Fall Fruit Salad

Fruit salad is a must have at most pot lucks, and after you have tasted one, you've tasted most.  They can get kind of boring unless you spice it up with something fun.  This fruit salad would be great at Thanksgiving or Christmas dinner.

To serve 6, I used:

2 Honeycrisp Apples, diced

2 pears, diced

3 Clementine oranges, their slices cut into small pieces

1 mango, diced

1 pomegranate, just the seeds 

sliced almonds for the top

Dressing:

Zest and juice of a lemon

2 tbs honey

Whisk together the honey and lemon in a bowl and toss with the salad to coat, then top with the almonds.  If you don't have access to fresh pomegranate, you could use Craisins instead (some stores have a pomegranate flavor).

Artisan Garlic Bread

I stumbled upon a recipe that looked easy enough for bread (I HATE baking).  It was so simple sounding that I was almost embarrassed to try it, haha.  So, I had to spice it up a little, literally.  This is the recipe I came up with over a year ago, and we have it at least once a week at my house.  It is now a favorite at our family dinners and get-togethers, and I get requests for it often.

Ingredients:
1 packet of active dry yeast
1 1/2 cups of very warm water
2 tbs of Kosher salt
3 cups + 4 tbs all purpose flour flour
3 cloves of pressed garlic.
1 tbs Wildtree Lemon Rosemary Blend (You can also use 1 tsp dried rosemary, 1 tsp fresh ground pepper, and 1 tsp dried Greek oregano instead).

In a large mixing bowl (I used my Kitchen Aid with a dough hook attachment), add the yeast, warm water and salt and mix together.  The mixture should be murky brown and slightly foamy.  Add the garlic and spices of your choosing and mix well.  Add the flour and mix.  A few times you will need to pull the dough off of the hook and re-mix.  Be careful not to over-knead.

Split the dough in half and knead each piece with your hands.  On a greased surface (a large baking sheet will do), roll each piece into a ball and cover with saran wrap.  I always pierce the wrap in one spot so the gasses can escape, then I cover it with a hand towel.  Make sure to set the dough in a warm place so it can rise.  Let it rise for 1 hour, then punch the dough down, re shape, and sprinkle flour on it.  This will create a "gluten crust".  Using a sharp razor blade or knife, cut two slices across the top of each loaf (you can also do an "x" or cross hatch). Let the dough rise for another hour.  By this time it should have almost doubled in size.

If you think you don't have a warm enough place in your house, it's okay to turn your oven onto warm (170 degrees) and put the dough in the oven to rise.  Follow the directions above, but don't cover the bread, and cut the rise time in half.  When it's done rising you will have to remove the dough from the oven while it is preheating to bake.  I have to do this in the winter time because my house is too cold.

***Preheat oven to 400***

In a small container, add one cup of water and put it in the oven  This will create steam which will make the outside of the bread very crunchy while the inside stays soft.  Bake the bread for 30 minutes.

Let your bread cool before serving.  Warm bread is amazing, but the texture gets fluffier as it cools.  We ate one entire loaf in one night.  We had it with salad and herbed garlic butter.  Holy crap it was good.

Variations I have tried and loved:

Jalapeno Cheddar Bread: Omit the spices and add 2 tbs chopped jalapeno.  When the bread is baking, sprinkle cheddar cheese on top.

Sun Dried Tomato and Olive Bread: Omit the spices.  Add 2 tbs of Kalamata olive tapenade and 1 tbs chopped sun dried tomatoes.

Greek Bread:  Omit the spices.  Add 1 tsp dried dill, 1 tsp dried oregano, 3 tbs grated cucumber (seeded and most of the moisture squeezed out), 1 tbs Greek yogurt, 3 tbs crumbled feta cheese.

Twice Baked "Potatoes" with Feta

I have been seeing this idea floating around on Pinterest: the Cauliflower Potatoes.  Ever since I saw it, I have wanted to try it... glad I did.  It's pretty great.

I made this recipe (my own recipe) and served it for dinner with pork chops and brussel sprouts.  Kevin ate his "potatoes" and I asked him if he liked them.  He said yes, that they tasted like they always do.  I asked if he noticed anything different about them.  He looked at me weird, thought for a minute, and then said this time they're different because they're smoother and don't have skins in it still.  HA!  I WIN!!!

I told him it was cauliflower and he didn't believe me at first.  After convincing him, he laughed and said they were pretty good.  I can't wait to try it out on my step son: he hated potatoes forever but has recently started "loving" them.  I want to see if he can tell the difference.  If any followers try this out, let me know what your family thinks.  I want to see how many potato lovers are shocked to hear how they were tricked:-)

I used one whole head of cauliflower.  I chopped it into small pieces and boiled it in salted water- just like I would do with potatoes (I also threw in three or four cloves of garlic into the water).  After the cauliflower was soft, I drained it and put it in my food processor and blended it until it was completely smooth.  They first time I tested it, I thought it was still too "grainy", so I processed for longer to get it to feel more like potatoes.

I transferred the "potatoes" to my mixer, because I wanted the recipe to be fluffy- a consistency that is hard to get with a food processor blade.  I added 3 tbs of butter, 2 tbs milk (I had purchased a gallon of raw cow's milk from a farm that morning... SO worth it!), three chopped green onions, some chopped fresh parsley, and salt and pepper.  I added some dried dill for good measure.

I folded in about 1/4 cup crumbled feta cheese, then transferred the mixture to a small casserole dish.  I broiled it on low for about 10 minutes, just until the top was browned.

When I tried it, it practically melted in my mouth.  The texture was perfect!  This recipe is my own, but I owe some credit to whoever thought of this trick!  Whoever you are, you are a genius!

Vegan Cabbage Rolls with Thai Peanut Sauce

I haven't posted in a long time- apologies. I was busy having a baby♡ We were surprised to have another boy! That makes #3... which means Dad and the boys share a bathroom and Queen Mama gets her own:-) Score!

On to more good news... since I have so much time off of work, I have been trying some new recipes and I've been having a blast! Tonight I decided to make stuffed cabbage leaves. I was craving Dolmas: a traditional Greek dish (grape leaves stuffed with a dirty rice and a lemon sauce), but grape leaves are hard to come by here in this small town. I had some coconut milk and cabbage, so I decided to do a Thai meal instead.   I served this with salmon, but next time I'm going to make this the main course- they're very filling.

Luckily, the cabbage dish was super yummy. Easy too, and healthy. It was pretty inexpensive- and even more so since I used what I had in my kitchen;-) It would be easy to add or substitute ingredients.

This is what I used:

1 head of green cabbage (I didn't use the whole thing, just the big leaves- two leaves per roll)
3 cups cooked rice (I like Jasmine rice)
2 carrots, peeled and sliced julienne
1 bell pepper, sliced finely (I used red)
1 onion, sliced
1 head broccoli, chopped
3 sticks celery, chopped
1 can coconut milk
4 tbs peanut butter (I used natural smooth, but chunky would work)
1 tbs soy sauce
Juice of one large orange
1 tbs dried ginger (you can sub fresh ginger... I would have but I didn't have any on hand)
2 tbs curry paste (you can sub curry powder instead, but I like the flavor of the peppers and lemongrass)

(I would have LOVED bean sprouts, water chestnuts, mushrooms, and snap peas, but I didn't have any at my house and grocery shopping was out of the question;-) Something spicy, like jalapeno, would have paired well, but kids were eating this too so I left it out.)

Cook the rice according to the directions and set aside.

In a large bowl, combine all of the veggies. Add the rice and mix well.

In a separate bowl, combine coconut milk,  peanut butter, soy sauce, orange juice, curry powder, and ginger and whisk together well.

Add 1 cup of the peanut sauce to the rice mixture and stir well.

Peel apart the cabbage until you have about 16 large leaves. Rinse them well in water. Spoon the mixture into the leaves and roll up tightly, the roll in another leaf (each roll will have two leaves). Arrange them in a casserole dish, like you would enchiladas.

Close up after baking.  The leaves should start to brown, but not burn.

Pour the remaining peanut sauce over the rolls. Bake at 400 for about 25-35 minutes.

If you aren't into vegan, you could add cooked chicken to the stuffing. Shrimp or tofu would also be yummy.  The vegan version is the perfect "meatless Monday" dish.

Fruit Salad with Healthy Dressing

I used to make this all the time at Allyson's.  I miss that place so much.

Anyway... these are pretty basic guidelines for a typical fruit salad with a yummier dressing than marshmallow stuff or whipped cream.

Mix together:
1 cup strawberries
2 bananas
1 cup blueberries (NE Oregon: use huckleberries.  Western Oregon, use blackberries!)
1 tart apple, cut into cubes
1/2 cup sliced or slivered almonds

In a small bowl, mix a Fage Greek Yogurt with Honey (you know, the little personal ones) and a teaspoon of cinnamon.  I like to use the 2% yogurt but Fage also makes a 0% milkfat kind.

Drizzle the dressing on the fruit salad and toss together.  It is sweet just like whip cream, but the cinnamon makes it just a little different.  Plus, the yogurt has tons of protein and less processed sugar than whipped cream or Cool Whip.

You can keep this salad in the fridge for a day but you will need to drain excess juices off before serving.

Quick Mexican Dip

Perfect for parties, potlucks, and dinners.  Inexpensive and easy to make, plus it's very easy to half or double or triple this recipe!  Everyone loves it and it's very non traditional (who else is getting tired of cheeseballs?)  I actually got the idea from someone who made Jalapeno Popper Dip and brought it to work.  It was good, but I wanted a little bit more from it.

This is what you'll need:

3 8oz packages of cream cheese
1 cup sour cream or Mexican Crema
1 cup grated cheddar cheese
2 small cans diced green chiles
2 small cans jalapeno peppers (or about 4-7 fresh jalapeno peppers, finely diced, without seeds)
2 tbs taco seasoning (or 1 tbs cumin, 1 tbs chile powder)
1 tbs dried cilantro
3 diced green onions

Mix all ingredients together and bake on 375 for about 40 minutes, or until bubbly.  Serve with tortilla chips, crackers, or bread.

Pomegranate Cranberry Sauce

This is PROBABLY my last post of the night.  We will see...

1 whole fresh pomegranate
4 cups fresh cranberries
Juice and zest of one sweet orange*
1 1/2- 2 cups brown sugar (depending on how sweet you want)

1 bay leaf (whole)

1 tsp vanilla bean paste or vanilla extract

Heat the cranberries, orange juice and zest, and the pomegranate seeds until the popping stops.  Add the remaining ingredients and simmer for about twenty minutes.  Make sure to take the bay leaf out when you're done cooking;-)

This recipe is great for the kids... no alcohol and no strong flavors, so they like it.

*Be very careful when zesting an orange.  It can be dangerous.  I made directions on how to properly zest an orange here. 

And of course, whenever you use the peel of any fruit or vegetable, make sure it is washed and rinsed very well.

Busy Mama Recipes

Peach and Balsamic Cranberry Sauce

A sweeter version or my previous posts, this one is my Grandma's favorite.  

1 peach, peeled and diced
4 cups of fresh cranberries
1 cup Chardonnay or peach juice
1 1/2- 2 cups light brown sugar (depending on how sweet you want)
2 tbs balsamic vinegar
1 tsp ground cinnamon 
1 tsp vanilla bean paste or vanilla extract

Heat the cranberries and peaches in the Chardonnay until the popping stops.  Add the remaining ingredients.  Simmer for twenty minutes.  Take off the heat and serve warm or cold with your holiday dinner. 

Will, of course, pair well with Chardonnay

Sweet & Spicy Cranberry Sauce with Mango, Cilantro, and Goat Cheese

This is a different take on the traditional cranberry sauce.  Instead of being sweet, it is more savory with sweet and tart notes.  The goat cheese pairs well with the mango and cilantro.  The onion brings out the flavors and the celery adds some texture.  Because it's baked with the cheese on top, it makes for a beautiful side dish to the holiday dinner table.

4 cups of fresh cranberries
2 tbs butter
1/2 white onion, chopped
1 celery stalk, finely chopped
Juice and zest of two limes
1 1/2- 3 cups sugar (depending on how sweet you want)
1 mango, peeled and chopped
2 tbs dried cilantro
1 jalapeno, seeded and minced with the membrane removed
4 tbs crumbled goat cheese

Preheat the oven to 350.  

In a saucepan, saute the onion and celery in the butter.  Add the wine and cranberries.  When heated (you'll know because the "popping" will stop), add the remaining ingredients, except for the goat cheese.  Let it simmer to thicken for a few minutes.  

Remove from heat.  Pour into a small casserole dish and crumble the goat cheese on top.  Bake in the over for 15 minutes or until the cheese is bubbly.

Mashed Potato with Feta Cheese and Parsley

Mashed potatoes, or potatoes of some sort a usually a staple at the holiday dinner table.  I have many, many different recipes for mashed potatoes, so I'm going to share one of my favorites (also, it was a special request from my cousin, Tracy<3).  It is sort of like a twice baked potato recipe, but is much faster and easier than stuffing potato skins.  One of the reasons I love this recipe is because it pairs well with any protein- chicken, fish, beef, lamb, or pork.  Also, you don't need any gravy for them, they are delicious they way they are.

To start, you'll need:

7-9 large russet potatoes (or the equivalent weight of a different variety or a mix... it's up to you!  The last time I made this I used red potatoes because the boys like the skins)

4 cloves of garlic, peeled

1/2 a yellow or white onion, chopped very finely

1/2 bunch of fresh parsley, leaves only, chopped finely

1 stick of butter

8 oz cream cheese, yogurt, or sour cream

1 1/4 cup +/- of milk or half & half

1 1/2 cups feta cheese, crumbled (Or substitute a mix of bleu cheese and white cheddar)

Black or cayenne pepper to taste

First, wash the potatoes very well and rinse thoroughly with water.  I always wash mine because I leave the peel on (it's healthy and adds flavor).  Cut into cubes and place in a large pot of cold water with the garlic (no need to press the garlic, just add it in whole).  Bring the water to a boil.  You may add a little salt or oil to the water to prevent it from foaming over.  Use a fork to test a peice of potato, and drain when they are done.  They shouldn't be firm anymore.

Preheat oven to 365.

In a saucepan, melt the butter and add the onion to it.  Cook on medium for a few minutes, stirring constantly and adjusting the heat to prevent burning.  Add the milk or cream, and when heated add 3/4 cup of the feta or white cheddar and heat.  Once heated thoroughly, remove from heat and set aside.

In a large bowl, use an electric mixer to whip the potatoes and garlic.  Add the milk mixture and whip.  Using a wooden spoon, stir in the parsley and pepper.  The mixture should be light, which is good because it can be very rich depending on the cheese you use.

Spread into a 9x13 inch casserole dish with at least one inch sides (You can grease the pan with butter if you'd like.  Crumble the remaining feta (or bleu cheese) on top.  Bake for 30 minutes and serve hot.

I also like to use a mix of paremsan and white cheddar cheese if the people I am serving are not fans of feta or bleu cheese.

WINE PAIRING:

If using bleu cheese, I would suggest a Cabernet Sauvignon.  Sometimes, bleu cheese can overpower a light, fluffy wine, so it's better to use a more bold wine.  If you are a fan and have the right food pairing with this recipe, a strong Port would be good, too.

If using feta, of course there is he obvious- Retsina or Ouzo.  But, for Americans like me who don't like either one of those (I can't stand either very much), then a good Charddonay would be good if looking for a dry wine.  Pinot Gris of Sauvignon Blanc would also pair well because of the stronger garlic flavor.

If you use cheddar, Cab Sauv works well (and especially if using a mix of bleu cheese and white cheddar).  If you are like me and can't get enough of it... Merlot won't hurt:-)  

Ginger Pear Cranberry Sauce with Cinnamon

I am SO in the holiday mood.  I love thanksgiving because I love cooking for everyone.  A couple of years ago, I made like four different kinds of cranberry sauce (well, my little sister helped).  They were all to die for, so this is one of my favorites.

This is what you'll need:

1 pear, peeled and diced
1/2 celery stalk, finely chopped
4 cups of fresh cranberries
1 cup Chardonnay, apple juice, or water
1 1/2- 2 cups light brown sugar (depending on how sweet you want)
2 tbs candied ginger, chopped
1/8 tsp ground nutmeg
1 tsp ground cinnamon 
1 tsp vanilla bean paste or vanilla OPTIONAL (The cranberries and ginger can be pretty heavy and tart; vanilla can make it lighter and more mild, especially for kids.  I don't put vanilla in this particular recipe, although I do when I make pomegranate and cherry sauce.  It's up to you.)

Bring the pear, celery, cranberries, ginger, and Chardonnay to a boil, then add the remaining ingredients while stirring constantly to avoid sticking.

Turn the heat down to medium/low and simmer, uncovered for about 20 minutes or until the sauce thickens and the cranberries are done "popping".

Mmm... you will be able to smell the ginger and cinnamon cooking.  That's the best part:-)

This sauce will be very thick and chunky, not a jelly consistency like the canned kind. 

Serve warm or cold with your Thanksgiving Dinner.  The sauce will save for 10 days in the fridge so it can be eaten with leftovers:-)  

Chicken Tarragon Salad

I used to make a version of this at the cafe I worked at in Bend.  Unfortunately, that place has closed it's doors permanently:-(  I try to keep the memories alive by making the food often.  Problem is... I have to do them from memory, because I wrote very few down.  I was skeptical of this one, as I'm not a huge fan of fruit and meat together, but I was proved wrong.  This was one of our customer's favorites for lunch time:

Ingredients
4 cups chicken, cooked and chopped (I used pulled chicken, a mix of dark and white meat)
3 tbs mayonnaise
1 tbs spicy Dijon mustard
2 tbs apple cider vinegar
1/2 red onion, finely chopped
1 carrot, peeled and sliced julienne
2 celery sticks, chopped
1 cup red seedless grapes, halved (or quartered, depending on how big you want them)
1/2 bunch fresh tarragon, leaves only, chopped
1 tsp paprika
salt and pepper to taste

Directions
Combine all ingredients in bowl.  Serve on wraps or pita bread with lettuce and tomato.

*** This is a pretty "dry" recipe.  If you want the chicken salad more moist, you can add more mayo and Dijon.

**** Idea: sub craisins for grapes.  The salad will have that tartness and it will last longer for leftovers.  Thanks Deb:-)

Seafood Stuffed Jalapeno Peppers with Bacon

I made these with my grandma the other night.  They were delicious, I can't wait to have them again.  I was afraid they would be too spicy, but as long as you get all of the seeds and the pulp out of the pepper, they will be fairly mild.  My two year old ate them with no problem.  (However, the filling will be very hot so make sure they have time to cool down.

My grandma bought the jalapenos at the farmer's market here in town, so they were BIG.  I liked them that way, it made them easier to stuff so it went a lot faster.

Make sure that you wear gloves when you handle this many hot peppers.  Be careful not to rub your eyes or touch sensitive skin with juice on your hands.  I learned my lesson the hard way- touched Stewie's face once (years ago) after handling hot peppers, I burned his eye:-(  I felt so bad.  I always wear gloves now, even if I think I can handle it.

Stuffed Jalapenos


12-15 large jalapeno peppers
1 8oz package cream cheese
1 bunch green onions
1/2 bunch cilantro, leaves only, chopped
2 cloves garlic
1 8oz package crab meat or imitation crab meat
Juice and zest of 1 lemon or lime
1 tsp salt
1 tbs pepper
12-15 strips bacon, raw


Cut all jalapenos in half lengthwise and remove all seeds and pulp, rinse with water if necessary.


Preheat oven to 350.


Combine all other ingredients (except bacon) in a bowl and mix until uniform in texture.  Spoon mixture into jalapenos halves, replacing the other halves on top of the stuffing so the pepper sticks back together.  It is okay if the peppers are "overflowing" or if the cream cheese is coming out of the sides.  


Wrap each pepper in bacon from bottom to top.  You can hold in place with toothpicks if needed.  The bacon should hold in any cheese mixture that is falling out.


Bake for 20-30 minutes or until the bacon is fully cooked.  Let cool before serving, the inside with be extremely hot.


**Next time I make these, I am going to replace the cream cheese with bleu cheese crumbles and cheddar cheese.  Kevin also wants to try it with a smoked cheese.  I'll let you know when I try it;-)

Tomato Basil Soup - with Variations for Tomato Roasted Red Pepper or Tomato Florentine Soup

Tomato soup is one of my favorites because you can do so much with it.  You can add almost anything to it, and it wouldn't taste bad.  You could make it any style- Mexican, Italian, Greek, vegan, whatever- and it would make a great main dish, or a yummy side.  Plus, it's very inexpensive to make and goes a long way.  When I make it I usually make a double batch and freeze some for later.


The recipe below is for a creamy tomato basil soup, and below are a list of variations of the recipe and how to make them.  

Busy Mama Recipes


Creamy Tomato Basil Soup


2 quarts canned, peeled tomatoes, whole or diced (You could substitute fresh tomatoes if they're in season)
2 carrots, peeled and diced
2 celery sticks, diced
1 large white onion, diced
3-5 cloves garlic, minced
2 tbs oil (I ove Wildtree's Basil Pesto Grapeseed Oil, but olive oil or any other oil will work)
1-2 quarts stock (I like to use vegetable stock, but chicken stock works too.  The amount of stock you use depends on how thick or thin you want your soup)
1 bunch basil, leaves only,  cut into chiffonade ribbons
1 tsp dried thyme
1 tbs dried parsley
2 tbs lemon juice
1/2 cup dry red wine (optional)
3/4 cup heavy cream (optional)
salt and pepper to taste


Preheat oven to 400.  

OPTIONAL: On one baking sheet, spread out the carrots, celery, onion, and garlic evenly.  On another baking sheet, spread out all of the tomatoes (save the juice in a container for use later).  Roast in the oven for about thirty minutes, or until vegetables are slightly browned.  This will enhance the flavor of whichever vegetables you roast.

In a large, heavy bottom stock pot, add the carrots, celery, onion, and garlic and sautee in olive oil until tender, stirring often.  Deglaze the pot with the red wine.  Add tomatoes, simmer until hot and tomatoes are tender- about 15 minutes.


Add the stock and bring to a boil.  Boil for about 10 minutes, stirring often to prevent burning and sticking (the thinner the soup, the less likely to burn). Turn down heat and simmer for about 45 minutes, uncovered.  Take the soup off of the heat and let cool for a few minutes before pureeing with an immersion blender.  Be careful not to splatter.  Puree until you get the desired consistency.  Add the heavy cream.  If the soup is too thick, you can add some tomato juice left over from the jars or more stock.

I can my own tomatoes from the garden, so they tend to be very robust in flavor and acidic.  The heavy cream helps mellow that flavor.  If you want vegan or dairy free soup, leaving out the cream will not hurt.  


Add basil, spices, lemon juice, and salt and pepper. 

• For Tomato Florentine, substitute spinach leaves for the basil.
• Add cilantro and a roasted poblano pepper for a Mexican style soup.  Serve with creme fraiche, lime wedges, and cotija cheese.
• For a Mediterranean style soup, add chopped fennel bulb and eggplant to the veggies, and garnish with feta cheese.
• For a vegan soup, use vegetable stock and omit the cream.

Crockpot Variation:  Add all ingredients except cream to a crockpot and cook on high for 3-4 hours (or low for 7 hours).  Blend with an immersion blender and add the cream at the end. 

New England Clam Chowder

Busy Mama Recipes

Kevin loves clam chowder.  He says it's his favorite soup.  He didn't eat meat for 17+ years (I didn't for 3, until I got pregnant), so we didn't have it often. It's just not the same without bacon and chicken stock.  Fortunately for me, I was able to persuade him to eat some red meat, so this soup is an occasional treat for us:-)  I love cooking dishes that Kevin loves.  It makes it more fun!

Ingredients
2 Carrots, peeled and diced
2 Celery stalks, diced
1 Large white onion, diced
3 Russet potatoes, peeled and diced
3 Tbs Butter 1/2 cup Flour
1/2 cup dry White Wine
1 12 ounce bottle Clam Juice
24 ounces Chicken Stock
3 small cans chopped clams
7 slices bacon, chopped
1 Tbs Worcestershire Sauce
1 Tbs Tabasco
1 cup Heavy Whipping Cream
3 Tbs chopped fresh Dill
Juice and zest of one lemon
salt, pepper, and paprika

Directions

In a large, heavy bottom stock pot, sautee the bacon until crisp.  Remove the bacon but leave the grease.  Cook the carrots, celery, onion, and potatoes in the grease, and add butter.  When the veggies are tender, deglaze the pan with white wine.  Sprinkle the flour over the veggies, stirring iften to prevent burning and sticking.  Cook for about 3 mintues, until the raw flour taste is gone.

Add the clam juice and chicken stock.  Simmer for about 20 minutes.  Remove from heat and use an immersion blender to blend.  The goal is to make to soup thick, not to completely puree it.  Only blend for a minute or so, it's good to still have chunks of vegetables in the soup.

Add bacon, clams, heavy cream, lemon, Tabasco, Worcestershire, dill, and spices to the soup.  Simmer for 25-45 minutes.  If soup is too thick, add more stock or cream.  If it is too thin, cook to reduce, or add butter and flour***

***Use your fingers to roll together little balls of equal parts butter and flour.  Once they turn into "dough", they can be added to any soup or sauce to thicken it.

Roasted Asparagus with Balsamic Drizzle

This is the yummiest way to have asparagus!


Start with fresh, washed asparagus.  Make sure to fill the sink with cold water and wash it, rather than run water over it.  Since it grows in sand, bits can be missed easily.


Cover a baking sheet in tin foil and lay the asparagus on it.  Drizzle EVOO, salt, and pepper all over.  Add minced garlic (the amount is based on the amount of asparagus you have).  Toss it all together so the asparagus is completely coated.  Bake on 375 for 15 minutes.


When it is done cooking, take out of the oven and drizzle balsamic vinegar on it.  


And... enjoy!


PS It's also good when you cook it on the grill instead:-) Use tin foil or a grill basket, and it's perfect for Summertime outdoor picnics!

NOTES:  I have made this with lemon juice and zest tossed in with the oil.  It's amazing.  I have also added onion "rings" which give it a great flavor.

This recipe works with long green beans too!

Stuffed Tomatoes, Peppers, and Squash Flowers - Authentic Recipe from Agia Triada, Greece

Wow.  I can't believe I'm actually writing my own recipe blog.  I've talked about it forever, but for some reason I have never done it.  The other day I was hanging out with my sister, and we planned our Thanksgiving dinner for this year.  I actually had dreams about recipes that I wanted to use (I know...), so I figured this blog was about due.  Plus, crazy runs in my family, so before my mind goes, I want to get this written down.

I love to cook ANYTHING.  I don't have a favorite food, or a favorite food to cook.  I will cook all types of food, in all ways, with all ingredients.

Busy Mama Recipes

I rarely follow a recipe.  As in, I only follow a recipe when I am making my mother's chocolate chip cookies:-)  The rest of the time, I usually make things up as a go along.  In fact, last Thanksgiving, my little sister and I made the whole dinner by ourselves, for about 18 guests.  We bought ingredients, and I literally made up recipes and improvised as we went along.  Everything was delicious and turned out perfectly.  That's how I roll.  I will do my best to measure so I can get these recipes down as accurately as possible, promise!

I get my cooking skills from my family.  My mother, who is an amazing cook, makes new recipes all the time. She is the "health nut" of the family, so she always taught me how to make a meal a little bit better for you.  My dad is from Texas.  He is the King of BBQ, and can make anything taste great with some Creole style seasoning!  His mother is Mexican and his dad was Cajun, so my dad has mastered the art of those types of cooking. My grandma and grandpa are Greek (literally, my grandpa came over when he was 16 years old), so they taught me how to make not only Greek style food, but recipes that my grandfather had in his village as a child.  My Dad's mom is very traditional in a sense, and taught me how to bake (she was also the one to teach me to make home made tortillas).  I owe most of my artistic ability to my family... without them I would be eating ramen noodles every day.  So, thanks, family!

I love cooking all types of meals- from "simple, throw together two-ingredient" meals to "get up early and spend hours making something you can't pronounce" meals.  I love putting my own spin on traditional meals.  I often make something, and a day or so later I think about what could have made it better or different, and I start thinking about how I'll make it next time.

By no means am I a gourmet chef (although that would be so fun!).  I am a working mama with two kids and a household to run, so every night isn't all glam meals.  Most of my recipes on here may be one thing one night, with an idea of how you can make the leftovers into something different the next time.  I'm also thrifty, so be prepared to use EVERYTHING.  I hate wasting food.

I used to help manage a cafe/ catering company/ cooking school/ I don't even know what to call it.  The owner, Allyson, taught me a lot during my time there.  I helped teach cooking classes, so all of my "technical" and "formal" stuff, that's all thanks her.

So, since I have rambled... I will give you the recipes that kind of started this all:

My grandpa invited me to dinner the other night for a "surprise dinner".  He made stuff tomatoes, bell peppers, and squash flowers- something that I came to LOVE while I was in Greece in 2000.  My Great Aunt Rosa made it for me in the small Greek village, Agia Triada, where my family lived.  I don't know if it was because I was fascinated every time I watched her make it, or if it was because it was so yummy, but it is one of my most favorite things to make and eat.

Of course, since they don't measure, and my Aunt cannot speak English, this recipe may not be so accurate.  But, it comes pretty damn close.  Enjoy!

Ingredients:
4 whole, big tomatoes
3 small tomatoes or 2 small cans of diced tomatoes
4 whole bell peppers - Any color
9 squash flowers (The big yellow flowers that grow on all squash plants.  You can get it from yellow squash, zucchini, pumpkins, anything. I got some at the farmer's market the other day).
2-3 cups uncooked white rice
1 white onion, diced
4 cloves of garlic, minced
Fresh green beans, tipped
3 Tbs dried oregano
1 bunch fresh parsley, finely chopped
Salt and pepper

Preheat over to 350 degrees.

In a deep pot, saute the onion and garlic in olive oil until tender.  Add the rice, stir well, and turn down to medium.  Add the small tomatoes (or canned tomatoes).  Cook until the rice browns, stirring often so it doesn't stick or burn.  Add water, according to the package directions on the rice, and bring back to a simmer. Add the spices and parsley and stir together. Cover and set aside.

Meanwhile, cut the tops off the large tomatoes and peppers, but save them.  Hollow out the tomatoes with a spoon, but keep the "guts".  Pull the middle out of the flowers, but keep the flower intact.

Arrange the tomatoes and peppers in a deep 14x10 baking dish, with enough space in between for the flowers.  Scoop the rice filling into the veggies and cover with the tops.  Scoop the rice into the flowers, fold the petals over, and place upside down in the pan in between the tomatoes and peppers.

Add the tomato "guts" that were saved from scooping out the middle of the tomatoes to the remaining rice.  Mix the green beans, if you choose to use them, into the rice.  Place the rice mixture in between all of the tomatoes and peppers.

Bake for about 1 hour, covered, and check the rice.  You may need to bake longer and/or add more liquid to cook the rice, depending on how juicy the vegetables you used are.

You can serve with feta cheese (my favorite) or Parmesan, but it's good plain.  Sometimes my grandpa puts meat in it- just saute some beef or ground turkey and add it to the rice mixture before baking. We have had it as a meal or as a side dish.  My favorite is having it with no meat, but served with feta cheese and Greek salad.  Yum!