Peaches Pantry

Oven Baked Sockeye Salmon

2010-07-25T17:24:00.007-04:00

Ingredients
1 Large Sockeye Salmon Fillet
Old Bay Seasoning
2Tbsps Garlic Salt
4tsp Olive Oil

1. Preheat oven to 400

2. Lightly oil pan with 2tsp olive oil and sprinkle with 1Tbsp garlic salt and 1Tbsp Old Bay

3. Place fish, scale side down, on pan

(scale side)

(scales down)

4. Using a baking brush, oil over entire fillet

5. Sprinkle with generous amount of Old Bay Seasoning and 1Tsp Garlic Salt

6. Slide into oven and bake for 15 minutes

7. After 15 minutes, check to see if fish flakes easily. The white stuff is the fat cooking out

8. Slice the fillet and serve with your favorite sides

Lasagna

2010-07-09T17:04:00.007-04:00

If you haven't been able to tell by now, I am a lover of Italian foods. Working at Amalfis, I still never got sick of the smell or taste of the delicious sauces. I am not even going to try and recreate their lasagna. I worked at the one in Statesville, NC (they now have two, that's how good it is). Here is the website to the one in Kernersville.

Sauce Ingredients:
1lb Hamburger
1lb Sausage (I used Jimmy Dean Hot Sausage)
1 Medium Onion, diced
2Tbsps Minced Garlic (I used the pre-minced in Olive Oil)
2 8oz Tomato Sauce
2 6oz Tomato Paste
1 28oz Crushed Tomato
2Tbsps Italian Seasoning
2tsp Basil
1tsp Salt
2Tbsp Sugar
1/2tsp pepper

Cheese Ingredients:
23oz Ricotta Cheese
1 Large Egg
2tsp Italian Seasoning

Other Ingredients:
12 Lasagna Noodles
1lb Mozzarella Cheese

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees

2. In dutch oven/stock pot mix together Sausage, Hamburger, Onion, and Garlic. Cook through.

3. While that is cooking, get all tomato sauces/pastes ready and pour out the correct amount of sugar, salt, pepper, Italian seasoning, and basil to add to pot.

4. When meat is done and well blended, add in sauces and spices.

5. Let simmer for 1.5 hours (if you only have an hour, go ahead)

6. Mix together Ricotta cheese, 2tsps Italian seasoning, and large egg. Mix well.

7. In a large pan, place lasagna noodles to soak, for 25 minutes, in hot tap water.

8. In the pan you will cook the lasagna in, place a layer of meat sauce on bottom, to keep it from sticking.

9. Place down first layer of Lasagna noodles, covering pan (usually 6 noodles in the average 9x13 pang)

10. Add a nice layer of the Ricotta cheese mixture (about half)

11. Cover with Mozzerella Cheese. About 1.5 cups

12. Add another noodle layer (darn me forgetting to take a picture!)

13. Cover with meat sauce

14. Drop remaining Ricotta mixture, in "globs", and sprinkle Mozzarella cheese

15. Place on Final noodle layer

16. Cover with meat sauce and remaining Mozzarella cheese (forgot picture, sorry!)

17. Cover with tinfoil, bake for 25 minutes

18. Uncover after 25 minutes, and back for additional 25 minutes

19. Let set for 15 minutes before serving!

Baked Garlic Tilapia

2010-07-05T20:23:00.007-04:00

Thumbelina does not like the Parmesan Crusted Tilapia, so I made this up for her, and she loved it. (So did I)

Ingredients:
4-6oz Tilapia Fillets (5-8)
2Tbsp Butter
1tsp Garlic Salt
1/4tsp Paprika
1/8tsp Pepper

1. Preheat oven to 375 degrees

2. Line cookie sheet with tinfoil and spray or grease

3. Rinse and dry fillets, placing on cookie sheet

4. Melt Butter in small bowl

5. Mix in Garlic Salt, Paprika, and Pepper

6. Brush on Tilapia fillets, making sure to cover the entire top side

7. Bake in preheated oven for 11 minutes, or until Tilapia flakes

8. Remove from oven, serve, and ENJOY!

Parmesan Crusted Tilapia

2010-07-05T20:14:00.006-04:00

*Panko Bread Crumbs are Japanese style bread crumbs. Panko actually means bread crumbs (according to google!), so it's a bit redundant. If you do not have Panko, you can use regular, or make your own!

Ingredients:
4-6oz Tilapia fillets (7-8)
1/2 Alfredo Sauce
1tsp Oregano
1 Cup Grated Parmesan Cheese (separated in 2 halves)
1/2 Cup Panko Bread Crumbs*

1. Preheat your oven to 425 degrees

2. Spray or oil a 9x12 clear dish

3. Rinse and dry fillets, place in greased dish

5. Mix together Alfredo sauce, Oregano, and 1/2 cup Parmesan cheese. You can make your own Alfredo sauce, or do what I did to save time, and use a pre-made.

6. Brush Alfredo mixture on Tilapia fillets, making a thick, even coat

7. Mix together 1/2 cup Panko and 1/2 cup Parmesan Cheese

8. Sprinkle on top of Alfredo sauce, covering the fillets
(please don't hate me, I forgot to photograph this step, but it's pretty self explanatory, right?)

9. Place in preheated oven for 16 minutes, or until Tilapia flakes easily

10. Serve with your favorite sides and enjoy!

Baked Potatoes

2010-06-29T21:28:00.004-04:00

We all know the skin is the best part of the potato. I also know that when I eat other peoples potatoes, I bypass the skin because it's dry and blah (especially those that are cooked in the microwave!). So, here is my recipe, where the skin is better than the actual potato!

Ingredients:
Russet Baking Potatoes (however many you need)
Extra Virgin Olive Oil
Garlic Salt
Pepper
Tinfoil

1. Preheat your oven to 400 degrees

2. Grab your potato and look it over for any bad spots

3. Wash and dry your potato

4. Stab your potato on all sides with a fork or a knife

5. Pull out sheets of tinfoil, large enough to fold the potato in for baking. Place a small amount of oil on the foil, rubbing it into an oval shape, then sprinkle on Garlic Salt and Pepper.

6. Rub potato with a tsp of oil, place on tinfoil, in the spot where the seasoning is

7. Sprinkle with Garlic Salt and Pepper

8. Wrap potato up tight in tinfoil

9. Place in oven for 1 hour

10. Unwrap tinfoil

11. Put on your plate and place your favorite toppings on top! I am putting a picture of both my favorite (butter and sour cream) and then my husbands (everything but the kitchen sink)

Easy Italian Meatballs

2010-06-13T12:24:00.006-04:00

Who doesn't love meatballs? Who actually cooks them at home? Over the years, I have realized that some people find meatballs to be confusing and hard to make (by people I mean me. Matt remembers my first attempt at baking them...). In reality, it's not any harder than making meatloaf. I promise you.

Ingredients
1 pound Hamburger meat
1 package of Jimmy Dean Hot Sausage
1 Small onion, chopped
3/4 Cup of Italian Bread Crumbs
1tsp Garlic Salt
1Tbsp Italian Seasoning
1Tbsp Minced Garlic
2 Eggs, Beaten

1. Mix hamburger and sausage together in medium sized bowl

2. Line baking pan with wax paper

3. Add eggs to Hamburger and sausage mixture

4. Chop onion

5. Measure out Garlic Salt, Italian Seasoning, and Minced Garlic (you can mince fresh, I am out, so I used my jar)

4. Add Onion, Garlic Salt, Italian Seasoning, and Minced Garlic to meat mixture

5. This is important: HAND MIX. This is the best way to make sure that everything is mixed well. You're going to have to use your hands to roll the balls, so go ahead and get them dirty!

6. Roll mixture into golf ball sized balls, and place on baking sheet.

7. Place baking sheet into fridge for at least 1 hour. I did this at 12pm and am not going to be adding them to the pasta sauce until about 4pm. You can even do them the night before it needed. If your day is going to be busy, do it! Prep makes life so much easier. Here are the balls fresh out of the fridge:

8. When ready, heat frying pan with 1Tbsp of olive oil. Fry meatballs on each side, lightly browning, but not cooking through.

9. Add Meatballs to pasta sauce, which should be cooking on low heat in a crock pot, or med-low heat on stove.

10. Cook for 2 hours, or until cooked through.

11. Serve over spaghetti noodles!

Chicken and Dumplings

2010-05-31T16:21:00.008-04:00

Chicken and dumplings is pure southern comfort food (goes well with biscuits!). Today has been a wonderfully rainy Monday and this meal takes little preparation if you have fresh chicken stock on hand. I made a whole chicken, but you can easily cook a few breast to shred for the meal. My amounts will look larger than what the recipe calls for because I doubled it. Company for dinner! (If doubling the recipe, use 18 cups of broth)

Ingredients
4 chicken breasts, cooked and shredded (or a whole chicken, from making stock)
8 cups Chicken Broth
1/2tsp Salt & 1 1/4tsp Salt
1tsp Pepper
1Tbsp Lemon Juice
2 Cups of AP flour
1Tbsp Baking Powder
1 1/8 Cup of Milk

1. Heat stock and and add pepper, salt, and lemon juice

2. In medium bowl, mix together 1 1/4tsp salt, baking powder, Flour, and Milk, mixing until "smooth" ball. Let rest for 10 minutes. It's going to be a bit sticky still.

3. On well floured surface, roll out, and cut into bite sized shapes. Most prefer squares, I have this cute little circle. For kids, you can even let them help by using small cookie cutters! *Make sure your hands are floured. Otherwise, it's sticky!
A. Drop on floured surface:

B. Roll out to a quarter of an inch to a half an inch thickness, depending on how thick you want them to be.

C. Cut out!

4. Add to stock pot, cooking for 25 minutes. The dumplings will swell and the pot will seem to be too thick with dumplings. Don't worry, it's fine. Just stir occasionally to keep from sticking.

5. Shred your chicken into bite sized pieces. Not too large, not too small. I call this "Matt's job". Add them to your pot, let cook for 10 more minutes.

6. Add to bowls and serve hot

Bowtie Festival

2010-05-23T16:13:00.012-04:00

My husband has fallen in love with this recipe. I am "ordered" to make it for all of his holidays. Fathers Day, birthdays, Panthers season openers, every time the Panthers win... (So, maybe not that often!)

I got the idea from Johnny Carinos Bowtie Festival, which is wonderful. Dear Husband says mine tastes better.

Ingredients:
2 Chicken Breasts
1/4 Cup Bacon
1/4 Cup Red Onion
1 Garlic Clove
2Tbsp Heavy Cream
1/4 Cup Asiago Cheese
2 Roma Tomatoes (those oval shaped tomatoes)
Alfredo Sauce
1/8tsp Garlic Salt
Pepper
1 Pat of Butter

1. Melt 1 pat of butter in saute pan, along with 1/8tsp of Garlic Salt

2. Cut fat and skin from two chicken breast

3. Slice breasts into thing strips (you will have more than this. I snapped a photo of this small amount so you could see size)

4. Add to saute pan, sprinkle with fresh pepper, cook on medium heat, till done

5. Dice 1/4 cup of Red Onion

6. Dice 2 Roma Tomatoes

7. Mince Garlic

8. Cut up strips of Bacon, remove fat. Should equal 1/4 cup (It took 3 strips for me)

9. Add Ingredients chopped in steps 5-7 to cooked chicken. Saute until onions are translucent and bacon is cooked

10. Turn down heat to medium low, add 2Tbsp Heavy Cream and Asiago cheese. Stir until mixed well. Turn down to low heat.

11. Cook 1 box of Bowtie Pasta, drain, add back to pot

12. Toss together Bowtie Pasta with chicken mixture and Alfredo sauce

13. Serve hot with fresh bread!

Crock-Pot Beef Stew

2010-05-21T17:27:00.006-04:00

This is the type of meal you eat when you are hungry. What southern grandmothers call a "rib stickin' " meal. Perfect for rainy or cold days.

Ingredients:
2 packages of stew meat (beef cut into 1in pieces)
1/2 Cup All Purpose Flour
1 and 1/4tsp Paprika
Oil for browning
2 Cups Beef Broth
1/2 Cup Red Wine
1/4 Cup Worcestershire Sauce
6 Medium Potatoes
3 Carrots
2 Garlic cloves
1 Bay Leaf

1. In crock-pot, pour together beef broth, wine, and Worcestershire sauce.

2. Mix together flour with 1/4tsp of paprika

3. Rinse and dry beef

4. Throw beef into flour, cover with lid, and shake, until all pieces are lightly floured

5. Heat oil in skillet, and brown beef on each side

6. Add beef to crock-pot

7. Chop potatoes and carrots, adding to crock pot

8. Mince garlic, add to crock pot along with Bay Leaf and 1tsp of paprika

9. Crack fresh pepper for flavor

10. Stir together, set on low for 4 hours, making sure to stir occasionally

11. Serve over egg noodles!

Sour Cream Enchiladas

2010-05-16T14:02:00.008-04:00

2 Chicken Breast
1 Small Onion
2 Poblano Pepper
2 Jalepeno Pepper
2Tbsp Oil
16oz Sour Cream (separated)
10 Corn/Flour Tortillas
16oz Shredded Monterrey Jack Cheese (separated)
1 Cup Milk
2 Tbsp Flour

OPTIONAL
Chipotle Seasoning
Salt and pepper

1. Pre-heat oven to 400 degrees

2. Boil chicken for 45 minutes with salt, pepper, and chipotle seasonings, drain, cool, and shred.

3. Dice your peppers into large pile

4. Dice Onion

5. Saute 2/3 of the peppers with onion

6. Mix sauted peppers and onions with chicken

7. Mix in 1/2 cup of sour cream and 1 1/2 cups of cheese with chicken and peppers.

8. Lay Flour/corn tortilla flat, and spoon in mixture. (I used a white corn as well as a flour tortilla. I prefer the taste of flour. The corn is smaller)

9. Roll up and place seam side down in large baking dish

Corn Tortilla:

Flour Tortilla:

10. In saute pan, use a whisk to stir together remaining peppers, 1cup milk, and 2Tbsp of flour.

11. Add in remaining sour cream and cheese, stirring until smooth
(sadly, I forgot to take a picture of this step. However, you will see the look of the sauce in the next photos)

12. Pour over each Enchilada

13. Bake for 20-25 minutes, until bubbly

Corn Tortilla

Flour Tortilla:

15. Let sit for 5-10 minutes before serving! Now, with mine, I neglected to save some sauce to pour on after they cooked, however, I recommend that you do this!

Sauteed Mushrooms

2010-05-04T20:08:00.003-04:00

One of my personal favorite side dishes

Ingredients
Fresh Whole Mushrooms
1 stick of butter
3-4tsp Minced Garlic (Fresh or pre-minced)

1. Wash and dry mushrooms

2. Slice into "stems and pieces"

3. Melt butter with minced garlic (I used pre-minced tonight!)

4. Add in mushrooms and saute on medium high heat for 15 minutes, until a light brown. Make sure to stir them around in the saute pan, so they cook evenly

Hope you enjoy them like I do! You can also use the baby button mushrooms if you like. They tend to be on the more expensive side, so I used regulars more often.

Not From Texas Chili

2010-04-29T16:30:00.008-04:00

Made completely from scratch, and completely delicious chili. Texans will want to kill me because I use beans. Sorry!

Ingredients:
1lb Hamburger Meat
1 Bell Pepper
2 Jalapenos
1 Medium Onion
3 Garlic Clove
1/2 stick butter
30oz Can Tomato Sauce (or 2 15oz)
28oz Can Crushed Tomatoes
2 Cans Bushes Chili Beans (these come in hot, medium, and mild. Choose your taste)
2 Cans Bushes Light Red Kidney Beans (if you prefer dark, fine)
3tsp Paprika
2tsp Cumin
1tsp Chipotle Seasoning
3Tbsp Chili Powder

Optional Ingredients:
1.5lb Eye of Round/Flank Steak
Cayenne Pepper
Cheese for Garnish

1. Grab your onion, garlic, jalapenos, and bell pepper, chop and dice into small pieces (garlic minced)

2. Brown hamburger meat with 1tsp of paprika

3. In large stock pot, melt 1/2 stick of butter, and lightly saute chopped veggies (OK, technically peppers are a fruit, hush)

4. OPTIONAL: Cut steak into small pieces and brown

5. Make sure to drain grease from both meats and add to stock pot, stirring in with saute

6. Mix in 2tsp Paprika, 2tsp Cumin, 1tsp Chipotle, 3Tbsp Chili powder

7. Add all cans of tomato sauce and crushed tomatoes to stock pot, stirring well

8. Drain Kidney Beans, add to stock pot

9. Add in chili bean and the sauce they are in to the stock pot and stir in well

10. OPTIONAL: Add in Cayenne pepper for hot. If you are not sure, I suggest to add in 1/8tsp at a time. I use 1/4tsp for our family, because while I like it hot, they complain

11. Cover with lid and let simmer for 1 hour and 45 minutes

12. Serve with crackers or cornbread

Baked Spaghetti

2010-04-27T16:32:00.005-04:00

It's been a long day, and I am tired. My go to meal? Spaghetti. When it's Matt making the meal (the only meal he can make, even if he doesn't spice it up), it's regular seashell spaghetti. Made like regular spaghetti, but with the seashell noodles. We like it better. However, when I make it, I like cheese (this is why I'm fat?). So, I make a baked spaghetti. It looks to be a lot more hassle than it is, and I promise, it's worth it.

Here is the best part. Almost all of the main ingredients are from Aldi. Yes, Aldi! With the exception of the hamburger meat and specialty cheeses (Asiago and Parmesan) which are from Harris Teeter, this is an Aldi meal.

Ingredients:
1 Box of Pasta
1-2 Jars Pasta Sauce
1lb Hamburger Meat
3tsp Pre-minced Garlic or 6 Garlic Cloves, minced
1Tbsp Italian Seasoning
1/2Tbsp Red Pepper Flakes
2.5 Cups Mozzarella/Italian Cheeses
6Tbsp Cream Cheese

Optional:
Asiago Cheese
Parmesan Cheese

1. Preheat oven to 350

2. In a skillet brown hamburger meat with minced garlic, red pepper, and italian seasoning. (here are pictures of the seasonings and the type of pre-minced garlic.)

3. Drain the excess grease

4. Stir the meat in with the pasta sauces. I am out of homemade, so I used my next fave. I prefer my spaghetti to be saucy, so I do two jars. If you prefer less sauce, use one.
(Spaghetti sauce is from Aldi)

5. Cook your pasta, al dente, according the the box, then drain.

6. Place cooked noodles in large bowl

7. Melt your cream cheese, 3Tbsp at a time, mixing with pasta

8. After the cream cheese is well blended, stir in 1 cup of Italian/Mozzarella cheese

9. Add in meat sauce, holding back 1 cup for topping, mix well

9. OPTIONAL mix in 1/2 cup of parmesan cheese

11. Spread evenly into a 9x13 baking dish

12. Cover the noodles with the extra sauce that you held back earlier

13. Spread 1.5cups of Italian/Mozzarella cheese on top, evenly

14. OPTIONAL: Sprinkle lightly with Parmesan and Asiago Cheeses

15. Cook, covered, for 30 minutes

16. Let stand for 15 minutes, to setting. Then serve and enjoy!

Breaded Parmesan Whiting Fillet

2010-04-26T18:43:00.006-04:00

We love fish in this family. Thumbelina generally has to be told it's fish sticks for her to eat it however. It can look and taste different than any other fish "stick" she's ever had, but she doesn't care. As long as she is able to say it's fish sticks, she's happy. However, for some reason, tonight, she kept calling this salmon patties (she still ate them, and is begging for it for lunch tomorrow). I promise you, these are not salmon patties, nor fish sticks. :-)

Ingredients:
8 Whiting Fish Fillets
2 Eggs, beaten
1 cup of All Purpose Flour (separated into 1/2 cup increments)
1/3cup Panko Bread Crumbs
1/2cup Shredded Parmesan
Oil for frying
Pepper

1. Preheat the oil for frying to about 325-350 degrees

2. Mix together 1/2 cup of Flour and pepper for taste in a plate

3. In bowl, beat eggs for dipping

4. In another bowl, mix together Panko Bread Crumbs, 1/2cup of flour, and shredded parm.

5. Take whiting and lightly flour with the flour and pepper mixture

6. Dip fillet into egg

7. Place into the Panko mixture, covering the Whiting fillet

9. Drop into heated oil, cooking 20 minutes each side, or until fish flakes easily.

10. When finished cooking, remove from oil and drain on paper towel. Of course, serve hot!

Green Beans and Baby Red Potatoes

2010-04-26T15:44:00.008-04:00

I used to live on a farm in Asheville, from the ages 13-15. I left shortly before my 16th birthday, but I never forgot how awesome fresh vegetables tasted in comparison to what you get out of a can. Matt and I were supposed to start our garden this year, but sadly, it didn't quite work out the way we hoped. So, we settled for the farmers market.

Ingredients:
1/2lb Fresh Snap Beans. (Green beans)
8-10 Baby Red Potatoes
1 small onion
3 cups Pork stock/broth
1/2 stick SALTED Butter
3 small cloves of Garlic

Here is a look at the way your green beans, fresh from the market (Baby reds too for that matter)

1. Put pork stock in a medium pot to boil

2. Snap your beans, ends off, then snap in half, then rinse (kids can help!)

3. Slice potatoes in half or quarters

4. Slice onion into circular strips

5. Place onion and green beans in boiling pork stock for 10 minutes, covered.

6. Uncover and place in halved red potatoes.

7. Cover and simmer for an additional 30 minutes, making sure to check potato tenderness.

8. Drain the broth

9. Mince garlic

10. Melt 1/2 stick of salted butter in pot and add minced garlic

11. Toss with veggie mix

12. Spoon into serving dish and enjoy!

RECIPE TIP: If you prefer a crunchier green bean, do not cook them for 10 minutes alone. Just cook the 30 minutes with the potatoes. They will have a nice "snap"

Fettuccine Alfredo

2010-04-25T19:18:00.003-04:00

Once you have made your own Alfredo Sauce, you will never, never ever, want to buy it from a jar again!

Ingredients
2Tbsp Cream Cheese
1 Stick of SALTED Butter
1cup Freshly Shredded Parmesan Cheese
1 Pint Heavy Cream
2 Cloves Garlic, minced
1 Box Fettuccine Noodles

1. Melt butter and cream cheese in large skillet on medium heat

2. Mince Fresh Garlic

3. Shred Fresh Parmesan Cheese
4. Once butter and cream cheese are melted, add heavy cream and garlic

5. When the cream is well heated, add in parmesan cheese, in 1/4 increments, stirring in slowly

6. Stir frequently for 15 minutes, until parm. cheese fully melts. This is a long process, but well worth it.

7. Toss with pasta, and serve! (we added grilled chicken)

Almost Olive Garden Stuffed Mushrooms

2010-04-25T18:53:00.005-04:00

I love Olive Gardens Stuffed Mushrooms. They are almost the only reason to go (bread sticks and salad aside of course). However, you get 6 mushrooms for $7. With this recipe, you get 16, for about $5.

Ingredients:
16 baby Bella mushrooms
1 green onion, chopped
1 Egg
1/2 tsp Minced Garlic (mince yourself, or use pre-minced)
1/8tsp Garlic Salt
1/3cup Italian Bread Crumbs
1tsp Oregano
1Tbsp Melted Butter (cooled)
2Tbsp Freshly Shredded Parmesan Cheese
4Tbsp Grated Italian Blend Cheeses (yes, bagged cheese. Seriously, it's cheaper and easier)
1Tbsp Old Bay Seasoning

Garnish:
1/4cup Italian Blend Cheeses
1/2 cup Melted Butter
Parsley Garnish (if wanted)

1. Preheat oven to 350.
2. Wash your mushrooms

2. Pull off stems and dry the shrooms

3. Chop green onion

4. Drain clams, set aside 1/4 clam juice
5. Use food processor or blender and mix together the following: Clams, g. onions, minced garlic, garlic salt, 1Tbsp butter, oregano.

6. After that's mixed, add bread crumbs, egg, and clam juice. Mix again

7. Spoon into a small bowl, and mix together with the 2Tbsp parm and 4 Tbsp italian cheese blend, along with 1Tbsp Old Bay

8. Add about 1 1/2tsp of stuffing to each shroom and place in 9x13 lightly greased baking dish

9. Pour 1/2 cup of melted butter (1 stick) over the shrooms, cover, and place in oven for 38 minutes

10. After 38 minutes, pull from oven, and sprinkle with remaining cheese. Place back in oven until the cheese melts.
11. If wanted, sprinkle with parsley and serve hot!

Garlic Pepper Roast Beef

2010-04-20T15:24:00.009-04:00

I am terrified of cooking roast beef. Before today, I have never actually tried! Let's cross our fingers that it turns out OK.

I researched all the different ways to cook it, and found myself horribly confused. Some say to sear and cook high and then low, some say to cook on 325, others say 375. Covered, uncovered, half covered... It left me so lost. I finally decided to do it by trial and error. At least they all agree that medium rare is at 145. So, that's a start. The following is my foray into making a top round roast become to die for.

Ingredients:
Top round roast (mine was 2.25lbs, on sale at Food Lion. It's not huge by any means, but should feed the family, right?)
Fresh cracked pepper
Garlic powder
Olive Oil

1. Turn the oven on 325 degrees

2. Dry your meat off (do your joke in your head!)

3. Rub the meat with the Olive Oil (refer to parenthesis in step 2 please)

4. Sprinkle meat with cracked pepper and garlic, on all sides

5. Place on shallow roasting rack

6. Place thermometer in meat and slide into pre-heated oven

7. Cook for 1 hour and 15 minutes, until temp reaches 140 (adjust time for larger/smaller pieces of meat)

8. Remove from oven (leave thermometer in) and cover loosely with foil. The temp will continue to rise to a medium well 145.

9. Let sit for 15, to soak in juices, and then carve

For those interested, the side is a Sauteed Garlic Butter Mushroom. I'll be making those for the blog soon. They are to die for! ;)

Fresh Popcorn

2010-04-14T20:59:00.004-04:00

With everything in the news about how bad bagged popcorn is for you, I thought I would share how easy it is to make it with a pot, kernels, and a bit of oil.

Since I already listed the ingredients, let's just jump in!

1. Fill your pot with a small amount of kernels. A small amount goes a LONG way. Pour in enough oil to cover the kernels.

2. Cover with lid

3. Once they start to pop, make sure to shake, like you would a thing of jiffy pop!

4. Remove when almost all kernels are popped. Not like they do in the in the microwave. They will still be fast popping, but your pot will be filled.

5. Pour into a bowl and it's ready to eat. If you like, you can use melted butter and salt!

Crock Pot Barbeque

2010-04-13T20:20:00.004-04:00

This is a recipe that belonged to my mother. It's one of my most favorite things to eat, yet the one I make the least often. I only buy boston butts when they are on sale!

Ingredients:
1 Boston Butt 4.5-5lbs
2 small bay leaves
1.5 cups of water
Pepper
Garlic Salt
2 small/Medium BBQ sauces of your choice

(I use two different types. I like Carolina Treet mixed with Sweet Baby Rays. I use a small bottle of SBR and 2/3's of Carolina Treet)

1. Place your boston butt in your crock pot.

2. Add water, bay leaves, then sprinkle pork with pepper and garlic salt for taste

3. Set crock pot on low for 10 hours

4. After 10 hour, turn crock pot off, and allow the pork butt to cool, for handling.

5. Drain from juices, then shred, to make a pulled pork

6. Add shredded pork back to the crock pot. Add your BBQ sauce. Set on low for 1.5 hours, to allow the shredded pork and the sauces to mingle well.

7. Remove from crock pot and serve! Hope you enjoy!

Southern Tip:

BBQ tastes best with cole slaw!

Boiling an egg

2010-04-01T12:43:00.002-04:00

Just in time for Easter egg dying, here is my secret to dying great eggs!

Ingredients:
1 carton of large/x-large eggs in white or brown
1tsp of white vinegar
pinch of salt
water

1. Place eggs in pot. Make sure the eggs are not "fresh". These don't do as well for Easter eggs. You want enough eggs in the pot so that they are not rolling around, as this can lead to cracking.

2. Add a pinch of salt and a tsp of vinegar to pot. (seals any cracks)

3. Cover the eggs with water from the tap.

4. Set the pot on the stove, on high, cover with lid.

5. When the eggs start to boil, turn the heat off, and let the eggs sit for 20 minutes, covered.

6. After 20 minutes, drain eggs and let cool!

Ham and Potato Soup

2010-03-23T18:15:00.004-04:00

This is a thick soup, which is great for a cold winter day.

Ingredients:
6 medium (or 8 small) raw potatoes, peeled and diced
4 cups of PORK broth
4 green onions, diced
1 cup of cooked ham, diced
2 cups of half and half
5Tbsp Butter
4Tbsp corn starch

Optional:
Shredded Cheese
Fried Bacon

1. Place diced potatoes into crockpot with pork broth. Set on HIGH and cook for 2 hours and 30 minutes.

2. During this time, you can cook the bacon and set to the side if you are going to use it as a garnish.

3. Cook your ham and dice into small cubes. I use a "ham steak" from Smithfield. I cook it on the stove, 5 minutes each side.

4. Melt 5Tbsps of Butter in a saucepan, adding the 4Tbsps of corn starch slowly and whisking together.

5. Mix in the half and half, 1 cup at a time. Pour into soup.

6. Turn the crockpot down to medium

7. Chop green onion. Add it and ham to soup.

8. Cover and cook an additional 30 minutes

10. Serve soup into bowl. If you would like, garnish the soup with shredded cheese and crumple the cooked bacon on top.

Stuffed Pork Tenderloin

2010-03-18T19:41:00.003-04:00

Ingredients:

Pork Tenderloin
Box of Stuffing (or make your own, I love Stove Top Pork Stuffing!)
Small Onion
2Tbsp Olive Oil
Garlic Powder
Pepper
Rosemary

1. Make your stuffing according to the recipe, this is the box that I use (it takes my will power not to eat it!)

2. Cut onion in to small pieces, saute with 1Tbsp olive oil, and mix with prepared stuffing. Set to side

3. Cut as much fat as you can from the tenderloin, then dry the tenderloin so you start to cut it so that it lays flat, like it has been rolled out. As you are cutting it, try to make sure to keep it one inch thick, all the way around.

4. Take your stuffing, and form into into a flat square, keeping about .5-1 inch from the sides.

5. Roll the pork tenderloin, keeping stuffing inside.

6. Use bakers twine (string) to hold the roll in place.

7. With 1Tbsp olive oil, sear the pork on all sides. As you are doing this, sprinkle the meat with the garlic powder, pepper, and rosemary for taste. The place the roll into a shallow baking dish. I line mine with tinfoil, less clean up.

8. Place in oven on 350 degrees for 45minutes to an hour, or until meat reaches an internal temperature of 175-180. Do not cook under, as it's dangerous, and do not cook over, as it will dry out your meat.

9. Once the temperature has been reached, take out and let "sit" for 10 minutes so that the juices settle. Once this is done,cut the strings off and you can slice into medallions to serve for dinner!

(see the juices? So yummy!)

This meal is really simple. And the flavor is WONDERFUL!

New England Clam Chowder

2010-03-15T15:26:00.008-04:00

Ingredients

1tsp Cliff House Spice Blend
6 Slices raw bacon, fat removed
6 med. potatoes, cubed
3 green onions and shallots (scallions),chopped
2 10oz cans of Baby whole clams
2 6.5oz cans of minced clams
1 cup of water
4 cups Heavy Cream
4Tbsp Corn Starch
1Tbsp olive oil for sauteing

Optional: Oyster Crackers

1. Cut the potatoes into small bite sized cubes and add to crock pot

2. Add 1 cup of water to crock pot

3. Drain all clams, saving the juice. Add juice to crock pot, set clams to the side

4. tear or chop bacon into small bites, making sure to take off the fat

5. Chop up scallions

6. Saute Bacon and scallions together until bacon is dark pink, add to crock pot

7. Set on crock pot on HIGH heat for 2 hour and 30 minutes, or until potatoes feel tender. Make sure to cover and stir occasionally

8. Whisk together Heavy Cream, corn starch, and cliff house spice blend over medium heat until well blended. Pour into crock pot.

9. Add clams to crock pot, stirring into chowder.

10. Cook for 1 final hour, and serve immediately!

Cliff House Spice Blend

2010-03-14T20:26:00.003-04:00

This will be used in future chowder and soup recipes!

4tsp Oregano
4tsp Parsley, dried
2tsp marjoram
4tsp thyme
1tsp Sage
4tsp Rosemary
2tsp Tarragon
1Tbsp AP Flour

Store in container or plastic baggie in fridge