Smoky Mountain Café

Crockpot Mediterranean Chicken Ragu with Orecchiette

2012-01-31T12:36:00.000-05:00

I saw this recipe over at Reeni's blog, at Cinnamon Girl Recipes When I find a gorgeous looking Crockpot recipe such as this, I can't wait to try it. As an added bonus, my husband, A.J., told me with almost every spoonful, "Honey, this is REALLY good.".

When I first started blogging, Reeni along with 6 other bloggers were the first to comment and encourage me to continue.

If you haven't visited Reeni before, what are you waiting for? She has the best, original, good home cooking recipes around. Plus her photography is gorgeous! This isn't the first recipe of Reeni's I've tried and as always, was another winner.

I did have to make one substitution, the fennel stalks. I forgot to get fennel at the grocery and after just getting back from the store to get the chicken (which I forgot to get the day before), I didn't feel like getting out again. I used 1 teaspoon of fennel seeds, slightly crushed.

1-1/2 cups chicken broth

1 can (14 ounce) petite diced tomatoes

8 artichoke hearts, cut in half

1 roasted red pepper, diced

3 fennel stalks, diced

1 yellow onion, diced

2 tablespoons capers

5 cloves garlic, minced

2 teaspoons dried Italian seasoning

1/4 cup fresh parsley, chopped

1 teaspoon sea salt

1/4 teaspoon black pepper

1- 1/2 pounds chicken breasts or cutlets, boneless, skinless

8-12 ounces Orecchiette pasta

Grated Parmesan cheese, for serving

In you slow cooker, combine broth, tomatoes, artichokes, red pepper, fennel (seeds), onion, capers and garlic. Stir in Italian seasoning, parsley, salt and pepper. Then, nestle in the chicken breasts. Cook on high 4 hours or low 6-8. Remove chicken and shred with two forks, stir back in.

Cook pasta to al dente, drain and stir into sauce, turn crockpot down to warm and allow to set for 10 minutes so the pasta can soak in some of the sauce.

Serve garnished with grated Parmesan cheese.

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Creamy Champagne and Tarragon Chicken

2012-01-29T15:07:00.000-05:00

Face it, we're all special. You're probably thinking to yourself that you're especially special and I bet you are especially special. You deserve the best, you deserve to be spoiled rotten.

So tonight, spoil your special self with a luxurious meal layered with deep rich flavor and infused with champagne. The best part - it's not expensive at all.

As you sit down to enjoy this decadent, creamy sauce, you will feel as if you are dining in the lap of luxury and baby, you deserve it!

2 Tbsp olive oil

3 Tbsp butter
4 to 6 boneless, skinless chicken breasts
1/2 cup flour
1/2 cup finely grated Parmesan cheese
Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
8 ounce container of slice baby bella mushrooms, sliced
1/2 cup minced onion
3 average size garlic cloves thinly sliced or slivered
1/2 cup champagne
2/3 cup heavy cream
1/8 tsp red pepper flakes
1/4 tsp tarragon
1 scallion, thinly sliced on an angle
8 ounces linguine, cooked al dente and drained

Rinse the chicken breast under cool water and pat dry with paper towels. Place the chicken breasts between two sheets of plastic wrap and pound thin.

In a pie plate, mix together the flour, Parmesan cheese 1/4 teaspoon Kosher salt and 1/8 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper. Dredge the chicken through the seasoned flour.

Preheat the oven to 170 degrees F. If your oven doesn't go that low, heat it to 200 degrees F.

Heat olive oil and butter in a skillet over medium heat. Once the butter is melted and beginning to bubble, place the coated chicken breasts in the skillet. Do not overcrowd the skillet. You will probably have to cook them in batches.

Brown well on each side, approximately 4 to 5 minutes per side.

Remove the chicken from the pan to a rack placed over a baking sheet. Cover very loosely with aluminum foil to keep warm. Once all of the chicken is cooked, place the chicken on the rack, loosely with foil in the warm oven to stay warm and crisp until the creamy champagne sauce is ready!

Return the same skillet to the stove, medium heat, and remove all but 1 tablespoon of oil (if there is even that much left. Make sure to leave the brown bits! Add the mushrooms to the skillet and spread them out in a single layer and don't touch them for abut 4 minutes, then give them a stir. Just as they are beginning to turn golden brown, add in the onions, stir to combine and cook for another 3 to 4 minutes.

Then blend in the slivered garlic and cook another 2 minutes.

Add the champagne! Give the skillet a good stir to get up any of the good and flavorful brown bits. Reduce by 1/2, about 2 to 3 minutes.

Just a little side note here...I wouldn't open a bottle of champagne to use less than a cup for cooking. Isn't that alcohol abuse? I found this cute little bottle at my liquor store for $3.00.

Whisk in cream, the red pepper flakes and the tarragon. Reduce heat a notch or two and allow sauce to thicken. Remove from the heat and season to taste with salt and pepper. Serve the chicken with the linguine, generously ladled with the champagne and tarragon sauce. Garnish with the sliced scallions.

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BLD Cheesy Potatoes

2012-01-26T05:14:00.000-05:00

I really had a lot of trepidation about posting this recipe. The main reason, it isn't photogenic, but man-oh-man, it's so dang good!

One our neighbors told me her children were over the moon about this dish. We all like finding new really good recipes, so I have to pass this on to all of you, but maybe you already know.

How can you go wrong with bacon, cheese potatoes, and Ranch seasoning? You can't.

Breakfast, lunch or dinner (BLD) you have a hearty crown pleasing side.

Preheat oven to 400 degrees F.

1 - 30 oz. package frozen shredded hash brown potatoes, thawed

2 - envelopes Ranch Dip Mix (powder)

2 - 16 oz. containers sour cream

2 - cups shredded cheddar cheese
1 - 6 oz. jar Hormel Real Bacon Bits

In a very large bowl, combine the sour cream and the Ranch Dip Mix and the bacon bits until completely blended. Fold in the thawed hash brown potatoes. Spread the mixture into a 9x13 baking dish and bake for approximately 45 to 50 minutes.

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French Toast with Praline Sauce

2012-01-24T18:13:00.000-05:00

We love breakfast at our house. During the week with work and school, it's usually a quick bowl of cereal or grits for the girls, a breakfast bar for me and A.J. usually heats up leftovers from the night before or the night before that. Don't make a face, he works night and gets home during the day so even though it's morning, it really his dinner time...I think. Anyway on Saturdays either the girls have to be at work early or they slept at a friends the night before so they aren't looking for breakfast and A.J., ok make faces now, A.J. is either eating some hot pickles he made or eating chips and salsa. Sundays are much like during the week, something quick and then out the door to church.

Honestly, maybe once every month or two, we're all together on a Saturday or holiday I get to make a nice family breakfast. In between, we Waffle House it for late night cravings.

I have been wanting to try this recipe for such a long time. It's a combination of a Paula Deen recipe, one on Steen's Cane Syrup website and the method I've used on the past for breakfast bakes.

NOTE: Start the night before

1 loaf French bread

8 large eggs
2 cups half-and-half
1 cup milk
2 tablespoons granulated sugar
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg
Dash salt

Butter a 9x 13 baking dish. Slice the whole loaf of French bread into 1-inch thick slices. Arrange slices, in the dish by overlapping them and in 2 rows.

In a large bowl, whisk together eggs, then whisk in the half-and-half, milk, sugar, vanilla, cinnamon, nutmeg and salt. Whisk until thoroughly blended.

Pour mixture evenly over the bread. Make sure each slice is coated with the egg and milk mixture. Cover the dish with foil and refrigerate overnight.

The next morning, preheat your oven to 350 degrees F.

Make the Praline Sauce:

2 sticks of butter, melted

1 cup packed light brown sugar
1 cup chopped pecans
2 tablespoons light corn syrup
1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon ground nutmeg

Whisk all of the ingredients, except the pecans together. Once thoroughly combined, fold in the pecans with a spatula.

Remove the baking dish from the refrigerator and pour sauce over the the bread. the sauce will be somewhat thick, so you may have to get a spoon and gently spoon the sauce to make sure it covers each slice of bread.

Bake at 350 degrees for 30 to 40 minutes. The bread will puff slightly and turn a pale golden color.

I added a little sprinkle of powdered sugar but if you're a French toast die-hard, pour on the Steen's Cane Syrup or maple syrup.

Demand more holidays so we can all have breakfast with our family!

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Southern Tuscan Grits

2012-01-22T20:14:00.000-05:00

The Italians and the French like to add butter and grated Parmesan, Romano or Asiago cheese to their grits right before serving to make them even more tasty and extra creamy. This is a great side dish for pork, I served it along side Grilled Pork Chops with Garlic Relish It's too quick and easy not to try.

1-1/2 cups chicken broth

1-1/2 cups milk
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 cup quick cooking grits, uncooked
3/4 cup grated Romano cheese
3/4 cup grated Asiago cheese
1 teaspoon fresh basil, finely chopped or 1-1/4 teaspoon dried basil
1-1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
1 teaspoon onion powder
1 tablespoon flat leaf parsley, finely chopped
1 1/2 tablespoons butter + butter for serving
1 tablespoons salt + Salt and Pepper to taste

In a small bowl or condiment bowl, blend together the basil garlic powder and onion power and set aside.

In a medium size pot, bring the chicken broth, milk to a boil. Once the liquid begins to boil add the tablespoon of salt and gradually whisk in the grits. Lower heat to medium and cook for about 5 minutes, stirring often, until thickened.

Remove the pot from the heat and . Stir in Romano and Asiago cheese, the seasoning blend, butter, and parsley. Stir until well blended and don't be afraid to put some muscle into your stirring. Season to taste with salt and pepper. Serve with a pat of butter on top.

Nacho Mama's Skillet Nachos

2012-01-19T10:34:00.000-05:00

Sometimes you just need something fun and easy for dinner. These skillet nachos ran the whole gamut for us - fun, easy to prepare, a breeze to clean-up, not to mention the whole family was excited and anxious for dinner to be ready.

I kept this real simple since I have some very picky eaters. If left to my own devices, I definitely would have added sour cream and homemade guacamole or maybe even a chimichurri sauce.

1lb. lean ground beef
1 bag restaurant size lime flavored tortilla chips
1 packet taco seasoning
3/4 cup water
1 jar medium salsa
2 cups Monterrey Jack cheese, shredded
2 tablespoons sliced scallions
2 tablespoons sliced black olives
1 tablespoon taco sauce

Preheat oven to 325 degrees F

This is best done in a cast-iron skillet.

Brown ground meat over medium heat and drain off excess fat. Return skillet to burner and sprinkle taco seasoning over meat, add water and stir to combine. Bring to a boil, reduce heat and simmer for approximately 10 minutes. Place meat in a bowl and reserve.

Wipe the skillet clean with a paper towel and line the bottom and sides of the skillet with the tortilla chips. Spoon the reserved meat into the skillet over the tortilla chips lining the bottom of the pan. Spread meat out evenly. Spoon the salsa over the meat and then place a layer of the Monterrey Jack cheese on top.

Place the skillet in the oven and bake for approximately 7 minutes, until cheese is almost completely melted. Sprinkle the scallions and olives over the cheese and then drizzle the taco sauce over the scallions and olives. Bake for another 3 to 4 minutes until the cheese is completely melted.

Allow to rest for 5 minutes before serving.

Spoon out a serving or just place the skillet on the table and devour.

Sun-Dried Tomato Chicken Rolls

2012-01-16T18:49:00.000-05:00

Please forgive the blurry pictures. My camera battery died and I tried using A.J.'s camera which I don't know how to work or set. I know how to charge the battery and that's about it. Don't let the shoddy photography fool you, wait until you see how to make these; you will adore them!

4 boneless skinless chicken breasts, butterflied and pounded thin or 8 chicken cutlets pounded thin.

1 Five ounce jar sun-dried tomato pesto

1 cup shredded mozzarella cheese

4 slices prosciutto, cut in half

Extra virgin olive oil

Salt and pepper

2 teaspoons Italian seasoning blend (salt, pepper, garlic powder, Asiago cheese, basil, and onion powder)

1 cup chicken broth

8 wooden toothpicks

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F

Lay out the chicken cutlets and season both sides with salt and pepper. One one side of the chicken, spread a generous but thin layer of the sun-dried tomato pesto within a 1/4" of the edge of the cutlet. On top of the pesto, place one of the half slices of prosciutto and then a generous, but thin layer of the mozzarella cheese.

Roll the cutlet beginning with the thin end or small end in a coil and secure with a toothpick or two. Brush the chicken with the olive oil and place in an oven safe dish. Sprinkle each chicken roll with the Italian seasoning blend. Pour the chicken broth around the edge of the dish, not on top of the chicken roll (so you don't wash the seasoning off the chicken). Cover the dish tightly with foil and bake at 350 degrees for 30 minutes. Carefully uncover the dish and bake for 10 more minutes to brown the chicken. Remove, baste with the liquid in the dish and allow to rest for about 5 minutes, then serve.

Philly Cheese Steak Sammich

2012-01-13T05:49:00.000-05:00

It's amazing that little mundane things that a lot of us don't think about twice, will amaze and make the person you think you know the best so very happy.

Shortly before Christmas a new convenience store opened a couple of blocks from our house. If you're in this area, it's a Weigels. A.J. is thrilled and looks forward to stopping there everyday and twice on Sundays. Hey, I was happy because he was happy. He called me one morning as I was leaving the house for work to tell me I HAD to stop at Weigels and get one of their stuffed biscuits. So I did, it was pretty good, a lot lighter and less breadier than biscuits from the fast food joints.

Several days later he said, "You have to try their stuffed Philly Cheese Steak Sandwich, talk about on time." I told him I've never eaten a Philly Cheese Steak before and he thought I was joking but seriously, it never appealed to as a "must try". I tried and I REALLY liked!

Since I haven't had a Philly Cheese Steak before, especially from Philly, please don't hop on me because it's not authentic, but do try it because baby, it totally rocks!

2 lbs. lean sirloin sliced very thin

Olive oil
McCormick's Montreal Grill Seasoning
Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
Butter
2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
1-1/2 to 2 cups beef broth
6 Hoagie rolls
Creamy Cheesy Sauce, recipe follows
8 ounces sliced mushrooms
1 medium sweet yellow onion, sliced into thin strips
2 Poblano peppers, de-seeded and sliced into thin strips. Cut about the same length as the onion
Heat skillet over medium-high heat. Add 1 tablespoon of olive oil to skillet.

Place all of the steak slices in a large bowl. Sprinkle with grill seasoning and drizzle with olive oil. Toss the meat with your hands to evenly coast with olive oil and seasoning. Once the skillet is heated cook steak slices about 45 seconds to 1 minute per side. You will have to do this in batches, don't over crowd the skillet. You just want to brown the meat. Place the meat in another bowl and reserve.

Put the skillet back on the stove and add 2 tablespoons of olive oil and 1 tablespoon of butter. Once the butter begins to foam, add the flour and stir constantly to cook off the flour for about five minutes. Slowly add in the beef broth 1/2 cup at a time. You want it a little bit thicker consistency than the broth, but not a real thick gravy. Once you get the consistency you want, season with salt and pepper. Add the reserved steak slices, along with all the juice that settle in the bottom of the bowl. Move the steak slices around to get them covered with the gravy. Cover, lower heat to simmer and toss them around about every 15 to 20 minutes until you're ready to assemble the sammiches.

In another skillet heat 2 tablespoons of olive oil and 1 tablespoon of butter over medium-high heat. Once the butter has melted add in the mushrooms. Cook the mushrooms for about 4 or 5 minutes and try not to move them around too much. Add another tablespoon of butter and add the onions and toss them around a bit with the mushrooms and cook another 4 or 5 minutes just until the onions begin to caramelize on the edges. At this point add 1 tablespoon of olive oil (if needed) and the Poblano peppers. Continue cooking until the mushrooms are golden brown and the onions are caramelized. Season with Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper.

While you're working the veggies you can get the creamy cheesy sauce going. I saw Rachel Ray make a similar sauce for mac-n-cheese and thought it would work for this too.
1 tablespoon butter
1 tablespoon all-purpose flour
1 cup milk and 1 cup half-n-half, heated
1 cup grated or sliced provolone cheese
1/2 cup grated Asiago cheese
1 teaspoon kosher salt
1/2 teaspoon white pepper or freshly ground black pepper

Pour the mil and half-n-half in a heat safe cup and warm in the microwave. Melt butter in a medium saucepan over medium heat. Vigorously stir or whisk in the flour and cook for 3 minutes. Slowly stir or whisk in the warm milk. Cook, stirring constantly until thickened, about 5 minutes. Remove the saucepan from the heat and whisk in the cheeses until combined. Season to taste with salt and pepper.

To assemble, place several slices of the meat on the bottom half of the roll, spoon some of the cheese sauce over the meat, and top with the mushrooms, onions, and peppers.

So now I have one more thing to scratch off the bucket list.

Tropical New Orleans Bread Pudding with Rum Creme Anglaise

2012-01-11T05:57:00.000-05:00

We finally went down to New Orleans the second week of November to move my mother to Knoxville to be closer to me. That's all she wanted, time to spend with her only daughter and her only daughter to take care of her. My mother has battled lung cancer more off than on over the last seven years.

Two days after we moved her into her new condo, her shortness of breath was too much and I took her to the emergency room. Long story short, she has spent most of her time in Knoxville in the hospital, mainly because her carbon dioxide level is high because she can't exhaust it due to her deteriorated lung condition.

This is the reason for my absence over the holidays; I was devoting my time to my mother's care and well-being. My mom is still hanging in there, her mind as sharp as ever and in her condo with hospice care.

So I'm trying for now, little by little to get back into a routine. My wonderful husband and beautiful daughters have been a support and comfort system, way more than I ever could have imagined. Thank goodness for family and thank goodness for my friends and for my blogging buddies and friends; you give me so much strength.

I pulled out this Emeril Lagasse recipe I have been wanting to try for so long and I finally made it. A.J. who by the way is not a big fan of bread pudding, hurt himself on this dessert - he said it's the best rum sauce he's ever had. So if you want a comforting down home dessert but also want to change things up a bit, go for it! This is totally worth it!

6 slices white bread, cut into 1/2-inch cubes (about 4 cups)

1 stick butter, melted

4 large eggs

1/2 cup sugar

1 tablespoon dark rum (I used Myer's Rum)

1/2 teaspoon pure vanilla extract

1/4 teaspoon grated nutmeg

1/4 teaspoon salt

2 cups whole milk, scalded

2 cups sliced canned peaches in heavy syrup, drained, liquid reserved

1 cup chopped or crushed canned pineapple in heavy syrup, drained, liquid reserved

2 tablespoons butter, cut into 8 thin slices

1 recipe Rum Creme Anglaise, recipe follows

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.

Toss the bread cubes with the melted butter in a large bowl, spread on a large baking sheet, and bake until lightly browned, about 10 minutes. Transfer to a 9 x 9 or 8 x 10 inch ovenproof baking and set aside.

Beat the eggs in a large bowl. Add the sugar, rum, vanilla, nutmeg, and salt and whisk to combine. Slowly add the milk, whisking constantly. Add the syrup from both canned, drained fruits and whisk to combine.

Arrange the fruit over the toasted bread cubes. Pour the custard evenly over the mixture, dot with the sliced butter, and bake until the custard sets, about 35 minutes. Let rest for 15 minutes.

Spoon the pudding into bowls, ladle a couple of tablespoons of the rum sauce the pudding and serve.

Rum Creme Anglaise:

4 large egg yolks

2 tablespoons cornstarch

6 tablespoons sugar

2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract

2 cups milk, scalded

1/4 cup dark rum (recommended Myer's Rum)

Whisk together the egg yolks, cornstarch, sugar, and vanilla in a medium saucepan. Slowly whisk in the warm milk and cook, stirring constantly, over medium-low heat until the mixture thickens, 3 to 4 minutes. Strain through a fine mesh strainer into a medium bowl and stir in the rum. Serve room temperature or chilled.

Crawfish Pot Pie

2012-01-09T13:08:00.000-05:00

Were you ever fed frozen pot pies? I was, when I was a kid and I still get queasy at the thought them. Once I peeled off the crust and stared down into the little foil pan, I couldn't decide if I going to hurl or if I already had. So much for fond memories.

So on my continuing quest to try and kick up the cuisine from back in the day, I wanted to cross this fear off my list and figured adding a little Cajun twist would make this pot pie a winner.

Chicken just wasn't doing it for me and I and thought crawfish would be sensational.  Sensational doesn't even begin to describe how good these were. If you can't get crawfish tails, I think peeled shrimp would work just fine too.

To get this started, thaw out once sheet of puff pastry. Once thawed, cut into 4 circles approximately 1/2 inch larger than the top of your oven-proof crock.

Blanch 1/2 cup peeled and cubed carrots. (Once water comes to a boil, add a liberal amount of kosher salt, boil for 2 minutes. Remove from boiling water and place in an ice bath for 1 minute. Remove to a bowl and set aside.)

Blanch 2 cups peeled and cubed potatoes.

In a large high-sided pot, heat 2 tablespoons of extra virgin olive oil and 2 tablespoons of butter.

Add 8 ounces of baby bella mushrooms (oyster mushrooms will work too). Saute for about 5 to 7 minutes, until they just begin to turn golden brown on the edges.

Add 6 ounces of cubed ham (or tasso if you have it), and render for about 2 minutes.

Add 1/2 cup minced shallots and 1 cup of minced celery and saute for about 2 minutes. Season with salt and pepper.

Add 1/4 cup of brandy and cook for 1 minute and allow most of the brandy to evaporate. We're building some serious flavor!

Sprinkle with 2 tablespoons of flour, thoroughly mix with the ham and veggies. Cook for 5 minutes, stirring constantly so the flour doesn't stick or burn on the bottom of the pot.

Add in 2 tablespoons minced garlic, 1 pound of crawfish tails and season with 1 tablespoon of Emeril's Essence (recipe below). Stir to completely blend, allow to cook for 1 minute.

Stir in the reserved carrots and potatoes, sprinkle 1 more tablespoon of Essence, stir to combine.

Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F.

Stir in 2-1/2 cups of heavy cream. Once the mixture comes to a low boil, lower the heat and simmer for 10 minutes.

Remove from heat and stir in 2 tablespoons of chopped parsley and 1 tablespoon of chopped scallions.

For easy clean-up cover a large baking sheet with foil then ladle this velvety mixture into 4 oven-proof crocks.

Place the pastry circle over the top oeach crock. Whisk one egg in a small bowl and brush to top of each pastry circle.

Cut an "X" in the top of each pie to allow the steam to vent. Place the pot pies in the preheated 400 degree oven and bake for 12 to 15 minutes, until the pastry if a beautiful golden brown.

Gorgeous!!! where have you been all my life???

Allow to set 5 minutes. This will be the LONGEST 5 MINUTES OF YOU LIFE!

Are you feeling me? Fear gone!

Emeril's Essence:

2 1/2 tablespoons paprika

2 tablespoons salt
2 tablespoons garlic powder
1 tablespoon black pepper
1 tablespoon onion powder
1 tablespoon cayenne pepper
1 tablespoon dried oregano
1 tablespoon dried thyme

Combine all ingredients thoroughly.

Pork Tenderloin with Roasted Garlic Drizzle

2011-12-22T09:02:00.000-05:00

For some reason I've been in a roasted garlic mood. I think I just love the way it makes my house smell. Most people Febreeze themselves silly, I'm silly and roast garlic. That's just how I'm rolling these days!

If you're looking for a fantastic and easy dish to serve during the holidays, this is the ticket!

First, roast 2 heads of garlic You'll need two heads of garlic, some olive oil, salt and pepper. After you remove the garlic from the oven, allow it to cool long enough so you can handle it comfortably.

Pre-heat the oven to 450 degrees F.

Pork Tenderloin:

1 boneless pork tenderloin

Kosher salt

Freshly ground black pepper

Season the tenderloin evenly on all sides with salt and pepper. Place the tenderloin in a a medium size roasting pan and roast in a pre-heated 450 degree F oven until a meat thermometer reads 140 to 145 degrees, approximately 35 to 45 minutes. Remove the pan from the oven, cover with foil and allow to rest for about 15 minutes.

Roasted Garlic Drizzle:

1/4 cup chopped fresh flat leaf parsley

1/2 cup balsamic vinegar

3/4 cup extra virgin olive oil

1 teaspoon sugar

1 teaspoon salt

1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

2 tablespoons water

Squeeze the roasted garlic cloves in a blender. Add the parsley and balsamic vinegar and pulse until thoroughly combined. Drizzle the olive oil into the blender while it is running, then add the sugar, salt, pepper, and water and blend until blended.

Remove the foil and transfer the pork tenderloin to a serving platter and slice. Drizzle some of the garlic/balsamic drizzle over the pork and save some in a small bowl to pass around at the table for dipping.

Tip: Garlic bread tastes divine dipped into the roasted garlic/balsamic drizzle.

Enjoy!

Double-Dare You Chocolate Cheese Cake

2011-12-20T14:52:00.000-05:00

Cheesecake just isn't rich and fattening enough, it just needed chocolate and lots of it! It's Christmas time, so the richer the better, right? That's what I thought. Now go get your drawstring roomy pants, I'll wait and then we'll make this ridiculously fantastic, chocolaty, chocolate cheesecake.

Look at it like this, this decadent dessert requires a few steps, so I'm thinking maybe, just maybe a few calories are burned in the process which negate the calories you may intake while munching. Plus the smile and the eye rolling are good for burning a few calories too. Just sayin'....

This recipe supposedly made one 9-inch cheesecake, but it actually made more. Instead of using my 9-inch springform pan, I used my 6-inch and 8-inch springform pans and gave one to a neighbor who looked like she needed a lot of chocolate happiness.

Crust:
Non-stick cooking spray

1 pack chocolate wafer cookies (regular Oreos)

2 tablespoons sugar

1 teaspoon table salt

1 stick butter, melted

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.

Spray a 9-inch-diameter (or one 8-inch and one 6-inch) springform pan with cooking spray.

Grind the cookies in the food processor until finely ground, then pulse in the sugar and salt. Pour in the melted butter and pulse until completely blended. It will look like wet coffee grounds. Press the mixture evenly on the bottom of the prepared pan. Do not press the crust up the sides of the pan.

Bake at 350 degrees for 7 to 10 minutes to set the crust. Set aside and allow it to cool.

Filling:

8 ounces bittersweet chocolate, chopped

4 ounces of German chocolate, chopped

1-1/2 cups sugar

1/3 cup cocoa powder

4 (8-ounce) packages of room temperature cream cheese

2 teaspoons espresso powder (1/2 tablespoon prepared coffee, cooled)

4 eggs

Place the chocolate in a microwave-safe bowl and heat until melted, 2 to 3 minutes, stirring every 45 seconds until the chocolate is completely melted. Set aside to cool slightly.

In another bowl, sift the sugar and cocoa powder together.

In a stand mixer, beat the cream cheese until light and fluffy, about 3 minutes. Lower the speed to lowest setting and carefully add the sugar/cocoa powder mixture. Add the espresso powder and beat over medium speed until fully incorporated. Scrap down the sides and the bottom of the mixing bowl as necessary. Now add the eggs, one at a time. Remove the bowl from the mixer and fold in the melted chocolate until completely incorporated.

Pour the filling over cooled crust, spread with a spatula to evenly distribute. Tape the sides of the pan or tap it on the counter to make sure there are no air bubbles.

Bake on the center rack for approximately 70 minutes, rotating at 35 minutes, to just set the center. The center will jiggle a little bit.

Allow pan to cool on a rack for about 10 minutes, then run a butter knife around the side of the cheesecake but DO NOT remove the springform from the pan.

Allow cheese cake to cool for about an hour, then cover it with plastic wrap and place it in the refrigerator to chill overnight.

Icing:

3/4 cup heavy cream

4 ounces bittersweet chocolate, chopped

2 ounces semi sweet chocolate, chopped

2 ounces milk chocolate, chopped

2 teaspoons honey

1 tablespoon prepared coffee

Ina medium saucepan over low heat, stir the heavy cream, chopped chocolate, honey and coffee until chocolate is melted and mixture is smooth. Remove from heat and allow to cool slightly.

Ladle the icing over the cheesecake working from the center, out to about 1/2-inch of the edge of the cake. The icing will fill and cracks. Place back in the refrigerator for about an hour to set the icing.

Transfer to a serving platter and release springform pan. Garnish with pecans or peppermints, serve cold or at room temperature.

Now aren't you glad I made you change into the comfy loose fitting pants?

Grilled Shrimp Cocktail

2011-12-04T20:57:00.001-05:00

My two brothers and I took off the week before Thanksgiving to finish getting my mom packed and moved up here close to me. I have found an adorable little three bedroom condo and she and I were very excited, shopping and making plans to decorate.

Two days after we moved her into her new crib, I stopped by to pick her up to take her to our house for a steak dinner and to watch the LSU anialate another team.

Instead I wound up taking her to the Emergency room and two weeks later, she's still in the hospital, but (fingers crossed) close to getting released.

Hoping that my mom will be home for Christmas, I'm trying out some new appetizers for Christmas. She loves shrimp so I thought grilling the shrimp would be a huge hit instead of boiling them for this version of a shrimp cocktail.

Grilled Shrimp Cocktail couldn't be easier, quicker or tastier! When the presents are being handed out, the last place I want to be is in the kitchen! I want to be in the the middle of the paper and ribbon flying about the premises in shameless, give me, give me fashion!

The day or night before make the cocktail sauce, it takes about 7 minutes:

1-1/4 cups low-fat, plain Greek yogurt

(If using plain regular yogurt, line a mesh strainer with a paper towel. Place the strainer over an appropriate size bowl. Spoon the yogurt into the lined strainer and allow to drain for about 30 minutes).

2 tablespoons mayonnaise

2 tablespoons Creole or spicy brow grain deli mustard

1-1/2 tablespoons real maple syrup

1 teaspoon curry powder

1/4 cup freshly chopped basil leaves

Mix the above ingredients in a small bowl, season with salt and pepper to taste.

Heat your indoor grill pan to medium high and coat with 2 tablespoons of olive oil or alternately, heat your outdoor grill to medium high.

Peel 1 pound of jumbo shrimp (or the largest shrimp you can find), leaving the last section of shell near the tail and the tail in tact. De-vein the shrimp.

Place the shrimp in a large bowl and drizzle with extra virgin olive oil. Season with Kosher salt and black pepper. Sprinkle with 1 tablespoon of herbes de Provence. Toss the shrimp with your hands to evenly coat with the oil and seasonings. Place shrimp on grill and cook approximately two minutes per side.

So you tell me chips and salsa or Grilled Shrimp Cocktail...that's what I thought

Happy Thanksgiving!

2011-11-23T19:48:00.001-05:00

Hey kids! I wanted to wish all of you and your families a bountiful, relaxing and warm Thanksgiving.

I've been busy with my brothers helping my my Mom pack and move up here to East Tennessee. I found an amazing condo for her and we got her all moved in last Thursday. Unfortunately, Saturday evening when I when I picked her up and bring her to my house for dinner and to watch the LSU vs. Ol' Miss game, I wound up taking her to the emergency room.

We knew my Mom's lung cancer had come back last May and she received radiation treatment on two tumors in her upper left lung. One shrunk and one didn't. Evidently her disease is progressing since her oxygen level is low and her carbon dioxide level is high. She's still in the hospital as her doctor is trying to get her O2 level up and her CO2 level down. She is progressing, but very slowly.

So I haven't disappeared and I am making an easy but amazing Thanksgiving dinner.

Also, my oldest homegirl works for American Eagle and over the Christmas Season, AE is hiring friends and family. My baby homegirl, my oldest homegirl's boyfriend and I are working Black Friday. Yikes! But, I could pass up a once in a lifetime opportunity to work along side my babies even if one of them will be my boss! We are working tomorrow evening from 8:45 PM until 5:00 AM Friday morning.

Love and hugs to all of you!

Spicy, Crunchy Tailgatin' Wings

2011-11-11T05:26:00.000-05:00

One of the many things I look forward to in the fall is football season. Friday night lights, college, or pro; it's all good. Besides walking out of the stadium celebrating because your team was beasting it up, the pre-game hype or tailgating before the game is my favorite. Socializing with friends and making new friends, ribbing your fellow tailgaters who are sporting the colors of the opposing team revs up the excitement.

Then there's the food, it's all about the food. Oh yeah, we all pass up the salsa and chips, the veggie tray and knock people over to elbow our way to the buffalo wings because they are the bomb, but spicy, well-seasoned, crunchy wings totally rock! Serve a bold dipping sauce on the side and you totally score!

Well football season is far from over so don't you dare skimp on any of the spices! I know, I know, you're shaking and thinking WOW! These wings have a subtle, pleasant BAM! I promise these wings will not set your tongue and internal organs on fire. I promise you will be able to enjoy the flavor and not just taste fire.

Get Your Crunch On:

1 tablespoon Lawry's Seasoning Salt

2 tablespoons crushed red pepper flakes, divided

3 teaspoons freshly ground black pepper, divided

3 teaspoons cayenne pepper, divided

2 teaspoons poultry seasoning

1 teaspoon lemon-pepper

2-1/2 lbs. (2 packs) chicken drummettes or whole wings cut at the joint, toss the little end section

2 eggs

2 tablespoons Louisiana Hot Sauce or Frank's Hot Sauce

1-1/2 cups AP flour

Canola or vegetable oil for frying

Whisk together the seasoning salt, 1 tablespoon red pepper flakes, 2 teaspoons black pepper, 2 teaspoons cayenne pepper, poultry seasoning, and lemon pepper. Remove about 2 tablespoons of the seasoning and set aside for later.

Place the chicken in a large baking dish (don't use metal). Season the wings evenly with the seasoning. Cover dish with plastic wrap and let them chill in the refrigerator for at least 1 hour but no more than 2 hours.

Remove the chicken from the refrigerator, uncover and let them sit out for about 15 minutes. While the chicken is sitting out, in a large shallow dish, whisk the eggs, hot sauce, the remaining red pepper flakes, black pepper, and cayenne pepper. Place the flour in another shallow dish.

Fill cast iron skillet halfway with oil and heat over medium heat to 350 degrees or alternately use a deep fryer.

Coat the chicken with the egg batter then dredge through the flour. Carefully place a few pieces at a time into the hot oil. Be careful not to crowd the skillet. Fry until golden brown, turning about every 3 to four minutes. Place the cooked wings on a paper towel lined platter. Sprinkle with the reserved seasoning immediately after placing the cooked chicken on the platter. Then continue on cooking the chicken in batches.

If you like to dip, here a fantastic dipping sauce to serve along with your wings:

1 cup light or low-fat sour cream (don't use fat-free)

2 tablespoons prepared horseradish

1 tablespoon chili sauce

1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper

Kosher salt freshly ground black pepper

Whisk everything together and serve along side your wings.

Save the trees, use less paper napkins!

Cane Syrup Glazed Acorn Squash

2011-11-09T04:01:00.000-05:00

The first time either A.J. or I had acorn squash was last fall. I saw the Neely's prepare this with maple syrup and thought I was game to try it. I don't know why I haven't blogged this before because in the fall we have this just about every Saturday night. I don't know why neither of our mothers ever made this either. More things to ask my mom, "Why?"

This one of the easiest sides to make and if this is really a vegetable, which I have my doubts, your picky eaters will think you've lost your marbles and are feeding them dessert.

I've made this using Steen's Cane Syrup which is what I grew up on in New Orleans and I think you can buy it online, and I've made this once with real maple syrup which is kind of pricey. We like the cane syrup better but it has a deeper and richer flavor and more body. I bet you could even use a half and half combination of dark corn syrup and molasses if you have them in your pantry.

2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil

2 tablespoons light brown sugar

2 tablespoons real maple syrup

2 small acorn squash, cut in half, seeds removed

Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper

Butter, for topping (optional)

Preheat the oven to 425 degrees F.

Mix the olive oil, brown sugar, and cane syrup (or maple syrup) together in a small bowl. Put the acorn squash, cut side up, in a single layer on a baking sheet. Brush the glaze on the flesh of the squash and season with salt, and pepper, to taste.

Put the squash in the oven and roast it until tender and golden brown, about 40 to 45 minutes. Remove the squash from the oven and transfer it to a serving dish. (Option, top with butter and serve.)

The combination of the savory and sweet is a winner!

Caramelized Onion and Apple Tarts with Gruyere

2011-11-06T15:03:00.000-05:00

Two words that can stop me in my tracks are "Caramelized Onions". Then add some melted cheese and slap a flaky, buttery piece of puff pastry under it, you've just become my new best friend.

If you're looking for a special appetizer to completely blow away your friends and family, you have found it! I was given a sample of one of these little pillows of all that is good at a gourmet cooking gadget store last weekend. We were told this was one of their sales associates' creations and they were giving out copies of the recipe with no name on the paper, just the words, The Slanted Door. So I couldn't wait to make these babies for our little LSU/Alabama football get together last night. They were a huge hit, even with the teenage picky eaters. You can bet they will be on the menu for Thanksgiving!

2 tablespoons olive oil

3 medium sized sweet yellow onions, halved and thinly sliced

Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper

2 tablespoons butter

2 tart apples, peeled, cored and sliced thin

1 teaspoon granulated sugar

2 cups shredded Gruyère cheese

2 tablespoons minced scallions

1 teaspoon chopped fresh thyme

1 package frozen puff pastry dough, thawed

1 egg, beaten

2 tablespoons water

In a large skillet over medium heat, warm up the oil. Add the onions and sprinkle with about 1 teaspoon salt and saute, stirring occasionally, until the onions begin to carmelize, about 20-25 minutes. Transfer to a large bowl and aloow the onions to cool.

Place your oven racks, one in the upper third and the other in the lower third of an oven. Preheaoven to 400 degrees F. Line 2 baking sheets with parchment paper.

In the same skillet over medium heat, melt the butter. Add the apples and sprinkle with the sugar and stir to coat the apples. Saute, stirring, until the apples are just starting to caramelize and have softened, about 10 minutes.

Transfer to the bowl with the onions and stir in the cheese, chives, thyme and a dash of pepper.

Cut the puff pastry into 2-inch squares and place on the prepared baking sheets. Space the squares about 1 inch apart. I used a flutes pastry cutter, thinking the pastry would look really pretty once it was baked. When it was all said and done, the edges were smooth, but it helped me cut them evenly.

Slightly beat the egg and blendin the 2 tablespoons of water. Brush the egg mixture on each pastry square.

Place 1 heaping tablespoon of the filling in the center of each square. Season with salt and pepper.

Bake, rotating the baking sheets from top to bottom and front to back halfway through baking, until the pastry is crisp underneath and golden brown on top, about 25 minutes. When you rotate the pans, the pastry make seem to deflate a little bit, but don't worry, your tarts will be just fine.

Transfer the baking sheets to wire racks and let the tarts cool to room temperature. Serve at room temperature.

Go make these. Try them before Thanksgiving, it's important.

Beefy Cajun Mac

2011-10-28T10:09:00.000-04:00

I came across this recipe recently and found out this is the pre-game meal of choice of Drew Brees, quarterback of the New Orleans Saints. The Ritz-Carlton in New Orleans got on the bandwagon very quickly fashioned this recipe and added it to their tailgate menu on game day Sundays.

This once ordinary throwback from the 70's is now supercharged and comes together in a snap. You will get two thumbs up for sure from your athletes who need to carb-load before a big game.

Beefy Cajun Mac

1 tablespoon butter

1 cup chopped andouille
1-1/2 pounds lean ground beef
1 tablespoon flour
1-1/2 cups heavy cream
2 teaspoons Worcestershire Sauce
1 cup chopped tomatoes
1 tablespoon chopped jalapeños
3/4 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon pepper
1 1/2 cups shredded sharp cheddar cheese (plus extra for topping)
3/4 cup uncooked macaroni or pasta of your choice, cooked and drained

Melt the butter in a hot skillet, add andouille and sauté.

Once the andouille is crispy, add ground beef. Break up the ground beef, and cook until the beef is done all the way through.

Stir in flour until smooth.

Add heavy cream...

...and Worcestershire sauce. Simmer until mixture thickens.

Add tomatoes, jalapeños, salt, pepper and cheese. Cook until cheese is melted, stirring slowly (about 2 minutes

Mix the cheese sauce with the cooked pasta, and place into a well-greased oven safe dish.

Top with a layer of shredded cheddar and bake for 7 minutes or more at 375 degrees, until dish is heated through and cheese is golden brown.

After eating this pre-game favorite, last Sunday Drew Brees threw 31 for 35 and don't forget he threw more touchdown passes in one game than he threw incomplete passes (5 touchdowns, 4 incompletes). Doesn't your mind just race wondering what you can accomplish?

Have a beautiful weekend!

Corn Chowder

2011-10-19T14:28:00.002-04:00

I don't know how the weather is in your neck of the woods, but here in East Tennessee, it's cold and rainy, downright miserable. I should be curled up with a good book or a good movie!

Did I ever tell you that when I first met my husband the only "vegetable" he would eat was corn? Well A.J. now knows corn is not a vegetable, plus he has many new favorite real vegetables. I now know if I serve ANYTHING with the word "corn" in it, he's the first one at the table when dinner is ready. So from here on out, every recipe, be it salad or brownies is going to be called "corn" something or other...nah, that's just plain boring.

Well, let me tell you that this soup is anything but boring!

4 strips hickory smoked bacon
1 tablespoon butter

Extra-virgin olive oil
1 onion, chopped
3 garlic cloves, minced
1/4 cup all-purpose flour
6 cups of chicken or vegetable stock
2 cups heavy cream
3 Yukon gold or russet potatoes, peeled and diced
6 ears of fresh corn cut from the cob or 2lbs. frozen kernel corn
Salt and freshly ground black pepper
Cayenne (optional)
1/4 cup freshly grated sharp cheddar cheese

Cook the bacon in a large stock pot until crisp. Remove from pot with a slotted spoon and allow to drain on a paper towel lined plate and reserve. Remove all but 2 tablespoons of bacon fat from the pot and add one tablespoon of butter to the pot, lower the heat to medium and add the onion and saute until translucent then add the garlic and saute 1 more minute.. Dust the vegetables with flour and stir to coat everything well. Cook the flour off for about 3 to 4 minutes, stirring constantly to make sure nothing sticks and burns on the bottom of the pot.

Whisk in the stock one cup at a time and bring to a boil.

Add the potatoes, bring to a boil. Boil for about 5 minutes, until the potatoes soften and are almost to the point of breaking down. The broken-down potatoes will give the soup body and a smooth texture and the potatoes that remain in tact with the the soup a little something-something.

Add the cream to the soup, gently stir to blend. Once the soup begins to bubble, lower the heat to simmer and cook for about 15 minutes; enough time for the corn to soften up a bit. Season to taste with salt and pepper and a little splash of extra virgin olive oil and maybe even a little dash of cayenne.

Ladle a generous helping of this hearty chowder into a bowl and garnish with the sharp cheddar cheese and the reserved bacon.

Does anyone know who got kicked off "Dancing with the Stars" this week? Wait, don't tell me, I want to be surprised!

Stay warm, dry and well-fed!

Geauxing to the Grill with Chicken and a White Barbecue Sauce

2011-10-12T14:04:00.000-04:00

This is so crazy to even think of; it quite might make your stomach turn. The intrigue and the curiosity will undoubtedly make you try this. Seriously, you won't be able to help yourself! This is what happened to me me when I saw it on Down Home with the Neelys.

My tailgaters said this was the best grilled chicken ever!

White Barbecue Sauce:

1 cup mayonnaise

1 cup apple cider vinegar
1 lemon, juiced
1 teaspoon cracked black pepper
1 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon garlic powder
1 teaspoon onion powder
1/2 teaspoon cayenne pepper

Whisk all the barbecue sauce ingredients together in a bowl. Cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate for at least 2 hours. when it's time to use, reserve about 3/4 cup to serve on the side.

You can use a whole chicken cut up or I used a pack (5 each , thighs and 11 each drumettes) of bone-in, skin-on thighs and drumettes. Season the chicken to your liking. I used Lawry's season salt, lemon pepper, onion powder and garlic powder.

Pre-heat the grill to medium-high. Spray the grates with non-stick cooking spray.

Place the chicken skin side down starting in the center of the grill. Sear about 5 to 7 minutes each side to get some nice grill marks and begin browning the skin.

I have hot spots on my grill because SOMEONE needs to buy a new burner and I don't own a Big Green Egg. Be careful to keep the chicken away from an area you know flames up higher than other areas because the chicken skin is very fatty and will cause the grill to flame up and you will have crispy blackened chicken in an instant.

If you have two burners on your grill turn one off and move the chicken to the side of the grill where the burner is turned off. Brush the chicken with the barbecue sauce. You will continue grilling the chicken over indirect heat. Leave the other burner on medium to medium-low. Turn about every 10 minutes and brush with the barbecue sauce.

Once the juices run clear, which should take about 30 to 35 minutes.

Transfer to a serving platter.

Don't forget to serve with sauce on the side!

This Ain't Ya Mama's Green Bean Casserole

2011-10-10T14:30:00.000-04:00

Thanksgiving is creeping up on us ever so quietly. Some of you real organized people out there already have your menu planned, the table set and the giblets gibletting. Sorry to say, not me. I am tweaking and primping.

A couple of years ago, I showed you a N'Awlins style Thanksgiving and passed a comment to the effect that I thought it might just be against the law not to serve green bean casserole on Thanksgiving. I've been a rebel because I've never, ever served it at my table. The whole cream of mushroom soup grossed me out. It's so salty, and tastes blech!

I found a way to make a way better green bean casserole and I'm sharing it with you early in case you want to try it out and surprise your gift the the new green bean Casserole on the block!

Rinse and drain 1 lb. of haricot verts (fresh, French style green beans).

Add the greens beans to a pot of boiling, generously salted water. Once the water returns to a boil, cook the beans for 2 minutes.

Use a slotted spoon or colander to drain; remove the beans from the boiling water and immediately immerse them in an ice bath to stop them from cooking. This beans will be tender but crispy when you serve them. So much better than the limp beans in a can. Once the beans have cooled, drain and set them aside.

In a large skillet over medium-high heat, melt 2 tablespoons of butter and heat 1 tablespoon of extra virgin olive oil.

Once the butter begins to bubble, add in 1lb. of sliced mushrooms and 1 tablespoon of chopped, fresh thyme leaves. Either button mushrooms or baby bellas will work nicely. Saute the mushrooms until they begin to turn golden brown. Don't move them around too much. After the mushrooms have been cooking for about 5 minutes, add in 2 tablespoons of minced garlic and saute along with the mushrooms. This will take about 10 minutes. Once the mushrooms have browned, add 2 tablespoons of flour to the skillet and thoroughly blend in with the mushrooms and oil. Stir frequently and allow the flour to cook for about 2 minutes to get rid the pasty flavor.

Lower heat to medium and slowly add 3/4 cup chicken broth and thoroughly combine.

Add 3/4 cup heavy cream. Gently stir to combine. Allow the mixture to come to a low boil, lower heat to medium-low and gently simmer for 5 to 7 minutes.

Season with salt and pepper.

Remove the skillet from the heat and fold in 1 cup of shredded Gruyere cheese until cheese is melted.

Toss in the green beans until they are completely covered with the creamy mushroom mixture. Turn the green beans into a buttered, oven-safe casserole dish.

In a medium bowl, combine 1 cup of French fried onions, 1/2 cup chopped pecans and 1/2 cup Panko crumbs. Stir in 4 tablespoons of melted butter.

Pour the topping over the green beans. Bake in a preheated 375 degree F oven for 30 minutes. check the casserole after 20 minutes. if top is sufficiently browned, cover with foil and continue baking for the remaining 10 minutes.

I'm seeing so many Thanksgiving law-abiding cooks out there this holiday season.

Happy early Thanksgiving!

Mediterrean Broiled Fish

2011-10-05T14:53:00.000-04:00

You wouldn't believe all of the crazy stuff going on, well if you've been hanging around here long enough, you probably would. We are in the middle of an amazing soccer season! The girls' team is undefeated and my oldest Lauren (below, white jersey, #16) was made Captain this summer. Come to think of it, in the power rankings for the NCAA, LSU is #1 and in the NFL power rankings, the Saints are #2. Since I have two girls on the team I'm doing twice the "mom" volunteer stuff. This past week, since having carpal tunnel surgery, my chopping hand is getting it's strength back to be able to chop.

Guess what else? She will be inducted into the National Honor Society tomorrow night.

Sooooooo, I needed to cook some brain food. I mean what if she figures out, you know, that I'm not the shiniest penny? Between you and me, I think she already knows...

Pre-heat oven to 400 degrees F.

Season two hearty, white fish filets with salt and a smidge of cayenne on each side. I used Tilapia filets. Sprinkle the filets liberally with soy sauce. If you have it, use the good stuff, the Tamari. Let them sit out for a few minutes and let all of the flavors mingle.

I would not recommend using anything other than cast iron for this recipe. Add two tablespoons of olive oil and 1 tablespoon of butter to a cast iron skillet and heat over medium. Make sure the skillet is heat through before adding the fish. Carefully add the fish and cook for 4 minutes.

Carefully turn the filets and cook on the other side for 3 to 4 minutes. Remove the skillet from the heat momentarily.

Sprinkler a 1/4 cup white wine over the filets and add the following to each: A few small pats of butter, 2 teaspoons minced garlic, 2 tablespoons of finely chopped chives, 2 teaspoons of capers, 1 tablespoon of sliced Kalamata olives.

Finish off with 2 tablespoons of freshly squeezed lemon juice. Place the skillet in the oven for 10 minutes on the middle rack and then run the skillet under the broiler until the fish is golden brown.

This and a nice salad, a glass of wine, This was eyes roll in the back of your head good!

Just one more food porn shot. I have to make this again and soon!

The Dinner@ Six Winner and Slow Cooker Ribs!

2011-09-30T09:33:00.002-04:00

The lucky winner of the $100 gift card from the Dinner@ 6 Giveaway is Susitravl from Mad for Mexican Food. Congratulations Susitravi!!! Please email your mailing/contact information to me ASAP.

Here is Susitravl's favorite six ingredient recipe:

2 lb boneless, skinless chicken breasts

2 T. chili powder
1 t. cumin
1 jar salsa
2 limes, halved
1/2 bunch cilantro

Place the chicken breasts in the crockpot, cover with spices (I mix them into the salsa) and salsa. Squeeze the juice from the limes on top and throw in the limes (discard limes before eating). Toss the cilantro on top and cook on low for 7-8 hours.

Can be used for chicken tacos or burritos.

Slow Cooker Ribs

The weather is gorgeous, we've been steadily working in the yard all day long, trimming, planting, mulching. I’m ready to head inside, clean-up, pour a glass of wine and sit outside on the back deck and relax.. I'm also ready to sit down to some real food. I remembered that just before I headed outside this morning, pot of Beef Short Ribs in the crock pot. Now, my mouth was watering for them. This doesn’t have to be just a fantasy—follow this recipe and you can whip up a pot of your own whenever you want!

The Rub

2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
1 teaspoon ground ginger
1 teaspoon ground cumin
1 teaspoon ground turmeric
1 teaspoon sea or kosher salt
1 teaspoon garlic powder
1 teaspoon onion powder
1/2 teaspoon cayenne

The Ribs

3 pounds trimmed beef short ribs or pork baby back ribs
1 tablespoon vegetable oil
4 cups low sodium beef stock
4 carrots (2 cups) cut into 2-inch chunks
3 large Yukon Gold potatoes
1/2 Vidalia or Spanish onion, (leave whole)
2 tablespoons honey
1 teaspoon red pepper flakes
6 tablespoons AP flour
1/2 cup chopped dried apricots, soaked and softened
1/2 lemon juiced

Combine all of the ingredients for the rub in a small bowl. Rub the mixture evenly and thoroughly onto the ribs with your hands.

Then, in the tablespoon of vegetable oil, sear the ribs in a large sauté pan over high heat until they brown completely on all sides, which should take roughly 10 minutes.

Transfer the ribs to the slow cooker. Remove all of the oil from the pan (save the brown bits!) you used to brown the ribs and deglaze the pan with 3-1/2 cups of beef stock, scraping up the brown bits. Pour the broth, plus the carrots, potatoes, onions, honey, and pepper flakes to the ribs in the slow cooker. You can cook on high for 3-1/2 hours or the method I prefer, cook them on low for 6 hours until the ribs become fork-tender.

Discard the onion and strain the fat from the surface of the sauce. Then whisk the flour and the rest of the stock together in a large measuring cup or medium sized bowl. Once completely blended, pour it into the slow cooker and stir to combine. Add the chopped up apricots. Simmer the sauce for another 30 to 45 minutes.

Right before serving squeeze the lemon over the pot and stir the juice into the sauce and simmer for a final 30 minutes.

You can either serve it plain or over some steamed rice.

Appliances Online, who sell dishwashers and other goods.

Mushrooms Parmesan

2011-09-28T07:35:00.000-04:00

I guess if it will hold still long enough, I can "Parmesan" just about anything. Something about cheese, especially Parmesan, Asiago, and Romano either separate or combined together, the aroma, the flavor, gives me the warm and fuzzies!

1/2 lb. sliced Baby Bella mushrooms
2 tablespoons chopped parsley
2 teaspoon garlic, minced
1/2 cup seasoned bread crumbs
1/2 cup grated Parmesan cheese
Salt and pepper to taste
1/4 cup extra virgin olive oil
2 tablespoons white wine

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F

Place the mushrooms in a buttered baking dish, sprinkle with parsley and garlic. Toss to combine.

Add 1/2 of the bread crumbs and half of the Parmesan cheese to the mushrooms...

Add the white wine,

Drizzle the olive oil and then toss again to combine all of the ingredients.

Sprinkle the remaining bread crumbs and Parmesan cheese over the top and give it a little drizzle of olive oil. Bake at 350 degrees for 20 to 25 minutes.

Serve hot! Savor, enjoy; there will not be any leftovers!

Don't forget to comment by September 29th on my Dinner@ 6 American Express Giveway post for your chance to win a $100 gift card!

Dinner@6 Ammerican Express Giveaway!

2011-09-24T06:53:00.000-04:00

As a part of the Dinner@ 6 contest sponsored by Blue Cash PreferredSM, American Express has provided me with a $100 gift card to give to one of the lucky commenters of this post! Let me know what you think of my six- ingredient recipe and share with us your favorite six-ingredient recipe in the comment section.

The winner will be randomly selected from the comments left on this post on Thursday, September 29, 2011 and announced on Friday September 30, 2011, along with the lucky commenter's six-ingredient recipe. So be sure to comment on this post for your chance to win a $100 gift card!

Creating a recipe using only six-ingredients was more of a challenge than I had originally thought. I did quite a bit of reading, researching, and testing. Plus, coming off of carpal tunnel surgery last Friday on my dominant left hand made cooking, especially chopping more of a challenge.

I have to tell you that creating this shrimp dish really pushed me to get outside of my Cajun "comfort zone". On our stay-at-home date night last night, A.J. and I were thrilled to enjoy this dish together. Although it's cheesy, it is amazingly light and didn't weigh us down. The cream cheese gave the sauce a nice luxurious texture, while the Feta cheese combined with the garlic and chives, gave the sauce a tart pop that put it over the top. Try this on your date night with your sweetie or just indulge yourself because you deserve it baby!

Shrimp Acadienne en Fromage Frais

1-1/2 lbs. Shrimp, peeled and de-veined
6 ounces Feta cheese finely crumbled
8 ounces cream cheese, softened
1-1/2 tablespoons chopped chives
1 clove garlic, minced
3/4 cup white wine (Sauvignon Blanc)

Preheat oven to 400 degrees F

In a large bowl mash the cream cheese and the Feta cheese together until thoroughly blended.

Add the chives, garlic and white wine and continue stirring to make a sauce.

Place the raw shrimp in a prepared baking dish and pour the sauce over the raw shrimp.

Bake in a covered baking dish for 30 minutes at 400 degrees F.

Serve with a green salad and a slice of toasted garlic bread.

This post is part of the Foodbuzz Tastemaker program with American Express.

Below is the link for the official rules for Dinner@ 6

http://www.foodbuzz.com/blogs/4169032-dinner-6-official-rules

Monkey Bread

2011-09-23T13:13:00.000-04:00

Let's be honest, using your hands to cook and to eat is just fun. For some reason food tastes better when you don't have to use flatware to get it to your mouth! This is a Paula Deen recipe has become a family favorite at mealtime not only because it tastes so good (full of butter), but you can pull the bread apart with your hands.

2 sticks melted butter butter, divided

1-1/2 cups grated Parmesan cheese

2 teaspoons dried Italian seasoning

2 cans refrigerated biscuits

1 tablespoon shortening

Melt the two sticks of butter in separate pans.

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.

Lightly grease a 12-cup Bundt pan with shortening.

In a small bowl, combine 1 cup of the Parmesan cheese and Italian seasoning.

Roll each individual biscuit into a ball. Dip each piece in the 1 stick of melted butter, then coat with the cheese mixture. Place dough ball into prepared pan; overlapping will occur.

Bake bread, 30 to 35 minutes. Cover with aluminum foil during the last 10 minutes of baking to prevent excess browning, if needed.

Let cool in pan, 10 minutes; invert bread onto a serving plate. Drizzle remaining stick of melted butter on top and sprinkle with the remaining Parmesan cheese.

Grilled Pineapple and Onion Salad

2011-09-21T08:05:00.000-04:00

I saw the Neely's make this salad and couldn't wait to get in the kitchen to make this! Wow, this salad tasted so amazing, perfect accompaniment to Jamaican Barbecue Pork Tenderloin.

1 large pineapple, peeled

1 red onion, cut in 1/2-inch thick slices

Glaze, recipe follows

1 bag baby spinach

Vinaigrette, recipe follows

Preheat grill to medium heat.

Cut the pineapple into 1/2-inch thick slices.

Using an apple corer, pierce a hole into middle of pineapple slices to remove the core.

That looks so slick!

Brush the pineapple and onion slices with glaze.

Place the pineapple slices on the grill and brush again with glaze. Grill for 2 minutes and flip, grilling other side.

Place the sliced onions on the grill, bush with a little glaze and grill until the onions begin to brown and turn sweet.

Place the grilled pineapple slices on a serving platter and top with the onion slices. Drizzle with Vinaigrette and serve.

Glaze

1 (8-ounce) jar pineapple ice cream topping

1 teaspoon Chinese five-spice

1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper

1 teaspoon salt

Place all ingredients into a medium bowl and whisk together.

Vinaigrette

1 tablespoon Dijon mustard

1/2 cup orange juice

1/2 cup olive oil

Pour ingredients into a small bowl and whisk together.

Jamaican Barbecue Pork Tenderloin

2011-09-18T14:16:00.001-04:00

Pork tenderloin is one of my favorites; so lean, tender and always picks up the flavor of a marinade in a blink of an eye.

1 (1 to 1 1/2-pound) pork tenderloin, trimmed of fat and silver skin

1/4 cup fresh lime juice

1 cup marinade, recipe follows

Kosher salt

Canola oil

Jamaican Barbecue Sauce, recipe follows

Rinse pork tenderloin under cool water and and pat dry with paper towels.

Place the pork tenderloin in a glass baking dish (do not use metal!) and pour the lime juice over. Turn the tenderloin several times to make sure the lime juice has coated it well. Place in the refrigerator uncovered for about 10 minutes.

While the meat is in the fridge, make the marinade, the remove the tenderloin from the refrigerator and pour the marinade over it, turn to evenly coat. Cover the dish with plastic wrap and refrigerate for 30 minutes to one hour. Be careful not let it sit too long as the acid in the lime juice will begin to cook the meat.

While the meat is marinating, make the barbecue sauce.

Preheat a grill to medium. Place the tenderloin on the grill, allow as much marinade as possible to cling to the meat. Sear on all sides about five minuted each side, then finish grilling over indirect heat until it is nicely browned on the outside and has an internal temperature of 150 degrees F (about 30 minutes). Remove the pork from the grill tent with foil and allow to rest for 10 minutes. Slice the into 1/2-inch thick slices drizzled with the barbecue sauce.

Pork Tenderloin Marinade

1 teaspoon dried thyme leaves

4 scallions cut in half (to shorten stalks)
1/2 cup flat leaf parsley
1/4 onion, rough chopped
1 tablespoon brown sugar
1 bay leaf
1 teaspoon ground ginger
1 teaspoon ground allspice
1 teaspoon ground nutmeg
1/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon ground coriander
1/2 teaspoon each salt and black pepper
2 jalapenos, de-seeded
3 cloves garlic
1/4 cup low sodium soy sauce
1/4 cup plus Canola oil
1-1/2 tablespoons lime juice
2 tablespoons apple cider vinegar

Combine the thyme, scallions, parsley, onion, brown sugar, bay leaf, ginger, allspice, nutmeg, cinnamon, coriander, jalapenos, garlic, salt, pepper, and oil in a food processor into a paste. Put the paste in a glass bowl or large measuring cup and whisk in the soy sauce, lime juice, and vinegar.

Jamaican Barbecue Sauce

3/4 cup ketchup

1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce
1/4 cup orange juice
1 tablespoon butter
2 tablespoons fresh lime juice
2 tablespoons apple cider vinegar
1/4 cup packed brown sugar
2 teaspoons ground ginger
1 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon ground mustard
2 cloves garlic, minced
1/2 poblano pepper de-seeded and minced

Combine all ingredients in a small saucepan and heat medium heat to a low simmer. Continue simmering until thickened enough to coat the back of a spoon, about 15 minutes. Ladle over cooked pork tenderloin.

Sweet 16 Ice Cream Cake

2011-09-14T21:49:00.000-04:00

My baby turned Sweet 16 last week. My baby, it's bittersweet, because you know, you love the smell of babies, but all of their lives, they wear the hell out of your patience and wallet. God love 'em.

Anyway, my "baby" is an ice-cream-a-holic. Ice-cream-a-holic doesn't even begin to describe this child's obsession, gluttony, or whatever you want to call it. So in an effort to indulge the kid because I try to be a good mom, I attempted to make an ice cream cake.

But before we get too excited, the reality is, I can make things taste good, but making them look pretty and making them look amazing in photographs just isn't what I'm that good at. So I'm telling you, I rocked this ice cream cake as far as how it tasted, but looking like a piece of food art, it just isn't. I used two flavors of ice cream that Kaitlin likes, but you can mix it up and put your own twist on this method of ice cream cake making.

1 quart vanilla bean ice cream
1 quart cafe mocha ice cream
1 cup chopped pecans
1 cup caramel ice cream topping
1 cup whipped topping
4 ounces shaved semi-sweet chocolate
20 caramel cookie bars (we used fun size Twix)

Using a 9x5x4 loaf pan, place a sheet of plastic wrap across the length of the pan, leaving about 4 inches of plastic wrap hanging out over two long sides. Place another sheet of plastic wrap across the loaf pan from side to side, leaving about 4 inches of plastic wrap hanging over the short sides of the pan.Leave the ice creams out on the counter for about 15 to 20 minutes, so they can soften just a little bit. Spoon enough cafe mocha ice cream across the bottom of the ban to about a 1/2 inch thickness. Spoon about the same amount of the vanilla bean ice cream over the cafe mocha. Drizzle a coupe of spoonfuls of the caramel topping over the ice cream and then top with a half a handful of the chopped pecans. Then place the loaf pan and the two ice cream containers in the freezer for 20 minutes.

After 20 minutes, remove the loaf pan and the ice creams from the freezer and repeat the layering and freezing processes. This will be repeated another 2 to 3 times depending on the depth of your pan and your laying thickness. You want to get the ice cream layers to about 1/4 of an inch below the top of the pan.

Fold the excess plastic wrap over the top of the pan to completely cover the ice cream. Place in freezer for 2 more hours.

Remove the pan from the freezer, uncover the top of the pan and place a serving plate, invert the pan to allow the cake to slide out onto the serving platter. Put a star tip (or whatever tip you're comfortable with) in a pastry bag or plastic bag with a corner tip snipped off, fill the bag with whipped topping and decorate the top of the cakeusing your own creativity. Very quickly, line the candy bars around the perimeter of the cake, soldier style.

Place the cake back in the freezer for at least 2 more hours. Garnish with shaved chocolate an serve.

Boomsday Breakfast Casserole

2011-09-08T04:57:00.000-04:00

Congratulations to Ramona of The Japanese Redneck! Ramona is the winner of the Girard's Salad Dressing Giveaway!

Thanks to tropical weather, our three-day Labor Day weekend didn't turn out quite as planned. It rained, and rained, and rained some more. Soooooo, instead of grilling, swimming and over-eating outdoors, we overate, watched football, movies and danced our tushes off on the Wii indoors.

Since breakfast is the most important meal of the day, we threw this together Labor Day morning. A divine way to have a delicious breakfast ready, hot and simply and at the same time!

1 lb. smoked sausage, slice the link in half and slice into 1/4 inch half moons
2 tablespoons Canola oil
1/2 cup onions, finely chopped
1/2 cup bell pepper, finely chopped
1/4 cup green onions, sliced thin
2 jalapenos, seeded and minced
6 large eggs
1 cup milk
1/2 cup evaporated milk
3 croissants, torn into pieces
1 tablespoon Creole seasoning
Hot sauce to taste
1-1/2 cups sharp cheddar cheese, shredded

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.

Heat the Canola oil in large skillet over medium-high heat. Saute the sausage, onions and peppers, for about 10 minutes, until the sausage begins to brown. Halfway through season with half of the Creole seasoning.

While the sausage is cooking, whisk the eggs, milk, and the remainder of the Creole seasoning together. Once thoroughly combined, stir in the green onions and hot sauce to taste.

Arrange the torn croissants pieces in the bottom of a buttered casserole dish. Spoon the sausage mixture over the croissant. Ladle egg mixture over the sausage and croissant layers the top the cheddar cheese.

Bake in a preheated 350 degree oven for 30 to 35.

Kind of makes the rain seems like sunshine, doesn't it?

Giarard's Giveaway - Last Call and Brick Chicken

2011-09-05T14:00:00.000-04:00

Girard's Giveaway ends Wednesday, September 7, 2011 at 8:00 PM EST. You can enter by commenting on this post or the previous post, Greek Grilled Chicken Salad, by following this blog, tweeting about the giveaway and by following me on Twitter.

I apologize for mis-communicating the contents of the prize package the prize package includes the four new Girard's salad dressings: Old Venice Italian Salad Dressing, Greek Feta Vinaigrette, White Balsamic Vinaigrette, and Light Champagne Dressing.

Let me show you this awesome Brick Chicken recipe I got from Girard's, I just loved it!

1 3-1/2 lb. fryer
3/4 cup Girard's Old Venice Italian Dressing
2 fresh rosemary sprigs

Butterfly the fryer by removing the backbone with a pair of poultry shears.

Place the chicken in a shallow dish and loosen the skin around the chicken breast and tuck several small pieces of rosemary under the skin and pour 1/2 cup of the dressing over the chicken. Turn the chicken several times to coat well. Cover the dish with plastic wrap and refrigerate for one hour.

Cover a brick with foil, I didn't have a brick so I used a cast iron skillet covered in foil.

Pre-heat your grill to medium-high and make the grill grates are spray with non-stick cooking spray or coated with oil to prevent sticking. Place the chicken on the grill skin side down and place the brick (skillet) on top of the chicken and grill for 8 to 10 minutes. Turn the chicken and place it on the cooler side of the grill so you are cooking using indirect heat. Place the brick (skillet) on top of the chicken, lower the heat to medium and continue cooking until the temperature registers 165 degrees F at the thigh. Turn the chicken approximately every 10 minutes.

Allow the chicken to rest for about 5 minutes before carving. Serve with the remaining Old Venice Italian Dressing.

Hope you're have a sunny and dry Labor Day!

Greek Grilled Chicken Salad and Lots of Swag Courtesy of Girard's!!!

2011-08-29T05:04:00.002-04:00

Girard's is introducing four new salad dressings and I was lucky enough to get a sneak preview, plus they sent me A LOT of swag! One of you lucky, lucky readers is going to get all four of these scrumptious new salad dressings plus all this swag.

This week I will post recipes using these new salad dressings to add a little pop to your weekday meals.

Come take a look and start plotting how you're going to win Girard's Kitchen Epicurean Expert salad dressings and lots of swag.

What are all of these goodies? One bottle each of these delicious salad dressings - Greek Feta Vinaigrette, White Balsamic Vinaigrette, Light Champagne Dressing, Old Venice Italian Dressing.

Stainless steel recipe card holder, great for recipes and reminders and stainless steel soap that removes strong odors during your food preparations.

Eco-friendly bamboo wood utensils so you can toss and serve in style and 100% natural cotton tote bag for those last minute produce trips or trips to your local Farmer's Market.

Girard's Salad Dressing Recipe Booklet for culinary inspiration and a cotton twill full-length embroidered apron with pockets to keep you stain-free and styling!

Now for the main event, Greek Grilled Chicken Salad! I was inspired by one of the recipes in the salad dressing booklet and put my own spin on it. Doesn't it look gorgeous. So light, healthy and with wonderful flavors tapping on all of your taste buds.

1 bag (16 oz.) broccoli and cauliflower florets

1 boneless, skinless chicken breast, seasoned, grilled and thinly sliced.

3 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil

1/4 cup roasted red bell peppers, diced (if using jarred, use the kind packed in water)

2 tablespoons Kalamata olives, pitted and quartered

Kosher salt and black pepper

1/2 cup Girard's Greek Feta Vinaigrette

Place the broccoli and cauliflower florets in a bowl, drizzle with olive oil and season with salt and pepper. Place the florets on a pre-heated grill pan and grill until slightly browned.

Remove from grill and place in a serving bowl. Add the sliced grilled chicken to the bowl and pour Girard's Greek Feta Vinaigrette. Toss to coat evenly then add the roasted red peppers and the Kalamata olives. Toss again to thoroughly combine. Season with salt and pepper to taste and enjoy!

We enjoyed this warm, but this lovely meal can be enjoyed chilled also.

We ate this for lunch yesterday and I can't wait to enjoy this again for lunch today and make my co-workers jealous.

For the giveaway, you can earn uber many chances to win. Leave a comment on any of my Girard posts this week, leave another comment if you're a follower. If you're not a follower, follow and leave another comment. Follow me on Twitter and tweet about this giveaway, will entitle you to two more chances. "Like" Smoky Mountain Cafe on Facebook gives you another chance!

Smoky Mountain Muffaletta

2011-08-24T09:13:00.000-04:00

We've tried various olive salads sold around town; some are freshly prepared and some are shipped from New Orleans. The one thing they all have in common is way too much olive oil. Why fight it; why not be creative? So this is what happened...

A couple of days ago on my lunch hour, I went to one of my favorite grocery stores in Knoxville to get some sliced pancetta. While at the deli counter, I noticed they carried mortadella! One-half pound please and a half pound of hard salami; oh, I also need a half pound of provolone cheese too, please!

Okay now what kind of bread can I get? I found a round loaf of an Italian type bread labeled "Parmesan Garlic" with sesame seeds on top; very much like the muffaletta bun found in New Orleans.

That evening, after draining a can of quartered artichoke hearts, I placed them in a bowl with a generous handful of sliced baby bella mushrooms, about one dozen Kalamata olives (cut in half) and one tablespoon of minced garlic. I drizzled some extra virgin olive oil over the vegetable mixture and seasoned it with salt and pepper.

The vegetable mixture was placed on a grill pan over direct heat on a preheated gas grill. I stood over the grill, and tossed and turned the veggies as necessary to get a nice sear but careful not to burn them.

I placed the bread on the grill after it had been sliced in half and each inner half drizzled with some extra virgin olive oil that had been infused with garlic.

To Assemble:

Cover the bottom half of the bread with a layer of hard salami, then with a layer of mortadella, then a layer of cheese. Now add the crowning touch, the grilled veggies. Slice the big ol' sammich in quarters and share with your family or if you're really brave and sufficiently armed, don't share! Do enjoy though!

Easy Breakfast Parfait

2011-08-22T08:44:00.001-04:00

Don't boo and hiss, this packed full of flavor and texture! So anyway, a few weeks ago, I happened to catch the Neely's making this for breakfast. I've always wanted to try and make my own granola and who knew it could be so easy and so versitile. Who knew sleepy teenagers would wander in the kitchen early on a Saturday morning asking, "What smells so good? It woke me up."

Doesn't it look like dessert? Don't let this parfait fool you, it's fat-free, filling but doesn't bog you down like the usual breakfast fare.

Granola:

3 cups old-fashioned oats

2 cups unsweetened shredded coconut

1 cup chopped dried apricots (quarter each apricot)
1/2 cup coarsely chopped raw pecans or walnuts
1/4 cup brown sugar
3 tablespoons canola oil
3 tablespoons Steen's Pure Cane Syrup or real maple syrup
1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
1/4 teaspoon Kosher salt

Preheat oven to 325 degrees F.

Toss the oats, coconut, apricots and pecans in a large bowl. In another bowl, whisk together the brown sugar, canola oil, cane or maple syrup, vanilla, and Kosher salt. Drizzle the syrup mixture over the oat mixture. Use your hands and toss well, to make sure everything is evenly coated.

Spread the mixture in an even layer on a rimmed baking sheet. Bake for about 15 minutes, stirring/turning the mixture halfway through so the granola will cook evenly.Remove from the oven and place in a large bowl or storage container so it will stop cooking and allow to cool before serving.

Yogurt:

2 cups plain Greek yogurt
3 tablespoons honey
1/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon

Combine the yogurt, honey, and cinnamon in a bowl.

To Assemble:

Place a spoonful or two in the bottom of a glass then layer with a spoonful or two of the yogurt mixture.

Gorgeous and easy, give it a drive around the block!

Tuscan Chocolate Cream Cake

2011-08-19T09:32:00.001-04:00

Are you looking for a dazzling, cool, refreshing, and simple dessert to serve this weekend? This is the cherry on top of any summer supper. Boys and girls your eyes are going to roll to the back of your head once your taste buds surround the first bite of Tuscan Chocolate Cream Cake. Slap me for waiting so long to make this!

The most awesome cake maker I know, my SIL Theresa, shared this recipe with me a few summers ago.

Make the night before are early in the morning so it can chill for several hours before serving. The only special equipment you will need, is an 8 or 9 inch springform pan.

Tuscan Chocolate Cream Cake

2 cups cold heavy cream

1 -1/2 packages (12 ounces) Mascarpone cheese

1/2 cup sugar

1/4 cup Kahlua coffee liqueur

2 tablespoons cocoa powder

1 teaspoon instant espresso powder

1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract

2 (16 ounce) packages of chocolate chip cookies

Using the whisk attachment on your stand mixer, blend together all of the ingredients except the chocolate chip cookies. To avoid wearing the contents of the bowl, start off on LOW until contents are combined and then gradually raise the speed and whisk until firm peaks form.

Using your UN-greased springform pan, arrange chocolate chip cookies to completely cover the bottom of the springform pan. You will have to break up several cookies to fit pieces in the spaces between the cookies. Don't worry, you will have about 1/4 of a pack of cookies leftover.

Spread a thin layer (approximately 1/4 of the chocolate cream) of the chocolate cream evenly over the cookies with a spatula. On this first layer the cookies will tend to move around while you are spreading the chocolate cream. It may even get a little messy, at this point it doesn't have to be pretty. Repeat with another layer of cookies followed by a layer of chocolate cream. until there or four layers.

On the top layer of the chocolate cream, smooth and even out with the spatula. Cover the cake with plastic wrap and refrigerate overnight or for at least 8 hours so the cake can set.

When you are ready to serve, run sharp night in some hot water and then run the knife between the outside of the cake and the pan. Gently remove the side of the pan and slice cake, running the knife in hot water after each slice to achieve a "clean" cut.

Hot Diggity Dog! A Cure for the Summertime Blues!

2011-08-17T05:18:00.000-04:00

I'm not going to lie, sometimes I really like a gooooooood hotdog! Grilled of course! Buuuuuutttt....I wanted to experiment; that's just a part of the magic of me.

The homegirlz were game once I threw in words they knew, like taco and pizza.

So this is what we did:

The Taco Dog:

We grilled some dogs and flour tortillas. (Just place the tortillas on the grill for 2 to 3 minutes and turn when you're satisfied with the grill marks and/or doneness.) We also put an assortment of fixin's; a blend of grated cheddar and Monterrey jack cheeses, diced onions, black olives, jalapenos, sliced green onions, and taco sauce. Put out whatever you like on a taco.

I slathered on some taco sauce, topped the dog with onions, cheese, black olives, and green onions.

We actually rolled the dogs burrito style. The flavor was amazing, they were light. I liked them much better than using a hot dog bun with all the bread.

About two weeks later, we tried these:

Pizza Dogs:

I infused some butter with garlic and drizzled it on the bun. We then placed grilled dogs on the buns and ladled pizza sauce over the dogs and sprinkled a combination of grated Parmesan and mozzarella cheese on top. The dogs were placed under the broiler until the cheese was sufficiently melted.

The pizza dogs were good, but my favorite no question - the taco dogs. The homegirlz concurred.

So when you have the summertime blues or you just want to change things up....go for it, who knows, you may may see Hot Dog Cordon Bleu or Hot Dog Carbonara on here sometime!

So tell me, really, who let the dogs out?

Special Dark Chocolate Cake

2011-08-15T05:12:00.155-04:00

Have you ever seen this? I had no idea....

Why oh why did I have to glance around to check out coffee prices and see this? It's August for goodness sakes! It's been hotter than hell, but of course this little container had to jump right in my face.

It as fate, that has to be it, yeah it was meant to be.

Seriously, I'm not a big chocolate freak, but dark chocolate or semi-sweet, the good stuff, oh yeah baby. Now make a chocolate cake with this...I only managed to get one thin slice, it was all my conscience could handle. Actually, once my husband, the homegirlz and their friends got a hold of the cake, my conscience was lucky. My taste buds threw a parade.

It's simple, just make this cake.

Cake Batter:

1 stick butter

4 ounces unsweetened chocolate, chopped into small pieces

2-1/2 cups AP flour

2-1/4 cups granulated sugar

1 cup unsweetened Hershey's Special Dark cocoa powder

2 teaspoons baking soda

1/2 teaspoon baking powder

1-1/2 teaspoons salt

1-1/2 cups sour cream

3 eggs, room temperature

2 teaspoons vanilla extract

1 cup water

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Grease and flour cake pans, I used a Bundt pan.

Melt butter and chocolate together in microwave on HIGH until melted and smooth, 1 to 1-1/2 minutes, stirring at 30 to 45 seconds or halfway through. Remove melted chocolate from the microwave and reserve.

In another bowl, mix flour, sugar, cocoa, baking soda, baking powder, and salt until thoroughly blended.

Add sour cream, eggs, water, chocolate mixture and vanilla; to the flour mixture and beat 30 seconds on low speed, until dry ingredients are combined then beat for 2 more minutes. Pour into prepared pan(s).

Bake at 350 degrees for 40 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean.

Cool cake in pan on rack for 15 minutes. Remove cake from pan and finish cooling on a rack.

I wish I was a better photographer!

Icing:

4 ounces unsweetened chocolate, chopped up in small pieces

1/2 cup shortening

1 stick butter, room temperature

1/4 cup sour cream

1/3 cup milk

2 teaspoons vanilla extract

1/4 teaspoon salt

4 cups confectioner's sugar

1/2 cup unsweetened special dark cocoa

Melt chocolate in the microwave for about 1 to 1=1/2 minutes, stirring halfway through. Stir until smooth and set aside.

Beat shortening, butter mil, vanilla, salt, 1 cup of the sugar and the cocoa powder in a medium size bowl until creamy. Gradually add in the remaining sugar and melted chocolate alternately and beat until thick and smooth.

It's going to be a great week!

Corn, Corn and More Corn Casserole!

2011-08-12T05:21:00.050-04:00

I had printed this Paula Deen recipe out a couple of years ago and found it while I was looking for something else. Always on a quest to add new life to staples sides like corn, this is a keeper. The corn lovers at your table won't be able to get enough.

1 (15 1/4-ounce) can whole kernel corn, drained

1 (14 3/4-ounce) can cream-style corn

1 (8-ounce) package corn muffin mix (I used Jiffy)

1 cup light sour cream

1 teaspoon finely chopped jalapenos (optional)

1/2 stick butter, melted

1-1/2 cups shredded cheddar cheese

Preheat oven to 375 degrees F.

In a large bowl, mix together the 2 cans of corn, the corn muffin mix, sour cream, and melted butter. Pour into a large casserole dish prepared with non-stick cooking spray.

Bake for 40 to 45 minutes, or until golden brown.

Yum, it smelled like popcorn when it came out of the oven!

Remove from oven and top with Cheddar. Return to oven for 5 to 10 minutes, or until cheese is melted and slightly bubbly. Let casserole rest for 5 minutes and then serve warm.

Enjoy your weekend!

Orange Chicken Fingers with Orange Teriyaki Glaze

2011-08-10T05:35:00.000-04:00

The Homegirlz have been asking me to make Chicken Nuggets and I just wasn't in the mood to fry anything. I was in the mood for some good crunchy chicken though. Even grown kids like me enjoy chicken nuggets or chicken strips from time to time. This is the result of Kaitlin and me experimenting in the kitchen and learning that compromise is good and figuring out how to make some good crunchy chicken a little less fattening, a lot more healthy and not lose a bit of flavor.

Chicken Fingers:

1 tablespoon toasted sesame seeds - or toast your own (see below)

6 cups corn flake cereal

1/2 teaspoon grated orange zest

Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper

2 egg whites

1 tablespoon teriyaki sauce

2 lbs. boneless, skinless chicken breasts, cut into tenders

Orange Teriyaki Glaze:

1/2 cup orange marmalade

1 tablespoon teriyaki sauce

1/2 teaspoon ground ginger

1 tablespoon freshly squeezed lemon juice

Preheat the oven to 425 degrees F. Place a wire rack on a baking sheet and lightly mist with nonstick cooking spray.

Toast the sesame seeds in a small nonstick skillet set over medium heat. Toast, tossing them around the skillet often, until golden brown and fragrant, about 5 minutes. Set aside to cool.

Put the corn flake cereal in a re-sealable plastic bag and crumble using a rolling pin until crushed.

In a shallow bowl combine the toasted sesame seeds, crushed cereal and orange zest and lightly season with salt and pepper.

In a second shallow dish, beat the egg whites with the teriyaki sauce.

Dip each chicken tender in the teriyaki-egg mixture and then the cereal mixture, pressing to coat well. Place the chicken on the rack and mist the chicken with nonstick cooking spray. Bake until the crust is golden and the chicken is cooked through, 18 to 20 minutes.

In a small pan, heat the marmalade, teriyaki and ginger over medium heat until melted and thoroughly blended.

Remove from heat and stir in the lemon juice. Serve the chicken with some of the sauce for dipping.

You'll feel good about enjoying this meal with your kids.

Potato Souffle

2011-08-08T05:05:00.001-04:00

By chance last week, I happened to catch Sandra Lee making this dish. Normally, I don't pay a whole lot of attention, but when she was using Parmesan cheese in this recipe, she got my undivided attention.

Have you ever "souffled"? Me either, this is my first time. Thank you for being here to share this souffle experience. Are you afraid to souffle? I was, that's why I haven't made one before. Now I'm a souffling maniac! One word of caution, timing is critical with this dish. The moment it comes out of the oven it needs to be served or yes, the horrible will happen, it will deflate a little. It will still taste amazing, but the show stopping fluff will be a memory.

If you ever want to impress your dinner guests, with eye candy and flavor, plus saying "souffle" is fun and it sounds so sophisticated.; this is the golden ticket.

1 tablespoon butter

2 tablespoons grated Parmesan

1 (3.6-ounce) packet instant roasted garlic mashed potatoes, made according to package directions and cooled completely (recommended: Betty Crocker)

4 eggs, separated

3/4 cup cream

1 tablespoon freshly snipped chives

1/2 teaspoon salt

1/4 teaspoon ground black pepper

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Butter bottom and sides of a 1 1/2-quart souffle dish. Add Parmesan to dish and roll dish to coat inside (just like preparing a cake pan with butter and flour); set aside.

In medium bowl, stir to combine cooled potatoes, egg yolks, cream, chives, salt and pepper; set aside.

In another medium bowl, use an electric mixer to beat egg whites until stiff peaks form. Careful not to overbeat.

Stir 1/3 of egg whites into potato mixture. Gently fold in remaining egg whites until just incorporated.

Transfer to prepared souffle dish and bake in preheated oven 60 to 65 minutes, or until puffy and golden brown.

Serve immediately.

Now you've souffled, go forth and show-off to all of your friends and family!

New York Srip with Goat Cheese Crumbles

2011-08-05T09:17:00.000-04:00

I know that a good steak can stand on its own. But...sometimes I just feel the need to change things up a bit. The fresh, tart taste of goat cheese turned these goat cheese crumbles into a fantastic steak dinner my sweetie and I shared. It's so quick and oh so very simple!

2 tablespoons goat cheese

1/4 cup Italian style bread crumbs
1 teaspoons Herbs de Provence
1-1/2 teaspoons olive oil, divided
2 New York Strip steaks (rib eyes, filet mignon or sirloin cuts will work great too)
Salt and freshly ground black pepper
1/2 cup dry sherry
1 cup beef stock
1 clove garlic, pressed
1/4 cup onions, diced

Preheat oven to 400 degrees F. Line a baking sheet with foil, spray with non stick cooking spray and set aside.

In a small mixing bowl, crumble goat cheese and combine with bread crumbs, Herbs de Provence, and 1/2 teaspoon of olive oil; set aside.

Add 1 tablespoon olive oil to a large skillet and heat over medium-high heat. Season steaks with salt and pepper place in skillet. Sear 1 to 2 minutes per side just to brown. Top with a pat of butter, remove skillet from heat. Us e a pair of tons and carefully place steaks on prepared baking sheet.

Top each steak with half of the goat cheese crumbles. Finish cooking steaks in preheated oven for 4 minutes for medium-rare, 6 minutes for medium, and 8 minutes for well done.

Return skillet to the stove and deglaze with sherry. Scrape the browned bits from the bottom of the skillet.

Add the beef broth, garlic and onions and bring to a boil over medium-high heat. Reduce liquid by half.

Remove steaks from the oven and let sit for about 5 minutes before serving to allow juices to re-distribute.

Serve steaks with the sauce ladled over the top.

So sublime! Have a wonderful weekend!

Broiled Fillet of Flounder in Cajun Shrimp Butter

2011-08-03T07:39:00.000-04:00

I found this recipe by my favorite chef, John Folse, tried it and had to share it with you. When I put the first bite in my mouth, I felt like I was dining at one of the best restaurants in New Orleans, that's just how good this dish is.

Looking at how this recipe is layed out, it is really pretty simple and goes very fast. Timing is the key with this keeper. Get your shrimped peeled and the veggies chopped for the Cajun butter sauce first. Chip up your butter and put it in a bowl and store it in the refrigerator until you are ready for it. Once you put the flounder in the oven, get started on the Cajun butter.

The flounder, a nice green salad and a glass of wine and you've just treated yourself and that special someone to an unforgettable dining experience!

For the Flounder:

2 Flounder fillets
1/2 cup white wine
1/4 cup of water
1/2 stick of butter, melted
salt and cayenne pepper to taste
paprika for color
2 tablespoons chopped flat leaf parsley

For the Cajun Shrimp Butter:

1/4 cup melted butter
1 lb. fresh shrimp, peeled
2 tablespoons minced garlic
1/4 cup chopped green onions
1/4 cup sliced mushrooms
1/2 cup diced tomatoes
1/2 cup dry white wine
1 tablespoon freshly squeezed lemon juice
1/2 cup heavy whipping cream
1/2 lb. butter chipped
salt and cayenne pepper to taste

Preheat the oven to 375 degrees.

Use a baking pan large enough to accommodate the fillets. Pour wine, water and butter over the fillets. Season the fillets to taste with salt, cayenne and sprinkle generously with paprika and parsley. Bake for about 10 minutes, until fish is flaky to touch. Heat broiler and place fish under broiler for about 1 to 1-/2 minutes, just to brown up the seasonings on top just a bit. Be careful not to burn or overcook the fish.

Remove from oven, tent with foil to keep warm.

In a heavy skillet, heat butter over medium high heat, add shrimp, green onions, mushrooms, tomato and garlic and saute for about 7 minutes, until vegetable are wilted.

De-glaze the skillet with the white wine and lemon juice and reduce by half.

Add heavy whipping cream and bring to a low boil and reduce until thickened.

Slowly add the chipped butter a few pieces at a time. Swirl until complete melted before adding more chips of butter.

Season to taste with salt and cayenne.

Place a generous serving of Cajun butter in the center of plate and top with broiled flounder.

I hear ya, even this early in the morning I'm still drooling!

Two-fers!!! Arnold Palmer Sangria and Carribbean Jerk Pork Tenderloin with Drizzling Sauce

2011-07-29T09:25:00.000-04:00

Yeah, yeah, yeah, we all know it's way too hot. But, instead of complaining about the you know what, make something cool and refreshing to sip on while you grill yourself some amazing pork!

Arnold Palmer Sangria

2 cups chilled lemonade
2 cups freshly brewed iced tea, sweetened to your taste
1 bottle (750 ml) Sauvignon Blanc
1 orange thinly sliced
1 lemon thinly sliced
1 lime thinly sliced
1 pint of strawberries, sliced in half
1 pint of blackberries, sliced in half

Combine the lemonade, tea and wine. Add the sliced fruit, cover pitcher and refrigerate for at least 2 hours and up to 12 hours.

A.J highly recommends you have enough ingredients to double this up, you'll want to make two pitchers this weekend.

He's heard temperatures are going to be out of sight this weekend!

Caribbean Jerk Pork Tenderloin with Drizzling Sauce

1 2-1/4 lb. pork tenderloin (if they packed as 2 tenderloins, that's fine) trimmed of fat and silver skin

1/2 cup fresh lime juice (if you used bottled, I recommend only Nellie and Joe's Key West Lime Juice usually found on the baking aisle)

1 cup Jerk marinade, recipe follows

2 teaspoons kosher salt

Canola or vegetable oil

Jerk Drizzling Sauce, for serving, recipe follows

Rinse meat and pat dry with paper towels.Place meat in a glass bowl, DO NOT USE A METAL BOWL, and rub the 1/2 cup of lime juice all over the meat. Place bowl with meat in the refrigerator uncovered for about 15 minutes while you make the marinade.

Jerk Marinade

1/2 cup chopped fresh thyme leaves

1 cup chopped green onions
1/2 cup chopped flat-leaf parsley
1/2 cup minced onion
2 tablespoons brown sugar - light or dark, doesn't matter
2 crushed bay leaves
2 teaspoons ground allspice
1 teaspoons ground nutmeg
1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/4 teaspoon ground coriander
2 Jalapeno peppers, de-seeded and de-veined
1 1/2 tablespoons minced garlic
1 teaspoon ground ginger
1 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
1/4 cup plus 2 tablespoons of canola or vegetable oil
1/4 cup soy sauce
3 tablespoons lime juice
2 tablespoons apple cider vinegar

In the bowl of a food processor, combine the thyme, green onions, parsley, onion, brown sugar, bay leaves, allspice, nutmeg, cinnamon, coriander, jalapenos, garlic, ginger, salt, pepper, and vegetable oil and process to a smooth paste. Transfer to a glass bowl NOT METAL bowl and stir in the soy sauce, lime juice, and vinegar.

Pour the marinade over the meat and turn to completely coat. Cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate for at least 4 hours or up to overnight, turn every couple of hours.

Preheat grill to medium, spray the grates with non-stick cooking spray. Remove the meat from the marinade, a nice coat of the marinade should still be clinging to the meat. Season the meat with salt and pepper and place the tenderloin(s) on the grill. Sear all sides then move the meat to finish cooking over in-direct heat, turning every 12 to 15 minutes. Cook until the pork is just cooked through and nicely browned on the outside and a thermometer inserted into the center registers 145 to 150 degrees F.

Remove the tenderloin(s) from the grill to a platter, tent with foil and allow to rest for at least 10 minutes before serving.

Slice and generously ladle the drizzling sauce over the top.

Drizzling Sauce

6 tablespoons ketchup

1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce
1/4 cup orange juice
1 tablespoon butter
2 tablespoons fresh lime juice
2 tablespoons apple cider vinegar
1/4 cup firmly packed brown sugar
1 teaspoon ground ginger
1 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon dry mustard
1 teaspoon minced garlic
1 jalapeno, de-seeded, de-veined and minced

Combine all ingredients in a small pot and cook over medium heat until reduced enough to coat the back of a spoon, about 20 minutes. Drizzle warm sauce over pork and serve remainder in a bowl at the table for dipping.

Hope this took your mind off the you know what and cooled you off! Have a great weekend!

Bluff Mountain Rice

2011-07-27T06:21:00.000-04:00

Lately, I have seen a lot of TV cooks browning small pieces of vermicelli in olive oil prior to cooking the rice. The browned pasta gives the cooked rice a nutty flavor. I wanted to try this so bad, but if you've been reading this blog for any length of time, you know I have a rice handicap. I can't cook rice in a pot or pan to save my like. I have to use a rice cooker. Sadly, rice is my unicorn.

I formulated what ingredients I would use if I cook cook rice like most people. I plotted and plunder of how this could possibly work using the rice cooker. After a glass or two of some really good pinot noir, I did it! Yes, I did and oh my!!! My rice came out perfect! Light, fluffy, separate grains, oh happy day!

1 tablespoon olive oil

2 tablespoons butter

1 cup vermicelli, broken into one-inch lengths

2 cups rice

3 slices prosciutto, chopped

1 cup rough chopped yellow onion

1/2 red bell pepper, rough chopped

2 tablespoons garlic, minced

1/2 cup vermouth or white wine

3 1/2 cups chicken broth

Salt and freshly ground black pepper

In a large high-sided skillet with a tight-fitting lid, heat oil and butter over medium-high heat. Add in the vermicelli and rice and saute until lightly browned.

Add in the prosciutto and saute for about 2 to 3 minutes.

Add in the onion and bell pepper and saute for 3 or 4 minutes. Add the garlic and saute for another minute, then deglaze the skillet with the vermouth or white wine.

Pour in the chicken stock, bring mixture to a boil. Lower heat to low, cover and cook for 18 to 20 minutes or until liquid has evaporated and the rice is cooked.

Adjust seasonings if needed.

The toasted pasta really livens up the rice!

Pan Seared Chicken Breast with Olives

2011-07-25T06:41:00.003-04:00

This is a Guy Fieri recipe I couldn't resist trying. His method and unusual combination of flavors really intrigued me. The one big road block was getting olives of any kind on the homegirlz' plates. I rationalized, who cares, their plates can be served without olives; more for me, yay!

Seriously, you will not be disappointed, give this a try.

4 chicken breasts, bone-in, skin on

12 teaspoon paprika

1/2 teaspoon granulated garlic

1 teaspoon salt

1 teaspoon freshly cracked black pepper

1 1/2 tablespoons olive oil

1 cup julienned Vidalia or yellow onion

1 cup trimmed julienned leeks

2 tablespoons roughly chopped garlic

1 cup jarred pitted Spanish olives, stuffed with pimento plus 1 tablespoon olive juice

1/2 cup white wine

Pinch freshly chopped thyme leaves

2 tablespoons butter

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.

Rinse and pat dry the chicken. Preheat a cast iron skillet over medium heat.

Combine paprika, granulated garlic, salt and pepper, in a small bowl.

Rub seasoning mix all over the chicken.

When skillet is hot, add oil and sear chicken, skin side first, turn over and sear other side.

Remove to a sheet tray and put into the preheated oven to cook through, about 15 minutes.

Using the skillet used to sear the chicken, add in the onions and leeks. Saute for 4 to 5 minutes or until lightly caramelized.

Add garlic and olives and olive juice and saute for 2 more minutes.

Deglaze the skillet with the white wine. Reduce wine by half.

Finish the sauce by stirring in thyme and butter. Adjust seasoning, if necessary, and keep warm.

When chicken is done, remove from oven, place on serving platter, and pour any juices into vegetable mixture. Pour over chicken and serve immediately.

Two Bean Champagne Salad

2011-07-22T07:37:00.000-04:00

Fresh, cool salads were made for sultry, summer evenings. Can you resist these gorgeous colors? I can't! The combinations of flavors will please your taste buds and compliment your summer grill.

1 can (15 oz.) Red Kidney Beans

1 can (15 oz.) Cannellini Beans

1/2 medium red onion sliced

1 tablespoon Cilantro, finely chopped

1 tablespoon freshly squeezed lime juice

Splash of Champagne Vinegar

Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper

Open both cans of beans place them in a colander. Rinse the beans thoroughly under cool water and allow them to drain while you are slicing the onions and chopping the cilantro.

Place the drained beans in a bowl and toss with the onion, cilantro, lime juice and champagne vinegar. Season to taste with salt and pepper to taste. Cover and refrigerate until you are ready to serve.

It's best to make this salad ahead of time to give all of the ingredients time to blend.

Have a fantastic weekend!

Chicken Fried Steak with White Pepper Gravy - The Boss!

2011-07-20T21:16:00.002-04:00

Often I wonder if any of you have the same trouble I do when planning your weekly menu while trying to get your grocery list together. Honestly, I have slammed into a brick wall. Nothing looks good, nothing sounds good; I don't know what I want. Anyone who really knows me will tell you that the worst thing you can do is give me time to think. And think I did boys and girls!

Wandering aimlessly down the frozen food aisle in the grocery store, looking at frozen TV dinners, which by the way, ain't what they used to be, it hit me. Besides fried chicken and salisbury steak, what kind of TV dinners were popular in those three-way divided, foil trays of my childhood? Chicken Fried Steak came to mind.

Chicken Fried Steak apparently is more of a southern thang, but side-stepped New Orleans. Since I don't remember my mother ever cooking Chicken Fried Steak, and I know I've never ordered it in a restaurant, I wasn't sure what Chicken Fried Steak was all about; besides you know how I am about white gravies (I am coming around to a degree). After researching different Chicken Fried Steak recipes from the really basic to the over the top (marinating sirloin and making a white wine sauce), I compiled several ingredients and methods and came up with this very budget friendly, rockin' the house recipe. Oh yeah baby, this will show Chicken Fried Steak who's boss!

Gather this stuff together for the Chicken Fried Steak:

1 to 1-1/4 lbs. lean round steak, either pre-cut or cut into equal portions

1 cup buttermilk

Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper

2 cups AP flour

2 tablespoons garlic powder

1-1/2 tablespoons onion powder

1 tablespoon paprika

1 teaspoon cayenne (really, don't be afraid, use this much, trust me

Canola oil

For the White Pepper Gravy:

1/2 pound bacon, cut into short strips

2 well-rounded tablespoons AP flour

1-1/2 cups milk

1/2 cup plus 2 tablespoons heavy cream

2 tablespoons finely chopped thyme

Salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste

2 to 3 Fresh thyme sprigs (for show, optional)

Blend the flour, garlic powder, onion powder, paprika, cayenne and about 1 to 2 teaspoons of kosher salt and 1/2 teaspoon of freshly ground black pepper in a bowl. Once blended, divide this between to pie dish or large shallow bowls.

Place the buttermilk in a pie dish or large, shallow bowl, season generously with salt and pepper.

Pour canola oil into a cast iron skillet, right under halfway. It's really important to use a cast iron skillet for this. Heat the skillet over medium heat to 350 degrees F. Do not exceed the medium setting on your stove. This will heat the oil slow and steady and alleviate the big flare up when you place the coated meat into the hot oil.

Preheat oven to 250 degrees F. Place the top rack in the middle of the oven.

Pour the 1-1/2 cup of milk and the half cup of heavy cream in a small sauce pan. Heat over low heat and cover, leaving the lid askew on the pot so the liquid warms, not boils.

Dredge no more than 2 pieces at a time through the first flour mixture and shake off any excess.

Then dip the steaks in the buttermilk mixture and gently shake off or allow excess to drip off.

Finally, dredge the meat through the second flour mixture and place into the heated oil.

Add the steak, 2 pieces at a time and cook until golden brown on both sides. More than two steaks at a time will lower the oil temperature and cause the coating to peel off in sheets. Remember to keep the oil temperature steady hot and don't move the meat around for about 3 minutes.

While the steaks are frying, start cutting up the bacon into this strips, about 1-inch long.

Place the cooked steaks momentarily on a paper towel line plate. Quickly season the steaks with salt and allow to rest for about 5 minutes. Then, using a spatula or tongs, carefully move the steaks to a rack on a baking sheet. Once all of the steaks are cooked, place the baking sheet in the preheated oven to to keep warm while preparing the gravy.

Remove all but about 2 tablespoons of the oil from the skillet, leaving the crunchy pieces from the coating then add the bacon and cook until golden brown.

Remove bacon with a slotted spoon to a paper towel lined plate.

Spoon off all but 2 tablespoons of fat and return the skillet to the burner at medium heat. Whisk the flour into the pan and let cook for approximately 1 minute until the mixture turns just a very slight brown.

Slowly whisk in the warm milk and cream and continue to heat, whisking frequently. The sauce will thicken very quickly. If the gravy seems too thick, feel free to whisk in additional milk to achieve the desired consistency.

Stir in the additional 2 tablespoons of heavy cream thyme and season with salt and lots and lots of freshly ground black pepper.

Serve with ladled gravy and garnish with the reserved bacon and some chopped chives for color. The chives are completely optional. Add a couple of thyme sprigs for a little panache.

I bet the wagon train has never seen it this good.

French Coconut Pie

2011-07-19T06:37:00.001-04:00

Does coconut pie make you swoon? This is my first attempt at making one of the many varieties of coconut . Paula Deen totally rocked this recipe!

So easy, so quick and very good, at least the itty-bitty piece I was able to score once my family descended on this pie one cold, snowy January afternoon.

1/2 stick of butter, melted

2 eggs, beaten

1 tablespoon all-purpose flour

3/4 cup sugar

1 cup shredded sweetened coconut

1 cup milk

1 (9-inch, deep dish) unbaked pie shell

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. In a large bowl, combine melted butter, eggs, flour, sugar, coconut, and milk. Pour into pie shell. Bake until firm, about 45 to 60 minutes.

So easy, so amazingly delicious!

Salmon Patties with Spicy Caper Remoulade Sauce

2011-07-18T06:36:00.003-04:00

How many of you grew up with Cod Fish Cakes and/or Salmon Croquettes as staples in your mom's menu rotation?

My mom grew up with Cod Fish Cakes as did my husband and neither one of them ever wants to see a Cod Fish Cake again. My mom baked Salmon Croquettes on occasion and I thought they were pretty good.

So ladies and gentlemen, don't boo and hiss; because these ain't yo' moma's fish cakes! Stick around for an economical and deliciously retro update. Even my husband the salmon and fish cake hater will scarf these petite patties down in a blink of an eye!

Spicy Caper Remoulade Sauce -

1-1/2 tablespoons Chipolte mayo

1-1/2 tablespoons mayo with olive oil

1-1/2 tablespoons capers, drained and chopped

1 teaspoon spicy whole grain mustard

2 tablespoons lemon juice

Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper

Whisk the above ingredients together, cover and refrigerate until ready to use.

Salmon Cakes:

Canola or vegetable oil, for frying

1 (14.75-ounce) can boneless pink salmon, drained

3/4 cup Panko bread crumbs

2 eggs, lightly beaten

2 tablespoons chopped flat leaf parsley

2 tablespoons finely chopped red onion

1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper

1/4 teaspoon salt

1/8 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

1/2 cup cornmeal

Heat about 1/4 inch of oil in a large, preferably cast iron skillet over medium heat.

Place drained salmon in a large bowl and flake up with a fork.

Add panko, eggs, onions, parsley, cayenne, salt and black pepper to salmon.

Mix well and form into patties about the size of slider patties. Makes about 8 to 10 patties.

Carefully coat or sprinkle both sides of the patties with cornmeal. The cornmeal gives the patties more crunch and also gives them a beautiful brown color. Place the patties the heated oil, don't crowd the skillet and fry until golden brown; about 4 minutes per side. You may have to fry the patties in batches.

Transfer the cooked salmon patties to a paper-towel lined plate.

Serve immediately with the caper remoulade sauce.

Grilled Shrimp Terrebonne

2011-07-08T13:24:00.000-04:00

Our niece is getting married so while we're in town visiting friends and relatives, we had to go to the French Quarter to get our Central Grocery Muffaletta fix.

On the 4th of July, we visited some very good friends of ours in Terrebonne (Terra-bone) Parish and I wanted to share with all of you a really simple and delicious way to prepare leftover or small shrimp Cajun style. What made this special was the four of us made an assembly line and talked and drank and talked and drank so it seemed to come together very quickly. An added bonus was I had no shortage of volunteers for hand models.

Cut 1 pound of bacon in half. Depending on how many skewers you will need and how much shrimp you have, you may need 2 pounds of bacon.

Wrap a shrimp (two shrimp if the shrimp are really small) in a half slice of bacon. Our hosts told us they usually butterfly the shrimp and insert a small sliver of jalapeno pepper before wrapping the shrimp in the bacon.

Slide a skewer through the bacon wrapped shrimp. While we were assembling, we decided to use two skewers to make it easier to turn the shrimp in the grill.

At this point we were yelling at the coals to HURRY UP so we could get these babies cooking.

These are cooking low and slow over the coals in order for the bacon to cook and crisp up and in order not to over cook the shrimp.

Once the bacon is cooked, thin slices of pepper jack cheese are layered on top of the shrimp skewers.

Once the cheese has melted remove the skewers from the grill. Remove the shrimp from the skewers and dip in melted butter.

Did you know it's illegal in Terrebonne Parish for a person's underwear to show above the waistline of their pants? I like that law, please pass a napkin.

Chicken Schnitzel with Mustard Sauce

2011-07-05T06:36:00.003-04:00

My husband and children have German descents and I haven't cooked or done a thing to acquaint them with their German heritage. Not that they ask or care; but it came to me after I saw this recipe on Food Network.

Chicken Schnitzel has everything I was looking for besides getting A.J. and the homegirlz feeling a little German. For me, the ease of preparation, the flavor AND the mustard sauce! There's a rumor spreading like wildfire in my house that I was spotted eating just the mustard sauce; but that's all it is, a rumor.

The important factors for my husband and children are it's fried and it's chicken. Fried Lebensmittel-Regeln! In English, Fried food rules! Gotta love the Google translator.

For the mustard sauce:

1/2 cup plain low-fat Greek yogurt
1/4 cup whole-grain mustard (I used Zatarain's Creole Mustard)

Whisk the yogurt and mustard in a bowl until smooth. Cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate until ready to serve.

For the Schnitzel:

5 slices wheat or white bread, toasted and then cut into cubes
3/4 teaspoon dried marjoram
Kosher salt and freshly ground pepper
1/2 cup all-purpose flour
1/2 teaspoon paprika
1/4 teaspoon of freshly grated nutmeg
2 large eggs
4 chicken cutlets or chicken tenderloins (about 1 1/2 pounds total)
Canola or vegetable oil, for frying

Pulse the bread in a food processor until finely ground. Transfer to a shallow dish and add the marjoram, and salt and pepper to taste. In another shallow dish, season the flour with the paprika and nutmeg. Beat the eggs in a third dish. Season the chicken with salt and pepper.

Dredge each cutlet in the flour, shaking off the excess. Dip in the egg mixture and then in the breadcrumbs, pressing to coat both sides.

Heat 1/8 inch of canola or vegetable oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat until hot. Add 2 to 3 cutlets and cook until golden brown, about 3 minutes per side. Transfer to a paper-towel-lined plate and season with salt. Repeat with the remaining chicken, adjusting the heat as needed. Serve the schnitzel with the mustard sauce.

Don't skimp on the mustard sauce...you heard it here first!

Creole Beef Short Ribs

2011-07-01T06:08:00.002-04:00

A couple of years ago I posted a recipe called Round Steak and Fettuccine and ranted on and on and on about the my inability to find short ribs in this part of the work. After that rant, Gunny, a fellow blogger friend very generously surprised the heck out of me and sent me a humongous pack of beef ribs. Those ribs were the best beef I have ever tasted!

I had to tell you that to tell you this, I found beef short ribs in the grocery store and you know I scooped them up and couldn't wait to cook them. I started to make the Giada deLaurentis recipe but A.J. (Mr. Brown Gravy and Rice) kept asking me what I was going to do with the ribs. ~Sigh~ I couldn't cook them in a red gravy with pasta right in front of him, so I adapted because he can't. That's the wonderful thing about marriage, I compromised and hit pay dirt!

So go find some beef short ribs and make this right away!

3 tablespoons olive oil
3 strips of Hickory Smoke Bacon
2 1/2 pounds short ribs
Salt and freshly ground black pepper
1/4 cup all-purpose flour
1 medium onion, chopped
1/2 green bell pepper, de-seeded and chopped
2 stalks of celery chopped
1/2 cup fresh parsley leaves
3 cloves garlic, minced
1 teaspoon rosemary leaves
1 teaspoon dried thyme
1 bay leaf
2 1/2 cups beef broth

Pour about 1 tablespoon of olive oil in a large, heavy pot over medium heat. Cook the bacon until crisp. Season the short ribs with salt and pepper.

Remove the bacon from the pot and drain in paper towels and set aside. Add 2 more tablespoons of olive oil to the pot and dredge the ribs in the flour raise the heat to medium high.

Add the ribs to the pot and brown on all sides. don't crowd the pot, you will have to do this in batches and possibly drizzle a little more oil to the pot between batches.

Once the ribs are browned, place on a platter or baking sheet and reserve. Add a scant tablespoon of flour to the pot and stir continuously for about 5 to 7 minutes to allow the flour to cook and brown for a roux. Then add the onions, celery and bell pepper. Combine the vegetables in the roux, which will be fairly light color and saute for about 7 more minutes, then add the minced garlic and saute for another two minutes.

Slowly add the beef broth the the pot 1/2 cup at a time. Completely blend in between pours.

At this point I was satisfied with the color, so I added 2 tablespoons of Worcestershire and still wasn't happy with the color. So I will let you in on a dirty little secret.

Kitchen Bouquet is my dirty little secret. When I want the color of a gravy a little deeper brown, this little bottle is my answer. If you're in a hurry to get your roux to the brown color you need, add a couple of drops dawlin', it just that easy. Creole and Cajun cooks will never, ever admit they use Kitchen Bouquet, but they have at one time or another, just saying...

So I added about 1 teaspoon and jackpot, I got the color I wanted. Be careful with Kitchen Bouquet, a little goes a long way.

Add in the rosemary, thyme, bay leaf, and salt and pepper.

Return the ribs to the pot, crumble the bacon and add, then bring the mixture to a boil. Reduce the heat and simmer, covered, for 1 hour and 15 minutes. Remove the lid and simmer for another hour and a half, stirring occasionally. Adjust the seasonings.

Garnish with parsley and serve with Roasted Garlic Mashed Potatoes.

Yes, sometimes compromise is good.

Grilled Kickin' Turkey Sliders

2011-06-29T11:19:00.002-04:00

Who doesn't like a big, thick, juicy burger covered in melted cheese dripping with your favorite sauce and/or condiments? We toil away to fashion our burger into our ultimate burger fantasy. The thing is, when I'm almost halfway through that big, thick, juicy burger, covered in cheese and sauce is dripping down to my elbows, a dark cloud moves in over me and sheer bliss turns into sheer misery.

Sliders have turned my sheer bliss into, well, actually kept sheer bliss alive and well. I can eat one and no cloud, no misery, no guilt. Sometimes if I dare, I can start on a second slider and still no cloud. It's amazing.

I've also learned another trick. I sometimes use half lean ground beef and half ground turkey. Sometimes it's all ground turkey. As long as no one sees the package, my family doesn't know the difference.

I didn't know the first time I made sliders that there was no such thing as "slider buns". Check out the bakery department in your grocery and pick out a dinner roll that you like or if you're really ambitious, make your own.

Kickin' Slider Sauce

1/3 cup low-fat sour cream (don't use fat-free)

2 tablespoons mayonnaise
1/2 teaspoon horseradish
1/2 teaspoon Louisiana Hot Sauce
2 tablespoons buttermilk
2 tablespoons barbecue sauce of choice
2 teaspoons lemon juice
Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper

Whisk all of the ingredients together in a medium bowl. Cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate until ready to serve.

Burgers:

2-1/2 pounds ground turkey or lean ground beef

2 small shallots, finely chopped
2 tablespoons goat cheese
2 cloves garlic, pressed or minced
2 teaspoons grill seasoning (McCormick's Montreal Steak)
1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce
Salt and freshly ground black pepper
Low fat margarine spread or butter
Garlic powder
8 slider sized dinner rolls or buns
4 slices pepper jack cheese, cut in half
4 slices hickory smoked bacon, cut in half and fried crisp
Kickin' Slider Sauce

In a large mixing bowl, break up the meat with your hands. Add the chopped shallot, garlic, goat cheese (this give the burger a little sumpin', sumpin'), grill seasoning, Worcestershire sauce, and salt and pepper, to taste. Thoroughly combine with your hands.

Divide the meat into 8 equal portions and form them into small patties. Press an indent in the center of each patty with your thumb. I've heard this indent will prevent the burgers from puffing up while cooking. It works.

Heat your grill to medium-high heat and spray grated with non-stick cooking spray. If using ground turkey, you shouldn't have "flame-ups" since the meat won't be expelling any fat. Grill the burgers uncovered, for 5 minutes on the first side. Flip and continue cooking for another 5 until cooked thoroughly. Top the patties with a one-half slice of pepper jack cheese. Once the cheese has melted, remove from grill, tent with foil to keep warm. Spread the margarine or butter the buns, sprinkle with a little garlic powder and place on the grill butter side down. Toast for about 1 minute and remove from grill.

Assemble your burger by placing a cheesy patty on the toasted bun, ladling a generous helping of Kickin' Sauce over the patty and topping it with a half slice of bacon.

Look! No clouds!

Strawberry Rhubarb Turnovers.

2011-06-26T07:49:00.001-04:00

Springtime in the cooking blogosphere brings about a plethora of strawberry-rhubarb creations. Over the past three years I've become very curious about rhubarb because I have not not cooked or baked with it before or have I tasted it. Rhubarb seems to be a little strange. It looks like red celery so how can it be the Springtime partner for strawberries in Spring?

Guy Fieri made this on his show a few weeks ago and decided I would give it a try. The method was easy enough and the turnovers were good, but I didn't find that the rhubarb added and special flavor or texture. I don't anticipate making any rhubarb pies in the near future.

One thing I did learn about rhubarb that I haven't seen anyone post is rhubarb does have stringy fibers much like celery. The stringy fibers need to be removed before you begin chopping up the rhubarb or you will be pulling stringy things out of you mouth while you are tyring to eat your dessert.

Here's what you will need:

1/4 cup water, plus 1 tablespoon

1 pint strawberries, stems removed, plus a few extra sliced for garnish
3/4 cup fresh or frozen rhubarb, (if fresh peel outside layer to remove stringy fibers), cut into 1/2-inch pieces
6 tablespoons sugar, divided
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1/2 cup whipped cream cheese, room temperature
1/4 cup sour cream
2 eggs, divided
2 teaspoons lemon zest
1/3 cup chopped pistachios
2 sheets frozen puff pastry, from 1 (17-ounce) package, thawed according to package directions
Powdered sugar, for garnish

Preheat the oven to 375 degrees F.

Over medium-high heat, in a small non-reactive pot, combine 1/4 cup water, strawberries, rhubarb and 3 tablespoons of the sugar. Allow it to simmer for 20 to 30 minutes or until thickened.

While the strawberries and rhubarb are getting acquainted, you can begin chopping up the pistachios and set them aside. Then in a small bowl, add remaining 3 tablespoons sugar and vanilla. Every so often, while preparing ingredients, stir with a small fork to combine. The sugar with absorb the vanilla.

When the fruit has broken down, and gotten thick, remove the pot from heat and allow the strawberry mixture to cool to room temperature. When cool, strain off any extra liquid.

Very carefully unfold the two sheets of the thawed puff pastry. Roll out the pastry sheet if necessary to smooth out. Cut each sheet into 4 equal squares. In a small bowl, beat the remaining egg and add 1 tablespoon of water.

In a medium bowl, combine the rhubarb-strawberry mixture with the cream cheese, sour cream, 1 egg, lemon zest and pistachios. Place about 2 tablespoons of the cup filling inside each square and brush the outer edges of the pastry with egg wash. Fold the pastry over to form a triangle and seal. Brush with egg wash and sprinkle with the vanilla sugar.

Transfer to the turnovers to the prepared baking sheet and bake for 25 to 30 minutes. Let rest for 10 minutes before serving.

Garnish top with powdered sugar and sliced strawberries

Grilled Pork Chops with a Savory Lager Sauce

2011-06-23T13:08:00.000-04:00

Luxury to me is sitting outside, sipping a cocktail, listening to music, visiting with friends, grilling, and eating outdoors...one of life's most appreciated gifts. My family gets really happy when the weekend rolls around because they know were are cooking outside pretty much the whole weekend.

Do you know what makes grilled beef, pork or chicken even better? A dipping sauce! Just gotta have sauce and not just any sauce, but a richly flavored savory sauce.

So come along children, let's get started:

2 tablespoons butter

1/2 medium-sized red onion, finely chopped
3 cloves garlic pressed through a garlic press or minced
1 cup ketchup
1 tablespoon blackberry preserves
1/2 cup beef broth
1 cup lager
1 tablespoon yellow mustard
2 tablespoons lime juice
1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce
2 teaspoons cayenne pepper
3 to 4 center cut pork chops
Kosher salt and and freshly ground black pepper

Squeeze the lime juice in a small bowl, whisk in the ketchup, mustard, beef broth, and Worcestershire sauce; set aside.

In a small pot over medium to medium-high heat, melt the butter and saute the onion and garlic until softened, season with salt and pepper to taste. Stir in the lager to thoroughly combine.

Add in the preserves and the reserved ketchup mixture. Bring to a bubble, but not to a rapid boil. Then simmer until sauce is reduced to about 1-1/2 cups, about 30 minutes.

Thought I forgot about the cayenne, didn't you? Okay, this where you add in the cayenne. If 2 teaspoons of cayenne seems a bit much, it really isn't but you can be prudent and use 1 teaspoon.

Remove the pot from the heat and allow to slightly cool. If you're anxious like me, dip in a potato chip or six in for a quality check, but beware of what happens when you do this and forget to put the meat on the grill...just saying. Not that it happened, but it could. Okay, it kinda did a little.

Preheat the grill to medium. Pour 1 cup of sauce into a bowl for serving and dipping at the table and put the rest in a container for basting. Season the chops with salt and pepper. Grill steak about 3 minutes per side. Brush the sauce on one side of the chops, close the lid and cook for 3 more minutes. Flip and repeat. Plate the chops and allow to rest for 5 minutes and serve with sauce on side.

"That" Salmon or Grilled Sesame Salmon

2011-06-21T13:37:00.000-04:00

In my family, which happens to be dominated by females (even our canine is a female), more often than not, I am in the minority. I love salmon, could eat it three or four times a week. A.J. won't eat salmon. His fish groups are catfish and trout and the trout better be speckled trout. I can easily pass off talapia and orange roughy on him. As for the homegirlz, Lauren won't eat fish; she's more of a fried shrimp kind of a Cajun. Kaitlin only eats catfish and only if it's fried and thin and crispy.

When I happen to be home alone for the evening, which isn't very often, I get giddy. The freedom!!! On these rare and special nights I can grill salmon.

The evenings have become very pleasant lately. I turn on the satellite radio and listen to my new favorite station, sip a little wine, stare at the mountains and fire up the grill.

If you like a little Asian flare, try this one out!

2 tablespoons canola oil, plus more for brushing on salmon

1 shallot, sliced thin
2 cloves garlic, minced
1/4 cup hoisin sauce
1/4 cup ketchup
1/4 cup honey
2 tablespoons sesame seeds, toasted
1 teaspoon soy sauce
1 teaspoon fish sauce
1 tablespoon rice vinegar
Salt and freshly ground black pepper
2 (4 ounce) salmon steaks

Heat the oil in a small saucepan over medium heat, add the shallots and garlic and saute until soft.

While the veggies are sauteing, brush the salmon on both sides with oil.

Season with salt and pepper.

Once the vegetables have softened, stir in the hoisin, ketchup, honey, sesame seeds, soy sauce and fish sauce and continue cooking for 5 minutes over medium-low heat.

Remove from the heat, stir in the vinegar and season with salt and pepper, to taste.

Heat the grill to high. If you have a slotted grill pan, use it to prevent the fish from falling through the grates. Place salmon on a grill pan skin side down, turn after about 90 seconds to sear the other side. Return salmon to skin side down , lower heat to medium and grill over indirect heat. Brush salmon with sauce and close the top. Grill until slightly charred on both sides. Continue to brush salmon with the sauce every minute or so until you reach the desired doneness, approximately 5 to 7 minutes per side.

Remove the salmon from grill to a plate and brush with more sauce. Allow fish to rest for 5 minutes. Garnish with fresh chives and serve

I'm not going to lie, I was planning on eating both of them (don't judge), but A.J. got home early and ate it. Yes he did, now he likes "that" salmon.

Here's Lauren's senior proofs...she got here way too fast!

Huevos Rancheros

2011-06-17T09:18:00.003-04:00

We're not normally traditional big breakfast eaters in the morning. Breakfast food for dinner and we're all over it!

None of us can eat as soon as we get up. During the week with work and school or now that it's summertime, the girls have soccer conditioning very early every morning, we don't eat a traditional breakfast. On the weekends from time to time, I decide I want to make a big breakfast and EVERYONE better eat it!

When A.J. and I were on our honeymoon, he ordered Huevos Rancheros every morning for breakfast. Being the Stepford wife that I am (NOT), I wanted to try my hand at Huevos Rancheros. I looked over several recipes online and kind of tailored one I wanted to try.

I have to be honest, this was a pretty labor intensive undertaking and totally worth the work. We all loved it! The portions I served were way more than our appetites could handle. Cut the serving size in half because this is way too delicious to waste.

1 (15-ounce) can whole peeled tomatoes, undrained
1/2 yellow onion, diced
2 tablespoons fresh cilantro plus 1 tablespoon, finely chopped
1 large clove garlic
1 jalapeno pepper (seeded)
1/2 teaspoon salt
5 ounces Mexican chorizo, casings removed
Canola or Vegetable oil
4 (6-inch) flour or corn tortillas (2 tortillas per person)
1 (16-ounce) can refried beans
4 eggs
1 avocado, pitted, peeled and diced
3/4 cup grated Monterrey Jack cheese
2 tablespoons light sour cream

Open the can of re-fried beans and place in a small pot. Heat over low heat, partially covered, until heated through.

In a food processor, puree the tomatoes and juice, onion, 2 tablespoons of the cilantro, garlic, jalapeno, and 1/2 teaspoon salt. Place mixture in a medium skillet and heat to a simmer over medium heat until slightly thickened, about 10 minutes. Cover and keep warm over low heat. Talk about smell good!

In a large skillet over medium-high heat, break up and cook the chorizo until browned. Using a slotted spoon, remove the Chorizo to the skillet with the tomato mixture and keep covered. Leave the Chorizo fat in the large skillet, this is major flavor!

Add 1 tablespoon of canola or vegetable oil to the Chorizo fat in the large skillet, reduce heat to medium. Using tongs, place a tortilla in the skillet and cook until light golden but not crisp, about 30 seconds. Flip and cook for another 30 seconds. Transfer to plates, two tortillas per plate. As you are cooking the remaining tortillas, add a little bit more oil to the skillet because the tortillas will absorb the oil.

Since all that's left to cook is the eggs, and they will cook quickly, you will need to begin assembling. Spread the re-fried beans on the tortillas.

Begin cooking the eggs by adding another tablespoon of oil to the skillet. Working in batches, crack the eggs into the skillet. Cook until the bottoms are set and the edges golden, 1 to 2 minutes. Turn the heat to medium-low, cover, and cook until set, about 1 minute more. Place one egg on each tortilla and ladle the tomato mixture over the eggs garnish with the diced avocado, shredded Monterrey Jack cheese, and a dollop of sour cream. Top with the additional cilantro.
So if you have the time and inclination this weekend and the daddy in your house enjoys this type of cuisine, surprise him! He will appreciate the pampering.

Happy Father's Day to all you dads out there!

Shrimp Scampi

2011-06-08T05:37:00.004-04:00

Simple, quick, savory and tastes oh so wonderful. I love serving Shrimp Scampi over linguine. Believe it or not where I come from, in South Louisiana, many folks prefer Shrimp Scampi served over rice. This is definitely a pasta dish and linguine is just wide enough and has the perfect texture to get the right amount of this savory lemony, buttery, garlic sauce partying with your taste buds. Angel hair just doesn't have enough body to stand up to this sauce.

2 pounds shrimp, peeled and deveined
Salt and freshly ground black pepper
2 teaspoons Extra Virgin Olive oil
2 tablespoons chopped garlic
1 tablespoon crushed capers
1/2 stick of butter, divided
1 lemon, juiced
1/4 cup dry vermouth or dry white wine
2 teaspoons Emeril's Essence
2 tablespoons chopped parsley leaves
1/2 lb. linguine cooked al dente

Heat the olive oil and 2 tablespoons of butter in a large saute skillet over medium-high heat. Add the shrimp and cook for 2 minutes and quickly turn them.

Add the garlic and capers to the skillet and cook for about 30 seconds, Toss the shrimp.

Add the vermouth and lemon juice and cook for about 1 minute. Toss the shrimp.

Lightly season with salt and pepper and add Emeril's Essence. Toss to combine seasonings. Add cooked and drained linguine and the parsley to the skillet. Toss to thoroughly combine.

This is just way too easy to be this awes-a-licious!

Lemon Chicken Drumsticks

2011-06-06T06:10:00.004-04:00

Did your mom make Lemon Chicken or Lemon Pepper chicken when you were a child? Mine did, a lot. It was the 70's we hadn't heard of cholesterol, we were fat, dumb and happy. We also drowned ourselves in Green Goddess salad dressing. Mom's Lemon Chicken was greasy, lemony and garnished with a lot of paprika. She would ladle the clear, golden colored, lemony grease from the baking dish she cooked the chicken in and ladle it on our instant mashed potatoes. We liked it, we liked it a lot, grease tasted good back then! The cool part was we got to use a lot of paper napkins and the napkins would stick to our hands! Hey, my brothers and I were grateful for nights without sliced beets on our salads and liver and onions on my plate, pass the Heinz 57 please!

Now you get the picture, this dish has evolved plus who doesn't like a chicken drumstick. Drumsticks are not only very budget friendly, food on a stick is just plain fun. You can eat your dinner and feel like you're on a picnic or at the county fair. It's summertime, relax and get your hands dirty.

1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil
4 tablespoons butter, divided
10 - 12 chicken drumsticks
Kosher salt
Black pepper
Dried thyme
6 cloves of garlic, grated
1 tablespoon cracked black pepper
1 lemon, zested and juiced
2 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley
2 tablespoons chopped fresh chives

Heat a large high-sided skillet with a tightly fitted lid with the olive oil and 2 tablespoons butter over medium-high heat. While the skillet is heating up, season the chicken with salt, pepper and dried thyme.

Once the butter has melted and begins to foam, carefully place the drumsticks in the skillet and brown on all sides. Place the lid on the skillet and reduce heat to medium-low and continue cooking chicken for about 20 minutes.

Remove the drumsticks and place on a serving platter. Add the remaining 2 tablespoons of butter to the skillet. Once the butter has melted, add the grated garlic and 1/4 teaspoon of black pepper. Stir continuously for a minute or two. Keep the garlic moving so it doesn't burn. Add the lemon zest and the lemon juice. Remove skillet from heat and gently stir to combine. Pour pan sauce over the drumsticks and garnish with chopped parsley and chopped chives.

Look mom, the less grease and no paprika!

Chive and Cheddar Biscuits

2011-06-03T05:46:00.001-04:00

Imagine my surprise when I found a package of washed chives in the fridge from a couple of nights ago that I had forgotten about. I couldn't let these babies go to waste so I put them on the counter and thought about what to do with them. Something easy, something that wouldn't require a huge commitment.

Remember my Favorite Biscuits? A couple of additions and talk about awesome! So now you know how versatile these biscuits are.

2 cups self rising flour
1 tablespoon sugar
1/2 teaspoon cayenne
2 tablespoons chopped chives
1 tablespoon chopped Italian Parsley (optional)
1 cup sharp cheddar cheese, grated
1½ cups heavy whipping cream

Don't have have self-rising flour, no problem! You can turn your AP flour into self-rising flour in a snap! For each cup of self-rising flour, use one cup of all-purpose flour and add 1-1/4 teaspoon of baking powder and 1/8 teaspoon of salt.

Mix all of the ingredients together until dough forms a ball using a fork or your hands. Turn out onto floured surface and knead for about 1 minute. Roll dough out to ½ inch thickness and cut biscuits with a biscuit cutter. Place biscuits on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper or a Siplat and bake at 425F for 10 to 12 minutes, until golden brown.

Have a great weekend and use sun block!

Grilled Pork Chops with Garlic Relish

2011-06-01T11:41:00.006-04:00

Well summer has slammed us overnight. Let's be honest, with temperatures raging at 90 plus, who feels like putting a whole lot of effort into standing over a stove and cooking? Not me, that's for sure.

Hot or cold weather, my family has some really bad habits, they like to eat. They like to eat several times a day; the weather does not affect them. Someone has to make dinner; you guessed it, it's me.

Pork Chops with Garlic Relish sounds, looks and tastes like a lot of effort goes into this dish, but just between me and you, it couldn't be more effortless. Since so many of you shared your undying love of garlic with me recently, the garlic relish will put you in seventh heaven!

Watch I'll show you...

Garlic Relish -

4 large heads garlic, each cut in half crosswise
1/4 cup plus a couple of drizzles of extra virgin olive oil
1/4 Vidalia onion, finely chopped
1/4 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce
1 teaspoon fresh lemon juice
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon black pepper

Preheat the oven to 300 degrees F.

Drizzle a little bit of olive oil on the cut side of the garlic heads, then sprinkle them with a little salt and pepper. Place the garlic heads cut side down in a small foil lined baking dish. Add the onion and drizzle the remaining 1/4 cup of olive oil over the onion. Cover tightly with aluminum foil and bake for 1 hour.

Remove the onion and garlic from the oil and squeeze the softened garlic cloves into a medium bowl. Mash with a fork until smooth.

This is what happens when I turn my back to get a fork. A.J. grabs one of the cut garlic heads and goes after the roasted garlic like it's his last meal.

Stir the Worcestershire and lemon juice into the mashed garlic and continue stirring until smooth and creamy. Season with 1/4 teaspoon of salt and 1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper. The garlic relish will in the refrigerator in a sealed container for about 2 weeks.

Grilled Pork Chops -

4 bone-in center cut pork chops
Seasoning of your choice, we used Emeril's Essence - recipe follows

Preheat a grill to medium-high. Spray grates with non-stick cooking spray. Liberally season the pork chops and gently rub seasoning into the meat with your fingers. Place the chops on the grill, sear on each side, approximately 5 minutes per side. Move the chops to indirect heat and continue cooking on both sides until a meat thermometer reaches 150 to 155 degrees F, approximately 7 minutes per side.

Serve pork chops with garlic relish slathered on top. It doesn't get much more effortless than this.

Oh, you saw the biscuit? I'll have this tasty little devil for you Friday.