Homemade Home Fries

A little tired of the same old Sunday morning scrambled eggs & toast that we always seem to make, I thought home fries would be a nice change of pace. I've only ever had them at restaurants, but after coming across this recipe, they looked easy enough - and they were. There are endless possibilities that you can experiment with to jazz up the basic recipe, we'll definitely be making these for future weekend breakfasts.


Home Fries
Seen & adapted from Smitten Kitchen, Loosely adapted from Cook's Country

1 1/2 pounds Yukon Gold potatoes, scrubbed and cut into 1/2-inch to 3/4-inch cubes
4 tablespoons salted butter
1 onion, finely chopped

I added 1/2 large green bell pepper
Salt and pepper to taste
Seasoning of your choice: I added some salt, pepper, garlic powder and paprika in the last 5-8 minutes of cooking

1. Arrange potatoes in large microwave-safe bowl, top with 1 tablespoon butter, and cover tightly with plastic wrap. Microwave on high until edges of potatoes begin to soften, 5 to 7 minutes, shaking bowl (without removing plastic) to redistribute potatoes halfway through cooking.

2. Meanwhile, melt 1 tablespoon butter in large regular or nonstick skillet over medium heat. Add onion and cook until softened and golden brown, about 6 minutes. Transfer to small bowl.

3. Melt remaining 2 tablespoons butter in now-empty skillet over medium heat. Add
potatoes and pack down with spatula. Cook, without moving, until underside of potatoes is brown, 5 to 7 minutes. Turn potatoes, pack down again, and continue to cook until well browned and crisp, 5 to 7 minutes. Reduce heat to medium-low and continue cooking, stirring potatoes every few minutes, until crusty and golden on all sides, 9 to 12 minutes.

Garden Fresh Salsa

I've made homemade salsa a few times - I pretty much use the same basic ingredients - tomatoes, garlic, onion, jalapeno & cilantro. It's always turned out great, but for some reason, I always end up buying salsa anyways (even though most of it sucks!)

Now that I have tomatoes, cilantro & jalapenos (as well as WAY too many other varieties of hot peppers) in my garden, I figured there wasn't a better time to make homemade & homegrown salsa. I found this recipe and knew it would be great - although it uses the same ingredients that I always use myself, it roasts everything. I LOVE roasted veggies - it just makes any veggie taste better. This recipe was so easy, and the veggies roast itself, so it doesn't require any additional hands-on time than a regular salsa would. I only made one change, and I can't get enough of this stuff - I've made two batches in the past week!

Roasted Tomato Salsa
Delish

1 1/2 pounds tomatoes, cut in half lengthwise
1/2 large white onion
4-6 cloves roasted garlic
2-3 large jalapenos, deseeded & deveined, cut in half lengthwise
freshly ground black pepper & kosher salt
Extra-virgin olive oil
1/4 – 1/2 cup cilantro, roughly chopped

drizzle of lime juice, maybe juice of half a lime

Heat oven to 400°F . Gently toss the tomatoes, onions, garlic, jalapenos with the olive oil in a large bowl. Alternatively, use spray oil to gently coat the veggies (You just don’t want it to burn). Season with a little freshly ground black pepper. After they are nicely coated arrange in a single layer, tomatoes cut-side facing up, across a parchment or foil-lined baking sheet, roast in the oven for 40-50 minutes, (depending upon the size of your tomatoes). You’ll know they’re ready to come out when they start to get a nice color and the tomatoes start to collapse. Remove from the oven and cool.

Puree cooled tomatoes, onion, garlic, and jalapenos. Alternatively, puree half of the veggies and hand chop the remainder and combine. Season with salt, lime juice and stir in the cilantro. Refrigerate.

Restaurant-Quality Soup - At Home

This is another one of my catch-up posts...I made this a couple of weeks ago when it was not so hot outside, you know in the low 80's! LOL But it was too great not to share...only a few years ago, I would have never thought I could make mushroom soup that tastes like it comes from a great restaurant (and not from a can), but I did, and so can you with this easy to follow recipe.

This soup was flavorful, not too thick or too thin, just perfect. I didn't read the whole recipe through before beginning the cooking, so it took a little longer than I anticipated...but it was worth the wait.

Wild Cream of Mushroom Soup
Good Things Catered

Ingredients:

6 Tbsp butter
1/2 sweet onion, finely diced
3 shallots, finely diced
3 small garlic cloves, minced
1 lb. button mushrooms, cleaned, stems removed and sliced 1/8 inch thick
1 lb. wild mushrooms of choice, cleaned, stems removed and sliced 1/8 inch thick
4 cups low sodium chicken stock
3 cups boiling water
1 fresh sage leaf
1 cup heavy cream
1/4 cup dry vermouth (I used chicken broth)
2 Tbsp cornstarch
2 Tbsp cold water
salt and pepper to taste

Directions:

-In 5 qt Dutch oven (or heavy stock pot), over medium heat, melt butter.
-When butter is melted and edges start to foam, add onion and shallots.
-Stir well and let cook until beginning to soften, about 5 minutes.
-Add garlic and stir until fragrant, about 1 minute.
-Add sliced mushrooms to pan and stir to coat well in mixture.
-Stirring occasionally, cook down until beginning to release juices, about 8-10 minutes.
-Cover pot and reduce heat to medium low.
-Cook for 20 minutes, stirring occasionally, until mushrooms are softened.
-Take lid off pan and add chicken stock, boiling water, and sage leaf.
-Turn heat down to simmer, stir to combine well and when soup comes back up to a boil, vent lid (covering most of soup - letting a small amount of steam escape) and let simmer for 30 minutes.
-Remove sage leaf and discard.
-With immersion blender, blend soup mixture in pulses to completely chop up mushrooms (this will also thicken the soup). (note - if you are using regular blender instead be EXTRA careful! Only add a couple of cups of soup mixture to blender at a time because the high heat of the mixture will form steam and make the blender "explode" with hot soup)
-Once blended well, with small pieces of mushrooms still visible, add heavy cream and vermouth to pan.
-Stir to combine well and bring back up to temperature, slowly.
-Meanwhile, combine cornstarch and cold water in a small bowl and stir to make a slurry.
-Add to soup and stir to combine completely.
-Once soup is up to temperature, salt and pepper to taste and serve immediately.

Peanut Butter &...Turkey???

This is actually my second time making this recipe - I'm not sure where my original picture disappeared to...so I just had to make it again. Believe me - it was no hardship, this is one of our favorite turkey burger recipes. Using turkey instead of beef can sometimes make the burger more dry, but with the addition of an unusual ingredient for a burger - peanut butter - there's no chance of that! The burger itself is full of healthy ingredients, and with the addition of roasted veggies as the side, it's a great meal you can feel great about.

Thai Peanut Turkey Burgers

Found on Cara's Cravings; originally from A Good Appetite

8oz ground turkey
1 medium carrot, shredded
1 large scallion, minced
1/4 tsp sesame oil
1 tsp chili garlic sauce
2 tbsp natural peanut butter

freshly ground salt & pepper
1/2 tsp ground ginger
2 tbsp light mayonnaise
handful of cilantro, finely minced
1-2 tsp chili garlic sauce
hamburger buns of your choice
mixed greens

Combine burger ingredients a mixing bowl and combine thoroughly. Heat a skillet over medium-high heat.

Form the turkey mixture into two patties. Cook for about 7-10 minutes per side, until cooked through.

Serve on buns with cilantro-chili mayo and greens.

Nutritional Info, Burgers Only (does not include hamburger bun or cilantro-chili mayo)Servings Per Recipe: 2
Amount Per Serving Calories: 276.1
Total Fat: 16.7 g
Cholesterol: 80.0 mg
Sodium: 212.1 mg
Total Carbs: 7.9 g
Dietary Fiber: 2.1 g
Protein: 26.1 g

Sesame Roasted Vegetables

cauliflower, broccoli & carrots, washed and stems trimmed (I had one of those small fresh bags of ready to eat veggies)

1.5 tbsp extra virgin olive oil

kosher salt and pepper to taste

1 tsp sesame oil

1 tsp ground ginger

sesame seeds

Preheat oven to 425 degrees. Line a baking sheet with foil and a non-stick spray.

In a small bowl, whisk together oils, salt, pepper and ginger. In a large bowl, combine vegetables and oil mixture, and spread out on baking sheet, and roast for 10 minutes. Turn vegetables over, and roast for about another 10 minutes or until desired. Remove from oven and sprinkle with sesame seeds before serving.

Marvelous Mayo-less Pasta Salad

Summer is in full swing here.....it's been about a week and a half in the 90's. Although I love grilling to get out of the kitchen, sometimes hot food just doesn't sound very appetizing. I've heard great things about this recipe, and I love Mexican/Southwest flavors, so I just had to try it. I'm sorry I waited so long - it's awesome! It would be perfect for any occasion, but would be great at picnics, etc, since there's no mayo or meat (although I did add some grilled chicken for the hubby)

This salad is light, healthy and full of color....although you will notice mine has an unusual color...blue. I appologize - I had some University of Michigan shaped/colored pasta on hand, so I used that, not really thinking of the weird color it would add. This is a must try for your summer menu!



University of Michigan aka Wagon Wheel Taco Pasta Salad
Cara's Cravings

*I cut the recipe in half
*I added one grilled and sliced chicken breast, recipe below

1 lb wagon wheel pasta
1 can black beans, drained and rinsed
1 10oz package frozen corn
2 medium tomatoes, seeded and diced
8oz shredded Mexican-blend cheese
1 1/2 cups salsa
1/2 cup olive oil
3-4 tbsp lime juice
1 tbsp cumin
1-2 tsp chili powder2 garlic cloves, minced
freshly ground salt & pepper
1/2 cup chopped fresh cilantro
1 avocado, diced

Cook the pasta al dente according to package directions. Drain and rinse with cold water.

In a large bowl, combine the black beans, corn, tomatoes, salsa, and cheese. Add the cooled pasta and mix well.

In another bowl, whisk together the olive oil, lime juice, garlic, cumin and chili powder. Pour over the pasta salad, add the cilantro, and mix well. Season to taste with salt & pepper.

Just before serving, stir in the diced avocado.

Southwest Grilled Chicken Breast

1 chicken breast, pounded thin to about 1/2 inch thickness
1/4 cup extra virgin olive oil
2 cloves garlic, crushed
1 tbsp lime juice
1 1/2 tsp Mrs Dash Southwest Chipotle seasoning

In a bowl, whisk all ingredients, minus the chicken. Add marinade and chicken to a ziploc bag or covered container, and refrigerate for at least 2 hours. Remove from marinade, grill on medium-high heat for 7 minutes per side, or till cooked through. Remove from grill, slice and place on top of pasta salad.

Light, Healthy & Delicious

When I received the latest issue of Cooking Light, one recipe caught my eye - I just love chicken, fresh herbs and goat cheese together. Instead of a starch, I decided to make it a little healthier and lighter by just serving a veggie side dish - asparagus.

I love asparagus...but the hubby doesn't. So, I am constantly trying to cook it differently, hoping he'll finally like it - and success! This is actually one of my favorite ways to cook it too; so even if you're not an asparagus fan already, this recipe may turn you into one!

Garlicky Pan Roasted Asparagus with Lemon Zest

handful of asparagus spears, washed, dried and ends trimmed (about 1/2 lb/bunch)
2 tsp extra virgin olive oil
3 cloves garlic, smashed
kosher salt and pepper to taste
lemon zest to taste

Preheat the oil in a skillet over medium heat, and add in garlic cloves. When oil is heated, add asparagus and turn occasionally. Season with salt and pepper, and roast till cooked through, softened and slightly limp, but still still tender crisp, about 8-10 minutes. Tasting is the only way for me to get it exactly perfect. If garlic starts to get too brown, remove - you don't want burnt garlic flavor on your asparagus!

Sprinkle with lemon zest, remove from heat and serve.

Chicken Stuffed With Goat Cheese, Caramelized Spring Onions & Thyme
Cooking Light

*I cut the recipe in half

1 1/2 teaspoons olive oil
1 1/3 cups thinly sliced spring onions (about 1 pound) I used Vidalia onions
3/4 teaspoon salt, divided
1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
3/4 cup (3 ounces) crumbled goat cheese
1 tablespoon chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley
1 tablespoon fat-free milk
1 1/2 teaspoons chopped fresh thyme
6 (6-ounce) skinless, boneless chicken breast halves
Cooking spray
1/2 cup dry white wine I used College Inn's White Wine & Herb Culinary Broth
1 cup fat-free, less-sodium chicken broth

*I flattened the chicken, placed sprinkled the chicken with salt and pepper, placed the filling on the chicken, and rolled it up, using toothpicks to hold into place, instead of creating pockets (I'm not so good at that)

1. Heat oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Add onions, 1/4 teaspoon salt, and pepper to pan; cook 12 minutes, stirring frequently. Cover, reduce heat, and cook 8 minutes, stirring occasionally. Uncover and cook 5 minutes or until golden, stirring occasionally. Cool slightly. Combine onion mixture, 1/4 teaspoon salt, cheese, parsley, milk, and thyme in a small bowl, stirring with a fork.

2. Cut a horizontal slit through thickest portion of each chicken breast half to form a pocket; stuff 1 1/2 tablespoons cheese mixture into each pocket. Sprinkle chicken evenly with remaining 1/4 teaspoon salt.

3. Return pan to medium-high heat. Coat pan with cooking spray. Add chicken to pan; sauté 5 minutes; turn chicken over. Cover, reduce heat, and cook 10 minutes or until chicken is done.
*I cooked the chicken for about 20 minutes, turning to cook all sides. Then I removed the chicken, placed in a covered baking dish in a preheated oven with a little chicken broth, and baked for about 10-15 minutes till cooked through. I removed from oven, cooled slightly, removed toothpicks and served with sauce.

Remove chicken from pan; let stand 10 minutes. Add wine to pan; bring to a boil, scraping pan to loosen browned bits. Cook until reduced by half (about 2 minutes). Add broth, and cook until reduced to 1/4 cup (about 9 minutes). Serve with chicken.

The Perfect Summertime Food - Made Indoors

One of my favorite summer foods is corn on the cob. I usually grill it, Southwest Chipotle and Lime Grilled Corn, and change up the seasonings that I put into the butter to compliment whatever dish I am making. But on the other hand, no matter how warm the weather gets, I love roasting vegetables. I have roasted corn before, and it was wonderful - but that was during my pre-blog days. It was too delicious not to share, and it is a healthier way to eat your corn. The roasting brings the corn so much flavor and moisture, you don't need to slather the corn with butter....but I couldn't help adding just a little bit :)


Oven Roasted Corn

2 ears of corn
1 tbsp room temperature butter
sea salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste

Preheat oven to 350. Remove the silk, from the corn, but leave the husks on. Tie ends of husks together with a piece of husk or kitchen string. Add corn on oven rack and roast for about 35 minutes, turning occasionally.

Remove from oven, cool slightly and remove husks. Mix salt, pepper and butter together, and spread over hot corn.

Fake Out Take Out - Egg Rolls

After enjoying the Kung Pao Chicken, I found myself still in an Asian food kind of mood. When the hubby suggested egg rolls - I was definitely game - I had great success with Chicken Potstickers. I'll admit - there are a lot of ingredients and it is a long process - but it is easy and worth it - I doubt I will ever buy frozen egg rolls again. The egg rolls were amazingly full of freshness and flavor, I could have devoured the whole batch myself. (Sorry Jamie!) But restraint took over and we enjoyed a big bowl of steamed veggies to go with the egg rolls.

Serve egg rolls with plum, duck, teriyaki or whatever sauce you enjoy.





Cilantro-Lime Chicken Egg Rolls

2 cups shredded Napa cabbage

3 cloves garlic, minced
1 cup cooked (diced or shredded) chicken breast

1 tsp fresh ginger, shredded

1/2 cup carrot, shredded

1 cup yellow pepper, diced

2 green onions, thinly sliced

1 cup mushrooms, diced

1.5 cups bean sprouts

2 tbsp cilantro, chopped

1.5 tsp lime zest

squeeze of lime juice
3 tbsp low sodium soy sauce

1/2 tsp sesame oil
1 tbsp hoisin sauce

3 tbsp fat free chicken broth

dash of salt and pepper

egg roll wrappers

vegetable oil

plum or duck sauce

Heat 1-2 tbsp vegetable oil in large skillet on med-high heat.

In a small bowl, whisk together chicken broth, lime zest, lime juice, sesame oil, hoisin, soy sauce and a dash of salt and freshly ground black pepper. Set aside.

Add garlic and ginger, stir for a few seconds. Add peppers, mushrooms, carrots and sprouts. Cook for 3 minutes. Add in onions and cabbage and continue to cook for 2 more minutes. Add in soy mixture and stir till combined. Cook just until cabbage is wilted and veggies are softened. Stir in cilantro.

Remove from heat and let cool. Once filling has cooled, fill the egg rolls with approximately 2 tbsp of filling, or adjust accordingly. I filled the egg rolls with the wrappers diagonally - put the filling in the center, roll the bottom tightly over the filling, fold in the sides, slightly moisten the top of the wrapper and fold down and over, pressing to make sure all edges are sealed.

If making ahead of time, place a dampened paper towel over egg rolls to prevent them from drying out. I got 12 egg rolls from this batch of filling.

To cook: Heat a large skillet with two tbsp of vegetable oil over medium-high heat. Place egg rolls in skillet and fry on each side for about 4 minutes, until browned and crispy. Remove and place on a paper towel lined plate. Enjoy!

To freeze: Place egg rolls in a single layer on a cookie sheet. Once slightly frozen, remove and place in freezer bag. Thaw before using, and then cook as above.

A Tale of Almost Two Failures

This is a different kind of post - I don't normally post about failures in the kitchen, but this wasn't a complete loss, and I'm always looking to improve.

So, while I love burgers, I often substitute veggie for the meat. Instead of always buying them, I thought I would try and make them. Well......so far the score is Mrs Sac - 0; Veggie Burgers - 2. One recipe was my own creation, while the other was from a website. I honestly don't know what is going wrong...but if anyone has any great tried and true recipe suggestions, leave them in my feedback :)

My side dish to go with the botched Boca-wannabe veggie burgers was butternut squash fries - I have wanted to make them for a while, and finally got around to it. I tasted the fries after 40-45 minutes - and they were amazing, perfectly browned and crisped - I could have eaten all of them myself! But since my main was ruined, I had popped in a couple of chicken burgers in the oven.

So while waiting for that to be done, my fries got a little soft and nearly burnt. If you cook them according to the directions; add your own herbs seasonings, they are wonderful and will make many reappearances in my kitchen. (Sorry potatoes)

PS I'll take a much better picture next time!

Butternut Squash Fries
Hungry Girl

Ingredients:

1/2 butternut squash
kosher salt
I added 1/2 tbsp EVOO, freshly ground black pepper & 1/2 tsp garlic powder

Directions:

Pre-heat oven to 425 degrees. Peel and de-seed your butternut squash. If you're unfamiliar with handling them, you may have a little trouble at first. They're fairly easy to peel, but you'll need a sharp knife to cut them. Once your orange friend is peeled and seed-free, slice it in half. Then cut it up into french fry shapes.

Place on a cookie sheet sprayed with non-stick spray. (I put mine in the oven while it was heating up) Cover lightly with kosher salt (I added pepper, EVOO and garlic powder) Place tray in your pre-heated oven and bake for 40 minutes or so, flipping halfway through baking process. Fries are done when they are starting to brown on the edges and get crispy. Serve with ketchup, or however else you enjoy fries or sweet potato fries!

Making The Switch

This is only my second time working with whole wheat flour - I don't know why I was so scared before....maybe it's because I've just become decent at baking and working with yeast, I didn't want to jinx it (I've already made Healthy Oatmeal Muffins). I've made the switch to whole wheat when it comes to bread, pasta, tortillas etc., but this was my first whole wheat pizza dough - and it turned out great! The whole wheat flour gave it a slight nutty flavor (like it does to pasta), and it made enough for two large pizzas.

Since it was a meat-free Lenten Friday, I topped my half with julienned sun dried tomatoes, baby bella mushrooms & sliced red onions; while the hubby's half was topped with baby bella mushrooms and fresh pineapple chunks, and used part-skim mozzarella cheese on all.

Fresh Herbed Pizza Sauce

1 cup tomato puree
kosher salt & pepper to taste
dash of sugar
3 tbsp fresh parsley, chopped
1/4 tsp onion powder
1 tsp fresh oregano
drizzle of extra virgin olive oil
1 clove garlic, minced

Mix all ingredients in a bowl & spread on pizza. I let mine sit in the fridge covered for a couple of hours while pizza dough was being prepared. Allow to come to room temp before using.

Amazing Whole Wheat Pizza Dough
Allrecipes

INGREDIENTS
1 teaspoon white sugar
1 1/2 cups warm water (110 degrees F/45 degrees C)
1 tablespoon active dry yeast
1 tablespoon olive oil
1 teaspoon salt
2 cups whole wheat flour
1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
I added 1/2 tbsp of dried Italian herbs & 1 tsp garlic powder

DIRECTIONS

In a large bowl, dissolve sugar in warm water. Sprinkle yeast over the top, and let stand for about 10 minutes, until foamy.

Stir the olive oil and salt (and herbs and garlic if using) into the yeast mixture, then mix in the whole wheat flour and 1 cup of the all-purpose flour until dough starts to come together. Tip dough out onto a surface floured with the remaining all-purpose flour, and knead until all of the flour has been absorbed, and the ball of dough becomes smooth, about 10 minutes. Place dough in an oiled bowl, and turn to coat the surface. Cover loosely with a towel, and let stand in a warm place until doubled in size, about 1 hour.

When the dough is doubled, tip the dough out onto a lightly floured surface, and divide into 2 pieces for 2 thin crust, or leave whole to make one thick crust. Form into a tight ball. Let rise for about 45 minutes, until doubled.

Preheat the oven to 425 degrees F (220 degrees C). Roll a ball of dough with a rolling pin until it will not stretch any further. Then, drape it over both of your fists, and gently pull the edges outward, while rotating the crust. When the circle has reached the desired size, place on a well oiled pizza pan. Top pizza with your favorite toppings, such as sauce, cheese, meats, or vegetables.

Bake for 16 to 20 minutes (depending on thickness) in the preheated oven, until the crust is crisp and golden at the edges, and cheese is melted on the top.

* I heated my pizza stone at 500 for about an hour, then reduced the heat to 425 before adding the pizza. I followed some reviews and prebaked the crust for 5 minutes, removed, put on toppings, and baked for another 15 minutes.

Fake Out Take Out Vegetable Fried Rice

I love making Chinese at home, but sometimes I get sick of plain white or brown rice. So the last time I made steamed vegetables, Sweet and Sour Chicken (which I have made a few times now and LOVE), I made a veggie stir fried rice as the side. It was delicious, I could eat that just by itself...and I actually had to since Jamie devoured the Sweet and Sour Chicken! I can't wait to experiment by adding stir fried chicken or shrimp, different veggies and maybe some pineapple or ginger.

Very Veggie Fried Rice

1 cup cooked cold rice (I find day old is best)
2 eggs, beaten
2-3 tsp vegetable oil, divided
1/2 -3/4 cup cup frozen peas, thawed
3 green onions, sliced

1/2 - 3/4 cup carrot, finely diced

1/2 cup mushroom, diced
2 tbsp soy sauce
1 tsp sesame oil, divided
2 tsp oyster sauce
2 cloves garlic, minced
salt and pepper to taste

Mix the 1/2 tsp sesame oil, oyster and soy sauces in a bowl and set aside. Heat vegetable oil in a skillet (about 1 tbsp) over med-high heat. Add carrots, mushroom and garlic and saute for 3-4 minutes, or until softened. Remove from skillet.

Add another tbsp of vegetable oil to the skillet and heat. Add rice to skillet and stir making sure there are no clumps. Push the rice towards the sides so there is an open space in the middle of the skillet and add the egg. Let it set slightly before breaking up with a spoon into smaller pieces.

When egg is cooked through, add green onions, carrots and garlic, peas, salt and pepper to taste and soy mixture. Stir fry for 2-4 minutes or until heated through. Drizzle with remaining sesame oil.

Definately Not Your Campbell's Soup

Whenever I think of cream of mushroom soup, I automatically think of the stuff in the red and white Campbell's can. That was the essential ingredient to the very first dish I attempted to cook for Jamie - cream of mushroom chicken, which I served up with mashed potatoes from a box & frozen corn. Thankfully my culinary skills have greatly improved, although every once in a while, Jamie requests that dish. Every now and then, I'll make it, but I use fresh potatoes & vegetables ;)

But enough rambling....this post is actually about a wonderful homemade gourmet version of cream of mushroom soup. I have made mushroom soup before, but I tried to do it low-fat - it turned out to be a watery tasteless mess. This soup is definitely indulgent, not for those looking for a healthy dish. But every now and then it's OK to splurge, everything in moderation, right?

Cream of Wild Mushroom Soup
Barefoot Contessa/Food Network

Prep Time: 20 min
Cook Time: 1 hr 30 min
Serves: 5 to 6 servings

5 ounces fresh shiitake mushrooms
5 ounces fresh portobello mushrooms
5 ounces fresh cremini (or porcini) mushrooms
I used a package of gourmet blend of mushrooms that included baby bella, shitake & oyster mushrooms
1 tablespoon good olive oil
1/4 pound (1 stick) plus 1 tablespoon unsalted butter, divided
1 cup chopped yellow onion
1 carrot, chopped
1 sprig fresh thyme plus
1 teaspoon minced thyme leaves
divided Kosher salt
Freshly ground black pepper
2 cups chopped leeks, white and light green parts (2 leeks)
1/4 cup all-purpose flour
1 cup dry white wine
1 cup half-and-half
1 cup heavy cream
1/2 cup minced fresh flat-leaf parsley

Clean the mushrooms by wiping them with a dry paper towel. Don't wash them! Separate the stems, trim off any bad parts, and coarsely chop the stems. Slice the mushroom caps 1/4-inch thick and, if there are big, cut them into bite-sized pieces. Set aside.

To make the stock, heat the olive oil and 1 tablespoon of the butter in a large pot. Add the chopped mushroom stems, the onion, carrot, the sprig of thyme, 1 teaspoon salt, and 1/2 teaspoon pepper and cook over medium-low heat for 10 to 15 minutes, until the vegetables are soft. Add 6 cups water, bring to a boil, reduce the heat, and simmer uncovered for 30 minutes. Strain, reserving the liquid. You should have about 4 1/2 cups of stock. If not, add some water.

Meanwhile, in another large pot, heat the remaining 1/4 pound of butter and add the leeks. Cook over low heat for 15 to 20 minutes, until the leeks begin to brown. Add the sliced mushroom caps and cook for 10 minutes, or until they are browned and tender. Add the flour and cook for 1 minute. Add the white wine and stir for another minute, scraping the bottom of the pot. Add the mushroom stock, minced thyme leaves, 1 1/2 teaspoons salt, and 1 teaspoon pepper and bring to a boil. Reduce the heat and simmer for 15 minutes. Add the half-and-half, cream, and parsley, season with salt and pepper, to taste, and heat through but do not boil. Serve hot.

Skip That Condensed Tomato Soup

I haven't made tomato soup in a while, with the exception of good ol' Campbell's. However, while watching Everyday Italian on The Food Network, I saw exactly what I was looking for. With the beans, noodles and the extra kick with the spice, it was very hearty, yet still healthy.

The recipe called for San Marzano marinara sauce, but I was unable to find it at my grocery store. So I decided to make my own sauce, and the difference between crushed and whole San Marzano tomatoes was about $4! So I just pulsed whole tomatoes in the food processor a few times, creating crushed tomatoes, but leaving some pieces. I loved the taste of this marinara so much, I will definitely be making it again to serve with pasta, and of course, plenty of Parmesan cheese!

Quick & Spicy Tomato Soup
Food Network/Giada De Laurentiis

Prep Time: 10 min Cook Time: 12 min
Level: Easy Serves: 4 to 6 servings

3 tablespoons olive oil
2 carrots, peeled and chopped
1 small onion, chopped
1 clove garlic, minced
1 (26-ounce) jar marinara sauce (recommended: San Marzano brand) I made my own, recipe below
2 (14-ounce) cans chicken broth
1 (15-ounce) can cannellini beans, drained and rinsed
1/2 teaspoon red pepper flakes
1/2 cup pastina pasta (or any small pasta) I used ditalini
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
I added a 1/4 cup freshly chopped parsley to the soup in the last 10 minutes of cooking, and extra for garnish

Warm the olive oil in a large soup pot over medium-high heat. Add the carrots, onion, and garlic and saute until soft, about 2 minutes. (I sauteed them longer till carrots were completely softened) Add the jar of marinara sauce, chicken broth, cannellini beans, red pepper flakes, pasta, salt and pepper. Simmer for 10 minutes. Ladle into bowls and serve.

San Marzano Marinara Sauce

28 oz can San Marzano tomatoes
1 onion, finely diced
2 cloves garlic, minced
2 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
1 stalk celery, finely diced
1 carrot stick, shredded
2 bay leaves
1/4-1/2 tsp each of dried basil & oregano (I would have fresh if I had some on hand)
salt and pepper to taste
1 small onion, finely diced

Heat extra virgin olive oil on medium heat in a saucepan. Saute onion, celery for 3-4 minutes, and add in garlic and carrot and saute for a few more minutes till everything is softened.

Meanwhile, add tomatoes and remaining ingredients, and simmer for about an hour, stirring occasionally.

Fake Out Take Out Sweet and Sour Chicken

I love Chinese food, however, I feel less than great after getting takeout, even if I ask for no MSG. So the only chance I have to enjoy comes from my own kitchen. I was searching for a stir fry recipe, but came across this one for Sweet and Sour Chicken. I've made that dish/different recipe several times, but something was always "off" with the sauce, so I decided to give Sweet and Sour Chicken one more chance, if it didn't work out, it's back to using the store bought bottle kind from now on.

Wow - this was great, I've found my favorite Sweet & Sour recipe. Now, granted it's not a "healthy" recipe, but neither is the kind from take out. I paired it with thinly sliced onions, red pepper, carrots and broccoli florets that were stir fried with some soy sauce, sesame oil and minced garlic, all served over rice.

Sweet and Sour Chicken
found on Cooking This and That, from My Kitchen Cafe

Makes 4 servings

Chicken:

3-4 boneless, skinless chicken breasts
Salt and pepper
1 cup cornstarch
2 eggs, beaten
1/4 cup canola oil

Cut boneless chicken breasts into chunks. Season with salt and pepper. Dip chicken in cornstarch and then in egg. Fry in a little oil until brown but not cooked through. Place in a single layer in a baking dish. Mix sauce ingredients (below) together and pour over chicken.

Sauce:

¾ cup sugar
4 tablespoons ketchup
½ cup vinegar
1 tablespoon soy sauce
1 teaspoon garlic salt

Bake for one hour at 325 degrees. Turn chicken every 15 minutes. If you like extra sauce, make another batch of sauce and bring it to a boil on the stove top. Stir constantly and let cook over medium heat until thickened and reduced - about 6-8 minutes.

* After about 55 minutes, I removed the lid, turned the broiler on, and cooked the chicken for 5 minutes, turning once. The sauce thickened, became a glaze and the chicken got slight crispy. It was perfect, I didn't need to cook any additional sauce.

Thanksgiving Feast

I've been bad for slacking on updating my blog lately.....it's been kind of busy, but I have been cooking! So it's fitting that my first entry in a while is our Thanksgiving dinner.

So here's the menu:

Marbled Pumpkin Cheesecake
Apple -Cider Brined Turkey with Herb Gravy
Whiskey Glazed Carrots
Corn Bread Dressing
Cranberry Sauce with Apple Cider
Roasted Garlic Mashed Potatoes
Thyme Roasted Sweet Potatoes

I wish I had taken more/better pictures, but after an afternoon of cooking, I was tired and hungry and just wanted to dig into all the food. I chose an apple theme for some of the dishes, and the cider added so much great flavor.

I was supposed to make green beans with caramelized shallots, but I forgot...oh well! Regardless, all of the dishes worked well with one another, and the house smelled delicious!!!

** This is the first cheesecake that I've ever made that turned out perfectly baked, and although I didn't achieve the marbled effect very well, it was wonderful.

Marbled Pumpkin Cheesecake
Allrecipes

Prep Time: 30 Minutes Cook Time: 1 Hour 10 Minutes
Ready In: 7 Hours 40 Minutes Yields: 12 servings

INGREDIENTS:
1 1/2 cups crushed gingersnap
cookies
1/2 cup finely chopped pecans
1/3 cup butter, melted
2 (8 ounce) packages cream
cheese, softened
3/4 cup white sugar, divided
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
3 eggs
1 cup canned pumpkin
3/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg

DIRECTIONS:
1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). In a medium bowl, mix together the crushed gingersnap cookies, pecans, and butter. Press into the bottom, and about 1 inch up the sides of a 9 inch springform pan. Bake crust 10 minutes in the preheated oven. Set aside to cool.

2. In a medium bowl, mix together the cream cheese, 1/2 cup sugar, and vanilla just until smooth. Mix in eggs one at a time, blending well after each. Set aside 1 cup of the mixture. Blend 1/4 cup sugar, pumpkin, cinnamon, and nutmeg into the remaining mixture.

3. Spread the pumpkin flavored batter into the crust, and drop the plain batter by spoonfuls onto the top. Swirl with a knife to create a marbled effect.

4. Bake 55 minutes in the preheated oven, or until filling is set. Run a knife around the edge of the pan. Allow to cool before removing pan rim. Chill for at least 4 hours before serving.

**This is the first time I have brined a turkey - and it won't be the last, it made the meat so moist! I roasted the turkey at 500 for 15 minutes, and then reduced the heat, but I should have put a foil tent on the bird or started roasting at a lower temperature from the beginning to prevent from getting too brown too quickly, but the breast meat was cooked perfectly.

Apple-Cider Brined Turkey with Savory Herb Gravy
Cooking Light

Brine:
8 cups apple cider
2/3 cup kosher salt
2/3 cup sugar
1 tablespoon black peppercorns, coarsely crushed
1 tablespoon whole allspice, coarsely crushed
8 (1/8-inch-thick) slices peeled fresh ginger
6 whole cloves I omitted
2 bay leaves
1 (12-pound) fresh or frozen turkey, thawed
2 oranges, quartered
6 cups ice

Remaining ingredients:
4 garlic cloves
4 sage leaves
4 thyme sprigs
4 parsley sprigs
1 onion, quartered
1 (14-ounce) can fat-free, less-sodium chicken broth
2 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted and divided
1 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper, divided
1/2 teaspoon salt, divided

Savory Herb Gravy - I did not use the recipe on the site, I strained the pan drippings, added some chicken broth and fresh sprigs of sage, freshly chopped parsley, 1/2 tsp black pepper and brought to a boil. In a bowl, I dissolved some cornstarch in water and whisked into the broth and cooked till thickened. Strain the gravy and remove the sage before serving.

To prepare brine, combine first 8 ingredients in a large saucepan; bring to a boil. Cook 5 minutes or until sugar and salt dissolve. Cool completely.

Remove giblets and neck from turkey; reserve for Savory Herb Gravy. Rinse turkey with cold water; pat dry. Trim excess fat. Stuff body cavity with orange quarters. Place a turkey-sized oven bag inside a second bag to form a double thickness. Place bags in a large stockpot. Place turkey inside inner bag. Add cider mixture and ice. Secure bags with several twist ties. Refrigerate for 12 to 24 hours, turning occasionally.

Preheat oven to 500º.

Remove turkey from bags, and discard brine, orange quarters, and bags. Rinse turkey with cold water; pat dry. Lift wing tips up and over back; tuck under turkey. Tie legs together with kitchen string. Place garlic, sage, thyme, parsley, onion, and broth in the bottom of a roasting pan. Place roasting rack in pan. Arrange turkey, breast side down, on roasting rack. Brush turkey back with 1 tablespoon butter; sprinkle with 1/2 teaspoon pepper and 1/4 teaspoon salt. Bake at 500º for 30 minutes.

Reduce oven temperature to 350º.

Remove turkey from oven. Carefully turn turkey over (breast side up) using tongs. Brush turkey breast with 1 tablespoon butter; sprinkle with 1/2 teaspoon pepper and 1/4 teaspoon salt. Bake at 350º for 1 hour and 15 minutes or until a thermometer inserted into meaty part of thigh registers 170º (make sure not to touch bone). (Shield the turkey with foil if it browns too quickly.)

Remove turkey from oven; let stand 20 minutes. Reserve pan drippings for Savory Herb Gravy. Discard skin before serving; serve with gravy.

**This is the first holiday dinner in Tennessee, so I thought this dish would be perfect was to add a little local flavor.

Whiskey-Glazed Carrots
The Pioneer Woman

2 - 3 pounds carrots, peeled and cut into thick circles
1 stick (1/2 cup…1/4 lb) butter
1/2 cup Jack Daniels or other whiskey
3/4 to 1 cup brown sugar
1/2 to 1 teaspoon salt
Freshly ground pepper

Melt 1 tablespoons butter in a large skillet over high heat. Add carrots in two batches, cooking for 60 to 90 seconds each batch. Remove from skillet.

Pour in whiskey and allow to evaporate 30 seconds. Reduce heat to medium, and add remaining butter. When butter melts, sprinkle brown sugar over the top. Stir together, then add carrots to skillet.

Cover, and continue cooking for 5 minutes. Remove lid and add salt and pepper. Continue cooking until carrots are done and glaze is thick, about 5 more minutes. Pour onto a platter and serve immediately. Sprinkle with chopped chives if desired.



Corn Bread Dressing
from a friend

**I cut the recipe in half

6 cups 1-inch cubes white bread, crusts removed (from 1 loaf Italian or country-style bread)
6 cups crumbled day-old corn bread (from 8-inch pan)
2 1/4 cups chicken broth
1 tablespoon kosher salt
1 teaspoon black pepper
1/2 cup (1 stick) unsalted butter
1 cup fresh flat-leaf parsley leaves, chopped, plus additional for garnish
4 celery stalks, chopped
1 large yellow onion, chopped
2 large cloves garlic
3 Granny Smith apples, peeled, cored, and diced (about 4 cups)
1 teaspoon freshly grated nutmeg
1 teaspoon ground mace (optional) I omitted
3 eggs, beaten

Heat oven to 350° F. Spread the bread cubes on a baking sheet. Bake for 8 minutes; let cool.

In a large bowl, combine the bread cubes, corn bread, and enough broth (at least 2 cups) to make a fairly mushy mixture. Season with the salt and pepper. Melt the butter in a saucepan over medium heat. Add the parsley, celery, onion, and garlic. Cook until softened, about 10 minutes. Add the onion mixture to the bread mixture, along with the apples, nutmeg, and mace (if using); let cool.
Add the eggs and gently combine. Spread the dressing in an unbuttered 9-by-13-inch baking dish.

Bake until golden brown and warmed through, about 1 hour. If you want a crispy topping, leave uncovered; otherwise cover with foil halfway through cooking. Sprinkle with additional parsley before serving, if desired.

I forgot to take a picture of the cranberry sauce or mashed potatoes separately, so here they are on the dinner plate.

Cranberry Sauce with Apple Cider
Cooking Light

1 cup sugar
1 cup apple cider or apple juice
1 (12-ounce) package fresh cranberries

Combine all ingredients in a medium saucepan; bring to a boil over medium-high heat. Reduce heat; simmer 10 minutes or until cranberries pop, stirring occasionally. Chill.

Roasted Garlic Mashed Potatoes

1 head of garlic
2.5-3 lbs potatoes, peeled and cut into 2 inch piece
1/4 freshly chopped parsley
salt and pepper to taste
1/2 cup half & half
2 tbsp butter

Heat oven to 350, slice the top of the garlic head, drizzle with a tablespoon of olive oil and a dash of salt and pepper. Wrap in foil and bake for 45 minutes. When cooled, squeeze garlic out of the skins and mash with a fork, set aside.

Boil potatoes and cook till tender for about 15 minutes. Drain and add to a large bowl.

Meanwhile, heat butter and half and half in a small saucepan over low heat, but don't let it boil. Add mixture to potatoes, along with salt, pepper, roasted garlic paste and parsley and beat with a mixer till smooth and creamy.

Thyme Roasted Sweet Potatoes


**I made the sweet potatoes again to eat with leftovers - the first time for the dinner I baked them at 35 for an hour in the middle rack, resulting in softer potatoes as in the picture in with all the food. The next time I made them, I used the recipe below. Both were wonderful!

3 large sweet potatoes, peeled and diced
1/2 tsp each of salt and pepper
3 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
1/2 tsp dried thyme
1/2 tsp garlic powder

Heat oven to 350 degrees. Spray a baking dish with extra virgin olive oil cooking spray. Add potatoes.

In a small bowl, mix together garlic powder, thyme, salt and pepper and pour onto potatoes and toss to coat.

Bake on the middle rack for about 50 minutes, carefully turning a couple of times to cook thoroughly.

Remove potatoes from oven, increase heat to 450-500 degrees, put the rack in the top part of the oven and return potatoes to bake for another 5-10 minutes until the crisp.

Pot Pie - The Ultimate Comfort Food

The weather is finally chilly here and I was craving chicken pot pie for a while now. The only kind there has ever been around my house says Swanson's on the box. I found a recipe that uses puff pastry instead of pastry dough. I was not feeling adventurous enough to attempt dough from scratch, and since I had never worked with puff pastry, I was excited to try it.

The original recipe makes individual sized pot pies, however, I was unable to find my small dishes, so I used one 1 1/2 qt oval casserole dish, which worked just fine by using 1 whole sheet of puff pastry. I maybe have been too liberal with the egg wash, as the top browned a little too much. However, the dish was wonderful - the crust was flaky and tasted amazing dipped into the hearty chicken & veggie filling.

Individual Chicken Pot Pie

adapted from Williams Sonoma

Ingredients:

8 Tbs. (1 stick) unsalted butter, cut into 1/2-inch cubes
1/2 cup all-purpose flour
4 cups chicken stock I used broth
1/2 tsp. chopped fresh thyme I used dried
1 bay leaf
1/2 cup chopped yellow onions
1/2 cup chopped celery
1/2 cup peeled and chopped carrots
1/2 cup chopped white button mushrooms
1/2 cup chopped red-skinned potatoes I used russet potatoes
1 cup chopped cooked chicken
1/2 cup cooked fresh or frozen peas
Salt and freshly ground pepper, to taste
Four 6-inch squares frozen puff pastry I kept the sheet whole
1 egg, beaten with 1 tsp. water

Directions:

Preheat an oven to 400ºF. In a large saucepan over medium heat, melt the butter. Add the flour and cook, stirring constantly, until the mixture smells fragrant and nutty, 1 to 2 minutes.

Slowly add the stock, whisking until smooth, and bring to a boil. Add the thyme, bay leaf, onions, celery, carrots and mushrooms and cook until the vegetables are tender, about 5 minutes.

Add the potatoes, chicken, peas, salt and pepper and cook until the potatoes are tender, about 5 minutes. Remove from the heat and let cool for 5 minutes. Remove the bay leaf and discard.

Divide the filling among 4 ovenproof bowls and place on a baking sheet. Brush the puff pastry squares with the egg mixture. Brush the rims of the bowls with water.

Place 1 pastry square on top of each bowl, pressing lightly on the edges. Bake until the pastry is puffed and golden brown, about 20 minutes. Let rest for 5 minutes before serving. Serves 4.

Yogurt For Dinner???

You bet ya! I love chicken kebabs, so I was excited to try a recipe from my new summer cookbook that I received in the summer exchange swap . The marinade of yogurt, garlic and lemon was so good, I reserved some and drizzled it over the cooked chicken and veggies. I made a couple of slight changes to give it more of a Greek feel and served it gyro style in some grilled whole wheat Greek style pitas. I love good food that's actually for that's good for you!

Chicken and Lemon Skewers

adapted from Easy Summer Food - Simple Recipes for Sunny Days

1 lb boneless skinless chicken breasts
1 cup plain fat free yogurt
2 garlic cloves, crushed I used 4, I LOVE garlic
2 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
grated zest and freshly squeezed juice of 1 lemon
1-2 tsp ground chiles I omitted

1 tbsp chopped fresh cilantro I omitted and added 1/2 tbsp dried oregano

sea salt and freshly ground black pepper

12 bamboo skewers, soaked in water for 30 minutes

I added some pieces of green pepper and onion, and red cherry and quartered yellow tomatoes

Cut the chicken lengthwise into 1/8 strips and put in a shallow ceramic dish.

Put all the marinade ingredients in a bowl, stir well, and pour over chicken. Turn to coat, cover and let marinate in the fridge over night. (I only marinated for about 5 hours, nest time I will over night, and I reserved some to drizzled over the cooked food)

The next day, thread the chicken onto the soaked skewers, zig-zagging the meat back and forth as you go.

Cook on a preheated outdoor grill or under a hot broiler for 3 to 4 minutes on each side until lightly charred and tender. I also grilled the vegetables at the same time. Let cool slightly before serving.

Where's The Beef?

When I told Jamie we were having burgers for dinner, he assumed it would be our usual - beef. When I mentioned it would be turkey burgers, he was quite skeptical - I have never made them, and only recently did I use ground turkey for the first time. We had some pre-packaged turkey burgers once, and hated the taste and texture. But I thought I'd give it a whirl, along with trying a new side with burgers instead of potatoes.

We LOVED the burgers - I just threw some ingredients that I had on hand and that I thought would work well together, as well as with a fellow Nestie's recipe for Corn & Black Bean Salad. It was a wonderful, refreshing dinner for an almost 100 degree day.

Southwest Gobble-Gobble Burgers

ground turkey (I used just over half of a 1 lb package, reserved the rest for taco salad, browned and used the same seasonings)
2 garlic cloves, minced
1/4 cup shredded Monterrey Jack cheese, plus two slices for topping (if using)
salt and pepper to taste
1/3 cup finely sliced green onions
1/2 tsp cumin
3 tbsp freshly chopped cilantro
1 tsp Mrs. Dash Southwest Chipotle seasoning
2 tsp lime juice
1/2 tsp extra virgin olive oil
sliced tomato
sliced red onion

The burgers were so moist and had so much flavor, I didn't want to overpower them with too many condiments. But I did mix a 1/4 cup of light mayo, 1/4 tsp of Mrs. Dash Southwest Chipotle seasoning and 1 tbsp of thinly sliced green onion, and spread it on the bun. Or a lower fat option is some fat-free ranch dressing, salsa or sour cream and salsa.

Combine all ingredients in a bowl. Form into two equal sized patties, pressing down slightly in the center. Grill on medium high heat for about 5-6 minutes per side. Just before removing, melt some Monterrey cheddar on top & toast the buns, and add toppings.

Corn and Black Bean Salad with Lime Cilantro Vinaigrette
Good Things Catered

(I halved the recipe)
Ingredients:
1 c. steamed or grilled sweet corn (I grilled it, I think it ads great flavor)
1 can black beans, drained and rinsed
1 large green pepper, diced
1 large red pepper, diced
1/2 large red onion, diced
1 small jalapeno, minced seeds discarded if you don't want to kill your mouth) (I used a couple of teaspoons from a can)
1 medium heirloom tomato, diced
1/4 c. olive oil
1/2 c. fresh cilantro, finely chopped
1 Tbsp cider vinegar
juice of 2 limes
1 garlic clove, minced or pressed
lime zest from 1/2 lime
1/2 tsp smoked paprika
1/2 tsp fresh ground black pepper
1/4 tsp garlic salt
1/4 tsp chili powder

Directions:
-In large bowl combine corn, black beans, peppers, onion, jalapeno, and tomato

-In heavy bottomed bowl, combine cilantro, vinegar, limes, garlic, zest, and spices.

-With large whisk, whisk quickly as you slowly drizzle in olive oil to emulsify.

-Add dressing to salad, toss, and serve. (I served with some tortilla chips)

Good Things Come in Foil Packages

This has to be one of my favorite summertime meals - potatoes & corn on the cob in foil, and burgers on the grill. It's so easy, quick, and just sooooo yummy! I make some variation of this just about every week. I love adding different things to the potatoes - garlic, onion, mushrooms, butter, fresh herbs......I'll stop right there - enjoy!


Wrapped & Grilled Herbed Baby Reds

8 baby red potatoes, washed and cut into 1/4-1/2 inch slices
1 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
1/8 tsp pepper
1/4 tsp garlic salt
1/2 tbsp coarsely chopped fresh parsley

In a bowl, toss potatoes with above ingredients, except for parsley. Spray a sheet of tin foil with extra virgin olive oil or butter cooking spray. Spread out the potatoes into a thin layers (maybe two or three potatoes thick). Add additional seasonings if desired. Fold over the tin foil, press all edges and deal into a neat little packages.

Grill over medium heat, carefully flipping over once. Cook for about 15-20 minutes. (the thicker the potatoes, the longer it needs to cook) Remove from grill, and add freshly chopped herbs.

Herbed Grilled Corn

I didn't take a picture of it, but it looks just like the other grilled corn pics in my blog ;)

2 ears of corn, husks & silk removed
2 tbsp Smart Balance 50/50 blend, softened (or butter, or whatever you like!)
1/8 tsp pepper
1/4 tsp garlic powder
1/8 tsp sea salt
1/4 tsp dried Italian herbs
a few sprigs of freshly finely chopped parsley

Spray a piece of tin foil (not too big, just enough to wrap around the corn) with non-stick olive oil or butter flavored spray. Spread butter mixture on corn, and wrap in foil. Grill over medium heat for 20 minutes, turning often to cook evenly. Remove from grill, and sprinkle some fresh parsley over corn.

Double Cheddar Burgers

1 LB ground sirloin
2 tsp Worcestershire sauce
salt & pepper to taste
2 tbsp finely chopped or grated onion
1 tbsp BBQ sauce (I like Sweet Baby Ray's)
1/4-1/3 cup shredded Monterrey Cheddar Jack cheese
2 cloves garlic, minced
slices of Sharp cheddar cheese
lettuce, tomato, red onion, or desired toppings

In a bowl, mix all ingredients through the garlic. Form into 3 or 4 burgers, pressing down slightly in the middle. Grill on med-high heat for 16-18 minutes or until cooked as desired, flipping halfway through, add the cheddar slices in the last couple of minutes of cooking.

I usually toast the buns when I put the cheese on the burgers. Finish off with desired toppings/condiments.

Southwestern Grillin'

My blog entries may be a little back and forth since I have some catching up to do. But I actually made this last night, and as Rachael Ray would say - YUM-O! It is pretty hot again, so I didn't feel like cooking in the kitchen. Grilling burgers and corn sounded great - and they were - one of my favorite burgers that I've made. It included my new favorite ingredient - Mrs.Dash Southwest Chipotle seasoning (and it's salt free). I served it with a great big baby spinach & romaine salad. I did forget one thing - I was going to add some turkey bacon on top, or cooked and crumbled in with the beef mixture, I might try again tonight!

Sizzling Southwest Chipotle Cheeseburgers

*I estimated the amounts of BBQ sauce & seasoning

1lb ground sirloin (or whatever meat you prefer)

1/4 cup finely chopped yellow onion (or grated)

1 clove garlic, minced

a dash of salt and pepper (if desired)

2 teaspoons of Mrs. Dash Southwest Chipotle Seasoning Blend (more if desired)

2 tbsp BBQ sauce (I used Stubs Smoky Mesquite, but Sweet Baby Rays Honey Chipotle or a honey BBQ sauce would be great too)

2 tbsp shredded Monterrey jack cheese
sliced red onion
sliced cheddar Monterrey Jack cheese
Extra BBQ sauce for topping

Mix together just till ingredients are combined (beef through shredded cheese & don't over mix!) Form into 4 patties, pressing down slightly in the center. Grill till desired, maybe 7 minutes each side for well done. A couple of minutes before burgers are done, put more cheese on top if desired, and toast the buns. Grilling the onion would also be good too! I topped with some extra BBQ sauce.

Southwest Chipotle and Lime Grilled Corn
*I estimated the following amounts

2 ears of corn, husked
1 tbsp Smart Balance or butter, softened
2 tsp extra virgin olive oil
sprinkle of garlic salt & pepper
1 tsp cumin
1 tsp of Mrs.Dash Southwest Chipotle Seasoning
squeeze of lime juice

Mix all ingredients and spread on corn. Wrap in foil and grill for about 15-20 minutes, turning often. Remove from foil and squeeze some more lime juice, sprinkle on extra seasonings if desired.