Eggplant and Goat Cheese Sandwiches with Tomato Tarragon Sauce

 

I think I could eat these Eggplant and Goat Cheese Sandwiches everyday. I've made them several times now and each time I like them better than the time before. I've made them using zucchini instead of eggplant. I've made them with jarred pasta sauce instead of the Tomato Tarragon Sauce. Delicious. Delicious. Delicious. These were particularly wonderful because I made them with leftover breaded eggplant slices I'd made earlier when I was putting together a delicious Eggplant Parmesan. I threw the extra eggplant into a ziploc bag and froze them. Now when the craving strikes, I can have warm, gooey Eggplant and Goat Cheese Sandwiches in a matter of minutes and with no mess to clean up!

 Eggplant and Goat Cheese Sandwiches with Tomato Tarragon Sauce

Recipe from What Did You Eat?

1 tablespoon olive oil
1 small onion, chopped
3 cups fresh or canned crushed tomatoes in thick puree (one 28-ounce can)
1 teaspoon fresh tarragon
1- 1/4 teaspoons salt
1 teaspoon sugar
1/2 teaspoon fresh-ground black pepper
1 cup dry bread crumbs
1/2 cup grated Parmesan
2 eggplants, peeled and cut to make sixteen 1/2-inch-thick slices in all
4 eggs, beaten to mix
Cooking oil, for frying
1/2 pound mild goat cheese, such as Montrachet, cut into 8 rounds

In a medium saucepan, heat the olive oil over moderately low heat. Add the onion and cook, stirring occasionally, until translucent, about 5 minutes. Add the tomatoes, tarragon, 3/4 teaspoon of the salt, and the sugar and simmer, stirring occasionally, for 25 minutes. Stir in 1/4 teaspoon of the pepper.
Meanwhile, heat the oven to 350°. In a medium bowl, combine the bread crumbs, Parmesan, and the remaining 1/2 teaspoon salt and 1/4 teaspoon pepper.

Dip each slice of eggplant in the eggs and then in the bread-crumb mixture, coating well. In a large frying pan, heat about half an inch of cooking oil over moderate heat until very hot. Fry the eggplant in the hot oil, in batches, turning once, until golden and cooked through, 1 to 2 minutes per side. Drain on paper towels.
Arrange half of the eggplant slices in a single layer on a baking sheet. Put a slice of goat cheese on top of each and then top with the remaining eggplant slices. Bake until the cheese melts, about 10 minutes. Put the sauce on plates and top with the eggplant

Zesty Penne with Sausage and Peppers

Zesty Penne with Sausage and Peppers has become our family favorite, go-to recipe lately. It's got a little zip since we use our favorite hot sausage. It's creamy thanks to the cream cheese. And best of all, it's quick and easy to make. And since it's something that everyone in the family likes, I always have the ingredients on hand to whip up a satisfying dinner in no time at all!

I did make a few changes to this recipe. I leave out the green peppers because we don't care for them. I use red peppers instead. I also usually don't add any milk because  forgot to the first time I made it and we all liked it that way. As any mom of four will tell you, when you find something that all six people in the family will eat, you don't change a thing!

Zesty Penne with Sausage and Peppers is my contribution to The Weekend Blog Showcase. The original recipe came from a great blog, The Fairhope Foodie. Unfortunately Alaina is taking a blog hiatus at the moment but all over her amazing recipes are still available. Her recipe for Chicken Tortilla Skillet is definitely on my To Do list. Hopefully she'll be back to blogging soon but meanwhile, stop by and check out her blog.

This week's Weekend Blog Showcase is hosted by Lori at All That Splatters. Stop by and check out everyone's contribution. I've already changed my menu plan to include Cathy's Ribollita with Parmesan Toasts because it just looks too good to wait!

Zesty Penne with Sausage and Peppers
Recipe from The Fairhope Foodie

1 box Penne Noodles (I used Ronzoni Smart Taste)
1 lb. Italian Sausage
1 green bell pepper, chopped
1 red bell pepper, chopped
1 jar (26 oz.) spaghetti sauce
8 oz. cream cheese (I used reduced-fat)
1/4 cup milk (add more as needed for desired consistency)

Cook pasta according to package directions.

Meanwhile, brown sausage in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Break up large chunks with a wooden spoon. Drain off excess fat. Return to skillet and add peppers. Cook 5-10 minutes or until softened. Stir in spaghetti sauce and cook until heated through, about 5 minutes. Add cream cheese, cook another 5 minutes or until melted, stirring frequently.

Drain pasta and return to pot. Add sausage mixture, mixing thoroughly. Add enough milk to thin out the consistency (I didn't measure, so I'm not sure how much I added. I'm guessing between 1/4 and 1/2 cup. It will resemble an alfredo sauce). Top with Parmesan. Serve with a small salad.

Fried Mozzarella Bites with Homemade Tomato Sauce

 As luck would have it, I noticed a container of fresh mozzarella balls marked down while I was at the grocery store the other day. I didn't really need them but since our stores rarely carry fresh mozz, I had to buy it. A quick Google and Sharon's recipe for Fried mozzarella Bites with Homemade Tomato Sauce was the perfect solution. Crispy on the outside. Warm and gooey on the inside. Mmmmmm.

Fried Mozzarella Bites with Homemade Tomato Sauce

Recipe from Culinary Adventures of a New Wife

1 8 oz container of mozzarella balls

2 large eggs

1/4 cup of milk
1 cup of plain flour
2 cups of panko
1 tablespoon of dried oregano
1/2 teaspoon garlic salt
salt and pepper
canola oil for frying
 (you'll end up with a lot of excess flour, breading, etc.  Halve the breading if you prefer, but having the excess makes dunking easier! Or, you can double the amount of cheese)

1.  Drain the cheese and dry on paper towels. Prepare your breading station by having 3 bowls ready. Put flour in one, season with salt and pepper to taste. Mix the eggs with the milk and pour into the second bowl. Add the breadcrumbs with the dried oregano and garlic salt to the last bowl and mix well.

2. Dip each piece of cheese in the flour, then in the egg mixture and lastly in the breadcrumbs, shaking off excess after each step. Repeat the breading process again and place cheese balls on a flat plate.

3.  Heat about oil up to minimum line in Fry Daddy or in a medium sauce pan to 350 degrees. Carefully lower cheese balls, a few of a time and cook until they are golden, about a minute or so. Remove and drain in paper towels. Repeat with the remaining cheese making sure oil comes up to temperature before adding more cheese.

Tomato Sauce:
1 tablespoon of olive oil
1/2 onion, chopped
2 garlic cloves, chopped
1 14.5 oz can of fire roasted diced tomatoes (try Muir Glen)
1 teaspoon dried basil
1 teaspoon dried oregano
1/8 teaspoon red pepper flakes
salt and pepper

1. Heat the oil over medium-heat and add the onions. cook until translucent, about 6 minutes. Add the garlic, cook for a minute more and add the diced tomatoes.

2. Fill half of the tomato can with water and add to the pot. Add spices and bring to a boil. Reduce heat, cover and simmer for about 20 minutes, until sauce is thickened (this process took awhile for me.  I let simmer until very thick b/c I like thick sauce). Season with salt and pepper to taste.

It's been a long week: Fried Green Tomatoes with Warm Indian Spices

Between the kitchen remodel project and my still being sick, there hasn't been much cooking going on. Hopefully things will be looking up soon because I'm getting sick and tired of feeling sick and tired! For some reason, feeling sick might stop me from cooking but it doesn't stop me from thinking about cooking. If I could cook right now, I'd fix my favorite Fried Green Tomatoes with Warm Indian Spices and served with Mango Chutney. Yum! I originally found this recipe over at SpiceLines awhile back and make it over and over and over again whenever I have green tomatoes.The garam masala brings a little warm heat to the tart tomatoes and the sweet-tart flavor of the mango chutney is the perfect complement.

These Fried Green Tomatoes with Warm Indian Spices will be my contribution to the Saturday Blog Showcase co-hosted by All That Splatters and Thibeault's Table. Head on over to Thibeault's Table to see what everyone else made this week!

Fried Green Tomatoes with Warm Indian Spices
Recipe from SpiceLines


4 medium to large green, unripe tomatoes
Salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste
1 cup flour
1 tablespoon (or more) garam masala, to taste
1 large egg
2 tablespoons milk
1-1/2 cups breadcrumbs
1/3 cup ghee, clarified butter or canola oil (enough to fill the frying pan ¼ inch deep)
Chutney of your choice

Core the tomatoes and cut a very thin slice off the top and bottom. Cut each tomato into 3 horizontal slices, about ½-inch thick. Season the tomatoes lavishly with salt and freshly ground black pepper. Be liberal with the salt—the tomatoes need a good sprinkle to bring out their flavor.

Set up an assembly line of three medium-sized bowls. In the first bowl, mix 1 cup of flour with 1 tablespoon or more garam masala. The mixture should be quite fragrant. In the second bowl, briskly beat the egg and milk until frothy. In the third, put the breadcrumbs.

Prepare the tomatoes: Dredge each slice of tomato in the flour mixture, shaking off any excess. Next, dip the tomato in the egg and milk, and finally in the breadcrumbs. Be sure that the tomatoes are well coated with bread crumbs. Set aside.


In a heavy 12-inch cast iron frying pan, heat the ghee, clarified butter or oil over medium heat. When it is very hot, put four tomato slices in the pan. Fry them for 1 to 2 minutes per side, until the crust turns crisp and golden brown. If the ghee starts to smoke, lower the heat slightly. Do not overcook or the tomatoes will be mushy. Drain on a stack of paper towels. Proceed with the rest of the tomatoes.

Serve at once, with a generous dollop of sweet-tart mango chutney.

Craving Goat Cheese: Eggplant and Goat Cheese Sandwiches with Tomato Tarragon Sauce

Apparently I'm craving goat cheese. I sat down to pick out some recipes for dinner this evening. It's my oldest son's first day home from college for Spring Break so I thought I'd do something a little special. I looked over my recipes and saw that three of the four included goat cheese. Great by me but oldest son doesn't really like goat cheese!

I've been thinking about these Eggplant and Goat Cheese Sandwiches with Tomato Tarragon Sauce a lot lately. I've made them several times so far and each time I think I like them even more! I made these with zucchini instead and they were equally as delicious and cute because they were so tiny. Perfect as an appetizer.

These yummy little bites of warm, gooey goodness from What Did You Eat? are my contribution to Saturday Blog Show case this week

The Saturday Blog Showcase is being hosted by Thibeault's Table this week. Head on over to check out what everyone else made. Be warned though, you might want to avoid it if you're on a diet. I think I gained 5 pounds just drooling over the pictures of the Hot Fudge Sauce that Anne contributed this week!

Eggplant and Goat Cheese Sandwiches with Tomato Tarragon Sauce
Recipe from What Did You Eat?

1 tablespoon olive oil
1 small onion, chopped
3 cups fresh or canned crushed tomatoes in thick puree (one 28-ounce can)
1 teaspoon fresh tarragon
1- 1/4 teaspoons salt
1 teaspoon sugar
1/2 teaspoon fresh-ground black pepper
1 cup dry bread crumbs
1/2 cup grated Parmesan
2 eggplants, peeled and cut to make sixteen 1/2-inch-thick slices in all
4 eggs, beaten to mix
Cooking oil, for frying
1/2 pound mild goat cheese, such as Montrachet, cut into 8 rounds

In a medium saucepan, heat the olive oil over moderately low heat. Add the onion and cook, stirring occasionally, until translucent, about 5 minutes. Add the tomatoes, tarragon, 3/4 teaspoon of the salt, and the sugar and simmer, stirring occasionally, for 25 minutes. Stir in 1/4 teaspoon of the pepper.
Meanwhile, heat the oven to 350°. In a medium bowl, combine the bread crumbs, Parmesan, and the remaining 1/2 teaspoon salt and 1/4 teaspoon pepper.

Dip each slice of eggplant in the eggs and then in the bread-crumb mixture, coating well. In a large frying pan, heat about half an inch of cooking oil over moderate heat until very hot. Fry the eggplant in the hot oil, in batches, turning once, until golden and cooked through, 1 to 2 minutes per side. Drain on paper towels.
Arrange half of the eggplant slices in a single layer on a baking sheet. Put a slice of goat cheese on top of each and then top with the remaining eggplant slices. Bake until the cheese melts, about 10 minutes. Put the sauce on plates and top with the eggplant.

Egg Foo Yong

 

So good I dreamed about it! This is one I made awhile back and forgot about. Not sure how I let that happen because I loved it. Hubby loved it. Even picky daughter loved it. All that plus the fact that I keep every single ingredient on hand all the time so it's the perfect pantry meal. Fortunately last night I had a dream. And in that dream I was whipping up these delicious Asian-inspired Egg Foo Yong omelets for Sunday morning breakfast. Of course once I woke up, nothing else was going to satisfy my hunger so I did indeed mix up a batch of these delicious eggy treats.On the negative side, apparently my camera skills have not improved much. The new pictures were ... not appetizing to put it nicely. (See below.)  Here's a shot from the first go round. This time I had them on hamburger buns with fresh tomato and a dollop of mayo. Heavenly!

 

Doesn't look all that appetizing but it is delicious! On a sandwich or 

splashed with soy sauce and eaten with a fork. Heaven on a plate!

Egg Foo Yong
Recipe courtesy of Diva: Flava.style

8 large eggs
4 tablespoons canola oil2 tablespoons fresh garlic, minced
2 tablespoons fresh ginger root, minced
4 large scallions (green onions), chopped, about 1 cup
1 medium sweet onion, chopped, about 1 cup
2 cups bean sprouts
2 cups button mushrooms, thinly sliced
2 large red jalapenos, chopped, about 1 cup -OR-
1 cup red bell pepper, chopped
2 tablespoons soy sauce, reduced sodium
1/2 teaspoon black pepper (or to taste)
1 8 oz-can water chestnuts, chopped

Heat 1 tablespoon oil in a nonstick pan over medium high heat and sauté scallions, onions, mushrooms, peppers, bean sprouts, ginger and water chestnuts until softened, about 5 minutes. Add garlic and cook another minute. Do not allow garlic to burn, it will become bitter. Set aside to cool.

In a medium bowl, beat eggs with soy sauce and black pepper, add vegetable mixture and stir until all ingredients are fully incorporated. Add remaining tablespoon of oil to non-stick pan over medium heat, ladle 1/6 of egg mixture into pancake-like shape, cook until golden brown, approx. 2 minutes on each side. Continue making 5 more patties, one at a time, with remaining mixture.

Serve on bread or bun of your choice, with whatever you prefer.

Ten in 2010: Week Seven and the Best Recipe Ever!

 

Time for another Ten in 2010 update: I just can't seem to juggle things these days and keep all the balls in the air. This week I ran five times, on target with my half marathon training plan. I even worked with the weights twice. I drank lots of water. I went to bed early (okay, early-ish). But cooking and blogging. Definitely dropped the ball. In my defense we were super busy this week. The kids had three basketball games and two out-of-town wrestling meets in addition to the regular practices, Media Club and 4-H meetings. Time was definitely a factor. We ended up eating out a lot more than I'd have liked. Pizza Hut twice and Burger King once. The seasons are thankfully winding down and we won't be so slammed next week. My goal? No eating out. Actually cooking and blogging about it. We'll see how that goes! ;-) Stop by Recipe Girl's blog to see how everyone else is doing!

This week I did find the best recipe I think I've made in recent memory. Drip Beef. It's so good that I think I could make it every week (or more often!) and no one would complain. In fact, they've already been requesting it. 

The Pioneer Woman is my hero. I love her blog. I love her photographs ... and now I also love her cookbook! I made her drip beef the other day thinking that that dinner would be ready when we got home from the game. Dinner was ready. And it was delicious! Hubby is still raving about it and he had to eat it like three days in a row. The nephew gave it a thumbs up too. Definitely a recipe that we'll be making over and over. Simple ingredients. Quick prep. Amazing taste. And my contribution the the Saturday Blog Showcase hosted by Thibault's Table and All That Splatters. To see what everyone else made, head over to All That Splatters. And while you're there be sure to check out Lori's beautiful Blueberry Squares. They look amazing. (Check back soon and I'll let you know how they taste. I'm getting ready to make them right now!)

Basic Drip Beef
Recipe courtesy of The Pioneer Woman Cooks!

1 whole 2.5 To 4 Pound Chuck Roast
¼ cups Butter
1 whole Large Onion, Sliced Thick
3 cloves Garlic, Peeled
½ cups Soy Sauce
1 cup Sherry (cooking Sherry Is Fine)
½ teaspoons Salt
4 cups Water
Toasted, Buttered Deli Rolls
OPTIONAL: Rosemary, Thyme, Other Spices

Heat butter in a heavy pot over medium-high heat. Saute the onions for a couple of minutes, or until starting to get brown.

Set chuck roast on top of the onions. Add all remaining ingredients. Cover pot and simmer (very low heat) on the stove for 6 hours, or until beef is fork-tender and falling apart. **If meat is not yet tender, return to oven for 30 minute intervals till it’s tender!** Shred meat with two forks until all large chunks are gone. Serve immediately or continue to simmer for 30 minutes to 1 hour.

*Mixture can be refrigerated overnight. Remove hardened fat from top of pan before reheating.
Serve on top of toasted, buttered deli rolls. Top with cheese and place under the broiler if desired.

Roasted Eggplant and Caramelized Onion Pizza

 

Heaven. On. A. Plate.

Roasted eggplant. Mmmmm. Caramelized onions. ::sigh:: How can it get any better than that? Why, I'll tell you. Add goat cheese! My idea of nirvana! I made half with goat cheese and since the nephew (who is still recovering from the last goat cheese escapade) was here, I put fresh mozzarella on the other half. That worked fine but the Mozz pizza was missing that tangy zing of the goat cheese half. (Which, by the way, I ate all by myself! It was so good I just couldn't stop!)

Roasted Eggplant and Caramelized Onion Pizza
adapted from Cooking with Paula Deen magazine
Recipe found online at Perry's Plate

1/2 med eggplant, peeled and chopped
2 T olive oil
3 T butter
2 sweet onions, thinly sliced
1 c pizza sauce
1 1/2 c shredded mozzarella
6 slices turkey bacon, cooked and crumbled
1/2 c chopped roasted red peppers
1 c crumbled goat cheese
1 recipe whole wheat pizza crust

Coat eggplant with olive oil. Spread in a single layer on a baking sheet. Bake at 400 for 10-12 min or until lightly browned; set aside.

In a large dutch oven/saucepan melt butter over med heat. Add onion, cover and cook for 30 minutes. Uncover, increase heat to med-high and cook, stirring frequently until caramelized; set aside.

Spread pizza sauce over crust; sprinkle with 1 c mozzarella cheese. Top evenly with eggplant, onions, bacon and roasted peppers. Sprinkle with remaining mozzarella and goat cheese.

Bake at 425 for 12-15 min.

Butternut Squash and Caramelized Onion Galette

Delicious. Easy. And it looks awesome too! What's not to like? I'd been eyeing this recipe for Butternut Squash and Caramelized Onion Galette over at The Smitten Kitchen for quite awhile before I got around to trying it. I mean, there's the whole making a pastry crust. I have a bad history with that, you know. And then the butternut squash. Funny looking. Hard to cut. Must taste nasty (because I'd never tried it before.) But I finally gave in and am a ever glad that I did. That was a year ago and now I think about it all the time and make it as often as I can. The first few time I made it, I used a refrigerated pie crust, but for a recent party I decided to go for it. I made my own crust and found out that it was easy. Easy and delicious. In fact, I'm planning to make this for dinner this weekend when my oldest comes home from college. He won't appreciate it (or even touch it!) but I will! ;-)

Butternut Squash and Caramelized Onion Galette
Recipe courtesy of The Smitten Kitchen


For the pastry:
1 1/4 cups all-purpose flour
1/4 teaspoon salt
8 tablespoons (1 stick) unsalted butter, cut into
pieces
1/4 cup sour cream
2 teaspoons fresh lemon juice
1/4 cup ice water

For the filling:
1 small butternut squash (about one pound)
2 tablespoons olive oil
1 to 2 tablespoons butter (if you have only non-stick, the smaller amount will do)
1 large onion, halved and thinly sliced in half-moons
1 teaspoon salt
Pinch of sugar
1/4 teaspoon cayenne, or to taste
3/4 cup fontina cheese (about 2 1/2 ounces), grated or cut into small bits
1 1/2 teaspoons chopped fresh sage leaves

1. Make pastry: In a bowl, combine the flour and salt. Place the butter in another bowl. Place both bowls in the freezer for 1 hour. Remove the bowls from the freezer and make a well in the center of the flour. Add the butter to the well and, using a pastry blender, cut it in until the mixture resembles coarse meal. Make another well in the center. In a small bowl, whisk together the sour cream, lemon juice and water and add half of this mixture to the well. With your fingertips, mix in the liquid until large lumps form. Remove the large lumps and repeat with the remaining liquid and flour-butter mixture. Pat the lumps into a ball; do not overwork the dough. Cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate for 1 hour.

Prepare squash: Preheat oven to 375 degrees F. Peel squash, then halve and scoop out seeds. Cut into a 1/2-inch dice. Toss pieces with olive oil and a half-teaspoon of the salt and roast on foil lined (for neatness sake) sheet for 30 minutes or until pieces are tender, turning it midway if your oven bakes unevenly. Set aside to cool slightly.

Caramelize onions: While squash is roasting, melt butter in a heavy skillet and cook onion over low heat with the remaining half-teaspoon of salt and pinch of sugar, stirring occasionally, until soft and lightly golden brown, about 20 minutes. Stir in cayenne.


Raise the oven temperature to 400 degrees. Mix squash, caramelized onions, cheese and herbs together in a bowl.

Assemble galette: On a floured work surface, roll the dough out into a 12-inch round. Transfer to an ungreased baking sheet. Spread squash, onions, cheese and herb mixture over the dough, leaving a 1 1/2-inch border. Fold the border over the squash, onion and cheese mixture, pleating the edge to make it fit. The center will be open.

Bake until golden brown, 30 to 40 minutes. Remove from the oven, let stand for 5 minutes, then slide the galette onto a serving plate. Cut into wedges and serve hot, warm or at room temperature.

Serves 6.

Deep-Dish Sausage and Tomato Pizza

To. Die. For.

This Deep Dish Sausage and Tomato Pizza was to die for. Absolutely delicious. I'm not particularly a fan of any meat. In fact, I hadn't really planned to eat this one. When I saw it over at Vicarious Foodie, I figured the guys would love it so I tried it. I ate 3 pieces. The crust was delicious. The spicy sausage, divine. Not particularly diet friendly, but oh! So worth it!

Deep-Dish Sausage and Tomato Pizza
Recipe from Vicarious Foodie

1/2 teaspoon sugar
1 cup warm water (110 to 115 degrees F)
1 (1/4-ounce) package active dry yeast (about 2 1/2 teaspoons)
2 1/4 to 2 1/2 cups all-purpose unbleached flour
1/2 cup yellow cornmeal
3/4 teaspoon salt
2 tablespoons olive oil, plus more for oiling bowl
1/3 recipe Atsa Spicy Pizza Sausage

1 (14 to 16-ounce) can diced tomatoes, well drained
1 cup grated whole milk mozzarella cheese (about 1/4 pound)
1 cup grated Fontina cheese (about 1/4 pound)
2 tablespoons grated Parmesan
1/4 cup shredded fresh basil leaves, for garnish

In a large bowl, dissolve sugar in water. Sprinkle yeast over water and let stand until foamy, about 5 minutes. Stir in 2 1/4 cups flour, cornmeal, salt, and 2 tablespoons oil and blend until mixture forms a dough. Knead dough on a floured surface, incorporating as much of remaining 1/4 cup flour as necessary to prevent dough from sticking, until smooth and elastic, about 5 minutes.

Put dough in a deep oiled bowl and turn to coat with oil. Let dough rise, covered with plastic wrap, in a warm place until doubled in bulk, about 1 hour.

While the dough is rising, prepare sausage (see recipe below). Stir in tomatoes and transfer mixture to a strainer over a bowl to drain and cool.

Preheat oven to 500 degrees F.

Punch down dough and knead 4 times. In an oiled 10 1/2-inch cast-iron skillet, press dough with oiled finger until it comes 2 inches up the side and is an even thickness on bottom. Let dough rise, covered loosely with plastic wrap, in a warm place for 15 minutes.

Sprinkle dough with half of mozzarella and fontina and top with sausage-tomato mixture and remaining cheeses. Sprinkle the top with the Parmesan and bake the pizza in the lower third of an electric oven or on floor of a gas oven for 15 minutes. Reduce oven temperature to 400 degrees and bake 5-10 minutes more, or until crust is golden brown.

Top with fresh basil, if desired, and serve immediately.

Scallion Cream Cheese Bites

I personally think that "Little Pockets of Onion Cream Cheese Goodness" would have been the perfect name for ... these little pockets of onion cream cheese goodness! When I saw the recipe for Scallion Cream Cheese Bites over at Life's Ambrosia, I liked it because it seemed so simple. It was. (So easy in fact that I've made it twice in the past week!) What I didn't count on was that something so easy to put together would taste so good! Even my picky girls liked them! (Drats! More people to share with!)

Scallion Cream Cheese Bites

Recipe courtesy of Life's Ambrosia

4 ounces cream cheese, softened

1/3 cup chopped green onions (scallions)

1/4 teaspoon ground ginger

kosher salt

12 – 15 wonton wrappers

water for sealing

oil for frying

In a bowl combine cream cheese, green onions and ginger. Season to taste with salt.

To assemble bites: Lay one wonton wrapper on a flat surface. Spoon one teaspoon of mixture into the center of the wrapper. Dip your finger in the water and run along the edges. Bring all sides together in the center, pinch just above the filling to enclose filling. Carefully twist to close.  Repeat with remaining filling and wrappers.

Heat 2 inches of oil in a pan over medium-high heat. Once oil starts to shimmer, drip a small piece of a wonton wrapper in the oil, if it sizzles its ready. Working in batches so you don’t over crowd the pan, fry bites until golden brown, 2 – 3 minutes. Using a slotted spoon, transfer to a paper towel lined plate. Sprinkle with kosher salt if desired. Allow to cool for several minutes. Serve.

Serendipity: Mushroom and Goat Cheese Quesadillas

I am now a firm believer in fate.

No doubt about it.

While I was grocery shopping the other day, a few items from the lady behind me made it into my order without my realizing it. Fortunately the woman behind me in line had good stuff. Instead of sugary cereal or processed American cheese which I would have expected (and the kids would hope for!) a log of Chevre goat cheese and a head of garlic came home with me. Doubly lucky because I love goat cheese and haven't had any for awhile. When I saw this recipe for Mushroom and Goat Cheese Quesadillas over at my new favorite blog, Pink Parsley this afternoon, I knew it was destined to be my new favorite lunch and I was right! The delicious, creamy tang of the melty goat cheese went perfectly with the sweetly caramelized onions and the meaty mushrooms. In fact I ended up eating both quesadillas without even giving hubby a chance to even taste one! I only used cremini mushrooms since that's all I had on hand (and there was no way this one was waiting until the next grocery store run!)

Take some time to check out Pink Parsley, a really great blog. I think I've bookmarked almost every other recipe. In fact, I made this one for dinner tonight. Check back later in the week to see how we liked it!

Mushroom and Goat Cheese Quesadillas
Recipe from Pink Parlsey

6 Tablespoons unsalted butter
1 yellow onion, coarsely chopped
1 1/2 pounds mixed wild and commercial mushrooms, sliced (stem the shiitakes)
1 pound cremini mushrooms, sliced
4 cloves garlic, minced
1 teaspoon kosher salt
2 Tablespoons Worcestershire sauce
2/3 cup dry white wine
1/2 teaspoon ground pepper
8 8-inch flour tortillas
2 cups (8 ounces) shredded monterey jack cheese
3 cups (15 ounces) crumbled fresh goat cheese

Melt butter in a large saute pan over medium-high heat.  Add the onion and saute about 4 minutes, until softened.  Add the mushrooms, garlic, salt, and Worcestershire sauce, and saute an additional 5 minutes.  Add the white wine and pepper, and cook until most of the liquid has been absorbed, at least 5 minutes.

While the mushrooms cook, coat a griddle or large skillet with cooking spray and heat to high heat.  Reduce heat to medium when it is preheated.

Lay a tortilla flat on the cooking surface, and sprinkle 1/4 cup Monterey Jack cheese over the whole tortilla.  Top half with about 1/3 cup of the mushroom mixture, then sprinkle with a thin layer of goat cheese.  Use a stiff spatula and fold each tortilla in half.  Cook until light brown and crisp on the bottom, then carefully flip and cook until the other side has browned.

Transfer to a plate and keep warm in the oven.  Repeat with remaining tortillas.  To serve, cut each into 3-4 wedges, and serve with salsa for dipping.

Arroz con Pollo -- Blech! And the most delicious dessert ever!

What more can I say. Blech! This recipe for Arroz Con Pollo was awful. So awful that my nephew ended up having a bad dream about it where he was being forced to eat it for dinner again another night! And he's a college student with a cast iron stomach who is happy anytime he doesn't have to eat in the cafeteria!

This recipe was so bad I'm not even gonna tell you where I found it. Yuck!

Since that recipe was an epic fail, instead, I'll give you a recipe for the most delicious thing I've tried lately: Oreo Cookie Balls. My sister brought these to the dinner party last weekend and they were amazing (though not very good for the diet!)


Easy Oreo Truffles
Recipe from Kraft Foods

1 pkg. (1 lb. 2 oz.) OREO Cookies, finely crushed, divided

1 pkg. (8 oz.) cream cheese, softened

2 pkg. (8 squares each) Semi-Sweet Chocolate or white chocolate, melted

MIX 3 cups of the cookie crumbs and the cream cheese until well blended. Shape into 42 (1-inch) balls.

DIP balls in melted chocolate; place on waxed paper-covered baking sheet. (Any leftover melted chocolate can be stored in tightly covered container at room temperature and saved for another use.) Sprinkle with remaining cookie crumbs or drizzle with white chocolate.

REFRIGERATE 1 hour or until firm. Store any leftover truffles in tightly covered container in refrigerator.

Chicken with Cider and Bacon Sauce

In a hurry to get dinner on the table the other night, I pulled out a recipe I'd bookmarked earlier: Chicken with Cider and Bacon Sauce. It was definitely was a hit. Of course it was. It's simple, quick to prepare and has a sauce made with bacon. How much better could it get? The sauce has a salty-sweet flavor that compliments the chicken and was quite tasty with the rice. This one will definitely show up on the menu rotation around here again soon!


Chicken with Cider and Bacon Sauce

Recipe from Cooking Light Magazine, January 2005


4 (6-ounce) skinless, boneless chicken breast halves
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
2 bacon slices, chopped
1/4 cup minced fresh onion
3/4 cup unsweetened apple cider
1/2 cup fat-free, less-sodium chicken broth

Place each chicken breast half between 2 sheets of heavy-duty plastic wrap; pound to 1/2-inch thickness using a meat mallet or rolling pin. Sprinkle chicken evenly with salt and pepper.

Cook bacon in a large nonstick skillet over medium heat until crisp. Remove bacon from pan. Add chicken to drippings in pan; cook 6 minutes on each side or until done. Remove chicken from pan; keep warm.

Add onion to pan; cook 2 minutes or until tender, stirring constantly. Add cider and broth; bring to a boil, scraping pan to loosen browned bits. Cook until broth mixture is reduced to 1/2 cup (about 5 minutes). Stir in cooked bacon; serve sauce over chicken.

The Best Soup Ever!

I'm sick! How not fun is that? Only a few weekends of glorious summer weather left and I'm spending this one in bed. Somehow it's just not fair! The only bright spot is that the only thing that sounds good it a big, steaming bowl of my Toscana Soup. Chock full of spicy sausage, potatoes and kale, I love this soup anytime but it's especially comforting when you're under the weather. This soup is very forgiving. You can use more or less sausage. (Make sure you use a tasty sausage. It's the main flavoring of the soup. We like the "zesty" or "hot" flavors of sausage for this one.) No potatoes on hand? Leave them out and it's still delicious! Use lots of kale if you like greens, less if you don't. And it always comes out delicious!

Teresa's Toscana Soup

4 cups chicken stock or broth
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon crushed red pepper (or more, depending on your tastes)
1 medium russet potato, scrubbed
2-3 cups Kale, chopped
1/2 pound spicy Italian Sausage
1 tablespoon heavy cream (more or less)

Place stock in a medium saucepan over medium heat. Add salt and pepper flakes, adjusting for your tastes. More pepper flakes if you prefer a spicier dish, fewer if you don't.

Cut the un-peeled potato in half, then into 1/4 inch slices and then cut those slices in half and add them to the soup.

Add the kale.

Brown the sausage. Drain and add the sausage to the soup.

Let the soup simmer until the potatoes are soft. Stir occasionally.

Add cream, stir and remove from heat.

Serve immediately topped with freshly grated Parmesan cheese.

Chipotle Black Bean Soup

Since school has started up again, I've been motivated to get back into some kind of routine. I'm blogging again. I'm cooking more often. I'm trying to exercise on a regular basis. One of my other goals is to prepare a healthy lunch for dh and myself. He works at home and now that the kids are gone it's easy to fall into the old ham sandwich rut.

When I saw this Chipotle Black Bean Soup recipe over at Cinnamon & Spice, I knew it would be perfect and I wasn't disappointed. Easy to throw together using ingredients I always keep on hand, this recipe is definitely a keeper. Canned Chipotle peppers add the right amount of heat and echo the smokiness of the bacon. I served it with some cheese quesadillas, made with some delicious Chipotle Cheddar I picked up at the market last week.

Chipotle Black Bean Soup
Recipe from Cinnamon & Spice

4 slices bacon
2 medium onions, diced
4 cloves garlic
2 15 ounce cans Black Beans
1 15 ounce can diced tomatoes
1 15 ounce can chicken or vegetable broth
1 7.5 ounce can diced green chiles
2 chipotle peppers in adobo sauce, diced(or more-if you like it very spicy)
2 teaspoons Worcestershire sauce
1 teaspoon Chile powder
1 teaspoon cumin
1 teaspoon oregano
Sea salt and Fresh Cracked Pepper, to taste
Sour cream, lime wedges and spicy tortilla chips, for serving


In a large heavy-bottomed saucepan fry the bacon. Remove the bacon when cooked
and drain the grease all but a tablespoon. Rough chop the bacon and add it back to
the pan with the onion. Saute until tender and translucent, add garlic and saute for a
few more minutes. Add the rest of the ingredients and simmer for about 35 minutes.
Serve with sour cream, avocado and/or tortilla chips.

Cajun Chicken Pasta

When I saw the recipe for Cajun Chicken and Shrimp Pasta over at My Kitchen Snippets, it spoke to me. Actually it yelled at me. "Make me right away!" I put it on the menu for the week but couldn't wait until Friday to make it so I moved up to Monday. It was so good, I might even make it again on Friday!

While the original recipe sounded wonderful, due to my inability to follow any recipe, I made a few changes. First I used already cooked chicken that I had on hand. That cut down the prep time and coating the chicken in Cajun seasoning and giving it a quick saute before adding it, also added some zing. I used a can of fire-roasted diced tomatoes which added more depth to the flavor (and saved even more time!) I also added some more veggies that I had on hand -- red bell peppers, cremini mushrooms -- along with the onion and garlic.

Delicious and quick this was definitely a crowd pleaser.

Cajun Chicken Pasta
Recipe inspired by My Kitchen Snippets

1 box pasta of your choice
olive oil
2 boneless chicken breasts, cooked and diced
1 small onion, diced
Several fresh mushrooms, sliced
1 red bell pepper
1 can diced fire-roasted tomatoes
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 Tablespoon of flour
1 1/2 cup half and half or heavy cream
1/4 cup shredded parmesan cheese
1/2 teaspoons of pepper flakes
some chopped parsley
2 teaspoons of Cajun seasoning, plus extra for seasoning if desired
salt and pepper to taste

Cook the pasta until al-dente and set it aside.

Place diced, already cooked chicken in a bowl and toss with Cajun seasoning to cover. Saute in a non-stick pan with a drizzle of olive oil until heated through. Set aside.

In the same skillet heat a bit of olive oil, add the onions, bell peppers and mushrooms. When vegetables are softened, add garlic and cook for another minute or two. Add the flour and stir it for a minute or two, to cook off rawness of the flour.

Add the half and half, Parmesan cheese and stir until thick. Add the chicken and tomatoes into the skillet to cook through.
4. Season to taste with salt and pepper, pepper flakes and more Cajun seasoning, to taste.

Toss pasta with sauce.

Garnish with some chopped parsley and grated Parmesan cheese.

Jalapeno Popper Dip

Another delicious recipe from Kevin over at Closet Cooking: Jalpeno Popper Dip. I shouldn't be surprised. Every recipe I've tried from Closet Cooking has been amazing. There was the Shrimp Quesadilla and the No-Bake Cheesecake. And we can't forget the incredible Shrimp Saganaki. Yum!

This is yet another winner. Quick and delicious. Perfect for guests or for a weeknight at home in front of the TV. You can play with the amount of jalapeno to control the amount of heat. The creamy goodness of the cream cheese and the spicy bite of the jalapenos paired with the crunch of the panko breadcrumbs are even better that an actual jalapeno pooper, if you can imagine! Try it!

Jalapeno Popper Dip
Recipe courtesy of Closet Cooking

1 (8 ounce) package cream cheese (room temperature)
1/2 cup mayonnaise
1/2 cup cheddar cheese (grated)
1/2 cup parmigiano reggiano
1 (4 ounce) can sliced jalapenos
2 jalapeno peppers (chopped, optional)
1/4 cup panko bread crumbs
1/4 cup parmigiano reggiano

1. Mix the cream cheese, mayonnaise, cheddar cheese, parmigiano reggiano and jalapenos in a bowl and pour into a baking dish.
2. Mix the panko bread crumbs and parmigiano reggiano and sprinkle over the dip.
3. Bake in a 375F oven until bubbling on the sides and golden brown on top, about 10-20 minutes.

Shrimp Quesadillas

Here's an old favorite I haven't made in awhile: Shrimp Quesadillas. I first found this recipe over at Closet Cooking, an awesome place to find yummy recipes and drool-inspiring photos. Since I always keep frozen shrimp around, this is a quick, easy and delicious meal I can whip up in minutes. I'm usually too hungry to let the shrimp marinate as long as I should so I can testify that they are still quite yummy even if you can't make wait the whole 30 minutes. :-)


Shrimp Quesadillas
Recipe from Kevin at Closet Cooking

1/4 pound shrimp (shelled and de-veined)
1 lime (juice and zest)
1 jalapeno (chopped)
1 green onion (chopped)
1 handful cilantro (chopped)
1/2 teaspoon cumin (toasted and ground)
salt and pepper to taste
2 flour tortillas
a touch of butter (or oil)
1/2 cup shredded cheese (Monterey Jack or Cheddar etc.)
1 avocado (sliced)
1 tablespoon sour cream

Directions:
1. Cook the shrimp in boiling water, about 1-3 minutes.
2. Rinse the shrimp in cold water to stop the cooking.
3. Mix the lime juice, zest, jalapeno, green onion, cilantro cumin, salt and pepper in a bowl.
4. Add the shrimp and marinate for 10-30 minutes.
5. Melt the butter (or oil) in a pan.
6. Place a tortilla in the pan and rub it around in the butter to coat.
7. Heat the tortilla until air pockets form in it flipping a few times.
8. Repeat 5-7 for the second tortilla and leave it in the pan.
9. Drain the liquid from the shrimp and place the mixture on the tortilla in the pan.
10. Place the cheese on and then top with the other tortilla.
11. Cook the quesadilla until golden brown on both sides and the cheese is melted flipping once. (You can place a plate on top of the quesadilla in the pan and then flip it onto the plate and slide it from the plate back into the pan to easily flip it without loosing the contents.)

Beer-Braised Bacon Bacon Cheeseburgers

One of the bright spots in our life lately is that our niece has come to live with us. Her mother passed away recently and we were happy to have her come stay with us. It's been quiet since our oldest son has gone away to college so it's been nice to fill the house with some teen-age noise again. :-)

To celebrate I fixed a traditional meal of Burgers and Fries. Dh was thrilled because I used real potatoes and actually deep fried them. Usually I go the healthier route and bake them but I figured "In for a penny, in for a pound" and selected Rachael Ray's recipe for Beer-Braised Bacon Bacon Cheeseburgers. Bacon, cheddar cheese, more bacon, sour cream, real French fries. What's not to love? These burgers were delicious. The burgers were juicy thanks to the finely diced onions and the bacon imparted a nice hint of smokiness. The Horseradish-Mustard sauce complemented it perfectly.

These burgers will surely make regular appearances around here this summer but next time, I'm thinking the fries will be baked in the oven instead. ;-)


Beer-Braised Bacon Bacon Cheeseburgers
Recipe from The Rachael Ray Show

1 tablespoon EVOO
10 slices smoky bacon, 2 of them chopped
1 small onion, finely chopped
3/4 pound ground chick
3/4 pound ground sirloin
2 tablespoons Worcestershire sauce
A few hearty glugs of stout beer, such as Guinness (about 1/2 cup)
1/2 cup sour cream
1 tablespoon prepared horseradish
2 tablespoons grainy mustard
4 slices aged white cheddar cheese
4 lettuce leaves
4 Kaiser Rolls, split
1 red onion, sliced

Preheat oven to 325ºF.

Place a large skillet over medium heat with 1 turn of the pan of EVOO, about 1 tablespoon. While the pan is still cold, add the chopped bacon. Cook the bacon as the pan heats up until crispy and golden brown, 7-8 minutes.

When the bacon is crispy, add in the onion and continue cooking until tender, 2-3 minutes. Use a slotted spoon to transfer the mixture to a large mixing bowl and let cool. Reserve the pan drippings.

While the bacon and onion are cooling, lay the other 8 slices of bacon out onto a broiler pan and transfer to the oven. Bake until crispy, about 20 minutes.

Return the skillet with the pan drippings over medium heat. While it heats up, add the ground meats to the mixing bowl with the bacon and onion, add the Worcestershire and season the mixture with salt and pepper. Combine the mixture with your hands and divide it into four patties.

Add the patties to the skillet and cook until golden brown, 4-5 minutes per side. When you flip the burgers, lay a slice of cheese on each patty to melt. In the last minute of cooking, add the Guinness to the pan and cook until almost completely reduced and slightly thickened.

While the burgers cook, stir together the sour cream, horseradish and mustard in a small bowl. Assemble the burgers by laying down some lettuce and red onion on each roll, then the patties, 2 strips of bacon and a dollop of horseradish sauce.