tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-86030548255733652802024-03-12T22:34:01.562-04:00victuals & libationsvictuals - noun. 1.food supplies 2. food or provisions for human beings. Archaic. to eat or feed<BR>
libations - noun. 1. a beverage, especially an intoxicating one 2.the act of drinking an intoxicating beverageBrookehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04436959084464891075noreply@blogger.comBlogger127125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8603054825573365280.post-185331912637783572010-12-13T09:05:00.003-05:002010-12-13T09:46:37.253-05:00ProcrastinatingToday is December 13, Christmas is in 12 days. I have yet to order Christmas cards. I have yet to purchase, much less wrap, the vast majority of my gifts. Christmas cookies, candy and the like? Yeah right. As much as I try to pretend I'm not, I'm a procrastinator at heart. I've been that way since I was a child, maybe it's time to embrace it, or at least come to terms with it. <br /><br />Seeing as I dropped the ball big time and never ordered any birth announcements, I knew I had to get on it and order photo cards for Christmas. Thank God for <a href="http://www.shutterfly.com/"><span style="color: rgb(51, 204, 0);">Shutterfly</span></a>. They have such amazing products and at a great price too. Because I procrastinate, I've only ever ordered prints from them before. But there are a ton of things on their website I'd like to purchase. I always buy my Mom a calendar for Christmas, and can't wait to order her one from <a style="color: rgb(51, 204, 0);" href="http://www.shutterfly.com/calendars/wall-calendars">here</a> next year. She'll love the pictures of her Grandchildren and I'll love the price!<br /><br />This is the <a style="color: rgb(51, 204, 0);" href="http://www.shutterfly.com/cards-stationery/cards-stationery/merry-stripes-christmas-4x8-photo-card-4x8-photo?sortType=2&storeNode=93476">design</a> we've decided on for the Christmas cards, just need to put the last photo in and hopefully they'll arrive before Christmas.<br /><br />And while I'm ordering stuff on their site, maybe I should order Fiona's first b.day invitations. Maybe if I order them six months in advance they'll arrive on time! They have some super cute invitations, like this <a style="color: rgb(51, 204, 0);" href="http://www.shutterfly.com/cards-stationery/invitations/twelve-months-pink-birthday-invitation-5x7-flat?sortType=1&storeNode=60389">one</a> or this <a style="color: rgb(51, 204, 0);" href="http://www.shutterfly.com/cards-stationery/4x8-flat-photo-cards/having-fun-girl-birthday-4x8-photo-card-4x8-photo?sortType=2&storeNode=60389">one</a>.<br /><br />Shutterfly is running some amazing deals right now, perfect if you still need a couple of last minute gifts. Free shipping on products over $50, buy one get one 50% off on photo books & 20% off cards. But the best deal is over Wednesday, so hurry if you'd like to take advantage of this offer. Shutterfly is offering 50 free <a style="color: rgb(51, 204, 0);" href="http://www.shutterfly.com/cards-stationery/flat-photo-cards">photocards</a> when you blog about their products! What an amazing deal!Brookehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04436959084464891075noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8603054825573365280.post-70986496029501111772010-08-20T21:18:00.004-04:002010-08-20T21:51:09.380-04:00Be Still My Beating HeartI was browsing <a href="http://www.tastespotting.com/"><span style="color:#33cc00;">Tastespotting</span></a>, which I don't recommend you do if you are even the slightest bit hungry, and ran across <a href="http://www.tastespotting.com/features/cheesy-mac-n-rib-recipe-from-the-grilled-cheese-truck"><span style="color:#33cc00;">this</span></a>. Holy sweet mother of everything that is good and sacred. Macaroni & cheese, check. Pulled pork, check. Barbecue sauce, check. All grilled between two slices of bread and even more cheese. Excuse me while I wipe the drool off my keyboard.<br /><br />And to make it even better this glorious sandwich hails from <a href="http://www.thegrilledcheesetruck.com/"><span style="color:#33cc00;">the Grilled Cheese Truck</span></a>. Are you kidding me, the Grilled Cheese Truck? Can it get any better? And in case you're wondering, it can. Check out their menu and drool.Brookehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04436959084464891075noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8603054825573365280.post-46478784199827759462010-05-20T09:19:00.005-04:002010-05-20T11:26:57.298-04:00Product Rave!<img style="margin: 0px 10px 10px 0px; width: 122px; float: left; height: 288px;" alt="" src="http://soyvay.com/images/Island20.jpg" border="0" />I've never really been a fan of processed teriyaki sauces. To me they're just way to salty and leave a lot to be desired in the flavor department. Awhile back someone was telling me they felt the same way, until they discovered <a style="color: rgb(51, 204, 0);" href="http://www.soyvay.com/"><span style="color: rgb(51, 255, 51);">Soy Vay's Island Teriyaki sauce</span></a>. Not exactly your typical teriyaki sauce, it's pretty much exactly as described - your basic teriyaki sauce with a touch of Hawaii thrown in. And let me tell you it's delicous, I could eat it on everything! It's perfect as a marinade for just about any meat or vegetable and would also make a delicious dipping sauce. We finished off our bottle earlier this week and I'm going to need to add it to the grocery list, it's perfect for summer grilling!<br /><div></div><br /><div>For recipes using this delicous sauce check out the following (I've only done a version of one of them, but the rest sound delicious!) -</div><div> </div><div></div><div><a style="color: rgb(51, 204, 0);" href="http://www.soyvay.com/showcase/index.php"><span style="color: rgb(51, 255, 51);">Soy Vay Recipes</span></a> - recipes for all of their products</div><div><a style="color: rgb(51, 204, 0);" href="http://mandajuice.typepad.com/mandajuice/2008/02/magic-meatloaf.html"><span style="color: rgb(51, 255, 51);">Magic Meatloaf</span></a> - this sounds delicious!</div><div style="color: rgb(51, 204, 0);"><a href="http://www.traderjoesfan.com/Trader_Joes/stir_fry_soba_noodles/details/"><span style="color: rgb(51, 255, 51);">Stir Fry Soba Noodles</span></a></div><div style="color: rgb(51, 204, 0);"><a href="http://boloboh.xanga.com/722420215/cooking-with-boloboh-pad-thai/"><span style="color: rgb(51, 255, 51);">Pad Thai</span></a></div><div><a style="color: rgb(51, 204, 0);" href="http://find.myrecipes.com/recipes/recipefinder.dyn?action=displayRecipe&recipe_id=1611712"><span style="color: rgb(51, 255, 51);">Grilled Teriyaki Shrimp Kebabs</span></a> - I've done a version of this recipe before, very good!</div><br /><div></div>Photo obtained from Soy Vay.<br /><div></div>Brookehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04436959084464891075noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8603054825573365280.post-40899978014021071352010-05-13T10:17:00.008-04:002010-05-20T11:25:32.040-04:00M&M Cookies<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjP3jiU7skrVBsClNRrQIZz9lcV_GW5oeuPbT2DZlTw5MAdRcmG3oGk7Kc4xRWiGRPDEXjoRD_JbQKHvnuVh02aldtc2oICEwTcr65rcg2CiM3zPEuZ1b6PdgKNpjs7vDWwSeNCbPOXzPU/s1600/5-20+006.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 240px; height: 320px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjP3jiU7skrVBsClNRrQIZz9lcV_GW5oeuPbT2DZlTw5MAdRcmG3oGk7Kc4xRWiGRPDEXjoRD_JbQKHvnuVh02aldtc2oICEwTcr65rcg2CiM3zPEuZ1b6PdgKNpjs7vDWwSeNCbPOXzPU/s320/5-20+006.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5473372726617005138" border="0" /></a>These cookies are good! Nice and soft, with just the right amount of sweetness. Not that I didn't think they would be, but I've had my fair share of bad M&M cookies - you know the type, they show up every Christmas and would in a pinch make perfect hockey pucks. I personally don't like M&M cookie recipes that call for a cup or more of shortening, so when I saw this recipe and remembered my leftover bag of M&M's from my baby shower, I knew I needed to try them. The addition of pecans to this recipe was really nice, though any sort of nut would work. The goal is to freeze these cookies for a quick snack once the baby arrives, though I'm not going to hold my breath that half of the batch doesn't make it to the freezer! Especially considering I've already eaten four, but really that's only two for me and two for the baby!<br /><br /><strong><br />M&M Cookies</strong><br /><div> </div><br />2 c. all-purpose flour<br /><div>1/2 tsp. baking soda</div>1/4 tsp. salt<div>1/2 c. butter, softened</div><div>3/4 c. packed light brown sugar</div><div>1/2 c. granulated sugar</div><div>1 tsp. vanilla extract</div><div>2 eggs</div><div>1 1/3 c. M&M's, divided</div><div>1 c. chopped pecans</div><br /><div> </div><br /><div> </div>1. Heat oven to 350.<br /><br /><div> </div><div>2. Stir together flour, baking soda and salt; set aside. Beat butter, brown sugar, granulated sugar and vanilla in a large bowl until well blended. Add eggs; beat well.</div><br /><div> </div>3. Gradually add flour mixture, beating until well blended. Stir in 3/4 c. M&M's and all the nuts.<br /><div> </div><br /><div>4. Drop by rounded teaspoons onto cookie sheet. Press 5-6 of remaining M&M's on each cookie before baking. Bake 9-11 minutes, or until lightly browned. Cool slightly, remove from cookie sheet to wire rack; cool completely.</div><div> </div><br /><div>Yield: 3 dozen cookies (depending on cookie size)</div><br />Source: <a href="http://www.beantownbaker.com/2008/10/m-cookies.html"><span style="color: rgb(51, 204, 0);">Beantown Baker</span></a> (via <a href="http://delishfood.wordpress.com/2008/01/01/happy-new-year-2/"><span style="color: rgb(51, 204, 0);">Delish</span></a> via The Cookie Bible)<br /><br /><div> </div><div>My thoughts: Initially the batter is pretty dry, but don't worry - when you add the eggs it makes it easier to mix. Adding 5-6 additional M&M's to the top of the cookies seemed like a lot to me, but the cookies spread out some, so it's really not a lot and you could probably add even more if you have them. I didn't quite have the 1 1/3 c. of M&M's called for, so they're a little skimpy - but still delicious! My cookies baked for closer to 13 minutes, again all ovens are different so just watch them - you could be under or over the estimated time.<br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj1XCWsDonkbEci_TlBdQscHernB6TjuUXg4dYuFE15Q9HAGI5ELRHIoxrCihxY6nifvVC-Q8vt3f2PNpc-KrjNeY4djO1qLWC1PgnpVzrTJmm2RA_BxUqc3BUUdz0eTkgpF4rAuLthaCU/s1600/5-20+001.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 240px; height: 320px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj1XCWsDonkbEci_TlBdQscHernB6TjuUXg4dYuFE15Q9HAGI5ELRHIoxrCihxY6nifvVC-Q8vt3f2PNpc-KrjNeY4djO1qLWC1PgnpVzrTJmm2RA_BxUqc3BUUdz0eTkgpF4rAuLthaCU/s320/5-20+001.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5473372719571823890" border="0" /></a></div>Brookehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04436959084464891075noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8603054825573365280.post-23808741664227963152010-05-10T20:51:00.004-04:002010-05-11T12:36:30.630-04:00White Bean and Sausage Rigatoni<div></div>I've had this recipe saved for quite awhile and I'm really glad I got around to finally trying it. The dish comes together really quickly and makes an excellent and quick week night meal. This isn't your typical sauce & noodles dish, so if you're looking for more sauce you'll want to add more tomatoes. While it was cooking it reminded me more of a stew, which you could easily adapt the recipe into. I really enjoyed the flavor profile, despite the fact that I got a little heavy handed with the pasta and added way to much!<br /><br />Just saw an updated version of this recipe on <a style="color: rgb(0, 153, 0);" href="http://www.bhg.com/recipe/turkey/white-bean-and-sausage-rigatoni/">BHG's website</a> which adds spinach and some more liquid to the original recipe. While I really liked the flavors in the original recipe, I think the addition of spinach as well as chicken broth and tomato paste would make it even better. Try it either way.<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiJU0ultxhr1xVh41vvS2J2r_cAZ5MOncuJwOTf9HQCQ9FYQiKm65W-N8vuojDKulKU-cKC4f7lbzpkdR5RnHhtiUmWgyyqDR1iU4zGrCxstntoHNk-lcrT1hRWqYNiM7Mr-fKu4D9R27s/s1600/Baby+Margo+009.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 240px; height: 320px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiJU0ultxhr1xVh41vvS2J2r_cAZ5MOncuJwOTf9HQCQ9FYQiKm65W-N8vuojDKulKU-cKC4f7lbzpkdR5RnHhtiUmWgyyqDR1iU4zGrCxstntoHNk-lcrT1hRWqYNiM7Mr-fKu4D9R27s/s320/Baby+Margo+009.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5470051918165510162" border="0" /></a><br /><br /><span style="font-weight: bold;">White Bean and Sausage Rigatoni<br /><br /><span style="font-weight: bold;"></span></span>8oz. dried rigatoni (2 cups)<br />1 15oz. can white kidney (cannellini), Great Northern or navy beans, rinsed and drained<br />1 14.5 oz. can Italian-style stewed tomatoes, undrained<br />6 oz. cooked smoked turkey sausage, cut into 1/2 inch pieces<br />1/3 c. snipped fresh basil<br />1/4 c. finely shredded Asiago or Parmesan cheese (1 oz.)<br /><br /><br />1. Cook pasta according to package directions. Drain; return pasta to saucepan.<br /><br />2. Meanwhile, in a large saucepan combine beans, undrained tomatoes, and sausage. Cook and stir until heated through. Add bean mixture and basil to pasta; stir gently to combine. To serve, sprinkle each serving with Asiago cheese.<br /><br />Yield: 4 servings<br />Source: Better Homes and Gardens New Cookbook<br /><br />Nutritional Information (per serving): 399 calories, 8 g. total fat (3 g. sat. fat), 36 mg chol., 813 mg. sodium, 64 g. carbo., 7 g. fiber, 23 g. protein<br /><br />Thoughts: Any tube shaped or larger ridged pasta will work, I used a combination of rotini and fusilli. I used a pound of lite smoked sausage, again either sausage or kielbasa would work fine. I added one 28 oz. can of stewed tomatoes, chopped them up a bit in the skillet and added dried basil, oregano and garlic. Obviously fresh herbs would have been better, but don't stress about it and just use what you have - it still came out delicious.<br /><br /><br /><span style="font-weight: bold;"><span style="font-weight: bold;"><span style="font-weight: bold;"></span></span><br /></span>Brookehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04436959084464891075noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8603054825573365280.post-29357255088273408922009-07-09T11:49:00.003-04:002009-07-09T12:14:19.157-04:00Simple Sweets Bakeshop.Sitting outside with my Dad this morning at Cup o Joe in Clintonville, he noticed a new bakery sign across the street. Now if you know me, you know my parents used to own two bakeries back in the day. And if you know my Dad you know the man likes his baked goods, hell hath no furry like a doughnut shop that doesn't have his favorite in stock! He tells me he has to check this place out and proceeds to race across High Street. He came back a few minutes later with a chocolate chip cookie and a piece of whole wheat pumpkin bread - both he scored for free! The cookie was soft and full of chocolate, not too big and not too small. The slice of pumpkin bread was large about half-inch thick and pretty tasty too.<br /><br /><a style="color: rgb(51, 204, 0);" href="http://columbus.craigslist.org/eve/1259186566.html">Simple Sweets Bakeshop</a> - 2991 North High Street* - grand opening this Saturday, July 11th. Make sure you stop by after you hit up the Clintonville Farmers Market!<br /><br />* Simple Sweets is located right next door to Hungry Howie's Pizza, in the same strip as Lavash Cafe - directly across the street from Cup o Joe. Pattycake Vegan Bakery, Don Patron - this area is really starting to boom!<br /><br />Sorry I don't have pictures of the store front or what we sampled. Normally I carry my camera with me all the time, I took it out of my bag this morning and of course needed it later. Such is life.<br /><br />PS. I just saw a couple coming out of the store carrying a big bag of treats & they look happy!Brookehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04436959084464891075noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8603054825573365280.post-28443124789032423502009-04-14T12:40:00.005-04:002009-04-14T17:26:17.167-04:00Free Food On Tax Day.<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://www.mediabistro.com/fishbowlLA/original/taxes.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 318px; height: 396px;" src="http://www.mediabistro.com/fishbowlLA/original/taxes.jpg" alt="" border="0" /></a>Tomorrow, Wednesday April 15, is tax day and if you still haven't filed your taxes you should get on that. Several businesses are offering special deals tomorrow to help ease the pain of having to deal with the IRS. Wonder if they can write off all these freebies?<br /><br />Maggie Moo's will be giving away single scoops<br /><br />Cinnabon will give out free Classic Bites from 5-8<br /><br />McCormick & Schmicks- Wednesday diners will get a $10.40 certificate for future use. There'll be $15 - $20 entrees discounted to $10.40. And bar patrons can choose themed drinks, such as a pint of Samuel Adams Deduction Draft.<br /><br />The P.F. Chang's -15% discount<br /><br />McDonalds - Buy One Get One Big Mac's and Free McCafe's<br /><br />Dunkin Donuts - Free Donut with Coffee Purchase<br /><br />Papa John's is also offering "a large cheese pizza and up to three free toppings for $10.40 when you order online". Code is 1040M.<br /><br />Taco Del Mar is also giving away a free taco, but there aren't any located in the central Ohio area.<br /><br />T.G.I. Friday's will give Wednesday customers $5 Bonus Bites gift cards for food and beverage purchases of $15 to $25 and $10 cards for those who spend more than $25. Members of the 1,000-outlet chain's frequent-customer program also will get double points.<br /><br />Fifteen (15) free prints from Walgreens Photo: Orders must be placed by 11:59pm (Central Time) on 04/15. Enter code TAXDAY at checkout.<br /><br />As always freebies are at the discretion of participating stores, so don't kill the messenger if the store nearest you isn't participating. If you know of any other specials for tomorrow please leave them in the comment section.<br /><br />(illustration: mediabistro.com/fishbowlLAoriginal/taxes.jpg)Brookehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04436959084464891075noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8603054825573365280.post-90259571541595830242009-03-05T21:27:00.011-05:002009-04-05T21:40:21.608-04:00Salsa Black Bean Soup.<div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjqs0iEOrGVNuKdxohFAVX5y0sEITiHgB_3SQoawMEKVFVVu7BZPt5NQleL0emFx97fel7fqb0sPOdYeENw43gLW2pH7gOcL0m43JUdwFdcXjQ2LevmPZT0MOYlMZWTtKPwB_TXrI1dHV8/s1600-h/baby+girl+046.jpg"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5315013685044101746" style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; width: 240px; height: 320px; text-align: center;" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjqs0iEOrGVNuKdxohFAVX5y0sEITiHgB_3SQoawMEKVFVVu7BZPt5NQleL0emFx97fel7fqb0sPOdYeENw43gLW2pH7gOcL0m43JUdwFdcXjQ2LevmPZT0MOYlMZWTtKPwB_TXrI1dHV8/s320/baby+girl+046.jpg" border="0" /></a><a style="color: rgb(51, 204, 0);" href="http://crockpot365.blogspot.com/2008/11/salsa-chicken-and-black-bean-soup.html">Salsa chicken & black bean soup</a> was the second recipe picked for the winter cooking club chosen by my friend and soon to be mommy <a style="color: rgb(51, 204, 0);" href="http://bouncingbuckeyebaby.blogspot.com/">Allison</a>. Holy guacamole this soup was delicious, like eat your weight in it delicious! You might have noticed that the recipe has the word 'chicken' in the title and that it's not in the title of the blog. That's because we were out of chicken, honestly I'm not even sure it was missed - it was pretty rockin' sans the chicken.<br /><br /><strong>1) What kind of salsa did you use? Did you like it?</strong> I used <a style="color: rgb(51, 204, 0);" href="www.josemadridsalsa.com">Jose Madrid</a> - Clovis Medium. I love their salsa!<br /><br /><strong>2) Did you use canned or dry black beans?</strong> Canned, simply because I had them already.<br /><br /><strong>3) What other changes did you make to the meal?</strong> I didn't use mushrooms, because I didn't think they fit. I also made it vegetarian, basically because we were out of chicken and I didn't want to buy any! My jar of salsa was also 12 oz instead of 16 oz. Next time I'd add two jars of salsa. When I served the soup I added: shredded sharp Cheddar cheese, dried cilantro, sour cream, chopped avocado & crushed tortilla chips.<br /><br /><strong>4) After trying it once, what changes would you make next time?</strong> I think fresh cilantro added to the soup would have been really good. When I had my second bowl, I smashed up my avocado and I liked that a lot better & think smashed avocado mixed into the soup would be really good. Maybe a little lime juice.<br /><br /><strong>5) Did you (and your family/DH) enjoy it?</strong> Yes, a lot! I love soup and black bean is one of my favorites!<br /><br /><strong>6) Did you serve the soup with anything else?</strong> Just the additional add-ons.<br /><br /><strong>7) Any other thoughts or comments you'd like to share?</strong> I'm super happy that I finally got to use my immersion blender in this soup. I've had it forever and for some reason just never used it, I think it might be my new favorite kitchen tool!<br /><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhD4RWXkWTTreMxAgpEuXoBixPg_T02csqTK8Lvba_9yzKImUjHk7q5cLZaW-T6jjtibt6rq0ijum7IMr3MZQHu3MRXd6sGS83Fl4YPg6wskl79blpzhj2Aebrr7qHWkeVNwU3HeWH2Bhs/s1600-h/baby+girl+049.jpg"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5315013689492458722" style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; width: 240px; height: 320px; text-align: center;" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhD4RWXkWTTreMxAgpEuXoBixPg_T02csqTK8Lvba_9yzKImUjHk7q5cLZaW-T6jjtibt6rq0ijum7IMr3MZQHu3MRXd6sGS83Fl4YPg6wskl79blpzhj2Aebrr7qHWkeVNwU3HeWH2Bhs/s320/baby+girl+049.jpg" border="0" /></a><br />And if you have never checked out <a style="color: rgb(51, 204, 0);" href="http://crockpot365.blogspot.com/">A Year of CrockPotting</a> you need to do so, it's fantastic!<br /></div>Brookehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04436959084464891075noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8603054825573365280.post-43002236139431973882009-02-25T15:40:00.008-05:002009-04-05T21:03:19.472-04:00Hibernation.<div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgP-V3ETdyMD0A0IF94eulsjUQZqn0VzZj4py5DLd1npoS6eGoE8wYFBkB2PX7htibUIkOV1D9vJkinRL_MEpLaYcxRmIM11O6W-wiH2zZU5ZoP1MBEIsLXsSsvT52QfY_tKQBJ_oKQ1f4/s1600-h/baby+girl+056.jpg"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5315016307657226578" style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; width: 320px; height: 240px; text-align: center;" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgP-V3ETdyMD0A0IF94eulsjUQZqn0VzZj4py5DLd1npoS6eGoE8wYFBkB2PX7htibUIkOV1D9vJkinRL_MEpLaYcxRmIM11O6W-wiH2zZU5ZoP1MBEIsLXsSsvT52QfY_tKQBJ_oKQ1f4/s320/baby+girl+056.jpg" border="0" /></a>No recipe here and no real story, just the first time the smoker has been put to work in 2009! A random nice day and the husband decided to smoke some chicken wings, thus the trusty smoker was brought out of hibernation. Usually she's seen a few appearances by now, the husband is an all-weather griller and smoker - all three have manned their fair share of snowy days. But the arrival of nicer weather means the smoker will be out even more and so will the neighbors. It's amazing how much more friendly they all become when the smoker is doing her thing!<br /><br /><div><div><div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiCDU3odfwAkw-ytNwoQEPw_oOdZk1oIhinCrCV8aJmvEKyY2RBfcVFFBTpJ0eLNVirODYfC-mKQYsrBEmBmRtNnJC4EmA2wdNq9HxEDXbLFfZiQgOl9DuVg5Riwf4KWM9JJbTMdiTOFZ0/s1600-h/baby+girl+058.jpg"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5315016304020530738" style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; width: 320px; height: 240px; text-align: center;" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiCDU3odfwAkw-ytNwoQEPw_oOdZk1oIhinCrCV8aJmvEKyY2RBfcVFFBTpJ0eLNVirODYfC-mKQYsrBEmBmRtNnJC4EmA2wdNq9HxEDXbLFfZiQgOl9DuVg5Riwf4KWM9JJbTMdiTOFZ0/s320/baby+girl+058.jpg" border="0" /></a><br /></div></div></div></div>Brookehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04436959084464891075noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8603054825573365280.post-34666574414479328232009-02-25T14:15:00.006-05:002009-04-06T10:22:05.403-04:00Mozzarella Parmesan Chicken.<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgxS4bj_atm7GNi-_YXhqSBSlEO8qoJKSU8FFzFBuawY2opANX68xUbtjinAht7NrlMsrXGOTx51UZ9x4U5BtU_ycAUFzfsl5g61IXaphu7pMESNU0akz_hB0u21SYQyk8fXFvif7dcPwY/s1600-h/wed+o+ing+063.jpg"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5321583408820286642" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 240px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 320px; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgxS4bj_atm7GNi-_YXhqSBSlEO8qoJKSU8FFzFBuawY2opANX68xUbtjinAht7NrlMsrXGOTx51UZ9x4U5BtU_ycAUFzfsl5g61IXaphu7pMESNU0akz_hB0u21SYQyk8fXFvif7dcPwY/s320/wed+o+ing+063.jpg" border="0" /></a><br /><div>I'm participating in another session of the online cooking group, we only had six participants this time, so it'll be a short session. The first recipe was for <a style="COLOR: rgb(51,204,0)" href="http://allrecipes.com/Recipe/Mozzarella-Parmesan-Chicken/Detail.aspx">Mozzarella Parmesan chicken</a> courtesy of <a style="COLOR: rgb(51,204,0)" href="http://crockpottuesdays.wordpress.com/">Tricia</a>. Despite 52 people giving it a pretty high rating of 4 out of 5 stars, this recipe just wasn't what I was expecting or something I normally make. So while this particular recipe wasn't for me, lots of people obviously like it, if you think it sounds good I encourage you to make it!<br /><br />Whoever posts the weekly recipe in the cooking group, comes up with a set of questions based on the recipe. Since I'd already answered these questions, I figured I'd just re-post the questions & my answers here.<br /><br /><strong>Looking at the recipe, did you think you would like this?</strong> I'll be honest, when I looked at the recipe & read the ingredients I did not think I would like it. I'm not really a fan of creamed soup meals. But I try everything, even things I don't think I'll like!<br /><br /><strong>Did you and your family like this dish?</strong> It was ok - the husband liked it and I thought it was better than I anticipated.<br /><br /><strong>What sides did you serve with it?</strong> I served it over penne pasta. I had planned on serving it with roasted asparagus, but wasn't feeling it today.<br /><br /><strong>Will you make it again?</strong> Probably not, it just took way too long to cook and this really isn't our style of cooking.<br /><br /><strong>Did you change anything? If so, what?</strong> I only used two chicken breasts & used cream of chicken soup instead of the mushroom because that's what I had. I was also lazy and did not chop garlic or onion and instead used garlic & onion powder. Oh and my total cooking time was 85 minutes for two thick chicken breasts.<br /><br /><strong>Would you change anything if you made it again? If so, what?</strong> Holy salt Batman! The combination of the soups & the salty cheeses were too much & I love me some salt! I didn't see the point of separating the two soups and think you could dump it all in at once. If I ever made it again, I would completely change things around - which I guess defeats the purpose of the original recipe! I would chop up the chicken & mix with the soup, add more seasoning (basil, oregano, lemon pepper, etc.) and probably add a bag of mixed vegetables. Maybe add pasta or rice to the dish, or just serve it over that and I would like if the sauce was a little thicker.<br /></div>Brookehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04436959084464891075noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8603054825573365280.post-86860535570350324122009-02-10T19:30:00.004-05:002009-02-10T20:52:38.100-05:00This Is Why We're All Fat.<div></div>My friend sent me this awesome <a style="color: rgb(0, 153, 0);" href="http://thisiswhyyourefat.com/">blog</a>, she's a fantastic friend because she knew how much I'd appreciate this site. I'm drawn to strange & unique food and this blog is right up my ally. It's hilarious and sadly, or not, makes me hungry!<br /><br />PS. So far my favorite is the french fry encased deep fried hot dog. What's your favorite?Brookehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04436959084464891075noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8603054825573365280.post-35672669476593370742009-02-09T19:56:00.008-05:002009-04-08T14:23:23.281-04:00A Dish By Any Other Name....<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjdcS8_aE6e6B9SrJbm-qA3giUR59l5_ic2GYf3OXrkWAYK8G3SJO9Ri-YisRkVioLYRLMNiRfstZ1MvOuI3EYz3j55GBxxoPpIpWg521uBXLwKBrf1RkGxNC1k5lOpbDlyIXJdF3oUY7M/s1600-h/hot+shot+070.jpg"></a><br /><div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi3jFAXZprq72skqbfCGkTwmTmbT_zQlSKgltL7f5GLmZaIncjqMaqWKkbljiWRuTmal0NWt-bhWXKcQ-3Gm8n37vZYpB4dMWHSy7gPDPS7tu3s7qdIXZZY-jOrrbI0uPeFFUCaU6s8eBA/s1600-h/hot+shot+068.jpg"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5301331044336240002" style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; width: 320px; height: 240px; text-align: center;" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi3jFAXZprq72skqbfCGkTwmTmbT_zQlSKgltL7f5GLmZaIncjqMaqWKkbljiWRuTmal0NWt-bhWXKcQ-3Gm8n37vZYpB4dMWHSy7gPDPS7tu3s7qdIXZZY-jOrrbI0uPeFFUCaU6s8eBA/s320/hot+shot+068.jpg" border="0" /></a> This is what we had for dinner, there will be no recipe - you are lucky to even get a picture. It was shameful how easy this meal was to make, almost as easy as something <a style="color: rgb(0, 153, 0);" href="http://community.livejournal.com/semihorrible/">Sandra Lee</a> would put together. So why then am I posting a picture of our dinner if I'm not going to share with you how to make it? It's because I'm asking you dear reader to help settle a little debate amongst the husband and myself.<br /><br /><div style="text-align: center;">What do you call this dish?<br /></div><br />I realize this dish goes by several different names depending on where you live, but no matter, give me all the names you know this dish by. The husband and I thank you.<br />________________________________________<br /><br />Updated 4/09: several people have brought this post to my attention recently and I thought I should go back and give you some background. The husband's family calls this meal - a hot shot. When I suggested this for dinner our conversation went something like this -<br /><br />me: what about open faced turkey sandwiches for dinner?<br />the husband: nope.<br />me: why not?<br />the husband: turkey hot shot, yes. Open faced sandwich, no.<br /><br />He thinks he's funny like that, or should I say he thinks he's a hotshot. He insists this is what they're called and I say it's just what people from southwestern Ohio call it. This usually starts another mini food battle where he mocks my southeastern Ohio hometown, but I digress. I say they're open faced sandwiches and more people know them by that name than a 'hot shot.' So dear readers that's the debate in a nutshell. Yes, you waited this long for that....riveting, wasn't it?<br /></div>Brookehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04436959084464891075noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8603054825573365280.post-47009663937722099512009-02-08T20:05:00.005-05:002009-02-10T20:51:48.029-05:00Crock Pot Chicken Stroganoff.<div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg6JizvIHzXpblF0FyEpmcug2D-dLr_Hsro3MSW59bHKH8axwobj5oC4_sRt1xWocFivCUTn1kmsNfsX3S0gpdabm6XWeY7qk1ZXvmPB8Z4ctYjJWUl8I1gygfp8_lX2A0UfOhvThqSZM8/s1600-h/hot+shot+043.jpg"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5301332531587955330" style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; width: 320px; height: 240px; text-align: center;" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg6JizvIHzXpblF0FyEpmcug2D-dLr_Hsro3MSW59bHKH8axwobj5oC4_sRt1xWocFivCUTn1kmsNfsX3S0gpdabm6XWeY7qk1ZXvmPB8Z4ctYjJWUl8I1gygfp8_lX2A0UfOhvThqSZM8/s320/hot+shot+043.jpg" border="0" /></a>I found this recipe for crock pot chicken stroganoff awhile back on <a style="color: rgb(0, 153, 0);" href="http://tealesmeals.blogspot.com/2007/09/crockpot-chicken-stroganoff.html">Teale's Meals</a>. I don't normally make dishes like this and was somewhat tentative to try it out, but all the reviews were favorable so I decided to give it a try. The recipe was better than I anticipated, which is always good! Even the leftovers heated up well. I served the chicken stroganoff over egg noodles, but as the recipe states pasta or rice would also be good substitutions.<br /><div><br />I added a couple of things to the recipe, which I thought made it even better. I added sliced fresh mushrooms to the crock pot as the noodles were cooking and I also adding several different dried herbs (parsley, garlic & herb chicken seasoning, garlic powder and of course pepper). I did not cut up my chicken until the noodles were cooking, I cut the breasts into chunks and sort of let them fall apart too. The sauce had seemed really runny prior to that, but once I cut up the chicken it helped to thicken the sauce.<br /><br />When I was searching for reviews for this recipe, I ran across another <a style="color: rgb(0, 153, 0);" href="http://blogalabradshaw.blogspot.com/2008/10/chicken-stroganoff.html">version</a> which is a little different, but looks good too.<br /></div></div>Brookehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04436959084464891075noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8603054825573365280.post-9173824051236310382009-02-03T08:08:00.010-05:002009-02-03T23:17:42.784-05:00Super Bowl Eats.<div>The game was good, the commercials were ok and the food & friends were fabulous! Oh and The Office was freaking hysterical, seriously I almost choked I was laughing so hard when Dwight cut off the dummies face!<br /><br /><div style="text-align: center;">Just a few pictures of the food...<br /></div><br /><div><div style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEielxkhziZqazV3DpoJ45FsKBf3No0T6TOqGvPGHXwZJQ0f3aCBdFOnobhMrWFUP611XxFizWMtMxhaqS0uxBzcKNy84NdDMnB94VhbrKAhtaB-49PB35oZNwWw2FSxOdQyCIzL7IpbaeQ/s1600-h/super+bowl+057.jpg"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5298660198865149170" style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; width: 320px; height: 240px; text-align: center;" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEielxkhziZqazV3DpoJ45FsKBf3No0T6TOqGvPGHXwZJQ0f3aCBdFOnobhMrWFUP611XxFizWMtMxhaqS0uxBzcKNy84NdDMnB94VhbrKAhtaB-49PB35oZNwWw2FSxOdQyCIzL7IpbaeQ/s320/super+bowl+057.jpg" border="0" /></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEig0eu6aJdxRmIpdb-jMu19suVXaVRs962sHCzLhyphenhyphenGcxgwCGlM8sQln4x1tOO7WAN12KE7HJWWaDpEv7C53Fl5M18TG1eNOlO6cmKzKnu-NFXkUhNjKCi852WIymAeOq8KOcqJewYg_CzM/s1600-h/super+bowl+058.jpg"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5298660668826377218" style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; width: 320px; height: 240px; text-align: center;" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEig0eu6aJdxRmIpdb-jMu19suVXaVRs962sHCzLhyphenhyphenGcxgwCGlM8sQln4x1tOO7WAN12KE7HJWWaDpEv7C53Fl5M18TG1eNOlO6cmKzKnu-NFXkUhNjKCi852WIymAeOq8KOcqJewYg_CzM/s320/super+bowl+058.jpg" border="0" /></a>Beef sliders with cheese on King's Hawaiian buns aka crabby patties as the kids call them.<br /></div><br /><div><div><div style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjpILWXDqlCUyhG6r7YOnKpaDNSyirGKK3SLSuMR2o6HuTWxY_2UTwZbTYp-MhN7v2SnZjd88aCA9wS1STyYvh6FFrys25HI6LYupWSbwVGRTjEs5kXe0hfg3DbdMipaj9NYVPHz8Vsfl4/s1600-h/super+bowl+053.jpg"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5298660192836834370" style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; width: 320px; height: 240px; text-align: center;" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjpILWXDqlCUyhG6r7YOnKpaDNSyirGKK3SLSuMR2o6HuTWxY_2UTwZbTYp-MhN7v2SnZjd88aCA9wS1STyYvh6FFrys25HI6LYupWSbwVGRTjEs5kXe0hfg3DbdMipaj9NYVPHz8Vsfl4/s320/super+bowl+053.jpg" border="0" /></a>Beef chili with red kidney beans (recipe coming soon)<br /></div><br /><div><div style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgVVMd9onUXrZiQ8P0bFOtVyZOTUZUAYJtgnUM9RuWjaFfepepCxCSr7oyrYLVMLu3AVHRPAVynuXeKBBSLTqEun2g8aTF4dNvzENhLAmvVz-fr9pZqpsnIC295mVk8Q1UvymzhumU5fVY/s1600-h/super+bowl+028.jpg"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5298660184210853282" style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; width: 240px; height: 320px; text-align: center;" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgVVMd9onUXrZiQ8P0bFOtVyZOTUZUAYJtgnUM9RuWjaFfepepCxCSr7oyrYLVMLu3AVHRPAVynuXeKBBSLTqEun2g8aTF4dNvzENhLAmvVz-fr9pZqpsnIC295mVk8Q1UvymzhumU5fVY/s320/super+bowl+028.jpg" border="0" /></a>Awesome <a style="color: rgb(0, 153, 0);" href="http://victuals-libations.blogspot.com/2007/07/big-ass-bbq.html">guacamole</a><br /></div><br /><div><div style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhNpFwHUFTGhhjDU3XaQywTPxScyTRI5Os5Rbcd7WW09g3DAM70MVgPLW13MjcMh55hDa8_NaKx6iUb_lTmG1q4xDDQhYqXespRtvk4YrMZPSjdHqgrVcMrmJzDPEzG8zZIuJgRjTItohY/s1600-h/super+bowl+050.jpg"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5298660189405223650" style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; width: 240px; height: 320px; text-align: center;" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhNpFwHUFTGhhjDU3XaQywTPxScyTRI5Os5Rbcd7WW09g3DAM70MVgPLW13MjcMh55hDa8_NaKx6iUb_lTmG1q4xDDQhYqXespRtvk4YrMZPSjdHqgrVcMrmJzDPEzG8zZIuJgRjTItohY/s320/super+bowl+050.jpg" border="0" /></a>Yeah, it's that awesome! When you're guacamole can make a kid this happy then you can call it awesome too!<br /></div><div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div>Brookehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04436959084464891075noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8603054825573365280.post-43762874692973273652009-02-03T08:07:00.006-05:002009-02-03T14:16:38.943-05:00Banana Blueberry Muffins.<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhb04-R1YoQO8W2oausSLFMXVHwll55vS71-h43sZ5I1W760RxBcgSMohqogM_sk5CnNNz5lyd4iFlIZdkt3Vy37udZFDv_Xqz2vgL1dF9S55kQlyaJ3qc2v-HfsYp2NDnzhLVe0TiphHI/s1600-h/super+bowl+040.jpg"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5298651052811608386" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 240px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 320px; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhb04-R1YoQO8W2oausSLFMXVHwll55vS71-h43sZ5I1W760RxBcgSMohqogM_sk5CnNNz5lyd4iFlIZdkt3Vy37udZFDv_Xqz2vgL1dF9S55kQlyaJ3qc2v-HfsYp2NDnzhLVe0TiphHI/s320/super+bowl+040.jpg" border="0" /></a> I tend to procrastinate a lot. For instance the fresh blueberries I had planned on using had already rotted by the time I got around to making this recipe. I used some frozen berries, but was disappointed to find out I had less than half a cup. I should probably rename this recipe banana muffins with a hint of blueberries, since there were on average two berries per muffin. I was afraid these muffins wouldn't turn out well since they lacked an egg and the batter was pretty dry when mixing together. They turned out fairly well, despite being a little dense which I'm positive is a direct result of over mixing on my part. The flavors were tasty, though I felt like they were missing something - maybe vanilla or cinnamon. Still they were quick & easy to make and great for relaxing with coffee and the Sunday paper.<br /><br /><div><div></div><br /><div><strong>E-Z Banana Blueberry Muffins with Crumb Topping</strong></div><br /><div>3 ripe bananas</div><div>2 1/2 c. flour</div><div>1 c. sugar<br />1/4 c. canola oil</div><div>3/4 c. unthawed frozen blueberries</div><div>1 c. brown sugar</div><div>1/4 c. butter</div><div>1 tsp. salt</div><div>1 tsp. baking soda</div><br /><div>1. In a medium bowl combine bananas, sugar and oil. Mash well. In another bowl combine flour, baking soda and salt. Add flour mixture to banana mixture. Stir together until just combined. Fold in blueberries. Pour into a greased muffin pan or muffin liners. </div><br /><div>2. In a small bowl, combine butter and brown sugar until coarse crumbles are made. Sprinkle over muffins.<br /></div><div></div><div>3. Bake in 350 oven for 20-30 minutes, or until toothpick inserted in the center of the muffins comes out clean.</div><br /><div></div><div>Yield: 12 muffins (I made 16)</div><div>Source: unknown</div><div> </div><div></div><div><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5298651052010016338" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 240px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 320px; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEin-QHwsmVAh1y_zS4BX3HfFJdW_be2vIhV0r4yhopxL64rCxLeC5X41nPFwKU0QTJwTW0JMj6rN8v3ZidQfmfn6kPXylP0OMXAmlU9FRR1elIrpGru0OH5IR2Wuaxt6FrHIOMZAbaS6Ds/s320/super+bowl+033.jpg" border="0" /></div></div>Brookehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04436959084464891075noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8603054825573365280.post-3539732548214917842009-01-29T19:24:00.009-05:002009-02-03T22:50:46.646-05:00Pasta With Garlic & Oil.<div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjSzsK8fzyU7CrFP3ct8dB4lbjV46OutMxphy7vE4rlr7qGnr2l6sK3iY1LeufKFmuNEsp16nzlYy8Nxo1A0gzuB5HAYmkWOwAQHwOebkXSoB8o5JTG50cqTb9-KMJ5kPymsuVsBliDQ-0/s1600-h/fjslfjslfjlsjf+122.jpg"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5298662241998275506" style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; width: 240px; height: 320px; text-align: center;" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjSzsK8fzyU7CrFP3ct8dB4lbjV46OutMxphy7vE4rlr7qGnr2l6sK3iY1LeufKFmuNEsp16nzlYy8Nxo1A0gzuB5HAYmkWOwAQHwOebkXSoB8o5JTG50cqTb9-KMJ5kPymsuVsBliDQ-0/s320/fjslfjslfjlsjf+122.jpg" border="0" /></a>If there were any vampires lurking around our house, I'm pretty sure tonight's dinner scared them off. Garlic, more garlic and some red pepper flakes is what keeps the after dinner mints in business. But I would gladly reek of garlic to eat this dish, it's seriously one of my favorite ways to eat pasta. Pasta with garlic & oil is a classic, yet simple Italian dish. When it's done well, it's fantastic and when it's not....well so far it's only happened once and I still have nightmares about it.<br /><br />There is a first time for everything and tonight I actually used a recipe to make one of my favorite meals. Normally I don't add raw garlic to this dish, which this recipe called for and I think I'm sticking to my way! I did like the addition of the toasted bread crumbs on top though. Lastly, I had fresh basil and decided to use that in place of parsley - I think I'm more of a parsley girl though. A note on the salt, I prefer Kosher salt - the husband sea salt, just use whatever you like best or have on hand.<br /><br /><span style="font-weight: bold;">Pasta with Garlic and Oil - Aglio E Olio</span><br /><br />1 lb. spaghetti<br />table salt<br />6 Tbs. extra virgin olive oil<br />1/4 c. minced garlic (about 30 small, 20 medium, 10 large, or 5 extra large cloves) from 1-2 heads<br />3/4 tsp. red pepper flakes<br />3 Tbs. chopped fresh parsley leaves<br />2 tsp. lemon juice<br />1/2 c. Parmesan cheese, coarsely grated<br /><br />1. Adjust oven rack to lower-middle position, set large heatproof serving bowl on rack and heat oven to 200 degrees. Bring 4 quarts water to roiling boil, covered, in large Dutch oven or stockpot. Add pasta and 1 1/2 teaspoons table salt to boiling water, stir to separate pasta, cover, and cook until al dente; reserve 1/3 cup pasta cooking water and drain pasta.<br /><br />2. While water is heating, combine 3 tablespoons oil, 3 tablespoons garlic and 1/2 teaspoon salt in heavy bottomed nonstick 10-inch skillet; cook over low heat, stirring constantly, until garlic foams and is sticky and straw colored, 10-12 minutes. Off heat, add remaining tablespoon raw garlic, red pepper flakes, parsley, lemon juice and 2 tablespoons pasta cooking water to skillet and stir well to keep garlic from clumping.<br /><br />3. Transfer drained pasta to warm serving bowl; add remaining 3 tablespoons olive oil and remaining reserved pasta cooking water and toss to coat. Add garlic mixture and 3/4 teaspoon salt to pasta; toss well to combine. Serve immediately, sprinkling individual bowls with portion of Parmesan, if desired.<br /><br /><br />Yield: 4-6 servings<br />Source: Cook's Illustrated, March 2001<br /><br />Cook's Illustrated Note: For a twist on pasta with garlic and oil, try sprinkling toasted bread crumbs over individual bowls, but prepare them before proceeding with the pasta recipe.<br /><br />My Note: I skipped the warmed dish in the oven & never add salt to the pasta water - but that's just me. You can do as you wish.<br /><br /><div><div><div><div> <a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg4iNi6NrLHSm4dARNpoWbfdbapE4ZkgOgKtaMpi2l7-JGw95SSSVzOAbduc9h_tcVHpGo-C-WEZy2b8Rqys9tJkH6yBHfb70kxSSlN8m2fe0sBsAqLirCrb1wjez2tf2AY5fTHDWrNGm0/s1600-h/fjslfjslfjlsjf+127.jpg"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5298662246326357362" style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; width: 240px; height: 320px; text-align: center;" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg4iNi6NrLHSm4dARNpoWbfdbapE4ZkgOgKtaMpi2l7-JGw95SSSVzOAbduc9h_tcVHpGo-C-WEZy2b8Rqys9tJkH6yBHfb70kxSSlN8m2fe0sBsAqLirCrb1wjez2tf2AY5fTHDWrNGm0/s320/fjslfjslfjlsjf+127.jpg" border="0" /></a></div></div></div></div></div>Brookehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04436959084464891075noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8603054825573365280.post-45781449027796913492009-01-28T20:35:00.009-05:002009-01-29T16:59:01.359-05:00Aunt Mary's Cabbage Soup.<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj7FLUs8oWq6r9rk82d-Ultr3M5ybm1Tc2XkM5biAslRZnv5UvvOTTPWuYlLB7rE0CIL3FUiNxnPNMU57AlzjtOWt1AMrhiXmAeQvFrD4NvYXaCTcf-DT641Z0iga5ccMljfO5VtZ3gBFc/s1600-h/fjslfjslfjlsjf+113.jpg"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5296836923565166946" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 320px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 240px; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj7FLUs8oWq6r9rk82d-Ultr3M5ybm1Tc2XkM5biAslRZnv5UvvOTTPWuYlLB7rE0CIL3FUiNxnPNMU57AlzjtOWt1AMrhiXmAeQvFrD4NvYXaCTcf-DT641Z0iga5ccMljfO5VtZ3gBFc/s320/fjslfjslfjlsjf+113.jpg" border="0" /></a> Tomorrow's leftovers are going to be killer! This soup is seriously good & before I even tell you about how great it is, and I promise it is, you need to commit to making this really soon.<br /><br />I have no idea who Aunt Mary is, but if she's anything like her soup she rocks! Aunt Mary's recipe was found on the back of a can of Dei Fratelli tomatoes awhile back and I'm glad I finally got around to making this. Cabbage soup is a classic winter soup, which was perfect for dinner since we're currently snowed & iced in. The cabbage, tomatoes, potatoes & kielbasa all come together to make a flavorful pot of wonderfulness! It's rustic, healthy - even more so if you omit the kielbasa (which of course then makes the soup vegetarian), hearty and makes enough to feed an army. Seriously what more could you want from a soup? Now if only the beer bread I made had turned out as well.<br /><br /><br /><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5296836920984242578" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 240px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 320px; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjXiBJF4ECMnnWuK7qKRTM83FCze8fl5V6rEatvZWV_qmn90bfeiEDBiMwYbUksb7n2lAIwYjOcaloNNdTwxW2SmUeh7N85GuK82fqDU41chy_VUmLpzWlyCQFjoLfuGfqKErs8rJkAqV0/s320/fjslfjslfjlsjf+104.jpg" border="0" /><br /><span style="FONT-WEIGHT: bold">Aunt Mary's Cabbage Soup</span><br /><br />1 Tbs. oil<br />1 c. chopped onion<br />1 clove garlic, minced<br />1 lb. smoked kielbasa<br />3 medium carrots, cut in 1/2 slices<br />8 c. coarsely shredded cabbage<br />1 medium green pepper, chopped<br />1 1/2 qt. water<br />1 (15 oz) can seasoned diced tomatoes<br />1 tsp. salt<br />1/4 - 1/2 tsp. pepper<br />3 medium potatoes, peel and cut into 1" cubes<br />2 Tbs. oil<br />1/3 c. all purpose flour<br />2 tsp. paprika<br />1 (15 oz) can tomato sauce<br /><br />1. In a large heavy pot, heat oil over medium-high heat. Add onion and garlic and cook until onion softens. Cut kielbasa in chunks and add to pan. Add prepared vegetables (except potatoes), water, seasoned diced tomatoes, salt and pepper. Cook uncovered for 5 minutes over medium heat. Cover and cook 10 minutes longer, then add potatoes. Cover and cook for an additional 15 minutes or until cabbage is tender.<br /><br />2. Meanwhile, heat 2 tablespoons oil and stir in flour. Cook, stirring until golden brown. Stir in paprika and remove from heat. Ladle 1 cup of liquid from soup pot and whisk into the oil and flour. Continue whisking while adding tomato sauce until mixture is smooth. Stir into soup.<br /><br /><br />Yield: 10-12 servings<br />Source: <a style="COLOR: rgb(0,153,0)" href="http://www.deifratelli.com/">Dei Fratelli</a><br /><br /><br /><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5296836928638144082" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 240px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 320px; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEghb9800Np0qHxT1LiIAumXH3zZz3JvaLmAeDXjReOSmw2OXUBbv_NPvFpm6CfFhtt5CqyG_tuLe72iY96Peg6tFJHQcu3pbtxWjm9FLzcbeYAEPuE5E-HULMSzsOXogcnqy3EClLim1wc/s320/fjslfjslfjlsjf+117.jpg" border="0" />Thoughts: aside from halving the recipe, I only adjusted the seasoning. I used dried onion because I was out of fresh onion, but the fresh onion is the one ingredient I felt the recipe lacked. I ended up adding a lot more fresh garlic, pepper and paprika, as well as garlic powder, a bit of chili powder and some dried parsley.<br /><br /><div></div><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5296836931845515506" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 320px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 240px; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhrpzMI3BrY8kyr0uS2s0aFO_5x4RXeeeJf7oGS8kXwLi6aTDErmw1wWwzADX2oVNjHfZgVKfSkwHU5ggPLnDrHNTqN7WlVqmfMWLwXZpeX1-_L3ekbTIxrlsgX9DjWpjL1WIxAutrOp8o/s320/fjslfjslfjlsjf+118.jpg" border="0" />Brookehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04436959084464891075noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8603054825573365280.post-35047511291483465332009-01-24T08:39:00.006-05:002009-02-03T21:45:53.934-05:00Triple-Layer Mud Pie.<div>The husband whipped up this simple & delicious dessert for his Mom's belated birthday dinner and it was really good! But you can't really go wrong with a triple layer of chocolate can you? Easy to make, delicious and totally not good for you, ummm do you seriously need more reasons to make this? So the husband goes to cut into the pie and the crust was rock solid. Seriously, we thought we might need to get out the power saw. At first we thought it was because he forgot to add the sweetened condensed milk, but after reading some of the online reviews it seems others had this problem as well. It didn't matter though, the <a style="color: rgb(0, 153, 0);" href="http://www.kraftfoods.com/kf/recipes/triple-layer-mud-pie-51081.aspx">triple-layer mud pie</a> was still fabulous and cutting into each bite just provided lots of laughs for everyone!<br /><div><br /><div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh_Z2Cdx1iQ6LLscaQ0dIMV2UPyDxgaWlkTliSVSxKIBO1MbcI2B9iFzdZnEs75QC3EFCQj028tQVEmbkp_77YdQRnoGaejmUqNsNtZiBxEObNHS731LJcodUNlFhoSVhRgfCrJKyJFv7Y/s1600-h/fjslfjslfjlsjf+044.jpg"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5296839708955105362" style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; width: 320px; height: 240px; text-align: center;" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh_Z2Cdx1iQ6LLscaQ0dIMV2UPyDxgaWlkTliSVSxKIBO1MbcI2B9iFzdZnEs75QC3EFCQj028tQVEmbkp_77YdQRnoGaejmUqNsNtZiBxEObNHS731LJcodUNlFhoSVhRgfCrJKyJFv7Y/s320/fjslfjslfjlsjf+044.jpg" border="0" /></a><br /></div></div></div>Brookehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04436959084464891075noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8603054825573365280.post-54254794251657457242009-01-24T08:38:00.005-05:002009-01-29T17:00:05.856-05:00Baked Pasta with Sausage, Tomatoes & Cheese.<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg2WMIx9Pv6-jufw7yksVSZaA_5U3d8SoOShTZRqVcvcnN-ZvNeDnWvG06MDNcR8pAHDuMkbwORZKYZ9vjehIuxadnAfJ1piBf_ODoGUnkYsG3ontRCLQgTYnc53OlB4iyQLxAl9j51hdI/s1600-h/fjslfjslfjlsjf+031.jpg"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5296837916171527714" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 320px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 240px; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg2WMIx9Pv6-jufw7yksVSZaA_5U3d8SoOShTZRqVcvcnN-ZvNeDnWvG06MDNcR8pAHDuMkbwORZKYZ9vjehIuxadnAfJ1piBf_ODoGUnkYsG3ontRCLQgTYnc53OlB4iyQLxAl9j51hdI/s320/fjslfjslfjlsjf+031.jpg" border="0" /></a> Last night for dinner I made this dish from <a style="COLOR: rgb(0,153,0)" href="http://find.myrecipes.com/recipes/recipefinder.dyn?action=displayRecipe&recipe_id=549971">Cooking Light</a>. I'm still not sure about it, it's not that it was bad - there was just something about it I thought could be a lot better. Really my biggest complaint was the pasta was pretty dry, and looking over the online <a style="COLOR: rgb(0,153,0)" href="http://find.myrecipes.com/recipes/recipefinder.dyn?action=showRatings&forwardAction=displayRecipe&recipe_id=549971">reviews</a> it seems others had that problem too. Hopefully adding more tomatoes, or even tomato sauce to the leftovers would help. Because despite halving the recipe, we still had a ton of leftovers. I agree with some of the reviews that said it's a good recipe to build upon, but you know it's just baked pasta and I have other recipes that are fabulous as is. So while it wasn't even a bad recipe, I doubt I'll make it again.<br /><br /><div></div><div><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5296837915361887106" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 320px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 240px; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgAnVYDASwTyBR3-CgPGll9IaL6PoXNrnbu7k9oYWAkt1ucqsq7V06kaEG5PTrSACR9iO0OHlbbOfB4JG9AoPo34Bxk0Floe0f05K4MzxdL4p-10AMqH_9ecmtigMNwife5Wmnsva0WvOU/s320/fjslfjslfjlsjf+037.jpg" border="0" /></div>Brookehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04436959084464891075noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8603054825573365280.post-89321908173335211572009-01-22T12:18:00.008-05:002009-01-22T22:22:57.450-05:00Baked Pork Chops with Parmesan Sage Crust.<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgnFpvQNb1wlsSi9dNf84S_4I_XEtPapUjZ-9_dBLsObxdD2MfzV2ROPxQBNcZkX7sKNDJ7icaKmTomsmKh8nMgemlAMIXiFok7YXCVwbJ-un0a0UwMvyPtFGgKV0mjGvESdTGBZy78icQ/s1600-h/pork+011.jpg"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5294323664895379410" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 320px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 240px; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgnFpvQNb1wlsSi9dNf84S_4I_XEtPapUjZ-9_dBLsObxdD2MfzV2ROPxQBNcZkX7sKNDJ7icaKmTomsmKh8nMgemlAMIXiFok7YXCVwbJ-un0a0UwMvyPtFGgKV0mjGvESdTGBZy78icQ/s320/pork+011.jpg" border="0" /></a><br /><div>I printed this recipe off of Better Homes & Gardens website in 2005 and it's no longer on the website. Which posed a little bit of a problem, since the version I had was missing some of the measurements. Luckily, I found the exact same recipe for <a href="http://www.recipezaar.com/Parmesan-Sage-Pork-Chops-20048"><span style="color:#009900;">baked pork chops with Parmesan sage crust </span></a>on <a href="http://www.recipezaar.com/"><span style="color:#009900;">Recipe Zaar</span></a>. The husband LOVED these pork chops, me I'm not so sure. I thought they were ok, not sure why I wasn't into them as much as the husband - who ate not only his pork chop, but half of mine too! They were totally not healthy though, but pretty easy & quick to prepare. </div><br /><div>I followed the suggestions for halving the bread crumb mixture and even then I threw a lot away. My lemon had seen some better days so I decided to not use any of it's peel, instead I added some juice to the egg mixture. I also added one teaspoon of lemon pepper seasoning to the bread crumb mixture too. I browned the pork chops in a skillet, but decided to cook them in the oven a little differently. I made a makeshift roasting rack using a cooling rack, my theory being the pork would be crisp on both sides and not smushy on the bottom like it would be if you just cooked it in the skillet. </div>Brookehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04436959084464891075noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8603054825573365280.post-15434113950245408852009-01-20T11:01:00.009-05:002009-01-22T10:25:16.508-05:00Presidential Chili.<div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjqSzMXyS2Ut3VvAyp_HC3rX9fXAmo9ftbYzKRTnCp-bI7CQGMxpaVmg_dUxEB6SSuWkmAue-vzxy19mYGxvQ7ZH4QvkTGPVxSJW0N0_zjDlv6pZyCksAP37VI5MA57ZSbkmjDwL0PKlIA/s1600-h/chili+065.jpg"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5294138304046783970" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 320px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 240px; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjqSzMXyS2Ut3VvAyp_HC3rX9fXAmo9ftbYzKRTnCp-bI7CQGMxpaVmg_dUxEB6SSuWkmAue-vzxy19mYGxvQ7ZH4QvkTGPVxSJW0N0_zjDlv6pZyCksAP37VI5MA57ZSbkmjDwL0PKlIA/s320/chili+065.jpg" border="0" /></a>Though Barack Obama has been making this <a href="http://www.nh.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20071231/FOOD/518362186"><span style="color:#009900;">chili</span></a> since his college days, the recipe started making its rounds to the public during his 2008 Presidential campaign. Obama says he "can't reveal all the secrets, but if you make it right, it's just got the right amount of bite, the right amount of oomph in it, and it will clear your sinuses." (<a style="COLOR: rgb(0,153,0)" href="http://abcnews.go.com/GMA/Recipes/story?id=4384392">Good Morning America</a>, 2008)<br /><br /><div></div><div>Following Obama's call for change (that was bad, huh?), and trying to use what we had instead of having to go buy more, I altered the recipe just a little bit. I used two flat iron steaks, instead of the ground beef/turkey. I used a 28 oz. can of diced tomatoes instead of fresh and only used half of a large onion. The recipe said it could be served over white or brown rice, but we ate the chili as it was. The rice would be a good addition, since it's a pretty thick chili.</div><div> </div><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5294138306130630354" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 320px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 240px; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhpFf2iJ7J4AdeeIEES8CdICquHTfgOkTCOPhJKcaNwjAr4o7thb-tL__PJDnHLAu29DRh8PPTebks_u8POMGAd7sv3VFradJuH20B56mgJ_3j63KvQhX8okNOMxplssmwyfhkNzceNuB0/s320/chili+069.jpg" border="0" />The chili was better than both of thought it would be, and I'm sure the leftovers will be even better! As the husband pointed out, it's a good base to start with. The great thing about chili is you can pretty much dump anything into a pot and it's going to be good. If you like your chili spicier, you'll need to add more spices or even throw in a few chili peppers. I liked the use of ground turmeric and the red wine vinegar, both added a different flavor. I think this is the first chili I've seen that used turmeric, which is traditionally used to flavor Indian dishes. If you've never used turmeric before just be careful what it touches, as it turns everything a delightful shade of orangish-brown and is almost impossible to get out.<br /><br />Hopefully you were able to watch some, if not all, of the Presidential inauguration today. What an exciting & historic time to be an American.<br /><br />For more presidential family recipes check out the following links:<br /><br /><a style="COLOR: rgb(0,153,0)" href="http://www.christmas-cookies.com/recipes/recipe524.laura-bushs-cowboy-cookies.html">Laura Bush's Cowboy Cookies</a><br /><a style="COLOR: rgb(0,153,0)" href="http://www.nashuatelegraph.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20071128/FOOD/311280046/-1/Food">Hillary Clinton's Oatmeal Chocolate Chip Cookies</a><br /><a style="COLOR: rgb(0,153,0)" href="http://www.astray.com/recipes/?show=George%20bush%20pralines">George Bush's Pralines</a><br /><a style="COLOR: rgb(0,153,0)" href="http://www.soupsong.com/rbeef1.html">Ronald Reagan's Hamburger Soup</a><br /><a style="COLOR: rgb(0,153,0)" href="http://www.post-gazette.com/food/20020103mailbo0103fnp1.asp">Pat Nixon's Meatloaf</a><br /><a style="COLOR: rgb(0,153,0)" href="http://www.lbjlib.utexas.edu/johnson/archives.hom/FAQs/Recipes/pickled_okra.asp">Claudia "Lady Bird" Johnson's Pickled Okra</a><br /><a style="COLOR: rgb(0,153,0)" href="http://fooddownunder.com/cgi-bin/recipe.cgi?r=159795">Mary Todd Lincoln's White Almond Cake</a><br /><a style="COLOR: rgb(0,153,0)" href="http://www.loc.gov/exhibits/treasures/tri034.html">Thomas Jefferson's Vanilla Ice Cream</a> (an easier to read version can be found <a style="COLOR: rgb(0,153,0)" href="http://www.monticello.org/jefferson/dayinlife/dining/at.html">here</a>)<br /><a style="COLOR: rgb(0,153,0)" href="http://www.signonsandiego.com/uniontrib/20050216/news_lz1f16slice.html">Martha Washington's Sherry Crab Soup</a><br /><a style="COLOR: rgb(0,153,0)" href="http://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=1591417">George Washington's Beer</a> </div>Brookehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04436959084464891075noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8603054825573365280.post-34645935084919760722009-01-18T21:54:00.002-05:002009-01-18T22:16:05.709-05:00Orange Mojito.I just ran across this recipe for <a style="color: rgb(0, 153, 0);" href="http://www.foodnetwork.com/recipes/food-network-kitchens/orange-mojito-recipe/index.html">orange mojito's</a> and was happy to let the husband make us a couple tonight. Normal people drink mojito's sitting outside in the summer, but being far from normal I think mojito's can & should be enjoyed year round. Plus citrus is in season right now!<br /><br />The husband didn't add any mint because it's buried under snow and I apparently didn't freeze any for winter use. I thought it needed something else in it, so he added some cranberry juice which seemed to do the trick. These were very tasty and will likely make an appearance alongside the pineapple mojito's at the lake this summer!Brookehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04436959084464891075noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8603054825573365280.post-68198122695983685292009-01-18T15:49:00.014-05:002009-01-22T10:33:50.041-05:00A BIG Breakfast.I'm still full. We decided to take advantage of a lazy Sunday & the cold weather, by making a ginormous breakfast - well it was more of a brunch by the time we finished everything. On the menu: scrambled eggs, the husband's awesome fried potatoes, sausage & gravy and biscuits. Breakfast is probably my favorite meal of the day (especially when it's unhealthy) and this menu did not disappoint, we were <span class="blsp-spelling-corrected" id="SPELLING_ERROR_0">definitely</span> fat & happy after this meal. Though not exactly productive for awhile!<br /><br /><p><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5294140892197370226" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 240px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 320px; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiv62bgXPcT9d8bZW2mqlrbvNnSsMVsemTMq8KcmcfZyHeuI2s8uIjYQN05plbrhMCLHMy_msSiBeVW9Sz9K7eVKAC2AGP2-wn7HjEXXjLc6TBLpbEbbSvp6Fq7P41ROy8gQ151PWxxstw/s320/chili+024.jpg" border="0" /><br /><span style="FONT-WEIGHT: bold">Sausage Gravy<br /><br /><span style="FONT-WEIGHT: bold"></span></span>1/2 lb. ground sausage<br />4-6 Tbs. butter<br />2 2/3 c. milk<br />4-6 Tbs. flour<br />1/2 tsp. salt<br />1/4 tsp. pepper<br /><br />1. Brown sausage until completely cooked. Add butter to melt. Add flour and stir until mixed together.<br /><br />2. Add milk, salt and pepper; stir. Boil over medium heat for 2 minutes or until thick; stir as needed. Add more milk if mixture becomes too thick.<br /><br /><br />Yield: 4-6 servings<br />Source: the Mother-in-law<br /><br />My notes: This isn't the time to be healthy and watch your fat, you need a full fat pork sausage. The fat is what makes the gravy. Do not drain the fat off or buy a lower fat sausage, I did the first time I made this and it wasn't pretty. I reserve adding the salt & pepper until the sausage is fully cooked, it all depends on the type/flavor of sausage you get. Additionally, if you just get plain sausage feel free to add dried fennel & sage. Red pepper flakes are good too.<span style="FONT-WEIGHT: bold"><span style="FONT-WEIGHT: bold"></span><br /><br /><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5294140892959365906" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 320px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 240px; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjSZd-koS5UsGJSEkaZLFVy1X2FHS-VSMclSJZK_nFvFd52RPnVyBJeniO51sDmz-EK5uk2aseNuibKH1SvfAsX-7UKsjUqTQagjfGFD635OF4emNW2cSdou56DJYlaLeTcU3FoG_Ndb2c/s320/chili+026.jpg" border="0" /><br />Biscuits<br /><br /><span style="FONT-WEIGHT: bold"><span style="FONT-WEIGHT: bold"></span></span></span>3 c. all-purpose flour<br />1 Tbs. sugar<br />1 Tbs. baking powder<br />1/2 tsp. baking soda<br />1 tsp. salt<br />8 Tbs. (1 stick) unsalted chilled butter, cut into 1/2-inch pieces<span style="FONT-WEIGHT: bold"><span style="FONT-WEIGHT: bold"><span style="FONT-WEIGHT: bold"></span></span><br /><span style="FONT-WEIGHT: bold"></span></span>4 Tbs. chilled vegetable shortening, cut into 1/2-inch pieces<br />1 1/4 c. buttermilk<br /><br />1. Adjust oven rack to middle position and heat oven to 450. Line baking sheet with parchment paper. Pulse flour, sugar, baking powder, baking soda, salt, butter and shortening in food processor until mixture resembles coarse meal. Transfer to a large bowl. Stir in buttermilk until combined.<br /><br />2. On lightly floured surface, knead dough until smooth, 8-10 kneads. Pat dough into 9-inch circle, about 3/4-inch thick. Using 3-inch biscuit cutter dipped in flour, cut out rounds of dough and arrange on prepared baking sheet. Gather remaining dough, pat into 3/4-inch thick circle, and cut out remaining biscuits. (You should have 8 biscuits total.)<br /><br />3. Bake until biscuits begin to rise, about 5 minutes, then rotate pan and reduce oven temperature to 400. Bake until golden brown, 12-15 minutes, then transfer to a wire rack and let cool.<br /><br /><br />Yield: 8 biscuits<br />Source: Cook's Country, April/May 2008<span style="FONT-WEIGHT: bold"><span style="FONT-WEIGHT: bold"></span><br /></span><br />Test Kitchen Notes:<br />*If you don't have buttermilk on hand, whisk 1 tablespoon of lemon juice into 1 1/4 cups of milk and let it stand until slightly thickened, about 10 minutes.<br /><br />*Stamp, don't twist the biscuit cutter! Twisting the cutter when stamping out biscuits pinches the dough, resulting in an uneven rise. Using a well-floured cutter and pressing down with equal pressure on both sides of the cutter (not twisting) ensures that the biscuits will rise evenly.<br /><br />My notes: This has just become my go-to recipe for biscuits. They were perfect - light, fluffy, thick & delicious. I don't have a biscuit cutter and didn't have any luck using a glass, the dough is too thick. I ended up using the <a style="COLOR: rgb(0,153,0)" href="https://www.pamperedchef.com/ordering/prod_details.tpc?prodId=33&words=cut-n-seal">cut-n-seal</a> from Pampered Chef, which is a little larger than 3-inches. It worked out great, but only gave me 6 full sized biscuits and 1 randomly shaped one. </p><p><br /><span style="FONT-WEIGHT: bold"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5294140891542194514" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 320px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 240px; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjpvbzews596CMEKH8DBaOeQqgB1qF5QPOWAp1PBDwDBeKPxRtuz05S_sEDytjrwU1tBgUouaYlDsDrNYqCvF_g2ursRKdWOmdI5clVC0Uxl30AEFE_OLKwXl5yYzhDPNxBd3algaWDWzQ/s320/chili+017.jpg" border="0" /></span></p>Brookehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04436959084464891075noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8603054825573365280.post-69055432776003656452009-01-17T23:35:00.003-05:002009-01-22T12:17:27.774-05:00Turkey & Black Bean Tostadas.I loosely followed Rachel Ray's recipe for <a href="http://www.rachaelraymag.com/recipes/chicken-turkey-recipes/turkey-and-black-bean-tostadas/article.html"><span style="color:#009900;">turkey & black bean tostadas</span></a> and they turned out pretty well. I used leftover frozen turkey and chopped it up pretty well. I used the juice of an entire lime and used canned diced tomatoes instead of fresh. I also added lots more hot sauce than called for and some additional spices (oregano, chili powder, cilantro & cumin). Fresh herbs would have really been delicious in this dish.<br /><div></div><br /><div><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5294152761048632450" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 320px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 240px; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgujy2v9JwMz_IpxnGlkGiBz8TxM7HbgQwxzyus6LmDVxd0QFfMT8lLed5oCvfqFruJ9KpY116bXxtUbR9TnNB6ySjPnPqB92ybsV04ZxbCnX1d4DRFkOVWRfwirlXEBvnLa0x7Ur3PG2s/s320/chili+039.jpg" border="0" /></div><br /><div><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5294152757839447362" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 320px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 240px; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjTcwZBbrm1p4NfFjCyXc7ggFm3z6WlFsS-3AsxYnRwDraBsRoqK01_NOkespuuoZNT5HSFHF6IJt_9uqKbHbSx49AD_dD6ciWMgakAoJFlh-KmNj3_B3zmBxA7LLDcLL38jjFQ6lWw3RA/s320/chili+009.jpg" border="0" />We're generally pretty hit or miss with Rachel Ray recipes, but this was pretty straight forward. The meal came together quickly and would make a great weeknight meal. Leftover roasted chicken would be good in place of the turkey and you could also use a different variety of beans. I rounded out the meal with Mexican style rice, which would also be good placed on the tostado.<br /><br /><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5294168182388684626" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 320px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 240px; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiIcddK55Nk-eoyRp4R4GPwd32jRRf7aaKg6kxvfXyjFW_jOaiOlurNWM5wLSTirYVixjYuQgDllVrmU_wGJwgZvn9NlEzg43-t3p1-Mt3frSKJe1RcBB2AODOqsI61br9DWjK6jPFEJik/s320/chili+042.jpg" border="0" /></div><div><br /><div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgXRlzfHTS6BMTquSPoJgr43HBzhtejGv4Y1PUGhcBiRuAPrt-SnyDkjTl6HeOOl3GdEIgax8yaxhLH2r9DWgRJGYrLZQ5zLuS1ByJyOf6qRs3I1vjcRaKZ9_Zf3lWl9ceZljv46EYFdU4/s1600-h/chili+010.jpg"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5294152758586861554" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 320px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 240px; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgXRlzfHTS6BMTquSPoJgr43HBzhtejGv4Y1PUGhcBiRuAPrt-SnyDkjTl6HeOOl3GdEIgax8yaxhLH2r9DWgRJGYrLZQ5zLuS1ByJyOf6qRs3I1vjcRaKZ9_Zf3lWl9ceZljv46EYFdU4/s320/chili+010.jpg" border="0" /></a></div></div>Brookehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04436959084464891075noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8603054825573365280.post-59483917913075402652009-01-11T18:28:00.003-05:002009-01-11T19:37:05.756-05:00Odwalla Apple Raspberry Energy Juice.<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh7apF440Om7PxVOExVZiOQgqZHLae_NLhW2y8y_v_D7fzTeE6Iv693DFyKsXaXmrgGMyN0vjrK2LFHBmUTXYiWSp6tlALMxNw2KEocuBe6uu5ymMIdUQZXdihpjRtrNzY84mWD_klzaNE/s1600-h/drink+003.jpg"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5290199619231409874" style="FLOAT: right; MARGIN: 0px 0px 10px 10px; WIDTH: 240px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 320px" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh7apF440Om7PxVOExVZiOQgqZHLae_NLhW2y8y_v_D7fzTeE6Iv693DFyKsXaXmrgGMyN0vjrK2LFHBmUTXYiWSp6tlALMxNw2KEocuBe6uu5ymMIdUQZXdihpjRtrNzY84mWD_klzaNE/s320/drink+003.jpg" border="0" /></a>One of the side effects of a newer medicine I'm taking is that I can't drink carbonated beverages. Well I can, but they taste horrible - really horrible & nothing is worth having that awful taste in my mouth. Unfortunately that means I can't drink energy drinks, which was helpful for staying up late & getting up early - all things I'm doing more of to finish up my final few classes.<br /><br />I've never tried Odwalla juices before, honestly I think they're too expensive. But I was at the grocery store the other day and it was on sale, sale being a relative term for juice, and I picked up a bottle. Now according to the bottle, this juice will provide me with serious focus, as well as enhanced concentration, attention & mental sharpness. I need all the serious focus I can get these days and was really hoping this juice help in that department. I'm so gullible, I know.<br /><br />The color of the juice looked good, a nice mauve. I shook it up and opened the seal, it doesn't smell good - which should have been my first clue. I'm immediately hit with the overpowering taste of what I assume to be the green tea extract. Now assuming I could get past that taste, the drink would be pretty good. There is a half second where all you can taste is the fruit and it's really good. Then the green tea extract hits you again and it's all over. It isn't the most awful drink I've ever tasted, but it certainly isn't the best. I could only muster down a quarter of the juice, maybe it will be better tomorrow?<br />_______________________________________________________________<br /><br />What I tried: Odwalla Apple Raspberry Mental Energy Juice Drink ($2.50, on sale).<br /><br />The fine print: 56% juice, 14% organic ingredients & approximately35mg natural caffeine per serving, so 70mg for the entire bottle.<br /><br />Nutritional Information: (servings per container 2) calories 170, fat 0, sodium 15mg, potassium 200 mg, total carbohydrate 40 mg, sugars 37 mg & protein 0. Green tea extract 850mg & ginseng 6mg.<br /><br />Would I buy/try it again: No, not unless they got rid of that dirty grass taste. It also has way to much sugar in it, I think I'll stick to more natural fruit.Brookehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04436959084464891075noreply@blogger.com2