The. Best. Tomatoes. Ever

 Okay. Maybe not the best ever. Its hard to beat the taste of a mid summer, vine ripened garden tomato. But, these babies are the best out of season tomatoes you will ever eat!! Its hard to believe that paring barely edible grape tomatoes with just a few pantry ingredients together in the oven for several hours get you this fantastically flavorful treat! I love to serve these on toasted french bread (drizzle thinly sliced french bread with olive oil and toast in a 350 degree oven until lightly brown and crunchy) with just a little crumbled goat cheese. Heaven in your mouth!!

Ingredients:

cherry or grape tomatoes

whole cloves garlic, unpeeled

olive oil

kosher salt

fresh coarse ground black pepper

fresh herbs, chopped, if using (I like to use rosemary or thyme)

Directions:

Preheat oven to 225 degrees.

Slice tomatoes in half lengthwise. Place them in a large bowl along with the garlic cloves. Drizzle with olive oil, enough to coat them well. Sprinkle with salt, pepper and chopped herbs if using.

Lightly oil a rimmed baking sheet with olive oil. Place tomatoes, cut side up, on the prepared pan. Drizzle with a little more olive oil and season again if needed.

 

Roast in the oven for 2 ½ -3 hours, or until tomatoes are shriveled with just a little juice left inside–this could take more or less time depending on the size of your tomatoes. Allow to cool enough to handle and then pop the garlic cloves out of their skin.

You can eat them right away or place them in an airtight container with a little extra olive oil and refrigerate. They will keep for a few weeks, but mine never last more than a day or two!!

Get your beads baby!!

Bill and I spent some time in New Orleans, pre-Katrina and I fell in love with the city. The culture, the food, the architecture, the music, the people...well with the exception of the very scary voodoo priestess who grabbed me in the mall bathroom and preceded to tell me I smelled of cancer and was about to die. Yeah...

We stayed in a beautiful hotel on Bourbon Street and I was amazed when, on a Thursday night at 5 pm sharp, the police blocked the street off to traffic and the party began. And lasted all night! Streets back open to traffic again at 5am. This happens every night of the week. Amazing.

There are a few things you won't go without while visiting New Orleans. Music. Alcohol. Food. Every where you turn there is an open door with Creole or Zydeco music pouring out. Every business down Bourbon street seemed to have a walk up bar serving the “Best Hurricanes Around”. You never left a restaurant hungry. Two of the most popular offerings I remember were gumbo and Hurricanes. Even the McDonalds sold these NOLA specialties!

In honor of Fat Tuesday, I wanted to try to make these for the family, well the gumbo anyway! The Hurricanes are just for mommy and daddy!!

So, gather up your beads, its Mardi Gras baby!!

Hurricane Heather

Ingredients

6 ounces amaretto liqueur

4 ounces light rum

4 ounces dark rum

4 ounces coconut rum (I prefer Malibu)

24 ounces orange juice

24 ounces pineapple juice

4 teaspoons lemon juice

grenadine syrup, to taste

1 orange, sliced into rounds or wedges

maraschino cherries

In a large pitcher, mix the amaretto, rums and juices. Stir in grenadine syrup to your taste. Pour over ice and garnish with orange and cherries. Enjoy!!

Zydeco Gumbo

Ingredients:

1 tablespoon olive oil

2 skinless, boneless chicken breast

halves-cup into bite size pieces

1 pound andouille sausage links, cut into bite size pieces (or sub any spicy sausage link)

1 cup olive oil

1 cup all-purpose flour

2 tablespoons minced garlic

3 quarts chicken broth

1 (12 fluid ounce) can or bottle beer

6 stalks celery, diced

4 roma (plum) tomatoes, diced

1 sweet onion, sliced

1 (10 ounce) can diced tomatoes with

green chile peppers, with liquid

2 tablespoons chopped fresh jalapeno pepper

1 bunch fresh parsley, chopped

1/4 cup Cajun seasoning

1 pound shrimp, peeled and deveined

Directions:

Heat oil in a medium skillet over medium high heat, and cook chicken until no longer pink and juices run clear. Stir in sausage, and cook until evenly browned. Drain chicken and sausage, and set aside.

In a large, heavy stockpot over medium heat, blend olive oil and flour to create a roux. Stir constantly until browned and bubbly, about 25-30 minutes. (This is a very important step. Don't skip it! The longer the roux cooks the more flavorful your gumbo will be.) Mix in garlic, and cook about 1 minute.

Gradually stir chicken broth and beer into the roux mixture. Bring to a boil, and mix in celery, tomatoes, sweet onion, diced tomatoes, jalapenos peppers, parsley, and Cajun seasoning. Reduce heat, cover, and simmer about 40 minutes, stirring often.

Mix chicken, sausage, and shrimp into the broth mixture. Cook, stirring frequently, until shrimp is thoroughly cooked, approximately 15-20 minutes.

Serve over hot white rice.  Enjoy!! And remember to throw some beads to your cook!! ;-)

Bacon, Egg and Cheese Breakfast Bake

 

Bacon.  Eggs.  Cheese.  Bread.  Ingredients that my household loves.  They team up in this hearty breakfast dish and are a crowd pleaser! It would also make a great busy weeknight dinner.  The big boys added a few dashes of hot sauce and my little man had to have extra cheese! I hope your family enjoys this hearty breakfast!

Bacon, Egg and Cheese Breakfast Bake

1 pound french bread (or any crusty bread) cut into 1" cubes (about 14 cups)
1/3 cup extra-virgin olive oil
1 pound sliced applewood smoked bacon or other good quality smoked bacon, cut into 1/2" pieces
1 large onion, halved and thinly sliced

1 28 ounce can diced Italian tomatoes-drained and patted dry
8 oz extra-sharp cheddar, shredded
8 oz Monterey Jack cheese, shredded
2 Tablespoons minced chives
1-3/4 cups chicken broth
6-8 large eggs

Salt to taste

Ground black pepper to taste

Preheat oven to 350^o F.  Lightly oil a 9 x 13 glass baking dish.  In a large bowl, toss the bread with the olive oil and spread on a large rimmed baking sheet.  Bake for about 20 minutes, tossing once or twice, until the bread is golden and lightly crispy.

Meanwhile, in a large skillet, cook the bacon over moderately high heat, stirring occasionally, until crisp, about 10 minutes.  Transfer the bacon to paper towels to drain: reserve 2 Tablespoons of the fat in the skillet.

Add the onion to the skillet and cook over moderate heat, stirring occasionally, until softened, about 8 minutes.  Add the tomatoes and cook until liquid is evaporated, about 5 minutes.

Return the toasted bread cubes to the bowl.  Add the contents of the skillet, along with the bacon, shredded cheeses, chives and broth.  Stir until the bread is evenly moistened.  Spread the mixture in the baking dish and cover with lightly oiled foil.

Bake the bread mixture in the center of the oven for 30 minutes.  Remove the foil and bake until the top is crispy, about 15 minutes longer.  Carefully remove the baking dish from the oven and using a ladle, press 6 indentations into the bread mixture (you can do 8 if you want to).  Crack an egg into each indentation. Salt and pepper the eggs to you taste. Return the dish to the oven and bake for about 10-15 minutes, until the egg whites are set but the yolks are still runny.  Cook longer if you do not want runny yolks. 

Serve right away while it's warm.

Confucius says...

Make your own fortune cookies!!! These were so much better than any packaged fortune cookie! You can add your own cute fortunes or sayings. These make Chinese night at home a little extra special and they would be great for a party!! Try them tonight!!

Almond Lemon Fortune Cookies

2 large egg whites

½ teaspoon pure vanilla extract

½ teaspoon pure almond extract

1 teaspoon lemon zest

3 tablespoons vegetable oil

8 tablespoons all-purpose flour

1½ teaspoon cornstarch

¼ teaspoon kosher salt

8 tablespoons granulated sugar

3 teaspoon water

Write or print fortunes on pieces of card stock or heavy paper. Fortunes need to be about 3 inches long, they can be folded in half if needed. Preheat oven to 300 degrees Fahrenheit.

In a medium bowl, lightly beat the egg white, vanilla extract, almond extract, lemon zest and vegetable oil until frothy, but not stiff.

Sift the flour, cornstarch, salt and sugar into a separate bowl. Stir the water into the flour mixture.

Add the flour into the egg white mixture and stir until you have a smooth batter. The batter should not be runny, but should drop easily off a spoon.

Place one tablespoon of batter onto a silicone baking mat (or a well greased baking sheet), spacing them at least 3 inches apart. Gently use the back of the back of a spoon to make circular motions on the surface of the batter to form circles with a diameter of about 3.5”.

Bake until the outer 1/2-inch of each cookie turns golden brown and they are easy to remove from the baking sheet with a spatula (11– 14 minutes). Watch them closely!

Working quickly, remove the cookie with a spatula and flip it over in your hand. Place a fortune in the middle of a cookie. To form the fortune cookie shape, fold the cookie in half, then gently pull the edges downward over the rim of a glass, wooden spoon or the edge of a muffin tin. Place the finished cookie in the cup of the muffin tin so that it keeps its shape. Continue with the rest of the cookies.

Makes about 14 cookies.

Chinese take out...from your kitchen!!

Crab Rangoon...its on every Chinese buffet from here to Kalamazoo. We all love them. Even though they rarely contain more than a tiny flake of crab meat (usually imitation crab at that)! These deep fried cheese bites are usually served with a side of unnaturally red sauce labeled sweet and sour. Admit it...you love them too.

I decided to make my own crab rangoon and sweet and sour sauce. They were much easier than I expected and they tasted great! The sweet and sour sauce is great as well. It can be used on many Chinese dishes.

Crab Rangoon

8 ounces cream cheese, softened

½ pound fresh crab meat (can use canned, drained and flaked or imitation)

½ teaspoon soy sauce

½ teaspoon Worcestershire sauce

½ teaspoon grated fresh ginger

½ teaspoon fresh lemon juice

2 green onions, thinly sliced

fresh ground black pepper

Wonton skins

Wonton Glue

1 egg yolk

2 tablespoons water

1 tablespoon cornstarch

Peanut oil for frying

In a large bowl, combine the fresh crab meat with the cream cheese. Fold in the remaining ingredients up to the wonton wrappers. Taste for seasoning and set aside.

Create the wonton “glue” by dissolving the cornstarch in the 2 tablespoons of water. Add the egg yolk and stir until well-incorporated and smooth. Set sealing mixture aside.

Place a wonton wrapper on a work surface and fill it with 1 heaping teaspoon of the crab filling. Dip your finger in the wonton glue and lightly paint the border of the wonton wrapper. There are several ways to fold the wontons. The easiest way to fold these is to make them into triangles. Fold over the edges of the wrapper to create a triangle while encasing the crab filling, pressing to seal the edges with your fingertips. Using the back of a fork, ensure that the wontons are sealed by gently crimping the borders to create a fluted edge. I like to take the opposite corners and pinch them. Then pick up the other two sides and press them together. Just make sure the edges are all sealed to insure no filling leaks out when you fry them. Repeat with remaining wrappers.

Preheat oven to 200°.Heat peanut oil in a large, heavy-bottomed pot until it reaches the temperature of 350°. Working in batches, fry the wontons until crispy and golden brown, about 3-4 minutes. You will need to stir and flip the wontons to make sure they fry evenly. Drain the wontons on paper towels and keep them warm in the oven while you continue frying. Serve warm with sweet and sour dipping sauce.

Sweet and Sour Sauce

5 tablespoons white sugar

½ teaspoon salt

4 tablespoons white vinegar

3 tablespoons soy sauce

2 tablespoons cooking sherry

3 tablespoons ketchup

2 tablespoons peanut oil

1 clove garlic, peeled and lightly crushed

1 tablespoon cornstarch

3 tablespoons water

1 tablespoon sesame oil

½ cup water

Combine the sugar, salt, vinegar, soy, sherry, and ketchup in a bowl and stir until sugar is dissolved. In a separate small bowl, combine the cornstarch, 3 tablespoons water and the sesame oil and set aside.

Heat the peanut oil in a medium saucepan set over moderate heat until hot. Add in the garlic and stir, pressing on the clove until aromatic and lightly browned.

Pour in the sauce slowly and stir until the liquid comes to a boil. Turn the heat down to low and add in the cornstarch mixture, stirring until sauce begins to thicken. Add in the ½ cup water slowly, stirring until the sauce is smooth and bubbly. Turn off the heat and set aside to cool. The sauce can be made in advance as it holds well in the refrigerator for many days.

After cooking a huge Valentines Day meal that my children deemed “fancy food”, I thought I better pull out something they would love. I struggle with finding that happy medium, I cook something the kids are bonkers over and I get the “Oh no...look” from the husband. The supper gods must have sensed my stress!! I checked my email one last time before heading out to get groceries and this little gem was in my inbox! I knew that everyone would be happy with this recipe. And they were! I served this with a side of black beans and rice, a sprinkle of fresh chopped cilantro, a little sliced avocado and jalapenos. I hope your family enjoys this as well!

Photo courtesy The Noble Pig

Chicken Frito Pie

Recipe adapted from The Noble Pig

3 Tablespoons vegetable oil
2 pounds boneless, skinless chicken thighs, cut into 1-1/2" pieces
1 yellow onion, diced
3 gloves garlic, crushed
1 Tablespoon chili powder
1 cups chicken broth
2 (4 oz) can chopped green chiles
2 (15 oz) cans cannellini beans (or Great Northern), drained and rinsed
2-1/2 cups Fritos, divided
2 cups grated Monterey Jack cheese

Preheat oven to 350^o F. In a large heavy bottomed pot, heat oil over medium high. Season chicken with salt and pepper, then brown on both sides. Remove to a plate. Add onion, garlic and chili powder to pot, stirring; saute until tender.

Return chicken to pot, stir in broth, green chiles and beans. Bring to a boil, reduce to a simmer (uncovered) and cook for 30 minutes over medium heat, stirring occasionally until most of the liquid evaporates.

Add 1-1/2 cups Fritos to a 2 quart casserole. Top with chicken mixture, remaining Fritos and cheese. Bake for 15 minutes or until lightly brown and bubbly.

Love is in the air!

Valentine's Day was never my favorite holiday. That is until I met the love of my life. We try to make every day Valentine's Day, but on February 14^th we do a little something extra to show each other how much we love them. I will admit I'm super hard to buy for. I don't hint around, I don't make lists. Most guys would love to have a wife or girlfriend tell them “You don't have to buy me anything!” My husband however, HATES this about me! He said I drive him crazy by not helping him with gift ideas. I don't know if its because I'm not super girlie, or if I was just raised to believe that material things don't matter. They are just things. I'd much rather have a home cooked meal than an expensive dinner out. I'd rather have a homemade card than a $5 Hallmark. The best birthday cake I ever had was one that my kids made from a cake mix. I think that if you take the time to sit down and think of an idea and to actually make it with your hands and heart, that is far better than anything money can buy. I can't wait to give Bill what I made for him this year!! (I will post pics too!)

So this year for Will's Valentine's Day class party we are making edible treats. I decided to make a very special cupcake and use those as his valentines. We did a trial run, can't risk handing out icky valentine treats! This recipe was a huge success! I absolutely love anything with vanilla bean in it so these cupcakes are heavenly to me. Laffy Taffy Butter Cream Icing...awesome!! Not to mention the sweet heart surprise inside! The kids devoured them! These do take a little bit of work but it is so worth it!

Vanilla Bean Cupcake Batter Ingredients:
Recipe adapted from Bake It In a Cake

1 1/2 sticks unsalted butter, room temperature
1 1/2 c. granulated sugar
3 eggs
2 t. baking powder
1/2 t. baking soda
1/4 t. salt
1/2 vanilla bean
2 1/2 c. flour
1 1/3 c. whole milk
red or pink food coloring
Laffy Taffy Butter Cream Ingredients:
10 pieces of strawberry or cherry Laffy Taffy candy
2 T. heavy cream
2 sticks unsalted butter, room temperature
2 c. powdered sugar
CAKE DIRECTIONS:
Preheat the oven to 350 degrees (F).
Mix the butter and sugar together at medium speed until fluffy. Add the eggs, one at a time, mixing until creamy. Be sure to scrape down the sides of the bowl so everything gets well combined. Split vanilla bean down the center and gently scrape out all the seeds. Add the baking soda, baking powder, salt, and vanilla bean seeds and mix until the batter is smooth. Finally, alternate between the flour and milk, beating on med-high speed until the batter is light and creamy.
Pour about 1 1/2 cups of batter into a smaller bowl. Add red or pink food coloring until you get your desired color. Pour the batter into a non-stick (or lightly greased) 8x8 baking pan and bake for about 20 minutes until the edges of the cake start to turn golden brown and a toothpick inserted into the center of the cake comes out clean.
Allow to cool completely.
Once the sheet cake is cool, loosen the edges away from the pan with a knife and then invert the pan onto a cutting board. Use a small heart-shaped cookie cutter to cut out a dozen cake hearts that are small enough to fit into an average-sized cupcake pan.  (My cutter is about 2 inches wide.)
Spoon two heaping tablespoons of the remaining batter into paper-lined cupcake tins, so they’re about half-full. Put one heart into each tin and press it point down into the batter. Keep all the hearts facing forward in the pan. Cover with another teaspoon of batter and bake for 24 minutes or until done. Remember that the center cake is already done so test for doneness on the side of the cupcake. Allow to cool completely before frosting. Pay close attention and keep the cupcakes facing the same direction. It is crucial to keep them facing the correct direction so that when you bite into the cake you will see the heart. Otherwise you will just see a pink blob!

ICING DIRECTIONS:

Melt the taffy and the heavy cream together in a small bowl for one minute on high, stirring every 20 seconds. Stir the mixture together until it’s smooth, then stick it in the fridge so it cools a bit (the cream will keep it from hardening).
In a mixing bowl, whip the butter until it’s smooth. Add the powdered sugar, a half cup at a time, whipping until fluffy. Finally, with the mixer on medium-low, drizzle in the melted and cooled taffy mixture. When it’s all in, turn the mixer up to high and whip the frosting until it’s fluffy. If you’d like, add a little pink or red food coloring to get the desired shade. Then frost! I like to add little valentine candies to the top of the frosted cupcakes. This not only looks cute and festive it also shows you what direction you bite the cupcake to insure you see the heart inside!!