Bloody Maria Cocktail

bloody Mary, bloody Mary, bloody Maria??

To sum up this breakfast rainbow series I thought a cocktail recipe was in order. Hosting family and friends over the holidays can be stressful and sometimes a drink (even at say, 7am) helps! I'm not saying get drunk, but sometimes you just need to take the edge off...plus this drink is yummy and good for you!

A Bloody Maria is a sister cocktail to a Bloody Mary and the only difference is that it's made with tequila instead of vodka. This fun south-of-the-boarder twist on a classic cocktail would pair well with my Southwestern Sunshine Skillet. Make this cocktail for a crowd, it can easily be doubled/tripled/quadrupled and served in an ice filled pitcher, here's how...

Ingredients - Makes 1 Drink
1 Lemon Wedge (more for garnish)
2 oz. Silver Tequila (suggest Jose Cuervo Especial Silver made with blue agave)
1 tsp. Horseradish
2 Dashes Tabasco Sauce
2 Dashes Worcestershire Sauce
Pinch Paprika
Pinch Celery Salt
Pinch Black Pepper
6 oz. Tomato Juice
Garnish: Celery Stalk, Lemon Wedge, and/or Blue Cheese Stuffed Olives

Directions
Squeeze the lemon wedge into a cocktail shaker and then drop it in. Add the tequila, horseradish, Tabasco, Worcestershire, paprika, celery salt, pepper, and tomato juice to the cocktail shaker. Fill with ice and shake vigorously until well chilled. Strain into a tall ice filled glass and garnish as desired. Cheers to the New Year! Enjoy!

Southwestern Sunshine Skillet

sunny side up southwestern skillet

I've made this breakfast skillet for many family and friends that we've hosted. I just made this yesterday for my husband and his parents. We've been visiting them for the Christmas holiday and it was well received. This dish is quick and easy, but looks quite impressive when serving it straight from the skillet at the table.

Full of colorful veggies, potatoes, eggs, and cheese this skillet will fill you up. You can serve it with any toppings you like; my favorites are blue corn chips, salsa, and sour cream. Make this dish for breakfast, brunch, lunch, or dinner. Here's how...

Ingredients - Serves 4
1 Red Bell Pepper, chopped
1 Yellow Onion, chopped
1 Jalapeno, diced
1/2 Bag Country Style Shredded Hashbrowns
4 Eggs
1 C Shredded Mexican Blend Cheese (2% okay)
1 Package Taco Seasoning (suggest low sodium)
Canola Oil
Salt & Pepper
Toppings: blue corn chips, salsa, sour cream, hot sauce, cilantro, avocado, lime juice, etc.

Directions
Preheat the oven to 350 degrees.

Heat a large cast iron skillet over med-high. Add 1 tablespoon oil the onion, bell pepper, and jalapeno. Sautee for about 5 minutes, until softened, then remove to a plate and set aside.

Return the skillet to the heat and add 2-3 more tablespoons of oil. Put the hashbrowns into the skillet and spread into an even layer. Allow the hashbrowns to cook, undisturbed, for 4-5 minutes to brown. Turn the hashbrowns in the pan and add in the taco seasoning, sautéed veggies, and salt and pepper to taste. Cook for another 2-3 minutes. Make 4 small indentations in the hashbrown mixture and crack the eggs into the indents. Allow the eggs to cook on the stove top for 2-3 minutes, or until the whites begin to set.

Top with the cheese and move the skillet to the oven and cook for 5 minutes. The whites will be set and the yolks still a little runny. Plate the hashbrowns and one egg per plate. Top as desired and serve. Enjoy!

Good Morning Muffins

rise and shine...it's muffin time!

Many of us will be hosting this holiday season and along with that comes the need for easy breakfast and/or brunch recipes. And that's just what I'll be providing for this rainbow series. To start off I've made muffins packed with fruit and veggies. These are both good and good for you.

My inspiration for these muffins came from zucchini bread. I love the idea of adding in veggies where they don't seem to belong. My muffins not only have zucchini but shredded carrot too, along with fresh ginger, dried fruit, and nuts. These muffins are packed full of nutrition but will appeal to even the pickiest of eaters. Be the hostess with the most-ess...make these tomorrow morning. Here's how...

Ingredients - Makes 18 muffins
2 Carrots, peeled & shredded
1 Small Zucchini, shredded
1 inch Fresh Ginger, finely grated
1/2 C Dried Fruit (such as cherries, cranberries, raisins, figs, plums, etc.)
1/4 C Walnuts, chopped
2 C Flour
1 T Baking Powder
1/4 tsp. Salt
1/2 C Brown Sugar
2 Eggs
1 C Milk (low-fat okay)
6 T Vegetable Oil
1 tsp. Vanilla Extract
Cooking Spray
Sugar in the Raw (optional)

Directions
Preheat the oven to 400 degrees. Line or grease 2 muffin pans (18 spots) with cooking spray.

Begin by adding the dry ingredients to a large bowl: flour, baking powder, salt, and sugar. Whisk together until combined. In a separate bowl add the wet ingredients: eggs, milk, oil, and vanilla. Whisk to combine.

Make a well in the center of the dry ingredients and pour in the wet. Stir until partially combined. Add in the carrots, zucchini, ginger, fruit, and nuts and stir until just incorporated. Spoon the batter into the prepared muffin pans. Fill the cups about 3/4 the way full. Bake for 20 minutes or until a toothpick inserted into the center of one of the muffins comes out clean. NOTE: if using the sugar in the raw, 3 minutes prior to the muffins finishing their cook time, sprinkle a little sugar over each muffin and finish cooking.

Remove the muffins from the oven and allow to cool in the pans for 5 minutes. Serve warm or cool completely on a wire rack. Store in an air-tight container for up to 1 week. I suggest refrigerating them after 2 days. Enjoy!

PB&J Fudge

the perfect pair...peanut butter & jelly

My mom has been making peanut butter fudge for as long as I can remember. To this day I rely on her to make it every Christmas. I have the recipe only because I forgot my recipe book at her house a few Christmas' ago and she hand wrote it in along with other family classics. There's something special about hand-written recipes. I guess because it's more personal than a printed or copied version. The person that wrote down the recipe took their time and it's in their hand. While it can be hard to decipher at times, I feel closer to my mom, grandma, great-grandma, etc. when I use one of their hand-written recipes.

As usual, I have put a twist on this family classic by adding grape jelly and swirling it into the peanut butter fudge. Who doesn't love that pairing? Ring in the holiday season with this creamy fudge. Here's how to make it...

Ingredients - Makes about 40 pieces
3 C Granulated Sugar

1 C Milk (low-fat okay)
1 1/2 T White Karo
1 Stick of Butter (suggest full-fat)
10 T Peanut Butter (suggest full-fat)
1 tsp. Vanilla Extract
2 T Marshmallow Cream
1/2 C Grape Jelly

Directions
Begin by greasing a 9 x 13 pan with butter. Set aside.

In a large sauce pot combine the sugar, milk, & Karo over medium heat. Fit with a candy thermometer and stir with a wooden spoon until the sugar has dissolved a bit, about 5 minutes. Add the butter and continue to cook until the thermometer is just shy of "Soft Ball" (225 degrees). Be sure to continually stir the sauce as it comes to temperature. This will take about 20 minutes and will bubble-up a lot toward the end of the cook time.

Remove from the heat and add in the peanut butter, vanilla, and marshmallow cream. Mix vigorously by hand until everything is combined well. Then add the jelly and stir just to swirl into the fudge; only about 5 strokes. Pour into the buttered dish.

Refrigerate until firm, about 2 hours. Cut into pieces and store in an air-tight container for up to 2 weeks in a cool place. PB&J are the perfect (holiday) pair. Enjoy!

Seared Scallops with Grape Jelly-Black Pepper-Rosemary Sauce served on Rice & Grape Pilaf

a happy home-cooked holiday meal

With the holidays right around the corner I wanted to provide a fancier than usual main meal. I debated on doing duck, but when I couldn't get that fresh (what the heck Whole Foods/Cincinnati), I narrowed in on scallops. Scallops are delicious, but can be pricey and are easy to over cook. I promise, if you follow my direction below you will have a happy home-cooked holiday meal.

Again the sauce is the star of this dish, much like my turkey meatball recipe. The sweetness of the grape jelly, spice from the black pepper, and perfume from the rosemary balance to create an interesting reduction. It's like little that I've had before, but is the taste of the holidays. This is the perfect dish to make when hosting one or two couples for a holiday get together. Here's how to make it...

Ingredients - Serves 4
1 Shallot, minced
1 C Rice (any variety)
15 oz. Can Vegetable Broth (approx. 1 3/4 C)
1/2 C Red Grapes, halved
1/4 C Slivered Blanched Almonds, toasted
1/4 C Grape Jelly
1 T Whole Black Pepper Corns
2 Sprigs Rosemary
1 Lemon, rind & juice
12 Large Sea Scallops (approx. 1 lb.)
Canola Oil
Kosher Salt

Directions

Begin by making the rice pilaf: In a high sided skillet over med-high heat add 1 T canola oil. Once the oil is hot add in the shallot and rice. Toast for 2-3 minutes then add in 1 tsp. salt, the vegetable broth, and enough water to cook the rice. The amount of water will vary depending on the type of rice you use. However, most rice recipes call for 1 part rice to 2 parts water (i.e. 1 C rice would call for 2 C water). Bring to a boil, then reduce the heat to a simmer, and cover. Cook for 25-30 minutes. Stir in the grapes and toasted almonds 5 minutes before the pilaf is done cooking. Keep warm.

As the pilaf cooks, make the sauce: In a small pot combine the jelly, pepper corns, rosemary, 3 strips lemon rind, 1/2 lemon juiced, and 3 T water to loosen the jelly. Stir together and bring to a bubble over medium heat. Reduce to a simmer and cook for 10-15 minutes or until reduced by half.

While the sauce reduces make the scallops: Heat a large cast iron skillet over high heat. Add 1 T canola oil and distribute evenly over the pan. Pat the scallops dry with a paper towel then season the tops with 1/2 tsp. salt. Place them seasoned side down into the preheated/oiled skillet and cook for 2 minutes. Season the second side with 1/2 tsp. salt, gently flip the scallops, and finish cooking, about 2 more minutes. Remove the scallops to a plate.

Finish the sauce & plate: Strain the sauce through a fine mesh sieve into a small bowl. Discard the solids. Plate each dish with about 3/4 C rice pilaf, 3 scallops, and a tablespoon or two of the grape jelly reduction. Hello holiday...enjoy!

Turkey Meatballs w/ Grape-Chili Sauce

with a name like Smucker's it has to be good

Believe me, this easy sauce is really good. A simple combination of grape jelly, chili sauce, and the meatball of your choosing and you have a crowd pleasing appetizer. My family has been serving up this sauce every Christmas since I can remember. I suggest you make it this holiday season too.

I've taken this recipe one step further by making my own meatballs, but you can use frozen if you are in a pinch for time. I like making my own because then I know exactly what is in them...I won't go there. Anyway, I've opted for using turkey since I don't eat pork or beef, but feel free to substitute either for this dish; the sauce is the star anyway. Add this appetizer to your holiday line up this year. I'm sure it will become a staple. Here's how to make it...

Ingredients - Serves 8-10
1 (18 oz.) Jar Grape Jelly (such as Smucker's)
2 (12 oz.) Jars Chili Sauce (such as Heinz)
2 lbs. Ground Turkey
1/4 C Parsley, chopped
1 Clove Garlic, minced
1 Egg
1 tsp. Kosher Salt
1/2 tsp. Black Pepper
3/4 - 1 C Plain Bread Crumbs

Directions
Combine the grape jelly and chili sauce in a slow cooker. Heat to high. Stir often to break down the jelly and create the sauce.

Meanwhile make the meatballs: Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. In a large bowl combine the turkey, parsley, garlic, egg, salt, and pepper. Gently mix until just combined. Add in the bread crumbs and mix until incorporated.

Portion the meat into 4 quadrants. Out of each quadrant make 7-8 meatballs. Depending on how large you make these you will end up with 28-32. Put the meatballs on a foil lined baking sheet (or two). Bake for about 15 minutes or until cooked through.

Add the meatballs to the slow cooker with the sauce. Continue to cook on high for another 30-40 minutes. This allows the meatballs to absorb the sauce. Reduce the heat to low and serve warm. Enjoy!

Meringue Mushrooms

a little bit different

After THE food holiday I'm ready for a bit of a break from cooking. So, for this post I'm doing something a little different. Below I've provided my dad's mom's (Grandma Esther) meringue recipe and a link to someone else's blog with a very creative recipe - Meringue Mushrooms. The other motivation behind my post is that I had absolutely no idea what to do with mushrooms for a dessert or drink (seriously, think about it...). Well, someone else had this cute idea. No, there aren't mushrooms in the meringues (yuck!) but, they look just like mushrooms. So, use up any leftover egg whites and make these...that is, if you can muster up the energy!

Ingredients - Makes 2 Dozen
2 Egg Whites
1/8 tsp. Salt
1/8 tsp. Cream of Tartar
1 tsp. Vanilla Extract
3/4 C Granulated Sugar

Directions to Make Grandma Esther's Meringues:

Preheat the oven to 300.

In a stand mixer, beat the egg whites until they double in size and soft peaks form. Turn off the mixer and add in the salt, cream of tartar, and vanilla. Start the mixer again and slowly add in the sugar until the egg whites are fluffy and stiff peaks form.

On a parchment paper lined baking sheet drop tablespoonfuls of the meringues. Bake for about 25 minutes. Do not let the meringues brown. Turn off the oven and leave the meringues in it to dry out completely. Remove to a container and store up to 1 week.

Directions to Make the Meringue Mushrooms:

http://sweet-treats-baking.blogspot.com/2012/12/meringue-mushrooms-buche-de-noel.html

NOTE: You will need chocolate chips and cocoa powder in addition to the ingredients in Grandma Esther's recipe above to make the meringue mushrooms. Have fun!!

Meatless Shepherd's Pie

waste not, want not...use up leftovers in a different way

Thanksgiving is only 2 days away and all I can think about are the leftovers. HA! I can honestly say that after all of the cooking on the day of, I'm exhausted and just want to rest. Plus I'm not usually that hungry because I've been tasting things all day as I cook. I find that the best part of Thanksgiving is the leftovers. Sure, the meal that day is wonderful, but reinventing and using up all the leftovers gives me great satisfaction.

This meatless shepherd's pie uses up quite a bit of what you might have left after your Thanksgiving meal. From the mashed potatoes, to the roasted root veggies, to the gravy, this pie can be a cinch to make. I've listed out all the steps to make this from scratch here though. So, make this with leftovers or make it from scratch, I suggest just making this dish, period. Here's how...

Ingredients - Serves 6
2 lbs. Russet Potatoes, peeled & cubed
2 T Prepared Horseradish
1/2 C Half & Half

1 Egg Yolk
1 oz. Package Dried Assorted Mushrooms
Olive Oil
2 Carrots, diced (about 12 baby)
1 Yellow Onion, diced
1 Clove Garlic, pressed
2 (8 oz.) Boxes Mushrooms (suggest baby bella or button)
2 T Unsalted Butter
2 T Flour
2 tsp. Soy Sauce (low sodium okay)
1/2 C Frozen Peas
Salt & Pepper
Parsley, for garnish

Directions
Begin by bringing the potatoes to a boil in a large pot. Salt the water when it begins to boil. Cook for about 12 minutes, or until the potatoes are fork-tender. Drain and return to the hot pot. Set aside.

While the potatoes are boiling, combine the dried mushrooms with 3 C of water in a small sauce pan. Bring to a boil and then reduce to a simmer. Cook for about 10 minutes, reconstituting the mushrooms.

Meanwhile, heat a large skilled over med-high. Add 2 T olive oil, the carrots, onion, and garlic. Sweet for 2-3 minutes and then add in the sliced mushrooms. Cook for 5-7 minutes more, or until the veggies have softened. Reduce the heat to med-low.

By this time the dried mushrooms have reconstituted. Remove them with a slotted spoon to a cutting board. Roughly chop and then add to the large skillet with the rest of the veggies. Reserve 1 C of the mushroom broth, discard the rest, and wipe out the small pot.

Return the small pot to the stove over medium heat. Melt the butter and then add in the flour to make a roux, whisking to ensure no lumps form. Cook for about 30 seconds and then add the soy sauce and reserved mushroom broth, whisking well. Allow the gravy to cook for another minute, until thickened.

Add the gravy to the large skillet with the veggies. Stir the gravy into the veggies, stir in the peas, and taste for seasoning. Add salt and pepper as needed. Turn off the heat, set aside.

Preheat the oven to 400 degrees. Mash the potatoes in the large pot until there are no lumps. Stir in the horseradish, half and half, and egg yolk. Mix well.

Assemble the pie: pour the veggie mixture into a large baking dish. Then spread the potatoes over top. Try to keep the potatoes from mixing with the veggies and leave a little room around the edges for steam to escape as the pie cooks. Drizzle a little more olive oil over the top and sprinkle with salt and pepper. Bake for 20-25 minutes, or until the dish is hot and bubbly. Remove from the oven and garnish with torn parsley. Allow to cool for 5 minutes and then serve. Enjoy those reinvented leftovers!

Stuffing-Stuffed Mushrooms

some people stuff a bird, I stuff mushrooms

Thanksgiving is on it's way. THE food holiday, at least in my book. My family has always celebrated this day with gusto. We have so many dishes and copious amounts of each that one person can't possibly have more than a tablespoon of each thing before they are completely stuffed. And, speaking of stuffed, we don't actually stuff our turkey bird. We make a bread dressing instead. We still call it stuffing, but really, it's not.

With my mind on turkey day and probably my favorite part of it - stuffing - I thought I would create a recipe that could be made year round. These stuffed mushrooms are super easy to make and would be the perfect use up for any leftovers from the holiday. Or, when you get a hankering for Thanksgiving in March or July, make these. Here's how...

Ingredients - Serves 8-10
2 Box (14 oz.) "Stuffer" Mushrooms (suggest button)
5 Slices Stale Bread (white or wheat okay)
1/2 (8 oz.) Package Seasoned Stuffing (suggest Pepperidge Farm)
2 Stalks Celery, finely chopped
1/2 Yellow Onion, finely chopped
4-5 Sage Leaves, minced (dried/ground okay, use 1 tsp.)
1/2 T Poultry Seasoning
1 1/2 C Chicken (or Turkey) Broth
Salt & Pepper
Olive Oil

Directions
The night before making these, tear the bread into small pieces and leave in a large bowl to dry out over night.

The day of begin by preparing the mushroom caps: Wipe away any dirt with a damp towel. Remove the stem and save for another use (my next recipe perhaps) or discard. Line the mushroom caps cup-side up on a baking sheet. Set aside.

Next put the celery and onion in a small pot and just cover with water. Bring the pot to a simmer over med-high and cook until the veggies are crisp-tender, about 10 minutes.

After the veggies are cooked add them to the large bowl with the torn bread (water too). Add the seasoned stuffing, sage, poultry seasoning, and broth; mix well. Taste for seasoning and add salt and/or pepper as needed. Remember the mushrooms will have no seasoning, so a touch more salt is usually needed.

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees and prepare the mushrooms: Stuff each mushroom with 2-3 T of the stuffing mixture. Drizzle some olive oil over the top of each mushroom and then bake for 20-25 minutes.

The stuffing should be brown and the mushrooms tender. Remove to a serving platter immediately and enjoy! Thanksgiving doesn't have to come just once a year after all.

Ginger-Apple-Kale Juice

lean and green and made by a machine

When I chose to focus on kale for these 3 posts I wasn't sure what I was going to do for a dessert or drink. Either option sounded quite unpleasant to me. However, my husband reminded me that tons of people make juices from kale. Well, I've never been into juicing, nor have I had a desire really to make one (I like to chew my food). But, I though, let's try it...isn't that what this blog is about anyway?

After doing much research I decided that ginger and apple sounded the most appealing to pair with kale. Still odd, but perhaps the sweetness from the apples and zip from the ginger would wash out the flavor of the kale. And, really, that's what happens. This drink is full of vitamin k from the kale and provides a great boost in energy from the ginger. Try this juice when you are tired of the same old, same old. Here's how to make it...

Ingredients - Serves 4
2 C Kale (suggest curly), washed & dried
2 Green Apples, cored & chopped
2 Ribs Celery, chopped
1/2-1 inch Piece Fresh Ginger, peeled & chopped
1 C Apple Juice (light okay)
Ginger Beer (suggest Reed's)

Directions
Begin by removing the tough ribs from the kale, discard, and then roughly chop the leaves. Pack them into a blender until they reach the 2 cup mark.

To the blender add the apples, celery, ginger, and apple juice. Process until nearly smooth using the liquefy setting. You will have to help the blender at first by moving the ingredients around with a spoon. This will take about 5 minutes.

Once the mixture is nearly smooth remove it to a fine mesh sieve placed over a bowl/measuring cup. I did this in batches to ensure I got all of the liquid out of the mixture. Use your spoon to press out as much liquid as possible from the solids; discard the solids. You will end up with about 2 cups of juice.

Evenly distribute the juice into 4, 8 oz. glasses (about a 1/2 cup each). Top with the ginger beer and enjoy!

Poor Man's Pasta (or Kale & Eggs)

a penny pinching pasta dinner

Steven introduced me to one of the least expensive meals ever. When we were at Miami together and needed to eat something on the cheap, we didn't grab take-out. We made a poor man's pasta dinner. This typically consisted of olive oil, dried herbs, pasta, and some cheese. It's a minimalists meal in every way and obviously not every nutritious, but it did the job of filling us up. To this day we still make this dish just because it's easy and we usually have everything on hand. So, in an effort to bump up the nutrition and still keep this cheap, I've created this kale and eggs version.

I've taken Steven's dirt-cheap dish and made it a little more healthy by adding kale and eggs. Both are very inexpensive items, but full of nutrition. These extra ingredients not only add flavor and texture, but will also help to keep you full longer. When you need a quick and filling meal, this is your go to. Comfort food and nutrition meet at the dinner table, make this tonight, here's how...

Ingredients - Serves 4

1 Bunch Kale (Curly or Dino ok) washed, dried, & roughly chopped
2-3 Cloves Garlic, thinly sliced
1 Yellow Onion, chopped
1 tsp. Ground Nutmeg
1 lb. Spaghetti (any long noodle)
Olive Oil
Kosher Salt
4 Large Eggs
1 C Shredded Parmesan, plus more for serving

Directions
Begin by bringing a large pot of water to a boil.

As the water comes to a boil, heat a large non-stick skillet over med-high heat. Add 2T olive oil. Once the oil is heated, add the onion and garlic. Saute for 3-4 minutes or until the onion begins to brown slightly. Add in the kale. You will probably have to do this a little at a time, but it will wilt down to fit. After all of the kale is added, sprinkle in the nutmeg and 1/2 tsp. salt. Stir to combine and then transfer to a bowl. Set aside.

Once the water boils, salt, then drop the pasta. Work the noodles gently into the water - don't break them, please! Allow the pasta to cook until al dente, about 10-12 minutes.

While the pasta is cooking, fry the eggs. Return the large skillet to the stove. Heat on medium and add 1T olive oil. Once the oil is hot, crack the eggs, one at a time, into the skillet. Allow the eggs to cook until the whites are just set and the yolks are still runny, about 5 minutes.

Drain the pasta then return to the pot. Add the kale mixture, another 2-3T olive oil, and cheese. Mix well to combine.

Serve the pasta topped with an egg. Add an extra sprinkle of cheese, if desired. This dish is far from poor in taste and it won't break the bank. Enjoy!