Random Thoughts from Kerrpatch

Cheesy Slow Cooker Potato Soup

2012-01-26T14:20:00.000-08:00

Cheesy Slow Cooker Potato Soup

Ingredients:

4 slices of bacon
1 1/2 cups chopped onion
5 cups diced, peeled russet potatoes (about 5 medium)
1 medium stalk of celery, chopped (1/2 cup) - I hate celery but I used a little...
4 cups chicken broth
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon of pepper
1/2 cup all purpose flour
1 1/2 cups half and half
8 ounces (2 cups) grated cheddar cheese (I probably used more than that... I like cheese)

Directions:

In skillet, cook bacon over medium heat, turning occasionally, until browned and crispy. Remove from skillet, reserving fat in skillet. Drain bacon on paper towel and set aside for use later. In same skillet, cook onion in bacon fat over medium heat 4 to 5 minutes, stirring frequently, until tender.

Spray 3 1/2 to 4 quart slow cooker with cooking spray. In cooker, mix onion, potatoes, celery, broth, salt and pepper. Cover; cook on low heat setting 6 - 7 hours.

In small bowl, beat flour and half and half with wire whisk until well blended. Stir into soup. Increase heat setting to High. Cover, cook about 30 minutes longer or until thickened. (At this point I used my immersion blender to blend up the potatoes and make them less chunky. You could also put some in batches into a blender and reincorporate back into soup. Or you can just leave it chunky.) Stir in cheese until well melted. Crumble bacon and sprinkle over soup.

Cheeseburger Soup

2012-01-02T12:11:00.000-08:00

I found this on the Taste of Home website. My 11 year old loved it. A definite keeper!

Cheeseburger Soup

Ingredients:
6 medium potatoes, peeled and cubed
1 small carrot, grated
1 small onion, chopped
1/2 cup chopped green pepper (I omitted this)
2 Tablespoons chopped seeded jalapeno
3 cups water
2 Tablespoons plus 2 teaspoons beef bouillon granules (I used beef base)
2 garlic cloves, minced or grated
1/8 teaspoon pepper
2 pounds ground beef
1/2 pound sliced mushrooms (I used a full pound)
2 Tablespoons butter
5 cups milk, divided
6 Tablespoons all purpose flour
1 package (16 ounces) Velveeta cheese, cubed
Crumbled cooked bacon

Directions:
In a dutch oven, combine first 9 ingredients; bring to boil. Reduce heat, cover and simmer for 10-15 minutes or until potatoes are tender.

Meanwhile, in a large skillet cook beef and mushrooms in butter over medium heat until meat is no longer pink; drain. Add to soup. Stir in 4 cups of milk; heat through.

In a small bowl combine flour and remaining milk until smooth. gradually stir into soup. Bring to boil, cook and stir for 2 minutes or until thickened. Reduce heat, stir in cheese until melted. Garnish with bacon.

Yield: 14 servings (about 3 1/2 quarts)

Cheesy Chicken-Potato Soup with Sour Cream and Cayenne

2011-12-04T18:28:00.000-08:00

Cheesy Chicken-Potato Soup with Sour Cream and Cayenne

3 tbsp butter
2 cups chopped leeks, white and light green parts
32 ounce bag of new potatoes, halved or quartered
1 quart chicken broth
1 rotisserie chicken, shredded or chopped
10 ounces sharp white cheddar cheese (reserve some for topping)
Sour cream
Cayenne pepper

In pot, melt butter over medium heat. Cook leeks two minutes, add potatoes and cook 5 minutes. Add broth, bring to boil. Simmer until potatoes are fork tender, about 15 minutes. Remove one third of the potatoes, reserve. Puree remaining soup with one cup water (I use an immersion blender, or you can remove it to a regular blender and then put it back in the pot). Stir in chicken, reserved potatoes, cheese and 3 tablespoons sour cream and 1/4 teaspoon of cayenne. Ladle into bowls, top with another dollop of sour cream, some leftover cheddar and a sprinkle of cayenne. It's not hot at all. Very delicious!

Homemade Tomato Soup

2011-12-04T18:21:00.000-08:00

Homemade Tomato Soup

1 14 ounce can diced tomatoes (I used one flavored with garlic)
3/4 cup extra virgin olive oil
Salt and freshly ground pepper
1 yellow onion, diced
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 cup chicken broth
1 bay leaf
2 tablespoons butter
1/4 cup chopped fresh basil leaves (I didn't have fresh so I used 1 tablespoon of dried)
1/2 cup heavy cream

Preheat oven to 450 degrees.

Strain the chopped canned tomatoes, reserving the juices and spread onto a baking sheet. Season with salt and pepper. Drizzle with 1/4 cup olive oil. Roast until carmelized 15 - 20 minutes.

Meanwhile, in a saucepan, heat remaning olive oil over medium-low heat. Add the onion and garlic, cook until softened, about 10 minutes. Add the roasted chopped canned tomatoes, reserved tomato juices, chicken broth, bay leaf and butter. Simmer until vegetables are very tender, about 15- 20 minutes. Add basil and cream. Puree with immersion blender or in a regular blender until smooth.

Green Bean Casserole with Homemade Mushroom Gravy

2011-11-27T17:06:00.000-08:00

I saw this recipe on Guy's Big Bite with Guy Fieri. I made it for Thanksgiving this year. Now I will never go back to green bean casserole with canned cream of mushroom soup. It is really good. I used three different kinds of mushrooms. You can use whatever mushrooms you like.

Green Bean Casserole with Homemade Mushroom Gravy

1 1/2 pounds green beans, trimmed
Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
2 tablespoons unsalted butter
1 tablespoon vegetable oil
1 pound mixed gourmet mushrooms
1/2 teaspoon fresh thyme leaves
2 cloves garlic, minced
1/4 teaspoon cayenne powder
1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg
2 tablespoons all purpose flour
1 cup low sodium chicken broth
1 cup sour cream
1/2 cup cream
1/4 cup grated parmesan
4 medium shallots, sliced and separated into thin rounds
1 cup all purpose flour
Vegetable oil for shallow frying

Preheat oven to 450 degrees.

Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Add the green beans and cook until they just turn bright green, 2 to 3 minutes.

Set a 12 inch cast iron skillet over medium high heat. Add butter and vegetable oil. Once the butter is melted and the pan is hot, add the mushrooms. Cook undisturbed so the mushrooms sear nicely, about a minute. Add the thyme and garlic and continue cooking the mushrooms to achieve some nice color. Season with salt, pepper, cayenne and nutmeg. Cook 2 to 3 more minutes longer, dusting the mushrooms with some of the flour as they lost release their moisture. Stir to incorporate the flour and gradually add in the chicken stock. Bring to a simmer, then reduce the heat and add the sour cream and cream. Stir gently and cook over low heat until gravy thickens, 5 to 6 minutes. Add the blanched green beans to the pan and fold together so everything is mixed well. Spread out evenly in the pan. Sprinkle the grean beans with the grated parmesan and bake until the casserole is bubbly and the top is melted and golden, 15 minutes.

Pour the vegetable oil into a deep skillet and heat to 350 degrees. Pour the flour into a large mixing bowl and season generously with salt and pepper. Toss the shallot rounds in the seasoned flour, then place in a strainer and shake off any excess flour. Fry teh shallots in the hot oil in small batches until golden brown, 3 to 5 minutes. Drain on paper towels and season with salt while still hot. Top the green bean casserole with the fried shallots and serve.

Pumpkin Dump Cake

2011-11-23T13:03:00.000-08:00

I have to admit it... I don't like pie. Never been a fan. The only kind I like is my mom's crustless buttermilk pie that I get once a year at Christmas. And I have to share with my cousin Terry... But he's not so bad, so I don't mind! I love the flavor of pumpkin though... as long as it is not in pie form. So we started making this dump cake a few years ago and now I make it in lieu of pie at Thanksgiving. It's super easy. Hope you enjoy it.

2 cans pumpkin
2 12 ounce cans of evaporated milk (3 cups)
2 tsp cinnamon
1 tsp ginger
4 eggs, well beaten
1 1/2 cups sugar
1 tsp salt
1/2 tsp cloves
1 yellow cake mix
1 stick butter, melted

Mix pumpkin, evaporated milk, cinnamon, ginger, eggs, sugar, salt and cloves together well. Pour into a greased or sprayed 9x13 pan. Sprinkle with cake mix. Drizzle with melted butter, then sprinkle with pecans. (My daughter doesn't like nuts, so I only do half of the pan with nuts.) Bake at 350 degrees for 1 hour and 20 minutes.

Cream of Mushroom Soup

2011-11-14T14:42:00.000-08:00

I am on a huge soup kick lately. This has to be one of my absolute favorites. This recipe should serve four as it is stated, but I promise you I could eat it all by myself! It's that good.

Cream of Mushroom Soup

2 pounds of regular white mushrooms (I actually used a combination of white and baby bells)
1 Tbsp Lemon Juice
2 Tbsp Unsalted Butter
4 Tbsp Minced Shallots
2 Tbsp Fresh Thyme or 2 Teaspoons Dried Thyme (Use fresh if at all possible!)
Bay Leaf
2 Teaspoons of Salt
1 Teaspoon of Fresh Ground Pepper
4 Cups Heavy Cream
3 Cups Chicken Stock
2 Teaspoons Cornstarch dissolved in 2 Tbsps of water

In a food processor, coarsley chop the mushrooms and lemon juice.

Melt butter in a large sauce pan and lightly saute shallots on medium heat. Add mushrooms, thyme and bay leaf, saute over moderate heat for about 15 minutes or until the liquid that is released from the mushrooms disappears.

Add salt, pepper, cream and chicken stock and bring to a boil. Reduce heat and simmer for 20 minutes.

Add cornstarch mixture and simmer for 10 minutes, stirring frequently. Correct season and add more lemon juice to taste. (I am not big on lemon flavor so I didn't add more).

Cream of Jalapeno Soup

2011-10-19T10:51:00.000-07:00

Everyone from Kerrville remembers a fantastic little restaurant we had here called the Old Republic Inn. They had the best food and everyone misses Carole Curry and her great recipes. A friend of mine was recently wondering about their recipe for Cream of Jalapeno Soup which as luck would have it, my mom actually had. I am a HUGE soup fanatic and this one is heavenly. It's not as spicy as you would think. Just depends on the heat in your jalapenos that day and you can add more or less to suit your heat preference. Enjoy!

Cream of Jalapeno Soup

3 Tbsp Butter
3 Tbsp Flour
3 Cups Chicken Stock
2 Cups Heavy Cream
2 Tbsp Butter
1 Large Green Bell Pepper (finely chopped)
2 Jalapenos (seeded and finely chopped)
1 Cup grated Swiss Cheese
1 Cup grated Cheddar Cheese
1 Large Onion (minced)
1 Large Carrot (minced)
Salt

Melt 3 Tbsps butter in heavy large saucepan over low heat. Add flour and stir 3 minutes. Mix in stock and cream. Increase heat and bring to boil, stirring occasionally for about 10 minutes.

Meanwhile melt other 2 Tbsps butter in heavy skillet over low heat. Add onion, carrot and bell pepper. Cook until soft, stirring occasionally, about 8 minutes. Mix in jalapenos.

Add both cheeses to cream mixture and stir until melted. Mix in vegetables. Season with salt and serve.

Cheddar Cheese Soup with Zucchini, Broccoli and Carrots

2011-10-11T13:30:00.000-07:00

It's been forever since I've blogged.... Life just gets too crazy sometimes. Like now!

Lately I've been on a huge soup kick. Seems to be all I think about... well that and risotto! So I haven't actaully made this soup yet but it's on the grocery list for this week. I'm sure it's going to turn out great!!

Cheddar Cheese Soup with Zucchini, Broccoli, and Carrots

2 Tablespoons butter

2 cloves garlic, minced

1/2 medium zucchini, grated

1 carrot, peeled and grated

1/2 onion, grated

1 head broccoli, chopped into mini florets

3 cups chicken broth

2 Tablespoons butter

1/4 cup flour

2 cups milk

2 cups grated cheddar cheese

In large saucepot, melt butter. Add garlic, zucchini, carrots, and onion. Saute until veggies are tender. Stir in broccoli and broth. Simmer until broccoli is tender. Meanwhile, melt butter in large pot. Whisk in flour and cook for a minute or two. Whisk in milk until smooth. Simmer until thickened. Whisk in cheddar cheese. Incorporate vegetable mixture into cheese sauce, whisking until smooth. Serve immediately.

Pumpkin Dump Cake

2010-10-27T10:53:00.000-07:00

Made this for a co-workers birthday and everyone raved. Super simple and easy recipe for the holidays.

PUMPKIN DUMP CAKE

2 (No. 1) cans pumpkin

3 c. evaporated milk

2 tsp. cinnamon

1 tsp. ginger

1 yellow cake mix

1 c. chopped pecans

4 eggs, well beaten

1 1/2 c. sugar

1 tsp. salt

1/2 tsp. cloves

1 stick butter, melted

Mix pumpkin, milk, cinnamon, ginger, eggs, sugar, salt and cloves together well. Pour into greased and floured 9 x 13 pan. sprinkle with cake mix, drizzle with melted butter, then sprinkle with pecans. Bake at 350 degrees for 1 hour and 20 minutes.

Vegetarian Skillet Lasagna

2010-10-23T10:31:00.000-07:00

The kids weren't so crazy about this dish, but all of the adults loved it! Will definitely be making this one again soon.

Vegetarian Skillet Lasagna

Ingredients:
1/4 cup extra-virgin olive oil, plus more for drizzling

4 cloves garlic, sliced
1 1/2 pounds ripe tomatoes, diced
4 tablespoons chopped fresh basil and/or parsley, plus more for garnish
Kosher salt and freshly ground pepper
1 cup ricotta cheese
1 large egg
2 tablespoons grated parmesan cheese, plus more for garnish
6 sheets no-bake lasagna noodles
1 carrot, peeled into ribbons
1 zucchini, peeled into ribbons
3 1/2 cups baby spinach
1/3 pound mozzarella cheese, thinly sliced (I used fresh mozzarella)

Directions:
Heat the 1/4 cup olive oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add the garlic; cook until golden, 1 minute. Add the tomatoes, 1 tablespoon herbs, 1/2 teaspoon salt, and pepper to taste; cook until saucy, about 5 minutes. Transfer to a blender and puree. Return 1 cup of the sauce to the skillet and reduce the heat to low; reserve the remaining sauce.

Meanwhile, mix the ricotta, egg, parmesan, the remaining 3 tablespoons herbs, 1/2 teaspoon salt, and pepper to taste in a bowl.

Place 2 lasagna noodles over the sauce in the skillet. Layer half of the carrot and zucchini on top; drizzle with olive oil and season with salt and pepper. Cover with half of the spinach, half of the ricotta mixture, a few pieces of mozzarella and 2 to 3 tablespoons of the reserved tomato sauce. Repeat the layers, ending with noodles. Top with the remaining sauce and mozzarella. Cover and simmer until the lasagna is cooked and the cheese melts, 20 to 25 minutes.

Let rest for a few minutes before slicing. Garnish with more parmesan and fresh herbs.

Easy Pasticcio (Greek Pasta Dish)

2010-08-31T12:38:00.000-07:00

Ingredients

1 pound penne, mostaccioli, or ziti
2 cups finely grated Parmesan
1 cup whole milk
2 large eggs

For the sauce:
1 tablespoon olive oil
1 tablespoon unsalted butter
1 medium yellow onion, finely chopped
3 medium garlic cloves, thinly sliced
Salt and freshly ground black pepper
2 pounds lean ground beef
28-ounce can crushed tomatoes, with juices
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon

Directions
Heat the oven to 375 degrees F and arrange a rack in the middle.

Bring a large pot of heavily salted water to a boil, over medium-high heat, and cook pasta according to package directions. When pasta is done, drain, and run under cold water to cease the cooking.

For the sauce: Heat the oil and butter in a large frying pan over medium-high heat. When the
butter foams, add the onion and garlic and season with salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste. Cook, stirring occasionally, until the onions are soft and golden, about 5 minutes. Add the meat and break it up with a spoon. Cook, stirring frequently, until browned, about 5 minutes. Stir in the tomatoes and cinnamon and season, to taste, with salt and pepper. Cook until slightly thickened, about 5 minutes more, then remove from the heat.

Butter a 2 1/2 to 3-quart baking dish. Spread half of the pasta evenly in the bottom of lightly buttered glass baking dish. Sprinkle half of the cheese over the top, add all the meat sauce, the remaining pasta, and the remaining cheese.

In a small bowl, whisk together the milk and the eggs until evenly combined. Slowly pour it over the entire dish; (the liquid should completely cover the noodles). Cover and bake until bubbly, about 40 to 45 minutes. Uncover and bake until bubbling and browned, about 10 to 15 minutes more. Let it sit for 10 minutes before serving.

Happy Birthday Morgan Elizabeth

2010-08-26T12:31:00.000-07:00

Hard to believe my baby girl is 10 years old already! Wow how time flies.

Happy Birthday Baby Bear. Mom loves you!!

Quick and Easy, but way good homemade Hamburger Helper!

2010-08-26T12:28:00.000-07:00

1 pound of ground beef
1 carton of sliced mushrooms (fresh)
2 Tbsp of olive oil
8 ounces of cream cheese
1 package of Hidden Valley Ranch dressing mix
3/4 cup of milk
12 ounces of wide egg noodles
1/2 cup of grated parmesan cheese

Boil noodles according to package directions.

Heat oil in skillet over medium heat. Add mushrooms and cook about 5 minutes or until brown. Remove from skillet. Add ground beef and cook until no longer pink. Drain meat and return to pan. Return mushrooms to pan as well.

Mix sour cream, salad dressing mix and milk in a bowl until smooth. Add to meat mixture. Add cooked noodles to meat mixture. Mix together. Mix in parmesan cheese until cheese is melted and serve.

Really good with a nice green salad and some crusty bread.

Tastes like Hamburger Helper but much better!

Rachael Ray's Pesto Spaghetti Meatballs

2010-06-23T12:20:00.000-07:00

Made this for the first time last night as a celebration dinner for my friend who recently had a biopsy on a lump in her neck and it came back benign!

This was so good. The kids loved it as much as the adults. Served it with a big salad and garlic bread. I am looking forward to having the leftovers tonight!

Ingredients
1/2 pound spaghetti, broken into pieces
Salt
1/4 cup pine nuts, lightly toasted
1 large bunch parsley, leaves only (I used cilantro AND parsley for added flavor)
1 bunch basil, leaves only
2/3 to 3/4 cup grated Parmigiano-Reggiano, a couple of handfuls
2 cloves garlic, grated or finely chopped
Freshly ground black pepper
Extra-virgin olive oil, about 1/3 cup plus some for liberal drizzling
2 pounds ground sirloin
1 large egg
A couple handfuls bread crumbs
1 small onion, finely chopped
1 small carrot, finely chopped or grated
1 cup beef stock
1 (28-ounce) can tomatoes (recommended: San Marzano)

Directions

Heat oven to 425 degrees F.

Bring a medium sauce pot of water to a boil over high heat, salt water and cook pasta to al dente 7 minutes or so, drain and quick-cool on a baking sheet.

While pasta cooks, toast pine nuts. Make a thick herb pesto by placing the herbs, cheese, garlic and nuts in food processor with salt and pepper. Turn processor on and stream in about 1/3 cup olive oil - make the pesto very thick.

Place meat in a bowl. Season the meat with salt and pepper. Add cooked pasta, egg, bread crumbs and half the pesto to the meat. Mix to combine and form into 16 balls, and place on a parchment paper lined baking sheet. Let the spaghetti pop out of meatballs like porcupine quills. Coat balls with a little olive oil and roast 12 to 15 minutes until firm and golden in color. Remove from the oven and place on a serving platter.

While meat roasts heat a healthy drizzle olive oil in a sauce pot over medium-high heat. Add onions and carrots, season with salt and pepper, and saute for 5 minutes. Stir in the stock, add tomatoes and crush with the back of a wooden spoon. Cook for 5 minutes more, then stir in remaining pesto and transfer to a serving bowl or 4 individual ramekins for dipping.

Banana Pudding Trifle

2010-04-26T17:14:00.000-07:00

Banana Pudding Trifle
1 large instant French Vanilla pudding
1 can sweetened condenses milk
2 cups whole milk
12 ounces Cool Whip, thawed
6-7 ripe bananas
1 pound bag of vanilla wafers crushed coarsely
2-3 store bought or homemade pecan pralines, coarsely chopped (homemade praline recipe follows)

Directions:
Mix dry pudding, condensed milk, milk and 3/4 Cool Whip. With electric mixer on medium speed, blend mixture together for about 3 minutes. in a medium size trifle bowl, layer 1/3 pudding, wafers and sliced bananas, repeat layers ending with pudding. Top with reserved Cool Whip. Garnish top with crumbled pralines. Refrigerate.

Pecan Praline Topping
1 cup sugar
2 cup chopped pecans
1 egg, beaten

Combine, stir and pour into a large baking sheet. Bake at 350 until brown and crunchy. Watch it! It doesn't take long.

Cool, loosen and break into pieces

Orecchiette with Cauliflower, Anchovies, and Fried Croutons

2010-04-26T17:09:00.000-07:00

I found this recipe in the latest edition of Bon Apetit. It's really good, but if you don't like anchovies, you should probably lighten them up or not use them at all.

1 large head of cauliflower (28 to 30 ounces), trimmed, cut into 1-inch florets
8 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil, divided
1 pound orecchiette (little ear-shaped pasta) or medium-size shell pasta
1 1/2 cups 1/3-inch cubes crusty country-style bread
3 medium zucchini, trimmed, cut into 1/3-inch cubes (about 3 cups)
3 large garlic cloves, chopped
7 anchovy fillets, finely chopped
1/2 cup chopped fresh Italian parsley, divided
1/3 cup (packed) freshly grated Parmesan cheese plus additional for serving
2 tablespoons freshly grated Pecorino Romano cheese

Preparation

Preheat oven to 425°F. Toss cauliflower florets with 1 tablespoon olive oil in large bowl to coat. Sprinkle with salt and pepper and spread in single layer on large rimmed baking sheet. Roast until cauliflower florets are tender and beginning to brown in spots, stirring occasionally, about 25 minutes. Cool to room temperature. DO AHEAD: Can be made 1 day ahead. Cover and chill.

Cook pasta in large pot of boiling generously salted water until just tender but still firm to bite, stirring occasionally. Drain pasta, reserving 1 1/3 cups pasta cooking liquid. Set pasta and cooking liquid aside separately.

Meanwhile, heat 2 tablespoons olive oil in large deep nonstick skillet or large pot over medium-high heat. Add bread cubes and sauté until golden brown and crisp, 3 to 4 minutes. Transfer to small bowl and cool. Reserve skillet or pot.

Add 2 tablespoons olive oil to same skillet or pot and heat over medium-high heat. Add zucchini and garlic and sauté until zucchini is golden brown and crisp-tender, 3 to 4 minutes. Add cauliflower and anchovies and sauté until heated through, 3 to 4 minutes. Season to taste with salt and freshly ground black pepper. Add drained pasta, reserved 1 1/3 cups pasta cooking liquid, remaining 3 tablespoons olive oil, 1/3 cup parsley, 1/3 cup Parmesan, and Pecorino Romano cheese and toss to coat. Season pasta to taste with salt and freshly ground black pepper. Divide pasta among 6 bowls; sprinkle with fried croutons, remaining parsley, and additional Parmesan cheese and serve.

Black Bean and Goat Cheese Dip

2010-01-21T13:35:00.001-08:00

So I know I have been a huge slacker when it comes to my blog. I haven't been cooking a lot, but did discover this dish over the holidays courtesy of my good friend Netti Dunning. She found it on delish.com but apparently it came from Oprah's magazine. I have made it 3-4 times in the past month. I could live on this stuff! Nothing better than some good goat cheese (except for maybe some good pesto!)

Black Bean and Goat Cheese Dip

1 tablespoon(s) olive oil, plus more for brushing (optional)
1 small onion, chopped (about 1 cup)
2 clove(s) garlic, minced
1 1/2 teaspoon(s) cumin (preferably whole seeds, freshly toasted and ground)
2 can(s) (15 1/2 to 19 ounces each) black beans, drained and rinsed
1 cup(s) chicken stock
Salt and freshly ground pepper, to taste
2 large poblano peppers
1 bunch(es) scallions, sliced (about 1/2 cup)
1/2 cup(s) coarsely chopped cilantro
1 log(s) (11-ounce) fresh goat cheese
6 whole-grain tortillas, cut into wedges ( just bought pita chips!)

In a large saucepan, heat olive oil over medium heat. Add onion and garlic and cook until softened, about 5 minutes. Stir in cumin and cook 30 seconds. Add 1 can beans and lightly mash using a potato masher. Stir in chicken stock and remaining can of beans. Simmer until very thick (but not pasty), 5-7 minutes. Season with salt and pepper. Let cool.

Meanwhile, place poblano peppers directly on a burner over a medium-low gas flame. Turn regularly with tongs to blacken skin, 10-15 minutes (if you don't have a gas stove, you can blacken peppers on a sheet pan under a broiler, turning regularly, about 15 minutes). Place peppers in a paper bag; seal and let sit (and steam) until cool enough to handle. Peel peppers, removing as much of the charred skin as possible without rinsing. Seed and coarsely chop. Transfer to a small bowl and toss with scallions and cilantro.

Preheat oven to 375 degrees. In the bottom of a 1- to 1 1/2-quart soufflé or baking dish, spread half of bean mixture. Top with half of cheese, crumbled, and half of pepper mixture. Repeat layering once more, ending on pepper mixture. Place dish on a sheet pan and bake 30-35 minutes, until top is bubbling.

Meanwhile, arrange tortilla wedges on a large baking sheet in a single layer. Place in oven with dip and bake 10-12 minutes or until crisp. Brush with oil and sprinkle with salt, if desired. Serve hot with tortilla chips on the side.

Been awhile

2009-11-04T08:40:00.001-08:00

So haven't been in the blogging mode lately... lots going on in my life and not all of it is good. But we all have to go through growing pains sometimes and this is just one of those times in my life.

We have lived through the H1N1 virus at our house with no major side effects. Thankfully! Morgan is healthy now and pushing my buttons on a regular basis... as only she and my mother know how!

Work is in the "slow" time of year for me, which I enjoy, but I also find myself slacking because I know I don't have that much going on and I work so much better under pressure. I know... it's a flaw, but it's mine and I own it. I am looking forward to a couple of nice little vacations around Thanksgiving and Christmas. Time off is always good!

Chicken and Chorizo Romesco with Spanish Potatoes and Kale

2009-08-10T17:26:00.000-07:00

Saw this on Rachael Ray the other day and just had to try it. Very good. My 8 year old loved the potatoes with kale. Who'd have thought? She had seconds of just the potatoes! She didn't care as much for the romesco sauce, but the rest of us loved it. It makes quite a bit of sauce. I'll be eating the leftover sauce with pita chips this week. It's not AS good as the mohambra sauce, but it's a very close second. It takes longer than 30 minutes, which I find most of her recipes do... but it was worth it.

Chicken and Chorizo Romesco with Spanish Potatoes and Kale
Rachael Ray's 30 Minute Meals
Serves: 4 servings

Ingredients
1/2 cup extra-virgin olive oil, divided
5 cloves garlic, thinly sliced
2 pounds baby Yukon gold potatoes, halved
Salt and freshly ground black pepper
1 bunch kale, stemmed and coarsely chopped
1 cup chicken stock
1 cup shredded manchego
1 to 3 slices stale bread, toasted, cut 1/2-inch dice (I used hamburger buns)
1 cup pequillo peppers or roasted red peppers (you can find the pequillo pepper next to the red peppers)
1 (15-ounce) can fire roasted tomatoes, drained, about 1 1/3 cups
2 tablespoons sherry vinegar
1/2 cup marcona almonds (Spanish toasted almonds), substitute toasted sliced or peeled almonds if unavailable
4 pieces boneless skinless chicken breast or thigh meat (I used 5 bonless skinless thighs)
2 teaspoons orange zest or lemon zest
1 teaspoon smoked or sweet paprika
A handful flat-leaf parsley, finely chopped
3/4 pound Spanish chorizo, casings removed, cut into 8 pieces on the bias (I used Mexican Chorizo. It was crumbly, but just as good, I think.)

Directions
Heat about 1/4 to 1/3 cup olive oil in a medium skillet over medium-low heat. Add the garlic and slowly cook until crisp and golden brown.

Place potatoes in a pot and cover with water, bring to a boil, season with salt and cook 15 minutes or until tender, drain and return to hot pot. While the potatoes cook, simmer kale in salted water 10 minutes then drain. When you are ready to serve, mash potatoes with stock and cheese, fold in kale, adjust salt and pepper.

While potatoes come to a boil, move forward with the meal. Add to a food processor: toasted garlic (reserve the oil), some of the toasted bread in pieces, the peppers, tomatoes, sherry vinegar, almonds, and salt and pepper. Turn processor on and stream in reserved "garlic-oil" and add the rest of the toasted bread in pieces until you get a pesto-like consistency. Transfer sauce back to the skillet and keep warm over low heat.

Cut each piece of chicken into 3 chunks and season with citrus zest, smoked sweet paprika, salt, pepper and parsley. Set aside.

Heat 1 tablespoon olive oil in a nonstick skillet over medium-high heat. Add chorizo and render it 1 minute. Remove the chorizo to a plate and then add chicken and cook 10 to 12 minutes, turning occasionally.

Pour a pool of sauce onto each dinner plate and top with a mound of potatoes and kale and chunks of chicken and chorizo.

Crock Pot Chicken and Dumplings

2009-08-02T19:35:00.000-07:00

My grandmother was the best cook in the entire world. She could make anything. My first experiences with cooking were with my "Mowie" as we called her. She would always let me help and always let me lick the bowls! I would ask for a certain dessert, no matter what it was and at the end of the day when I came home from school, it was waiting for me. My mom finally told me I wasn't allowed to ask her to make anything. So I would go through her recipes and pick one out and stick it on the fridge... I didn't ask... but it was still there when I came home from school. And when my mom questioned, Mowie would tell her that I didn't ask her to make it. She didn't have to lie and I still got what I wanted. She passed away when I was 17. In many ways that was even harder than losing my dad. She was such an amazing woman and I will always miss her.

One of her specialties was chicken and dumplings. She hand rolled the dough and the simmered on the stove for hours. I could never duplicate hers, but this is a fairly good replica. Better than the ones my mom makes out of tortillas... but Morgan says I shouldn't be mean by saying that. (Although she did whisper in my ear tonight that she liked my recipe better than her Nana's -- but I won't be mean and tell my mom!) It was super easy.

Crock Pot Chicken and Dumplings

4 bone in, skin on chicken thighs
1 can cream of mushroom with roasted garlic soup
1 can mushrooms
Salt and Pepper

Put above ingredients in crock pot and cook on low for 6 hours. Chicken will be falling off the bone. Pull bones, skin and gristle from crock pot. Mix up so chicken breaks into smaller pieces.

Then add:

1 small can of refrigerator biscuits (cut into small pieces – about 6 pieces per biscuit). Turn on high and cook for about 30 minutes or until dough pieces are done in the middle.

This should have made 4 servings, but had big eaters. You could easily double it and use a regular size can of biscuits. We'll definitely be doing this one again. I LOVE the crock pot!

Swiss Chicken with Walnut Asparagus

2009-07-13T19:12:00.000-07:00

This chicken dish is one that my mom always makes when she has company over. It's so easy and delicious. I have been wanting it for awhile so I finally found her recipe and made it tonight.

Swiss Chicken
4-6 Chicken Breasts
Sliced Swiss Cheese
1 Can Cream of Chicken Soup
1/3 Cup White Wine
1/4 Cup Melted Butter
1 Cup Seasoned Bread Crumbs

Heat oven to 350 degrees. Rinse chicken and dry. Place in a 9x9 or larger baking dish. Season chicken with salt, pepper and chicken seasoning (if desired). Place a slice or two of cheese over each chicken breast. Mix soup and wine together and pour over chicken/cheese. Sprinkle bread crumbs over chicken. Drizzle with melted butter. Bake for 1 hour.

Served with
Steamed Asparagus with Walnuts and Browned Butter Sauce
1/2 cup walnuts, dry roasted
1 lb asparagus, bottoms snapped off
2 tablespoons butter
1/2 teaspoon fresh lemon zest (we don't like a lot of lemon so I just used some lemon juice)
salt and pepper

In saute pan dry roast the walnuts. Set aside to cool then very coarsely chop.

In a large pot steam the asparagus until just tender (or you can buy that steam in the bag kind from the grocery store, which is what I did!). Arrange asparagus on a serving platter.

In the saute pan, melt the butter over medium heat. Cook and stir the butter frequently until it browns and smells nutty. DO NOT burn. Stir in the roasted walnuts and lemon zest or juice.

Pour browned butter sauce over the asparagus, season with salt and pepper and serve.

Conchita's

2009-07-07T12:50:00.000-07:00

I have a favorite restaurant in Kerrville... My family doesn't necessarily share my passion for Conchita's, but I don't care. I eat there as often as I can get away with it. I took Morgan there for lunch today, just a mommy/daughter thing. Of course, she couldn't to get home to play with the next door neighbor kids, but I guess I'll take what I can get!

Conchita's signature dish is their Chicken Avacado Eggroll. It's a traditional eggroll wrapping, but stuffed with shredded chicken and avacados and drizzled with her amazing cilantro/pecan pesto. I've tried to duplicate her pesto sauce at home. Mine wasn't bad, but it certainly wasn't the same as hers.

Today I had the 1/2 and 1/2 which is one chicken avacado eggroll and then a half order of chicken pesto nachos. Can you tell I am in love with the pesto? She also serves a Greek Salad that is heavenly. It's simple... bed of lettuce with some potato salad, pico de gallo, guacamole and then drizzled with the pesto.

Teresa Womack is the owner of Conchita's. She and I worked together years ago at Justin's Corn Dogs in the "small" here in Kerrville. She's had the restaurant for about 7 years now. Open for lunch only... once in awhile she's open on the weekends for dinner, but I am not sure if she has a set time for that...

Visit her if you get a chance. Tell her I sent you! 810 Main Street - right next to the tatoo parlor!!

Chicken & Tomatillo Tacos with Mexican Fideo

2009-07-05T19:03:00.000-07:00

You can't live in South Texas and not love Mexican food. But I get tired of the same old enchiladas and burritos. I've been wanting to try some roasted tomatillos so I took a couple of different recipes and some inspiration from Bobby Flay and this is what we had for dinner tonight.

Tomatillo Salsa
1 pound tomatillos, husked and washed
2 jalapeno peppers, washed
1 small red onion, sliced into 1/2 inch slices
Olive oil
Salt
Pepper
2 cloves garlic
1/2 cup chopped cilantro
1 Tablespoon honey
1 Teaspoon brown sugar
Lime
1 Tablespoon rice vinegar (or cider vinegar)

1. Preheat grill.
2. Grill onions, jalapenos and tomatillos (I used a grilling basket) until soft and a bit charred, 10 to 15 minutes. Let cool for about 10 minutes or until cool enough to handle.
3. Peel, seed and stem jalapenos (next time I am going to leave the seeds of one of them to add some heat). Place the tomatillos, onions, jalapenos, lime juice, cilantro, vinegar, brown sugar, salt and pepper (to taste) in a food processor. Pulse until the mixture is well blended but still has a bit of a chunky texture.

To make the tacos, I bought a rotisserie chicken and shredded it and then added the chicken to the salsa and heated it all up. I warmed whole wheat flour tortillas and put the chicken on the tortillas, topped them with crumbled Queso Fresco. (Don't skip the cheese - it makes the taco... you can get it next to the regular cheese at the grocery store!!) Delicioso!!

Mexican Fideo

1 box of fideo (vermicelli)
Vegetable oil
1/2 Onion, diced
2 Roma tomatoes, diced
2 cloves garlic
1 small jalapeno, diced
1/2 Teaspoon Cumin
1/2 Teaspoon Garlic Salt
1/2 Teaspoon oregano

Put onion, tomatoes, garlic, jalapeno and seasonings in a food processor or blender. Process until combined, but slightly chunky.

Heat 2-3 tablespoons of oil in a frying pan. Add fideo and cook on medium low and brown to a golden brown color. Once the fideo is toasted, pour in tomato mixture, bring to a boil. Turn down heat to low and simmer until tender. About 5 - 10 minutes. Liquid should be almost all absorbed. Serve with chicken tacos.

Mohambra Chicken Thighs

2009-06-29T18:40:00.000-07:00

6 chicken thighs, with bone and skin
2 teaspoons paprika
2 teaspoons cumin
1 teaspoon cayenne pepper
1/4 cup flour
2 tablespoons olive oil
1/2 cup white wine
2 yellow onions, chopped
5 cloves garlic, minced
1/2 cup chopped pecans, slightly roasted
6 ounces red bell peppers, roasted and skinned
6 ounces sundried tomatoes
1 teaspoon salt

Directions:Sprinkle chicken with paprika, cumin and cayenne pepper; dust lightly with flour. In large skillet, place olive oil over medium high heat. Add chicken and brown on all sides. Reduce heat to medium; add wine, cover and simmer 15 minutes, turning chicken occasionally. Remove chicken to ovenproof casserole, cover and place in 300 degree F. oven to keep warm. To skillet, add onions, garlic and pecans. Sauté 5 minutes and remove to food processor. Add roasted red peppers, tomatoes, salt and process until almost smooth. Return chicken and any drippings from casserole to skillet; stir in onion mixture. Cover and simmer on medium low heat for 10 minutes.

I served it with fresh green beans with sauteed onions and garlic and diced tomatoes. The Mohambra sauce is really good with pita chips!

My 8 year old LOVED it!

Chicken Asparagus

2009-06-24T18:53:00.000-07:00

I had fresh asparagus and chicken breasts... I didn't want to do a roll up thing, especially since breasts are prone to drying out... so here is what I did. It was super yummy!

3 chicken breasts, sliced in half lengthwise, seasoned with salt and pepper and browned on both side in olive oil/butter
1 lb fresh asparagus (blanched for a few minutes til they were almost soft)
1 yellow onion, chopped and sauteed in butter until soft and starting to carmelize

In the bottom of a baking dish (I used my pampered chef covered stoneware baker), I put the asparagus, then the chicken breasts and then the onions. On top of that I put a mixture of:

1 can of cream of chicken soup with herbs
1/2 cup light mayonaise
1/2 cup grated parmesan cheese (I get the stuff in the deli section... noth that powdered stuff with the regular cheese. Get GOOD parmesan!)

I covered it and baked it for 25 minutes, then uncovered it and sprinkled about a cup of grated swiss cheese over the top and put it back in the oven until the cheese was all melted and gooey. Served it over bowtie pasta.

My family ATE it up! Good stuff. We'll be doing that one again for sure!

A long wait

2009-06-13T06:43:00.000-07:00

My friend Gail recently was married. For the very first time at 59 years old. She waited a really long time for Mr. Right. I envy her that. I wish I could have been that patient! The wedding was at an event center in Wimberley. It was so beautiful. They were married along the river bank. The reception was in on outdoor pavilion at sunset. Just absolutely gorgeous. And my favorite photographer in the world, Rick Breckenridge, took photographs. He lives in Austin and works for Channel 8. I don't get to see him nearly enough. I miss my friends who move on from Kerrville. Gail's been in Houston for years so I rarely see her either. So overall it was a wonderful evening. I spent time with two very wonderful friends and had my mom and daughter there. Oh... and did I mention there was free wine? What could be any better?

Me, Gail and my mom

Gail and I

My favorite photographer, Rick and I

I just love Gail!

Fresh Basil Pesto

2009-05-26T15:46:00.000-07:00

I admit it... I am a pesto fanatic... I can't imagine anything better than a freshly made pesto... I had it in restaurants for so many years, never realizing how easy it is to make at home. It's simple and you can put it on everything... burgers, bread, pasta, vegetables.... the possibilities are endless!

2 cups fresh basil leaves
1 cup fresh flat leaf (Italian parsley)
1/2 cup grated Parmesan (Romano works too)
1/2 cup toasted pine nuts (I substitute walnuts when I don't have pine nuts... just toast them up in a small skillet on top of the stove. Your nose will let you know when they are done! You can also use pecans for a different taste!)
4 garlic gloves, peeled and roughly chopped (use fresh - not that jarred stuff)
1/4 teaspoon salt (I only cook with kosher salt)
1/2 cup of good quality olive oil

Put all ingredients except olive oil into food processor. Pulse until ingredients are combined and starting to break down. While processor is on, drizzle olive oil in through top and combine until pesto is smooth.

It's that EASY! And the best pesto you will ever eat outside of a really great restaurant. It puts that store bought stuff to shame! You'll never buy it again once you've made this and realize how easy it is!

Herbed Creamy Pasta with Mushrooms

2009-05-05T18:49:00.000-07:00

2 Tbsp butter
1 cup mushrooms (brown or white)
salt
pepper
rosemary (I use a Pampered Chef dry version, but fresh would be good)
garlic salt (although fresh garlic would probably be better)
8 ounces of linquini or pasta of your choice
3/4 cup cream
1/2 tsp nutmeg
1/3 cup grated parmesan cheese (not that stuff in the can, but the real grated kind from the deli section)

Saute mushrooms in butter with salt, pepper, garlic and rosemary. Meanwhile boil pasta until al dente. Once mushrooms are browned, add cream and nutmeg... cook for a couple of minutes until slighty thickened. Add pasta and toss to coat, add parmesan cheese, stir and serve.

You can also add peas to this or shredded carrots. Just be sure they get cooked. You could also add some roasted chicken to make it a complete meal on its own.

Amaretto Salmon

2009-05-05T18:42:00.000-07:00

This is one of my absolute favorite dishes.

One salmon filet (however much you need to feed your group)
salt and pepper
dijon mustard
Italian bread crumbs (I use the ones in the blue cannister that you by on the flour aisle)
1/2 stick butter
1 shot of amaretto liquor

Wash and pat dry your salmon, place on a foil lined baking sheet. Sprinkle with salt and pepper, spread on a thin layer of dijon mustard. Follow with a thin layer of bread crumbs. Bake at 350 for 20 - 25 minutes or until just shy of done (I like my salmon about medium to medium well, but hubby likes his about medium rare -- One end is usually thicker so it works out well for us). When the salmon is almost done, turn the oven to broil, move the rack and pan up and cook for about 5 minutes or until it is nicely browned. Meanwhile, melt butter over medium heat and add the shot of amaretto. Remove fish from oven. Remove to plate. The skin should stick to the foil. Cover with butter sauce and serve!! It's delicious!

Great left over on top of a salad. Good stuff!

Relay for Life 2009

2009-05-05T17:22:00.000-07:00

Every year our family participates in Relay for Life. We lost our dad on November 17, 2007 to prostate cancer. Not a day goes by I don't miss him...

And that is the ONLY reason you'd ever see me in this outfit! My daughter and I participated in the 80's celebrity contest. Between all the participants we raised over $500 for the American Cancer Society. Our team raised almost $12,000 altogether.

Hope for a Cure... at least in my daughter's lifetime.

Chicken Marsala Casserole

2009-05-04T20:00:00.000-07:00

8 oz. fresh mushrooms, sliced
1 shallot, diced
2 Tablespoons butter
2 Tablespoons flour
1/4 cup milk
1/4 cup Marsala
2 cups water
1 cup long-grain converted rice or orzo
2 boneless chicken breasts, cooked and diced (You could use rotisserie chicken and it would add lots of extra flavor!)
2 Tablespoons grated Parmesan cheese

Preheat oven to 350˚.
In a large skillet, sauté the mushrooms and shallot in the butter until tender.
Sprinkle with the flour and stir. Add milk and Marsala, and cook over medium heat until thickened. Add the water. (Yes, it seems weird to add the water, but you need it for the rice/orzo.) Sprinkle the rice or orzo evenly over the bottom of a 13 x 9" pan. (Spray with Pam first!) Add the chicken, and top all with mushroom gravy mixture. Cover the pan with foil and bake for 35 minutes until bubbly. Remove foil and sprinkle with Parmesan cheese. Bake 5 minutes longer. Serves 4 (or more if you use more chicken).

Amaretto Chicken

2009-05-04T19:56:00.000-07:00

We had this tonight... pretty good over rice, but I think I'd like it even better over linquine or egg noodles. But I am just a pasta freak... what can I say?

SERVES 3 -4 (Depending on how much you pig out!)

1/4 cup butter
3-4 boneless chicken breast halves (I used thighs because we like dark meat)
3 green onions, diced
1 lb fresh mushrooms, sliced
1/2 teaspoon fresh tarragon (I left this out because I didn't have any)
3 garlic cloves, crushed
1 cup heavy cream
1 cup shredded gruyere, cheese
1/2 cup amaretto liqueur
1/4 cup capers

Melt 1/4 cup of the butter in large skillet over med high heat.
Brown chicken in butter quickly, remove to a baking pan.
Add the green onion and mushrooms with the garlic and tarragon. (If you used chicken breast you may need to add some more butter in order to brown the vegetables.)
Pour this over the chicken.
Heat the cream, cheese and amaretto in the pan, whisking rapidly.
Stir in capers then pour the sauce over the chicken.
Bake in preheated oven for 35 minutes or until chicken is cooked through.

Terrible, horrible, no good, very bad.... week

2009-04-30T19:51:00.000-07:00

This has really been just a week from hell... I wish I could be all Suzy Sunshine all the time, but honestly I just don't have it in me. I'm tired... work's been crazy... my house is a mess... it's the end of the semester so everyone is crazy... the bulb burnt out in my projector... I had 400 women for lunch today... they took the gym away from me for 5 weeks making me bump a group to another location... they keep telling us to not spend any money, but do more work... It's just been a bad week overall...

Tomorrow is our annual Relay for Life fundraiser... which means I have to spend time with one particular family member that I am not always fond of spending time with... so I will have to grit my teeth a lot... but on the upside, I get to dress up like Cyndi Lauper... if I can just find some hair coloring. I have the outfit.

I need a vacation. Rum drinks served in pineapples with umbrellas... cabana boys... a beach... no responsibility. Dream on...

50's Bash

2009-04-26T17:29:00.000-07:00

We threw a 50's birthday party for my friend Debbie this weekend. She turned 50, thus the theme... We had a lot of fun planning it and she enjoyed it a lot. She's one of my very best friends.
Here we are in our 50's finest. Her daughter in law, Michelle, Debbie, her daughter, Monalee and myself.

Good times with old friends!

2009-04-19T11:46:00.000-07:00

We had our "Recall" this past weekend which is basically our yearly college homecoming. There weren't as many people as I had hoped but I did get to spend some time with some dear friends that I rarely get to see. One of my very best friends from high school and I (Amy) both skipped our senior years of high school to start college early. Our parents both worked there which probably helped. We were 17 and thought we were so cool to be in college. In hindsight I think I wish I would have stayed for that senior year and done a few things differently, but in the end I am happy to be where I am now. Who knows what different path my life may have taken if I hadn't what I had. Amy and I have managed to stay in touch somewhat over the years, but hadn't really connected until last summer at our high school reunion. After coming here this weekend her husband told her that she really needed to stop dragging him to these reunions if she was only coming to see me and that we should just get together on our own. He's right, of course, and I hope we can do that soon!

Amy and I at Casino Night.

Jamie and Amy Mackie

I also got to see Barry Milam and his sister Amy. Amy married Kyle Johnson who I went to high school with. Small world. They are all living in San Antonio now, but I still haven't seen them since college. It was so much fun. I hope we get a chance to see each other more often!

Sara and Barry Milam and Amy (Milam) and Kyle Johnson.

Easter 2009

2009-04-16T16:13:00.000-07:00

Didn't get many pictures, but here's the kiddo hunting the eggs!

Kebabs

2009-04-08T18:07:00.000-07:00

I love my grill. It's the best thing in my cooking arsenal. When I asked for it for mother's day, James thought I was nuts. He said he never heard of a woman asking for a grill. Well, I do all the cooking, so I think I should have a grill fit for a queen... or at least for a mom!

Tonight we had beef kabobs. I bought boneless beef ribs, cut them into 1 inch pieces and marinated them for about an hour in worcestershire sauce, red wine vinegar, soy sauce, olive oil, grill seasoning and fresh garlic. Then I skewered some orange bell pepper and onions on some bamboo skewers (after soaking them for awhile, of course!) and the did separate skewers of yellow squash and mushrooms.

All and all I'd give it a 6 on a scale of 10. OK... Healthy, for sure... Even the kiddo asked for more mushrooms! She skipped the onions and bell pepper, but she made up for it in squash and mushrooms. The meat was really tender, but had some muscle running through it so it really had to be cut smaller even after the 1" pieces.

Last night I did the HEB pre-marinated chicken thigh fajitas on the grill... Two nights in a row I didn't have to heat up my kitchen and we had good food. I'm all about easy and good.

Tomorrow night is chicken fettucine alfredo... guess I could grill the chicken thighs first... that could be really tasty! Think I'll try... I'll let you know how it turns out!

Fish N Chips

2009-04-06T19:17:00.000-07:00

We had this "good for you" version of Fish n Chips tonight. I added some smoked chipotle or cayenne pepper to the breadcrumbs to give it a little kick. Good stuff. This comes from Rachael Ray.

SERVES 4 Prep Time: 20 min Cook Time: 20 min

1/2 cup light sour cream
2 tablespoons mayonnaise
1 tablespoon lemon juice, plus lemon wedges for serving
1 shallot, finely chopped
Salt and pepper
2 sweet potatoes (1 1/2 pounds), each cut into 12 wedges
1 1/2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
3 tablespoons finely chopped flat-leaf parsley
Cooking spray
1/3 cup cornmeal
1/3 cup whole wheat breadcrumbs
3/4 cup buttermilk
Four 5-ounce skinless, boneless tilapia fillets, each cut lengthwise into thirds

1. Position racks in the upper and lower thirds of the oven and preheat to 450°. In a small bowl, stir together the sour cream, mayonnaise, lemon juice, shallot, 1/2 teaspoon salt and 1/4 teaspoon pepper. Cover and refrigerate until ready to serve.

2. On a foil-lined baking sheet, toss the sweet potatoes with the olive oil and 1 tablespoon parsley; season with salt and pepper. Spread in a single layer and bake on the lower rack until tender and crisp around the edges, about 20 minutes.

3. Meanwhile, coat another foil-lined baking sheet with cooking spray. In a medium bowl, whisk together the cornmeal, breadcrumbs, the remaining 2 tablespoons parsley, 3/4 teaspoon salt and 1/4 teaspoon pepper. In another bowl, combine the buttermilk and fish, turning to coat. Working with 1 piece at a time, coat the fish with the cornmeal mixture; transfer to the prepared baking sheet. Spray the fish with cooking spray; bake on the upper rack until golden-brown, 12 to 14 minutes. Serve with the fries, dipping sauce and lemon wedges.

Tried it Twice... still don't like it

2009-04-05T18:26:00.000-07:00

Last night we went over to see Gini and the baby at the hospital in Fredericksburg. I had thought we'd go visit and then have a nice dinner, preferably at Pasta Bella, but by the time we go there it was already 8:45 and by the time we left the hospital it was well past 9:00. We drove up and down the main street there in F'burg trying to find a restaurant, but amazingly most of them close at 9:00. You'd think for a tourist town, it would stay open later, especially on a really nice, warm Saturday night in April. We ended up at the Brewery which we had tried on one other occasion and were not that impressed. Last night was no different. The first time we ate there we tried their German food. Frozen pork/veal patty. I am not a fan of frozen, pre-purchased patties of any sort. And now that I have started making Jaegerschnitzel at home, we just don't eat it out anyway. I wish I could find veal, but pork works...

So last night James had the red snapper and I had a chicken fried steak. First of all, I am not a huge fan of restaurant chicken fried steak, but their menu is fairly limited and I was just wanting something that was mostly meat. It was about the size of a small dinner plate, but flatter than a pancake. The meat had all kinds of strings in it. Obviously a very cheap quality. I won't go as far as to say it was a frozen patty, but it was bad enough in it's flattened state. I will say the green beans were good. The German potatoes and onions were cold, had absolutely no seasoning on them and I am fairly certain that there are centuries of dead Germans rolling over in their graves at this very moment only because of them... James's fish was obviously from frozen state. (Not that we were expecting fresh red snapper in F'burg.) But these were frozen with the batter already on them. I'd say one step above Vandekamps.

My advice is... if you are going to visit the Brewery, stick to the brew.... enough of it and any food might taste decent!

The goofiness of my kid

2009-04-04T15:53:00.000-07:00

This picture was taken about two years ago.

I know God knew that she was safe and that "Grace" was never a name that I even slightly considered when naming my child. She found a round brush in the bathroom and decided to try to comb her naturally curly hair with it. A lot of conditioner and a lot of patience and we finally got it out! Just gotta love kids, don't you?

She does lover her Nana, though. And as all good grandmothers, hers doesn't mind her goofiness as much as I do. She's so much more patient with her than I am. Funny, I don't remember my mom being that patient with me. Maybe I am just getting old and the memory is fuzzy? Somehow I doubt it. I think grandparents get a huge dose of patience somewhere along the line. Too bad they don't hand that out to parents as well.

She loved my dad so very much. I have never seen a grandparent/grandchild relationship that close. They truly were each other's best friends. Not too long before my dad died he told me that Morgan was THE most important person in his life. I truly think that she's the reason he hung on as long as he could. A year and a half later and there is still rarely a day that goes by that she doesn't mention her "Papa Bear". I miss him, too.

Baby Max

2009-04-04T15:30:00.000-07:00

One of my best friends and coworkers and the person who performed my marriage ceremony, Reverend Gini Norris-Lane gave birth to her second child yesterday in Fredericksburg. Maxwell Robert Norris Lane joined us at 7:17 in the morning weighing 7 lbs and 10 oz and he was 20 1/4 inches long. He is welcomed by his parents, Gini and Wes and by big brother, Austin. We are all excited to have Max here with us. He joins the rest of the student services "M" children and we are thrilled that Gini continued the "M" tradition. The other "M's" include Morgan, Marcus, Marielle, Mattie and Maela. (We love Austin, Bishop and Lyric, too! And we forgive them for not being "M's" becuase their parents didn't work at Schreiner yet!)

Aunt Tammi and Max!

All together now

2009-04-04T15:05:00.000-07:00

I've been blogging for awhile now in different sites all over the internet so I decided it was time to gather all my thoughts into one place. Most of you won't care and that's fine. I don't do this for any reason other than to get the random thoughts out of my brain. Helps me sleep... And helps me remember things. So that's that... who knows what will pop up here. Recipes, for sure. I seem to collect them a lot. Experiences, places we go, stories about the kiddo... yep, my thoughts are pretty random. But they'll be here... for what they are worth.