Portobello Pizzas

I love finding recipes that are not only easy and delicious, but good for you! This one does not disappoint. Another bonus is that it’s a gluten-free recipe. I made a few tweaks from the original recipe, including:
- Used caramelized onions and fresh basil leaves as toppings
- Subbed turkey pepperoni (you can omit to make it a meatless dish)
- Omitted the black olives, anchovies and sausage

I served these tasty personal pizzas alongside a quinoa salad and roasted asparagus sprinkled with blue cheese.

Quick Tip: Wrap a few garlic cloves in aluminum foil (drizzled with evoo) and roast in the oven alongside the mushroom caps.

Jalapeno Beer Cheese Soup for #SundaySupper

As a self-proclaimed foodie and ingredient junkie, I often get the questions, “What is your favorite item to cook?” or “What dish are you known for?”  I always find this a difficult question to answer because I don’t have one favorite thing I like to make. What I made every week one month (like my paella obsession) isn’t necessarily what I’m making every weekend now…more and more roasted vegetables.

But something I always circle back to is soup.  I love it. I pretty much have it with every meal. We always have a soup prepared in our fridge to have with lunch at home on the weekends or to take in the office during the week.  I enjoy cold soups in the hot Georgia summers; like Avocado or Gazpacho; or good old traditional standbys like Cream of Broccoli or French Onion.

When I think of cold, rainy, winter nights, which we have had our share of lately, I think of a spicy Beer Cheese Soup. It’s warm, comforting, laced with jalapenos and a delicious afternoon snack on rainy afternoons. Especially when you use a hot pretzel for dipping.  Yum!

Jalapeno Beer Cheese Soup with Himalayan Pink Salt dusted Pretzels

Jalapeno Beer Cheese Soup

Printable Version

Ingredients

• 1/4 cup butter
• 1 chopped yellow onion
• 1/2 cup chopped celery
• 2 cloves of garlic
• 1 TBS all-purpose flour
• 1 cup chicken broth
• 1 (12-ounce) beer of choice, I used a Bud Light
• 1 bay leaf
• 10 ounces low-fat, extra-sharp cheddar, shredded
• 8 oz cream cheese, I use Neuchâtel
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1 teaspoon Dijon mustard
• 2 TBS diced jalapenos + one fresh jalapeno, sliced
• 3 splashes Worcestershire sauce
• Frozen pretzels (bake according to instructions)
• 1 TBS, Himalayan Pink Salt

Directions

Melt butter in a stockpot over medium heat. Add chopped onion, celery and garlic. Saute until soft. Add chicken broth, beer and bay leaf. Heat until it comes to a boil. Slowly add cheese while stirring until just boiling and smooth. Add salt, pepper, mustard, jalapenos and Worcestershire sauce. Reduce heat to low and cook until soup has thickened.

Garnish with sliced jalapeno and serve with a hot baked pretzel.

 

Be sure to check out more delicious soup recipes from the talented members of the #SundaySupper Community:

Do The Chicken Dance (chicken {or other poultry} soups)

• Chicken Tortellini & White Bean Soup at Flour On My Face
• Chicken Gnocchi at Dinners, Dishes and Desserts
• Chicken Cheese Soup by There and Back Again
• Chicken Tortellini Soup by Country Girl In The Village
• Chicken Soup with Leeks, Onions and Fennel by Shockingly Delicious
• Family Style Tablescape featuring Chicken Tortilla Soup by An Appealing Plan
• Yucatan Chicken Lime Soup (Sopa de Lima) by The Weekend Gourmet
• Chicken Meatball, Spinach and Orzo Soup from Gourmet Drizzles
• Ground Turkey Soup at The Messy Baker
• Cheesy Chipotle Chicken Sausage Chowder by Cupcakes and Kale Chips
• Turkey Meatball Soup by Basic and Delicious
• Chick-Fil-A Chicken Noodle Soup by Family Foodie
• Chicken Vegetable Noodle Soup at Cupcakes and Pearls

Where’s The Beef (Beef Soups)

• Chili with Black Beans by That Skinny Chick Can Bake
• Vegetable and Beef Soup by Supper For a Steal
• Swabian Beef Spaetzle +1 Soup (Gaisburger Marsch) at Galactosemia in PDX
• Bacon Cheeseburger Soup by Small Wallet, Big Appetite
• Beef Pho Soup by No One Likes Crumbley Cookies
• Frijol con Carne by MarocMama
• Pho Bo (Vietnamese Beef and Noodle Soup)  by Neighborfood

Pass The Pork. Please (Pork or Sausage Soups)

• Healthy Bean and Sausage Soup by Momma’s Meals
• Smoked Sauage and Wild Rice Soup at Mama, Mommy, Mom
• Louisiana Caldo by Catholic Foodie
• Sweet potato and spanish chorizo soup at My Cute Bride
• Soft Tofu Soup (Soondubu Jjigae) by Hip Foodie Mom

 Under The Sea (Seafood Soups)

• Shrimp Miso Noodle Soup at Pescetarian Journal
• Szechuan Fish Soup by The Urban Mrs.
• New England Clam Chowder at Cindy’s Recipes and Writings
• Hearty Okra Shrimp Gumbo Laced with Coconut Oil by Sue’s Nutrition Buzz
• Bacon and Shrimp Bisque at Big Bear’s Wife
• Lobster Bisque for Two by Peanut Butter and Peppers
• Chinese Fish Maw Soup by My Trials in The Kitchen
• Thai Curry Coconut Mussel Soup by Noshing With The Nolands

Eat Your Veggies (Chock Full o’ Vegetables Soups)

• Not-So-Mini-Strone at The Army Foodie Wife
• French Onion Soup by The Girl in the Little Red Kitchen
• Spicy Sweet Potato and Corn Soup at Magnolia Days
• Creamy Cheddar Potato Soup at Daily Dish Recipes
• Rather French Onion Soup by What Smells So Good
• Broccoli Cheddar Soup by Hezzi D’s Books and Cooks
• Cream of Ancho Chile Soup from La Cocina de Leslie
• Pasta e Fagoli Soup at Cravings of a Lunatic
• Miso Soup by Crazy Foodie Stunts
• Vegetable Consommé with Semolina Dumplings – Grießknödel at Masala Herb
• Vegetable Medley Soup with Broccoli and Leeks at Chattering Kitchen
• Yamato Soup at Cooking Underwriter
• Smoky Kale and Tomato Soup with Garlic Croutons by The Wimpy Vegetarian
• Coconut Corn Chowder at Mangoes and Chutney
• Make Your Own (Gluten Free) Condensed Cream of Mushroom Soup at The Meltaways
• Ital Carrot & Sweet Potato Soup at The Lovely Pantry
• Chunky Vegetable and Barley Soup at Curious Cuisiniere
• Corn Soup with Crispy Tortilla Strips at Ninja Baking
• Jalapeno Beer Cheese Soup by The Hand That Rocks The Ladle
• Wild Mushroom Soup at Food Lust People Love
• Tomato Basil Soup with Cous Cous at Ruffles and Truffles
• Creamy Carrot Soup at Cookistry
• Vermicelli Soup by Damn Delicious
• Country Split Pea Soup with Bacon and Potatoes at girlichef

Some Don’t Like It Hot (Chilled Soups)

• Chilled Strawberry Soup at Juanita’s Cocina
• Bread and Tomato Soup – Gazpacho Style at Vintage Kitchen Notes

Of course once you have seen all of the recipes for the day, you’ll not want to miss our #SundaySupper conversation on twitter each Sunday.

We tweet throughout the day and share recipes from all over the world. This week we will be sharing out special soup recipes!

Our weekly chat starts at 7:00 pm ET and you do not want to miss out on the fun.

Follow the#SundaySupper hash tag and remember to include it in your tweets to join in the chat.

Don’t forget to check out our #SundaySupper Pinterest board for more fabulous recipes and food photos.

Join us Around the Family Table this Sunday at 7pm Eastern Time and share your favorite soup, stew, chowder or bisque recipes with us!

 

#SundaySupper Emeril’s New Orleans Style Red Beans & Rice

This week’s Sunday Supper topic was to make a dish by our favorite celebrity chef. I don’t know about you, but my husband and I LOVE Emeril’s recipes. They are always so flavorful. They often use one of his spice blends, although this one does not, which really add a punch to the dish they are being used in. I prefer to prepare his spice blends at home, over purchasing them in the store. They taste better and homemade blends tend to have less sodium than the store bought ones.

Now deciding which Emeril recipe to share proved to not be too difficult. It happened to be the weekend after Thanksgiving when I was deciding what to make and I had a hamhock to do something with. Well, I had recently been perusing a new local restaurant’s menu and saw they serve Red Beans & Rice on Monday and call it Laundry Night. Apparently, in New Orleans (one my most favorite cities in the world) back in the day, the women of the household would let Red Beans simmer on the stove all day Monday, using the hamhock from Sunday night’s dinner, while they tended to the laundry.

I liked the story and loved the thought of Red Beans bubbling away in the crockpot all day. When looking for a recipe, I stumbled upon this one, and knowing Emeril never disappoints, eagerly bought the ingredients and got started. I doubled this recipe so my hubby and I would have some and so I could take a batch to ladies at work for lunch. It was a hit with him and the office…as if there was any doubt :0)

Do you like Emeril? What’s your favorite Emeril Recipe? (I also adore his Jambalaya)

Red Beans & Rice served with Jalapeno Cornbread

Emeril’s New Orleans Style Red Beans & Rice

printable recipe

Ingredients

• 2 tablespoons evoo
• 1 chopped onion
• 1/2 bell pepper, chopped
• 1 celery stalk, chopped
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 1/2 teaspoon cayenne pepper
• 1/4 teaspoon black pepper
• 1 teaspoon dried thyme
• 2 bay leaves
• 1 hamhock
• 2 links of Andouille (Patak is my favorite and I highly recommend if you can get your hands on it)
• 1 pound dried red beans, rinsed and sorted through, soaked overnight and drained
• 3 garlic cloves, chopped
• 8 to 10 cups water
• white rice (I love to make mine in the rice cooker)

Directions

Heat the oil in a large saucepan over medium-high heat. Saute the onions, bell peppers, celery, salt, cayenne, black pepper and thyme for about 5 minutes. Pour into a crockpot. Add the bay leaves, hamhock, sausage, beans, garlic, and enough water to cover the contents. Cook on low all day (about 6-8 hours). Use a wooden spoon to mash about half of the mixture against the side of the pot before serving. Add more water if it becomes too thick. The mixture should be soupy but not watery. Remove the bay leaves and serve with white rice.

Check out more tasty recipes featuring celebrity chefs from my fellow #SundaySupper foodies:

Starters or Snacks :

Martin at ENOFYLZ Wine Blog – Oyster and Brie Soup and Wine Pairings for Celebrity Chef #SundaySupper

Linda at The Urban Mrs. – Inspired by Bobby Flay, Lobster Chowder with Roasted Corn Salsa

Erin from Dinners, Dishes and Desserts – Rachael Ray’s Cinnamon Popcorn

Cindy over at Cindy’s Recipes and Writings – Jamie Oliver’s Bread and Tomato Soup

Jeff at The Catholic Foodie – Drop Biscuits – Breakfast with Chef John Besh

Renee over at Kudos Kitchen By Renee – Giada De Laurentiis’ Garlic Toasts With Red Pepper Aioli

The Main Dish:

Sheila at Cooking Underwriter – Paula Deen’s Chicken in a Crock Pot w/ Sauerkraut and Apples

Laura over at Small Wallet Big Appetite – Martin Yan’s Beef Chow Fun

Claire at The Realistic Nutritionist – Alton Brown’s 40 Cloves and a Chicken

Sarah over at Crispy Bits & Burnt Ends – Michael Symon’s Lola burger with crab tater tots

Susan at The Girl in the Little Red Kitchen – Ina Garten’s Baked Shrimp Scampi

Katy over at Happy Baking Days – Mary Berry’s Treacle Tart

Tammi at Momma’s Meals – Lee Drummond’s Sloppy Joe’s

Lane over at Supper for a Steal – Bobby Flay’s Rosemary Bricked Chicken

Tara from Noshing with the Nolands – Michael Symon’s Pork and Apple Scallopini

Shannon at Country Girl in the Village – Simple Red Sauce over Rigatoni. Inspired by, Debi Mazar and Gabriele Corcos

Kris over at In the Kitchen with Audrey and Maurene – Rachael Ray’s Muffin Tin Meatloaf

Nicole from The Daily Dish Recipes – Paula Deen’s Slow Cooker Pulled Pickled Pork Sandwiches

Becca from It’s Yummilicious – Ina Garten’s Grown Up Mac & Cheese

Alice at Hip Foodie Mom – Sunday Pot Roast with Risotto Cakes from Kelsey Nixon

Jen over at Juanita’s Cocina – The Neely’s White Turkey Chili

Brianne from Cupcakes & Kale Chips – Crockpot Beef Pot Roast with Mushrooms inspired by Giada DeLaurentiis

Isabel at Family Foodie – Polenta with Garlicky Shrimp inspired by Chef Todd English

Wendy from The Weekend Gourmet – Shrimp Penne in Pesto Cream Sauce, From Emeril Lagasse

Bobbi over at Bobbi’s Kozy Kitchen – Cheesy Poblano Chicken

Patti at Comfy Cuisine – Tyler Florence’s Chicken Francese

Chris from Sustainable Dad – Pork Tenderloin with Jerusalem Artichokes and Negroni Vinaigrette

Roxanne over at The Roxx Box – Jambalaya Pasta with Penne, Chicken, Shrimp and Andouille

Sue from Sue’s Nutrition Buzz – Rachael Ray’s Spicy Corn Chowdah Mac ‘n’ Cheese

Jamie at Mama Mommy Mom – Penne with Asparagus, Smoked Gouda and Prosciutto. Adapted from, Giada De Laurentiis’

Tora over at Tora’s Real Food – Pork and beans with Alton Brown’s pickled pork

Amazing Sides:

Megan from I Run For Wine – Curtis Stone’s Acorn Squash Roasted with Thyme

Sandi over at Midlife Road Trip - Gabriele Corcos’s Gnocchi di Patate

Shelby at Diabetic Foodie – Orange Pecan Black Rice, adapted from Ina Garten

Katie from She likes Ruffles, He likes Truffles – Chef Fabio Viviani’s Spinach and Artichoke Risotto

Sweet Endings:

Kim over at Cravings of a Lunatic – Chocolate Cream Puffs with Hazelnut Filling

Renee over at Magnolia Days – Brownie Tart

Connie at The Foodie Army Wife - Inspired by Ree Drummond – Scrumptious Apple Coffee Cake

Paula over at Vintage Kitchen Notes – Bill Granger´s Cherry Tart

Pam from The Meltaways – Savannah Sheet Cake

Amber at Mama’s Blissful Bites – Huggy Buggy Bread Pudding

Jaime over at Mom’s Test Kitchen – Southern Tea Cakes

Amy over at Kimchi MOM - Crack Pie, I Can’t Quit You

Lyn from The Lovely Pantry - Sweet Potato Chocolate Chip Squares

Melanie at From Fast Food to Fresh Food – Sand Tarts

Wine Pairings:

Martin at ENOFYLZ Wine Blog

Please join on us via Twitter for #SundaySupper on December 2, 2012, throughout the day. In the evening, we will meet at 7 PM EST for our weekly #SundaySupper live chat. All you have to do is follow the #SundaySupper hashtag or you can follow us through TweetChat.

Gobble Gobble

Now that Thanksgiving is upon us, everyone is looking for that perfect turkey recipe.   The one that will have everyone going back for seconds and thirds until it’s time to crash on the couch and watch football..only to get up a few hours later to make a sandwich with the leftovers.

A dear friend recently shared the recipe her four-year-old son came up with in school when asked to scribe a turkey recipe for Thanksgiving.  Although, I do not recommend following these instructions for your Thanksgiving dinner, it is just too cute not to share!

Grant’s Turkey Recipe

Related articles

• Oh No She Didn’t! 10 Things You’d Better Not Do, Say, Drink or Wear This Thanksgiving (shefinds.com)
• Web’s Best: Thanksgiving Leftover Recipes (coolmaterial.com)
• Vegan Thanksgivings! Still need ideas? (vegpocalypsenow.wordpress.com)

#SundaySupper Eggplant Parmesan #SoulWarming

There are two secrets to perfect egglant parmesan:

1. peeling
2. sweating

The skin of an eggplant is quite bitter and can ruin the whole dish.  Be sure to take a few extra minutes to peel your eggplant before slicing it.

Eggplant is packed with water.  To make it fry up crisp, you want to draw some of the water out.  To do that, you want to “sweat” the eggplant.  That means you will slice it and salt each side, very generously.  After just a few minutes, you will notice beads of “sweat” on the slices.  That is the moisture being drawn out.  After about 30 minutes, rinse the slices with water, pat dry, and they’re ready to get dressed for the frying pan!

Nothing quite makes my mouth water like freshly fried eggplant. Especially when there is a pot of homemade marinara close by.

Eggplant Parmesan {+Roasted Red Pepper Tomato Sauce}

Ingredients

Roasted Red Pepper Tomato Sauce:

• 3 tablespoons olive oil
• 1 large yellow onion, chopped
• 3 cloves garlic, chopped
• 1/2 teaspoon red pepper flakes
• 3 roasted red peppers, peeled, seeded and chopped (you can used jarred, or make at home)
• 2 (28-ounce) cans crushed tomatoes and juices
• 3 tablespoons freshly chopped italian parsley
• 3 tablespoons freshly chopped basil leaves
• 1/2 tablespoon Italian seasoning
• Salt and black pepper
• Sugar, to taste

Eggplant:

• 2 cups breadcrumbs
• Oliv oil, for greasing dish (I use myMisto)
• 3 tablespoons finely chopped Italian parsley
• 1/2  tablespoon Italian seasoning
• 1 tablespoon finely chopped fresh thyme leaves
• Salt and freshly ground black pepper
• 3 large eggs, beaten
• 2 tablespoons water
• 2 medium eggplants (about 2 1/4-pounds), cut into round slices (it’s your preference how thick you want to slice them, my husband likes them really thin) and sweated
• All-purpose flour, for dredging
• Vegetable oil, for frying
• Roasted Red Pepper Tomato Sauce
• 12 ounces grated mozzarella, plus1/2 pound fresh mozzarella, thinly sliced
• 12 ounces grated fontina
• 3/4 cup grated Pecorino Romano
• Fresh basil leaves, torn

For the Roasted Red Pepper Tomato Sauce:

Directions

Heat the oil in a large Dutch oven over medium-high heat.  Add the onion and cook until soft.  Add the garlic and red pepper flakes and cook for 1 minute.  Add the red peppers and cook for 1 minute.

Add the tomatoes, bring to a boil and cook, stirring occasionally, until thickened, about 25 to 30 minutes.  Emulsify with a hand blender and process until smooth.  Add the parsley, basil and oregano and season with salt and pepper.  Cook for 10 minutes longer and season with sugar to cut the acidity.

For the Eggplant:

Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F.  Lightly spray the bottom and sides of a 15 by 10 by 2-inch baking dishwith olive oil and set aside.

Place the bread crumbs into a large shallow bowl.  Add the herbs, 1 1/2 teaspoons salt and 1/2 teaspoon of pepper.  In another medium shallow bowl, whisk the eggs and 2 tablespoons of water together.

Dredge each eggplant slice in the flour, tapping off excess, then dip it in the egg, and finally dredge it in the bread crumb mixture.  Shake off any excess breading and transfer the egg plant to a baking sheet.  Repeat with the remaining eggplant.

Heat 1/2-inch of oil in a large straight-sided saute pans over medium heat .  Working in small batches, fry a few of the eggplant slices, turning once, until golden brown, about 3 minutes per batch.  Using tongs, transfer to a paper towel-lined baking sheet.  Repeat with the remaining eggplant.

Cover the bottom of the prepared baking dish with some of the tomato sauce and arrange 1/2 of the eggplant over the sauce.  Cover the eggplant with some of the sauce, grated mozzarella, fontina, Romano cheese and fresh basil.  Repeat to make 3 layers ending with the sauce. Bake for 20 minutes, until sauce is bubbling. Top with the fresh mozzarella and remaining Romano and bake another 10 minutes, until hot and just beginning to brown. Let rest 10 minutes before serving, slice and serve!

Check out more #SoulWarming dishes from the #SundaySupper community below:

Main Entrees:

• Carrot, Parsnip and Lentil Casserole  – Happy Baking Days
• Chicken with Herbed Dumplings – Bobbi’s Kozy Kitchen
• Chicken pot pie – Gotta Get Baked
• Cholula Chicken Enchiladas – Kwistin’s Favorites
• Eggplant Parmesan – The Hand That Rocks The Ladle
• Roasted Roots and Fruits with Sausage – Shockingly Delicious

Chili/Stews:

• Beer-Braised Beef – Sustainable Dad
• Bigos {Authentic Polish Hunter’s Stew} – From Fast Food to Fresh Food
• Brunswick Stew and Rice – Big Bear’s Wife
• Calico Beans – Home Cooking Memories
• Carbonnade Flamande – The Girl In The Little Red Kitchen
• Chicken Cacciatore {Hunter Style Stew} with Easy Creamy Polenta – Webicurean
• Chicken & Mushroom Stew On Egg Noodles –  Galactosemia in PDX
• Cowboy Beef Stew – Comfy Cuisine
• Ham and String Beans –  Cindy’s Recipes and Writings
• Hearty Moose Meatball Stew – Mrs. Mama Hen
• Jalapeno Popper Chicken Chili – Hezzi-D’s Books and Cooks
• Lentil and Chorizo Stew – Vintage Kitchen Notes
• Seafood Gumbo and Soul Warming #SundaySupper Wine Pairings – ENOFYLZ Wine Blog
• Soul Warming Hearty Beef Stew – In The Kitchen With KP

Soups:

• 30 Minute Black Bean Soup – Supper for a Steal
• Black Bean Soup – Basic and Delicious
• Black Bean Soup with Hot Roast Pepper Cream – The Lovely Pantry
• Canadian Beer Cheese Soup – Juanita’s Cocina
• Chicken Pot Pie Stew Soup – Ruffles and Truffles
• Chicken Soup with Dumplings – The Messy Baker
• Chicken Tortilla Soup – Dinners, Dishes and Desserts
• Coconut Curry Chicken Soup – Damn Delicious
• Crock Pot Chicken Noodle Soup – Mama Mommy Mom
• Easy Chicken and Dumplings – My Catholic Kitchen
• Easy Italian Wedding Soup – Family Foodie
• Easy Wonton Soup – Soni’s Food
• French Onion Sou – Momma’s Meals
• Homestyle Chicken and Dumplings – I Run For Wine
• Lasagna Soup – Cravings of a Lunatic
• Lemon Chicken Noodle Soup – Mangiamo
• Lentil and Bacon Soup – Small Wallet, Big Appetite
• Lentil Soup with Spinach – Mama’s Blissful Bites
• Peppery Mulligatawny Soup with Cherry Tomatoes & Cilantro – Sue’s Nutrition Buzz
• Pozolillo Verde {Green Chicken & Corn Pozole} – La Cocina de Leslie
• Red Lentil Soup with Crispy Aromatic Coriander – Chattering Kitchen
• Roasted Jalapeno Soup – Chocolate Moosey
• Rule of Thirds Soup – What Smells So Good?
• Seafood Chowder – Noshing with the Nolands
• Spanish Garlic Soup – Pippi’s In The Kitchen Again
• Spicy Gumbo Z’herbes – Pescetarian Journal
• Spicy Korean Brisket Soup {Yukgaejang} – Crispy Bits & Burnt Ends
• Spicy Seafood Noodle Soup {Jjamppong} – Kimchi Mom
• Spicy Udon Noodle Soup – My Trials In The Kitchen
• Turkey Noodle Soup – Magnolia Days
• Tuscan Bean Soup  – The Wimpy Vegetarian
• Twisted Chicken Noodle Soup – The Meltaways
• Warm You Up Spicy Bacon Cheeseburger Soup – Daily Dish Recipes

Desserts/Beverages:

• Hot Fudge Pudding Cake – That Skinny Chick Can Bake
• White Hot Chocolate with Orange – GirliChef

Join on us on Twitter throughout the day during #SundaySupper.  In the evening we will meet at 7pm EST for our weekly #SundaySupper live chat.

All you have to do is follow the #SundaySupper hashtag or you can follow us through TweetChat.

We’d also love to feature your Sunday Supper Soul Warming Recipes on our #SundaySupper Pinterest board and share them with all of our followers, too.

An Apple a Day Keeps the Doctor Away

I’ve kind of been obsessed with cooking in the crockpot lately, so when I saw that this apple butter recipe was simmered for 14 HOURS in the crockpot I immediately had to try it.  This takes no time to throw together.  The biggest task is peeling the apples.  After that, just toss everything in the crockpot and cook overnight.  You will be rewarded with this thick, sweet apple butter that is delicious served over a biscuit, stirred into oatmeal or atop a pork chop.

Your house will smell divine when you wake up to this.

A very important step of this apple butter recipe is selecting your apples. You want half tart and half sweet.  I chose to use four Granny Smith and four Gala apples. This combo was the perfect balance.

Let me know what apples you like to mix!

Easy Apple Butter

printable recipe

Ingredients

• 2 3/4 pounds apples – peeled, cored and finely chopped (I chopped them in the food processor)
• 2 cups white sugar
• 1 teaspoons ground cinnamon
• 1/8 teaspoon ground cloves
• 1/8 teaspoon salt

Directions

Place the apples in a slow cooker. Add the sugar, cinnamon, cloves and salad and mix well. Cover and cook on high 1 hour. Reduce heat to low and cook 9 to 11 hours, stirring occasionally, until the mixture is thick and dark brown Uncover and continue cooking on low 1 hour. Spoon the mixture into a Mason jar and store in the fridge for up to two weeks.

#MeatlessMonday: Fresh Tortellini with Asparagus, Peas & Parsley

I’m really loving cooking vegetarian on Mondays.  The challenge of eating meat-free one day a week, has me researching tasty entrees I probably wouldn’t try usually.  This tortellini dish literally blew us away.  I had my vegetarian friend over for dinner and she was also impressed.

I must say, the Georgia Olive Farms Olive Oil really made this dish.  It melded beautifully with the sharp bite of fresh garlic, the herbed pasta and the creamy goat cheese.  This recipe should probably serve four, but Jim and I ate 3/4 of it between the two of us. The only thing that would have made it any better, would be a fresh loaf of french bread to sop up the delicious sauce left at the bottom of the bowl.

Isn’t that olive oil beautiful?

Fresh Tortellini with Asparagus, Peas & Parsley

printable recipe

• salt
• 1/3 cup Georgia Olive Farms Olive Oil
• 2 medium cloves garlic, minced
• 1/8 tsp. cayenne
• 1 lb. fresh cheese tortellini (I used herbed cheese from the Farmer’s Market)
• 1 lb. thin asparagus, trimmed of tough, woody stems, and cut crosswise into 1/2-inch pieces (leave the tips whole)
• 1 cup thawed frozen peas
• 1/3 cup pine nuts, toasted
• 1/4 cup coarsely chopped fresh Italian Parsley
• 2 oz. fresh goat cheese, softened
• black pepper
• parmesan cheese, grated

In a covered pot, bring well-salted water to a boil over high heat. In a large pasta serving bowl, combine the olive oil, garlic, cayenne, and 1/2 tsp. salt. Cook the tortellini, asparagus, and peas in the boiling water until the tortellini is al dente, about 3 minutes. Reserve 1 cup of the cooking water, then drain the pasta and vegetables and toss with the garlic-oil mixture. Add the pine nuts, mint, and goat cheese and stir until the cheese melts into a sauce, adding cooking water as needed to moisten the pasta. Season to taste with salt, pepper and parmesan and serve.

This bowl was not full for long.

Related articles

• Harvest Tortellini Soup (heatherlikesfood.com)
• Asparagus and Chickpea Salad (mybestcookbook.wordpress.com)
• Tortellini recipe – Parma foods Fodd n Walk Tours (gustoitalia.wordpress.com)

Crock Pot Chicken Tacos for #SundaySupper

I was very excited about this week’s topic of Dishes in 5 Ingredients or Less, because I just made an amazing batch of these crock pot chicken tacos.  Not only does this recipe use only THREE ingredients, but since the meat is prepared in the crock pot, it’s effortless to throw together and comes out extremely juicy and tender.  Since I cook for the girls in the office, I love to toss all the ingredients in the crock pot before I go to bed and cook on low overnight.  In the morning, I pack the chicken to-go and take it in for lunch.

There is a an endless combination of meals you can make featuring this succulent and zesty chicken.  I like to use a wheat wrap and pile on the chicken, low-fat cheese, lettuce, onion, avocado, etc. for a healthy burrito; top shredded lettuce with cowboy caviar, the chicken taco meat, and drizzle with a balsamic vinaigrette for a flavorful salad; or make nachos by topping tortilla chips with cheese, chicken, cowboy caviar, lettuce and Greek Yogurt.

Whichever way you choose to serve it; it’s guaranteed to be a crowd pleaser!

Crock Pot Chicken Tacos

printable version

This recipe is as easy as…

1. 4 boneless, skinless chicken breasts
2. 1 packet taco seasoning
3. 1 16oz. jar of salsa

Place chicken breasts in crock pot. Cover with taco seasoning and top with salsa.  Seal the lid of the crock pot and turn the crock pot on low.

Cook for eight hours and serve!

step one

step two

step three

step four

wake up in the morning to this! smells amazing

shred and it’s ready to serve!

taco salad is a delicious way to serve

Check out more delicious 5 Ingredient or Less recipes from the #SundaySupper community below!

Join us, September 30th, 2012 as we share our delicious, mouth-watering recipes! Here’s a sneak peak at what everyone is bringing to our #SundaySupper table. Be sure to stay after dinner at 7pm EST as we share our recipes during our #SundaySupper live chat!

Breakfast, Starters, Butters and Jams:

• Pa Jun or Korean Scallion Pancakes – Kimchi Mom
• Homemade Instant Oatmeal – Home Cooking Memories
• GlutenFree Apricot Bacon Onion and Cheese Spread or Dip – Cooking Underwriter
• Caprese Bites – My Catholic Kitchen
• So Simple Pizza Puffs – Hip Foodie Mom
• Toast Topper #11: Allspice Peach Butter – What Smells So Good?
• Strawberry Balsamic Jam – The Messy Baker Blog
• Broccoli and Feta Frittata – Kwistin’s Favorites

Main Dishes:

• Fresh Basil and Tomato Pasta – I Run For Wine
• Gulasch – Galactosemia in PDX
• Spaghetti with Kale and Sausage – Dinners, Dishes and Desserts
• Appley Kielbasa – The Meltaways
• Shrimp Stuffed Potatoes – Juanita’s Cocina
• Hawaiian Chicken Sandwiches – Supper for a Steal
• Sun Dried Tomato and Sausage Pasta – Small Wallet Big Appetite
• Pork Loin with Port Shallot Sauce – Vintage Kitchen Notes
• Chipotle Honey Lime Pork Tenderloin – Hezzi-D’s Books and Cooks
• Crockpot Chicken Tacos – The Hand That Rocks The Ladle
• Roasted Shrimp With Chili-Lime Sauce – Magnolia Days
• Peanut Butter Noodles – In the Kitchen with Audrey
• Soy, Orange Juice and Red Wine Marinated Flank – That Skinny Chick Can Bake
• Beef Tenderloin with Stilton Pecan Butter – Noshing With The Nolands
• Herbed Butter Pork Chops – Brie’s Bites
• Creamy Ham Linguine – The Daily Dish Recipes
• Pesto, Tomato & Feta Pizza – Momma’s Meals
• Quick Black Bean Burritos – Diabetic Foodie
• Lumachine with Fresh Parmesan and Sun-Dried Tomato Sauce – Mama’s Blissful Bites
• Stuffed Shells – Cravings of a Lunatic
• Potato Kugel – From Fast Food to Fresh Food
• Garlic Butter Fried Rice – My Trials in the Kitchen
• Goat Cheese Alfredo – Family Foodie
• Roasted Moroccan Rack of Lamb – Maroc Mama
• Sweet and Nutty Twice Baked Sweet Potatoes – Mama.Mommy.Mom.
• Baked Sweet Potato with Maple-Jalapeno – Comfy Cuisine
• Freezable Bacon Egg and Cheese Sandwiches – Big Bear’s Wife
• Grilled Polenta Cakes – Lovely Pantry

Desserts:

• Nutella Ice Cream – Shockingly Delicious
• Fresh Mint Ice Cream with Mint M&M’s – The Girl in the Little Red Kitchen
• Grilled Mango Parfait with Greek Yogurt & Silvered Almonds – Sue’s Nutrition Buzz
• Honey Macaroons – Pippis In the Kitchen Again
• Strawberry Frozen Yogurt – Damn Delicious
• Homemade Caramel Sauce – Chocolate Moosey
• Easy Chocolate Chilli Fudge – Soni’s Food for Thought
• White-Chocolate Raspberry Puff Pastry Doughnuts – The Weekend Gourmet
• Easy No Bake Peanut Butter Chocolate Bars – In The Kitchen With KP
• Chocolate-Caramel Ice Cream – Basic N Delicious
• Pumpkin and Chocolate Swirl Cheesecake – Baker Street
• Peanut Butter Cup Popcorn – Mom’s Test Kitchen

Beverages:

• Five Most Food Friendly Wines – ENOFYLZ Wine Blog

Please be sure you join us on Twitter throughout the day during #SundaySupper. We’ll be meeting up at 7:00 pm (Eastern) for our weekly #SundaySupper  live chat where we’ll talk about our favorite 5 Ingredient Recipes! All you have to do is follow the #SundaySupper hashtag, or you can follow us through TweetChat!  We’d also love to feature your apple recipes on our #SundaySupper Pinterest board and share them with all of our followers!

Broccoli, Farro & Feta Salad for #MeatlessMonday

I made this yesterday for the girls in the office today.  As usual, I tasted a spoonful, to make sure it came out okay.  Oh my goodness.  I had to immediately pack up the salad and stow it in the fridge so I couldn’t have a second, third and fourth bite.  I know this will be a hit for today’s lunch and I will definitely be doubling the batch the next time I make it!

I’m serving it with a Roasted Butternut Squash Soup.  A healthy menu to kick off fall!

Roasted Broccoli and Farro Salad with Feta

printable version

Ingredients

• 3/4 cup farro
• 1 1/2 cup water
• 1 lb. broccoli
• 3 Tbs. extra-virgin olive oil
• 1/2 cup crumbled feta
• 2 scallions, thinly sliced
• Pinch crushed red pepper flakes
• 2 Tbs. coarsely chopped fresh Italian parsley
• 1 Tbs. red wine vinegar

Directions

Pre-heat the oven to 375°F. In a saucepan, bring salted water to a boil over high heat. Bring the farro to a boil, then simmer for 10 minutes, then remove from heat, cover and let sit about 10 minutes.  Drain well and transfer to a large bowl.

Meanwhile, remove the broccoli crown from the stem and cut into bitesize florets. Toss the stems or use them in a chicken or vegetable broth. In a baking dish, toss the florets with 2 Tbs. of olive oil. Roast until tender and browned in spots, about one hour. Add the broccoli, feta, scallions, red pepper flakes, and parsley to the farro. Sprinkle with the vinegar and 1 tsp. salt and toss. Drizzle with the remaining 1 Tbs. olive oil and toss. Season to taste with more vinegar and salt. Serve warm or at room temperature.

You won’t miss the meat!

Related articles

• Farro Greek Salad (tammycirceo.typepad.com)
• Farro Salad with Roasted Vegetables and Caramelized Onions (vegetarianventures.com)
• farro with chard, cannellini beans and kalamata olives (plumsintheicebox.typepad.com)

#SundaySupper Endive Spears Topped With Apple, Blue Cheese and Hazelnut Salad

I have to admit. When I saw the #SundaySupper topic was Autumn Apple Party, I thought I might skip this week. I couldn’t think of one dish I’d ever made with apples…and I don’t think dipping them in peanut butter counts.

However, after a bit of thought, I decided to accept the challenge and go outside my comfort zone and try something new. I thought about applesauce or pork chops with apples, but most of the ideas that came to mind were already accounted for.  So, while searching on my favorite recipe website, I stumbled upon this apple salad served in endive and thought not only did it sound tasty, but it’s a great appetizer.  You don’t need utensils and it can be enjoyed in just one, or two, bites.

I tested this recipe on my co-workers earlier this week and it went over okay.  I didn’t follow the recipe to a “t,” and eye-balled everything and it turned out a little too blue-cheesy and mayonnaise-y.  The also didn’t have endive at the Farmer’s Market (well, they had a sign that said “endive” but the lettuce underneath was not endive) so I served it over chopped red lettuce.  It was “eh.”

I made it again last night and followed the recipe almost verbatim (put a little less blue cheese and added pepper) and it came out absolutely delicious — and I found endive at Kroger, whew!  Such a gorgeous presentation and still a hit with the guys that came over to watch football.  Will definitely make again!

P.S. In my hunt for apple recipes, I found an amazing one for apple butter. It may have taken 14 hours to prepare, but it was worth the wait.  I will be sharing that recipe soon!

Yummy pre-game nibble

Endive Spears Topped With Apple, Blue Cheese and Hazelnut Salad

printable recipe

• 1 large Gala apple, cored and cut into 1/8-inch dice
• ¼ cup blue cheese, crumbled
• 2 celery stalks,chopped
• 3 Tbs. light mayo
• 1 Tbs. fresh lemon juice
• Salt and pepper to taste
• 1 “head” of endive, leaves separated 1/2 cup hazelnuts, toasted and coarsely chopped

In a medium bowl, combine the apple, blue cheese, celery, mayonnaise, and lemon juice. Stir gently to combine. Season to taste with salt and pepper.

To assemble, mound a small spoonful of the apple mixture onto the core end of each endive leaf. Sprinkle with the hazelnuts and serve.

Here’s our Autumn Apple Party Menu from members of the #SundaySupper community!

Soups, Salads, Starters and Breads

• Cinnamon Apple Chips- Shockingly Delicious
• Apple Celery Salad- In the Kitchen with Audrey and Maurene
• Mini Apple Pumpkin Pancakes – The Daily Dish Recipes
• Overnight Apple Cinnamon French Toast- In the Kitchen with KP
• Curried Apple and Leek Soup-Soni’s Food for Thought
• Endive Spears Topped With Apple, Blue Cheese and Hazelnut Salad- The Hand That Rocks the Ladle
• Homemade Apple Jam – My Trials in the Kitchen
• Caramel Apple Butter Cheesecake Dip- Chocolate Moosey
• Caramel Apple Bread – famfriendsfood
• Apple Pie Bread Baker Street
• Apple, Bacon & Brie Popovers- I Run for Wine
• Apple and Almond Brie Puff Pastry- Family Foodie
• Apple, Leek and Gruyere Tarts- There and Back Again

Main Meals

• Slow Cooker Honey Apple Pork Loin- The Meltaways
• Apple-Glazed Meatballs- The Messy Baker
• Apples & Buttons (Ham, Apples and Dumplings)- Cindy’s Recipes and Writings
• Skillet Pork with Sweet Spiced Apples- Mama Mommy Mom
• Chicken Apple Meatloaf with Tarragon Tomato Sauce – Diabetic Foodie
• Baked Tilapia Apple Crisp- Daddy Knows Less
• Pork Tenderloin with Calvados Cream Sauce Sustainable Dad
• #SundaySupper Pulled Pork Sandwich With Pickled Red Onions Kwistin’s Favorites

Sides

• Harvest Rice- Webicurean
• Wild Rice with Apples, Dried Cranberries, and Walnuts – Ruffles and Truffles
• Apple Topped Sweet Potato Mash- Momma’s Meals
• Warm Spice Pecan Raisin Apple Chutney- Sue’s Nutrition Buzz
• Autumn Harvest Homemade Apple Sauce – Brie’s Bites

Desserts

• Double Apple Pot Pie- What Smells So Good?
• Apple Walnut Coffee Cake- The Girl in the Little Red Kitchen
• Apple Streusel Cobbler- Big Bear’s Wife
• Apple & Moroccan Cinnamon Gooey Sticky Buns- Crispy Bits & Burnt Ends
• Spiced Caramel Apple Pie-Chelsea’s Culinary Indulgence
• Apple Pear Kuchen for #SundaySupper (Apfel Birnen Kuchen)- Galactosemia in PDX
• Apple Strudel - Magnolia Days
• Old Fashioned Apple Crisp with Caramel Sauce-Noshing with the Nolands
• Apple Cheesecake- Vintage Kitchen
• Caramel Apple Crumble Bars- Hezzi D’s Books and Cooks
• Apple Cake with Cream Cheese Frosting- From Fast Food to Fresh Food
• Cinnamon Apple Dessert Chimichangas- Juanita’s Cocina
• Nutella Apple Quesadilla- Dinners, Dishes, and Desserts
• Apple Crisp Ice Cream- Cravings of a Lunatic
• Bavarian Apple Torte- The Lovely Pantry
• Streusel Apple Crumb Pie + Pie Freezer Kits- Meal Planning Magic
• French Apple Cobbler with Cinnamon-Maple Whipped Cream Weekend Gourmet
• Chunky Apple-Apricot Bread Pudding- Comfy Cuisine
• Apple Butter Spice Cake – Home Cooking Memories
• Apple Pie and Custard- Happy Baking Days
• #GlutenFree Deep Dish Carmel Apple Pie- Cooking Underwriter
• Apple Brownies That Skinny Chick Can Bake
• Country Apple Dumplings- Mom’s Test Kitchen
• Apple-Gingersnap Cookies- Tora’s Real Food
• Apple and Cranberry Turnovers-  Flour on my Face
• Applesauce Chocolate Chip Bundt Cake with Caramel Glaze- Hip Foodie Mom
• Caramel Frosted Apple Cookies- No One Likes Crumbley Cookies
• Apple and Pecans Cake- Basic N Delicious
• Apple Pull Apart Monkey Bread- Gotta Get Baked

Beverages

• Spiced Apple Ale Small Wallet Big Appetite
• Apple Chia Tea- Pippi’s in the Kitchen Again

Please be sure you join us on Twitter throughout the day during #SundaySupper. We’ll be meeting up at 7:00 pm (Eastern) for our weekly #SundaySupper  live chat where we’ll talk about our favorite apple recipes! All you have to do is follow the #SundaySupper hashtag, or you can follow us through TweetChat!  We’d also love to feature your apple recipes on our #SundaySupper Pinterest board and share them with all of our followers!

Dress Up Your Salad

Homemade vinaigrettes are apparently all the rage these days.  Who knew I was ahead of the trend?  I’ve been making them for a while now and the flavor of a homemade dressing simply cannot be beat.  You can mix up the flavors with different kinds of vinegar, herbs and sweeteners.  My favorite is Balsamic Vinegar, but I’ve also used Raspberry Vinegar, Tarragon Vinegar and Red Wine Vinegar.  Fresh thyme is my go-to herb and I go back and forth between brown sugar and agave nectar to sweeten things up.  No matter what, garlic is always involved, as is a little salt and pepper.  I’ve also been known to sub citrus for the vinegar/acidity, so you can make a lemon or lime vinaigrette and even Dijon mustard can make a tasty appearance now and again.

Everyone has a different theory on the ratio that should be used.  I like to go 50/50 with oil/acid.  However, a lot of recipes call for three parts oil to one part vinegar.  It really depends on how you prefer the “tangy-ness” of your dressing, so feel free to play around with the ratios and go with what suits your palate best!
Do you make vinaigrettes at home?  If so, what’s your favorite ingredients to toss in and what ratio do you go by?

Always served best in a good ‘ol southern Mason Jar

Basic Vinaigrette

printable recipe

• 1 cup evoo
• 1 cup vinegar (I used ½ cup balsamic and ½ cup raspberry)
• 1 tbs, fresh thyme, chopped
• 2 garlic cloves, finely chopped
• 2 tbs agave nectar
• salt and pepper to taste

Mix all the ingredients in a Mason Jar, top with the lid, and shake.  Serve immediately or keep in the fridge for up to two weeks.

Dawgs in a Blanket

These little apps are great for tailgating or to serve while watching football.  The name is especially appropriate for any Georgia Bulldog fans out there :0)

Depending on kick-off time, you can use breakfast sausage (pictured) or hot dogs.  If you really want to get crazy, you can add cheese, onions or any others fillings you like.  Either way, I promise these little guys will go fast!

Sweet & Savory: Maple-Brown Sugar Breakfast Sausages wrapped in Low-Fat Croissants

Dawgs in a Blanket

printable recipe

Ingredients

• One package breakfast sausage

• Two packages of croissant rolls

Directions
Cook the sausages in a pan on the stove until browned.  On a cutting board, lay out one uncooked croissant roll, lay a cooked sausage in the middle and roll up.  Place the rolled dawgs on a baking sheet and bake according to directions on croissant package. Serve hot!

Related articles

• College Football Rankings: Georgia Bulldogs Move Up To No. 5 (atlanta.sbnation.com)

Fiesta En Tu Boca Enchiladas #SundaySupper

For anyone that doesn’t get the Spanish translation, it’s “Party in Your Mouth” Enchiladas and they are exactly that.  These easy to prepare, rolls of flavor are so tasty you will want seconds…and thirds…and maybe even fourths.  Shhh, I won’t tell anyone.  When I brought leftovers to work, I practically had to beat my co-workers away with a stick after they tried a bite.

I like to start off this meal with a Chilled Avocado Soup (in the summertime) and serve with Spanish rice.  If you like an extra bit of heat with your meal, this Hot Habanero Relish is an amazing accompaniment!

Que delicioso!

Chicken and White Bean Enchiladas

printable recipe

For the Chicken and White Bean Filling:

• 1 tsp evoo
• ½  white onion, chopped
• 4 cloves garlic, minced
• 1 can (4.5 oz) chopped green chiles
• 15.5 oz can Cannellini beans
• 2 cooked shredded chicken breast (I like to boil and shred mine and save the stock to use in the rest of this recipe)
• ½ cup chicken stock from boiling chicken breast
• 1 tsp cumin

For the Green Chile Enchilada Sauce:

• 1 tsp butter
• 1/2 white onion, chopped
• 2 tbsp flour
• 1 cup chicken broth (from boiling chicken earlier)
• 7 oz can chopped green chiles
• 2 jalapeños, chopped (de-seed if you want to go light on the heat)
• salt
• ½ cup light Greek yogurt

• ¾  cup reduced fat Mexican cheese
• 8 medium whole wheat tortillas
• chopped fresh cilantro

Directions:
Preheat oven to 375°.

For the Filling:
In a medium pan, heat olive oil on low. Add onions, garlic and saute until soft, about 2-3 minutes. Add green chiles, beans, chicken stock and cumin. Mix well and cover. Simmer on low 15 minutes. Remove cover, add chicken and cook an additional 5 minutes, or until it thickens and liquid boils down. Set aside.

Enchilada Sauce:
In a large nonstick pan, melt butter over medium heat. Add onion and cook, stirring occasionally, until the onion softens and starts to turn translucent, about 3-4 minutes. Add flour and stir well. Cook for 1 minute, stirring constantly. Slowly whisk in the chicken broth, until it becomes smooth. Cook over medium heat until the sauce boils and thickens, about 4-5 minutes. Add green chiles, jalapeños, and salt to taste. Cook another minute then remove from the heat. Stir in the Greek yogurt.

Spread about 1/4 cup of the enchilada sauce on the bottom of a 9×13″ baking dish. Fill each tortilla with 1/3 cup of the chicken/white bean filling. Roll the tortillas and place seam side down in the prepared baking dish. Continue filling remainder of the tortillas.

Pour the enchilada sauce over the top of the enchiladas. Top with cheese. Cover with aluminum and bake 20-30 minutes, until the enchiladas are hot and the cheese is melted. Remove from oven and top with LOTS of fresh cilantro…and the Habanero Relish, if you please.

Be sure to check out all the fabulous Mexican recipes from this week’s #SundaySupper group, listed below:

Sopas (Soups), Ensaladas (Salads), and Entremeses (Starters)

• Chicken Tortilla Soup – The Girl in the Little Red Kitchen
• Mexican Paint Soup – Crispy Bits & Burnt Ends
• Jalapeño Popper Dip – Chocolate Moosey
• Vegan Tortilla Soup – Galactosemia in PDX
• Texas Caviar – Ruffles and Truffles
• Cheese-Stuffed Jalapeños w/ a Tequila Sunrise – Mama’s Blissful Bites
• Mini Taco Salads -  Big Bear’s Wife
• Mexican 7 Layer Dip & Chips – The Daily Dish Recipes
• Stoplight Salsa Reisipe – Family Foodie

La Comida (the food)

• Tamales – A Family Tradition – Doggie at the Dinner Table
• Fiesta in La Boca Enchiladas (Chicken & White Bean Enchiladas w/ Salsa Verde) – The Hand That Rocks the Ladle
• Enmoladas (Chicken Mole Enchiladas) – The Meltaways
• Gluten-Free Chicken Spinach Artichoke Enchiladas for #SundaySupper – Cooking Underwriter
• Mexican Fiesta for #SundaySupper: Chipotle Chicken & 3 Bean Quesadillas w/ Wasabi Guacamole and Mango Salsa – Chattering Kitchen
• Quick and Easy Fiesta Rice – Granny’s Down Home Southern Cooking
• Carnitas – My Catholic Kitchen
• Tamale Pie – Noshing with the Nolands
• Eggs Motuleños – The Meltaways
• Grilled Fish Tacos with Black Bean and Corn Salsa – Small Wallet Big Appetite
• Carne Asada – Magnolia Days
• Carnitas Avocado Pizza with Chipotle Avocado Mayonnaise Drizzle – Damn Delicious
• Frijoles Charros (Cowboy Beans) – La Cocina de Leslie
• Puerco Pibil – girlichef
• BLT Quesadillas with Avocado Mayo – Cindy’s Recipes and Writings
• Chile Rellenos with Roasted Tomato Sauce – Bobbi’s Kozy Kitchen
• Tamales with Green Chili Sauce – Dinners, Dishes, and Desserts
• Beef and Vegetable Enchiladas – Hezzi D’s Books and Cooks
• Chicken Con Queso - Momma’s Meals
• Baked Flautas – Home Cooking Memories
• Chunky Aztec Chocolate Granola – What Smells So Good?
• Street Tacos Al Pastor – Sustainable Dad
• Shrimp Tacos – Pippi’s in the Kitchen Again
• Chiles Rellenos with Ranchero Sauce – The Little Ferraro Kitchen
• Zippy Chipotle Shrimp & Mango Tostadas – Sue’s Nutrition Buzz
• Pork Tacos – Tora’s Real Food
• Stuffed Sopapillas - Juanita’s Cocina
• Chicken Fajitas – Cravings of a Lunatic
• Blue Crab Tacos – Pescetarian Journal
• Huevos Rancheros – Comfy Cuisine

Postres (desserts)

• Chocolate Cinnamon Flan – Vintage Kitchen Notes
• Caramel Apple Enchiladas for a Mexican Fiesta #SundaySupper – In the Kitchen with KP
• Chilli Chocolate Truffles – Happy Baking Days
• Horchata Ice Cream & Churro Brownies – Kwistin’s Favorites
• Empanadas - In the Kitchen with Audrey and Maureen
• Plantain Fritters – From Fast Food to Fresh Food

Bebidas (beverages)

• Beer Margaritas - That Skinny Chick can bake
• Hatch Chile Margarita - Shockingly Delicious
• Skinny & Spicy Watermelon Margaritas - I Run for Wine
• Refreshing Kiwi Lime Margarita – Mama Mommy Mom
• Wine Pairings for a Mexican Fiesta #SundaySupper – ENOFYLZ

Please be sure you join us on Twitter throughout the day (this coming Sunday, September 16) during #SundaySupper. We’ll be meeting up at 7:00 pm (Eastern) for our weekly #SundaySupper  live chat where we’ll talk about our favorite recipes for a Mexican Fiesta! All you have to do is follow the #SundaySupper hashtag, or you can follow us through TweetChat!  We’d also love to feature your Mexican Fiesta recipes on our #SundaySupper Pinterest board and share them with all of our followers!

#SundaySupper Portabello Paninis

The topic we were given for this week’s #SundaySupper was inspired by the Labor Day Holiday…and the cookout that comes along with a three-day weekend.  I made these portabello paninis. Oh my God.  These sandwiches are so delicious, you’ll want to eat five.  And they are so easy, you won’t believe it. Simply whip up a quick batch of pesto, grill a few portabellos, place them on buns slathered with goat cheese and pesto…and WaLa! They’re ready to go back on the grill for about five minutes and dinner is served! To make them even easier, and so you can spend more time enjoying the long weekend, prepare the pesto ahead of time.

A tasty sandwich hot off the grill

Portabello Paninis

printable recipe

• 4 tbs pesto
• Extra virgin olive oil
• Salt and pepper
• 4 medium portobello mushrooms, stemmed and wiped clean
• 4 soft, round, whole wheat rolls
• 8 tbs goat cheese

Heat the grill (or a panini maker, if making indoors).

Brush the mushrooms with olive oil and sprinkle with salt and pepper. Put them on the grill (or press) and grill for about four minutes.

Meanwhile, open the whole wheat rolls and spread pesto on the bottom half and dollap the goat cheese on the top half.

Once you pull the portabellos off the grill, place them on the pesto-smeared bun and place the goat cheese-smear bun on top.  Spray the top and bottom sides of the bun with olive oil (I love to use my Misto) and place back on the grill for about five minutes.  If grilling, flip the burger about halfway through so the buns get grill marks on both sides.Pull off the grill and serve!  (And try not to let everyone know how little effort it took to make such a delicious dish!

Check out all the Labor Day inspired recipes from the #SundaySupper community below!

 

Starters & Snacks

 

• Lobster Salad with Avocado, Corn and Tomatoes by The Girl in the Little Red Kitchen
• Grilled Vegetable Spread by Magnolia Days
• Toast Topper #8: Tomato Confit for #SundaySupper by Yummy Smells
• Honey BBQ Wings and Cool Ranch by Big Bears Wife
• Finger Lickin’ Chicken Drumettes by Noshing with the Nolands 

Main Dishes

 

• Baked Shrimp and Pasta Caprese by Mama’s Blissful Bites
• Korean chili by Crispy Bits & Burnt Ends
• Newfangled Cowtown White Chicken Chili by Shockingly Delicious
• Strawberry BBQ Pulled Pork Sandwiches by The Weekend Gourmet
• Spicy Seoulful Pulled Pork Sandwiches by Kimchi Mom
• Smoked Pork Butt (A How-To) from Juanita’s Cocina
• Soy Glazed Chicken Thighs by The Messy Baker Blog
• Stuffed Green Chili con Queso Cheeseburger Sliders by Damn Delicious
• Adana kebab by Small Wallet, Big Appetite
• Portabello Paninis by The Hand That Rocks the Ladle
• Bloody Mary Skirt Steak by From Fast Food to Fresh Food
• Tuna and Roasted Pepper Packets by Cindy’s Recipes & Writings
• Mint Marinated Beef Kabobs with Garlic Sauce by Sustainable Dad
• Creamy Latin Style Pasta by Bobbi’s Kozy Kitchen
• Spicy Portuguese Style Sliders by Daily Dish Recipes
• Aromatic Glazed Salmon by Happy Baking Days
• Pork sliders by Basic ‘N Delicious
• Foil Packet Chicken by In the Kitchen with Audrey

 

Salads & Sides

 

• Mom’s Savory Pork’n’Beans by Webicurean
• Ranch Potato Salad by My Catholic Kitchen
• Gluten Free Penne hot salad with basil, asparagus, cherry tomatoes fresh mozzarella and chicken with a mustard vineagarete for #SundaySupper by Cooking Underwriter
• Southern Surprise Potato Salad by Granny’s Down Home Southern Cooking
• #SundaySupper Marinated Ginger Chicken & Spinach Salad by Kwistin’s Favorites
• Roasted Potato & Corn Salad w/ Bacon by GirliChef
• Vegan Caprese Salad by Galactosemia in PDX
• Picnic Friendly Grilled Vegetable Salad by Mama Mommy Mom
• Smokin Hot Caribbean Spiced Corn-On-The-Cob by Sue’s Nutrition Buzz
• Potato salad with Stilton and bacon by Tora’s Real Food
• Tomato Feta Orzo Salad by Family Foodie 

 

Drinks

 

• Frozen Sangria by Supper For a Steal
• Persian mint & cucumber cooler (sekanjabeen) by Family Spice

 

Desserts

 

• lightened lemon pound cake by The Meltaways
• Root Beer Float Cupcakes by Chocolate Moosey
• Strawberry Cream Squares by Dinners, Dishes and Desserts
• Fresh Mango Pie by La Cocina De Leslie
• Brown Butter M&M Cookies by That Skinny Chick Can Bake
• Gluten Free Lemon Blondies by No One Likes Crumbley Cookies
• Blueberry Lemon Cream Cheese Coffee Cake by Baker Street
• Strawberry Pie + White Sangria by Vintage Kitchen Notes
• Grilled Banana Splits by Diabetic Foodie
• Easy Desserts: Frozen Chocolate Bananas by Home Cooking Memories 
• Ice Cream Sandwich Cake by Comfy Cuisine
• Blueberry Lemon Whoopie Pies for a Holiday Cookout #SundaySupper by In the Kitchen with KP

 

Wine Pairings

 

• Labor Day Cookout Food And Wine Pairings byENOFYLZ

 

Please be sure you join us on Twitter throughout the day during #SundaySupper. We’ll be meeting up at 7:00 p.m. EST for our weekly #SundaySupper  live chat where we’ll talk about our favorite cookout recipes!

Easy Peasy Pesto

Pesto is such a flavorful condiment, I honestly don’t know why I don’t make it more often.  The variations on this basic recipe are endless and the fact that there’s no cooking involved in preparing it, makes it perfect for whipping up on a hot summer day.  It’s so versatile it can be used on pasta, fish or even a burger.

Tell me, what do you like to serve your pesto on?

Pesto spread on wheat buns for Portabello Paninis

Basil Pesto

printable recipe

• 1 bunch fresh basil leaves
• 1/4 cup pine nuts
• 2 large garlic cloves, peeled and smashed
• Salt and pepper
• 1/2 cup extra-virgin olive oil
• 1/2 cup grated Parmesan cheese

Pulse the basil, pine nuts, garlic, salt, and pepper in a food processor until finely chopped. With the motor running, slowly add the olive oil and continue processing, stopping to scrape the sides of the bowl as needed, until the mixture forms a thick paste. Transfer to a medium bowl and stir in the Parmigiano. Season to taste with more salt and pepper.

Related articles

• Linguine with red pesto, Ulysses & the Pillars of Hercules (kitchen-memories.com)
• Parsley “pesto” pasta & blogging about cooking (twospoons.wordpress.com)
• Asparagus Pancetta Pesto Pasta (jennieism.wordpress.com)

#SundaySupper #BackToSchool Tots Your Tots Will Love!

As I’ve mentioned, I’ve started making lunch for the ladies in the office and I’m a big fan of Meatless Monday.  So, when I needed something to pair with a Cream of Tomato Soup, these were the perfect match!  I threw together a batch of these ridiculously easy zucchini tots one evening to “test” the recipe to make sure they were good…and, my husband and I devoured the entire pan before they could cool. Needless to say, they are delicious.

Not only are these tots easy to prepare, they can be frozen and reheated in the toaster oven for a quick breakfast or afternoon snack. An added bonus is your family will love them and it’s an tasty way to sneak some veggies into the pickiest of eaters. Feel free to play around with the vegetable and cheese combos.  I think carrots, squash or broccoli would be great substitutions as would monterey jack, swiss or muenster.

Zucchini Tots

printable recipe

Ingredients:

• 1 zucchini, grated
• 1 large egg
• ½ onion, diced
• ¼ cup shredded reduced fat cheddar cheese
• ¼ cup seasoned breadcrumbs
• salt and pepper to taste
• cooking spray

Directions:

Preheat oven to 400°. Spray a mini muffin tin with cooking spray. Grate the zucchini over a paper towel. Pat the excess water out of the zucchini once grated. Combine all the ingredients and season with salt and pepper to taste. Fill the muffin tins with the mixture. Bake for 16-18 minutes, or until the tops are golden. Use a knife to help remove the muffins from the pan and enjoy!

Mix all the ingredients in a medium-sized bowl (I was making a double batch in this pic).

Be sure to fill the tins to the top for a perfect-sized tot.

Related articles

• Spicy Zucchini Pepper Soup (thehealthyflavor.com)
• Classic Zucchini Bread (kitchen-chronicles.com)
• Cheesy Zucchini Rice (todaysmama.com)

Check out more delicious #BackToSchool recipes from the #SundaySupper community listed below:

• Greek Dogs by Supper For a Steal
• Pasta with Sausage and Broccoli by Bobbi’s Kozy Kitchen
• Grilled Chicken Caesar Salad by Magnolia Days
• Double Duty Fajita Chicken: Nachos Supreme and Enchiladas by Doggie at the Dinner Table 
• Zucchini, Corn and Bacon Crepes by Vintage Kitchen
• Oregon Shrimp Quesadillas by Pescetarian Journal 
• Korean omelet rice by Crispy Bits & Burnt Ends
• Lemon Dillled Salmon Croquette Burgers by Granny’s Southern Cooking 
• Gluten Free Pepper Steak with Rice by  No One Likes Crumbley Cookies
• Crispy Ravioli in Cherry Tomato Sauce by Shockingly Delicious
• BLT Soup by Meal Planning Magic
• Korean Pan-Fried Fish by Kimchi Mom
• Stove top mac ‘n cheese by Gotta Get Baked
• Deconstructed Enchiladas by In the Kitchen with KP
• Croque Monsieurs  by Juanita’s Cocina
• Summer Squash and Mushroom Quesadillas by Chocolate Moosey
• Seared Lamb on a bed of Mashed potatoes with Artichoke Hearts by Cooking Underwriter 
• Pasta with Creamy Kale Pesto by Webicurean 
• Baked Spanish Tortilla by Happy Baking Days
• Grilled Chicken Caesar Pizza by In the Kitchen with Audrey
• Chicken Pasta with Spinach and Beans by The Lemon Bowl
• Tomato Pie by My Catholic Kitchen
• Shredded Chicken in Peanut Sauce Tacos w/ Corn & Zucchini Sauté by GirliChef
• Tomatillo Chicken Stew by Small Wallet, Big Appetite
• Pollo a la Crema by La Cocina de Leslie
• Baked Tilapia Fish Tacos by Home Cooking Memories
• Grilled Lemon Pepper Chicken with a Yogurt Dill sauce and a Greek Salad by Noshing with the Nolands
• Wagon Wheel Pasta with Pancetta & Peas by Chelsea’s Culinary Indulgence
• Lemon & Dill Shrimp Pasta w/ Oven Roast Corn by Mama, Mommy, Mom
• Ricotta – Tofu Tomato Toasts by Yummy Smells
• One Pot Spicy Asian Chicken and Rice by Hezzi D
• Turkey Italian Brown Rice Casserole by Momma’s Meals
• Flatbread Pizza with Cilantro Garlic Sauce by Mom’s Test Kitchen
• Kung Pao Shrimp by Mangoes and Chutney
• Cashew Chicken Stir-fry by Diabetic Foodie
• Chicken Bacon Avocado Quesadillas by Dinners, Dishes and Desserts
• Roasted Butternut Lo Mein by The Meltaways
• Potluck Casserole with Cornbread Stuffing by Cindy’s Recipes & Writings
• Jerk Chicken Chili by Mrs. Mama Hen
• Loaded Chicken and Steak Stuffed Potatoes by Big Bears Wife
• Steamed Tofu Serve with Fried Mix Vegetables by My Trial’s in the Kitchen
• Pasta with sausage and cherry tomatoes by Tora’s Real Food
• Chicken Ravioli with Peas and Bacon by Daddy Knows Less
• Chorizo Tomato Pasta with a Creamy Sauce by Avocado Pesto
• Quick N Easy Thai Coconut Shrimp Stir Fry by Sue’s Nutrition Buzz
• Whole Wheat Pizza with Hummus & Fresh Greens by Family Spice
• Speedy ‘n Spicy Shrimp Pasta. Will be dinner this Friday by The Weekend Gourmet
• End of Summer Grilled Peach and Chicken Salad by Sustainable Dad
• Teriyaki Tuna Bowl by Family Foodie
• Weeknight Stir Fry by From Fast Food to Fresh Food
• Baked Egg with Mushrooms and Bacon by Pippi’s in the Kitchen Again
• Taco Bake by Daily Dish Recipes
• Fried Rice and Black Beans by Mama’s Blissful Bites
• Chicken with Broccoli, Sun-dried Tomatoes and Bow Ties by That Skinny Chick Can Bake
• Pasta in Tomato sauce and turkey meatballs by Basic & Delicious
• Pasta Primavera by Midlife Road Trip

Please be sure you join us on Twitter throughout the day on Sunday. We’ll be meeting up at 7:00 p.m. EST for our weekly #SundaySupper live chat where we’ll talk about Back to School Meals and ways to make meal time easier!

All you have to do is follow the #SundaySupper hashtag, or you can follow us through TweetChat! We’ll be sharing great recipes and tips all afternoon, and we’ll be talking all things Back to School Meals during our chat!

We’d also love to feature your Back to School Recipes on our #SundaySupper Pinterest board and share them with all of our followers!

A Meaty Marinara

The summer is winding down and it’s time to start thinking about cooler nights, college football and hearty meals to feed your family.  A good meat sauce is a great recipe to have in your back pocket.  It’s easy to make ahead of time and freeze in batches, so you can defrost it on a busy weeknight while boiling pasta. You can also throw together a lasagna, eggplant parm or another of your favorite Italian dishes once the marinara is done and bake that night, or put in the freezer to save for a night when you have less time to cook.

Marinara over tortellini

Traditional Meat Sauce

printable recipe

Ingredients

• 2 pounds lean ground beef
• 2 cloves garlic, chopped
• Salt and freshly ground black pepper
• 1/8 cup extra virgin olive oil
• 1 onion, diced
• 1 (29-ounce) can tomato puree
• 2 (12-ounce) cans tomato paste
• 1 (15-ounce) can crushed tomatoes
• 2 cups low-sodium chicken stock
• 1/2 cup grated Parmesan
• 1 teaspoon garlic powder
• 1 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
• 1 teaspoon Italian seasoning
• 1 teaspoon chopped parsley leaves

Directions

Brown ground beef with minced garlic and salt and pepper, to taste. Drain ground beef and set aside.

Place oil and onions in a saucepan and saute on high heat until soft. Add all cans of tomato products and chicken stock. Add all other ingredients and heat through. Once hot, add the browned ground beef and simmer on low heat for approximately 1 hour, stirring occasionally. Serve over your favorite pasta, top with freshly grated parmesan and enjoy!

Panko Perfect Poultry

This easy recipe is the perfect starting point for any dish featuring fried chicken breasts.  You can top it with a melted lemon, butter, caper sauce to make it a schnitzel (which is what I did), slice it and toss with greens for a salad with crunch or throw in between buns for a classic chicken sandwich, with pickles, of course.  I prefer to buy the thin cutlets instead of pounding them out myself. This shaves about 10 minutes from your prep time and allows you to get dinner on the table that much quicker.  However you choose to serve it, this basic recipe calls for just a few ingredients that you’re bound to have in your cabinets, which makes it the perfect go-to week night meal when you think your only option is delivery!

Fry the cutlets for three minutes per side

The chicken should be perfectly brown and crispy before removing from oil.

Panko Crusted Chicken

printable recipe

Ingredients

• ½ cup flour
• 3 eggs, beaten
• 1 cup panko (Japanese Bread Crumbs)
• 1 pound package of thinly pounded boneless, skinless chicken cutlets
• Salt and pepper
• ½ cup canola oil

Preparation

1. Set flour, eggs and panko in three separate shallow bowls. Season the chicken cutlets with salt and pepper. Dredge the chicken in the flour, shaking off any excess, then dip in the eggs and coat thoroughly with the panko.
2. In a large skillet, heat canola oil. Add the chicken and cook over moderately high heat, turning once, until golden and crispy, about 3 minutes per side. Transfer the chicken to a paper towel-lined baking sheet and sprinkle with salt.

Curry in a Hurry

I absolutely love curry.  This chicken salad is super fast and easy to throw together in the evening and then perfect in a pita for lunch the next day.  You can make all sorts of alterations by swapping out the flavors of jam; I’ve used guava, mango and apricot.  I’ve also subbed chunks of pineapple for the golden raisins and toasted almonds for the cashews.  I chose to make a twist on Ina Garten‘s recipe by boiling and shredding my chicken, instead of baking it.  Either way, it will turn out great. This is the first chicken salad I’ve made with white wine and it really adds a nice zing, you should give it a try!

A delicious lunch in the office

Curry Chicken Salad

printable recipe

Ingredients

• 3 boneless, skinless chicken breasts
• Olive oil
• Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
• 1 1/2 cups light mayonnaise
• 1/3 cup dry white wine
• 1/4 cup jam or chutney
• 2 tablespoons curry powder
• 2 celery stalks, chopped
• 1/4 cup chopped scallions, white and green parts
• 1/4 cup golden raisins
• 1 cup whole roasted, salted cashews
• Whole wheat pitas

Directions

Place the chicken breasts in a pot of salted water and bring to a boil.  Boil for 15 minutes, then remove from water and shred with two forks. For the dressing, combine the mayonnaise, wine, chutney, curry powder, and 1 1/2 teaspoons salt in the bowl of a food processor fitted with the steel blade. Process until smooth. Combine the chicken with enough dressing to moisten well. Add the celery, scallions, and raisins, and mix well. Refrigerate ovenight to allow the flavors to blend. Add the cashews right before serving,stuffed in half a wheat pita with lettuce.  Enjoy!

 

#MeatlessMonday: Vegetable Quiche

I’ve started preparing lunch for the ladies in the office, for a nominal fee, and this  was a hit last Monday.  The egg whites and cottage cheese make it so light and fluffy, but all the protein keeps you satisfied until lunch times  A vegetable soup (I made Cream of Tomato) or side salad rounds it out to a light and yummy #MeatlessMonday lunch.

For you Weightwatchers members out there, this recipe slices into 10 servings and at just 3 points a serving, you don’t feel guilty about diving into this healthy twist on a breakfast casserole!

A healthy choice for breakfast or lunch!

Vegetable Quiche

printable recipe

Ingredients

• 1.5 cup egg whites (I used egg white substitute)
• 3 large eggs
• 1.5 cups shredded, reduced-fat cheddar
• 1.5 cups shredded, Mexican-blend cheese
• .5 cup 1% milk
• .5 cup all-purpose flour
• 1 tsp baking powder
• .5 tsp salt
• 1 (16 oz) carton low-fat cottage cheese
• cooking spray (I use my Misto)
• 4 cups sliced zucchini
• 1 medium baking potato, diced
• 1 small Vidalia onion, diced
• 1 medium green bell pepper, chopped
• 1 handful button mushroom, sliced
• .5 cup chopped fresh parsley

Directions 

Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Beat eggs and egg whites until fluffy.  Add ¾ cup cheddar and ¾ cup Mexican cheese, milk, flour, baking powder, salt and cottage cheese.  Heat a large pan over med-high heat and coat with cooking spray.  Add zucchini through mushrooms and saute 5 minutes.  Add vegetable mixture and parsley to egg mixture.  Pour mixture into 3qt. casserole dish coated with cooking spray.  Top with remaining cheeses.  Bake at 400 for 15 minutes, the drop the temperature to 350 and continue to bake another 35 minutes.  The casserole will be browned on top when ready.  Let sit and cool for about 10 minutes before slicing. The leftovers are great re-heated, so this recipe makes for a filling breakfast, or lunch, throughout the week!

Related articles

• Meatless Mondays: Baked Vegetable Lasagna (centerforlivingpeace.wordpress.com)

#MeatlessMonday: Kale & Quinoa Pilaf

I’ve had several people ask me for a good quinoa recipe lately, and this is the one I always recommend.  The lemon gives it a refreshing, summery taste and the mixture of toasted pine nuts, kale and quinoa give it a surprising heartiness that leaves you feeling full.  It’s great on its own, or alongside a tasty wrap to round out a healthy lunch.  This recipe is a great guide, because you can swap out different ingredients to change up the taste…use almonds or walnuts instead of pine nut, sub feta or cubed mozzarella for the goat cheese or even use a different grain, such as Farro, for the base.   The combinations are endless while staying healthy, delicious and budget-friendly.

A satisfying choice for Meatless Monday

Kale & Quinoa Pilaf

 Printable Recipe

Ingredients

• 2 cups salted water
• 1 cup quinoa
• 1 bunch kale, washed and sliced into 1” ribbons
• 1 lemon (Meyer, if you can find them) zested and juiced
• 2 scallions,chopped
• 1tbs roasted walnut oil (you can use evoo or sunflower oil, but the walnut oil really has a  great flavor)
• 3 tbs toasted pine nuts
• ¼ cup crumbled goat cheese

Bring the salted water to a boil and add quinoa. Cover and lower the heat to simmer.  Simmer 10 minutes, then top with chopped kale and re-cover.  Simmer 5 more minutes then remove from heat and let sit for 5 minutes. Meanwhile, combine lemon juice and zest through goat cheese in a medium bowl.  Head back to the stove to check on the quinoa.  It should have absorbed all the liquid and you should be able to fluff it with a fork.  Mix the kale in with the quinoa, then pour over lemon/oil mixture.  You can serve immediately or chill overnight and have for lunch the next day. It’s great served warm or cold!

Related articles

• Superfoods 101 & Not Your Everyday Greek Salad (healthygirlandthecity.wordpress.com)

#SundaySupper: Meatloaf with Blackberry BBQ Sauce

This week’s #SundaySupper topic was “What does Sunday supper mean to you and your lifestyle?”

In our home, Sunday is a day that we look forward to.  It’s a day we like to pack up our dog, kayak and a few friends and head to Stone Mountain Park for some outdoor fun.  Now, the end to a day of play in nature (and often times a weekend with a little too much fun ;o)  is always a hearty home cooked meal.  Once dinner is placed on the table, we rehash stories from the weekend and share what’s on the horizon for the days ahead.

Kayaking at Stone Mountain with our pup not far behind

So, when a few weeks, ago my husband requested meatloaf, I knew just the recipe I wanted to try.  I came across it on one of my favorite recipe sites and had been wanting to prepare it for some time. Although I often think of meatloaf as a cold weather entrée, the blackberry bbq sauce on this one makes it perfect for a summertime meal. Of course I tweaked the original recipe a bit, as I don’t eat veal, I’m obsessed with Vidalia onions, I loooove garlic and I never buy whitebread.  I’d also like to add that it’s not only the bbq sauce that makes this recipe special.  I have never put milk in my meatloaf before and I am now a firm believer that it’s the secret to THE most moist meat you will ever eat.  Give it a try and I’m sure you will agree!

Meatloaf with Blackberry BBQ Sauce

Printable Recipe

Ingredients for meatloaf:

• 1 pound ground beef
• 1 pound ground sausage
• 1 Vidalia onion, diced
• ½ tsp dried basil
• ½ tsp each of salt and pepper
• 6 cloves of garlic, chopped
• 1 tbs Worcestershire
• 1 egg, beaten
• ¾ cup 1% milk
• ¾ cup plain breadcrumbs

Ingredients for blackberry bbq sauce:

• 2 Vidalia onions, peeled and quartered
• 4 cloves of garlic, chopped
• 2 cups blackberries (if using frozen, like I did, make sure they are thawed)
• ½ cup brown sugar
• 1 tbs ground ginger
• 1 tsp cayenne
• generous pinch each of salt and pepper

For the sauce:  Add all the bbq sauce ingredients to a blender, or food processor, and blend until smooth.  Pour into a small saucepan and heat on medium for about 20 minutes (if you have a splatter screen, now is a good time to use it).  After 20 minutes, remove from heat and set aside.

For the meatloaf:  Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Mix all the meatloaf ingredients together in a bowl until evenly distributed.  Fill a greased, 5×9 pan  with the meat mixture and  spread out so it’s even on top.  Spread about a half a cup of the bbq sauce on top of the meat and bake for 1 hour and 25 minutes.  Be sure to check on the loaf about every 30 minutes and when the sauce begins to turn brown on the top, place aluminum foil over the top to keep the sugars in the bbq sauce from burning.

Once the meatloaf is completely cooked, remove from oven and let it sit for 5 minutes before serving.

When serving, pour some of the bbq sauce on top of the slices of meatloaf and serve with a couple hearty sides. I went with mashed potatoes and roasted brussel sprouts.

Meatloaf: pre-oven

Meatloaf: post-oven. Mmmm, check out that crust.

While you’re here, be sure to check out the amazing recipes that my fellow foodies in the #SundaySupper community have put together for today’s topic. They inspire me each week and I’m sure they’ll do the same for you!

• Blueberry Muffins by Magnolia Days
• ‎Korean Ribs – Alaska Camping Edition with MrsMamaHen
• Fresh Corn on the Cob by In the Kitchen with Audrey
• Hearts of Palm Salad with Avocado by Basic n Delicious
• Shallot BBQ Shredded Beef by Juanita’s Cocina
• Taking #SundaySupper Outdoors With a Fun Picnic…Featuring Spicy Pinto and Black Bean Salad with Roasted Corn and Avocado by The Weekend Gourmet
• On Top of Our Game with Chocolate Peanut Butter Protein Bars by The Watering Mouth
• Chicken & Dumplings Around the Campfire by Daily Dish Recipes
• Wine & Food Festivals; a lifestyle the whole family can enjoy! by Wine Everyday
• Outdoor Grilling Filipino Rice Cakes in Coconut & Banana Leaves by The Queen’s Notebook
• Embracing Old Family Traditions while Creatiing New Ones ~ Enchiladas de Chile y Ajo by Girlichef
• The Embassy´s Nut Crescents by Vintage Kitchen Notes
• Chicken Curry Pie by Small Wallet Big Appetite
• Prosecco Sangria by Pippi’s in the Kitchen Again
• Grilled Campfire Steak with Bleu Cheese Sauce by The Messy Baker
• Bringing #SundaySupper to All by Doggie at the Dinner Table
• Honey Mustard Baked Beans by Cindy’s Recipes and Writings
• S’mores Brownies: Desserts Make #SundaySupper by Mama Mommy Mom
• Tandoori Salmon Rolled in Whole Wheat Couscous by Sue’s Nutrition Buzz
• Whole Wheat Macaroni with Spinach Pecan Pesto-Enjoying  by Soni’s Food for Thought
• Southwestern Chicken Wraps Fam Friends Food
• Ahi Tuna Salad Family Style Family Foodie
• Wines For The Foods That Move You ENOFYLZ

A Phantastic Philly

So, a phew weekends ago, the Braves were playing sweeping the Phillies and during the Sunday game, the t.v. announcers were tossing out some interesting facts.  Apparently, the Braves hold the record phor the most Philly Cheesesteaks ordered while at the Philles’ stadium than any other team. Well, they went on and on about it and within a phew minutes, my hubby and I were drooling over the idea of a cheesesteak of our own.  So, I phound a couple of recipes, blended them…and added some slices of jalapenos (a secret phrom a chef at a restaurant I used to work).  What I ended up with is enough to make your phamily turn into philly phanatics!

Cooking it up

Toasty, mayo slathered bun

You hit a home run when you serve this!

Philadelphia Cheesesteak with Garlic Mayo

• 4 whole wheat hoagie rolls
• 1 lb.deli roast beef, sliced thin
• 1 tbs evoo
• 1 tbs light butter
• 1 onion (I’ve been using Vidalias for everything lately and they work great!)
• 1 green bell pepper
• 1 jalapeno pepper (control the heat by including, or omitting seeds)
• 4 slices american cheese
• 1/4 cup light mayo
• 1 garlic glove, finely chopped

Heat a pan on the stove on medium.  Add butter and evoo.  Once butter has melted, add onions and peppers.  Cook for about 10 minutes until all the veggies are soft.  Season with salt and pepper. Pushed vegetables to the side and add roast beef to pan and heat through until no longer pink.  Meanwhile, toast the hoagie rolls very lightly, smear them with the garlic mayo and top with the pepper, meat, cheese mixture.  Serve hot and with hot sauce, salt, pepper and extra mayo.

 

Related articles

• Cheesesteak Quesadillas with Hass Avocado Recipe (sports.avocadocentral.com)
• NY Food Truck Lunch: Cheesesteak From Shorty’s On Wheels (newyork.cbslocal.com)
• Philly Cheesesteak Stuffed Peppers (thevreelandclinic.wordpress.com)

A Condiment with a Kick

This relish was served as a condiment at most of the restaurants throughout Belize.  If you like a little heat, then this is definitely something you might want to make a weekly batch of and keep on hand to use on, well…anything.  You can adjust the heat slightly by omitting the seeds of the habanero, but either way, it’s going to pack some kick.  We’ve used this on tacos, quesadillas, mole, enchiladas and more!

What will you serve it with?

Hot Habanero Relish

printable recipe 

• 1 white onion, roughly chopped
• 1 habanero, roughly chopped and deseeded (for less heat)
• 2 tbs white vinegar
• 1tbs water

Mix everything together in a small dish and refrigerate. The longer it sits, the bigger the punch it packs.

Que caliente!

Related articles

• Habanero compound butter (culinaryengineering.me)

#MeatlessMonday Corn & Black Bean Quesadillas

I’ve really gotten into this #Meatless Monday thing once I realized what positive benefits it reaps…both to the individual and the environment.  Not to mention, having a meat-free day also saves a few pennies.  This veggie quesadilla was a Monday evening hit a few weeks ago. I served it with a Chilled Avocado Soup for a tasty and nurient-packed dinner.  You don’t have to stick to the veggies listed, either.  I think it would be great with caramelized onions, sliced bell peppers and/or mushrooms.

Corn and Black Bean Quesadillas

printable recipe 

Ingredients

• 2 teaspoons olive oil
• 3 tablespoons finely chopped onion
• 1 (15.5 ounce) can black beans, drained and rinsed
• 1 (10 ounce) can whole kernel corn, drained
• 1 tablespoon brown sugar
• 1/4 cup salsa
• 1/4 teaspoon red pepper flakes
• 2 tablespoons butter, divided
• 8 (8 inch) whole wheat tortillas
• 1 1/2 cups shredded Monterey Jack cheese, divided
• ¼ cup fresh cilantro, chopped

Directions

1. Heat oil in a large saucepan over medium heat. Stir in onion, and cook until softened, about 2 minutes. Stir in beans and corn, then add sugar, salsa, and pepper flakes; mix well. Cook until heated through, about 3 minutes.
2. Melt 2 teaspoons of the butter in a large skillet over medium heat. Place a tortilla in the skillet, sprinkle evenly with cheese, top with some of the bean mixture and top with fresh cilantro. Place another tortilla on top, cook until golden, then flip and cook on the other side. Melt more butter as needed, and repeat with remaining tortillas and filling.

#SundaySupper #BeatTheHeat Gazpacho

When my husband and I were on our honeymoon in San Pedro, Belize in May, we shared a delicious bowl of gazpacho at the Blue Water Grill.  It was our final night on the island before heading inland to San Ignacio –what a delicious choice for our  last meal! The refreshingly cool bowl of soup was welcome on the palate after a long hot day at the beach.  As soon as we returned home I immediately searched, and found, an amazing recipe for the chilled appetizer by Ina Garten.  This has definitely made it to the list of summer staples!

P.S.Be sure to check out more #BeatTheHeat recipes listed below from fellow members of the #SundaySupper community!

Gazpacho

Printable recipe 

Ingredients

• 1 cucumber, halved and seeded, not peeled
• 2 red bell peppers, cored and seeded
• 4 Roma tomatoes
• 1 red onion, I’ve alo used Vidalia, which is a sweet substitution
• 3 garlic cloves, minced
• 3 cups Mott’s Low Sodium Garden Blend tomato juice
• 1/4 cup white wine vinegar
• 1/4 cup olive oil
• 1/2 tablespoon salt
• 1 teaspoon ground black pepper
• Garnish – fresh avocado, mango, pineapple or papaya, cubed

Directions

Roughly chop the cucumbers, bell peppers, tomatoes, and red onions into 1-inch cubes. Put each vegetable separately into a food processor fitted with a steel blade and pulse until it is coarsely chopped for a chunky soup.  Blend longer for a smoother version (we prefer chunky). After each vegetable is processed, combine them in a large bowl and add garlic, tomato juice, vinegar, olive oil, salt, and pepper. Mix well and chill overnight before serving. Garnish with ripe avocado, mango, pineapple or papaya.

#BeatTheHeat Appetizers:

• Refreshing Chunky Shrimp Salsa ~ The Weekend Gourmet
• Totally Cool Green Hummus ~ My Kitchen and I
• Smoked Whitefish Salad Bagel Bites ~ Cindy’s Recipes and Writings
• Watermelon and Goat Cheese Bites ~ Chelsea’s Culinary Indulgence
• Strawberry Gazpacho ~ Diabetic Foodie
• Grilled Loaded Baked Potato Skins ~ In the Kitchen with KP
• Sweet & Tangy Chili Lime Fruit Salad ~ Sue’s Nutrition Buzz

#BeatTheHeat Salads, Soups, & Sides:

• Cool Cucumber Salad ~ Momma’s Meals
• Lemony Garbanzo Kale Salad with Tuna ~ Shockingly Delicious
• Hungarian Cucumber Salad Recipe – Uborkasaláta Recept ~ The Watering Mouth
• Tomato Salad with Macadamia Cheese ~ Cooking’s Good Vegetarian Cafe
• Char-Grilled Corn Salad ~ The Little Ferraro Kitchen
• Summertime Sweet Pea Salad ~ Granny’s Down Home Southern Cooking
• Apple and Poppy Seed Coleslaw ~ Damn Delicious
• Cold Cucumber and Rice Salad ~ Mama.Mommy.Mom
• Chilly Dilly Cucumber Soup with Shrimp ~ Comfy Cuisine
• Mom’s Creamy Pea Salad ~ Bobbi’s Kozy Kitchen
• Greek (Yogurt) Potato Salad ~ Family Foodie

#BeatTheHeat Main Dishes:

• Rainbow Slaw with Steak and Chipotle Crema ~ Cooking By The Seat of our Pants
• Slow Cooker Lemon Chicken ~ Make Dinner Easy
• Rolling with Kimbap ~ Kimchi Mom
• Ranch Chicken Tacos ~ Pippi’s In The Kitchen Again
• Serrano Ham, Mozzarella and Arugula Sandwiches ~ Vintage Kitchen Notes
• Slow Cooker Root Beer Pulled Pork ~ Cupcakes and Kale Chips
• No Bake Pizza ~ The Meltaways

#BeatTheHeat Desserts:

• Strawberry Cheesecake Ice Cream ~ Supper for a Steal
• No-Cook Egg-Free Peanut Butter Cup Ice Cream ~ Chocolate Moosey
• Peach Sorbet ~ Magnolia Days
• Icebox Chocolate Pie ~ Doggie at the Dinner Table
• Honey and Elderflower Ice Cream ~ Small Wallet Big Appetite
• Blackberry Lavender Popsicles ~ Girlichef
• Frozen Chocolate Bananas ~ In the Kitchen with Audrey
• Strawberry-Lime Margarita Ice Cream ~ Cookistry
• Elegant Fruit Jellies ~ Happy Baking Days
• Cookie Ice Cream Sandwiches ~ That Skinny Chick Can Bake
• Blueberry Cheesecake Ice Cream ~ Baker Street
• Vanilla Peach Swirl Frozen Yogurt ~ Dinners, Dishes, and Desserts
• Espresso and Toasted Almond Semifreddo ~ The Messy Baker
• Mango Ice Cream ~ Queen’s Notebook
• Raspberry Mousse ~ Basic and Delicious
• White Apricot & Honeysuckle Sorbet ~ Family Spice
• Biscoff Ice Cream Cupcakes ~ Juanita’s Cocina

#BeatTheHeat Drinks & Cocktails:

• Shirley Temple ~ Cravings of a Lunatic
• Prickly Pear White Wine Spritzer ~ Hezzi-D’s Books and Cooks
• Classic Daquiri ~ Katherine Martinelli
• Salty Lassi ~ Soni’s Food for Thought
• Blueberry Mint Lemonade ~ Pescetarian Journal
• Sweet Basil & Cucumber Melon Smoothie ~ Daily Dish Recipes

Menu Plan Monday

#Meatless Monday: Leftovers

Tuesday: Philly Cheesesteaks with Garlic Mayo {Inspired by the Braves sweeping the Phillies this weekend}

Wednesday: Chicken and White Bean Enchiladas with Creamy Salsa Verde

Thursday:  Meatloaf with Blackberry Barbeque Sauce

Friday:  Leftovers

Saturday: Atlanta Street Food Festival to benefit the Atlanta Community FoodBank

Related articles

• Metz Culinary Management Joins the National Meatless Monday Movement (prweb.com)

Red, White and Green

A friend served this delicious chilled avocado soup at her summer party and my husband insisted I recreate it at home.  Boy, am I glad she shared this recipe with me (thanks Kathryn!)!  Not only is it extremely flavorful and refreshing, but it’s quite versatile.  When I made this batch originally, I served it alongside Black Bean and Corn Quesadillas for a #MeatlessMonday dish, and then used it again later in the week as a dressing on a Taco Salad.  It would also be delicious as a layer in a Mexican dip, a sauce over a taco or served atop grilled shrimp or chicken.  This recipe has definitely made into my list of summer staples!

Chilled Avocado Soup with Chile Lime Pepitas

 Ingredients

• 1 medium poblano chile
• 1 small white onion, sliced into 1/4 -inch-thick rings
• 2-1/2 cups lower-salt chicken broth; more as needed
• 2 medium firm-ripe avocados, pitted, peeled, and cut into large chunks
• 1/2 cup chopped fresh cilantro
• 2 Tbs. chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley
• 2 tsp. chopped fresh marjoram or oregano (optional)
• 1/4 cup fresh lime juice (from 2 medium limes)
• 1 tsp. ground cumin
• 1/2 tsp. ground coriander
• Kosher salt
• 1/2 cup plain non-fat yogurt
• 1 tsp. extra-virgin olive oil
• 1/2 cup pepitas (pumpkin seeds)
• 1/8 tsp. chile powder; more for serving

Instructions

On a gas stove, turn a burner to high and set the poblano directly over the flame, turning it with tongs, until completely charred, 5 to 8 minutes. Alternatively, on an electric stove, heat the broiler on high and char the poblano on all sides on a baking sheet placed directly under the broiler. Put the poblano in a bowl, cover, and set aside to steam and loosen the skin. When cool enough to handle, peel, seed, and cut the poblano into 1/4 -inch dice.

Heat an 11- to 12-inch cast-iron skillet over medium-high heat, add the onion and cook, turning a few times, until soft and browned in places, about 5 minutes.

In a blender, purée until smooth all but 1 Tbs. of the poblano, the onion, broth, avocado, cilantro, parsley, marjoram or oregano (if using), 2 Tbs. of the lime juice, cumin, coriander, and 1 tsp. salt. Blend in the yogurt. Season to taste with more salt. Chill well.

Heat the oil in a 10-inch skillet over medium heat. Add the pepitas and cook until they begin to pop and color a bit, about 3 minutes. Add the remaining 2 Tbs. lime juice, the chile powder, and 1/8 tsp. salt and stir until the juice has evaporated, leaving a film on the pan.

Season the soup to taste with salt and thin with broth if necessary. Divide among 6 cups or small bowls and garnish with the pepitas, the remaining poblano, and a few pinches of chile powder.

Related articles

• Elote (Mexican Grilled Corn on the Cob) (foodcomas.com)
• Tequila & Lime Fish Tacos (ahealthylifeforme.com)
• Save Over 700 Calories at Your Cookout with These Easy Swaps (self.com)

Menu Plan Monday

Meatless Monday: Portobello Burgers with Farro Salad

Tuesday: Steak Skewers with Scallion Dipping Sauce over Coconut Rice

Wednesday: Leftovers

Thursday: Carnitas

Friday: Pulled Pork Quesadillas

Saturday: A Belizean Feast — recreating a feast of many of the foods my husband and I enjoyed on our honeymoon in May

Related articles

• No Meat, No Problem – Join the Meatless Monday revolution with these vegetarian cookbooks (theinsider.retailmenot.com)

#SundaySupper: Bacon & Eggs

My aunt has been making these popular party apps for as long as I can remember and they always go fast at family get.  I’m pretty sure it’s the bacon that keeps ‘em coming back for seconds, thirds and fourths.  Now, I’ve never actually asked my aunt for the recipe, I just know she puts bacon in hers, which is what I started doing a few years ago. I’ve also added a personal touch of a little bit of honey mustard for some zing. So, although our batches might not come out tasting exactly the same, they are both delicious!

Deviled Eggs with Bacon

• 2 dozen eggs
• 1 pound low-sodium bacon
• 1/4 cup light mayo
• 2 tbs honey mustard
• A few dashes of hot sauce, to taste
• Salt and pepper, to taste
• 1 tbs fresh Italian parsley, chopped
• 1 tbs chile powder

Instructions

Place the raw eggs in a large pot and fill pot with water until eggs are just covered.  Bring  to a boil, then lower to a simmer for about 15 minutes.  Turn the heat off and let them sit another 5 to 10 minutes, then pour out the hot water, fill pot with cold water and add a few ice cubes.  I find chilling the eggs makes them a little easier to peel.

While the eggs are boiling, go ahead and fry up the bacon making sure to cook it extra crispy so it’s easy to crumble later.

Once all the eggs are peeled, slice them in half, length-wise, and place all the cooked yolks in one bowl and the egg white halves on an egg platter.  Add the mayo through parsley to the yolks and mix thoroughly.  You might want to add a little more mayo and/or mustard to reach your desired creaminess.  Fold in the bacon,crumbling while adding, and fill the egg white halves with the yolk mixture.  Dust with chili powder and serve!

Tip:  If making ahead of time, mix everything together except for bacon. I save that for the last-minute so you don’t risk it getting too soft.  Also,do not assemble the yolk mixture with the egg whites until right before serving.  This keeps any deviled egg bandits from sneaking a taste before putting on the table ;0)

Related articles

• How to cook Carbonara (with bacon) – My Way (foodservicewarehouse.com)
• Fat (foodservicewarehouse.com)
• Bacon-tastic Food! (zoinkmediablog.wordpress.com)

The Launching of a Logo

So, I have an official logo. Whatcha think?

A big thank you to John Cox of Decatur,GA for creating this whimsical identity!

A Summer Sammie

Nothing makes me happier in the summer (foodwise, anyway) than when green tomatoes are in season.  So imagine my excitement when I visited the DeKalb Farmer’s Market and there was a whole bin filled with perfectly round, beautiful green tomatoes.  I grabbed a few, googled a recipe for fried green tomatoes and was home making Fried Green Tomato BLT’s faster than you can say sweet tea.

Now, my favorite fried green tomatoes are made with a cornmeal batter, however you can find recipes without, if that’s your preference.  I also like to dress it with homemade chipotle mayo.  If you don’t like chipotle, or if it’s too hot for you, you can always use paprika, chili powder or fresh herbs like Italian parsley or cilantro.  Anywho, this recipe came out divine and I’ve already made two batches.  They are delicious when served immediately after frying the tomatoes.  I’m working on finding a way to heat them up later for a sandwich the next day or a way to take them for lunch, but they just get soggy.  Any suggestions on how to re-heat them while keeping them crisp are welcome!

Fried Green Tomato BLTs

Ingredients (4 servings)

• 4 large green tomatoes
• 2 eggs
• 1/2 cup milk
• 1 cup all-purpose flour
• 1/2 cup cornmeal
• 1/2 cup bread crumbs
• 2 teaspoons coarse kosher salt
• 1/4 teaspoon ground black pepper
• 1 quart vegetable oil for frying
• 8 slices of whole wheat bread
• 1/2 pound low-sodium bacon, fried
• Lettuce
• Chipotle Mayo: 1/2 cup of light mayo + 1 tablespoon (or more, depending on your heat tolerance) of chipotle in adobo sauce, be sure to chop the chipotle before mixing

Directions

1. Slice tomatoes 1/2 inch thick. Discard the ends.
2. Whisk eggs and milk together in a medium-size bowl. Scoop flour onto a plate. Mix cornmeal, bread crumbs and salt and pepper on another plate. Dip tomatoes into flour to coat. Then dip the tomatoes into milk and egg mixture. Dredge in breadcrumbs to completely coat.
3. In a large skillet, pour vegetable oil (enough so that there is 1/2 inch of oil in the pan) and heat over a medium heat. Place tomatoes into the frying pan in batches of 4 or 5, depending on the size of your skillet. Do not crowd the tomatoes, they should not touch each other. When the tomatoes are browned, flip and fry them on the other side. Drain them on paper towels.
4. To serve, slather each side of bread with the chipotle mayo and layer fried green tomato, lettuce and bacon.  Enjoy!

La Isla Bonita

Since I’ve been on a blogging hiatus due to wedding hecticness, I thought it was only appropriate to kick off the summer featuring some of the amazing food my husband and I experienced during our honeymoon in Belize.  We actually had two legs of our trip, so I’m going to write two posts on our travels, one from each region we vacationed.

We first visited the island of San Pedro, Belize, which you may not know, inspired Madonna’s song, La Isla Bonita.  The “isla” was, in fact, very beautiful and the people friendly.  My favorite part, of course, was the food!  Our favorite restaurant, Waruguma, was El Salvadoran inspired and had two of the best dishes we ate on the island (we actually went there twice during the week we were there).  Our favorite were the Pupusas, which is a corn pancake filled with whatever you like.  Choices usually include beans and cheese (our go-to order), pork, chicken, shrimp, etc.  This dish is served with a cabbage slaw that you pile on top as well as a mild “red” sauce.  The first day we arrived, we went straight to this little hole in the wall and ordered a few Pupusas and a Shrimp Coconut Cream Burrito.  Wow.  Probably the best burrito I’ve tasted in my life.  I’ve already tried recreating it, but, in my opinion, was not even close (although Jim said it was fantastic).

Another highlight of the trip was the Friday night Mayan buffet at Elvi’s Kitchen.  What a spread!  There was a delicious Cream of Squash Soup garnished with toasted pumpkin seeds and croutons, Caramelized Plantains, Chicken Mole, Refried Black Beans, Shrimp Tostadas, Fish in a Coconut Broth, Tamales and Flan and Fresh Fruit to end the meal.  Jim was unable to surpass his buffet record of six plates of food.  I ate a mere four.  Needless to say, we were stuffed upon leaving!

Most of our other meals consisted of popping into places someone had recommended.  A local bartender at the Wahoo Lounge recommended The Reef Restaurant which was very good.  We ordered Pupusas (of course), Panades (which is basically an empanada) and Salbutes (similar to a tostada). Another place we tried was Hemingway’s.  The owner, John, was extremely friendly and the Snapper Cakes there were divine.  Since we were honeymooners, he offered us a special concoction of fresh squeezed juices and rum.  It was very refreshing and I will be making this at home, as well.

If you are a coffee drinker, the best (read strongest) coffee can be found at the Sailaway Cafe.  They also serve a pretty mean pannini with chipotle dipping sauce that Jim and I split for an afternoon snack.

Throughout the trip we also made a couple late-night stops at the street vendors.  They might quite possibly have the best food in the country!  Cooked fresh right in front of you and loaded with veggies and hot sauces.  Yum!

The last evening we went out to a fancy dinner at Blue Water Grill, white tablecloths and all.  Although we were a little wary upon entering because there were no locals inside, we were blown away by the service and taste and presentation of the food.  We ordered Gazpacho and Coconut Shrimp to start off with and both were absolutely delicious.  I’ve already recreated an amazing Gazpacho and will be sharing that recipe soon.  I ordered the special which was an Oven-Fried Grouper with a Lemon Mustard Sauce, Rice and Roasted Veggies.  Jim ordered Grilled Grouper topped with a Mango Salsa and served with Sweet Potato Patties.  The meal here was an exquisite end to our journey.

We were definitely sad to leave the island when our time was up…especially since we missed the start of lobster season/LobsterFest by two and a half weeks!  In between meals we spent our time snorkeling, biking, fishing and enjoying island life.  However, the second leg of our trip did not disappoint.  Next up: San Ignacio, Belize!

Oh, and everything’s better with a Belikin.

Related articles

• Honeymoon in La Isla Bonita (itinerariesnow.com)

Menu Plan Monday

Now that my schedule has calmed down after planning and executing my dream wedding, it’s time to get back to cooking and blogging!  I’m not sure who is more excited, myself, because I’ve missed the kitchen (leading up to the wedding I jumped from one diet to the next, clear liquids, Atkins, etc. so my appliances have been dormant for a bit) or my hubby, because he was on his own and pretty much lived off hot dogs and sandwiches the past three months.  Sorry babe!

Anywho, I have a few things going on this week, but am excited to put together my first weekly menu plan in awhile! 

#SundaySupper:  Father’s Day Dinner of Minestrone, Lasagna and Garlic Bread.  Dessert was a Strawberry Buttercream Cake from The German Bakery

Monday: Leftovers

Tuesday: Junior League Social at Square Pub (and my one month anniversary!). It’s appropriate we’ll be here since this is where my wedding “after-party” was held.  Their menu goes above and beyond the typical bar food.  (Hint: anything with Hatch Chiles is ah-mazing.)

Wednesday: Dinner at a friend’s house, menu TBD

Thursday:  Fried Green Tomato Sammies w/ Sweet Potato Fries (I made Fried Green Tomato BLTs last week and they were so good, I thought I’d expand on the basic recipe and add a few more ingredients.)  Also, super-excited to use my new mandolin to make home-made fries. 

Friday: I’m headed to Athens, GA for a Junior League Conference for the weekend, which means I’ll be eating at some of the best restaurants (in my opinion) around!  I’m hoping to hit The National, Speakeasy and The Grit…not to mention see some good music, as it’s AthFest weekend. 

Besides getting back into the swing of menu planning, grocery shopping, cooking and researching new recipes, I’m excited to announce that “The Hand” will be getting a whole new look in the very near future.  Stay tuned for updates on the big reveal!

Lemony Lentils

Image via Wikipedia

So, what does one do when one is fasting (only clear liquids + diet soda) to pass the time?  Cook for the next day!  Yes, it was probably not the best idea I’ve ever had.  I thought cooking would make me less hungry because it would be like a normal night, (me cooking) but it wasn’t.  Because it wasn’t a normal night (me not eating).  Well, in the throes of hunger, I decided to whip up a gigantic batch of lemon lentil soup to share with the ladies in the office, and to go with my mediterranean wraps for the week.

Plus, I had a lot of onions and lemons leftover from Superbowl Party prep.

Lemon Lentil Soup

• 2 TBS evoo
• 4 cups chicken stock
• 1 bay leaf
• ½ cup red lentils
• salt and pepper to taste
• 1 onion, diced
• 1 carrot, diced
• 1/4 jalapeno, seeded and chopped
• ½ cup shredded parmesan
• 1 lemon, juiced
• 1/4 cup chopped, fresh parsley

Saute onions in evoo for about 5 miknutes on med heat.  Add garlic, jalapeno, carrots, celery and bay leaf and saute another five minutes.  Add chicken stock and bring to a boil.  Add lentils, salt and pepper and reduce to a simmer.  Let simmer about half and hour.  Turn off heat and add lemon juice.  Serve hot and garnish with parmesan and parsley.

Weekly Menu Plan

 

There's a lot of Mondays this month...

I’ve started a new regime, which is fasting on Mondays…only clear liquids.  Yesterday was my first day trying this out and it went okay.  I made a batch of homemade chicken stock on Sunday to sip on throughout the day.  Add in water, diet soda (which is cheating just a  little bit), hot tea and iced tea and I made it through the day without a nibble!  Honestly, I was okay from the neck down, ie: my stomach wasn’t growling all day, but from the neck up, mentally, I wanted to eat!  All I have to say right now is TGIT — thank Goodness it’s Tuesday!

Monday: Fasting

Tuesday: Lemony Linguine with Sausage [WeightWatchers Magazine]

Wednesday: Chicken and Dumplings [Jim's Family Recipe]

Thursday:  Dinner in the China Town Food Court — first visit, very excited!

Friday: Leftovers

Tell me, do you ever fast?  What helps you get through the day?

Monday Menu Plan

Monday:  Jambalaya {this UGA fan is cheering for LSU in the BCS Championship tonight}

Tuesday: Mushroom & Wild Rice Soup and Orange Chicken with Fried Rice

Wednesday: Leftovers

Thursday:  Preparing dinner for the guests of Atlanta Hospital Hospitality House with the ladies of Junior League DeKalb.  Menu: Butternut Squash Soup, Meatloaf, Roasted Brussel Sprouts and Farro Risotto

Friday:  Jim making something

 

Monday Menu Plan

It’s a new year, so let’s stick to those healthy resolutions by featuring, not one, but two vegetarian dinners this week.  The portobello burgers have become a weekly regular for us.  So tasty AND guilt-free.  Who’d a thought adding a couple of shakes of steak seasoning to mushrooms would make them taste so meaty and delicious???

Meatless Monday: Butternut Squash Soup & Kale and Quinoa Pilaf

Meatless Tuesday: Portobello Burgers

Wednesday:  Leftovers

Thursday:  Jim’s Making Indian

Friday:  Gu’s Bistro

Related articles

• 3 Most Popular Meatless Monday Vegetarian Recipes for 2011 (planetforward.ca)
• Statistic of the day: New Year’s resolutions (marshallstanton.com)
• 10 Green New Year’s Resolutions for 2012 (motherjones.com)

A Little Sweet and a Little Savory

An argument that may go on to the end of time: Stuffing or Dressing?

I like both, but when it comes to me preparing it, I vote for dressing.

This is another hit recipe from Thanksgiving and the leftovers were just a tasty the second and third time (hot or cold). Again, Jim said this was the best dressing he’s ever had…but he’s been saying that a lot lately. Not sure if my cooking skills are just getting better, or if he just really loves it when I’m doing the cooking. Either one is good in my book!

Dressing mixed and ready to go in the oven

Sage, Sausage and Apple Dressing

Ingredients

• 16-ounce bag stuffing cubes
• 6 tablespoons unsalted butter, plus more for greasing the pan and topping
• 1 pound of your favorite sausage (I used Andouille)
• 1 medium onion, chopped
• 2 cooking apples, such as Gravenstein, Rome, or Golden Delicious, peeled, cored, and chopped
• 1 to 2 ribs celery with leaves, chopped
• 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
• 3 cups chicken broth, homemade or low-sodium canned
• 1/4 cup chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley
• 1/2 cup walnut pieces, toasted
• 2 eggs, beaten
• 1 teaspoon dried sage

Directions

Preheat oven to 325 degrees F.

Put the stuffing cubes in a large bowl and set aside. Butter a 3-quart casserole dish.

Melt 2 tablespoons of butter in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add the sausage and break up with a wooden spoon. Cook until it loses most of its pink color (if a raw sausage) but not so much that it’s dry, about 5 minutes. If using a sausage that’s already smoked, let it cook about five minutes to steep it’s flavor into the butter. Add the sausage and pan drippings to the stuffing cubes. Melt the remaining butter in the pan. Add the onion, apple, celery, and salt. Cook until the vegetables get soft, about 5 minutes. Add the broth, parsley and sage and bring to a boil.

Pour the vegetable mixture over the stuffing cubes and toss until evenly moistened. Mix in the walnuts and eggs. Loosely pack the dressing in the prepared pan and cook uncovered until the top forms a crust, about 40 minutes. Drizzle about 2 tablespoons of turkey pan drippings or melted butter over the top. Cook until the top is crisp and golden, about 20 minutes more. Serve immediately or warm.

Related articles

• Artichoke, Sausage and Parmesan Stuffing (savoringeverybite.wordpress.com)
• Well Blog: Gluten-Free Thanksgiving Stuffings (well.blogs.nytimes.com)
• Meatless Monday with Vegetarian Holiday Dinner (planetforward.ca)

A Side of Southern

Image via Wikipedia

If you live in the South, you probably know a thing or two about Pimento Cheese. It’s a summertime staple, for one, and the secret to amazing PC is extra sharp cheddar. You can dress it up by adding dill, jalapenos or even bacon.

This gooey side-dish was a hit at Thanksgiving and has already been requested for upcoming gatherings. The cheese sauce is to-die-for and I think if you added a little chicken stock, you could turn it into a mean Pimento Cheese Soup. I’ve also thought you could layer with crispy hash browns for a great breakfast casserole — especially on Christmas morning. But back to the recipe at hand…

Pimento Cheese Gratin

Printable Recipe

ingredients

3 teaspoons salt, plus more to taste
1 1⁄2 pounds Yukon Gold potatoes, peeled and sliced into 1⁄4-inch thick rounds
3⁄4 cup heavy cream
3 shallots, finely diced (scant 1⁄2 cup)
1⁄4 teaspoon crushed dried red chile flakes
1⁄2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
One 9-ounce jar roasted red peppers or piquillo peppers, with their liquid
8 ounces extra-sharp cheddar cheese, coarsely grated (about 2 cups)

instructions

1. Heat the oven to 375°F, with racks positioned in the middle and the top third of the oven. In a 3- to 4-quart stockpot, bring 2 quarts water and 2 teaspoons of the salt to a boil. Add the potatoes and cook for 10 minutes. Then drain, and set them aside.

2. Combine the cream, shallots, chile flakes, remaining 1 teaspoon salt, the black pepper, and 2 tablespoons of the liquid from the jar of roasted peppers in a small saucepan. Bring to a simmer and cook until the chile flakes have begun to stain the cream, about 2 minutes. Add half of the cheese and stir until it melts, about 1 minute. Remove the pan from the heat.

3. Layer roughly a third of the potatoes in a 6-cup baking dish, overlapping them slightly so that they fit in an even layer. Scatter half of the roasted peppers on top of the potatoes (cut up any peppers that have remained whole so that they lie flat), and repeat layering potatoes and peppers until all the peppers and potatoes have been used. Pour the cream mixture over the potatoes and peppers, and agitate the dish to distribute the liquid throughout. Cover with aluminum foil and bake on the middle rack for 15 minutes.

4. Uncover the dish, sprinkle the remaining cheese over the top, and place the dish on the top oven rack. Bake for 8 minutes, or until the cheese is bubbly and gently browned on top. Serve immediately.

A little hint: You can assemble this dish ahead of time and pop in the oven when you’re ready.

Related articles

• Unique pairings featured in new grilled cheese cookbook (knoxnews.com)

Monday Menu Plan

Meatless Monday:  Pistachio-Crusted Tofu with Ponzo Sauce over Brown Rice

Tuesday:  Dinner in Athens…would like to try The National

Wednesday:  Trivia at Corner Pub

Thursday:  Gu’s Bistro

Friday:  Fellini’s

Saturday:  Christmas Eve Dinner!  Butternut Squash Soup, Roasted Organic Chicken with Stuffing and Gravy, Cauliflower Gratin

Arroz y Gandules

I grew up with my grandmother making this simple, filling and inexpensive Puerto Rican meal of Arroz and Gandules (rice and pigeon peas).  You can easily make it vegetarian by omitting the bacon and chorizo for a well-rounded Meatless Monday Meal. 

Rice and Gandules

• 2 cups long grain white rice, rinsed (I’ve tried making it with brown rice and it came out a little mushy)
• 4 cups water
• 4 strips thick cut bacon, chopped
• 4 tbs Sofrito
• 1 15 oz can Gandules (Pigeon Peas), drained
• 1 link Chorizo Sausage
• 1 envelope Sazon con Culanto y Achiote
• 1 8 oz can Tomato Sauce
• 1/2 cup Spanish Olives
• salt and pepper

Heat a large pot on medium-high heat, cook chopped bacon until crispy, remove bacon from pot and set aside. 

Add sofrito (stand back it will spatter) to bacon drippings, cook about 3-5 minutes.  Add pigeon peas, sausage, bacon, rice, sazon and tomato sauce to the pot, stir.

Add water and bring it to a boil on high until water evaporates, stir rice over ONLY once*, cover and simmer on low for 35 minutes.  Add olives and stir until heated through.

*It is important not to stir rice more than once otherwise it will come out very sticky.

 

Just Beet It

I may have mentioned that I adore Hugh Acheson.  As a UGA alum, I remember when he opened Five & Ten and I fell in love with his perspective on supporting local produce just a few weeks ago.  Not to mention his beet and carrot salad.  I tweaked the original recipe a bit by roasting the veggies and subbing cilantro for parsley and it still made for a delicious side for the Bison Burgers we had for dinner last night.

Roasted Beet and Carrot Salad

Printable Recipe

For the salad

• 1 teaspoon salt
• 1 pound organic carrots, sliced
• 2  beets, cleaned but not peeled
• ¼ pound goat cheese
• 1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil
• ¼ cup Cumin Vinaigrette (recipe follows)
• 1 cup pulled fresh cilantro leaves

Preheat the oven to 325°F.

Lay out a sheet of aluminum foil and wrap the beets and carrots with it after drizzling with evoo and salt and pepper.  Roast for about 45 minutes.  Remove from oven and let cool.

After the beets cool, peel them using paper towels to rub off the skin. This is easier when they are still warm. Chop the carrots and mix in a bowl with chopped beets.  Crumble the goat cheese on top and set aside.

Add 1 tablespoon of the vinaigrette and ½ cup of the cilantro to the beets and carrots and toss. Add 1 tablespoon of the vinaigrette, the remaining cilantro and toss. Drizzle with a touch more of the vinaigrette.

For the vinaigrette

Makes ¾ cup

• 1 teaspoon Dijon mustard
• ½ cup extra-virgin olive oil
• 1 teaspoon freshly squeezed lemon juice
• 2 teaspoons sherry vinegar
• 1 teaspoon cumin seeds, toasted in a dry pan and then pulverized
• 1 tablespoon finely chopped fresh mint
• Salt and freshly ground black pepper

Place the Dijon mustard in a bowl and whisk in the olive oil, then the lemon juice and the sherry vinegar. Add the cumin and the mint. Season with salt and pepper to taste. The vinaigrette will last for 10 days in the fridge.

Monday Menu Plan

Meatless Monday:  Roasted Vegetable Gourmet Pizza from Whole Foods

Tuesday:  Broccoli Cheese Soup; Lemon Lamb Chops with Sautéed Greens

Wednesday:  Bison Burgers with Cabernet Onions and Canadian Cheddar

Thursday:  Holiday Party

Friday:  Dirty Santa Party {LOTS of apps to prepare!}

Related articles

• Meatless Monday: 10 Vegetarian Recipes To Help You Get Your Greens (blisstree.com)
• Bleu and ‘Shroom Bison Burger on Whole Grain Bun w/ Reduced Chips (beatcancer2010.wordpress.com)

Homemade Hummus

I have become obsessed with Mediterranean Wraps for lunch, so I thought I would try making my own hummus since the pre-made stuff can get expensive.  Plus I heard homemade tastes better (doesn’t it always?) Well, they were right.  Especially if you start with raw chick peas and soak them for a couple of days. Homemade tastes better and you can make a batch faster than you can say pita bread.

You can change up the flavor of the hummus by adding roasted red peppers, like I did here, sun-dried tomatoes, olives or even lots of extra garlic and lemon. 

Roasted Red Pepper Hummus

Printable Recipe

• 1 cup dried chickpeas
• 1/2 cup tahini
• juice from 1 squeezed lemon
• 1-2 garlic cloves
• 1/2 teaspoon cumin
• 1 tablespoon + 1/8-1/4 teaspoon baking soda
• 1 bay leaf
• 1 roasted bell pepper
• salt
• olive oil
• parsley

1. Poor the chickpeas over a large plate. Go over them and look for damaged grains small stones, or any other thing you would rather leave out of the plate.

2. Wash the chickpeas several times, until the water is transparent. Soak them in clean water over night with 1 tablespoon of baking soda. Then, wash it, and soak again in tap water for a few more hours. The grains should absorb most of the water and almost double their volume.

3. Wash the chickpeas well and put them in a large pot. Cover with water, add the rest baking soda, a bay leaf and NO salt. Cook until the grains are very easily smashed when pressed between two fingers. It should take around 1-1.5 hours, during which it is advised to switch the water once again, and remove the peels and foam which float over the cooking water. When done, sieve the grains and keep the cooking water.

4. Put the chickpeas into a food processor and grind well. Leave it to chill a little while before you continue.

5. Add the tahini and the rest of the ingredients and go on with the food processor until you get the desired texture. If the hummus is too thick, add some of the cooking water. It should be thinner than the actual desired texture.

Serve with some good olive oil and chopped parsley.

Southeast Meets West

At first glance, this recipe looked like a healthy, vegetarian meal.  Great dish for a Meatless Monday. 

At second glance, I questioned if Paula Deen got her her hot little hands on the original recipe. I mean, vegetable oil for frying and 11 TABLESPOONS of butter?!?  Since when did Paula start fixing tofu???

After I got over the amount of oil and butter in the recipe, I realized it looked like a great dish with a lot of yummy flavors, so I may as well give it a shot.  I tweaked it a bit with the addition of green bell pepper, decreased the amount of serranos (I mean, eight?!? I guess Bobby Flay got his hands on this, too) and I lessened the amount of butter, reflected below.  I just can’t consciously tell people to put 11 tablespoons of butter in their food. 

It turned out to be an extremely flavorful dish that I will definitely make again.  I hope you enjoy it just as much as  we did!

Black Pepper Tofu

• 1 3/4 lbs firm tofu
• Vegetable oil for frying
• 1 stick  of butter
• 12 small shallots, thinly sliced
• 1 serrano chili, thinly sliced
• 12 garlic cloves, crushed
• 3 tbsp chopped fresh ginger
• 3 tbsp sweet soy sauce
• 3 tbsp light soy sauce
• 4 tsp dark soy sauce
• 2 tbsp sugar
• 2 tbsp black pepper
• 16 small and thin green onions, cut into 1 1/4-inch segments
• I green bell pepper, julienned

Start with the tofu. Pour enough oil into a large frying pan or wok to come 1/4 inch up the sides and heat. Cut the tofu into large cubes, about 1 x 1 inch, then add to the hot oil. (You’ll need to fry the tofu pieces in a few batches so they don’t stew in the pan.) Fry, turning them around as you go, until they are golden all over. As they are cooked, transfer them onto paper towels.

Remove the oil and any sediment from the pan, then put the butter inside and melt it. Add the shallots, chiles, garlic and ginger. Sauté on low to medium heat for about 15 minutes, stirring occasionally, until the ingredients have turned shiny and are totally soft. Next, add the soy sauces and sugar and stir, then add the black pepper.

Add the tofu to warm it up in the sauce for about a minute. Finally, stir in the green onions and green bell pepper. Serve hot, with Jasmine rice.

Monday Menu Plan

It’s a new week, a new month and time for another weekly menu plan:

 

Meatless Monday:  Rice and Gandules

 

Tuesday:  Black Bean Soup and Grilled Chicken Tostadas

 

Wednesday:  Chicken Chow Mein

 

Thursday:  Holiday Party

 

Friday:  Holiday Party

What’s on your menu this week? 

Buicks, Bombs and Books Oh my!

Today a fellow foodie friend and I attended the Buick Discovery Tour Event co-sponsored by Food & Wine Magazine. 

It. Was. Awesome.

We started off with a lovely cheese/cracker/hummus display which was next to an even more lovely magazine display.

Yum.

December issue? Yes please.

After a brief welcome, we seperated into groups and headed off to different sessions. Our first (non-foodie) session was to test drive a 2012 Buick.

The fleet awaits.

After a quick spin around the block, in a very nice ride, we headed to Module #2 which featured Food & Wine’s Best New Chef {and my favorite!} Hugh Acheson! I love his view on buying locally to support your community and only cooking with what’s in season…although I don’t know that I could only eat apples in the fall and lettuce in the winter. However, it’s a great concept and the very seasonal Roasted Carrot and Beet Salad he constructed has inspired me enough to hit the Decatur Farmer’s Market this week.

Soooo delicious!

Module #4 was with pastry chef Ben Rouche of Moto in Chicago. The creation of his bacon ice cream {with liquid nitrogen?!?) was extremely entertaining and the perfect lead into his S’mores Bomb. I might even make an attempt at desserts after seeing this presentation.  Maybe.

...and the science project begins!

An $800 vessel to hold liquid nitrogen.

Science meets my palate.

Our third culinary stop of the day included a wine tasting from the hysterical Michael Green who took a 32-week course down to 20 minutes. Green explained how you could change the taste of a wine by eating a little citrus or dairy first. Now I know! The next time someone orders a bottle of Merlot, not my fave vino, I’ll order a cheese plate as an appetizer to mellow it out.

The final stop of the day featured the witty Ming Tsai. His first dish of Chicken Chow Mein was absoloutely delicious. Look for it on the Monday Menu Plan. Only five people were able to sample the second dish of Sweet and Sour Mango Pork.  My friend answered a question correctly – we felt so special! 

Chef Tsai's Kitchen

Chicken and Tri-Bell Pepper Chow Mein

Mango Pork

The final perk of the day was each guest received an autographed copy of Chef’s newest cookbook, Simply Ming: One-Pot Meals. Can’t wait to use it!

Tell me: who is your favorite celebrity chef?

Super Squash

Not only is spaghetti squash super good for you, it’s super delicious!  I’ve always heard of baking this winter melon and using a fork to fluff out the spaghetti-like interior to use as a base for marinara, or anything you’d put on top of pasta, but quite frankly, I was a little bit skeptical.  Until last night.

I now have a new favorite winter staple!  It’s so easy to prepare, tastes delicious (think really al-dente pasta) and is loaded with nutrients.  The topping for the “spaghetti” really made it shine and I will definitely be experimenting with this versatile fruit again in the near future!

Mediterranean Style Spaghetti Squash

Printable Recipe

Ingredients

• 1 spaghetti squash, halved lengthwise and seeded
• 2 tablespoons evoo
• 1 onion, chopped
• 3 cloves garlic, minced
• 1  cup chopped tomatoes (I used two Roma tomatoes)
• 1 red bell pepper, choppped
• 3/4 cup crumbled feta cheese
• 3 tablespoons sliced kalamata olives

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Lightly grease a baking sheet.
2. Place spaghetti squash cut sides down on the prepared baking sheet, and bake 40 minutes in the preheated oven.  Remove squash from oven, and set aside to cool enough to be easily handled.
3. Meanwhile, heat oil in a skillet over medium heat. Saute onion and red bell pepper in oil until tender. Add garlic, and saute for 2 to 3 minutes. Stir in the tomatoes, and cook only until tomatoes are warm.
4. Remove vegetable mixture from heat and add feta and olives.
5. Use a large spoon to scoop the stringy pulp from the squash, and place in two serving bowls. Top with the vegetable mixture. Serve warm.

A Hot Brown…Thanksgiving-Style

The traditional Hot Brown originated in Louisville, KY and consists of a piece of Texas toast layered with turkey, tomato and topped with gravy and cheese.  The piece de resistance is two slices of bacon criss-crossed on top.

My Thanksgiving version includes a slice of wheat toast, crusts removed, smothered with cranberry-orange relish and topped with turkey.  Drizzle with gravy, add a few slices of smoked gouda (leftover from my cheese plate) and pop in the toaster oven on broil for a few minutes until the cheese gets nice and bubbly.  Top with a couple slices of bacon, a sprinkle of paprika and Italian parsley and enjoy those sweet and savory  leftovers! 

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