Copycat Sonic Drive-In Fritos Chili Cheese Wraps

Hi All

Got this from the Ron Douglas Recipe Secrets Blog

Your kids are going to love this simple recipe.

1 can mild plain chili
3 cups Fritos original style corn chips
1 cup shredded mild Cheddar cheese
1/2 cup diced onions
4 large flour tortillas

Directions:

Warm the chili. Mix Fritos with chili; place chili mixture in the
middle of one flour tortilla. Sprinkle shredded cheese and diced
onions on top to taste.

Fold one side of the tortilla halfway on top of chili. Fold each
side over each other. The bottom should be tucked in and filling
will be seen from the top of wrapped shell. Microwave for 15 to 20
seconds.

Repeat with each tortilla shell. Serve immediately.

Serves 4

Source: The Secret Recipe Blog

Until Next Time... Be Well!

Angela

Get your own copy of  America's Secret Recipes

Bacon and Cheese Stuffed Mushrooms

Just wanted to share this recipe I saw online.  Enjoy!

Makes 12 mushrooms – about 4 servings. Simply adjust ingredients in same ratio depending on your crowd.

NOTES

    * All recipes created by Marla unless otherwise noted.
    * Source organic ingredients when available. Shop for ingredients at the Family Fresh Cooking Amazon Store
    * These mushrooms are great straight out of the oven but good at room temperature too.
    * I used two types of cheese in this recipe. 1/2 the mushrooms had shaved Parmesan the other 1/2 had Brie. I encourage you to try whatever you like. (See Variations below.)
    * If you use dried Thyme and Chives you might need a little more.
    * To reheat I put ours in the toaster oven at 350˚F for 8-10 minutes until warm.

INGREDIENTS

    * 12 medium Crimini Mushrooms, rinse and pat dry
    * 3 tablespoons Bacon crumbles, set 1 tablespoon aside for topping
    * 1 ounce varied Cheese, cut into pieces (I like Brie and shaved Parmesan) set 1/2 aside for topping
    * 1 teaspoon fresh Thyme
    * 1 tablespoon chopped Chives, plus some for garnish
    * pinch of Garlic Salt
    * pinch of cracked Black Pepper
    * pinch of Smoked Paprika
    * Cooking Spray

METHOD

   1. Preheat oven to 350˚F with rack in the middle.
   2. Cook bacon according to package directions. Let cool, crumble up a few pieces and set aside.
   3. Gently remove stems from the mushrooms. Chop stems into small pieces.
   4. Spray a small non stick skillet. Over medium heat sauté mushroom stems, chives, thyme with garlic salt, pepper and smoked paprika for a few minutes. Mushrooms should be nice and soft. Remove from heat.
   5. In a medium bowl combine 2 tablespoons bacon crumbles with mushroom mixture. If you are filling mushrooms with two types of cheese then divide mixture in two. I added Parmesan to one bowl & brie to the other. (see note above)
   6. Place mushroom caps snugly onto a baking sheet or baking pan.
   7. With a small spoon gently fill the mushrooms with mixture(s).
   8. Top each stuffed mushroom with the remainder of the cheese and bacon crumbles.
   9. Bake for about 20 minutes until cheese is melted.
  10. Garnish with some extra cheese and chopped chives.


Variations

    * To make these for the Jewish holidays (Hanukkah) – simply omit the pork bacon and use turkey or vegetarian options.
    * Instead of Thyme, fresh Rosemary would be an excellent choice.
    * Cheese choices: Gorgonzola, Blue Cheese, Romano, Cheddar, Mozzarella, Gruyére, etc. The list can go on and on!

Stuffed Mushroom Recipe Links

    * Classic Herbed Stuffed Mushrooms Babble.com
    * Sausage Stuffed Mushrooms Ezra Poundcake
    * Stuffed Mushrooms Easy French Food
    * Stuffed Mushrooms Pham Fatale
    * Stuffed Portabello Mushrooms Polwig
    * Stuffed Mushrooms with Smoked Pancetta Lucullian and Delights

What are Clone or Copycat Restaurant Recipes?

Ever wonder what clone restaurant recipes are and whether they are really as good as the real thing?  As a personal chef I have.  They are supposed to be an exact duplicate or copy of the dishes you order from your favorite restaurant. My conclusion is that some are like the creations they represent and some are not.

Many home cooks replicate clone restaurant recipes in their own kitchens.  They are able to make the food taste like the real thing.  There are secret recipe cookbooks that are written by personal chefs or commercial cooks who have researched and tested various methods to come up with their own versions of dishes from famous eateries.

I, myself wondered about recipe secrets, so I invested in a couple of cookbooks that contain clone restaurant recipes from some of America's most popular eating places.  For the most part, they are simple and easy to make in your own kitchen.  Others are more complicated for new home cooks and take a great deal of time to prepare.

Even for more established cooks and personal chefs, demystifying these copycat recipe secrets can be a challenge.  However, there is great joy in having prepared a menu that includes a clone restaurant recipe that tastes like you would expect when you order it.

There is one e-cookbook that I swear by.  America's Most Wanted Recipes, written by Ron Douglas, has some of the best copycat recipes ever tried.  Check out this VIDEO where he talks about his book and, one of my favorite recipes, Red Lobster Cheddar Bay Biscuits.

Stop Treating Your Business Like a Hobby!

Stop Treating Your Business Like a Hobby!

Southern Fried Okra

Saw this recipe online and decided to post it here.  It is quick and easy and turns out a good product.  As I noted at the bottom of the recipe, I add a half cup of panko to the cornmeal-flour mixture for extra crispiness.
 
Southern Fried Okra


Ingredients:
1 pound fresh okra
2 eggs, beaten (OPTIONAL)
1 cup cornmeal (plain, not self-rising)
½ teaspoon salt
½ cup all-purpose flour (OPTIONAL)
½ teaspoon black pepper
Oil for frying (approx 4 - 6 cups)
~ If you'd like a spicier version, add ground cayenne pepper, onion & garlic powder to the cornmeal mixture or directly on the okra.

Preparation:
Wash okra; drain & cut off tips. Cut pods crosswise into 1/2-inch slices (another option, try cutting lengthwise too!).

Coat okra in salt, pepper & cornmeal mixture (should still be damp from just being washed). You can go straight to fryer at this point or continue with the next step & add egg if you'd like a thicker breading.

In a bowl, combine beaten eggs; add okra and stir to coat all pieces well. Then re-dip okra pieces into cornmeal mixture to coat well.

Heat oil in a frying pan or deep fryer to 350°-375°. Fry okra in batches until browned, about 4 to 6 minutes for each batch. Drain on paper towels and serve immediately.

Serves 4.

Okra is delicious food and I  add 1/2 cup panko to fry mine; makes it even better!

Best and Worst Halloween Snacks for Kids

Halloween is just around the corner.  I found this Reader's Digest article on what Halloween snacks are healthy for kids.  Thought I would publish it here since so many parents today are concerned aobout what their children are putting into thier bodies.  There are some great tips here,

By Chandni Jhunjhunwala

Healthy Treats

What may be the most frightening to you at Halloween is not ghosts or goblins but the thought of what all that candy can do to your kids' health and teeth. Here are some ideas for healthy treats, and recommendations for ones to avoid.

"Everything in moderation," says Connie Evers, registered dietitian and author of How to Teach Nutrition to Kids. "I tell parents to cut down on the amount of candy they hand out. In America we tend to do everything in excess and kids will go to a house and get a huge handful."

Think beyond candy: Trick-or-treating coupons from places like Dunkin' Donuts are always a hit with kids and they give parents control over what their kids eat. "I know a dentist who gives out floss or toothbrushes," says Evers. "And there's a new product, Oral Brush-Ups, which middle school kids love."

Even better, throw a party instead of sending your kids trick-or-treating. "You can have a variety of healthy snacks like mini sandwiches, nachos, and pizzas, so it's not all sugar and candy," says Evers.

Put aside your fears about being the not-so-cool parents on the block and try passing out some of these healthier treats:

• Sugarless gum
• Corn nuts, peanuts, or trail mix
• Small individual bags of pretzels or popcorn
• Packages of sugar-free cocoa
• Individual bags of roasted pumpkin seeds
• Pre-packed cheese and crackers
  

  Worst Treats

  Try to avoid or limit these unhealthy snacks:
• Sticky treats like gummy candies, jelly beans, raisins and caramels are bad for dental health.
  
  
• Full-sized candy bars. Some chocolate bars contain high amounts of saturated fat. The worst offenders are Mounds (11 grams of saturated fat in a two-ounce bar), Hershey's Milk Chocolate Bar (nine grams in 1.5 ounces) and Almond Joy (eight grams in 1.7 ounces).
  
  
• Chips Ahoy!, Oreos, Hostess HOHOs and other snack cakes, Keebler Club & Cheddar Sandwich Crackers, and Starburst Fruit Chews were all voted the worst vending machine snacks for kids by Center for Science in the Public Interest.

Don't forget to give your kids a nutritious meal before they go trick-or-treating. This will prevent sugar highs and nasty upset tummies!

Steamed Shrimp as a Main Dish

Usually steamed shrimp means peeling fresh cooked shrimp and dipping it in a tomato-like chili sauce.  This week, however, I decided to try something new from shrimp I had deliberately steamed in my own blend of spices.  So rather than having regular shrimp cocktail, I threw the steamed shrimp into a main dish. Generally, you would let the raw shrimp cook in the dish, however, I had already cooked them.

Always on a quest for new recipes, I search for new ones; yet end up many times having a "taste" for something familiar.  Like, curry, for example.  Curry has such a sweet and warm taste.  I suppose I feel like it is one of my comfort ingredients.  Adding curry to a fish stew or to chicken satisfies that craving.  Especially in the cooler months.

Shrimp curry is a favorite.  Several years ago, an Indian friend from Delhi turned me onto garam masala, a flavorful and fragrant blend of spices.  She used it in her curries.  I bought some and have been a fan ever since.

Here's my variation on her recipe, so it is not strictly South Asian or Indian. Serves about 2 or 3

• 3 Tbs canola or olive oil
• 1 large onion, chopped
• 2 cloves garlic, minced
• 1Tbs curry powder
• 1 Tbs ground ginger
• 1 tsp ground coriander
• 1/2 tsp ground turmeric (optional)
• 1 tsp red pepper flakes or to taste
• 1 teaspoon garam masala
• 1cup water or low-sodium chicken or vegetable broth
• 1/2 tsp salt (adjust if using broth)
• 1 lb large steamed shrimp

Directions

1. Heat the oil in large heavy saucepan over medium high heat. Add the onions; cook; stirring until soft. Add minced garlic and cook until soft about a minute. Reduce heat and mix in the next six ingredients. Cook and stir until well blended.
2. Add water or broth. Season with salt if needed. Cook on low for about  3 minutes.  Add shrimp and cook about 3 more minutes until everything is warm and flavors are blended. Taste and adjust salt and red pepper flakes if necessary. Stir and remove from the heat. Serve over rice.

What Makes a Good Glass of Wine?

There are so many varieties and flavors of wines.  I love wine.  Sometimes it's a white I prefer. Often, it's a red I want.  Other times, I want something bubbly and sparkly.  So what makes a good glass of wine?

How does it taste?  That's pretty much my personal criteria.    Do I feel like a Pinot Noir even though I'm cooking fish?  Is the Italian sparkling Prosecco more to my taste when I am eating a steak?  I have found that some reds really are too intense or heavy for fish or shellfish and that some whites are perfect for meats.

Cork or no cork?  Initially, I had the wrong idea. Now, after trying several, that does not deter me from trying a wine for taste.  Yes, I feel happy when I don't have to grapple with a corkscrew, especially if I am somewhere without my easy to use gizmo.  However, I have found some really good wines in screw-cap bottles.  Like anything else, you just have to experiment to see what you like.

Even with a good corkscrew stuff happens.  There is nothing less fun than having the cork break and leave little bits cork floating in your wine.  When that happens, I just push the cork down into the bottle and strain the wine into a glass or pour the whole thing into a decanter.  Hardly the professional way, I am sure.

In any case, I try different kinds of wines.  At times, I also let my budget determine what I am going to drink or cook with.  So I have had anything from 3 buck chuck to something a lot more expensive. 

One rule I stick to is that if the wine is not fit to drink, like so-called "cooking wine" you can buy in the grocery store, I do not cook with it.. Not only that, if I by a high-quality pricey wine; I would rather drink it than cook with it.

The main point is that you are the one who determines what makes a good glass of wine.  Don't be afraid to try the different varieties out.  Do not be governed only by price.  That does not always work.  Also, what may taste good to someone else may not be to your liking.  That is alright.  Get your own style and have confidence in what you decide.

What are Clone Restaurant Recipes?

Ever wonder what clone restaurant recipes are and whether they are really as good as the real thing?  As a personal chef I have.  They are supposed to be an exact duplicate or copy of the dishes you order from your favorite restaurant. My conclusion is that some are like the creations they represent and some are not.

Many home cooks replicate clone restaurant recipes in their own kitchens.  They are able to make the food taste like the real thing.  There are secret recipe cookbooks that are written by personal chefs or commercial cooks who have researched and tested various methods to come up with their own versions of dishes from famous eateries.

I, myself wondered about recipe secrets, so I invested in a couple of cookbooks that contain clone restaurant recipes from some of America's most popular establishments.  For the most part, they are simple and easy to make in your own kitchen.  Others are more complicated for new home cooks and take a great deal of time to prepare.

Even for more established cooks and personal chefs, demystifying these copycat recipe secrets can be a challenge.  However, there is great joy in having prepared a menu that includes a clone restaurant recipe that tastes like you would expect when you order it.

Do you have some favorite restaurant dishes you wish you could have without going out?  Maybe it is the Tequila Lime Chicken from Applebee's or the Olive Garden Sangria or T.G.I. Friday's Mocha Mud Pie.  Ready to try your own clone restaurant recipes at home?  Click the image below and order the Secret Restaurant Recipe cookbooks now.

Local Farmer's Market Season is Coming

The season of fresh fruits and produce from local farmer's market is just about here.  It is great to be able to sample foods all during the year from faraway places, however, there is nothing like takting  foods that were grown in the morning and on your table in the evening or afternoon.

Every time I go, the sights and smells of fragrant fruits and brightly colored vegetables: green, purple, yellow and red; always make me want to cook something.  The rich array of farmers and their wares make for an exciting trip to the various markets in our area.  Just deciding what to buy and prepare is an adventure.

In fact, I have to keep myself from buying too much, although it does not seem to have prevented me from finding something good to cook even if I overindulge in my purchases.  Nothing is wasted.

It is also the time when local bakers and home pastry chefs bring out their best offerings.  I have sampled some fabulous pot pies, fresh apple tarts and bread puddings.  Yes, farmer's market season is one to look forward to.  If you are like me, you can hardly wait.  And, if you live in Maryland, like me, the offerings are limitless.

Deep Dish Pizza Pie Crust and the Unique Taste of Anchovies

If you are anything like me, there are many foods that you will cook or prepare and others you will steer clear of.  For me as an example: Deep dish pizza pie crust.  I love deep dish pizza especially with the unique taste of anchovies; I just don't make it.  Why? you  may ask.  Because the crust is made with yeast.

Now, I grant you that breads and pizza doughs are delicious when they are made with yeast.  Homemade yeast rolls are heavenly.  However, cooking with yeast is not popular with me.  Something always seems to go wrong.

And, yet, I make deep dish pizza pie with a yeast crust and it is fresh!  It does not come out of a box.  I get it from the refrigerated section of my favorite store.  I roll out the dough to which the yeast has already been added and add my favorite toppings--fresh mozzarella, plum tomatoes, Italian seasonings, garlic, basil, onions and my very favorite topping; anchovies.

And, speaking of anchovies: they are not just for deep dish pizza; they go with many foods.  Pasta, many kinds of salads, (the most popular of these is the Caesar), dressings, spreads for meat and even in potato salad; all of these benefit from the unique taste of anchovies.

So, I don't know about you, you may like to cook with yeast.  If not, look in your neighborhood or town that has refrigerated ready made deep dish pizza pie crust.  I have even heard more than one chef talk of going to a pizza parlor and buying dough.  I have not done that yet.  Adding the unique taste of anchovies will give you an unexpected treat!

Small Kitchen Big Taste

For 25 years, I lived in a one bedroom condominium in Washington, DC.  I truly loved living in the city even though I grew up in the small Naval Academy town of Annapolis, Maryland.  I had always dreamed of being able to cook in a large kitchen.  My condo kitchen was not like that; it was tiny.  Not only was there was no room for a table, I couldn't even get a chair in it.

The place was so small that I had to store my pans and cookware on the tops of the cabinets and inside the oven.  The cooking area was less than minimal.  By the time I put a microwave and a toaster on the counter, there was no room to slice and dice vegetables or anything else.    None of that ever stopped me from making some great meals, though.  I made it work.  From my small railroad-car sized kitchen, I was able to create some big tastes: dare I say, masterpieces.

I always had to be careful when cooking anything that had the least amount of steam or smoke, because the smoke alarm would go off at the drop of a hat.  Funny thing, I think I may have changed that alarm battery one time in all those 25 years.  It always went off.  I had to run around looking for a newspaper or a magazine or anything to wave directly under the alarm to get it to stop making that horrendous loud noise.  I always imagined the neighbors running to call the fire department, however, no one ever did, thank goodness.

The whole experience was an exercise in getting big taste out of a small kitchen.  My friends always thought it was an astounding feat that sI could cook just about anything in that space.  Yes. I must say that some amazing meals came out of that miniature caboose.

5 Tips for Fish and Seafood Made Easy

Click here for details!

Today, I am sharing a few fish and seafood tips I have learned through many years of cooking.  Having grown up on the Severn River in Annapolis, off the Chesapeake Bay, my roots are "grounded," or should I say "watered." by the food that came from my environment.  In terms of food, my first love is seafood, including the many varieties of fish we find. 

Tip #1.  Preparing and cooking seafood is not difficult.  This is a common misperception that has kept many a home cook from attempting to prepare a quick and sumptuous meal.

Tip #2.  In general, fish and seafood should never be overcooked.  Because of its delicate nature, seafood will become rubbery or dry or even tough.  Seafood is at its best when cooked quickly.  There are exceptions, of course; as when we make crabmeat, scallop and shrimp quiche or the rich tomato-laced Italian stew, cioppino or fish curry or Louisiana gumbo.

Tip #3.  Be creative.  Go beyond macaroni and tuna salad. Mix flavors and textures using pasta and rice with seafood.  Cook spinach bow tie pasta with mushrooms, peas, canned tuna or salmon and cream for a change.

Tip #4.  Use a combination of seasonings you would ordinarily use to rub on chicken or meat to spice up your fish steaks or fillets.  Cook in a hot oiled skillet, like cast iron, for 3-5 minutes on each side depending on the thickness of each steak or fillet.

Tip #5.  Combine 1/2 cup Panko flakes with 1 cup yellow cornmeal and Cajun seasonings for extra crispy and light fried fish fillets.

Get over 200 restaurant favorite recipes, like Applebee's Broiled Salmon with Garlic Butter, and cook them at home.  Click the image below and have your credit card ready to order.

Molasses Crisps (Cookies) for Spring

Not all chefs are professionally trained in culinary schools.  Most of us are self-taught or a least, learned at home.  Personal chefs, for example, are not all formally educated in a cooking school.  Most of us just have a passion for food.  We love taking wonderful ingredients and transforming them into a magical performance.  We learned at home from family or just always had a desire.  Some, to our surprise, never had the desire, yet found that we enjoyed creating masterpieces for ourselves and others to eat.

I learned cooking at home as a child even though I never did the cooking until I got married.  I realize that I have always been inspired by the cooking from my childhood in Annapolis.  The tastes and smells of the kitchen come back to me often.

Today, I was thinking of crispy molasses cookies Mom made in the springtime.  These would be the last of the season, because summer was coming and it would be too hot to have the oven on.  The cookies have a deeply satisfying taste reminiscent of home.

Molasses Crisps

3 1/4 cups all-purpose flour
1/2 tsp baking soda
2 Tbs sugar
2 tsp ginger
1 tsp cinnamon
1 1/2 tsp salt
1 cup molasses (I like dark molasses)
1/2 lb butter (2 sticks)
Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.

Sift flour and measure.  Add next 5 ingredients and sift again.

Heat molasses to boiling.  Add butter and stir until melted.  Add dry ingredients and mix well.  Roll dough in a long roll about 3 inches in diameter and refrigerate over night or at least 4 hours.

Cut dough into very thin slices with a sharp knife.  Place on a greased baking sheet and bake until golden brown.  (10-12 minutes)

Makes about 4 1/2 dozen cookies

Hmmm. Yummy!

Do you have a favorite restaurant dessert  you wish you could give your family without having to buy the processed kind?  Maybe it is Thin Mint Girl Scout cookies or Hardee's Peach Cobbler or maybe T.G.I. Friday's Mocha Mud Pie.  Click the image below to order the Secret Restaurant Recipes Cookbooks?

The Magic of Spice Rubs

Spice rubs provide rich deep flavor to many foods.  They can liven things up and make a dish outstanding.  They can range from quite hot and robust to mild and sweet.  There are various versions depending on the kind of meat you use.

The rub acts as a dry marinade and can be made from whole toasted spices or a blend of dried ground herbs and spices.  You can buy commercial blends in supermarkets or specialty food stores, however, they can be too salty for my taste.

Despite what many new cooks may think, spice rubs are easy to make at home.  An added bonus is that they can be stored for about 3 or 4 months.  So make your own magic.  Just make sure you measure out what you need so you do not contaminate the rest.

You can choose just about any herbs and spices for mixing like marjoram, thyme, savory, oregano, paprika, nutmeg, Italian seasoning ginger, sage and garlic powder.  Spice rubs are good on pork chops, duck, roast pork, leg of lamb, beef tenderloin and grilled fish steaks.

Check out the magic of spice rubs.  See what it does for your food. Here is a blend I like especially to add some excitement to a whole chicken or parts:

Spice Rub for Chicken

2 Tbs dried Italian seasoning
1 Tbs dried thyme
2 Tbs dried crushed rosemary
2 Tbs garlic powder
2 Tbs dried parsley flakes
1 Tbs freshly ground peppercorn blend (like Trader Joe's brand)
1 tsp red pepper flakes or 1/2 tsp cayenne pepper

Mix in a small bowl.  Place in an airtight jar.

Makes about 2/3 cup.

Re-create your favorite restaurant dishes at home for a fraction of the cost. Here is a fabulous cookbook with easy step-by-step directions you can use right at home to make them and delight your family and friends.  Click the cookbook image and get cooking!

A Diabetic Dessert and Beautiful Memories

Cooking is a little erratic this week, because I'm packing up 25 years of accumulation.  Some of the things I am throwing away; believe me, that takes a long time.  Deciding what is really valuable to keep and what to throw away takes awhile.  Anyway, the cooking is suffering a bit, because of time and space; or the lack thereof.  There is a diabetic dessert following my thoughts here.

Moving brings forth some beautiful memories.  Interestingly, I found two letters wrritten by my father to my grandmother, his mother in-law, when he was in boot camp preparing to go into WWII.  I'm so glad I found tthem.  Even though there was no date, I believe they were written around 1944 or so.

He talked about how he was so fortunate tto have her as a mother-in-law and how much he loved her daughter and missed  his "sweet little rascals," that was my brother and me.  He mentioned that the guys in his unit were suprised at how he close he was with my grandmother.  They did not have the typical in-law relationship.  It was really cool; I remember that.

Meanwhile, I was thinking that I needed to write in my blog in case someone was reading.  I happened on this diaberic dessert recipe from recipe secrets blog and decided to share it.

DIABETIC PINEAPPLE DESSERT

15 oz can Crushed Pineapple ( drained )
1 small carton of cream cheese
1 small pkg. Sugar free instant Vanilla Pudding

Mix pineapple and cream of cheese add pudding and place in graham cracker pie crust (medium ) and mix well. Top with cool whip Let it chill for at least 20 minutes.

Re-create your favorite restaurant dishes at home for a fraction of the cost. Here is a fabulous cookbook with easy step-by-step directions you can use right at home to make them and delight your family and friends.  Click the cookbook image and get cooking!

Personal Chef Syle Moving and Making Big Changes!

It is March already.  Time to think of springtime.  And, as is fitting for the season, I am embarking on some big changes in my life.  Moving in with my daugher at the end of the month.  Cleaning out 25 years of papers, books, memories and all sorts of things..  Moving on to a new high in my life and looking forward to a fabulous and new experience.  We are both excited about this.

This has taken its toll on my ability to contribute to my blog recently; getting mired in the details of the move.  I'll be writing more soon, adding some more recipes and other comments.  Wow!  Moving into a house after having been 25 years in a small condo.  Parking right outside the door rather than having to walk long halls to bring my cleaning and groceries in.   That will be neat for a change.

Being able to walk in the streets of the neighborhood and talk to neighbors from their backyards and on their walks and jogs.  That will be fun.  Looking across the street and outside the window at homes and trees and flowers rather than other apartment buildings.  What a great new adventure.  To say nothing of having a really big kitchen in which to cook!  Yea!  Will keep you posted.

By the way; I overindulged in some more fish tacos last night.  I made enough for two or three people and ate them all.  This time I used my daughter's sauce recipe with light sour cream and light mayo rather than yogurt which I used before.  I also experimented with crystallized lemon (True Lemon brand) to give it a tangy taste.  The sauce was really good.  I'll bet adding some avocado to the tacos will add some nice flavor and texture.

Do you have some favorite restaurant dishes you wish you could have without going out?  Maybe it is the Tequila Lime Chicken from Applebee's or the Olive Garden Sangria or T.G.I. Friday's Mocha Mud Pie.  Always wonder what their secret ingredients are? Click the image to order your favorite restaurant recipes.

Global Cuisines and Culture: Italy

Every culture has its own cuisines.  Often the geography and culture of a country determine its foods, recipes and ways of cooking.  Take, for example, Italy; this is a country with varied regions that affect the kinds of cuisine produced.  As we know, sauce-laden spaghetti is not the only kind of food that comes from Italy.  This country of many regions produces different culinary delights depending on its geography.  In fact, the cuisine is so varied, you could spend a month or more trying just a few recipes from a given region.


Italy is a culinary Eden with its rich array of flavors, tastes and textures.  Food is a sensual pleasure and no food seems to evoke this experience quite like the creations from this Adriatic county.  After all, this is a country of Venice and its famous glass, gondolas and Risi e Bisi (peas and rice); of Rome and its famous art, architecture, fountains and Saltimbocca, a well-known veal dish;  of Tuscany and its villas, olive oil and wines; and Sardinia, the second largest island in the Mediterranean Sea known for its spectacular beaches, suckling pork and pecorino cheese.

Italian food is made up of fresh vegetables, seafood, aromatic spices, flavorful olive oils and wonderful pastas.  In the movies of Ancient Rome, the tables are always laden with rich food and drink.  You will be happy to know that many Italian recipes are very simple and easy to make.  Much to my personal delight, many call for anchovy fillets.  I love anchovies!  The flavor can enrich a dish without overpowering the flavor of the other ingredients.  Done right, you never know they are there.


Italian culture and cuisine has a rich history.  Discover for yourself some new Italian recipes.  Not just pizza and spaghetti.  Make your own pasta.  It's not as hard as you think.  Try something with anchovies for a change.


And, if you want to re-create some of the magic you can find in the recipes of some of America's favorite restaurants, click the image below.

Baked Shad and Pancake Day: Memories of the Coming of Spring

Every year when Fat Tuesday comes, heralding the beginning of Mardi Gras and also Lenten season, I remember back to my childhood.  Spring was fast approaching.  Shrove Tuesday, the day before Ash Wednesday, the official start of Lent, was called Pancake Day at my house.  It was the day when we ate pancakes for dinner. Pancake Day is celebrated in many places around the world.


As a rule, we had fish every Friday in my family.  When it was Lent, however, we would have also have fish on Wednesdays.  That was just fine with me.  My mom would often bake shad, a rather large fish from the waters of the Atlantic.  I must admit that this was not my favorite fish dish, covered with a tomato sauce.  However, I was overruled and did eat it.  Liked the fish itself, except for the many bones, I just could not reconcile tomato sauce over my fish. To get the bones to soften, you have to cook them for a long time.


Shad, though, also meant having shad roe, which I did love. I still love it; I just don't eat it anymore.  It is soooo rich.  Anyway, the big thing for me was that Shad meant that Spring was upon us! Yea!


I looked back at on my mom's old cookbooks to see if I could reconstruct the Baked Shad recipe.  This is close, I believe.  I admit, that I do not add sauce to mine.  I'm more likely to top whole baked fish with lemon and onion slices and dill.  However, since this is a "memory lane" type recipe, I'll stick with the original
Nope, I think I'll go with mine.  You can add tomato sauce over the top, if you like.

Baked Shad with(out) Tomato Sauce

1 large Shad, about 4 lbs

Olive or canola oil

Garlic salt and pepper

1 medium onion, sliced

Dried dill flakes

2 lemons, sliced

1/2 cup water

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175C).  Gas mark 6.   Wash and dry fish.  I always have the head removed by the fishmonger.  Lay half of the sliced onions and 1 sliced lemon on the bottom of a well-oiled baking pan or oven-proof dish.  Sprinkle fish with garlic salt, dill and pepper and lay on top of the lemon and onion slices.  Brush top and sides of fish generously with oil.   Place remaining slices of onion and lemon on top of fish.  Sprinkle with dried dill flakes.   Add 1/4 to 1/2 cup water to bottom of pan.  

Cover pan with aluminum foil.  Cook for 2 hours.  Be careful of bones!

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Variations on a theme. The BLT with Avocado and More

I love BLTs. They are fast and eually good at breakfast or lunck.   I don't always have lettuce, though, and yet I love the taste of bacon, tomato and mayonnaise on a sandwich.  Sometimes I put a fried egg on my BLT.  Other times, it's bacon, tomato and an egg.  There are days when I add a slice of cheese to the BLT or a half an avocado.  I always use turkey bacon.


So here are some variations on the BLT.  All of these are great with lettuce or not.


Bacon, lettuce, tomato
Bacon, half avocado sliced with sliced plum tomatoes
Avocado, tomato, cheddar slices
Bacon, cheddar and tomato
Bacon, egg, and cheddar melted either on the bacon or the egg
Avocado, tomatoes, very, very thin onion slices, almost shaved
Egg, tomato and avocado


I usually use just mayonnaise, real or light.  I might also use a creamy salad dressing, like blue cheese or creamy Caesar or Bacon or Peppercorn Ranch dressing.  All these add variety to your sandwich and offer a memorable taste.  You can toast your bread or not.   And, use a variety of breads or a tool.  An onion roll is a good choice.


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How about Applebee's  Tequila Lime Chicken or Chili's Chocolate Brownie Sunday?

Digging Out on Super Bowl Sunday with the Spirit of Community

The big snowstorm hit the Washington, DC area this past weekend with a wallop!  I was really fortunate, because I didn't lose power like so many people did.  I am so appreciative for that. I decided to wait until the sun was good and out before I ventured to my parking lot to shovel snow off my car and dig myself out.  
What a surprise to see so many of my neighbors in my condo community out digging out their cars, too.  Now, as a single woman, I thought it would take me two or three days to get all that snow off the car and out of my parking space.  For the December snowstorm, it took me two days to be able to get out by myself.  

So, you can imagine my delight when I walked to my car and one of the men grabbed the shovel from my hand and started getting 18 inches of snow from the back of my car, while I started to the fromt of my car in snow up to the tops of my boots to remove snow off the front windshield.  Then I look up and there are two more men with shovels and a woman with a broom--mine had "died" in the Decemnber snow-- getting snow off the roof of my car.

Then, someone had me move my car out of my space to the middle of the lot, so they could dig out the snow and finsih getting the bulk of the heavy snow off the car.  I had very little to do.  That operation had been apparently going on for a few hours with nieghbors helping neighbors.  It was great, quite a bonding experience and a fun time talking and laughing together.  So, whem I finished my car, I naturally went to help someone else with her car and space.  It took half the time with someone helping.  The spirit of community was evident yesterday.

It reminded me of the story where someone goes to visit people in two separate locations. In the first place, there is a scene with abundant sumptuous food of unimaginable varieties spread out on the table before them.  However, they are all starving because their eating utensils are so long, they can't get the food to their mouths to eat.  So they sit in the misery and agony of Hell starving, angry and craving the food they cannot reach.

In the second locale, the scene is the same.  Great food, piled high on the tables, and the same long utensils; too long to reach their mouths, yet these people are laughing and happy.  They are really enjoying themselves.  What made the difference?  A closer look reveals that the people in that second place used the utensils to reach across and feed each other.  So everyone got to eat and sustain themselves.  Neighbors helping neighbors.  That was the experience I had yesterday.  If we had all tried to clean our own cars individually, it would have taken forever.  However, when people work together, they create an atmosphere that is beneficial for all.

So after only a couple of hours, I went back inside to prepare to watch the Super Bowl and movies.  I rarely watch a game straight through.  Too boring.  In any case, I decided to fix some smothered chicken in gravy; something I had not cooked in awhile.   I checked on a neighbor down the hall to make sure she had food to eat.  Then, I pretty much watched my Saints all the way through to victory. 

What a great Super Bowl day!  The chicken was great and I had gravy and refrigerated biscuits for breakfast this morning.  Got to get back to my fitness schedule.

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It's a Really Big "Snew," Folks!

Yes, "snew" is what I meant.  Kind of like Ed Sullivan's "really big shew" (I guess you had to be there for that to be funny.)  Anyway, Washington DC hasn't seen snow like this for  a long while.  It's a historic event!  Already 17 inches high.  My daughter up in Silver Spring has no power.  We're pretty fortunate so far in the city.  Still have power.  (No pun intended.)


It's been a long time since I have been home on a Saturday afternoon.  Can't get my car out of the lot even if I wanted to.  Streets aren't plowed up here near Catholic U.  Just watching movies, reading and eating.  Don't have to cook.    And, I don't even feel like  it.  Just a day to veg.  Hope you are warm and safe where you are.


Wow, Washington (DC) Wizards are stuck in Atlanta.  Kids are enjoying the snow out here in my neighborhood as elsewhere in the area.  People are eagerly anticipating the Super Bowl game tomorrow.  For me, it's also a day of self-reflection and introspection.  What could I have done differently to add to my life or someone else's?  I think about those things a lot.

Well, it's back to the book and movies for me.. No recipes today.  And, I already have lots of food for Super Bowl  Will probably have some fried catfish nuggets and potato salad  and lots of snack.  Then, Monday, back to the workout routine.  Have fun!

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Celebrating Super Smothered Chicken on Day 33

When I think of smothered chicken, I think of nice-sized juicy pieces of  chicken fried until brown; then smothered in homemade, not bottled, gravy and slowly simmered unil tender.  Takes me back to my childhood in Annapolis when my mother made this.  In a dish like this, good technique is a plus; however, love and passion can make the difference between a mediocre product and a memorable masterpiece. 

This is a classic Southern lip-smacking good creation  that I replicated from my mother's home recipe.  I must admit to adding some extra spices that she did not use.  You can omit the sage or the Italian seasoning, if you like.  On different occasions, I have used both, just one or neither.  It is your choice.  Just depends on your own taste buds at the moment.   This dish takes a little care in the preparation, however, you can leave it alone after the initial browning anf let it simmer till chicken and gravy are infused with the seasonings.

Smothered Chicken

1 large frying chicken, about 3 1/2 pounds, cut  into serving pieces
1 large onion, chopped
1 cup flour seasoned with
   1 teaspoon salt
   1 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
   1 teaspoon garlic salt
   1/2 teaspoon ground sage or
   1/2 teaspoon dried Italian seasoning
   1/2 teaspoon cayenne pepper
1/2 cup vegetable oil
2-3 cups room temperature water

Heat oil to moderately hot in a heavy skillet.  (My mother always used cast iron and I still do).  Put flour and the next 5 ingredients into a paper bag.  Shake well to incorporate spices.  Place chicken in baga and shake until well coated.  Remove excess flour. Be careful about putting chicken into the hot oil so it doesn't splash on you.  Brown the chicken well on both sides, about 5-6 minutes on each side.   Check oil temperature from time to time so chicken does not burn.  Remove to a plate.

Drain off all except 6 tablespoons of oil.  Lower heat and add chopped onions.   Cook, stirring often, for about 5 minutes.   Sprinkle 6 tablespoons flour into the oil and onions and stir constantly over low heat until brown being careful not to burn.   Add  2 cups water very slowly stirring until thick and smooth.

Carefully put chicken back into the gravy and cover skellet.  Reduce heat to low and cook chicken until tender, about 20-25 minutes.    Gravy will thicken more as chicken cooks.  Add more water for less thick gravy.  Serve with steamed Brussels spouts and rice or mashed potatoes.

Serves 4-6

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Copycat Panera Bread Broccoli Cheese Soup

This recipe comes from the Secret Recipes Blog. You can make recipes like this at home. Click here to find more recipes like this one.

Copycat Panera Bread Broccoli Cheese Soup
Posted by: ChefTom in Categories: Panera Bread, Recipes.

Ingredients:
1 tablespoon butter, melted
1/2 medium onion, chopped
1/4 cup flour
1/4 cup melted butter
2 cups half-and-half
2 cups chicken stock
1/2 pound fresh broccoli
1 cup carrots, julienned
1/4 teaspoon nutmeg
salt & pepper, to taste
8 ounces grated sharp cheddar

Directions:
Saute onion in butter. Set aside.
Cook melted butter and flour using a whisk over medium heat for about 4 minutes. Be sure to stir frequently.
Slowly add the half-and-half, continue stirring.
Add the chicken stock whisking all the time.
Simmer for 20 minutes.

Add the broccoli, carrots and onions. Cook over low heat until the veggies are tender, about 20 minutes.
Add salt and pepper.
 
By now the soup should be thickened. Pour in batches into blender and puree. Return the puree to the pot and place over low heat, add the grated cheese; stir until well blended. Stir in the nutmeg.

Serve.

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It's A Day for Leftovers Chicken/Potato Salad

Like many home cooks, I am rather adventurous and always looking for new ways to add zing to my leftovers.  I am one of these people who doesn't mind eating leftovers two or three times in a row; especially if it is something I have thoroughly enjoyed eating.  That said, I am always looking to vary the tastes of my meals, because I enjoy eating.  And, I like looking for new flavors. So I am inclined to experiment with combinations that are not always the norm.

When I have leftovers,  I always like to see if I can improve on them or vary the taste.  I like to entertain, so I make dishes for myself with a view toward whether guests will like what I make.  So tonight, I decided to combine some leftover chicken salad with the potato salad I made a couple of days ago.  I'm not even sure you could call it a recipe, however, the dish turned out well.  It was fairly quick and offered some fascinating flavor combinations, because I added items I already had in the kitchen; pecans, olives and blue cheese.

Chicken Potato Salad

1 cup leftover chicken
1 cup leftover potato salad
1/4 cup chopped olives
1/4 cup chopped pecans
1/4 cup crumbled blue cheese
Cracked black pepper


Combine all ingredients gently.  Put on a bed of Romaine lettuce leaves or whatever salad greens you have.  Sit down and enjoy with a glass of white wine.


Serves 2

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Beef Stroganoff Family Style

In a family with growing children, the cook, who is usually mom, has to rack her brain about what to fix for dinner every day.  When my children were younger, they did not want anything the least bit exotic.  The food had to taste good and look like something they would want to eat.   Did you ever notice how children have a way of turning up their noses in the most peculiar way when they are figuring out how not to eat something?  As a mother, you can almost see the invisible wheels turning in their minds.

Often, I had to think of familiar foods and yet something uncommon so the adults would not get tired of eating.  There is nothing like eating the same boring meals over and over.  So naturally, I began to put a kid-friendly spin on many of the recipes I enjoyed so they would be savory and yet satisfy everyone in the family.  Here is one recipe I altered.  It is easy and takes very little time to prepare.

Beef Stroganoff Family-Style

1 large onion, chopped
1 large garlic clove, minced
½ pound lean ground beef
½ pound lean ground turkey
1 small can mushrooms
1 tsp crushed dried oregano or Italian seasoning
1 tsp salt
½ tsp freshly ground black pepper
1 can cream of mushroom or celery soup
1 cup light sour cream
1 Tbs olive or vegetable oil

Add oil to a deep heavy skillet or Dutch oven.  Sauté onion, garlic and ground meat in medium hot oil for about 3-4 minutes until browned, stirring frequently to break up the beef and turkey.  Add the next 4 ingredients and cook on low heat for about 5 minutes.  Drain off excess oil if necessary.  Add soup and simmer for another 10 minutes.  Stir in sour cream.  Serve over egg noodles.

Serves 4-6

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Simple Super Bowl Potato Salad

Since my computer went down a couple of days ago and I promised 30 recipes in 30 days, I am adding another today.

Sometimes I just want simple tastes, like this "Super Bowl" inspired potato salad.  The other foods you serve will probably have lots of seasonings, so this potato salad will not compete with them.  It has only 4 ingredients and is easy to make. I used Idaho potatoes for this recipe, however, I have used red or white potatoes.  I also leave the skins on.  It's up to your preference.

Potato Salad

1 lb potatoes, well-scrubbed

1 teaspoon garlic salt

2 Tbs minced onion

Salt and pepper to taste

1/2 cup mayonnaise

Cut potatoes in cubes and place in saucepan with cold water to cover.  Add 1 teaspoon garlic salt ti water.  Cook on high till water is boiling; about 8 minutes.  Lower heat and simmer until done; about 7 more minutes.    Drain and cool.  Mix potatoes, minced onion, mayonnaise and salt and pepper. 

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Fried Catfish Nuggets for the Super Bowl Crowd?

Wow!  Had technical problems with my computer-tied to my phone service for a couple of days  This is the recipe for day 24 which should have been yesterday.

There's no way I could possibly share a 30-day recipe collection without including a favorite food of mine.  CATFISH!  And, in particular; fried catfish nuggets!  Growing up in Annapolis, Maryland, we could fish for catfish in the clean waters of the Severn River at the mouth of the Chesapeake Bay.  There was no pollution.  So even though catfish were called "bottom-feeders," the Bay and the river were so clean, the risk
of contamination was so extremely slight, that it was unheard of.  Now, of course, I get farm-raised catfish raised in certified waters.  I buy whole catfish or fillets or even pieces (nuggets) from my local supermarket.

I can eat it anytime and any day of the week.  Since I could eat half the whole batch below by myself, I would have to cook a lot for a Super Bowl crowd.  Catfish for four people is my limit.  So you might have to consider whether you want to have fried catfish for your Super Bowl crowd, too.  You don't want to have to spend all your time in the kitchen while everyone is watching the game.  You would no doubt have to keep replenishing the platter.

Fried Catfish Nuggets

2 lbs catfish fillets or nuggets
1 cup yellow corn meal
½ cup crushed Panko (Korean or Japanese bread crumbs)
1 tsp salt
½ tsp black pepper
½ tsp cayenne pepper or red pepper flakes
1 tsp dried Italian seasoning
1 tsp dried parsley
Vegetable or Peanut Oil

If you have fillets, cut them into 1 inch pieces or nuggets.  Mix cornmeal, Panko, salt, pepper and dried seasonings in a thick brown paper bag.  Drop nuggets into bag and shake until well coated.  

Heat oil to hot in a large heavy skillet (cast-iron is my favorite).  Fry catfish in batches in a single layer.  Do not crowd.  Cook until golden brown; about 2-3 minutes on each side.  Drain on brown paper bag or newspaper covered with a paper towel.

Serve with homemade dipping sauce.

Homemade Dipping Sauce

1 cup mayonnaise
3 Tsp dill relish
Couple of dashes of hot sauce

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Dad's Baked Chicken for Sunday Dinner

On many Sundays at home, my dad would cook his specialty; baked chicken.  It was a simple recipe and yet very tasty and comforting.  He just cut up a chicken, put the pieces in a roasting pan and in a short while, they were ready with no fuss. The dish always turned out well.  This is  a whole meal in itself.  Just add green beans or peas or broccoli.

Baked Chicken

Ingredients

! chicken, cut in pieces

Garlic salt and pepper

Garlic powder, optional

1 onion, cut into slices and separate into rings

4-6 carrots, cut into thirds or  large chunks

4-6 potatoes, cut into chunks

1/2 stick butter or margarine

1 cup hot water

About 2 Tbs flour

 Preheat oven to 400 degrees F.  Sprinkle chicken all over with garlic salt and pepper; add garlic powder.  Sprinkle flour lightly over the tops of the chicken.  Dot butter over all pieces.  Arrange carrots and potatoes around the chicken.  Add seasonings.  Put onion rings over chicken and veggies so flavor will penetrate. . Pour water into pan.  

Bake 30 minutes in the hot oven basting every 5 minutes or so with the remaining water combined with the pan juices.  Remove chicken and vegetables to a platter.  Make gravy from pan juices, if desired.

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Mom's Bread Pudding-The Perfect Comfort Food

One of the all-time comfort foods is bread pudding.  So many things have changed about food since I grew up.  One thing remains--the memories of the smells coming from the kitchen when I came home from school.  And, a favorite was bread pudding.  Now, my mom would make tapioca pudding and rice pudding.  Neither of which ever gave me the kind of satisfaction I got when I ate her bread pudding with what she called "hard sauce."  Way yummy. The smell of cinnamon and nutmeg.  I could hardly wait to finish dinner so I could get to the dessert.  The recipe for  Day 23 is:

My Mom's Fabulous Bread Pudding.

Ingredients


2-3 cups stale bread
1 quart scalded milk
1/2-3/4 cup sugar
1/4 cup melted butter
2 large eggs
1/2 tsp salt
1 tsp vanilla
1 tsp cinnamon
1/2 tsp nutmeg

1/2 cup raisins

Preheat oven to 325 degrees F (163 C).  Tear bread into small pieces. Pour milk over bread crumbs and raisins; set aside to cool.  Beat eggs.  Add butter sugar, salt, cinnamon, nutmeg and vanilla.   Place bread and raisins in a buttered casserole dish.  Pour milk and egg mixture over bread.  Make sure bread is submerged.  Bake for an hour.  Serve warm with hard sauce.



Hard Sauce


1 stick butter (1/2 cup), softened

2 cups confectioner's sugar
1 tsp vanilla
1 Tbs hot water

Cream butter, add sugar, vanilla and water and  beat well until creamy.  Put on bread pudding.  Refrigerate unused sauce.

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