Is There Anything Better Than Butter?

Have you seen the movie Julie & Julia?  There is a part where Julie Powell asks the question "Is there anything better than butter?"  Well, I have to reply with a resounding NO!


For example: pie crust.  Living in Oregon, I am beyond thrilled that this state produces some of the best fruits and berries you could ever imagine.  In fact, it is home to the marionberry, a variety of blackberry developed in the Willamette Valley.  These beautiful and flavorful berries are coveted for use in making pies and cobblers.  Yesterday when I was at the local grower's market, I picked up two pints of the black beauties, dreaming of what concoctions I could come up with them.

A glorious pint of organically grown marionberries.

I thought about a coffee cake or a crisp, but at the request of my son, settled on pie.  Well actually, I made turnovers, which I think are more fun to eat and seemed like a good summer treat.  I'm not really a baker and I don't have a tried and true pie crust, so I decided I would experiment and come up with one that I liked.  Let me just say that butter made it better!


I used a recipe that used only shortening, water, flour and salt.  The first batch was okay, except I rolled the crust too thick making it pale and not very flavorful. Today I changed it up a bit and instead added some cold, unsalted butter and rolled out thin crust.  To my delight it turned out light and flaky and golden and ... well let's just say I am in turnover heaven!

Marionberry turnovers.  Yes, I did eat TWO of them.

Heavenly Marionberry Turnovers - makes 8 turnovers or 2 pie crusts


Filling:
2 pints marionberries (or whatever fruit you like; I also threw in a few raspberries from my own backyard)
3 Tbsp all-purpose flour
2 Tbsp sugar
dash of salt


Pie crust:
2 cups all-purpose flour
2/3 cup vegetable shortening
1/4 tsp salt
2 Tbsp cold, unsalted butter cut into small cubes
6 Tbsp icy cold water


Egg wash:
1 egg
1 Tbsp water


Topping:
ground cinnamon
turbinado sugar


In medium bowl, gently coat berries with flour, sugar and salt.  Set aside.  


To make crust, use a food processor by pulsing together flour, shortening, and salt.  One tablespoon at a time, add cold water and pulse.  Add in cold butter and pulse.  The dough should be soft and hold together in a ball.  On floured surface, roll out dough to 1/8" thickness.  Using a cutter (or bowl) approximately 5" in diameter, cut out rounds and place on parchment lined baking sheet.  


Spoon small amounts of berries onto each round, making sure not to over fill. Brush egg mixture onto edges and fold over the round, crimp the turnover closed with a knife.  Brush egg wash over the top of turnover, sprinkle with cinnamon and turbinado sugar.  Make a steam vent by slitting the top of the pastry with a sharp knife.


Bake in a preheated 350° oven for 30-35 minutes.  Allow to cool on wire rack, or serve warm with vanilla ice cream.

My kids harvest (but mostly eat) the ripe raspberries from our backyard.

The crunchy turbindo sugar made these turnovers extra special in my opinion.  I can't wait to try these with some apples.  Hmm, and maybe some fresh cherries.  Ooh, and lets not forget peaches ... or pears ...

Pain Perdu

"Mama, what are we having for dinner?" my son asked me one night as I was slicing into a loaf of stale artisan bread.  "Pain perdu" I replied in the best French accent I could muster.  "Huh?" was what I heard in return.  "Okay, basically I'm making french toast."

The French of course don't call it french toast, they call it pain perdu which means "lost bread".  Not wanting to waste a bit of the rustic french bread I made myself, from a mixed starter, and formed by my very own hands - I thought that making it into a delicious eggy bread served with maple syrup was just the thing to do.


Typically a french toast is made with a sliced sour dough bread, fluffy in nature and square in shape.  Not mine.  It has a thick crust, dense crumb, and an organic shape.  In fact, it must be soaked for a good 10 minutes to soften the bread and allow the egg mixture to soak in.  And when it is cooked and served hot with butter and syrup ... whoa baby!

Pain Perdu


3 eggs
3/4 cup milk
1 Tbsp sugar
1/4 teaspoon vanilla
1/8 tsp salt
1/2 tsp cinnamon (optional)
3/4 to 1 inch slices (not fresh) rustic french or sour dough bread


Whisk together the eggs, milk, sugar, vanilla, salt and cinnamon and place in a shallow baking dish.  Place bread slices into egg mixture and let soak for about 10 minutes.  Melt butter in skillet set to medium and cook up the bread.  Serve with a favorite syrup and sprinkling of powdered sugar.

One Berry Good Salad

Berry Good Salad

1/2 pint blueberries
1/2 pint red raspberries
1/2 pint blackberries
1 6oz. container vanilla bean yogurt (I used Tillamook)

Make sure berries are clean and dry, then add yogurt.  Stir and serve - it doesn't get much easier than that!

How To Obtain Chai Blissfulness

There is just something about Chai tea that is so good.  It is decadent, rich, spicy and has always been a special treat to me since I'd either have to buy it from the store or head to my nearest Starbucks.  Well, no more!  No more waiting, no more spending, and no more unsatisfied cravings!  My mom introduced me to a recipe that is so insanely simple, I can have Chai tea whenever I want and it barely costs me a thing. 

I suppose you want the recipe now, huh?  Well okay, since I'm in a Chai induced generous mood:

HOMEMADE CHAI CONCENTRATE by parenthacks.com

1 14 oz. can of sweetened condensed milk
1 t. ground cardamom
1 t. ground ginger
1/2 t. ground cinnamon
1/2 t. ground cloves

Mix everything and store in the refrigerator. A small, glass mason jar with a plastic storage cap works well. The mixture will keep, refrigerated, for six months.

Next up is a pictorial to demonstrate how easy it is to make yourself an unbelievable cup o' Chai.  Prepare for utter bliss:

 

First, steep your favorite black tea in boiling water.  Place a spoon in the cup while steeping to warm it up.

 Grab your Chai concentrate from the fridge. 

 Dry off your warmed spoon when the tea is done steeping, then get a heaping spoonful of the concentrate ...

 ... and drizzle it into the tea!

Give it a good stir and immediately start enjoying it.

If you are a Chai latte fan, try this method of making great foam and mix it in.  See, no need to leave the house and spend four bucks on temporary heaven!

Merry Mimosas

Here's a fun idea for your next holiday brunch:

Merry Mimosas

Pour equal parts champagne and orange juice into wine glass or flute.  Sprinkle in a few pomegranate seeds.  Grate some lime zest directly into glass.  Listen to your guests ooh and ahh over the beauty that you created.  Drink and be merry!

Happy Hour

I must be thinking with my stomach today.  While singing a hymn in church this morning, I confess that my thoughts turned to donuts occasionally.  There was just something about fried bread with a cup of coffee that was singing to me.  Then, after the lunch hour I couldn't stop dreaming of fried, breaded cheese.  So, naturally I made my own mozzarella sticks!

It turns out that you must put the prepared sticks in the freezer for at least two hours before frying them to keep the cheese from oozing out.  The wait was TORTURE!  But, when they were all ready to eat it was 4:30 and so we had "Happy Hour" in our own home!  Served with an ice cold mug of milk, these sticks of gooey fried goodness were quite the snack.

Happy Hour Mozzarella Sticks (modified from a Giada De Laurentiis recipe)

1 cup Italian-style dried breadcrumbs

1/2 cup Panko breadcrumbs
1/4 cups freshly grated Parmesan
1 teaspoon salt
12 sticks string cheese
2 large eggs, beaten to blend
1 1/2 cups vegetable oil

Stir the bread crumbs, 1 cup of Parmesan and 1 teaspoon of salt in a medium bowl to blend. Dip the cheese in the eggs to coat completely and allow the excess egg to drip back into the bowl. Coat the cheese in the bread crumb mixture, patting to adhere and coat completely. Place the cheese sticks on a baking sheet. Repeat dipping the cheese sticks in the egg and bread crumb mixture to coat a second time. Cover and freeze until frozen, about 2 hours and up to 2 days.

Heat the oil in a large frying pan over medium heat. Working in batches, fry the cheese until golden brown, about 1 minute per side. Transfer the fried cheese to plates. Sprinkle with the remaining cheese and serve with the marinara sauce or ranch dressing.

Uh oh, I think I may have started a new tradition around here!

Awesomeness On A Plate

If you are looking for a light, low calorie and fat free recipe ... then DON'T make this one!  But if you are looking for something that is so unbelievably delicious, that it will cause guests and family to make a mad dash for the kitchen in hopes of scoring seconds, then this is the recipe for you!

I had pulled out my trusty recipe box in hopes of finding something that would use up some ingredients I had on hand.  I settled on Impossible Quiche because I had everything for it and it didn't look like it took too much energy to prepare.  Well, let me just say that after one bite, my husband looked me square in the eyes and said "THIS is really good!"  And he was right.

Impossible Quiche by Berta Lee

3 eggs

1/2 cup Bisquick

1/2 tsp salt

1/2 cup melted butter

1 1/2 cup milk

dash of pepper

Mix the above ingredients until silky smooth, or run in blender for a few seconds.  Pour into greased pie pan.  Sprinkle 1 cup grated cheese of choice and any vegetables or meat you wish (I sauteed onions, bacon and mushrooms together; and added fresh thyme and scallions).  Push down in pan.  Bake at 350° for 45 minutes.  Allow to set 10 minutes before cutting.

During the baking process, the eggs fluff up, the cheese melts on the top, and the Bisquick forms a crust on the bottom.  This is basically a heart attack on a plate (think loads of butter and cheese), but serve with fresh fruit or a salad and it pretty much cancels out all of the fat ... right?

Eat Your Vegetables!

This may seem absolutely crazy, but I made zucchini bread for the first time in my life, just this weekend.  I know, I'm 34 years old and it's taken me this long, but I only started liking zucchinis in the last couple of years.  And when my dad supplied me with all kinds of goodies from his garden, including ridiculous amounts of zucchini, I started getting creative.

Zucchini Bread (modified from AllRecipes.com)

3 cups all-purpose flour

1 teaspoon salt

1 teaspoon baking soda

1 teaspoon baking powder

3 eggs

1 cup vegetable oil

2 1/4 cups white sugar

3 teaspoons vanilla extract

2 cups grated zucchini

1 cup semi-sweet chocolate chips

Grease and flour two 8 x 4 inch pans. Preheat oven to 325°.  Sift flour, salt, baking powder, and soda together in a bowl.  Beat eggs, oil, vanilla, and sugar together in a large bowl. Add sifted ingredients to the creamed mixture, and beat well. Stir in zucchini and chocolate chips until well combined. Pour batter into prepared pans.  Bake for 40 to 60 minutes, or until tester inserted in the center comes out clean. Cool in pan on rack for 20 minutes. Remove bread from pan, and completely cool. 

Now, I don't exactly know if I did something wrong, but this bread has more of a cake-like texture than I was expecting ... but I don't mind that one bit!  Even my vegetable wary kids liked this bread and were asking for more.  It must have had something to do with the chocolate chips {grin}. 

Le Croissant De Chocolat Avec Les Framboises

Framboise means "raspberry" in French.  Isn't that a fun word to say - fra-a-mbois-e.  It sounds very fancy and a bit pretentious.  

Anyway ... 

One of my favorite things to eat at a bakery is a chocolate croissant with raspberries.  There is a local bakery here in town that makes them perfectly, but I don't have many opportunities to go there.  And while I am all for supporting local businesses, since discovering the perfect way of enjoying these pastries at home, I will have even less need to go the bakery!

If you have a panini press (or even a frying pan), you can make them too and they are SO good!

Le Croissant De Chocolat Avec Les Framboises (because it sounds better titled in French)

a store bought croissant, sliced lengthwise

plain cream cheese

semi-sweet chocolate chips

fresh raspberries

After slicing the croissant in half lengthwise, smear a thin layer of cream cheese on the inside of the slices.  Sprinkle chocolate chips and place whole raspberries on the bottom slice.  Cover with the top slice and put into a panini maker on medium and cook until the croissant is golden brown and the chocolate is melted.  Enjoy with coffee and a good book!

The cream cheese holds all of the ingredients together, the chocolate is gooey and melty, and the warm raspberries are eye-rollingly good.  The panini press toasts the croissants (no need to add butter) and fuses it together to hold the filling inside.  It is flaky, crispy and buttery.  But really, do I need to convince you any more?

Somebody Pinch Me!

I either must be dreaming or I have gone to heaven.  Three words for why I am feeling this way: Brownie Pillow Cookies.

When I saw this recipe on Bakerella.com I instantly had to make them!  I mean really, what could be better than chocolate chip cookies with a brownie center?  I already had a box of brownie mix handy and all the ingredients to make the cookies, so with much anticipation I set out to make these tempting confections.

First you make the brownies (from a box worked great), then you make the cookie dough but must let it sit in the refrigerator for at least an hour.  Then you measure out 1/2 cup of dough for each cookie.  Yes, that is what I said, 1/2 cup for EACH cookie!  After creating an indentation in each mound of dough, place a 1" square of brownie into the hole and cover it completely with the dough.  Complete instructions and recipe here.

Let me just say that I am still in a sugar coma after consuming ONE of these.  It was amazing, but I don't think consuming more than one is possible.  My shallow breathing and glazed over look indicated that I had had my fill.

That dark chewy center is a brownie!  And not just any brownie, a Ghirardelli chocolate chip brownie.  Because, you know, you can never have too many chocolate chips!

As a survivor of eating one of these monstrosities, my advice for when doing so is to go slow; have a tall glass of ice cold milk within reach; and remember to breathe.

Oh, and a dainty cocktail napkin ain't going to cut it for a job this big ... go for the Brawny man-strength paper towels, folks!

Rustic Gorgeousness

One evening while having dinner at a friend's house I was delighted with a lovely Caprese appetizer.  It was simple, gorgeous and so delicious I craved it for weeks.  I've seen platters of Caprese before with the colors of the Italian flag represented by the tomato, fresh mozzarella and basil; but never had I seen it made like this.  Seriously good.  Seriously!  My husband called it "gorgeousness".

Toasted bread, pesto and a drizzle of balsamic vinegar punches up this classic.  It is rustic and elegant at the same time; however if you are looking for something sophisticated to serve at a dinner party, this may not be it as one does not look very sophisticated while trying to cram four layers of varying textures into one's mouth!

Rustic Caprese Appetizers

1 French or sourdough baguette

olive oil for drizzling

Balsamic vinegar for drizzling

basil pesto or fresh basil leaves

1 ball fresh mozzarella cheese, sliced

1 fresh Roma tomato, sliced

fresh ground pepper

Cut baguette into diagonal slices.  Drizzle each slice with olive oil and place on parchment lined baking sheet in a 350° oven, and bake until bread is golden brown.  While still warm, drizzle balsamic vinegar onto each bread slice.  Add pesto or basil leaf to each slice, top with mozzarella and tomato and sprinkle freshly ground pepper on top.  Enjoy!

How To Be Popular

I have discovered the secret to popularity. I know how to obtain the love and respect of your family. If you try this method, you are guaranteed total adoration.

It's simple: Make this pizza.

It must have been all of the rest that I got over the weekend, but I was inspired to create an amazing feast for my family. There is a pizza place in Corvallis, Oregon that is rather well known called American Dream Pizza. It seems whenever I go to visit with family there, we enjoy their fabulous food. I've decided my favorite is their "Tejano", a BBQ chicken pizza with ingredients that just mesh well together. So, I decided to make one of my own, and boy did it yield great results!


Kelly's BBQ Chicken Pizza

1 pizza crust (I made my own, but store bought is fine too. I used this recipe)
sprinkling of corn meal
olive oil
1/2 cup BBQ sauce (I used Stubb's which is a little more gourmet even if found at the grocery store)
2 roasted chicken breasts, 1" cubes
1/2 tsp Italian herbs
1 cup smoked gouda cheese
1 cup fontina cheese
1/4 cup red onion, thinly sliced
cilantro, coarsely chopped (optional)

Preheat oven to 350°.

Place cubed chicken in a bowl with 2 tablespoons of BBQ sauce and Italian seasonings. Stir together to coat chicken. When the pizza dough is prepared, roll out into 14" circle at a 1/4" thickness. Sprinkle corn meal onto pizza pan and place dough on top; drizzle dough with olive oil. Spread out desired amount of BBQ sauce; sprinkle fontina cheese evenly; top with cubed chicken; sprinkle smoked gouda evenly and distribute onion slices. If you have garlic salt, shake a little on the outer edge of the crust for great flavor. Bake in oven for 25-30 minutes, or until crust is golden brown and cheese is melted. If you have acquired a taste for it, sprinkle some cilantro on the top for added color and flavor.

Slice up the pizza and serve. Expect lots of wide eyes and compliments.


I served our pizza with a fresh green salad and for the adults a peppery Zinfandel. It was a seriously awesome meal and miracles even took place: my son ate all of his salad without prompting, just so he could have more pizza. Making me the most popular person in the house.

Mmm ... Oh Yeah!

Peanut butter is probably the most commonly used food in our house. My son begs for a peanut butter sandwich everyday for lunch and my husband likes an after-work snack of a spoonful PB & CC (peanut butter with some chocolate chips). I'm probably the only one who doesn't care for it that much ... except when combined with chocolate! Here is a delicious recipe that will have peanut butter fanatics jumping for joy:

Chocolate Peanut Butter Passion Bars (modified from the Ghirardelli recipe in Home Cooking: The Costco Way)

1/3 cup vegetable oil
2 eggs
1 pouch Ghirardelli Triple Chocolate Brownie Mix

peanut butter filling
1 1/4 cups (14 oz. can) sweetened condensed milk
1/2 cup extra chunky peanut butter

Preheat oven to 350°F. Lightly grease a 13-by-9 inch pan.

In a medium bowl, stir together oil and eggs. Add brownie mix and stir until moistened. Press half of the brownie mixture into the pan, reserving the remainder for topping.

To make the filling, stir sweetened condensed milk and peanut butter in a medium bowl until smooth. Spread evenly over the brownie layer in the pan.

Drop rounded teaspoonfuls of the reserved brownie mixture over the peanut butter layer.

Bake for 25-30 minutes, or until the top is set. Cool thoroughly before cutting. Makes 24 bars.

Darn tootin' irresistible!

I've Got the Knead for Tortillas

In my post last week about cooking beans, I briefly mentioned my amoeba shaped tortillas. Well, that was the first time I had ever made on my own and in addition to being a funny shape, they were a bit on the crunchy side too. Since then I took another stab at making them. While I wouldn't say they are round, they are nearly-round and I like the organic shape. I learned not to leave them in the skillet for too long or they get dried out and crunchy. When done right they are soft, warm and utterly delicious!

Flour Tortillas (from the cookbook The Feast of Santa Fe) - makes 6 tortillas

1 cup unbleached white flour

1/2 tsp baking powder

1/2 tsp salt

2 to 3 Tbsp vegetable shortening (or you can use lard or bacon fat; if bacon fat is used, omit salt)

4 to 6 Tbsp water

Mix flour, baking powder and salt in a bowl. Add the fat or shortening by cutting it into 1/4" cubes, adding them to the bowl and rubbing them quickly between thumb and forefinger until fat and flour form a coarse meal. Stir in water all at once and use a fork to toss quickly.

Knead dough and press it with your hands, adding extra water a teaspoonful at a time to catch the stray dry bits. When the dough can be gathered into a soft mass, turn it out onto a lightly floured board and continue to knead for 5 minutes.

It's important to allow the dough to rest for by forming the dough into 6 even balls and dredging them in flour. Then store in a plastic bag to prevent drying. When ready to cook a tortilla, flatten the ball of dough into a disk with the palm of your hand. Using a rolling pin, roll out the dough 7 inches or larger (mine came out to be more like 6 inches!) and work with rapid, even strokes that do not reach to the edge.

To cook the tortillas, the traditional tool is called a Mexican comal, I don't have one so I use a cast iron skillet. Heat the skillet to just under medium heat. Gently lower the rolled tortilla into the skillet and let it cook for about 30 to 40 seconds. The upper surface will show little bubbles and a slight change of color, while the bottom will remain pale and sprinkled with brown spots. The idea is to have soft and pliable tortillas, so you really have to watch them as they bake. When done cooking, stack the finished tortillas on a plate and cover with another plate to allow additional steaming.

If it seems like a lot of work to make just 6 tortillas ... well, it is to be honest. But there is something about kneading the dough by hand that I love. I have yet to get my tortillas good enough to the point where they can be used to make burritos, but it will take some more practice. I actually love to eat homemade tortillas plain and I like them best when they are thick and soft.

Frijoles a la Bessie

In the past I have done an entire post about my favorite piece of cookery, my French Oven which I have affectionately named Bessie after my great-grandmother. Naming things is weird I know, but hey, that's me!

I use my French Oven for so many things and I think if anyone can afford to buy one, they should because everything I have made in this thing has turned out so well ... and I am not a gourmet cook, trust me. And after being inspired by a post on my friend Heather's blog, I decided to make a big pot of pinto beans. I was born in Santa Fe, New Mexico, and even though I only lived there for the first three years of my life, elements of the culture runs through my blood. I find great comfort in the aroma of a pot of beans that cook for hours. I think the flavor of homemade flour tortillas are incomparable, and the green chili is magical.

I love the freckles that dried pinto beans have. They look very earthy.

While taking the basic recipe from The Feast of Santa Fe, I created my own way of making pinto beans that cook for about 5 to 6 hours and end up creamy and full of flavor.

Frijoles a la Bessie (or Pinto Beans)

2 cups dried pinto beans

water to cover

1 small onion, chopped

6 slices thick cut bacon, cut into small pieces

2 or 3 garlic cloves, minced

1 tsp whole cumin seed

1/2 tsp cracked pepper

1/2 tsp oregano

1 tsp salt

To precook beans (or you can soak them overnight if you have the forethought to do so), bring two quarts of water to a boil, drop in sorted and rinsed beans and bring back to a boil, uncovered. Boil for exactly 2 minutes, remove pot from heat, cover and let stand for 1 hour.

Cut up bacon into small pieces and cook in frying pan to render the fat. Chop onion and add to bacon; cook together until onions are translucent. When ready to cook beans, drain and rinse beans in a colander and return to oven proof pot (French/Dutch Oven is perfect). Add all ingredients except for the salt, and include the bacon and onions, plus enough water to cover beans by 2 inches. Use a bit of water to deglaze frying pan and add bacon drippings and brown bits to beans.

This is what you should have before adding the water to begin cooking the beans. When it does start to cook, the aroma is amazing!

Bring beans to a boil, reduce heat to medium-low, cover and simmer for several hours, stirring occasionally. When beans are cooked but still starchy to the bite, place entire pot into a conventional oven at 350° for 30 minutes. Then add 1 tsp salt, stir well and put back into oven for another 30 minutes. Beans should be soft and the "liquor" or sauce should be thick and opaque.

Of course this recipe can be made vegetarian by cooking the onions in olive oil. Additional salt may need to be added to taste.

Served with a piece of corn bread or homemade flour tortillas and it makes a very filling meal. I have yet to master the art of making tortillas. They taste great, but they never end up round when I make them. I'd say they are more amoeba shaped, but if cooked right ... who cares!

Beans are very economical and abundant, which is a good thing in this economy. Leftovers can be mashed and refried for burritos, and even the pickiest eaters (i.e. my kids!) like them.

A Big Bowl of Comfort

It has been snowing off and on for the last couple of months. And with the exception of a few days it has been very cold. So, it is natural for my thoughts to turn toward comfort and warmth.

A toasty blanket, a good book (or in my case, knitting project) and a hot bowl of soup. Mmmmm, what could be better? Fortunately, I have a great recipe for Chicken Tortilla Soup that even my two year-old likes.

Chicken Tortilla Soup

2 Tbs olive oil

2 medium onions, sliced

salt and pepper

5 cups chicken broth (homemade is best if you have it)

2 cups water

2 jalapeño peppers, cut in half and seeds removed

1/2 - 1 cup tomato salsa (I like medium salsa for a little kick)

2 fully cooked chicken breasts, sliced into bite sized pieces

1 can of mexicorn

2 Tbs heavy cream (optional, but I like a creamier soup)

In skillet, heat oil over medium heat. Add onions and salt and pepper, and reduce heat to medium-low and cook onions for about 20 minutes or until they are well caramelized and golden brown. In a soup pot, simmer jalapeños in the chicken broth until peppers are a dull green color, then remove peppers and discard. Add water to broth. In a food processor, combine onions and salsa and pulse until ingredients are at a fine consistency. Add to broth along with the chicken, mexicorn and heavy cream. Simmer for a few minutes to combine flavors and heat through.

The jalapeños add that spicy flavor but without too much heat and the mexicorn gives it great color and a pleasant sweetness. A perfect garnish for this soup is homemade tortilla strips, tortilla chips, or my favorite (and it may sound strange) ... Fritos! Anything is good with Fritos! Cilantro and a dab of sour cream would be delicious too.

The Fruits of My Labor

I am not a fan of grocery shopping. I try to get into it, I try to savor the experience of picking out produce and planning fabulous meals - but the reality is I think it is work. I went last night because we were dangerously close to being out of milk and cereal (two essentials in our household), and I needed a little time to myself.

The cost of food these days are constantly fluctuating. I am used to seeing milk prices go up and down, and I choose my cereal based on whatever deal the store has available. But I was absolutely shocked to see the size of cereal and cracker boxes! Have you noticed how tiny they are? I am all for reducing waste and the senseless use of plastic packaging, but I am concerned that the amount of product in these boxes has gone down as well. The prices don't seem to be going down. I don't know if I am getting my money's worth anymore. It's very disheartening.

There is good news. I bought the ingredients to make a very good fruit salad that is worth my money. Everyone in my house seems to like it and it keeps for more than a couple of days in the refrigerator. My mom gave me the recipe and I like to call it "Rainbow Salad".

Rainbow Salad

First, the essential ingredient
1 can pineapple tidbits in 100% juice (do NOT drain)

Now add whatever fruit you like, fresh is best:
raspberries
strawberries, quartered
1 can mandarin oranges, drained
banana, sliced (best if added right before serving)
kiwi, sliced
blueberries

The pineapple juice is what keeps this salad from turning brown. My daughter practically inhales this stuff and I feel good giving it to her because there is no added sugar, just pure fruit! It is great with yogurt or by itself.

Grocery shopping may be a lot of work, but it's nice to know that my whole family can enjoy the fruits of my labor. Get it? Fruits of my labor!? Ha!

The Bistro Sandwich of My Dreams

For Christmas this year we received a panini grill as a family gift (thank you Mom!) A Cuisinart Multifunctional Griddler Gourmet Maker GRID-8PC to be exact, and I was so excited to get it because there was a sandwich that I have been hoping to recreate for some time.


Last March our family went to Arizona to visit my in-laws. One day my mother-in-law and I went shopping and had lunch at a place in Scottsdale called Zinc Bistro and I have to say it was one of the best lunches I have EVER had! I had a cup of French onion soup, a Pellegrino, and the two of us shared a grilled sandwich and crème brûlée for dessert. The sandwich was u-n-b-e-l-i-e-v-a-b-l-e. On grilled rustic bread was a tender herbed chicken breast and gooey Brie cheese. That's it. Nothing else. Unbelievable.

The other night I tried to recreate this sandwich using my grill and I have to say that I did a very good job. Although the experience of eating it outside this charming bistro, talking with my maw-in-law and watching gorgeous people walk by is also a part what made the lunch so great. And eating this sandwich takes me back to that place.

Basiled Chicken & Brie Sandwich (makes 4 sandwiches)

rustic crusty French bread, sliced

butter

carved chicken breast (my secret is Hormel carved roasted chicken breast if I don't have some chicken breasts already roasted, it's quick and ready to go)


1 Tbs olive oil

2 tsp basil (fresh is probably best - finely chopped, but I only had dried on hand and it was still delicious!)

a pinch of thyme leaves (I used fresh)

double cream Brie cheese, sliced and white waxy rind removed

In small bowl combine olive oil, basil and thyme. Add carved chicken and toss. Let sit while preparing bread.

Butter outsides of sliced bread. Place sliced Brie on one piece of bread, then pile on herbed chicken. Place other slice of bread on top and place in panini grill on medium, with the top down. It only takes about 3-5 minutes to grill, but keep checking it; the cheese should melt and there should be deep golden grill marks on bread. Enjoy!


I'm sorry I don't have any photos of it, I was too anxious to eat it and completely forgot about taking pictures. Yeah, it was THAT good!

I'm Just NUTS For These Cookies!

Today as my town was showered with snow - and lots of it - I suddenly had the desire to make cookies. As I looked through my pantry I saw that I had coconut, white chocolate chips, oatmeal, toffee bits and of course the all-American favorite ... semi-sweet chocolate chips! My husband is not adventurous when it comes to cookies. He will have a chocolate chip cookie any day as long as I don't "experiment" with the recipe. Well, don't tell him, but I did just that.

Here is the modified recipe that I came up with today that produced the dreamiest cookies EVER! In fact, I am typing with one hand right now because my other hand is holding a cookie which I am enjoying. I mean eyes-rolling-back-into-my-head good.

Lets start with my secret ingredients (shhhh, don't tell my husband!)

1 cup whole pecans

2 Tbsp quick oats

In a food processor, pulse together the oats and the pecans to create a fine grind.

And now the cookie recipe:

3/4 cup (1 1/2 sticks) butter (do not use margarine), softened

1 cup packed brown sugar

1/2 cup granulated sugar

1 tsp vanilla extract

2 eggs

1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour

1 tsp baking soda

1 tsp salt

2 cups semi-sweet chocolate chips

Heat oven to 375° F. In large mixer bowl, beat butter, brown sugar, granulated sugar and vanilla until creamy. Add eggs; beat well. Add pecan and oat mixture and blend. Stir together flour, baking soda and salt; gradually add to butter mixture, beating until blended. Stir in chocolate chips. Drop dough by spoonfuls onto ungreased cookie sheet. Bake 8-10 minutes or until lightly browned. Remove from cookie sheet to wire rack. Cool completely.

These cookies have a gooey and chewy texture. The pecans give it a richer flavor, but since they are so well blended you don't crunch down on big nut pieces. Santa will leave us something really good after we put these out for him on Christmas Eve!