Good for when it is freezing out Tortilla Soup

I absolutely love soup. It is probably one of my favorite foods. I find so much comfort in it, especially in the winter but I also love soup on a warm day. Call me crazy, but that is how much I really do love soup. I usually make a huge pot of soup every couple weeks and we will get it for a half a week for dinner. My husband is a UPS driver and the weather this week hasn't risen above freezing so when he nicely asked for soup the other night I could not let my Christmas elf down! I have no photo for this one, so just trust me that it is a keeper.

Ingredients

• 1 cup of diced onion
• 2 tablespoons of olive oil
• 2 garlic cloves finely diced
• 1 jalapeno (finely diced), if you like spicy keep the seeds
• 8 cups of chicken stock
• 1 can diced tomatoes, undrained
• 1 can corn
• 1 can black beans
• 1 1/2 cups shredded cooked chicken
• 1/2 teaspoon coarse salt
• 1 tablespoon cumin
• pepper to taste
• avocado
• cheddar or pepper jack cheese
• cilantro
• lime wedges
• tortilla chips

Directions:

1. Heat oil over medium high heat. Cook onion for 2 minutes. Add garlic, jalapeno, cook 2-3 minutes. Stir in broth, tomatoes, corn, black beans and salt. Heat to boiling. Reduce heat, cover and simmer 15 minutes. Add chicken, heat until hot.
2. Laddle into individual bowls. Top with the avocado, cheese, cilantro, lime squeeze and tortilla chips. (pick and choose toppings you like=) I also put a drop of sour cream in my bowl.

Easy and Delicious Stuffed Mushrooms

I never thought I liked mushrooms and now to think of all the years I missed out makes me sad. I love the earthy and almost meat-like quality of a mushroom. This was an appetizer my roommate in college made all the time and everyone loved them!!! Well I did not know until years later when I entered my mushroom eating years, what I had been missing out on. So, as the holidays are here and in full swing, I am sure many of you are looking for new, quick easy ideas for appetizers. Try this one out and I promise it will not disappoint!

Ingredients

• 2 lbs of white or cremini mushrooms
• 1 lb of Jimmy Dean sausage or another brand
• 1 (8 ounce) package of cream cheese (I prefer light), softened
• bread crumbs (optional)

Directions

1. Take stems out of mushrooms. Lightly clean mushrooms with a damp paper towel to clean off the dirt.
2. In a bowl mix the softened cream cheese and sausage.
3. Fill mushrooms with mixture.
4. Put mushrooms on a cookie sheet or baking dish and sprinkle bread crumbs over each mushroom.
5. Bake at 350 degrees for 20-25 minutes.
6. Enjoy!!!

Whisky glazed carrots for Thanksgiving!!!!

So before I left on vacation I was trying to clear out all the food we had in the fridge. Our last meal before we left I made meatloaf and wanted to have a vegetable to go along with it. We always have carrots in our fridge as a snack but they are always ignored as a side dish to our dinner. I decided to try out a new recipe that would be quick and easy for Thanksgiving. This dish is wonderful and very easy to make. If you bring this dish to Thanksgiving you will truly wow people. And other than the whisky that most of you already have in your pantry (if you haven't drank it already), it is a cheap dish to make.

Ingredients

• 2 pounds (to 3 Pounds) Carrots, Peeled And Cut Into Thick Circles
• 1 stick Butter
• ½ cups Jack Daniels Or Other Whiskey
• ¾ cups (to 1 Cup) Brown Sugar
• ½ teaspoons (to 1 Teaspoon) Salt
• Freshly Ground Pepper (to Taste)

Directions

Melt 1 tablespoon butter in a large skillet over high heat. Add carrots in two batches., cooking for 60-90 seconds each batch. Remove from skillet.

Pour in whiskey and allow to evaporate 30 seconds. Reduce heat to medium, and add remaining butter. When butter melts, sprinkle brown sugar over the top. Stir together, then add carrots to skillet. Cover, and continue cooking for 5 minutes.

Remove lid and add salt and pepper. Continue cooking until carrots are done and glaze is thick, about 5 more minutes.

Pour onto a platter and serve immediately. Sprinkle with chopped chives (or fresh cut parsley) if desired.

Stick a serving spoon in the mix, and it’s time to serve ‘em up.

Tomato and Basil pasta

Most of our meals for August centered around all the cherry tomatoes I was growing in our garden. I remembered a dish I loved that my friends mom made so I decided to use that as my inspiration to come up with my own dish.

This dish is quick and easy. First, I coated the bottom of my pan with olive oil and put in three cloves of minced garlic, I love garlic so adjust to your preference. Cook at around medium-high heat. When the garlic started to cook I added in a couple splashes of white wine and continued to cook it a little more until the liquid started to reduce. I used probably around 2 cups worth of cherry tomatoes. I put them in and cooked them until they started to pop.

While you are doing this boil water and cook about a half package of angel hair or any other thin pasta noodle.

When the pasta is cooked, add to pan with tomatoes and toss to coat pasta. Throw in cut up fresh basil and enjoy!!!

Just for Brian birthday quesadilla

Last week was Bri's big 3-0. For his birthday dinner I told him I would make whatever he wanted. For those of you who know Brian, his favorite food is a chicken quesadilla. If we go to a restaurant and it is on the menu that is what he is going to order! So what did he want out of all the possibilities, yes you already know, a simple chicken quesadilla. So to make this one extra special I put the chicken on the bbq, made homemade salsa and guacamole. It also had refried beans and pepper jack cheese. This was a filling quesadilla, neither of us could finish it but it sure was good. Sometimes the simple meals turn out to be the best! So remember next time your love ones birthday comes around; it might be easier just to take them out to dinner but it is more memorable to make it at home with one ingredient you will not get out: TLC.

Great for Fall: Chicken and Dumplings

I wish I would of put peas in this because it sure is not pretty to look at but do not let that stop you from trying this yummy dish. I have always wanted to make chicken and dumplings but every recipe I ever look seems long and tedious. I found this recipe in cookbook by Sandra Lee who does the Semi-Homemade show on Food Network. All the recipes I have tried from her cookbook have really surprised me because they truly are simple to make and good to eat. I modified it a little but used the method. I like to use fresh carrots, celery and onions since I usually always have them on hand in my fridge. I also used a uncooked whole chicken instead of a store-bought ready made because they are usually cheaper. So you can choose what you want to use, either way I'm sure it will come out great.

Ingredients

• 1-2 (depending on the size) store-bought deli roasted chickens
• 2 tablespoons vegetable oil
• 1 package (7 ounce) chopped onions
• 1 container (14 ounce) carrot sticks, chopped
• 1 container (14 ounce) celery sticks, chopped
• 6 cans (14 ounces each) low-sodium chicken broth
• 2 tablespoons poultry seasoning
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 1/2 teaspoon black pepper
• All-purpose flour, for dusting
• 1 container (16.3 ounce) refrigerated buttermilk biscuit dough
• 1 can (10.5 ounce) condensed chicken gravy or cream of chicken soup

Directions

1. Remove skin and bones from chickens, shred meat into large pieces. Set aside. (If you choose to use an uncooked chicken, boil it in water for about 45 minutes).
2. In a large heavy pot or Dutch oven, heat oil over medium heat. Add onions, carrots, and celery. Cook until soft, about 10 minutes.
3. Add broth, poultry seasoning, salt, pepper, and chicken. Bring to a boil. Reduce heat and simmer for 30 minutes.
4. While stew simmers, prepare dumplings. On a flour-dusted surface, roll each bisquit 1/4 inch thick. With a pizza cutter, cut biscuits into 1-inch-wide strips. Set aside.
5. Skim off any scum that has risen to the surface of the soup. Stir in chicken gravy. Stir in dumplings, a few at a time. Cover with a tight-fitting lid and simmer for 10 minutes more. Ladle into bowls and enjoy!!!

New favorite recipe site....simply amazing!

Well, fall is officially here today. I was able to wear my new fall sweater and pulled out my favorite warm jacket. It is this time of the year when I crave good ole' comfort food. That might be what contributes to my small weight gain every winter=).

Last night I made my first new soup of the fall, which I will post later. First, I want to tell you about a new website I found today. It is especially a great website for people who do not cook much but are wanting to learn. The website is thepioneerwoman.com. She uses photos to not only show the ingredients but to also show step by step instructions on how to make the recipe. She a humorous way of writing the recipes and talking about it. I think I am going to be making recipes from this website alot this fall/winter!!! I hope you check it out and enjoy the website as much as I do.

Adventures in Canning-zesty salsa

So we finally did it! We got our supplies and picked produce from our gardens and came together to can for the 1st time. Although it was not the smoothest first experience, we did our best and figured out what we need to make it easier next time. For our next attempt I bought a wide-mouthed canning funnel and a magnetic wand. If you are wanting to try canning but are scared it is actually quite easy. I took a class at Whole Foods a couple of weeks ago and was shocked it was so simple. So as our economy continues to go down, canning is a great way to stretch a buck and fill up your pantry! This is the recipe I got from Whole Foods and what we used for the salsa we canned.

Zesty Salsa (makes about 6 pints)

• 10 cups chopped, seeded, peeled and cored tomatoes (about 6 pounds)
• 5 cups seeded and chopped long, mild green chilies, such as Anaheim (about 2 pounds)
• 2 1/2 cups seeded and chopped hot chilies, such as Serrano or Jalapeno (about 1 pound)
• 5 cups chopped onions (about 1 1/2 pounds)
• 4 minced garlic cloves
• 1 1/4 cider vinegar
• 2 tablespoons minced fresh cilantro
• 3 tablespoons salt

1. Wash 6 pint jars and fill with hot water until needed. Prepare lids as manufacturer directs.
2. In a large saucepan, combine tomatoes, chilies, onions, garlic, vinegar, cilantro, and salt. Bring mixture to a boil over medium high heat, stirring constantly. Reduce heat and simmer, stirring frequently, for ten minutes or until slightly thickened.
3. Ladle hot salsa into jars one hot jar at a time, leaving 1/2 inch head space. Remove air bubbles, and adjust head space, if necessary, by adding more salsa. Wipe rim with a clean, damp cloth. Attach lid. Fill and close remaining jars. Process in boiling water canner for 15 minutes.

Notes

• To get skin off tomatoes, cut a slit across the skin and then drop the tomatoes into boiling water until skin starts to peel back.
• We did not have a water canner so we just used a normal stock pot. When you can you have to make sure the cans are totally covered by the boiling water. So you need to use a very deep pot.

Broccoli and Parmesan Casserole

I found this recipe a while ago for a broccoli casserole and have been wanting to try it. I think it is always good to find new ways to make vegetables so they don't get boring. Especially if you have children, there is no better way than to mix the vegetables with cheese! This recipe is from my Cooking Light magazine, so even though you would think the cheese sauce would bump up the calorie count it is only 150 calories for a 1 cup serving. I really liked this recipe, it had great flavor and was easy to make. I think this one is a keeper!

Ingredients

• 8 cups coarsely chopped broccoli florets (about 2 pounds)
• 1/2 cup all-purpose flour
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 1/4 teaspoon dry mustard
• 1 1/2 cups fat-free milk
• 1 cup fat-free, less-sodium chicken broth
• 1 cup reduced-fat shredded extra sharp cheddar cheese
• 1/2 cup grated Parmesan cheese, divided
• 2 tablespoons diced pimentos, drained
• 1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
• Cooking spray
• bread crumbs

Directions

1. Pre-heat oven to 400 degrees
2. Cook broccoli in boiling water 3 minutes, drain
3. Lightly spoon flour into a dry measuring cup, and level with a knife. Place flour, salt and dry mustard in a large heavy saucepan over medium heat, gradually add the milk and chicken broth, stirring with a whisk until blended. Cook for about 8 minutes until it is thick, stirring constantly. Remove from heat, and add shredded cheddar cheese and 6 tablespoons of grated Parmesan cheese, stirring until melted. Stir in pimentos and pepper. Add broccoli, tossing to coat.
4. Spoon the broccoli mixture into a 13 x 9-inch baking dish coated with cooking spray.
5. Sprinkle enough bread crumbs to lightly cover the broccoli. Sprinkle with remaining Parmesan cheese. Spray top of casserole lightly with cooking spray. Bake at 400 for 15 minutes or until bubbly . Let stand for 5 minutes before serving

• After the cheese sauce was done I actually put one squeeze of dijon mustard in it too, gave it a nice flavor if you like mustard.

Pissaladiere my way!

Any day of the week, few meals hit the spot quite like a pizza and a glass of wine or beer=). In the South of France, they kick back with a flaky onion tart called pissaladiere. Like pizza, it's bathed in olive oil and infused with fresh herbs-just hold the cheese and tomato sauce. I served this with a green salad and my favorite zucchini crisps. I changed the recipe a bit and used a Pillsbury pizza crust (instead of puff pastry) which are found in the cooler case where you would find the biscuits and cinnamon rolls. This would be an awesome and quick appetizer if you were having a group of people over, just cut into small squares.

Ingredients

• 3 tablespoons unsalted butter
• 1-2 onions, thinly sliced
• 2 sprigs of thyme, plus 1 tablespoon leaves
• 1 sprig rosemary
• salt and pepper
• 1 can of Pillsbury pizza dough or (1 sheet frozen puff pastry, thawed)
• 16 pitted small kalamata olives, halved
• 16 grape tomatoes, halved

Directions

1. In a medium skillet, melt the butter over medium heat. Add the onions and the thyme and rosemary sprigs; season with 1/2 teaspoon salt and 1/4 teaspoon pepper. Cook, partially covered and stirring occasionally, until the onions are softened and browned, about 25 minutes. Discard the herb sprigs and mix in the additional thyme leaves.
2. Meanwhile , place the pizza dough on a non-stick cookie sheet.
3. Pre-heat the oven according to the directions on the pizza dough.
4. Spread the onions evenly over the pizza dough and sprinkle with the olives and tomatoes. Bake until the edges are golden brown. The dough I bought was about 17 minutes at 400 degrees.
5. Slice into quarters; serve warm or at room temperature.

Spanish Rice

I was craving spanish rice the other night to go with our tacos but didn't have one of those crummy boxes of rice so I decided to figure out how to make up my own recipe. I first cooked 2 cups of rice in my rice cooker and put in chicken stock instead of water. If you don't have a rice cooker go buy one, they make the perfect rice every time. While my rice cooked I sauteed up a half an onion and garlic in a pan, until the onions were soft. When the rice was done I added it to the onions in the pan. I also mixed in a small can of diced green chilies, about 8 ounces of tomato sauce. I seasoned to to taste with cumin, chili powder, and salt/pepper. Then I transfered to a pyrex and keep warm in the oven until the tacos were done. This rice was very good and very easy.

BLT night

Tonight I stole a tradition our good family friends do every year. Since they have been married they have grown tomatoes in their garden and every year the first ripe tomato they get they make BLT's with. When we started our garden I told Brian I wanted to do the same. BLT's have always been one of my favorite sandwiches, and in college at WWU, BLT night was always my favorite. So tonight was the night we started our annual BLT tradition. I went to the store bought a good package of apple wood smoked bacon and a watermelon.

Some people don't like cooking bacon because it makes you stink, so my advice is to cook it in the oven like they do in restaurants. You will not stink and you will get perfectly cooked bacon. I put the oven at 425 and laid the bacon on a baking sheet. You will have to pour off some grease and flip them half-way through. Should take about 12 minutes, just make sure to keep an eye on it to the crispiness your prefer.

Scrambled Eggs with Tomatoes,and Goat Cheese

Every meal we eat right now has tomatoes in it, luckily we love tomatoes. This morning I wanted to use up the rest of the herbed goat cheese we had in the fridge that I knew wouldn't last many more days. So I went to the garden and picked a handful of cherry tomatoes, which I cut into halves. Then I scrambled up 4 eggs and 1 egg white with a little bit of milk, seasoned with some pepper (I don't salt my eggs until after they are cooked because Rachael Ray says they can get tough). When I make us eggs I usually give about 2-2 1/2 eggs per person. I dropped the tomatoes in first so they would cook alittle, then poured the eggs on top. I let the eggs cook about half way through then I put in the crumbled goat cheese, about 10 basil leaves that I tour up, and a little bit of fresh mozzarella I also had.

I served this with some orange slices and breakfast potatoes by Simply Potato. If you haven't used Simple Potato before I would strongly encourage you to try this product. It is very handy to have this if you want to make a quick breakfast. These are the breakfast potatoes that I also use in my One Dish Breakfast, that was one of my first recipes I blogged about. So if you are growing tomatoes and are running out of things to do with them try out this breakfast.

Oil-and-Vinegar Slaw with an Asian Twist

Brian's mom was nice enough to give us tons of veggies from her garden. I decided to make some slaw with the cabbage she gave me and shredded up some carrots to go in it too because slaw needs to have the cabbage/carrot combo! I shredded up my own carrots and cabbage for this recipe but you could just buy a bag of shredded cabbage mix to make it even easier. I love asian flavors with cabbage so I decided to adapt a recipe to reflect this. It turned out really well, if you had left over chicken in your fridge you could easily cut that up to put in it and that would be awesome too. This is a quick and easy side dish to take to your next bbq and wow your friends=).

Ingredients

• 2 tablespoons red wine vinegar
• 2 tablespoons water
• 1 tablespoon sugar
• 2 tablespoons vegetable oil
• 1-2 dashes of sesame oil (very powerful)
• 1 sack (16 ounces) shredded cabbage mix for slaw salads
• 1/4 cup slivered almonds
• 1-2 teaspoons sesame seeds
• salt and pepper to taste

Directions

1. In a large bowl, mix vinegar, water, and sugar. Whisk in oil, and dashes of sesame oil. Add cabbage, almonds and sesame seeds to dressing and season with salt and pepper. Toss to combine. Let stand 20 minutes. Retoss and serve.

Thanks Cam

Cam and Dave recently visited when they were in town and were nice enough to bring us a housewarming gift full of awesome bbq grill sauces. We used this one the other night on chicken and it was awesome. Although it was labled as a apricot-ginger sauce, it has a nice mustardy-citrus taste to it. We carmelized Walla Walla onions on the grill and made some brown rice, and it was a great, simple meal.Thanks again Cam and Dave we really enjoyed it!!!

Garden Salsa (or could be salad)

Ingredients

• 1 can corn, drained and rinsed
• 1 can black beans, drained and rinsed
• 2 cups cherry tomatoes, halved
• 1/2 cup onion, finely diced
• 1/2 cup cilantro, chopped
• juice from half a lime
• salt and pepper

Directions

1. Drain and rinse the can of corn and black beans. Pour into a bowl. Throw in the remaining ingredients and season with salt and pepper to taste.
2. Enjoy with chips or could be a salad=).
   

Pasta Frittata

This is not the best picture to prove this dish is really tasty but I always forget to take a picture until after I serve myself up!=). I chose to make this dish because I have sooo many tomatoes in my garden right now...I wasn't expecting it to be as yummy as it was. U could use the same techniquet to make this dish and really throw in anything u have in your fridge. I might try it next with mushrooms, onions and some cheddar cheese!

Ingredients

• 7 large eggs
• 3 ounces mozzarella cheese, cut into small pieces(about one cup)
• 1 cup cherry tomatoes (halved)
• 1/2 cup fresh basil leaves, chopped
• salt and pepper
• 2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
• 1 cup leftover cooked pasta, preferably with sauce (this one the pasta was with pesto)

Directions

1. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. In a large bowl, beat the eggs. Stir in the mozzarella, tomatoes, basil and parmesan, season with salt and pepper.
2. In a large ovenproof skillet, heat the olive oil over medium heat. Add the pasta and cook for 1 minute. Pour the egg mixture and cook until the edges begin to firm up. Using a wooden spoon, draw the cooked egg edges toward the center of the pan, letting the raw egg run to the perimeter of the pan. Continue until the frittatta is almost set but still slightly runny in the center, about 4 minutes. Transfer to the oven to finish cooking, about 10-15 minutes. Remove from the oven and let sit for 5 minutes.
3. Using a rubber spatula, loosen the edge of the frittata. Cut into wedges and serve hot or at room temperature.
   

Mac 'n' Goat Cheese

I absolutely love goat cheese, so when I found this recipe I knew it was a must try! I am happy to say it did not disappoint. I was not home when Brian tried it for dinner and was excited to get home from work to hear what he had to say about it. I knew it was good but was shocked to hear it was his new favorite pasta dish. I love dishes like this that are soo easy to make and quick but taste very fancy.

Ingredients

• 3/4 pound macaroni pasta
• 1/4 cup extra-virgin olive oil
• 2 cloves garlic, chopped
• 1 pint cherry tomatoes, halved
• One 9-ounce bag spinach
• salt and pepper
• 6 ounces goat cheese, broken into chunks (I bought herbed goat cheese and loved the way it tasted)
• 3/4 cup chopped walnuts, toasted
• Tip: add 1/2 teaspoon crushed red pepper when cooking the garlic if you like things with some heat.

Directions

1. In a large pot of boiling water, salted water, cook the pasta until al dente (has a bite to it). Drain, reserving 1/4 cup cooking water, and return pasta to the pot.
2. Meanwhile, in a medium skillet, heat the olive oil over medium heat. Add the garlic and cook until golden, about 4 minutes. Stir in the tomatoes, spinach and the reserved pasta water and cook until heated through, about 4 minutes. Season with salt and pepper. Stir into the pasta along with the goat cheese. Transfer to a serving dish and sprinkle the walnuts on top.

Drifter Pale Ale by Widmer Brothers

I have not blogged about my food in a couple months. Not because I haven't cooked or tasted food that has not inspired me but because of my dying computer. It gets slower everyday. But today I went and saw the movie Julie and Julia which inspired me to try to post something new and not throw my computer out of the window.

A couple of nights a week, some of you might know, I bartend...still at a restaurant. It is my love for food, people, and the industry that keep me there despite finally (well almost) having my career on track. Being at the restaurant fulfills me in a different way than hanging out at school during the day. I like the interaction with adults and I love being around food.

Well, now on to the point of this post. I like beer but rarely have a beer in our fridge that I like for myself. This summer when we got Drifter on tap at the restaurant was the first time in a long time I found a beer I have tried to keep in the fridge for myself. This would of been a good idea but unfortunately for me, Brian has really enjoyed it to.

I have sold alot of these at the restaurant because I really believe it is one of the best new beers to hit the shelves. It is very easy to drink, and has such a great, unique citrus taste. Many of my customers when trying it for the first time say they taste grapefruit, which I agree with hints of orange. Most all the people I have given tastes to have ended up purchasing it. Now, many people think a pale ale= a girl beer, but that is way off base. This is a beer that anyone will enjoy. So if you are cruising the beer aisle and want to try something new, I suggest Drifter!!

The Garden

Although most of my life I was tomboyish, one of the things I did not like to be like most little boys was dirty. I don't like yard work, dirt or grass but Bri is happy he has managed to get me to help with the garden. It is exciting for us to watch it grow and gives us one more thing we enjoy to do together. I can't wait for our garden to start producing ingredients I can use in the kitchen!

Feta Stuffed Turkey Burgers and Zucchini Crisps

This was a new recipe and it is a keeper! Bri says it is his new favorite meal to date. Healthy, fresh tasting and really yummo!

Ingredients

• 1/4 cup finely chopped red onion
• 1 teaspoon dried oregano
• 1 teaspoon grated lemon rind (about one small lemon grated works)
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1/4 teaspoon ground black pepper
• 1 pound ground turkey
• 6 tablespoons crumbled feta cheese
• Cooking spray
• 1/4 cup grated English cucumber
• 1/4 cup plain fat-free yogurt
• 1 tablespoon chopped mint
• 4 tomato slices
• 4 green leaf lettuce leaves (or whatever lettuce you have)
• 4 Kaiser rolls or hamburger buns

Directions

1. Combine first 6 ingredients. Divide mixture into four portions. Indent center of each portion, place 1 1/2 tablespoons feta into each. Fold turkey mixture around feta cheese, shape each portion into 1/2 inch thick patty.
2. Heat grill pan 0r bbq over medium-high heat. Coat pan with cooking spray. Add patties, cook 5 mins on each side.
3. Combine cucumber, yogurt, and mint in a small bowl. Arrange 1 turkey patty, 1 tomato, 1 lettuce leaf, and 2 tablespoons of yogurt mixture on the bottom half of each roll. Top with top halves of buns.

(Note: Instead of making the taziki dip to go on the burger, I bought mine from Trader Joes, which was easier and probably cheaper than buying all the individual ingredients)

Zucchini Crisps

• Zucchini
• bowl with milk for dipping
• bowl with bread crumbs for dipping
• parmesan cheese

1. Cut zucchinni into thin slices, hamburger cuts for big zucchini or hot dog cuts for small zucchini.
2. Pour some milk in one bowl and some bread crumbs in another bowl.
3. Dip zucchini in milk and then in bread crumbs to coat. Place on a cookie sheet lined with foil.
4. Sprinkle with cheese and bake at 425 degrees for 20 mins.
   

French Toast Caserole

I made this recipe recently for a bridal shower. It was really good and easy to make for a crowd.

Ingredients

• 5 cups bread cubes (I used Challah bread)
• 4 eggs
• 1 1/2 cups milk
• 1/4 cup white sugar, divided
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 1 tablespoon margarine, softened
• 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Lightly butter and 8x8 baking pan.
2. Line bottom of pan with bread cubes. In a large bowl, beat together eggs, milk, 2 tablespoons of sugar, salt and vanilla. Pour egg mixture over bread. Dot with margarine; let stand for 10 minutes.
3. Combine remaining 2 tablespoons sugar with 1 teaspoon cinnamon and sprinkle over the top. Bake in preheated oven about 45-50 minutes, until top is golden.

***I doubled the recipe for a big group and put it in a 9x13 baking pan.

One Dish Breakfast

I received this recipe from a family friend and have made it many times. It is a great recipe for a brunch or if you cooking breakfast for a group.

Ingredients

• 1 pkg frozen shredded hash browns
• 2 cups diced ham
• co-jack cheese
• 14 eggs
• 1 cup milk
• salt/pepper

Directions

• Place hashbrowns in bottom of a 9x13 pan. Top with ham. Beat eggs, milk, salt and pepper. Pour over hashbrowns. Top with grated cheese.
• Bake 350 for 1 hour (or until eggs set)
• I usually have to bake it longer
• Enjoy!

ESan Thai

A couple of weeks ago a friend and I went down to Portland and decided to have some lunch. I had seen good reviews of this thai food restaurant on citysearch, so we decided to check it out. I love my thai restaurants and this one was excellent. Sometimes thai food restaurants can skimp on the portions but not here. We split two dishes the Pad thai with chicken and the Evil Prince Curry with chicken (which was suggested to us as their most popular curry). Both dishes were excellent and quickly arrived. The atmosphere was nice and the service was quick. If you are in downtown near 2nd and Pine Street I would highly recommend trying this restaurant.

7 layer dip

Most people have had 7 layer dip but too many people just buy it at the store, but it is so much better homemade! It is soo easy to make and is always loved whenever I take it to any event. So when you go to a bbq this summer this would be a great addition to any party.

Ingredients

• 1 can refried beans
• 8 oz container of light sour cream
• taco seasoning packet
• 1 avocado
• 2 cups of shreaded cheddar cheese
• 1 tomato (diced)
• small can of minced/sliced olives
• 1/2 lime

Directions

1. Spread the can of refried beans on the bottom of a 8x8 pyrex or dish
2. In a small bowl mash up the avocado with the juice from 1/2 lime
3. Spread the avocado on top of the refried beans
4. Mix the the sour cream with 2-3 tablespoons of the taco seasoning in a bowl. (use less sour cream if you don't want that much)
5. Spread this mix on top of the avocado
6. Sprinkle shredded cheese on the top of avocado
7. Top with diced tomatoes and minced olives
8. Enjoy with tortilla chips

-If you like jalapenos that would be good diced up on top too!

Oba!!!

For my big 3-0, Bri and my mom took me to Oba for dinner. If you haven't been to Oba yet it is a great restaurant located in Portland's Pearl District. It has everything I look for in a good restaurant; great service, awesome food and lots of atmosphere. For Bri and I it is the type of restaurant we would only go on special occasions because it is not what I consider cheap but it is worth the money (entrees range from $19-$40).

So, now you are probably wondering what kind of food is served there? Well the food they have is what they call Nuevo Latino. Nuevo Latino is food influenced by the cultures/countries of the Carribbean, Cuba, South/Central America and interpreted in a way that reflects the tastes of people in the NW. I truly feel that any kind of eater can find a dish here they would love.

I had freshly caught halibut with a poblano pepper sauce served with fingerling potatoes, and veggies

My mom had the 10 ounce prime rib with mashed potatoes, asparagus with corn salsa.

Other items I recommend are their blood-orange margaritas, they are awesome! So if you want to go to a unique restaurant give Oba a try!

My Luv for Laughing Cow

Today when I was eatting lunch I started thinking about how much I love these laughing cow creamy cheese wedges. If you haven't had them before they are so tasty and low on calories. One wedge is only 35 calories and is a great substitute for cream cheese. For lunch today I spread it on a whole wheat tortilla with some cranberry sauce and turkey. It would also be good for breakfast
spread on a bagel with some fresh cut tomatoes. Some grocery stores charge an arm and a leg for this cheese, I have seen it at Safeway for over five dollars. The best price I have found for it is at Winco, where ususally I can get it for around $1.75. If you don't have a Winco in your area, it is also in bulk at Costco or Trader Joes. So, if you haven't tried this healthy cheese before, I highly recommend it!

Thanksgivng in April!!!

Every year as a Christmas gift from UPS Brian gets a turkey. A weird gift some may think but over the last five years we have looked forward to that bird. Brian has been mainly support staff in the kitchen but over the years he has loved getting new recipes so we can perfect our turkey. Recently he was down in California with his family and his Aunt Angie suggested a recipe she uses, with trepidation I agreed to try it. Not that I didn't trust her but it required me to put away my beloved turkey bag and try a new method.

So we invited over a group of friends for our "Thanksgiving in April". Everyone contributed a new dish that they wanted to try out and it was a great evening with wonderful food!

So back to the turkey. I had a stressful start since the recipe requires you to baste the turkey every 1/2 hour for 2 1/2 hours but in the end it was totally worth it. This was by far the best turkey we have ever done and it will remain the recipe we use! Thank you everyone for contributing such wonderful dishes and thanks to Aunt Angie for the suggestion!!!

Perfect Roast Turkey

Ingredients:

• 1 cup coarse salt, plus more for seasoning
• 1 cup sugar
• 2 medium onions
• 2 medium leeks, white and pale green parts only, rinsed and coarsely chopped
• 2 carrots, peeled and coarsely chopped
• 2 celery stalks, coarsely chopped
• 2 dried bay leaves
• 3 sprigs fresh thyme
• 3 sprigs flat-leaf parsley
• 2 teaspoons whole black peppercorns, plus freshly ground pepper
• 1 fresh whole turkey (18 to 20 pounds), rinsed and patted dry
• 1/2 cup unsalted butter (1 stick), melted, plus 1/4 cup unsalted butter, softened
• 1/2 cup dry white wine such as Sauvignon Blanc
• cheese cloth

Directions

1. Put salt, sugar, onions, leeks, carrots, celery, bay leaves, thyme, parsley, peppercorns, and 10 cups of water in a large stockpot. Bring to a boil, stirring until salt and sugar have dissolved. Remove from heat; let the brine cool completely.
2. Add turkey, breast first, to the brine. Cover and refrigerate 24 hours. Remove from brine; rinse the turkey throughly inside and out and pat dry with paper towels. Let stand at room temperature 2 hours.
3. Pre-heat oven to 425 degrees, with rack in the lowest position. Stir together melted butter and wine in a medium bowl. Fold a very large piece of the cheesecloth into quarters so that it is large enough to cover the breast and halfway down sides of turkey. Immerse cloth in butter mixture; let soak.
4. Place turkey; breast side up, on a rack set in a roasting pan. Fold wings under turkey. Sprinkle 1 teaspoon each salt and pepper inside turkey. Loosely fill body and neck cavities with your stuffing. Rub turkey all over with softened butter; season with salt and pepper.
5. Remove cheesecloth from butter mixture, squeezing gently into the bowl. Reserve butter mixture for brushing. Lay cheesecloth over turkey. Roast turkey 30 minutes. Brush cheesecloth and exposed turkey with butter mixture. Reduce temperature to 350 degrees. Roast, brushing every 30 minutes, 2 1/2 hours more; cover with foil if browning too quickly.
6. Discard cheesecloth, rotate pan. Baste turkey with pan juices. Roast, rotating pan halfway through, until skin is golden brown and an instant-read thermometer into the thickest part of the thigh registers 180 degrees and stuffing reaches 165 degrees, about 1 hour. Transfer to a platter. Set pan with drippings aside for gravy. Let turkey stand at room temperature at least 30 minutes.

Let the blogging begin...

I have been wanting to do a blog on all I love and know about food, wine and restaurants. Today is the day I finally made it happen. Most people who know me, know how much I love food but not many people probably realize how obsessed I am with this form of expression. It is not rare for Brian to come home to find me on the couch watching food network with piles of cookbooks and magazines all around me. My motto is "If we have to eat, we might as well eat good!" So come share my adventures in cooking....and eating!