Bite The Ham That Feeds You

Ham, glorious ham.  You make a ham and then the challenge is on.  What to do with all the ham leftovers?  Usually this comes up at Easter, but I like to make ham all times of the year.  Mainly because I like the challenge of what to do with the leftovers.  I have a few main recipes, that I always go to, but I was looking for another idea.  Ideas of mine, are not always good, but when it comes to food, it's a pretty safe bet.

We'll call this one Ham and Swiss Casserole.  Sounds delightful, doesn't it?

Ingredients:

• 8 green onions
• 2 tbsp butter
• 1 cup chicken stock
• 2-3 tbsp thickening agent (cornstarch, flour or potato starch)
• 1 cup cream
• 1 cup milk
• 3/4 cup sour cream
• 3-4 cups leftover ham
• 1 one lb bag of egg noodles
• 2 cups Swiss cheese
• Panko bread crumbs
• Salt and pepper to taste

Directions:

Sauté 2 green onions in the butter, add some salt and pepper. Mix your thickening agent in the cup of chicken stock and mix well, works great in a shaker. Add the thickening mixture, milk and cream to the onions and whisk until thickened and creamy. Add more, milk or water if you need to thin it more. If you have leftover juice from making the ham, it would be really tasty to use that. Add the sour cream whisk it in. Chop 3 more green onions and add them to the mixture and 1 cup of the Swiss cheese. Continue to whisk until the cheese is melted and then add the ham. Boil noodles until they are cooked only half way. Add the noodles to the ham and cheese mixture, stir until all noodles are coated and pour into a 9x13 pan. Cover with the remaining cup of Swiss cheese and the remaining 3 sliced green onions. Top with a generous coating of Panko bread crumbs and bake! 350° until the mixture is bubbly and the Panko is starting to brown. Enjoy!

Low fat, not so much.  Delicious yes.  Enjoy in moderation, or just eat the whole pan.  Your choice :)

Getting Sconed

Your mother warned you.  "All it takes is one time, and you'll be hooked", she proclaimed.  "It's the company you keep", she preached.  "Even if you are an innocent bystander, you will be guilty by association", she ranted.  Oh yeah, we have all been there.  Some of us listened, some of us pretended to listen and some of us didn't listen at all.  You know who you are.

Scones.  Warm, buttery, delightful.  Drawing you in.  Just one bite won't hurt.  Or will it?  Hooked, just like mother warned.

This morning I made scones.  My niece spent the night and I wanted something special for her.  Scones it is!  I have been making this recipe for years and have not found a need to look any further.  Perfection.  I love recipes that, when you taste the finished product, appear to be super difficult-because anything that tasty, must be really hard to make.  This is one of those recipes.  Big WOW factor.

Take 2 cups flour, 1 tablespoon baking powder, 1/2 teaspoon salt and 4 tablespoons sugar and stir it up.  Cut in 5 tablespoons of cold, unsalted butter until it resembles coarse crumbs.  Make a well in the center of the mixture and add 1 cup heavy cream.  Mix gently until it starts to come together.  Gently mix in 1 cup of berries of your choice.  Blueberries, mixed berries, fresh or frozen are fine.  Take your ball of dough, with the berries incorporated and place on a well floured counter and roll or press into about a 10" to 12" circle.  Cut the circle into equal triangles and place them on parchment lined pan.  Bake at 400 degrees for 15-20 minutes.  Sometimes I make a powdered sugar glaze to drizzle over the top and sometimes I eat them without, and sometimes I just eat them all before anyone wakes up.  After all, I made them.

So, if you are looking to satisfy the rebel in you, give these bad boys a try.  I promise you will be hooked.  Don't say I didn't warn you.

When Life Gives You Lemons, Preserve Them

Eight years ago, Scott and I were installing cabinets at a home.  I couldn't help but notice, a huge jar of beautiful yellow lemons.  I inquired about them and was educated on the process of preserving lemons.  For years the couple taught school in Morocco, where preserved lemons are a staple in Moroccan cooking.  The vision of those lemons, stayed on my mind and I knew someday I would have to try it myself.

That day has come.  And what a treat!  Two very simple ingredients and a little patience and you can make magic too.  Start with organic lemons, because you will, in the end, be eating the entire lemon, so you want them to chemical free (no radioactive lemons please).  I started with four organic lemons to a 1 liter jar.  Start by slicing off the top and bottom of each lemon, just enough to flatten each end.  You don't have to slice deep into the flesh.  Then set your lemon on one of those flat spots and slice down the center to the bottom, but don't slice all the way through, leave it together by a 1/2" inch or more.  Then make another slice just like that one, so the top view is forming an X, or four equal quadrants, again not slicing all the way through.  Next take sea salt and generously pour the salt into the cuts you just made.  Squish and pack lots of the salt into the lemon flesh.  Do this over a bowl, so you can work easier, but still reserve any salt or juice.  After the lemon is well packed with salt, add it to the jar and continue the process with all of the lemons.  Have a few extra lemons on hand to juice into the packed jar, if more liquid is needed to top it off.  The lemons should be submerged in salt and juice. Leave this lovely mixture sit on the counter at room temp, and once a day smash on them a bit and turn the jar upside down a few times.  You will do this for 6 weeks.  If you start to loose juice, just add some more, you want your lemons to remain covered.  As you care for your lemons, you will notice something beautiful taking place.  Your lemons will take on a softness and the juice they are bathing in, will become a lovely syrup.  

After the transformation, to something beautiful, they are ready to use.  I have found some recipes to use these beauties in, but have yet to try them.  I will have to get back to you on those, but what I can report, is wonderful.  We have been grilling chicken lately in the rotisserie basket Scott got for Father's Day.  Marinating chicken legs in a mixture of finely diced preserved lemons, fresh cracked pepper, fresh thyme, and a little olive oil.  No need to use salt, the lemons add enough saltiness on their own.  The salty, citrus flavor pierces the chicken and favors it wonderfully.  If you are the type of person that peels the skin off your chicken, because you don't eat the skin, with this dish you would only pull the skin off to save it for dessert.  And I'm not even joking.  So yummy.  Last night we did a whole organic chicken on the rotisserie.  I diced up a quarter of a preserved lemon, some fresh thyme and fresh cracked pepper.  I slid my hand between the breast meat and skin on the chicken and smeared this delicious mixture between the two.  Fabulous!

These lemons have become a staple in our house and if you give them a chance, I'm guessing you will love them too.....

Not Your Mama's

I have this potato salad I whip up regularly.  It's really yummy.  I talk about it in an earlier post (A Potato Salad Kinda Day).  It's a good ol' stand-by and nothin' like the kind you get at the deli counter.  I decided to mix it up a bit and forge into new territory.  How about Bacon Ranch Potato Salad?  Oh yeah, Bacon Ranch it is.  Boil up a couple pounds of red potatoes, in generously salted water.  While the spuds are cooling make up the creamy dressing.  2/3 cups mayo, 1/4 cup buttermilk, 2 Tablespoons cider vinegar, one finely chopped clove of garlic, 2 chopped scallions, 1 teaspoon of sugar and salt and pepper to taste.  Chop up 1/2 -1 cup celery, add to the boiled potatoes and toss in the dressing.  To top it all off, add 6 slices of crispy fried bacon.  Yummy.  Not the norm, but could easily become the norm.  Definitely not your mama's potato salad, but definitely sure to please.

Can You Hear Me Now?

Orecchiette.  Little ear.  A pasta from Southern Italy, in Italian it means 'Little Ear'.  Isn't that cute.  Pasta shaped like little ears.  Listen up.  We really are not here to talk about how "cute" this pasta is.  We are talkin' about how tasty this pasta is.  We needed a quick meal and I only took the chicken out of the freezer at 4 PM.  My Scottie, after a partial defrost, charcoal grilled up some boneless, skinless chicken breasts.  He seasoned them with only lemon pepper and garlic salt.  Grilled them so they were still really juicy inside.  I whipped up a quick pan sauce.  I thinly sliced up three green onions (greens and whites), chopped three cloves garlic and added to my pan with some olive oil.  Sauteed a bit, added some Kosher salt, fresh cracked pepper and a generous sprinkling of red pepper flakes.  I then made a mixture of 1 1/4 cups cream, one egg yolk and the zest of one lemon.  I brought the pan temp down a bit and whisked this mixture into the onion mixture, let it thicken up some and added about 1/4 cup sour cream (just because I wanted to use it up) and 1/4 cup shaved parmesan cheese.  I cooked up the Orecchiette to al dente and added it to the creamalicious sauce, tossed in the grilled chicken, garnished with fresh chopped Italian parsley and more parmesan cheese and there you have it.  Little ears with Scottie grilled chicken in a creamalicious sauce.  Yummy.  Everyone loved it.  Your family will love it too.  Thanks for listening.

Hoochie Mama

Yowzers.  Might not the prettiest thing, but very good.  Very, very good.  The kinda good that keeps ya coming back for more.  Taco burgers tonight.  On Saturday I made fresh guacamole.  It was screaming to be slathered on something other than chips.  How about a burger?  I took 2 1/2 pounds of ground beef and added a packet of taco seasoning.  Made some patties that Scott charcoal grilled to perfection and I'm just getting started.  I made homemade cracked wheat burger buns, added the grilled burger with melted pepper jack cheese, topped it off with homemade guacamole, sour cream and a few Doritos, and you got yourself one yummy meal.  You could add some taco sauce, black olives or salsa too.  Depends on how high you want to stack it.  Sure to please.  Everyone loved it.  If you are licking the screen right now, I know you would love it too.

Shell Or No Shell, That Is The Question

Actually the answer to the question, lies within.  So I made this really simple and delicious meal last night.  Four different components to this meal.  I like meals that are just simple, basic ingredients, good for you, balanced and yet it feels like you are in a fancy restaurant.  Grilled shell-on shrimp, grilled fresh pineapple slices, grilled fresh green beans and garlic buttered bow tie pasta with fresh basil, parsley and shaved Parmesan cheese.  When I say "grilled", I really mean "wood fire grilled to perfection".  I tossed the shrimp in olive oil, lemon pepper, Old Bay seasoning and Kosher salt.  Sliced up one whole pineapple and grilled them in the buff.  Whole green beans with Kosher salt, fresh cracked pepper, Trader Joe's 21 Seasoning Salute and a drizzle of olive oil.  Boiled up the pasta and tossed it in a pan with butter and fresh garlic and just before serving I tossed in the chopped fresh basil and Italian parsley and topped it all off with shaved Parmesan.  So, back to the question...I have never made shrimp with the shell-on.  I always buy it raw, but never with the shell-on.  The fish dude behind the counter was talking to us about "the shell is where the flavor is".  I must agree with the fish dude.  He knows what he is talking about.  There was a distinct difference between shell-on and shell-off shrimp.  Super easy to peel the shells off and it keeps the shrimp from drying out.  Yummy, all the food groups, and smiles on the faces.  What could be better then that?  So, the answer to the question is shell-on.  You must always leave the shells-on.

Pretty In Pink

I've been slacking.  Busy and away, no time to play-boo hoo.  Sorry about that.  I can't promise regular posts in the summer.  I just can't.  When I have something exceptional, I will share it though.  Never fear, I'm not holding out on you.

Sophia turned six on Sunday.  I asked her what kind of cake she wanted, like I always do.  I let the kids choose the cake flavor and I surprise them with a theme.  Sophia stretches me.  In more ways than one.  She helps me think outside the box.  Love that kid.  Two years ago she requested carrot cake.  Huh?  A four year old asking for carrot cake?  She got carrot cake, and I might add, it was one of the better cakes I have ever made.  Thinking her tastes might have matured, being six and all, I was expecting spice cake with maple nut ice cream this year.  You never know with her.  This year we were back to child-like requests.  Strawberry cake.  Having never made such a cake, I had to do a little investigation.  I found a great recipe.  Not as "from scratch" as I would like, but delicious all the same.  Strawberry Cake with fresh Strawberry Cream Cheese Frosting.  It even sounds pretty.  While away to the North Shore a few weeks ago, I found a treasure of an antique shop.  Not a "junk" shop with everything piled on top of everything piled on top, but a sweet spot.  It's an old house, just decorated with antique and vintage items, beautifully displayed, almost as if someone lived there.  Very nice.  Anyway, I spotted this two tiered plate stand and immediately my wheels were set into motion.  I left it to ponder (like I always do), and knew I could not shake it, so it had to be mine.  I went back a few days later as we were leaving town, I figured if it was still there, it was meant to be.  SCORE!  When I got home I found the perfect color melamine plates to fit in the holder, at Tuesday Morning, in the clearance section.  Another SCORE!  It was coming together quite nicely.  I have a little glass vial flower vase that I filled with water and garden roses and stuck the vase down into the middle of the cake.  Perfectly pink, pretty and very girly for my six year old.  The recipe for the cake goes like this...Combine one package of white cake mix and one three ounce box of strawberry jello.  Beat in 1/2 cup vegetable oil, four lightly beaten room temperature eggs, 1/4 cup water and 3/4 cup mashed, fresh strawberries.  Pour into two greased and floured 9" round pans (I also take the extra precaution to add a parchment layer to the bottom of the pan).  Cake that breaks apart, while taking it out of the pan, makes me crabby-so you live and learn.  Bake for 30 minutes at 350 degrees.  Cool and frost with the Strawberry Cream Cheese Frosting.  The frosting is delicious and easy.  Beat 1/4 cup unsalted room temperature butter with 8 ounces room temperature cream cheese until combined and creamy.  Beat in 1/4 cup pureed fresh strawberries and half a bag of powdered sugar.  You can adjust the amount of sugar depending on the consistency you are looking for.  The cake was light and moist and delicious, and such a nice surprise to occasionally run into a piece of real strawberry.
There you have it.  I was happy, my guests were happy and Sophia was happy.  And on that day, she's the only one that mattered anyway :)

Caramel With A Kick

Hopped up ice cream.  Oh yeah.  We celebrated Mother's Day with my family for brunch and Scott's mom for supper.  For supper we made a chicken on our rotisserie.  I seasoned it up and slid some lemon slices under the skin.  I didn't think it would do much, but it was worth a try.  Really good.  The lemon flavor really came through.  Each slice of chicken had a little bit of the lemon with the peel, cooked soft and it melted in your mouth.  Served with baby potatoes that I picked up at Trader Joes.  When I say baby, I mean more like preemie.  These potatoes were no bigger than a quarter in size.  I roasted and seasoned them with kosher salt, fresh cracked pepper, butter and fresh chives.  Made a nice garden salad with homemade dressing, made of sunflower oil, pear infused vinegar, fresh cracked pepper, fig preserves and whole grain mustard.  Really yummy.  I wanted to make a special dessert to go with this special meal, but I didn't want to spend the whole day in the kitchen.  After all, I am a mother too.  I decided to make a really special topping for really boring vanilla ice cream.  The kind of topping that makes you want to suck it up with a straw and forget the ice cream all together.  (I know it's crossed your mind too).  So there you have it.  Vanilla Ice Cream with Espresso-Caramel Sauce.  Take 1/2 cup water and add it to a saucepan.  Add 1 cup of sugar to the water and swirl.  Cover and bring to a boil over medium heat, swirling occasionally, until the sugar dissolves, about 1 minute.  Increase the heat to high and cook covered until the mixture turns light brown, about 3-7 minutes.  Remove the lid and continue to cook, swirling the pan occasionally, until the mixture turns a dark amber color, about 2-4 minutes.  Immediately remove the pan from the heat and slowly and carefully stir in 3/4 cup heavy cream, it will bubble up.  Stir until the sauce is smooth.  Pour the caramel into a small, heatproof bowl and add 3 tablespoons espresso and 1 tablespoon Kahlua-the Kahlua is optional.  Drizzle over vanilla ice cream and you've got yourself a pretty great dessert.  I scream, you scream, we all scream for ice cream.  This dessert screams, "THANKS MOM FOR ALL YOU DO".  Happy Mother's Day.

Feelin' Blue

Oh my.  Have you ever had Blue Marlin?  The first time we had it, was at Chili's in Hawaii.  On the menu there, they call it Kajiki.  Unbelievable.  It is our favorite fish.  We have had it a few times, since Hawaii.  It is exceptional.  A real meaty, steaky texture.  Firm, white fish.  We spent the day today in Maple Grove celebrating our anniversary.  Sixteen years to the man of my dreams.  He really is the best, and he is taken.  I have always said, if something happens to Scott, I'm going to be alone, cause it takes a special man to put up with me.  Those of you that know me well, know what I'm talking about.  We had lunch in Maple Grove and shopped a bit and we were suppose to have dinner there too, but we were still too full from lunch, so we drove home and stopped in St. Joe at Coborns for some fresh fish.  They had fresh, wild catch, Blue Marlin.  It's not cheap.  Thirteen something a pound.  It is really scrumptious though and I would have definitely spent more than $23, if we would have ate out.  We kosher salted, fresh cracked peppered and seasoned with a Caribbean seasoning, drizzled with olive oil and cooked over a wood fire.  Really, really good.  It was late, so I made a simple rice medley from Trader Joe's and frozen peas.  Anytime you are looking for a "pick me up" or just a great meal, try Blue Marlin.  You will love it. It's not that easy to find, but Coborns has it right now, so scoop it up.  You won't be sorry.

Holy Guacamole

Oh yeah.  Guacamole.  Love that stuff.  It's so good and so good for you.  Avocados are super food.  High in fat, but the good kinda fat.  Feed them to your babies for their first food.  Their brains grow super big.  I'm telling you, it's true.  Super smart avocado babies.  Tonight I made guacamole.  Four avocados, 1/4 Vidalia onion, three cloves chopped fresh garlic, four golf ball sized chopped tomatoes, the juice of a lime or two to taste, Kosher salt, fresh cracked pepper and some Tabasco sauce.  Chop everything fine and mash it up and you've got a batch of yummy.  You will wish you made more.  Great with chips, but great as a topping for a southwestern chicken salad.  That's what we had tonight.  Fresh chopped romaine lettuce, homemade corn and black bean salsa, grilled chicken breast with a southwestern seasoning, fresh guacamole, sour cream and a few chips on the side.  A balanced meal never tasted so good.  You can do this, I know you can.  Your family will rave about it.  You'll be the talk of the town.  Bring a little of South to the North and start something BIG.  A BIG batch of flavor, that will leave the family saying "holy guacamole, that was good"!

Loaded

Oh yummy.  Scott smoked ribs yesterday.  And you've heard about his ribs.  WOW.  That's all I can say.  So the rest was up to me.  It's kinda hard to 'one up' Scotties ribs.  But, I mighta done it.  I knew it had to be in the potato part of the meal or the dessert.  So I did both.  I was thinking about loaded baked potatoes, so I decided to try something new.  Loaded MASHED potatoes.  Oh yeah, that's what I'm talking about.  I boiled up some red potatoes in heavily salted water and only peeled about half the skins off (I don't like overly "skinny" potatoes.)  Mashed them up with whole milk, one finely sliced green onion, about a 1/2 cup finely sliced fresh chives and some sour cream.  I crispy fried up a 1/2 pound of bacon and stirred that in the mix.  Unbelievable.  All the flavors melted together and the salty occasional crunch of the bacon really added a special touch.  I wanted to add some shredded sharp cheddar cheese, but I didn't have any-but I bet that would be good too.  It would be great with just the chives and green onion, for another twist.  This is one of those sides that can go many different ways and is sure to please each time.  A steakhouse kinda side.  Seriously, you would be hard pressed to find better.  If you don't believe me, just ask me.  For dessert, strawberry, rhubarb with a touch of raspberry pie.  I was short on filling, so I dumped in some frozen raspberries and it too, turned out magical.  Magically delicious.  With homemade pie crust and fresh whipped cream.  The pie crust alone, is blog worthy.  Scott's grandma's recipe.  Paper thin and crispy.  I took me years to figure it out.  For the first 10 years of our marriage, Scott was the official pie maker in our house.  He called his grandma, got the recipe and started making pies.  Good pie crust takes a little patience, something I am lacking and Scott has lots of.  For those of you that know us, and you don't have to know us well, know this to be true.  It drove me crazy that I could not make a good pie.  I would get so frustrated trying to roll that crust.  Forget it, scoop the whole works in the trash and eat the filling raw.  Slowly, but surely, after watching my Scottie, I picked up a few tricks and a little patience.  Come to think of it, I did come to know the Lord somewhere in there, that mighta helped too-couldn't have hurt.  Low and behold, I became the pie maker in the house.  Scottie rarely makes pies anymore, because I like to do it now.  I think he just likes to sit across the island and watch his protege do her thing, and smile.

Always Accessorize

Wow.  That's all.  I don't know what to tell you about first.  The salad or the chicken.  First I should explain my absence.  I haven't blogged for a few days, but that's ok, right?  I know it's not.  I thought maybe I should save my posts for the really great moments in the kitchen.  We have had a few nights (in a row) of "regular meals", good, but not GREAT.  Not always blog worthy.  One night was leftovers, one night was Pep's pork sausage and homemade mac-n-cheese, another night was grilled pork chops.  All good meals, for sure-but not superiffic.  Tonight was another story.  I went to St. Cloud for the day with Chloe and Sophia.  I was suppose to pick up a whole chicken at St. Joe Meat Market, because they have nice Amish free-range chickens there.  Well, I got caught up in things and got to the Meat Market at 5:12, and of course they close at 5:00.  Home I go, empty handed.  Scott and I ran down to the local grocery store and picked up some chicken leg quarters.  Yes, they were not hormone free, nor were they range, but better than chicken nuggets, in a pinch.  I seasoned them up with some Kosher salt, fresh cracked pepper and some Tuscan seasoning we purchased at TJ Maxx (love that store) a few weeks back.  Maybe it was the seasoning, maybe it was the superb grilling on my Scotties part, or maybe it was simply a Saturday night family meal, but whatever it was, it was GREAT.  Charcoal grilled to perfection, crispy on the outside and juicy on the inside.  Yummy.  Now, for the next part.  I made a nice salad with romaine lettuce, carrots, red pepper, an apple, strawberries and Vidalia onions.  I made a dressing to go with it.  Oh yeah, baby.  Dressing.  I scored a sweet jar of black raspberry preserves at TJ Maxx (love that store), while shopping today.  These preserves came in a French canning jar, I'm not sure if I bought it for the preserves or the jar-it's a toss up.  Most people get a nice belt or a new purse, not me.  I accessorize in the kitchen.  Nothing looks better on a pretty salad than a delicious dressing made from black raspberry preserves.  Now that's accessorizing.  Red wine vinegar, black raspberry preserves, a few turns of fresh cracked pepper and olive oil.  Whisk until it thickens up, and you've got yourself some magic.  I knew it would be tasty, I knew the kids would love it, I just didn't know how much.  The preserves are a burgundy/black color and it stained the onions and apples beautifully.  The whole salad had a rich, lovely color that made you want to lap it up.  Actually, all it took was one taste.  Wow, really good.  So three cheers for TJ Maxx, for supplying the accessories that made the meal, and by the way-did I mention, I love that store.

Bowl Em' Over

A bowl of yummy in your tummy.  Your family will be bowled over by the dish.  Beef broccoli with mushrooms.  I took a nice cut of sirloin steak and sliced it thin, mixed up a marinade of 2 teaspoons soy sauce, 2 teaspoons rice or white wine, 1 teaspoon cornstarch and some fresh cracked pepper and mixed the beef in the mixture.  I put the steak mixture in a covered dish with a little kosher salt, a sliced green onion and some red pepper flakes and cooked in the oven at 350 degrees for a good hour.  I like the meat to be tender.  I took the meat after it was tender and added it to a pan on the stove top with a can of mushrooms and cooked a bit more.  I added frozen broccoli to the meat and covered so the broccoli could thaw.  I made a sauce of 4 tablespoons oyster sauce, 2 teaspoons rice or white wine, 2 tablespoons soy sauce, 1/2 cup chicken stock and a tablespoon of cornstarch.  Add this to the meat mixture, heat and stir until thickened.  Serve over white sticky rice and with a side salad dressed with Asian dressing.  Really yummy and healthy.  Your family will love it and so will you.  Give it a try.

Marching To The Beat Of A Different Drummer

Turkey drumsticks, different from the usual chicken drumsticks.  Super scrumbalicious.  You need to cook them a long time, otherwise they are tough.  This is comfort food meal and it's really easy.  Put your legs in a covered roasting pan, take an onion soup packet and mix it with a couple cups of water, dump it over the legs, add some fresh cracked pepper and some kosher salt and cook at 350 degrees for about three hours or until the meat is falling off the bone.  The skin gets caramelized and tasty and the inside meat is tender and juicy.  It really takes on a whole other flavor than what you think of when you think of turkey.  I always serve with mashed potatoes and gravy.  When I make the gravy I use the drippings in the bottom of the roasting pan, mix up a shaker of water, Kitchen Bouquet and 2-3 Tablespoons flour.  Shake and dump in the bubbling meat juice mixture, whisk until thickened and there you go-you've got gravy.  Don't use that packaged stuff or the stuff in the jar.  This is easy to do and very delicious.  You can do it.  I added a side of mixed frozen vegetables and you got yourself a meal.  A balanced, scrumptious meal.  You will crave these after one try.  Nothin' beats a great pair of legs.

Move Over Forrest

Shrimp, I know you guessed it.  I suppose it could have been chocolate, but it was shrimp.  Really tasty shrimp, because it was date night.  We picked up some shrimp at Cash Wise and brought it home to enjoy.  It was raw and I deshelled and I took the tails off before cooking.  I squeezed a half of lemon over the shrimp, added some Carribean seasoning, olive oil, fresh cracked pepper and Kosher salt.  I sauteed the shrimp in olive oil with three cloves of fresh chopped garlic and one green onion.  I boiled some spaghetti noodles and added them to the shrimp with a half a stick of salted butter and tossed.  For our vegetable tonight we had a fruit.  I cut up a whole pineapple and served it along side the shrimp and pasta.  Really great together.  The meal was a hit.  And you never know, because "Life is like a box of chocolates.  You never know what you're gonna get."

Mama Mia

Wow.  Chicken Parmesan tonight.  Really tasty.  I tried a new recipe.  I defrosted six boneless skinless chicken breasts and pounded them flat in a Ziploc bag with kosher salt and Sicilian seasoning.  I made a sauce with 1 quart of homemade spaghetti sauce and 1 large can of whole tomatoes.  To this I added about 1/2 teaspoon red pepper flakes, some roasted garlic chips, about 2 teaspoons Sicilian seasoning and some fire roasted dried tomatoes.  Whip up a couple eggs with a fork and dredge the seasoned chicken breasts through the egg.  In another bowl  mix up 1 cup bread crumbs (I used Japanese Panko) and 1/2 cup Parmesan cheese and a pinch of kosher salt.  Coat your egged chicken breasts with this mixture and brown in a olive oil coated pan, 4 minutes per side.  Coat the bottom of a 9 x 13 pan with the tomato sauce mixture, add the crispy browned chicken breasts, add a good dusting of Parmesan cheese, cover breasts with the rest of the tomato sauce and top with mozzarella cheese.  Bake at 400 degrees for 15-20 minutes or until the cheese starts to brown.  Serve with spaghetti noodles, garlic bread and a colorful garden salad.  Super yummy and you won't know that you weren't at Ciatti's, except you will have a pile of money in your checking account.  This makes me smile...

Smoke In A Bowl

So, I ran across this great little recipe in Better Homes and Gardens magazine a few months ago.  Sausage and White Bean Stew with Kale.  I have made it a few times now, and have adapted it some-to make it a "one pot wonder".  The Orange Pot reports to duty on this recipe.  It's the perfect candidate.  I soaked one pound of white great northern beans in really hot water this morning before work.  Tonight when I got home, I browned about 1 1/2 pounds of Pep's smoked pork sausage in the Orange Pot.  I took it out of the pot, when it was nice a brown and let it drain on some paper towels.  To the Orange Pot, now laced with pork fat and browned goodness bits, I added a couple cups of chopped onions, three chopped large carrots, three chopped ribs of celery, 1 1/2 teaspoons chopped fresh garlic, 1/2 teaspoon thyme leaves, a little kosher salt and some fresh cracked pepper.  I saute them a bit and then remove to the bowl I soaked the beans in, because now the beans are in a colander in the sink draining.  Add the drained beans to the Orange Pot along with 4 cups chicken stock and 4 cups vegetable stock.  Let the beans cook in the mixture covered for 45 minutes.  Bring a large pot of salted water to boil, add about 8 cups of stemmed kale and cook for 5 minutes, drain and let cool.  After the kale has cooled, rough chop and add to the Orange Pot of beans and stock.  Add back the smoked sausage and the sauteed vegetables and one large can of whole tomatoes (kinda cut them up).  Simmer a bit to let the flavors combine.  What you get is a smokey, flavorful, soupy, stewy, healthy concoction.  Kale is super food.  Super healthy for you and your kids won't even know it's to their benefit.  Go ahead and serve up a smokey bowl of goodness-your family will say "wow"-dude.

This Little Piggy

Went to a wood fire.  Too bad for the piggy that stayed home.  Nobody likes him anyway.  Everyone liked the wood fired piggy.  Delish.  Wood fired pork chops with Caribbean Grill Rub.  We picked the rub up just yesterday, at TJ Maxx (love that store).  Scott picked the rub out, and out of the three he picked, this would have been the one I might have put back on the shelf.  I would have been wrong.  It was delicious in this venue and will be great with fish in the future (I will get back to you on that).  In addition to the rub, I added fresh cracked pepper, kosher salt and a little extra virgin olive oil. We grilled them up over a wood fire stoked with hard wood maple.  Served with red potatoes slathered in Vidalia onions, fresh cut chives, kosher salt and fresh cracked pepper, we cook them in a tin foil pan on the gas grill.  For our vegetable (because I am all about balance) we had a pretty romaine lettuce salad with orange peppers, Vidalia onions, apples, strawberries, avocado, tomatoes and a dressing made of lemon juice, cracked pepper, thick rind orange marmalade and olive oil.  I made bread in the black pot (cracked wheat, sesame, flax seed and sunflower).  Yummy.  Really yummy.  I didn't know if I should talk about the chops, potatoes, salad or bread.  Each could hold it's own in a fight.  Trust me.  With a meal like this, no one will be crying wee wee wee, all the way home.

A Wolf In Sheep's Clothing

Today was Henry's birthday party with our families.  The big 03.  That age deserves a great cake.  A cake that won't soon be forgotten.  A "hey Mom, remember when you made that monster cake for me" kinda cake.  Yeah, a monster cake.  I green monster cake with three googly eyes and a bright red tongue.  Memorable?  I think so.  It also gave me another shot at the Cold Spring Bakery white cake recipe.  Fail.  The cake was fine, but not what I was going for and a little on the dry side.  I will keep you posted on that, because the quest is not over-in fact it appears that it has just begun.  This cake was all about the outside, deception.  With an outside like that, you expect more from the inside.  Don't judge the book by the cover, I guess.  If at first, or second or third or fifty, you don't succeed-try, try again.  Well, happy birthday Henry, from all of us to you, I wish your cake was better, but what's a girl to do?

Stew On It

So, last night I was hungry for one of my favorite meals.  In fact, it's the meal I would choose as my birthday meal when I was growing up.  Beef tips in gravy served over egg noodles.  Don't get too excited.  That's not what I ended up making last night.  I started in that direction and then I changed it up and made another meal, that turned out to be just as delightful.  I took a good size sirloin steak out of the freezer in the morning, when I got home from work, I cut it off the bone and cubed it up.  I took out the Orange Pot, drizzled some olive oil in the bottom and began to brown the sirloin and bone with kosher salt, fresh cracked pepper, a couple bay leaves and some dried roasted garlic.  (Always throw the bone in too to brown, it adds flavor and you can use it as a fun game for the kids, like "oh look Sophia got the lucky bone".  We do this with bay leaves in our house too-"oh look, Henry got the lucky bay leaf").  Anyway, when it was good and brown, I added a large sliced onion and deglazed the bottom of the pan with a little red wine.  I drained a can of mushrooms, reserving the juice in a gravy shaker and added the mushrooms to the meat.  Don't ever drain your mushroom juice down the sink.  It's a wonderful treasure for deglazing or making gravy.  If you don't think so, save it for me.  I even freeze it, if I can't find an immediate use.  This is where my plans changed.  I decided to add a large can of whole tomatoes, I broke them open in the pot and let them do their thing in the bubbling mixture.  They get soft and velvety and melt away, almost making their own gravy.  I then added about 1 1/2 cups beef stock and the gravy base (mushroom juice, water, kitchen bouquet and flour-all shook up).  Right before serving I added about  2 teaspoons of organic chili paste, it adds a little zip and depth of flavor.  Since I already did a 180 with the meal, I served it over mashed potatoes with a side of vegetables.  It was superb.  We also had the bread that I blogged about last night.  Also superb.  Happy, happy night.  Try it, I'm sure you will agree.

Well, Isn't That The Orange Pot Calling The Kettle Black

Yeah, I got a black pot from Scott for my birthday.  Black cast iron, not cast iron enamel like the sophisticated Orange Pot.  The perfect black pot for cooking up some special bread.  There is another wonderful bread recipe that does not require kneading, only a black pot.  This black pot is a Lodge brand, cast iron pot.  Good for lots of things, but going to be put to best use with making bread.  My sister Caroline, shared this recipe with my boss Rose, who shared with me.  I like that it can be adapted to many variations.  The basic recipe goes like this:  3 cups unbleached all purpose flour, 1 3/4 teaspoons salt, 1/2 teaspoon yeast, 1 1/2 cups water.  In a large mixing bowl, whisk together flour, salt and yeast.  Add water and mix until a shaggy mixture forms.  Cover bowl with plastic wrap and set aside for 12-18 hours.  Overnight works great.  Heat oven to 450 degrees.  When the oven has reached 450 degrees, place a cast iron pot with a lid, in the oven and heat the pot for 30 minutes.  Meanwhile, pour dough onto a heavily floured surface and shape into a ball.  Cover with plastic wrap and let set while the pot is heating.  Remove hot pot from the oven and drop in the dough.  Cover and return to oven for 30 minutes.  After 30 minutes remove the lid and bake an additional 15 minutes.  Remove bread from oven and place on a cooling rack to cool.  I added about 1/2 cup cracked wheat to the mixture, and I know Caroline adds dried fruit too.  It makes a really nice loaf, chewy on the outside, soft and moist on the inside.  Really great bread.  I served the bread with a nice tomato, mushroom and onion beef stew, over mashed potatoes and a side of vegetables (broccoli, cauliflower and carrots).  That's another post.  So hats off to Caroline and Rose for sharing and Scott for giving me a really cool black pot.

Things That Make You Go Huh

It's not for the lack of effort.  I have done my homework.  I have been trying to make the "perfect" white cupcake.  Trying, for years.  I want to duplicate the Cold Spring Bakery's white cupcake recipe.  I love those cupcakes.  The crumb is dense, yet light.  Not loose or dry.  No big holes, no holes at all.  White, white as new snow.  Yummy, real yummy.  I would imagine that what is in them is as important as the process to get there.  I am fairly certain, the recipe calls for eggs, but only the whites, because of their pure white color.  When I make a recipe that calls for butter as the fat, I think that even messes up the color.  Do they use shortening?  Well, I hope you are feeling my pain.  Sunday was Henry's birthday.  I wanted to do something special, since his party is not until this coming Saturday.  I thought I would (once again) whip up the Cold Spring Bakery's white cupcakes, for the one hundredth time.  I used another recipe that boasted all the aforementioned qualities of my "perfect cupcake".  They even showed a picture of the the cakes interior, and it looked pretty darn close.  I bought some sweet Sponge Bob cupcake liners and made the cupcakes.  They were tasty.  Henry liked them.  But they were definitely NOT the Cold Spring Bakery's.  Bummer, again.  I'm not even going to share the recipe, because it was not what I was going for.  However, the frosting on the top.  It WAS, what I was going for.  I like cream cheese frosting, because the flavor and consistency never disappoint.  Easy to make too.  8 ounces room temperature cream cheese, 1 stick room temp unsalted butter, 4 cups powdered sugar, 1 teaspoon clear vanilla extract and a pinch of salt.  Really easy, really yummy.  Next time, just for fun, I want to try substituting mascarpone cheese for the cream cheese and see what that does for me.  As for those cupcakes, I will continue to search, until I find, and then I share.  My family does not mind the time I put into it, they reap the benefits by eating the rejects.  And if you are an employee of the Cold Spring Bakery, like I tell my kids, "It always feels good, when you share." :)

When Pigs Fly

Off your plate.  Pork shoulder roast, brined.  I have come to realize that brining pork is the only way to go.  It keeps it juicy and seals in the flavor.  Brining can also be fun ( I know, I'm lame).  You can switch it up, depending on what you are going for.  A standard, run of the mill brine, would consist of salt, brown sugar and water.  Lots of salt and sugar, and enough water to dissolve both and cover the meat.  Last night I made a up a brine of about 3/4 cup canning salt, 1/2 cup brown sugar, 2 cups pineapple juice (left over from draining fruit from Easter), some fresh cracked pepper and enough water to dissolve the salt and sugar and cover the meat.  It should taste pretty strong, predominantly salty.  Don't worry, it won't ruin the meat.  It will make the meat soar to new heights.  Flavor and moisture, both something that pork lacks alone.  I slow roasted at 300 degrees for about 4 hours and it was WELL done.  Fall off the bone, melt in your mouth, no need for a knife, kinda well done.  Served with left over hot German potato salad and a lovely garden salad.  The salad consisted of romaine lettuce, celery, carrots, yellow pepper, Vidalia onion, avocado and craisins with a mustard fig dressing (that I whipped up, with some delightful fig preserves I scored at TJ Maxx).  Love that store.  I think this versatile recipe will be sure to please, with many variations and options in your future.  It will "fly" off their plates-promise.

What A Trip

Date nights can be on Saturday's too.  Last night Scott and I went on a little trip.  Hawaii, minus the 10 hour plane ride.  At least it felt like Hawaii.  It was the kinda deja vu experience, that brought me back to our honeymoon.  I'm sure I've tasted something like that before, had to be the honeymoon in Maui.  Yesterday, I was in St. Cloud running errands, and I picked up some lovely and large shrimp from Byerly's.  $12.99 a pound, sounds expensive, but it's not.  You can't eat out for that kinda money, but you can have a luxurious meal at home with the one you love-and feel like you are doing a little fine dining.  Sometimes the food turns out so good, that I surprise myself.  I mean, I go into it thinking "this will be really yummy", but then it's like "WOW, THAT WAS REALLY YUMMY".  And I have a deja vu experience to boot.  I seasoned the shrimp with Old Bay seasoning, fresh cracked pepper, red pepper flakes, fresh chopped chives, fresh chopped Italian parsley, olive oil and a generous squeeze of lemon and let them hang out in the flavor.  I chunked up a red pepper and Vidalia onion (this little gem will very soon have it's own blog post), added some chives and Italian parsley, seasoned with Alpine Touch seasoning, fresh cracked pepper, red pepper flakes and a drizzle of olive oil.  In a separate bowl, I chunked up a whole pineapple.  Ok, stick with me, this is where it gets really good.  It was a beautiful night, so we had a wood fire cracklin'.  Why not cook over it?  We have a grill basket that we put on the cooking grate over the coals.  First added the onion and pepper mixture and got it about half done, then added the shrimp.  When the shrimp were almost done, you guessed it, we added the pineapple.  If you have never grilled pineapple before, you should start.  It is unbelievable.  The flavor is intensified and pops in your mouth.  It is so juicy, that you will wonder where the prickly little pineapple was hiding all that juice.  I served this delightful mixture with sticky rice.  Really, really good.  For those of you following this blog, and were left feeling empty, because I didn't post last night.  Sorry about that.  I was busy.  After all, I was on my honeymoon ya know.

Eat Your Veggies

We had leftovers tonight.  Leftover ribs and potato salad.  Scott thought the ribs deserved a second blog.  I agreed in the sense that they were definitely worthy, but I didn't want to bore you to death.  I had to add a vegetable to this meal, because I am all about balance.  I don't ever eat mac-n-cheese (from a box) as a meal.  If you do this, stop.  Your body is a temple, take care of it.  For our veggie tonight, I made a light salad.  Different from the rest, because it doesn't include lettuce.  Lettuce can't always be the star of the show.  Tonight  it is garden vegetable salad.  This is a really great alternative to regular salad (even though I never make a "regular salad").  The other great thing, is that this salad is a keeper as the seasons change and you are staring down a garden full of goodies, that you don't know what to do with.  It goes like this:  8 campari tomatoes (they are about the size of a golf ball), sliced in about 1/2 inch chunks.  2 thin sliced green peppers, 1 thin sliced onion-combine in a bowl.  In a small sauce pan combine 2/3 cups apple cider vinegar, 1/2 cup sugar, 2 teaspoons celery seed, 3 teaspoons prepared mustard and 1 teaspoon kosher salt.  Bring this mixture to a boil for a minute and then pour over your bowl of sliced vegetables.  Let stand until mixture comes to room temperature and then stir in a couple of sliced cucumbers.  Cover and refrigerate for 2 hours or until chilled.  Or, until you can't stand to keep your hands off the delicious concoction anymore.  The flavors meld together even more, the longer it sits.  Really tasty.  Scotty and the children (all three) eat this up.  Yours will too.  You won't even have to preach "eat your veggies."  After all, it would be like preaching to the choir.

What A Crock

A crock of yumminess, slow cooked to perfection.  Another meal begging to use up the the left over Easter ham.  Slow cooker scalloped potatoes with ham.  Adjust this recipe to your size crock pot.  Potatoes, peeled and sliced, carrots, peeled and sliced, one rib of sliced celery, 1 chopped onion-layer this in a crock pot with the leftover cubed ham, and 1 cup cheddar cheese.  On the top of all that, add a mixture of 1 can cream of mushroom soup, 1/2 cup water, 1/2 teaspoon garlic powder, 1/4 teaspoon kosher salt, 1/4 teaspoon black pepper and about another cup of cheese.  Cook on high for 8 hours.  I love to make this meal on a day when I know I have to run to St. Cloud after work.  Nothin' like coming home to a yummy meal, that's all done and waiting.  It is the perfect blend of saltiness, smokiness, and flavor.  The flavor soaks into the potatoes and makes something wonderful.  And wonderful always makes me happy.

Opposites Attract

Sweet meets sour.  Let the magic begin.  Hot German potato salad.  Not potato salad at all, as far as I am concerned.  Yummy all the same.  Potatoes with a delicious glaze of scrumptiousness.  This is another old school recipe, that you don't hear much about.  I make it this way...I cube a good pot of peeled russet potatoes and boil in salted water just until they are half done and drain.  I crispy fry up 6 ounces of bacon, remove the bacon when super crispy and let it drain on a paper towel.  Slice an onion and fry it in the bacon grease, after the onion is about half done, add a mixture of 1/2 cup water, 1/2 cup apple cider vinegar, 1/2 cup sugar, about a tablespoon of cornstarch and 1/4 teaspoon of celery seed.  Dump that over the onions and bacon grease and stir until it thickens.  Add a good turn or two of fresh cracked pepper.  I put the half boiled taters in a baking dish, top with the crispy fried bacon and then top with the thickened glaze.  I bake for at least a 1/2 hour at 350 degrees to let the flavors soak in.  The only problem with this recipe is the name.  When people think "potato salad", they get another vision in their mind.  This is not what comes to mind when you think about potato salad, so shake it off.  We served this with grilled pork patties on fresh homemade buns and a pretty salad with raspberry vinaigrette.  Super yummy and something different.   So give a salute to your heritage (because around here, it's a good chance it's German) and embrace your roots.  For those of you that are going to research this to determine whether or not it's truly German, please don't send me hate mail.  I have not officially checked it out.

Lickety Split

Pea soup, that is.  Split pea soup with ham that will have you licking your chops.  My family loves this meal and so do I.  Perfect after a pork filled Easter weekend with lots of leftover ham.  If the idea for this meal falls on a weekend, the Orange Pot reports for duty.  During the week, the crock pot.  I can't stress enough how easy, how yummy and how healthy this meal is.  I will give you instructions for making this stove top, because the crock pot is a "no brainer" (just dump it all in and let it cook on high for 8 hours).  In a large pot add 1 pound dry split peas to 2 quarts of water and bring to a boil.  Turn off and let soak, covered for an hour.  After an hour add your ham bone, extra ham, 1 cup chopped onion, 1/4 teaspoon garlic powder, 1/4 teaspoon dried thyme, a few turns of fresh cracked pepper and some kosher salt.  Bring to a boil, cover, reduce heat and simmer for 2 hours, stirring occasionally.  Remove the meat from the bone, dice the meat and return it to the soup, along with 1 cup chopped celery and 1 cup chopped carrot.  Simmer slowly for 45 minutes, stirring occasionally.  Now, this does take a little time, but it is very easy.  Like I said, if you want to fix it and forget it, use the crock pot-it's just as delicious, minus the monkeying around.  Scott loves this meal and all three of the kids lap it up.  The creaminess of the split peas, the smokiness of the ham and the sweetness of the carrots, compliment each other so nicely.  So use up that leftover ham, turn it into something magical, wow your family, invite your friends-make a hearty pot of split pea soup, tonight.  And if you have a family that turns up their noses at anything "green"-well they simply just need to get over that, give them all blindfolds.  If they can't get over it-their loss, more for you :)

Nice Rack

You wouldn't believe it, but it might have been the best food ever.  Ribs.  Slow smoked and roasted to perfection.  Unbelievable.  So unbelievable, I'd like to have each of you over for dinner sometime, just so you would believe me.  Easter Sunday was a day with Scott's family, at our house.  Saturday night we rubbed the ribs down with a dry rub recipe from the Hell's Kitchen cookbook (that Scott and I picked up on our Minneapolis date weekend).  The rub goes like this, 3/4 cup hot paprika (I used regular because I couldn't find hot), 1/4 cup ground black pepper, 1/4 cup chili powder, 1/4 cup cumin, 1/4 cup granulated garlic, 1/4 cup white sugar, 1/4 cup firmly packed dark brown sugar, 2 tablespoons cayenne.  Mix it all up, and you have lots of rub for a long time.  Scott got up at 6 am on Sunday morning to put the baby back ribs on the smoker.  Smoked with apple wood for 4 hours and took them off the smoker.  Slathered both sides with Famous Dave's Rich and Sassy BBQ sauce and slow roasted in the oven at 200 degrees for 2 more hours.  Amazing!  Better than any restaurant ribs, I have ever had.  Fall off the bones, saucy goodness.  I am really all about balance, when eating a meal.  I have my meat, my potato and my vegetable.  This was the first time I can remember thinking, "I don't think I am going to eat anything but meat-yeah ribs, just save all the room for ribs". Seriously, you had to be there to understand.  I wish you would have been there.  If you were, you would agree-good eats, really good eats.

Be Glorified

Easter today.  Big day.  I'm on the fence if Christmas is bigger because of His birth or Easter because of His rebirth.  Both pretty significant.  Holidays are always a nice time of reflection and a time to gather with family.  Today was a celebration with Scott's family, at our house.  Everyone brought something and we had a feast.  Ribs, potato salad, lettuce salad, veggies with dip, bread and glorified rice.  Don't forget the glorified rice for Easter.  It's an "old school" side dish, that must have been a hit in the 70's because I remember it as a kid, when you went to the house of an "older person", that was the only time you saw it.  It's one of those foods you just don't hear about much anymore.  Well, I'm bringin' it back, a resurrection of sorts.  I happen to love it.  But what's not to love about creamy, fruity, marshmallowy goodness?  1 cup of raw rice cooked in water and pineapple juice.  I also add some of the juice from the maraschino cherries because I like that it turns the rice pink-how festive.  I have made the rice on the stove top, but this year I tried it in my rice cooker and that worked just as well.  Chill the cooked rice, mix with 1 can of well drained pineapple tidbits, colored baby marshmallows (as many as your heart desires), 1 jar chopped maraschino cherries and slather this mixture with fresh whipped cream or cool whip.  It's pretty, it's tasty-it's pretty tasty.  Make sure you don't skimp on the cool whip, mine was a little dry this year-easy fix. This is a great side for many occasions, but I can't think of any more appropriate than Easter.  So be glorified, because He is risen!

Threesome

Easter with my side of the family today.  I was in charge of dessert.  It is an extra special day.  Eric's birthday.  I decided to make a trifle.  I love this dessert because it goes a long way and is so versatile.  You can go with chocolate or berries or caramel or fruit or a combo of these.  Make it up as you go and whistle while you work.  The word trifle stems from the idea of using three (hence the prefix 'tri') ingredients in a layered fashion.  They are almost always displayed in a pretty bowl with a foot, otherwise known as a 'trifle bowl'.  The bowl is clear, so one can revel at the lovely layers awaiting them.  Any large, deep bowl will suffice.  Enough of the definitions and details, now back to Eric's big day.  Eric is not a fan of chocolate.  He'll eat it if he is backed in a corner, but it would not be his choice, if given one.  I, on the other hand, would eat chocolate in the corner, at the table, on the roof-you get the picture.  I happen to like chocolate, but let's face it-it's not my special day.  It's Eric's.  I made a vanilla, lemon pound cake and I made it in a bundt pan.  It gives me practice on the art of "releasing" a perfect bundt cake and if it does not cooperate and ends up a crumpled mess, no one is the wiser because that's perfect for the trifle.  Needless to say, it did not cooperate.  No harm.  I cubed up the cake and started with this as the bottom layer.  I made fresh lemon curd.  Now this is a real treat.  Bright and sunny in your mouth, bursting with freshness.  Take 3 eggs and 3 egg yolks, 1/2 cup sugar, the zest of 1 lemon and 1/2 cup lemon juice, put them in a double boiler and whisk like you are half nuts.  Don't stop or you will scramble your eggs-not pretty.  It will start to foam and then get creamy and thicken.  Remove from the heat and gradually whisk in 2 sticks of cold unsalted butter (cut up in small pieces).  The heat from the mixture will slowly melt the butter as you continue to whisk.  Put the finished curd through a fine mesh sieve to remove any bits of eggs that may have scrambled.  I cooled the lemon curd over night with saran wrap over it (touching the surface, so a skin doesn't form).  This morning I whipped up 2 cups of cold whipping cream with a splash of vanilla coffee syrup (my secret weapon to sweeten whipping cream, so it doesn't get grainy from the sugar).  I folded the lemon curd into the fresh whipped, sweetened cream and this became lovely layer number two, now lemon mousse.  On top of that I put a generous layer of raspberries.  I actually found some really nice frozen berries, for a good price-and it worked beautifully.  The price of fresh raspberries is ridiculous, and I love Eric a whole bunch, but lets get real.  Then another layer of cake, another layer of lemon mousse and the final topping of beautiful raspberries.  It was very tasty, even coming from a girl that loves chocolate.  So, another birthday gone by.  Happy birthday Eric, happy birthday to you.  I would have splurged on fresh berries, but frozen worked too.

Peppers, Sausage And Green Olives-Oh My!

Friday nights are BIG nights.  Either we have a nice slab of fish (because it's date night) or it's homemade pizza night.  Tonight was za.  I have been trying for years to perfect my pizza crust recipe.  I have a really good one that I make in my food processor (even though I am afraid I am going to burn it out).  I have another recipe for crust that I make and it's down the same lines as the crusty bread recipe from the book "Artisian Bread In Five Minutes A Day".  You make the dough (no need to knead) and you can use it over the next 12 days.  It is really good and really easy.  2 3/4 cups lukewarm water mixed with 1 1/2 tablespoons yeast, 1 1/2 tablespoons kosher salt, 1 tablespoon sugar and 1/4 cup extra virgin olive oil.  Mix this in a 5 qt. size bucket or bowl, and add 6 1/2 cups all purpose flour, mix well.  Cover (not tightly) for two hours.  After that, it's ready to use or refrigerate for later use.  The dough is easier to handle when cold and only gets better over time.  Tonight I made the traditional pizza sauce (after lots of messing around).  1 can of diced tomatoes (with basil, oregano and olive oil)-14.5 ounce and one 6 ounce can of Italian tomato paste (It's chunky and we like it chunky).  I crispy browned some ground pork with kosher salt, fresh cracked pepper, red pepper flakes and pizza seasoning.  Our other toppings were thin sliced red peppers, green olives and mozzarella cheese.  Sometimes I add homemade sundried tomatoes (this is a blog post in itself).  Super yummy.  No one complains on pizza night, and that makes me happy.

The Breast Salad Ever

This is a really great meal.  Healthy, easy and super delish!  It's our chicken breast salad meal.  I make a huge salad with all the fix'ins.  Romaine lettuce, carrots, celery, colored peppers, onion, cucumber, tomatoes, and craisins.  Sometimes I add hard boiled eggs, avacado, apples, pickled banana peppers and broccoli.  Scott grills up some boneless, skinless, chicken breasts-generously kosher salted and peppered.  We let them cool and give them a chance to redistribute their juices and then, slice into the salad.  I like to mix it up a bit and make a dressing I don't usually make on a regular basis.  It's kinda like Thousand Island.  I take 1/4 of an onion, some fresh cracked pepper, about 1/4 -1/3 cup of mayo, 1/4 cup ketchup and a couple tablespoons of sweet pickle relish.  Whip it around in the Magic Bullet until it's smooth.  Dress the salad with this dressing (because no one likes a naked salad) and you will have a terrific meal.  All my kids eat it up, like there's no tomorrow and it's on Scott's top five list.  This is The Breast Salad Ever, I think you'll agree.

Nice Buns

Oh yeah baby.  Those are some of the best lookin' buns I've seen in a long time.  And they taste good, too.  Looks aren't everything ya know.  I took this recipe and made it in my bread machine on the dough cycle, to save on time.  Worked great.  Heat 1 cup milk, 1/2 cup water, 1/4 cup butter until very warm (120 degrees).  To the bread machine add 2 1/4 teaspoons yeast, 4 1/2 cups all purpose flour, 2 tablespoons sugar, 1 1/2 teaspoons kosher salt.  Add the warmed milk mixture and 1 slightly beaten egg.  After dough has risen and the dough cycle is over, divide dough into 12 parts.  Form into slightly flattened balls and place on parchment paper.  Let rise for 30 to 35 minutes.  Bake at 400 degrees for 10-12 minutes.  Perfection.  We wood fired burgers to go with these buns and we could not decide which was tastier-the buns or the burgers.  These buns will make your burgers soar to new heights.  Really, really good-and that's no lie (cause I don't lie).  I have nice buns, even Scotty will vouch for that.

It's Not Easy Bein' Cheesy

I am on a quest.  A mission of sorts.  Driven by the desire for perfect macaroni and cheese.  The definition of comfort food.  I have tried lots of recipes and they have all been good, but not fantabulous (yes, I make up my own words).  Starting out is always the same, a roux (equal mixture of butter and flour) I used 4 Tablespoons of each.  Please always use butter, never margarine.  Then follow with milk (3 cups or so) and whisk continually until it thickens.  After it bulks up a bit, now this is where it can go wrong, add your cheese of choice.  This is where I must explain.  I could just add Velveeta and be done with it.  I would have the creamy, cheesiness I desire.  But any product that claims to be a "pasteurized processed cheese product", just shouldn't be.  It's not right.  Either you are cheese or you are not.  Velveeta is not.  I am on a mission to find the creaminess of Velveeta, but in real cheese.  Sharp cheddar in a Velveeta costume.  A few weeks ago, I purchased some Fontina cheese, specifically to test.  I used Fontina and Aged Sharp Cheddar.  Good, but not great.  Not silky smooth, a little grainy.  Tonight, back at it.  I used about 3/4 of a cup of Fontina and 2 cups of "4 Cheese Classic Melts" (three of the four in this blend are real).  I know, I know, this blend does have an impostor in it, but that's how I figure this whole thing out.  One step at a time.  Three out of four is not too bad.  Don't worry, I won't settle with this.  It's a stepping stone, to greater things to come.  I also added 1/2 teaspoon dry mustard and the unsuspecting secret ingredient-fresh grated nutmeg.  I know it seems weird, but it is a secret ingredient in many delicious cheese based or white sauces.  If you don't believe me, just ask me.  I also always dust the top with panko (Japanese breadcrumbs).  They add a delightful crispy coating to the top of the bubbling dish.  You can use regular breadcrumbs as well, but it will NOT be as delightful.  Trust me.  So the verdict on tonight's macaroni and cheese?  Close, but not quite.  And close only counts in horseshoes and hand grenades.

Gourmet Sauce

That's what my Dad calls it.  Ketchup.  Not gourmet at all, but it has it's place.  Tonight it's place is on top of meatloaf.  A must.  This morning I asked "what should we have for supper?"  Chloe responded with the usual "meatloaf".  Two pounds of hamburger, one packet onion soup mix, 3/4 cup bread crumbs, 2 eggs, 3/4 cup water, 1/3 cup gourmet sauce an then I added about a cup of extra sharp cheddar cheese.  It just adds a little zing.  I like zing.  I bake at 350 degrees for about an hour, and about 15 minutes before it's done, I drizzle some gourmet sauce on top of the meatloaf and bake it in.  It makes a really yummy treat of a glaze to top off your really yummy meatloaf.  Serve with mashed potatoes (because it's the right thing to do) and a nice salad with romaine lettuce, tomatoes, carrots, cucumber, onion, red and orange peppers and craisins.  Top that all off with orange, raspberry vinaigrette dressing (that you made because I told you how).  The best part is the leftovers (if you have any).  Meatloaf sammies, slathered with miracle whip-super yummy!  I eat them cold.  Fantastic!  Tonight it's a tribute to my Dad and his favorite mealtime sidekick-gourmet sauce, the artist formally known as ketchup.

Bawk Bawk Who's There

Chicken.  Chicken who?  Super yummy chicken, that's who.  I like to buy my whole chickens at St. Joe Meat Market.  The Amish chickens because they are so cute in their little beards and black hats-no, not really.  I like the Amish chickens because of the way they are raised without antibiotics.  I get crabby when I see labels on the grocery store chickens that boast "all natural" and "no added hormones".  It's a tricky way of pushing their product and what they aren't telling you about is the chemicals in the chicken feed and the way the birds are raised.  It's deceptive and it makes me crabby.  These Amish chickens are really nice and they don't make me crabby, not even a little bit.  I made a brine to soak the chicken in before cooking.  One gallon of water, 3/4 cup salt (either kosher or canning), 2/3 cup sugar, some lemon juice and a tablespoon or so of liquid smoke.  I let him hang out in the mixture for most of the day.  This will not only add flavor, but keep him moist during cooking.  I generously kosher salt and fresh crack pepper and garlic powder the outside of the bird.  Scott puts the chicken on the rotisserie on the grill, sears the outside to perfection and the inside stays delicious and juicy.  The skin is almost as good as the inside-super yummy!  I served with cheesy hashbrowns (like Timberlodge), a recipe that I will share at another time, and frozen peas (because they are easy).  This is a simple meal with big flavor and it's sure to please, even if these chickens drive a horse and buggy-not really.

Bad Hair Day

Don't you hate it when you go through the work of baking some little beauty of a cake or cookie, and you are baking it primarily because the picture in the book is gorgeous, and you know if it turns out your family will think you are amazing....and then it doesn't turn out.  Pretty ugly, but pretty tasty.  It's like you only get half of what you came for.  Shucks.  The good part is that Scott and the kids could care less what it looks like, as long as it tastes good.  Today I tried Finnish Ribbon Cookies.  It was in the plan to make these around the holidays, but plans change.  This was a newspaper recipe, a contest winner and it LOOKED delicious.  But not today.  Start off beating 1 cup softened butter with 1/2 cup sugar, until creamy.  Beat in 1 egg yolk, 1 teaspoon vanilla and 1/2 teaspoon grated lemon peel.  Gradually add a mixture of 1 1/2 cups flour and 1/4 teaspoon salt and blend thoroughly.  Shape dough into ropes about 3/4" in diameter and as long as your baking sheet.  Place ropes 2" apart on ungreased baking sheet and with the side of your finger, press a long groove down the center of each rope.  Bake at 375 degrees for 10 minutes.  Remove from oven and fill groove with a jam of your choice (I used raspberry).  Return to oven and bake for another 5-10 minutes.  While cookies are still hot, drizzle with a glaze of 1/2 cup powdered sugar and 1 tablespoon water.  Cut at 45 degree angle, into 1" lengths.  What happened to my pretty cookies?  I might have made my ropes thicker than 3/4", and they spread too much and ran into each other-I don't know.   When they came out of the oven the first time, the "groove" was gone (I hate it when I loose my groove).  Anyway, they are delicious, buttery little morsels that are just having a bad hair day...and we are all entitled to that.