Belated Valentine's Wishes

HELLO!! It's been an excruciating week with lots of school work! So, it's been a while and I didn't have the opportunity to stop and say HAPPY VALENTINE'S DAY! We didn't do much for Valentine's day, sat back, played some Little Big Planet 2, and had a few drinks. Which leads me to my current post, I have a new love -- sadly Steven has been shoved aside -- Beringer, I love you! We placed the bottle of Beringer in the fridge and I have now started to add one ice cube which lightens the taste and makes it crisper and cleaner (for me at least). MMmmmM...it is the most delicious wine I have tasted thus far & what makes me happiest...it's super inexpensive! Hope everyone else had a wonderful Valentine's involving great food/drink!

Our next post will be about the pizzas I promised last post.

In Texas, as I would hope the cost would average around the same price, we can pick a bottle up for about $5-$6

Happy (Belated) Valentine's Day!

"Crazy Bread"

We love the "Crazy Bread" from the pizza company Little Caesars! However, we prefer homemade pizzas more than any franchise's pizza. So, we decided to try our own "Crazy Bread"! The "Crazy Bread" didn't taste exactly like theirs, but I don't have their secret recipe, so we winged it --AND -- these bread-sticks turned out delicious! I will follow with two posts about our homemade pizzas we had with the scrumptious "Crazy Bread"! 

"Crazy Bread" : 

Homemade pizza dough / packaged pizza dough that still needs preparation

4 T Butter

2 T Garlic powder

1/2 t Salt

Parmesan powder cheese

- Heat oven to 425

- Prepare a baking sheet with parchment paper

- Melt the butter -- add the garlic powder & salt to butter, and mix thoroughly

- Roll your pizza dough into a rectangle

- Use a pizza cutter to slice the dough into 1 inch strips & the length of your choice

- Place the dough strips onto the baking sheet

- Stir the butter mixture -- brush the butter mixture onto the dough strips

- Place in the oven and bake 8-10 minutes -- until light golden brown -- remove from oven

- Once you have removed them from the oven -- sprinkle with the Parmesan powder cheese

- Let the "Crazy Bread" cool & enjoy

VOILA!

Simple "Crazy Bread"

Versatile Meatballs : Spaghetti & Meatballs

As promised, the recipe for the tomato sauce the meatballs are in. I love these spaghetti & meatballs! They remind me of when I was a child spending time at my grandmother's, she would spend an entire day making spaghetti & meatballs, then after a delicious dinner, she would freeze quart-size bags and then we could have spaghetti & meatballs whenever we wanted! 

Versatile Meatballs - Spaghetti & Meatballs : 

2- 28oz Can tomato sauce

1 Large Tomato (once chopped roughly 3 C) or 28 oz Can diced tomatoes

1- 6 oz Can tomato Paste

1 Bell pepper

1 Yellow onion

1 t Garlic powder

Salt

Black pepper

- In a large pot, combine tomato sauce, diced tomatoes, & tomato paste

- Finely chop bell pepper & onion -- add to pot

- Add garlic powder & stir -- Turn the heat onto medium-high & cover

- After 15 min, stir, add meatballs & salt & pepper to taste -- stir & cover

- After 15 min, taste the sauce, adjust seasonings if needed, if the sauce is too thick, add 1/2 C water & stir

- Let the sauce cook for another 30 minutes on medium -- Check at 15 min intervals

- Serve over pasta

VOILA!

Simple Spaghetti & Meatballs!

Versatile Meatballs : Meatball Subs

To follow up our versatile meatball post (because I promised I would) I want to show you how we incorporate them into other tasty meals! One of the meals we used our meatballs for was meatball subs. 

(My next post will include a recipe for spaghetti sauce)

Super easy & super delicious!

Versatile Meatball Sub : 

1 Mini baguette

2 Meatballs in spaghetti sauce

1 C onion (sliced)

2 T Olive oil

Sea Salt

Freshly ground black pepper

- Cut the baguette in half lengthwise & then cut the height in half to resemble the picture above

- Toast the bun in the oven @ 350 for 10 min -- if you like yours crispier like I do, turn the broiler on for 1-2 minutes as well -- watch carefully if you turn the broiler on so the bun doesn't burn!

- When bun is done, take out to cool

- Heat a skillet with olive oil on medium heat -- when oil is heated add onion and salt & pepper to taste

- Saute onions until they are soft

- Take your 2 meatballs and slice in half

- Place bun on plate, place the half meatballs on bun, top with onion!

** You can always saute a bit of thinly sliced bell pepper with the onion -- we just didn't have any in the house **

VOILA!

Simple Versatile Meatball Subs!

Versatile Meatballs

When we eat out I never order a meatball sub, spaghetti & meatballs, or meatloaf. Why?? Because I am very very particular about the taste of the meat. However, I do have a recipe from my grams that takes care of all the cravings I could have for these foods! Luckily, Steven likes the recipe too, even though when we were first dating and he discovered what I put into the meat -- he swore it was not going to be good, but agreed to try them. Some of his favorite foods are now made with these versatile meatballs! I will be updating with the two variations of meals you can make with these meatballs!

Versatile Meatballs :

1 lb Ground meat (beef / turkey)

1 Egg

3/4 C Fine Breadcrumbs (unseasoned)

1/4 C Bell Pepper (finely chopped & strained very well)

1/4 C Onion (finely chopped & strained very well)

1/2 t Salt

1 T Ground black pepper

- Preheat oven to 400

- Prepare a large baking sheet with foil & spay with cooking oil

- Combine all ingredients in a large bowl and mix well with hands -- Make sure all ingredients are incorporated into the meat

- Separate meat and roll into small balls about 1 inch wide -- Place on baking sheet

- Bake for 15-20 minutes (depending on the exact size of your meat balls -- check at 15, if they are cooked through remove from oven)

- Remove from oven and set aside to cool

** Make sure to strain the bell pepper & onion well -- or the liquid will ruin the consistency of the meatballs **

VOILA!

Simple Versatile Meatballs!

Tasty Veggies

Lately I have been wanting to try zucchini, squash, & eggplant. However, I couldn't figure out the best way to try them either independently or together. Over the past weekend I just figured I would cook them all together with flavors I love...and...they were DELICIOUS!

Tasty Veggies : 

1 Zucchini (sliced and quartered)

1 Yellow squash (sliced and quartered)

1 Japanese eggplant (sliced and quartered)

1/4 C Onion strips

1/3 C Red bell pepper strips

2 Garlic cloves -- minced

1 T Olive oil

Salt

Pepper

- In a large skillet heat oil on medium-high

- When oil is heated add onion & garlic -- cook until onion is caramalized

- Add zucchini, yellow squash, & bell pepper -- Stir

- Add salt & pepper to taste

 - Add eggplant when yellow squash begins to get tender

- Cook for an additional 2 minutes

- Place in serving dish

 VOILA!

Tasty Veggies

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Everything borrowed from wholefoodsmarket blog : http://www.wholefoodsmarket.com/


 

Super Salad & Apologies

Sorry, my husband was working on my computer this week -- so I haven't been able to upload pics as normal, so the posts on the new blog have been lacking. Again, my apologies. Now, salad.

 We made the most delicious salad at my parents the other night! However, it was a bit of a salad bar because not everyone wanted everything on it. So we had a base bowl of salad that everyone was going to eat, and little bowls of extra deliciousness. The first picture is the shared salad bowl; the second picture (which I wish I had taken in the same lighting) is the finished salad.

Super Salad : 

Romaine Lettuce (however much lettuce you prefer in your salad)

1 Cucumber

1 Roma tomato

1 Small purple onion

1 Peeled Carrot

1 C Bean sprouts

Lemon

Sea salt

Freshly ground black pepper

Medium bowl with water 

- Thinly slice 1/2 the onion & place into water bowl for at least 15 minutes (so the smell won't overcome the rest of the salad) 

- Wash all veggies

- Chop the lettuce into bite size pieces & place in a large bowl

- Remove onion from water bowl & pat dry -- place in large bowl

- Peel cucumber, dice & place in large bowl

- Dice tomato & place in large bowl

- Use the peeler & peel the carrot to get light shreds into the large bowl (I like them better than julienned carrots)

- Sprinkle the bean sprouts into the bowl 

- Zest about a 1/2-1 t lemon over the salad bowl (make sure not to zest down to the white rind, it's bittter)

- Sprinkle salt & pepper to taste over salad

VOILA!

Super Salad 

Grams' Snack

Growing up I spent a lot of time at my grandma's. During all of this time I ate many many of her meals & lots of snacks. One of my favorite snacks growing up took her just minutes to prepare, was healthy, & super delicious. Now I make it for our after dinner dessert & my husband loves it too! He doesn't like coconut, so I just leave it out of the dish. I know, oranges don't seem like a dessert, but with sweetened coconut & sweet, juicy cherries it is a sweet treat!

Grams' Snack:

Orange slices

Sweetened coconut

Maraschino cherries

- Place the orange slices in the bowl

- Sprinkle as much coconut as you like

- Top with however many cherries you desire

(So it's almost not a recipe, but it is do delicious -- I wanted to share with everyone to enjoy!)

VOILA!

Simple Healthy Dessert!

Chicken Chow Mein

Before I met my husband, I never ate any type of Asian foods at all -- ever! Now I am quite obsessed with trying new Asian recipes. One of our favorite dishes is our chicken chow mein! (adapted from Chinese Food Made Easy) The ingredient list & recipe look long, but all it amounts to is simple prep work & quick cooking. An especially important ingredient in chow mein, is the right type of noodles, we usually head to our Asian grocer and pick up some of the wheat flour noodles. 

Chicken Chow Mein :

7 oz Noodles (If you have a package like this, 1/2 the package)
Sesame oil

11 oz Boneless-skinless chicken breast (trimmed & sliced into strips)

Less sodium/light soy sauce

 1/2 t Garlic sea salt

Juice of 1/2 lime

2 T Chile garlic sauce (found in the Asian section of the grocery store/at Asian grocer)

1 T Corn starch

Peanut Oil

1/2 Red bell pepper (sliced in 1 inch strips)

1-2 C Bean Sprouts (depending on how much you like bean sprouts -- we adore them)

4 Green onions (slice the green section into the same size strips as the bell pepper & dice the white part)

Fresh ground black pepper

4 Garlic cloves minced

1 C shredded carrots

Noodles :

- Boil noodles until al dente -- drain
- Rinse with cold water to stop the noodles from cooking
- Drizzle the noodles well sesame oil to prevent sticking

Chicken :

- Season chicken with 4 T soy sauce, garlic salt, chile sauce, & lime juice -- mix

- Once chicken is mixed, add cornstarch and coat

- Heat wok at medium-high - add 1 T peanut oil

- When oil is heated add chicken and cook until chicken is done

Vegetables:
- After the last step (cooking the chicken in the wok) start adding the vegetables step-by-step

- Add bell pepper, garlic -- stir -- then drizzle with soy sauce to taste -- add black pepper to taste -- cook until bell pepper starts to soften

- Then add bean sprouts, the green onion strips (green section) & carrots - stir - then drizzle with soy sauce to taste - add black pepper to taste - cook for about 30 seconds

- Finally add noodles - then drizzle with soy sauce to taste - add black pepper to taste - stir - cook for about 1 minute

- Plate in serving bowl and top with diced green onions (white section)

Notes :

 *If you notice the ingredients in the wok drying out at any time, just add sesame oil/peanut oil -- whichever your favorite is

*With the last few steps just add a bit of soy sauce and black pepper at a time -- you can always add those to your bowl -- but it is very important to add them with each additional layer of ingredients to the wok for good flavor

VOILA!

Simple Chow Mein!

Alfredo Sauce

We love Alfredo sauce, the creamy texture, the bold, yet gentle flavors...mmmm. However, years ago we use to just pop a jar of store-bought Alfredo sauce & be content with what I now consider mediocre goo all over our pasta. But then I decided to take on one of my favorite tasks -- compiling recipes, editing & creating our own. As it often is in our house, we want to make something neither one of us have a clue about, so I usually read 10-15 recipes (to figure out what is in the food we love) & then edit to our tastes to create our own simple recipe. So after some work, we have finally created the perfect simple Alfredo sauce!

Alfredo Sauce :

1/2 C cream cheese

1/2 C mascarpone cheese

1/2 C freshly grated parmesean

1/2 C butter

1 1/2 C milk

6 cloves of garlic (minced)

2 T freshly grated pepper

1 t of garlic sea salt

5 T dried parsley

- Let all cheeses, butter, & milk come to room temperature

- Blend everything -- except parsley -- until there are no clumps

- Pour into a saucepan & cook on medium-high heat for 10 min -- while stirring 

- When simmering -- add parsley & finish simmering on low

VOILA!

Simple Shrimp Alfredo!

New Year - New Food - New Blog

Happy New Year!! We kicked off the new year with some good friends & good food cooked in a new way (for us)! So we decided a new blog dedicated to food would be best. After hours in the kitchen, a screwdriver, and a worm, we were all able to enjoy a delicious seafood medley.

Cleaning the oysters - so fresh that they had living barnacles, worms, & crabs

Shucking the oysters - yes - with a screwdriver - for raw oyster eating
(And yes, they were too impatient & ate as they cracked them open...)

Meanwhile we worked on preparation for the oysters rockerfeller

We used this recipe:
http://www.food.com/recipe/oysters-rockefeller-193513
(except we all thought maybe a little less spinach in the rockefeller mixture / perhaps only 1 cup)
Unfortunately time slipped away from me & I realized I failed to get a picture of the oysters rockefeller, although there is a small picture in someone's bowl further down

Lobster time!

We threw the lobsters in a boiling pot with  1 container of seafood boil, 15 red potatoes, 3 onions &
3 garlic bulbs for 6 minutes/batch - let the lobsters cool - then cut them in half & cleaned out the juicy bits

Then we put the batches of crabs on the grill for ten minutes while basting

Basting Sauce Recipe:
1/2 C of Butter
Juice of 1 Lemon
4-5 Garlic Cloves
1 T of Seafood Seasoning

After all of this was cooked we sauteed some shrimp with the basting sauce recipe and a little lemon pepper and threw the crabs & corn into the boil
VOILA!

 The small pic of oysters rockefeller is at the top of the bowl

Pure Food Happiness!