Fried Goat Cheese @ Reverend's

This has got to be one of the best appetizers that I've ever had. I can not go to Reverend's with out getting this. It is amazing!

Goat cheese mixed with herbs, breaded and deep fried. Drizzled with a balsalmic vinegar reduction and served with toast wedges and butter lettuce.

Out. Of. This. World.

HAPPY BIRTHDAY!

Happy Birthday to you.

Happy birthday to you.

Happy Birthday dear Allison.

Happy birthday to you!

Sriracha Bloody Mary

I stole this idea from the new Food Network magazine. Sometimes stealing things is really worth it....this is one of those times!

Vodka, Zing Zang Bloody Mary Mix, a healthy squirt of Sriracha on the rocks!

Asian Pork Tenderloin Tacos

Bright, bold, spicy flavors wrapped in a steamed corn tortilla = Perfection!

1. Marinate a whole pork tenderloin in 1 part low sodium soy sauce and 1 part sweet chili sauce for at least 24 hours.

2. Pan sear all sides of the pork in a little bit of olive and sesame oil, finish off in a 350 degree oven for about 20 min.

3. Pour marinade into a sauce pan, simmer down and reduce by half.

4. Steam corn tortillas, and chop cucumber, onion, cilantro, carrot, jalapeño.

5. Stack it! Carrot, cilantro, thinly sliced pork drizzled with the pan sauce, onion, jalapeño, cucumber.

6. If you're brave top it all with a squirt of Sriracha!

Enjoy!

Corn-On-The-Cob is hard to eat when you're missing teeth!

Mini Cheese Cakes

My mother knows me well! She knows I'm not a huge fan a sweets and she also knows I'm not big on birthday cake. For my birthday dinner with my family tonight she special ordered mini cheese cakes. They were the perfect ending to my surf-n-turf dinner! I think I tried every single one of them!

Delicious!

Making Ramen Healthy

My daughter would eat ramen at least once a day if I let her. It just isn't a healthy meal. Explaining that to a 6 year old was a struggle but, we have compromised! She now asks for ramen and makes sure to ask me to add peas. This is a win, win!

Maple, Bacon, Egg & Cheese Waffle Sandwich

Sparing not a single calorie, this is the best of breakfast stacked up into an oooey, gooey, delicious sandwich!

-Toasted, Buttered Waffle
-Over-Easy Egg topped with Cheese
-Thick Cut Smoked Bacon
-Grade B Pure Maple Syrup

Breakfast is served!!!

Water Fun-ness

A fancy hotel I stayed in recently had these in their lobby. Everyday they would have a different fruit in the water. One day the had cucumbers. It was delicious! I will do this all summer at the lake for a nice, refreshing, ice cold beverage!

Food Porn

Yum!

http://nedhardy.com/2012/05/03/food-porn-dessert-edition-20-pics-2/

Chicken Foil Packs

Not sure why I've never tried this before! Yum!

Foil, olive oil, boneless skinless chicken breast, seasoning, onion, mushroom, sweet peppers, yellow squash, and dandelion greens all wrapped up in foil and grilled for about 1/2 hour.

Perfect, quick, light, healthy dinner!

Finger Food - Black Pepper Triscuit, Cream Cheese, Cucumber and Tomato

Paired with a nice glass of Gewurztraminer, this was a refreshing, light dinner.  

Black Pepper Triscuits

Cream Cheese

Sliced Cucumbers

Sliced Tomatoes

S&P

Oregano 

Basil

Cheers! 

Blogging and Breakfast at Panera!

Out and about early for an oil change, I found myself feeling kind of social.  

There is no other breakfast place in Findlay with Wifi, so Panera wins.  

I'm not complaining though.  

This sandwich is fabulous!  

Mediterranean Roasted Veggie Egg White Sandwich on Ciabata

w/ Roasted Tomatoes, Spinach, Cheese and Pesto

Paired with my favorite Chai Tea Latte

Perfect! 

Dandelion Greens - New Ingredient

I have heard lots about the nutritional value in these greens so I just had to try them.  They are bitter to the taste but add a nice flavor to a salad.  I have seen quite a few recipes w/ these greens sauteed as well so I will be experimenting even more with them.

Bloody Mary Burger

My favorite Bloody Mary mix, Zing Zang, was on sale, as was lean ground sirloin....hence, this creative twist on my favorite sandwich, the all mighty burger.

Ingredients:

1 lb. Lean Ground Sirloin

2 Tbsp. Chopped Onion

1/8 C Chopped Green Spanish Olives w/ pimentos

4 Tbsp. Zing Zang Bloody Mary mix

Season with S&P and garlic powder 

Mix well and patty into 4 1/4 lb. patties

Fry em, Grill em, Broil em....however you prefer!

Top with Blue Cheese, Fresh tomato and leaf lettuce

I also made a simple vinegarette w/ Zing Zang, Red Wine Vinegar, Agave Syrup,Olive oil, S&P, Basil and Oregano.  I dressed a fresh salad of leaf lettuce and dandelion greens with the tangy vinegarette. 

Delish!!! 

French Dip Brisket Buns

Individually wrapped into little bread buns of brisket goodness, these little buns were amazing!  

Pre-heat oven @ 250 degrees.

Season with S&P, Garlic, and Cajun Seasoning. 

In the bottom of the baking dish add:

1 onion quartered

2 cloves of garlic 

1/2 bottle of dark porter beer

Lay the seasoned brisket, fat slab up, on top of the onion quarters.

Cover and bake for 4 hours.

Let cool, remove the fat slab and slice thin against the grain.

Strain the juices in the bottom of the pan and reserve for dipping purposes!

Use your favorite pizza dough.  

Here is a link to mine.

Thaw, let rise until it is coming out of the bag.

Spread it out slightly and cut into 12 pieces.

One at a time, press each piece out to the size of a small pancake. 

Pre-heat oven @ 425.

Now it's time to fill them!

Chop - sweet peppers, porcini mushrooms, onion, chives

Layer all of the toppings in the middle of each piece. 

Don't forget the sliced brisket and shredded cheese, of course.

Pull the sides of the dough over the fillings and slowly close the dough right around.  

Place the dough balls on a cookie sheet seam side down.  

Season the top with garlic salt.

Bake 13-15 mins. 

Prepare to be amazed!  

Dip and dive in! 

Enjoy!!! 

Grilled Cajun Pork Chops, Porcini Mushrooms & Sweet Peppers Stuffed with Goat Cheese and Honey

Heat up the grill!

Season the pork chops to your liking! Slit the peppers open and stuff with a mixture of goat cheese and honey! Clean porcinis!

Grill it, eat it, love it!

Paprika Chicken, Pickle and Cheese Stuffed Breadstix

I know....this sounds weird! It is weird but a great combination of flavors. I made a couple of these to bring to work for a quick, semi-healthy lunch.

The chicken was marinated in sweet Spanish paprika and S&P made into a paste with a little bit of olive oil. Pan fired, sliced thin and then layered inside strips of pizza dough with sliced dill pickles and Colby jack cheese. Bake @425 for 13 mins.

Done!

Cheesy Spaghetti Frittata

Left over spaghetti makes a perfect breakfast. Mix with your favorite breakfast meats, cheeses, and eggs. Viola!

I used eggs, S&P, a dash each of nutmeg and basil, parmesan, queso cotija and colby jack cheeses.

Breakfast is served!

Maple, Apple & Walnut Pork Tenderloin

As if one pork tenderloin wasn't enough....I tried another version!

1. Butterfly and season the pork.

2. Finely chop apples and walnuts, season with salt and a generous drizzle of grade B maple syrup. Mix together in a bowl.

3. Spread an even layer of the apple mixture on the pork.

4. Roll closed and secure with tooth picks.

5. Bake @ 350 for 1 hour. Let rest for 10 mins., slice and serve.

I don't eat many things cold, but these leftovers will be fabulous cold! Guaranteed!!!