole before. In all fairness since we started Saturday Bites there's been several things I've never made before. Which is one of the reasons I love doing this. Thank fully guacamole is very easy to make. Get your ingredients, mash together and start dipping. Easy Guacamole Ingredients Order Ingredients
Randy, who does NOT like tomatoes ate most of it. I guess tomatoes in salsa and guacamole is acceptable. Note to self: Always wash hands after chopping jalapeno's. Burning eyes.. No bueno.. :( Holy Guacamole!! What a fun challenge this was. Easy yes.. But also lots of fun. Stay tuned next week. Soup & Salad are on the menu. If you'd like to join us in our weekly Saturday Bites food challenge please send your photos and recipes to [email protected]. In the Subject line put Saturday Bites. With your permission I will add them to our Saturday Bites food challenge. Enjoy your weekend and as always spend time at the table with you family Angie M, Nikita, Amy , Angie C & Georgia Angie & Anni Well between high school full-time work Bible study grocery shopping taking care of the animals cleaning the house doing laundry we don't get much time to spend together at the dinner table but we do find time together and those are the moments that count. So while we did not get to have a sit down meal together we did find time to go get a Jamba Juice on our way out to dads house. I got my favorite mango a go go and Anni got her favorite strawberries wild... Have a blessed week everyone and may peace be with you... Nikita Family meal time has become nearly nonexistent since our move to Arizona. Schedules keep us apart by a 3-hr difference. We've realized over the last month that our family has missed the small moments we would share together. Priorities somehow changed this year, and our family unit has suffered because of it. So this was well over due! On Thursday, Matt made his world-famous Stuffed Green Peppers for the family to enjoy. They can be quite difficult to put together because there are so many parts to the recipe, but he committed himself to making them after a long day of hard housework. And boy were they delicious!! Even though I kind of know how he makes them, I can never seem to make them taste the same. So the recipe below may be a little sketch: Green Bell Peppers Ground beef Onion Tomato Paste Diced Italian Canned Tomatoes Cooked Brown rice Sharp Cheddar Cheese Salt & Pepper Worcestershire sauce Blanch green peppers after slicing off tops and deseeding them. Put them in freezer to cool. Brown the beef & onion with salt and pepper and Worcestershire sauce. Drain off fat. Add the tomatoes and paste. Add cooked brown rice. Sprinkle in some cheese (or a lot of it.) Spoon in beef mixture into green peppers and line up in casserole dish. Dump remaining beef mixture around peppers. Bake in oven on 350°F until warmed through. Top with more cheese and melt under broiler. Yum!! Love, 99 Angie C Amish country's poor mans hamburger steak, green beans, mashed potatoes, salad and crescent rolls. The tea is iced roasted dandelion root tea with lemon and cranberry. Pretty good meal I got this recipe from pinterest. Bryan and Carrie really liked it but Anna and I still cant get enthusiastic about it. I cut the recipe in half so Bryan doesn't have to eat this one dish all week. Being from the south, gravy for me does not include mushroom soup however, this was yummy so we decided to call this mushroom sauce. So here is how I made it. 1 lb very lean beef. (I used 93-7) 3/4 tube of saltine crackers crushed 3/4 C of milk 1/4 tsp of cayenne pepper Salt Pepper Garlic powder Italian seasoning Mix well and form into patties. Dredge in a little flour and fry on both sides until lightly browned take off heat. Make mushroom sauce. 2 cans of cream of mushroom soup 1/2 can of water 1/2 can of milk 1Tbsp of parsley Whisk well Spoon just enough in bottom of a square baking dish to cover the bottom. Place meat patties on top of it and pour the remaining sauce over the meat. Cover with foil and cook for an hour at 350. I served it with mashed potatoes, green beans, salad and crescent rolls. I also made iced tea. I hope y'all enjoy it. Angie Amy So this week it was my turn to pick our food challenge. I made it simple, a photo of a family meal. Any meal as long as it's with your family. I was inspired by an article that I read recently about a 2nd grade school in Fort Worth, Texas. Mrs. Brady Young sent a letter home this school year announcing that she would not be assigning homework this year. Her students would only have to finish class assignments at home. In her letter, Mrs. Young wrote," Rather, I ask that you spend your evenings doing things that are proven to correlate with student success. Eat dinner as a family, read together, play outside, and get your child to bed early." Nuff said! I, of course, have a unique situation. All of family by blood or marriage live in other states. I do have a best friend and he's always willing to try my cooking. He says grace and we tuck in! The important thing is to commune at the splendid table. All electronic devices turned off and put away. Our Facebook status can wait. If whatever is on TV is that important then DVR it. Guess what? It isn't that important. The meal I prepared was a simple casserole served with plates of fresh fruit and vegetables. My best friend and I discussed authentic Celtic and medieval music. We both like that type of music. It was entertaining and engaging. Oh, and Tremain liked the casserole. GeorgiaAmy's choice this week.. Family meal.. I love it.. As a rule every night in the Minghelli house is family dinner night. With a few exceptions Randy and I sit down at the table every night. This night I grilled out.. Burgers, corn on the cob & veggie straws. I wanted to make some beet chips.. but.. I sliced them to thin and they did nothing but burn.. As Scarlet O'Hara would say "After all, tomorrow is another day" “People who love to eat are always the best people.” – Julia Child Blessings, Angie, Anni, Nikita, Angie C, Amy & Georgia NikitaNo story this week.....we have been so busy, and a lot of change occurred so suddenly. I'm at lost for words. This is a recipe from Thug Kitchen, my favorite cookbook. It's a Baked Sweet Potato filled with Sautéed Kale and Simmered Black Eye Peas. I'll post the recipe when I have a moment over the weekend. 😊 AmyWhen Gigi informed me that this week's food challenge is sweet potatoes I felt a little bummed. It isn't that I dislike sweet potatoes. On the contrary, I love them. It's that my best sweet potato dish happens to be sweet potato pie. Of all the food made it was my sweet potato pie that received the most raves. Alas, I no longer possess the recipe and I failed to commit it to memory. I've scoured the internet for it to no avail. It came to pass that I'd have to try another sweet potato recipe. A few weeks ago Tremain gave me a wonderful gift. He went to a yard sale on whim and knowing that I love cookbooks especially old cookbooks he found a true gem. The American Woman's Cookbook. Published in 1939, it's from an interesting time in American food history. Post Depression and Pre- WWII. It's a head to two cookbook. Sweet breads, hogs feet...And it shows the beginning of processed food becoming more commonplace. I found a very simple sweet potato recipe. I decided to couple it with golden pork chops (not pictured) because of the timing of the sweet potatoes. The pork chops are made with peaches(very summer fruit) and also contains cinnamon and ground cloves. It segues into the sweet relief of Autumn. I think of sweet potatoes as Autumn food. So here's the recipe: Sweet Potato with Pineapple 6 small sweet potatoes 1/3 as much pineapple as potato 1/3 cup honey 1/4 cup water Boil the potatoes with the skins on. When cool, peel and cut them in pieces one-quarter of an inch thick. Mix honey and hot water. Just cover the bottom of a baking dish with the mixture, add the sweet potatoes and sliced pineapple. Pour the remaining honey mixture over them and bake for ten minutes in the oven (400°F.). Angie C .Spicy Sweet Potato Fries and Stuffed Spaghetti Squash I peeled the sweet potato and cut it into strips. Put them in a bowl poured a little olive oil over it and used salt, pepper, cumin, cayenne, chili powder, garlic powder and onion powder. Cooked them in a 500 degree oven flipping them every 10 min until done. I don't know about the measurements because I just use the dump method. It was good but spicy. A little too spicy for me. So I will cut back on them next time. They look charred when they are done but its just the spices. I like them still soft Stuffed Spaghetti Squash I cut my squash in half lengthwise and cleaned it out. I brushed the inside with olive oil, salt and pepper. Put it in a square baking dish with enough water to cover the bottom. Cooked on high in the microwave for 9 min. Took them out to cool. Trust me, you want them to cool. While they were cooling I sauteed some broccoli in a skillet with some butter, garlic, crushed red pepper and some green onion. I then added diced up left over chicken breast and continued to saute it all until the broccoli was ready. I turned off the heat and microwaved bacon until crispy. When cooled enough to handle, take a fork and shred the inside of the squash. Throw the shredded part in the skillet too. I then added shredded cheddar and bacon and Parmesan cheese to the skillet. Once I mixed it all up I divided skillet contents in the scraped out squash hulls and patted it out flat. Sprinkled a little Mozzarella cheese and broiled til the cheese is melted. GeorgiaSweet potatoes!! Yum.. It was a mixed week for me because I love sweet potatoes and the husband does not. So the goal was to find a recipe that he could take.. So I figured anything with bacon and eggs has to be good. His reply.. It was really good. But.. Would've been better with white potatoes.
Smoky Bacon Sweet Potato Hash & Eggs Prep time 5 mins Cook time 30 mins Total time 35 mins Serves: 6 Ingredients
So my friend Angie has joined our little group.. I love it. As Amy & Nikita have both said.. The more the merrier. Nothing better than breaking bread together even with the miles between all of us. “You don’t need a silver fork to eat good food.” Don't forget to enjoy time at the table with the ones you love. Nikita, Amy, Angie & Georgia Nikita99 As of Thursday this was the state of Nikita’s new home. She’s still waiting on getting her kitchen back.. AmyAmes I’m not one to follow trends. However, there’s several trends in food that I can get behind. Donuts are huge right now! Oysters…I’ll pass. Ramen, and why not? Another big trend is bowls. Everything goes into a single bowl. Not all mixed together but lovingly piled on section by section. I assume this idea was created by someone with O.C.D. Judgment aside, I decided to give this bowl thing a try. Oh, and ramen. So this is a twofer. I found a recipe in the January 2016 Bon Appetite magazine and put my own spin on it. This is a busy recipe, normally not my style. But I gave it a go! The Noodle Bowl: Cook two 5.5-oz. servings fresh or dried ramen noodles. During the last minute of cooking, add 4 cups torn escarole ( I used fresh baby spinach). Drain, rinse under cold water. Toss noodles, escarole, and 3 Tbsp. Roasted Garlic Chili Sauce (recipe to follow) in a large bowl until coated; season with salt. Divide between 2 bowls, and arrange everything else on top. The following recipes are what I went with for the noodle bowl: Pickled Scallions 1 bunch scallions 2 tsp. mustard seeds 1 tsp. coriander seeds 1/2 tsp. cumin seed 1 cup white wine vinegar 1/2 cup sugar 1 Tbsp. kosher salt Trim both ends of scallions and cut in half crosswise. Pack into a 1-pint heatproof jar. Toast mustard, coriander, and cumin seeds in a dry small saucepan over medium-low heat, tossing often, until fragrant, about 2 minutes. Add to jar. Bring vinegar, sugar, and salt to a simmer in same saucepan over medium heat, stirring to dissolve sugar and salt. Pour brine over scallions and seal jar. Chill at least 1 day before using. Makes 1pint. Spicy Tofu Crumbles 1 lb. extra-firm tofu, sliced 3/4″ thick 2 Tbsp. vegetable oil 1 Fresno Chile, thinly sliced 3 Tbsp. soy sauce 2 Tbsp. mirin 2 Tbsp. Sriracha or gochujang (Korean hot pepper paste) 2 Tbsp. unseasoned rice vinegar 2 tsp. toasted sesame oil 1 tsp. finely grated fresh ginger Arrange tofu slices in a single layer on a paper towel-lined plate and cover with a few more paper towels. Press down firmly on tofu with your hands to expel excess liquid. Heat vegetable oil in a large skillet, preferably cast iron. Cook tofu, turning once, until browned, 7-10 minutes. Transfer to a plate and let cool. Meanwhile, whisk Chile, soy sauce, mirin, Sriracha, vinegar, sesame oil, and ginger in a medium bowl to combine. Crumble tofu into small pieces and add to bowl; toss to combine. Makes about 1 1/2 cups Roasted Garlic Chili Sauce 1 red bell pepper, halved lengthwise, seeds and ribs removed 2 Fresno Chile’s, seeds removed if desired 1 head garlic, halved crosswise 2 small shallots, peeled 2 Tbsp. vegetable oil Kosher salt 1/4 cup ( or more) unseasoned rice vinegar 1 1/2 tsp. honey Preheat oven to 425°. Toss bell peppers, Chile’s, garlic, shallots, and oil on a rimmed baking sheet to coat; season with salt. Turn garlic cut side down and roast until peppers and chiles are softened and blistered in spots, 10-15 minutes. Let cool. Squeeze garlic cloves out of their skins into a food processor. Add bell pepper, chiles, shallots, vinegar, and honey and process until smooth. Taste chili sauce and season with more salt and vinegar if needed. Makes about 1 1/2 cups. This is the sauce for the ramen. Add ins: thinly sliced radish (mine froze so I used cucumbers and carrots) and chopped peanuts It seems busy, fussy, complicated. It really isn’t! Some food trends are worth trying GeorgiaTofu Parmigiana
Serves 3 to 4 14 oz pkg extra-firm tofu, frozen and thawed 1/3 cup unbleached, all-purpose flour black pepper, to taste 1 large egg 1/4 cup dry breadcrumbs or panko 1/4 cup Parmesan, grated 2 cups Smooth Pasta Sauce or your favorite, plus more for serving 4 thin slices provolone or mozzarella, about 4 oz 2 Tbsp Parmesan, shredded 1 lb pasta of choice, if desired Remove the thawed tofu from the package. Place the tofu on a plate, cover with another plate, and put some weight like a large can of tomatoes or a jar of pasta sauce on top of the plate to press. Refrigerate and leave for at least 30 minutes or up to overnight, checking occasionally to drain off any water that’s collected on the plate. Alternatively, if you’re pressed for time (no pun intended) you can use right from the package. It just won’t have quite as firm a texture. When the tofu is ready you’re going to create 6 slabs. Cut in half lengthwise. Then take each half, flip it on its end, and carefully cut into 3 pieces. Happy eating!! 99, Ames and gigi Annika & Angie NikitaMost difficult meal on this planet?!?!? I say, “Ha!” With a good recipe and simple instructions, I made these Monterrey Jack & Green Chile Tamales. I did learn that these are traditionally made during the holiday season and given to friends and family as gifts. Matt’s close pal, Ben, was invited to dinner and shared his memories of wrapping over 800 tamales to hand out to cousins, uncles, brothers, sisters and anyone who walked through their door really. He asked me to wrap some as a birthday gift to him because he liked them so much. I’d say I accomplished my mission and am glad to have checked it off my list. Next…Baked Alaska anyone?? Jk. GeorgiaAs for me.. I love tamales. Good tamales are hard to find. Most places you go to it is very obvious that they were made, frozen and reheated. No bueno…
As a working gal I knew there was no way I was going to be able to do this in one night. So the I made the meat the night before and assembled the next. I truly was not expecting them to turn out well. But.. They were pretty good. Even the husband mentioned that the masa was perfect. (Yay me!) If you’ve never made tamales before follow this link for the step by step instructions for making tamales. She makes it look easy.. http://whatscookingamerica.net/CynthiaPineda/Tamales.htm Amy didn’t have access to several ingredients Happy Saturday!! Anni, Ames, 99 and gigi Annika & Angie OK here’s my recipe for my tacos ground turkey meat with garlic powder, seasoning from Costco, chili powder to taste, and then chopped up tomatoes and onions with shredded cheese and Tapitio on small taco size flour tortillas NikitaOn Tuesday, we experienced our first haboob. Matt was out working on our sprinkler system while I laid out our taco spread on the table. Christopher chose these yummy nacho cheese & ranch flavored shells to try. Just as I set the ground beef on the table, all phones in the house blared alarms of the dust storm. I looked out the window and saw an orange wall coming at us. Matt rushed inside, and we all stood at the large sliding glass door watching the air fill up with this orange desert dirt. In all the excitement, I forgot to take a picture of our yummy tacos. They are a regular meal in our house given that I can have dinner on the table in less than 30 minutes. Take it from me though, they were delicious. Christopher ate five tacos; I walked away at three. Leftovers make a quick taco salad. Homemade taco seasoning: 2 teaspoons dried minced onion 1 teaspoon salt 1 teaspoon chili powder 1/2 teaspoon cornstarch 1/2 teaspoon ground cumin 1/2 teaspoon red pepper flakes 1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper (optional) 1/4 teaspoon dried minced garlic 1/4 teaspoon dried oregano 1/2 cup of water 1lb ground beef Old El Paso Stand and Stuff Nacho Cheese and Ranch. Love, 99 AmyThis turned out to be an interesting meal. Succulent and savory would be the adjectives of the day. I have to give credit where credit is due. It’s all Tremain’s brain child. Chicken tacos with strawberry “salsa”. Nothing remotely traditional but so yummy and oddly refreshing. Everything about this meal was made with food items that were on hand. No grocery shopping required. So I don’t have exact measurements and I may not remember every ingredient. But the basics are here and you can improvise and give it your own distinct flavor. Cooking on the fly. Pleasing to the palette and we’re satiated. I made up the rice dish to go with. So a bonus recipe if you so desire. Chicken tacos with strawberry salsa and rice The night before (or morning of) pour a few glugs of olive into a large bowl, add fresh lemon juice, lemon pepper, minced or powdered garlic, and a dash of sea salt( I used sea salt that also has dried flower petals that Gigi gave to me). Stir and mix thoroughly. Baste boneless, skinless chicken breasts with the marinade or place the chicken in the bowl coat with mix and cover and place in fridge overnight. I then placed the individual greats into foil along with sliced onions, lemons and strawberries. Tremain placed them on the grill and allowed the chicken to cook through. The onion and strawberries will be cooked but not mushy. Remove the chicken add more lemon pepper, seasoned salt, and Italian seasoning. Discard lemon slices. Take the juices, onions, and strawberries and them in a bowl. Mash up the strawberries with a fork. Add some brown sugar, mustard and a glug of soy sauce. Allow the chicken to grill as you’re making the salsa. Once the salsa is ready remove the chicken from the grill. Allow it to cool slightly then shred it. Warm tortillas on the grill. Assemble with the chicken, salsa, freshly grated Parmesan. Serve with rice and fresh avocado. As for the rice. I used Arborio rice. Follow the directions for cooking it. Add a packet of Sazon seasoning, fresh minced garlic, grated carrots, celery, green onions and bacon. Top with a little Parmesan. This meal was truly a joint effort. Tremain out performing himself at the grill. And I made a rice dish that could have been a meal unto itself. Summer cuisine at its finest! GeorgiaSo a conversation came up several years ago in my house. If you could eat only one food what wold it be. The husband and step-daughter both said tacos. So many different ways to make them.. I thought I’d put that to the test. And they are correct. Oh the many ways to make a taco.
Homemade taco seasoning for the tacos.(Ancient Chinese secret) Mexican Street Corn Salad with AvocadoIngredients
Happy Saturday and don’t forget to spend time together.. Anni & Angie, Nikita, Amy and Georgia Annika & Angie So we decided to make one of my moms macaroni salad recipes that she makes all the time in the summer and sometimes on Christmas. We are doing a variation because the moody teenager “hates seafood” so we are leaving out the shrimp and olives (my favorite part). Another thing my mom also puts in it is sometime she’ll add a dash of Tabasco sauce, which we did not do as well. Ingredients: 4 eggs Two stalks of celery two stalks of green onions two medium tomatoes Two heaping tablespoons of dill relish A dash of salt a dash of pepper 2 tablespoons of mustard one cup of mayonnaise (Best Foods mayonnaise) 2 tablespoons of white vinegar A half a bag of normal macaroni salad noodles Variations: Add shrimp Add olives Add Tabasco sauce (a couple of dashes) Directions: Cook the noodles to your liking and mix it all together NikitaSummer is coming to an end and thankfully so. Phoenix has been as hot as 123°F which is the hottest weather I’ve ever experienced. School has started. Soccer season is back this weekend. I can feel Fall coming, so I’ve decided to send Summer off with a beautiful Summer Salad. It’s sweet, tangy, crunchy, & creamy. Enjoy! 4 ears corn, cooked – 2 avocados, diced – 2 cups cherry tomatoes, halved (I use orange & red for a little color) – 1/2 an english cucumber, finely diced, skin on – 1/3 C. crumbled feta – 1/2 red onion, finely diced Cilantro Vinaigrette – 1 tbsp. rice wine vinegar – 1 tbsp. white wine vinegar – 1/2 tsp. salt or Herbamare – 1 tsp. garlic powder – 1/2 freshly ground black pepper – 2 tbsp. cilantro, chopped – 6 tbsp. EVOO Cook your corn – there are a ton of ways to do this, but the easiest is just to put the oven on 350, and throw the corn in, husks and all. Bake them for 25 minutes, let it cool, and then cut off the very bottom of the corn. You should be able to easily pull off the husks and the silk. Cut off the kernels with a large knife (I love this one, it’s inexpensive and it holds up well), add to a big bowl. Chop the avocados, cherry tomatoes, english cucumber, and red onion, then add to the bowl. Add the feta. For the vinaigrette, combine the first 5 ingredients (so the seasonings react with the vinegar), then add the cilantro and the EVOO. Shake it up. Gently mix all the salad ingredients together. When ready to serve, add the dressing and stir to combine. My week to pick and I don’t bother with much cooking in summer. So I chose salad. That leaves things wide open ladies. I found an add for a well known salad dressing that contained a salad recipe. A salad in a jar! I love food and I love jars! I used to collect them but I digress. I should say that I did try to find the salad dressing in the advertisement because it sounds like fire. Alas, I may never know the true joy of said salad dressing. So I went with a vinaigrette instead. It’s my salad, I can do whatever I want. And I did. Because salad and pasta dishes are pretty easy fare with which to improvise. Did you see that Gigi? I didn’t end that sentence with a preposition! Mrs. Burkhart would be so proud. Anyhoo, I found the recipe for a layered in jar.The ad states that layering the salad will prevent it from getting soggy. We shall find out if there’s truth in advertising. Layer one: well known salad dressing that I could not find. Bitter tears did fall! As I mentioned, I used a vinaigrette instead. Layer two: Seasonal produce: Layer smoky grilled corn and slices of nectarine for a burst of fresh summer flavor. It rained, so no smoky grilled corn here. I tossed in some blueberries in lieu of the corn. Layer three: Pure protein Keep things light and healthy by adding a high quality and virtually fat-free protein like kidney beans or shrimp. I used kidney beans. I reckon tofu, tempeh or grilled chicken would suffice. Layer four: Tart toppings Sprinkle creamy, salty cheese and sliced shallots for a tart bite. I did that. Using Gorgonzola cheese. Layer five: Leafy greens and herbs: Top with romaine or a leafy green like escarole for a refreshing crunch component. I used a mix of greens. Best for last…. Shake up your salad and enjoy either straight from the jar or tipped into a bowl of your choice. I choose ma-ma’s Waterford Crystal bowl! I haven’t actually eaten the jarred salad yet. I’m bringing it for lunch tomorrow. So I’ll update accordingly. GeorgiaAs for me.. I decided to take the challenge one step further and make a salad to serve at every meal this week. I’ll spare you the details of every salad and post the link where you can find the recipe if there is one them.
So for the first evening (Saturday night) I served your basic salad of lettuce, spinach, cucumbers and radishes (the husband loves radishes) The photo at the top of the page is the basic salad. Day two (photo above and recipe below)Radish and Cucumber Salad http://www.bhg.com/recipe/cucumber-radish-slaw/ Day 3 My night off from the kitchen.. Dinner out with the husband. No salad was involved. Unless you consider the lettuce and tomatoes served with enchiladas as salad. Day 4. Taco salad. No recipe really.. Just salad stuff (whatever you prefer) For the meat I used the fake beef crumbles sauteed onions, sweet mini peppers and garlic. Added the fake meat and taco seasoning. and corn. Throw it all together and call it dinner. It’s actually very filling. Some nights the husband likes to get something to snack on. This night, however he did not. Day 5Same ish salad stuff this time served with grilled chicken and sweet mini peppers Day 6 We did it.. 6 of 7 days included salad. Of course the husband’s favorite part was the Gorgonzola salad dressing I got got him. Acts 2:46And day by day, attending the temple together and breaking bread in their homes, they received their food with glad and generous hearts, NikitaThis week Nikita’s choice was Rhubarb.. Seriously.. Rhubarb Good news / bad news this week.. Good news.. Nikita is having her kitchen remodeled. Bad news.. She wasn’t able to cook this week. So no rhubarb recipe from her.. So this is where Nikita is at… Amyhttp://cooking.nytimes.com/recipes/1016577-skillet-chicken-with-rhubarb Recipe above. I can tell you right now, the challenge here was just finding rhubarb. I went to several stores and no luck. I finally found rhubarb in a small grocery store one county over. They had frozen rhubarb. I bought two bags of it! I decided to try a savory dish. I usually associate rhubarb with strawberries in a pie. I scaled the recipe down and replaced the wine with chicken broth. I love the fact that Nikita is all in on seasonal foods. I have a feeling we’ll be making so me thing involving peaches next month. I love the challenge within the challenge this go round! Until next time ladies GeorgiaWhen Nikita sent over the secret ingredient. My first thought was.. Soo.. Rhubarb..Hmmm… I’ve never had rhubarb.. I had no idea how to prepare it..
Thank the good Lord for Pinterest.. The recipe I found was in German. First I had to translate then I I had to convert the measurements. Sauerrrahm rhubarb ice Ingredients for about 12 popsicles: 10.5 oz. sour cream or sour cream 7 oz. sour cream 3 oz. icing sugar 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract (or alternatively, the scraped Mark half vanilla pod) 1 lemon 1 cup cream ½ cup rhubarb syrup (I just made my own using 4 stalks of rhubarb, sugar and water and adding a few strawberries to it)simmered over low heat for about a half hour 1 cup water 2 tablespoons chopped pistachios Preparation: The lemon squeeze. The sour cream with sour cream, powdered sugar, and lemon juice vanilla extract in a bowl. Boil the cream in a saucepan and add to the other ingredients. Everything vigorously with a whisk, whisk together. The prepared ice molds 3/4 fill with the cream mixture and let freeze for about 30 minutes in the freezer. The rhubarb syrup with the water and pour vermixen (I have no idea, but it sounds cool)to separate frozen ice. The wooden sticks insert and allow to freeze at least 3 hours. I let the ice freeze overnight. Thaw a bit before serving, then can be better solved from the mold the popsicles I added the chopped pistachios to the bottom of the popsicle molds. (Oh shout out to Amy for the gift of the popsicle molds!!) I was a little skeptical at first, but they turned out to be pretty freaking delicious. Even the old man commented how good they are.. Oh and I’m totally going to add vermixen to my vocabulary.. Blessings, G NikitaNikita had to pass on her week to choose the secret ingredient because her kitchen is not complete. I know she’s hoping to have it done before the end of this week. With that said. I took another round. My choice. Peppers Nikita’s kitchen is mostly complete. Enough to bake cookies.. Other photos are from her new home in Phoenix… Love the apron.. It matches her kitchen AmyThe recipe I picked out for this weeks challenge really isn’t earth shattering. Peppers aren’t the main focal point of this dish. The reason why I chose this recipe is because it comes from one of my most used cookbooks. The Pleasures of Cooking for One by the legendary Judith Jones. Why is Miss Jones legendary? Because…she’s the editor of Mastering the Art of French Cooking by this former badass O.S.S. agent named Julia Child! Yeah, blew your mind. Anyhoo, Judith compiled this wonderful little book after her husband Evan passed. Single people rejoice! It’s real food. I think my section of the post is more about Judith Jones than peppers. So I took a few photos of Miss Jones kitchen. It’s pretty much a kitchen I would love for myself. So here’s the recipe: Asian- Accented Chicken Salad A great way to use up leftover chicken that makes a full, satisfying meal. What you need Salt 1/3 cup pasta shells or fettuccine 3/4-1 cup cooked chicken cut into matchsticks or shredded A generous tablespoon mayonnaise 2 scallions, sliced 2 small mushrooms, sliced 1/4 red bell pepper (or orange or yellow), chopped or julienned (I tossed in a few sliced GeorgiaSanta Fe Turkey Stuffed Peppers
Servings: 6 • Serving Size: 1/2 pepper • Points +: 4 pts • Smart Points: 4 Calories: 160 • Fat: 3 g • Carbs: 19 g • Fiber: 4 g • Protein: 15.5 g • Sugar: 1 g Sodium: 119 (without salt) Ingredients: For the filling:
In a large skillet brown the turkey and season with salt. When the turkey is browned, add onion, garlic, black beans, cilantro, Serrano pepper, diced tomatoes, and cumin. Mix well and simmer on low, covered for 20 minutes. Remove lid, add corn and simmer an additional 5 minutes or until all the liquid reduces. sweet peppers as well) Dressing: 1/2 teaspoon dry mustard 1 teaspoon sugar (I used honey) 2 teaspoons soy sauce 1 tablespoon toasted sesame oil 2 tablespoons vinegar, preferably white-wine vinegar Garnish: A sprinkling of chopped fresh cilantro or parsley A few lettuce leaves, or some watercress Bring a pot of salted water to a boil, and toss in the pasta. Cook for about 8 minutes, and then taste; when done al dente, drain. Toss the pasta with the chicken, salt lightly, and fold in the mayonnaise. Let macerate for a few minutes while you make the dressing. Put all the dressing ingredients in a small jar, cover, and shake well to blend. Fold the scallions, mushrooms, and pepper(s) into the chicken, and add about 2 1/2 tablespoons of the dressing. Toss to blend, then taste, and add more dressing as you see fit. Sprinkle cilantro or parsley on top, and surround the salad with a few greens. Preheat oven to 350°. Cut peppers in half lengthwise, removing seeds and stem. Place peppers, cut side up in an oven-proof dish. Fill each pepper with 1/2 cup turkey mixture. Pour about 1/3 cup water or chicken broth on the bottom of the dish. Cover tight with foil. Bake 45-50 minutes, or until the peppers become soft. Remove foil, top each with 1 1/2 tbsp of cheese and bake uncovered an additional 5 minutes. Top with scallions and serve with reduced-fat sour cream if desired (optional). Looking forward to next week!! Blessings, 99, Ames & gigi AnnikaPeach Pie the Old Fashioned Two Crust Way Ingredients
NikitaSo last night was one of those get-home-from-work-and-have-a-drink kind of nights. It’s been a long, hard week with Matt traveling and all of the home burdens falling on me. Drink after drink and laugh after laugh, I hopped into the kitchen to make Peach Butter in the wee hours. My peaches had ripened throughout the week and became very sweet, so I didn’t need a lot of sugar. I love that I found a recipe that does not need pectin too. Pectin is found naturally in lemons. Peach Butter goes best on some hot biscuits fresh from the oven. You could also put it on ice cream or in yogurt. Enjoy! 2 lbs peaches 3 tbsp honey, raw 2 tbsp lemon juice, fresh squeezed Mix together and simmer over medium-low heat for 70 mins or until it thickens. Love, 99 AmyThis week was a busy one for me. Thus being, I am unable to submit my Saturday Bites dish until Sunday. But here’s a funny little thing. Today I took a road trip with a good friend along a nice chunk of Route 66. We stopped in Stoud, Oklahoma to dine at the Rock Cafe. Several celebrities have eaten here. It was featured on that Guy show. And a character in the film Cars is based on Dawn Welsh, the owner of Rock Cafe. After an out of this world meal I went to the gift shop to purchase a few postcards. It turns out they also sell prints of the index cards upon which some of the cafe’s recipes are written. Lo and behold! Peach cobbler! I know that this doesn’t really count as part of the challenge. However, how cool is this? GeorgiaI just grilled mine.. And why not?
Happy Saturday!! Annika, Nikita , Amy and me My cousin in law Angela’s daughter Annika!! She loves to bake. She makes her own pie crust AND today happens to be her birthday!! Happy birthday Annika!! NikitaI made the Pioneer Woman’s Pasta Carbonara tonight, and it was amazing!! I forgot to buy peas, so I chopped a fresh 1.5 tomatoes and tossed in at the end with some parsley. Thank you for the recommendation Aunt Amy! I can’t wait to see your versions!! Pasta Carbonara May 27, 2012 470 PREP TIME:5 Minutes DIFFICULTY:Easy COOK TIME:20 Minutes SERVINGS:6 Servings INGREDIENTS 12 ounces, weight Pasta, Any Variety 8 pieces Thick Cut Bacon (Diced Small) 1/2 whole Medium Onion, Diced Small 2 cloves Garlic, Minced 3 whole Eggs 3/4 cups Finely Grated Parmesan 3/4 cups Heavy Cream Salt & Plenty Of Black Pepper 1/2 cup Peas INSTRUCTIONS Cook pasta according to package directions. While the pasta is cooking, fry the bacon until just barely crisp. Remove from the pan and drain on paper towels. Pour off all of the bacon grease, but don’t clean the pan. Return the pan to the stove over medium-low heat and throw in the onions and garlic. Cook until golden brown. Set aside. In a bowl, mix together eggs, Parmesan, cream, and salt and pepper until smooth. When the pasta is done, reserve a cup or two of the pasta water. Drain the pasta and place it in a bowl. While the pasta is still really hot, slowly drizzle in the egg mixture, stirring the pasta the whole time. The sauce will become thick and should coat the pasta. Splash in a little hot pasta water if needed for consistency. Halfway through, add the peas, bacon, and sauteed onion/garlic. Finish adding the sauce, stirring until it’s all combined. Serve immediately with extra Parmesan. Delish!! AmyThe story goes that this dish was created by Italian coal-miners (Carbonara means coal burner or some such). They created this dish based on whatever bits of food they had leftover. Others believe it’s origins are more urban, I.e. a Roman restaurant. I decided to go with the myth when I prepared this. Because Gigi said that this was a food challenge. It’s hard to determine a winner when we three live in three separate states. Our men will all declare that it’s the best that they’ve ever had. Because… Happy wife, happy life. But I digress. I decided that the only way this could be a challenge is that I challenge myself. I made this dish with whatever I was able to find both in my kitchen and in my yard. I am most pleased with the end result: Pasta ( I used half a box of medium sized shells) Bacon Olive oil Wild onions and garlic (They are both abundant in my yard) side note: If you live on the East coast, ramps are plentiful right now. Go foraging! Red pepper flakes Chicken stock 2 eggs A mix of grated Parmesan and Mozzarella cheese Fresh Italian Parsley Cook the pasta in salted water until al dente. Drain, saving a cup of the cooking liquid. Pour about two tablespoons of olive oil in a pan over medium heat. Add several lardons of bacon and fry, stirring frequently. Add the garlic/onions and saute until onion is translucent. Add the red pepper flakes to taste (I use about a teaspoon). Give the mixture a couple of good stirs then add about a cup of stock (traditionally white wine is used instead of the stock). Allow the stock to boil down, this should take no more than 10 minutes. Whisk the egg yolks slowly adding the cup of cooking liquid. Pour the eggs into the pasta and mix. I kept the pot on low heat while adding the egg mixture. Incorporate the cheeses into pasta then add the bacon mixture and mix together. Add some chopped fresh parsley. Serve in warm bowls topped with more grated cheese, parsley and cracked fresh pepper. Serves 4 people that know how to eat in moderation. Or two serious food fiends (such as in my home). GeorgiaChicken Carbonara
A mouth watering combination of creamy alfredo, chicken and bacon in a hearty pasta dish. Author: Amber – JadeLouise Designs Cuisine: Pasta Serves: 6 Ingredients
Sauce
Blessings, 99, Ames and gigi NikitaThis week I started my new job, and my new challenge was to find recipes that I could prep in the morning for Matt to finish in the evening with ease. That’s when I stumbled upon Thai lettuce wraps. It’s a simple dish but full of sweet and spicy flavor. I mixed the meat and prepared the coleslaw, so Matt could roll the balls and bake. Dinner was done in 15 minutes! The next evening Christopher was still talking about how he enjoyed the dinner. Mission Meatball was a success! THAI MEATBALL LETTUCE WRAPS PREP TIME 30 mins COOK TIME 15 mins TOTAL TIME 45 mins Serves: 5-6 lettuce wraps INGREDIENTS For the meatballs: 1.5 pounds lean ground pork 4 scallions, thinly sliced 1 tablespoon ginger, finely minced 2 cloves garlic, finely minced 1½ teaspoons fish sauce ½ teaspoon sriracha 1 teaspoon salt 2 tablespoons lime juice (1 – 2 limes) 1-2 tablespoons sweet chili sauce (for coating the meatballs once they are cooked) For the cole slaw: 1 14 oz bag cole slaw mix (the kind with regular cabbage, purple cabbage, and carrots) 10 basil leaves, rolled up and sliced 5 mint leaves, rolled up and sliced 3 tablespoons cilantro, chopped 1 scallion, finely sliced ¼ cup rice vinegar 5 teaspoons light mayonnaise 4 teaspoons sweet chili sauce 1 head of iceberg lettuce or romaine lettuce (either will work for the lettuce wraps) Extra lime for garnish Extra cilantro for garnish (optional) INSTRUCTIONS Preheat your oven to 400 degrees. For the meatballs, mix all the ingredients except the sweet chili sauce in a medium bowl with your hands until evenly combined (the pork, scallions, ginger, garlic, fish sauce, sriracha, salt, and lime juice). Dampen a paper towel with some vegetable oil (canola or coconut oil works too), and wipe it onto a baking sheet to grease it. Using about 1 heaping tablespoon of meat mixture each, form meatballs and place them on the baking sheet. Bake the meatballs for 15 minutes or until they are fully cooked through in the middle, flipping once half way through with a spatula. Meanwhile, make your coleslaw. In a medium bow, combine all your coleslaw ingredients (the bag of coleslaw mix, basil, mint, cilantro, and scallions)To make your dressing, whisk together the rice vinegar, mayonnaise, and sweet chili sauce in a small bowl and pour over the coleslaw, tossing to coat. Set aside until the meatballs are finished baking. When the meatballs are done, transfer them to a bowl and toss with 1-2 tablespoons sweet chili sauce (they should just have a very light coating). To assemble, start with a lettuce cup, spoon in a pile of coleslaw, and top with three meatballs. Top with a little extra cilantro (optional), and an extra squeeze of lime juice (highly recommended!) Note: if you don’t want to deal with the lettuce wrap (they can get a bit messy!), just serve the meatballs on a bed of the coleslaw, squeeze a little lime juice on top, and eat with a fork! Amy - Round 1Funny enough, when Gigi informed us that this week’s food challenge was to be meatballs, I chuckled. I had already planned to make a couple of dishes involving meatballs. So all I had to do was get in the kitchen and get busy. My “weekend” is Sunday and Monday. So I spent those two days making meatballs! For Sunday night I decided to break out the slow cooker. I stumbled across a recipe onlecremedelacrumb.com: Slow Cooker Stuffed Meatballs1 pound ground beef 1 Cup breadcrumbs 1 egg + 1 yolk 1 teaspoon minced garlic (or 2 teaspoons garlic powder) 1 teaspoon onion powder 1 Tablespoon Italian seasoning 1 teaspoon salt 1/2 teaspoon black pepper 3-4 Mozzarella cheese sticks (I used Mozzarella pearls instead) Marinara or Alfredo sauce for dipping 1) Chop each cheese stick into 1/2-inch pieces (about six to eight pieces for each stick), freeze until ready to use. 2) Add ground beef, breadcrumbs, eggs, garlic, onion powder, Italian season, salt, and pepper to a bowl. Mix together with your hands. 3) Remove the cheese from the freezer. Scoop about 4 tablespoons of the meat mixture into a ball. Push the Mozzarella pieces into the ball and roll until the cheese is covered. Place inside a greased slow cooker and repeat. 4) Cover and cook on HIGH for 1-2 hours. Or on LOW for 3-4 hours. Until meat is no longer pink. 5) If desired, sprinkle with a bit of fresh chopped parsley and serve with marinara or Alfredo sauce for dipping. First and foremost, these were outstanding. My only regret is that I couldn’t make these meatballs again ASAP. My suggestion is to not be shy with the seasoning and if you’re going to use store bought marinara splurge on quality. This won’t be the only time that I make these meatballs! Amy - Round 2With Sunday’s meatballs being deemed an appetizer I decided to make Monday’s meatballs to be the center of a meal. I pulled out my copy of the New York Times cookbook. This is the revised edition edited by the legendary Craig Claiborne. At this point I should mention that I’m somewhat of a New York Times junkie. Slightly obsessed with their food/cooking section. They’ve helped make a generation of foodies. But I digress. I found a dish entitled Fricadeller. According to the cookbook, Fricadeller are Danish pork balls that appear on many Scandinavian buffets. Well…IKEA has those Swedish meatballs people go apeshit over, so why not? I made an Easy Onion Kuchen ( from the same cookbook) and Baked Mashed Potatoes from Bruculinu, America by the late-great character actor Vincent Schiavelli ( better know as Mr. Vargas in Fast Times at Ridgemont High or the right cranky ghost who’d do anything for a drag in Ghost). So there’s a continental European theme to this meal. But our focus is the meatballs. If I could describe how I felt about the finished product in a single word it would be….underwhelmed. I was completely underwhelmed by these meatballs. Maybe it was the very things that attracted me to this dish were the very things that worked against it. The simple ingredients, the almost retro food feel to it. Or perhaps Sunday’s meatballs were too damn good and anything else becomes somewhat lackluster. I almost don’t want to bother with sharing the recipe. However, someone may read this and like the sound of it. Or experiment with it. If you do, please share what moderations you’ve made. As for me, it’s a page in the New York Times cookbook that I won’t revisit anytime soon. Fricadeller 2 pounds lean, ground pork 1/2 Cup flour 1 egg 1 small onion, grated Salt and freshly ground pepper to taste 3/4 Cup club soda, or plain water 2 Tablespoons butter 1) In a mixing bowl combine the ground pork with the flour, egg, onion, salt and pepper. Work with a fork until the ingredients are well blended. 2) Stir in the club soda, a little at a time, and shape the meat mixture into small balls or patties. 3) Melt butter in a skillet. Brown the balls on all sides in the butter, turning gently with a fork or spatula. Continue to cook over low heat, uncovered, until the pork is cooked through. By the way, the baked mashed potatoes were the winner of this meal. GeorgiaLow Carb Swedish Meatballs
IngredientsMeatballs 2 pounds lean ground beef 2 large eggs 4 ounces onion, minced and sauteed until soft ¼ cup heavy cream 1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce 1 tablespoon Montreal Steak Seasoning 1 tablespoon Sukrin Gold (or your favorite sweetener) – I couldn’t think of any reason to add sweetener to meat. So I skipped this 1 teaspoon pure ground chipotle pepper seasoning ½ teaspoon pepper ¼ teaspoon salt ¼ teaspoon allspice ¼ teaspoon nutmeg 2 tablespoons olive oil, divided Gravy 4 ounces cream cheese 1½ cups unsalted beef broth 1 cup heavy cream 2 tablespoons Brandy (I used red wine) 2 teaspoons Dijon mustard 2 teaspoons Worcestershire sauce ¼ teaspoon salt ⅛ teaspoon pepper garnish with chopped parsley Instructions Meatballs: In a large frying pan, heat two teaspoons of oil over medium-high heat until hot. Add the minced onions and saute until soft. Put all of the ingredients for the meatballs into a large bowl and mix with a hand mixer until completely combined and light and fluffy. Using a tablespoon measure, scoop the meatball mixture, roll into a ball and place onto a foil lined sheet pan. I like to keep my hands oiled so the meatballs don’t stick to my hands. Two tablespoons of oil in a small bowl is plenty. By measuring carefully, you should get about 60 meatballs. In the same pan in which the onions were sauteed, heat about 2 teaspoons of oil over medium high heat. Add half of the meatballs turning each one three times, at about 2 minutes per side. Remove the meatballs to the sheet pan; lift up half of the foil and place them on the clean sheet pan. Add the rest of the oil to the saute pan and cook the remaining half of the meatballs. Remove the meatballs to the sheet pan. Turn off the heat under the saute pan. Cream Sauce: Heat the cream cheese in the microwave for 1 minute. Pour the 2 tablespoons of brandy and ¼ cup of the beef broth into the pan, turning the heat to medium high. Scrape up all of the brown bits on the bottom and sides of the pan. Add the cream cheese and break it up and try to melt it as best as you can. Add the cream and stir. Put the sauce from the pan into a blender and add the rest of the beef broth. Blend until smooth and add it back to the pan. Add the Worcestershire sauce and Dijon Mustard. Simmer the sauce until it reduces and thickens to your liking, 5 – 10 minutes. Adjust seasoning. Garnish with chopped parsley. Use a looser sauce for appetizers (like in a crock pot) and a thicker sauce for dinner.I’m a working gal.. So I prepared the meatballs and added a little more liquid to the cream sauce and threw all of it in the crock-pot to slow cook all day. It wasn’t as pretty but the flavors were fantastic. I made a low carb version because I knew I was going to serve them with egg noodles. I thought it was yummy. The husband is waiting to pass judgement. He wants me to make them again but with sour cream instead of the cream cheese.. Stay tuned for next weeks Saturday Bites.. “Pull up a chair. Take a taste. Come join us. Life is so endlessly delicious.” Happy eating, 99, Ames and gigi NikitaI made meat pies on Tuesday to celebrate Manchester City in the quarter-finals. They must have brought good old-fashioned English luck because we won! We are moving on to the semi-finals against Real Madrid. I pulled a recipe from a website and forgot to pin it. I couldn’t find it again later in the week. I will say that my pie dough failed, and I had to run to the store to get pre-made pie crust. The filling is ground chuck, rosemary, S&P, onions, sliced potato, and sliced rutabaga. Yes, rutabaga. It tasted like an cousin of the potato family twice removed (?). This was definitely challenging, but the boys gave it a thumbs up!! Amyo tell the truth, when I read that Nikita chose meat pie as this week’s food challenge, I was a little than enthused. I thought, “Isn’t this more of a cold weather dish?”. However, as I continued to read, Nikita’s excitement became contagious. I can do this! At this point I began to rack my brain wondering if I’ve actually had a meat pie. Those frozen atrocities known as pot pies. The revolting Shepard’s Pie they tortured us with in the school cafeterias. Living in south Florida I tried empanadas, too greasy. This wasn’t looking good. I scanned my cookbooks and found a steak and kidney pie. No organs! I suppose I could have gone with this recipe, just omit the kidneys. Blech! I perused the internet. Pinterest. Nothing jumped out. So I decided to think logically. Okay, meat pies are distinctly British. What’s British? Well…the Queen of England is British! However, she doesn’t have a food blog. What else is British? The BBC! I went to their site and found a meat and potato pie recipe. I considered it briefly but two things occurred to me. 1) For a meat and potato pie it sure seemed a bit too involved. And 2) It served close to 20 people. Too many leftovers with which to deal. But I had faith in the BBC! I mean, Doctor Who. I rest my case. I scrolled until I hit upon something; Steak and Ale Pie! We have a winner! Recipe below: I changed it up slightly by adding potatoes (at the same time as the other veggies) and omitting the mushrooms. Otherwise, I followed it as is, using rib eye steak. http://www.bbc.co.uk/food/recipes/how_to_cook_steak_and_15585 This pie turned out to be spectacular! My apologies dear niece for the initial negative reaction. You picked a winner! The challenge this week was finding a recipe that worked for me. I think we’re onto something here ladies. I look forward to what Gigi has picked out for next weeks challenge. GeorgiaI live with a meat eating husband.. So this was right up my alley..
For my meat pie I decided to get in touch with my Irish roots. Earlier in the week I made a huge pork roast. So I substituted the mutton and / or lamb with leftover pork roast Dingle Pie Once made with mutton, Dingle pies are now usually made with lamb. They’re small individual pies that could easily be bought from a stall and carried around the fair while you had a look at the cattle or thought about where you might stop for your next pint. For the pastry:
Wrap in plastic wrap or baking parchment and leave in the refrigerator to rest for at least twenty minutes. Trim fat or gristle form the meat: cut into small pieces. Place in a bowl with the diced onion, carrot, potato and celery. Mix well and season well with salt and black pepper. Preheat oven to 180C / 350F. Cut one-third off the pastry ball to save for the lids of the pies. Roll out the rest. Use a small plate as a guide and cut the dough into six circles. Lay these out flat on the work surface and divide the lamb and vegetable mixture among the six circles, piling it in the middle of each one. Roll out the remaining pastry into six smaller circles . Lay these on top of the fillings. Brush the edges of the larger pastry circles with a little water and roll them inward along with the smaller circles, pinching the upper and lower layers together to seal them. Pierce a small hole or cut a slit in the top of each pie so that the steam of cooking can escape. Brush the pies with beaten egg: place on greased (or nonstick) baking sheets. Bake for one hour. Serve hot or cold. They aren’t pretty because I was seriously pressed for time.. But what they lacked in looks they more than made up for in taste.. Recipe from the Irish Heritage Cookbook. No matter where you are in the world, the common experience that brings us together is food. Happy cooking and blessings, 99, Ames and gigi Annika & AngieAccording to Annika’s mom Angela. They cheated and bought theirs from the store. I don’t think it’s cheating at all. This isn’t just about the food, it’s about being a part of something, connecting with family whether they be in your own home or in another part of the country.. And they did just that. NikitaGuess who got to use the grill this week?? This gal! Matt had to travel this week and came back pretty tired. He is making revolutionary changes at his company, and I’m so proud of him! So this week, he said, “I’m gonna grab a beer and sit back while you grill.” I was excited and nervous at the same time because I’ve only grilled (maybe) twice in this lifetime. I forgot to oil the grates but still got some good charring. This recipe is sweet (and spicy if you add Sriracha). I served it with cilantro lime brown rice. It was delish. Recipe: Ingredients 1/3 cup ketchup 1/3 cup packed dark brown sugar 1/3 cup low-sodium soy sauce 1/4 cup pineapple juice 4 Tbsp olive oil, divided, plus more for brushing grill 1 1/2 Tbsp rice vinegar 4 garlic cloves, minced (4 tsp) 1 Tbsp minced ginger 1/2 tsp sesame oil Salt and freshly ground black pepper 1 3/4 boneless skinless chicken thighs cut into cubes In a mixing bowl whisk together ketchup, brown sugar, soy sauce, pineapple juice, 2 Tbsp olive oil, rice vinegar, garlic, ginger and sesame oil. Stir in 3/4 tsp pepper and season with salt if desired. Place chicken in a gallon size resealable bag. Reserve 1/2 cup of the marinade in refrigerator then pour remaining marinade over chicken. Seal bag and refrigerate 1 – 2 hours (meanwhile soak 10 wooden skewer sticks in water for 1 hour). Preheat a grill over medium heat to 400 degrees. Meanwhile, drizzle remaining 2 Tbsp olive oil over red onion, bell pepper and pineapple and toss. Season red onion and bell pepper with salt and pepper, then thread red onion, bell pepper, pineapple and chicken onto skewers until all of the chicken has been used. Brush grill grates with olive oil then place skewers on grill. Grill 5 minutes then brush along tops with 1/4 cup of remaining marinade. Rotate to opposite side and brush remaining 1/4 cup of marinade on opposite side and allow to grill about 4 minutes longer, or until chicken registers 165 degrees in center on an instant read thermometer. Serve warm. 3 cups (heaping) fresh cubed pineapple (about 3/4 of 3 lb pineapple) 1 1/2 large green peppers, diced into 1 1/4-inch pieces 1 large red onion, diced into 1 1/4-inch pieces AmyI have this guy in my life. He’s my best friend. He’s a food lover. Not much of a food adventurer. I’ve turned him on to a few things. Led Zeppelin, The Allman Brothers, Hamilton and The Highwaymen, to name a few. For a lover of food, he’s a skeptic. We do have a clash of cultures. Being black, it’s been ingrained in his head that white people can’t cook. That’s pretty much the only reverse racism I’ve experienced since moving to an all black community. Guess what? I’ve managed to blow everyone’s mind! Anyway, Gigi chose kebobs. I mentioned it to Tremain. Naturally he made a face. I said to take heart as my kebobs involve swine! As we were dining out on the lawn, Aunt Tiny (not my real aunt) drove up. She stopped to enjoy the gorgeous aroma of the pork being roasted over pecan branches. I’m breaking ground here. So, I found a recipe in the sane issue of Bon Appetit that I got the grilled kielbasa tacos from. Here it is: Barbecue Pork with Blistered Chile-Pumpkin Seed Salsa (from Bon Appetit, June 2016) 4 servings (Sure) Salsa 1/4 large white onion 2 jalapeños 1/4 cup chopped cilantro 1/4 cup finely chopped unsalted, roasted pumpkin seeds (Pepita’s) 1/4 cup olive oil 3 Tbsp. fresh lime juice Kosher salt Pork and assembly 1 1/4 lb. boneless pork shoulder (Boston butt) 2 Tbsp. light brown sugar 2Tbsp. mustard powder 2 Tbsp. paprika 2 Tbsp. garlic powder 1 tsp. freshly ground black pepper 1/2 tsp. cayenne pepper Vegetable oil for grill Kosher salt Special equipment: Eight 8″-12″-long metal skewers Salsa Cook onions and jalapeños over a gas burner, turning often, until charred and beginning to soften, about 4 minutes ( alternatively, cook in a hot dry medium skillet, preferably cast iron). Let cool. Finely chop onion. Remove seeds from chiles and finely chop. Toss onion, chiles, cilantro, pumpkin seeds, oil, and lime in a small bowl. Season with salt. Do ahead: Salsa can be made 1 day ahead. Cover and chill. Pork and assembly Freeze pork until very firm around the edges, 20-30 minutes. Slice 1/4″ thick, then cut crosswise into 1 1/2″-2″ strips if needed. Cover and chill until ready to grill. Mix brown sugar, mustard powder, paprika, garlic powder, black pepper, and cayenne in a small bowl to combine. Prepare a grill for medium-high indirect heat. Oil grates. Thread pork onto 6-8 skewers, folding and piling onto itself to form a compact shape. Season with salt, then sprinkle generously with brown sugar mixture in several passes, allowing a few minutes between each rub to adhere. Grill over direct heat, turning every minute or so, until browned and beginning to char in spots, about 4 minutes. Move to cooler side of grill and continue to grill until cooked through, about 5 minutes longer. Serve pork topped with salsa. Do ahead: Dry rub can be made 1 month ahead; store airtight at room temperature. I served the kebobs and salsa over a bed of rice. And served peach iced tea with frozen blackberries to drink. Props to Tremain for helping with the grilling. Team work…. BOOM!!!!!! GeorgiaMarinated Beef Kabobs
(Makes 4 generous kabobs but recipe can easily be doubled) Ingredients: 2 pounds lean beef cut into 2 inch cubes (Use cuts such as tri-tip, London broil, top sirloin, or top loin. I used top sirloin. If you marinate longer you could use tougher cuts of meat.) Marinade Ingredients: 2 T beef stock or red wine (I used red wine) 2 T balsamic vinegar 1 T Worcestershire sauce 1/4 cup olive oil 1/2 tsp. onion powder 1/2 tsp. garlic powder 1 tsp. steak seasoning 1/2 tsp. dried thyme 1/2 tsp. dried oregano black pepper to taste Instructions: Trim most of the visible fat from the meat and cut into 2″ cubes. Stir together the beef stock (or red wine), balsamic vinegar, Worcestershire sauce, olive oil, onion powder, garlic powder, steak seasoning,dried thyme, dried oregano and black pepper. Put meat cubes into the smallest Ziploc bag (or plastic container with a snap-tight lid) that will fit all the meat, then pour in the marinade. Marinate meat at least 4-6 hours in the refrigerator (or longer is fine if you’re gone all day.) When ready to cook, preheat grill to medium-high. (You can only hold your hand there for a few seconds at that heat.) Put meat tightly on skewers and let it come to room temperature while the grill heats. Grill kabobs to desired doneness, turning as soon as you get some browned spots on the first side. Cooking time will depend on the thickness of the meat and how hot your grill is, but approximate times would be about 8-10 minutes for rare, 10-12 minutes for medium rare, or 12-15 minutes for medium. With kabobs it’s easy to take off one piece of meat and cut into it to see if it’s done to your liking. Let the kabobs rest for at least 5 minutes before serving. Served with vegetable kebabs and grilled pineapple (which was amazing) There are those that would say that music is the international language. I’m going to disagree. It’s food. Food brings people together no matter where you are. Special occasion or not and that is the main ingredient in what we do. Bring people together. Happy cooking and sharing, Anni, Angie, 99, Ames and gigi Anni & AngieAnnika decided she wanted to do kale this week and she was going to make kale smoothies and then got wrapped up into her second week of high school and realized how much time it takes to get ready, go to all your classes, come home, do homework in several subjects, then go to bed and get up and do it all over again. So her plan sort of fell through... So I made kale breakfast burritos this morning... Ingredients: Three eggs A half a cup of chopped kale Three strips of bacon cut up Salt-and-pepper to taste Shredded cheese Pace picante mild hot sauce And a tortilla I put the eggs kale and bacon in a pan and cooked it until the eggs were cooked. Then I put it in a tortilla and added cheese and pace picante sauce and wrapped it up and we're having it for breakfast. You can barely taste the kale at all. Honestly I could eat burritos for every meal..... Have a blessed week everyone!!! I claim to be a foodie and love ALL foods, but that's not who I've always been. I can remember a time when I ate Pork Chops with Velveeta Mac n' Cheese or Deer Meatloaf with Mashed Potatoes and Corn. There wasn't much green on my plate due in large part to my mother who didn't care for too many green vegetables. This was also in a time when greens like kale were used as decoration on a platter but never to eat. A kale chip recipe was my first attempt to try the mysterious greenery. It was simple, healthy, and delicious!! Now, I make them as an alternative to potato chips on the side of a sandwich or burger. I made falafel pitas this time alongside chili powder kale chips. They crunch then disappear in your mouth like a magic trick. Christopher loved them! Bowl of washed kale leaves without stems Olive oil Chili powder Salt Preheat oven to 400°F. Use a hairdryer (yes, a hair dryer) to dry out the leaves. This will get them crispy and crunchy. Drizzle oil and sprinkle some chili powder & salt over kale. Toss with your hands and spread out onto a baking sheet in one flat layer. Bake for 15 mins until edges are browned, then pop them into your mouth! AmyAmes Have you heard Jim Gaffigan's stand up? It's mostly food related. He's a big boy, it's understandable. One routine is about kale. He mentions being at a PTA potluck and he's enjoying a bowl of white bean soup that another parent prepared. She tells him in a whisper, " I snuck some kale in it.". Needless to say, Jim stopped eating the soup. That bowl of soup was all lies. Unlike Jim, I like kale. Mainly cooked, not raw. When this challenge was offered up I knew right away what I wanted to make because I'd made it once before! With this blog I do try to make something brand new, so I did a slight variation to this meal to appease myself. The one and only time I did make this was last winter anyway. So there. The next part is obvious. I found this recipe in Bon Appetit.... By now, everyone is beyond tired of my mentioning Bon Appetit or you're considering getting a subscription for yourself. Speaking of Bon Appetit, the latest issue arrived in the post yesterday. They've chosen the Staplehouse in Atlanta as the best restaurant in the country. Woo hoo! Anyhoo, the original dish is Fried Chicken Thighs with Cheesy grits. It's a breakfast dish that can be made anytime. Yes, kale is involved. I skipped the chicken this go round and served the grits with kale and brats. You could use breakfast sausage or skip the meat stuff and fry some eggs perhaps? Go with homemade biscuits even. It's all up to you. So we'll just call this: Cheesy Grits and Kale (based on a recipe from the December 2015 Bon Appetit) For the grits Kosher salt 1 1/2 cups white grits ( not instant) 4 oz. cream cheese 2 oz. finely grated Parmesan cheese Freshly ground black pepper For the kale 2 Tbsp. unsalted butter 2 bunches kale, or Swiss chard, ribs and stems removed, leaves torn into 2" pieces Freshly ground black pepper 1 Tbsp. distilled white vinegar 1 Tbsp. hot pepper jelly, plus more for serving Bring 4 cups salted water to a boil and gradually add grits, whisking constantly. Cook, whisking occasionally, until grits are very tender and creamy, 25-30 minutes. Add cream cheese and Parmesan; whisk until melted and incorporated; season with salt and pepper. Cover and keep warm until ready to serve. Heat butter in a large skillet over medium-high. Add kale in large handfuls, letting it cook down slightly before adding more and tossing to coat. Season with salt and pepper and cook, tossing occasionally, until wilted and bright green, about 2 minutes. Add vinegar and 1 Tbsp. pepper jelly and toss to coat. Divide grits and kale evenly among bowls top with more pepper jelly and serve. GeorgiaCheesy Bacon, Kale & Spinach Quiche
Yield: one 10-inch quiche Ingredients
Nikita's photo was too large to send so we are going to have to imagine her kale deliciousness.. So the funny for this week.. When Angie sent over the email letting me know what the secret ingredient was.. It looked something like this. This weeks secret ingredient is... Kale.. Kale Yeah!! I love connecting with each of these amazing ladies.. Kale Yeah!! G Have a kale of a good week. Annika, Angie, Nikita, Amy and Georgia NikitaWe made Fluffy Grilled Sirloin and Mexican Corn with Sweet Potato Fries and Avocado Garlic Aioli. Fortunately, I live with a man who can grill with the best of them. We soaked the petite sirloin steaks in a homemade mojo sauce for a few hours, then he grilled them to perfection and even achieved the perfect criss-cross! The avocado aioli was a creamy, garlicky dip for both the steak and fries. Lastly, the grilled Mexican Corn was smoky with paprika and acidic with the fresh squeeze of lime. It was the best dinner I’ve had in a while! Thank you Aunt Amy for the recommendation! Homemade Mojo Lime juice Cumin Minced Garlic Salt Olive oil Mexican Corn Cilantro Corn cobs Limes Chili powder Cotija Cheese Butter Wrap corn in aluminum foil with butter. Rotate while grilling. Sprinkle chopped cilantro, chili powder, cotija Cheese, and lime juice onto corn cob. Serve. Sweet potato fries 3 Sweet potatoes Cayenne pepper Canola oil Salt & Pepper Paprika Thyme Cornstarch Chop sweet potatoes into thin wedges. Soak in water for 1 hour, then dry. Lightly coat in cornstarch. Toss in oil and sprinkle dry spices onto wedges. Lay flat onto baking pan and bake at 450°F for 20 mins. Flip then continue baking for 10 mins. Avocado Garlic Aioli Avocado Lemon Mayonnaise Minced garlic Salt Blend ingredients in food processor until smooth. Serve. AmyWhen it was my turn to pick I knew that I wanted to grill. The June Bon Appetite magazine arrived and it’s the grilling issue. Perfect! I have an old school grill but it’s always up to the task. I should mention that last year I had something akin to a kettle with a bike wheel on top of it. I believe in repurposing! This year it’s a basic charcoal grill. However, I used kindling and limbs from one of the pecan trees in my yard. So here goes: Grilled Kielbasa Tacos from June 2016 Bon Appetit Serves 4 Make sure to cut the onions and peppers into big pieces so that they don’t fall into the grill. 1 red onion, quartered 2 red bell peppers, halved lengthwise, seeds removed 1 bunch scallions 3 Tbsp. vegetable oil Kosher salt, freshly ground pepper 1/3 cup fresh lime juice 1 1/2 lb. kielbasa sausage, halved lengthwise 8 corn or flour tortillas 1/2 bunch cilantro Hot sauce and lime wedges ( for serving) Prepare a grill for medium-high heat. Toss onion, bell peppers, and scallions with oil on a rimmed baking sheet; season with salt and black pepper. Grill vegetables until lightly charred and tender, about two minutes for scallions and 10 minutes for onion and bell peppers. Transfer to a cutting board as they are done; let cool. Slice onion into 1″ wedges; place in a medium bowl and toss with lime juice. Remove skins from bell peppers, then cut into bite-size pieces; place in a small bowl. Place scallions on a platter. Grill sausage, turning halfway through until lightly charred and warmed through, about 5 minutes. Transfer to platter with scallions. Lightly char tortillas and serve warm with kielbasa, scallions, onion, bell peppers, cilantro, hot sauce, and lime wedges for squeezing over. An almost effortless meal. Grilling and tacos combined! Hello Summer! GeorgiaNext to my camera, I think the grill is my next favorite thing. And in our house I’m the grill-master.
I like to keep it simple. I made grilled steak. Ingredients: Steak (Your choice) Olive Oil Salt & Pepper Grill time depends on the thickness of the steak.. For thicker. 5 minutes for each side. For thinner. 5 and 3 Happy grilling! From your Saturday Bites ladies Annika & AngieBrown Sugar-Spiced Grapefruit Ingredients 1/4 cup lightly packed light brown muscovado sugar 1/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon 1/4 teaspoon ground ginger 2 large pink grapefruits, halved and segmented Directions Mix together the sugar, cinnamon and ginger in a small bowl. Position an oven rack so that it sits 4 inches below the broiler. Preheat the oven to broil. Put the grapefruit cut-side up on a baking sheet. Divide the sugar mixture over the top of each and place under the broiler. Broil until lightly golden brown, about 3 minutes. Recipe courtesy of Bobby Flay NikitaThis recipe was a challenge as I put a lot of pressure on myself to recreate a dish Matt has been chasing for more than 15 years. He shared a wonderful story tonight at dinner about a delicious Grapefruit Chicken recipe he ate as a kid in Vero Beach on vacation in Florida. Fast forward years later on our first Christmas 2004, I drove from Dahlonega, GA to Orlando, FL to see him because he was getting his wisdom teeth taken out. After the procedure, he was craving Grapefruit Chicken and took me & his brother to a restaurant in Vero Beach to satisfy this appetite. Against the doc’s advice, he tried to eat this meal but could could barely chew it. AND…it didn’t taste the same as he remembered. The cream sauce I created here was rich and tangy with the bits of zest bursting through your mouth. I recommend slathering it all over your chicken and green beans. So good! Matt’s Verdict: The chase continues…… Picture from Vero Beach circa 2004, the very beginning. Grapefruit Chicken Recipe: Ingredients 4 boneless, skinless chicken breasts (either whole, or 2 large chicken breasts cut in half) Salt 4 tablespoons unsalted butter ½ cup freshly squeezed pink grapefruit juice 1 tablespoon pink grapefruit zest ½ cup heavy cream 2 tablespoons cream cheese ¼ cup white wine ¼ teaspoon freshly ground white pepper ¼ teaspoon sugar Salt to taste Instructions: Sprinkle both sides of the chicken breast with salt. Melt the butter in a stainless steel skillet over medium heat. Fry the chicken on both sides until browned, about 4 minutes on each side. Add the grapefruit juice and zest. Bring to a boil. Reduce the heat to low and simmer, covered for 10 minutes or until the chicken is no longer pink in the center. Transfer the chicken to a plate, cover with aluminum foil and place in a warmed oven until ready to serve. Add the heavy cream, cream cheese, white wine, white pepper and sugar to the pan. Boil the sauce for 3-4 minutes or until the sauce has thickened slightly. Add salt to taste. Arrange the chicken breasts on a serving platter, or on individual plates, drizzle with the sauce and garnish with fresh slices of pink grapefruit and a few sprigs of fresh parsley. Serving recommendation: Serve over or with pasta AmyA funny thing happened on the way to this food challenge. Come to think of it, several funny things happened on the way to this food challenge. To begin with, grapefruit is a name that is a lie. With grape in the name it offers false hopes and empty promises. Last winter I made it a mission to try to enjoy grapefruit. I made salads and sandwiches and so on. I just wasn’t digging it. The other day I checked my mail and the August issue of Bon Appetit arrived. Before I looked through it I read Gigi’s email. Man, grapefruit? I decided to look through the magazine and I opened it to a page with what appeared to be a gorgeous watermelon dish. And I wondered why we haven’t chosen watermelon. I read the ingredients lo and behold fresh grapefruit juice! I thought this will work. The sweet watermelon tinged with the right amount of tart from the grapefruit juice. Fellow members of Saturday Bites and readers of Saturday Bites, I cannot emphasize how marvelous this dish is. A perfect Summer breakfast or potluck dish. It reminds me of why I love fresh seasonal food. So whole the watermelon is at its peak, get it on this dish. It will probably validate why Gigi calls me a foodie! Oh, the other funny thing was that my handsome boss brought a huge watermelon in for my coworker and I to share. Free food! From Bon Appetit August 2016 issue Watermelon with Yogurt and Fried Rosemary .Heat 2 Tbsp. olive oil in a small skillet over medium. Fry one 6″ rosemary sprig until crisp, about 20 seconds. Transfer to a paper towel drain, set rosemary oil aside. Mix 1/2 cup plain whole-milk Greek yogurt and 1 Tbsp. honey in a small bowl; season with kosher salt. Toss one 3-lb. seedless watermelon, rind removed, cut into 2″ pieces and 3 Tbsp. fresh grapefruit juice in a large bowl; season with flaky sea salt. Spread yogurt onto a platter. Top with watermelon and crumble fried rosemary over. Drizzle with 1 Tbsp. reserved rosemary oil( save remaining oil for another use); sprinkle with 1 tsp. crushed red pepper flakes and 1 tsp. poppy seeds. 4 servings A platter of such yummy goodness, it makes dealing with Summer heat much easier. GeorgiaI confess.. Grapefruit is not one of my favorites.. And by that I mean I don’t like it at all. So finding a recipe that I could stomach was a bit challenging.
I found this beautiful salad recipe. And in spite of the grapefruit it was pretty tasty. The husband even commented on the toasted chickpeas.. The Mean Green Detox Salad Ingredients Lemon Tahini Dressing
Add all the ingredients to a bowl and whisk until combined. Taste and adjust salt + pepper to your liking. Alternately you can add the ingredients to a blender or food processor and blend until smooth. The dressing can be made a week in advance and stored in the fridge until ready to use. Salad Preheat the oven to 425 degrees F. Spread the chickpeas out on a towel and dry them completely. Add the chickpeas and coconut to a baking sheet and toss with the soy sauce, sesame oil and cayenne pepper. Toss well to evenly coat. Roast for 20 minutes and then stir the chickpeas around and roast another 10 minutes or until the chickpeas are browned and the coconut is dark brown. Remove from the oven. Save any leftovers for snacking on later! Add the kale to a large bowl and drizzle with 1 teaspoon olive oil and a big pinch of salt. Using your hands, massage the kale for 2-3 minutes until the kale is well coated and has slightly softened. To the bowl add the broccoli, cabbage, parsley and cilantro. Toss well. Add the dressing and continue to toss until all the veggies are coated. Add the grapefruit segments and avocado. Gently toss to combine. At this point, you can cover and store the salad in the fridge for up to 24 hours or continue on with the recipe. Enjoy!! The fondest memories are made gathered around the table. Annika, Angie, Nikita, Amy and Georgia NikitaNikita’s kitchen is just a few short days away from being complete.. AmyAmes It was my turn to pick the food challenge. The timing was perfect as I had just read in the cooking section of the New York Times an article all about eggs. And so I chose eggs for this week’s challenge. The Times had several recipes that piqued my interest. But this one in particular caught my eye. It’s hardly fussy and most likely everyone have the ingredients on hand. Spaghetti with Fried Eggs Salt 1/2 pound spaghetti 6 Tablespoons extra virgin olive oil or lard 2 large garlic cloves, lightly smashed and peeled 4 eggs Freshly ground black pepper Freshly grated Parmesan or pecorino cheese, optional Bring a pot of salted water to a boil. Start the sauce in the next step, and start cooking the pasta when the water boils. Step 2: Combine the garlic and 4 tablespoons of the olive oil in a small skillet over medium-low heat. Cook the garlic , pressing it into the oil occasionally to release its flavor, it should barely color on both sides. Remove the garlic and add the remaining oil. Step 3: Fry the eggs gently in the oil until the whites are just about set and the yolks are still quite runny. Drain the pasta and toss with the eggs and oil, breaking up the whites as you do ( the eggs should finish cooking in the pasta, heat off). Season to taste, and serve immediately with cheese if you like. I tossed in some fresh basil and scallions. It’s definitely a recipe with which you can play! GeorgiaI’ve been in California for the past couple of weeks. So when Amy told me what the secret ingredient was this week I was a little concerned. Thankfully Randy’s sister invited everyone over for a barbecue. What kind of eggs goes best with a bbq? Deviled eggs. But I wanted to do something different with them
Sour Cream, Chive, and Bacon Deviled Eggs Ingredients
Notes The creaminess of the filling all depends on how much mayonnaise you like to add (some likes lots, some prefer less!) Reserve some bacon and chives for garnish Happy cooking and eating, Nikita, Amy & Georgia AnnikaEasy Cream Cheese Danish Ingredients:
NikitaHow do YOU eat a danish? Christopher likes to peel the spiral dough back piece by piece until he reaches the center, then it’s a hole-in-one for the filling. I prefer to take bites of the dough and filling going around the danish in a circle, and I prefer it warmed up. Matt….well he just wants coffee with his danish. Last week, I happened to make danishes not foreseeing it would be our mission this week, so I had some practice. I decided to replace the cream cheese filling with homemade lemon curd. Two reasons I did this: 1. My son bought me a lemon juicer for my birthday. 2. My son bought me a zester for my birthday. So sweet!!! ….And so was the curd with some tang also. Ingredients: 2 cans of crescent rolls 1 8oz package of cream cheese at room temp. 2 Tbsp granulated sugar, divided 1 tsp lemon juice ¾ tsp vanilla 1 tsp sour cream Optional: assorted jams and preserves or pie filling (raspberry, cherry, strawberry, apricot, blueberry, lemon, etc) Icing: 1 cup confectioner’s sugar 1 tbsp milk 1 tbsp softened butter Instructions: Preheat the oven to 350. Unroll the crescent rolls and separate into rectangles of dough using two triangle. Pinch closed the diagonal cut to form one solid sheet of dough. Sprinkle light with sugar. Slice crescent roll dough into 1 inch x 8 inch slices. Gently lift dough slice and twist opposite ends in opposing directions into a loose rope. Spiral the rope around itself to form a loose circle/spiral. Place onto a cookie sheet lined with a baking paper, spacing danishes about 2 inch apart. Press the centers with a finger to make a well for the filling and stretch the sides a bit if it is necessary. In a large bowl, mix together cream cheese, sugar, lemon juice, vanilla extract and sour cream. Add a tablespoon of filling to each roll. Lightly brush dough with melted butter. Bake in preheated oven for 12 to 15 minutes. or until lightly golden brown. In a small bowl, stir together confectioners’ sugar, milk and butter. You can use a spoon to drizzle it over the tops of the danish, or you can put it into a small zip-top bag and snip of the corner for an easy “piping bag.” Take the danish out of the oven and allow them to cool for 10-15 minutes before icing. Lemon Curd: 3 lemons 1 1/2 cups sugar 1/4 pound unsalted butter, room temperature 4 extra-large eggs 1/2 cup lemon juice (3 to 4 lemons) 1/8 teaspoon kosher salt Using a carrot peeler, remove the zest of 3 lemons, being careful to avoid the white pith. Put the zest in a food processor fitted with the steel blade. Add the sugar and pulse until the zest is very finely minced into the sugar. Cream the butter and beat in the sugar and lemon mixture. Add the eggs, 1 at a time, and then add the lemon juice and salt. Mix until combined. Pour the mixture into a 2 quart saucepan and cook over low heat until thickened (about 10 minutes), stirring constantly. The lemon curd will thicken at about 170 degrees F, or just below simmer. Remove from the heat and cool or refrigerate. From the cafe at work.. Sorry for the brevity ladies. GeorgiaThe husband and the stepdaughter both seemed to like them
Easy Cream Cheese Danish Ingredients 2 cans of crescent rolls 1 8oz package of cream cheese at room temp. 2 Tbsp granulated sugar, divided 1 tsp lemon juice ¾ tsp vanilla 1 tsp sour cream Optional: assorted jams and preserves or pie filling (raspberry, cherry, strawberry, apricot, blueberry, lemon, etc) Icing: 1 cup confectioner’s sugar 1 tbsp milk 1 tbsp softened butter Instructions Preheat the oven to 350. Unroll the crescent rolls and separate into rectangles of dough using two triangle. Pinch closed the diagonal cut to form one solid sheet of dough. Sprinkle light with sugar. Slice crescent roll dough into 1 inch x 8 inch slices. Gently lift dough slice and twist opposite ends in opposing directions into a loose rope. Spiral the rope around itself to form a loose circle/spiral. Place onto a cookie sheet lined with a baking paper, spacing danishes about 2 inch apart. Press the centers with a finger to make a well for the filling and stretch the sides a bit if it is necessary. In a large bowl, mix together cream cheese, sugar, lemon juice, vanilla extract and sour cream. Add a tablespoon of filling to each roll. Lightly brush dough with melted butter. Bake in preheated oven for 12 to 15 minutes. or until lightly golden brown. In a small bowl, stir together confectioners’ sugar, milk and butter. You can use a spoon to drizzle it over the tops of the danish, or you can put it into a small zip-top bag and snip of the corner for an easy “piping bag.” Take the danish out of the oven and allow them to cool for 10-15 minutes before icing. Next week challenge is probably going to be the most challenging.. can’t wait to see what everyone comes up with. Stay tuned. Anni & Angie, Nikita, Ames and gigi AnnikaClassic White Cake Ingredients: 12 tablespoons (1 1/2 sticks) unsalted butter, softened 1 1/2 cups sugar 2 cups all purpose flour 2 teaspoons baking powder 1/4 teaspoon salt 6 large egg whites (3/4 cup) 3/4 cup milk 2 teaspoons vanilla extract Directions: Set rack at the middle level in the oven and preheat to 350 degrees. Butter the bottom of two 9-inch round or one 13 by 9 by 2-inch pan. Line bottom with parchment or waxed paper. In a large bowl, beat butter and sugar for about 5 minutes, until light and fluffy. Stir together flour, baking powder and salt. Set aside. Combine egg whites, milk and vanilla extract. Add 1/3 of the flour mixture to the butter mixture then add half the milk mixture. Continue to alternate beginning and ending with flour mixture. Scape the bowl and beater often. Pour the batter into prepared pan(s) and smooth top with metal spatula. Bake cake(s) about 25 to 30 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted in the center emerges clean. Cool in pan on rack for 5 minutes, then turn out onto a rack, remove paper and let cool completely. Note: For a classic yellow cake- Substitute 3 large eggs and 1 yolk for the egg whites. Recipe courtesy of Gourmet Magazine Store bought white frosting & sprinkles Cut up fresh strawberries and put them in the middle with white frosting sandwiching the strawberries in the middle… NikitaI like individual servings, so immediately cupcakes came to mind. This recipe was given to me by a co-worker when I told her my hubby wanted spice cake. Spice cake is usually a Fall dessert, but hey – what the hubby wants, the hubby gets. This is Carrot Spiced Cupcakes with Cream Cheese Frosting. Of course, nothing from a can will do. Cream cheese frosting was piped with a gallon size freezer bag since I’m a poor man with no legitimate piping bags/tips. The plump golden raisins are joyful surprises in every bite. This was such a moist recipe, and I will most definitely make again. Recipe: 1 1/2 cup flour 1 tsp B Powder 1 tsp B Soda 1/2 tsp cinnamon 1/2 tsp Salt 1/4 tsp nutmeg Generous pinch of ginger powder and all spice. 1 3/4 c brown sugar 1 egg 1/2 c buttermilk 1/3 c vegetable oil 1/2 tsp vanilla 2 c grated carrots 1/2 c raisins 1/2 c chopped walnuts (no nuts for me) Procedure: Preheat oven at 400°F Use paper baking cups in cupcake pan for less mess. Measure dry ingredients into a large bowl. Stir with fork until well mixed. Whisk or beat egg, milk , oil and vanilla together. Stir in carrots, raisins and nuts. Pour into dry ingredients, and stir until moist. Bake for 30 min or until done. Cream Cheese Frosting 1 8oz package cream cheese, room temp 1/2 c butter, room temp 1/4 c shortening 3 c powdered sugar 1/2 tsp vanilla 1tbs milk Mix cream cheese, butter, and shortening until creamy. Add powdered sugar slowly to cream mixture and mix until fluffy. Splash some vanilla and a tbs of milk until you reach a desired consistency. AmyHave I mentioned that I’m not a baker? I AM NOT A BAKER! Gigi is the baker of the family. I just lied, I seem to recall Nikita made the best carrot cake I’ve ever had. Quite frankly ladies, you have me at a disadvantage. I almost bowed out of this one. You saw my exceedingly basic peach cobbler recipe last week. Having said that, I’d decided to bake a cake I had attempted a few weeks ago. It was a complete failure then. I decided a Mulligan was in order. So without further ado I present the Key Lime Pound Cake! I know you all asking how a person screws up a pound cake…I did it! But this go around it turned out much more pleasing. So here goes: Key Lime Pound Cake (recipe courtesy of the New York Times) 1 cup unsalted butter at room temperature, cut into pieces, plus more for greasing the pan 2 cups all- purpose flour, more for flouring the pan 1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder 4 ounces cream cheese at room temperature, cut into pieces 1 1/2 cups granulated white sugar 4 eggs at room temperature, lightly beaten 2 tablespoons lime zest 1 tablespoon key lime juice For the glaze: 4 ounces cream cheese, at room temperature 1/4 cup unsalted butter at room temperature 2 cups confectioners sugar 1/4 cup key lime juice 2 tablespoons lime zest Step 1: Make the cake: Heat oven to 325°F. Generously butter and flour a 9×5-inch loaf pan. Sift the flour and baking powder and set aside. Step 2: Mix butter and cream cheese in a bowl of a stand mixer on medium speed until blended; gradually add sugar and beat on medium speed 5 minutes until light in color and fluffy. Add the beaten eggs about a quarter at a time, fully incorporating before adding the next. Step 3: Add lime zest and mix to incorporate. Add dry ingredients alternately with lime juice, beginning and ending with flour mixture and adding juice in two additions. Mix just enough to incorporate. Pour batter into pan until it is just 3/4-inch from the top ( you may have a little batter leftover; do not use it or you will risk overflow). Firmly tap the pan on the counter a few times to reduce air pockets. Step 4: Bake for about 1 hour, or until just set in the middle. Check cake after 30 minutes, if top is browning too quickly, tent with foil. If the cake is not set in the middle after an hour, continue baking, checking middle at 5 minute intervals, until set. Step 5: Cool in pan 20 minutes; loosen edges and turn out cake onto plate with raised edges to contain the glaze. Step 6: Meanwhile, make the glaze: In a glass bowl, beat the cream cheese and butter until well blended and a little fluffy, about 2 minutes, with the mixer on slow speed; gradually add confectioners sugar until fully incorporated. Then beat for 20-30 seconds. Step 7: Mix in lime juice. Poke holes into cake. Pour in half of the glaze. Let sit 10 minutes. Pour the rest of the glaze on top then sprinkle with lime zest. What I’ve learned from all of this is that it takes me several tries. At least I keep trying. GeorgiaRandy’s favorite cake is pineapple upside down cake. This is a very different spin on it. He said it tasted like carrot cake. Which he hates. But for whatever reason liked this. Much tastier than it looks. I think if I were to make it again I would make some other topping for it. It may not be the prettiest but it was tasty and very moist. Oh the depression era dessert plates were my great grandmothers. Totally made up for the ugly cake.. Poke cakes are notorious for being incredibly moist and full of flavor. The glaze for this pineapple cake is really basic, but it oozes into every inch and with the first bite you’ll in pineapple heaven! The other thing that’s great, is this cake is even better the day after. Easy Pineapple Poke Cake Prep time 10 mins Cook time 45 mins Total time 55 mins Ingredients
Instructions
Don’t pay attention to Amy. She bakes just fine and all the cakes and cupcakes look yummy. Happy Saturday and happy baking, Annika, Nikita, Amy and Georgia NikitaThis one is homemade – no recipe. I call it “The Kitchen Sink Omelet.” It has everything but the sink. I’ll be honest: I am not the omelet queen in our house. Matt carries that title (uh, king) with his Southwestern omelet with homemade hashbrowns built into that delectable masterpiece. Consider yourself special if you’ve ever had the pleasure of eating one. But tonight, the boys ate two deconstructed omelets while I tried to perfect the flip-over maneuver. I think I finally achieved it on the third try. Enjoy!Eggs Milk Salt Pepper Tomato Avocado Cheddar Monterey Red onion Deli meat ( I used Black Pepper turkey) Love, 99 AmyThere’s many reasons why Nikita is my favorite niece. And choosing breakfast for dinner as our challenge is reason # 1143! O, niece of me heart! So…..what should I make? Biscuits and gravy? French toast? How about something not so obvious but isn’t breaking new ground. I recalled a recipe from one of my culinary gurus, Marion Cunningham. Technically this isn’t considered a breakfast dish. However, adjust the menu slightly and it’s as good as. From Ms. Cunningham’s The Supper Book, I present Custard Sandwich. Don’t be turned off by the name. I know it sounds rich, thick and sickly sweet. None of those adjectives describe Custard Sandwich in the least. It’s light and savory. The suggested menu is Custard Sandwich, a small plate of salad and Pineapple Blizzard for dessert. Omit the salad and use sausage in its place. The Pineapple Blizzard added just a touch of sweetness and is just right for the warm Spring nights. Recipes courtesy of The Supper Book by Marion Cunningham Custard Sandwich (four servings) 6 slices bread, buttered Salt and pepper to taste 4 1/2 ounces sharp Cheddar, Gouda, Provolone, Monterey Jack, or any other melting cheese, grated (1 1/2 cups) 1 1/2 cups milk 6 eggs, slightly beaten Arrange the slices of bread in a single layer in a shallow, buttered baking dish. Sprinkle lightly with salt and pepper. Sprinkle the grated cheese evenly over the bread. Put the milk and eggs in a bowl, and stir until blended. Pour the milk mixture over the bread and cheese. Cover and refrigerate at least 6 hours, or overnight. As the dish will be chilled when you are ready to bake it, start it in a cold oven, then immediately turn the heat on to 350°F. Bake for about 1 hour, or until the bread custard is puffy and lightly golden. Pineapple Blizzard (four servings) 4 cups fresh pineapple, cut into approximately 1-inch cubes 1/2 cup to 3/4 cup sugar, depending on the sweetness of the pineapple (I used a tablespoon of Splenda) 2 egg whites (if you’re uncomfortable with using raw eggs then just don’t use them) Spread the pineapple cubes on a jelly-roll pan and put it in the freezer for 8 hours. The cubes must be rock hard. Put the cubes in the food processor and process until drifts of iced fruit are on the sides of the container (ignore the racket these little rocks make). This takes about 1 minute. Stop and scrape down the sides with a spatula, add some of the sugar, about 1/2 cup, and then add the egg whites. Process, stopping to scrape down the sides once or twice, until the mass begins to flow easily in the processor container. Process for 2 to 3 minutes, taste, and add more sugar if needed. Continue to process another 2 minutes, or as long as it takes for the mixture to become pale, light, and smooth. You will have the most creamy, fluffy, pineapple dessert, and it will be difficult to believe that it only has sugar and egg white in it. Cover well, and put into the freezer. This keeps for a week or two, but is at its best the first 3 or 4 days after making. A yummy meal indeed! GeorgiaAmes is so right about Nikita!! We are so blessed to call her niece.. I decided on this recipe… Well.. Because I think every meal should have avocado in it.. Okay maybe not.. But it was a good excuse to have it for dinner.. EGG AND CALIFORNIA AVOCADO BREAKFAST FLATBREAD RECIPEServes 2 An upgraded version of Avocado Toast… this Egg and Avocado Breakfast Flatbread recipe is a winner! Author: Dine & Dish Recipe type: Breakfast Serves: 2-3 INGREDIENTS
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Happy eating!! 99, Ames & gigi NikitaBlueberry Cobbler Every June for the last eight years, our family would drive to Ray City, GA where Matt’s grandparents live to pick as many blueberries as our hearts desired. The thirty-year old bushes produced berries so fresh that fighting the temptation to eat them off of the bush was difficult. We would all wear blue jeans and hats to beat off the mosquitoes and sun rays, but I have such great memories picking and talking with the family. During a time in our relationship when we were repairing a lot of damage to ourselves and family, this time spent became so important to me. His grandmother was the first in his family to open up to me and treat me like one of the family. Her love of feeding the family good Southern food caused me to fall in love with cooking. She shared her protected blueberry cobbler recipe with me (and many more), and I have been making it after every blueberry trip since. This time, Matt could tell the difference in the cobbler because they weren’t his grandmother’s blueberries. While the taste may have actually been the same, I think the missing experience changed how he felt about it. (The cobbler was gone in a 24-hr period, so I’d say it was good). Love, 99 Amy.A confession: I don’t much care for cooking and eating in Summer. I’m sure you believe the cooking part but the eating? It’s true! I mostly graze. Fresh fruit and vegetables. Nuts, yogurt, cereal. In fact, as I’ m composing this email I’m eating for the first time today and it’s almost 7:00 in the evening. This is a big part of why I chose blueberries. Just seemed fresh and simple. In March I happened about upon some recipes for toast four ways via an Instagram account known as the feedfeed. I’ve tried three of the four thus far. The blueberry toast I “reinvented” for the sake of the food challenge. Otherwise, it would appear that I’m doing this half-assed. This month’s Bon Appetit magazine has an article about blueberries with around half a dozen recipes. The that I’m using for this challenge was simple and can be used for more than just toast. Top ice cream, yogurt, French toast, etc. Blueberry-Chia Seed Jam. Don’t worry if it looks a little runny when it’s hot. The chia seeds will plump as the jam cools, thickening it considerably. Makes about 1 1/2 cups 3 cups fresh (or frozen, thawed) blueberries 2 tsp. finely grated lemon zest 1/4 cup lemon juice 3 Tbsp. (or more) pure maple syrup 1/4 cup chia seeds Bring blueberries, lemon zest, lemon juice, and maple syrup to a simmer in a medium saucepan over medium heat and cook, stirring occasionally, just until blueberries begin to burst, about 5 minutes. Use a spoon to lightly mash about half of the berries to release their juices. Increase heat to medium -high and bring to a boil. Cook, stirring occasionally, until juices are reduced by half, 5-10 minutes. Remove jam from heat; taste and add a bit more maple syrup if you prefer it to be sweeter. Return to a boil, then stir in the chia seeds; cook 1 minute to soften seeds. Let jam cool slightly, then transfer to heatproof jars or containers. Cover and let cool completely. Chill until ready to use. Do ahead: Jam can be made 2 weeks ahead. Cover and chill, or freeze up to 2 months. For the toast: 2 slices bread Coconut yogurt Blueberries (or blueberry-chia seed jam) Pistachios I don’t really bother with measurements. Just toast the bread, spoon and spread the yogurt on top (I prefer Greek yogurt for this, not quite so runny), spoon some of the jam next (or toss the fresh blueberries on instead), then sprinkle some crushed pistachios on top as a natural sort of crown. Excellent light breakfast or snackens! P.S. Nikita I ask for a rain-check on the tamales. They (or a variation) will be made in the near future! Georgia As for me. Well.. I just like to bake. The last time I made these scones was for Nikita’s baby shower. 10 years ago.. Maybe I need to bake more
My 14 year old stepdaughter Savannah is with us right now and she loves to help. So she’s been my official helper in the kitchen. Something I am always thankful for. Glazed Lemon Blueberry Scones Yield: 8 scones Prep Time: 20 minutes Ingredients:
Total Time: 45 minutes The memories and connections over food run deep. Start making your own today. Happy Saturday, Nikita, Amy and Georgia NikitaAll you need is love...but a little chocolate now and then doesn't hurt." -Charles M Schulz I have been craving a good dark chocolate cake for some time, so this challenge was the perfect opportunity to satiate that craving. I scoured the Internet for a delicious-looking recipe and waited all week until I could find some time off to bake it. Thursday was the day! It turned out so beautiful, and Christopher even said, "It looked like a professional made it." And that was the icing on the cake! (Pun intended) Tiny Recommendation: Serve with fruit and creme fraiche to cut the richness. Ingredients: butter and flour for coating and dusting the cake pan 3 cups all-purpose flour 3 cups granulated sugar 1½ cups unsweetened cocoa powder 1 tablespoon baking soda 1½ teaspoons baking powder 1½ teaspoons salt 4 large eggs 1½ cups buttermilk 1½ cups warm coffee ½ cup vegetable oil 2 teaspoons vanilla extract Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Butter three 9-inch cake rounds. Dust with flour and tap out the excess. (see cooking lesson below). Mix together flour, sugar, cocoa, baking soda, baking powder, and salt in a stand mixer using a low speed until combined. Add eggs, buttermilk, warm water, oil, and vanilla. Beat on a medium speed until smooth. This should take just a couple of minutes. Divide batter among the three pans. I found that it took just over 3 cups of the batter to divide it evenly. Bake for 30-35 minutes until the cake meets the toothpick test (stick a toothpick in and it comes out clean). Cool on wire racks for 15 minutes and then turn out the cakes onto the racks and allow to cool completely. Frost with your favorite frosting and enjoy! Frosting: 1½ cups butter, softened 8 oz cream cheese, softened 1½ cups unsweetened cocoa powder 3 teaspoons vanilla extract 7-8 cups powdered sugar about ¼ cup milk (as needed) In a large bowl, beat together butter and cream cheese until fluffy. Use a hand mixer or stand mixer for best results Add in cocoa powder and vanilla extract. Beat until combined. Beat in powdered sugar, 1 cup at a time. Add milk as necessary to make a spreadable consistency. The frosting should be very thick and will thicken even more if refrigerated AmyAgain with the baking! Fine... When I moved from Florida to Oklahoma two years ago I could only afford to bring a single suitcase. I didn't have loads of possessions but I did have to give up pretty much what I had. I'm neither whining nor complaining. I'm simply pointing out that I had to decide what was truly important to me. Clothes were needed, of course. That's a no brained. I had some jewelry, it didn't take up much space. I had a handful of photos. They came along. I attended an Episcopalian church, my prayer book came with. And a slightly tattered yellow folder full of recipes that I've gathered over the years. The important things! Contained withing that folder is a recipe for the one cake I've made the most. It's a very unassuming little cake. One I've made for my children. It's hard to mess this one up! I found it on the Chocolate and Zucchini blog about 10 years ago. The woman that created the blog made this cake for her nephew's first birthday. The French definitely have a completely different attitude about food then we Americans. I can't imagine the typical American ever making this cake for a birthday. This American made it in honor of her brother-in-laws! Apple and Maple Yogurt Cake (Adapted from chocolateandzucchini.com) 1 cup plain yogurt 1cup minus 2 Tbsp. finely ground maple sugar*, divided 2 eggs 1/3 cup vegetable oil (Grape seed oil can be substituted) 2 cups minus 2 Tbsp. flour 1 1/2 tsp. baking powder 1/2 tsp. baking soda A good pitch of salt One large apple of a variety that holds its shape when cooked Preheat oven to 360° F. and line a 10-inch cake pan with parchment paper. Set aside one rounded tablespoon of the maple sugar for topping. In a medium mixing bowl, whisk together the yogurt, the remaining maple sugar, eggs and oil. In another mixing bowl, combine the flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt. Peel the apple, then core, quarter, and slice it thinly. Add the flour mixture to the yogurt mixture and whisk it quickly, until just combined. Don't worry about the lumps and do not over mix. Pour the batter into the prepared pan, arrange the apple slices on top, starting from the outside, and sprinkle with the remaining maple sugar. Put into the oven and bake for 40 minutes, until the top is golden and cake tester inserted in the center comes out clean. If you feel the apple slices might be browning too quickly, cover with a piece of parchment paper. Let cool on a rack and serve warm or at room temperature. * If maple sugar is unavailable, substitute 3/4 cup maple syrup and use just 3/4 yogurt to make up for the extra moisture. Georgiat was my week to choose our dish.. And with it being Randy's birthday I chose birthday cake.
Randy doesn't do much of anything normal.. So I made his favorite. Pineapple Upside Down Cake.. Old Fashioned Pineapple Upside Down Cake Ingredients 1/2 c butter, melted 1 c brown sugar 1 small can of sliced pineapple 10 maraschino cherries 3 eggs, beaten 1 c sugar 1 c sifted all purpose flour 1 tsp baking powder 1/4 tsp salt 5 Tbsp pineapple juice Assemble all ingredients and utensils. In a heavy cast iron skillet melt butter and add brown sugar and blend well. Arrange pineapple slices and cherries in the skillet on top of brown sugar and butter. In a large bowl mix remaining ingredients and pour over pineapple mixture in skillet. Bake at 350 degrees for 35 to 40 minutes. Let cool in skillet then turn upside down onto serving plate. Serve plain or with whipped cream or ice cream. Yummy! I didn't use maraschino cherries because Randy is not a fan. Happy baking, Nikita, Amy & Georgia August 27th 2016 NikitaFirst, I must say my household LOVES avocado. We eat it every week in several dishes, and Matt makes the best guacamole. This week I relied on a twist to a classic dish that we have been eating for a few years: Sloppy Joe’s. This recipe is made with turkey rather than beef, but the star of the dish is the avocado coleslaw topping. It’s creamy, crunchy, and acidic all at once! Make sure to toast your buns, so they hold their form when things get sloppy. Ingredients 1 pound ground turkey 1 medium onion, chopped 1 envelope sloppy joe mix 1 can (6 ounces) tomato paste 1-1/4 cups water SLAW: 1 medium ripe avocado, peeled and cubed 1 tablespoon olive oil 2 teaspoons lemon juice 1/2 teaspoon ground cumin 1/4 teaspoon salt 1/4 teaspoon pepper 2-1/2 cups coleslaw mix 6 hamburger buns, split Directions In a large skillet, cook turkey and onion over medium heat 7-8 minutes or until turkey is no longer pink and onion is tender, breaking up turkey into crumbles; drain. Stir in sloppy joe mix, tomato paste and water. Bring to a boil. Reduce heat; simmer, uncovered, 8-10 minutes or until thickened, stirring occasionally. Meanwhile, place avocado, oil, lemon juice, cumin, salt and pepper in a blender; cover and process until smooth. Transfer to a small bowl; stir in coleslaw mix. Spoon meat mixture onto bun bottoms and top with slaw. Replace tops. Yield: 6 servings. AmySo here’s how it all ended, beginning at the beginning. It was my turn to choose the food challenge. I went with avocado as a main ingredient. Not just sliced up and placed on the side. I found an interesting sounding recipe in Marion Cunningham’s The Supper Book. Side note: for the kitchen novice, I highly recommend Marion Cunningham. The Breakfast Book and the Supper Book are two of my much loved and most used in my collection. Back to the story now. I found a recipe titled Avocado and Bacon Salad. Hot damn! Avocado and bacon happen to be two of my major food groups. I got pretty excited at the potential of crunchy bacon and creamy avocado. Off to the kitchen I went! Here’s how it’s supposed to go: Dressing: 1 1/2 teaspoons lemon juice 1/4 cup sour cream 1_2 cup mayonnaise Salad: 8 slices bacon (about 1/2 pound) 1/3 cup finely chopped scallions 2 avocados, peeled and cubed 1 head iceberg lettuce, cited, rinsed, wrapped, and chilled, cut into bite-size pieces Salt and pepper to taste To make the dressing, mix together the lemon juice, sour cream, and mayonnaise in a small bowl. Stir until smooth, and set aside. Dice the bacon, fry until crisp, and pat dry with paper towels. Toss together the bacon, scallions, avocado, and lettuce in a large bowl, and season with salt and pepper. Add enough dressing to coat all the ingredients and toss gently. That’s how it was supposed to go. Unfortunately, I allowed the avocado to ripen one day too many. It wasn’t bad, just a little too soft to cube. So I made the salad without the avocados. I mashed them up with a little lemon juice and a pinch of salt and smeared it on some lightly toasted brioche. Not exactly how it was supposed to be. In the end, it did make a nice little Spring time lunch. GeorgiaI love avocado. So when Amy told me what her food choice was this week.. I was all on-board. My goal every week is to make something different.
BLT Chicken Salad Stuffed Avocados Ingredients
Instructions
Next week is Nikita’s choice.. Stay tuned… Blessings, G |
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