I am a big advocate of shortcuts, but there is something I can just not bring myself to buy in a can: sloppy joe sauce.
Sloppy joes have always been one of my favorite foods. And I still make them the way my mom taught me, which means there is no recipe and you'll just have to try it and see if you like it.
Take some ground beef (by "some," I mean "around one pound") and brown it in a pan with some diced onions. You can either add diced garlic or garlic powder to your meat mixture.
Once it's done cooking, drain any grease off the meat.
Add a few tablespoons of ketchup (I just squeeze it out of the bottle until there is a nice-sized blob in the middle of the meat. I'd guess it's about 3-4 Tablespoons.)
Add 2 Tablespoons of cider vinegar
2 Tablespoons of brown sugar
1 Tablespoon of worcestershire sauce
Taste it and see if it's seasoned to your liking. If not, play around with it a little bit.
All I can say is that my friend who had dinner with me has sworn off Manwich, so it must not be too terrible. :)
Thursday, January 28, 2010
Wednesday, January 27, 2010
Chicken enchiladas
My apologies to my faithful fans for missing a day of posting. I didn't actually cook anything, and it was a bad day. But, I made chicken enchiladas on Monday, and I wanted to share my recipe with you.
What you need:
Whole chicken
Onion (I use vidalia or white onion)
Packet of burrito seasoning
Packet of 8 tortillas (burrito size)
Mexican cheese blend
Can of enchilada sauce (red or green)
toppings: lettuce, tomato, sour cream, black olives, salsa, whatever you like
First, the key to my awesome chicken enchiladas is to start at about 7 a.m. with a whole chicken, a half cup of water and a crock pot. Cut up some chunks of onion and cook it on low all day long.
When you get home at night, take the chicken out of the crockpot (freeze the stock in a ziploc bag for later), and take all the meat off the bone and put it in a big bowl. Chop up some fresh onion and add to the meat. Then add a packet of burrito seasoning. I use the Kroger brand that is 59 cents in the Mexican food aisle. Yes, I said burrito seasoning. It gives the meat an excellent taste. It's better to do all this when the meat is still at least a little warm.
Next, heat your oven to 350 and spray some Pam in a 9 by 13 baking dish.
Take out your tortillas and put some of the meat mixture and a handful of cheese in the middle of each one. Roll it them up and put them seam side down in the baking dish (I do them one at a time).
Fill the pan up with the rolled enchiladas, cover with sauce and more mexican cheese.
Bake on 350 for 20 minutes or until heated through and cheese is melted.
Serve with toppings of your choice and Fiesta Rice (recipe below).
Fiesta rice
Instant brown rice
chicken broth
can of black beans
1 cup salsa
Prepare 2 cups of brown rice according to package directions, using chicken broth instead of water (don't you have some left from your chicken?)
Add a can of black beans, drained and 1 cup of salsa.
A note on tortillas: I use pre-packaged flour tortillas, because they are easy to work with. I buy them in the Mexican food section of Kroger. They are made by some Americans somewhere. However, my sister-in-law, Estela Benitez is an expert on tortillas, as she has made them from scratch just about every day of her life. She says I could make them myself, but frankly I am afraid. So, she suggested that I go to the panaderia by my work where they make the tortillas for most of the restaurants. She says that they are usually inexpensive there and will be much better than what you get from Old El Paso and the like. So, I will do that for next time. Maybe for fish taco night, which is coming up soon. Friday, maybe?
What you need:
Whole chicken
Onion (I use vidalia or white onion)
Packet of burrito seasoning
Packet of 8 tortillas (burrito size)
Mexican cheese blend
Can of enchilada sauce (red or green)
toppings: lettuce, tomato, sour cream, black olives, salsa, whatever you like
First, the key to my awesome chicken enchiladas is to start at about 7 a.m. with a whole chicken, a half cup of water and a crock pot. Cut up some chunks of onion and cook it on low all day long.
When you get home at night, take the chicken out of the crockpot (freeze the stock in a ziploc bag for later), and take all the meat off the bone and put it in a big bowl. Chop up some fresh onion and add to the meat. Then add a packet of burrito seasoning. I use the Kroger brand that is 59 cents in the Mexican food aisle. Yes, I said burrito seasoning. It gives the meat an excellent taste. It's better to do all this when the meat is still at least a little warm.
Next, heat your oven to 350 and spray some Pam in a 9 by 13 baking dish.
Take out your tortillas and put some of the meat mixture and a handful of cheese in the middle of each one. Roll it them up and put them seam side down in the baking dish (I do them one at a time).
Fill the pan up with the rolled enchiladas, cover with sauce and more mexican cheese.
Bake on 350 for 20 minutes or until heated through and cheese is melted.
Serve with toppings of your choice and Fiesta Rice (recipe below).
Fiesta rice
Instant brown rice
chicken broth
can of black beans
1 cup salsa
Prepare 2 cups of brown rice according to package directions, using chicken broth instead of water (don't you have some left from your chicken?)
Add a can of black beans, drained and 1 cup of salsa.
A note on tortillas: I use pre-packaged flour tortillas, because they are easy to work with. I buy them in the Mexican food section of Kroger. They are made by some Americans somewhere. However, my sister-in-law, Estela Benitez is an expert on tortillas, as she has made them from scratch just about every day of her life. She says I could make them myself, but frankly I am afraid. So, she suggested that I go to the panaderia by my work where they make the tortillas for most of the restaurants. She says that they are usually inexpensive there and will be much better than what you get from Old El Paso and the like. So, I will do that for next time. Maybe for fish taco night, which is coming up soon. Friday, maybe?
Monday, January 25, 2010
Thought of the day
Is it wrong to want to host a Super Bowl party just to make a cheeseball that looks like a football? And to buy all the fun Super Bowl party decorations?
My TV isn't good enough. And the person that I like to watch football with isn't talking to me because he's trying to make things work with a girl who looks like ET.
But, still, it's the Super Bowl, and there are a lot of good snacks to be made. (Homemade chex mix, anyone?)
How about this? Even if I don't have a party (maybe next year with my big ass flat screen in my new, big house?), I will post some recipes for all of you who do.
OK, sounds good.
That's it for now. Stay tuned for tonight's treats: Pecan pie muffins (for work breakfast tomorrow) and chicken enchiladas.
My TV isn't good enough. And the person that I like to watch football with isn't talking to me because he's trying to make things work with a girl who looks like ET.
But, still, it's the Super Bowl, and there are a lot of good snacks to be made. (Homemade chex mix, anyone?)
How about this? Even if I don't have a party (maybe next year with my big ass flat screen in my new, big house?), I will post some recipes for all of you who do.
OK, sounds good.
That's it for now. Stay tuned for tonight's treats: Pecan pie muffins (for work breakfast tomorrow) and chicken enchiladas.
Sunday, January 24, 2010
Cheater bruschetta
In the summer, I get fresh basil and tomatoes from my farmer's co-op, and I make wonderful bruschetta.
In the winter, I still love bruschetta, but I end up making it the "cheater" way, because canned diced tomatoes have a better flavor to me than hot house tomatoes. So, if you are looking for a quick, delicious snack and aren't opposed to taking short cuts, here is how I make bruschetta.
First of all, you make crostinis. The crostinis can keep in a ziploc bag for up to a year, so don't worry if you make too many. After all, the tomato mixture is so easy, it's nothing to make a little snack to have with your vino.
So, get a loaf of bread from the store. I use the french baguettes (usually white, but I think the multigrain is my favorite when I can get it). Slice the bread into 1/2-inch slices and put them on a cookie sheet. Brush with olive oil using a pastry brush. Sometimes I sprinkle on some parmesan cheese (you know, the kind in the green can), depending on my mood.
Bake on 425 for about 7 minutes, until they are golden brown.
For the tomato mixture:
1 can of italian style diced tomatoes
1 Tablespoon minced garlic
1 tablespoon olive oil
1 tablespoon lemon juice
1 tablespoon balsamic vinegar
A healthy sprinkle of dried basil, oregano and parsley
Sea salt to taste
Mix it all together and let it sit. A few hours is minimum, overnight is best.
Top your crostinis with the tomatoes and watch your guests tell you how awesome it is.
Mangia!
In the winter, I still love bruschetta, but I end up making it the "cheater" way, because canned diced tomatoes have a better flavor to me than hot house tomatoes. So, if you are looking for a quick, delicious snack and aren't opposed to taking short cuts, here is how I make bruschetta.
First of all, you make crostinis. The crostinis can keep in a ziploc bag for up to a year, so don't worry if you make too many. After all, the tomato mixture is so easy, it's nothing to make a little snack to have with your vino.
So, get a loaf of bread from the store. I use the french baguettes (usually white, but I think the multigrain is my favorite when I can get it). Slice the bread into 1/2-inch slices and put them on a cookie sheet. Brush with olive oil using a pastry brush. Sometimes I sprinkle on some parmesan cheese (you know, the kind in the green can), depending on my mood.
Bake on 425 for about 7 minutes, until they are golden brown.
For the tomato mixture:
1 can of italian style diced tomatoes
1 Tablespoon minced garlic
1 tablespoon olive oil
1 tablespoon lemon juice
1 tablespoon balsamic vinegar
A healthy sprinkle of dried basil, oregano and parsley
Sea salt to taste
Mix it all together and let it sit. A few hours is minimum, overnight is best.
Top your crostinis with the tomatoes and watch your guests tell you how awesome it is.
Mangia!
Eating out and catching up
Friday night I didn't have a new recipe because we went to a new restaurant. The restaurant was fantastic, but I have no recipes because no one will come off of Chef Tony's secret sauce.
Saturday we had beef stroganoff for dinner, which Thomas made. I didn't cook dinner because I had my very first "catering" gig. My friend Jen had a party to celebrate her new promotion and tell everyone that she was moving away. I figured it was best to make some snacks for the party and test out my new kitchen. (I am buying her house!)
I am going to tell you my recipes for the evening. I drank too many booze smoothies (orange/pineapple juice, strawberry daiquiri mix, coconut or vanilla rum and ice all smoothed up in the blender), but there were only 9 wings left, so the food must've been a hit.
The menu:
Buffalo wings and veggies with homemade blue cheese
Reuben bites
pizza bites
bruschetta
For the buffalo wings, I didn't bread and deep fry them because we forgot our flour and Jen didn't have any. They were pretty good baked, and pretty good for you. I just baked the wings, and then made a sauce with 1/2 cup butter, 1/2 bottle of Louisiana hot sauce, a sprinkle of garlic powder and some fresh ground pepper. Heat those ingredients on low in a sauce pan and then once the wings come out of the oven put them in a serving dish, coat them with the sauce and shake them up until they are all covered. Serve with homemade (and low-fat!) blue cheese.
Low-fat blue cheese dressing (it's the same dressing as the buffalo chicken roll-ups from the other day. Actually, it's the leftovers :-)
Whisk 2 tablespoons light mayonnaise, 2 tablespoons low-fat, plain yogurt, freshly ground pepper (to taste) and 1 tablespoon vinegar in a small bowl. Stir in 1/4 cup blue cheese.
Reuben bites
(I got this recipe from my sister-in-law. I think she said she saw it on Paula Deen's show.)
1 frozen pizza crust from the store, thawed
Corned beef sliced thin
swiss cheese (can use shredded or slices
sauerkraut
spicy brown mustard
Roll out pizza dough into a rectangle (I made two rectangles out of one tube of Pillsbury dough)
Cover with a layer of spicy brown mustard
Cover with a layer of corned beef slices
Cover with swiss cheese
Top with sauerkraut
roll it up width wise so that it makes a long, fat roll
Bake for 10-12 minutes on 425 until golden brown.
Let it set up for about 20 minutes and slice. Serve with thousand island dressing for dipping.
Pizza bites -- follow the same recipe as the reuben bites but use the following ingredients:
Pizza sauce
thinly sliced hard salami or pepperoni (I used hormel pepperoni from the pizza aisle, but they were too thick and it made it hard to roll them up)
mozarella cheese
Bake on 425 for 10-12 minutes until golden brown. Let it set up, and then slice it and serve with additional pizza sauce.
The "cheater" bruschetta is getting a separate post so I can talk a little about seasonal veggies and wintertime.
Saturday we had beef stroganoff for dinner, which Thomas made. I didn't cook dinner because I had my very first "catering" gig. My friend Jen had a party to celebrate her new promotion and tell everyone that she was moving away. I figured it was best to make some snacks for the party and test out my new kitchen. (I am buying her house!)
I am going to tell you my recipes for the evening. I drank too many booze smoothies (orange/pineapple juice, strawberry daiquiri mix, coconut or vanilla rum and ice all smoothed up in the blender), but there were only 9 wings left, so the food must've been a hit.
The menu:
Buffalo wings and veggies with homemade blue cheese
Reuben bites
pizza bites
bruschetta
For the buffalo wings, I didn't bread and deep fry them because we forgot our flour and Jen didn't have any. They were pretty good baked, and pretty good for you. I just baked the wings, and then made a sauce with 1/2 cup butter, 1/2 bottle of Louisiana hot sauce, a sprinkle of garlic powder and some fresh ground pepper. Heat those ingredients on low in a sauce pan and then once the wings come out of the oven put them in a serving dish, coat them with the sauce and shake them up until they are all covered. Serve with homemade (and low-fat!) blue cheese.
Low-fat blue cheese dressing (it's the same dressing as the buffalo chicken roll-ups from the other day. Actually, it's the leftovers :-)
Whisk 2 tablespoons light mayonnaise, 2 tablespoons low-fat, plain yogurt, freshly ground pepper (to taste) and 1 tablespoon vinegar in a small bowl. Stir in 1/4 cup blue cheese.
Reuben bites
(I got this recipe from my sister-in-law. I think she said she saw it on Paula Deen's show.)
1 frozen pizza crust from the store, thawed
Corned beef sliced thin
swiss cheese (can use shredded or slices
sauerkraut
spicy brown mustard
Roll out pizza dough into a rectangle (I made two rectangles out of one tube of Pillsbury dough)
Cover with a layer of spicy brown mustard
Cover with a layer of corned beef slices
Cover with swiss cheese
Top with sauerkraut
roll it up width wise so that it makes a long, fat roll
Bake for 10-12 minutes on 425 until golden brown.
Let it set up for about 20 minutes and slice. Serve with thousand island dressing for dipping.
Pizza bites -- follow the same recipe as the reuben bites but use the following ingredients:
Pizza sauce
thinly sliced hard salami or pepperoni (I used hormel pepperoni from the pizza aisle, but they were too thick and it made it hard to roll them up)
mozarella cheese
Bake on 425 for 10-12 minutes until golden brown. Let it set up, and then slice it and serve with additional pizza sauce.
The "cheater" bruschetta is getting a separate post so I can talk a little about seasonal veggies and wintertime.
Friday, January 22, 2010
Batter-baked pizza
As I mentioned, my mom cut this recipe out of the newspaper over 30 years ago, and I have never been able to find it by Google or anything else. So, now you will all have it too. And since I've been making it since college, I don't have actual instructions. Bear with me. If you have any questions, leave them in the comment section.
Heat oven to 400 degrees.
Grease a 9 X 13 baking dish.
Batter: Combine 1 1/2 cups flour, 4 eggs, 1 cup milk in a bowl until well mixed. Set aside.
Brown some hamburger or italian sausage in a skillet, you can add onions and mushrooms if you wish. I put a little garlic powder in there too.
Once the meat mixture is done, put the batter in the greased pan. Add HALF of the meat mixture and then sprinkle a little parmesan cheese on the top.
Bake for 20 minutes.
Once the batter has cooked, add either pizza or spaghetti sauce until you make a layer. Add the other half of the meat mixture and then whatever other toppings you want (olives, pepperoni, banana peppers, etc. -- last night, I used thinly sliced kielbasa instead of pepperoni), then cover with mozzarella cheese.
Bake again until cheese is melted.
Let it stand for a few minutes before serving so the cheese can set up. You may want to eat this "pizza" with a fork, because it can be messy.
I had steamed veggies with it last night, and today I had a salad with the leftovers.
Heat oven to 400 degrees.
Grease a 9 X 13 baking dish.
Batter: Combine 1 1/2 cups flour, 4 eggs, 1 cup milk in a bowl until well mixed. Set aside.
Brown some hamburger or italian sausage in a skillet, you can add onions and mushrooms if you wish. I put a little garlic powder in there too.
Once the meat mixture is done, put the batter in the greased pan. Add HALF of the meat mixture and then sprinkle a little parmesan cheese on the top.
Bake for 20 minutes.
Once the batter has cooked, add either pizza or spaghetti sauce until you make a layer. Add the other half of the meat mixture and then whatever other toppings you want (olives, pepperoni, banana peppers, etc. -- last night, I used thinly sliced kielbasa instead of pepperoni), then cover with mozzarella cheese.
Bake again until cheese is melted.
Let it stand for a few minutes before serving so the cheese can set up. You may want to eat this "pizza" with a fork, because it can be messy.
I had steamed veggies with it last night, and today I had a salad with the leftovers.
Thursday, January 21, 2010
Sneak preview
Tonight, I am making this really awesome pizza that my mom makes. She cut the recipe out of the Detroit News probably 30 years ago or so. At least, when she first got married. It is yummy. Like nothing you've ever had.
But tomorrow you will have the recipe.
And speaking of sneak previews, does anyone have any good recipes for Thai food? I am in the mood to make something spicy and Asian. With peanuts. And shrimp. Or maybe chicken.
But tomorrow you will have the recipe.
And speaking of sneak previews, does anyone have any good recipes for Thai food? I am in the mood to make something spicy and Asian. With peanuts. And shrimp. Or maybe chicken.
Wednesday, January 20, 2010
Healthy recipe day
This week: buffalo chicken wraps and healthy "fries"
On Wednesdays, schedules permitting, a group of friends and I go to aqua zumba. In the essence of time, we take turns making healthy meals between work and our class. Tonight is my turn. On nights that it is not my turn, I will just share a recipe that tastes great but won't hurt your waistline.
Tonight are two of my favorites, with links to two of my favorite cooking sites.
The buffalo chicken wraps come from Eating Well magazine. I am using spinach tortillas instead of whole wheat, and I got some red onion to put in the wraps, but they are fine just from following this recipe:
First of all, here is the link to the actual Web site. But I will copy and paste it because sometimes the Internet removes links and I would cry.
Buffalo chicken wraps
4 servings
35 minutes
Ingredients
2 tablespoons hot pepper sauce, such as Frank's RedHot
3 tablespoons white vinegar, divided
1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper
2 teaspoons extra-virgin olive oil
1 pound chicken tenders
2 tablespoons reduced-fat mayonnaise
2 tablespoons nonfat plain yogurt
Freshly ground pepper, to taste
1/4 cup crumbled blue cheese
4 8-inch whole-wheat tortillas
1 cup shredded romaine lettuce
1 cup sliced celery
1 large tomato, diced
Preparation
Whisk hot pepper sauce, 2 tablespoons vinegar and cayenne pepper in a medium bowl.
Heat oil in a large nonstick skillet over medium-high heat.
Add chicken tenders; cook until cooked through and no longer pink in the middle, 3 to 4 minutes per side.
Add to the bowl with the hot sauce; toss to coat well.
Whisk mayonnaise, yogurt, pepper and the remaining 1 tablespoon vinegar in a small bowl. Stir in blue cheese.
To assemble wraps: Lay a tortilla on a work surface or plate. Spread with 1 tablespoon blue cheese sauce and top with one-fourth of the chicken, lettuce, celery and tomato. Drizzle with some of the hot sauce remaining in the bowl and roll into a wrap sandwich. Repeat with the remaining tortillas.
Nutrition
Per serving: 275 calories; 8 g fat (2 g sat, 2 g mono); 55 mg cholesterol; 29 g carbohydrates; 24 g protein; 3 g fiber; 756 mg sodium; 266 mg potassium.
Nutrition Bonus: Vitamin A (35% daily value), Selenium (28% dv), Vitamin C (20% dv).
2 Carbohydrate Serving
Exchanges: 1 1/2 starch, 1 vegetable, 3 very lean meat, 1/2 fat
Un-fried french fries link
prep time 15 min
total time 39 min
makes 6 servings, about 2/3 cup each
Ingredients
1-1/2 lb. baking potatoes (about 3 medium)
1/4 cup KRAFT Light House Italian Dressing
1/4 cup KRAFT Reduced Fat Parmesan Style Grated Topping
Make It!
PREHEAT oven to 425°F. Wash potatoes; pat dry with paper towels. Cut into 1/4-inch thick strips; transfer to large bowl. Add dressing and grated topping; toss well.
ARRANGE potatoes in single layer on large baking sheet sprayed with cooking spray. Spray potatoes with cooking spray.
BAKE 12 min. Turn potatoes over with large spatula. Continue baking 10 to 12 min. or until golden brown and crisp.
On Wednesdays, schedules permitting, a group of friends and I go to aqua zumba. In the essence of time, we take turns making healthy meals between work and our class. Tonight is my turn. On nights that it is not my turn, I will just share a recipe that tastes great but won't hurt your waistline.
Tonight are two of my favorites, with links to two of my favorite cooking sites.
The buffalo chicken wraps come from Eating Well magazine. I am using spinach tortillas instead of whole wheat, and I got some red onion to put in the wraps, but they are fine just from following this recipe:
First of all, here is the link to the actual Web site. But I will copy and paste it because sometimes the Internet removes links and I would cry.
Buffalo chicken wraps
4 servings
35 minutes
Ingredients
2 tablespoons hot pepper sauce, such as Frank's RedHot
3 tablespoons white vinegar, divided
1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper
2 teaspoons extra-virgin olive oil
1 pound chicken tenders
2 tablespoons reduced-fat mayonnaise
2 tablespoons nonfat plain yogurt
Freshly ground pepper, to taste
1/4 cup crumbled blue cheese
4 8-inch whole-wheat tortillas
1 cup shredded romaine lettuce
1 cup sliced celery
1 large tomato, diced
Preparation
Whisk hot pepper sauce, 2 tablespoons vinegar and cayenne pepper in a medium bowl.
Heat oil in a large nonstick skillet over medium-high heat.
Add chicken tenders; cook until cooked through and no longer pink in the middle, 3 to 4 minutes per side.
Add to the bowl with the hot sauce; toss to coat well.
Whisk mayonnaise, yogurt, pepper and the remaining 1 tablespoon vinegar in a small bowl. Stir in blue cheese.
To assemble wraps: Lay a tortilla on a work surface or plate. Spread with 1 tablespoon blue cheese sauce and top with one-fourth of the chicken, lettuce, celery and tomato. Drizzle with some of the hot sauce remaining in the bowl and roll into a wrap sandwich. Repeat with the remaining tortillas.
Nutrition
Per serving: 275 calories; 8 g fat (2 g sat, 2 g mono); 55 mg cholesterol; 29 g carbohydrates; 24 g protein; 3 g fiber; 756 mg sodium; 266 mg potassium.
Nutrition Bonus: Vitamin A (35% daily value), Selenium (28% dv), Vitamin C (20% dv).
2 Carbohydrate Serving
Exchanges: 1 1/2 starch, 1 vegetable, 3 very lean meat, 1/2 fat
Un-fried french fries link
prep time 15 min
total time 39 min
makes 6 servings, about 2/3 cup each
Ingredients
1-1/2 lb. baking potatoes (about 3 medium)
1/4 cup KRAFT Light House Italian Dressing
1/4 cup KRAFT Reduced Fat Parmesan Style Grated Topping
Make It!
PREHEAT oven to 425°F. Wash potatoes; pat dry with paper towels. Cut into 1/4-inch thick strips; transfer to large bowl. Add dressing and grated topping; toss well.
ARRANGE potatoes in single layer on large baking sheet sprayed with cooking spray. Spray potatoes with cooking spray.
BAKE 12 min. Turn potatoes over with large spatula. Continue baking 10 to 12 min. or until golden brown and crisp.
Soak it in...
... marinades!
I love my George Foreman grill. It is especially handy when I am trying to eat healthfully. Just throw some fish, steak, chicken, shrimp on the grill, and there you go.
One of my friends called me one day, and she was distressed by her Foreman grill. She said no matter how long she cooked it her chicken was coming out dry. That’s when I shared the secret of success to the George Foreman grill.
With almost everything I cook on it, I marinate the hell out of it so the meat turns out moist and delicious.
Two summers ago, I was on a real Caribbean cooking kick. Every night I would marinate fish or chicken in a little mixture I made from rum, pineapple, orange and lime juice, honey, soy sauce and garlic. (I just threw it all in a bowl and whisked it until it tasted right). I would toss on a little pre-mixed jerk seasoning and throw it on the Foreman. Then I’d serve it with some rice or couscous and some sort of vegetable (one of the frozen bags is a Caribbean blend or I’d make sweet potatoes with a little coconut, vanilla and brown sugar). I also have some fantastic steak marinades that I will post when grilling season rolls around.
Marinades are great. They can be easy to make. I started marinating meats in high school when a family friend told us to marinate a round steak in Italian dressing all day and then toss it on the broiler for a few minutes. Heaven. There are so many great pre-made ones right now too. On a good day, you can find all kinds of marinade bottles in my fridge, although right now I think the only one I have is a Caribbean one. Another favorite of mine is the Jack Daniels marinade bags. You just open them up and stick your meat down in the bag for a few hours. And, of course, the longer you marinate something, the better. Just never more than 24 hours, because your meat could go bad.
My newest discovery is these McCormick marinade spice envelopes. I swear by their pot roast bag, so I am not surprised that I loved this marinade. I got two, mojito lime and baja citrus, but I haven’t tried the mojito lime yet.
For the baja citrus, I kinda-sorta followed the instructions on the packet, which said to add cooking oil (I use the veggie/canola blend), orange juice and honey. I only had orange-pineapple juice, so I added a little lime juice to make it less sweet. I let two chicken breasts sit in it overnight. I grilled them up and used them on my salad. Obviously, it was so amazingly tasty that I had to write about it. Super yum.
The salad, for the record, was the organic salad mix with carrots, cabbage and greens and I put a light balsamic vinaigrette on it. Remember when eating right used to taste so yuck? Not anymore, kids.
I am posting the link for the baja citrus marinade, in case you want to check it out. There are recipes on there that look delish. You can get it on sale for $1 an envelope every once in a while, so it may become a staple in my pantry. I think my next recipe will be the baja shrimp pizza.
Oh, and since I’m not above plugging products I like, I want to share a secret that those of us who travel to the Caribbean have known for years. My friend, Ruth, runs a little spice shop where you can get amazing Caribbean spices, marinades and sauces. Ruth’s signature product is her award-winning Cruz Bay grill rub. Because I grill on the deck all week on St. John, St. John Spice is my first stop (I also get my coffee there). We made some kick-ass fish tacos with fresh mahi mahi that I soaked in lime juice and then covered with CBGR. There is even a yummy marinade recipe on the jar. If you would like to check it out, you don’t have to spend a few grand on a week in paradise (although I highly recommend it). You can go to www.stjohnspice.com.
While you’re there, get yourself some rum caramels and Kiss of the Jumbie coffee too. And check out the Cruz Bay Web cam. Then call Delta and book your flight. I can smell the rum already…
I love my George Foreman grill. It is especially handy when I am trying to eat healthfully. Just throw some fish, steak, chicken, shrimp on the grill, and there you go.
One of my friends called me one day, and she was distressed by her Foreman grill. She said no matter how long she cooked it her chicken was coming out dry. That’s when I shared the secret of success to the George Foreman grill.
With almost everything I cook on it, I marinate the hell out of it so the meat turns out moist and delicious.
Two summers ago, I was on a real Caribbean cooking kick. Every night I would marinate fish or chicken in a little mixture I made from rum, pineapple, orange and lime juice, honey, soy sauce and garlic. (I just threw it all in a bowl and whisked it until it tasted right). I would toss on a little pre-mixed jerk seasoning and throw it on the Foreman. Then I’d serve it with some rice or couscous and some sort of vegetable (one of the frozen bags is a Caribbean blend or I’d make sweet potatoes with a little coconut, vanilla and brown sugar). I also have some fantastic steak marinades that I will post when grilling season rolls around.
Marinades are great. They can be easy to make. I started marinating meats in high school when a family friend told us to marinate a round steak in Italian dressing all day and then toss it on the broiler for a few minutes. Heaven. There are so many great pre-made ones right now too. On a good day, you can find all kinds of marinade bottles in my fridge, although right now I think the only one I have is a Caribbean one. Another favorite of mine is the Jack Daniels marinade bags. You just open them up and stick your meat down in the bag for a few hours. And, of course, the longer you marinate something, the better. Just never more than 24 hours, because your meat could go bad.
My newest discovery is these McCormick marinade spice envelopes. I swear by their pot roast bag, so I am not surprised that I loved this marinade. I got two, mojito lime and baja citrus, but I haven’t tried the mojito lime yet.
For the baja citrus, I kinda-sorta followed the instructions on the packet, which said to add cooking oil (I use the veggie/canola blend), orange juice and honey. I only had orange-pineapple juice, so I added a little lime juice to make it less sweet. I let two chicken breasts sit in it overnight. I grilled them up and used them on my salad. Obviously, it was so amazingly tasty that I had to write about it. Super yum.
The salad, for the record, was the organic salad mix with carrots, cabbage and greens and I put a light balsamic vinaigrette on it. Remember when eating right used to taste so yuck? Not anymore, kids.
I am posting the link for the baja citrus marinade, in case you want to check it out. There are recipes on there that look delish. You can get it on sale for $1 an envelope every once in a while, so it may become a staple in my pantry. I think my next recipe will be the baja shrimp pizza.
Oh, and since I’m not above plugging products I like, I want to share a secret that those of us who travel to the Caribbean have known for years. My friend, Ruth, runs a little spice shop where you can get amazing Caribbean spices, marinades and sauces. Ruth’s signature product is her award-winning Cruz Bay grill rub. Because I grill on the deck all week on St. John, St. John Spice is my first stop (I also get my coffee there). We made some kick-ass fish tacos with fresh mahi mahi that I soaked in lime juice and then covered with CBGR. There is even a yummy marinade recipe on the jar. If you would like to check it out, you don’t have to spend a few grand on a week in paradise (although I highly recommend it). You can go to www.stjohnspice.com.
While you’re there, get yourself some rum caramels and Kiss of the Jumbie coffee too. And check out the Cruz Bay Web cam. Then call Delta and book your flight. I can smell the rum already…
Tuesday, January 19, 2010
BBQ pork chops (or chicken) and stuffing
I remember getting a recipe like this a million moons ago, and I just modified it and now it is one of my super-easy, go-to meals.
Heat oven to 350
Take a box of stuffing mix (I always use cornbread) and mix it up like the package directions (I leave the butter out - so just stuffing mix and hot water from the tap)
Put it in the bottom of a greased, 9X13 pan
Cover the stuffing with either pork chops or chicken breasts
Put barbecue sauce on the meat. It is OK if some gets on the stuffing too.
Bake in the oven until the meat is done, usually around 20-30 minutes depending on the cut of the meat
Tonight we're having baked potatoes and corn with it, but it's good with mac and cheese, mashed potatoes, green beans, etc.
Heat oven to 350
Take a box of stuffing mix (I always use cornbread) and mix it up like the package directions (I leave the butter out - so just stuffing mix and hot water from the tap)
Put it in the bottom of a greased, 9X13 pan
Cover the stuffing with either pork chops or chicken breasts
Put barbecue sauce on the meat. It is OK if some gets on the stuffing too.
Bake in the oven until the meat is done, usually around 20-30 minutes depending on the cut of the meat
Tonight we're having baked potatoes and corn with it, but it's good with mac and cheese, mashed potatoes, green beans, etc.
Welcome!
Hi there.
You probably don't know me, so I wanted to introduce myself and tell you what I'm doing and why I'm doing it.
I love to cook. I find that it is a great way to unwind after a stressful day. Yesterday, I went to the doctor and felt kind of blah, so I bought some wine and whipped up some bruschetta. Later, I was still feeling funky, so I made some chocolate chip cookies. It's amazing how just the smell of vanilla and the sound of the food processor can perk you up. Not to mention the healing properties of chocolate ... let's get it out of the way right now: I am a chocolate junkie.
I decided to write this blog, because when you are a single girl and love to cook (and could stand to lose a few pounds), you have to share the fruits of your labor with others. And everytime I feed someone, they ask me for the recipe. Every single time. I really can't think of one thing I've ever made that someone said, "Oh, that sucks. I never want to eat it again, and I surely don't need to know how to cook it."
So, in response to all the queries of "Can I get the recipe for that?" and, perhaps, some inspiration from too much vino and watching "Julie & Julia," I have decided to create this cooking blog. It is my hope that it will inspire me to spend more time in my kitchen, make more creative things and maybe even take a few photos of supper now and then.
My goal here is to tell you what I'm eating each day and provide, at the minimum, a recipe, and maybe some links to Web sites and photos. So, the hope is that everyday there will be at least one new recipe here.
Before you get all excited, here is the fine print:
1. Very rarely will the recipes be my own. But I swear you will not only have a full belly but know about probably every cookbook and cooking Web site available by the time we get done. I am not a creative cook (although when I have tips and embellishments, I will share them with you); I am just a good cook. If you are intimidated by cooking, this blog will definitely get you started.
2. I am not a gourmet. I am just an everyday person cooking everyday. Sometimes there will be fancy recipes with all kinds of yummies made from scratch (like my zucchini cake with cream cheese frosting). Other times, you will get my taco lasanga recipe that I make with Kraft Mac and Cheese.
3. Yep, I said it. I use short cuts. A lot. Yes, I can make pasta sauce by scratch, and I do. But other nights, I get home at 7 p.m. and I use Ragu. It just depends. If you're on some sort of all-natural and organic kick, then wait for me to do something that's really homemade. But you shouldn't be so quick to write off those biscuits in the plastic sack that I keep in the freezer for breakfast emergencies.
4. Lastly, my recipes sometimes aren't even real recipes. You'll see that when I tell you about tonight's dinner. I promise even if I don't tell you exactly how much salt to put in down to the 1/4 teaspoon, it will still taste delicious. If it doesn't taste delicious I will tell you in my commentary for the recipes.
And yes, I know some of you are reading this because you know me. And I will take requests. After all, that would help answer that age-old question: "What's for dinner?"
With that, my friends, bon appetit!
You probably don't know me, so I wanted to introduce myself and tell you what I'm doing and why I'm doing it.
I love to cook. I find that it is a great way to unwind after a stressful day. Yesterday, I went to the doctor and felt kind of blah, so I bought some wine and whipped up some bruschetta. Later, I was still feeling funky, so I made some chocolate chip cookies. It's amazing how just the smell of vanilla and the sound of the food processor can perk you up. Not to mention the healing properties of chocolate ... let's get it out of the way right now: I am a chocolate junkie.
I decided to write this blog, because when you are a single girl and love to cook (and could stand to lose a few pounds), you have to share the fruits of your labor with others. And everytime I feed someone, they ask me for the recipe. Every single time. I really can't think of one thing I've ever made that someone said, "Oh, that sucks. I never want to eat it again, and I surely don't need to know how to cook it."
So, in response to all the queries of "Can I get the recipe for that?" and, perhaps, some inspiration from too much vino and watching "Julie & Julia," I have decided to create this cooking blog. It is my hope that it will inspire me to spend more time in my kitchen, make more creative things and maybe even take a few photos of supper now and then.
My goal here is to tell you what I'm eating each day and provide, at the minimum, a recipe, and maybe some links to Web sites and photos. So, the hope is that everyday there will be at least one new recipe here.
Before you get all excited, here is the fine print:
1. Very rarely will the recipes be my own. But I swear you will not only have a full belly but know about probably every cookbook and cooking Web site available by the time we get done. I am not a creative cook (although when I have tips and embellishments, I will share them with you); I am just a good cook. If you are intimidated by cooking, this blog will definitely get you started.
2. I am not a gourmet. I am just an everyday person cooking everyday. Sometimes there will be fancy recipes with all kinds of yummies made from scratch (like my zucchini cake with cream cheese frosting). Other times, you will get my taco lasanga recipe that I make with Kraft Mac and Cheese.
3. Yep, I said it. I use short cuts. A lot. Yes, I can make pasta sauce by scratch, and I do. But other nights, I get home at 7 p.m. and I use Ragu. It just depends. If you're on some sort of all-natural and organic kick, then wait for me to do something that's really homemade. But you shouldn't be so quick to write off those biscuits in the plastic sack that I keep in the freezer for breakfast emergencies.
4. Lastly, my recipes sometimes aren't even real recipes. You'll see that when I tell you about tonight's dinner. I promise even if I don't tell you exactly how much salt to put in down to the 1/4 teaspoon, it will still taste delicious. If it doesn't taste delicious I will tell you in my commentary for the recipes.
And yes, I know some of you are reading this because you know me. And I will take requests. After all, that would help answer that age-old question: "What's for dinner?"
With that, my friends, bon appetit!
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