One upon a time, long ago.....Mike and I tried caviar. We wanted to experience the elegance, dare to try the unknown, savor it with a little sip of bubbly. Our fatal mistake, we let our budget determine the kind we bought and it was horrid! I have never tried it again *sigh*.
This caviar recipe is for a modern day tortilla toasting type of party. My friend Donna sent me her recipe, and I did some online research and combined a little of this and a little of that. I made half of this batch - and it still was quite a lot. Many of these recipes called for bottled Italian dressing, but I find that a little harsh sometimes depending on the brand. I opted for the EVOO and red wine vinegar. You decide what sounds best for your family!
TEXAS CAVIAR
2 cans black eyed peas, drain
2 cans corn, drain
2 cans Rotel tomatoes with chili's (or jalapeno if you like it spicy)
2 cups of red or yellow pepper, chopped
3 jalapenos, stemmed, seeded, diced
1/2 cup onion
1/2 cup fresh cilantro, chopped
1/2 tsp salt
1/2 tsp pepper
1/2 tsp garlic powder
1 tsp oregano
1 1/2 tsp cumin
6 Tbsp red wine vinegar -whisk together with:
6 Tbsp olive oil
Combine all of these ingredients and refrigerate for a couple of hours. Serve with tortilla chips.
Sunday, February 28, 2010
Saturday, February 6, 2010
Biscuits Anyone?
It's Saturday night, and it was a good day. Coffee this AM with a couple of my coworkers. Shopping with my husband at Wmart. A little time spent watching and old movie this afternoon, & a nice dinner including a glass of Cabernet. After that a Bruce Willis movie, Surrogates - it was futuristic and kind of interesting! We ended up the evening with an ice cream Sundae. I saw Rachel Rae put this together and it looked yummy. Vanilla Bean ice cream topped with melted peanut butter and hot fudge sauce. I think I used too much PB, it was intense!! It only takes about 30 seconds in the microwave to make it smooth enough to pour. The hot fudge was my favorite part, a little like a peanut butter cup on ice cream ;-) yea!
To go with our spaghetti tonight I found a recipe for a cheesy garlic biscuit. Most recipes called for Bisquick, which I did not have. I finally ran across this that was supposed to be similar to a Red Lobster biscuit, it was pretty good and very easy to put together. I'll use a little more garlic or fresh garlic the next time I make them, they were pretty mild.
Cheese and Garlic Drop Biscuits
1 cup flour
1/4 teaspoon salt
2 teaspoons baking powder
1/4 teaspoon cream of tartar
1 tablespoon sugar
1/4 teaspoon garlic powder
1/4 cup vegetable shortening
1/2 cup milk
1/4 cup shredded cheddar cheese
***Topping:***2 tablespoons melted butter & 1/8 teaspoon garlic powder
Combine flour, salt, baking powder, cream of tartar, sugar and garlic powder in a mixing bowl. Cut in shortening using a pastry blender. Mix milk and then cheese into mixture with a wooden spoon. Drop by large spoonfuls onto greased baking sheet. Bake at 425 F for 10-12 minutes. Mix melted butter and garlic powder together and brush on warm biscuits as soon as you remove them from the oven.
This is supposed to make 8, but I missed that fact until after mine were in the oven and I had only scooped up 6, woops. Needless to say I had to bake mine a bit longer, just go by the color and you'll know when they are done.
To go with our spaghetti tonight I found a recipe for a cheesy garlic biscuit. Most recipes called for Bisquick, which I did not have. I finally ran across this that was supposed to be similar to a Red Lobster biscuit, it was pretty good and very easy to put together. I'll use a little more garlic or fresh garlic the next time I make them, they were pretty mild.
Cheese and Garlic Drop Biscuits
1 cup flour
1/4 teaspoon salt
2 teaspoons baking powder
1/4 teaspoon cream of tartar
1 tablespoon sugar
1/4 teaspoon garlic powder
1/4 cup vegetable shortening
1/2 cup milk
1/4 cup shredded cheddar cheese
***Topping:***2 tablespoons melted butter & 1/8 teaspoon garlic powder
Combine flour, salt, baking powder, cream of tartar, sugar and garlic powder in a mixing bowl. Cut in shortening using a pastry blender. Mix milk and then cheese into mixture with a wooden spoon. Drop by large spoonfuls onto greased baking sheet. Bake at 425 F for 10-12 minutes. Mix melted butter and garlic powder together and brush on warm biscuits as soon as you remove them from the oven.
This is supposed to make 8, but I missed that fact until after mine were in the oven and I had only scooped up 6, woops. Needless to say I had to bake mine a bit longer, just go by the color and you'll know when they are done.
Tuesday, February 2, 2010
You can't rollerskate in a buffalo herd
- 1 8-ounce package cream cheese
- 2 cups cooked chicken (a store-bought rotisserie chicken works best), shredded
- 1/2 cup buffalo wing sauce, recommended brand: Franks Original
- 2 tablespoons butter, melted
- 1/4 to 1/2 cup blue cheese dressing (eyeball it)
- 1/4 to 1/2 cup shredded mozzarella cheese (eyeball it)
Preheat oven to 300°F. Cover the bottom of an 8x8" dish or pie plate with cream cheese.
In a large mixing bowl, combine the shredded chicken, wing sauce and butter, and pour over the cream cheese-filled dish or pie plate.
Top with just enough blue cheese dressing and mozzarella cheese to cover (adding too much cheese will cause a thick skin to form that will make eating the dip difficult once the cheese cools).
Heat the dip in the oven for 20 minutes. Serve with Scoops (Tortillas or Frito's) alongside for dipping.
PS Anyone know the song attached to the title above???
Sunday, January 31, 2010
Only 2 1/2 hours left!!
OK, January is almost history for this year....yippeeeee! I'm ready to move on to bigger and better things. Or rather warmer and happier things.
Over the weekend we had a celebration for my daughters' birthday in Lincoln. The plan: get together with Nate, Heather, her wonderful in-laws Rod and Linda and our son James. We met at the birthday girls house, and got in on the tail end of a birthday brunch that Nate had for her. Lots of good friends were there, it's nice to witness others showing love for someone you care so much for.
We did a little shoppin' and then had a supper of what else but soup?!? That's what January has been all about this year, definitely it's been soup weather since before Christmas. Since tomorrow is February, (actually in 2 1/2 hours it will be February) I am posting my LAST soup recipes until the season of Fall rolls around in 8 or 9 months. I am ready to move on!
I tried two NEW recipes for the gathering, I know that sounds dangerous - right? But my theory has always been that if it's not good, who's really going to say, "yuk this is awful!"?? If you have lots of people and everyone eats a little, it's gone before you have time to think about how good it was, or wasn't.
As luck would have it, I found two soups that hit it out of the ball park!! The first was a soup my friend Kristin's mom sent me last week. It is similar to a tomato bisque I used to eat at a local restaurant. The second soup is a version of a jambalaya, and believe me there are MANY versions of jambalaya!! I LOVED the second soup, but I'm not the biggest tomato soup fan in the world. Those who like tomato LOVED that one, so you'll have to make both and let me know what you think!?! :-) And just in time for the SOUP-er Bowl!
TOMATO TORTELLINI SOUP
1 pkg 9oz refrigerated or frozen cheese tortellini
2 cans tomato soup
1 can vegetable broth
2 cups 2% milk
2 cups half and half cream
1/2 cup chopped oil packed sun dried tomatoes
1 tsp onion powder
1 tsp garlic powder
1 tsp dried basil
1/2 tsp salt
1/2 cup shredded Parmesan cheese (more if you want some for garnish)
Cook tortellini according to package directions. Meanwhile in a large pot combine the soup, broth, milk, cream, tomatoes and seasonings. Heat through stirring often and be careful not to boil hard. Drain tortellini and add to the soup. Stir in cheese and it's ready to go!
Now for soup number 2!
SLOW COOKER JAMBALAYA
1 pound boneless skinless chicken breasts cut into 1" cubes
1/2 lb sausage diced - like a kielbasa (I used a turkey version)
-- if you can find andouille sausage use it, but it's pricey!
1 28oz can diced tomatoes
1 med. onion chopped
1 green bell pepper chopped
2 stalks celery chopped
1 can chicken broth
2 tsp dried oregano
2 tsp Creole seasoning
1 tsp hot sauce
2 bay leaves
1/2 tsp dried thyme
1 lb frozen peeled and cooked shrimp, thawed
2-3 cups of cooked rice
In a slow cooker combine chicken, sausage, tomatoes, onion, green pepper, celery & chicken broth. Stir in oregano, creole seasoning, hot sauce, by leaves and thyme. Cover and cook on high or 3 hours OR low for 7 hours. Stir in the thawed cooked shrimp and cook just until the shrimp is heated through, about 5-10 min. Discard bay leaves and spoon mixture over cooked rice.
We let each person put rice in their bowl so they could decide how much they wanted. It was SOOOO good, I can't wait to make it again!
Over the weekend we had a celebration for my daughters' birthday in Lincoln. The plan: get together with Nate, Heather, her wonderful in-laws Rod and Linda and our son James. We met at the birthday girls house, and got in on the tail end of a birthday brunch that Nate had for her. Lots of good friends were there, it's nice to witness others showing love for someone you care so much for.
We did a little shoppin' and then had a supper of what else but soup?!? That's what January has been all about this year, definitely it's been soup weather since before Christmas. Since tomorrow is February, (actually in 2 1/2 hours it will be February) I am posting my LAST soup recipes until the season of Fall rolls around in 8 or 9 months. I am ready to move on!
I tried two NEW recipes for the gathering, I know that sounds dangerous - right? But my theory has always been that if it's not good, who's really going to say, "yuk this is awful!"?? If you have lots of people and everyone eats a little, it's gone before you have time to think about how good it was, or wasn't.
As luck would have it, I found two soups that hit it out of the ball park!! The first was a soup my friend Kristin's mom sent me last week. It is similar to a tomato bisque I used to eat at a local restaurant. The second soup is a version of a jambalaya, and believe me there are MANY versions of jambalaya!! I LOVED the second soup, but I'm not the biggest tomato soup fan in the world. Those who like tomato LOVED that one, so you'll have to make both and let me know what you think!?! :-) And just in time for the SOUP-er Bowl!
TOMATO TORTELLINI SOUP
1 pkg 9oz refrigerated or frozen cheese tortellini
2 cans tomato soup
1 can vegetable broth
2 cups 2% milk
2 cups half and half cream
1/2 cup chopped oil packed sun dried tomatoes
1 tsp onion powder
1 tsp garlic powder
1 tsp dried basil
1/2 tsp salt
1/2 cup shredded Parmesan cheese (more if you want some for garnish)
Cook tortellini according to package directions. Meanwhile in a large pot combine the soup, broth, milk, cream, tomatoes and seasonings. Heat through stirring often and be careful not to boil hard. Drain tortellini and add to the soup. Stir in cheese and it's ready to go!
Now for soup number 2!
SLOW COOKER JAMBALAYA
1 pound boneless skinless chicken breasts cut into 1" cubes
1/2 lb sausage diced - like a kielbasa (I used a turkey version)
-- if you can find andouille sausage use it, but it's pricey!
1 28oz can diced tomatoes
1 med. onion chopped
1 green bell pepper chopped
2 stalks celery chopped
1 can chicken broth
2 tsp dried oregano
2 tsp Creole seasoning
1 tsp hot sauce
2 bay leaves
1/2 tsp dried thyme
1 lb frozen peeled and cooked shrimp, thawed
2-3 cups of cooked rice
In a slow cooker combine chicken, sausage, tomatoes, onion, green pepper, celery & chicken broth. Stir in oregano, creole seasoning, hot sauce, by leaves and thyme. Cover and cook on high or 3 hours OR low for 7 hours. Stir in the thawed cooked shrimp and cook just until the shrimp is heated through, about 5-10 min. Discard bay leaves and spoon mixture over cooked rice.
We let each person put rice in their bowl so they could decide how much they wanted. It was SOOOO good, I can't wait to make it again!
Tuesday, January 19, 2010
Another pot o' soup
Tonight I plan to make a pot of bean soup so we can have it tomorrow. The weather is STILL cold, icy and blah. Soup just seems like a natural choice. This recipe is a favorite that I made when we used to ski in Steamboat Springs. Our good friends Kari, Larry, Kim and Gary were always so much fun on those trips. Nothing but wonderful memories of those times. I think one of the things I like about this soup is the fact that there are tomatoes in there, it adds a little more flavor.
STEAMBOAT BEAN SOUP
1 tube of mixed beans (in the soup aisle)
1 tsp salt
2 qt water
ham hocks or bone from a ham with some meat left on
1 large onion - chopped
1 28oz can crushed tomatoes -or diced
chili powder, salt & pepper to taste
Cover the beans with water and add salt, soak overnight. Drain and add 2 quarts of fresh water and the ham hocks. Bring to a low boil and simmer 3 hours. Add the onion and crushed tomatoes, then chili powder and salt/pepper to taste. It will depend on how salty your ham is, you may not need any salt. Simmer another hour or till beans are tender.
STEAMBOAT BEAN SOUP
1 tube of mixed beans (in the soup aisle)
1 tsp salt
2 qt water
ham hocks or bone from a ham with some meat left on
1 large onion - chopped
1 28oz can crushed tomatoes -or diced
chili powder, salt & pepper to taste
Cover the beans with water and add salt, soak overnight. Drain and add 2 quarts of fresh water and the ham hocks. Bring to a low boil and simmer 3 hours. Add the onion and crushed tomatoes, then chili powder and salt/pepper to taste. It will depend on how salty your ham is, you may not need any salt. Simmer another hour or till beans are tender.
Saturday, January 9, 2010
It's soup weather!
I've made a lot of soup the last few days. Mega snow drifts tend to make you think along those lines. The soup recipe I found today is one that I discovered at least 15 years ago. It was a favorite the first time we tried it! You can add heat or keep it mild depending on what type of salsa you use.
TACO SOUP
2# ground chuck
1 med yellow onion, chopped
1/2 tsp garlic powder (use 1 fresh garlic clove if you have it)
1 - 28oz can tomatoes, diced
1 package taco seasoning
1 - 8 1/2 oz jar salsa
2 cups water
1/2 head iceberg lettuce, shredded
2 cups shredded cheese (jack, cheddar or both!)
tortilla chips
Brown ground chuck and onion - drain. Combine with garlic powder, tomatoes, seasoning, salsa and water in a large pot. Simmer 30 min. Let each person garnish with broken chips, cheese, sour cream and lettuce. Pass more chips and lots of water.
TACO SOUP
2# ground chuck
1 med yellow onion, chopped
1/2 tsp garlic powder (use 1 fresh garlic clove if you have it)
1 - 28oz can tomatoes, diced
1 package taco seasoning
1 - 8 1/2 oz jar salsa
2 cups water
1/2 head iceberg lettuce, shredded
2 cups shredded cheese (jack, cheddar or both!)
tortilla chips
Brown ground chuck and onion - drain. Combine with garlic powder, tomatoes, seasoning, salsa and water in a large pot. Simmer 30 min. Let each person garnish with broken chips, cheese, sour cream and lettuce. Pass more chips and lots of water.
So many cheesecakes, so little time.
It's no secret that I LOVE cheesecake. I love a creamy rich cheesecake, so many taste bland. For years I've made a chocolate chip cheesecake that I have used as the measure for all others. I think I found one that may be almost equal to the legend. It is a recipe from the same cookbook, so that may be why I like it so much. These girls just know my taste!
GERMAN CHOCOLATE CHEESECAKE
(I thought it was better the 2nd day)
Crust:
1 cup graham cracker crumbs
2 tbsp sugar
3 tbsp margarine - melted
Mix together and press into bottom of a spring form pan
Cheese filling:
24 oz cream cheese, softened
3/4 cup sugar
1/4 cup cocoa (baking powder)
2 tsp vanilla extract
3 eggs, beaten
Blend cream cheese, sugar, cocoa and vanilla. Add eggs slowly. Pour over crust. Bake @350* for 35 min. After completely cooled, spread on topping; then garnish with chocolate curls.
Topping:
2 tbsp butter
1/4 cup evaporated milk
2 tbsp brown sugar
1 egg, beaten
1/2 tsp vanilla extract
1/2 cup chopped pecans
1/2 cup coconut
Melt butter over low heat. Blend in milk, sugar, egg and vanilla. Cook stirring constantly until thickened. Stir in nuts and coconut and spread on cooled cheesecake. Refrigerate.
Serves 12-16
I believe I baked mine another 5 min. because the center was not quite done. It's a tough call because it needs to wobble to be moist, but cooked. I don't think you'll be disappointed with this one!
GERMAN CHOCOLATE CHEESECAKE
(I thought it was better the 2nd day)
Crust:
1 cup graham cracker crumbs
2 tbsp sugar
3 tbsp margarine - melted
Mix together and press into bottom of a spring form pan
Cheese filling:
24 oz cream cheese, softened
3/4 cup sugar
1/4 cup cocoa (baking powder)
2 tsp vanilla extract
3 eggs, beaten
Blend cream cheese, sugar, cocoa and vanilla. Add eggs slowly. Pour over crust. Bake @350* for 35 min. After completely cooled, spread on topping; then garnish with chocolate curls.
Topping:
2 tbsp butter
1/4 cup evaporated milk
2 tbsp brown sugar
1 egg, beaten
1/2 tsp vanilla extract
1/2 cup chopped pecans
1/2 cup coconut
Melt butter over low heat. Blend in milk, sugar, egg and vanilla. Cook stirring constantly until thickened. Stir in nuts and coconut and spread on cooled cheesecake. Refrigerate.
Serves 12-16
I believe I baked mine another 5 min. because the center was not quite done. It's a tough call because it needs to wobble to be moist, but cooked. I don't think you'll be disappointed with this one!
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