Avocado Salad

1 avocado (ripe)
1 tablespoon olive oil
Juice from half a lemon
1 tablespoon red wine vinegar
Salt and pepper to taste

Slice avocado place in bowl. Mix olive oil, lemon juice, and red wine vinegar. Pour mix over avocado. Sprinkle with salt and pepper.

Originally I thought this was a salad for one but I would say it's more for two. Enjoy!

Juice Bandwagon

Today is my first official day of jumping on the juicing bandwagon, I don't have my own juicer yet since I am a "bandwagoner" I want to make sure this isn't a 3 day fad for me (many things are). My cousin lives around the corner and I am using her juicer for now, she loves juicing and has been doing it for awhile now.

Ingredients:  2 Beets (stems and all), Ginger (about 1 knucle, peeled), Romaine Lettuce (1 bunch), Celery (1 bunch), Kale (1 bunch), Oranges (4), Cucumbers (3), Carrots (6 to 8)

 

 

Wheat Grass shot from Jamba

 

 

Anyone else on the juicing bandwagon? Send me your recipes, please?! 

Crudités Basket

I first heard the word crudités in culinary school, I absolutely love the sound of that word.

Crudités are traditional French appetizers comprising sliced or whole raw vegetables which are sometimes dipped in a vinaigrette or other dipping sauce. (Source:Wikipedia)

I attended a 1st birthday party where I saw a amazing crudités basket. I will be making one for the next event I need to bring something to. The one pictured had three different dips, you could do one or two and whichever vegetables you like I put a dent in the celery and cucumbers.


How do you normally serve your veggies? Would try this?

Butternut Squash Lasagna

I have been following Proud Italian Cook for quite some time, I love her recipe and her photos.  She recently posted Individual Butternut Squash Lasanga w/Infused Bechamel, I love butternut squash and knew it was a must try. My squash was a fatty so instead of doing thre slices of squash stacked I only did two. The taste was fabulous I changed the filling recipe just a bit. I hope you try this recipe it was delish, you won't even miss the pasta!

 

Prep

Preheat oven to 375 degrees.

Rinse squash and then peel.

Slice squash into 1/4 inch slices, sprinkle with salt & pepper.

Bake for about 15 minutes or until tender (oven temp and times may vary), take out of oven.

 

Bechamel Sauce

5 Tbsp. Butter

5Tbsp. Flour

4 cups reduced fat milk

5 sage leaves

1/2 c shredded parmesan

 

On medium heat melt butter and whisk in flour. Keep whisking until flour has turned a slightly darker shade about 2 minutes, whisk in milk, sage leaves and parmesan cheese keep whisking , reduce temp to low. Sauce will thicken.

Filling

1/2 cup ricotta

1 cup cottage cheese

1/2 cup shredded mozzarella

1 to 1 and 1/2 cups chopped baby spinach

Salt & Pepper

 

Mix together and set aside.

 

Put Together

Ladle some bechamel on the bottom of the pan then place a layer of squash, then filling, then bechamel and repeat. Bake for about 10 to 12 minutes or until cheese is bubbling, serve immediatly and enjoy!

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Easy Chili

1.5 lbs ground turkey, browned
1/2 onion, chopped
2 cans pinquitos (small bean)
1 can whole pinto beans
1 small can Enchilada sauce
1 jar Fire roasted salsa

1 can refried pinto beans
1 can Corn, drained


Place all 6 ingredients in a large pot (brown meat first) bring to a boil, simmer for 20 minutes. Add corn and refried pintos beans, the refried beans will thicken the chili. Simmer another 10 minutes and serve.

Top with your favorite toppings, I topped mine with shredded cheddar/jack & sour cream.

 

This chili is a combination of my other chili recipes, I love the addition of refired beans to thicken it up.

Bleu Cheese Coleslaw

A friend I use to work with when we lived in Sonoma made this coleslaw. It is so good even if you are not a fan of coleslaw you'll like this version. I'm not sure if I have the recipe quite the way she made it but it is still delicious. I made a small batch since it is just the two of us, soggy coleslaw is not good. Taylor this recipe to how many people you are serving.

Servings: 2-3

2.5 cups of cabbage or shredded coleslaw mix (veggie section)
1/2 green apple, chopped
2 green onions, chopped
1 tablespoon apple cider vinegar or red wine vinegar
3 tablespoons bleu cheese dressing (I use Bob's but you can use your favorite)
Fresh cracked pepper to taste

Mix all ingredients in a bowl, chill for 30 minutes then serve with your favorite BBQ recipe.

 

 

 

Pulled BBQ Chicken:
3 frozen chicken breast
1/2 bottle of BBQ sauce
1 tablespoon apple cider vinegar
6 hours on high in your crock pot

 

Do you like coleslaw? What is your favorite "slaw" recipe?

Copycat Amy's Tamale Pie

I pinned this recipe last week and I am so glad I did, I will definitely be making this again.

 

I can never follow a recipe exactly unless I'm baking, call me a rebel or not sure if it's the culinary school in me. I stayed true pretty true to this recipe. Where I differed was in cooking time I wanted my zucchinis to have a little crunch to them so I dialed back the simmering time. I also added cheese, cheese makes everything better.  

 

1 15oz can pinto beans, rinsed and drained
1 15oz can diced tomatoes
1 15oz can corn, drained
2 small zucchini, cut into tiny pieces
1 1/2 tsp chili powder
1/2 tsp cumin powder
1 tsp garlic powder
1 tsp onion powder
1/2 tsp salt
red pepper flakes (optional)

Topping: 1 package instant corn bread mix, made to directions (set aside) Next time I make this I will try topping it with polenta. 1 cup cheddar cheese.

Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Place all ingredients except topping into a saucepan cook for 15 minutes on medium heat. spoon ingredients into 2 6-inch pie containers, I think mine were actually to go containers. You could also make this in a glass bake ware. Top with cheese. Bake for 15 minutes. Pull out and add cornbread mixture bake for another 16 to 18 minutes or whatever your cornbread package states. Let cool for 10 and serve.

 

 

 

 

 

*I was not making these to freeze, just for dinner.

Zutofu

Zutofu fancy name for Zucchini and Tofu

Ingredients:
2 Tbsp. Olive Oil
4 Zucchini
1 package firm Tofu
2 Tbsp. minced garlic
1 Tbsp. onion powder
2 Tbsp. Siracha Hot Sauce (aka rooster sauce, very, very spicy you can reduce or omit hot sauce)
Few shakes of house seasoning.

Heat oil in pan. Chop zucchini and throw in pan, flipping zucchini occasionally to prevent burning. Add minced garlic. Saute for about 3 to 4 minutes. Slice tofu in to small squares, add sliced tofu to zucchini along with onion powder, rooster sauce and house seasoning, stir for about 3 minutes remove from heat serve as a side or over rice.

at home Deep Dish Pizza

Tried a new way of making pizza last Monday. I normally do a regular crust on my silpat this time I attempted a deep dish in a casserole dish, I killed it! Having it again this Monday for MNF (Monday Night Football)

Preheat oven to pizza dough specifications.

2 tbsp Melted butter
Refrigerated pizza dough*  
1/2 Jar of pizza sauce or your favorite marinara
2 hand fulls Shredded Mozzarella (plus a little extra for the very top)

Toppings: (use whatever you like, next time you will see pineapple on mine)
Pepperoni
Green bell pepper (Thinly sliced is best)
Chopped olives (I used half of a small can)

Spray casserole dish (including sides) with olive oil spray and pour melted butter in bottom of dish spread evenly. Put pizza dough in dish poke with fork all over to create tiny holes so your pizza cooks evenly.

 

     

 

Spoon on sauce...

 

 

add your cheese and toppings...

 

 

Bake for 17 to 18 minutes (oven times may vary).

 

 

Slice, serve and eat!

 

 

*I normally would use Trader Joe's Pizza Dough which is about $1.50 but I didn't feel like making an extra trip,actually I would normally use to TJ's everything but I was already at Target, also Target did not charge tax on any of these items.

 

Don't like toppings? try Cheesy Garlic Herb Sticks. What is your favorite kind of pizza? Mine has always been Pepperoni w/Pineapple but I also love Veggie.

Stuffed Zucchini

Dinner last night with the bestie, she made the most delicious southwest stuffed zucchini. Check out her post here! This time she went sans olives and added zucchini into the mix.

6 Pasta Salad

"6" Ingredients!

1. 1 lb Farfalle (bow tie shaped) pasta

2. 15 to 20 medium sized basil leaves, chiffonade , or chiffonade.

3. 5 to 6 small/medium tomatoes, diced

4. 3/4 c.  Parmesan cheese, shredded

5. 3 Tbs. minced garlic ( I sometimes add more)

6. 1/2 c. Olive Oil

Bring a pot of water to boil. Add pasta cook until al dente about 7 to 8 minutes.

Drain pasta, add all ingredients, mix together.

Chill for at least 3 hours. Salt & Pepper to taste.

 

Pasta salad at Leslie's bridal shower, in all it's glory.

6 Pasta Salad

Mexican Style Stuffed Bell Peppers

Ingredients:

4 green bell peppers

1lb. ground beef  (subsitute ground turkey if you like)

1 tbsp onion powder

1 tbsp garlic powder

1 tbsp chili powder (I use Gebhard's)

2 cups of Mexican/Spanish style rice

1 jar of your favorite salsa

1 1/2 cups shredded cheese (I used Tilamook Sharp Cheddar)

Directions:

(Pre-Heat oven to 375 degrees)

1. Brown ground beef, add the 3 powders.

2. Mix in rice and salsa, leaving a small amount of salsa for tops of peppers.

3. Set mixture aside.

4. Wash, slice and discard inside of bell pepper including stem.

5. Place small amount of shredded cheese in bottom of bell pepper.

6. Stuff with mixture, top with left over salsa.

7. Bake for 22- to 25 minutes.

8. Top with left over cheese and broil until bubbly.

Top with hot sauce & sour cream. Serve with beans & rice. Enjoy!

Don't make! Caramel Marshmallow Popcorn

Don't make this recipe! It is highly addictive and super delish.

I love marshmallows and popcorn as it is but combined, can you say YUM! Very easy to make if you dare...

(instagram photo, follow me: raesor)

Ingredients:

1 bag of microwavable popcorn

1 stick of butter

1 cup of brown sugar

2 Tbsp. honey

1/2 tsp almond extract

12 large marshmallows

Directions:

1. Pop popcorn until done, *remove any unpopped kernels.
2. Melt butter over low heat.
3. Add brown sugar, honey, almond and marshmallows.
4. Turn heat to medium and stir until marshmallows are melted, no lumps!
5. Pour over popcorn and stir in until popcorn is evenly coated.
6. Store in an airtight container or ziploc bag.

*I did not remove the kernals partialy because I glanced at the recipe and partialy because I had two glasses of wine. Do not skip this step or you'll be eating with caution.

Pinned: pin

Adapted from: chef-in-training

Jalapeno Pinto Bean Dip

I've been making this pinto bean dip for sometime and it is always a crowd-pleaser, I made it yesterday while visiting friends and once again it was a hit. It's a simple recipe, however it is does have a small catch you must serve it with Doritos (Flavor is best with a Doritos vs. a tortilla chip), either Nacho or Taco works for me. A suggestion yesterday was Salsa Verde Doritos, I'm trying those next time.


Ingredients:
2 Cans of Pinto beans, drained
1 can Campbell's Cheddar Cheese soup (in the soup aisle)
1/4 cup hot water
8oz HOT Sliced Jalapenos, chopped ( I used 1/2 jar of mezzetta's)
4 to 5 dashes of Tapatio hot sauce (or your favorite hot sauce)

Directions:
Place sauce pan on medium heat, add drained pinto beans, cheddar cheese soup, water, chopped jalapenos, and hot sauce. Cook for about 5 minutes stirring frequently. Serve in bowl or tiny crock pot (warm setting) with your favorite Doritos.

Eggplant Parmesan

I have always been intimidated by eggplant, tonight I killed it.

1 Eggplant, sliced
1 Tablespoon Sea Salt
Olive oil
Olive oil spray
3 Eggs
1 Tablespoon Garlic Powder
1 1/2 cups Flour
2 cups Bread Crumbs
1 jar of your favorite marinara sauce
2 cups Mozzarella

Directions: Preheat Oven to 375 degrees. Spray glass baking dish with Olive oil spray, set aside. Slice Eggplant, let it drain on paper towels, sprinkle with a little sea salt. Heat Olive oil in pan on stove over medium heat. Crack 3 whole eggs in bowl, add garlic powder, beat with hand mixture until fluffy, Put eggplant in flour on both sides, dip in egg mixture and then in bread crumbs on both sides.

Cook on medium heat for about a minute on each side, once you have cooked every piece. Place in glass pan, dollop marinara sauce on each piece bake for 10 minutes, cover with mozzarella and bake another 10 minute. Turn oven to broil, broil eggplant on medium for about 2 minutes until cheese is bubbling.

*I enjoyed making this dish not sure why I was ever intimadated by a Eggplant, lol.

Tater Tot Casserole

A friend in culinary school loved to make Tater Tot Casserole, he even had a special ingredient he used, I forgot all about the casserole until I was on pinterest yesterday and saw a variation of the casserole. His secret ingredient was "Cavendars Greek Seasoning" the recipe I saw on pinterest called for salt and pepper I omitted the salt and pepper and opted to us the Cavendars (one of my favorite seasonings anyways). He also said when making this casserole you have to use american cheese specifically, Kraft singles. So here's my friends version that I made. My husband and brother LOVED it, I highly recommend this casserole so good, very easy, kids would probably like this casserole too.



Ingredients:
1 lb lean ground beef or ground turkey (I used beef)
1/2 of a yellow onion, diced
1 can cream of chicken
1 tablespoon Greek Seasoning
16oz tater tots
6 slices of american cheese

Directions:
Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Brown ground beef in pan, add diced onions, seasoning and cream of chicken un-diluted. Spray glass baking pan with cooking spray (I love TJ's olive oil cooking spray). Pour mixture in glass baking pan, cover with frozen tater tots. and bake uncovered for 35 to 40 minutes. Remove from oven and cover in single layer with american cheese. Broil on low for 2 minutes until cheese bubbles.

Yummyness!

Lemon Cucumber Salad

After a weekend of bad eating and glutinous drinking, I was craving something healthy. My co-worker/second mom, came over and we picked lemons off my lemon tree. Her mother in law makes a dried chili powder that I can not get enough of!

6 Persian cucumbers
Juice of 4 medium lemons
1 tablespoon chili powder (your choice)

Slice cucumbers, sprinkle chili powder, and add lemon juice, stir. Place in fridge for about an hour.

This is such a delicious salad, must like lemon to enjoy.