Football Snack Dolphins vs The Raiders

Went to the freezer for this idea...Mikee named it Chili Pie. He loved it and this picture is all that is left ...it was large. I used leftover Chili from the freezer and a ready made pie crust.
This is what you will need:
Any kind of Chili with meat. I make my own with the MaCormick Chili Seasoning Mix Mild. Just follow the recipe. Do not use hot chili, let it cool or it will melt the crust.
1/2 cup Shredded Sharp Cheddar
A few dashes of Hot Sauce (optional)
Single ready made Pie Crust (I use Pillsbury, there are 2 pcs in package)
Preheat oven to 450
Use a baking sheet sprayed with cooking spray or parchment
Layout the pie crust.
Put about 3/4 cup of Chili on 1/2 of pie crust leaving a 1/2" border around the ends.
This is where you would splash some hot sauce.
Put Cheese on Chili.
Fold Crust over and crimp edges with a fork making a good seal.
Using a small knife make a couple of small slits in crust to let steam escape.
Bake till golden brown about 15 - 20 minutes.
The Dolphins won!!!
Enjoy!

OOPS!

***About the Raspberry Pork Tenderloin:
I forgot to tell you that you can let it marinate for the day in the fridge, make it before you go to work and it's ready for the grill when you get home!

Caprese Salad & Raspberry Pork Tenderloin

Caprese Salad

Raspberry Pork Tenderloin

Precooked

All of my Kosher friends will have to skip this one! Sorry!

This is a very easy weeknight grilling meal...The pork is very lean and does not take alot of prep. The salad is a no brainer and the soft Mozzarella is very easy to find...I use the Sorrento Mozzarella Ball from the dairy case, (with all the cheeses...not the gourmet section.). If you have fresh handmade available to you that would be the best!

I want to explain how this meat comes...it is in an air tight package, when you open it you will find 2 pcs. Check out the picture above. All you have to do is slide a sharp knife under the small amount of siver skin and slice it off, trying not to take too much meat.

You will need:

1 package of Pork Tenderloin

16 oz jar of Seedless Red Raspberry Jam

1 Tbls Garlic Powder

4 Tbls Canola Oil

Preheat grill to 400.

Take a large ziplock bag and put the Jam, Garlic Powder, & Oil. Zip the bag and massage it really well to get everything combined.

Then put the trimmed Meat in, take as much air out of the bag as you can and massage the meat with the marinade.

Put the Meat in the grill on indirect heat.

Close cover and cook for 12 1/2 minutes, then turn and cook for another 12 1/3 minutes.

After a total cooking time of 25 minutes remove from grill and let it rest for 10 to 15 minutes to let the juices redistribute.

Slice and enjoy!

The Caprese Salad

1 large Tomato

1 Ball of Sorrento Mozzarella Cheese

1 head of Romaine Lettuce

Bunch of Basil

Salt

Pepper

Extra Virgin Olive Oil

Balsamic Vinegar

Slice Romaine and arrange on platter.

Cut Tomato in half and then cut slices.

Cut Mozzarella Ball the same way.

Layer Cheese, Tomato, & Basil leaf as in the picture.

Sprinkle Salt and Pepper over top and then drizzle Oil and Vinegar.

This salad is also great with some crusty bread and it's a meal in it's self.

Enjoy!

Sunday Football Snack Dolphins vs. Seahawks

Hi everyone...did not go shopping yet and I had nothing in the house...what was I going to treat Mikee with for Football Sunday? You know he must have a pre-nap snack 'cause as soon as the game goes on the eyes close and the nap commences!
I had left over "Post Election Pot Roast",(you can use any leftover meat!), and a tube of Recipe Creations (Pillsbury Crescent dough with no perforations).
With this recipe I use rough measurements (This is a snack not rocket science!)
Preheat oven to 375
On a baking sheet lined with whatever nonstick product you like...unroll the dough length running left to right
Shmear dough with whatever BBQ sauce you like leaving 1/2 inch around the dough edge plain
(I like Sweet Baby Ray's BBQ Sauce)
I shredded about a cup of Pot Roast and laid it the length of the dough, start 1/2" in and finish leaving 1/2"
Sprinkle a cup of shredded cheese, (I used Cheddar), on the rest of the dough up to those 1/2" boarders
Now roll the dough so you have a long roll and cut 2" slices and put them on the baking sheet like you would cookies (See picture above)
Put a little more BBQ Sauce on top and sprinkle of cheese
Bake for approx. 15-20 minutes or when the dough is golden brown
Let them cool a little, they will be very hot!
Enjoy! GO FINS!

Post Election Pot Roast

What a great country we live in...last night made important history. Even though my beliefs are different from the new President elect may G-d bless him, his family, & our great nation!
Now on to the pot roast...This is a slow cooker recipe. I recommend this great appliance to all busy people. You throw the food in and let that sucker go!
1-2 lb pot roast
2 tbls olive oil
kosher salt
fresh ground black pepper
1 large onion thin sliced
1 large handful of shredded carrots
6 whole peeled smashed cloves of garlic
2 large stalks of celery diced
1 packet Hidden Valley Ranch dressing and seasoning mix
1 tbls tomato paste
Heat up a pan on the stove top...get it very hot
Dry the meat well
Rub it with the oil
Season well with salt and pepper
Sear it in the pan on all sides to make a crust,(don't turn it till it comes loose easily, it will let you know)
Set the slow cooker on low for 8 hours
Add the onions, carrots, celery, garlic, tomato paste, and the packet of seasoning
Give all this a stir
Add the meat
***Very important with slow cookers...do not lift the lid for the entire cooking time, doing this will ruin how the slow cooker process works.
Let her go!
I like to serve it with rice and pour the juices on top...that's how Mikee likes it!
Enjoy!

Sorry everyone, but this is going to be the only Election Chicken picture you will see tonight!

Hubby left the camera at work...I promise that I will make it up to y'all!

Good Luck Tomorrow!

Hi everyone! I took a couple of days off...
Tomorrow is Super Tuesday, so get out there... vote and do your country proud!
I will be cooking tomorrow night ...Election Chicken! I am going to do a roaster, but I haven't made up my mind how to prepare it yet...suspenseful isn't it? Just like waiting for the election results! There is nothing like the peaceful transfer of power to get ya' good and hungry!
See ya tomorrow!

Greek Chicken on the Grill...Yum!

Herby, lemony, tart....Gabby's Greek Chicken with Tabouli salad. Easy!
You will need 3 easy ingredients for the chicken:
Bone in Chicken Breasts
Cabot Greek Style Yogurt
Cavender's all purpose Greek Seasoning
*Dry the chicken well with a paper towel
*Spoon a generous dollop of the yogurt on the chicken
*With your hands (don't be afraid get in there and shmush!) rub the yogurt all over the chicken
*Sprinkle the Greek seasoning on the chicken
*Let the chicken do it's thing in the fridge uncovered (this will help crisp it up later)
*Take Chicken out 20 minutes prior to grilling to take the chill off of it
*Preheat grill to 400
*Place chicken on the indirect heat for 50 minutes keep it covered and leave it alone
*When done let rest for 10 minutes
Fast and easy Tabouli is right from the Package! I use "Fantastic World Foods" Brand, just follow the directions on the box. You will need lemon, olive oil, & tomatoes in addition to the mix.
I garnish with lemon, I love to squeeze it on the chicken.
Enjoy!

Cookbook Collecting

Hi!

Can you tell from the second picture that I did not sleep last night? I guess I had the heebeegeebees last night...enough with the excuses about my puffy eyes!

I love to collect cookbooks...I will read whatever I can get my hands on! In the first picture I couldn't get all my shelves in the frame...I love reading about all different kinds of cuisines & cooking methods. I also like to read about the basics of the home and commercial kitchen. From time to time I will tell you what new book I am reading or recommend a great book from my collection.

I just got my latest tome from Amazon.com - "Martha Stewart's Cooking School"

Fantastic book for all levels of proficiency...It is well laid out and has great recipes after each instruction. It also gives those that are just starting out all the details about setting up what you need in your kitchen. It's a great refresher for those that know their way around a whisk! The step by step illustrations are great. This is one of those books that will get real dirty, you'll

make notes in the margins, & you will hand it down...
Enjoy!

Dinner with Friends

Had our friends Jeff & Meryl over for dinner this past Saturday night...it was a really nice evening. Jeff loves to garden and he brought me these beautiful exotic Hibiscus...Pictures 1 & 2 .

I made my "go to" Hors d'oeuvres...
I like to put out a few bar nibbles...

Picture 3 is a bowl of hot marinated olives.

I like to use a mix of kalamata and Greek olives.

Put the olives in a microwave safe bowl add a tablespoon of olive oil, 1 tsp of orange zest, and 1 tsp of Herbs De Provence herb mix.

Microwave on high for 2 minutes, stir and serve hot. So good!

Picture 4 is an old time recipe from my Nana Pearl, (more about Nana in a future blog), fried chick peas.

In a bowl put a 1/4 cup of all purpose flour, 1 tsp of garlic salt, & 1 tsp chili powder.

Give it a mix and set aside.

Take 1 15.5 oz. can of chickpeas (I like Goya Brand) rinse and drain well.

Dry them well on a towel.

Put them in the flour mixture and shake them around coating the beans, then put them in a strainer to get off the excess flour.

Heat up 3 inches of veggie oil in a sauce pan...to test oil, put the end of a wooden spoon in the oil and if bubbles form around it, it's ready.

Drop half the beans in till they are light golden brown, drain on paper towels. Repeat with the rest.

Then repeat this process one more time...you fry them twice...they are addictive!

Picture 5 is a favorite of Alexis...Raspberry Camembert in pastry with honey and walnuts.

You need 1 8oz wheel of Camembert (I use President Brand), cut it in half so you have 2 circles.

Give a generous shmere of red raspberry preserves ,(or any jam/preserve you like), on one of the circles, then put them back together...don't press or It will ooze out.

Then using Pillsbury Crescent Recipe Creations dough sheet, wrap the wheel of cheese sealing the whole thing well.

Spray a baking sheet with cooking spray and lay the cheese in pastry down.

In a preheated 350 oven, cook it till it's golden brown about 20-25 minutes.

Keep an eye on it or it will sneak up on you and burn.

Meanwhile toast 1/4 cup of walnuts in the toaster oven...as soon as you smell them they are done...be careful they will burn easily too!

Pour a couple of tablespoons of honey over the baked cheese and sprinkle walnuts.

This is a great crowd pleaser!

Picture 6 Baked Spring rolls

Buy a package of egg roll wrappers

You will need a package of ready shredded cole slaw mix

Oyster sauce (Asian Section of market)

Honey

Rotisserie Chicken

Scallions 1 bunch

Sesame oil

Preheat oven to 350

Spray a baking a sheet with cooking spray

To assemble the rolls :

In a bowl mix well the oyster sauce and a Tbs of honey to equal 1/4 cup

Lay the wrapper in front of you with the points of the square facing you up and down, right and left.

Shred some chicken pcs. lay them right to left

Put some slaw on the chicken and a 1/2 pc. of scallion length, drizzle the sauce on top

(Don't fill it too much that you can't roll it!)

With your very clean finger tip brush the top corner with the sesame oil

Bring in the right an left corners, then bring up the bottom corner and roll up sealing with the top oiled corner.

Place on baking sheet seam side down and brush the roll with the oil.

Bake until golden brown about 20 minutes. Cut in half on an angle.

Mix the same amount of oyster sauce, & honey to use as dipping sauce.

They are going to go fast!

Picture 7 Smoked Salmon Cucumber Cups

1 1/2 English Cucumber Seedless, (also known as Hot House Cucumber) ,you can eat the peel on this veg.

6 oz of cream cheese softened at room temp.

3 scallions chopped (just white and light green part)

4 or 6 oz of Smoked Salmon (depends on how much you like in each cup)

1 bunch of chives for garnish

**Special tool- small size melon baller (an Inexpensive great tool to have!)

Cut the cucumbers in 1 inch pcs.

Scoop out cucumber with melon baller **But not all the way to bottom

Mix cream cheese and scallions, if it is still too stiff add a little water and mix well

Take a zip lock bag and cut a little off a corner and fill with the cheese (you now have a home made piping bag!) Cool huh?!

Pipe cheese into cup, fill to edge

Shred the salmon into small pcs and roll like a little rose bud and press into cheese

Stand chives up in the cheese (Refer to picture)

These are so elegant!