Do I Dare!

Do I Dare!  
With Easter coming up so quickly I need to come up with a menu to make for the potluck at my sisters this year. If you are like me and wait till the last minute then you know how stressed out I am here! *wink* Things creep up so quickly, then I am stuck the night before cooking up a storm. AH!!! Then when the day is over I tell myself I will do better next year. *yea, right!* 
This year I have come up with something new and something I think that will not only surprise my family but it will be something they enjoy a lot!  

The first time I had this dish was when my husband took me to a nice newer restaurant down town called The Kings Head, the owners are just the friendliest, funniest guys I've met.  Of course, this dish wasn't the only thing we had while we were there. A few fists of pints were just the right touch. *smile*

Recipe can be found here 
Once I make these this weekend I will post the pictures. 

Here is my pic:

My prep ^ 

Then my finished meal 

These turned out very good & everyone loved them!

Definitely making them again. *wink*

Another recipe I will be making will be a Tortellini Salad

Recipe can be found here
I wanted something not so heavy and I know all the veggies here will be a plus for everyone. We just started to grow our veggies last weekend so seeing all those in this salad will just encourage us all to grow a lil more!  Doesn't hurt right? *wink*

Here are my updated pics:

Ingredients ^

The final meal together- yummy!

Whats on your menu this year?

I hope you all have a wonderful Easter!
Bon Appetite!

Buffalo Chicken Loaf

Every time I get invited to a BBQ or some potluck event everyone expects me to take something different.  Its nice to know there are people out there that likes my food *smiling*.  

The day before I had picked up a rotisserie chicken for dinner & I had leftovers.  I had a loaf of french bread in my breadbox (always have some type of bread in this kitchen) & I was praying that I still had hot sauce in my fridge. I DID! 

So, my wheels started turning & I came up with bbq chicken on a french roll. 

This is the before pic

And this is when its cooked...

I cut them in smaller pieces & everyone really enjoyed them! (Of course!) *smile*

Recipe-

Marinate-

About two cups of cooked chicken, cut in bite size pieces.

1/4  cup franks red hot sauce (love this stuff!)

Add hot sauce to chicken & let sit for about an hour

1/4 cup franks red hot sauce

2TBL butter

1 celery stick, chopped finely

Mozzerella cheese (above I used a mix of cheeses I had leftover)

Bleu cheese dressing 

Blue cheese crumbles (optional)

Cilantro, chopped

French bread, sliced in half

Heat the hot sauce with butter & let cool.

To assemble french loaf pizza; brush your cooled sauce on bread, sprinkle cheese over sauce, sprinkle celery, add marinated chicken, then drizzle blue cheese dressing over the entire loaf (add as much dressing to desired taste which brings in the blue cheese crumbles if desired, i personally dont add too much of either to balance both dressing & crumbles), drizzle a bit more hot sauce over loaf, top with a sprinkle of cheese & cilantro.

Heat under broiler for 3-4 minutes

Slice into smaller pieces & serve.

Enjoy!

Cornish Game Hen with Sage butter

This was my first attempt on making game hens. How could a little bird be so hard to cook when I have no problem cooking much bigger birds (Turkey)? Maybe its just the thought of trying something new?
I have recently been trying to make or try something new so I decided on this.
This recipe can be found here: http://www.foodnetwork.com/recipes/sunny-anderson/butterflied-cornish-hens-with-sage-butter-recipe/index.html
This was very tasty!

I didnt use the sheet pan like it mentioned. I used the same cast iron skillet that I used to brown the bird to put in the oven & basted it half point & again when I took it out of the oven.

What will I try next? Stay tuned. *wink!*

Yeast Pancakes like from DDD

I made these after seeing the triple D show on food network channel.
The apple caramel with brie was delish!
I had fun trying this & I definately will be making these again.
I will be back to post the recipe veey soon!

Mini Pizza Pockets

Mini Pizza Pockets

The other day I was just going to make pizza dough and make my son a grilled pizza out back on the grill.  I decided to just do some mini pizza pockets and see what the boys would say.. They loved it!
I wasn't sure how to seal the edges so I just dabbed a little water on the edge and pinched them closed.  It worked.  The ones I didn't do this to, looked like a mess and of course that picture is not shown. *wink*

These are just the basic pepperoni filled ones but I had things rolling in my head while making these.. hamburger, veggie, meaty, even sweet fillings.. yum!  I can't wait to try these again.

Cheeseburger Salad

 I found this idea on The Pioneer Woman and thought I would try it... OMG, I am glad I did!  This was super easy and super delicious to eat!  I could eat the croutons itself it was so good!

{THIS PICTURE IS FROM HER WEBSITE}

If you want something with less carbs in a cheeseburger, you need to try this!  You won't regret you did. Enjoy! 

These croutons were simple to do.. hubby looked at me cut the hamburger buns and thought I was nuts but once he tasted them, he thought they were great!  (from the man who still tries to tell me how to make a dish from his no knowledge of cooking.. lol)  I used 2 hamburger buns (tops and bottoms) and just cut them in little squares. I sauteed them in 1/2 stick of butter for about 10 minutes.. just until they got to where I liked the crunch in them.  (after a few taste testers, i'm surprised there was any left.. *wink*) set aside when done... nibble on a few while you make the main course! ;) 

Below are the things I added and the final shot:

-Shredded Cheese-

-Condiments include... chopped pickles, scallions (original recipe called for red onions but I prefer scallions), and chopped tomato-  are you feeling it yet?! :)

In a pan brown your meat and drain off any fat.

add in... 

 - Sauces: a squirt of ketchup, a squirt of deli mustard, a squirt of ground mustard, and a squirt of bbq sauce (mine was chipotle bbq).

{AND MY PICTURE OF THE FINISHED DISH}

And this is what you will have when you layer the meat on top of your chopped salad and top with your condiments! YUMMMMO!!!   

This would be a great superbowl dish!

RECIPE (copied from The Pioneer Woman website):

Ingredients

• 2 pounds Ground Beef
• 1/3 cup Ketchup
• 1 teaspoon Yellow Mustard
• 1 Tablespoon Dijon Or Spicy Mustard
• 2 Tablespoons Barbecue Sauce
• 2 heads Romaine Or Green-Leaf Lettuce, Torn
• 8 whole Dill Pickle Spears, Cubed
• 4 whole Roma Tomatoes, Diced
• 1 cup Grated Sharp Cheddar Cheese
• 1 whole Red Onion, Sliced
• 4 whole Hamburger Buns
• 1 stick Butter

Preparation Instructions

(Adapted from The Pampered Chef.)

Brown meat in a large skillet, then remove from heat and drain off the fat. Add ketchup, mustards, and barbecue sauce to the meat and stir to combine. Taste and add more of whatever you think it needs. Keep warm.

Cut hamburger buns into 1-inch cubes. Melt 1/4 stick butter in a separate skillet, then add the bread cubes and toss to coat. Toast the croutons in the skillet over low heat for about 10 -12 minutes, adding 1/4 stick of butter every couple of minutes until you've used the whole stick. (This will ensure all the croutons soak up the butter and toast nicely.)

To assemble each salad, pile torn lettuce on a plate. Pile on a good quantity of the meat mixture, then top with plenty of grated cheddar. Add diced tomato, chunks of pickles, and slices of red onion over the top, then sprinkle warm croutons all around the plate.

Macaroni and Cheese Carbonara

-Before the oven-

For Thanksgiving I thought I would try a new mac and cheese dish and when I received my foodnetwork magazine in the mail,  I seen this recipe and although it was a spendy dish to make (I hear this all the time from my hubby when I even mention making mac and cheese now! *wink*) I had to do it and everyone loved it!

Below you will find the recipe (says it serves four but I served 8 with the extra cheese) and a photo of Bobby Flays dish.

RECIPE:

Serves:

4 servings

Ingredients

• Unsalted butter, for the baking dish
• 1 tablespoon olive oil
• 1 1-inch-thick slice pancetta, cut into small dice
• 4 cloves garlic, finely chopped
• 3 tablespoons all-purpose flour
• 5 cups whole milk, or more if needed, hot
• 4 large egg yolks, lightly whisked
• 2 teaspoons finely chopped fresh thyme leaves
• 1/2 teaspoon cayenne pepper
• 2 cups (8 ounces) grated asiago cheese, plus more for the top
• 1 1/2 cups (6 ounces) grated Irish white cheddar cheese, plus more for the top
• 1 1/2 cups (6 ounces) grated American cheddar cheese, plus more for the top
• 1 cup (4 ounces) grated aged fontina cheese, plus more for the top
• 1/2 cup freshly grated parmesan cheese, plus more for the top
• Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
• 1 pound elbow macaroni, cooked just under al dente
• 1/2 cup coarsely chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley leaves

Directions

Preheat the oven to 375 degrees F. Butter the bottom and sides of a 10-by-10-by-2-inch baking dish and set it aside.

Heat the oil in a large saute pan over medium heat. Add the pancetta and cook until golden brown on all sides, about 8 minutes. Remove with a slotted spoon to a plate lined with paper towels.
Add the garlic to the fat in the pan and cook until lightly golden brown, 1 minute. Whisk in the flour and cook for 1 to 2 minutes. Whisk in the hot milk, raise the heat to high and cook, whisking constantly, until thickened, 3 to about 5 minutes. Whisk in the eggs until incorporated and let cook for 1 to 2 minutes. Remove from the heat and whisk in the thyme, cayenne and all the different cheeses until completely melted. Season with salt and pepper. If the mixture appears too thick, add additional warm milk, 1/4 cup at a time.
Put the cooked macaroni in a large bowl, add the cheese sauce, reserved pancetta, and the parsley, and stir until combined. Transfer to the prepared baking dish.
Combine an additional 1/4 cup each asiago, cheddars, fontina and parmesan in a bowl and sprinkle evenly over the top. Bake until the dish is heated through and the top is a light golden brown, 12 to 15 minutes. Remove from the oven and let rest for 10 minutes before serving.

Chili's Southwestern Eggrolls

I have never been to Chili's but someone told me about these and sounds delish and had to try them.  I love them and they were a hit!  A bit spicy but that is what we prefer.. you can adjust the spices so they aren't too spicy for you, add or omit a few ingredients is fine too.  

Serve with guacamole, salsa and sour cream.. yum!  

Why would I need to go to Chili's now!  *wink*

It is also a good recipe for that left over chicken you don't know what to do with.  This recipe calls for flour tortillas but you can also use eggroll wraps for a much crunchier, thinner taste. 

Recipe below:

INGREDIENTS:

1 chicken breast fillet
1 tablespoon vegetable oil
2 tablespoons minced red bell pepper
2 tablespoons minced green onion
1/3 cup frozen corn
1/4 cup canned black beans, rinsed and drained
2 tablespoons frozen spinach, thawed and drained
2 tablespoons diced, canned jalapeno peppers
1/2 tablespoon minced fresh parsley
1/2 teaspoon cumin
1/2 teaspoon chili powder
1/4 teaspoon salt
dash cayenne pepper
3/4 cup shredded Monterey Jack cheese
five 7-inch flour tortillas


DIRECTIONS:

Preheat barbecue grill to high heat.

Rub chicken breast with some vegetable oil then grill it on barbecue for 4 to 5 minutes per side or until done. Lightly salt and pepper each side of chicken while it cooks. Set chicken aside until it cools down enough to handle.
*I skipped this part and used leftover chicken we had and cut it up

Preheat 1 tablespoon of vegetable oil in a medium-size skillet over medium-high heat. Add red pepper and onion to pan and sauté for a couple minutes until tender.

Dice cooked chicken into small cubes and add it to pan. Add corn, black beans, spinach, jalapeno peppers, parsley, cumin, chili powder, salt, and cayenne pepper to pan. Cook for another 4 minutes; stir well so that spinach separates and is incorporated into mixture. Remove pan from heat and add cheese; stir until cheese is melted.

Wrap tortillas in a moist cloth and microwave on high temperature for 1 1/2 minutes or until hot.

Spoon approximately one-fifth of mixture into center of a tortilla. Fold in ends and then roll tortilla over mixture. Roll tortilla very tight, then pierce with a toothpick to hold together. Repeat with remaining ingredients until you have five eggrolls.

*Arrange eggrolls on a plate, cover plate with plastic wrap and freeze for at least 4 hours or overnight. ( I just let them sit for about an hour in the fridge before deep frying in oil).

Preheat 4-6 cups of oil to 375 degrees.
Deep fry eggrolls in hot oil for 12-15 minutes and remove to paper towels or a rack to drain for about 2 minutes. Slice each eggroll diagonally lengthwise and arrange on a plate.
Serves 3-4.

Chicken Carbonara

 

I watched a Giada show on food network and she made this wonderful, quick dish that I just had to try.  Everyone loved it!  

I bought a already cooked whole chicken from the deli and shredded it for a much easier and quicker meal.  One time I didn't nave Pancetta so I just used bacon and it turned out fine.

Recipe below:

 

Ingredients

• 2 teaspoons olive oil
• 4 ounces thinly sliced pancetta, chopped
• 2 teaspoons minced garlic
• 2 1/2 cups whipping cream
• 1 cup freshly grated Parmesan
• 8 large egg yolks
• 1/4 cup chopped fresh basil leaves
• 1/4 cup chopped fresh Italian parsley leaves
• Salt
• 1 pound spaghetti
• 4 cups coarsely shredded chicken (from 1 roasted chicken)
• Freshly ground black pepper
• 1/2 cup chopped walnuts, toasted
• 1 tablespoon finely grated lemon peel

Directions

Heat the oil in a heavy large frying pan over medium heat. Add the pancetta and garlic and saute until it is brown and crisp, about 8 minutes. Cool slightly.

In a large bowl, whisk together the cream, cheese, yolks, basil, and parsley to blend.
Meanwhile, bring a large pot of salted water to a boil over high heat. Add the spaghetti and cook until it is just tender but still firm to the bite, stirring occasionally, about 10 minutes. Drain.
Add the chicken to the pan with the pancetta and stir to combine. Next, add the spaghetti and the cream mixture and toss over medium-low heat until the chicken is heated through and the sauce coats the spaghetti thickly, about 4 minutes (do not boil or you might end up scrambling the eggs). Season the pasta, to taste, with pepper and salt if needed (the pancetta will likely add all the salt you need). Transfer the pasta to a large wide serving bowl. Sprinkle the walnuts and lemon zest over, and serve.

Breakfast Skillet

This is something I had when I went to the beach for the Holiday (July 4th) weekend camping trip.  We stopped by a restaurant one morning and I had a breakfast skillet and it was sooo good!  I knew when I got home I would have to try it. 
Turned out just like the one they had.

Kielbasa, eggs, hashbrowns, green peppers, onions and to top it off... country gravy!  YUMM!!!

Update on my Catering...

Well, I just wanted to announce that I decided to jump on in and do a part time catering business in my area.  I know when I say part time it will end up being full time in no time!  lol 

My orders will be upscale gourmet foods, locally grown veggies/fruits and choice of organic foods.  I will offer Sandwich trays/boxes, assorted signature wraps, salads, desserts, and more! 

I have been working on my menu for a week now and it sure is a lot more difficult than I had imagined but it will all be well worth it.  I will be posting my food art here and hoping to eventually post more on my catering adventures with of course my lil Chef Sami to pop in once in a while to help me out.

so... on to a great adventure I go!!!

Hope to see some feedback from you all...

Bacon Asparagus Wrap

I had some left over asparagus that I didn't know what to do with.  I was tired of the same asparagus recipe so I thought bacon makes everything taste so much better and what isn't made with bacon anymore anyway! *wink*  I had heard of these made with Pancetta, I didn't have any so I go to the next best thing.. BACON!

Recipe-

asparagus 

bacon

salt and pepper

olive oil

I drizzled the asparagus with a little olive oil and seasoned it with salt and pepper.  Wrapped the asparagus with 1/2 a strip of bacon and tucked the end.  Heat up your grill (I used my George Foreman grill) and place your bacon wrapped asparagus with the ends facing down.  Grill for 6-8 minutes.  

These are so tasty and very simple to make.

Bon Appetite!