tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-80672444520330835422024-03-13T06:47:17.386-07:00Cooking ClaireClairehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10016702290960782557noreply@blogger.comBlogger875125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8067244452033083542.post-10339575334503375512023-03-31T08:46:00.000-07:002023-03-31T08:46:00.442-07:00 Slow Cooker Bacon Wrapped Pulled Pork<p> Sure enough, just when I was excited about being back to updating my blog life got in the way, and it's been months now since I posted. Oops. I've taken lots of pictures of Jefferson with the intention of then posting a recipe, but I have no excuse other than life. And we just got back from a pretty amazing trip to Europe, so in all honesty a lot of my free time before the trip was spent doing trip planning and watching YouTube travel videos. </p><p>Anyway, this was fresh in my mind because I just made it Monday, so I figured before I start working this morning I'd do a quick write up about it. I had plans Monday night to play bunco, and normally if I'm going to be gone for dinner my husband and kids get some kind of take out for dinner or everyone fends for themselves. I used to always make something then realized they would just get pizza, so at some point I figured why go to the trouble. But we were going to get takeout on Tuesday, so I didn't want the money spent two nights in a row. Pork shoulders were on sale, and we hadn't had this in awhile, so the stars aligned for this to be dinner on Monday.</p><p>I'm not a huge barbecue fan. I don't dislike it, but unless we're somewhere like Austin or Kansas City I am not usually inclined to make barbecue my first choice. Technically I'm not sure if this recipe counts as barbecue since it's done in a slow cooker, but whatever...pulled pork is decidedly barbecue, right? I do like this recipe as it's super easy to put together and really versatile, and it's one that everyone in my family really likes. Since you don't actually cook it with any barbecue sauce you can use the meat for all kinds of things. Last night I threw some of the leftovers in a skillet with some El Pato tomato sauce then put it in quesadillas.</p><p>Remember a few years ago when those Tasty cooking videos were so popular? Man I loved watching them. That's where I got this recipe. The original post is linked below, but I don't make it with the coleslaw, I just do the pork, so that's the recipe I'm posting.</p><p><br /></p><p><b>Slow Cooker Bacon Wrapped Pulled Pork</b></p><p>Source: <a href="https://www.buzzfeed.com/hitomiaihara/bacon-wrapped-slow-cooker-pulled-pork" target="_blank">Buzzfeed/Tasty cooking video</a></p><p>3 pounds boneless pork shoulder</p><p>1 tablespoon sea salt</p><p>1 teaspoon garlic powder</p><p>½ tablespoon liquid smoke</p><p>8 strips of bacon</p><p><br /></p><p>Quarter pork to portion into approximately ½-pound pieces. Place pork into a large bowl. Add salt, garlic powder, and liquid smoke, and mix until each piece of pork is evenly covered. Wrap each pork with bacon. Place pork into the slow cooker and cook for 6 hours on low or 4 hours on high.</p><p>Take pork out onto a baking sheet. With 2 forks, pull apart the meat into desired size. Broil on high for a few minutes to until the ends of the pork start to crisp up. Serve on a bun with added barbecue sauce if desired.</p><p>*******</p><p>Pork chunks wrapped in bacon. I don't actually weigh mine, I just cut into chunks and then wrap in bacon. Usually one piece of bacon fits around the pork with the size I cut.</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEho1hFRP38vph9rnr0DwF5ircTatpY2btacSOQbnPUAT_6FJ2bP-e_HWQP7ltOi_0dYN4oLB4-3Km6ezAaW-XrwBGtsKqKxUDBI_Ps7A0MqzKoIiO4XcWfOY4GJsS_SNfi5UgcmpFzwU2fAletpeuu220wQc2nC0ctMJrrz7V_gA-jFOOfYBGMTGTSQ9A/s4032/IMG-3491.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEho1hFRP38vph9rnr0DwF5ircTatpY2btacSOQbnPUAT_6FJ2bP-e_HWQP7ltOi_0dYN4oLB4-3Km6ezAaW-XrwBGtsKqKxUDBI_Ps7A0MqzKoIiO4XcWfOY4GJsS_SNfi5UgcmpFzwU2fAletpeuu220wQc2nC0ctMJrrz7V_gA-jFOOfYBGMTGTSQ9A/s320/IMG-3491.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div>Shredded pork!<br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEit8ovFgFmmeXtI2HilmYSP1ER0caN1OZd3jjmVRxU_JByEQNSwCV6F7JpiP-PauLKN2PrOnaKBe-zYo81e6VL3uPaYrfOk2BqrepmbM_ujbDFbbX4AwgZd3xQpOkSBig0gRbkvRD7n2OgXoK-rVO1QBemEfDQW4YoHqTLoXt52ph-fCaEXPVXqdaYYEQ/s4032/IMG-3495.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4032" data-original-width="3024" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEit8ovFgFmmeXtI2HilmYSP1ER0caN1OZd3jjmVRxU_JByEQNSwCV6F7JpiP-PauLKN2PrOnaKBe-zYo81e6VL3uPaYrfOk2BqrepmbM_ujbDFbbX4AwgZd3xQpOkSBig0gRbkvRD7n2OgXoK-rVO1QBemEfDQW4YoHqTLoXt52ph-fCaEXPVXqdaYYEQ/s320/IMG-3495.jpg" width="240" /></a></div><div><br /></div>Pork shredded and back in the slow cooker to keep it warm. The bacon gives it good smoky flavor and adds a little fat that crisps up nicely under the broiler.<br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh0vMtgH5r8Lcwl20fh_ZW3iBfw7O_UERk72yn8uG3n1jNiq9lmNBv4p9ovllSymxmC9XsuW3kAA2-SHYC9tyJl1No_1Qlu_CGg9Wgf7B87hZ588FQz6viQ4irmuxahYIu3fZVBmH5mYNDKytaTrco2wqovM6Hsgwc7ClE2-r_e43Y9aqNSR-PuPN1DzA/s4032/IMG-3498.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4032" data-original-width="3024" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh0vMtgH5r8Lcwl20fh_ZW3iBfw7O_UERk72yn8uG3n1jNiq9lmNBv4p9ovllSymxmC9XsuW3kAA2-SHYC9tyJl1No_1Qlu_CGg9Wgf7B87hZ588FQz6viQ4irmuxahYIu3fZVBmH5mYNDKytaTrco2wqovM6Hsgwc7ClE2-r_e43Y9aqNSR-PuPN1DzA/s320/IMG-3498.jpg" width="240" /></a></div><br /><p>No pics of it being served or plated since I wasn't here for dinner.</p>Clairehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10016702290960782557noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8067244452033083542.post-13669449513085503042022-11-07T09:06:00.000-07:002022-11-07T09:07:14.920-07:00Southwest Tater Tot Casserole<p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh2OFOc0mElsFoScCpoTfDmwNKV8JeifLCmuss1WuPMncTty611Rw0aajELeG_rQ0btHnFVxQkI1-HON_ESA3jNMX-uEl2byIKdbeGtD69AXkR-lM-YovwN46BbvmXg0hB3SB8RbdFUdpzuEAoX1LdYLNwnd6_XfGVje1izTPCnr77P5j2Ozs2fo_WaGQ/s4032/IMG-1659.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4032" data-original-width="3024" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh2OFOc0mElsFoScCpoTfDmwNKV8JeifLCmuss1WuPMncTty611Rw0aajELeG_rQ0btHnFVxQkI1-HON_ESA3jNMX-uEl2byIKdbeGtD69AXkR-lM-YovwN46BbvmXg0hB3SB8RbdFUdpzuEAoX1LdYLNwnd6_XfGVje1izTPCnr77P5j2Ozs2fo_WaGQ/s320/IMG-1659.jpg" width="240" /></a></div><p><br /></p>I should have known that once I got the ol' blog up and running again and was enjoying writing posts that life would happen and get in the way. At least I'm getting this post in under the two month mark from the last one! I feel like we've just been swamped, although a good chunk of it was fun. In the last two months my husband and I have taken a trip to Louisville, KY for a music festival and spent a weekend in NYC to see one of our favorite people get married. Then I fractured my ankle hiking and came down with a cold. Plus throw in there all the day-to-day stuff like working and managing kid activities and attending said kid activities, and life is just busy. <p></p><p>Basically this meme is my life...</p><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://img.ifunny.co/images/659d60d3ed8f78c5e34898c4a3f1a0fc2cdfe4e4c0ed374d0ee5dc053b105d16_1.webp" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="800" data-original-width="632" height="800" src="https://img.ifunny.co/images/659d60d3ed8f78c5e34898c4a3f1a0fc2cdfe4e4c0ed374d0ee5dc053b105d16_1.webp" width="632" /></a></div><br />Anyway, my oldest is in Milwaukee, WI this weekend for a choral festival, so while he's gone I was trying to come up with meals he doesn't particularly like that the rest of us do. This Southwest Tater Tot Casserole was the first one to pop in my head. <p></p><p>In the summer of 2019 we were going to housesit for some friends in the Seattle area while they went on the trip of a lifetime to China. My youngest and I made a road trip out of it on the way there and stopped in Boise to visit my lifelong BFF and her family for a few days. We've been friends since our ages were single digits which is pretty incredible because we are both solidly in our 40s now. We of course had a blast with them, and I loved that our kids played together like they've known each other forever. Our last night at their house she made this for dinner. I absolutely love <a href="https://cookingclaire.blogspot.com/2009/02/tater-tot-casserole.html" target="_blank">tater tot casserole</a> and have literally been eating it since I was a kid, and my kids love it, too, so Miles and I were super excited to try this version. Once we were back home I made it for my family and was shocked when Will didn't like it. What the heck, man?! So now I make it if Will isn't going to be here for dinner, although sometimes he has to suck it up and have it because it's what I want to make for dinner.</p><p>The website where the recipe originally came from isn't up anymore, so luckily I had printed off the recipe at some point. I've changed it up a little from the recipe I printed to adjust to how my family likes it.</p><p><b>Southwest Tater Tot Casserole</b></p><p>1 package ground turkey (I buy mine at Costco in packages of four)</p><p>1 can corn</p><p>1 can black beans, drained and rinsed</p><p>1 packet taco seasoning</p><p>1 large can green enchilada sauce, heat level of your choice (we like medium heat)</p><p>1-2 cups shredded cheese of your choice (Mexican blend, colby jack, cheddar, pepper jack...whatever)</p><p>1 bag frozen tater tots</p><p>Salt and pepper to taste</p><p><br /></p><p>Preheat oven to 425. Brown ground turkey in an ovenproof skillet sprayed with nonstick spray, seasoned with salt and pepper. </p><p>Once the turkey is no longer pink, add in corn, black beans, taco seasoning, and 1/2 to 2/3 of the can of enchilada sauce. Sitr to combine and let simmer on medium heat for 10-12 minutes so the flavors combine. This will also help the enchilada sauce cook down a little. If it looks or gets too dry, add in more enchilada sauce.</p><p>Turn off the burner and top the mixture with shredded cheese. Arrange tater tots on top of cheese.</p><p>Move the skillet into the oven and bake for 25 minutes or until cheese is melted and tots are crispy.</p><p>Note: if you don't have an ovenproof skillet, you can use a 9x13 or 11x7 casserole dish. Spray dish with nonstick spray and transfer skillet mixture to the casserole dish before topping with cheese. Top with cheese then tater tots and bake as directed.</p><p><br /></p><p>Jefferson is keeping a close eye on the skillet mixture.</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgNxte-w-_WL_nwD9DBsZorSNKRS3N_FNK9wUetksT4KQ-yRdHOMNt-u8lH9vw298NYA5M_iMQt6zuxt-CenujW7mgiBHG6d2ya4S9AWOui8I6QX3fNuotcWl4YX4YFwQsYGQ6Q2SJk2nvNc2ooLk6Na3pC66OhupWA5sC7fR9ShFl4L4wi5LWlYkUnTA/s4032/IMG-1654.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgNxte-w-_WL_nwD9DBsZorSNKRS3N_FNK9wUetksT4KQ-yRdHOMNt-u8lH9vw298NYA5M_iMQt6zuxt-CenujW7mgiBHG6d2ya4S9AWOui8I6QX3fNuotcWl4YX4YFwQsYGQ6Q2SJk2nvNc2ooLk6Na3pC66OhupWA5sC7fR9ShFl4L4wi5LWlYkUnTA/s320/IMG-1654.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div>Topping with tots. My husband makes fun of my symmetrical tot placement, but how else are you supposed to do it? Throw on tots all willy-nilly?!<br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhIxuBJVaog5L855E9H2reL5XyMtBXyfycd2W0mBAW5s6zXRc_7pmeiz7ogcXq3OLm9skbmRNO5J9Bg58toOipeHLWkg_2s_w9pl1lMYcvFsca6hOJbEiynqDbbvHW0-B7TNLkjv-ramHOjvL_b2u6gHf2AvhhumewKRqVmHFreecUL_m9rmNw7fZqWtA/s4032/IMG-1656.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhIxuBJVaog5L855E9H2reL5XyMtBXyfycd2W0mBAW5s6zXRc_7pmeiz7ogcXq3OLm9skbmRNO5J9Bg58toOipeHLWkg_2s_w9pl1lMYcvFsca6hOJbEiynqDbbvHW0-B7TNLkjv-ramHOjvL_b2u6gHf2AvhhumewKRqVmHFreecUL_m9rmNw7fZqWtA/s320/IMG-1656.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><br /><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEizSGSvSYIjBeBj-oJXMfQmS5vyHzCLPj9osAH-_C1IVmHXOqA6ZTztHWHihepGluEmUywrc84rUM8ZVoTxgbTkUnXFLpCZFlH3pEnABT-1kT7_8gBoelMgggTZbAb1q0TGAVPMbItJrRvERHtzFdKvgX4kwzNE6BJSfFEPSh8LF50vB1G3Phc-KGwYAA/s4032/IMG-1662.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4032" data-original-width="3024" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEizSGSvSYIjBeBj-oJXMfQmS5vyHzCLPj9osAH-_C1IVmHXOqA6ZTztHWHihepGluEmUywrc84rUM8ZVoTxgbTkUnXFLpCZFlH3pEnABT-1kT7_8gBoelMgggTZbAb1q0TGAVPMbItJrRvERHtzFdKvgX4kwzNE6BJSfFEPSh8LF50vB1G3Phc-KGwYAA/s320/IMG-1662.jpg" width="240" /></a></div><br /><p><br /></p>Clairehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10016702290960782557noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8067244452033083542.post-35631928803554321712022-09-07T20:16:00.002-07:002022-09-07T20:21:17.498-07:00Jen Hatmaker's Barbecue Braised Beans and Chicken<p>I have to say I'm kind of enjoying being back at this...although I also hesitate to say that in case the novelty wears off, and I stop with the updates! </p><p>I just love Jen Hatmaker. Her Facebook posts, podcast, books. I kind of feel like we could be best friends if we actually knew each other. Maybe that's an overstatement, but I adore her. The last time we were in Austin, TX I secretly hoped I'd run into here somewhere. Awhile back she posted a picture of a pot soaking in a sink from a dinner she had made, and it really resonated with me because a lot of times I also have a pot soaking the sink, but mostly because I'm lazy and don't like doing dishes. Anyway, the recipe she posted with it sounded like something my family would like. I was scrolling through my Instagram bookmarks this past weekend to meal plan for the week and saw that post. Tonight I had to drive carpool after football practice, so I wanted something easy for dinner. This fit the bill since it gets prepped early and then just sits in the oven for several hours.</p><p><a href="https://jenhatmaker.com/barbecue-braised-beans-and-chicken/" target="_blank">Jen Hatmaker's Barbecue Braised Beans and Chicken</a></p><p>This was a big hit, but it was definitely spicy. I ended up using about half the can of chipotles mostly because I didn't want to scrape the seeds out of all the peppers and was worried using all of them would make it way too spicy. I'm not a big barbecue bean fan, but these were really good. Would definitely make it again!</p><p>Before going in the oven...</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiQHJgjH0G-UKSvu6pL4ULcIqCmCoHBmkmlQTvHPDB2RZYXnzovgCdn_dIfRx8-WtAXw8Jpjk0X7NWPUcCG-qPDl-qb34AhmATyKAi8zakyJ3Ldh6rD-McZccGACBF9hKN6xA-YUDlb7voSNq34925yqPI89RupqhBUO-BTghkEhs9_GB8rRdw3XXAw4g/s4027/IMG-0977.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3020" data-original-width="4027" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiQHJgjH0G-UKSvu6pL4ULcIqCmCoHBmkmlQTvHPDB2RZYXnzovgCdn_dIfRx8-WtAXw8Jpjk0X7NWPUcCG-qPDl-qb34AhmATyKAi8zakyJ3Ldh6rD-McZccGACBF9hKN6xA-YUDlb7voSNq34925yqPI89RupqhBUO-BTghkEhs9_GB8rRdw3XXAw4g/w400-h300/IMG-0977.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div>The finished product...</div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhvEDk49wFHBXyjANkW3IwpGwka9w12O4iv7ygEeZDFmGvKn4gFFl6xz2lMiTJWUTLnpqEa6SdyBFEaa8baQJT97q31lRQf5doTn_mdGLOh4w3LnyldeJxb5sJLogR0j0BMrFvy9GHUFg5GNpvhP0u25flOzZqeXkCLindfshvAGXz3XyF3kmNJNBH9yw/s4032/IMG-0979.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4032" data-original-width="3024" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhvEDk49wFHBXyjANkW3IwpGwka9w12O4iv7ygEeZDFmGvKn4gFFl6xz2lMiTJWUTLnpqEa6SdyBFEaa8baQJT97q31lRQf5doTn_mdGLOh4w3LnyldeJxb5sJLogR0j0BMrFvy9GHUFg5GNpvhP0u25flOzZqeXkCLindfshvAGXz3XyF3kmNJNBH9yw/w300-h400/IMG-0979.jpg" width="300" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">Sous Chef Jeff hoping to get a serving...</div><br /><div style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEibTROMhbYVXxYU_9fvwQBHi-iJcspwG6mmFeENhtbyC_cmzDprDXhfR34W5pMZFfRamKGg1syFtpPLZE89lUAwLAgETLKyXVzNXKdLeJY8Y8i1mF-HywZ-j4lzmH2bSunpR51EKBCsm31UtEx5n4Kv2c4jDXxYTE9_Sx0XaJ0YLjK9gFZvRoJQkB3qpw/s4032/IMG-0980.jpg" imageanchor="1"><img border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEibTROMhbYVXxYU_9fvwQBHi-iJcspwG6mmFeENhtbyC_cmzDprDXhfR34W5pMZFfRamKGg1syFtpPLZE89lUAwLAgETLKyXVzNXKdLeJY8Y8i1mF-HywZ-j4lzmH2bSunpR51EKBCsm31UtEx5n4Kv2c4jDXxYTE9_Sx0XaJ0YLjK9gFZvRoJQkB3qpw/w400-h300/IMG-0980.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div>Clairehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10016702290960782557noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8067244452033083542.post-8968451053485008352022-09-05T10:08:00.001-07:002022-09-05T10:40:54.654-07:00Binging with Babish's Deluxe Grilled Cheese<p> Wow, it has been a MINUTE since I've done this! Thank you, Blogger, for simply having a "new post" link when I go to my blog to make it easy on me.</p><p>I recently created an Instagram account for our little dog because he is constantly hovering by anyone preparing food in our kitchen, so I decided to combine cooking and recipes with dog pics. I'm still working on how to best provide links for the recipes I show, so while I get that figured out I thought the easiest way to start would be directing anyone interested here, and I can provide a link (or the recipe) to whatever the post is.</p><p>Interested in following along with this new endeavor? Give us a follow on Insta at <a href="https://www.instagram.com/souschefjeff/" target="_blank">Sous Chef Jeff</a>!</p><p>Here's Jefferson aka Sous Chef Jeff in all his cuteness...</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhwPX5ivLwQVdDHetLmd11XGwQjrw13Vb6DPkvBqkoTjxeqJp2bvKKz6ZEndTnRaLSNVslsMrjXsvCQdxDbxifPw35t3V-_wVAmO1ZLsqljKeq1O974SqOX1hHh9flvHpjtweRthYVW2i3WjxXFymzfvwBH5gjaT-MsdO8DwVbap0gNx8xRXiEZDAeigg/s4032/IMG-8368.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4032" data-original-width="3024" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhwPX5ivLwQVdDHetLmd11XGwQjrw13Vb6DPkvBqkoTjxeqJp2bvKKz6ZEndTnRaLSNVslsMrjXsvCQdxDbxifPw35t3V-_wVAmO1ZLsqljKeq1O974SqOX1hHh9flvHpjtweRthYVW2i3WjxXFymzfvwBH5gjaT-MsdO8DwVbap0gNx8xRXiEZDAeigg/s320/IMG-8368.jpg" width="240" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhRMjIaJXY04WUxRD2_X_DD-mVJiCuL1b254M5szNhU7eDOWiwPmw46YpwLDkDp7uwg0nFc9SECVAGPyO4Z_ZyD_XSFz4Vdlfh_UZY_G1er3hruL2nk0aWjVYGI4jgd88Tci8OkW6BpiNmnqwscVimPXP5OxmfjT1oamo2UEj1hs0Z4xl7eKqTa81JkAQ/s4032/IMG-9100.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4032" data-original-width="3024" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhRMjIaJXY04WUxRD2_X_DD-mVJiCuL1b254M5szNhU7eDOWiwPmw46YpwLDkDp7uwg0nFc9SECVAGPyO4Z_ZyD_XSFz4Vdlfh_UZY_G1er3hruL2nk0aWjVYGI4jgd88Tci8OkW6BpiNmnqwscVimPXP5OxmfjT1oamo2UEj1hs0Z4xl7eKqTa81JkAQ/s320/IMG-9100.jpg" width="240" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEinp00YglJxG5aCb7kpqmtRrHi49YZsm-_0SUlJXeJBtja9IXU143dtQoV3LtyE9LXR6yiIo6sYnKNNoVF9c5cOBoOVGFJemwbgEGr4_3PcbvBaAr5DKQ3Fxt_yDUBye8u6oMgBX1Kfp2GcrjDguKWfLll-4wYsTulRzqmO2YuHl2pwOu7WcJuLMizB0A/s4032/IMG-9806.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4032" data-original-width="3024" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEinp00YglJxG5aCb7kpqmtRrHi49YZsm-_0SUlJXeJBtja9IXU143dtQoV3LtyE9LXR6yiIo6sYnKNNoVF9c5cOBoOVGFJemwbgEGr4_3PcbvBaAr5DKQ3Fxt_yDUBye8u6oMgBX1Kfp2GcrjDguKWfLll-4wYsTulRzqmO2YuHl2pwOu7WcJuLMizB0A/s320/IMG-9806.jpg" width="240" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">So, with all of that being said and introduced, here we go! My 16 year old son recently introduced me to a YouTube channel, <a href="https://www.youtube.com/c/bingingwithbabish" target="_blank">Binging With Babish</a>, and I've kind of been watching it incessantly, sometimes with my son and sometimes on my own. He had seen this grilled cheese video and thought we should try it sometime. He was going to make it with me, but high school life got in the way, so I was on my own.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">Instead of copying and pasting, I'm just giving you the links.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><a href="https://youtu.be/NFAN6L7xnvY" target="_blank">Binging with Babish: Grilled Cheese Deluxe inspired by Regular Show</a> on YouTube</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><a href="https://www.bingingwithbabish.com/recipes/grilledcheesedeluxe" target="_blank">Binging with Babish: Grilled Cheese Deluxe inspired by Regular Show</a> on the Babish website<div><br /></div><div>This was definitely a tasty grilled cheese and one I would make again for sure. I did make a few mistakes I would change next time...</div><div><ul style="text-align: left;"><li>On the video he puts the cheese into a ramekin to solidify and cool. The recipe calls for spreading it on a cookie sheet to make slices. I was having a struggle with plastic wrap for the cookie sheet, so I opted for a container. I recommend using a cookie sheet if you want the cheese to set faster...basic science stuff here, but it took awhile for the big chunk o' cheese in the container to cool because it was so dense...which meant we actually had these the next night for dinner because the cheese wasn't set in time. I would have prepped it earlier in the day to avoid this, but at the time I thought my son was going to help me with it, so I was waiting for him to get home from school and sports practice.</li><li>Once the cheese was cool, and I took it out to slice it, I ended up slicing it way too thick. Thinner is better if you want an epic cheese pull when you cut the sandwich.</li><li>I used brioche bread because I thought that would be delicious, but I think next time I'd stick with a regular white sandwich bread, like Pepperidge Farm's. That's my go-to white bread for sandwiches that require white bread (really white bread is the only option for things like pimento cheese and meatloaf sandwiches, don't you think?). The brioche was still good, just not what I was looking for with this. The end result actually reminded me a lot of a Sonic grilled cheese, which by no means was a bad thing.</li></ul><div>Here's my cheese blob after I took it out of the container for slicing. I cut it in half widthwise and then cut slices from the smaller pieces.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgX4l3kKX81Gubtj1fuocOPzHQwh18Vi9jGQmvsxfLo87IXfq95CCgdz0SwLcj-T5sWZjXzLDWfDEoACgV8GPdl-JdGIudTuPPTXz0aslscZd345tAMNnPKZwzl2Vha6vWRUzG9xRIO-Fb8GnIyPm5A4tOofBwgQhGCrtFdnPdbmfkat5vhlUQBjcoi7g/s4032/IMG-0937.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4032" data-original-width="3024" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgX4l3kKX81Gubtj1fuocOPzHQwh18Vi9jGQmvsxfLo87IXfq95CCgdz0SwLcj-T5sWZjXzLDWfDEoACgV8GPdl-JdGIudTuPPTXz0aslscZd345tAMNnPKZwzl2Vha6vWRUzG9xRIO-Fb8GnIyPm5A4tOofBwgQhGCrtFdnPdbmfkat5vhlUQBjcoi7g/s320/IMG-0937.jpg" width="240" /></a></div><br /><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div>And the finished sandwich!</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg1j02iUj02vCQG56TLg5BEghh48IAzBKeFdeBcIcUqr4SGCJBMLR-E__2GFcI6SkT8dJnuAWa6PQnglAd857fY7lVImgplJgxbKekyc_PMyRhZ-bLWIcOeB6CmXlMigAlh0ktfayVmmE6iptHvRxoUnsbj_0eZ1wF7WKgSdCmdPjDgFREeWPe9FDuF4Q/s4032/IMG-0944.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4032" data-original-width="3024" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg1j02iUj02vCQG56TLg5BEghh48IAzBKeFdeBcIcUqr4SGCJBMLR-E__2GFcI6SkT8dJnuAWa6PQnglAd857fY7lVImgplJgxbKekyc_PMyRhZ-bLWIcOeB6CmXlMigAlh0ktfayVmmE6iptHvRxoUnsbj_0eZ1wF7WKgSdCmdPjDgFREeWPe9FDuF4Q/s320/IMG-0944.jpg" width="240" /></a></div><br /><p><br /></p></div>Clairehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10016702290960782557noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8067244452033083542.post-30685008658831697902013-08-15T16:24:00.000-07:002013-08-15T16:24:44.442-07:00Baked Hawaiian Ham Sandwiches<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhSHgP2jwWGeM7HzMHZcimzhaiIGV6znYEFhBAUU2Ew_hvw6oLzPFyYLyLmo7CfeI_hToHe83wdNPshvXNe1ZHq1FgohDCCrtDS2-7ccaHBgLGoo-A4umHucxN9_HPwbh9cSUOCiAoDWf6d/s1600/IMG_3283_1071.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhSHgP2jwWGeM7HzMHZcimzhaiIGV6znYEFhBAUU2Ew_hvw6oLzPFyYLyLmo7CfeI_hToHe83wdNPshvXNe1ZHq1FgohDCCrtDS2-7ccaHBgLGoo-A4umHucxN9_HPwbh9cSUOCiAoDWf6d/s320/IMG_3283_1071.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
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So chances are good that if you're on <a href="http://www.pinterest.com/">Pinterest</a>, you've seen this recipe and/or pinned it. We had these last night, and I couldn't believe they weren't on my blog because I've made them several times, and they're completely easy and delicious.<br />
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I've always loved the <a href="http://www.blogger.com/%3Ca%20href=" http:="" products="" www.kingshawaiian.com="">http://www.kingshawaiian.com/products/</a>">King's Hawaiian breads<br />
, and it seems that now they're a whole lot easier to find than they were many years ago. It used to be a big treat to find them, now pretty much every grocery store has them. And I love them. That was selling point number one for these sandwiches. Although it just occurred to me that I've never looked at the ingredient list. Sigh. I probably should, but I'm fairly certain that means I won't want to buy them anymore. Do you ever run into this conundrum if you try and mainly eat real food? I suppose I could find a recipe to make my own...surely there's one out there. But I digress...<br />
I also love sandwiches. I'd say who doesn't love them, but I do know of someone that doesn't. She doesn't like mixing her food together, which I understand I guess, but man alive is she missing out! I can see not wanting your mashed potatoes and peas to mingle together on your plate, but a sandwich is something completely different. These sounded super easy when I first saw the recipe, and I'm always up for an easy to prepare dinner! Especially if it's a delicious sandwich.<br />
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<b>Baked Hawaiian Ham Sandwiches</b><br />
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One 12-count package <a href="http://www.blogger.com/%3Ca%20href=" http:="" products="" rolls-12-pack="" www.kingshawaiian.com="">http://www.kingshawaiian.com/products/rolls-12-pack/</a>">King's Hawaiian sweet dinner rolls<br />
3 sticks butter<br />
3 Tbsp dijon mustard<br />
1-1/2 tsp worcestershire sauce<br />
1 Tbsp poppy seeds<br />
1 onion, somewhere between finely chopped and diced<br />
1 pound thin sliced ham<br />
6 slices Swiss cheese<br />
<br />
Preheat oven to 350.<br />
<br />
In a medium saucepan, melt butter and add in mustard, worcestershire, poppy seeds, and onion. Let simmer 5-7 minutes.<br />
<br />
Slice entire package of rolls in half horizontally, so you have 12 bottoms and 12 tops. Keep them connected--don't break them apart into separate rolls.<br />
<br />
Place bottom halves of rolls into a foil-lined 9x13 baking dish. Brush 1/3 to 1/2 butter mixture on rolls. Place ham on top, layering evenly across rolls. Lay cheese slices in single layer on top of ham. Place top halves of rolls over the cheese and brush remaining butter mixture on the top of the rolls.<br />
<br />
Cover with foil. Bake approximately 15 minutes. Remove foil cover and bake another 5-7. Slice into individual rolls and serve.<br />
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*****<br />
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Obviously you can probably tell from my initial comments that these are a huge hit at my house. My kids don't like the pieces of onion on theirs that inevitably end up on the top of the roll, so they just push them off and have a little onion pile on their plate, which is okay by me. I'm not sure how many times I've made them, but last night I actually doubled the recipe so there'd be leftovers because we'll eat a whole batch in one meal. But then of course today, Boy #1 wanted to buy lunch at school, and the husband had an all day meeting with lunch being served, so there's a whole pan of them just sitting in my fridge now. Good thing it's leftover clean-up for dinner tonight!<br />
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By the way, does anyone know of a ham that is free of nitrates and nitrites? Try as I might, I cannot find one. I'm starting to think unless I get a fresh ham and cook it myself, it's not going to happen. And if that's the case, I'll either stick with the nitrites or do away with ham altogether. <br />
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Who am I kidding...I would never do away with ham.<br />
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Speaking of ham...check out Boy #2 posing with the sandwiches!<br />
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<br />Clairehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10016702290960782557noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8067244452033083542.post-51312385348542443392013-08-12T08:09:00.000-07:002013-08-12T08:09:25.167-07:00Grilled Chicken and Zucchini Yakitori<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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Well, so much for my plan of keeping my blog updated over the summer. Boy #1 started second grade last Monday, and Boy #2 starts his last year of preschool this afternoon. I don't know how they got to be this old. One of my friends posted a picture on Facebook of Boy #1 and one of his BFFs on the first day of school. They've been friends since they were one, and seeing them so big and starting second grade had me in tears. Anyway, now that school is back in the swing, and I have four afternoons a week to myself, I'm hoping to get back on the blog wagon. The past few weeks I haven't made a whole lot of new stuff. It's hard to find the time to come up with meal plans that include a bunch of new recipes when I have both kids at home.<br />
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This recipe has been one of our new favorites over the summer. The first time I made it I was watching my friend Amanda's daughters, and I wasn't sure how the kids would receive it. I mean, it's grilled chicken, so I figured it would be okay. Turns out I had nothing to worry about. This is from <a href="http://www.skinnytaste.com/">SkinnyTaste.com</a>, which is one of my favorite healthy cooking blogs. I don't think I've ever been disappointed with a recipe I've used from her website. I love grilling in the summer, especially if we're hanging out in our pool, but I get tired of always grilling the same stuff, so finding a new grilled chicken recipe is pretty fantastic in my book.<br />
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<b>Grilled Chicken and Zucchini Yakitori</b><br />
Source: Adapted from <a grilled-chicken-and-zucchini-yakitori.html="" href="http://www.blogger.com/%3Ca%20href=" http:="" www.skinnytaste.com="">http://www.skinnytaste.com/2013/06/grilled-chicken-and-zucchini-yakitori.html</a>">SkinnyTaste.com<br />
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2 tablespoons rice wine vinegar<br />
1/2 cup low sodium soy sauce (for GF use low sodium Tamari)<br />
1 1/2 tablespoons honey<br />
1 garlic clove, crushed<br />
3 lb boneless skinless chicken thighs, all fat trimmed<br />
2 medium zucchini, sliced into 1/2-inch thick rings<br />
18 (10 inch) bamboo skewers<br />
<br />
Bring vinegar, low sodium soy sauce, honey and crushed garlic to a boil in a medium-sized sauce pan, and cook over medium heat for about 5 minutes. Set aside to cool.<br />
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Cut the chicken into 1-inch pieces and place in a ziplock bag; pour half of the marinade over the chicken. Place the zucchini in a second large ziplock bag and pour the remaining marinade over the zucchini. Refrigerate for at least 30 minutes. Meanwhile, soak the skewers in water 30 minutes so they don't burn.<br />
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Thread the chicken onto skewers, discarding the chicken marinade.<br />
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Thread the zucchini onto skewers, reserving the marinade for basting.<br />
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Preheat the grill or a grill pan over medium-high heat. When hot, spray with oil then reduced heat to medium; grill the zucchini and chicken skewers about 5 to 6 minutes on each side brushing both sides of the skewers with the yakitori sauce during the last few minutes of cooking time.<br />
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*****<br />
<br />
I said above that when I made this for my family and my friend's daughters I didn't have to worry about them not liking it. The kids all had seconds of the chicken. There were no leftovers from this, which was kind of disappointing because I had hoped to have some for the husband and me for lunch the next day. The kids didn't eat the zucchini, but the husband and I loved it. This thick-zucchini-slices-on-bamboo-skewers was actually my go-to way to grill zucchini over the summer when we'd have it as a side dish. So easy! If I wasn't making this recipe I'd brush the slices with some olive oil and sprinkle with some Lawry's or Tony Chachere's and throw them on the grill with whatever protein I was cooking.<br />
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This is super easy to put together (as long as you plan ahead for marinating time), and so good. The original recipe called for sake instead of the rice wine vinegar, but since I didn't have sake on hand I substituted the vinegar. It also called for green onions to be on the skewers between chicken pieces and zucchini pieces, but I haven't ever done that, so I took it out of the ingredient list.<br />
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I have already made this so many times this summer, but it's so easy and my family loves it, so it's definitely going to stay one of my go-to chicken thigh recipes!<br />
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<br />Clairehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10016702290960782557noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8067244452033083542.post-20902617727211350262013-06-25T09:42:00.000-07:002013-06-25T09:42:00.945-07:00Grilled Pork Ribs<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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I just love to grill in the summer. It does have its downsides being in Phoenix and standing outside in the roasting heat over a hot grill, but it creates significantly less dirty dishes and doesn't heat up my kitchen by using the oven. Plus we have a pool, so a lot of times whomever is grilling will take pool breaks or just hang out in the pool while dinner cooks. It's a pretty sweet system.<br />
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I've always been a fan of boneless ribs. Gnawing on ribs with the bones in them has always seemed gross and honestly a little barbaric to me. although for a lot of years I wouldn't even eat meat with bones in it because it reminded me that it once was walking around. Can you tell I lived with vegetarians in college? I don't think I had my first buffalo wing until I was in my mid-20s. I've gotten over it now, but I still won't eat bone-in ribs. Recently boneless ribs were on sale for a super good price, so I bought a package of them planning on grilling them. I wasn't really sure how to grill them, if I just threw them on there or what, so a little Googling directed me to a brine recipe, and I ran with it. My uncle makes really fantastic grilled ribs, but I knew I'd need ingredients I didn't have, and I try to limit grocery store trips in the summer since I have to drag both kids with me. This was also my first attempt at a brine, so I was pretty excited to try it out.<br />
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<b>Grilled Boneless Pork Ribs</b><br />
<br />
1 cup water<br />
1/4 salt<br />
1 T. sugar<br />
3 pounds boneless country style pork ribs<br />
<br />
In a gallon Ziploc bag, combine water, salt, and sugar. Add in ribs, squeeze out excess air, and let sit for at least 30 minutes and up to overnight.<br />
<br />
Preheat your grill for indirect heat grilling (is that the right phrase?). My grill has four burners, I turned on all four to heat it up, then reduced the middle two super low. Lay ribs in the middle of the grill and cook for 10 minutes. Flip them over and grill another 10. Their internal temperature should be 145 degrees. Remove from grill and serve with your favorite barbecue sauce (or <a href="http://cookingclaire.blogspot.com/2010/04/rick-bayless-barbecue-sauce.html" target="_blank">make your own</a> if you're an overachiever like me).<br />
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*****<br />
<br />
I really had no idea how this was going to turn out. I'll be honest--I had visions of dried out, tough, inedible ribs, and I was working on a back up dinner plan in the back of my head the whole time. My original plan had been to only cook about half the package of ribs, but Boy #2 was helping me make dinner, and he said we should do all of them so there'd be leftovers. Thankfully he's a lot more optimistic than his mama because I didn't know if we should plan on leftovers in case they were awful.<br />
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These turned out AMAZING. I don't know why I doubted myself. Normally my go-to method of cooking boneless ribs is throwing them in the crockpot with a sweet and sour barbecue sauce that's my great aunt's recipe, but this may very well be my new go to. It was a huge hit with my family. There were leftovers but not many. They were good on their own, they were good with the barbecue sauce (although my kids preferred them without the sauce, the husband and I were torn on which was better). This was an all around winner!!<br />
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My grill could maybe use a cleaning.<br />
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I tried to make this one a little scenic. See my failing garden in the background? Those green things are my sad basil plants that are the only remnant of what I had hoped to be a successful summer garden.<br />
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<br />Clairehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10016702290960782557noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8067244452033083542.post-75343939260036887332013-06-20T13:47:00.000-07:002013-06-20T13:47:19.852-07:00Rosemary Crackers<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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I have a love/hate relationship with crackers. I love to eat them, but I hate the ingredients in most of them. <a href="http://www.akmakbakeries.com/index.html" target="_blank">Ak-Mak</a> crackers are the exception, but I don't buy them very often because no one else in my family likes them. Actually I don't buy crackers very often anyway because this family is a bunch of cracker monsters. Crackers just do not last at my house. I don't know what it is. I recently found a recipe to make my own crackers and figured it was worth a shot...especially since it was easy and I had all the ingredients on hand. Plus making my own crackers sounds kind of kitchen bad ass, which I really like. Okay, maybe not bad ass but definitely impressive, right?<br />
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<b>Rosemary Crackers</b><br />
Source: <a href="http://www.budgetbytes.com/2013/04/rosemary-crackers/" target="_blank">Budget Bytes blog</a><br />
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2 cups all-purpose flour<br />
1 tsp baking powder<br />
½ tsp salt (plus more for sprinkling)<br />
1 Tbsp rosemary<br />
to taste freshly cracked pepper<br />
4 Tbsp cold butter<br />
½ to ¾ cup cold water<br />
<br />
Chop the rosemary well so that there are no large, sharp pieces. Add the rosemary, flour, baking powder, salt, and some freshly cracked pepper to a food processor and pulse until the mixture is evenly mixed (or just stir them together in a bowl).<br />
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Cut the butter into pieces and add it to the food processor. Pulse the mixture until the butter is completely incorporated and no chunks remain. Or, cut the butter into the flour mixture with pastry cutter, two knives, or just with your hands until the butter is completely worked into the flour mixture.<br />
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Slowly add cold water to the food processor while pulsing, just until it forms a dough (or stir it in by hand until a dough forms). Depending on the humidity and moisture level in your flour, it will take between ½ and ¾ cup water. (I used closer to 3/4 cup).<br />
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Preheat the oven to 400 degrees. Turn the dough out onto a lightly floured surface and roll it out until it is approximately 1/16th inch thick. Use a pizza cutter or knife to cut the dough into small rectangles, squares, or triangles. Prick each “cracker” with a fork. Carefully transfer the cut crackers to a baking sheet lined with parchment paper.<br />
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Sprinkle the crackers lightly with salt, if desired. Bake the crackers for 20-25 minutes, or until they are golden brown. The total amount of baking time needed will depend greatly on the thickness and size of the crackers, so watch them closely. Allow the crackers to cool and then store in an air-tight container at room temperature.<br />
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*****<br />
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See what I mean?! Super easy! You can be a kitchen bad ass, too, and impress your friends and colleagues or whomever by making your own crackers. Plus I love stuff that's all done in the food processor. These were super, super tasty. But she's right about watching them while they bake--the thinner ones came out a little too dark for my liking. Personally I loved dipping these into homemade hummus, and they were good with some slices of cheese on top. I've made these several times and the cracker monsters have always gobbled them up.<br />
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(Why, yes, the picture up top is from Instagram...I had to brag on my kitchen bad ass-ness when I made them the first time!)<br />
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<br />Clairehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10016702290960782557noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8067244452033083542.post-63971756704249652682013-06-19T08:13:00.002-07:002013-06-19T08:13:48.328-07:00Ham and Artichoke Sandwich<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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So I was just looking up my dinner recipe for tonight on my blog (<a href="http://cookingclaire.blogspot.com/2009/02/beer-chicken-fajitas.html" target="_blank">Crockpot Beer Chicken Fajitas</a>, if you're curious) and saw I've only done nine blog posts for the whole year. Nine! And it's June! Yowza. I need to get back to blogging. I promptly opened my "cooking blog" photos folder and scoured for something to post. I'll be honest, when I saw these pictures I couldn't remember exactly what it was, until I saw the artichoke hearts and then remembered.<br />
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Every January (well, this year and last year anyway) we go up north to Flagstaff, AZ with my mama the last weekend of winter break. I love Flagstaff. It reminds me a lot of where I went to college, and in the summer it's a great escape from the Phoenix heat, and in the winter it's a great place to go get a bit of winter. When the husband and I were there one time years and years ago we stumbled upon a brewery that we fell in love with, now we always make it a point to go there when we're visiting. <a href="http://www.beaverstreetbrewery.com/index.html" target="_blank">Beaver Street Brewery</a>. Awesome beer (they have a scotch ale which also reminds me of my favorite brewery where I went to college), great food, good place to take kids. We actually went twice this past trip...once on a date night dinner while my mom kept the boys and then with my mom for lunch one day. The husband and I always get pizza when we go for dinner (actually he might have gotten pizza again for lunch this trip), but for lunch I wanted to try something new. This sandwich sounded fantastic (and it was), so I tried to recreate it once we were home.<br />
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<b>Ham and Artichoke Sandwich</b><br />
Source: adapted from <a href="http://www.beaverstreetbrewery.com/bssandwiches.html" target="_blank">Beaver Street Brewery's</a> <i>Wood Fired Ham and Artichoke Sandwich</i><br />
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1 French roll<br />
Few slices of ham<br />
2 slices provolone cheese<br />
Marinated artichoke hearts<br />
<br />
Split roll in half lengthwise and toast. Place ham slices on bottom half of roll. Top with marinated artichoke hearts and place cheese on top of artichoke hearts. Place sandwiches (but not the top half of roll) on a cookie sheet and heat under the broiler until cheese melts. Top sandwich with top half of roll and serve.<br />
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*****<br />
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Obviously the ingredients above are for one sandwich, so adapt as necessary to fit your needs. This was a tasty sandwich but not nearly as good as the one at Beaver Street. I used real ham for mine, not just deli ham, because it's what I had but either would work. Next time I would brush some of the marinade from the artichoke hearts onto the rolls to give it a little extra boost of flavor. For those of you that have an aversion to ham, I bet it would be tasty with chicken as well.<br />
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<br />Clairehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10016702290960782557noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8067244452033083542.post-61395541307471348532013-05-24T17:30:00.000-07:002013-05-24T17:30:12.794-07:00Chocolate Snack Cake<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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Quite awhile ago now, my dear friend Betty sent me a recipe for a chocolate snack cake that sounded super easy to make. It's no secret that I'm not a fan of baking, which is both bad and good. Bad because I really love baked good and good because I really love baked goods. Not wanting to ever take the time to make them or dirty all the dishes involved (seriously, is it just me or does baking dirty way more dishes than cooking?!) makes it pretty easy to stay away from cookies or cakes or pies that I'm just going to sit and gorge on if I make them. But, I have two little kids, so some times I have to bake things to appease them. For one thing they like to help me, and for another, they really love to eat stuff that I bake. Recently we were having a family fun night, and I decided to make this cake. I wanted a fun dessert for my family, and this sounded super easy. And the best part?! You mix it up in the baking dish, so there aren't a ton of dishes to deal with once you're done! Jackpot!<br />
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<b>Chocolate Snack Cake</b><br />
<br />
<br />
1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour, (spooned and leveled)<br />
1 cup sugar<br />
3 tablespoons unsweetened cocoa powder<br />
1 teaspoon baking soda<br />
1/2 teaspoon coarse salt<br />
6 tablespoons vegetable oil<br />
1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract<br />
1 tablespoon white vinegar<br />
1 cup cold water<br />
<br />
Preheat oven to 350 degrees. In an 8-inch square baking pan, whisk together all-purpose flour, sugar, unsweetened cocoa powder, baking soda, and coarse salt.<br />
<br />
Make a well in center of flour mixture and add vegetable oil, pure vanilla extract, white vinegar, and cold water. Whisk until well combined. Bake until a toothpick inserted in center comes out clean, 35 to 40 minutes. Let cool completely in pan on a wire rack.<br />
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*****<br />
<br />
Let me tell you...my family devoured this cake. The consistency was similar to a cake-like brownie. It was a little denser than a chocolate cake you'd make from a box mix but not chewy like a brownie, if that makes sense. It did not last long...like maybe until the end of the movie we were watching. I also really liked that it was vegan because my brother and his girlfriend are vegan, so it's nice to have options I can make for them when they come visit. Normally they come for each of my kid's birthdays, and I want them to be able to have cake to celebrate with us. Anyway, this is super easy, hardly dirties any dishes, and it's stuff I always have on hand. I kind of wish I'd had this recipe when I was pregnant either time because I bought a lot of chocolate cake mixes and randomly baked cakes both times.<br />
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Actually writing this out and seeing the pictures kind of makes me want to whip one up to share with my boys tonight!<br />
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Note to self: put away dishes before taking pictures for blog. A cheese grater in the chocolate cake picture?! Come on, Claire! Class things up a bit around here!<br />
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Clairehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10016702290960782557noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8067244452033083542.post-55141797092271947612013-05-14T14:42:00.001-07:002013-05-14T14:44:44.338-07:00Calico Relish<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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I think I've shared my childhood aversion to zucchini before. I really didn't like it, and somehow my mom always had an abundance of it in the summers when I was little. I don't remember her growing it, so I have no idea how it would end up in our kitchen, but she would use it in everything. My mom was never big on baking, so my brother and I learned to get very skeptical if all of a sudden there were cookies since it usually meant there was zucchini in them.<br />
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There was a delicious relish we'd have a lot in the summer with grilled hot dogs or sausages or brats. It was my dad's aunt's recipe, and I loved it. Then I found out the main ingredient was zucchini. I stopped eating it. I didn't want anything to do with it because of the zucchini. I kind of forgot about said relish until recently. I've since learned to appreciate zucchini and actually eat it pretty often. I don't begrudge my kids a whole lot for not eating it since I didn't when I was little. Plus there are enough vegetables they eat willingly that I don't see the point in fighting with them about one that they don't like.<br />
<br />
Anyway, remember how I recently mentioned <a href="https://the3000club.org/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=61&Itemid=59" target="_blank">Market on the Move</a>? One of last month's offerings was a ton of zucchini. Not an actual ton, but it may have come close. I was trying to figure out what to do with it since there's only so much sauteed zucchini or zucchini bread one can eat. Well, maybe not on zucchini bread, especially chocolate zucchini bread. But I digress. I remembered I had gotten this recipe from my mom (once I learned to embrace the zucchini) maybe last summer when for some reason I had a bunch of zucchini to use up. I was so excited to make up some of this, especially with it getting to be the time of year that I do a lot of grilling, so I know we'll be having it alongside a lot of meals coming up.<br />
<b><br /></b>
<b>Calico Relish</b><br />
Source: my great aunt Irene<br />
<br />
4-6 unpared zucchini, coarsely ground (3.5 cups)<br />
6 medium carrots, ground (1.5 cups)<br />
2 medium onions, ground (1 cup)<br />
2 Tbsp uniodized salt<br />
2 1/2 cups sugar<br />
1 1/2 cups vinegar<br />
1 1/2 tsp celery seed<br />
1 1/2 tsp dry mustard<br />
<br />
Combine ground vegetables, stir in salt. Let stand 3 hours. Drain well, squeeze if necessary. Combine remaining ingredients and bring to boil. Add vegetables, simmer 20 minutes uncovered. Seal in jars. Makes 2-1/2 pints.<br />
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*****<br />
<br />
I found the easiest way to do this was bust out my food processor. Oh how I love my food processor. I put in one of the grating/shredding blades (I'm sure there's an official name for it, but I can't think of it and don't feel like looking it up...I only have 15 minutes until I need to leave to pick up kids from school) and put it on the finer of the two options so my shreds of everything would be smaller. Actually for the onions I put in the regular blade and just pulsed until the pieces of onion were tiny.<br />
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I could barely wait to have some of this. Shortly after making it the husband and I had grilled sausages for dinner one night after the kids had gone to bed, so I got out one of my jars and served some up with our sausage. Oh it was so tasty! Just as good as I remembered. And the husband liked it, too! It's super easy to make up, and it will be a great way to use up some of that summer bounty of vegetables!<br />
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My shredded veggies, awaiting their salt.<br />
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Boy #2 was helping with the process. This kid loves the food processor! He wanted in on one of the pictures. Don't mind his shaggy-way-overdue-for-a-haircut face or the yogurt stains on the table behind him. Hmmm...maybe I shouldn't have pointed those out?<br />
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Relish cooking away.<br />
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How freakin' adorable are these jars?! They're wide mouth half pint jars. I love them.<br />
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<br />Clairehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10016702290960782557noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8067244452033083542.post-80728172593133672482013-04-23T10:10:00.000-07:002013-04-23T10:10:01.972-07:00Refrigerator Pickles<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgRb55mQEC7k5iN8epGfUqWp4SfaTyPJQ8Yp1jjTCcEpqsRHLqiyJVlcn8EMn4qQJAW4q9LBElsCzOk8RJ6JBhAyy9SKdxMYAkVbnIs0c7l4MACKEyY6mlisCjquZRBzL78RnRgVooEUxxU/s1600/IMG_1756_9267.jpg" imageanchor="1" ><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgRb55mQEC7k5iN8epGfUqWp4SfaTyPJQ8Yp1jjTCcEpqsRHLqiyJVlcn8EMn4qQJAW4q9LBElsCzOk8RJ6JBhAyy9SKdxMYAkVbnIs0c7l4MACKEyY6mlisCjquZRBzL78RnRgVooEUxxU/s320/IMG_1756_9267.jpg" /></a><br />
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If you follow me on <a href="http://www.facebook.com/cookingclaire">Facebook</a> you might have seen me say recently that I have some great posts to do but was in the middle of a big recipe card project using my camera. My great uncle recently passed away, so my mom went back to Kansas to get some things from their house that had been left to her and things she wanted to keep. Her aunt died 12 or 13 years ago, my grandma's oldest sister. One of the things my mom brought back was her aunt's recipe collection. In case it's not obvious, I'm a sucker for a recipe collection. Especially old ones written on recipe cards in swirly, cursive handwriting and filed away in recipe card boxes. Conveniently shortly after she returned from that trip my mom left on another trip (she's a traveling fool, that lady!), so I brought the box of recipes home with me to take pictures of ones I wanted to have. It was quite an undertaking. I wanted to wait to upload my memory card until I was done, so that meant blog updates got put on hold.<br />
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Now, as if that wasn't enough of a tangent, do you have <a href="https://the3000club.org/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=61&Itemid=59">Market on the Move</a> where you live? I don't know if it's just an AZ thing, but it's pretty awesome. The first saturday of the month (dates vary by location, I believe. Mine just happens to be the first Saturday.) you can get up to 60 pounds of produce for $10. Yup...60 pounds, $10. It's all stuff that's too ripe for grocery stores to take, so they sell it for super cheap. This last MOM (as it's affectionately known as) had butternut squash, zucchini, yellow squash, green and red peppers, poblano peppers, roma tomatoes and cucumbers. There are certain amounts of some things you can take, others are unlimited. This time each person was allowed 19 cucumbers. Did I mention they were organic? Score!! I decided to try my hand at making refrigerator pickles. I had wanted to try them at some other point when I had a bunch of cucumbers, but I never did. I don't remember why. Probably my kids ate them. Or they were forgotten in my garage fridge. But this time I was not going to let that happen! I busted out my cukes, vinegar, sugar, and some canning jars, and got busy!<br />
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<b>Refrigerator Pickles</b><br />
Source: adapted from <a href="http://allrecipes.com/recipe/homemade-refrigerator-pickles/">allrecipes.com</a><br />
<br />
1 cup distilled white vinegar<br />
1 tbsp salt<br />
2 cups white sugar<br />
6 cups sliced cucumbers<br />
1 cup sliced onions<br />
<br />
In a medium saucepan over medium heat, bring vinegar, salt and sugar to a boil. Boil until the sugar has dissolved, about 10 minutes. Place the cucumbers and onions in a large bowl. Pour the vinegar mixture over the vegetables. Transfer to sterile containers and store in the refrigerator.<br />
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*****<br />
<br />
I had slightly more than six cups of cucumbers. I think I used five cukes, but they were pretty big. I really wasn't sure how this was going to turn out, but we had some on turkey burgers a few nights later, and they were really good! They're on the sweeter side, but not as sweet as an actual sweet pickle. They were just so crisp and fresh tasting. I loved them! So much better than store bought pickles, and I know exactly what went in to them! In fact, I liked these so much I made a second batch a few days later. So now I have six jars of pickles in my fridge. From what I read they'll last up to several months in the fridge. These were also super fast to make. While the vinegar/sugar/salt mixture was coming to a boil I did all my slicing. I did let it all cool in the bowl a little before I put them in jars. And you'll probably want to wipe off your jars after you're done--mine were really sticky!<br />
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(Complete side note...speaking of jars, I was at Costco last week, and they had a sozen pint canning jars for $6! That's a smokin' deal! I bought three packages--one for me and two for my friend Amy. One of the employees said they were going really fast, so if you want some, I suggest going soon to check on them!)<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhiEqHxq33nUG4CeADbnZvj2TYJ5wKkogWqUPhE4xjSHhBRfXIgGv7GNZa2wM2-BjDF3yO8xZ77hWs-_wvDLfVElcQSba-o7ywUI-1xdyY0mLTqjMNrwPM36C-fw_EDny1zZYcz0YsmWeTl/s1600/IMG_1757_9268.jpg" imageanchor="1" ><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhiEqHxq33nUG4CeADbnZvj2TYJ5wKkogWqUPhE4xjSHhBRfXIgGv7GNZa2wM2-BjDF3yO8xZ77hWs-_wvDLfVElcQSba-o7ywUI-1xdyY0mLTqjMNrwPM36C-fw_EDny1zZYcz0YsmWeTl/s320/IMG_1757_9268.jpg" /></a>Clairehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10016702290960782557noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8067244452033083542.post-8305478528547691282013-03-21T08:49:00.003-07:002013-03-21T08:49:42.207-07:00Fontina Macaroni and Cheese<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj_OjT_V7SJTziSqwXIBXIWl3mCACq82-CmNlYfohGHzw0yI3PvMPvWRLVZCq0QSgwF3ZkdGdGrgA2zZCZn5uBEM5ylGff_qp2OtMUxO9AovTTaRwKpVD_4w5urqLeklXlS2qiDUOXQSy-s/s1600/IMG_0566_8461.jpg" imageanchor="1" ><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj_OjT_V7SJTziSqwXIBXIWl3mCACq82-CmNlYfohGHzw0yI3PvMPvWRLVZCq0QSgwF3ZkdGdGrgA2zZCZn5uBEM5ylGff_qp2OtMUxO9AovTTaRwKpVD_4w5urqLeklXlS2qiDUOXQSy-s/s320/IMG_0566_8461.jpg" /></a><br />
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It's no secret that we're cheese lovers at my house. Nor is it a secret or surprise that we also love macaroni and cheese. I grew up eating the stuff in the blue box and honestly when I was little, I didn't like homemade mac and cheese. Now that's switched, and I'd much rather have a big plate of homemade than the stuff from the box. I really try and avoid giving it to my kiddos, too, because of all the junk that's put in it. By the way, did you know there's currently a petition going around attempting to get Kraft to remove harmful food dyes from the blue boxed mac and cheese? Interestingly the same product sold in the UK does not contain these dyes because of consumer outcry there. Why not take a second and add your name to the petition? I believe the goal was to get 250,000 names, and it's currently at 249,910! So close!! <br />
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<a href="https://www.change.org/petitions/kraft-stop-using-dangerous-food-dyes-in-our-mac-cheese">Petition to remove harmful dyes from Kraft mac and cheese</a><br />
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I'll get down off my soapbox now and back to my regularly scheduled post.<br />
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Although I have a <a href="http://cookingclaire.blogspot.com/2011/02/pioneer-womans-macaroni-and-cheese.html">go-to mac and cheese</a> that I make pretty often and we all love, I'm easily convinced to try a new version. The husband helped me meal plan recently, and I pulled up a few things on <a href="http://www.pinterest.com">Pinterest</a> that I'd been wanting to try. This is one he chose because, like I said, we're a family of suckers for mac and cheese. Plus I love fontina cheese, so I jumped on board with the idea. We made sure to have it before a big cardio workout day to really justify having it as our main course instead of a side.<br />
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<b>Fontina Macaroni and Cheese</b><br />
Source: <a href="http://www.annies-eats.com/2010/05/24/fontina-mac-and-cheese/">Annie's Eats</a> via <a href="http://www.pinterest.com">Pinterest</a><br />
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1 lb. small or medium pasta shells<br />
5 tbsp. unsalted butter, divided<br />
1 cup heavy cream<br />
8 oz. Fontina cheese, shredded<br />
Salt<br />
Pinch of grated nutmeg<br />
1/3 cup panko bread crumbs<br />
¼ cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese<br />
<br />
Preheat the oven to 400˚ F. In a large pot of boiling salted water, cook the pasta according to the package directions just until 1-2 minutes shy of al dente.<br />
<br />
Meanwhile, dice 4 tablespoons of the butter and place in a large mixing bowl. Warm the cream in a small saucepan or the microwave. Cover to keep warm.<br />
<br />
Once the pasta is cooked, add to the bowl with the butter and toss to coat well. Stir in the warm cream and the Fontina until the cheese starts to melt. Mix in salt to taste, and add the nutmeg.<br />
<br />
Pour the mixture into a buttered 2-quart casserole dish. In a small bowl, melt the remaining 1 tablespoon of butter. Mix in the panko breadcrumbs and shredded Parmesan. Toss with a fork to coat evenly with the butter. Sprinkle the bread crumb mixture evenly over the pasta in the baking dish.<br />
<br />
Bake until the sauce is bubbling and the topping turns golden brown, about 20 minutes. Serve immediately.<br />
<br />
*****<br />
<br />
Talk about decadent!! Butter, cream, cheese. Yowza! This was definitely a hit with my family. This was definitely tasty, but I don't think it will necessary replace my normal mac and cheese just because it was so rich and decadent. It was definitely a nice change of pace and something I'd make again when I had a hankering for fancy mac and cheese!<br />
<br />
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiEbNTon7hlR0_Xuyu_dPqylZP-PbMvDerKkvIS_h4YMvByVMoLccL60YyBtezwDEHcV_oU7nhAaWSquUZWzqOQWezgiLBrt_lTfzFmUXTPE92VaKGkZfZzQed4gOZpd-w9I8Ols9TFcPx-/s1600/IMG_0561_8456.jpg" imageanchor="1" ><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiEbNTon7hlR0_Xuyu_dPqylZP-PbMvDerKkvIS_h4YMvByVMoLccL60YyBtezwDEHcV_oU7nhAaWSquUZWzqOQWezgiLBrt_lTfzFmUXTPE92VaKGkZfZzQed4gOZpd-w9I8Ols9TFcPx-/s320/IMG_0561_8456.jpg" /></a><br />
<br />
I'll admit, it's a little blah looking before going in the oven. I left panko off one end because one of my kids didn't want any on theirs. Worked for me.<br />
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEglBoGBOPH1Os5YUyiJvR5qOoKBBI8ucbDL9PwZEo6SIucG9WoVnBPZUQJGVnx5zvQkI6zcnwGBnEDLChV85ggT8CUFa1gODcjOOE3ZmmmgN4-LcErHWu4oqQP7eZmo19iILcEp12V4yfjz/s1600/IMG_0564_8459.jpg" imageanchor="1" ><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEglBoGBOPH1Os5YUyiJvR5qOoKBBI8ucbDL9PwZEo6SIucG9WoVnBPZUQJGVnx5zvQkI6zcnwGBnEDLChV85ggT8CUFa1gODcjOOE3ZmmmgN4-LcErHWu4oqQP7eZmo19iILcEp12V4yfjz/s320/IMG_0564_8459.jpg" /></a><br />
<br />
Delish!<br />
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjloIWoqrnYb658yCl95GWV5BEGD0eFCnhO4FYB6NE3oGtnvPeP8Eyfn8lIpt-7HlcJ_neehmvslkTa7jga3tmkCzQvpfxNaN_TMEHoVYVpmMayGC-nalDkLIMU0n4TX60RpGujLuWlzMrp/s1600/IMG_0573_8468.jpg" imageanchor="1" ><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjloIWoqrnYb658yCl95GWV5BEGD0eFCnhO4FYB6NE3oGtnvPeP8Eyfn8lIpt-7HlcJ_neehmvslkTa7jga3tmkCzQvpfxNaN_TMEHoVYVpmMayGC-nalDkLIMU0n4TX60RpGujLuWlzMrp/s320/IMG_0573_8468.jpg" /></a>Clairehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10016702290960782557noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8067244452033083542.post-22809567109779636802013-03-15T10:21:00.002-07:002013-03-15T10:22:23.087-07:00GG's Lasagna<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi-F8Ci2CyzJR25jGweIf5a5akQN5ufJ5yyY6-TSvYDOaW_0uPHkXnjkP57307zhBVIf4OUh7UOKGItgS6d6iPJgaAt6U1zIPdpEntuZNMR30rh9ohMSCaF8P-VV0soNm0tVbb8GrWHJ_9V/s1600/IMG_1173_7853.jpg" imageanchor="1" ><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi-F8Ci2CyzJR25jGweIf5a5akQN5ufJ5yyY6-TSvYDOaW_0uPHkXnjkP57307zhBVIf4OUh7UOKGItgS6d6iPJgaAt6U1zIPdpEntuZNMR30rh9ohMSCaF8P-VV0soNm0tVbb8GrWHJ_9V/s320/IMG_1173_7853.jpg" /></a><br />
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I cannot believe I've never done a post about my grandma's lasagna recipe. But, alas, that must be the case because when I went to make it recently I couldn't find it here on the ol' blog. For those of you that don't know her, my grandma is awesome. Seriously, I've never met someone that doesn't love her as soon as they meet her. She'll be 95 in May, and she's still going strong. She takes one medication and only because her doctor thinks a woman her age should be on some sort of medication. Sheesh. She grew up on a farm in Hale, Missouri during the Great Depression, and I (still) love when she tells me stories about her youth. She is hands down one of my favorite people in the world.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhCkg0bOcbLrhC7Afs4mObZ7GPS9uxqfwNSGF2JUnNPO75XmxWHiS7jA1tLd-wlnFVOKvMYo7ybvxx4iybNR5en9phTvdIIlN0dlRwDSzguSn8NUQFpt6bRFScAaGVaqniyaNlFvCANRAlf/s1600/IMG_0813_8246.jpg" imageanchor="1" ><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhCkg0bOcbLrhC7Afs4mObZ7GPS9uxqfwNSGF2JUnNPO75XmxWHiS7jA1tLd-wlnFVOKvMYo7ybvxx4iybNR5en9phTvdIIlN0dlRwDSzguSn8NUQFpt6bRFScAaGVaqniyaNlFvCANRAlf/s320/IMG_0813_8246.jpg" /></a><br />
<br />
We all love her lasagna recipe, and it is Boy #1's absolute favorite food in the world. He turned seven last month, and while my brother and his girlfriend were here visiting for the weekend for his birthday we had a lasagna dinner at my mom's. My grandma made her lasagna, and my brother made a vegan one. That was on a Saturday night, I think it was. The boy's birthday was Wednesday, and I asked him what he wanted me to make for his birthday dinner one night that week, and he said, "GG's lasagna." I said, "Really? But we just had that." He said, "I know, it's my favorite." Okay...I can't argue with that! So we had GG's lasagna again later that week. A few years ago I took my scanner to my grandparents' house and sat down with my grandma's recipe box to scan some of my favorite recipes of hers. I love that I have the recipe in her handwriting, too.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhx7I1e_Z_MUQLYBUtJvrdjUIECGr97A1AaY0mxXP3VBqEeO7nU61m0FgFg8n1ls8uAY4W95uW6tscSjs8oIx5voGW71RW7Y1LgPcgxZo1Ji9RnV-fCMnu2uEVOc4E-VpByZyhh3HWddQYX/s1600/Recipes+036.jpg" imageanchor="1" ><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhx7I1e_Z_MUQLYBUtJvrdjUIECGr97A1AaY0mxXP3VBqEeO7nU61m0FgFg8n1ls8uAY4W95uW6tscSjs8oIx5voGW71RW7Y1LgPcgxZo1Ji9RnV-fCMnu2uEVOc4E-VpByZyhh3HWddQYX/s320/Recipes+036.jpg" /></a><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg8bLOBatNbfL4nqzznSp1CxpNuw0jzo3WjAf0DBgM7oTLEqnPf-tTtmMz0ywIt0HX9Z-kI0A4xf5mgTIfmUh_5J9ZU7B2Wom9eh4hXwTqVuw2XbYMerbIfiUex6RrvImKzwj7rky54ZKvR/s1600/Recipes+037.jpg" imageanchor="1" ><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg8bLOBatNbfL4nqzznSp1CxpNuw0jzo3WjAf0DBgM7oTLEqnPf-tTtmMz0ywIt0HX9Z-kI0A4xf5mgTIfmUh_5J9ZU7B2Wom9eh4hXwTqVuw2XbYMerbIfiUex6RrvImKzwj7rky54ZKvR/s320/Recipes+037.jpg" /></a><br />
<br />
<b>GG's Lasagna</b><br />
Source: my awesome grandma<br />
<br />
Sauce:<br />
1-1/2 lb. ground beef<br />
1 small onion, chopped<br />
2 cloves garlic, minced<br />
2 8-ounce cans tomato sauce<br />
1 cup water<br />
1 T. dried parsley<br />
1 t. oregano<br />
3/4 t. salt<br />
1/4 t. thyme<br />
1 bay leaf<br />
<br />
Simmer. Remove bay leaf before using sauce.<br />
<br />
Other ingredients:<br />
1 cup sour cream<br />
8 ounces cream cheese<br />
8 ounces lasagna noodles, cooked<br />
2 cups shredded mozzarella cheese<br />
<br />
Mix together sour cream and cream cheese.<br />
<br />
Assemble in a flat baking dish and layer:<br />
1/3 cup sauce, noodles, cream cheese and sour cream, mozzarella. Keep layering until mozzarella cheese is on top. <br />
<br />
Bake 45 minutes at 350.<br />
<br />
*****<br />
<br />
This lasagna does not last when I make it. There's maybe one or two servings leftover, and normally Boy #1 has it for breakfast the next day or wants to take it in his lunch. I really think he'd eat this every day if I'd make it that often.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgBYGr7sE4hFtE96uzqLfHZcnNYrgqajfPU_xqzXmd9fWXj3anmcit8_qtQG4-LJFaeRVmltcKud6pLFmkpKmryZLhCkcA52zDsREKY8t4NnMgHOuMra5RBy4FCNyBluTGXlJiYVU26K9Vj/s1600/IMG_1174_7854.jpg" imageanchor="1" ><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgBYGr7sE4hFtE96uzqLfHZcnNYrgqajfPU_xqzXmd9fWXj3anmcit8_qtQG4-LJFaeRVmltcKud6pLFmkpKmryZLhCkcA52zDsREKY8t4NnMgHOuMra5RBy4FCNyBluTGXlJiYVU26K9Vj/s320/IMG_1174_7854.jpg" /></a><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjmOjJDyqH33VDR4EMVM_ht92atMu0k-9JdsPl5ds34744ex7W_DTbwV2m5mQdas5ZeFGBmlV-Ii-AZ6AmEz-zWXg2YdBlLk8UftCx_WLHjrEWk0vjYD6WnkuZC-kHQMp8mq3Mfw98hPI03/s1600/IMG_1180_7846.jpg" imageanchor="1" ><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjmOjJDyqH33VDR4EMVM_ht92atMu0k-9JdsPl5ds34744ex7W_DTbwV2m5mQdas5ZeFGBmlV-Ii-AZ6AmEz-zWXg2YdBlLk8UftCx_WLHjrEWk0vjYD6WnkuZC-kHQMp8mq3Mfw98hPI03/s320/IMG_1180_7846.jpg" /></a>Clairehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10016702290960782557noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8067244452033083542.post-58363331632339557102013-03-08T08:03:00.000-07:002013-03-08T08:03:04.185-07:00A Special Valentines Drink<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjUuntmOXQOcG_eq0h9W7trEkUbhKXxtCi6K8ailyMHAVTb6KNzzNsrSF9LXTFWk4bwhE4tgBH8ZNFkJE8xikduevAI1wGjoguw5hEWRmIN9cYCZfvUoW8m2-bKXV_lhEx5KLHu_dKRYgJ7/s1600/IMG_0658_8367.jpg" imageanchor="1" ><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjUuntmOXQOcG_eq0h9W7trEkUbhKXxtCi6K8ailyMHAVTb6KNzzNsrSF9LXTFWk4bwhE4tgBH8ZNFkJE8xikduevAI1wGjoguw5hEWRmIN9cYCZfvUoW8m2-bKXV_lhEx5KLHu_dKRYgJ7/s320/IMG_0658_8367.jpg" /></a><br />
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I'll come right out and say it. I'm not a huge fan of Valentines Day. I kind of attribute it to many years of being boyfriend-less and seeing other girls with flowers, balloons, etc. and I had nothing. It's okay, I know it's a petty reason, but tell me you're not still holding on to issues like that of some sort from high school. ;) Thankfully the husband isn't really a big fan of it either, so we've never made a big deal out of it. Actually when we first met it was a few weeks before V-Day, and he randomly said one night, "So, what are you doing next Wednesday?" My response--not realizing what day that was--was something along the lines of, "Probably working late, maybe having some wine when I get home." You know, because my roommate at the time and her boyfriend would be there being all lovey-dovey. So we've never made a big deal out of it. But now that I have little boys, I really want to teach them that they should make a big deal out of it, so I'm trying to mend my ways. This year I planned a bunch of secret stuff to do for them while they were both at school. I dropped off Boy #2 at preschool and headed to the dollar store for some decorations. Note to self: next year get them ahead of time because there's not a whole lot left at the dollar store on Valentines Day. But I made do. I wanted to give my boys a fancy, fun snack when they got home from school and I had seen this on <a href="http://www.pinterest.com">Pinterest</a>. They rarely get soda--especially one whose main ingredients are HFCS, corn syrup, sugar, and red dye #40--so I knew they'd freakin' flip for this. It probably helped I also bought them each a bag of Cheetos.<br />
<br />
<b>A Special Valentines Drink</b><br />
Source: Adapted from <a href="http://sweetcheekstastytreats.blogspot.com/2012/01/love-potion-floats.html">Sweet Cheeks Tasty Treats</a><br />
<br />
Strawberry sherbet<br />
Red Fanta (I think it's strawberry flavor?)<br />
Whipped cream<br />
Valentine sprinkles<br />
<br />
In a tall glass (or short glass if you want a little drink), place one or two scoops strawberry sherbet. Slowly pour soda over the sherbet. Top with a swirl of whipped cream and Valentine sprinkles.<br />
<br />
*****<br />
<br />
Easy peasy! The original recipe called for raspberry sherbet and raspberry ginger ale, but I couldn't find those at my store, so I went the strawberry route. Actually I think it was a strawberry sorbet that I got, if you want to be all fancy. Want to know one of my pet peeves? When people say sherBERT instead of sherBET. There's <a href="http://grammarist.com/spelling/sherbet-sherbert/">no "r" in the word</a>! It drives me freakin' nuts and no one believes me when I complain about it that they're pronouncing it wrong. So I've learned to keep my mouth shut about it.<br />
<br />
Anyway, my boys loved this. I made one for myself, too, and it was quite tasty. This could easily be adapted to any holiday, just change the color of your ingredients. If I can figure a non-Mountain Dew green soda I may make it again for St. Patrick's Day using lime sherbet. I guess I could do Sprite and that would work.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEighyphenhyphen0y4fL0aV8jrqtpAlKf5_M0nIwAhuE0zZ34n-V2WKNQh8-mdJMnEuYxMbtuFXZ-NjVnuGTNF34_nvMyvZQY5j1soEVuuFD8Va0AfVw-qCA20rfV-enkb77sEa169NGAvSGBdS4qnDMi/s1600/IMG_0659_8368.jpg" imageanchor="1" ><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEighyphenhyphen0y4fL0aV8jrqtpAlKf5_M0nIwAhuE0zZ34n-V2WKNQh8-mdJMnEuYxMbtuFXZ-NjVnuGTNF34_nvMyvZQY5j1soEVuuFD8Va0AfVw-qCA20rfV-enkb77sEa169NGAvSGBdS4qnDMi/s320/IMG_0659_8368.jpg" /></a><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiTom6RWOM_DPShhgHau1zZ4mQz36-HPFISZw5NtNhcjqJlgaooP-TImFw1p3WY5chqQHaCxcMcDrIw-fl_gPxea88qiSzZjUJZ-VwXcVg3B1DM7SmhwDPdruLS_GMGITwMbdP2SJzyqV6E/s1600/IMG_0661_8370.jpg" imageanchor="1" ><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiTom6RWOM_DPShhgHau1zZ4mQz36-HPFISZw5NtNhcjqJlgaooP-TImFw1p3WY5chqQHaCxcMcDrIw-fl_gPxea88qiSzZjUJZ-VwXcVg3B1DM7SmhwDPdruLS_GMGITwMbdP2SJzyqV6E/s320/IMG_0661_8370.jpg" /></a>Clairehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10016702290960782557noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8067244452033083542.post-75825685119235744762013-03-07T08:51:00.000-07:002013-03-07T08:51:34.287-07:00Spicy Sweet and Sour Pork<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjRyLSOva58z3cRENImfouemSTgVQNw5VfXw2TIt-NIdnJaAN_AP9Bu_Yr694RmW5mlKTBlAyJmUUrpQwBCNecxuCrnhBTE5PzLSqL14JWQNIdztRkc7J-2OpnSQgDKKVau9sQFjcUtOfoc/s1600/IMG_0656_8373.jpg" imageanchor="1" ><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjRyLSOva58z3cRENImfouemSTgVQNw5VfXw2TIt-NIdnJaAN_AP9Bu_Yr694RmW5mlKTBlAyJmUUrpQwBCNecxuCrnhBTE5PzLSqL14JWQNIdztRkc7J-2OpnSQgDKKVau9sQFjcUtOfoc/s320/IMG_0656_8373.jpg" /></a><br />
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My <a href="http://cookingclaire.blogspot.com/2013/03/wine-pie.html">Wine Pie</a> post was the swift kick in the pants I needed to get back to my blog. I really have quite a few things to share that I've made recently, so hopefully now I can get back on track and make my ol' blog here a priority again. I mean, right now I should be cleaning up my kitchen and putting a load of towels into the washer, but I'm sacrificing those things to write this. Ha! Like that was a tough decision.<br />
<br />
I've been trying to have the husband help me meal plan some each week, and this was one of his choices a couple weeks ago. I pulled up some recipes I'd saved on <a href="http://www.pinterest.com">Pinterest</a> and had him flip through them and see what looked good. This is one he chose. I'm always down for a stir fry, and my kids love sweet and sour anything, so I figured this would be a good choice.<br />
<br />
<b>Spicy Sweet and Sour Pork</b><br />
Source: adapted from <a href="http://www.myrecipes.com/recipe/spicy-sweet-and-sour-pork-10000001911381/">Cooking Light</a><br />
<br />
1 pound boneless pork chops, cut into 3/4-inch cubes<br />
2 tablespoons cornstarch, divided<br />
3 tablespoons low-sodium soy sauce, divided<br />
1 (8-ounce) can pineapple chunks in juice, undrained<br />
1/4 cup cider vinegar<br />
1/4 cup sugar<br />
2 tablespoons ketchup<br />
1 teaspoons Sriracha (hot chile sauce, such as Huy Fong)<br />
1 tablespoon canola oil <br />
1 cup chopped onion <br />
1 teaspoon minced ginger<br />
1/2 teaspoon minced garlic<br />
1 cup chopped green bell pepper<br />
<br />
Combine pork, 1 tablespoon cornstarch, and 1 tablespoon soy sauce; toss well to coat. Drain pineapple in a sieve over a bowl, reserving juice. Combine juice, remaining 1 tablespoon cornstarch, remaining 2 tablespoons soy sauce, vinegar, and next 3 ingredients (through Sriracha), stirring with a whisk.<br />
<br />
Heat a large nonstick skillet over medium-high heat. Add canola oil to pan; swirl to coat. Add pork to pan; sauté 3 minutes, stirring frequently. Add 1 cup onion, ginger, and garlic; sauté 1 minute. Stir in pineapple and bell pepper; sauté 3 minutes, stirring frequently. Stir in vinegar mixture; bring to a boil. Cook 1 minute, stirring constantly. Serve.<br />
<br />
*****<br />
<br />
The original recipe called for pork tenderloin, but I had pork chops on hand. Although, instead of grabbing two packages of pork chops from my freezer, I accidentally grabbed a package of pork chops and a package of chicken breasts. Oops. So ours was a pork/chicken combo. It worked out okay, and my kids thought it was kind of fun to try and figure out which pieces were pork and which were chicken. Anyway, it also called for more Sriracha, but I cut back on it since my kids don't like spicy food.<br />
<br />
This was a total winner of a dinner! Everyone in my family loved it. Boy #1 even wanted to take leftovers to school for lunch the next day!! What?! I believe he rated this a "triple A+, 100" which is pretty freakin' good. I'll definitely make it again since my whole family enjoyed it!<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgSEzvjPduzn8lHPicpWGSBAztHOYZxv9SkPhMhAhNQZ2gjpkDb7HN2XrtDp6aSrC1XKhOiTavWcZoecFR4NanW0mMkBJJ8VO6e5bnCKAGyljGWxW1j89nTQSblF-qpPw0VV9IYFooLI36z/s1600/IMG_0657_8374.jpg" imageanchor="1" ><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgSEzvjPduzn8lHPicpWGSBAztHOYZxv9SkPhMhAhNQZ2gjpkDb7HN2XrtDp6aSrC1XKhOiTavWcZoecFR4NanW0mMkBJJ8VO6e5bnCKAGyljGWxW1j89nTQSblF-qpPw0VV9IYFooLI36z/s320/IMG_0657_8374.jpg" /></a>Clairehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10016702290960782557noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8067244452033083542.post-13833686040420560072013-03-06T18:01:00.000-07:002013-03-06T18:01:29.134-07:00Wine PieOh, dear blog, how I've missed you. I have no good excuse for why I've been away (except maybe Candy Crush Saga). As I was scrolling back through pictures in my "Cooking Blog" photo folder, I saw these and giggled and thought it would be perfect, albeit probably not very helpful or interesting or even entertaining to anyone except <a href="http://notesfromthetable.blogspot.com">Jen</a>.<br />
<br />
In 2011 Jen and her family came and celebrated Thanksgiving with my family at my mom's house. It was a blast. This past Thanksgiving it turned out her family was going to be alone again, so they joined us for 2012 Thanksgiving as well. We were both taking a side dish and pie. Neither of us are bakers, and the husband had plans to go out with a friend the night before Thanksgiving, so Jen came over here and we threw back a few bottles of wine and made our pies together. I don't remember what hers was...something with pudding maybe? At some point (maybe because I had an extra crust?) we had the idea to make a pie with random ingredients and see how it turned out. Wine Pie was born.<br />
<br />
We started with taking any potential pie ingredients out of my pantry, fridge, and freezer. I'm not sure if the Goldfish were out as a consideration or had been left out after my kids had a snack. And maybe Jen's pie was pumpkin of some sort, hence the opened can of pumpkin.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh7irFCQMDDZ3y4NFQtc4OIWvziad8fFyBYoDcFtHScHZOHKgoVcic7z_g2NqoQHruDuLWMjMgnULGFNs_6wQGz3hjU6w2QJLaCSWlRaF8UV6SXpNepyeJvwgdkKb8F-BojenjRx2gQlGtb/s1600/IMG_5514_7191.JPG" imageanchor="1" ><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh7irFCQMDDZ3y4NFQtc4OIWvziad8fFyBYoDcFtHScHZOHKgoVcic7z_g2NqoQHruDuLWMjMgnULGFNs_6wQGz3hjU6w2QJLaCSWlRaF8UV6SXpNepyeJvwgdkKb8F-BojenjRx2gQlGtb/s320/IMG_5514_7191.JPG" /></a><br />
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We systematically went through the ingredients to figured out what was realistic to use and what wasn't. By process of elimination, this is what we ended up with. Cool Whip, Nutella, Bananas, Puffins cereal, Teddy Grahams, chocolate chips, pudding mix, Cookie Butter (although I don't see it in this picture), almonds, a Toblerone bar. I think that was it. Oh, I think we dug through my kids' Halloween candy buckets, too.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiQrganVSPAdHdyV0cNYjXMR1tRadGSiY2cl9mUvk5kQnBjChvK4YKxju-dEmHJ_2UUbkuwW8bdHLOGwGdnpW1kMD4olRoVSpCrglif5BILoA1I5QfeKn0MHJ7rblEsqw7kEEjQE6veM2Gi/s1600/IMG_5517_7194.JPG" imageanchor="1" ><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiQrganVSPAdHdyV0cNYjXMR1tRadGSiY2cl9mUvk5kQnBjChvK4YKxju-dEmHJ_2UUbkuwW8bdHLOGwGdnpW1kMD4olRoVSpCrglif5BILoA1I5QfeKn0MHJ7rblEsqw7kEEjQE6veM2Gi/s320/IMG_5517_7194.JPG" /></a><br />
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Now, how to proceed. A layer of cookie butter spread on the crust. By the way, if you haven't tried Cookie Butter, I'm really torn on whether or not to advise you to try it. Crack in a Jar is what it could easily be called. My brother bought it when he was here for Boy #2's birthday, and we all ate it by the spoonful. And it's vegan! Or at least I assume it is because my brother is vegan. It's the consistency of peanut butter but tastes like cookies.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgkyBBfoVIhbx5IChi_3qJBuBbKnG64VXmuFbS4-n9vgYIBgMyCIOSw8STWGI04M3SDDtF74F3YKEjvq6TBWR00CpocfN_4McO2nmcgP_lDj6fRqlL1nXdijq-eGZyaIHIeoG-Je9vIFyME/s1600/IMG_5518_7195.JPG" imageanchor="1" ><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgkyBBfoVIhbx5IChi_3qJBuBbKnG64VXmuFbS4-n9vgYIBgMyCIOSw8STWGI04M3SDDtF74F3YKEjvq6TBWR00CpocfN_4McO2nmcgP_lDj6fRqlL1nXdijq-eGZyaIHIeoG-Je9vIFyME/s320/IMG_5518_7195.JPG" /></a><br />
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Cookie Butter was topped with another crack-like ingredient, Nutella.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjxTL15uVUCByhJVsmBi3Ku1QLSh1HWaJdBslfbPriYQmiTckJitcDG9A8Lv8oMXXVUgCxkdoUt1piijKwTq9AUpBph9954hhyphenhyphenShFQdVX_KI5TYUKRlH8m3f9MySZ4Q-gj-F6sFu3_RktV2/s1600/IMG_5519_7196.JPG" imageanchor="1" ><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjxTL15uVUCByhJVsmBi3Ku1QLSh1HWaJdBslfbPriYQmiTckJitcDG9A8Lv8oMXXVUgCxkdoUt1piijKwTq9AUpBph9954hhyphenhyphenShFQdVX_KI5TYUKRlH8m3f9MySZ4Q-gj-F6sFu3_RktV2/s320/IMG_5519_7196.JPG" /></a><br />
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Lovely Jen layering on some bananas. The bananas were a delicious addition to Wine Pie, but the husband and I had to run to the store the next morning to get some for fuel before a seven mile run. Oops. We were a couple bottles deep at this point.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhtCYBJxxywR4Ih-G6gpWakvmp1d4uEtlZniz6Kbl6CpmIbkQthV9-iPNlf1-GfJh2oT_7krE1AFjI52geoysiLpmDrZp_toROwBP6yGKpGQBIrT6iwR2ZFHTMSmrRZJdwvFIrBnrVYy604/s1600/IMG_5520_7197.JPG" imageanchor="1" ><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhtCYBJxxywR4Ih-G6gpWakvmp1d4uEtlZniz6Kbl6CpmIbkQthV9-iPNlf1-GfJh2oT_7krE1AFjI52geoysiLpmDrZp_toROwBP6yGKpGQBIrT6iwR2ZFHTMSmrRZJdwvFIrBnrVYy604/s320/IMG_5520_7197.JPG" /></a><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgApTKA667l54LKEehYCU1Otll_xQ6REYNZmch9wXajECMxvjI7EpP04QNsXkPJ_sXUd4NqJtjUpQrdn9u6BiH3FDcMfklF2IBhsIyvd4n_ThCgzBZx7SfEbK2z895M_WM5kCRLCW_r9k9l/s1600/IMG_5521_7198.JPG" imageanchor="1" ><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgApTKA667l54LKEehYCU1Otll_xQ6REYNZmch9wXajECMxvjI7EpP04QNsXkPJ_sXUd4NqJtjUpQrdn9u6BiH3FDcMfklF2IBhsIyvd4n_ThCgzBZx7SfEbK2z895M_WM5kCRLCW_r9k9l/s320/IMG_5521_7198.JPG" /></a><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgh3a5YoY0Ohk1cc44Ix4Vntl91LMI0m0sSlkpPIzp0AbyvLbaSpLnHSBuZ9t-9WP1ELAAJdtwzPsj6qt2dRFNHi_zJW20heI_JtLp6n-b0wjJbKFCYA6HY_fMDB6SofdCKxYYHzPW9fmTB/s1600/IMG_5523_7200.JPG" imageanchor="1" ><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgh3a5YoY0Ohk1cc44Ix4Vntl91LMI0m0sSlkpPIzp0AbyvLbaSpLnHSBuZ9t-9WP1ELAAJdtwzPsj6qt2dRFNHi_zJW20heI_JtLp6n-b0wjJbKFCYA6HY_fMDB6SofdCKxYYHzPW9fmTB/s320/IMG_5523_7200.JPG" /></a><br />
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Next: vanilla pudding.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhJ5iY3zT_18wnqEfFXRZFrL5mHKzGpRs1XyhHibq5PEnrw5E9hke3DRTmgSegi_Op0khzevvRW9yrZaW4igzQ4E2MlAyXZ3wYa0dUSZRalFlObB6cDCiLJ331B_5y7f0cqcXeML4pwkRlh/s1600/IMG_5525_7202.JPG" imageanchor="1" ><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhJ5iY3zT_18wnqEfFXRZFrL5mHKzGpRs1XyhHibq5PEnrw5E9hke3DRTmgSegi_Op0khzevvRW9yrZaW4igzQ4E2MlAyXZ3wYa0dUSZRalFlObB6cDCiLJ331B_5y7f0cqcXeML4pwkRlh/s320/IMG_5525_7202.JPG" /></a><br />
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Topped with Cool Whip...because what's a pie without Cool Whip on top?<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj7PQ8jnx746XSMUYC0PlZa3APldNg81VsjL0R9Mi1Iza7gHibkNHhLD8YRYYewlVYZk4NtU0XYZdkiZyXBimOvIEG5YRqqspKv_kIas1u5S40YTWI0TFhTOOD_h2OvScy5ElyvQVbLGl4G/s1600/IMG_5526_7203.JPG" imageanchor="1" ><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj7PQ8jnx746XSMUYC0PlZa3APldNg81VsjL0R9Mi1Iza7gHibkNHhLD8YRYYewlVYZk4NtU0XYZdkiZyXBimOvIEG5YRqqspKv_kIas1u5S40YTWI0TFhTOOD_h2OvScy5ElyvQVbLGl4G/s320/IMG_5526_7203.JPG" /></a><br />
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And to really show off how drunk we were, the toppings. Mini chocolate chips, sliced almonds, crumbled Puffins cereal and Teddy Grahams, and to make it really festive: candy corns.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhd6d7efjlQt5duRAOd8_pJb8TgphdNnlxiV2MdMm8piBFiU7iHgxT73WkbxRAupLOk-9a4gPYqrcpSqvD7Fi77p1_6Z9ojEN8FHJQRjiZQvcVmz0aflnglQLf5vUQ5QOvFKSwz4_joLFNV/s1600/IMG_5528_7205.JPG" imageanchor="1" ><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhd6d7efjlQt5duRAOd8_pJb8TgphdNnlxiV2MdMm8piBFiU7iHgxT73WkbxRAupLOk-9a4gPYqrcpSqvD7Fi77p1_6Z9ojEN8FHJQRjiZQvcVmz0aflnglQLf5vUQ5QOvFKSwz4_joLFNV/s320/IMG_5528_7205.JPG" /></a><br />
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So, the verdict? This pie was AWESOME. Seriously, it was so good!! So don't let the lack of an official recipe for something hinder your kitchen creativeness. Great things can come from randomly combining ingredients you have on hand!<br />
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And the last picture...the pie after having been cut into on Thanksgiving:<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgQNDlDdCEBWOdj_fEt63CU-L2kAu2dvbWwYcSHnJ4ikOl_SXTzws4VA0V2yPUhJQG0MoBaYQKGCM7vPp5KRcJfXqxuSJf5CGZb6vho6DcrRXhoeYUxedn7bwIorydpSJNEtNloEUP1H38u/s1600/IMG_5562_7190.JPG" imageanchor="1" ><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgQNDlDdCEBWOdj_fEt63CU-L2kAu2dvbWwYcSHnJ4ikOl_SXTzws4VA0V2yPUhJQG0MoBaYQKGCM7vPp5KRcJfXqxuSJf5CGZb6vho6DcrRXhoeYUxedn7bwIorydpSJNEtNloEUP1H38u/s320/IMG_5562_7190.JPG" /></a>Clairehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10016702290960782557noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8067244452033083542.post-71885710236932285602013-01-13T12:02:00.002-07:002013-01-13T12:02:42.045-07:00Broccoli Cheddar Soup<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiGqQ7XqMXGZsNE1wljUKfkU4ijCfbw4r0oajIRvusIXFt6oKuD9CoKwMw3aUcndfmD2-6QMXvOiIahohUftvBlNzLoAJ6Ky6OzzvO4aa229pFL8pXLFDRfh_-l4OnSqKWiFeBq1a6sxeEA/s1600/IMG_5992_7344.JPG" imageanchor="1" style=""><img border="0" height="213" width="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiGqQ7XqMXGZsNE1wljUKfkU4ijCfbw4r0oajIRvusIXFt6oKuD9CoKwMw3aUcndfmD2-6QMXvOiIahohUftvBlNzLoAJ6Ky6OzzvO4aa229pFL8pXLFDRfh_-l4OnSqKWiFeBq1a6sxeEA/s320/IMG_5992_7344.JPG" /></a><br />
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It's cold here. If you don't live in AZ you're probably chuckling and shaking your head saying, "Silly girl...it doesn't get cold in Phoenix." But it is. Right now according to the weather on my phone it's 34 degrees at 11:50 AM. Brrrr. Once it's cold (or even AZ cold which usually means low 60s for the high), I want to eat soup. I love soup, and I'm always looking for a tasty homemade soup recipe. I rarely eat canned soup anymore because the ingredients are mostly stuff I don't want to put in my body, and they're just too darn salty for my taste. Except Campbell's tomato soup. I'll eat that when I'm sick, HFCS be damned! I like it made with milk and crushed up saltine crackers stirred in. Yum.<br />
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Anyway, one of my online friends, <a href="http://www.berkeleynutrition.com/">Stephanie</a>, posted this recipe on <a href="http://www.mamasphere.com">the message board website I frequent</a>, and I was dying to try it. My kids are pretty hit or miss when it comes to soup, but they love broccoli and cheese, so I took a chance that this one would be something they'd like. Plus Stephanie is a nutrition consultant, so I knew I could trust that this was something healthy to feed my family.<br />
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<b>Broccoli Cheese Soup</b><br />
Source: <a href="http://www.mamasphere.com">The Mamasphere</a> via <a href="http://www.berkeleynutrition.com/">Stephanie</a><br />
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1 tablespoon melted butter<br />
1/2 medium chopped onion<br />
1/4 cup melted butter<br />
1/4 cup flour<br />
2 cups half-and-half cream<br />
2 cups chicken stock (I use homemade)<br />
1/2 lb fresh broccoli<br />
1 cup carrots<br />
1/4 teaspoon nutmeg (optional)<br />
8 ounces grated sharp cheddar cheese<br />
salt and pepper<br />
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1. Sauté onion in tablespoon butter. Set aside.<br />
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2. Cook melted butter and flour using a whisk over medium heat for 3-5 minutes.<br />
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3. Stir constantly and add the half & half.<br />
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4. Add the chicken stock. Simmer for 20 minutes.<br />
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5. Add the broccoli, carrots and onions. Cook over low heat 20-25 minutes.<br />
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6. Add salt/pepper/nutmeg to taste. Puree with immersion blender.<br />
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7. Return to heat and add grated cheese.<br />
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*****<br />
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I've made this twice in about the past month, and it's a big hit with my family. My boys always grumble a little when I've made it, but they both eat it all up. Actually I made it this past week and doubled the recipe to take some to an injured friend and her family. They all liked it, too. It's really hearty and filling, and it comes together pretty easily, too. I really should just double it on a regular basis so I have some to eat for lunches or stick in the freezer because one batch goes pretty quickly. This is definitely a great addition to my go-to soup repertoire! Add a salad and some crusty bread or rolls, and you have a great meal!<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEieAxAQGnsI4HRXr0gD3ThRYQw25rUTTs_Ph1N4glyULWcrI9J69pOqsZu_wl0tuSSy2eSG19r_-ipMli7C7ihyphenhypheni2t9M5b8S15w7MpjKhQ9C2OksvDxOnaJLVRYel87G3gL3qYeY31UF37C/s1600/IMG_5991_7343.JPG" imageanchor="1" style=""><img border="0" height="213" width="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEieAxAQGnsI4HRXr0gD3ThRYQw25rUTTs_Ph1N4glyULWcrI9J69pOqsZu_wl0tuSSy2eSG19r_-ipMli7C7ihyphenhypheni2t9M5b8S15w7MpjKhQ9C2OksvDxOnaJLVRYel87G3gL3qYeY31UF37C/s320/IMG_5991_7343.JPG" /></a><br />
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Clairehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10016702290960782557noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8067244452033083542.post-67164467583527619692012-12-26T13:20:00.000-07:002012-12-26T13:20:03.406-07:00Crockpot Cheesy Spinach Artichoke Dip<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjR2507R0L3u2QG1o3UC6lPIGOPx1lj2mbEANXGySqyoNSVhSwH5wOklrP4oMaiqRUtjgtVag3ZivEKqNI0s7UbRbRfTnmWcA5QgfyKteyPk8a0qH6h_zksRZJuLCGVlTzo5FUXoeQMn3Tw/s1600/IMG_6268_7474.JPG" imageanchor="1" style=""><img border="0" height="213" width="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjR2507R0L3u2QG1o3UC6lPIGOPx1lj2mbEANXGySqyoNSVhSwH5wOklrP4oMaiqRUtjgtVag3ZivEKqNI0s7UbRbRfTnmWcA5QgfyKteyPk8a0qH6h_zksRZJuLCGVlTzo5FUXoeQMn3Tw/s320/IMG_6268_7474.JPG" /></a><br />
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Merry Christmas, everyone!! Did you have a nice time celebrating? Ours was pretty fantastic, although the days leading up to Christmas were pretty stressful, to the point where I didn't even care about Christmas and wasn't excited at all. But I had a nice, long, nine mile run on Christmas Eve that cleared my head a little and lots of family here with us for church and dinner on Christmas Eve. And with two little boys, it's hard to not catch their excitement. We were all very spoiled by my family, and now today the boys and I are hanging out at home playing with all our new toys while the husband has to go to work.<br />
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We went to my mom's house for Christmas "dinner" last night. We had our usual Christmas "dinner" spread of tons of appetizers. I had four I planned on making, but I ended up whittling it back to two. One of them I made to take to a party last Friday, and while they were tasty, they were time consuming, and I didn't want to deal with them. Then another I decided to skip after seeing how much food there was already, plus I was tired of being in the kitchen and wanted to hang out and drink my wine. It sounds like a super tasty dip, so I will make it at some point.<br />
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When I was deciding what I'd make this year I perused my <a href="http://pinterest.com/claireknightly/snacks/">Snacks</a> board on <a href="http://www.pinterest.com">Pinterest</a> and got really, really overwhelmed. So many good appetizers! But I knew I wouldn't want to be in the kitchen slaving away either here or at my mom's, so the fact that this was a slow cooker recipe appealed to my lazy nature. I ended up changing it a bit because of time constraints and lack of ingredients, so there will be a link to the original recipe, but the one below is how I ended up making it.<br />
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<b>Crockpot Cheesy Spinach Artichoke Dip</b><br />
Source: Adapted from <a href="http://www.myrecipes.com/recipe/cheesy-spinach-artichoke-dip-10000001535491/">Cooking Light</a> <br />
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1 (14-ounce) can quartered artichoke hearts, drained and coarsely chopped<br />
1 (10-ounce) package frozen chopped spinach, thawed, drained, and squeezed dry<br />
1 (8-ounce) block light cream cheese, softened<br />
1 (8-ounce) carton low-fat sour cream<br />
3/4 cup grated Parmesan cheese<br />
1/2 cup (2 ounces) crumbled reduced-fat feta cheese<br />
1/2 cup diced onion <br />
1/2 cup mayonnaise<br />
1 tablespoon white wine vinegar<br />
1/4 teaspoon freshly ground pepper<br />
2 garlic cloves, crushed<br />
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Place all ingredients in a 3 1/2-quart electric slow cooker; stir well. Cover with lid; cook on low-heat setting 2 hours or until cheese is melted and dip is heated through. Serve warm with toasted pita wedges or tortilla chips.<br />
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*****<br />
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The original recipe called for 3/4 cup milk. I debated calling my mom to see if she had milk because sometimes she doesn't. But I figured she would. Then she didn't. My uncle and husband both offered to run to the gas station to get some for me, but I opted to not. I figured I'd see how it turned out and if it needed some liquid, I'd come up with a solution of some sort. After it cooked for awhile, I checked on it and found the consistency of it was perfect! I was so glad I had skipped the milk; it would have been way too runny with that added to it. I had bought tortilla chips to serve with this because I have the hardest time finding pita chips at my Safeway store, and I just didn't want to go to other stores in the days leading up to Christmas. This was a super tasty dip, and it's one I will definitely make again. Tasty and easy are two of my favorite combinations!!<br />
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Do you like my festive nail polish? It was one of my gifts from Boy #1. I heart that kid!<br />
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj2jTURwaLRp4nylr6IyymvpZnXPOlyZQgtm_-QmMAEmxcE1qU6tLduxkoDU-Kv9VkRuHQCM0reinq9l7aUlNcNOeykVEjDKlN_MX0gsbpvcs1Zd1t995cWk_4nvWFRTj68BlohZ6L8qUrc/s1600/IMG_6269_7475.JPG" imageanchor="1" style=""><img border="0" height="213" width="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj2jTURwaLRp4nylr6IyymvpZnXPOlyZQgtm_-QmMAEmxcE1qU6tLduxkoDU-Kv9VkRuHQCM0reinq9l7aUlNcNOeykVEjDKlN_MX0gsbpvcs1Zd1t995cWk_4nvWFRTj68BlohZ6L8qUrc/s320/IMG_6269_7475.JPG" /></a><br />
Clairehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10016702290960782557noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8067244452033083542.post-79346147532882040412012-11-24T15:50:00.000-07:002012-11-24T15:50:34.090-07:00Kung Pao Chicken Tacos<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjCMZ3js6n_o_dwKNanc_b0CMScInaZ3tggT3qI-zFn_gyekW2iD9UjsTkcShtTvPJ3x4oDUS_K_ACbr0MOYjD31__8rxEolLAsX6O9_psCXVbCGpbqkdflGEOoXwEgt1-EQibz9D-uhToL/s1600/IMG_4681_5999.JPG" imageanchor="1" style=""><img border="0" height="213" width="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjCMZ3js6n_o_dwKNanc_b0CMScInaZ3tggT3qI-zFn_gyekW2iD9UjsTkcShtTvPJ3x4oDUS_K_ACbr0MOYjD31__8rxEolLAsX6O9_psCXVbCGpbqkdflGEOoXwEgt1-EQibz9D-uhToL/s320/IMG_4681_5999.JPG" /></a><br />
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I absolutely LOVE Chinese food. If given a choice of cuisine, it's usually one of my top picks. Maybe from growing up in Seattle? I don't know. I haven't played around with cooking too much of it on my own (even though a few years ago I did invest in a pretty <a href="http://www.amazon.com/Mastering-Chinese-Cooking-Eileen-Yin-Fei/dp/0811859339/ref=pd_vtp_b_6">heavy duty Chinese cookbook</a>). I was excited when I saw this recipe in October's <a href="http://www.cookinglight.com">Cooking Light</a> because Kung Pao Chicken is one of our favorite Chinese take-out dishes. Since it has a little kick to it I decided to make it for a date night dinner for the husband and me since my kiddos don't like spicy.<br />
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<b>Kung Pao Chicken Tacos</b><br />
Source: <a href="http://www.myrecipes.com/recipe/kung-pao-chicken-tacos-50400000123574/">Cooking Light magazine, October 2012</a><br />
<br />
6 skinless, boneless chicken thighs, cut into bite-sized pieces<br />
3 tablespoons lower-sodium soy sauce, divided<br />
1/4 cup plus 1 1/2 teaspoons cornstarch, divided<br />
1/4 teaspoon kosher salt<br />
2 tablespoons canola oil, divided<br />
1 1/2 tablespoons honey<br />
1 tablespoon dark sesame oil<br />
2 teaspoons rice vinegar<br />
1 teaspoon sambal oelek (ground fresh chile paste)<br />
1 large garlic clove, minced<br />
3 tablespoons coarsely chopped dry-roasted peanuts<br />
3/4 cup diagonally sliced celery (about 2 stalks)<br />
8 (6-inch) corn tortillas<br />
1/3 cup sliced green onions<br />
1/2 medium red bell pepper, thinly sliced<br />
4 lime wedges<br />
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1. Place chicken in a large zip-top plastic bag. Add 1 tablespoon soy sauce to bag; seal. Marinate at room temperature for 30 minutes. Remove chicken from bag; discard marinade. Place 1/4 cup cornstarch in a shallow dish. Sprinkle the chicken evenly with salt. Add chicken to cornstarch in dish, and toss chicken to thoroughly coat. Shake off excess cornstarch.<br />
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2. Heat a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add 1 tablespoon canola oil to pan; swirl to coat. Add half of coated chicken; sauté for 6 minutes or until done, turning to brown. Remove chicken from pan using a slotted spoon; drain on paper towels. Repeat the procedure with remaining 1 tablespoon canola oil and coated chicken.<br />
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3. Combine remaining 1 1/2 teaspoons cornstarch, remaining 2 tablespoons soy sauce, honey, and next 3 ingredients (through sambal oelek) in a microwave-safe bowl, stirring with a whisk until smooth. Microwave at HIGH for 1 1/2 minutes or until slightly thick, stirring twice. Stir in garlic. Combine soy sauce mixture, chicken, peanuts, and celery; toss to coat chicken.<br />
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4. Toast tortillas under broiler or on a griddle until lightly blistered, turning frequently. Place 2 tortillas on each of 4 plates; divide chicken mixture evenly among tortillas. Top each taco with green onions and bell pepper strips; serve with lime wedges.<br />
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*****<br />
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I used chicken breasts instead of thighs because it's what I had on hand. That was my only change, though. We LOVED the taste of the chicken, but we did not like it in the tortillas. I had even bought fresh corn tortillas from a nearby Hispanic market, and we just didn't like it in the tortillas. The actual Kung Pao Chicken was <b>FANTASTIC</b>. There were no leftovers--we devoured every single bite, it was that good. This is definitely something I'll be making again, but I'll skip the tortillas in the future!<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiukUqgRyE0VCeM1uNey5bStqzRycRpiWF9I8Iy-QJSlGcXtxkZ7pJgaBl6EEFE4098NvsM2ISELY15NXnyiRLSZhymIeu0y0g_V9EA6ls4oXnRUg-OZN2I73-RYAmc7s53BzyTzIkj81KD/s1600/IMG_4679_5997.JPG" imageanchor="1" style=""><img border="0" height="213" width="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiukUqgRyE0VCeM1uNey5bStqzRycRpiWF9I8Iy-QJSlGcXtxkZ7pJgaBl6EEFE4098NvsM2ISELY15NXnyiRLSZhymIeu0y0g_V9EA6ls4oXnRUg-OZN2I73-RYAmc7s53BzyTzIkj81KD/s320/IMG_4679_5997.JPG" /></a><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgK90Lb3Yp7iTptpz5MO2BNaniUZJvcXBvHm6LdwXFNAM7YQTpzvMzRnGiRItC53cVgdc25rmZyYB0N9nqE8jKvX93XUqY8AxyFLIyzMHIgSJfrCMmkWdZ3HC1uI9WDS6-UqH03Ea7b9drM/s1600/IMG_4678_5996.JPG" imageanchor="1" style=""><img border="0" height="213" width="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgK90Lb3Yp7iTptpz5MO2BNaniUZJvcXBvHm6LdwXFNAM7YQTpzvMzRnGiRItC53cVgdc25rmZyYB0N9nqE8jKvX93XUqY8AxyFLIyzMHIgSJfrCMmkWdZ3HC1uI9WDS6-UqH03Ea7b9drM/s320/IMG_4678_5996.JPG" /></a><br />
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Clairehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10016702290960782557noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8067244452033083542.post-16108801598405738552012-11-18T15:04:00.003-07:002012-11-18T15:04:50.820-07:00Coconut Chicken Satay<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh0iDLtiwXVZBsJn-zbnrjaigfIhA_RfgthZ8iEXY-jSXaiAhjirILEUjoI7XUjL4Wd3QkEVMdNPtQQ8KY8IarcXY6v1n_CJDSonOoYfq81srQRqu6Qspjbz8Gzt-p6mMb6kp0GIs3tkx_X/s1600/IMG_5097_6732.JPG" imageanchor="1" style=""><img border="0" height="213" width="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh0iDLtiwXVZBsJn-zbnrjaigfIhA_RfgthZ8iEXY-jSXaiAhjirILEUjoI7XUjL4Wd3QkEVMdNPtQQ8KY8IarcXY6v1n_CJDSonOoYfq81srQRqu6Qspjbz8Gzt-p6mMb6kp0GIs3tkx_X/s320/IMG_5097_6732.JPG" /></a><br />
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My baby boy turns four tomorrow. I just cannot believe it. I say it every year, but I really just can't believe it. I've been running around like a madwoman for the past few weeks getting stuff ready for his party that we had yesterday. I don't know how I always end up busy lately. My brother and his girlfriend are in town for the weekend, and they went on a hike this morning, the husband took Boy #1 out for some quality daddy time, so it's just Boy #2 and me hanging out while he plays with his loot of toys from his friends yesterday. So I thought it was a perfect time to work on my blog. <br />
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I know I'm so far behind (hey, but at least I won't go a whole month without posting!), so I will work my way backwards I guess. Mostly because the most recent new recipe I tried was awesome and worthy of sharing.<br />
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Boy #2's preschool teacher emailed me recently that she'd stumbled across my blog and wanted to let me know about a website she loves, <a href="http://http://www.100daysofrealfood.com/">100 Days of Real Food</a>. I had seen it before, but I had forgotten about it and certainly didn't have it in my food blog rotation that I usually check when I'm looking for new ideas. So I decided to see what all I could find on there. Turns out there was a ton, and I think after Thanksgiving we are going to start with the 10 day challenge and see how it goes. Shouldn't be too hard because we already don't eat many processed foods, but I'm excited for the challenge to see what more we can give up. This was one of the meals I chose from it for last week's meal plan.<br />
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<b>Coconut Chicken Satay</b><br />
Source: <a href="http://www.100daysofrealfood.com/2012/02/23/recipe-coconut-chicken-satay/">100 Days of Real Food website</a><br />
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1 lb chicken breasts, preferably locally and/or organically raised<br />
1/2 cup peanut butter<br />
1/2 cup unsweetened whole coconut milk<br />
1 tablespoon + 1 teaspoon fresh-squeezed lime juice<br />
1 tablespoon rice wine vinegar<br />
1 tablespoon honey<br />
3 cloves garlic<br />
1/2 fresh jalapeno, seeds & stem removed (use the other half to make some overnight refried beans…yum!)<br />
1/8 teaspoon chili powder<br />
1/3 cup unsweetened shredded coconut, lightly toasted (note: coconut can burn quickly and needs to be stirred/checked frequently while toasting…we do ours in the toaster oven for no more than 2 or 3 minutes)<br />
Also need: skewers and foil lined baking sheet<br />
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Preheat the oven broiler on high. Soak skewers in water if you don’t want them to cook/burn in the oven.<br />
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Cut the chicken breasts into strips and thread them onto about a dozen skewers. Place the prepared skewers on a foil-lined baking sheet and set aside.<br />
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In a food processor or blender puree the peanut butter, coconut milk, lime juice, vinegar, honey, garlic, jalapeno, and chili powder together. Remove 1/4 cup of the peanut mixture and drizzle/brush it over the raw chicken skewers.<br />
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Place chicken under the broiler to cook. After 4 – 5 minutes take the baking sheet out, turn the skewers over, drizzle another 1/4 cup peanut sauce on top, and cook for 4 or 5 more minutes or until cooked all the way through.<br />
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Once the chicken is done take it out, drizzle on the remaining peanut sauce (or serve it as extra dipping sauce on the side), and sprinkle the toasted coconut on top. Serve warm and enjoy!<br />
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*****<br />
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We had this on a Wednesday night, which is when we lead a Bible study group for our church. I ended up getting a late start on it, so I didn't get to eat with my family because I had to go pick up our babysitter. The husband texted me that it was fantastic and they all loved it. I ate it when I got home, and it was super tasty! It was really easy to do and came together fast, which was great. I think my boys enjoyed the novelty of eating dinner off a stick. I skipped the jalapeno in the sauce because my kids don't like spicy, and I thought it still had good flavor without that. I did add a little extra chili powder to compensate for the missing jalapeno. I ended up having another skewer as a snack the next day. This is definitely going into my meal rotation since it was a hit with all of us!<br />
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Oh, I should note that I had an awful time finding unsweetened coconut. I finally found it at Fry's, which is a Kroger grocery store for those of you out of state, but it was tucked behind a display for something else. Sheesh. Hopefully you don't have such an awful time getting ahold of some!<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgxozQoYo1uA8PSNhwjKoiNdhJp7AYZxvL-QqD83ic1EuQXDgIYTvhzUzqawv0mHwhpabVw_17Wx5Y5IHky_pYP2sYUIDELu1L1g5CEn5LnUJSOPhsLy657SRHeK8wRdQdT_Ql5pt2n4RI9/s1600/IMG_5095_6730.JPG" imageanchor="1" style=""><img border="0" height="213" width="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgxozQoYo1uA8PSNhwjKoiNdhJp7AYZxvL-QqD83ic1EuQXDgIYTvhzUzqawv0mHwhpabVw_17Wx5Y5IHky_pYP2sYUIDELu1L1g5CEn5LnUJSOPhsLy657SRHeK8wRdQdT_Ql5pt2n4RI9/s320/IMG_5095_6730.JPG" /></a><br />
Clairehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10016702290960782557noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8067244452033083542.post-49697004719902450442012-10-20T08:20:00.001-07:002012-10-20T08:20:25.722-07:00Jam Stuffed Biscuits<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhz1WxtO59306ZI1cYzRT3SSVp6w3qytQoA9ZpppBxsVDDmXu0STv4KamIzbzYK4BH8rHXNpFhKjBsFQ1HQYkkoSSetkdjr2oRgVaZcWyywgERI7yOxfEwimTJmN7g9LTlJljUJPMcnN6JH/s1600/IMG_3997_5393.JPG" imageanchor="1" style=""><img border="0" height="213" width="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhz1WxtO59306ZI1cYzRT3SSVp6w3qytQoA9ZpppBxsVDDmXu0STv4KamIzbzYK4BH8rHXNpFhKjBsFQ1HQYkkoSSetkdjr2oRgVaZcWyywgERI7yOxfEwimTJmN7g9LTlJljUJPMcnN6JH/s320/IMG_3997_5393.JPG" /></a><br />
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Normally I try to avoid buying processed foods and stick with foods that I can easily pronounce all of the ingredients, but I'm a sucker for a few things that I will buy on occasion. Like Grands biscuits. I can't help it, they're so flaky and delicious. My grocery store recently had them on sale for super cheap, so I bought quite a few. Well, I think I bought three. But that seemed like quite a few. I didn't really know what I was going to do with all of them, so I looked on the Pillsbury website for ideas. I saw this recipe and thought my kids would love it and it would be a quick breakfast. I love quick breakfasts...I'm not not a morning person, but I definitely prefer things to be easy in the morning so we can get out the door and take Boy #1 to school.<br />
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<b>Jam Stuffed Biscuits</b><br />
Source: <a href="http://www.pillsbury.com/recipes/jam-stuffed-biscuits/d1fe8f20-6389-4b55-a3c5-e558b475ca3f/#">Pillsbury.com</a><br />
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1 can (16.3 oz) can Pillsbury® Grands!® Flaky Layers refrigerated biscuits<br />
1/2 cup jam or preserves of your choice<br />
1/2 cup butter, melted<br />
1/2 cup sugar<br />
<br />
Heat oven to 400°F. Spray large cookie sheet with cooking spray.<br />
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Separate dough into 8 biscuits. Gently separate each biscuit halfway into 2 layers. Spoon 1 tablespoon jam into center of each biscuit. Pinch edges to seal.<br />
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Dip each biscuit into melted butter; dip each in sugar. Place on cookie sheet. Bake 14 to 16 minutes or until golden brown around edges.<br />
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*****<br />
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These were a huge hit at my house. My kids loved them and so did the husband. I used homemade peach jam inside this biscuits, and it was super tasty. I'd definitely make these again. They were even easy for a school morning!<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgl4cVDH1jGYlRwl7Lkgv2_97hB9l8AU720augwX66wHwgF_e27tKIEw_sUm6v7PQLbovYFYSEzjZB3U68QqkW_DIgVt8_-bPY7hsrJFY_5NNIXd7gnkZ8QuJxvGvq5YK5wvUGfI_eRofx6/s1600/IMG_3998_5394.JPG" imageanchor="1" style=""><img border="0" height="213" width="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgl4cVDH1jGYlRwl7Lkgv2_97hB9l8AU720augwX66wHwgF_e27tKIEw_sUm6v7PQLbovYFYSEzjZB3U68QqkW_DIgVt8_-bPY7hsrJFY_5NNIXd7gnkZ8QuJxvGvq5YK5wvUGfI_eRofx6/s320/IMG_3998_5394.JPG" /></a><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgx-wdKKzYWOiRXb_cMxR-moVTmr6q41Oi3lH_L9CsSHYJJ0GyUfoB_6M7CRdpbI67bxMp2ueziCOg-ujGO80Ttgki7JJVsXOPyq4lx75UDutDmPi8JF1pBeEUsRLpVohSlIRM6lR6WXYBB/s1600/IMG_4001_5397.JPG" imageanchor="1" style=""><img border="0" height="213" width="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgx-wdKKzYWOiRXb_cMxR-moVTmr6q41Oi3lH_L9CsSHYJJ0GyUfoB_6M7CRdpbI67bxMp2ueziCOg-ujGO80Ttgki7JJVsXOPyq4lx75UDutDmPi8JF1pBeEUsRLpVohSlIRM6lR6WXYBB/s320/IMG_4001_5397.JPG" /></a><br />
Clairehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10016702290960782557noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8067244452033083542.post-60570024818994491512012-10-20T08:01:00.000-07:002012-10-20T08:01:16.466-07:00Green Chile Pork Stew<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEic2C67h0o0E7eqJ_Pw8c8AG9ImzMt2JgksEHDdE58oxFo7Jg_EXUHwKi1EsGN5nPE0qwJjd5guiKtyB3Zxv1dZCw7G35dz4Aro1mzwZQq0830J64dhuxJRkDT19ru4gXp4FIWLfPoJhwpV/s1600/IMG_4007_5392.JPG" imageanchor="1" style=""><img border="0" height="213" width="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEic2C67h0o0E7eqJ_Pw8c8AG9ImzMt2JgksEHDdE58oxFo7Jg_EXUHwKi1EsGN5nPE0qwJjd5guiKtyB3Zxv1dZCw7G35dz4Aro1mzwZQq0830J64dhuxJRkDT19ru4gXp4FIWLfPoJhwpV/s320/IMG_4007_5392.JPG" /></a><br />
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There's quite a back story on this recipe. Well, maybe not. That makes it sound a lot more dramatic than it actually is. When Boy #1 was six months old I joined a local chapter of MOMS Club. I'm sure I've talked about it before. It was a huge lifesaver for me for many reasons. I was definitely a workaholic before he was born and then quit to be a stay at home mom when my maternity leave was done. We had moved to a different part of Phoenix when I was pregnant, so all of my friends with kids lived at least 30 minutes away, and everyone else I knew worked. It was a rough transition A friend on the east coast suggested I look into finding a MOMS Club chapter near me to meet other mamas. So I did. And I found one. There were several other women with babies around Boy #1's age, plus a lot of moms with older kids who gave great advice and knew exactly what I was going through. I had a lot of my identity in my career and what I had done, so it was a HUGE change to not have that define me anymore.<br />
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This is a lot more deep than I intended to get...sorry about that. The whole point was that one of the monthly activities was a cooking club, where the coordinator would pick a theme and everyone would bring a dish that fit the theme. There was a sandwich one, one to bring something with apples, cookies, and a soup one. I know there were more, but those are the ones that stick out. My friend Aimee brought a delicious green chile pork stew to the soup cooking club, and I've thought about it ever since then. Keep in mind the boy was maybe seven or eight months old at this point, and he'll be seven this coming February. I'm not lying when I say I've thought about it for years. I don't know why I never made it. Then recently I found pork stew meat on sale for super cheap...and of course I couldn't find the recipe. So I posted on her Facebook wall. Our mutual friend Mary saw it and found the recipe and sent it to me (God bless her!). I happened to have some roasted Hatch chilies in my freezer that I wanted to be using, so obviously all signs pointed towards me making this stew.<br />
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Wow, that was a really long explanation for a pretty simple soup recipe!<br />
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<b>Green Chile Pork Stew</b><br />
Source: Adapted from my friend Aimee<br />
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2 teaspoons olive oil<br />
1/2 pound pork loin -- cut into 1/2-inch chunks and remove all visible fat<br />
3 small garlic cloves -- finely minced<br />
1 red onion -- finely chopped (optional) <br />
2 tablespoons flour -- preferably masa flour<br />
2 tablespoons cornstarch<br />
4 tablespoons water <br />
28 oz. New Mexican chiles -- roasted, peeled, seeded, and finely chopped<br />
1-2 tablespoons chopped jalapeno pepper -- optional and preferably fresh<br />
1 teaspoon cumin<br />
1/8 teaspoon salt<br />
1/8 teaspoon white pepper<br />
2-3/4 cup chicken broth<br />
2 large fresh tomatoes -- pureed (or peeled and chopped)<br />
<br />
In dutch oven, heat olive oil over medium-high heat. Saute pork until all pink is gone (about 5 minutes). Move meat aside and add garlic and onion. As soon as garlic sizzles, stir together with pork.<br />
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In a small bowl, make thickener by adding water to flour and cornstarch. (Add another tablespoon of cornstarch and a tablespoon of water if you prefer a thicker sauce, but wait until later in the cooking to decide if the texture is what you want, or you may accidentally make it too thick.) Add mixture to dutch oven. <br />
<br />
Add chiles, spices, chicken broth to pot. Bring to a low boil, then reduce heat and add tomatoes. (puree the tomatoes if you like a very smooth sauce; peel and chop 'em if you like more texture). Simmer on very low heat, covered, for at least 1 hour. <br />
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(Makes 4 good-sized servings) Freezes very well. <br />
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*****<br />
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The original recipe called for using the crockpot, but I think I ran out of time to do it...or figured if I was already dirtying pans, why dirty the crockpot too. The husband and I thought this was fantastic. I didn't bother having my kids try it because it was really spicy, and I knew they wouldn't like it. This was really easy to throw together, especially since I had pork stew meat, so I didn't even have to cut up the meat. I would definitely make this again for the husband and me to eat!<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjg92Yf9ejSr2hGtZPlzEIs7ZRH1QKB-sIV-ewHcO69MgjyXH6khrAalG3_xyVR5FbfLrqHYSAfB5aDrF0_Yffp7HPj43BUXN1208bfLU7ZpejaJyNuyJj_EKK5aRbCL0coYr8nW_voZIJt/s1600/IMG_4004_5388.JPG" imageanchor="1" style=""><img border="0" height="213" width="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjg92Yf9ejSr2hGtZPlzEIs7ZRH1QKB-sIV-ewHcO69MgjyXH6khrAalG3_xyVR5FbfLrqHYSAfB5aDrF0_Yffp7HPj43BUXN1208bfLU7ZpejaJyNuyJj_EKK5aRbCL0coYr8nW_voZIJt/s320/IMG_4004_5388.JPG" /></a><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhwjFGJxZudFmRWMZ3X5OTaX5ry2WwHmFnwQGX9cSFJ8aPf1lME4rMpJqz51-Y_iVXYae0tW_KD2SOQ13euo1UDai0RKAbIKuKsYQrUA1-xo0_zdD26POYaigh__-7Ab94T6dFpocyexF0w/s1600/IMG_4006_5391.JPG" imageanchor="1" style=""><img border="0" height="213" width="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhwjFGJxZudFmRWMZ3X5OTaX5ry2WwHmFnwQGX9cSFJ8aPf1lME4rMpJqz51-Y_iVXYae0tW_KD2SOQ13euo1UDai0RKAbIKuKsYQrUA1-xo0_zdD26POYaigh__-7Ab94T6dFpocyexF0w/s320/IMG_4006_5391.JPG" /></a><br />
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Clairehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10016702290960782557noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8067244452033083542.post-79350752906068533642012-10-02T20:36:00.000-07:002012-10-02T20:36:25.825-07:00Shrimp and Grits<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEixexnKnSWTUlK984o5aILMJy4m9Puj8_XpgxFwJNCJcMoJcx0kOcuSGz7hxKHAds3Evu445BdwowR3QyinV5MhORn7c6MpyMwHnd6ha7XzSMl8Jp9KvuuzBqp6rn4EFv9KOPbOm56nFhnf/s1600/IMG_4023_5375.JPG" imageanchor="1" style=""><img border="0" height="213" width="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEixexnKnSWTUlK984o5aILMJy4m9Puj8_XpgxFwJNCJcMoJcx0kOcuSGz7hxKHAds3Evu445BdwowR3QyinV5MhORn7c6MpyMwHnd6ha7XzSMl8Jp9KvuuzBqp6rn4EFv9KOPbOm56nFhnf/s320/IMG_4023_5375.JPG" /></a><br />
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We have been having a ton of tasty new dishes lately, but I just haven't had a chance to sit down and post about them! Everyone else in my house is sleeping, so I'm trying to get some cleaning and blogging done while I have some alone time! This is actually the most recent thing we've had, and I'll admit I feel a little guilty not posting something older, but this was so incredibly good I didn't want to wait.<br />
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A few years ago we went on vacation to Myrtle Beach, SC with my mom and aunt. Boy #2 was only an itty bitty baby! While we were there we drove down to see Fort Sumter and Charleston for a day. The husband is a good ol' Southern boy and loved seeing such an integral site in the "war of northern aggression." We found a place for dinner before heading back to Myrtle Beach, and the husband had shrimp and grits. They were AMAZING. I came home wanting to make some, saved a recipe on <a href="http://www.food.com">Food.com</a> and then proceeded to never, ever make it. Now fast forward to a week or so ago, and I was flipping through <a href="http://www.cookinglight.com">Cooking Light</a> from a couple months ago and saw a recipe for crawfish and grits. Crawfish are hard to come by here in the desert, but I knew that shrimp was on sale, so I figured I could switch it up a bit. Grits proved slightly easier to find than crawfish, but it was still not an easy search. Or rather, non-instant grits proved difficult to find, but as everyone knows (or everyone who's seen "My Cousin Vinny") no self-respecting southerner (or self-respecting wife of a southerner) would ever make instant grits. So if you want non-instant grits, head to Trader Joe's, not Safeway. FYI. ;)<br />
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<b>Shrimp and Grits</b><br />
Adapted from <a href="http://www.myrecipes.com/recipe/saucy-crawfish-50400000122462/">Saucy Crawfish With Whole Corn Grits</a> from Cooking Light, August 2012<br />
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Grits:<br />
3 1/2 cups 2% reduced-fat milk, divided<br />
1 1/2 cups fresh corn kernels<br />
1 chipotle chile, canned in adobo sauce<br />
1 1/2 cups water<br />
1/2 teaspoon kosher salt<br />
1 cup uncooked regular grits<br />
2 ounces reduced-fat shredded cheddar cheese (about 1/2 cup)<br />
3 tablespoons light sour cream<br />
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Shrimp:<br />
1 1/2 tablespoons all-purpose flour<br />
2 teaspoons olive oil<br />
1/4 cup finely chopped andouille sausage or kielbasa (about 1.5 ounces)<br />
2/3 cup chopped onion<br />
2/3 cup chopped green bell pepper<br />
1 tablespoon minced garlic<br />
2 teaspoons chopped fresh thyme<br />
1/4 teaspoon kosher salt<br />
2 teaspoons tomato paste<br />
12 ounces shrimp<br />
1 cup 2% reduced-fat milk<br />
1/4 cup light sour cream<br />
1/4 cup chopped fresh chives, divided<br />
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1. To prepare grits, combine 1/2 cup milk, corn, and chipotle chile in a blender; process until the corn is coarsely chopped.<br />
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2. Combine remaining 3 cups milk, 1 1/2 cups water, and 1/2 teaspoon salt in a medium saucepan; bring to a simmer over medium-high heat. Gradually add grits, stirring with a whisk. Cover, reduce heat, and simmer 11 minutes or until thick, stirring frequently. Add corn mixture; cook an additional 3 minutes, stirring frequently. Remove from heat; add cheese and 3 tablespoons sour cream, stirring until cheese melts. Keep warm.<br />
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3. To prepare shrimp, place flour in a large nonstick skillet over medium heat; cook 4 minutes or until lightly browned, stirring frequently. Remove flour from pan; set aside. Wipe pan clean.<br />
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4. Return pan to medium heat. Add oil and sausage to pan; cook 3 minutes, stirring occasionally. Add onion, bell pepper, garlic, thyme, and 1/4 teaspoon salt; cook 3 minutes, stirring occasionally. Add reserved flour, tomato paste, and shrimp; cook until shrimp are pink, stirring frequently. Stir in 1 cup milk; bring to a simmer, and cook 2 minutes or until sauce thickens, stirring frequently. Remove from heat. Stir in 1/4 cup sour cream. Sprinkle 1 tablespoon chives over shrimp mixture. Stir 3 tablespoons chives into grits; serve with shrimp mixture.<br />
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*****<br />
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Since I was a grits cooking novice, the husband stepped in and helped me out a bit with them. He used to be a master grill operator at the Waffle House, so he knows a thing or two or twenty about cooking grits. I should add that I didn't really follow the grit cooking directions above. I did at first, but after 11 minutes my grits hadn't thickened at all, so I turned the heat back up and kept the cover off my pot. That worked much better, and the husband said he didn't know why you'd cover it and turn the heat down in the first place.<br />
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This was simply amazing and delicious and fantastic and tasty. I went a little overboard plating grits, but it worked out. They were so tasty with the added kick of the chipotle pepper in there and the fresh corn and creamy from the cheese and sour cream. The little chunks of andouille sausage mixed in with the shrimp was fantastic too. If you're not a fan of spicy, this dish probably isn't for you, but we loved it. I probably wouldn't serve this to my kiddos because they'd complain about too many aspects of it, but it's definitely something I'd make for the husband and me again!!<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi1h3eUcVThAfWFbb0tq9ov7BVhnR_aqrusyEPIMcQiFcu0KIiYfKTh8N63kCgwyQUwyMRApLjUNYfus1IFcdwfA7sGJuD2TFUGB4p9-cDyS-8UDDYgHSpa4QArQrpWim_CZW2F9BFTSExs/s1600/IMG_4025_5377.JPG" imageanchor="1" style=""><img border="0" height="213" width="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi1h3eUcVThAfWFbb0tq9ov7BVhnR_aqrusyEPIMcQiFcu0KIiYfKTh8N63kCgwyQUwyMRApLjUNYfus1IFcdwfA7sGJuD2TFUGB4p9-cDyS-8UDDYgHSpa4QArQrpWim_CZW2F9BFTSExs/s320/IMG_4025_5377.JPG" /></a><br />
Clairehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10016702290960782557noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8067244452033083542.post-31225989948230167442012-09-18T16:02:00.002-07:002012-09-18T16:06:38.687-07:00Pantry ReorganizationMy baby boy started preschool this year, so I have four afternoons a week to myself. It's pretty glorious. Although I envisioned having all sorts of house projects completed at this point and a lot of lounging in our pool by myself. Sadly neither has really happened. I mostly use the time for cleaning house and running errands alone. Do you know how fantastic it is to run errands alone? Do you know how fast I can be in and out of my car and a store without having to deal with car seats? It's kind of <a href="http://www.nickmom.com/more-lols/what-you-can-get-done-in-30-minutes-with-without-your-kids/">like this</a>. I really wanted to post the picture, but it was too big across, and I don't know how to fix that. Sorry. But if you have kids and run errands with them, you will probably find it amusing.<br />
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Anyway, one of the projects I wanted to get done was to reorganize my pantry. It was in a complete state of chaos. It had gotten so bad that I had resorted to putting things in there all willy-nilly instead of their normal spots. It made it very difficult to find things I needed. So I decided one day last week that it was time to bite the bullet and do it. So I pulled everything out before I took Boy #2 to school with the intention of organizing and putting everything back while he was at school. Let me tell you what happens when you leave in the middle of a project like that. You come home and think your kitchen has been overtaken by an episode of Hoarders. It was nuts. I suggest you do it sometime just so you can see how much crap you have in your pantry (or whatever room/closet/storage area you need to clean out). It's a great motivator. <br />
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After almost 2.5 hours I was left with a lovely, clean, organized pantry. And somehow I have significantly more space than I did before. I did throw out a few things, and I moved our alcohol to a little buffet cabinet in our living room that was previously home to my fine china and crystal (that gets used maybe once a year, and the husband deemed it was taking up valuable storage real estate and the cabinet could be put to better use as a liquor cabinet while all my pretty things could be stored in a box in a closet. He had a valid point once I thought about it.), so that freed up quite a bit of space. I couldn't decide if I wanted to take a "during" picture of my Hoarders-esque kitchen, but I opted not to. I did take a picture of all my spices stacked up on a chair because it was a bit overwhelming.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgxK7kO_gwJq_B_kDeHFK8fDmdf7wbKpQFSFB8U_ryaATyDhoLLwNRCCpzz5teD66bRlVFdGebf2CKgHDMIHeMcitpXiVOENHx4jWp_Y2sZJDlytknrbWeJO8x_tg3BlWL_cQvB22Vnd5va/s1600/spices.JPG" imageanchor="1" style=""><img border="0" height="320" width="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgxK7kO_gwJq_B_kDeHFK8fDmdf7wbKpQFSFB8U_ryaATyDhoLLwNRCCpzz5teD66bRlVFdGebf2CKgHDMIHeMcitpXiVOENHx4jWp_Y2sZJDlytknrbWeJO8x_tg3BlWL_cQvB22Vnd5va/s320/spices.JPG" /></a><br />
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So, here are my before and after pictures. I have to say I am loving my new, clean pantry!!<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhW-k3owooHfqdQQ71Tj1Ji6FoTJJ0eStuNvKRU7zXaOn_ZafZIFfLQzXCEQqGgG35k2S4dXAZsBIcw-WluNMmX5occXJWxyaBvVdECA4W919lgBU-hyfAq3jaLyr9s5Kjrj-ihvTX7ZyGF/s1600/IMG_3981_5264.JPG" imageanchor="1" style=""><img border="0" height="320" width="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhW-k3owooHfqdQQ71Tj1Ji6FoTJJ0eStuNvKRU7zXaOn_ZafZIFfLQzXCEQqGgG35k2S4dXAZsBIcw-WluNMmX5occXJWxyaBvVdECA4W919lgBU-hyfAq3jaLyr9s5Kjrj-ihvTX7ZyGF/s320/IMG_3981_5264.JPG" /></a><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiPV6zpm64eoIEjMlbN5J9aYC_dOyNOc4iImGatNJov-sPOZiBtuWj4BolTIL_EsBuK30fMoQ00l4eb_AzAJKMTBYellYQ6UA1_WbqvWoL3_uVPEaTVpgD7g0BbibOWHbV7sTAyc1PO_MUO/s1600/IMG_3982_5265.JPG" imageanchor="1" style=""><img border="0" height="320" width="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiPV6zpm64eoIEjMlbN5J9aYC_dOyNOc4iImGatNJov-sPOZiBtuWj4BolTIL_EsBuK30fMoQ00l4eb_AzAJKMTBYellYQ6UA1_WbqvWoL3_uVPEaTVpgD7g0BbibOWHbV7sTAyc1PO_MUO/s320/IMG_3982_5265.JPG" /></a>Clairehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10016702290960782557noreply@blogger.com1