Smith Sisters Scrumptious Eats

Tangy Turkey Breast Cutlets *heather

2011-11-07T18:51:00.000-08:00

Take a look at this:

Now come a little closer...

Now take a look at this. Look at the red arrows; first on the left, and now the right.
Mama loves a big save. So to find this price on turkey cutlets was kinda exciting for me. This isn't usually a cut of meat I buy because I keep our grocery bill lean by buying only if it's less than $2/lb. And I stick to lean meats. So when I find a good sale on the lean, I stock up.

This morning I searched for a Cadillac recipe to prepare this Cadillac cut for our dinner. I found something new and was glad I tried it. It got an enthusiastic clink of the milk glass from the 4 year old at the table. So that's pretty good.

Marinade Ingredients:
3 Tbsp Soy Sauce
1 Tbsp Dijon-style prepared mustard
2 tsp dried rosemary, crushed

Whisk ingredients in a bowl. Pour over turkey and marinate in a plastic bag, or bowl in the refrigerator for 1-4 hours.

Broil cutlets 4 inches from flame for 5 minutes on each side. OR, grill in stove top on open grill pan. Grill for 2-3 minutes on each side, or until juices run clear.

For a side I sauteed up some brussels sprouts with balsamic vinegar and olive oil. I also paired it with roasted sweet potatoes and a glass of chardonnay. The marinade leaves the turkey moist and tender with a big, tangy taste. Try it.

Cara's Moroccan Stew *heather

2011-10-28T12:35:00.001-07:00

For this stew we can thank some woman named Cara. I've never met her, but she posted this recipe online and it's been a favorite of mine. I made two double batches this week. I brought some to a friend who needed a special hug and served it to my family on a snowy evening, and I still have some in the fridge and two portions in the freezer.

I like this soup because it's hearty, but meat-free which means it's light on the wallet. Nothing against meat, but sometimes it's nice to get our protein from other sources. It's also high in fiber which helps fill your tummy and stick to your ribs. No meat and high fiber with no added salt and no sugar means it's very heart healthy, as well.

Ingredients:
1 cup dry lentils
3 bay leaves
2 whole garlic cloves
3 tablespoons olive oil
1 teaspoon chopped fresh thyme leaves
1 tablespoon minced garlic

1 tablespoon olive oil
1 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1 teaspoon ground cumin
1 teaspoon ground coriander
1 tablespoon minced garlic
1 cup chopped onions
1 cup chopped celery
1 cup chopped zucchini
1 red bell pepper, diced
1 yellow bell pepper, diced
1 (8 ounce) can crushed tomatoes
1 (15 ounce) can chickpeas, drained
4 cups vegetable (or chicken or beef) stock

Fill a large pot with water and bring to a boil. Stir in lentils, bay leaves and whole garlic cloves. Return to a boil, then reduce heat to low and simmer lentils until they are cooked but still firm, about 10 minutes.Drain well; remove and discard whole garlic cloves and bay leaves. Place lentils in a bowl; toss with olive oil, thyme and 1 tablespoon chopped garlic.Heat 1 tablespoon olive oil in a large pot over medium heat. Stir in chili flakes, cinnamon, cumin and coriander. Cook, stirring constantly, until fragrant. Be careful not to burn the spices. Add garlic, onion, celery, zucchini, red and yellow peppers, and squash; stir well to coat the veggies in the spices; cook 3-4 minutes until the veggies start to soften and their color brightens up and they turn a little translucent.

(it's good to have your veggies chopped before you start this step so you can add them to the spices in the pot as soon as the spices become fragrant. If the spices burn, it adds a little acrid flavor to the stew that isn't so nice.)

Mix in the lentils, tomatoes, chickpeas and stock. Raise heat to medium-high until stew just begins to boil; reduce heat to low and cover. Summer until squash is tender, about 20 minutes, stirring once or twice.

Cara suggests garnishing with a dollop of plain yogurt, some chopped mint and a pinch of cayenne pepper. I haven't really followed that suggestions. If you try it, let us know how you like it. If you're wondering about the heat of this dish, I will say that when I double the recipe I double all the spices except the red pepper flakes and the spice falls at "medium" heat equivalent to a medium store-bought salsa. So if you're making a single portion, the heat may be higher and you may want to halve the red pepper flakes.

Roasted Cauliflower and Butternut Squash Soup *melissa

2011-01-05T12:38:00.000-08:00

What could be better than a bowl of hot soup to soothe away the chill of winter? I make a lot of soups in the fall and winter. Usually soups are very budget friendly and can easily be doubled to feed large groups. This is a new one that I tried this fall and it turned out to be a delicious hit!

1 large butternut squash, peeled and diced

1 head of cauliflower, cored and separated into florets

1 bunch of leeks

2 cloves of garlic, pressed

2 slices of bacon, chopped

2 heaping tsp curry

1 dash of cayenne pepper

6 cups chicken broth (more for thinning soup if desired)
1 can of evaporated milk

sharp cheddar, grated for garnishing

Set the oven to 350 degrees. Then, chop your leeks.

Then rinse and soak in cold water while you prepare other ingredients. This allows all the sand and dirt to loosen.

Peel, remove seeds, and chop the squash...

Core and separate cauliflower into florets...

Line baking sheet or dish with foil and coat with cooking spray to prevent vegetables from sticking to the foil. Add vegetables and spread them out for even roasting. Place in oven and roast for about 15 minutes or until slight browning occurs. This roasting process starts to caramelize the sugars in the vegetables and adds a rich depth to the flavor of the soup.

Chop bacon and saute in heavy bottomed pot...

Drain leeks and press dry with clean kitchen towel or paper towels. Saute in bacon drippings. Season with black pepper. (There's plenty of salt in the bacon so I don't add any.) Add curry powder, stir to coat leeks and bacon.

Add about 1 cup of chicken broth to pot and deglaze by using a wooden spoon or spatula and scraping up the tasty brow bits on the bottom of the pan.

Add roasted vegetables, remainder of chicken broth and dash of cayenne pepper.

Simmer over medium heat for 30 to 40 min or until cauliflower is easily mashed with a fork. Puree with wand blender or in batches in a blender. Then add evaporated milk and stir until well incorporated.

Serve with shredded sharp cheddar cheese sprinkled to the top. If you really want to enhance the creaminess of this soup try it with a dollop of sour cream...even if it is a little greedy . Enjoy!

Grilled stuffed peppers *melissa

2010-08-18T08:07:00.000-07:00

One of my favorite ways to prepare peppers in the summertime is to stuff and grill them. There are so many possibilities when stuffing peppers but I usually come back to this particular combination of ingredients....so tasty!

Ingredients:
bell peppers
plum or cherry tomatoes
green onions
sharp cheddar cheese
cayenne pepper
chipotle chile pepper (or regular chili powder)
cous cous OR quinoa (for a low glycemic/ high protien/ gluten free option) *check out the link for interesting facts about this stuff

First, prepare cous cous or quinoa according to package directions. Let cool while prepping other ingredients.

Next, shred the cheese, chop the tomatoes and scallions...

Combine tomatoes, scallions, cous cous, and cheese in a medium sized bowl...

Time to add your spices. I usually go by taste but I would estimate a tsp of chile pepper and a dash of cayenne. Lightly combine with a fork.

Now, cut off the tops of your peppers like so....

FYI, this one had babies growing inside...

And this is my crazy cat who LOVES green peppers and comes running any time he hears them being cut. He practically climbs up my legs every time to get a taste.

Now, spoon mixture into peppers...

Place peppers on hot outdoor grill (OR if you don't have a grill place peppers in the oven on a low rack and broil on high, watching closely)...

On the outdoor grill, once the bottoms of the peppers start to brown and the skin bubbles move to upper rack or lower heat. Grill for about 2-3 more minutes. ENJOY!

Grilled chicken & summer squash pasta *melissa

2010-08-16T10:04:00.000-07:00

When my vegetable garden started producing enough goodies to harvest I had to start getting creative in the kitchen. So far I have an overabundance of summer squash, a few cherry tomatoes and lots of basil. So, I came up with this concoction for dinner one night.

Ingredients:
1 large chicken breast
1/4 cup fresh basil, chopped
1 cup cherry tomatoes, halved
buffalo mozzarella, cubed
summer squash
1 cup frozen peas
bowtie pasta
Parmesan cheese
olive oil
salt & pepper (to taste)
grill seasoning

Start with slicing the squash in strips from end to end, about 1/4" thick. Brush with olive oil and sprinkle with grill seasoning or just plain sea salt and pepper.

Place on hot outdoor grill or stovetop grill pan. Butterfly the chicken breast, brush with olive oil to both sides and sprinkle with grill seasoning. Grill each side approximately 4-5 minutes depending on thickness.

While squash and chicken are grilling cook the pasta adding the frozen peas straight to the boiling pasta for the last two minutes.

Slice up the squash and chicken into bite size pieces.

In a large skillet on low heat 1 Tbs olive oil. Add pasta, peas, chicken, and tomatoes. Toss to coat in olive oil. Sprinkle with Parmesan cheese.

Season with salt and pepper to taste. Add basil, squash and diced buffalo mozzarella at the very end. Serve and enjoy!

**Key to a great tasting pasta...use a great tasting olive oil! I love Filippo Berio Extra Virgin Olive Oil.

Chicken Satay with Peanut dipping sauce *Melissa

2010-04-24T08:03:00.000-07:00

I love that the weather is warm enough now to get out the grill and explore new grilling recipes. This recipe is one that I watched Tyler Florence make and my mouth watered the whole time...I had to try it!

Marinade:
1 cup plain yogurt
1 tsp freshly grated ginger
1 tsp minced garlic
1 Tbsp curry powder
1 1/2 lb boneless skinless chicken breasts cut into strips
15 (ish) wooden skewers soaked in water
Peanut Sauce:
1 cup smooth peanut butter
1/4 cup low sodium soy sauce
2 tsp red chili paste
2 Tbsp dark brown sugar
2 limes, juiced
1/2 cup hot water

First, mix marinade
in large bowl.

Press or finely mince garlic.
Love my garlic press.
Thanks, IKEA!

Peel and grate the fresh ginger. (At this point you're kitchen will begin to smell delightful...not to mention your hands)

Add curry powder

Stir to combine ingredients

Add chicken strips, toss to coat

Let chicken marinate for up to 2 hours.

Now, for the sauce! In food processor combine peanut butter, soy sauce, chili paste, brown sugar, and lime juice.

You can find this red chili
paste in the Asian goods
section of your grocery
store.

If sauce is too thick, gradually add hot water to thin it out.

Now, back to that chicken. Thread the marinated strips on the skewers.

Prepare grill surface by brushing
with vegetable oil
to prevent sticking.

Heat to medium.
Place chicken on grill,
cook approx. 3 min per side

And there you have it, a savory dish that's sure to please even the most finicky of palettes, not to mention great for entertaining! Enjoy!

Orange Beef Stir Fry *heather

2010-04-02T17:16:00.000-07:00

This super tasty stir fry is one I adapted from one of Martha's recipes. Honestly, her recipe didn't make enough sauce, so I had to tweak things a little to make it work for my taste buds. It's pretty quick to make. The most time-consuming part is chopping the veggies and slicing the meat. It was a hit with the adults in our family... The littles however, notsomuch. He didn't want to touch it without a fight.

(untouched)

INGREDIENTS
1 c. brown rice
1 c. freshly squeezed orange juice (from one large orange)
2T rice vinegar
4T soy sauce
2T light-brown sugar

1 lb top or bottom round steak, cut into strips, 2 inches long and 1/4 inch thick
1T cornstarch
salt and pepper, to taste
1 bunch (1 lb) broccoli florets, broken onto small pieces (reserve stalks for another use
3 ribs celery, sliced on an angle
3 cloves garlic, diced

2T vegetable oil
1 red bell pepper(ribs and seeds removed), cut into strips, 2 inches long and 1/4 inches wide

Prepare rice according to package directions.

- Juice your orange. I like to use a little net "shower cap" for my orange. I can squeeze out all the juice and keep the pulp inside. Then jest your orange and add the zest into the juice.

**This is where I get to plug Microplane's nifty zester **
Triva: Microplane is a woodworking tool company and they've taken a little foray into the world of cooking tools. Most of the produces they make are fantastic!

In a small bowl, whisk together orange juice and zest, vinegar, soy sauce and sugar. Set aside.

-Place 1 cup water and broccoli florets in a large skillet. Cover and bring to a boil. Cook 4-5 minutes until bright green and tender, but still slightly crisp. Drain broccoli and set aside in a bowl. Discard water.

Wipe dry with a clean towel.

Then, using the same skillet, heat the vegetable oil. Dredge the beef in the corn starch and place in the skillet, along with garlic, once oil is very hot. Cook on high until brown, about 2-4 minutes.

-Add peppers (I was out of red, so orange worked fine) and celery and the prepared sauce, along with a cup or 2 of water. Cook over high heat until sauce thickens. Add broccoli to skillet and cover until broccoli is warmed through again.

-Taste your sauce. Does it need salt or pepper?

-Enjoy over rice.

Sweet Potato Oven Fries *melissa

2010-04-01T14:50:00.000-07:00

I've recently become interested in low glycemic foods and have learned that if you're going to follow a strictly low glycemic diet, white potatoes are out and sweet potatoes are in! So, I tried these sweet potato oven fries and they are delicious and a big hit with the husband!

Ingredients: (serves 2-3)
1 large sweet potato
Olive oil
Sea salt
1 Tbsp chopped rosemary
Set oven to 450 degrees

Begin by washing skin of sweet potato. (I like the taste of the skin so I keep it on. Also, I've been told by my farmer sister-in-law that the skin holds a good portion of the nutrients.) Slice in half then into wedges.

Then place wedges in mixing bowl. Coarsely chop rosemary.

Toss rosemary with sweet potatoes and drizzle with olive oil (to lightly coat) and sea salt

Cover baking sheet with tin foil and spread potatoes out on sheet so that none are overlapping

Now place baking sheet in oven for approximately 30 min. Then, broil on high for about 10 min flipping once for a golden perfection.

(**time saver** Normally these will take 35-40 min to roast to perfection in the oven. If you're running short on time, microwave potatoes in shallow dish for 5-7 min on high until just tender, then place under broiler in oven)

Rainy Day Chili

2010-03-22T19:37:00.000-07:00

"It's an itsy bitsy spider kind of day!" Two-and-a-half year old Will sat on a stool in my kitchen and listening to the thunder and watching the downpour as I stirred this chili on our stove. This is a great "from scratch" recipe. No packet of seasoning means no MSG and knowing exactly (almost) what's brewing in my pot. Hang on after the chili for it's satisfying accomplice: The Lynne Brown Corn Bread.

Ingredients:
2 lb ground beef or ground turkey
2 Tbsp olive oil
2 garlic cloves, minced
2 medium onions, chopped
1 green pepper, chopped
1-1/2 tsp salt
2Tbsp chili powder
1/8 tsp cayenne pepper
1/4 tsp ground cinnamon
1 tsp ground cumin
1 tsp dried oregano
2 cans (16 oz each) tomatoes with liquid, chopped
3 beef bouillon cubes
1 cup boiling water
1 16-oz can kidney beans

In a large kettle, brown ground beef.

Drain fat and set aside.

In same kettle, heat oil; saute garlic and onions over low heat until onions are tender.

Stir in green pepper, salt chili powder, cayenne pepper, cinnamon, cumin and oregano.
Cook for 2 minutes, stirring until well mixed and spices become fragrant.
Add beef and tomatoes with liquid.

Dissolve bouillon in boiling water and add to soup simmer, covered, for about 1 hour.
Add kidney beans; simmer until heated through.

Ingredients for moist and tasty corn bread :
(preheat oven to 350)
1/2 c. honey
1 c. buttermilk*
1 egg
1 c. yellow corn meal
1 c. flour
3 Tbs. melted butter
2 tsp. baking powder
1/2 tsp. baking soda
1/2 tsp salt

Beat together egg, buttermilk and honey; mix together all dry ingredients; combine all ingredients including melted butter and mix well; spread into buttered 8-inch square pan and bake for 30 minutes.

*if you're fresh out of buttermilk or for some reason you don't stock it as a regular item in your fridge, or you want to save a little money, you can make your own. Place one tablespoon of lemon juice or white vinegar in a one-cup measure. Then fill the cup to the fill line with milk. Let sit for 5 minutes. The texture isn't quite the same, but it lends the same tangy flavor to the recipe.

Eggplant Rollatini *melissa

2010-03-22T18:11:00.000-07:00

It's been a while since I've felt creative in the kitchen...about 16 weeks to be exact. Now at 19 weeks preggo I'm SO thankful that the horrid food aversions are pretty much over with and I can go back to getting creative with food again! And, with spring almost in full bloom (come on--you can do it!) and the promise of fresh produce right around the corner, it's just in time.

Eggplant rollatini is a dish I discovered for the first time a few years ago and fell in love with it. *Warning* It's a little labor intensive. *Promise* It's well worth the effort.

Ingredients:
2 medium eggplants
Good quality olive oil
Sea Salt & freshly ground pepper
32 oz ricotta cheese (I used fat free--still very tasty)
2 large eggs, lightly beaten
1/2 cup shredded mozzarella cheese
8 Tbsp grated Parmesan cheese
Red pepper flakes (to taste)
Pinch of nutmeg
5-8 basil leaves (julienned *see how to)
2 cups tomato sauce

Cut off eggplant ends and cut in long thin slices about 1/2" to 1/4" thick.

Place baking racks on cookie sheets and sprinkle with sea salt to remove excess moisture and to cut down on any bitterness. Let rest for 10-15 min.

Then, rinse each slice of excess salt, pat dry, and brush both sides with olive oil.

Now grill that eggplant! There are a couple of ways to do this. 1. Use a stove-top grill pan and grill each slice until softened and until you get those nice grill lines. 2. Put them on the baking rack placed on a cookie sheet and stick them in the oven under the broiler on HIGH, flip once to brown both sides (Watch carefully as the slices will char easily and set off ALL the smoke detectors in your house, rendering you and your cat deaf for the rest of the day!) I have no experience with method 2.

Now take your ricotta cheese and empty container into large mixing bowl.

Add lightly beaten eggs, mozzarella, and Parmesan cheeses along with a pinch of nutmeg and a teaspoon of red pepper flakes. This is also when you would add your julienned basil. (I didn't have any as my basil plant acquired what I call "failure to thrive" syndrome.)

Now it's time to fill those strips and get rollin'!

Take one heaping tablespoon of the ricotta mixture,
place it at one end of an eggplant strip and roll.
Place in baking dish sprayed
with olive oil.

Repeat until all slices
are filled and placed
in baking dish.

Now, pour tomato sauce over top of the eggplant.

Sprinkle with Parmesan cheese...

Bake at 350 degrees for 25-30 minutes, serve, and enjoy!

No Boil Lasagna *heather

2010-02-15T16:57:00.000-08:00

Lasagna is great for so many reasons, not the least of which is its ranking on the Comfort Food Ladder: Stacks of tomato sauce, cheese and pasta. Need I say more? In addition, it freezes well and leftovers always taste better as it firms up in the fridge and the herbs and spices in the sauce really sink into the pasta. There are so many ways to make Lasagna seem unique. You can make it with red sauce and spinach, sausage, veal, hamburger, chicken... the possibilities are endless. Years ago when I embarked on the quest to master the Italian stacked wonder I started in a logical place: the Safeway No Bake Lasagna Noodle Box. No, really. Those recipes on the store brand boxes are really good. Sometimes. I've tweaked the recipe and made some additions to makes my pasta stack seem a little healthier. I usually try to find a whole wheat noodle. But, shooting for ease and simplicity, I have to admit that I will go for a white, empty carb noodle if no "no-bake, whole wheat" variety can be found.

Ingredients:
1 lb ground beef or diced italian sausage (I really like the Trader Joes smoked Chicken and Turkey Basil Pesto Sausage here)
1 26 ounce jar pasta sauce
1 14.5 ounce can diced tomatoes in juice
2 eggs
1 15 oz container ricotta
1 lb frozen chopped spinach
1/2 cup shredded Parmesan cheese
4 cups shredded mozzarella cheese
1 tsp each: oregano, basil, parsley, onion powder and minced garlic
1 box Lasagna noodles (There is a brand called Healthy Harvest that makes a great no-bake wheat variety.)

In a large skillet, cook sausage or ground been over medium heat. Pour off excess fat. Stir in pasta sauce and canned tomatoes.

In a medium bowl whisk eggs. Stir in oregano, basil, parsley, onion powder and minced garlic, ricotta, Parmesan and 2 cups mozarella, .

Preheat oven to 375 degrees.

Grease a 13X9-inch casserole. Pour 1-1/2 cup sauce in the bottom of the casserole dish; arrange 5 lasagna noodles in sauce, overlapping and breaking to fit; Spread half the ricotta mixture over top, top with 1-1/2 cups sauce, 5 more noodles, remaining ricotta, 1-1/2 cups sauce, 5 more noodles, remaining sauce.

Cover with foil and bake for 45 minutes. Sprinkle with remaining 2 cups mozarella cheese and bake uncovered for 10 more minuets, or until cheese melts. Let stand for 20 minutes before cutting.

Just a few notes:
If you have a little more time and patience and want to use a noodle you boil first, you'll want to drain the tomatoes. Also, take the spinach and, once it has defrosted, press it in a colander to squeeze out the extra liquid. When using the no-bake variety that extra liquid helps soften the noodle.

Sorry for the lack of photos in this post, folks. The same factors limiting me to No-Bake have limited my ability to document this process. But I'm sure you'll do fine. None of this is really rocket science. Happy stacking!

Spiced Apple Raisin Crisp *melissa

2009-12-04T15:03:00.000-08:00

This was the first dessert I learned to make well as a married person. The reason being, my husband is an apple crisp fanatic. I can't even count the number of times that I've made this during my 4 years of marriage. If I'm making apple raisin crisp for an event Nate usually demands that I make a double batch so he can have his own all to himself. (My husband is probably the least greedy person I know, except when it comes to apple crisp.)

Filling Ingredients:

About 2 lbs apples (mix of granny smiths & sweet apples) peeled, cored, chopped

1/2 cup golden raisins

1/4 cup apple cider or juice

1/4 cup firmly packed brown sugar

1 1/2 tsp ground cinnamon

1/4 tsp ground cloves

Topping Ingredients:

1 cup firmly packed brown sugar

1 cup old-fashioned oats

3/4 cup all purpose flour

1/4 tsp salt

1/2 stick butter (chilled, cut into pieces)

Peel, core, and chop apples. If you have a willing helper in your kitchen this is one of the best steps to delegate.

In a large pot combine apples, raisins, cider.....

....brown sugar, cinnamon, and cloves.....

Stir and simmer apples until they're just about soft (I like them to still have a bit of crunch)

Ok, now it's time to prepare the topping. Combine oats, brown sugar, flour, salt, and mix together with hands....

Now, add butter to mixture and mix with hands until well incorporated into oats mixture...

Now, fill your baking dish with the apples and then put on your topping.....

Bake in 350 degree oven for about 30 min and until crust just begins to brown....

Serve warm with vanilla ice cream. ENJOY!

Roasted Tomato Black Bean Soup *heather

2009-11-30T18:36:00.000-08:00

The Weather Woman just used the term: "pea soup" to describe today's weather. Somewhere in the country it's sunny enough to ripen the tomatoes that star in this evening's hearty meal, but that place definitely isn't here on the East Coast. Oven-roasted tomatoes, onions and garlic give this soup a tangy zest. As for thickness, it has a medium body that sticks to your ribs and warms you to your toes on a dreary day like today. Roasting the veggies brings out their natural sugars which combine well with the chili powder and cumin to give the soup a nice zing. The recipe calls for hot sauce to be added at the end. Definitely give it a taste before adding the sauce. The tongues in our house are rather delicate when it comes to spicy food, so I chose to leave this last accent out, and our palates were still happy and satisfied.

Ingredients:

7 medium tomatoes, quartered
1 large onion, cut into large pieces (about 1-1/2 inch)
3 garlic cloves, peeled
2 Tbs. olive oil
1tsp. salt
1/2 tsp. black pepper
4 cups low-sodium chicken or vegetable broth
1 cup water
2 (15.5oz) cans black beans (preferably low-sodium), drained and rinsed
1-1/2 tsp. ground cumin
1 tsp. chili powder
1/4 tsp. hot pepper sauce (like Tabasco)
1/4 cup chopped cilantro
1/4 cup reduced-fat sour cream

Preheat oven to 375. Toss tomatoes, onion, and garlic with oil, 1/2 tsp. salt and 1/4 tsp. pepper in large bowl, then transfer to baking sheet. Roast until garlic cloves have softened, edges of onions are browned, and tomatoes have collapsed, 35-40 min; stirring once after first 20 minutes.

Transfer toasted vegetables mixture to a 4-qt saucepan. Add broth, beans, cumin, chili powder, and remaining 1/2 tsp. salt and 1/4 tsp. pepper. Bring to boil, reduce heat. and simmer 10 minutes.

Remove from heat and blend until smooth with immersion blender, or in batches in a regular blender.

I haven't used my immersion blender very much and learned by mistake: keep the blender immersed when it's turned on. Maybe you're saying "duh" - but I'm telling you my mistake to save you a little clean-up.

Stir in hot sauce. Divide among 4 bowls and garnish with a dollop of sour cream and sprinkle of cilantro.

Butternut Squash & Green Apple soup *melissa

2009-11-24T06:57:00.000-08:00

If you happen to be reading this and you find yourself basking in the sun of California or some other sunny place...good for you. Here on the east coast we've been subject to an onslaught of rainy chilly weather. What better to pull you out of the soggy grumpies than a creamy butternut squash soup!

Ingredients

2 tablespoons butter
2 large leeks (white and pale green
parts only), chopped
1 large onion, chopped
1 large potato, peeled and cubed
2 cups cubed butternut squash
1 cup diced carrots
1 Granny Smith apple, peeled, cored,
and sliced 1/4-inch thick
1 quart chicken stock
1/4 cup dry white wine
1 can evaporated milk
1/2 cup sour cream
1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg
salt and pepper to taste

First chop and clean your leeks. I find that the best way to do this is to give them a quick rinse then chop them in 1/4 " slices....

Place in bowl of cold water and let them soak for a few minutes so that all the sand and dirt stuck between the layers can seep out.

Then peel and chop your potato, apples, carrots and onion...

Time to attack that squash. Cut off the top, stem and all, then cut straight down from end to end with a large sturdy knife. Don't be scared of the seedy, stringy bit on the inside (but doesn't it look like it should be featured in The Alien movies with Sigourney Weaver?)

Now take a sharp edged metal spoon and scoop away the seedy innards of your squash until it's nice and clean like this..

OK, now chop chop chop into about 1" cubes....and you're ready to begin the sauteing...

Melt butter in heavy stock pot, add onions and sauté until translucent. Add leeks and sauté for another two minutes (season with salt and pepper.)

Add potato, squash, carrots and apples along with the chicken stock. Bring to a boil and then reduce to medium heat and simmer for about 20 minutes or until potatoes are fork tender.

Carefully puree soup either with wand blender (if you don't have one...put it on your Christmas list---if you do a lot of pureeing this gadget will save you LOTS of time and clean up.) After soup is pureed add can of evaporated milk, sour cream and white wine.

Serve with shredded cheddar, a dollop of sour cream and some good sourdough bread. Enjoy and sooth those soggy grumpies away.

Pumpkin Spice Muffins *melissa

2009-10-29T17:15:00.000-07:00

I had a Halloween costume party to attend and decided to make these muffins to bring along. (I'll spare you the picture of me in my lame pirate costume.) I got this recipe from The Pioneer Woman who titled the recipe Moist Pumpkin Spice Muffins. Now, out of respect for my other two sisters and anyone else who finds an inherent creepiness in the word moist I have left it out of the title. I refer you to the synonyms given in the thesaurus for the word moist: clammy, damp, dampish, dank, dewy, dripping, drippy, drizzly, humid, irriguous, muggy, not dry, oozy, rainy, soggy, teary, watery. Now really, only one of these applies to these lovely muffins. (I mean no offense to The Pioneer Woman, after all, these muffins are in no way, shape or form dry.) Can we please find a new word to replace moist? There I go again, I promise it's the last time I'll use the word in this post. Forgive me! OK - on to the recipe!

1 cup all-purpose flour
1/2 cup sugar
2 teaspoons baking powder
1 1/2 teaspoons cinnamon
1/4 teaspoon ground ginger
1/2 teaspoon nutmeg
1/2 teaspoon salt
4 tablespoons butter, cut into pieces
1 heaping cup pumpkin puree
1/2 cup evaporated milk
1 egg
1 1/2 teaspoons vanilla
1/2 cup golden raisins (optional!)
2 tablespoons sugar
1 teaspoon cinnamon
1/4 teaspoon nutmeg

Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Generously grease 12 muffin tins.

Sift all dry ingredients into large bowl...

(I have to confess that when I received this tool as a wedding gift I didn't really know what it was used for. It really comes in handy for recipes like this.)

Then take the chilled butter and cut it into little cubes...

and use a pastry cutter to cut it into the mixture...(another tool I didn't know what to do with--the pastry cutter. All I knew about this tool was that as a kid I used it to make cool shapes in play dough.)

In a separate bowl measure out the pumpkin puree and add the evaporated milk.....

...add the egg and vanilla

(This picture brings me back to Professor Wingert's Drawing I class where we had a week's worth of drawing eggs in juxtaposition to one another....it's amazing what a little graphite on paper can capture.)

Stir until incorporated then add the mixture to the dry ingredients, gently fold in....

.....fold in the golden raisins

Then Spoon batter into muffin tins and sprinkle tops with cinnamon sugar...then bake for 25 minutes.

If you like pumpkin, cinnamony goodness, and plump raisins, you'll LOVE these muffins.

Creamy Corn "Chowdah" with Chicken *melissa

2009-10-28T19:31:00.000-07:00

We've entered into one of my favorite seasons of the year - FALL - I love this season for many reasons but one of the reasons is that I love making soups and my husband loves eating soups. My husband, a Bean Town native, would call this soup "corn chowdah." Being my first attempt at making "chowdah" I consulted a number of different recipes and came up with this conglomeration of ingredients that yielded a result that actually metered on my husbands, "A+" scale...and for a native Boston, Red-Sox lovin' guy, that's saying a lot.

1 red bell pepper chopped
1 jalapeno chopped (seeds removed to desired hotness)
2 medium potatoes chopped with skins on
1 medium onion chopped
2 cups frozen corn
6 cups low sodium chicken stock
salt & pepper to taste
4 slices bacon
2 cups cooked chicken
1 can evaporated milk
sour cream (for garnish)
sharp cheddar (shredded for garnish)

In large pot cook 4 strips of bacon until mostly crispy. Remove bacon and set aside, drain all but 2 Tbsp of the drippings. Saute chopped onions in bacon drippings until translucent -- about 5 min. Then add chopped red bell pepper, jalapeno pepper and continue to saute.

Add chopped potatoes to pot and continue to saute. Then add frozen corn.

Add chicken stock and simmer for about 20 minutes or until potatoes are fork tender. Then puree 3/4 of the mixture either carefully ina blender or with a wand blender (I have one of these....and I lurve it...it makes life in the kitchen SO much easier.) After soup is pureed add can of evaporated milk and shredded chicken, simmer until incorporated.

Serve with dollop of sour cream, sprinkled cheddar cheese and some crumbled bacon, a side of sourdough bread for dipping and soaking up every last drop is a must...I promise, you will like this soup.

Gajillo Tortilla Soup *melissa

2009-10-01T10:12:00.000-07:00

So, I set out to make ancho chili tortillo soup. However, my grocery store didn't have any anchos. So I crossed my fingers, improvised and chose a chile pepper that I'd never heard of before...the gajillo (gwa-HEE-yoh) chili pepper. Now, I happen to live in an area with a LARGE hispanic population so my choices of dried chiles were abundant. My knowledge of these chiles, however, is nonexistent. BUT I will learn through experimentation in my kitchen. I'm so glad my husband is a good sport about my experiments.

Here's what I found out about gajillo chiles: they "are thick, leathery dark reddish brown chiles that contain mild to moderate amounts of heat. The guajillo is one of the most commonly grown chiles in Mexico. This chile requires a longer soaking period than most due to its leathery skin."

Now for the ingredients:
3 dried gajillo chiles (remove seeds, boil in chicken stock, let soak)
2 jalapeno pepper (seeds and ribs removed)
1 habenero pepper (seeds and ribs removed)
1/2 medium onion, chopped
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 cup fresh or frozen corn
1 can fire roasted tomatoes
Meat from 1 small to med. rotisserie chicken
2 tsp cumin
2tsp chili powder
1 tsp paprika
sea salt to taste
1 bottle/can of beer
6 cups low sodium chicken stock
corn tortillas
CHEEEEESE, shredded (I heart cheese)
**believe it or not, this soup is not spicy...mostly due to the fact that removed all ribs and seeds from the peppers.I think I'll leave a few in next time.

First, take the gajillo chiles, cut off ends with the stem, slice open and remove seeds and ribs. Pour 4 cups of chicken stock into pot with the gajillo chiles. Bring to low boil, cover, reduce to simmer. Allow to simmer
while you prepare your other ingredients. This can be done ahead of time...as stated above these guys need a long soaking time due to their leathery skin. (You'd have leathery skin too if you spent as much time as they did out under the
hot Mexican sun.)
Next, chop onion...

Chop peppers, mince or press garlic...

**Disclaimer**this picture shows 3 habeneros...DO NOT use all three unless you're interested in burning off all your tastebuds...I just photographed them together because they made a pleasing composition.

"Why," you say, "is there a cat pictured here?"
Here's why: I have a weird cat. My cat loves green
bell peppers. Forget the meat! This guy goes for crunchy veggies. He comes begging whenever I'm cutting into a pepper...her practically climbs up my legs trying to get a taste. In this case he recognized the sound but didn't know I was chopping hot peppers. Needless to say, he didn't get any to munch on.

Saute onion, peppers, garlic,and corn in oilve oil in a heavy bottomed pot. Then add spices and saute a few more minutes.

Then pour can of beer into pot to deglaze. Stir with wooden spoon to scrape up tasty bits on the bottom.

Add chicken to pot as well as the rest of the chicken stock.

Then, take the gajillo chiles and chicken stock and puree in food processor (HEED the fill to here for liquids line on your food processor or you will have a royal mess on your hands, not to mention all over your countertops and kitchen floor.)

Add puree to soup
and simmer

until well incorporated.

Serve soup with strips of corn tortillas and shredded cheese. Did I mention I LOVE CHEESE? Now, in this case since this is a Mexican style soup you could go with an authentic Mexican cheese. I used what I had which was extra sharp cheddar.

Favorite Oatmeal Chocolate Chip Muffins *heather

2009-09-30T14:00:00.000-07:00

I like to have something "danishy" with my coffee in the morning. My ultimate treat is a chocolate chip muffin from DD on a Saturday morning when I'm just beginning a 24 hour work weekend. Budget and nutritional concerns prompted me to find a recipe to make muffins at home to save money, and guilt while still enjoying a treat. I like this recipe because it has less fat and more fiber. On occasion I toss a tablespoon of flax meal or wheat germ into the mix to give it a little more nutritional payout. Even on its own it offers a great deal of fiber. The muffins don't rise that well and tend to be a little dense as a result - but I think that this can be blamed on the whole wheat flour that I use.

Ingredients:
1/2 cup butter or margarine
3/4 cup packed brown sugar
1 egg
1 cup all purpose flour
1 tsp baking powder
1/4 tsp baking soda
1/4 tsp salt
3/4 cup applesauce
1 cup rolled oats
1 cup semisweet chocolate chips
(I think Trader Joes makes the BEST choc chips.)
Raw cane sugar to sprinkle on top. About two tablespoons.

In a small mixing bowl combine flour, baking powder and soda and salt. Use a whisk to thoroughly blend ingredients. I use this method also when a recipe calls for the dry ingredients to be sifted.

In a large mixing bowl cream butter and sugar. Beat in the egg.

Add dry ingredients alternately with applesauce to the creamed mixture.

Stir in oats and chips.
Fill greased or paper-lined muffin tins about 3/4 full.

Sprinkle top of muffins with the raw, chunky sugar.

Bake at 350 degrees F for 25 minutes. Makes 18 muffins.

*credits for this recipe

Cous Cous Concoction *melissa

2009-09-25T06:43:00.000-07:00

I made a wonderful discovery the other day -- Israeli Cous Cous. It's delicious...mouth watering creamy pearls of pasta that roll around delightfully on the tongue before sliding down the throat to find their ultimate destination in your belly. Unlike Moroccan cous cous, which has a much finer consistency, and according to Nate--no taste, Israeli cous cous is about the size of pepper corns. In general, I'm a big fan of cous cous but I can now say that this is my favorite type.

Ingredients for a tasty concoction:

Israeli cous cous
cherry tomatoes
scallions
basil
black pepper
olive oil
red wine vinegar

First, determine service size for cous cous and measure out accordingly. Then heat a couple tablespoons of oil in pan, pour in cous cous, and stir until coated and lightly toasted.

Then add water or chicken stock according
to amount of cous cous used. Bring to
boil then cover and reduce to gentle boil
for about 15-18 min.

While your cous cous cooks prepare the rest of your ingredients...half or quarter tomatoes, chop scallions...

Julienne the basil....

(My sisters were the ones born
with the
pretty nails, I got the
wide, flat nail beds....)

I digress. if you've never used this
method to chop leafy
herbs...give it a try.

Combine these ingredients....

Then combine with cous cous. Mix olive oil, a splash of red wine vinegar, and fresh cracked black pepper in bowl, pour over cous cous and stir to coat.

Then, serve with whatever you like!

Lime, Dill and Mustard Dress Up Grilled Chicken *heather

2009-09-24T10:14:00.000-07:00

I have fond memories of time spent with my grandparents at their home in Lancaster county. They lived on a ridge overlooking a valley; an idyllic setting. I loved sitting on their front porch and gazing over the valley at dusk, watching the shades of light play on the rolling valleys in the distance as the different colors crept into the sky.

Grandma was a fantastic cook, and very precise hostess. Her table was always neatly and perfectly set. I remember special little touches to meals - like sweetened, shredded coconut sprinkled on top of a simple fruit cup; a trick I often use now in order to brighten up a routine side dish to a meal. I say she was a fantastic cook because she doesn't cook much anymore. She is still available with treasures of great recipes and cooking advice though, and I try to pick her brain sometimes for something new to try.

Grandma had a knack for making a few comfort food dishes. I remember her potato salad and still wish I could master it's zesty goodness. She would melt red hots into applesauce for a tasty side dish and her Christmas cookies were always unique and tasty. I'm getting closer to the recipe, I promise.

One summer evening we grilled on their back porch. She basted her chicken with Helmans Dijonaise. I'm not sure if Helmans still even makes this product, but I make my own version of this dressing to fancy up a simple chicken breast.

Two boneless, skinless chicken breasts. Rinse and pat dry. (I like to take the big, fat breasts from the grocery store and slice them in half, to make two thinner breasts. They take less time to cook that way, and make a more healthy portion.)
2 Tbsp Dijon style mustard
2 Tbsp Mayonnaise
2 Tbsp Olive Oil
a few sprigs fresh dill, chopped or 1 tsp dried dill
1 Tbsp lime juice
* a little disclaimer here: I estimated the quantities for the ingredients because I usually add a little dash here and an extra pinch there until it looks right. I haven't made this in more than two months, so my memory is a little foggy.

In a small bowl, whisk the ingredients together. Use half the dressing to marinate your chicken, reserve the remainder to use when grilling. Since I tend to throw dinner together at the last minute, my chicken usually marinates for only the 10 minutes it takes for the grill to heat up, but you could let it sit all day in this marinade in the fridge, or up to 30 minutes at room temperature.

Place the boneless chicken breasts on an upper rack of the grill. Discard the dressing used to marinate the chicken. Brush the reserved dressing on the upper side of the chicken. The thickness of the breasts will determine how long you cook on one side. I usually flip after 5 minutes, brushing the dressing again over the upper side. You should grill the breasts until the juices run clear, being careful not to over cook them, or they will dry out.

I served the chicken with a baked potato and grilled zucchini. These can also be done on the grill, though the potato will need a much longer time to cook. The zucchini can be tossed with some olive oil and salt and pepper, maybe a little red wine vinegar and garlic powder. Make a packet of of tin foil and place on the grill with the chicken.

Rosted Grape Tomatoes *heather

2009-09-24T10:00:00.000-07:00

Our weather has been kind to us and our tomato plants this summer. As a result, we've become creative with our tomato enjoyment so that our prolific crop doesn't go to the mold and rot. As you may know, life has been in a bit of an upheaval for our family recently. Consequently, time and energy for cooking is scarce. We have been enjoying the generosity of our brothers and sisters from church as they provide meals for us 4 days-a-week. On Tuesday this week we enjoyed a friend's meatloaf and mashed potatoes. (Thanks Poes!) As I put the meatloaf in the oven to cook, the overflowing basket of tomatoes on the counter caught my eye and I decided that they would make the perfect addition to a tasty meal. As I mentioned earlier, time and energy are scarce, but popping the tomatoes in to roast with the meatloaf takes very little time or thought.

Ingredients:
~Grape Tomatoes - about a handful for each portion
~Olive Oil - enough to coat the tomatoes.
~Salt and Pepper and any additional seasoning that suits your fancy. I used a garlic/onion/bell pepper/parmesan blend that I have in my cupboard.

In a medium bowl toss tomatoes with olive oil and season, gently stirring until tomatoes are evenly coated with oil and seasoning.

Line a rimmed baking sheet with aluminum foil, places tomatoes on sheet. Use a rubber spatula to scrape out all the extra oil and seasoning, drizzle over tomatoes.

Roast tomatoes in a 350 degree oven for about 20 minutes, or until the skin starts to split.

If you're pressed for time, you can roast in a hotter oven, just don't make the mistake I did. When the meatloaf finished, I took it out of the 350 oven to rest and put the tomatoes in on the bottom rack and increased the temp to 450. Sure enough, the tomatoes cooked quickly. But we also found out that our new hardwired smoke detectors work. The hot olive oil splattered all over the bottom of the oven, filling our kitchen with smoke. Ooops.

Anyway, this dish is such a treat and it is a great answer to the steamed vegetable rut that I get into. You know, throw some frozen green beans into a microwave safe dish with a dash of water and nuke for 3 minutes. These tomatoes are zesty and a bit sweet, and burst with flavor in your mouth. For a different serving idea throw some diced peppers alongside the tomatoes in the oven and toss with pasta and some fresh basil. You won't be disapointed.

White Bean Salad *melissa

2009-09-21T23:22:00.000-07:00

Lunchtime rolled around today and nothing in the frig appealed. So, I searched my cabinets and found a can of cannellini beans. Then I searched my produce drawer and found some choice ingredients that I thought might go together.
Here's what I ended up with:
1 can cannellini beans, drained/rinsed
2 chopped roma tomatoes
1 stalk celery (w/ leafy bits) chopped
2 scallions chopped
a bit of mint, chopped
juice of 1/2 lemon
1 Tbsp olive oil
sea salt to taste
fresh cracked black pepper
sprinkle of Parmesan cheese

Now, once in a while when I make things up out of my head it can produce a gross disaster. I'm not a culinary professional, just a wife/sister/daughter/ friend who dabbles in (hopefully) tasty concoctions.

Drain & rinse
the beans...

Then, julienne the mint and chop the celery...

(*TIP* How to julienne! Chopping leafy herbs like mint and basil can be annoying, like how they stick to your fingers and the cutting board....make it easier by stacking the leaves on top of each other and then running your knife through the bundle.)

Chop the tomatoes, removing seeds and pulp

Chop scallions...

Juice half of the lemon and whisk with olive oil, sea salt, and black pepper

Pour over all ingredients
and toss together...

Lastly, sprinkle with shredded parmesean cheese, eat, and ENJOY!

Peach Galette *melissa

2009-09-10T11:20:00.000-07:00

Our labor day cookout presented me with an opportunity to exercise my weak baking skills once again. I came across this recipe on smitten kitchen.

I need to tell you that this was SUPER easy and mouth wateringly delicious! Served warm with vanilla bean ice cream, my guests had that "more please" look in their eyes after the first bite. I scored some major points with the hubby too for this scrumptious treat.

Here are the few simple ingredients:
1 pie pastry round
2 1/2-3 peaches
2 Tbsp melted butter
2 Tbsp crushed almonds
sprinkle of brown sugar
sprinkle of cinnamon
sprinkle of nutmeg

First, roll out the pastry dough. Now, folks, you can feel free to be super bakers and make your own pie pastry but again, I went with the store bought pastry to save time and honestly because I'm still too afraid to try it on my own. Brush pastry dough with melted butter...

Then, sprinkle with cinnamon, nutmeg, almonds and brown sugar to the center of the dough leaving about two inches around the edge....

Now, slice those peaches! Arrange them on their bed of doughy sugary goodness....

Then, take the edge of the pastry dough and fold it around the peaches, pinching in places. Brush outside of dough with melted butter and in folds of pastry brush some extra butter to keep it in place. Sprinkle more cinnamon, nutmeg, almonds and brown sugar over top...

(Psssst! Don't use a baking sheet with holes like I did...not a good idea...Can we pretend it didn't happen? If the baking police come for me the evidence is in the pictures. For now I hope we can get past it and make better choices in the future.) I happened to make 2 of these and made the other one on my pizza stone...a much better choice b/c it tends to get a little gooey on the bottom.

Bake at 350 degrees for about 25-30 minutes or until the sugar starts to bubble on top. Enjoy as the enticing cinnamony peachy aroma will waft out of your kitchen and fill your whole house.

Serve warm,
with vanilla
ice cream...

ENJOY!

p.s. This post is dedicated to my sister Heather, her favorite summer fruit being peaches, and to her precious new little baby, Jillian, who she calls her little "peach blossom."

Crimson Pie *Melissa

2009-09-02T08:52:00.000-07:00

Now, this is one of Nate's favorite desserts, second to apple crisp, of course. This pie is made frequently for Holidays in the Green household. I pass it on to you as it was passed on to me from Nate's mom. She always makes sure to tell me, "Now, don't feel like you have to make this exactly the way I do! You can make it however you like."

So! Since I've made it a few dozen times since we've been married I have made one slight modification but otherwise this is an easy and beautiful pie that is sure to impress and delight the taste buds.

I recently made two crimson pies for a large group of people so I made one with a slivered almond top and the other with a crust top.

4 cups blueberries (1 1/2 reserved)
12 oz cranberries (not dried)
1/3 orange (minced with rind)
1/2 cup sugar
4 Tbsp cornstarch
1 Tbsp butter
pie pastry (I cheated to save time and used store bought pastry dough)
slivered almonds

Set oven on 400 degrees. Mince orange, rind included. Mix with berries in large heavy-bottomed pot. (You can use any large pot you have but if it doesn't have a heavy bottom make sure you babysit the berry mixture so it doesn't burn.

Stir in cornstarch and sugar. On stove top, bring berries to a gentle boil to activate corn starch, stirring constantly. This is when the CRIMSON happens!

Prepare bottom pie crust in pie plate and fill with berry mixture, mounding in center. Mix in reserved blueberries.

Now, time to prepare the pie top. I made one pie with a pastry top and another with slivered almonds on the top.

For the pastry top roll out the dough and made cut outs of any shape of your choosing. My mom usually does an oak leaf cut out for fall pies. I went with a star since Memorial Day is right around the corner. Brush pie top with milk so it gets nice and golden in the oven.

For the slivered almond topping just sprinkle over berry mixture then place pats of butter around so that when the pie goes in the oven the almonds toast up to a mouthwatering brown color.

Bake pie for 45-50 minutes or until filling begins to bubble up. **Place in oven on foil or baking sheet b/c the filling can bubble over a bit. Enjoy your hot pie with vanilla ice cream! mmmmmmmm !

Mango Salsa *Melissa

2009-08-31T11:40:00.001-07:00

Go ahead and drool...yes, it's as good as it looks! I'm drooling just thinking about this salsa.

2 large mangos, diced
3/4 of a bunch cilantro, chopped
2 shallots, minced (or 1/2 red onion)
1 red bell pepper, diced
Lime juice from 1 whole juicy lime
2 jalapenos, diced (seeded and ribs removed)
dash of salt

(Toss this salsa with a can of black beans and you have a great side dish for any summer cookout!)

There you have it folks. A recipe for a scrumptious Mango Salsa

*TIP*
How to Slice
a Mango

*tip courtesy of Rebecca Green (formerly Copty), my Palestinian sister-in-law who possesses some mad culinary skills especially in the way of baked goods. Rebecca taught me how to cut a mango a couple years ago and I think of her every time I do it now. Rebecca and my brother-in-law Jon currently reside in Edinburgh, Scotland, oh so far away.

First thing to note is that mangos have large sinewy pits in the center. The trick is to cut from end to end slightly past the middle but as close to the pit as possible.
Take the half without the pit and score through the fruit but without cutting through to the skin. Make a grid pattern with your cuts.
Take the mango half and turn inside out, then, use a paring knife and scrape off the cubes of mango.
Take the other half (with the pit) and cut as close as you can to the pit from the other side), then repeat steps 2-3

*A note about the jalapenos: How much heat can you handle?? Well, Nate and I like the heat...not that he will eat this salsa due to the amounts of onions...boo. But, with peppers all the heat is in the seeds and the ribs. SO, if you remove them completely, you have almost no heat, leave a few seeds in and you have moderate heat, leave them all in and you have insane hotness! Also, Kristen gave me a little tip about roasting the jalapenos either on the grill or in the oven under a broiler. This way the flavor really comes through and the skins slide right off so you can chop away. However, if you like the crunch of the jalapenos then don't roast them.

"Sisters gotta hug"

2009-08-31T11:14:00.000-07:00

Yes, my title is a shameless (gender altered) quote from Tommy Boy.

People keep asking me if I'm the only one posting to this blog. At the moment, yes. But I'm writing to let you know that both my sisters are excellent cooks and much better at baking than me! However, they both have their hands full with little kiddos and work. I'm amazed at what great mothers they are and how they manage to keep on cooking healthy meals and yummy desserts....finding a time to blog about it is another story. So, I know that eventually you will benefit from their culinary skillzzz. Let's just give them a little time:) Much love to ya, sisters...........the end

Salsa Fresca *Melissa

2009-08-31T07:13:00.000-07:00

My friend, Kristen, makes the best SALSA FRESCA. I've been bugging her for the recipe and then decided we should just have a "salsa making Saturday." Due to everyone's busy summer schedules it turned out to be just Kristen and I for most of the afternoon and we were joined by Kelli and her little baby Samuel later on. I highly recommend making salsa with a friend because then you can share the chopping responsibilities.

Here it is, the recipe for a lovely Salsa Fresca. We chopped and we chopped and we ended up with two HUGE batches. It so happened that I was hosting a pre-wedding cookout for the Cuomo and Hudzinski families and the salsa ended up being a very nice addition to the "Bring-your-own-meat Cookout."

Now, I must pause for a commercial. The VIDALIA CHOP WIZARD is the coolest new gadget that Kristen introduced me to. It makes chopping a cinch! It has two different chopping blade grids of different sizes. We used one to chop the tomatoes and the other to chop the onions. If it weren't for the Vidalia Chop Wizard, Kristen and I would have been in the kitchen all day with dishpan fingers from all the juices. A quick and easy chopping of the onions was a must for Kristen...I've never seen anyone tear up as much as she did!

So, the chopping began....tomatoes, cilantro

Garlic and canned green chillies......

And the final touch...sea salt (extra used in place of whey) and lemon juice.

Frosted Pineapple Zucchini Sheet Cake *Melissa

2009-07-31T08:05:00.000-07:00

So, I'm not really a baker. Here are some of the things that stress me out about baking:

all the exact measuring....1/8th of a teaspoon? really? they go that small?
sifting of lumpy flour....did I sift enough?
the possibility of the thing being baked sticking so badly that it gets destroyed when extracting it :( ...hard work down the drain

But, Nate loves the baked goods so I'm determined to be a better baker....

Last Friday we entertained a group of about 16 people for a Bring Your Own Meat cookout. So, I needed to make a dessert that would feed these peeps and I came across this recipe. I proceeded to bake...

So, I gathered and prepared my ingredients and went to work.

Combined my dry ingredients (sifted flour, baking soda, salt, coconut, cinnamon, nutmeg, *cloves -my addition, and ginger) Then added my egg and oil and stirred away.

Then I added my shredded zucchini and drained pineapple....not very appetizing to look at but trust me, the result is tasty! Poured into a glass 13x9 dish coated with baking spray (very much coated...to avoid sticking)

After it comes out of the oven you're supposed to be able to get it out of the baking dish to cool on a baking rack....this didn't happen for me. I followed the rules. I PROMISE I sprayed with baking spray. It still stuck and wouldn't come out. SO, I just let it cool on in the dish.

The icing for this is very tasty ~ light cream cheese, powdered sugar, a splash of pineapple juice and vanilla extract.

Delicious!

Chipotle Rosemary Grilled Chicken *Melissa

2009-07-23T06:23:00.000-07:00

Another huge perk about moving from our 16th floor apartment to a house with a yard has been being able to grill all the time. We have a gas grill, rather than a charcoal grill, for the convenience. But, nothing beats that smoky taste you get with charcoal. So, my friend Elisa told me about Liquid Smoke, that can be used in marinades or brushed on meats or veggies before grilling. So I put it to the test in this recipe! Also, I went to Marshalls the other day to buy some balsamic vinegar. (*tip* Marshalls is great for buying gourmet cooking oils, vinegars, jams, etc. at a fraction of their original price.) So, I stumbled upon a jar of ground chipotle chile pepper. I've been on the hunt for this FOREVER (along with smoked paprika). This particular brand is by Spice Appeal. I checked out their website and it looks like I got this can of smoked chipotle chile pepper for a steal! Chipotle peppers have a smoky flavor to them so I thought it would be a nice combo with the liquid smoke. For a fresh and favorite zing I combined these with chopped rosemary. (By the way, this recipe is only mildly spicy.)

2 chicken breasts, halved
1Tbs chopped rosemary
1/4 cup olive oil
1/2 teaspoon chipotle chile pepper
slash of Liquid Smoke

First, slice the chicken through the center of the breast to thin out breasts. This allows for shorter grilling time. Then place in re-sealable plastic bag. (Sorry if this picture of raw meat grosses anyone out. I have to admit that as much as I love to cook, I get really grossed out by handling raw meat. I try my hardest not to touch it.)

Combine olive oil, chopped rosemary, splash of liquid smoke, and chipotle pepper ~ wisk to combine

Pour over chicken in plastic bag and toss to coat. Let marinate (in frig) over night or at least a few hours.
Place chicken on hot grill and close top. Grill approximately 5-7 minutes on each side.
And here it is! Chipotle rosemary grilled chicken! It was very tasty.....I think next time I make this I'll add a splash of lime juice to the marinade. (My light was fading for this picture. Nate usually plays ball after work and doesn't get home from the park until 8 ish. So, by this point my stomach was growling up a storm and I was working hard to keep my salivary glands under control.)

Rosemary & Lime Spicy Salmon * Melissa

2009-07-13T09:26:00.000-07:00

Thankfully, I married someone who likes fish! Here's a new salmon recipe that I tried last week. It turned out to be super tasty.

Salmon
1 Tbs fresh rosemary
1 lime
sprinkle/ to taste cayenne pepper
sprinkle/ to taste sea salt

To start, spray pyrex baking dish with cooking spray. Place salmon in dish. Juice 1/2 lime through strainer (to catch seeds and pulp.) Pour lime juice over salmon. Coarsely chop rosemary and sprinkle on. Then, sprinkle sea salt and cayenne (*a little goes a long way but makes for excellent flavor.) Thinly slice lime into rounds and place on salmon. Broil on high for about 15 minutes or until fish flakes but is still moist.

By the way, the above pictures of rosemary is from my herb garden which I'm SO excited to finally be able to grow now that I have a sunny porch. Anyway, this salmon turned out to be a huge hit with Nate and was SO tasty! (And, not too spicy, if anyone is wondering...all depends on the amount of cayenne that's a-sprinkled.)

I served the salmon with fresh green beans and Naan (Traditional Indian Flatbread) from Trader Joe's. On the side we had a delicious summer fruit salad of blueberries, green grapes, and watermelon.