Coconut Shrimp

Tuesday, December 29, 2009

I cannot believe that in a few days it will be 2010! This year has flown right on by. I hope that all my foodie friends who have stopped by have had a fun and safe holiday so far and wish you all a happy new year.

Today I'm posting my husband's favorite meal - Coconut Shrimp. I made this for his birthday this year and he absolutely loves this. I think this was one of the first recipes I've ever cooked for him. What I like about it, it's an easy meal and you can pair it with anything - fancy it up with some mashed potatoes or just serve it alone as an appetizer. This recipe is scaled down for two people but it can easily be doubled or tripled.

Coconut Shrimp
3/4 lb. large shrimp
1/4 c. cornstarch
1/8 tsp. salt
1/8 tsp. black pepper
1/8 tsp. cayenne pepper
2 egg whites
1 1/2 c. sweetened shredded coconut
Oil for frying

Peel, devein and butterfly shrimp. In a small bowl, mix cornstarch, salt, black pepper and cayenne pepper.  In a separate bowl, whisk egg whites until foamy.  In a third bowl, add coconut. In an assembly line, dip shrimp in cornstarch mixture (shake off excess), then dip into egg whites and lastly, dip into coconut. Make sure you press the shrimp in the coconut to coat well.

In a large pan, heat oil over medium high heat. Fry half batch of shrimp (about 5-6 - depending on size of shrimp and pan) for about 3 minutes on each side - or until golden brown. Place on rack to drain. Serve warm.

Enjoy!

If you liked this, you may like:

Baked Stuffed Shrimp with Crabmeat 

Shrimp Scampi

Twice Baked Stuffed Potates for Two

Thursday, November 19, 2009

This is another one of my husband's favorite side dishes. I think he likes this because I make a little potato skin out of the top. They take a little time to make but you can short cut by cooking the potato in the microwave. Trust me, it will crisp up when you throw it back in the oven for the cheese to melt.

Twice Baked Stuffed Potatoes for Two

2 large Russet potatoes
2 tbsp. butter
1/4 c. sour cream
1/2 c. cheddar cheese
1/4 c. bacon, cooked and crumbled
Salt and pepper (to taste)

Preheat oven to 375 degrees.  Pierce potatoes with fork and cook in oven for about an hour or until done (if you don't have time to cook for an hour, just cook in microwave).  Remove potatoes and cut off tops of potato, set top aside.. Let cool for about 5 minutes.

Scoop out potato in a bowl, being careful not to rip. Leave enough potato inside to form a shell but not too thin.  Add butter, sour cream, salt and pepper (to taste) to bowl and mash with fork until well mixed. Add bacon and cheese, leaving some aside for topping and for the 'potato tops'. Mix well and fill mixture into potato shell. Sprinkle 'potato tops' and potato with remaining cheese and bacon. Bake in oven at 375 degrees for about 20 minutes, or until cheese has melted.

Enjoy!

If you liked this, you may like:

Roasted Potatoes 

Breakfast Potatoes

Easy and Pleasing Appetizers

Friday, November 13, 2009

Thanksgiving is one of the busiest times of the year.  You know your main menu: turkey and mashed potatoes, what vegatble you're going to serve and your special Pumpkin Pie for dessert. What are you going to make for an appetizer?  Are you going to serve just cheese and crackers with some veggies to hold your guests over before serving Tom Turkey?  Here are a few appetizers that are quick and easy to make.
 

Sausage Bread

This tasty snack can feed a crowd.  You can make it the night before and warm it in the oven right before the guests come over.
 

Buffalo Chicken Egg Rolls

These egg rolls will win the hearts of your guests.  You can make the filling the night before whcih is a great time saver. 

Touchdown Chicken 


These little nuggets are very kid friendly.  They are very quick to make and very good to eat.

Empanadas 

This is my husband's favorite snack.  The best part - you can change this recipe to whatever you want. If you don't want a meat filling, go ahead and swap it with some pizza sauce, mozzarella cheese and some pepperoni.

Evvie's Cheese Puffs 

I think these Cheese Puffs are the fastest appetizer I've ever made.  They just need about 5 minutes under the broiler in the toaster oven and they're done.

I hope you enjoyed the recipes above and that I offered some help.  I wish you all a safe and healthy Thanksgiving to you and your family.

Sesame Chicken

Thursday, November 12, 2009

I will admit, I'm not a big fan of Chinese food but I do love Sesame Chicken.  We went out to dinner earlier in the week and I ordered Sesame Chicken, which I haven't had in the longest time. It inspired me to try to figure out how to make my own. I wasn't too confident as the last time I made Chinese, my Lo Mein went straight from my wok to my garbage. It wasn't so last night. It was delicious!  My husband felt that the sauce could have more sugar but I thought it was just fine.  So, in making, when you taste the sauce, you can add more to it to taste.

Sesame Chicken

Marinade
2 tablespoons flour 
2  tablespoons cornstarch
1/4 teaspoon baking soda
1/4 teaspoon baking powder
2 tablespoons soy sauce
1 tablespoon dry sherry
2 tablespoons water
1 teaspoon canola oil
1 dash sesame oil
1 pound boneless chicken breast meat - cubed
Oil for frying

Sauce
1 cup chicken broth
1/2 - 1 cup white sugar (depending on how sweet you want it)
2 tablespoons white vinegar 
2 tablespoons soy sauce
2 tablespoons sesame oil
1 1/2  teaspoon chile paste
1/4 teaspoon garlic powder
1/4 cup cornstarch
1/2 cup water

Garnish
2 tablespoons sesame seeds
2 tablespoons green onion

Mix flour, cornstarch, baking soda and baking powder into a bowl.  Add soy sauce, sherry, water, oil and sesame oil to mixture. Whisk until smooth.  Add chicken and stir until chicken is coated in batter.  Cover and refrigerate for about 30 minutes.

While chicken is marinating, in a small saucepan, add chicken broth, sugar, vinegar, soy sauce, sesame oil, chile paste and garlic powder. Whisk and bring to a boil.  In a measuring cup, add cornstarch and 1/2 cup of water; dissolve and add to boiling sauce. Simmer and whisk sauce until it thickens (about 2 minutes). Turn heat to low and keep sauce warm.

In wok, heat oil on medium high heat.  Add chicken in small batches and fry until golden brown (about 5 minutes).  Drain on wok rack and start next batch.  After chicken has drained, put on a plate lined with paper towel and slightly tent plate with foil to keep chicken warm. Once all chicken has been cooked, transfer to serving dish and pour sauce over chicken. Garnish with sesame seeds and green onion. Serve with your favorite rice.

Enjoy!

If you liked this, you may like:

Touchdown Chicken

Lydia's not so Beef Wellington for Two

Tuesday, November 3, 2009

I thought this would be a great meal to post for all of you that are looking for dinners for two. We have had Beef Wellington in the past and thought it would be fun to make again. As I was digging around for some recipes, I saw that it had mushrooms and pate in the recipe - this is stuff my husband won't eat. So, I came up with a little recreation that was husband friendly and I still got my mushrooms.

Lydia's not so Beef Wellington for Two

2 pieces of Filet Mignon - about 1/2 lb. each
Salt and pepper
1 tbsp. oil
1 sheet Pepperidge Farm Puff Pastry
Egg wash (1 beaten egg with a splash of water)

Mushroom Sauce
1 c. sliced mushrooms
5 tbsp. butter
salt, pepper and garlic powder
1 1/2 tbsp. finely chopped shallot
6 tbsp. red wine (I used Cabernet)
3/4 c. beef broth or stock

Preheat oven at 450 degrees. Heat oil in a medium skillet over high heat.  Salt and pepper filets. Sear filets for about one minute on each side and set on plate to rest. Refridgerate until filets are cool to touch.

Roll puff pastry on a lightly floured surface into a rectangle - about 6" x 12" and 1/4" thick.  Place filet on one side of pastry, leaving enough room to fold pastry around filet. Brush egg wash over pastry. Fold pastry over filet, molding it around the meat. Cut pastry and remove filet cut out.  Glaze pastry with egg wash. **Optional - you can decorate the top of your pastry with cut outs of the remaining dough. I made our first initials and put it on top of the pastry.

Bake for 15 minutes or until pastry is golden brown.

Saute mushrooms in 2 tbsp. butter.  Season with salt, pepper and garlic powder. Set aside.

In the same frying pan you seared the filet, saute shallots over medium heat, for about a minute. Add wine and boil until it's reduced by half - usually about 2 minutes. Add beef broth and boil until mixture turns syrupy (usually about 10 minutes). Add remaining butter and whisk until melted. Add mushrooms and pour over puff pastry.

Enjoy

If you liked this, you  may like:

Beef Fajitas

Beef Stew

Halloween Dirt Cake

Friday, October 30, 2009

Looking for a different dessert for Halloween? Look no further.  Dirt Cake is the way to go. It's very easy, kid friendly, fun to make and you can really show your creative side.  It's really fun decorating this cake. You can leave it as plain as I did or really jazz it up for Halloween. I tried making tombstones out of Pepperidge Farm Milano Cookies by coating them with white chocolate but they didn't look right.

Halloween Dirt Cake
1 box Betty Crocker Super Moist Yellow Cake Mix
1 can Betty Crocker Whipped Frosting - Chocolate
15 Oreos
10 gummy worms

Make cake according to directions on cake box.   Depending on how many people you are feeding, you can either make a 13x9 cake or 2 8x8 cakes. Let cake cool.

Separate Oreos and remove the filling. Crush the oreos and set aside. Once cake has cooled, frost cake with frosting.  Cover frosting with Oreos to make "dirt".  Decorate cake with gummy worms or other Halloween items.

Enjoy!

If you liked this, you may like:

Monkey Bread

Apple Crisp for Two

Peanut Butter Cookies for Two

Thursday, October 22, 2009

If you like peanut butter, you'll love these cookies. They are a chef's best friend.  They are very quick to make, easy clean up and delicious. I've scaled down this recipe because the original just makes too much.  This recipe makes about 12 cookies, which is perfect for two people.

Peanut Butter Cookies for Two

1/4 c. butter, softened
1/4 c. peanut butter
1/4 c. sugar
1/4 c. brown sugar
1/4 tsp. baking powder
1/4 tsp. baking soda
1/2 egg
1/4 tsp. vanilla
1/2 c. + 1/8 c. flour
Sugar

Preheat oven to 375 degrees. In a large mixing bowl, cream butter and peanut butter with an electric mixer on medium speed for about 30-40 seconds. Add sugar, brown sugar, baking soda and baking powder. Mix until combined. Scrape sides of bowl while mixing. Beat in egg and vanilla until well incorporated. Beat in flour and mix well. Depending on how warm your kitchen is, you may want to refrigerate the dough for about 15 min so the do will be easy to handle.

In a small bowl, add about 1/4 sugar. Roll spoonful of dough into 1" balls. Roll ball in dough and place on cookie sheet.  Flatten cookie with fork, making crisscross with fork tines. Bake at 375 degrees for about 9 minutes or until bottoms are slightly browned. Cool on wire rack.

Enjoy!

If you liked this, you may like:

Pumpkin Cookies with Walnuts

Apple Crisp for Two

Joanne's New England Clam Chowder

Wednesday, October 21, 2009

Here is another secret family recipe I would like to share with you all - my mother's New England Clam Chowder.  My parents have been making this for years and people always ask them when they are going to make it again. It's something that they cook together: he makes the roux; she does the rest. It's creamy and the perfect meal to eat on a cold day.  You can double or triple the recipe to your liking.

Joanne's New England Clam Chowder

2 10 oz. cans of baby clams
1 c. clam juice
6 slices of bacon
1 c. chopped onion
4 c. diced potatoes
3 c. half and half
1/2 c. cocktail Sherry
2 tbsp. flour
2 tbsp. butter
1 tsp. celery salt
1 tsp. salt
1 tsp. pepper

Drain clams and pour liquid into a measuring cup. Add water to clam juice to make 1 cup of juice. Rinse clams under water and set aside to drain.  Cut bacon into 1/2 " strips (Mom uses kitchen shears) and fry in a large saucepan until crisp.  Add onion and cook until tender.  Add potatoes and clam juice.  Cover and let simmer until potatoes are tender (about 15 minutes).  Add half and hlaf and Sherry and let simmer.

In a small sauce pan, melt butter and add flour to make a roux.  Cook until thick and light golden brown.  Stir into soup.  Cook slow and stir until thick.  Add remaining seasonings and clams. Let simmer for about 10 minutes.  Serve with oyster crackers.

Enjoy!

If you liked this, you may like:

Beef Stew

French Onion Soup

Beef Stew

Tuesday, October 20, 2009

I have a confession... I do not own a Crockpot. You would think that I would have one sitting next to my mixer, but I don't. Whenever I make something that takes a long period of time to cook, it's always on the stove.

I had a craving for stew yesterday and started searching around for recipes and funny enough, most of them were made in a Crockpot.  I had a few ideas and started cooking away.  It seemed to be missing something and I had no clue what it was. I was on the phone with my mother and she was the savior of the stew (my mother didn't think I'd give her credit and here it is). She asked me if I had red wine and if I did, add some to it. It was exactly what it needed.  Thank you Mom - see I do listen sometimes.  This serves about 3 servings - enough for dinner for two and lunch for tomorrow.

Beef Stew

1 1/4 lb. top round stewed beef - cut into 1" chunks
1 tbsp. canola oil
2 c. beef broth
1 c. water
2 beef bouillon cubes
1 tsp. Gravy Master
1/4 c. red wine (I used Merlot)
1/2 tsp. salt
1/8 tsp. pepper
1 carrot, peeled and cut into 1" pieces
1/2 box frozen pearl onions
2 medium potatoes, peeled and cut into 1" pieces
1/2 c. cold water
2 tbsp. flour

In a 4 qt. Dutch oven, heat oil over medium heat. Add beef and cook for 15 minutes, until sides are browned.  Add broth, water, bouillon cubes, Gravy Master ,wine, salt and pepper. Bring to a boil and reduce heat to low. Cover and let simmer for 2 1/2 hours or until beef is almost tender. 

Add carrots, onions and potatoes.  Cover and cook for about 30 minutes or until vegetables are tender.

Pour water and flour into a covered container. Shake until mixed. Add mixture to stew and stir constantly.  Heat until boiling, stirring constantly.  Boil and stir for 1 minute until thickened.

Enjoy!


If you liked this, you may like:

French Onion Soup

Beans in Stew Habichuelas Guisadas

Apple Crisp for Two

Monday, October 19, 2009

I find it very hard to find a recipe that is just for two people. I love to cook and love to eat what I cook but after the third night of reheats, it gets a little tiring. Lately, I've been going thru my recipes and am trying to scale down my recipes to two servings. One example of a recipe would be Apple Crisp. My husband loves Apple Crisp but by the 3rd day, gets thrown in the garbage. I played around with my Apple Crisp recipe and instead of using a pie plate, I baked it in a loaf pan and it came out terrific.


Apple Crisp for Two

2 Granny Smith apples; peeled, cored and sliced
1 tbsp. orange juice
1/4 c. brown sugar
1/4 c. sugar
1/4 c. flour
1/4 c. oats
1/2 tsp. cinnamon
Dash nutmeg
Dash salt
3 tbsp. butter

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Peel, core and slice apples. Place apples in a buttered 9x5x3 inch loaf pan. Pour orange juice over apples (this will keep apples from turning brown). In a medium bowl, mix brown sugar, sugar, flour, oats, cinnamon, nutmeg and salt until well combined. Cut in butter, until crumbly. Sprinkle over apples. Bake in oven for about 30 minutes or until apples are tender and topping is golden brown. Serve with ice cream and whipped cream.

Enjoy!

If you liked this, you may like:

Chocolate Covered Strawberries

Mini Cheesecakes

Monkey Bread

Wednesday, October 14, 2009

I was asked to come up with some kind of dessert that was 'chocolatey' and 'fun'.  After doing some research, I came up with my own version of Monkey Bread.   This is a great dessert or something to eat in the morning with your coffee. It's also kid friendly to make - they can roll the dough into balls and dip them in the butter and sugar.

Monkey Bread


Dough
4 tbsp. warm water (about 100 degrees)
1 tbsp. sugar
1 envelope dry yeast
3 c. flour
6 tbsp. sugar
Dash of salt
5 tbsp. butter, room temperature
5 eggs, room temperature


Topping
1/2 c. butter, melted
1 c. sugar
2 tsp. cinnamon
1 tsp. cocoa


Pour 1 tbsp. sugar and yeast on top of the water and set in a warm place until mixture begins to foam.  Add flour, sugar and salt in a medium bowl.  Cut in butter with a pastry cutter until all is completely blended.  Add two eggs and the yeast mixture and mix well.  Add the remaining eggs one at a time and mix until dough becomes spongy.  Knead dough for about 10 minutes on a floured surface. Place dough in a well greased bowl and roll dough around in bowl to grease all sides.  Cover with plastic wrap and set in a warm place to rise. Let rise for about 1 -1 1/2 hrs. until dough has doubled in size.


Preheat oven to 350 degrees.  Butter and flour a bundt pan.  Melt butter in a small bowl. In another small bowl, mix sugar, cinnamon and cocoa. Take dough and knead again for about 5 minutes. Shape dough into balls  - about 2" in diameter and set aside. Roll dough in the butter and then in the sugar mixture. Place balls in bundt pan forming a layered 'ring'.  Cover with a towel and let rise for about 15 minutes. Bake in 350 degrees oven for about 45-50 minutes. Remove bread from pan while still warm.


Your finished product:

Enjoy!

If you liked this, you may like:

Pumpkin Bread


Mini Cheesecakes

Mini Cheesecakes

Monday, October 12, 2009

As we all know, Thanksgiving is around the corner. This year, my mother and I have split the holidays - she gets Thanksgiving and I'm in charge of Christmas. This will be the first major holiday that I'm doing so I'm a little nervous. I thought the smart thing to do is to try things out before the holidays and I picked dessert first.  I've always wanted to try to make mini cheesecakes and thought that this was the perfect opportunity.

Mini Cheesecakes

2 packages Keebler Ready Crust Mini Graham Cracker Pie Crust
2 packages (8 oz.) Philadelphia Cream Cheese, softened
1 c. sugar
1 tbsp. cornstarch
1/2 tbsp. vanilla
2 eggs
1/2 c. sour cream

 Preheat oven to 325 degrees.  In a large mixing bowl, beat cream cheese on medium speed, until fluffy.  Add sugar, cornstarch and vanilla; beat until combined.  Add eggs one at a time until mixed thoroughly. Stir in sour cream.

Place mini pie crusts on a cookie sheet.  Pour mixture into each crust.  Bake at 325 degrees for about 40 minutes or until center is almost set. Cool on wire rack for 15 minutes and then place in fridge. Chill for at least 3 hours and serve.

Enjoy!

If you liked this, you may enjoy:

Pumpkin Cookies with Walnuts

Pumpkin Bread

Chocolate Covered Strawberries

Baked Stuffed Shrimp with Crabmeat

Wednesday, October 7, 2009

Today, my husband and I are celebrating our third wedding anniversary.  I always try to make something special for a day of celebration. He loves my baked stuffed shrimp so I surprised him with it last night. It's very simple to make and is quite tasty.

Baked Stuffed Shrimp with Crabmeat

1 lb. extra jumbo shrimp
7 tbsp. butter
1 shallot
8 oz. fresh lump crabmeat
1/4 c. mayonnaise
1/2 c. parmesan/romano cheese
1 c. whole milk mozzarella cheese; divided
1/2 c. bread crumbs
1/4 c. white wine
1/4 c. heavy cream
1 tbsp. lemon juice
1/2 beaten egg
1/4 tsp. garlic powder
1/8 tsp. black pepper
Paprika

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Shell and devein shrimp.  Butterfly shrimp and set aside. Rinse crabmeat and pick thru to remove any remaining shells.

In a large frying pan, melt 4 tbsp.of butter over medium heat. Add shallot and cook until translucent. Turn heat down to low and add mayo, parm/romano cheese, 1/2 c. mozzarella cheese, bread crumbs, white wine, heavy cream, egg,  lemon juice, garlic powder and pepper. Stir over low heat until all is mixed.

Place shrimp in a butter greased lasagne pan.  Put about a tablespoon of crabmeat stuffing in each shrimp.  Sprinkle remaining mozzarella cheese and paprika on shrimp. Melt remaining 3 tbsp. butter and drizzle over each shrimp. Bake at 350 degrees for about 30 minutes until stuffing is golden brown.

Serve with pasta.

Enjoy!

If you liked this, you may enjoy:

Shrimp with Tomatoes and Garlic

Shrimp Scampi

Pumpkin Cookies with Walnuts

Thursday, October 1, 2009

Fall is officially here. For me, it is the beginning of baking season.  I was feeling inventive this afternoon and came up with this little brainstorm. I thought it would be nice to surprise my hubby with some cookies when he came home from work. I was praying that these would not be a complete disaster but it was the opposite. These were the best cookies I've ever made.

Pumpkin Cookies with Walnuts

1/2 c. butter, softened
1 c. sugar
3/4 c. Libby's 100% Pure Pumpkin
1 tsp. vanilla
1 egg
2 c. flour
1 tsp. baking powder
1 tsp. baking soda
1 tsp. cinnamon
1/4 tsp. nutmeg
3/4 chopped walnuts

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Cream sugar and butter with mixer. Add pumpkin, vanilla and egg. Mix, scraping side of bowl until well combine. In a medium bowl, add flour, baking soda, baking powder, cinnamon and nutmeg and mix well. Add flour mixture to wet mixture, mixing well, scraping sides of bowl.

Drop cookie dough by heaping tablespoons on cookie sheet. Add walnuts to top of cookies. Bake for about 15 minutes. Cool on wire rack for about 10 minutes. Drizzle glaze on cookie with spoon and let sit on wire rack until glaze is dried.  Recipe for glaze to follow.

Recipe for Glaze

1 c. confectionary sugar
3 tbsp. milk

Whisk until completely mixed.

Enjoy!

If you liked this, you may enjoy:

Pumpkin Bread

Chocolate Covered Strawberries

Quiche Lorraine

Wednesday, September 30, 2009

I think Bruce Feirstein got it wrong, real men DO eat quiche.  I'm pretty sure that if you tell a man that you're making something with bacon in it for dinner, they will eat whatever you make. This quiche is great to serve as brunch or if you want to do breakfast for dinner.

Quiche Lorraine

1 Pillsbury Pie Crust
10 slices of bacon, cooked and crumbled
3/4 cup shredded Swiss cheese
4 eggs
2 cups heavy cream
pinch of salt and pepper

Preheat oven to 425 degrees. Grease 9" pie plate with butter. Unroll pie crust in pie plate and decorate edge, if desired.

Fry bacon until crisp. Drain on paper towel. When cool, crumble bacon. Add bacon and cheese to pie crust.

In large bowl, whisk eggs.  Add heavy cream, salt and pepper and mix well. Pour into pie crust over bacon and cheese. Place pie plate on a foil covered cookie sheet to catch any overflow.

Bake at 425 degrees for 15 minutes.  Turn oven down to 325 and bake for about 30 minutes or until knife inserted in center comes out clean.  Let sit for 10 minutes before serving.

Enjoy!

If you liked this, you may enjoy:

Breakfast Strada

Breakfast Potatoes

Uncle Richie's Salsa

Friday, September 25, 2009

We were at my Aunt Terry's and Uncle Richie's a few weeks ago and we had the best salsa I've ever eaten. It had just the right amount spice and was just... perfect!  I was lucky enough to get the recipe and am proud to share it with you. Thanks Uncle Richie!

Uncle Richie's Salsa

1 16 oz. can stewed tomatoes
1/3 cup chopped onion
4 medium tomatoes, chopped
1/2 tsp. salt
3 small jalapeno peppers, chopped and seeded
1/2 tsp. cayenne pepper

Combine tomatoes, peppers and onion in food processor and process until desired consistency. Add salt and cayenne pepper. Process again to mix. Store in refrigerator. Makes about 4 cups.

When working with the jalapenos, you can keep as many seeds or as few seeds, depending on how hot you want it. Just remember, the more seeds you keep, the hotter the salsa.

Enjoy!

If you like this, you may like:

Beef Fajitas

Simple Garlic Dip

Beef Fajitas

Fajitas have always been a challenge to me.  I have tried making them few times and it's always a "It's ok honey. We can just get a pizza" type of night. I usually just marinate a London broil and shave it but it just doesn't taste right. I thought, what if I boil a piece of meat and tried it. It worked!  Here's the recipe.

Beef Fajitas

1 flank steak - about 1 1/2 lb. to 2 lbs.
2 packets Sazon Goya
1 32 oz. can of beef broth
1 beef bouillon cube
2 cups of water
6 cloves garlic, smashed
1 medium onion, halved
1 bay leaf

Add water and beef broth to a large pot. Cut onion and smash garlic. Add onion, garlic, bay leaf and beef bouillon to pot. Place beef on a cutting board and trim off any fat. Sprinkle Sazon Goya on both sides of meat. Take a piece of saran wrap and 'rub' spice into meat (this stuff could make your fingers orange - learned this the hard way). Place beef in pot and bring to a boil. Let simmer for about 1 1/2 to 2 hours - until steak comes easily apart with a fork. Remove meat and place on cutting board. Let it cool to room temperature.

When meat has cooled, shred meat with two forks.

For Fajita

tortillas
1 small onion, cut into strips
1 small pepper, cut into strips
1 clove garlic, minced
1 tsp. olive oil
1 tsp. Italian seasoning

Cut onion and peppers into strips.  Mince garlic. Add olive oil to medium frying pan and warm to medium heat. Add onions and peppers and cook for about 4 minutes. Add garlic and Italian seasoning and cook until they are soft and close to carmelizing.

To ensemble fajita, add meat, about 1 tablespoon of liquid that cooked the meat in, onion/pepper mixture, cheese, sour cream and Uncle Richie's Salsa to a tortilla.

Enjoy!

If you liked this, you may enjoy:

Buffalo Chicken Egg Rolls

Empanadas

Breakfast Strada

Wednesday, September 23, 2009

My parents recently celebrated their 15th wedding anniversary and I wanted to surprise them with something special. They had gone away for the weekend and what would be better than to come home with a home cooked meal. My parents love this Breakfast Strada and I figured they would be happy that they didn't have to make dinner when they got home.

Breakfast Strada

1 lb. sweet sausage, crumbled, cooked and drained
6 slices of white bread, cubed
4-5 eggs
1 c. grated cheddar cheese
2 c. milk
1/4 tsp. dry mustard

Brown, crumble and drain sausage. Remove crust from bread and cut into cubes. Mix eggs, milk and mustard. Layer bread, sausage and cheese in a 9x9 casserole or two quart round casserole dish. Pour milk/egg mixture into casserole, cover and refrigerate overnight. Bake covered in 325-350 degree oven for 50-60+. Uncover last 20 minutes. You can double this recipe - just put in two casserole dishes. Cook time is a half hour to an hour longer.

Enjoy!

If you like this, you may like:

Breakfast Parfait

Breakfast Potatoes

Pumpkin Bread

Monday, September 21, 2009

Fall is right around the corner and that usually means it's time for me to make one of my favorite breads.  This bread is great for breakfast or that little snack you have with your coffee.

Pumpkin Bread

2 eggs
1 1/2 c. sugar
1/2 c. oil
1/2 c. water
1 c. pumpkin
1 c. chopped walnuts plus 2 tbsp. for topping
1 2/3 c. flour
1/4 tsp. baking powder
1 tsp. baking soda
1/2 tsp. cinnamon
3/4 tsp. salt.

Grease 2 loaf pans with butter. Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Combine all ingredients in large bowl and mix together. Pour into loaf pans. Top each loaf with about 1 tbsp. of remaining chopped walnuts. Bake for about 30 minutes. Test with toothpick to check bread has cooked completely.

Enjoy!

If you like this, you may like:

Garlic, Cheddar Biscuits

Sausage Bread

Shrimp with Tomatoes and Garlic

Friday, September 18, 2009

Everyone loves an easy dinner on a busy weeknight. And who doesn't love shrimp? It could be a nice romantic dinner for two or to share with a friend you care for.  I have to give my mother credit as she stumbled upon this recipe and made it her own. This recipe serves two but can be easily doubled.

Shrimp with Tomatoes and Garlic

1/2 lb of large shrimp, peeled, deveined and cooked
2 cloves of garlic, minced
2 tomatoes, diced
1/4 c. olive oil
1 tsp. oregano
salt and pepper
2 cups cooked spaghetti

Peel and devein shrimp.  Cook in boiling water for about 3 minutes or until they 'pink up'.  Place on paper towel to dry and cool.

Pour 1/4 c. olive oil in a ziploc bag.  Chop tomatoes and garlic. Add tomatoes, garlic, oregano, salt and pepper to ziploc bag. When shrimp has cooled to touch, add to ziploc bag. Let bag sit in room temperature for about an hour.

Boil pasta according to directions on box. Mix cooked spaghetti and shrimp mixture in large bowl. Serve on two plates and add parmesan/romano cheese on top.

Enjoy!

If you like this, you may like:

Shrimp Scampi

Eggplant, Mozzarella and Tomato Salad

Roasted Potatoes

Wednesday, September 16, 2009

Looking for a simple side dish to make on a work night? These potatoes are the answer. They are very easy to make and will be ready in about 30 minutes. This recipe serves two but can easily be doubled.


Roasted Potatoes
1 lb. small red potatoes
2 cloves of garlic, chopped
1/4 c. olive oil
1 tbsp. rosemary
Salt and Pepper
Paprika

Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Scrub potatoes and cut them in half (if the potatoes are big - cut them into quarters).  Place in large bowl.  Add olive oil and garlic to bowl. Crush rosemary in hand and add to bowl. Mix well, until all the potatoes are coated with oil. Let sit for about 5 minutes.

Line a baking sheet with foil.  Place potatoes on sheet, making sure that they are not touching. Sprinkle salt, pepper and paprika over potatoes. Place in oven and cook for about 30 minutes - or until potatoes are cooked and golden brown.

If you like this, you may enjoy:

Breakfast Potatoes

Beans in Stew

Garlic Cheddar Biscuits

Enjoy!

Touchdown Chicken

Friday, September 11, 2009

Are you ready for some football?  My whole family is happy that football season is here. It's a tradition to serve finger food while we watch our games on Sunday. Touchdown Chicken is a great little treat because it's quick to make and very satisfying.

Touchdown Chicken

2 lbs. chicken breast, cut into bite size pieces
2/3 c. flour
1 tsp. paprika
1 tsp. poultry seasoning
2 tsp. salt
1/4 tsp. garlic powder
1/4 tsp. onion powder
1/4 tsp. black pepper
1 c. milk
oil for frying

Trim fat from chicken and cut into bite size pieces.

In medium bowl, mix flour, paprika, poultry seasoning, salt, garlic powder, onion powder and black pepper.  Dip chicken nuggets in flour mixture and set on wire rack for about 5 minutes.

Heat oil in frying pan over medium heat.  In small bowl, pour milk into bowl.  Dip nuggets in milk and then in flour mixture. Make sure nuggets are coated completely.

Fry chicken nuggets in oil over medium heat until all sides are golden brown.  Serve with Simple Garlic Dip.

Enjoy!

Simple Garlic Dip

Dips can really show off your creative side. I love trying to re-create dips at restaurants and most of the time, I hit the nail on the head. This garlic dip goes great with everything from  Touchdown Chicken to potato chips.

Simple Garlic Dip

1/2 c. mayonnaise
1/2 c. sour cream
1/3 tsp. garlic powder
1/4 tsp. onion powder
1/4 tsp. paprika
1/4 tsp. salt
1/4 tsp. garlic powder

Mix all in a bowl and refrigerate for at least an hour.  Keeps for about three days.


Enjoy!

French Onion Soup

Wednesday, September 9, 2009

Onion soup is one of my favorite comfort foods. After having a long day at work or on those cold winter days, a nice bowl of warm soup will cheer you up.

French Onion Soup

5 large onions, peeled and sliced thin
6 tbsp. butter
1 tbsp. flour
1 large can beef broth (48 oz.)
2 beef bouillon cubes
1/2 c. port wine
1 tsp. Gravy Master
12 slices of Imported Swiss cheese
12 1/2 " slices of French bread toasted

In large saucepan, melt butter over medium heat.  Peel and slice onion very thin.  Cook onions in butter, stirring frequently for about 40 minutes or until golden brown.

Add flour to onions and stir.  Cook for about 3 minutes.

Add broth, port, bouillon cubes and Gravy Master.  Stir constantly until soup comes to a boil. Turn down to low and cover soup. Let simmer for about 20 minutes.

Cut and toast bread slices. Pour soup into 6 soup bowls and place twp pieces of toast and two slices of Swiss cheese.  Set under broiler (about 4 inches from the element) for about 3 minutes or until cheese is melted and golden brown.

Enjoy!

Breakfast Potatoes

Tuesday, September 8, 2009

Last night was one of those nights where you have the battle of "what do you want for dinner?". So it was settled, it became breakfast night. I wanted to do something a little different with omlettes and played around with some potatoes and the end result was delicious.

Breakfast Potatoes
2 medium potatoes, peeled
1 tbsp. canola oil
1/4 c. chopped onion
1/4 c. chopped green pepper
1 clove garlic, minced
1 tbsp. oil
1 tbsp. butter
3/4 tsp. salt
1 tsp. paprika
1/4 tsp. pepper

Peel and cube potatoes into small cubes. Boil water in a medium pot over high heat. Add potatoes and cook until tender but still firm - about 10 to 15 minutes. Drain in strainer and set aside.

In a medium skillet, heat 1 tbsp. oil over medium-high heat. Add onion and pepper and cook for about 3 minutes. Add garlic and cook additional two minutes.

Push onion mixture to the side and add butter and remaining oil. Add potatoes and keep heat at medium-high. Add paprika, salt and pepper. Stir occasionally and cook until potatoes are golden brown, takes about 10 minutes.

Enjoy!

Shrimp Scampi

Saturday, September 5, 2009

Today we went to my parents for a Labor Day barbeque.  Mom had one of my favorite snacks marinating in the fridge: Shrimp Scampi.  You can either cook the shrimp in the broiler or you can make it on the grill like we did today.

Shrimp Scampi

1 lb. raw shrimp, deveined and shelled

1 c. olive oil

2 tbsp. minced parsley

2 cloves garlic, peeled and crushed
1 tsp. salt

Shell and devein shrimp, rinse and pat dry. Place in shallow bowl.  Mix remaining ingredients in a small bowl and pour over shrimp. Cover shrimp and chill for 2-3 hours.

To Broil:

Preheat broiler.  Line broiling pan bottom with foil for easy clean up. Place shrimp on pan. Broil 5"-6" from heat, about 3 minutes per side. Serve with lemon.

To Grill:

Put shrimp on skewers (if using wooden skewers, make sure you let skewers soak in water first).  Heat grill on low. Place shrimp on grill and cook 3-5 minutes per side, depending on size of shrimp. Shrimp will 'pink up' and curl when cooked. Serve with lemon.

Enjoy!

Mom's Sour Cucumbers

Friday, September 4, 2009

Looking for something to serve with the hot dogs and burgers for Labor Day weekend?  These sour cucumbers are a great addition to any barbeque feast. The best thing about them is that they can stay outside all day, unlike potato salad or macaroni salad that contains mayonnaise. This serves two but you can easily double or triple this recipe.

Mom's Sour Cucumbers

1 medium cucumber
1/4 cup red wine vinegar
Salt

Peel cucumber and slice thinly.  Layer cucumber in a medium dish, salting in between layers. Let cucumbers sit at room temperature.  Pour water off cucumbers every 10 minutes for about a half an hour.

Pour red wine vinegar over cucumber slices and stir. Cover bowl and place in refrigerator.  Let chill for at least an hour.

Enjoy!

Eggplant, Mozzarella and Tomato Salad

Thursday, September 3, 2009

I was feeling creative yesterday and wanted to do something with tomatoes. I wasn't in the mood for a caprese salad and I thought that eggplant would be a nice twist.

Eggplant, Mozzarella and Tomato Salad

2 tablespoons olive oil
1 small eggplant, peeled and cut crosswise into 1/4" thick slices
2 tablespoons oilive oil
5 ounces fresh mozzarella, cut into bite-size pieces
2 tomatoes, cut into bite-size pieces
1 tablespoon balsamic vinegar
1 teaspoon Italian seasoning

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Line a baking sheet with foil and spray with non-stick spray. In a large bowl, toss the eggplant in the olive oil, and liberally season with salt and pepper. Spread the eggplant out on a baking sheet, in a single layer, and roast for about 30 minutes or until golden brown. Let cool on wire rack until room tempature.

Cut eggplant into bite size pieces. Add cut up eggplant, tomatoes and mozzarella to a medium bowl. Drizzle bowl with balsamic vinegar and add Italian seasoning. Serves 2.

Enjoy!

Breakfast Parfait

Monday, August 31, 2009

Parfaits are very easy to make and can save you a lot of time if you're in a hurry. If you want something a little different, you can add a layer of fresh blueberries when they are in season.

Breakfast Parfait

1/4 c.+ 2 tbsp. plain non-fat yogurt
4 tbsp. Smucker's Simply Fruit Blueberry Spreadable Fruit
1/4 c. + 1 tbsp. vanilla granola

In a small glass, layer two tablespoons of yogurt, two tablespoons blueberry spreadable fruit and 2 tablespoons of granola. Repeat. For the last layer, use remaining two tablespoons of yogurt and sprinkle granola on top. Put in refrigerator for about 15 minutes and serve.

Enjoy!

Honey BBQ Chicken Pizza

Sunday, August 30, 2009

I have to give credit to my husband for this pizza. We were at Wild Bill's Buffalo Wing ® at the Palisades Mall and he was eating the Honey BBQ chicken wings. He loves this sauce and he asked me would it be possible to make a pizza with this sauce? This is what I came up with.

Honey BBQ Chicken Pizza

1 pizza dough
1 chicken breast, cooked and shredded
3/4 c. Wild Bill's Buffalo Wing ® Honey BBQ sauce, divided
1 tbsp. butter
2 c. mozzarella cheese

Place dough on floured surface. Stretch dough into a rectangle and cut in the middle to form two doughs. Stretch both doughs into a circle. Let dough sit for about 10 minutes.

In a small saucepan, melt butter over low. Add 1/4 c. wing sauce and chicken and stir until combined. Simmer for about 5 minutes.

To make pizza:

Poke holes in dough with fork. Place dough on pizza stone in 430 degree preheated oven and bake for about 5 minutes. Let sit on wire rack for about 3 minutes until dough is cool to touch.

Add 1/4 c. wing sauce to dough and spread sauce on dough like pizza sauce, leaving about 1/2" of dough for crust. Add about 2/3 cup of mozzarella cheese to pizza. Sprinkle half of chicken mixture over cheese. Lastly, add 1/3 c cheese to pizza and cook in oven for about 15 minutes or until golden brown.

Cool on wire rack for about 5 minutes, cut and serve.

Repeat directions for second pie.

Enjoy!

Arthur's Tavern - Hoboken, NJ

This weekend, we visited one of my favorite restaurants - Arthur's Tavern in Hoboken, NJ. My parents brought me here right after they got married in 1994 and I fell in love. I try to come down to Hoboken once a year to visit this place. I can promise you, once you come here to eat, you will not leave hungry.

Arthur's is located on Washington Street, which is the main drag in Hoboken. It's very close to the PATH train which makes it easy for the New Yorkers to travel to this great eatery.

Once you walk in to Arthur's, you enjoy the casualness of the red checkered tablecloths to the specials written on a dry erase board. You will also enjoy see pictures of many famous people from sports to actors, including Frank Sinatra. During the summer, they have tables out front that you can sit and enjoy a great meal on a beautiful day.

The menu is limited but Arthur's is well known for their steaks. As you can see from the menu, they have three types of steak - the Junior Sirloin 12 oz., the 24oz. and the big 48 oz. Most of the time, I get the 24 oz. Another added bonus, it comes with Arthur's potatoes which are the best potatoes I have ever eaten in my life. For an appetizer, I recommend the garlic bread. It is loaded with garlic and parmesan cheese - this is one treat that you want to share with everyone at the table. Your beverages can come king sized too. This is the home of the liter beer. Yes, I said liter beer. Their strawberry daquiri was very good too.

The moment you sit down , you are greeted with pickes and homemade coleslaw. The coleslaw isn't your traditional coleslaw. It does not have any mayonnaise at all and it's very delicious.

For dinner, I had the Petite Sirloin and Shrimp, which was accompanied by their special rice. It was fantastic. This is a perfectly portioned meal and hits the spot. Everyone else got the 24 oz. sirloin which was accompanied by the Arthur's famous potatoes.

So, if you happen to be in Hoboken, I strongly suggest you swing by here for dinner. If you're in the mood for a good steak or a hearty hamburger, this is the place to come.