Super Buns! - The Easiest Homemade Rolls Ever!

When I first saw this recipe I was convinced it wouldn't work.  But what kind of bun lovin' woman would I be if I didn't try it!  They were not only great, they were bunalicious!  Who wouldn't want perfect buns?  Remember my recipe for Sweet Sexy Dinner Rolls?  Well these taste just like 'em only they are half the work...winning!

 I don't remember where I first saw the recipe, probably Pinterest...but I finally settled on this one from Jamie Cooks It Up, a very well done blog.

The wonderfulness of these are that they are basically no rise.  You put them in the oven at 170 degrees for 30 min, then turn the heat to 350 and they are done in 30 minutes.  It's a miracle...really, it really is.

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Turkey Breast Wrapped in Prosciutto

With our little family of 3 (well 4 if you count our dear daughters boyfriend who we love to feed!).  This is a perfect size Holiday meal, in fact, I plan on making it on non-holidays it was so tasty and easy!

Some helpful hints:

Buying the turkey breast:  You can get turkey breasts, bone in or boneless and both will work fine for the recipe.  Just depends on how handy you are with your fillet knife. 
If at all possible, try to get a fresh one that hasn't been shot up with sodium filler.   Make sure your knife is sharp and don't worry, you can't screw this up!  If you have several pieces, just press them together before you pound it. Once it's all wrapped up, no one will never know!

The filling:  I used stuffing because that's what I had...but roasted red peppers and Fontina would be yummy, so would spinach  and ricotta.  Turkey Roll Corden' Blue?  Why not, sounds delicious to me!

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Amazing 3 Ingredient Chocolate Mousse!

I went to Phoenix last weekend to spend some quality time with the most influential woman in my life...my Mom!   She is the reason I cook, write and laugh. She is without a doubt the happiest person I know!  How cool is that?

Every morning she gets up and in her beautiful sing-song voice says, "Good Morning Sweetie Pie!".  I want to make it the ring tone on my cell, it just lifts my spirits!

You know that scene in the beginning of Wizard of Oz where the film is still in black and white ? Dorothy's house lands in Oz....she opens the door and there it is, a world of color.  That is my Mom every day. Everyday is magical. Magical, happy, and in full Technicolor!

She is an amazing cook in her own right, but she is also an accomplished actress...yup, my mom is a star! She was well known in the theatre world in Seattle, until she got tired of the rain and took her talent south.  She has been in countless movies, TV series, TV commercials and voice-overs. But her real love is live theatre.  When I watch her on stage, I forget she is my Mom...now that's super star quality!  She has won many accolades and awards, to list them all would be, well, bragging, oh wait, thats what I'm doing!

The one thing I really wanted to do during my visit (besides lay in the sun and swim in her pool), is cook with my Mom. We made made several recipes: Chocolate Mousse, Black Bottom Cupcakes and Chicken Alfredo Lasagna Roll ups (stay tuned for those recipes). 

We made them all in the same afternoon...she has much more energy than I do, I was done at Alfredo.  My feet hurt, my back hurt and my camera was tired, but my Mom just keeps humming and setting up camera shots.  I kept up, but was dead tired by the time we were done and quickly went to bed, exhausted.    She stayed up and watched a movie with her dear husband until 1:00am...really kids, shouldn't you be in bed?  It was a wonderful long weekend and I can't wait to do it again! 

Back to the recipe at hand, Amazing 3 Ingredient Chocolate Mousse!   If you make this once, you will make it 100 times.  It will quickly go into your most loved recipe file.  It is easy, decadent, and chocolate.  What else can I give you?   My work is done here....

NOTE:  Needs to chill at least 8 hours so it firms up in the fridge.  I was flying home the next day and we only had time to chill 3 hours.  You  can see the slices are a bit...well, let's call it 'rustic'.  It was yummy just the same.

I give this recipe and my Mom 5 stars!  

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Skillet Italian Chicken with Orzo

I've noticed a re surge of the one pan dinner lately. Love the idea! Great for weeknight and a bit healther than the Hamburger Helper  I remember as a child...but boy, did I love the Cheeseburger version!

I love the idea of everything in one pan and bam, your dinner is done!  What I don't like is when the recipe asks you to cook the pasta, rice, chicken or other ingredients in a separate pan and then add them to the skillet.  Wouldnt' that make it a 2 Skillet dinner?

So off I went to my usual resources looking for the perfect recipe.  It had to include several criteria:
1.) Must be able to cook entire recipe in one pan.
2.) Must include chicken (cause that's what I had in my fridge).
3.) Must be able to use ingredients that are easy to obtain and usually on hand.  

I dug into my plethora of recipe sights, blogs and even my old Time Life Magazine cookbooks but came up empty handed.  What to do? I know!  I'll pour some wine and ponder...something wonderful always happens when I ponder and drink red wine.  It's my go too problem solver!

At last, I found an old issue of  Cooks Country magazine and there, it was.  Not only did it fit all my criteria, it was Italian!  If you follow this blog, you know I'm a sucker for all Italian food.

Future skillet recipes: Skillet Lasagna and Healthy Skillet Cheeseburger Mac, stay tuned!

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Panini 101 - Make the perfect Panini! No Special Equipment needed!

 You can use this basic recipe to make homemade Panini's that are as good as any fancy sandwich shop or restaurant.  I used fresh Mozzarella, Pesto and Roasted Red Peppers for a Caprese style Panini.  

 I substituted  Roasted Red Peppers instead of traditional tomato because I think it adds a lot more flavor and tomato's can make  your sammie mushy.  If you use tomatoes, be sure to deseed or chop in pieces before grilling.

This is more of a technique than a recipe.  You don't need a fancy Panini press to make these.  All you need is a non-stick grill pan, a heavy pan to weight it down. (like cast iron or even a dutch oven will work) and a piece of foil. 

Bread - oh so important when making the perfect Panini.  I have tried several, but my favorite is sourdough.  It is crunchy, but soft enough to eat. The grill marks show up nicely too.  Some of the Artesional breads like are so tough that you can't get through the bread to get to the ooey gooey center!  Sandwich frustration!

A few variations

Southwestern:  sliced chicken, grilled onions and peppers, pepper jack cheese

Ham and Swiss: ummm, well, Ham and Swiss

Burgers: Grilled Burger, Caramelized Onion, Bacon and Gouda

Egg and Prociutto: Fried egg, Prociutto and Pesto

The combinations are endless...just put your favorite sammie ingredients between two slices of buttered bread, grill, press and you are a sandwich hero!

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Eula's Sunday Casserole

This was one of my first posts....I thought I would republish.  It's a perfect use of leftover turkey and my original photo was just terrible!  This recipe is totally worth a face lift!

I'll bet most people have a 'go to' casserole in their family recipe box...they almost all include a can of cream of ka-ka (cream style soup), and this one is not much different, but every time I make this, I get asked for the recipe! It feeds a crowd and has a fresh flavor that not all creamy casseroles have.
Eula was my mother-in-law, probably one of the nicest people I have ever had the privilege of knowing...she had a true heart of gold. She was a wonderful cook, and I'm not so sure she would be thrilled to know that her name is attached to one of the simplest dishes she made, but we started calling it Eula's Casserole years ago and it's too late to change now!
This feeds about 6 people and is delicious with a side of french bread.

Ingredients

2 cups cooked turkey or chicken, cubed
1/2 cup mayonnaise
1/2 cup sour cream
1 can cream of chicken soup
2 1/2 cups grated swiss cheese
4 cups cooked rotini noodles
2 cups broccoli florets
2 tablespoons lemon juice
Salt and pepper to taste

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
Spray 9 x 13 casserole dish with non stick spray. (or for easy clean up line the dish with foil).
In large bowl, combine mayonnaise, sour cream and chicken soup. Add chicken (or turkey), noodles, 2 cups of the cheese, broccoli and lemon juice, mix well. Pour into prepared casserole dish, cover with foil. Bake for about 45 minutes or until bubbly in the center. Remove foil, top with remaining 1/2 cup of swiss cheese and bake until cheese is melted.

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Caprese Pops!

Now how cute are these?  Easy, no cook, impressive little appetizers.

I put them in a pot of plastic grass...I thought it sounded cute...jury is still out on that one.  If you don't have a pot of plastic grass hanging around..you could stick the skewers in just about anything... get me started!

Ingredients and Directions

Cherry tomatoes
Mini Mozzarella (Ciliengine)
Olive oil
Basil or Pesto
Skewers

Slice tomatoes in half.  Remove seeds and pulp.   If you have a handy little tool like this great!  If not, a melon baller will work just fine.

Toss fresh mozzarella balls in olive oil, pesto (or basil), salt and pepper.

Skewer tomato's, add mozza balls...walla!  You got Caprese Pops!

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Top Fab 4 Fall Soups!

The top 4 favorite soups of the last year!

 

 

 

 

 

 

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Super Easy Salisbury Steak - Made with Ground Turkey!

This will soon become your favorite weeknight winter meal.  It is so hearty you will forget that it's lean ground turkey! 

The meat and potato lovers in your house are soooo gonna love you! I can see the meat statue they will be erecting in your honor.  Post pics!  I love meat statues!  Who doesn't?

I adapted this from a Cooking Light recipe from 2001. (big surprise, love their stuff).  They use canned French Onion Soup in lieu of fresh sliced onion and beef broth. It doesn't have nearly the depth of flavor a fresh onion will bring you....and the sodium, holy cow I get puffy just thinking of it!

I encourage (and I use that term lightly), to serve this dish with mashed potatoes. It makes this dish.

 My husband makes the best mashed potatoes ever! I am not sure what he does or how he does it, and I am never going to ask . It's his little corner of the kitchen...you go tater man...I'm happy just being your tater tot...awwwww.

Ingredients

1lb ground turkey - I use 97/3 fat ratio

1/3 cup dry breadcrumbs

1 egg 

1 tablespoon olive oil

1 large sliced onion (note sliced, not chopped)

2 cups beef broth

3 tablespoons tomato paste

1/4 cup red wine

1 1/2 teaspoons Worcestershire sauce

Salt and pepper

Directions

Combine ground turkey, breadcrumbs, egg and a little salt and pepper.

Divide meat mixture into 6 equal portions, shaping each into a 1/2-inch-thick patty.

Heat a large nonstick skillet coated with cooking spray over medium-high heat.

Add patties; cook 3 minutes on each side until browned. (they will not be cooked through, you will finish them in the sauce).

 Remove patties from pan; cover with foil to keep warm.

Add one tablespoon of olive oil to the same pan.

Add sliced onion and saute until lightly brown and onions are soft, making sure you scrape up all the bits of yum from the turkey patties.

Add remaining ingredients (broth, tomato paste, red wine and Worcestershire to onion mixture, bring to a simmer.

Add patties back to the pan and simmer for 30 minutes uncovered,  until sauce has been reduced by half and patties are completely cooked.

Serve with your husbands favorite mashed potatoes...yummm!

   



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Chicken and Wild Rice Soup

 

 

I know, another soup recipe!  But I got a hankerin' for some soup. It's fall and we had a longer than normal summer and I'm ready for winter food!   I've been making this soup for years, it's adapted from an old Cooking Light recipe.  ( FYI: old Cooking Light recipes are the bomb...new ones?... not so much).

 

The secret ingredient...are you ready?  It's Light Velveeta cheese...oh you shut up you cheese snob, you know you love Velveeta! Who doesn't?...and it's LIGHT cheese, yup, it's healthy. Who knew?  :)  

 (secret: if you can't find Velveeta Light Cheese or the $7.00 per block price tag is a bit high.  You can either: a.) use the full blown fatty stuff or, b.)  substitute 12 slices of American light cheese.  (ie: 2% American cheese slices).

My husband says he can tell when I cheat and use the slices...so be warned.  He has a cheezy palate so he might be right. (who can resist a cheezy joke?)

 

Trader Joe's carries a wonderful, precooked wild rice.  It's what I recommend for this recipe.  But in a pinch you can use a blend like Uncle Ben's Wild Rice, but don't add the seasoning packet.  

 

Oh, and this would be another perfect recipe to use grocery store Rotisserie Chicken. Love that!

 

 

Ingredients

 

1 cup uncooked quick-cooking wild rice (or a rice blend in a pinch, see note above)
1 tablespoon olive oil
1 cup chopped onion
2 garlic cloves, minced
1 tablespoon Thyme (fresh or dried)
3 cups fat-free, less-sodium chicken broth
1 1/2 cups cubed peeled baking potato
3 cups 2% reduced-fat milk
1/3 cup all-purpose flour
10 ounce light processed cheese, cubed (such as Velveeta Light)
2 cups chopped chicken (Rotisserie chicken from your grocer works great!)
1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/4 cup chopped fresh parsley (optional)

 Directions

Cook rice according to package directions,
Heat a large Dutch oven over medium-high heat. Coat pan with olive oil.
Add onion and garlic; saute 3 minutes. Add Thyme.
Add broth and potato; bring to a boil over medium-high heat.
Cover, reduce heat, and simmer 5 minutes or until potato is tender.
Combine milk and flour, stirring well with a whisk.
Add the milk mixture to potato mixture; cook 5 minutes or until slightly thick, stirring constantly. Remove from heat; add cheese, stirring until cheese melts.
Stir in rice, chicken, pepper, and salt.
Garnish with parsley, if desired.

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Lasagna Soup!

I know, this looks like every other soup I love to make...but this one is different.  It' has a secret....a yummy, gooey secret.  Shhhh, come closer, let me whisper in your ear...it's called YUM!  A scoop of yummy, gooey goodness lies underneath the quiet tomatoey exterior and it is heaven my friends.

I can hardly wait wait for my fellow soupateer Jamie to try it.  She is hooked on my Gnocchi "crack soup" but I this might just become her new addiction!  Let me know Jamie!

So what exactly is this secret yum you ask?  It is a scoop of ricotta cheese that has been mixed with parmesean,  a bit of oregano, salt and pepper. (make your own ricotta if you have an extra 10 minutes).  You add a dollop to the bowl, ladle the soup over and top with mozzarella! 

What kind of pasta?  For this photo I used broken up lasagna noodles and it worked pretty good but you might find it easier to use a rotini type pasta...up to you, you still get the same results.

I recommend boiling the pasta separately then adding to the each soup bowl. Normally, I'd say...whatever... just dump it all in the pot, but this soup is pretty thick and it's hard to get the pasta too not get mushy. 

Here is to fall and soup...I love you both!  (oh and the yum...I do love the yum !)

Ingredients
1-2 tablespoons olive oil
16 oz chicken sausage
1 cup diced onion
1 cup diced red pepper
1/3 cup parsley, chopped
2 garlic cloves, chopped
1 28 oz can crushed tomatoes
1 14.5 oz can diced tomatoes
2 tablespoons dried basil
3 cups chicken broth
1 cup ricotta cheese
1/3 cup grated parmesean
1 teaspoon garlic powder
2 teaspoons dried oregano
2 cups (uncooked) rotini pasta or broken up lasagna noodles (which is what I used)
pinch of salt and pepper

Directions
Brown and crumble chicken sausage in large dutch oven .  Remove from pan and set aside.  Boil water for pasta.
Heat olive oil to the same pan you cooked the sausage in and add onion, red peppers and saute until onions are soft.  Add garlic and parsley, saute for another 2-3 minutes.  Add the crushed and diced tomatoes, along with basil - cook 5 minutes.  Add broth and cooked sausage. Season with salt and pepper to taste. Simmer for 15 minutes before serving. 
Add pasta to water and cook until al dente.  Drain and rinse. (rinsing will keep the pasta from sticking together until you are ready to serve)
Meanwhile back at the yum station.  Mix together the ricotta, Parmesan, garlic powder, oregano, salt and pepper to taste.

Add a dollop of yum to the bottom of a soup bowl, add  your pasta and ladle the soup over it.  Top with mozzarella and serve!  Yummmmmm!

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Starbucks Pumpkin Bread

As some of you may know, I work for Starbucks...and no, I do not have any inside information on the recipe for this bread...but what I got is a daughter who is an amazing cook and loves Pinterest!  She found this recipe yesterday and whipped it up last night, and it tastes just like the Starbucks stuff...except hers is better because she added frosting.  I just love the way that brain of hers works!

Now if Starbucks sues me for plagiarism, I can only hope they sue the the gal who originally posted it on Pinterest.  Notice, I didn't mention her site...us bloggers stick together :)  

 Ingredients

1 ½ cups flour

1 teaspoon baking soda
½ teaspoon baking powder
¾ teaspoon ground cinnamon
½ teaspoon ground ginger
¼ teaspoon ground clove
¼ teaspoon ground allspice
½ teaspoon salt
4 eggs
1 cup sugar
¼ cup dark brown sugar
½ teaspoon vanilla
¾ cup canned pumpkin
¾ cup vegetable oil
1 cup butter cream frosting (store bought works great)

Directions

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

In a medium bowl, combine flour, baking soda, baking powder, spices, and salt and whisk to combine. Set aside.

In a large bowl, beat eggs, sugars, and vanilla on high speed for about 30 seconds. Add dry ingredients and mix. Add pumpkin and oil, mix to combine. Pour batter into a 9x5 greased loaf pan.

Bake for 60 to 70 minutes or until the top of the bread begins to brown.

When the bread is cool, top with frosting and slice.

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Caramel Apple Cake

I love, love apple cake!  This is a dense pound cake type with tons of topping and homemade caramel sauce.  I think you could easily use store bought caramel sauce and save yourself the time...but it's kinda cool to make your own!

Let me save you some time on this cake.  I learned it the hard way and was all over the kitchen trying to put this together, when it fact it is just 4 easy steps.  Follow in this order and you will bang this out in half the time that I did...and probably make half the mess.

1.) Peel and slice apples
2.) Make caramel sauce
3.) Make topping while carmel sauce cools
4.) Make cake while topping cools

Sounds complicated...but it's not at all.  Your just preparing one part of the cake, while other parts of the cake are cooling.  Another hint, do not substitute a 7" Spring Form Pan for a 9" or you will have a mess in your oven...wonder how I know ???  I managed to save the cake but it took a little bit to get a decent picture of it. I think you could easily substitute a 9x9 square cake pan.

Since I wrote this in 3 sections, it's a bit difficult to get a decent ingredient list so I've listed the ingredients below.

Shopping List
3 Granny Smith Apples
3 sticks butter
3 cups Flour
1 1/2 cups Brown Sugar
1 1/4 White Sugar
2 eggs
1/4 cupWhipping cream 
1/4 cup honey
1 1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
1 teaspoon salt
2/3 cup milk


Directions

Preheat oven to 350.  Peel and slice 3 Granny Smith Apples.  Set aside.

Caramel Sauce

1 cup firmly packed brown sugar
1/2 cup butter
1/4 cup whipping cream
1/4 cup honey

Mix it all up in a saucepan. Heat to boiling and boil 2 minutes. (note:  Do not boil more than 2 minutes or your caramel sauce will harden when poured on your cake)  Set aside to cool and prepare topping.

Topping

1 1/2 cups flour
1 cup chopped pecans
1/2 cup melted butter
1/2 cup firmly  packed brown sugar
1/4 cup sugar
1 1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
1/3 teaspoon salt

Mix until well combined and set aside.  As the butter cools down it will harden the topping so you can crumble it easily.

Cake

1/2 cup butter softened
1 cup sugar
2 large eggs
2 cups flour
2 teaspoons baking powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
2/3 cup milk
2 teaspoons vanilla extract

Beat butter at medium speed until creamy.  Add sugar, beating well.  Add eggs one at a time until well combined. Add remaining ingredients, flour, baking powder, salt, milk and extract.  Pour into 9" Spring Form pan. 

Pour 1/2 cup of cooled carmel sauce over cake batter.

Top with sliced apples, then crumbly topping.

Bake at 350 degrees for 45 minutes.  Cover loosely with foil to prevent excessive browning and bake an additional 25-30 minutes. (a wooden toothpick will come out clean).

Cool for 30 minutes and top with the remaining caramel sauce.

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Turkey- Pepperoni Burgers with Pesto Mayo

We have been eating a whole lot of ground turkey lately (organic of course), in lieu of ground beef.   I still think beef makes a better burger but this recipe should kick your turkey buns up a notch!

Chopped up pepperoni slices, some pesto mayo, provolone and yumbo! 

If you dont' have pesto on hand, mix a little garlic and dried basil with your mayo for a very close rendition. 

I like to cook my turkey burgers in a cast iron or nonstick pan instead of the grill, they are much juicer.  But if you choose to use the BBQ, for heavens sake don't press the burger patty down with your spatula ...jeeze that just makes me nuts when I see people doing that!  All the juices go right to the bottom of the BBQ and you are left with a turkey burger carcass.

Another trick for a juicier turkey burger is to avoid cutting into the burger with a knife when checking for doneness, this releases all the juices.....press down on the patty with your finger, if it is firm in the center,  it is done.  (Should feel like pressing on the ball of your hand...if you have really fat hands then I would pass on this technique and buy a good thermometer).

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Lemon Raspberry Snack Cake

We never seem to be able to finish a big sheet cake...I know!!!  I can't believe it either!  I end up tossing half and I hate to waste food...hate, hate, hate!  This is the perfect size.

Lemon Curd and Yogurt are the secrets to this moist, yummy snack cake!

If you haven't cooked with Lemon Curd before, it tastes just like the gooey center of a lemon cookie bar.  It is good straight outta the jar.  It has a mild flavor but adds moistness and bit of tang to the cake.   I wanted more lemon flavor so I added a teaspoon of grated lemon peel.

I didn't drizzle with frosting but when I make it again I will.  Mix a cup of powdered sugar and a tablespoon of lemon juice and drizzle on top after the cake cools...something to look forward too next time!

Simple, simple recipe and a nice bright flavor.  You could easily substitute blueberry's or blackberries.

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Watermelon Salad with Feta and Mint

If  you have ever flown Alaska Airlines then you know they have the nicest Flight Attendants ever!  Do these people ever have a bad day?  I can't possibly imagine serving 130 people stuffed into a tube and never getting a bit cranky! But these guys rock it...every day!  (okay I'm a bit prejudiced having worked at Alaska's sister company, Horizon Air for 14 years, but not as a Flight Attendant, I don't have what it takes... like the ability to not want to stuff screaming children in the overhead bin...)  These guys are truly amazing, every child remains in their seat for the entire flight, quite an accomplishment in my  book.

So on a recent trip to Tucson it is no surprise that I met one of their finest, Denise W.  Not only is Denise a sweet heart of a flight attendant, she knows how to cook!  She shared this recipe with me and it's been on my mind to blog it for a month now.

It's super easy, super healthy and so good you can't stop eating it!  If you are not a fan of mint, cilantro makes a nice alternative.

Hope you can enjoy it before summer ends!

Ingredients
1 small watermelon, cubed and seeded
1/4 cup olive oil
1/4 cup white wine vinegar (Denise says not to substitute this ingredient, especially with balsamic or you get a rather unattractive salad)
1/4 cup crumbled Feta cheese
2 tablespoons minced mint or cilantro
1/4 teaspoon fresh ground pepper


Toss and serve...how easy is that ????  Love it!  Thank you Denise and happy travels!

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Cappuccino Biscotti with Chocolate Bunny Drizzle

Biscotti is so very easy to make, easier than cookies and really impressive as a gift.
This particular recipe includes coffee and a little milk to give it that cappuccino flavor.    
How is it that they are drizzled in chocolate bunny you ask?   I had this beautiful Dove Chocolate bunny that had been decapitated by my daughter on Easter but  never touched again. I just couldn't see chucking the poor little guy, head or no head, it was still chocolate and good chocolate at that!  So, I chopped it up, threw some in the biscotti and melted the rest for glaze.  Damn clever if you ask me!  You could certainly use chocolate chips if you don't have a decapitated bunny lounging around.

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BLT Pasta Salad

Crisp, refreshing and easy!  

This recipe calls for store bought Ranch Dressing...yes, I said it, 'Redneck Ranch'. Personally, I am not a huge fan of Ranch,  (because I am so cultured an' stuff),  but in this recipe it works. I bought the higher end brand in the cold food section, I paid more, so I am sure it is better.

 If you don't like Ranch (or just don't want to admit you do), mix mayo and lemon juice...makes a sprite little dressing. (did I just say sprite when describing food?  OMG, I think I am evolving!)

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Thai Chicken Salad with Peanut Dressing and Crispy Wontons

What I love about this salad:

• Rotisserie chicken from supermarket
• Easy
• Low calorie/healthy
• Thai peanuty goodness
• Inexpensive
• Ingredients you probably have on hand
• No cook
• Great lunch leftovers
• But mostly...really, really tasty!  The crunch of the cuc's and the peanuty sauce with the crispy Wontons really pack a punch!

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Crunchy Oven Baked Shrimp with Peachy Dipping Sauce

Crunchy Oven Fried Shrimp with Spicy Peachy sauce!  I can't get enough of them!  I will make the peach sauce over and over again, I can already taste it with salmon and turkey burgers and pork chops and chicken and fish and...well you get the point. It's yummy!

The sauce is so simple, it is made out of peach preserves, ground ginger, honey and hot sauce...nuke it a minute and instant dip!  You can even use sugar free preserves and get amazing results.

I tried the shrimp a couple different ways - soaked in buttermilk, dipped in egg, and just Panko and then dipped in regular bread crumbs and then again with a bread-Panko combo, and that was the best. These little wonder shrimp have been tested and re-tested.  (Thank you Mr. Kirk for your very valuable opinion...he has a very tough job, being my official taste tester.)
The shrimp are also very low in calorie, so make tons and double your batch of the peachy sauce to go with everything you are cooking this week!

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Homemade Focaccia Bread with Fresh Rosemary

I tried quite a few recipes for Focaccia before landing on this one. Some were to thin, too dry, too thick...this one is perfect!  It could be because you cook it in a small pool of olive oil and who wouldn't like that?  The extra oil in the pan makes a crusty bread and the olive oil adds a deep flavor but it does not taste oily at all.    The original recipe is from Ann Burrell, (funky, spikey blonde hair lady on Food TV)  I've been told if I would sprout about 3-4 inches, I would be a an Anne Burrell look alike...I would be okay with that!

 I used a Kitchen Aid and dough hook, but you could certainly just go in with your hands.  Give it a long first knead though,  you want it smooth and silky.

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Grilled Ginger-Soy Chicken

Simple, simple, simple!  Just a few ingredients plus an hour to marinade and "Bob's Your Uncle"! 
I used  organic chicken thighs with fresh ginger and garlic...but you could easily substitute chicken breasts (try to stay organic if  you can) and ground, garlic and ginger...you get near the same results!


Ingredients

2 pounds chicken thighs (bone in or out, doesnt matter)
1 tablespoon minced fresh garlic
1 tablespoon minced fresh ginger
1/2 cup orange juice
1/2 cup soy sauce

Directions

Toss everything in a ziploc type bag.  Seal the bag and mush it around so everything is coated.

Refrigerate for an hour or overnight.

Heat up your favorite grill and cook until done!

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Turkey Quesadilla Burgers

The first time I ever had a Quesadilla Burger was in Palm Desert,  after 18 holes of golf with our very dear friend's, Raela and Bob...both prolific golfers and lovers of good food...and guess where they took us to have this fine burger?  Applebees!
'So, if these guys are such 'food lovers', Kathi,  why did they take you to freakin' Applebees?' you ask.   Well, I'll tell ya why!...Applebees is the only place to get this burger...at least the only place I know of, and Raela knows good food ...so when the food whisperer speaks...I listen! 

And you know what? Applebees burger is good, good and creamy with processed gooey cheese and buttery grilled tortilla's...and I want it...I want it bad.  But my old ticker is saying, stop with the greasy food already.  So here we go again,  same old song running in my head: burger? health?...burger?...health?... sometimes the burger wins and sometimes my health wins, but with this recipe, I get both!

You can cook these on the stove top, as I did ...(because, well...Seattle weather sucks)  Or you can use the grill.  It would be yummy with fresh corn kernals tucked in the tortilla or sprinkled on top, maybe some Queso cheese and spanish rice on the side.

Holy Quesadilla!   I can already tell, I gotta make these again...and soon!

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Homemade Ricotta Cheese

I made this again...I just had to see if it was as good as I remembered, and girlfriend...mmmmmm,mmmmm,mmmmm.

I truly don't think this recipe got the attention it deserved the first time, so I am reposting.  Listen to me my fellow foodies, put  your ear closer to your computer screen so you can hear what I am saying.   You must try this recipe!  

I will expect a full report on how it has changed your life...how you will never, ever buy store bought Ricotta again.  How the smooth, warm, silky taste of this cheese has altered your foodie being.  I know, I know...I get emotional too....hold me...just hold me....

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Homemade Garlic Croutons

For my friend Holly who is always looking for new uses for old bread! 

I used wheat, white and threw in a few stale Sweet, Sexy Dinner Rolls.  Made a nice medley!
This is one of the few recipes I have that is actually better with garlic powder in lieu of fresh garlic. Fresh garlic tends to burn and just lay on the bottom of the pan when cooking at high heat.
You can also add a sprinkle of Parmesan right when you take them out of the oven. 
These make your usual salads really special and they are so easy to make!

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Strawberry Shortcake Cookies

Portable Strawberry Shortcake!  You can take it on the road with you, and anytime you need a little taste of summer...take a little nibble.

I've been wanting to blog this recipe since the dark days of winter and finally, the sun is out in Seattle and there is reason to celebrate!

I consider myself a savory, not sweet girl (and there are many that would back me up on that)...that may be why I love these cookies.  They have a biscuit quality to them, not overly sweet, just enough to let those beautiful berries shine through.

These were a little difficult to master.  I finally got it right on my second try, but let me save  you a step.  After  you mix the berries in, put the dough in the fridge for about 20 minutes...otherwise they tend to spread all over the cookie pan...also, serve them within a day, the strawberries can get a bit mushy...tasty, but mushy.

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Turkey Taco Pie!

Okay now, don't be talkin' smack about my simple old Taco Pie...I know, it's a little South Park but it is really yummy!

 This recipe took first place in the  Pillsbury Bake Off  in 1970 and I've been eating it ever since.  My mom made it, my sisters make it (well at least one of them, the other one doesn't eat, an apparent gene mutant),  and I make it at least once a month. Sometimes I'll top with canned chilies or thawed corn. I have even turned it into cheeseburger pie with hamburger, bbq sauce and lotsa cheese (of course).

You will note that I don't crimp the edges of the pie...I pull it up and partially over  the filling...I don't know why...I just think it looks cool...you can crimp or pull, whatever you feel like doing with your dough is fine with me...

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Chicken Sausage & Vegetable Soup with Cheese Crisps

Anywhere but here (Seattle), most folks are bustin' out the grills and lemonade this time of year, but not in the Pacific Northwest, we are still craving soup and red wine...well I am anyway, well I always am, actually. 

After my 'cancer fighting soup' disaster...lowest blog view numbers ever.  (Apparently people don't make recipes that start with the word 'cancer' and I need to work on my marketing skills.)  Consider this a 'make up' recipe.   I promise you will have this recipe for a long time, because you are going to live forever, and ever, and ever...how am I doing?  Marketing 101?.

This is like a minestrone only with sausage instead of the traditional lean pork and bacon. You can clean out your pantry and a fridge making this soup. Throw in whatcha got and you will still have a great soup....but start with the sausage, it really makes the soup.

NOTE: When I make soups with pasta, I always cook the pasta separate and ladle the soup over it.   You will find the pasta so much better tasting and won't get mushy when you have leftovers the next day. 

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Oven Roasted Brussel Sprouts

So easy and so yummy!  You can apply this same technique to most veggies that you love. 
Brussel Sprouts are a trending food these days and I had not had them for years but they are just popping up everywhere! 

Come to find out the husband loves them...go figure. You think after 30 years you know someone, then wham!  Brussel Sprouts!...go figure?  It's a crazy world...

Ingredients

1 pound fresh Brussel Sprouts
Olive Oil
Salt and Pepper

Preheat the oven to 400 degrees.  Line a baking sheet with foil for easy clean up.

Cut the ends off the sprouts off and let the leaves fall off where they may.

Toss with some olive oil (be a little generous), sprinkle with salt and pepper.

Bake for about 25 minutes until tender and serve! 

Had the leftovers for lunch the next day and they were yummy chilled!

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