Guest Poster Sara, from Finding the Time- OBA Blog Swap!

As promised earlier this morning, I'm happy to introduce you to Sara from Finding the Time.  I had the lucky opportunity to sit next to her at out last meet up and really enjoyed chatting with Sara and getting to know her "in person".  Thank you so much Sara for being a guest here today!  For a full listing of today's blog swap participants, please visit Poise in Parma.

Don't forget to follow me over to Sara's blog and read my guest post there! See you at Finding the Time!

Well hello, My Retro Kitchen readers! I’m Sara from Finding the Time! I’m excited to be here today thanks to the OBA Blog swap. I’ve been reading Amie’s blog since I met her at an OBA meet-up a few months ago and I’ve even tried a few of her recipes!

I’ll be honest; I’m not much of a cook. I was brought up going out to eat A LOT and my fast-paced life has me often cursing my lack of forethought when I come home from work with no plans for dinner. Luckily, if you visit my blog today, Amie has posted some tips for people like me! YAY! I hope you’ll stay around after reading her post. You’ll find a fun little mix of CLE pride, puppy love, DIY attempts and general silliness.

I do have a few “go to” recipes that make regular appearances on my dinner table. One such recipe I received at my bridal shower from a mom much like Amie! This crock-pot chili recipe is perfect for me because it requires only about 20 minutes of prep. After that you let the crock-pot do all the work! What could be better?!

Easy Chili
1 lb. ground beef
1 medium onion – chopped
1 package of McCormick Chili Seasoning
1 large can (21-28 oz) diced tomatoes
1 can (15-16 oz) tomato sauce
1 can (15-16 oz) black beans – rinsed
1 can (16 oz) mild chili beans
3 chopped carrots
1 can corn

I like to start by mixing all the canned ingredients (chili seasoning, diced tomatoes, tomato sauce, black mild chili beans corn) in the crock-pot on low heat. It gets things moving and makes me feel accomplished! BTW- you might notice that the photo above has pinto beans instead of mild chili beans. I used those this time because they were what I had. It definitely changed the taste so – live and learn - stick with the mild chili beans!!

Cook beef and onions in skillet while cooking carrots covered in water in microwave for 5 minutes.  Drain beef/onions and carrots and add both to crock-pot. Stir well.  Cook on low for 4-5 hours or high for 1-2 hours.  Done!

I love this recipe because it makes enough to last multiple days in my house (with myself and my husband who LOVES to eat). I’m not a huge fan of leftovers but chili is just so versatile! One day I’ll have it in a bowl with cheese and sour cream, the next on chili dogs and one final meal of chili mac (served over spaghetti). For me, the one condiment that the chili cannot be served without is hot sauce. It tastes good all the time!

Traditional Apple Crisp

For dessert on Girls Night, Bonnie made a classic Apple Crisp. Oh how I love fruit crisps- probably one of my most favorite desserts. It is simple to throw together, but the smell it sends through the house while baking is soooo comforting and wonderful.  I am usually a If It Isn't Chocolate, I Don't Want It kind of girl when it comes to dessert.  But NOT when apples are involved.  They are my absolute favorite dessert fruit.  The crisp sweetness when raw turns into a lovely warm, caramelized flavor that is like no other.  Pair it with a little cinnamon and sugar and even better throw in rollled oats and of course butter and you've got me for sure! Delicious, homey and one dessert everyone needs to learn how to do.

with whip or without, either way this dessert is a win!

Traditional Apple Crisp
recipe courtesy Family Fun

6 apples (or 6 cups of apple slices)
1 1/2 cups rolled oats
3/4 cup brown sugar
1/4 cup all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon cinnamon
1/4 teaspoon nutmeg
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/2 cup butter (1 stick), softened
Whipped cream or ice cream (optional for serving)

To peel an apple safely, your child should hold the fruit in one hand, grip a vegetable peeler in the other, and push the peeler away from himself.

Heat oven to 375 degrees and lightly butter an 8 or 9-inch-square baking pan. Peel, core, and slice the apples and arrange them evenly in the prepared pan.

Place the oats, brown sugar, flour, spices, and salt in a sealable plastic bag, close, and shake until combined. Cut the softened butter into 1-inch pieces and add to the oat mixture. Close the bag again and knead or squeeze until the mixture holds together. Instead of using a bowl to mix the crumb topping, use a sealable plastic bag. This will cut back on dirty dishes and let young bakers--even preschoolers--lend a hand.

Open the bag and crumble the topping evenly over the apples. Bake the apple crisp for 40 to 45 minutes or until the topping is golden brown and the juices begin to bubble around the edges.

Cool slightly, then serve with whipped cream or ice cream.

My favorite parts: the crispy, gooey edge bits 

and when the whipped cream melts into the warm crisp just right


Do you ever read that little box on my sidebar over there -->
Labeled "Daily Inspirations.  Quotes Amie Likes"?
It is a fun box that rotates a new famous quote with each push of the refresh button.

Well I love looking at it and being inspired throughout my day.  Just as I was writing this entry I saw a quote that really struck to me for it was so fitting to my beautiful friends Bonnie and Dawn.....

"Each friend represents a world in us, a world possibly not born until they arrive, and it is only by this meeting that a new world is born." —Anaïs Nin

I love you my sweet friends.

Souperburgers

The theme for this month's girl's night with my girlfriends Bonnie and Dawn was Soup and Sandwiches (and always a dessert of course!).  The way that our meals always go is we pick a theme and then each girl gets to pick whatever they want to make for their portion of the meal.  I always wanted to make French Onion Soup, so I volunteered for that part.  Dawn picked sandwiches and Bonnie chose to make an Apple Crisp for dessert for a change.

I am posting Dawn's recipe first this time.  (The other two recipes will be posted this week.)  It tasted great and was pretty simple.  The original recipe called for ground beef, but just before cooking we realized that pork was purchased on accident.  Well it definitely didn't taste like an accident.  Actually I think I preferred the added flavor of the pork in place of the usual ground beef or turkey.  But use what you like, they will all work nicely.

"Here is the recipe for my sandwiches. They are called Souperburgers and I think they're just a little twist on Sloppy Joe's." --Dawn

Souperburgers
original recipe from recipe.com

1 pound ground meat (turkey, beef or pork)
1 medium onion, chopped
1 (10.75 ounce) can Condensed Tomato Soup
1 tablespoon prepared mustard
1/8 teaspoon ground black pepper
6 sandwich rolls

Cook the meat and onion in a 10-inch skillet over medium-high heat until it is well browned, stirring often. Pour off any fat.

Stir the soup, mustard and black pepper in the skillet and cook until the mixture is hot and bubbling. Divide the meat mixture among the rolls.

(I'm gonna admit I didn't catch the play on words in the name of the recipe (the Souper part) until I got home and started writing the recipe.  But it uses condensed tomato SOUP.  ding ding ding!!  I think tomato paste and a bit of tomato sauce would work fine in place of the canned soup.  If you go this route be sure to salt your mixture a bit- there is no salt in this recipe since there is salt in the soup.  But the soup sure made it easy!)

Oven Baked French Toast with Praline Crunch Topping and Strawberry Syrup

Last night I enjoyed another amazing Girls' Night In with Bonnie and Dawn for our cooking adventure.  The theme for the evening was Breakfast for Dinner.  Yeah, it really was that good!  I am going to do things a little differently and share each of our recipes in three different posts.  I have Dawn's Aunt already awaiting this recipe (Hi there!) and still need to gather up the recipes from the other girls.  So stay tuned, Bonnie's Quiche and Dawn's Dessert are both worth the wait!!  Yumm!

I apologize that the picture quality isn't so great.  I forgot my own camera, but luckily Dawn's sister Michelle came through and let me use hers.  I didn't know all her camera's bells and whistles, plus the fact that I was really hungry and just wanted to gobble everything up immediately! (Ok, ok... so this was probably the real reason...)  But you get the idea.  And you can just trust me- This. Meal. Is. Delicious.  Heaven, really.  It is rich, decadent, and truly a special dish.  This would be a perfect thing to make for a nice brunch or a holiday gathering with family and friends.  

Oven-Baked French Toast with Praline Crunch Topping
1 loaf of french bread
1/2 stick (1/4 cup) unsalted butter or margarine, softened**
3 large eggs
1 2/3 cups half and half or whole milk (I used fat free half and half.  This stuff is amazing.  Tastes just like the full fat stuff but is fat free!)
1/4 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon ground nutmeg
1 1/2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract
3 tablespoons sugar (or praline crunch topping, recipe follows below)

Slice the bread into 10-12 (1-inch-thick) diagonal slices, set the ends aside for another use.

Generously butter 1 side of each slice and arrange slices, buttered sides up, in 1 layer in a buttered 13x9 glass baking dish, squishing them slightly to fit if necessary. (**If you are baking this with the praline crunch topping it is not necessary to butter the bread ahead of time.  Just skip this step and jump ahead)

Whisk together eggs, milk, salt, cinnamon, nutmeg and vanilla until combined well. Pour evenly over bread. Chill, covered, until bread has absorbed all of custard, at least 1 hour and up to 1 day, depending on bread.

Preheat oven to 425°F.
Bring mixture to room temperature and sprinkle bread with the sugar or spread with the praline topping (recipe follows). Bake, uncovered, in middle of oven until bread is puffed and top is golden, 20 to 25 minutes. Serve immediately.

Praline Crunch Topping
1 stick of butter, softened
1/2 cup packed brown sugar
1 cup chopped pecans
1 tablespoon maple syrup
1/4 teaspoon cinnamon
1/4 teaspoon nutmeg

Combine all ingredients and blend well. Spread evenly over bread before baking.

This praline crunch topping I halved from Paula Dean's recipe.  Honestly next time I make it I will use even less butter.  Of course it was absolutely delicious, but really not necessary to use so much.  And to think her original recipe called for 2 sticks of butter!!!  I will probably use about 3/4-1/2 stick of butter next time.

Strawberry Syrup
1 10-oz jar of good quality strawberry perserves
3 tablespoons water
3 tablespoons apple juice

Combine all ingredients in a small saucepan and simmer on medium heat until warm and the consistency thins out like a syrup.  Serve warm, drizzled on top of french toast, pancakes, or even ice-cream.

Cooking with Herbs- Crostini and Pasta with Fresh Herbs

Last night Bonnie and Dawn came over to my house for our monthly Cooking with Friends night in.  Since my herb garden is in full abundance right now we went with the theme Cooking with Herbs.  There is so much that you can do with fresh herbs, and honestly we only just scratched the surface!  But our dinner was delicious and absolutely bursting with herbs!  Bonnie chose to make a pasta that incorporated the use of a bunch of herbs, that really showcased their flavor.  They were easily the star of the show.  It was so yummy and one I will totally be making again and again.  I think the addition of some chopped garden tomatoes would be lovely too.  

I went with a mixed variety of Crostini, some hot and some cold, all using different fresh herbs to show a lot of versatility in one basic little dish.  They all turned out delicious and we had a tough time deciding on a favorite.  But two stood out a little more then the rest- the Roasted Garlic Topping and also the Asiago Cheese and Onion Topping.  These two packed a ton of flavor in just very simple ingredients.   I was thrilled with the outcome of all the crostini and will definitely be making them again. What a perfect appetizer for a dinner party!  ....Although I doubt I will be waiting until a party to make these again- they are too good!  

from left to right: Roasted Garlic with Parmesan Cheese, Basil Pesto with Buffalo Mozzarella and Bruschetta Tomatoes,  Asiago Cheese and Onion Topping

Basic Crostini
1 french bread baguette, sliced thin on the diagonal (about 1/4-inch thick)
3 tablespoons olive oil
3 tablespoons unsalted butter

Preheat oven to 300 degrees.
Place butter and olive oil in a small sauce pan over low heat and stir until butter is melted.  Brush both sides of the bread slices with the mixture and place on a baking sheet.  Bake in preheated oven, turning once, until golden brown and slightly crisp, about 10 minutes.  Allow crostini to cool, then place in an airtight container until ready to use.

Classic Fresh Tomato Bruschetta Topping
4 tomatoes, seeded and chopped
3 garlic cloves, minced
1/2 cup fresh basil, coarsely chopped
salt and fresh ground black pepper, to taste
healthy drizzle extra virgin olive oil
shaved Parmesan Cheese

Combine all ingredients in a bowl and set aside, unrefrigerated for at least 30 minutes.  Place onto toasted crostini and top with slices of shaved Parmesan Cheese.

Classic Fresh Tomato Bruschetta Crostini 

Roasted Garlic Topping
from Outer Banks The Bountiful Coastal Carolina Cookbook by Chyrel B. Austin
3 heads of garlic
1/2 cup olive oil
3 tablespoons unsalted butter
1/2 teaspoon fresh ground black pepper
3 tablespoons chopped fresh chives

Preheat oven to 400 degrees.  Peel garlic cloves and place in a small oven proof dish.  Pour oilve oil over the cloves; oil should cover the garlic cloves completely.  Cover the dish tightly with a double thickness of foil.  Place on the center shelf of oven and bake until cloves are tender.  Remove with a slotted spoon and drain.  Reserve the oil.  Place the garlic cloves and 1 tablespoon of the reserved oil in a food processor and process until pureed.  Season with pepper, transfer to airtight container and refrigerate up to 2 days.

To serve, spread each crostini with a teaspoon of the roasted garlic mixture.  place on a baking sheet and bake at 350 degrees until crostini are warm, about 5 minutes.  Sprinkle with chopped chives and serve warm.

Asiago Cheese and Onion Topping
2-3 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
2 yellow or white onions, very thinly sliced (about 3 cups)
1 teaspoon dried thyme (we used fresh, so it would be 1 tablespoon instead)
Salt and freshly ground black pepper
2 tablespoons Dijon mustard
2 cups grated Asiago cheese

Preheat oven to 425 degrees F. In a large skillet, heat oil over medium-high heat; add onions. Let onions cook at least 3 minutes before stirring (they should start to brown before you move them around). Continue to cook, stirring only occasionally, about 20 minutes, until onions are well browned. Add thyme and season with salt and pepper.

Spread bread slices with a little mustard. Divide onion mixture evenly over bread slices then top each with cheese.

Place on a foil-lined baking sheet; bake 10 minutes or until cheese is melted.

Basil Pesto

Basil Pesto
2 cups packed fresh basil leaves
2 cloves garlic
1/4 cup pine nuts, tosasted
2/3 cup extra-virgin olive oil, divided
Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste
1 cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese

Combine the basil, garlic, and pine nuts in a food processor and pulse until coarsely chopped. Add 1/2 cup of the oil and process until fully incorporated and smooth. Season with salt and pepper.

If using immediately, add all the remaining oil and pulse until smooth. Next add the cheese right into the food processor and just blended for a quick couple of seconds to incorporate.

If freezing, transfer to an air-tight container and drizzle remaining oil over the top. Freeze for up to 3 months. Thaw and stir in cheese.

*for the crostini, I spread the pesto lightly onto the toast, topped them with slices of fresh buffalo mozzarella cheese and a spoonful of the Classic Bruschetta Topping.

Shrimp and Sausage with Asiago Cheese

Shrimp & Sausage with Asiago Cheese Topping
1 Tbsp extra virgin olive oil
1/2 medium onion, chopped
1/2 medium green pepper, chopped
1/2 lb. Italian hot or sweet sausage, casing removed
1/2 lb. raw shrimp, peeled and chopped
1 clove garlic, minced

1 teaspoon fresh chives, chopped

1 teaspoon fresh oregano, chopped

Salt and pepper to taste
1/2 cup coarsely grated Asiago cheese

Heat olive oil in large skillet over medium-high heat. Add onion and green pepper and cook, stirring, until onion is wilted about 3 minutes. Add sausage meat and cook, stirring to break up lumps until no longer raw, about 5 minutes. Add chopped shrimp and garlic, cooking just until shrimp turns pink. Remove from heat and adjust seasoning with salt and pepper, if necessary.

Preheat broiler. Place Basic Bruschetta slices on a baking sheet. Top with shrimp and sausage mixture. Sprinkle with cheese. Broil just until cheese melts (3-4 minutes). Do not let brown. Remove from oven, cut into 2-inch pieces and serve hot. Serves 4.

Pasta with Fresh Herbs

Pasta with Fresh Herbs
1/2 lb uncooked pasta
1/2 cup butter
4 cloves garlic, minced
3 tablespoons fresh basil, chopped
1 tablespoon fresh thyme, chopped
1 teaspoon dried marjoram (we used fresh since I am growing it! Make it 1 Tablespoon if using fresh.  Note:if you can't find Marjoram you can use oregano instead. They are in the same family.)
1 teaspoon ground savory (fresh here again- 1 tablespoon)
salt and fresh ground black pepper to taste
2 tablespoons sliced black olives (we added more because we all love olives)

Cook pasta acording to package directions.  Meanwhile, melt the butter over medium heat.  Stir in the garlic and cook for a couple of minutes.  Stir in the herbs.

Drain the pasta and transfer to a large bowl.  Add the butter mixture and toss to coat.  Season with salt and pepper and sprinkle with black olives.  Garnish with sprigs of fresh herbs and freshly grated parmesan cheese.

The big, wonderful bowl of pasta- yum!

*I didn't make this one last night, just ran out of time and bread!  But I want to share the recipe for future use because it sounds wonderful!

Roasted Red Pepper Pesto Topping

Adapted slightly from Williams Sonoma 

2 red bell peppers, roasted, peeled, seeded and

coarsely chopped

2 Tb. slivered almonds or toasted pine nuts

3 Tbs. grated Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese

1/4 c finely chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley

1 tsp fresh lemon juice

Pinch of cayenne pepper

Salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste

4 oz. goat cheese 

Preheat the oven to 350°. Place the red peppers on a baking sheet and rub them with olive oil. Bake for approx 40-45 minutes, turning every 10 minutes. Let them cool and then, seed, peel and chop them.

In the bowl of a food processor or using a hand blender, combine the red peppers, the remaining garlic clove, nuts, cheese, 3 Tbs of the parsley, lemon juice, 2 tsp olive oil and the cayenne pepper. Pulse until a coarse puree forms. Season with salt and black pepper.

Reduce the oven to 350°F.

With the crostini in a single layer on a baking sheet, spread about 2 tsp of the goat cheese on each crostini. Bake until the cheese is slightly soft and the crostini are warm, about 5 minutes. Transfer to a platter and top each with about 1 Tbs of the red pepper pesto. Sprinkle with the remaining 1 Tbs. parsley.

Shish Kabab, Creamy Cucumber Salad and Berry Cheesecake Parfaits

Last night I got together with Bonnie and Dawn for our monthly cooking night.  We were all in the mood for something on the lighter side, and something that was nice and summery.  Bonnie suggested shish kabab, which to me is one of those perfect summer dishes.  Yum!  I decided to bring a Creamy Cucumber Salad.  It was one of my suggestions on the side bar (keep those coming guys!  I love it!), plus it is an old family favorite.  This salad always graced our dinner table throughout the summer while the cucumbers were fat and bountiful in the garden.  My mom never really used a recipe, just adding ingredients a little at a time until the flavor was just right.  I added some measurements, but please do as my mom does- you will know when it is the right flavor!  Dawn chose to bring a dessert, and her Berry Cheesecake Parfaits were a HUGE hit!  They were a very simple dessert to create, involving no cooking just the use of a hand mixer.  We all agreed we will be making this recipe throughout the summer!  Sooooo good!

Shish Kabab

Any meat or seafoods of your choice (we used chicken and shrimp), cut into one-inch chunks
Assortment of vegetables (last night we used tri-color bell peppers, onions and mushrooms, which are classic choices. But try using zuchini/yellow squash, potatoes, cherry tomatoes, or whatever looks good at the market that day.  You really can't go wrong!), cut into one-inch chunks
salt and pepper
Italian dressing

If you use wooden skewers, it is best to soak them in water for about 15-30 minutes before use because they can splinter and burn.

Marinate your meat/seafood in the Italian dressing for about 30 minutes. Thread the meats/seafoods and veggies onto the skewers, alternating. Top with additional Italian dressing and season with salt and pepper.

Grill kabobs directly over heat source for about 10 to 15 minutes, turning 1/4 rotation every 2 to 3 minutes, or until the meat and/or fish is cooked throughout. You want a nice pretty char.

Creamy Cucumber Salad
3 English Cucumbers (you can use regular cucumbers, but you will want to peel off the skin), very thinly sliced (I love to use my mandolin for this, but not necessary)
Salt and pepper
1 cup sour cream
1/4 cup apple cider vinegar
finely chopped fresh dill, flat leaf parsley or fresh chives (any or a combo of the three)
1 1/2 teaspoons sugar
1 small red onion, thinly sliced
a half a pint of cherry tomatoes, sliced

In a colander set over a bowl, toss the cucumbers with 2 teaspoons salt. Let drain for at least 30 minutes and up to 3 hours. This will help to break down the cucumbers to remove excess moisture, and will also tenderize the cucumbers.

In a large bowl, whisk together the sour cream, apple cider vinegar, and sugar. These measurements are pretty good, but honestly my mom always taught me this recipe by adding ingredients a little at a time until you get the taste you are looking for. She never used an actual recipe. So if you like it a little less sweet, then don't add as much sugar, etc. When you get the flavor you like, add the drained cucumbers, onion, fresh herbs and toss. Season with fresh ground black pepper.

Berry Cheesecake Parfaits
1 pkg. (8 oz.) Philadelphia Cream Cheese, softened
1-1/2 cups cold milk
1 pkg. (3.4 oz.) Jell-O Vanilla Flavor Instant Pudding
1-1/2 cups thawed Cool Whip Whipped Topping, divided
24 Nilla Wafers, coarsely chopped
1-1/2 cups mixed blueberries and sliced fresh strawberries

Beat cream cheese with mixer until creamy. Gradually beat in milk. Add dry pudding mix; mix well. Whisk in 1 cup Cool Whip.

Layer half each of wafers, berries and pudding mixture in 8 parfait glasses. Repeat layers.

Top with remaining Cool Whip.

Chicken Souvlaki-Pita's with Cucumber Raita and Short-cut Strawberry Shortcakes

Over the holiday weekend my dear friend Tera and her husband Brian were visiting from Michigan and we were lucky enough to have them over for lunch.  I wanted to do something light, since it was pretty hot.  And also something that I wouldn't be cooking the whole time they were here- I wanted to visit and have fun with my company too!!  Sandwiches are an easy choice, but can be slightly boring- aha!  How about Chicken Souvlaki's?!  A Souvlaki is the Greek version of a kebab- meat that is threaded onto a skewer and then grilled.  They can be eaten off the skewers or put into a pita as a sandwich.  I decided to go with the later.  They are traditionally served with sliced onion, tomato and lettuce and then garnished with a sauce, like a Tzatziki.  I loooooooooove tzatziki, but garlic has been a little hit or miss with my nausea these days so I opted for the Indian version, called a Raita.  It is also a cucumber sauce, but made with mint instead of garlic. It ended up being a wonderful accompaniment for the Souvlaki-Pita's.  Plus the mint was lovely for the summer.  A perfect substitution for a nauseated pregnant girl *grin*.

I wanted to keep things as simple as possible so I did the old favorite for marinading chicken.... oil-based salad dressing.  If you haven't done this, hurry up!  It makes the chicken super tender and full of flavor.  I generally use Italian Dressing for this, but to add a bit of a different flavor, this time I opted for an Olive Oil based Honey Dijon Mustard Dressing.  Add a sprinkle of salt and a few grinds of fresh ground black pepper and you are good to go.  Let it sit in the refrigerator for a least an hour to marinate.  Meanwhile soak your bamboo skewers for about 30 minutes in water to prevent burning.  When ready to grill, remove the chicken from the fridge and thread onto the soaked skewers.  Grill or broil until cooked through.  Serve with all the fixings and let people add what they would like.  Finished product- delicious!!!

  

Chicken Souvlaki-Pita

(serves 4)

4 Marinated Chicken breasts, chunked, skewered and grilled/broiled

1/2 pint grape tomatoes, chopped

Romaine lettuce, chopped

Red Onion, sliced

Cucumber Raita (recipe follows)

Flat Bread Pita, warmed on the grill

Assemble all of the yummy fixings onto the warmed flatbread pita's.  Be sure to load on the Cucumber Raita- it tastes best when it is dripping through your fingers!  Enjoy

Cucumber Raita
2 hot house cucumbers (English), peeled, seeded and thinly sliced (lightly salt and allow to drain for at least 15 minutes to pull out the extra moisture)
2 cups Greek yogurt
3 tablespoons lemon juice
2 tablespoons chopped fresh mint
1/2 bunch cilantro, chopped
1/2 teaspoon white sugar
1/4 teaspoon kosher salt
fresh ground pepper to taste
1 teaspoon cumin

Directions
Stir together all of the ingredients, adding the cucumber last. Cover and refrigerate at least 3 hours, preferably overnight.

For dessert, Tera and Brain made a yummy Strawberry Shortcake.  This is a great dessert to have in your back pocket.  It is simple to assemble and quite inexpensive when strawberries are in season.  

Short Cut Strawberry Shortcake

Premade shortcake rounds

fresh strawberries, sliced

strawberry glaze

whipped cream

Place a dollop of strawberry glaze into the center of the premade shortcake rounds.  Top with sliced fresh strawberries and a generous amount of whipped cream.  Serve immediately.  

It was so wonderful having Tera and Brian in town.  I could easily get used to it!  We will miss you guys- hurry back!

Tri-Tip Steak Sandwiches with the Penicks

This weekend Scott and I went over to our friends, Jess and Curtis' for a lovely dinner and great conversation.  Curtis is originally from California and treated us to one of his favorite dinner's from back home- Tri-Tip.  I had never heard of this cut of meat before, and was excited to try it out.  It originated in the Santa Maria area of California and cut from the Bottom Sirloin of the cow.  For whatever reason it is only just becoming popular here, and might be difficult to find here in Ohio.  Luckily while shopping at Trader Joe's, they excitedly discovered it.  I am sure you could easily find it at the West Side Market as well.

I learned some great tips from Curtis about how to prepare this, so now I am excited to give it a try myself soon!  When cooking this steak it is important to cook it very slowly so it can tenderize and then also to let it rest, wrapped in foil, for at least 15 minutes to finish the tenderizing process.  Next, very much like flank steak, it needs to be sliced thinly against the grain otherwise it can become chewy.    

They grilled up some colorful red, yellow, orange, and green bell peppers and red onion to serve on our sandwiches along with beautifully in-season asparagus to have on the side.  I brought a pasta salad and wow, were we treated to a wonderful dinner!!!  It was so colorful and full of flavor.  The perfect summertime meal!  

Jess and Curtis, thank you so much for having us over and for a delicious meal!  It was such fun being able to eat outside and enjoy warming our feet at the bonfire.  Yep, I think Summer is on it's way!

Curtis, the comedian and Scott

Me and the lovely Jess

Sweet and Sour Chicken, Fried Rice and Steamed Pears

Each month I get together with two of my long time girlfriends, Bonnie and Dawn.  Many times we go out for a nice dinner, but as of lately we have been meeting at one another's house and cooking dinner together.  On Monday night we met at Bonnie's house for some Chinese.  I chose Chicken Friend Rice, Bonnie did Sweet and Sour Chicken and for dessert, Dawn made Steamed Pears.  Each of the dishes turned out wonderful- definite "make again's". 

Sweet and Sour Chicken

Chicken:

2 pounds skinless, boneless chicken breasts cut into bite sized pieces

1 cup all-purpose flour

a small amount of ground pepper, ground ginger, and garlic powder to season flour (not a lot)

1/2 cup milk

2 eggs

vegetable oil

1 red and 1 green bell pepper, cut into 1/2 inch pieces

1 large yellow onion, cut into 1/2 inch pieces

2 medium carrots, peeled and trimmed, sliced thinly on a diagonal

1 20 oz can pineapple chunks in juice (no added sweeteners)

Sweet and Sour Sauce:

1/2 cup reserved pineapple juice

1 cup water

1/4 cup granulated sugar

1/4 cup red wine vinegar

3 tablespoons lemon juice

4-6 drops red food coloring

2 rounded tablespoons corn starch mixed in enough cold water to make a slurry

Directions for making Chicken:

Trim chicken of all visible fat and cut into bit-sized pieces.  In a small frying pan heat 1/2 tablespoon of vegetable oil.  Heat to deep-frying temperature.  In a bowl mix eggs and milk and beat until well blended.  Place flour and seasonings in a shallow bowl and mix.  Dunk pieces of chicken into the egg  allowing excess to drain.  Dredge the chicken in the flour coating thoroughly.  Drop pieces into the hot oil and fry until deep golden brown.  Turn as necessary to cook evenly on all sides.  When golden brown  remove to a paper towel covered plate to drain.  Repeat until all chicken pieces are cooked.  Set aside until assembly. 

Directions for Making the Sauce:

Place pineapple and water in sauce pan and heat over a low flame.  Slowly add sugar while stirring.  When sugar has dissolved, slowly add the vinegar and lemon juice while stirring.  Add corn starch slurry and stir while heating.  Bring to a boil.  Stir constantly until thickened. Add food coloring, a little at a time until you get the coloring you like and stir well to mix.  Continue to heat and stir until almost a syrup.  Remove from heat and set aside.  

Note: You will be judging the thickness of the sauce while it is hot.  It will thicken considerably when it is set aside and cools.  Later, when added to the vegetables, the moisture from the vegetables will thin the sauce quite a bit.  

Directions for Assembling Completed Dish:

Add a little vegetable oil to a large frying pan or wok.  Bring to frying temperature over medium heat.  Add all vegetables but the pineapple and cook, stirring frequently , until onions begin to caramelize.  Add sweet and sour sauce and continue cooking and stirring until vegetables are bite tender and sauce has re-thickened and clings to the vegetables.  Add pineapple and chicken and fold into the vegetables and sauce.  Simmer until heated through.  Serve over rice.

Chicken Fried Rice

4 cups leftover, previously chilled cooked rice

Two large chicken breast cleaned of all visible fat, chopped into small bite sized pieces

1 cup diced ham

3 eggs, beaten

half green pepper, diced

1 small onion, diced

1/4 teaspoon salt 

fresh ground black pepper to taste

2 tablespoons high-heat cooking oil, divided

2 green onions (scallions), sliced

2 teaspoons fish sauce or 1 tablespoon soy sauce

3/4 cup frozen peas and carrots, defrosted

1 teaspoon sesame oil

Gently seperate the grains of rice with a fork, being careful not to smush them.  

Set a wok or large saute pan on high heat.  When oil is hot enough to make water sizzle, add one tablespoon of the cooking oil and swirl to coat the wok.  Season the chicken with salt and pepper, add the chicken and fry until almost cooked through.  Remove from the wok to a plate, leaving as much oil in the wok as possible.  Saute the pepper and onions, until the start to become translucent but still remain crisp.  Add ham to begin to caramelize.  Remove onions, peppers and ham from the wok and add to plate with chicken.

Turn the heat to medium and let the wok heat up again.  Add the eggs, stirring in a quick motion to scramble the eggs.  When the eggs are almost cooked through (they should still be slightly runny in the middle), dish out of the wok into the same plate as the chicken.  

Use a paper towel to wipe down the same wok clean and return it to high heat  Add the remaining 1 tablespoon of cooking oil, swirling to coat.  When the oil is hot, add the green onions and fry until fragrant, about 15-30 seconds.  Add the rice and stir well to mix in the green oinions throughout.  Spread the rice all around the wok surface area and let the rice heat up, untouched until you hear the bottoms of the grains sizzle, about 1 minute.  Use a spatula to toss the rice, again spreading the rice out over the surface of wok and let cook for 1 minute.  

Drizzle the fish sauce (or soy sauce) all around the rice and toss.  Add the peas and carrots, the cooked eggs, mostly cooked chicken, ham, peppers and onions and sesame oil, tossing to mix the rice evenly with all the ingredients.  Repeat the tossing, spreading and 1-minute frying until each and every grain of rice is heated through.  Taste and adjust with additional soy sauce if needed.  


**this recipe is adapted slightly from Jadin Hair's Shrimp Fried Rice recipe in Steamy Kitchen

Steamed Pears

4 Asian pears or if unavailable, bartlett pears

4 teaspoons honey

4 dates, pitted

lemon juice to brush on pears to avoid discoloration, optional

Wash and dry pears, cut off top and core.  Reserve the top of the pear.  This will become the lid.  Fill each pear with a date and fill with honey.  Put the top back on the pear and place in steamer.  Steam for 30 minutes or until tender. 

**The flavor of these we soooooo delicious.  We all agreed that the dates completely made the dish.  The three flavors blended together beautifully.  We steamed the pears for well over 30 minutes and due to our impatience we took them out of the steamer before they were completely tender.  They had more of a crispness to them.  Although this didn't take away from the flavor of the dish, we all agreed that a more tender pear would be nice.  I will most definitely be making these again and will have to play around with the recipe a bit.   But please give them a try- just wonderful!

Stay tuned for our next months' Girls Night In.  We already can't wait!

Chicken Enchiladas with Red Sauce, Black Beans and Guacamole

Last night we invited our friends Jess and Curtis over to enjoy dinner with us.  Isn't it such fun cooking for friends and feasting in the accomplishments of a job well done?!  I just love it, and last night was no exception.  Being it that is was so cold and blustery I wanted to bring a bit of warmth at least to our meal and what works better for that then a little spicy Mexican!  Chicken Enchiladas with Red Sauce, Black Beans and Guacamole to be exact.

About a month ago I had my girlfriends Bonnie and Dawn over for a cooking night and we created this dish.  I wanted to share it with you all right away because we really enjoyed it.  But alas we forgot to take pictures!  Oops.... I blame it on being too busy laughing, gabbing and maybe a little bit of wine too.  I much prefer cookbooks with wonderful pictures to look at, don't you?  You want to know what in the world whatever it is you are making is supposed to look like when it is finished!  So I thought I would wait to showcase it until I made it again.  This seemed like the perfect night for it!

The Chicken Enchilada with Red Sauce Recipe comes from Steve Raichlen's Healthy Latin Cooking.  I usually associate Steve with BBQ, but this cookbook is outstanding.  He takes traditional Mexican and other Latin cooking and gets rid of all the excess fat and such and turns the meals into ones you could actually eat and thoroughly enjoy on a regular basis (without feeling like you need to go to the gym right after!)

Chicken Enchiladas with Red Sauce

Enchiladas de pollo con salsa roja

For the Chicken

1 pound boneless, skinless chicken breast, trimmed of all visible fat

1/4 onion

1/2 tomato

1 sprig fresh cilantro

4- 4 1/2 cups Chicken Stock

For the Sauce

15 dried New Mexico red chile peppers, ancho chilis or chile colorados (found in the produce department)

1/2 tomato, seeded and cut into 1" pieces

1/4 medium onion, cut into 1" pieces

1 clove garlic

1 sprigs fresh cilantro

1/2 teaspoon dried oregano

salt and ground black pepper to taste

12 corn tortillas (6" diameter)

1/4 cup minced white onions

3 tablespoons grated white Cheddar or Monterey Jack cheese

To Make the Chicken:,

In a large saucepan over medium heat, combine the chicken, onion, tomato, cilantro, and 4 cups of the stock.  Simmer for 10 minutes, or until the chicken is no longer pink in the center.  Remove the chicken from the pan and let cool to room temperature.  When cool, shred or cut the chicken into thin slivers.  Strain the cooking liquid into a measuring cup and reserve for the sauce (you should have about 3 1/2 cups).

Meanwhile, coat a 13"x9" baking dish with nonstick cooking spray.

To Make the Sauce:

Stem the chile peppers, tear open, and remove and discard the ribs and seeds (Steve advises wearing rubber gloves when handling, but I didn't either time and was fine.  These aren't very spicy at all.  But do as you like.)  In the same saucepan you cooked the chicken in, combine the chile peppers and 3 cups of the reserved chicken cooking liquid.  Let soak for 5 minutes.  Cook over low heat for 10 minutes, or until softened.  (we somehow missed this soaking step the first time I made this and although it turned out wonderful, comparing the two I like the soaked version better.  It brought out all of the wonderful flavor of the chili's).

Transfer the chile peppers and 2 3/4 cups of the cooking liquid to a blender.  Add the tomatoes, onion pieces, garlic, cilantro, and oregano.  Puree until smooth.  The sauce should be thick but pourable; add a little more stock if necessary.  Season with salt and black pepper.  Pour 1/3 of the sauce into the prepared baking dish.  

Preheat oven to 400 degrees.  

Bring the remaining chicken liquid to a boil in the same saucepan over high heat.  Add the tortillas, one at a time, and cook for 10 seconds, or until soft and pliable. Remove to a plate and keep warm.  

Too Assemble:

Place 2-3 tablespoons of the chicken on each tortilla.  Top with 1 teaspoon of the minced onions and roll into a tube.  (If the tortilla splits don't worry about it.  You won't even noticed after they are baked.)  Arrange the enchiladas seam side down, in the prepared baking dish and spoon the remaining sauce on top.  Sprinkle with cheese.  

Bake the enchiladas for 10-15 minutes, or until the cheese is melted and the sauce is bubbling hot.  

**those yummy looking Mexican Jalepenos are homemade, care of Kathleen Jordan.  They were a perfect condiment to go along with the enchiladas.  Thanks again!

Classic Black Beans 

2 Tablespoons olive oil

1/2 cup onion, finely chopped

1/4 cup green pepper, chopped

2 cloves garlic, minced

1 15.5 oz. can Black Beans 

3/4 cup water

1 tsp. oregano

1 packet Sazon Goya without Annatto (found in the Mexican isle of your grocery store.  I see it everywhere.  You will have lots of this left for future recipes.)  

1 Tablespoon cider vinegar

Heat oil in a medium saucepan over medium heat.  Add onion. peppers and garlic; cook until tender, about 8-10 minutes.  Stir in remaining ingredients.  Bring to a boil.  Reduce heat and simmer 10 minutes.  

I have tried quite a few black bean recipes, but this one found on the back label of the Goya brand black beans is our most favorite.  It is super easy and full of flavor.  These are great served over white rice!

Chunky Guacamole

2 ripe Haas Avocados

1/2 red onion, chopped into medium sized chunks

1 tomato, seeded and chopped into medium sized chunks

1/2-1 jalapeno pepper, seeded and diced

1 lime, juiced

corse salt and fresh ground black pepper to taste

a few dashes Tabasco

Half and seed your avocado.  Scoop out flesh and mash with fork.  I like to leave mine chunky.  Add onion, lime juice, salt and pepper and mix well.  Add your jalapeno slowly, starting with half, tasting every now and then to make sure you get it to the temperature you are happy with.  Same with the Tobasco sauce. Once you get the flavor you like, add the tomatoes and carefully stir.  

Serve as a dip with chips or on the side as a dip for your enchiladas.  We did both.  This is one of my guilty pleasures in life.  I could easily eat an entire bowl if not careful!

Thanks again Jess and Curtis for a lovely evening.  We had a wonderful time and we hope you did too.  Let's do it again soon!  And thanks for bringing the delicious dessert.  Yummmmmm.