That's Quite Mary

Best . Guacamole . Ever .

2011-10-18T16:47:00.000-04:00

I've eaten a lot of guacamole in my 30-something years.

Granted, most of it has been in the last ten years or so because for the longest time I was very anti-guacamole *gasp!* Most of what I had eaten tasted like bland, mushy, goop. That was before I started making my own and was able to tweak a basic recipe into bowls of chunky, spicy, yummy-ness.

This recipe has been known to convert even the most adamant guacamole haters and impress our friends who are guacamole connoisseurs. It makes appearances at nearly every football party and social gathering. I hope you like it, too!

The ingredients (I forgot to add the salt shaker to the photo. Just imagine it there, right beside the cumin):

If you're making this recipe for a larger group, you'll want to double (or triple) the recipe. Keep in mind that guacamole is best right after it's made, as it tends to turn brown quickly. One tip, that my brother-in-law told me about, is to place the pit of the avocado into the guacamole after it's made to prolong the freshness. It really does help!

If you're new to avocados, here's a great tutorial on how to open them.

Best. Guacamole. Ever.

Recipe by Mary

1 large avocado
1/2 of a lime
1/4 tsp. Salt
1/2 of a Roma Tomato, finely diced
1/4 cup Red Onion, finely diced
1 tsp. Cumin
1/4 tsp. Ground Chipotle Chile Pepper, more if you like it spicy

Place your pitted avocado halves in a large bowl. Sprinkle on the salt and squeeze the lime juice over both halves. With a fork, mash/muddle the avocado till you reach the desired consistency. I prefer my guacamole chunky, but some like it thinner. Combine the avocado mixture, tomatoes and red onion with a spoon. Sprinkle the cumin and desired amount of chipotle pepper and combine. Grab your tortilla chips and dig in!

An Ode to Football...

2011-07-31T19:41:00.003-04:00

Chad Ohcocinco playing for Bill Belichick.

A prominent college football coach fired from a team which will remain unnamed (but it rhymes with "car deals").

Jerry Richardson spending money to get quality players in Charlotte.

All of this crazy football talk made me think... since I love football season, and more importantly, football food, I should start working on a couple of new dishes for the Fall.

I'd like to think of it as training camp in my kitchen!

BBQ chicken wings, ribs, and chili are go-to entrees at my house starting in September. Why not a football-ish pasta?

Here we go... Preheat your oven to 375. Cook the pasta according to the directions. While the pasta is cooking, melt the butter in a large saucepan. Add the flour and stir until it starts to brown. Add the milk. Whisk until the milk starts to thicken. Add the cheeses and stir until smooth.

Add the buffalo sauce and stir to combine. It smells like football already!

Drain the pasta and return it to the pot. Add the chicken and sauce mixture. Stir to combine. Add the pasta mixture to a greased 9x13 baking dish and sprinkle with panko bread crumbs. Don't substitute regular bread crumbs for the panko. Trust me, they add a great texture. Bake for approximately 25 min or until bubbly.

Serve with crumbled gorgonzola, green onions, and cilantro. Heaven on a plate.

Buffalo Chicken Pasta

(adapted from HowSweetEats)

1 lb cooked pasta (I used orecchiette)

1 Tablespoon Butter

1 Tablespoon Flour

1 3/4 cups milk

3/4 cup Monterrey Jack cheese, shredded

1/2 cup Sharp Cheddar cheese, shredded plus more for topping

1/3 cup Buffalo Wing Sauce (I used Frank's Red Hot)

3 Chicken Breasts, cooked and cubed

1/3 cup Panko Bread Crumbs

Garnishes:

Gorgonzola Cheese Crumbles

Green Onions, chopped

Cilantro, chopped

Ranch Dressing, optional

Preheat oven to 375. Cook pasta according to directions. While pasta is cooking, melt butter in a large saucepan. Add flour and stir until it starts to brown. Add milk. Whisk until milk starts to thicken. Add cheeses and stir until smooth. Add buffalo sauce and stir to combine.

Drain pasta and return it to the pot. Add chicken and sauce mixture. Stir to combine. Add pasta mixture to a greased 9x13 baking dish and sprinkle with panko bread crumbs. Bake for approximately 25 min or until bubbly. Serve with crumbled gorgonzola, green onions, and cilantro.

Fancy Hawaiian Pizza

2011-06-28T09:23:00.002-04:00

It's a fancy schmancy version of a Hawaiian Pizza! I could have eaten this entire pizza by myself -- it was that good.

I am a regular follower of A Cozy Kitchen blog. One day last week there was a post about this yummy version of the Hawaiian Pizza they like to order from Domino's. The girls had been asking to have pizza for dinner so I figured we'd try this one out. I made a regular cheese version for them and this one for the grown-ups. After they saw me putting the pineapple on this one they decided they wanted it, too. Needless to say, there weren't any leftovers!

I used a prepared pizza crust from Trader Joes, but most grocery stores sell them in the deli section for around a dollar! They are SO much better than the pre-baked ones! If you are particularly interested in making your own crust, then the link below will provide a recipe. There are just times when you need convenience, right? I also substituted spinach for the arugula that is listed in the original recipe. I just like spinach better.

Fancy Hawaiian Pizza

(adapted slightly from A Cozy Kitchen)

1 medium red onion, thinly sliced

1 – 8 ounce pizza dough

1-4 ounce ball of fresh mozzarella, sliced

1/2 cup diced pineapple (I used canned because it's what I had in my pantry)

5-6 slices of prosciutto, halved lengthwise

1 handful of spinach

Preheat oven to 500 degrees.

In a medium pan add a tablespoon of olive oil and sliced onions. At the five minute mark, add a 1/4 teaspoon of salt and keep cooking until completely caramelized. If they dry out, simply add a little water one tablespoon at a time. Should take about 20-30 minutes to completely caramelize.

Gently pull pizza dough apart into a circle Place on the pizza stone. Drizzle with 1/2 teaspoon of olive oil and sprinkle with salt and pepper.

Add mozzarella and diced pineapple and place on the stone in the oven. Bake for 10-15 minutes, or until cheese is melted and crust is golden brown.

Remove from oven and add the prosciutto, warm caramelized onions and arugula.

Lemon Blueberry Bread

2011-06-24T11:27:00.000-04:00

I don't bake much. I like to eat baked-goods, don't get me wrong. In my experience, baking is an exact science and when you start talking about baking powder and sifting ingredients together I start to get nervous. So when I tell you that this is an easy bread recipe, believe me, it is.

In a mixing bowl, beat together butter, sugar, lemon juice, and eggs (with a mixer). In a separate bowl, combine the flour, baking powder and salt. Stir the flour mixture into the egg mixture, alternating it with the milk, and stir as you go. Fold in the blueberries, lemon zest, and nuts.

Pour the mixture into a greased 8x4 inch loaf pan and bake in a preheated 350 degree oven for 60-70 minutes.

While the bread is baking, you'll want to make the glaze, which is so easy. Just combine lemon juice and sugar! See, I told you it was easy.

You'll know your bread is done when you can insert a toothpick into the center of the loaf and it comes out clean. Remove the bread from the pan and drizzle it with the glaze.

Lemon Blueberry Bread

(adapted slightly from Allrecipies.com)

1/3 cup Butter, melted

1 cup White Sugar

3 Tablespoons Lemon Juice

2 Eggs

1 1/2 cups All-purpose Flour

1 teaspoon Baking Powder

1 teaspoon Salt

1/2 cup Milk

2 Tablespoons grated Lemon Zest

1/2 cup chopped Pecans

1 cup Fresh Blueberries

2 Tablespoons Lemon Juice

1/4 cup White Sugar

Preheat oven to 350 and lightly grease an 8x4 inch loaf pan.

Pour the mixture into a greased 8x4 inch loaf pan and bake in a preheated oven for 60-70 minutes. Remove from pan.

To make the glaze, combine the lemon juice and sugar. Pour the glaze over the warm bread and allow to cool completely on a wire rack.

Sweet Corn Salad

2011-06-23T07:21:00.000-04:00

I was planning to make pulled pork tacos for dinner one night last week (I will post that one later) and I needed a side dish. Normally, we have Mexican Rice or something equally "blah." I wanted something different, gosh darn-it! So while I was at the grocery store I noticed all the fabulous looking fresh corn. Bingo! But plain old corn sounded like it belonged in the aforementioned "blah" category, so I decided to jazz it up a bit.

You'll notice in the recipe below that I used a jalapeno pepper. Sounds spicy, right? Not really! If you remove the seeds, the pepper is not nearly as spicy as you'd think and the corn was SO naturally sweet that I actually think the next time I make it I will add more japapeno.

Sweet Corn Salad

(recipe by Mary, Quite Culinary)

8 ears, Fresh Corn

1/4 cup Red Onion, finely diced

1 Jalapeno Pepper, seeded and finely diced

12 Grape Tomatoes, quartered

1 Lime, juiced

2 Tablespoons White Wine Vinegar

2 Tablespoons Balsamic Vinegar

3 Tablespoons Olive Oil

1 teaspoon Cumin

Bring a large pot of water to a boil. Add corn and cook for 3 minutes. Drain and cut the kernels off the cob with a sharp knife.

In a separate bowl, whisk together the lime juice, white wine vinegar, balsamic vinegar, olive oil, and cumin.

While the kernels of corn are still hot, add it to the dressing. Add jalapenos, red onion and tomatoes to the corn and stir. Allow to sit for 5 minutes or so for the corn to absorb some of the liquid. Serve hot or cold.

Veggie Bacon Pasta Salad

2011-06-21T18:26:00.002-04:00

I'm really loving pasta salads right now. And see the goat cheese? It's one of my weaknesses. I can eat an entire container (or log, in this case) in one sitting. No kidding. I like it on crackers, in pasta salads, on hamburgers... I could go on.

This recipe was inspired by the Lemon Thyme Vinaigrette I used a couple of weeks ago in the Summer Pasta Salad. We ate this as a side dish with Jalapeno Bacon Burgers but you could add some grilled chicken or shrimp and make it a main dish.

Veggie Bacon Pasta Salad with Lemon Thyme Vinaigrette

(recipe by Mary, Quite Culinary)

2 Tablespoons Fresh Thyme, chopped

1 Lemon, zested

2 Tablespoons White Wine Vinegar

3 Garlic Cloves, crushed

5 Tablespoons Olive Oil

1 lb Bow-Tie Pasta

1 Cup Frozen Sweet Peas

1 1/2 cups Fresh Snow Peas

1/2 cup Carrots, sliced

3 Green Onions, thinly sliced

6 slices Cooked Bacon, chopped

Goat Cheese, crumbled (optional)

Cook pasta according to package directions, adding sweet peas and snow peas during the last minute of cooking. Drain.

In a small bowl, whisk together thyme, lemon zest, vinegar and garlic. Drizzle in the olive oil while continuing to whisk.

Toss the pasta mixture with the carrots, onions, bacon, and vinaigrette. Top each serving with goat cheese crumbles. Serve warm or chilled.

Jalapeno Cilantro Spread

2011-06-16T08:41:00.002-04:00

There's nothing extra special about this burger, per se, it's the topping ON the burger that's so special. If you are fan of All-Things-Spicy, like me, then you'll love this. It's the perfect condiment for a well-grilled, juicy burger with bacon. It's a quick and easy recipe that can be made in advance and kept in the refrigerator until you're ready to use it. It's also great on turkey sandwiches, as my hubby will attest to!

On a side note, I bought the world's biggest hamburger buns this week. My burger patties were a good 1/3 lb each if that gives you an idea of just how big these buns were. I got so tired of eating my yummy burgers with the standard, tiny buns that I went a little overboard in the bread aisle.

Jalapeno Cilantro Spread

(recipe by Mary, Quite Culinary)

1 cup mayonnaise

1/2 cup finely chopped pickled jalapenos

1 Tablespoons pickled jalapeno juice

1/3 cup chopped cilantro

1/4 cup sour cream

1/2 of a lemon, juiced

In a blender or food processor blend all ingredients until smooth. Store in the refrigerator.

Grilled Prosciutto Wrapped Asparagus

2011-06-15T07:04:00.000-04:00

Oh my goodness, this was simply fantastic! We almost ate all of it directly off the grill! The girls smelled it cooking and came running, too. I intended this to be a side dish along-side some grilled chicken, but obviously it would be a great appetizer as well.

Asparagus is at its best in Springtime and these spears were incredibly fresh. The prosciutto was sliced a tad too thick at the deli so it didn't wrap quite as tightly around the asparagus as I would've liked, but the taste wasn't affected one bit!

I made a balsamic vinaigrette to drizzle on top, but you could use a bottled dressing, as well. Yummy!

Grilled Prosciutto Wrapped Asparagus

with Balsamic Vinaigrette
(recipe by ThreeManyCooks)

8 thin slices Prosciutto, cut lengthwise into thirds

24 spears Asparagus, ends trimmed
Olive Oil, for drizzling

2 cloves Garlic, finely chopped

1/3 cup Balsamic Vinegar

2 Tablespoons Dijon Mustard

1/4 tsp. Salt

1/4 tsp. Pepper

1/2 cup Extra Virgin Olive Oil

Drizzle asparagus with olive oil and sprinkle with salt and pepper. Wrap each spear tightly with one slice of prosciutto.

For the dressing whisk garlic, balsamic vinegar, dijon mustard, salt and pepper together in a bowl. Slowly whisk in oil.

Grill asparagus over direct heat until prosciutto is crisp. Be careful not to over cook the asparagus, as it tends to get mushy!

Place spears on a plate and drizzle with vinaigrette. Serve hot!

Mojito Monday

2011-06-13T06:51:00.000-04:00

Once again, the herbs on my deck are dictating my meals (and in this case, my beverages). The Rosemary is quickly getting taken over by its aggressive neighbor, Mint. It's out of control. So what to do with all of it? Mojito's, of course!

But not just ordinary Mojito's... Watermelon Mojito's!

Watermelons are plentiful right now, so RUN to the grocery store and grab one, along with some limes, club soda, light rum, and (if you don't have an herb garden with mint) some fresh mint.

I saw this recipe by Cookin' Canuck by way of Aggie's Kitchen, a cooking blog I regularly follow. I followed the recipe exactly, except I like a little fizz in my Mojito's so I topped mine off with some club soda.

This recipe makes enough for 2 large drinks, so if you're planning to drink a lot of these (which you will after you taste them) you'll want to double or triple this recipe. I made the drink base and put it in one of my grandmother's vintage ball pitchers (isn't it pretty?) and kept it in the fridge until we were ready to combine it with the club soda.

I hope you enjoy them as much as we did!

Watermelon Mojito's

(adapted slightly from Cookin' Canuck)

3 cups 1/2 inch cubes Watermelon

12 medium to large fresh Mint Leaves

6 Tablespoons Fresh Lime Juice

2 Tablespoons Sugar

6 oz. Light Rum

Club Soda

Place watermelon cubes in a blender. Blend until smooth

In a small pitcher, combine fresh mint leaves, sugar, and lime juice. Using the handle of a wooden spoon, muddle the ingredients to release the oils from the mint. Take care not to muddle to the point where the leaves fall apart. Pour rum and watermelon puree into the pitcher and stir gently.

Fill a tall glass filled with ice about 2/3 full of the drink base and top with club soda. Stir and enjoy!

Southwest Pasta Salad

2011-06-10T07:08:00.000-04:00

Pasta salads are one of my favorite things to make. They combine two of my favorite things -- pasta and dressing! The pasta salads I tend to like have tons of flavor and simple ingredients. As an added bonus, sometimes I can sneak in veggies that my girls otherwise wouldn't eat (tomatoes in this case). If they're chopped small enough and coated with dressing, somehow they don't notice them and gobble them up.

We have 'taco night' a couple of times a month at our house and this dish has been a perfect accompaniment several times. I made the dressing a day in advance, so when it was time for dinner all I had to do was cook the pasta, chop the tomatoes and green onions, and take the corn out of the freezer! So easy!

Southwest Pasta Salad

(adapted from Cooking Light)

1/4 cup Low-Fat Buttermilk

4 Tablespoons Fresh Cilantro, Chopped

3 Tablespoons Lime Juice

3 Tablespoons Sour Cream

3 Tablespoons Mayonnaise

1 1/2 teaspoons Chili Powder

1/2 teaspoon Salt

1/2 teaspoon Pepper

1/4 teaspoon Ground Red Pepper (if you'd like to spice it up)

3 Cloves Garlic, Crushed

1 cup Orzo Pasta, Cooked

1 cup frozen corn, thawed and drained

2 plum tomatoes, chopped

4 green onions, chopped

In a small bowl, whisk together buttermilk, cilantro, lime juice, sour cream, mayonnaise, chili powder, salt, pepper, garlic, and ground red pepper. Set aside (or make ahead and store in the refrigerator).

Cook pasta according to package directions. In a large bowl place corn, tomatoes and green onions. Drain the pasta and add it to the large bowl. Stir to combine.

Drizzle the dressing over the pasta mixture and stir to combine.

Pecan Pesto

2011-06-08T13:58:00.000-04:00

Last summer there was a shortage of pine nuts at my local grocery store. The store manager told me there had been a recall (something about Salmonella) and they wouldn't have any in stock for a while.

Ugh! I had no idea what I going to do with ALL the basil I had grown! My plan was to make and freeze a ton of it.

I racked my brain about what I could substitute for the pine nuts.

Pecans? I certainly had a lot of them in my pantry.

It turned out to be fabulous! This has turned into my go-to pesto recipe. As an added bonus, pecans are more budget-friendly than pine nuts.

And since I am a Southern girl, I feel the need to give everyone out there a lesson in the proper way to pronounce the word 'Pecan.' Because you know, there is only one proper way to say it!

It's 'Pee-can', not 'Puh-kahn'.

Ok, I'm glad I got that out. I feel better now. Let's get on with the recipe...

Last weekend I noticed that my basil plants were starting to flower. It was time to make pesto again! I like to make a lot at once and freeze it.

There are many, many different ideas about the best way to freeze pesto, but using ice cube trays is my favorite. Just fill up the trays, cover with plastic wrap and freeze. Once frozen, pop out the cubes of pesto and store in freezer bags until you're ready to use them. They defrost very quickly and you can take out just as many as you need!

Pecan Pesto

3 cups Fresh Basil Leaves

1 1/2 cups Pecans

4 cloves garlic, peeled

1/4 cup Parmesan Cheese, grated

3/4 cup Olive Oil

Salt and Pepper to taste

In a food processor or blender, blend together basil leaves, garlic, pecans, parmesan cheese. Slowly pour in the olive oil while still mixing. Add salt and pepper to taste and mix again.

Chicken Stuffed Crescent Rolls

2011-06-07T14:55:00.003-04:00

When was the last time you ate a Hot Pocket?

The last time I ate one was probably in college, but every time I walk by them in the freezer section of the grocery store I glance over and *think* about buying some. There's something about those hot, cheesy little pockets that bring back good memories.

My "healthy" side won't let me buy them anymore, so I decided to make them at home. This recipe is not necessarily "healthy" but it sure does beat the microwaveable version and my girls think they're fun to eat!

To make the filling, finely dice some cooked chicken. I use rotisserie chicken for this recipe, but some baked chicken breasts would work well, too. In a large bowl combine cream cheese, onion, milk, shredded cheese, seasoned salt and chicken. Mix it all together and set aside.

Unroll refrigerated crescent rolls on a cutting board. Use your fingers to press the perforations together. Using a large knife, cut the crescent rolls into 3x3 squares. You should have 3 small squares from each can of crescent rolls.

Place the square on a greased baking sheet. Put about 2 Tablespoons of the chicken mixture on each square.

Fold the corners of the square into the center.

Use your fingers to seal all the edges so none of the cheese leaks out.

Brush each pocket with butter and sprinkle lightly with paprika.

Bake at 350 for 10-15 minutes or until golden brown.

Chicken Stuffed Crescent Rolls

3 cups diced cooked chicken

2 cans refrigerated Crescent Rolls

6 oz Cream Cheese, softened

1/2 cup finely diced onion

1 cup Shredded Monterrey Jack Cheese

2 Tablespoons Milk

1/2 teaspoon Seasoned Salt

Pepper, to taste

4 Tablespoons Melted Butter

Paprika

Preheat oven to 350. In a large bowl combine the diced chicken, softened cream cheese, onion, cheese, milk, shredded cheese, seasoned salt and pepper. Set aside.

Unroll the refrigerated crescent rolls. Use your fingers to press the perforations together. Using a large knife, cut the crescent rolls into approximately 3x3 inch squares. You should have 6 small squares from each can of crescent rolls.

Place the square on a greased baking sheet. Put about 2 Tablespoons of the chicken mixture on each square. Fold the corners of the square into the center. Use your fingers to seal all the edges so none of the cheese leaks out. Brush each pocket with butter and sprinkle lightly with paprika. Bake for 10-15 minutes or until golden brown.

Crispy Seasoned Chips

2011-06-06T07:31:00.003-04:00

Who's ready for a yummy, easy, low calorie snack? My neighbor made some chips similar to these last weekend and brought them to the pool to share. Her version was crispy and light, made with cheddar cheese. I knew I had to make them!

I made two different versions -- Dill Parmesan, and Chipotle Cheddar. The possibilities for different flavor combinations is endless, though.

You can find wonton wrappers at most grocery stores in the fruit & vegetable section near the tofu. One package will make a ton of chips. Each regular sized wrapper has just 20 calories and I cut mine into quarters -- so just 5 calories a piece for this part of the chip!

For the Dill Parmesan Chips:

Spray a baking sheet lightly with vegetable spray. After you cut your wrappers into fourths, place them as close together as you can without overlapping. Give them another light spray of the vegetable oil.

Sprinkle them with Dill, and then Parmesan Cheese. Make sure you get a little of both on each chip, but don't try to be too exact. I used fresh parmesan here. I think it melts faster than the powdered stuff. The chips cook so quickly that I was afraid the chip would start to brown before the powdered cheese melted.

Bake at 350 for 5-6 minutes, or until cheese is melted slightly and wrappers just start to brown on the edges. Remove the chips from the baking sheet promptly and allow them to cool on a paper towel.

For the Chipotle Cheddar Chips:

Prepare your baking sheet and wonton wrappers as described above. Sprinkle with Chipotle Seasoning and Cheddar Cheese. Bake at 350 until cheese melts and wrappers just start to brown. Cool on paper towels.

Store in an airtight container or plastic bag.

Parmesan Dill Chips

8 Wonton wrappers, cut into fourths

2-3 Tablespoons Fresh Dill (if you use dried you will need less)

3-4 Tablespoons freshly grated Parmesan Cheese

Vegetable Spray

Preheat oven to 350. Lightly spray a baking sheet with vegetable oil. Place the quartered wonton wrappers on the baking sheet without overlapping. Lightly spray the wonton wrappers with the vegetable oil. Sprinkle the wrappers first with the dill and then with the parmesan. Bake for 5-6 minutes until cheese is melted and chips are lightly browned on the edges. Remove from the pan immediately and allow to cool on a paper towel.

Chipotle Cheddar Chips

8 wonton wrappers, cut into fourths

1/2-1 teaspoon Chipotle Pepper Seasoning (depending on how

spicy you like them)

3-4 Tablespoons Cheddar Cheese

Vegetable Spray

Preheat oven to 350. Lightly spray a baking sheet with vegetable oil. Place the quartered wonton wrappers on the baking sheet without overlapping. Lightly spray the wonton wrappers with the vegetable oil. Sprinkle the wrappers first with the chipotle seasoning and then with the cheddar. Bake for 5-6 minutes until cheese is melted and chips are lightly browned on the edges. Remove from the pan immediately and allow to cool on a paper towel.

Summer Pasta Salad

2011-06-04T12:59:00.001-04:00

Since I planted what has turned out to be a ton of fresh herbs on my deck, I have been on the hunt for recipes in which to use them! Fresh thyme is a great addition to a basic lemon vinaigrette in this dish.

We ate this warm as a side dish with grilled steaks last weekend. The flavors are bold, so I wasn't sure if my girls would eat it, but they gobbled it up! There were a few leftovers and I ate it for lunch the next day (cold). I think it would make a great dish to take to a picnic!

Pasta Salad with Green Beans

(adapted from Cooking Light)

1 lb cooked pasta, such as Fuscilli or Gemelli

2 cups fresh green beans, ends snapped and cut in half

4 Tablespoons fresh Thyme

3 Tablespoons Grated Lemon Rind

2 Tablespoons Minced Shallots

4 Tablespoons White Wine Vinegar

4 cloves garlic, crushed

1/3 cup Extra Virgin Olive Oil

1 teaspoon salt

1 teaspoon pepper

Parmesan Cheese for garnish

In a large pot of boiling water, cook pasta according to directions. During last 3 minutes of cooking, add green beans. Drain pasta and green beans.

To make the dressing combine Thyme, Lemon Rind, Shallots, Vinegar, Salt, Pepper and Garlic in a bowl. Slowly whisk in the Olive Oil.

Drizzle the dressing over the pasta and green beans. Stir to combine. Garnish with fresh parmesan cheese.

Cheesy Noodle Bake

2011-06-02T07:40:00.001-04:00

Casseroles don't make an appearance very often in my kitchen. I have a few go-to casserole recipes, but not many. I'm not quite sure why that is. It could have something to do with the fact that my girls don't always like their food all mixed together. They like to see exactly what's on their plate. I think they feel like I'm trying to "hide" something super healthy in there!

Our conversation about this dish went something like this -- Me: "It's noodles AND cheese, both of which you love!" (utilizing the power of suggestion here) Them: "What about that white stuff?" Me: "Oh, that's another kind of cheese that you've eaten before and liked." Them: "If you say so..." After they gave it a few more pokes and prods with their forks, they dug right in. And of course, they loved it.

This is one of those dishes you can make in advance and keep in the refrigerator until you're ready to cook. I made this one morning when I knew there would be no afternoon prep-time for dinner. I needed something that I could just pop in the oven when our after-school activities were over.

For the sauce, brown the ground chuck and drain. Add the tomato sauce, garlic, salt, and pepper. Let the mixture simmer while you prepare the rest of the ingredients.

In a separate bowl, combine the sour cream, cottage cheese, green onions, and additional pepper. Add the cooked noodles and stir to coat.

Add half the noodles to a 9x13 baking dish. Top with the meat mixture and half of the cheddar cheese. Repeat the layering with more noodles, meat mixture, cheddar cheese, and mozzarella. Bake at 350 for 20 minutes or until cheese is melted.

Cheesy Noodle Bake

(adapted from The Pioneer Woman)

8 oz. Egg Noodles, cooked al dente and drained

1 lb. Ground Chuck

1/2 tsp. Salt

1 tsp. Black Pepper, divided

2 cloves Garlic, chopped

15 oz (1 can) Tomato Sauce

1/2 cup Sour Cream

1 cup Cottage Cheese

5 Green Onions, chopped

1 cup Grated Cheddar Cheese

1/2 cup Grated Mozzarella

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Cook egg noodles until al dente and drain. Brown the ground chuck and drain. Return the meat to the pan and add the tomato sauce, garlic, salt and 1/2 tsp. pepper. Simmer this mixture while you prepare the rest of the ingredients.

In a separate bowl combine the sour cream, cottage cheese, green onions and 1/2 tsp pepper. Add the cooked egg noodles and stir to coat.

Add half the noodles to a 9x13 baking dish. Top with the meat mixture and half of the cheddar cheese. Repeat the layering with more noodles, meat mixture, cheddar cheese and mozzarella. Bake at 350 for 20 minutes or until cheese is melted.

Cheesy Bacon Biscuits

2011-05-31T07:14:00.000-04:00

Bacon, bacon, bacon. I love bacon. I love cheese, too. And biscuits. And to put them all together in one mouth-watering breakfast bite? I'm in heaven! I'm not a big breakfast eater to begin with and when I do decide to veer off course from my regular coffee and more coffee breakfast diet, it's usually something savory like these Cheesy Bacon Biscuits.

They were so easy to make! See my post HERE for a less-messy way to cook bacon. I cooked the bacon the day before, so on the morning I made these biscuits all I had to do was pull the 5 ingredients out of the refrigerator, put everything together, and throw it in the oven (not literally). So simple!

Cheesy Bacon Biscuits

(adapted from Picky-Palate)

2 Tablespoons Melted Butter

1 Roll Refrigerated Biscuit Dough, 8 count

1 cup Shredded Mozzarella

1 cup Shredded Cheddar Cheese

1 cup cooked, crumbled Bacon

Preheat oven to 350. Brush a cast iron skillet with melted butter. Place biscuits in skillet. Top with crumbled bacon, shredded mozzarella, and shredded cheddar. Bake for 15-20 minutes until cheese is melted and biscuits are cooked through.

Chopped Salad with Citrus Dressing

2011-05-29T08:22:00.001-04:00

This is one of my all-time favorite salads. I crave it. The combination of the sweet, citrusy (is that even a word) dressing with the bacon and blue cheese is mouth watering. Add in a little grilled chicken, walnuts, & cranberries, and you have a hearty weeknight meal.

I'm not a big fan of cooking bacon (eating it, yes). It can get so messy! One day I saw Ina Garten cooking bacon on a broiler pan. Genius! I've never cooked it any other way since. Just line the bottom of your broiler pan with aluminum foil (for super-easy clean up), and lay the bacon across. Bake at 425 for about 20 minutes, turning once, until crispy. When I know we're going to have this salad, I make the bacon ahead of time and store it it the fridge.

You could just stop with the bacon, but since my meat-loving husband likes to have this salad for dinner as well, I like to add some grilled chicken. My favorite way to make simple, grilled chicken is to flatten out chicken breasts, sprinkle on sea salt and fresh ground pepper. Drizzle liberally with olive oil.

Grill over medium-high heat until cooked through and you have pretty grill marks. Ladies, don't be afraid of your grill!

Citrus Dressing

1 teaspoon Grated Orange Zest

3 Tablespoons Apple Cider Vinegar

3 Tablespoons Freshly Squeezed Orange Juice

2 1/2 teaspoons Dijon Mustard

2 Tablespoons Pure Maple Syrup

1/2 teaspoon Freshly Ground Black Pepper

2/3 cup Olive Oil

In a jar, combine orange zest, apple cider vinegar, orange juice, Dijon mustard, maple syrup and pepper. Shake vigorously. Add olive oil. Shake until combined.

Chopped Salad

8 slices thick sliced bacon, cooked and chopped

2-3 chicken breasts, grilled and sliced

Lettuce (I used a bag of Spring Mix)
1/2 cup chopped walnuts

1/2 cup dried cranberries

6 ounces Blue Cheese (I used Roquefort), crumbled

Creamy Carrot Pasta

2011-05-28T07:17:00.002-04:00

This is so sneaky. As soon as I saw this recipe I knew I had to make it. I'm always searching for ways to incorporate veggies into things my girls will eat. They even thought (until I clued them in on the carrots) that it was mac & cheese! And since I love garlic (nearly) as much as I love chocolate, this hits the spot for the adults in this house, too!

I have a little container herb garden on my deck and thyme is making its debut this year. Last year I grew basil, rosemary and mint (mainly for Mojito's, of course). I was so excited to be able to pick a few sprigs of fresh thyme for this recipe, but dried would work just as well.

Have you ever tried roasted carrots? They are fantastic! We have them as a simple side dish quite often. They lose a lot of their sharp carrot flavor and are sweet and yummy...

I almost didn't include this picture of the carrot puree, mostly because it just looks like baby food. But I wanted to show how creamy this really is! All that heavy cream is doing its job.

Once the carrots are roasted and pureed, they take on a sweet and smooth flavor. You could even turn this into an entree by adding bacon or diced chicken.

Creamy Carrot Pasta

(adapted from Cinnamon and Spice and Everything Nice)

1 bag of baby carrots (approx. 1 pound)

7 cloves of garlic, peeled

3 Tablespoons Olive Oil

3-4 sprigs of fresh thyme, or 1 tsp. dried thyme

2/3 cup of heavy cream

1/2 cup grated Parmesan Cheese
1 cup frozen garden peas

1 pound of pasta

1/4 - 1/2 cup milk

Salt & pepper, to taste

In a large bowl, combine carrots, garlic, olive oil, and thyme. Season with salt and pepper. Spread on a roasting pan and place in a 400 degree oven. Bake about 45 minutes, or until carrots are tender. Toss once or twice during cooking to make sure the carrots cook evenly.

Cook the pasta according to package directions. While the pasta is cooking make the carrot cream. In a blender, puree the carrots and garlic together with the heavy cream and parmesan cheese until smooth. Place in a large bowl. Toss in the peas and stir.

When pasta is done, drain and add to the bowl with the carrot puree. Toss gently to coat. Slowly add the milk until all the pasta is evenly coated with the puree and is a nice consistency.

Tangy Marinated Beef Kebabs

2011-05-27T08:23:00.003-04:00

Who doesn't love food on a stick? And aren't they pretty? With the Memorial Day weekend coming up, I thought this would be a great first dish to blog about. The marinade was sweet and tangy and a perfect complement to the sweet peppers and peppery onions.

You can put together so many different combinations of veggies for this. I chose mushrooms, red onion, zucchini, and red bell peppers. The most important thing to remember when making kebabs is to keep everything approximately the same size. If you slice your zucchini too thin it will turn to mush before your onions are cooked through.

I like to use sirloin for kebabs but you can use any cut of beef, really. I think the sirloin has the right amount of fat marbled in to keep it from drying out.

I like to marinate the entire kebab rather than everything separately. After you assemble them, place in a large baking dish. Pour the marinade over everything making sure each part is coated well. Cover with plastic wrap and place in the refrigerator for 6-8 hours. I rotated them in the dish every few hours just to make sure they were equally coated, but I don't think that is absolutely necessary.

Another thing to remember when making this kind of kebab is to grill them slowly. You want to make sure all the vegetables are cooked evenly. You don't want crunchy onions, mushy zucchini, and over-cooked steak!

Try it out this weekend!

Tangy Marinade

(adapted from The Pioneer Woman)

1/2 cup Cooking Sherry

1/2 cup soy sauce (I used reduced sodium)

2 Tablespoons Sesame Oil

3 Tablespoons Honey

3 Tablespoons Minced Ginger

5 cloves Minced Garlic

1/2 teaspoon Crushed Red Pepper Flakes

Kebabs

1 1/2 pounds sirloin, fat trimmed and cubed

1 pound button mushroom

2-3 zucchini, cut into half inch slices

1 red bell pepper, uniformly cut

1 red onion, uniformly cut

For the marinade, combine all ingredients in a small bowl. Set aside. Thread 1 meat cube onto skewer, followed by the remaining ingredients until skewer is full. Place into a large baking dish and pour marinade over skewers. Cover with plastic wrap and place in the refrigerator for 6-8 hours, or overnight.

Preheat grill to medium heat. Place skewers on the grill, rotating every 5-7 minutes until cooked to your liking and all veggies are done.