marinated mushrooms

Posted on May 21, 2012 by

My family has been spending a great deal of time at the Japanese/sushi buffets.  I never, ever in my life thought that I would voluntarily go to a buffet for any sort of meal.  Visions of sneeze guards, brown lettuce salad bars, and basketball dinners at the Golden Corral have scarred me for life.  But once you witness just exactly how much a nearly 8 year old boy can put down in sushi…you have to lower your standards a bit and think a bit more economically.  $5 for his whole meal roughly equals 12.5 cents per piece.  That’s a good deal if I’ve ever seen one.

So not only has this almost 8 year old introduced me to a simple lesson in economics, but I also found a new culinary delight while at the buffets.  Marinated mushrooms.  As I finished my 4th heaping bowl of them (the boy is not the only family member who scores a good deal at the buffet) the waitress told me the secret…mushrooms and teriyaki sauce.  The end.

So I present to you the app that really couldn’t get any easier.

what you need:

8oz button mushrooms

1 cup teriyaki sauce (I used light)

what to do:

clean and cut the stems off the mushrooms

put in a shallow sauce pan with the teriyaki sauce and simmer on low for 40-50 minutes (until the sauce has thickened and mushrooms are soft)

serve and enjoy.

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taco dip

Posted on May 15, 2012 by

Mother’s Day at my house was just perfect.  In no particular order it included a run, a delicious lunch, a bottle of wine, a nap, and Christian Grey.  The weather was unbelievable and I was able to relax on the patio for the first time this Spring (ouch to the sunburnt shoulders!).  And nothing says relax on the patio like some more wine and appetizers for dinner, right?  That’s how I ended up here after all…with the unbreakable belief that appetizers for dinner are the cherry on top of any day.  And that, my friends, was my mother’s day gift to myself.  Taco dip, chips, and some Pinot Grigio.  I’m nothing if not extravagant.

what you need:

1 8oz package of cream cheese

1/2 cup sour cream

1 cup shredded mexican cheese

1 10oz can of rotel, drained

1 envelope of taco seasoning

what to do:

preheat oven to 350

mix together all the ingredients

put in a small baking dish

and bake for 30 minutes

serve and enjoy!

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beef empanadas with chipotle dip

Posted on May 5, 2012 by

Feliz Cinco de Mayo!

What’s that you say…today is a day of unfettered eating of queso and drinking margaritas…on a Saturday?  I’m in!  Well…not really.  It’s also the Kentucky Derby and  we are going to party that will require me to wear a hat, dress, and act somewhat gentrified.  Darn horse racing, always putting a damper on my mexican debauchery.

But that didn’t stop me from making some of my favorites to share.  You can eat an empanada with a mint julep, can’t you?

Warning:  these take a bit of time to prepare, but are SO worth it.  And you get a ton.  And while physical labor usually deters me from a chore.  This one is worth it.

what you need: (adapted from cooking light)

1 cup finely chopped red potato

1 cup finely chopped onion

1 cup beef broth

1/4 teaspoon salt

1 teaspoon cumin

1/2 teaspoon allspice

1/4 teaspoon black pepper

1/2 poun boneless beef top sirloin, trimmed and diced

2 garlic cloves, minced

2 tablespoons finely chopped cilantro

1 tablespoon cilantro

1 tablespoon water

36 wonton wrappers

8 oz sour cream

1 small can of chipotle chile in adobo sauce

what to do:

Combine the first 10 ingredients in a saucepan.  Bring to a boil over medium heat, stirring occasionally.  Reduce heat, and simmer for 8 minutes or until potato is tender.  Remove from heat and cool.

Once the beef mixture is cool, drain the liquid off in a colander.  Put the mixture into a food processor and pulse a few times…OR you can finely chop by hand.

I did this all the day before, put it in the fridge and assembled the empanadas later.

preheat oven to 400, put 2 cookie sheets in the oven to warm.

combine cornstarch and water, whisking to combine thoroughly.

I work with 8 wontons at a time, like an assembly line.  Put wontons on cutting board, place 1 tablespoon of beef mixture in a corner.  Moisten the edges of the wonton with the cornstarch mixture, bring opposite corners together to form a triangle.  Press and seal.

repeat with remaining wontons and beef mixture.  Place prepared empanadas on a wire rack when done.

when they are all prepared, remove cookie sheets from oven, spray with cooking spray (or use a silpat).  Place empanadas on sheets, and spray them with cooking spray as well.

put in oven for 8 minutes or until golden.

While the empanadas are baking, take your chiles and put them in the food processor or blender and blend until smooth.  Combine 2 tablespoons of chile paste with the sour cream.  Stir to combine.

serve empanadas with chipotle dip and enjoy!

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cinco de mayo round up

Posted on May 4, 2012 by

My career has had an interesting trajectory to say the least.  Right out of college, I was at the top of my teaching game.  In my course load, I had 2 AP Spanish classes…we were reading literature, discussing it in the language, and using the subjunctive…if you are a grammar nerd like me that should sound just fantastic.  Then I moved to a Middle School where the students only learned the present tense.  I spent my entire time saying things like “Yesterday Mario studies Spanish” and “Last week we are riding our bicycles to the library.” And now I teach preschoolers and Kindergartners.  hmm…colors, numbers, shapes, and greetings.  All to little people who usually don’t answer you.   My parents must be SO proud of my fantastic liberal arts education.

But the one part of teaching Spanish that I have continued to master is the celebration of Cinco de Mayo.  Sure…it’s really a holiday fabricated by Corona and Que Bueno cheese…but that doesn’t stop me, or the rest of us, from embracing the holiday with open arms.  I love it to death, but find it a bit difficult to share it with the 2-6 year old crowd, so I’m going to share it with you!

Here’s a little Cinco de Mayo round up for your viewing pleasure.

credits: (clockwise): Bobby Flay tacos, Mexican Flag Crudite, Watermelon Margaritas, Spicy Mango Salsa, and Creamy Chicken Taquitos

and for dessert:

credits (clockwise) Sombrero sugar cookies, margarita cupcakes, tres leches cake, Mexican people cookies, salted mexican chiles chocolate caramels, chips and dip cookies and frosting

you can also see these on my Follow Me on Pinterest page.  Follow me.  You’ll never be bored with the random things I like to pin!

Happy Cinco de Mayo!

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charleston cheese dip

Posted on April 30, 2012 by

I like myself a little country music.  I don’t necessarily program the channels into my radio, but I like a good catchy tune, I’ve been known to sport a cowboy hat at a concert or two, and honestly, the lyrics can’t be beat.  But all that said, I don’t really know who Trisha Yearwood is. Well…that was until earlier this year.  Remember that hot corn dip Leslie made?  That was her recipe.  And this cheese dip.  Yup it’s hers too.  So whether or not you like some country music, I guarantee you’ll like some Trisha Yearwood appetizers.

what you need:

1/2 cup mayonnaise

1 8oz package of cream cheese, soft

1 cup grated sharp cheddar cheese

1/2 cup grated Monterey jack cheese

2 green onions, finely chopped

cayenne pepper

8 club crackers, crushed

8 slices bacon, cooked and crumbled

what to do:

preheat oven to 350

In a mixing bowl, combine mayo, cream cheese, cheddar cheese, Monterey Jack, onions, and pepper.  Mix on medium until wel combined.

transfer to small baking dish

top mixture with club crackers

bake for 20 minutes, or until bubbly and heated through

sprinkle bacon on top.

serve and enjoy.

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mozzarella stuffed peppers

Posted on April 23, 2012 by

Years ago my friend introduced me to piquillo peppers (Hi Lisa P!)  You can find them in the Mediterranean bar at the grocery store, with the olives, marinated artichokes, and big vat of hummus.  The are delicious all alone, but last week my mom showed me how they could be even more fantastic.  She stuffed them with a little ball of fresh mozzarella and a spring of parsley.  Damn…they are so easy and so good.  No worries that I ate about 15 of them…it’s a vegetable, right?

what you need:

20 piquillo peppers

8 oz fresh mozzarella

1 bunch flat Italian parsley

what to do: get ready… it doesn’t get much easier than this!

take mozzarella, cut into 1/4 inch cubes

stuff peppers with mozzarella

add a spring of parsley

serve and enjoy

Not isn’t that so simple you could have done it without me?  Yes…but don’t leave me…I need you!

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strawberry bruschetta

Posted on April 17, 2012 by

While I am still lamenting the complete and total lack of winter around here, I have to admit that it is lovely to have a little spring in the air.  Well…aside from the chartreuse green color my car has taken on (pollen), the unexplained sneezing fits (pollen), and the runny eyes that make me look like I cry every time I pick up at school (damn pollen again).  But really, the colors are fantastic, the flowers are blooming and there are finally fresh fruits and vegetables that don’t include the word “root.”

Strawberries are usually the first to come out of the gate, and man do I adore them.  You should try this little app when you have some fresh strawberries around, and of course a glass of Pinot Grigio wouldn’t hurt either!

what you need:

16 oz strawberries, hulled and sliced

1/4 cup white sugar

2 tablespoons balsamic vinegar

8 oz goat cheese

loaf of french bread

fresh ground pepper

what to do:

slice your strawberries thinly.

place them in bowl and sprinkle with sugar.

add balsamic, and stir gently.

let the strawberries sit for at least an hour to macerate.

cut french bread into thin slices.  Spread goat cheese over each slice and then spoon strawberries on top.

grind a pinch of fresh ground pepper on top.

Serve and enjoy.

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ham dip

Posted on April 12, 2012 by

Someone please tell me what it is about Honey Baked Ham that they feel like they have to sell you a WHOLE pig to celebrate Easter.  You innocently enough walk up to the cute little sales girl and say you ordered a ham for 8 people.  How does this skinny little bitch  cutie pie convince me that we need a pound of ham PER person??  I mean, really?  But good salesperson she is, and an 8 pound ham I buy.  So guess what?  I have just a wee bit of ham leftover this week.  And aside from sneaking bits and pieces at every time I open the fridge, I also made this dip.  It’s based on one my father makes and it is downright tasty.

what you need: (aside from leftover ham!)

2 cups of roughly chopped ham

1/2 cup of mayonnaise

2 tablespoons Dijon mustard

1 tablespoon sweet relish

1 celery stalk

2 hard-boiled eggs, peeled

what to do:

put ham, mayo, mustard, and relish in food processor.  Mix on “pulse” until combined and relatively finely chopped

add celery and hard-boiled egg and again, process on pulse until combined.

serve and enjoy.

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proscuitto and phyllo wrapped asparagus

Posted on April 9, 2012 by

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Spring break has been good to me.  I mean it was only a week, but it has felt like a year…in a good way.  We hit NYC for a few days, came home to hit some culture in DC, dye eggs, hunt eggs, and then eat until our heads almost popped…all the while consuming enough wine to get a discount at the market.  Isn’t that what Jesus would have wanted?

So, yesterday I put together this little appetizer simply because we hadn’t had a vegetable in about 8 days.  No worries that it was wrapped in proscuitto and phyllo…deep down there was originally a vegetable.  And it was delish.  Don’t be scared of the phyllo, it was really easy. And as evidenced by the photos, I don’t get hung up in making them look perfect. Just remember, this counts as a holiday vegetable.  Was it down with wine and it is practically a well balanced meal!

what you need:

3 oz of thinly slice proscuitto, sliced into thin strips

30 asparagus spears,  trimmed

10 sheets of phyllo dough, thawed

cooking spray

what to do:

preheat oven to 450

wrap one slice of proscuitto around each asparagus spear.  Do for each asparagus until you are out of proscuitto.

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cut phyllo sheet into 3 rectangles (4 1/2 x 9 inch)  Arrange one asparagus spear at the end of each rectangle and wrap up, jelly roll style.

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Arrange on a cookie, and spray with cooking spray.

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bake for 10 minutes, or until phyllo is golden and crispy.

serve and enjoy.

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cinnamon sugar pulls

Posted on March 29, 2012 by

So here’s a little story that is just a bit ironic.  I’ve rededicated myself to my diet…hello?? Don’t I do that every Monday?  yup.  But this time I MEAN IT.  (ok, I say that every Monday too.)  So…in an attempt to make this diet stick, I decided to look for a few new recipes that will be both tasty and healthy (they do exist don’t they?)  And after about 5 minutes, I lost interest, got snarky and googled “plain chicken” since that is about all I can eat these days.  And you know what popped up?  This.  Not exactly what I was looking for…or was it?  Oh it was.

So let’s just cut to the end of the story where I added a stick of butter, powdered sugar and a loaf of bread to my “no sugar, no carb” diet.  All in the name of food blogging.  And hey, Monday is just a few days away and I can start fresh again.

what you need: (adapted from Plain Chicken)

1 unsliced loaf of round italian bread

1 stick of butter, softened

1/4 cup powdered sugar

1/4 cup honey

1 cup sugar

1 1/4 teaspoon cinnamon

for glaze:

1 cup powdered sugar

2 tbsp milk

what to do:

preheat oven to 350

mix butter, 1/4 cup powdered sugar, honey and vanilla on high until smooth

cut the loaf of bread lengthwise into 1/2″ slices (DO NOT slice all the way through), then cut it widthwise (is that a word?) into 1/2″ slices.

Spread the honey butter between all the slices (both lengthwise and widthwise).

Combine the sugar and cinnamon and sprinkle it evenly into the slices as well. I ended up with extra cinnamon sugar, don’t feel compelled to use it all.

Wrap loaf in tin foil and bake for 35-40 minutes.

While the loaf is baking, mix powdered sugar and milk to get desired consistency.  Drizzle over loaf and try not to eat the whole thing before you serve it.

serve and enjoy.

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