The leading authority on basketball cupcakes and Basil-Lime martinis…
Gingerbread house that the girl cousins decorated Girl Cousin K, Boy Cousin J, Boy Cousin C, Girl Cousin A, Boy, Girl The boy cousins’ gingerbread house We make these every year and were very happy to have extra cousins on hand to help decorate this year. We let them beautify the dining room until after … Continue reading “Gingerbread Houses, 2008 version”
Gingerbread house that the girl cousins decorated
Girl Cousin K, Boy Cousin J, Boy Cousin C, Girl Cousin A, Boy, Girl
The boy cousins’ gingerbread house
We make these every year and were very happy to have extra cousins on hand to help decorate this year. We let them beautify the dining room until after New Year’s and then we put them outside on the deck for the raccoons and possums and squirrels to enjoy (and did they ever!).
I am really loving this special Catalon olive blend from Central Market. It has a few different kinds of olives, plus caper berries, marinated in a spicy brine. Ya gotta love a cocktail that is also a snack…
I am really loving this special Catalon olive blend from Central Market. It has a few different kinds of olives, plus caper berries, marinated in a spicy brine.
Ya gotta love a cocktail that is also a snack…
Mmmmm… Tamales from Central Market, with OJ. It just doesn’t get any better than that.
Girl asked for these apples recently, saying that she hadn’t had them in “a million years.” They are easy and very nutritious. They’re PERFECT with pork, but would also be great with chicken or even with breakfast.
Girl asked for these apples recently, saying that she hadn’t had them in “a million years.” They are easy and very nutritious. They’re PERFECT with pork, but would also be great with chicken or even with breakfast.
This recipe, from Cottage Living magazine, was REALLY yummy and very simple, if you follow the directions closely. Risotto is pretty easy to make, but can’t be rushed and must be served RIGHT AWAY. It doesn’t travel well and leftovers lose a lot in consistency. So, make it when you’re not in a rush and … Continue reading “Risotto with Balsamic Glazed Chicken Thighs”
This recipe, from Cottage Living magazine, was REALLY yummy and very simple, if you follow the directions closely. Risotto is pretty easy to make, but can’t be rushed and must be served RIGHT AWAY. It doesn’t travel well and leftovers lose a lot in consistency. So, make it when you’re not in a rush and 10 – 15 minutes won’t make a difference in what time your dinner hits the table and plan for the exact amount that you need; don’t make extra to plan for leftovers (although leftover cooked meats and some vegetables are great to use in risotto).
We sliced the chicken thighs up into bite-sized pieces and piled them on top of the risotto, rather than leaving them whole. I also shaved some parmesan (use your vegetable peeler) to make a fun garnish. Look at those lovely little white crispy flakes in the cheese; that’s my FAVORITE part! Love that CRUNCH when you bite.
This had delicious, herby flavor (I used oregano, instead of marjoram, because my marjoram plant is REALLY small) and a delicious, tangy sweetness (from the onions and the balsamic vinegar).
Next time that I make this (and there will be a next time, because it was a hit with everyone), I will add more arugula. If your family doesn’t care for arugula, you could use spinach, instead, but the arugula flavor is very mellow and unobjectionable in this; I think that kids that don’t normally eat arugula when it’s raw (like mine) would still eat this.
I was in a hurry tonight and had some chicken breasts in the freezer, so I went to my ol’ trusty epicurious and did an “advanced search” for a main dish with chicken that was kid-friendly. This recipe from Gourmet magazine (January 1996 – yikes – an oldie!) looked good and said that it could … Continue reading “Chicken with Gravy, “Good Zucchini” and a Potato Pancake Repeat”
I was in a hurry tonight and had some chicken breasts in the freezer, so I went to my ol’ trusty epicurious and did an “advanced search” for a main dish with chicken that was kid-friendly. This recipe from Gourmet magazine (January 1996 – yikes – an oldie!) looked good and said that it could be prepared in 45 minutes or less.
I did modify it a bit (some good ones, some not so much)
– I used boneless, skinless breasts (3 fairly large ones), because that’s what I had on hand. I’m not wild about bone-in breasts with skin, unless they’re fried and I can pick them up to eat them. I think they’re too hard to eat with a knife and fork and it wouldn’t be possible to pick them up with the gravy on them, so I adapted.
– I doubled the amount of marinade/sauce ingredients, to make sure that I would have enough for the increased amount of chicken.
– I missed the part about patting the chicken dry, so my chicken went into the skillet, marinade and all. This caused a DEFINITE lemon flavor to the gravy, but we liked it. Not sure I’d do it that way again, but it was good.
– I did overcook the chicken just a bit, so it was a little tough, but I was paranoid that it wouldn’t cook through on a low simmer and that the gravy wouldn’t thicken, so I upped the heat a bit. A bone-in breast probably wouldn’t have been so fast to overcook.
– We sliced the breasts up for serving and then spooned the gravy over the top. We didn’t serve it over rice or pasta, but it would have been good that way (we may do that with the leftovers).
To go with it, I made these potato pancakes again (the kids LOVED these and have been begging to have them again) and this zucchini, which the kids like so much that they are now calling it “the good zucchini”.
The meal was good, but it was a bit of poor planning on my part. I don’t usually like to have more than 2 dishes that babysitting on the stove. If I can relegate one to the oven or rice cooker and set a timer on it, that’s my preference. I was pretty busy trying to saute zucchini and simmer chicken and fry potatoes all at the same time. My stove has an interchangeable grill (you can switch between the grill “module” and a two-burner “module”) on one side that I like to keep in place because I use it a lot, but it does mean that I usually only have two burners. It took some planning to pull this dinner off with that hindrance, though. I had to start the chicken on a burner (browning) and then prepare the roux/gravy and then I put the pan on the grill side to simmer while I cooked the potatoes and zucchini. It worked, but it took a little finagling. I’ll do anything I can to not have to change out my grill module (it’s not even that hard – I just LIKE my grill. It also has a griddle that can go on that side that we use for bacon, eggs, pancakes, grilled sandwiches, etc.).
This was Boy’s special birthday request. We had a super busy morning on his actual birthday, so I made it for him for today, instead. This is his all-time favorite breakfast and he would have it every day if they made childrens’ chewable Lipitor.
This is super-easy to make:
Poach the eggs. I have a handy-dandy poaching pan from Wal-Mart that holds simmering water in the bottom and has little non-stick cups for 4 eggs, with a glass lid, so you can see when they’re getting done, but you can also do it in simmering water (add a little vinegar, I’m told, to help the whites hold together better).
While the eggs cook, prepare the Hollandaise sauce.
Toast the English muffins (lightly – I used whole wheat ones, because I’m THE MEANEST MOM EVER).
Slightly warm (microwave 15 seconds) the Canadian Bacon slices.
Put it all together:
One muffin half, topped with a ham slice, topped with an egg, topped with some sauce and then sprinkled with paprika.
Hubby sliced the kiwi for me and then got all cute and called it “Kiwi Constantine.”
Would you like some Juice Justinian with that?
Update 1-31-12:
I now poach my eggs directly in simmering water (add a little vinegar) and use this hollandaise recipe for Eggs Benedict, instead. MUCH better. Here’s an updated photo:
These are SOOOOOO good! My photo isn’t as good as the one on Fine Cooking’s website, but Fine Cooking doesn’t like to share their recipes, so that’s really just a tease. I did, however, find that someone else has posted the recipe to Cooking Light’s online discussion forum. It can be found here, but, shhh….don’t … Continue reading “Blueberry Streusel Bars with Lemon-Cream Filling”
These are SOOOOOO good! My photo isn’t as good as the one on Fine Cooking’s website, but Fine Cooking doesn’t like to share their recipes, so that’s really just a tease. I did, however, find that someone else has posted the recipe to Cooking Light’s online discussion forum. It can be found here, but, shhh….don’t tell. I don’t want that anonymous poster to get in trouble with Fine Cooking’s lawyers.
I cannot TELL you how good these are. They are AMAZING. Check out some of the reviews!
If you decide to make these, here’s a hint: 3 cups of blueberries is about 2 dry pint-sized containers. If you follow the recipe precisely, you’ll have about 1/3 cup of blueberries leftover (I tossed them in the freezer to use in smoothies), but next time, I’ll just throw the remaining ones in.
Wow! This was YUMMY! This recipe is a little labor-intensive for a simple veggie side dish, but the outcome is worth the effort, I promise. When Boy and Girl tasted this, they actually said “Wow”, and they don’t even normally like zucchini. The squash takes on a nice, salty-sweet caramelized flavor, almost like roasted potates. … Continue reading “Sauteed (almost caramelized) Zucchini with accidental brown-butter sauce”
Wow! This was YUMMY!
This recipe is a little labor-intensive for a simple veggie side dish, but the outcome is worth the effort, I promise. When Boy and Girl tasted this, they actually said “Wow”, and they don’t even normally like zucchini. The squash takes on a nice, salty-sweet caramelized flavor, almost like roasted potates.
It all started because I was bringing dinner last night to a sweet friend (who is undergoing chemotherapy) and her family. I made a marinated, grilled London Broil (*see note below) and some pesto rice and planned to steam some broccoli to go with it. Once at the store, however, I noticed that the broccoli did NOT look good (it’s not really broccoli season, after all), so I decided to switch gears and go with zucchini, instead (it looked really pretty AND it was on sale). I was worried, though, that the zucchini would turn to flavorless mush if cooked and reheated, so I decided to cut the slices thickly and give them a good browning to give them some flavor and texture.
Here’s how:
1) Cut each zucchini in half lengthwise. Slice each piece crosswise into thick (about 1/2 inch thick or a little more) semi-circles.
2) Heat 1 Tbsp. butter over medium-high heat in a large, wide skillet until melted and slightly foamy.
3) Add some zucchini slices (about one zucchini’s worth) to the pan, being careful not to overcrowd the pan. This is important; if there are too many in the pan, they will steam, rather than brown.
4) Sprinkle the topside of the slices with a little bit of Baby Bam.
5) Keep a close eye on the slices and turn them over with a pair of tongs as soon as they are nicely browned on the bottom.
6) Allow the slices to brown on the bottom side and remove them from the pan when they’re nicely browned on both sides, but still firm. If the slices are getting too soft, then your pan isn’t hot enough. If the butter is smoking or burning, your pan is too hot (the butter should turn a nice, nutty golden brown).
7) Add more butter to the pan, if necessary. Repeat with remaining slices, working in small batches until all your squash is done.
* I also sent Gorgonzola mayonnaise (1/2 cup mayo, 3 Tbsp crumbled Gorgonzola, 1 tsp fresh lemon thyme leaves, blended well) to with the leftover beef to make sandwiches the next day. This particular family happens to also love my peppermint brownies (scroll down), so I sent some of those and some Blueberry Streusel Bars with Lemon-Cream Filling (which were AMAZING – see the next post for more info), as well.
A tutorial on a classic, kid-friendly breakfast. You’ll need: a griddle or large skillet butter or margarine (as much as I DETEST margarine, it’s actually better for this, because you don’t have to worry about it over-browning, like you would with butter) one and egg and one piece of bread for each person you’re feeding … Continue reading “Egg in a Nest”
A tutorial on a classic, kid-friendly breakfast.
You’ll need:
a griddle or large skillet
butter or margarine
(as much as I DETEST margarine, it’s actually better for this,
because you don’t have to worry about it over-browning, like you would with butter)
one and egg and one piece of bread for each person you’re feeding
(we used wonderful wheat bread from Weikel’s Shell station bakery in LaGrange)
a large cookie cutter (small enough to fit into your slice of bread)
large spatula
Use the cookie cutter to cut a shape out of each piece of bread. If you don’t have a cookie cutter the right size, you can use a drinking glass. Save the cut-out shapes.
Generously butter the griddle. Heat it to medium-ish.
Place the bread slices and reserved cut-out shapes on the griddle (or in the skillet – use what ya got!).
Turn ’em over the get the other side cookin’. Add more butter margarine, if you need to. Turn the cut-out shapes over, too. Keep a close eye on them, because they will cook quickly and may need to be removed from the griddle.
Gently crack an egg into each bread-hole “nest”.
Dot each egg with a tiny bit of nasty, yellow, oily stuff margarine.
Sprinkle each egg with salt and, if desired, pepper.
Keep watching the little cut-out shapes!
Lower the heat, if necessary, to keep the eggs from overcooking. If you like your eggs cooked into submission firm, like Boy and Girl do, turn the toast/eggs over. If you like your eggs still a bit runny, watch them carefully and remove ’em from the heat shortly after the whites of the eggs are opaque.
Serve ’em up with some fruit, topped with the little cut-out shapes, if the cook doesn’t eat them first if desired.
