Goddess of Eats

Photo Friday #14 - My Brother Ate My Homework

2012-02-24T22:09:00.000-06:00

Secrets of a Restaurant Chef

2012-02-21T06:57:00.000-06:00

In this, the first (and possibly only) installment of my very own "Secrets of a Restaurant Chef" I give to you twice baked potatoes. These simple delights were one of the first things I learned to make in northeast Pennsylvania during my tenure in the very first professional restaurant kitchen graced with my seeming lack of coordination (I have the burn and knife scars to prove it). If you follow Bethenny Frankel as I do with almost religious fervor (I admit, I admire her in HUGE ways) then you mostly likely know that her husband, Jason Hoppy, hails from the town of Hazleton, PA - about two hours due west of Manhattan. If you somehow missed this fact you must go back and watch season two of Bethenny Ever After. It was in this tiny town of Hazleton where I worked alongside a woman in her late forties named Jo, the head chef, who took her sweet time letting me "in". The past decade has brought a lot of change in the restaurant world and circa 1994 it was rare to find a woman at the helm running the line in a professional kitchen. Actually, it still is rare, but it was even more uncommon then. Naturally, she was not about to give my 17 year old self any easier of a time than she herself had received. Falling back on my old stand-by tactic, I won her with my wit which was, at that time, far sharper than my culinary skill. She had one child, a grown son, who had no interest in the things of food other than to show up hungry at the back door of the kitchen every once in a while. Over time, lots of time, I became a sort of surrogate daughter to her and slowly she stopped giving me single, random pieces of a culinary puzzle to fit together on my own, but rather the whole box of 1,000 pieces and a little instruction too. These potatoes were one of the first things we created together, standing side-by-side in a comfortable silence, working tirelessly until hundreds were ready for the dinner service. They are simple. They do not require astonishing skill or unusual intellect. They have merely become an emotional creation for me as I never make them without thinking about Jo. Salt and pepper hair, wrists loaded with sterling silver bracelets, a muppet-like nose, a crass sense of humor and a manner of speaking that could make a sailor blush. Yes, I have a fond spot in my heart for a woman such as this as she helped to liven within me a heartfelt passion for my first true love. Food. I only regret that I did not tell her more about God. I have tried to find her and to no avail. That sweet little restaurant closed its doors a few years back. This delectable side - as well as others - and a few fond memories are all that remain. Simplistic in nature and full of guilty cream cheese pleasure, I hope you make these for a special dinner and create your own memories of deliciousness.

Twice Baked Potatoes

6 large baking potatoes
1 stick unsalted butter
4 oz. cream cheese
3/4 cup shredded (by hand) cheddar cheese
6 slices turkey bacon, cooked crisp and chopped
1 1/2 tsp. salt
1 tsp. pepper
1 tsp. garlic powder
1/2 tsp. dried parsley
Paprika

Scrub baking potatoes thoroughly, pierce with a fork once on each side and bake, uncovered (do not wrap in foil) at 375 for about 1 hour or until a fork can be easily inserted. When done, let cool briefly (no more than 30 minutes) and slice the top off of each potato. Using a spoon, gently remove the inside of each potato and place in a large bowl. Add to the potatoes, all of the remaining ingredients, except paprika. With a mixer set to a low setting, gently mix together the warm potato meat with the cheeses, butter, salt, pepper, garlic powder, parsley and bacon. Spoon the potato mixture back into each potato and top with a light sprinkle of paprika. At this point you can either return them to the oven for 15 minutes to warm through or place them in the refrigerator and heat the following day. This recipe is great for entertaining because of the make-ahead advantage. Leftover potatoes can be refrigerated for 3-4 days and make a great easy lunch.

xox,
A

Photo Friday #13 - Take Time To Smell the Roses

2012-02-17T01:15:00.000-06:00

Savory Salmon

2012-02-15T05:30:00.000-06:00

Okay, first I have to say that I am really proud of this photo! No, I am no Helene Dujardin, but I totally aspire to be and have been working my way through her book, "Plate to Pixel"...well, actually, I've only worked my way through the first chapter, but I'm pretty sure I'll make it through the book before 2012 is over. Yes, I set the bar high. *sigh* I really love that the focal point is right where the salmon meets the topping and you can see the mustard-y, goodness in the mayo coating. Oh my. So delicious, savory and HEALTHY! I'm proud to say that I've lost one dress size and counting calories + Zumba + running (okay, jogging) has been my aide. Plan your meals and stick with 'em ladies!! I've been casually trying (we all know that doesn't work) for an unseemly amount of time to lose weight, but not with steadfast determination and had almost given up. Having lost a little (and by no means enough) I am encouraged to keep on keepin' on!

Lemon Dijon Salmon

1 1/2 cups fresh bread crumbs (about 3 slices of bread)

Zest and juice of 1 lemon
1 tsp. dried orgeno
1/2 cup low-fat mayo (or fat-free...or full fat, hey, it's your waistline)
4 tsp. dijon mustard
6-8 (5oz) salmon fillets
1 tsp. salt
1/2 tsp. black pepper

Heat oven to 400 degrees. Spray a shallow baking pan with nonstick spray. In the bowl of a food processor, place bread slices torn into chunks and pulse until fine. (Can substitute Panko bread crumbs in place of fresh bread crumbs). In a bowl, stir together bread crumbs, lemon zest and oregeno. In a separarte bowl, stir together mayo, mustard, lemon juice, salt and pepper. Place your salmon in your baking dish, brush with mayo mixture and top evenly with bread crumb mixture. Spray topping with nonstick olive oil spray or drizzle with olive oil (this will help brown the toping). Bake until topping is golden and fish is opaque in the center - about 10-15 minutes. Enjoy!

xox,

A

My Funny Valentine

2012-02-14T01:23:00.000-06:00

'Cause it's just too cute not to share!

Save the Ta-Ta's

2012-02-13T11:17:00.001-06:00

I know I'm a full four months past Breast Cancer Awareness month...or a good eight months early, depending on your perspective. But I'm not really intending to write about saving the ta-ta's in the usual meaning of the phrase. We have a mildly inappropriate reference for certain anatomical chicken parts here in my crazy kitchen. What's for dinner? Chicken boobies. What do we grill to put in our panini sandwiches? Chicken boobies. What do we eat so much of the Music Man thinks he may be growing feathers? Chicken. Boobies. Did you catch the "crazy" part about life in my kitchen? We've perfected crazy around here. We eat our chicken boobies many ways, sometimes healthy...sometimes not. Here we've stuffed them - a little implant, if you will - to make them more filling. Before I digress to the level of raunchy (as if I wasn't there already) I shall give to you my super yummy stuffed chicken boobies at approximately 184 calories per serving.

Spinach Stuffed Chicken

6-8 boneless, skinless chicken breasts, thawed

2 Tbs. olive oil

2 small onions, chopped

1 1/2 cup sliced mushrooms

2 carrots

1 celery stalk

1 (10-oz) package frozen chopped spinach, thawed and squeezed dry

1/2 cup bread crumbs

3/4 cup fresh grated permesan cheese

1 cup chicken broth

Place mushrooms, carrots, and celery in the bowl of a food processor. Pulse to chop, set aside. Heat oil in a large nonstick skillet over medium heat. Add onions and cook until softened, about five minutes. Add mushroom mixture and continue to cook, stirring occasionally, another five minutes. Remove skillet from heat, stir in spinach, bread crumbs, parmesan and 1/4 cup of broth. Set aside. Using a sharp knife, make a horizontal cut in each chicken breast creating a pocket for the spinach mixture. Stuff each breast with spoonfuls of stuffing mixture and place in a 9x13 baking dish. Pour remaining 3/4 cup of chicken broth into the baking dish, around the chicken and lightly sprinkle each breast with garlic salt and pepper. Bake in a 350 degree oven until chicken is no longer pink - about 25 minutes.

xox,

Molten Chocolate Cake

2012-02-13T10:21:00.001-06:00

If you are not local to me, or if you simply live under a rock and missed it, here is the Molten Chocolate cake article that appeard in CHARM magazine on January 26th. *sigh* BEWARE: I ate...well, about three...completely on my own...so be sure to wear stretchy pants, 'kay?

"Somewhere circa 1996 I was livingin Columbus, Ohio and up to my eyeballs in restaurant work while planning mywedding. A co-worker attempted to calmmy frazzled self by making an off-hand comment that “chocolate calms the nerves in women”. Throwing caution to the wind and forgettingall about fitting into my wedding gown, I made a bee-line for the RussellStover’s outlet as soon as my shift had ended. One doesn’t have to tell metwice that chocolate might be my cure. The same co-worker later introduced meto my first elliptical which I promptly moved into the basement of my WestColumbus home and used faithfully each night – I’ll do whatever it takes tokeep the chocolate habit alive and well. Both chocolate and the elliptical remain twoof my favorite pass-times – one quite deserving of the other. Now, nearlyfifteen years later, I maintain that chocolate does in fact calm the nerves inany gender. The melt-in-your-mouth richness, the soothing delectability, theperfect finish to a romantic dinner - chocolate pacifies the soul, lifts thespirit, and brightens the day. A rich reward for a job well done, a mother’sindulgence during the nap time of a toddler, or a balm to appease a time ofstress – chocolate knows no boundaries. This cake is the perfect embodiment ofall things chocolate – a chocolate lovers dream. The soft cake shell willquickly give way to a warm center of rich, buttery, pudding-like goodness – aperfect finale to a romantic Valentine’s dinner.
Convenient to assemble ahead of time and refrigerate while preparing the restof your meal, you can then easily pop them into a pre-heated oven before youare ready to serve. Enjoy!"

Molten Chocolate Cake

11 Tbs. unsalted butter cut intosmall pieces, plus more for ramekins

½ cup all-purpose flour, plusmore for ramekins

1 ¼ cup semi-sweet chocolatechips

5 large eggs, room temperature

¾ cup sugar

Pinch of salt

Butter and flour six 6-oz.ramekins (approximately 2 inches deep). Melt butter and chocolate in a doubleboiler or a heatproof bowl set over a pan of simmering water. While thechocolate and butter are melting, whisk together the eggs and sugar at highspeed until pale and thick, about 4-5 minutes. Sift together flour and salt inanother bowl and set aside. When eggs have thickened, fold into meltedchocolate and then immediately fold in flour mixture. Divide batter evenlyamong ramekins and transfer to a rimmed sheet pan. Refrigerate for at least onehour. Preheat oven to 400 degrees and bake until just set – about 14-16minutes. Let cool for about 3 minutes and turn cakes out onto plates – serve immediatelywhile warm.

Bring Some of That Over Here...

2012-02-11T15:12:00.000-06:00

On the weekends I allow myself ~~a tiny bit~~ a lot more liberty with my caloric intake. Never mind the fact that what this really means is that every weekend I single-handedly consume enough carbohydrates to sustain a small indian village...for a month. We don't need to think about that part. Let's just focus on the made from scratch marinara - or "red sawce" as it's called in Joisey (New Jersey). I won't be giving away the recipe for my marinara...that one will have to be pried from my cold, dead, hands - IF I ever write it down. I'm a vault like that. But I will give you my crust. We roll it thin 'cause we're pizza-on-a-cracker kind of people and who needs all that bread anyway. Top it with a marinara or pizza sauce of your choice and pile on the good stuff - here we used fresh mozzarella, italian sausage (cooked first, of course), thinly sliced onions (under the cheese so you can't see them, but I promise they're there) and a light sprinkling of chopped basil followed by a very light drizzle of olive oil. I almost ate the whole thing myself...and I would have if it weren't for three of my four offspring expecting me to feed them too. And the music man - boy can he eat a lot. I keep wondering when his metabolism will slow down - our grocery bill could use the relief. I think next time I'll try substituting oat flour instead of regular white flour...maybe then I can justify my binge with a little less guilt.

Pizza Dough

(makes 2 crusts)

3/4 cup warm water (105-115 degrees)

1 rounded tsp. active dry yeast

1/2 tsp. sugar

2 tsp. olive oil

2 1/4 c. flour

1 tsp. salt

Combine water, yeast and sugar in a glass bowl, stirring to dissolve, and let stand about five minutes until foamy. Stir in the oil. Combine flour and salt in a food processor, pulse to combine well. With machine running, scrape yeast mixture through the feed tube; pulsing until the dough forms a ball. On a lightly floured surface, turn the dough out and knead until smooth and elastic - 3-5 minutes. Place dough in a large bowl coated with nonstick spray and cover with plastic wrap. Let dough rise in a warm place (about 85 degrees) until doubled in size, about 45 minutes. Punch dough down, cut in half, need each half briefly before rolling out into 12 inch round. Place on a warm pizza stone and pile with toppings. Bake your pizza in a 450 degree oven for approximately 10-15 minutes or until toppings are melted and bubbly.

xox,

Photo Friday #12 - Click the Pic

2012-02-10T05:30:00.000-06:00

I Am What I Am

2012-02-09T16:02:00.002-06:00

If you grew up anywhere between the 40's thru 70's (and possibly a few of you from the 80's) then you are most likely familiar with Popeye the Sailor Man...if you are under the age of 20 you probably think Popeye is synonymous with chicken and biscuits. We'll forgive you. The real Popeye ate his spinach and being secure in who he was/is proudly stated, "I am what I am" without apology. I like his take-it-or-leave-it attitude. He's one of my hero's and not just because of his big guns and ability to save Olive Oil from Brutus...though those are nice additions to his persona. He ate his spinach and enjoyed a pipe before it was frowned upon. He's up there with King Kong, John Wayne and yes, Ronald Reagan, with my list of real men...even though King Kong and Popeye aren't really real...speaks to the reality of the shape our men are in if a giant computerized monkey and an animated character can muster more bravado than the average bloke. How we, as a nation, got to where we are is another post for another time on probably an entirely different forum. 'Cause we're here to talk about good eats, sweet treats, and humorous moments in motherhood. So...enough about societal breakdown...let's talk about spinach. Full of iron, high in fiber, and low in calories with zero fat (on it's own), we should be packing this stuff onto our plates like there's no tomorrow. That is easier said than done. We have to liven it up a little, make it more loveable. Here is a lower-fat version of creamed spinach. All the flavor and deliciousness at just about 95 calories a serving - if you are able to think of 1/4 cup as a serving. Since portion control is not my strong suit, I'm sure my serving size topped out at about a cup and half...oops.

Creamed Spinach

4 (10oz.) bags of fresh spinach

1 1/3 cup low fat cottage cheese

1/2 cup milk

1/2 cup fresh grated parmesan cheese

2 cloves garlic, minced

1/2 tsp. pepper

Place spinach in a steamer basket and set in large pot containing 1-2 inches of boiling water. Cook, covered until spinach is bright green and just beginning to wilt, about 3 minutes. My steamer basket does not hold a terribly large quantity, so I had to steam each 10 oz. bag individually. Since it cooks up really quickly in 3 minutes or less, this was no biggie. If you are single or just cooking for 2-3 people, you may want to cut the recipe in half. Using tongs, remove spinach from steamer basket, squeezing to remove excess liquid. Allow to cool about five minutes, or until you can easily chop without burning yourself. Coarsely chop each batch of cooked spinach and set aside.

Combine all remaining ingredients in the bowl of a food processor and puree. Add 1/4 of the spinach and puree. Combine this mixture with the remaining chopped spinach in a large nonstick skillet and cook over medium heat, stirring occaisonally, untill heated through.

xox,

Gobble, Gobble

2012-02-06T21:19:00.000-06:00

Gobble. Not to be confused with the "Wobble", which I recently learned thanks in part to Zumba. I wobble a little less because of Zumba and eating a bit more gobble, gobble. Though I must admit...the wobble is a pretty fun dance at home too and is a sure bet to cheer up the teething nine month old. I guess watching this momma do the "wobble-baby" can put a few giggles in anyone who can stand to take it in. I like to think I'm comfortable enough in who I am to heartily laugh at myself...or maybe, after living over three decades in this skin, I've come to realize that laughing at myself is the only option. But either way, I learned a loonngg time ago that being well-poised and well-spoken 100% of the time was simply not in the cards for me. So I wobble...with pride.

Continuing on my road to low-calorie living (admit it, you're surprised I've stuck with it this long aren't you? It's okay, you can think it - I am pretty darn surprised myself....) I've discovered just how many things can be made with turkey instead of beef. Slider burgers are a go to favorite as a delicious snack or an entire meal. Football food on game day or busy weeknights. The Music Man didn't really notice the switch and the little people had no complaints - that's a win at our house! I've had a few folks ask me what the difference is between a slider burger and a regular burger. The key difference is merely size. I like to "doctor up" the meat by adding flavorful fun into the mix, like garlic or, as in this burger, cheese and scallions. Sometimes we caramelize onions and pile on top or sprinkle a little worcestershire into the raw meat mixture. The sky is the limit really. I think a little smoky chipotle cheese and some cumin would make a yummy mexican burger. Be creative or stick to a recipe, but whatever you do - take time to really taste it and enjoy it!

Turkey Slider Burgers

1 1/2 lb. ground turkey

2 Tbs. ketchup

2 scallions, finely sliced

2 garlic cloves, minced

1 tsp. salt

1/2 tsp. pepper

2/3 c. shredded monterey jack cheese

Dinner rolls

Tomato

Leaf lettuce

Gently stir together turkey, ketchup, scallions, garlic, salt and pepper until blended, but do not overmix (turkey is a bit more fragile than beef and can become tough if overmixed). Gently stir in cheese. Shape meat mixture into desired size patties. You may need to dampen your hands slightly to prevent the meat from sticking to your palms. Lightly oil a large skillet and cook patties approximately 4 minutes on each side over medium high heat. Not sure how to tell if they are done? An instant read thermometer should read 160 degrees. Place on dinner rolls or buns and top with a tomato slice, lettuce or any other favorite ingredients.

xox,

Photo Friday #11 - All Things Bright and Beautiful

2012-02-03T00:52:00.000-06:00

Black Beauty

2012-02-02T09:51:00.003-06:00

If you follow me on twitter or facebook, then you know I've been on a mission to lose baby weight. Well, actually, I had the weight before the last two babies...I typically call it "doctorate weight" as I gained the majority of it slowly over three years while my hubs was in graduate school. I tried to embrace my abundance and think of it as "just more of me to love", while reminding myself that "fat people are happy people"...but we all know that no one really wants to carry around extra poundage. The time has come to bid the superfluous me "good-bye". After downloading the "my fitness pal" app and ~~diligently~~ attempting to count calories, I became painfully aware of just how much extra I was taking in on a daily basis. OUCH. With that realization, I decided it was time to change up some of our typical meals - the old standards - and trade them in for lighter, healthier, and lower calorie editions that are more likely to fit in to my daily caloric boundaries. So...if you're stopping in to find another baked goods recipe or a delicious buttery snack...you won't find one here for a while. Such things have been put on the back burner (no pun intended). This black bean soup is roughly 150 calories a serving and full of flavor, not to mention extremely quick and easy to prepare. My new fast food.

Black Bean Beauty

1 Tbs. olive oil
4 onions (yes - FOUR!) chopped
4 cloves garlic, minced
2 cans black beans, rinsed and drained
2 cans chicken broth
1 1/2 cup water
2 tsp. ground cumin
1/2 tsp. pepper
1/4 cup chopped fresh cilantro
2 scallions, thinly sliced

Heat olive oil in a large pot over medium heat; add onions and garlic; cook, stirring, until onions are softened - about 5 minutes. Stir in beans, broth water, cumin and pepper. Bring to a boil. Reduce heat and simmer, covered, for 15 minutes. Remove from heat and let cool 5 minutes. Puree soup, (in batches) in a food processor or blender. It should look something like this before pureeing...

Be careful not to fill the processor too full (as I did) or messiness will quickly follow. Return pureed soup to saucepan and reheat over medium heat. Sprinkle with cilantro and scallions just before serving. Enjoy!

xox,
A

Photo Friday #10 - Kahlua Me Krazy

2012-01-27T11:44:00.000-06:00

The Big Reveal

2012-01-26T10:27:00.001-06:00

It's here! I can hardly stand it! It was just about a year ago when the idea was first conceived and just like nearly any conception, it took a good amount of time to gestate. The experience of creating a brand could not be more similar to giving birth...you conceive the idea, nourish it, develop it, and push it out there for all to see (just don't forget to trademark and copyright it in the process)...in many ways I feel creating this line of cheesecake was waaaaayyyyy harder than giving birth. Or maybe I'm just better at giving birth to offspring, though I fully and completely consider this to be my fifth (well, sixth, technically) child. It's my baby. The baby after all my other babies. I could so use that epidural right about now. Given that this endeavor took almost as much time to grow as would another human being, I think I should get at least six weeks "maternity" leave. I'll settle for five days in the Domincan Republic along side the love of my life. I will not be offering many photo's from our tropical rendezvous - despite counting calories, running 5k's and a heated enthusiam for zumba, there are still some things that should not be advertised...like me in a bikini...

I find it appropriate that our sixth "baby" is born on the cusp of our 15th wedding anniversary - the true reason for our upcoming Domincan getaway - 15 YEARS - can you believe it? In an age when the average marriage lasts three years, we count ourselves BLESSED to have weathered the ups and downs thus far.

Without further delay I give to you the most grown-up cheesecake you'll ever meet in four fabulous flavors:

Luck Be a Lady (infused Irish Cream)

From Russia with Love (a delectable vodka/raspberry blend)

Margarita Madness (a lime cheesecake like no other)

Kahlua Me Krazy (need we say more?)

While sales are only local right now, we have been approached by a major food distributor about the possibility of mass-manufacturing. Go big or go home, right? I doubt I'll rest until each of you can go to your major grocer and purchase our cheesecake from a cute little refrigerated case...or maybe I'll die trying, but either way....I'll die happy.

If you're local to me, hop on over to Lufkin on February 4th for the "Corks and Forks" event where our cheesecake will makes its official debut. We can't wait to tickle your taste buds.

xoxo,

Little Italy

2012-01-24T22:45:00.000-06:00

I long for the days when I can once again give you step by step photo's for each of my recipes as I did with Shrimp Carbonara and Beef Stroganof. Then there was Black Cherry Forest Trifle - boy did I enjoy creating that one - lots of finger-lickin'-goodness leftover from that post. But alas, I have these four adorable offspring who bring me so much joy (is there anything more rewarding than motherhood?) and yet, consume so much of my time...

Even now, at 10:30 in the evening on my second glass of chardonnay (or is it third? ...it must be third as I just submitted headshots of my 2 year old to a modeling agency in The Woodlands, something I'm certain I would have thought twice about if I had my complete wits about me), I know there is no hope of step by step photo's in the forseeable future. It really is a bummer given my recent acquisition of a beautiful SLR camera - Canon Rebel T3i - 32 GB of nonstop creativity and so little time to experiment. However, I highly recommend this camera...my recommendation coming to you via my lack of experimentation, yet enough to know that I LOVE THIS CAMERA! It really is the bomb-diggety. I do hope within the next year life will settle down despite all of the indicators that everything good and glorious is just beginning.

With that I give to you a warm winter soup to thaw your chilly bones. My husband has been asking for this soup for quite some time and his incessant requests spurred me on to use the snazzy KitchenAid grinder attachment he gave to me two + years ago, undoubtedly as a birthday or Valentine's gift (yes, it takes me a while to use new things, the grinder, the camera - I'm a creature of habit and will be the first to admit my learning curve...good thing I married a professor). I finally did open the box for the very first time to christen my grinder as it produced for me the best ground chicken known to man...or at least known to me. I hope you enjoy this recipe as much as we did...bear with me as I search for it, scribbled out on multiple post-it notes beneath the rubble on my desk...

xox,
A

Italian Wedding Soup

1/2 pound ground beef

1 pound ground chicken

2 eggs

1/4 cup freshly grated parmesan cheese (plus more for sprinkling on top the soup)

1 tsp. garlic powser

1 tsp. dried basil

7 cans chicken broth

3/4 cup orzo pasta, uncooked

3/4 cup finely grated carrots

2 cups chopped fresh spinach

1 Tbs. dried oregeno

2 tsp. kosher salt

1 tsp. black pepper

In a large bowl combine meat, eggs, parmesan cheese, basil and garlic powder; shape into 1 inch balls and set aside. In a large sauce pan or dutch oven, heat broth to boiling, stir in spinach, carrots, orzo, meatballs, salt, pepper, and oregeno. Cook at a simmer for about 10 minutes or until orzo is tender. Serve topped with fresh grated parmesan and a thick crusty bread. Enjoy!

Photo Friday #9 - Offspring Opulence

2012-01-20T09:46:00.000-06:00

Photo Friday #8 - King of My Castle

2012-01-13T13:17:00.000-06:00

Happy New Year!

2012-01-01T03:00:00.000-06:00

I just love a fresh start! 2012 will see many projects and endeavors come to fruition and I simply cannot wait to get this year started! However, first things first....

Several weeks ago I mentioned on my Facebook page that I had been working on a gig with a company on the east coast. After letting a very rude amount of time pass, I found my inbox flooded with questions and rumors that had begun floating around - some of them made me laugh out loud! Here is the short rendition of what is going on lately with my business in hopes of covering all the bases:

Yes: I know several individuals associated with the Food Network.

No: I am not currently working on any network television deals with the Food Network or any other television entities. Hello? The camera adds ten pounds!

Yes: I was contacted by a publishing company on the east coast and am discussing the details of authoring a cake decorating book.

Yes: I have a product launching in January (yes! this month!) under a separate label. I cannot begin to tell you the learning process involved in copyrighting, patenting, and legally protecting your work when taking on a venture such as this. Oi Vey. I will share more of the story at a later date.

NO: I am not having any more children - are you kidding me?!?

A heartfelt thank-you to all of my family, friends and clients for your continued excitement for my business as I work to follow my dreams. Your comments, encouragement, and loyalty are the fuel to my fire. You make the work worth the WORK and bring a light to my eyes. May you each have a blessed 2012.

The Sweet Good-Bye

2011-12-30T23:30:00.001-06:00

The first cake I decorated happened circa 1986. It was my mothers birthday and I was the only girl in a family of six. I knew if anyone was going to be baking for mom it would have to be me and I loved to be in the kitchen. I think there is a photo somewhere in my closet of that sloppy little 9 inch round with chocolate chips pressed into the icing on the sides of the cake and one lone hershey's kiss in the top center. Flash forward a little more than a decade and I'm a newlywed trying my hand at legit cake decorating for the very first time, somewhere circa 1998. I'm thankful no pictures were taken of that epic fail. Still more time passed and in 2000, while living in Oklahoma City, I read about a newcomer on the cake decorating scene who brought so much inspiration into my world I could hardly stand it. Ruth Rickey was getting a lot of attention for her amazingly detailed cakes and I clipped many articles from the newspaper in awe of the skill she used to crank out delectable creations in her bakery, "Ruth's Sweete Justice". This article stays pressed in the pages of the very first cake decorating book I purchased.

I read about Ruth, attorney turned cake designer, and her work with fondant when I was still a buttercream only girl (we all have to grow up sometime though and I knew fondant was in my future). She was my first true inspiration. The following year Ruth's diagnosis with leukemia coincided with my father's death from leukemia and once again she had my attention. She went on to win her battle with the disease and dedicates much of her time raising money for and bringing awareness to the Leukemia Society. Ruth Rickey truly is my hero.

I continued to follow her career as I moved to Michigan and then on to Texas, watching her compete on the Food Network and WE TV, and when I read that Ruth had decided it was time to close up shop after 11 years of business (no worries she's on to bigger and better things - there is no slowing down for this lady), I found myself acknowledging the end of an era with a tear in my eye. Oklahoma City will never be the same. I will never be the same. Her last day of business was Christmas Eve. Ruth is selling her many tools of the trade in her OKC bakery and as I prepare to make a few purchases from her next week I remain uncertain whether or not I'll actually use them...I simply want a little tangible something of her. Ruth, you were my first great inspiration, you were the butter-in-my-batter and I will never be the same.

Photo Friday #7 - Where's the Beef?

2011-12-30T17:35:00.001-06:00

No Skinny Genes Were Harmed in the Creation of this Post

2011-12-23T23:26:00.001-06:00

...because clearly I was not handed skinny genes (or jeans) in the creation of my persona. No worries there. These lemon blossoms go down easy - EASY I tell you - and before ~~you~~ I know it, I've polished off a half-dozen and find myself licking the icing spoon. Holy Moses. Someone save me from myself. I'm really not to blame for my waning self control. I did not come to know these lemon blossoms of my own volition. I first made the acquaintance of this charming recipe at the hand of my equally charming oldest child when he solicited the formula from a sweet friend at church. I believe she found the original recipe from Paula Deen, but as these things sometimes go, ingredients are tweaked and quantities adjusted and voila - a whole new recipe is born. Much like the childhood game of gossip where the end result is nothing like the original, recipes often take twists and turns until they reach a new identity all their own. I'm not sure these blossoms have evolved to that extent just yet, but I'm happy to share this version of them with you in hopes that you and your ~~hips~~ lips find equal satisfaction from their goodness.

Lemon Blossoms

1 package yellow cake mix

3 1/2 oz. package instant lemon pudding mix

4 large eggs

1 cup vegetable oil

Icing:

4 cups confectioners sugar

1/3 cup fresh lemon juice

1 lemon, zested

3 Tbs. vegetable oil

3 Tbs. water

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Spray miniature muffin tins with vegetable oil cooking spray. Combine the cake mix, pudding mix, eggs and oil in an electric mixer and blend well until smooth. Scoop a small amount of batter into each tin, filling about half way. Bake for 12 minutes. Turn out onto a tea towel.

To make glaze, sift the sugar into a mixing bowl. Add the lemon juice, zest, oil and water. Mix well until smooth.

With your fingers, dip the cupcakes into the glaze while they are still warm, covering as much of the cake as possible. Turn them upright and place on wire racks with waxed paper underneath to catch any drips. Let the glaze set thoroughly, about 1 hour, before storing in airtight containers.

Photo Friday #6 - Merry Christmas!!

2011-12-23T01:30:00.000-06:00

Biscotti Bliss

2011-12-20T23:12:00.000-06:00

It's the most wonderful time of the year! Having finally wrapped up many holiday work commitments (so many exciting things happening that I can't wait to share - more on that in a later post), we are now busy whipping up holiday treats and edible gifts for friends and neighbors. This is truly my favorite kind of "work"! These biscotti have been flying off the sheet pans this year, tied up with string in cute little bags and handed out by the dozen. Biscotti actually means, "twice baked" so we're breaking a key rule with this recipe as I only bake it once allowing for a slightly softer crumb. The almond extract is absolutely necessary for the end result. Great alone or with a cup of coffee, we've been gifting them alongside flavored coffees from my gourmet coffee line. I hope you will enjoy them as much as we have - so simple to make and utterly delicious, they are addictive! Happy Holidays to you and yours!

Basic Biscotti

2 stick of unsalted butter

2 cups of sugar

3 eggs

4 cups of all-purpose flour

1 1/2 tsp. baking powder

2 oz. toasted almonds (1 oz. in the batter, 1 oz. to be sprinkled on top)

1 1/2 tsp. almond extract

small amount of milk for brushing

Cream together butter, sugar, eggs, and almond extract until well combined. Sift together flour, baking powder and stir into egg mixture until well combined. Stir in 1 oz. of the toasted almonds. Turn dough out onto a floured surface and roll into a log. Divide into 3 equal portions. Roll each portion into another log and pat down slightly. Place each on a greased sheet pan and brush with milk, then sprinkle with remaining toasted almonds. Bake at 350 until lightly golden brown on top. Cool completely and then cut on the bias. Happy Baking!

Photo Friday #5 - Backyard Beauty

2011-12-16T04:00:00.000-06:00

Photo Friday #4 - Attitude Is Everything

2011-12-09T23:57:00.001-06:00

Banana Nutiness

2011-12-08T00:04:00.000-06:00

We all need a few standard go-to recipes, preferrably in a worn out binder covered in food stains - stains that are known around here as "casualties of chaos" in staggering proportions. Yet, we march on down the beaten path with familiar friends from time to time and this recipe is one of my favorite pals. Basic banana nut bread. Love every morsel of it. We (my two oldest offspring and I) stirred in about 3/4 cup chocolate chips to make things interesting...we have a hard time leaving basic alone and letting it do its work. We were pretty pleased with the warm little bites of chocolate - maybe next time we'll add dates or apricots, but either way our basic banana goodness leaves a curious soul with lots of opportunity - Happy Experimenting!

Banana Nut Bread

1 stick unsalted butter at room temperature

1 cup sugar

2 large eggs

1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour

1 tsp. baking soda

1 tsp. salt

2-3 very ripe bananas, mashed

1/2 cup sour cream

1/2 cup chopped pecans

3/4 cup chocolate chips (optional)

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Butter a 9x5 loaf pan; set aside. In a large bowl, cream butter and sugar until light and fluffy. Add eggs and mix until blended. In a medium bowl, stir together flour, baking soda and salt. Add to the butter mixture and stir until just combined. Add bananas, sour cream, and vanilla. Stir in nuts and chocolate chips and then pour into prepared pan. Bake until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean, about 1 hour. Let rest in pan for 10 minutes, if you can stand to wait that long before slather up a hot slice with a pat of butter - delish!

Photo Friday #3 - Good Golly Ganache

2011-12-02T01:00:00.000-06:00

Photo Friday #2 - Praline Pumpkin Perfection

2011-11-25T01:53:00.000-06:00

Thankfulness

2011-11-24T08:05:00.000-06:00

A few years ago I was writing a family blog over at another URL. I was recently reminded of a post I had written there with my thoughts on the Holiday Season. I would like to share it again...

As I enjoy my family on this Thanksgiving Day, I am reminded of the chorus from Handel's Messiah "Thanks Be To God". With this, I am prompted to reflect.....

We usually think of Thanksgiving, Christmas and New Years Day as three separate Holidays, and refer to them all, in general, as the Holiday Season. What if we changed our thinking of these Holy-days? What if the trio of Thanksgiving, Christmas, and New Years could take on a more particular purpose? Three Holidays. I am reminded of the the Holy Trinity: the Father, the Son, the Holy Spirit. Three separate and yet one in the same. I am inspired to re-think our three-fold Holiday Season with emphasis on greater spiritual significance.

We begin with Thanksgiving, a moment of reflection and gratefulness. A time to remember the ones who have gone before us, the relationships that formed our nation at its beginning. For me, a day of family and remembering, "Thanks be to God in the highest".

Then Christmas. A time that we have chosen to remember the birth of Jesus Christ. We follow our Thanksgiving with a period of remembering the eternal life brought to us by Him alone. The birth of Christ - a time for celebration and meditation. Truly, "Joy to the World".

Finally, New Years Day. Symbolic of the new birth brought by salvation. A fitting time to follow the commemoration of our Savior with a moment to consider our new beginning. Contemplation. Introspection.

I choose to believe there is a more divine purpose held within our three-fold Holiday Season. Thankfulness for our abundant blessings, rejoicing in the birth that brings eternal salvation, and then a clean slate....a fresh beginning. A time to let go of past mistakes and remember with joy the fresh start that we find new every morning in our Savior, in our new birth. "For unto us a Child is born..."

Business in the Front, Party in the Back

2011-11-19T13:56:00.000-06:00

When my husband is traveling out of town, I often do something fun or out of the ordinary with my kiddo's. It helps take their minds off the absence of their very hands-on father. So while he was recently in Colorado, we continued on our pumpkin binge and decided to have a lazy day making pumpkin-chocolate-chip pancakes...in our pajamas...at 10 a.m. They especially loved the "hidden" chocolate chips in the back. We are all about surprises here. We skipped the regular all-purpose flour and went with oat flour instead. I was having a white-flour-free moment...not to be confused with my gluten-free moments or egg-free moments. What can I say? I have a few moments now and then. I am happy with how the pancakes turned out - nice and moist even with the oat flour. I haven't tried the recipe substituting all-purpose flour, but I am fairly sure it will still turn out just as well.

Pumpkin Chocolate Chip Pancakes

2 eggs

1 1/2 cups buttermilk

1/2 cup canned pumpkin puree

1/2 cup granulated sugar

1/2 tsp. salt

2 cups oat flour

1 1/2 tsp. baking powder

1 tsp. baking soda

1/2 tsp. cinnamon

1/2 tsp. allspice

mini chocolate chips

Preheat a skillet or griddle to 400 degrees. Combine eggs, buttermilk, butter, pumpkin, sugar and salt in a large mixing bowl - when it comes to pancakes, I usually skip my big kitchen-aid mixer and do everything in a large bowl with a whisk...it's an old habit and as we all know, those die hard. Whisk ingredients together until combined. In a separate bowl, stir together flour, baking powder, baking soda, cinnamon, and allspice. Mix the dry into the wet ingredients and whisk until smooth. Pour the batter onto the griddle to form 5-inch circles. After the batter begins to bubble, sprinkle on the chocolate chips...

When your edges begin to dry, flip the pancakes and cook until golden on both sides. Keep pancakes in a warm oven until ready to serve.

Photo Friday #1 - He's Just Not That In To You...

2011-11-18T13:39:00.000-06:00

Minestrone Madness

2011-11-16T07:49:00.000-06:00

In keeping with my love of all things fall, I am so excited to have re-entered soup weather! Soup is one of my favorite things and the flavor combinations are endless. As I write this post, a heavy rain is pouring down outside, the sky is dark at merely 4pm and my house is filled with the warm, slurpy, fragrant happiness of soup. This hearty minestrone is fairly simple, the most difficult facet being found in the ingredient list. I live in a very small town and can't always lay my hands on swiss chard. I have attempted to make the soup without the chard, but the result is definitely lacking in flavor. So on a recent sprint through Kroger (doesn't every mom 'sprint' through the grocery store? who has time to meander?) I spotted some swiss chard and quickly snatched up the best looking bunch I could find. In retrospect, I should have bought more, doubled the recipe and filled my deep freeze for later...cause I know that swiss chard won't be there next time. Live and learn.

Minestrone Soup

4-6 slices bacon, chopped

2 Tbs. olive oil

1 large yellow onion

1/2 head of green cabbage, chopped

2-3 large leaves of swiss chard, washed and chopped

3 large carrots

2 stalks celery

2 cloves garlic, minced

1 28 oz. can whole tomatoes, drained and coarsely chopped

1 15 oz. can pinto beans, drained, rinsed and 1/2 of them mashed

5-6 cans chicken broth (about 10 cups)

1 sprig fresh rosemary

3 Tbs. dried parsley

2 Tbs. dried basil

1 tsp. pepper

2 tsp. salt

1//2 cup orzo

In the bottom of a large, heavy stock pot, brown chopped bacon in olive oil. While the bacon is cooking, place onion, carrots and celery in the bowl of a food processor and pulse until finely chopped. Set aside. On a cutting board, coarsely chop the cabbage and swiss chard. I have attempted placing the cabbage and chard in the food processor, but the result is not the same - impossible to obtain a coarse enough chop as the food processor is best for fine chopping and the soup has a much better flavor and texture when the cabbage and chard are coarsely chopped. When the bacon pieces are crispy and brown, stir in all of the vegetables - onions, carrots, celery, garlic, cabbage and swiss chard - as well as all of the seasonings - parsley, basil, rosemary, salt and pepper. Cook and stir until the veggies become tender. Then add the coarsely chopped whole tomatoes, the pinto beans and the chicken broth. Stir well and bring to a simmer, then add the orzo and continue to simmer for 15-20 minutes - serve it up piping hot with some panini sandwiches or crusty bread - Enjoy!

My Addiction

2011-11-14T11:04:00.001-06:00

It started in my book club. We read a chef memoir/biography titled A Thousand Days in Venice and I was hooked. While an avid reader, I've never been inclined to spend too much of my time on fiction. I do, from time to time, sit down with a good crime thriller - I have, after all, read all of the The Girl with... books by Stieg Larsson - three books which are not, by the way, for the faint of heart, the mild of spirit or the easily perturbed by our sick society. They definitely do not fit, "whatsoever things are pure" and at moments left me questioning my sensibilities for utilizing my spare time absorbing them. Setting that confession aside, I am addicted to biographies and memoirs, particularly those dealing with life in the kitchen. I miss, sometimes ache, for life "on the line" - the busy hectic pace of a restaurant kitchen. The steam, the sweat, the adrenaline. Professional kitchens are filled with adrenaline junkies, myself included. Reading about the thrill that others too have found in restaurant work is a pleasure I often oblige in. After A Thousand Days in Venice...

...came Blood, Bones and Butter...

...and then I was starving for more and thankful for Amazon, especially their handy "books like this" tool where I can continue to find morsels of enjoyment similar to those I have already devoured. Following Gabrielle Hamilton was Jacques Pepin's work, the cleanest in the language department and my favorite thus far...

He simply led the most exciting life and his childhood alone was remarkable. I grew up watching "Jacques and Julia" on public television and they alone are responsible for my support of PBS broadcasting. Without such programs my culinary development would not be what it is as they simply engage the audience and challenge viewers to really know and love their food. Currently, I am working my way through the humorous and rowdy adventure (anything written about or pertaining to Mario Batali would indeed include the descriptive 'rowdy') that Bill Buford undertook in order to give us Heat:

I'm a little panicked as I look at my saved shopping cart on Amazon (it's dwindling) and anxious to find more good reads. In the meantime, I'm happy that I still have this treasure to delve into next...

Happy reading everyone!! It truly is one of life's simplest and most fulfilling pleasures.

Hello Fall

2011-11-14T08:30:00.001-06:00

Fall is finally here and with it comes a renewed joy of baking. The hot oven no longer brings beads of sweat along my forehead, but comfort and joy like a warm blanket around my shoulders. I love being in the kitchen, but loathe becoming drenched in sweat from a heavy work week. Fall and winter bring relief from the negative side of food business and I have been busy relishing each cool breeze through my kitchen window. This is the first post of several "batter-licious" recipes I've been making of late. I hope you enjoy them all.

Preparing this particular recipe was a learning experience. Not because the recipe is difficult - it isn't. Not because the ingredients were difficult to find - they weren't. Simply because I realized that I have acquired a severe allergy to uncooked pumpkin containing pumpkin pulp. Did you know that one can be allergic to the seeds and pulp of pumpkin, but not the meat? This is certainly the case and extremely so in my situation and more disturbingly appears to be a recent development as I can't recall any reactions to pumpkin seeds or pulp in the past. Watermelon, yes. Bananas, for as long as I can remember, but not pumpkin. At any rate, I will tread carefully from this moment on when dealing with pumpkin. I was in the process of making this bread, batter prepared, in the pan and in the oven when I couldn't resist a quick lick of the spatula before washing the mixing bowl. What followed was unlike any allergic reaction I have had. First, you must understand the full picture. I was home with all four kiddo's by myself as my hubs was in Colorado attending a conference. I am still nursing my youngest which in and of itself is kin to a full time job. We had been decorating for Christmas, so the house was a bit messy from the fake pine needles and the dusty attic storage containers. I had been in major multi-tasking mode, feeling energized by the cooler weather and attempting a mad deep cleaning spree much like a spring-clean-out-everything-and-reorganize-my-workspace-and-every-closet whirlwind when I was struck with the thought to make pumpkin bread as well. Then one lick of that raw batter and my energy spree came to a screeching halt. Within minutes the whelps began appearing, first on my arms, then on my neck, finally on my back, stomach and face, while watching my hands swell at an incredible rate. At first I thought my older children must have brought in poison ivy oil on their clothing after an afternoon rendezvous in the brush surrounding our yard, but quickly realized I was the only one affected and they were perfectly fine. The next several hours were difficult to say the least and ironically, the pumpkin bread was quite enjoyable though I had to wait until the next day to devour a slice as I was quickly reeled into bed by the aid of benadryl while covered in steroid cream. Alas, do not lick the batter, but do make the bread. I'm certain things like this only happen to me. Quite sure of it.

Pumpkin Bread

1 1/2 cups pumpkin puree (fresh or canned)

3/4 cups vegetable oil

1 1/2 cups sugar

1/2 cup brown sugar

3 eggs

2 1/4 cups all-purpose flour
1/2 cup chopped pecans

1 tsp. baking powder

1 tsp. baking soda

1 tsp. salt

1 tsp. ground cinnamon

1 tsp. ground cloves

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Grease and flour two 9x5 inch loaf pans. In a large mixing bowl, mix together pumpkin, oil, sugar, and eggs. Combine the flour, pecans, baking powder, baking soda, salt, cinnamon, cloves and stir into the pumpkin mixture until well blended. Divide the batter evenly between the prepared pans. Bake for 45 minutes to 1 hour - the top of the loaf should spring back when lightly pressed. Butter a warm slice and enjoy!

Random Thoughts on Art

2011-10-22T10:19:00.000-05:00

Last night I enjoyed an evening out with friends at a local "Ladies Night Out" event. I ran into an artist friend who shared with me her recent adventures in creativity, chatting briefly about a painting she recently sold and about the commissioned piece she is currently working on...I reflected on our conversation this morning while I was performing my own ~~personal work of art~~ magic tricks - applying makeup, an act that always conjures thoughts of the transformation from caterpillar into butterfly. Thinking about my artist friend, her career, and the relaxing elements of painting, I remembered a piece I had seen on display at my neurologist's office. One he had created himself - literally, a large glob of bright green paint smeared across two canvases, hung side-by-side and bearing his name in the lower right corner. This led me to the desire to pull out a fresh canvas myself and smear some paint around - a hobby I love to engage in, but rarely find the time and even now must continue to postpone. All of these thoughts left me with the same summation...that art is relative. The style that each of us finds pleasing can vary greatly from fine detailed landscapes, to portraits, to large globs of paint carefully placed to look as if they were thrown together. I love to look at paintings - initially at a distance to take in the overall picture and then up close, very close, so as to see each brush stroke. The tiring thing about living in my head is how quickly my train of thought can race away from me, finally settling on a new realization or a brief meditation. All of this pondering resulted in a fresh awareness that a mediocre piece of art could easily yield great sums of money if created by a widely renown individual, artist or no. If Steve Jobs had been inclined to push some paint around I feel certain a number of his faithful fans would step right up to bid on a piece created by him, if for no other reason, simply to have something he had touched. Don't misunderstand...I love my iPhone and Steve Jobs definitely shaped society as we know it. Simply amazing. Yet I can't help but recognize my possession of the greatest creation ever given to man and how grossly undervalued it has become. Many never touch it or look at it, let alone have it on display in their home. While I don't habitually present it to my guests as my proudest acquisition, still it continues to change the world. Anyone can acquire this work of art in a variety of price ranges, sometimes even for free. Hmm...the Bible. Why isn't it more cherished? Why do Bibles stay covered in dust, sitting in the corner or on the bottom shelf of the bookshelf? Why haven't I examined it up close, taking in each brush stroke? Wasn't Jesus way cooler than Steve Jobs? Aren't his miracles more worthy of display than a Van Gogh? The item that should be my most valued possession is frequently the first thing I pass over, the last thing I show off. Truly...art is relative.

Omega-3 Bliss

2011-10-19T11:31:00.000-05:00

I have no words for the delectable result of this recipe - simply put...it was finger-lickin' good. Since I'm writing this post in the a.m. hours I'm running low on verbiage (catch me at midnight and I'm full of awesomeness). Fry some up tonight for an extra dose of Omega-3 madness. Enjoy!

Pecan Crusted Tilapia

8-9 Tilapia fillets

1 1/2 c. bread fine bread crumbs

1/2 cup finely chopped pecans

1 Tbs. parsley

1/2 tsp. garlic powder

1 tsp. salt

1/2 tsp. pepper

1 tsp. dill

1/2 cup flour

1/2 cup milk

vegetable oil

You will need three shallow dishes for the dredging of the fish. I use glass pie plates, but use whatever you have making sure your dishes are large enough to hold a single fillet. Place the flour in one dish, the milk in another and the bread crumbs, pecans, parsley, garlic powder, salt, pepper and dill in the third. Pat dry your tilapia. Working with one fillet at a time, dip first in the flour, followed briefly by the milk and then roll in the bread crumbs until evenly coated. Continue with each tilapia fillet (we had nine fillets in all). Heat about 1 Tbs. of vegetable oil over medium/high heat in the bottom of a skillet or saute pan. I've found that a non-stick pan works best. Working with only 2-3 fillets at a time, fry for about 3 minutes on each side or until a nice, even, golden brown. After about five fillets I've found that I need to wipe out the pan and use another Tbs. of fresh oil to keep from burning the little crumbs that fall from the fish. Remove your fillets from the frying pan to a paper-towel lined cookie sheet to drain briefly before transferring to your serving platter. Or, leave them on the cookie sheet and serve them up from there, right on the back of the stove, like we sometimes do at our house because we're not always fancy....four children under the age of 11 live here...we don't always make it to fancy. Sometimes, we're just lucky to get dinner done on time. Oi vey.

Not-At-All-Famous Chicken Soup

2011-10-11T22:43:00.000-05:00

My sweet husband, unfortunately, is sick. This, by itself, is not anything catastrophic, but throw in his commitment to sing three French songs as part of a university faculty recital on October 25th and a head cold can become a major concern. We're proactive around here and taking the bull-by-the-horns ~~sometimes~~ often leads me to trouble at a faster rate than normal; however, this time, I knew my preemptive measures would be, in the words of Martha Stewart, "a good thing". Lucky for me, I was prepared, ~~as always~~ big surprise, with several whole chickens tucked away in the deep freeze and quickly thawing one to produce what has now been dubbed the "best chicken soup you've ever made" elevated me to the place of heroine for the evening. A girl does what she can. *sigh* After observing our 20-month-old son devour three full servings, I believed it must be pretty good (kids are, after all, brutally honest) and good things are meant to be shared...

Here's what you'll need:

1 whole chicken, rinsed

1 large onion

2 stalks celery

2 large carrots

1 Tbs. minced garlic

2 Bay leaves

2 Tbs. kosher salt

2 tsp. black pepper

1 Tbs. dried basil

2 sprigs rosemary

1 12oz. package fettuccine

First, cut the skin off of the chicken. Don't skip this step - it seems simple enough to cook the chicken with the skin on, but you want to really maximize your broth with juices from the meat and bones - not the fatty skin! It only takes a minute or two longer to cut/peel off the skin. Place the chicken breast side down in a large pot and cover almost completely with water. Turn the heat on to medium-high.

Now place the onion, celery, and carrots in the bowl of your food processor and pulse until finely chopped. I left a little onion out to coarsely chop by hand just to add texture, but you could easily pulse it all. Add vegetable mixture to your pot with the chicken. Now stir in salt, pepper, garlic, basil, bay leaves and rosemary. After you've compiled everything together in the pot, it should look something like this:

When mixture reaches a low boil, reduce heat to simmer, cover and cook for approximately 1 hour. Remove the chicken from your broth, cool and remove meat from the bones. While you are waiting for the chicken to cool enough to handle, add an additional 4 cups of water to your broth, turn the heat up and bring to a boil. Break the fettuccine into 2-inch pieces and stir into boiling broth; cook until noodles are tender, about 10-12 minutes. Then turn the heat off and return the chicken to the pot, stirring well to combine. Serve and enjoy!

Waste Not, Want Not

2011-10-04T15:09:00.000-05:00

I started this post a good 2+ weeks ago and somewhere after the first sentence or two, life took the reigns and ran away with me. Left me sort of white-knuckling-it, much like how you feel on a super-high-speed and way-too-dangerous roller coaster. I finally jumped from that ride, but merely landed on a runaway train, so I'm really not sure that anything changed; however, somewhere mid-leap I had time to revisit this recipe and throw a few thoughts down. *WHEW* I want to go on record as stating that I've also started a biscotti post that is well over a month old and I may actually finish it this week as well...but don't hold your breath.

When it comes to ingredients, I like to use every bit of every item. So when I recently made two roast chickens for my family, I went to bed haunted by the carelessness of throwing away the bones. Why didn't I save those to boil low and slow into consomme? Why? Oh yes, because at the time it was 100+ degrees outside and the thought of keeping one of my stove burners flaming away for 24 hours adding at least 10 degrees to my kitchen temperature...well, the mere thought of any extra heat trumped my need to be frugal. I did, however, save every last morsel of chicken and chopped it up the next day to make this yummy twist...much like a stroganoff, but with chicken instead of beef and with our leftover steamed broccoli stirred in at the last moment, yielding a huge pot of this scrumptiousness; much to my delight only a small amount remained after three of the males in my home devoured two heaping servings each.

3 cups diced cooked chicken
1 yellow onion chopped
1 stick unsalted butter
1 Tbs. kosher salt
1 tsp. black pepper
2 tsp. garlic powder
1 tsp. corn starch
1 cup sour cream
1 1/2 cans chicken broth
1 tsp. horseradish
1 Tbs. dijon mustard
16 oz. box farfalle, cooked to package directions
2 cups diced cooked broccoli

Melt butter in a medium size saucepan, add onion, salt, pepper and garlic powder, cooking until onions are transparent. Add corn starch, whisking to avoid lumps. Add chicken broth, sour cream, horseradish and mustard, continuing to whisk until well combined. Keep warm over low heat while cooking pasta. Remember, you want the sauce to be a little thin and plentiful. Pasta is absorbent and much of the sauce will be soak right in, so if at any time the sauce begins to thicken (like gravy) add more chicken broth and thin it back out. After draining your farfalle, return pasta to your pot and stir in the diced chicken and the broccoli, then add sauce to the pasta and stir well to combine. Enjoy!

Salmon and Black Bean Patties

2011-09-06T17:22:00.000-05:00

We're big fans of seafood here and while we typically consume our underwater friends in whole fillet form, I've lately begun experimenting with canned varieties primarily out of convenience and partially out of my desire to leave my oven OFF during 100+ degree days. Anything that can be achieved on the stove top is a blessing. My experimentation recently yielded these delicious, relatively low-fat salmon and black bean patties. They were a big hit among the little folks and tasted just as good when reheated the next day - another bonus for a large family and a hot summer - leftovers!

Salmon and Black Bean Patties

2 14oz. cans alaskan salmon, drained and picked over for bones

1 cup canned black beans, rinsed and drained

3 eggs

1 bunch cilantro, chopped fine

1 1/2 cup bread crumbs

1 1/4 cup mayo

1 tsp. pepper

1 Tbs. dijon mustard

Olive oil for frying

In a large bowl combine the salmon, black beans and bread crumbs, stirring well to mix through (sometimes I have to get my hands involved to make sure the salmon is well distributed with the bread crumbs). In a separate bowl, whisk together the eggs and mayo until combined; stir in cilantro, pepper, dijon mustard and mix well. Pour the egg mixture into the salmon mixture and combine thoroughly. Lightly oil a large non-stick frying pan with olive oil and heat over medium heat. Using a medium size scoop, shape the salmon mixture into patties and press lightly into the hot pan. Be sure not to get your frying pan too hot as you'll brown the outsides before you've had a chance to heat the patty through. You want them nice and golden brown and lightly firm. WARNING: this recipe makes A LOT! At least a good 30 patties depending on how big you make them and if you're not into leftovers like we are, you may want to cut the ingredients in half or only cook half of the salmon mixture and freeze the rest to be fried up at later date.

Aaaannnd We're Back!

2011-09-04T16:17:00.000-05:00

I've been trying to simplify my life. De-clutter, reorganize, streamline, call it what you will, but the reality is...I take care of a few folks here on the home front and they eat up a lot of my time so the simpler the better. Trying to maintain a food blog and still find time to write an occasional post over on Random Thoughts from the Motherworld (a task at which I obviously failed) became all too much on my already full plate. I'm combining the two into one and hoping that keeping my focus on a single (!) writing outlet will allow a little more clarity of mind. The new format - cleaner, brighter and hopefully easier on my psyche. As always, you'll find new recipes here as well as all of the recipes from my past blog, La Dolce Vita. Now throw in an occasional post depicting happenings within my family/personal life and maybe even a few random thoughts on other topics. Somewhere amongst the four kiddo's, the full-time business, the home school curriculum, the grocery shopping and the laundry (!) I will do my best to post on a regular (somewhat) basis. Right now, I'm just thrilled to have accomplished the blog makeover...cause photoshop is hard. For me anyway. Taking on the task of creating a custom header in my nonexistent spare time became a daunting endeavor, but in the process I kinda, sorta mastered designing in photoshop and feel a tad bit powerful about it. At any rate, I muddled through and am ready to once again begin dropping morsels in written form...just don't get too excited.

I'll Be Back

2011-07-21T20:19:00.000-05:00

It's been too long since my last post. Sadly, it will be even longer still until I'm dishing up new and savory recipes for you. La Dolce Vita needs a facelift (as do I!) but for now, I'm aiming my focus toward giving my written word a new, fun and fabulous format through which I can bring you fresh photos of deliciousness with accompanying recipes! I'm excited about the newness of the upcoming blog (new name and everything!) but a little daunted at the undertaking of developing yet another project. So, stay with me, be patient, and in the infamous words of my favorite terminator..."I'll be back". In the meantime, keep up with my busy-ness by "liking" my business page on Facebook - HERE.

Bolognese

2011-04-19T13:15:00.000-05:00

On a recent trip to NYC, the Music Man had an encounter with penne bolognese at a restaurant near his hotel. He returned home with appetite whetted for more. This concoction is the nearest possible alternative that I could come up with, having only his taste buds to go on for accuracy. I don't know if it comes anywhere close to that memorable New York penne bolognese, but it has definitely become a hit in our home. In the above picture, I made it with rigatoni, but we've made it with farfalle and penne as well.

Bolognese

1 Tbs. olive oil

4 oz. bacon, diced

1 1/2 cups chopped yellow onions

3/4 cup finely diced carrots

1/4 cup finely diced celery

1 Tbs. minced garlic

1 tsp. salt

1/2 tsp. ground pepper

2 bay leaves

1/2 dried thyme

1 tsp. dried oregano

1 lb. ground pork

1 lb. ground italian sausage

1 6oz. can tomato paste

1 1/2 cups red wine

2 (14.5 oz.) cans crushed tomatoes in their juice

1 (14.5 oz.) can tomato sauce

1/4 cup heavy cream

3 Tbs. chopped fresh parsley

1 lb. pasta of your choice, cooked to package directions

In a large pot, heat the oil over med-high heat. Add the bacon and cook, stirring until browned and the fat is rendered, 4-5 minutes. Add the onions, carrots and celery, cooking until soft, about 4-5 minutes. (note: I place the onion, carrots and celery in my food processor and pulse until very finely chopped). Add the garlic, salt, pepper, bay leaves, thyme, oregano and cook, stirring about 1 minute. Add the pork and sausage, cooking until no longer pink, about 5 minutes. Add the tomato paste, stirring for 1-2 minutes. Add the wine, stirring to deglaze the pan and remove any browned bits sticking to the bottom of the pan and until half of the liquid is evaporated, about 2 minutes. Add the tomatoes and their juices, the tomato sauce and bring to a boil. Reduce the heat to med-low and simmer, stirring occasionally to keep the sauce from sticking to the bottom of the pan and until the sauce is thickened and flavorful, about 1 hour. Add the cream and parsley, stir well, simmer for 2 minutes more then discard bay leaves and serve over hot pasta. Enjoy!

No Bottle Necessary

2011-04-17T15:51:00.000-05:00

Chicken stir fry - a one bowl wonder that often comes packed full of sodium...via the sauce. With all the bottled stir fry sauces on the market, it's disappointing to find the vast majority packed full of too much salt, msg, and other not-so-natural wonders. This girl is super sodium sensitive and while I love a steaming bowl of goodness, I can live without the puffy eyes it brings. Here I've made my own sauce - just as yummy when you simmer it all together and pour over your favorite combo of stir fry veggies and rice.

Chicken Stir Fry

1 1/2 lbs. bonless chicken breasts, cut into strips
1 tsp. vegetable oil
1 large carrot juliened*
1 small green pepper, sliced thin*
1 cup broccolli flowerets*
1 cup fresh mushrooms, sliced thin*
2 cups peapods, trimmed*
1 can chicken broth
1 Tbs. cornstarch
1 Tbs. soy sauce
1 tsp. ground ginger
1/2 cup cashews (optional)
4 cups rice, cooked according to package directions

In a small bowl, whisk together broth, cornstarch, soy sauce and ginger, set aside. In a large skillet, or wok, heat the vegetable oil and stir fry chicken until no longer pink. Remove chicken and set aside. Add to skillet the onion, green pepper, and mushrooms, stir frying until tender. Pour sauce into skillet with the vegetables and stir until thickened and bubbly. Return chicken to the skillet, adding the peapods as well, stir until heated through. Serve over hot rice and top with cashews.

*can easily substitute your favorite stir fry mix of fresh, frozen veggies.

Pot Pie with Puff Pastry

2011-03-10T13:53:00.000-06:00

One dish wonders are a staple during busy times and comforting during cooler weather. I enjoy this pot pie year round and hope you will too! I apologize that this post must come to you a little short on commentary - this working mom is insanely busy!

Steak Pot Pie

1/2 cup all-purpose flour
1 tsp. dried thyme
1/2 tsp. salt
1/2 tsp. ground pepper
2 1/2 pounds sirloin steak, cubed into bit-size pieces
2 Tbs. butter
2 Tbs. Olive oil
2 large yellow onions, sliced thin
3 cloves garlic, minced
1 8oz package sliced mushrooms
1 14 oz. can beef broth
1 10.5 oz. can beef consomme
2 Tbs. balsamic vinegar
1 small bag frozen peas and carrots
1 cup frozen corn
1 17.3 oz. package frozen puff pastry, thawed according to package instructions

In a large, zip-lock plastic bag, combine flour, thyme, salt and pepper. Add the steak, seall bag and shake to coat.
In a large pot, heat butter and olive oil over medium-high heat. Add the steak and cook 6-8 minutes until browned. Add onions, garlic, mushrooms, broth, consomee, frozen veggies and vinegar. Bring to a boil, reduce heat and simmer, uncovered for 45 minutes or until steak is tender, stirring occasionally.
Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Lightly grease two 8x8 square baking dishes or oval baking dishes of comparable size. Divide steak mixture into dishes. On a lightly floured surface, unfold pastry sheets. Roll each in a a rough 12x14 inch square (or large enough to cover the top of your baking dish. Place one sheet of puff pastry over each baking dish, pressing litghtly at the edges to seal and allowing the edges of the pastry to overlap dish. Bake 20-25 minutes or until pastry is puffed and browned.

A Groovy Kind of Love

2011-01-27T06:00:00.000-06:00

I've hit a record low. I thought I was nearly there when I found myself drooling over a piece of cheesecake thinking, "Jesus loves me this I know, for the cheesecake told me so", but alas...that was merely the tip of the iceberg. I hit rock bottom last night when I found this souffle on my plate, staring back at me. I'm not sure why song lyrics come to mind when I'm salivating over my dessert, perhaps because I'm married to a musician. At any rate, this lovely bit of goodness had me humming, "Baby, I need your lovin'" and I became painfully aware that if there were such a thing as dessert rehab I would need to check myself in immediately. In the meantime, I'll carry on as usual with my shameful love affair, humming familiar tunes summoned by my rendezvous with sugar..."When I'm feeling blue, all I have to do..." well, you know.

Chocolate Souffle

3 large eggs, separated
1/8 tsp. cream of tartar
1/3 cup granulated sugar
5 oz. semisweet chocolate, melted
2/3 cup whole milk
2 Tbs. flour
1/4 tsp. salt
3 Tbs. sour cream
confectioners' sugar for dusting

Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Generously grease four ramkeins with softened butter. Whisk egg whites and cream of tartar with a mixer until soft peaks begin to form. Add 1/3 cup sugar and continue whisking until medium peaks form 3-4 minutes.

In the bottom of a small saucepan, combine flour and milk. Whisk in milk and bring to a simmer, stirring constantly. Simmer for about 2 minutes or until mixture thickens. Whisk milk into chocolate. Whisk in egg yolks and sour cream. Gently fold in egg whites.

Fill ramekins evenly with batter, place on a baking sheet and bake for about 14 minutes or until souffles rise but the centers are still mostly liquid. Dust with confectioners' sugar and serve immediately.

Sweet and Salty

2011-01-25T09:17:00.000-06:00

If you are living the sugar-free life or if you are diligently attempting to follow through on a New Year's resolution to kick the sweet tooth habit, then stop now and don't read any further. Go ahead and close your browser or click back over to Facebook. However, if you crave a little a sugar now and then or if you are especially fond of sweet and salty combinations, then stay right here and check out this super simple recipe. After making these treats for my bunco group last night, I was slightly disappointed that there were no leftovers! I may have to make more today...

Toffee Bars

12 graham crackers
1 (8oz) bag toffee bits
1 1/4 cup coarsely chopped nuts
1/2 cup sugar
1 cup (2 sticks) unsalted butter
3/4 cup chocolate chips*
3/4 tsp. coarse salt (such as kosher salt or sea salt)

Line a baking sheet with foil. Place the graham crackers side by side in a single layer on the sheet, edges touching. Sprinkle toffee bits and nuts over the graham crackers. I used walnuts this time, but I've made these with pecans or almonds too.

In a saucepan, bring sugar and butter to a boil over medium-high heat and rapidly simmer, stirring occasionally, until the mixture is syrupy, about 2 minutes.
Immediately pour the sugar mixture over the graham crackers. Bake in a 350 degree oven for about 12 minutes or until sugar topping is bubbly. Remove from oven and immdeiately sprinkle with chocolate chips and salt. Cut into 2-inch squares and cool completely on a wire rack. Can be stored in an airtight container up to one week, but it's doubtful they'll last that long!

*Live-it-up-variation: substitute peanut butter or butterscotch chips in place of the chocolate chips or mix together all three flavors.

Simple, Savory, Deliciousness

2011-01-23T15:29:00.000-06:00

Can I tell you my favorite thing about this post? It isn't the simplicity of ingredients or the fact that the warming nature of soup is appealing during times such as these when I'm so cold I can hardly feel my nose or toes (okay, I'll admit it's my continued use of flip-flops in 40 degree weather that prohibits me from feeling my toes). Anyway, none of these things matter as I am simply thrilled that the above photo came straight from my camera...unedited. UNEDITED! Those of you who blog or simply enjoy playing around with photography will understand how rare it is to shoot the perfect photo on the first try. Especially when capturing food. Nearly all of my photo's get a little editing, from color balance to contrast adjustment or if nothing else, a little crop around the corners. But not this photo...ah, such a small thing to make my day complete. Now, for the truly important part - the recipe...

Chicken Tortilla Soup

2 tsp. olive oil
1 medium yellow onion
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 medium jalapeno, finely diced
1/2 green pepper, finely diced
4 boneless, skinless chicken breasts
2 1/2 cup frozen corn
2 tsp. cumin
1 tsp. chili powder
1/4 tsp. cayenne pepper
4 cans chicken broth
2 (14oz) cans petite diced tomatoes
2 (8oz) cans tomato sauce

Heat olive oil in the bottom of a heavy pot. Add onion, garlic, jalapeno and green pepper, sauteing over medium-high heat until vegetables become tender. Add the remaining ingredients...yes, put the chicken breasts in whole. Bring to a simmer and after about 15 minutes, remove the chicken breasts and shred with a fork (or use two forks, the chicken will be hot!). Return shredded chicken to the pot and simmer for 30-45 minutes. Serve topped with crushed tortilla chips and shredded monterey jack cheese.

Where Did the Time Go?

2011-01-23T07:10:00.000-06:00

After numerous attempts to post on a more regular basis, I seem to have "done it again"...letting an unseemly amount of time pass between posts! Despicable, I know. I am editing food photos as I write with the sincere promise to provide some new fodder before the sun sets. In the meantime, let me assure you that my lack of posting has not been from a lack of doing! Business is growing at an exciting rate and between cake orders and catering obligations, I have been busy perfecting these cheescakes...

If you are local, you can begin trying them (and others) at our local historical landmark, the Hotel Fredonia. The deliciousness will begin tantalizing taste buds in February. I'm super excited to have teamed up with the hotel restaurant, J. McKinney's, in a mutually beneficial relationship. I sincerely hope your 2011 is off to as roaring of a start as mine. A belated Happy New Year to all!

Cool Weather Comfort

2010-10-06T09:21:00.001-05:00

I love, love, love this cooler weather! It's a rarety here in East Texas so we take it when we can get it! Of course, steamy bowls of goodness hit the spot when the evening temperature is dropping into the 40's and this has become our favorite recipe for chicken and dumplings. I hope you enjoy it as much as we do!

Chicken & Dumplings

For the Chicken and Stock:
1 whole chicken
2 bay leaves
1 tsp. thyme
1 tsp. black pepper
4 cloves garlic, minced
2 tsp. salt

For the Dumplings:
2 cups all-purpose flour
1 Tbs. baking powder
1 tsp. salt
2 eggs
1 cup buttermilk

For the Sauce:
2 Tbs. butter
2 Tbs. oil
2 carrots, thinly slice or diced
2 stalks celery, thinly sliced
2 cloves garlic, minced
1/4 cup all-purpose flour
chicken stock from chicken
1 cup frozen peas or corn
1/4 cup heavy cream
chopped parsely for garnish

For the stock: place your whole chicken in a large stock pot or slow cooker and add enough water to ust barely cover the chicken. Place your bay leaves, thyme, pepper, garlic and salt in the pot with the chicken. Cook on the stove top, partially covered for about 2-3 hours at medium-low heat or in a slow cooker (crock pot)for about 4 hours. I think the slow cooker yeilds a richer stock if you are able to take the time and cook it with this method. Remove the cooked chicken from the stock, discard the bay leaves and shred the chicken when it has cooled. Strain the stock and set aside. It will be used for the sauce.

For the Dumplings*: Stir together the dry ingredients in a large bowl. In a small bowl, using a whisk, lightly beat the eggs, and buttermilk together; pour the wet ingredients into the dry ingredients adn gently fold. Mix just until the dough comes together; the batter should be thick and cake-like.

For the Sauce: in a large pot or dutch oven, over medium heat, add the butter and oil. Add the carrots, celery, garlic and bay leaves, sauteing until the vegetables are soft, about 5 minutes. Stir in the flour to make a roux. Continue to cook an stir for about 2 minutes to remove the starchy taste. Slowly pour in the chicken stock, one cup at a time, stirring or whisking well after each addition. Add the frozen peas or corn. Let the sauce simmer and thicken for about 10-15 minutes; stir in heavy cream. Fold the reserved chicken into the sauce and bring to a simmer. Using two spoons, carefully drop heaping tablespoons of the dumpling batter into the hot mixture. The dumplings should cover the top of the sauce, but should not be too crowded. Poach the dumplings for 10-15 minutes until they are firm. Remove and discard the bay leaves. Top with chopped parsley.

*Live-It-Up-Variation: Stire 1/4 cup chopped chives into the dry ingredients when preparing the dumplings.

Tortellini Primavera

2010-09-11T18:04:00.000-05:00

Mmmm, spinach. Nearly everyone will gobble up spinach in a salad, sometimes in an omelet combined with yummy feta cheese or even in an enchilada. Yet spinach has so many vitamin and mineral nutrients it's one vegetable we really can't consume enough. Throw in a little cream cheese (yum) and some tortellini, garlic and onion and you've got one creamy and delicious spinach dish. This primavera is yummy as a lunch dish by itself or serve it up for dinner as a side dish paired with a grilled pork tenderloin or a roasted whole chicken. I hope you and yours will enjoy it as much as we did!

Tortellini Primavera

1 cup sliced mushrooms
1/2 cup chopped onion
1 clove minced garlic
2 Tbs. butter
10 oz. spinach, steamed & drained (can use frozen spinach, thawed and drained)
1 8 oz. package cream cheese (can use reduced fat)
1 tomato, chopped
1/4 cup milk
1/4 cup fresh grated parmesan cheese
1 tsp. italian seasoning
1/4 tsp. salt
1/4 tsp. ground black pepper
9 oz. fresh or frozen tortellini, cooked and drained

Over medium heat, cook and stir mushrooms, onion, and garlic in butter until tender. Add remaining ingredients, except tortellini, and cook until mixture just begins to boil, stirring constantly. Add in tortellini, heat thoroughly and serve warm. Enjloy!

*Live-it-up Variation: Substitute crushed red pepper flakes in plac of ground black pepper.

Simple Summer Skillet

2010-08-15T14:21:00.001-05:00

It's hot outside. I mean really, really hot. We can only survive so long on salads, cold cut sandwiches and paninis before I am forced to turn the stove on in order to add variety to our repetitious summer palette. This one pan wonder filled the need to create a savory summer meal without adding excess heat to the kitchen unnecessarily.

Pork Chops and Rice

1 Tbs. vegetable oil
4 pork loin chops
1 cup long grain rice, uncooked
1/2 yellow onion, chopped
1 cup chicken broth
1 cup orange juice
2 Tbs. chopped parsley
Garlic Salt
Pepper

Sprinkle both sides of pork chops lightly with garlic salt and pepper. Heat the vegetable oil in a 10-inch skillet over medium heat; add the pork chops and cook until browned on both sides, about ten minutes. Remove chops and set aside. In the same skillet, combine rice and onion, cooking about 3 minutes or until lightly browned, stirring constantly. Gradually stir in broth, orange juice and 1 1/2 Tbs. parsley. Heat to boiling; return chops to skillet and reduce heat to low. Cover and cook 20 minutes or until liquid is absorbed and chops are no longer pink. Top with remaining 1/2 Tbs. chopped parsley and serve up with a side of steamed broccoli or a yummy summer salad. Buon Appetito!

Shrimp Carbonara

2010-08-08T16:21:00.001-05:00

My children and I love shrimp...my husband does not. When we find ourselves dining without the Music Man present, we like to indulge in little delights that we otherwise might not prepare. Most carbonara is made with linguine and often call for eggs. While dining out a few weeks ago, I was served shrimp carbonara that used neither linguine or egg and this inspired me to attempt a version of my own. You'll need to assemble some ingredients before you begin...

First, chop one medium size yellow onion, 8 oz. of white mushrooms and 6 slices of crispy bacon. Quarter 10-15 cherry tomatoes. Then melt 4 Tbs. (1/2 stick) of butter in a heavy bottomed skillet over medium-high heat. Add the chopped onion and saute until tender and translucent.

Once the onions are soft and tender, add the mushrooms and 1 pound of already cooked shrimp with tails removed. I find that pulling tails off of shrimp is a great job for my 8 year old who consistently wants to help in the kitchen! If you have children, get them involved - their future nutritional choices are being sculpted right now by the every day food choices they (and you!) make...I will now step down from my soap box and continue...

Remove the shrimp mixture from your pan. Over medium heat, add 2 Tbs. olive oil and 2Tbs. flour to the same pan and whisk to combine. Heat for 2-4 minutes allowing the olive oil and flour to marry together - this will remove the starchy taste from the flour. Whisk in 1 cup of chicken broth, 1 tsp fresh black pepper and 2 tsp. koser salt. Cook and whisk until well combined and beginning to thicken.

Stir in 1 cup of cream and 8 oz. of shredded monterey jack cheese, combining well and stirring until cheese melts. Always shred your cheese by hand - it melts better this way. The pre-shredded cheeses at your grocer are coated with a product that prevents the shredded cheese from clumping to itself in the packaging...this coating also prevents the cheese from melting evenly.

Return the shrimp, onion and mushroom mixture to your pan and stir to well combine with the cheese mixture.

Now pour the yummy, cheesy, shrimpy goodness over 1 lb. of cooked rigatoni...

Top with the chopped bacon and the quartered tomatoes...

Stir to combine well and grab a fork!

Shrimp Carbonara

6 slices crisp cooked bacon, chopped
10-15 cherry tomatoes, quartered
1 lb. box rigatoni (or penne or farfalle), cooked to package directions
8 oz. monterey jack cheese, shredded
1 medium size yellow onion, chopped
8 oz. white mushrooms, chopped
1 lb. cooked shrimp with tails removed
1 cup chicken or vegetable broth
1 cup cream
4 Tbs. butter
2 tsp. kosher salt
1 tsp. fresh black pepper
2 Tbs. olive oil
2 Tbs. flour

Melt 4 Tbs. butter in the bottom of a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add chopped yellow onion and saute until tender. Add de-tailed shrimp and chopped mushrooms to the pan, cooking until mushrooms become tender. Remove shrimp mixture form pan and set aside. In the same pan, whisk together the olive oil and the flour for 2-4 minutes. Add the salt, pepper and chicken or vegetable broth, whisking until well combined and beginning to thicken. Add cream and monterey jack cheese, stirring until well melted. Return the shrimp mixture to the pan and coat thoroughly with the cheese sauce. Pour over cooked rigatoni, stir in chopped tomatoes and bacon. Serve immediately and enjoy!

Live-It-Up-Variation: Cook 8 ounces of frozen peas to package directions and stir into carbonara with the bacon and tomatoes.

Deep Fried Satisfaction

2010-07-19T10:07:00.001-05:00

On a recent trip to Oklahoma City, we found ourselves in the midst of a deep frying frenzy. While visiting my in-laws, we intended to deep fry the numerous catfish caught by this adorable offspring of mine:

The act of deep frying is a smelly, messy one to say the least. If one is going to initiate the trouble of frying a little, then why not fry a lot? Right? Beyond the catfish and french fries we needed a fried dessert as well. I whipped up these apple fritters to fill the need...and filling is exactly what they were!

Apple Fritters

2 granny smith apples*
1 1/4 c. all-purpose flour
2 Tbs. Sugar
1/8 tsp. cinnamon
1 1/2 tsp. baking powder
1/2 tsp. baking soda
1/2 tsp. salt
2 eggs
2/3 cup buttermilk
2 Tbs. melted butter
1 Tbs. lemon juice
Vegetable or peanut oil
Powdered Sugar

Peel and core the granny smith apples. Place the apples in the bowl of a food processor and pulse until finely chopped. The apple chunks must be very fine in order to fully cook in the 2-3 minutes that the fritters will be in the hot oil. If you leave your apple chunks too big, they will be raw and crunchy in your otherwise cooked fritter. In a mixing bowl, combine dry ingredients: flour, baking soda, baking powder, salt and cinnamon. In another bowl, mix wet ingredients: eggs, melted butter, lemon juice and buttermilk. Stir wet ingredients into dry ingredients, mixing to combine. Add diced apples and stir just till combined. Drop by the spoonful into 2 inches of hot oil, heated to 350 degrees. Cook in small batches approximately 1 minute on each side, until golden brown. Drain on paper towels and immediately toss in powdered sugar while still warm.

*Live-It-Up Variation: Substitute fresh pears or peaches for apples

2010-07-01T13:11:00.000-05:00

Chicken, Black Beans and Rice, Oh My!

2010-05-09T18:44:00.000-05:00

I'm always on the look-out for one pot recipes that can be made up in a snap. During hectic times when I'm baking wedding cakes back-to-back and the Music Man's semester is crazy busy, I like to pull together something healthy and easy to reheat for lunches. I threw together this recipe last week and it was a huge hit with the whole family - especially the little people.

Chicken, Black Beans and Rice

3 1/2 cup chicken broth (about two cans)
3 Tbs. butter
1 tsp. fresh black pepper
1 tsp. garlic powder
Zest and juice of one lemon
2 1/2 cup uncooked rice
1 can black beans, rinsed and well drained
1/2 cup fresh cilantro, chopped
3 chicken breasts, poached and then shredded

Bring broth, butter, pepper, garlic powder and lemon to a boil in a large pot. Stir in rice, cover and reduce heat to medium-low, cooking for about 25 minutes. When rice is cooked, stir in shredded chicken, black beans and cilantro. Serve warm.

Not-Your-Mama's-Meatloaf

2010-03-30T10:21:00.000-05:00

I know meatloaf is nothing fancy and by no means gourmet, but there are times when it just hits the spot...like comfort food. While the term "comfort food" is typically applied to something warm, rich and filling, I often think of this meatloaf as my ultimate comfort food. Considering the lean meat content and mixture of finely chopped veggies that comprise this dish, it really isn’t unhealthy - making it a low-guilt comfort food. This recipe is exceptionally versatile as it can be made with virtually any ground meat: beef, turkey, pork, etc. I used beef this time and must admit - the leftovers make delicious meatloaf sandwiches!

Once you combine all of the ingredients in a large bowl and mix thoroughly using your hands (I admit, I glove up my hands with disposable rubber gloves, but there's absolutely nothing wrong with clean, bare hands getting involved), then shape your mixture into a loaf. No need to use a loaf pan, the egg and bread crumbs will hold this meatloaf together quite adequately.

Not-Your-Mama's-Meatloaf

4 slices white or wheat bread, torn into pieces
2 1/2 pound ground meat
1 medium yellow onion, peeled and loosely chopped into large chunks
2 cloves garlic
2 ribs celery, cut into 2-inch pieces
2 carrots, peeled and cut into 2-inch pieces
1/2 cup fresh, flat-leaf parsley leaves
2 large eggs
1/2 cup ketchup
2 tsp. mustard
1 tbs. salt
2 tsp. ground black pepper*

For Topping(to be added during last 20 minutes of baking):
1/4 cup ketchup
2 tsp. mustard
2 Tbs. brown sugar
Mix the above three ingredients until smooth.

Heat oven to 400 degrees. Place bread in the bowl of a food processor; pulse until fine crumbs form. Transfer to a large bowl; add ground meat. Place onion, garlic, celery, carrots and parsley in food processor; pulse until finely chopped. Add to meat mixture; combine using your hands. Note: the texture and shape of your meatloaf will not be the same if you attempt to mix with a spoon or in a large mixture-must be mixed with your hands! Add eggs, ketchup, mustard, salt and pepper; combine thoroughly, again using your hands. Shape into a loaf and place in a large casserole dish. Cover very loosely with a foil tent and bake in 400 degree oven, about 90 minutes or until meat thermometer reaches 160 degrees, remembering uncover and spread topping on the loaf during the last 20 minutes of cooking. Enjoy!

*Live-It-Up-Variation: add 1/4 to 1/2 tsp. crushed red pepper flakes to give an extra kick!

Simple Roasted Potatoes

2010-03-29T10:43:00.000-05:00

I must be Irish at heart as I love potatoes - mashed, french fried, roasted, sauteed, gnocchi, fried into patties, you name it. I once even attempted (albeit halfheartedly) to convince my husband that we should purchase a potato farm. Yes, I love potatoes. I started oven roasting potatoes a few years ago and have experimented with a variety of seasonings. This recipe has made it's way to the top (currently, anyway) as my family's favorite concoction for roasted potatoes.

You begin with 6 potatoes, and chopped into rough 1-inch cubes. To this you add 1/2 of a yellow onion, chopped fine.

Combine olive oil and seasonings (complete recipe below) in a large bowl, whisking well. Pour the oil mixture over the potatoes and onions, stirring well to combine and give a good coat to each of the potato cubes.

Pour potatoes onto a sheet pan and spread evenly so that each potato is on the sheet pan. Roast in a 400 degree oven for about 45 minutes.

Simple Roasted Potatoes

6 medium potatoes, well-washed with skins left on
½ yellow or purple onion chopped
1/3 cup olive oil
2 tsp. Garlic powder
1 tsp. basil
½ tsp oregano
2 tsp. Kosher salt
1 tsp. pepper

Chop potatoes into ½-inch cubes and place in the bottom of a large mixing bowl. Add chopped onion. In a small bowl, combine olive oil and all remaining seasonings. Whisk to well combine. Pour oil mixture over potatoes and onions and toss till potatoes are well coated. Pour potatoes onto a sheet pan, spreading evenly and making sure each potato is touching the pan, so they are not stacked on top of each other. Roast in a 400 degree oven for approximately 45 minutes.

Got Chocolate?

2010-02-28T15:22:00.000-06:00

Cookies and chocolate are two of my favorite things...put the two together and sweet bliss has been found. This super rich cookie will leave you craving a large, ice cold glass of milk...my critics agree that the cookies (and the milk) won't last long...

Double Chocolate Cookies

2 1/2 cups flour
1/2 tsp. baking soda
1/4 tsp. salt
1/2 cup cocoa powder
1 cup brown sugar
3/4 cup granulated sugar
1 cup (2 sticks) butter, softened
3 large eggs
2 tsp. vanilla extract
1 cup white chocolate chips*
1 cup semi-sweet chocolate chips*

Preheat oven to 300 degrees. In a medium bowl, whisk together flour, baking soda, salt and cocoa powder; set aside. In a large mixing bowl, combing granulated sugar, brown sugar and butter, mixing until well combined. Add the eggs and beat at medium speed until batter is light and fluffy. Add the flour mixture and chocolate chips to the the batter and stir until just combined - do not over mix. Drop with medium size cookie scoop onto silpat or parchment lined cookie sheets and bake for 15-18 minutes, depending on your oven...in mine, 16 minutes is perfect, but just watch them. They will seem a little moist when you first pull them out, this is good. They will set up quickly. After removing them from the oven, immediately pull the parchment and/or silpat from the cookie sheet right on to the counter. The cookies will easily come off the parchment when they are cooled, so you if you're not using a silpat, the parchment can be used over and over again for the entire batch. This yields roughly 4 dozen cookies. Enjoy!

*Live-It-Up Variation: Substitute 2 cups peanut butter chips in place of white and semi-sweet chips.

Baked Potato Goodness

2010-02-21T12:18:00.000-06:00

The warm goodness of soup hits the spot on a chilly day. Chilly weather is rare here in Texas, so when I find myself in the midst of a nippy day, I quickly reach for my favorite soup recipes. I've been making this potato soup for over 10 years and it remains a hit every time. Yummy enough to be devoured by kiddo's and hearty enough to leave adults content (i.e. the husband!) we find it to be truly scrumptious!

Baked Potato Soup

6 average size potatoes baked, cooled, peeled and cubed

8 slices bacon, cooked crisp and crumbled

1 medium yellow onion, chopped

2/3 cup flour

8 cups chicken broth

2 cups milk

2 cups sharp cheddar cheese, shredded

1/4 cup chopped fresh parsley

1 1/2 tsp. garlic powder

1 1/2 tsp. salt

1 1/2 tsp. pepper*

In the bottom of a stock pot, cook bacon until crisp, remove and drain on paper towels. Leave the bacon drippings in the bottom of the pot and, over medium-high heat, add the chopped onion and saute until tender. Add flour, cooking and stirring until well combined and beginning to brown, about 2-3 minutes. Add chicken broth, whisking well to prevent lumps. Allow to thicken, cooking about 5 minutes more. Add remaining ingredients: chopped potatoes, milk, parsley, garlic powder, salt, pepper, cheddar cheese and crumbled bacon. Once milk has been added, do not allow soup to boil as this will break down the milk proteins and produce a watery soup. Simmer, stirring occasionally, until cheese had melted. Dish some up and top with additional shredded cheese and parsley, if desired. Enjoy!

*Live-It-Up Variation: For more kick in your soup, add 1/4 to 1/2 tsp. Tabasco sauce.

Gooey, Delicious Delight

2010-02-16T21:27:00.000-06:00

Cheese, glorious cheese! Oh how I love cheese...and ice cream and beef tenderloin...but we can talk about those another day. "Everything in moderation" is my motto - a motto I almost lost sight of after whipping up this baked brie. I wanted to dive in with my bare fingers and devour the entire thing. Oh the delectable goodness of brie!

I started with a 16 oz. brie...yes, that's a large brie and an 8 oz. would most certainly work just as well, but as we frequently feed "extras" our house - in the form of students or friends dropping in - I knew a 16 oz. brie would be readily consumed.

After slicing off the rind on one side of the brie, I placed it on a sheet of puff pastry (the side with the remaining rind facing down) and topped with raspberry preserves and coarsely chopped, toasted almonds.

Simply wrap the puff pastry around the brie, bunching it up on top...

Brush with egg yolk and bake at 400 degrees about 25 minutes.

Let stand five minutes or so and then serve up the oozy, gooey, deliciousness with crackers and apple slices...or take a scoop with your bare finger when no one is looking...not that I would ever do that...

Baked Brie

1 16 oz. wheel of brie
1 sheet puff pastry, thawed according to package directions
1/2 cup raspberry preserves
1/2 cup toasted, coarsely chopped almonds
1 tsp. sugar
1 large egg yolk, beaten

Lightly roll out puff pastry on a floured surface. Slice off the rind from one side of the brie and place with remaining rind down on puff pastry. Top the brie with raspberry preserves, toasted almonds and sprinkle with 1 tsp. sugar. Wrap the puff pastry around the brie, twisting ends together and bunching up on top of the brie. Brush puff pastry with beaten egg yolk. Place on a lightly oiled sheet pan and bake in a 400 degree oven for 25 minutes. Let stand five minutes and enjoy!

Happy Valentines Day!

2010-02-14T14:28:00.000-06:00

Who doesn't love heart-shaped nonsense on Valentine's Day? Is there a mother alive with children still residing at home who doesn't make heart shaped pancakes, buy huge chocolate kisses or little stuffed animals that say "be mine" for their little ones? I love to pamper my family on Valentine's Day with goodies and kisses and especially heart shaped pancakes. Sandwiched between Christmas and Easter, they always seem to forget they will be indulging in syrup soaked delight on Valentine's Day...a surprise which only makes the day that much more fun! This year I not only made our traditional buttermilk pancakes, but I also whipped out a new recipe for chocolate pancakes - I'll post both recipes here. Since I was unsure how my chocolate pancake concoction would turn out, I kept my ingredients to small quantities...you may want to double the recipe if your feeding several people. However, my traditional buttermilk pancake recipe is designed to feed the masses (we like pancakes, what can I say? the leftovers can be frozen and easily heated in the toaster on a hurried weekday morning) so you may want to half the recipe if you're feeding just a few...Enjoy!

Buttermilk Pancakes

2 1/4 cups all-purpose flour
1/3 cup sugar
2 1/4 tsp. baking powder
1 tsp. baking soda
3/4 tsp. salt
2 1/2 cups buttermilk
1/2 stick melted butter
3 large eggs
1 tsp. vanilla

Stir together flour, sugar, baking powder, baking soda, and salt in a large bowl. In another bowl, combine buttermilk, eggs, butter and vanilla. Pour wet ingredients into dry and whisk to combine. Cook on a 400 degree griddle and enjoy!

Chocolate Pancakes

3/4 cup flour
2 Tbs. cocoa powder
1/4 tsp. cinnamon
1/4 cup sugar
1 tsp. baking powder
1/2 tsp. baking soda
1/2 tsp. salt
1 cup buttermilk
3 Tbs. melted butter
1 large egg
1/2 tsp vanilla
Mini chocolate chips (optional)

Combine dry ingredients in a large bowl - stir to combine well. In another bowl combine wet ingredients and pour into dry ingredients. Whisk to combine and cook up on a 400 degree griddle. Enjoy!

The Sweetest Thing I've Baked...

2010-02-10T11:01:00.000-06:00

I've taken a break lately from my foodie antics and my catering business to finish baking up something extra sweet and special...and oh boy did he turn out perfect! We welcomed the newest member of our household four weeks ago and each of us fell immediately in love. Though he was nearly a week overdue, we think he was "baked" to perfection. Take a peek at the sweetest thing I've baked...

Salads - Just in Time for the New Year!

2009-12-31T10:11:00.000-06:00

If you're like me, you enjoyed every aspect of the Holiday Season including mashed potatoes and gravy, with lots of pie and cookies. Now that it's time to start another New Year, I'm reminded that summer will be here again before we know it and so will those sleeveless shirts, sundresses, and shorts. New Year's resolutions aside, it's never too early to start thinking about healthy side dishes that help to fill us up without breaking our caloric bank. Here are two such dishes that pack in the vitamins and fiber while leaving you feeling full and not deprived. These make great dinner sides or can fly solo for a light lunch.

We'll start with the bean salad. This is very simple, easy to assemble - anyone, and I mean ANYONE, can make this. The recipe can easily be doubled or even tripled. Plus, it is super healthy, low in fat, and high in fiber - great way to start your new year!

Bean Salad

1 can kidney beans, well-drained
1 can mexicorn, well-drained
1 can black beans, well-drained
1/4 cup chopped scallions (green onion)
3 Tbs. red wine vinegar
3 Tbs. extra virgin olive oil
1/2 tsp. garlic powder
1/2 tsp. ground cumin
1/4 tsp. salt
1/4 tsp. pepper

In a large bowl, combine oil, vinegar, salt, pepper, garlic powder and cumin. Stir in black beans, kidney beans, corn and onions. Combine well and refrigerate at least one hour. Serve chilled.

*Live-It-Up Variation: Turn this simple side into a main dish by grilling 1-2 chicken breasts, shredding with a fork and tossing into salad.
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And then there's broccoli salad. Sweet and tangy with the crunchiness of bacon, helps to ensure that even the children in your home will eat their veggies...

Broccoli Salad

1 large head broccoli, chopped
1/2 cup red onion, chopped
1/2 cup dried cranberries
1 large carrot, peeled and shredded
6-12 slices crisp bacon, crumbled
1/2 cup Miracle Whip (can use fat-free)
1/4 cup sugar
1 Tbs. apple cider vinegar

Combine chopped broccoli, chopped onion, carrot, cranberries and bacon in a large bowl, toss well. In a small bowl, mix together Miracle Whip, sugar and vinegar. Pour over broccoli mixture and stir to combine well. Chill for at least an hour. Serve chilled.

What I've Been Up To - Part II

2009-12-29T14:39:00.000-06:00

In addition to all of my cooking/caking activity, a local magazine asked to feature my cake business as their cover story. How could I possibly say no to such a proposal? Click here to read the article...

What I've Been Up To - Part I

2009-12-26T20:53:00.000-06:00

Wow! I can't believe it has been over 2 months since I've posted anything new. I've still been cooking up a storm and baking cakes galore and honestly, those activities have monopolized my time. Here's a quick peek at a few of the creations that have been keeping me busy...

Black Forest Cherry Trifle

2009-10-12T08:56:00.003-05:00

If you like chocolate covered cherries, and I mean real chocolate covered cherries - not the artificially flavored kind you find at the drug store during the holidays, but real cherries covered in real chocolate - then you will love this black forest cherry trifle. Be warned - it's very rich, very chocolaty and sure to send your blood sugar levels through the roof....but it is worth it!

Start by making the custard as it will need time to cool and during the cooling process you can assemble the remainder of your trifle ingredients.

Melt 4 oz. bittersweet chocolate in a double broiler....set aside.

Combine 1/3 cup cocoa and 1/2 cup sugar, sifting well to remove all lumps. Add 7 egg yolks and whisk together until well combined.

Combine 1/3 cup heavy cream, 1/3 cup milk and 1 tsp. vanilla in a large saucepan heating until just beginning to steam; add the cocoa and egg yolk mixture and whisk well to combine. Continue to cook over medium heat until mixture begins to thicken, stirring constantly for about ten minutes - do not walk away from it!

After the custard has begun to thicken, add the melted bittersweet chocolate and stir well to combine. Pour into a bowl to cool and prevent a "skin" from forming by covering custard with plastic wrap.

Now, you're ready to assemble the rest of your ingredients....

You'll need some cake. A nice dark chocolate cake works best, but you could easily use your favorite chocolate cake at the moment.

You can make this in a full-size trifle dish as well....I chose the mini trifle because they're cute and...I like cute. Turn the mini trifle upside down to score the cake and cut accordingly...

Mini trifle dishes are lacking in stature and your initial cake round will be quite high, so you'll need to cut the cake circles in half and then in half again, resulting in a total of eight rounds of cake....

Make sandwiches by slathering on cherry preserves and smushing a second cake round on top (yes, "smushing" is a made-up word) - this will be the first layer in your trifle...

Gently smash a cake sandwich into the bottom of each trifle dish and top with a drizzle of cherry brandy. If you have an aversion to alcohol or, as in my case, you happen to be pregnant and think avoiding fetal alcohol syndrome is probably a good idea, then you can use the cherry syrup from your jar of maraschino cherries. Next, layer with maraschino cherries and then chocolate custard. Cover and chill for at least an hour or even overnight. Top with freshly whipped cream just before serving.

Black Forest Cherry Trifle
(makes 4 mini trifles or one full-size trifle*)

1 9-inch round chocolate cake
4 oz. bittersweet chocolate*
1/3 cup cocoa
1/2 cup sugar
7 egg yolks
1 tsp. vanilla
1/3 cup heavy cream
1/3 cup whole milk
1 large jar maraschino cherries
1 jar cherry preserves
2 cups heavy whipping cream for whipping*

Melt chocolate in double broiler, set aside. Combine cocoa, sugar and egg yolks in a medium mixing bowl and whisk together well. Combine milk, heavy cream and vanilla in a large saucepan and heat until just beginning to simmer. Stir in cocoa and egg yolk mixture. Cook and stir constantly over medium heat for about ten minutes or until thickened. Stir in melted bittersweet chocolate and pour custard into a large bowl. Cover with plastic wrap to prevent a skin from from forming as custard cools. Set aside while you assemble your cake.

Cut chocolate cake into small rounds that fit easily into the bottom of your mini trifle dish. Each round should measure no more than 1/2 inch high, so trim accordingly. Sandwich cherry preserves between 2 1/2-inch rounds and press into the bottom of your trifle dish. Top with cherry brandy or liquid from maraschino cherries. Layer maraschino cherries on top and cover with chocolate custard. Cover and chill for at least an hour or overnight. Top with freshly whipped cream just before serving.

*Live-It-Up Variation: Can substitute semi-sweet chocolate to result in a milk chocolate flavor if dark chocolate is not your preference. If using a full-size trifle, split 9-inch round cake in half horizontally and make one large cherry sandwich. Dress up your whipped cream topping with chocolate shavings or red sprinkles.

Got Beef?

2009-09-28T17:33:00.000-05:00

I have recently become fond of mustard. I've always liked mustard, but with my developing pregnancy I've come to know mustard as my true love. Of all the things a girl could crave, at least mustard has a fairly low caloric and fat content.

This stroganoff reminds me of Chateaubriand as both require dijon mustard in the sauce - have no fear, the mustard in this stroganoff is not overwhelming and the whole family cheered at the final result.

First, you'll need some pasta. I chose farfalle because...well, I think it's cute and it's easy to stab with a fork - I know that reason does not involve a refined culinary point of view, but it will have to do. You'll also need beef tenderloin (or sirloin for the budget conscious), a large yellow onion, baby bella mushrooms, sour cream, beef broth, corn starch, dijon mustard, salt and pepper.

Okay, so the onion is not in the above picture...I have flaws...

Make the sauce first. Stir 1 teaspoon cornstarch into 1 cup hot broth, whisking to prevent lumps. When barely beginning to thicken stir in 1/2 cup sour cream and 2 Tbs. dijon mustard. If sauce overheats and becomes too thick, simply stir in additional broth or water.

Next, coat beef with 1 1/2 Tbs. kosher salt and 1 tsp. coarse black pepper. In a large pan, heat 2 Tbs. canola oil over high heat. Stir in your beef and cook until browned, but do not over cook - think medium/rare - your strips are thin and will cook quickly, so just about 2-3 minutes is all you'll need.

Remove meat from pan and set aside. Add an additional Tbs. canola oil to your pan, if needed, and throw in your onions. Cook until tender and brown. Someone got her thumb in the photo...remind me to fire her...

Add in the baby bella mushrooms and cover. Cook for 6-8 minutes until mushrooms are tender, stirring occasionally.

Return beef to your pan and stir in your broth/sour cream mixture. Combine well.

Serve over piping hot cooked pasta. Refrigerate leftovers and eat at midnight!

Beef Stroganoff

1 lb. beef tenderloin, thinly sliced into strips
3 Tbs. canola oil
1 large yellow onion, finely chopped
8 oz. baby bella mushrooms
1 cup beef broth (low-sodium if available)
2 Tbs. dijon mustard
1/2 cup sour cream
1 1/2 Tbs. kosher salt
1 tsp. coarse black pepper
1 Tbs. cornstarch

In a saucepan, heat beef broth and whisk in cornstarch. Heat until just beginning to thicken, then remove from heat and whisk in sour cream and mustard. Cover and set aside. Toss beef strips with kosher salt and pepper. Heat 2 Tbs. canola in large skillet. Add beef and saute until browned, 2-3 minutes. Remove beef from pan and set aside. Add an additional Tbs. canola oil to beef drippings and stir in onion, cooking until tender and brown. Stir in mushrooms, cover and continue cooking for 6-8 minutes until mushrooms are tender. Return beef to skillet and stir in sour cream sauce. Heat thoroughly and serve over piping hot pasta. Top with a dollop of sour cream. Enjoy!

Peach Cobbler, Baby!

2009-09-10T08:32:00.000-05:00

The Music Man looovvees cobbler. On a recent trip to my home state of Ohio, he devoured some super yummy cobbler whipped up by my sweet cousin Liz. I thought this would satisfy his cobbler cravings, but it appears that it merely whetted his appetite for more. When his birthday approached he asked for cobbler instead of cake. Here's what we made...

Peach Cobbler

Filling:
5 cups sliced fresh peaches* (about 6-8 peaches)
3/4 cup sugar
1 1/2 Tbs. cornstarch

Topping:
3/4 c. all-purpose flour
3/4 c. whole wheat flour
4 Tbs. packed brown sugar
2 tsp. baking powder
1/2 tsp. salt
6 Tbs. butter
1/2 cup half & half

Filling: Place sliced fresh peaches in a large sauce pan, barely cover with water and heat just to a simmer, cook for five minutes then remove from heat and let set another five minutes, barely softening the peaches. Drain peaches, reserving your liquid. Combine sugar and cornstarch with 1 cup of the reserved liquid. Place your sliced peaches in a shallow baking pan, cover with sugar mixture and set aside.

Topping: Finely dice or grate butter and place in the freezer to set. In the bowl of a food processor combine flours, sugar, baking powder and salt - pulse till well combined. Add grated butter and pulse until mixture resembles coarse meal (8-10 pulses). Transfer flour mixture to a large bowl and gently add the half and half, stirring until just combined. Spoon balls of mixture on top of the fruit. Bake 1 hour at 375 degrees. The topping should be golden brown and fruit should bubble.

*Live-It-Up Variation: can substitute 5 cups of fresh blueberries in place of peaches, adding the zest of 1/2 lemon and leaving all other ingredients the same.

Oh, Do You Know the Muffin Man?

2009-09-02T09:04:00.001-05:00

We like muffins for breakfast...or at any time of day really. We also have a household obsession with fiber. Combine the two and the possibilities are endless! These Coconut Pecan Oat Bran Muffins were a big hit and at 3 grams of fiber per muffin, I could rest easy as my son devoured four of them. What can I say? He's growing and who could resist giving plenty to a boy who waited with so much anticipation...

I hope you enjoy them just as much we do!

Coconut Pecan Oat Bran Muffins

2 1/2 cups oat bran
1/4 cup dark brown sugar
1/4 cup shredded coconut*
1/4 cup chopped pecans
2 tsp. baking powder
1/2 tsp. baking soda
1/4 tsp. salt
2 eggs
1 cup milk
2 Tbs. vegetable oil
Turbinado Sugar for topping

In a large bowl, combine oat bran, sugar, coconut, nuts, baking powder, baking soda, and salt. In a separate bowl, whisk together eggs, milk and oil. Pour wet ingredients into dry and mix until combined. Spoon into prepared muffin pan, sprinkle the tops with turbinado or demerara sugar and bake at 400 degrees for 15 minutes. Makes 12 muffins.

*Live-It-Up Variation: can substitute 1/4 cup chopped apple, raisins, or banana in place of coconut.

Back from Sabbatical

2009-08-15T08:54:00.000-05:00

Okay, I thought sabbatical sounded so much nicer than simply saying "I done got busy". Sabbatical indicates that I've been doing something important with my time and therefore have neglected posting...and when you consider the camping trip I took with my family followed by the wedding I catered upon my return, well...I did do something important with my time. Nothing like ending a summer hiatus with a mad whirlwind of work! Check out a couple of pics from the work I've been doing and rest assured more recipes will follow soon!

My lone employee, Nicole, and myself working our hearts out...

The yummy buffet for 120 that we served up with smiles...

What did we serve?

~Bite-size Crab Cakes
~Salmon Skewers
~Chicken & Pineapple Skewers
~Herbed Bleu Cheese Stuffed Tomatoes
~Assorted Fruit and Cheese
~Mini Quiche
~Strawberry Punch and Bottled Water

Simple, Buttery Side

2009-07-22T16:58:00.000-05:00

I'm a black and white kind of girl, so I need to be upfront with you from the very beginning...if you don't like citrus, then stop reading right now. If the tartness of lemon makes your kisser pucker and your eyes cross a little, then you will not enjoy my Citrus Garlic Linguine. However, if you appreciate a little zing from time to time and you want a simple pasta side dish to accompany fish or poultry, then read on.

Start with 6 tablespoons of butter, regular butter, not unsalted and 4 tablespoons of olive oil. Heat the oil and butter in a heavy skillet and saute 2 1/2 tablespoons minced garlic. Yes, I know this is a lot of butter and garlic, but we're going to coat a lot of pasta so hang with me. Garlic burns easily, watch it carefully. You will only need to saute it a minute or two. Add in 1 teaspoon kosher salt, 1/2 teaspoon black pepper and 1/4 teaspoon red pepper flakes. Give a quick stir and then add in the zest and juice of 1/2 lemon and 1/2 orange. Remove from heat and stir in 1/2 cup chopped fresh parsley. Make sure to prep all of your ingredients before you start to keep it simple when the heat is on. This is what your sauce should look like in the end:

Pour the sauce over 12 ounces of cooked linguine and toss together with tongs:

Serve while piping hot and top with fresh grated parmesan. Transform this side into a main dish by stirring in cooked shrimp or shredded cooked chicken breast into your sauce after adding the seasonings, but before adding the citrus. I had a little leftover grilled salmon that I separated into loose chunks and stirred into a small bowl of the linguine to turn it into a lunch portion.

Citrus Garlic Linguine

12 oz. package linguine, cooked
6 Tbs. butter
4 Tbs. olive oil
2 1/2 Tbs. minced garlic
zest & juice of 1/2 lemon
zest & juice of 1/2 orange
1/2 cup fresh chopped flat-leaf parsley
1 tsp. kosher salt
1/2 tsp. black pepper
1/4 tsp. red pepper flakes

Place butter and olive oil in skillet; when butter is completely melted, add garlic and saute 1-2 minutes. Stir in salt, pepper, and red pepper flakes. Add zest and juice of both the lemon and orange. Remove from heat and stir in parsley. Pour citrus garlic sauce over cooked linguine and toss gently with tongs. Serve while piping hot. Enjoy!

A Little Selfishness

2009-07-20T11:01:00.000-05:00

I design cakes for clients every single week. Sometimes, I'm a little envious when the creations leave my kitchen. They're awfully cute, a lot of work and every once in a while...I want one all to myself! I decided this past weekend that I was going to put the same painstaking effort into a cake just for me. Colors I like, a theme that I like, a design I want, yes a cake all for me. Something that makes me happy when I see it. I like bright colors. Visit my house and you'll find bright green kitchen walls and a big, red, comfy sofa. I made MY cake bright. When I was finished its brightness almost seemed a bit obnoxious, but I like it and it's mine all mine. Strategically, I made it small so I can avoid a little guilt when I eat the entire thing.

Though I am quite the chocoholic, when it comes to cake, I like vanilla or strawberry cake...I couldn't decide what to make, so I made a layer of each. No plain buttercream in the center for me, I'll take bright purple please...in all fairness I should take a picture of my pretty purple teeth, but I'll let you use your imagination.

I Made Something Without Garlic?!?

2009-07-18T18:41:00.000-05:00

When I set out to make this dish, I truly intended to have a little garlic involved, but absentmindedly forgot all about it in the process. The thing is, it doesn't really need it. This version of mac & cheese is so yummy, I almost ate the whole batch by myself. I refrained...sort of. I love making a variety of mac & cheese - it's such a versatile dish, that it allows for experimentation with different flavors. This time, I was craving jalapeno's. Here's what you'll need to get started making Jalapeno Mac & Cheese.

Pictured is a 1 pound box of pasta - you will only need about half the box (4 cups cooked). I usually cook the entire box anyway, douse what I don't need with a little olive oil (helps it keep its youthful glow) and refrigerate for later use. This time I used mini farfalle because my daughter insisted and really, who could resist this face?

Three ingredients I forgot to photograph, proving once again that I'm not perfect (please don't take away my pedestal), are salt, pepper, and cornstarch...

Melt 2 tablespoons butter while you chop up the jalapeno's and red onion - you'll need 1/2 cup chopped red onion. I like jalapeno's so I chop up two, but just do one if the heat makes you nervous. Remember, the heat is in the seeds! Saute your onion and jalapeno's in the piping hot butter until nice and tender...

Whisk in 1 tablespoon of cornstarch....

Then pour in your half & half...Stirring until thoroughly heated and just beginning to thicken, then add CHEESE!

This time I used about 1/2 cup of monterey jack, 1/2 cup of colby and 1/4 cup sharp cheddar. If you really want to spice things up, use pepper jack instead of monterey jack. I've done this and really liked it. The family, however, did not and I was forced to eat the entire batch myself...no wonder I can't button my shorts...I digress...

Add salt and pepper to taste and stir your cheese sauce until nice and creamy; stir in your cooked pasta. Remember that pasta can absorb quite a bit of salt, so don't hold back - you'll need a good full teaspoon at the very least.

Pour yourself a beverage, dish it up and enjoy!

Jalapeno Mac & Cheese

4 cups cooked pasta
2 Tbs. butter
1 cup half & half
1/2 cup chopped red onion
1-2 chopped jalapeno's
1 Tbs. cornstarch
1/2 cup shredded monterey jack
1/2 cup shredded colby
1/4 cup shredded sharp cheddar
salt & pepper to taste

Melt butter in large pan; add onion and jalapeno's; saute until tender. Whisk in cornstarch and cook for about 1-2 minutes. Stir in half & half and cook until just barely beginning to thicken; add cheese, salt and pepper; continue to stir until cheese is melted and sauce is creamy. Stir in cooked pasta and serve.

The Inside Scoop

2009-07-16T19:58:00.000-05:00

Click here to visit the main website for Food, Inc.

Turkey Lettuce Wraps with Cilantro Mayo

2009-07-15T13:22:00.001-05:00

It's hot in Texas. Really, really hot. Add my daily growing pregnant belly to the normal annoyances of a 104 degree temperature, and it's easier to fast than to turn on the stove! Yet, I am pregnant and therefore hungry nearly all the time. I need healthy snacks, without sacrificing flavor and preferably requiring NO HEAT! These Turkey Lettuce Wraps hit the spot. The Cilantro Mayo used on them is so yummy and versatile that I know it will be delicious on my next tomato sandwich as well, if I can refrain from eating it by the spoonful.

Cilantro Mayo

3/4 cup LIGHT Mayo
1/2 cup packed cilantro leaves
1 Tbs. lemon juice
1 clove garlic
1/2 tsp. soy sauce

Puree in food processor until smooth.

Using Boston lettuce leaves, spread a think layer of cilantro mayo, followed by thin layers of turkey (or ham) and add anything else that strikes your fancy. I like thin sliced jalapeno's on mine. Or, throw on some green or red bell pepper. Remember to keep everything in THIN layers allowing you to roll the lettuce up tight.

Other People's Pantries

2009-07-11T11:34:00.000-05:00

A few month's ago, I stumbled onto a creative food blog: The Perfect Pantry. In addition to her great food articles and recipes, author Lydia Walshin originated the idea of peeking into other people's pantries. I think this is such a creative way to satisfy the nosy curiosity that many of us possess (whether we admit to it or not!) After browsing through pictures from her prior submitters, I was compelled to send a pic of my own. Today is my turn to be featured - as pantry #76.

Click here to view my pantry.

Think you want to participate? Don't hesitate - I've been on the wait list since March!

Two for One

2009-06-30T09:27:00.000-05:00

In our home, lasagna is a favorite, especially for my son. He could eat lasagna every day if I would let him. In an effort to simplify the layering process of traditional lasagna, I compiled my super simple ingredients and wrapped up lasagna rolls instead. All the great flavor with less mess and time. In order to share this with you, I'll have to part with both my filling and my marinara...gosh, two recipes in one post. Are you overwhelmingly delighted? Are you? Even a little bit? Okay, fine...be that way. I think next time I'll stir some fresh spinach into the filling...

Lasagna Rolls

15 lasagna noodles, cooked to al dente
30 oz. container whole milk ricotta cheese
1 cup parmesan
1/2 cup shredded mozzarella
1 lb. italian sausage, cooked well, drained and chopped ultra fine in food processor
1/2 yellow onion
2 Tbs. chopped garlic
3 Tbs. chopped fresh basil, plus additional for topping
2 Tbs. chopped fresh italian flat-leaf parsley
1 Tbs. chopped oregano
Fresh Mozzarella, sliced

Prepare marinara sauce (recipe below). Preheat oven to 400 degrees. In skillet drizzled with olive oil, cook onion and garlic until tender. Transfer to mixing bowl. Add ricotta, parmesan, shredded mozzarella, italian sausage, basil, parsley, and oregano. Stir well. In bottom of baking dish, thinly layer marinara sauce, just enough to cover the bottom of your pan. Now assemble your rolls. Scoop 1/2 cup of filling onto a single piece lasagna. Gently roll lasagna noodle around filling, guarding filling as you roll to prevent filling from being pressed out of noodle. Place in baking dish and repeat with remaining noodles/filling. Cover with marinara, slices of fresh mozzarella, chopped fresh basil and sprinkle with kosher salt.

Marinara Sauce

6 cloves garlic chopped
1/2 yellow onion, chopped very fine
3 Tbs. olive oil
1 28 oz. can plum tomatoes, pulsed in food processor with juices until coarsely chopped
1 15oz. can tomato sauce
1 teaspoon sugar
1 1/2 tsp. basil
3/4 tsp. oregano
1/2 tsp. crushed red pepper
1 Tbs. Kosher salt

Heat olive oil in large saucepan over medium-high heat. Saute onion until tender, add garlic and continue cooking 2-3 minutes. Add tomatoes, sugar, basil, oregano, kosher salt and crushed red pepper. Partially cover and simmer 45 minutes to 1 hour.

Rub-a-Dub-Dub

2009-06-27T18:24:00.000-05:00

Roasted chicken remains the go-to dish when nothing else comes to mind. On nights when creativity is short, tummies are growling and the natives are restless, I always know that a roasted chicken will satisfy the masses...or at least the hungry people tugging at my apron. This is a simple rub, mixed well in a small bowl and massaged enthusiastically all over the chicken. Yes, enthusiastically. Hands must get dirty. Must. Yet so well worth it. This is the old standby, the steady and true rub that's always a hit, but feel free heed to the call of adventure and create rubs from a variety of seasonings. Grab the cumin or the coriander, don't be shy. Create your own from your favorite spices. There are no rules in the home kitchen. Season and rub away.

Rub-a-Dub-Dub

1/2 Cup Extra Virgin Olive Oil
1 Tbs. Kosher Salt
2 tsp. fresh ground black pepper
3/4 tsp. poultry seasoning
1 heaping Tbs. finely chopped garlic
1 Tbs. each fresh chopped Rosemary, Parsley, Basil

Mix well, rub away. Roast at 425 degrees or until digital thermometer reaches 190 degrees when inserted in the fattest part of the chicken.

Blueberry Love

2009-06-26T20:39:00.000-05:00

I love reading Molly Wizenberg. Her award winning blog, Orangette, is a favorite. Maybe knowing the Seattle resident originally hailed from the state of Oklahoma, home of my alma mater, gives the sense of knowing a kindred spirit...or maybe she's simply genius at drawing readers in. Either way, her monthly column in Bon Appetit is the first place I turn upon the magazines arrival. Fortunately, Molly's July column, featuring blueberry scones, followed shortly after our own Texas Blueberry Festival. I eagerly tried her recipe with great results. Scones are a fabulous make ahead breakfast for road trips or better yet, served up fresh on the back patio with a hot cup of coffee. These were a hit in our home and I hope you enjoy them as well.

Blueberry Scones
(adapted from Bon Appetit, July 2009)

3 cups all purpose flour
1/3 cup (packed) golden brown sugar
1 Tbs. plus 1 tsp. baking powder
1 1/2 tsp. baking soda
3/4 tsp. kosher salt
11 Tbs. chilled unsalted butter, cut into 1/2-inch cubes
1 cup plus 3 tbs. old-fashioned oats
1 cup fresh blueberries
1 3/4 cups chilled half and half
1 tsp. vanilla extract
5 tsp. raw sugar (I used turbinado)

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Line 2 rimmed baking sheets with parchment paper. Combine flour, brown sugar, baking powder, baking soda and coarse salt in processor; blend 5 seconds. Add butter. Using on/off turns, blend until mixture resembles coarse meal. Transfer mixture to large bowl. Add 1 cup oats and blueberries; stir to blend evenly. Stir half and half and vanilla in a small bowl. Gradually add to flour mixture, tossing until dough just comes together. Using 1/2 cup measuring cup for each scone, drop dough in mounds onto prepared baking sheets, spacing 3 inches apart. Sprinkle tops with remaining 3 Tbs. oats, then raw sugar. Bake 25-27 minutes.

Crab Stuffed Salmon

2009-06-15T15:36:00.000-05:00

I must apologize for my scarcity of posts lately. I have been cooking and photographing, yet find it difficult to carve out enough time to put these great recipes into blog posts. Blame it on summer. Garden busy-ness, children home from school and afternoons chilling by the pool. I love summer! However, I have managed to find 20 minutes and armed with a fresh iced coffee by my side, I am ready to share some goodness from my week, crab stuffed salmon.

Years ago, while living in another state, I enjoyed a version of this crab stuffed salmon and have longed for more of it ever since. I love seafood and am particularly fond of salmon. The richness of the crab stuffing combined with the leanness of the salmon make a well balanced dish. I think the next time I make this I will acclimate the recipe to my current Texas location, by altering my crab stuffing to include crawfish. Yes, that would be delicious.

Brushing butter on the combination while baking, heeds a perfectly moist salmon and adds to the flavor of the crab stuffing. Serve it up with some roasted parmesan asparagus and you've got a healthy and filling dinner. Enjoy!

Crab Stuffed Salmon

3 slices white bread
2 Tbs. butter
1/2 cup white onion
2 Tbs. flour
3/4 cup cream
3/4 cup vegetable stock
3 Tbs. each of fresh chopped parsley and basil
8 oz. lump white crab meat
1 tsp. salt
pepper to taste
1 Tbs. fresh rosemary
2-3 lb. salmon fillet

Tear the bread into pieces, place in the bowl of your food processor and pulse until you achieve fine crumbs. In a skillet, over medium-high heat, melt your butter and saute onion until soft and transparent. Whisk in the flour and stir until well combined. Slowly stir in the cream and the broth. Remove from heat and fold in parsley, basil, crab meat, bread crumbs, salt and pepper. Cut your salmon fillet into 4-inch sections, then cut a center out of each section to form a large "V". Stuff the crab meat mixture into the center of the salmon sections and wrap the ends of your salmon around the mixture, enclosing all of your crab stuffing. Place in baking dish sprayed with cooking spray, brush the tops with butter, generously sprinkle with fresh rosemary and bake at 400 degrees for 20 minutes or until salmon is flaky.

Comfort Food

2009-06-03T16:42:00.000-05:00

We've had a very rainy day here in East Texas. Nothing goes better with cloudy, rainy days than the creamy goodness of comfort food. This Chicken Tetrazzini is filling and delicious - feel free to substitute full-fat cream for my fat-free half & half. Even in comfort food, I attempt to keep the fat content to a minimum without losing flavor. Here's one for your next rainy day!

Chicken Tetrazzini

2 boneless skinless chicken breasts, cubed
1/4 cup butter
2 cups sliced mushrooms
1/4 cup flour
2 cups chicken broth
1/2 cup fat-free half & half
1 Tbs. chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley
1 tsp. salt
1/4 tsp. pepper
8 oz. vermicelli, cooked to package directions
1 cup fresh grated Parmesan

Cook cubed chicken over medium-high heat in butter for approximately 2 minutes. Add mushrooms and continue to cook and stir for another 2 minutes. Stir in flour till well combined, slowly add the broth, stirring to prevent lumps. Cook, stirring, until sauce comes to a boil. Remove from heat and stir in cream, parsley, salt, & pepper. Fold in the cooked vermicelli. Pour into a greased 9x13 pan and sprinkle with Parmesan cheese. Bake uncovered for 30 minutes at 350 degrees.

Crab Cakes

2009-05-12T14:41:00.001-05:00

I can't get enough of these crab cakes! Something about the combination of cilantro, lemon zest and jalapeno really rock my world. I hope you enjoy them as much as I do!

Crab Cakes

24 oz. lump white crab meat
4 slices whole wheat bread
2 Tbs. Dijon Mustard
2 tsp. Worcestershire Sauce
3 tsp. Old Bay Seasoning
4 medium jalapeno peppers (seeded with ribs removed, minced)
4 Tbs. finely chopped fresh cilantro
2 large eggs, lightly beaten
2 large shallots, minced
2 Tbs. mayo
Zest of 2 lemons
Freshly ground black pepper

Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper.

Pulse bread in food processor until fine crumbs have formed. Combine crab meat and bread crumbs, set aside.

In another bowl, mix mustard, worcestershire, old bay, jalapeno's, cilantro, eggs, shallots, mayo and lemon zest. Stir wet ingredients in to crab meat mixture, combine well.

Using a large scooper, shape into 2-inch rounds. Heat 3 Tbs. canola oil in large skillet over medium heat. Working in batches of 6-7, cook until lightly golden brown. Be careful not to brown them too much as they will continue to darken after being transfered to the oven. After 30 seconds to 1 minute on each side, transfer to paper towels to absorb excess oil. When finished browning all of the crab cakes on the stove top, transfer to your parchment lined baking sheet and continue to cook in a 400 degree oven for about 10 minutes.

Snickerdoodle Cookies

2009-04-25T19:53:00.000-05:00

A good snickerdoodle should be lightly firm on the surface while soft and chewy in the middle. I developed this recipe over 10 years ago and have especially fond memories of baking them during pregnancy with my oldest child.

Snickerdoodle Cookies

1 cup butter, softened
1 cup granulated sugar
2/3 cup brown sugar
2 eggs
1 tsp. vanilla
3 cups flour
1/2 tsp. salt
1 tsp. baking soda
1/2 tsp. cream of tartar

Topping:
2 Tbs. granulated sugar
1 tsp. cinnamon

Cream together butter and sugars on high speed. Add the eggs and vanilla and beat until smooth. In another bowl, combine the flour, salt, baking soda and cream of tartar.

Pour the dry ingredients into the wet ingredients and mix well. Let the dough rest in the refrigerator for 30-60 minutes. Meanwhile, preheat your oven to 300 degrees.

In a small bowl combing the sugar with the cinnamon. When the dough is ready, take about 2 1/2 tablespoons of the dough and roll it into a ball. I use a medium cookie scoop, but really you can make these cookies any size you want from dainty to giant. Roll the ball in the cinnamon/sugar mixture and press onto a parchment lined baking sheet. Leave plenty of space between your cookies - they spread.

Bake the cookies for 12-14 minutes, no longer. They may seem undercooked, but will continue to develop as they cool.

Chicken Pomodoro

2009-04-24T07:15:00.000-05:00

I frequently develop new recipes that involve chicken as I am sold on chicken as an excellent source of lean protein. This recipe is fairly simple, moderately low-fat, and elegantly delicious. I am certain I will be offering it on next month's gourmet delivery menu.

Start with four boneless, skinless chicken breasts, cut into cutlets. Salt and pepper each side with kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper. Using a non-stick pan, set on med-high heat, drizzle lightly with canola oil. Working with four cutlets at a time, add the chicken to the pan and lightly brown (3-4 minutes per side). Remove chicken cutlets and set aside. In your pan, whisk together 2 tablespoons of flour and 2 tablespoons of butter. Pour in 2/3 cup of vodka, being sure to remove pan from heat briefly when adding the highly flammable vodka (white wine or chicken broth can be substituted). Return to burner and continue heating until most of the vodka has evaporated.

Next add 1 cup chicken broth, whisk together thoroughly and return chicken cutlets to pan, cooking 1 minute more on each side. Mixture will be bubbly and will infuse the chicken with flavor. Remove chicken and place in a deep platter. To pan add 2/3 cup fat-free half & half, and one cup diced tomato. Stir to thoroughly combine with chicken broth mixture and heat until once again bubbly. Taste, then salt and pepper as needed.

When thickened and bubbly, pour over chicken cutlets and garnish with sliced scallions. Buon Appetito!

Two of My Favorite Places To Eat

2009-04-23T08:59:00.001-05:00

I would be remiss if I flew to Michigan, indulged in some of my favorite dining, and then failed to share the experience with you. So here are some brief highlights regarding two of my favorite places to eat. They are quite the opposite in both location, decor and atmosphere, yet I love them both equally. I feel they are a small representation of the two sides of my personality.

We'll start in the Detroit area. North and slightly west of the downtown area is the fabulously hip little town of Birmingham. I LOVE Birmingham! Birmingham is home to a one-of-a-kind culinary delight known as the Big Rock Chop House. The Big Rock Chop House has an atmosphere of class and fine dining, from the valet service, to the extensive gourmet menu and lounge-like decor. It truly is a delight. What did enjoy while I was there? A shrimp appetizer, followed by an entire half of an organic chicken, herbed and roasted to perfection, with flavor filled steamed vegetables and garlic mashed potatoes on the side. My shrimp appetizer was served in an eye-appealing manner, arranged artfully in a martini glass, almost too pretty to eat...somehow, I managed to polish it off! Words cannot describe how tender, juicy and delicious this chicken was - I regret that I could not finish it!

We move westward across the state and find ourselves at Cugino's - a small operation located in the Lansing suburb of Grand Ledge. Cugino's is family oriented with fabulous Italian food that rivals that of vendors on the streets in Rome. When I first heard, after a two-year separation, that I would have the opportunity to return to this venue, I knew immediately what I would order: their Calamari appetizer followed by a Spinach Calzone. Countless travels followed by numerous attempts, has yet to find a calamari that measures up to that of Cugino's. The same can be said of their calzones. The herbs and spices are perfectly proportioned with spinach and ricotta. My mouth is watering in remembrance of the delight!

So, if you find yourself traveling through Michigan, be sure to plan a stop at one (or both!) of these great restaurants - I'm certain you'll have no regrets.

Cooking Shows

2009-04-06T07:28:00.000-05:00

Are you a frequent follower of the Food Network? Do you watch cooking shows? Have you noticed how smoothly the dishes come together when prepared on camera? We all know the recipes assembled in our home kitchens aren't always so easily done.

I love to laugh...really, really love to laugh. Enjoy this clip of comedian Brian Regan on cooking shows:

Refrigerators

2009-04-05T08:05:00.000-05:00

I recently I spent several hours researching the pros and cons of the various refrigerators currently on the market in preparation for adding a second one to our home-based catering business. After agonizing over the best choice for my business and weighing the economical value of the many models available, I finally settled on this model. Any appliance purchase has always struck me as difficult and the sales people rarely make it any easier. Thankfully, I am extremely happy with my refrigerator and amazed at how much space it has - I can easily chill a 3-tier wedding cake and still have several shelves in place. Enjoy the below humor as comedian Brian Regan shares his refrigerator shopping experience.

Herb Gardening

2009-04-04T10:17:00.000-05:00

With all of the cooking that I do for both family and clients, it is very helpful to have fresh herbs right at my finger tips without making unnecessary trips to the market. Growing our own produce was very much a part of my upbringing and it only seems natural to continue on that same course. Several have requested that I share how-to pointers for herb gardening and I have located a handy website that can answer all of your questions! Click here to be redirected to a wonderland of herb gardening information!

Best Ever Pate Brisee

2009-04-03T07:21:00.000-05:00

Don't get excited - I doubt my recipe sharing rendezvous will last for very long. Yet, I can't help but share this one as I have seemingly forever been longing for a great pate brisee (pie dough). I've been wanting a recipe that calls for both butter and shortening, but mostly butter. Finally, I think I have achieved perfection...well, with my pie dough anyway! Here ya go:

I have found the best results occur when I keep the butter and shortening very cold right up until the moment they are needed. I dice the butter first and return to the refrigerator while I prepare the rest of my ingredients. Enjoy!

Catering Fun!

2009-03-31T08:50:00.001-05:00

This past Saturday I catered a wedding for 125 guests. I was delighted to handle not only the hors d'oeuvre buffet, but the wedding cake as well. I had a great time and always enjoy preparing food/serving others. Would you like to know what we served?

The Menu:
Salmon Skewers
Chicken & Pineapple Teriyaki Kabobs
Bleu Cheese Filled Mini Tomatoes
Caprese Crostini
Crawfish Cakes (a twist on the traditional crab cake)
Fresh Fruit & Cheese Platter
Ganache Brownie Tower (a substitute for the traditional groom's cake)

Sadly, I failed to photograph the buffet, or the groom's table, but managed to squeeze in a shot of the cake!

Bread in Five Minutes a Day!

2009-03-26T20:08:00.000-05:00

Last week, during spring break, my daughter and I visited the farm of a friend. We have a great time in the country and are certain we are farm girls at heart...if only high heeled Manolo's and Louis Vuitton were conducive to the relaxing pace of farm life. Alas, I'm torn between two worlds I love equally. My point, however, is that we were given the most fabuloso bread to try while at the farm. It really was great and I can't believe that it only takes about five minutes a day. Click here to get the full scoop on this great bread and prepare to give it a try! While you're there, check out the other great tips and suggestions for living wisely.

Customized Chef Coats

2009-03-25T08:27:00.000-05:00

If you cook in large quantities as I often do (see my personal chef and catering website here), then you understand the necessity of a good chef's coat and/or a great apron. Because I'm a girly girl at heart, I like my chef's coat and aprons to be as cute as anything else I would wear. Here is a great website with customizable coats and aprons. I'm linking to their women's chef coats because, let's face it....most of my readers are women. Sorry guys. You can surf their site to find the men's section.

Yeast Rolls

2009-03-23T22:27:00.000-05:00

If you have followed me for very long, then you know that I do not part with my recipes very often. This is a rare occurrence, so pay attention! This dough has just enough whole wheat flour without causing it to lose the great sweet roll essence. My favorite aspect about my dough is its range of use. It can be rolled out, filled with cinnamon, sugar, nuts, butter, etc and rolled into amazing cinnamon rolls - yes, absolutely AMAZING. Or, can be used for dinner rolls. You can add herbs or brush with herbed butter. This recipe makes enough for at least two uses - I usually use one half at a time. Since the dough must rise slowly in the refrigerator overnight, I typically use the first half for cinnamon rolls and save the other half for dinner rolls the next day or later in the week. The dough can be kept in the refrigerator for up to one week, but as with all things containing yeast, the sooner you use it the better! When you pinch off the portion you intend to use, give it a quick knead on a lightly floured surface, just until it has some elasticity to it.

We make our dinner rolls using three small balls of dough per aperture in a muffin pan. They look like this:

Let rise at room temperature for 45 minutes to 1 hour, until almost doubled in size:

Bake at 400 degrees, 20-25 minutes.

Unique Birthday Cakes

2009-03-20T22:59:00.000-05:00

Fried Rice

2009-03-14T13:16:00.000-05:00

My family loves Fried Rice. This version of Fried Rice is versatile as we often eat it as a main dish, but it works well as a side dish too. Sadly, I don't make it often enough. When I do make it, we start by crumbling 6-8 slices of crispy bacon in the bottom of a large bowl - sounds tasty already, doesn't it? Set this bowl aside while you cook your raw ingredients, which are: chicken, red onion and bell pepper.

In a hot pan, sizzling with two tablespoons of bacon fat (yes, bacon fat) cook your diced chicken breast, season with salt and stir frequently. When chicken is almost done, add the veggies (NOTE: veggies will cook much faster than chicken so adding the veggies at the same time as the chicken will result in soggy veggies, which we don't want...well maybe you do, but I don't).

Cook and stir until onion and bell pepper become tender, but not soft.

Pour three softly beaten eggs over the mixture, cook until eggs are done...

Pour your chicken and egg mixture into the large bowl with the crumbled bacon, set aside. In your skillet, over med-high heat, melt two tablespoons of butter. Please don't clean your pan first, you want all of the flavor left behind from cooking the chicken, onions, egg, etc.

Now, load up your pan with cooked rice (about 4 cups, cooked). We prefer brown rice, but white will work just as well.

This is where we incorporate the "fried" element of fried rice. Keep your pan hot, flipping sections of rice over, almost like a pancake, while achieving the brown "fried" texture...this should only take about five minutes, at the most.

Add the rice to the large bowl containing your chicken mixture and crumbled bacon. Stir well to combine all of the ingredients. Serve with soy sauce and enjoy!

Of Babies and Birthdays....

2009-03-14T13:05:00.000-05:00

A Cake from My Week

2009-03-07T17:08:00.001-06:00

Client wanted an "antiqued" looking cake with a wagon, in brown and creme with red accents - hence, the hand brushed letters and old school wagon:

Who Doesn't Love Cake?

2009-03-01T18:51:00.001-06:00

Who doesn't love cake? Especially when a baby is involved! Here is one of my most recent baby shower cakes:

Birthday Surprise

2009-02-26T10:35:00.001-06:00

My newest friend, Caroline, is having a birthday today. She doesn't know that I know it's her birthday. We're having lunch and I'm planning to surprise her with this:

A simple six inch round - enough to indulge herself in something sweet for the day.