The Chef In My Head

Beer-Eyed Blackeyed Peas

2012-01-01T08:28:00.000-06:00

For the last couple of years, we have been lucky enough to have my sister's family here for Christmas and New Year's along with my parents. My family is completely nuts, so the fun and good times just keep coming! My brother in law, Jeff, is an great cook! He will stand in the kitchen for hours over a big pot of gumbo, soup or in this case an awesome pot of fresh black eyed peas sure to bring in a prosperous and happy new year. Give him a "beverage" and sports on the kitchen TV, and he's good to go! I think most of us eat black eyed peas, not because we actually like them, I think we eat them because we are afraid not to. In this case, we love them! As you will find, it is all in his technique.

Here's my Amaaaazing Brother-In-Law Jeff's Black Eyed Pea Recipe.

I don't really follow recipes ...even when I write them... so this recipe from last year's batch is still just a "suggestive course of action". - Jeff

Black Eyed Peas

2 lbs dried black eyed peas
1 medium sized ham with bone
12 12 oz beers, on ice in cooler, placed near cooktop
3-4 medium onions
3-4 green bell peppers
1 bunch of celery
3 cloves of garlic
2 jalapenos
1 tspn chili powder
1/2 tspn cayenne pepper
1/2 tspn Tony Chachere's
1/4 tspn cumin

Directions:

Open 1 beer and drink half and set aside remaining beer.

Stock: Cut meat from ham and set aside. Place ham bone in large pot and cover with water. Add 1 onion, quarterd; 1 stalk celery cut into thirds, garlic and half of each spice. Bring water to boil until all remaining ham on the bone has fallen off, ~~approximately 1-1 1/2 hours~~ 2-3 beers.

Place black eyed peas in second large pot and add stock until roughly half inch above black eyed peas. Dice remaining onions and celery and bell peppers and jalapenos, add to pot and add remaining spices. Bring to a boil, then reduce heat to medium keeping pot somewhere between a simmer and a rolling boil. Stir often until liquid reduces to level of black eyed peas, which should take approximately ~~30 minutes~~ 1 beer. Slice ham that was cut from the bone into generous bite sized pieces and add to pot. Repeat the process of adding stock and reducing until black eyed peas are tender and stock thickens to liking. About half way through the cooking, add the half beer left over from the beginning. Overall, the process typically takes ~~3-4 hours~~ 6-8 beers.

Control heat with additional cayenne or hot sauce of your choice. Serve in bowl over a large scoop of rice.

Open second 12 pack.

Beer-Eyed Black-Eyed Peas featured on Craft Beer!

2012-01-01T08:23:00.000-06:00

HAPPY 2012!!! The follow post was originally from 2011 but so delicious it made it re-post worthy!! These really are the very best Black-Eyed Peas I've ever had. Special thank you to my awesome brother-in-law, they were lovingly made and enjoyed by all.

Happy New Year! ~Leslie

PS 2011 was a fantastic year although I failed miserably at consistent blogging! What is that saying??? Don't change your goal, just your time frame ;)

Happy New Year to all!!! It's been crazy but it's been fun and we are really looking forward to an awesome 2011! New Year's Resolution.....to blog on a consistent basis!

Check this out Beer-Eyed Black-Eyed Peas , my brother in law's awesome recipe I posted for the 2010 New Year was requested to post on Craft Beer's website. I was super excited to be asked and it's fun being featured on a public website.

Please be sure to check out the original recipe on my sidebar, they left the really good (and important) parts!!

Visualize your 2011 and go for it!

Southern~Inspired Crawfish Fettuccini

2011-12-10T14:07:00.001-06:00

Crawfish Fettuccine

Rich and delicious, crawfish in spicy cheese sauce in this Southern-inspired recipe!!

Crawfish Fettuccine

The Chef In My Head

Serves 4

1/2 C Butter

1 large clove garlic, minced

3 large shallots, sliced

4 green onions, chopped

1/4 pound sliced fresh button mushrooms

1/4 pound sliced fresh shitake mushrooms

3 T. flour

1/2 C dry white wine

3/4 C half-and-half cream

2 jalapenos, minced

1 C mozzarella cheese, shredded

1 (16 ounce) package cooked and peeled whole crawfish tails

1/2 tsp Creole seasoning (such as Tony Chachere's)

sea salt and fresh ground black pepper to taste

1/4 C Parmesan cheese, or to taste

1/2 (16 ounce) package fettuccine pasta

Melt butter in large pot over med-high heat. Stir in the garlic, shallot, onion, jalapeno and mushrooms. Saute until translucent. Add flour and saute for a 1-2 minutes to cook off raw flour taste. Deglaze pan with white wine. Add half-and-half and mozzarella cheese, season with Creole seasoning, salt and pepper; reduce heat, cover and simmer 15 minutes.

Fill a large pot wit lightly-salted water and bring to a rolling boil. Stir in the fettuccine and return to a boil. Cook according to package directions. Drain well. Serve the crawfish over the hot pasta.

Enjoy!

Add a fresh salad and crusty French bread and you have a beautiful meal!

Antipasto Kabobs

2011-12-07T21:05:00.000-06:00

Too Easy and Too Delicious

Quick and easy, you can prepare ahead and beautiful on your appetizer table! Really this is almost embarrassing to post. Here you go!

Cherry tomatoes, different colors if you can get them

Marinated Mozzarella balls, from Costco

Marinated Green Olives stuffed with garlic and jalapenos

Kalamata Olives

Marinated Artichoke Hearts

Sliced Pepperoni

Sliced Salami

Sliced Prosciutto

Sliced Pancetta

Fresh Four Cheese Tortellini, (Bertolli Brand) boiled 4-6 minutes

Balsamic Vinegar Dressing, I like Newman's Brand

Extra Virgin Olive Oil

4-inch long picks or skewers

Boil tortellini, drain well, and allow to cool slightly. Place tortellini in large zip lock bag, pour dressing over pasta and refrigerate for at least a couple of hours.

Using all remaining ingredients along with the tortellini, assemble kabobs. Place on serving tray and serve.

Can be made a day ahead, covered and refrigerated.

Beefsteak Tomato with Goat Cheese & Arugula Salad

2011-11-18T08:44:00.000-06:00

Beefsteak Tomato with Goat Cheese and Arugula Salad

So I will admit it, I have a bit of a crush on Michael Chiarello. I love his lifestyle, I mean really, who wouldn't want to live in the beautiful wine country? I love his entertaining, and I want to be invited to one of those fabulous alfresco dinners and of course, I LOVE his food!

This is one of his recipes that I tweaked a bit based on my ingredients I had on hand. It was a great success and we agreed we could just skip the rest of the meal (that was before they ate my cedar plank salmon, coming in a post soon!).

Beefsteak Tomato with Goat Cheese and Arugula Salad, adapted from Michael Chiarello

The Chef In My Head

4 servings

1/2 C Panko bread crumbs

Salt and freshly ground pepper

1/2 tsp water

1 egg

4 rounds fresh goat cheese, about 2 ounces each

4 thick, ripe beefsteak tomato slices

2 tsp extra-virgin olive oil, plus more for the salad

2 C arugula

Red wine vinegar

In a small, shallow bowl, mix the panko breadcrumbs with the salt and pepper to taste. Add the water and work it in with your fingers to moisten the crumbs lightly. In another small, shallow bowl, beat the egg just until blended.

Dip one flat surface of each goat cheese round in the egg, and then in the breadcrumbs, patting the crumbs in place. Repeat on the other flat surface. Refrigerate the coated cheese rounds for about 15 minutes.

Center the tomato slices on 4 salad plates. Season with salt and pepper.

Heat a large nonstick skillet over moderately high heat. Add the 2 tablespoons olive oil. When the oil is almost smoking, add the cheese rounds. Cook until lightly browned, about 45 seconds, then turn and cook until the cheese just feels quivery, about 45 seconds longer. Place a cheese round on each tomato slice.

In a bowl, toss the arugula with a splash of red wine vinegar, and light drizzle of olive oil, and salt and pepper to taste. Mound the arugula on top of the cheese, dividing them evenly. Serve immediately.

Delicious!! The warmth of the goat cheese, the cool of the tomato and the slightly bitter taste and crispness of the arugula. Oh My!

Stuffed Grilled Jalapenos, aka Bullets

2011-10-22T15:25:00.001-05:00

These are amazingly good!! This is a recipe from my sweet friend Vernell. You may remember her, I've swiped recipes from her before such as her Bacon Wrapped Apricots Stuffed with Almonds. Then there is her sister Nina that I have swiped the world's greatest dip, my absolute favorite Radish & Jalapeno Dip. These girls can party like rock stars and they are understandably great at party food!

So here's the scoop on the prep for these fabulous appetizers. I promise they will be a huge success for any event! Which by the way, if you have any left over, although I can't imagine that, they would be out of this world diced up and added to scrambled eggs the next morning for breakfast. Damn that sounds good!

The amounts are all estimates, just adjust to the number of folks you are serving. This amount served about 12 to 15 people. Make more than you think you will need!! They are terrific!

Vernell's Rockin' Awesome Jalapeno Bullets

30 fresh jalapenos
2 pounds of breakfast sausage
2-8 oz. packages of cream cheese
2 pounds thin sliced bacon, cut in half

Cut off the stem end of the jalapenos and discard. Slice whole jalapenos down the middle lengthwise. Remove seeds and veins. Good idea to use gloves for this part (Thank you Nancy!)
Take about 1 Tablespoon of cream cheese and wrap/mold about an ounce of sausage around the cream cheese. This will help retain the cheese while grilling.
Place sausage/cheese filling into 1 half of jalapeno and cover with remaining half. Gently press two halves back together to reform whole jalapeno.
Wrap 1 half of the slice of bacon around the reconstructed jalapeno and secure with wooden skewer.
Grill over low-med heat grill, or bake in oven at 350 degrees until bacon is crisp and sausage is cooked through. This should be about 30-45 minutes.

Best consumed with an ice cold brew!

Enjoy!

Fresh Applesauce in 10 Minutes!

2011-05-29T11:23:00.000-05:00

Delicious Applesauce!

I typically buy large bags of apples and then supplement with a variety of seasonal apples such as Honey Crisp (our son Collin's favorite). We do quite a bit of juicing vegetables with fruit for healthy drinks, a great way to get all your veggies and fruit in one drink. Since we always have an abundance of apples I wanted to try my hand at homemade applesauce. Thankfully, I ran across our buddy Alton Brown's 10 Minute Apple Sauce. It appealed to me for obvious reasons; it only takes 10 minutes to cook and because I could do it in the microwave. It's 100 degrees outside, no need to make it hot inside too.

Alton's recipe called for cognac or brandy. I had Pomegranate Liquor on hand and loved the idea of combining it with the fresh apple flavor. It was spot on and delicious! Super fast applesauce, served hot or chilled for later use!

Fresh Applesauce in 10 Minutes! adapted from Alton Brown

The Chef In My Head

Serves 1 quart

3 large Golden Delicious apples, peeled, cored, and quartered

3 large Honey Crisp apples, peeled, cored, and quartered

1 C unfiltered apple juice

2 T Pomegranate Liquor

2 T unsalted butter

3 T Honey

1/2 tsp ground cinnamon

In a sealable microwave-safe container, combine apples with all other ingredients. Close lid, leaving one corner of lid open to allow steam to escape. Microwave on high for 10 minutes.

Using a hand blender or potato masher, blend to desired consistency. Serve hot immediately or chill for later use.

Spectacular European Vacation & Creamy Radish Soup

2011-05-21T13:58:00.001-05:00

Our dear and amazing friends August and Emil just returned from a fabulous, once in a lifetime European vacation!! Not exactly once in a lifetime for them since they have both lived and traveled all over Europe and yes, I am ridiculously pea green with envy. I have lived vicariously through them for the last month as I have raced to the mailbox each day anticipating another postcard. I was most happily rewarded!

See what I mean?!

They have been home just a couple of days and this is what I received in my inbox, you gotta be kidding me, you think they would be just a little tired:

"Well our European tour has ended and we are home safe and sound. What an adventure we had!

Our garden is just amazing and producing tons of great veggies. Today I made a radish soup and wanted to share the recipe with you, in case you have radishes in your garden........this soup is so yummy. My Mom used to make it all the time."

Fresh bounty from their garden

Creamy Radish Soup, Emil Friesenhahn
The Chef In My Head

12 Radishes
1 large white onion
2 cups chicken broth
1 cup water
2 bay leaves
1 Big sprig of thyme
3 tablespoon butter
3 tablespoon flour.....I used HEB frying flour with all the wonderful spices in it
2 cups 2% milk........use half and half if you want richer soup...it is great with 2%
1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce
salt and pepper if you use regular flour, omit if you use the frying flour

Chop the radishes, bay leaf, thyme and onion and cook in the chicken broth and water, cook until radishes and onion are soft. Remove the bay leaf and thyme stem. Put radishes and onion in food processor and puree. Return them to the broth

Sooo pretty!

In a separate pan melt the butter and add flour to make a rue, cooking about one minute. Slowly add milk, stirring until smooth. Add radish mixture, Worcestershire sauce (and salt and pepper if using regular flour)

This soup is so yummy and smells delightful when you are cooking it. If you want to get fancy you can cook some of the radish tops and puree them separately and swirl into the top of the soup.

Mr. Fancy Pants Emil, that's IMPRESSIVE!!

Hope to see you soon, drink some wine and tell stories about the trip..........after a tour of the garden of course!

Love you.......Emil

Well Emil, we love you too and can't wait to see you, look at all your pictures, listen to all the fantastic stories and hear every tiny detail about all the amazing food you had!!!
Love you more ;-)
Leslie Michele

Honey White Wine Sangria and Buzzing Bees!

2011-05-10T13:34:00.001-05:00

Honey White Wine Sangria

photo by sweet friend Helen Wheeler-Shaw

Yes, It's official, we are crazy. I figure the first step to recovery is acknowledging there might be a problem.

Jess and I, along with 2 other couples ordered our honey bees and after lots of preparation and anticipation they are here and buzzing away. After a lot of discussion about the plight of the bee population, the prospect of our own honey and the bonus to our gardening efforts, we made the decision to do our part. Here's a couple of pieces about bees and how they affect all of us.

Source: Guardian.co.uk

Bees in general pollinate some 90% of the world's commercial plants, including most fruits, vegetables and nuts. Coffee, soya beans and cotton are all dependent on pollination by bees to increase yields. It is the start of a food chain that also sustains wild birds and animals.

But the insects, along with other crucial pollinators such as moths and hoverflies, have been in serious decline around the world since the last few decades of the 20th century. It is unclear why, but scientists think it is from a combination of new diseases, changing habitats around cities, and increasing use of pesticides.

Bee Decline May Spell End of Some Fruits, Vegetables

National Geographic News

Bees, via pollination, are responsible for 15 to 30 percent of the food U.S. consumers eat. But in the last 50 years the domesticated honeybee population—which most farmers depend on for pollination—has declined by about 50 percent, scientists say.

Unless actions are taken to slow the decline of domesticated honeybees and augment their populations with wild bees, many fruits and vegetables may disappear from the food supply.

Bottom line....We can make a difference and just might get some really good honey out of the deal.

My amazing husband helped by building this bee-u-ti-ful "Top Bar Bee Hive". A little different than what you might be used to, but perfect for the home beekeeper. He constructed it and I painted it.

Complete with a door and viewing window, pretty custom!!

Our friends Helen and Eddie drove to Austin to pick up all of our bees. One hive for us, two for them and two more for our friends Polly and Sam. That means 12,000 buzzing bees per hive, times 5, equals 60,000 bees inside their suburban with them. Man, that takes guts. They all arrived safely with nerves still intact, the same would not have been said for me. Cheers to Helen and Eddie!!!

The can is filled with sugar water.

It keeps them alive until they are released in their hive.

Oops, one of the little buggers got out!

So now we have to get them OUT of that box and INTO their new home. I made a little mistake and didn't order a veil and hat for myself. So that's me in my redneck getup. Jess loaned me his camo veil from his bow hunting gear and that's my cute new hat I bought while on vacation in Florida. Who knew it could double as bee gear.

We look like we are ready for a space walk.

Anyway, so we all remained calm (I practiced my yoga breathing) and got to work. It was Jess's job to do the honors of dumping the bees into their new home, pretty brave if you asked me. Did I mention we also forgot to re-order his Epipen?

Well he did it!

No mad bees attacking us, no stings and everyone looks pretty happy!

Now we wait.

As usual, that means an excuse for a party! Jess found the perfect wine for the occasion and I decided we needed White Wine Sangria to quench our thirst.

Perfect choice for the occasion!

The night before I made ice molds with fresh fruit and lemonade. It helps to keep it all chilled and when they melt they don't dilute your Sangria. Once you have made the molds ahead of time it's super easy to throw together at the last minute, just make sure all of your ingredients are chilled ahead of time.

Honey White Wine Sangria

The Chef In My Head

2 bottles sweet white wine, chilled

1 lg can frozen concentrate lemonade, prepared by recipe on can

4 oz Limoncello Liquor

4 oz Brandy

32 oz Gingerale, chilled (I used Diet Gingerale)

1/2 C Honey

Fresh or frozen fruit of your choice

I used:

Fresh strawberries

Fresh pineapple

Fresh blueberries

Fresh raspberries

Frozen peaches

Sliced lemons

Sliced limes

The day before: Prepare the lemonade and use it to make molds with some of the various fruits and freeze. I used small Jello molds that I had but you can also use small Dixie cups. Make sure all of your ingredients are refrigerated!

Just before serving: Combine all remaining ingredients, stir well and serve.

Note: I used one of the large glass jars with the spigot. You will want to have a ladle handy so you can scoop a serving of the fruit into each glass. It's pretty that way but honestly I think a punch bowl would have been just as pretty and easier to manage with the fruit.

Let's start a movement to make the punchbowl cool again!!!! Enjoy!

Stuffed Grape Leaves~ Tzatziki ~Tabouli

2011-05-08T18:13:00.000-05:00

Mark's Amaaazing Stuffed Grape Leaves

It's becoming a tradition now to pick the fresh spring leaves from our grape vines, finding just the perfect ones to make these wonderful stuffed grape leaves. Our great friend Mark has shared his recipe for these. Truly, they are the best tasting stuffed grape leaves I have ever had. All of our friends agree.

Mark and I usually make a day of it (just an expression, it only takes about an hour to roll these) and make about 125 of them, by the end of the project there are only about 100 left. The missing 25 go to us along with a few beers just to make sure they are perfect. They always are. He has graciously shared his recipe for all of us! To serve along side, I have made a Tzatziki Sauce although I have to tell you, they don't need it. They are fabulous just by themselves.

The grape leaves are picked, the hard part of the vein removed, stacked in groups of 25 then vacuum sealed and frozen for later use throughout the year. If you want to use your fresh picked leaves right away, rinse and steam them for just a moment to make them pliable. If they are frozen fresh, that will be enough to make them pliable for use and steaming them is not necessary. On the other hand; if you don't have access to fresh grape leaves; Marzetti makes a good product of grape leaves rolled and packed in brine. Just be sure to rinse them well before use.

Just place about 1/2 to 3/4 ounce of the meat filling (depending on the size of the leaf) at the stem end of the leaf. Fold leaf sides over filling and roll tightly. Place tip of the leaf side down in a large stock pot alternating the direction of the rolled grape leaf layers. You will want to place them together a little snug but not to tight, just to help keep them rolled during the cooking process.

Perfect size!

Don't be tempted to over fill them.

Stuffed Grape Leaves, Mark Cross

The Chef In My Head

Makes approx 115-125

3 pounds ground sirloin

1 pound ground chuck

2 cups uncooked long grain white rice

2 T salt

2 T freshly ground black pepper

2 T ground cinnamon

2 T ground allspice

3-15 oz bottles RealLemon Juice

2-15 oz cans dice tomatoes

1-48 oz carton good quality chicken stock

125 fresh picked grape leaves or the equivalent in jarred grape leaves

In a small bowl combine all the seasonings. Place the uncooked rice in a large bowl, combine the seasonings well with the rice. Add to that the ground sirloin and ground chuck. Using clean hands, combine the rice mixture along with the meat until distributed well. Careful not to over handle the meat/rice mixture.

Place a small amount (1/2 to 3/4 oz) of meat/rice mixture at the base of one grape leaves. Fold sides of leaf over meat/rice mixture and roll tightly. Place rolled grape leaves in large stock pot alternating their direction as you add layers. When completed; add diced tomatoes to the top of the large stock pot over the rolled grape leaves. Pour enough chicken stock to just cover diced tomatoes. Place a heat-proof plate over the surface of the tomatoes to keep grape leaves from floating as they cook. Cover with lid and cook over med heat for 35 minutes. Note: Time starts when you turn the heat on.

Remove lid and lift up one side of the plate with tongs (Be careful, it's very hot). Add lemon juice until you see it come up into the tomatoes. Replace plate, cover and continue to cook for an additional 45 minutes.

Turn off heat, remove lid and plate to allow to cool. These are terrific hot out of the pot and can be served warm or cooled. Grab a couple of ice cold beers and sample to make sure they are just perfect for your guests. You should have about a 100 left to serve to them! The tomatoes taste fabulous, be sure to serve them with the stuffed grape leaves. Enjoy!

Delicious Stuffed Grape Leaves

As I said, I made a Tzatziki Sauce. I love the fresh bright flavors of this sauce. It is a breeze to make. You will want to make it a couple of hours ahead of time to give the ingredients a chance to marry for a while. Serve chilled with Stuffed Grape Leaves, Naan Bread or any of your favorite Greek or Lebanese foods. I think this would also be a great sauce spread on bread for Cucumber Tea Sandwiches!

Cool Refreshing Tzatziki Sauce

Tzatziki Sauce (Yogurt, Cucumber, Garlic Sauce), The Chef In My Head

1-16oz container Greek Yogurt

4-6 cloves garlic very finely minced

juice of 1/2 lemon

1/2 of a large cucumber, peeled and grated

1/2 tsp kosher salt

Combine all ingredients, cover and chill until ready to serve. Enjoy!

Tabouli, healthy and bright with flavor!

Tabouli, Mark Cross

The Chef In My Head

1-1/2 C cracked wheat (Bulgar Wheat)

1/3 C ice cold water

2 packed cups curly or flat leaf parsley, washed, dried, stems removed and chopped

1/2 C small diced white onion

2 med tomatoes, small diced

1 cucumber, peeled, seeds removed and small diced

2 T chopped fresh mint or 1 tsp dried mint

1 C fresh squeezed lemon juice

3/4 C olive oil

salt & pepper, to taste

Place cracked wheat in med. size bowl. Add water, stir to combine.

Add remaining ingredients. Stir to combine. Cover and refrigerate. Prepare preferably the day before or at least 4 hours prior. Serve chilled. Enjoy!

Spring Break 2011 ~ St. George Island, Florida

2011-05-04T12:57:00.002-05:00

Happy 50th Wedding Anniversary Mom and Daddy!

We love you!

Leslie, Jess, Shane, Elise,Claire, Jeff, Jackson, & Sydney

This year's Spring Break was extra special as we were celebrating the Parental Units 50th! Destination: St. George Island, Florida located just across the bridge from Apalachicola, Florida world famous for it's fabulous fresh oysters!!

Boss Oysters

Boss Oysters is ranked as one of the top 10 oyster bars in the United States! And yes, we ate the heck out of these babies, the more Tabasco the better!! On the half-shell, fried, baked, in bisque, in gumbo, etc!

We fished and fished and fished!

Jeff, Daddy and Jess

Pompano and Claire caught in a private moment

Daddy set up a 10-hour charter for us with one of his captains and it was one of those absolutely perfect days offshore. Not too hot, great seas, ice cold beer and A/C on the boat, a spot-on Captain, a ten-armed First Mate and fish on for everybody!!!

Me in my happy place!

Thank you Summertime II, Panama City Beach, Florida!

Awesome Captain and First Mate

Me, My Amberjack and First Mate Shelley

Jess with his Amberjack

Daddy and Claire, now that's togetherness!

Daddy with his Amberjack

Go Claire, our Daddy taught his girls how to fish!!

Claire with her Amberjack

Holy Crap Jeff!!!

Huh?

Just kidding, Jeff with his Amberjack!

Claire with a gorgeous Red Grouper! YUM!

Vermillion Snapper, Amberjack, Red Grouper, Trigger

All delicious and all in our freezers!

(Check out the Amberjack on the right, he ate one of our snapper while in the fish box)

Shopping in Apalachicola

The Tin Shed, Apalachicola, Florida

Super cool shopping!

Jackson the deep sea diver

Just for you Jackson!

Fourth one down please!

And back at the sunny beach...

Jackson and Sydney excavating tunnels in the sand

Elise on a dare from Sydney

Yeah, well Elise invented tunnelling in the sand

Ta-Daaaa!

Jeff and Jess, going fishing off the beach

Sydney, I don't want to go home either.

We'll be back, I promise.

Salt of the Earth Friends

2011-03-24T08:14:00.000-05:00

Our dear and amazing friends Helen and Eddie just got home from a wonderful ski trip in Breckenridge, Colorado and brought back these wonderful salts! So sorry for the crummy picture, s-o-m-e-b-o-d-y has my camera, Elise Nicole..... :/

The fragrance of these salts is incredible, honestly can't keep my nose out of the little bags!

Black Truffle Sea Salt "Truffles are a genuine treasure imported from Italy. Fusion Black Truffle Salt utilizes the unique power of sea salt to intensify the aroma and complex flavors of the exquisite mushroom. Truffle salt is ideal with egg dishes, pasta, mashed potatoes, red meat...even on popcorn."

Hmmm, maybe my favorite goat cheese omelet?? Yes, that will be perfect!!

AND...

Black Smoked Sea Salt " Coarse Sea Salt is smoked over wood and nut shells for 1 week, then sun dried to create this wonderfully flavored salt. Used for making jerky and rubs, or in soups, BBQ sauces, stuffing. Also great on fresh tomatoes and cucumbers as well as smoked salmon."

Smoked salmon it will have to be!!! I have a beautiful piece of salmon I have been saving that a friend gave to me from his Alaskan fishing trip. Will prepare and post soon on that one!

You will have to try these for yourself, so in case you can't make it to the charming village of Breckenridge, here's their link to Spice Merchants! They also have locations in Saugatuck, MI and Ann Arbor, MI.

Helen tells me their teas are also quite extraordinary! And speaking of Helen, please stop by her website Helen Wheeler-Shaw, she is an amazing artist with an eye for beauty and the talent to capture it.

I couldn't wait to try at least one of them, so here's what I'm having for breakfast!

Goat Cheese Omelet with Black Truffle Sea Salt, The Chef In My Head

2 farm fresh eggs, (courtesy of Mother Clucker and Betty Jean, my lovely chickens) lightly beaten

1 T. unsalted butter

splash of milk or cream

fresh Thyme, Chives and Tarragon, to taste, finely chopped

2 T. goat cheese

fresh ground pepper

delectable Black Truffle Sea Salt

Melt butter on Med-LOW heat in a small skillet or omelet pan. Combine about 2 tsp. or so of the fresh herbs into the eggs and splash of milk or cream. Add eggs to the heated pan, slowly and lightly stir to evenly distribute and cook eggs, lifting the eggs a bit around the edges of pan to allow the uncooked egg underneath. When omelet is just set, spoon goat cheese onto center of eggs. Fold omelet in half over the goat cheese and slide omelet onto plate. Garnish with pepper, Black Truffle Sea Salt and fresh herbs.

Enjoy!

Damn, that was good!

Bulverde Area Art Center Show & Food

2011-03-21T10:35:00.000-05:00

Recently our new Bulverde Area Art Center hosted the first Spring Show! It was a lovely evening with lots of excitement with the unveiling of the beautiful and interesting art and the art show's winners. Please take a moment to take a look at the beautiful art!

I was asked to prepare the food, so here you go!

Baby Bells, Cherry Tomatoes, Olives

Tortilla Spring Roll Platter

The rolled tortillas were a big hit!

Rolled Tortilla Spring Rolls, The Chef In My Head

2 pkgs large tortillas (Spinach and Garlic Herb)

2-8 oz pkgs cream cheese, softened

1-4 oz pkg goat cheese

2 T Ranch Dressing mix

1 tsp sea salt

1 tsp freshly ground black pepper

1 dash cayenne pepper

1 head Romaine Lettuce, washed/dried and hard stems removed

Thinly sliced mesquite smoked ham

Thinly sliced mesquite smoked turkey

Thinly sliced Provolone cheese

Thinly sliced Monterrey Jack cheese

Combine cream cheese, goat cheese, dressing mix and seasonings until smooth enough to spread.

Spread tortillas with cheese mixture.

Layer with lettuce, your choice of meat and cheese slice.

Roll tightly and place in large freezer tightly.

Squeeze air from bag and move to refrigerator.

These can be made ahead and kept in the refrigerator for a couple of days.

When ready to serve, slice each tortilla into large bite size pieces and arrange on platter.

Enjoy!

Rolled Meats and Cheeses

For the meats rolled into cone shape with the olives, you'll find a little dab of the cheese mixture from the tortillas inside.

Assorted Cheese Slices and Dried Cranberries

Cheese and Fresh Fruit Platter

Swiss Cheese, Irish Sharp Cheddar, Edam Cheese, Green & Red Grapes and beautiful Raspberries, Blueberries, Blackberries and Sweet Strawberries!

Ta-Daaaa!

Very easy and inexpensive food for a large crowd!

Caddy Camping & A Beautiful Moon

2011-03-21T01:19:00.000-05:00

When your daughter wants you to go camping with her, you just say yes! Elise did just this a couple of days ago and wanted us to witness the beautiful moon together. Never mind that we don't actually own a tent. Our plan, if possible to really call it that, was to pack up the car with blankets and pillows. Put together a cooler with healthy snacks, fresh fruit, granola, coconut water and wine. We packed yogurt and fresh berries in mason jars. Fresh avocados and lemons, along with silver forks, spoons and knives (I said camping, but we weren't really going to totally rough it).

Saturday afternoon we headed to Enchanted Rock outside of Fredericksburg, Tx. We played around in Fredericksburg for a bit, then on to our camping destination. Well, somebody, and I won't name names, didn't think we needed to call ahead and reserve a camping site. As we found out, every Boy Scout in the western hemisphere had the same idea. Still focused on our goal, equipped with cameras, binoculars, blanket and flashlights. We started the hike to the top of Enchanted Rock. It's a beautiful hike and one worth taking!

About half way to the top!

Our beautiful moon as it first came up.

The sky was amazing with a gorgeous orange glow.

An hour or so later!

The detail is incredible!

Since Enchanted Rock was all out of camping sites we began the search for a backup plan. Why do I keep using the word "plan"? No such thing here. We began heading back toward home a little disappointed but still having fun. About 5 miles from home we happened upon a place that we see all the time as we cross the bridge over the Guadalupe River. Honestly, it always looks a party place, not exactly a place I want to spend the night. But what the heck, we could always go home. It was rough to say the least and everyone else was way ahead of us in the party department. It turned out there were DJ's under the bridge complete with a laser light show. We found our spot and set up the back of the Cadillac with our blankets, our tasty goodies, wine, candles, music and a deck of cards. Oh yeah, we locked the doors!!!

My nutty Elise Caddy Camping!

It really was a lot of fun watching stumbling drunk people dancing and howling at the moon. The best part; I was with my beautiful daughter making crazy fun memories, watching a stellar moon!

At around 4:30 in the morning we awoke to a loud crash from above us. Somebody apparently lost control of his truck and crashed into the railing of the bridge. Luckily, he stayed on the bridge. At that point we were thinking longingly about our cozy comfy beds at home. I expect going home was probably our best idea yet. I can't imagine that place would improve with daylight! But we had a blast with more than our fair share of laughs all under one seriously beautiful moon!

Ooooo spooky!

Join me for a cup of tea in my garden?

2011-03-20T13:43:00.000-05:00

Remember the plans for my garden?

Well it has come to life and I love it!! The bees and butterflies seem to love it too!! My wonderful husband along with our friend Mark built my beautiful garden. Some of the fence posts came from a tear-down and the wood for garden boxes themselves came from a friend with left-over wood (Thank you Tracy!!). We purchased fabulous rich soil full of good compost and nutrients and the mulch was all free (a fabulous price) from our county recycling center. Along with the new plantings and a gorgeous Freestone peach tree from our dear friends Helen and Eddie, we are welcoming spring with gusto!

Sweet Cucumbers, Sugar Snap Peas

Cauliflower(just 2), and 3 varieties of Pole Beans

Spring Lettuce and Kale

(Yes, I know, too many but it's survival of the fittest around here)

Heirloom Black Krim, Celebrity, Roma, Best Boy Tomatoes

Blueberries & Blackberries

Beautiful Peach Tree to the left, a birdbath for the bees and butterflies, along with Marigolds for attracting "good" bugs and seedlings popping up Seedballs of Sunflowers!! Seedballs are made by people with disabilities and a fun way to start a variety of flowers!

Jalapenos, Cayennes, Serranos and Sweet Banana Peppers

Can't wait my son Shane's serious salsa making!!

My peeps keeping busy free-ranging for laying delicious eggs!

Here are my garden tools, and a laminated card of local birds!

Waiting for the annual arrival of our favorite Painted Bunting!!

I keep trying but my manicure is a total loss :/

Come join me for a cup of tea in the center of my garden!

Elsewhere in the yard, the first bloom of the wisteria.

It smells amaaaazing. Bees and butterflies couldn't be happier!

Salmon Canapes and Patty's Retirement Party

2011-03-01T10:16:00.000-06:00

Smoked Salmon Canapes

Recently, a special friend of ours retired. Patty had been threatening to retire for quite a while and finally took the plunge. Of course that meant a surprise party for her filled with good friends and family, live music, plenty of great food and one really amazing cake!!

Smoked Salmon Canapes were my contribution to the evening's fare. Simple and fun with a pretty presentation!

Smoked Salmon Canapes

The Chef In My Head

4 ounces goat cheese, at room temperature

4 ounces cream cheese, at room temperature

4 green onions, finely chopped

1 T fresh chives, finely chopped

2 T. parsley, finely chopped

1 tsp. Sriracha sauce, to taste

Freshly ground black pepper, to taste

3 T. fresh lemon juice

Finely grated rind from 1 lemon

8 ounces Smoked Salmon

Capers, rinsed and drained, for garnish

appetizer spoons, toast points, crackers, thinly sliced cucumber or daikon for serving

Combine cheeses, onion, chive, parsley, Sriracha Sauce, pepper, lemon juice and rind in a bowl. Spoon into decorating bag with large star tip. Squeeze onto spoons, toast points, etc. (your choice for serving). Top with smoked salmon and capers. Serve.

These can be made a couple of hours ahead and covered tightly with plastic wrap and chilled until ready to serve.

Pretty, Relaxed and Retired Patty

Her Beautiful Daughters!!

Take a close look at all of the custom touches!!

George, are you paying attention???

Our friend Nina made this creation, amaaazing!!!

Including a custom make robe and slippers!!

Patty we are so excited for you!!!

The neighborhood just got better and a lot more fun!!

We love you!!!

My Funny Valentine~Fresh Fruit & Greek Yogurt with Honey

2011-02-15T12:13:00.000-06:00

The King of Romance

I can't take credit for this one. My husband (The King of Romance) came home, told me to leave the kitchen and created this beautiful dessert just for me! He's so thoughtful and so creative; this is true ALL of the time. It kind of makes some of our friends a little sick, but I love it and of course I love him too!

King of Romance Valentine Dessert

Makes 2 dessert plates

4 Oz. container of Vanilla Flavored Greek Yogurt

Honey for drizzling

Star fruit, sliced

Kiwi, peeled & sliced

Strawberries, sliced

Papaya, peeled & sliced

Blueberries

Dark Chocolate Covered Sticks, orange flavored

Cover dessert plate with half of the vanilla yogurt. Layer sliced fruits over yogurt. Use chocolate sticks to pierce center of star fruit and arrange around edge of plate. Drizzle with Honey and serve.

This is what I found underneath!

And.... this silly guy for my garden!!

He needs a name befitting Valentine's Day!

Busy Busy! Smoothies and Nina's Fabulous Radish Dip

2011-02-14T15:25:00.000-06:00

Well it appears I have failed miserably at my goal of blogging more consistently but honestly there has been a ton of stuff going on!

Here is my creamy, delicious and healthy smoothie I started my day with! So easy, 2 cups fresh squeezed orange juice, 1 banana, 1-4 ounce container 0% Fat Organic Greek Yogurt, a scoop of Protein Powder and 1/2 cup of ice. Blend well and enjoy!!

Creamy and yummy!

Let's see......Superbowl and finally succeeding in getting Nina's Fabulous Radish Dip (I have been desperate for this recipe since Halloween, it was well worth the wait!)

Nina's Fabulous Radish Dip

Nina's Fabulous Radish Dip

8 oz cream cheese

1/2 C. mayonnaise or sour cream

2 T. sweet onion, minced

4-6 radishes, minced

1 clove garlic, minced

1-2 jalapenos, minced

1 T. Ranch Dressing Mix powder

dash of cayenne pepper

1/2 tsp red pepper flakes

dash celery salt

Fold all ingredients together and let flavors marry before serving. Nina says let your tastes decide how much jalapeno, radishes, seasonings etc. She will sometimes add fresh dill if she has it on hand. More or less celery salt depending on what she is serving it with (chips, veggies, whatever). Play with it a little and make it your own.

I prepared mine with low fat cream cheese and low fat sour cream. I could not tell that it effected the taste at all. I used purple onion for the color. Considering the ingredients, it is not too spicy or too hot at all. Remember the dairy cools down the heat from the jalapenos, radishes, cayenne and the pepper flakes. I made it and it was gone in one afternoon. I used it to butter large tortillas and made veggie wraps with it. It was great!! This is my new favorite dip. Honestly, that puts it above Queso and above Spinach Dip, never thought that would happen in my lifetime.

Thank you Nina!! We LOVE it!!

Raising (and protecting from the freeze) my small flock of chickens. Still cranking out eggs and sharing them with friends.

Betty Jean Laying An Egg

(Sorry Betty Jean, I guess that's a rather private moment)

Eva and Zsa Zsa (Silkies)

Look at that chicken, I think Big Bird was a Silkie!

Acting like rednecks sliding down the driveway for my birthday. We couldn't go anywhere because of the ice, but had a blast with the neighbors anyway! Peppermint Schapps and Hot Chocolate, mmmmm good!

The trick here, watch out for the truck,

the cinder blocks or going off the hill!!

Gavin from next door making snow angels

My daughter Elise Nicole and Li'i

Glad we haven't planted the beds yet!

Went to the Grand Opening of the New Bulverde HEB Plus!! It's amaaaazing! So much bigger and so much more product, can't wait to get cooking! Kellogg and HEB donated $20,000 smackaroos to the local Bulverde Food Pantry! Tons of people showed up and samples galore throughout the store! I feel a quick ten extra pounds coming on! Now we wait for construction to be completed on Jess's store in Boerne. HEB is growing by leaps and square footage around here!!

Our friends Randy with Kellogg (argyle sweater) and

Beautiful Melissa with the Food Pantry (black leather vest)

Delishhhhh!

Pretty snazzy huh?

This is how we demo Bar-B-Q in Texas!

And last but certainly not least, I am planning my garden! Hope to have a little (or a lot) of the vegetables I cook with frequently. I am praying my Kale grows in abundance. To the garden, I am adding marigolds, nasturtiums, tansy, zinnias and alyssum to help with the bugs. I have another area separate from the vegetable garden just for herbs. Lots of basil (for lots of pesto), French tarragon, parsley, cilantro and thyme. Wish me luck!

I hope Jess likes it!! We can do it Honey, no worries!!

P.S. Please don't feel too bad about the fact that I have been too busy to blog, my Christmas Tree is still in my living room :/

Happy Valentine's Day!

Cleaning For A Reason

2011-01-24T16:12:00.001-06:00

I recieved this in an e-mail and just had to pass it on to you all. What a lovely idea!

This is a really neat service, please pass along to your friends so that women who can use this will find out about it.

F Y I . . . . .

Cleaning for a Reason

If you know any woman currently undergoing chemotherapy, please pass the word to her that there is a cleaning service that provides FREE housecleaning - once per month for 4 months while she is in treatment. All she has to do is sign up and have her doctor fax a note confirming the treatment. Cleaning for a Reason will have a participating maid service in her zip code area arrange for the service. This organization serves the entire USA and currently has 547 partners to help these women. It's our job to pass the word and let them know that there are people out there that care. Be a blessing to someone and pass this information along.

http://cleaningforareason.org/

Great information. You may not know someone going through chemo, but someone on your email list might.

Please forward! Here's the link for my blog post or use the link above!

Sweet & Spicy Roasted Almonds

2011-01-23T16:49:00.001-06:00

Sweet & Spicy Almonds

We are starting to plan ahead for recipes to take to the beach for Spring Break this year so this was a perfect one to try from Giada's run on I Heart Cooking clubs "California Dreamin".

Both of these recipes were a snap to prepare. The almonds come out spicy with just a touch of sweet. Perfect football snack for now! The Chili-Infused oil will have lots of uses. You can use it as a dipping oil with your favorite crusty loaf or use it to spice up any stir-fry.

Chili-Infused Oil

Chili-Infused Oil, adapted from Giada De Laurentiis Everyday Italian

The Chef In My Head

Makes 1/2 Cup

1/2 C. olive oil

2 tsp. dried crushed red pepper flakes

In a small, heavy saucepan, heat the oil and crushed red pepper flakes over a low flame, stirring occasionally, until a thermometer registers 180 degrees F, about 5 minutes. Remove from the heat and let cool to room temperature, about 2 hours. Transfer the oil and pepper flakes to a 40ounce bottle or other small container and seal the lid. Refrigerate up to 1 month.

Sweet & Spicy Roasted Almonds

Sweet & Spicy Roasted Almonds, adapted from Giada De Laurentiis, Everyday Italian

The Chef In My Head

Makes 2 Cups

2 T Chili-Infused Oil (above)

1 T Sugar

1 tsp Grey Sea Salt

2 C Almonds

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees.

In a medium bowl, stir the oil, sugar, and sea salt to blend. Add the almonds, and toss to coat. Arrange the almond mixture on a large, heavy baking sheet, spacing the almonds evenly. Bake, stirring occasionally until golden brown, about 15 minutes. Serve warm or at room temperature.

The nuts can be made two days ahead, store airtight at room temperature(if they last that long).

Greek Chicken Pasta

2011-01-23T05:00:00.001-06:00

For a beautiful flavorful dish that takes just minutes to make, simply saute onion, garlic and tender chunks of chicken. Add artichoke hearts, fresh tomato, tangy feta cheese, parsley, lemon juice and oregano and toss with hot whole wheat pasta!

Flavorful Greek Chicken Pasta

Greek Chicken Pasta, adapted from allrecipes.com

The Chef In My Head

Serves 6

1 pound uncooked whole wheat pasta

1 T olive oil

2 cloves garlic, chopped finely

1/2 C sliced onion, sliced in half again

1 pound skinless boneless chicken breast, cut into bite-size pieces

1-14 oz jar marinated artichoke hearts, drained

1 cup cherry tomatoes

1/2 C feta cheese, crumbled

4 T parsley, chopped

2 T lemon juice

salt & pepper, to taste

Bring a large pot of lightly salted water to boil. Cook pasta in boiling water for 8 to 10 minutes, or until al dente, drain reserving about 1 cup of pasta water.

Meanwhile, heat olive oil in a large skillet over med-high heat. Add garlic and onion, saute for 2 minutes. Stir in the chicken and cook stirring occasionally, until chicken is no longer pink and the juices run clear, about 5 to 6 minutes.

Reduce heat to med-low and add the artichoke hearts, tomato, feta cheese, parsley, lemon juice, oregano and cooked pasta. Stir until heated through adding reserved pasta water if needed. Season to taste with salt and pepper and serve.

Canadian Bacon, Egg & Cheddar Cups

2011-01-22T11:25:00.000-06:00

Quick and easy breakfast cups! Healthy and fast to throw together for guests. Serve with fresh fruit as an attractive accompaniment to the eggs.

Recipe doubles or triples easily

Canadian Bacon, Egg and Cheddar Cups, adapted fromWeight Watchers Points Plus Cookbook, 3 pts

The Chef In My Head

Serves 4

4 slices Canadian bacon

4 eggs

salt & pepper

1/4 C cherry tomatoes, chopped

1/4 C fat free bread crumbs

2 T reduced-fat cheddar cheese, shredded

1 sprig parsley

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

Place 1 slice bacon in each of four 8-10 ounce custard cups. Lightly beat eggs and season with salt and pepper. Pour eggs evenly into cups. Top evenly with tomatoes, bread crumbs and cheddar.

Place cups on baking sheet and bake until eggs are just set, about 20 minutes. Garnish with parsley.

Serve with fresh fruit.

Fluffy & Moist

Slow Cooked Pork Loin with Kale & Mushrooms over Creamy Polenta

2011-01-08T09:49:00.000-06:00

In the past, my slow cooker has only been used for queso. Today changed all that. It took guts, but I put two beautiful pork loins in my decrepitly old slow cooker, closed the lid and walked away. Much to my surprise, about 4 hours later this pork loin was perfect; moist, flavorful and delicious!

As for the Kale, who can go wrong with anything that has pancetta and mushrooms in it?

Perfect Flavor Combinations

Succulent Pork Loin in the Slow Cooker

The Chef In My Head

2 pounds pork tenderloin

1 envelope dry onion soup mix

1 C water

3/4 C Cabernet Savignon red wine

4 T low sodium soy sauce

4 cloves garlic, minced

Freshly ground black pepper, to taste

Tony's seasoning, to taste

Heat a large skillet to med-high heat with about 1 tablespoon of olive oil. Pat dry pork tenderloin and season with pepper. Brown tenderloin on all sides. Place browned tenderloin into slow cooker with the contents of the soup packet on high. Pour water, wine and soy sauce over the top, turning the pork to coat evenly. Sprinkle the fresh garlic over the pork leaving as much on top as possible. Season with more pepper and Tony's. Adjust temperature to low setting and cook for 4 hours.

Remove pork loin to platter and cover tightly with foil. Carefully pour cooking liquid to a small saucepan and cook until liquid is reduce by half. Thicken with cornstarch if necessary. Check for seasonings and serve with pork loin over creamy polenta or mashed potatoes.

Note: In the photo you will see that I did not thicken the liquid enough :/ Still tasted great, I just wasn't happy with the appearance.

Serves 6. Enjoy!

Kale, Pancetta & Mushrooms over Creamy Polenta adapted from Bon Appetit
The Chef In My Head

Ingredients:
1-1/4 pounds kale, stemmed, washed well & rough chopped

2 C whole milk
1-1/4 C water
1 C polenta
1/2 tsp salt
3/4 tsp ground black pepper

6 oz pancetta (Italian bacon) or bacon, coarsely chopped
8 oz mushrooms (such as crimini, oyster, and stemmed shiitake), sliced
2 T olive oil, divided
1 garlic clove, minced
1/2 C white wine
1/4 tsp freshly grated nutmeg
1/2 tsp red pepper flakes
2 T chopped fresh thyme
1 T grated lemon peel

4 T butter
2/3 C freshly grated Parmesan cheese

Preparation:

Bring milk, water, polenta, salt, and pepper to boil in heavy large saucepan over medium heat, whisking constantly. Reduce heat to low and simmer until thick, stirring occasionally, about 20 minutes. Remove from heat.

Meanwhile, cook pancetta in heavy large skillet over medium-high heat until golden brown, about 3 minutes. Using slotted spoon, transfer pancetta to paper towels. Add mushrooms and oil to drippings in skillet. Sauté until mushrooms are tender, about 6 minutes. Stir in kale and pancetta. Add garlic, white wine and seasonings. Cover and simmer until kale is tender to your taste. Stir in thyme and lemon peel. Season to taste with salt and pepper.

Whisk butter and Parmesan into polenta and divide among plates. Top with kale mixture.

Sound of Music Dinner

2011-01-06T11:00:00.000-06:00

Door Bells and Sleigh Bells and Schnitzel with noodles....These are a few of my favorite things!!

I call this our Sound of Music Dinner!

I have wanted to make this dish for a very long time. It was worth the wait! The Pork Schnitzel could be made any day of the week with numerous accompaniments. The Baked Apples with Smoke Applewood Bacon, same scenario, loads of meal options since it is so quick and easy. The Spaetzle; well, I could just pull up a chair to the entire dish and eat it all by myself. That's right, I wouldn't tell a soul and I wouldn't even feel bad about it.

Crispy & Savory Pork Schnitzel

Pork Schnitzel adapted from Tyler Florence

The Chef In My Head

4 boneless pork loin chops (about 5 to 6 ounces each)

1 1/2 C flour

Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper

1/4 tsp Tony's Seasoning

2 large eggs

1/2 C milk

4 cups dried bread crumbs

2 T olive oil

2 T butter

1 sprig thyme

Lemon wedges

Directions:

Begin by placing each chop between 2 sheets of plastic wrap and gently pounding them out with the flat side of a meat tenderizer until they are about 1/4 inch thick

Put the flour in a shallow dish and season with salt and pepper. Whisk the eggs and milk in another shallow dish and season with salt, pepper and Tony's. Put the bread crumbs in a third dish and again season with salt and pepper. Lightly dredge each piece of pork in flour, then in the egg and finally into the bread crumbs, pressing the bread crumbs onto the pork gently so they have a nice even coating.

Refrigerate cutlets, uncovered, for 10 to 12 minutes to allow the coating to dry out a little and adhere to the pork.

Heat oil and butter in large nonstick skillet over medium-high heat. Add the thyme sprig and let it fry for about 1 minute to infuse the oil. Remove the thyme sprig and reserve. Gently lay the cutlets into the pan and cook until golden brown and crispy, about 3 minutes per side. Remove to paper towels to drain. Season with salt and transfer to a serving platter while still hot. Garnish with lemon wedges and the fried thyme sprig before serving.

4 Servings

Whole grain mustard makes this flavorful and delicious Spaetzle

Mushroom and Mustard Spaetzle adapted from Tyler Florence

The Chef In My Head

Ingredients:

Spaetzle, recipe follows

4 T. butter

2 T. olive oil, plus more

2 sprigs fresh thyme

3/4 pounds button mushrooms, quartered

3/4 pounds shitake mushrooms, rough chopped

2 cloves garlic, minced

Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper

1 C. heavy whipping cream

2 T. whole grain mustard

2 T. chives, minced

Directions

Add 2 tablespoons of butter and the oil to a large skillet over medium heat. Add the cooked spaetzle and saute until slightly browned, about 2 to 3 minutes. Remove from the pan to a serving platter and set aside while you cook the mushrooms. Set the skillet back over high heat and add a little more olive oil and remaining 2 tablespoons of butter. Add the thyme, mushrooms and garlic and saute until golden brown, about 4 to 5 minutes. Season with salt and pepper, to taste. Add the cream and mustard and stir well. Reduce the mixture until the sauce is nice and thick, about 3 minutes. Fold in the spaetzle. Transfer to a serving bowl, garnish with chives and serve alongside the pork schnitzel, if desired.

Spaetzle:

1 C flour

1 tsp salt

1/2 tsp freshly ground black pepper

1/4 tsp freshly ground nutmeg

2 eggs

1/4 C milk

In a large bowl, combine the flour, salt, pepper, and nutmeg. In another mixing bowl, whisk the eggs and milk together. Make a well in the center of the dry ingredients and pour in the egg-milk mixture. Gradually draw in the flour from the sides and combine well; the dough should be smooth and thick. Let the dough rest for 10 to 15 minutes.

Bring 3 quarts of salted water to a boil in a large pot, over medium heat. Reduce the heat to a simmer. To form the spaetzle, hold a large holed colander or slotted spoon over the simmering water and push the dough through the holes with a spatula or spoon. Do this in batches so you don't overcrowd the pot. Cook for 3 to 4 minutes or until the spaetzle floats to the surface, stirring gently to prevent sticking. Drain the spaetzle in a colander and give it a quick rinse with cool water. This can be made up to 1 hour in advance.

Delicious! Serves 4 to 6

Baked Apples with Applewood Smoked Bacon

Baked Apples with Applewood Smoked Bacon adapted from Tyler Florence

The Chef In My Head

Ingredients:

12 strips applewood smoked bacon

4 to 6 sprigs fresh thyme

3 medium Golden Delicious apples

olive oil

2 T. superfine sugar

Directions:

Preheat the oven to 375 degrees.

Arrange the bacon on a sheet tray, sprinkle with some of the thyme and bake until crispy, about 12 to 15 minutes.

Slice the apples horizontally to create 5 to 6 cross sections of the apple. On a separate sheet tray lined with a silpat or parchment paper lay the apples out in a single layer and drizzle with a little olive oil. Sprinkle a little sugar and thyme on each slice then bake in the oven until the apples begin to dehydrate and sugar has melted and caramelized, about 8 to 10 minutes. Do not overcook.

To serve, lay the apple and bacon slices, alternating, in a long overlapping line on a serving platter. Or, break the bacon pieces in half and reassemble the apple slices back together, placing crispy bacon pieces in between each slice. Garnish with thyme sprigs if desired.

Yummy! Bacon taste like candy with these delicious roasted apple slices.

Serves 4.

Lemony Baked Chicken

2011-01-05T05:31:00.001-06:00

With fresh herbs, white wine and tangy lemon juice this is a recipe to use both on chicken and fish. It's so easy to throw together and pop into the oven and ready in well under an hour. Oh and did I mention, it's healthy too! Perfect to pair with Escarole & Cannellini Beans with Parmesan & Hazelnut Crust.

Lemony Baked Chicken adapted from Weight Watchers

The Chef In My Head

1 pound boneless, skinless chicken breast, four 4 oz halves

Juice of one lemon

1/2 C white wine

1 tsp olive oil

1/2 tsp kosher salt

1/4 tsp freshly ground black pepper

1/4 Tony's

1 T. fresh Thyme, chopped

1 T. fresh Parsley, chopped

1 medium lemon, quartered for garnish

Instructions:

Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Coat a small , shallow roasting pan with olive oil cooking spray.

Season both sides of chicken with dry seasonings. Transfer chicken to prepared pan and drizzle with olive oil; sprinkle with lemon juice, thyme, and parsley. Pour white wine around chicken to coat bottom of pan.

Bake until chicken is cooked through, about 30 to 35 minutes. Garnish with lemon quarters and serve.

Enjoy!

Serves 4

Escarole & Cannellini Beans with Parmesan-Hazelnut Crust

2011-01-04T05:30:00.001-06:00

Home Run In the Kitchen!!! This is fabulous and healthy, what a surprise! Escarole is one of my favorite ingredients and I use it whenever I can. The beautiful green leaves with their buttery texture is fabulous and can be used in many delicious ways. This was no exception. One of my other favorite ingredients, as you well know, is wine. I believe Jesus turned water to wine for good reason and I pay this miracle homage in my kitchen almost daily. A little for me, a little for the dish, a little more for me; you get the idea.

This is a great side dish worthy of a holiday dinner table, but it landed on ours on a regular ole Monday night. Sticking to my healthy resolution, I served this with a light and lemony baked chicken.

Escarole & Cannellini Beans with Parmesan-Hazelnut Crust adapted from Weight Watchers

2 tsp olive oil

2 large onions, large diced

3 cloves garlic, minced

1 large head escarole, rinsed very well, coarsely chopped

1/4 C chicken broth

1/4 C white wine

15 oz can cannellini beans, drained and rinsed

1/4 tsp black pepper

1/4 tsp dried thyme

1/4 tsp cayenne

1/4 tsp freshly grated nutmeg

1/2 tsp kosher salt

1/4 C freshly grated Parmesan cheese

1/2 C dried bread crumbs, coarse-style

3 T hazelnuts, roughly chopped in food processor

Instructions:

Preheat oven to 375 degrees.

Heat oil in Dutch oven (a large pot with tight fitting lid). Add onion and garlic, saute until onion is translucent, about 5 minutes. Add escarole and seasonings, saute' stirring constantly, until escarole is limp, about 1 minute; stir in broth and white wine. Cook over high heat, stirring frequently, until escarole is tender and broth and wine evaporates, about 3 minutes; stir in beans.

Spoon escarole-mixture into a 1-1/2 quart glass baking dish. Combine cheese, bread crumbs and hazelnuts in a small bowl. Sprinkle over escarole mixture. Bake until crumbs are lightly browned, about 15 minutes.

Enjoy!

Turkey Meatballs With An Asian Flair Dipping Sauce

2011-01-03T10:00:00.000-06:00

In my endeavor to find healthy food that tastes great, I happened upon Gina's Weight Watcher Recipes. I now get her updates daily and I love her recipes. You guys know me; lots of butter, lots of olive oil, lots of cream, the more decadent the better. I am learning, though it is a struggle, that I can make healthy food taste great too. I am taking cues from people that do it on a regular basis and do it well. I am modifying a bit here and there to get the flavors I love while trying to be health conscious along with satisfying my Texas taste buds. "A tall order" we would say down here.

As I said, I'm taking cues from the best. Here is my version of Gina's Asian Turkey Meatballs with Lime Sesame Dipping Sauce. Thank you Gina, you are an inspiration!!

More filling that you would expect!

Turkey Meatballs with an Asian Flair Dipping Sauce, adapted from Gina's Skinny Recipes

The Chef In My Head

1/2 C Panko bread crumbs

1-1/4 lbs lean ground turkey

1 egg white

1-1/2 T. ginger shaved on micro plane

3 cloves garlic, minced

1/2 tsp salt

1/4 tsp ground white pepper

1-1/2 T fresh cilantro, chopped

4 green onions, chopped

1 T low sodium soy sauce

2 tsp sesame oil

Dipping Sauce

4 T low sodium soy sauce

2 tsp sesame oil

juice of 1 lime

3/4 tsp fresh grated lime rind

2 chopped green onions

2 T water

Preheat oven to 500 degrees. Spray olive oil cooking spray on baking rack over foil lined baking sheet and set aside.

Combine all ingredients for meatballs lightly with hands. Do not overmix or meatballs will become mushy. Shape 1/4 C. meat mixture into a ball and transfer to baking rack over baking sheet. Continue with remain meat mixture. Bake until cooked through, about 15 minutes.

For the Dipping Sauce:

Combine all ingredients and set aside for dipping/serving with meatballs.

NOTES:

The meatballs can be shaped and the dipping sauce can be assembled ahead of time making dinner a breeze.

Serve over brown rice to catch the delicious dipping sauce along with an Asian inspired salad.

As an appetizer, make smaller balls and bake ahead of time, reheat to serve.

Fresh Vegetable Soup & New Year's Resolutions

2011-01-02T10:46:00.000-06:00

Back on task!! I must say this ten times a day. Yesterday I joined Weight Watchers, yes my cooking is getting the best of me or should I say is giving me the worst of me. I have a few to lose, not many but enough to make my clothes perfectly comfortable and to make me feel better about myself. I decided WW could help me cook a bit more friendly to the old waist line. Sweets have never been my downfall, I'm not even wild about chocolate, it's those damn cream sauces. I love them to distraction and there has to be a way to lighten them up so I can still enjoy them. No cream sauces in my Veggie Soup, well of course not, but I love a full flavored soup. So here goes...

Fresh Vegetable Soup

Fresh Vegetable Soup adapted from where else? Weight Watchers

2 cloves garlic, minced
1 medium onion, diced
2 medium carrots, diced
1 medium sweet red pepper, diced
1 stalk celery, diced
2 small zucchini, diced
2 C. Swiss chard, chopped
2 C. cauliflower, small florets
2 C. broccoli, small florets
2 T. fresh thyme, chopped
2 T fresh parsley, chopped
3 green onions, chopped
salt & pepper, to taste
1 tsp. Tony's seasoning
juice of one small lemon
6 C low sodium chicken broth
splash of white wineSpray a soup pot with olive oil spray. Bring heat to medium and add all ingredients in order listed. Stirring as you add new ingredients. Bring to boil over high heat; reduce heat to low and simmer about 30 minutes.

NOTES:
I know, I know the white wine was probably a violation but a splash to a soup that makes 12 servings isn't going to kill anyone.

If you like thick soups, consider pureeing this recipe in the pot with an immersion blender.

Add or leave out vegetables to suit your taste.

Save in individual servings in the freezer for a quick midday snack or dinner appetizer.

Weight Watchers says this (with my modifications, that includes the white wine addition) is still only 1 point per serving!! Makes 12 servings.

It's Chili Weather!

2010-12-09T08:26:00.000-06:00

Hot Hot Hot

I have the best husband in the universe! Remember a long time ago he agreed to let me have chickens just so I could have fresh eggs. And remember I am really a city slicker still adjusting to country living? Unterstand too that I was not prepared for the carnage when two dogs attacked my flock (I was too upset to talk about it at the time). I lost Marsala, Long Neck Lucy, and Maddie Rose. Mother Clucker and Betty Jean (named for my mother in law) survived, but they were very upset for a few days. Have you ever heard a chicken when they are upset? It's pathetic. So I bought more chickens, 5 Arucanas (they lay the green and blue eggs), "Peaches"(named for my mom), "Roberta"(named for my daddy), "New Marsala"(in honor of my favorite I lost), "Sophia" (for Sophia Lauren", and "Marylin" (she's all white, named for Marylin Monroe) and got talked into 2 Silkies ("Zsa" and "Eva"), the dumbest looking chickens on the planet.

A couple of days ago, more carnage. Only this time it was I believe it was Mother Clucker that killed New Marsala. Pecking order gone bad. My husband now calls her a murderer, won't even use her name (he's the one that has to deal with the dead bodies, I can't take it). So Jess had to build another chicken coop to separate the flocks for awhile. Freezing his tail feathers off, to save the peeps. Hence, the chili.

This is "Peaches" (my mother's name is Melba)

Marsala (the original, my favorite), RIP

Murderer on the left, she's got that look, right?

Back to the chili, that's why you're here. More country... it was the last of our venison. You can make this with regular chili meat if you like. I can't stand packets of preservatives, so this is from scratch and it is fantastic. Super easy and quick to put together but the longer it simmers the better it gets. Perfect for our freezing temperatures after building a chicken coop in the windy cold. I think he loves me!

Warm You To Your Toes Chili

2 pounds venison chili meat

1/4 C. olive oil

1 large onion, diced

4 garlic cloves, minced

1-15 oz can tomato sauce

1 tsp smoked paprika

1-1/2 tsp cayenne pepper

1 bottle Shiner Bock Beer (or your favorite)

1/3 C. chili powder

1-1/2 tsp salt

3 tsp dried Mexican oregano (regular oregano is okay too)

1-1/2 tsp cumin

Brown the meat in oil. Add onions and garlic, simmer until translucent. Drain if necessary. Add all remaining ingredients and simmer, covered, until tender, about 1-1/2 hours, longer if you can, it just gets better.

Extra notes:

I'm from Texas, but in the picture you probably noticed beans. On this occasion (I wanted a lot left over) so I added a can of pinto beans. The beans also tame the heat a little if you are serving to children.

If you feel like your chili is too "loose", you can thicken it with 1 tsp of Masa mixed with a little water. Works like cornstarch as a thickener.

Jess and I like ours served over Fritos, topped with cheese and onions. He also tops his with ketchup. The ketchup makes me cringe. Each to his own I guess.

Bleu Cheese Chopped Salad

2010-12-07T02:51:00.000-06:00

Bleu Cheese Chopped Salad

This salad has become one of our all time family favorites!! It's perfect for a meal all alone or a wonderful side salad for a large group. Careful though, it might just steal the show! We got the original idea for this salad from Outback Steakhouse. We have changed it a bit to simplify the process. The dressing is fabulous, the cinnamon candied pecans are scrumptous and the bleu cheese is creamy and perfect. It's crunchy and delicious, perfect for anytime of year!

Bleu Cheese Vinaigrette

2/3 C. extra virgin olive oil

1/4 C. crumbled bleu cheese

1/4 C. honey

2 T grated parmesean cheese

1 T granulated sugar

1 T garlic, minced

1-1/4 tsp salt

1 tsp Italian herb seasoning

1/4 tsp freshly ground black pepper

1/4-1/2 tsp crushed red pepper, to taste

1/2 C. rice vinegar

2 tsp lemon juice

Cinnamon Pecans

3 T granulated sugar

1 T water

1 tsp butter

1/4 tsp ground cinnamon

1/2 C chopped pecans

Crunchy Topping

1 bag Ramen Noodles, noodles only

Salad

2 C. chopped romaine lettuce

1/3 C. chopped green onion

1/4 C chopped red cabbage

1/4 C. Shredded carrot

1/4 C. crumbled bleu cheese

1/4 C. dried cranberries or cherries

Bleu Cheese Vinaigrette

Combine all ingredients except vinegar and lemon juice in a small pan over medium heat. Heat until mixture begins to bubble, remove from heat. Cool mixture. Combine cooled mixture with rice vinegar and lemon juice in a blender. Blen on high for 1 minute, cover and chill.

Crunchy Topping

While Ramen is still in the bag, break up the noodles. Discard seasoning packet or save for another use. Heat skillet over medium high heat. Toss noodles in dry skillet until they are lightly browned. Remove from heat and set aside to cool.

Assemble The Salad

Combine lettuce, green onion, red cabbage, shredded carrot, candied pecans, toasted Ramen noodles and dried cranberries in a large bowl. Toss with 3/4 cup of the dressing. Top with 2 Tablespoons crumbled bleu cheese on each serving.

Serves 2 as main course or 4-6 as side salads.

What am I thankful for.....

2010-11-26T15:04:00.000-06:00

I am thankful I have a daughter that can post about Thanksgiving when I'm too tired to do it!!

Check it out! Elise Nicole's Blog

Avocado Cristo with Cherry Tomato Jam and Balsamic Reduction

2010-11-03T18:24:00.000-05:00

So I absolutely loooovve to travel but unfortunately don't always have the money to do so. So, I travel vicariously through my family and friends absorbing everything I can about the sights, the people of other cultures and yes, yes, yes THE FOOD!! What time of day did they have it, how did they find the place, what was it, what was served with it, what was unusual and a surprise about the flavors and combinations, what did they drink with it, etc. etc. etc.? My favorites are the stories about the off-the-beaten-path places, the places the locals go. So, this morning I picked up two wonderful friends of ours from the airport from their trip to the interior of Mexico. I was so excited to hear about their trip and taking people and especially picking them up from the airport is one of my favorite things to do, call me crazy. It's just the hustle and bustle of the departing for the trip and the anticipation of their return and being there to welcome them home. And no matter where they have been, home is always the very best place travel to.

So these particular friends of mine are both very experienced travelers and extremely accomplished cooks and for a long time owned a restaurant that all the locals went to. We went not just for the food, but the great ambiance the place had. You could sit on the porch and have fresh cheese and fruit trays and your favorite glass of wine or beer. For us girls, it was a place you could go to by yourself and they always made you feel at home. Now that I hopefully have explained the warmth of this place sufficiently, let me also share there were some pretty wild late evenings. After the restaurant closed, after the other customers had left and it was just us, a bunch of really close friends getting a little crazy (air guitars) and having fun(I can sing just like Cher). Friends that were a fantastic collage of personalities and varied interest and views.

So back to the friends and the airport pickup. My goal with my cooking is to make my friends and family feel special and loved. The effort I go to is purely out of love for them and the love of cooking. This morning it was breakfast and fresh coffee. Breakfast was slices of sourdough bread dipped in an egg wash seasoned with s & p, cumin, a tiny bit of garlic(it is breakfast after all) and fresh cilantro. The bread is then laid in the bottom of a casserole dish, covered in fresh slices of avocado, shredded Monterrey jack cheese and topped again with the egg washed bread baked until it is lightly brown and crisp on top. It is served with a fresh tomato jam to the side and a balsamic reduction drizzled over the top. It is a feast for the eyes and deliciously rich. I must be a little sadistic cooking for people that can create circles around me in the kitchen, but I love it! I am not afraid and I am not intimidated, I probably should be. They loved it and I was happy with how it turned out and happy they are home again safely!

This afternoon I am going to a wedding cake cook off competition with my husband. I am really impressed with the whole baking thing. I am a lousy baker with the exception of two cakes I can bake and not screw them up. Twenty years with the same recipe helps too. My brain is just not wired right for baking. Baking is such a science to me. That whole exact measuring thing just cramps my style. Now I do have all the right gadgets, the Kitchen Aide Mixer and the prettiest heavy stainless steel measuring cups and spoons from William-Sonoma you've ever held in your hands, but it still doesn't help. I can ruin even a boxed Duncan Hines cake and my icing looks like a 5 year old did it. The baking is left for the gifted people like my sister. I know I make her crazy with the light on in the oven. I just want to watch the disaster as it occurs and seriously, does that little tiny light really change the temperature?? She seems to think so, just one more reason why I guess her baking is always perfect. Oh well, baking keeps me humble. So this afternoon, I will witness with utter amazement, the flutter of the really anal people, do what they do best. Maybe even I can learn something. Let's hope.

Avocado Cristo with Cherry Tomato Jam and Balsamic Reduction

Adapted from Follow That Food

Ingredients:
8 eggs, lightly beaten
4 ounces milk
2 garlic cloves, minced
1 teaspoon cumin
Salt and pepper
1 loaf sourdough bread cut in 1/2-inch slices
2 avocados, peeled and sliced
6 ounces Monterrey Jack

Plum Tomato Jam

1 pound cherry tomatoes, chopped
2 ounces sugar

Balsamic Reduction

6 ounces aged balsamic vinegar

Garnish
1 tablespoon lime juice
1 bunch cilantro, chopped
1 avocado, peeled and sliced

Instructions:

Preheat oven to 375 degrees F.

In a medium size bowl combine the eggs, milk, garlic, cumin, and salt and pepper, and lightly beat. Dip the bread slices in the egg mixture covering both sides. In a baking dish lightly coated with olive oil, place a layer of bread slices on the bottom. Arrange a layer of avocado slices in a fan design on top of the bread. Cover with a layer of Monterrey Jack. Place another layer of the dipped bread slices over the cheese and avocados. Bake in the oven for 15 minutes, or until bread is nicely browned.

To make the tomato jam, saute the tomatoes and sugar in a pan until liquid reduces and becomes thick.

In a medium size pot, reduce the vinegar until slightly thickened.

To serve, remove the avocado cristo from baking dish and cut into wedges. Arrange wedges on each plate with the plum tomato jam and a drizzle of the balsamic reduction. Garnish plate with lime juice, chopped cilantro, and a slice of avocado.

Remember to Vote Today! It's a Privilege!!!

2010-11-02T14:30:00.000-05:00

Click here to find your polling place!

This is just my own personal thought; but if you don't vote, you give up your right to gripe about the way things are. So VOTE, so you can gripe and complain with freedom and confidence!!!

YOUR VOTE DOES MAKE A DIFFERENCE!!

Morphed and Re-Morphed, Pennette with Greens Ragu

2010-11-01T15:49:00.001-05:00

Re-Morphed Greens Ragu

The following recipe has been morphed and now re-morphed. Originally from Mario Batali's Gutsto, morphed by our sweet friend Joanne over at Eats Well With Others and now by me. I'm afraid it's now a far cry from Baltali's dish (now with a bit of Texas flair). It's so pretty and so tasty I know you will enjoy it as much as my family. I did not have Kale on hand so I prepared it with collard greens (which I confess, until now I have never tasted). I assumed collard greens would be bitter, I was so wrong. It might have had something to do with the white wine I added but it turned out great! I love the toasted bread crumbs, they added a beautiful color and just the right amount of needed crunch! I will go back and try it again with Kale as Joanne did. She's absolutely right, you will want to prepared this again and again!

Pennette with Greens Ragu, adapted from Batali's Molto Gusto and Eats Well With Others

Serves 4-6

1 summer squash + 1 Zucchini squash, diced and roasted in a 450 degree oven for 40 minutes
1/4 cup extra virgin olive oil

2 large shallots, halved and sliced

3 cloves garlic, peeled and smashed

2 bunches organic collard greens (about 1 lb), stemmed and cut into thin strips

sea salt, to taste

1/4 tsp freshly grated nutmeg

1/2 tsp crushed red pepper flakes

1/4 C dry white wine

3 tbsp butter

1 lb rigatoni pasta

1/2 cup freshly grated parmigiano-reggiano

1/2 cup coarse fresh bread crumbs fried in 1 tbsp olive oil until golden brown

1. Set the squash up to roast as instructed above.

2. Combine the olive oil, shallot, garlic, salt, red pepper flakes and greens in a large pot and cook over medium-high heat, stirring occasionally, until the onion and greens are beginning to soften, about 8 minutes. Season well with sea salt. Add 1/4 cup dry white wine, cover, reduce the heat to low and simmer for 20-25 minutes or until the greens are very tender.

3. Add the squash to the pot with the greens. Add the butter, stirring until it melts. Season with pepper and remove from the heat.

4. Around step 2, set up a pot of water with about 6 qts of water in it to boil. Mix in 3 tbsp salt. bring to a boil. Cook the pasta. (good tip Joanne!)

5. Drain, reserving 1/2 cup pasta water when you do so. Add the pasta and 1/4 cup of the reserved pasta water to the ragu. Toss over medium heat until the pasta is well coated. Add more water if necessary to loosen the sauce. Mix in the parmigiano-reggiano.

6. Transfer the pasta to serving bowls and sprinkle the breadcrumbs over the top.

Goulish Chocolate Worm cake

2010-10-31T19:54:00.001-05:00

The worms crawl in.....the worms crawl out....

Happy Halloween!

My husband are heading out the door soon to another party, bless his heart, he's being a real trooper about all the activities lately. So as you know, going empty handed to a party is extremely bad form, so here is the cake that I am taking to the Halloween Party we are going to tonight. It is a breeze to bake (remember I'm not a great baker, yet), so when I say it's easy, I mean it. My son loves chocolate cake, always has, and I have made some truly awful attempts at cakes in the past. This chocolate cake (minus the worms) passed the "Shane test"! It has a cup of good black coffee in it and it makes a plain chocolate cake just fabulous! The frosting; super-duper easy and scrumptious! It only took me 46 years to find the right combination, so here it is, just for you!

For this occasion, I made a 9 X 12. This recipe makes a lovely 2 layer 8-inch cake. The frosting recipe is a generous 2 cups.

BEST EVER! CHOCOLATE CAKE

2-1/4 C sugar
2 C cake flour
1 C Ghirardelli unsweetened cocoa
1-1/2 tsp each: baking soda and baking powder
1 tsp kosher salt
2 large eggs
1 C half & half
1/2 C canola oil
1 C boiling coffee
2-1/2 tsp pure vanilla extract

Heat oven to 350 degrees. Grease 2 8-inch round cake pans and sugar the bottoms.

Combine all dry ingredients in a bowl and blend on low speed for 1 minute. Add the eggs, half & half and oil. Mix on medium speed for 3 minutes. Add the boiling coffee and vanilla. Mix for 1 minute. Batter will be very wet. Evenly divide the batter in the 2 pans.

Bake on the center rack for 35 to 40 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean. Cool cakes in the pans for 20 minutes. Place cakes on wire rack to cool for 1 hour. Frost as usual.

Decadent Ghirardelli Chocolate Frosting

1/2 C (1 stick) butter

2/3 C Ghirardelli unsweetened cocoa

3 C powdered sugar

1/3 C milk

1 tsp pure vanilla extract

Melt butter. Stir in cocoa. Alternately add powdered sugar and milk, beating to spreading consistency. Add small amount of additional milk, if needed. Stir in vanilla.

Makes about 2 cups frosting.

Note: I usually prepare the frosting while the cake is baking and cover the surface of the frosting with plastic wrap until I am ready to use. Once the cake is frosted, you can chill it for about 15 minutes to set the frosting. Comes out perfect every time!

Pozole (Pork & Hominy Soup)

2010-10-25T11:26:00.002-05:00

My "Gringo" Pozole

This soup is different and so delicious. The base is pork loin with hominy, onions and tomatoes, seasoned of course. Then topped with a plethora of fresh veggies and cheese that gets gooey and yummy! So I knew my family's Pozole wasn't completely traditional, now I know how spoiled I was!

Check this out!!

Ritual significance:

Since corn was a sacred plant for the Mexicans and other inhabitants of Mexico, pozole was made to be consumed on special events. The conjunction of corn (usually whole hominy kernels) and meat in a single dish is of particular interest to scholars because the ancient Mexicans believed that the gods made humans out of cornmeal dough. According to research by the National Institute of Anthropology and History and the Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México, in these special occasions, the meat used in the pozole was human. [4] After the prisoners were killed by having their hearts torn out in a ritual sacrifice, the rest of the body was chopped and cooked with corn. The meal was shared among the whole community as an act of religious communion. After the conquest, when cannibalism was banned, pork became the staple meat, as it "tasted very similar", according to a Spanish priest.[5] (Source:Wikipedia)

"tasted very similar" YIKES!!!

This delicious soup is made with PORK LOIN, and not your Great Aunt Ethel!!! This is a fun soup to serve to a group. Keep the soup heated on the stove and set up all of the condiments for your guests to garnish themselves. For most of your friends, it will be their first encounter with this fabulous and festive (super easy on the hostess) soup!

POZOLE (Pork and Hominy Soup)

SOUP:
2 lbs pork loin, trimmed of fat and cubed in 1-inch pieces
2 quarts water
4 C chicken stock
2 cans diced tomatoes
2 med. onions, chopped
4 large cloves garlic, finely chopped
2 bay leaves
2 large Hatch, Anaheim or New Mexico chiles, roasted, peeled and diced
2 T Cilantro, chopped
2 cans hominy (one white & one yellow) drained. *Reserve 1/2 of one of the cans.
1 T dried oregano
2 T chile powder
2 tsp ground cumin
1 tsp ground coriander
2 tsp salt, to taste
Fresh ground pepper, to taste

Garnish with any of the following:
shredded lettuce
thinly sliced radishes
thinly sliced green onions
limes, cut into wedges
shredded carrots
chopped avocado
sliced jalapenos
shredded Jalapeno Jack cheese
shredded cheddar cheese
Tobasco sauce and/or salsa
toasted tortilla strips
sour cream

Soup:

Put all of the ingredients listed for soup into a large stock pot. Take the reserved 1/2 of can of hominy and process it in your food processor then add it to the stock pot. This just adds to the consistency of the soup. Simmer for two hours. You can make this ahead, chill and skim off the fat before reheating. Like most soups or stews, it always tastes better the next day. If you trimmed the pork well of any fat, skimming shouldn't really be necessary.

Serve in warm soup bowls and let your guests and family garnish themselves. It is ALWAYS a crowd pleaser and I guarantee you will be asked for the recipe again and again.

Now I guess if your Great Aunt Ethel really is a problem, you can improvise on your ingredients, I'll never tell....

Freshest Marinara Sauce!!

2010-10-10T12:15:00.001-05:00

Pasta Marinara

This is the classic marinara sauce that I find myself using the most. It is so simple to make a double batch and freeze individual servings. This recipe makes about 2 quarts (8 cups), 1 quart will serve 4 over pasta as a first course. I love it over classic spaghetti but you can use any shape you like. Great way to get kids to eat their veggies!

Marinara Sauce by Giada

1/2 C extra-virgin olive oil

2 small onions, finely chopped

2 garlic cloves, finely chopped

2 celery stalks, finely chopped

2 carrots, peeled and finely chopped

1/2 tsp sea salt, plus more to taste

1/2 tsp freshly ground pepper, plus more to taste

2 (32-ounce) cans crushed tomatoes

2 dried bay leaves

In a large pot, heat the oil over medium-high flame. Add the onions and garlic and saute until the onions are translucent, about 10 minutes. Add the celery, carrots, and 1/2 tsp each of salt and pepper. Saute until all the vegetables are soft, about 10 minutes. Add the tomatoes and bay leaves, and simmer uncovered over low heat until the sauce thickens, about 1 hour. Remove and discard the bay leaves. Season the sauce with more salt and pepper to taste. (The sauce can be made 1 day ahead. Cool, then cover and refrigerate. Rewarm over medium heat before using.)

Hatch Chile Cornbread

2010-09-26T17:55:00.001-05:00

Hatch Chile Cornbread

All of my chiles are roasted, in vacuum sealed bags, labeled "HOT" or "MILD" accordingly, and in the freezer to use all year long. Approximately a bushel of delicious, flavorful yumminess! The only way to properly roast chiles is with a cold beer in hand, it's a hot job, but somebody has to do it. I use them for lots and lots of dishes. "The whole world" scrambled eggs, breakfast tacos, panini sandwiches, baked dishes, soups, Hatch Apple Cobbler(note to self: add to blog), cornbread and my personal favorite, Hatch Scalloped potatoes (need to add that one too).

Many of you know I struggle with baking bread, actually breads of all kinds, and most embarrassingly cornbread. Can you believe it? I'm from Texas, this is just wrong. Well finally my search is over, I have found a recipe that we all love. So here you are, drumroll, please......

These are moist and do not crumble. They go well with a Mexican breakfast, a steaming hot bowl of chili or just about anything where you would like an extra kick of spice. Experiment with different cornmeals for variety.

Hatch Chile Cornbread Muffins (adapted from Red or Green New Mexico Cuisine)

3/4 C milk

1 8-oz can cream-style corn

1/3 melted butter

2 fresh eggs, beaten (thank you Peeps!)

1 1/2 C white, yellow or blue cornmeal

1 tsp. baking powder

1/2 tsp baking soda

1 tsp salt

1 tsp sugar

1 1/2 C mixed shredded cheddar cheese and Monterrey Jack cheese

3 to 5 fresh green chiles, roasted, peeled, seeded, deveined and chopped OR 4-oz. can green chiles, drained and chopped

Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Line 18 muffin cups with paper liners or grease and flour each cup.

In a medium-size bowl, stir together milk, corn, butter and eggs.

In a large bowl, whisk together cornmeal, baking powder, baking soda, salt and sugar. Add mixture from medium-size bowl to dry ingredients and mix just until combined. Do not overmix.

Spoon a large spoonful of batter into each cup, filling about 1/3 of each cup, and top with a little cheese mixture and green chile, dividing evenly and reserving a little for sprinkling on top. Top with batter and reserved cheese and green chile. Each cup should be about two-thirds full.

Bake 25 to 30 minutes, or until muffins are golden and a wooden pick inserted in the center comes out clean.

Makes 12 muffins.

Finally!!! My Egg and I

2010-09-12T10:56:00.002-05:00

Our very first EGG!!!

We got our first egg!!! You could probably hear me all the way from our hill top in Texas!! WE GOT AN EGG...WE GOT AN EGG!! I believe I heard the chicken angel singing! My husband thinks I'm crazy, so what else is new, jumping up and down yelling WE GOT OUR FIRST EGG! Then Mr. Math starts to calculate what that first egg probably cost us. WHO CARES! WE GOT AN EGG and I am officially an egg farmer, well at least for my own family.

No, I have eggactly no idea which one of our little feathered friends produced this masterpiece. It could have been Marsala, she's the prettiest one, or Long Neck Lucy, or Betty Jean (named for my sweet mother-in-law), Maddie Rose(the one we adopted and saved from the massive chicken slaughter from a varmint of some kind), or Mother Clucker (she thinks she's in charge). There really is a pecking order of sorts.

We my dear friend Augustine and I have had a bet since we got our peeps. The first one that has a chicken that lays an egg, the other one has to cook for them. So August was my very first phone call, guess what I said, WE GOT AN EGG, then all grown up like, NANNY-NANNY-BOO-BOO! I then proceeded to place my order for a beautiful Cheese Souffle. August is a fabulous cook, so I know my souffle will be scrumptious!! August, I am available for dinner anytime this week.

Here are the peeps when the were little, with poor Velma (the white one) that a nasty old hawk took away. Through much diligence (and more money), the others have survived.

And the lovely ladies now! Guess which one is Lucy??

What should I cook with my very first egg??????

Remembering 9/11, Where were you?

2010-09-11T12:17:00.001-05:00

Photo Source: Fox News

It should have been just a normal day. On 9/11 I was at home living in San Antonio, TX. I was getting ready for work and listening to the news in the other room. I heard about the first plane hitting the first tower and sat watched TV from the foot of my bed as the the second one hit, and then the Pentagon. Both my son and daughter were already at school, so I left to pick them up. On the way home we went by my office, picked up my secretary and together we spent the next several hours at our church nearby. Together with several hundred other people, we prayed for the victims, their families, our President and for our country’s healing. Things seemed so surreal that day and felt so odd, everyone looked a little numb and walked around in shock. I think we all knew, things would be different. Looking back, it helped to be close with one another, but I remember feeling numb for several days while the news of further events unfolded. The news was crazy and frightening, not knowing what else could possibly come. Yes, it should have been just a normal day, but it wasn't. So now we are a lot less naive and maybe feel a little more vulnerable, but we are wiser now too and with stronger resolve. Maybe we don't take things for granted quite as much. Just maybe there is something positive to be gained from all of this. Just maybe we can each be a little kinder to each other when we pass on the street as we go through our "normal" days, because you just never know. The positive in all of this for our family, we took time to pause and give thanks for each other, our country and the American spirit and it brought us all closer together. Since then, my daughter has joined the Coast Guard, our son is in the Air Force and we have a son-in-law that is a helicopter pilot in Iraq with the Army.

We will NEVER FORGET and we will ALWAYS REMEMBER.

God bless our troops and their families and God Bless America.

Where were you that day??

My Recipe in Foodista Best of Food Blogs Cookbook!!

2010-09-04T09:47:00.001-05:00

I won, I won, I won!!!

Earlier this year, my recipe for: Some Like It Hot......Roasted Poblano Vichyssoise With Lime was submitted to Foodista’s contest for Best of Food Blogs. Winners were to be published in the upcoming cookbook. Drumroll please...........

My recipe won and I am thrilled!!

If you are interested in checking out the recipe, here it is!

To pre-order the cookbook, click here! (Mom and Dad, you know you want one)