Whipping up something delicious!

Double Dose Tomato Bruschetta with Balsamic Glaze

2011-02-23T13:27:00.000-08:00

I got bored and decided to make an average bruschetta even better, it does take a bit of work but believe me its well worth it! That's all I'm going to leave you with, it's that good, and I gotta go back to eating it.

Double Dose Tomato Bruschetta with Balsamic Glaze
makes about 20 pieces

1 medium baguette, cut into slices, drizzled with olive oil and rubbed with a garlic clove and put under broiler for 1-2 minutes
1 large tomato or 5 plum tomatoes (diced)
1 jar of sun dried tomatoes (drained) or a handful of just dried ones (diced)
1/2 red onion (diced)
4 cloves garlic (minced)
1/4 c. chopped fresh basil
1 tsp salt
1 tsp pepper
2 Tbsp Olive oil
2 Tbsp Balsamic Vinegar (aged is better)
1/2 c. mozzarella cheese
extra shredded basil

For glaze-

1/2 c. balsamic vinegar
2 Tbsp sugar

Directions:

Mix tomatoes, onions, garlic, chopped basil, balsamic vinegar, olive oil, salt, and pepper in a bowl and let sit in fridge for at least 10 minutes.
While mixture is sitting combine balsamic vinegar and sugar for glaze in a sauce pan and bring to a simmer, let simmer til reduced by at least half.
On each bread slice put bruschetta mix, topped with cheese and put on baking sheet, when all slices are done, stick under broiler for 1-2 minutes, or until cheese is melted.
Take out of oven, top with glaze and rest of shredded basil.

That's it, enjoy!

Yummy Chicken Bake

2011-02-21T16:12:00.000-08:00

Today was hectic, my sis is studying abroad in Italy, and apparently they don't have things like ranch dressing and peanut butter...like really. Sooo aside from making her goodies, I needed to use up some leftover rotisserie chicken. This is a really easy bake, that is healthyish and yummy! I mean really, that's pretty much all that matters. It's also one of those recipes you can swap out ingredient in, which we all know I love, cuz who wants to go to the grocery store after a long day?

Cheesy Chicken Bake

1 1/2 c. chopped chicken
3 c. frozen veggies ( I used a broccoli/cauliflower mix)
2 c. cooked rice (I used wild rice)
1 c. Shredded cheese (I used Swiss)
1 can of cream of chicken soup (you can also use celery or mushroom)
1/2 can white wine (or water)
2 Tbsp. of mayo
1 tsp dry mustard or 2 Tbsp wet mustard
1 tsp seasoning salt
1 Tbsp dried, minced onions
1/4 c. breadcrumbs

Directions

Mix everything aside from breadcrumbs together and put in baking dish.
Sprinkle top with breadcrumbs.
Bake in oven at 350 for 30-45 minutes. Should look bubbly!

Mission Minestrone

2011-02-13T13:37:00.000-08:00

Okay, I've been slacking. So here is an oldie but a goodie, I just throw whatever veggies I have on hand in, makes it quick, easy and gets rid of my left over produce that I haven't used yet. So today's, for instance, has yellow squash, zucchini, cabbage, and collard greens. Never got any complaints about it either. Also its a great way to introduce veggies to the little ones, I also found if you like a thicker soup you can throw either the whole thing in the blender or just the beans/tomato mix, still tastes great!

MM mm Minestrone.

2 Tbsp. olive oil
3 carrots diced
3 stalks celery diced
1 whole onion diced
4 cloves garlic chopped
1 can beans
another 2-3 cups of veggies (cauliflower, broccoli, green beans, spinach, zucchini, squash)
1 can diced tomatoes
1 can or equivalent of tomato/vegetable sauce or juice
1/2 c small pasta
2 quarts broth (pork, veggie, beef, chicken)

Directions:

In a large pot heat up the olive oil and saute carrots, celery, onion. Cook until onion is translucent and add chopped garlic. Let cook for about 1 minute more.
Add can of beans, diced tomatoes, veggies, sauce, broth and pasta. Let cook for 30 minutes.
Serve with Parmesan cheese and crusty bread, enjoy!

LeGrande Gumbo

2011-02-08T15:42:00.001-08:00

Hey guys! I know its been awhile but I have come back with a splash. What's the splash you ask? You all are about to be let in on my Top Secret Gumbo recipe. This is tried and true, loved by anyone who is fortunate enough to eat it. Ya'll ready for it? Here we go!

LeGrande Gumbo

1 tablespoon olive oil
1 lb snow crab in shell, or 1 c. of crab meat (no imitation please) or 1. c. chopped chicken breast and 1/2 c. Andoullie
1/2 c. olive oil
1/2 c. margarine or butter
1 cup all-purpose flour
3 cloves minced garlic
3 quarts beef broth or 1. quart seafood broth and 2 quarts beef broth)
1 (12 fluid ounce) can or bottle beer (no dark beers, please!)
5 stalks celery, chopped
1 can (14.5 ounces) stewed tomatoes, drain juice, set aside, and chop
1 onion chopped
1 can (4 ounce) diced green chilies
1 can (8 ounce) tomato sauce
1 bunch fresh parsley, chopped
1/4 cup Cajun seasoning ( I use Tony's)
1 pound shrimp, peeled and de-veined

Directions:

Add 1. Tbs Olive Oil into saute pan and cook shrimp until pink. Remove from pan, add crab meat and set aside.
In a large, heavy saucepan over medium heat, blend olive oil, margarine/butter and flour to create a roux. Stir constantly until browned and bubbly. Mix in garlic, and cook about 1 minute.
Gradually stir broth and beer into the roux mixture. Bring to a boil, and mix in celery, onions, stewed tomatoes, diced chiles, and tomato sauce. Reduce heat, cover, and simmer about 40 minutes, stirring often.
Mix shrimp and crab meat into the broth/gumbo mixture. Cook, stirring occasionally, about 20 minutes.

Serve with Rice or Rice Pilaf. Hope you enjoy!

Meal 2: Crabcakes and Easy Greek Salad

2010-05-11T11:32:00.000-07:00

This is a little lighter fare, its still really good though, and its fast! Plus if you make extra crab cakes they can be easily frozen. I put ww points with these recipes. I calculated them myself soooo hopefully its accurate..its about as accurate as I can get.

Easy Feta Salad
whole thing=6 pt so divide into 6 servings and it is 1 pt
1 head romaine lettuce
1 cucumber, peeled and sliced
1 tomato, chopped
1/2 c red onion, sliced
2 tsp. feta cheese, crumbled
2 tbsp. olive oil
2 tbsp. lemon juice
1 tsp. oregano
1/2 tsp. salt

combine lettuce, tomato, cucumber, onion and feta into a bowl
whisk together olive oil, lemon juice, oregano, and salt
pour olive oil mixture over lettuce mixture and toss to coat

Crab Cakes
14 pts for 8 crab cakes, about 2 pts for 1 crab cake

2 cans crab meat, drained
3 stalks green onion, chopped
1 stalk celery, chopped
2 tbsp mayo (reduced fat)
1 tbsp mustard
1 tsp Cajun seasoning
1/2 c. crackers (reduced fat)
2/3 c. panko flakes

Turn on broiler in oven
Mix everything together into a bowl.
Form mixture into patties and put on greased cookie sheet
Put crab cakes into oven and cook both sides for 7 minutes.

See quick and easy and soo good, enjoy!

Meal 1 Chicken and Dumplings

2010-05-10T12:49:00.000-07:00

Now be careful and don't eat too much cuz this will fill you up in no time!

Chicken and Dumplings

1 whole chicken
2 quarts water
2 carrots, cut in quarters
2 stalks celery, cut in quarters
1 whole onion cut with skin on
2 tsp. salt
1 tsp. pepper
2 cups all purpose flour
1/2 tsp. baking soda
1/2 tsp. salt
3 tbsp. shortening
3/4 cup buttermilk (add 1 tbsp. vinegar to 1 cup milk let sit 5 minutes, then measure 3/4 cup)
2 chicken bullion cubes

1 tbsp. corn starch mixed with 1 tbsp milk

Place chicken and cut up veggies in a pot. Add water and 2 teaspoons salt. Bring to a boil.
Cover, reduce the heat, and simmer for 1 hour or until tender (should almost fall off bone).
Bone the chicken and cut meat into bite-sized pieces.
Strain broth and bring to a boil and add pepper, bullion, and milk/corn starch mixture.
Combine the flour, baking soda, and salt. Cut in the shortening. Add the buttermilk, stirring with a fork until moistened.
Knead the dough 4 to 5 times pinch off pieces and drop into boiling broth. Reduce the heat to medium-low, and cook for about 8 to 10 minutes, stirring occasionally.
Add chicken to broth and dumplings. Serve and Enjoy!

Week One Meal Plan

2010-05-08T20:31:00.001-07:00

I am going to be trying a new thing and I want input on it to see if its good, bad, or what have you. Basically by Sunday morning I plan to have a 5 day, dinner meal plan. if you want to eat the leftovers on Sat and Sun..go right ahead. Anyways. I will try to be as creative as possible with the meals for you all, and I am going to TRY *keyword being try* to post WW points for everything I do, but sometimes it is quite time consuming and unfortunately, like a true chef, I am not willing to sacrifice taste for less calories. I stand by my love of butter til I die but I will try to substitute as much as I can. Anyway, as for the grocery lists, I do take that you might have most of the stuff on hand, if you do, feel free to cross it off the list.

Grocery List week of 05/10/2010
Meat-
1 whole chicken
4 chicken breasts
1 lb shrimp
2-3 lbs sandwich steak
2 cans of crabmeat
1 pkg bacon
Produce-
2 heads Romaine lettuce
4 tomatoes
1 lb squash
1 lb broccoli
1 bag celery
1 bag carrots
1 red onion
2 yellow onions
1 head garlic
1 head iceburg lettuce
2 peppers
1 bunch green onions
Other/Misc.-
1 can sweet potatoes
1 gallon milk
margarine or butter
1/2 lb feta
california blend of frozen veggies
1 pkg wild rice
1 pkg bleu cheese crumbles (optional)
toasted pecans

Meal Plan
Day 1
Chicken and Dumplings with Broccoli
Day 2
Crabcakes with Greek Salad
Day 3
Chicken Pot Pie with Sweet Potato Crust
Day 4
Steak Wedge Salad
Day 5
Garlic Shrimp with Wild Rice and Veggies

I will attempt to post the recipes tomorrow. Considering I am prepping or making everything tomorrow. Enjoy for now!

yummy!

2010-04-12T13:41:00.000-07:00

So yesterday I went grocery shopping and bought a bunch of fresh veggies and fruit. I promptly cut everything up and put into clear plastic containers. That way I see it and eat it. Try that trick in your fridge, honestly it makes it so much easier to make healthy decisions when it comes to eating. Especially when its already prepped for you, I also do this with garlic and onion. I have whole peeled cloves of garlic in a jar in my fridge and at least 1 chopped onion, saves on time.
Today I am making yogurt and granola, that way I can start my day out with fresh yogurt and granola on top of fruit. I make my yogurt in a crockpot that way I don't have to buy another peice of cooking equipment that I would only use once in a blue moon. This just gives me another reason to love my slow-cooker. I'm just gonna link you to the blog I got the recipe from because to explain the whole methodology would just be a bit repetitive and I want people to check out the blog because she has TONS of slow-cooker recipes. A Year of Slow-cooking
I used to think that making granola was hard, so like a lot of people I bought it from the store. Preferably Trader Joe's because lets face it, I love that store. Little known fact: Trader Joe's is owned by the same people that own Aldi..interesting huh? But anyways back to the granola, its actually pretty easy to make, but its really easy to ruin as well. I know this cuz I burnt my first 2 batches. The thing to understand with granola is that it gets crunchy outside of the over, DO NOT, I repeat DO NOT overcook it, otherwise all you will end up with is burnt oats. The thing that I love about granola is not only is it easy to make your own, but it's very versitile, and you all know how much I love versitle foods. Let's say you don't like almonds but like pecans, well you can just sub those right in, same goes for the dried cranberries, you can sub any dried fruit in place of the cranberries. You can find granola recipes all over the internet, but I stick with this one, its quick, simple, and easy. Here ya'll go

Easy Granola Recipe
2 cups rolled oats
2 teas. cinnamon
1 tea. salt
4 tablespoons vegetable oil
1/4 cup honey
1/4 cup firmly packed light brown sugar
2 teas. vanilla extract
1/2 cup almonds
1/3 cup hazelnuts
1/3 cup dried cranberries

Place the rolled oats in a bowl and add the cinnamon and salt to the oats. In a small bowl mix the oil, honey, brown sugar and vanilla together, pour wet mixture over oats and mix well. Preheat the oven to 325 and pour oats mixture onto a cookie sheet and spread out evenly. Put cookie sheet into the oven and leave for 10 minutes, after 10 minutes are up take granola out and add in almonds, put cookie sheet back into the oven for 5 minutes. After 5 minutes, flip granola and add hazelnuts, put back into the oven for 10 minutes. After 10 minutes flip the granola yet again and leave to cool for 10 minutes, then add the dried cranberries. Put granola into an airtight container, granola will be good for up to a week, if it is still around after that long. Enjoy!

On a side note, I figured out how to get my cookie sheets spotless without the pain in the butt of soaking and scrubbing and soaking and scrubbing them some more. Next time you clean the the oven throw the pans in there dirty side down. The oven will self clean itself and your pans, take them out after the cycle and wipe down. Ta-Da, clean pans, no muss, no fuss. Gotta love cleaning done easy!

easy lentil soup

2010-03-30T09:36:00.000-07:00

Okay so I know I promised to post in here more often but I haven't been feeling to hot. Anyways today I made soup lentil soup. This soup is a great way to get all those veggies in, or use up any veggies you have laying around in your crisper drawers. You can sub out any veggie for veggies you have one hand. Aside from letting the lentils soak overnight this recipe is really, really easy.

Easy Lentil Soup.
1 c. lentils (soaked overnight)
2 cloves garlic
1 c. carrots chopped
1 c. onion chopped
1 c. celery chopped
1 c. broccoli chopped
1 c. shredded zuchini
1 c. cauliflower chopped
1 can diced tomatoes
1 can chicken broth
6 c. water
2 c. veggie juice
salt and pepper to taste

I put all the veggies in a huge pot and sautee them and then add everything else and let cook for an hour. Serve with crusty bread and you are all done. Enjoy!

I'm back!

2010-03-23T07:16:00.000-07:00

After being gone for quite some time I decided that I will try to do this blog like everyday. I need to do something to keep myself occupied and I figure everyone loves food as much as I do, so why not share what I have learned.
So yesterday I went to goodwill and I know this is gonna sound weird but I bought a breadmaker for $5, and guess what? After a good scrub down and disinfection session I made some bread. The first loaf was a bit of a complete failure. Still doughy, didn't raise, not that great tasting, but I wasn't about to give up on the machine just yet. So the second bread I made turned out FANTASTIC! It was light and springy and soo good. The secret was that instead of dumping everything in the breadmaker, you need to let the yeast proof for about 5 minutes. So here is the great recipe I used and when I find my USB cable for my camera I will post a picture of the bread.

Amish White Bread
2 and 3/4 cup flour
1/4 cup canola oil (or vegetable oil works just as well)
1 tea. yeast
1/4 cup white sugar
1/2 tea. salt
1 cup and 2 Tbsp. warm water

In a non-metal bowl, mix 1/2 of the water, yeast and sugar and leave for 5 minutes. Once yeast has proofed (it will look bubbly) mix with the rest of the ingredients and rest of water in the breadmaker.
Ta-Da and you are done! Enjoy!

Easy Sunday Recipe..because today is a day of rest.

2009-08-16T14:49:00.000-07:00

This is another quick and easy recipe. I was playing poker last night til late and I really didn't feel up to making a HUGE meal. So..I made an oldie but a goodie. I love this recipe, I could probably eat it 4 times a week and not get sick of it., because it has, well duh, BACON in it! mmm love me some bacon!
P.S. Aside from there being bacon in it, it's actually a pretty healthy meal, and you can always use turkey bacon instead of regular bacon. Here's the recipe for you!

Bacon and Cabbage with Egg Noodles and Sour Cream

1 package of bacon, cooked, crumbled, and set aside
1/2 head of cabbage, shredded
1 medium onion, chopped
1/2 container of sour cream (low-fat if you wish)
1/2 clove garlic minced
1 bag of egg noodles, prepared according to directions, reserve 1/4 c. of water
1 tea, paprika (optional)
salt and pepper to taste

In a large saute pan put 1 turn of EVOO in pan over medium heat, add onions and cabbage, let cook down, usually about 7-10 minutes. Add garlic, and let cook for about another 2 minutes.

In a large bowl combine the noodles, reserved water, and sour cream, add in bacon and cabbage/onion mixture. Mix everything together, and then add paprika, salt, and pepper. Serve piping hot in bowls.

Enjoy!

Fun Friday..don't wanna be stuck in the kitchen for hours.

2009-08-14T16:30:00.000-07:00

Look yummy?! Well it tastes yummy, so why don't you get up and make it. Its REALLY easy, I promise.

Quick Mexican Chicken Stir-Fry

2 chicken breasts, cubed
1 medium onion, chopped
2 cloves garlic, minces
1 red bell pepper, chopped
1 jalapeno, chopped
1/4 c. spaghetti sauce (meatless)
1/4 c. white wine
1 tea lime juice
1 Tbsp. adobo seasoning
1 tea cumin
1 tea oregano

Put a little bit of EVOO into a skillet over medium-high heat, and put in all the vegetables in. Saute for about 1 minute then throw in the chicken. Let chicken cook until it all turns white. Then add everything else. Let cook for an additional 4-6 minutes. Serve over rice.

On another note I got my free Schwann's today and I can't wait to try it!

who wants chipotle..night?

2009-08-12T17:12:00.000-07:00

Today I decided that I was gonna give out my recipes for my at home going out meal. One of the favorite restaurants in my household is Chipotle, and though I do not like paying their prices their food is delicious. So..I make my own burrito bowls/tacos at home. Here are the recipes.

Carnitas

3lbs of pork shoulder or bone in pork roast or boneless pork roast cut into cubes (PS leave the fat on)
1 Tbsp adobo seasoning
1/2 c. orange juice
1 clove garlic chopped
1/2 onion chopped
4 cups water

put everything in the crock pot on low and cook for at least 6 hours...the longer you leave it the more tender it will get, when it is done I usually throw it on the stove so the water can cook out and when the water cooks out the fat will turn into lard and the meat will fry up a bit so it turns a bit crunchy..which tastes awesome!

I also make white rice and add some cilantro to it and heat up a can of pinto beans and add some salt.

Basically to assemble the burrito bowls, you take a bowl and put some cilantro rice in it, followed by the beans (or no beans if you prefer), and then the meat. I then add cheese (Mexican melting cheese is the best for the recipe) and salsa, followed by lettuce and corn-tomatillo pico di gallo and sour cream.

Here is my recipe for the pico.

Corn-Tomatillo Pico di Gallo
2 large tomatoes, diced
2 jalapenos, chopped
2 large tomatillos, diced
2 small cloves of garlic, minced
1 medium onion, chopped
handful of cilantro, chopped
1 Tbsp salt (or salt to taste)
juice from 1 lime
1/2 cup frozen corn

Mix everything together in a bowl. Cover and leave in fridge for at least an hour to let the flavors meld together.

These recipes aren't too hard to make and hopefully this helps all you Chipotle addicts to save some money by making your own at home. I know we have. Enjoy!

4 meals from 1 chicken

2009-08-09T13:21:00.000-07:00

I just want to take a second to apologize to everyone for not having updated in awhile. I went out of town and I have been dealing with a tooth that needs a root canal but procrastinating with it as long as possible. So to make up for it I have a couple of recipes for you, and the awesome part is, they are recycled meals! If you don't know what a recycled meal is let me fill you in, basically what you are doing is making new meals out of leftovers! Isn't that awesome?!

Okay so first off I had a whole chicken in my freezer just hanging out. It had been in there for at least 2 months so I figured I should use it, and guess what? I did! I've also gotten 4 meals out of it!
How do I do this? Well...first I rotisseried the chicken, but you can also roast it in the oven. All I did was take about 4 Tbsp of butter and throw in 1/2 tsp of rosemary, Italian seasoning, black pepper, and marjoram, also 1 tsp. of salt (I used kosher) mix it all together and spread it in between the skin and the meat. I put this in the rotisserie for about 15 minutes a pound and go do something else.

For the first meal I made wild rice stuffing, pan gravy, and frozen veggies (shh so I cheated a bit).
Second meal I made chicken stir fry.
I just cut up the breast meat and added it to my sauce mix and then threw in some veggies and boiled up some rice.
The recipe for the sauce is:

Stir-Fry Sauce
1/3 c. soy sauce
2 Tbsp. brown sugar
1 clove garlic (crushed and minced)
1 tsp chopped garlic
1 tsp cornstarch

Mix all ingredients together and pour over chicken and veggies, let simmer for about 1 minute and sauce will thicken.

So there are two meals taken care of. I promised a few more right. The next thing I made was Tinga. Oh the words to express Tinga, it is just absolutely, deliciously, satisfyingly AWESOME!!!
Tinga is a traditional Mexican dish and its combination of flavors had me wheeling. There are not enough good things I can say about it, so here is the delightful recipe for you all to enjoy as much as I do.

Tinga
2 onions sliced
1/2 head cabbage shredded
2 large cloves of garlic
3 tomatoes (pan roasted and peeled)
1/2 can chipotle pepper in sauce
1/4 c. chicken broth
1 chicken bullion cube
handful of chopped parsley (fresh or otherwise)
3 cups shredded chicken (from the roasted chicken...white meat, dark meat doesn't matter)
1/8 to 1/4 c. ketchup

-Saute the onions and cabbage together in a large skillet/saucepan with a bit of oil in it. When onion becomes clear and cabbage is wilting add the 2 cloves of minced garlic.
-In a blender combine the tomatoes and chipotle peppers in sauce, add the chicken broth and blend to a sauce consistency. Pour over the onion and cabbage mixture and let simmer for 5 minutes.
-Add the bullion cube to the sauce and then add the shredded chicken and parsley. Let cook for another 3-5 minutes.
-At the very end add ketchup and mix everything together.
Serve on tostadas with sour cream and fresco cheese.
Trust me, this tastes amazing!

Last but not least I saved some of the shredded chicken and the bones to make some broth. I threw these in the crock pot with some water, onion (with the peel still on), carrots, celery, garlic, black peppercorns (or black pepper if you must) and some salt. I let this cook overnight on low and in the morning I strain it and use it as a broth, its so easy and it tastes very good.

You can use this broth in any recipe that calls for it, you can also freeze it in ice cube trays for later use, or you can use it right away for soup. I made chicken tortilla soup, here's the recipe.

Chicken Tortilla Soup
1-2 cups shredded chicken (still leftover from roasted chicken)
1 can whole peeled tomatoes (mashed)
1 can enchilada sauce
1 medium onion (chopped)
1 can chopped green chile peppers
2 cloves garlic
chicken broth
1 tsp. ground cumin
1 tsp. chili powder
1 tsp. salt
1/4 tsp. black pepper
2 c. frozen corn
1 Tbsp. chopped cilantro

Put everything into the crock pot and cook for 8 hours on low or 3-4 hours on high. When done serve in bowls over rice and with tortilla chips.

Alright, I hope this makes up for me going MIA on ya. I will also post a new recipe tomorrow complete with pictures. Enjoy!

meal planning

2009-07-20T13:27:00.000-07:00

this is the meal plan for this week
Monday:
Spinikopita (spinach pies) and califlower soup
Tuesday:
Chorizo Tacos with Rice and Beans
Wednesday:
French Onion Soup and Chicken Caesar Salads
Thursday:
Chicken Costilleta w/ broccoli
Friday:
Tilapia w/ veggies
Saturday:
Pizza
Sunday:
Leftovers
Cost in Groceries for this week:
quart of buttermilk .69
fresco cheese 2.00
cilantro .49
tomatoes 1.11
lemons 2.00
cauliflower 1.33
chopped spinach 1.09
1/2 lb feta 1.84
1 package tortillas .40
sirlion tip roast (for next week) 8.49
taxes .37
total=21.34

I already have the rest of the ingredients I need for the rest of the food although I did see soymilk on sale for 1.9 and with a dollar some off coupons it would be like super cheap so I might go pick some of that up tomorrow. I will keep you posted.

Hungry woman's hummus!

2009-07-16T18:05:00.000-07:00

I love, love, love hummus, but I hate paying 4 bucks for a little container of it at the store. So, I do what any money-minded girl does, make my own! Now for all of you that don't know, hummus is healthy and it's REALLY easy to make. So that sounds like a win-win in my book. Here's the recipe that I use.

Hungry Woman's Hummus
1 can garbanzo beans(chick peas) drained, reserve the water from the can
2 Tbsp. Tahini (can be found in most grocery stores)
2 garlic cloves
3 Tbsp. lemon juice
salt to taste

Take the garbanzo beans, tahini, garlic and lemon juice and throw them all in your food processor. Blend until you get a peanut butter like consistency. (if its too thick throw some of the water from the can, it works wonderfully).
Salt to taste. I wait until the end to salt it because usually I don't even need to salt it, the water from the can has salt in it.

To serve the hummus I put it on a plate and top it with some olive oil and paprika! Best served with warmed pita bread or pita chips, but also tasty with veggies and regular crackers!
Also, there are many variations of hummus, this is a basic hummus. To make other flavors such as roasted red pepper add 1/4 cup to 1/2 cup of roasted red peppers. For roasted garlic, roast the garlic before you pop it into the food processor. For sun-dried tomato, add 1/3 c. sun-dried tomatoes.
Look at how simple it is, and its soo good! Enjoy!!

Never Fail Meatballs

2009-07-16T12:57:00.000-07:00

This is a request recipe for my pal Cindi. I don't have pictures of them just the recipe so here you all go.

Never Fail Meatballs
1 pound lean ground beef or turkey or pork ( usually make mine half ground pork and half ground beef but any variation works)
1 cup fresh bread crumbs
1 tablespoon Italian seasoning
1 tablespoon grated Parmesan cheese
1/4 teaspoon ground black pepper
1/8 teaspoon garlic powder
1 egg, beaten

In a large bowl, combine ground beef, bread crumbs, parsley, Parmesan, 1/4 teaspoon black pepper, garlic powder and beaten egg. Mix well and form into 12 big balls or 24 small ones. (I use an ice cream scoop, it makes things easier)
To cook meatballs, simmer them in your favorite red sauce. I simmer mine in the Soprano's Sunday Gravy recipe for sauce.
I usually freeze the leftovers and take the sauce and meatballs out as needed. The meatballs also taste amazing as a meatball sub! Enjoy!

black bean brownies! yummy!

2009-07-16T12:34:00.000-07:00

Today I was in the Thrifty Mama chat room when someone mentioned brownies. That made me REALLY want some brownies. The bf is on some kinda weird health kick, although its not what I would call a normal health kick. Basically he's cutting sugar outta his diet. Well brownies are a definate no-no, right. Not always! Here is a Black Bean Brownie recipe that is very easy, they do have a slightly different texture then regular brownies, but served cold with some milk, I wasn't really able to tell the difference. Not back if I do say so myself, plus since its made from black beans it has a fiber boost, YAY!!Black Bean Brownies

1 (15.5 ounce) can black beans, rinsed and drained well
3 eggs
3 tablespoons applesauce
1/4 cup cocoa powder
1/8 t. salt
1 t. vanilla extrac
t3/4 cup white sugar (or splenda for baking)
1 teaspoon instant coffee (optional)
1/2 cup chocolate chips (optional)
1/2 cup walnuts (optional)

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
Take all ingredients except the chocolate chips and walnuts and put into a blender. Blend until mixture shows no signs of clumps. (the batter will look really thin, its okay!)
Pour mixture into a greases 8x8 pan. Sprinkle chocolate chips and walnuts on top. Bake for 30 minutes. Let cool. I decided to sample mine right away, hence missing brownie outta the pan!

Like I said these are a bit unconventional. But honestly they are a treat that isn't too bad for you and they taste good. So eat them with some fro-yo and be glad you don't have to work out for 2 hours to burn the calories off from them. Enjoy!!

homemade beverages

2009-07-12T13:41:00.000-07:00

Today I made some of my (boyfriends) favorites beverages.
first up rosewater lemonade.
1 packet lemonade unsweetened mix (like kool-aid)
1/2 to 1 c. of sugar or splenda (depends on how sugary you want it)
1/3 c. of rose water (easily picked up at a middle eastern grocer or a place that carries middle eastern groceries)
I mix everything together in a 2L. I use a funnel to get everything into the 2L, first the dry ingredients, then the wet. Fill up the rest of the bottle with water, shake and you are all set.

Second beverage I made.
Sweet Green Tea.
I love southern food, I love southern drinks, so why would I not love sweet tea. Here is a green tea version.
10 green tea bags
10 cups of water
1 c. sugar or splenda
I boil the tea bags for about a minute or 2 and then let them sit in the hot water for at least 5 minutes. Add the sugar to the water and let dissolve.
I will occasionally put fresh mint in it, but the bf is not a fan of mint so I usually omit the mint. You can also add blueberries or raspberries to it if you would like it to be a bit fruity. The fruit makes it taste wonderful.
Enjoy guys!

Good old fashioned chicken dinner.

2009-07-02T10:18:00.000-07:00

So recently I cleaned out our freezer and found chicken breast that had been in the for some time so I figured it was about time to use it before it went bad. Waste not, want not is what my Grandma always says! Today I am going to be making rotisserie chicken breast with stuffing, mashed potatoes, gravy and broccoli. For dessert I am going to make a blueberry syrup to go over so frozen yogurt I made awhile back. Sound like a good plan? Well, it does to me.

Lets start with the stuffing, because like I said earlier the chicken is frozen and it needs to defrost. Well what do you know, I am out of stuffing mix, go figure! I rummage through the pantry and find croutons, croutons will work, I can spice them up. Here is the recipe for the stuffing:

Crouton Stuffing

1 T. butter or olive oil
1 clove garlic or 1 t. garlic powder
1 stalk celery chopped
1 carrot chopped
1 medium onion chopped
1 bag of croutons (any brand you like)
1 cube chicken bouillon
1 t. poultry seasoning
salt to taste

Here is a pic of what I used

In a medium skillet melt butter over medium-high and add onion, carrot, celery, and garlic. Cook until onions become translucent. In a big bowl add the rest of the ingredients together. Add in the cooked onion mixture. Add 1 cup boiling hot water and cover. If you like you can bake this in the chicken as I am doing, or put it in the oven separately while the chicken is in the oven , it is up to you. Just do not bake it over 30 minutes! Enjoy!
This is a pic of everything I used for the stuffing.

Next is the recipe that I am going to use to flavor my chicken. I take a child's syringe (like you would get from Walgreen's to administer medicine) and I fill it will the seasoning and inject it directly into the chicken breasts! This makes it come out so much tastier!

2 T. olive oil
1 T. poultry seasoning
1/2 t. garlic powder
1 t. oregano
salt according to taste

mix and inject into chicken

I use a rotisserie to make my chicken but if you don't have one the rule of thumb with chicken is as follows. Bake the chicken at about 350 degrees F until it's internal temperature 165 degrees F. Make sure to check the temperature with a meat thermometer. If you don't have one I recommend buying one. Go, buy one now, I will wait. Ha ha!

Next up is my Garlic Mashed. My best friend Shanna loves these so much that her and her brother have literally fought over them. I must admit they are very good, and they are one of my favorite recipes to make.

Garlic Mashed Potatoes

5-6 potatoes depending on their size
3 cloves garlic
3 T. butter
1/2 c. Greek yogurt (I make my own but you can just as easily buy it)
1/4 c. milk
1/4 c. chicken broth
salt and pepper to taste

Boil potatoes and garlic cloves in water over high heat until they are easily pierced with a fork. Drain water from the potatoes and make sure to leave the garlic cloves in. Like so.

Add all other ingredients to potatoes and mash away, I use a hand mixer because it is faster but a regular old masher works fine.

Now if you are like me you probably opened a whole can of chicken broth for the potatoes. Well don't waste it, use it to make this easy gravy!

Chicken Gravy

Pan drippings from the chicken.
1/3 to 1/2 c. of flour
water

Add water to the chicken drippings to make about 1 1/2 cups of liquid into a medium sized saucepan
Whisk water into the flour until it is thick, but not pasty. Whisk the flour/water mixture into the drippings, and put the saucepan on the stove over medium heat. Stir constantly until mixture is thickened and bubbly. Add salt and pepper to taste.

Easy huh?

Next but not least is blueberry syrup. You can use this to pour over pancakes, ice cream, or my favorite frozen yogurt. Don't worry this one is easy as well.

Blueberry Syrup

1 c. sugar
2 T. cornstarch
1 c. water
2 c. blueberries (fresh or frozen)
1 t. lemon juice
1/4 t. lemon zest

Crush berries, add water and the lemon zest, and simmer 5 minutes in a sauce pan over medium heat. Drain through several layers of damp cheese cloth or jelly bag. Squeeze to extract juice and pulp from berries. Return juice to saucepan, add sugar to mixture, add 2 T. of cornstarch to a bit of water and stir to incorporate. Add to saucepan, boil for 1 minute and add lemon juice. Pour into a jar and store in the refrigerator.

Now don't get mad but I didn't realize we didnt have any blueberries until after I posted this, so instead I made strawberry syrup. Same recipe, just replace the blueberries with strawberries.

Alrighty! That was alot of typing. I hope you all enjoy the menu for today and I will be back tomorrow with a new recipe or two and I will be adding pictures to this page when I am done making dinner. Hope everyone enjoys this, and I wish you all the best! Bon Appetit!

Whipping up something delicious!

Double Dose Tomato Bruschetta with Balsamic Glaze

Yummy Chicken Bake

Mission Minestrone

LeGrande Gumbo

Directions:

Meal 2: Crabcakes and Easy Greek Salad

Meal 1 Chicken and Dumplings

Strain broth and bring to a boil and add pepper, bullion, and milk/corn starch mixture.

Combine the flour, baking soda, and salt. Cut in the shortening. Add the buttermilk, stirring with a fork until moistened.

Knead the dough 4 to 5 times pinch off pieces and drop into boiling broth. Reduce the heat to medium-low, and cook for about 8 to 10 minutes, stirring occasionally.

Week One Meal Plan

yummy!

easy lentil soup

I'm back!

Easy Sunday Recipe..because today is a day of rest.

Fun Friday..don't wanna be stuck in the kitchen for hours.

who wants chipotle..night?

4 meals from 1 chicken

meal planning

Hungry woman's hummus!

Never Fail Meatballs

black bean brownies! yummy!

homemade beverages

Good old fashioned chicken dinner.