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May 31, 2009
Lunch Lady Land
I enjoyed a marathon trip to my local grocer today. Two hours of perusing each aisle, shelf-level, end-of-aisle display, refrigerator case and produce bin. Usually, when I treat myself to this kind of shopping extravaganza, I spend most of my time inspecting obscure products, mixes and other ingredients, checking their nutrition labels, reading the serving suggestions.Tonight I found some especially intriguing toys to add to my pantry shelves including these two which will hopefully debut in an upcoming blog post:
Oddly, I did most of my detective work in the canned meats section. That's right, I spent a good twenty minutes picking through row after row of potted
meats, SPAM and TREET, 30 different kinds of hot dog chili, Vienna sausages, turkey Vienna sausages (for those of you who will eat these little wienies but don't want to eat pork?), corned beef hash, and dried beef products. I concluded that while I ate several of these - ahem - interesting items as a child, they now utterly disgust me.My thoughts turned to foods I was terrified of as a small child and I realized most of them were served in the cafeteria lunch line and I has afraid of them because my fellow pupils told me they were gross. In fact, I never tried quiche, collard greens, squash, fried okra, yams, or pineapple until I was a teenager purely because my peers warned of instant death upon ingesting these things.
In honor of my childhood palate, I made a vegetable quiche tonight. Just for fun, I starred the ingredients I feared as a child. Alas, the lunch ladies were right: I was missing out on some mmm mmm good food!!
Savory Vegetable Quiche
1 9 inch pie shell
2 cups of steamed vegetables (I used yellow squash and zucchini. Asparagus, mushrooms and spinach would also be great!)
1/2 cup diced yellow onion
1 tsp olive oil
2 tbls bacon pieces (find this in the salad dressing aisle and pick the reduced fat kind!)
2 tbls fresh flat leaf parsley, chopped
1/2 cup reduced-fat cottage cheese.
4 eggs
1/2 cup skim milk
1 tbls dried Herbes de Provence
3/4 cup shredded cheddar cheese
2 tbls grated parmesan cheese
1 tsp ground pepper
1/2 tsp salt
Preheat oven to 450 degrees. Bake empty pie shell for 8-10 minutes. Remove from oven and reduce oven temperature to 350 degrees.
Slice and steam squash or other vegetables for 7-9 minutes or until slightly tender. Drain any remaining liquid from vegetables. Heat olive oil in a skillet over medium heat. Saute onions until translucent.
Combine onion, squash, bacon, parsley and cottage cheese in a mixing bowl.
Break eggs into a second mixing bowl and add milk, Herbes de Provence, salt and pepper. Beat egg mixture well.
Now to assemble the quiche!Spread shredded cheddar and grated parmesan in the bottom of the pie shell.
Top with vegetable mixture.
Pour egg mixture over vegetables.
Bake quiche in a 350 degree oven for 1 hour or until a knife inserted in the middle of the quiche comes out clean.
May 26, 2009
Great American Cookout
Well, folks, my camera is having a little trouble downloading pictures right now, but I promised you my cookout recipes. SO, here they are! I'll load the pictures as soon as possible. Enjoy!
Super-Tender Grilled Creole Chicken
4 boneless skinless chicken breasts
BRINE:
1 Quart Cold Water
3 Tbls Kosher Salt
3 minced garlic gloves
1 tsp cayenne pepper
1 tsp celery salt
CAJUN SEASONING
2:1 ratios:
2 tbls sea salt
2 tbls paprika
1 tbls garlic powder
1 tbls three-pepper blend
1 tbls cayenne pepper
1 tbls onion powder
Soak boneless, skinless chicken breasts in brine for 3-4 hours. Rub chicken breasts with olive oil and then dredge in Cajun seasoning. Grill over medium high heat about 5 minutes each side or until cooked through. Don’t over cook!
Top with Carmelized Onions:
1 large Vidalia or other yellow sweet onion, sliced
1 tbls Land O Lakes Light Butter
1 Tbls Lime Juice
¼ Tsp Garlic Salt
Heat butter in a large skillet over medium low heat. Add lime juice and garlic salt. Add onions, tossing to coat with butter and juice and allow to carmelize.
Snap Beans and Sour Cream…Sorta
3 cups of snap beans…snapped.
1/2 cup plain greek-style yogurt
½ tsp garlic salt
1 tsp minced dill weed
1 tsp lemon juice
½ tsp ground black pepper.
Using a steam basket, cook snap beans until tender. In a small bowl, combine yogurt, garlic salt, dill weed, lemon juice and pepper. Pour over snap beans and toss to coat.
All-American Potato Salad
2 lbs baking potatoes, peeled and cubed
¾ cup Light Duke’s Mayonnaise
2 Tbls yellow prepared mustard
½ cup diced sweet yellow onion
¼ cup “real bacon” pieces – go for the lower-fat version – and NO BACOHS!
Two ribs of celery finely diced
½ tsp fresh ground pepper
¼ tsp sea salt
2 tbls chopped fresh parsley
Boil potatoes in salted water for 12-13 minutes. Drain. Add all other ingredients while potatoes are still hot and mix well. Chill potato salad before serving.
Red, White and Blue Sangria
1 Bottle Dry White Wine
2 Bottles Sweet Sparkling White Wine, chilled
1 orange, thinly sliced
1 lime, thinly sliced
1 cup blueberries, rinsed and frozen
1 cup strawberries, rinsed, sliced and frozen
2 tbls superfine sugar
Combine bottle of dry white wine, orange, lime and sugar in large pitcher. Refrigerate over night. Just before serving, remove orange and lime pieces and add strawberries, blueberries and sparkling sweet wine. Stir to blend.
Super-Tender Grilled Creole Chicken
4 boneless skinless chicken breasts
BRINE:
1 Quart Cold Water
3 Tbls Kosher Salt
3 minced garlic gloves
1 tsp cayenne pepper
1 tsp celery salt
CAJUN SEASONING
2:1 ratios:
2 tbls sea salt
2 tbls paprika
1 tbls garlic powder
1 tbls three-pepper blend
1 tbls cayenne pepper
1 tbls onion powder
Soak boneless, skinless chicken breasts in brine for 3-4 hours. Rub chicken breasts with olive oil and then dredge in Cajun seasoning. Grill over medium high heat about 5 minutes each side or until cooked through. Don’t over cook!
Top with Carmelized Onions:
1 large Vidalia or other yellow sweet onion, sliced
1 tbls Land O Lakes Light Butter
1 Tbls Lime Juice
¼ Tsp Garlic Salt
Heat butter in a large skillet over medium low heat. Add lime juice and garlic salt. Add onions, tossing to coat with butter and juice and allow to carmelize.
Snap Beans and Sour Cream…Sorta
3 cups of snap beans…snapped.
1/2 cup plain greek-style yogurt
½ tsp garlic salt
1 tsp minced dill weed
1 tsp lemon juice
½ tsp ground black pepper.
Using a steam basket, cook snap beans until tender. In a small bowl, combine yogurt, garlic salt, dill weed, lemon juice and pepper. Pour over snap beans and toss to coat.
All-American Potato Salad
2 lbs baking potatoes, peeled and cubed
¾ cup Light Duke’s Mayonnaise
2 Tbls yellow prepared mustard
½ cup diced sweet yellow onion
¼ cup “real bacon” pieces – go for the lower-fat version – and NO BACOHS!
Two ribs of celery finely diced
½ tsp fresh ground pepper
¼ tsp sea salt
2 tbls chopped fresh parsley
Boil potatoes in salted water for 12-13 minutes. Drain. Add all other ingredients while potatoes are still hot and mix well. Chill potato salad before serving.
Red, White and Blue Sangria
1 Bottle Dry White Wine
2 Bottles Sweet Sparkling White Wine, chilled
1 orange, thinly sliced
1 lime, thinly sliced
1 cup blueberries, rinsed and frozen
1 cup strawberries, rinsed, sliced and frozen
2 tbls superfine sugar
Combine bottle of dry white wine, orange, lime and sugar in large pitcher. Refrigerate over night. Just before serving, remove orange and lime pieces and add strawberries, blueberries and sparkling sweet wine. Stir to blend.
May 25, 2009
REMEMBER on Memorial Day
"Memorial Day is a day of remembrance for those who have died in our nation's service. Memorial Day used to be a solemn day of mourning, a sacred day of remembrance to honor those who paid the ultimate price for our freedoms. Businesses closed for the day. Towns held parades honoring the fallen, the parade routes often times ending at a local cemetery, where Memorial Day speeches were given and prayers offered up. People took the time that day to clean and decorate with flowers and flags the graves of those the fell in service to their country." (www.usmemorialday.org)
I'm not going to pretend that I can change the Hallmark-ized nature of the holidays we mark in this country. I'm not going to ask a single friend to visit a cemetery with American Flags in hand to decorate grave sites. I am, however, going to have a traditional Memorial Day cookout, with dishes selected for their traditional place on American tables and perhaps even some symoblism. I'm also going to ask my guests to pause in prayer and reflection for those who have given their lives for our freedom. Finally, I'm going to ask for the same prayers and reflection and also for support for all the men and women who've placed their lives on the line as part of our American military.
I encourage you to do the same. Take a moment out of the three-day weekend festivities to honor those who've ensured we have a day off from work...that we have work...that we have homes and cars and belongings.
Memorial Day Menu (A Nod to the All-American Cookout...but a little healthier.)
Most Tender Grilled Chicken with Spicy Onion Relish
Homestyle Potato Salad
Good 'Ol Green Beans and Sour Cream
Red, White and Blue Sangria
Recipes (with photos) will be posted on May 26, 2009 after I make 'em!
May 13, 2009
Scrimps and Maters
Sometimes my creative energy gets flowing so fast I can't stop cooking! I'll be slaving over a hot stove while a half-dozen half-eaten dishes languish in my refrigerator. Such has been my past few weeks. I hosted my pizza night and then using various leftover ingredients, became the culinary Tasmanian Devil, whirling about my house picking fresh herbs and combining ingredients I've never combined before. Unfortunately, the rest of my life (read: my job) has been just as busy, so I haven't had a chance to post.
Tonight's recipe started with the remaining tomatoes from pizza night...now my favorite tomatoes. They're Baby Roma Tomatoes and have the cutsie appeal of grape tomatoes but the savory flavor of full-grown Romas. I'm in love!
I was going to spend some good time working a recipe using these tomatoes, but then a friend stopped by for dinner and I had to crank something out quick. Chipotle Shrimp and Farfalle Pasta took me 30 minutes from fridge to table. Use Barilla Plus Pasta and you'll have a quick, healthy, and nicely spicy meal in half an hour!
Chipotle Shrimp with Farfalle
1 tbls olive oil
1 medium onion diced
1 1/2 cloves minced garlic (or about 1 tsp from a jar)
1 small can sliced mushrooms, drained
1 lb uncooked peeled and deveined shrimp
1 cup chicken broth
1/2 cup white wine
1 lb Baby Roma tomatoes, sliced
1 small can peas, drained
2-3 tbls Real Bacon bits
2 tbls Mrs. Dash Chipotle Seasoning
2 cups cooked farfalle pasta (Barilla Plus would be great!)
Rinse shrimp and coat shrimp with Mrs. Dash seasoning
Heat olive oil in a large skillet. Saute onions, garlic and mushrooms until onions are soft. Add white wine and shrimp and cook shrimp until pink.
Add chicken broth, peas, tomatoes and bacon. Bring all ingredients to a simmer for about 5 minutes.
Serve over bowtie pasta with parmesan cheese if desired.
Tonight's recipe started with the remaining tomatoes from pizza night...now my favorite tomatoes. They're Baby Roma Tomatoes and have the cutsie appeal of grape tomatoes but the savory flavor of full-grown Romas. I'm in love!
I was going to spend some good time working a recipe using these tomatoes, but then a friend stopped by for dinner and I had to crank something out quick. Chipotle Shrimp and Farfalle Pasta took me 30 minutes from fridge to table. Use Barilla Plus Pasta and you'll have a quick, healthy, and nicely spicy meal in half an hour!
Chipotle Shrimp with Farfalle
1 tbls olive oil
1 medium onion diced
1 1/2 cloves minced garlic (or about 1 tsp from a jar)
1 small can sliced mushrooms, drained
1 lb uncooked peeled and deveined shrimp
1 cup chicken broth
1/2 cup white wine
1 lb Baby Roma tomatoes, sliced
1 small can peas, drained
2-3 tbls Real Bacon bits
2 tbls Mrs. Dash Chipotle Seasoning
2 cups cooked farfalle pasta (Barilla Plus would be great!)
Rinse shrimp and coat shrimp with Mrs. Dash seasoning
Heat olive oil in a large skillet. Saute onions, garlic and mushrooms until onions are soft. Add white wine and shrimp and cook shrimp until pink.
Add chicken broth, peas, tomatoes and bacon. Bring all ingredients to a simmer for about 5 minutes.
Serve over bowtie pasta with parmesan cheese if desired.
May 3, 2009
Tour of Pizzas
This weekend I had a LOT of friends over to eat homemade pizzas. The recipe for the pizza crust is already posted in my blog, but I thought I'd share the toppings combinations I used. I'd promised my guests a tour of the different styles of European pizza and while researching these styles, I learned that I don't want to eat Dutch pizza. Ever.
However, France, Greece, Italy, Spain, and even Turkey have some pretty tasty pies. Make yourself some of my delicious crusts and then top them like this:
Top French-Style Pizza with:
Caramelized Red Onions
Sauteed Mushrooms (Baby Bellas, Wood-Ear, Button, Chanterelles)
Artichoke Hearts
French Emmental Cheese
Shredded Mozzarella
Marinara Sauce base with just a drop or two of truffle oil added
Top Greek-Style Pizza with:
Sliced Kalamata Olives
Caramelized Onions
Sauteed Spinach
Feta Cheese
Shredded Mozzarella
Marinara Sauce Base
Top Italian-Style Pizza with:
Fresh Basil
Fresh Mozzarella
Fresh Roma tomatoes
Shredded Parmesan, Mozzarella and Fontina Cheeses
Marinara Sauce Base
Top Spanish-Style Pizza with:
Chorizo Sausage
Artichoke Hearts
Onions
Tomatoes
Manchego Cheese
Shredded Mozzarella
Olive Oil and Garlic Base
Top Turkish-Style Pizza with:
Ground Lamb spiced with cinnamon, coriander and cumin
Onions
Eggplant
Feta Cheese
Shredded Mozzarella
Olive Oil and Garlic Base
However, France, Greece, Italy, Spain, and even Turkey have some pretty tasty pies. Make yourself some of my delicious crusts and then top them like this:
Top French-Style Pizza with:
Caramelized Red Onions
Sauteed Mushrooms (Baby Bellas, Wood-Ear, Button, Chanterelles)
Artichoke Hearts
French Emmental Cheese
Shredded Mozzarella
Marinara Sauce base with just a drop or two of truffle oil added
Top Greek-Style Pizza with:
Sliced Kalamata Olives
Caramelized Onions
Sauteed Spinach
Feta Cheese
Shredded Mozzarella
Marinara Sauce Base
Top Italian-Style Pizza with:
Fresh Basil
Fresh Mozzarella
Fresh Roma tomatoes
Shredded Parmesan, Mozzarella and Fontina Cheeses
Marinara Sauce Base
Top Spanish-Style Pizza with:
Chorizo Sausage
Artichoke Hearts
Onions
Tomatoes
Manchego Cheese
Shredded Mozzarella
Olive Oil and Garlic Base
Top Turkish-Style Pizza with:
Ground Lamb spiced with cinnamon, coriander and cumin
Onions
Eggplant
Feta Cheese
Shredded Mozzarella
Olive Oil and Garlic Base
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