Yeah, I'm no artist when it comes to frosting, but I though this was pretty cute. I know a few little kids who are going to love them!
Happy memorial day!
Saturday, May 28, 2011
Memorial Day Cupcakes
So I didn't make these from scratch as I had some boxed cupcake mix sitting around leftover from an event I hosted. But I had fun decorating cupcakes in true patriotic fashion.
Thursday, May 26, 2011
Steak Fajitas
My new husband and I discovered this marinade when we were dating. The first time we made it, my husband took one bite, cut off another slice, ran into my roommate's room and demanded she try it! It truly is delicious and we've enjoyed it with pretty much every cut of beef with variations in the main marinade.
I play with the spices, adding chipotle chili powder to add a kick, or I change the lime juice to lemon or even orange juice. For a sweeter taste balsamic vinegar can be used in place of the white vinegar.
The vinegar and lime juice tenderize the meat, so it makes even the toughest cuts turn out tender.
Carnitas Steak Marinade
Ingredients:
1/3 cup white vinegar
I play with the spices, adding chipotle chili powder to add a kick, or I change the lime juice to lemon or even orange juice. For a sweeter taste balsamic vinegar can be used in place of the white vinegar.
The vinegar and lime juice tenderize the meat, so it makes even the toughest cuts turn out tender.
Carnitas Steak Marinade
Ingredients:
1/3 cup white vinegar
Monday, May 23, 2011
Raspberry Cake
Growing up we would spend our summers following the fresh fruit harvests. I remember going with my mother and younger siblings to pick fresh raspberries, blueberries, peaches, apples, and strawberries from local farms. Blackberries we picked from our own backyard. One summer, my father used a machete to make a maze in the blackberry bushes in our backyard. My brother and I would wander through, playing games with each other and picking berries.
We would use all of this fresh produce for canning, preserves, jams, and freezing, but we also ate it fresh with milk and a little sugar. My mother also made an amazing cake with fresh berries.
This cake can be made with blackberries, raspberries, marionberries, and even huckleberries (though I would increase the sugar a little!). I love it best with raspberries. Fresh or frozen berries can be used, and the other ingredients are typical to most any kitchen.
Raspberry Cake
Ingredients:
1/2 cup butter, cut in chunks
1 cup flour
1 cup + 1 Tbs. sugar
1 tsp baking powder
2 large eggs
1 cup berries
1 Tbs. powdered sugar
1. Grease a 9 inch cake pan and preheat oven to 350 degrees
2. Combine sugar and butter with a mixer about 3 minutes until well blended
3. Add 1 cup flour, baking powder, and eggs.
4. Scrape the mixture in a cake pan, smooth top.
5. Scatter berried over the top, sprinkle with 1 Tbs Sugar
6. Bake on center rack at 350 degrees for 55-60 minutes until golden
7. Let cool and dust with powdered sugar to serve!
Enjoy!
We would use all of this fresh produce for canning, preserves, jams, and freezing, but we also ate it fresh with milk and a little sugar. My mother also made an amazing cake with fresh berries.
This cake can be made with blackberries, raspberries, marionberries, and even huckleberries (though I would increase the sugar a little!). I love it best with raspberries. Fresh or frozen berries can be used, and the other ingredients are typical to most any kitchen.
Raspberry Cake
Ingredients:
1/2 cup butter, cut in chunks
1 cup flour
1 cup + 1 Tbs. sugar
1 tsp baking powder
2 large eggs
1 cup berries
1 Tbs. powdered sugar
1. Grease a 9 inch cake pan and preheat oven to 350 degrees
2. Combine sugar and butter with a mixer about 3 minutes until well blended
3. Add 1 cup flour, baking powder, and eggs.
4. Scrape the mixture in a cake pan, smooth top.
5. Scatter berried over the top, sprinkle with 1 Tbs Sugar
6. Bake on center rack at 350 degrees for 55-60 minutes until golden
7. Let cool and dust with powdered sugar to serve!
Enjoy!
Saturday, May 21, 2011
Salmon
Tomorrow night I am making salmon. There are a few ways I love my salmon and I can't decide which I will pick.
My mom picked up one recipe in Alaska that involves coating the salmon in chunks of butter and brown sugar, and barbecuing it on a cedar plank. I do just that, but instead of a cedar plank and barbecue, I just wrap the fish in foil and broil it in the oven.
Another way I love to cook salmon is with a savory, lemony seasoning. I rinse the fillet, pat dry, drizzle with olive oil and sprinkle with lemon pepper. Then I broil until the flesh pulls apart easily with a fork. I love it this way. Instead of lemon pepper, seasoning salt or seafood seasoning can be used, or even Cajun seasoning for a little spice! I always keep some extra lemon wedges on hand when I serve it.
Tomorrow night I think I will be trying salmon with seafood seasoning, fresh herbs, and lemon rounds, wrapped in foil and broiled in the oven. Alongside we will have steamed broccoli and mashed potatoes, maybe rice if my husband asks (he loves rice).
Yum! Have a blessed Sunday!
P.S. Aren't you all glad we weren't raptured? The Bible says, no one will know the day or the hour! But I am happy to know that when the rapture does occur, I will be in heaven with my creator singing his praises!
My mom picked up one recipe in Alaska that involves coating the salmon in chunks of butter and brown sugar, and barbecuing it on a cedar plank. I do just that, but instead of a cedar plank and barbecue, I just wrap the fish in foil and broil it in the oven.
Another way I love to cook salmon is with a savory, lemony seasoning. I rinse the fillet, pat dry, drizzle with olive oil and sprinkle with lemon pepper. Then I broil until the flesh pulls apart easily with a fork. I love it this way. Instead of lemon pepper, seasoning salt or seafood seasoning can be used, or even Cajun seasoning for a little spice! I always keep some extra lemon wedges on hand when I serve it.
Tomorrow night I think I will be trying salmon with seafood seasoning, fresh herbs, and lemon rounds, wrapped in foil and broiled in the oven. Alongside we will have steamed broccoli and mashed potatoes, maybe rice if my husband asks (he loves rice). Yum! Have a blessed Sunday!
P.S. Aren't you all glad we weren't raptured? The Bible says, no one will know the day or the hour! But I am happy to know that when the rapture does occur, I will be in heaven with my creator singing his praises!
Friday, May 20, 2011
Potage Crecy
Tonight's dinner is homemade spaghetti, but as it was from a friend's secret recipe I won't be sharing it. Instead, here is another of my favorite dishes.
I know a little boy who loves a book called Carrot Soup by John Segal. It is about a rabbit, who goes to his garden to pick carrots to make his favorite dish, carrot soup, and when he arrives there all of his carrots are gone. He searches and searches, asking all of his friends, who claim never to have seen them. He wanders through the story, distraught, while all of his friends sneakily turn his carrots into his favorite soup. This child loves to giggle at the antics of rabbits sneaky friends and celebrates when rabbit's friends present him with his favorite dish.
In my final semester of college I presented an idea for a French Restaurant to my French class. I was the chef. I presented 4 dishes, among which was this carrot soup. This soup is warm and filling, comforting and thick, and very healthy. The butter can be left out to avoid fat, but I think it adds wonderful texture.
Carrot Soup
Ingredients:
6 carrots
2 potatoes
1 onion
salt
pepper
1 Tb. butter
1. Peel and chop carrots and potatoes. Chop onion. Put into stock pot and cover with vegetable broth. Bring to a boil and simmer for 2 hours.
2. Puree mixture, butter, stirring as it melts, and add salt and pepper to taste. Garnish with parsley.
This dish is good with crusty French bread, homemade croissants, or crackers.
Enjoy!
I know a little boy who loves a book called Carrot Soup by John Segal. It is about a rabbit, who goes to his garden to pick carrots to make his favorite dish, carrot soup, and when he arrives there all of his carrots are gone. He searches and searches, asking all of his friends, who claim never to have seen them. He wanders through the story, distraught, while all of his friends sneakily turn his carrots into his favorite soup. This child loves to giggle at the antics of rabbits sneaky friends and celebrates when rabbit's friends present him with his favorite dish.
In my final semester of college I presented an idea for a French Restaurant to my French class. I was the chef. I presented 4 dishes, among which was this carrot soup. This soup is warm and filling, comforting and thick, and very healthy. The butter can be left out to avoid fat, but I think it adds wonderful texture.
Carrot Soup
Ingredients:
6 carrots
2 potatoes
1 onion
salt
pepper
1 Tb. butter
1. Peel and chop carrots and potatoes. Chop onion. Put into stock pot and cover with vegetable broth. Bring to a boil and simmer for 2 hours.
2. Puree mixture, butter, stirring as it melts, and add salt and pepper to taste. Garnish with parsley.
This dish is good with crusty French bread, homemade croissants, or crackers.
Enjoy!
Thursday, May 19, 2011
The Saga of Leftovers
When my new hubby makes rice, he makes enough for a small army. We eat as much as we can but there is always some left over.
So, to make good use of this rice I make big batches of fried rice! This recipe can be adapted to anything in your fridge and freezer, and the way I make it, only has a few teaspoons of oil.
Fried Rice
Ingredients:
Cooked rice (Day old works great!)
Coriander
Soy Sauce
Sesame Oil
Vegetable or Olive oil
1 egg for every 2 cups of rice, beaten
Mix ins- cooked chicken (I cook it up with soy sauce, all spice, other Asian seasonings), frozen peas, carrots, stir fry veggies, lunch meat broken into pieces, any cooked meat you have in your fridge, onion is good!
1. Drizzle about 2 tsp oil into a large frying pan or wok. Add 1 tsp sesame oil and onion. Heat over medium heat, add any meat or frozen mix ins and cook until warm through. Add rice, breaking up and drizzling with soy sauce until it is light brown in color. Mix all ingredients well.
2. Once all ingredients are hot and rice is well mixed and broken up, add egg and stir. Make sure that egg coats the rice, but is also cooked in little chunks. Taste, add more soy sauce or coriander to taste.
Enjoy!
So, to make good use of this rice I make big batches of fried rice! This recipe can be adapted to anything in your fridge and freezer, and the way I make it, only has a few teaspoons of oil.
Fried Rice
Ingredients:
Cooked rice (Day old works great!)
Coriander
Soy Sauce
Sesame Oil
Vegetable or Olive oil
1 egg for every 2 cups of rice, beaten
Mix ins- cooked chicken (I cook it up with soy sauce, all spice, other Asian seasonings), frozen peas, carrots, stir fry veggies, lunch meat broken into pieces, any cooked meat you have in your fridge, onion is good!
1. Drizzle about 2 tsp oil into a large frying pan or wok. Add 1 tsp sesame oil and onion. Heat over medium heat, add any meat or frozen mix ins and cook until warm through. Add rice, breaking up and drizzling with soy sauce until it is light brown in color. Mix all ingredients well.
2. Once all ingredients are hot and rice is well mixed and broken up, add egg and stir. Make sure that egg coats the rice, but is also cooked in little chunks. Taste, add more soy sauce or coriander to taste.
Enjoy!
Moroccan Chicken Soup
To me this recipe is synonymous with Grandma's house. Every time we pulled up she had a pot of this simmering on the stove or a batch waiting in the fridge to be reheated for any hungry grandchildren.
I love this soup because it is full of flavor! It is warm and soothing, healthy (full of vegetables), and great to make in large batches. It freezes well and sometimes tastes even better reheated!
This soup takes a little bit of prep work, but it tastes like a gourmet dish, your friends and families will be blown away!
Moroccan Chicken Soup
Ingredients:
1 Tb paprika
3 tsp cumin
1 tsp coriander
1 lbs. chicken (I use boneless, skinless, chicken breasts)
2 Tb Olive Oil
2 onions, chopped
2 cloves garlic, minced
1/2 tsp saffron (optional)
1/4 tsp cayenne pepper
1 3 inch cinnamon stick
6 cups chicken broth
1/2 of a small butternut squash (I usually use the whole thing!), peeled and diced
1 red bell pepper, seeded and diced
1 zucchini, diced
1 carrot, grated
2 Tb lemon juice
1. Combine paprika, cumin, and coriander in a small bowl. Cut chicken into strips, toss with 1 Tb of the spice mixture. Heat 1 Tb oil in a pot on medium heat, brown chicken in the oil, then transfer to a plate. Add another tablespoon of oil, onions, and garlic. Cook 5 to 6 minutes until onions are soft and translucent, add all remaining spices, including the mixture made earlier and cook, stirring for about a minute to release flavors.
2. Add broth, squash, bell pepper, and chicken. Bring the soup to a boil, simmer for 8 minutes. Add zucchini and carrots and simmer until all vegetables are tender. Stir in lemon juice. Top with more diced zucchini and mint leaves.
Enjoy!
This dish is great fresh and reheated. It always soothes my sore throats, and is very comforting. It is good with cornbread!
I love this soup because it is full of flavor! It is warm and soothing, healthy (full of vegetables), and great to make in large batches. It freezes well and sometimes tastes even better reheated!
This soup takes a little bit of prep work, but it tastes like a gourmet dish, your friends and families will be blown away!
Moroccan Chicken Soup
Ingredients:
1 Tb paprika
3 tsp cumin
1 tsp coriander
1 lbs. chicken (I use boneless, skinless, chicken breasts)
2 Tb Olive Oil
2 onions, chopped
2 cloves garlic, minced
1/2 tsp saffron (optional)
1/4 tsp cayenne pepper
1 3 inch cinnamon stick
6 cups chicken broth
1/2 of a small butternut squash (I usually use the whole thing!), peeled and diced
1 red bell pepper, seeded and diced
1 zucchini, diced
1 carrot, grated
2 Tb lemon juice
1. Combine paprika, cumin, and coriander in a small bowl. Cut chicken into strips, toss with 1 Tb of the spice mixture. Heat 1 Tb oil in a pot on medium heat, brown chicken in the oil, then transfer to a plate. Add another tablespoon of oil, onions, and garlic. Cook 5 to 6 minutes until onions are soft and translucent, add all remaining spices, including the mixture made earlier and cook, stirring for about a minute to release flavors.
2. Add broth, squash, bell pepper, and chicken. Bring the soup to a boil, simmer for 8 minutes. Add zucchini and carrots and simmer until all vegetables are tender. Stir in lemon juice. Top with more diced zucchini and mint leaves.
Enjoy!
This dish is great fresh and reheated. It always soothes my sore throats, and is very comforting. It is good with cornbread!
I come from a family of cooks.
Growing up I was surrounded by cooks. Every family gathering was based around food, holidays meant that the small kitchen in my childhood home was filled with people cooking and laughing.
Everyone around me cooked. I spent summers sitting in Grandma's kitchen watching her prepare elaborate meals for the family, every dish made with love and care. Every Saturday, Dad woke up and made delicious whole wheat pancakes. My siblings and I took turns preparing dishes for the family, and making messes in the kitchen experimenting with apple sauce recipes.
Imagine my surprise when I began college and discovered that many of my classmates could do nothing more complicated in the kitchen than open a can of soup or microwave a burrito.
Potluck after potluck friends asked for my recipes. Some things I made, such as the Joe-Joes in my first post, were simple dishes I learned as a very young child.
Now that I have graduated, I have decided to share some of my recipes. Most are nothing fancy, simple meals, fun side dishes, and my forays into the world of finer cuisine.
Welcome to Dinner!
Everyone around me cooked. I spent summers sitting in Grandma's kitchen watching her prepare elaborate meals for the family, every dish made with love and care. Every Saturday, Dad woke up and made delicious whole wheat pancakes. My siblings and I took turns preparing dishes for the family, and making messes in the kitchen experimenting with apple sauce recipes.
Imagine my surprise when I began college and discovered that many of my classmates could do nothing more complicated in the kitchen than open a can of soup or microwave a burrito.
Potluck after potluck friends asked for my recipes. Some things I made, such as the Joe-Joes in my first post, were simple dishes I learned as a very young child.
Now that I have graduated, I have decided to share some of my recipes. Most are nothing fancy, simple meals, fun side dishes, and my forays into the world of finer cuisine.
Welcome to Dinner!
Potatoes!
I love potatoes, they have always been one of my favorites.
One of my most requested recipes is for my Baked Joe-Joes. It is a very basic recipe, but delicious and perfect for first recipe of this blog,
Joe-Joes
Ingredients:
Potatoes (I usually estimate one large potato per person)
Oil (Olive, Vegetable, or whatever you prefer, I usually use Canola, the flavor is best for potatoes)
Seasoning Salt*
1. Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Wash potatoes and scrub the skin well. Cut them lengthwise into eighths and arrange in a baking dish.
2. Drizzle oil over the top of the potatoes and sprinkle with seasoning salt (add more or less to taste).
3. Bake at 400 until a fork can be easily inserted into the center of the fattest part of the potato.
*Seasoning Salt can be replaced by garlic salt, fresh herbs, chili powder ( I like chipotle chili powder), or you can use seasonings that echo those in your main dish.
Enjoy!
These are great with burgers or steak! Always make extra, they go fast!
One of my most requested recipes is for my Baked Joe-Joes. It is a very basic recipe, but delicious and perfect for first recipe of this blog,
Joe-Joes
Ingredients:
Potatoes (I usually estimate one large potato per person)
Oil (Olive, Vegetable, or whatever you prefer, I usually use Canola, the flavor is best for potatoes)
Seasoning Salt*
1. Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Wash potatoes and scrub the skin well. Cut them lengthwise into eighths and arrange in a baking dish.
2. Drizzle oil over the top of the potatoes and sprinkle with seasoning salt (add more or less to taste).
3. Bake at 400 until a fork can be easily inserted into the center of the fattest part of the potato.
*Seasoning Salt can be replaced by garlic salt, fresh herbs, chili powder ( I like chipotle chili powder), or you can use seasonings that echo those in your main dish.
Enjoy!
These are great with burgers or steak! Always make extra, they go fast!
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)