Eggplant Parmesan

I've taken to shopping at the local stand for our produce. Between the variety and freshness, our options for meals seem almost limitless! Last visit, they had some beautiful eggplant that I just couldn't pass up!

2 large eggplant, sliced 1/4" to 1/2" thick
2 cups milk
2 eggs
2 1/2 cups flour
3 cups bread crumbs
2 Tbsp died oregano
2 Tbsp dried basil
Salt and pepper to taste
1-2 baseball sized balls of fresh mozzarella
1 cup fresh grated/shredded/peeled parmesan

Heat your oven to 350f. Place the flour in a shallow dish, whisk together the milk and eggs in another shallow dish, and mix the bread crumbs and seasonings in another shallow dish. Coat the eggplant slices in flour, then the egg mixture, then the bread crumbs, and place in the oven. Flip all the slices after about 10 minutes, or until they've begun to brown some. Continue baking until both sides are golden brown. Be mindful of the thickness of your slices, and adjust your cooking time as needed.

While the eggplant cooks, boil your favorite pasta, and ready your favorite pasta sauce.

Once cooked, remove the eggplant, and allow it to rest a moment. To plate, place some pasta in the center of your plate, top with a few slices of eggplant, top that with some sauce, then sprinkle on some of the fresh Parmesan, and a bit of fresh basil. Hope you enjoy!

(BOTH my kids ate this! Depending on who you ask, either it was chicken, or eggplant! Either way, they liked it!)

Grilled Chicken Pasta

 

I'm all about quick and easy when it comes to meals for the whole family. I have a very picky eater, and a slightly eater, so finding something we can all sit down to can be a challenge! This pasta is a sure thing, every time. It has things both the kids like, and it's not fried or drowned in a cream sauce!


1 box bow tie pasta, cooked
3 boneless, skinless chicken breasts, grilled
2 tomatoes, peeled, seeded, diced (Or use canned)
8oz semi-firm mozzarella cheese,cubed
5-6 large leaves fresh basil, chiffonaded
1Tbsp olive oil
1-2 cloves garlic, minced
Salt and pepper to taste


Start by boiling the pasta to al dente. While it cooks, salt and pepper the chicken, and grill. Once the chicken is fully cooked, remove and allow it to rest. Drain the pasta, and place in a large bowl. Chop up your tomatoes, mozzarella, garlic, and basil, and set aside. Slice the chicken into strips, or chunks, whichever you prefer, and place on top on the pasta. Add the rest of the ingredients, and toss well to combine! The heat from the pasta and chicken will slightly melt the cheese, and warm the garlic, making the pasta creamy and smell incredible! Hope you enjoy!

Fried Green Tamaytahs!

Down here in the south, fried green tomatoes is more than just a movie, it's a southern eye opener!! Now I know they are about the worst thing to eat, but I rationalize it by the fact that it's a vegetable (or a fruit)! How can that be bad??

3 medium GREEN tomatoes, not unripe red tomatoes. True GREEN tomatoes
2cups all purpose flour
1cup milk
1/2cup mayo
2Tbsp lemon juice
1Tbsp paprika
1tsp cayenne
1tsp garlic powder
1/2tsp onion powder
1/4tsp mustard powder
Salt & pepper to taste

Start heating 2" of vegetable oil in a large, deep, heavy skillet or pan. The oil will need to be 350f, which you can test by dropping a small piece of bread in. At the right temperature, it will brown in about 1 minute.

While the oil heats, wash, then slice the tomatoes. Make the slices about 1/4 inch thick. Combine the flour and a little salt and pepper in a bowl, and pour the mill in a separate bowl. Dredge the slices in the flour, then the milk, then the flour again.

Once the oil has reached temperature, carefully place a few slices in, but don't crowd them in! The temperature drops slightly for each slice you put in, and cold oil means soggy results, and no one likes soggy fried green tomatoes! Fry the tomatoes for 3-5 minutes, or until golden brown. Remove, and place on a wine rack with plenty of paper towels underneath it to catch the drippings.

While the tomatoes cool, combine the mayo, lemon juice, paprika, cayenne, mustard, and salt and pepper to taste. Put the sauce in a small ramekin or little bowl, and serve with a plate of the crispy tomatoes! Hope you enjoy!

Lamb Shoulder Chops

I saw a couple lamb shoulder chops at Publix the other day, but I wasn't sure if I was interested or not, or even how I would prepare it. After a little wandering for the other things I needed, I'd come up with a solution:

2 Lamb shoulder chops
1Tbsp olive oil
1Tbsp fresh mint, chopped
1Tbsp fresh rosemary, chopped
1 clove garlic, minced
Salt/Pepper to taste

1Lbs fresh green beans, ends removed
1/4cup sliced almonds, toasted
1Tbsp olive oil
Pinch salt

2 large white sweet potatoes
1Tbsp butter

I looooove sweet potatoes, but WHITE sweet potatoes?? Well hello new cool food! They have a milder flavor, but they certainly hold true to their orange cousins! Heat your oven to 400f. Clean the potatoes well, poke with a fork here and there 5-6 times, then place directly on the middle rack. Be sure to put either a piece of foil or a baking sheet under the potatoes to catch the sticky drippings! That stuff is hard to clean after being baked on... They will need about 40 minutes to an hour, or until a knife can be easily inserted and removed.

In a medium, heavy bottomed skillet (can't go wrong with cast iron!), heat the olive oil over medium to medium high heat. Season the chops with the salt, pepper, garlic, mint, and rosemary, then place in the hot pan. Cook until nicely browned, then flip and repeat. Once both sides are crisp and browned, and the meat has reach proper temperature, remove and set aside to rest.

Heat the remaining oil in the pan over medium heat, then add in the green beans. Saute for a few minutes until they begin to soften, then add in the almonds. Cook until the almonds have browned slightly more, and the beans are softened yet slightly crunchy, then remove and set aside.

 Once your potatoes are cooked, remove and carefully remove the skin. Place the potatoes and butter in a medium bowl, or food processor, and mash to your desired consistency.

To plate, start with the potatoes. Place a tall mound in the middle of the plate, then slowly allow a chop to press the mound down. Place a serving on top of the chop, being sure to include plenty of almonds! Hope you enjoy!

Pot Roast

I had a busy weekend coming up, so I planned a couple simple slow cooker meals.  Top blade roast was also on sale, so, bonus!!

1 top blade roast
1 small bag frozen pearl onions
1 dozen red potatoes, washed, quartered
6-8 carrots, peeled, cut into 1-2" chunks
3 cups beef stock
1 cup red wine
2 stems fresh rosemary, cut to 2" lengths
2Tbsp corn starch
2Tbsp water
2Tbsp olive oil
1/4 cup cream
Salt and pepper to taste

Heat your oven to 300f. Heat the olive oil in a heavy pan over medium high to high heat. Salt and pepper the meat as you prefer, then sear each side for a few minutes each, or until browned. Remove the meat from the and place it in a deep roasting pan. Surround the meat with the potatoes, pearl onions, carrots, and rosemary. Add in 2 cups of the stock and half wine, then sprinkle it all with a pinch of salt and pepper. Place the roasting pan in the oven, and cook for roughly 4 hours, or until the meat can be easily punctured and pulled apart.

Once the roast is done, remove the pan and allow to rest for 5 minutes or so. To plate, remove and discard the rosemary, then spread the veggies on a serving platter. Slice or shred the meat, and place on top of the veggies. Once the roasting pan is emptied of the veggies and meat, pour the remaining juices and contents into a medium sauce pan on medium heat to make the gravy. Add the remaining wine and stock, cream, and salt and pepper if needed. Whisk the corn starch and water together in a small bowl, then pour into the gravy. The gravy will thicken to coat the back of a spoon. Add more stock or corn starch slurry depending on the consistency. Pour over the pot roast, and eat!! Hope you enjoy!

Almond Biscotti

Sometimes inspiration isn't inspired by profound deep thought, but by a hankering for a certain something! Today's post was one of those moments. I saw a Starbucks commercial, which made me think of their great pastries, which then made me think of their biscotti, which made me think: "Mmmmm... Biscotti....".

1 cup sugar

1 3/4 cup flour

Pinch salt

1 3/4tsp baking powder

1/3 cup plain, roasted almonds, roughly chopped

1/4tsp vanilla extract

1/8tsp almond extract

2 eggs, combined

3 tsp veg oil

Heat your oven to 350f. In a large bowl, combine the sugar, flour, salt, baking powder, and almonds. Add in the vanilla and almond extracts, oil, and eggs. Combine until the dough forms a ball that cleans the bowl walls. Lightly flour your counter or large cutting board, and turn out the dough onto it. Cut the dough in two, then form two logs, about 6-8 inches long. Roll each with a rolling pin to about 3/4-1 inch thick. Bake for 20-25 minutes, or until lightly browned.

Remove from the oven and allow to cool for 10-15 minutes. Cut the biscotti's with a pizza cutter or knife to about 1 inch wide, then return to the oven for another 10-15 minutes. They should be hard when they're done, an nicely browned.

Serving suggestions: Plain, dipped in coffee, dipped in chocolate, dusted with powdered sugar... There's many different options! Hope you enjoy!

Lasagna

I have the pickiest young eater you have ever met. Every night he wants macaroni and cheese, a hot dog, tomatoes, and a cheese stick. Recently he's started to branch out though, including ASKING me to make him LASAGNA! I'm pretty sure that was my son....? So...:

1 box lasagna noodles, cooked
2-3 jars pasta sauce (I made mine the same way I made it for the "Layers and Layers of Egg Plant Lasagna, but buying it cuts out a ton of time!)
1 box chopped, frozen spinach, thawed
2 large tubs ricotta cheese
5 cups shredded mozzarella
1 cup fresh, shredded parmesan
1lb ground beef, browned
4-5 mild Italian sausage links, casings removed, browned

Heat your oven to 375f. Mix the spinach with the ricotta. Using a deep 9x13 pan, spread about 1/2 cup of the sauce on the bottom. Layer 3-4 pieces of pasta, the spread more sauce on the noodles, then spread 1/5 the ricotta mixture. Sprinkle some of the beef and sausage, then top with some mozzarella and parmesan. Top with another layer of noodles, and repeat the process until you've gotten 5 layers of pasta noodles. top the final layer as you did the rest, but add a little more cheese than you did the rest of the layers. Bake for roughly 30 minutes, or until the cheese on the top has browned some. Remove and rest for ten minutes, to allow the lasagna to set. Slice, serve, eat!! Don't forget a little garlic bread to sop up the bits on your plate! Hope you enjoy!!

Spiced Apple Tarts

I was in the mood for some apple pie, however I was also in the mood for a tart. I also wanted to make my own pastry cream, so, naturally, my decision was clearly made: Spiced apple tarts!

For the pasty cream:

2 cups milk

5 egg yolks

3/4cup sugar

Pinch salt

3Tbsp corn starch

4Tbsp unsalted butter

2tsp vanilla extract

In a medium sauce pan, begin heating the milk over low to medium low heat. Meanwhile, combine the yolks, sugar, and salt. Add in the corn starch and combine well again. Once the milk has begun to simmer, remove from the heat. Slowly pour about a quarter of the milk into the yolk mixture to temper them. Return the pan to the burner and add in the yolk and milk mixture. Stir gently continuously until the cream has thickened, which will take about a minute or less. Add in the vanilla and butter, and stir gently to melt. Strain the cream through a mesh strainer, into a medium glass bowl or seal-able plastic container, to ensure it's smooth a silky. If using a glass bowl, cover the cream with plastic wrap to keep a film from forming. Putting the plastic wrap directly on the top of the cream will better ensure this. Place the bowl or container in the fridge, and allow to cool completely, either for several hours, or even over night.

For the tart crust:

1 1/2cups all purpose flour 

8Tbsp unsalted butter, melted

3Tbsp warm water

1 1/2Tbsp white sugar

Pinch of salt

In a large bowl, combine the melted butter, flour, water, sugar, and salt with a fork or handheld pastry blender. Add more flour or water depending on how moist your dough is. It should be roughly the consistency of play-dough. This is enough dough for one large tart crust, or three 4" tarts. I made the smaller ones, so I divided the dough into three equal portions. Press the dough into an ungreased tart pan(s), pressing the dough into the sides and bottom evenly. Perforate the bottom of each crust with a fork, about 10 times each for the smaller ones, to keep the dough from bubbling up while baking. Place the crusts in a cool place to chill for 5-10 minutes. Meanwhile, heat your oven to 350f. Once the crusts have firmed some, place them in the oven, and bake for 10-15 minutes, or until they're golden brown.

For the apples:

3-4 medium apples

1/8-1/4 cup white sugar

1Tbsp brown sugar

1tsp ground cinnamon

Small pinch of salt

Thinly slice the apples. I like to use a variety to provide favor and texture variation. Place the slices in a medium to large bowl, then toss with the sugars, salt, and cinnamon. Allow the apples to "marinate" while the crusts and cream cool.

Once the pastry cream and tart crusts have cooled, heat your oven to 350f. Put enough cream into each crust to fill it half way. Lay the first apple slice on top of the cream, with one end in the center and the other touching the inner edge of the crust. Continue to layer the slices, fanning out the edges touching the crust as you go. Bake the tarts for roughly 20 minutes, or until the apples have softened and the edges have browned some. Remove from the oven and allow to cool to room temperature before eating. Remove the tarts from the tart pans, drizzle with a little warm caramel, and serve! Hope you enjoy!

Coconut Cake

I started working on an idea for a milk-free cake a few days prior to making this. I had some coconut milk and butter-flavored crisco, however I didn't want to try following someone else's recipe, and I know that the ingredients for baking need to be properly proportioned, so I set out to learn just what those ratios are:

Equal weight of sugar to flour
Equal weight of eggs to butter (or shortening)
Equal weight of Eggs and liquid to sugar
1tsp baking powder for every cup of flour
A little salt to taste. I used about 1/2tsp for a single layer cake.

Preheat your oven to 350f. Combine the flour, baking powder, and salt in a large bowl. In a medium bowl with a hand mixer, or in a stand mixer, cream together the shortening and sugar. Add the eggs one by one, then the milk (I used coconut milk). Continue mixing until well combined. Slowly add the flour and mix at a reduced speed. Unless you feel like cleaning up flour for the next week!

To prep your cake pan(s), use either spray oil, butter, or shortening, and lightly coat the interior of the pan. Put about 1Tbsp of flour in the pan, the shimmy, shake, and wiggle it all around the oil! Turn the pan over your sink or trash, and tap out any excess flour. If you made enough batter for two pans, be sure to divide evenly between the two.

Place the pan(s) in the oven and bake for 15-20 minutes, or until a toothpick can be removed cleanly from the center of the cake. Remove the cake and allow to cool fully before frosting. I made a quick and easy butter cream, again dairy free:

3-4 cups shifted powdered sugar
1 cup butter flavored shortening
2-3Tbsp coconut milk
1/2tsp vanilla extract

In a large bowl using a hand mixed or stand mixer, whip the shortening and powdered sugar for 3-5 minutes. It should be smooth, a little fluffy, thick, and lump free. Add the vanilla and combine, then add enough coconut milk to get the frosting to the consistency you prefer. I ended up using about 3Tbsp. I also toasted some shredded coconut to top the cake with.

To put it together, poke a several holes in the top of the cake, and drizzle some coconut milk over the cake. Allow the milk to soak in before frosting or adding another layer. Top the cake with the toasted coconut, and eat! Hope you enjoy!

Chicken with lemon butter sauce

I bought some canned artichoke hearts for a pizza I made a few weeks ago, but I forgot to use them! So, I've been trying to think of the best way to utilize them. Publix had some great chicken breasts on sale, and the wheels began turning! Butter... lemon... Wine... Annnnd, GO:

2 Chicken breasts, skin on, bone removed
2Tbsp olive oil
1 Shallot, finely diced
5-6 canned artichoke hearts, quartered length-wise
2Tbsp capers
3/4 stick of unsalted butter
1Tbsp dijon mustard
1 Cup white wine
2 Cups chicken broth, low sodium
1tsp Paprika
Juice of half a lemon
Salt and pepper to taste

Heat your oven to 350f, and place an oven safe dish on the middle rack. Heat the olive oil in a large pan on medium to medium high heat. Season the chicken with some salt and pepper, then place skin side down in the pan. Sear until golden brown, then flip. Cook again until browned, then remove and place in the dish in the oven, skin side up.

Deglaze the pan with the wine, then add in the broth, lemon juice, butter, mustard, paprika, salt, pepper, and shallot. Reduce the heat to low, stir often, and simmer until the sauce had thickened and will coat the back of a spoon. Rinse the capers and add them to the sauce. Now add the artichokes to heat them through. Because they're canned, they're much softer than fresh, thus adding them in sooner would result in the artichokes falling apart.

Remove the chicken when it's reached the proper temperature, and allow it to rest. I plated with a bed of white rice, then the chicken, placed a few artichokes around the chicken, then poured some sauce over top. This was added to my husband's list of "Please, please, PLEASE, make again" dishes! Hope you enjoy!

Oatmeal Raisin Cookies

Leftover dry rolled oats you say? Well, check the lid, 'cause there's chewy goodness in your future!

3cups dry oats
3/4cup packed brown sugar
1/2cup white sugar
1 3/4 sticks unsalted butter, softened
1 1/2cup all purpose flour
2 eggs
1tsp vanilla
1tsp baking soda
1tsp cinnamon
1/2tsp salt
1cup raisins

Combine the butter, brown sugar, and white sugar in a large bowl until creamy. Add the vanilla and eggs, and combine well. Add in the flour, cinnamon, salt, and flour, and combine well again. Fold in the oats and raisins, and chill the dough for 10-20 minutes.

Heat your oven to 350f. Spoon about one tablespoon worth of the dough onto ungreased baking sheets, about 1-2 inches apart. Bake the cookies for about 10 minutes, or until they are golden brown. Remove them from the baking sheet after a brief cooling off, and place on either parchment or a cooking rack. You'll be tempted, but remember they are hot, and no one likes a burned tongue! My oldest loves chocolate chip cookies and won't eat any other type of cookie, and he LOVED these! Thank you Quaker for the great, quick, and easy recipe! Hope you enjoy!

Leftover Surprise

What to do with leftover grilled chicken... What to do... What to do... Leftover grilled chicken "nuggets" with a spicy sweet dipping sauce!

1 grilled boneless/skinless chicken breast

1/4cup pineapple/mango marmalade

1tsp fresh jalapeno, diced

1Tbsp shredded coconut

Combine the marmalade, jalapeno, and coconut in a small microwave-safe bowl. Microwave for 1-2 minutes. Dice the chicken, and... Well... That's it! Hope you enjoy!

Feta Pizza

I saw what looked like a Mediterranean pizza on TV the other day, which looked ah-mazing! This lead me to thinking about how I could make my own... Feta... Chicken... Olives... Annnndddd GO!

3cups bread flour

1 packet dry active yeast

1 cup warm water

2Tbsp olive oil, plus half a cup

1 1/2tsp salt

1/2tsp sugar

2cups feta crumbles

1cup pitted Kalamata olives

2Tbsp fresh basil, chiffonaded

1/2 red onion, quartered and sliced 1/4in thick

3 boneless, skinless chicken breasts, grilled then cubed

1 head garlic, roasted, plus 3 raw minced

1cup sliced or shredded mozzarella

The Dough:

Combine the yeast, sugar, water, and 1/2 a cup of the flour in a large bowl, then set aside for 20-30 minutes. The mixture will bubble and foam as the yeast feasts! Add in the 2Tbsp olive oil, the salt, and remaining flour, and combine until the dough comes together, adding more water or flour, depending on how sticky the dough is. It should be slightly sticky, yet soft and smooth. Turn the dough out onto a floured surface and kneed for 5-10 minutes. Place in a large oiled bowl, cover with a moist kitchen towel or paper towels, and set aside in a warm place for 2-3 hours, or until the dough has doubled in size. Punch the dough back down some, and cut in two if you want to pizzas, or leave whole for one very large one. Place it in an air tight bag and chill overnight. Allow the dough to come to room temperature when you're ready to use it.

The Pizza:

First roast the garlic. Slice off the top portion of the head of garlic, drizzle with olive oil, then wrap in a foil purse. Bake at 350f for 30-45 minutes, or until softened.

Season the chicken with salt and pepper to taste, then grill until just before fully cooked. While the 

chicken cools, quarter half a red onion, then slice into 1/4 inch thick slices. Assuming you're using jarred olives, drain and rinse, then slice them in half. Chiffonade the basil, and roughly chop. If you're using a block of mozzarella, slice off 1/8-1/4 inch thick, and 2x2in slices.

Stretch out the dough a bit, then toss (more fun, and entertaining for the kids!) or roll out to the desired shape and thickness. Place the dough on a baking sheet sprinkled with corn meal. Remove the garlic from the wrapper, then smush on a cutting board, then spread onto the dough(s). Sprinkle some of the feta onto the dough, then the cubed chicken, then the olives, then onions, a bit more feta, and finish with the mozzarella. Bake at 450f until the crust is golden brown, or longer if preferred. While it cooks, heat the remaining olive oil over medium-low heat, and add in the 3 minced garlic cloves and heat for 3-5 minutes, taking care not to brown the garlic.

Remove the pizza from the oven. Brush the exposed crust with the garlic oil, and sprinkle the basil over the toppings. Allow the pie to cool for a few minutes, then cut, serve, and eat! Hope you enjoy!

Moo Shu Chicken

I've never gotten Chinese or any Asian dish quite right, however I'm always willing to give it another shot! This time around was moo shu chicken:

3 boneless/skinless chicken breasts, cut in thin strips

3 cups shredded cabbage

1/2 cup shredded carrots

1 cup thinly sliced scallions

2Tbsp minced ginger

2Tbsp minced garlic

3 eggs, scrambled

1/4 cup hoisin sauce

2Tbsp sesame oil

3Tbsp rice wine vinegar

8oz shiitake mushrooms, stems removed

1Tbsp corn starch

1/2 cup bamboo shoots

Salt/pepper/sake to taste

Combine the vinegar, garlic, ginger, half the hoisin, and corn starch in a medium bowl. Add the chicken, and marinate for 10-30 minutes, or longer if preferred.

Heat the oil in a large pan or wok over medium heat. Add in the chicken, and cook until just before it's cooked completely, then remove and set aside. Scramble the eggs in the same pan with the remaining oil, then remove and set aside. With the remaining oil in the same pan, cook the mushrooms until softened, then add the garlic, ginger, salt, pepper, and sake. Cook for 1-2 minutes, being careful not to burn the garlic. Add in the cabbage, carrots, and bamboo, and cook for another 3-4 minutes, or until the cabbage has softened. Add the remaining hoisin sauce, taste, and add more if needed. Add the chicken and egg back in, and cook for another 2-3 minutes, or until the chicken is completely cooked through. Serve with Asian pancakes and plum sauce. Hope you enjoy!

Drunken Chicken

I don't know where it came from, but I wanted to make chicken made with Jack Daniels, however we didn't have any, but the bourbon we did have would do! So, off to Publix I went to get a pieced chicken (because a full chicken was not on my list of things to babysit):

1 whole chicken, pieced
1/2 cup bourbon
4Tbsp molasses
1/2tsp salt (to taste)
1/2tsp fresh white pepper (to taste)
1/2tsp garlic powder (to taste)
1/2tsp onion powder (to taste)
Pinch of cayenne (if you want some heat)

Heat your over to 400f. Rinse the chicken under running water, place in a deep baking dish, and pat dry. Rub each piece with olive oil, then season with a bit of salt and pepper. Place in the dish in your oven and bake.

While the chicken cooks, pour the bourbon and molasses in a small sauce pot. Once the sauce begins to bubble (SAFETY NOTE: Follow any and all safety precautions! Lighting alcohol on fire can be very dangerous, so be extremely careful, or just plain don't do it!) light with a long lighter to quickly burn off the alcohol. Add in the rest of the ingredients, tasting as you go, and simmer over low heat for 10-20 minutes, or until it will coat the back of a spoon. It will be the consistency of honey.

Just before the chicken is completely cooked (any sooner and you run the risk of the sugars burning, and no one likes the taste of burned sugar!), brush some of the sauce over each piece. Do this 2-3 times. Once the chicken has reached proper temperature, remove the dish fro the oven and allow the chicken to rest some before slicing or serving. I also made simple buttermilk biscuits and steamed broccoli. Hope you enjoy!

Chapati Bread

I picked up some delicious hummus from Publix yesterday, and I wanted something crispy crunchy to go with it. A friend introduced me chapati a few months back, only they didn’t have any at the store, so…

2 cups all-purpose flour

1 cup (or about) water

1/4tsp salt

1Tbsp olive oil

(That’s it! Seriously!)

In a large bowl, combine the salt and flour. Add half the water and mix by hand to start bringing the dough together. Add the rest of the water as needed until the dough is moist, but not wet and sticky. Remove the dough and place on a floured surface, then kneed for about 5-10 minutes. The dough will now be smooth and soft. Pour half the oil in the bowl and use the rest to coat the dough. Place the dough back in the bowl, and cover with a moist towel. Let the dough rest for 30 minutes or so.

After the dough has rested, roll the dough into a long log, then cut into 10-12 1½ inch pieces. Put all but one of the pieces back in the bowl and recover to keep them from drying while you work. Roll the first piece into a ball, then press into a disc. Roll the disc out until thin, but not see-through. Place the rolled disc on a paper towel, and repeat with the rest of the chunks. Heat a skillet, I used my cast iron, over medium heat, but don’t add any oil. None will be needed. Once hot, lay a piece of dough in flat. The dough will almost immediately begin to change color. Once it starts to blister, flip. Now for the cool part! The disc will begin to puff up like a balloon! Gently pressing around the edges with your spatula or a clean dish rag will help this. Once it stops inflating, which will only be about 10 seconds, remove from the pan and set aside to cool. Repeat with the rest of the rolled out dough.

These little guys are so versatile! They can be eaten as a snack, a side dish, a vessel for some yummy curry, chopped and put on a salad…. The options are endless! Hope you enjoy!

I'm seeing red... For breakfast!

So the boy loves pancakes, and his favorite color is read. Why not combine the two? Result: red velvet pancakes!

1 1/4 cup all purpose flour
1/2tsp baking soda
1/2tsp vanilla
3/4 cup sugar
1/2oz red food coloring
1 egg
1/2tsp cocoa powder
3/4 cup oil (canola, vegetable... just not olive!)
1/2 cup buttermilk
1/2tsp vinegar

In a medium bowl, combine the flour, baking soda, and cocoa with a sifter, and set aside. In a large bowl, combine the vinegar, oil, food coloring, and vanilla. In a small bowl, combine the sugar and egg, then pour into the large bowl, and mix well. Add half the flour mix and half the buttermilk, and combine well, then repeat.

Melt some butter or heat some oil in a large pan. I made my pancakes about 2" across. The major difference I found with making these versus regular pancakes was that waiting until the bubbles had popped resulted in burned cakes...


For the topping:

1 box softened regular cream cheese
1Tbsp honey
2tsp buttermilk
1tsp vanilla

Place all the ingredients in a medium bowl, and whip until creamy and lightened. Place a dollop on a few cakes, and eat! Hope you enjoy!

Why ya gotta call it short.... bread?

Nothing quite soak up the yuck causing tummy acid like carbs! I went in search of the perfect bread recipe, only to discover I AM OUT OF BREAD FLOUR!!!!!!!!!! Ok. I can make due... Bread... Shortbread! I'm feeling ever so slightly better, and willing to risk a night praying to the porcelain goddess for forgiveness for my mistake! Here goes nothin'!

2 3/4 cup flour

3/4 cup white sugar

2 sticks unsalted butter, room temperature

3/4tsp vanilla extract

1/8tsp salt

Combine the sugar and butter with a mixer or in a stand mixer until creamy. Add the salt and vanilla and combine well. Add in half the flour and combine, then the rest, just until the dough starts to come together. Lightly flour a cutting board or counter and form the dough into a disc. Wrap the dough in plastic wrap, and chill for about an hour or until firmed. Roll the dough out, again on a lightly floured surface, into rectangle about 1/2 an inch thick. Cut to 2-3 inches long by 1 inch. Place on a greased baking sheet, sprinkle with sugar, and bake at 350f for 20 minutes, or until the edges begin to brown some. Remove, cool, eat! Hope you enjoy!

Costs: This was another "from the pantry" creation, but if I remember right it was all about:

Butter: $2-3

Flour: $4

Sugar: $3

Vanilla: $4

Salt: $2

Breakfast Pizza

My youngest has a recent fascination with pizza, and really what's not to love?! While I was putting him to bed one night, we were talking about what we should have for breakfast the next day. Of course he asked for pizza, but I was able to get him to agree to egg pizza (which is easier for a toddler to say than frittata)!

6 eggs
6 small breakfast sausage links, cooked and sliced into 1/4 inch slices
1/2 white onion, diced
1/2 cup frozen spinach, thawed and drained
2 tomatoes, diced (canned is fine)
1 1/2 cups boiled potatoes, slightly under cooked
1/2 cup shredded cheese: cheddar, Colby jack or something similar
Salt and pepper to taste

Combine the sausage, potatoes, spinach, tomatoes, onion, salt, and pepper in a medium bowl. In a separate bowl, whisk together the eggs, then add into the vegetables and blend well. In a medium oven safe pan, or cast iron skillet, melt the butter over medium heat. Also preheat your oven to 350f. Pour the egg mixture into the pan and cook until the eggs set on the bottom. Place in the oven until golden brown. Remove and sprinkle with the cheese, and eat! Hope you enjoy!

Toast Sticks

My boys love french toast sticks! But, have you ever read the ingredients?...... Eww..... So, feeling like a little purist, off I set on making them a home made version:

Bread:
1 cup warm water
3 cups all purpose flour
1/4tsp salt
1 packet yeast
1Tbsp olive oil



Combine 1 cup of flour, the salt, and yeast in a large bowl or stand mixer with a dough hook. Once well combined, add the rest of the flour, adjusting as necessary depending on how wet or dry the dough becomes. Once combined, remove and kneed for about 5 minutes. Place in a large oiled bowl and cover with a damp cloth. Place the bowl in a warm place until the dough doubles in size. Punch the dough down and place on a lightly floured cutting board or counter and let it sit for another 10 minutes.
Roll the dough out to about 1/4 inch thick. The shape you roll in out to depends on what shape loaf you intend to make. If you want a french baguette, roll it out to a rectangle then starting with a long side roll the dough over and seal with a little water at the seams. Heat your oven to 375f. Grease a cookie sheet, sprinkle a little corn meal, and place the dough on the meal. Lightly score the top of the bread on the diagonal about 2 inches apart and bake until browned.


Now for making the french toast:

3 eggs
2tsp cinnamon
1/4 cup whole milk
1Tbsp butter
1/4 cup brown sugar

Cut the cooled bread into sticks 3-4 inches long, by 1 inch wide, by 1 inch high. Whisk together the eggs, milk, and cinnamon in a medium bowl. Toss a few of the stick to coat and let them soak for a few minutes. The soaked up mixture will create a custard effect in the middle of the sticks when cooked, making the inside oh so creamy and yummy! Repeat these steps for all the sticks. Melt the butter over medium low to medium heat. Add a few of the sticks and cook each side for about 3 minutes, or until golden brown. Remove from the pan and immediately sprinkle each side with some of the brown sugar. The heat from the stick will almost brulee the sugar, making them nice and crunchy! Drizzle with maple syrup of honey if you like! Hope you enjoy!


The price:
All of these ingredients were already on hand! Yes at one time we paid for them, however given they were all bought for different things, this meal was essentially free!!

Peach Frozen Yogurt

Peaches on sale, plus a lonely tub of vanilla Greek yogurt, plus an ice cream maker, equals..... Peach frozen yogurt!

32oz tub vanilla yogurt

1/2 cup fine sugar

3-4 peaches, peeled and cubed

This was profoundly easy! Peel and chop the peaches. Using a spice grinder, pulse the sugar until powdery. Set up your ice cream maker, and assuming yours works the same way mine does, turn it on and pour in the yogurt. Pour in the sugar and allow it to mix in. Add in the peaches in small batches, using care not to overfill the machine. Mine takes about 20 minutes for soft serve. Remove from the machine, place in an air tight container, and freeze for 1-2 hours, and serve! Hope you enjoy! 

Shrimp & Grits

This was inspired by watching someone make a lighter version of the usual shrimp and grits. That recipe called for no cheese or cream, using Greek yogurt.... I'll stop there. This is my middle of the road rendition:

3 strips bacon, cooked and cut into medium bits
1/2 large white onion, diced
1 bell pepper, diced
1 14oz can diced tomatoes
2 cloves garlic, minced
4Tbsp heavy cream
1/3 cup white wine
2 dozen cleaned and peeled shrimp
3/4 cup grits
3 cups water
Fresh chives
Salt, pepper and hot sauce to taste

Start with the onion, pepper and garlic. Heat 1Tbsp olive oil in a large pan over medium to medium low heat. Add in the onion, bell pepper and garlic to sweat.



Meanwhile, pour the dry grits into a cast iron skillet over low heat for a couple minutes, then pour in the water and mix well. Simmer until thickened.










Once the onions and peppers have softened, add the cream, wine, hot sauce, salt, and bacon. Stir well, scraping the bottom to pull up any bits from cooking the onions and peppers, and simmer for 5-10 minutes or until thickened. Add the shrimp and cook for 1-2 minutes, or until pink, curled and firmed.



To serve, pour some of the grits on the plate first, spoon over the onions and peppers, top with some shrimp, and snip over some fresh chives! Hope you enjoy!

Florida Sunset

One of the chain Italian restaurants makes a Venetian Sunset using pineapple juice, Asti Spumante, and grenadine, however I didn't have pineapple juice. I did however have a bag full of Florida clementines! To the kitchen we go!

1 1/2oz grenadine, chilled
3 clementines juiced, chilled
4oz Asti Spumante, chilled

Pour the grenadine into the bottom of a highball glass. CAREFULLY (or with a meat flavor injector... Yes I did...) add the clementine juice, then the Asti. Garnish with a clementine slice. Hope you enjoy!

Peach Galette

I'm not sure where the inspiration for this one came from, but it was just there recently while at the grocery store, and finally came out yesterday evening. I had never made puff pastry before, and I had a notion that it was this extremely daunting task that would take me all night and part of the next month... So, as usual, off to Google I went to get educated on the matter. The first site I found said the process would take THREE DAYS! I don't care who you are. That's unacceptable. Who has the patience to wait THREE DAYS for pastry?! Insisting there MUST be a better, and faster way, I moved on. I found one that I'm pretty sure was a cheater method, but it promised a 90 minute turn around time, so I was in!

Crust:
2 1/2 cups bread flour, sifted
2 sticks unsalted butter, room temperature
1 cup cold water (or there about)
1 1/4tsp salt
1tsp sugar
1 egg, wisked

Filling:
4 peaches
1/4 cup white sugar
1tsp cinnamon

Llace the butter between two sheets of plastic wrap, and roll or press into a thin disc, about a 1/4 inch thick and chill until firmed. Meanwhile, combine the flour and salt in a medium bowl, then add the water in portions until the dough forms a ball and clears the bowl walls. Let the dough rest in the bowl for ten minutes or so. Remember to cover the bowl with a damp cloth or paper towel to keep the dough from drying.

Roll the dough out to twice the size of your butter disc. (Butter disc. I can hear Paula Deen now!) Place the disc on one side of the dough and fold the other half over. Press the edges together well making a seal. Roll the dough to half it's current size, being careful not to squish the butter through the dough. Fold in half and repeat, then chill until firmed again. The whole theory here is that the butter is kept relatively cold around 60f. That will help keep things puffy puffy when baked! Julia Child says 6 folds is adequate, which following the L=(f+1)n (Can't make the N higher) formula, with L being the number of Layers, f being the amount of folds, and n being the number of times the dough has been folded, will tell you how many layers 6 times will yeild! If you desire more, fold on my friend. I repeated the fold and chill process about 3 times.

Inbetween the foldings, halve and thinly slice (about 1/8-1/4 inch) the peaches, then mix with the 1/4 cup sugar and cinnamon. Once the pasty has had it's final chill, roll out into a circle about 1/4 inch thick. Place the peach slices into the center, and fold the dough over in pleats, leaving about 6" accross open in the center. Brush with the egg, sprinkle with the sugar, and bake at 400f until golden brown. Remove and cool, then drizzle the crust with honey or agave nectar! Hope you enjoy!!





Baking away!



Raspberry Mint Sorbet

I have a new toy: An ice cream maker! My oldest and I made chocolate chocolate chip ice cream last night, but I wanted to make something for me that I wouldn't feel 100% guilty for eating.

2 14oz bags frozen raspberries
2 cups water
2 cups sugar
6 mint leaves
1 lemon

Set the berries out to thaw. Meanwhile, make a simple syrup. bring the sugar and water to a boil in a medium sauce pan. Reduce to a simmer and add in the mint and juice of one lemon, and simmer for 5 minutes. Remove the mint leaves and add in the thawed raspberries. Heat them through for another few minutes, and remove the pan from the heat and allow to cool.






Pour the mix into either a food processor, a wand blender or a regular blender, and blend well. Pour half the mix into a mesh strainer over a bowl and strain out the seeds. A silicone spatula will help this happen faster. Repeat with the second half.






Turn on your ice cream maker and pour the mix in. Follow your makers instructions for how long to let it work. If the sorbet is too thin for your liking, put it in the freezer to firm up before eating. Hope you enjoy!




Costs:
Mint, water and sugar: Already on hand.
Raspberries: $3.19 per bag
Lemon: 3 for $1.00