Healthy Dinner Options

The best part of holiday cooking is the variety you can bring to the table. It's going to be difficult for even those with quirky eating habits to walk away empty handed. The quinoa in the salad is full of protein for those in the crowd who may not like meat. Between the dried cranberries and the homemade dressing, you should have a nice sweetness to the salad as well.

Quinoa Wilted Spinach Salad

Ingredients:
2 c. water              1 c. quinoa, rinsed          6 oz fresh spinach          1/2 c. dried cranberries
3 tbsp. olive oil      2 tbsp. orange juice       1 tbsp. red wine vinegar  1 tbsp. maple syrup
1/2 tsp. minced garlic        1/2 tsp. salt        1/8 tsp. pepper                1 green onion, chopped
1/2 c. chopped pecans

Directions:

1. In a small saucepan, bring water to a boil.  
2. Add quinoa.
3. Reduce heat, cover and simmer for 12-15 minutes or until water is absorbed.
4. Remove from heat and fluff with a fork.
5. In a large bowl, combine quinoa, spinach and cranberries.
6. For dressing, whisk oil, orange juice, vinegar, maple syrup, garlic, salt and pepper.
7. Stir in onion.
8. Pour over quinoa mixture and toss to coat.
9. Sprinkle with pecans.

Now that we've covered healthy, it's time to move on to one of my favorites - the bread/rolls option for this meal. Come back tomorrow and, as always, have fun!

Are Deviled Eggs Evil?

I totally sucked you in with that headline ,,,, just admit it. Deviled eggs really have nothing to do with devils, but I couldn't resist. If you do want to know their origin, check out this article.  If you just want to get started with your first course of your Easter dinner, read on....

Feeling adventurous? Instead of cutting your eggs in half, get crafty and make Easter Egg Chicks. I linked to a photo of the finished product in case you need a visual to my directions. These are just so fun and crafty! I've also included 2 different egg recipes to suit different tastes. You could try either or do both depending on your group.

Easter Egg Chicks

After boiling the eggs, peel them and cut a thing straight slice from the wide end so they will stay on their own. Cut he top of the egg about one third of the way down. Scoop out the yolk.  Once you've made the filling (two options listed below), go ahead and refill the large bottom section of the egg. Mound the top of the filling and cap with the top egg portion  Use a tiny triangle of carrot for the chick's beak and small snippets of raisins or olives for the chick's eyes.

Bacon & Cream Cheese Deviled Eggs

Ingredients;
1 dozen hard boiled eggs            1/2 lb. cooked bacon          8 oz. softened cream cheese
1/2 c. mayo                                  3 tbsp. yellow mustard       1/2 tbsp. worcestershire sauce
cayenne pepper - to taste

Directions:

1. Prepare eggs, cool and peel.
2. Slice them in half and scoop out the yolks or cut them as described above to make Easter Egg Chicks.
3. Put yolk in a bowl and mash.
4. Add cream cheese, mayo, mustard, worcestershire sauce and cayenne pepper.
5. Blend until smooth with mixer or food processor.
6. Add finely chopped bacon and mix well.
7. Add to egg halves (in either scenario).
8. Chill overnight, if you can wait that long!

Creamy Herb Deviled Eggs

Ingredients:

1 dozen hard boiled eggs          1/4 c. ranch salad dressing                3 tbsp. Greek yogurt

2 tsp. Dijon mustard                  1/4 tsp. pepper                                   1/8 tsp. paprika

Directions:

1. Prepare eggs, cool and peel.
2. Slice them in half and scoop out the yolks or cut them as described above to make Easter Egg Chicks.
3. Put yolk in a bowl and mash.
4. Stir in salad dressing, yogurt, mustard and pepper.
5. Add back to egg halves (in either scenario).
6. Refrigerate, covered, until serving.
7. Sprinkle with paprika.

Tomorrow, we'll tackle a nice healthy salad to include in this meal. As we progress this week, notice how many similar flavors I have from dish to dish. It brings continuity to the meal overall but also is a meal planner's dream as you are often using the same ingredients, and cutting down your grocery bill.

As always, have fun!

It's Easter Egg Hunt Time!

Actually,  I would recommend sticking with plastic eggs for the hunt since you don't know how many hands might touch them and where they might end up, especially in an outdoor hunt. My eggs make a great prize though and a superb addition to any Easter basket.

Crunchy Chocolate Eggs

Ingredients:
1 c. brown sugar             1 c. light corn syrup            1 c. peanut butter           2 c. cornflakes
2 c. crisp rice cereal        1/2 c. chopped peanuts      3 3/4 c. chocolate chips 
1 1/2 tsp. shortening       candy sprinkles

Directions:

1. In a heavy saucepan, combine brown sugar, corn syrup and peanut butter.
2. Cook and stir over medium heat until smooth.
3. Remove from heat and stir in cereals and peanut butter.
4. When cool enough to handle, drop by tablespoonfuls onto waxed paper lined baking sheets.
5. Form into egg shapes.
6. Refrigerate until firm.
7. In a microwave, melt chocolate chips and shortening.
8. Stir until smooth.
9. Dip eggs in chocolate, allowing excess to drip off.
10. Place on wax paper lined baking sheets.
11. Decorate with sprinkles and let stand until set.

And be warned - this recipe makes 4 1/2 dozen, so you'll have plenty for Easter baskets and some for guests to have after Easter dinner too!

Stay tuned this week for a day by day guide to Easter meals, from appetizers to the main course to dessert and more!

As always, have fun!

Helping Out the Easter Bunny

Do you find yourself wondering what to do about your child's Easter basket? Perhaps you aren't a fan of giving them that massive sugar high. Or maybe they don't like chocolate. Or maybe you can't justify overpaying for candy that will be half price by Easter afternoon. No matter what the reason, you have options! I personally think homemade holiday treats make it that much more special. That's why everyone gets Christmas baskets of homemade goodies from me every year. If you're still skeptical, read on. This is a relatively quick and easy recipe that has unique flavor in a day filled with chocolate eggs, chocolate bunnies and chocolate chocolate!

Cranberry Popcorn Bars

Ingredients:
6 c. popped popcorn                       3 c. mini marshmallows                   1 tbsp. butter
1 c. dried cranberries, chopped      1 c. walnuts, chopped                      2 tbsp. orange peel
1/4 tsp. salt

Directions:

1. Place popcorn in a large bowl.
2. In a heavy saucepan over low heat, cook and stir marshmallows and butter until smooth.
3. Stir in cranberries, walnuts, orange peel and salt.
4. Mix well.
5. Pour over popcorn and toss to coat.
6. Press into a greased 11 x 7 x 2 baking pan.
7. Cool and cut into bars with a serrated knife.

Tune in tomorrow for a more traditional easter treat. It's got a few more steps than this but it was a huge hit last year with my Realtor pals!

As always, have fun!

Quick and Easy Salmon

Remember the other night when I talked about tomatoes, mozzarella and balsamic vinaigrette? It made me think of another recipe that uses balsamic vinegar that would be a great fit for this week's theme. What's funny is that the two main ingredients in this one are yet another pair that I didn't eat for most of my life. The first time I tried salmon, I thought it was dry and fishy.  I was fairly disappointed as I had just started liking fish and sadly assumed they all fell in that mild whitefish category. I'm not sure if I just had a bad piece of fish or not, but I finally retried it a few years later and now have salmon recipes coming out of my ears. This is why you should always retry things as you get older, since your taste buds apparently change with age too!

Asparagus Balsamic Salmon

Ingredients:
1/2 c. balsamic vinegar               1 tbsp. honey            3 tbsp. olive oil             1 tbsp. butter
4 salmon fillets                            1 lb. asparagus, trimmed

Directions:

1. In saucepan, bring honey and vinegar to boil, whisking occasionally.
2. Cook until reduced by half (app. 3 minutes).
3. Remove from heat.
4. Whisk in butter and cover to keep warm.
5. Toss asparagus with 1 1/2 tbsp. oil.
6. Cook until tender.
7. Put salmon in parchment paper.
8. Cover with sauce.
9. Bake at 400 for 15 minutes.

You could also easily convert this to a grill recipe. I would marinate both the asparagus and salmon in the sauce. However, with the asparagus, I would do it briefly so that you don't make it mushy. 

As always, have fun!

Soy Mayo?

The first time I saw this recipe, I was 100% behind the idea of shrimp in corn cakes, but the soy mayo threw me for a loop. I've never been a big fan of mayo to begin with, so I wondered how flavoring it would help.  Amazingly, all of the different flavors blended together seem to work really well. 

Shrimp Corn Cakes with Soy Mayo

Ingredients:

For Corn Cakes
1/2 c. chopped onion       1 tbsp. oil       2 garlic cloves, minced          1/2 lb uncooked shrimp
3/4 c. flour                        1/4 c. cornmeal         1 tbsp. cornstarch      1 tsp. baking powder
1/4 tsp. salt                       1/4 tsp. pepper         1 c. cream corn          1 c. whole kernel corn
1 egg, lightly beaten

For Mayo:
1/2 c. mayonnaise           1 tbsp. soy sauce      1 tbsp. ketchup          2 tsp. dijon mustard
1/2 tsp. garlic powder      1/2 tsp. hot pepper sauce

Directions:

1. In a small bowl, combine the mayo ingredients.
2. Cover and chill until serving.
3. In a large skillet, cook and stir onion in oil over medium heat until tender.
4. Add garlic, cook one minute longer.
5. Add shrimp, cook and stir until shrimp turns pink.
6. Remove from heat.
7. In a large bowl, mix flour, cornmeal, cornstarch, baking powder, salt and pepper.
8. In a small bowl, mix corn, egg and shrimp mixture.
9. Stir into dry ingredients, just until moistened.
10. In an electric skillet, heat 1/4 inch of oil to 375.
11. In batches, drop corn mixture by rounded tablespoonfuls into oil.
12. Fry 1 1/2 minutes on each side or until golden brown.
13. Drain on paper towels and then serve with the sauce.

If after making it, you want it to have more kick, add additional hot sauce.  Truthfully, if you aren't a mayo fan, these corn cakes are good without the sauce as well. I know on paper this looks a little strange, but some of the strangest recipes turn into the best meals!

As always, have fun!

Cheesy Fish

Adding a crust to the top of fish is a very popular way to cook it. It gives it a little more flavor and texture and you can vary it up depending on what you like. Some recipes are a straight breadcrumb crust and some have cheese involved. With this recipe, you get both plus an easy dash of flavor with Italian dressing. My personal favorite part is the sliced mozzarella and tomatoes. In fact, during the summer, one of my go to dinners is chunks of tomato and mozzarella with balsamic vinaigrette.

Cheesy Flounder Bake

Ingredients:
6 flounder fillets                 2 medium sliced tomatoes                   1 c. zesty Italian dressing
3 oz. sliced mozzarella      1/2 c. breadcrumbs                              1/4 tsp. oregano
3 tbsp. parmesan               2 tbsp. butter

Directions:

1. Marinate fish in 3/4 c. Italian dressing for 1 hour.
2. Place fillets in a 9x13 pan.
3. Top with tomato slices. 
4. Pour the rest of the dressing over it.
5. Mix the breadcrumbs, oregano and parmesan.
6. Pat over the top.
7. Drizzle butter.
8. Bake for 15 minutes at 450.

As always, have fun!

Southwest Seafood Flavor

Today, let's talk about seafood in salads. I'm personally a big fan just because often times the seafood will take a bit of whatever flavor the dressing is since most seafood, at least to me, has a mild flavor.  This is also a really healthy dinner with all the fresh veggies in addition to seafood. I did not eat anything that came from the sea until I was an adult. Even tuna fish sandwiches seemed this side of revolting to me! Though I admit now I really couldn't tell you why I didn't like seafood, just that I didn't. It's funny how your tastes change. Now if given the choice, I almost always go for seafood!

Southwest Scallop Salad

Ingredients
1 lb. bay scallops      1/4 c. lime juice    2 tbsp. olive oil         1 1/2 tsp. sugar
1 tsp. lime peel         1/4 tsp. salt          1/8 tsp. pepper          1 green onion, sliced
2 tbsp. cilantro          1 tsp. parsley       1 avocado                 1/2 c. roasted sweet red pepper
1 medium tomato, chopped                  6 lettuce leaves         1 medium tomato, sliced

Directions:

1. In a large saucepan, bring 3 inches of water to a boil.
2. Reduce heat.
3. Add scallops, simmer, uncovered for 1-2 minutes until scallops are firm and opaque.
4. Drain immediately and rinse with cold water.
5. In a bowl, whisk the lime juice, oil, sugar, lime peel, salt and pepper.
6. Stir in green onion, cilantro and parsley.
7. Slice avocado and dip the slices in the lime juice mixture. 
8. Place on a plate, cover and refrigerate.
9. Stir red peppers and scallops in the lime juice mixture.
10. Cover and refrigerate until just chilled.
11. Just before serving, stir in the chopped tomato.
12. Serve on lettuce leaves with tomato and avocado slices.

Scallops are easy to cook and actually easy to overcook as well. I am not joking when I am this specific about how to cook them as they take next to no time and if you do overcook them, they taste like rubber!

As always, have fun!

Lenten Ideas

Spring is here, even if Mother Nature isn't cooperating. Easter's almost here. That means you or someone you know may be observing the religious tradition of no meat on Fridays as part of Lent.  

Depending on your preferences, this might mean a temporary vegetarian diet, perhaps some pasta or a nice salad. Seafood is okay too because it's not a warm blooded animal. So as we have two weeks left where you may be looking for a nice fish dish to serve on Friday, I'll be offering up an all seafood menu through this Friday. 

Tomato Walnut Tilapia

Ingredients:

4 tilapia fillets (4 oz each)         1/4 tsp. salt                       1/4 tsp. pepper                 1 tbsp. butter

1 medium tomato, sliced          1/2 c. soft breadcrumbs    1/4 c. chopped walnuts     2 tbsp. lemon juice

1 1/2 tsp. butter, melted

Directions:

1. Sprinkle fillets with salt and pepper.
2. In a skillet, cook fillets in butter over medium high heat for 2-3 minutes on each side.
3. Place fillets in an oven safe pan and lay tomato slices over them.
4. Combine breadcrumbs, walnuts, lemon juice and remaining butter. 
5. Spoon over the tomatoes.
6. Broil 3-4 inches from the heat for 2-3 minutes or until topping is lightly browned and fish flakes easily with a fork.

Oh, did i forget to mention how easy it is to cook fish? And tilapia is a nice mild fish for those of you who are thinking unpleasant thoughts about having to eat seafood at all.  I am going to give you all sorts of options this week, so be prepared. There should be something for everyone from the seafood lover to the "well it sounds kind of good maybe I'd like it" seafood person.

As always, have fun!

Fondue for Two?

Sorry for the cheesy headline. I'm a Gleek and the show ended on Friday, so I couldn't resist.

What's the first thing you think of when someone says fondue? Perhaps fruit dipped in chocolate or bread dipped in cheese? Maybe you are more knowledgeable about this?  I mean here in Indianapolis, there's a whole restaurant the Melting Pot. It's a little pricey so you may want to think about versions of fondue at home. I'm one that sometimes just doesn't want a big fancy meal. I like that idea of having lots of different bites of food. Maybe it is some bread and melted cheese or various meats with dipping sauces. Perhaps it's all veggies and fruits. There's endless combinations to be tried!

Today's combo is what some describe as a German Oktoberfest flavor. The fondue can be served with chicken fingers, rye bread cubes, pretzels or even sausage slices. Just think about things you like mustard on and you're good to go!

Golden Mustard Fondue

Ingredients:
1/2 c. sugar                         4 tsp. flour                   1/4 tsp. salt              1 c. 1/2 & 1/2, divided
1/4 c. Dijon mustard          1 egg yolk, beaten        1/2 c. cider vinegar  

Directions:

1. In a small, heavy saucepan, combine sugar, flour and salt.
2. Stir in 3/4 c. cream and mustard until smooth.
3. Cook and stir over medium high heat until thick and bubbly.
4. Reduce heat; cook & stir 2 minutes longer.
5. Remove from heat.
6. Combine egg yolk and remaining cream.
7. Stir in a small amount of the hot mixture into egg yolk mixture.
8. Return everything to the pan, stirring constantly.
9. Bring to a gentle boil; cook and stir 2 minutes longer.
10. Remove from the heat.
11. Gently stir in the vinegar.
12. Serve warm.

As always, have fun!

Back to Buffalo

I wasn't quite sure what to write about tonight. So, in keeping with the hot and spicy stuff, I'm treading back over a topic I've covered a few times. Buffalo stuff! I always disliked buffalo wings because they were too hot. I'm not sure what's changed in the last few years but I have learned to love the flavor. Obviously since I've got all sorts of recipes in this arena I suppose!

This time, we're going to cover a crispy chicken recipe that is punched up with hot sauce and some slaw on the side. Slaw is also another relatively new like of mine. I don't particularly like traditional slaw as it's too mayo heavy. I've found several variations of it and this particular one goes well with buffalo flavored stuff.

Crispy Buffalo Chicken Roll Ups

Ingredients:
4 boneless skinless chicken breast halves                   3/4 tsp. salt                      1/2 tsp. pepper
1/4 c. crumbled blue cheese                                        1/4 c. hot pepper sauce    2 tbsp. mayo
1 c. crushed cornflakes

Directions:

1. Flatten chicken breast to 1/4 inch. 
2. Season with salt and pepper.
3. Sprinkle with blue cheese.
4. Roll up each from a short side and secure with toothpicks.
5. In a shallow bowl, combine pepper sauce and mayo.
6. Put cornflakes in a 2nd bowl.
7. Dip chicken in pepper sauce then coat with cornflakes.
8. Place seam side down in a greased 9x13 pan.
9. Bake, uncovered, at 400 for 20-30 minutes.

Blue Cheese Slaw

Ingredients:

4 c. shredded green cabbage         4 c. shredded red cabbage        4 large carrots, shredded

Dressing:

1 c. mayo       2 tbsp. Dijon mustard     1 tbsp. stone ground mustard      1 tbsp. cider vinegar

1/4 tsp. salt    1/4 tsp. pepper               1 1/2 c. crumbled blue cheese    

1/4 c. minced parsley

Directions:

1. In a large bowl, combine cabbages and carrots. (You could also just buy coleslaw mix to save time).
2. In a small bowl, combine the mayo, mustards, vinegar, salt and pepper. 
3. Pour over cabbage mixture - toss to coat.
4. Stir in cheese and parsley.
5. Refrigerate for at least 2 hours.

As always, have fun!

Grab Your Dip in Bite Size Pieces

Do you often struggle when you make a dip, wondering what you should serve with it? Bread? Crackers? Vegetables? Chips? Well here's a thought ... why not build your dip and your "dipping stick" together so that it's just one easy bite at a time? 

I'm sure at some point you've had a monkey bread. This is a different spin on that ... rather than a sweet breakfast bread, this recipe is a savory appetizer that you can serve at any dinner party or even just as a standalone munchie on a Sunday afternoon. And, just think, you could even dip it in some of that homemade tomato sauce that you made and froze so many months ago. It's the gift that keeps on giving!

Spinach Dip Pull Aparts

Ingredients:
8 oz. cream cheese, softened              2 minced garlic cloves        1/4 tsp. pepper
10 oz. frozen chopped spinach, thawed & squeezed dry                1/2 c. mozzarella
1/4 c. parmesan cheese                       1/4 c. mayo                         2 tubes buttermilk biscuits

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 350.
2. In a small bowl, beat cream cheese, garlic and pepper.
3. Stir in spinach, cheeses and mayo.
4. Separate biscuit dough.
5. Cut each biscuit in half horizontally.
6. Wrap each half around 1 tbsp. of spinach mixture, pinching to seal and form a ball.
7. Layer in a greased 10 inch fluted tube pan.
8. Bake 45-50 minutes or until golden brown.
9. Cool in pan 10 minutes before inverting onto a serving plate.
10. Serve warm with marinara sauce if desired.

As always, have fun!

Pick Your Own Meat

Spring is finally headed our way ... and with nicer weather comes more opportunities to BBQ! Yum!

What can you not live without? Wings? Ribs? Steak? Chicken? Well, bring your favorite meat up to the plate and try it with this spicy and sweet glaze. Forget getting a bottle of pre-made sauce because when you make your own you can tweak to exactly how you like it. 

Honey Chipotle Glaze

Ingredients:

2 1/4 c. ginger ale          1 c. brown sugar            3 tbsp. honey          4 1/2 tsp. cider vinegar

2 garlic cloves                3/4 tsp. cinnamon          3/4 tsp. cumin         1 1/2 tsp. Dijon mustard

4 chipolte peppers in adobo     

Directions:

1. In a saucepan, combine the first 4 ingredients.
2. Bring to a boil and reduce by half (app. 15 minutes).
3. Reduce heat and stir in remaining ingredients.
4. Cook an additional 5 minutes.

I found this recipe attached to a baked ham recipe. As many of you know, I'm not big on ham but I couldn't resist the glaze just because it's such a perfect blend of hot, spicy and sweet.  With the ham, the recommendation was to reserve a cup of the sauce and use the rest to baste the ham throughout the cooking process. That way, it can cook into the meat but you will still have plenty for dipping as part of your meal.

As always, have fun!             

Smoothies

I was just craving a milkshake and thought about the fact I haven't done any drink recipes so far. Sadly, I looked in that section in the trusty recipe box and realized there was a good reason. I only have 2!

My milkshake recipe is better suited for fall, so I've elected to go with my spring, almost summery smoothie recipe instead! It's sweet and a little sour and quite refreshing.

Strawberry Lemonade Smoothies

Ingredients

2 cups lemonade             3/4 c. lemon yogurt        

1/2 tsp. vanilla                  2 c. frozen unsweetened strawberries

Directions:

1. Place all ingredients in a blender.
2. Cover and process 15 seconds or until blended.
3. Serve immediately.

This is one of those recipes that can easily get switched up, depending on your flavor preferences.  Sub in some raspberries, blackberries or blueberries. Do you have a thought on a different flavor of yogurt? If so, be bold and experiment! You may just make something amazing.

As always, have fun!

Fudge!

Ok so I get "really, you make candy? It's so much work" quite a bit. However, I don't think that's a true statement in every case.  There are plenty of candy recipes that require the candy thermometer and a whole lot of patience, but there are plenty that are very basic. I get rave reviews on my peanut butter fudge - another one I've stolen from Taste of Home (I highly recommend this magazine!).  In fact, one person said it reminded her of Reese's peanut butter, and I consider that a high compliment!

Peanut Butter Fudge

Ingredients:
2 c. sugar           1/2 c. milk           1 1/3 c. peanut butter        1 jar (7 oz) marshmallow creme

Directions:

1. In a saucepan, bring sugar and milk to a boil.
2. Boil for 3 minutes.
3. Add peanut butter and marshmallow.
4. Mix well.
5. Quickly pour into a buttered 8 in. square pan.
6. Chill until set and cut into squares.

Yes, it's really that easy! If you have patience, candy making can be a lot of fun. Whether it's something like this with a few simple steps or even a toffee that you have to be careful with getting the temperature just right, it's very cool to see it all come together.  And candy always makes a good present.

Just remember - as always, have fun!

Pantry Basics

If you have a well stocked pantry, you can usually make quite a bit without having to go to the grocery store. It takes a lot of work to get the right variety and amounts of things as base for your cooking, but well worth the investment. As you get better at thinking out two or three meals in advance, you begin to see commonalities amongst your ingredients. You've seen it with the recipes I've shared lately - by investing in making your own tomato sauce in bulk, you created enough sauce for at least a week or two that you don't need to buy!

This is also very true when it comes to baking. For the most part, if you have flour, sugar, brown sugar, salt, butter, eggs, oil and baking soda/baking powder, you can make quite a few things. I also keep vanilla and baking cocoa in stock.

Here's one simple dessert that takes most of my "stocked ingredients" and is pretty tasty too.

Brownies

Ingredients:
3/4 c. cocoa            2 c. sugar                  1/2 tsp. baking soda            2 eggs           2/3 c. oil
1 1/3 c. flour           1/2 c. boiling water     1 tsp. vanilla                        1/4 tsp. salt

Directions:

1. Mix cocoa and baking soda.
2. Blend in 1/3 c. oil.
3. Add boiling water and mix until it thickens.
4. Stir in sugar, eggs and oil.
5. Stir until smooth.
6. Add flour, vanilla and salt.
7. Pour in a 9x13 greased pan.
8. Pop in the oven for 1/2 hour at 350 degrees.

As always, have fun!

Seafood Shortage

I've been combing through my posts trying to get a sense of any holes I've left in my recipe picking and it occurred to me for as much as I love seafood, I don't have a lot on here. I'm not sure why except maybe it's that I know so many people don't like certain seafood. I have a confession to make. I didn't start eating seafood until I was an adult. My mom will tell you how much fun it was to bring a piece of steak and some cut up carrots and celery to my grandparents' house for me to eat while they all had lobsters and clams. I really had no idea what I was missing!

So, I've chosen a seafood recipe that you could easily substitute in meat if you don't like shrimp or crab but I'm telling you this is good stuff!

Seafood Tortilla Lasagna

Ingredients:
1 jar picante sauce            1 1/2 lbs. uncooked medium shrimp         4-6 minced garlic cloves
1/8 tsp. cayenne pepper    1 tbsp. oil                 1/3 c. butter              1/3 c. flour
1 can chicken broth           1/2 c. whipping cream                               15 corn tortillas
16 oz. crabmeat, flaked      3 c. colby jack cheese (or your favorite)

Directions:

1. In a skillet, cook shrimp, garlic and cayenne in oil until shrimp turns pink (3 minutes).
2. Remove and set aside. 
3. In the same skillet, melt the butter.
4. Stir in flour until smooth.
5. Gradually add broth and bring to a boil.
6. Cook and stir for 2 minutes or until thick.
7. Reduce heat and stir in cream and picante sauce.
8. Heat through.
9. Spread 1/2 cup of sauce in a greased 9x13 baking dish.
10. Layer with 6 tortillas, half of the shrimp, crab and white sauce and 1 1/4 c. cheese.
11. Repeat layers.
12. Tear or cut remaining tortillas and arrange over cheese.
13. Sprinkle with remaining cheese.
14. Bake uncovered at 375 for 30-35 minutes or until bubbly.
15. Let stand 15 minutes before cutting.

This is a great twist on the traditional lasagna with a nice spice that you can either go hot or mild with. Add in some hot sauce or ratchet up the picante sauce. You could even switch out colby jack for pepper jack....get creative!

So for you seafood lovers, enjoy. For the anti seafood crowd, try some pork or chicken or both. Again, you can use any recipe as a launching pad to making your own version, catering to your specific tastes.

As always, have fun!

Pizza in a Crock Pot?

Well maybe not pizza in the traditional sense but this is an easy fondue to do which you could use for dinner or as an appetizer at a large party. I also think you could switch out some of the ingredients depending on what your favorite type of pizza is.  Get creative ... I love fondue because you can have as much or as little as you want. You can keep it warming all night and pick at it in small doses. This particular recipe makes 20-25 servings and truthfully with all the meat can be a little bit of a heartburn creator so keep the Tums handy. It's so worth it!

Pizza Fondue

Ingredients:
1/2 lb. bulk Italian sausage                   1 c. chopped onion           1/4 tsp. red pepper flakes   
2 jars (26 oz each) tomato sauce         4 oz. thin sliced ham, finely chopped    
3 oz. sliced pepperoni, finely chopped 1 lb. mozzarella, cut in 3/4 in cubes 
1 loaf Italian or French bread, cut into 1 inch cubes

Directions:

1. Cook sausage and onion in large skillet over medium high heat until sausage is browned, stirring to break up meat. Drain the fat.
2. Transfer to crock pot.
3. Stir in pasta sauce, ham, pepperoni and red pepper flakes.
4. Cover and cook on low 3 to 4 hours.
5. Serve fondue with cheese and bread cubes.

As always, have fun!

Rainy Days Bring Breakfast for Dinner

Spring is headed our way finally. The snow banks are slowly melting away, getting some help from the rain today. Of course rain when it's still mildly cold is kind of grey and depressing.  A perfect excuse for a nice warm "breakfast for dinner" night. Nothing fills you up like pancakes and this recipe is certainly no exception. I'm not a huge pancake girl but I like this because it's sort of a deep dish pancake instead of those flapjacks that immediately come to mind. No syrup necessary!

German Apple Pancake

Ingredients:
4 eggs                3/4 c flour                  3/4 c milk               1/2 tsp salt             1/4 c butter
2 medium apples, thinly sliced            1/4 c sugar              1/4 tsp cinnamon

Directions:

1. Heat oven to 400.
2. Put 2 9 inch round cake pans in oven.
3. Beat eggs, flour, milk and salt on medium.
4. Remove pans from oven.
5. Place 2 tbsp. butter in each pan and rotate until it covers bottom and sides.
6. Arrange half the apple slices in each pan.
7. Divide batter evenly between pans.
8. Mix sugar and cinnamon.
9. Sprinkle 2 tbsp. over batter in each pan.
10. Bake uncovered 20-25 minutes, until puffed and golden brown.

Simple, yes?  I agree but oh so tasty. I find you really can't go wrong with breakfast foods.

As always, have fun!

Pitch In Creativity

You've all faced it, whether you like it or not. Work is having a pitch in and you have to bring something. Some people love it, but some dread it.  Hopefully, whomever came up with the great idea doesn't just leave it as "everybody bring some good food". That's a nightmare for either group. Those who don't cook get stressed out as to what qualifies as "good" and what if they don't want to make something. Is store bought enough? The other group, the "foodies" get stressed because they are wondering what everyone else is bringing. Will whatever we choose go with the rest of the menu? What if everyone brings a dessert and no one brings an entree? Either way, a fun group activity turns into chaos.

Case in point, my birthday pitch in at work today.  It was a co-worker's birthday over the weekend so the mantra of the day was "bring good food". Well, long story short, we ended up with asian peanut butter spread, a cheeseball, a small amount of chicken wings, chips and french onion dip, corn casserole, pasta salad, donuts, a birthday cake, some mini tarts from the local supermarket bakery and 3 boxes of Little Debbie's snacks. Not exactly what I would call a normal lunch! This is the same group who put on a wonderful baby shower a few weeks ago with a Mexican theme. Everybody brought in something on their level and it all jelled together. I'm a big proponent of theme to keep everyone on task. I even suggest a sign up sheet with suggested items. That way, those who don't know what to bring can get ideas and those who may not want to feel obligated to cook can pick something easy (soda, plates, chips, condiments). 

You also have to remember quantity when you have 13 people all bringing food. No one needs to bring enough food for a small army! Even if you don't have a theme, you can still do a simple sign up:

Breakfast ______1_______      _______2_________  (fruit, pastries)

Main Lunch _____3_______  _______4__________ (chicken wings, meatballs, pulled pork)

Side Dishes ____5______    _______6________ (salad: potato, green or pasta, rice, pasta)

Appetizer _____7_____      ______8________ (chips & dip, bite size snacks, salsa, queso)

Dessert  _______9______     ______10___________ (cupcakes, cookies, brownies, candy)

Drinks _______11__________

Misc. _____12______      ________13_______ (plates, forks, napkins, condiments, chips)

Just for those of you keep score, I say even the most non baker in the group can do better than Little Debbies. You just have to have some imagination. So, here's one for the next pitch in that even the most inexperienced cook can handle. It barely even takes having to measure the ingredients but I assure you it's quite tasty. In fact, it goes in my "everything's better with bacon" mentality.

As always, have fun!

Bacon and Tomato Cheddar Dip

Ingredients:
16 oz. sour cream               2 c. shredded cheddar cheese           2 oz. bacon bits
10 oz can diced tomatoes w/ green chilis                                      1 envelope ranch dressing

Directions:

1. In a large bowl, combine all ingredients. 
2. Cover and chill for at least 1 hour to blend flavors.
3. Use this dip with vegetables, potato chips or tortilla chips.

Chicken & Spinach

Spinach is one of those vegetables that was on my do not eat list for what seems like forever. I still don't know that I could eat a pile of it cooked, but I do love to cook with it. I even have a few spinach salads up my sleeve that are pretty good too. My post about the manicotti the other night got me thinking in Italian mode again and this little gem popped in my head. It's got a lot of similar flavors to the manicotti but no pasta to make it carb heavy. It's a few extra steps than the last few recipes I've blogged about but they aren't hard, I promise!

Chicken Rollatini with Spinach alla Parmigiana

Ingredients:
8 thin chicken cutlets (3 oz each)           1/2 c. breadcrumbs          1/4 c. parmesan cheese
5 oz. frozen spinach, squeezed dry        6 tbsp. egg whites            6 tbsp. ricotta cheese
6 oz mozzarella                                      1 c. tomato sauce

Directions:

1. Wash and dry the cutlets - season with salt and pepper. You can also use regular chicken breasts but I would suggest pounding them down pretty thin so they roll easily.
2. Preheat oven to 450 and lightly spray a 9x13 pan with cooking spray.
3. Combine breadcrumbs and 2 tbsp. of the parmesan in one bowl and 1/4 c. of egg whites in another.
4. Shred or finely chop 1.5 oz of the mozzarella and combine with the remaining parmesan, spinach, 2 tbsp. of egg whites and ricotta cheese.
5. Spread 2 tbsp. of this mixture on each cutlet.
6. Loosely roll each one and keep the seam side down.
7. Dip the chicken in the egg mixture then in breadcrumbs.
8. Place seam side down in the baking dish. Recipe says you dont need to hold it together with a toothpick. We did because our chicken was not thin enough.
9. Repeat with the remaining chicken.
10. Bake 25 minutes. 
11. Remove from oven, top with sauce and cheese.
12. Bake until cheese is melted and bubbly, about 3 more minutes. 
13. Serve with pasta if you want or you could just do a salad or a veggie on the side.

My only advice with this is to make sure your chicken is thin.  It's a pain to get these rolled if it's not.  As always, have fun!                          

Weather Changes....Sick?

In the dead of winter, I don't get sick. I traipse through snow in negative temperatures and don't get sick. It was in the teens and twenties yesterday and thirties and forties today. I wake up with a cold. With my throat on fire and my nose completely stuffed up, I wondered what the best cure would be...soup!

Buffalo Chicken Wing Soup

Ingredients:
6 cups milk                   3 cans cream of chicken soup            1 lb. shredded chicken           
1 cup sour cream          1/4 c. - 1/2 c. hot pepper sauce (depending on taste)

Directions:

1. Combine all ingredients in a slow cooker.
2. Cover and cook on low for 4-5 hours.

Even better, a recipe without a lot of prep work when you have no energy or patience to deal with it. A cup of hot soup always makes me feel better when I'm sick and the heat in this one could potentially clear anyone's sinuses!

As always, have fun!

Crock Pot Chicken

There are nights where you look at the clock and say "oh no where did the time go"...that's me tonight. On those nights, you will wish you had the forethought to put something in the crock pot hours before so cooking dinner is the last thing you need to worry about.

Well go ahead and steal this recipe for just such an occasion and leave me a comment about what you do about dinner when "you've run out of time".

Cashew Chicken

Ingredients:
6 boneless chicken breasts, chopped      2 tbsp. butter                 1/4 c. green onion      
1 c. sliced mushrooms                             1 can cream of mushroom soup  
1 1/2 tbsp soy sauce                                1/2 c. cashews                  hot cooked rice

Directions:

1. Combine chicken, butter, green onion, mushrooms, soup, soy sauce and cashews in slow cooker.
2. Cover and cook on low for 6-8 hours or high for 4-6 hours.
3. Serve over rice.

Yes, it's just that simple, but oh so good!

As always, have fun.

Cooking Fear?

What's the best way to face your fear? Run away from it? Actively avoid it? Heck no - hit it head on!

"I'm all about the crockpot since I seem to always find a way to mess up more complicated meals.. And chicken- always afraid to undercook it"

I get that chicken phobia, especially since I was the recipient of a lovely case of food poisoning after eating chicken at a restaurant. But, guess what? I still eat chicken - I just am careful to watch its color and if you are really into making sure meat is cooked right, invest in a meat thermometer. You can find one for fairly cheap and truthfully, cooking meat to a temperature rather than just relying on time makes it taste better too!

So here's a chicken recipe that's not a crock pot one but it's one where it's pretty easy to spot if the chicken is undercooked. Also, you brown it and then heat it in liquid so it should cook up nicely and not dry out.

Chicken and Chorizo Paella

Ingredients:
1 1/4 lb. boneless chicken breasts, cut in 2 inch chunks    1/4 c. flour      2 tbsp. vegetable oil
1 medium onion, finely chopped     2 garlic cloves, minced    
4 oz. cooked chorizo sausage, cut in 1/4 in. rounds            1 1/2 c. long grain rice                
3 1/2 c. chicken broth     15 oz. can diced tomatoes, drained         1 c. frozen peas

Directions:

1. Dredge chicken in flour.
2. Warm 1 tbsp. oil in a skillet over medium high heat.
3. Cook chicken until browned on all sides (about 6 minutes total).
4. Transfer to a plate.
5. Heat remaining oil and add onion and garlic.
6. Cook, stirring until soft, about 3 minutes.
7. Add chorizo and cook until lightly browned about 2 minutes.
8. Stir in rice, broth, and tomatoes.
9. Bring to a boil and add chicken.
10. Cover, reduce heat to low. 
11. Cook until rice is tender and chicken is cooked through (10-12 minutes).
12. Remove from heat and stir in peas.
13. Cover and let stand until peas are heated through (5 minutes).

Face your fears. Check!  Buy a meat thermometer. Check!  Make a delicious dinner. Check! Oh yeah, and as always, have fun!