Roasted Jalapeno Pimento Cheese

Roasted Jalapeno Pimento Cheese

8 large jalapenos 
two big handfuls of spinach (3 oz)
8 oz light cream cheese
2 oz honey
1 oz hot sauce (or more, to taste)
16 oz reduced fat white cheddar, shredded
8 oz reduced fat provolone, shredded 
3/4 c light mayo 
1 t salt
1 t pepper

Preheat oven to 425. Sprinkle jalapenos with some salt and pepper, then roast for 20+ minutes until skins begin to brown and blister. Place peppers in a bowl and cover with plastic wrap until cool enough to handle. Once cooled, remove skin (as much as possible) and seeds. Put peppers in food processor and pulse until diced. Add spinach, cream cheese, hot sauce, Rand honey, and puree until combined. Place in large bowl with cheese, mayo, S&P. Stir to combine.

Serve with pita chips or celery. Also great on a burger!

Adapted from Polly's Front Porch Recipe on www.foodnetwork.com.

19. Lebanese Tabbouleh and Kafta

Lebanese Tabouleh
adapted from http://allrecipes.com/Recipe/tabbouleh-iii/Detail.aspx

1 box Tabouleh (or equivalent bulgar wheat), discard spice packet
3 small tomatoes, chopped
2 cucumbers, peeled and diced
3 green onions, chopped
1 c parsley, chopped
1/3 c mint leaves, chopped
2 t salt
1/2 c lemon juice
1 c EVOO

Prepare Tabouleh as indicated on box (leaving out the spice packet). Add in remaining ingredients and refrigerate for several hours before serving.

Chicken Kafta

1 lb ground chicken
1/2 c fresh parsley, finely chopped
1/2 onion, grated
1/4 t cayenne
1/4 t allspice
1/2 t salt
1/4 t black pepper
skewers

Soak skewers for at least 30 minutes, then preheat and oil grill pan. Mix remaining ingredients and form "meatballs" around skewers. Grill for about 30 minutes, turning gently with spatula to keep from sticking.

.. yum!

18. Argentinian Roasted Chicken with Chimichurri

 

Roasted Chicken with Chimichurri Sauce

1 4-lb whole chicken

3 T minced garlic

1 sweet onion, cut in eighths

4t salt

2t white sugar

cloves

cinnamon

nutmeg

allspice

Preheat oven to 500. Stuff chicken with garlic and onion. Mix together remaining ingredients, then rub over chicken. Place in dutch oven, breast side down (may also use roasting pan, but we don't have one!) and surround with any leftover onions. Roast for 15 minutes, then baste with liquids and reduce heat to 450. Roast 15 more minutes, then baste. You may need to drizzle EVOO over top of chicken if liquid is sparse. Cover with foil and roast for 30 more minutes at 425, or until internal temperature reaches 180. Remove from oven and leave covered for 20 minutes.

tweaked from http://allrecipes.com/Recipe/Simple-Whole-Roasted-Chicken/Detail.aspx

Chimichurri Sauce from http://allrecipes.com/Recipe/Chimichurri-Sauce/Detail.aspx.


Enjoy!!


 

Antipasta Salad with Red Wine Vinaigrette

This is my new favorite salad -- I've made several variations using different "Italian" ingredients. Apologies for the leftover picture.. we gobbled it up so quickly that I forgot to take pictures!

 

The original recipe was tweaked from Giada:  http://www.foodnetwork.com/recipes/giada-de-laurentiis/italian-antipasto-salad-recipe/index.html

Antipasta Salad
1 head romaine
1 head iceberg
1 can light kidney beans, drained
1 can dark kidney beans, drained
1 can garbanzo beans, drained
1 lb hard salami, coarsely cubed
(cheaper version = 1 bag turkey pepperoni, sliced)
3 tomatoes, chopped
2 cans artichokes, drained and chopped
12+ oz hard mozarella cheese, cubed
(olives, pimentos, banana peppers, jalapenos... etc.)

Red Wine Vinaigrette
1/2 c red wine vinegar
3 T lemon juice
1 t honey
2 t salt
1 c EVOO
S&P

Pulse vinaigrette ingredients in small food processor until smooth. Toss with salad ingredients and enjoy!

Another dressing option is Dijon Ceasar. I always play with the proportions based on my mood, but ingredients include white distilled vinegar, anchovy paste, EVOO, spicy dijon mustard, Worcestershire, parmesean cheese, lemon juice, and S&P.

17. Japan: Fried Tofu and Bok Choy with Noodles

Another delicious F&W inspired treat!

Ingredients:
1/2 bag whole wheat egg noodles
1 package firm tofu, drained
2c panko bread crumbs
vegetable oil, for flash frying
1 egg yolk
1 head bok choy, chopped
1 box sliced mushrooms (any type)
1.5 T grated fresh ginger
2 cloves minced garlic
2 T hoisin sauce
1 T soy sauce
1 t fish sauce
1 t sesame oil
2 T rice vinegar
cayenne, to taste

1. Boil egg noodles until al dente, drain, set aside.
2. Cut tofu into 1" cubes, toss in a bowl with egg yolk.
3. Heat thin layer of oil in a skillet. Put panko in a large ziplock bag. Crush with hands until crumbs become a fine powder. Toss tofu in crumbs until covered. Remove tofu from bag, shake off excess crumbs, and fry on all sides until golden (in batches). Remove to paper towel to drain.
4. Remove excess oil from skillet, then add mushrooms, ginger, and garlic. Stirfry until soft, then add bok choy, sauces, and spices. Stirfry until bok choy softens and shrinks, then add egg noodles and tofu. Keep over low heat to let flavors meld, stirring gently every few minutes.

Enjoy!

16. Authentic Mexican Enchiladas Verde

 Authentic Mexican Enchiladas Verde

2 BLSL chicken breasts
1 large sweet onion (1/4 chopped for serving)
3 cloves garlic
5 tomatillos, husked
5 serrano chili peppers, stems and some seeds removed
10 corn tortillas
vegetable oil
sour cream, chopped onions, and guacamole (below) for serving

Fill a medium pot with water (or chicken broth) and add chicken, 1/4 whole onion, and 2 cloves garlic. Boil until chicken is done and shread-able. Reserve some broth for salsa (below), then discard onion and shred chicken with fork.

Place tomatillos and serranos in another pot, cover with water. Bring to boil and continue boiling until the tomatillos turn "army green." Drain and add tomatillos and peppers to food processor. Add extra clove of garlic and 1/2 onion. Pulse until veggies "settle," then add broth from the chicken (once it's cooked, of course) to cover vegetables by 1/2-1". Blend until smooth, then return to pot and bring to a low boil.

In a small frying pan, heat thin layer of oil until simmering. Lightly fry tortillas in oil, flipping with tongs. Place tortillas on paper towels to drain.

To prepare, submerge each tortilla in verde sauce until soft, then fill with chicken, cheese, onions (if desired). Roll tortillas, place 2-3 side-by-side, and top with sour cream, guacamole, and extra verde sauce.

Guacamole

1 avocado
1/3 red onion, finely diced
5 pickled jalapenos, finely diced
1 T light sour cream, or to taste
garlic powder, salt, pepper
fresh squeezed lemon juice

Mash together... and eat. :)

Curried Apricot Zoku Pops

Curried Apricot Zoku Pops (makes 5-6)

1 can apricots, drained
1/3 c almond milk (would use creamer next time for flavor)
1 T brown sugar
1+ T honey 
curry powder to taste
dash of cinnamon

Remember to use a little more flavors (curry, honey) than you think you want - flavors lessen a bit when frozen. Puree ingredients in a small blender, freeze in batches. Enjoy!

14. A Turkish Feast for Two

"Cory, we're back to Countries this week."
"Do we have to?"

:) He's a champ. So we made this meal worth it!

We had a wonderful weekend together. I took off work (which I know sounds absurd given most people don't "take off" Fridays, Saturdays, and Sundays)... for four glorious days. Last week, I miraculously turned around a really big project on a really tight deadline, which left me completely exhausted and sleep deprived. We only have a few weeks left of class, so I want to finish strong. Sometimes finishing strong requires taking yourself out of the game for a little while.

I also got back to cooking and veggies and all of those things that help me recoup. This week, we're tackling Turkey, Mexico, and Poland. Mmmm...

These recipes are modified from F&W.com, so I provided links and my substituted ingredients.

Watermelon and Goat Cheese Salad with Tangerine Vinaigrette
*we used tangerines instead of oranges

http://www.foodandwine.com/recipes/watermelon-and-goat-cheese-salad

We had a watermelon, goat cheese, and mint salad at our wedding... so I was decided to try to make my own. We loved this treat -- although the goat cheese was very filling (so use sparingly!). I saved individual leftover portions in small tuperwares for an extra treat this week.

---

Turkish Kebabs with Garlic Tahini 
*we used pork instead of lamb

http://www.foodandwine.com/recipes/turkish-shish-kebabs-with-garlicky-tahini

These were absolutely amazing - so fresh and yummy, and the mint added an extra twist. We stuffed leftovers in pitas with the awesome garlic tahini sauce for lunch tomorrow... can't wait!


---

Turkish Chopped Salad 
*instead of pomegranite molasses, used grapeseed oil, watermelon juice, apricot juice, and rice vinegar

http://www.foodandwine.com/recipes/turkish-chopped-salad


All together, we loved this meal and will definitely recreate! The veggie prep was a little intense, but I managed to make a fruit salad along the way, and the chopped salad will last us a few more meals. I am a huge fan of hummus, but I loved the garlic tahini sauce as an accompaniment to the pork skewers. Totally delicious. We'll be visiting Turkey again soon, for sure!!

 

Devilish Chocolate Cupcake with Irish Buttercream

 

These were awesome. Period, end of discussion.

for cake:
1 box devils food chocolate cake mix
eggs and other ingredients, as specified on box
Irish Cream (to sub for half of the water in cake)

for buttercream:
1.5 sticks butter
1/4 c Irish Cream, plus more to taste :)
4-5 c powdered sugar.

Prepare cake mix as directed on box, subbing half of the water (or more) with Irish Cream. Bake until toothpick inserted in the middle comes out clean. Cool.

Cream butter in a mixer until pale and smooth, then add in 1c powdered sugar and mix until combined. Add Irish cream and 1c sugar and mix. Keep adding sugar, 1c at a time, scraping down the sides of the bowl periodically. Continue adding sugar until you reach your ideal buttercream consistency.

To pipe, put icing in a ziploc and cut off tip at an angle. Enjoy!

Almond Cupcake with Avocado Buttercream Frosting

 

Occasionally, I get these strange creative streaks that may or may not end in ambitious yet disastrous results. I wouldn't say these cupcakes were a disaster, but they weren't my favorite concoction to come out of our kitchen. I am sharing the recipe because I actually loved each component -- the almond cake was super yummy, and the avocado buttercream was surprisingly delicious -- the avocado becomes buttery and sweet. I would definitely make the almond cake again with maybe a fruit-based buttercream, and I'd make the avocado with either a vanilla, chocolate, or lime cake. Some people loved the recipe as-is, though -- so maybe it's just me :)

By the way, any time I'm baking something "interesting," I tend to cheat and use boxed cake mix -- saves time and lets me focus on the more fun elements!

Almond Cupcakes with Avocado Buttercream

for the cake:
1 box white cake mix with specified ingredients (water, eggs)
1.5 t almond extract
1/4 c slivered almonds, chopped

for the icing:
1.5 ripe avocados
1.5 sticks of butter, softened
4-5+ c powdered sugar

Prepare cake mix as directed, then add extract and slivered almonds. Pour into cupcake dishes and bake until toothpick comes out clean. Cool.

To make icing,  blend butter in mixer until pale and creamy. Slowly add sugar in 4-5 batches, blending over low-medium speed. Blend avocados in a food processor, adding some of the butter/sugar mixture if avocados don't cooperate (we used a magic bullet). Add avocado mixture to mixer and process until smooth. Keep adjusting sugar until you reach your desired buttercream consistency.

To pipe, place frosting in a large ziplock bag and cut the corner. Top with extra slivered almonds. Enjoy!

It's summertime: Cha'hlston Shrimp and Grits

When it hits 80 and shrimp goes on sale, you know its time for Shrimp and Grits in the south!

Everyone has their own favorite version of this dish -- and Cory and I have several. We generally don't go for the heavy cream-based versions, opting instead for the more gumbo-inspired ingredients. This one turned out delicious!

Shrimp and Grits

for the sauce:
6 slices turkey bacon, cooked and diced
2 T EVOO
4 cloves fresh garlic, minced
1 sweet onion, diced
1 green pepper, diced
1 large can diced tomatoes, drained
1 bottle wheat, amber, ale-ish beer (we used Harp)
2 c frozen okra
1.5 t file powder (available at specialty stores)
red pepper flakes, tobasco, cayenne, S & P to taste
chives, chopped for topping

for the grits:
6 servings grits, prepared using chicken broth instead of water
1 c sharp cheddar cheese
1/4 c parmesean cheese
1/4 c almond milk
tobasco, to taste

Prepare grits with chicken broth, then add almond milk, cheeses, and tobasco. Keep warm.

In a large sautee pan, cook turkey bacon then chop and set aside.  Add EVOO to pan, and sautee garlic and onions until fragrant and translucent. Add green pepper and stir until soft. Return bacon to pan and add tomatoes and beer. Stir to combine, then add okra and spices. Cook until reduced.

Serve shrimp mixture over grits and top with chives. Make the dish healthier by playing with proportions -- a little cheesy grits can go a long way!

Mediterranean inspired hummus!

I love hummus... and I'm sorely disappointed that almost all of  the premade hummuses in the stores are packed with fat and non-traditional ingredients like mayo (what? seriously?). Rather than pay $4 for fake hummus, I made a HUGE batch of my own for under $2. Hummus is definitely a taste-and-tweak personal preference thing, so I rarely record ingredients as I go.. but here are some estimates.

Lemon Rosemary Hummus (makes a billion servings)
2 cans garbanzo beans, drained
1/4 c Tahini paste
1/3 c EVOO
1 T rosemary
1 T lemon juice
paprika, for topping

Blend ingredients (except paprika) in a good food processor until creamy. Add EVOO to make hummus more fluid, add Tahini to make hummus more nutty. Sprinkle with paprika and serve!

We added hummus to toasted sandwiches made with light whole wheat bread, onions and baby bella mushrooms sauteed in a little Pam, sprouts, and melted low fat provolone. Cory had seconds -- and he never ate hummus before we started dating! Healthy success :)

prayers

Sometimes life truly isn't fair, and it becomes so difficult to understand why things happen as they do. Justin is a close family friend from my brothers' high school days -- he was recently in a terrible car accident and is in critical condition. Please keep Justin and his friends and family in your prayers.

http://www.wlos.com/shared/newsroom/top_stories/videos/wlos_vid_4224.shtml

Zoku season is back -- Honey Cantaloupe Popsicles!

Zoku Pops are amazing. We bought a maker last year after I unsuccessfully tried to recreate the infamous Nashville Las Palletas using a garden variety of Walmart/Target popsicle makers. I don't think I could survive another Columbia summer without a Zoku!

We've learned a few tips and tricks throughout our various adventures... (1) always use some element of real sugar, or it won't work... (2) don't try anything carbonated, or it won't work... (3) don't try to freeze coffee or anything else too watery, or it won't work... (4) always make the mixture a little sweeter/more flavorful than you want the final product to be!

We love melon Zoku pops, so Cantaloupe was an easy first choice for the season!

Honey Cantaloupe Zoku Pops (makes at least 6 pops)
3/4 small cantaloupe, cubed
1/4 c vanilla coffee creamer (not sugar free)
1.5 T honey
cinnamon

Blend ingredients in magic bullet or other small food processor (we love the bullet because we can make lots of different popsicle mixes and store them in the handy containers -- easy cleanup, too!). Follow instructions to freeze two batches of popsicles. Remember, the second batch will take slightly longer than the first.

Enjoy!

Whole Wheat Bagel with Poached Eggs and Hollandaise

Mmmm... Sunday breakfasts with hubbie :) This meal was a delicious surprise. We had amazing eggs benedict in Charleston after our wedding, so we love trying to recreate the recipe!

Whole Wheat Bagel with Poached Eggs and Hollandaise
4 whole eggs
vinegar
2 egg yolks
1 T lemon juice
1/2 stick butter, melted
cooked bacon or ham (optional)
2 mini whole wheat bagels, halved
parsley

Bring a small pot of water (or bottom part of double boiler) to simmer.

In a small saucepan, beat two egg yolks with lemon juice until doubled in volume (several minutes). Place over saucepan of simmering water and continue beating the mixture for another minute. Do not let the mixture get too hot or the eggs will start to cook (and you'll lose the smooth Hollandaise texture). Whisk in melted butter and continue to whisk until doubled in volume (several more minutes). Remove from heat and place in serving dish.

Fill a medium/large skillet half way with water (may use double boiler water) and add a tablespoon or two of vinegar (to keep eggs from spreading). Bring to smooth simmer. Crack whole eggs into pan one by one, and poach by spooning over with hot water from the pan.

Toast bagel halves, top with hollandaise, bacon/ham, egg, hollandaise, and parsley. For a lower fat version, just spoon a little hollandaise over top -- you'll still get the buttery texture. Serve with strawberries or other fresh fruit!