Foodie Fridays: Comfort Food (& A Quandary)

Hey Humble Readers...

Today's recipe is brought to you in honour of my Beloved, and his need for some TLC today.  My brave Beloved went for his vasectomy today, and was feeling a tad... well... less than his best.  The procedure went well, and with the prescribed pain killers and an ice pack, he'll be back to his happy self in a few days. 

So, he was in need of some comfort food. 

This recipe is fairly easy, and makes use of one of the best values in the grocery store... the rotisserie chicken.  Think about it... a rotisserie chicken costs around $8 (here on the frozen flatland) and a tray of three boneless skinless chicken breasts costs around $10.  I use the dark meat pieces for this recipe and then save the breast pieces for chicken salad or chicken fried rice later in the week. 

Creamy Chicken & Rice Soup with Sauteed Mushrooms

10-12 cremini or button mushrooms, quartered
1 med onion, diced
3 tbsp butter, divided
1 tbsp olive oil
1/3 sherry or dry white wine (optional)
2 tbsp flour
1 box chicken stock
1 1/2 - 2 cups milk
2 cloves garlic, minced
2 tsp dried thyme
2 tsp dried chives
1 cup long grain white rice
2 cups shredded cooked chicken
1 cup frozen peas

In a large heavy pot, melt 2 tbsp butter.  Add olive oil.  Add quartered mushrooms, and saute until lightly caramelized.  Using a slotted spoon, remove mushrooms from pot and set aside.



Please disregard the stained pot.  I made coffee-braised
roast beef one too many times in that pot, and it's stained
the enamel

Melt remaining butter in pot and add the diced onion.  Saute until just softened.  Deglaze the pan with sherry or wine (if desired), making sure to scrape up the brown bits.  Sprinkle flour over onions, and stir into onions and butter until it resembles wet sand.  Slowly begin to add chicken stock, while stirring.  Add milk, starting with 1 1/2 cups (add more if soup gets too thick later) and bring to a slow boil (should thicken slightly).  Reduce heat to slow simmer.  Add in garlic, thyme, chives, rice, and chicken.  Stir frequently to ensure that rice doesn't stick to the bottom of the pot.  Allow to simmer gently until rice is cooked.  Add in frozen peas. 

I served this with homemade buns.  Yummy!

*****
Ok... now onto the quandary.  And I'm really looking for input.

Ginny, has stopped eating.  Mostly.  My little girl, who loves food, and has always eaten really well, is refusing to eat.

You may recall that a couple of days ago she was congested and had a fever.  It has come and gone a couple of times over the last few days, but it has been easily controlled with tyl.en.ol and wearing lighter clothes. 

Ginny was a little bit pukey on Wednesday (less than 24 hours after the onset of the fever) and threw up a bit of her breakfast.  She ate well later that day... both lunch and dinner.  Then, on Thursday she started refusing to eat.  She ate a couple of spoonfulls of yoghurt at breakfast and that was it.  She refused to eat both lunch and dinner.  She also refused a snack of mandarin orange segments (which she usually looooooves).  Today, she ate applesauce for breakfast, but no cereal or yoghurt.  Lunch was only 4 little cubes of cheese and a few small pieces of ham.  She completely refused dinner (and she normally devours soup & buns). 

She's still drinking milk and water, so I'm not concerned about her getting dehydrated. 

There are several things that I'm thinking may be possible contributing factors. 

• She's just not feeling well.  She's been kind of up and down ever since that fever set in.  She'll be okay for a while, and then be very lethargic and just want cuddles.
• She may be teething.  She's not happy with having her teeth brushed and she actually bit me today when I tried to check her molars (they still haven't cut through).
• We started feeding Pip solid food this week.  Maybe she's jealous of the attention he's getting about eating?
• She's just trying to exert her independence?  Some sort of excercise in becoming self-aware? 

My Beloved and I are trying very hard not to make a big deal about it at the table, because we don't want this to trigger some sort of larger battle with food.  Our rule is, she can choose not to eat, but she will sit at the table with her bib on until everyone is done eating.  And she isn't allowed to play with her food.  If she's not going to eat it we will move her bowl/plate to the other side of the table where it is available should she change her mind. 

Do you think we are handling this right?  When should I get concerned?   I am, of course, going to keep offering her all her usual snacks and meals, and I've always bought into the accepted wisdom that if a child is hungry they will eat (and most children can miss a few meals without being negatively impacted). 

But the Mummy in me is struggling. 

Foodie Friday: A Work in Progress

Hey Humble Readers...

First up, thanks for all your suggestions on my last post.  I think I'm going to go for it, and hang on to the reciept just in case.  :)

And now I need some more input.

I used this recipe tonight for inspiration but it wasn't exactly what I was hoping it would be.  It was good, even worth repeating, but it needs some tweaking.  The author of the original claimed it tasted like the spice blend in KFC without all the deep fried badness. 

(And just take that comparison to KFC as a warning.  This is comfort food, not health food.  Tonight, I reeeeeeeeeally needed comfort food.)

I did tweak the spice blend a bit, because it did seem rather bland as written.  My issue wasn't with the flavour.  I'm happy with how that turned out.  I'm just trying to figure out how to get the crunch factor I was hoping for. 

Baked Fried Chicken

4 boneless, skinless chicken breasts (you could also use boneless skinless chicken thighs)
Milk (enough to cover the chicken pieces)
1 cup flour
1/2 tsp salt
1/2 tsp ground black pepper
1 tbsp grill seasoning
1/2 tsp paprika
1 tsp dried basil
1 tsp garlic powder
1 tsp onion powder
2 tbsp butter

Preheat oven to 400F.  Soak the chicken in milk for 20-30 minutes.  In a large ziploc bag, combine flour and spices.  Melt butter in a 9x13 baking dish in the oven.  Spread the melted butter over the whole pan.  Toss chicken pieces in the flour and spice mixture to thoroughly coat.  Place chicken pieces in pan and return to oven.  Bake for 20 minutes.  Flip the chicken breasts and bake for another 20 minutes.  I then put them under the broiler for 5 minutes to darken/crisp up the coating.

I served them with mashed potatoes, corn, and a simple pan gravy. 

How could I have made them crunchier?  Maybe add some cornmeal to the flour mix?  Or panko?  Any thoughts? 

Foodie Fridays: Comfort Food!

Hey Humble Readers!

I've been wanting to resurrect my Foodie Fridays for ages now, but through the summer and early fall, one thing and another has gotten in the way.  Well, no longer!  And today I'm bringing you a mash-up of two great comfort foods.  Meatloaf and a cheeseburger!

But first, I need to tell you a story.

Once upon a time, there was a wee hobbit who didn't like bacon.  The smell, the mess, the taste.  Nothing about bacon appealed to her.  She would avoid being home when bacon was being cooked.  She would get upset if someone mistakenly brought her a sandwich with bacon on it.  As she grew up, she grew to be able to accept bacon in certain foods.  In perogies?  Ok.  Crumbled on top of a loaded baked potato?  I guess so.  Fake-o bacon bits on a salad?  If I must.  But then, late in her 37th year, suddenly someone turned on the bacon switch in her brain.  All of a sudden, bacon didn't seem like such a bad thing.  The salty, crispy goodness began to call to her... mock her... laugh at her for all the years that she avoided contact.  She was still picky about it.  It must be good quality bacon.  It must be cooked crispy.  And it will likely never be eaten with breakfast.  But bacon had wormed its way into her heart, and there was no looking back.  And the not-so-wee hobbit and bacon lived happily ever after.

Why did I tell you this story?  Because THIS RECIPE WOULD BE SO MUCH BETTER WITH BACON!  When I first made it, I didn't even consider adding bacon to it, but I'm telling you now... make it with bacon, top it with bacon.  Bacon, bacon, bacon!

Cheeseburger Meatloaft

1.5lb lean ground beef (or your ground meat of choice)
1 pkg dry onion soup mix
1/3 cup ketchup, chili sauce, or steak sauce
1/4 cup mustard
1 egg
1/2-3/4 cup bread crumbs
1 tbsp grill seasoning (like Montreal steak spice)
1 1/2 cups diced dill pickles, divided
1-2 diced tomatoes
2 tbsp butter
2 tbsp flour
1 cup milk (don't use skim)
1 cup shredded sharp cheddar
1 tbsp mustard

Preheat oven to 375F.  In a large bowl, combine ground beef, soup mix, ketchup, mustard, egg, bread crumbs, grill seasoning, and 1/2 cup of the diced dill pickles.  Get in there and use your hands (just remember to remove your rings).  Once the mix is thoroughly combined, form it into a loaf shape shape and place on a well greased baking sheet.  Bake for 1 hour to 1 hour 15 minutes.  Use a meat thermometer to ensure that you have gotten to at least 160 in the center.  Remove from oven and allow to rest for 10-15 minutes before cutting.  While the meatloaf is baking, melt butter in a medium sized skillet.  Once the butter is melted, whisk in the flour.  Allow the flour to cook out for a minute or two.  Slowly add milk, whisking constantly as it thickens.  Once it's thickened, you can always add a touch more milk to thin it if needed.  Melt in cheese and stir in the mustard. 

Slice up the meatloaf (as best you can.  Somtimes it can be uncooperative like in the picture below) and top with cheese sauce, pickles and tomatoes.  Serve with mashed taters (with horseradish and sour cream if you're adventurous) and steamed veggies. 

If you try it, please let me know what you think.  Oh, and MAKE SURE TO TOP IT WITH SOME CRISPY BACON BITS!

Foodie Fridays: Bangers & Mash Casserole

Greetings Humble Readers...

Happy Friday!  I hope you are all well and planning a fun weekend.  Our weekend is shaping up to be a doozy, but as of Monday, I am declaring myself done with everything.  Because whatever is left on the list just isn't going to get done before the Halfling makes his/here appearance. 

Buuutttt... before all that, I've got to tell you about the recipe that I came up with for an online recipe contest.  I'm entering it into the contest tonight, so I think it's safe to share it all with you.  :)

The contest is sponsored by a particular brand of cream cheese products that's named for a large US city.  *wink-wink-nudge-nudge*  And the focus is to come up with a dish inspired by your dream destination.  Of course, I immediately thought of London... and so I spent far too long pondering what sort of dish most represented the British Isles in which I could use the aforementioned cream cheese product. 

And so, I came up with this.  I confess, it's not a diet-friendly recipe.  But it turned out really yummy, and I already have some ideas for how I will improve on it next time.  And it's a stick to your ribs kind of recipe... great for a cold wet day.  Think of it as a riff on shepherd's pie. 

Bangers & Mash Casserole

1 lg yellow onion, sliced
2 tbsp Olive oil
1 pkg English style sausage (5-6 links)
2 pounds potatoes, peeled and cubed
1 tbsp Worcestershire sauce
1 tsp dried thyme
2 cloves garlic, minced
2 tbsp flour
2 cups beef stock (it's best if you warm it up a little in the microwave)
1 container Garlic & Herb Cooking Cream Sauce, divided (from that company named for a US city)
1.5 cups frozen peas
Salt & Pepper to taste
Paprika

Preheat oven to 350F.  Grease a 9 x 13 casserole dish and set aside.

In a large skillet, heat olive oil over med-high heat.  Add sliced onions.  After three or four minutes, reduce heat to med-low, and allow onions to caramelize.  Stir often.  (This will take more than 30 minutes.  Be patient, it's worth it!)

While the onions are caramelizing, place sausage links on a foil lined baking sheet and roast in the oven for 25-30 minutes, until browned and cooked through.  Remove from oven and allow to rest.

Boil potatoes in salted water, until fork tender.  Drain and mash potatoes.  Add in all but three tablespoons of the Garlic & Herb Cooking Cream and the frozen peas.  Stir well to combine.  Set aside. 

When onions are dark golden and sweet, add garlic, thyme, and Worcestershire sauce.  Allow to saute.  Sprinkle flour over onions, stir in, and allow to cook through for a minute.   Stir in beef stock, and allow to thicken.  Add reserved Garlic & Herb Cooking Cream.  Salt and pepper to taste. 

Slice sausages into bite size pieces, and add to onion gravy.  Pour onions, sausage, and gravy into casserole dish.  Top with mashed potatoes, spreading in an even layer.  Sprinkle with paprika.  Bake for 20 minutes, until potatoes are lightly browned and gravy is bubbly.

Serve with a garden salad.

Optional: Add a cup of sliced button mushrooms to the onions and allow them to saute as the onions caramelize. 

If you try this out, please let me know what you think!

Foodie Friday: Yorkshire Puddings

Greetings Humble Readers...

It's another grey and wet day here on the flatland, but thankfully the predicted snow hasn't materialized (altho apparently it did in the Big City To The North).  I'm currently waiting on the carpet cleaning guys to get here, so I thought I would take advantage of the fact that I haven't had to unplug the modem yet and tell you about a Sunday night staple around the hobbit-hole. 

Humble Readers, even gestational diabetes can't separate this hobbit from her yorkshire puddings.  Sunday dinner in the cold months (which is about 9 months of the year around here) is not complete without the yorkshire puds.  If I'm making gravy, I'm making yorkies.  It's a given (except Thanksgiving and Christmas, but that's only because I have a gazillion other things I'm making). 

I think in the US you might call these popovers.  But whatever you call them, when they are on your plate beside a piece of roasted chicken or a couple of slices of roast beef, and they're covered in gravy... they are fluffy bits of heaven.  Once you've mastered the basic recipe, you can add all sorts of yummy options like herbs, spices and/or cheese. 

And the great thing is, the recipe is sooooo simple, you can't possibly mess it up.  There are a few key things to remember, but really, anybody can make these lovely little babies. 

Yorkshire Puddings

3 lg eggs, room temp *
1 cup milk, room temp *
1 cup all-purpose flour **
1 tsp salt
Oil (traditional recipes call for beef drippings, but I use olive oil)

In a medium bowl, use an electric mixer to combine and beat eggs and milk, until frothy.  Add flour and salt, and beat until smooth.  (If you are adding any extras, this is when you would do it... I like thyme for chicken, basil for beef, parmasean cheese for whatever, and I ALWAYS add a touch of ground black pepper)  Let the batter rest in the fridge for at least 15 minutes, but an hour is better.  Preheat your oven to 425F.  Put about a teaspoon of oil in each cup of a 12 cup muffin tin, or two teaspoons in each of a 6 cup yorkie/popover pan.  Take the extra minute to use a pastry brush to spread the oil over the surface of the cups.  Heat the pan in the oven for 2 to 3 minutes, until the oil starts to smoke a little.  Remove the pan from the oven and equally divide the batter between all 12 or 6 cups.  Do this quickly, and put the pan back in the oven.  If you are using a 12 cup muffin tin, check on them after about 20 minutes.  Otherwise, do not open the oven for 30 minutes. 

When they come out, they will look like this...  golden, puffy, and hollow.

Serve them right away, with your favourite gravy.  They don't reheat well, but really, you won't have any left over to reheat.  I promise.

* I leave them out on the counter for the afternoon.  I can't tell you why this is important, but I know when I haven't done this, the yorkies don't get the height.
** Spoon flour into your measuring cup, don't scoop it.  I know that sounds dumb, but trust me!

One of my happy memories from my bio-family was yorkies with roast beef on Sunday nights.  Instead of dousing them in gravy, I would stuff them full of roast beef, gravy, potatoes and veggies, and then eat them like a savoury twinkie.  Yummm! 

One other tip.  When you put the pan in the oven, put it in on top of a lined (with foil or parchment) baking tray.  Otherwise you'll end up needing to clean your oven, because the oil from the pan will overflow a bit. 

I hope you give these a try if you've never made them.

Foodie Friday: Hobbit-ish Oven Roasted Marinara

Hey Humble Readers...

I almost forgot that it was Friday!  And that would totally suck because I have what I happen to think is a great recipe for you all today. 

A couple of years ago, I started messing around with making my own spaghetti sauce.  My family has never been the kind of people to use pre-made jarred sauce (and please don't get me started on the concept of meat sauces in a jar or can... *shudder* ...which is odd because I'm fine with most canned soups.  I never claimed to be sane).  My mom always used the plainest tomato sauce and then doctored it up with veggies, meat, and spices.  I started out in that frame of mind, but then slowly started expanding on it, and this is what I use now. 

This recipe freezes amazingly well, which is why I make it in big batches.  Also, in my mind, pasta should be a relatively easy meal, and having to fuss with a major sauce every time I want pasta is just NOT cool in my book. 

Fair warning, it will feel like you are dirtying every single dish in your kitchen to make this, but it's soooo worth it.  And I know, it seems labour intensive, but it's really not that hard.  Trust me.  Have I ever steered you wrong? 

I use grape or cherry tomatoes for this most of the time because they usually taste better than hot-house tomatoes in the off season, and they roast up faster.  I also like that the skins are more delicate and that you don't need to peel them.

Hobbit-ish Oven Roasted Marinara

4 pints cherry or grape tomatoes
1 lg yellow onion (or 3 med), chopped into wedges or large chunks
3 lg bulbs of garlic
Olive oil
Salt & Pepper
3 lg cans diced tomatoes
2 cans tomato paste
Fresh Basil
Bay leaves
Dried Thyme
Dried Oregano
Fennel Seed
Red Pepper Flakes

Preheat oven to 425F.  Cut the tops off the bulbs of garlic, drizzle with a bit of olive oil, season with salt and pepper.  Wrap the garlic in foil, and roast in the oven for 45 minutes to an hour (I sometimes do this the night before).  Remove from oven and allow to cool until you can handle them. 

On a rimmed baking sheet lined with parchment paper*, arrange grape tomatoes in a single layer.  On a second lined rimmed baking sheet, arrange onion in a single layer.  Drizzle both trays with olive oil, salt, and pepper.  Toss gently with your fingers to make sure everything is coated.  Roast in the oven for 20-30 minutes.  You may want to turn the broiler on for the last 5 minutes or so, to get those nicely charred bits of tomato skin.  Yum!  You will know that the veggies are ready when the tomato skins have burst and they have released a lot of their juice.

While the tomatoes and onions are roasting up, squeeze the roasted garlic bulbs into your food processor or blender (so that the cloves slide out of their skin).  You want all of that sweet garlicky goodness in there! 

When tomatoes and onions are done roasting, add them to the food processor as well, along with any juices.  Depending on the size of your processor, you might need to do this in two batches.  Pulse your food processor several times to semi-puree the veggies.  I like my sauce to be a bit on the chunky side, so I don't let the processor go for too long at a time. 

Pour tomato/onion/garlic combo into your slow cooker or a large stock pot.  Add in the cans of diced tomatoes and tomato paste.  Stir to thoroughly combine.

Season with herbs to your taste.  I like a LOT of basil, so I use a whole bunch of chopped fresh basil leaves.  I also use a couple of dried bay leaves (make sure to take them out later), a generous palmful each of dried thyme and oregano, half a palmful of fennel seed, and some red pepper flakes.  You can also add some salt and pepper at this point if you like.

I cook this on low in my slow cooker for 6-8 hours, stirring occassionally. Allow to cool completely.  Transfer to freezer storage bags and freeze for up to 6 months.  (I have several bags of this in my freezer right now.)

This was taken at about 5 hours into cooking.
 The sauce thickens up as it cooks and cools

This recipe usually makes enough for three large freezer bags, each bag being enough sauce for two meals and some leftovers for my Beloved, Ginny, and I.  When you use the sauce, you can add more to it if you like... I saute up some diced celery, button mushrooms, and green bell peppers (things that don't freeze all that well), and brown up some lean ground beef, italian sausage, or chicken breast pieces. 

*You want to line your baking sheets because the acid in the tomatoes WILL pit your baking sheets and make them challenging to clean.

Enjoy!

Foodie Friday: Bang Bang Chicken

Hey Humble Readers...

How are things in your part of the world?  Any big plans for the weekend?  Tomorrow is our 5th wedding anniversary, and I'm excited about what my Beloved has planned.  I had to get him to tell me what the surprise was because I needed to know how to dress for the evening.  I'll tell you all about it on Sunday. 

But in the mean time, here's this week's recipe fun. 

I found this recipe, where else?  On Pinterest...  I had seen it on a couple of tv cooking shows and had been hesitant to try it, but I wanted to add a new dish to my 'asian-ish' repertoire, so I gave it a shot.  The first time, I confess, I messed up the sauce (read tsp as tbsp... big difference, especially when dealing with sriracha).  But the second time my Beloved and I really enjoyed it.  It's a little bit labour intensive, but well worth it.  This recipe is adapted from Table For Two. 

Bang Bang Chicken
(serves 2 as a main course or a few people as an appetizer)

2 chicken breasts or 4 chicken thighs, boneless & skinless, cubed
3/4 cup bread crumbs (panko or regular... whatever you've got will work)
1/2 cup flour
1 tsp salt
1 tsp ground pepper
1 tsp garlic powder
1 tsp onion powder
1 tsp dried basil
1 egg, beaten
1/2 cup milk
1/2 cup mayo
3-5 tsp Sriracha (depending on how spicy you want it... start at three and work up)
1 tsp sugar (I used Spl.enda successfully)
1 tsp rice vinegar
Vegetable Oil (for frying)

Set up a breading station, with flour in one dish, bread crumbs in one dish, and the egg and milk in another. Add salt, pepper, garlic and onion powder, and basil to the breadcrumbs and mix to combine.  Bread chicken cubes by first dredging in flour, then in egg/milk mixture, then in breadcrumbs.   For best results, allow the chicken to rest in the fridge for about 20 minutes after breading. 

In a bowl, combine mayo, Sriracha, sugar, and rice vinegar.  Adjust to taste. 

Heat a small amount of oil in a skillet (just enough to cover the bottom of the pan).  When oil is hot, slowly and carefully begin to add the chicken to the pan.  Don't overcrowd the pan.  Flip chicken as it browns to golden (it should only take a minute or two per side).  Remove chicken to a paper towel lined plate to drain, and fry remaining chicken. 

Transfer chicken to a large bowl (think mixing bowl).  Pour sauce over chicken and toss gently to coat. 

I served it with homemade chicken fried rice (which is Ginny's new favourite food) and steamed veggies.  Yum!  Oh, and you can also make this recipe with shrimp if you like. 

I'm off to go dust the living room, and try desparately to come up with my L character for my A - z Challenge post. 

Foodie Fridays: Spring!

Howdy Humble Readers...

Despite the crazy-making snow that we got yesterday, spring has indeed sprung... even here on the frozen flatland. 

We spent the majority of today tackling the first part of our spring cleaning... the nursery, the bathroom, and the storage room.  I had grand plans to also get the kitchen done today, but a blood sugar low got in the way.  Tomorrow is going to be a long day, but I'm happy with what we accomplished today.  Cleaning isn't normally how I like to spend Good Friday, but it was necessary.  This is our only long weekend between now and when the Halfling arrives. 

(And speaking of the Halfling... funny coincidence.  Today I am 33w3d pregnant.  And as of today we have 33 days until the Halfling arrives.  Things like that make me smile.  Yes... I know I'm a geek.)

Soooooo... because spring has sprung, I was in the mood for some spring-like food the other day, but it was still a little brisk outside, so it needed to have good warming preperties too. 

Enter Spring Chicken Stew

1 Rotisserie Chicken, shredded (skin & bones removed)
1 med Onion, diced
3 Leeks, white & light green parts only, chopped
3-5 Cloves of Garlic, minced
1-2 Carrots, diced
3 Ribs of Celery, chopped
3 tsp Dried Thyme
3 tsp Dried Basil
2 tbsp Olive Oil
1 tbsp Butter
3 tbsp Flour
5 cups Chicken Stock, heated until warm
1 cup Frozen Peas
Salt & Pepper to taste

In a large pot (like a stock pot or a dutch oven), heat oil and melt butter, over medium-high heat.  Add onion, celery and carrot and saute until just softened.  Add leeks, garlic and dried herbs.  Saute until leeks are softened.  Sprinkle flour over veggies, and allow to cook out stirring frequently, so that your stew doesn't taste pasty or have lumps.  Slowly add chicken stock, continuing to stir constantly, allowing sauce to thicken.  Add in shredded chicken, season with salt & pepper, lower heat, and allow to gently simmer for up to two hours.  Ten minutes before serving, add in frozen peas. 

Serve with fresh baked biscuits.

This was super yummy, and I was thinking that I should have added in asparagus or green beans... if only I had them.  It was a nice transitional meal, from winter heading into the warmer months. 

As always, if you try it, please let me know what you think. 

(A to z challenge post to come in a couple of hours.  I promise.)

Foodie Fridays: Quickie Buns!!

Hey Humble Readers...

I hope that you've all had a good week.  Things in our little hobbit-hole have been challenging, but productive.  Ginny's most recent very long drawn out round of teething has finally resulted in something... her first molar!  While she's teething, she seems to be much more likely to get herself into trouble like messing with Mommy's books, destroying the shoe rack, or pushing all the buttons on the dvr.  Today she actually managed to almost post on my blog.  She pushed a bunch of random keys on my netbook and when I got back to the computer, there was a new post started, all gibberish (not that that's so different from what I post, but still...).  She alternated between particularly mischievous and completely inconsolable this morning, but after her nap she was a much much happier wee girl.  And there was a shiny new tooth! 

But somehow, in the midst of dealing with a truly unhappy toddler, I managed to make these buns the other day.  I've actually made them a few times, and I've loved them every single time.  The original recipe called these "30 Minute Rolls" but if you do the math on the times quoted, it actually adds up to 35 minutes.  Combine that with the fact that I tweaked the baking time a bit, and well, 'quickie buns' just works.  AND considering that these are yeast rolls, anything less than two hours is pretty gosh darn awesome!

Quickie Buns

1 cup + 2 tbsp warm water (I heat mine in the microwave for about 40 seconds)
1/3 cup canola or olive oil
2 tbsp fast acting yeast
1/4 cup sugar (do not sub in Spl.enda... I learned this the hard way)
1 tsp salt
1 egg
3 1/2 cup flour

Preheat your oven to 400F, and grease/spray a 9x13 baking pan.  In your mixer bowl combine the water, oil, yeast and sugar and allow it to rest for 15 minutes. Using your dough hook, mix in the salt, egg and flour. Knead with hook until will incorporated and dough is soft and smooth, 2-3 minutes. (Honestly, I don't know how long to knead the dough for if you don't have a mixer with a dough hook... I'm sorry.  I'm a bit dense when it comes to baking.)

I need to work on my bun rolling skills! 
They aren't very evenly sized. 

Form dough into 12 balls, place in prepared pan, and allow to rest, covered with a towel, for 10 minutes. Bake for 15-17 minutes.

After resting for 10 minutes

Like I mentioned previously, the original recipe called for the rolls to be baked for 10 minutes, but I found that they came out too pale and doughy for me.  Keep an eye on them as they bake... everyone's oven is different.

The finished product - these actually ended up baking for
about 20 minutes because I got distracted.  The crust
was a bit chewier than usual, but they were still great.

Foodie Fridays: Puff Pastry Appies

Hi Humble Readers...

Any big plans for the weekend?  Are you doing chores or are you having fun?  So far there's not much on our agenda for the weekend, but that might change if I find some motivation.  Grocery shopping and church (and our annual meeting... ugh) are a given, other than that I don't know yet. 

Last weekend we watched the Oscars.  I LOVE watching the Oscars.  And historically, I try to see as many of the nominated films as possible, particularly in the Best Picture category (this year I only got around to seeing one... bad Mrs. Gamgee!).  And every year I make a variety of appetizers as dinner, so that we can munch as we watch.  

And as much as I love watching the Oscars, I LUUURRRVE me some appetizers.  Originally, when my Beloved and I got married, I wanted our reception to be all appetizers (which my mother quickly vetoed).  When we go out to a 'real' restaurant, I always drool over the appie menu. 

My absolute favourites are chicken wings, but for this year's Oscar night I wanted something new and a little different.  So the menu for the evening included a couple of old stand-bys (nachos and veggies with hummus... both fairly straight forward) and a couple of new-ish ideas. 

First up, I did a variation on some chicken turn-overs that I've made in the past.  This recipe calls for puff pastry, and as I have stated before... pastry makes me nervous.  So nervous, in fact, that I have never attempted to make it myself, I just buy the frozen stuff.  And you know what?  I think that's just fine... it works great and tastes good too. 

Creamy Pesto Chicken Puffs

2 chicken breasts, poached and shredded
2 oz cream cheese (about 1/4 of a brick), softened
1 generous tbsp of basil pesto
1 sheet puff pastry, thawed
flour
1 egg, beaten

Roll out puff pastry on a lightly floured surface until it's about one foot square.  Using a sharp knife, cut puff pastry into 16 equal squares.  Combine shredded chicken, cream cheese, and pesto in a bowl, and divide between the squares of pastry.  Carefully fold pastry over filling, corner to corner to create triangles.  You may need to use a touch of water to help the pastry seal together.  Lay out on a parchment lined baking sheet, brush lightly with beaten egg, and bake for 20-22 minutes in a preheated 350F oven until golden brown.

Baked Crab Rangoon Puffs  (adapted from Big Red Kitchen)

1 sheet puff pastry, thawed
flour
4 oz cream cheese (about half a brick), softened
1/3 cup mayo
1 clove garlic, minced
2 green onions, finely chopped
1 can crab meat (about 6 oz, I think)
1 egg, beaten
Sweet Chili Sauce

Roll out puff pastry on a lightly floured surface, to about one foot square.  Using a sharp knife, cut pastry into 20 equally sized squares.  Combine cream cheese, mayo, garlic, and green onion, and blend until smooth.  Gently fold in crab meat.  Transfer mixture to a piping bag (I used a zip-top bag, and cut a corner off), and draw a line of the filling down the center of each pastry square.  Carefully fold pastry over filling as you would fold a burrito (fold in sides, then roll bottom to top.  They were about the size of my pinky finger before baking), and lay out seam side down on a parchment lined baking sheet.  Lightly brush with egg, and bake in a preheated 350F oven for 20-22 minutes, until golden.  Serve with sweet chili sauce for dipping. 

I hope you give these a try the next time you need some yummy appies.  They are a little bit fiddly to make because they are so small, but the finished product is worth it!  (And if you do happen to have any left over, they reheat really nicely in the microwave the next day)

Foodie Fridays: Hearty & Healthy

Hey Humble Readers...

Any fun plans for you all this weekend?  Doing anything special?  Maybe some early Valentine's Day events on your agenda?

This has become a bit of a family focussed weekend for us.  My dad often has to travel for work, and he just happens to be in our area this weekend.  He's going to be coming for dinner and to see his granddaughter (not that my Beloved and I really matter... lol) tomorrow, and then on Sunday we'll be heading to the Wee Little Town Down South to visit my Beloved's mom.  Throw in the church, usual grocery shopping and errands... well, we'll be a tad busy. 

*****
This week's recipe is adapted from a Better Homes & Gardens recipe.  The original recipe called for instant rice, but I really don't like instant rice of any sort, but especially instant brown rice (ick).  It was also supposed to be baked in the oven, but with using long grain rice, it needed to be on direct heat.  Don't be put off by the long list of ingredients.  It's super easy to assemble, and really worth it.

Pork & Green Chiles Skillet

1 lb boneless pork (I use two thick cut pork chops), cubed
2 cans diced green chiles (minimum... I actually use 3)
1 can black beans, rinsed and drained
1 can diced tomatoes
1 green bell pepper, diced
1 med onion, diced
1 cup frozen kernel corn
1 can cream of chicken soup
2 garlic cloves, minced or grated
1 cup long grain bown rice
1/2 cup chicken stock
2 tbsp ground cumin
1 tbsp chili powder
1/3 cup shredded cheddar (optional)
Olive oil

In a skillet with a tight fitting lid, brown the pork in a small amount of olive oil.  Add diced onion and saute slightly, until softened.  Add green chiles, tomatoes, black beans, green pepper, corn, soup, stock, garlic, cumin, and chili powder.  Stir to combine.  Bring to a slow simmer.  Stir in rice.  Cover and reduce heat to med-low and allow to simmer for 45-60 minutes (start checking it at about 40 minutes to see if the rice is done).  When rice is tender, top with shredded cheese and allow to melt.  Serve with a garden salad.

It's not a quick dinner, but it's tasty and relatively healthy.  It's really good on a cold night when you need something to stick to your ribs. 

Foodie Fridays: So Simple It's Scary!

Hey Humble Readers...

It's been ages and ages since I did a Foodie Fridays post, but I have been trying a bunch of new things recently (thank you Pinterest!) and I wanted to share one of them with you. 

This recipe is so simple, and takes almost no time at all.  You can totally doctor it up anyway you like.  Another thing I liked about it was that it was super budget friendly. 

Italian Crescent Pie

1 tube refrigerated crescent rolls
1 lb lean ground beef (you could sub in ground turkey or chicken if you like)
1 med onion, diced fine
2-3 cloves of garlic, minced
1 cup pasta sauce (homemade or your fave store bought variety)
2 cups shredded mozzarella cheese
1 tsp each dried oregano and basil

Separate and arrange the crescent rolls in a spoke pattern (wider points meeting in the middle of the plate, long thin points hanging over the side of the pie plate by 2-3 inches) in a 9 inch pie plate.  Gently press the dough together so it covers most of the pie plate to form a crust (there will be gaps... no big deal).  Brown the ground beef and drain well.  Add in onion and garlic, and saute until the onions are softened.  Stir in pasta sauce.  Spread 1 1/2 cup of the shredded mozza over the bottom of the crust, then add the meat/sauce mix.  Fold the points of the crescent rolls over the top so they meet in the middle, and sprinkle with the remaining 1/2 cup of mozza and the dried herbs.  Bake in a preheated 375F oven for 15 to 20 minutes.  Allow to stand for 5-10 minutes before cutting.  Serve with a salad.

I was very pleasantly surprised at how well this turned out.  The only glitch I had was the fact that my Beloved had put the tube of crescent rolls into the freezer (and those things should NOT be frozen... they turn to mush when they thaw), so we had a mad rush to the grocery store on the night I made this. 

I can already see some yummy variations on this idea... make it mexican with some cumin and chili powder, monterey jack cheese and some corn and peppers.  Greek with some greek spice mix, sun dried tomatoes and feta.  Make it a bacon cheeseburger pie with some bacon bits, cheddar, diced dill pickles, ketchup and mustard.  So many options!

*****
In other news... if you've got the time, swing by Panda Diaries and share some love with Laurie.  She's had one hell of a day (scary, SCARY day). 

Foodie Fridays: Lazy Sausage Casserole

Hey Humble Readers...

I'm just barely going to squeak this post in on time today.  Yikes!  I've missed the last couple of Foodie Friday posts because I've been so tired, but I'm back and this recipe is a great one!

This is another recipe that I found through Pinterest.  I love the flavour combo, the flexibility of the ingredients to use whatever is available, and the low maintenence way this tastiness all comes together.   I made a few minor changes to the original recipe that comes from KayoticKitchen (great step by step pics!).

And by the way, when I say tastiness, I mean TAST-I-NESS!  It's one of those rare recipes where, as I was eating it the first time I told my Beloved that I was going to make it again the next week.  And I did.  I don't like cliches when it comes to food, but it's totally a party in your mouth.

Lazy Sausage Casserole

4 sausages (beef or pork.. I used hot italian sausage)
5 med potatoes
1/2 pound carrots (I used half a bag of pre-cut and peeled carrots)
1 bell pepper
1 large onion
1 fennel bulb (a few of the fronds reserved for garnish)
1 pint grape tomatoes
1 pint button mushrooms
2 garlic cloves, minced
2 tbsp olive oil
freshly cracked black pepper
Italian herbs (I used about a tsp each of oregano, thyme, basil, rosemary, and a pinch of crushed red pepper flakes)
1/2 cup chicken broth
4 tbsp balsamic vinegar

Preheat oven to 450F.  Peel and quarter the potatoes.  Peel onions and cut into wedges leaving the root end intact.  Cut the fennel bulb into wedges.  Slice the bell pepper into thin strips.  Combine all veggies (potatoes, onion, fennel, carrots, bell pepper, mushrooms and tomatoes in a large roasting pan.  In a medium sized bowl, combine olive oil, garlic, herbs and chicken broth.  Wisk together and pour mix over veggies.  Add freshly cracked black pepper (to taste) and toss the veggies to coat with all the herby-oily goodness.  Cover pan tightly with foil and bake for 45 minutes.  Brown the sausages in a frying pan.  You don't need to cook the sausages through, just crisp up the casings.  When the veggies come out of the oven, remove the foil (veg will be fork tender).  Place the sausages on top of the veggies, and then pour the balsamic vinegar over the whole glorious mess.  Put back into the oven, uncovered.  After fifteen minutes, remove and baste everything with the juices from the bottom of the pan.  Continue to  bake for another 10-15 minutes.  Top with the reserved fennel fronds. 

That's it... beautiful tangy yumminess.  And, like many of my favourite recipes, it's easily adjustable.  If you don't have carrots, no sweat, just add more fennel or more taters.  Feeding an army?  You are only limited by the size of your roasting pan. 

Easy and yummy.  The best of both worlds.

Foodie Friday: Jalapeno Popper Stuffed Chicken

Hey Humble Readers...

I'm squeaking this one in under the wire... it's been that crazy the last few days.  Okay, so not so much crazy as it has been exhausting, pukey, and lethargic.  Throw in a busy week of appointments, and a busy weekend ahead of us, and I'm just tuckered out. 

Something new and slightly odd with this pregnancy... I have been seriously craving spicy foods.  I have always enjoyed a bit of kick in my food, but now is different.  I put tobas.co in my eggs, I'm going through black pepper like mad, and anything "buffalo chicken" is my new best friend.  And, surprisingly, my heartburn hasn't kicked in any worse than normal.  Hmmmmm....

Anyway, when I saw this recipe on Pint.erest my mouth started to water.  The great thing about it is that the recipe is totally adjustable.  You can make it as spicy or as mild as you like, and it's easily increased to feed as many or as few as you like.  The version of the recipe that I adapted from can be found at Cassie Craves.

Jalapeno Popper Stuffed Chicken

2 chicken breasts, boneless & skinless
1/3 brick light cream cheese, softened
1/3 cup shredded cheddar cheese
1 jalapeno pepper, seeded and minced (the heat in a pepper lives in the ribs and seeds so remove as much or as little as you like)
1/4 cup bacon bits (you could fry up a couple strips of bacon if you like.  I just can't stand the smell)
1/2 cup flour
1 egg, beaten
1/2 cup bread crumbs
1 tsp each garlic powder, seasoned salt, & black pepper

Cut a large pocket in the thickest part of the chicken breasts and set aside.  In a small bowl, combine the cream cheese, cheddar, jalapeno and bacon bits.  If the mix is hard to combine, add a splash of milk to help it along.  Stuff each chicken breast with half of the cream cheese mixture.  If necessary, secure the opening with toothpicks.  Combine the spices with the bread crumbs.  Dredge each chicken breast in flour, then dip in the egg, and then roll in the seasoned bread crumbs.  Place in a greased baking dish and bake in a (preheated) 350F oven for 25 minutes.  If needed, you can finish them under the broiler for a nice crunchy brown top. 

The first time I made these, I was waaaay too conservative with the jalapeno.  Next time I will leave at least some of the seeds and ribs in the pepper.  Even my Beloved, who's not a big fan of spicy foods said this could have had a bit more kick.  I will be glad to oblige.  :)

I hope you enjoy this one.  Let me know if you try it out!

Foodie Friday: The Slacker Saturday Edition... Mega Garlic Chicken

Hey Humble Readers...

Thank you so much to everyone who commented on my last post and emailed.  I really appreciate all your support.  Thursday and Friday were spent pretty much freaking out, but I started getting a grip on things last night, and I'm feeling mostly better about things.  As so many of you pointed out, my betas are doubling the way they should, they just started out lower that normal and it will take awhile to get to where they should be. 

So, because I wasted yesterday fretting and worrying, I never got around to posting my Foodie Friday recipe.  And I couldn't just let it pass by because it's such a fantabulous recipe.  The only bummer... I forgot to take a picture of it, so no foodie po.rn this time.  Sorry.  Just imagine a crock pot full of garlic and juicy browned chicken pieces.  Amazing!

This recipe is super easy, and if you're totally lazy like me, you can buy the garlic already peeled to save time.  And please don't freak out about the amount of garlic.  The cloves are left whole, so you get great garlic flavour without being overpowered.  This recipe is a combination of a few that I found on Pint.erest. 

Mega Garlic Chicken

1 whole roasting chicken, broken down (I used 4 thighs and 4 drumsticks, bone in and skin on)

40 garlic cloves, peeled (about 3 whole bulbs)
Olive oil
Salt & Pepper
3/4 cup white wine (I used chicken stock because my wine rack only has red in it, but the wine would be better)
2 tsp dried thyme (I doubled this)
2 tsp dried rosemary (I doubled this)
1-2 bay leaves

Sprinkle chicken pieces with salt and pepper, and rub it in. In a skillet heat a tablespoon or two of olive oil and brown the chicken. When all pieces are browned, transfer to your slow cooker. Add a bit more olive oil to the skillet and toss in the garlic cloves. Stir/toss for 5-8 minutes until dark golden. Add wine/chicken stock to deglaze the pan (loosen up all the good bits stuck to the pan) and allow to simmer for 2 or 3 minutes. Pour garlic & wine over the chicken in the slow cooker. Sprinkle with thyme and rosemary, and add bay leaf. Cover and cook on low for three and a half to four hours. Remove chicken from slow cooker to a plate, and cover with foil (I put mine in a low oven while I got the rest of dinner ready). Pour the remaining liquid/garlic mix through a strainer over a small pot, and bring to a simmer. (discard the garlic cloves, etc) Simmer for 5-10 minutes to reduce and thicken slightly (it won't be thick like gravy, more like an au jus). Serve with mashed potatoes and steamed veggies.  Tip:  Reserve a few of the garlic cloves to mash with potatoes.

The original recipe didn't call to brown the chicken, but any meat in a slow cooker should be browned first because it tastes better. Besides, any meat that goes into a slow cooker tastes much better when it's been browned first. 

Oh, and one other tip... you'll want to take the garbage out right after dinner, otherwise your house will stink of garlic. 

As always, if you try it, let me know what you think!

Foodie Friday: Schnitzel 'wiches!

Hey Humble Readers! 

I hope that you're all doing well.  It's been a relatively quiet around the hobbit hole this week, considering our discovery last Sunday.  I've been dealing with increasing symptoms and prometrium side effects, alternating extreme fatigue and growing nausea.  I'm feeling a bit anxious about not getting to know my beta numbers until the end of next week, but I'm just relying on the symptoms to keep me calm. 

One thing that's certainly kicked in is the increased appetite (even though I've lost 5 pounds this week)...  and I'm thinking that I'm going to have to make this recipe again real soon because it's just that good.

This recipe was inspired by Rachael Ray, but I took it in a completely different direction.  Hunter schnitzel is the only form of schnitzel that I've encountered that isn't breaded.  Instead it's lightly dredged in flour and then topped with a creamy mushroom sauce.  I used pork in this recipe, but you could also easily use chicken or veal.  The sauce is a little time consuming, but sooooooo worth it.  The key is to prep all your ingredients ahead of time so that everything is ready to go.

Hunter Schnitzel Sandwiches with Whiskey Cream Mushroom Sauce (serves 4)

Schnitzel:
4 Pork Chops, boneless, about 1/2 inch thick
1 cup Flour
Salt & Pepper, to taste
1-2 tbsp Olive Oil

Sauce:
1 pint Button Mushrooms, sliced
1 med Onion, sliced
1 tbsp Olive Oil
1 1/4 cup Beef Stock
1 tbsp Black Peppercorns, cracked
1 fluid ounce Whiskey
1 cup Heavy Cream

French or Italian Baguette, cut into four equal lengths and cut crosswise (toast them up if you like)
Fresh Parsley, chopped (optional)

In a medium skillet, saute the mushrooms and onions in olive oil.  When mushrooms and onions are caramelized, remove from pan and set aside.  In the same pan, over medium high heat combine beef stock and peppercorns and bring to a simmer.  Allow to reduce to about 1 cup, then add cream and whiskey.  Keep simmering and allow to reduce to about 1 cup.  Add mushrooms and onions to the sauce and reduce temp to low.  Stir occasionally while continuing to make the rest of the dish. 

Carefully cut all pork chops crosswise (think butterflying, but cut all the way through), and using a meat mallet or a rolling pin pound the slices until they are about 1/8 of an inch thick.  Combine flour with salt and pepper in a shallow dish, and dredge pork lightly.  In a large skillet, heat olive oil and fry schnitzels in batches (don't overcrowd the pan) until golden brown and keep them warm in the oven. 

Arrange schnitzels on the baguettes and top with mushroom cream sauce.  Garnish with fresh parsley.  Serve with cabbage salad. 

The sauce is great on just about anything... heck it would make an old shoe taste great.  As always, if you try it let me know what you think!

Foodie Friday: Variations on Rice

Hey Humble Readers...

Any big plans for the long weekend?  I was looking forward to spending the last real weekend of the summer outside, maybe at the farmer's market and the park.  Sadly, the cold that the baby girl has seems to be making its way around the hobbit hole.  My Beloved is really congested and I've got a scratchy throat.  Oh well, I would have just spent money at the farmer's market. 

This week I don't have one big recipe for you.  Instead I have a bunch of little recipes. 

I confess, I'm a meat and taters kind of gal.  I prefer mashed taters, baked taters, roasted taters.  I like them so much that I would only cook rice when I was doing a stir fry or curry.  Why?  Because I was always BORED with rice. White rice, without a sauce of some sort, is just blah. 

Basic Long Grain White Rice

1 cup long grain rice
2 cups water*

In a medium saucepan, bring water to a boil.  Add rice, stir, and cover.  Reduce temp to low and allow to do its thing for 20-22 minutes.  Remove from heat, fluff with a fork and serve. 

BORING!

So, I started experimenting.  These are all pretty simple things, but they all pack a big flavour punch.  Just make sure to use flavours that will complement your entree.

• Swap stock (beef, chicken, veggie) for the water.  Even canned stewed tomatoes work.
• Fresh herbs work well.  Tarragon, basil, dill, cilantro, saffron, and parsely all work well. 
• Toss in a cinnamon stick, a bay leaf, or even your favourite flavour of tea (in a tea bag).  Remove before serving. 
• Diced onion sauteed in a bit of butter adds a great savoury flavour.  Minced garlic also works, just don't let it burn
• In place of SOME of the stock, use fruit juice.  I often use lemon juice, and have used orange juice successfully.  I normally do a one third/two thirds ratio (1 part juice to 2 parts stock).  Right now, I'm pondering apple juice flavoured rice with a pork main dish.  Hmmm...
• Zest a lemon, lime or orange and use the zest in the stock for a slight citrus note.
• In place of SOME of the stock, use white wine.  Again, use a 1:2 ratio.  Amazingly good!
• At the end, add in some toasted nuts (like slivered almonds or pine nuts) for some great crunch.

* I always go a bit shy on the liquid, whatever I'm using.  Usually about 1 & 2/3 cup for one cup of rice.  Or, I dump in a bit of extra rice. 

So, I don't have any pics of rice, but I do have some pics from some recipes I made this week.  Enjoy!

Orange Chicken w/ Saffron Cinnamon Rice

(totally ripped off from Rachael Ray)

Remember those Drunk Pork Chops I did a few weeks ago?  Well I did a whole chicken in the same brine.  Just one word.  Ah-MAY-Zing!  So tender and juicy, and the gravy was killer!

Foodie Friday: Super-Sticky-Caramelly Monkey Bread

Hey Humble Readers...

Summer has finally arrived on the flatland, and because it's been super warm this week (warm for us is probably luke-warm for some of my readers further south, but without a/c, I'm just a big ol' puddle) I haven't been doing a lot of cooking.  So, that means you all are getting a recipe that I've been hanging onto for a while. 

This is super yummy with breakfast, brunch, snacking, or dessert, and it's so simple you wouldn't even believe it. 

You can use whatever basic white bread recipe you like.  If you have a bread-maker, just throw all the ingredients (in manufacturer's recommended order) use the dough cycle and let the machine to do the hard work.

Super-Sticky-Carmelly Monkey Bread

Bread:
2 1/2 teaspoons active dry yeast
3 cups all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1 teaspoon salt
1/4 cup white sugar
2 tablespoons butter, softened
1 cup water

Sauce:
1 1/2 cup butter
1 1/2 cup packed brown sugar
1 teaspoon cinnamon
1 cup raisins, soaked so they are plump

Place all bread ingredients into the bread-maker in order suggested by the manufacturer (mine is liquids on the bottom, then dry, topped with yeast).  Run a dough cycle.  When bread machine is almost finished, melt butter in a small saucepan over low heat.  Stir in brown sugar and cinnamon, and keep stirring until sugar disolves.  Add raisins to sauce and remove from the heat.  When the bread machine cycle is complete, remove dough to a floured surface.  If the dough is a bit sticky you may need to knead it a few times with a sprinkle of flour.  Tear or cut into 1 inch chunks.  Dip chunks of dough into butter sugar sauce to coat (your fingers will get sticky!).  Layer the chunks in a greased bundt pan.  When all the dough has been chunked, dunked, and stacked in the pan, pour any remaining sauce evenly over the dough.  Allow the dough to rise in a warm spot for 15-20 minutes, then bake in a preheated 375F for 20-25 minutes until golden.  Remove from oven and invert onto a plate.  Serve warm.
 
You can also throw some nuts into this recipe, if you like.  It's super yummy either way!
 

Foodie Friday: Overdue Saturday Edition

Hey Humble Readers...

What do you get when you combine cramps-from-hell, a teething baby girl, and a messy house?  No blogging, that's what you get.  I know I have a ton of posts to catch up on, so that's on my to-do list for tonight, after I share a couple of great recipes with you all.

I made these on Wednesday night and I have to say that I think they both turned out pretty well.  The original recipe for the quiche ended up making enough to fill one and a half nine inch pie shells, so I had to adjust a bit.  I'm just glad that I had bought a pack of two frozen pie shells (yeah, this hobbit has yet to figure out why I would mess with making my own pastry).  So, only plan on making this if you are going to be feeding an army (or a couple of teenagers), or like leftovers.  The salad is a cheapskate take on an Italian classic, and is super easy to multiply for larger groups. 

Sausage & Tomato Quiche

2 9inch pie shells
5 Eggs
3 links Italian Sausage, casings removed
1 Med Onion, diced
1 pint Grape Tomatoes, halved lengthwise
3/4 cup Sour Cream
1/2 cup Milk
1 1/2 cup Sharp Cheddar, shredded
1/2 cup Fresh Basil, chiffonade
Ground Black Pepper, to taste

Bake pie shells according to directions on the box, or however you do your pie crusts.  Like I said, this hobbit doesn't do scratch pastry.  (Important tip: Bake the pie shells on a baking tray with a lip, just in case of spills)  Brown and crumble sausage until no longer pink, add onion and saute until softened, then allow to cool slightly.  In a large bowl combine eggs, sour cream, and milk and whisk together.  Add tomatoes, cheddar, basil, pepper, and sausage mix.  Stir gently to until combined and divide between the two pie crusts.  Bake in a preheated 375F oven for 35-40 minutes, until a knife inserted in the middle comes out clean.  Allow to stand for 5 minutes before serving. 

Chopped Caprese Salad  (serves 2)

2 large tomatoes, diced
1/2 cup fresh basil, chiffonade
1 cup mozzarella cheese, cubed
1/2 cup olive oil
1/4 balsamic vinegar
Salt & Pepper to taste

In a medium bowl whisk together olive oil. vinegar, salt and pepper to make a vinaigrette.  Add tomatoes, basil, and mozzarella and toss gently in the dressing.  Refrigerate for 15 minutes.  Serve chilled. 

Foodie Friday: Drunk Pork Chops & Watermelon Salad

Hey Humble Readers...

It's Friday night and that means it's time for some recipes!  And I have a couple of doozies for you tonight.  Brand new for us, and totally yummy, I really hope you're going to give these a try. 

I will say that the second one is a little different... it took a couple of bites to appreciate the combination of flavours, but I just kept going back for more.  My Beloved, who has a long history of not being a fan of watermelon actually liked it too. 

First up...

Drunk Pork Chops (brine is good for up to 8 thick cut pork chops)

1 12oz can of beer
3 tbsp maple syrup
1 tbsp apple cider vinegar
2 tbsp dijon mustard
4 lg cloves of garlic, minced
1 tbsp salt
1 tbsp ground pepper
1 tsp ground sage
1 pinch red pepper flakes
1 small onion, cut into thick slices
1 thick cut pork chop per person

Combine beer, syrup, vinegar, mustard, garlic, salt, pepper, sage, and red pepper flakes in a medium bowl and whisk together.  Place pork chops into a large zip top bag, add in sliced onion, and pour in brine.  Seal bag, removing as much air as possible, and smoosh the contents around a bit.  Let stand in the fridge for at least 12 hours (I put mine in the fridge at 10pm last night, and cooked them up at 6pm today).  Take the pork chops from the fridge, and out of the brine, at least 20 minutes before cooking and allow to come to room temp.  I grilled these on our indoor grill, but you could also bake them in a 350F oven.  I served them with potatoes mashed with sour cream, horse rsdish, and chives. 

I have never had such juicy tender pork chops.  Seriously the best I have EVER tasted!  Soooo yummy!  I just had them for dinner tonight, and I'm already trying to figure out when I can make them again.

Next up...

Watermelon Salad

3 cups seedless watermelon, cubed
1 english cucumber, chopped
1 cup crumbled feta
1/4 cup balsamic vinegar
1 inch fresh ginger, grated
1 tsp salt

Combine all ingredients in a large bowl and stir gently.  Allow to stand in the fridge for 15 minutes.  I'm thinking next time I might add some fresh mint and/or cilantro. 

Like I said, it's a bit different, but soooo good.  A nice refreshing summer salad. 

As always, please let me know what you think if you try these.