The Saucy Bird

Summer Squash Skillet Casserole

2010-06-30T08:45:00.010-04:00

One way to strectch your family's grocery budget is to make good use of your local farmer's market. Most every town has one and the fruits and vegetables are fresh from the farm. This time of year the market's are full of fresh summer squash and tomatoes.

One of my family's favorite meals is Summer Squash Casserole. I started making this skillet casserole when I was short on time. A few simple ingredients come together easily to make this beautiful and really quite filling dish. Serve it for dinner with a loaf of crusty bread, and the leftovers make a tasty breakfast or lunch. You really can't go wrong with this southern style Summer Squash Skillet Casserole.

Summer Squash Skillet Casserole

2 tablespoons canola oil
1 small yellow onion, peeled and diced
1/2 cup diced green bell pepper
3 cups diced yellow summer squash
1/4 cup chopped fresh flat leaf parsley
1 cup premade alfredo sauce
1/4 cup mayonnaise
2 large eggs, beaten
1/4 cup whole milk
1 large ripe tomato
8 spears asparagus
kosher salt
fresh ground black pepper

Preheat oven to 375 degrees.

Heat the oil in a 12 in. non-stick skillet over medium heat. Add the diced onion and bell pepper; saute 3 to 4 minutes until translucent. Add the yellow squash and continue cooking 3 to 4 minutes longer until squash begin to soften.

Meanwhile, in a large bowl, mix together the copped parsley, alfredo sauce, mayonnaise, eggs and milk. Pour over squash; arrange tomatoes and asparagus over top. Season with salt and pepper.

Place in hot oven and cook, 15 to 20 minutes or until liquid begins to set. Remove from oven and serve hot or at room temperature.

Cool Summer Suppers

2010-06-20T09:01:00.012-04:00

Everything is a balancing act; it's a constant search for just the right amount of this and that. In the summer, when things seem to be the most hectic, finding the right amounts of this and that is challenging. Chipotle grilled chicken, black beans, sweet summer corn, pineapple and pasta all come together in this cold summer supper with just the right amounts of this and that.

Rushing your kids to sporting events, finding time for family and friends and still finding time to make healthy meals can push our lives a little out of balance. Make a double batch of this salad to keep on hand all summer long. Toss in the greens and tangy honey lime dressing at the last minute and you've got yourself a healthy balanced meal with just the right amounts of this and that!

Chipotle Grilled Chicken Salad with Honey Lime Dressing

2 boneless skinless chicken breast

3-4 ears fresh sweet summer corn, cleaned

1 teaspoon chipotle chile powder

1 teaspoon kosher salt

1 1b box Rotelle pasta, cooked according to package directions

1 (15 oz) can black beans, rinsed and drained1

1 (8 oz) can pineapple tidbits

1 bag salad greens

1 teaspoon cinnamon

1 tablespoon key lime juice

1 tablespoon honey

2 tablespoons olive oil

Preheat a gas grill to medium high heat. Season both sides of the chicken breasts with chipotle powder and salt. Place seasoned chicken and corn on hot grill and grill 4 to 5 minutes on each side or until corn is charred and chicken juices run clear. Remove from grill and let cool.

Add the cooked pasta, black beans, pineapple and salad greens to a large bowl. Slice the cooled chicken into thin strips, cut the corn off the cob and toss in with the pasta. Using the back of a large knife, squeeze the corn milk from the cobs into the bowl.

In a seperate small bowl, whisk together the cinnamon and key lime juice and honey. Whisk in the olive oil. Pour over the salad, toss to coat and refrigerate until ready to serve.

Spanish Chicken with Garlic and Bell Peppers

2010-06-13T11:46:00.003-04:00

Making dishes that can take you through every season is a great way to take advantage of money saving supermarket sales. This is one of those dishes that can be made on top of the stove in the fall or winter, but can just as easily be made on a grill in the spring or summer.

It's a twist on the classic Spanish Peppered Steak but made healthier by using boneless chicken thighs that were on sale at the local market. This time of year the Farmer's Market is full of inexpensive, locally grown red and green bell peppers. This dish is a great way to take advantage of both sales at one time.

Serve this over some steamed rice and you've got a complete meal in less than 30 minutes. Great for week nights, but even better as an unexpected dish to serve at your next backyard BBQ.

Spanish Chicken with Garlic and Bell Peppers

2 tablespoons olive oil
2 teaspoons kosher salt
1 teaspoon fresh ground black pepper
8 skinless chicken thighs
6 large cloves of garlic, minced
1 large Spanish onion, peeled and sliced
1 large red bell pepper, seeded and sliced into strips
1 large green bell pepper, seeded and sliced into strips
1 teaspoon dried thyme
1 teaspoon smoked paprika
1 tablespoon sherry vinegar
1/2 cup chicken stock.

Heat 2 tablespoons of olive oil in a large nonstick skillet over medium heat. Season chicken with salt and pepper; add to the pan and brown both sides. Remove from skillet and set aside.

To the hot pan, add the garlic, onion and bell pepper. Cook about 5 minutes or until vegetables begin to soften. Return the chicken thighs to the pan. Add the thyme, smoked paprika, vinegar and chicken stock. Reduce heat to medium low, cover and cook stirring occasionally about 15 minutes or until chicken is done.

Arrange chicken thighs on a serving platter and spoon sauce over.

Chocolate Cake for Valentines Day

2010-02-12T16:05:00.006-05:00

Making a holiday special these days can sometimes feel like a daunting task. It's sometimes hard to afford the fancy candy that is associated with most holidays, especially Valentines Day.

But if you think about it, the old addage "It's the thought that counts" is really true. Don't fret about being able to afford fancy stuff, make something special for your special someone.

There are lots of simple but good ideas out there. Try the Duncan Hines website and try these Conversation Heart Brownies — Duncan Hines®

I used a Duncan Hines Cake Mix and made this simple and delicious Mocha Seville Cake for The Fly Rod Gawd. He loves coffee and chocolate and we have plenty of fresh oranges. It is an affordable, easy and delicious way to make this Valentines day special.

Just follow the directions of the Duncan Hines box for a 13X9 inch cake. Substitute half of the required liquid with strong coffee and the other half with fresh orange juice then bake as directed.

Pomegranate Hot Spiced Apple Salsa

2009-11-20T13:41:00.004-05:00

I’m not sure if anything says "Holiday" more than the smell of warm cinnamon and fresh apples. Especially when it is cold outside, the warm smell of cinnamon is one of the most comforting things I know. It magically brings memories of family to mind and somehow makes you feel like everything is right with the world.

There is always an abundance of apples this time of year and one of my favorite things is the spiced apple rings. I love those vivid red cinnamon spiced rings. They can turn any meal into a work of art.

We eat them on almost everything this time of year. We cut them up and stir them into warm oatmeal, or pour them over pancakes and waffles in the morning. Sometimes we eat them cold with cottage cheese for lunch. My favorite is this Pomegranate hot spiced apple salsa with a crispy pork chop. Just delicious!!!!

You are probably used to seeing applesauce served along side pork, but have you ever thought of trying some spiced apple salsa?

Not only are apples plentiful but so are POM Wonderful pomegranates. If you have never had fresh pomegranates, don’t be intimidated. There is a lot of good information on the POM Wonderful sight. It really takes no time to make, and brings a bit of the unexpected to a familiar dish.

Pomegranate Hot Spiced Apple Salsa

2 Granny Smith Apples, peeled, cored and diced
8 oz. fresh POM Wonderful pomegranate juice
2 tablespoons honey
2 tablespoons light brown sugar
2 cinnamon sticks
1 teaspoon black peppercorns
1/4 teaspoon kosher salt
1/4 cup Fresh Pomegranate arils

In a small saucepan over medium heat add stir together the all ingredients. Reduce heat to low and continue cooking stirring occasionally, until mixture has thickened and apples are tender. Stir in pomegranate arils and serve hot with chicken, lamb or pork.　

POM Wonderful Pomegranate Juice

2009-11-11T17:08:00.005-05:00

This week the people from POM wonderful contacted me and sent me a case of delicious 100% POM Wonderful pomegranate juice. When I was a child we had a pomegranate tree in our neighborhood and would spend a lot of time opening and eating the ruby red averils hidden inside the fruit. We called them Chinese Apples. If any of you know why we called them Chinese Apples I’d love to know.

What we didn’t know then was we were eating one of the earliest cultivated fruits and that some believed that it was the pomegranate, not the apple, that Eve tempted Adam with in the Garden of Eden.

I am so happy that we have pomegranate juice now, saves a lot of red stained fingers. And, did you know, arterial plaque is decreased by up to 30% if you drink just 8 oz. of the tangy juice a day?

I’ve been experimenting with the juice and the whole fruit last week and I will be posting some of those dishes in the weeks to come.

For now, go out and get yourself some POM Wonderful Pomegranate juice………it’s good for you!

Cuban Holiday Ham

2009-10-16T09:44:00.003-04:00

Summer is hanging on here in Florida. Feels like temperature today is going to be something like 90 degrees. There is a small cold front moving in this weekend and I'm really looking forward to cooling off, even if it is just for a day or two.

I often make a ham when the weather is hot just so I can use the leftovers during the week. No heating up the kitchen for me, especially when I am patiently waiting for Fall to arrive.

Before we know it the Holiday's will be here and I thought I would share with you my recipe for this Cuban Holiday Ham. It combines some of my favorite Florida flavors oranges, limes and cola. Not only does it taste good, it looks great too!

CUBAN HOLIDAY HAM

1 6-8 Low Sodium Ham
2 Florida Oranges
2-3 Limes
Several Cinnamon sticks
Salt and Fresh ground Black Pepper
1 Tablespoon ground cumin
1 teaspoon apple pie spice
1 12 ounce can cola
1/4 cup dark rum
1/4 cup golden raisins

Preheat oven to 350 degrees

Remove ham from package, rinse and pat dry. Slice oranges and limes into 1/4 inch thick slices. Stack a lime slice on top of each orange slice. Place the fruit stacks onto the ham and secure each with a cinnamon stick.

In a small bowl mix together the cumin, apple pie spice, cola and rum. Pour half of the mixture over the ham, season with salt and pepper.

Place the ham in the preheated oven and bake for 1 hour, basting every 2o minutes. Remove from the oven and let set 15 minutes before serving.

Meanwhile, add the remaining marinade and raisins to a small saucepan over medium heat. Cook gently until thick and bubbly. Transfer the sauce to a small bowl and serve with the ham for passing.

Summer Squash Casserole

2009-08-19T09:09:00.007-04:00

When people talk about comfort foods I usually think about cold weather food like mac and cheese or chicken soup. Who says we have to wait for fall to have some good old fashioned comforting food?

This squash casserole is one of my favorite summer time dishes and it makes good use of the yellow crook neck squash that is so abundant. I like to add zucchini when I have it, just to add a little color but it is equally as good with out it.

There is nothing particularly creative or new about this casserole recipe, it's just plain delicious. It is a great side dish that goes with any main course. It' s a crowd pleaser and I have yet to find a kid that doesn't ask for seconds.

Summer Squash Casserole

2 tablespoons canola oil
2 pounds yellow squash, cut into 1/2 inch thick 1/2 moons
1 small yellow onion, diced
1 (10 ounce) can creamy chicken mushroom soup
1 cup mayonnaise
1 tablespoon spicy brown mustard
2 eggs
2 cups shredded sharp cheddar cheese
2 cups fresh bread crumbs

Heat the oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Add the squash and onions. Cook 5 to 6 miutes or until tender.

Meanwhile, combine the soup, mayonnaise, mustard, eggs and 1 1/2 cups cheddar cheese in a large mixing bowl. Add the cooked squash and gently mix until well combined.

Pour into a 2 quart casserole dish and place in a 350 degree oven. Bake 15 minutes.

While casserole is baking, combine the remaining cheese and bread crumbs. After casserole has baked 15 minutes, spread the bread crumb mixture evenly on top and continue baking 15 to 20 minutes or until crumbs are golden brown and casserole is hot and bubbly. Let cool 15 minutes before serving.

Smokey Spanish Turkey and White Bean Flatbread Melt

2009-08-02T09:59:00.008-04:00

When I was grocery shopping this week I stumbled upon this great managers sale on fresh Turkey Breast, only $1.79 per pound. What a deal!!!

A lot of times you can get a great deal on whole breasts in the summer because most people think of turkey only around the holidays. I love to get a whole turkey breast in the summer and roast it off. Then I can keep the leftovers in the fridge and have some quick week night meals ready to go.

And the best part is that you only have to heat the kitchen up once. Quick, easy and cool just my kind of summer meal.

Look for a manager's sale in your own local market. There are always some great sales going on and with this recipe in your back pocket you'll have no problem using up a whole breast!

Smokey Spanish Turkey and White Bean Flatbread Melt

2 tablespoons olive oil
1 small onion, diced

1 cup fresh or frozen whole kernel corn
1 tablespoon chili powder
1 tablespoon smoked paprika
1 15 oz. can white beans, rinsed and drained
1 cup diced roasted turkey breast
6 10 inch flat bread wraps
4 cups fresh baby spinach
1 cup shredded sharp cheddar
1 cup shredded manchego cheese

Heat the oil in a medium skillet over medium heat. Add the onion, corn, chili powder, and paprika. Saute 8 to 10 minutes or until onion is softened. Stir in the white beans and turkey breast, heat through. Remove from pan, wipe skillet clean with paper towels.

Return skillet to medium heat. Place on flat bread in skillet and top with some cheddar cheese, spinach, turkey mixture, manchego cheese and top with a flat bread wrap. Cook until lightly toasted, about 4 minutes. Carefully turn and toast the other side. Remove from pan and cut into wedges. Serve warm and enjoy!

Wild Salmon and Broccoli Mini Frittata

2009-07-24T09:54:00.003-04:00

You might think that a Heart Healthy lifestyle means giving up some of the things that you really love, like eggs and cheese for example. Well, I am here to tell you that there are so many great tasty products on the market today, that with a little creativity you can still have your eggs and eat them too!

These Wild Salmon and Broccoli Mini Frittatas are a perfect example. They are made with packaged salmon, frozen broccoli and egg beaters. And the Creamy Scallion Sauce is something that you can use for a lot of different things.

Make some of these this weekend, keep them in the fridge and you'll have a quick healthy grab and go breakfast all week. Try chopping them up and stuffing them in a whole wheat pita spread with the scallion sauce.

Wild Salmon and Broccoli Mini Frittatas with a Creamy Scallion Sauce

1 tablespoon olive oil
4 green onions, sliced
2 cups egg beaters

2 tablespoons 1 % milk
1/2 teaspoon fresh ground black pepper
1 (5 oz.) pouch wild salmon, cut into thin strips

1 (10 oz.) box frozen chopped broccoli, thawed

1/2 cup non fat plain yogurt

3 oz. neufachatel cheese (low fat cream cheese) softened

Pre-heat oven to 400. Heat the oil 10-inch non-stick skillet over a medium heat. Add 1/2 of the onions and saute until tender.

Combine egg beaters, milk, and pepper in a large bowl. Whisk well, stir in the salmon, broccoli and sauted onion. Spray a jumbo muffin pan with cooking spray and divide the egg mixture evenly among the cups. Place in pre heated oven and bake 35 to 45 minutes or until eggs are firm.

Whisk together the yogurt, cream cheese. Stir in the remaining green onions.

Serve the frittatas with a dolop of the creamy scallion sauce. Or, spread the sauce inside a whole wheat pita, chop the frittatas and serve as a breakfast sandwich.

Sweet Potato, Broccoli and Black Bean Hash

2009-07-21T10:21:00.004-04:00

So, I was out Blog Jogging the other day and found a blog somewhere that had this delicious looking dish displayed. I'm sorry to say that I can't remember where I saw this but the image stuck in my head and was driving me crazy so I just had to attempt it.

I'm not sure how the original recipe was made or if this is even a close reproduction, all I know is that I really liked it. The Fly Rod Gawd however, well lets just say he ate it.

I did this in a single skillet on top of the stove so it was a snap to make. I really like the way the chili seasoning that I used on the sweet potato, flavored the entire dish. It was also a great looking dish. Very colorful and very healthy!

Chili Spiced Sweet Potato, Broccoli and Black Bean Hash

2 Tablespoons olive oil
1 large sweet potato
2 tablespooons chili powder
1 (10 oz) box frozen broccoli florets
1 (15 oz) can black beans, rinsed and drained

Peel and cut the sweet potato into 1/4 inch thick slices, then cut each slice into 4 wedges. Heat the oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Add the chili powder and cook 1 minute, swirling the pan to incorporate the chili powder in the oil. Add the sweet potato and cook 6 to 8 minutes or until. Add the broccoli florets and beans. Reduce heat to low and continue cooking until vegetables are tender.

Cuban Chicken and Black Bean Orzo Salad

2009-07-07T09:36:00.006-04:00

The summer is always a challenge to keep my family eating healthy, it's just too easy to stop by the nearest fast food place. As much as we enjoy the occasional burger, I try to keep things like this Cuban Chicken and Black Bean Orzo Salad on hand to stop temptation in her tracks!

It's easy to make up a big batch and keep in the fridge. It just seems to get better the longer it sits. I love the way the tangy dressing soaks into the black beans and orzo. And the crunch from the fresh sweet corn........woooweee! that's some good eatin'

I baked up a batch of boneless skinless chicken thighs for this dish, but you could easily make it with a rotissere chicken from your local deli, or you could use Tyson's Southwestern Chicken Strips. Any way you choose the result is a crispy, tangy refreshing dish perfect for a quick dinner. It is a great dish to take to a cookout, or pack up the leftovers for a refreshing lunch box treat.

Cuban Chicken and Balck Bean Orzo Salad

1 box orzo
1 lb boneless skinless chicken thighs
1 tablespoon chili powder
2 tablespoons canola oil
1/2 cup diced green bell pepper
1/2 cup diced onion
2 teaspoons dried oregano
2 cups fresh sweet corn (use frozen if you must)
1 (15 oz.) can black beans, rinsed and drained
2 tablespoons key lime juice
1/4 cup orange juice
salt and fresh ground black pepper to taste
4 cups fresh spinach leaves

Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Season chicken thighs with chili powder, place on a baking sheet and bake 20 to 25 minutes or until done. Cut into bite sized cubes.

Meanwhile, cook orzo according to package directions, drain.

Heat the oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Add the bell pepper and onion, cook 4 to 5 minutes or until vegetables begin to soften. Add oregano, corn and black beans. Heat through, stir in cooked orzo and chicken. Add key lime juice and orange juice, contiue cooking until all liquid is absorbed. Season with salt and pepper.

Refrigerate for at least 1 hour. Just before serving fold in spinach leaves.

Oven Baked Sweet Potato Fries

2009-07-01T15:05:00.007-04:00

Just how many ways can you make sweet potatoes? For most people, sweet potatoes are one of those holiday only items. You know what I mean, like green bean casserole, we only have them on special occasions. It's a shame we don't have them more often given their amazing health benefits.

I won't bore you with in depth research on the power of sweet potatoes, some things you'll just have to trust me with. Lets just say that The Fly Rod Gawd and I are going to be eating alot more of these delicious taters!

These oven baked fries are really easy. I think the hardest part of them is cutting them. Sweet potatoes tend to be very hard so be sure to use a really sharp knife and be careful! If your diet can include salt, try using the chili salt recipe in my earlier sweet potato chip post. But, if you are watching your salt try them with my smokey seasoning. Equally delicious and I promise you won't miss the salt..................trust me!

Oven Baked Sweet Potato Fries

2 medium sweet potatoes, peeled
2 tablespoons olive or canola oil
1 tablespoon ground cumin
2 teaspoons smoked paprika
2 teaspoons fresh ground black pepper
1 fresh lime

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Line a baking sheet with foil.

Carefully slice the sweet potatoes into sticks or wedges and add to a large bowl. Add the oil, cumin, smoked paprika and black pepper. Toss to coat.

Spread in a single layer onto the foil lined pan. Place in the oven and bake 25 to 30minutes or unitl done. Remove from the oven and squeeze the lime juice over the hot fries.

Heart Healthy Smoothie

2009-06-17T09:08:00.012-04:00

So here I am again, finally finding the time to write about one of my favorite things----FOOD!

I had to take some time away from all things bloggy, The Fly Rod Gawd's mom had open heart surgery and taking care of them took up more time than I had. But, here I am again happily blogging away and with a new found spirit. Through all of the doctors,tests, hospitals and nurses, I realized just what an important part food really plays in our lives.

When I first realized that we were going to have to have some more heart friendly meals I thought we were going to be doomed to unsalted tasteless cardboard with a side of steamed stryfoam. But, what I have realized is that creating heart friendly meals is really not as hard as I thought.

Here is a quick cardio friendly smoothie that is perfect for an on the go breakfast, lunch or snack. Try it and let me know what you think!

Banana Pumpkin Pie Smoothie

1 cup pumpkin puree

1 very ripe banana

2 teaspoons pumpkin pie spice

1/2 cup non fat plain yogurt

1/4 cup 1 % milk

2 teaspoons honey

Place all ingriedients in a blender and blend until smooth. Add more milk if you like it thinner and more honey if you like it sweeter!

Sweet Potato Chips with Chili Salt

2009-01-21T09:30:00.007-05:00

Can you think of anything more tasty than a thin, crispy french fried potato? How about thin, crispy french fried sweet potato chips?

A few years ago, The Fly Rod Gawd and I were visiting St. Michaels in Maryland and we stopped at this great restaurant whose name I can't remember. It was one of those great evenings that no matter how hard you try, you just can't recreate.

As we were sitting in the dinning room, looking out over the Chesapeake, our waiter brought us a plate of fresh sweet potato chips. We had never had crispy sweet potato chips before, but as soon as we tried them we wondered where they had been all our lives!

Not only were we lovn' the chips, but just as our dessert was being served a Barbershop quartet that was having dinner at the same time broke out in song!

It was such a wonderful night and one that we will never forget.

You will be surprised at how easy these chips are to make and everyone seems to love them. They can take on a lot of different flavors, but we like them with a spicy chili salt and a lime sour creme.

Sweet Potato Chips with Chile Salt

6 cups Canola oil
2 tablespoons sea salt
1 tablespoon chipotle pepper powder
1 lime
8 ounces sour creme
2 large sweet potato

Heat the oil in a heavy bottom pan to 375 degrees.

Mix the salt and chipotle pepper in a small bowl, set aside. Add the sour creme to a small bowl and mix in the juice and zest of the lime, set aside.

Peel and slice the sweet potato very thin. Fry the sweet potato's in batches until golden brown. Remove with a slotted spoon to drain on paper towels. Immediately season with the chili salt. Serve with the lime sour creme for dipping.

Honey Wheat Pizza Dough

2009-01-14T09:03:00.004-05:00

This week, I have been trying to decide what to do for Superbowl Sunday. I need something to serve that is easy and basically self serve, but I didn't want to just do buffet food. Of course I'll have the usually line up of snacks and finger foods but for the main event, I wanted to do something fun. What I came up with is a pizza bar. Everyone loves pizza right?

My challenge is to find a way to make it a little bit healthier but still have a great tasting pizza. This week I have been playing around with whole wheat bread dough and I think I have finally come up with a winner. By adding a little more honey and some garlic to the dough, the result was a hearty dough with a lot of flavor. The best part, is that it also made a really good sandwich roll as well.

I'm not sure who will be playing in the big game, but I do know that the pizza bar at The Saucy Bird will be open for business!

Honey Wheat Pizza Dough

1 1/2 cup water, warmed to 110°F
1 packet active dry yeast
1 teaspoon sugar
3 1/2 cup whole-wheat flour
1/2 cup all-purpose flour
2 teaspoons salt
1/4 cup honey
4 cloves garlic, minced
2 tablespoons olive oil

Lightly coat a large bowl with olive oil and set aside. Combine the water, yeast, and sugar in a small bowl and set aside. Combine flours and salt in a large bowl. Add the yeast mixture, honey, oil and garlic, stir until dough begins to form -- it will be slightly sticky. Transfer to a lightly floured surface and knead until dough is smooth but still tacky -- about 10 minutes. Form the dough into a ball and transfer it to the prepared bowl, turning to coat all sides. Cover with a clean, damp kitchen towel and let rise in a warm, draft-free place until the dough doubles in volume.

Punch the dough down, remove from the bowl, and let dough rest for 5 minutes. Divide the dough in half and turn one piece out onto a lightly floured surface and roll into desired shape and size.

Buttermilk Onion Crisps

2009-01-04T09:36:00.009-05:00

Whew!!! The holidays are finally over and this year I can't say that I am sorry. The Fly Rod Gawds Mother has had some pretty serious health issues and adding hospital tests and doctor visits to the already hectic season really wore me out.

I have been trying to get these french fried onions posted since New Year's day but haven't been able to get to it. Well, I probably could have but we had to watch the bowl games. And then, I had to get the Christmas lights down, at least from the front porch. (I was beginning to feel a little Gretchen Wilsonish).

So everything, is finally down and boxed, just waiting for The Fly Rod Gawd to stow the boxes in the shed. I am always surprised at how blah the house looks when the decorations come down.

Anywhoo, these crispy onions are the result of my first experiment with the mandolin Santa brought me for Christmas. I have been wanting one for a long time now and it is one of those things that I just wouldn't buy for myself. Well all I have to say is: THANK YOU SANTA! I LOVE IT.

It made these crispy fried onions sooooo easy. Just zip zip zip and they were sliced perfectly. Now I just have to figure out how to keep from eating them so I have enough for everyone else. They made the perfect football snack and I think they would make the perfect topper for mac and cheese.

Buttermilk Onion Crisps

3 large onions
1 cup self rising flour
1 tablespoon fresh ground black pepper
1 tablespoon ground sage
1 large egg
1/2 cup buttermilk
3 cups canola oil
Kosher salt or Celery Salt

Peel the onions and slice thin on a mandolin. Pat dry with paper towels and place in a large bowl. Mix together the flour, pepper and sage. Spoon some of the flour mixture over the onions and stir to lightly coat. Beat together the egg and butter milk. Pour some of the egg mixture over the onions. Stir to evenly coat. Spoon the remaining flour mixture over the onions and stir to coat.

Heat the oil in a heavy bottom pan to 375 degrees. Place the onions a little at a time in the hot oil, sitr with a fork to break apart and fry 3 to 4 minutes turning occasilnally until golden brown. Season with kosher salt or celery salt and serve warm.

Try not to eat too many!

Cinnamon Raisin Crisps

2008-12-24T08:34:00.006-05:00

Dear Santa:

Please don't forget to stop by our house tonight. I have made your favorite cookies and promise that I won't let The Fly Rod Gawd eat all of them before you arrive. They turned out really good this year. They are crispy and have lots of cinnamon, just the way you like them.

I'll even have some "Jolly" Java waiting for you, and since Rudolph is your designated driver I know you can indulge without reservation.

Drive carefull and I hope you have a lot of good boys and girls to deliver to this year, and I hope you will bring lots of toys.

Love

The Saucy Bird

Cinnamon Raisin Crisps

1/2 cup butter or margarine, softened
1/3 cup granulated sugar
1 Egg yolk
1/8 teaspoon salt
1 cup flour
1 1/2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
1/2 cup natural raisins
1/3 cup crispy rice cereal

Cream butter and sugar. Beat in yolk and salt. Mix in flour and cinnamon just to blend thoroughly. Mix in raisins and cereal to distribute evenly. On lightly floured surface, roll into a 12" long. Wrap securely and refrigerate at least 1 hour

With sharp knife, cut 1/3" thick slices, and place 1" apart on baking sheets.

Bake in preheated 350 degree oven 15 to 20 minutes until cookies are set and bottoms are lightly browned. Remove to racks to cool completely.

Express Lane 3 Bean with Bacon Soup

2008-12-15T14:06:00.007-05:00

Nothing seems to satisfy like a steaming hot bowl of homemade bean with bacon soup. The problem is that it takes so long to make. I mean, you have to soak the beans overnight and then simmer them for 2 hours to get those tasty little beans soft. The result for me is pure heaven but I rarely have enough time to get a pot together.

Well, not anymore! I am taking a lot of help from the store but the result is a delicious, mouth watering pot of the most soul satisfying soup you have ever had. And the great part is that it only takes as long as the cornbread takes to bake. Really----- I'm not kidding.

I know that there are plenty of good quality condensed soups on the market today, but nothing beats homemade soup. And, with the help of your local market and a quick trip through the express lane you can have this soup quicker than you can say: "Bob's your Uncle!" Not only is it a great stick to your ribs kind of meal, it's really economical, nutitious, it feeds a crowd and I haven't met anyone who doesn't enjoy a nice hot cup of soup, and frankly if I do I'm not sure I would want to know them.

Express Lane 3 Bean with Bacon Soup

1 box Corn Bread mix
12 ounces peppered bacon, cut into 1 inch pieces
1 large white onion, peeled and diced
3 carrots, peeled and diced
1 ham steak, diced
2 quarts low sodium chicken stock
1 (15 ounce) can Pinto Beans, rinsed and drained
1 (15 ounce) can Great Northern Beans, rinsed and drained
1 (15 ounce) can Red Beans, rinsed and drained
1 (15 ounce) can Diced flavored Tomatoes

Prepare the Corn Bread according to package directions.

Meanwhile, Heat a large soup pot over medium heat. Add the bacon and cook until light brown. With a slotted spoon remove the bacon to paper towels. Leave about 2 tablespoons of fat in the bottom of the pan and discard the rest. Add the onions, carrots and diced ham. Saute until onions are translucent. Add the chicken stock and reduce heat to medium low. Add the all of the beans and the tomatoes to a large bowl, stir to combine. Reserve one cup of the mixture and add the rest to the pot. With a fork or potato masher, mash the reserved bean mixture until mashed but still chunky. Add to the pot, stir well and simmer until ready to serve.

Serve hot over fresh cornbread and enjoy!

Crispy Crumb Coated Broccoli

2008-12-06T09:47:00.007-05:00

I know that this is the time of year that everyone is making those deliciously gooey, sweet decadent treats that we only get once a year, so I thought I would share something that is a little bit on the healthy side.

A few years ago, the Fly Rod Gawd's doctor put him on a diet and it was up to me to figure out ways to get him to eat healthier foods. We all now that if I'd let him he would have chocolate cake for breakfast, pound cake for lunch and cookies for dinner, so my challenge was to get him to "like" green things. Thankfully he was a willing participant and would cheerfully try anything, so my job was a bit easier. But still, getting someone to actually like fruits and vegetables that weren't soaked in sugar or fat wasn't easy.

One day I was watching Lydia's Italian Kitchen and she was making crumb coated vegetables as a side dish and they looked really quick and easy. (I'm all about quick and easy!) I don't remember her exact recipe but this is my interpretation of the recipe I saw her making.

Well, it was a big hit! Not long after I began making his broccoli this way we had to go out of town on business. To my surprise, after eating every meal in a restaurant for a week, The Fly Rod Gawd actually said: "I can't wait to get home, I'm craving broccoli!" I almost fell off my chair.

Since then, I've tried this technique on every vegetable I could think of and it has worked on every thing I have tried. My favorites are broccoli, cauliflower and mushrooms and now I make them to put out as snacks or appetizers with a honey mustard dipping sauce.

Crispy Crumb Coated Broccoli

3 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
1/8 teaspoon crushed red pepper (more if you like it hot)
2 cloves garlic, peeled and minced
1 (10 ounce) box frozen broccoli florets, thawed and patted dry
1/3 cup seasoned Italian bread crumbs

Heat the olive oil in a large non stick pan over medium high heat. Add the red pepper and garlic. Swirl the pepper and garlic in the oil until you begin to smell the garlic, about 1 minute. Add the broccoli florets and saute until tender, 4 to 5 minutes. Reduce the heat and add the Italian bread crumbs. Toss to evenly coat all of the florets and continue cooking until the crumbs are golden brown.

Remove from the pan and serve as a side dish or arrange on a platter with honey mustard dipping sauce for a hot appetizer.

Nut-N-Fancies

2008-11-29T16:54:00.012-05:00

Everyone has a different idea of what makes a good Thanksgiving dinner. For our family it's Dad's stuffing, Aunt Robin's broccoli casserole, Grand mom's candied sweet potatoes and Carrie's cranberry sauce. There just isn't any room for experimenting when you are competing with the memories of generations.

Now don't get me wrong, I look forward to those same dishes every year and enjoy the memories that those familiar flavors conjure. It's after Thanksgiving that I really begin to have fun. We always get a bird that is absolutely too big for our family, just so I am sure to have plenty of leftovers for experimenting.

When I heard about the blogger recipe contest sponsored by POM Wonderful, I knew I was going to enter. Not only are fresh pomegranates a delicious treat, the health benefits are amazing. Although fresh pomegranates are only available for a few months, POM Wonderful has a wide variety of juices available year round. If you aren't familiar with all of the benefits of fresh pomegranates, visit their website and you'll understand why you can't live without this amazing fruit.

I've had a hard time waiting to enter this tempting sandwich. It has become a favorite in our house and we look forward to it as much as we do Thanksgiving dinner itself. We call it the Nut-N-Fancy, because the day after Thanksgiving when my family asks: "What's for dinner?", I say Nut-N-Fancy!

The recipe is written using leftover turkey, but we have grown to love this sandwich so much that I roast turkey thighs year round just to make this sandwich. If you want to use it as an appetizer, substitute English muffins for the Italian bread and you'll have a unique addition to your holiday table.

Nut-N-Fancies
Or

Pomegranate Pepper Turkey Sandwiches on Grilled Italian Bread with Walnut Butter and Pomegranate Apple Walnut Slaw

Turkey in Pomegranate Pepper Sauce:
2 tablespoons olive oil

1 medium white onion, peeled and sliced thin
1 medium red bell pepper, seeded and sliced thin
4 to 5 whole pomegranates
2 to 4 tablespoons sugar

2 teaspoons (Asian) red chili garlic sauce (more if you like things hot)
2 cups cooked and shredded dark turkey meat

Walnut Butter:
1 1/2 cup walnut pieces
1/2 cup cashews
3 tablespoons honey
3 or 4 tablespoons softened butter

Pomegranate Apple Walnut Slaw:
1 medium red apple
1/4 cup pomegranate arils
1/4 cup chopped roasted walnuts
1/3 cup Mayonnaise
3 tablespoons fresh lemon juice

2-3 tablespoons softened butter
8 thick slices bakery Italian bread

(optional) Pomegranate arils and parsley for garnish

Heat the olive oil in a medium pan over medium heat. Add the onion and bell pepper and saute until slightly softened, about 5 minutes. Juice the pomegranates, reserving about 1/4 cup of the arils. Add 1 cup of pomegranate juice to the onion and peppers. Stir in sugar, a little at a time, until the sauce is slightly sweet. Bring the mixture to a boil, reduce heat to medium low and continue cooking until sauce has thickened, about 15 minutes. Add the chili garlic sauce, stir in the turkey and heat through.

Meanwhile, in a large non stick pan over medium high heat, roast the walnuts and cashews 6-8 minutes until they become fragrant. Add the roasted nuts and honey to the bowl of a food processor. Puree on high until very fine. Add the softened butter a little at a time and purée until a "peanut-buttery" consistency. If the mixture seems too thick add a tablespoon or two of warm water.

Peel, core and slice the apple into thin matchsticks. Place in a medium bowl, add the reserved pomegranate arils, walnuts, mayonnaise and lemon juice. Mix well.

Lighlty spread the softened butter on both sides of each slice of bread. On a stovetop grill pan over medium high heat, grill the bread on each side until toasted but not too dark. Spread some of the walnut butter onto four slices of bread. Top with some of the turkey mixture and some of the pomegranate apple, walnut slaw. Top with the remaining slice of grilled bread. Garnish with pomegranate arils and parsley. Serve warm and enjoy!

Amaretto Peach Cobbler

2008-11-26T08:38:00.009-05:00

Thanksgiving is here and that means that Christmas and New Years are not far behind. I love this time of year! When we were kids it seemed that Thanksgiving and Christmas would never get here, and when the time did finally come it never seemed to last long enough.

I don't think it is any accident that Thanksgiving, Christmas and New Year's come so close together. I think the holiday's give us the opportunity to remember the things that are truly important in life.

Thanksgiving is the time for gratitude. It is the time for us to remember everything that we have to be grateful for. It's when we remember and give thanks for those things that we realize how wonderful life can be.

At Christmas, we honor family. Christmas is the time that families get together, some for the only time in the year. It is a time to catch up with each other and remember that no matter what, family is the most important things in our life.

Then comes the New Year. For me it is a time of renewal, and second chances. If we remember all that we have to be grateful for, honor our family and resolve to do better, the new year holds hope and promise.

This holiday season take them time to remember what you have to be grateful for, celebrate and honor your family and resolve to do better

From now until the beginning of the New Year, we will all have too little time and too much to do. People stop by, often unannouced, and being from the south I always have the makings for a fruit cobbler on hand. Most any kind of fruit will work and this easy basic recipe can be dressed up any way you like.

The next time you have unexpected company, try this delicious fruit cobbler. It is a really quick treat that is best served right out of the oven and can be ready before you finish catching up with your friends.

Amaretto Peach Cobbler

4 Tablespoons Butter
2 ounces amaretto
1 cup flour
1/2 cup sugar
2/3 cup milk
2 tsp baking powder
1 can peaches in syrup

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Melt butter in a 8x8 pan. Mix in amaretto.

In a medium bowl mix together flour, sugar, milk and baking powder. Pour over butter mixture. Pour peaches ( including syrup), over flour mixture. Bake in preheated over 30 to 40 minutes or until golden brown. Serve warm with icecream if desired.

Apple Cider Tea Cup Triffle

2008-11-19T13:11:00.003-05:00

My sister and I recieved an easy bake oven one year for Christmas and I think that was the beginning of my cooking obsession. We used the oven all the time and did a lot of experimenting.

We tried everything we could think of in that little oven and much to our surprise alot of what we tried came out pretty good. Well at least in the minds of 2 little girls.

The best of our creations made it to the family dinner table and some, like this triffle, I still serve today. I don't know if it is the cake itself, or the unique way that we came up to serve it, but this cake has remained one of my favorites. Of course back then the tea cups weren't as fancy, but the possiblities are endless. The Fly Rod Gawd remembers an apple cake that his Grandmother used to make him and he thinks that this one comes really close.

Try these tea cup triffles at one of your family gatherings this holiday season and see if they don't become a staple in your house.

APPLE CIDER TEA CUP TRIFFLE

1 spice Cake Mix
1 cup apple cider
1/2 cup applesauce
3 eggs
1 large apple, peeled cored and diced
1/4 cup light brown sugar
1 tablespoon ground cinnamon
2 tablespoons melted butter
1 cup prepared vanilla pudding
1/2 cup orange marmalade

1/4 cup raisins

Preheat the oven to 350, spray a 9 X 13 pan with non-fat vegetable spray and dust with flour. Shake out the excess flour and set the pan aside.

Place the cake mix, cider, applesauce, and eggs in a large mixing bowl. With an electric mixer on low, beat until ingredients are just combined. Increase the mixer speed to medium and beat for 1 to 1 1/2 minutes or until the mixture is smooth. Pour the batter into the prepared pan, and set the pan aside.

Place the apple slices, brown sugar, cinnamon, and melted butter in a small mixing bowl and stir to combine. Spoon the apple mixture on top of the batter in the pan. Stir a few times to swirl the apple mixuture into the batter. Place the pan in the oven and bake 30 to 35 minutes or until the top springs back when lightly pressed with your fingertips. Remove to a wire rack and cool.

When the cake is cool, cut into small squares. Add 2 tablespoons of prepared pudding to the bottom of teacups. Top with equal amounts of cake squares. Mix the marmalade and the rasins in a microwve proof dish and microwave on high until thinned. Spoon the mixture evenly on top of each tea cup.

15 minute Ham Steak Dinner

2008-11-13T09:51:00.004-05:00

When things get really hectic and you think that you don't have time to have a sit down family dinner, take a little help from your local market and try this tasty 15 minute Ham Steak Dinner.

We have all seen those Ham steaks and if you are like me you pass them up as a dinner item because you always think of them as a breakfast dish. I think they are perfect for a quick weeknight meal. They are fully cooked so all you really have to do is heat them up. Saute them with some frozen broccoli and fresh carrots, add a tasty sauce and some rice or Orzo and you have a quick and delicious dinner.

The next time you are ready to order take out or get some fast food, try this Korean style ham steak recipe and treat yourself to some tasty family time.

Cola-rean Ham Steak Dinner

1 12 ounce can cola
1/2 cup rice vinegar
1 pinch crushed red pepper
1 tablespoon fresh ginger, finely chopped
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 tablespoon soy sauce
2 tablespoons fresh squeezed lime juice
2 tablespoons olive oil
1 onion, sliced thin
1 Ham steak, cut into bite sized chunks
2 (10 ounce) boxes broccoli florets
2 large carrots, peeled and cut into coins

In a small saucepan over medium heat add the first 7 ingriedints. Stir to combine and simmer to combine, reduce sauce (about 10 minutes).

Heat the olive oil in a large saute pan over medium heat. Add the onion and saute until translucent. Add the Ham, broccoli and carrots, continue cooking until vegetables are tender (about 10 minutes). Pour the sauce over the ham mixture, toss to combine and serve over orzo or rice.

Rigatoni Divan

2008-11-06T14:32:00.004-05:00

Thank goodness the election is finally over! I am always filled with pride when I cast my vote. I think about all the people who came before me, about all the people who had to fight for the right to vote. There are times when we take our right to vote for granted, and I think that we should all take a little time to remember the people who have struggled and died for our right to vote.

We made history this year and it is one of those days in our collective lives that we will always remember as a nation. We are fortunate to live in such interesting times.

It has been almost 2 years since this campaign season started and now that it is over it is time for us all to come together. What better place to start than at our own dinner tables?

When I was a kid, the dinner table was the place where the whole family got together and talked and laughed and even sometimes argued, but it was a place that we came together as a family.

This dinner is sure to please every member of the family. It comes together quick, you can even make it ahead of time and pop it in to the oven and have a comforting family friendly dinner ready in no time. I used canned chicken, but I have also made it with leftover chicken. And, hey, with Thanksgiving coming Turkey would be great in it too!

Rigatoni Divan

1 1lb. box Rigatoni
2 Tablespoons olive oil
1/2 cup chopped onion
1 (13 ounce) can chunk chicken breast, drained
2 Tablespoon flour
2 cups milk
2 eggs, lighly beaten
1 cup low fat mayonnaise
1 (10 ounce) box Broccoli Florets, thawed and drained
1 pinch fresh ground nutmeg
2 cups shredded parmesean cheese
2 cups plain bread crumbs

Pre-heat the oven to 375 degrees. Butter a 9x13 casserole dish, set aside

Cook the Rigatoni to al dente according to package directions

heat the olive oil in a large saute pan over medium heat. Add the onion and chicken, saute about 2 minutes or until onion is translucent. Sprinkle the flour evenly into the pan and cook 2 minutes, stirring constantly. Stir in the milk, eggs and mayonnaise. Add the broccoli, nutmeg and 1 cup of the cheese. Stir to combine and remove from the heat. Stir in the cooked Rigatoni and pour mixure into the prepared dish.

Mix the remaining cheese with the bread crumbs and spread evenly over the rigatoni mixture. Place in the hot oven and bake for 25 to 35 minutes, or unitl the topping has browned. Serve with a green salad and some good conversation!

Teriyaki Tenderloin Salad

2008-10-30T14:28:00.004-04:00

This week I found some delicious Pork Tenderloins on sale so I bought a bunch. The next thing I had to do was to come up with a lot of different ways to fix them.

Sometimes it is hard to come up with dishes that the whole family will like but this was one that everyone seemed to love. Not just the first time, but The Fly Rod Gawd loved this salad made from the leftovers.

The first night I seasoned the pork loins, then I coated them with a quick and easy teriyaki sauce, roasted them in the oven for about 15 to 20 minutes and served them with some steamed rice and some sauted green beans.

There are always 2 pork loins in every package so I always make them both so I can have another dinner partially made for the middle of the week. This week I decided to get a little creative and use up some of the fresh veggies that were hanging around. What I came up with is this great salad with a toasted sesame sweet and sour dressing that went pefectly with the leftover pork loins. Even though we are getting some colder days here in Florida this salad is still quite tasty!

Teriyaki Roasted Pork Loins

and

Toasted Sesame Sweet and Sour Salad

1 package pork loins
salt and fresh ground black pepper
1 tablespoon 5 pice powder
2 tablespoon olive oil
1 tablespoon cornstarch
1 tablespoon cold water
1/2 cup white sugar
1/2 cup soy sauce
1/4 cup cider vinegar
1 clove garlic, minced
1/2 teaspoon ground ginger

Preheat the oven to 375 degrees

Season the pork loins with salt, pepper and 5 spice powder. Heat the olive oil in a large oven proof skillet. When the oil is hot sear the pork loins on all sides, place in the oven and roast for 15 to 20 minutes

Meanwhile, in a small saucepan over low heat, combine the cornstarch, cold water, sugar, soy sauce, vinegar, garlic, ginger and ground black pepper. Let simmer, stirring frequently, until sauce thickens and bubbles.

Remove the pork loins from the oven and pour the sauce over the pork loins. Return to medium heat to reduce the sauce. Serve with steamed rice.

Toasted Sesame Sweet and Sour Salad

1/4 cup canola oil
2 tablespoons toasted sesame oil
2 tablespoons fresh squeezed lemon juice
1 teaspoon soy sauce
2 minced garlic cloves
salt and pepper to taste
1 yellow squash slice thin
1 small yellow onion sliced thin
1 zucchini sliced thin
1/2 cup snow peas coasly chopped
1 red bell pepper julienned
1 10 ounce bag baby spinach

Combine dressing ingredients in a jar, shaking to combine. Add the vegetables to a large bowl cover with the dressing and toss to combine. Arrange the salad on a serving platter, slice the leftover teriyaki tenderloin and arrange on top. Enjoy!

Potato Crisp Chicken Tenders

2008-10-22T13:48:00.008-04:00

When our local Grocery Store has boneless skinless chicken breasts on sale for 1.79 lb. I always stock up. Sometimes I think I buy to much but the price is so cheap that I just can't resist. I package them up into smaller portions, freeze them and always have chicken in the freezer.

This week I had a major craving for fried chicken. I've tried making oven fried chicken as a healthier alternative but every one knows fried chicken just isn't fried chicken if it doesn't have that great crispy skin.

Thanks to my friends Tony and Maria for this great recipe that will satisfy any fried chicken craving. The potato buds that they use in the crust is really crispy and I used olive oil to fry it in so it is a least fried in a good for you fat.

It's not as healthy as oven fried chicken, but really do we have to be healthy all the time?

Potato Crisp Chicken Tenders

TFC (Tony's Fried Chicken)

4 boneless skinless chicken breasts
2 cups flour
2 cups Betty Crocker Potato Buds
1/2 tablespoon salt
1/2 tablespoon fresh ground black pepper
3 tablespoons hot paprika
Olive oil for frying
Kosher Salt

Slice chicken breasts into strips, set aside

In a large bowl mix together all dry ingriedients. Remove half of the mixture to a large plastic bag.

Stir water into the bowl, a little at a time, until it has the consistency of thin oatmeal.

Dip the chicken strips into the wet mixture one at a time, add to the bag of dry mix and shake to coat. Place in a single layer onto a clean plate and repeat the process until all chicken pieces are coated. Refrigerate for 1 hour.

Pour olive oil into a large heavy frying pan to a depth of 1/2 inch. Heat to 365 degrees. Fry the chicken in batches 5 to 6 minutes or until golden brown. Remove to paper towels to drain and season with kosher salt.

Serve hot with a honey mustard dipping sauce if desired.

Messy-dillia's

2008-10-13T13:21:00.005-04:00

I had what I thought was a great idea for a tasty football snack, so I whipped up some quesadilla's for Saturday's college football games. We don't watch Pro ball that much but The Fly Rod Gawd is glued to the t.v. on Saturday's during college football season.

I always try to make snack food so that we can eat in front of the t.v. and watch every game we can find.

Quesadilla's always seem to make it on to the scene on Saturday's, but I was getting tired of making the same old thing so I decided to jazz them up a little.

Well--------they were really good, and I do mean really good, but not the sort of thing that you could eat while cheering on Penn State!

I'm not sure how I could change them to make them suitable for a football snack, but I would definetly make them for a knife and fork dinner sometime.

WE ARE-----PENN STATE!!!

Messy Dilla's

1 tablespoons olive oil

1/2 cup chopped onion

1 (small can) green chilles

1 cup black beans, rinsed and drained

2 cups fresh or frozen corn kernals

1/2 cup chopped red bell pepper

1 or 2 chipotle peppers, chopped

6 10 inch flour tortilla's

2 cups shredded sharp cheddar cheese

1 rotiserre chicken, skined, boned and shredded

1 cup prepared smokey bbq sauce

1 box frozen spinach, thawed and squeezed dry

1/2 cup prepared buttermilk ranch dressing

Heat a the oil in a large nonstick skillet over medium heat. Add the onions and saute until translucent, about 2 minutes. Add the chilles, beans, corn, red bell pepper and chipotle peppers. Cook over medium heat until corn begins to brown, about 4 minutes. Remove from the skillet.

Reduce the heat to medium low, add a tortilla then layer with some of the cheese, corn mixture, chicken, bbq sauce, spinach, ranch dressing and a little more cheese. Top with another tortilla. Cook about 3 minutes until bottom tortilla is browned then flip and cook until browned.

Slide from the pan, let cool 2 minutes. Cut into wedges and serve with salsa.

Red Beans and Rice Soup

2008-10-02T10:19:00.003-04:00

Fall in the mountains is such a beautiful time, especially if your from Florida. I love the fall and look forward to our September trip to Blue Ridge. It's an early taste of the fall colors and the cool crisp air of the blue ridge mountains. The Fly Rod Gawd loves the fall fishing, it reminds him of his childhood in Pennsylvania.

This year we took one of our best friends and her really cute dog. Her puppy is only 12 weeks old and she is soooo cute.

Here she is with The Fly Rod Gawd ready to go fishing.

We loved her so much that we are going to get one of her puppies. So meet Splash the mother of my dog!

Another thing that I love about fall is the great soups that seem to just hit the spot. We always make a big pot of soup when we go to the mountains. It's always ready to heat up for a quick lunch and what is better on a cool crisp day than a bowl of hot soup and a piece of crusty bread?

This trip we made Emerils Creole Red Beans and Rice Soup. It's delicious and hit the spot!

Emerils Creole Red Beans and Rice Soup

1/4 cup olive or vegetable oil
1 whole chicken, (about 4 pounds) cut into 8 pieces and skin removed
Emeril's Essence
1 1/2 cups chopped onions
1 cup chopped celery
1 cup diced carrots
1 tablespoon minced garlic
2 bay leaves
Pinch cayenne
1 pound dried red beans, rinsed, picked over, soaked overnight and drained
1 gallon chicken stock
1/4 cup uncooked long grain white rice
1/2 cup finely chopped green onions (green tops only)

In a large heavy stockpot, heat the oil. Season the chicken with Emeril's Essence. When the oil is hot, add the chicken to the pot and sear on each side until light brown, about 3 minutes per side. Add the onions, celery and carrots to the pot and season to taste with Emeril's Essence. Sauté the vegetables until they are soft, about for 3 minutes. Add the garlic, bay leaves, cayenne and red beans and sauté for 1 minute. Add the stock and bring the liquid to a boil. Reduce the heat to a simmer, and cook uncovered until the beans are tender, about 2 hours.

Using tongs or a slotted spoon, carefully remove the chicken pieces from the pot and separate the meat from the bones with two forks, or a knife and fork. Discard the bones and return the meat to the pot, stirring to incorporate the meat into the soup.

Add the rice to the pot and cook until tender, about 15 - 20 minutes. Re-season the soup as needed and ladle into soup bowls, garnishing each serving with green onions. Serve with hot French bread.

Smokey Orange Pork Chops

2008-09-18T15:17:00.003-04:00

Well, the storm danger seems to have passed and we are long overdue for a trip to the mountains. My husband (The Fly Rod Gawd) and I have a great little cabin in Blue Ridge, GA.

October is the best time at the cabin. The air is getting crisp and cool and the leaves are just beginning to change color. Fall is my favorite time of year and I am so grateful to be able to spend a little time in the woods.

These pork chops are one of my favorite things to cook when fall is just around the corner. The smell of the burnt orange and the spicy sweetness of the sauce on these chops is the perfect transition from summer to fall.

You can adjust the amount of horseradish in the sauce to suite your family, but don't be surprised if you eventually use the whole amount. Them smokey sweetness of the sauce seems to temper the heat of the horseradish. Serve them over a bed of jasmine rice and dig in!

Smokey Orange Pork Chops

1/3 cup orange marmalade
1/3 cup hickory smoked bbq sauce
1/3 cup prepared horseradish
3 Tablespoons Olive Oil, divided
4 bonless pork loin chops (about 3/4 inch thick)
salt and pepper
1/2 cup chopped shallot
1 clove finely chopped garlic
1/2 cup orange juice
2 tablespoons orange zest

In a small saucepan on medium heat combine the marmalade, bbq sauce and horseradish. Cook over medium heat until thickened slightly. Reduce heat to low.

Heat 2 tablespoons olive oil in a large non stick skillet over medium heat. Season the chops with salt and pepper. When the oil is hot add the pork chops. Cook the chops about 4 minutes, or until browned, turn and cook an additional 4 minutes. Remove from the pan and keep warm.

Heat the remaining olive oil in the skillet. Add the onion and garlic and cook until the onion is softened, about 3 minutes. Add the orange juice and the zest and deglaze the pan. Return the chops to the deglazed pan. Spoon some of the smokey orange sauce over the chops cook until sauce has reduced about 3 minutes. Serve over jasmine rice and Enjoy!

Yikes!! Ike!!

2008-09-10T10:34:00.007-04:00

If you've lived in Florida all of your life you know that the worst time for hurricanes is September. Even though the season starts earlier, it seems like the worst storms come in September. You learn to watch the weather closely, knowing that the tropical updates on the weather channel are at 5 and 11. Even if the storms don't look like they are coming your way, you still make some preparations and keep a close eye, you just never know.

We have been getting gusty winds and rain, first from Gustav and now from Ike, for more than a week. Even though we weren't in any danger the wind gusts knock down tree branches. Good for the trees, bad for my back!

With all the tension from hurricane watching and the sore muscles from yard clean up, I never feel much like cooking. This is the time of year I always keep a few pre-made dishes in the frig. Sometimes they are heat and serve and sometimes they can be served cold.

This ditallini pasta salad is one of those "served cold" dishes. I always make a big batch of the basic recipe and when dinner time comes I can add some canned tuna or chicken (hurricane supplies) add a tossed salad and I have a really tasty cold dinner. Perfect for the hot summer and hurricane watching.

Ditallini Pasta Salad with Ginger Garlic Mayo

1 1b box Ditallini Pasta
4 eggs
1 1/3 cup mayonnaise
2 inch piece fresh ginger, peeled and chopped
2 cloves peeled garlic
1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice
salt and pepper to taste
1/2 cup diced white onion
1/2 cup diced red bell pepper
1/2 cup diced yellow squash
1/2 cup diced zuccini
1/2 cup coarsely chopped snow peas
1/4 cup chopped fresh chives

Cook the pasta according to package directions. Add the eggs to cook with the pasta. Drain, rinse and cool.

Meanwhile, add the mayo, ginger, garlic and lemon juice to a food processor and blend until smooth. Season with salt and pepper and set aside.

To a large bowl add the onion, bell pepper, squash, zuccini, snow peas, and cooled pasta. Peel the eggs, coarsely chop and add to the bowl. Add the ginger mayo and toss to coat.

Refrigerate for at least one hour. To make this a main course salad add in a drained can of tuna, salmon or chicken. Garnish with copped chive if desired

Kraft Eat Happy Recipe Contest

2008-08-28T09:49:00.007-04:00

So, this is the exciting news that I told you about last week. I won my first major contest with these "Cheddar Broccoli Corn Dog Muffin Bites! The prize is $5200 dollars in groceries and $5000 in cash for college scolarships. WooooooHoooooo!!!!!

The contest was sponsored by Kraft Foods and Publix Supermarkets and the challenge was to create a kid friendly recipe using at least one of Krafts Sensible Solutions products. They described "kid friendly" as being a recipe that you enjoyed making with your kids or one that your kids enjoyed eating.

When I looked over the list of Krafts Sensible Solutions products, I saw the Oscar Meyer Hot dogs and thought what kid doesn't like corn dogs? For that matter I don't know too many adults that wouldn't go for a good corn dog now and then. The broccoli in the cornbread is a good way to get a few extra veggies into the kids and it gives the cornbread a really nice creamy texture.

By using the mini muffin pan the result is a great little 2 bite snack that is a perfect after school snack. With the new football season starting, they are also really good to serve at your next football party. These little cuties are really fun to make with your kids and they are so easy that the older kids could make them by themselves!

For obvious reasons these have become my favorite snack!!

Cheddar Broccoli Corn Dog Muffin Bites

Non Stick Cooking Spray
1 (8.5 ounce) package corn bread muffin mix
1 (10 ounce) package frozen chopped broccoli, thawed and well drained
2 eggs, beaten
1/3 cup milk
1 cup KRAFT 2% Milk Mild Cheddar Shredded Cheese
4 OSCAR MAYER 98% Fat Free Hot Dogs
Ketchup and mustard if desired

Sensible Solutions:
KRAFT 2% Milk Mild Cheddar Shredded Cheese, OSCAR MAYER 98% Fat Free Hot Dogs

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Spray 24 mini muffin cups with cooking spray, set aside.

In large bowl, combine muffin mix, broccoli, eggs and milk. With a tablespoon divide the batter evenly into the 24 mini muffin. Cut each OSCAR MAYER 98% Fat Free Hot Dog into 18 pieces and divide evenly on top of the muffin batter. Sprinkle the KRAFT 2% Milk Mild Cheddar Shredded Cheese evenly on top of the wiener pieces and bake in the preheated oven for 20-25 minutes or until a toothpick comes out clean. Cool for 5 minutes before removing from pans.

Serve warm with ketchup and mustard if desired.

Makes 24 mini muffin bites.

If you would like smaller muffin bites divide the batter among 48 mini muffin cups, increase the KRAFT 2% Milk Mild Cheddar Shredded Cheese to 2 cups and use 8 OSCAR MAYER 98% Fat Free Hot Dogs.

Featured Blogger Recipe

2008-08-24T10:46:00.000-04:00

Carrot Cranberry Oatmeal Stout Breakfast Cookies

This is a hearty cookie that I keep on hand ...

See Carrot Cranberry Oatmeal Stout Breakfast Cookies on Key Ingredient.

This is a recipe that I posted some time ago, but I thought that it deserved to be re posted. I recieved an e-mail from Haley at the Key Ingriedient, asking permission to feature my recipe on their web site. Well, of course I said yes and I couldn't be more proud.

These make ahead breakfast cookies are really easy and they are one of my favorite things to keep on hand. They are chock full of good for you things and they are so easy to grab as you are running out the door to start your day. They are great for an after school snack and you can feel good that the kids are eating cookies that may actually have some nutritional value.

Thanks again to the Key Ingriedient, I'll display my featured food blogger badge with pride!

Summer Side Dishes

2008-08-18T19:00:00.000-04:00

The Farmer's Market is full of all kinds of summer squash and I just love it! It is so colorful and healthy and you can cook it in so many different ways. This great side dish was inspired by a summer time dish that my mom always made: Cucumber and Onions. She would slice the cukes really thin, then add some sliced onions and more often than not she would use the Seven Seas salad dressing shaker and mix up a package of the zesty Italian dressing to pour over the top. There always seemed to be an endless supply of this salad, it just got better as it sat in the fridge.

For this Sweet and Tangy Summer Squash Salad, I took some zucchini, yellow squash, red bell pepper and onions, sliced them thin and then mixed together a sweet and tangy dressing to go over top. The dressing is a cross between the marinade you would normally put on a 3 bean salad and a honey mustard vineagrette. It is a really good summer time salad, it goes great with the leftover chicken from my basic roasted chicken and just like my mom's cuke and onion salad it just gets better with time.

Sweet and Tangy Summer Squash Salad

1 large zucchini
1 large yellow summer squash
1 red bell pepper, seeded and sliced thin
1/2 medium white onion, sliced thin
2 tablespoons red wine vineagar
2 tablespoons sugar
1 tablespoon spicy brown mustard
3 to 4 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
kosher salt
fresh ground black pepper
2 to 3 tablespoons fresh snipped chives

With a vegetable peeler, peel long thin ribbons from the zucchini and the squash. Add them to a bowl, then add the red bell pepper and the white onion. In a seperate bowl (I use a small container with a tight fitting lid), addthe vineagar, sugar and mustard. Whisk until the sugar is dissolved. Whisk in the oil, season with salt and pepper then pour over the squash mixture. Refrigerate for at least 30 minutes. (The longer the better) Garnish with fresh snipped chives before serving.

Chicken on Sunday, Dinner on Wednesday

2008-08-13T09:00:00.000-04:00

I know that a basic roasted chicken is nothing to crow about, but when August hits full force with all it’s heat and rain, I am always looking for cool meal ideas. Heating the kitchen as little as possible is always my goal. I try to come up with good meals that I can serve all week but only have to turn the oven on maybe once. This week I roasted a chicken, one that was big enough to serve 2 or 3 times.

Now, I know that most grocery stores sell prepared roasted chickens these days, but I’m also aware of how much they cost. In our grocery store a scrawny little 2-3 pound bird is almost 6 dollars. I picked up 2 birds, each about 4 pounds, for the same price. The store bought birds are good and I use them myself, but nothing beats a juicy home roasted bird. I roast it on Sunday, throw in several potatoes to bake along with it and you have every thing you need for a quick Wednesday dinner.

Basic Roasted Chicken

1 3-4 LB chicken
several sprigs of rosemary and thyme
coarse kosher salt
fresh cracked black pepper
1 lemon
olive oil

Preheat the oven to 425.

Wash the chicken thoroughly. Pat dry with paper towels. Season the cavity liberally with salt and pepper. Stuff the cavity with the rosemary, and thyme. Cut the lemon in half and stuff into the cavity. Liberally season the outside of the bird with salt and pepper. Place in a shallow baking dish and drizzle with olive oil. Place in the hot over and bake for 20 minutes. Reduce the oven temp to 375 and continue roasting 40 to 60 minutes or until the legs are tender. Remove from the oven and let rest for 15 before carving.

Now on the other hand, this award from Jersey Girl Cooks is something to crow about. This is my first blog award and I couldn't be more proud. Check out her blog, she has some great recipes and some really great music!

Thanks Jersey Girl and Happy Birthday!

Cherry Bomb Bon Bons

2008-08-08T17:02:00.000-04:00

I got some really exciting news this week, ( I’ll be able to tell you more next week), let’s just say that I needed to have a celebration!

Aren’t these things cute? They are really easy to make and my husband just gobbles them up! We all know what a sweet tooth he has. He says they remind him of the chocolate cherry cordials he used to get with his treat money when he was a kid.

I thought they fit in well with the olympics starting, the only problem with them is that they are the kind of thing that you can’t just eat one. They also seem to have their own little voices that keep saying: Come and get me!

There is no real recipe, I use a cake mix and stemmed cherries. Just mix up the chocolate cake mix according to package directions, line a mini muffin tin with liners or spray with Baker’s Joy. Then fill them about 1/2 way, drop a cherry in and bake until done.

You can cover them with chocolate if you like but they are just as good plain. These little guys are really fun to make with your kids. Great memories are made in the kitchen, so get in there and start cookin'!

Tagged Two Times

2008-08-05T15:57:00.000-04:00

Well, this week I was tagged two times! Once by Allie at Finding Inspiration in Food, and once by Lisa at Jersey Girl Cooks. Both of them have really good blogs and I encourage you to wander over and take a look. I'm sure you'll enjoy them.

For the Music tag from Allie (right up my alley, Allie :) )

List seven songs you are into right now. No matter what the genre, whether they have words, or even if they’re not any good, but they must be songs you’re really enjoying now, shaping your summer (or whatever season). Post these instructions in your blog along with your 7 songs.

Eva Cassidy, one of the finest singers I have ever heard. That's what I'm always listening to. She has a clear, clear voice and her interpretation of the songs she sings is unbelievable. She died way to soon and her commitment to preforming the songs that she wanted has a lesson for all of us.

The rest of my picks are listed at the bottom of my page. Hope you enjoy!

The second tag from Lisa is to post some random things about myself.

Tag Rules:Link to the person who tagged you.Post the rules on the blog.Write six random things about yourself.Tag six people at the end of your post.Let each person know they have been tagged by leaving a comment on their blog.Let the tagger know when your entry is up....and here are 6 random things about myself:

1) Among my passions I count music as one of the highest. It's funny that the music tag came just as I started to include my favorite music on The Saucy Bird.

2) I grew up a big Tom Boy. I even tried out for little league when I was nine and this was before girls did things like that.

3) I once tried to thicken mashed potatoes with flour. Yuck!!! I was only nine and I knew that you used flour to thicken gravy and when I added to much milk to the mashed potatoes well--------

4) I love to watch my husband fly fish. If you have ever seen a someone who really knows how to cast and fish it is really quite something.

5) I hate rasberries. I had strep throat 5 years in a row and the doctor always gave me rasberry flavored cough syrup.

6) I am more at home around at a backyard barbque than a fancy restaurant.

7) I love to read and get lost in an exceptional story.

So to pass these on:

I'm running to eat
Natalie's Nibbles
Taste and Tell
Writing as I Eat

A New Direction

2008-08-01T13:45:00.000-04:00

Since I started The Saucy Bird I have wanted to post a lot more often. What I’ve learned is that I don’t have enough time or money to create things for The Saucy Bird and for the contests that I want to enter, so I’ve decided to stop stressing about my posts and use The Saucy Bird to feed my creative soul and celebrate what I really like about cooking and creating recipes.

One of my favorite things to do is to listen to music while I’m cooking. I have finally figured out how to put music onto The Saucy Bird, so I plan on changing the music at least once a week. Sometimes the music will go with the recipes sometimes it will be one of my favorite pieces. Hopefully everyone will enjoy my music picks and I think it will help you get to know me a little better.

The song you are listening to now is What a Wonderful World performed by Louis Armstrong. This is one of my all time favorite artists. He brought New Orleans Jazz to the masses and remains one of the most entertaining trumpeters of all time. Listen to lyrics and the smooth roughness of his voice. I think it’s a wonderful soothing sound. If you have a little time, stick around and listen to the rest of my Louis Armstrong play book. If you want to hear something interesting, scroll to the bottom of this page and click on the Armstrong track: OOPs I did it again. It's the song Brittney Spears made famous, but this is the original!

This week I am including my recipe for a Sicilian Open Faced Calzone. I use the Pillsbury Pizza dough and a version of my 20 minute weeknight gravy. I bake the crust with some herbed olive oil and then top it with plenty of sauce, ham, shredded mozzerella and parmesean, thin sliced red onions and fresh baby spinach.

It reminds me so much of Louis Armstrong’s voice and this song. It has the smooth roughness of a spicy red sauce and as your eating it you can’t help but think: What a Wonderful World!

Sicilian Open Faced Calzone

1 can Pillsbury Pizza dough

1/4 cup olive oil

2 tablespoons dried Italian seasoning

1 teaspoon kosher salt

1 teaspoon fresh ground black pepper

1/2 cup shredded fresh parmesean

1 1/2 cups 20 minute weeknight gravy

1/2 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes

1/2 teaspoon crushed fennel seed

8 ounces smoked deli ham, cut into thin strips

1/2 cup thin sliced red onions

3 cups fresh baby spinach

1 cup shredded mozzerella cheese

Preheat the oven to 425 degrees

Spread the Pizza dough onto a baking sheet. Brush with the olive oil and season with the Italian seasoning, salt and black pepper and parmesean cheese. With a fork, poke several holes in the entire crust. Bake for 5 minutes.

Spread 1 cup of sauce over the partially baked crust then evenly distribute the crushed red pepper and the fennel seed. Spread the ham and onions evenly, top with the baby spinach and the mozzerella cheese. Return to the oven for 10 to 12 minutes or until the cheese is melted and the spinach wilted. Drop the remaining sauce with a Tablespoon evenly over the top and return to the oven for 2 minutes or until the sauce is heated through.

Bird’s in a Nest

2008-07-27T09:10:00.000-04:00

This is the first "unusual" thing that I learned how to cook all on my own. When I was about 7 or 8 my Mom taught me how to make this cute little breakfast treat. I suspect that it was self defense on her part.

We were a Military family, my Dad was a career Naval man. Instead of moving from place to place with him, we were "stationed" in Florida and my Dad traveled to each of his duty assignments. Most of the time he was over seas, he served in WWll, Korea and Vietnam. Talk about tough!

Anyway, my mom had the 4 of us kids and no help. So she taught all of us to cook something easy at an early age. It’s funny but I think all of us have at least one simple dish that we cook today that reminds us of our child hood. For me it is these birds in a nest.

It’s just a piece of bread with a hole cut in the middle and then fried with an egg, but I really like them. Just the thing I needed when I got the news that I wasn’t selected for the Ultimate Recipe Showdown------again! But really, how cool is it that someone from Food Network was making one of my recipe’s? I am really proud that I’ve made it to the semi finals 2 times, next year is my year—I’m sure of it!

Bird’s in a Nest

1 slice of bread per person
1 egg per person
butter
salt
pepper

With a large glass or biscuit cutter, cut a hole in the center of each piece of bread. Heat a non-stick pan to medium heat. Melt a pat of butter, place the bread in the pan and crack the egg in the hole and season with salt and pepper. Fry a couple minutes or until the white has set slightly, carefully turn and cook a couple minutes on the other side. I fry the bread "hole" along with the egg, I like the crispy, butter toasty thing that happens to the hole.

It’ s all about the dressing

2008-07-16T09:44:00.000-04:00

One of my favorite restaurants in Sarasota is Columbia’s Restaurant on St. Armands Key. For those of you who aren’t familiar with Sarasota, St. Armands Key is known for the circle. The Key is known world wide for the round-about and very fancy stores and restaurants. As a kid it was one of the places that I would go, pressing my nose up to the windows of the fancy clothing shops and drooling past the fancy restaurants.

The first "real" restaurant I went to was Columbia’s on the circle, and the rich spicy spanish flavor of the authentic Columbian food always brings me back to my first "fancy" dining experience.

One of the Columbia’s signature dishes is The 1905 Salad. It’s a salad made with iceburg lettuce, sliced ham, sliced swiss cheese, ripe tomatoes and spanish olive. Sounds like a pretty average salad doesn’t it?

Well it’s all about the dressing. A friend of mine found the recipe a few years ago in the newspaper and passed it along to me. For the longest time I thought she left something out because I could never get it to taste quite as good as the restaurants. The answer is in the lemon juice. The recipe calls for the juice of one lemon, but it depends on how much juice is in the lemon. It also breaks all the ratio rules of oil to vinegar but it is Columbian after all.

This has become my go to salad. I make it all the time and often make it with mixed spring greens or just baby spinach leaves. I make it for picniks and potlucks instead of macaroni or potato salad and everyone always wants the recipe.

Columbia’s 1905 Salad

Dressing:
1/4 cup extra virgin olive oil
1/4 cup red wine vinegar
1 tablespoon worchestershire sauce
the juice of 1 lemon (about 1 tablespoon)
2 tablespoons fresh minced garlic

Salad:
1 head iceburg lettuce (or 2 bags mixed spring greens)
1/4 cup grated parmesean cheese
1/4 lb. Sliced smoked ham
1/4 lb. Sliced swiss cheese
8 ounces ripe cherry tomatoes
4 ounces spanish pimento stuffed olives

Mix all dressing ingredients together in a small jar with a tight fitting lid. Shake well and refrigerate for at least 1 hour. (Dressing is better if made the night before).

Shred the lettuce and add to a large salad bowl. Add the parmesean cheese and toss to coat the lettuce. Add the remaining ingredients and the dressing and toss to coat. Serve with a loaf of crusty bread. Enjoy!!

Panchetta Wrapped Baked Potato Sticks

2008-07-09T10:20:00.000-04:00

Last week on The Next Food Network Star one of the contestants made a bacon wrapped potato wedge with a honey scallion sauce. The judges raved over it saying that it could be his "signature" dish.

It looked really, really good on TV, so I thought I would try my own version. I used russet potatoes that I partially cooked in the microwave. I cut the potatoes into small bite size pieces and wrapped them with small pieces of panchetta and fresh ground black pepper, put them on a baking sheet and baked them at 425 degrees for about 20 minutes.

The result was really good, but I’m going to make a few changes next time. I think I would like to try to marinate the partially cooked potatoes in some sort of vinegar dressing, them wrap in the panchetta.

The idea is to have a Warm German Potato Salad Stick. I think it will make a great starter or side dish for pork chops or steak.

Fettuccini Alfredo with Pan Seared Mushrooms

2008-07-04T11:25:00.000-04:00

This is the dish that my husband used to win my heart. When we first met, a group of us would go to a small restaurant on Siesta Key that had a great late night bar menu. One of my favorite dishes was the grouper alfredo. Two of my favorite things, fresh Florida Grouper and Creamy Fettuccini Alfredo.

The combination of the Flaky fish and sharp parmesean cream sauce was really good. Since it was a bar menu, the serving size was smaller than a dinner serving but I thought it was just the right size. I got to know my future husband at those outings, talking and joking with a group of people we became really great friends.

He always bragged about his alfredo sauce, and how much everyone liked it. His version was made with pan seared scallops, (still my favorite), but over the years he has developed an allergy to shell fish, so the only time I get scallops is when we go out for dinner. Now he makes it with pan seared mushrooms and broccoli, and the alfredo is still the best I have ever had!

So here it is, the dish that won me over:

Fettuccini Alfredo with Pan Seared Mushrooms

1 pound mixed mushrooms, sliced
3 tablespoons Extra Virgin Olive Oil
4 Fettuccini nests
1 stick salted butter
1 cup heavy cream
1 cup grated parmesean cheese

Heat a 12 inch non stick skillet to medium high. Add the olive oil and mushrooms. Saute 10 to 15 minutes or until mushrooms are carmelized.

Meanwhile, melt the butter into the cream over low heat stirring frequently.

Cook the Fettuccini nests according to package directions, drain well and return the pot to low heat. Pour the butter and cream mixture over the pasta, toss to coat. Mix in the mushrooms. Add the parmesean a little at a time until the sauce becomes thick and creamy.

Make Ahead Breakfast Cookies

2008-06-30T08:59:00.000-04:00

Need something quick for those busy mornings? Grab one of these delicious breakfast cookies as you are going out the door and you’ll have a great start to your day!

I’m always looking for nutritious things to feed my husband and since he has a legendary sweet tooth, it’s a challenge to put "good for you stuff in him". He would have chocolate cake for breakfast if I let him. His rationale is that it has all the things people normally have for breakfast, Eggs, Flour (bread), Milk, but it is wrapped up in a convenient package.

One of his favorite cookies is oatmeal raisin, so I started experimenting with the dough. I love carrot cake so I thought I would try to incorporate those flavors. I added shredded carrots, cranberries (cause they are a super food), and the beer is a nod to my Irish Grandmother who thought that a little nip in the morning never hurt any one and the only beer worth drinking was Guinness Stout.

These cookies have become one of my favorite things to keep around. Not only are they good for breakfast, they are also good for lunch, or for that much needed 3:00 boost, or for an after dinner desert, or a midnight snack.

They are also great to pack in school lunches. We even put them in our backpacks and take them fly fishing with us. When the fish aren’t biting we snack on the cookies.

Carrot Cranberry Oatmeal Stout Cookies

1-1/2 cups flour

1/2 teaspoon baking soda

1/2 teaspoon baking powder

1 teaspoon salt

1 teaspoon cinnamon

1/2 teaspoon nutmeg

1/4 teaspoon ground cloves
2 cups Rolled Oats
1 cup shredded carrots

3/4 cup dried cranberries

1/2 pound unsalted butter

2/3 cup granulated sugar

2/3 cup firmly packed light brown sugar

1 large egg

1 tablespoon molasses

3 tablespoons Guinness Stout

1 teaspoon almond extract

Preheat oven to 375 degrees.

In a large bowl sift together flour, baking soda, baking powder, salt, cinnamon, nutmeg, and cloves. Stir in oatmeal, carrots and cranberries. Set aside.

In work bowl of an electric mixer cream the butter, white sugar and brown sugar until light and fluffy. Blend in egg, molasses, Guinness Stout, and almond extract. Add dry ingredients, a little at a time, until well combined. Do not over mix.

Drop rounded spoonfuls onto parchment lined cookie sheets. Bake at 375 degrees for 9-11 minutes or until done. Let cool for 2 minutes then carefully remove to a cooling rack and let cool completely.

Makes 24 cookies

Frost On Sister!!

2008-06-25T15:51:00.000-04:00

My niece and her friends just finished a Wilton cake decorating class at our local Michaels Craft Store. She sent me some pictures of her "final" exam, so I thought I would post them on the Saucy Bird. I think that the cakes came out really good. I know she had a great time with her friends and they had some really good cake to take to her office.

Frost On Sisters!!!

Rum Raisin Glazed Carrots

2008-06-23T10:39:00.000-04:00

I love carrots! Raw, shredded, cooked, any way you can think to cook them I’ll eat them. I always have fresh carrots on hand and make them at least 3 times a week.

Think about how great the carrots cooked in the juice of a pot roast taste. Or how about the cool crispy sweetness of a shredded carrot raisin salad?

This is my idea of a shredded carrot raisin salad. It has all of the elements of that great summer time salad, but I added my own little twist. By adding dark rum and the zing of soy and ginger, I came up with this delicious asian style side dish. It's perfect for a quick weeknight side and it's a good way to get some extra fruit into your diet. Serve it over rice with chicken or pork, everyone will love it!

Rum Raisin Glazed Carrots

1 pound fresh carrots, peeled and sliced into 1/2 inch coins
1 cup raisins
1 8 ounce can pineapple tidbits
2 tablespoons soy sauce
2 tablespoons honey
2 tablespoons dark rum
1 tablespoon grated ginger

In a medium saucepan on medium heat add the carrots, raisins and the pineapple (including juice). Cover and let steam about 10 minutes or until the carrots are just beginning to soften. Add a little more water if necessary. Remove from the pan and set aside.

Return the pan to medium heat and add the soy sauce, honey, rum and ginger. Bring to a boil and cook until thick and bubbly. Return the carrot mixture to the pan and cook until carrots are done. Enjoy!

TASTY TAKEALONGS!!

2008-06-16T09:03:00.000-04:00

I'm always looking for something different to take when we go over to our friends house for dinner. We always need something to snack on before dinner is ready and we usually have the same old stuff. You know what I mean, like crostini, chips and salsa, maybe even some sort of cheese and fruit platter. Those things are all really good but they don't really generate any

excitement for me any more.

When we were invited over to our friends house last weekend, I started trying to think of something I could bring that would be a little different. Well, I rummaged through the pantry and found a box of Jiffy cornbread mix, (my personal favorite). Eveyone likes cornbread, but we are all so used to eating it as a side dish I thought I could use it to try a new appetizer.
I used the mix and put it in mini muffin pans, topped it with Birds Eye Mexicali Corn mix, some Cheddar Jack cheese, Salsa and fresh Cilantro and--------Wala!!!

Mini Nacho Cornbread Cups

1 box Jiffy Cornbread Mix
1 egg
1/3 cup buttermilk
1 cup Birds Eye Miexicali Corn
1 cup shredded Cheddar Jack cheese
Your favorite Salsa
Fresh Chopped Cilantro

Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Spray mini muffin tins with nonstick spray.

In a medium bowl mix together, Cornbread mix, egg and buttermilk. Using 2 teaspoons, place about 1 teaspoon cornbread mix into the bottom of muffin tin. Top with a rounded teaspoon corn and a rounded teaspoon cheese.

Bake in preheated oven for 8 to 10 minutes. Remove and top with a small amount of your favorite salsa and garnish with fresh cilantro.

Makes about 30 mini naco cornbread cups.

Breakfast for Dinner! Yum!

2008-05-23T17:56:00.000-04:00

Do you remember how great it was as a kid to have breakfast for dinner? I loved it! It seemed almost like we got to do something we weren’t supposed too. It didn’t seem to matter what the breakfast item was if we got to eat it at dinner time we were all in! Most of the time we would have pancakes----delicious. Sometimes we could talk Mom into making waffles-------even better.

When first started living on my own, my first apartment was within walking distance of a great little breakfast spot. I spent many a Sunday morning at the counter drinking coffee and having leisurely breakfasts, reading the newspaper or talking to the regulars! My first real taste of adult hood. I also spent many a early morning (or should I say really late night) in the same restaurant. Since it was within walking distance of my apartment it was a fairly safe place for me to be as a single woman. I still love to have bacon and eggs late at night. Something really comforting about it.

Since summer is upon us and things are getting really hot and muggy here in Florida, I turn to some of my old quick and easy favorites. One of them is this delicious frittata. It is sooooo easy and really quick! Just the thing for the hot sticky nights of Florida. The best thing about it is you can put just about anything you like in it. This just happens to be one of my favorite combinations. I mean---how can you go wrong with bacon, cheese and spinach?

Dinner Frittata

6 slices peppered bacon, cut in half
1 cup onion, diced
1 red bell pepper, seeded and diced
6 button mushrooms, sliced
3 cups packed baby spinach
6 eggs
1/4 cup 2% milk
1/2 cup shredded sharp cheddar
1/2 cup shredded monteray jack

Preheat oven to 400 degrees

In a 10 inch nonstick skillet on medium heat fry bacon until crisp. Remove to paper towels reserving any grease rendered in the pan. Add the onion, bell pepper and mushrooms. Saute 6-8 minutes or until mushrooms are lightly browned. Add the spinach and turn with tongs until willted. Chop half of the bacon and mix it in to the spinach mixture. Reduce the heat to low.

In a medium bowl beat the eggs and milk until a light yellow color. Stir in half of the cheddar and 1/2 the jack cheese. Pour the mixture evenly over the spinach mixture.

Cook the eggs on low heat for about 2 minutes without stirring, until the edges of the eggs have begun to set. Add the reserved cheese and arrange the bacon and red pepper strips attractively on top. Transfer the pan to the preheated oven and bake for 8- 12 minutes or until the eggs have puffed slightly and are set in the middle.

Serve hot or at room temperature with a mixed green salad and some crusty bread for a complete meal.

2008-05-02T10:58:00.000-04:00

Hello everyone, I’m back after a much needed and relaxing vacation. My husband and I have a cabin in the mountains of Blue Ridge Georgia and we try to get there as often as we can. Blue Ridge is a small mountain town in Northern Georgia and is some of the most beautiful country I’ve ever seen. Some of the trout streams remind us of the big water in Wyoming or Montana, now what could be better than that?

One of the most surprising things we have learned about Georgia is the abundance outstanding produce. And I mean all kinds of produce, not just peaches (although I am not sure if there is anything sweeter than a fresh picked Georgia peach!) In Blue Ridge and Rome Georgia there are apples. In Cordele and Tifton there are pecans and Canteloupe. Everywhere in Georgia there are Corn Fields. I thought Florida Corn was great but Georgia Sweet Corn is just that ---sweet and delicious. One of my pet peeves of supermarkets is that you can never get a really good tomato. You know the kind I mean, the ones that are so sweet and juicy you want to eat them like an apple. Well the tomatoes in Georgia are the best I’ve had, as good if not better than the legendary Jersey tomatoes!! Really ----- I’m not kidding!!!

This is one of the dishes we always have when we are in Blue Ridge. It’s pulled pork cornbread and it is really good. This is one of those dishes that is a great use of leftover BBQ, but now you can buy premade pulled pork in the grocery. Or if you happen to be in Georgia, just pull over at any one of the roadside stands and buy yourself a pint or two, and don’t forget the boiled peanuts—you’ll need something to go along with your RC Cola!

BBQ Pork Cornbread

1 (6 ounce) package Jiffy cornbread mix
1 egg
1/3 cup buttermilk
1 cup pulled pork in sauce
1/2 cup shredded cheddar cheese

Pre heat the oven to 400 degrees. Spray a 10 inch cast iron skillet with cooking spray, and set in oven to heat.

In a medium mixing bowl stir together the cornbread mix, egg and buttermilk. Mix about 2 minutes or until well combined. Pour the cornbread batter into the hot skillet. Spread the pulled pork evenly on top leaving a 1/2 inch rim. Bake in the pre heated oven 15 minutes, top with the shredded cheddar cheese and bake an additional 5 minutes or until the cheese has melted.

Serve in wedges with a green salad and RC Cola. To be really southern drop some of the boiled peanuts into the bottle of cola. You’ll be y’allin before you know it!!

Southern Girls and Peaches

2008-04-08T14:33:00.000-04:00

There are a few things that all southern girls grow up knowing how to cook. I’m not sure if it is a genetic quirk or an inherited skill, but 2 of them are pork and peaches. It doesn’t seem to matter if peaches are in season, we’ll just open up a can and make due with that. Of course fresh peaches are better but not always available and we southerners are nothing if not resourceful. Now pork on the other hand is always available and I’d bet my porch swing that you would be able to find some kind of pork product in all kitchens across the south.

This delicious dish combines those two southern favorites and is almost more tasty with canned peaches than it is with fresh.

Chipotle Peach Pork Chops

2 tablespoons olive oil
4 1 inch thick boneless pork loin chops

1/2 cup diced red onion
1/2 cup pineapple jam
1 tablespoon finely chopped chipotle peppers packed in adobo
1 14 ounce can sliced peaches in heavy syrup, drained juice reserved

Heat the olive oil in 10 inch non stick skillet over medium heat. Add the chops and brown on both sides. Add the onion and saute until soft, about 4 minutes. Add the pineapple jam, chipotle peppers and about 3 tablespoons of the heavy syrup. Cook until bubbly but still saucy about 10 minutes. Add the peaches and cook another 2 to 3 minutes or until the chops are done. Serve over rice if desired.

Daring Baker’s Party Cup Cakes

2008-03-31T16:02:00.000-04:00

I took a little liberty with this month’s bakers challenge. I made the cake batter exactly as it was written but I opted to make cup cakes for our Easter dinner instead of a big cake.

Cup cakes always go over much better in our house than a big cake does and this recipe was really really good! The cake itself was so delicate and just like the Morven from Food Art and Random Thoughts said the light lemony flavor went over big with a fruit filling.

I live in Florida and one of my favorite jams or jellies is Guava. I opted to use my pastry bag and fill the center of the cupcakes with a little guava surprise. Yum Yum Yum!!!

Florida strawberries are always in season around Easter and I can’t remember a Easter dinner when some sort of strawberry dessert wasn’t served, so I took some of the best looking Florida Strawberries I could find and fanned them out as a decoration on top. I love the way the red strawberries looked against the stark white of the cake and the icing.
Check out some of the other cakes from this month’s challenge over at the Daring Baker’s, it’s a party for your eyes!

Braised Spinach and Red Peppers

2008-03-28T15:44:00.000-04:00

One of my favorite veggies in the world is spinach. I have always liked it even when I was a kid. My mom made canned spinach and I even liked that. She would always fix it with bacon and scrambled eggs and then we would measure vinegar in the cap to sprinkle on top.

I always get 3 or 4 bags of spinach from the Farmer’s Market and we eat it all week in a number of different ways. Today’s pre washed spinach is just too easy to use and I find that it keeps surprisingly well in the refrigerator. Now that spring is here, summer is not to far away and for us that means a lot of dinner salads and more than likely fresh baby spinach will be the base.

This braised spinach and red peppers is one of my favorite ways to serve a quick and hot side dish. The red peppers ad a wonderful contrast to the deep green color of the spinach. We often have this during the holidays for obvious reasons.

Braised Spinach and Red Peppers

2 tablespoons olive oil
1 large red bell pepper, seeded and sliced into strips
1 10 oz. Bag triple washed baby spinach
2 large cloves fresh garlic, peeled
1 tablespoon fresh lemon zest
2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice

Heat the olive oil in a large nonstick skillet over medium heat. Add the bell pepper strips and saute 4 to 5 minutes or until the peppers begin to soften. Add the spinach, garlic and lemon zest turning with tongs to incorporate. Continue turning the spinach until it has wilted and the water begins to evaporate, about 3 - 4 minutes. Add the lemon juice and turn until well combined. Enjoy!

Good Friday Egg Sandwiches with Avocado Mayonnaise

2008-03-22T15:48:00.001-04:00

Holiday weekends are really busy around our house. Especially since my Mother In-law moved in with us. Holidays were usually spent at her house and even though I still did most of the cooking things didn’t seem nearly as frantic.

Since we are going to have a full weekend of eating, light seemed just right for Friday dinner. Since my husband and his Mom are catholic good Friday means no meat ( which I sometimes forget, then spend the rest of the evening waiting for the lightning bolt). I had a lot of boiled eggs, (go figure---boiled eggs at Easter), so egg sandwiches were the fare of the evening. I think they are best when I serve them on toasted English Muffins (Bay’s of course!), but any kind of bread is good really.

Just in case any one is wondering, the Corn bread people didn’t call, (well, they called, they just didn’t call me), dagnabit! Maybe I was a little too optimistic. I just figured that since the first contest I entered (Ultimate Recipe Showdown) I was a semi-finalist and the second contest I entered (Bay’s English Muffins) I won, I really expected to be selected for the cornbread cook-off. How silly! Maybe next year

Anyway, here is the recipe for the sandwiches

Good Friday Egg Sandwiches

1 ripe avocado, pitted and peeled
1 tablespoon fresh squeezed lemon juice
1/2 cup Hellman’s Mayonnaise
4 Bay’s English Muffins, lightly toasted
8 crisp leaves of iceburg lettuce
8 slices ripe tomato
salt and fresh ground black pepper
4 hard boiled eggs, peeled and sliced
(with the egg slicer you got with your gift card from William’s and Sanoma)

In a small bowl, mash the avocado and mix with the lemon juice and the mayonnaise. Spread 1 tablespoon of the avocado mayonnaise onto the cut sides of each of the english muffins. Layer with 2 leaves of crisp iceburg lettuce, 2 slices of tomato seasoned with salt and fresh ground pepper, the sliced egg and the top muffin. Enjoy!

THE FRENCH CONNECTION

2008-03-20T16:29:00.000-04:00

So I was incredibly bored today, the laundry was all done , dinner was made and nothing much on the television except Judge Judy and Basketball. (Now if Judge Judy was playing basketball we’d have a different story.

We went to dinner at our good friends Tony and Maria (inventors of the 20 minute sauce), and Tony made some Kalamata olive bread to go along with the Pasta Fagioli he made for dinner.

Well since I had some time on my hands (the cornbread people will be calling tomorrow), I decided to remake the daring baker challenge French Bread and take a cue from Tony and put some olives in it. I used regular pitted black olives cause I didn’t have any Kalamata Olives and I would definitely suggest using them next time. The Kalamata Olives are really much better and there flavor is much nicer in this bread.

If you want to make it just follow the French Bread recipe and mix in a couple cups of olives into the dough for the final rising. Then I would suggest putting the butter in a really high place so you have to work to get to it or you’ll end up big as a house.

What kind of hair style do you wear with a cast iron tiara? Any suggestions?

Ring Ring: Cornbread Calling

2008-03-12T15:48:00.001-04:00

I have also been visualizing "THE" call from the cornbread people asking me to come and make one of my "faboulous" recipes at their little festival. Then, (after I stop screaming), I graciously accept and begin making my plans to attend. Once there everything goes smoothly. We are having a great time and I am slightly surprised at how well the cast iron tiara fits my head!

It's been quite a while since my last post. I've been working on some recipes to enter in the next Ultimate Recipe Showdown. I think I've finally gotten them done and one thing I've learned is that you could drive yourself crazy writing and rewriting recipes. I think the trick is like everything else in life: Keep it simple, stupid!

This is one of my weekly experiments that didn't turn out 1/2 bad even if I do say so myself. I don't really have a name for them yet, I've been calling them apple pie egg rolls.I'm not sure if you can tell by this picture, but I mixed apples, brown sugar, butter and brie cheese. Wrapped it in an egg roll wrapper and deep fried until golden brown. Then I sprinkled with cinnamon sugar and served with some warm apple butter. We thought they were really good!

Apple Pie Egg Rolls

4 tablespoons butter, softened

4 tablespoons dark brown sugar

1 tablespoon apple pie spice

4 prepared egg roll wrappers

4 slices brie cheese

1 Granny Smith Apple, sliced

Canola Oil for frying

Cinnamon sugar

Apple Butter

Cream together butter, sugar and spice.

Lay the egg roll wrappers out with the point facing you. (Looks like a diamond) Spread the sugar mixture onto the wrappers leaving a 1 inch border. Place one piece of brie cheese in the center top with 3 or 4 slices of apple. Pull the point of the wrapper over the apple, fold the left point over then the right point and roll tightly to the end. Wet the edge to seal.

Pour oil to a depth of 2 inches in a deep fry pan. Heat to 350 degrees. Fry the egg rolls, carefully turning to brown all sides, about 4 - 5 minutes. Sprinkle with cinnamon sugar while they are hot and serve with the apple butter for dipping. Yum!

The Winning Recipe: Muffaletta Muffin Salad

2008-03-04T14:05:00.000-05:00

So here it is. The Bay's English Muffin Contest Winning Recipe

Muffaletta Muffin Salad

My new favorite salad!

This one really is easy and it is great to take to party's. Everyone seems to love it. But what's not to like. Crusty bread soaked in tangy vinagrette, that only gets better the longer it sits! Yum!!

Now I'm trying to figure out the best way to spend the $500 Williams and Sanoma Gift Card.

So here is the recipe. Try making this with a little Harry Conick Jr. or Louis Armstrong playing. Even if the salad doesn't come out better you'll have more fun making it!

Muffaletta Muffin Salad

4 Bays Honey Wheat English Muffins, split and lightly toasted
1 8-ounce jar large pimento-stuffed green olives, drained
1 8-ounce jar giardiniera salad, drained
2 whole roasted red peppers, from a 12-ounce jar, not marinated in oil
4 ounces thinly sliced Genoa salami
4 ounces thinly sliced mortadella
6 ounces thinly sliced provolone cheese
1/2 cup prepared "zesty" Italian dressing
1/4 cup hand-torn fresh basil, packed
Salt, pepper

Cut each muffin half into six wedges and place into a large salad bowl. Coarsely chop olives and giardiniera salad and add to bowl. Slice the red pepper into strips and add to the bowl. Cut the salami, mortadella and provolone cheese into thin strips and add to the bowl. Pour Italian dressing over the salad and toss to coat. Refrigerate for 30 minutes. Just before serving, add the basil and toss to coat, seasoning to taste.

I was recently "tagged" by one of my first blogger friends. Jenny from The Picky Palate tagged me. Some of you may recognize her. She was just on the Ultimate Recipe Showdown Comfort Food show. She made Pepita Crusted Southwest Chicken Mac. She didn't win but if you asked me she was robbed!! So here we go...........5 things about myself

1) I grew up in Sarasota Florida, the 3 child of 4. I have 2 older brothers so to say I grew up a bit of a tom boy goes without saying. Everything they wanted to do I wanted to do, even trying out for little league. (and this was before girls did such things) I think that is where my competitive spirit comes from.

2) I have been playing musical instruments for as long as I can remember. Music is one of my greatest passions. I was a music major in college and had grand dreams of concert stages and ampitheaters. In college I played with some of the greatest jazz ledgends in history. Lionel Hampton, Dizzy Gillespie, and Maynord Ferguson. Sadly, I developed arthrits in my hands that put an end to my dreams of great solo preformances. Music still is one of my greatest sources of joy and even now my dishes always come out better when I make them to music.

3) My husband and I have been together almost since the day we met. We love to fly fish and camp. One of our favorite things to do is spend the weekend on a lake or river, just the two of us, fishing and reading. Our friends always ask how we can spend so much time alone and our response is always the same: "We like each other"!

4) I am a big movie buff and have been known to lock the doors and spend entire weekends renting movies and watching 4 and 5 a day. The only time we go out is to get more movies. Then we have to draw straws to see who has to go.

5) We were not lucky enough to have kids of our own so we are known as the Aunt and Uncle who will spoil you rotten. We donate alot of time and money to kids. One of our favorite organizations is Take Stock in Children. They help at risk kids get college educations. They require the kids to sign contracts in which they agree to get good grades, stay out of trouble and get involved in community activities. If the kids fulfill all the requirements they recieve 4 year scholarships. Pretty cool! I just found the Mama Mary's Pizza Contest, so if I win that one I'll donate the 2500 to Take Stock in Children and send another kid to college.

French Bread For February

2008-02-29T11:36:00.000-05:00

This is my first Daring Bakers challenge and it couldn't have been a better one for me. French bread Yum!!!

We love fresh bread with everything. But with these loaves we are going to have it with my 20 minute weeknight sauce and linquine. The house is filled with the smell of yeasty warm bread and spicy sweet tomatoe sauce. This must be heaven!

The recipe for the bread is from Julia Childs and the challenge came from the breadchick. Check out the recipe on her site. Just click here . They included alot of notes, which seemed kinda daunting at first, but I really found them to be helpful.

And if you follow their suggestion of reading the recipe with Julia Childs voice in your head it made it really fun!

Course, my husband wasn't sure how I was going to add Julia's voice in with the 19 others that are roaming around in my head. Ha!! he thinks he is so funny.

My picture taking skills seem to be getting better, maybe next time more than one or two will come out post worthy.

Orange Balsamic Glazed Green Beans

2008-02-22T15:48:00.000-05:00

Living in Florida, I'm lucky to have fresh oranges right out my back door. Well---actually there right out my back door and into my neighbors yard. She has the best oranges and her trees are so prolific that she can never eat all of the oranges they produce. Lucky Lucky me!

If you have picky eaters in your family try this recipe. I bought the giant bag of green beans from Sam's last week, (it's so big I think I'm going to have to put it in the will), and I am having fun finding different ways to cook them.

Orange Balsamic Glazed Green Beans

If you get the oranges from your neighbor don't forget to make enough for her so you'll be sure to have oranges in the future.

2 cups frozen fresh green beans

1/4 cup fresh squeezed orange juice

1 tablespoon balsamic vinegar

3 tablespoons orange zest

Bring a large pot of water to a boil. Add salt and green beans. Boil for about 4 minutes or until beans are crisp tender. Immediately remove from the water and plunge into a bowl with ice and water. Set aside

In a medium saute pan over medium heat add the orange juice and balsamic vinegar

and reduce by 1/2, about 10 minutes. Add the orange zest and green beans. Toss to coat and heat through. Serve immediately

What a week I'm havin'

2008-02-19T15:30:00.000-05:00

Whew! This has been one busy week. After my husband's b-day and the superbowl, my mother in-law had a wreck and totaled her car. She tried to make a left u-turn from the right lane!!! O.M.G--- Luckily she is alright. It really sounds worse than it was. I think they totaled her car because it was so old.

The other car hit her smack in the rear driver's side tire. Bent it inward so the car couldn't be driven away. We had her take a defensive driving course for seniors and they said they thought she was fine to drive. So the past few days have been spent looking for and purchasing a car for her. This one has side air bags. We don't want to take any chances.

On the lighter side I won my first contest this week!!! Yay for me!!!

It is the Bay's English Muffin Contest. The theme was "Let the good times roll", for Mardi Gras. My entry was the Mufaletta Muffin Salad. As soon as I can get a good picture I'll post it. Should be sometime in the next few days since things have calmed down a little bit.

The prize is really cool. $500 shopping spree at Williams and Sonoma. I've already started making my list and let me tell you--$500 dollars can go pretty quick.

I am just finishing up some recipes to enter in the National Cornbread Festival. I'm visualizing myself accepting the first prize and being crowned with the cast iron tiara. We are having a great time and my husband is very proud.

I'll let you know what happens!!

Creme Puffs for the Hubby!

2008-02-08T12:41:00.001-05:00

This week was my husbands bithday,(I'll spare you his age as it might give clues to mine). Instead of cake I decided to make him one of his favorite treats-Creme Puffs. My oldest niece came over manned with a recipe from her Aunt Virginia, a nice polish lady that niether of us has met. At first we were a little intimidated thinking that there would be a lot of work involved, but as it turned out these little gems are fairly easy to make. So easy if fact that we made 2 batches!!

Well, as it turns out we had to make two batches because we sorta ate the first batch as we made them. Had to, we told ourselves. How else would we know if they were good enough to give to her favorite uncle for his birthday!

When all was said and done these tasty little treats are worth the try.

Aunt Virginia's Creme Puffs

1/2 cup Crisco Shortening

1 cup Flour

1 cup water

pinch of slat

5 eggs

On low heat, melt together Crisco, salt and water. Bring to a boil

Add Flour, cook one minute stirring to bring together.

Beat in eggs one at a time until it is neither thick nor runny. (That's what the recipe said!)

Droup dough by tablespoonfuls on greased cookie sheet. (Makes about 24)

Preheat oven to 425 degrees

Bake 10 minutes, reduce to 400 degrees and bake 20 minutes longer

Creme Filling (add in this order)

3/4 cup sugar

dash of salt

10 tablespoons of flour

4 cups milk

4 egg yolks

Combine all ingredients. Sir constatly over low heat until thick....add 1 teaspoon vanilla. Cool

Fill Puffs ..... Enjoy!!!

One Dish Wonders!!

2008-02-01T09:19:00.000-05:00

I'm all for cooking really elaborate meals, but sometimes you just want a really good dinner with out going to a lot of trouble. This dish fits the bill perfectly and it's good enough to serve to company. This is the way I usually make it but I have also used scallops or both shrimp and scallops. Just depends what looks good. I usually garnish this with fresh parsley or green onions, but I was out of both so you'll have to use your imagination.

Just as art requires you to bring something of yourself to the piece I truly believe the same can be said for food. If you start with a good idea, bring some basic skills to the kitchen and then add a little of yourself to each dish you are sure to create something unforgettable.

Key West Shrimp with Lemon Garlic Linquine

1 lb linquine
2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
8 ounces crimini mushrooms
1 lemon, zested and juiced
3 cloves garlic, peeled and chopped
24 wild shrimp, peeled and deviened
1/2 cup parmeseano reggiono, grated
1/2 cup flat leaf parsley, chopped

1. Cook the linguine to al dente according to package directions.

2. Meanwhile, heat a large non stick skillet to medium heat

3. Add the olive oil and mushrooms. Saute 4-5 minutes or until browned.

4. Add the lemon juice and the garlic cloves. Saute 1-2 minutes

5. Add the shrimp and saute 2 minutes. (Shrimp will not be done)

6. With a slotted spoon, drain the linguine and add the the shrimp mixture. Saute 2 minutes longer or until shrimp are done.

7. Add the remaining lemon zest, cheese and parsley. Toss with tongs to combine.

Herbed Chicken Broth with Homemade Kluski

2008-01-29T09:59:00.000-05:00

Kluski are Pennsylvania Dutch egg noodles. They are a really hearty addition for any soup but I especially like them in just a simple chicken broth. I've jazzed this broth up a bit with lots of herbs. I use dried herbs rather than fresh because I think that they give off more flavor in the broth. They also seem to last a little longer. You can keep simmering on the stove all day so it's always ready as people come and go. Just add egg noodles 10 minutes before you want to serve.

Of course the star of this dish is the egg noodles. They are great fun to make with kids. They just love to mix the dough up with their little hands. It can be a little messy, but sometimes a little messy can be great fun. Next time your little ones are bored or can't go out to play, try making these little noodles. Not only will you be making something great to eat, you'll also be making great memories.

Kluski in Herbed Chicken Stock

1/2 cup yellow onion, diced
3 stalks celery, diced
3 large carrots, peeled and diced
6 whole cloves garlic, peeled
2 tablespoons dried italian seasoning
32 ounces chicken stock
2 1/4 c. sifted flour
1/2 tsp. salt

2 eggs, lightly beaten

2-3 tbsp. Water

Heat a large stock pot to medium. Add the onion, celery and carrots. Saute 3- 4 minutes or until onions are translucent. Add the garlic cloves, herbs and chicken stock. Bring to a boil, reduce heat to simmer and simmer on low until ready to add noodles.

In a large bowl combine flour and salt. Make a well in the flour and add eggs and 1 tablespoon water. Begin working the flour into the eggs, adding a little water to make elastic dough. Add more flour if necessary. Continue mixing until a soft dough forms. Divide in two, roll out very thin on floured board, and sprinkle with a little flour to help dry. Let stand a few minutes; then roll up as for jelly roll and cut into strips.

Bring the herbed chicken stock back to a boil. Add the kluski and cook in boiling herbed chicken broth 8 to 10 minutes, or until tender.

No Bake, Blue's Chaser Mac and Cheese

2008-01-24T11:35:00.000-05:00

There is a cold front moving in, so things are grey and getting chilly. I don't know about you but this kind of weather always makes me crave all the food they say isn't good for you. Well I say popycock!!!

Here is a way to have your mac and cheese and eat it to. I think the trick is using bold flavors and keeping the sauce creamy. This version you can make on top of the stove in no time.

Try making this with your favorite CD playing, I like Dean Martin, Frank Sinatra or if I'm particularly Blue a little Eva Cassidy or Bonnie Rait. I know it's a strange combination of taste but it works for me

No Bake, Blue's Chaser Mac and Cheese

2 cups elbow macaroni

1 tablespoon butter

3 tablespoons minced shallots

1 jalapeno pepper, seeded and diced

1 teaspoon flour

3/4 cup 2% milk

1/2 cup shredded sharp cheddar cheese

1/2 cup grated peccorino romano

1/2 teaspoon fresh ground pepper

Begin by cooking the elbow macaroni in boiling water to al dente, about 5 - 6 minutes. Drain the macaroni well.

Return the pot to the heat and melt the butter. When the butter is melted add the shallots and jalapeno. Saute until shallots and pepper are tender, about 5 minutes.

Return the macaroni to the pot. Sprinkle the flour in, cook about 2 minutes stirring constantly. Add the milk and the cheddar cheese stirring constantly until the cheese is melted and fully incorporated into the milk. Add the peccorino cheese and pepper remove from the heat and stir until fully incorporated. Top with some shredded cheddar for garnish.

Farmer's Market Fried Rice

2008-01-22T15:42:00.000-05:00

I always buy to much when I go to the Farmer's Market. But I can't resist. Everything looks so good I just have to buy it!

This is one way I have found to use up the odds and ends that are left at the end of the week.

This is one of my favorite combinations, but I have made it 100 different ways. It just depends on what I have left in the fridge.

Farmer's Market Fried Rice

2 tablespoons olive oil, divided

2 eggs, beaten

1 tablespoon minced ginger

1/2 cup diced yellow onion

1 jalapeno, seeded and minced

1 tablespoon garlic

1/2 cup diced yellow squash

1/2 cup cubed cooked chicken

1/2 cup diced red bell pepper

1/2 cup snow peas

2 cups cooked rice

1/4 cup soy sauce

To a large pan on medium high heat, add 1 tablespoon of olive oil and eggs. Scramble eggs until done, about 3 minutes, remove from pan and keep warm.

To the same pan add the remaining oil, ginger, onion and jalapeno. Saute about 4 minutes or until onion is translucent. Add the garlic, squash, chicken, bell pepper and snow peas. Saute about 4 minutes or until vegtables are crisp tender. Remove from pan and keep warm.

Add the rice and the soy sauce, saute about 2 minutes or until rice is hot. Add the vegtables back to the pan, stir to combine. Add the scrambled egg stir to combine and serve.

20 MINUTE WEEKNIGHT SAUCE

2008-01-16T10:36:00.000-05:00

This is the best sauce I've ever had. It comes from my husband's cousin's, Tony and Maria, both Philadelphia Italians.

I used to make sauce from scratch, then went to prepared sauces. Since Tony and Maria shared this recipe with me it's the only one I use now.

It is a quick and easy basic sauce (or gravy) recipe that is delicious on it's own or can be adapted into lots of other dishes.

I make this sauce probably once a month, freeze what I don't use right away so I always have some on hand .

TONY AND MARIA'S 20 MINUTE SAUCE

1 28 ounce can tomato sauce

1 28 ounce can tomato puree

2 cups water

1 small can tomato paste

1 tablespoon italian seasoning

1 tablespoon dried basil

2 tablespoons fresh chopped garlic

To a large non reactive saucepan, combine all ingriedients. Simmer 20 minutes over medium heat, stirring occasionally.

That's it! Not only is it easy but it's healthy too.

Sarasota's Downtown Farmer's Market

2008-01-12T11:03:00.001-05:00

I'm lucky to live with in walking distance to our local downtown Farmer's Market. So, every Saturday I get my trusty canvas bag and walk to the market. I'm always amazed at what I can find downtown, and living in Florida fresh vegtables are always abundant. How can you go wrong when you start with ingriedients as fresh as these?

So, I'm not sure what I'll be cooking this week,

but I'm sure something tasty will develop. I'll let you know!!!

I'm giving this dish 5 yum's up!!!

2008-01-10T15:52:00.000-05:00

Our local grocery store had shrimp on sale this week so I decided to give them a try. The shrimp have a crispy light coating of plain bread crumbs, then quickly fried in olive oil. Served over this delicious salad of baby spinach, jonagold apples, dried cranberries and toasted pecans, this is a can't miss quick dinner!

Crisp Shrimp and Spinach Salad with Orange Balsamic Dressing

1/4 cup Florida Orange Juice
2 tablespoons balsamic vinegar
2 cloves fresh garlic

10 oz bag triple washed baby spinach

1 medium jonagold apple

1/4 cup dried cranberries

1/2 cup pecan halves

1/2 cup extra virgin olive oil

24 large fresh water shrimp

1/2 cup flour

2 large eggs, beaten

1/2 cup plan breadcrumbs

To a small jar with a tight fitting lid add the orange juice and the balsamic vinegar. With a garlic press, press the garlic into the jar. Close the lid tightly and shake well.

Place the spinach in a large bowl. Pour the dressing over the leaves and toss to coat. Arrange the greens on a large serving platter. Slice the apple into 1/4's, core and chop into bite size pieces. Arrange the apple, and cranberries over top of the greens. Heat a small skillet over medium heat. Add the pecans in a single layer and toast until slightly browned, about 2 minutes. Sprinkle the pecans evenly over the salad.

Peel the shrimp leaving the tales on. Butterfly and devine under cool running water, pat dry with paper towels. To three shallow dishes, add the flour to one, the eggs to the second and the breadcrumbs to the third. Dredge the shrimp in the flour, shake of the excess, then the egg and then the breadcrumbs.

Heat 1/2 cup Extra Virgin Olive oil to a 10 inch skillet to medium heat.

Cook the breaded shrimp in batches in the hot oil until golden brown, about 2-3 minutes.

Arrange the fried shrimp around the spinach salad and serve.

Serves 4