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.