Chicken and Waffles!!!

Last time we met I wrote on the topic of Supper Club, a gathering my friends and I host from time to time to share a meal and try out new things. At our last SC meeting, we had “soul food night,” featuring none other than chicken and waffles. This was a combination I have been dying to try for months, but never had an excuse until now. My friends were nervous. But here was the result….

Ummmm…..

It was amazing.

Beyond amazing.

Yes, chicken and waffles is amazing.
I can’t explain how the combination works. I just know it does. I made Belgium waffles on my fancy schmancy waffle maker that I received as a Christmas present from my sister and her family. And we topped it with a chicken breast from KFC (which I will get to) and chicken gravy. It really was delicious!

So, if I were ever to make this again, I would use chicken tenders. And I would fry them at home. Because I am Southern and I can fry chicken. However, in an effort to make things “easier” on a work night, the menfolk decided to buy the chicken. There was a little bit of….miscommunication, and I realize, in hindsight, I should have handled it myself. Not that the chicken wasn’t fantastic. It was! It’s just that it cost $40 for 9 people…just for chicken…and earned my neighbor the nickname “Big Money” at KFC. So, dinner didn’t end up being as economical as it could have been. Oh well!

It was still delicious!

Chicken and Waffles for Four

Chicken – Either fry or buy 8 chicken tenders. (2 per person)

Waffle Ingredients:
2 cups Bisquick Mix (Or other similar product)
1 1/3 cups milk (may need more)
1 egg
2 tablespoons vegetable or canola oil
*1 ½ teaspoon cinnamon
*1 teaspoon nutmeg
*1 tablespoon vanilla

*These are just a guess. I don’t really measure these. I just eyeball it and dump it in the bowl….

Directions: Combine all ingredients in a large bowl and mix well. You want your consistency to be thick, but to still drip off of your spatula when you hold it up. Then pour about 1/2-3/4 cup of batter on the waffle iron and cook according to your directions.

Yields approximately 4 large Belgium waffles.

Chicken Gravy
From Foodnetwork.com

Ingredients:
3 tablespoons unsalted butter
2 tablespoons flour
Salt & Pepper to taste
1 1/2 cups low-sodium chicken broth
Optional - 2 scallions, sliced, plus more for garnish

Directions: Melt the butter in a medium skillet and whisk in the seasoned flour until smooth. Whisk in the scallions, then slowly pour in the broth. Bring to a simmer, whisking until the gravy is smooth.

How to “dress” your meal:
Lay a waffle on a plate.
Place two chicken tenders on top.
Pour gravy over chicken and waffles.
Eat.
Smile.
Be happy.

**On a side note...we tried to think about appropriate sides for this meal before eating it. Its pretty savory, so you could go with creamed spinach or greens or something like that. We served fruit salad and coffee cake though, and it was a great combination! : )

I didn't know girls could grill...

Last night some friends and I welcomed spring by having our first cookout of the season. We eat together all time, but this time we actually got out the old grill and ate outside! It was amazing! It really is too hot to eat outside in the summer, so we have to capitalize on the few mild months we have each year.

Prior to the arrival of my guests, I was far more concerned about creating a tablescape than preparing dinner. (Though, all I had to do was make burgers.) I was going for something that offered a bit of ambiance and elegance, yet was simple and cheap. Basically, I just took a bunch of candles and glass jars and made this.

It worked out pretty well, if I say so myself! And I was able to work "tablescape" into the conversation about 14 times throughout the evening.

After dinner, we gathered around the firepit. This was interesting. Apparently certain people didn't believe that firelogs could be burned alone, instead of being used as starters. I had to show them the package, but I am not sure they believed me.

THEN...a bunch of hubalub went on about cooking s'mores over firelogs, which apparently puts off some kind of chemical. So...I allowed my neighbor to cut down part of a very small, dead crape myrtle in my back yard. It gave him something to do, and provided a cleaner burning fire to roast our marshmallows.

As a side note, we used the bag of candy I bought for work since it had various kinds of chocolate in it. I used Mr. Goodbars for my s'mores, and it was AMAZING!!!!

Prior to all of the fire, and prior to all of the discussions on chemical fires, we ate. I can't just skip over that! Since it was warm, and since we wanted to do warm weather things, we thought grilling hamburgers would be a great idea. So, the emails went round, we divided up responsibilities, and got things ready for a party. I was charged with the task of making burgers. (Okay, it was my idea.) Not a hard task for me. I have made burgers plenty of times in the past.

HOWEVER...a certain male neighbor of mine showed up and asked who was in charge of grilling the burgers. He was a bit shocked when I said I was. He replied, "I didn't know you could grill?" And something along the lines of most girls don't know how to cook meat outside. I mean...who does he think I am? Ha ha! He has eaten at my house enough times that he should know I can probably make a hamburger.

I decided to make a big deal about it in order to give him a hard time for his sexist pig joke. (I said he was sexist. He said I said he was a sexist pig. Maybe you had to be there.) I also wanted him to "eat his words" after he tasted the deliciousness of my burger.

Want to prove the men in your life wrong? Then ladies...make this burger. It was great!

"I Didn't Know Girls Could Grill" Hamburgers

Ingredients:

3 lb. ground beef

1/2 onion, finely chopped

1/2 green bell pepper, finely chopped

2 cloves of garlic, finely chopped

3-6 tablespoons Worcestershire sauce

3 tablespoons Dale's Steak Seasoning

2 tablespoons Tony Chachere's creole seasoning

1-1/2 tablespoons Season All

Mild Cheddar Cheese cubes (optional)

Directions:

Preheat your grill at least 30 minutes prior to cooking.

Put beef in large bowl. Add onion, bell pepper, garlic, Worcestershire, Dale's, Tony's and season all. Mix ingredients with hands, combining all well.

Take a handful of meat, form it in a ball, and then flatten out.

To stuff with cheese: Take a palm size of meat and flatten out. Layer cheese on top of meat. Take another ball of meat and flatten on top of cheese, covering and enclosing all sides.

Put on grill and cook about 10-15 minutes on each side.

*If your meat is not holding together well, try adding an egg and bread crumbs to help it stick together. Fattier meats tend to hold together better, but the fatter the meat, the more the patty will shrink on the grill.

Another Noodle Bowl

Sometimes I just get a hankerin for Asians foods. I miss having Pei Wei on speed dial and just around the corner from my house. I have since learned to compromise, and am beginning to expand my Asian culinary repertoire. Sunday night I threw together a yummy noodle bowl with vegetables I found laying around the house, and an orange ginger sauce I picked up at the market that afternoon. Turned out great!

Orange Ginger Chicken Noodle Bowl

Ingredients:

2 large chicken breasts, cut in chunks

3 cups cabbage, chopped

1 bell pepper, chopped in large chunks

1/2 onion, chopped in large chunks

1 small can water chestnuts

2 garlic cloves chopped

1/2 box (or more) whole wheat spaghetti

1/2 bottle La Choy Orange Ginger Sauce

2 tablespoons soy sauce

Canola Oil

Olive Oil

2 tablespoons butter or margarine

1/4 cup flour

1 teaspoon garlic powder

Directions:

1. Chop all vegetables. Saute bell pepper and garlic in butter and a splash of olive oil for approximately 5-10 minutes. Once softened, add onion and saute until translucent. Set aside.

2. While bell pepper is cooking, cover the bottom of a large skillet with canola oil and heat on medium high. Pour flour and garlic powder in a bowl or Ziploc bag. Add chopped chicken, and completely coat all sides with flour mixture. Place in oil to fry chicken nuggets.

3. When chicken is completely cooked, remove from heat and place chicken on paper towels to absorb any extra oil. Set aside.

4. Boil water and cook noodles according to directions. Drain and set aside.

5. Heat a splash of olive oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Add cabbage and a few splashes of soy sauce, and cook cabbage down, about 5-8 minutes. Add water chestnuts, and cook for about 2-3 more minutes. Add remaining vegetables, chicken and orange ginger sauce. Heat over medium hit, stirring well, for about 7-8 minutes (until everything is coated with sauce and warm).

6. Toss vegetables and chicken with noodles and serve. Yields approximately 4 servings.

Suggested Sides: egg rolls or pot stickers (both can be found in your freezer section at the grocery)

It's cold...so eat some soup!

Saturday afternoon my sister decided she wanted to cook. She wasn't exactly sure what, but knew she wanted a stew or soup. So, she grabbed some old magazines, one of my cookbooks, and the computer. She settled on three different recipes (all from Foodnetwork.com), and left it up to me to choose. I read over, and picked the one below. Turned out to be THE BEST stew I have ever had I think. She did a fantastic job, which...if you know my family...is impressive. My sister does well when she cooks, but she's definitely not know as the family chef! (HEART YOU!)

She also asked me not to help out because she was afraid I would take the cooking over, and she really wanted to make something. I was fine by this because last time I was home, I spent a good part of my time on my feet in the kitchen. I did have the idea to add cheddar biscuits to the meal, and was in charge of that while my sis made the main course. Here's what we had:

Sausage-and-Vegetable Stew
Adapted from Foodnetwork.com

Ingredients
3 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
1 large onion, diced
4 cloves garlic, smashed
1 tablespoon paprika, plus more for garnish
Kosher salt
3 tablespoons all-purpose flour
6 ounces kielbasa, cut into small chunks (or another link sausage)
3 medium carrots, peeled and cut into large chunks
14 ounces small red-skinned or new potatoes (6 to 8), quartered
1 tablespoon cider vinegar
Freshly ground pepper
1/2 cup fresh parsley, roughly chopped
3/4 cup sour cream

Directions:
Heat the olive oil in a Dutch oven or heavy pot over medium heat. Add the onion and garlic; cook, stirring occasionally, until soft and glistening, about 6 minutes. Add the paprika and 1 teaspoon salt; cook until the oil turns deep red, about 1 minute. Add the flour and cook until just toasted, 30 more seconds. Immediately whisk in 4 cups water. Add the kielbasa, carrots, parsnips, potatoes and 1 1/2 teaspoons salt.

Bring the soup to a boil, then reduce to a simmer; cover and cook until the vegetables are tender and the broth has thickened, about 20 minutes. Add the vinegar and season with pepper.

Combine about half of the parsley with the sour cream in a small bowl and season with salt and pepper. Ladle the stew into bowls; top with the remaining parsley, a dollop of herbed sour cream and a sprinkle of paprika.

Cheddar Biscuits
(Like from Red Lobster)

Ingredients:
2 ½ cups Bisquick baking mix
¾ cup cold whole milk
4 tablespoons cold butter (1/2 stick)
¼ teaspoon garlic powder
1 heaping cup grated cheddar cheese

Brush on Top:
2 tablespoons butter, melted
¼ teaspoon dried parsley flakes
½ teaspoon garlic powder
pinch salt

Directions:
1. Preheat your oven to 400 degrees.
2. Combine Bisquick with cold butter in a medium bowl using a pastry cutter or a large fork. You don't want to mix too thoroughly. There should be small chunks of butter in there that are about the size of peas. Add cheddar cheese, milk, and ¼ teaspoon garlic. Mix by hand until combined, but don't over mix.
3. Drop approximately ¼-cup portions of the dough onto an ungreased cookie sheet using an ice cream scoop.
4. Bake for 15 to 17 minutes or until the tops of the biscuits begin to turn light brown.
5. When you take the biscuits out of the oven, melt 2 tablespoons butter is a small bowl in your microwave. Stir in ½ teaspoon garlic powder and the dried parsley flakes. Use a brush to spread this garlic butter over the tops of all the biscuits. Use up all of the butter. Makes one dozen biscuits.

For a blustery cold day...

Since its been quite cold in Mississippi lately, I thought I'd share a chili recipe to warm you right up. As a side not, I did make her recipe as written with a bottle of beer, but I probably wouldn't do it again. It didn't taste bad. It really didn't taste at all...but the smell of the cooked beer just wasn't too appeasing to me.

Texas Turkey Chili

Ingredients:
extra-virgin olive oil
1 bell pepper, finely chopped
1 onion, finely chopped
1/4 cup tomato paste (About 1/2 to 3/4 can)
2 tablespoons chili powder
1 tablespoon cumin
1 lb. pound ground turkey
1 - 1.5 cups frozen corn or 1 can of corn
Salt and pepper, to taste
One 14.5-ounce can fire-roasted crushed tomatoes
One 12-ounce bottle beer -OR- 12 oz. of chicken stock
One 15.5-ounce can kidney beans, drained and rinsed

Directions:
In a large Dutch oven or stock pot, heat the olive oil over medium-high heat. Add the bell pepper and onion, and cook until softened, about 5 minutes. Stir in the tomato paste, cumin and chili powder. Add the turkey, season with salt and cook, breaking it up and stirring to combine, 3 to 4 minutes.

Pour in the crushed tomatoes, corn and beer/chicken stock, bring to a boil, then lower the heat and simmer, stirring occasionally, for 10-15 minutes. Add the kidney beans and cook until heated through, about 5-10 minutes more. Season with salt and pepper.

Top with cheese, sour cream, jalapenos, etc. Serve with Frito's or cornbread.

Mostly Classic Lasagna

I have a confession to make. Those who read my blog that were with me tonight, its really not a big deal. And it all turned out in the end. But my confession is that I have never made homemade lasagna before today. That's right folks! Up until this point in my life, I have only ever eaten frozen. *gasp*

The thing about homemade lasagna is that it takes a long time. It's really tasty, but most of the time its just easy to make the frozen one. The other thing is that its usually not that low in the fat or calorie count. The recipe I cooked from today said the average serving of lasagna has 1,313 calories! THAT'S INSANE!!!! But there are ways to cut back on the bad stuff and make a delicious dish that is better for you.

The recipe I used was in Everyday with Rachael Ray. Below is my modified version. I added meat since we were eating with boys and boys tend to like meat. And by the way, Mrs. Ray said prep-time was only 45 minutes. Ummm....it took me a LOT longer than that! But the end result was fantastic!

Mostly Classic Lasagna

Ingredients:
Extra Virgin Olive Oil
1 lb. ground turkey (I used beef tonight.)
8 oz. sliced mushrooms
salt and pepper
2 large garlic cloves, chopped
One 28-oz. can crushed tomatoes (I used the kind with basil.)
Nine 8-inch whole wheat lasagna noodles
1 cup fat free cottage cheese
1 egg white
shredded Parmesan cheese
Part-skim mozzarella cheese
Red wine (optional)
1 tbsp. parsley flakes
1 tbsp. oregano
Italian seasoning

Directions:
1. Season ground meat with Italian seasoning (to taste) and brown in a large skillet. Drain (if need be) and set aside in a medium bowl. Clean skillet because you'll need it again!

2. Heat 1-2 tablespoons of olive oil in large skillet, and add half of the mushrooms. Salt and stir mushrooms and cook for about 2-3 minutes. Pour in about 2 tablespoons of red wine and cook until mushrooms are soft (about 5 minutes). Add cooked mushrooms to meat and repeat process with the other half of the mushrooms. (Why cook only half at a time? Because Julia Child says you should NOT CROWD THE MUSHROOMS!!!!)

3. Preheat oven to 400 degrees, and cook lasagna noodles to al dente. (About 8-10 minutes, but consult directions on package.)

4. Return skillet to heat and pour in 1 tbsp of olive oil and chopped garlic. Cook garlic on medium-low for about 1 minutes. Add tomatoes, parsley, and oregano, and cook for about 10 minutes, or until sauce thickens up. Add 3/4 cup of tomato sauce to meat and mushroom mixture and set aside.

5. In a food processor or blender, puree cottage cheese, egg white, and 1/4 cup shredded Parmesan cheese.

6. Grease a 9x13-inch baking dish and spread just enough tomato sauce to lightly cover the bottom of the dish. (About 1/2 to 3/4 cup.) Lay three lasagna noodles across bottom of pan. Then layer 1/2 each of meat and mushroom mixture, cottage cheese mixture, and a light layer of mozzarella cheese. Lay three more noodles down, and repeat meat/mushrooms, cottage cheese, and mozzarella. Lay the last three noodles down and top with remaining sauce.

7. Cover pan with aluminum foil and bake at 400 degrees for 40 minutes. Remove from oven, and top with mozzarella cheese. Bake for about 10-15 more minutes, or until cheese is melted. Remove from oven and let rest for about 10j-15 minutes to let lasagna set.

Side suggestions: Salad, garlic bread, green beans

Other suggestion: Don't let a man cut the lasagna to serve. The pieces will end up being about 4 normal serving sizes large! : )

Happy cooking!

Thanksgiving 101: It's all about the turkey

In my opinion, on of the greatest accomplishments one can do (as a cook) is to adequately prepare the Thanksgiving meal, from starters to dessert, all by yourself. I first attempted this my senior year of college. It was Thanksgiving Day. We had a football game that night. My family went to visit my dad's relatives, and I stayed at my house to prepare the meal. I did everything. Baked the turkey, made homemade cornbread dressing, made sides, baked an apple pie, everything. It took me ALL DAY LONG! But at the end of the day, it was quite delicious, and everyone enjoyed it.

So, over the course of the next few weeks, I'm going to blog about my Thanksgiving meal adventures. Many of the recipes are already on the blog from year's past, but I will post again. I hope you enjoy!

First off is the turkey, the most important part of the meal. Growing up my family typically did a fried turkey (prepared by my mother's brother), so I always thought it was intriguing to try baking one. In my lifetime, I have bakes around 4-5 turkeys. I know that doesn't seem like much, but I am still young, and baking a turkey is kind of a big deal!

Your first step in turkey baking is choosing the right bird. You need to plan for 1-2 lbs. of meat per adult, which will leave ample leftovers. I would do 1/2-1 lb. per child. We will use my family as an example for this. We have 7 adults and 2 children in my immediately family. So, I would buy a 16 lb. turkey.

Turkeys, when purchased from your local grocery, are typically frozen. The preferred way to thaw a turkey is in the refrigerator. You can submerge it in cold water, but the fridge is best. The turkey will need about 6 hours per pound to thaw, so a 16 lb. turkey will require about 3-4 days of thaw time in the fridge. Be sure to place it in a roasting pan or large plastic bowl before you place in your fridge. That way you avoid spreading any salmonella.

Now its time to prep the bird!

First, preheat the oven to 325 degrees. Remove the turkey from its plastic wrapper, and unhook/unwrap/undo the feet. (They are usually fastened together by plastic, metal, or string. BE SURE TO CLEAN OUT THE INSIDE OF THE TURKEY! You will have a giblets bag, head, neck, etc. inside. You don't want to bake that in there!!! Some people save these things, but they gross me out so they go in the trash at my house! Do what you will...

Give turkey a good rinse, and don't forget to wash your hands and antibacterialize your sink when you are done!!! (Protect from germs!!!) Then place the turkey in a large roasting pan.

Now comes the fun part! Seasoning the bird!!! I use the same herbs that are required for my cornbread dressing. So, finely chop up fresh rosemary, thyme and sage. (About 2-3 tablespoons of each) Run your hand between the skin and the meat, and then rub in between the two layers. Wash your hands really good again!!!!

Take a generous amount of olive oil , a pastry brush and brush over the skin of the bird. Generously! Then rub remaining herbs on outside of bird, along with kosher salt and crushed black pepper.

Now its time to stuff your turkey. I don't think its super sanitary to eat anything inside a turkey, so I usually just put chunks of onion, garlic, celery and bell pepper inside the cavity. Then I toss them when done baking.

The key to baking a juicy, non-dry turkey is liquid. Pour 1 can of chicken broth into bottom of roasting pan to provide moisture while cooking. You may need to add more if it evaporates out. You will need to baste the turkey once an hour by taking a large syringe or baster to draw liquid from the bottom of the pan and squirt all over and inside the turkey. If your liquid is evaporating, then pour in more chicken broth.

A lot of times people use those pop up turkey times to gauge when done. The best thing to do is get a meat thermometer. You need to bake the turkey until it reaches an internal temperature of 165 degrees Fahrenheit. Be sure to stick the thermometer in the thickest part of the thigh, and done push it through to the bone. That will affect the temp reading.

A turkey needs to bake about 1 hour per 2-3 lbs. A 16 lb. turkey will probably take about 5-6 hours. Again, it depends on the internal temp of the bird. Check it after about 4 hours in the oven, and see where you are on temp.

Once the turkey is finished, remove from oven and let it rest for about 20-30 minutes before carving. This is when I turn the project over to someone else. I mean...I'm just not fantastic with large knives. I do know you start with the breasts and work your way to the legs. Usually men are pretty good at this kind of thing...that's all I'm sayin....

Finally, you can take the juices from the bottom of the roasting pan to make some gravy. Do you know how to do that? Or do I need to explain it? I'll just let you figure that one out. Its like making any kind of gravy. : )

And there you have it folks....in 800 words or less....how to bake a turkey! Good luck! And no, you don't have to wait until Thanksgiving to try this one out!

Happy cooking!!!

The best turkey meatloaf EVER!!!!

Last night I decided to use the leftover meat I had from Saturday's cookout to make a meatloaf. It was already seasoned, and all I needed to do was a few things to make it more loafy. Turned out to be the best turkey meatloaf I have ever made! And...I make a pretty darn good turkey meatloaf! Here's what happened:

Ingredients:
**All of my measurements are estimates. I eyeball the ingredients and feel it out as I go....

1 to 1.5 lb. ground turkey
2 tbsp. Chicken Marinade (Worcestershire)
1 tbsp (or palmful) parsley flakes or 2 tbsp. freshly chopped parsley
2 tbsp chopped cilantro
1 teaspoon ground cumin
1.5 teaspoon Cavendar's Greek Seasoning
salt and pepper to taste
1 cup bread crumbs
1 teaspoon ground oregano
1 tbsp horseradish
1/2 medium yellow onion, chopped & sauteed
1/2 bell pepper, chopped & sauteed & sauteed
1/4 cup mushrooms, chopped & sauteed
2 eggs, beaten
1/2 to 1 cups shredded mozzarella
4 oz. tomato sauce

Directions:
Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Chop and saute onions, bell pepper and mushrooms. Set aside. Mix meat, all seasonings, eggs, and bread crumbs. Add sauteed vegetables and mix well.

Transfer meat to loaf pan and form into a loaf. Spread tomato sauce over meat and bake in oven for 1 hour.

Remove meatloaf from oven and top with shredded mozzarella. Bake for an additional 15 minutes.

Side suggestions: Mashed sweet or regular potatoes, salad, baked or boiled vegetables.

Leftover suggestions: Slice two thin pieces of meatloaf and microwave for 1 minutes. Throw on a slice of mozzarella cheese. Toast two pieces of bread, and spread mayo on each side. Lay on meat and have a meatloaf sandwich. Yum-o!

Trust me when I say this meatloaf was fantstico! LOVED IT!!!!

Happy cooking!

Greek-Style Stuffed Turkey Burgers

This weekend was spring homecoming at the ole alma mater. My brother and sister-in-law came to visit, and we tooled around town, grilled out, and hung at my house. The weather was beautiful, and it was a super fun Super Bulldog Weekend!

Saturday night I invited some friends over for a little homecoming cookout. I was inspired to create a new turkey burger after watching an episode of Diners, Drive-ins, and Dives on Food Network. They didn't use turkey, I don't think, but some of the same ingredients.

The family helped with the creation, and we ended up with massively large and delicious, and somewhat healthy, burgers.

Ingredients:
**All of my measurements are estimates. I eyeball the ingredients and feel it out as I go....
1.5 to 2 lb. ground turkey
2 to 4 tbsp. Chicken Marinade (Worcestershire)
3 to 4 tbsp (or palmful) parsley flakes or freshly chopped parsley
3 to 4 tbsp chopped cilantro
1/2-1 tbsp ground cumin
1/2-1 tbsp Cavendar's Greek Seasoning
salt and pepper to taste
1/2 cup bread crumbs
1/2-1 tbsp ground oregano
1 medium yellow onion, chopped
1 bell pepper, chopped
1/2 cup mushrooms, chopped
1-2 cups shredded mozzarella
EVOO

Directions:
1. Heat grill on high heat.
2. Saute onions and bell pepper in olive oil for about 5-7 minutes. Add mushrooms and saute until all vegetables are soft. (About 3-5 more minutes)
3. Mix remaining ingredients together in a large bowl.
4. Take palm size of meat mixture and form into a thin patty.
5. Spoon sauteed vegetables on top of patty and sprinkle with mozzarella.
6. Take another palm size of meat and form another patty. Place on top of patty and vegetables, and crimp size to enclose vegetables and cheese.
7. Repeat 7 more times.
8. Grill burgers for about 10-15 minutes per side, or until juice squeezes out clear.
9. Serve on whole wheat bun with tomatoes, lettuce, and condiments.

Side suggestions: Potato salad, grilled squash and zucchini, chips, baked fries, etc.
Wine pairing: Biltmore Malbec or a Syrah

I do have to admit these burgers take a little more prep time than usual, but they were SOOOO worth it! Plus, I had a sous chef, aka my brother, aka grillmaster and master chopper. He cut all of the vegetables in record time and grilled the meat. Okay, he did most of the work. I just figured out the seasonings and put it all together. We were co-chefs. And Lauren helped too. We had three cooks in the kitchen, and actually prepared it quite fast....

I, rather unfortunately, had leftover raw turkey. I bought and mixed too much, and only made 8 burgers. (I wasn't sure how much meat I needed.) So, with the leftovers I made THE MOST AMAZING TURKEY MEATLOAF EVER tonight. I'll make you wait in suspense for that recipe!

After dinner was done, we spent the evening in the backyard taking and hanging out with friends. New friends and old friends, but all great company. It was a perfect spring night, and I can't wait to have many more like it to come!

Happy cooking!

For the love of burritto...

I used to live in Texas. If you didn't know this...you should. Its a very important piece of the "who I am" puzzle that makes up me. I moved there in 2002 to attend seminary, and left in December 2008. Up until mid-2008, I was sure I would never leave. Especially the Fort Worth area. I loved that place. It was full of activity, life, and lots of great places to eat.

Shortly after moving to Texas, some friends of mine introduced me to the Chipotle burrito. Its a life-changing experience. Trust me! Whether in a bowl or in a wrap, it is a jumbled mess of goodness containing your meat of choice, black beans, cilantro-lime rice, cheese, sauted veggies, and whatever else your heart (or tummy) desires. I typically chose chicken, but their pork was wonderfully flavored as well.

When I moved to Mississippi, I discovered that the closest Chipotle was quite a drive away...in Alabama. Just like shopping...I have to hop on Highway 82 and head east to find this non-low-fat, guilty pleasure. Since moving here, I have eaten at Chipotle twice...both times in Birmingham on my way through town. Its worth the detour for me...its also across from the Galleria.

Well, in my complaints about missing Chipotle on Facebook and twitter, several friends have sent me recipes to recreate the delicious dish at home. It doesn't quite compare, but its close. Close enough to appease my cravings. Now...if I could only find the La Playa Maya cowboy enchilada recipe, or if I could import a Sushi Axiom chef into my house, then I would be set and I probably wouldn't miss Texas anymore. (Okay, that's not true. I miss more about Texas than the food...)

Sheri's Cheap Chipotle Knock-Off

Ingredients:
Cilantro-lime Rice recipe
1 bell pepper, sliced
1 small yellow onion, sliced in strips
2-3 chicken breasts or 4-5 chicken tenders, cut in small pieces
1 tbsp butter
1 can black beans
1 cup frozen corn
shredded mozzarella cheese
sour cream
salsa...
Guacamole recipe
jalapenos...to spice things up!
Burrito size flour tortillas

Side note: Would you believe that last night I went to cooking and there was no salsa in my house? GASP!!! I don't think that has ever happened to me before. I mean...salsa is like sugar, or flour, or milk. I am never without it! But last night I was. I was a little disappointed in myself.

Directions:
Make rice and guacamole according to recipes linked above.

Cut chicken and vegetables. Saute chicken in skillet for about 5 minutes, and season with fajita or taco spices. Add sliced bell pepper and butter. Saute for about 3 minutes. Add onions and continue cooking for about 3 more minutes. Add frozen corn and cook until chicken, onions and peppers are done.

Heat black beans in microwave for about 3 minutes. Warm tortillas for about 1 minute in microwave.

Assembly: Throw it all in a tortilla or a bowl. Oh....typical method is tortilla or bowl, rice, black beans, chicken and vegetables, salsa, cheese, sour cream, guacamole, jalapenos.

If you prefer your Chipotle dish as a burrito bowl, try serving a warmed tortilla as a side!

This should yield about 4 burritos/bowls, unless you are feeding hungry boys. Then maybe 1 normal size, 1 hungry boy size, and maybe some measly leftovers! : )

Healthy Springtime Meal...except for the cake part...

Last night a few of my girlfriends and I celebrated J's 29th birthday. It was quite a celebration of life...since we are getting older, much more beautiful, wiser, etc., with ever passing year. It was another perfect day in town, so we decided to dine outside in the back yard. Dinner was full of lots of laughter and conversation, and it was a great night.

Following our meal and dessert, we moved to the other side of the patio and decided to break in my fire pit. That was an adventure in itself. At first I wasn't going to use one of the 2 hour logs...who knew we had that much life to cover in our fireside chat? I first attempted to burn old bills and papers. Well, that didn't go over so well...so I got out the fire log, lit it up, and covered it with the only slightly burned papers, and sat back to enjoy the warmth.

It was a great time! I hope J enjoyed her birthday party as much as I did! I thought it was a blast. In honor of the event, I have posted the recipes for each menu item below. We will definitely have to repeat this night again soon! : )


Grilled salmon

Ingredients:
salmon (amount and size dependent on who you are cooking for)
Colorado Spice Salmon and Trout Rub (**Use your own desired seasonings. This is what I used. It contains BLACK PEPPER, SALT, BELL PEPPERS, GARLIC, ORANGE PEEL, THYME, BASIL, ONION AND SPICES 100% Kosher.)
1-3 twigs of fresh rosemary
EVOO
aluminum foil

Directions:
Create a foil pouch for fish. (Typically I lay two 1 foot to 1.5 foot pieces down and cover with an additional one at the end.) Lay salmon on foil and rub in spices. Lay rosemary on top of salmon, and lightly drizzle with olive oil. Cover fish with additional foil, and fold up sides to create a pouch. Cook on grill for about 10 minutes, flip pouch, and cook an additional 10 minutes. (Cooking time may vary on amount and thickness of the fish.)

Cilantro Lime Rice

Ingredients:
1 cup jasmine rice
2 cups water
3 tbsp butter
2 limes
2-3 tbsp cilantro, chopped
EVOO
Kosher salt, to taste

Directions:
Boil 2 cups of water. Add rice, 1 tbsp butter, a dash of olive oil (EVOO), and about 1/2 tbsp or so of Kosher salt. Bring to a boil, cover and let cook for approximately 20 minutes (or until rice is done).

Transfer rice to a bowl and add additional butter, to taste. Squeeze the juice of 2 limes over rice, and add chopped cilantro. Stir and serve!

Squash and zucchini

Ingredients:
2 yellow squash
2 zucchini
2 tbsp butter
salt, pepper and Cajun seasoning, to taste

Directions:
Slice squash and zucchini in rounds of about 1/8-1/4 an inch. Cover with water and bring to a boil. Add butter and seasonings. Reduce heat to medium and continue boiling for about 10 minutes, or until soft.

Spinach Strawberry Salad

Ingredients:
4-6 oz. fresh baby spinach
6-10 strawberries, sliced
shaved Parmesan cheese
Poppy seed dressing

Directions:
Add spinach in bowl. Top with strawberries and cheese. You can add the dressing and toss...or...to keep the leaves fresh and crisp, let each individual dress their own salad.

**Also good with chopped walnuts and/or sunflower seeds.

Chocolate Chip Pound Cake

Another version can be found here.

Ingredients:
1 box yellow cake mix
¾ cup oil
¾ cup water
4 eggs
1 box instant chocolate pudding
8 oz. pkg. chocolate chips
1/2 tub chocolate icing
powdered sugar for dusting

Directions:
Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Mix together cake mix, oil, water, eggs and pudding. Once smooth, fold in chocolate chips. Pour into greased/floured bundt pan. Bake at 350 for 50-70 minutes, depending on how quickly your oven cooks. (Look for the cake to spring back when you gently touch it, and for it to begin pulling away from the sides of the pan.

Remove cake from oven and allow to cool for 15-20 minutes. Transfer cake to plate or cake stand and let cool for about an hour.

Spoon out about 1/2 of a tub/jar of chocolate icing into a microwavable cup or bowl. Heat for about 20-30 seconds. (Be careful not to burn it though!) Remove from microwave, stir chocolate, and drizzle with spoon or spatula over cake. If desired, put about 1 tbsp of powered sugar in a strainer, and lightly tap/dust top of cake.

HAPPY COOKING!

Turkey Cheesy Peppery Sausage Dawgs

Today was one of those perfect spring days. It was warm, absolutely beautiful, and I spent the entire day outside enjoying God's creation. Sure...I spent it laboring in my yard with my "remodel" project. But...it was a perfect day.

On perfect days like this, I love to cook and eat outside. So, tonight, I decided to fire up the ole grill and cook some hot dogs. It was the....perfect...way to end a....perfect....spring day!

Ingredients:
Johnsonville Turkey Cheddar Hot dogs
1 bell pepper, sliced
1/2 medium onion, sliced
1/4 cup mushrooms, sliced
hot dog buns
salt and pepper, to taste


Directions:
Preheat grill. Cook hot dogs for about 10-15 minutes, rotating every few minutes. Saute bell pepper for about 2-3 minutes, add onion and saute about 3 more minutes. Add mushrooms (which are sliced and then slivered) and sprinkle with salt and pepper. Cook until soft.

I like to toast my hot dog buns on the grill or in the oven before eating them. Takes about 2-3 minutes on each side.

Dress hot dog bun with desired condiments. Add hot dog and then top with vegetable mix. Eat and enjoy!

Side Suggestions - If you want to go healthy, salad. Or...sauteed or grilled squash and zucchini. Or you can serve baked french fries, cole slaw, baked beans, chips, etc.

Drink - Skip the wine! Go for a light ale! Or sweet tea! : )

Homemade Hot Pepperoni Pizza

Several years ago I quit buying fast food pizza and frozen pizza. There wasn't a rhyme or reason to my decision, but I discovered I could make a cheaper, healthier and more customizable edition at home. For a while, I used store bought, pre-made crusts. However, in the last year or so, I have ventured into the homemade crust realm.

My first few homemade crusts were a bomb. (Not THE bomb. A bomb. Epic fail.) I mean, they didn't taste bad...they just didn't flatten out correctly or have a good consistency. But...then I discovered the cook book "Artisan Bread in Five Minutes a Day." This completely changed my homemade pizza making abilities. Since adding this cookbook to my collection, I now keep fresh dough in my refrigerator almost all of the time. That means, whenever I want a homemade pizza, I just have to grab some dough, roll it out, and add toppings. Easy peasy!

Now, out of respect for the authors (who are very kind and always respond to my twitter messages), I am not going to post the recipe I used for my light whole wheat crust last night. Its in the chapter about peasant loafs, for those that check out the book. But...my friend Kim sent me a recipe for pizza dough a while back, and you can definitely use this for your crust.

However...I will say...the bread cookbook is worth it! Seriously! And apparently they just put out a new cookbook on pizzas and flatbreads. I may have to check that one out too! If you want to know the original recipe I used, I will be happy to email it to you. I just don't want to post it online.

Here's the pizza I made last night:

Ingredients:
Approximately 1 lb. homemade pizza dough
1 roma tomato, chopped (or tomato of choice)
1 small can tomato sauce
5-6 thinly sliced pieces of deli pepperoni (I bought this last week for muffulettas. They were sandwich size slices, but turned out well on the pizza)
jalapenos
shredded cheese of choice (mozzarella, Colby, Monterey jack, the pizza blend packet you buy at the store, etc.)
EVOO

Directions:
1. Preheat oven to 550 degrees. (I actually set mine on 525 last night, but probably needed to go to 550.)
2. Flour pastry board or other flat surface. Roll out pizza dough to approximately 1/8 inch.
3. Transfer crust to greased pizza or cookie sheet. Spread a thin layer of EVOO (olive oil) on the crust and sprinkle with Italian seasoning.
4. Spread desired amount of tomato sauce on crust. Add a thin layer of chopped tomatoes, if desired. (I like the extra texture.)
5. Layer remaining ingredients - cheese, pepperoni, jalapenos, or whatever you choose.
6. Bake in over for approximately 12-15 minutes, or until edges of crust are firm.
7. Slice and serve! Makes approximately 8 slices.

Sides - When I make a pizza just for myself, I usually don't have a side. However, if you are making for someone else or your family, salad is always good to serve with pizza.

Wine suggestion - Had a glass of Guenoc Petit Syrah with my pizza last night. It was yum-o!

Mmmmmm.....muffuletta!!!

This weekend my family and I are making a trip down south to "the big easy." For those not familiar with that term (or this part of the country), I'm referring to non-other than the ultimate party city, New Orleans. Let me put to rest your wild imagination though. We aren't going to New Orleans to party. I mean, come on! I'm going with my mom! However, there will be much reveling (not revealing), and much devouring (not debauchery) taking place!

This trip is kind of a big deal to me! I haven't been to New Orleans in nearly 10 years....which is so weird for me to say. Growing up we visited the city quite a bit. My dad lived in New Orleans in his young adulthood, and has always loved the city. In fact, one of my favorite memories was a spontaneous trip that we took when I was around 10-12. My parents just up and decided to take us to Nola for the weekend, and when we arrived late that Friday night, my dad took us on an adventure walking the city instead of making us go to sleep. It was fantastic!

However, New Orleans was never really an important or appealing city to me as a child. Yes, I enjoyed visiting. They have a great aquarium and zoo! But it was never one of those places that I truly loved to visit. Probably because the city is kinda dirty. Like Paris. (Paris doesn't really appeal to me either. At least, it didn't when I visited.) And most people go to New Orleans to make fools of themselves and lost all of their inhibitions. I like my inhibitions just as they are.

Needless to say, New Orleans is very unique. The city is rich with history that not only has affected the South of today, but also our entire country. And besides a culture of gypsy lined streets, voodoo, magic and superstition, New Orleans is also a city full of culinary wonderfulness! If you have never had a coffee and beignets at Cafe Du Mond, a shrimp poboy from Cafe Masperos or a muffuletta from Central Grocery, then you probably have never really lived. Seriously. New Orleans has fantastic food! Food I fully intend to explore and sample during my three mini-break.

In honor of my trip down south, I would wanted to post a recipe for muffulettas. I haven't always been a fan of this massive sandwich, probably because I'm not such a huge fan of salami and other such meats. But the one time I have made this sandwich, it was completely to die for!

I have to admit that my recipe is part what I have found online and part what I can remember from making this nearly 2 years ago. I was "taught" by...well...let's just say some random person's mom. And I didn't write it down. And I can't remember it exactly step-by-step. But, from reading several different recipes online, here's what I can put together.

**Special Note: Many of these ingredients aren't always found at a regular grocery. You may need to find a specialty store (like Central Market in Texas or Fresh Market in central MS). You can also find these at a local butcher or meat market.

Ingredients:
10-15-inch loaf of Italian bread (which I can totally new bake on my own with my new cookbook)
1 jar of Olive Salad (if you can't find it, make it)
4 oz. sliced mozzarella cheese
4 oz. sliced provolone cheese
4 oz. thinly sliced cappocolo or prosciuto
4 oz. thinly sliced Genoa salami
4 oz. thinly sliced mortadella (I prefer with olives.)
4 oz. thinly sliced pepperoni or a peppered salami
Extra Virgin Olive Oil

Directions:
Preheat the oven to 375 degrees.

Slice loaf of bread in half, horizontally. Spread thin layer of olive oil on each side of the bread, then spread a generous layer or olive salad on each half.

Layer the mozzarella over the olive salad on the bottom half of the loaf, and then layer with meats (in no particular order). Next, cover the top half of the bread with the provolone, and place on top of the bottom half to make a sandwich.

Wrap the sandwich in foil and bake at 375 degrees until the sandwich is hot and the cheese has melted. It should take about 15-20 minutes.

Unwrap sandwich and slice in wedges, like a pie. This recipe will make 4 extremely large servings or 6-8 smaller sandwiches. Serve with chips and Abita beer. : )

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If you can't make it down to New Orleans, have a taste of it in your own home! But I recommend going at least once in your life!

Happy Cooking!

Tools of the Trade Tuesday: Good knives make good quesadillas

I will cut you!

Not really though. It was a joke.

Not so long ago, I came home from work one day to discover a package on my doorstep. I didn't order anything. I had no idea what it was. It was from cooking.com. Ooooohhh....something my mom must have ordered for me. Yippee! I love presents, especially when they are unexpected and super especially if they are for my kitchen. I ripped open the box and low and behold, it was a new set of knives.

Was this a joke? Or a hint?

Back story...I used to live with someone who once forbid me to cut things. Not for some domineering "you can't cut things" reason, but for my own safety. I haven't always been so good with the knives. Its a process and I'm still learning. But at one point in my culinary adolescence I was really, really bad with knives.

Not so much anymore. I'm actually getting faster with my chopping and cutting, especially when I use my new super awesome knives my mom gave me. The set she sent was a trio of Rachael Ray Furi knives. I had always wanted some of these knives, but don't think I ever told mom that. And I don't think my mom actually knew how crappy my knives were. I think she just ran across the item and thought I could use them.

Oh, could I!

These are incredibly awesome knives. Seriously. Incredible! The shape of the handle, rubber grip, and blade all work so well together. In fact, they have increased my cutting ability by 40% probably! Okay, so I'm just making that up, but they really do help me cut, chop, slice and dice better. I can even manage onions with these knives since I am able to cut them faster than with an ordinary, dull blade!

Maybe that's saying something about my knife collection though. I think they all need to be sharpened, with the exception of my new Rachael Ray knives. I don't know how to do that though.

I never thought investing in high-end cutlery was a big deal until I actually owned a nice set of knives. But if you do a lot of cooking, like myself, having a good quality knife set is important.

These knives are great. I recommend them to you. That's why they are on my blog. I will also share a recipe that I made last night with the help of these great knives.

Shrimp Quesadillas

Ingredients:
1 bell pepper, thinly sliced (with awesome Rachael Ray knives)
1/2 medium onion, sliced
1 cup (or so) of medium peeled shrimp (I buy frozen from the grocery. You just thaw and pull off the tails.)
1 tbsp butter or margarine
Extra virgin olive oil
1 tsp. each of Ground cumin & Chili powder(Or fajita or taco seasoning)
shredded Monterey Jack
flour tortilla shells (burrito size)

Directions: Thinly slice the bell pepper and onion in strips. Add to skillet and heat on medium high with olive oil. Cook until tender (about 4-5 minutes). Add shrimp and butter to skillet. Season with desired amount of cumin and chili powder (or taco/fajita seasoning if that's what you have). Cook for an additional 4-5 minutes, but be careful to not overcook/burn the vegetables.

Lay tortilla on plate and cover with desired amount of cheese. (I use a lot!) Add shrimp and vegetable mixture on top. Fold tortilla in half, and return to skillet. Cook on medium high for about 3 minutes. Flip tortilla to other side and cook for an additional 3 minutes or so. (Just until the cheese is melted.)

Top with guacamole, sour cream, pica de gallo, salsa, etc. Serve with rice and beans or chips and salsa. Makes about 2 servings.

Thank you Rachael Ray, and whoever really designed those knives, for helping me be a better cook!

Happy cooking!

Just another manic Monday...

It's just another manic Monday
I wish it was Sunday
'Cause that's my funday
My I don't have to runday
It's just another manic Monday

Around 10:00 this morning I called my brother to see where he was. Running late, which isn't atypical for any normal individual on a Monday morning. But, due to his tardiness, he couldn't stop by my house on his way through town. That meant he was planning to come over later in the evening to remedy my toilet flushing issues. (Don't worry, they are manufacture issues, not installation. Which is good being that the installer works for my father and brother. I can't complain about faulty plumbing parts, though, since I am getting them for free.)

N-E-WAY...(to revert back to my 7th grade note passing references)...

Being the wonderful, caring sister and true Southern Belle that I am, what do I do? I offer dinner to Joe the Plumber in exchange for his services. I mean, I think I'm the one getting off with the better end of the deal. Free plumbing work for an easy to prepare and mostly cheap meal that I get to enjoy as well! (I'm not telling my brother that his work is just an excuse for me to fix one of my ALL TIME FAVORITE Southern meals. He doesn't need to know the selfishness behind my dinner offering! He'll never know. He doesn't read my blog. Wife of the brother...don't tell him if you read this!)

But back to the Manic Monday...Can you tell I am totally off focus today?...Since I found out mid-morning that my brother was coming over for dinner instead of while I was at work, I needed a fast and easy meal that I could fix on my lunch break. So, pot roast came to mind. (Maybe because I think subconsciously it was suggested by another co-worker in passing.)

Lunch time came round and I made a mad dash to the market. In less than 10 minutes I grabbed a decent roast, carrots and potatoes. I had everything else I needed already at home. Then I whipped home (since I basically live across the street from the grocery) and began throwing the dinner in the crock pot. I had it done in about 15 minutes, literally. AND...I had time to make my turkey and tomato panini for lunch, sit down and eat my lunch, and whip up a batch of dough for homemade bread that will hopefully be ready to bake for dinner tonight. I did that in about an hour and 5 minutes. Seriously. And in high heels and a dress, since it was the middle of my work day.

I really can't brag about my quick dinner preparation though. I mean, crock pot roast is one of the easiest meals to make EVER! And there's really not a set recipe or science to perfecting it. It really is just throwing a bunch of stuff in a pot and letting it cook all day. But here's what I typically do:

Ingredients:
1 roast (Size - Depends on your amount of guests. Type - rump roast, eye of round roast, chuck roast, etc. Whatever you prefer. I don't have a fave, but I chose an eye of round today)
1/2 to 1 onion sliced in rings and then halved
1 small bag of mini peeled carrots (That you can just dump in. So easy!)
Potatoes (Amount - Depends on guests. Type - Today I took baby gold potatoes that I could wash and dump in. I needed something fast. Normally I quarter new potatoes or chunk russets.)
Some type of liquid** (see seasonings)

Seasonings:
This is where you can be creative.
Tony Chachere's - Since my brother likes to sweat when he eats, I took the Cajun spice route. I rubbed a bunch of Tony's on the roast. This is a very Southern way of cooking. We love Tony's on EVERYTHING though!
Worcestershire - Before rubbing on the dry seasoning, I gave the roast a good douse of Worcestershire sauce. I can't get enough of this stuff on my red meats or homemade chex mix.
** Liquid - Most people use water. Some people use Coke, and I think that's weird. Though, I have never tried it to see if it tastes good or not. I typically take a dry soup package (like french onion or onion mushroom), mix it in a big glass of hot tap water, and pour it over the roast. I like my roast to be nearly covered in liquid to keep it really moist and juicy. Also, be sure the vegetables you are cooking with it are submerged in the liquid because otherwise they don't always cook so well.

Directions: Throw everything in a crock pot and cook on high for about 4-5 hours or low for 8-10 hours. Its's THAT easy! Seriously! Though, if you want step by step instructions, here's what I do...

1. Rinse roast and place in crock pot. Douse with Worcestershire and/or Dale's. Sprinkle with dry seasonings (salt, pepper, Tony's, etc.)
2. Dump in potatoes, carrots and sliced onions and position around roast.
3. Pour in liquid of choice, but avoid pouring directly over the roast. (It will wash away the dry ingredients you already put on it.)
4. Set your crock pot to low if cooking for 8-10 hours. OR...set it to high if you are cooking for 4-6 hours. If you have enough liquid in it, it will not get dry.
5. Cover crock pot with lid, and go on with your life. The dinner will cook itself!

Pot Roast Gravy

One of the keys to having the most impressive pot roast ever is the type of gravy you provide. You can't just buy a packet of that brown gravy mix and expect to wow your guests. You need to make your own. Here's how my dad taught me. Though first, I do have to admit that sometimes even the best cooks end up with lumpy gravy. It's just a part of life, and I think good gravy takes years to perfect. But here's my method, and it never fails to taste fantastic!

Ingredients:
1-2 tablespoons of oil
2-3 tablespoons of all purpose flour
salt and pepper to taste
1 large glass of pot roast juice (just scoop it straight out of the crock pot)

Directions: In a medium sized skillet, heat oil with salt and pepper on medium heat. When oil starts to bubble, slowly add flour and whisk immediately. Continue whisking flour and oil until you have a consistent and thick mixture. Slowly, but consistently, add liquid and continually whisk to avoid clumps. You will need to eyeball how much liquid to add depending on the amount and thickness you desire for your gravy. However, as it continues to heat on the stove, it will thicken up a bit. Cut heat down to low and continue stirring gravy until all ingredients are mixed well.

Be sure to taste it before you serve it to make sure it has enough flavor. You can always add Liquid Smoke or Worcestershire for flavor, as well as salt and pepper. But I recommend doing in small increments to avoid over-flavoring.

If you have any lumps in your gravy, then simply strain it into a gravy boat or bowl before serving. No one will ever know! (That is, of course, unless they saw you straining it!)

The gravy is good poured over the entire plate of meat, potatoes, carrots, and everything! TRUST ME! Gravy makes the dish!

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Pot roast really is an easy dish to make. It probably was one of the first things I learned how to cook when I was a kid, and a staple for Sunday afternoon lunches. It was so easy for my mom to prepare everything in a crock pot and let it cool while we went to church. I don't make it much for myself, though, since I'm used to cooking just for one. Though, I think after today I need to change my philosophy on that! I can always freeze some of the leftover meat for later! : )

Happy cooking!

BBQ Bonanza - Pulled Pork Sammies

I'm always trying to come up with new recipes to try for my family when they come up for football games. This week I was craving bbq, so I decided to try making it from home for the first time. It ended up being really simple, cheap and a definite crowd pleaser. I took the long route with cooking it, though, and let the meat slow cook over night in the crock pot. But, it can be done faster if you desire. However, I think patience paid off with this dish!

Ingredients:
1 pork tenderloin
1 bottle of bbq sauce (Or 1 1/2...Pick your favorite flavor)
Optional: onion and bell pepper
hamburger buns (I used wheat.)
Yield: 1 lb. pork tenderloin made about 10 small sandwiches

Directions:
Place pork tenderloin in crock pot. Cover with half of your BBQ sauce. (Or full bottle depending on how much liquid you need.) Cook on low for 8-10 hours or on high for 4-5 hours. Remove bbq from crock pot and place on plate or in a baking dish. Take two forks and begin to shred the tenderloin. Now you can either return the shredded pork to the crock pot and the bbq sauce that is in there, or you can pour that sauce or new sauce on the pork in a baking dish.

I cooked my tenderloin all night long, and then put it in the fridge until lunch time. I pulled it out of the fridge and heated it with more bbq sauce in the oven at 350 for about 15-20 minutes. Depending on when you are cooking/serving, you can decide on what method works best for you.

Side note: I think it would be really delicious to add chopped bell pepper and onion to this recipe. I intended to do that, but forgot. I am definitely trying that next time.

After your bbq is finished cooking, then just slap it on a bun and you're done. The meat takes a while to cook, but its very low maintenance. Like i said, I cooked it overnight, so I just popped it in the crock pot and went to bed. Its a very low maintenance meal.

Side Suggestions: I made some homemade coleslaw and baked french fries. It would be great with potato salad or just some chips. Also, I provided mustard, sliced onion and jalapenos to dress the sandwiches. Quite yummy!

Que sera....quesadilla

Yesterday I tweeted that I was going to try out an alternate version of a recipe that was in one of Rachael Ray's recent magazines. I love reading her magazine and figuring out my own take on her dishes. She included a recipe called Quesadilla Casserole that sounded pretty AMAZING, so I finally gave it a whirl last night.

I took the basic ingredients and the method and created my own version. If you are vegetarian, you can stick to Rachael's version. However, I was craving a little beef last night. (*gasp*....I rarely eat beef, I know. But ground turkey just wasn't going to cut it for me last night.) Anyway....I also had half a bell pepper left over from Sunday night's fajita fiesta, so I just decided to follow Rachael's steps, but incorporate my own ingredients. Here we go:

Ingredients:

1/2 bell pepper, chopped

1/2 onion, chopped

1/2 lb. ground beef or turkey

4 oz. can of green chiles

1 can drained black beans

1 cup frozen corn

shredded cheese

5 tortillas (I used fajita size? The medium ones between the small taco and large burrito kind.)

Directions:

• Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Brown meat with onions, bell pepper and olive oil in skillet. Flavor meat with chile powder and ground cumin to taste. (Or taco season if you have one of those packets. I just use my own ingredients.) If needed, drain off any excess liquid/fat after meat is cooked. Add green chiles, corn and black beans to meat and cook for about 5 minutes. Set aside.
• Place one tortilla shell in bottom of pie plate or other round oven pan. Spread thin layer of meat mixture over tortilla and sprinkle shredded cheese over layer. Add another tortilla shell and repeat layers unti you run out of meat. For the top layer, you can use either meat or a tortilla. I used a tortilla.
• Heat in oven for about 20 minutes. If top tortilla starts getting too brown, cover with foil. Remove from oven and slice and serve like pie pieces. Top with sour cream, salsa, jalepenos, or whatever you desire!

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In the end, this was a pretty great dish! I'm sure Rachael's version is just as good, if not better than mine, but mine was pretty darn good! As far as my side suggestions, this is a pretty harty meal on its own, so I didn't have any sides. But...I did snack on tortilla chips while I was cooking, so I would suggest serving with chips and salsa!

Happy cooking!!!!

Never underestimate the bottom-of-the-barrel food!

Sometimes I think my best dishes are the ones where I have to get really creative. I once made a calzone with random leftovers that needed to be cooked or thrown out. I also put an exotic spin on mac-n-cheese with the limited ingredients I had at the time. And on SEVERAL occasions I have made up different pasta dishes because of a lack of choices in my house.

Tonight was one of those times when I was just running out of options. I have been putting off a trip to the grocery because I like to cook what I have before making a big run for food. Tonight things were looking pretty sad. But, on a whim, I decided to go Chinese with my limited resources. The result....an EXTREMELY delicious meal! Here's how it went:

Last minute stir fry

Ingredients:
1 small chicken breast
1-1.5 cups of mixed vegetables (the leftovers I had in the fridge were corn, carrots & asparagus)
1 pack of Uncle Ben's Ready Rice - Jasmine
lite soy sauce
salt & pepper
EVOO

Directions:
Chop chicken breast in small pieces. Cook halfway through in about 1 tablespoon of EVOO. Add desired amount of soy sauce. (At first, probably about 1.5 tablespoons.) Cook chicken thoroughly. Add vegetables and more soy sauce. (If vegetables are frozen, you will probably want to add them earlier or cook separately. Mine were leftovers in the fridge.) Season to taste with salt and pepper. For the rice, the Uncle Ben's Ready Rice is microwaved for 90 seconds. Pretty easy! Empty rice on plate and top with stir fry.

Side Suggestion: I had two small egg rolls in the freezer that I baked. You don't necessarily have to have a side with this though.

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This dish was simple, fast, and really delicious. The only seasoning it had was lite soy sauce, with a little salt and pepper. And though I didn't have traditional stir fry vegetables, what was left in my fridge worked very well. It never hurts to experiment every once in a while. You never know what you are going to end up with! Could be the best thing you ever made!

Happy cooking!

Homemade Whole Wheat Pizza Crust

A special thanks to my friend Kim for posting this on her blog. She made this dough with her one-year-old as a bonding experience. I think that's a great idea to get kids into cooking. I love when Will helps out!

I am definitely going to try this next time I need pizza dough. I bought a pre-made crust yesterday for my at home pizzas. Its okay, but I would prefer whole wheat.

Are we in need for another blog-a-thon? What's your favorite homemade pizza?

Momma Hopper’s Homemade Whole Wheat Pizza Crust (Dough)

Ingredients:
2 1/4 tsp. active dry yeast
2 tsp. brown sugar
1 1/2 c. warm water (80-110 degrees F)
1 tsp. salt
2 Tbl. olive oil
1 1/4 c. all-purpose whole wheat flour
1 1/4 c. all-purpose flour
Italian Seasoning
Yellow Cornmeal
Olive Oil
Parmesan Cheese
Yield: Enough dough for 2 large pizza’s.

Directions:
1. In a large bowl, dissolve brown sugar and yeast in warm water. Let set for 10 minutes.

2. Stir salt and olive oil into yeast solution. Mix in 2 1/2 cups of flour (half of this amount should be whole wheat, and half should be white) until well blended. Add in more flour until dough is no longer sticky and easy to work with. (You may not need all 3 1/2 cups or you may need much more than that amount–it depends of the weather!)

3. Knead dough with hands for about 10 minutes, or until dough is smooth and soft. Add more flour to dough as necessary.

4. Place dough ball in a well oiled bowl and cover with a cloth. Set the bowl in a warm location to let the dough rise until double in size (about 1 hour).

5. After 1 hour, punch down dough and divide into two tight balls. Allow to rest for one minute. Preheat oven to 425 degrees F.

6. Roll dough out onto a floured surface. Sprinkle pizza crust with Italian seasoning. If using a pizza stone, lightly dust top of stone with flour and cornmeal. Place dough on stone and brush outer edge (where the crust will be) with olive oil and sprinkle with parmesan cheese. Poke inner (non-crust) area with a fork to create air holes. Bake crust on lowest rack in oven for approximately 5-10 minutes (depending on thickness) just until lightly browned. Remove from oven to add toppings.

Side note from Kim: You may wonder why not 100% whole wheat…the dough can tend to taste rather grainy, which is also why I think my mom would add a little brown sugar when dissolving the yeast…to help give a little sweetness to the whole wheat. I have done this using only whole wheat only, but I personally prefer doing 1/2 white flour and 1/2 whole wheat flour.



PS - This dude is my pizza inspiration...and I kinda have a crush on him. He's got mad skillz!