The Unabashed Kitchen Wench

Okay, so it's not the cream puff recipe that I promised...

2014-06-24T16:15:00.001-05:00

Once again, life has gotten completely crazy with work, being the assistant coach for my son's baseball team and trying to get editing done on the book. That leaves weekends to clean and do laundry. I think I am taking a "me" day on Saturday, to focus on editing and also post the cream puff recipe I promised a couple of weeks ago. In the meantime, here is an update from my writing world:

Ever since I came back from the writer's conference, I have had a lot of ideas and tips swirling around in my head, but one in particular kept popping to the forefront. One of the speakers encouraged getting out into your community, whether it be a local library or arts center, and asking if they would be interested in getting a creative writing class going. They encouraged us to look past the most common obstacle that we, ourselves, might put up, which is, "What makes me qualified to teach a writing class?" Their answer was, "You've already written a book. That is already more than what can be said about a large majority of the population." Without trying, I have thought of different ideas for individual classes: writing prompts, short stories, writing a different spin on popular characters, etc. Well, today I took the first step in that direction, mostly with the gentle nudging & encouragement from my good friend, Michelle. I sent off an email to The Arts Center, laying out my idea and asking if they would have any interest. Not only do I think it would fill a void in this community, but it would be beneficial to me, as well. Just being involved in something like that is bound to keep the creative juices flowing, not to mention that it would look great on my author platform (in bios going out to agents I am trying to land). Wish me luck!

Let me share a little bit...

2014-06-10T10:14:00.001-05:00

When I last posted, I spoke of something exciting coming up, but wasn't ready to share completely. Well, now I'm ready to spill the beans.

I have a confession to make - for 4 years, I have been guarding a secret that only a few have known. I have been writing the first book in a series of six, and finally finished it in early March. The reason that I have held this endeavor so close, not willing to share, is because it's an extremely personal matter. I've poured my heart and soul into this project, and couldn't bear the thought ...of people thinking I was crazy to envision it published or delusional to imagine it on bookshelves everywhere. Worse yet would be telling everyone about it, only to find years upon years of rejection. Even though I have had a small circle of people reading the book and giving it good reviews, I still let the little voice of doubt rent space in my head. But, just a few short weeks ago an email arrived that set a change in motion. The email was for a Writer's & Creativity Conference in New York City. There was something about that conference - it wouldn't leave my mind. I was almost in tears, wanting to go, but thinking it was impossible. Then, a couple of things fell seamlessly into place at work, making it suddenly very possible, as if it was meant to be. After the support of my wonderful husband and children, that conference became a reality. On April 11th, I flew to New York and pitched my book idea to an editor at the conference. Mind you, they were not offering contracts, but evaluating your book idea and giving tips where you need them, or if there is or isn't a market for your work. After giving my pitch, and answering several questions about it, the editor told me that she loved my concept and that I would not have a problem selling it. Her only tip was that I research agents carefully & query those representing other authors writing similar style books. During the rest of the conference, I was able to visit with several other aspiring writers, an agent, marketing rep and even a multi-published author, who gave me the same response as the editor. I visited with the author for a while, and she told me that publishers really like the idea of a series, and my unique idea was a good one. She finished by saying, "It will sell. It will sell." The immense validation that I felt, getting this kind of response from professionals in the writing field gave me the confidence boost to finally share my secret. It renewed my commitment to get the polishing and editing complete so I can market it. One of the speakers talked about following your passion, and it resonated with me. Writing has been my passion since I was in the fifth grade, I just forgot it for a number of years, while I became a responsible, bill-paying adult. Now I want to follow that passion. I love writing. I truly feel it is what I was meant to do. I came home feeling refreshed & with a renewed purpose. Not only have I decided to share my aspirations, but I am trying to follow some good advice given at the conference, which is to have a social media presence. I have created a Facebook page & Twitter account to follow my journey in getting published, as well as giving excerpts from the book and other little snippets. It will also hold me accountable - not letting me slack, as I have in the past. Here are the links to each: Facebook - https://www.facebook.com/pages/Anita-Roberts-Soupir/715073628544102?ref=hl and Twitter - https://twitter.com/AnitaRSoupir

I recently spent a solid week working on re-writes & now think I'm pretty happy with the manuscript. On to the ever-so-fun task of editing. It is my least favorite part of the process, but a necessary one. I hope to land a literary agent soon - so fingers & toes crossed, everyone!

I came across a couple of writing quotes that really speak to me & thought I would share them with you. "To write means more than putting pretty words on a page; the act of writing is to share a part of your soul with the world." - unknown author. "There is nothing to writing. All you do is sit down at a typewriter and bleed." - Ernest Hemingway. Both are so very true!

Oh, & on a cooking note, I will be posting a wonderfully easy recipe for homemade cream puffs this weekend, so check back for that.

Have a wonderful day!

Anita

Let's get caught up.....

2014-04-05T14:41:00.000-05:00

I know it has been more than 6 months since I posted last and I apologize for that. Shortly after my last blog, my husband's uncle passed away to liver cancer. It was very hard for our close-knit family, and I wasn't feeling very creative for quite some time.

Then, the holidays came rushing in. I'm not exactly sure if I was in a time warp or what, but suddenly Thanksgiving and Christmas had come and gone. Before I knew it, New Year's Day was staring me in the face, and I took a long look at what my resolutions were going to be.

Two things were a certainty: I needed to get back to writing and excess weight needed to come off. Those were my goals for 2014, but being the obsessive person that I am, I knew that I had to choose one to focus on. One had to be my main priority, but both are very important. On one of the many late nights that I was still awake, with the rest of the house slumbering, I knew that 2014 had to be the year that I finished my book and did my very best to get it published.

Okay, all of you health nuts out there, don't start giving me any grief. As soon as this blasted snow that seems never-ending in my neck of the woods goes away, I will be out running again, which will help me shed the many pounds that have crept back on. I just knew in my heart that my number one priority was writing.

Once that decision was made, I felt my creative juices start flowing again. Not like a little trickle either, but a full-on flood. I set goals for myself, where I wanted to be by certain times of the year, and haven't made them all, but it keeps me moving forward.

I am very happy to say that by the beginning week of March, I finished the first draft, of the first book, in my series of 6, called The Dessert Club. Now I am busily working on re-writes and editing, but I feel a huge sense of accomplishment. I WROTE A BOOK! As you may have guessed from the series name, The Dessert Club, it revolves around food. Surprise, surprise!

Actually, it follows the lives of 5 friends, who meet once a month for a fabulous dessert. Each friend takes a turn making the dessert and hosting the other friends at her home. While there, they dish about family, work, love and everything in between over much laughter and good wine. As a little bonus, the recipe for the dessert will be at the end of the book.

At this moment in time, I am getting prepped for what I hope will be a life-changing moment. I don't want to elaborate just yet. I'm not sure if I have mentioned it or not, but I'm a bit superstitious. I'm afraid if I say too much, I'll jinx myself. I know with the logical part of my brain that it's a ridiculous notion, but in the less logical regions, I can't stop feeling that way. Let's just say, if good things happen, I will be sure to explain all.

So, where does that leave this blog? It is a question I have struggled with since the beginning of the year and the start of my resolutions. As I work to get published, I can't devote a lot of time to writing recipes and taking pictures while I am cooking. Yes, I am still cooking the same way, but now it's flying through the steps, trying to get the meal on the table, my family fed, and a little quality time spent with them before I settle in for a couple of hours on the book. I've hesitated in shutting the site down. Something has held me back, for whatever reason. So, I'm going to go with my gut and keep blogging when I get the time, but the content is going to change. I will post a recipe if it really strikes me as something worth sharing, but I'm going to use this as my journal on the way to making my book a reality.

I hope you all understand, and thank you for your support.

Anita

Baby Potatoes & Green Beans with Lemon Thyme Sauce

2013-09-24T22:12:00.000-05:00

Well, here we go again - 2 weeks have gone by since I lasted posted a recipe. Things have been very busy, and stressful, around my home. The kids have had volleyball and football practices, as well as games, almost every day of the week. Plus, we are dealing with a family health crisis: Chris' uncle has been battling liver cancer for a year now, and recently has had spots pop up on his spine and in his brain. A week and a half ago, he was hospitalized with pneumonia that quickly turned into Acute Respiratory Distress Syndrome (ARDS). Last Monday and Tuesday were scary days for our whole family when it seemed he wasn't going to pull through. Thanks to the prayers and positive thoughts of a huge circle of family and friends, he is slowly improving. He's not out of the woods, but things are definitely looking up.

So, with all of this going on and the fact that I am trying to finish my book, I don't know if I can commit to posting recipes twice a week. I am going to do my best to get a recipe up once a week, but I don't want to have a set day. It will be very spontaneous so just keep checking back.

As for tonight's recipe, I was going for something colorful. Yes, I wanted it to taste good, but I really wanted something that was going to look pretty on the plate. That's a great reason, isn't it? Yeah, I thought so, too.

Here's your Cast of Characters.

(2) 28 Oz. bags of baby potatoes, any variety (I love Honey Gold with Purple Passion)
10 - 12 Sprigs of fresh thyme, divided
2 Cups chicken broth, divided
(1) 12 Oz. bag fresh green beans
Zest and juice of 1 large lemon
2 Tsps. minced garlic
6 Tbsps. unsalted butter
1 Tbsp. Lawry's seasoning salt
1/2 Tsp. black pepper

In a large skillet or Dutch oven, add 1 1/2 cups water, 1/2 cup chicken broth, 1 sprig thyme and both bags of potatoes. Bring to a boil, cover and cook for 10 minutes on medium high.

Uncover, stir potatoes around and add green beans to the top.

Cover and continue cooking for another 10 minutes, or until potatoes are fork tender. With a slotted spoon, remove potatoes and green beans to a large serving bowl.

Cover to keep warm. Meanwhile, add remaining ingredients to the skillet, pulling thyme leaves off the sprigs. Turn to high heat, boiling for 5 - 10 minutes, until the sauce has reduced by half and thickened slightly.

Pour over potatoes and green beans, stirring gently.

Serve immediately while piping hot.

Enjoy!

Sweet and Hot Pineapple Jalapeno Slaw

2013-09-10T22:04:00.001-05:00

Well, the last 4 weeks have been crazy. What with oral surgery, school starting, volleyball and football practice for the kids and my computer crashing, sharing recipes has been spotty, at best. Now, the games have started so there is even more running, which leads me to my next sentence. Sometimes it's easier when you don't have to reinvent the wheel.

What do I mean by that? By now, you guys know that I prefer to make most things from scratch. It's how I grew up and how I learned to cook, so now it's ingrained in me. However, there are some shortcuts I am perfectly happy taking. This recipe highlights one of those. I could easily make a slaw dressing myself but if I am lucky enough to find a store-bought dressing that I like, why not take the easy way now and then?

Here's your Cast of Characters.

1 Package shredded red cabbage
1 Package broccoli slaw
1 Bunch cilantro, chopped
2 - 3 jalapenos, chopped*
1 - 15 Oz. jar pineapple slaw dressing**
1/2 Tsp. McCormick Perfect Pinch Southwest Sweet & Smoky blend
1/4 Tsp. cayenne pepper ***

In a large bowl, add both packages of slaw, cilantro and jalapenos *(depending on how much heat you want, leave in some or all of the seeds and membranes).

Pour dressing over top and add seasonings.

**(If you can't find pineapple slaw dressing, buy a jar of your favorite brand and add a small can of crushed pineapple with juice.)

Mix well until thoroughly combined. ***(Again, if you want it a little spicier, add more cayenne pepper gradually.)

Cover and refrigerate for a couple of hours before serving either, by itself, or topping your favorite barbecue sandwich.

Enjoy!

Technical Difficulties

2013-09-05T22:30:00.001-05:00

Please excuse my absence from the blog - my daughter installed something on my computer, which has caused it to crash. I am posting via my smartphone, but I can't do a whole recipe that way. I am doing a full system restore and hope to be back in full force on Tuesday. The recipe will be Butternut Squash and Mushroom Cream Sauce.

Thanks for your patience and understanding!

Carrot Cake

2013-08-27T21:29:00.001-05:00

I'm going to let you in on a little secret. I don't really care for cake. I'll have a piece every now and then, but I could really live without it. Well, except for carrot cake. To be more specific, carrot cake with cream cheese frosting. I adore it! I'm fairly certain that I could eat the whole cake, if it were acceptable. I'm not even kidding a little bit. The whole cake - mine!

Here's another thing you may or may not know about me. I don't like to use box mixes to make cakes. It all boils down to my dad. When I was growing up, that man could tell a box cake with the first bite. He would still eat it, but he didn't like it, so I just got used to making cakes from scratch. I never minded and now I'm just so used to doing it that way, it's habit. That being said, I've never made a carrot cake before. It just seemed like a lot of work, and I've mentioned before how much I love baking (and by that, you know I mean loathe baking). I don't know if I would have made the cake, either, if I didn't have an abundance of carrots from my garden.

After searching the web, I found a good base recipe that I heavily tweaked. The result was a very flavorful and moist carrot cake that I just can't get enough of.

Here's your Cast of Characters.

1 1/2 Cups sugar
1/2 Cup honey
3/4 Cup vegetable oil
3 Large eggs
1 1/2 Tsps. baking soda
1 Tbsp. good quality cinnamon (like Saigon Cinnamon)
1/2 Tsp. nutmeg
1 Tsp. dried orange peel
1/4 Tsp., each, ginger and allspice
1 Tsp. salt (not pictured)
2 Tsps. vanilla extract
3 Cups freshly grated carrots
1 Cup pineapple juice, unsweetened
2 1/2 cups flour
1 Cup pecan pieces, optional

Preheat oven to 350 degrees and spray a 9 x 13 pan with non-stick cooking spray.

Here's where it gets really tricky. Dump all the ingredients into a large mixing bowl.

Mix well, until thoroughly combined, about 1 minute.

Pour into prepared pan and bake for 40 - 50 minutes, until toothpick inserted in the center comes out mostly clean. It's fine for a few crumbs to stick to the toothpick - it will be moist as it cools.

Top with your favorite cream cheese frosting, whether it is homemade or store-bought.

Whew! That was tough, wasn't it? I'm confident you can handle all the steps, though!

Enjoy!

Creamy Tomato Sauce with Italian Sausage, Shallots and Garlic

2013-08-22T22:46:00.000-05:00

I'm sorry, folks, I have been MIA for a week. I had to have oral surgery, and it knocked me for a loop. A week later, and I am still not up to par. Here's my advice, if you can avoid having this done, please do. I don't want you to be miserable like this. I like you too much.

Besides the pain from the surgery, I have been limited to soft, lukewarm to cold foods, also. That's torture on a whole new level for me. But finally tonight, I cooked my first meal.. It had to be fairly soft because my mouth is still sore, but I wanted real food. REAL FOOD, I TELL YOU! I wanted pasta. Since it's summer, I wanted a sauce made from some fresh veggies, too. This is my offering to you: Creamy Tomato Sauce with Italian Sausage, Shallots and Garlic. Maybe it's because I was dying for real food, but this was so refreshingly delicious! My family scarfed it up, leaving no leftovers whatsoever.

Here's your Cast of Characters.

1 Package of Mild Italian Sausage Links (5-6 in a package)
4 Large cloves of garlic
4 Large shallots
8 Roma tomatoes, deseeded
3 Long sprigs of fresh rosemary
1 1/4 Cups chicken broth
3/4 Cup heavy whipping cream
1 Tsp. Lawry's
1/2 Tsp., each, black pepper, Mrs. Dash Onion & Herb blend, McCormick Perfect Pinch Garlic & Herb blend and McCormick Perfect Pinch Tuscan blend

Partially freeze Italian sausage - it makes them easier to cut. Remove casings, if desired. Cut sausage in half, lengthwise, then into 1 inch pieces. In a large skillet, drizzle a little olive oil, heat to medium and add sausage.

Brown the sausage, stirring occasionally.

Meanwhile, in a food processor, pulse garlic and shallots a few times until rough chopped.

Add tomatoes and rosemary.

Pulse a few more times until coarsely chopped. Be careful, as you don't want it to become a puree.

Once sausage has browned, add tomato mixture.

Stir well to combine. Cover, turn to medium-high heat and cook for 3 minutes.

Add broth, cream and seasonings. Stir well, again.

Cover and cook for 10 minutes. It should be reduced a little and starting to thicken.

Uncover, turn to medium heat and continue cooking another 4 - 5 minutes until thickened slightly.

Serve over linguine or fettuccine.

Enjoy!

Philly Chicken Sandwiches

2013-08-13T22:34:00.001-05:00

Over the weekend we got a little hint that fall is not far off. High temps were only in the mid-seventies, with lows dropping to somewhere in the forties. My husband and I agree that this is perfect weather. In fact, we would be happy if it stayed this way year round, however, we live in North Dakota, so that is NEVER going to happen. Which means that we have to make the most of it while we can. One way to enjoy the cool down is with a bonfire complete with hotdogs, roasted marshmallows and s'mores.

Okay, I have to be honest, I grilled hamburgers, too, because I'm not fond of hotdogs, and that's how I came to tonight's recipe. We had leftover hotdog buns and I had to find a use for them. My kids suggested bread dumplings but I wasn't up for the mess it takes to make those. Initially, I had thought of Philly Cheesesteaks but didn't have the time to cook a beef roast mid-week. Yes, I know I could use a crockpot but I just don't plan that far in advance. So, last minute, I decided to vary a little and go with something that would cook quickly and shred easily: chicken!

Here's your Cast of Characters.

Hot dog or hoagie buns
2 - 3 Large, boneless, skinless chicken breasts
1 Small package dry Italian dressing mix, divided
Sprinkling of black pepper
1 1/2 Cups Tuscany chicken broth (or regular chicken broth seasoned with thyme, rosemary and basil)
1 Large or 3 small onions
3/4 Cup deli sliced mild banana pepper rings and 1/4 cup marinade, divided
1 Yellow sweet bell pepper, cut into strips
Drizzle of olive oil (not pictured)
1/2 Cup real mayo (not Miracle Whip or salad dressing)
Sliced provolone cheese

Place chicken breasts in a large, non-stick skillet and sprinkle with half of the Italian dressing and a dash of pepper.

Add chicken broth, 1 small onion chopped (or 1/3 large onion), 1/4 cup banana pepper rings and 1/4 cup marinade from peppers.

Cover, turn to medium heat and cook for 20 minutes, turning halfway through. Meanwhile, in a separate non-stick skillet, cut remaining onions into thin wedges and sauté on medium heat with yellow and banana peppers drizzled with about a tablespoon of olive oil.

Preheat oven to 375 degrees, line a cookie sheet with aluminum foil and open buns onto it. With your fingers, flatten the centers of the top and bottom buns to make a slight well for the toppings.

Next, in a small bowl combine mayo and remaining Italian dressing mix.

Stir well and set aside.

Once, onions and peppers have softened up and started to brown, turn to low heat.

When chicken is done, place buns in the oven to toast while you shred the chicken breasts. Place chicken back in the skillet along with the broth to keep warm.

Pull buns from the oven and spread with seasoned mayo.

Place a heaping helping of chicken on the mayo side.

Top the other side with peppers and onions, then a slice of provolone.

Place back in the oven, now turned to a low broil, until cheese starts to melt, about 2 - 3 minutes.

Fold those fat sandwiches over and serve immediately.

Enjoy!

Italian Herb Roasted Potato Rounds

2013-08-08T22:06:00.002-05:00

One of the many things I love about summer is the wonderful produce sales that happen about every other week at the grocery store across from my work. I get all excited when I see the trucks blocking a portion of the parking lot and the canopies being set up because I know when that's all done, I can wander amongst all those beautiful fruits and veggies. The deep hues of the strawberries and raspberries make me drool. The sunniness of the peaches and nectarines brings a smile to my face. And, the vibrant greens of the lettuces, spinach and herbs has my head spinning with ideas for dinner.

That's where tonight's recipe came from, the fabulous produce sale. Out of all of those things, a luscious green bundle of Italian parsley called out to me. It begged to be used. How could I turn it down? I couldn't. It was so pretty, I could see it atop roasted potatoes, lending its subtle flavor so perfectly.

Here's your Cast of Characters.

4 Large baking potatoes, scrubbed clean
1/4 Cup olive oil
1 Cup Italian parsley, snipped & divided
1 Tbsp. fresh rosemary, snipped
1 Tsp. fresh thyme, crushed
Freshly ground pepper
1 Tbsp. sea salt flakes or kosher salt
1/2 Cup shredded Parmesan cheese, plus extra for sprinkling
1/2 Cup plain Greek yogurt
1 Tbsp. McCormick Perfect Pinch Tuscan Seasoning

Preheat oven to 450 degrees. Line a large baking sheet with aluminum foil & spray with nonstick cooking spray.

Cut potatoes into 1 inch rounds.

Place potatoes, oil, 1/2 cup parsley, rosemary and thyme in a large bowl and toss well.

Place in a single layer on prepared pan, making sure to evenly distribute the herbs. Grind some pepper over the potatoes, then sprinkle the salt.

Bake, uncovered, for 30 minutes. Meanwhile, in a small bowl mix the Greek yogurt, 1/4 cup parsley and the Tuscan seasoning. Refrigerate until potatoes are done.

When timer goes off, sprinkle cheese over the potatoes.

Continue roasting for another 10 - 15 minutes, until potatoes are tender when forked. Serve immediately. Top with a dollop of yogurt mixture, remaining 1/4 cup parsley and a pinch of Parmesan cheese.

Enjoy!

3 Ingredient Oriental Glaze for Chicken

2013-08-06T23:26:00.000-05:00

Just got back from our short trip to Missouri for my nephew's wedding. It was outdoors, simple and completely beautiful. I am so happy that we were able to be there to celebrate in their special day. Memories were made that will last a lifetime.

After a short (cough, cough) 12 hour drive, we pulled into our driveway last night around 9:30. We unpacked the pickup, but left everything strewn around my house, only taking out the essential toiletries right away. Then, it seemed like only minutes later, I was getting up and going to work. It was a very, very long day.

Why am I telling you all of this? One, because I wanted to brag about the wedding. It really was such a wonderful ceremony and reception. And, two, because I didn't feel like cooking anything tonight. Well, nothing too exciting - tacos. So, I had to go to one of my stand-by recipes. I've been holding this one for a couple of weeks, waiting for the right time, and this is it.

3 Ingredients, super simple and comes together in less than 1 minute!

Here's your Cast of Characters.

3/4 Cup Orange Marmalade

1/4 Cup Soy Sauce

1 - 2 Tbsp. Sriracha (depending on how spicy you want it)

In a small, microwavable bowl, whisk all ingredients together. Microwave on high for 45 seconds. Stir well.

Use on grilled, roasted or broiled chicken. Spoon over chicken pieces when they are almost done. Continue cooking until chicken is thoroughly done and glaze has thickened up.

Enjoy!

Honey & Orange Roasted Carrots

2013-07-30T23:56:00.000-05:00

Now is that part of the summer when I start reaping the benefits of my garden. All the bug bites, back aches and sweat is worth it when I'm able to wander out to the back yard and come back with a bag filled with lettuce, green beans, peas and carrots. Ah, the beautiful bounty of the earth! It makes me wax poetic. Well, that is if I had a poetic bone in my body.

Anyway, one of the things that I have a bumper crop of is carrots. My son loves to pull a couple out, brush off the dirt and eat them fresh from the garden, literally. Now, that my gross out some of you, but one of my brothers used to eat the dirt from our sandbox and he's a big, strapping man, so I figure a little dirt won't hurt Tanner.

On Sunday, we went out with the idea that we would pick just a few for lunch, but there were so many perfect ones, we just couldn't stop. We ended up with about 20 beauties and I knew I needed something special for them.

Here's your Cast of Characters.

15 - 20 Medium-sized carrots, whole
1/2 Cup Honey
1/2 Cup Orange marmalade
1 Tsp. sea salt
1/2 Tsp. freshly ground pepper
1/4 Tsp. curry powder
1/8 Tsp. cayenne pepper

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Line a large cookie sheet with foil and spray with nonstick cooking oil. Clean carrots, cutting off both ends but leaving whole. Place in a single layer on cookie sheet.

In a small mixing bowl, combine remaining ingredients. Microwave for 30 seconds until warm. Mix well.

Drizzle over carrots and roll them around to get completely coated.

Roast on top rack of oven for 45 to 55 minutes, stirring halfway through to redistribute glaze. Once glaze has thickened up and reduced almost completely, and carrots are still, ever-so-slightly firm, they are done.

Plate up, and serve immediately.

The sweetness of the honey and marmalade are cut perfectly by the curry and cayenne pepper.

Enjoy!

**Note: I will not be posting on Thursday as we will be visiting family in Missouri and getting ready for my nephew's wedding. See you all next Tuesday!**

Grandma Roberts' Apple Fruit Rolls

2013-07-25T23:11:00.005-05:00

Remember a couple of weeks ago when I was talking about my family coming for a quick visit? I only had a couple of meals to cook for them, so I was trying to cram all their favorites in? Any of this ringing a bell? Okay, good! The reason I'm refreshing your memory is because tonight's recipe is one of those favorites I mentioned: my grandma's apple fruit rolls. I think for my brother and me, that dessert is the epitome of comfort food. The aroma of apples and cinnamon while it's baking takes me right back to my grandma's kitchen. When it is dished up and the first bite is consumed, I am transported to some of the best times of my youth. I'm pretty sure that's how my brother feels, too, although he'll never put in those exact words. It's for those reasons that I make it whenever he comes to visit.

Here's the thing, though, I was so busy trying to get everything made that I a.) wasn't thinking ahead that I might want to use it for the blog, and b.) didn't take any pictures, not even finished pictures. Sorry, folks. Normally I wouldn't post without, at least, a finished photo but this recipe is too good not to share. You'll just have to use those wonderful imaginations this time.

Here's your Cast of Characters:

4 Medium-sized tart apples - peeled, cored and chopped into small pieces
1 Tbsp. lemon juice
1/4 Cup sugar
2 Tsps. cinnamon

Biscuit Recipe:
2 Cups flour
2 Tsps. baking powder
4 Tbsp. shortening
1 Tsp. salt
1 Tsp. cinnamon
1 Cup milk

Syrup:
3 Cups sugar
3 Cups water
2 Tbsp. cinnamon

Preheat oven to 375 degrees.

In a medium mixing bowl, toss apples with lemon juice, then stir in sugar and cinnamon. Set aside.

For the biscuits, mix all ingredients until thoroughly combined. On a floured surface, roll out the biscuit dough in a large rectangle until thin. Spread chopped apples evenly across it. Take the long side, and roll tightly into a thick rope, pinching the seam together. With a sharp knife, cut into 2 inch rolls. Place the rolls cut side down in a 9 x 13 cake pan.

Next, in a medium saucepan bring the syrup ingredients to a boil, and continue boiling until the sugar dissolves. Pour boiling syrup over the rolls.

Bake until rolls are a dark golden brown and done in the center, about 30-40 minutes.

Serve warm or cold. Once the rolls have cooled a little, the syrup will thicken up to a nice sauce. When you dish the fruit rolls up, spoon some of the sauce over each roll.

Enjoy!

Grilled Halibut

2013-07-23T22:23:00.000-05:00

I'm going to let you in on a little secret. Well, I might have mentioned this little tidbit once..... Or twice............. Or maybe a few times before, but it is definitely worth repeating. Here it is. Pay close attention! SIMPLER IS ALMOST ALWAYS BETTER!

Let me rewind a little bit. My daughter has been visiting family in Missouri for a week and a half, and I dropped my son off at camp on Sunday, so it's just my husband and me. I have to admit, I haven't really wanted to cook much, just for the two of us, but I took pity on my husband tonight.

After work I walked across the road to the grocery store, hoping inspiration would strike......AND IT DID! I headed to the meat department, thinking I'd find something to throw on the grill, but didn't make it past the fish counter. The halibut was calling my name. It looked big and fat and absolutely beautiful, and even though I've never had halibut before, I didn't let that intimidate me. I did, however, Google the biggest tip in cooking halibut - don't over-season it or put a heavy sauce on it. The flavor of the fish is so light and tasty that it can be easily overpowered. Go easy on everything and let the natural taste shine through.

Here's your Cast of Characters.

1 Large halibut steak (This was just shy of 1 lb. and was enough for my husband and myself, to give you an idea.)
1 Tbsp. of melted butter per 1 lb. steak
Old Bay seasoning
McCormick Perfect Pinch Lemon Pepper
McCormick Perfect Pinch Garlic & Herb

No, I didn't leave anything out - you didn't miss anything. This is it. So beautiful in its simplicity!

Preheat grill to about 400 degrees.

Brush one side with butter and lightly sprinkle the seasonings all over.

Place seasoned side directly on grill and cook for 5 minutes. Use a large spatula to turn the steak over and brush with remaining butter. Grill for another 2 1/2 to 5 minutes, until halibut is white and flaky. The flesh should flake easily. If it's still firm, it's not done yet.

Serve immediately.

Let me reiterate, this does not need anything else to be delicious. No lemon squeeze, no tartar sauce - nothing. Perfection as is!

Enjoy!

Garden Fresh Pasta Primavera

2013-07-18T22:43:00.000-05:00

Sorry, folks, I had a bug on Monday and Tuesday that had me crashed on the couch for the better part of those two days. It didn't even hit me until yesterday that I had missed the post. The good news is that I am feeling much better today. Good enough to go raid my garden for some homegrown produce.

My plan was to find enough baby potatoes to go with our steaks. Let me just say, that was an epic fail. I found one lone potato big enough to eat, which I did throw on the grill and let me husband have. However, my row of sugar snap peas and green beans had a little surprise for me. They were loaded with fat peas and beans. Beautiful!

Time for Plan B. Tanner and I snagged everything that was ready, while I started planning pasta primavera in my head. Oh, how I love pasta primavera! Mostly because whatever fresh veggies you have lying around will do just fine. I only wish that I had some yellow summer squash ready. It would have been perfect in here. As it is, my light, summery pasta dish hit the spot.

Here's your Cast of Characters.

1/2 Lb. shell pasta
2 Tbsp. butter, divided
2 Medium onions, preferably green onions with the stems, diced
2 Tsp. minced garlic
2 Sprigs, each, fresh thyme and rosemary
1 Cup of chicken broth
1 1/2 Tsp. Lawry's seasoning salt
1 Tsp., each, freshly ground pepper and McCormick Perfect Pinch Garlic & Herb
2 Cups of fresh veggies, I used sugar snap peas and green beans

Cook pasta, for the minimum time recommended, in a heavily salted pot. Meanwhile, in a large skillet, melt one tablespoon of butter. Saute diced onions, garlic, thyme and rosemary (only use the leaves and disregard the stems) for 2 minutes.

Add broth and bring to a boil for 2 1/2 minutes, stirring occasionally. Turn to medium heat and add veggies and seasonings.

Give a quick stir, cover and cook for 5 minutes. Pasta should now be done. Scoop out with a spoon and throw in the skillet with the vegetables. It's okay if a little of the pasta water gets in there. It will help thicken the remaining sauce.

Stir, cover and cook for an additional 3 minutes. Add last tablespoon of butter, and mix in until melted.

Serve immediately. Garnish with a little Parmesan cheese, if desired.

Enjoy!

Brine for Pulled Pork

2013-07-11T23:56:00.000-05:00

Tonight's recipe is short and sweet. Well, not sweet, but short, nonetheless. I have family coming for a super quick visit, so I've been cleaning all night. Not that my house was filthy, but I usually do the big cleaning on the weekend. I just crammed 2 days worth of cleaning into 4 hours. Holy cow, am I tired!

So, back to the family. One of my brother's, my sister-in-law, a nephew and his fiancé are coming to pick Bailey up and take her back to Missouri for a 2 1/2 week visit before we go down for my nephew's wedding. They will get here sometime tomorrow morning and leave Saturday morning to make the 15 hour trip back (I don't envy them that trip!). I only have them for 2 meals, so I am making the most of those. For lunch, I am preparing 2 of my brother's favorite foods: Grandma Roberts' Chicken Pot Pie and her Apple Fruit Rolls. We grew up eating them, and it's a special treat for him now. For dinner, I let my nephew and his bride-to-be choose. I gave them some options and they chose barbecue, so I am going with Pulled Pork Sandwiches with Spicy Southwest Slaw and a side of Caramelized Cauliflower. Have I mentioned how much I love to cook for my family, and extended family?!

So, in between cleaning, I cooked the chicken for the pot pie, and set the pork roast to brining. Yay!

Here's your Cast of Characters.

1 1/2 Cups apple cider vinegar
14 Cups of water (just 2 cups shy of a gallon)
1/2 Cup brown sugar
1/2 Cup Kosher salt
1 Sprig, each, fresh rosemary and thyme, left whole
1/2 Tbsp., each, Mrs. Dash Onion & Herb blend, McCormick Perfect Pinch Garlic & Herb blend, and whole peppercorns

Coarsely crush peppercorns.

In a large bowl with a lid, mix all ingredients until brown sugar is dissolved.

Submerge a 4 - 6 pound pork roast, preferably a butt roast, completely in the brine.

Cover and let brine for 24 - 48 hours, before preparing in your favorite pulled pork recipe.

Enjoy!

Summer Vegetable Salad

2013-07-09T22:43:00.000-05:00

Last Friday, we took off for our annual weekend trip to my sister-in-law's lake house, with all of my husband's family. It was filled with much laughter, good food and drinks and plenty of great water sports. They only thing I hate is when we have to come home because that's when the unpacking happens, mountains of laundry appear and the fatigue hits. Needless to say, I am still trying to get caught up on sleep. Regardless, I love every minute at the lake, and wouldn't change anything.

Because my butt is still dragging, I haven't had the ambition to cook the last couple of night's. Yesterday I picked up pizza, and tonight was leftovers, except one thing: Summer Vegetable Salad. Recently there was a huge produce sale at one of the local grocery stores, and we stocked up. I have used almost all of it, but had a cucumber and a couple of tomatoes that needed to be eaten right away. After grabbing a couple of green onions from my garden, I was all set for a barely dressed, fresh and crispy combo.

Here's your Cast of Characters.

1 Large cucumber, peeled and cut in half, lengthwise
2 Roma tomatoes, cut into small chunks
2 Small green onions and stems, diced
1/2 Sweet bell pepper, chopped, any color (I had a red one in the picture but found 1/2 an orange one that needed to be used, instead.)
1/4 Cup light sour cream
1/4 Cup fat-free half and half
1 Tsp. Lawry's seasoning salt
1 Tsp. black pepper
1 Tsp. McCormick Perfect Pinch Garlic & Herb seasoning blend
1 Tsp. Mrs. Dash Onion & Herb seasoning blend
1/2 Tsp. McCormick Perfect Pinch Tuscan seasoning blend

In a medium bowl, slice cucumbers into 1/4 inch pieces.

Add remaining ingredients, and stir well to combine sour cream and half & half, and coat all veggies.

Cover and chill for 1/2 hour to an hour before serving.

Enjoy!

Potluck BLT Pasta Salad

2013-07-04T14:49:00.002-05:00

It's 4th of July, so I'm going to keep this short and sweet because I know that everyone, including me, wants to be outside enjoying the beautiful day. In fact, I am putting the finishing touches on the children's games I have planned at our community get-together, while I have my husband busily filling water balloons. And, it's from this community potluck, that you get today's recipe.

The reason I called it "Potluck BLT Pasta Salad" is not because I am taking it to the potluck, but because it is enough to feed a lot of people, so be prepared. It could easily be halved, for a smaller portion, though.

Here's your Cast of Characters.

1 - 16 Oz. package of bacon
2 - 12 Oz. boxes of pasta (spiral or shells)
4 Roma tomatoes
1/2 Head sturdy lettuce, like Romaine

Dressing:
1 - 2.5 Oz. package real bacon pieces
2 Tsp. minced garlic
1 Large green onion
1 Cup fat-free half & half
3 Tbsp. reserved bacon grease
3 Cups mayo - not salad dressing
1/4 Cup prepared horseradish
2 Tsp. Lawry's seasoning salt
1 Tsp., each, black pepper, Mrs. Dash Onion & Herb blend and McCormick Perfect Pinch Garlic & Herb blend

Cook pasta according to package directions. You want them a little firm, not completely tender. Meanwhile, cut bacon into 1 inch pieces.

Separate and begin cooking on medium heat.

Cook until very crisp. Drain on paper towels. Set aside.

Drain pasta and rinse with cold water to stop the cooking process. Chop up tomatoes into small chunks and put in the pasta, along with the bacon.

For the dressing, in a food processor, place package of bacon pieces, green onion and garlic. Pulse until finely chopped.

Add half & half and bacon grease. Process on high for 30 seconds.

Add remaining dressing ingredients and process on high 1 -2 minutes, until thoroughly blended. By adding the bacon pieces and reserved grease, the dressing has a real "bacon-y" flavor for an authentic BLT taste!

Reserve 1 cup of dressing, and pour the rest over the pasta. Stir well to combine.

Cover and refrigerate for 2 hours, up to 4 hours. Just before serving, add lettuce that has been cut into1 inch ribbons. Don't add before because the lettuce will get wilty.

Stir in remaining dressing. Serve immediately.

Enjoy!

Chicken and Fresh Veggie Skillet

2013-07-02T23:26:00.000-05:00

Last night, I planned to make chicken for dinner. I even told one of my coworkers that I intended to grill it with a sauce made from teriyaki, honey and orange marmalade. I had it all worked out in my head. So, why then, does it say Chicken and Fresh Veggie Skillet above? Well, funny you should ask.

Have I ever mentioned that my new office is right across the street from a grocery store? It's a little too handy, sometimes - I've been known to hit it 3 times in one day. I am not kidding. Anyway, I needed to go in to grab a bag of Jolly Ranchers before I headed home. Just one thing. A bag of hard candy that Bailey and I need for our morning run, to keep our mouths from getting dry. But, once I got both feet in the store, my illness kicked in. You know the one - it makes a person feel the need to walk down every aisle of the store even though you only need ONE THING. So, as I walked, I saw a bag of boneless, skinless chicken breast strips on sale. Hey, I could probably use those sometime. Then I wandered to the produce department. I'm pretty sure, at that point, that I was talking to myself. I might even have scared a few people. I'm not really certain, but I do know that I saw a bag of Yukon Gold new potatoes and said to myself, "The chicken strips and potatoes would be great cooked in a skillet together. When I found the sugar snap peas and baby bella mushrooms, I could be heard saying, "These will go nicely, too." Then, came the fresh rosemary and thyme, upon which I cried, "Now it will be perfect! The perfect chicken and veggie skillet!" That's when I noticed people fleeing, came to my senses and piped down. After paying, I quietly drove home and made this fabulous skillet supper.

Here's your Cast of Characters.

1 1/2 - 2 Lb. bag of small, new potatoes, halved.
3 Tbsp. butter, divided
1/2 Bag boneless, skinless chicken breast strips, or 3 boneless chicken breasts, cut into chunks
1 Bag fresh sugar snap peas, or 2 cups
1 Box sliced baby bella mushrooms
2 Large green onions, chopped
2 Tsps. minced garlic
1 Sprig fresh rosemary, pulled apart
1 Sprig fresh thyme, pulled apart
1 Cup chicken broth
1/4 Cup heavy cream
1 1/2 Tsps. Lawry's season salt
1 Tsp. McCormick Perfect Pinch Garlic and Herb seasoning
1/2 Tsp. freshly ground pepper

Cover potatoes with water and bring to a boil. Parboil for 5 minutes. Meanwhile, place chicken and 2 tablespoons butter in a large skillet. Sprinkle with seasonings, but not the measured amounts.

Cover and cook on medium-high for 5 minutes. Add mushrooms, garlic, peas, green onions, parboiled potatoes, rosemary and thyme.

Saute for another 5 minutes, covered.

Add chicken broth and measured seasonings. Cover and cook on medium-high for 15-20 minutes, or until everything is cooked through and potatoes are fork-tender. Stir occasionally.

Add cream and remaining tablespoon of butter. Stir and cook until just heated through and butter has melted.

Enjoy!

Salsa Verde Fresca

2013-06-27T22:32:00.001-05:00

When I was weeding my garden over the weekend, I found the cutest little jalapeno pepper growing. It was just big enough to pick, which made me very excited. It's all I could think about for the last 4 days. Well, not really. I have thought of other things, but whenever I have thought about my garden, I've thought of that pepper. And, the nice green onions that are coming up so well. I've thought about those a lot, too. Plus, the lettuce - it's almost ready for the first cutting. As you can see, I have a whole green theme going here. I don't think I can express how much I love fresh produce, and knowing it comes from my garden makes it even better. Much as I hate weeding and watering it, the reward is so worth it.

As I mentioned the other day, we have had some very warm weather lately, and I don't mind it, at all. I just think about wintertime here, how we beg and plead for summer to come, and it keeps me from complaining about the heat. One nice thing about summer is all of the fresh, quick dishes that can be made from the produce that's in abundance now. A favorite of mine it pico de gallo, but my tomatoes aren't even close yet. However, I was really in the mood for something like that tonight. Then I decided to try my hand at salsa verde.

Most salsa verde recipes call for cooking it, or roasting the tomatillos. I like it that way, but didn't want to mess with all that. I wanted all the ingredients fresh and crisp, instead. It makes for a refreshing change.

Here's your Cast of Characters (which includes the jalapeno pepper and green onions from my garden).

8 - 10 Bright green tomatillos
1 Bunch of cilantro
3 - 4 Various chile peppers - whatever heat level you desire (I used my little jalapeno, a red fresno pepper and 2 Amarillo peppers - deseeded & deveined - unless you want more heat. I left some in for a little kick.)
2 Large green onions, or 1 small onion
3 Cloves garlic
1/4 Cup lime juice
1 1/2 Teaspoons kosher salt

First, remove husks from tomatillos, and wash well in cold water, to remove the stickiness from them.

Quarter the tomatillos and peppers, and add to a food processor, along with everything else, except the lime juice and salt.

Pulse for a minute or two, until chopped pretty well.

Add lime juice and salt. Pulse for another couple of minutes.

Serve immediately with chips, or refrigerate for an hour or so to let the flavors marry.

Enjoy!

Bacon-Wrapped Smoked Chicken

2013-06-25T23:13:00.000-05:00

We have had several days of 85+ degree weather, plus we've now passed the day that officially marks summer, and we're firmly entrenched in my son's baseball season. All of these things signal one important event - grill weather! I know I've said this before, but I really mean it this time. My house just gets too darn hot to do much cooking in it. So, I have to get creative with my grill skills.

I've also decided to share my current obsession with you - using wood chips on my grill. I have been experimenting with apple wood, cherry wood and Jack Daniel's whiskey barrel chips, and still haven't decided which is my favorite. The apple wood sends a good steak over the edge into greatness, and the cherry wood makes pork chops awesome. And, the Jack Daniel's chips? Well, the Jack Daniel's chips, along with bacon, bring plain old chicken to the forefront of any table! Something in those whiskey-soaked pieces of wood transforms chicken into something divine.

One thing that I should mention, so that no one gets scared, is how easy it is to grill with wood chips. I simply buy a throwaway foil brownie pan and fill it half-full with the wood of my choice. Place it on the grill over high heat until the chips start to smoke, then turn down to medium. You want to keep them smoking without burning. Nothing to it!

Here's your Cast of Characters.

1 Whole roasting chicken, with giblet bag thrown away
1 Package of bacon
1 Small onion
2 Cloves of garlic
Lawry's season salt
Black Pepper
Mrs. Dash Onion & Herb seasoning blend
McCormick Perfect Pinch Garlic & Herb seasoning blend
Jack Daniel's Whiskey Barrel Wood Chips (or your favorite wood)

Preheat grill to 400 degrees. Place a foil pan, half-full of wood chips, on one side of the grill.

Peel onion and garlic cloves, but leave them whole. Stuff the chicken with them. Sprinkle chicken with the seasonings, going lightly on the Lawry's. Then, cover chicken with bacon, using toothpicks to hold in place. Don't worry about wrapping the back of chicken with bacon - it will only burn.

Place chicken on the grill, and leave both burners going for 30 minutes. Turn burner off directly under chicken, but leave heat going on medium on the side with the wood chips. Try to maintain a temp around 300 to 325 degrees. Continue cooking chicken for about 3 hours, or until a meat thermometer inserted into the thigh reads 165 degrees.

Remove chicken to a platter and let rest for about 10 minutes before carving.

The bacon will stick to some spots but crumble in others. Don't worry about it. Just serve it along with the chicken.

Enjoy!

Lemon Parmesan Quinoa Salad

2013-06-20T22:04:00.000-05:00

As I sit here typing, I am listening to the dog bark at the neighbor's fireworks display and the low babble of Transformers on the tv. What I'm missing, though, is the conversations with my husband and kids, who are in Canada and at camp, respectively. Chris should be back late tomorrow night and the kids on Saturday morning, but in the meantime I miss the noise that I often complain about. Last night was my first night alone and the house was entirely too quiet. I simply didn't know what to do with myself. Finally, I settled in on the couch, grabbed my laptop and spent some time working on my much-neglected book. I have had an extreme case of writer's block for about 9 months, and have not written a word. Last night, in the silence of the house, I wrote half a page. That may not seem like a lot, but when I have struggled to write one word, 357 of them was awesome! So, I am going to keep the post short tonight, so I can spend some more time writing...hopefully.

Over the weekend, I decided to make a salad from quinoa. I couldn't find a recipe that really piqued my interest, so I came up with one myself. I focused on lemon, broccoli and Parmesan.

Here's your Cast of Characters.

1 1/2 Cups uncooked quinoa
1 Large lemon
1 Cup lemon juice (including freshly squeezed juice from lemon)
2 Cups water
Freshly ground pepper
4 Oz bag of frozen broccoli
3 Large green onions

Dressing:
1 Cup Heavy Cream
1 Cup Mayo (not salad dressing or Miracle Whip)
1 Cup Parmesan (I used a nice Parmesan & Garlic blend that I found at Walmart but plain is fine)
Zest of the lemon above
1 Tbsp. apple cider vinegar
1 Tsp., each, Lawry's season salt, Mrs. Dash Onion & Herb blend and McCormick Perfect Pinch Garlic & Herb blend
1/2 Tsp. freshly ground pepper
1/8 Cup sugar

In a medium saucepan, toast quinoa on medium heat for a couple of minutes, stirring occasionally. Add lemon juice and water, as well as a couple of cranks of pepper. Cover and cook according to package directions.

Meanwhile, in a small mixing bowl, stir together all dressing ingredients.

Set aside for now.

Steam broccoli until partially cooked to a crisp-tender. Drain, and cut up any large pieces.

Chop green onions into small pieces.

When quinoa is done, place in a medium mixing bowl. Add broccoli, green onions and dressing.

Stir well, cover and refrigerate for at least an hour before serving, however it's better to give it 2 - 3 hours for the flavors to properly blend.

Enjoy!

Linguine with Shrimp and Southwest Pesto

2013-06-19T00:00:00.000-05:00

Have you ever wanted to dig a hole and crawl in it? That's how I feel today. I'm really not fit company for man, nor beast. I think it's because I'm overly tired. My husband is gone all week, fishing in Canada, and I don't sleep well when he's not here. So, my solution has been to stay up until I, literally, can't keep my eyes open any longer. That way I don't lay in bed, tossing and turning, however it's starting to take a toll on me. Sometimes when I'm this tired, I get extremely silly. Other times, like now, I just get grumpy.

Why am I sharing this with you? Well, when I get like this, I want comfort food, which means pasta. But, I didn't want anything that was going to take too long, or be really heavy. Pesto is the perfect answer - it's simple and comes together very quickly. I was in the mood for cilantro, though, so I decided to make a southwest pesto. All the fresh ingredients combined for a wonderful, summery pasta dish!

Here's your Cast of Characters.

1 Box of linguine
1 - 12 Oz. bag frozen, medium shrimp, precooked and tails off
2 Bunches of cilantro
2 Small (or 1 large) jalapenos, seeded and deveined (unless you want some heat)
2 Cloves of garlic
Zest and juice of 1 small lime
1 Container of cherry tomatoes
1/2 Cup extra-virgin olive oil
1/2 Tbsp. Kosher salt
1/2 Tsp. McCormick Perfect Pinch Southwest Sweet and Smoky seasoning
1 Tsp. McCormick Perfect Pinch Garlic & Herb seasoning
Sprinkle of Lawry's Chile & Garlic seasoning salt (or regular Lawry's)
1/2 Cup reserved pasta water

Thaw shrimp and set aside. In a food processor, chop jalapenos and garlic, pulsing a few times.

Next, add cilantro and process on high until coarsely chopped.

Meanwhile, bring a pot of water to boil and cook linguine according to package directions.

Back to the cilantro mixture, add lime zest and juice, salt, garlic & herb seasoning and southwest seasoning. Pulse 2 or 3 times.

When pasta has about 6 minutes left, heat shrimp up with a tablespoon of olive oil and a sprinkling of Lawry's.

In the processor, add tomatoes, olive oil and pasta water that you have just taken from the pot. Process on high until thoroughly chopped and combined.

Drain pasta; add shrimp and pesto.

Stir well to coat pasta evenly.

Serve immediately.

Enjoy!

Broccoli Slaw with Orange Poppy Seed Dressing

2013-06-14T21:24:00.000-05:00

Have you ever eaten a food for the first time and loved it so much that you wondered where it had been all your life? Of course you have! I think we've all had that moment, at least once. I, personally, have many of those moments, and the latest one came from an unexpected place: Walmart. I was in their produce department a couple of months ago, looking for one of their complete salads in a bag, when I discovered a new one - a broccoli slaw salad with orange dressing. It piqued my interest and I had to give it a try.

It was so simple, just the slaw and orange dressing, but absolutely wonderful. I happen to love broccoli slaw, but would never have paired it with anything orange. Oh, how I would have missed out on this bright flavor combination, had I not taken a chance. It was so crisp and refreshing - I loved it from the very first bite!

By the time I finished, I knew I was going to have to come up with my own version, and soon! I thought about using a mixture of plain yogurt, orange yogurt and orange juice to duplicate that dressing, but at the last minute decided to use poppy seed dressing as the base. I still might try that variation, sometime down the road, but my family really liked the slaw this way, even my husband. He was the one I was afraid wouldn't care for it. He's not a huge fan of orange-flavored things but to my surprise, he loved it, proving it by having 2 helpings.

Now that we are in the midst of summer, this cool salad will make a big splash at any gathering!

Here's your Cast of Characters.

2 Bags of broccoli slaw
1/2 Cup red onion, finely diced
1 - 6 Oz. orange yogurt (whatever brand you like best)
1 Cup poppy seed dressing (your favorite bottle will work)
1/2 Cup pulp-free orange juice - do NOT use "from concentrate" juice
1 Tsp. sea salt
1/2 Tsp., each, black pepper, onion powder and garlic powder
1/8 Tsp. cayenne pepper

Place slaw and onion in a large mixing bowl. In a smaller bowl, whisk the dressing ingredients until well combined.

Pour over slaw mixture and stir well.

Cover and refrigerate for 30 minutes to an hour, before serving.

Enjoy!

Oatmeal Fudge Bars

2013-06-12T23:25:00.000-05:00

For those of you who have followed me for any length of time, you know that I really don't enjoy baking. It has too many rules for me. I can't just wing it and come up with a recipe on the fly. You actually need to follow a recipe and I find that too confining.

That being said, there are times that some baking needs to be done. My husband is getting ready for a fishing trip to Canada, and I'm trying to set him up with some treats to take along. A couple of weeks ago, I came across this recipe and decided to try it out. It was definitely a hit among my family, but especially with Chris.

Here's the thing, I wasn't planning on posting this recipe at first, so I didn't start out taking pictures. About halfway through, it occurred to me that I might, actually, want to use this one, and started clicking away, at that point.

Here's your Cast of Characters.

1 Cup butter, plus 2 Tsp., softened and divided
2 Cups light brown sugar
2 eggs
4 Tsps. vanilla, divided
2 Cups flour
1 Tsp. baking soda
1 Tsp. salt
3 Cups quick-cooking oatmeal
12 Oz. package semi-sweet chocolate chips
1 Can sweetened condensed milk

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Grease a 13 x 15 inch jelly roll pan generously with non-stick cooking spray.

Cream 1 cup butter, brown sugar, eggs and 2 tsps. vanilla. Gradually add flour, baking soda, salt and oatmeal. Once combined, refrigerate for half an hour.

Meanwhile, in a microwavable bowl, add chocolate chips, sweetened condensed milk, 2 tsps. butter, and 2 tsps. vanilla. Microwave on medium for 1 1/2 minutes. Stir well and microwave on high for another minute. Mix vigorously until chips are melted and smooth. If you need to microwave a little more, do it in 30 second increments, stirring well after each one.

Remove dough from refrigerator. Press 2/3 of it in the pan, spreading evenly. Pour fudge mixture over the oatmeal crust, smoothing it out, but leaving a 1 inch edge of crust. You want the crust to come up, not the fudge leaking down.

With the remaining oatmeal batter, take small spoonfuls and flatten them into patties, placing randomly over the fudge.

My daughter said it looked like a giraffe!

Bake in preheated oven for 25 to 30 minutes, until oatmeal batter starts to brown.

Let cool slightly before cutting.

I had one of these fresh out of the oven, and it was okay, but I wasn't that impressed. Then, I tried one the next night. BINGO - we have a winner! These are really best prepared in advance. They become utterly divine!

Enjoy!