Adventures in Eating Out, Drinking Plenty of Wine & Spirits, and Cooking Hits & Misses
Now that I’ve gone to #2ADays with original recipes plus a little something extra, I thought the perfect way to start is with this breakfast to grab and go!
Make this twist on the McGriddle for an easy keto-friendly breakfast. pic.twitter.com/LjT71vfqvs
— Women’s Health (@WomensHealthMag) June 24, 2019
#ThisGirlLovesToEat
Tasting Table is one of my favorite Twitter follows. I love browsing their website for restaurant reviews, recipes, new spins on classic drinks, and guides to cities I am planning to travel to.
I was surfing their website today and came across an appetizer that included 4 of my favorite tastes in a single dish: bacon, Buffalo sauce, spinach and artichoke hearts! Add to that the ability to make ahead, the reviewers rated it 100% make again, and it didn’t call for any hard to get ingredients and this girl who loves to eat was sold!
Note: I did adapt the recipe from the original:
The recipe calls for serving with chips. I like to eat this dip with really thick, freshly made tortilla chips, Triscuits, carrot chips, thick bell pepper slices or celery.
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This article comes courtesy of Business Insider .
My motto is, “If it’s not broke, don’t fix it.” Well, that and, “If the Baby/Puppy/Parent (lol) is sleeping, DON’T WAKE IT!” Rebecca Harrington of Tech Insider got this one exactly right, so enjoy this great little piece on how to preserve that delicacy which makes just about everyone (sorry to those who don’t eat swine) happy, bacon!
I’ve always stored bacon in the fridge. It’s what my mom and dad did.
But by the time I get to the end of the package, that bacon isn’t very fresh anymore.
Turns out there’s a better way.
America’s Test Kitchen chef and food science expert Dan Souza told Tech Insider that the freezer is actually a better place to keep bacon.
“It can help it last longer without going rancid,” Souza says.
Rancidity is what happens when fats start to break down, giving foods an unpleasant taste or smell.
That’s why the freezer is a great place for all kinds of fatty foods, Souza says, from butter to chicken stock.
“It’s dark and cold in there,” he told Tech Insider. “So it slows down rancidity, which is a problem with really fatty things.”
To keep your glorious bacon from going rancid before you can eat it all, it’s best to stick it in the freezer.
But if you freeze it as one big chunk, you’ll never be able to tear a single slice off. Souza says to roll it up and bag it so it doesn’t get stuck together.
Read the original article on Tech Insider. Copyright 2016.
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It’s a hot, lazy Wednesday evening and I’m not in the mood to cook.
I’m looking for something to make for dinner that:
A quick review of items on hand resulted in a hearty dinner that satisfied my family and, bonus, took minimal effort on my part so I could enjoy a rare mid-week treat of girl time!
I pulled out my handy (practically hands off) go-to kitchen saviors, my T-Fal Electric Pressure Cooker & cast iron skillet and dinner was well on it’s way to being made.
Baked Potatoes & Boneless Rib-Eye Steaks with Garlic Mushrooms
First, get the potatoes started:
While the potatoes are cooking:
When the steaks are ready:
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My husband loves pork chops. I’m not a fan so I don’t cook them often.
He bought me a pretty necklace so tonight he’s getting pork chops 😉
To serve: Put a scoop of rice or quinoa in the center of the plate. Pile some of the drained Braised Red Cabbage (yesterday’s recipe) on top of the rice/quinoa then place a pork chop on top of the cabbage. Spoon some of the cooking juices, cherries, chilies and bacon onto the pork chop and serve immediately.
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It was a rough weekend.
First we had a two day basketball tournament that started early both days, meaning no sleeping in for me, and then we had a party we needed to go to Saturday night that turned into the proverbial shit show:
While standing around watching the rest of the party goers drinking themselves into oblivion and admiring the host’s new bright yellow half million dollar Lamborghini Aventador, the host, who’s a very tall, very large man, lost his tenuous hold on his balance and began sliding down the rear fender with only me (I’m not a big girl) between him and the hard concrete floor & wall. I did my best to break his fall without breaking myself but he ended up landing on me in a very awkward position and, in the fiasco of the fall, I threw my red wine all over the back end of his gorgeous car. In my defense, I kept him from hitting his head on the floor or the wall so there was that…LOL
Suffice it to say that I was in some pain and thus, in no mood to make dinner Sunday night. I was very glad to remember that we had a leftover pizza in the refrigerator to reheat. Tonight, due to the second day of pain being even worse, from my neck all the way down my right side, I wasn’t anxious to roll out a gourmet dinner either. Thank God my husband is pretty easy to feed.
I can usually dress up a grilled cheese sandwich in a way to satisfy him and tonight was no different. Real butter, a loaf of sourdough, some bacon that was already cooked & chilling in the meat drawer combined with some pepper jack cheese and we had a winner. I didn’t want to just let him eat the Cheetos he favors with it, and he didn’t want any of the leftover coleslaw from the other night, so I threw together another quick side he loves:
Blistered Shishito Peppers
Trader Joe’s sells Shishito peppers pre-bagged, you can get them at your local Asian grocery store (they are beloved in Japan), or your grocery store may have them in your produce section.
Shishito peppers are generally mild, but it seems like one in every batch will light you up! 😉
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I haven’t been to the grocery store this week and was at a loss as to what to make for dinner tonight.
The meat & cheese drawer gave me a pound of uncooked bacon fresh from the butcher, a wedge of parmesan cheese and another small chunk from a wedge of aged gouda-parmesan.
In the crisper was a bag of fresh sweet mini peppers, a head of cauliflower that was nearing extinction, half a red onion, some carrots, celery, a Rubbermaid container with some still viable sliced Portobello mushrooms and a few other items that found their way right into the compost bucket.
Not a lot to work with, but I’m a gamer (and thankfully my husband will try anything I make) so I trudged forward hoping for some inspiration.
A wrinkly but still salvageable Poblano chili was on the counter and inspiration for a nice warm soup struck.
Bacon & Roasted Cauliflower Chowder
Cut the cauliflower in thirds, trim off the stem, spritz with olive or coconut oil spray and roast 45 minutes at 400 degrees.
Cook the bacon over medium high heat for 5 minutes. Add the diced Poblano chili and continue to cook until bacon is crisp but not too brown. Remove both from pan and drain on paper towel.
In the same pan add the onion, garlic, carrot, celery, and bell pepper. Saute’ about 8 minutes over medium high heat. Add the mushrooms and return the bacon and Poblano chili to the pan. Continue cooking another 10 minutes while bacon fat breaks down some more then switch heat to low.
Roughly chop 1/3 of the roasted cauliflower into small pieces and add to the pan. Add the bay leaves and seasoned pepper, stir and cook on low about 5 minutes to allow the cauliflower to absorb the flavors of the bacon and other vegetables.
Put the remaining 2/3 of the cooled roasted cauliflower and 2 cups of the cooled broth into the Vitamix or Food Processor/Blender container and process on low until well combined. It will have plenty of texture, but if it’s not thin enough to easily pour, add a bit more of the reserved broth.
Increase heat to medium, then add the can of evaporated milk, a can of water and the contents of the Vitamix container to the pan. Stir well to incorporate. Stir in the remaining broth, the reserved cheese rinds (if you have any) and bring soup just to a boil. Return heat to low and simmer about 20 minutes.
Remove the bay leaves before serving. Serve with toasted French bread chunks/croutons or crusty bread and butter. Sprinkle chowder with shredded parmesan or parmesan-gouda cheese and chopped parsley if desired.
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I bought a couple of heads of cauliflower at the farmer’s market, but wasn’t excited to serve it steamed with cheese, as make-believe rice, wannabe mashed potatoes, or even spiced up and roasted whole.
A trip to Trader Joe’s later, I had some inspiration for a main dish casserole I could serve with a salad. Later this week it will be a great side dish for smoked sausage or, if I’m feeling inspired, Roasted Frenched Pork Chops.
If you don’t eat, or don’t like pork products, you can easily substitute shredded chicken (grocery store rotisserie or home prepared) for the ham and either leave the bacon out or substitute turkey bacon. Another option is to cut leftover steak or prime rib into cubes as a substitute for the ham and leave in the bacon. If you are vegetarian you can leave the meat out completely and add more bell pepper (red, yellow, orange or green). It’s a recipe that’s easy to get creative with.
Roasted Garlic Cheesy Cauliflower
Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Grease a 9 x 13 Pyrex baking dish and set aside.
Peel away the papery skin and cut off the top of the garlic clove. Place inside a square of foil, drizzle with olive oil, close up the foil package, and place in a shallow pan in the oven. Do the same for the shallots. Bake 30-40 minutes and remove from oven. Set aside for a few minutes then open up foil pouch to let cool.
Break apart cauliflower heads, discard the stem and steam in a steamer in a large pot until tender but not mushy (about 20 minutes per head – you may have to do it in 2 batches). Transfer cauliflower to Vitamix Container or Food Processor and pulse until florets break apart but do not pulverize. Remove the cauliflower and put into a large mixing bowl. Add diced bell pepper, ham, half of the chopped green onions, and half of the crumbled bacon. Toss to combine.
In heavy saucepan squeeze the roasted garlic and shallots out of their skins and add 3 TBLS butter. Cook over medium heat until butter melts. Using a fork or an immersion blender stir/blend until the garlic and shallots are crushed and well combined. Add a generous amount of pepper, the cream (or 1/2 & 1/2) and bring just to a boil. Combine the last 1 TBLS of butter (melted) with 2 TBLS of the Gluten Free flour (all purpose if GF isn’t a concern for you) and blend or whisk into the mixture in the pan until the mixture begins to thicken. Add the cream cheese then 1 Cup of the pepper jack and 1 Cup of the gouda, stirring constantly until melted. It may not be a flowing sauce, but resemble a big melted blob – that’s ok. Remove from heat and pour into the cauliflower mixture in a large bowl. Use a large rubber spatula to stir together until well mixed.
Spread into prepared 9 x 13 pan, sprinkle remaining bacon, green onion and cheeses over the top, cover loosely with foil and bake for 30 minutes; remove foil and continue to bake until cheese is brown and bubbly. Remove from oven and let cool 5-10 minutes. I serve with a bottle of Frank’s Red Hot for those who like more spice.
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Because Thursday is the slowest day at my “real job” I usually have time to fool around in the kitchen to try to create a new dish to serve for dinner. This week was no different except that I needed to come up with something healthy because I am (BOO – HISS) dieting i.e., not eating anything that even resembles Halloween candy or that I can pick up at a drive-thru window, have delivered to my front door, or comes out of a can or box. No Bueno!
Determined to stay on track, into the kitchen I went to make a healthy meal that would taste good, keep me full and make my digestion work hard (and burn calories) all night long.
Happily I found some of my favorite spicy, salty, satisfying flavors there! Bacon, fresh jalapenos, a forgotten Roma tomato (thankfully still firm), some ripe avocados from my backyard, green onions, eggs, and a wedge of aged gouda. AHA Moment: I’d eat breakfast for dinner!
Roasted Jalapeno Avocado Bacon Tortilla Pie
Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Lightly spray the bottom and sides of a 9.5″ Pyrex pie plate with the Olive Oil Spray.
In a small non-stick frying pan heat each of the tortillas until just lightly browned on both sides. Lay one in the center on the bottom and then layer the rest around the pan overlapping to make sure there is a “crust like” coverage.
In the same pan roast the whole jalapenos until the skin bubbles and begins to blacken. If you want a bit less spice, remove the seeds and stem first. Combine both of the cheeses: sprinkle 1/4 of the cheese over the bottom of the tortilla crust. When peppers are roasted, chop them and scatter over the first cheese layer.
Chop and quickly dry saute’ the whites only of the green onions (chop the greens and set aside) and the Roma tomato with a bit of salt & pepper. Distribute the onion/tomato mixture over the jalapenos then cover with 1/2 of the remaining cheese.
Chop the avocado then layer it with the bacon over the second cheese layer.
Mix the 4 eggs and the sour cream until well combined and beginning to thicken. Add cracked salt and pepper then pour carefully over the pie surface taking care not to overflow the edges of the exposed tortillas on the sides. Sprinkle remaining cheese over the top and put pie pan in the center of the pre-heated oven. Bake 40-45 minutes, or until cheese begins to brown and a knife inserted into the center of the pie comes out with no egg mixture on it and center is cooked through. Remove from the oven and allow to sit for 10-15 minutes before slicing into wedges to serve. Top each wedge with the reserved chopped green onions.
To make this a complete meal serve with a salad of Romaine, the reserved 1/2 of the tomato, and any other fresh produce you’d like (I chop a green apple, some jicama, and add a shredded carrot) then dress lightly with olive oil, combined with salt, pepper and some lemon juice to keep it healthy.
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We missed taco Tuesday this week.
I was just too tired and sad from having to put my beloved lab to sleep Monday, to even think about cooking and getting my Mexican food fix. The household is slowly recovering so I ventured out to the grocery store and then into the kitchen to throw something together tonight, that wasn’t takeout. I came up with something tasty, filling and gluten free!
Chicken Stuffed Pasilla Peppers with Arborio Rice
I bought a nearly 6 pound whole young chicken and roasted it in a 375 degree oven for about 1 hour 45 minutes, took it out to rest and then removed the breasts and placed them in the Vitamix container. Strain the drippings into a measuring cup and add enough chicken broth to equal 1 1/2 Cups.
In the same oven, while the chicken was cooking, I laid 6 strips of bacon on a cookie sheet and baked them for about 18 minutes, until they were crispy and browned but not yet burning. Remove the bacon from the oven to drain and cool then cut it into pieces and add to the Vitamix container.
Once the chicken has finished cooking, increase the oven temperature to 400 degrees.
Wash and dry the Pasilla peppers then carefully cut the top off of all four, discarding the stem and seeds. Take each of the peppers and cut a wide V shape on one side (from the top toward the solid bottom it’ll look like a V-neck shirt). Place all 4 peppers on a cookie sheet.
Remove the stems and seeds from the bell peppers. Cut in half and then into quarters until all pieces can lay flat on a cookie sheet. Bake both sheets of peppers 20-25 minutes until the skins blister and start to blacken. Remove the bell peppers from pan to cutting board to cool and then cut into small pieces and add to the Vitamix container.
Pulse the mixture until well combined. Move mixture to a mixing bowl, add 3/4 cup shredded cheese, the chopped green onion and the Arrabiata sauce stirring to combine.
Fill each of the Pasilla peppers with the chicken mixture mounding each until they’re full. Sprinkle the rest of the cheese over each of the peppers and bake in the 400 degree oven until the cheese is melted and starts to brown.
Rice: In a medium saucepan with a lid, combine the reserved drippings/chicken broth, 1 TBLS butter or olive oil, and 1 Cup Arborio rice. Cook over medium heat until it reaches a boil then put lid on, reduce heat to low and simmer for 20 minutes. Remove pan from heat and allow to steam for 10 more minutes then fluff rice with a fork.
Sauce: While the rice is cooking, simmer the reserved pieces of Pasilla pepper with about 3/4 cup chicken broth until liquid reduces by half and peppers are fork tender. Move peppers and broth to the cleaned Vitamix container and process until only a few small pieces remain. Add 3/4 Cup sour cream to the Vitamix container and process until thoroughly combined and smooth. Add salt and pepper to taste.
Serve: Place rice in the center of the plate, lay one stuffed pepper on top of the rice and drizzle the sauce over the pepper.
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This Girl Loves to Eat! 