Play Day and Pending Birthday…..

Posted by on April 8, 2011

Wondering what is encapsulating Ryan?  That would be my couch cushions of course!  I love that for Christmas I bought him a fancy little pop up tent and he takes my couches apart on a daily basis to make a “fort” or a “tent.”  Creative play is the BEST!  I suppose the triangle here reminded me of his last birthday cake….. 

We are fast approaching his 6th birthday and I have no idea how I’m going to pull off a Spider Man cake.  For his 5thbirthday I did a volcano cake with ferocious dinosaurs……

Oh, did I mention that the volcano worked???

It was so fun!  I made a pocket in the center for a small dish to hold the dry ice.  It was very cool.  (no pun intended) Dry ice tip:  always add boiling water to dry ice to create the best “smoking” affect.  The volcano was chocolate and the base was vanilla…Fruit roll ups were the molten lava running down the cake.  So FUN to make!

So.  For Spider Man I’m thinking that I’ll have to make some sort of building for the cake and have Spider Man propelling off of it somehow…..

I’ll have to “google Judy.”  My mom always has fun and fantastic ideas! 

Let me know if you have any good cake ideas!

Have a great evening~

Angie

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Simplest Barbeque Ribs…..

Posted by on April 5, 2011

This recipe uses very few ingredients and a very simple cooking technique called braising.  Slow roast the simply seasoned ribs in the oven with low heat for a couple of hours and finish on the grill for 10-15 minutes.  Feeding a crowd?  Cook the ribs ahead and refrigerate (you’ll want to use within a few days).  Grill for 10-15 minutes and add BBQ sauce and serve.

Here we go….

There is a skin on the underside of the ribs, you’ll want to remove it.

Using your fingers, grip the skin and pull away from the ribs.

If it’s too difficult to grab ahold of the skin with your fingers, use paper towel.  This will help to grip the skin.

Once the skin is removed,  halve the slabs to make them more manageable when cooking.  Choose a meaty spot between two bones and slice with a sharp knife.

Preheat the oven to 275′.  Foil line a deep pan that will hold the ribs without too much crowding.

Now we’re ready to season.   I  season simply with salt and pepper.  I think salt and pepper bring out the natural flavor in the ribs and of course, you get tons of flavor from BBQ sauce.

Place in prepared pan.

Cover the pan tightly with foil.  Roast for 2 1/2 hours.

They’re done.  They don’t look very appetizing at this point but believe me, they’re tender and ready for the grill.  I find that they are more manageable when you allow them to cool a bit before grilling.  Preheat the grill to medium high.  Place ribs on the grill.  Grill until they’re heated through.   Add your favorite BBQ sauce at the very end.   I LOVE Sweet Baby Ray’s, it’s sweet, thick, and a bit spicy, so good.

Best BBQ Ribs

1-2 slabs of baby back ribs, skin removed and halved
salt and pepper
Sweet Baby Ray’s BBQ Sauce, or your favorite BBQ sauce

1)  Preheat the oven to 275′.  Foil line your pan with heavy duty aluminum foil.

2)  Remove the skin from the back side of the ribs and halve the slab.  Season generously with salt and pepper or your favorite seasoning or rub.  Place into prepared pan.

3)  Cover the pan tightly with foil.  Place in 275′ oven for 2 1/2 hours.  No need to peek.

4)  Remove from oven and cool or refrigerate to grill later.  Preheat grill to medium-high.  Place ribs on the grill for about 15 minutes.  Liberally add BBQ sauce to the ribs and watch carefully as to not burn the BBQ sauce.  Serve immediately.

ENJOY!

Angie

Filed Under: Grilling, Meats | Tagged: Tagged With: ,

Oven Roasted Cauliflower…..

Posted by on April 4, 2011

I think this is the most delicious way to enjoy cauliflower.  As you can see, roasting gives the otherwise bland looking vegetable nice color or caramelization.  Use only 5 ingredients…cauliflower, olive oil, salt, pepper and a little water.  Foil line your cookie sheet for easy clean up.  Enjoy hot or cold.

Oven Roasted Cauliflower

1 head of cauliflower, cut into bite size pieces
1 tablespoon olive oil
3 pinches salt
2 pinches pepper
1 tablespoon water

1)  Preheat oven to 375′.  Foil line a cookie sheet.

2)  Cut cauliflower and place in a large bowl.  Drizzle with olive oil and season with salt and pepper.  Toss to evenly coat.  Spread over cookie sheet and drizzle with the water.

3)  Roast for 25 minutes, give a turn and roast another 15-20 minutes.

Enjoy!

Angie

Filed Under: Side Dishes, Vegetarian | Tagged: Tagged With: ,

Chicken Parmesan…..

Posted by on March 30, 2011

This is a scrumptious dinner.    Make the marinara sauce ahead(recipe below).  If you’re having company, bread the chicken breasts and layer with wax paper between pieces, refrigerate.  Simply put into the oven about 40 minutes before you want to serve and follow the rest of the cooking directions.  While the chicken is baking, cook the pasta.  I think the the best way to get the most flavor into the pasta is to under cook it by a couple of minutes.  Drain the pasta and put back into the pan.  Add a couple of ladels of sauce to the hot undercooked noodles over medium heat.  Allow to cook for a couple of minutes.  The pasta will cook the rest of the way absorbing the flavors from the sauce.

Here we go….

Non stick foil line a cookie sheet with sides.  Add some olive oil…

Spread the oil evenly over the foil, set aside.  Preheat oven to 40o’.

Start with a whole, raw chicken breasts.  Trim any excess fat.  Most chicken breasts are quite large so I suggest giving it a horizontal slice.  This will make for more even cooking.

Place your hand on the top of the chicken breast and with a very sharp knife slice through the center of the breast.  (hard to demonstrate here with the camera in my right hand!)

Here you see the chicken breast halved.  Season both sides with a little kosher salt.

You will need three large bowls to coat the chicken.  One for flour, one for beaten egg and water, and one for the bread crumb/parmesan cheese mixture.  Dip into flour to coat, shake off excess….

Then into the egg mixure, allow the excess liquid to run off….

Finally, dip into the bread crumb/parmesan cheese mixture to thoroughly coat.

Place on the prepared cookie sheet and give a light drizzle of olive oil.  Bake for 30 minutes.

Remove from oven and top with cheese.  Back into the oven for 10 minutes.  Serve with marinara sauce and pasta.

Chicken Parmesan

4 chicken breasts, halved into cutlets
½ teaspoon kosher salt
1 cup flour
2 eggs beaten with 2 tablespoons of water
1 cup Italian seasoned bread crumbs
½ cup finely grated parmesan cheese
Olive oil
8 slices mozzarella or provolone cheese

1)  Preheat oven to 400’.  Trim the fat off of the chicken breasts.   Lay the chicken breast on the cutting board.  Hold the top of the breast with one hand and with a very sharp knife, run it horizontally through the chicken breast.  Season each breast half with a couple of pinches of salt.

2)  You will need three containers.  To the first add the flour, the second the eggs and water (beaten), and to the third, add the bread crumbs and parmesan cheese, mix to blend.

3)  Dip each breast half first into the flour, shake off excess flour.  Dip into the egg to coat.  Finally, into the bread crumb mixture to coat and right onto the cookie sheet.  Once all are on the sheet, drizzle each piece with a small amount of olive oil.  Bake for 30 minutes.  Remove the pan from the oven and top each breast with one slice of cheese.  Bake an additional 10 minutes to melt the cheese.  Serve with spaghetti and marinara sauce. Makes 4 servings.

Enjoy!

Angie

Filed Under: Pasta, Poultry | Tagged:

Marinara Sauce…..

Posted by on March 29, 2011

Everyone should have a “go to” marinara recipe.  Here you go.  Love this over pasta with fresh grated parmesan cheese.  Add a simple salad and you have dinner.   If you’d like to kick it up a notch, serve it with my homemade garlic bread.  (you’ll find the recipe in breads category)  Why not double the recipe and keep a stash in your freezer for later, always a great idea!  Also makes an excellent meatless lasagna…will share that with you soon.

Here we go….

We  begin with a large heavy pot over medium heat and some nice olive oil.

And lots of onions…two cups.  Cook for about 5 minutes.

We’ll add some seasonings now.  The olive oil will absorb the flavors.  We have crushed red pepper flakes, oregano, thyme, salt, and pepper.

Add the seasonings all at once….

And garlic, we need lots of garlic:-)  Cook for a couple of minutes.

Of course, we need tomatoes.  I like using crushed tomatoes for a little texture, tomato sauce, and tomato paste.  Sugar is added to reduce the acidity.

Add the tomato paste.  Cook this in the pan for a few minutes, the tomato paste will start to caramelize and all of the flavors will come together.

Add the crushed tomatoes, the tomato sauce, and a little water.

Finally, the sugar.  Simmer the sauce for about 20 minutes.  Quick and easy!

Marinara Sauce
(no meat)

 2 tablespoons olive oil
2 cups chopped onion
¼ cup fresh garlic, minced (about 5 large cloves)
1 tablespoon dried oregano
1 teaspoon dried thyme
1 ½ teaspoons kosher salt or 1 teaspoon table salt
½ teaspoon pepper
1/8 teaspoon red pepper flakes
1 6 ounce can tomato paste
1 28 ounce can crushed tomatoes
1 28 ounce can tomato sauce + ½ can water
1 ½ tablespoons sugar

 1)  Heat olive oil in a large heavy pot over medium heat.  Add onions and cook for about 5 minutes.  Add the garlic, oregano, thyme, salt, pepper, and pepper flakes, cook another couple of minutes.

2)  Add tomato paste and cook 3-4 minutes, stirring often.  Add crushed tomatoes, tomato sauce, water, and sugar.  Simmer for about 20 minutes. 

*add additional water if you’d like a thinner sauce.

Filed Under: Homemade Sauces, Pasta, Quick Weeknight Dinners | Tagged: Tagged With: , ,

Barley and Feta Salad…..

Posted by on March 28, 2011

My latest food obsession these days is barley.    I love t0 taste many different layers of flavors especially in salads.  The barley in this salad offers  a lovely chewy texture.  The feta and tomato give it a nice tang, and the basil, parsley, and cucumber balance out the acidic components of the salad.    It can be made ahead and served cold or at room temperature.  For a light supper, enjoy with a nice piece of grilled salmon or chicken breast.  It keeps very well in the refrigerator.  Enjoy for quick and healthy lunches throughout the week.   Top with a little canned tuna or leftover chicken breast, yummy!

Greek Barley Salad

 For the salad:

 2-3 cups cooked barley (about 1 ¼ cup dry pearled)
1 cup chopped green pepper
1 cup seeded and chopped cucumber, include skin
1 cup chopped parsley
½ cup finely chopped red onion
3 plum tomatoes, seeded and diced
½ cup chopped fresh basil
½ cup crumbled feta cheese

 For the dressing:

¼ cup olive oil
2 tablespoons red wine vinegar
2 tablespoons water
2 teaspoons dried oregano
1 teaspoon granulated garlic powder
½ teaspoon kosher salt or 1/4 teaspoon table salt
¼ teaspoon pepper

1)  If you’re using pearled barley (not the quick cooking kind) place in a colander and rinse well under running water in the sink.  This will prevent the barley from becoming too gummy.  Cook with salt according to package directions, cool completely. 

2)  Whisk the dressing ingredients together in a small bowl.

3)  Prepare all of the salad ingredients and place in a large mixing bowl.  Pour dressing over and toss well to coat.  Season to taste.  Refrigerate unused salad.  Makes about eight one cup servings.

Happy eating!

Angie

Filed Under: Salads and Salad Dressings | Tagged: Tagged With: , ,

Have You Tried My Oven French Fries???

Posted by on March 26, 2011

Once you try my Oven French Fries, you’ll never go back to any frozen varieties.  These make it into a very regular dinner rotation at my house.  They are crisp and actually taste like a potato!  If you like spicy fries, just add a sprinkle of cayenne when seasoning….healthy and delicious!

You will find this recipe in the “side dishes” category.

Have a great day!

Angie

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Asian Slaw…..

Posted by on March 25, 2011

This salad is loaded with layers of flavor.  We begin with beautiful, bright, and healthy vegetables and fresh cilantro.  For the dressing, I love sweet and spicy, so I added sugar and a little chili garlic sauce.  I then top with chopped salted peanuts.  Crunchy vegetables, sweet and spicy dressing, fresh cilantro, and salty peanuts, the perfect combination!  Serve with simple grilled chicken breast and steamed rice for the perfect dinner.  If you have leftovers, enjoy the next day.

Asian Slaw

 For the dressing:

 2 ½ tablespoons rice wine vinegar
2 tablespoons water
2 tablespoons canola or vegetable oil
1 tablespoon mayonnaise
4 teaspoons sugar
2 teaspoons toasted sesame oil
1 teaspoon ground bottled ginger
¼ teaspoon chili garlic sauce
¼ teaspoon kosher salt
1/8 teaspoon pepper

 For the salad:

 ¼ head green cabbage, very thinly sliced
¼ head purple cabbage, very thinly sliced
1 cup shredded carrots
½ cup thinly sliced green onions
1 medium red pepper, seeded and thinly sliced
1 cup chopped cilantro
1/3 cup chopped salted peanuts

 1)  Whisk all dressing ingredients together and refrigerate if you’re not using immediately.

2)  Into a large salad bowl, add all salad vegetables and ½ of the peanuts.  Thirty minutes before serving, add the salad dressing and toss to coat.  Just before serving, toss again.  Top with peanuts.  Serve immediately.  Refrigerate leftovers.  Makes 6 servings.

Enjoy!  Have a wonderful weekend!

Angie

Filed Under: Asian, Salads and Salad Dressings | Tagged: Tagged With: ,

Kalamata Olive Vinaigrette…..

Posted by on March 23, 2011

I

I love the flavors in this vinaigrette.  Of course, the most prominent would be the kalamata olives.  I decided to mince them into the vinaigrette to more evenly distribute the olive flavor throughout the salad rather than a strong bite here and there.  The recipe below makes about 1 1/2 cups of dressing.  It will keep in the refrigerator for up to 3 weeks.  Homemade and delicious!

Kalamata Olive Vinaigrette

 2 tablespoons each water, lemon juice, and red wine vinegar
2 tablespoons parmesan cheese
2 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley
2 teaspoons Dijon mustard
1 large clove garlic, chopped
½ teaspoon kosher salt
¼ teaspoon black pepper
1 cup olive oil
10 pitted kalamata olives, minced

 Romaine lettuce leaves
Red onion, thinly sliced

 1)  Place all ingredients up to black pepper into a blender.  Blend on low, while the blender is on, add the olive oil in a drizzle until all is incorporated.  Pour into a bowl and add the minced olives.

2)  Place lettuce leaves on a plate with some sliced red onion.  Drizzle with salad dressing.  Makes about 1 ½ cups of dressing.  Keep refrigerated for up to 3 weeks.

Enjoy!

Angie

Filed Under: Salads and Salad Dressings, Vegetarian | Tagged: Tagged With: , ,

Caramelized Onion Pasta with Toasted Panko and Cheese

Posted by on March 22, 2011

This pasta is incredibly flavorful and made with simple ingredients.  Serve as a delicious side dish or vegetarian main.  Add whatever you like.  I think it would be outstanding with chopped leftover chicken and petite frozen peas…YUM!

I take an additional step in the process because my guys wouldn’t appreciate identifiable onions and garlic chunks.  I give the mixture a whirl in the blender before adding it to the cooked pasta.  Skip this step if you wish.

Here we go….

We’ll start by toasting the panko.  Preheat the oven to 375′ and give the crumbs a drizzle of olive oil, mix well to coat and spread over a cookie sheet.  Bake for 5-6 minutes. 

They should be golden brown.  Allow to cool completely.

In a small bowl, combine the toasted panko, grated parmesan cheese, and dried parsley, mix well.  Set aside.

Heat a large skillet over medium heat and add 2 tablespoons of olive oil.  Caramelize onions until they are golden brown as seen above.  This should take about 25-30 minutes.   Add garlic and 1/2 cup each chicken broth and wine.  Cook for 4 minutes.

Omit this step if you wish.  I blend the onion/wine/broth mixture to a smooth sauce so my guys will eat it.  They love the taste of onions and garlic but don’t much appreciate visible onions or garlic chunks.

It will look like this.  Cook the pasta according to package directions.  Drain well and toss the pasta with the sauce.  Top with the panko/cheese/parsley mixture.  The sweetness of the onions and garlic combined with the sharpness of the parmesan and the crunch of the panko will cause a party in your mouth!  Enjoy!

Rotelle Pasta with Caramelized Onions and Toasted Panko

 For the Crumbs:
½ cup panko (Japanese breadcrumbs)
1 tablespoon olive oil
1/3 cup coarsely grated parmesan cheese
1 tablespoon dried parsley

 For the Pasta:

2 ½ cups thinly sliced onions
2 tablespoons olive oil
1 tablespoon minced garlic
½ cup dry white wine
½ cup chicken broth (or use ½ teaspoon Better Than Bouillon with ½ cup water)
½ pound cooked whole wheat curly pasta (or your favorite kind)

 1)  Preheat oven to 375’.  Drizzle 1 tablespoon of olive oil over bread crumbs and stir to evenly coat.  Spread over cookie sheet and bake 5-6 minutes.  Remove from oven and cool completely.  Once cool put into a small mixing bowl with the parmesan and the parsley, mix well.  Set aside

2)  Heat a large skillet over medium heat and add 2 tablespoons of olive oil.  Add the sliced onions and cook, stirring often until they turn golden brown, about 30 minutes.  Add the garlic, wine and the chicken broth, cook for about 4 minutes.

3)  You may omit this step if you wish.  I put the onion/wine/garlic mixture into the blender so that my people will eat it.  They love the taste of onions and garlic but not necessarily the stringy pieces of onion and chunks of garlic.  It’s a texture thing.

4)  Cook the pasta according to package directions in salted water.  Drain well and gently toss with the onion mixture and top with the panko/cheese/parsley mixture.  Serves 4.

*if you’d like to make this vegetarian, simply substitute vegetable broth for chicken broth.

Filed Under: Pasta, Quick Weeknight Dinners, Side Dishes, Vegetarian | Tagged: Tagged With: , ,
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