Banana Bread

One of the few things my Mom cooked when we were kids and was always good was banana bread.
Every time I would try and make it like she did, it never tasted the same.  She would always do the bread in a loaf pan and it would come out perfectly browned and cooked all the way through.  When I tried it, the sides would be burned and the middle was raw.  So I gave up and decided to do muffins instead.  I added a few ingredients to my recipe, but I think it is still as good as mom's.

Banana Bread Muffins

1 cup Sugar
1 stick Butter (salted)
2 large Eggs
3 ripe Bananas
1 Tbsp Milk
1 Tbsp Vanilla extract
2 cups All-Purpose Flour (sifted)
1 tsp Salt
1 tsp Baking Soda
1 tsp Baking Powder

1. Pre heat oven to 325.
2. In a small bowl, mash the bananas, milk and vanilla together and set aside
3. In another bowl mix together the flour, salt, baking soda and baking powder
4. Cream the butter and sugar together, then add eggs one at a time until blended in.
5. Add the banana mixture in with the sugar/butter/egg mixture and stir until it is all mixed together.
6. Add the dry ingredients (flour mixture) until well blended.
7. Pour batter into muffin tins and bake for 20-25 min for mini muffins, 1 hour if you do a loaf pan.

Chicken and Spinach Enchiladas

When I first got out of college, I got this recipe from my sister...the one that doesn't cook. So you can imagine my surprise when it was easy to put together, fast to cook and good to eat.  Plus this is the only way I can get my husband to eat spinach, because it doesn't taste like spinach (is what he tells me).  This is an easy dinner to put together when you have no time to cook.  It is also better eaten the next day cold and will provide you with lots of leftovers (depending on the size of your family)

Chicken and Spinach Enchiladas

1 10 oz. box frozen chopped Spinach
1 Rotisserie Chicken
1 8oz. lite Sour Cream
2 cups shredded Mexican cheese blend
1 pkg. 10 Flour Tortillas
1 small jar salsa
1 envelope Taco Seasoning
1 small jar Green Chili's (mild)

1. Pre heat oven to 400
2. Shred meat from Rotisserie chicken and set aside
3. Defrost the spinach, squeeze water out and put in mixing bowl
4. Add sour cream, chili's, taco seasoning and chicken and stir together.
5. Add 1/2 cup of cheese to mixture and stir together
6. Add about 1-2 Tbsp to each tortilla and wrap up and place in a shallow pan
7. You should get about 10 enchiladas from the mixture.
8. Top each with salsa and remainder of cheese.
9. Bake in oven covered with foil for 20 min, take foil off and cook for another 10 minutes.

Doggie Dinner

I thought it would be fun to post something a little different.  Every year on my dog's birthdays they get a special dinner.  We either do turkey burgers, turkey meatballs, chicken and rice or turkey hash.  I am not ashamed to admit it...I treat my dogs like they are my children.  That is just how I am.  I have nothing against people who do not.  But I can not imagine having a dog live outside and feeding them Ol' Roy.  Heck, I have spent more money on my dogs health care than on my own son.  And although life would be easier without them, I wouldn't trade them for  all the money in the world!  So if you love your animals as much as I do, treat them to a good dinner once in a while...they will love it :)

Turkey Hash

1 lb ground Jennie-O Turkey
1/4 tsp Thyme
1 Tbsp Parsley flakes
1tsp Garlic powder
1 Carrot
1 head Broccoli
2 cups Brown rice - cooked
2 hard boiled Eggs (peeled)

1. Brown turkey in frying pan and add parsley, thyme and garlic powder.
2. Chop and boil carrot and broccoli
3. Mix all together in a large bowl with the cooked brown rice
4. Crumble hard boiled eggs on top.
5. Serve one all has cooled off.

Sugar Free Chocolate Pudding Pie

In honor of our beloved Gramps, George Strother Givens,  we are making his famous Sugar Free Chocolate Pudding Pie for dessert today.   I never wrote down the recipe, so every time I would make it I would call him up and he would tell me the recipe.  I don't have him to go to anymore, but am finally going to write his recipe down now :)  He made it sugar free because his wife Ruby Mae was a diabetic, personally I prefer sugar free to regular because after years of eating it that way, the regular pudding is too sweet for my taste.  But if the thought of "Sugar Free" makes you cringe, by all means make it the good old fashioned way.  I prefer using low fat / low sugar versions of certain foods because that is just what I am used to.  But if you prefer the good old regular versions of these ingredients, by all means use it.



Sugar Free Chocolate Pudding Pie
1 pre-made Graham Cracker crust pie shell
1 small box Sugar Free Jello Chocolate Pudding Mix - Instant
1 container of Cool Whip lite
1 8oz box of low fat cream cheese - at room temperature

1. Make pudding and refrigerate for 10 minutes or until pudding has set.
2. With an electric mixer, mix cream cheese with 1/2 of the cool whip
3. Spread cream cheese mixture into the pie shell
4. Top with the pudding (that has already set)
5. Top that with the remaining cool whip
6. Refrigerate for at least an hour before serving.

Red Chicken Spaghetti

For Valentines day I got the request to make my Mom's Chicken Spaghetti.  It is a wonderful one pot dish, as in you add all the ingredients into the pot and let simmer for an hour, and voila!  you have a dinner. I remember when my Mom first made this out of one of her old Ralph and Kaco's cookbooks years ago.  I complained about it having chicken and olives in the red sauce...I thought it would be gross.  To my surprise it was anything but.  Now it is one of the top 3 recipes my husband requests for me to cook.  I can also tell you it is better cold, I have been caught picking the chicken and olives out of the tupperware container inside the fridge,  door wide open, every time :)

Red Chicken Spaghetti
1 lb skinless, boneless Chicken Breasts
1 rib Celery
1 Green Bell Pepper
2 6oz. cans Tomato paste (I like Cento brand)
1 can large Black Olives pitted
1 can Mushrooms
1 can peeled Tomato's
1 1/2 tsp Oregano
1 tsp Paprika
1 tbsp. Sugar
Kosher Salt
1/2 cup Parmesean
2 tbsp Olive Oil

1. Salt chicken breasts and brown in olive oil
2. Chop all vegetables and add to the browned chicken
3. Add all other ingredients (including the juice from canned Olives and Mushrooms)
4. Simmer for 1 hour
5. Serve over pasta

Oatmeal Cookies

Another great recipe from Martha Stewart.  This is hands down the best Oatmeal cookie recipe I have come across.  I had always made the recipe on the lid of the Quaker Oats can, not any more.  This recipe is simple and easy, I especially like it because it uses little butter and flour.  I was skeptical at first, but once they were baked and consumed I threw out my original recipe and replaced it with this one.  We always  divide the dough into 1/3 and add chocolate chips,  raisins and walnuts and the remaining 1/3 we leave plain.  Trust me, you will be pleasantly surprised  at how yummy these cookies are.  I may have to bake a batch tomorrow, so pictures will be added then :)

Oatmeal Cookies
1 cup All-Purpose Flour
1/4 tsp. Baking powder
1/4 tsp. Baking soda
1/4 tsp. cinnamon
1 stick Unsalted Butter
2/3 cup Light Brown Sugar
1/3 cup granulated Sugar
1 large Egg
1/2 tsp Salt
1 tsp. Vanilla Extract
1 1/2 cups Old-Fashioned Rolled Oats

1. Preheat oven to 350
2. Sift flour in separate bowl - do this separately as 1 cup flour sifted will equal 1 1/2 cups.
3. Add sifted flour (1 cup measured), baking powdered, baking soda, cinnamon and salt into a bowl and set aside
4. In Mixer bowl beat butter and sugars until pale and fluffy
5. Mix in egg, vanilla and then flour mixture.
6. Mix in Oats (and raisins, chocolate chips, or anything else you may want to add to your cookies)
7. Drop dough on parchment lined baking sheet and bake 12-14 minutes.
8. Let cool before eating.

* 

Chicken and Dumplings

When I first saw this recipe on TV back in 2006 I remember the gates of heaven opening up as I watched how easy this was to put together.  I had always wanted to cook Chicken and Dumplings like my grandmother made, but I remember it being 100 ingredients and making dumplings from scratch, something I was never going to do.  Thank you to Sandra Lee for bringing this recipe into my family.  There is nothing better on a cold rainy day than a bowl of this, I urge everyone to give it a try.  It is quick, easy and delicious...I promise!

Chicken and Dumplings
1 whole Rotisserie Chicken - store bought
1 Tbsp Canola Oil
1 Onion - chopped
64 oz. low sodium Chicken Broth (2 boxes)
1 Tbsp Poultry Seasoning (I use Emeril's Chicken Rub)
1 Tsp Kosher Salt
4 whole Carrots peeled and sliced
4-5 Celery stalks- sliced
1 can Chicken Gravy
1 roll Buttermilk biscuit dough

1. Remove skin from chicken and shred the meat.
2. In a dutch oven or large pot, add Canola Oil and saute onions until soft and clear.
3. Add broth, poultry seasoning, salt, carrots, and celery and bring to a boil.
4. Reduce heat and simmer for 10 minutes until veggies are soft.
5. Add chicken to broth mixture and simmer on low heat while you make the dumplings.
6. Open can and remove biscuits.
7. Flatten each biscuit and cut into 4 pie-pieces and set aside
8. Stir in chicken gravy
9. While stew is still simmering, begin adding the biscuits a few at a time.  
10. Once all dumplings are in the pot, cover with a tight fitting lid and cook for 10 minutes.

Grilled Flank Steak

I have been jonesing for Mexican food lately.  But not the restaurant Tex-Mex crap.  The real deal.  When we were in Baltimore they had this hole in the wall joint that had 4 bar stools and a ledge built onto the wall.  They had a small counter to order your food and a very basic menu, tacos or tortillas to go.  The rest of the restaurant was composed of a real tortilla maker that was so old and creaky that you could not hear yourself talking if you could find a seat to sit and eat inside.  A beef taco was just chopped steak, a few chopped white onions and a sprinkle of cilantro on a homemade tortilla.  No lettuce, cheese or sour cream.  It was basic and delicious.  This is my reproduction of that experience...basic and delicious.
I think I may have to make this sometime this week :)

Grilled Garlic Rubbed Flank Steak

1 -1 1/2lb Flank Steak (preferable organic and or grass fed)
3  Garlic cloves
2 Tbsp Olive oil
1/2 White Onion
1 bunch Cilantro
Kosher salt
1 pkg Mexican flour tortillas (anything but Mission brand)

1. Rub both sides of flank steak with garlic that has been crushed or put through a garlic press, salt and olive oil.
2. Place in baggie and let marinade for up to an hour, no more than 4 hours in the fridge.
3. When ready to cook, fire up grill and take steak out of refrigerator and bring to room temp before grilling.
4. When ready,  grill for about 10-15 min each side, depending on how hot your grill is.  I just say cook until it is done enough for you and depending on thickness of steak, the time will vary.
5. When done, let sit for 5 minutes then slice with the grain into thin strips.
6. Chop steak strips, cilantro and onion
7. Heat up tortillas one at a time on a warm frying pan.
8. Assemble tacos and enjoy.

Roasted Vegetable Pasta

I came up with this a few years back and I remember thinking roasting vegetables is genius!  You can roast almost every vegetable and the flavor can not be matched.  If I have it on hand I will also throw some Italian sausage or roasted chicken in with it.  If not, lots of veggies is all you need.  Just remember that it may seem like a lot of veggies but once they roast/ cook down in the oven you will wind up with half of what you started with.  If you do use italian sausage to toss in with it, I like to poke holes in it and boil it first to get all the grease out, then pan saute it until nice and brown.

Roasted Vegetable Pasta
1 bunch Asparagus
1 yellow pepper
1 red pepper
1 green pepper
1 orange pepper
1 large sweet onion
8-10  mushrooms
1 zucchini
3-4 roma tomatoes
1 Tbsp Italian seasoning
1 Tsp kosher salt
1 Tbsp olive oil
8 oz. whole grain thin spaghetti

1. Preheat oven to 475 degrees
2. Boil your pasta in salted water until cooked, drain and set aside
3. Slice all vegetables to desired thinness or thickness you like
4. Toss in large bowl with enough olive oil to coat and your seasoning
5. spread out on foil lined pan
6. Bake for 20-30 minutes, stirring the veggies around the pan after 15 minutes.
7. Once done, toss with the pasta and enjoy.

Cake Mix Muffins

Back in 2005 I found the yummiest and easiest recipe for chocolate muffins.  I am not a cupcake fan, simply because I hate icing, and you can't eat a cupcake without icing or else it will just crumble apart.
Online I found a Weight Watchers recipe for Cake Mix Muffins and I was in love. You can use any type of cake mix you like, I use chocolate and spice mix. I also add chocolate chips, dried fruit or nuts sometimes depending on what we feel like.

I am making the Chocolate Muffins for Reid's class for their Valentine's party this week and will be adding some sliced strawberries on the side.




Chocolate Cake Mix Muffins

1 box Duncan Hines Devils Food Cake Mix
1 15 oz can  Canned Pumpkin

1. Preheat oven to 350
2. Mix cake mix and canned pumpkin together until creamy.
3. Pour into cupcake tins and bake 15-20 min until done.

Spice Cake Chocolate Chip Muffins

1 box Ducan Hines Spice Cake Mix

1 15oz can  Canned Pumpkin

1/2 cup Chocolate Chips

1. Preheat oven to 350
2. Mix cake mix and canned pumpkin together until creamy.
3. Add chocolate chips and mix together.
4. Pour into cupcake tins and bake 15-20 min until done.

Spicy Thai Green Curry

I am in love with the Thai curries at TAO II Asian Cuisine off Washington Rd by our house.  So I thought how hard could this be?  Well, if you want to make it from scratch and taylor the spice to your liking, nearly impossible unless you live in Asia.  I went to 2 Oriental markets looking for ingredients to make my own curry paste and neither had what I needed.  So I purchased some jarred curry paste and gave it a go.

The recipe below is great if you like really SPICY curry.  Personally, it was too much for me, at least my husband ate it.

Thai Green Curry

1/3 cup Green Curry Paste

1 can Coconut milk

2 Chicken breasts 

12 shrimp

1 Green Pepper

1/2 Red Pepper

1 large Onion

1 can Bamboo shoots

1 can Water Chestnuts

2 cups Water

1 Tbsp. sugar

1 Tsp. salt

1/2 cup fresh Basil 

1. Slice chicken into 1/4 inch slices and peel shrimp
2. Chop all veggies into medium size chunks
3. Pour 1/2 can coconut milk in pot and bring to a boil
4. Add curry paste and stir together for 2 min
5. Add 2 cups water and bring to a boil
6. Add chicen and shrimp and simmer until chicken is cooked
7. Add al vegetables and bring to a boil
8. Add the rest of the coconut milk, sugar and salt and let simmer another 5 min.

* I actually had to add another can of coconut milk in hopes it would not be so spicy.  

   It helped, but not enough for me :)  Needless to say we have lots of leftovers that my husband 

   will be taking to work for his co-workers to enjoy.

Panini's

For Christmas this year I got a Breville Panini (on sale thanks to Oprah) maker and it is hands down the best invention ever (besides my stand mixer).  Since then we have been doing Panini's every Saturday for lunch and on a weeknight when I do not feel like cooking.  Let me tell you, it brings the grilled cheese to a whole other level.   Here are a few of our favorites.

BTTP  Sandwich
 1 scallion
1 tsp olive oil
2 slices five grain italian bred
1 tsp dijon mustard
3-4 slices smoked turkey
2 slices pepper jack cheese
3 slices tomato's
4 basil leaves

1. Cut scallion in half length wise and sear on grill for 1 min per side
2. Brush outside of the bread with olive oil
3. Spread dijon mustard on the inside
4. Place Turkey and cheese on the bottom pieces of bread
5. Scatter the scallions, tomatoes and basil leaves on top
6. Cover with top slice of bread 
7. Place in Panini maker for 4-5 min until golden brown.

Turkey and Bacon Panini

1 tsp olive oil

2 slices five grain italian bred

1 tsp dijon mustard

3-4 slices smoked turkey

2 slices smoked gouda

3 slices tomato's

3 slices cooked bacon

1. Brush outside of bread with olive oil
2. On bottom halves evenly layer with dijon, turkey, cheese, tomato's and bacon
3. Place in Panini maker and grill for 3-4 minutes

 Mozzarella, Tomato and Basil Panini   

2 slices Italian Five Grain Bread

1 tsp Olive Oil

4 slices Mozzarella

3 slices Toamto's

4-5 Basil l

eaves

salt and pepper

splash of red wine vinegar

1. Brush outside of bread with olive oil
2. Place Cheese on the bottom pieces of bread ( 2 slices per piece of bread)
3. Place Tomato's on 1 slilice of bread and basil on the other
4. Season with a pinch of salt and pepper
5. Splash with red wine vinegar and combine bread
6. Place sandwich on grill for 3-4 min.

Reid's Hot Dog Sandwich

1 Bun Length Turkey hot dog 

2 slices Italian five grain bread

2 slices American cheese

1 Tbsp Sart Balance light spread w/ Flax Oil

1. Slice hot dog length wise and then cut into 4 pieces
2. Butter outside slices of bread
3. Layer one slice with hot dogs and the other with cheese
4. Place sandwich on grill and press for 3 min.

Lemon Shortbread Cookies

As I have stated before, my boys love dessert.  Today Reid asked me to make pumpkin cake with chocolate chips.  I had my heart on trying something new.  Since he loves to eat lemons, I asked him if he wanted to try some lemon cookies.  I took out my Martha Stewart Holiday Cookie Magazine that I have been holding onto and marking the pages all while promising to make all the complex yet delicious looking cookies.  Low and behold I found a shortbread cookie recipe with different variations on it.  So here goes the "Lemon Rounds" version of them, although in honor of Valentines day we will be making them into
"Lemon Hearts".  Very easy to  make, only time consuming part is that that have to chill after you make the dough, and then again once you cut them out.

Lemon Shortbread Cookies


2 cups All Purpose Flour
1 1/4 tsp. coarse salt
1 cup Unsalted Butter (2 sticks)
3/4 cup Confectioner's Sugar
2 Tbsp. Lemon Zest
2 Tbsp Lemon Juice

1. Add flour and salt in a separate bowl and set aside
2. Beat butter with mixer until fluffy, gradually add sugar then lemon zest and lemon juice.
3. Add flour mixture all at once and mix until combined.
4. wrap dough in wax paper and chill for 1 hour.
5. Preheat oven to 300
6. Roll out dough on floured surface and cut into any shape desired and put on parchment paper lined cookie sheet
7. Chill again for 30 min
8. Bake for 20 minutes.
9. Dust with extra powdered sugar if desired

Tortilla Soup

I am always looking for something new to cook that does not take hours to prepare an cook.   Found this in a Sandra Lee cook book at Barnes and Nobles.  Reid and I go there often and while he reads all the kids books and plays on their Thomas table (god forbid he plays with the one he has at home) I like to scour the cook books.  I fantasize about buying them all, but then I get to looking at them and usually find 1 or 2 good ones in the whole book.  So I do what any sound minded, penny pinching parent does...I take out my iphone and take a picture of the recipe out of the book so I don't have to buy it :)

Tortilla Soup

32 oz. box of Chicken Broth

1 can Tomato Bisque

1 can Rotel tomato's "mild"

1 small Red Onion

2 tsp chopped garlic (jar)

1 Tbsp Olive Oil

1 cup Corn - frozen

Toppings - Tortilla chips, Cilantro, avocado, sour cream, chicken...what ever you like

1. Sautee Onions in olive oil until soft

2. Add Garlic and stir together for 1 min.

3. Add chicken broth, rotel, bisque and corn and bring to a boil

4. Once boiling, turn down heat to simmer and cook for 10 minutes.

Chewy Chocolate Chunk-Cherry Cookies

Growing up we were not a "dessert" family.  Dessert was something you got when you went to dinner after church or at our grandparents house.  So when I had Reid and he started eating solid foods, it never occured to me to feed him dessert.  I think it wasn't until he was 18 months old and we were in NOLA visiting family and my Dad and sister's gave him his first real taste of sugar, an Icee ( while I kicked and screamed and cringed, I still don't let him have the icing off Birthday cakes).  Ever since then he is a dessert kind of guy.  Since I can not bring myself to buy  processed cookies  and cakes in the stores, I figured I would start baking.  It is not my favorite thing to do, but the results are always rewarding.  Tonight we made these cookies (Thank you Martha Stewart) and they are not diet friendly, trust me. When I asked him what he thought of them  he just looked at me and said "Thank You"...enough said :)  This recipe does take some time, once you make the cookies they have to sit in the fridge for an hour before baking and they make about 5 dozen.  I also would not bake anything if I did not have a stand mixer, there are just some things you can not do with a wisk or wooden spoon!

<span>CHEWY CHOCOLATE CHUNK-CHERRY COOKIES</span>

3 1/2 cups all-purpose flour (I sift it, so it is really 3 cups flour, sifted)

2 tsp baking soda

3 sticks unsalted butter

1 1/2 tsp salt

2 cups packed light brown sugar

4 large eggs

2 tsp pure vanilla extract

1 bag semisweet chocolate chips (I like Ghiardelli)

8 ounces dried cherries 

1. Preheat oven to 375 and whisk together the flour, baking soda and salt in a separate bowl.
2. Beat butter and sugars until pale and creamy.
3. Add eggs, 1 at a time mixing all together well.
4. Beat in vanilla, then flour mixture.
5. Beat in chocolate and cherries
6. Refrigerate dough for 1 hour.
7. Bake on parchment paper until edges are brown, about 10-15 minutes depending on your oven.

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Greek Dinner

Never liked Greek food until one Mother's Day in Puyallup, WA they closed our favorite Chinese restaurant and put in a Greek Restaurant.  Matt was out of town so Reid and I went there for dinner.  It was delicious, so I started scouring the web and cookbooks for recipes.  The following are the 2 bets one I make all the time for dinner.  Add some Naan and Hummus and you have a complete meal.

Chicken Souvlaki

1 cup fresh Oregano leaves- chopped

3 cloves garlic - put through press

2 shallots - minced

1 lemon - juiced

1/3 to 1/2 cup Olive Oil

Kosher Salt 

1 lb Chicken - skinless, boneless tenderloins

1. Add chopped Oregano, shallots, garlic, olive oil, salt and lemon juice to ziploc bag.

2. Put your chicken in bag and squeeze air out and coat in marinade, let sit for 1-4 hours in fridge.

3. When you are ready to cook chicken, preheat broiler and line a rimmed sheet pan with foil.

4. You can either skewer chicken or just place it directly in the pan.

5. Broil for 7-10 minutes until chicken is cooked.

*You can also do this with pork tenderloin or on the grill.

Greek Salad

1 Bell Pepper 

1 small Red Onion 

1 English Cucumber 

Grape or Cherry Tomatoss

Kalmatta Olives

Feta Cheese

Extra Virgin Olive Oil

Red Wine Vinegar

Salt and Pepper to taste

1. Slice Bell Peppers, Onion and cucumber thin ( I use a mandoline)

2. Slice tomatos in half and split Olives or add whole (just make sure they are pitted)

3. Toss with salt and pepper and oil and vinegar to taste, or if I have a prepared vinagrete or even Italian dressing I will add that.

Smoked Honey Glazed Chicken Drumsticks

This is one of Reid's favorites. And since 80% of the time he does not eat meat, I like to make this once a week to make myself feel better...because at least I know he will get some protein in for the week :) 

This one is also for you Alex, I think Abi will like it.

Smoked Honey Glazed Chicken Drumsticks

8-12 Chicken Drumsticks - Skinless

2 Tbsp Dijon Mustard

1/4 cup Lemon juice

1/3 cup Honey 

1 Tsp. Smoked Paprika

1/2 Tsp. Salt

1. Preheat oven to 375
2. Rinse chicken and pat dry
3. Combine remaining ingredients in a bowl and whisk together
4. Place chicken in marinade and coat, I let it sit for 30 min to 1 hour or you can let it sit overnight.
5. Place in oven and cook for 1 hour, turning pieces once.
6. Feel free to baste it every now and then, but I usually forget and it comes out just fine.

Dry Rubbed BBQ Chicken Breast

I hadn't eaten chicken for a few years since I had a bad experience with a pack of chicken I got from Walmart years ago.  I just stopped eating/buying it...I will spare you the details.  Once we moved to Baltimore I could walk to Whole Foods, so I started to buy chicken there.  Then we had to move to Augusta, GA and there is no Whole Foods here, so I was resigned to the fact of not eating chicken again until I discovered a wonderful group of local farmers who participate in a program here to sell there goods, Augusta Locally Grown.  Now I joined and was able to get on with a local chicken farmer (Gingersnap Hollow Farms) who provides me with a monthly supply of chicken and eggs.  The freshest and best chicken and eggs I have ever had in my life.  I encourage EVERYONE to find your local farmers and support them.  I can proudly say I no longer buy any of my meat from a store, the difference in taste in unbelievable.  Makes you wonder what they are doing to the stuff they do sell in stores.  While it may be more money, it is not by much, plus you are supporting your local farmers who deserve it.

Dry Rubbed BBQ Chicken Breast

4 Chicen breast -skin and bone on

3/4 cup Kosher salt, plus 1 Tsp.

3/4 cup light Brown Sugar, plus 1 tsp

3/4 cup white Vinegar

3 Tbsp dry BBQ seasoning

1. Combine 8 cups water, 3/4 cups salt, vinegar, sugar and 1 Tbsp BBQ seasoning in a large plastic container to create a brine (I use an old tupperware lettuce keeper with a lid)
2. Add Chicken and refrigerate for 2-4 hours.
3. Preheat oven to 350
4. Remove chicken from Brine and pat dry
5. Combine remaining salt, sugar and BBQ seasoning and rub all over chicken
6. Place in roasting pan, Add 2 Tbsp. water to bottom of pan and roast 45-50 minutes or lay on foil lined sheet pan and bake.

Pico De Gallo and Corn & Black Bean Quesadilla

For some reason I am liking me some Mexican food.  But not the restaurant Mexican food.  The "I want to be a chef like Rick Bayless" Mexican food.  After multiple failed attempts at his rather complex recipes, I have decided to just put together my own.  Ingredients that I like and I think go well together, so far so good.  If the boys eat it then I will keep cooking it.

Pico de Gallo

12  Campari tomatoes

1/2 large White Onion

1/2 bunch fresh Cilantro ( I like a lot of Cilantro)

1/2 to 1 large Lime

Kosher Salt 

1. Seed and chop tomatoes, dice onions and rough chop the cilantro
2. combine all ingredients in a large bowl and sprinkle with salt
3. Add the juice of the lime and chill before serving

<span>Corn and Black Bean Quesadilla</span>

1 cup frozen Corn or4-6 ears fresh corn

1/2 large Vidalia Onion

1 can black beans, rinsed and drained

1 tsp olive oil

Kosher salt

6 flour Tortillas

1/2 cup shredded Mexican Cheese blend

1. Sautee onions in olive oil and a sprinkle of salt until they start to caramelize (3-4 min.)
2. Add corn and saute another 3 min.
3. Add Black beans and a dash of salt until all flavors come together, 2 min
4. Spoon mixture onto 1 flour tortilla and top with 2 tbsp cheese and another tortilla
5. Broil until cheese is melted (1-2 min)

Sautee Pork Chops

t is so cold outside all I wanted to do is make a big pot of vegetable soup.  BUt seeing as I did not have time to put that all together, I figured I would do the good old standby.  Thanks for my sister giving me the pork chop recipe (I added onions and garlic), and thanks to ALG for growing some fabulous spinach and broccoli this week.  Tomorrow Reid is off of school so I have declared it pajama and soup day, hopefully he will chose to sleep in :)

Sautee Pork Chops

4-6 Boneless Pork Chops

32 oz box of Beef Broth

1 Onion

1 head of Garlic (or less if you don't like garlic)

1 tsp. Olive Oil

1. Coat non stick pan with Olive Oil and brown pork chops on both sides
2. Add sliced onions and whole, peeled garlic
3. Add  1/2-3/4 box of beef broth, enough to cover pork chops.
4. Bring to a boil then put lid on and simmer for 1 hour, or until pork chops fall apart and broth has reduced.

1 head Broccoli steamed

1 bunch spinach steamed

1 cup Brown rice cooked

Vegetable Soup

There is nothing better than soup on a cold and rainy day!  So in honor of our first soup and pajama day, Reid and I are starting early with our soup.  I can tell you that after working at Marty's Health Food Restaurant in the french quarter back in 1992-93, I discovered a secret spice that made his soups and tuna salad the best in the quarter.  SInce then, I put it in everything.  That magic spice (to me) is called SPIKE.  You can find it everywhere now and trust me when I tell you it makes everything taste better.  That is our secret ingredient in our soup...thanks Marty :)

<span>Vegetable Soup</span>

4 Carrots

4 Turnips

1 Onion

4 ribs Celery

1 Green Bell Pepper

1 cup frozen Corn

1 cup frozen Lima Beans

1/2 lb fresh green beans

1 small Cabbage

1 bunch green onions

2 8 oz. cans Tomato Sauce

1 can Peeled Whole Tomato's

2 tbsp. Spike seasoning

2 tbsp. Italian Seasoning

2 Vegetable Bouillon cubes (or Beef)

2 quarts water

1. Add water, tomato sauce, whole tomato's and seasoning and bring to a boil.
2. Add all vegetables and simmer for 2 hours.

*Sometimes we add an Eye of Round roast to the soup if we want meat in it.

In that case you just brown it in some olive oil on all sides, then do step one and simmer for 1 hour before you add the veggies.

Cook for 3-4 hours after that so the meat is tender and will fall apart.

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