{Fresh} Peaches & Cream Dessert

I realize this may be a little late in the season for some of you, and I apologize.  These last six weeks have been busy with potty training, swimming, school starting, you know.....LIFE.  Quite honestly, I took the pictures when I made this dessert the last time and then I got busy with back to school and her party and I just forgot.

If you still have access to some fresh peaches (or nectartines--I've made it with both and it is yum both ways!), you won't be dissapointed.  My family (immediate and extended) gave it rave reviews--which, let's face it, if they won't be honest with you, then who will?

It is perfect for the hot summer day when dessert is in order, but baking something is not.  Which is how this recipe came about--I searched the internet high and low and couldn't find something that suited my fancy because:

1.  I wanted to make a fresh peach dessert, because I had several sitting on my counter that needed to be used.  
2.  It was 90+ degrees all week and I SO was not turning on my oven.
3.  A hot dessert in 90+ degree heat does not sound appetizing.  AT ALL.

So, what's a girl to do?  Blend about five different recipes together until it suits her purposes, that's what. 

 

{Fresh} Peaches & Cream Dessert

Crust:

2 cups finely ground graham crackers (I used about 1 1/2 sleeves of graham crackers and used my food processor to grind them up)
1/3 cup of melted butter

Mix together graham crackers and melted butter until evenly coated.  Firmly press mixture into a 9x13 glass dish or pie plate (and as I was editing my photos, I realized that a pie plate would have made an even prettier presentation. Duh, Jackie!)

Filling:

Whipped Cream~

2 cups heavy whipping cream
2-3 tbsp real maple syrup (you can use powdered sugar to taste as well)
2 tsp vanilla extract
2 tsp unflavored gelatin
2 tbsp water

In a small bowl, mix together the water and gelatin.  Let sit for about five minutes.  This will allow the gelatin to "bloom."  In a separate mixing bowl, mix together the whipping cream, maple syrup or powder sugar, and vanilla extract until soft peaks start to form.  Stop mixing and test your gelatin.  It should have bloomed, but it will probably be pretty firm.  Microwave it at 5 second intervals until it softens and becomes liquid (this shouldn't take more than 5-10 seconds).  If it becomes hot, stir it until it cools to room temperature.  Start beating your cream again and when it is nearly finished, pour in the gelatin liquid while the beaters are beating the cream, so the gelatin becomes fully incorporated. 

Please know that you can substitute in a container of cool whip if blooming and whipping so isn't your style.  Just proceed with the next steps.  Just sayin.

Cream Cheese Mixture~

8 oz cream cheese, at room temperature
3-4 tbsp real maple syrup (again, you can use powdered sugar instead)
1 tsp vanilla extract

Cream together the cream cheese, syrup and vanilla extract until mixture is creamy and incorporated.  Once it is fully mixed, fold in the whipped cream mixture to the cream cheese mixture until combined.   Spread evenly over the refrigerated crust and refrigerate about 2 hours or until completely firm. 

Peach Layer:

4-5 peaches or nectarines

Pit and slice peaches or nectarines and arrange in layers on top of the cream cheese layer.  You may serve immediately or if you need to refriderate, I would suggest adding the lemon glaze on top.  It makes it look all pretty and glossy and the lemon helps the peaches to not brown and get all icky looking. 


Lemon Glaze:

1/4 cup sugar
1 1/2 tsp arrowroot powder or cornstarch
1/2 cup water
1 tbsp fresh lemon juice
zest of 1 lemon

Mix together in a small sauce pan over medium heat, stirring often.  Sugar will dissolve and mixture will became thick.  Once the mixture can coat the back of a spoon, remove from heat and let cool to room temperature.  Using a pastry brush or silicone brush, coat the peaches with the lemon glaze. 

Refrigerate until ready to serve. 

Serves 8-12. 



 

Preserving Cucumbers

I love me some fresh cucumbers.  It's funny too, because I've really only learned to appreciate cucumbers in my adult life.  I pretty much avoided them like the plague all through my childhood and throughout high school. 

However, I've always loved pickles, so go figure!  I guess a lot of people do that though, so it's probably not entirely strange. 

Anyhow, I don't know if there is anything better than fresh from the garden produce.  It just tastes....better.  I buy cucumbers here and there throughout the year (yes, I realize that's not buying seasonal!) for our green salads and there's nothing like biting into a fresh from the garden cucumber to remind you the ones you've been buying from the grocery store pretty much have little to no flavor. Plus, you appreciate the garden your dad plants for you all the more. 

Even as much as my family (yes, all three of them!) and my parents like fresh cucumbers, you can only eat so many.  And as much as I wish there was a way to preserve the cukes in their natural state, you really can't.  So making refrigerator pickles and sweet relish it is.   

And before all you sweet cucumber haters click away, let me tell you too, my husband CANNOT stand bread and butter pickles OR sweet relish.  And he raves about both of these to whoever will listen. They are both that good. 

Our former favorite landlord blessed me with both of these recipes about a year ago and I can't thank her enough. 

Easy Refrigerator Pickles 

6 cups thinly sliced pickling cucumbers (my dad planted English cucumbers and they worked just fine)
1 cup thinly sliced onions
1 1/2 cups white vinegar
3/4 cup white sugar
3/4 tsp salt
1/2 tsp mustard seeds
1/2 tsp celery seeds
1/4 tsp crushed red pepper
1/4 tsp freshly ground black pepper
4 garlic cloves, sliced

Place 3 cups of cucumbers in glass crock/bowl (I used canning jars); top with 1/2 cup of onions and repeat.  Combine vinegar and remaining ingredients in small saucepan, stir well.  Bring to a boil for 1 minute.  Pour over cukes/onions.  Let cool.  Cover and chill for at least four days to allow flavors to meld (my husband usually can't wait longer than day!).  Pickles may stored in refrigerator for up to two months. 

I've definitely stored some longer, but as always, use your best judgement.  If they smell or look or taste off, time to toss 'em. 

I know this next recipe sounds like a crazy amount of veggies, but you let it sit in a salt solution to extract much of the water out of it, and in the end it made just 7 pints of relish.  More than enough to last until next summer and even some to give away!  

Sweet Relish

Combine in a large pan/dutch oven:

8 cups ground cucumbers
1 cup ground red pepper
2 cups ground green pepper
6 cups finely diced celery
1/2 cup un-iodized table salt (I used sea salt)

Cover with tap water and let stand at least four hours.  After sitting for four hours, drain as much of the liquid out as possible.

In a seperate saucepan combine:

3 1/2 cups sugar
2 cups white vinegar
2 tbsp celery seed
2 tbsp mustard seed

Bring to a boil to dissolve sugar and then add to strained veggies and bring the mixture to a boil.  Boil for ten minutes.  Pour into hot jars, leaving 1/2 inch of head space.  Screw on lids and rings and place in water bath.  Water bath can for 10 minutes.  And remember, that's 10 minutes once it's reached a rolling boil.

Here is a great set of canning instructions if you've never canned before.  

My parents let us borrow their outdoor burner to process the water bath on.  We have a glass top stove top and I've heard that you are not supposed to use those for canning?  Anyhow, this is such a nice alternative because it can be done outside and avoids heating up the house on warm summer days! 






 

BLTs with a Blue Cheese Spread

I seriously thought a BLT couldn't be improved upon.  It's pretty much perfection in a sandwich.  Or so I thought.  As I was flipping through the pages of my newest Food Network Magazine, I saw this and thought, well, I MUST try that.  

Bacon and blue cheese are like Fred and Ginger or salt and pepper or Diet Coke and M&Ms.  Wait, you don't do that?   Oh that's right, that last one is my dirty little secret.  Well, it's certainly no secret that bacon and blue cheese are a match made in heaven and this sandwich....it just might be the yummiest sandwich this side of heaven. 

BLT Sandwich with a Blue Cheese Spread ~ adapted from The Food Network Magazine

Blue Cheese Spread

1/4 cup mayonaisse
1/4 cup sour cream
1/4 cup + blue cheese crumbles
2 Tbsp hot sauce (like Frank's)
1 small clove garlic, minced
Freshly ground black pepper (I used lots!)

Mix ingredients together until well mixed.  Add additional blue cheese crumbles or hot sauce if desired.   

Sandwiches

Bread (I totally cheated and used store bought bread--Dave's Killer Bread--have you tried this?  It's so killer, but (unfortunately!) SO pricey)
Bacon strips, cooked until crispy, but not burnt
Tomatoes, sliced (garden fresh put this over the top!)
Romaine lettuce

Toast bread slices and let cool just a bit.  Slather blue cheese spread on a toasted bread slice and layer bacon, lettuce, and tomato.  Top with remaining bread slice.  Slice in half and serve. 

♥ ♥ ♥ ♥ ♥

This recipe is linked to:

Beauty and Bedlam's Tasty Tuesday
Blessed With Grace Tempt My Tummy Tuesday
Designs By Gollum Foodie Friday
Grocery Cart Challenge Recipe Swap
Friday Potluck at EKat's Kitchen
Hearth 'n Soul Recipe Swap at Premeditated Leftovers
Miz Helen's Country Cottage Full Plate Thursday  

Tried It & Loved It: Sausage & Swiss Chard Frittata

Well, this one is just a lovely little number.  I had been wanting to try some different types of dark leafy greens (other than spinach) and when I came across this, I knew it was a perfect way to try my first encounter with chard.  Luckily, the nice produce man was there to point me in the right direction.  I had an idea of what chard looked like, but I couldn't seem to find any.  Apparently our store only sells it in the organic section.  I remember learning in my "research" that some things are actually easier to grow without pesticides because the food is so delicate, that it can't withstand all the chemicals....I am guessing Swiss chard is one of those?

Anyhow, I loved this and Hubs and Peanut both ate two slices.  I'd say I'll definitely be making this again!  (Although, I learned according to Peanut that if we have something for dinner, it can under NO certain terms be served for breakfast.  Dinner leftovers may be served for lunch, but served for breakfast?  Meltdowns of epic proportions.  Then she had no problem eating the leftovers at lunch several hours later.  Our little creature of habit. 

Sausage and Swiss Chard Frittata ~ from the Family Balance Sheet

1 Tbsp extra virgin olive oil
½ red onion, chopped (I used yellow)
1 garlic clove, minced
1 lb sausage, casings removed. (I used chicken sausage)
½ - 1 full bunch Swiss chard, washed, dried, chopped fine (mine was Rainbow Chard and it was so pretty)
6 large eggs
¾ cup Parmesan
½ cup milk (I used cream....trying to use some up)
¼ tsp pepper
¼ tsp salt

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.  Spray 9 inch pie pan with cooking spray and set aside. 

In a large saute pan over medium heat, brown and cook through sausage in olive oil.  Stir in onions and garlic and cook until onions are tender.

I cooked the chard a little different than Kristia did.  I stripped the greens off the chard stems first in order to give the thick stems a head start in cooking.  I did this by holding the stems in one hand and pulling the leaves off with the other hand.  Simply run your hand down the stems and the leaves will strip right off.  I chopped up the stems into a small dice and sauteed those with the sausage and onions until they were tender.  I then roughly chopped the leaves of the chard and added those and as soon as they started to wilt, I transferred all of it to the pie pan. 

In separate bowl, whisk eggs and stir in cheese, milk, and salt and pepper.  Pour over sausage mixture and bake for about 30 minutes or until eggs are set. 

French Dip Brisket

Slow cooker recipes are so wonderful and easy.  I use my slow cooker several times a month for either for soups or Roasted Sticky Chicken (you can make your own "rotisserie" chicken right at home--much cheaper!) and I am always on the look out for new recipes.   Rachael Ray has even started doing more of these, which I love.   So many slow cooker recipes often times call for processed ingredients (like cans cream of XXX soup or envelopes of onion soup, and while that certainly makes a meal come together fast, those aren't the best for you and we all know I try to do whole foods whenever possible) so whenever Rachael Ray does a slow cooker recipe, I make sure to pay attention.

This one she did right before Christmas and I have been wanting to try it out.  We have a ton beef of in our freezer and it was a slow cooker recipe, so it provided another way to use up some of our beef.  I was excited to say the least.  I pared it with some homemade crusty french bread and it was very, very good!  Oh, and my cut of beef wasn't actually "brisket" and it still turned out great, so it's definitely worth trying even if the only cut you have in your freezer is roast or something of that nature.

French Dip Brisket ~ from Rachael Ray

1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil (EVOO)
4 slices smoky bacon, chopped
Salt and pepper
1 beef brisket (3 pounds) (I used a three pound chuck roast)
1 large onion, thinly sliced
2-3 cloves garlic, finely chopped or grated
1 bay leaf
1/2 pound crimini mushrooms, wiped clean and quartered (I used button mushrooms, and oops! I sliced my mushrooms rather than quarter them!)
2 cups beef stock or broth
2 tablespoons fresh thyme, chopped (mine was dried)
2 tablespoons Worcestershire sauce
2 tablespoons honey

For serving:

1 loaf bread, cut into 4-inch sections, split and toasted
Sliced Swiss cheese (I used provolone)
Flat leaf parsley, chopped

In a large skillet over medium heat drizzle with EVOO.  Add the bacon to the pan and cook until just starting to crisp, about 5 minutes. Remove the bacon from the pan and drain on a paper towel-lined plate.

Return the skillet to a medium-high heat leaving in the remaining bacon fat.  Season both sides of the beef with salt and pepper and sear on all sides until golden brown, about 3-4 minutes per side.

While the meat is searing, add the reserved bacon and remaining ingredients to the slow cooker.  Season with salt and pepper and stir to combine.  Add in the seared meat to the pot and cover.  Set the timer/heat level of the slow cooker depending on the time at which you want your meal to be served, or cook until the meat is tender.

Thinly slice the beef.  To serve, place a layer of sliced beef, cooked veggies, Swiss cheese on top of a slice of the bread and broil until cheese starts to brown.  Top with chopped parsley and serve with a small bowl of juices to dip sandwich.



This recipe is linked to:

Beauty and Bedlam's Tasty Tuesday
Blessed With Grace Tempt My Tummy Tuesday
Designs By Gollum Foodie Friday
Grocery Cart Challenge Recipe Swap
Hearth 'n Soul Recipe Swap  
Life As Mom Ultimate Recipe Swap
Miz Helen's Country Cottage Full Plate Thursday 
Paisley Passions Fun With Food Friday 

Beef Kebabs

With all our beef, I am always on the look out for new and different recipes that use ground beef. This one did not disappoint and it is SO easy!  It's from the November (2010) issue of Everyday with Rachael Ray.

Beef Kebabs

1 pound ground beef
1/4 cup chopped flat-leaf parsley
1 teaspoon smoked paprika (I used regular paprika and it was fine)
Salt and Pepper

Mix all ingredients together thoroughly.  Form into 1 1/4 balls and thread onto skewers.  Grill meatballs for about 8-10 minutes until cooked through, rotating half way through. 

This recipe is linked to:

Beauty and Bedlam's Tasty Tuesday
Blessed With Grace Tempt My Tummy Tuesday
Designs By Gollum Foodie Friday
Grocery Cart Challenge Recipe Swap
Hearth 'n Soul Recipe Swap 

Chicken Pad Thai

I mentioned last week my new subscription to Taste of Home magazine, and I am loving some of the recipes!   I adapted another recipe and I think this one is just as good as last week's, if not better.  But they are both so different, I can't really decide.  Either way, this one is another keeper and I will definitely be making it again!

The original recipe called for shrimp, also adding in some fish sauce, which I think would be fabulous--I love me some shrimp!  But chicken was in the budget this week, so chicken it was!

 Chicken Pad Thai - adapted from Taste of Home's Shrimp Pad Thai, August & September 2010

4 oz. rice noodles
1 cooked chicken breast, cubed or shredded
2 tsp. sesame oil
1/2 cup chopped onion
1 garlic clove, minced
1 egg, beaten
1/3 cup rice vinegar
1/4 cup sugar (I used dehydrated cane juice)
1/4 cup soy sauce
1/4 cup peanut butter
1 tbsp. chili sauce (I used Sriracha Hot Chili Sauce)
3 cups shredded cabbage
4 green onions, thinly sliced (both greens and whites)
Salted Peanuts
Fresh cilantro, chopped

Cook rice noodles following package instructions. Over medium heat, in a large skillet, saute onion until tender.  Add garlic and cook until fragrant.  Add beaten egg and saute until egg is fully cooked.  Add in vinegar, sugar, soy sauce and peanut butter.  Cook until a creamy sauce has formed.  Mix in cabbage, green onions, chicken, and cooked noodles and heat through.  Serve with peanuts and chopped cilantro for garnish. 


This recipe is linked to:

Beauty and Bedlam's Tasty Tuesday
Blessed With Grace Tempt My Tummy Tuesday
Grocery Cart Challenge Recipe Swap
Hearth 'n Soul Recipe Swap  
Life As Mom Ultimate Recipe Swap

Pork Chops with Honey Mustard Gravy

I realized I have been making these pork chops for a while and have never shared them before. They are really good and they come together really easy, which when you have a hungry Peanut, makes dinner time much, much smoother. (She is so impatient when she is hungry....I have no clue where that comes from. None.)  The recipe comes from Rachael Ray, but she also serves them with an apple coleslaw, which I have never done--although, it sounds delicious, so I really don't know why I've never done it that way.

And I personally wouldn't call it a "gravy," and although very good, even letting it reduce for quite a bit longer than directed, the sauce wasn't gravy-like.  It was, well, saucy.  But the saucy-goodness was just that--good, good, good.  The Peanut even had seconds of both the broccoli and pork. 

(and I apologize for the less than stellar picture....apparently the pink plate did no service for the pork chops, which I assure you is cooked through...despite the "pink" tinge)

Pork Chops with Honey Mustard Gravy -- adapted from Rachael Ray

Boneless pork loin chops (I used bone-in--they work just as well)
Grill seasoning (such as Montreal's)
1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil (EVOO)
1/2 to 1 cup chicken stock
1/4 cup grainy mustard
1/4 cup honey
2 tablespoons cider vinegar or white wine vinegar
1 tablespoon chopped fresh thyme leaves
Salt and pepper

Sprinkle chops with grill seasoning on each side.  Heat EVOO in a skillet over medium high skillet and grill pork chops.  Brown each side for about eight minutes, or until pork is cooked through.  Remove chops from pan.

De-glaze the pan with chicken stock (if you want it thicker, I wouldn't use a full cup) and then add in mustard, honey, vinegar, and thyme.  Season with salt and pepper to taste and let reduce for several minutes.  Drizzle the sauce over pork chops. I served it with mashed potatoes, steamed broccoli, and homemade biscuits. 


This recipe is linked to:

Beauty and Bedlam's Tasty Tuesday
Blessed With Grace Tempt My Tummy Tuesday
Grocery Cart Challenge Recipe Swap
Two For Tuesdays Recipe Swap

Spicy Pickled Carrots

My husband and I used to go to this whole-in-the-wall Mexican restaurant (those are are always the best kind aren't they?) in HomeTown back during our dating days.  Inside the restaurant, next to the serve yourself condiments bar, they always had these heaping piles of spicy carrots you could munch on while you waited for your food.  My husband LOVED them. 

While watching Alton Brown (yes, I know I do that a lot) he made a very similar sounding recipe that I knew I needed to try.  The things I do for my husband.  I didn't follow it exactly (surprise, surprise!) but this is what I came up with.

Spicy Pickled Carrots - Adapted from Alton Brown's Firecrackers

1 1/2 pounds mini carrots (you could just peel your own and chop them up, however these are more uniform and will "soak" more evenly)
1 cup water
1 cup sugar
1 1/2 cups cider vinegar
1/4 cup sliced onion
1/2 teaspoon mustard seeds
1 1/2 teaspoons kosher salt
1  1/2 teaspoons chili flakes

Place carrots in a spring-top glass jar that has been rinsed clean. In a saucepan, bring the water, sugar, cider vinegar, onion slices, mustard seeds, salt, and chili flakes to a boil. Boil for 4 minutes.

Slowly pour the hot pickling liquid over the carrots, filling the jar to the top.  Allow the carrots to cool before sealing. Refrigerate for 2 days up to 1 week.  These are certainly spicy even after one day, however my husband liked the more softened texture of the carrots once they had sat about two weeks. 




This recipe is linked to:

Beauty and Bedlam's Tasty Tuesday
Blessed With Grace Tempt My Tummy Tuesday
Grocery Cart Challenge Recipe Swap
Life As Mom Ultimate Recipe Swap
Two For Tuesdays Recipe Swap

Homemade Vanilla Wafers and Banana Pudding

I was watching Alton Brown the other night and he did a show on banana pudding.  Yum!  I was intrigued from the beginning, as banana pudding/pie are a close second to my very favorite--coconut cream.  But I often opt to make banana cream because DH says he is not a fan of coconut.  But he always eats every bite he is served when I make coconut cream...hmm. 

Anyhow, this is the part I was so excited about.  Alton made his own vanilla wafers.  I KNOW.  I was so excited...it reminded me that Gayle always says that whatever you can buy in the store, somebody at some point made from scratch, so you don't have to buy XXX pre-made.  Plus, these are made from ingredients I can pronounce and they are ones that I always have on hand.  They don't look exactly like the ones you buy of course, but hey, these are way better. 

Vanilla Wafers - from Alton Brown

7 ounces all-purpose flour (if you don't have a kitchen scale, that's about 1 3/4 cups)
3/4 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
4 ounces unsalted butter, room temperature (about 1/2 cup)
3 1/2 ounces vanilla sugar (about 2/3 - 3/4 cup, and I didn't have vanilla sugar, but I did use turbinado sugar)
1 large egg
4 teaspoons vanilla extract (personally, I would put more in next time)
1 tablespoon whole milk

Heat the oven to 350 degrees.

Sift together the flour, baking powder, and salt in a small bowl and set aside. Cream the butter and vanilla sugar in the bowl of a stand mixer on medium speed for 2 minutes, stopping to scrape down the sides of the bowl after 1 minute. Add the egg and incorporate on medium speed for 30 seconds. Scrape down the sides of the mixer bowl. Add the vanilla extract and milk and blend on low speed for 15 seconds. Add the flour mixture and mix on low speed just to incorporate.

Scoop the batter in teaspoon-sized balls and arrange them on 2 parchment paper-lined half sheet pans, approximately 35 cookies per pan.  (I only got about 55 cookies and since these are made with all butter, I used my chocolate chip cookie tip and refrigerated each pan for about 10 minutes before baking.) Use the heel of your hand to slightly flatten each ball. (I forgot to do this and they turned out fine.) Bake until golden brown, about 15 to 20 minutes, rotating pan halfway for more even baking. Remove the pans to a cooling rack to cool completely before removing the cookies from the pan.

Also, if you get the chance, come join the fun at the My Baking Addiction and GoodLife Eats Holiday Recipe Swap sponsored by Beanilla.

Banana Pudding - adapted from Alton Brown

3/4 cup granulated sugar, plus 2 tablespoons
3 tablespoons cornstarch
1/4 teaspoon kosher salt
2 large eggs
1 large egg yolk
2 cups whole milk
3 tablespoons unsalted butter, cut into 6 pieces and chilled
1 1/2 teaspoons vanilla extract
45 vanilla wafers
3 ripe bananas, peeled and sliced into 1/4-inch rounds
1 tablespoon freshly squeezed lemon juice
1 cup heavy whipping cream, very cold

Combine 3/4 cup of the sugar, the cornstarch and salt in a sauce pan. Add the eggs and egg yolk and whisk to combine. Add the milk and whisk until well combined, about 30 seconds. Cook over medium heat, stirring constantly until the mixture reaches 172 to 180 degrees F, approximately 5 to 10 minutes. The mixture will begin to thicken and bubble around the edges. Remove from the heat and whisk in the butter, 1 piece at a time, being sure each piece is fully incorporated before adding the next (I added all the pieces at once, I didn't notice a difference?). Whisk in the vanilla extract. Cover the surface of the pudding with a piece of plastic wrap and refrigerate until the pudding reaches 45 degrees F, approximately 2 hours.

Toss the banana slices with the lemon juice in a small bowl and set aside.

Spread a small amount of pudding in the bottom of a 1 1/2-quart glass mixing bowl. (You can use a trifle bowl, but I don't have one and if a glass mixing bowl is good enough for Alton, it's good enough for me.) Cover with a layer of vanilla wafers, followed by a layer of banana slices. Spoon 1/3 of the remaining pudding on top of the bananas and repeat, ending with a layer of pudding.

Put the whipping cream in the bowl of a stand mixer, add the remaining 2 tablespoons of sugar and whisk just until stiff peaks form. Spoon the whipped cream over the cooled pudding and spread to cover completely. Top with any remaining cookies. Refrigerate for 30 minutes before serving.  Store, covered, in the refrigerator for up to 3 days--if it lasts that long.  :)

This recipe is linked to:

Beauty and Bedlam ~ Tasty Tuesday
Blessed With Grace ~ Tempt My Tummy Tuesday
Grocery Cart Challenge ~ Recipe Swap

My Baking Addiction's ~ Virtual Holiday Recipe Exchange

Thankful

We celebrated Father's Day on Wednesday.  DH is in management in the restaurant industry and a holiday simply means you work later that day. And work later he did--till nearly 10 when his shift ended at 8.  *Sigh*  At least he gets off Thanksgiving and Christmas.  

I knew sort of suspected that would happen, so like the good wife that I am, I reserved the special dinner I had planned that night for his "weekend" and we had leftovers instead on Sunday night.  Nice, huh?  And even as I served him his plate of heated up leftovers on Sunday night telling him we would have a special dinner later that week, he told me not to apologize.  He told me that he was telling everyone at work that every day was Father's Day at his house--because his wife get's up and makes him breakfast every morning makes him dinner every night and he gets greeted with a huge "Hi!" from Peanut every day when he gets home. 

Gosh, after that huge compliment, I felt like it was Mother's Day.  He works a 12 hour shift providing for our family, while I sit at home taking care of Peanut and serve him leftovers for dinner and he's making me feel like it's my special day.  What a great guy, huh?   

I don't deserve him. 

Soooo, on to our special weekend.  I did make the dinner I had planned on--Rachael Ray's Club Burger Sliders with Avocado Ranch Dressing, which were amazing and we had homemade potato salad.  The bread discount store had little slider buns for $0.99, so those were my inspiration.  I had always wanted to try sliders and they were yum, yum, yum.  And DH thought so too.  I won't mention how many he sampled. 

It was HOT that day, so we had Sonic Slushes at DH's insistence (yeah, twist my arm) and came home and had an early dinner.  Once it started to cool down, we headed to the park.  It was perfect down at the park too.  It's on the river, so there was a slight breeze and it was still around 80 degrees.  Which for me is good, because I only start to thaw at 75 degrees.  Or so DH and my Dad say.  The air smelled so sweet, which was due to the blossoms on the trees, but due to my lack of botanical knowledge, I can only share a picture....

The Peanut and DH played around and he taught her to "race" to get the ball.  She had so much fun.  She insisted on many "wees" which is where she walks hand in hand with us and we lift her up. 

She would do that the entire time if we let her.  

Still working on those manual camera settings.  I took some good ones in the shade and got lots of overexposed pictures in the setting sun.  But practice makes perfect, right? 

Peanut got to run around to her heart's content and share lots of special moments (and kisses) with her Daddy. 

That makes for a pretty special Father's Day, don't you think?

Lemon Penne with Ham and Spinach

This is another recipe inspired from Rachael Ray.  I was looking for recipes to use leftover ham and I came across this one in one of her magazines several months back.  I thought it had an interesting mix of flavors and I had everything on hand that the recipe called for--so it was a winner already.  As we were eating it the first time I made it, I was still stuck on the fact that it was mixing lemon and ham.  Lemon and chicken?  Sure, I get that.  But lemon and ham isn't something you come across too often.

And then it hit me.  It's a twist off of Egg's Benedict.  A traditional hollandaise sauce includes eggs, lemon, and butter served over Canadian bacon, poached eggs, and an English Muffin.  Duh!  Why didn't I see that before?   The lemon and ham totally made sense after that!  I am so glad I made that connection, because it was really bugging me.  

The original recipe calls for escarole, but that's expensive and I always have the boxes of frozen spinach on hand, so I used that instead.  It turned out really well--in my humble opinion.  :)

Lemon Penne with Ham and Spinach

1 pound whole wheat penne pasta
1 box chopped frozen spinach, thawed, drained and squeezed dry (I like to do this in a tea towel--works really well)
2 Tbsp extra virgin olive oil
2 cups cubed ham
1 clove garlic, minced
1/4 tsp crushed red pepper (+ more for serving if you like a little extra kick like my husband does)
3 large eggs
3 Tbsp lemon juice
1/2 cup Parmesan cheese, divided
Salt and Pepper

Cook penne pasta according to package directions.  Reserve 1 cup of pasta cooking water when draining pasta. 

While pasta is boiling, heat olive oil in large sauce pan and add garlic and ham.  Heat until fragrant and mix in spinach, separating as needed.  Stir in crushed red pepper and cooked pasta.  

In a separate bowl, beat eggs together and add in lemon juice and 1/4 cup of Parmesan cheese.  Slowly whisk in 1/2 cup of reserved pasta water.  Stir in egg mixture into pasta and cook, stirring over low heat, until the cheese is melted and mixture is creamy.  Stir in remaining pasta water and season with salt and pepper.  Serve and top with remaining cheese.



This recipe is linked to:

Beauty and Bedlam's Tasty Tuesday
Blessed With Grace Tempt My Tummy Tuesday
Grocery Cart Challenge Recipe Swap

My Proudest Culinary Moment Yet

When life gives you extra lemons to use up....you make lemon meringue pie. 

At least that's what I did.  

I don't know if it's the fact that I made this pie or that I made this pie and entertained a 21 month old at the same time...either way, this was fabulous.  Of course, I didn't follow it exactly--when do I ever?  I made a different crust recipe, one of my own making, that used butter instead of shortening.  Let's just say it didn't work out as I had hoped.  It tastes just fine, but it kind of shrunk when baking.  I'm gonna have to break down and buy some lard.  Ewww...it's not that I am opposed to it, but it's lard.  Kinda creeps me out.  But if Julia used it and lived until she was over 90, there must be something to say of using God given fats as a opposed to man created fats.  Anyhow, I digress...

So as I making this,

...she was playing with this,

and this...

....it is hard to find things in my kitchen gadgets that are safe for her to play with.  But the measuring spoons were a hit.  Who knew? 

Coconut Chicken & Rice

I am always on the look out for new chicken recipes, so when I found this recipe from Rachael Ray, I knew I had to try it.  Of course I improvised and adapted the recipe for our family, so I can sort of claim it as my own.  Sort of.  But it was definitely inspired by Ms. Ray and she always encourages improvisation, so that's just what I did.

 



























Coconut Chicken & Rice (inspired by Rachael Ray's Coconut Chicken Cutlets)

2 cups rice, white or brown (cook in rice cooker or according to package directions)

2 chicken breasts (sliced in half, so you have four "thin" breasts), slightly pounded
Salt and pepper
3/4 cup flour
1 egg
1/2 cup breadcrumbs
1/2 cup grated unsweetened coconut
1 to 2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil

3/4 cup apricot/pineapple preserves (RR's recipe calls for pineapple preserves.  I searched high and low here in Smalltown to find nada--I found them online, but I wasn't about to pay for shipping too!  This way turned out just as well.)
1 can diced chilies (4 oz.)
1 to 2 tablespoon rice wine vinegar
1 to 2 tablespoons chicken stock

2 scallions, whites and greens sliced

Sprinkle salt and pepper on each side of each halved and pounded chicken breast. 

Have 3 dishes for coating the chicken.  One for flour, one for the beaten egg (also include a splash of water to thin it down), and the last dish for the breadcrumb and coconut mixture, which should be mixed evenly. 

Heat the EVOO in a large skillet over medium heat.  Coat each piece of chicken first in flour, then in egg, then in the breadcrumb and coconut mixture.  Pan fry until deep golden in color on each side, until thermometer reads 165 degrees or until chicken is no longer pink and juices run clear. 

In a seperate pan, over medium heat, stir together preserves, chilies, vinegar, and chicken stock.  Reduce until thickened, about 5 minutes.* 

Serve the chicken over rice, drizzling the sauce on top.  Sprinkle green onions for garnish.  We had a green salad for a complete meal.

*My husband is a saucy guy, so you may prefer to make a larger amount of the sauce for drizzling. 



This recipe is linked to:

Beauty and Bedlam's Tasty Tuesday
Blessed With Grace Tempt My Tummy Tuesday
Grocery Cart Challenge Recipe Swap   

Homemade Ranch Dressing

My mom made this during our Mexican feast last weekend and it is soooo good.  Plus you can totally do it with pantry ingredients and it is still very, very good.  It is from the Chevy's Fresh Mex Cookbook, and like the marinade I posted awhile back, this is delicious! 

El Ranch-O Dressing--from Chevy's Fresh Mex Cookbook (sidebar on right)

***I adjusted this recipe to what I had on hand--my mom made it according to the recipe-yum! and I made it to what I had on hand--still just as yum!***

1 cup buttermilk (you can make your own if you don't have any)

1 tablespoon freshly squeezed lime juice (didn't have it, used lemon juice from fridge--yes, Mom, I know this is a no no)

1 tablespoon minced cilantro (didn't have it, didn't add it)

1 teaspoon minced fresh oregano (used dried)

1 tablespoon minced yellow onion (used red--it's what I had out at the time)

2 teaspoons minced garlic

1/2 teaspoon salt

2 teaspoons black pepper

1 1/2 cups mayonnaise

Combine the buttermilk and all dry ingredients, whisking until combined.  Add the mayo and whisk until smooth.  Cover and refrigerate for 1 hour to develop flavors.  The dressing will keep up to one week in an airtight container. 

This recipe is linked to:

Beauty and Bedlam's Tasty Tuesday
Blessed With Grace Tempt My Tummy Tuesday
Grocery Cart Challenge Recipe Swap   
Life as Mom Ultimate Recipe Swap  

Aqua Negra Marinade

This recipe comes from the Chevy's Restaurant Cookbook. It is so easy and tastes really good on both chicken and beef. I am sure it would good with pork as well. Just haven't tried that yet. We had a Mexican theme for the Peanut's birthday party and this was one of the recipes I used. Sorry, no picture...but let me assure you, it is always a hit.

Aqua Negra Marinade

1 cup soy sauce
2 cups pineapple juice (frugal tip: save your juice from your tidbits and rings and freeze until needed)
2 tablespoons cumin
2 teaspoons garlic, minced
1/4 cup fresh lime juice

Mix ingredients and marinate your cut of meat for several hours to overnight. Grill meat as desired. Enjoy!

This recipe is linked to:


Life As Mom Ultimate Recipe Swap