Black Bean Salsa: a summer dip for the whole year.

This is a recipe that I am surprised I haven't gotten into this blog sooner. Black Bean Salsa is one of my favorite dips ever! It is pretty healthy and is by far one of the most delicious salsa that I have ever eaten. Plus, I didn't even have to go out and find the recipe. My MiL made this one summer a long time ago when I was but a friend of my now husband. I immediately fell in love with the sweet, smoky corn, the creamy avocado, the acidity of the red onion, and the tang of the red wine vinegar with lime all stirred into one pot of yum with a great source of fiber, black beans.

While I prefer to grill the corn in this dish, if you don't have the accessible to you, just use a can or corn. That is what the recipe actually calls for, but as this is a summer dish in my mind, I normally and BBQing enough that I just buy a few extra ears (3-4 depending on size) to cook up.

This is just the best...

Black Bean Salsa

Ingredients:
2 can of black beans, drained and rinsed
1 can of corn, drained and rinsed
2 large tomatoes, seeded and diced
1 purple/red onion, diced
1 avocado, peeled and diced
1/4 cup Fresh cilantro, chopped
4 Tablespoons lime juice
2 Tablespoons olive oil
1 Tablespoon red wine vinegar
1 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon
Method:
Mix all ingredients together and chill. Serve with Tostada Chips.



Seriously, put this in your body! This is pretty much one of the greatest things I have every eaten. I have used it as garnish for Mexican food, on chicken, and just eaten it by the spoonful.


Until next time...Cook it up!

Avocado Egg Rolls are amazeballs

I know you have ALL ordered this sort of dish before, but split it to not feel quite so much like a fatty. Now you can make them at home and now one has to know you ate ALL OF THEM.....

Avocado Egg Rolls

Ingredients

1 large avocado, peeled, pitted, & diced

2 tablespoons tomatoes, diced
1 tablespoon minced red onion
1 tablespoon corn
1⁄2 teaspoon fresh cilantro, chopped
1 pinch salt
3 egg roll wraps
1 egg, beaten
Method
Gently stir together avocado, tomatoes, onion, 1/2 teaspoon cilantro, and salt.
Distribute filling evenly onto center of each egg roll wrapper.
Position a wrapper so that a corner is pointing toward you; fold the bottom corner up, 1/4 of the way over the filling.
Brush remaining corners and edges of the wrapper with egg, roll up from side to side, fold top corner over all and press to seal.
Repeat with remaining wrappers.
Continue by deep-frying the egg rolls in 375 degree oil for 3-4 minutes, until golden brown.
Drain on brown paper bags.
Slice egg rolls diagonally across middle and enjoy!

Mine became a bit more like a guacamole...

Nothing about this was bad, except the calorie count.

Yes, they were as yummy as you think they would be. No, I will not order them at restaurants any more now that I can make them at home.
Until next time...Cook it up!

Chicken Taquitos

So MiL had a bunch of Egg Roll wrappers left over for a dish she made last week, so of course, I challenged myself to use them up.
One of the dishes I did was chicken taquitos.


Chicken Taquitos
Ingredients:
1/4 cup corn
1/4 cup black beans
1/4 of Mexi Cheese
3 tablespoons onion, diced
1 tablespoons cilantro, chopped
2 chicken breast, cooked and shredded
Salt and pepper to taste
Left over egg roll wrappers
Olive oil
Method
Mix all the ingredients except the egg roll wrappers and olive oil.
Stuff egg roll wrappers with filling and fold in your preferred method.
Then brush with olive oil and bake in the oven for 15 minutes at 350.
Enjoy!


The stuffing of perfection

All rolled up like little yummy diapers....that came out wrong.

I served them with Mexi rice (aka Rice with cayenne, tomatoes, and cheese).

These were a fine little way to enjoy the left over wrappers, but I am really excited about my next idea: Avocado Egg Rolls!


Until next time...Cook it up!

Beets Citrus, Tomatoes, Oh My!

You have probably gathered that it is hot here in St Louis...like ick.

So here is another dish for those of us who find when it is over 95 degrees, you don't want to eat something hot.

Today's salad is made up of very basic (and chilled) ingredients:
Pickled Beets (pickled with Apple Cider Vinegar, Sugar, Salt and Cinnamon)
Mandarin Oranges (I got a can of them)
Tomatoes (Sliced and Deseeded)
and
Goat Cheese
with Balsamic Reduction

No, it isn't filling in the long run, but it saves you from bubble gut as I call it. When you get so warm after you have eaten, you feel like your stomach just keeps expanding every which way. OH, it's just me that gets that? Well, I like this dish for summer.

Until the next unbearable day....Cook it up!

Beet and goat cheese

This guys is SO easy and yet so yummy....

All you need is a bit of Goat Cheese, Balsamic Reduction, and a Roasted Beet and you are in heaven.

This is the reason I started to like beets in the first place.

Until next time...Cook it up!

Mango BBQ Chicken Quesadillas!

So the mangos at Aldis looked super yummy, thus I bought them!

I made Mango BBQ Chicken Quesadillas and they were excellent! 

A tortilla, some BBQ chicken, cheddar cheese, avocado, and diced mango. 

Put it all together...

Heat to cheesy perfection! Made on Papa G's Wolfgang Puck Panini maker.

A perfect dish for a hot summer day.

Until the next meal...Cook it up!

A few things I made for our Open House: Savories

For the open House, I work hard on prepping some stuff that was prepped well in advance and were representative of the places we were from and headed.

Fried Ravioli (Prepped Ahead - Wednesday) St Louis

1 package refrigerated ravioli (I like to use cheese, but you could use any variety you like)

2 eggs

a splash of water

about 1 cup Italian style bread crumbs

olive oil

marinara sauce

Lightly beat the eggs with a little splash of water in a shallow dish.

Add about a cup of bread crumbs to another shallow dish.

Then set up a little assembly line with the ravioli, eggs, breadcrumbs and a plate.

Dip the ravioli in the eggs and then coat with the breadcrumbs.  Set aside on the plate.

Heat about 3 tablespoons of olive oil in a large skillet.

Once the oil is hot, start cooking the ravioli in batches (you don’t want to crowd the pan).

Cook for about 2 minutes per side or until browned.

Add more oil to the pan between batches as needed.

If making for later, place cooked ravioli in a single layer on a cookie sheet.

Serve immediately, or freeze on cookie sheet and then transfer to a zip-loc bag.  Reheat in a 350 degree oven for 10-15 minutes, until hot. Serve with marinara sauce for dipping.

^ These reheated very nicely. I made Beef and Cheese versions and the vegetarians in my life appreciated that I did some without meat!

Monte Cristo Crescent Roll Ups (Prepped Ahead - Thursday) SoCal

Prep time: 10 min | Cook time: 25 min | Total time: 35 min

Ingredients

1 roll Pillsbury Crescent Rolls, 8 count

1/4 cup raspberry or blackberry jam

8 slices provolone cheese

8 slices turkey breast (I used lunch meat slices)

1 tablespoon powdered sugar

Directions

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. and line a large baking sheet with a silpat liner.

Unroll Pillsbury Crescent Rolls and pinch 2 crescents together forming a rectangle. Seal edges. Spread a thin layer of jam over each rectangle. Layer each with 2 slices of Provolone cheese and 2 slices of turkey breast. Roll each rectangle up placing seam side down on baking sheet.

Bake for 20-25 minutes, until golden. Rolls will spread and jam/cheese will ooze out slightly. Once out of the oven, take a plastic knife and bring cheese and jam back around rolls. Let cool for 10-15 minutes then cut each roll into 3 slices. Dust with powdered sugar if desired and serve warm.

Makes 12 Servings

^ This turned out ugly, but quite yummy. I won't be making it again as i would rather make it properly and deep fry it next time. Glad I tried it once.

Sweet and Sour Meatballs (Prepped Ahead - Wednesday) Should have been Brisket for Texas

Sauce:

1/2 c brown sugar

1/4 c apple cider vinegar

1 tsp mustard 

1/4 c barbecue sauce

1 tsp Worcestershire sauce

Combine ingredients and blend thoroughly. Heat in a small saucepan until combined and sugar is dissolved and pour over meatballs. (If you enjoy things a bit saucier, double the sauce ingredients.)

^The sauce wasn't as popular as the Sirracha Honey or just the regular BBQ, but I really liked it.

Sirracha Honey Meatballs (Prepped Ahead - Wednesday)

INGREDIENTS

Nutrition

1⁄2cup honey

1⁄2cup sriracha asian garlic sauce

DIRECTIONS

Mix together honey and Sriracha in equal parts and serve.

^Definitely a winning sauce!

Fried Rice  (Prepped Ahead - Monday) Because of all the Japanese Rice from Bro Bro

Ingredients:
3 tbs soy sauce
5 tsp rice vinegar
1 tbs sesame oil
1/4 tsp sugar
1/4 cup solid vegetable shortening or cooking oil
1/2 cup frozen peas, thawed
2 large shiitake mushrooms, stems discarded and caps thinly sliced
1 carrot, cut into 1/3-inch dice
6 cups cold cooked Japanese short-grain rice
2 scallions, thinly sliced
Pinch of freshly ground pepper
Kosher salt to taste
Make-Ahead Preparation:
In a small bowl, stir the soy sauce with the rice vinegar, sesame oil and sugar.
Heat a very large skillet or wok. Add the shortening and let melt or the cooking oil. Add the diced meat (if using chicken, shrimp or pork) and stir-fry over high heat for 1 minute. Add the peas, shiitakes and carrots and stir-fry until tender. Add the eggs and scramble just until set.
Stir in the cooked rice, scallions, soy sauce mixture and pepper and stir-fry until the rice is hot. Remove from the heat and season with salt.
Spread flat on cookie sheet and allow to cool. Transfer into ziploc bags. Press them flat and make you get all of the excess air out of them before sealing. (By pressing them flat, they will freeze and heat more evenly and will be easier to stack in your freezer.)
Transfer to freezer and freeze for up to one month.
Last Minute Preparation:
Remove rice from freezer. Tap ziploc bags on the counter to begin to break up the rice. Put into microwave-safe baking dish or bowl and microwave 30 to 60 seconds or until heated through.
If rice seems dry, add a few tablespoons of Vegetable broth.

^ This won the evening. I made 4 cups of uncooked rice worth in the oven instead of over the stove, froze it for a week, then let it defrost. I then threw it in the Crockpot on the lowest setting with some vegetable broth and everybody loved it. Like really loved it. It was gone super quickly and considering how easy it was to make, there is never a reason to not make this for an open house again.

  

Cravings: Zucchini Parm Crisps

This is a bit of a modge-podge dish. The side didn't really go with the main course, but Husband I enjoyed it no less. 

Zucchini Parmesan Chips

Ingredients

2 medium-sized zucchini

1/2 cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese

Garlic salt & freshly ground black pepper, optional

Directions

Place oven rack in center position of oven. Preheat to 425°F. Line a baking sheet with foil (lightly misted with cooking spray) OR parchment paper.

Wash and dry zucchini, and cut into 1/4-inch thick slices. Arrange zucchini rounds on prepared pan, with little to no space between them. If desired, lightly sprinkle zucchini with garlic salt and freshly ground black pepper. Use a small spoon to spread a thin layer of Parmesan cheese on each slice of zucchini. Bake for 15 to 20 minutes, or until Parmesan turns a light golden brown. (Watch these closely the first time you make them and pull them out of the oven early if the Parmesan is golden before 15 minutes!) Serve immediately.

Zuc Eyes!

While these were not "crisp", they were quite yummy and happily consumed. 

Cheesey yumminess...

The Zucchini Parm Crisps will be made again soon. 

Spicy(ish) and sorta Guac(ish) Chicken.

Cravings: Thai Crab Cakes

After talking about making Crab Cakes for the "Back to the Basics: Steakhouse Edition" I decided I has to make a batch of these as well! A special shout out to my friend Ken for suggesting I try it out! Then I found this one for the Peanut Cilantro Sauce.

Thai Crab Cakes

Ingredients

6 medium raw shrimp, shelled, washed and deveined

1 teaspoon nam pla (fish sauce)

1 pound fresh lump crab meat, picked over for cartilage

1 egg

¼ cup chopped scallion

¼ cup chopped cilantro

1 fresh chili, preferably Thai, minced

1 teaspoon minced fresh ginger

Salt

freshly ground black pepper

2 to 3 tablespoons bread crumbs, preferably fresh

About 1/2 cup all-purpose flour for dredging

Peanut or vegetable oil as needed

Lime wedges for serving

Preparation

Purée shrimp in a food processor (smaller is better) until you have a smooth paste, or chop and mash by hand. Add fish sauce. In a bowl, mix the shrimp purée, crab meat, egg, scallion, cilantro, chili, ginger and salt and pepper; add just enough bread crumbs to stiffen mixture a bit. Refrigerate mixture until you are ready to cook; it will be easier to shape into cakes if you refrigerate it for 30 minutes or more.

Season flour with salt and pepper. Film bottom of a large skillet with oil and place over medium-high heat. Shape crab meat mixture into cakes 1 inch thick and as wide as you want. Dredge each in flour, and cook, adjusting heat as necessary and turning once (very gently), until golden brown on both sides, about 5 minutes a side. Serve with lime wedges.

Cilantro make a huge difference

These were many times better than the last ones I made. I highly suggest these as an alternative to "regular" crab cakes. the addition of the shrimp is a huge improvement and flavor is very good. I HUGE THANK YOU to Ken for the suggestion as I will never go back now.

Until the next meal...

Cravings: Baked Coconut Shrimp

One of my favorite things, thanks to Auntie E who introduced me to it, is Coconut Shrimp. Unfortunately, deep fried and even pan friend aren't up there are the healthiness scale. Then I found this recipe and I an hoping that my problems are solved!

Baked Coconut Shrimp

Ingredients
Dipping Sauce:
Nonstick cooking spray
1 teaspoon curry powder
Pinch crushed red pepper flakes
1 tablespoon honey
2 teaspoons rice vinegar
1 orange, zested and juiced
Shrimp:
1/2 cup flaked unsweetened coconut
6 tablespoons plain panko breadcrumbs
3 tablespoons all-purpose flour
2 large egg whites
1 pound large (21/25 count) shrimp, peeled (tails left on), deveined, butterflied and patted dry
Salt and freshly ground black pepper
Directions
Preheat the oven to 450 degrees F. Spray a baking sheet with nonstick spray.
To make the dipping sauce: Toast the curry and red pepper flakes in a saucepan over medium heat, about 1 minute. Add the honey, vinegar and orange juice and zest. Bring to a simmer, stirring occasionally, until the sauce is heated through, 1 to 2 minutes. Remove from the heat and set aside.
To make the shrimp: Combine the coconut, panko and flour in a bowl or baking dish. Beat the egg whites in a medium bowl until slightly frothy. Sprinkle the shrimp with salt and pepper. Add to the egg whites and toss to coat. Lift each shrimp from the egg whites, letting the excess drip off the shrimp, and then coat in the crumb mixture, pressing to adhere. Place the shrimp on the baking sheet in a single layer. Lightly spray with nonstick spray. Bake until the shrimp are golden on the outside and opaque in the center, 8 to 10 minutes. Serve with the dipping sauce.

Again, a horrible picture. Sorry.

I burned these guys and they were over cooked. They were still tasty enough, but I think I like to pan fry mine cuz I can keep an eye on them. Or maybe make a point to check them at 5 minutes and flip them. I think that I can to this better next time but, for now, it is a fail. :)

Back to the Classics: Steakhouse Edition: Crab Cakes

I don't know why, but I wasn't able to find lump crab meat. I know that EVERYTHING FISH is EXPENSIVE RIGHT NOW, but I guess my Ralphs didn't even have any. Meh, whatever, super lame. So I got some imitation stuff. I am no worried about the flavor with it as I have had it before in Stuffed Mushrooms, but I am worried about the texture. I will be extra diligent to shred the crab so that it less noticeable, I hope.

Cooking Light's Crab Cakes
Crab Cake Ingredients:

2 tablespoons finely chopped fresh chives

1 tablespoon chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley

1 1/2 tablespoons canola-based mayonnaise (such as Spectrum brand) 

1/2 teaspoon grated lemon rind 

1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice 

1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper 

1/8 teaspoon ground red pepper

1 large egg 

1/3 cup panko (Japanese breadcrumbs)

1 pound lump crabmeat, drained and shell pieces removed (I used imitation so vegetarian!)

1 tablespoon olive oil, divided 

Remoulade Ingredients: 

1/4 cup canola-based mayonnaise 

1 tablespoon chopped shallots

1 1/2 tablespoons capers, drained and chopped

2 teaspoons Creole mustard

1 teaspoon fresh lemon juice 

1/4 teaspoon ground red pepper

1/8 teaspoon kosher salt 

Preparation

1. To prepare crab cakes, combine first 8 ingredients. Add panko and crab, tossing gently to combine. Cover and refrigerate 30 minutes.

2. Fill a 1/3-cup dry measuring cup with crab mixture. Invert onto work surface; gently pat into a 3/4-inch-thick patty. Repeat procedure with remaining crab mixture, forming 8 cakes.

3. Heat 1 1/2 teaspoons oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add 4 crab cakes to pan; cook 4 minutes or until bottoms are golden. Carefully turn cakes; cook 4 minutes or until bottoms are golden and crab cakes are thoroughly heated. Remove cakes from pan; keep warm. Wipe pan dry with paper towels. Heat remaining 1 1/2 teaspoons oil in pan. Repeat procedure with remaining 4 crab cakes.

4. To prepare rémoulade, combine 1/4 cup mayonnaise and remaining ingredients in a small bowl; stir with a whisk. Serve with crab cakes.

What? a sauce made of Mayo and Mustard and my Husband liked it? BOOM!

These were very nice! Get fresh parsley, don't try to make due with fake. Husband and I agreed that it was lacking something and then I added a little bit more crushed dried parsley to the sauce. It helped quite a bit. The faux crab was decent enough that I would not be too bummed out to make crab cakes with it again in the future, though it would be significantly better with realy crab. Maybe someday when I am richer and able to find it in the store.

I will be making some Thai Crab Cakes later this month thanks to an AWESOME suggestion from Ken.

Back to the Classics: Steakhouse Edition: Shrimp Cocktail

Yesterday, I realized it was a good thing that I did imitation. My Husband follows the old testament thoughts on shellfish to an extent. Not that he doesn't eat it ever, but I find that his thoughts are that shellfish are bottom feeders and should be eaten in a limited fashion. I agree with the Law (and husband) in this respect, but sometimes I just crave the cockroaches of the ocean: Shrimp. So I figured I would actually buy some and make some homemade cocktail sauce, while preparing something else for Husband if he wasn't in the mood for such things.

This dish is one of my Poppa Bear's FAVORITES. I remember as a child that he would order it at Red Lobster with a Caesar Salad and that would be his meal. I remember fondly how special I felt if he give me one of those shrimps, dipped deep in delishiously tangy cocktail sauce. We would make it at home occasionally and Broder and I would see how much horseradish we could get away with putting in the sauce. It is silly how much nostalgia is summoned up in me over this dish.

Shrimp with Cocktail Sauce

Ingredients
1 lemon
Kosher salt
2 pounds large shrimp in the shell (about 30)
1/2 cup chili sauce (recommended: Heinz)
1/2 cup ketchup (recommended: Heinz)
3 tablespoons prepared horseradish
2 teaspoons fresh lemon juice
1/2 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce
1/4 teaspoon hot sauce (recommended: Tabasco)
Preparation
Cut the lemon in half and add it to a large pot of boiling salted water. Add the shrimp and cook, uncovered, for only 3 minutes, until the shrimp are just cooked through. Remove with a slotted spoon to a bowl of cool water. When the shrimp are cool enough to handle, peel and devein them. Keep cold until ready to serve.
For the cocktail sauce, combine the chili sauce, ketchup, horseradish, lemon juice, Worcestershire sauce, and hot sauce. Serve with the shrimp.

so simple, so yummy

This was exactly what I wanted for a dinner alone with my "Konmari Method of Tidying" project plowing forward through my books. Again, didn't think there would be anything to get rid of, got rid of 2 bags worth...mind blown.

Back to the Classics: Steakhouse Edition: Caprese Salad

This is one of my favorite dishes. My best friend, Mugsy, loves it as well. Being one of the first things we bonded over, I thought it would be a decent thing to post about. I remember in Sophomore year in college, my best friend and roommate at the time, Diggy, decided to have a night in and watch some movies together. I offered to make some food for us and as we were both vegetarian then, I decided to make this little dish as catch all dish: dairy, protein, carb, vitamin C, fiber, antioxidants, and most importantly, deliciousness. It now reminds me of both Mugsy and Diggy anytime I eat it.

Caprese Salad

Ingredients

2 cups Balsamic Vinegar

3 whole Ripe Tomatoes, Sliced Thick

12 ounces, weight Mozzarella Cheese, Sliced Thick

 Fresh Basil Leaves

 Olive Oil, For Drizzling

 Kosher Salt And Freshly Ground Black Pepper

Preparation Instructions

In a small saucepan, bring balsamic vinegar to a boil over medium-low heat. Cook for 10 to 20 minutes, or until balsamic has reduced to a thicker glaze. Remove from heat and transfer to a bowl or cruet. Allow to cool.

When you're ready to serve, arrange tomato and mozzarella slices on a platter. Arrange basil leaves between the slices. Drizzle olive oil over the top of the salad, getting a little bit on each slice. Do the same with the balsamic reduction, making designs if you want. Store extra balsamic reduction in fridge for a later use.

End with a sprinkling of kosher salt and black pepper. Serve as a lunch, with crusty bread. Or serve alongside a beef main course for dinner.

So I was super dumb when I went to the grocers. I complete forgot the buy fresh basil. My little basil plant died about 6 months ago due to accidental over watering and I still forget that he is gone. RIP Basel. I realize this while I am prepping to make this yummy dish and have no more time to run to the store. Husband, who is a stupidly wonderful man, offers to run to the store. Being a quick thinker, I tell him know and instead re-hydrated some dried basil flakes and then infused the Balsamic Vinegar with the flavor of basil and garlic. While this quick fix tasted good, I missed the fresh basil still. It allows for the satisfying "tear" action of the leaf as well as equally distributes the basil flavor.

While a bit of a let down for me, Husband and I downed the plate as the salad course of our Lunch together and were happily satiated never the less.

Back to the Classics: Steakhouse Edition: Caesar Dressing

OK, back to the kitchen with me. I finally found something that I really wanted to make: Caesar Salad.

I took this stroke of inspiration to formulate my next posts. As Caesar Salad is a steakhouse staple, I decided to go "Back to the Classics:Steakhouse Edition". I will be starting out with Salads and Appetizers and work my way through the typical Menus options that I can't decide between every time I go to an excellent steakhouse. I apologize in advance to all my Vegetarian and Vegan readers. Check back in a few weeks.

I don't know about you all, but I LOVE a solid Caesar dressing. I don't want it creamy or even heavy on the cheese. I want it tangy and tart and with a kick of anchovy saltiness. I want my mouth to start watering when I smell it and I want the garlic to burn my nose a bit. I'm not the only one.

So after an awesome work out with KimmyG and Kris, I whipped up some dressing to dress my romaine hearts and some slow cooked shredded chicken I had made in the Crockpot early today.

Classic Caesar Dressing

Ingredients

SERVINGS: 6

The Dressing

6 anchovy fillets packed in oil, drained

1 small garlic clove

Kosher salt

2 large egg yolks

2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice, plus more

¾ teaspoon Dijon mustard

2 tablespoons olive oil

½ cup vegetable oil

3 tablespoons finely grated Parmesan

Freshly ground black pepper

Preparation

Chop together anchovy fillets, garlic, and pinch of salt. Use the side of a knife blade to mash into a paste, then scrape into a medium bowl. Whisk in egg yolks, 2 Tbsp. lemon juice, and mustard. Adding drop by drop to start, gradually whisk in olive oil, then vegetable oil; whisk until dressing is thick and glossy. Whisk in Parmesan. Season with salt, pepper, and more lemon juice, if desired

I was only serving 3 people so I halved some of the ingredients, but not all of the recipe. I actually increased a few things to my tastes: Mine was more like this:

3 anchovy fillets packed in oil, drained

1 large garlic clove

Kosher salt

1 large egg yolk

2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice, plus more

1 teaspoon Dijon mustard

1 tablespoon olive oil

1/4 cup vegetable oil

Freshly ground black pepper

I didn't use Parmesan either (I know, I shouldn't really even call it Caesar then!) as I am attempting the Slow Carb Diet again.

All of these changes and exclusions considered, it was amazingly good. So good that this is how much was left from 2 hearts of romaine!

A perfect elevenses snack.

Next time I will have to try this recipe for the dressing. The addition of the Worcestershire sauce and the use of green garlic intrigue me. Also, I like her method of boiling the egg briefly.

Post Thanksgiving Ideas: 2 Weeks later (Turkey Salad and 7 Layer Dip)

So this will be the last installment of "What to make with Thanksgiving Leftovers" as we are about out of Leftovers. The first idea I have for you this time is a bit of a "No, duh, Sherlock" as all that is different is that you use Turkey instead of Chicken: Turkey Salad
Simply mix Turkey with Greek yogurt, leftover cranberries, celery, and chopped pecans to the consistency you like.  Enjoy as you would Chicken or Tuna Salad.

I totally forgot to take a picture. It was super yummy though.

The next recipe is a bit of a stretch, but I figured I would give it a try: 5 Layer Leftover Dip a la Rachel Ray (with no nutmeg)

5 Layer Leftover Dip
The original recipe calls for the following left overs with left over Cornbread or Rolls to dip into it:
Stuffing
Cranberry sauce
Turkey
Gravy
Mashed Taters

I took mine a bit more "Southwestern", if you will. Layers from Bottom to Top:
1 can Refried Beans
1 cups Mashed Potatoes (with a Little gravy mixed in)
1 1/2 cup Sour Cream (or Greek Yogurt)
1 cup Cheddar Cheese
1 can Corn (or left over creamed corn or corn pudding)
2 cup (well) Shredded Turkey (with a little Taco Seasoning)
1/2 Salsa mixed with 1/2 cup of cranberry sauce (with 2 tablespoons minced Cilantro)
Use left over rolls or crackers or tortilla chips or veggies as dippers. Whatever you have on hand.

So I realized while I was prepping everything that there would not be enough regular Mashed Potatoes. Instead I used the sweet potatoes as we had a grip of those still. It turned out pretty good!

Other ideas that MIGHT still happen this year:
Rachel Sandwiches
I have Frozen Sauerkraut.....these also will probably happen for Husband's late night dinners the rest of this month before we leave.

French Fried Potato Balls
How could these be bad...? and I think I have just 1 measly cup of taters left....

Other Ideas I didn't try, but might next year:
Sweet Potato Brulee
BOOM! Leftover dessert! Especially the sweet potatoes that Kim makes.

Leftover Turkey (or Chicken) Tertazzini
This one looks really good, but I didn't feel right breaking my diet any more than I already had. Silly low carb lifestyle.

Cathchall Casserole
This one is still possibly going to happen, but no where near how the recipe suggests. I don't understand why you would add rice when you could easily make it a bread pudding...THAT'S IT! Thanksgiving Bread Pudding!

Thanksgiving Eggs Benedict
Benedict anything make me happy...these probably won't happen, but just wait until next year!

Turkey Cranberry Quesadillas
Duh.

Turkey, Cranberry, and Brie Grilled Cheese
Duh, again.

Thanksgiving Risotto
It is Risotto. Plus Sweet Root Veggies and Turkey. While I won't be making it this year, it will be well received next I think.

Bacon, Onion, Cheddar Cheese Mashed Potatoes with Eggs Cooked In
I might not have used this with the left overs from Thanksgiving, but there is a great chance this will be made some time during this winter season.

Turkey Monte Cristo
I have A) never made a Monte Cristo B) ever even eaten one so C) this needs to happen.

Pulled Turkey with Cranberry BBQ Sauce
I just want to make this in general.

Turkey Caesar Sandwich
Of course, this would be yummy...

Stuffing Wrapped in Bacon Bites
I am already planing on making bread pudding with the leftover stuffing plus bacon is too pricey. Other wise though, I am in.

Do it for you...The What I Made The Day Before Thanksgiving

The If you haven't figured it out yet: you should always plan to have a least half (in my opinion) of your Thanksgiving dinner made before hand. Then that other half can be what people are bringing and the Turkey, Stuffing, and (if your my Husband, cuz he is picky about them) Mashed Potatoes.

So this is what I made ahead for Thanksgiving this year: The Appetizers (well, one of them as the other takes about 2 minutes to prep), Chocolate Whiskey Pecan Pie, Cranberry Sauce, and Cocktail Hour Punch Mixers.

Onion, Apple, Brie Canapes - A Cat Bock Original

Tools:

Large Skillet

Mini Muffin Tin

Cooking Spray

Ingredients:

1 large onion, finely sliced (I decided to use red this year and give it that extra time to caramelize)

1 tablespoon salt 

2 tablespoons of butter

1 tablespoon of thyme

1/2 cup balsamic vinegar

1/4 cup apple cider

2 tablespoons of cornstarch (last year, it was flour and I think it bulked the dish verses just thickening)

2 green apples, peeled, cored, and grated (the grating is a new twist. Since I knew I was using a mini muffin tin, the smaller the apple, the more tart like it would look)

8 oz of brie, diced *It isn't necessary, but it is take less time to cook if you take off at least some of the rind*

1 package of Puff Pastry

Method:

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

In a large skillet, oven medium heat, melt butter.

Add onions to the butter, sprinkling the salt over then as they soften to pull out the juices.

Allow onions to cook, stirring occasionally, until they are soft and lightly browned.

Add thyme and apple cider to the onions. Cook until reduced and syrupy.

Add balsamic vinegar to the onions and apple cider. Cook until reduced and syrupy.

Combine enough apple cider with cornstarch to make it into a liquid form and then thoroughly stir it into the syrupy sauce and onions.

Allow the onions and sauce to reduce and thicken even more. 

Add apples to onion mix and allow to cook further until the apples are soft.

Once apples are soft, reduce heat to low and stir in brie. Stir often to encourage the cheese to melt. 

**Don't be tempted to turn up the heat, as this will increase the chance of burning the filling.**

Slow and steady wins the yummy race.

Alternatively, you can just top the cups with a small slice of brie after spooning in the onion and apple mixture. Which is what I opted to do this year.
Once all the ingredients are well combined, allow the filling to cool slightly to thicken into a manageable consistency and scoop into a mini muffin tin cup lined with puff pastry or pie crust. 
<Refrigerate now if baking on the day of. > Bake as dough instructs you too.

This is a recipe I came up with myself. Most people I tell about it look at me like I am crazy. They haven't tried it yet. Everyone who attends our Friendsgiving agree that they are excellent. This year they became an appetizer and bite size. It all started out as a pie.

Chocolate-Whiskey Pecan Pie

Ingredients

1 cup  light corn syrup                                                   

3/4  cup  light brown sugar

4  tablespoons  unsalted butter, melted                                

3  large eggs

2  tablespoons  whiskey                                                                

1/4  teaspoon  kosher salt

2  cups  pecan halves                                                     

1/2  cup  semisweet chocolate chips

9-inch basic flaky piecrust, unbaked

Directions

Preheat oven to 350° F. Whisk together corn syrup, brown sugar, butter, eggs, whiskey, and salt; fold in pecans and chocolate chips.

Pour mixture into the pie crust and bake until the center is set but still slightly wobbly, 40 to 50 minutes. Let cool before serving.

Gobble Gobble!

I like to save about 1/3 of the pecans out to make a fun design on top as well a bit of pie crust to make a little cookie. I allowed it to cool completely before covering and refrigerating it.

Design with Pecans!

Cranberry Sauce

Ingredients

4 cups (1 12 ounce bag) cranberries

1 cup water or orange juice or apple juice

1 cup sugar

Directions

Bring everything to a boil, reduce the heat and simmer until the cranberries burst and the sauce starts to thicken, about 10-15 minutes.

I used a bit of apple cider and marmalade and it made a very nice version of the apple/orange cranberry sauce I like.

Sugared Cranberries

Sugared Cranberries for Garnish

2 cups sugar, divided

1 (12-ounce) bag fresh cranberries

Directions

Combine 1/2 cup sugar and 1/2 cup water in a medium saucepan over medium heat, stirring until sugar is dissolved, about 2-3 minutes which makes a simple syrup. Stir in cranberries until well coated. Using a slotted spoon, transfer to wire rack; let dry for at least 1 hour.

Working in batches, roll cranberries in remaining 1 1/2 cups sugar until well coated; let dry for at least 1 hour.

I made the simple syrup and let them sit in it for about 3 hours. Then I pulled them out to dry and coated them with granulated sugar and let them dry for another hour before refrigerating them.

So now, everything that I planned on making for Thanksgiving is prepped. On Thursday, the Canapes, Cranberry sauce, and Pie will need to be pulled out of the fridge to bring them to room temperature. I will bake the Canapes before the Turkey goes in and plate theman hour or so before cocktail hour. The Punches decided on, poured, and garnished. The Pepper Jelly Cream Cheese stacked and the crackers arranged in an attractive fashion. I will have plenty of time to transform our living room into a large dining room, set the table, apply a centerpiece, candles, and place cards, prep the sidebar as a buffet, and be MORE than ready to receive 14 people into my home.

That's how I holiday!

Until tomorrow...

When you have vegan and vegetarian friends, you learn stuff.

So for WHOtoberfest, I had planned on making Soft Preztels, but another guest called dibs on them before I had fully decided. Still though, with my interest piqued on the doughy delights, I went forth to try them. I make little pretzel balls for our Halloween party and I failed to take a photograph of them. Either way, they turned out wonderfully and were gone within an hour of the party starting.

I decided to make another batch as I didn't get a photo of the last batch as well as the fact that they are easy enough to make a day ahead for the 2 parties Husband and I were attending this past weekend. Plus, they are a hearty vegetarian option for my friends who aren't meat eaters.

Soft Pretzels
Dough:
1 package rapid-rise yeast
1/4 cup honey
1 tsp salt
3 cups bread flour (16 1/2 ounces)
1 cup water, at approximately 110 degrees
Approximately 1 T olive oil
Baking Soda Solution:
Approximately 6 cups water
3 T baking soda
Salt for sprinkling on pretzels
In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the dough hook, combine all ingredients <NOT the baking soda solution though> for the dough.  Make sure you are using rapid rise yeast, or you will need to proof your yeast before mixing.  Mix on low speed until combined and then knead about 5-7 minutes on low speed until the dough is smooth and elastic.  Prepare a separate bowl by coating with olive oil, transfer dough to bowl, turning to coat evenly.  Cover the bowl with plastic wrap and set in a WARM place to rise for about one hour or until doubled in size.  Punch dough down, recover and let rise approximately 30 minutes more.
In a large low pan (a 12" skillet with deep sides or a small dutch oven will work perfectly) bring water and baking soda to a boil over medium high heat.  Preheat oven to 450 degrees and line a large baking sheet with parchment paper <seriously, use the paper>
Separate dough into 12 approximately 2 ounce pieces.  Roll each piece into a long string, about 20 inches in length.  Fold pretzels into shape, twisting the ends over each other and pressing lightly to seal dough into shape.  Transfer pretzels, a few at a time to boiling water, cook 30 seconds on each side, turning with a slotted spoon, drain and transfer to prepared baking pan.  Sprinkle with coarse salt and repeat until all the pretzels have been boiled.  They don't need much room on the baking sheet as they won't spread much in the oven.  Bake approximately 12-14 minutes until dark golden brown.  Transfer to a wire rack to cool and serve.

Golden delicious (Not the apple kind)

Boiled and ready to be baked!

Husband claimed these looked like a turds....He isn't wrong.

I found that some of the pieces looked "funny". After a bit of thought, I realized that the the oil that goes in the bowl that the dough rises in need to be only a little bit as the excess seeps into the dough and given it a wet/odd coloring. I attempted to tie some pretzels, but as you can see from the "turd" picture, they don' really turn out very well. I think that I will be sticking with Pretzel Bites, and not full on soft pretzels.

Until the next party food....

WHOktoberfest!

We celebrated Oktoberfest as well as Doctor Who Night this past Sunday. We decided to call it WHOtoberfest. Our host took care of the Brats and Sausages, another friend did soft pretzels, my walking buddy brought an apricot torte, and Husband and I brought Beer Cheese Soup and the family recipe for Sauerkraut.  

Crockpot Beer Cheese Soup

Ingredients:

32 oz chicken broth ( or veggie broth to make vegetarian friendly) 

12 oz beer 

1 cup of carrots, finely diced or shredded

1/2 cup celery, finely diced 

1 cup onion finely diced

1 Granny Smith apple, peeled, cored, diced <Added by me>

2-3 cloves of garlic, minced

1 tsp Worcestershire sauce 

Dash nutmeg

Dash of Paprika

1/4 teaspoon dry mustard
1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper 

1 tsp salt

1/2 tsp pepper

3 cups sharp cheddar cheese, shredded 

1/2 cup heavy cream

1/4 cup cornstarch

Directions:

Place all chicken broth, beer, carrots, celery, onions, apple, garlic, Worcestershire sauce, nutmeg, paprika, dry mustard, cayenne, salt, and pepper into your crockpot. Cover and cook on LOW for 6-8 hours. 

Once time is up, remove lid and stir in shredded cheese, and heavy cream. Stir until cheese is melted. Next whisk in cornstarch. Recover and cook for 10-15 minutes longer. 

For a smooth soup (which we prefer for this soup), use an blend soup in batches, or use an immersion blender before serving.  

Garnish with bacon if you have it on hand.

Bock Recipe: Sauerkraut with Bacon and Apples Recipe

Ingredients

1/4 pound sliced apple-wood smoked bacon

2 tart apples, such as Granny Smith, peeled, cored, and grated

1 yellow onion, finely chopped

2 cloves garlic, minced

3 cups unfiltered apple juice

1/4 cup white wine vinegar
2  secret ingredients
2 pounds of refrigerated (in a jar, not can), prepared sauerkraut, drained (about 1 24-fluid-ounce jar, drained)

Method

Lay the slices of bacon down at the bottom of a large, thick-bottomed pot and heat on medium heat. Cook until the bacon has browned and most of the bacon fat has been rendered, 5 to 10 minutes. Remove the bacon from the pot and set on paper towels to drain. Remove all but 1 Tbsp of the fat in the pot. (Do not pour down the sink, bacon fat will clog your drain!) Chop the bacon and set aside.

Add the chopped onions and apples to the pot and cook until the onions are translucent, about 6-7 minutes. Add the garlic and cook for a minute more.

Add the apple juice and the white vinegar to the pot. Increase the heat to high. Bring to a boil and boil vigorously until the liquid is reduced to a syrup, about 5 minutes.

Add the sauerkraut and bacon to the pot and stir to coat with the sauce. Reduce the heat to low and cook until the sauerkraut has been heated through and is tender, about 10 minutes. Season to taste with salt and pepper.

Here they are in their glory...

The soup was started in the Crockpot, but then was transferred to the the party location so it moved into a regular pot.

The flavor on both items turned out very nicely. I was unhappy on the smoothness of the soup, but I think I can fix that by simply taking the extra time and effort to use the Blender and not just the immersion blender. Most people at the party claimed that they didn't like Sauerkraut, but most of them ate some! I must be doing something right.

Until the next Doctor Who night (and who the Heck is Missy?!)....

Chicken Taquitos a la Liz from Super Swell Times

This recipe comes from my blog friend (who also happens to be a family friend of my husband's family), Liz over at Superswelltimes.wordpress.com.

A really easy recipe for Chicken Taquitos: 

Throw three chicken breasts, a packet of taco seasoning and a scant cup of water in the crockpot on low for 6 hours.

Take the chicken out of the crockpot, discard the liquid and shred the meat.

Put the shredded meat in a bowl with one block of cream cheese and one bag of shredded cheese.

Stir the cheese and chicken mixture into submission.

Grab a stack of tortillas and fill each with a golf ball sized lump of the cheese and chicken.

Smoosh out the meat/cheese and fold over the tortillas.

Fill up a baking sheet with taquitos and bake at 375 for 20 minutes.

Taquitos to the right, Phyllo Pizza Rolls to the left.

As per usually, I changed it slightly: I added a little Hot Rotel to mine as I love tomato, onion, and heat. I didn't use pre mixed seasoning, instead I added Chili Powder, Cumin, Garlic Salt, Black Pepper, and a dash of Cayenne and Basil. I also added less cream cheese and shredded cheese simply because I didn't have that much of each in my kitchen.

This was quite a filling meal that either Husband or I could prepare and I think that this will be made for years to come for our family and future someday maybe children (without the spiciness, of course).

As you can see, Husband and I did a GREAT job eating healthy this evening. Pizza Rolls and Chicken Taquitos hearken back to the nights we first started hang out, playing video games, and watching movies back in college. It was a lovely evening of snack dinner and not sitting at the dinner room table.

I highly suggest that if you are in the habit of eating and watching TV, go to the table and focus on each other while you eat once and awhile. For us, it was a nice nite off of watching Agents of Shield and eating junk food on the sofa.

Coco for Coconut Fried Chicken

I love coconut. You may or may not have known this prior, but it is seriously, like my favorite thing now. I really enjoy coconut shrimp, but then I saw a post about Coconut Fried Chicken. This the original post that got me all "gee, I want some coconut chicken", but then I found this one. So, I decided to go with the second, even though I didn't have stuff for the dipping sauce.

Also, I didn't use chives (didn't have them) and I substituted the flour with almond meal, vegetable oil was halved with coconut oil, and the sweetened coconut with unsweetened coconut.

Coconut Crunch Chicken Strips with Creamy Honey-Mango Dipping Sauce

Ingredients:

• Vegetable oil for frying
2 chicken breasts (skinless and boneless), sliced length-wise into 4 strips, then those strips sliced length-wise in half, making a total of 8 strips per breast
• Pinch curry powder
• Salt
• Pepper
• Pinch cayenne pepper
½ cup flour
2 eggs
2 cups sweetened, shredded coconut
1 tablespoon chives, finely minced
• Creamy, Honey-Mango Dipping Sauce (recipe below)

Preparation:

-Begin by filling a medium-sized pot about half-way with the vegetable oil (roughly 6-8 cups), and bring the temperature of the oil slowly up to 350° while you prepare the strips.

-Place the chicken strips into a bowl, and add the pinch of curry powder, a couple of pinches of salt and pepper, and a pinch or two of cayenne pepper, to the strips; toss the strips to coat them in the seasoning, and set them aside for a moment.

-Set up your “coating” station by putting the flour, along with another couple of pinches of salt, pepper and cayenne pepper, into a medium-sized bowl and blending to combine; put the eggs into another medium-sized bowl and beat them, and put the sweetened shredded coconut into another medium-sized bowl; to coat the chicken strips, dredge one strip at a time into the seasoned flour and coat it well; next, dip it into the beaten eggs, and then into the shredded coconut; press the strips into the coconut very well to coat them thoroughly, and place the coated strips onto a plate to hold until all strips have been coated.

-To fry the strips, work in batches by adding about 4-5 strips into the hot oil, and allow them to fry for about 1 ½ – 2 minutes, moving them very gently with tongs every now and then, until they are a deep, golden color; remove from oil and place onto a paper towel-lined platter to drain, and sprinkle each batch with a pinch of salt and pepper while they’re still hot; repeat the process until all strips have been fried.

-Serve the strips hot, garnished with a sprinkle of the minced chives and a side of the Creamy, Honey-Mango Dipping Sauce.

Creamy Honey-Mango Dipping Sauce ingredients:

½ cup mayonnaise
½ cup frozen mango chunks, thawed
2 tablespoons fresh cilantro leaves
1 tablespoon honey
• Pinch (small) curry powder
3-4 drops Sriracha sauce (add more if you like it a bit more spicy)
½ teaspoon fresh lemon juice

Preparation:

-Add all ingredients into the bowl of a food processor, and process until completely combined and well-blended; serve immediately, or cover with plastic wrap and store in the fridge for a couple of days.

Served with some Roasted Green Beans.

Crispy Crunchiness.

Oh man.

This turned out quite nicely. I got impatient and cooked the chicken on a high temp than I should have, but it still turned out great. I served it with  I look forward to making this dish again with the sauce they suggest though the one I made turned out just fine. I made a dipping sauce with some General Tso's Stirfry sauce, ketchup, soy sauce, honey, and a splash of lime juice.

Until next time I make this wonderful dish...