May 29, 2009
Friday Link Love
Cooking With Amy posted a Chinese Noodles recipe that looked really fresh and delicious. Can't wait to try them!
The Gluten Free Girl shared a potato salad that really caught my eye!
Dad ~ Baker, Chef posted a Potato and a Cauliflower Gratin that looked right up my alley!
Picky Palate blogged BBQ Ranch Chicken and Cheddar Pizza Roll em' Ups. How fabulous do those look?
Heather at Randomosity and the Girl posted Chickpea Salad with Lemon and Parmesan that I'm definitely going to have to try!
You might not know this, but gingersnaps are one of my all time favorite cookies, though I've never actually made them myself. Simply Recipes posted a version that look superb!
What caught your eye this week?
Posted by Dianne at 1:36 PM | Comments (0) | TrackBack
Zoo Day and Up Next Week Ice Cream Week!
This morning Alexis and I took a little field trip to the zoo. We have season passes so we pop over for a couple of hours here and a couple of hours there. This morning the zoo was quite literally, well a zoo! It was muggy, because it's rained here for like two weeks straight, there were mosquitoes everywhere, and there were several big, rowdy field trip groups out for their own little jaunts. Then to top it all off it started raining! Oh well. Lex had fun though!
The funny part was this turtle:
Look at that face...Could he be any more "You! Loud little things! Off my lawn!" He literally charged (or charged as much as a lumbering, over sized, hundred plus year old turtle can charge) toward the kids hovering around his pen to shoo them away. I felt immediate kinship with this guy! ;oP I mean seriously how cute is that scrunched up, puckered little face??
You wouldn't know it from this picture but the place really was quite packed!
Alexis loves to feed the geese and ducks. And before anyone asks "What's up with the back of her legs?" she wears her Wellies (rain boots) with everything! And I do mean everything! They come up just below her knees. She loves to wear them with her PJs, shorts, dresses, skirts, you name it and I probably have a picture, in the hundreds of thousands of pictures I've taken of her over the past almost six years, of her wearing her Wellies with most everything she's worn! Sometimes however they don't go smoothly under everything she wears and are a little bulky, as they are here with her yoga pants above.
Alexis also likes to feed the goats, lamas, pigs, alpaca, deer and the donkey:
I started putting hats on Lex when she was little to keep the sun off her pale skin and now she wears them everywhere! It's like second nature for her to grab a hat when she leaves the house. She always gets comments on her "cool" hats so I think that is part of the fun for her too.
So all of that to say nothing, but I thought I'd share anyway! ;oP
Now let's talk about next week! Last year Ice Cream week was such a hit that we're going to do it again this year! And that week just happens to start on Monday!
Starting Monday morning you'll get at least six five new ice cream recipes! One recipe is actually a frozen yogurt variation and you'll even get a completely non-dairy, vegan ice cream as well! So stay tuned!
Friday Link Love will be up soon. Hope you've all had a great Friday so far!
Posted by Dianne at 1:16 PM | Comments (4) | TrackBack
May 28, 2009
What's For Dinner?
Tonight we're having a chicken and vegetable stir fry with brown rice.
What are you having?
Posted by Dianne at 4:31 PM | Comments (2) | TrackBack
Peanut Butter Cheesecake Brownie Cups
I like to make things and send them to work with Jamison when he isn't working from home. It let's me have a little of something, without having to worry about eating all of it before it goes bad! A few weeks ago when Jamison was doing a training class I decided to make a brownie variant to send along with him. At the time I just happened to be craving peanut butter and chocolate so this is what resulted!
I've said it before, and I'll most likely say it again, chocolate and peanut butter are the perfect pair! These brownies are tender, yet dense, with a peanuty bite in the middle. They are just perfect to share!
What You'll Need for the Brownies:
2 sticks of butter
6 ounces of chocolate (Note: You can use any kind of chocolate you like. I used semi-sweet.)
1 cup of organic cane sugar
1 teaspoon of sea salt
2 teaspoons of baking powder
4 eggs
1/2 cup of buttermilk
2 cups of unbleached all purpose flour
What You'll Need for the Peanut Butter Cheesecake Filling:
1 cup of peanut butter (Note: You can use creamy or chunky. I used smooth.)
1 - 8 ounce package of cream cheese, softened
1/3 cup of organic cane sugar
Preheat oven to 350 F.
In a large glass bowl melt butter and chocolate at half power until smooth. (Note: I start out at a minute and then from there proceed at 20 second intervals. You do not want to burn your chocolate!) Let melted mixture cool for 15 minutes.
Once chocolate has cooled a bit stir in sugar, sea salt and baking powder until incorporated. Next add eggs and buttermilk and stir until completely mixed. Add flour to the chocolate mixture and stir until just mixed.
Line a muffin pan with cupcake liners and fill each cup 3/4ths of the way full. Using the back of a teaspoon make a dip in each brownie:
Set aside.
In the bowl of your mixer cream together peanut butter, cream cheese and sugar until smooth.
Place a dollop of the peanut butter mixture in the center of each brownie:
Bake for 10-15 minutes until brownies stick done.
Let cool and the store in an airtight container until serving.
Makes about 2 dozen brownie cups.
Notes: I had some of the peanut butter filling left over so I put it in the fridge in a small dish and it made a fabulous no bake peanut butter cheesecake like dish for Jamison since the filling was gluten free!
Posted by Dianne at 12:33 PM | Comments (1) | TrackBack
May 27, 2009
What's For Dinner?
Tonight we had Old Bay seasoned steak, oven roasted corn on the cob, tomato slices and cucumbers. Jamison had roasted potatoes in place of the corn, tomatoes and cucumbers.
What are you having?
Posted by Dianne at 6:51 PM | Comments (0) | TrackBack
Strawberry Asparagus Salad
What better way to use my gorgeous, fresh, organic, local strawberries and asparagus then get creative with a salad? The flavors meld very well and you've got a lovely combination of savory and sweet all mixed into one! This dish is super easy, very delicious and comes together very quickly to make a healthy dish you can use as a main course or as a side dish. Don't you just love versatile recipes?
Now what to do with the rest of the strawberries... ;oP
What You'll Need:
Extra virgin olive oil
1 bunch of asparagus, chopped
4-6 cloves of garlic, minced
3-4 springs of thyme, leaves stripped from stems
Sea salt
Freshly ground black pepper
1 pint of strawberries, chopped
Sauté asparagus and garlic in a little extra virgin olive oil with thyme leaves, sea salt and some freshly ground pepper until asparagus is slightly tender and slightly browned. Remove from heat.
Place cut strawberries in a glass bowl. Add asparagus/garlic mixture and toss to coat. Serve warm, or even chilled. It's good either way!
How simple is that?
Notes: After the fact I thought about adding crushed chile pepper. I think I will next time!
Posted by Dianne at 2:04 PM | Comments (3) | TrackBack
May 26, 2009
What's For Dinner? Plus Week Two Of Our CSA!
This week with our CSA we got strawberries and asparagus. I'm in heaven! Two of my all time favorite things! Alexis and I had some strawberries last night in our salads. Tonight I plan to utilize some of the asparagus and some more strawberries. Yum!
Now let's get down to What's For Dinner?!
Tonight Jamison is having rice and steak tips. Lex will have some steak as well, along with rice, asparagus and strawberries. I'm going to have some sautéed mushrooms, some brown rice and I'm going to play around with an asparagus and strawberry salad.
What are you having?
Posted by Dianne at 12:57 PM | Comments (0) | TrackBack
Chicken Sloppy Joes
Normally when I make Sloppy Joes I make a vegetarian version that I really love. I had some ground chicken that needed to be used and thought it would be fun to come up with a version utilizing that instead of the mushrooms I usually use, or ground beef, which I in truth have a love/hate relationship with (sometimes I like it, most of the time I don't, and I don't like handling it at all!) and have never actually used to make Sloppy Joes. The chicken was just perfect! If you're looking for a slightly different twist on a classic then look no further...You've found just the dish for you!
What You'll Need:
Extra virgin olive oil
1 onion, chopped
1 bell pepper, chopped
Sea salt
Freshly ground black pepper
1 pound of ground chicken
1 - 15 ounce can of tomato sauce
3 tablespoons of natural brown sugar
3 tablespoons of apple cider vinegar
2 tablespoons of A-1 Steak Sauce
In a large skillet over medium heat sauté onion and bell pepper in a little extra virgin olive oil until tender with a pinch of sea salt and some freshly ground black pepper:
Remove onions and pepper from skillet and cook meat until done through:
Once meat is browned add pepper and onions back to the skillet and stir to mix:
Stir in tomato sauce, brown sugar, vinegar and A-1 Sauce until incorporated. Bring to a quick boil and then lower heat to a simmer for 20-25 minutes to let the flavors meld a bit.
Serve on buns.
Note: These are perfect with oven fries. I paired them with sweet potato oven fries. A side salad would be great too and round things out quite nicely!
Posted by Dianne at 12:28 PM | Comments (0) | TrackBack
May 25, 2009
What's For Dinner: Memorial Day Edition!
We've had a perfectly amazing, perfectly lazy, all around perfect weekend! We've watched movies and got some things off the DVR. We've read and played games. The only time we ventured out of the house was for church yesterday morning. It was great! I love slow, fun, restful weekends and those seem to be few and far between around here!
This afternoon we've got to run a few errands. We need to pick up our tall ladder from a friend and then we're headed to pick up our CSA bag for the week. Can't wait to see what is in there! I'll share that tomorrow, along with What's For Dinner as I did last week.
Anyway, back on topic....
First let me say thank you to all Service members past and present and all of the things they do to help keep us safe. You all are amazing! You do a fabulous job...Keep up the good work! Jamison's dad was in the service so we thank him today as well!
Now let's talk about dinner....
On days like today I sure miss our grill! It was majorly hosed and not working properly so when we were moving our neighbor thought he could fix it and we gave it to him. We haven't replaced it yet since Jamison isn't a huge fan of grilling to begin with, but when days like Memorial Day roll around I sure wish we had a grill!
If I had a grill I would grill some shrimp and burgers, along with some asparagus and onions, perhaps some mushrooms and potatoes...But since I don't have a grill that one is out! Oh well.
Now let's talk about what it will more likely be! I'm sort of leaning toward a veggie burger for myself and maybe some sweet potato oven fries. Maybe a burger for Jamison and regular oven fries. Alexis isn't a burger fan (Nor does she like hot dogs or tacos...She's more of a gourmet kind of kid!) so she'll most likely get chicken or maybe some steamed shrimp and share the sweet potato fries with me. Alexis and I will most likely have some freshly cut vegetables as well.
Update: 8:14 PM: Alexis and I had spinach and strawberry salads and Jamison ended up having a turkey melt!
What are you having?
Posted by Dianne at 10:56 AM | Comments (0) | TrackBack
Better Bites: Portobello Pizza Caps
I like pizza and while pizza can get heavy/fattening, in moderation it's not a bad thing. In fact take a look at your ingredients you've got the food groups represented all in one slice! But occasionally I like to lighten things up and make pizza with a base that consists of something other than dough like I did with these Mini Eggplant Pizzas.
My favorite pizza topping are vegetables. My ideal pizza consists of dough, sometimes whole grain, sometimes not, sauce, fresh mozzarella torn into small pieces, grated Parmesan, red onion, bell pepper, sun dried tomatoes, green olives, black olives and mushrooms, topped with some dried oregano and a drizzle of olive oil. When I make pizza nine times out of ten some variation of what is listed above is what I end up making for myself. But I also like goat cheese versions, chicken pizza and even BBQ pizza. Pizza is good!
This version takes an element you might find on a pizza and turns it into the base. It makes the pizza much lighter over all, given that the dough adds a lot of calories to the pizza in the first place. Portobello Pizza Caps are quick, delicious and gives you that pizza feeling, when you want pizza, but don't want as many calories in the process!
What You'll Need:
Large portobella mushroom caps, washed and dried
Pizza or marinara sauce
Mozzarella
Parmesan
Pizza topping of your choice such as:
Chopped onion
Chopped bell pepper
Sun dried tomatoes or regular chopped tomatoes
Olives
Mushrooms
Oregano
Preheat oven to 425 F. (Note: I actually made this in my toaster oven. When it gets hot outside I use my toaster oven a lot because it doesn't heat up the house as much.)
Place a portobello mushroom cap on a baking sheet bottom up:
Top center with pizza or marinara sauce:
Top sauce with cheese:
I used about a half ounce of each type of cheese.
Then top with your favorite toppings and a sprinkle of dried oregano:
Bake for 20-30 minutes until portobello mushrooms is tender and then serve!
Notes: I had originally thought of this as a grill recipe, but we don't actually have a grill (boy do I miss having a grill!) so obviously that didn't happen. You could use meat toppings too if you liked, but as I said I like veggie versions of pizza the best.
Posted by Dianne at 10:31 AM | Comments (3) | TrackBack
May 22, 2009
Friday Link Love
101 Cookbooks took Falafel to another level with Baked Sweet Potato Falafel. That I'm going to have to try!
How does sausage and cheese sound within a biscuit? Sounds good to me! Baker's Banter did just that!
Garret from Vanilla Garlic shared his version of Egg Drop Soup on Simply Recipes. I've always wanted to make this soup, but never have. His version looks wonderful!
Once it starts getting warm outside I start thinking about tomatoes! For the Love of Food shared a Homemade Canned Pico de Gallo that makes me think of summer!
If you're planning a cook out for Memorial day on Monday Kitchen Parade shared Ten Tips For Better Burgers that might come in handy!
Nella from Peckerwood Gravy (one of my blog daughters!) posted a recipe for Orange Carrots that really intrigued me. I've never had the combination, but once I saw her put it together it made perfect sense. Can't wait to try these!
Ingrid (also one of my blog daughters!) from 3 B's .... Baseball, Baking, & Books blogged about Lemon Curd & Mascarpone Shots that made my mouth water! I'm a big fan of lemon!
Teri (my newest blog daughter!) from Make a Whisk and Glenna from A Fridge Full of Food are inspiring me to try my hand at Cashew Chicken. Do either you do take out? ;oP
I have no clue how to pronounce this one, but One Perfect Bite shared Circassian Chicken - Cerkez Tavugu that looks amazing!
Under the High Chair posted Chocolate Banana Pancakes that made me want to get in the kitchen! I've never had a chocolate pancake, but I'm not sure why. They look great!
What caught your eye this week?
Posted by Dianne at 12:17 PM | Comments (4) | TrackBack
May 21, 2009
What's For Dinner?
Tonight we're having stir fry. I'll make a beef stir fry for Jamison with white rice and a veggie version with brown rice for me and Miss G.
What are you having?
Posted by Dianne at 2:15 PM | Comments (0) | TrackBack
Strawberry Rhubarb Cobbler
Strawberries and rhubarb...Such a fabulous combination! My mom isn't a fan of rhubarb so I hadn't tried it until a couple of years ago, but I found that I really liked this vegetable. Did you know that? Did you know that rhubarb is a vegetable? Since it is often paired with fruit, some don't. There is your useless fact for the day! ;oP
Last week as I mentioned in my Rhubarb and Strawberry Jam post I picked up some rhubarb and strawberries. The first thing I did was make a cobbler! Then I proceeded on to the jam. I want to go see if they have any more rhubarb on Friday so I can freeze some and have it later in the year if I want. (I so need to get a stand up freezer for storage in the garage!) Plus who doesn't like to enjoy strawberries when they are fresh and ripe? That alone makes me want to go to the orchard now!
Anyway...Where was I?
This cobbler is fabulous and as always it's not something you'd eat every day due to the sugar and fat, but oh my....Yum! If you like cobblers and you're a fan of strawberries and rhubarb then this is the dessert for you!
What You'll Need for the filling:
Strawberries
Rhubarb
1 cup of organic cane sugar
What You'll Need for the "Dough":
2 cup of unbleached all purpose flour
1/2 cup of organic cane sugar
1 tablespoon of baking powder
1 teaspoon of baking soda
1 teaspoon of sea salt
1 stick of butter, melted
2 eggs
1 1/2-2 cups of buttermilk
1/3 cup of organic cane sugar (for topping)
Preheat oven to 375 F.
Note: I make this in a deep dish that is between the size of an 8 X 8 inch dish and a 13 X 9 inch dish.
Spray your dish with a little non-stick spray and place a layer of strawberries and rhubarb covering the bottom of the dish:
You want 1-2 cups of each fruit. If you like more strawberry, then add more. If you like more rhubarb, then add more of that.
Cover the rhubarb and strawberry mixture with sugar and give a quick stir. Microwave on high 2-3 minutes until syrup forms:
Set aside.
In a large glass bowl stir together flour, sugar, baking powder, baking soda and sea salt until incorporated. Add butter, eggs and buttermilk to the mixture and stir to mix. (Note: You may need some or all of the buttermilk, it just depends on humidity and such. You want a thick batter like mixture.) Spread the mixture out over the top of the strawberries/rhubarb:
Next sprinkle the top of the batter with sugar:
Bake cobbler for 45-55 minutes until golden brown and done through:
Remove from oven and let sit for 5-10 minutes and serve.
Notes: This is good right out of the oven or at room temperature.
Posted by Dianne at 9:54 AM | Comments (5) | TrackBack
May 20, 2009
What's For Dinner?
Wow...This day has just gotten away from me! No recipe today, but we'll get back to that tomorrow!
Tonight we're having chicken fajitas, refried beans and some salsa. We'll also use some the greens that we got from our CSA.
What are you having?
Posted by Dianne at 4:08 PM | Comments (3) | TrackBack
May 19, 2009
What's For Dinner? Plus the First Week of Our CSA!
Tonight we're going to have pasta. Jamison and Alexis will have spaghetti and I'm going to make a fresh pasta topper for me. Alexis and I will also have a mixed salad.
Update: 3:52 PM: OK, I didn't realize we're out of ground beef. I tried to sell Jamison on ground chicken for the spaghetti sauce, but he wasn't convinced. So we're going to have steaks, baked potatoes and roasted asparagus instead!
What are you having?
Now let's talk about what we got from our CSA the first week!
The first pick up gave us two types of lettuce, some dandelion greens, spinach and a bunch of asparagus. They also gave Jamison the handy dandy tote you see in the back of the picture so he can use it to pick up our future shares. There was also a copy of Edible Chesapeake. How cool is that?
For lunch I made a big salad with the greens, lettuce and spinach. I'm going to use some of the asparagus and spinach in my pasta topper tonight and of course the greens/lettuce for the salad. Funnily Alexis has been wanting to try dandelion greens for a while now, but since I don't know the history of our yard since we've been here for less than a year I wouldn't let her just try them out of our yard in case the people who lived here before us were big pesticide or herbicide fans. So now she'll get to try them! Fun, fun!
Local and organic...How much better can it get? I can't wait to see what next week will bring!
Posted by Dianne at 12:46 PM | Comments (9) | TrackBack
Spicy Black Beans and Shrimp
I love shrimp. I've always been fond of the tender little morsels. I also love spicy, and as I get older the more spicy I like things! A few weeks ago I made some steamed shrimp for dinner for Alexis and me and I had some left overs so I decided it would be fun to take the left overs, pair them with some rice and beans and make a healthy spicy shrimp/bean/rice dish and I did just that.
This dish definitely was spicy, but it was a nice heat. This makes for a hearty, yet healthy dinner that really hits the spot if spicy is your thing too. Paired with a tossed salad it makes the perfect meal.
What You'll Need:
Extra virgin olive oil
1 red onion, chopped
1 bell pepper, chopped
2-4 ribs of celery, chopped
1 cup of wild rice
2 1/2 cups of broth or water
1 - 15.5 ounce can of black beans, undrained
2 tablespoons of Creole seasoning (Note: I used Tony Chachere's)
2-3 cups of steamed shrimp
In a medium sized pot sauté onion, bell pepper and celery in extra virgin olive oil until tender. Add rice and Creole seasoning stirring to mix then cook for two or three minutes to toast the rice.
Add beans and broth or water then bring to a quick boil. Reduce heat to simmer and cook for 30-40 minutes covered stirring occasionally. Remove lid and cook 10 more minutes or until water is absorbed and rice is tender.
Once rice is tender and liquid is absorbed add shrimp and stir to mix. Cook for 3 minutes to heat shrimp through and serve.
Notes: You could use chicken if you aren't a fan of shrimp, or leave out the meat all together for a vegetarian/vegan option. Also let me stress again this is very spicy so if spicy isn't your thing you could leave out the Creole seasoning and add chili powder or just salt and pepper instead. It changes the dish fundamentally though.
Posted by Dianne at 8:11 AM | Comments (2) | TrackBack
May 18, 2009
What's For Dinner?
This nippy weather is making me wants something warm and hearty, so we're having a roasted chicken (all), mashed potatoes (Jamison and me) and spinach (Lex and me).
What are you having?
On a completely unrelated note, today is our first CSA pick up...I wonder what we'll get?? Jamison is picking that up on his way home and I'm sure you'll see something from that tomorrow!
Posted by Dianne at 1:43 PM | Comments (2) | TrackBack
Better Bites: Tomato and Cucumber Salad
How was everyone's weekend? Ours was good. On Saturday we went to Alexis' art class and then out for lunch and to run some errands. On Sunday Jamison and Alexis went to church and I stayed behind to do my weekly cleaning. It's amazing how much you can get done when you don't have to stop every two minutes or so to read a book, or play a game! ;oP Jamison and I even found time to watch a few movies this weekend. When does that ever happen??
Yesterday winter came back to our part of Maryland for a bit. It was a bit nippy! We even had a threat of frost last night, but luckily it didn't happen. I covered all my herbs, veggies an flowers just in case though! Today the high is supposed to be in the 60's and then tomorrow and the rest of the week we're supposed to be back in the 70's. I like the 70's...I wish they'd stick around a bit longer!
Now let's talk some tomatoes!
When Jamison's parents came to see us a month or so ago, Jamison's dad brought me a big bag of tomatoes from south Georgia! Talk about getting on my good side! ;o) Alexis and I enjoyed tomatoes for a week after they were here...Big, ripe, juicy tomatoes! We had tomato slices, tomato sandwiches and I even made a salad or two. This salad is one that I threw together, but it came out so good!
With just a few simple ingredients you've got a fabulous salad that tastes amazing and takes no time to make. There is just nothing like a fresh tomato and when a dish tastes great, but is healthy too it makes it that much better!
What You'll Need:
4 cups of chopped tomatoes
2 cups of chopped cucumber
Sea salt
Freshly ground black pepper
1/3 cups of freshly dill, chopped
1/4 cup of extra virgin olive oil
1/3 cup of rice vinegar
In a large glass bowl toss together tomatoes and cucumbers until mixed. Add salt and pepper to taste. Next add chopped dill and toss to incorporate.
In a bowl or canning jar stir or shake together oil and vinegar until mixed. (Note: This is so easy to do in a canning jar. Just slap on the lid and shake and you're ready!) Pour mixture over the salad and toss to coat. Serve immediately or let sit in the fridge for a couple of hours.
Notes: As with any salad you make with vegetables and vinegar this really is an eat it now sort of dish. If you let it sit for too long the vinegar starts to break down the flesh of the vegetables. Also you could add in some steamed shrimp or roasted turkey or chicken if you wanted to "beef" it up a bit. I tried it one afternoon with turkey for lunch and it was great!
Posted by Dianne at 9:36 AM | Comments (7) | TrackBack
May 15, 2009
Friday Link Love
Gluten A Go Go shared a Sunflower Honey Bran Bread that looked really fabulous!
Judy from No Fear Entertaining posted Chicken Pastel Azteca that made my mouth water!
While I had never heard of Cemita, Homesick Texan's post entitled "How to make a Cemita" convinced me I needed to try it!
Diane over at Napa Farmhouse shared a method for making limoncello that looks amazing!
Kayln over at Kayln's Kitchen made a Lentil Salad with Green Olives, Red Bell Pepper, Green Onion, and Greek Oregano that I'm definitely going to have to try soon!
Megan from My Baking Adventures posted a Mexican Pot Roast that I wish I had seen before I put my own pot roast in the slow cooker this morning. It looks amazing!
I've always wondered about people who are threatened by an organic garden myself and have actually had people comment on how bad they are and why I was wrong to have one of my own. I simply laughed this off, but Barbara Damrosch writes up a very interesting article over at Kitchen Gardeners International concerning the very topic.
Karina at Karina's Kitchen made a mayo free Snappy Crunchy Coleslaw that looks right up my alley!
What caught your eye this week (or last!)?
Posted by Dianne at 2:07 PM | Comments (7) | TrackBack
May 14, 2009
What's For Dinner?
My brain is fried! It's been that way all day and I finally realized why about 20 minutes ago. I stayed up late reading, though I had intended to go to bed early, and then just as I was going to bed around 12:45 AM or so Miss G woke up with a bad dream so it was closer to 1:30 AM when I fell asleep. Somehow I had forgotten that fact and kept wondering why I was walking around like a zombie and Miss G was annoying me by bouncing off the walls! She's not bouncing so much as I'm just moving slow in a slightly sleep deprived sort of state!
All of that to say that I have zero interest in cooking today. Shocking isn't it? Me not wanting to cook! So I'm going to get Jamison to pick up dinner on the way home. He'll have angel hair rice noodles with beef, Lex will have edamame and rice and in my zombified slow mind thinking state I can't decide whether I want Shrimp and Scallop Hibachi, Sushi or Szechuan Chicken....Decisions, decisions!
What are you having?
Posted by Dianne at 3:35 PM | Comments (0) | TrackBack
Strawberry Rhubarb Jam
This past weekend I was restless. With Alexis not being able to be around people the last few weeks due to her illness and their concerns that she might pick up something else on top of what she already had, I was more than tired of being in our house, looking at the same walls. While I'm a homebody of the biggest sort for the most part, if I HAVE to stay somewhere without the choice to go out, then I get a bit stir crazy!
On Saturday I decided to get out and run some errands. Jamison was at home, so I didn't have to worry about how I was going to keep my very social, very friendly, "I love people!" child from interacting with folks who might be carrying this germ or that that her system might not be able to handle yet, and left her at home with "Dad" as she calls him, while I went and got a few things done.
When I finished doing what I needed to do, I didn't feel like rushing straight home. Jamison was watching Miss G so I decided to take another route home. I would say more scenic, but this whole area is scenic, so it was beautiful either way. It's spring, the trees are either sprouting or entirely green and the whole world is just stunning! Other than spring allergies that come from these pollinating beings, this is why I love spring!
I was driving along, and yes singing my songs, when I remembered that it was now May and that meant the orchard was open! I decided to pop over and see if they had any peas yet, because ours are still growing and not producing yet, and Alexis loves her some peas! She's always liked them, so I thought I'd drop by to see if they had any. They didn't, but I was pleasantly surprised to find some strawberries!
I'll confess no matter what time of year, you'll usually find strawberries in the fridge as they are another of Miss G's favorite things. But there is just something about a plant ripened, local strawberry that makes spring so fun! The taste of fresh, ripe strawberries just can't be beat! I picked up a container, along with some spinach and spring onions and headed home. The strawberries were so good I just had to run over and get some more on Tuesday and this time when I went they had rhubarb too!
Rhubarb is one of those things you either like or you don't. I hear people talking about it each spring, and I'll admit I've had rhubarb all of once, when I experimented with it a couple of years ago, but I just couldn't pass up those beautiful stalks when I saw them on Tuesday, so I picked up a couple of bunches along with the strawberries and headed home. But what was I going to do with them?
I decided that it would be fun to try and make a strawberry rhubarb jam and I was very pleased with the results. (I also made a strawberry rhubarb cobbler...You'll most likely see that one next week!) The jam ended up being tart, but with just the right hint of sweetness. I'm not a fan of overly sugary jams, and if you've ever looked at jam recipes most of them call for inordinate amounts of sugar! 1 cup of fruit to 1 cup of sugar in a lot of cases and let me just say that is more than sugar overkill! Fresh, ripe fruit doesn't need a lot of sugar, it just needs a bit to compliment the flavor and that's what I've done here.
So if you like strawberries, rhubarb and a little tang, this is the jam for you!
Note: You can can this, or store it in the fridge. I'm not going to give you canning instructions because although I do can from time to time I'm not an expert. You can get more information from the National Canning Center. They have a great page set up to tell you exactly what to do!
This was also the first time I used pectin. I've used gelatin in the past, but wanted to try something different. I thought for a while it was going to be more like Strawberry Rhubarb Syrup, but overnight it firmed right up! I was very pleased.
What You'll Need:
6 cups of strawberries, chopped (Note: I like to have big chunks of fruit, but you can chop the fruit and fine or as coarse as you like.)
4 cups of rhubarb, chopped
1 cup of sugar
The zest of one lemon
The juice of one lemon
4 teaspoons of pectin
4 teaspoons of calcium water
Chop fruit and pour into a large stock pot, stir to mix. Add sugar, lemon zest and lemon juice and stir to coat. Let sit for an hour or until juice forms.
Once liquid has formed bring mixture to a quick boil. Reduce heat and cook for 10-20 minutes or until the fruit starts breaking down. You want a soupy mixture, with tender fruit.
Once mixture is soupy and tender remove from heat. Remove 2 cups of the mixture and place in a glass bowl. Whisk in pectin and calcium water (Note: I've never used pectin before. I used Pomona's Pectin and I don't know if pectin usually uses calcium water or if that is just a Pomona thing.) into the removed strawberry/rhubarb mixture until relatively smooth and then dump this back into the pot and stir until mixed.
At this point you can either can the mixture or you can store it in the fridge. I canned it and ended up with two quart jars. I would have preferred smaller jars, but I didn't have the lids.
And there you have jam!
Notes: As I mentioned in the intro I wasn't sure if this was going to set up. I made this around three yesterday and there was a warning on the box that pectin continues hardening until the mixture is completely cool. When I came upstairs last night at 8 the jars were still warm and the mixture was not set. When I went down to the kitchen this morning it had set nicely! Also if you wanted to add more sugar you could, but I liked the slightly sweet, slightly tart results.
Posted by Dianne at 1:08 PM | Comments (9) | TrackBack
May 13, 2009
What's For Dinner?
Tonight we're having homemade pizza and a spinach salad!
What are you having?
Posted by Dianne at 3:21 PM | Comments (6) | TrackBack
Turkey Pie
Yesterday I got another one of my hanging garden implements planted and hung. This one had cucumbers and eggplant. The eggplant looked great this morning...The cucumbers not so much! I may have to replant them!
The tomatoes and peppers I planted on Sunday look great too! Yesterday I also planted another tomato plant (yellow cherry), some thyme and a jalapeño plant. I'm really enjoying the container gardening thing...No weeding! ;oP I hope to give a full garden report tomorrow afternoon so stay tuned!
So now let's talk a little turkey pie!
Right after Easter I had a ton of turkey left over. I cooked the turkey for Jamison, but for once he wasn't really that interested in turkey! That's a first for him...He's all about the tryptophan! I decided to try and think of something I could do with the left over turkey instead of just freezing it, because well my freezer was a bit stuffed at that moment. I also had a lot of left over mashed potatoes. What to do? What to do?
For a while I've wanted to make a Shepard's type pie and I started thinking about it and thought it might be interesting to take the elements I had left over and pair it with a few things I most always have on hand and make a turkey version of a Shepard's Pie and what do you know? It worked!
This is most definitely a sometimes food, but it's good. It's warm, hearty and most importantly delicious! It's just perfect for when you want something down home, yet easy. What are you waiting for?
What You'll Need:
1 pie crust (Note: You can make your own or get one in the freezer section.)
Turkey, cut or torn into chunks
1 - 10 ounce package of frozen peas and carrots
6-8 mushrooms, cut into quarters
3/4 cup of half and half
1 teaspoon of sea salt
Freshly ground black pepper
1/8 cup of unbleached all purpose flour
1 cup of pearl onions
3-4 cups of mashed potatoes
1 cup of Dubliner Cheese, shredded fine (Note: Parmesan cheese will work if you can't find Dubliner.)
2 tablespoons of rosemary, chopped
Preheat oven to 400 F.
Place pie shell into a baking dish (or if you bought it already there proceed to the next step.) Place a layer of turkey on the bottom of the shell:
Next add frozen vegetables and mushrooms:
Pour half and half over the vegetables. Mix together salt, pepper and flour and sprinkle over the top of the vegetables as well:
Next spread the pearl onions out over the top of the mixture:
Set aside.
In a glass bowl beat mashed potatoes until very smooth:
If you need to add some extra milk to smooth them out do. You want no lumps at all.
Next add cheese and rosemary:
Mix until completely incorporated.
Now comes the fun part! Putting on the mashed potatoes. I used a piping back and a large tip and covered the entire top surface of the pie:
If you don't want to take the time to do this, then you can just spread out the potato mixture on top, but it really only takes a minute or two and it adds a big bang to the presentation.
Bake for 35-40 minutes until slightly browned:
If it gets browned before the 35 minutes is up, then cover it gently with a piece of aluminum foil for the rest of the cooking time.
Remove from oven and let sit for 10-15 minutes before serving.
Notes: This isn't going to come out of the dish in perfect slices...Don't sweat it! It still looks great and it's the taste that counts.
Posted by Dianne at 2:03 PM | Comments (2) | TrackBack
May 12, 2009
Blueberry Cashew Granola
I love granola! In the past I've experimented with several granola recipes, because well you know me...I like to experiment! It makes the perfect snack or even a great breakfast alone or with some yogurt. Not only is it versatile, it's yummy too!
For a while I've wanted to try a version that was minus an added fat source. The first batch I made used butter and the second go around used peanut butter and while this one has fat in the cashews themselves it does not have an added fat beyond that.
This version also utilized dried blueberries and let me tell you I LOVE dried blueberries! If you aren't a blueberry fan you could just as easily use raisins, or even dried cranberries, though I wouldn't do that and if you've been Dianne's Dishes for a while you've heard my cranberry rants, but to each their own.
Homemade granola is not only really easy to make, it's cheaper, and the flavor just can't be beat! If you've never tried your hand at making a batch try it...Trust me you can't go wrong!
What You'll Need:
2 cups of whole grain oats
2 cups of cashews (Note: You can use raw or roasted. I used some that were roasted with sea salt.)
2 cups of coconut flakes (Note: You want big flakes. I like Let's Do Organic Coconut Flakes.)
2 cups of pepitas (raw pumpkin seeds)
2 cups of dried blueberries
1 cup of maple syrup
Preheat oven to 375 F.
In a large bowl mix together oats through blueberries and toss to mix. Pour maple syrup over mixture and stir to coat.
Spread mixture out on a very large baking sheet:
Bake for 20-25 minutes or until golden brown:
Let cool completely and then break up and store in an airtight container.
Notes: Next time I make this I'm going to spread the mixture between two pans instead of baking it on just one. You could add other seeds or nuts to the mixture if you liked. Sunflower seeds are always a good addition an sometimes I like to add hemp seed too.
Posted by Dianne at 8:48 PM | Comments (3) | TrackBack
What's For Dinner?
Tonight we're having steak sandwiches with cheese and sautéed onions and mushrooms (or just steak in Jamison's case), sweet potato oven fries (or tater (I hate that word!) tots in Jamison's case) and fresh strawberries for dessert.
What are you having?
Posted by Dianne at 2:24 PM | Comments (0) | TrackBack
Getting To Know My New Blog Daughter Teri From Make A Whisk!
First off let me say there will be a recipe up later this afternoon. I've been a busy little bee today and this is the first time I've actually sat down and turned on my computer! For now though I'd like to introduce you again to my new blog daughter Teri from Make A Whisk! Give her a warm hello and be sure and stop by her site as well...She has some fabulous recipes!
Without further ado here is Teri in her own words!
1. What is the name of your blog and how did you come up with that name?
The blog is called Make a Whisk. Not a very interesting story, I guess, but I was looking for a cute, kitchen-related name. Obviously, it's a play on words (Make a Wish).
2. How long have you been blogging?
I started blogging in December, in the middle of my Christmas cookie baking session.
3. What made you start your own blog?
Part of it was that my mom missed knowing what I made for dinner (well, and eating what I made for dinner!) after I got married and moved out. Part of it was that I often get asked for recipes when I bring dishes to work, and I thought it would be cool to have a place to direct those people. Part of it was that I was an English major, and I love to write. Part of it was just having a place to track all the different recipes that I make, with the tweaks and changes that happen along the way.
4. Do you cook everyday? Or is there a specific time in the week that you cook more than others?
I do cook dinner just about every day. I travel for work quite a bit, so when I'm gone, my husband cooks, but otherwise it's me.
5. What is your favorite kitchen tool?
My whisk, of course! ;-) Actually, this is a really, really tough question for me. I love just about everything about our kitchen, and just about everything in it. We were very fortunate at our wedding and shower to receive tons of fantastic cooking gifts, and I love every one of them. I was most excited about our 11 Cup Food Processor, though I'm partial to our Stand Mixer as well. I guess it just depends on what I need at the time!
6. If money was no object and you could take a food vacation anywhere in the world, where would it be and why?
Hmm, that's a tough one. I guess Italy would be at the top of the list. We love Italian food!
7. If you could spend the day with one famous cook/chef and cook with them for fun, who would it be and why?
Alton Brown is probably our favorite of the celebrity chefs. My husband and I attended a demo that he did in Chicago last year, and it was a lot of fun. I think it'd be fun to lurk in his kitchen and watch him figure everything out!
8. What is your favorite food to eat?
I love cheese--and just about every kind.
9. What is your favorite food to cook?
I like to cook most things, even if I don't like to eat them. My favorite part of cooking is sharing what I've made with others, so my favorite thing to cook is someone else's favorite thing to eat, if that makes any sense at all. :)
10. If I was going to cook one recipe from your site, which one would you recommend and why?
The Macaroni & Four Cheese with Bacon Breadcrumbs is all I can think about these days. I highly recommend it. :)
Thanks for playing along Teri! I'm definitely going to try that Macaroni and cheese soon!
Posted by Dianne at 1:36 PM | Comments (0) | TrackBack
May 11, 2009
What's For Dinner?
Tonight we're having smoked pork chops, mashed potatoes, some local spinach I picked up on Saturday and peas.
What are you having?
Posted by Dianne at 2:13 PM | Comments (3) | TrackBack
Better Bites: Mexican Chicken
Let's get back on track today! We'll start out with Better Bites and proceed to recipes throughout the week. Friday Link Love will be back, I'll update you on what is going on in my container garden and tomorrow you'll get a recipe, plus a post that will help you get to know my new blog daughter Teri from Make a Whisk a little better too! That should be fun!
How was everyone's weekend? Did you have a good Mother's Day? I did! Alexis woke me up to give me an adorable card that she made for me and then we spent the day just hanging out and doing fun stuff. Jamison picked up lunch from OutBack, and then after Lex's nap she and I went out and sat on the front porch to blow bubbles. After that I had fun "playing in the dirt" and got some tomatoes and peppers planted in my hanging containers and I also got some more herbs and flowers planted as well. It was a very nice day! With all the excitement of last week I had sort of forgotten about Mother's Day and yesterday proved to be a very fun, very relaxing day for me. It was just perfect!
One the Alexis front I want to thank you all again for your thoughts and prayers. She is soooooooo much better! Still not 100%, but she's definitely on the right path. Her appetite is slowly coming back and her energy level has rapidly multiplied until she is back to her bouncy little self. Her fever still keeps popping up here and there, but I'm hoping that will sort itself out in the next day or so.
Now let's talk some chicken!
I love spicy dishes and it's fun to play around with ingredients to make a Mexican themed dish, yet still be able to put something on the table that isn't so bad for you in the long run. This dish pairs the spice, but leaves out the fat and other aspects that are sometimes not so great for you otherwise. Don't get me wrong...Full fledged Mexican cooking is always a fun treat, but as much as I would like for it to be, it's not always that good for you! This way you get the flavor and the spice, without all the stuff that is bad for you. What's not to like about that?
What You'll Need:
4 boneless, skinless chicken breasts, cut into chunks or strips
2 cups of water
1 tablespoon of smoked paprika (Note: If you don't have the smoked variety, the regular type will work too.)
2 tablespoons of chili powder
1 tablespoon of adobo chilies powder
1 teaspoon of onion powder
1 teaspoon of garlic powder
1/4-1 teaspoon of cayenne pepper (Note: This is all according to how hot you like things. If you don't like heat then leave it out all together!)
Sea salt
Freshly ground black pepper
Extra virgin olive oil
1 large onion, cut into strips
1 large bell pepper cut into strips
Note: To make this dish you will need two skillets going at once. It isn't difficult, so don't let the two skillet idea seem daunting. It mostly is just stirring each of them here or there. Neither skillet needs constant attention.
In a large skillet add chicken, water and spices and pinch of sea salt and some freshly ground pepper. Bring mixture to a quick boil. Cook on high, stirring occasionally until water evaporates and chicken is done through. Once water has disappeared cook for 2 minutes stirring often to brown the chicken a bit.
While chicken is cooking in another skillet sauté onion and peppers in a little extra virgin olive oil with a pinch of sea salt and some freshly ground black pepper. Stir occasionally and cook until tender.
Once chicken is cooked place it on a plate. Top with sautéed peppers and onions and serve.
Makes 4 servings
Notes: This make an excellent filling for fajitas. You can also do this process with beef. For a vegetarian option you could do the same process with slices of portabella mushroom.
Posted by Dianne at 9:53 AM | Comments (0) | TrackBack
May 7, 2009
Back Monday!
For those of you who follow me on Twitter or FaceBook, you may have seen that Miss G ended up in the emergency room Tuesday morning. Luckily it wasn't anything too bad, just a little dehydration and stomach problems due to her third antibiotic in about two weeks, but I have to say she really freaked me out for a bit there.
When Lex woke up Tuesday morning she was a bit out of it and was breathing a little weird. We talked to the doctor and she advised taking her to the emergency room. Anyone that has ever watched their child in a hospital bed looking pale and fragile, being hooked up to an IV, then poked and prodded while they try to figure out what was wrong with them, probably knows what I'm talking about, and those that haven't can probably imagine anyway. It's not a pretty picture and even though you're feeling anything but, you have to put on your brave face and be strong. That's harder than it sounds when your child is lying there crying because they are poking her again, and all you can do is hold her and tell her everything is going to be ok, though you wonder if it actually will be and you want to cry right along with her. Our nurse Julie was amazing though, so that helped. Nurses do not get enough credit!
After testing her for everything know to man, including swine flu, though she had been tested for it earlier in the week, they finally figured out that her little tummy just wasn't able to handle the antibiotics and keep food down at the same time. They gave her some anti nausea meds and two days later she is a completely different child! I could tell the difference yesterday, but even more so today! She's got her bounce back! And I'm liking me some bounce!
We went back for a recheck today and her ears and nasal passages look better, which she was taking the antibiotics for to begin with, and she has gone for 48 hours without being sick. She has her energy back as I mentioned, is eating in small doses, though she is still running a fever, but hopefully that will sort itself out in a day or so. For all of you who sent me encouragement on Tuesday (and after!) I really appreciate the thoughts and prayers.
All of that to say, we've had a long, long, long (and did I mention long?) couple of weeks. Her first trip to the doctor, and first antibiotic, was last Tuesday and the ride just kept going downhill from there. I'm happy to report that now we are headed back in the right direction, but as you can imagine I haven't been online that much at all. In fact there were days there that I never even turned my computer on, so I don't have anything marked this week for Friday Link Love.
I'll be back on Monday with Better Bites and next week should be back to normal at Dianne's Dishes. Jamison and I are both feeling much better and Jamison finished up his finals last night. He isn't taking summer classes so that is going to be a nice change of pace as well. Call me weird, but I like it when he's home in the evenings. I enjoy spending time with him and Lex does too. It will be nice to slow down and have some normalcy around here.
I hope you all have a fabulous weekend and I'll catch you on Monday!
Posted by Dianne at 9:11 PM | Comments (7) | TrackBack
May 4, 2009
Out Sick
I just wanted to let you all know that I'm not going to be around for a few days. Alexis got sick last week, then I caught it and now Jamison has it. We're just one big bunch of coughing, sneezing and aching fun! (And before anyone asks it's not swine flu...Just strep!) We just got back from the doctor's office. We're all three feeling pretty icky and I'm not much in the posting sort of way. I'm not sure when things will settle out, but I thought I'd give you a heads up instead of just disappearing.
In the mean time I hope you all are well and if you've sent me an e-mail in the past 5 or 6 days and haven't heard from me yet, that is why. I also am way behind on Twitter and FaceBook too, but that's just the way things go. Hopefully we'll all be back and running full steam soon. It's been a long time since we've really been sick with anything other than allergies!
I'm off to have a cup of hot tea and a nap. I think there may be some turkey noodle soup in my future too. Poor Jamison has to go take a final tonight. That should be interesting.
Posted by Dianne at 12:55 PM | Comments (7) | TrackBack
May 1, 2009
Friday Link Love
It's Friday! TGIF! So you know what that means...It's time for some link love!
Elana's Pantry shared a Flourless Chocolate Banana Cake that I think I may and try to sneak past Jamison. He'll say he wouldn't like it, but I think he just might! I know I would!
Anne's Food blogged about a quick and easy Pita Pizza that looked fabulous!
Sarah's Cucina Bella presented Fabulous Asiago Pepper Steak Fries that literally make me want to go start cooking now! I think I'm going to make a batch this weekend.
I think I must have pizza on the brain, because I loved the post on Two Peas and Their Pod entitled Artisan Bread in Five Pizza Party!
Vegan Yum Yum shared Potato Salad Two Ways and they both look great!
I love dark, brown breads and this week Smitten Kitchen shared her version of Russian Black Bread! This is definitely on the to bake soon list!
Karina over at Karina's Kitchen posted a fabulous how to on how to go gluten free!
Kitchen Mage made Pomegranate Limoncello Sorbet that really caught my eye!
And last but not least my new blog daughter Teri shared a very ingenious Fried Macaroni and Cheese! I must admit I wouldn't have thought of this, but the pictures alone sold me on the idea! Yum!
What caught your eye this week?
Posted by Dianne at 8:39 AM | Comments (2) | TrackBack
