December 17, 2008 @ 09:08

So I mentioned making a savory bread pudding after the Christmas party.  I even took a picture.  But afterward, I had decided not to post.  The snob in me occasionally self-edits.  You can’t cover leftovers with a pound of cheese and call it something special, Sara!?!?!  But a co-worker and I were talking on the post party morning about an old landmark that used to be in our hometown.  Clausen’s Truck Stop.  Gawd, I loved that place.  Fries and mushroom gravy at 3am after a long night of drinking?  I have no words to explain the small town bliss.  Greasy food after whiskey and beer, never fear, that’s how the rhyme goes, right?  I can very clearly remember the day I came into town for a visit, shortly before I moved back here for good, and went to drive past Clausen’s.  And it was gone.  I was blown away.  It was a classic greasy spoon.  Surly waitresses, sometimes the hot chocolate arrived without even a stir.  Just a lump of brown powder on top of a cup of hot water.  Awesome, no?  Not great food that I remember except for those fries and gravy.  In truth just regular old french fries with cafeteria brown mushroom gravy.  But, man.  It figured into some really great memories of my college days.  Talking about it made me homesick for the little town this used to be.  So here’s the Hangover Bread Pudding.  In honor of late nights with old friends. 

Hangover Bread Pudding

Stale baguette slices, enough to cover the bottom of a large baking dish
Leftover Sausage Balls, a classic Southern staple for parties, Paula Deen has a recipe for them here, of course she does. 
8 eggs
3 cups of milk
1/2 teaspoon of salt
1/2 teaspoon of black pepper
1 teaspoon of dill weed
1 tablespoon of minced onion
2 cups of shredded cheese of your choice, a good melty kind

Lay bread slices in bottom of non-stick sprayed baking dish.  Layer the sausage balls on top of the bread.  Beat eggs with milk, salt, pepper, dill, and onion.  Pour over the bread and sausage layers.  Top with shredded cheese and let sit in fridge for at least two hours.  Bake at 350 degrees until top is bubbly and browned.  Eat and remember how much nicer it is tying one on with friends now that you are a mature grown up and not a silly college kid who thought they were bullet proof.  The wine is much better now. Oh, and the food, too. 

March 31, 2008 @ 07:26

Weekly Stats

Miles:  6

Crunches: 0

Hours of Other Fitness Pursuits:  2, 12 if you count painting the dining room as a fitness activity.  My shoulders say it is. 

Pounds Lost:  0

So clearly in between the few things on my list that I did accomplish last week, I lolled about.  Alot.  I am not sorry.  It was hard to get out of bed this morning.  But partly because its a rainy day and those are my favorites. 

Saturday night I cooked dinner for friends, to celebrate Miss Weight Loss’s joining us in the over thirty bracket.  Look how lovely she is . . . 

That’s the coconut cake I made for her.  I would normally have used real whipped cream for the frosting, but in defference to her dieting efforts, I frosted it with Lite Cool Whip.  I dare say you couldn’t tell a difference.  And it nearly halved the calories/points.  We met at 8:00 and turned off all the lights and ate by candlelight, in support of Earth Hour.  It was very nice except for that first frenzied ten minutes in which I realized that I am not quite ready for my zombie/post apocalypse plans.  I couldn’t find any matches.  And of course all of my darling retro candle cups and my votives were to tiny to manage with a lighter.  So, when the day comes and we’re all scrabbling for our existance after said apocalyptic event, I’ll be able to make dinner for us out of dirt and underbrush, and it will probably pretty tasty, but only if somebody else brings the matches.  For dinner we had salad with Steve’s tasty homemade vinaigrette, pork tenderloin with fresh lemons and sage, jerk chicken, rattatouille over rice, baked brie, and Jenn’s very awesome sun dried tomato pesto spread.  An old friend of mine gave me the recipe which he called Rattatouille.  It’s not like most recipes that you’ll find for the dish.  It’s got a Carribbean flare. 

Caribbeanish Rattatouille

2 to 4 tablespoons olive oil
1 shallot minced
2 sweet bell peppers chopped
1 hot pepper minced (you choose your fire, jalepeno, scotch bonnet, however brave you might be)
1 large eggplant, peeled and cubed, toss in a tablespoon or 2 of lemon juice to keep it from browning
4 to 6 tomatoes, cut up to similar sized pieces as eggplant
2 cups fresh pineapple, cubed
1 1/2 cups coconut milk (unsweetened)

Sweat shallot and peppers until tender in olive oil.  Raise heat to medium high and add eggplant and cook until just tender.  Add tomatoes and pineapple and cook until heated through, add coconut milk and let simmer for 3 to 5 mintues.  Do not boil. 

Serve over rice, great over jerk chicken, too. 

January 18, 2008 @ 18:15

Now some of us liked the old and some of us liked the new, but I loved Nonnie’s new version of my original Persian Love Chicken  so much, I’ll most likely make it her way from now on. 

Nonnie’s New and Improved Persian Love Chicken for a Crowd

6 lbs. chicken cut into 2 inch cubes, I prefer white meat, but I imagine that dark would be just fine if that’s what you prefer . . .
2 large onions, sweet if you can get ‘em, cut up into large pieces
2 cups shredded carrots
1 cup of sugar mixed with
     3 tablespoons ground cardamom
     3 teaspoons smoked paprika
     2 teaspoons ground ginger
Additional 3 teaspoons ground cardamom
3 cups Rose’s Lime Juice
½ cup olive oil

Combine chicken, onion and carrot in a large bowl.  Heat about two tablespoons of olive oil in large skillet, add 1 teaspoon of cardamom.  When the oil is hot, add 1/3 of the chicken mixture.  You will be working in batches since this is such a large quantity.  Sautee the chicken until it begins to brown on the edges.  I like mine pretty thoroughly carmelized, but you can adjust as you like.  Nonnie and I agree that most Indian and Middle Eastern dishes require good toasty carmelization, those lovely almost blackened edges on the onions . . .  mmmmmmm . . .  But, we know, there’s a lot of room for interpretation here.  (I always say that, and I always mean that, too.) Place cooked chicken mixture into a large oven proof olive oiled dish (we’re going to braise it to perfection next).  Pour 1/3 of the cardamom sugar and 1/3 of the Rose’s Lime Juice over the mixture.  Repeat this process until you have cooked all the chicken.  Stir thoroughly and place, uncovered, in a 350 degree oven and bake until the top is carmelized.  Stir the lovely bubbly browned edges in and return to the oven to carmelize on top once more.  Serve over rice.  With the large increase of lime juice this dish is mouthwateringly tart, and the carrots impart an incredibly beautiful golden color to it, and the smokey paprika is just a hint behind the lime.  It’s lovely, really! 

January 02, 2008 @ 18:39

Trixie is inspired and motivated by Bob at http://dabigleap.wordpress.com/2008/01/02/199975-to-go/
And deservedly so, he’s absolutely inspiring.  I also read his entries with a bit of jealousy, which I believe is good for the soul in moderation.  Even at the moment as he’s recovering from a serious injury, he’s got grit.  His 1,000 miles, which has been bumped to 2,000 miles, is Trixie’s goal for 2008.  I’m afraid of carved in stone numbers.  I never say I’m going to lose 50 pounds, or I’m going to add X amount of dollars to my savings account.  I don’t follow strict diets.  I get obsessed and squirrely, two weeks into the strict plan, I’m not a fun person to hang out with.  Trust me.  BUT!  I do make resolutions and I have chosen mine for 2008.  And it’s admittedly got a carved in stone number.  It also happens to coincide with my planned 40th birthday present to myself.  I’ve got 389 days left in my thirties, so I want to get back on track and before my thirties are all gone, run a 10k.  I’ve put myself back on the Monday Stats plan, I’ve been dejunkfooding the house.  Sorry, Bear, sorry Puppy.  I somehow managed to lose 3 pounds over the Christmas holiday . . .  Perhaps a pound of that was cutting off my hair on Christmas morning.  The boys alternate years and this was my year to have Christmas day without them.  Perhaps on the next one I should arrange for some supervision?  You know I’ve always said that I need a keeper.  But, Trixie swears it’s cute, so I can admit that “I meant to do that!”  There was no wine involved . . .  no . . .  really . . . 

As I made my last grocery shopping trip, I tried in my mind to go back to this time last year, when everything was going so well, I was running and eating healthy.  As healthy as I did when I was pregnant with Bear.  The perfect pregnancy, my cravings were lean meat and fresh fruit.  I found it hard to slip back into that mode, but I stayed off the inner aisles, shopped the outer circle, the fresh stuff.  The last two mornings I’ve had a slice of whole grain bread toasted with a tablespoon of organic peanut butter and half of a banana for breakfast.  I’ve been replacing the cop out “I’m busy” excuses and the fast food.  And I’ve felt better than I have for the last four months.  Dano assures us that when you fall off the fitness wagon, just climb back up as soon as you can.  It’ll come back quicker than you think.  And just two weeks back to really making changes, I feel like a million bucks.  Spent a great afternoon walk with Light Size and hope we’ll do that regularly as I build the strength up and the booty size down.  Trixie and I also spent last night at my house watching the premiere of the new season of Biggest Loser.  I’ve already picked favorites and least favorites and am excited to watch the story unfold.  I have to say that as mercenary and icky as the rest of NBC’s treatement of it has been, the series has continued to not let me down.  I love the spirit of the series and the way they have been so good to avoid the exploitative pitfalls of reality TV.  It’s a shame that NBC’s “caring for the health of America” has been overridden by it’s greed.  Wouldn’t it be great if the network was more interested in helping American’s instead of squeezing every penny out of them that they can?  But don’t let me turn all negative here.  It’s a happy week. 

So here are the efforts we made for the New Year’s Eve party and New Year’s Day dinner that were good for us.  Hope you enjoy them! 

Greek Style Meatballs

2 lbs. ground turkey
1 tablespoon minced garlic
2 tablespoons minced onion
2 tablespoons Cavender’s Greek Seasoning Mix
1/2 cup plain bread crumbs
2 eggs

Thoroughly combine all ingredients.  I prefer to use the paddle on my stand mixer.  It works the ingredients into one another very thoroughly and helps achieve that very smooth texture that Gyros are famous for.  Roll into balls and place individually into nonstick sprayed mini muffin cups.  Keep a bowl of water to moisten hands to prevent sticking as you form the balls.  Bake at 375 degrees until edges are brginning to carmelize and brown to your liking.  Serve with Tzatziki.  You can also go the extra mile and serve them topped with a tiny grape tomato or a tiny tomato slice skewered onto a party pic. 

“Only have five minutes ‘til the guests arrive” Tzatziki

1 cucumber peeled and chopped finely
1/2 cup plain yogurt
1 teaspoon minced garlic
2 teaspoons dill weed

Drain the cucumber if you’ve chopped it so finely that it’s a mushy watery mess.  I’ve done it myself.  Mix all ingredients and serve with Greek Style Meatballs. 

Low Fat High Expectations Crockpot Chili

2 lbs. ground turkey
2 tablespoons minced garlic
1 can chopped green chilies
2 packages chili seasoning
2 cans red beans
2 small cans tomato paste
1 large can peeled and diced tomatoes
4 cups 99% fat free beef stock
2 cups water

Brown ground turkey until all pink is gone.  Add garlic, green chilies, chili seasoning and cook until spices have thoroughly coated the turkey.  Put turkey mixture, beans, tomato paste into crock pot and stir until tomato paste is thoroughly combined.  Add diced tomatoes, beef stock, and water.  Stir to combine.  Cook on low for 4 to 6 hours, stirring occasionally and checking the moisture level at least every half hour after the first 3 hours of cooking time, or cook on high for 1 1/2 hours before serving. 

Perfect in One Hour Veggie Soup

2 to 3 tablespoons olive oil
6 large white mushrooms, sliced in 1/4 inch slices
1 teaspoon minced garlic
1/2 teaspoon salt
15 to 20 fresh green beans, cut into 1 to 2 inch pieces
1 head of cabbage shredded into strips about 1/2 inch wide
1 can of Mild Rotell diced tomatoes and green chilies
3 cups 99% fat free chicken or vegetable stock
3 cups water

salt and pepper to taste

In the bottom of a large stock pot, heat olive oil.  Add mushrooms and cook over medium high heat until browned and well caramelized.  Add garlic, salt and green beans.  Continue to stir, reducing heat to medium, until green beans begin to soften slightly.  Add 1/2 of the shredded cabbage and cook, stirring frequently until cabbage begins to wilt and become translucent.  Add remaining half of cabbage and cook another minute or two.  Add Rotell, stock and water and cook covered for 30 to 45 minutes. 

December 11, 2007 @ 17:31

Last night we learned about fruitcake as it should be . . . and just before that, flour as Puppy thinks it should be . . .

Note to self, do not measure out the flour and walk away from the kitchen for any length of time long enough for Puppy to get ideas. This is what you get . . .

“No, Mommy, that’s not flowers, that’s snow! Thomas is stuck in the snow! He’s a very cheeky engine!” Hmmm, you don’t say . . .

But after sweeping the floor and dusting off the boy, I did manage to make a new version of my Meemaw’s Fresh Apple Cake especially for Bear to try. It usually has pecans, but with braces, he can’t have nuts. This version replaces the nuts with fragrant orange zest, chopped dates, and an extra dose of vanilla. The scent is heavenly! I think it’s a perfect substitution for the dreaded fruitcakes you generally see for the season, although I have to admit it here, I sincerely like fruitcake. My mother makes one that is fantastic. And judging by the reactions the leftovers had at my office today, this one will be liked by anyone you should decide to gift with it, as well . . .

Fragrant Orange Fresh Apple Cake

3 cups cored and cut up, unpeeled apples
1 1/4 cups sugar
zest of one orange
2 teaspoons vanilla
1 large egg
1/2 cup chopped dates
1 cup shredded coconut
1/2 cup vegetable oil
1/4 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon baking soda
1 3/4 cups flour
greased (or pammed) tube pan, a loaf pan will do, but we like the ring . . .

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Tumble together the apples and sugar and orange zest until apples are completely coated in sugar. Let apple mixture sit for at least 30 minutes. Add the vanilla, egg, oil, coconut, and dates and set aside. In another bowl mix the remaining ingredients. Pour the wet ingredients over the dry and mix just until combined, do not over work this batter. Spoon into a greased tube pan and bake at 350 degrees for 30 to 40 minutes. This is especially good while still warm from the oven, but moist and wonderful for several days. Because it is so moist, if you are going to keep it for more than a day, keep it in the refrigerator. 

Oh, you might be wondering if Bear liked it?  I’ve been informed that he doesn’t like coconut . . .  *sigh*  Nevermind that he ate coconut cake at Thanksgiving.  We’ll just chalk that one up to the fickleness of tweens. It couldn’t have anything to do with my Thanksgiving dessert disaster . . . 

December 09, 2007 @ 11:19

This is the easiest way turn a simple cupcake to an impressive sweet to take to a party . . . 

Looks simple enough, and I’d truly reccomend that you just use a mix, don’t stress yourself out, there’s enough of that with the holidays anyway.  Just follow the package directions for cupcakes and go forth.  I used my favorite cream cheese frosting here, but I totally approve of what we refer to as store-boughten.  I’ve piped the frosting on with a large star tipped pastry bag, but a butter knife and some of the store-boughten frosting will work just fine.  Because the surprise is what you’ve added to each.  Before filling and baking your cupcake cups, add a layer of sugary or fruity goodness. 

Try one tabelspoon each of chopped pecans, brown sugar, butter and maple syrup. 

Or my favorite . . . 

Cranberry filling made by simmering a bag of fresh cranberries with 1 cup of sugar and 1/2 cup of orange juice until syrupy.  Tart and with the cream cheese frosting that is so very sweet?  It’s heaven. 

Drop them into a second cupcake cup after you’ve taken them from the oven to prevent the bottom fillings from escaping through the original liner. 

October 29, 2007 @ 17:30

5:00 a.m.  alarm sounds, hit snooze. 

5:06 a.m.  alarm sounds again, damned miserly, uncustomizeable, 6 minute snooze, hit it again. 

5:12 a.m.  aaaiiiggghhh, need to go potty anyway, did I just say go potty?  I need some grown up time . . .  snarl at clock and hit the cold floor. 

5:17 a.m.  wake up in bathroom, where am I?  oh, good morning sink . . .  stumble to kitchen. 

5:19 a.m.  wake up at kitchen island, where am I?  oh, hey apples . . .  begin breakfast by cutting up apples and tossing in sugar. 

5:24 a.m.  pad to the shower and wonder what on earth I’ll wear today. 

5:44 a.m.  emerge fully awake and ready for Word World.  But first finish breakfast. 

Easy Enough for a Weekday Apple Clafoutis Cups

2 cups Granny Smith apples, cored and cut into “bite sized” pieces
1 cup sugar
1/2 veggie oil
1 egg
1 1/2 cups self rising flour

Toss cut up apples in sugar and let sit for at least 15 minutes, half hour is better, full hour won’t hurt.  Tumble in egg and oil until fully combined.  Add flour and stir until awkward batter is formed.  Will be somewhat like pancake batter coated apple chunks.  Drop into cupcake cups lined with paper cupcake liners and bake at 350 F until rich golden brown on top, about 20 minutes.  Don’t pull too soon, you want the browned sugary crispy tops.  Finish getting everybody dressed as they bake. 

Really, they are awesomely easy and good.  Even Bear likes them, and he’s becoming very picky as he approaches his teen years . . .  Saints preserve us . . . 
 

October 18, 2007 @ 17:40

No, really, you won’t believe it.  And it’s really really good with white chocolate chips, that’s my favorite.  Now they don’t last, as in I don’t recommend these for sitting in the cookie jar all week.  But I believe I’ve mentioned this on other occasions, why would they?  They have an almost candy crunch to them and are decadently sweet. 

Peanut Butter Cookies

1 cup peanut butter
1 cup sugar
1 egg
1/2 cup chocolate chips, your choice semisweet, milk, white chocolate

Mix the peanut butter and sugar until completely blended, it will have a very grainy texture.  Add the egg.  Fold in the chips.   Roll into 1 inch balls and bake at 350 F until just brown on the bottom.  You’ll be able to just see the golden brown color creeping up the edges from the bottoms.  Or, if you like the classic peanut butter cookie, leave out the chips and press with the tines of a fork to make cross hatched lines and sprinkle with sugar before baking.  Works great with crunchy peanut butter, too.  Oh and if you love those cookies with the kiss pressed into them, try it with these.  Just bake them in the 1 inch ball form and as soon as they come out of the oven, press a kiss into each one.

October 17, 2007 @ 17:34

Remember Hello Dolly bar cookies?  As easy to make as rice crispy treats and maybe about ten times as good.  I’m pretty sure one of them has as many calories as an entire large pizza with extra cheese and a dozen poor ordinary cookies combined.  But they’re oh. so. good.  I was faced one weekend with having been asked to make a pie.  Do you hate it when people get too specific in what they ask you to bring?  Or are you the opposite?  When I have a gathering, I either ask my guests to either bring nothing, or to bring whatever they fancy.  They’re choice.  Just you know, IMHO, it’s better not to be too specific on the ask.  But, there I was without one ingredient or another to make any pie I knew, but also unwilling to face the supermarket.  I turned to what I had in the pantry.  Says a bit about me that I might be out of other staples, but always have chocolate chips, Eagle brand milk, and butter.  Ah, Paula Deen would be so proud.  : )  So, I decided to make those incredibly decadent bar cookies into a pie.  It turned out so well, it’s now one of our favorites. 

Hello Dolly Pie

1 ready made graham cracker pie crust
8 graham crackers
1 stick of butter (no substitutes), melted
1 cup of shredded coconut
1 cup of semisweet chocolate chips
1 cup of pecans, pieces or halves, as you wish
1 can of sweetened condensed milk

Roughly break the graham crackers into pieces.  Arrange in the bottom of pie crust.  Pour melted butter evenly over the graham cracker pieces.  Add in layers, the coconut, chocolate chips and pecans over the graham cracker layer.  Pour over all the can of sweetened condensed milk.  Try to coat the filling as evenly as possible.  Bake at 350 F until bubbly and golden brown.  Do not refrigerate this pie after baking.  If you must, you’ll want to microwave your slices for about 20 to 30 seconds before eating them.  Best to let it remain at room temperature.  If it lasts longer than a day or two . . .  well . . .  why would it?  Seriously, why? 

August 31, 2007 @ 15:47

So there is a cake that I make.  The recipe is from Epicurious.  Great site.  One of the best recipe searches I’ve seen.  Look at the advance search features.  If you need another recipe site after that, you’re really looking for obscure.  Well, or for something that calls for bacon bits or Velveeta.  It’s just not that kind of place.  LOL  Anyhoo . . .  the cake is called Persian Love Cake.  It’s lovely.  I’m actually making it this weekend for a friend’s birthday.  But the first several times I made it, I kept thinking about the spices involved and thinking how nice it would be with chicken.  Yes, yes I know, that’s just not normal . . .  So I tried it.  And it worked.  And that is how we got Persian Love Chicken.  I serve it with rice and fresh fennel sautéed in butter.  Very simple and very very good.  At last Saturday night’s dinner party, I served broiled fruit on the side that I had topped with just a tiny bit of butter and a quick layer of sugar and lime zest.  There were fresh pears, peaches and plums.  It was a perfect side.  We finished the dinner with a couple of other basic sides, a big green salad and garlic bread.  Oh, and veggie skewers brushed with rosemary and garlic olive oil.  Try the chicken, its super easy and a great different flavor. 

Persian Love Chicken for a Crowd

6 lbs. chicken cut into 2 inch cubes, I prefer white meat, but I imagine that dark would be just fine if that’s what you prefer . . . 
1 cup of sugar mixed with 2 tablespoons ground cardamom
Additional 2 tablespoons ground cardamom
½ cup Rose’s Lime Juice
½ cup olive oil

Put about two tablespoons of olive oil in large skillet, add ¼ tablespoon of cardamom.  When the oil is hot, add ¼ of the cubed chicken.  You will be working in batches since this is such a large quantity.  Sautee the chicken until it begins to brown on the edges.  I like mine pretty thoroughly carmelized, but you can adjust as you like.  There’s a lot of room for interpretation here.  (I always say that, and I always mean that, too.) Stirring constantly add about ¼ of the Rose’s Lime Juice.  As soon as the juice has thoroughly coated the chicken pieces, add ¼ of the cardamom sugar mixture and continue to stir until the chicken pieces are glazed.  Repeat this process until you have cooked all the chicken.  You can keep the batches warm in a 200 degree oven in an olive oiled baking dish.  Super simple, super good.