Thank you gift

 Hello and happy Tuesday!

Today I'm sharing a jar that I decorated for a friend.

She did me a favor so I wanted to give her a little thank you.

I used some ribbon that I've had a round forever.

The paper pad is called Woodland Forest from Pebbles.

I filled it with some Spiced Pecans that I made.

You can find the recipe HERE.  Just watch them carefully when baking because every oven is different.  I cooked them a couple minutes less than it said and I still had a few come out a little burnt.

World's Best Calamari!

I haven't shared a recipe in a while and after tasting this wonderful fried calamari I just HAD to share it with you!  I found the recipe here...

Beer Battered Fried Calamari Recipe

Last night I was shopping and saw the most delicious looking squid tubes in the fresh seafood department at Wegman's.  I brought them home and soaked them in milk over night. I knew I'd be alone for lunch today and thought this would be the perfect little treat!

I was right!

Homemade Pot Stickers

Hello and Happy Tuesday!

Today I decided to share a recipe I found with you.  

My daughter Makena and I just LOVE asian food.  

One of her favorites is pot stickers.  We usually buy them but decided to challenge ourselves and make them this time.  It turned out that it was a lot easier than we thought...and oh so delicious!!

We even made the sauce to go with them.

We decided to make extras since we heard that they freeze well.

Now we have them ready to go for another night!

I found the recipe HERE but I'll post it for you below.

This was a great bonding time for my 14 year old daughter and I.  I wish we had more time to cook together!

Thank you to SPOON, FORK, BACON for the wonderful recipe!

Pot Stickers
Makes 30

Ingredients:
pork filling:
12 ounces ground pork
1 baby bok choy, diced (I couldn't find this so I used a regular bok choy and diced and sauteed it first.)
6 water chestnuts, diced
2 green onions, thinly sliced
2 garlic cloves, minced
2 teaspoons minced fresh ginger
2 teaspoons soy sauce
1 teaspoon sesame oil
1 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon cracked black pepper
1 egg, lightly beaten

1 egg, lightly beaten
30 round wonton wrappers
4 tablespoons vegetable oil, divided

choganjang:
1/3 cup soy sauce
2 tablespoons rice wine vinegar
2 teaspoon sesame oil
1 1/2 teaspoons gochujaru (Korean chili powder) (I didn't have this so I just added a TBSP. of sweet chili sauce...not sure if they're in any way compatible but the end result was delicious!)
2 garlic cloves, minced
1 green onion, thinly sliced
1 teaspoon toasted sesame seeds

Directions:
1. Place all filling ingredients into a bowl and mix together until well combined. Set aside.
2. Brush perimeter of a wonton wrapper with the remaining egg and fill center with 1 heaping tablespoon of pork filling. Seal and crimp together.
3. Set dumplings aside and repeat until all wrappers have been used.
4. Heat a large, heavy bottom skillet over medium-high heat and add 2 tablespoons oil.
5. Add 5 to 6 pot stickers to pan and pan fry for 3 to 4 minutes. Flip pot stickers and continue to fry for 2 minutes.
6. Add 1 tablespoon water to the pan and cover for 1 minute or until the wonton wrappers have softened and steamed and the filling has finished cooking through.
7. Remove from heat and repeat until all pot stickers have been cooked. Serve immediately with choganjang.
8. Choganjang:Place all ingredients into a small bowl and whisk together. Serve with pot stickers.

Food Network's IKEA knock off Swedish Meatballs

This is an absolute favorite of my family.  We always have them over egg noodles as a meal.  I always make a double batch and freeze half the meatballs.  I also double the sauce when I make it so that we have enough gravy for the noodles. 

Almost-Famous Swedish Meatballs 

Recipe From Food Network Magazine

Ingredients

For the meatballs:
• 1 cup breadcrumbs
• 2 tablespoons unsalted butter
• 1/3 cup minced white onion
• 2 cloves garlic, minced
• 1/4 teaspoon ground allspice
• Kosher salt and freshly ground white pepper
• 1/2 cup milk
• 1 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce
• 3/4 pound lean ground beef
• 1/2 pound lean ground pork
• 1 large egg plus 1 egg white, beaten
• Vegetable oil, for brushing

For the gravy:
• 2 tablespoons unsalted butter
• 2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
• 1 1/2 cups low-sodium beef broth
• 1 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce
• 1/4 cup heavy cream
• Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
• 2 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley (optional)
• Egg noodles for serving (optional)

Directions 

Make the meatballs: Put the breadcrumbs in a large bowl. Heat the butter in a skillet over medium heat. Add the onion, garlic, allspice, 2 teaspoons salt and 1/4 teaspoon white pepper and cook, stirring, until soft, about 5 minutes. Add the milk and Worcestershire sauce and bring to a simmer. Pour the milk mixture over the breadcrumbs and stir to make a thick paste; let cool. Add the beef, pork, egg and egg white to the bowl and mix until combined. Brush a baking sheet with vegetable oil. Roll the meat into 1-inch balls and arrange on the prepared baking sheet. Cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate at least 1 hour. Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F. Bake the meatballs until cooked through, about 20 minutes.

Make the gravy: Melt the butter in a large skillet over medium heat. Add the flour and cook, whisking, until smooth. Whisk in the beef broth and Worcestershire sauce and bring to a simmer. Add the cream and meatballs. Reduce the heat to medium low and simmer until the gravy thickens, about 10 minutes. Season with salt and black pepper. Transfer to a serving dish; sprinkle with the parsley and serve with egg noodles if desired. 

 

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Manhattan Clam Chowder

This was our delicious dinner on Saturday. 

Manhattan Clam Chowder

adapted from THIS recipe (photo credit is theirs as well)

Ingredients:

• 4 thick-cut bacon slices, cut into 1/2-inch dice
• 3 cups water
• 3 celery stalks, cut into slices 1/2 inch thick
• One large onion, diced
• 3 carrots, sliced
• 2 potatoes, peeled and cut into 1/2-inch dice
• 3 garlic cloves, minced
• 1 can (28 oz.) diced tomatoes with juices
• 1 can (14 0z.) petite diced tomatoes 
• 3 cans (each 6 1/2 oz.) minced clams, juices drained and reserved
• Salt and freshly ground pepper, to taste
• 2 tsp. fresh lemon juice
• ½ tsp cayenne pepper
• 1 tsp thyme
• 1 bay leaf
• 2 Tbs. finely chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley
• Chowder crackers for serving (optional)

Directions:
In a soup pot over medium-high heat, sauté the bacon until browned but not crisp, about 3 minutes. Add the leeks, onion, carrots, celery and potatoes and cook, stirring occasionally, until the vegetables are softened. Add the garlic, thyme, cayenne and bay leaf and sauté for 1 minute more. Add the tomatoes with their juices, 3 cups water and the reserved clam juices, increase the heat to high and bring to a boil. Reduce the heat to medium-low and simmer, covered, until the potatoes are tender when pierced with a fork, about 15 minutes. Remove from the heat. Remove bay leaf.

Using a handheld or stand blender, coarsely puree the soup, leaving some texture. Add the clams, season with salt and pepper, and add the lemon juice. Return the soup to medium-low heat and cook gently until the clams are heated through, about 3 minutes. Taste and adjust the seasonings. Add the parsley and stir to combine.


 

Merry Christmas 2012!

Today I thought I'd share a few holiday things that we've made and one very cool tree we saw at a local museum! 

Makena made these acorn cookies with Hershey Kisses, Chocolate Chips and Nutter Butter minis!

So yummy!

I made these Santa Hat Brownies for my class.  They LOVED them!!

So easy!  Store bought brownies, strawberries and some spray can frosting.

Okay!  Who doesn't love Sesame Street's Big Bird!

Merry Christmas everyone!!

 

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Perfect (and pretty) hard boiled and deviled eggs every time!

This is a delicious recipe and the tip is how you cook the eggs and the cold water afterwards.

This way you avoid those unsightly greenish tinted ones.  Look how pretty the bright yellow yolks are!

Ingredients:
12 hard cooked eggs, peeled, halved lengthwise
2 tsp. prepared horseradish
1/4 tsp. coarse salt
1/4 teaspoon dry mustard
1 tablespoon pickle juice 
1/2 tsp. hot sauce
1/4 cup plus 2 tablespoons mayonnaise
paprika
Chives (optional)

Instructions:
Place eggs in a single layer and cover with cold water a good inch or so above the eggs. 
Bring to a boil.  As soon as the eggs boil remove from heat and cover pot.  Let sit for
10 minutes.  Immediately remove the eggs and place in a waiting bowl of ice water. 
Peel eggs after they cool completely.  Remove yolks from the eggs; transfer to a medium
bowl. Mash yolks with a fork.

Stir in horseradish, salt and dry mustard. Stir in pickle juice and hot sauce.
Stir in mayonnaise by the tablespoon, stopping when you reach a stiff but
pliable consistency. (Do not add all at once.) Sprinkle tops with paprika
and chives. Refrigerate at least two hours.

See how pretty!  And, most importantly...DELICIOUS!!

 

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Crock Pot Buffalo Chicken

Can you tell my family likes "Buffalo" flavored things?

I found this recipe here and my family and the friends 

they had over all loved it!

        Crock Pot Buffalo Chicken

• 3 lb. bag of frozen chicken breasts
• 1 bottle Frank's Wings Buffalo Sauce
• 1 packet Ranch Dip Mix
• 2 TBSP butter

1. Put frozen chicken, wing sauce, and ranch dip mix into crock pot.
2. Cook on low at least 6 to 7 hours
3. Using two forks, shred chicken & return to crock pot.
4. Add butter.
5. Cook on low for an additional hour.
    

This is such a super easy supper.  Toss it in before work and it only requires 

a little more work once you get home.

I served it with these delicious Salt & Vinegar Potatoes.

If you love buffalo flavored dishes just click the label "Buffalo" 

at the bottom of this post to see a couple other tried and true

recipes I have.

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Buffalo Chicken Soup

Hope everyone out there had a great Easter!

As I've mentioned before, my kids love hot and spicy

things and anything with Frank's hot sauce in it.

Last week they requested Buffalo Chicken Soup.

This recipe was adapted from my friend Stacy.  I eliminated

the milk and used broth as well as adding lots of veggies.

This has become a family favorite!

 Buffalo Chicken Soup

• 6 c. chicken broth
• 2 cans cream of chicken soup (I use the 99% fat free kind)
• 1 can Campbell's Fiesta Nacho soup
• 3 c. cooked chicken, diced
• 1 c. sour cream (I used fat free)
• 2 c. carrots, diced
• 1 c. celery, diced
• 2 c. onions, diced
• 1/4 c. hot sauce (add more to taste, we always use Franks)

Combine all ingredients in a sauce pan and simmer for 30-40 min. 

This can also be made in the crock-pot.  Cook on low 4-5 hours.

We finish with a little dollop of sour cream or crumbled 

blue cheese and some diced scallions.

Serve with celery and blue cheese.

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Unbelievable BLT dip!

This dip is so amazing!

And...it's healthy because it has tomatoes

in it right?  Okay, NOT so much but it's 

fantastic for a treat once in a while!

I found the recipe here.

Recipe:

1 pound bacon, cooked

1 cup mayonnaise

1 cup sour cream

8 ounces cream cheese, softened

1 1/2 cups cheddar cheese

1 tomato, seeded and chopped

1/4 cup chopped green onions

Additional green onions, cooked bacon, tomato, and lettuce for garnish, if desired

• 1 Preheat oven to 350°F degrees.
• 2 Mix mayonnaise, sour cream, and cream cheese in a bowl until thoroughly combined. Crumble bacon into mixture and stir. Add cheddar cheese, green onions, and tomato and mix well. Pour into a shallow dish or pie pan and bake for 20 minutes or until bubbling. Garnish with additional green onions, tomato, and crumbled bacon. Serve with corn chips or Triscuits.

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The Barefoot Contessa's Barbecue Sauce

This is the best BBQ sauce EVER!

I made the mistake of making it once and now 

it's all my family wants.  No more sauce from a jar

for them!  The good news is that it makes a large batch.

I usually get 3 different meals with it.  This time I did Slow Roasted

Country Style Spare Ribs.  I usually do a pulled pork in the crock pot

and then maybe a BBQ Chicken or a pork tenderloin.  I freeze the sauce

for the other two meals in tupperware until I'm ready to make those.

It has a lot of ingredients but it's worth it!

Recipe:

• 1 1/2 cups chopped onion
• 3 cloves minced garlic
• 1/2 cup veg. or canola oil
• 12 oz. tomato paste
• 1 cup (16 oz.) honey
• 1 cup cider vinegar
• 1/2 cup Worcestershire sauce
• 1 cup dijon mustard
• 1/2 cup soy sauce
• 1 cup hoisin sauce 
• 2TBSP chili powder
• 1 TBSP ground cumin
• 1/2 TBSP crushed red pepper flakes

Directions:

• Saute onions and garlic in oil until translucent but not browned
• Add all other ingredients
• Simmer uncovered on low for 30 min.

• Enjoy!  You'll be eating spoonfuls of it straight from the pot!

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Salt & Vinegar roasted potatoes

If you love salt & vinegar chips like my family and 

I do then this is the recipe for you!

These were SO GOOD!

I originally found the recipe HERE.

Salt and Vinegar Broiled Fingerling Potatoes

Ingredients
1 pound fingerling potatoes, sliced lengthwise to 1/4-inch thickness (I tried to go even thinner.  They get crisper that way)
2 cups white vinegar
Extra virgin olive oil
Kosher Salt
Pepper
Method
1. In a small pot, combine the potato slices and vinegar. Bring to a boil, then lower the heat and simmer until
fork-tender, about 8 minutes. Let cool in liquid for 30 minutes. Then drain well and pat potatoes dry with paper towels.

2.  Preheat the broiler with a rack about 6 inches below the heat source. Dump the potato slices onto a sheet pan, sprinkle very generously with olive oil, salt and pepper, and toss to coat. Arrange the potato slices in a single layer.

3. Broil until lightly browned on top, about 7 minutes. Then flip the slices and broil until the underside is lightly browned, about 5 minutes more. Serve warm.

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This pork tenderloin is what I made the other night to go

with the zucchini boats.  Both were great.  My only complaint

is that the vinegar is quite strong in this recipe.  When I make

it again I'll cut back on that.  We did enjoy it very much though. 

Mustard-Maple Pork Tenderloin

   I got the recipe from Living Well.

Ingredients

• 3 tablespoons Dijon mustard, divided
• 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
• 1/2 teaspoon freshly ground pepper
• 1 pound pork tenderloin, trimmed
• 2 teaspoons canola oil
• 1/4 cup cider vinegar
• 2 tablespoons maple syrup
• 1 1/2 teaspoons chopped fresh sage

Preparation

1. Preheat oven to 425°F.
2. Combine 1 tablespoon mustard, salt and pepper in a small bowl; rub all over pork.
   Heat oil in a large ovenproof skillet over medium-high heat. Add pork and brown
   on all sides, 3 to 5 minutes. Transfer the pan to the oven and roast until an instant-read
   thermometer inserted in the center registers 145°F, about 15 minutes. Transfer to a
   cutting board and let rest for 5 minutes.
3. Place the skillet over medium-high heat (take care, the handle will still be hot), add
   vinegar, and boil, scraping up any browned bits with a wooden spoon, about 30 seconds.
   Whisk in maple syrup and the remaining 2 tablespoons mustard; bring to a boil, reduce
   heat to a simmer and cook until the sauce is thickened, about 5 minutes.
4. Slice the pork. Add any accumulated juices to the sauce along with sage. Serve the pork
   topped with the sauce.

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Zucchini boats YUM!

I made these last night and they were so delicious!

I did change the recipe just a bit from the original.

I omitted the curry and added a 1/4 cup of mozz.

cheese.  I used grated Parmesan on the top.

Here's the original recipe I got from Kayotic Kitchen.

Ingredients:
1 tbsp sour cream
1/4 to 1/2 tsp salt
1/4 tsp curry powder (I omitted)
1/2 tomato
1 tsp thyme
2 zucchinis
1 onion
cheese (I used Parm. to top it and 1/4 mozz. mixed in with the veggies.)
pepper
Optional:2 slices bacon, cooked and crumbled

Directions:Preheat your oven to 400 (200C).
Give the zucchini a good scrub.
Slice them in half length-ways. You can trim the ends if you like.
Spoon out the guts.
Now give the zucchini pulp a good chop, also chop a small onion and
1/2 a tomato while you’re at it.
When the onions are almost done, add 1/4 tsp curry powder and cook
everything for an additional 30 seconds. No longer or the curry powder
will turn bitter. When they’re done, transfer them to a big bowl.
Cook, drain and chop bacon.
Now (in no particular order), add 1 tsp dried thyme, 1/4 to 1/2 tsp salt,
1 heaping tbsp sour cream, a good pinch of pepper, the zucchini pulp,
the tomato and crumble the bacon in as well.
Lightly butter a baking dish and put the zucchini boats in.
Grab a spoon and fill the shells with the mix. Sprinkle some aged cheese on top.
Put them in a preheated oven, give them about 20 minutes and then turn on the
grill until the top is golden brown. Sprinkle some coarsely chopped curly leaf
parsley on top and you’re done.

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Lemon chicken over capellini

Recently Makena wanted to cook dinner.

I went through my recipes and came across this lemon chicken. She also wanted to serve it over capellini (all her idea!) and it was so good! It turned out delicious!

Ingredients

• 4 boneless, skinless chicken breasts, (1-1 1/4 pounds)
• Salt & pepper, to taste
• 3 teaspoons extra-virgin olive oil, divided
• 1/2 cup chopped onion
• 3 cloves garlic, minced
• 2 cups reduced-sodium chicken broth
• 1 TBSP flour
• 2 TBSP chopped fresh parsley
•  juice of one whole lemon
• garnish with  diced scallion and grated Parmesan
  
  Preparation

1. Season chicken breasts on both sides with salt and pepper. Heat 1 1/2 teaspoons
   oil in a large heavy skillet over medium-high heat. Add the chicken and sear
   until well browned on both sides, about 3 minutes per side. Remove chicken
   and keep warm.
2. Reduce heat to medium. Add the remaining 1 1/2 teaspoons oil to the pan.
   add onion and garlic and cook, stirring, for 1 minute. Whisk broth, flour,
   1 TBSP parsley and lemon juice together in a small bowl and add to pan. Cook,
   stirring, until slightly thickened, about 3 minutes.
3. Return the chicken and any accumulated juices to the pan; reduce heat to
   low and simmer until the chicken is cooked through, about 4 minutes.
   Season sauce with salt and pepper and spoon
   over the chicken.

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