Crazytown is still crazy, but we eat well!

Okay, so when the going gets tough, the tough get eating (or drinking, or maybe both!)! I have absolutely no business being at this computer blogging AT ALL, but this was SO good that I'd feel guilty to not share it - especially since it is Tuesday!

Use the this link to find the recipe, but just go buy yourself a grocery rotisserie chicken. Also, I only used two tablespoons of the curry paste (I use the Madras hot blend). I added just a touch of soy to the sauce. I only sprinkled cilantro over Rich's and Jamie's as they actually like the stuff (I obvs don't!) I served it over, what else? Of course I served it over jasmine rice cooked in half coconut milk/half water in place of whatever amount of liquid you need. Make this now! It is so good. Total comfort food!!!!


Call me when you make it - Ill be right over with some Firefly and lemons!

Tuesday Trade

Okay, the EASIEST breakfast treat you have ever made: Eggnog French Toast. You don't need eggs, milk, anything. Just a carton of eggnog and bread. I prefer day-old French, Cuban, or Italian bread. It is super-duper decadent made with brioche! Just use store-bought eggnog in place of whatever you usually dunk your bread in. Then, prepare as you usually prepare French Toast. (I use real butter for French Toast.) Serve as normal. Or, for company....simmer a shot of rum or bourbon (I like the both - just depends on my mood) into your syrup.

My Halloween Gift to You: Pumpkin Fudge

Oh Geez!!! I forgot to publish a recipe on Tuesday!! Hey, I was still recovering from Monday. Cut a girl some slack, will ya?

Well, today is Halloween and I present you with the infamous Pumpkin Fudge recipe. I will tell you this...I HATE nuts in my fudge and cookies. BUT BUT BUT, in this recipe the more toasted pecans the better. But, make sure that they are toasted. Not toasted = sucky. I love this because it is unique and people always ask for the recipe. It is VERY sweet, which is why I think I like the pecans in it - to cut the sweetness. (Sometimes I even very lightly salt the pecans after toasting while they are still hot)

HAPPY HALLOWEEN Y'ALL!!! I've got to get to the gumbo and voo-doo brew making! I'll be expecting pictures of all of your festivities!

Trader Tuesdays - Make Your House Smell Delicious Edition

For this Tuesday's trade I offer you a link. This is what I put in the crockpot when I need a yummy, healthy meal for a night filled with meetings, et al. (Which is pretty much every night...)

Without further ado, here it is. Don't skip the coconut rice. Not even if you THINK you hate coconut. My kids hate coconut, but LOVE LOVE LOVE coconut rice.

My alterations:
1. I sometimes add baby carrots
2. I add a couple turns of soy sauce to the orange juice mixture
3. I serve with Siracha

Chris Jordan's blog is one of my absolute favorites. you have probably visited it before, but if you haven't, Go. Go now.

It's 10:30 Somewhere!

The bad news: I had to choose between blogging and cleaning up my horrid mess of a kitchen (why I usually do not make big roast beef dinners on the weeknights!). The kitchen won out. It was a disaster.

The good news: The delay means I got a few more votes. What is it with you people and wanting the easy recipes???? Just kidding!! I know, life is crazy-ass busy.

The verdicts: 1) Easy, but Mandy has a neighborhood party and she is thinking she would like to bring a dessert type offering. 2)Also, I am going to have to make Rich take pictures of yours truly in the dresses. There will be no head in the pictures, I am telling you right now. Neck down only. If I go through with this plan you will be required to not only vote on a dress, but also to suggest accessories and shoes, and any other pertinent info. For example, the young, cute thing at WHBM informed me that people are wearing gray and black stockings again? Is she confused? If true, however, might influence my dress choice as the one I like the most is a bit short, and I have ugly knees. Gray stockings would take care of this problem I think. Are fishnets acceptable? They are darn cute in the catalog!

Well, it is one of my three favorite months of the year, OCTOBER! That means fall, leaves, and my favorite, PUMPKIN!!! Pumpkin pie, pumpkin bread, pumpkin muffins, pumpkin seeds, pumpkin tempura...any and all things pumpkin. Therefore, I think a party or gathering of any pot-luck sort in October should be graced with pumpkin. I have about a million ideas. My favorite is pumpkin fudge, but it requires a candy thermometer, which, I'm guessing precludes it from being in the "easy" category? The easiest, and also very tasty, is pumpkin dip. You probably already have a recipe for this, but on the off-chance that you do not, here it is:

Pumpkin Dip with Ginger Snaps

2 8 oz packages cream cheese

4 cups confectioners sugar (better if you sift)

30 oz can pumpkin pie mix

2 tsp cinnamon

1 tsp ground ginger

(sometimes I add a touch of vanilla)

Combine cream cheese and sugar with electric mixer until smooth and creamy. Add in the rest of the ingredients and blend until well combined.

Serve in a pie-sized, hollowed-out pumpkin. Serve with ginger snaps. I have also served with apple slices, pretzels, and have also made stuffed french toast with these leftovers as the filling.

Trader Tuesday - NEED YOUR INPUT! And, Some Bonus Whining

I'm having trouble focusing on my Trader Tuesday contribution. So, here's the plan. You are all going to help me out. Tell me what kind of recipe you are interested in today. Quick dinner ala Sandara Lee's Semi-homemade style? Or fancy-pants, send children away for the night, impress the hubs dinner ? Quick and easy dessert? Showy dessert? Old southern favs? One caveat - I DO NOT fry chicken at home. Ever. So, don't ask me about that. Ill post at 10:30, so get those requests in!

Reasons I cannot focus:

• Too long of a to-do list
• Fall Festival
• Obsessing about dress for wedding. If I get brave Ill take pics of myself in all three and you can vote. Or, not. My internet bravado has its limits.
• Damn family always needs to be fed
• Choosing furniture (read: OBSESSING!)
• Pissed off that the eldest got not one, BUT TWO, detentions! And would you effing believe that one of them was for SOCKS!!!!!
• Other general, pissiness of both the friend and marital nature.
• Went to Pilates for first time since December. Might I suggest that you do not ever take 10 months off of an activity you plan to continue? It hurts both your muscles and YOUR EGO very, very much.

Trader Tuesdays

It feels a bit odd to post a recipe that includes champagne during these economic times. Go ahead, do it. You can buy an individual Sophia or you can substitute a nice dry white. When times are tough, you can enjoy a lovely, elegant (but EASY) dinner at home.

This recipe has developed over the years. It started a s a recipe in Southern Living, but it was a bit bland. So I tinkered with it. Then, a few years back, Rachael Ray made something similar, so I took a page from her playbook and sometimes add in some red grapes.

Champagne Poached Chicken

• 1 cup champagne
• 1/2 cup chicken broth
• 4 skinned and boned chicken breasts (I pound them I tiny bit)
• 1 cup whipping cream
• scant 2 tsp Dijon mustard
• small clove minced garlic ( i use a pretty small clove to keep the flavor more on the "delicate" side)
• pinch of ground red pepper
• pinch salt
• red, seedless grapes - cut in half

• Bring champagne, and broth to a boil in a large skillet.
• Add chicken - reduce het. Cover, and simmer until chicken is tender (about 10 - 15 minutes depending on size and thinckness of chx. Sonce I poind mine a bit, it usually right at 10 minutes.)
• Remove chicken and keep warm.
• Whisk in the whipping cream, mustard, garlic, pepper, and salt.
• Simmer over medium heat, whisking occassionally, until thickened. (about 10 minutes)
• Add chicken and grapes (if you are using them) back to the skillet and heat through.

I have served this with several types of pasta, but orzo with parsley is my favorite. My other favorite accompaniment is asparagus or thin, French green beans (haricots verts). The asparagus I like to roast, and the beans I like to blanch and then saute in a little butter with a bit of shallot and garlic and finish with the tiniest pinch of nutmeg.

Cooking Is Fun If You Are In the Kitchen With a Fungi

Here is the pasta I promised in the previous, hurried post.

I found some portabella and ricotta stuffed frozen ravioli at the local grocery (Tom Thumb). It was the store brand actually. I would guess that Publix has something similar if you are one of those people lucky enough to have a Publix available. (The best reason to live on the east - PUBLIX!) I have noticed that many items at Publix can be found at Tom Thumbs here in Texas.

Obviously, you will cook those raviolis per package instructions. Basically, boiling water, 3-4 minutes. drain. Duh!

While that's happening you need to mince up a shallot (or if you don't have one handy mince, and I mean MINCE - TINY, a little bit of regular onion, maybe a tablespoon or less.) Saute that shallot/onion with a clove of minced or smashed garlic in about 2-3 tablespoons butter. After a minute or two add in 8 oz (a whole package) of pre-sliced (because I am LAZY) portabella or baby bellas. Toss in a bit of dried Italian seasoning, possibly it was about a teaspoon? Continue cooking for about 8-10 minutes or until the 'shrooms are looking brown and tender. (If you are not used to cooking with mushrooms this will look like a lot of mushrooms, but they cook down to so much less so quickly.)

Now, the yummy part....Add in 1 cup cream, a pinch of salt, and a few turns of pepper. Let it simmer for 5 minutes or so. Then, stir in some chopped, fresh basil (three or four leaves) and some grated Parmesan cheese(maybe 1/2 cup). Stir in drained ravioli and enjoy!

Its not Tuesday - What's it to ya?

So, yesterday was recipe trade day. I had a recipe to share with you all, but then I made dinner. A dinner which I had never made before. A dinner which resulted in my husband coming to the kitchen on bended knee begging me to marry him again. Apparently, he liked his dinner. Earlier in the afternoon we were at Central Market and he had a sudden severe craving for "the darkest dark chocolate cake." So, I grabbed a big chunk of Callebaut bittersweet and made him a cake. Without further ado here are the two recipes that caused the stoic husband of mine to consider renewing his vows. I'll save the champagne poached chicken for next week, and Ill get it out on time (on Tuesday). Maybe Ill even write it up and use that "post at future time" feature! (Note: sometimes when I say "recipe" what I really mean is a "guide" as I often do not actually measure and stuff like that. I am a taste and adjust kind f girl.)

Dark Chocolate Kahlua Cake (adapted from R.S.'s recipe back in Atsugi)

1 box dark chocolate fudge cake mix (use Devil's food if you can't find, but the DCF is better)
4 eggs
3/4 cup Kahlua
1 cup sour cream
1 cup oil
6 oz chocolate chips
a bit of cocoa and granulated sugar (for prepared pan)
*Dark chocolate ganache

• Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Prepare Bundt pan with non-stick spray and then coat with a mixture of cocoa and granulated sugar.
• Mix all ingredients except for chocolate chips.
• Stir in chocolate chips when batter well combined.
• Bake approximately 45 minutes.
• Cool on wire rack and then invert onto serving plate.
• Glaze with Dark chocolate ganache

*Dark chocolate ganache - grate a good amount (I probably used about 10 oz) of high quality bittersweet chocolate. Warm about 1/3 -1/2 cups heavy cream in microwave (DO NOT BOIL!) Whisk chocolate into warm cream until melted, smooth, and shiny. Spoon over top of cake and let it ooze down the sides.

Okay, I have to run. No time to post pasta directions, but want you to have time to make a cake for tonight. Will post this now and add the mushroom pasta this afternoon, mkay?

Tuesday Trading

This salad dressing is from the junior league in my hometown. every girl I know from P-cola has made and eaten this spinach salad a hundred times (or for me like 8,000). It is a little different than any other spinach salad dressing I have ever seen anywhere else, and it is one of my top three most requested recipes. My girls in Japan dubbed it "the pink dressing," and they expect it whenever they visit me. So, I give you ...

Pensacola's Pink Spinach Salad Dressing

3/4 cup vegetable oil (I use extra-light olive - EVOO too fruity for this one!)
6 tablespoons red wine vinegar
4 tablespoons sour cream (reduced fat or fat-free okay)
1 tsp salt
1/2-1 tsp dry mustard (to taste - i tend towards the scant 1 tsp)
2 tablespoons sugar (or 3-4 packets splenda)
Freshly ground black pepper to taste
2 tsp freshly chopped parsley
2 cloves minced or smashed/pressed garlic

Mix it all up! I like to whisk in the oil last to see if I can get a good emulsification working! Let flavors marry for at least 4 hours (the recipe says 6hrs, but I don't always plan THAT far ahead!)
Serve over spinach salad with chopped boiled egg, crumbled crisp bacon, sliced fresh mushrooms, and sliced green onions (I leave these out because I despise them).

It's Tuesday, and That Means It Is Recipe Time

Well, I did not know what I wanted to "trade" today, but sometimes it pays to be late to the party because then several people go and unknowingly create a "theme" for me! Apparently, the theme is desserts, predominantly of the cake variety. Further, seeing as I am currently drowning in apple craziness (see post below) this particular cake seems to suit the occasion. And, it is pretty darn yummy and perfect for fall. If you know me well, then you know that, for me, Fall arrives as soon as it is Honeycrisp time at Central Market.

Autumn Apple Cake

Cake:
3 cups all-purpose flour 11/2 tsp vanilla
1 tsp baking soda 3 cups peeled, cored, chopped apples (about 2 1/2 apples)
1/2 tsp salt 1 cup chopped, toasted pecans (optional!)
2 cups sugar
1 cup vegetable oil
3 large eggs

PreHeat oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit. Grease 10-inch tube or bundt pan.
Sift together flour, baking soda, and salt.
Beat sugar, oil, eggs, and vanilla. until pale.
Mix in flour mixture one third at a time. (Batter will be very thick!)
Mix in apples (and nuts if you want them)
Into the pan, smooth the top.
Bake for 55 min (check on it early, Ive had it be done at around 45 minutes before)
Cool in pan for 10 minutes, then turn out onto rack to cool completely before glazing.

Glaze:
1 cup firmly packed brown sugar
1/3 cup unsalted butter (Ive used salted - it was fine!)
1/3 cup milk

Bring all ingredients to a rapid boil in a small saucepan. Let boil for 5 minutes. Remove from heat and keep stirring (kind of vigorously) until all bubbles are gone. Spoon over cake.

And just to be over-the-top decadent, I serve each slice with a bit of caramel sauce! (oh, and to be technical, a sauce is not REALLLLY a caramel sauce if it is made with brown sugar. Technically you have to brown white sugar to create caramel sauce. A sauce using brown sugar such as this one is really a butterscotch sauce...just trivia for you)

Caramel Sauce:
3/4 cup butter
1 1/2 cup brown sugar
1/2 tsp salt
1 1/2 tsp vanilla
3/4 cup heavy cream

Melt butter, brown sugar, and salt. Bring to a boil while stirring with whisk. Remove from heat. whisk in cream and vanilla.
You wont use all of this sauce. you can keep it in the fridge to put on ice-cream, pound cake, or whatever. Soften it from the fridge either in the microwave, or set container in warm water.

Trader Tuesdays - on Wednesday

From Twitter today:
LEEXXXX @yankeemb ummm.... all talk and no recipe action? consider your wrist slapped. ;) Hope nothing bad happened... you ok? about 15 hours ago from web in reply to yankeemb

Nothing Bad happend, just, well, PTO happened.

So sorry about the Trader Tuesday fellow recipe lovers! My excuse is that it was the first PTO meeting of the year (my first meeting as president)...enough said? It was ca-ray-zeee around here! I thought Id post when I made it home after meeting and getting kids to bed...hahaha...I am so naive.

AAANNNDDD, there is the little matter that I am embarrassed to publish my recipe for the week in light of the fact that 3 of the Tuesday Traders are real Louisianans, not just people from the near-to-Louisiana gulf coast like myself. However, I am too damn tired to think of a new one, so here is my Cheater's version of Red Beans and Rice. It is SUPER QUICK and EASY, yet is still my husband's favorite dinner. I make sure to get this on the stove simmering before he comes home if he is mad at or annoyed with me. The smell hits him in the garage before he even walks into the house. He walks in the door with a smile. (If Ive REALLY pissed him off, I pour a really cold Abita into a frosty mug when I hear the garage door go up signaling his arrival) The kids all love it too - the beans, not the beer.

Cheater's Red Beans and Rice

• 1 -2 cloves garlic (to your taste)
• 1 lb smoked sausage (or whatever kind you like - andouille, hot, whatever, but plain 'ol smoked sausage will do )
• 1 medium onion (or 1/2 large) ( I don't like it too onion-y)
• 3 cans light red kidney beans
• 1 cup chicken broth
• 1 1/2 tsp Creole Seasoning ( I use Tony's)
• 1 small bay leaf
• a few dashes Louisiana style hot sauce (Tabasco, Louisiana, Crystal (my favorite), or another)
• A bit of olive oil
  

Finely chop onion. Slice sausage. (I like to cut my round slices into halves or fourths - I like smaller pieces of sausage, but you can leave them bigger if you like).

Heat enough oil in dutch oven to sweat the onion. After the onions have been in for a minute or two, add in the sausage and brown the onion and sausage together. When close to browned, add in your garlic. Finish browning. Then, add in your chicken broth to your hot pan, being sure to scrape up any of that yummy brown goodness sticking to the bottom of the pan. Then add in your 3, undrained, cans of beans. Stir in your seasoning, hot sauce, and bay leaf. Bring close to, but not quite to a boil. Then simmer for about 30 minutes covered. Then simmer for about 30-45 minutes uncovered. This sounds like a long time, but it is basically hands off for all of that simmering time except for the very occasional stir of the pot.

When you are ready, cook up some long grain rice. Serve beans over rice. I usually serve this up with some crusty French bread and a spinach salad. Leftovers are great and my boys love to take them for lunch at school. (consider this link to be additional kitchen help to make up for my tardiness in Tuesday trading!)

Okay, I'm off to do more PTO work and iron shirts for the fugliest formal uniform in the history of uniforms. (hate thursdays!) Once I get a little more caught up (when the hell is that going to be?*%$#!?#!) I plan to start a new series of posts. I was looking through my recent posts and archives and noticed that I sound a little too "perfect mommy - muffiaish" OOOH NO! Not so! So, I'm going to post some installments of "Greater Moments in Parenting" and some installments of "Lesser Moments in Parenting." You all have to promise to not call CPS though, okay?