tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8973831906575288512024-02-07T17:09:08.303-08:00The West Texas GourmetLearning how to create recipes with a very limited grocery store while living in the great Far West Texas Mountains.Terri Thomashttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08909204110691507211noreply@blogger.comBlogger102125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-897383190657528851.post-38358463672881997722012-07-05T11:05:00.000-07:002012-07-05T11:05:36.107-07:00Mex-Tal Stuffed Shells<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">Does your family often argue over the dinner menu? The dish I have here today will cover the fight for both Mexican and Italian in one easy dish. I have always been afraid of trying to produce the perfect stuffed shell. Good thing for this recipe! The ooey-goodness of the melted cheeses and sauce cover any flaws that happen when you fill up the shells.<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhCigWxOef_Cv8huEwR8wGw-84zse19420Gr92rR0xptSm-xBwgRvHa0Q8JyjQkS1U-WyMzeMa1YR1fNGKExzB0aKbD_9IFzqrD3Okt7Np1IcKO7sCyr1oHWQ6KrmSJ495zpIkdGlcoguQ/s1600/P7040022.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhCigWxOef_Cv8huEwR8wGw-84zse19420Gr92rR0xptSm-xBwgRvHa0Q8JyjQkS1U-WyMzeMa1YR1fNGKExzB0aKbD_9IFzqrD3Okt7Np1IcKO7sCyr1oHWQ6KrmSJ495zpIkdGlcoguQ/s320/P7040022.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>(See, you can't see that a shell was split in half while being stuffed!)<br />
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<div class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN">15 Jumbo Pasta Shells<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN">1lb Ground Beef<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN">1 (10 ounce) can Enchilada Sauce<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN">8 oz Tomato Sauce<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN">1 teaspoon Minced Garlic<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN">¼ teaspoon Dried Oregano<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN">1/2 teaspoon Dried Basil<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN">¼ teaspoon Ground Cumin<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN">½ cup Refried Black Beans<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN">1/8 teaspoon Cayenne<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN">1 cup shredded Italian Blend (or Mexican Blend) cheese<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN"><br />
</span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN">1. Pre-heat the oven to 350 degrees. </span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN"><br />
</span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN">2. Cook pasta shells according to package directions. Drain and set aside. In a large skillet over medium heat brown ground beef until no longer pink. Drain any excess fat. Stir in garlic, oregano, basil, and cumin. Stir in 1/2 can of the enchilada sauce. Stir in refried beans. Set aside.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjcdniuuwKxS0pPGrpSg78nGj502w2jNlBYIHV-OOo44Me-L4eFJBX30oROc7FuV_RanMHVxIU599uDYigFejAkOUD4RPXdhbbUYiwSJpNIzTm856y2qG5RqrVVbrY0S6LffFbzn16OiOc/s1600/P7040018.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjcdniuuwKxS0pPGrpSg78nGj502w2jNlBYIHV-OOo44Me-L4eFJBX30oROc7FuV_RanMHVxIU599uDYigFejAkOUD4RPXdhbbUYiwSJpNIzTm856y2qG5RqrVVbrY0S6LffFbzn16OiOc/s320/P7040018.JPG" width="320" /></a></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN"><br />
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</span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN">3. Fill each cooked pasta shell with the beef mixture. Coat an 11 x 7 inch baking dish with nonstick cooking spray and pour the remaining can of enchilada sauce with can filled with water evenly over the bottom.</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjI1eKlkYGTIU3PhzwjNqBdZK5cEdZzKhMoiKc5U4YsjxNn2UHNhwWsN08XAxUkaC8DAq5-X5hvFN8oaP7cPElrrYmtgx2TMu3uTecR-I3rzR-ApsSedFZe-uskQdQB3HtQN87K0VTF900/s1600/P7040019.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjI1eKlkYGTIU3PhzwjNqBdZK5cEdZzKhMoiKc5U4YsjxNn2UHNhwWsN08XAxUkaC8DAq5-X5hvFN8oaP7cPElrrYmtgx2TMu3uTecR-I3rzR-ApsSedFZe-uskQdQB3HtQN87K0VTF900/s320/P7040019.JPG" width="320" /></a></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN"><br />
</span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN"> Place each shell into the bottom of the dish. Pour the tomato sauce over the tops of the shells. Sprinkle with cayenne over top.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgphTBpb4YREg8PlREFwlW_G6D5FHqCZ6yjFC5YhbwJ75Exig5DTpKNJ_LSD_aU5DPtTniGJLWTkTAdSosz7PeVXe5RXn4KX9MOV1XClanKKA1cCuLaCI41WN5dLnT12mKjyEMcxSqN_HI/s1600/P7040020.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgphTBpb4YREg8PlREFwlW_G6D5FHqCZ6yjFC5YhbwJ75Exig5DTpKNJ_LSD_aU5DPtTniGJLWTkTAdSosz7PeVXe5RXn4KX9MOV1XClanKKA1cCuLaCI41WN5dLnT12mKjyEMcxSqN_HI/s320/P7040020.JPG" width="320" /></a></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN"><br />
</span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN">4. Cover and bake at 350 degrees for 25 minutes. During the last few minutes of cooking, uncover and sprinkle the tops of the shells with Colby-jack cheese. </span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhxfRQuVapx5LFPthZnIUXGKXolLHc10w82vedD6cGdZza65cL7ROkY84slbB1iY4bzFMWW0pJj60LkZI4ZS2t4pTGl7XKaSRdBxgEBT6pL1NZ5FFXZq9hNd6J2kRL0FHzFXYkS-43CGjY/s1600/P7040021.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhxfRQuVapx5LFPthZnIUXGKXolLHc10w82vedD6cGdZza65cL7ROkY84slbB1iY4bzFMWW0pJj60LkZI4ZS2t4pTGl7XKaSRdBxgEBT6pL1NZ5FFXZq9hNd6J2kRL0FHzFXYkS-43CGjY/s320/P7040021.JPG" width="320" /></a></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN"><br />
</span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN">Bake until the cheese has melted. Let rest 5 minutes before digging in.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div></div>Terri Thomashttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08909204110691507211noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-897383190657528851.post-7487000600781489592012-06-27T07:30:00.000-07:002012-06-27T07:30:17.251-07:00Stuffed Cabbage Rolls<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">Have you ever had one of those cravings that just will not let you be? Yep, me too. Which is why this week I made my hunny suffer through eating Stuffed Cabbage Rolls... which there really wasn't much suffering involved (he had seconds!). It is definitely not something I choose to eat often, only about once every 3 years or so. And don't get me wrong, I really DO like it, except when you live way out West, with limited amount of fresh produce. Peeling tight fitting cabbage leaves has never been one of my strong points in the kitchen.<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgS2U2IjJOin51n3INXr5ct2LEVvx1APitqudvC_EjOwFlCzKd60HrrO3jwx8Hekz8PkPfRz3Wf0v5mKKfZSewe5f-Y9EshR78GeOAZ3U8LpzZ5D_G4WHXgT43mTH8S-8mX9ocu4NI3B20/s1600/FOOD+012.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgS2U2IjJOin51n3INXr5ct2LEVvx1APitqudvC_EjOwFlCzKd60HrrO3jwx8Hekz8PkPfRz3Wf0v5mKKfZSewe5f-Y9EshR78GeOAZ3U8LpzZ5D_G4WHXgT43mTH8S-8mX9ocu4NI3B20/s320/FOOD+012.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>Oh yes, that's a meaty sauce on TOP too!<br />
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1lb lean Ground Beef<br />
1 tsp Crushed Red Pepper<br />
2 White Mushrooms, chopped<br />
1 Carrot, shredded<br />
1 tsp Garlic, minced<br />
1 cup Cooked Brown Rice<br />
3 tbsp Spicy Brown Mustard<br />
1 Egg<br />
1/2 tsp Ground Sea Salt<br />
1/2 tsp Ground Pepper Corns<br />
1 head Green Cabbage (loose fitting leaves if possible)<br />
1 tbsp Olive Oil<br />
2 tsp Garlic, minced<br />
1 cup Grape Tomatoes, diced<br />
15oz can Tomato Sauce<br />
1 tsp Oregano, dried<br />
2 Bay Leaves<br />
2 tsp Sugar<br />
Salt and Pepper to taste<br />
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1) Start off by browning the beef with the mushrooms, red pepper, carrot and garlic in a large skillet. Drain well, but reserve the skillet.<br />
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2) In large bowl, whisk together the egg and mustard until creamy. Add in the meat mixture along with the rice, salt and pepper and stir to incorporate.<br />
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3) Preheat oven to 375. Generously spray casserole dish with Pam Olive Oil spray.<br />
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4) Fill large pot with water and cabbage head (little trick I learned) then place on stove over medium heat. Do not get the water boiling though! A little heat will help to loosen the tight fitting leaves. If you were lucky enough to have bought the right kind, just skip this. Gently pull off leaves, one at a time until you get 8 leaves. Now, raise the heat up a bit to a low simmer and let the leaves soak (a couple at a time) in the water until they are limp.<br />
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5) Using tongs, remove one leaf and let drain back into the pot (make sure to replace it by sliding a fresh leaf under the one already in the pot), then lay it out on a cutting board or any flat surface. Fill with 1/4-1/2 cup of meat mixture.<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjEMzgvY1CPmTuggbT_iPf56tP8vKql5NDp_z7YuH9jMv6oV7S3rbxBynbGz5QwpI7-UT67OZrlGD402-SwhMh0tzXzVrDwAvLCArLIL3GTuCiXOYYRaPO9ZbBNSYGH9tMq4dIPmsAgaXc/s1600/FOOD+010.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjEMzgvY1CPmTuggbT_iPf56tP8vKql5NDp_z7YuH9jMv6oV7S3rbxBynbGz5QwpI7-UT67OZrlGD402-SwhMh0tzXzVrDwAvLCArLIL3GTuCiXOYYRaPO9ZbBNSYGH9tMq4dIPmsAgaXc/s320/FOOD+010.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>Gently roll up like a burrito, holding it together with a toothpick slid through the rib. Place, seam side down, in casserole. Continue until all leaves have been filled, reserving any meat mixture left over.<br />
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6) Return heat to skillet and add olive oil, garlic, tomato sauce, meat mixture and diced grape tomatoes, stir. Add in oregano, bay leaves, sugar, salt and pepper and stir. Cook about 10 minutes on a simmer, stirring frequently so as not to burn the sauce. Pour over top of the cabbage rolls. Cover casserole dish with tented foil and bake 40 minutes until bubbly.<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhC6niLIu_3hThL7e5ilWO_0s4KCLGcT-ZfHtwnHeyggUUckd6-OITIihZo3PihCpwsEw_5GMijbD5GJrFzzQVRg96YJOR7nCGd38iUUfftdaZ1c_KHMGXWeEgDjcKGBYIhO_2IgDeHdyI/s1600/FOOD+011.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhC6niLIu_3hThL7e5ilWO_0s4KCLGcT-ZfHtwnHeyggUUckd6-OITIihZo3PihCpwsEw_5GMijbD5GJrFzzQVRg96YJOR7nCGd38iUUfftdaZ1c_KHMGXWeEgDjcKGBYIhO_2IgDeHdyI/s320/FOOD+011.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><br />
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7) Remove from oven and sprinkle with fresh grated Parmesan Cheese, serve.<br />
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</div>Terri Thomashttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08909204110691507211noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-897383190657528851.post-42909876468635219702012-06-14T08:11:00.000-07:002012-06-14T08:11:24.040-07:00Chicken with Peach Bourbon Sauce<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">A couple of weeks ago, my hunny and I had a little trip to Bastrop, Tx to witness his granddaughter graduate. I tell myself that was the reason for going, but in reality it was the thought of a real grocery store, a Walmart, Target and of course Specs... the liquor warehouse. We also made a stop at this cute tourist trap that sold local peaches and pecans. We had been planning on stopping there for a while just had never gotten around to it.<br />
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I found this great little jar of Peach & Jalapeno preserves that I bought for my honey since he loves spicy foods. It was a flavor combination I thought would make a great sauce for grilling. Instead, I cooked it down into this wonderful baked chicken that fell apart when I used tongs to get it out of the pot. DELISH! I also used a Hot and Spicy pre bottled BBQ sauce to add to the kick. Unfortunately, the sugars in the preserves over powered the spicy. So if you want it hot, make sure to add some more peppers!<br />
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This serves 2-3 people. The <a href="http://thepioneerwoman.com/cooking/2011/08/peach-whiskey-barbecue-chicken/" target="_blank"><b><span style="color: red;">original recipe</span></b></a> I found calls for a lot more chicken than what I had so I cut it down.<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi5uWRZUjDchf6SRreRl6j5nicOeAVaG0LcYOYmGh08ouydOcuc8aXSYBi1SWtN6CO9XAWwF-kagbZhc0Mp_gdg39egC1EvpBLvdrU59526tmDdvFO2kHF_EFb1A1S0i2QRj4Wf3Sl4s14/s1600/P6130026.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi5uWRZUjDchf6SRreRl6j5nicOeAVaG0LcYOYmGh08ouydOcuc8aXSYBi1SWtN6CO9XAWwF-kagbZhc0Mp_gdg39egC1EvpBLvdrU59526tmDdvFO2kHF_EFb1A1S0i2QRj4Wf3Sl4s14/s320/P6130026.JPG" width="320" /></a></div><br />
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<b>6 boneless, skinless Chicken Thighs</b><br />
<b>1 tb Butter</b><br />
<b>1 tbsp Olive Oil</b><br />
<b>3 tbsp Minced Garlic</b><br />
<b>1 cup Red Stag Black Cherry Bourbon</b><br />
<b>6oz Bar B Que Sauce</b><br />
<b>4 oz Peach Preserves</b><br />
<b>1/2 cup Water</b><br />
<b>1 tbsp Worechestershire Sauce</b><br />
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Oven to 300<br />
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1) Melt butter with oil in heavy pot. Lay thighs in butter and let brown on both sides; remove to platter.<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgd_rZ45p-fBlGof6ecvM0p5hSUUcCPI2i2c_K8KWQfYxQFZKTZbJIuvm307n7GR8KormM2jCzI5sYbW0eIGKKW8KriZHlz5a61NcktEitplN7REroPLSgxjEe3_TyTiGZFBwmMTQ-pAss/s1600/P6130018.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgd_rZ45p-fBlGof6ecvM0p5hSUUcCPI2i2c_K8KWQfYxQFZKTZbJIuvm307n7GR8KormM2jCzI5sYbW0eIGKKW8KriZHlz5a61NcktEitplN7REroPLSgxjEe3_TyTiGZFBwmMTQ-pAss/s320/P6130018.JPG" width="320" /></a></div><br />
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2) Add garlic to the pot and stir. Cook for about 2 minutes and add the bourbon. Stir, scaping the bottom for a couple of minutes to let the liquid reduce down. Pour in BBQ Sauce, peach preserves, water and worechestershire sauce, whisk to incorporate.<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhQBtNgY7X5O096dA1gDeo7uZZX9DSxubBL2c4xSeZjZeoXwxQvfpE5Bd7LNaUVzXKR54kZbuci739kX5Md_vjSiNNrQ3pTnd8ul4v1DkdGil8IXeNdETReEqzI5sQ56sKkIqBWth-VQCk/s1600/P6130021.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhQBtNgY7X5O096dA1gDeo7uZZX9DSxubBL2c4xSeZjZeoXwxQvfpE5Bd7LNaUVzXKR54kZbuci739kX5Md_vjSiNNrQ3pTnd8ul4v1DkdGil8IXeNdETReEqzI5sQ56sKkIqBWth-VQCk/s320/P6130021.JPG" width="320" /></a></div><br />
Return chicken to pot, draining juices off platter, cover and place in oven.<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhTx12NlJZDa_gfBrvFY8DbCcImrA17AdYb41Str0XGR_G-VCWd7z1Q0eE-YMAezqVyCB6rSL9jONO4Zaxa5gHZFKOUYH1rZDcFpP6m4Igh-7Sy5cVDWIgPz_m8bEIw-sfSAvj2Izug5gM/s1600/P6130022.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhTx12NlJZDa_gfBrvFY8DbCcImrA17AdYb41Str0XGR_G-VCWd7z1Q0eE-YMAezqVyCB6rSL9jONO4Zaxa5gHZFKOUYH1rZDcFpP6m4Igh-7Sy5cVDWIgPz_m8bEIw-sfSAvj2Izug5gM/s320/P6130022.JPG" width="320" /></a></div><br />
3) Bake 1 1/2 hours.<br />
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4) Serve with mashed potatoes or rice.<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi5uWRZUjDchf6SRreRl6j5nicOeAVaG0LcYOYmGh08ouydOcuc8aXSYBi1SWtN6CO9XAWwF-kagbZhc0Mp_gdg39egC1EvpBLvdrU59526tmDdvFO2kHF_EFb1A1S0i2QRj4Wf3Sl4s14/s1600/P6130026.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi5uWRZUjDchf6SRreRl6j5nicOeAVaG0LcYOYmGh08ouydOcuc8aXSYBi1SWtN6CO9XAWwF-kagbZhc0Mp_gdg39egC1EvpBLvdrU59526tmDdvFO2kHF_EFb1A1S0i2QRj4Wf3Sl4s14/s320/P6130026.JPG" width="320" /></a></div><div><br />
</div></div>Terri Thomashttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08909204110691507211noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-897383190657528851.post-29427364477859575202012-05-21T11:34:00.000-07:002012-05-21T11:34:23.571-07:00Shrimp Arrabbiata ala Terri<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">I bet you all thought I had forgotten about you. You were mistaken. I have just been so busy working at the new Bistro that I barely see my computer much less my own kitchen! I have completely run out of my freezer foods I had stocked up. And with my current one day a week off I do not see it getting replaced anytime soon. But, never fear, I plan on cooking up at least one meal a week now and getting them posted for all to enjoy.<br />
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This recipe is a HUGE winner today with my hunny. Allergies prevent me from even tasting it due to the shrimp, but he does have a great pallet so you can take it from him that it is something that will be cooked often in our home. Its quick, easy and uses canned and dried foods most people already have in the kitchenns. The sauce is pretty versatile as long as you do not mind spicy foods. I'm betting it would go great with some Chorizo or Linguisa!<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjN8D1lIbHlzlosoeGG-KUwBpC-DGBogrQ7oyyLuF6zy9K7fyxLUVlC2nSlVnD_Eus20_l8JDFCjjd5_bqvm4Ai5XSgCHCXnaixG7VFbfDn4pHqh6QkpnirFHZGamkRWiPTFJrR5s6r2pM/s1600/P5210020.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjN8D1lIbHlzlosoeGG-KUwBpC-DGBogrQ7oyyLuF6zy9K7fyxLUVlC2nSlVnD_Eus20_l8JDFCjjd5_bqvm4Ai5XSgCHCXnaixG7VFbfDn4pHqh6QkpnirFHZGamkRWiPTFJrR5s6r2pM/s320/P5210020.JPG" width="320" /></a></div><br />
<br />
<b>16 oz Angel Hair Pasta, dry</b><br />
<b>1 tsp Garlic Salt</b><br />
<b>16 oz Tomato Sauce</b><br />
<b>4 oz Tomato Paste</b><br />
<b>2 tsp Oregano, dried</b><br />
<b>2 tsp Basil, dried</b><br />
<b>1lb Shrimp, deviened and shelled</b><br />
<b>2-3 tbsp Olive Oil</b><br />
<b>1/2 cup White Onion, chopped</b><br />
<b>2 tsp Garlic, minced</b><br />
<b>2 Roma Tomatoes, chopped</b><br />
<b>Garnish Parsley Flakes </b><br />
<b>Garnish Parmesan Cheese</b><br />
<br />
1. Cook pasta to package directions, adding garlic salt and 1 tsp basil to water.<br />
<br />
2. Meanwhile, in large skillet over med heat, add 1-2 tbsp oil and saute shrimp for 2 minutes each side. Remove to a bowl and keep warm.<br />
<br />
3. In saucepan add tomato sauce and paste and stir in oregano, basil and red pepper flakes. Heat to just simmer and remove from heat.<br />
<br />
4. Meanwhile, in same skillet add 1 tb evoo and saute onions 3 minutes and add garlic, saute 1 minute then add the tomatoes and saute two minutes more. Pour in tomato sauce mixture and remove from heat.<br />
<br />
5. To serve, place herbed pasta on plate, then shrimp, then sauce and top with parsley flakes and Parmesan cheese.<br />
</div>Terri Thomashttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08909204110691507211noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-897383190657528851.post-88330737601083897922012-03-09T08:27:00.001-08:002012-03-09T08:27:45.522-08:00Dark Chocolate Magic French Fudge<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">Some of you may have had grandmothers who simply cooked. Didn't matter if it was only a Sunday, not a holiday, just Sunday... they would produce a spread that would cover the kitchen table. Yeah, I remember those days and fondly dream of them from time to time. It was a special memory a lucky few of us have. Now a days there never seems to be enough time to get the family in one room for more than five minutes.<br />
<br />
My own mother, God help her, is pretty scary in the kitchen. I think the cooking gene skipped her generation. Although she had held all the family recipes, it's not often when she can master one. So when she finally decided to go digital with them, I was lucky enough to get my hot little hands on one of the cherished books. Below is a simple recipe for fudge. Of course I had to tweak it a bit, but it came out fabulous! Even those out there who is terrified of being in the kitchen can figure this one out!<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg5B2vwlRsBvAi3d2gO4-mjCjIlVmVCQgLIpr42T4hnU_H9n_Fc16ydCyi6z7t80E7oAkzCInT7-FoE3r5yijti3z9pTu-s3aPkDUb71Hs6pYM9teoPB4wkpEq_qZOOCVLDGfe6mPtPyBE/s1600/Magic+French+Fudge.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg5B2vwlRsBvAi3d2gO4-mjCjIlVmVCQgLIpr42T4hnU_H9n_Fc16ydCyi6z7t80E7oAkzCInT7-FoE3r5yijti3z9pTu-s3aPkDUb71Hs6pYM9teoPB4wkpEq_qZOOCVLDGfe6mPtPyBE/s320/Magic+French+Fudge.JPG" width="320" /></a></div><br />
<b>18oz Semi Sweet Chocolate Chips (I used Dark Chocolate Chips)</b><br />
<b>1 can Eagle Brand Sweetened Condensed Milk (I used generic, sorry grandma)</b><br />
<b>1 1/2 tsp Vanilla</b><br />
<b>Pinch of Salt</b><br />
<b>1/2 tsp Cayenne Pepper (This is my own flavor that works well with dark chocolate)</b><br />
<b>1/2 cup Chopped Nuts (I used walnuts)</b><br />
<br />
1) In top of a double broiler (if you don't have one, stack 2 pots that sit evenly and add water in the lower pot), melt chocolate over hot water. Add milk, vanilla, salt, cayenne and nuts. Stir until smooth.<br />
<br />
2) Turn into a waxed paper lined 8x8 square pan. Place in refrigerator for 3-4 hours to set. Cut into squares and store in an air tight container.</div>Terri Thomashttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08909204110691507211noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-897383190657528851.post-53809911008347688282012-03-09T08:13:00.000-08:002012-03-09T08:13:44.895-08:00Chocolate Chunk Banana Bread<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">As some of you know, I am allergic to many, many things. Potassium is among the long list... which means no bananas and no nuts. But one of my most treasured smells for a house to hold is homemade Banana Nut Bread. You can almost see the flavor tendrils weaving their way through every nook and cranny in the house.<br />
<br />
My hunny also loves this smell and most definitely eating it. As you may remember, I posted a recipe last year featuring my bread with a nice homemade icing that was "<i>TO-DIE-FOR</i>"! I had some friends out here in the wild west try it out and felt the same way. It's one of those things I HAVE to make once or twice a year, regardless of the reactions I get.<br />
<br />
This time around I made 2 loaves... one for him and one for me. Since nuts and bananas both have Potassium I chose to forgo the nuts and replace them with chocolate chunks. All I did was follow the original recipe (<a href="http://westtexasgourmet.blogspot.com/2011/11/banana-nut-bread.html" target="_blank"><b><span style="color: red;">find it here</span></b></a>) and instead of one loaf, I poured the batter into two loaf pans. On his, I added nuts and gently stirred them in. On mine I chopped up a chocolate bar (about 1 ounce) and gently stirred it in. The baked for the same amount of time in the old recipe for the small loaf.<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjNwI7YJqAVeFnlQJHdTZAlvi9G1LxPljj_asUp_gdf1Q74XFRGnKf7aYIomt3EYYvU3Mertk6LUKNaHLOGB_LR-9uBOGmw7lu3yOcJgcdRZdCmEv-iH6H9cEImB0jPXyswrmxEne1_WNo/s1600/Chocolate+Chunk+Banana+Bread.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjNwI7YJqAVeFnlQJHdTZAlvi9G1LxPljj_asUp_gdf1Q74XFRGnKf7aYIomt3EYYvU3Mertk6LUKNaHLOGB_LR-9uBOGmw7lu3yOcJgcdRZdCmEv-iH6H9cEImB0jPXyswrmxEne1_WNo/s320/Chocolate+Chunk+Banana+Bread.JPG" width="320" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">Chocolate Chunks</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhGQHComIoZlwxs-IvwqBBNuWHgOkbxJD-g-ghzKPPqpH4EyCBamh69-7hWSorQ1GijdBLM5EK41BKKSo3lyjtAVsPS9YwPY08sXblOzT2j9LCVoxYAaejcunT9z2iRnGbWsZEzj-aZNPc/s1600/Banana+Bread.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhGQHComIoZlwxs-IvwqBBNuWHgOkbxJD-g-ghzKPPqpH4EyCBamh69-7hWSorQ1GijdBLM5EK41BKKSo3lyjtAVsPS9YwPY08sXblOzT2j9LCVoxYAaejcunT9z2iRnGbWsZEzj-aZNPc/s320/Banana+Bread.JPG" width="320" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;">Original</div></div>Terri Thomashttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08909204110691507211noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-897383190657528851.post-70161060986257596562012-02-26T08:45:00.000-08:002012-02-26T08:45:15.598-08:00Italian Grilled Tomatoes<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">I learned this a few years ago while working at a grill down in Seabrook, Tx. The lady who taught me Gidget, is my inspiration for a lot of things in life. She is a strong survivor of brain cancer and still had the umpft to get up and make a big batch of stuffed grape leaves (she grew the grape leaves herself). Of course I had to change a few things... she grilled them and just sprinkled them with white vinegar. After I was done with them, we were selling a plate of them for 6.95.<br />
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You want to make about 1 tomato per person as an appetizer.<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh62AsbzAjo5ygvMZTh_bJjNnDkMDjEjJYB4uZnNjfxCcTdMbhf6JDUoWFLY40Yag-1f9fb18GvoGuj6HQMRYj-kHvnY3TXLnuSzgVLDsprnMEuJrTUsQIC9co8qSOppw5onEagobTOEBc/s1600/Italian+Grilled+Tomatoes.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh62AsbzAjo5ygvMZTh_bJjNnDkMDjEjJYB4uZnNjfxCcTdMbhf6JDUoWFLY40Yag-1f9fb18GvoGuj6HQMRYj-kHvnY3TXLnuSzgVLDsprnMEuJrTUsQIC9co8qSOppw5onEagobTOEBc/s320/Italian+Grilled+Tomatoes.JPG" width="320" /></a></div><br />
<b>1 Tomato for each person</b><br />
<b>2 tbsp Olive or Sesame Oil</b><br />
<b>Mozzarella, shredded</b><br />
<b>Basil</b><br />
<b>Balsamic Vinegar</b><br />
<br />
1) Heat large skillet on high with oil.<br />
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2) Slice tomatoes about 1/2" thick. They need to be thick so they do not get too mushy in the cooking process.<br />
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3) Lay slices in hot oil in skillet and cook for about 1-2 minutes. You want to get a good sear on one side. Flip over and quickly sprinkle with basil then cheese. Cover for about a minute, just long enough for the cheese to melt and quickly remove to a serving plate. Sprinkle with balsamic vinegar and serve.</div>Terri Thomashttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08909204110691507211noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-897383190657528851.post-8865100746409190042012-02-25T11:46:00.001-08:002012-02-25T11:48:14.505-08:00Cheesy BBQ Chicken Braid<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">A while back I was scrolling through the TV Guide and came across a show called "<a href="http://www.cookingchanneltv.com/from-the-kitchens-of/index.html" target="_blank"><b>From the Kitchens of</b></a>:" and figured why not? This particular show was filmed at the Pillsbury Bake Off competition and held some great ideas for me. This <a href="http://www.pillsbury.com/recipes/beale-street-chicken-braid/a2861fbf-3424-4a50-add7-a9cc174373c7/" target="_blank"><b><span style="color: red;">Chicken Braid</span></b></a> is one of them. It feeds about 4 depending on appetite and can be improvised to fit all sorts of cravings. I think next time it will be a Pizza Braid!<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhTq3r9v6Aa4D5BGuQwvylFQropqB5SOdL9Sqce06EBqS5GDnCo4PBiHDvESUIU3Nojvb5ZZjjxkeU0UmC0BXbfKuVT2yZbGr0x6naHWA10a0CpWt2Fvt0IpqUGoDIEvzKEMr1nm2K7FC4/s1600/P2250017.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhTq3r9v6Aa4D5BGuQwvylFQropqB5SOdL9Sqce06EBqS5GDnCo4PBiHDvESUIU3Nojvb5ZZjjxkeU0UmC0BXbfKuVT2yZbGr0x6naHWA10a0CpWt2Fvt0IpqUGoDIEvzKEMr1nm2K7FC4/s320/P2250017.JPG" width="320" /></a></div><br />
<b>1 cup BBQ Sauce, divided</b><br />
<b>1 Cup Cheddar Cheese, divided</b><br />
<b>1 cup Chicken, precooked and shredded</b><br />
<b>Garlic Powder</b><br />
<b>Parsley</b><br />
<b>1 roll Crescents</b><br />
<br />
1) Preheat oven to 400. Line cookie sheet with foil and spray with oil.<br />
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2) Roll out crescents in one rectangle. Press edges of individual rolls together to form one sheet about 12x8" (use rolling pin if needed).<br />
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3) Spread 3-4 tbs BBQ sauce down the middle. Sprinkle evenly 1/2 the cheese, then all the chicken. Top with cheese and rest of BBQ sauce. Use as much or as little of the sauce as you prefer. I used only 3/4 cup and found even that was too much for my family.<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjsH4TumPy23UjG5dtHPeZ7fXbCKu3ANxDhfNrOKT9_t2HHS7srvlCKgT4p9g6c2R7YhyT2zS_chfbBNYKp0FcaZwzm-m6atpl2M81auakI7nj6BYjNFTSLTe8RnfXXdlAdHuexr3GgP00/s1600/P2250013.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjsH4TumPy23UjG5dtHPeZ7fXbCKu3ANxDhfNrOKT9_t2HHS7srvlCKgT4p9g6c2R7YhyT2zS_chfbBNYKp0FcaZwzm-m6atpl2M81auakI7nj6BYjNFTSLTe8RnfXXdlAdHuexr3GgP00/s320/P2250013.JPG" width="320" /></a></div><br />
4) Using sisscors, cut strips along the long sides of the dough at 1" intervals. Starting from one end, lay over one strip, then the other on the opposit side. Once you get the first two stips finished, pull up the end to close. Continue "braiding" the dough to the bottom and once again, pull the bottom to close.<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjhck-ra_xfEPsrvGzo3dAJPYOZSTUKTsghnuwM85Lkb5fHDf5I0M8P1ASCllBMcdtEFm3MVFAvFVYeo0itT1quqWIJ8zLYGrQxQHz6koWhL4DL6wrAF0IZpf7FYpF7OP2ATydleYr6AgU/s1600/P2250014.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjhck-ra_xfEPsrvGzo3dAJPYOZSTUKTsghnuwM85Lkb5fHDf5I0M8P1ASCllBMcdtEFm3MVFAvFVYeo0itT1quqWIJ8zLYGrQxQHz6koWhL4DL6wrAF0IZpf7FYpF7OP2ATydleYr6AgU/s320/P2250014.JPG" width="320" /></a></div><br />
5) Optional: Lightly sprinkle garlic powder (I do not reccomend garlic salt) and dried parsley over the top.<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhqT6Qt5oFICRgDrdB9xAWAYaUtt-2qUHRoQJAtOQmoSBVZYv0jD7IxQSoxk02B44XopPO0ICyUPWbx1R97Bx7GQSouLbAgysDGpoiddfr98e98MByl8qlSFFO7vrn1rKMLUlY_wcrDBb4/s1600/P2250015.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhqT6Qt5oFICRgDrdB9xAWAYaUtt-2qUHRoQJAtOQmoSBVZYv0jD7IxQSoxk02B44XopPO0ICyUPWbx1R97Bx7GQSouLbAgysDGpoiddfr98e98MByl8qlSFFO7vrn1rKMLUlY_wcrDBb4/s320/P2250015.JPG" width="320" /></a></div><br />
6) Bake for 11-14 minutes until the top begins to brown. Let sit 5 minutes before slicing.<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEibkCKRsClTo8I3wnMyYGY6MS3zAnxNvzwpL4EOTHO6zDx0CuhxE9rqh-TahuzviIWW-EU8PqHVjQ1Lo1j46-_o6L1A11qucyWeLC0MAtDYNmyS7M3um7WwzIVhkKaVWp0O03gLuwcxpUY/s1600/P2250020.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEibkCKRsClTo8I3wnMyYGY6MS3zAnxNvzwpL4EOTHO6zDx0CuhxE9rqh-TahuzviIWW-EU8PqHVjQ1Lo1j46-_o6L1A11qucyWeLC0MAtDYNmyS7M3um7WwzIVhkKaVWp0O03gLuwcxpUY/s320/P2250020.JPG" width="320" /></a></div><br />
</div>Terri Thomashttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08909204110691507211noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-897383190657528851.post-82129080807945494942012-02-24T12:09:00.000-08:002012-02-24T12:09:14.353-08:00Spiraled Meatloaf Step By Step<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on"><br />
I honestly do not remember where I came up with this idea at, but this is something I've made for many years. I can remember doing it out in Tucson, Connecticut (many moons ago), Houston, and now here. It has followed me all over the place. I've had several people try and wrestle the recipe away from me over the years, but have never parted with it. Until today. This feeds about 4 people.<br />
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<br />
<b>1lb Ground Beef (not lean!)</b><br />
<b>1 Egg</b><br />
<b>2 tsp Chinese Hot Mustard</b><br />
<b>1 tsp Worechestershire Sauce</b><br />
<b>1 Garlic Clove, minced</b><br />
<b>1/4 cup Bread Crumbs (plain)</b><br />
<b>1 tbsp Oregano, dried</b><br />
<b>2 tbsp Parsley, dried</b><br />
<b>1/2 tsp Marjoram, ground</b><br />
<b>1/2 tsp Thyme, ground</b><br />
<b>1 Celery Stalk, diced small</b><br />
<b>1 Carrot, peeled and diced small</b><br />
<b>2 Mushrooms with stems, cleaned and diced small</b><br />
<b>1/2 cup Baby Spinach</b><br />
<br />
1) Preheat oven to 350. Grease loaf pan with pam.<br />
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2) Insmall bowl, beat together egg, mustard and worechestershire. In a large bowl, gently mix together the meat, bread crumbs, garlic and egg mixture. Set in refrigerator while you prepare the rest of the ingredients.<br />
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3) In another small bowl, mix together the oregano, parsley, marjoram and thyme. Set aside.<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjuuIiv3j8ZC6MHuywwA17UaQr5Xanat07PCybCmvaIPufgGnk3VMPAZjUpdZb_QA-Gaq4m9hxZZT3CyOQcxi35XmCGWkakOlpyX20HDnyDjzKmBvbp7-cM32723oPwEILrhIv-EVddyN4/s1600/P2240027.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjuuIiv3j8ZC6MHuywwA17UaQr5Xanat07PCybCmvaIPufgGnk3VMPAZjUpdZb_QA-Gaq4m9hxZZT3CyOQcxi35XmCGWkakOlpyX20HDnyDjzKmBvbp7-cM32723oPwEILrhIv-EVddyN4/s320/P2240027.JPG" width="320" /></a></div><br />
4) Dice up the remaining ingredients except the spinach. Set aside.<br />
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5) On a flat surface, lay out a piece of plastic wrap flat, about a foot wide. Flatten out meat to no more than 1/4" thickness, in a rectangle.<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgHCZhdpXq_cd5R7hr9g5q9IwT_iktpjU6KCzVoo6ERgRo3AIDuF38GGybWTySLb-Q7y0U5ihpttdRWNAFzynjXai_3wWC8zsXv_L84tKRBGCVMJRUJ-5LtQ9-sGQQKX6paIRz4_OMs_Sw/s1600/P2240028.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgHCZhdpXq_cd5R7hr9g5q9IwT_iktpjU6KCzVoo6ERgRo3AIDuF38GGybWTySLb-Q7y0U5ihpttdRWNAFzynjXai_3wWC8zsXv_L84tKRBGCVMJRUJ-5LtQ9-sGQQKX6paIRz4_OMs_Sw/s320/P2240028.JPG" width="320" /></a></div><br />
Evenly sprinkle the herb mixture<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEipGFmee-m8ppDLCobfGsTjwznH3p-UDV908rZqikTnBPe7MkHmu2TFoE-z-ViSLmb8lb4QWh96CE6Nue8oL_uV79PcJwMi9pX6od02wFZs2_wOPxGICLfgeyieaYzOt3S5qCe3GXdujXw/s1600/P2240029.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEipGFmee-m8ppDLCobfGsTjwznH3p-UDV908rZqikTnBPe7MkHmu2TFoE-z-ViSLmb8lb4QWh96CE6Nue8oL_uV79PcJwMi9pX6od02wFZs2_wOPxGICLfgeyieaYzOt3S5qCe3GXdujXw/s320/P2240029.JPG" width="320" /></a></div><br />
then the celery<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhk9LxZPjpvdagonsfwviORZqTzIr-i5d9GfBIrCdfETrDECmInEUORRRratCSC8XiNNqvHLjqESLseveQBljjjCSCiMPlNAQvl64a-sDJVe7LUE3Pafl7VlT605nUQA8FWLro8MkI2kNk/s1600/P2240030.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhk9LxZPjpvdagonsfwviORZqTzIr-i5d9GfBIrCdfETrDECmInEUORRRratCSC8XiNNqvHLjqESLseveQBljjjCSCiMPlNAQvl64a-sDJVe7LUE3Pafl7VlT605nUQA8FWLro8MkI2kNk/s320/P2240030.JPG" width="320" /></a></div><br />
and top it with the spinach.<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg4uPJzb5eyVRtSjJQiFZz4SmZCEeXuY1QcqeW5scXbp6SCPBCUW4W1tyLvlqIz1bYi1zbDM6-WgGUv2GNPTnw7gGFFzc2-9Jgv-esg56EabnjPHXMsjabOC0OFxlenNoc6d8Vsd27zxtw/s1600/P2240031.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg4uPJzb5eyVRtSjJQiFZz4SmZCEeXuY1QcqeW5scXbp6SCPBCUW4W1tyLvlqIz1bYi1zbDM6-WgGUv2GNPTnw7gGFFzc2-9Jgv-esg56EabnjPHXMsjabOC0OFxlenNoc6d8Vsd27zxtw/s320/P2240031.JPG" width="320" /></a></div><br />
Next, top it with the carrot and mushrooms and gently press down across it to mush everything together.<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjjURxA59Bbaaf-BJKmD0xkmZKnfnam_8UhbNJKsKKbWxiVY48B4k4Wo0Y_5Z58B5Dt9sfmVYecBd-2C5hfxY9qehxfkvJY8Vn3bB_0BMRY0tuLLNPLckJENRlDnbncDhKuphNxw2JQRHc/s1600/P2240032.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjjURxA59Bbaaf-BJKmD0xkmZKnfnam_8UhbNJKsKKbWxiVY48B4k4Wo0Y_5Z58B5Dt9sfmVYecBd-2C5hfxY9qehxfkvJY8Vn3bB_0BMRY0tuLLNPLckJENRlDnbncDhKuphNxw2JQRHc/s320/P2240032.JPG" width="320" /></a></div><br />
6) Using one end of the plastic wrap, gently begin to roll up the meat, in a jelly roll fashion.<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjvzkYD-AbZKuufrS37S_hB2UZBEmzdsx6S5LOvslTFfRrzT5yqrtKldL7O_O7wVUFYMXOHl3U-hc5yxve6ig4T9lrRhRgpFcBt_coTS2LGOu4MNXUV1KONz8-GQgdTlrokl7ASCdYOhmw/s1600/P2240033.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjvzkYD-AbZKuufrS37S_hB2UZBEmzdsx6S5LOvslTFfRrzT5yqrtKldL7O_O7wVUFYMXOHl3U-hc5yxve6ig4T9lrRhRgpFcBt_coTS2LGOu4MNXUV1KONz8-GQgdTlrokl7ASCdYOhmw/s320/P2240033.JPG" width="320" /></a></div><br />
Once it is finished, place the prepared loaf pan over the top of the roll so that the seam will be on the bottom on the pan.<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhUCxmn5GZdQOZ6WI-SzPe6GWlWrSMnp25_3732MrgM0jEyWQQdNmuPwF1biGAuyssoXbd32zXqXWI1N03e2mNQYG5By7SU84eBb9iRHU1of6nB1IQ49AgDRJQPQC9hDpiFxjbtlEnj6I4/s1600/P2240035.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhUCxmn5GZdQOZ6WI-SzPe6GWlWrSMnp25_3732MrgM0jEyWQQdNmuPwF1biGAuyssoXbd32zXqXWI1N03e2mNQYG5By7SU84eBb9iRHU1of6nB1IQ49AgDRJQPQC9hDpiFxjbtlEnj6I4/s320/P2240035.JPG" width="320" /></a></div><br />
Flip it upright, cover with foil and bake 30 minutes at 350.<br />
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7) Remove foil, and using wide spatula, gently tip the pan to drain out the grease. Return foil and increase the heat to 375 for another 30 minutes. Remove the foil in the last 10 minutes to brown up. Let rest 10 minutes before cutting into it.<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEilLqRZeDA4tCL_rmW2-phZzpPKxD_cdGY_7GqM0wUwVmAUjWSw4CoJARWhKrt08RUVZhnapVbrdgpcg0lthbvKkrhw2bRJ6iwMPewlrZmIIoUypYVBAw41X_y-BrGkAYVMFgjLU-q4QKo/s1600/P2240040.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEilLqRZeDA4tCL_rmW2-phZzpPKxD_cdGY_7GqM0wUwVmAUjWSw4CoJARWhKrt08RUVZhnapVbrdgpcg0lthbvKkrhw2bRJ6iwMPewlrZmIIoUypYVBAw41X_y-BrGkAYVMFgjLU-q4QKo/s320/P2240040.JPG" width="320" /></a></div><br />
</div>Terri Thomashttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08909204110691507211noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-897383190657528851.post-30182066725010651252012-02-21T09:17:00.000-08:002012-02-21T09:17:05.074-08:00Berry Berry Muffins<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">Are there are days when you just don't want to make something from scratch, but you want it to taste like it? I have those days too. So I add to boxed meals and baking products (which we already know I'm not much of a baker). The recipe that follows uses a simple <a href="http://www.bettycrocker.com/" target="_blank"><b><span style="color: red;">Betty Crocker</span></b></a> Blueberry Muffin mix, easily found in ANY grocery store.<br />
<br />
I made three types of muffins using the ingredients listed below by adding certain thing to the individual muffin tins instead of in the mix. I'm allergic to nuts so they went on some just for my hunny to eat. I ended up making 18 mini muffins.<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEguin5YG9meQxApwlXlOBL4gRxf5uwPL6_EZxEUJ19NteP3SjYgial1xB-75FN3zNLGgLjGtb-xHmuqKS2bHiJxJy4WncdehEFA-QIbYEImVMsOXg301OHUYTL68RrBElkBP1YF-gQ5W30/s1600/Berry+Berry+muffins.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEguin5YG9meQxApwlXlOBL4gRxf5uwPL6_EZxEUJ19NteP3SjYgial1xB-75FN3zNLGgLjGtb-xHmuqKS2bHiJxJy4WncdehEFA-QIbYEImVMsOXg301OHUYTL68RrBElkBP1YF-gQ5W30/s320/Berry+Berry+muffins.JPG" width="320" /></a></div><br />
<br />
<b>1 pkg Betty Crocker Blueberry Muffin Mix</b><br />
<b>1/2 cup Water</b><br />
<b>1/2 cup Strawberries, diced small</b><br />
<b>1/2 tsp Cinnamon</b><br />
<b>1/2 cup Hershey's Dark Chocolate Chips</b><br />
<b>Nuts (optional- I used walnuts chopped in small bits)</b><br />
<br />
1) Preheat oven to package directions. Prepare muffin tin.<br />
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2) Mix all ingredients in large bowl and fill muffin tins 2/3 full. Bake according to package directions.<br />
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3) Due to the chocolate, let cool completely before trying to remove from tins.</div>Terri Thomashttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08909204110691507211noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-897383190657528851.post-28968432870326891012012-02-19T14:38:00.000-08:002012-02-19T14:38:41.506-08:00Herb Grilled Shrimp<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">So, my hunny was hankering for some shrimp. Well, most of you already know I'm very allergic to all fish. As a matter of fact, the only thing from the water I <i>can</i> eat is seaweed. Good thing I like it in my Won Ton Soup! So I went on a search for a good marinade I could use since I was already grilling up my <a href="http://westtexasgourmet.blogspot.com/2012/02/red-wine-and-pomegranate-top-sirlion.html" target="_blank"><span style="color: red;"><b>Pomegranate and Red Wine Steak</b></span></a>. Why not make it a surf and turf weekend?!?<br />
<br />
This one sounded yummy and was found over on the <a href="http://www.sheknows.com/recipes/herbed-grilled-shrimp" target="_blank"><b><span style="color: red;">She Knows</span></b></a> website. The recipe is made for 2 pounds of shrimp, but I found cutting it down was easy and still had lots of flavor.<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgq6LLUZG2AKh-wH5gmQHP5q62kXJ7tBGDEtklEsqFSHqfLvx5GQKtoECxv_4_8kS3-4UDV2dpL2JTY7ObNsqFJV2ANhnqhOfamzyQXTVl-CMXQIQD0glTWU_-c1cWgMrQU75IVDmh5zyg/s1600/Herb+Marinated+Grilled+Shrimp.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgq6LLUZG2AKh-wH5gmQHP5q62kXJ7tBGDEtklEsqFSHqfLvx5GQKtoECxv_4_8kS3-4UDV2dpL2JTY7ObNsqFJV2ANhnqhOfamzyQXTVl-CMXQIQD0glTWU_-c1cWgMrQU75IVDmh5zyg/s320/Herb+Marinated+Grilled+Shrimp.JPG" width="320" /></a></div><br />
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<div class="ingredients section" style="background-color: white; margin-bottom: 1.5em;"><ul style="list-style-image: initial; list-style-position: initial; list-style-type: none; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 30px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;"><li class="ingredient" style="list-style-image: initial; list-style-position: initial; list-style-type: none;"></li>
<li class="ingredient" style="list-style-image: initial; list-style-position: initial; list-style-type: none;"><span style="color: #333333; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: 12px; line-height: 21px;"><div class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN"><b>3 garlic cloves, minced<o:p></o:p></b></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN"><b>1 medium yellow onion, diced small<o:p></o:p></b></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN"><b>1/4 cups minced fresh parsley (2 tbsp dried)<o:p></o:p></b></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN"><b>1/4 cups minced fresh basil (2 tbsp dried)<o:p></o:p></b></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN"><b>1 tsp dry mustard<o:p></o:p></b></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN"><b>2 tsp Chinese Hot Mustard<o:p></o:p></b></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN"><b>2 teaspoons sea salt<o:p></o:p></b></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN"><b>1 tsp Crushed Red Pepper<o:p></o:p></b></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN"><b>1/4 cup Sesame Oil<o:p></o:p></b></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN"><b>1-2 tsp Lemon Juice<o:p></o:p></b></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN"><b>2 pounds shrimp, deveined</b><o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN">1) Place all of the ingredients in a large bowl and stir to combine. </span>Add the shrimp to the bowl, toss to coat with the mixture and marinate for up to 2 hours covered and at room temperature.</div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN">2) Brush the grill rack with oil and prepare the grill on medium heat. Place on shrimp </span>and grill for 2 minutes on each side. If you do not have a rack like the one in the picture, soak wooded skewers in water for 30 minutes then slide on the shrimp and grill.</div></span></span></li>
</ul></div></div>Terri Thomashttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08909204110691507211noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-897383190657528851.post-25901875647904012442012-02-19T14:20:00.000-08:002012-02-19T14:22:01.752-08:00Red Wine and Pomegranate Top Sirloin<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">Oh yes... so decadent... so rich and oh so yummy! I first came across this last year when I was waiting on my surgery date to get here. I didn't have a lot to do but sit in front of the TV watching the Food Network and Cooking Channels. As I was flipping through, <a href="http://www.foodnetwork.com/recipes/sunny-anderson/red-wine-and-pomegranate-hangar-steak-with-cipollini-onions-recipe/index.html" target="_blank"><b><span style="color: red;">Sunny Anderson</span></b></a> appeared making this wonderful dish that had me drooling even though food was the furthest thing from my mind.<br />
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About two months after surgery, I finally made it. WOW... it was so good I forgot to take a picture of it before it was devoured. I had a few grumblings over on my Facebook page about that "lack of good manners" so I made sure I had a camera ready THIS time. The marinade/sauce makes just enough for 2 servings, so double up if your looking to feed more.<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgHyJ68tEpbrqB0OE9v-8Kuu2zVdrL1oq5ms0uolCXLGJ-OvVxpx065WGqdj-y3dpg658Co-sXDLvgaBzhxBkIKB_ZOMQLXpCc0zJIxrwLFyWQOq8VF7OhGNcwzXAOc7Jc9hm_8EmxZkM8/s1600/Pomagranite+Steak.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgHyJ68tEpbrqB0OE9v-8Kuu2zVdrL1oq5ms0uolCXLGJ-OvVxpx065WGqdj-y3dpg658Co-sXDLvgaBzhxBkIKB_ZOMQLXpCc0zJIxrwLFyWQOq8VF7OhGNcwzXAOc7Jc9hm_8EmxZkM8/s320/Pomagranite+Steak.JPG" width="320" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;">(If your gonna drool, at least wear a bib!)</div><br />
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<div class="MsoNormal"><b><span lang="EN">2 tbs Mollassas<o:p></o:p></span></b></div><div class="MsoNormal"><b><span lang="EN">2 tbs Honey<o:p></o:p></span></b></div><div class="MsoNormal"><b><span lang="EN">1 tbs Sugar<o:p></o:p></span></b></div><div class="MsoNormal"><b><span lang="EN">1 tsp Salt<o:p></o:p></span></b></div><div class="MsoNormal"><b><span lang="EN">1 cup Pomegranate-Blueberry Juice<o:p></o:p></span></b></div><div class="MsoNormal"><b><span lang="EN">1 cup Red Wine<o:p></o:p></span></b></div><div class="MsoNormal"><b><span lang="EN">1 tsp Pepper<o:p></o:p></span></b></div><div class="MsoNormal"><b><span lang="EN">2 Top Sirloins, at least 1 to 1 1/2" thick, trimmed of excess fat<o:p></o:p></span></b></div><div class="MsoNormal"><b><span lang="EN">1/2 cup Vegetable Oil<o:p></o:p></span></b></div><div class="MsoNormal"><b><span lang="EN">3 clove Garlic, minced<o:p></o:p></span></b></div><div class="MsoNormal"><b><span lang="EN">2 large Portebella, sliced (or any mushroom. I used plain old white)<o:p></o:p></span></b></div><div class="MsoNormal"><b><span lang="EN"><br />
</span></b></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN">1) In large bowl, whisk together molasses, honey, sugar, salt and pepper, juice and wine, adding extra juice/wine to make 3 cups. Pour half into medium saucepan and place on stove over medium-low heat. <o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN">With remaining liquid, whisk in oil, and pour into large plastic zip lock bag with steaks. Seal and set aside to marinate 1 hour to overnight. <o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN"><br />
</span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN">2) Meanwhile, to the saucepan add garlic and whisk well. Keep whisking frequently for 45 minutes to an hour. After about 30 minutes, add the mushrooms. Let the liquid reduce down until its a good thick gravy. <o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN">When steak has marinated, place on <i><b>HOT</b></i> grill. 4-5 minutes on first side, flip, marinate and grill til done. Let steak stand for 10 minutes before slicing to let the juices flow back throughout it. Slice steak and cover in reduced sauce. <o:p></o:p></span></div></div>Terri Thomashttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08909204110691507211noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-897383190657528851.post-42710057126601632102012-02-19T13:57:00.000-08:002012-02-19T14:01:08.778-08:002 Way Cauliflower<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">I know I know... this isn't a favorite of my hunnies either. He prefers straight up green beans out of the can or potatoes. When I throw something new at him, all he does is grump the whole time its being made. Ahhh... but when its finished and he takes his first taste... now THAT'S a whole nuther ball of wax!<br />
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I was nice this time around by making cauliflower the way he will eat it, smothered in cheese. But I was in the mood for mashed potatoes, minus the potatoes. I saw a very interesting dish being made on Simply Delicioso called <a href="http://www.foodnetwork.com/recipes/ingrid-hoffmann/spicy-smoky-cauliflower-mash-recipe/index.html" target="_blank"><b><span style="color: red;">Spicy, Smoky Cauliflower Mash</span></b></a> that looked like something I might eat. I just wasn't too thrilled with the idea of blending it until it became liquid. About the same time I saw Rachael Ray preparing her <a href="http://www.foodnetwork.com/recipes/rachael-ray/cauliflower-sauce-with-whole-wheat-penne-recipe/index.html" target="_blank"><b><span style="color: red;">Cauliflower Pasta Sauce</span></b></a> and thought I could integrate the two for a dish of my own.<br />
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Since I started the dish out the same (in a big pot with chicken broth) it was easy to make it in two different styles, each of which will make about 2 servings for a total of 4.<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjItBy1tcoypTFG9ndk_JL4kcSsn7L0GMjYE00k2Gpv76FAQPd66y-oVSgvEl5gH9bAvp1JE8cm3z3TojWx9Tr3kfNy-YJzNmawNRLFwNGp6jMFoUiAYd4FiOL2gvESDBjLOZxdsEuqkwE/s1600/Mashed+Cauliflower.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjItBy1tcoypTFG9ndk_JL4kcSsn7L0GMjYE00k2Gpv76FAQPd66y-oVSgvEl5gH9bAvp1JE8cm3z3TojWx9Tr3kfNy-YJzNmawNRLFwNGp6jMFoUiAYd4FiOL2gvESDBjLOZxdsEuqkwE/s320/Mashed+Cauliflower.JPG" width="320" /></a></div><br />
<b>1 head Cauliflower, cored and chopped</b><br />
<b>Chicken Broth</b><br />
<b>1 tsp Nutmeg, fresh grated</b><br />
<b>Salt to taste</b><br />
<b>1 tsp Crushed Red Pepper</b><br />
<b>1 cup Colby Jack Cheese, shredded and divided</b><br />
<b>1/2 cup Mozzarella, shredded</b><br />
<br />
1) Place cauliflower bits in medium saucepan. Fill to just cover with the chicken broth and add in the nutmeg. Let cook about 15 minutes until tender. Taste before adding salt. The broth usually has enough sodium.<br />
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2) Using a pasta ladle (large flat ladle with holes) scoop out half the cauliflower and place in blender. Add 1/2 cup of the Colby and Mozzarella and hit the pulse to desired mushness. If needed, add some of the broth to thin it out. I like a lot of lumps so it doesn't remind me of baby food. Scoop into a serving bowl and cover with plastic until ready to serve.<br />
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3) Once the first is completed, strain remaining cauliflower and return to pan or serving bowl. Sprinkle with and red pepper as well as the remaining cheese and cover until ready to serve.</div>Terri Thomashttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08909204110691507211noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-897383190657528851.post-26189182737120784602012-02-18T07:37:00.000-08:002012-02-18T07:37:30.460-08:00Olive Dip<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">This past Christmas I was introduced to this dish that is simply... YUMMY! I spent my 4 day holiday in Austin, Texas munching away on this incredible dip. I just had to pass the recipe on to my readers. Its easy to make and easy to double for larger parties.<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjcpRzh-AyGYyC2pzJ3w30Rbr0ysOY3pkdTPDobmcShDu0qzO4owkObQvqzPahkI4UvR_w8CWy2qUFUX12TPWiKvVQVGfNfRKJzlii9MBg9BDwdt8yvLsRRqg_jtCJbFXCoZO_pssnAiIY/s1600/P2170014.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjcpRzh-AyGYyC2pzJ3w30Rbr0ysOY3pkdTPDobmcShDu0qzO4owkObQvqzPahkI4UvR_w8CWy2qUFUX12TPWiKvVQVGfNfRKJzlii9MBg9BDwdt8yvLsRRqg_jtCJbFXCoZO_pssnAiIY/s320/P2170014.JPG" width="320" /></a></div><br />
<br />
<b>8oz Cream Cheese, softened</b><br />
<b>2-4oz Green Olives with Pimentos, diced fine</b><br />
<b>2oz Black Olives, diced fine</b><br />
<b>2 tsp Garlic, minced</b><br />
<b>1/8 tsp Dill, dried</b><br />
<b>1/4 - 1/2 tsp Crushed Red Pepper</b><br />
<b>1/2 tsp Parsley, dried</b><br />
<br />
1) Place cream cheese in bowl, making sure it is easily stirred with spoon. Add in all ingredients and stir to combine well.<br />
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2) Cover with plastic and place in refrigerator for 1 hour to overnight.<br />
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Serve with crackers, veggies, cheese, meats... great all round dip.<br />
</div>Terri Thomashttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08909204110691507211noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-897383190657528851.post-75933207836824383252012-02-16T12:18:00.000-08:002012-02-16T12:18:40.895-08:00Italian Crescent Rolls<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on"><br />
Since I cook for mainly just my hunny and me, most of the time I cut down the recipes I post here. I simply run out of room in my freezer when I don't. So my latest creation, "<a href="http://westtexasgourmet.blogspot.com/2012/02/italian-chicken-crescent-casserole.html" target="_blank"><b><span style="color: red;">Italian Chicken Stuffed Crescent Casserole</span></b></a>" was no different. But I had 2 extra crescent rolls to use up. I decided to deck them out a bit so they would marry well with dinner. Simple and easy, its something anyone can do to give dinner rolls just a little more umph.<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj8GVqLC5Q1KrTOb0hk3RwssKepvGj0SNhI5ymr39hqlQ7QQ-VD_muraV3YnZMq48TzQeiLBvmEkqBgiluifSdMqrqMPUcRoUpbs-ZgB5PZcZRHDlTzBvW4m76oTXdA-pwZy6fecGe8u0c/s1600/Italian+Crescent.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj8GVqLC5Q1KrTOb0hk3RwssKepvGj0SNhI5ymr39hqlQ7QQ-VD_muraV3YnZMq48TzQeiLBvmEkqBgiluifSdMqrqMPUcRoUpbs-ZgB5PZcZRHDlTzBvW4m76oTXdA-pwZy6fecGe8u0c/s320/Italian+Crescent.JPG" width="320" /></a></div><br />
<br />
<b>1 pkg Crescent Rolls</b><br />
<b>Parmesan Cheese, grated</b><br />
<b>Garlic Powder</b><br />
<b>Oregano</b><br />
<br />
1) Heat oven to package directions. Spray cookie sheet with olive oil spray (such as Pam).<br />
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2) Unroll crescents. In order as above, sprinkle each roll with the ingredients using as much or as little as you prefer. Remember a little dried herb goes along way, especially the garlic! Roll up starting with thickest end.<br />
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3) Place seam side down on prepared cookie sheet and sprinkle again with just a bit of the parmesan. Bake according to package directions.<br />
<div><br />
</div></div>Terri Thomashttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08909204110691507211noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-897383190657528851.post-42496904632477238152012-02-16T12:06:00.000-08:002012-02-16T12:20:35.180-08:00Italian Chicken Crescent Casserole<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">We've all done it. Go to the store after viewing a recipe online thinking you only need just a couple of ingredients to make this dreamy new recipe. So sure of your self you just KNOW you don't need to check your cupboards to verify the list. Nope, you just trot on down (in my case its an eighty mile round trip trot) to the grocery store and run back home... only to learn how wrong you are!<br />
<div><br />
</div><div>That's just what happened when I tried making this dish I found over on <a href="http://www.tastebook.com/recipes/1881796-Chicken-Crescent-Roll-Casserole" target="_blank"><b><span style="color: red;">Taste Book's</span></b></a> site. I stood in my kitchen realizing I didn't have two of the three cheeses it called for as well as the main liquid ingredient, the Cream of Chicken soup. Never fear my brave followers! I simply improvised! The dish below serves about 6... about 1 roll per person.<br />
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PS... if you cut back this recipe to feed less folks, <a href="http://westtexasgourmet.blogspot.com/2012/02/italian-crescent-rolls.html" target="_blank"><b><span style="color: red;">click here</span></b></a> to see what I did with my leftover rolls!</div><div><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEifs0MQ3tbEmW1fwboup4EguoQ-Dw76mqSQHDcDGZZg1t0X-B_z73YIFgx5FV8CXBtWqKc3L2mq3LSD6s0kaeQMS6Dwf_AsKZUYzgF7YgGf8dQ7Q4VQ27rRDThMp2MIrZVafqwt85s3YgI/s1600/P2160013.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEifs0MQ3tbEmW1fwboup4EguoQ-Dw76mqSQHDcDGZZg1t0X-B_z73YIFgx5FV8CXBtWqKc3L2mq3LSD6s0kaeQMS6Dwf_AsKZUYzgF7YgGf8dQ7Q4VQ27rRDThMp2MIrZVafqwt85s3YgI/s320/P2160013.JPG" width="320" /></a></div><div><br />
</div><div><div><b>1 (8 ounce) can refrigerated Crescent Rolls</b></div><div><b>1 (10 3/4 ounce) can cream of Tomato soup, undiluted</b></div><div><b>3/4 cup grated Mozzerella cheese </b></div><div><b>1/2 cup Half & Half Cream</b></div><div><b>1/4-1/2 tsp Cayenne Pepper</b></div><div><b><br />
</b></div><div><b><u>FILLING</u></b></div><div><b><br />
</b></div><div><b>4oz Cream Cheese, soft</b></div><div><b>4 tbsp Butter, soft</b></div><div><b>1 tsp Garlic Powder</b></div><div><b>2 cups Chicken, cooked and diced</b></div><div><b>1 cup Spinach, fresh and chopped</b></div><div><b>3/4 cup Colby Cheese, shredded</b></div><div><b>2-4 tbsp Mayonaise</b></div><div><b>1 cup Colby Cheese, shredded</b></div><div><b>1/2-1 cup Mozzerella, shredded</b></div><div><b>Paprika (Optional)</b></div><div><b>Basil (Optional)</b></div><div><br />
</div><div>1) Preheat oven to 350. Butter casserole dish large enough to hold 6 rolls.</div><div><br />
</div><div>2) In a saucepan, mix half & half with the 3/4 cup of mozzerella and heat over medium low until the cheese begins to melt. DO NOT boil. Add soup and cayenne, stir to incorporate.</div><div><br />
</div><div><b><u>Filling</u></b></div><div><br />
</div><div>3) In a medium bowl and using hand mixer, cream together the cream cheese and butter until smooth. Add the garlic and stir. Add chicken, spinach and 3/4 cup Colby cheese and stir together to combine. Depending on how "dry" your mix is, add a tbsp at a time of the mayo. At this point you can season with salt and pepper to taste.</div><div><br />
</div><div>4) Drizzle enough of your soup mixture to cover the bottom of your casserole dish.</div><div><br />
</div><div>5) Unroll the crescents. Place 1 heaping tbsp of chicken mixture on the thick end of each roll. Starting from same end, roll up. Place seam side down in casserole dish and continue with remaining rolls.</div><div><br />
</div><div>6) Evenly our the remaining of the soup mixture over the rolls bring soup level about 3/4 of the way up the rolls. Top with remaining cheeses. Dust top with paprika and basil.</div><div><br />
</div><div>7) Bake 30 minutes. Let stand 15 minutes before cutting into it.</div></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi2a4lfd0yNVmcdecF-3oc_odBX82G6qKXdESdbh0eodV0WvKGOjfdOuy7dxfm2ymn4csYVy_pCckug9XzUTbHwoZdFRwQ2dUU2zwRX0WR6fXO6hyphenhyphenhQ-MM23zM9hQzmweuqkNDSPV2V6ng/s1600/P2160014.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi2a4lfd0yNVmcdecF-3oc_odBX82G6qKXdESdbh0eodV0WvKGOjfdOuy7dxfm2ymn4csYVy_pCckug9XzUTbHwoZdFRwQ2dUU2zwRX0WR6fXO6hyphenhyphenhQ-MM23zM9hQzmweuqkNDSPV2V6ng/s320/P2160014.JPG" width="320" /></a></div><div><br />
</div></div>Terri Thomashttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08909204110691507211noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-897383190657528851.post-18714988965023907942012-02-16T08:00:00.000-08:002012-02-16T08:00:49.452-08:00Tomato Basil Spaghetti<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">After another hurried Wednesday shopping in two towns, I came home feeling like I was dead to the world. I actually walked blisters onto my feet! But, dinner MUST go on! So I pulled up my big girl panties and continued on into the kitchen.<br />
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I was hankering for spaghetti but since it was a bit late in the day, I opted for something not quite so heavy and came up with this little number that was silky smooth and brought to mind grilled cheese sandwiches and my days growing up. The sauce was basically a soup I cooked my pasta in! Oh yum... I should have tried this a long time ago!<br />
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Now, I used my leftover meatballs from my "<a href="http://westtexasgourmet.blogspot.com/2012/02/almost-inas-wedding-soup.html" target="_blank"><b><span style="color: red;">Almost Ina's Wedding Soup</span></b></a>" recipe which is a mix of ground chicken and pork sausage. I had tucked them away in the freezer for a day like this, when I just didn't have too much energy. But you could always use the premade frozen kind you can find in your grocers freezer or opt out of the meat all together. This serves about 4.<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj-p5tpjixCXUnOFhZUz9WcpqaL5M6zb_vsBg5ejst1EJR9k5VktDvwTKMqJJO7DwZAT28t5HAuGdEtJOxtWbZJaC_NtcsYaYteVB0jpZaU-FJG9B5ujh8MfnXopxztTXoVTuL7TWPX2q0/s1600/P2150015.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj-p5tpjixCXUnOFhZUz9WcpqaL5M6zb_vsBg5ejst1EJR9k5VktDvwTKMqJJO7DwZAT28t5HAuGdEtJOxtWbZJaC_NtcsYaYteVB0jpZaU-FJG9B5ujh8MfnXopxztTXoVTuL7TWPX2q0/s320/P2150015.JPG" width="240" /></a></div><br />
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<br />
<b>1 can Tomato Soup</b><br />
<b>2 tsp Basil, dried (or 2 tbsp fresh chopped)</b><br />
<b>1/4 cup Cream Cheese, softened</b><br />
<b>Meat Balls (2-3 per person)</b><br />
<b>Salt</b><br />
<b>1 lb Spaghetti</b><br />
<br />
1) In large pot of boiling salted water, cook pasta according to package directions for al dente. Drain, reserving 1-2 ladels of pasta water.<br />
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2) In blender, add your soup, basil and cheese and puree until the cheese is fully incorporated into the soup mix. <br />
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3) In large skillet, heat the meatballs according to package directions. If you are using <a href="http://westtexasgourmet.blogspot.com/2012/02/almost-inas-wedding-soup.html" target="_blank"><b><span style="color: red;">leftover</span></b></a> homemade meatballs, add 1 tbsp oil to skillet, place meatballs in it and cover. Cook on medium low until heated through. Add the tomato sauce from the blender and gentle heat the sauce and the meatballs.<br />
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4) Add in the pasta and toss to mix it with the sauce. The pasta will continue to cook and absorb the sauce. Remove to plate when pasta is cooked (only about another 3-5 minutes).<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhQVTAt1efpXhZC-V6xEOAzj_-eCXAKaHyKqxz7epKcszt0VPrJ5RkOVl4ZMmOIOATRI6kgLRlRrGYGD_iQkfwFI0UiV19N9hRjwxsh8v2E3tyviG101v3U9SSrdWqsF5r1tibtO9ledjA/s1600/P2150013.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhQVTAt1efpXhZC-V6xEOAzj_-eCXAKaHyKqxz7epKcszt0VPrJ5RkOVl4ZMmOIOATRI6kgLRlRrGYGD_iQkfwFI0UiV19N9hRjwxsh8v2E3tyviG101v3U9SSrdWqsF5r1tibtO9ledjA/s320/P2150013.JPG" width="320" /></a></div><br />
</div>Terri Thomashttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08909204110691507211noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-897383190657528851.post-12911355257834737772012-02-14T09:31:00.000-08:002012-02-14T09:31:01.532-08:00Review of Van Horn Cattle Company<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">I know, you normally find great recipes and funny antidotes here but I felt I should warn those of you in my area about this place. A few weeks ago my friends heard me raving about this great steak house in Van Horn, Texas. Unfortunately, I was led astray. So read on if you live here, are planning a trip here (or in the area) or if you are in the food industry in any way. Maybe this will help to keep other places from making these mistakes.<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhe2S0PfwP5_pIK8L_XD9RNR1_zANuzVbykrd8bQHa5_d7WZLdwmN0-zwYzSaH9qhhmQXxRePa5BwUu1ImGzIJHMt65i4HkypOGHxhallEbFaK__u-H2So2JCD0DISFMPTsJusIC_wRrFQ/s1600/van+horn.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="226" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhe2S0PfwP5_pIK8L_XD9RNR1_zANuzVbykrd8bQHa5_d7WZLdwmN0-zwYzSaH9qhhmQXxRePa5BwUu1ImGzIJHMt65i4HkypOGHxhallEbFaK__u-H2So2JCD0DISFMPTsJusIC_wRrFQ/s320/van+horn.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><br />
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<div style="text-align: -webkit-auto;"><div><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: x-small;">A few weeks ago my hunny and I stopped in Van Horn for dinner after a day hiking Carlsbad Caverns and surrounding parks. Needless to say we were famished by the time we rolled into town. What was surprising though was the meal. A friend had told us to either stop at Chuy's or the Van Horn Cattle Company, those two being the best in town.</span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: x-small;"><br />
</span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: x-small;">When we drove past Chuy's and saw the food being cooked outdoors, I had second thoughts. Go ahead, you can say it, I'm a food snob. Yes, I admit it. And being one has made it extremely difficult in finding a good place to eat at since moving to West Texas. But on this day I had found heaven in the Cattle Company.</span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: x-small;"><br />
</span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: x-small;">Upon entering I spied a gorgeous dark wood bar, a TV dinning room to our left and a more intimate dinning room to the right. The staff was friendly and knowledgeable as dressed well. I had high hopes for the food. I wasn't wrong.</span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: x-small;">I ordered the 8oz Top Sirloin with Grilled Asparagus and Bourbon Honey Carrots. The steak I was able to cut with my butter knife. The asparagus (which is something I am just starting to eat) was grilled to perfection, not too crisp and not too tender. The carrots just melted in my mouth. I was in a state of shock! I hadn't had service/food THAT good since leaving Houston, Texas and steak hasn't been that good since my wedding night back in 96!</span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: x-small;">So it just seemed natural for us to make the hour long drive to Van Horn again to enjoy an early Valentines Diner.</span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: x-small;"><br />
</span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: x-small;">We were seated with me facing the cook's window. Which really ISN'T a good thing when your cook is more interested in playing than he is in cooking. The first thing I noticed was the new menus. Now, I had just looked at the menu on their Facebook page before leaving, not the same menu. Everything had gone up and the took out stuff like the Asparagus and the tantalizing Chipolte Mashed Potatoes. Replacing them with Jasmine Rice (yes, Jasmine rice in a Texas STEAK HOUSE!) and Whipped Potatoes. Even the carrots were missing!</span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: x-small;">The next thing I noticed was the rolls they bring out after you order. They used to have cute mounds of creamy butter in a plastic cup. Now they served rock hard butter packets you would find in any cheap dinner along the highway. So hard in fact, it tore through the rolls. </span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: x-small;"><br />
</span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: x-small;">Meanwhile, in the kitchen, the cook is apparently training someone. He is showing her around the kitchen, chatting, laughing, showing her things on his phone... doing everything else besides his job... cooking my food! More and more people are showing up. There was only 3 tables to start with, all of which already had their food. </span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: x-small;">We waited about 45 minutes to be served. Never saw the waitress unless she was taking another table's order. Once the food was finally brought to the table, disappointment reigned. We found out why the food took so long coming out of the kitchen. If the young man in the kitchen had really been doing his job (or so I thought at the time) we might have avoided this.</span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: x-small;"><br />
</span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: x-small;">My hunny doesn't get seafood very often since I am highly allergic to it. So he had ordered the Salmon with Green Bean Almandine and the Jasmine Rice (the plate was set up this way on the menu, he had no choice in the sides). The salmon patty was very dry and over cooked. Even I could see that from across the table. The Jasmine Rice, was mushy and clumped together and the green beans weren't cooked at all, raw without the almonds!</span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: x-small;">Now on to my plate. I had ordered the same 8oz Top Sirloin, Medium Rare, with the Whipped Potatoes and Roasted Carrots. First thing I noticed before the plate even left the waitresses hand was, roasted does NOT mean burnt. Both ends of the carrots were black, with the middles mushy. The Whipped Potatoes were dry with lots of chives and a bigger portion than anything else on the plate. Then the steak. Major disappointment. The size of my first, he had cooked it so long it was curled into itself. Not a bit of pink to be found.</span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: x-small;"><br />
</span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: x-small;">After about 10 minutes I was able to flag our waitress down and told her to bring me a plate to put the steak on since it wasn't cooked to order. I couldn't eat something the man had just murdered! After another 20 minute wait, where I had eaten my sides and my hunny had already finished his plate, my steak returned. Only it wasn't my steak. We are still not sure what kind of cut it was. Burnt on the outside and literally raw on the inside, it had a little bit of meat and nothing but fat. But it was large enough to cover my plate. I managed two bites before pushing it away. </span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: x-small;"><br />
</span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: x-small;">The entire time the cook glared at me through his window, ignoring other peoples food. I know this because every other plate that came out of the window was returned to the window to be recooked. </span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: x-small;"><br />
</span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: x-small;">We asked to speak with the manager and was told they didn't have one. </span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: x-small;"><br />
</span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: x-small;">At least the waitress took my steak off the ticket. But it will be the last time we drive out to Van Horn for dinner. </span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: x-small;"><br />
</span></div></div></div><a href="http://www.urbanspoon.com/r/301/1278692/restaurant/Texas/Van-Horn-Cattle-Company-Van-Horn"><img alt="Van Horn Cattle Company on Urbanspoon" src="http://www.urbanspoon.com/b/link/1278692/minilink.gif" style="border:none;width:130px;height:36px" /></a>Terri Thomashttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08909204110691507211noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-897383190657528851.post-76712518937680515082012-02-13T11:02:00.000-08:002012-02-13T11:07:20.329-08:00Egg Drop Soup<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">Something so delicious shouldn't be this easy to make! I was surprised when it came out in just a few minutes. This is definitely my new "go to" soup that is quick, easy and something I will always have the ingredients for!<br />
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Basically you use 1 cup of broth and 1/2 an egg and 1/2 an egg yolk per person. The recipe below is what I came up with for just me and my hunny and had no leftovers. Check out the original recipe over at <b><span style="color: red;"><a href="http://allrecipes.com/recipe/restaurant-style-egg-drop-soup/detail.aspx" target="_blank">AllRecipes.com</a>.</span></b><br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEivW4lankjRBcXC7dPtDl23vf2TVMrlFsD6wgZV7r8mkhdfyZYmJdHR7SyuaGoCF1WX04TxxYzlM5ONpbwX5AoKrSv3KqrqOp56jryWplK-ND54MWKHiE_8mK02k7hH-_id7h_KIcoo7ps/s1600/Egg+Drop+Soup.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEivW4lankjRBcXC7dPtDl23vf2TVMrlFsD6wgZV7r8mkhdfyZYmJdHR7SyuaGoCF1WX04TxxYzlM5ONpbwX5AoKrSv3KqrqOp56jryWplK-ND54MWKHiE_8mK02k7hH-_id7h_KIcoo7ps/s320/Egg+Drop+Soup.JPG" width="320" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;"><b><span style="font-size: x-small;">(I was almost finished with my bowl before I realized I forgot to take a picture!)</span></b></div><br />
<b>2 cup Chicken Broth (low sodium), divided</b><br />
<b>1/8 tsp ground Ginger</b><br />
<b>2 tbsp frozen Peas & Carrots (or 1 tbsp chives)</b><br />
<b>2 1/4-3 tsp Corn Starch</b><br />
<b>1 Egg</b><br />
<b>1 Egg Yolk</b><br />
<b>Soy Sauce to taste</b><br />
<br />
1) Pour into pot your chicken broth, reserving 3/4 cup. Into the pot add the ginger and veggies and give it a good stir. Turn heat to medium high to bring to boil.<br />
<br />
2) In small bowl, whisk together egg and egg yolk. Using fork, drizzle egg mixture into soup while it is boiling. This should cook the egg immediately. Continue until all the egg is added. then lower heat to medium low.<br />
<br />
3) In small bowl, whisk together the reserved chicken broth and corn starch until smooth. Add to soup and stir to incorporate. Simmer on low until you get the proper consistency.<br />
<br />
4) Serve with soy sauce so each person can season it to their own taste.</div>Terri Thomashttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08909204110691507211noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-897383190657528851.post-13136399536736532762012-02-10T09:46:00.000-08:002012-02-10T09:46:25.447-08:00Grilled Chicken 3 Ways<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">A few of you know that I spent yesterday over the grill. You might think I'm nuts to do this in the winter, but here in West Texas, the weather changes quicker than a woman changes her mind. The local lore is "If you don't like the weather, wait 15 minutes!" And their not joking! A couple weeks ago it went from a full blown blizzard (that's about an inch in 4 hours here) that lasted 5 hours to not a speck of snow 15 minutes after the snow stopped. Yep, that's my home. And yesterday was a nice, spring day, sun shinning, not a cloud in the sky and about 66 degrees! You bet I was out grilling!<br />
<br />
In my family, we like to grill up as much meat as possible at once. In the long run it saves time and gas. I've mentioned before how expensive things are out here, propane isn't any better. So we hit a sale on chicken and sausage and went to town on several different types of flavors. Below you will find three different marinades that have a party in your mouth with every bite!<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgQaIuZMfh-b1FaJrRHW0E7OiaQ9ayy7PJJcIlzVNuoStAX5oHSIYRYZeLWv-ye3cOXkLidNOXdCOk8zXwZ5rkWfSIIbXXKzvVnoMUgm_ymDLGgxO5XqWucmVs-f_RB3BLrDL_XeVuI1Wg/s1600/P2090019.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgQaIuZMfh-b1FaJrRHW0E7OiaQ9ayy7PJJcIlzVNuoStAX5oHSIYRYZeLWv-ye3cOXkLidNOXdCOk8zXwZ5rkWfSIIbXXKzvVnoMUgm_ymDLGgxO5XqWucmVs-f_RB3BLrDL_XeVuI1Wg/s320/P2090019.JPG" width="320" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;"><b>(The sun wasn't working with the camera, so sorry)</b></div><br />
This first one I found on a web search and was pleasantly surprised at how flavorful it was. The ladies who posted this one on About.com did a wonderful job. Click the recipe name to see how it was originally.<br />
<br />
<div style="text-align: center;"><b><a href="http://kosherfood.about.com/od/koshermeatrecipes/r/marinade_pargiot.htm" target="_blank"><span style="color: red;">Hebrewed Marinade</span></a></b></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhEuFCZ2BG7L6Q2l1zvxa9Q6kyfbldO43ERnSmRI1pI0Dxg2A4ZMG713bT712fEoMfWsM0e-nOH9Ulof2cN0msCEeI29dlEATpMInKuIP0eoKp-VHx0RiCsqm_vF3iJovH6rXMXvj_eQxY/s1600/Hebrew.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhEuFCZ2BG7L6Q2l1zvxa9Q6kyfbldO43ERnSmRI1pI0Dxg2A4ZMG713bT712fEoMfWsM0e-nOH9Ulof2cN0msCEeI29dlEATpMInKuIP0eoKp-VHx0RiCsqm_vF3iJovH6rXMXvj_eQxY/s320/Hebrew.JPG" width="320" /></a></div><b><br />
</b><br />
<b>2 pounds boneless, skinless Chicken Thighs (pargiot in Hebrew)</b><br />
<b>1/2 cup Vegetable Oil</b><br />
<b>1/4 cup Red Wine Vinegar</b><br />
<b>1/4 cup Soy Sauce</b><br />
<b>1/4 cup Lemon Juice</b><br />
<b>1 tbsp Mustard</b><br />
<b>1 tbsp Parsley, fresh and chopped</b><br />
<b>2 tsp Garlic, minced</b><br />
<b>1/2 tsp Crushed Red Pepper</b><br />
<br />
1) In a bowl, mix all marinade ingredients.<br />
<br />
2) Rinse under cold water and pat dry the chicken. Place the chicken on a zip lock bag and pour in marinade. Place in refrigerator over night.<br />
<br />
3) Preheat grill (medium) to 325°F (170°C).<br />
<br />
4) Remove chicken thighs from marinade, but don't discard marinade. Grill over medium heat for 5 minutes. Turn the chicken pieces over, brush them with marinade, and grill until they test done (about another 3-6 minutes).<br />
<br />
The next one I found again on About.com (they have some really good cooks on this site!) and fell in love. Well, if you know me, you know how much I LOVE Asian foods! Give the name a click to check them out!<br />
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<div style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://chinesefood.about.com/od/chickenrecipes/r/ginger_chicken.htm" target="_blank"><b><span style="background-color: white; color: red;">Asian Ginger Marinade</span></b></a> </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjSKY2V1JluhSVOQVGLr1NqLFGdQovZyJac2ObO9fi01f_Zw7ovdzhAcexvQ2Q6gttAvkUh9DKJoGzDU4LqfIv35U5ait_e5nFx_joql4auP5yg5bcf1jsgA_A1uLaPot43cxoRRyUXScw/s1600/Asian+Ginger.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjSKY2V1JluhSVOQVGLr1NqLFGdQovZyJac2ObO9fi01f_Zw7ovdzhAcexvQ2Q6gttAvkUh9DKJoGzDU4LqfIv35U5ait_e5nFx_joql4auP5yg5bcf1jsgA_A1uLaPot43cxoRRyUXScw/s320/Asian+Ginger.JPG" width="320" /></a></div><br />
1 1/2 pounds Chicken Thighs, boneless, skinless<br />
4 tbsp Rice Wine Vinegar<br />
4 tbsp Soy Sauce<br />
2 tbsp Sesame Oil<br />
1 tsp Ground Ginger<br />
2 tsp Garlic, minced<br />
2 Scallions (green onions, spring onions), finely chopped<br />
2 tsp Brown Sugar<br />
1 tsp Crushed Red Pepper, or to taste<br />
<br />
1) Rinse the chicken thighs under cold running water and pat dry with paper towels.<br />
<br />
2) In a medium bowl, whisk together the vinegar, soy sauce and sesame oil. Whisk in the ginger, garlic, scallions, brown sugar and crushed red pepper.<br />
<br />
3) Place the chicken thighs in 1 large resealable plastic bag and place in a bowl. Add the marinade, reseal the bag and marinate the chicken in the refrigerator over night, turning occasionally. (If needed, use 2 small resealable bags and divide the chicken and marinade between them).<br />
<br />
4) Preheat grill (medium) to 325°F (170°C). Remove the chicken thighs from the bag, reserving the marinade. Lay flat on the cooking surface and grill for 5-8 minutes then flip over and baste. Cook for another 5 minutes or until the thighs are cooked through and the juices run clear.<br />
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If you remember my Dilly of a Lemon Chicken dish a while back (and loved it) then you might recognize this marinade. I used the main flavors from it to create this following marinade. A light, dilled flavor to tickle the taste buds!<br />
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<div style="text-align: center;"><b><span style="color: red;"><a href="http://westtexasgourmet.blogspot.com/2012/01/dilly-of-lemon-chicken.html" target="_blank">Dilly Lemon Grill</a> </span></b></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiNFt6ObYgWvhCgaC3PxZJkpfMHZi_LC_CxWofIe1ox8rxvdpBjDkc7Ljb2FHpIygReN2iOFEwhaT575vLxVbvFUNJadnnPo-b5WY5r6_kTlNfnTrrpJGbF3ANTurqK0PgovcXW1auwmhE/s1600/Lemon+Dill.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiNFt6ObYgWvhCgaC3PxZJkpfMHZi_LC_CxWofIe1ox8rxvdpBjDkc7Ljb2FHpIygReN2iOFEwhaT575vLxVbvFUNJadnnPo-b5WY5r6_kTlNfnTrrpJGbF3ANTurqK0PgovcXW1auwmhE/s320/Lemon+Dill.JPG" width="320" /></a></div><br />
<b>6 Chicken Thighs, boneless, skinless</b><br />
<b>1/4 cup Vegetable Oil</b><br />
<b>3 tbsp Lemon Juice</b><br />
<b>3 Garlic Cloves, minced</b><br />
<b>2 tsp Dill, dried </b><br />
<b>1 tsp Red Pepper Flakes</b><br />
<b><br />
</b><br />
1) In large bowl whisk together marinade.<br />
<br />
2) Rinse chicken in cold water and pat dry. Place in a zip lock bag and pour in marinade. Let sit over night.<br />
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3) Preheat grill (medium) to 325°F (170°C). Remove the chicken thighs from the bag, reserving the marinade. Lay flat on the cooking surface and grill for 5-8 minutes then flip over and baste. Cook for another 5 minutes or until the thighs are cooked through and the juices run clear.<br />
<div><br />
</div></div>Terri Thomashttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08909204110691507211noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-897383190657528851.post-47079710434392951122012-02-09T11:50:00.000-08:002012-02-09T11:50:24.347-08:00Unfried Chicken Chimmies!<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on"><a href="http://www.campbellskitchen.com/RecipeDetail.aspx?recipeId=25266&ref=/SearchRecipesResult.aspx%3Fq%3Dfiesta%2Bchicken%2Band%2Brice%2Bwraps%26filter%3D%26fbid%3Do6UiyPu6tJg&fbid=TtAx2w9wIsW" target="_blank"><b><span style="color: red;">Campbell's</span></b></a> has many interesting recipes that one can normally whip up with whatever you have on hand. Granted, we sometimes have to improvise here and there when it comes to certain ingredients we have on hand. When I came across this dish, it practically screamed my name. It was something I could work around my allergies as well as something my hunny would like.<br />
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This recipe serves between 4 and 6 and can easily be stretched by adding more rice to feed a larger family.<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi-MUUPehFK8kmUauZrWSWTx_iCOCyDbLOZO_iRrX4X2TaX6WRCT_Fxa1nH_hK8LjAr6KEgQTUTeZQb9fHO3xs-kwy_GDkihdc9GszwOxW-h_fFZ_CVGalT26M9HGM7E33xZ434j1LV3Wo/s1600/Unfried+Chicken+Chimmy.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi-MUUPehFK8kmUauZrWSWTx_iCOCyDbLOZO_iRrX4X2TaX6WRCT_Fxa1nH_hK8LjAr6KEgQTUTeZQb9fHO3xs-kwy_GDkihdc9GszwOxW-h_fFZ_CVGalT26M9HGM7E33xZ434j1LV3Wo/s320/Unfried+Chicken+Chimmy.JPG" width="320" /></a></div><br />
<b>1 can (10 3/4 ounces) Cream of Mushroom Soup</b><br />
<b>1 pkt Taco Seasoning</b><br />
<b>1 cup Chicken Broth (Low-Sodium)</b><br />
<b>1 Cup Water</b><br />
<b>1 cup uncooked Instant White Rice</b><br />
<b>10 Green Olives, diced</b><br />
<b>2 cups cubed cooked Chicken</b><br />
<b>1 cup Cheddar Cheese, shredded</b><br />
<b>4-6 Flour Tortillas (10-inch)</b><br />
<b>1 cup Spinach, fresh and chopped</b><br />
<b>1/2 cup Tomato, diced (Optional Garnish)</b><br />
<b>Sour Cream (Optional Garnish)</b><br />
<br />
1) In pot with lid, cook the rice in the water and chicken broth.<br />
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2) In a large saucepan, heat the soup and taco seasoning over medium heat to a boil, stirring occasionally. Add the rice, olives and chicken and stir to incorporate. Remove from heat and let stand 5 minutes.<br />
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3) Meanwhile, spray large skillet with olive oil spray and bring to a medium heat.<br />
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4) Sprinkle cheese on tortilla then layer with spinach and chicken mixture. Roll the tortillas around the chicken mixture. Place in skillet, edge side down first, and grill about 3 minutes on each side, making sure not to let it burn.<br />
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5) Move to platter and let sit 3-4 minutes before slicing them in half. Serve garnished with diced tomato and sour cream.<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhlYEF5qXuPg2hEH__4EP5vCVcaqlCw-_lYKhPp1-PXyp5AUn5pJNZuIhEqQH5T9dnX3O4Hx0vMGFjT1pPXIjM6tNjWgx6yNd9dpfgxSMv31lS0WBVjBRmCCucqkyGZdLsL-tUSo2WDuTU/s1600/Unfried+Chicken+Chimmy.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhlYEF5qXuPg2hEH__4EP5vCVcaqlCw-_lYKhPp1-PXyp5AUn5pJNZuIhEqQH5T9dnX3O4Hx0vMGFjT1pPXIjM6tNjWgx6yNd9dpfgxSMv31lS0WBVjBRmCCucqkyGZdLsL-tUSo2WDuTU/s320/Unfried+Chicken+Chimmy.JPG" width="320" /></a></div><br />
</div>Terri Thomashttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08909204110691507211noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-897383190657528851.post-71673917889104248852012-02-05T09:13:00.000-08:002012-02-05T09:13:47.291-08:00Not Quite Shepherd's Pie<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">This is a dish everyone likes... right? Wrong. My hunny doesn't like corn or peas in his dishes. Alone is one thing, but when they are mixed into something, forget it. I swear the man wasn't raised right when it comes down to food! But Shepherd's Pie is something that I love... but not something I am willing to do for just one person. So what do we do boys and girls? We improvise.<br />
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Now, for those who are trying to add more vitamins to their diet (or who just plain likes it), this is a good way to sneak in some spinach. I added a layer of whole spinach leaves between the meat and veggies. The recipe serves 6-8.<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj7_3njmv7xWaDyurJrTC7mwlbZqjSKaDiHrt-mfKUH51eNJx8wR96jxO-dM0LY8wJgaEGymWkhw90BTENI01bmYe1DtniZjYtc2woYg8zcsM1wibrXFbXkdTHzgppYkZHcIWa6zhGA5ik/s1600/food+008.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj7_3njmv7xWaDyurJrTC7mwlbZqjSKaDiHrt-mfKUH51eNJx8wR96jxO-dM0LY8wJgaEGymWkhw90BTENI01bmYe1DtniZjYtc2woYg8zcsM1wibrXFbXkdTHzgppYkZHcIWa6zhGA5ik/s320/food+008.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><br />
<br />
<b>3-4 Potatoes, peels and diced</b><br />
<b>5 tbsp Butter</b><br />
<b>1 White Onion, chopped</b><br />
<b>4 tsp Garlic, minced</b><br />
<b>2 Carrots, peeled and diced</b><br />
<b>4 Celery Stalks, diced</b><br />
<b>4-6 Mushrooms, diced</b><br />
<b>1 lb Lean Ground Beef</b><br />
<b>1 pkt Brown Gravy</b><br />
<b>1/4-1/2 tsp Cayenne Pepper</b><br />
<b>2 tbsp Parsley, dried</b><br />
<b>1/2 tsp Marjorham</b><br />
<b>2 tbp Parmesan, grated</b><br />
<b>1/2 cup Cheddar, shredded</b><br />
<br />
1) In large pot, cook potatoes in salted water.<br />
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2) Preheat oven to 350. Grease ceramic/glass baking dish.<br />
<br />
3) Meanwhile, in large skillet melt 2 tbs of the butter and saute onion, garlic, carrots, celery and mushrooms about 8 minutes, until crisp tender. Spoon vegetables into bottom of prepared baking dish and level out. Add 1 tbsp of the butter to the skillet and cook up meat, using spatula to break up. Sprinkle meat with gravy, cayenne, parsley and the marjoram, stirring frequently until no longer pink. Spoon out smooth on top of the vegetables.<br />
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4) Drain the potatoes, reserving 1/4 cup of the liquid and mash with remaining 2 tbsp of the butter and parmesan cheese. If still dry, add 1 tbsp of the reserved water at a time, mashing in between each until desired consistency. Spoon on top of meat and smooth out flat. Place in oven and bake 30 minutes unitl potatoes turn golden brown on top. In the last 5 minutes, add the cheddar and allow to melt.<br />
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5) Once baking is over, let stand 5 minutes before serving.<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjYC6IDqVIqWp-t03FOh_vyGDl8iOwpv2fGO3kJGtKth0QTdEyy8QdpctqavHvYhUSMKA_A1T57DBB6dqiePuUwwUJg3kdZLTb3NHv30FcbKdlRoU4RtoDp26lausbsrtTnvl3Niw82THc/s1600/food+007.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjYC6IDqVIqWp-t03FOh_vyGDl8iOwpv2fGO3kJGtKth0QTdEyy8QdpctqavHvYhUSMKA_A1T57DBB6dqiePuUwwUJg3kdZLTb3NHv30FcbKdlRoU4RtoDp26lausbsrtTnvl3Niw82THc/s320/food+007.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><br />
</div>Terri Thomashttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08909204110691507211noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-897383190657528851.post-71991062888001664622012-02-05T08:37:00.000-08:002012-02-10T08:28:55.921-08:00Almost Ina's Wedding Soup<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">A couple of weeks ago one of the only good places to eat at in my area closed it's doors. Not for lack of customers, the owners were just tired and had no buyers (it had been up for sale a couple of years). Now, I do not often eat out but when I do, I always loved going there just for their Wedding Soup. It was simply delish!<br />
<br />
You know what I had to do then... hit the internet for a recipe to make this soup at home. I finally found something that came close when I was watching Food Networks <a href="http://www.foodnetwork.com/recipes/ina-garten/italian-wedding-soup-recipe/index.html" target="_blank"><b><span style="color: red;">Barefoot Contessa</span></b></a> last week. Of course, I was unable to purchase the chicken sausage in my neck of the woods, as well as decent fresh herbs. But I think it still came out really well. It must be nice to have a butcher near by. Since I was unable to buy my meats in the amount she called for, I had to improvise just a bit. Same with the cheese. Although I was able to find the cheese, I was not about to pay their asking price. Remember, things out here cost 2-3 times as much as in a big city. But it came out great with all the extras after all!<br />
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The recipe below serves about 8 but with the extra meatballs, you will have your next Italian meal half way finished!<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhHS6gssyyoUugtqaik3Jzqhclta_82jhHfDRzMU1xUSGrZp3vbN4S8aGZ4fCxTCgwf9J0ahzr6m-xfBT-P641s-c9fIoYNE2_hyphenhyphen0-udwyzCkdv20l7TsVY5j-kJ14-mWcsJp6HsOIv3pg/s1600/food+003.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhHS6gssyyoUugtqaik3Jzqhclta_82jhHfDRzMU1xUSGrZp3vbN4S8aGZ4fCxTCgwf9J0ahzr6m-xfBT-P641s-c9fIoYNE2_hyphenhyphen0-udwyzCkdv20l7TsVY5j-kJ14-mWcsJp6HsOIv3pg/s320/food+003.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><br />
<br />
<b>12 oz Pork Sausage</b><br />
<b>12 oz Ground Chicken</b><br />
<b>1/2 cup Bread Crumbs</b><br />
<b>2 tsp Garlic, minced</b><br />
<b>1 tbsp Parsley, dried</b><br />
<b>4 tbsp Parmesan, freshly grated</b><br />
<b>1 Egg, slightly beaten</b><br />
<b>1/2 tsp Salt</b><br />
<b>1/4-1/2 tsp Crushed Red Pepper</b><br />
<b>2 tbsp Oil</b><br />
<b>1/2 cup White Onion, chopped</b><br />
<b>2 Celery Stalks, chopped</b><br />
<b>2 Carrots, peeled and diced</b><br />
<b>5 cup Chicken Broth</b><br />
<b>1/4 cup White Wine</b><br />
<b>1/2 cup small Pasta (stars, orzo or any other type of small/tiny pastas)</b><br />
<b>3 tsp Dill, dried</b><br />
<b>2 cup Spinach, fresh</b><br />
<br />
1) Preheat oven to 350. Line two cookie sheet with parchment paper.<br />
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2) In large bowl using a fork, mix together the pork and chicken. Add bread crumbs, garlic, parsley and parmesan; mix well. Next, add the egg, salt and pepper and mix to incorporate all.<br />
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3) Using melon baller or teaspoon measuring spoon, make small, rounded meatballs and place on prepared cookie sheets.<br />
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(Make 1 sheet small and the second sheet half small and half use a tablespoon measure to make larger meatballs to freeze for later speghetti dishes.) Bake for 30 minutes. Check larger meatballs at 30 minutes to make sure they are cooked in the middle.<br />
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4) Meanwhile, In soup pot add oil and heat over medium. Add onion, celery and carrots and saute for about 8 minutes, stirring frequently until crisp tender. Add broth, wine and pasta and stir to combine. Let cook until meatballs come out of oven, then add about 30-40 meatballs to soup. Let simmer, uncovered, about 15 minutes, stirring frequently. Add dill and simmer another 5 minutes. Add spinach, stir and serve.<br />
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</div>Terri Thomashttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08909204110691507211noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-897383190657528851.post-59517271321787510822012-01-29T09:35:00.000-08:002012-01-29T09:35:44.133-08:00Brownie Pudding<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">While watching <a href="http://www.foodnetwork.com/recipes/ina-garten/brownie-pudding-recipe/index.html" target="_blank"><b><span style="color: red;">The Barefoot Contessa</span></b></a>, I saw a mouthwatering dish she had made for her husband. Now I do love my chocolate... in ANY form, and I figured it would be something I could probably make. I saw "probably" because as I have stated before, getting certain ingredients in this area is down right impossible! Like the Vanilla Bean she calls for. The employees at the store just give you a bewildered look when you tell then "No, I do not want extract, I want the whole bean!". I used to love going food shopping. *Sigh*<br />
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But not to fear, I came up with my own version of this great dish that tastes heavenly! So grab a spoon and dig into this! It serves any where from 4 (if you really really like chocolate like I do) to 8 (for those trying not to be a pig like my dear hunny). Its easier than it looks so give it a try!<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEguJXGZKUImqy0QMseOJQXqf1x84hH1PqlZm21xwaSXAaD9adYkp9ffLCwZ3ucT0uCozPqNOavRguTwSHE5EYv_5-xWYhQQVmmV5HKfL8by0QDRX7B_SF_jBuJboz-vfJ13Tg30TaMH1wg/s1600/P1280022.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEguJXGZKUImqy0QMseOJQXqf1x84hH1PqlZm21xwaSXAaD9adYkp9ffLCwZ3ucT0uCozPqNOavRguTwSHE5EYv_5-xWYhQQVmmV5HKfL8by0QDRX7B_SF_jBuJboz-vfJ13Tg30TaMH1wg/s320/P1280022.JPG" width="320" /></a></div><br />
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<b>2 Sticks Butter, melted and cooled</b><br />
<b>4 Eggs</b><br />
<b>2 cup Sugar</b><br />
<b>3/4 cup Cocoa Powder</b><br />
<b>1/2 cup All Purpose Flour</b><br />
<b>1 tsp Cinnamon</b><br />
<b>2 tsp Vanilla</b><br />
<b>1 tbsp Red Stag (Cherry Bourbon) or Framboise (Raspberry Liquer)</b><br />
<b>Chocolate Chips (Optional)</b><br />
<b>Walnuts (Optional)</b><br />
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1) In saucepan, melt the butter and set pan aside to cool. Preheat oven to 325. Prepare 9 inch oval baking dish by greasing it, set aside.<br />
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2) In food processor cream together eggs and sugar. In medium bowl, sift together flour, cocoa and cinnamon. Back in processor, add vanilla and bourbon, pulse to blend. Slowly begin to add the dry ingredients and finally the butter.<br />
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3) Pour batter into prepared dish. Sprinkle the top with chocolate chips and nuts if desired. Set dish into a larger casserole dish and fill the larger one up with water to about the same height as your batter.<br />
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This will give it a good even baking on the edges. Bake for 1 hour to 1:15. It's done when you can insert a toothpick into the center and pull it out still wet with the edges pulling away from the sides.<br />
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</div>Terri Thomashttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08909204110691507211noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-897383190657528851.post-14621044761994854212012-01-29T08:44:00.000-08:002012-01-29T08:44:20.681-08:00Tex-Mex Lasagna<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">Ohhh lala! How wonderful is this?!? I found this recipe over at <a href="http://www.momswhothink.com/quick-and-easy-dinner-recipes/tex-mex-lasagna.html" target="_blank"><b><span style="color: red;">Mom's Who Think</span></b></a> and thought, I could do this! With all my allergies, this is something I could work with. My hunny loves Mexican food and normally only gets it on the rare chance we eat in town. I feel bad not having it here, but I am really really allergic to all peppers and onion. Pretty much takes care of all Mexican foods. This is why I have learned to improvise in all my cooking. And THIS dish allows for it! Follow the pictures to see how he was able to get everything he likes and I was able to eat without fear!<br />
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I had to separate the dish in half. On his side I placed the onion and jalapeno. My side had the black beans. And on top, I marked which side was which so I didn't make the horrible mistake of biting into his piece! You can find how it was laid out in Figure 2.<br />
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This dish is so easy too. It makes 4-6 servings and can be prepped early in the day so when you get home, all you have to do is to pop it into the oven!<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgv4JiVycz9dzECUomT1imQXQqS0xjrFQMdQ-QIFwiWUGc1AHGkzjuS4du7d4B2T-jfUwP8qoSMkiA8HDy9wl-gxfzERQsxgNEkZVs_KHcWDy-LmwwSuW-pwzBfrRpvZNpN-rlrM9xhGlI/s1600/P1280020.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgv4JiVycz9dzECUomT1imQXQqS0xjrFQMdQ-QIFwiWUGc1AHGkzjuS4du7d4B2T-jfUwP8qoSMkiA8HDy9wl-gxfzERQsxgNEkZVs_KHcWDy-LmwwSuW-pwzBfrRpvZNpN-rlrM9xhGlI/s320/P1280020.JPG" width="320" /></a></div><br />
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<b>6 Flour Tortillas</b><br />
<b>16oz Tomato Sauce</b><br />
<b>1/2 tsp Cumin</b><br />
<b>1/4 tsp Cayenne</b><br />
<b>15oz can Black Beans, drained</b><br />
<b>15oz can Whole Kernal Corn, drained</b><br />
<b>1/2 cup Chopped Spinach</b><br />
<b>2 cup Cheddar Cheese, shredded</b><br />
<b>8-10 Jalapino slices (pickled)</b><br />
<b>1/2 cup Black Olives, sliced</b><br />
<b>1/2 cup White Onion, chopped.</b><br />
<b>Sour Cream</b><br />
<b>Salsa</b><br />
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1) Pre-heat oven to 400. Prepare a 3 quart casserole dish with cooking spray.<br />
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2) Cut tortillas in half. Using four halves, line the bottom of the dish, cut sides to edges.<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEguirohA4g_0E7vNcsY2lDs3NtyYKQ1-sW9twMPuhPHJUDNUwjaknkZLjptwJxmj0i0suLQSUcbE4nA5nBYA_y_5SqPhaqa7c9ZPGO2qXRjVU2vgv_oSDSLXJS9fYlZ2pCtTJ4TEA21-D4/s1600/P1280013.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEguirohA4g_0E7vNcsY2lDs3NtyYKQ1-sW9twMPuhPHJUDNUwjaknkZLjptwJxmj0i0suLQSUcbE4nA5nBYA_y_5SqPhaqa7c9ZPGO2qXRjVU2vgv_oSDSLXJS9fYlZ2pCtTJ4TEA21-D4/s320/P1280013.JPG" width="320" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;"><b>(Figure 1)</b></div>In medium bowl blend the tomato suace with the cumin and cayenne.<br />
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3) Spread 1/3 of the sauce and on the bottom then 1/2 of each in the following order: spinach, onion, beans, corn, jalapino, olives, and onion using only 1/3 of the cheese.<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhplxdlwwa8VIVwkwYj1zEyBS4aczf_W5cRTcJ80qCQ1upkgy1BoTtDBfX6cVEwi2bGa3EcNq-jITUZo57zavZUrBQmMsspxtfT0uoxO5Wwn_g_bfhrD6vDF-3mWAzgBK1yJ3vnYYPun1I/s1600/P1280014.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhplxdlwwa8VIVwkwYj1zEyBS4aczf_W5cRTcJ80qCQ1upkgy1BoTtDBfX6cVEwi2bGa3EcNq-jITUZo57zavZUrBQmMsspxtfT0uoxO5Wwn_g_bfhrD6vDF-3mWAzgBK1yJ3vnYYPun1I/s320/P1280014.JPG" width="320" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;"><b>(Figure 2)</b></div>Then repeat with tortillas and the rest. On the last 4 tortillas, spread the remaining sauce on the tortillas topped by the cheese.<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhpCjmuXSgZTmMTHrftAyAGse1jlbC4y9WsN-0c1YT46iBcVOO-4zWHKb20unJSHlaxqUXuKGFQw9oe2TfLvcV2dc4ym5DsI5SeliFR3STZK74_QL_BixjzIiPC0VXc0eFxDshVvV7mz4Y/s1600/P1280017.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhpCjmuXSgZTmMTHrftAyAGse1jlbC4y9WsN-0c1YT46iBcVOO-4zWHKb20unJSHlaxqUXuKGFQw9oe2TfLvcV2dc4ym5DsI5SeliFR3STZK74_QL_BixjzIiPC0VXc0eFxDshVvV7mz4Y/s320/P1280017.JPG" width="320" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;"><b>(Figure 3)</b></div> Cover with foil and bake 35-40 minutes, until it has cooked through. In the last 15 minutes, remove foil so it gets bubbly. Let stand 10 minutes before serving.<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhsEk9UPeB1CTQV7OU9xkfUk-wc3enaYThGO4UApEpW3YG7hNRUmwKj-lE2zoX8th9Hy4Qp0aT4KNmZL9J_mVkb9daxUtYNHbuEB_mC5LW9BkQdgbTSg4jU34db93cGCEmt9KLesDkXeIA/s1600/P1280018.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhsEk9UPeB1CTQV7OU9xkfUk-wc3enaYThGO4UApEpW3YG7hNRUmwKj-lE2zoX8th9Hy4Qp0aT4KNmZL9J_mVkb9daxUtYNHbuEB_mC5LW9BkQdgbTSg4jU34db93cGCEmt9KLesDkXeIA/s320/P1280018.JPG" width="320" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;"><b>(Figure 4)</b></div><br />
4) Top with Sour Cream and Salsa.<br />
</div>Terri Thomashttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08909204110691507211noreply@blogger.com2