Rick & Morty Szechuan Sauce

If you have no idea why this is a big thing, this video may help.
 Then again, it might not.

   My boys are big Rick and Morty fans, one more so than the other, but they both enjoy it.  I have watched it with them, and it's a better cartoon than others I have seen.  I would even watch this with them not around.  So, back in October, McDonald's failed big time.  They said they were bringing this sauce back (because of the demands of the Rick & Morty fandom). However, it was only for a limited time in very limited locations.  If you want the super details, just Google it.  

  So, today, it happened it became available and I was sent on a mission to get a 10 piece nugget with the coveted and highly anticipated Szechuan Sauce from Mickey D's on my way home.   I accomplished my mission and made my oldest little boy happy. He was only about 2 1/2 years old when it came out so, I seriously doubt he tried the original.  Only because I know I would have not wanted to clean it up.  He said it was awesome.  He said it is okay by itself but was better when he dipped the nugget in it.  I tried it by itself and the taste reminded me a lot of the sesame sauce

we use sometimes, but not exactly - but close.
All in all, today was an adventure in flavor and I have a happy house tonight.
 

Comfort Food is Life

   Comfort food is one of my most favorite things to make; basically because I get to eat it. This past week has been pretty much all about comfort food.  It wasn't intentional, but no one in the house complained about it.
   The first menu item this week was a Scooby Sandwich.  These things are fabulous and I do not think I have EVER had the same sandwich twice.  They are not cheap to make, but are certainly fun to look forward to. I'm sure you know what it is?  It's the monster sandwiches Shaggy and Scooby make most every time they find a kitchen or have serious munchies. 

These sandwiches they make come in various forms and ingredients, but all have one thing in common.  THEY ARE HUGE!  I began making these when my kids began middle school and their appetites began to seriously grow.  After some trial and error, I found the best thing to do once it was made was to wrap it tightly in plastic wrap & have it hang out in the fridge for a bit. 

This gave the time to the plastic wrap to squish the sandwich down into a manageable size for biting. This proved to be a very important step in creating the sandwich because you want ALL the flavors in every bite.  The reason for the cost being high is that it I purchase anywhere from 5-7 different types of meat from the deli and 2-3 cheeses, then bread.  The bread 99% of the time is an onion roll because we really like them. Also depending on the mood of the person eating it, it can have onions, lettuce/spinach, tomatoes, pickles, mayo, mustard, ketchup or those with a more adventurous flair, salad dressings and French Onion dip.  When I made this one, I also made a second for my lunch the next day.  

   The next day, I made Cubanos.  The recipe I use, is pretty much the one from Rachel Ray on 30 minute meals.

I only change the relish because I find I like what I make better than the one she made. I used red onion this time because I had enough left from making our Scooby Sandwiches.  My relish is a jar of roasted red peppers, an entire bunch of green onions and finely chopped dill pickles. Mix it together and let it hang out in the fridge for a while.  As for the sweet rolls she uses, I just buy regular hoagie bread, brush it with water then sprinkle it with sugar and toast it in the oven while the meat is finishing up cooking.  My biggest issue comes with the pressing of the sandwich.  My kitchen is small so I don't have lots of kitchen toys.

So, I when the sandwich is assembled, I wrap them tightly in foil then press on them until they flatten out and stick them in the oven for a bit until the cheese is melted.
   Blue Ribbon Ham Casserole original recipe by Kraft.  My changes since first making this: 1 bunch of green onions, Virginia Ham (from the deli), no green peppers,  Yukon or Russet potatoes, a decent amount of pepper to counteract the salt in the Velveeta. The recipe is a great jumping off point to make changes as you see fit.

   Friday evening, we had homemade Stromboli.  Guy's recipe for Stromboli is pretty awesome.  Of course I made changes because I don't live in an area where I can get some stuff with out the need of selling a kidney.  The best part about this is the garlic, butter, black pepper and basil on the dough before you add the meat and cheese.  I keep it simple, ham, genoa salami, sandwich pepperoni from the deli and mozzarella cheese.  Below, there is a link to see the notes and some pictures of when I made it a previous time.
   Everyone has a different thought when it comes to comfort food, as we are all comforted by different things.  I do not normally consider what we did for dinner on Wednesday comfort food, however it fits this week because I helped my mom cook then we all ate dinner together.

Sunday: Scooby Sandwiches & chips
Monday: Cubanos
Tuesday: Blue Ribbon Ham Casserole
Wednesday: Ribs, BBQ Chicken, potato salad, baked beans, deviled eggs
Thursday: Nana's Mexican Steak or Chicken & Easy Mexican Rice
Friday: Stromboli (my notes from making this)
Saturday: Smoked Sausage with onion & peppers, creamed potatoes

Imperfect Humans Consumed with Perfection

Sometimes, even the best planned out plans, fail.  Why? Cause we are human. Humans are perfectly imperfect. Today, my imperfections are shining true. This morning, I made out a plan of this coming meals we'd like to have and a shopping list to match that list.  Just a quick little trip to the store for the things that I needed to complete said menu for the week. See, I have proof!?!?!

I did get all those things on the list even though I never marked off the Velveeta (which I spell wrong pretty much every time I write it), which is normally once a year cause that stuff is expensive. I'm also working on my lettering so ignore the top as it is not very neat or pretty. 

So, if I made a menu and a shopping list, how did this happen??? Yeah, $152.94 (after my MVP discount took $7.93 off wooo...) I think my plan began to fall apart at the "salad crunchies" because I did get croutons, crispy wontons, McCormick Salad Toppings, and McCormick Bacon Bits. Normally, "salad crunchies" refer to the Salad Toppings only, but today the trip included my youngest son and he helped by adding things. So, maybe I shouldn't take all the blame for the extra purchases, that I am happy to report didn't contain cookies, ice cream, chips, soda, cereal, candy, or other sweets. However, he is the one that grabbed the hot sauce and bacon bits.
I am very far from perfect and can only hope I hold in my restrain when at the grocery store, since grocery shopping is one of my most favorite things to do. Hopefully, my next trip to the store will be next weekend to only pick up produce to finish out that week of planned meals.  We'll see, as I am only human.

Then I got sesame oil, corn tortillas, flour tortillas from the international section, pastrami, roast beef, salami, and sandwich pepperoni from the deli then I grabbed bouillon cubes.  I also got several marked down packs of beef brisket and rump roast.  Needless to say, when I make food, we will have decent amount of leftovers for lunches the next day. 

Funeral Potatoes

This week began pretty much like any other week like most people's.  A couple of good things happened, including my youngest beginning a new job, I began "officially" on my family's genealogy project and I got found the perfect way to store some of the things I use in my planner (thanks to my mom!).  And, then a couple of what we sometimes consider bad things happened.
Two different women I each called Granny lost their battles against some nasty and horrific illnesses.  Neither of these amazing women were blood kin to me directly.  One, was my cousin's paternal grandmother who loved me like her own granddaughter, which meant I got in just as much trouble as her grandsons did.  She was a feisty, strong woman with a gentle heart and a huge smile.  The other was my husband's grandmother, my children's great-grandmother and my grandchildren's great-great grandmother.  I suppose after 20+ years, she was my grandmother too.  I wasn't close to her, but there is a hole in my heart where she once was, knowing it can never be filled.
How does this relate to food? Well, I can only speak for The South.  Someone dies, you take food. Food is comfort. Food means someone took the time to say "She won't feel like cooking, so I'm going to take a casserole for her." or "He doesn't need to worry where dinner is coming from for the next couple of nights, cause I will take care of it."
Plates, platters, bowls, Pyrex dishes, CorningWare dishes, pie tins, cake plates, casseroles and Tupperware fill tables, counters, fridges and freezers. All full of food.  Some homemade, some not. But that's okay because I think the thought counts.  Always being asked 'Didja eat?' if you pop in to give condolences.
In all this food, there will be people that do not eat because they can't eat due to dietary restrictions whether because of medical issues or personal choice.  I challenge you to find a gluten-free recipe that everyone can enjoy for those with Celiac Disease or those who are vegan/veggie people.  Sometimes, it just means to substitute an ingredient or two, not make something you aren't comfortable with making.  (FYI, Capn' Crunch is vegan)

Finding My Posting Groove (again)

Life happens.  So much that sometimes things get away from us.  Everyone always has something going on and we have to schedule and plan weeks in advance to be able to accomplish things at times.

This is where I am now.  Having begun in my full-time class schedule again, I am once again re-learning to find my new routine to accomplish all my work and make sure my life outside of college is not left in a void.  My intentions were pure and true in the post from Jan 21st about posting once a week.  As I had even made a picture showing what was on the menu for that week:

It just hasn't worked itself correctly into my planner (Erin Condren Life Planner "ECLP"- this is how I was able to stay on track and get my AA Degree with Honors) This leads me into I need to work it into my planner.  I have added it and have carved out a time for it to happen. Yay me! This past month was also odd for me because I made two trips south to Georgia; one to pick up my grandson (keep him for 3 weeks) and then return him to his parents and meet my new granddaughter. So, there was that dinner that ended up like this:

 The very last picture shows how I use my monthly spread in my ECLP to keep up with what we had for dinner.  I normally do not like to serve/make/prepare/whatever the same meal twice in a month.  However, January was a touch odd because I shared with my mom and daughter how I make the Chicken Penne Pasta meal we had already in the month.  It was a touch different this time, as my mom made a Spinach Salad with Poppy Seed Dressing to have along side of it and as always, my Dad wanted garlic bread.  It rounded the meal out nicely and will be added to my Menu Book. (That's carrots on the salad, not cheese. Cheese would have tasted weird with the dressing.) 

Notes from the shared menu above: Poppy Seed Dressing - My mom just randomly Googled a recipe and combined several of them to make this dressing, so that means at this time, I do not have a recipe or link to share with you.  It is on my todo list, because I really want to make it again. Can't remember if I have shared this before or not; the Chicken Penne Pasta DOES NOT make good leftovers.  It is edible, but not something that you'd really want as a leftover.

Garlic Bread - This changes a bit depending on what spices I touch in the cabinet.  Basically, it begins it's life loosely based on the recipe from this post from 2010. However, it is still nice to make Cheesy Garlic Bread every now and again.
Venison Tacos - I used my grinder on my Kitchen Aid Stand Mixer on some deer I pulled from the freezer, added salt & pepper, taco seasoning, and a touch more of cumin after browning the meat.  The flour tortillas were good just seriously time consuming.
Papa's Spaghetti - I have seen him make this hundreds of times - it changes just a tad each time, so it never taste exactly the same, but really close and it is REALLY good. I have tried doing this and it does not work for me. My daughter watch him this time so, maybe the magic of this recipe skips a

generation?  The ciabatta bread was sliced, drizzled with EVOO, sprinkled lightly with salt & pepper then baked at 350 until lightly golden brown.  

Spaghetti & Meatballs - I had some 'meatloaf' mix (ground beef, pork & veal) in the freezer, so I added some of this and some of that from the spice cabinet, rolled the meatballs, fried them up, dumped a jar of Bertolli's Tomato & Basil Sauce on it and severed with angel hair pasta.

I know the writing is light on my January monthly menu, but I do it in pencil.  The red * mark the new recipes we tried in the month.

Control the Salt!!! Make Your Own Spice Blends!

The other day, I wanted to make 2 new recipes and I didn't have a spice blend it called for.  So, instead of running to the store, I Googled how to make it.  I have a cabinet full of spices, so I figured that if I can make my on Not Lipton Onion Soup Mix, I can make spice blends too!
I searched and read and searched and read and came up with a mixture that would work for my family and I proceeded to make it! Now I have an abundance of Cajun Seasoning in my cabinet!

Later in the week, I didn't realized I had used all my McCormick's Montreal Seasoning.  So, I did the Google thing again, and made my own.
The best part about doing this is that I know exactly what is in the blend and I am able to control the salt.  The jar for the cajun seasoning is a 4oz jelly jar and was plum full.  The extra was in a small dish that I used for the Lemon Thyme Pork Chops and Scalloped Potato Casserole.

The jar the Montreal Season is something I wanted to reuse since the lid was nice and tight.  I used it on Hamburger Steaks and then again later for some Smashburgers with some other things like dill weed and more garlic powder added to it. As soon as I am out of another seasoning blend, I will make a homemade version up and share!

What Goes with This?!?!? Making a Meal out of Random Recipes

   I LOVE my cookbooks. I LOVE for searching and collecting for recipes online.  However, one of the things I run into the most, is not knowing what to pair with what or what else to serve with a dish I've chosen.  One of the things I am personally working on is creating a meals that are new (to my family) recipes plus some ideas that I come across when I see the same recipe continually float up on my FB.
   I have in the past made an entire meal from one cookbook (see WWF Cookbook Meal) and it turned out pretty good.  I even did it two Christmases ago.  It was fun.  But I can't do that EVERY MEAL with the other stuff going on in my life.  So, I am going to start small and TRY to remember to share once a week with the meals we had this week so that I can possible help others who may get in a rut and not know what to serve with what.  Maybe in the process, I will research and see what some of the others in the food industry say about pair foods together at a meal.
   Changes to the recipes I have linked:
Honey-Lime Shrimp: I used 1lb of medium shrimp, 5 drops of Young Living Lime Essential Oil instead of fresh lime juice and sautéed them instead of grilling this time.  Fried rice is homemade and is still in the process of getting it where I want it.  It was good, but I want it better.
Chicken Penne Pasta:  I make it all on the stove top in a dutch oven.  I use a can of fire-roasted tomatoes and break them up, use veggie broth in place of chicken broth but the rest of the pasta part I do pretty much as written.  I don't even follow the recipe anymore.  I do the chicken on the side for those who like chicken.
Balsamic Glazed Chicken: I also make pork since I don't like chicken.  After it comes out of the oven, I reduce the glaze more on the stove top then pour it on the meat.
*Recipe links are under the menu but above the pictures*

Honey-Lime Shrimp
Chicken Penne Pasta
Balsamic Glazed Chicken

Best Drop Biscuits

Borrowed this cookbook last week from the library. Made the "Best Drop Biscuits" tonight for 'brinner' (breakfast for dinner) along side homemade sausage, home fries and scrambled eggs.
The biscuits turned out well, but not the best for sausage biscuits but would be PERFECT for biscuits & gravy.
The recipe can be found several places online by just searching "Best Drop Biscuits America's Test Kitchen" or you may be lucky like me and find the cookbook at your local library.

A Weeknight Meal and New Finds at B&N

Weeknight Meal: Brussels Sprouts Gratin alongside 

Sticky Chicken with Roasted Red Peppers 

My boys ready to say our blessing before dinner.

Meal planning is a huge part of staying on budget. I spend my weekends searching Pinterest for new dishes or reviewing pins that I've saved for later to add to our weekly menu. Thursday night we enjoyed two new dishes for dinner. The main dish was Sticky Roasted Red Pepper Chicken Thighs from Melaine Makes and Bacon and Brussels Sprouts Gratin  from LoveFoodies as one of the side dishes. Plain old white rice was our second side dish.

The sticky chicken was a hit with my family, but it involved me spending a little time in the kitchen and making a roasted red pepper and onion finishing sauce from scratch. The original recipe called for a finishing sauce by the same name from Robert Rothschild and nowhere locally sold the sauce. *Side note- We've recently moved 4,000 miles and are currently living in Alaska.* So, I looked on the website for the ingredients and made my own sauce. A jar of red peppers, garlic, red onion, a few pickled jalapeno slices, sugar, to taste and a jar of fire roasted tomatoes made its way into a saucepot and simmered into what I assumed that Rothschild's sauce might taste like. I even had enough sauce leftover to freeze for another time. 

Bacon and Brussels sprouts are a combo for life and this side dish was super simple to put together. Sharp cheddar cheese, heavy cream and crushed pistachios gave lots of flavor. The gratin originally called for breadcrumbs on top, but after reading several reviews on the recipe, I added pistachios and didn't regret one bite.  I eyeballed the amount of heavy cream in the dish and then poured the rest into my stand mixer to make some butter to go on the table that evening. Just add the whisk attachment and let her rip. The fresh butter is stored in my butter bell and we are currently enjoying it on fresh English Muffins.

 New Finds at Barnes & Noble 

Yesterday, I spent almost two hours in Barnes and Noble just looking. The majority of my time there,  I was in the cookbook section and came across lots of interesting cookbooks. There were several on Alaskan cuisine that caught my eye, but these 3 books in the vegetarian section had me mesmerized. Check out the website: The Forest Feast by Erin Glesson. The photography and layout alone were enough for me to add to my want list of books.  Right now it looks like I'm headed to the library to check out one and try some new vegetarian dishes in the future. In the meantime, I'm planning my vegetable garden for my our first summer in Alaska and catching up on past episodes of The Chew on ABC. Until next time......

~Nikki

Cookbook Challenge!

I am a proud cookbook hoarder aka cookbook addict.  My sister says I have cookbook porn.  I display my addiction with pride and giddiness.
So, I am issuing a challenge to myself this week.  My family, as usual will reap the benefits and give feedback.

 

The Challenge:

Create & execute a menu for dinner this week (beginning Tuesday, May 26th, because I have already planned a menu for tonight for Memorial Day) using a different cookbook for each meal. 

 

The Rules:

• Meal must consist of a main dish & at least one side dish.
• Dessert is optional.  If dessert is chosen, a separate cookbook maybe used since there are several dessert only cookbooks.
• Recipe does not have to be a new recipe; it can be a variation of something made before, but just a little different. (i.e. different version of scalloped potatoes than the one known by heart.)
• Safety dishes (as long as they are side dishes) are allowed in the event the main dish doesn’t meet ones taste buds.
• All meals will be posted with picture and recipe location.  MLA format will not be required in source list.
• No recipes from the internet – unless they are already printed & in a binder on the shelf

You can also follow the progress on our Facebook page!

Theme Week

Last weekend as I made my grocery list for that upcoming week's dinner menu, I did as I normally do. I asked what my teens wanted to eat that week for dinner.  My youngest proclaimed "SANDWICHES ALL WEEK!!!!!!"  The elder two  looked up long enough from YouTube and iPhone long enough to agree that it would be "Cool and Awesome!" Then returned to their observations of technology.  I began to pour through our favorite recipes and figure out what we were going to have.  Below with a link - if available-to what we dined on.
Saturday -Pizza Grilled Cheese, Mozzarella in Carrozza (my uber fave),  Pizza Puffs,  & Pizza Nachos (the garlic cream sauce is awesome) 
Sunday - Ham Delights, Mini Onion Quiches (I cook mine just a tad more so that they are deep golden brown)
Monday - Cuban Pork Tenderloin Sandwiches
Tuesday - French Dip Sandwiches
Wednesday - Cheesesteaks
Thursday - Manwich (cause I won't make it voluntarily and they begged)
Friday - Grilled Burgers with chili, Lexington BBQ Slaw, and all the other fixins- the ultimate sandwich

This week they have declared: FOOD ON A STICK WEEK
Saturday - Low Country Boil - yeah, I know it isn't on a stick, but we were celebrating my parents birthdays and we love us some LCB! The link is for a Paula Deen recipe, but my Dad does our his way, so if you have never made it, begin w/ Ms. Paula's and then make adjustments as needed.
Sunday - City Chicken (it's pork & I use veggie broth)
Monday - Onion Lovers Steak Kabobs
Tuesday - BBQ Pork Kabobs
Wednesday - Pineapple & Ham or Pineapple & Chicken Kabobs
Thursday - Pigs in a Blanket (aka Beef Roll-ups)
Friday - Low Country Boil  Kabobs (the link is for a random recipe, we make a Low Country Boil several times a year, like the Saturday above, but I wanted to try it kabob style - So when I make these I will post the recipe I came up with.)

Adapting to a New Home

So, I have been gone from this for close to 7 months.  Let's just leave the reason at life happens and you have to adjust and deal with it, or as I learned from my husband who was in the Marine Corps, improvise, overcome and adapt.

With that said, we have recently moved.  My home is sporting that 'moving truck threw up decor'.  I have been cooking with limited space and "gear", but between working all day as a desk jockey, kids sports practices and games, unpacking boxes, I am flat wore out.

I never realized how much stuff I had in my kitchen! This has got me to needing to find some creative ways to store what I have already and make decisions on what to donate. I am scouring the Internet for cheap or inexpensive solutions for storage (when I can). 

I have found some of the organizing information so far redundant upon themselves. Then there are those that just think anyone can run out and purchase pre-made organizers. Then the ones that think everyone is stupid.  I can also see someone can use some of the information if they have NEVER been in a kitchen before, however, most people who cook, know it is easier to have your most used dishes (aka everyday dishes) in easier reach than your special occasion dishes or to put all your plastic wrap, parchment paper, wax paper, Al foil, and zip top baggies in a location together.

So, my quest has begun in finding quality information that hasn't been regurgitated from one website to the other.  If anyone reading this has an idea, post it in the comments because seeing  things that say "Color Code  your Kitchen because it doubles as artwork" apparently has mega bucks to spend to completely re-do their kitchen to get their appliances and dishes all the same color just so that it will fall under the writer's broad definition of the term ORGANIZATION!

Friday Top Five From New York!

It's been a super long time since any of us have posted to the blog, each for our own reasons. I recently moved cross country to New York and boy is it cold here! -25 degrees here in North Country. So, to stay warm I'm returning with the FRIDAY TOP FIVE! These are 5 things food and/or kitchen related that I absolutely love. 

#5- Coffee-Mate Natural Bliss in Sweet Cream 

and Dunkin' Donuts Bakery Series Coffees

We have enjoyed moving to Upstate New York and one of the perks is the number of Dunkin' Donuts within a 5 mile radius. My favorite treat from there is a small coffee with blueberry, cream and sugar and an Old Fashioned Donut. At home I treat myself to a cup of the delicious Blueberry Muffin flavored coffee with a splash of Coffee-Mate Natural Bliss in Sweet Cream or enjoy a cup of Old Fashioned Donut.

#4-Ghiradelli Chocolate Squares - 

Intense Dark Sea Salt Soiree and 

Dark Chocolate with Strawberry Filling 

If you ever have a craving for chocolate, nibble on one of these from Ghiradelli! The Sea Salt Soiree is like a sophisticated grown up version of Hershey's Bar with Almonds. The limited edition Dark Chocolate with Strawberry Filling is like chocolate covered strawberry wrapped up in a tiny little package. These are the perfect size when you just want a "little bit" of chocolate. 

#3- Le Creuset Butter Crock and Honey Pot

I picked up these beauties on clearance right after Christmas. I have throughly enjoyed my honey pot and dipper when I need to add a drop or two of honey to a cup of Lady Grey Tea. The butter crock so far has been a display piece. I'm terribly worried that my youngest will climb on the counter and begin eating the butter straight out of the crock or completely forget to change the water in ever few days. Simple enough for daily use, just place a stick of butter inside the bell and fill cold tap water in the crock up to the fill line on the inside.Then change the water every few days. I'm planning on using it on our table for holidays like Easter, Thanksgiving and Christmas rather than a traditional butter dish. 

#2- Mrs. Meyer's Clean Day 

Liquid Hand Soap in Basil Scent

Now I had been a faithful consumer of the SoftSoap Kitchen Fresh Hands for many years. However, when you can't find a refill jug or feel like you're shelling out almost $3-$4 for an 8.5 fl. oz. every 2 weeks, you feel an urge to try something new. I picked Mrs. Meyer's Clean Day hand soap up on sale a few weeks ago and have fallen in love with it for the kitchen. I was first worried  that the basil scent would be over powering, but it's a pleasant smell and gentle on my hands. I'm looking forward to switching out all my cleaning products to Mrs. Meyer's Clean Day products and begin spring cleaning. Check out Mrs. Meyer's website for deals on gift sets, laundry detergent and candles, plus they're offering free shipping on orders over $50 right now. 

#1- Family Dinner Box of Questions 

by Melissa & Doug

I picked this up on Amazon this fall to help with our dinner conversation rut. Rather than asking my 6 & 8 year olds "How was your day?", we have tons of fun answering these family appropriate questions and taking turns at the dinner table. I have learned so many things about my boys and it's something they enjoy. We ended up ordering up the Thanksgiving box of questions to use for the month of November. Check out melissaanddoug.com for more versions like Christmas, Slumber Party, Road Trip and more. 

Bacon-Wrapped Cream Cheese Stuffed Chicken Breasts

MMMMmmmm....bacon. 

Recently on Facebook there has been an influx of "share this so it saves it on your timeline" recipes. I shake my head and wonder why these people don't use Pinterest for this purpose, so you're not scrolling through 8 days worth of posts for one recipe. Well, I'm not gonna lie, I got snagged by one my dear friend Jill shared and then posted a picture of her dinner that night. 

There it was "Bacon Wrapped, Cream Cheese Stuffed Chicken Breasts" and it looked delicious. 

The great thing about this particular recipe is you can change the number of servings, swap the plain cream cheese for a flavored one, stuff with spinach, the possibilities are endless. Tonight I used the Philadelphia brand  jalapeño cream cheese spread. Dinner was delicious and it didn't disappoint. I served up the chicken alongside some Alexis brand roasted red potatoes. Hope you all enjoy this simple and versatile recipe. 

Bacon Wrapped, Cream Cheese Stuffed Chicken Breasts

1 boneless skinless chicken breast

2 tablespoons cream cheese

1 tablespoon green onion, Chopped

2 pieces bacon, Partially Cooked

Directions:

Pound out Chicken breast so it is about 1/4" thick.

Mix together cream cheese and green onions and spread cheese mixture over 1 side of chicken breast.

Roll chicken breast up to conceal cream cheese.

Wrap partially cooked bacon around chicken breast and secure with toothpick.

Place on baking sheet and back for about 30 minutes at 375.

Broil for about 5 minute to crisp bacon.

Grilled Peaches with Balsamic Reduction

Saw the peaches at the Farmer's Market yesterday morning and grilled peaches entered my brain.

Fried Squash

This is now tied as my super #1 favorite way to eat squash!  It is quite easy to make and is a nice accompaniment to the country ham, stewed potatoes, fried okra, fresh sliced tomatoes and biscuits that made tonight's dinner.

1. Chop squash into bite size pieces and place in a bowl.
2.  Pour buttermilk onto squash - just enough to cover it.
3. Sprinkle salt and pepper onto squash.
4. Mix well.
5. Heat veggie oil to frying temperature.
6. In a Zip-Loc baggie, add white corn meal (2 cups or so to start)
7. Grab a handful of squash, letting the excess buttermilk drip through your fingers.
8. Drop squash into baggie. 
9. Using your dry hand, toss the squash until it is covered in cornmeal then shake off excess cornmeal.
10. Drop into hot oil and fry until golden brown. Drain on paper towels.
11. Repeat with rest of squash.

My arm is tired of whisking, but that's some dang good mayo!!

Yesterday, I got a wild hair and decided to make my own mayonnaise. I had everything to make it too. You see, I had went to the local market earlier in the day and bought some produce. I love some fresh, local produce and I came home with these purple potatoes. I had envisioned turning them into  a purple potato salad to go with the pork spareribs I had cooking in the crock-pot. I decided to make JC's mayo before I started on the potatoes, which in turn was a very wise decision. I began with with the food processor recipe in the book. It didn't work. I tried to save my turned mayo with a teaspoon of dry mustard as Julia describes in her book. I pulled out half of my kitchen gadgets to help the save this unappealing liquid. I used my immersion blender, used a Pampered Chef hand crank food processor and regular blender. And just my luck, nothing worked. Defeat! I was ready to raise the white flag and accept the fact that I COULD NOT make homemade mayo. 

I don't give up very easily, so I began again. This time I pulled out a metal bowl and wire whisk. In hindsight, this is a heck of a lot easier to wash versus all the  gadgets thrown in the sink. I'm forewarning you that you will get an arm workout, but it's worth it. So, here I am whisking the heck out of this egg yolk and oil concoction and it thickens. It's turning into mayo! AND then, just as I am almost finished with the entire process, the power goes off. 

REALLY? Here I have a crockpot of ribs, that I still need to brush with BBQ sauce and put under the broiler, but I have no potatoes cooked for the potato salad or any other sides ready. I also have room temp mayo that needs to go in the fridge and a pile of mayonnaise failed equipment in the sink. ARGH. Did I mention that it's 104* outside?  But I have a nice jar of mayo that  I made myself.

Apparently the almost the entire military installation I live on, is without power. 6 out of 7 neighborhoods are without power, barracks are out, it's dinner time and all the soldiers are returning home from work. Great. I shove the mayo in the fridge and pray the power comes back on soon. An hour later, we're still without power and we take the dog to stay downstairs in the cooler part of the house with 2 large bowls of water. My husband & I load up the kids and off the local pizzeria we go. The hubby & I enjoy a couple of cold beers and some delicious NY inspired pizza with our boys while hoping the power has been restored. 

We arrive back home and we're 3 hours in with no power. It's still 90-some degrees outside and public works is trying to fix the problem. Let me say, I am so glad we have a sprinkler, because that's where the kids played until around 9:30 when the street lights came on. I was one happy lady. I go downstairs to wash the dishes and accidentally knock my food processor bowl onto the floor  and it cracks straight up the side. Sigh. Out to the garbage it goes with all of it's accessories and I go to bed, leaving a sink full of dirty dishes. 

I awoke early this morning to wash dishes and taste test my mayo. It really made me wish that I had made it earlier in my culinary adventures. It is awesome.  

Hot Ham & Cheese

For dinner tonight I chose to make Hot Ham & Cheese Sandwiches.  These sandwiches are always good but vary on the bread I purchase -sourdough to ciabatta (the ciabatta being my fave) as well as the mustard we put on them.   

If all my money lines up as well as a trip to Trader Joe's, the sandwich is made from Ciabatta, Gruyere and Black Forest Ham. (shown on the right) Today, I never made it to TJ's, so we had Sourdough, Swiss and Black Forest Ham.

My Mom asked me what else I put on them, and I told her we have experimented with different types and flavors of mustard but I was plan on using Dijon.  She asked if I had ever used the sauce that is used on one of our large family's favorites - Ham Delights.  I said no, so we gave it a shot.  We gave it a shot. Let me tell you...I may not make my Hot Ham & Cheese Sandwiches any other way again!!!

To accompany the sandwich, I made beer battered onion rings. I have used other beers in the past but this time, I chose Papst Blue Ribbon.  The onion rings above were made using Coors Banquet.  I do think that using different beers gives the onion rings different flavors. All goods but different flavor.

All in all our dinner was very filling but labor intensive.

Hello? Is Anybody There???

I have become quite slacken in my duties to document our food adventures.  Why?  Mostly because of my kids schedules, school letting out for the summer, spontaneous beach trip, transmission going out in my car, planned beach trip, having to move, clutch going out in my husbands car, needing a new tire on my car before it can be drove from having the transmission fixed and that has made me tired, irritable and frustrated beyond belief.  
Beginning today I vow to do better.  Once I make a run to Trader Joe's to grab a couple items for dinner tonight I will begin anew.

Cookbook Confession Time Again!

Yesterday, I added 2 more cookbooks to my collection. The International Cookbook from 1929 and The British Belles from Anne Arundel County, Maryland, from 1972.   Both are in outstanding shape, The International Cookbook is VERY good condition for being 84 years old. One of my favorite things about this cookbook, is that it was a gift to Mrs. H. Goodfriend from Miriam Posenblume on 6/2/30.
I haven't had a moment to go through them yet, but the day is still young!