Ranch Dressing

I have to give credit for this idea to Prudy at Prudence Pennywise. She made a fabulous looking Ranch dressing last week that had my mouth watering. My tween goes through Ranch dressing as fast as she goes through ice cream (which is a blur). Ranch dressing has gotten pretty pricey and preparing the dressing at home takes very little time, it's more economical and I am able to control the fat content; which believe it or not and according to Prudy is much less than the bottled dressings. I gave the dressing a try and kind of changed it up just a bit. The dressing came out unbelievably good; my tween said throw the bottle stuff away; this is what I want. She then proceeded to ask if we could hide the remaining dressing in the fridge where her dad couldn't find it.

Ranch Dressing -

Smash two cloves of garlic, add 1/2 teaspoon coarse sea salt and make a paste by using the back of a chef's knife.

In a medium bowl combine garlic paste, 1 cup of mayo, 1/3 cup low-fat buttermilk, a splash of white wine, a splash apple cider vinegar (or you can use 2 teaspoons white wine vinegar), 2 tablespoons minced flat leaf parsley, 1 tablespoons finely chopped shallots, 1 tablespoon chopped chives, 1 teaspoon dried dill, 1/2 teaspoon chipotle powder and black pepper to taste.

Cover bowl with plastic wrap and refrigerate and the slather all over anything you like to slather Ranch dressing on....don't say anything...but I hid what was left from my tween and my husband.

Sweet Sixteen

Whoo-Hoo #16!!! (Click on the picture to enlarge).

This is the time of year when the Smoky Mountain Cafe kind of slows down a bit. I'm not burnt out or anything, quite the opposite...it's soccer season. Both of the homegirlz play and this season will be a bit more challenging. My oldest is in high school and my baby is in middle school so they are playing on different teams for the very first time. Every game is no closer than 30 minutes from our house. I work about 30 minutes from our house and on Tuesdays and Thursdays I will be making mad dashes from my office to my house and off to games in different directions. To places I never been to (for high school) and I am famous for getting lost in Knoxville.

I have to be honest, I dread this time of year. I'm just not a ball park Mom. I would rather go home and veg out, cook and veg out some more. I'm fine once I get to the ball park and I have to admit that I am especially proud of my Freshman. The high schools in the surrounding area had a Jamboree this past Saturday. Our team had two games and my girl started the in both games and played the entire time.

My baby is a "seasoned" Middle School player and a starter. So don't envy me in trying to figure out how I'll divide up watching their games.

Just wanted to let you know that if my posts start dwindling down a bit, evil soccer is the reason until mid-November.

Crispy Potatoes

You have to make these potatoes. You'll see by the pictures that it doesn't look like I cooked 2 lbs. of potatoes. The truth of the matter is the homegirlz were snatching and scarfing as fast as I cook could them. Their poor father, well he didn't get any and the girlz showed no remorse. So, when you make these, do it alone.

Crispy Potatoes -

Place 2 lbs. of peeled and quartered Yukon Gold potatoes, 1 cup white wine, 3 cups of water, 1 fresh thyme sprig, 1 bay leaf and coarse sea salt to taste in a 8 quart stock pot. Turn to high heat, and allow the potatoes to cook until just tender ( about 20 - 25 minutes).

Remove potatoes from water, allow to cool, and then cut into thin slices. Add 2 tablespoons of butter to a sauté pan on medium-high heat. Add potatoes and cook until outside is browned and crispy.

Season with salt and pepper to taste and sprinkle with grated Parmigiano-Reggiano.

Mmmmmm, these are so crispy and flavorful, try them tonight with Tangerine Teriyaki Pork.Chops!

Mango Teriyaki Pork Chops

I really do like pork chops and I am amazed by the comments I've read on this blog when I put up a pork chop recipe that many of you do not regularly throw chops into your rotation. I guess I'm the odd one out. Chops are pretty affordable and also pretty lean and I'm going to try and share my love of pork with you. One note here, I believe this will work with pork tenderloin and with baby back ribs.

Mango Teriyaki Pork Chops -


Rinse 4 to 5 center cut, boneless pork chops with cold water and pat dry with paper towels and set aside.

In a shallow pan, combine 1 cup of mango juice or mango nectar juice and 1 teaspoon ground ginger.

Add 3/4 cup teriyaki sauce. Pour marinade mixture over chops.

Cover with plastic wrap and let marinate in the refrigerator for 1 to 3 hours.

Set up grill for indirect cooking over medium heat (no heat source directly under ribs). Remove chops from refrigerator and allow chops to come up to room temperature (about 30 minutes). Remove chops from marinade mixture, but do not discard marinade. Place pork chops on the grill. Cover grill. Rotate and flip chops around rack every 10 minutes.

While chops are cooking, make sauce by first adding chop marinade to a saucepan. Bring to a boil for 5 minutes over high heat. Reduce heat to medium and add 1 cup 1 cup of BBQ sauce (recommended K.C. Masterpiece Original). Simmer 10 minutes and remove from heat.

About 20 minutes before chops are done, generously brush with sauce. Cover and cook 10 minutes. Turn chops and brush on more sauce and repeat. Cook an additional 10 minutes. Serve hot with sauce on the side.

INDOOR: Prepare and marinate chops as described above. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Remove chops from marinade, reserving marinade, and place on a rack in a shallow roasting pan. Tightly cover with foil. Bake preheated oven for 35 minutes. While chops are baking, make sauce. Remove chops from oven and carefully drain fat from roasting pan. Continue baking ribs, uncovered for 20 minutes more or until tender, turning and brushing occasionally with sauce.

When I went outside to brush the chops with the sauce, our dog Scout was foaming at the mouth. She seriously was. I spooned a little of the sauce over her food and she went absolutely nuts! That all the testimony I need!


Serve and admit that your really do love pork.

Grilled Chicken with Sweet Onions

When I'm cooking for the picky homegirlz, I can always pass off chicken of some sort. They are starting to get wise to my ways when they ask what's for dinner and I tell them chicken, they says, "Ok, Mom, how are you cooking it this time?" I kind of get real vague and tell them I'm grilling, baking or roasting and for now that's the story I'm sticking to. Chicken is so mellow and so versatile that I can play around with different flavors. I came up with this and it was so good. C'mon, I'll show you.

Grilled Chicken with Sweet Onions -

In a small bowl, combine 2 tablespoons fresh thyme chopped fine, 2 tablespoons fresh basil chopped fine, 2 teaspoons minced garlic, 1 teaspoon coarse sea salt, 1 teaspoon freshly cracked black pepper and 1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil.

Slather 4 boneless, skinless chicken breasts with the herb mixture on both sides and let them sit for a while so the flavor can permeate the chicken.

While the chicken is hanging out, slice two yellow onions.

Heat a skillet over medium-high heat, add 2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil and add onions once skillet is hot. Add about 1 teaspoon coarse sea salt and 1 teaspoon freshly cracked black pepper to the onions and combine.

Add 1-1/2 teaspoons granulated sugar and 2 tablespoons orange marmalade to the onions and blend.

Add about 2 tablespoons balsamic vinegar and another pinch of sea salt and cracked black pepper to the onions, cover and lower heat to medium-low and let the onions cook down and get sweet.

Heat a grill pan (or you can use the outdoor grill) to medium-high, coat the grill pan with a thin layer of extra virgin olive oil to prevent sticking. Once grill pan is heated, add chicken. Let the chicken cook for about 5 minutes before turning.

Continue cooking chicken until cooked completely through and golden brown. Check on the onions and stir occasionally. You will notice the onions are cooking down and becoming slightly thick with a syrup. Added bonus - heavenly aroma!

Plate the chicken and garish with chopped flat leaf parsley.

Serve the chicken with a heaping spoonful of he sweet onions. The combination of the sweet and savory will make you feel like there's a party going on in your mouth.

It's Wednesday...it's August and very hot...time to shake things up a bit!

Fried Shrimp

We love seafood. My husband and I like it all. The homegirlz...well, they are a little picky. One will eat crab and the other won't and the same goes for crawfish and fish. One thing we all agree on is fried shrimp. Everyone has their own version, but we like to keep the batter light; we're not much on heavily breaded shrimp. Once the shrimp are put on the table, it's every man for themselves...no leftovers here!

Fried Shrimp -

Peel and devein your shrimp. We used 2 lbs. In a bowl large enough to hold your shrimp, add two large eggs and a splash of water and blend with a wire whisk. Add 1 tablespoon yellow mustard, 1/2 teaspoon cayenne pepper (optional) and 2 tablespoons of fresh squeezed lemon juice. Let the shrimp hang out in the egg mixture for at least 30 minutes at room temperature.

I know you probably can't see it from this picture, but oh my, this flour is seasoned! Just don't be shy in seasoning the flour. Two cups of all-purpose flour, 2-1/2 tablespoons lemon-pepper, 1 teaspoon cayenne pepper, 2 teaspoons season salt, 1 tablespoon garlic powder. Blend together with a fork. You want to be able to see a slight but noticeable color change in the flour. You may have to play with the seasonings a bit, but go easy with the salt.

Heat oil to 375 degrees. Drain egg batter from shrimp and dredge through flour. Be sure not to flour shrimp until the oil is completely heated or you will have soggy shrimp. Carefully drop shrimp into heated oil. Do not crowd the deep fryer or skillet.

Once the shrimp start floating to the top and are turning a golden brown color, remove them from the oil with a slotted spoon to a plate line with paper towels to absorb the excess oil.

You have to have cocktail sauce with fried shrimp! 1/2 cup ketchup, 1 tablespoon Lea & Perrins, 1 tablespoon fresh squeezed lemon juice, 1 teaspoon dijon mustard. Blend with a fork and dip those scrumptious shrimp and repeat until you can't move!

Sassy Pork Chops

I've been hearing a lot about pork lately..."the other white meat" and I'm sure you have too. I've assumed that pork is another healthy option like chicken and fish. I'm sure you assumed this too. We had I guess you could say a health conscious main dish for dinner.



Sassy Pork Chops -


In a medium bowl combine 1-1/2 cups of milk, 1-1/2 tablespoons minced garlic, 1-1/2 tablespoons white wine, 1 tablespoon crushed red pepper flakes, 1-1/2 teaspoons paprika, and 1 teaspoon salt and stir well. Place 5 to 6 center cut pork chops and soak at room temperature for about 30 minutes.



Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F and line a large rimmed baking sheet with aluminum foil. Place a lightly greased wire rack on top of the baking sheet and set aside.


In a large re-sealable plastic bag, add the 1 cup Italian bread crumbs, 1/2 teaspoon salt, 1/2 teaspoon `black pepper, 1/4 teaspoon cayenne, and 1/4 cup grated Percorino cheese and shake to combine.



Drain the pork chops from the milk mixture, one at a time, and add to the bread crumb mixture. Shake to coat thoroughly. (You may need to press the mixture into the chops with your hands.)
Arrange the pork chops on the baking rack and drizzle with extra virgin olive oil. Bake for 20 minutes, or until cooked through and the breading is crisp and golden.



We had a health fest and I hope you do too.