Skillet Lasagna

I love my mother's lasagna. It's one of the few tomato-based Italian meals that I would tolerate growing up. (This means that I would eat the noodles and cheese covered in sauce but the meat was passed on to my lucky parents.) It can be a time consuming process but the flavors blending together is certainly worth it.

Last year I saw this recipe for a non-traditional, broken-pattern lasagna on A Foodie in Utah's blog. It looked really good and I wanted to try it but for one reason or another it didn't make it to our kitchen until this week.

I like that we didn't have to heat the oven and the recipe was easy to follow. The next time I make it I'm going to use my canned tomatoes to give it a little more taste of home. The original recipe calls for "meatloaf mix" which is a blend of beef, pork, and veal but my local grocer didn't have this. If you can't find prepackaged "meatloaf mix" I suggest you do half beef and half pork or take the Foodie's advice and use Italian Sausage. We used ground beef and it was lacking a little.

Skillet Lasagna
America's Test Kitchen
Total Time: 45 Minutes

Ingredients:

• 1 (28-ounce) can diced tomatoes
• 1 TBSP olive oil
• Salt
• 3 garlic cloves, minced
• 1/8 tsp crushed red pepper flakes
• 1 pound meat ( ½ lb ground beef and ½ lb ground pork – or if you like a little spiciness –use 1 lb Italian sausage)
• 10 curly-edged lasagna noodles (8 ounces), broken into 2-inch lengths
• 1 (8-ounce) can tomato sauce
• 1 ounce Parmesan cheese, grated ( ½ C)
• 8 ounces whole-milk ricotta cheese (about 1 C)
• 1/4 c minced fresh basil

Directions

1. Pour the tomatoes with their juice into a liquid measuring cup. Add enough water to the tomatoes to measure 4 cups.
2. Heat the oil in a 12-inch nonstick skillet over medium heat until shimmering. Add the onion and ½ tsp salt and cook until softened, about 5 minutes.
3. Stir in the garlic and red pepper flakes and cook until fragrant, about 30 seconds. Add the meat and cook, breaking up the meat into small pieces with a wooden spoon, until no longer pink, about 5 minutes.
4. Sprinkle the noodle pieces over the meat. Pour the diced tomatoes and tomato sauce over the pasta. Do not stir at this point. Cover and bring to a simmer. Reduce the heat to medium-low and continue to simmer, stirring occasionally, until the pasta is tender, about 20 minutes.
5. Remove the skillet from the heat and stir in all but 2 Tablespoons of Parmesan. Season with salt and pepper to taste. Dot heaping tablespoons of the ricotta over the noodles. Cover the skillet and let stand off the heat for 5 minutes.
6. Sprinkle with the basil and the extra Parmesan cheese.

This week we also made the America's Test Kitchen Baked Ziti. It was fabulous and I will certainly make it again! Check out their website or check your local listings for their show. It's my Saturday morning favorite.

What to do with Dried Cranberries

After Christmas dried cranberries were on sale, and I mean ON SALE. I couldn't resist. I knew that if I bought them, I'd find something to do with them. So, last month I thought I should figure out what to do with those silly dried cranberries. I could have sworn that I'd seen some ideas on a fellow foodie blog and I found plenty!

I am excited to say that I tried the Oatmeal Cookies with Cranberries and White Chocolate! Now, what's the title of this blog? Oh, yes, Discovering DELICIOUS. That's exactly what these are, delicious. I've been itching to make them again, and I know that if I see dried cranberries on sale they have a purpose in cookies.

Photo provided by twopeasandtheirpod.com

Ingredients:

½ c. brown sugar
1/2 c. white sugar
1/2 cup softened unsalted butter
1 egg
1 tsp. Vanilla
1/4 tsp. Salt
1/2 tsp. Baking powder
1/2 tsp. Baking soda
1 1/4 c. flour
1 1/4 c. oats
1 cup of dried cranberries

White chocolate- I chopped up good white chocolate, but you can use white chocolate chips too! I used about 1 cup or so.

Directions:

1. With a mixer, beat butter and sugars until smooth. Mix in eggs, and vanilla.  In a separate bowl whisk together the flour, salt, baking powder, and baking soda. Mix in slowly to wet ingredients. Add your oats, cranberries, and white chocolate.

2. Bake at 375 for 10-12 minutes! Don’t let them get too done…they are better when they are soft! **I used dark cookie sheets and given variations in ovens I baked them at 350.

Daydreaming about Thai Chicken

Do you crave food? Do you pick out one of your favorite recipes on Sunday afternoon to make in the week ahead? I do. Mmmmm...this week I was so excited for Thai Chicken that I salivated thinking about it during my workday. When I finally got home there was no stopping the Thai train charging through my kitchen.

This is a very easy recipe and if you put the "dressing" together one night and marinate the chicken overnight then the cooking part will only take about 15 minutes. If you do it all in one evening you're looking at more like 50 minutes because the chicken needs to marinate for 30.

I love that this is a wonderful excuse for me to load up on veggies and eat "take-out" at home. I also really like the leftovers. You can keep the warm food separate and heat them up the next day or throw it all together and eat the combo cold. Both are scrumptious!

Photo from marthastewart.com

Ingredients

• 1 1/4 pounds boneless, skinless chicken breasts, thinly sliced crosswise
• Coarse salt
• 3 1/2 ounces Chinese rice noodles, broken in half if long
• 1 tablespoon vegetable oil
• 2 carrots, sliced into ribbons with a vegetable peeler
• 1 English cucumber, halved lengthwise and thinly sliced crosswise
• 1/4 cup fresh basil, torn - I've gone without
• Bean sprouts, chopped peanuts, fresh mint leaves, red-pepper flakes, and sliced scallion greens, for garnish (all are optional but I've made my choices)

Spicy Asian Dressing - Mix all of these ingredients in a bowl

• 4 thinly sliced scallion whites
• 2 minced garlic cloves
• 1/2 cup soy sauce
• 1/2 cup rice vinegar
• 2 tablespoons light-brown sugar
• 1 tablespoon fresh lime juice
• 1/2 teaspoon anchovy paste (or 1 minced canned anchovy)
• 1/2 teaspoon red-pepper flakes

Directions

1. Place chicken and half of dressing in a resealable plastic bag (reserve remaining dressing). Marinate at room temperature for 30 minutes (or refrigerate up to overnight).
2. In a large pot of boiling salted water, cook noodles until tender. Drain, and rinse under cold water to stop the cooking. (Optional plating idea: Transfer to a platter.)
3. In a large skillet, heat oil over medium-high. Working in batches, cook chicken (do not crowd skillet) until cooked through, 2-3 minutes; transfer to platter on top of noodles.
4. Top with carrots, cucumber, and basil. Drizzle with reserved dressing, and sprinkle with garnishes, if desired.

Here fishy fishy fishy...

I don't know how we came about it but it was time to finally try some fish tacos. I searched a favorite site for easy and reliably tasty treats and found a recipe to try. It did not disappoint. The fish was flaky and tender and delicious and the veggies made a good side and healthy filler. I like a little extra lime wedge to squeeze on my assembled tacos. I'd recommend this for anyone weary of fish in their tacos.

photo courtesy of marthastewart.com

Fish Tacos
from Everyday Food
45 minutes from start to finish

Ingredients

• 1/4 cup reduced-fat sour cream
• 2 tablespoons fresh lime juice
• Coarse salt and ground pepper
• 1/4 small red cabbage, thinly shredded (about 2 1/2 cups)
• 4 scallions, thinly sliced (about 1/2 cup)
• 1 jalapeno pepper, halved lengthwise, one half minced, remove ribs and seeds for less heat or choose a poblano/pasilla pepper instead
  
• 2 tablespoons olive oil
• 1 pound tilapia fillets (or other firm white fish), cut into 16 equal strips
  
• 8 flour tortillas (6-inch)
• 1/2 cup fresh cilantro leaves

*Note that this recipe calls for 1 lb of fish but should feed 4 adults. I purchased less fish and fed 2. Leftover fish is just one thing I won't do.

Directions:

1. In a large bowl, combine sour cream and lime juice; season with salt and pepper. Transfer half the mixture to another container; set aside for serving. Toss cabbage, scallions, and minced pepper with remaining sour-cream mixture. Season again with salt and pepper.
2. In a large nonstick skillet, heat oil and remaining pepper half over medium-high heat; swirl to coat bottom of pan. Season fish on both sides with salt and pepper. In two batches (starting with larger pieces), cook fish until golden brown on all sides, 5 to 6 minutes. Discard pepper.
3. Meanwhile, warm tortillas according to package instructions. (I would do this before step 2 if you have a way to keep the tortillas warm.)
   
4. To make tacos, fill tortillas with slaw, fish, and fresh cilantro leaves. Drizzle with reserved sour-cream mixture. Serve immediately.

Part of my motivation was to use some left over red cabbage from other recipes. I do have to say that one head of red cabbage is about 3 times what I really want. On the up side it does help me try new recipes and the vibrant color is bound to be full of nutrients.

New Year, New Recipes

At Christmas this year my family gave me a new cookbook. I have found a love for new recipes and if you can't already tell I have my go to source and sometimes I need something new beyond that. Don't get me wrong, I love the roots of my new-found love for food, but it's important to stretch yourself from time to time.

This new year brings with it renewed hope for better living. For whatever reason it's often easier to begin new life trends with a new year. This year is no different. I want to cook more often, blog more often, and in the mean time find balance and joy in the things I do.

To kick off the new year my love and I tried a new salad dressing recipe. We put it together last night and had our first real taste this afternoon. The cilantro flavor is mild and it seems to have just a little bite, I blame the vinegar and garlic. I like to cook with cilantro but I'm not as big of fan as some people I live with. If you're timid about cilantro this is still worth a try.

This week we are going to pair this dressing/marinade with some fish. I imagine it will work really well together.

Cilantro-Lime Vinaigrette by Our Best Bites
Ingredients

• 1/4 c. fresh lime juice (about 2-3 juicy limes)
• 1/4 c. white wine vinegar or rice vinegar
• 4-5 cloves garlic
• 1/2 tsp. Kosher or sea salt
• 2 tsp. sugar
• 1 c. canola oil
• 1/2 c. roughly chopped cilantro, stems removed
  

Directions

1. In the jar of your blender, combine lime juice, vinegar, garlic, salt, and sugar. Blend until ingredients are completely combined.
   
2. With the blender running, add the oil in a steady stream. Add cilantro and blend until the cilantro has broken down but still maintains some of its texture.
   
3. Serve with greens, on any type of Mexican salad, or use as a marinade. *It's best if you can refrigerate for at least 4 hours before serving.
   

Home Savory Home

After many days and nights away from home I get a little cranky and tired and I long for some good home cookin. With time I have come to recognize the things my mind and body need. I have no shame in telling you one of these things is milk. I will go out of my way now to buy milk for those we stay with, namely my papa. It helps me feel like I'm getting some of the nutrition I need. Milk, it does a body good.

After a wonderful holiday I needed a traditional Sunday dinner to start the week/year off right. I chose to make a roast and serve it with potatoes and a green salad. How can you go wrong?! I like to cook my roast in the crockpot because it is easy, the clean up is quick, and the roast doesn't dry out like it can in the oven. Here's an easy way to season it.

Mom's Roast
Ingredients

• A good quality roast. All your meals will turn out better when you choose good meat.
• 8 teaspoon dried onion
• 4 teaspoon beef boullion
• 1 teaspoon onion powder

Directions

1. Mix the seasonings together in a small bowl.
2. Sprinkle seasoning over roast in pan.
3. Cook roast.
4. Enjoy!

The leftovers served us well for 2 more meals. You can also use this as onion soup mix by itself or in other recipes.

*Depending on the size of the roast and your personal preferences you can cut the seasoning measurements in half. Make more or less according to your liking.

Thanksgiving Treat

As you may know I was in charge of Thanksgiving dessert. I did make the Pumpkin Icebox Pie as previously noted. I love how easy and delicious it is. It made Thanksgiving Day a bit easier for me. My second gift to the family (we all know it was really a gift to myself) was Emeril's Apple and Cranberry Crisp. Mmmm...I think I may wish myself this gift again for Christmas.

I really enjoyed how the apples were sweet and the cranberries were tart. The orange zest and juice offers a delicious fragrance. I also love the mix of textures of the dish. Texture is one thing that can turn me away from a food so I feel it's important. And what girl would turn down a pink dessert? Not this one and not her niece.

I suggest you give it a try while cranberries are on sale.

Emeril's Apple and Cranberry Crisp
Ingredients

• Unsalted butter, for baking dish
  
• 2 1/2 - 3 pounds sweet, firm apples, such as Gala or Braeburn, peeled, cored, and cut into 1/2-inch dice
• 12 ounces cranberries (fresh or frozen)
• 1/2 cup sugar
• 3 tablespoons all-purpose flour
• 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
• 1/4 teaspoon grated orange zest, plus 1 tablespoon fresh orange juice

Crisp Topping

• 6 tablespoons cold butter, cut into small pieces
• 2/3 cup all purpose flour (spooned and leveled)
• 2/3 cup rolled oats
• 3/4 cup packed light-brown sugar
• 1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
• 1/2 teaspoon ground nutmeg
• 1/4 teaspoon salt

Directions
For crisp topping:

1. In a large bowl, combine all ingredients. Using an electric mixer, beat on low until coarse crumbs form. (I found that a pastry blender worked a lot better with the cold butter.)

For fruit:

1. Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Butter a 9-by-13-inch baking dish.
2. In a large bowl, combine apples, cranberries, sugar, flour, vanilla, and orange zest and juice. Transfer to baking dish and sprinkle with topping.
3. Bake until topping is browned and juices are thick and bubbling around edges, 55 to 60 minutes. Let cool 15 minutes before serving.

We topped it with real whipped cream but it would be fantastic with some cinnamon ice cream. Fa la la la la...

Creamy Tomato Soup

My family came to my home last month to celebrate my birthday. It was going to be a cooler day and I thought I'd make some creamy tomato soup. It tends to feed a lot and is a simple recipe to put together. You can also make this ahead of time because it reheats well.

I do need to apologize to them because I forgot an entire ingredient. When I made it for the family I was thinking, "this doesn't make as much as I remember" and then I thought "this doesn't taste as good as I remember." Then I realized why. I forgot the last step.

What do you do when something like this happens? I make it again so I can feel like I accomplished what I set out to do. It helps ease my mind that I can do it right and it helps me remember the recipe in a positive light. *I made a half batch and it was perfect for the two of us.

Creamy Tomato Soup adapted from America's Test Kitchen
Serves 8-10
Ingredients

• 2 Tablespoons Olive Oil + more
  
• 3 cloves of garlic, pressed
  
• 1 onion, finely chopped - I've made the soup with and without and I like it both ways
• 2 large cans of whole peeled tomatoes
• 1 bay leaf
• 3 slices of white bread, broken
  
• 1 Tablespoon of brown sugar
• 3 Cups chicken broth

Directions

1. Heat oil in large pot. Add onion and garlic, cook until onion is translucent and garlic is fragrant.
2. Add tomatoes and bay leaf. Use a potato masher to break up the tomatoes and simmer for 5 minutes. (The Test Kitchen added some red pepper flakes as well but I haven't yet.)
   
3. Add the white bread pieces and brown sugar, cook until the bread is broken down. Remove the bay leaf.
   
4. In 2-3 batches move soup to blender, add 1 TB of oil to each batch, and process until smooth.
5. Return the soup to the heat and add the chicken broth. Once it is warmed through it is ready to serve. Salt and pepper to taste. You can top it with cheese, chives, croutons, etc.

I hope you enjoy the recipe in its entirety.

Roasted Mushrooms and Potatoes

In celebration of our new toaster oven we needed to try something new. I really like some frozen stuffed chicken breasts from the local grocer and it bothers me to heat the entire oven for two hand size chicken pieces. So we cooked the chicken in the toaster oven and the roasted mushroom and potato salad in the standard oven. They finished cooking at the same time and it was a big hit!

The mushrooms had a lot of flavor, the potatoes were just potatoes. The next time we make it, I'm going to try tossing the potatoes with some garlic. I welcome any other delicious suggestions.

Roasted Mushrooms and Potatoes
Ingredients

• 1 package (10.5 ounces) oyster or cremini mushrooms, trimmed (halved if using cremini)
• 2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
• Coarse salt and ground pepper
• 1 pound red new potatoes, quartered
• 1/4 cup packed fresh parsley leaves - I didn't have these on hand, so they were omitted
  
• 2 to 3 teaspoons sherry or red-wine vinegar

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 450 degrees, with racks in upper and lower thirds. On a rimmed baking sheet, toss mushrooms with 1 tablespoon oil; season with salt and pepper. On another rimmed baking sheet, toss potatoes with 1 tablespoon oil; season with salt and pepper. Roast until mushrooms are browned and potatoes are cooked through, about 20 minutes, tossing once and rotating sheets halfway through. Transfer to a bowl and toss with parsley and vinegar.
   

Broccoli and Pork Stir-Fry

On occasion I like to look through my magazines and see what recipes I wanted to try and never did or which ones I had forgotten about and want to make again. The first on my current list of new recipes to try was Broccoli and Pork Stir-Fry.

The sauce came together quickly and infused the house with flavor. It's an easy prep recipe with few ingredients that are mostly pantry regulars so I felt like it's a good "go to" recipe. Plus, it's classified as a light recipe so there's no guilt.

photo from marthastewart.com

Broccoli and Pork Stir-Fry
Ingredients

• 1 teaspoon grated orange zest, plus 1/4 cup fresh orange juice
• 1/4 cup soy sauce
• 1/4 cup rice vinegar
• 1 tablespoon cornstarch
• 1 tablespoon plus 1 teaspoon vegetable oil
• 1 pork tenderloin (about 1 pound), quartered lengthwise and thinly sliced
• 3 scallions, white and green parts separated and thinly sliced
• 1 1/2 pounds broccoli (more or less based on your preference), cut into bite-size florets, stalks peeled and thinly sliced

Directions

1. In a medium bowl, combine orange zest and juice, soy sauce, vinegar, and cornstarch; set stir-fry sauce aside.
2. In a large nonstick skillet, heat 1 tablespoon oil over medium. Working in batches, cook pork until browned on one side (pork will cook more in step 4). Transfer to a plate and set aside; reserve skillet.
3. Add remaining teaspoon oil, garlic, and scallion whites to skillet. Cook, stirring occasionally, until scallions wilt, 1 to 2 minutes. Add broccoli and 1/2 cup water; cover and cook until broccoli is crisp-tender and water has evaporated. Note that your broccoli stays in the pan while the pork finishes cooking so it's good to have it a little under done when starting step 4.
   
4. Add pork (with any juices) and stir-fry sauce to skillet. Cook, stirring, until pork is cooked through and sauce has thickened. Top with scallion greens.

Enjoy!

*When you make stir-fry and serve over rice, what do you offer as a side dish? I'd love to hear from you.*

Prepping for Turkey Day

I LOVE Thanksgiving. I have always enjoyed getting family together, food choices are excellent, and it's the kick off to the holiday season for me. I do not like to move from Labor day to Christmas or even Halloween to Christmas. There is a very important moment of gratitude and forgiveness to be celebrated in Thanksgiving and it deserves its 15 minutes of fame.

What I have enjoyed recently is that I do not have a home large enough to accommodate a sizeable gathering, which means we're invited to participate in festivities but I don't have to cook the bird. I take care of the half-holiday celebration (half holiday as in 6 months from November to May, not half as in half the fun, have the excitement, half the family) so it's nice to contribute but not be in charge.

This year my brother so lovingly asked me to be in charge of 2 pies or dessert of some kind to feed 12-16 people. I'm excited for a couple of reasons; I'm trying to go without sweets this month but Thanksgiving is one of my four exceptions so I can choose what I want to indulge in. Secondly, I found a great pumpkin pie recipe last year and I'm excited to make it again. So if you're like me and searching for pie ideas, may I suggest the Pumpkin Icebox Pie.

Temporary photo from marthastewart.com

Ingredients:
Crust - You can make the crust up to 2 days in advance just wrap well and store at room temp.

• 16 cinnamon graham crackers, broken into large pieces
• 1 tablespoon dark-brown sugar
• 1/2 teaspoon coarse salt
• 1/2 cup (1 stick) unsalted butter, melted and cooled

Filling and Topping

• 3 teaspoons unflavored powdered gelatin (from 2 packets)
• 1 can (29 ounces) pure pumpkin puree
• 4 ounces cream cheese, room temperature
• 1 can (12 ounces) evaporated milk
• 1 cup packed dark-brown sugar
• 3/4 to 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
• 1/4 teaspoon ground or freshly grated nutmeg, plus more for garnish (I'm sorry I don't garnish and I still enjoy.)
  
• 3/4 teaspoon coarse salt
• 1 cup heavy cream
• 1 tablespoon confectioners' sugar

Ingredients

1. Make crust: Preheat oven to 325 degrees. In a food processor, combine graham crackers, sugar, and salt; process until fine crumbs form. With machine running, slowly pour butter through feed tube and process until mixture resembles wet sand. Press crumbs in bottom and up sides of a 9-inch square baking dish. Bake until crust is deep golden brown and fragrant, 20 minutes. Let cool completely in baking dish on a wire rack.
2. Meanwhile, make filling: Place 1/4 cup cold water in a small bowl. Sprinkle gelatin on top and let stand 5 minutes. In a large bowl, whisk together pumpkin puree and cream cheese until smooth. In a small saucepan, combine evaporated milk, brown sugar, cinnamon, nutmeg, and salt; bring to a simmer over medium. Add gelatin mixture and stir until completely dissolved. Pour milk mixture into pumpkin mixture and whisk until completely smooth.
3. Pour filling into cooled crust and refrigerate until chilled and completely set, about 3 hours (or wrap tightly with plastic and refrigerate, up to 2 days). To serve, whip cream with confectioners' sugar until soft peaks form. Top pie with whipped cream and sprinkle with nutmeg.
   

It's Chili Weather (Red)

White chili is commonly made in our home during the cooler months of October - April but this time I decided I wanted to revisit a chili recipe I kept from my freshman year at college.

Growing up I was not a big fan of chili. It's beans and hamburger and tomatoes. I was a kid who didn't really like beans and combining it with my arch nemesis sounded like poison. Fast forward to college where cereal and ramen and grilled cheese were commonly eaten, food, real food, had new life to me. This chili was the only item served at a Halloween party I was part of and so I was left to try it. I liked it. For the first time in life, I enjoyed chili.

Luckily for me my roommate had been one to volunteer to cook a batch of the chili so I now had the recipe to repeat. NINE years later, I made it again. It's still tastes good. I doubt it would ever win a chili cook-off but it was easy, offered the two of us 3 or 4 meals, and tastes good.

Traditional Chili
Ingredients

• 2 pounds Hamburger
• 2 Onions, chopped to your liking
• 4 cans Stewed Tomatoes or 2 quarts of home canned
  
• 5 cans of Kidney Beans - I choose the lower sodium version
  
• 1 15 oz. can Tomato Sauce
• 2 tablespoon Sugar
• 3 tablespoon Chili Powder
• 1 1/2 tablespoon Salt

Directions

• Brown hamburger and onions, then drain.
• Add liquid from beans along with all other ingredients, setting beans aside.
• Bring to a boil then lower heat and simmer uncovered for 1 hour and 15 minutes, stirring occasionally.
• Add the beans and cook for 15 more minutes, stirring occasionally.

Enjoy! This week I opted to cook only half a batch and used 3 cans of beans and an 8 oz can of tomato sauce. The other items were pretty easy to divide equally. If you are going to make half the recipe use your personal or family preference to use 2 or 3 cans of beans.

And you can serve this with some sweet cornbread. Mmmm. (Is this a Utah thing? Chili served with cornbread.)

It's Chili Weather (White)

For fun I made white chili to share with some friends. Of course, as usual, it was requested that I pass on the recipe. The best recipes are those that are passed around and this is one that I got from my sister-in-law, who received it from a friend. So friend to friend I'll pass it on again.

White Chicken Chili
Ingredients and Directions

• 1 lb. Chicken cooked and shredded
• 1 Onion chopped - I often times leave this out just because
• 1 1/2 teaspoon Garlic Powder

Brown the above ingredients in 1 tablespoon of oil until onion is tender then add:

• 14 oz can of Chicken Broth - I like the low-sodium version
• 1 can Chopped Green Chilies - This is where you choose your heat
• 2 15 oz cans Great Northern Beans drained and rinsed
• 1 teaspoon Salt
• 1 teaspoon Cumin
• 1 teaspoon Oregano
• 1/2 teaspoon Black Pepper

*If you'd like to freeze the recipe, do that now. Sometimes I will prepare it to this point the night before or earlier in the week and then warm it up and finish it up in a hurry.*
Bring this to a boil then cover and simmer for 30 minutes. Turn off heat.

Before you serve add:

• 1 cup Sour Cream
• 1/2 cup Whipping Cream (I've never tried it before but I imagine you could substitute half and half.)

Voila! Adding the creams does cool the recipe a little so depending on your time and your family members you may want to return it to a low heat to warm through again.

What do you mean more tomatoes?

Do you ever feel this way? I know this happens at our house. Here's a tasty soup that you can use tomatoes and more of your garden harvest. Thanks to my BFF for making this for me and allowing me to post about it.

Fresh Tomato Bisque
Ingredients:

• 2 tablespoons butter
• 1/3 cup chopped onion
• 2 medium carrots grated
• 2 teaspoons minced garlic
• 3 1/2 C fresh ripe tomatoes diced (you may choose to peel and seed)
• 1 teaspoon basil
• 1/2 C chicken stock
• 1 bay leaf
• 1 heaping tablespoon brown sugar
• 2 whole cloves
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 1/4 teaspoon baking soda
• pepper to taste
• 1/2 cup cream
• 1 1/2 cup milk

Directions

1. Saute onions and carrots in butter 10 minutes in a soup pot.
   
2. Add garlic and cook another 5 minutes.
3. Add all other ingredients except cream and milk and simmer 15 - 20 minutes.
   
4. Remove bay leaf and cloves and puree in blender to desired consistency.
5. Return to soup pot and add cream and milk. Heat through but don't boil.
   
6. Serve with cheese and crackers.
   

Notice the early Roska pottery and the very pleased husband of aforementioned BFF.

A lot of repeats...

For those who are interested, and maybe just for my own sense of accomplishment, I am still cooking and eating at home. We've done really well with this the last couple of weeks. I haven't blogged about it because a lot of items are repeats:

• BLT's with fancy bread and cheese and avocado spread. Avocado is a must! Mash it up and add a little garlic salt and lime/lemon juice to taste. It brings out the best in the green power.
• Cordon Bleu's from the freezer section. This is my secret to successful cooking at home. If nothing else is going to work or I want to "relax" or prepare other meals for the upcoming days while something easy is cooking I pull a couple of these from the freezer and work away for 30 minutes while they bake. They're tasty and already portioned and when paired with some green veggies (like local green beans) and milk, a healthy meal.
• Enchiladas Verdes were calling my name. I made these again and discovered some valuable notes. Heat your tortillas on the stove and not in the microwave, the flavor is much more rich and real. If you have "extra" sauce, pour it all on the enchiladas, the sauce really makes the meal. And don't forget to salt the chicken water, it needs the flavor. (Also, grocery stores don't always carry bone-in chicken. It's a special request. Beware.)
• Quesadillas. Why? Because we had extra chicken and cheese and tortillas from the enchiladas. Add a little cheddar cheese and serve with sour cream and the green power of avocado/guac and whamo a delicious and quick finger food feast.

Not a repeat: Lasagna. It's a favorite blend of all that is good - home canned tomatoes, noodles, and cheese. It makes the house smell delicious and fills me with warmth. I'll post the recipe a little later. No promises on photos.

Slow-Roasted Cherry Tomatoes

Tomatoes grow in abundance.

This year I tried something new with mine.

Slow-Roasted Cherry Tomatoes
Ingredients

• Cherry Tomatoes - If you follow the link, and then follow her link, you'll find that it originally started with Romas, but I had cherry and 4 hours of roasting was long enough for me to tend to them. Artist's "borrow" ideas from others. Some people call it inspiration.
• Olive Oil
  
• Coarse Salt
• Ground Pepper
• Herbs - if desired

Directions

1. Cut tomatoes in half and place on a rimmed baking sheet lined with foil for easy clean up.
2. Drizzle lightly with olive oil and sprinkle with salt, pepper, and any herbs.
3. Place in a 225 degree oven and roast for 4 hours, turning every 30 minutes or so.

I took one evening and let them roast from 6 - 10 pm. They filled the house with a heavenly aroma and even though I did not use any herbs, they exploded with slow-roasted flavor. I've been snacking on them since but would be great in soup, with pasta, on a salad, in a wrap, on a pizza, etc. etc. etc.

Weekday Meat and Potatoes

I often make the excuse, "...but I don't have time to make a good meal." Some days it's true. Some days it's all I can do to get off of work at 5, walk to the car, drive to a local eatery, order and eat $1.50 tacos (good tacos but store-bought all the same), and get home to leave again because we are asked to be elsewhere by 6:30. I'm sure many of you understand.

The described scenario works on Tuesday night because tacos are cheap. Wednesday night, I don't have that luxury, and I will often think I don't have time to cook something really good. Maybe I don't, but WE do.

I love to cook with my hubby. I love spending time together in the kitchen talking about anything under the sun. I love feeling like we are both experiencing something new. I love knowing that we are accomplishing something together. I love that he keeps me calm when I want to cry because something isn't according to plan, he calls it "Hama Pizazz". Another thing I love is that when we work together we can create an entire delicious meal and not just a really good main dish and a side that looks like an afterthought.

Last night my hubby manned the grill and created a masterpiece of a pork tenderloin. Other than his innate talent, the secret is: get a quality piece of meat and let it's natural flavor come through. Ingredients: pork tenderloin, coarse salt, freshly ground pepper. That's it.

While he was tending to the manly meat duties I was in the kitchen prepping the farmer's market finds of new potatoes and fresh green beans. I did look to some tried and tested recipes to help me along the way. I will share these with you.

Garlic Smashed Potatoes
Ingredients:

• 1 1/2 pounds red new potatoes, scrubbed well and quartered
• 2 tablespoons butter
  
• 1 garlic clove, minced
• 1/2 cup milk - it calls for whole but I just used 1% because that's what I have on hand
  

Directions:

1. Set a steamer basket in a large pot. Fill with enough water to come just below basket; bring to a boil. Add potatoes; reduce to a simmer, cover, and cook until tender, 12 to 14 minutes.
   

2. Remove steamer basket and set potatoes aside; discard water from pot. In same pot, melt 1 tablespoon butter over medium. Add garlic; cook until golden brown, 1 to 2 minutes. Add potatoes; mash coarsely. Cook, stirring, 1 minute (a film of starch will form on bottom of pot). Stir in milk and remaining tablespoon butter; heat until warmed through, about 1 minute more. Season with salt and pepper and remove from heat.

Emeril's Green Bean Salad
Ingredients:

• Coarse salt and ground pepper
• 3 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
• 2 small garlic cloves, minced
• 1 teaspoon grated lemon zest, plus 2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
• 1 1/2 pounds thin green beans, trimmed
• 2 small red onions, quartered through root end (leaving root end attached) - I skipped the onions this time because I didn't want to bother but they are a tasty addition

Directions:

1. Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil, and prepare a large bowl of ice water. In a bowl, combine 2 tablespoons oil, garlic, lemon zest and juice; set aside. For onions: Heat grill to medium-low.

2. Cook green beans in boiling water until crisp-tender, 2 to 3 minutes. Using a slotted spoon, transfer immediately to ice-water bath. Drain beans well, pat dry, and place in bowl. Drizzle with dressing. If not using onions, season with salt and pepper.
   

3. For onions: Toss onion wedges with remaining tablespoon oil; season with salt and pepper. Grill until lightly charred, 4 to 6 minutes per side. When cool, trim root end off, and thinly slice onions; add to bowl with green beans, and toss to combine.

I apologize for not having pictures to entice your tastebuds but honestly my photography needs some work and photos wouldn't have done it justice, not to mention I was short on time and my mouth was watering.

My hubby and I put this together in about 30 minutes. He's the meat: dark and muscles. I'm the potatoes: starchy white and better with milk. :)

Turkey Bacon vs. Bacon Bacon

I may have already mentioned that turkey bacon is only acceptable in some facets of life. Breakfast is not one of those. I feel that if you are going to the trouble of making breakfast that includes bacon, it should be the real deal. If you want healthy - broil it and have the grease drip into a foil lined pan instead of frying it.

Real bacon needs to be used for the Coronado and Bacon Pea Pasta but turkey bacon is suitable for part of your meatballs or even BLTs. Our garden has provided an abundance of tomatoes this year and combined with a local baker's wheat bread, and local farmer's lettuce BLTs are a must in our home. This weekend we went a little further and purchased some heirloom tomatoes at our local farmers market for the BLT feast and it was a rich, authentic flavor with varied color. It's such a simple meal but so rewarding.

Cooking Strike Ends with Cornbread

As you may or may not have noticed I have been on a cooking hiatus. It wasn't necessarily intentional but I lost my fire for a minute, or more honestly a few weeks. I'll blame the summer heat. But with the delicious Fall harvest that couldn't last long.

So to warm the creative fire we grilled some Turkey Cheddar Brawts - delicious and healthier by a long shot. Because I don't call dawgs "cooking" I tried cooking cornbread on the grill. Did it work? Yes. Would I call it a success? No. I was terribly disappointed in the end result. Mind you I tried the recipe on two separate occasions to give it a fair chance. The first attempt had mixed reviews and it may be liked by some. I, however, felt it was dry and simply not sweet enough. If you'd like to try the original recipe follow the link above.

I will include my FAVORITE cornbread recipe from a kind neighborhood mother. She passed the recipe to me and mine just before our wedding and it has always been a hit!

Ingredients for an 8x8 pan or 10 inch cast-iron skillet:

• 7/8 C Flour - I used to guess about the 1/8 cup increments but have since purchased measuring cups that included an 1/8 cupper
• 3/8 C Cornmeal
• 3/4 tea Salt
• 1 tea Baking Powder
• 3/8 C Sugar
• 3/4 C Evaporated Milk
• 1 Egg
• 1/4 C Oil

Directions:

1. Heat oven to 350 degrees or heat skillet on grill at low temp for 10 minutes.
2. In a mixing bowl combine flour, cornmeal, salt, baking powder, and sugar.
3. In a separate bowl beat together the evaporated milk, eggs, and oil.
4. Add the wet mixture to the dry and stir only enough to combine.
5. For oven: Pour mixture into greased pan and bake 25 minutes or For Grill: Place a tablespoon of butter on your warm cast-iron pan and move it around the pan, then pour in your mixture and cook covered 12 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean.

*You can make a 9 x 13 inch pan in the oven by doubling all the ingredients and cooking for 30 minutes at 350 degrees.

It was really nice to cook the bread on the grill. It kept the kitchen cool and it was fun to try something new. I did like that the original recipe made honey butter to melt on top of the bread.

Honey Butter: Combine 2 tablespoons of butter with 1/8 C + 1 tablespoon of honey. For more, simply double or triple the amounts.

En Espanol, Por Favor

My favorite everything companion just turned 30. It was a good reason for him to ask me to make a special birthday dinner. He requested enchiladas verdes and refried beans. If I'm going to make that I might as well try my hand at some rice as well. So yesterday afternoon I headed to the kitchen to get started. I cooked from 3 until 6pm. That's a long time for me to be in the kitchen, in the summer, without air conditioning BUT it was worth it to make something scrumptious for my love. Next time, I'll make the beans ahead of time. They were the most demanding in combination with the other two dishes.

Enchiladas Verdes or Green Enchiladas Absolutely Fantastic Flavor and a Definite Keeper!
Ingredients

• 1 1/2 pounds bone-in chicken breast halves, skin removed
  
• 1/2 medium white onion, halved crosswise
• 1 whole garlic clove
• 1/2 teaspoon coarse salt
• 2 cups loosely packed fresh cilantro
• 1 1/2 pounds tomatillos, husked and rinsed
• 1 jalapeno chile
• 1 poblano chile
• 8 -10 six-inch corn tortillas
• 10 ounces queso fresco - this was found in the dairy section of my local grocer, not with the other cheeses and lunch meats. I think this is must! It's above and beyond yummy and offers a more authentic taste.

Directions

1. Place chicken, 1/2 of the onion, the garlic, and 1/4 teaspoon salt in a medium saucepan. Add enough water to cover by at least 1 inch. Bring to a boil, and then reduce heat. Simmer until chicken is cooked through, 18 to 22 minutes. Reserve 3/4 cup of the cooking liquid; set aside.
2. Let chicken cool on a plate. When cool enough to handle, shred (discard bones). Coarsely chop 1/2 cup cilantro, and toss with chicken.
3. Preheat broiler, with the rack about 6 inches from heat source. Broil tomatillos and chiles on a rimmed baking sheet, rotating them as they blacken, 10 to 12 minutes. Let cool. Remove the blackened skins, stems, ribs, and seeds (optional, all the heat is in the seeds) from chiles. Reduce oven temperature to 375 degrees. (If you don't like so much heat, you may want to remove the seeds before blackening.)
4. Coarsely puree tomatillos and chile flesh in a blender with remaining 1/4 teaspoon salt, remaining 1 1/2 cups cilantro, and reserved 3/4 cup cooking liquid. Transfer salsa to a large bowl.
5. Using tongs, toast tortillas over an open flame of a gas stove, 5 to 10 seconds per side. At least warm them up so they become more flexible and won't crack once you stuff and roll your enchiladas.
6. Dip 1 tortilla into salsa to coat lightly. Place 1/3 cup chicken on half of tortilla. Sprinkle 2 tablespoons cheese on top, and roll up. Place it seam side down in a 9-by-13-inch baking dish. Repeat to make more enchiladas, lining them up snugly in dish. Spoon remaining salsa on top, and bake until heated through, about 20 minutes.

This is where I have to profess my love for bone-in chicken breasts. The flavor is intensified and I feel the meat cooks to be more tender and juicy. I enjoyed the fragrance of the meat cooking with the onion in the water because it reminded me of my mom cooking chicken breasts with veggies in the water. mmm....

Be mindful that if you want more enchiladas, cook more chicken and/or stuff the tortillas with less. I made 8 chicken and 2 cheese enchiladas, had plenty of sauce, and had leftover chicken for salads or quesadillas tonight.

Basic Mexican Rice - Easy and tasty, a good compliment.
Ingredients

• 2 Tablespoons Canola Oil
• 1/2 whole Large Onion, Chopped
• 3 cloves Garlic, Minced
• 2 cups Long Grain Rice
• 1 can Rotel (10 Ounce)
• 1 can Whole Tomatoes (14.5 Ounce)
• 2 cups Low Sodium Chicken Broth (more If Needed)
• 1 teaspoon Cumin (more To Taste)
• 1 teaspoon Kosher Salt
• Fresh Cilantro, Chopped

Directions

1. Heat oil in a large skillet. Add onions, then cook for 3 to 4 minutes.
   
2. Reduce heat to low and add rice and garlic. Stir constantly, making sure the rice doesn’t burn. Cook over low heat for 3 minutes.
   
3. Add Ro-tel and tomatoes. Stir to combine and let cook for 2 minutes.
   
4. Finally, add broth and bring to a boil. Reduce heat to low, cover, and simmer for 10 to 15 additional minutes or until rice is done. Add more liquid as needed; rice shouldn’t be sticky.
5. Just before serving, sprinkle lots of freshly chopped cilantro over the top. Serve immediately. (I did not serve this with cilantro. Probably because my brain was short-circuiting by the time I served dinner.)
   

And finally the Refried Beans - Delicious but prep ahead.
Ingredients

• 2 cups dried pinto beans, soaked overnight in a large bowl with water to cover by 2-inches, and drained
• 1 bay leaf
• 3/4 cup bacon drippings or lard
• 2 cups chopped yellow onions - I forgot about these and it still turned out ok
  
• 1 1/2 tablespoons minced garlic
• 1 1/2 tablespoons chili powder
• 2 teaspoons ground cumin
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 1/4 teaspoon cayenne
• 1 teaspoon chopped oregano
• 1 cup crumbled queso fresco
  

Directions

1. Rinse then soak your dry beans overnight or for 6-8 hours. Drain.
2. In a large, heavy pot, combine the beans, bay leaf, and enough water to cover by 1 to 2 inches. Bring to a boil. Lower the heat and simmer uncovered, stirring occasionally, until the beans are very tender, 1 1/2 to 2 hours, adding more water as necessary to keep covered.
   
3. When the beans are soft, mash in the pot with a potato masher or the back of heavy wooden spoon. Remove from the heat. You do not drain.
4. In a large, heavy skillet, heat the bacon fat over medium-high heat. Add the onions and cook, stirring, until soft, 4 to 6 minutes.
   
5. Add the garlic, chili powder, cumin, salt, and cayenne, and cook, stirring, until fragrant, 45 seconds to 1 minute. Add the beans and any cooking liquid from the pot, and the oregano, and stir to combine.
   
6. Cook, stirring with a heavy wooden spoon, until the mixture forms a thick paste, 15 to 20 minutes, adding water a bit at a time to keep the beans from drying out too much.
7. Remove from the heat, sprinkle with the cheese and serve.

I didn't have bacon drippings on hand, so I cooked about a half a pound of bacon while the beans were simmering for their 2 hours. I set the bacon aside and we'll most likely top a salad or have some Bacon Pea Pasta, using wheat pasta.

Love to mi vida!