"Turkey for you and turkey for me!"

I have a dilemma!

    This years turkey will be the third or fourth turkey we have prepared. We have tried a few different methods. Last year with a medical grade serum bag.... (Yikes! Um, what? From the hubs work! Insert image of "Frankenturkey". Anyway, they actually make fantastic bags for brining, and of course.. Thank goodness! Medical purposes!) We brined for the first time. Delicious moist and flavorful! Really splendid! My hubby usually gets a turkey from work. "Frankenturkey".  I hit a few different stores looking for the right spices and ingredients. Intent upon recreating the juicy goodness of last years bird. Bought them all. Got home. Saw turkey was pre injected.

Great! Commence hair pulling!

    I just spent half my paycheck on spices. Good grief. I have been trolling the internet for rescue. Someone to say "Yes! Proceed with your dream of turkey that falls off the bone! Brine your already salted turkey! Rejoice with a triumphant leap from the table as they shriek Eureka!" High fives all around! Tears of joy! Victory! Random, vivid imagination. Oh how your dreams change as you age. Laughing. Out. Loud.

    Determined am I! I think Tom will get a bath anyway. I think he will spend a luxurious 24 hours in chilled apple cider. Floating amidst fleshy pomegranate kernels. Orange peel swirling around our esteemed guest. Steeping in spices and crisp fall apples...

Because I'm Fairly certain last years turkey was also pre injected!

In addition to my usual determination I am also an:

op·ti·mist

  (ŏp′tə-mĭst)

n.

1. One who usually expects a favorable outcome.

    The cheesecake turned out silky smooth. No cracks on the top. Buttery golden. Happy birthday to my Grammie. Baby girl made the most beautiful place cards for the guests. Rolls are rising as we speak. The people I love, and who love me will gather to give thanks. At this time next week Thanksgiving 2015 will be on the books. What will we remember?

How is your turkey day prep coming?

Cheesy Jalapeno Rolls...

"Baby it's cold outside!"

    As the Fall weather winds down and Winter prepares for her debut I find myself preferring the crock pot for dinners. Warm aromas permeating the senses. Warming you from head to toe, heart and soul. Sunday dinner is the perfect opportunity to indulge in the smell of fresh rolls. Rolls with crisp outsides and tender, soft white centers, perfect cheesy layers...

     Because my little one is sensitive to spicy foods we halved our batch of jalapeno rolls. Which also meant we had plain rolls later for a dripping butter and honey dessert! The jalapeno rolls were served with crock pot sloppy joe meat. I used the ingredients from the Food.com version of Test Kitchens: Sloppy Joe Recipe.  To convert the recipe to crock pot, simply brown your meat, onions and garlic. Then add it as well as the other ingredients to your crock pot on low for 4-5 hours. Once your meat is going, roll up your sleeves and start the rolls.

   
    Start by combining room temperature milk with warm water and yeast. You could use whole milk, I always have 2% on hand and it works like a charm. Allow the yeast mixture to become frothy before adding it to a mixing bowl that contains: sugar, room temp butter, salt, one egg, and two cups of flour. Mix until everything is wet and well mixed. Change to bread hook and add remaining flour a cup at a time. Mixing well after each addition. When dough is sticky, but firm and pulls away from sides of bowl turn onto floured surface and hand knead until smooth and elastic.

    Allow dough to rest and double in size! Punch down and roll out into a large circle. Add your jalapenos and cheese. Cut into triangles. (I usually get 16 triangles, you can cut more for smaller and more rolls) Roll them up into a cheesy croissant. Place on a buttered baking sheet and allow to rise once more. During the last few minutes of rising, boil 5 cups of water. Pre heat oven and place boiling water on the lowest rack with the rolls on the middle rack. Hello crispy crust. Hello tender middle. Bake for 20-25 minutes until tops are golden brown. Brush tops with melty butter. Serve warm, and of course... Enjoy!

Mini Cheesy Turkey Shells...

        This is the picture that popped up in my "memories" from Facebook this morning! Two years ago today we were enjoying our first snow fall! You would have to know my family to really understand the disappointment today's mere rain showers are bringing! I promised my hubby a snow dance before he left the house for the day. Channeling ancient Winnebago Indian powers....... Just kidding, but really we are on pins and needles. 

     You could say we bleed ski doo. Its an old family tradition passed down through many wintery generations. The past few Utah winters have been... meh! We have had snow of course, but it has been years since we got a good dumping.

     So as I sit here with my hot chocolate and Ludo omelet... Did you watch "What Phil is having" last night? He is a riot! The little one is busy with "homework" and AM 1390 has been transformed into the annual holiday station fittingly playing "Let it snow"... I realize just how ready for the season I am. Yesterday the little and I got a jump on Christmas shopping. Putting the horse before the cart as usual, because first of course is turkey day! Our family will have the opportunity to host, and I couldn't be more excited. Stuffed with the fixings, blissfully content as we welcome the holidays! I can hardly contain myself waiting for time spent with my little family away from the hub bub. 

     Just in case you are feeling like me today, lets talk turkey! Lets take it a day at a time. A holiday at a time. Here is a turkey recipe to rein the emotions back in....  

My intention was turkey pot pie but I ended up with a "cheesy turkey shell" due to my poor planning and not purchasing enough pie crusts to top these tasty little things!

Try them out my kiddos and husband loved them! You cannot go wrong with a creamy white sauce and cheese! You will need:

1/4 cup butter or margarine

3T. finely chopped onions

3T. finely chopped celery

3/4 tsp. salt

1/4 tsp pepper

1/4 cup flour

2 c. milk

paprika

two 9" pie crusts

about a cup each of your choice in veggies

and of course turkey!

    Preheat oven to 375. In a medium saucepan, melt butter. Add onions, salt, pepper and celery. Saute until tender. In a separate saucepan bring your diced mixed veggies to a boil. Do not overcook them! They will cook in the oven, so you want them slightly crunchy. Once your onions and celery are tender add flour and cook over low heat, stirring constantly until thickened. Stir in milk and bring to a boil. Boil one minute then remove from heat. Stir in your veggie mix and your turkey...diced or shredded will work!

1. Roll out the pie crust. Using a cookie cutter or kitchen glass cut out 12 circles.
2. Place pie crust circles into greased muffin tin.
3. Load them up with your turkey mix! Don't be afraid to fill them up as they will cook down in the oven! Top with cheese.

                   Top with shredded cheese and paprika. Bake uncovered for 15-20 minutes.

Enjoy!

A Family Favorite! Easy Peasy Sweet and Sour Chicken!

    The baby is eating eggs and crunchy, crumbly toast in our bed, my side this time. The washing  machine is whirling and twirling around the first of at least five hundred loads of laundry. The gorgeous fall sun is warming up the house and soul. Kiddos are off to school, besides the one littering the bed sheets with tiny toast crumbs of course. My amazing guy is out the door for the day. Its just me, my coffee, Dr. Meredith Grey (How did life exist before Netflix anyway?) poised to take on the day!

    Ahhhh! The quiet lull in between the summer and the holidays. A few quiet weeks between mayhem. Local pumpkin walks with toasty mittens and melty hot chocolate. Leisurely afternoons with my best girls. Perhaps that's really why I prefer Fall? Besides the warm aromas. Crisp morning air filling your morning run lungs. Beautiful scenery..... and on and on. Fall really is special. Last week as we bribed and begged with the little one to smile and pose one more time for the 2015 family photo spectacular, I mused about the year that has so quickly passed us by. Time as usual is flying by.

    All we can do is cherish today. Savor these minutes that will come, and most assuredly go.  Sit down together at the family dinner table and remember this day, this season. The times their faces aren't glued to their phones. The statistics on family dinners are amazing. After the world has its way with your family, welcome them home with a favorite. Enjoy the quiet times in between the whirlwind of life. Here is one of our favorites. From our family to yours!


                                                      Sweet and Sour Chicken

    You will Need:
For the sauce
* 1 cup sugar
* 1/2 cup vinegar
* 1/4 cup pineapple juice
* 1/4 ketchup
* 1 T soy sauce
* 1/2 t salt
* 1/2 cup pineapple chunks
* (optional) diced onions and peppers

For the chicken
* 4 chicken breast cut into bite size pieces
* 3 eggs slightly beaten
* 2 cups flour
* salt
* pepper
* olive oil

Directions:
Pre heat oven to 350. In a large skillet heat about a tablespoon of olive oil. In batches, dip the chicken pieces in the egg first followed by the flour. Make sure the pieces are well coated. Place them in the large skillet season with salt and pepper and allow them to brown, flipping occasionally. After browned place in a baking pan in a single layer.

       Allow the crust to set for about 10 minutes while you prepare the sauce. In a small saucepan, mix all of the ingredients. Heat the sauce over medium heat until the sugar is dissolved and sauce is bubbly. We prefer a little extra sauce. This sauce will thicken in the baking process. If you would like a little extra sauce for dipping, simply double or repeat the sauce recipe.

    Once sauce is prepared pour sauce and pineapple chunks over chicken. If you doubled recipe, only use half of the sauce over the chicken. Place chicken in the oven and bake for one hour. To keep the chicken coating crisp, allow the chicken to bake for at least 35 minutes before flipping. While the chicken is baking start your rice cooker!

 Enjoy! I'm off to fold laundry. Sweep the bed. Snuggle a lil one while we work on the alphabet. Perhaps grab a shower.... Bring it on Tuesday!

Pumpkin buttercream? Yes! Please, and thank you!

    I have been having a lot of fun with buttercream lately. Tis the season! Birthdays and celebrations all around, but more importantly pumpkins abound! One cannot login to Facebook without an inundation of pumpkin spice jokes, recipes, and photos. I am by no means a pioneer to the buttercream society. Just dabbling in the joys of creation. Nibbling away at spoonfuls of elation. Turning to tabata in the mornings to keep up with this dangerous habit!

    Last week the lil one and I stood in the kitchen with satisfied grins as we licked the Nutella buttercream beaters clean! This beautiful fall crisp morning, after a few days of recuperating from a wonderful head cold, little and I were feeling ambitious! Working with what we had on hand it was decided warm, flaky, soft centered sugar cookies would be our contribution to the day. Having no cream cheese or traditional ingredients on hand my mind wandered to the stockpiled cans of pumpkin puree.

    A quick Google search confirmed it was possible! I played around with it a bit to create a frosting that would win the hearts of men, women, and children alike! Woah! Cold medicine high! Whip up a batch of your favorite sugar cookies, or chocolate cupcakes, or whatever you fancy! Slather them in orange pumpkin goodness! Our sugar cookies taste like mini ,buttery, melt in your mouth pumpkin pies! Enjoy!

1 cup pumpkin puree (not pie mix)

1/2 cup unsalted sweet cream butter at room temp

1tsp vanilla

1tsp cinnamon

3-5 cups powdered sugar

    With a paddle attachment combine the pumpkin, butter, vanilla and cinnamon. Once it is well combined begin adding powdered sugar 1/2 cup at a time. Mix after each addition. You may notice pearls of butter not combining well with the pumpkin. This will not be noticeable in the completed butter cream. Add powdered sugar until the desired consistency is reached. Once consistency is achieved allow the buttercream to whip for and additional 3-5 minutes. This recipe covered 30 sugar cookies with a luscious thick layer!

Pita Pockets from scratch!

    We have all heard the news! How our store bought, over processed foods are making us sick and causing an obesity epidemic. How scary! When I look around the dinner table each night at my family I yearn to provide the best for them.

    Processed foods are convenient, quick and over purchased. It is overwhelming to imagine eradicating every processed food in the pantry! In fact it was so overwhelming to me that I could not fathom where one would even begin! Many of the foods we create in our own kitchens become "processed" but at home we do not possess many of the harmful components big brands are adding to our foods. 

    I began to realize that little by little, step by step... we are very capable of learning new ways to provide nutrition for our families. With a little bit of time and effort, which is hard to come by at times... we can teach ourselves to be less dependent on convenience foods. 

    In an attempt to cut down on the lunch meats my family consumes I had chicken on the stove ready to be used for chicken sandwiches. Then my mind wandered to the bread. Grabbing the pita bread out of the fridge I glanced at the nutrition information...Yuck! After a little research and a few experiments the following recipe delivered pita bread gold! So easy! So basic! Great for a family on a budget!

Ingredients:

1 cup warm water

2 teaspoons yeast

2-3 cups AP flour (you could also use wheat)

1 1/2 teaspoons salt

2 teaspoons olive oil. Plus a little more for coating a mixing bowl

Directions:

Mix the warm water and yeast in a medium size mixing bowl. Allow the mixture to set until the yeast is nice and foamy. About 10 minutes. Add 2 1/2 cups flour, salt and olive oil and mix until combined. Turn dough out unto a lightly floured surface, adding flour to hands and surface as needed. Knead dough for 5-7 minutes. Until it is soft and stretchy. Form a ball and let the dough rest as you rinse out the mixing bowl and dry thoroughly. Coat the bowl in a little bit of olive oil and add the dough turning to make sure the dough is coated. Allow the dough to rise in a warm area covered until it is doubled in size.

Once dough is doubled, punch down. Pre heat oven to 450 and place a baking stone on middle rack, you may also use an inverted baking sheet. Divide the dough into 6-8 even pieces and set aside under a dish towel. Take your first piece and roll it out on a floured surface. Roll until it is about a quarter inch thick. Place it on the warm baking stone for about 4 minutes. (I only baked one at a time but feel free to place as many as will fit on your stone.) While one is cooking you can prepare the next. You will notice the pita has puffed. That means it is ready! The bread is meant to be light in color. Do not cook until golden, or you will have a crunchy flatbread! While the pita is still warm slice in half and use a small paring knife to gently separate and open the pocket. Store in an airtight container until ready for use!

It was an instant hit! Soft and chewy! Warm and salty! Whip up your favorite salad and feel good about knowing what your family is eating! Enjoy!

Of Monkeys and bread...

    
Can you believe that the end of Summer is upon us?

    Where exactly has this year gone?! This morning as I sat down at the computer to download our vacation pictures I couldn't help but feel a twinge of sadness. Our precious vacation now is down in the memory banks! Each year we take a week long break from the ordinary. Escape the routines and enjoy spending time together as a family! I remember the anticipation I felt as we prepared to live out of our trailer for nine days! Nine Days! How on earth would we survive such close quarters for such an amount of time! How would I keep the kids from killing each other? Would the baby sleep? Or would we have a weeks worth of all nighters! The anxiety almost unbearable as we pulled out of the drive way and onto our adventure!

    What happened within those nine days in paradise was nothing short of a miracle! We grew closer than we already were, and learned so much from one another! We shared laughter and knew in our hearts this was indeed a special time! In fact the time went by so fast we were sad to see it end! We visited places we had never seen! Experienced new and exciting adventures! Jumped into rivers! Bathed in streams! Ate like wild little animals...

 Speaking of food!

    We tried many new and different camp style dinners on our trip! Campfire Mac and Cheese, camp quesadillas, chicken and sausage foil packets... Our favorite however had us searching for a grocery store so we had supplies to make it again!

    Bacon Cheddar Monkey Bread

I found this recipe on the Rhodes rolls website! With a few tweaks of our own it is now a camp favorite!

You will need:

24 Rhodes frozen rolls

2 cups shredded cheddar cheese

1 cup Parmesan

1 package thick cut bacon

1/2 cup jalapenos (optional)

1 dutch oven liner

Directions:

    Cut the bacon into bite size chunks and brown. We used a liner for this process. Once bacon is browned remove from dutch oven. Remove about half of the bacon grease and discard. Layers the rolls in the bottom of the liner on top of the remaining bacon grease. There should be no gaps. Once the rolls are covering the bottom, top the rolls with cheeses and bacon, making sure to get in the nooks and cranny's! Your dutch oven is warm from browning the bacon, so put the lid on and allow the rolls to rise until double in size! Once doubled place your coals, or begin baking on your camp stove. Bake for approximately 30 minutes checking often that the bottom is not burning. We use our camp Chef so this was more of an issue than if you are using coals top and bottom! Once cooked, using the liner in the dutch oven remove rolls and devour!

    I hope yours was a summer to remember! Children are only children for so long! Cherish the road trips! Embrace the bickering! Enjoy the laughter! Hug and kiss their sweet little faces...

Raspberry Cream Cheese Pin Wheels...

    Behind the scenes I have been working on perfecting my pastry skills! Yesterday, wanting a delightful treat! Yet not wanting to commit to the time frame a fluffy pastry dough takes, I decided it was time to experiment!

    There has been some debate on whether or not a cream cheese dough can be laminated properly. The fundamental basics of a puff pastry dough depend on a high fat content. This binds your ingredients, and high fat content allows you to create wonderful, flaky layers of goodness by creating air pockets in the dough while baking! A typical puff pastry recipe calls for 24 tablespoons of butter, and can take anywhere from 1 to 3 days to prepare. By omitting more than half the butter and substituting with cream cheese you lose fat content.

  But! Determined am I! 

     My husband has a real sweet tooth! Not the candy and chocolate sweet tooth that I have, but rather a danish, cinnamon roll, monkey bread kinda hankering! I am happy to oblige! I love to have treats ready after school and work! Again, not wanting a treat that took days of anticipation... (all though croissant dough is resting in the fridge as we speak) here is what I came up with! Just a little quicker, different textured version of a great! 

8 T softened unsalted sweet cream butter
4 ounces softened cream cheese cut into cubes
1/4 cup heavy whipping cream
1 1/2 cups flour
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 T sugar

splash of vanilla

(I wondered about orange zest)

    This can be mixed with a food processor or by hand! I used my food processor. Mix butter, cream cheese, and whipping cream until smooth. Add the flour, salt, sugar, and vanilla and blend/knead until a smooth ball is formed. If dough is too sticky add additional flour a Tablespoon at a time. Let dough rest covered with plastic in the fridge for an hour.

    On a floured surface roll the dough out into a thin rectangle. Then fold into thirds, like a letter... cover with plastic and refrigerate for thirty minutes. After thirty minutes remove and with the open flap towards you roll out again. Fold into thirds, refrigerate. Repeat this step two more times. I turned my dough three times. If dough becomes to sticky to work with pop back into the refrigerator!

These are the layers I achieved with three turns, you could add a few more if you are so inclined!

 Pre heat oven to 350 After the final turn, roll out once more shaping an even rectangle. Cut off the uneven edges. With a pizza cutter or knife divide dough in half lengthwise. Then make 8-10 squares. For a pinwheel shape cut two inches into the corners of your square and fold in on top of your favorite fruit topping! Sprinkle Coarse granulated sugar on top! If you would like that golden brown appearance use an egg wash. I did not do this. Bake until the tops of your pinwheels are browned, mine took about 12 minutes!

    Cream Cheese topping:

At our house we prefer to taste the cream cheese, so this recipe is not the typical sweetened frosting recipe!

4 ounces softened cream cheese

3 T salted sweet cream butter

1 T milk

1/4 cup granulated sugar

Mix it all together until light and fluffy! Top and enjoy!

Avocado dressing

  A few days ago as I ran numerous errands I passed Cafe Rio and was instantly hit with a sweet pork salad craving! Of course my hard earned money had other places to go....

   So I picked up a side of pork ribs while at the store, but forgot tomatillos for dressing! Yesterday as my mouth watered over the aroma wafting from the crock pot I was scratching my head! I pan fried corn tortilla's to top yummy pork salads but still just needed that unique taste!

    Not in a big rush to head out to the store I looked around the kitchen. Avocado's! Surely you must be able to create something with these green gems! I did a little searching...

    This is the Paula Dean version with of course a few of my own tweaks!

1 large peeled and pitted avocado
2 T fresh lemon juice
1/2 cup light mayo
1/2 cup light miracle whip
1/2 cup low fat sour cream
1/2 Worcestershire sauce
1/3 cup minced onion
2 cloves pressed garlic
1 t salt
1 T taco seasoning mix

    I used my Magic bullet which is perfect for ventures such as these, but a food processor works too! Puree avocado and lemon juice. Add remaining ingredients and blend until smooth!

    Enjoy!

You will Have good luck....In the tub!

  
  I am not spoiled just loved! My Kindle Fire HD is amazing! I love it so much! I have done everything but read on it! We have added so many movies, games and MP3's to our family account! While I was happy to hand down my old Kindle Fire, I still have a soft spot for my paper white 3G Kindle! It comes in handy all the time! So if you are not yet convinced E readers are for you....you gottta try one! I love to use it in the kitchen! Anyway.....

   Fortune cookies! 

This really is the good idea of our kids I am just the baker! Fortune cookie Valentines! I had to do a test bake so that on February 13th I sorta knew what I was doing with over sixty cookies! I found a great recipe and tutorial Fortune Cookies I had to of course add my own twist.. With a recipe that uses what you already have around the house it is a truly great, inexpensive idea!

With food coloring, sprinkles and a toothpick I was able to create a more Valentine looking cookie! I used two sided paper to write love notes....Then my creative juices were really going!

    There are so many awesome ways to give these cute little Valentines! Both these glass pieces were only a dollar! Perfect for teachers, grandparents, friends!

 

Vals spaghetti sauce...

 
  My friend Val is an amazing cook! I miss her cooking! On a fine afternoon such as this, thee  first day of October! The crock pot beckons!

    Last year we were lucky to receive a quarter of beef. Our deep freeze was full with delicious roasts, steak, and hamburger until late spring! Range fed beef is delicious not to mention the benefit of a healthier meat. This year although the timing was rough we dug deep into our pockets to purchase another quarter! We are once again glad we have done this! It will more than pay for itself and save us money in the long run!

Back to the Crisp Fall air and beckoning crock pot!

    1 package of stew meat
    1 large sliced onion
    a few cloves of fresh garlic
    1 26 oz can tomato sauce (you can use spaghetti sauce)
    a dash of  oregano
    salt and pepper to taste
    pasta

    Cut stew meat into bite size pieces. Brown. Combine everything but the pasta in crock pot. Cook on high for 3 to 4 hours stirring occasionally. Serve over cooked pasta! So easy and sooo delicious! The stew meat literally falls apart! Yummo!

Don't forget the garlic bread!

Prelude To The Most Wonderful Time Of The Year!

    Whilst wandering the aisle of my local department store I stared in utter disbelief at the maze of Christmas decorations beginning to dawn the shelves. Stopping for a mental calculation...three months... Less than Four months until Christmas! As a devoted and beloved member of the late season lovers I can't help but feel the excitement begin to rise! The possibilities! The chance for sharing and the time for caring. With my new found "free time" I can truly indulge my crafting bone. Crafting and cooking:) After all first things first! One cannot implore the crafting world on an empty stomach!
 
     I'm craving orange today! Anything pumpkin and spice! Chocolate chip zucchini bread was a hit, and there is plenty in the freezer to hit the spot during nose nipping winter months!

   However...it can never be too soon to bust out a fresh pan of pumpkin bars! Here is my coveted recipe, use it wisely and be careful not to hoard the entire pan to oneself!

 Pumpkin Bars:

2c. all-purpose flour
2 c. sugar
2 tsp. baking powder
1 tsp. each, baking soda, cinnamon and nutmeg
1/2 tsp. each, salt and cloves
1 c. oil
2 c. pumpkin
4 eggs

Frosting

2 c. powdered sugar
1/3 c. softened butter
1 3oz package softened cream cheese
1 T. milk
1 tsp. vanilla

DIRECTIONS:

    Heat oven to 350 degrees. Grease sheet pan. Bars are made by combining all ingredients and beat on low until moistened. Pour onto greased pan and bake for 45-50 minutes revelling in that warm pumpkin smell! Let cool completely before frosting. Frosting is made by combining all ingredients and whipping until smooth. Frost and cut into bars. Add chopped nuts if desired. Store in refrigerator.

Enjoy! 

    While your bars are cooling head into the back yard with some orange spray paint, assorted size logs, sagebrush branches cut into various lengths, jute, ribbon and your imagination to create your own decorative pumpkins:) Two weeks until the first day of FALL!

Loressa

Coconut Oil Onion Rings and a Winner!!

Congratulations Jodi T!

     Jodi has won a quart of Tropical Traditions Coconut Oil! Thank you to everyone who entered my very first giveaway! Many more great opportunities on the horizon!

    There were so many wonderful suggestions on the use of Coconut oil! Some I had not heard of, some I would like to try, and some I already love!

    One of our new favorite summer time burgers was inspired by Coconut oil! Parmesan crusted, crunchy onion topped! Yum!

Crunchy Purple Onion toppers:

2 medium purple onions sliced into thin rings

2 cups flour seasoned with pepper and garlic salt

1 cup buttermilk

*no buttermilk? Prepare your own by adding four teaspoons of white vinegar to 1 cup of milk. Allow to sit for at least fifteen minutes*

2 t cornstarch

2 beaten eggs

1/2 quart Tropical Traditions Coconut Oil

Start by dredging your onions a batch at a time in the egg mixture. Next coat with flour.  If you did not know...the trick to truly crispy fries and onions is cornstarch! Mix the cornstarch into your buttermilk and dip your floured onions before finally frying in Coconut Oil until golden brown! Place on a paper towel lined plate and salt lightly! You are in for a treat!

Loressa

Summer fun with not one but two! Jalapeno recipes!

   Nothing says summer like fresh jalapenos! We are big fans at our house and spent the day working on some super delicious stuff! First we made a jalapeno coleslaw! For this recipe you will need:

6-8 roasted poblano peppers

6-8 roasted jalapeno peppers

1 16 oz bag tropical fruit mix

1 quart peaches drained

1 cup apple cider

1 1/2 cups of sugar

2 bags Dole coleslaw mix

   To begin you will need to roast your peppers. The proper way to do this is to coat the peppers with oil. I use vegetable or olive oil. Place the peppers on baking sheet and place in the oven on the Lo broiler setting until the skin begins to blister and turn brown.

While your peppers are roasting in a large saucepan combine fruit, sugar, and cider. Once peppers have browned allow them to cool before chopping and removing seeds. Add to your fruit mixture and begin to cook on medium high heat.

The mixture will need to reduce until it has the consistency of jam. This takes awhile! In the meantime rinse your coleslaw mix in cool water and have ready in large bowl.

Once the fruit and pepper mixture resembles a thicker mixture...

Allow to cool and move to a mixer or food processor. Blend to puree and let cool an additional ten minutes.

Once cool it should be thick like jelly. Add to coleslaw mix a little at a time until you have the desired consistency. You will have leftover sauce! Chill before serving and enjoy! My favorite thing about this recipe is it is uniquely shocking! First sweet and unfamiliar then hot and spicy! 

   The perfect side dish to compliment any barbecue or to top a tasty burger! This recipe easily yields one quart of dressing! This tasty sauce is also good on eggs, burritos...whatever!

The next recipe will have you mad at me! So tasty and so terrible! Save for a cheat day! Or Fathers day which happened to be my excuse for indulging in bacon wrapped chicken jalapeno poppers!

For this recipe you will need:

10-12 Jalapeno peppers

4 chicken breasts boiled and shredded

1 8oz package of cream cheese at room temperature

4 T butter

dash of pepper

dash of rosemary

1/2 cup diced green onion

1 16 0z package of bacon

toothpicks

Start by washing halving and removing seeds. Please wear gloves! If you have never had a jalapeno burn I am warning you of misery you have never known! 

In a large bowl combine cream cheese, butter, green onions and seasonings. Mix well then add chicken mixing well again.

Once mixed start stuffing! Stuff them as full as you dare! The stuffing mixture is thick plus you are going to hold it all in with yummy bacon! The mixture will cook down so really do load them!

Next is the fun part! Wrap each jalapeno with one slice of bacon and use a toothpick to hold it all together! This will also help keep the poppers upright while baking!

Pre heat your broiler to the Lo setting and use a broiler pan for your poppers to catch the excess grease! Keep an eye on them while under the broiler. Once the bacon is nice and crispy brown take them out and resist the urge to devour a smoking hot popper! Let them cool!

So there you have it! Two easy and delicious jalapeno recipes to enjoy this summer! I cannot wait for salsa! What are your favorite jalapeno recipes! Share them!

Loressa:)

Whats cookin?

    My brain is anxious! I cannot wait to get my hands on some phyllo dough! My mother brought over the tastiest little creations! Move over baklava! 

Gonna try this one first! Got any great phyllo recipes?

Spicy Sausage phyllo bundles

Hot Italian Sausage- 1 lb. bulk

Green Bell Pepper- 1/4 cup, chopped

Onion- 1/4 cup, coarsely chopped

Prepared Spaghetti Sauce- 1 cup

Ricotta Cheese- 4 oz. (1/2 cup)

Green Giant Mushroom Pieces and Stems, drained- 1 (4-oz.) can

Dried Oregano Leaves- 1/2 teaspoon

Frozen Phyllo (filo) Pastry Sheets- 12 sheets (18x14-inch), thawed

Margarine or Butter- 1/2 cup, melted

Directions

GETTING READY
1) Preheat oven to 350°F.
2) In non-stick, sauté sausage, bell pepper and onion until sausages are browned,
3) Pour off the fat.
4) Stir spaghetti sauce, cheese, mushrooms, and oregano in the sausage mixture, until well combined, set aside.

MAKING
5) Spread filo sheets and cover with plastic wrap or towel.
6) Arrange 1 filo sheet on working table and lightly smear with margarine.
7) Place 2 more filo sheets, brushing each with margarine.
8) Using a sharp knife, slice all layers of filo sheets to make 12 rectangles.

FINALIZING
9) Drop 1 tablespoon filling in center of each rectangle.
10) Gently bring the filo corners together to seal and form bundle.
11) Do the same with remaining filo sheets and filling.
12) Arrange the bundles on ungreased baking tray.
13) Bake for 20 to 25 minutes or until golden brown.

SERVING
14) Remove the pan from oven and allow to cool for 5 minutes.

                                                                                Loressa

In the mood for something new...

 
   Do not say Yuck! Yet! I love Lidia Bastianich! Of course you may know this from my post about Boston Cream Cupcakes! The lady amazes me! A few weeks ago my kids and I happened upon an episode where she made these lovelies! My daughter and I were salivating! I could not wait to try this recipe! Enjoy!

Lidia's Italy: Home

serves: 6 to 8

"You might be used to breaded and fried zucchini cut in French- fry fashion, but when my mother fried zucchini, she would always cut them in rounds or slices. I liked them that way: they made great sandwich stuffers, especially when the flavors and moistness of the zucchini seeped into the bread. For over-the top flavor, add a few slices of Swiss cheese and melt under the broiler or in a sandwich press. The perfect Italian lunch."
 

vegetable oil, for frying
4 large eggs
kosher salt
2 tablespoons chopped fresh mint
2 cups all-purpose flour
3 cups fine dry bread crumbs
1 cup grated Grana Padano or Parmigiano-Reggiano
2 pounds medium zucchini, sliced into 1/4-1/2 inch-thick rounds on the bias*

Heat 1 inch of the vegetable oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Beat the eggs in a bowl with a pinch of salt, and stir in the mint. Put the flour in one shallow bowl, and mix the bread crumbs and grated cheese in another. Dredge the zucchini, in batches, in the flour, then the egg, then the bread crumbs, shaking off the excess. Let the rounds rest on sheet trays while you finish all of the zucchini. When the oil reaches about 365 degrees (or when a piece of zucchini sizzles on contact), slip a batch of zucchini into the oil. Fry, turning occasionally, until crisp and golden all over, about 2 minutes. Drain the zucchini on paper towels, and season with salt. Let the oil return to temperature between batches, and repeat with the remaining zucchini, seasoning with salt as soon as they come out of the oil.



*Note: Cut slices 1/4 inch thick if you like crispier

slices, or ½ inch thick if you like meatier slices.