Pork Chops and Santa Hat Brownies

1. Having just recently jumped on the Pinterest bandwagon, I found this adorable little dessert called Santa hats. I knew I had to give them a try. Thinking the little kids at the party would like to
assemble them , I took the strawberries, brownies, and icing tube separate. Unfortunately, the kids weren't strong enough to squeeze the icing out. I barely was, so my results weren't nearly as smooth and cute as the ones in this picture, but the combination of ingredients is quite yummy.


2. This recipe for Grilled Pork Chops was delicious. The flavors of molasses, black pepper, salt, and garlic are amazing together. I prepared it stove-top this evening, and even though in my impatience to eat before heading out to a party I burned some on one side, everyone agreed that I should fix it again soon. When I do, I will remember to:
-marinate the meat for at least three hours
- put olive oil in the pan first
-sear the meat on high for just 30 seconds then turn it down to medium, and cook the chops for four more minutes on each side.

I used thin center-cut pork chops . Doesn't it feel good to make things that actually turn out well?

What Is It?

Quiz time. Look at the photo and guess what it is.

a. deformed leg lamps, minus shades and shoes

b. twin edible models of Florida

c. a pair of challah bread loaves

If you said "c," you win.

This was my maiden attempt to make challah (pronounced holla, as in "holla when you need dinna, shweethott." The bread machine did the kneading, and I did the braiding. Despite my effforts to make three uniform strands to braid, the results were a bit, oh--shall we say--disappointing? At least on the surface. The texture and taste were quite pleasing, though.

Once again I forgot to label the loaves "Not for us," so a certain child helped himself to the "foot piece" of the one on the right. I took the rest of the limb as well as the whole other loaf to friends who love me in spite of my baking flops.

I will keep practicing my braiding technique in hopes of getting some pretty challah-la-la-la to give out to neighbors on our block.

\
It lookx z little better up close, right?

Chicken Broc in the Wok

Paul and I joined forces in the kitchen today to whip up a Chinese lunch. The result was so tasty I just have to write it down for future reference. And of course, you must serve it over RICE because Baltimore's main man, RAY RICE (Ravens' running back) is the one to watch for Sunday football viewing pleasure.


5 thin chicken breasts (skinless, boneless, cut into strips
1 tsp minced garlic
a few tablespoons vegetable oil
2 tsp (+/-) hot chili oil ?

1/2 head fresh broccoli
1 carrot, julienned
1/2 onion, thinly sliced
(next time add mushrooms)

all approximated and mixed together first:
1 T . soy sauce
1 t sugar
1 T syrup (next time use molasses if I have it)

Stir-fry the garlic in oil in Wok or frying pan on HIGH. Add chicken pieces. Cook five minutes. Add carrots and cook till crisp-tender, then broccoli, then onions. While they're cooking, add the soy sauce mixture .Stir well and fast.

Meanwhile, boil 2 cups water and then add 2 cups cooked rice (FYI: When making rice, it's easy to measure: 1-to-1 ratio of water to rice. Bring water to boil, add instant rice, remove from heat, and cover for five minutes. Different rices cook differently, but I think the ratio is the same.)

Then, for those of us who like it hot, add a little bit (as in 1/4 tsp) Guilin Chili Sauce
to your own helping. It really makes the dish sing!

Twelve Thumbs Up: Sweet and Sour Beef Cubes

This recipe was sure a hit with my family of six. I bought the beef already in cubes ("in-cube-ated?) which--believe it or not--happened to be cheaper than buying it whole. Works for me! I put this meal together in literally SIX minutes because I had to run out the door at 3:30.

The meat takes three hours to cook at 250 degrees. I used a Dutch oven and covered it. It was ready and "tender yummy" at 6:30. When my famished son walked in the door from college, he exclaimed, "Man! What smells so good?!" Gotta love hearing that. What's more, when my other son, who claims not to like "sweet with meat" liked this meal so much he took leftovers to work.

I used two onions instead of three, but everything else I made according to the recipe except that I "eyeballed" the measurements in my haste. That's a big reason I prefer cooking over baking. Eyeballing is just fine!

FYI: I read a review of this and the author said it's not nearly as good in the crock pot as in the oven. Good to know.

I love trying new recipes, especially when they turn out to so tasty the family asks for it again--soon!

Beef Burgundy in Crock Pot

This is bribery food for my young adult kids.
In particular, it's my son Steve's all-time favorite. Now that he has moved out of the house, I know how to get him back home. It's in the Crock Pot now. He will be here for dinner, smiling, mmm'ing instead of talking, I think:). Works for me.

Several folks have asked me to post it, so after much inexcusable delay, here you go.

This recipe is a good one to serve a crowd when you don't want the old standby chili or spaghetti. Or, if you just feel like putting your apron on and cooking up a hearty, old-fashioned, stick-to-your ribs meal that makes everyone happy and kind of sleepy.



BEEF BURGUNDY IN CROCK POT
from Zoanna Zubrowski

Ingredients:

3-4 lb. rump roast, cut into 1" cubes
3 slices crisp, crumbled bacon (crisp is important)
2 cans Campbell's Golden Mushroom soup (NOT cream of, unless you can't find it)
8 oz white mushroom, rinsed, and sliced (or halved or quartered, your choice)
1-2 cans (use your soup can) water, depending how thick you like the gravy
1 lb bag baby carrots
1/2 large onion, chopped
1/4 cup burgundy or cooking sherry

Directions: If possible, get your butcher to cut the meat while you shop. Saves a lot of time!
In large skillet, cook bacon till crisp. Set aside bacon, drain most of the grease but keep some flavor in skillet Add beef, onions and burgundy to skillet. Sear the meat on all sides. Pour this entire lot into 5.5 qt crock pot, add rest of ingredients, cover, and cook on HIGH for 4-5 hours, or LOW for 8. Serve over mashed potatoes. I also like to serve it with green beans, fresh hot rolls, and applesauce.

Bon appetit!

Huli Huli Chicken in the Crock Pot

I had never heard of Huli Huli Chicken until two weeks ago when I picked up a copy of Cook's Country. The name is so cute, and the ingredients sounded unique and delicious, but the cooking thereof as written? Huh-uh, huh-uh. Complicated, time-consuming, and calling for mesquite coals for the grill. I don't do coals, thank you.

As the article which accompanied the recipe explains, "huli" means "turn" in Hawaiian. In Honolulu, there are literally dozens of parking lots dotted with huli-huli grills. Home cooks buy huli chicken, they don't make it. (I don't feel like such a cheater after all.) Besides, who wants to be caught flipping the bird?

All right, that was bad. Here's how I adapted the magazine version of Huli Huli Chicken to suit my style and ingredients on hand. Keep in mind, I don't measure--I estimate.

8 chicken breast halves (I had boneless, skinless)
3 cups pineapple juice
1 cup water
1 Tbsp vegetable oil
1 or 2 teaspoons garlic powder (or 4 garlic cloves, minced)
1/4 cup brown sugar
1/4 cup soy sauce
1/4 cup rice vinegar
1 small whole jalepeno (mine was frozen to start)

pinch of mace (for last step only)
fresh herbs for garnish

Put all ingredients into Crock Pot. Cook at least 5 hours, depending on thickness of meat. I also added halved baking potatoes. Every hour or so, huli the chicken around in the crock. When meat is tender, preheat oven to 420. (While oven heats--if you think you want thicker sauce like a glaze, remove as much "broth" as you can from Crock Pot and boil it on the stove to reduce it. At this point, I added a teeny pinch of mace because I didn't have ginger.)

Spread chicken and potatoes out on a large, foil-covered, sprayed baking sheet. Ladel the sauce or "glaze" over the chicken, broil for 5 minutes. Turn. Repeat. (Huli, I mean. Huli the chicken so both sides gets glazed and broiled.)

I served this dish with sauteed sugar snap peas, and garnished with fresh (barely grown) herbs to gussy-up my photo:). Oh, and I thought the dish needed a kiss of red, and I was out of tomatoes. So I made a strawberry daiquiri and set it close to the plate. Works for me!

Joel was not even halfway into into his serving of chicken when I heard him say, "I definitely want Samoa." (Okay, he didn't actually say that, but with his mouth full, it sure sounded like a pun!)

I'm Back and it's My New Year's Day

No bruises to report. I'm actually in much better spirits than I was. Today is my personal New Year's Day. I didn't settle all my issues, nor did the sky collapse. I'm just in a much more peaceful place than I was in my heart last week.

Having done some praying, thinking, and planning about changes, this upcoming season should be a growing one (or shrinking one, at least physically).

For my New Year I have three main goals that came from wrestling with God. (Truly, it was more like a pleasant retreat.)

1. Spiritually-- to journal again. I got out of this excellent habit little by little, until I got to the place I realized I no longer even wanted to journal what I was hearing from God. And then it seemed He wasn't speaking. Well, you know, wise people know when their audience isn't listening. The solution? They either shout, whisper, or stop talking. This time God whispered, "Write down what I'm saying." So today I began that again.

2. Physically- Get moving! I knew that walking the dog would do double duty. (Well, I do mean duty and not doody. I myself use indoor plumbing, thank you very much. Reilly prefers the camping style.) Anyway, I took him out for 20 agonizing minutes. He is so strong and has no concept of how NOT to pull on a leash. I was ready to call Cesar Milan before I had gotten 30 yards from my front door.

So that's the get-moving part. About the eating: while starting to take better care of my health, I have devoted breakfast, lunch, and snacks today and tomorrow to only fruits, veggies, and legumes. This functions as a mini-fast/"clean-out" phase of my long-term better-eating plan. I want to lose 8 pounds in March. I'm still devising a plan for the long haul.

3. Mentally--to regain what memory I lost through anaesthesia (the ability to recall some common nouns) by not settling for "hoojie-bobs" and "whatchacallits," but to strive until I think of the word. For example, I was remembering "co" but couldn't get "coffee pot" to come out. Or
"pa" but not "pajamas." It was scary. Seriously. Made me wonder if I had early-onset Alzheimer's, and I'm not being funny. It made me wonder what it's like to really have memory loss. This is so frustrating! Simple words just GONE! Thankfully words come more easily when I'm writing. I don't usually say hoojie-bobs when I write.

And I've started memorizing Romans 5. If you're going to sharpen your memory, you might as well sharpen it on scripture, right?

Happy New Year to you. Have you got any new goals, hopes, dreams, or other whatchallits?

Grilled Chicken Orange Vinaigrette Salad

I really enjoyed this dish. Of course I had to tweak it (since I improvise better than I plan ahead).

I used fresh garlic cloves, white vinegar and cooking sherry (1/4 c. each); olive oil w/ herbs already in it; broiled it at 425 for probably 30 minutes on a rack which I set atop a large roasting pan, basted often with the drippings;then took out my grill pan (so I could get those terrific grill lines I love so much) and also turned up the heat to high to get the sauce to thicken to a sweet glaze, covered to preserve moisture; skipped the broccoli (had none)

I happened to have romaine as well as a bag of salad (not crazy about those bagged salads, but they work in a pinch. They taste a bit "chemical-y" to me ever since we hosted an Alpha meal at church and one of our guests, a chemist, told me he could taste the preservatives in our bagged salad! Oops.) Anyway, I enjoyed plating this salad and shooting a picture.

When I make it again, I will double the sauce so there's a lot more juice leftover to use as dressing.

Ingredients for 6 servings --I would double this for 8 breasts so that there's plenty of glaze for every piece.

• 1/2 cup orange juice
• 1/2 cup white wine vinegar
• 1/4 cup olive oil
• 4 tablespoons salt-free garlic and herb seasoning blend
• 1 1/2 tablespoons white sugar
• 1 pound skinless, boneless chicken breast halves
• 1 head romaine lettuce- rinsed, dried and chopped
• 1 (11 ounce) can mandarin oranges, drained
• 1 cup chopped fresh broccoli
• 1 cup chopped baby carrots

Directions

1. Preheat grill for medium-high heat.
2. In a bowl, whisk together the orange juice, vinegar, olive oil, seasoning blend, and sugar. Set aside about 1/2 cup for basting.
3. Lightly oil the grill grate. Grill chicken for 6 to 8 minutes on each side, basting frequently with the reserved portion of the dressing, or until juices run clear. Cool, and cut into strips. Discard basting sauce.
4. In a large bowl, toss together the lettuce, oranges, broccoli, and carrots. Top the salad with grilled chicken strips, and drizzle with remaining dressing to serve.

Chicken Rice Soup Rice with Peas

Normally my family doesn't like rice too much, except with Chinese food. But I get tired of pasta and potatoes, so I sort of created this side dish of rice last night. Thankfully it was a hit. Paul asked where I got the recipe, and when I said "my head," he nodded and said, "Good." Wow! Did he actually not rib me about not using a recipe? I never get tired of compliments. They motivate me to keep up the good work.

The recipe:

1 can Great Value chicken & rice soup, condensed
1 cup instant rice
1 cup boiling water (use kettle, it's quicker and makes no extra dirty dish)
1 -2 handfuls of frozen peas

Heat soup and peas in a small pot (on medium). Boil water in tea kettle. Dump raw instant rice into serving bowl and pour the boiling water over it. Let it stand 5 mins. Pour soup mixture into it. Stir and serve.

Little Hands, Damper Bread

We should do more hands-on stuff like we used to in our home school
We've gotten too workbookish. Blech.
So yesterday I says to m'self, "We're gonna make this here Damper
Bread from this here geography lesson about Australia."

And we did.
Sort of.
The chemistry wasn't right. It called for 6 cups of self-rising flour.
I had only all-purpose, and when I consulted the conversion chart to
see how much baking powder to add for some "rising power," it would've
been something like 9 teaspoons. Can you say hypertension? I nearly had
a stroke reading that .So I did my own thing. Scientist that I am.
Added about 2 tsp baking powder and 9 cups skepticism.

Let's just say the most fun part for me was watching him enjoying the process.
Especially the part where he got to cut a big X in the top. Nothing else mattered.
A mom, a boy, a lot of flour, a hint of science, a bit of Down Under-ing, a heaping of doubt, a floppy result. Unless, of course, it's supposed to turn out Damper in the Middle than Any Other Bread I've Ever Made. Or not rise a'tall, mate.

But that's not really what I meant to write. That's all pretty cerebral stuff. What I was feeling was nostalgia. What happened to the little boy that needed a chair to stand on at the counter? The top of his head now grazes my chin. Where's the little boy who called me Comfy Princess?
Where's the little boy who wasn't allowed near knives, but turned everything into a weapon anyway. (Oh, wait, he still does that.)

Every now and then I'd reach over and caress his whipped-cream cheeks and just smile. Phooey on the baking powder. Who cares? I loved listening to his still-high voice; it'll deepen in a few short years, and so gradually it'll be like waking from a dream. I will want to go back to my dreamy state because I won't remember that voice, as hard as I try. I know I won't remember. I have two grown sons whose bass voices bellow from the shower or just sound so ...manly...on the phone. I'm sobered by the fleeting of time as my adult sons come to my aid in the kitchen to they reach things I can't reach without a chair.

My baby boy one will turn nine years old on Valentine's Day. I remember wanting him for ten years before his birth. Now we are nine years past it? Too soon he will want only his dad's attention. It happens. It's natural. It's sad. It's healthy. Too soon after that he'll want to spend every waking moment possible with a girlfriend, just like those brothers of his. t happens. It's natural. It's not all that sad (a bit scary). Usually healthy.

Too soon I will have what I've always dreaded-- an empty nest.


Talk about putting a damper on our Damper Breadmaking Day!

Crab Mousse --er, Reindeer

Whoever said, "Don't play with your food" could not have had much imagination. Playing with food is nothing short of downright fun!

For our care group Christmas party last week, I wanted to take a crab dip that I remembered a friend making some 10-12 years ago for a party. Certain recipes are just unforgettable. This is one. So, thanks to Facebook, I was able to contact her and she gave me her recipe for Crab Mousse. I wasn't going to do much more than garnish it with red leaf lettuce and grape tomatoes, but once I realized I had some green peppers, garbanzo beans, and broccoli on hand, well...I couldn't help but play with my food.

Here's the recipe.




Sharon Mueller's Crab Mousse

CRAB MOUSSE
Heat together in a sauce pan: 1 can Cream of Mushroom Soup (undiluted)
6 oz. cream cheese
1 med. grated onion
To this mixture, add 1 envelope unflavored gelatin which has been dissolved in 1/4 c. boiling water. Then add 1/2 c. mayonnaise and 1 1/4 tsp. Old Bay. Add 1 lb. crab meat. Stir well and pour into greased mold. Chill until ready to serve.

Lemon Sherbet Shower Punch

I got the official recipe, "Wedding Punch," from food.com,but altered it because I accidentally left home without it and because we tend to stay away from Tom Collins mix at church:).

This one was a big hit. It turns out a cheerful yellow froth on top of a tawny orange color. (I made it for Kate Minton's baby shower today.) Here is my altered version, including the name brands. I am convinced that not all ginger ales are created equal, which may be the key in this punch. I am recording the brands as my go-to source for next time. (Found these brands at Shop Rite.) This shower punch also smells wonderful. Orange garnishes aren't necessary, but sure pretty.

This will almost fill a punch bowl. Put in the bowl in the following order

1 can frozen Minute Maid limeade concentrate
1 liter Canada Dry ginger ale
32 oz. Florida's Natural orange juice
1 qt. Lehigh Valley Farm lemon sherbet

slices of fresh tangelos or oranges to float on top (Squeeze out the "end pieces" for an ultra-fresh taste!)

ZZ's Crab Mac 'n Cheese

I created this dish earlier last week, wanting both crab cakes and mac 'n cheese in one meal, as well as wanting to capitalize on a cooking mood. So I began grabbing ingredients and tasting things as I went along. Messy hands and hungry tummy meant I didn't write anything down, so this is from memory. Nothing measured except the crab and eggs! Truly an indulgent meal, but I get the crab meat at Chesapeake Quality Trader's for $12/lb. and can make enough to feed 5 adults and one kid just fine.

Great after football whether player or spectator!

Serves: 6
Prep time: 30 mins plus time to let it cool/flavors "set"
Bake time: 30 mins.
Total Cost: about $14

Next time I make it, I will:
-add something crunchy
-make the crab mixture earlier in the day to let the flavors congeal before cooking

I sprayed a 2-qt casserole dish for baking.

CRAB MIXTURE

1 lb jumbo lump crab meat
2 eggs
1.5 cups chopped stale bread (I used it from freezer stash)
Worcestershire ( about 1 T)
Old Bay (about 1 T)
pepper (a few shakes) NO SALT, the Old Bay and Worc. are plenty salty!
1/2 tsp ginger
1/4 tsp nutmeg
1/2 chopped onion for the pan
olive oil
NO MAYO

3/4 lb of medium pasta shells

Skillet--Start sauteeing onions in oil.

Med pot- boil the shells till almost tender. They'll cook more in the oven.

Then, in large bowl, mix eggs, W. sauce, Old Bay, and pepper. Form crab cakes . When onions are lightly brown , saute crab till brown on both sides but not cooked.

Plate-When they're brown, pull them out and dab off the oil but keep the onions clinging to the meat. Set the cakes on a plate. *You'll be layering pasta, meat, and cheese mixture.)

Cheese Mixture:

about 1 cup milk-- heat it on med, turn down to low, and melt the following into it:

2 handfuls shredded cheddar
2 handfuls shredded mozzarella

Remove from heat and add about 1/4 cup sour cream. Stir all.


Then layer in a sprayed dish:

pasta, cheese sauce, crab meat, pasta, cheese sauce, crab meat. Top with ground bread crumbs. (Next time, crushed Ritz?)

Cover with foil. It'll be too hot to put in fridge, but you want to let the flavors "gel" so let it sit on
counter until you're 40 minutes from serving it.

Bake at 325 for 30 mins. Let cool for 10 and then chow down!!! Great w/ baby greens and pineapple chunks on the side.

Best Pie You Don't Bake: Lemon Blueberry/4th of July Pie

Danielle reminded me today of this amazing, fabulous, out-of-this world, best no-bake pie I have ever eaten. Sarah made it one summer and the whole family raved. The sour lemon, the sweet blueberries, the soft, pseudo-crunchy texture of the graham cracker crust mixed with the smooth white creamy topping...

Okay , I will stop the review right here. I have a closet to clean. For all you folks now drooling for pie and dreading the thought of heating up your kitchen, stop! Remember: no oven required. Just a few simple ingredients, a few simple supplies, and the ability to read and follow directions. You don't even need a fork to eat this. Well, maybe you do, but if you consumed it the way we did...I'm just sayin'....

You may never bake another pie again.

Need German chocolate cake recipe

So far I've gotten a link to a German chocolate cake recipe through a Facebook friend.

My dad and sister both requested GC cake and I would prefer the taste of homemade over storebought, but I need cake toppers to fit the theme of trophy/prizes (elegant, not cutesy ).

Where do I go for those?

Kitchen Komedy

It doesn't take much to amuse me. Last night I made a soup that was half storebought, half my add-ins. I thought it was broccoli- cheese soup frozen in a bag I got from Chesapeake Traders, but it wasn't. What appeared to be broccoli at 32 degrees was really jalapenos. Cheese queso dip--about two pounds of it!

So as it thawed, I cooked broccoli, then combined the two in a big pot on the stove. Next I convinced myself we needed protein in it, and quickly cooked three chicken breasts (also from frozen state which, save for the label, could've passed for tilapia. Thank the Lord it wasn't.)

The cheese "soup" was still too spicy, so I added in a jar of alfredo sauce and a lot of shredded cheddar. Perfect! And all day a loaf of bread from frozen state was thawing and rising on the counter. (A loaf I bought for fifty cents at BB's!) There is nothing quite like fresh bread. As it rose, I even had the privilege of telling Joel, who was curious about what made bread rise, about sin and how it leavens the whole lump. Anyway, bread is very comforting on a cold, grey, rainy, child-sick-at-home-resting day.

When all was said and done, I had a soup we all wolfed down , alongside a fruit salad and warm, golden bread.

Ben asked, "What is this soup?"
I said, "Well, I call it--"
He interrupted, "Uh-oh, here comes something corny."
I started to chuckle. "I call it Broc, Squawk, and Block in a Crock."
He grunted.
I started to explain, "Broccoli, chicken--."
He groaned, "I get it, Mom. I get it. I don't need it spelled out."

I don't know why that cracks me up. It just does. Do I need a life or what?

I Was Gonna

I was gonna post my picture of the Chicken Chesapeake I made a couple weeks back. Before we sat down to eat it, I was so impressed with the tomato-wedge garnish presentation that I whipped out the camera, crouched in professional photo positions, peppered the corn cob just so, fussed with the green beans for a pleasing composition.

My poor family. The things they put up with.

"Come on, Mom. It's just food." says the tallest one.
"Zo, some of us are hungry??!" says the king of the manse.
"You gonna put this on your BLOG?" asks the Squirt.

I know.
I know.
And yes, that's my plan, I answer.

But when I uploaded the photo, with the slab of chicken smothered in glossy Swiss cheese and lumpy crab pieces and shiny mushroom slices, the first thought it my head was, "Gross! It looks like brain matter."

I was gonna post my recipe for it, but I'm not sure anyone really cares.

I was gonna enjoy a steak dinner at home with the family tonight, but Paul is at a business dinner instead, Stephen is at work, and that leaves a 2-man void at the table, which takes so much pleasure out of cooking. One thing I know about myself: I really would not enjoy cooking if there weren't people here to eat it with me. Maybe some people do it as a hobby, find it relaxing and creative, or don't mind the lack of "audience," but I have learned that I like to feed a full table's worth. If I can't feed at least four (appreciative) eaters at once, it really zaps my enthusiasm. Heaven help us when we're true empty nesters. We'll spend every evening at Panera sipping soup through our dentures.

Zo's Shrimp and Chicken Lettuce Wraps

Initially I began trying a new recipe called Matthew's Shrimp Lettuce Wraps, a recipe I found on http://www.recipezaar.com/. However, midway into making it, I realized it wasn't what I ultimately wanted. I had my tasters set on something like the chicken lettuce wraps at PF Chang's. So, I began pulling this spice and that sauce from my kitchen and concocted my own sauce. I also used the chicken from Wednesday's dinner which was marinated in raspberry walnut vinaigrette, hence the pink tint to the chicken.

Anyway, here's my variation on the recipe based on the ingredients I had on hand. Amounts for the sauce are approximate: I didn't really measure.

12 oz bag fully cooked, frozen tail-on shrimp (from Aldi)
4 cooked chicken breasts (boneless, skinless), diced
2 portabella mushrooms . diced
3/4 cup crushed walnuts
about 2 T olive oil and 2 T butter
1/2 medium white onion, diced
1/2 T celery salt
1/2 T black pepper

lettuce (your favorite kind) cut into pieces about the size of your hand

Sauce:

1/3 cup soy sauce
1/4 cup Sharkey's hot sauce ("Regular")
a few gentle shakes each of curry powder, onion powder, savory, garlic powder and black pepper (for those who measure: try 1/4 tsp of each then add more of whatever it's lacking)

Put frozen shrimp in large skillet with a few tablespoons of water. Thaw it on medium high almost completely and discard the tails in the process. Set aside. Remove all water from skillet. Pour olive oil in, add butter, and then saute onions and mushrooms together, sprinkling with celery salt and pepper. Add crushed walnuts (I crush mine with a swift bang on the flat side of a chopping knife.) Stir well. Add sauce.

Spoon some of your delish mix into a piece of lettuce, wrap it up, and devour. (These could be appetizers, but I made enough to call it a meal.) It was a big hit with the fam, though we never told Joel it had mushrooms or he wouldn't have tried one bite.

While I'm not quite ready to challenge Bobby Flay to a lettuce wrap throwdown, I will say this: eat your heart out, PF Chang's. :)

Academy Awards from my Kitchen

Thought it'd be fun to post my favorites in various categories from 2008. Not movies, but less glamorous stuff. Foodstuffs, to be exact.

For example, I tried a few new recipes and can remember the Oscars they got. I'm too lazy to link to every one of them right now, but if you're interested, click on "recipes" in my sidebar. They're all there.

Best Noodle Dish: Don't Invite the Rabbi, Just the Pasta (one I invented)
Best Breakfast: Baked Apple Oatmeal (courtesy of Briana A. )
Best Beverage: French Vanilla Hot Cocoa (courtesy of Danielle)
Best No-Bake Dessert: Blueberry Pie (courtesy of Danielle)
Best New Hot Sandwich: Eggplant, Red Pepper, and Feta Panini (?source)
Best New Cold Sandwich: Combat Training Shrimp Wraps (my invention)
Best New Soup: Seafood Bisque (my adaptation of one from recipezaar.com)

Stay tuned. The nominations are still out in other categories.

Have you got any new recipes from the past year that deserve red-carpet recognition?

Can't Go Back

I was never a hot chocolate snob. Sure, I had my preferred packet mixes, and liked milk much better than water.

But then came Danielle's recipe. I made her Hot Chocolate Mix tonight, exactly as posted. Wow! I'm won over. It's delicious. A few of Ben's friends, bless their hearts. came over tonight to keep him company and watch the Ravens game in the basement. (So kind of them, since he can't go anywhere with his arm in a sling and a good deal of pain still.)

I asked Joel to go downstairs and take drink orders. He simply asked them, "Want some hot chocolate?" They all said no. Then I called down the steps, "It's homemade!" Suddenly Ben and Dan piped up, "Sure, I'll take some!" I served the hot chocolate in Irish coffee mugs and squirted whipped cream on top. Luke C said, "It looks barista style." I told him he could change his order to yes, but he was still full from dinner, I guess. I couldn't talk him into it, but there's still time. I also sent some with Stephen over to Eric's (in a ziploc bag, not a mason jar; hey, it was spur of the moment and I figured if they were gonna get any, it'd have to be tonight in a ziplock.:)

I love reading fellow bloggers' recipes, but seldom try them. (I'm pathetic, not apathetic, so don't take offense, please.)

Tonight I made an exception. The damp chill, a bit of company, a trip to the store earlier for the ingredients, and a little boy who loves hot chocolate and whipped cream all begged for this recipe to be made tonight.

Glad I did. Love it!

Phooey on packets.

I can't go back.