A little me , not food...

Another project that didn't involve food. Searching for my inner artist, I decided to give painting a whirl! I can't wait to do more! I think I can use some practice! Ha!

Burger Bar 419

This is one of the best restaurants I've eaten at in a long time. Their menu is unique. Very gourmet, fun food options! I wanted to try everything but settled for:

-Roasted beef marrow bones served with a sweet onion marmalade on a crostini

-Chipoltle pickled pineapple with goat cheese on a crostini

-Roasted pear, almond and Brie wedge salad

-"Musty Have" burger - beef, grilled tomato, portobello mushrooms, balsamic glazed onions, taleggio cheese

I can't wait to go back to try more!

Merry Christmas Eve!

Hope your eating well! I sure am!!

Skinny Wing Dings

I love, love, love some hot and spicy chicken wings. I crave them on a regular basis, however I loath, loath, loath chicken skin. I pull all of the skin off of every wing, every time I eat wings. Today I got heck of a deal on some drummies and just had to make them for lunch. I decided to remove all of the skin before I cooked them. It was quite a tedious job but well worth the satisfying outcome.

Once the skin was removed, I marinated them in buffalo wing sauce for a couple hours. Baked @ 425 for 1/2 hour uncovered.

Tossed in more buffalo sauce and served with a Greek yogurt ranch dip which I made with plain Greek yogurt and dry ranch dressing mix!

Very satisfying and no skin involved!

Perfect!!

Sketti-N-Surprise Meatballs

There just simply is nothing better to eat on a cold winter day.  Bailey requested this for dinner and I didn't hesitate to oblige.  I made a simple meat tomato sauce and cheese stuffed "surprise" meatballs.  There was absolutely no calorie cutting in this one.

Sauce:

1. Saute 1/2 onion, 2 cloves garlic and 1/4 lb. ground chuck in EVOO
2. Add one large and one small can of diced tomatoes
3. Add 1/4 C chopped fresh basil, 1 T fresh oregano, 1 T dried basil, 1 T dried oregano, S&P, 1 Bay leaf
4. Simmer covered, crush tomatoes with a potato masher, and repeat for a couple hours
5. Season to taste with sugar, if too acidy, and S&P if needed

Surprise Meatballs:

1. In a mixing bowl combine 3/4 lb ground beef, 1 egg, 1/4 C Italian bread crumbs, 1/4 C fresh basil and oregano, 1/4 sauteed onions and garlic, 1/4 shredded Parmesan cheese, S& P, onion powder, garlic powder, dry basil, dry oregano
2. Find a 6 year old with perfect little meatball mixing hands
3. Roll into golf ball sized balls, flatten, place a chunk of Muenster Cheese in the middle and wrap the meat around
4. Bake in casserole dish for 1 hour @ 350 degrees
5. Remove from pan, add to tomato sauce
6. Serve over pasta and top with Parmesan cheese and fresh basil 

Bon apetit!!!

Vegitarian Nachos

I decided to clean out my random stash of beans. 

With a little help from the legume expert, Cory,

we have given it our best guess on what beans I used for these re-fried beans. 

I soaked them overnight, added 1/2 onion, 2 garlic cloves, S&P, a dash of cumin, , oregano, chili powder and cayenne pepper and boiled them for about 2 hours until soft. 

Then I pureed them in a food processor.

I also made a spice pepper salsa. 

Saute in olive oil:

 1/2 onion

2 garlic cloves minced

1/3 red and yellow pepper

After tender add in one can of drained Rotel tomatoes

Simmer down

Puree and serve warm or cold on cheese nachos with refried beans.

Pork Tenderloin, Spinach and Goat Cheese Pinwheel

This really needs very little explanation, except that it was amazing!

Saute onion, garlic and spinach in olive oil seasoned with S&P. Set aside to cool.  Butterfly a pork tenderloin.

              Layer pork with spinach and goat cheese                

Roll, hold closed w/ tooth pick, sear in EVOO

Bake 30 mins. @ 350 degrees for 30 mins. 

I served it with Confetti Risotto and Brown Butter Sauteed White Asparagus!

Confetti Risotto

I just had to name it that!  It deserves it!

Although this took some time, it was well worth it!

• Saute pan
• Olive oil, onion, garlic, red and yellow pepper......sweat it out!
• Baby bellas....saute some more
• Add rice and mix together - pick your poison - aborio is authentic, but expensive, I made this with simple white rice
• Slowly add beef or chicken broth, stir, add more broth, stir, add more broth, stir......
• Cook and add broth (or water) until the rice is creamy and cooked all of the way through
• At the end add a little bit of goat cheese and fresh parsley
• Season to taste (if needed) with S&P
 
 
So, so good!
 
Steps:
Simmer:                                                                 Simmer more:


                                               Add goat cheese and parsley:


 

Fried Kibbie and Tabbouli

To celebrate a little for successfully finishing my first semester of my BCOMP program,

 I decided to try something new...Fried Kibbie! 

They are breaded fried meat balls stuffed with more meat.....how can that not be good?!?! 

It was great!!  It was served with a yogurt sauce and Tabbouli and pita on the side. 

It made for a delicious celebration dinner!!! 

Creamed Chicken on Toast

On a bed of chopped onions, carrots, celery, garlic

all seasoned with salt, pepper, fresh sage, olive and white truffle oils

bake boneless skinless chicken thighs seasoned with S&P

for about 30 mins at 350 degrees.

(Tent with foil but don't seal the whole dish) 

Remove the chicken from the pan, scrape all of the veggies into a sauce pan. 

Get every last bit of juice and vegetables out of the pan.

Chop all of the chicken, add to the pan, sprinkle with a light dusting of flour,

mix together and cook until creamy.  (Add a little chicken broth if you need more juice)

Season with S&P and serve over toast! 

She was hungry!

I was on the phone! So she took matters into her own hands! Atta girl! She takes after me...when hungry, must eat!!!

Love!!!

Poppin Beans

Steamed edamame is a side dish choice on the kids menu at Cheddars! Way to go Cheddars! You made both Bailey and I very happy tonight!

P.S. We call edamame poppin' beans cuz you pop the beans out in you mouth! It makes total sense! :)

Fancy Beans & Saffron Rice For One

OK OK this sounds like a lot of work but really it's just two little pans of water gong and some random draining and rinsing.  You have to get all the starch out of the rice and the gassiness out of the beans.

I did a 20 minute workout while all the above was simmering.

Everything was so delicate a flavorful.  The beans and saffron rice were surprisingly good together.  Next time I wont use as many green beans.  They wanted to own the whole dish.

Pho-venture!

Saturday was foodie road trip day to a Vietnamese restaurant in Lakewood, Ohio to experience an authentic bowl full of Pho (Vietnamese beef noodle soup).   We tried the beef Pho, Chicken PhoI also got a carry entree of sauted Chiken in a sweet and spicy lemon grass sate sauce.  The food was simply amazing!

Foodies will travel for good food!

It was well worth the drive!



Chicken Fingers with Honey Mustard

A quick healthy take on a kid favorite! Bailey made the honey mustard while I cooked the chicken fingers!

-Honey Mustard Sauce-
1. Honey
2. Mustard
3. Mayo

-Chicken Fingers-
1. Boneless Skinless Chicken Breast - cut into strips and seasoned with S&P
2. Coat w/ Panko
3. Fry in pan with a little oil oil

Bon a petit!

Mozzarella, Chicken and Shroom Flatbread

This was my quick school night meal of the week!

•Whole Wheat Pita
•Sliced Fresh Mozzarella
Baked @ 350 for 15 mins while cooking the toppings

•Olive Oil
•Onion
•Garlic
•Grape Tomatoes
•Baby Bellas
•Chicken
•S&P
Sauté and place on top of piping hot melted Mozzerella Pita.

Brain boosting foods at their best!! =)

Goat Cheese and Avocado Crackers

Snack!

1. Triscuit
2. Goat Cheese
3. Avocado smashed w/ S&P
4. Tomato
5. Cilantro

Yummmm!

Goat Cheese Vinegarette w/ Sumac

Craving some bold flavors, due to diminished taste buds, due to a stuffy nose, I whipped up one hell of a bold dressing for a some-what simple salad!

::DRESSING::

-Rice Wine Vinegar
-Crumbled Goat Cheese
-Olive Oil
-Sumac
-Garlic Salt
-Black Pepper
-Agave Syrup

Whisk it all together and prepare for boldness!!

My salad was simply red leaf lettuce, chicken, green onions, carrot, tomato, avocado and fresh parsley!

Monday Dec 12th 10 pm.

Diners, Drive-Ins & Dives in Detroit w/ Kid Rock! Do it!

Baked Brie and Apples

This has got to be the easiest, most delicious appetizer! Bake a Brie wheel until warm and melted inside, about 15-20 mins, serve with sliced apples and crackers. We ate every last price if the wheel, rind and all! Amazing!!!

Oh how I have missed you.....

P E T S = L O V E

Yep.  I fried a slice of bacon and an egg in with my boxer, Ellis', dog food.

Christmas Wreath

I don't spend all of my time in the kitchen. I like to do projects too! This is one!

Mediterranean Chicken Pizza

Light, healthy and fabulous!!

It's as easy as 123...and 4!

1. Marinade a chicken breast in banana pepper juice for a couple hours, chop, sauté w/ olive oil, onion, garlic and S&P

2. Brush a prepared pizza crust with olive oil and sprinkle with garlic salt, sautéed chicken and mozzarella cheese (I would have used feta if I had it)

3. Bake for 10-15 min depending on crust instructions

4. Top with homemade Tabouli

Enjoy!!!

Banana Pepper Juice Marinade

I know....this sounds weird, but it really works! Boneless Chicken breasts marinated in banana pepper juice for a couple hours was delish! I chopped it up and sautéed it for a Mediterranean pizza I will be posting next! YUM!!!