Chili | I think I Found a Winner

The leaves are changing and fall is in the air (or is it Autumn??).  No matter what you call it, I bet for most of you it's your favorite time of year, I know it is for me anyway.  I love to look out my kitchen windows and see the bright colors, and I really love getting to wear more clothes...I'm just not a summer girl.  But if all that wasn't reason enough to love fall, then the food would surely do it.  It's time for soups and stews, chili and chowder, and if you haven't already, dust off that crock pot, cause slow cooking season has arrived!


I've been making chili since high school, although back then I was in the kitchen just stirring the pot while dad did the actual cooking, it's still one of my all time favorites.  Over the years I've been trying a little this and a little that to perfect the recipe, and this year is no different.  Today I think I've found my new favorite!  Since chili is better the second day, it's not actually on the menu until tomorrow night, but if today's taste test is any indication of what tomorrow will bring, in heaven we will be.


I've tried a few sweet chili's and while they were interesting and I liked the sweetness, I really missed the smokey flavor.  And then I had a moment, an aha moment...Chipotle!  You get the sweetness from the brown sugar and the smoke from the Chipotle...they are perfect companions.  

Chipotle Sweet Potato Corn Chowder

 

Well, it looks like summer is officially over, at least in my house.  The pool is closed, the days and especially the nights are already a bit cooler, I've got one that's started back to school, with another going next Monday, and I can't say I'm really going to miss it.  Living in Virginia, we get four full seasons, which I love and can't imagine living without, but what I could live without is the nasty, oppressive humidity (although you never lack an excuse to eat Rita's Ice!).

When a PB&J Just Won't Cut It

9 times out of 10, if you ask Aidan what he wants for lunch, he'll pick a PB&J...anyone else sick to death of them besides me?  Well, after my 68th PB&J of the summer, I thought it was time to kick that sandwich to the curb, and make me a real lunch, just for mom!  Just last week I made my Parmesan Crusted Chicken with Sage-Butter Sauce, and hinted that there were many variations...here's my favorite for lunch.  It's not as complicated as it sounds, I promise...and it's so very worth the effort to have real food once in a while for lunch.  The kids actually ate the chicken, not on a wrap, but dipped in honey mustard dressing, even asking for seconds if you can believe it!

Pecan Crusted Chicken

Crust
2 eggs whites
2 tsp cornstarch
juice of half a lemon


1/2 cup crushed Pecans
1/2 cup Panko
1/2 cup Italian bread crumbs
1 Tbs chopped fresh parsley
1 tsp kosher salt
1 tsp black pepper
zest of one lemon


1. Preheat oven to 450°. Blend egg whites, cornstarch, and lemon juice with a fork in a wide, shallow dish; set aside.

2. Combine bread crumbs, Panko, pecans, parsley, salt, pepper, and lemon zest in a second wide, shallow dish. Crust chicken breast by dredging first through egg mixture, then pecan mixture.

3. Sauté chicken in olive oil in a large, nonstick, ovenproof skillet over medium-high heat for about 3 minutes, or until golden brown and crisp. Carefully turn with a spatula, and transfer the skillet to the oven to finish cooking. Roast chicken just until done, about 8 more minutes.  Let rest for 5 minutes, cut into strips.


Mustard Vinaigrette, Melissa d'Arabian 

Put the mustard in the bowl and whisk in the balsamic vinegar and soy sauce (a French secret!) vigorously for about 10 seconds to get a creamy consistency. Season with salt and pepper, to taste. Drizzle in the olive oil as slowly as possible with 1 hand while whisking as quickly as possible with the other hand to emulsify. Lay the salad greens on top of the dressing and toss just before serving.

Wrap
Use any wrap you like, today I chose a Sundried Tomato.  Layer in spring salad mix, chicken strips, feta (or any other cheese), grape halves and drizzle with vinaigrette.

Tip:  If like me, you're cooking for a large group, cook your chicken in batches.  Transfer your chicken to a foil covered baking pan, then cook in the oven.

Mismatched Meals and the Farmers Market

Sometimes, you just have to go with a craving, even if it means you end up with a mismatched meal. This past Saturday the hubby and I, along with the three boys headed out early to the South of the James @ Forest Hill Farmers Market. I didn't even know we had a South of the James market...we Southsiders tend to be left out of the loop so to speak. My neighbor had found the place and told me all about it, I was so excited.

I'm happy to report we weren't disappointed. There was a little music, a bunch of craft exhibits, great smelling food and lots and lots of fresh produce. (It's small of course, nothing like the big fancy ones, but I'll take what they have to offer and run with it!)

I was really wanting to make up a bunch of fresh foods so hence, my mismatched hodgepodge of a meal.

T and I were seriously craving some bruschetta, so I decided to take full advantage of our market finds and make a pesto based, Mozzarella Tomato and Basil Bruschetta, and it was pure heaven!

Pesto

2 cups fresh basil leaves, packed
½ cup freshly grated Parmesan-Reggiano or Romano cheese
½ cup extra virgin olive oil
1/3 cup pine nuts
3 medium sized garlic cloves, minced
Salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste

1. Combine the basil in with the pine nuts, pulse a few times in a food processor. Add the garlic, pulse a few times more.

2. Slowly add the olive oil in a constant stream while the food processor is on. Stop to scrape down the sides of the food processor with a rubber spatula. Add the grated cheese and pulse again until blended. Add a pinch of salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste. Makes 1 cup

Sliced Tomato Topping

1 large tomato
¼ cup olive oil
2-3 garlic cloves, minced

1. Make a small slit in the skin of your tomato and drop into a pot of boiling water. Boil for 45 seconds - 1 minute. Remove tomato and place immediately into an ice bath.

2. Peel the tomato, remove all seeds and dice.

3. Mix tomato with olive oil and minced garlic.

Balsamic Reduction

Bring 1 cup balsamic vinegar to a boil, reduce heat and simmer for about 15 minutes, or until reduced by half. You know it's done when it sticks to the back of a wooden spoon. If you like yours a little sweeter, add in a ¼ cup light brown sugar before starting the boiling process.

Garlic Infused Butter

1 stick of butter, clarified
3 garlic cloves, peeled/whole

Clarify 1 stick of butter, add in your garlic cloves and marinate for about 20 minutes. Remove garlic and that's it!

Pesto based Mozzarella, Basil and Tomato Bruschetta

Slice up a crusty french loaf on the bias, place slices on a sheet pan. Brush each slice with Garlic Infused Butter and bake at 375° for about 3 minutes. Remove the pan, on each slice, spread pesto, layer with a slice of fresh mozzarella cheese and basil. Place the pan back in the oven and bake until the cheese in melted. Top each with fresh tomatoes and drizzle with balsamic reduction.


We also found potatoes and onion and garlic at the market so I decided to throw it all together and roast a chicken. Ina has an amazing roast chicken recipe, I just unfortunately forget to pick up leeks. Watch her video on this one, it's worth the 5 minutes. I don't have a picture of the finished product, my family inhaled it...must have been good!

Parmesan Crusted Chicken with Sage-Butter Sauce

Another tried and true family favorite that is not only delicious, but flexible as well, can’t beat that. Don't like Parmesan cheese all that much? Just leave it out, the original recipe doesn't call for mushrooms, but I like to add them in my recipes whenever possible because it makes the hubby happy, I just leave them large enough so that it's easy for the rest of us to pick them out. I love the flavor of mushrooms, just don't love the texture. You can also leave out the Parmesan and add in crushed pecans, yum!

This recipe has a few steps, but is completely and utterly well worth it. Once you’ve tried it, you will forever finish cooking your food in the oven, versus stove top, especially chicken, it is the number 1 way to keep in nice and juicy.

Parmesan Crusted Chicken with Sage-Butter Sauce, adapted from Cuisine at Home

Crust
2 eggs whites
2 tsp cornstarch
juice of half a lemon

1/2 cup regular bread crumbs
1/2 Italian bread crumbs
1 Tbs chopped fresh parsley
1 tsp kosher salt
1 tsp black pepper
zest of one lemon

Sage-Butter Sauce
3 Tbs shallots, minced
3/4 cup mushrooms, sliced
½ cup dry white wine
½ cup heavy cream
½ cup low-sodium chicken broth
1 Tbs (½ stick) cold unsalted butter, cubed
2 Tbs minced fresh sage
salt, white pepper, and cayenne to taste

4 Chicken breast, pounded thin

1. Preheat oven to 450°. Blend egg whites, cornstarch, and lemon juice with a fork in a wide, shallow dish; set aside.

2. Combine bread crumbs, Parmesan, parsley, salt, pepper, and lemon zest in a second wide, shallow dish. Crust chicken breast by dredging first through egg mixture, then bread crumb mixture.

3. Sauté chicken in olive oil in a large, nonstick, ovenproof skillet over medium-high heat for about 3 minutes, or until golden brown and crisp. Carefully turn with a spatula, and transfer the skillet to the oven to finish cooking. Roast chicken just until done, about 8 more minutes.

4. Sauté shallots in 1 Tbs butter in a small saucepan over medium heat just until soft, 2-3 minutes.

5. Add wine, cream broth, and lemon juice. Simmer until reduced by half, 8-20 minutes.

6. Whisk in butter, 1 Tbs at a time, stirring constantly. Do not add more butter until previous addition has melted completely.

7. Add mushrooms and heat through. Finish sauce with sage, add seasonings. Keep warm in a water bath until ready to serve.

Tips:
1. Serve over spaghetti noodles or with roasted potatoes.
2. Exchange the Parmesan for crushed pecans, serve in a roasted tomato wrap with fresh greens and homemade honey-mustard dressing!

Make Your Own Pizza | Dough & Sauce

If the people in your house are as picky as mine, then making your own pizza is the way to go! It's simpler than you think, saves you a bunch of money and best of all, it's fun!

I'm simple and just want a good Margarita Pizza, the kids would DIE if they saw green stuff on their pizza though, so fresh basil is out of the question on theirs. T is a meat eater, so if I'm crazy enough to offer up a meat free meal he might just boycott my kitchen...maybe that's not a bad thing now that I think about it..ha!

Homemade Pizza Dough

7 cups all-purpose flour
1 level tablespoon fine sea salt
2 (¼ ounce) packets active dried yeast
1 Tbs sugar
4 Tbs extra-virgin olive oil
2 ½ cups lukewarm water

1. Sift the flour and salt onto a clean work surface and make a well in the middle. In a large measuring cup, mix the yeast, sugar and olive oil into the water and leave for a few minutes, then pour into the well. Using a fork, bring the flour in gradually from the sides and swirl it into the liquid. Keep mixing, drawing larger amounts of flour in, and when it all starts to come together, work the rest of the flour in with your clean, flour-dusted hands. Knead until you have a smooth, springy dough.

2. Place the ball of dough in a large flour-dusted bowl and flour the top of it. Cover the bowl with a damp cloth and place in a warm room for about 1 hour until the dough has doubled in size.

3. Now remove the dough to a flour-dusted surface and knead it around a bit to push the air out with your hands - this is called punching down the dough. You can either use it immediately, or keep it, wrapped in plastic wrap, in the fridge (or freezer) until required. If using right away, divide the dough up into as many little balls as you want to make pizzas - this amount of dough is enough to make about six to eight medium pizzas.

4. Timing wise, it's a good idea to roll the pizzas out about 15 to 20 minutes before you want to cook them. Don't roll them out and leave them hanging around for a few hours, though - if you are working in advance like this it's better to leave your dough, covered with plastic wrap, in the refrigerator. However, if you want to get them rolled out so there's 1 less thing to do when your guests are round, simply roll the dough out into rough circles, about ¼ inch thick, and place them on slightly larger pieces of olive-oil-rubbed and flour-dusted aluminum foil. You can then stack the pizzas, cover them with plastic wrap, and pop them into the refrigerator.

Easy Homemade Pizza Sauce, adapted from Cat Cora

1 (4-ounce) can tomato paste
1 cup water
1/3 cup extra-virgin olive oil
2 cloves garlic, minced
½ Tbs chopped fresh oregano leaves
½ Tbs chopped fresh basil leaves
½ Tbs chopped fresh rosemary leaves

Mix together the tomato paste, water, and olive oil. Mix well. Add garlic, salt and pepper, to taste, oregano, basil, and rosemary. Mix well and let stand several hours to let flavors blend. No cooking necessary, just spread on dough.


Make sure the sides of your 'well' are higher than mine...


Mmmm....pizza love...



Look how thin this crust is....perfection!




Again...look at the thinness of this pizza, love it!

Sweet Summer Days

Sweet summer days...I hope you never end... Oh who am I kidding, I am so ready for school to start! I feel a little terrible saying it, or even thinking it, but it's true. I love my kids dearly but I am very ready to have less of them at home, all day - every day!

I may wish to get rid of them, but I can still appreciate some nice summer goodness. Aidan and I attended a fun birthday pool party, (twins left languishing at home with big sis). But it was Holy Hot Batman... thank God I put sun screen on little man, just too bad I forgot about myself, my nose is feeling the forgetfulness. Summers in Virginia are all about the nasty humidness (not a real word is it?), the older I get though, the nastier it feels!

I had a hell of a time getting Aidan to leave after 3 hours of pool play, he was so stinkin' tired though he was about to drop and ended up passing out in the car on the way home. It was nice to have a little mommy conversation time while he played with school friends...he's missed many of them so much. I want to send out a big thanks to Christie (party mom), for sending home two extra goody bags for the twins, otherwise one of them might have committed murder over a plastic compass!

Side note: No potty training accidents yesterday from either of the twins, YAY I'm so proud of my big boys, but just a little sad that they're this old already :( where does the time go.

Now, on to the food... Sunday my parents came over for dinner, and in honor of this Sweet Summer Day, I made a classic summer day dish of Chipotle Mayonnaise burgers, Onion Rings and the Ultimate Lady's Mac and Cheese... it doesn't get much better than this...


Cheeseburger topped with Chipotle Mayo and Onion Straws

Burger of choice
Swiss cheese
bacon
Chipotle mayonnaise
onion rings
bun

optional: carmalized onion, lettuce, tomato

Chipotle Mayonnaise

¾ cup mayonnaise
¾ sour cream
2-4 canned Chipotle peppers in adobo sauce
juice of ½ lime
Kosher salt and ground black pepper

Add all ingredients to a food processor or blender and process to a puree. Taste it about half way through and add more peppers if needed, I ended up using 2 medium and 2 large peppers. Refrigerate at least an hour, but I recommend over night to really meld the flavors.

Serve on burger and as a dip for your onion rings.

Buttermilk-Cornmeal Onion Rings, Ina Garten

2 large sweet onions
2 cups buttermilk
Kosher salt and ground black pepper
1 ½ cups all-purpose flour
¼ cup yellow cornmeal
1 quart vegetable oil

1. Peel the onions, slice them super thin, and separate them into rings. Combine the buttermilk, 1 1/2 teaspoons salt, 1 teaspoon pepper in a medium bowl. Add the onion rings, toss well, and allow to marinate for at least 15 minutes. (The onion rings can sit in the buttermilk for a few hours.) In a separate bowl, combine the flour, cornmeal, 1 teaspoon salt, and 1/2 teaspoon pepper. Set aside.

2. When you're ready to fry the onion rings, preheat the oven to 200° F. Line a baking sheet with paper towels.

3. Heat the oil to 350° F in a large pot or Dutch oven. (A candy thermometer attached to the side of the pot will help you maintain the proper temperature.) Working in batches, lift some onions out of the buttermilk and dredge them in the flour mixture. Drop into the hot oil and fry for 2 minutes, until golden brown, turning them once with tongs. Don't crowd them! Place the finished onion rings on the baking sheet, sprinkle liberally with salt, and keep them warm in the oven while you fry the next batch. Continue frying the onion rings and placing them in the warm oven until all the onions are fried. They will remain crisp in the oven for up to 30 minutes. Serve on top of your burgers!

Beer Battered Onion Rings

2 large sweet onions
2 cups buttermilk
Kosher salt and ground black pepper
2 cups all-purpose flour, divided
1 Tbs cayenne pepper
1 tsp garlic, granulated
12 ounces beer, medium body
1 quart vegetable oil

1. Slice onions ½ - ¾ inch thick, separate into rings and soak in buttermilk for 1 hour.

2. Combine 1 cup of flour, salt, pepper and cayenne pepper, and garlic mix thoroughly. In another bowl combine beer and 1 cup of flour, mix thoroughly.

3. Remove onion rings from buttermilk, shake off excess, dredge in flour, shake off excess, then dip in beer batter. Drop some onion rings in oil and continue process, being sure not to crowd rings as they will stick together. When golden, remove and let drain on paper towels.

Serve with Chipotle Mayonnaise as a dipping sauce.

Ultimate Lady’s Mac and Cheese, Paula Deen

4 cups cooked elbow macaroni (about 2 cups dried)
1/3 each of the following cheeses (grated):
Swiss
Jack
Colby
Muenster
Gouda
½ cup sour cream
4 Tbs butter, softened
4 eggs
½ tsp salt
½ tsp pepper
1 cup milk

1. Preheat oven to 350° F. Boil macaroni until al dente, about 10 minutes. While pasta is cooking, shred your cheeses.

2. Drain pasta and place in a large bowl, while pasta is still hot, add cheese. In a separate bowl, whisk together sour cream, butter, eggs, milk, salt and pepper, add to macaroni mixture and combine. Spray a casserole dish with nonstick spray and pour in macaroni.

3. Bake for 30-45 minutes or until golden brown. Top with additional cheese if desired.

Meatloaf with Tomato Relish & Blue Cheese Potatoes au Gratin

Last night it was time for some classic comfort food. One of my family's favorites is meatloaf (see original recipe below), but I was tired of making the same old thing, so the search for a new meatloaf began. I found some really awesome sounding Mexican meatloafs, which I'll try next time, but this round goes to Tyler Florence. The recipe calls for a mix of ground beef and ground pork, which sounds great to me, but my local grocery store doesn't carry ground pork, what's up with that! So I was forced to just stick with the beef. I should have used an 80/20, I think I went too lean so it was a bit drier than it should have been, but the flavor was really nice and way different than we're used to.

And to totally achieve that comfort food factor, I made a version of Paula Deen's Blue Cheese Potatoes au Gratin...I pretty much follow the directions, just used Golden Yukon potatoes cause that's what I had.



Dad's Meatloaf with Tomato Relish, Tyler Florence

Relish:
Extra-virgin olive oil
1 onion, finely diced
2 garlic cloves, minced
2 bay leaves
2 red bell peppers, cored, seeded, and finely diced
2 tomatoes, halved, seeded, and finely diced
¼ cup chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley
1 (12-ounce) bottle ketchup
1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce
Sea salt and freshly ground black pepper

Meatloaf:
3 slices white bread, crusts removed, torn into chunks by hand
¼ cup whole milk
1 ½ pounds ground beef
1 pound ground pork
2 eggs
Leaves from 2 fresh thyme sprigs
Salt and freshly ground black pepper
3 to 4 bacon slices

1. Coat a skillet with a 2-count of oil and place over medium heat. Sauté the onion, garlic, and bay leaves for a few minutes to create a base flavor. Throw in the red peppers and cook them for a couple of minutes to soften. Now add the tomatoes; adding them at this point lets them hold their shape and prevents them from disintegrating. Stir in the parsley, ketchup, and Worcestershire; season with salt and pepper. Simmer the relish for 5 minutes to pull all the flavors together. Remove it from the heat; you should have about 4 cups of relish.

2. Place the torn white bread in a bowl and add the milk to just barely cover, swish the bread around in the milk and let it sit while you get the rest of the ingredients for the meat loaf together.

3. Preheat the oven to 350°.

4. This is where you get your hands dirty! In a large mixing bowl, combine the ground beef and pork with 1 ½ cups of the tomato relish, the eggs, and thyme; season with salt and pepper. Squeeze the excess milk from the bread and add the soaked bread to the meat mixture. To test, fry a small "hamburger" patty of the meatloaf until cooked; the patty should hold together but still have a soft consistency. Taste the patty for seasoning.

5. Lightly oil a cookie sheet. Transfer the meat mixture to the center of the cookie sheet and form into a log about 9 inches long and about 4 inches wide. Coat the top of the meatloaf with another ½ cup of the tomato relish. Lay the bacon across the top lengthwise.

6. Bake the meatloaf for 1 - 1 ½ hours until the bacon is crisp and the meatloaf is firm. Rotate the meat loaf while it's baking every now and then to insure that the bacon browns evenly. Remove the meatloaf from the oven and let it cool a bit before slicing. Serve with the remaining tomato relish on the side.


Blue Cheese Potatoes au Gratin, adapted Paula Deen

2 ½ pounds blue potatoes, peeled and sliced 1/4-inch thick
2 garlic cloves, minced
2 Tbs butter
2 Tbs all-purpose flour
2 cups heavy cream
1 cup shredded Gruyere
½ cup crumbled blue cheese
Salt and freshly ground black pepper

1. Preheat oven to 375°. Butter a 9 by 13-inch baking dish or similar sized casserole dish.

2. Arrange the sliced potatoes in the prepared dish. In a medium saucepan, saute the minced garlic in butter over medium heat until softened and fragrant. Stir in flour and cook for 3 minutes. Gradually whisk in the cream until smooth and thick. Remove from the heat and stir in the cheeses. Season with salt and pepper.

3. Pour cheese sauce over the potatoes in the dish. Cover with foil and bake for 45 minutes. Remove foil and bake another 15 minutes until browned.

Glazed Meatloaf

½ cup ketchup
1/3 cup brown sugar
¼ cup lemon juice
1 Tbs Worcestershire sauce
1 tsp dry mustard (or 1 Tbs yellow mustard)
1 ½ pounds ground beef (80/20)
1 ½ cups fresh bread crumbs (3 slices), less if using prepackaged crumbs
¼ cup finely chopped onion
1 egg, slightly beaten
1 tsp beef-flavor instant bouillon

1. In a small mixing bowl, combine ketchup, brown sugar, 1 Tbs lemon juice and mustard.

2. In a large mixing bowl, combine the rest of the lemon juice, bread crumbs, Worcestershire, onion, beef bouillon, egg, and 1/3 cup of the ketchup mixture. Add ground beef and incorporate.

3. Form meatloaf into a loaf shape on a sprayed baking sheet. Bake 1 hour; pour off fat. Pour remaining ketchup mixture over loaf; bake 10 minutes longer.

Ham & Cheese Puff Pastry

Have you every smelled rancid meat? Well O-M-G it is some nasty, nasty stuff! We were all psyched (kids included) to eat some grilled steak fillets, but as soon as T started cutting the steaks... whoa... I thought I would die! The meat actually looked fine, and of course the date on it was good, I can only assume it wasn't refrigerated properly. Normally I'd just chuck it in the trash, but a whole tray of fillets from Costco is seriously expensive, so poor hubby had to treck on back over to Costco to return the meat. Upside, they didn't give him any hassle, but I was left to make something else for dinner.

Run along for a minute, think of something wonderful, then hurry on back so I can talk about my Ham & Cheese Puff Pastry, Ina Garten style. Thankfully I had everything on hand to make this at the last minute, just had to wait a while for the puff pastry to thaw. Word of caution here, make sure to completely thaw your pastry first, if not it's a pain in the whoha to roll out.

I was rushing, so didn't bother to measure my pasty out evenly, it still tastes the same of course, just not as pretty as Ina's... heehee, as if I could ever make anything as pretty as Ina's!

Bottom pastry rolled out, mustard spread out thinly..

Stack it on... I think mine could have used just a tad more ham and cheese..

Oooohhh, aaahhhh..

Mmmmmm.. slice it and serve it..

T will eat anything, except for mustard so I just didn't tell him it was in there, he didn't seem to mind and I actually thought it could have taken a bit more. Seriously, as long as you let your pastry thaw long enough, this is so easy to make, but it sure looks like it was hard work...I'll make sure to add this dish to the appetizer list next time we have company so that they'll all think I'm a Domestic Goddess :

Ham & Cheese Puff Pastry, adapted Ina Garten

1 package (2 sheets) frozen puff pastry, defrosted
2 Tbs Dijon mustard
¼ pound black forest ham, sliced thin
½ pound Swiss Gruyere cheese, sliced
1 egg, beaten with 1 Tbs water, for egg wash

Preheast oven to 425°. Place a piece of parchment paper on a sheet pan.

Lay 1 sheet of puff pastry on a floured board and carefully roll it out to 10 by 12 inches. Place it on a sheet pan and brush the center with the mustard, leaving a 1-inch border around the edge. Place a layer first of ham and then cheese, also leaving a 1-inch border. Brush the border with the egg wash.

Place the second sheet of puff pastry on the floured board and roll it out to 10 by 12inches. Place the second sheet on top of the filled pastry, lining up the edges. Cut the edges straight with a small, sharp knife and press together lightly with a fork. Brush the top with egg wash and cut a few slits in the top to allow steam to escape.

Bake for 30 minutes, until puffed and golden brown. Allow to cool for a few minutes and serve hot or warm.

Slow Cooker BBQ Baby Back Ribs and Baked Beans

Nothing says summer time quite like BBQ Baby Back Ribs and Baked Beans. There are of course a million and one ways to make them both, and everyone has their own opinion on which is the right way. Being a busy mom of 4, I prefer the crock pot or slow cooker way of doing things. They're not only easy to make, they are absolutely fabulous, even my meat eater man says so. I tried a different recipe once and I thought he was going to divorce me, he likes them that much! I can't claim the Baked Bean recipe, it comes from my friend and neighbor Laura H. passed down to her by a friend of a friend...you know how it is.

Not sure how much of these the kids will eat, they can be picky sometimes, then other times they shock me and hoover the food as if I never feed them! We'll see how it goes...


Slow Cooker BBQ Baby Back Ribs

Baby Back Ribs, 1-2 Racks
1 28oz can chunky tomatoes
1/3 cup brown sugar
2 Tbs red wine vinegar
1 Tbs Worcestershire Sauce
1 Tbs reduced-sodium soy sauce
2 Tbs ground cumin
1 Tbs chili powder
1 tsp paprika
1 tsp garlic powder
½ tsp salt
¼ tsp cayenne pepper

Cut ribs so they will fit in your slow cooker, either individually or in sets of 2-3. Place in the bottom of a lined slow cooker. In a medium mixing bowl, mix all other ingredients. Pour over your ribs and cook on low 5-6 hours or high 2 ½ -3 hours.


Baked Beans

2 16oz cans of Pork & Beans, drained
¾ cup KC Masterpiece BBQ sauce
1 Granny Smith apple, peeled & diced
1 medium onion, diced
¼ cup golden raisins
½ cup light brown sugar
1 tsp ground cumin
¼ tsp ground red pepper
3 bacon slices, preferably applewood

Heat oven to 350°. In a large mixing bowl, stir all ingredients except the drained beans and bacon. Fold beans in carefully so as not to smash the beans. Pour into a greased 2 quart baking dish. Place bacon slices on top. Bake for 1 hour 20 minutes.

Tip: Doubles perfectly for parties. If feeding little people, or anyone who may not like the hot stuff, reduce the red pepper or omit completely.


And here's the end result, just scrumptious!

Chicken Parmesan and Fresh Tomotoes

Mmmmmm, this Chicken Parmesan was so yummy and guess what, I hid some veggies in it, so it was good for the kids too! I had planned to use my little home grown tomato in the sauce, but decided to just slice it fresh in a salad. Well, you just can't go wrong with Italian food, red wine and fresh crusty bread :)

Chicken Parmesan

4 Chicken Breasts, boneless, skinless
1 ½ cups Italian Bread Crumbs
2 eggs, beaten
¾ cup flour
1 28oz can Crushed Tomatoes with Basil
2 Garlic Cloves, minced
½ Large Onion, diced
1 Celery Stalk, diced
½ Yellow Squash, diced
1 Medium Carrot, diced
1 tsp dried Oregano
1 Mozzarella Ball, sliced
¼ cup Grated Parmesan Cheese, plus 1 Tbs
2 Tbs Olive Oil

1. Steam/Cook vegetables. I recommend placing them in a microwave safe bowl, just cover with water and microwave for about 1-2 minutes, until soft. Sautee onions and garlic until soft and translucent. In a medium sauce pan, combine crushed tomatoes, onion and garlic, cooked vegetables, oregano and salt and pepper to taste. Heat sauce on low.
* If you have time, skip the precook steps for the onion, garlic and vegetables and combine uncooked, then heat sauce on low for 1.5 hours.

2. Heat oven to 475 degrees.

3. Pound chicken evenly thin. Place flour, along with salt and pepper to taste in a shallow dish. Set up a second dish with your beaten eggs, and a third dish with mixed bread crumbs and Parmesan cheese. Heat olive oil on medium-medium high in a large, oven safe pan. Dredge chicken in flour, shaking off any excess. Coat chicken with egg, then dredge in bread crumb mixture, again shaking off any excess. Brown chicken in olive oil, about 4 minutes on each side, or until golden brown.

4. Spoon tomato sauce over each chicken breast, cover breasts with Mozzarella slices and sprinkle with Parmesan cheese. Baked in oven until chicken is cooked through, about 5-7 minutes.

Serve over noodle of choice.

Tip: If you do not have an oven safe pan, you can use a tin foil covered baking dish, coated with cooking spray.

Pumpernickel Pastrami Panini and French Onion Soup

Who could resist the combo of a Pastrami Panini and French Onion Soup?! Not me I tell ya, and not the hubby either, this dinner was for him. Advanced warning though, while neither of these dishes are difficult on their own, I'm not sure I'd pair them together again, based on the multi-tasking factor...but the left overs have been great. I can't claim either of these wonderful dishes, you'll have to thank Tyler for his Ultimate French Onion Soup and Emily for the Pumpernickel Pastrami Panini. For the most part, you can leave these great recipes alone, but I have two minor changes, both on the Pastrami Panini.

1. Skip the Ale Jus, overwhelming rosemary flavor and the Pastrimi can really stand on it's own. Plus skipping a step will save you time.
2. MORE APPLES, the apples on the Pastrami are out of this world, I was picking them out of the apple/onion mix so that I could double up on my Panini and ended up running out!

Tip: Onions make you cry? Throw them in the freezer for 20-30 minutes before you cut them, then cut fast!

Creole Pork Chops with Roasted Red Pepper Corn

No pictures for this one, after a day playing outside and finishing up some long overdue yard work, the family was so hungry the food was gone in an instant! Don't let that stop you though from running out immediately for the ingredients and heating up your grill.

Creole Pork Chops, adapted from Cuisine at Home

1 cup dry sherry (or any dry wine you have on hand)
2/3 cup Pure Cane Syrup, molasses or honey
3 Tbs no-salt-added Cajun seasoning
2 Tbs tomato paste
1 tsp dried thyme
4 bone-in pork rib chops (10-12 oz each)
Kosher salt and black pepper to taste
1/4 cup cider vinegar

Combine sherry, syrup, Cajun seasoning, tomato paste, and thyme with a whisk. Place pork in a heavy duty resealable plastic bag and pour in half of your marinade. Seal and refrigerate 1-4 hours, occasionally turning the bag. Cover and refrigerate remaining marinade.
When ready to grill, remove your pork from the marinade, pat down with paper towels, season with salt and pepper and grill to perfection. In the meantime, bring reserved marinade with the cider vinegar in a saucepan to a boil. Simmer sauce until thickened, about 3 minutes. Serve with pork.

Roasted Red Pepper Butter, adapted from Cuisine at Home

1 stick butter, softened
2 Tbs roasted red peppers (jarred)
2 Tbs scallions
Tabasco sauce

Drain jarred peppers and blot with a paper towel, chop. Thinly slice your scallions, and combine with the butter, peppers and a splash of Tabasco sauce. Place in a serving bowl and refrigerate. Or if you prefer a more sophisticated approach, place the butter mixture on a sheet of wax paper, roll and twist ends; refrigerate. Serve over corn on the cob...YUM!

Chicken Noodle Soup

I've been sick with a summer cold for 10 days now, so I thought some hot, Homemade Chicken Noodle Soup was in order. I've been terrified to try this, I have no idea why, but I think it has something to do with touching a cold, wet and whole little chicken. It's not completely yet, but so far so good. My house smells out of this world, even my four year old commented about the smell (that's a good start).

I bought a larger chicken than required in hopes of using the extra meat in 2 other meals this week, hello savings!
Well, it's been tasted and the Chicken Noodle Soup is AWESOME :) I'm so happy that all the hard work paid off (and it really is quite a bit of work!) I'm sure it'll be even better tonight after it's had some time to sit, and paired up with a crusty French loaf.

Spaghetti and Meatballs

3/4 cup Italian bread crumbs
2 tsp of salt
1/8 tsp pepper
1 tsp Worcestershire sacue
1 egg
1/2 cup milk
bunch parsley, rough chop
1 1/2 pounds ground beef
Mozzarella cheese
Tomato sauce of choice

Mix the first 7 ingredients in a small mixing bowl. Add to ground beef until just incorporated, do not over mix. Using a metal spoon, scoop out mixture in the size meatballs you'd prefer. Before forming into a ball, place a small amount of mozzarella cheese in the middle, form the ball around so that all of the cheese is completely covered. You know have three cooking options, choose whichever works best with your time frame.

1. Cook the meatballs and sauce in a crock pot on low for 6-7 hours.
2. Brown the meatballs slightly, leaving a pink/red center, then place in the crock pot with sauce and cook on low for 5-6 hours.
3. Brown the meatballs until almost completely cooked, place the meatballs on a foil covered baking pan, bake for approximately 8 minutes on 350.

Serve over pasta of choice, yum, yum, yum and SO easy! I think hiding the Mozzarella inside the meatball was great, it kept it super moist and really, can you ever have too much Mozzarella?