It does not do to dwell on dreams...

So a year or so ago, my Auntie and I were planing a trip to Florida to see Walt Disney World as well as planing on visiting the Wizarding World of Harry Potter. A lot of things changed quickly late last summer when I got a new job as well as deciding to go home for the holidays with my then boyfriend (now Husband). Needless to say, Auntie and I did not get our awesome girl's trip that we were planning. I still lament that loss, but overjoyed at where I am now, a year or so later.

One thing that Auntie and I were looking forward to the most was trying the Butter Beer at Universal Orlando. As the fall season makes me more and more in the mood for Harry Potter books and movies, I decided to try my hand as the classic beverage. After doing some heavy research, I tried out a recipe that most the internet public was saying was closest to the Hot delightful drink they had in Florida. and then I added an added kick of Butter Schnapps and a bit of whipped cream with butterscotch jello mix and powder sugar.

Here the Ingredients:

Cream Soda
Butter
Brown Sugar
Whipping Cream
Butterscotch Topping

Now since I added the schnapps and whipped cream topping, I left out the whipping cream and butterscotch topping. Still the beverage tasted like...diabetes. It didn't have a flavor other than sweet. I took 2 sips and was done, Husband managed 4. So that was bust. Although, it sure did look pretty.

You know you are jealous of my Cowboy boot mug. I got it when I went to dinner at the Texas Roadhouse with a college best friend Dana and her father's family the first time I went north to visit her.

As we had to head out to the softball game, I whipped up another batch, but this time a cold and simpler version. 7 parts cream soda, 1 part butter schnapps. The rest of the Force (The Fans of the Rebel Alliance Softball Team) us tasted it and agreed it was very nice flavor combination. After a series of thoughts and discussions we landed on the idea of cutting the sweetness even more with using a bit of ginger ale as cream soda is already SUCH a sweet beverage.

Here is my new, not as sweet-as-sin cold version of the beverage.
4 parts ginger ale
3 parts cream soda
1 part butter schnapps
1 part amber (but not spiced) rum

I suppose this is the Adult version of the beverage. No rum and I suppose would make it the house elf version. This was refreshing and sweet without it being a curb kiss of sugar to your taste buds. I am happy with this cocktail. I will be throwing a small Harry Potter Party later this month so I will serve these as well as Crockpot Warm Bourbon Apple Cider and "Elixir of Life" (aka fruit flavored water) for the beverages. I am looking forward to getting to post about the greatness that will be Quidditch Player's Pie and Herbology Bites.

Until the next meal...



** Today's Title is from the mind of J.K. Rowling and from the mouth of Albus Dumbledore: It does not do to dwell on dreams and forget to live, remember that.**

...crunchy like a bell.

Yet again, I have a grip of peppers that need to be used. I really need to learn to not buy the baggies of them, but they are such a good value normally. Value is pretty much my favorite thing. Even above cooking, I think.

Anyway, it isn't really a value if I have to throw them out, now is it? So I figured it was time to roast those suckers up and put them in a mason jar so they could last a bit longer than their raw selves. Oven to 400, rub the peppers with a bit of olive oil, and cook till well charred, stirring occasionally.

Since I now have roasted peppers at my disposal I decided it was time for a recipe I have been waiting on for a while since I never actually buy roasted peppers.

Pasta with creamy sweet pepper and feta sauce
Ingredients:
2 Tablespoons olive oil
1 small onion, chopped
2 - 3 cloves garlic, minced
2 cups of roasted peppers
1/2 cup of chicken or vegetable stock
1 cup crumbled feta
1 pound pasta
Salt and Pepper for taste
Fresh Parsley for garnish

Method:
Heat oil in a skillet over medium-high heat.
Saute onion and garlic until soft, about 10 minutes.
Add roasted peppers and saute until heated through.
Remove from heat and let cool slightly.
Place mixture in the bowl of a food processor with stock and all but 2 tablespoons of feta.
Process until combined and smooth about 30 seconds
Cook pasta according to package directions.
Drain, reserving 1/2 cup of pasta water.
Toss pasta sauce, adding pasta water by the tablespoon
Sauce should cling nicely to the pasta
Salt and pepper to taste.
divide pasta into bowls
Garnish with parsley and remaining feta.

This dish turned out extremely well. The best part was how thick and creamy the sauce was without heavy cream to help it along. Also, I got to use my immersion blender (verses my food processor) which made me feel exceptionally "chef-like". I would say that because I chose the immersion blender over the food processor, I think my sauce was a bit chunkier. Another alteration to the recipe that I made was that, as I made only a half recipe of this, I didn't use stock. Mainly because I don't like to open stock unless I use a good amount of it. Instead I used the lightly salted pasta water. This is another reason my recipe was thicker than would be expected as I didn't use quite as much liquid.

Besides roasting the peppers, the recipe was easy and it didn't take too much brain power. Husband and I talked while I cooked about who is getting what for Christmas, our impending trip to Brazil, and the last few things that need to happen before his parents arrive for the weekend. I will definitely make this dish again sometime.

In completely other news, I have been typing up my Grandmother's recipes. As much as I have been enjoying the action pouring over the ancient, hand written texts, it has been begun to get a little ridiculous. Honestly, how many "Date Bar" or "Ham Loaf" recipes does one lady need? I have stopped typing up EACH recipe and have begun sifted through them a bit more, typing up the recipes I either don't have a version of yet or ones that look esp different and interesting. I still find this to me a very rewarding task and look forward to Pinteresting-it-up a bit by framing a couple of this recipes. Still hoping to find a couple written by Maman so I can frame them and give them to the brothers.

Until the next meal....


**Today's title comes from The Simpsons the episode entitled "Dial 'N' for Nerder". The full quote from the genius of Homer's mind goes like this: It tastes good like a pepper, but crunchy like a bell." **

It's circular, so there's plenty to go around.

I love me some biscuits and gravy. Maybe it is the Southerner in me, but I down right crave the stuff. I bring this up because I had purchased the makings of an easy feast of the carby-fatty-goodness for a couple friends, Husband, and me. Unfortunately, said feast didn't occur due to sickness, so I found I had a surplus of refrigerator biscuits. I had managed to use the extra sausage in the savory bread pudding and breakfast burritos I made on Halloween, but the biscuits were eluding me.

Thanks the World Wide Web and Pinterest, I found this idea (as well as what you will see in the BFMH series on Saturday) and made it.

BISCUIT PIZZAS!!!!!!

This were kinda perfect! Maybe I just have children on the brain right now, but this will totally perfect whenever Husband and I get blessed with miniature humans...

It is such a simple yet delectable dish, obviously with a veggie side so I can feel like I feed myself and Husband not just unhealthy foods.

How to prepare this lovely thing:

Take a refrigerator biscuit, like Pillsbury Grands.
Starting in the middle and using your finger tips, press it out to form a mini pizza crust. Don't forget to make a high enough crust edge to keep in all the yummy. Think a Chicago Deep Dish Crust, just miniature.
Spoon in desired amount of Pizza Sauce and add desired toppings. Then bake until crust is golden brown the cheese is melted. about 15 minutes at 350 degrees. BOOM! DELISH!

For Husband and I, we opted for minced garlic, diced onion, and pepperoni, extra oregano and basil, small chunks of fresh mozzarella, and a sprinkle of shredded Parmesan.

Y'all gotta try this...for reals. Super yummy.


** Today's quote is from Love Quotes for the Ages. And the Ageless Sages by Dora J. Arod, the female pseudonym of Jarod Ora Kintz: "My love is pizza shaped. Won't you have a slice? It's circular, so there's plenty to go around." **

...cabbage with a college education.

One of my favorite things about dinner is having a petite salad some where in the mix. It has often been a conversation between Husband and I about when to have the aforementioned salad. My MiL (Mother in Love) always serves the salad prior to the meal, while my Maman always served it after the entree, in the French style. This has caused an "agree to disagree" situation for us, the happily married couple. I have found the best compromise is to put it on the table before the meal and then I simply wait to eat mine. This is the kind of compromise they were talking about in premarital counseling ...right? *She said with a dead pan face until she cracks a smile in the absurdity of what she just said.*

Anyway, no matter when the salad is served, I am adamant that it is dressed, not smothered and that is has more than just lettuce. I love getting to pull out veggies and fruit from the fridge and know that what I am about to make will be delightful. Here is an explanation of what I like in my salads: 

You might notice that the Tomato is de-seeded. It is a habit I picked up from my Auntie who can't eat seeds. I used to greatly dislike tomato until I ate one that had been de-seeded at my Auntie's farmhouse. Seriously, it changed my view on the fruit. Try it sometime. It will sweeten up your life.

Moving along, Dinner this evening was some left-over pork, but as i didn't have much to go on the side, I figured I should make something nice and moist, since the pork was definitely on the dry side. One challenge I have been enjoying is using cauliflower instead of a main ingredient in various dishes. In this case, I made my Twice Baked (not potato) Cauliflower. This is a very simple thing that I am sure I will utilize when I have children. Not that I want to "trick" my someday maybe children, but it really makes cauliflower taste good. I really don't care for cauliflower, but this dish makes it pretty good.

Twice Baked Cauliflower

1 Large head of cauliflower, snowed (about 2 cups)*

4 ounces low fat cream cheese (room temperature) - Don't use fat free, trust me on this.

1/2 cup of low fat sour cream - see above about fat free

1/4 cup green onion, minced - Optional

1/4 cup grated Parmesan cheese

6 slices of bacon, cooked until crisp, blotted and crumbled

1 cup reduced fat sharp cheddar cheese

Instructions

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees

If the cauliflower is freshly snowed, don't wring completely. If you leave a little hot water in the vegetable, it will combine better with the cream cheese.

If it is not freshly snowed, add a little water and Microwave till hot.

Mix the cream cheese, sour cream, onion, Parmesan, and 3/4 of the bacon in to the cauliflower.

spread into a medium casserole dish, then sprinkle with cheddar and remaining bacon.

Bake for 30-35 minutes or until hot and bubbly.

* How to Snow Cauliflower * <This is what I use for the cauliflower pizza crust.>

Put the kettle on and start boiling some water.

Into your blender (or food processor, but that can get a bit messier for clean up time), put the florets from a head of cauliflower, stem is not needed.

When the water is hot, pour in enough to cover about half of the cauliflower in the appliance.

Pulse until the cauliflower looks like snow.

Pour into strainer lined with a cheese clothe (or a less fibrous dish towel).

If any large pieces remain, return to blender with a bit of water and snow.

After all the cauliflower is snowed, allow the pile of mush in the clothe in the strainer to cool a bit.

When the mush and towel are cool enough to handle, wring the heck of the stuff. 

The more water that gets taken out now, the longer the snow will last you as well as the versatile it can be.

I didn't use any cheddar today as I didn't feel like the side dish needed to be that rich. Even without that part of the recipe, this side dish didn't disappoint. Try it sometime, y'all.

What sort of substitutions do you like?


**Today's title is from the very witty mind of Mark Twain: Cauliflower is nothing but cabbage with a college education.**

How to prep for parents and in loves (laws)...

So this month is a bit ridiculous with parents coming into town plus the best of holidays - aka Thanksgiving. Husband loves the food that happens around this time of year. If we end up moving back to St Louis, it will significantly help me in getting in the mood for all the winter vegetables as it has been warm this year...yes, still.

So with our first house guests coming out to play, how does a new wife prepare. First off, the weekend before they arrive, I deep clean. I dust and sweep and wipe down EVERYTHING. Husband and I gain a lot of dust. Not sure why, but it just builds up. Deep clean the bathroom they will be using and make a conscious choice to avoid using it. Husband and I divided up the chores and as soon as we were both done, we rewarded ourselves with a new episode of Doctor Who. Then over the course of the week before they arrive, I prep the room. Clean sheets, fluffed pillows, fresh towels, mints on the pillow (seriously, it makes a big impression), put out the typical hotel shampoo, conditioner, lotion, etc plus some extras like sunscreen, take out or put away extra clutter to give the room a clean and chic look, and pray that you don't spill anything before they arrive.

Also, during the week before arrival, I figure out what meals I will want to make and how the guest eats. The In Loves (who are visiting first) as well as my Dad and his wife are pretty love maintenance. No weird food allergies, etc. I know there will be a couple restaurants that we will want to take them too i.e. Porto's and Story Tavern.

So I figure that have some soup and sandwich makings prepped and ready in the fridge is a great call for lazy lunches. I choose a yummy, but hassle free breakfast that doesn't take a lot of work on my part/can be made a head of time and just requires baking (Sticky Buns). I prep what I can for the "big" dinner in, complete with some sort of appetizer. Parents and In Loves always want to be helpful, which is great, but I attempt to have something to show them or for Husband to talk about with them so I can focus and get it done as quickly as possible. I will be prepping my Amazeball Stuffed Mushrooms for appetizer to keep hands busy for before dinner and the Marmalade Stuffed Chicken. Day of I will just need to bake the mushrooms, pour marmalade over chicken and bake it, and then prep the Quinoa and peas. Very easy and my hands don't get messy so there is a lot of me being part of the conversation in the living room.

Another little thing that makes a big impression is that I go ahead and set the table for 4 so it doesn't seem like a last minute thought when they arrive. It is all about making people feel welcome.

I think that this game plan will work, but if it doesn't, it is fine too. No need to stress about the people I call family.

BFMH: Breakfast Bread Pudding

Husband wasn't home on Saturday morning (overnight work for a shoot) so I actually made this breakfast on Friday morning and I just posted it for Saturday

This week I got super homemaker-ish and ended up prepping a batch of frozen breakfast burritos. They did infact turn our super duper yummy. BUT, as I have made breakfast burritos before for BFMH (see the Comic-Con photo), this yumminess does not count.

What goes into a Frozen Breakfast burrito in Cat's kitchen:
Cooked Sausage
Fried Potatoes
Onions
Scrambled Eggs
A Chutney of Jalepeno and Tomato (Firey hot. As in burns your mouth hot)
Shredded Cheese
Combine and rolled it in a tortilla and then roll in tin foil. Freeze.
Throw in the toaster oven at work for 30 minutes at 350 degrees.

Now then....what I really made for my Husband.

Breakfast Bread Pudding! There was so much bread that was going stale in our house, I decided that I would make a small one just for Husband as he left on Friday and won't be home till Sunday.

Orange Breakfast Bread Pudding Recipe:

1 stale bagel or 1 cup of stale bread, cubed

2 eggs

1/2 cup of Milk

1/8 cup of Sugar

1 teaspoon Vanilla Extract

Pinch of Salt

1 teaspoon Orange Zest

1/2 cup of Apricots, diced

1/2 cup Cranberries

Method

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

Place bread in a well greased 3X9 pan.

Combine eggs, milk, sugar, vanilla, salt, zest, marmalade, apricots, and cranberries.

Pour over bread. 

Bake for 30 minutes.

I found out I didn't actually have cranberries the morning I was assembling it. The orange and apricot alone turned out to have an excellent flavor togeher. Unfortunately, I added a little too much milk and needed one more egg. A little on the soggy side, yet Huband infored me it was very good still. He even went back for seconds versus just going for a burrito. 

I think he was telling the truth. 

You're Scottish, Fry something!

Husband is at work this fine Friday (overnight out of town sort of work) and I am off to a Doctor Who Tribute Art Show in Hollywood (be jealous) by myself (alright, a little less jealous).

With the sheer number of "must-gos" as the Husband's family calls nearly done for leftovers, I decided I would show the dish I made on Wednesday as I will be eating the left overs tonight.

So the Butternut Squash Risotto I had thought to make 2 weeks ago became a reality!

Cat's Butternut Squash Risotto Recipe:
1 tablespoon Butter
1/2 an Onion (I used brown, but choose what you like), diced
1 cup of Roasted Butternut Squash (I reserved this from a recipe earlier in the week)
2 cloves Garlic, minced
fresh Sage
1 teaspoon Salt
1/2 teaspoon White Pepper
1 cup Arborio rice, uncooked (Don't try this with regular long grain rice. You'll be unhappy with the results.)
3 cans (about 6 cups) of Chicken Stock/Broth (or veggie stock if you're vegetarian or vegan)
1/2 cup Cheese, grated or shredded, Parmesan or Asiago (leave off or sub out if you're vegan)
1/2 cup of Milk <the heavier the yummier, but I just used 1% and it turned out yum> (leave off or sub out if you're vegan)

Melt butter over medium high heat in a large skillet. Put Onion, Squash, Garlic, Salt, White Pepper, and Sage into the pan and let cook till well heated and fragrant. If you don't (or can't) cook by your nose, cook till the onions are browned and translucent.

Chef's Note: Most recipes have you cook the squash then set it aside and then cook the onions with rice and add the squash back in later so that the squash keeps it shape and consistency. That is up to you. I enjoyed to gruel-like texture as it is Halloween Time.

Heat stock in a separate saucepan  until simmering and have a ladle at the ready.

When the veggies are cooked and the Broth is a bubbly, then the fun begins!

Stir uncooked rice into the veggie skillet and allow to toast for a minute.

Reduce the heat to medium low.

Ladle in a scoop of broth and stir rice and veggies gently until all the scoop of broth is absorbed. Repeat this step until you have only about 2 ladle fulls left of broth.

Check the doneness rice. It should be al dente, but not crunchy. decide then if you want to add the rest of the broth.

Add milk and cheese, stirring together well. Serve immediately with more cheese and sage if desired.

The photo above doesn't do much justice to the yuminess that it was. Mainly because I was a little distracted (I was watching Bedknobs and Broomsticks while I was cooking) and I left the squash and onion in while the rice was cooking. Though it did little to assist the presentation of the  dish, I think that it helped the flavor as everything was infused with scrumptious, sweet squash and onion flavor.

I will definitely will be making a Risotto again. Husband enjoyed it and I found it not too difficult to make. PLUS it will be reheat very well. I love left overs.

I also made the best cookies ever for Halloween at the Office. Chocolate Crinkles. Ask anyone...or just ask my brothers. BEST COOKIES. A little messy and involved to make, but I think that my Mom had a good this going when we helped her make these brownie bite delishiousness (yes, that is word...now). She could make the dough a day a head of time (it has to be refrigerated) then get her kids to help with the messy/fun part. I am not going to bother typing out the recipe as it is a Betty Crocker Recipe found in her Cooky Book.

Here is a link to it though: http://www.bettycrocker.com/recipes/chocolate-crinkles/941e22b3-9a48-4fb1-bdb0-27479e76d484


Here is the rolling process:

Here is the delicious-ready-to-eat process:

**Today's title comes from Doctor Who:The Eleventh Doctor episode "The Eleventh Hour". The full quotation is as follows: Young Amy: What is it? What's wrong with you?
The Doctor: Wrong with me? It's not my fault, why can't you give me any decent food! You're Scottish, fry something!" **