My Retro Kitchen

Oven Roasted Bananas- Traditional and also with Cinnamon and Chocolate

2012-02-09T07:41:00.001-05:00

Or how to impress your kids and make your husband fall in love with you all over again. This recipe is so dang easy your children can do it almost entirely on their own (except for needing a smidge of help with the hot oven). It also works as a great summertime campfire trick. They are wonderful plain, in their beautiful perfect banana state. Or my personal favorite, sprinkled with cinnamon, stuffed with chocolate chips and dotted with butter...mmmmmmmm.

These make a lovely dessert, it would even empress guests at a dinner party. But it also works perfectly for a breakfast with a dollop of yogurt, or to curb that mid day sweet tooth. It turns a plain banana into something truly special. It tastes so much like the famous dessert Banana's Foster, but it isn't! A simple banana with nothing else tastes like it is so much more. If you've never tried this recipe before you will be amazed on the lovely flavors it changes into.

Oven Roasted Bananas

Traditional Oven Roasted Banana
1 banana per person (and this is absolutely all you need if you want to go the plain route, which trust me, tastes anything but "plain")

preheat oven to 400 degrees F.

Place whole banana, as is, uncut on a baking sheet. Place in hot oven and bake for 15 minutes or until the banana peel turns black. That is when you know it is done! Place on a plate and carefully split the peel with a sharp knife and eat with a spoon.

The warmth of the banana paired with a scoop of vanilla ice cream is heavenly.

Oven Roasted Bananas with Cinnamon and Chocolate

1 banana per person
a sprinkling of cinnamon
a sprinkling of chocolate chips, I used mini above, but large are just as great!
a few small pats of butter, optional

Preheat oven to 400 degrees F.

Slice banana lengthwise and place on a foil lined baking sheet. Sprinkle with cinnamon and chocolate chips and top with a few pats of butter, if using. Bake for 15 minutes or until banana peel turns black. Carefully remove from oven and eat directly out of the peel with a spoon. Enjoy as is, or serve along side ice cream, yogurt, sprinkle with granola, drizzle with honey or chocolate sauce- whatever your heart desires. After you've had these once, trust me, you will want to try them every way possible!

Don't forget to tun in or set your DVR's to watch

Amie, from My Retro Kitchen cooking on

New Day Cleveland, Fox 8

Tuesday, February 21, 2012

10:00 am

Exciting News!

2012-02-06T23:43:00.000-05:00

Guess who's going to be on TV?!

ME!!

I know. I seriously can't believe it myself. I was contacted by the show New Day Cleveland, telling me how much they love my blog *gasp*swoon*!!! (You mean people actually read this blog besides me?!!) That alone was exciting news! And if that wasn't cool enough, I was then asked if I would be interested in coming on their show to do a cooking segment with one of their hosts.

Holy Moly! That's the cat's pajamas! Of course I would love to come on television!!

Oh boy. I've got my work cut out for me for sure. lol.

In all seriousness, I am so incredibly flattered and excited for this wonderful opportunity. I not only get to be on TV, but I get to do one of my most favorite things in the whole world at the same time- cook! I couldn't have asked for a better break then this. Thank you New Day Cleveland for taking an interest in my favorite past time, My Retro Kitchen. I am honored.

Please be sure to set your DVR's to Fox 8 where you can see me having a blast in their kitchen cooking up some delicious food, on Tuesday, February 21st at 10:00 am.

New Day Cleveland is a local television show, think a smaller version of The Today Show, so I am not sure how far away from Cleveland people will be able to watch this. But hopefully there will also be a clip on their website as well for all you out-of-towners.

This is a going to be a good year for My Retro Kitchen.

Amie, from My Retro Kitchen cooking on

New Day Cleveland, Fox 8

Tuesday, February 21, 2012

10:00 am

See you there!

Traditional Apple Crisp

2012-01-27T15:52:00.005-05:00

For dessert on Girls Night, Bonnie made a classic Apple Crisp. Oh how I love fruit crisps- probably one of my most favorite desserts. It is simple to throw together, but the smell it sends through the house while baking is soooo comforting and wonderful. I am usually a If It Isn't Chocolate, I Don't Want It kind of girl when it comes to dessert. But NOT when apples are involved. They are my absolute favorite dessert fruit. The crisp sweetness when raw turns into a lovely warm, caramelized flavor that is like no other. Pair it with a little cinnamon and sugar and even better throw in rollled oats and of course butter and you've got me for sure! Delicious, homey and one dessert everyone needs to learn how to do.

with whip or without, either way this dessert is a win!

Traditional Apple Crisp
recipe courtesy Family Fun

6 apples (or 6 cups of apple slices)
1 1/2 cups rolled oats
3/4 cup brown sugar
1/4 cup all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon cinnamon
1/4 teaspoon nutmeg
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/2 cup butter (1 stick), softened
Whipped cream or ice cream (optional for serving)

To peel an apple safely, your child should hold the fruit in one hand, grip a vegetable peeler in the other, and push the peeler away from himself.

Heat oven to 375 degrees and lightly butter an 8 or 9-inch-square baking pan. Peel, core, and slice the apples and arrange them evenly in the prepared pan.

Place the oats, brown sugar, flour, spices, and salt in a sealable plastic bag, close, and shake until combined. Cut the softened butter into 1-inch pieces and add to the oat mixture. Close the bag again and knead or squeeze until the mixture holds together. Instead of using a bowl to mix the crumb topping, use a sealable plastic bag. This will cut back on dirty dishes and let young bakers--even preschoolers--lend a hand.

Open the bag and crumble the topping evenly over the apples. Bake the apple crisp for 40 to 45 minutes or until the topping is golden brown and the juices begin to bubble around the edges.

Cool slightly, then serve with whipped cream or ice cream.

My favorite parts: the crispy, gooey edge bits

and when the whipped cream melts into the warm crisp just right

Do you ever read that little box on my sidebar over there -->
Labeled "Daily Inspirations. Quotes Amie Likes"?
It is a fun box that rotates a new famous quote with each push of the refresh button.

Well I love looking at it and being inspired throughout my day. Just as I was writing this entry I saw a quote that really struck to me for it was so fitting to my beautiful friends Bonnie and Dawn.....

"Each friend represents a world in us, a world possibly not born until they arrive, and it is only by this meeting that a new world is born." —Anaïs Nin

I love you my sweet friends.

Souperburgers

2012-01-26T10:09:00.003-05:00

The theme for this month's girl's night with my girlfriends Bonnie and Dawn was Soup and Sandwiches (and always a dessert of course!). The way that our meals always go is we pick a theme and then each girl gets to pick whatever they want to make for their portion of the meal. I always wanted to make French Onion Soup, so I volunteered for that part. Dawn picked sandwiches and Bonnie chose to make an Apple Crisp for dessert for a change.

I am posting Dawn's recipe first this time. (The other two recipes will be posted this week.) It tasted great and was pretty simple. The original recipe called for ground beef, but just before cooking we realized that pork was purchased on accident. Well it definitely didn't taste like an accident. Actually I think I preferred the added flavor of the pork in place of the usual ground beef or turkey. But use what you like, they will all work nicely.

"Here is the recipe for my sandwiches. They are called Souperburgers and I think they're just a little twist on Sloppy Joe's." --Dawn

Souperburgers
original recipe from recipe.com

1 pound ground meat (turkey, beef or pork)
1 medium onion, chopped
1 (10.75 ounce) can Condensed Tomato Soup
1 tablespoon prepared mustard
1/8 teaspoon ground black pepper
6 sandwich rolls

Cook the meat and onion in a 10-inch skillet over medium-high heat until it is well browned, stirring often. Pour off any fat.

Stir the soup, mustard and black pepper in the skillet and cook until the mixture is hot and bubbling. Divide the meat mixture among the rolls.

(I'm gonna admit I didn't catch the play on words in the name of the recipe (the Souper part) until I got home and started writing the recipe. But it uses condensed tomato SOUP. ding ding ding!! I think tomato paste and a bit of tomato sauce would work fine in place of the canned soup. If you go this route be sure to salt your mixture a bit- there is no salt in this recipe since there is salt in the soup. But the soup sure made it easy!)

Beef Roast with Tomato Ragout (Slow Cooker)

2012-01-10T16:02:00.001-05:00

I am always on a hunt for a good slow cooker pot roast. You have all been asking me for more slow cooker recipes. This one works for both of those requirements! I usually make up more of a beefy, mushroom type sauce, but to change things up a bit this one is a tomato and red onion sauce. Change is good, right?! I happened to have all of the ingredients in my pantry, making this recipe quite economical as well.

Everyone loved the flavors and richness the sauce brings to the meat. We all started out with a slight drizzle of sauce over the meat, and then added more and then added even more! It was so yummy! I loved having one big bite of meat, potato and peas all in one. Hearty, slow cooked and complete comfort food.

Beef Roast with Tomato Ragout
recipe from Sandra Lee Semi-Homemade Slow Cooker Recipes 2

1 large red onion, peeled and thinly sliced
1 can (28 ounce) whole peeled tomatoes with basil, drained and broken into pieces
3 lbs beef rump roast, rinsed and patted dry
1 teaspoon garlic salt
1 teaspoon ground black pepper
1 can condensed tomato soup (if you didn't want to use caned soup you could substitute one can of tomato sauce and 2 tablespoons tomato paste)
2 tablespoons balsamic vinegar
1 envelope onion soup mix (or 5 tablespoons of your own homemade batch found here)
1 tablespoon Italian seasoning (or a mix of oregano, basil, sage, parsley)
1 garlic clove, thinly sliced

In a 5 quart slow cooker, combine onion and tomatoes. season rump roast with garlic salt and pepper. Place roast in slow cooker on top of vegetables, fat side up.

In a small bowl, stir together remaining ingredients thoroughly and pour over rump roast. Cover and cook on LOW setting for 8-10 hours (or on High for 4-5).

Strain and defat cooking liquid. Serve as a sauce on the side.

I made a quick rue on the stove and added in the sauce to thicken up and make a gravy. It was delicious!

Dry Onion Soup Mix

2012-01-09T16:56:00.000-05:00

Ever in the middle of making a slow cooker pot roast or want to make a yummy chip dip and don't happen to have one of those envelopes of dry onion soup mix? Well look no further! Here is that wonderful mix that you can do yourself and keep on hand for those last minute recipes. Just make it up now, seal up in an airtight container and you are ready to go. I love mason jars for this sort of thing. This recipe makes up well more then one envelope worth. Be sure you shake the jar well before each use.

Onion Soup Mix
recipe courtesy Food.com

3/4 cup instant minced onion
1/3 cup beef bouillon powder
4 teaspoons onion powder
1/4 teaspoon crushed celery seed
1/4 teaspoon sugar

Combine all ingredients and store in an airtight container.

**About 5 tablespoons of mix are equal to 1 1¼-ounce package.
To make onion dip: Mix 5 tablespoons with one pint of sour cream.

Whole Wheat Flour Tortillas

2012-01-07T00:01:00.002-05:00

This was one of those things that every single time we had soft tacos or flour enchiladas I would think to myself "Hey, I bet I could make these". Well last night I finally did! And seriously, listen to me- never go out and buy them again! This recipe couldn't be any more simple. It is made with whole wheat which I love and no lard like in so many other recipes, making them much healthier than most store-bought versions. The taste is light and nicely flavorful, and we all hands-down agreed that we never, ever should eat the store bought kind again.

We had a few left over so I wrapped them in foil and put them in a large re-sealable bag in the fridge. I was a little nervous that the moisture of the fridge would turn them gummy, but the next day they were even more amazing- if you can believe that! I tried both reheating them in the microwave sandwiched between damp paper towels and than also wrapped in foil and placed in a warm (200 degree) oven for 5 minutes. Both ways provided delicious, pliable, rollable flour tortillas! So not only are they great made to order, but also made ahead of time and just reheated for company the next day.

A friend told me that she heard flour tortillas were very difficult to roll out into circles. I really didn't have much trouble. They aren't prefect circles as you can see. But close enough! Honestly, I don't really like my homemade goods to look too "perfect". I like the imperfections that tell you they were made with love at home instead of mass-produced from a store. And I am sure that practice makes "almost" perfect, and I know that I will be making these many, many, many more times in the future.

Whole Wheat Flour Tortillas
recipe courtesy The Everything Bread Cookbook

yields 6-8 tortillas

1 cup whole wheat flour
1 cup all purpose flour
1/2 teaspoon salt
2 Tablespoons vegetable oil
1/2-3/4 cup cold water

In a large bowl, combine flours and salt. Stir in oil, and enough water to hold dough together. Knead until smooth, about 2-3 minutes, then let it rest for 5 minutes.

Turn dough out onto a floured work surface. pinch off golf-ball-sized pieces of dough and roll into balls. With floured fingers, flatten into thin disks. Using a rolling pin, roll out disks no more than 1/4" thick. If the dough becomes elastic and springs out of shape, allow to rest for 5 minutes, then roll again as necessary.

Preheat griddle over heat. Cook until lightly goldne but still pliable, about 1-2 minutes per side. Serve warm.

Don't they look so yummy?! Why don't you go and make some tonight?

Apple Cream Cheese Quick Bread

2012-01-06T16:49:00.001-05:00

Do you love cheese danishes as much as we do?! If so, then you will LOVE this recipe! It is a quick bread (think simple and easy!) But has all the amazing flavors of a cheese danish, minus the extra work involved. And with the addition of grated apples you get the tangy sweetness of the fruit as well.

I made a loaf last night and already over half of our bread is gone! Jackson can't keep his little hands out of it. Last night while I was slicing, he kept sneaking little bites and this morning he says to me "Mommy, can I have a piece of your bread now and another piece at breakfast? I love it!" Now, mind you this was just at 7:30am while I was in the middle of scrambling his egg for breakfast. I guess it is a winner! We even bought more apples today to make more this weekend. Yeah, it's that good.

Just be sure to grease and flour your pans really, really well. As you will see in the pictures, parts of my crust stuck to the pan. Jackson told me that it was ok, he would just eat those good bitzky bites for me that stuck. Good thing I don't have finicky eaters in this house :) I apologize for the not so beautiful pictures, but you get the point. We were all too much in a hurry to eat!

Apple Cream Cheese Bread
recipe courtesy of Tomato Kumato

for the apple cake
2 apples
1/2 cup vegetable oil
1 cup sugar
2 eggs
1 tsp. vanilla
1 1/3 cup flour
1 tsp. baking soda
1/2 tsp. salt
1 tsp. cinnamon
1 pinch nutmeg

for the cream cheese swirled topping
6 oz. cream cheese
1/2 cup sugar
1 egg

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.

Grate the apples (skin and all) into a large mixing bowl. Add the oil, cup of sugar, eggs and vanilla and mix well to combine. Without mixing, add the flour, baking soda, salt, cinnamon and nutmeg. Carefully fold the dry ingredients into the wet, and pour into the prepared loaf pan.

Combine the cream cheese, sugar and egg with a fork. Pour over the top of the batter, and use a knife to swirl the two layers together.

Bake loosely covered with foil for 30 minutes. Then remove the foil and continue to bake an additional 15-20 minutes (mine took at least 20 additional minutes, and I have an oven that runs hot), until a toothpick inserted into the cake comes out clean with a few crumbs attached. Allow to cool fully before slicing. This is very important. I know it will be tempting to cut into it right away, but the bread needs to set up some, otherwise it will fall apart if sliced too soon.

Here is close-up of all that wonderful swirly goodness. Caramelized sugar, cinnamon, sweetened cream cheese, bits of apple......

Honey White Bread

2012-01-04T15:57:00.000-05:00

This easy bread is the perfect starter bread for all of you that are interested in bread-baking but are a little nervous of where to begin. It comes together pretty quickly and has just the right amount of hands on baking that makes you feel proud of yourself for serving your family home-baked bread. And let me tell you about this flavor. Delicately sweet, with the hint of honey throughout with a slightly sticky honey-laden crust, giving even the biggest crust-hater something to love. It is my favorite part! It has a light crumb and is very easy to slice making it a perfect sandwich bread. I love the way the sweetness of the honey pairs with a ham or turkey sandwich- yum! But my favorite way to eat it- lightly toasted and slathered with real, honest to goodness butter. Perfection.

Honey White Bread
recipe from The Everything Bread Cookbook

yields 1 loaf

1 1/4 cups warm milk
3 tablespoons unsalted butter, room temperature
5 tablespoons honey
1 3/4 teaspoons active dry yeast (1 package)
3 cups all purpose flour
3/4 teaspoon kosher salt
1 teaspoon warm water

In a large bowl, combine milk, butter, 1 tablespoon honey, and yeast. Stir to combine and let stand until foamy, about 10 minutes.

Add another 3 tablespoons honey and 1 cup of flour. Stir to combine. Add salt and enough remaining flour to create a firm dough. Turn out onto a floured surface and knead 8-10 minutes. You want the dough to be smooth and bounce back when pressed. Lightly oil bowl with 1 tablespoon canola oil and return dough to oiled bowl. Dust with flour, and cover loosely with plastic wrap or a damp kitchen towl (not terry cloth). Rise at room temperature until doubled in volume, about 1 hour.

Coat a 9"x5" loaf pan with butter (don't forget the rim!) and line the bottom and short sides with a strip of parchment paper. The honey you will brush on the bread before baking may cause the bread to stick to the pan. This parchment will make it easy to remove.

Turn the dough onto a floured surface and shape into an oblong loaf. Fold each end under the loaf, creating a rectangle and place into prepared pan. Set aside to proof for 30 minutes. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.

Combine the remaining tablespoon of honey with a teaspoon of warm water, and brush gently over the surface of the risen dough. Bake until golden brown and hollow sounding when tapped, about 30-40 minutes. Cool 10 minutes in pan, then turn out onto a cooling rack to finish cooling completely.

Israeli Couscous with Tomatoes and Artichokes

2011-12-11T16:20:00.003-05:00

This is a delicious as a side dish or light lunch. Traditional couscous is something I am not all that crazy about. I enjoy it in a tabbouleh, but other then that, no thanks. Israeli couscous is NOTHING like the other kind. It is perfect little round pearls of pasta. It is tender, has a lovely texture- not at all grainy, much unlike how I tend to think of with regular couscous. It has a great mouth-feel, slightly creamy, but not at all mushy. The lemon and artichokes in this recipe really brighten the dish adding just the right amount of acid to really make it pop.

The first day I made this recipe I served it as a warm side dish alongside grilled chicken breasts. It was satisfying and everyone enjoyed it. Especially the baby! He was a huge fan; it was too funny watching him gobble it up. The next day I enjoyed this cold, right out of the fridge and I loved it even more! After having an opportunity for the couscous to soak up all the lemon juice and herbs, the flavors were really enhanced. This would make a great Take-Along recipe for any party being as it stands up to any temperature.

Israeli Couscous with Tomatoes and Artichokes
4 servings

1/2 cup extra virgin olive oil
1 cup Israeli (Pearl) Couscous
1 1/4 cup chicken stock
1 can quartered artichoke hearts
1 large tomato, chopped
1 red onion, finely chopped
1 cup shredded mozzarella
1 cup fresh basil and oregano, chopped
1 lemon
1/2 teaspoon corse salt
Black pepper, to taste

Heat a tablespoon of oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add the couscous and stir until it turns a deep golden brown and smells toasted.

Add 1 1/2 cups of chicken stock and a pinch of salt and bring to a boil. Lower the heat to a simmer and cook, stirring often, until all the stock has been absorbed, 10 to 14 minutes. Pour into a large bowl and cool.

Meanwhile drain artichokes. Divide the can in half. One half of the can, slice the quartered artichokes in half. Chop the remaining artichokes. Set aside.

Add one tablespoon of olive oil to the skillet and add the onions. Sauté until they begin to soften and turn translucent. Remove from heat.

Stir the remaining olive oil into the couscous. Add the oregano and basil, garlic, onion, artichokes, tomatoes and the finely grated zest of one lemon. Season to taste with salt and pepper. Add the juice of the lemon. Delicious eaten right away warm, or place in the refrigerator to chill before serving. If chilled first, fluff with fork before serving.

Mustard and Vinegar BBQ Pulled Chicken in a Slow Cooker

2011-12-10T17:14:00.001-05:00

This recipe is my new favorite for pulled chicken. It is a nice, basic BBQ without it being too overpowering. Mustard and vinegar based sauces are very common in the south and this one is similar to a Carolina BBQ. It could also be called a "White BBQ" as well. If you have never tried a Mustard BBQ you are missing out! It has such a different flavor then the traditional ketchup and molasses sauces that are more common. It is slightly sweet (but not too much!) and a bit tangy and well, just plain delicious!

The chicken was incredibly juicy, fall-apart tender and jam-packed with flavor. This isn't a spicy sauce at all, so it is perfect for kids. And if you tend to like a little more "kick" or more of a saucy BBQ then think of of this as a nice base for flavorful chicken and then top with your favorite tomato-y BBQ Sauce- a great way to please different family members that each like different types of sauces. You will be happy either way! I served this sandwiches with my Quick Pickled Onions and they were a perfect combo! I highly recommend making them both for dinner. De-lish!

Mustard Vinegar BBQ Pulled Chicken in a Slow Cooker

3 pounds chicken thighs, breasts, or a combination of the two
1 medium onion, cut in half and then again in quarters
2 garlic cloves, minced
2 teaspoons dry ground mustard
1/4 cup apple cider vinegar
3 tablespoons Worcestershire Sauce
2 Tablespoons brown sugar
1/2-1 teaspoon chili powder (depending on heat preference)
Salt and freshly ground black pepper
rolls or buns of choice

Place the chopped onions in the bottom of the slow cooker. Place the chicken on top of the onions and add the garlic, ground mustard, cayenne pepper, salt, pepper, apple cider vinegar and Worcestershire sauce. Cook on high for 4-5 hours (or on low for 8 hours).

Very carefully, because the chicken will be hot, remove the meat from the slow cooker and place on a large cutting board. Using two forks, shred the chicken by pulling away from each other. The meat should be very tender by this point. Place the shredded chicken back into the slow cooker, stir well and continue to cook for an additional hour.

You can either enjoy as is, or serve alongside a favorite BBQ sauce and Quick Pickled Onions. Top onto lightly toasted buns and enjoy!

Quick Pickled Onions

2011-12-08T20:08:00.000-05:00

Oh how I love pickles. They are deliciously pungent, tart, salty, sometimes a little sweet and have the best crunch. They can add so much flavor and dimension to so many recipes. But you know what my favorite part of the pickle is, those onions and garlic that have been shoved inside the jars to give the cucumbers, peppers and whatnot all their flavor. Yum. Tiny pearled pickled onions are the BEST. My absolute fav. I will pick those out of my spicy hot Giardiniera jars first followed closely by the califlower. I'm not alone here, am I?

When I stumbled across this recipe on NPR the other day I knew I had to give them a try. Quick Pickled Onions? Really?! How fun! These things are ready and able to be eaten as soon as they completely cool. There isn't a long curing time like with some pickling recipes- only 25 minutes. I can handle that. I was making a Mustard and Vinegar BBQ Chicken tonight (I'll give you guys that recipe tomorrow!) and thought they would make a fun new accompaniment instead of the slaw I generally make.

The first time we ate these I wasn't too sure about the cumin flavor, it felt a little too strong and they were very sharp tasting and a little too vinegary. Still good, but I felt the recipe might need some tweaking. Until the next day, that is. I tried them again on my leftover chicken and they. were. perfect. Cold, crunchy, salty, tart, and just the right amount of seasoning. The cumin was no longer overly pronounced, just a light smokey flavor that really did add to the onions nicely. So next time I make them I will definitely give the onions more time to get icy cold in the fridge before serving. Now when i walk past the fridge I can't help snatching a few every now and then! They would have been dangerous when I was pregnant and really craving vinegar flavors!

We originally had them on the pulled chicken sandwiches. But they are also yummy topped on a burger, tossed in a salad, and today I added them to my tuna sandwich. Anywhere you want a little of the pickle flavor without committing to a full blown (cucumber) pickle, these are your guys.

Quick Pickled Onions
recipe courtesy NPR

2 cups apple cider vinegar
1/3 cup granulated sugar
1/2 cup water
1 teaspoon dried oregano
1 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon ground cumin
2 medium onions, about 1 1/4 pound (red onions turn a beautiful pink when pickled)

Combine the first 6 ingredients in a medium saucepan, and place over medium heat.

While the brine heats, prepare the onions. Peel and trim them, and cut them in half from root to stem end. Then slice each half as thinly as you can into half-moons. Ideally, no slice should be thicker than 1/4 inch.

When you've finished slicing the onions, check the brine. If it isn't boiling, increase the heat to high. When the brine boils, add the onion slices all at once, and stir to combine. Immediately remove the pan from the heat, cover, and let stand for about 25 minutes.

Transfer the onions and brine to a large bowl, and set aside to cool at room temperature. (Or, if you're in a hurry, put the bowl in the refrigerator.) When the onions are fully cooled, pour them and their brine into jars with tight-fitting lids, and store in the refrigerator. Unlike other types, these quick pickles are ready to be eaten as soon as they are fully cold.

These pickles will keep, chilled, for up to 2 weeks.

Turkey and Black Bean Burritos

2011-12-01T16:28:00.001-05:00

This is an awesome way to use up some of that leftover turkey from Thanksgiving and the upcoming Christmas dinners. It gives it a completely new life and packs a ton of wonderful flavor. Our whole family loved it, including both of my little boys. Owen, I think has a favorite new food! Black beans and babies really are a perfect combination. It is easy for them to feed themselves, they are super healthy and with this seasoning it made it flavorful but not overpowering. In our house, we like to serve all of the toppings in individual bowls so everybody can fix their own burrito as they like. I found that with kids, any opportunity they can make it themselves, they are more inclined to add a variety of ingredients and then love the taste because they "cooked" it themselves. This works awesome with salads too. The more colorful, the more often kids are to try them.

Turkey and Black Bean Burritos

10 oz cooked turkey (or chicken), shredded
1 can black beans, drained and rinsed
1 tablespoon olive oil
1 green bell pepper, sliced into thin strips
1 medium onion, sliced into strips
2 cloves garlic, sliced
1 packet Taco Seasoning (I like to get the low sodium variety)
3/4 cup water
salt and pepper to taste

to serve
flour tortillas
lettuce, shredded
tomatoes, chopped
sour cream or greek yogurt
taco sauce
shredded cheese

Saute in a medium skillet the peppers, onions and garlic in olive oil until they are soft and tender. Add the cooked, shredded turkey/chicken, black beans, water and taco seasoning. Stir well to combine and creates a sauce. Simmer for 10-15 minutes until warmed through. Taste and add salt and pepper as needed. Transfer to a large bowl and serve alongside tortillas and all the toppings for a burrito free for all. Enjoy!

One Fish Two Fish Cupcakes

2011-11-23T13:38:00.001-05:00

This past Saturday we celebrated my (not-so baby) boys 1st birthday party. And oh my, what fun it was!! There was lots of great food provided by everyone, wonderful company and LOTS of laughs! We sure have some silly kids (and adults!) in this family! Owen got into the full spirit of things and completely smashed his smash cake. It was unbelievable how excited and into it he got! When Jackson turned one, we had to take his hand and smash it into his cake for him- NOT OWEN! The moment it was put onto his tray his hand went right in it and it was craziness from then on! He knew exactly what to do and HE. WAS. A. MESS! But boy, did he have fun. And so did we- it is just what you want your one year old to do with a smash cake, it was hilarious.

When coming up with decorations, what originally started out as just a "fishy" themed birthday slowly morphed into a Dr. Seuss Birthday Party. I wanted to keep the cost down and realized we owned tons of books that would work awesome as decorations- they are colorful, silly and encouraged people to pick them up and read.

I used some of my drawing skills and hand drew the rest of the pictures to hang around the house. What resulted was a party that was super inexpensive and such fun! Perfect for our joyful Owen.

After the fun I had decorating my owl and bat cupcakes for Halloween, I knew I wanted to do another fun cupcake for Owen's party. Since I was focusing on the decorating, I made things easy on myself and just used a boxed yellow cake for the cupcake's. If you happen to have a great cupcake recipe, please send it my way! But this worked great for me, and everyone seemed to enjoy them. For the first time I used a soft gel paste food coloring to dye my frosting. It was a recommendation of my cake lady down the street, and she was right! This stuff is awesome. It only took a little bit to achieve such a great blue color (and it didn't dye peoples lips and tongue!) After mixing the food coloring into the frosting, I spooned it into a gallon-sized ziplock bag and snipped the tip. This worked perfect as my pastry bag since I don't own one of those fancy things.

Starting on the outside edge of the (completely cooled) cupcakes, I slowly piped the icing in a circular motion, working my way to the center. I wanted to achieve a sort of "water and wave" appearance, so I wasn't concerned about the pipping to look perfectly even. Then I sprinkled them lightly with blue sugar crystals and placed different colored goldfish crackers jumping in and out of the "waves". Next I added white pearl candies to create the look of the fishes air bubbles. And there you have it, One Fish Two Fish Cupcakes :) Pretty fun if you ask me!

I knew they would look cute- but at first I wasn't sure how the goldfish crackers would taste on top of the cupcakes, but they were actually delicious together! They gave a nice crunch, texture is always a good thing, and also a very light salt flavor to the already sweet cupcakes. It made a nice combo.

One Fish Two Fish Cupcakes
makes 24 traditional-sized cupcakes (or 12 trad. and 24 mini, or 48 mini)

1 box yellow cake mix (or a batch of your favorite yellow cake), prepare as directed for cupcakes
24 large cupcake liners (I used 12 large and 24 mini)
1 tub white frosting (or a batch of your favorite white frosting)
blue food coloring, I highly recommend AmeriColor
1 bag of mini goldfish crackers
blue sugar crystals
mini pearl candies (look in your local cake supply store)

Prepare cupcake batter as directed on the back of the box, filling the cupcake liners 3/4 the way full. Bake at 350 degrees for 15-18 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean. Please note, mini cupcakes will take a much shorter amount of time, so please keep watch! Remove from cupcake pan and allow to cool COMPLETELY on a wire rack before frosting them.

While you are waiting for the cupcakes to cool, dye frosting by adding a few drops of food coloring at a time until you get the desired color. Mix well. Spoon frosting into a pastry bag, or a gallon-sized ziplock bag and snip the end. Carefully push all the frosting down to the snipped end of the bag to create a nice tube of frosting. Once the cupcakes are cool, gently and slowly squeeze the frosting out of the bag onto the cupcakes in a circular motion, working from the outside in creating little peaks of frosting.

Next lightly sprinkle the cupcakes with the blue sugar crystals, place the goldfish crackers in the "waves" you just created in the blue frosting and then in a zig-zag pattern arrange the white pearled candies to create the air bubbles.

And there you have it- Fish Cupcakes!

I linked up on Sweets for a Saturday #45!

Ohio Blogging Association Blog Swap! (With a Sugar Cookie Bar Recipe)

2011-11-21T00:01:00.006-05:00

As a part of today's Ohio Blogging Association's Cleveland November Blog Swap, I'm happy to introduce you to Sarah from Cooker Girl. On this day, bloggers from around the Northeast Ohio area are guest posting on one another's blogs as a way to help to get to know each other in our blogging community. For a full listing of blog swap participants, please visit Poise in Parma today.

I am sharing one of my favorite recipes on Cooker Girl today so please visit me there as well!

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Hi, I'm Sarah from Cooker Girl. I like to cook and I love to bake. I created my food blog to keep track of recipes I've tried so I can go back to them later. Most of the time they are adaptations of existing recipes, but there are some originals and family recipes that I've shared as well. I hope you'll stop by sometime!

The holiday season is approaching, and for many people that means making and decorating cut-out sugar cookies. It's a great project for the whole family, but they're time consuming. For this reason, I only make cut-out cookies about once a year.

During the rest of the year, when you want the sugar cookie flavor (and frosting) without all the work, these bars are the perfect solution. This recipe is made using a jelly roll pan, but it can easily be halved and baked in a 9x13 pan.

Sugar Cookie Bars
Adapted from Beantown Baker

1 cup (2 sticks) butter, room temperature
2 cups sugar
4 eggs
1 Tbsp vanilla
5 cups flour
1 tsp salt
1/2 tsp baking soda

Preheat oven to 375.

In a large bowl, whisk together the flour, salt and baking soda. Set aside.

In a large mixing bowl, cream the butter and sugar together until light and fluffy. Add the eggs, one at a time, mixing after each egg. Add the vanilla and mix well. Add the flour mixture and mix until just combined.

Spread dough onto a greased 11x 17 jelly roll pan. Bake for 10-15 minutes until light golden brown, or until a toothpick comes out clean. Cool completely then frost.

Buttercream Frosting
1 cup (2 sticks) butter, room temperature
1 tsp vanilla
2 Tbsp milk
4 cups confectioners' sugar

In a large bowl, mix the butter, vanilla and milk with an electric mixer until fluffy. Gradually add the sugar, one cup at a time, beating well on medium speed. Scrape sides and bottom of bowl often. Keep mixing until all the sugar is incorporated and the frosting is white and fluffy.

A big thanks to Amie for letting me take over for the day!

Caramel Chicken

2011-11-15T00:31:00.000-05:00

This recipe is a nice substitution for Chinese Take-Out. It had a totally different flavor then I was expecting, but not at all in a bad way! When I read Caramel Chicken, I was thinking more of a sticky-sweet flavor. But we found it much more like a Teriyaki. It was sweet, salty and almost impossible to stop eating! It balanced awesomely with the simply steamed broccoli and white rice I served to soak up the sauce. I went with a less is more approach to the sides and boy am I glad I did! The Grimway Farms organic broccoli was so beautiful and vibrant I really wanted it's sweet flavor to show through. And even though the sauce was very robust, you still tasted the lovely sweet, delicate flavor from the broccoli- and check out that color! Beautiful!

If you aren't an organic shopper already, you really need to become one. There are so many benefits to it- especially if you have children. But the biggest is hands down the flavor you get from the fruits and vegetables. It can make conventional food taste like cardboard in comparison. They taste as God intended them to. And Grimway Farms does a beautiful job with theirs. I have eaten their Bunny Love carrots before and are a huge hit in our house (sugar sweet!) but while browsing their other products I had such a hard time deciding- rainbow chard, beets, broccoli, cauliflower, beautiful lettuces.... the options were fantastic! I am definitely picking up their beets next. I have been dying to try this recipe for Honey Dijon Roasted Beets. Doesn't that sound yummy?!

The lovely people of Grimway Farms sent a coupon for me to give their produce a try and what a truly special treat it was! I will definitely be going back to their items again and again. They also have a nice website if you would like to see where their produce is sold in your area, and while you are there, check out their recipes- lots of great ones!

Caramel Chicken
recipe courtesy Bill Granger

8 chicken thigh fillets, skinless, cut in half
1 tablespoon vegetable oil
1 red onion, sliced
3 garlic cloves, sliced
freshly ground black pepper
1/4 cup dark soy sauce
1/2 cup brown sugar
1/4 cup fish sauce

to serve
steamed rice
steamed green vegetables, such as broccoli, snow peas or asparagus
garnish with toasted sesame seeds

Place the chicken and oil in a bowl and toss to combine. Heat a large frying pan over a high heat until hot. Add the chicken, in two batches, and cook for two minutes on one side until lightly brown, turn and cook for another minute. Remove from the pan, reduce the heat to medium and add a little extra oil if needed. Add the onion and garlic and cook for 5 minutes, stirring occasionally. Return the chicken to the pan, sprinkle liberally with black pepper, add the soy sauce and stir to combine. Cover the pan, reduce the heat to low and cook for 10 minutes, stirring occasionally. Increase the heat to high, add the sugar and stir to combine. Cook uncovered for 3-4 minutes, or until the sauce is rich, dark and syrupy. Add the fish sauce and stir to combine. Place in a serving dish, garnish with sesame seeds if desired and serve with steamed rice and green vegetables. Serves 4.

Disclaimer:
Grimway Farms gave me a coupon to test and review their products. The thoughts and opinions are completely my own.

Honey Oatmeal Flax Bread

2011-11-11T23:07:00.000-05:00

This sandwich bread recipe is just wonderful. You want to bookmark this one! Aside from the Homemade Sandwich Thin Buns this has absolutely become my most favorite bread recipe. It has everything you want in a perfect bread- it is soft and light, has a very mild flavor, and tastes awesome both as toast and for sandwiches- even for kids. But guess what?! It is super healthy! Seriously! It has the slight nuttiness from the flax seeds, wonderful wholesomeness from the whole wheat flour and oatmeal and just a hint of sweetness from the honey. But unlike many other whole wheat breads, it isn't dense, tough or too "rugged" if you know what I mean. It is a nice healthful alternative for all white bread lovers everywhere. It is basically a white bread dressed up in Wholesome Wheat Bread clothing. You get the texture and flavor of a nice soft white bread, but all the goodness of a whole grain one. Honestly, it can't be beat! It makes a perfect PB&J (kid tested!) and also a fantastic loaded sandwich with lots of meat, cheese and veggies. It can hold up to a lot while remaining soft and light. Love, love, love this recipe and you will too!

Honey Oatmeal Flax Bread

recipe courtesy Mostly Foodstuffs originally adapted from Rose Levy Beranbaum
yields 1 loaf

1 1/4 cups + 2 Tbsp (11.5 oz) warm water
1/2 (1.3 oz) cups rolled oats
1/4 cup (1.3 oz) cracked flax seeds (you can buy a packaged flaxseed meal like this, or else take whole flax seeds and blitz them in a coffee or spice grinder)
2 cups (11.3 oz) bread flour
3/4 cup (4 oz) whole wheat flour
2 Tbsp vital wheat gluten
1 Tbsp powdered milk
1 1/8 tsp instant yeast (or a scant 1 1/2 tsp active dry yeast)
2 Tbsp (1.5 oz) honey
2 1/2 Tbsp (1.2 oz) neutral oil, like canola
2 tsp salt

Place the water, oatmeal and flax seeds in your mixing bowl, and let soak at least 15 minutes to hydrate. Sift together the flours, gluten, and milk powder (if using), and set aside.

After 15 minutes, sprinkle in the yeast (if using active dry yeast, let soften for a minute or two, but if using instant proceed to next step). Stir in the honey and oil, and then add the flour mixture. Knead for 3 minutes, then let rest for 20 minutes. Sprinkle on the salt, and knead an additional 4 minutes. The dough will be quite moist and sticky, but will clear the sides of the bowl.

Scrape the dough into a lightly oiled bowl, swish around to distribute the oil on the bottom of the dough, then flip it over so the oiled portion is on top. Cover your container, and let rise until doubled. This will take about 1 1/4 hours in a warm setting (inside an oven with the oven light turned on creates the perfect temperature for rising dough), longer in cooler settings.

When the dough has doubled, turn it out onto a lightly floured surface, shape into a rectangle, and let rest, covered (I like to use plastic wrap or a tea towel), for 15-20 minutes to let the gluten relax. Shape into a loaf (there's a nice pictorial here),and place into an oiled loaf pan.

The pictures of my bread here, I shaped into a braid. This looks oh so pretty and rose beautifully. It is very easy to do: separate your dough into three pretty equal pieces. Roll into "worms" as my 4 year old calls it, and lay them side by side. Now gently braid the dough, just as you would a child's hair. Tuck the ends under and pinch to seal. You can now bake free-form, just as is on a baking sheet, or carefully fit the braid into your bread pan for a nice sized sandwich bread (which is what I did here). If doing it the second way, it will be a little under an inch shy of the top of the pan. Cover the loaf (Mostly Foodstuffs recommended placing it inside a plastic bag, never heard of this idea before, but it works great!), and let rise again in a warm spot until the dough is over an inch higher than the top of the pan, ~1 1/4 hours.

When the dough is about 40 minutes away from being fully risen, preheat the oven to 400 degrees, and place a baking pan on the rack under where the bread will be. Slash the top of the loaf if you like that look, or leave plain. Mist the loaf with water, place in the oven, and toss a few ice cubes in your preheated pan to create steam , this creates a sustained moist cooking environment. Quickly shut the oven door, and lower the heat to 375. Bake for 20 minutes, rotate the loaf, and bake another 15-20 minutes, until golden brown. If the top of your loaf starts to become too dark too soon, just lightly cover it with a piece of tin foil. This will stop it from darkening any further.

Remove the loaf from the oven, and tip out of the pan onto a rack to cool. The bread will continue to cook internally, so resist cutting it open until it is fairly cool.

Hot Udon Peanut Noodles

2011-11-04T16:19:00.003-04:00

You know how it is when someone talks about a particular recipe and from that point on you can't stop thinking about it? Well that happened to me yesterday. My sister was talking to me about how she made peanut noodles the night before and after that I had such a taste for them! I felt like taking a little spin on my usual recipe. So this was a variation I threw together last night mixing up a little Pad Thai and the Cold Udon Noodle Salad I generally turn to. It was delicious, satisfying and made for wonderful leftover today at lunch.

Hot Udon Peanut Noodles

For the Thai Peanut Sauce:
1 cup creamy or crunchy peanut butter
1/2 cup coconut milk
4 tablespoons warm water
5 tablespoons soy sauce
2 tablespoons fish sauce
3 tablespoons rice vinegar
1-3 tablespoon hot chili sauce, like Sriracha
3 cloves garlic, minced
2 tablespoons fresh ginger, chopped OR 1/8 teaspoon dry ground ginger
chili flakes to taste

In a bowl, whisk all of the ingredients until smooth and creamy.

For the Noodles:

1 10 oz package of Udon Noodles (spaghetti or linguine would also work just fine)
3 tablespoons high-heat cooking oil

1/2 English Cucumber, cut into thin matchsticks (about 1 cup)

1 cup carrots, cut into thin matchsticks

1/2 onion, diced

2 eggs, beaten

1 large chicken breast, cooked and cut into thin strips

1 cup bean sprouts

1/2 cup shelled peanuts, chopped

In a large pot of lightly salted boiling water, cook the udon noodles for about 5-7 minutes or until tender. Drain and rinse the noodles under cold running water. Set aside.

In a wok or large saute pan over high heat, add just one tablespoon of the oil. When the oil is very hot, add the beaten eggs and swirl gently while it sets. Use your spatula to scramble the eggs and then remove from the wok.

Wipe down wok with a paper towel, return to high heat add the remaining oil, chicken, noodles and Thai Peanut sauce into the wok and stir continuously. Add bean sprouts and onions into the wok, stir for 1 minute. Cover and let simmer about 1-2 minutes. Check at the 1 minute mark and if the noodles are still a bit stiff, cover and cook another minute. Add the carrots, cucumber, and the eggs back into the wok and toss.

Dish out, sprinkle some peanuts on top and serve with a wedge of lime and additional Sriracha for those who like to add a little extra heat.

I linked up my recipe here

Owl and Bat Cupcakes

2011-11-01T21:40:00.004-04:00

Halloween is such a fun holiday. I'm not so into the scary, creepy and gross side of things. But I do love to dress up, taking the Littles out Trick or Treating and of course the fun party at my sister's afterwards. There is always great "spooky" food (think Mac a Boney and Cheese, Ghoulash, Eyeballs- deviled eggs with olives, etc.). This year I was incharge of dessert. Yum!

My little family all dressed up and ready to get our Trick or Treat on.

I decided to go as a 1950's Housewife, not much of a stretch, huh?!

Our Crew:

My sister the witch, her husband the Inmate, their two devilish daughters and baby Lion.

My husband the um, OSU tailgater (er, no costume, bummer!) his 1950's housewife and our great protector Thor and his trusty lizard.

It was super chilly so we had to bundle up. As a kid I always hated having to cover my costume with a coat. Still do now!

When I was put in charge of dessert I knew I had to make these adorable owl cupcakes that have been floating around blogland. I am not sure who thought of it "first", probably Martha Stewart.... anyways they are so easy, no intimidating ingredients (i.e. fondant) and super duper kid friendly- I mean who doesn't love Oreo's and M&Ms?!! I also threw together a bat because right now my Jackson is obsessed with super hero's. I thought he would get a kick out of a few of them mixed in. And goodness was I right. When he got home from preschool and eyed the cupcakes he points at the bat and says "Mommy, this is amazing!" Right then and there I knew I just went up a few notches on the cool ladder....

Sure I made these for Halloween, but they would totally be cute for birthday parties (animal, woodland, super hero, etc.) as well.

Owl and Bat Cupcakes

for the cupcakes:
1 box devils food cake (or your favorite cake mix)
3 eggs
1 1/2 cups water
1/2 cup canola or vegetable oil
18-24 cupcake liners

Prepare cupcakes according to box directions. Allow to cool completely before decorating.

for the decorations:
1 large package of Oreo cookies (You won't need them all, but it takes some practice to cut them. You'll want extra)
1 bag of M&Ms (You only need the brown and the yellow, the rest is for you to snack on while baking) 1 toothpick
1 tub of your favorite chocolate frosting, homemade or store-bought
1 icing pen (I accidently bought a gel pen, but I kinda like how the details are subtle on the bats)

Smooth the chocolate frosting over the surface of the cupcakes. Set aside.

To make the Owls:
Separate the Oreo cookies, keeping the white frosting intact. These will be your eyes. I found that giving them a gentle twist released them pretty well. Have a butter knife on hand incase some frosting sticks to the opposite side. It scraps off pretty neatly. Then just press it back down where it goes and smooth out the crack with the knife or a finger. Use your butter knife to very gently scrape the tops of the white frosting to remove the brown cookie residue getting them as white as possible. Gently press a brown M&M on the white frosting to make the iris of the eye. If the frosting cracks a little just smooth it with your finger or the blunt edge of the knife. If you run out of brown M&M's just use green or blue ones. That would be cute too! Set the eyes aside.

Now you want to cut the plain cookie tops in half to make the owls horns. You can use a sharp knife, or what I found was that kitchen scissors worked nicely. It is very difficult to cut the cookies in half without having one of the halves shatter. No worries, you have a whole box right?! (I used the imperfect ones to make the bat wings since I was trimming them up a bit with my scissors anyways.) Using your kitchen scissors, carefully clean up the edges to get the halves nice and smooth. This was really easy to do. I couldn't believe how will the scissors worked for this.

Now go get your cupcakes. It is time to assemble! I slightly smoothed out a flat section where the "eyes" were going to go to to give them a bit of support so they would sit somewhat nicely. I thought they were going to slide off, but they surprisingly stuck rather well. Now take two "horns". On a slight angle, stick a point into the cupcake above-behind the eye. Do this with both halves. Take a little dollop of frosting and put it on the cupcake behind the horns to give them a little support so they don't fall over. Take another little dollop of frosting and put it between the eyes below the horns to give a little "hair". Take a toothpick and use it to make little points in the frosting creating the "hair". Do the same thing with the toothpick over the surface of the rest of the cupcakes making them look a little fuzzy and cute.

Next take a yellow M&M, turn it up on its side and stick it in the cupcake between the eyes. This is your beak.

Ta-da! You just made an owl!

To make the Bats:
There are two options for the bat wings. 1)You can smooth out your cut Oreo cookie halves to make nice clean edges and sharp points like you did for the owl's horns. 2)Or you can carefully cut little points in the flat side to create the points on the bat wings. If you don't cut the points, that is fine, just draw them in with the icing/gel pen. If you want to go with option 1, using your kitchen scissors make small "v" shaped cuts on the flat edge of the cookie half. I found it pretty easy to do.

Once cut, using the gel pen draw the shape of the bat wing on the decorative side of the cookie. Carefully on an angle stick the corner of the bat wing just off center into the middle of the cupcake. Do this again with the other side.

On the brown M&Ms, gently draw two small dots to make the eyes. Place the "head" in between the bat wings.

And there you go- you just made a bat!

I linked up on Sweets For a Saturday #43. Come find some other delicious sweet things :)

Dr. Pepper Pulled Pork in the Slow Cooker

2011-10-29T18:12:00.002-04:00

I have been hearing about cooking pork in a slow cooker with pop for ages now and have been completly intrigued ever since. I finally gave it a try this past weekend and wow was it delicious! The soda pop works not only to give the meat some nice flavor (no it doesn't taste like pop, just flavorful) but it also works as a tenderizer. The pork came out of the slow cooker super juicey and completely falling apart. I hardly had to really "pull it" apart, just gently separate. A nice bonus is that it is a very inexpensive meal as well. It only cost me $6 for my 2 1/2 pound pork butt at Whole Foods Market! Sure, this cut of meat is a bit fattier, but that also makes for a more flavorful final product. Once cooked, the fat easily separated from the meat when I was pulling it apart. We all agreed that this recipe is a winner and will be added to my meal plan rotation.

Dr. Pepper Pulled Pork in the Slow Cooker
adapted slightly from Mama Foodie

2 1/2-3 lb pork butt (also known as a pork shoulder)
24 oz. (2 cans) Dr. Pepper (or any caramel colored soda pop, each will provide a slightly different flavor)
1 medium onion, cut in quarters and then again in half
2 garlic cloves, minced
1 1/2 teaspoons dry ground mustard
1/4-1/2 teaspoon cayenne pepper (depending on personal taste.)
Salt and freshly ground black pepper
1/4 cup apple cider vinegar
3 tablespoons Worcestershire Sauce
bbq sauce of choice
rolls or buns of choice

Place the chopped onions in the bottom of the slow cooker. Place the pork butt on top of the onions and add the garlic, ground mustard, cayenne pepper, salt, pepper, apple cider vinegar and Worcestershire sauce. Pour the Dr. Pepper on top and cook on high for 4-5 hours (or on low for 8 hours).

Very carefully, because the pork will be hot, remove the meat from the slow cooker and place on a large cutting board. Using two forks, shred the pork by pulling away from each other. The meat should be very tender by this point. Place the shredded pork back into the slow cooker and continue to cook for an additional hour.

Drain the remaining juices and toss the meat and onion mixture in the bbq sauce of choice. I don't have an exact amount listed- just add a bit at a time until you get to your desired sauciness!

Top onto lightly toasted buns and enjoy! Goes great with a good slaw and some oven fries.

Fridays, Feasting With Friends- Featuring Kristian Campana

2011-10-28T11:50:00.002-04:00

"One of the delights of life is eating with friends, second to that is talking about eating. And, for an unsurpassed double whammy, there is talking about eating while you are eating with friends." ~Laurie Colwin 'Home Cooking'

Kristian Campana

Here's the scenerio: the weekend is upon us, the weather looks promising and goodness, wouldn't it be fun to have something FUN to do?! Well, look no further then Ohio Festivals:Exploring Ohio's Festivals one funnel cake at a time and Adventures of a Trapped 300 Pound Man: Entertaining my inner obesity through food, Ohio festivals and fun! These two blogs are really all you need to find out all that is happening throughout the beautiful state of Ohio. To say that Kristian loves festivals would seriously be an understatement- He has taken festival hopping to a whole new level! But wow, does he live a fun life! Kristian travels all over the state in search of the wackiest, most delicious, and just plain entertaining festivals Ohio has to offer. Follow along on his journey vicariously or print off the festival schedule, hop in the car and see for yourself- there is a lot of fun waiting to be had!

Oh and be sure to give your congrats to Kristian, he is a newlywed! Last weekend, he married the love of his life, Julia and they are having the time of their lives celebrating in style on their honeymoon. Congratulations Kristian! I am so happy for the two of you!

Also, thank you so, so, so much for your recipe of the Mozzarepas! Every time I go to New York City I absolutely have to get one of these things at their weekend flea markets. They are my favorite! Serious Yum! Now I can make them myself here at home- I am super excited! Yay!

What is your favorite thing to cook?
Medleys of any sort...it could be some concoction where I mix pork, sweet potato and apple. Or it can be an omelet filled with refrigerator leftovers. This also includes pasta sauces consisting of various ingredients (I don't make traditional red sauce) and sushi as well.

How about your least favorite thing to cook?
Fish dishes. And I love fish. But it has to be cooked just right and I get nervous about over/under cooking it.

What is your favorite local restaurant and what is one you are dying to try out?
Favorite - I absolutely love Pacific East. And since it's an hour drive from me, it's always a special treat.
A second restaurant a little closer to home would be India Garden in Lakewood.

To Try: I'd really like to try L'Albatros

Music and food go together so beautifully. You are hosting a dinner party, what would be on your playlist?
Hmm...I'd want nice melodies that didn't get too loud so that we could still talk. I think I'd go with something like Zero 7, Air, Joan as Police Woman, and Cat Power.

What would you choose to be your last meal on earth?
A fine assortment of sushi, baked scallops topped with a steamed egg custard I used to get in Columbus, raw oysters, and maybe some coconut shrimp.

For dessert, I'd be happy with a snoogle and a corner piece of cake from Kiedrowski's bakery (Amherst). Maybe even a well-frosted sugar cookie.

What are you currently reading?
Lately, I've just been reading food blogs and astrological websites. I've been getting pretty good at reading charts and figuring present aspects. Maybe I'll pick up a side job.

What is your favorite Kitchen Gadget?
Although I don't use it too often, I love the double boiler for making custards and ice cream. It has saved me a lot of unnecessary stress.

Do you have a signature go-to dish?
I make green bean salads a lot in the summertime. I'll pickle thinly sliced cucumbers before adding them for extra flavor.

I also make sushi or mozzarepas (corn pancake sandwiches filled with melted cheese) for pot lucks or parties.

What is your favorite thing about the Cleveland area?
Its history of immigration. It affects our restaurants, grocery stores and supplies tons of great ethnic festivals. It helped make me who I am.

Do you have a favorite meal from your childhood and do you cook it today?
There's a scalloped potato and ham casserole that I absolutely loved. I haven't thought about it in a long time, but it really sounds good now and it's easy to make.

Top 3 Movies of all time?
Matrix
Amelie
Tampopo

From left to right: Getting ready for the meatball eating contest at the Dean Martin Festival, Pawpaw Contest judge photo with the giant pawpaw, and the Dublin Irish Festival

What was your happiest moment in life?
There are actually a few moments that stand out:
1.) making a wish at a Japanese temple to find my soulmate
2.) learning that, before he died, a college professor got to read my letter and loved it
3.) driving down Route 2 during a fall overcast day and realizing that things were going to be OK
4.) Getting my first reply from the tons of letters I sent to Italy to find family - it changed my life forever.
5.) being with my girlfriend and family at my 100th festival last year and really feeling like I accomplished something
6.) learning that my wish in 1.) came true

I guess I'm just a happy guy!

Where do you do your grocery shopping?
I'm all over the place. Overall, I go to Giant Eagle, but I'll try to go to Marc's for cheaper produce and certain groceries and maybe Heinen's for fish and some things. If I can make it to some local farm market, then that's even better.

What is your favorite guilty pleasure when it comes to food?
I'm such a sucker for potato chips. I can't even keep them in the house.

Can you tell me about what you are most proud of?
Reconnecting my family's Italian heritage, the entire Ohio Festivals Project and the children's book I wrote and illustrated.

Do you have Culinary Resolutions that you would like to accomplish this year?
I think I would like to make grape ice cream (not sorbet). I had some in Geneva once at their Grape Festival and it was like a grape creamsicle. I loved it.

One word that best describes you is:

Effervescent

the newlyweds!

And now can you please share one of your favorite recipes?

Mozzarepas (or Arepas with Mozzerella cheese)
1 cup milk
5 tablespoons butter
1 cup freshly boiled corn on the cob (2 cobs)
1 1/4 finely ground yellow corn meal
1/2 cup flour
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/2 cup sugar
1 1/4 cup shredded mozzarella cheese
Mozzarella or Provolone (sliced)

After boiling 2 cobs, use knife to cut corn off and then grind in blender. You should have a nice pulp. Mix the yellow cornmeal (pass through coffee grinder to make finer if necessary), flour, sugar, salt and shredded mozzarella and mix well. Add the corn pulp to the mixture and stir to combine well.

Bring milk to a boil as you add the butter (be careful not to burn milk).

Make a well of the mixture in the bowl and gradually add the hot milk mixture while mixing.

Get to a good pancake batter consistency. If you end up not needing to add the rest of the milk, so be it. If it's too thick, then add more milk.

Heat a lightly buttered griddle or pan and spoon batter to make small pancakes. Flip when golden brown.

you can add the cheese once it flips and then add the second pancake when done. Or you can just cook them all, make sandwiches with the cheese and nuke them in the microwave to melt the cheese.

Roasted Pumpkin Seeds- Two Ways, Savory and Sweet

2011-10-24T23:16:00.002-04:00

Roasted Pumpkin Seeds are one of my favorite snacks this time of year. One taste makes all the work of separating seeds from the pulp completely worth it. I have tried lots of recipes over the years, but this is probably my favorite. A bit salty, a bit garlicky, and with just a hint of heat from the Worcestershire sauce and seriously so, so good. They are awesome just by the handful, but also taste yummy sprinkled on soups and salads or anywhere you would like a bit of a crunch.

I have also added a nice Cinnamon Sugar version. You soak the seeds in apple cider, bringing out the sweetness of the pumpkin flavor. By tossing it with a buttery, cinnamon sugar topping, the heat from the oven makes the sugars caramelize, giving them an almost candy coating. I love salty and sweet snacks together, so if you have enough seeds to make both flavors do it and serve them side by side.

Roasted Pumpkin Seeds

2 cups pumpkin seeds, cleaned and rinsed
1 1/2 tablespoons melted butter OR olive oil
1/2 teaspoon salt (I like using corse salt)
1/2 teaspoon garlic salt
1/8 teaspoon garlic powder
2 teaspoons Worcestershire Sauce
1/8 teaspoon cracked black pepper (about 20 grinds from the pepper mill)

Preheat oven to 275 degrees.

Seperate the seeds from the pulp of the pumpkin. Don't worry about getting all of the pumpkin strands off, it adds extra flavor to the roasted seeds. I just love when I get a seed with pumpkin still attached- yum! You just want the seeds clean enough so you can easily toss them. Once rinsed, lightly dry and set aside.

In a large mixing bowl, add the melted butter, Worcestershire Sauce, salt, pepper, garlic salt, and garlic powder and whisk until well blended. Add the pumpkin seeds and toss, throughly coating in the butter mixture. Spread pumpkin seeds in a single layer onto a silpat or parchment paper lined baking sheet. Bake for 1 hour, checking them often and tossing occasionally, until butter topping has dried and the pumpkin seeds are golden brown.

Remove from the oven and allow to cool and dry-out the rest of the way on the cookie sheet on top of the stove. Store in an airtight container.

Cinnamon-Sugar Apple Cider Pumpkin Seeds

2 cups pumpkin seeds, cleaned and rinsed
1 1/2 cups apple cider
1 1/2 tablespoons melted butter OR olive oil
1/8 teaspoon salt
1 tablespoon brown sugar
1 teaspoon cinnamon
1/8 teaspoon nutmeg

Preheat oven to 275 degrees.

Pour the apple cider in a medium sauce pan and bring to a boil. Add the pumpkin seeds and boil on medium heat for 10 minutes. Drain the seeds and pour them in a large mixing bowl.

Pour the melted butter or olive oil into the bowl, along with the salt, brown sugar, cinnamon, and nutmeg. Mix well to coat and spread pumpkin seed in a single layer onto a silpat or parchment paper lined baking sheet. Bake for 1 hour, checking them often and tossing occasionally, until butter topping has dried and the pumpkin seeds are golden brown.

Remove from the oven and allow to cool and dry-out the rest of the way on the cookie sheet on top of the stove. Enjoy!

Store in an air-tight container.

Winner of the Avery See-Through Sticky Notes!!!

2011-10-24T14:44:00.003-04:00

Using the Random Number Generator at Stat Trek, I found my winner! Congratulations Becca, my lucky number 1!

Becca said...

Oh my goodness! I love this giveaway. I'd use them at work, because I use post-its for EVERYTHING at work (right now I'm using star-shaped ones)

October 21, 2011 9:59 AM

1 Random Numbers
1 Specs: This table of 1 random numbers was produced according to the following specifications: Numbers were randomly selected from within the range of 1 to 9. Duplicate numbers were not allowed.

You are going to love these things, Becca! Please send me an email with your address right away so I can pass it on to Avery!

Cinnamon Bun Muffins (Gluten Free, Low Carb)

2011-10-22T11:10:00.004-04:00

I have been getting lots of requests for more Special Diet recipes (low carb, gluten free, vegan, etc.) So this one is for you! This recipe is low carb and gluten free due to the use of the almond meal. The use of honey or maple syrup makes it low on the glycemic index as well, meaning that your body will break it down faster instead of storing the sugars like when using granulated white sugar does.

But most importantly, they are SO, SO yummy! These muffins have tons of cinnamon, making your home smell like heaven while baking. The almond meal gives a nice nutty flavor that blends everything together beautifully. Even if you aren't concerned about any special diets, you would still fully enjoy these muffins. Our whole family just loved them. Thank you Comfy Belly for introducing us to this great recipe!

Cinnamon Bun Muffins (Gluten Free, Low Carb)
recipe courtesy Comfy Belly

1/2 cup of yogurt
1/4 cup of honey (or maple syrup)
2 eggs
2 1/2 cups of blanched almond flour
1/4 teaspoon of sea salt
1/2 teaspoon of baking soda

Cinnamon Topping Ingredients
2 tablespoons of ground cinnamon
4 tablespoons of honey (or maple syrup)
2 tablespoons of unsalted butter, melted (ghee or coconut butter will work too)
1/4 cup of chopped walnuts (optional; or other nut)

Preheat oven to 310 degrees F.

Combine all the wet muffin ingredients into a bowl and blend well with a spoon. Add the dry muffin ingredients and blend well with a spoon. Place cupcake liners in a baking pan, and fill the liners halfway with batter.

Blend all the topping ingredients well. Add about a tablespoon of topping to the center of each muffin. Now put another scoop of batter on top of each muffin until the batter just about reaches the top. Add nuts now if your adding them to the top of the muffin. Evenly distribute the remaining topping over the top of each muffin. Optionally, use a toothpick to poke at the top of each muffin to allow some topping to drip into the batter.

Bake for about 25 minutes, or until a toothpick placed in the center of a muffin comes out clean and the tops are starting to brown. Cool and enjoy!

Store for a few days covered, or in the refrigerator for 2 weeks.

Don't forget to enter my

Giveaway for (6) packs of See-Through Sticky Notes

by Avery Office Supplies for one lucky winner!

click on the link to make your entry and to read all the details for this great prize!

I linked up on Sweets For a Saturday #43. Come find some other delicious sweet things :)

GIVEAWAY NOW CLOSED! Avery See-Through Sticky Notes Review and a GIVEAWAY!

2011-10-21T00:46:00.004-04:00

"Imagine what you can do with Avery Sticky Notes and what schools can do with ½ Million Box Tops coupons!"

This is the question that Danae of Avery Office Products asked me the other day. My first thought was "Well considering I use sticky notes all over my cookbooks and magazines for those I Seriously Need To Try recipes", that is an easy one!!! Take a look for yourself. This stack here on my counter are the cookbooks I am using right now. Look at all of those colorful papers sticking out the tops of my cookbooks......

My other thought was "wait a minute, did you say ½ Million Box Tops?!!" As a mom of a child who's school collects these little things -that is a HUGE prize. Jackson goes to a private, nonprofit school with no funding of the community. Something like this would be amazing for them to be presented. What a wonderfully awesome, awesome gift.

So when Avery asked if I would like to review their new product Avery® See-Through Sticky Notes and also run an extra special giveaway for all of you wonderful readers in conjunction to their own Mark the Spot campaign, I jumped at the chance!

So at first appearance they are really nice. They have a great feel to them, smooth, and silky- you know a ball-point pen would write really nice on them. Although they are a little tricky to separate (probably my only complaint) once placed they looked so cool! I love so much how you can easily see right through them. And the backing sticky is good too. I stuck, pealed, restuck, pealed and stuck again; and yet they still hold strong. They didn't loose adhesive or start to curl at the edges (oh how I hate that!).

....see how the traditional post-it, my old faithful, completely covers up and hides all the words beneath it. But the new fancy-pants Avery sticky notes are completely transparent. There is absolutely no need to remove the note to read the recipe under it. Love it!

I am notorious for writing all over my cookbooks. I like to take notes in the margins: good recipe or not, added this, removed that, etc. But in my brand new cookbooks, the first few notes are always the hardest to make because well, they are so pretty! With these new sticky notes, I can use those to makes my comments and not worry about ruining my nice, new book. I also noticed that my writing doesn't smear when rubbed. So my handwritten notes stay easily readable.

I also found that in cooking magazines where there is a lot of content in a small space, these sticky notes were wonderful for working as a highlighter, showcasing the information I found most useful- as well as writing on for reminders of later projects.

Over all I think these guys are great. Although thin, they almost have a velum or plastic-y feel to them making them seem much sturdier then their paper counter-part. You can see how the paper post-its have curled over time and heavy use... I haven't owned these new Avery post-its long enough to know if they will also bend in time. We shall wait and see. But I definitely give these guys a thumbs up. They are my go-to for page-marking from now on!

So here is the exciting news!

Twenty-thousand people who register for their Avery® Sticky Notes Mark the Spot Sweepstakes on Facebook will randomly be selected to win a FREE pack of Avery® See-Through Sticky Notes. Five of those winners will be randomly selected to receive 100,000 Box Tops coupons (valued at $10,000) that will be applied to a school of their choice. The selected schools of the “Avery® Sticky Notes Mark the Spot” promotion will be presented with credit for the 100,000 Box Tops for Education®.

Sound good to you?!

Well all you have to do is go to the Avery Facebook page and sign up to win a free pack of Sticky Notes and then choose the school you’d like the money to go to should you win. Pretty simple and it’s a great cause! Invite your friends and you also get to print off a coupon for $1.00 off your next Avery Sticky Notes purchase!

*GIVEAWAY NOW CLOSED!*
Avery Dennison has generously donated (6) packs of See-Through Sticky Notes for one lucky winner! To enter: Just mention in comments before midnight, Oct 23rd what you would use your sticky notes for. A random winner will be selected and notified via email shortly thereafter. The winner will then have 48 hours to claim their prize.

To earn extra entries, you may do one or all of the following. Each one counts as an extra chance to win but you must leave a separate comment letting me know what you did for each one.

Subscribe to My Retro Kitchen with Google Friend Connect.
Follow My Retro Kitchen on Twitter.
Follow Avery on Twitter.
Like My Retro Kitchen on Facebook.
Like Avery on Facebook.

This giveaway is open to US addresses. Good luck!

Disclosure: This post was written for Avery Dennison who provided the complimentary item for review & giveaway. All opinions are 100% mine and not influenced in any way.

Weekly Meal Plan

2011-10-19T13:14:00.004-04:00

Do any of you do it? I didn't used to. For a long time I was a Fly By the Seat of My Pants kind of girl. I would hear about my best friend's plan and think she was crazy. But the more I thought about it, the more it made perfect sense. Especially when you have kids and a budget. Many of you ask if I really cook dinner every single night. And yes I do. Even before I made a meal plan I did. But we we were definitely more tempted to do take out because I didn't have a quick, handy list of ideas hanging on my fridge and all of the needed ingredients stocked in my pantry and fridge. If you are trying to keep a budget you know that getting take out isn't a good way to save money (or good on the waistline either!) Sometimes my day gets busy and cooking a full meal seems unappealing. Like last night. On a whim I decided to paint some of the playroom (flat paint and kids are not a good combination!) I also needed to bake bread since we were fresh out. By the time dinnertime rolled around I was in no mood to cook. So salami sandwiches it was. And everyone was fine with that! Now I have one extra meal that will carry over to the following 14 day meal plan. Works out all around.

So this is what I do. Every two weeks I sit down the day before payday and make up a list of 14 meals that we would like to eat over the course of the two weeks. Then on that Friday I go shopping for only the ingredients needed for these particular meals (plus all the essentials like milk, cheese, flour, toilet paper, etc.) This is a huge money saver because you don't buy as many odds and ends without a reason for them. How often do you look at your pantry and fridge and see tons of stuff inside but have a heck of a time figuring out what goes with what to make a full meal? This used to happen to me all the time and always got me so frustrated. Creating a plan and shopping accordingly ends this cycle. I don't break my meal plan down Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday, Friday, etc. I originally tried it this way and it seemed like I never was in the mood for whatever I designated for a specific day. So my meal plan looks more like a menu. Each morning I look at the list of meals and decide what to make that night so I know what I need to take out of the freezer, etc.

Two weeks may seem like a big commitment to you, so if this is the case then try planing for just one week at a time. I used to go grocery shopping every week. But in an attempt to save money and be more prepared Scott has been challenging me to only shop once a week. The first time I did this was awful! I totally had a hard time planning that far in advance. But I think I am finally getting a better system down and am forgetting less and less things.

Kalli from the blog My Life as a Kalli suggested that we post our weekly meal plans to help each other find new ideas and stay creative in the kitchen. So here is mine:

14 Day Meal Plan Menu
(week of October 14-27th)

Sauteed Chicken Thighs with a Greek style Israeli couscous (think artichokes, tomatoes and olives....mmmmmmm)
Salmon Burgers and garlic-y oven fries
Loaded Baked Potatoes and a salad (I made these on Sunday night and topped the potatoes with leftover BLT Dip- one word amazing. I might actually like it even better as a potato topping then a dip. Gotta love having dual uses for recipes! Super yummy)
Tacos, Classic Black Beans and Spanish rice
Pork Chops, homemade apple sauce and roasted butternut squash
Caramelized Onion, Pumpkin and Ricotta Tortellini's with a Walnut and Sage Brown Butter Sauce (I already made these ahead and froze them. So all I have to do is cook the torellini's for 2-3 minutes and make the brown butter sauce. Dinner on the table in 10 minutes!)
Mac 'n Cheese and hotdogs (Turkey Pepper Jack Brats for the grown-ups!)
Traditional Spaghetti with garlic toast and a side salad
Meatloaf, buttery noodles and broccoli
Breakfast for Dinner (whatever I feel like at the time. Often it is just dippy eggs, bacon and toast. But sometimes I do a french toast casserole, Potato Puffs or a frittata (here is a good one). This night is pretty flexible, EASY and everyone loves it.)
Chorizo & Butternut Soup with Herbed Tomato and Cheese Quesadillas (This is a Rachael Ray recipe that I am super excited to try out. I'll let you know how it is!)
Chef Salads and butter bread
Homemade Pizza and a side salad (thinking iceburg lettuce wedges- yum!)
Roasted Spaghetti Squash "Pasta" and rolls

I hope this gave you all some new ideas! And if you have any you would like to share please leave them in the comments!

Greek Orzo with Feta

2011-10-18T22:02:00.001-04:00

I have a new favorite orzo recipe, and this is it. Bonnie made it for our girls Greek Night dinner this month. It is refreshing and seriously addicting. It tasted wonderful warm the day it was made and I thoroughly enjoyed it the following day cold out of the fridge. It would make a great potluck and a surefire family favorite.

Greek Orzo with Feta
1/4 cup olive oil
1/2 cup fresh squeezed lemon juice
2 ripe tomatoes, seeded and diced
1 red bell pepper, chopped
1 red onion, chopped
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 teaspoon finely chopped fresh oregano
1 (8 ounce) package crumbled feta cheese
1/2 pound dried orzo pasta
1 cup chopped fresh parsley

Stir together olive oil, lemon juice, olives, tomatoes, red pepper, red onion, garlic, oregano, and feta cheese in a large bowl. Let stand at room temperature for 1 hour.

Bring a large pot of lightly salted water to a boil. Add the orzo and cook for 8 to 10 minutes or until al dente; drain and toss the tomato mixture. Sprinkle with chopped parsley to serve.

My Favorite Go-To Lunch: Quick and Easy Pasta (or Rice) for One- plus Homemade Montreal Steak Seasoning

2011-10-13T07:44:00.002-04:00

This dish is my favorite quick and easy lunch. If you happen to have some leftover pasta or rice, it comes together in seconds, and is easily adaptable depending on what else you may have in the fridge. I make this for my family for dinner too, and they all love it. But for some reason I generally enjoy this one solo. I think because this recipe originated back in my college days when I was just beginning to really cook for myself. My roommate, Andrea and I would make various versions of this on an almost daily basis and somehow never tired of it. I'm not sure if she still cooks it at home- but I sure do! Honestly I really do need to make it more often for the family because it works great as a fast, weeknight meal. It is fresh and light and just plain delicious.

Quick and Easy Pasta (or Rice) for One

1 cup cooked pasta or rice (yay for leftovers!)
1 tomato, chopped (do not discard the seeds and juice, they help to sauce up the dish)
1 scallion, chopped
freshly grated parmesan or mozzarella cheese
garlic salt and fresh ground black pepper (I like to use the coarsely ground setting for this pasta), to taste
Montreal Steak Seasoning, McCormick's makes a good one or make your own (recipe follows)
a healthy drizzle of extra virgin olive oil

Combine all ingredients except tomatoes in a microwave safe bowl and toss. Heat in the microwave for a minute and a half then add in the tomatoes, stir and heat an additional minute. You can also heat this dish on the stove top over medium heat, but I generally use the microwave because it is nice and fast! Once heated through, top with another light drizzle of olive oil and a good handful of extra parmesan cheese and enjoy!

This is the very basic recipe, which I love as is. Give me a big bowl and I am a happy girl! But depending on what I may have in the fridge, I will sometimes throw in other goodies. Chicken or shrimp is yummy, roasted or grilled vegetables, shelled edamame, fresh herbs (don't bother chopping, we are just making this up quick, remember. Just tear them up and throw them in, either before heating or after), Uncooked leafy spinach (just let it wilt in the heated pasta), sautéed mushrooms and onions....

Montreal Steak Seasoning
Makes 2/3 Cup

2 tablespoons cracked black pepper
2 tablespoons paprika
1 tablespoon salt
1 tablespoon granulated garlic
1 tablespoon granulated onion
1 tablespoon cayenne pepper
1 tablespoon ground coriander
1 tablespoon dill seeds

Combine all ingredients and store in an airtight container.

Kolokithopita- Savory Greek Pumpkin Pie

2011-10-04T22:09:00.003-04:00

At our last girls' night in, we decided on a Greek Theme for dinner. I've made plenty of Souvlaki's, hummus and pitas, kabobs, and all your traditional fare in the past. So tonight I thought I would try something a little different. Being that it is fall and I love all things pumpkin this recipe really stood out to me. It is a pie, like the famous Spanakopita; a spinach and cheese pie layered between flaky phyllo pastry. Only instead of spinach it uses the festive pumpkin! It is called a "pumpkin pie", but it tastes nothing like the American counterpart. It has a slight sweetness thanks to the pumpkin, but otherwise it is a very savory dish with the salty feta and ricotta cheeses, sautéed onion, and rice. It was a lovely recipe and I am so glad I gave it a whirl! You should too.

Kolokithopita- Savory Greek Pumpkin Pie

adapted slightly from Healthy Greek Recipes

1 medium to small pumpkin OR one can of pumpkin
1 large onion, chopped
1 and ½ cups milk (I prefer evaporated because is creamier)
1 cup short grain rice
2 whole eggs (substitute is ok too)
2 cups different cheeses (you can use feta, which is typical, but any other cheese will do it as long as it is a salty one. I used one cup of feta and one cup of ricotta)
pepper to taste
1 tsp cinnamon
Either ½ box of Phyllo (pictured) or 1 whole box puff pastry

If using a whole pumpkin, cut in half, clean out the seeds and grate the pumpkin into a bowl. Set aside.

In large skillet sauté the onion until it begins to caramelize and turn brown. Add the pumpkin stirring occasionally over medium heat for about 20-30 minutes until it looks like paste. Add the milk and rice and stir for about ten more minutes. Add the eggs, cheeses cinnamon and pepper and mix throughly. Taste and adjust seasoning according to your liking. Remove from heat and set aside.

Preheat the oven to 400 F.

If using puff pastry:
Brush olive oil at the bottom of a pan and roll out the first sheet of pastry on the bottom. Spread the pumpkin and cheese mixture on top and layer with the second sheet of pastry. Brush the top with a little olive oil and put it in the oven. Bake for about 30 minutes or until the pastry becomes light gold. Allow to cool before you cut in squares.

If using phyllo dough:
Brush the pan with melted butter. Carefully layer the thin sheets of phyllo one on top of the other, brushing each sheet with the melted butter or olive oil before adding a new sheet of phyllo. You want about half of the stack of phyllo layered on the bottom of the pan. Spread the pumpkin and cheese mixture on top and repeat layering and buttering of the remaining sheets of phyllo dough until gone. With a sharp knife carefully score the top few sheets of phyllo dough into squares where you will want to cut them apart. This will keep the phyllo from shattering when you cut it after baking. Bake for about 45 minutes to an hour or until the phyllo sheets are crisp and golden brown.

I linked up my recipe on Mom's Crazy Cooking!

Tortellini Soup

2011-09-22T15:26:00.005-04:00

Here is your new favorite, Go-To weeknight dinner. It comes together super fast, less then 20 minutes from start to finish! But thanks to the rich, full flavor of the beef broth it tastes like it has been slow cooking all day long. It is wonderful for the end of summer, utilizing the last of the sweet corn, zucchini and green beans of the season. But the nice thing with soup, frozen veggies will work just as well in the winter months. This soup truly is yummy, yummy, yummy!

Tortellini Soup
3 cups beef stock (chicken or vegetable may be substituted, but the beef gives a nice rich flavor)
3 cups water
1 ear corn, kernals cut off and "corn milk" scrapped*
1 medium zucchini, chopped into bite-sized pieces
1 medium onion, chopped
1 (28-ounce) can diced tomatoes, undrained
1 package (9 ounces) refrigerated cheese tortellini
1 cup green beans, trimmed and cut into 1 inch pieces
1 tablespoon fresh basil, minced (or 1 teaspoon dried)
1 tablespoon fresh oregano, minced (or 1 teaspoon dried)
salt and fresh ground black pepper, to taste

*Quick tip to Easily cut corn off the cobb- A bundt pan is the best bowl for this job! It has a handy hole to hold the corn steady and then the bowl for all the kernels to fall into. Gotta love dual purpose items! Turn your bundt pan right side up, place the cleaned corn cob upright with the tip of corn resting in the hole of the pan. Slowly slide the knife down the sides of the corn, cutting off a section at a time. Once all the corn is removed, turn your knife around so the flat side is facing the cob. Repeat the process, scraping down on the cob collecting all the sweet corn milk in the bowl. This is special stuff, you definitely don't want to just throw it away! It is sweet, juicy and will give a great added flavor to the soup.

In a large stock pot over medium heat, add one tablespoon extra virgin olive oil and sauté onion and zucchini until tender and beginning to caramelize. Add remaining ingredients and simmer until vegetables are tender. Add tortellini's and simmer 7-8 minutes or until they are fully cooked and floating to the top. Serve with nice crusty butter bread.

Fresh Corn Chowder

2011-09-10T00:55:00.003-04:00

Toward the end of summer here in the midwest, the temperatures begin to get cooler and the hope of Autumn fills the air. You can smell it in the breeze and feel the crispness in the evening. We are surprised on our night time walks that dusk comes to us much earlier then just a few weeks ago, rushing home in the quickly darkening night. I am in no hurry for winter, but oh goodness, Autumn could last months and months and months. It could be year long and I would be one happy girl! It is my favorite time of the year. I crave the juicy apples, winter squashes (especially pumpkins!) and the turning of the leaves. There is just something so happy and joyous about fall. It seems like there is just so much FUN to be had! With the fall fests, yummy foods packed with cinnamon and sugar, and lot of maple! Pulling the favorite comfy jeans out of the attic along with those cute boots, playing at the playgrounds for hours instead of squeezing a little time in between the hot sun. Hayrides, family hikes, and not to mention Halloween and Thanksgiving- two wonderful family holidays.

This soup is the perfect introduction to Autumn. You get to use the delicious sweet corn your local roadside stand is selling 20 ears for $2. And the thyme is in full abundance in the garden. But you also get to have a nice pot of creamy, invitingly warm soup that gets you in the mood to snuggle on the couch with an afghan and a good book. You get the best of both worlds in one delicious bowl.

The recipe calls for a crock pot, but a Dutch oven works nicely and quickly if you want to hurry the process along. A simple stock pot is also fine, just increase your cooking time to about an hour to an hour and a half, checking the potatoes for tenderness. They should turn nice and slightly creamy when the soup is done.

Fresh Corn Chowder
recipe courtesy of Fix-It and Forget-It Lightly by Phyllis Pellman Good

4 large ears of fresh corn on the cob (1 lb bag of frozen corn can also be used in the cooler months)
1 large onion, chopped
1 celery rib, chopped
1 Tablespoon butter or margarine
1 1/2 cups of potatoes, cut into 1/2 inch cubes
2 cups water, divided
2 teaspoons chicken bouillon granules
1 Tablespoon fresh thyme, chopped (or 1 teaspoon dried)
1/4 teaspoon fresh ground black pepper
6 Tablespoons flour
3 cups fat-free milk

Combine 1 cup of water with the remaining ingredients except the flour and milk. Cook in a crock pot on low for 6 hours, or until potatoes are tender. You can also use a dutch oven or a heavy stock pot, cooking the chowder for about an hour to an hour and a half.

Once the potatoes are nice and tender, mix the flour and milk together and whisk until smooth. Stir into the chowder very slowly, a little at a time until thickened. Add in the additional 1 cup of water (or more) to achieve the thickness you prefer your chowder. (I found one additional cup of water to be perfect). Serve with garlic toast or nice bread and butter. This is a great "dunking" soup.

Caramelized Onion Egg Scramble

2011-09-07T23:17:00.001-04:00

Is there any smell more mouth watering then sauteed onions in butter? .... Mmmmmm. Now take those little guys a bit farther and caramelize them. Caramelized onions stirred into cheesy eggs.... ok, now this is crazy good! If you are an onion lover like me, then you will go crazy for this egg scramble! The slow cooking of the onions adds such a lovely sweetness to the eggs, making them completely addictive. This isn't just for breakfast! I feel like the time and love it takes to caramelize onions, also makes this special enough for a perfect "Breakfast for Dinner".

Caramelized Onion Egg Scramble
4 eggs
4 tablespoons milk
1 tablespoon butter or margarine
1 small onion, diced
1 green onion, sliced
2 slices Sharp American Cheese, torn up
salt and fresh ground pepper, to taste
2 parsley sprigs, chopped for garnish

In a medium sized nonstick skillet over medium heat, melt the butter. Add the diced onions and a pinch of salt. Sauté until just beginning to turn brown. Turn down heat to low and allow the onions to continue to caramelize, stirring occasionally.

Wisk the eggs and milk together for two minutes, until frothy and even colored. Turn the heat up to medium low, add eggs to skillet. Do not scramble right away. Just as they are beginning to set, using a spatula or a flat wooden spoon, push eggs toward center while tilting skillet to distribute the runny parts. When eggs are almost done, add the green onions and sharp American cheese. Season with salt and pepper. Cook until the cheese is melted. Garnish with parsley. Serve with toast points and if you are like me, a little hot sauce to spice things up!

Chicken and Summer Vegetable Stir-Fry

2011-09-03T00:01:00.002-04:00

This recipe comes together so super fast, it makes it the perfect weeknight meal. But the incredible flavors, easily knock it up to "Better Then Take-Out" quality. When you are craving food from your favorite Chinese restaurant, make this instead. It is very inexpensive, using up ingredients that you will already have in your fridge. I called this a Summer Vegetable stir-fry, but honestly you can use whatever veggies you have on hand. This is the perfect meal when you really need to clear out the crisper drawer! A little of this, a handful of that- Be Creative!

I borrowed the marinade from Aarti Seqeira. She uses it for her Banh-mi Wraps, but I thought it would work out nice here, and goodness gracious I was right! Yum! If you aren't familiar with Chinese Five Spice or Garam Masala, don't be nervous. You can find them both in either the spice aisle or International Food aisle of your local grocery store. These are very traditional spices used in Chinese and Indian cuisine, that include cinnamon, fennel, ginger, cloves, star anise, pepper, cumin, coriander and cardamom. I love how she blends of the two of them together- wow is this a flavorful stir-fry. But not at all overpowering, I promise. The sauce thickens up, thanks to the cornstarch, and adds a nice silkiness to the dish making it wonderful over a bed of rice.

Both of my boys LOVED this and one is 4 years old and the other is 9 months! Owen, my 9 month old, has been really into table food. One of his favorites is brown rice. Since we were having it with our meal, I gave him a little with some of the sauce to see if he would like it. He not only liked it, he loved it, opening his mouth like a little birdie asking for more. So more I gave him, but with some of the vegetables this time and he liked that even better then the first spoonful! He just couldn't stop gobbling it up! It just goes to show that you really need to not be afraid of giving kids different flavors then they are used to. More times then not they will really love it. You can always stir a little bit of apricot preserves to the children's serving if they like things with a little sweetness to them. It blends nicely.

Chicken and Summer Vegetable Stir-Fry
1 pound chicken, cut into bite-size chunks
1/2 cup broccoli floretts
1 yellow summer squash, cut into 4ths or 6ths depending on size of squash
1 medium sized sweet onion, cut in half and then into wedges
1 cup mushrooms, sliced
1 bell pepper, cut into bite sized chunks
4 scallions cut into 1" pieces
1/2 cup peas (frozen work quite nicely)
*feel free to substitute any of the vegetables with whatever you have on hand. You honestly can't go wrong with a stir-fry!

For the Chicken Marinade:
1/4 cup soy sauce
2 tablespoons fish sauce
2 teaspoons sugar (splenda works great here)
1 teaspoon five-spice powder
1 teaspoon garam masala
1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
2 cloves garlic, crushed
1 small shallot, minced (about 3 tablespoons)

For the Sauce:
1 cup chicken broth
1 tablespoon soy sauce
2 tablespoons cornstarch

Place the cut up chicken into a gallon-sized resealable bag. Add all of the marinade ingredints and seal bag tightly. Throughly massage bag to evenly distribute the marinade all over the chicken. Set aside on the counter top while you are chopping your veggies and making your sauce.

Once veggies are all chopped, using tongs, transfer your chicken to a wok or large skillet. Sautee over medium-high heat for about 4-5 minutes until lightly browned. Add the veggies, except for the peas and scallions, and continue to sautee until they begin to soften, about 4-5 more minutes.

In a small bowl, combine broth, soy sauce and cornstarch. Add to chicken and vegetable mixture and bring to a boil over medium-high heat. Reduce heat to medium/medium-low, add in the peas and scallions and simmer for 4 to 5 minutes, or until sauce thickens. Serve over rice or hot rice noodles and enjoy!

Fridays, Feasting with Friends- Featuring Jen Gardner

2011-09-02T00:01:00.007-04:00

"One of the delights of life is eating with friends, second to that is talking about eating. And, for an unsurpassed double whammy, there is talking about eating while you are eating with friends."~Laurie Colwin 'Home Cooking'

Jen Gardner

For today's Fridays, Feasting with Friends I am thrilled to introduce you to an amazing blogger Jen Gardner. She is a woman who, if you haven't already put your house up for sale and picked your future home here in the beautiful CLE, will encourage you to do so after spending some time on her blog Why CLE?. She was born and raised here in Cleveland, Ohio and although she has moved away many times she always comes back. By choice, not chance..... and has often encountered the same question- "Why Cleveland?". In Jen's words:

This blog will attempt to answer two questions – “Why Cleveland?” and “WhyCleveland?” The first question is the good stuff – the amazing, noteworthy people and places that make Cleveland, well, Cleveland. Not just touristy spots, not just the things all of us could list sitting here, but the real heart and soul of the city – the stuff that makes us want to live here, raise our families here, and defend the city to those who would knock it.

The second question looks at what could be better – the stuff that makes us shake our heads at the fact that our town can sometimes be its own worst enemy. Because I think we can all admit that Cleveland has its share of that stuff, too.

My hope is that, through this adventure, you’ll find a better answer next time someone asks you, “Why Cleveland?” Or maybe it’ll stop you from asking the question of someone else…

I have also been born and raised here in Cleveland, and goodness I love this place! I too moved away for some time and a few short years later, found myself back in my hometown. And yet I find myself truly inspired while reading her blog. She makes me proud of my town and proud I made the decision to move back here to raise my family. I am excited to see so many parts of my CLE that is even new to me- rediscovering your hometown is always a good thing. Thank you Jen for your honesty and also your passion in our beautiful home.

What is your favorite thing to cook?
Without a doubt, Thanksgiving dinner! I started making my family’s entire Thanksgiving dinner about 5 years ago and I love it. All the dishes are so traditional and when I get the timing coordinated and a great meal on the table, that’s such a fantastic feeling. The year my mom told me my great-grandma’s pumpkin pie tasted just like she always remembered it, I knew I had a good thing going.

How about your least favorite thing to cook?
Pasta. I know…how basic, right?! But I feel like I can never get it to be done exactly how I want it. Although I do make a mean spaghetti sauce, so I flub my way through for the sake of that.

What is your favorite local restaurant and what is one you are dying to try out?
So many favorites: Lolita, Greenhouse Tavern, Grovewood Tavern, and Dante are my main go-to places. I have been dying to try L’Albatros. It’s the only Zack Bruell restaurant I haven’t been to!

Music and food go together so beautifully. You are hosting a dinner party, what would be on your playlist?
Chances are a lot of classics: Frank Sinatra, Dean Martin. Hearing that kind of music is one of my favorite things about dining in Little Italy.

What would you choose to be your last meal on earth?
My mom’s roast beef with mushroom gravy, mashed potatoes, and cooked carrots. I know that sounds shockingly simple, but for most of my growing up, that was my pick for birthday or special occasion dinners. It’s the ultimate comfort food for me. For dessert, chocolate molten cake with Jeni’s salted caramel ice cream.

What are you currently reading?
“Tender is the Night” by F. Scott Fitzgerald, which is my book club’s monthly selection. Also finishing up “Bossypants” by Tina Fey, which was last month’s book club selection (I’m a little behind).

What is your favorite Kitchen Gadget?
My slow cooker (is that a gadget?). If you need a smaller gadget, my ice cream scoop that’s shaped like a cow (it’s funny and I love ice cream).

Do you have a signature go-to dish?
Probably lasagna. I don’t know how my grandma, my mom, and I (3 good Polish and Czech girls) managed to come up with a good lasagna recipe, but it works.

What is your favorite thing about the Cleveland area?
So, so many things…the people, the culture, the food scene, the lake, the sports teams, the eternal optimism.

Do you have a favorite meal from your childhood and do you cook it today?
The roast beef answer from above is my favorite childhood meal. I don’t know that I’ve ever made it myself, but I definitely can still get mom to make it.

Top 3 Movies of all time?
The Sound of Music, Pretty Woman, The Princess Bride

What was your happiest moment in life?
To date, when my fiance proposed. I honestly felt (and feel) like the most blessed and lucky person in the world. But, I’m pretty sure there are even more happiest moments to come!

Where do you do your grocery shopping?
Giant Eagle (most convenient), Heinen’s, The West Side Market (not nearly as much as I should)

What is your favorite guilty pleasure when it comes to food?
Ice cream! Really, I’ll take anything sweet, but I will never, ever turn down ice cream and will usually go out of my way to “just happen to pass” an ice cream shop on the way home.

Can you tell me about what you are most proud of?
My relationships with my fiance, family, and friends. When I look at the amazing people in my life, I know that I’ve accomplished something in being able to cultivate and maintain these connections.

Do you have Culinary Resolutions that you would like to accomplish this year?
One major one: cook at home more often. We are so busy and go out to eat so much that I feel like I under-utilize my kitchen. Carving out more nights per week to have dinner in (and inviting people over to share in that) is culinary priority #1 for me.

One word that best describes you is: Happy.

this picture should seriously be the cover of a love story. Perfect, true love.

And now can you share a favorite recipe of yours?:

Chicken Pairisian
(I have no idea where this came from)

4 boneless skinless chicken breasts
All-purpose flour
Paprika
1 cup white wine
½ cup water
1 ½ cups sliced mushrooms

Wash chicken breasts and pat dry.
Place flour and few dashes of paprika into a ziploc bag.
Dredge chicken breasts in flour and paprika mixture.

Place chicken breasts in saute pan.
Brown on each side.
Remove chicken from pan.

Add water, wine, and mushrooms to pan.
Heat until boiling.

Reduce heat.
Return chicken to pan.
Cover and cook for 30 minutes or until chicken is thoroughly cooked.

Serve with spaghetti with olive oil or twice-baked potatoes.

Low Carb Spiced Pumpkin Bread

2011-08-31T21:01:00.002-04:00

I know I have been MIA for a little while. I really am sorry about that. But if you follow me on facebook you know that I have been trying to loose that last bit of pregnancy weight by following the South Beach Diet. I am super happy to say that it is working awesome, the last few pounds are falling off and I am having a blast "shopping" in my attic for clothing I haven't been able to wear in a long time. The only downside, is that I have not been very creative in the kitchen. My mom leant me a few South Beach cookbooks and the blog Kalyn's Kitchen have both been wonderful with keeping the diet exciting, food wise (as much as you can be without eating very many-if any carbs). But since I was trying to follow the diet as perfectly as possible in Phase One, I didn't feel confidant creating my own recipes.

Now that I am in Phase Two, I am allowed to start incorporating "good carbs" back into my diet. Knowing my love of sweets and bakery, you can't be all that surprised to hear I was dying to find some "acceptable" baked goods. Combine that with the wonderful cooler weather we have been having here in Ohio- beautifully sunny and breezy mid 70's. Heaven. So of course pumpkin comes to mind. It is super high on the healthy scale and so, so delicious. I just knew that I could find a low carb pumpkin bread recipe to satisfy my cravings. This recipe from the online low carb magazine, The Low Carb Luxury is so, so wonderful!!!! I have found that sometimes low carb bread can have a strange, rubbery consistency that I find rather off-putting. This recipe isn't like that AT ALL. If you weren't told this quick bread was low carb you would have no idea. The whole family loves it, and I will be making it again and again. I mean, for only 3.8 grams of carbs per slice, you can't beat it! Oh how I love guilt-free bakery. This recipe was 100% worth sharing.

Now this recipe uses some unique flours, which is what makes it low carb. Almond Flour/Meal is simply just very, very finely ground almonds! You can make it yourself by grinding raw or blanched almonds in your food processor at home, but I decided to save some time and just buy it premade. I found Bob's Red Mill brand and really loved it. I found it at Marc's (if you are local to Cleveland, OH area) and I also have seen it at our Super Wal-Mart. If you have been making those yummy Sandwich Thin Buns, then you are familiar with the Vital Wheat Gluten Flour and the Wheat Bran. Yay for another place to use them! Go on out, stock your pantry and most importantly- have fun playing with some new ingredients!

Low Carb Spiced Pumpkin Bread

1 (15 ounce) can pumpkin puree
4 eggs
1 cup canola oil
1/2 cup water
2 cups Splenda
1 1/2 cups Vital Wheat Gluten flour
1/4 cup whey protein powder (I used vanilla flavored because that is what I had on hand)
3/4 cup almond flour
1 cup oat flour
2 teaspoons baking soda
1 1/2 teaspoons salt
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1 teaspoon ground nutmeg
1/2 teaspoon ground cloves
1/4 teaspoon ground ginger
Wheat Bran (or whole wheat flour) for dusting pan

Preheat oven to 350°F.

Spray bread pans with nonstick cooking spray. Sprinkle wheat bran into the pans and tap around to "flour" the pans. This will prevent sticking. Whole wheat or all purpose flour can also be used, but the wheat bran packs in extra healthy goodness.

Using a wire wisk or a hand mixer beat eggs. Add the water, oil, and pumpkin and beat until well combined. Sift together all flours, baking soda, salt and spices in a separate bowl. Add Splenda to pumpkin mixture and mix very well. Add the pumpkin mixture to the flour mixture and blend until wet and fully combined.

Pour into greased and wheat bran (or whole wheat) floured pans and bake for about 40-50 minutes. If you bake in the small loaf pans, be sure to keep an eye on them. They will bake faster then the large loaves. Breads are done when toothpick inserted in center comes out clean.

Makes (2) 8.5" loaves or (4) 5.75x3" loaves- slice into 12 slices per loaf.
Each large loaf contains 46 grams of carbs — 3.8 carbs per slice. (or you can have two small slices for the same amount)

A Perfect Taste of Summer- Garden Tomato and Basil Sandwich

2011-08-13T07:59:00.001-04:00

Garden Tomato and Basil Sandwich
1 tomato
a hand-full of basil leaves
a smear of either mayo or a bit of a Laughing Cow wedge (my favorite is the Light Creamy Swiss)
4 slices Bread of your choice
Corse kosher salt and fresh ground black pepper

Smear a bit of mayo or some of the Laughing Cow cheese onto your bread. Top with a few nice, thick slices of fresh garden tomatoes. Add a sprinkling of salt (it brings out the sweetness in the tomatoes) and a grind or two of fresh black pepper. Top with a few leaves of fresh basil and enjoy. Seriously you can't beat this sandwich. So, so good! I have this alllll the time for breakfast. And lunch. And snack. When tomatoes are in season, it is seriously addictive.

Also I have to apologize for being MIA for so long!! Our charger cable to the computer broke two and a half weeks ago. We ordered one, and just our luck, it got lost in the mail. I was seriously so, so mad. The post office has no idea where it is and we have to wait a full 30 days until we can even make a claim. Who knows how much longer we would have to wait until everything got resolved. So we ordered another one, and luckily that got to us nice and fast. So if the post office ever does find the missing charger, well I guess we will just have a back up. Incase you were wondering, two and a half weeks without a computer is NO FUN!

Egg Muffins

2011-07-27T09:10:00.006-04:00

So I am tired of the last few pregnancy pounds hanging onto my body for dear life. Enough is enough already! I lost so much of the weight so quickly and it was awesome. But now I am hovering at a plateau for the last few months and it is time to shake it! I need something to boost up my metabolism and get everything moving so we have decided to start up South Beach Diet. Not really all that thrilled about "dieting" but I have done low-carb a few times before and it really works quickly. The nice thing with South Beach is that you don't need to stay altogether low carb past the first two weeks. *phew* I know many people that have had a lot of success with the diet, including my parents, so I am excited to see some positive changes in myself as well. Wish me luck and I will share some of our favorites recipes along the way too.

There is an awesome blog, Kalyn's Kitchen, that is primarily all South Beach Friendly recipes. You don't need to be on the diet to be able to appreciate her recipes. Seriously, everyone could pretty much benefit by reduced carbs and increasing vegetables, whole grains and lean meats!

After sleeping for 6-10 hours a night your body needs a serious recharge. You need to break the fast that your body was doing while your were snoring away. Hence the name breakfast. These Egg Muffins are a wonderful start to your day. Once you make a full batch you then have a quick breakfast for the rest of the week. They have no flour, making pretty much carb free but also gluten free and high in protein. Oh, and did I mention yummy?!

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Egg Muffins
recipe slightly adapted from Kalyn's Kitchen

12 Eggs
1/2 cup low fat 2% cottage cheese
1 (4 oz) can chopped green chili's
3 green onions, chopped
1-2 cups grated low-fat cheese (I used sharp cheddar, but any of your favorites will work great!)
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
Optional: chopped veggies such as blanched broccoli, red pepper, zucchini, mushrooms, etc. (Using veggies will reduce the fat content)
Optional: diced Canadian bacon, lean ham, or crumbled cooked turkey sausage

Preheat oven to 375 F. Use regular or silicone muffin pan, 12 muffin size. If using silicone pan, spray with nonstick spray. If using regular muffin pan, put two paper liners into each slot, then spray liner with nonstick spray.

In the bottom of the muffin cups layer diced meat, if using, vegetables, if using, cheese and green onions. You want the muffin cups to be about 2/3 full, with just enough room to pour a little egg around the other ingredients. Break eggs into large measuring bowl with pour spout. Add the cottage cheese, salt and pepper, and beat well. Pour egg into each muffin cup until it is 3/4 full. I like to stir slightly with a fork. Bake 25-35 minutes until muffins have risen and are slightly browned and set.

Muffins will keep at least a week in the refrigerator without freezing. Egg muffins can be frozen and reheated. For best results, thaw in refrigerator before reheating. Microwave on high about 2 minutes to reheat.

Fragrant Chicken Curry

2011-07-24T13:26:00.002-04:00

The flavors of this Thai dish are so lovely. There is a perfect sweetness from the coconut and the touch of apricot jam but also a spicy finish coming from the curry paste. Allowing the sauce to simmer for 30 minutes concentrates the flavors while blending them creates a silky, velvety smooth texture. Served along side fragrant basmanti or jasmine rice, you have a beautiful yet simple dinner, special enough for entertaining. The curry paste can be quite spicy. If this is a new ingredient for you, you may wish to use a little at a time, tasting to get the right amount of heat for your pallet. This dish was too spicy for my son as is. Next time I will set aside a bit of sauce without the curry paste so he can enjoy it as well. Minus the heat, this is a very, very kid friendly meal!

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Fragrant Chicken Curry
recipe from The Ultimate Thai and Asian Cookbook by Deh-Hsiung, Becky Johnson and Sallie Morris

3 tablespoons oil
1 onion, coarsely chopped
2 garlic cloves, crushed
1 tablespoon Thai red curry paste (easily found in the asian aisle of your grocery store)
4 cups coconut milk (lite is fine)
2 lemon grass stalks, coarsely chopped
6 kaffir lime leaves, chopped (I omitted these because I couldn't find them at my grocer. If you know where to get them, let me know!)
2/3 cup yogurt
2 tablespoons apricot jam
1 3-31/2 lb cooked chicken (a prepared rotisserie chicken works great here, I just boiled my chicken so I could have chicken broth for later in the week)
2 tablespoons fresh cilantro, chopped
salt and fresh ground pepper, to taste
kaffir lime leaves, fresh cilantro and toasted, shredded coconut**, to garnish
cooked rice, to serve

Heat the oil in a large pan. Add the garlic and onion and cook over low heat for 5-10 minutes until soft. Turn your heat up to medium and stir in the red curry paste. Cook, stirring constantly for 2-3 minutes. Stir in the coconut milk, then add the lemon grass, lime leaves, yogurt and apricot jam. Stir well. Cover and simmer for 30 minutes.

Remove the pan from the heat and leave to cook slightly. Transfer the sauce to a food processor or blender and process to a smooth consistency. I used my blender on "liquify" for about 4-5 minutes to get velvety smooth. Pour the sauce back into the pan and set aside while you prepare your chicken.

If using a whole chicken, remove the skin and slice the meat off the bones, cutting it into bite sized pieces. Add the chicken to the sauce. Bring the sauce back up to a simmer. Stir in the fresh cilantro and season with salt and pepper. Garnish with extra lime leaves, shredded coconut and chopped cilantro. Serve with rice.

**To Toast Coconut
Arrange shredded, sweetened coconut (found in the baking aisle) in a single layer of a baking sheet. Bake, keeping a close eye, at 350 degrees for about 4-5 minutes. Coconut can go from perfectly toasted to burnt very quickly so don't walk away from the oven! Allow to cool. This adds a nice little crunch and the right amount of sweetness, balancing the spiciness of the curry paste.

Homemade "Sandwich Thin" Buns

2011-07-23T17:00:00.004-04:00

There is nothing like the smell of homemade bread to cozy up a house. Probably 80% of the bread we eat in our home is what I have baked. Unless I didn't realize we were out of bread in time for lunches, the only bread I buy is hamburger buns, and most often they are Sandwich Thins. Orowheat and Arnold both have good ones. I can't help it- I love these things!!! They are usually around a 100 calories for an entire bun, plus they are full of fiber and whole wheat goodness. Since they are so thin, these buns don't have the heaviness that whole wheat sandwich bread can have.

I knew there had to be a recipe out there to make these things myself, eliminating the need to buy bread all together. This recipe from food.com is wonderful! The Sandwich Thin buns taste just like the store bought kind- actually better if you ask us. They have a little more substance to them but are still only 108 calories per bun! The recipe takes a little time because you need to wait for the dough to rise. But the hands-on time is very minimal and super, super simple. When I first started making them I would just free-form the buns into the right shape. But just the other day I found a Muffin Top pan at the store and had to pick it up. This makes pretty, perfectly round buns. But there is still something rustic and lovely with the freeform kind. I am so excited about these things- this has probably become my favorite recipe of the year!

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Homemade "Sandwich Thin" Buns
1 1/3 cups warm water
1/4 cup sugar
2 1/4 tsp yeast
3 cups whole wheat flour (I like to use white whole wheat flour, it has a milder flavor and texture but just the same benefits of regular whole wheat flour.)
1/2 cup wheat bran
2 Tbsp vital wheat gluten
1 tsp salt
1 egg
2 teaspoons canola oil
rolled oats for sprinkling on top

Don't be afraid of yeast! Seriously, baking bread is so easy! First you need to "proof" the yeast. Pour the warm water into the bowl of your stand mixer then add the sugar. Sprinkle the yeast on top and allow to stand for 10 minutes. This is going to be your "sponge" for the dough. (If you don't have a stand mixer, that is perfectly fine! Just use a regular bowl and do the kneading with your hands. A mixer isn't necessary, just makes things a little easier and faster.)

Meanwhile, mix the dry ingredients in a separate bowl.

After ten minutes are up, add the canola oil and egg to the bowl of the stand mixer. Using the dough hook, turn the mixer on low and mix. Add in 1 1/2 cups of the dry ingredients and mix until thoroughly combined. Cover and let rest 1 hour.

Add the remaining dry ingredients and knead for 5 minutes.

Line two baking sheets with parchment paper or a Silpat.

Divide dough into 16 equal portions. It is recommended to weighed the entire ball of dough to figure out the weight of each bun, but since I do not yet own a food scale, I just eyeball it. Good enough for me!

Roll each portion of dough in your hands to form a ball, and then flatten it between your palms.
Place it on the baking sheet and press down, working the dough into a thin 5-inch round.

dough resting before going into the oven

Brush the tops with water and then sprinkle with rolled oats. Lightly press down to help them stick. Adding the oats isn't necessary, but it does make them look pretty. Sometimes I add the oats, sometimes I am just lazy and skip them.

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Allow the buns to rest for 30 minutes on the baking sheets so they can double in bulk. After this time you can choose to "dock" the buns. This means poking small holes into the dough. They actually have a special tool for this called creatively enough, a Dough Docker. But a fork or the small end of a chop stick works just as well. What docking does is prevents air bubbles from forming, keeping them nice and thin. I have forgotten to dock them at times and never had any issues with bubbles. But I must say, docking does make them look prettier! After resting, bake for 10-12 minutes. Do NOT over bake. You want the sandwich thins to be soft and light and only very lightly golden brown. 10 1/2 minutes of baking time is perfect for my oven. Just be sure to keep an eye on them.

Let cool completely before slicing with a bread knife.

see how the buns are just very lightly brown- this is perfect!

Each bun has 108 Calories; 1g Fat; 5g Protein; 20g Carbohydrate; 4g Dietary Fiber; 13mg Cholesterol.

here is a side view so you can see the thickness of the buns after baking

adapted from food.com

Fridays, Feasting With Friends- Featuring Rebecca DiLiberto

2011-07-15T09:46:00.001-04:00

"One of the delights of life is eating with friends, second to that is talking about eating. And, for an unsurpassed double whammy, there is talking about eating while you are eating with friends."

~Laurie Colwin 'Home Cooking'

Rebecca DiLiberto

"my favorite race picture of brandon and I before the CLE ten miler"

Rebecca is the blogger behind the local Cleveland blog Peace, Love and Bagels "Adventures of a self proclaimed foodie running a pr in the marathon of life". Her blog is a fun glimpse into the happenings of her busy life. Along with all sorts of running stuff- marathons, training, etc. (I so, so admire all you out there that call running a fun hobby!) She also shares lots of awesome recipes- ever want to make your own yogurt? Or how about kombucha?! (I have to admit I never even knew what this stuff was until reading her post, and now I am dying to make my own!) I just love all of the wonderful, healthy food her blog has to offer. So fun!

I met Becca at a recent OBA gathering, and it was immediately evident what a kind soul she is. It is such fun meeting other local writers! If you are an Ohio Blogger and haven't yet joined the Ohio Blogging Association, be sure to sign up right away! There are Local Chapters all over the state so you are sure to find one near where you live. It is a great place to be inspired for new material, learn new tips and tricks, and of course meet other bloggers that live near you!

Thanks Becca for the wonderful interview and a fantastic recipe! I am a regular bread baker, so it was especially exciting getting one I hadn't tried before! I'm totally baking it this weekend! So without further adu, I give you Rebecca DiLiberto...

What is your favorite thing to cook?
In the winter, bean "chili con beer" in the slow cooker. Since I found out about making chili with beer, I don't do it any other way. It adds some incredible depth to the chili's flavor! In the summertime, I love to make grilled pizza. I usually come home from work, start the crust and go on with my afternoon activities. By the time I'm finished, my crust has risen and is ready to be magically morphed into a pizza!

How about your least favorite thing to cook?
I can't even think of anything, because if I don't want to make it...I just won't! That's actually why I initially stopped eating meat, because I was just too lazy to cook it.

What is your favorite local restaurant and what is one you are dying to try out?
To be honest, I don't eat out very often. I am big on going out for brunch though, and I just went to the Inn on Coventry and also Tommy's (in Coventry) and really enjoyed a delicious late morning breakfast at both places. I am dying (and I mean, dying) to check out Root Cafe in Lakewood.

Music and food go together so beautifully. You are hosting a dinner party, what would be on your playlist?
Xavier Rudd, Jason Mraz and ALO. Oh, and let's not forget Zac Brown Band. Oh, and Dave Matthews. I love music, there is really too much to narrow down. I'd probably plug in my iPod and just let it shuffle. Here's a little know fact: my favorite band of all time is Blink 182 (please don't make fun of me!)

What would you choose to be your last meal on earth?
Absolutely anything that Heidi Swanson dreams up. I own two of her cookbooks, have tried many of her recipes and have NEVER been disappointed by them. They've always been show stoppers! If you haven't heard of her, or tried any of her recipes I strongly suggest you stop by her blog, 101 Cookbooks or buy one of her cookbooks. Seriously. Go!

What are you currently reading?
I'm in the middle of two books right now; The Count of Monte Cristo and a book called Time, Sex and Power. It's an incredibly interesting scientific exploration into how women came to have almost complete control over the evolution of humans. If you're up for some learning, definitely grab it.

What is your favorite Kitchen Gadget?
I don't know if this can be considered a "gadget" but my cast iron pot (with a cast iron top that can become a skillet). I do just about everything with it, including baking bread. Coming in at a close second place would be my pizza stone. I never cook pizza without it.

Do you have a signature go-to dish?
Probably veggie stir-fry. I've made it for several dinner parties and it's great because it's quick and easy to make in large quantities. I usually serve my stir-fry with soba noodles, for that extra asian

What is your favorite thing about the Cleveland area?
Honestly, I don't think I can narrow down a favorite. The metroparks are amazing, I love that there is a national park and farmlands not 40 minutes from the city. I think Cleveland has a LOT of potential to really grow and I cannot wait to see it all happen. Last but not least, I think the people here are really special. I know a lot of people have a very negative view of this area, but I really want to help turn that "idea" around.

Do you have a favorite meal from your childhood and do you cook it today?
I remember going to this deli solely for the purpose of eating a black and white cookie. To this day, they're hands down my favorite. Unfortunately I haven't had the energy to find a good recipe and make them myself yet. If anyone has a recipe, I would love to try it though!

Top 3 Movies of all time?
I usually don't like to commit to a favorite movie, because what if a new one comes out that becomes my favorite? (Call it fear of committment or indecisiveness, but I like to think I'm just being dynamic). Currently, my favorite movie is Despicable Me "I said a dart gun, not a fart gun!!"

What was your happiest moment in life?
That's easy. The minute that I met Brandon, there was a very distinct feeling that I knew we were meant to be together...that was at the Dave Matthews concert at Blossom last year (exactly one year ago, actually.) It became a pivotal moment in my life because I knew that I was about to make big changes in order to really start living my life. I don't think I ever really believed in "love at first sight" until it happened to me, but it's a real phenomenon! Haha, I know that sounds absolutely cheesy. I'm okay with saying totally cheesy things when it comes to our relationship, because they're 100% true.

Where do you do your grocery shopping?
The farmer's market as much as possible. Otherwise Earth Fare, Whole Foods and Giant Eagle. One of my goals for the year was to minimize my reliance on grocery stores and really truly begin to eat seasonally. That's much easier said than done, but I think I've taken some great steps to reach that goal.

What is your favorite guilty pleasure when it comes to food?
Copious amounts popcorn. Seriously, I can eat a jumbo bag of popcorn from the movie theater in less than one movie. Generally I pop my own in my air popper rather than microwaved popcorn (which wouldn't be nearly enough for me!)

Can you tell me about what you are most proud of?
Moving by myself to a state where I knew virtually no one and creating a wonderful, happy life for myself! It took some time to get comfortable here in Ohio, but I have been able to really embrace life here and I love it!

Do you have Culinary Resolutions that you would like to accomplish this year?
Now that I brought it up earlier, I really want to make black and white cookies! I always like to try new cooking techniques, so my goal is usually to find a few new techniques to try and include in my cooking arsenal.

One word that best describes you is: Happy!

"(this picture) is from the Brad Paisley concert last year that got so rainy there was no possible way to stay dry...so we just rolled with it :) probably my favorite picture EVER."

And now can you share a favorite recipe?

Ok, I'm choosing this recipe because I absolutely LOVE making my own bread, but I kind of suck at doing it the traditional way. We stopped buying store bought bread a while ago because this bread always comes out so good! There is nothing better than fresh made toast for breakfast in the morning, or to make a sandwich out of. The best part is...no kneading!! It's easy and all it requires is about 10 minutes of prep and a little advance planning (since you have to make it the night before).

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Crusty No Knead Bread

3 cups wheat flour (or a mixture of wheat and spelt, or really any mixture you want that equals 3 cups)

1 3/4 teaspoons salt

1/2 teaspoon yeast

1 1/2 cups water

any seasonings (see below)

In a large mixing bowl, whisk together flour, salt, any mix-ins and yeast. Add water and mix until a shaggy mixture forms. Cover bowl with plastic wrap and set aside for 12 - 18 hours. Overnight works great. Heat oven to 450 degrees. When the oven has reached 450 degrees place a cast iron pot with a lid in the oven and heat the pot for 30 minutes. Meanwhile, pour dough onto a heavily floured surface and shape into a ball. Cover with plastic wrap and let set while the pot is heating. Remove hot pot from the oven and drop in the dough. Cover and return to oven for 30 minutes. After 30 minutes remove the lid and bake an additional 15 minutes. Remove bread from oven and place on a cooling rack to cool.

Seasoning ideas: Fresh rosemary and lemon zest, Pepper jack cheese, Jalapeno cheddar, Raisin walnut cinnamon, Pumpkin sunflower seed poppy seed, Sharp cheddar, Rosemary lemon Gruyere, Lemon thyme Asiago, Asiago, Mixed herb with rosemary, chives and thyme...there are infinite ways to season this bread, just have fun with it!

60 Second Egg Sandwich

2011-07-14T16:13:00.001-04:00

Breakfast is the single most important meal of the day! You've heard it before, you know it's true. But how often are you running out the door thinking "I just don't have time!" You either end up going with out anything at all or you make that (usually) bad decision to grab a bite on the road. But "Fast Food" doesn't have to be "bad for you food"! What if I told you that you could have an amazingly delicious egg sandwich, full of protein, low in carbohydrates and only takes you 60 Seconds to make?! It's true!

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60 Second Egg Sandwich
1 egg
1 slice cheese
1 slice tomato
a few leaves fresh basil
a smear of low fat mayo
1 sandwich thin
salt and fresh ground black pepper
nonstick cooking spray

Break one egg into a ramekin that has been sprayed with nonstick cooking spray. Lightly give the yoke a little whisk with a fork. You need to break the yoke slightly, otherwise it can explode in your microwave- you don't want that! Season egg with salt and pepper and microwave on high for 60 seconds. Now microwave times may vary, so depending on how "hot" your oven cooks and how firm you like your egg you may wish to decrease the time slightly. I found in my microwave 45 seconds is perfect. Remove ramekin with pot holders- these little guys get hot!

With the tip of your butter knife slide the egg out of the ramekin.

Smear half of your lightly toasted Sandwich Thin with a little mayo, top with tomato, fresh basil, egg and a slice of cheese. And there you have it. 60 seconds (or less if you have a microwave like mine!) to a delicious, perfect egg sandwich. There is absolutely no reason not to have time for breakfast again!

Be sure you play around with this! Swap out the Sandwich Thin for an english muffin and the tomato and basil for a slice of Canadian Bacon and you've got yourself a 60 Second Egg McMuffin! These guys are fast, fun and super versatile.

And if you are as crazy about these wonderful 100 Calorie Sandwich Thins as I am then be sure you come back on Saturday where I will share with you a fantastic recipe so you can make them yourself at home. It's awesome!

Fridays, Feasting With Friends- Featuring Michelle Venorsky

2011-06-24T00:01:00.004-04:00

~Laurie Colwin 'Home Cooking'

Michelle Venorsky

I am so, so excited about today's guest! Michelle is the talented blogger and food writer to the amazing site Cleveland Foodie. Started back in 2006, Cleveland Foodie is a blog dedicated to the talented chefs and growing food scene right here in Cleveland, OH. She is hands-down the go-to when seeking out the best places to dine here at home. Like most Clevelanders, she is passionate about our wonderful city and excited of all that we have to offer in our culinary scene.

Right around the time Michelle started writing Cleveland Foodie, I had just moved back to Cleveland after calling Cambridge, MA home for several years. Although I was born and raised here, with being gone for so long I almost felt like a stranger in my hometown. So much had changed since I lived here last and I needed a refresher course in where to go, what to do, and of course- where to eat! After just a little googling around, I stumbled across Michelle's blog and I think I read the entire thing from start to finish in one night! I couldn't stop! Here was exactly the information I was longing for. And the best news- while I was away Cleveland turned into a fantastic culinary scene. I was so excited and inspired to be back home. Cleveland Foodie was the very first blog I ever religiously followed and don't ever plan on stopping! Thank you Michelle for your BIG heart in this amazing little city, your wonderful way with words and giving all of us such a gift in your lovely blog. You are an inspiration.

What is your favorite thing to cook?
I’m not sure if I have a particular favorite. We cook a lot. And I like to experiment and make all sorts of things. As long as I have a recipe handy, I’ll try it. I love making pancakes on the weekend with my toddler and dancing like silly in the kitchen to braised short ribs when it’s cold outside because it’s such a long, glorious process and the house smells all kinds of wonderful.

How about your least favorite thing to cook?
Fish still makes me nervous. I love fish, and with the exception of salmon, always tend to overcook or mess it up. Not sure why as I know it’s fairly easy to make.

What is your favorite local restaurant and what is one you are dying to try out?
I don’t really have a favorite per se. When people ask me this – I say favorite for what? We truly are a lucky bunch here and there’s no need to pick just one! But there are some we tend to frequent more, and those include: Greenhouse Tavern, Momocho, Fahrenheit, B Spot (my go-to this pregnancy), Vine & Bean, Umami, Sun Luck Garden and L’Albatros (cheese, glorious cheese!).

Music and food go together so beautifully. You are hosting a dinner party, what would be on your playlist?
I couldn’t agree more! It depends on the crowd, theme, etc. But for a recent dinner party of sorts we had, here were my favorite songs on the mix I made: Sha la la (Al Green); One More Saturday Night (Grateful Dead); Surrender (Cheap Trick); Mess Around (Ray Charles); El Cuarto de Tula (Buena Vista Social Club); I am Mine (Pearl Jam); Little Lion Man (Mumford & Sons); Iron Lion Zion (Bob Marley); Driver 8 (R.E.M).

What would you choose to be your last meal on earth?
I’d like a little bit of all my favorite foods and to be surrounded by an endless pour of cabernet joined by my husband, family and closest friends. Short ribs from Crush in Seattle, buccatini all’ amatriciana from the old Battuto in Little Italy, king crab legs, a clambake and plenty of stinky, creamy cheese to top it all off!

What are you currently reading? Potty training books!

What is your favorite Kitchen Gadget? Immersion blender.

Do you have a signature go-to dish?
Two apps I tend to make a lot. The dates from Avec (my favorite restaurant in Chicago) and Mario Batali’s chickpea bruschetta from Babbo in NYC. Everyone gets this upon sitting down – it’s so easy and so fantastic! And everyone should dine at both these places! (please click for the wonderful recipes!)

What is your favorite thing about the Cleveland area?
There’s so much about this city I love! I choose to call Cleveland home. Both my husband and I have had numerous opportunities through the years to take jobs in LA, Chicago and NYC and never gave it more than a second’s thought. The people closest to me are here. I love the weather (yes – I’m serious!). Cost of living. Great neighborhoods and history. The people. The spirit. The belief that we can do anything. The belief that the Brown’s will win it all (and we will!). The food, of course. And that it’s home. Everywhere I go, there’s a memory or a new one to be made. And for all of this, I can’t imagine raising my kids anywhere else.

Do you have a favorite meal from your childhood and do you cook it today?
My mom was (is) an amazing cook. We never had processed crap or take out anything. She cooked every night and those consistent dinners around the kitchen table are some of my favorite memories growing up. She didn’t make anything too crazy – it was always Italian, or had an Italian spin to it. I loved everything she made. But my favorite memories were coming off the school bus during the winter, opening the door and smelling her scratch chicken soup. Best. Smell. Ever.

Top 3 Movies of all time?
It’s a Wonderful Life. Rocky 1 (I’m Italian – I think it’s sacrilegious not to name this one). Back to the Future.

What was your happiest moment in life?
Impossible to pick one. Marrying my husband, Jamie. The most amazing man, husband, friend and father. He always jokes and asks me what it’s like to win the lottery. But as corny as it sounds, that’s how I feel.

And the day our daughter, Natalie, was born. And in just a few weeks, we’ll have that same feeling again as we wait for the arrival of our second daughter. Every day is fantastic. I truly feel blessed – through the good times and bad. Life is good what’s not to be happy about?

Where do you do your grocery shopping?
Heinen’s, Miles Farmer’s Market, Whole Foods, West Side market and farmers’ markets. Though you can find me at the first two practically daily.

What is your favorite guilty pleasure when it comes to food?
Ok – I realize this will gross many people out – but I love Miracle Whip! I know, I know – it’s not even food. But I can’t stand mayo and this stuff is just great.

Do you have Culinary Resolutions that you would like to accomplish this year?
Get my knives sharpened – I’m so behind.

One word that best describes you is: My word: Passionate.

Others word: Stubborn.

And now for your recipe:
Right now, I am addicted to making strawberry rhubarb pie. I just attempted my first one last month and have made several since. The rhubarb from The Chef’s Garden is out of this world good! And I’m hoping by this weekend, I’ll have enough strawberries from our garden to make another. The recipe I’ve been following is from Smitten Kitchen: http://smittenkitchen.com/2008/05/strawberry-rhubarb-pie/

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Lattice-Topped Strawberry Rhubarb Pie
Recipe taken from Smitten Kitchen, Adapted from Bon Appetit, April 1997
Serves 8

For crust
3 cups all purpose flour
2 1/2 teaspoons sugar
3/4 teaspoon salt
2/3 cup chilled solid vegetable shortening, cut into pieces
1/2 cup plus 2 tablespoons (1 1/4 sticks) chilled unsalted butter, cut into pieces
10 tablespoons (about) ice water

For filling
3 1/2 cups 1/2-inch-thick slices trimmed rhubarb (1 1/2 pounds untrimmed)
1 16-ounce container strawberries, hulled, halved (about 3 1/2 cups)
1/2 cup (packed) golden brown sugar
1/2 cup sugar
1/4 cup cornstarch
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/4 teaspoon salt

1 large egg yolk beaten to blend with 1 teaspoon water (for glaze)

Make crust: Combine flour, sugar and salt in processor. [Alternately, you can use a pastry cutter to make your dough, as I did.] Using on/off turns, cut in shortening and butter until coarse meal forms. Blend in enough ice water 2 tablespoons at a time to form moist clumps. Gather dough into ball; cut in half. Flatten each half into disk. Wrap separately in plastic; refrigerate until firm, about 1 hour. (Can be made 1 day ahead. Keep chilled. Let dough soften slightly at room temperature before rolling.)

Make filling: Preheat oven to 400°F. Combine first 7 ingredients in large bowl. Toss gently to blend.

Assemble Pie: Roll out 1 dough disk on floured work surface to 13-inch round. Transfer to 9-inch-diameter glass pie dish [er, I used a metal one and it was just fine]. Trim excess dough, leaving 3/4-inch overhang.

Roll out second dough disk on lightly floured surface to 13-inch round. Cut into fourteen 1/2-inch-wide strips. Spoon filling into crust. Arrange 7 dough strips atop filling, spacing evenly. Form lattice by placing remaining dough strips in opposite direction atop filling. Trim ends of dough strips even with overhang of bottom crust. Fold strip ends and overhang under, pressing to seal. Crimp edges decoratively.

Brush glaze over crust. transfer pie to baking sheet. Bake 20 minutes. Reduce oven temperature to 350°F. Bake pie until golden and filling thickens, about another 25 minutes. [The original recipe suggested a total baking time of 1 hour and 55 minutes. No joke. Mine was done in just shy of an hour.] Transfer pie to rack and cool completely.

Warm Layered Mexican Dip

2011-06-16T08:10:00.005-04:00

Any fun plans for Father's Day this weekend? We will be picnicking with the family, of course! Me and the boys are looking forward to letting daddy and the grandpa's know how loved they are. Raising two young men myself just solidifies my grateful heart for being raised by an amazing father. And watching my own husband be the example of a good man makes my heart break wide open every single day. I am a lucky girl- so, so blessed!

This dip is a yummy choice to take along to any picnic's you may be attending this summer. it is a definite crowd pleaser- who doesn't love a good mexican dip?! And trust me, this is a great one!

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Warm Layered Mexican Dip
1 can refried beans
8 oz softened cream cheese
1 pouch taco seasoning
1/2 can black beans, rinsed and drained
1 ear of corn, cooked and kernels removed (or 1/2 can whole kernel corn, drained)
1 cup salsa
2 cups shredded cheese (I used a combo of cheddar and mozzarella)
fresh cilantro for garnish

In a small bowl, combine the creamed cheese and taco seasoning well with a fork. Warm in the microwave for about 30 seconds and set aside. In a medium sized bowl, combine the black beans, corn and salsa.

Spread the refried beans evenly on the bottom of a round pie plate or an 8x8. Top with the taco-cream cheese mixture and next layer the corn, black bean and salsa mixture. Sprinkle shredded cheese evenly over top of layered dip. Bake in a preheated 350 degree oven for 10 minutes, or until cheese melts. Garnish with cilantro and serve with your favorite tortilla chips.

I linked up my recipe here:

Greek Pasta Salad with a Roasted Tomato Vinaigrette

2011-06-15T08:47:00.003-04:00

I love a nice chilled pasta salad for a summer lunch and they are obviously the perfect side dish for any picnic or BBQ. But I am not always all that crazy about those that are doused in mayo. Talk about wasted calories! I would much rather have an extra glass of sangria then mayo-laden pasta salad. This is a lovely alternative. Totally guilt free and absolutely bursting with flavor. I used my sister's Roasted Tomato Salad Dressing and it went perfect with the feta and olives. So yummy! And actually I felt that the salad tasted even better the next day after all of the flavors got to hang out with each other a bit. If I was making this for a party, I would definitely put it together the night before.

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Greek Pasta Salad with a Roasted Tomato Vinaigrette

For the vinaigrette:
Roasted Tomato Dressing
Container of cherry or grape tomatoes
Small red onion (I used 3 chopped green onions, since that is what I had on hand. Any onion would work really)
1/2 cup Extra Virgin Olive Oil
1 tablespoon Dijon Mustard
1 1/2-2 tablespoons Balsamic Vinegar
Salt & freshly ground black Pepper

Preheat oven to 400. Empty and entire container of tomatoes on a baking pan. Drizzle the tomatoes with olive oil, salt & pepper. Roast in the oven until they start to split, about 15 min. While roasting, mince a small red onion & put in large bowl. Take roasted tomatoes and juice from the pan and put in bowl with the onions. Mash the tomatoes with potato masher or fork. Stir in dijon mustard and balsamic vinegar. In a slow steady stream, stir in olive oil while stirring with a whisk or a fork. Stir until well blended, add salt & pepper to taste.

For the pasta salad:
1/2 box cavatappi pasta, cooked according to directions on box (or another ridged pasta; penne, fusilli or gremili would be nice)
2 stalks of celery, chopped
1 green bell pepper, chopped
1 english cucumber, sliced into rings and then cut into fourths
1 can black olives, sliced into rings
1 block feta, crumbled
a bunch of fresh parsley, chopped

Cook pasta to al-dente, according to directions printed on the box. Drain and rinse with cold water to stop the cooking process. Set aside to allow to cool down. This is a good time to make up your vinaigrette. Once your vinaigrette is made, combine all ingredients for the salad in a large bowl. Pour dressing on top and mix well. Chill for at least 2 hours to allow flavors to combine.

I have a hard time waiting to eat this yumminess, but I have to admit it tastes best chilled.

You could definitely add cooked chicken or shrimp to make this more of main course. It would be delicious!

Baked Chipotle Panko-Crusted Chicken Tenders

2011-06-13T21:02:00.001-04:00

It is no surprise that children love chicken tenders- but lets be perfectly honest here.... so do us adults! Especially when they are super crunchy, totally healthy and with a little kick of smokey spice. These Baked Chipotle Panko-Crusted Chicken Tenders are just that. Do you see how amazingly crunchy they are?! There is seriously no need to fry these guys thanks to the panko bread crumbs. The flavor of the Chipotle chiles adds just the right taste profile to satisfy us grown-ups. If you aren't familiar, Chipotle chiles are smoke dried jalapeños. Just a sprinkle gives no heat just smokey flavor. But go a little too heavy handed and you will be in for a surprise. So please be sure to taste this stuff before seasoning too heavy. The heat can catch up on you! You can definitely leave the Chipotle chili spice out if your children are sensitive to strong flavors, but my 4 year old loved them. Don't be afraid of introducing your kids to new flavors. You will be surprised at just how complex their tastebuds can be if you give them a chance!

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Baked Chipotle Chili Panko-Crusted Chicken Tenders

1 1/2 lbs boneless skinless chicken breast tenders (if you can't find already prepared tenders use chicken breasts, pounded to 1/2" thin and cut into 1 1/2" wide strips)
1 1/2 cups panko breadcrumbs
1 teaspoon oregano
2 teaspoon garlic salt
1/2-1 teaspoon chipotle chili pepper spice (I love McCormick's brand)
kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
2 eggs
1/2 cup flour

Preheat oven to 350F. Cover a baking sheet with foil and lightly spraying with nonstick cooking spray. Set aside.

In a shallow dish, add the flour and season with salt and pepper. In another shallow dish, season the eggs with salt and pepper and lightly beat. In a third shallow dish, combine panko breadcrumbs with oregano, chipotle chili pepper, garlic salt, and pepper.

Dredge tenders in the flour to coat, shaking off any excess flour. Dip the floured chicken tenders into the egg and then coat the chicken tenders with the breadcrumb mixture. Arrange on baking sheet. Repeat with remaining strips.

Bake chicken tenders for 12-15 minutes, or until golden brown, flipping once part way through the cook time. Serve with your favorite dipping sauce.

Un-fried, "Fried" Ice Cream

2011-06-12T15:54:00.003-04:00

I got together with the girls last week for another yummy dinner. Mexican was the menu and I was in charge of dessert this time. I had fried ice cream for the very first time not too long ago at a fantastic restaurant here in Cleveland called Momocho. It is crispy, sweet, and although fried, the ice cream is still super cold and totally frozen. It's a fun concept! I wanted to try recreating the dessert tonight, but thought maybe I could make something similar without the added fat that frying would give. I found this recipe at Christie Jordan's blog, Southern Plate. It was so yummy and couldn't be easier! We all loved the sweet and crunchy cereal topping paired with the french vanilla ice cream. I totally sprinkled extra cruchies on my ice cream once I ate the rest off- it was the best part!

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Unfried Fried Ice Cream
from Southern Plate

Container Vanilla Ice cream
3 Cups Honey and Oats Cereal*
3 Tablespoons butter
3 Tablespoons sugar
1 Tablespoons cinnamon

Scoop frozen ice cream out onto waxed paper lined baking sheets and place in freezer for at least an hour, or until hardened.

During that time, place cereal in gallon zipper bag and crush. Melt butter in microwave and stir in sugar and cinnamon, pour into bag with cereal and seal. Knead with hands until well mixed. Pour out onto lined baking sheet and place in oven at 350 just until toasted, about five minutes. Keep close watch as cereal will burn easily. Remove from oven and allow to cool.

Roll hardened ice cream balls in mixture, pressing lightly as you do so. Place coated ice cream in 9×13 dish and return to freezer or serve immediately.

For serving, drizzle with honey and top with whipped cream and a cherry.

*Can also use corn flakes or cereal of your choice. Golden Grahams, Cinnamon Toast Crunch, etc.
Yields about ten scoops of ice cream.

Kitchen Tip of the Day- How to Make an Iced Coffee or Enjoy Fresh Brewed Iced Tea at Home..... without melting your ice

2011-06-11T00:00:00.002-04:00

When the summer months come around, aside from a nice "adult" cocktail there isn't much I want more then a wonderfully icy cold Iced Coffee with lots of milk or a glass of Fresh Brewed Iced Tea (no instant for me!) The only problem is the heat factor. Did you ever wonder how to make one of these at home without watering down your beverage or having to wait forever until it cools down enough to not melt your ice cubes?

When I mentioned my little trick to some friends the other night, they said right away I needed to share it on here. It's quite simple really, and only uses one little piece of equipment- One metal teaspoon. Yep, that's it!

sorry about the spill... it is tricky to pour and take a picture at the same time...haha

Fill your glass all the way to the top with ice cubes. Stick a metal teaspoon into your glass of ice. Slowly pour your hot coffee or tea into the glass. Metals are the best thermal conductors, because of this all of the heat from the beverage will be attracted to the spoon, leaving your ice cubes mostly in tact and will quickly cool down your once hot beverage. Remove the spoon and enjoy!

Soft and Chewy Trail Mix Cookies

2011-06-10T09:02:00.005-04:00

What an exciting weekend this past one was! Early Saturday morning my beautiful sister gave birth to my very first nephew! As with many births, especially those that begin with an induction, was a very long process. Baby Neil was just so comfy in there he wasn't sure he was ready to come out. So all day Friday and well into the early morning on Saturday my brother in law, my parents and I waited patiently for his grand arrival at the hospital. Lots of magazines, chit chat, fidgeting and of course bad vending machine food helped pass the time. I tried to make a good decision, but after 10 hours of hospital lighting it was increasingly difficult. There were these cookies by Sunmade that sounded super yummy. They were Trail Mix Cookies, crunchy little cookies full of all the great stuff you would find in a bag of trail mix. Although they tasted great, they were anything but healthy. So once I got home I was determined to recreate these guys in a more healthful way.

These cookies are pretty healthy, replacing the fat with applesauce, using only egg whites and full of lots of stuff to bump up your energy level but also satisfy those mid-day cravings. They remind me a ton of a granola bar, but the nice thing is that they are small so there isn't a big commitment that a whole bar has. You get to eat a cookie and not feel too bad afterwards. Nice trade off!

I think I will be playing around with the recipe, replacing some of the brown sugar with white sugar to give more of the "crunch" that I like in a cookie. But this recipe is definitely a keeper.

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Soft and Chewy Trail Mix Cookies
makes 3 dozen cookies
recipe adapted from allrecipes

1/2 cup applesauce
1 cup brown sugar
1 1/2 teaspoons vanilla extract
2 egg whites
1 1/4 cups all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon salt
3/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1 1/4 cups quick cooking oats
1/2 cup semisweet chocolate chips
1/2 cup white chocolate chips
1/2 cup sliced almonds
1/4 cup sunflower seeds
3/4 cup sweetened coconut
1/2 cup raisins

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). Line 2 baking sheets with silpats, parchment paper or grease with nonstick cooking spray.

Beat applesauce, brown sugar, and vanilla in a large bowl. In another bowl, use an electric mixer to beat egg whites until they are frothy and begin to firm up. Fold egg whites into applesauce mixture. Combine the flour, baking soda, salt, and cinnamon. Fold into the egg mixture. Stir in the oats, chocolate chips, almonds, sunflower seeds, coconut and raisins. Drop by heaping teaspoons on prepared baking sheets. These cookies don't spread out at all remaining in a mound after baking. If you would rather have a flatter cookie, press down lightly with greased finger tips.

Bake cookies in preheated oven until set and lightly browned, about 10 minutes. Remove immediately to wire racks to cool.

I linked up!

Eggy Sandwich topped with a Spicy Black Bean and Tomato Guacamole

2011-06-09T15:23:00.001-04:00

OMG. I just had one of the most delicious egg sandwiches. Ever. Scrambled egg topped with a spicy black bean and tomato guacamole, a slice of mild cheddar cheese, served on lightly toasted Italian bread. This was one of the best ideas I've had in a long time. I SO had to share!! Go make this tonight- it will make a fantastic dinner!

Eggy Sandwich topped with a Spicy Black Bean and Tomato Guacamole
Makes 4 sandwiches

For the sandwich:
6 eggs
6 tablespoons milk
salt and fresh ground black pepper to taste
4 slices mild cheddar cheese
8 slices Italian bread, or any other soft yet crusty bread
freshly prepared spicy black bean and tomato guacamole (recipe follows)
1 tablespoon butter, plus a bit more to spread on toasted bread

In a large mixing bowl, vigorously whisk the eggs and milk together for about 2 minutes. This will make sure your eggs are light, fluffy and super yummy. The American Egg Board describes well beaten eggs as being "frothy and evenly colored". It takes about 2 minutes to get them like this. Everyone will ask you how you got your eggs so fluffy and pretty looking!

In a nonstick frying pan melt 1 tablespoon butter until the very last of it is just liquifying. Pour in the eggs. Do not scramble right away. Just as they are beginning to set, using a spatula or a flat wooden spoon, push eggs toward center while tilting skillet to distribute the runny parts. Season with salt and pepper. Once cooked remove from heat.

While eggs are cooking, toast and butter your bread. Evenly distribute the eggs across 4 slices of buttered bread. Add one slice of cheese to the top of each egg. Dollop with a good amount of guacamole (I LOVE guacamole, so I used a lot. It was messy, but sooooo good!) Add the remaining slices of toasted bread, slice in half and enjoy!

Spicy Black Bean and Tomato Guacamole
1 Haas Avocado, roughly mashed
1 tomato, chopped
1 jalapeno, diced
1/2 medium red onion, chopped
the juice of half of one lime
1/2 can of black beans, drained and rinsed
a few dashes Tobasco Sauce
sea salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste

Combine all ingredients except the black beans and with a fork, roughly mash to combine. Stir in the black beans. Squeeze a little more lime juice on top to stop the oxidation process and keep the beautiful bright green color.

tip: If tomatoes aren't in season and are looking a little too "pink" for your liking, a can of diced tomatoes with green chili's is a great substitute for the tomato and jalapeno pepper (I really like the Ro*tel brand). You may wish to omit the Tobasco Sauce as well , as these can have a god kick to them . Be sure to taste the guac first to get the spiciness it to your liking.

Winner of the "Tastefully Simple" Giveaway!!

2011-06-05T22:52:00.001-04:00

Thank you to everyone who entered my giveaway for the Party Pack from Tastefully Simple! It was such fun seeing all of your lovely comments. I hope all you newbies stick around a while!

And now for the moment that all of you have been waiting for...

drum roll please......

True Random Number GeneratorMin: Max: Result:9Powered by RANDOM.ORG

Congratulations my entry #9, who was KarenP. You are my winner!!

KarenP said...

The Garlic Garlic seasoning sure sounds good - I think I would use it on everything!

May 31, 2011 4:38 PM

Karen, I have sent you an email through your blog (very cute by the way!) and I look forward to hearing back from you! You have 48 hours to get back with me or I will have to choose another winner. I hope you enjoy your goodies!!!

Simply Southwest Egg Rolls

2011-06-02T23:43:00.001-04:00

Ok, so these are super yummy! It was such a fun twist on Mexican food. This egg roll recipe is from the Tastefully Simple website where they have lots of fun recipes to use along with their products. The items used in this particular recipe were the Simply Southwest Seasoning & Rub, their Corn, Black Bean Salsa and the same Hoppin' Jalapeño & Bacon Dip Mix that is in my giveaway. This was definitely a favorite recipe of all the ones I have tried so far from their website.

The Simply Southwest Egg Rolls are very simple to make- took me probably no more then 20 minutes to prepare, plus the time to bake or fry. I decided to try both methods. Frying obviously was delicious- what isn't yummy fried? But in my quest to loose my "baby weight" I also wanted to see if baking would produce still the nice "crunch" you are looking for with an egg roll and reduce some of the added fat that frying can add. The baked ones were definitely great, but I did have a problem with the cheese oozing out of many of them. I probably overloaded my egg rolls, considering that the recipe states that it makes 15 rolls and I only got 12. This I am sure had a lot to do with my oozing. Other then that, I don't feel we missed out on anything that the fried ones had. It takes a smidge longer, but I can live with that if it means a healthier option. I will definitely make them again and will choose the baking method (less mess, less added fat).

Simply Southwest Egg Rolls
Submitted by Rosemary (MN) HQ Resident Chef

Ingredients
1 lb. boneless, skinless chicken breasts, cut into small dice
2 tsp. olive oil
2-3 tsp. Simply Southwest™ Seasoning & Rub or Fiesta Party Dip Mix
1 cup Corn, Black Bean Salsa
1 1/2 cups finely shredded Cheddar cheese
16 oz. package egg roll wraps
Vegetable oil
Prepared Hoppin' Jalapeño & Bacon™ Dip Mix

Directions
Sauté chicken in olive oil and Simply Southwest Seasoning™ & Rub or Fiesta Party Dip Mix™ until chicken is no longer pink; cool. Add next 2 ingredients to cooled chicken. On work surface, place one egg roll wrap with a corner pointing toward you. Place 1/4 cup filling on egg roll wrap, roll egg roll skin over filling. Fold in sides, wet inside edge of egg roll skin with water; press to seal like an envelope. Heat 1/2 inch vegetable oil in frying pan over medium heat. Fry egg rolls in hot oil until browned on all sides and heated through. Slice egg rolls in half; serve hot with prepared Hoppin' Jalapeno & Bacon Dip. Can be made ahead and reheated by baking at 400° for 15 minutes or until hot and crisp. Makes 15 egg rolls.

**Added note: if you want to bake instead of fry, line baking sheet with a silpat or parchment paper and arrange egg rolls on top. Bake for 15-20 minutes, turning once halfway through.

Don't forget to enter for a chance to win this party pack from Tastefully Simple! Click {here} to enter the giveaway! Drawing ends on June 6th, so hurry up!

For ordering information, please contact Melissa Kroft, Independent Consultant ID# 0060063 at www.tastefullysimple.com/web/mkroft or email her at melissakroft@sbcglobal.net. She will be more then happy to hook you up with all of your needs or set you up with a local consultant in your area.

"Spinach and Herb" Green Beans

2011-06-01T13:22:00.004-04:00

Going along with my awesome giveaway for a Party Pack from Tastefully Simple, all week I am going to feature recipes using different Tastefully Simple products. Today I am featuring the Spinach and Herb Dip Mix. Although it makes a wonderful dip for veggies and pita chips, I tend to use it most often as seasoning while I cook- especially in the cooler months when fresh herbs aren't as plentiful.

There is tons of flavor in this seasoning mix, combining spinach flakes, onion, minced green onion, dill and garlic, making it completely versatile in cooking. There is also only a very, very small amount of salt, so you can pretty much season your food as you would do so normally without worrying about sodium overload. Love that! It is also completely All Natural- no additives to get in the way of a healthy meal.

This quick recipe for green beans was a huge hit at Easter Dinner. Everyone loved them. The left overs (if you have any) are wonderful cold, tossed into a green leafy salad with a lemony vinaigrette. Yum!

"Spinach and Herb" Green Beans
1 lb green beans, steam-end snipped
2 Tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil, divided
2 whole shallots, diced
water
1 Tablespoon Spinach and Herb Dip Mix, like Tastefully Simple's
salt and fresh ground black pepper, to taste

Warm 1 tablespoon olive oil in a large rimmed saute pan over medium heat. Add shallots and sauté until soft and translucent. Remove shallots from pan and set aside. Add green beans to pan and enough water to come up half way on the green beans. Cover and steam until beans are crisp-tender and bright green in color. Drain beans and return to pan. Add remaining olive oil, shallots, Spinach and Herb Dip Mix and stir to combine. Season with salt and fresh ground black pepper, to taste. Sauté 3 minutes to allow spices to rehydrate and flavors to combine. Transfer to a serving dish and enjoy!

Other suggestions for the Spinach & Herb Dip Mix

• Serve dip in a blossom of purple kale.

• Add dry mix to scrambled eggs before cooking.

• Perfect on broiled or baked fish.

• Make herb bread by adding 1–2 Tbsp. to Bountiful Beer Bread Mix®.

• Toss dry mix with cooked carrots, cauliflower and broccoli.

• Add prepared dip to seafood pasta salad.

• Toss with hot, cooked fettuccine noodles.

• Spread prepared dip on finger sandwiches.

• Dollop prepared dip on baked potatoes.

• Sprinkle on cottage cheese.

• Look for more recipes at www.tastefullysimple.com.

Don't forget to enter for a chance to win this party pack from Tastefully Simple! Click {here} to enter the giveaway! Drawing ends on June 6th, so hurry up!

Fridays, Feasting with Friends- Featuring......Me!

2011-05-27T09:48:00.002-04:00

Today I had the fun opportunity to be a guest blogger at Alicia's, Poise in Parma. You probably all remember her as one of my recent features on Friday's Feasting with Friends. She asked if I had ever completed my very own Fridays, Feasting with Friends and if not if I could do so today. Yay! I have to admit I had such a fun time doing it, and also so honored to be a feature on such a great blog. Thank you Alicia!!

So without further delay, pay a visit to Poise in Parma and read all about little me!

Fridays, Feasting with Friends-

Featuring Amie Kanengeiser

And don't forget to enter my newest giveaway for a chance to win a party pack full of great Tastefully Simple merchandise just in time for summer! Click here for A "Tastefully Simple" Giveaway!

GIVEAWAY NOW CLOSED!! A "Tastefully Simple" Giveaway!!!

2011-05-25T23:37:00.007-04:00

Are you all familiar with the company Tastefully Simple? If so, I can pretty much guess you are a fan! And if you are not familiar, you need to make yourself as soon as possible! I first discovered this company many years ago when my best friend Adrianne was a consultant for them. It only took one party for me to be convinced this stuff was great. I was hooked! They sell a variety of items ranging from spices, dip mixes, breads, desserts, drinks, to oils and dressings. And the best part about his stuff (aside from the amazing taste) is that they can either be enjoyed right out of the container or be prepared with two additional ingredients or less. It honestly doesn't get much easier then this. They are perfect to bring along as a side dish for all those parties coming up this summer! Here is a little more information about the company from their website:

Tastefully Simple is a direct sales company based in Alexandria, Minnesota.

What We Do
We offer a wide selection of convenient, easy-to-prepare foods designed to help people spend less time in the kitchen and more time enjoying the rest of their lives. Our products are available through independent Tastefully Simple consultants primarily at home taste-testing parties nationwide.

From tasty appetizers to luscious desserts, our catalog includes over 60 simple and delicious foods - ready with two ingredients or less.

What We Believe
Tastefully Simple is proud to be a member of the Direct Selling Association - the organization that maintains standards of practice for direct sales companies across the nation. We're also honored to belong to the Better Business Bureau, which promotes the highest standards for business ethics and customer service in the marketplace.

When my best friend had to stop selling Tastefully Simple due to family reasons, I have to admit I freaked out a little. I kinda, may have hoarded my Bountiful Beer Bread Mix (oh man, this stuff is yummy!) and the Garlic Garlic Seasoning, my personal favorite, started being used more and more sparingly then I was used to. But luckily for me Adrianne passed me onto her new consultant, Melissa Kroft, so I can now keep my pantry stocked with all my favorites.

As with all direct sales companies, hosting a party is the way to go. You get to eat the entire time, socialize with your friends, and the rewards are amazing (can you say freebies?!) But if you aren't the Party-Hosting-Type, you can also order directly through your personal consultant and online- which makes life so convenient.

Please take a moment and head over to Tastefully Simple's Website and look around. I can pretty much guarantee that if you are a food lover, there will be something that will grab your attention! Want to give some of these yummies a try? Well today is seriously your lucky day. Melissa is providing one lucky winner all of this awesome stuff below for free! The Bountiful Beer Bread, like I mentioned earlier, is a big time personal favorite of mine. I haven't met a soul that wasn't hooked on it after giving it a taste. And the Hoppin' Jalapeno Dip Mix is my new favorite. It is great as a dip for veggies and chips, but we also love, love it as a spread for grilled steak sandwiches. Yumm-o. The cookbook is a great go-to, especially with Party Season approaching, and now you will have the perfect spreader to go along with the dip!

If you just can't wait for the giveaway or are finding way too many awesome products you just have to have, you can contact Melissa Kroft, Independent Consultant ID# 0060063 at www.tastefullysimple.com/web/mkroft or email her at melissakroft@sbcglobal.net. She will be more then happy to hook you up with all of your needs or set you up with a local consultant in your area.

Throughout the week I will be showcasing different Tastefully Simple products in my recipes demonstrating the great stuff you can do with them. This is going to be a fun week! Best of luck to you all!!

*GIVEAWAY NOW CLOSED!!*

What You Win:
1 Hoppin' Jalapeno and Bacon Dip Mix
Creamy with a kick of heat and the ever-popular flavor of bacon. Add mayonnaise and sour cream, and serve with chips or crackers. Also delicious spread on wraps and BLT sandwiches. Each packet makes about 1 cup dip.
1 Bountiful Beer Bread Mix
Our signature bread mix is so simple to make - no kneading, no rising time, nothing to add but beer or any carbonated beverage. In a matter of minutes, your house will be filled with the mouth-watering aroma of freshly baked bread. The perfect companion to our dips and soups. Kosher.
1 Simple Starters Recipes Cookbook
This handy little recipe book will help you get the party started with sassy snacks and anytime appetizers. Also makes a wonderful addition to any Tastefully Simple gift.
1 Host Collection Dip Spreader
Each ceramic handle is hand painted, so no two pieces will be identical. This unique ceramic and stainless steel piece was designed exclusively for Tastefully Simple to compliment our products and your way of life.

Giveaway Rules:
You must be 18 years or older and a U.S. resident to enter. Mandatory entry MUST be completed before any optional entries will be counted. Winner will be selected by random drawing, using random.org. Deadline for entry is midnight (EST), Saturday, June 4th.

Mandatory Entry:
Leave a comment, below, telling me which Tastefully Simple Product you would love to add to your kitchen pantry. I need a specific name, so if you’re not sure or you don’t know what a wide variety of products they offer, you can check out the list on their site.

Optional Entries:
You may complete any or all of the following optional entries after the Mandatory Entry is completed. Please be sure to leave a separate comment for each action telling me you've done so. The more entires, the more chances you have for winning!

1. "Like" My Retro Kitchen on Facebook and leave a comment below with your Facebook name, letting me know you did.
2. Follow @Amiekanen on Twitter and leave a comment below with your Twitter handle, letting me know you did.
3. Follow My Retro Kitchen on Google Friends Connect. Use the “Follow” button in the right-hand sidebar. Leave a comment letting me know you’ve done it.
4. Post this giveaway on your Facebook page. "Enter to win a Party Pack from Tastefully Simple at http://www.myretrokitchen.blogspot.com/ which includes their Bountiful Beer Bread Mix, Hoppin' Jalapeno & Bacon Dip Mix, "Simple Starters Recipes" Cookbook and a handcrafted Dip Spreader. You’ll love the ease that Tastefully Simple can bring to cooking!" Leave a comment below with a link to your post.
5. Sign up for the Tastefully Simple monthly Newsletter with Consultant Melissa Kroft by contacting her at melissakroft@sbcglobal.net and leave a comment below letting me know you did.

I received Tastefully Simple Products in order to conduct this review. No monetary compensation was received and a positive review was not required. As with all My Retro Kitchen reviews, the views and opinions expressed are wholly my own. The winner will receive their prize directly from me, at My Retro Kitchen at the conclusion of the giveaway.

"Sweet" and Smokey Turkey Shepherd's Pie

2011-05-25T09:57:00.002-04:00

print this recipe

"Sweet" and Smokey Shepherd's Pie
adapted from Rachael Ray

Ingredients
2 large (orange) sweet potatoes, also named yams, peeled and cubed
1 large Idaho potatoes, peeled and cubed
Coarse salt
cooking spray
1 1/3 pound ground turkey breast
1 tablespoon smoked paprika, available in small cans on spice aisle of market
(You may substitute 1 1/2 teaspoons each sweet paprika and cumin combined- which is what i did.)
Coarse black pepper
2 tablespoons, 5 or 6 sprigs, fresh thyme leaves
1 medium onion, chopped
2 carrots, peeled and diced
1 ear of corn, kernels cut off (you may also use 1 cup frozen corn)
1 small red bell pepper, seeded and chopped
1 cubanelle pepper, seeded and chopped
1 cup frozen peas
2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
2 cups chicken broth
1 cup sour cream or greek yogurt, divided
3 tablespoons butter
1 large egg, beaten
fresh chives, chopped or snipped

Directions
Bring a medium pot of water to a boil, salt it, and cook the potatoes until tender, 12 to 15 minutes.

Heat a deep, large skillet over medium-high heat. Spray your pan evenly with nonstick cooking spray. Add ground turkey to the pan and break it up. Season the turkey with smoked paprika, salt and pepper, and thyme. When turkey browns up, add onions and carrots. Season the veggies with salt and pepper. Cook 5 minutes, then add red pepper, corn and peas cook another 2 minutes. Stir in flour and cook flour 2 minutes. Whisk in broth and combine. Add 1/2 cup of sour cream and combine. Simmer mixture over low heat.

Preheat your broiler to high.

When potatoes are tender, add a ladle of cooking water to the egg. Drain potatoes and return to the warm pot to dry them out a little. Add remaining 1/2 cup sour cream, butter, half of the chives, and salt and pepper. Smash and mash the potatoes, mashing in the beaten, tempered egg. If the potatoes are too tight, mix in a splash of milk.

Pour turkey mixture into a medium casserole dish. Top turkey with an even layer of smashed potatoes and place casserole 5 inches from hot broiler. Broil the potatoes until golden at edges and remove the casserole from the oven. Garnish the casserole with the remaining chives and a sprinkle of smoked paprika.

This is a wonderful recipe; completely comforting and full of a great mingling of flavors. The original recipe from Rachael Ray adds in bacon and uses only Idaho potatoes. I am heading towards my big grocery shopping day, so I needed to improvise with what ingredients I still had in my pantry. I only had one Idaho potato and two sweet potatoes, and I also had one ear of corn. So I thought it would make a nice contrast adding in the sweet potatoes and sweet corn to play on the smokiness of the paprika. I also omitted the bacon from the original recipe because I was fresh out- I know, how depressing! We definitely didn't miss the bacon, although I am sure it would be a tasty addition. We all agreed that this recipe is a keeper and one that will easily slide into our regular rotation of favorite meals. It is also a huge kids pleaser! Jackson love, LOVED this meal. He gobbled his right up telling me it was so yummy. And the fact that it only goes under the broiler for about 5 minutes, you get a nice comfort meal without heating up your kitchen. Perfect.

**Be sure to come back tomorrow for My Retro Kitchen's next giveaway! It is an awesome one provided by my friend Melissa Kroft of Tastefully Simple!! You don't want to miss out on this one- I promise!

Steak Fajitas

2011-05-09T15:59:00.002-04:00

Do you remember that amazing steak marinade I told you about? It is a great stepping stone, and just with a squeeze of lime and a substitution of Southwest Seasoning Salt (I love Tastefully Simple's!) and you have a wonderful Mexican flavor that is perfect for Steak Fajitas! These are a simple dish- no fuss really. And with the fresh spinach and greek yogurt you are giving yourself some great health benefits! Of course you can totally use any lettuce you have on hand and sour cream for the greek yogurt. But trust me, this is de-lish!

Steak Fajitas

1 lb thin cut tri-tip (flank steak and skirt steak also work great for this dish)
1 medium red onion, thinly sliced
1/2 pint cherry tomatoes, chopped into halves or forths, depending on size)
a handful of spinach, roughly chopped
cheddar cheese, shredded
greek yogurt (or sour cream), for serving
favorite taco sauce or salsa, for serving
flour tortillas

for the Fantastic Steak Marinade
3 garlic cloves, finely chopped
2 tablespoons grill seasoning, such as McCormick's Montreal Steak Seasoning
1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce
Southwest Seasoning Salt (Tastefully Simple's version Simply Southwest Seasoning and Rub is perfect) and freshly ground black pepper (if you don't have southwest seasoning salt, sea salt will work just fine.)
3 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
juice of half a lime

Mix Together the garlic, grill seasoning, Worcestershire sauce, Southwest Seasoning Salt, lime juice and pepper. Whisk in the EVOO. Pour into a 9x13-inch glass dish or a sealable plastic bag. Add the steak and coat it evenly in marinade. Let stand for at least 10 minutes.

Grill Steak for 2-4 minutes a side, depending on thickness of your meat. Remove from grill and allow to rest under tented foil for 10 minutes before slicing into thin strips, diagonally against the grain.

Meanwhile, over medium heat, saute sliced onions in one tablespoon extra virgin olive oil until tender and caramelized.

Top each tortilla with steak, caramelized onions, spinach, cheese, tomatoes, greek yogurt and sauce/salsa. Wrap and enjoy!

The next afternoon, I had the leftovers for lunch. I couldn't decide on having a fajita like the night before- or using some bagged shredded coleslaw mix (this stuff is awesome to keep onhand!) and teriyaki sauce, and making a version of my Teriyaki Pork Wraps. So I made both! Soooooo good!

Apple Muffins with Cinnamon and Sugar

2011-05-05T22:41:00.003-04:00

These muffins are wonderfully light, and despite the sugar topping, they are the perfect sweetness. Not too sweet- just right. You will love these. I promise.

Print this Recipe

Apple Muffins with Cinnamon and Sugar
makes 6 3-inch muffins or 24 mini muffins

3/4 Cup all-purpose flour
1 cup whole wheat flour
2 tablespoons granulated sugar, plus more for sugarcoating the muffins
2 teaspoons baking powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 1/4 teaspoons ground cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon ground nutmeg
1 large egg
1 cup skim milk
6 tablespoons canola oil
1/2 cup frozen apple-juice concentrate, thawed
1/4 teaspoon lemon extract
1 large apple, peeled, cored and finely chopped

Position rack in the center of oven and preheat to 400 degrees F. Lightly grease or line with paper baking cups six 3-inch muffin cups.

In a large bowl, blend together the two flours, 2 tablespoons sugar, baking powder, salt, cinnamon, and nutmeg. In a medium bowl, beat the egg, milk, oil, apple juice, and lemon extract until smooth. Stir in the apples. Combine the two mixtures, blending until the dry ingredients are just moistened.

Spoon the batter into the prepared muffin cups, filling each about 3/4 full. Bake for 20-25 minutes, or until the tops are golden and a cake tester or wooden toothpick inserted into the center of a muffin comes out clean. Cool in the pan on a wire rack for 5-7 minutes.

Serve warm, or invert onto the rack to cool completely. While still warm, coat the muffins with sugar.

I doubled the recipe and made a batch of mini muffins as well as regular sized. I LOVE the mini muffins! These are the perfect flavors for a little bite-sized treat. I definitely recommend making them tiny like this. Isn't anything more fun when they are small? Plus, this way you can have more then one and not feel guilty....

Fridays, Feasting With Friends- Featuring Bradley Gillette

2011-04-29T09:30:00.005-04:00

~Laurie Colwin 'Home Cooking'

Bradley Gillette

In keeping with my local Cleveland Bloggers trend as of late, todays guest for Fridays, Feasting with Friends is Bradley Gillette of the ever popular blogs Cleveland Food and Brews and Cleveland Food and Brews- Craft Beers. Brad's blogs are so much fun! Not only does he review and talk about all the wonderful food and restaurants in the Cleveland area, but the beers as well! I always see sites about wine, but not so often about craftbeers. Brad has made this a wonderful way to learn more about the drink, but also discover events and news surrounding the beer culture. These events are always a blast, so I highly recommend paging through Brad's site and finding an Up-and-Coming one to attend. It will definitely be a night to remember!

What is your favorite thing to cook?
I really enjoy cooking steaks on my outdoor grill. If I had my way I would always use charcoal because I think it gives it a better taste than a gas grill.

How about your least favorite thing to cook?
I guess I don’t like cooking things I don’t like to eat. I’m not a fan of rice, so I really don’t like cooking it.

What is your favorite local restaurant and what is one you are dying to try out?
Since starting my blog in September 2010 I have had the pleasure to eat at some of Cleveland’s finest restaurants. It would be very hard to narrow it down to just one so I’ll name a few. The Greenhouse Tavern, Lola, Lolita, AMP150 and Washington Place Bistro and Inn are just a few of the restaurants my fiancée and I have really enjoyed. There are many more reviews listed on my site of amazing Cleveland Restaurants. Two that I’m dying to try are Chinato and Flour.

Brad and Chef Jonathon Sawyer of The Greenhouse Tavern

Music and food go together so beautifully. You are hosting a dinner party, what would be on your playlist?
I’m Italian so Frank Sinatra and Dean Martin are two of my favorites for a dinner party.

What would you choose to be your last meal on earth?
My Mother’s homemade cavatelli and my Grandmothers homemade ravioli and macaroni! It doesn’t get any better than that!

What are you currently reading?
Between reading educational materials for work, my real job is a school teacher, and reading other fabulous Cleveland blogs I have plenty reading to keep me busy!

What is your favorite Kitchen Gadget?
I love my little magic bullet blender. It really makes doing small tasks quick and easy.

Do you have a signature go-to dish?
If I had to make a go to dish that is sure to please I would make my spicy mac and cheese!

What is your favorite thing about the Cleveland area?
I love that there are so many great things to do. Sporting events, Metroparks, and of course an amazing culinary scene!

Do you have a favorite meal from your childhood and do you cook it today?
I’ve try to recreate my grandmothers sauce but I have not quiet perfected it to taste like she does it! I’ll keep trying though.

Top 3 Movies of all time?
Wow this is a tough question. Field of Dreams, Rocky 1-4, National Lampoons Christmas Vacation

What was your happiest moment in life?
Wow…Seeing my niece be born and meeting my fiancée!

Brad and his beautiful fiancée Michaelene

Where do you do your grocery shopping?
Depends…Giant Eagle, Heinen’s, Whole Foods

What is your favorite guilty pleasure when it comes to food?
I love Doritos!

Can you tell me about what you are most proud of?
I’m most proud of the fact that I make a difference in the world every day by teaching the youth of America!

Do you have Culinary Resolutions that you would like to accomplish this year?
I plan on taking some cooking classes with my fiancée. I’d like to learn different techniques and how to combine flavors I might not have thought of using together.

One word that best describes you is: Honest

And now please share a favorite recipe:

I love the spicy mac and cheese recipe I use. I originally got it from Food Network’s Sunny Anderson. I did change it up a bit by altering some portions and adding some things like bacon, chorizo, or prosciutto. I recommend you make it her way at first and then experience with it to tweak it how you like it. Here is how I have it as of now. (This won 2nd place in our work Mac and Cheese Throwdown!)

Spicy Mac and Cheese
2 cups elbow pasta
16 ounces Cheddar cheese, 1/2 cubed, 1/2 shredded
16 ounces pepper jack cheese, cubed
¼- ½ lb Bacon, prosciutto, chorizo (really whatever pork or sausage you like and you can add more or less to taste.)
2 teaspoons all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
1/2 to 2 teaspoon of cayenne pepper depending on how much heat you like.
1/2 teaspoon dry mustard
4 tablespoons sour cream
1 cup heavy cream
1 cup half-and-half
2-quart baking dish

Directions
Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.

Cook Pasta to ALMOST al dente and crisp pork or sausage until cooked, be sure not to overcook!
In a large bowl, toss together cooked pasta with the cheese cubes and pan crisped pork/sausage, and pour into the baking dish. In a large bowl mix together the flour, salt, black pepper, cayenne pepper, dry mustard, nutmeg and sour cream, egg, heavy cream and half-and-half. Pour over the pasta and cover with shredded Cheddar. Bake uncovered until top is just golden brown, about 35-45 minutes.

Fridays, Feasting With Friends- Featuring Alicia Hansen

2011-04-22T09:32:00.004-04:00

~Laurie Colwin 'Home Cooking'

Alicia Hansen

For today's Fridays, Feasting with Friends I would like to introduce you to another local Cleveland blogger, Alicia Hansen. She writes the very popular blog Poise in Parma and also works with the Ohio Blogging Association. Poise in Parma is a blog about finding balance in her life in this crazy town: Her non-stop life of family, career, food, fitness and one amazing golden retriever. How She lost 110 pounds in under eight years – and have managed / struggled / survived to keep it off. But most importantly, the discoveries she makes in Believeland along the way. It is a fun blog, full of wonderful inspiration and of course all things CLE.

If you live in Ohio and have a blog, and haven't done so already, be sure you head over to Ohio Blogging Association and sign up. It is fantastic place to network with other local bloggers, find out about fun events and help grow your blog. I only recently discovered OBA, and am so loving the connections I have already made. I have yet to make it to an event- but already have the next one, Saturday, May 14th: OBA May Meet Up: Cleveland Marathon Pot Luck Pasta Dinner written on my calendar!! I can't wait!

So as Alicia likes to say: "Run those 3.1 miles then eat some potato & bacon pierogies with me." Cheers!

What is your favorite thing to cook?
Savory oats. It’s very therapeutic for me – to stand at the stove, stirring the oats, boiling off the water,getting them to the right consistency. I love cracking the egg in the finished oats, breaking the yolk and evenly distributing it to get everything nice and fluffy. It’s definitely a practice in developing patience. The end result is always worth it.

How about your least favorite thing to cook?
I HATE pan frying fish/seafood at home. The prep, the cooking, the lingering smell… I would much rather pay for someone else to make it.

What is your favorite local restaurant and what is one you are dying to try out?
It’s no secret that I’m a big fan of AMP 150. I really appreciate Chef Cooley approach to how he using his ingredients in his cooking. I’m also a huge fan of Zack Bruell, but have never dined at Parallax. It’s on my CLE dining bucket list.

Music and food go together so beautifully. You are hosting a dinner party, what would be on your playlist?
My John Coltrane Pandora station. Can’t beat solid jazz for background music for a social gathering in my opinion.

What would you choose to be your last meal on earth?
As I’m gluten intolerant, it would be a crazy gluten fest: a grilled turkey, roasted beet & goat cheese panini on a thick pumpernickel. On the side: sweet potato fries and the largest dill pickle you could find. For dessert: a waffle cone from Honey Hut Ice Cream: Honey Graham flavor please.

What are you currently reading?
I’ve been working my way through The How of Happiness by Sonja Lyubomirsky as a personal project I’m calling How I’ll Find Happiness in 2011. The suggested practices in the book have been a great way to figure out what brings me joy and how I can embrace those things in my every day life.

What is your favorite Kitchen Gadget?
I chug coffee like it’s no one’s business. I love mine well mixed with a milk frother I picked up at La Sur Table.

Do you have a signature go-to dish?
I am always asked to make pasta salad for family get togethers. Mine is nothing special (bow tie pasta, black olives, green peppers, mozzarella cheese, grape tomatoes, etc.), but my family can’t get enough of it.

What is your favorite thing about the Cleveland area?
No question, it’s the people. Yes, we have amazing museums, restaurants, parks, companies and
organizations. But it’s the residents of our area that make all those things spectacular.

Do you have a favorite meal from your childhood and do you cook it today?
Elbow macaroni with meat sauce has a soft spot in my heart. I don’t make meat sauce much since my husband isn’t a huge “ground meat” fan. But when I know I’m making dinner for myself, I’ll break out some quinoa macaroni, ground turkey & some quality jarred pasta sauce for dinner for one.

Top 3 Movies of all time?
In no specific order, The Muppet Movie, Singing in the Rain & Office Space.

What was your happiest moment in life?
It’s so cliché, but my wedding day. The entire day was a dream. I practically ran down the aisle because I was so excited to marry my husband. My dad had to hold me back to slow me down! Also, our reception was a PAR-TAY – guests still say to me how much fun they had dancing the night away.

Where do you do your grocery shopping?
We do a weekly run to Marc’s Stores. We also it up Giant Eagle, Trader Joe’s and Whole Foods as
needed. I’m trying to make it to more farmers’ markets in 2011.

What is your favorite guilty pleasure when it comes to food?
Ice cream. Good, high quality, homemade ice cream. I’m obsessed with Honey Hut. (See previous
question on last meal on earth.)

Can you tell me about what you are most proud of?
Professionally, coordinating a span of ten events in seven days in the Fall of 2009. The events included from organizing a performance for a Hollywood star, a formal sit-down banquet, a private home strolling dinner with an Iron Chef, a luncheon on a stage at PlayhouseSquare, and opening night cast party, and a backstage tour.

Personally, running the 2011 Walt Disney World Half Marathon this past January. When I was previously a size 22 at 250 pounds, I thought things like that were impossible. Now – much smaller and somewhat older – I know they aren’t.

Do you have Culinary Resolutions that you would like to accomplish this year?
Make gluten-free pierogies.

One word that best describes you is: Kindhearted.

Now please share a favorite recipe:
Spaetzle is an egg based dumpling that is served with many of my family’s old world recipes. For this recipe, you’ll need a spaetzle maker, but the tool is worth it for this side dish. This is adapted from a recipe found on the Food Network page – I unfortunately can’t find the original link.

Spaetzle

ingredients:
2 eggs, slightly beaten
1 cup whole wheat flour, sifted
1/2 cup all purpose flour, sifted
1/2 cup milk
1 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon paprika
1/4 teaspoon baking powder
Pam cooking spray
Butter (to taste)
Parsley

Directions:
Bring a large pot of water to boil, then lower the heat and allow to simmer. Combine all the
ingredients in a large mixing bowl. Spray your spaetzle maker with Pam, then place it over the pot. Ladle batter into the spaetzle maker, then being creating dumplings by sliding the dough over the holes of the device.

Make sure to stir the water/dumplings for even circulation around the pot. Continue the dumpling making until all batter is gone. When the dumplings float, continue to boil until the dumplings look fluffy.

Remove the spaetzle by draining through a colander. Place dumplings in a serving dish, top with butter and parsley (and probably another sprinkle of salt) and serve.

Rapid Italian Onion and Herb Bread- Bread Machine Recipe

2011-04-21T10:44:00.004-04:00

Look at all those pretty little herbs and onions speckled all over the loaf!

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Rapid Italian Onion and Herb Bread- Bread Machine Recipe
1 1/3 cups water
3 Tablespoons powdered milk
1 1/2 teaspoons salt
3 Tablespoons sugar
3 Tablespoons butter
3 3/4 cups white flour
1 1/2 teaspoons dried basil
1 1/2 teaspoons dried thyme
1 1/2 teaspoons dried oregano
2 Tablespoons dried onion (I used Tastefully Simple's Onion Onion. This stuff is amazing!)
2 teaspoons yeast

Add ingredients in the order listed into the baking pan. Insert baking pan into the oven chamber, twist to secure. Close lid. Select: Rapid Bake Setting. Select "regular" or "dark" crust, depending on personal taste. Press Start- There will be a 5-minute preheat delay before mixing begins.

Using oven mitts, remove bread when completion beeps sound. Cool on a wire rack before slicing.

I baked this bread at 8:00 at night, and goodness it got everyone hungry! This bread turned out amazing. While it was baking, the house smelled so heavenly, like a pizza shop. It slices beautifully, with minimal crumb, and it is very soft. This makes for the perfect butter bread, but it is also great for sandwiches and easy garlic toast. I am so thrilled with this recipe. It is a new favorite in our house.

look how tall this baby is!

*recipe for the large Black and Decker machine. If you need conversions for another machine, please contact me!

Reader Recipe Submission- German Sausage Chowder

2011-04-18T14:55:00.003-04:00

Today's recipe and photo is a submission from a friend and reader, Bonnie Cork. She sent it over to me saying that the soup is super yummy and full of flavor. She and her husband both really enjoyed it and she knew I would to. I am always looking for new soups to try so I was thrilled she passed this onto me. Thank Bonnie!

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German Sausage Chowder

1 pound cooked bratwurst or knackwurst -- cut into chunks
2 medium potatoes -- peeled and coarsely diced
1/2 cup onion -- chopped
4 cups cabbage -- shredded
1 can whole kernel corn (optional)
3 cups milk
3 tablespoons all-purpose flour
1 shredded aged Swiss cheese
snipped parsley (if desired)

In a large saucepan or Dutch oven combine sausage, potatoes, onion, 1/2 tsp. salt, and dash pepper. Add 2 cups water. Bring to boiling; reduce heat. Cover; simmer for 20 minutes or until potatoes are nearly tender. Stir in cabbage (and corn if desired); cook 10 minutes more or until vegetables are tender. Stir in 2 1/2 cups of the milk. Stir remaining 1/2 cup milk into flour; stir into soup. Cook and stir till thickened and bubbly. Stir in cheese till melted. Garnish with parsley.

*If you have a favorite recipe you would like to share with My Retro Kitchen, please contact me {here}

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Rapid Italian Onion and Herb Bread- Bread Machine Recipe

Reader Recipe Submission- German Sausage Chowder

GIVEAWAY NOW CLOSED! Avery See-Through Sticky Notes Review and a GIVEAWAY!

GIVEAWAY NOW CLOSED!! A "Tastefully Simple" Giveaway!!!