tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-91378047579503807942024-03-14T10:48:17.437-04:00Cooking SquaredMiragihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01374321412520155636noreply@blogger.comBlogger72125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9137804757950380794.post-64623097603919619132021-01-19T10:00:00.001-05:002021-01-19T10:00:04.310-05:00Shuffling Off to Buffalo Chicken Pasta <p> A lot of things I share, I have made only once ... Not because they suck but because have you SEEN the sheer volume of recipes out there? I mean ... How can I NOT make something different every time I cook? 😁 This time around it was this recipe (or one like it. Again, it's been centuries since I made this): </p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://drizzlemeskinny.com/buffalo-chicken-pasta-bake/" rel="nofollow" target="_blank"><span style="font-size: large;"><b>Drizzle Me Skinny's Buffalo Chicken Pasta Bake</b></span></a><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">If you're pressed for time, get your pasta water boiling, get all the ingreeeeeeedients out, then add pasta to the water, and THEN put together the Buffalo sauce. (See the link above for the complete recipe). As you can see, it's fairly simple. No fancy additives at all. </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhgrdw386-_bY3yMP0uj7bPDaquQi0ARS8CjOzDjCIBYGseum6wQ2dIBGIO86pPXNqn1faJgxi8SXqWJP6TrhHiwK_2hQxGlaBajDA5cFPmHtxfl0TPuwzV-9TlaPCedcmKctJNsgXGNroD/s2048/20140401_191733.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1536" data-original-width="2048" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhgrdw386-_bY3yMP0uj7bPDaquQi0ARS8CjOzDjCIBYGseum6wQ2dIBGIO86pPXNqn1faJgxi8SXqWJP6TrhHiwK_2hQxGlaBajDA5cFPmHtxfl0TPuwzV-9TlaPCedcmKctJNsgXGNroD/s320/20140401_191733.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><div><br /></div><div>The green onions are my modification, mainly for garnish, but also, because onions ... You could toss the whites into the sauce, or just use the tops for garnish. Have you way with them. </div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgjQVoJM8UFRfm6VEDFYRjLANiwBytm8_Os9qRGa0JY9bfu1jG0foiCbOfk4P0sJTLU8PKwA17gk1v16MrGS7UGS3pt8nPSYCefbVRrMOFlgwqdzs9aIfs6Hki7oqjeFKRypqqw9yj9upKu/s2048/20140401_193839.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1536" data-original-width="2048" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgjQVoJM8UFRfm6VEDFYRjLANiwBytm8_Os9qRGa0JY9bfu1jG0foiCbOfk4P0sJTLU8PKwA17gk1v16MrGS7UGS3pt8nPSYCefbVRrMOFlgwqdzs9aIfs6Hki7oqjeFKRypqqw9yj9upKu/s320/20140401_193839.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">Getting saucy ... </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhsoh8_iqcKlqqyDz6LIAP7pCYuWo3e4A1tFfP-xWfmZcO-U7T78kHi_n2YxlYrfosaQNYRwyq_dl_kLZ21ja8WBbf6Vz6dkBviP-Obt0xzPt_W7hyphenhyphen5iU4app4bfcDw0WYR7qLAxI2R54wE/s2048/20140401_192240.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1536" data-original-width="2048" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhsoh8_iqcKlqqyDz6LIAP7pCYuWo3e4A1tFfP-xWfmZcO-U7T78kHi_n2YxlYrfosaQNYRwyq_dl_kLZ21ja8WBbf6Vz6dkBviP-Obt0xzPt_W7hyphenhyphen5iU4app4bfcDw0WYR7qLAxI2R54wE/s320/20140401_192240.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">Stir in the chicken. </div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgTzqZC5GaZr4TpcjuPeRMMI2CX1ZXU0U1bH5i-eiSW67SbrzU0Gv9llaCuhobOIlN-oT7dz_Rl25jSBcTaq96phyphenhyphenahEbA-pP4tn_BP0y58BXrUkerni81g1XpIzdW5dGAyizoVvot7Tpnt/s2048/20140401_192721.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2048" data-original-width="1536" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgTzqZC5GaZr4TpcjuPeRMMI2CX1ZXU0U1bH5i-eiSW67SbrzU0Gv9llaCuhobOIlN-oT7dz_Rl25jSBcTaq96phyphenhyphenahEbA-pP4tn_BP0y58BXrUkerni81g1XpIzdW5dGAyizoVvot7Tpnt/s320/20140401_192721.jpg" /></a></div><div><br /></div><div>Once everything is nicely coated throw the cooked and drained pasta in with the sauce, give it a whirl or five, then put it in your baking dish of choice. </div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgnKBlOVJRIG-6qTks-ObzPzsAF3dl6Ayu106fmyeLDhvZHPNYy9kxN6BtXu_7bJF33mJOI9XnrUvvCfNcasDd9ILG9PgVlejSFkUtsrHNVTvsKKYzUR0AccOhTfPRNI5aLUUVww53NnR5I/s2048/20140401_192921.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2048" data-original-width="1536" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgnKBlOVJRIG-6qTks-ObzPzsAF3dl6Ayu106fmyeLDhvZHPNYy9kxN6BtXu_7bJF33mJOI9XnrUvvCfNcasDd9ILG9PgVlejSFkUtsrHNVTvsKKYzUR0AccOhTfPRNI5aLUUVww53NnR5I/s320/20140401_192921.jpg" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><blockquote style="border: none; margin: 0 0 0 40px; padding: 0px;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div></blockquote></div><div>Conversely, you could probably cut out the baking time, and just cook things right there in the skillet, let the sauce "reduce" for 5-10 minutes, on a medium heat, and serve it straight out the skillet. Just saying, because that's probably what I did. I also did not add the shredded cheese to the top. Personal choice. Make it your own! </div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi-lX5Glt2WVdL-uRs8OOClyvFZqcE2QfeZFMq7292-AYSMRDwLJ2LyGwxfnSHxnorxF9ycQhsDTiMx3sCpJP6gfBDnduLOa5FKSCIFkvDDgx69ZY-rXm_Zcfrn8zEiQhpVHw3yHwsTZ7-a/s2048/20140401_194726.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1536" data-original-width="2048" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi-lX5Glt2WVdL-uRs8OOClyvFZqcE2QfeZFMq7292-AYSMRDwLJ2LyGwxfnSHxnorxF9ycQhsDTiMx3sCpJP6gfBDnduLOa5FKSCIFkvDDgx69ZY-rXm_Zcfrn8zEiQhpVHw3yHwsTZ7-a/s320/20140401_194726.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><blockquote style="border: none; margin: 0 0 0 40px; padding: 0px;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">Sorry for the craptastic pictorial example. I know nothing of lighting. </div></blockquote><p>All in all, this was great for a quick meal. You can pair it with a vegetable of your choosing, like peas, or green beans, or broccoli, or a salad. Also, even though we cook for two here, you can make the entire recipe and use the rest for lunches, or snackables, or whatever you so choose. Do not ask me freezing. I am not food-freezing aficionado, nor expert. </p><p>ALSO, the canned chicken is not set in stone. You could use leftover meats from a rotisserie bird, or cook up a bunch of plain chicken boobs in your slow cooker, and use whatever the recipe calls for here, then use the rest of the chicken for other meals. Everything is flexible. </p><p>Finally, let me tell you about a little skillet I got for Christmas one year. It's a Greenpan 11- or 12-inch (or maybe even larger) with a lid that looks a bit like this one. </p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://www.amazon.com/GreenPan-CC000670-001-Valencia-Toxin-Free-Dishwasher/dp/B074CVZ7MM/ref=as_li_ss_il?hvadid=198075681105&hvpos=&hvnetw=g&hvrand=9081817142103761874&hvpone=&hvptwo=&hvqmt=&hvdev=c&hvdvcmdl=&hvlocint=&hvlocphy=9016306&hvtargid=pla-362354359648&th=1&linkCode=li3&tag=reabetmylin-20&linkId=83ac612250ffdab42c138cfdca2c5243&language=en_US" style="text-align: left;" target="_blank"><img border="0" src="//ws-na.amazon-adsystem.com/widgets/q?_encoding=UTF8&ASIN=B074CVZ7MM&Format=_SL250_&ID=AsinImage&MarketPlace=US&ServiceVersion=20070822&WS=1&tag=reabetmylin-20&language=en_US" /></a><img alt="" border="0" height="1" src="https://ir-na.amazon-adsystem.com/e/ir?t=reabetmylin-20&language=en_US&l=li3&o=1&a=B074CVZ7MM" style="border: none; margin: 0px; text-align: left;" width="1" /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">I don't believe I've ever owned such a cooking device that is so durable, and so versatile, and has taken years of abuse with only a few minor dings. If you want a pan that will serve you honorable for decades, I believe this would be your match. If you're thinking about, or you have gone minimalist, and you need to whittle down your cookware collection, this one will take the place of at least two. </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">If you want to check out more about it, click on the picture. Please note, this IS an Amazon affiliate link, but there are plenty of other Greenpan resources out there with a click of your Google machine. :) </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div>Miragihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01374321412520155636noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9137804757950380794.post-4145257273159464332021-01-17T17:00:00.001-05:002021-01-17T17:00:04.996-05:00Sweet, Sweet Taters (of the Fry Varietal) <p> My first time ever having a sweet potato "fry" was at a now-defunct diner called Uncle Fud's somewhere between here and Findlay. They were, of course, deep-fried in that oh-so-lovely-restaurant-grade cooking oil, and crinkle cut, and mostly overcooked, but damn, were they good! </p><p>Of course, knowing I don't own a deep fryer, nor do I want to eat fried foods all day, every day, I wanted to make them at home, in a mostly healthier manner. I cannot recall the precise recipe I found online back then, but it was something like this: </p><p style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: large;"><a href="https://www.simplyrecipes.com/recipes/oven_baked_sweet_potato_fries/" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Oven-Baked Sweet Potato Fries</a></span></p><p style="text-align: left;"><i>Whenever I am in a pinch, and searching for recipes, Simply Recipes is usually a good starting point, and they usually are in the top rankings whenever you google anything recipe-related. </i></p><p style="text-align: center;"><br /></p><p style="text-align: left;">My number-one hint for making the best, most consistent "fries" is to make sure they're cut evenly. These weren't and therefore did not cook evenly. The best way to get a consistent shape is to cut the previously peeled sweet potato into some format of a rectangle (it is a long potato!) so you have four smooth sides-</p><p style="text-align: left;"><br /></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhKe7Tjy2cEalSeL697sWluh2UeaHwqOowBUvo01lMLc0sDww5IPmB8wqHP52rhkwksVj89cl9KPmZ7JTX-tnu6NvkxGInU9kMYnHIVjfiYAkloJCFS6Hz26pp90SzLu3fNHd__Akasd6TB/s629/Tater+Cutting+101.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="629" data-original-width="507" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhKe7Tjy2cEalSeL697sWluh2UeaHwqOowBUvo01lMLc0sDww5IPmB8wqHP52rhkwksVj89cl9KPmZ7JTX-tnu6NvkxGInU9kMYnHIVjfiYAkloJCFS6Hz26pp90SzLu3fNHd__Akasd6TB/s320/Tater+Cutting+101.jpg" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><span style="text-align: left;">Then, slice that rectangle into four to six, or however many slabs, depending on your desired fry size, and cut each slab into four to six fries, also depending on your desired outcome. <i>Disclaimer: I cannot draw a straight line on paper, nor digitally, but it was lovely color choice, closely matching the true color of the </i></span><i>Ipomoea batatas</i></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="text-align: left;"><br /></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEixeewf1vuJgNEW-gbugJ_FswvuPLV34hcIbWZQGJDi5pE5tAKQyulOb8e7bs7NdVdeIZQfK0P5OWORYbe_ij-R918i-nwRU86v1RgJ93RF1xL7f9f-MsEBT4jLsohIbgCZ81CerI09Z52L/s629/Fry+Guide.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="629" data-original-width="507" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEixeewf1vuJgNEW-gbugJ_FswvuPLV34hcIbWZQGJDi5pE5tAKQyulOb8e7bs7NdVdeIZQfK0P5OWORYbe_ij-R918i-nwRU86v1RgJ93RF1xL7f9f-MsEBT4jLsohIbgCZ81CerI09Z52L/s320/Fry+Guide.jpg" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="text-align: left;"><i>Pro tip: Give the scraps to your canine children, especially if you back the scraps on a low heat, and make them even chewier, or dice them to make a sweet potato hash. </i></span></div><p style="text-align: center;">This is a picture of random slicing that results in randomly cooked/burnt fries. Don't do this, unless you like burnt fries. </p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEifnfjBqqmutkGut8SNPuHhQvDvMDdfyIcRZkDC-2ANBPPJEaqtJiq5_KfC56yzT7e8t_fWjDO_PriduOnzsZyMOWiZdSw9OiSOtQVZTBphFpBFJADJzD4RpvVBSKZqBR7bU6qkMFbU1-a0/s527/cutuptaterswm.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="489" data-original-width="527" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEifnfjBqqmutkGut8SNPuHhQvDvMDdfyIcRZkDC-2ANBPPJEaqtJiq5_KfC56yzT7e8t_fWjDO_PriduOnzsZyMOWiZdSw9OiSOtQVZTBphFpBFJADJzD4RpvVBSKZqBR7bU6qkMFbU1-a0/s320/cutuptaterswm.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">Seasoned here with skosher salt, and coarse-ground pepper, and coated with a tablespoon or two of oil. I cannot remember precisely what kind of oil I used, but I can tell you, indubitably, that you probably want to avoid olive oil when backing at seriously high temps, above 400F. The smell is atrocious! Canola oil, or even an oil spray would work just fine. </div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhp62cenxupjddZ1IzPYCwQLp2swc9qdxjT3OZUyB3C3Tnsp8Tr829yP_oUqmXvYNTLjuWxQo_wg4uhlGW1MqARL_efgcBAi1TdNjfZeozgNg79-RwMCNL0vKXo0koszbnbsSWE9sHkn-j3/s612/seasonedtaterswm.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="612" data-original-width="612" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhp62cenxupjddZ1IzPYCwQLp2swc9qdxjT3OZUyB3C3Tnsp8Tr829yP_oUqmXvYNTLjuWxQo_wg4uhlGW1MqARL_efgcBAi1TdNjfZeozgNg79-RwMCNL0vKXo0koszbnbsSWE9sHkn-j3/s320/seasonedtaterswm.jpg" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">Assemble the fries on the baking sheet of your choice in a neat and orderly fashion to allow the heat to get everywhere with a modicum of efficiency. The link above calls for 450F (preheated) at 15-25 minutes, with a toss half way through. </div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjSRJjiSddPrvcZEqdlQD-hi_T66nqEow-DeRxYlSt73CrpFH2z5sW9IOX2R2M35owtxHQOZUFTmpU-fgphAgXThZrR7cxVtOUJrcnstRy02ec-N7pUmXvfbwz3G-3iDqBP-Us0kg1jOwrD/s749/bakingtaterswm.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="506" data-original-width="749" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjSRJjiSddPrvcZEqdlQD-hi_T66nqEow-DeRxYlSt73CrpFH2z5sW9IOX2R2M35owtxHQOZUFTmpU-fgphAgXThZrR7cxVtOUJrcnstRy02ec-N7pUmXvfbwz3G-3iDqBP-Us0kg1jOwrD/s320/bakingtaterswm.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div>Dipping sauce = mayo, mustard, and honey, whisked. </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEieOeHQ9c5I2ljKRjJ1Xy6h9MFVZfZk1O9pcGEH7Koix6SlWCVbCL0wktFQfGpAkINGgp2tBQrmauEMwKTRH9VfSM-qo_l3dc7xaqT_VhtCnTskB8lRNPBXIpz4mI2IrrMhPymN_48E5rKG/s444/honeymustardmayowm.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="444" data-original-width="444" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEieOeHQ9c5I2ljKRjJ1Xy6h9MFVZfZk1O9pcGEH7Koix6SlWCVbCL0wktFQfGpAkINGgp2tBQrmauEMwKTRH9VfSM-qo_l3dc7xaqT_VhtCnTskB8lRNPBXIpz4mI2IrrMhPymN_48E5rKG/s320/honeymustardmayowm.jpg" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div>Here, you see the finished product before its descent into my stomach. </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg3k-xhLhEk0t-_MttIKKFFNtGk1gkI15ucdWUocZAnb2p7Jvwve6y86chhkMW4T-fcn4dH-hkWvj_pSecXz3AD8WC_lX4mXNhCVQqKAh4HknhcEWTrBSPPvIfWiNvOSz-Xcq-QWz6O6vnw/s445/finishedtaters.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="445" data-original-width="424" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg3k-xhLhEk0t-_MttIKKFFNtGk1gkI15ucdWUocZAnb2p7Jvwve6y86chhkMW4T-fcn4dH-hkWvj_pSecXz3AD8WC_lX4mXNhCVQqKAh4HknhcEWTrBSPPvIfWiNvOSz-Xcq-QWz6O6vnw/s320/finishedtaters.jpg" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">I'll be honest, I'd never had sweet potatoes with anything but a metric fuqueton of sugar and marshmallows, and the like, until that first time at Uncle Fud's, so the salt/pepper thing freaked me out a bit. However, it was a fairly tasty concoction. </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">This was also well before the arrival of air fryers, so I can't tell you the exact coordinates for that contraption, but if I ever do decide to make them in an air fryer, I'll update. Meanwhile, there are approximately 10,000 YouTube videos explaining air fryer cooking, so you're sure to find a suitable method there. </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">These are great as a side, or solo, or even for a meatless meal, with a salad on the side. Enjoy. 😁</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div></div><br /><br /><blockquote style="border: none; margin: 0px 0px 0px 40px; padding: 0px;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div></blockquote><p> </p><blockquote style="border: none; margin: 0px 0px 0px 40px; padding: 0px;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div></blockquote><br /><blockquote style="border: none; margin: 0px 0px 0px 40px; padding: 0px; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhtQ2amxnwj0tW34etWOsbGw5ejGzKJIopUhlbquzONmXq2NkOLEzIn1Of4Ejt2fsTHEkFMqzlfgknE_9vzDItOCjhmavrPOyOqtfo_ZMJ6jGHjeYOa94MBfkZN2GrqJjCbJ3fNQj_BxWUH/s444/honeymustardmayowm.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: center;"><br /></a></blockquote><p></p>Miragihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01374321412520155636noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9137804757950380794.post-68074349241622255482021-01-17T08:30:00.003-05:002021-01-17T08:47:39.849-05:00Train Kept a Rollin' <div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><iframe allowfullscreen="" class="BLOG_video_class" height="266" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/_EvGn22Mplg" width="320" youtube-src-id="_EvGn22Mplg"></iframe></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">That train, she definitely did keep a rollin'. It's been YEARS ... But here I am, back to share some of the food adventures I've had since 2017. There was a lot (A LOT) of chicken. There was some keto, and there was some not keto ... just food. </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">The focus remains the same - cooking for two - because it's what we still do. Pull up a chair, grab snacks, and enjoy the feast! ❤</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><i>Disclaimer of the highest proportion: Please keep in mind that the pictures published from here on out were taken over the course of at least six years, with anything from a Canon Sure Shot (or whatever it's called) to Samsung Galaxy phones of differing makes, a Moto Z, and some other phone that was complete shite, like an LG, or something, and currently, we're shooting with another Samsung Galaxy model. Point being, I am not a professional photographer, or food blogger. I work with what I've got, and I'm doing good if the shot is not blurry :D Rock on! </i></div>Miragihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01374321412520155636noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9137804757950380794.post-47824202760795242972017-12-02T08:11:00.001-05:002017-12-02T08:13:09.128-05:00All Dressed Up: Dairy-Free Keto Ranch Dressing <div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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Greetings. Recently, I discovered that <a href="http://justagutreaction.blogspot.com/2017/11/the-cows-went-home-and-left-me-here.html" target="_blank">dairy</a> (think sour cream, cheese, heavy whipping cream, etc.) is causing my body a tremendous amount of grief. As a person doing a ketogenic diet, you might think the death knells would be ringing for my keto-ing days. Au contraire, mon amis! Instead I am doing everything in my power to make sure I can continue producing the ketones that are making me the best version of myself, all while finding ways to sub out the dairy-laden products for much less inflammatory foodstuffs.<br />
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One thing that was a staple in my diet was my <a href="http://justagutreaction.blogspot.com/2017/08/the-best-homemade-ranch-dressing-yet.html" target="_blank">homemade keto-friendly ranch dressing</a>, replete with all kinds of sour cream, and heavy whipping cream. It was the bomb. All smooth, and creamy, and savory, and salty, and full of dairy goodness. It was a part of my everyday menu, at least six days a week. I do miss it. HOWEVER, I was lucky enough to find a very capable and laudable substitute that contains none of the aggravating dairy components. From KetoDiet Blog, it's called "<a href="https://ketodietapp.com/Blog/post/2015/07/08/fat-burning-salad-dressing" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Fat-Burning Salad Dressing</a> ..."<br />
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As you can see, the ingredients are fairly simple: mayo, healthy oil (I used extra light EVOO), herbs, garlic, and some salt and pepper ...<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgs0EjVMDGRa6Q5zqvhT-V9jfGoNi5F58HeoGeNcdSBtD6Wx90Py6GYp2xwg7ePN6Oqg9SkAGFycFqhylP8pXXhF25adJL8kfCErYYhjGR3BduYMWVhAntFrM85iSb32h9lvAznfyZlvr2B/s1600/IMG_20171129_185323514_HDR.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1370" data-original-width="1600" height="273" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgs0EjVMDGRa6Q5zqvhT-V9jfGoNi5F58HeoGeNcdSBtD6Wx90Py6GYp2xwg7ePN6Oqg9SkAGFycFqhylP8pXXhF25adJL8kfCErYYhjGR3BduYMWVhAntFrM85iSb32h9lvAznfyZlvr2B/s320/IMG_20171129_185323514_HDR.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
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The first time I made the Fat-Burning Salad Dressing, I followed the recipe precisely, which included Dijon mustard and lemon juice. I have to admit, it wasn't my favorite, but it was salty, and savory enough that I powered my way through the batch, because I wasn't going to throw out that much good oil, and herbs! She does list several variations, and though I did not use any of those ideas, I DID make a few of my own tweaks to come up with a very solid replacement for my previous salad accessory. </div>
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I bumped up the amount of mayo, and oil to 1/3 cup each, ignoring the MCT oil measurement, because I am out. I completely omitted the mustard, and cut the amount of lemon juice down to just a very small splash. My herbs included one green onion (scallion, spring onion, whatever you want to call it), a small bit of fresh dill, and probably three to four tablespoons of Italian parsley. I used chopped garlic, to the tune of about 1 teaspoon, because I absolutely hate trying to clean my garlic press without that little tool that pushes the garlic out of the holes. Then, I added a teaspoon each of salt and coarse-ground black pepper, onion powder, and garlic powder. </div>
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You could probably take the time to hand chop all the herbs and stir everything together with good result, but again, me=lazy, so I put my trusty <a href="http://amzn.to/2ADyov2" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Magic Bullet blender</a> to work. You get dressing in 30 seconds or less, no chopping involved. Well, that's a lie. I cut the green onion into a few smaller pieces, just to speed up the process. The way I made it, I ended up with probably a full cup (8 ounces) or more of dressing, which will last me an entire week, typically. </div>
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What results is this: </div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiTMUitgoeUJSK_8MWlwosqzgZfGnH2fvA9g5uVncEUXP1FbSbIy9lTxUlhwqIogqJdS_UtGaNqdK_I_-hRkZsDJE2i-13pguPxncygLMT_pWhlny0uBNKF_PYqSl1pLK2hT6AC0PM4tyGR/s1600/IMG_20171122_141011233_HDR.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiTMUitgoeUJSK_8MWlwosqzgZfGnH2fvA9g5uVncEUXP1FbSbIy9lTxUlhwqIogqJdS_UtGaNqdK_I_-hRkZsDJE2i-13pguPxncygLMT_pWhlny0uBNKF_PYqSl1pLK2hT6AC0PM4tyGR/s320/IMG_20171122_141011233_HDR.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
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Not sure why, but I think my version looks a whole lot better than the picture in KetoDiet Blog's recipe post. Maybe because I added less lemon juice and blended the bejesus out of it. Regardless, the flavor is perfect, and so absolutely versatile that I can make whatever dressing I want, with very few carbs, ZERO sugar, and full flavor. </div>
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All in all, I'd say this recipe is a must-try, even if you're not keto-ing, but you just want something that hasn't been processed or corn-syrup-ed to death. I promise you that making your own dressing is not expensive, it is not difficult, it is not time-consuming, and the more you make and consume your own creations, the more you will notice how not-good, and even disgusting mass-produced salad dressings can be. </div>
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So, check out KetoDiet Blog's Fat-Burning Dressing, <a href="https://ketodietapp.com/Blog/post/2015/07/08/fat-burning-salad-dressing" target="_blank">here</a>, give it a whirl, if you're in the market for a new dressing, and let me know what you think. </div>
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Rock on! </div>
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<br />Miragihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01374321412520155636noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9137804757950380794.post-34634009079431770412017-10-14T07:28:00.000-04:002017-10-14T07:28:48.252-04:00You Gotta Try This!: Tater Dots <div style="text-align: center;">
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If you are trying a low carb, or even keto lifestyle, one thing you really might want to find a good replacement for is mashed taters. The ultimate comfort staple, all warm and soft and full of ... Yeah, so anyway, one thing I really miss from my former eating life is mashed taters, and gravy. I haven't quite perfected keto versions of gravy yet, but I think I'm well on the way to keeping some semblance of comfort in my life with this recipe: </div>
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Dot rocks. Dot rocks a lot in her kitchen. Dot REALLY rocks with this recipe. I was so excited to try this because I'd made some semblance of a cheaper version of pot roast in the slow cooker, and it was screaming to be paired with mashed something. <br />
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Honestly, I got my food processor for Christmas probably decades ago. I was young, and ignorant, and never really found a reason to use it, so much so that it stayed hidden from view, and use, in the back of a bottom cupboard. Last year, in a fit of trying something new (vegetarianism), I broke it free from bondage to make my own salsa-type concoction, which is also pretty damned good. I digress. A lot. This year, since starting this whole ketogenic diet thing, I have discovered that it's a damned fine tool for shredding stuff, like zukes, and cauliflower, and for mashing things into a fine, tasty pulp. <br />
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This recipe, which puts your long ago abandoned food processor to very good use, is definitely higher in fat, and vegetable carbs, but it's worth it, even if you only use it for special occasions, which I will, mainly because I can't tolerate a constant influx of very high-fat foods. I will warn you, it is so rich ... and very filling. A little goes a long, long way. That being said, it is a heavenly recipe! <br />
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I think I probably screwed something up, because mine were a touch runnier in consistency, and I'm not sure what I will do to fix that next time I make them, but that flavor, though!!! Sigh. I get all warm and fuzzy just thinking about it. So, to keep this short, and sweet, if you're looking for a new way to feed your potato need, or you want to explore the wonderful world of cauliflower, I highly suggest starting with this recipe.<br />
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Miragihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01374321412520155636noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9137804757950380794.post-17036463503094033122016-01-05T06:15:00.001-05:002016-01-05T06:17:50.506-05:00Slow and Low: A Review of the Hamilton Beach 33182A 8-Quart Slow CookerYeah, it's been a long, long while, I know. Let's just say I was on hiatus, amassing some much needed kitchen equipment, and the urge to get back to cooking again. Life happens. Now that I'm back, I'd love to tell you about the most excellent gift my sister-in-law got for me this past Christmas. I've only had it a little under two weeks and already have put it to some great use. What am I talking about? Did you not read the title of this post? <br />
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This:<br />
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If you have an ad blocker, you won't see that Amazon image, but it's more like this in reality:<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg-CAJo9ftez59bNrrh6AbnYxcYDuS5PEDK0JRvqQ3gyHBwiMPIkbNTgnvPD2m7go1sAoEIct_bdPUwi8NNs4htSHV-Y60WLeKhgJI0wFfvlTbG74ubEMvVBC4UxQ-AdxNR8Q2JJMARJmle/s1600/Slow+Cooker+2016.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="296" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg-CAJo9ftez59bNrrh6AbnYxcYDuS5PEDK0JRvqQ3gyHBwiMPIkbNTgnvPD2m7go1sAoEIct_bdPUwi8NNs4htSHV-Y60WLeKhgJI0wFfvlTbG74ubEMvVBC4UxQ-AdxNR8Q2JJMARJmle/s320/Slow+Cooker+2016.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
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It's quite the upgrade from this: </div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjoFe_jrOdflm7I-nFwIWlB-KgqxbMoN8wBz6l8nIvhbR_CcNivTG_4dWlGNIfM-pQToR1LOO9LKcLx3Kxr910DRuRMneJ3A3B5_RZmURl18dejlXnjOjUCVUKf2dM33WM6i_mMh9Cgyoh-/s1600/Old+Crockpot.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjoFe_jrOdflm7I-nFwIWlB-KgqxbMoN8wBz6l8nIvhbR_CcNivTG_4dWlGNIfM-pQToR1LOO9LKcLx3Kxr910DRuRMneJ3A3B5_RZmURl18dejlXnjOjUCVUKf2dM33WM6i_mMh9Cgyoh-/s1600/Old+Crockpot.jpg" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-size: xx-small;"><a href="http://thumbs4.ebaystatic.com/d/l225/m/mXE0oIsHHwGMtpKR5lVg--A.jpg" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Somewhere on eBay via Google Images</a></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: x-small;"><b>Crockpot c. Sometime in the late 80s</b></span></div>
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Granted, the original model still works. I want to say that I got it around 86 or 87 on my first excursion to college away from home. I could be wrong, but regardless, it's been around for a long while and still works just fine. Scary but true. However, as it is taller and cylindrical, it's not really conducive to cooking massive quantities of anything other than soups or narrow pork roasts, etc. </div>
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I've wanted for years to be able to put stuff in and let it go all day and not have to worry about finding stuff to make for our meals. That day has arrived. </div>
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In the past two weeks, I have made several rounds of homemade dog food. Before you jot off to vomit, allow me to explain, somewhat briefly ... We've taken the beasts off of processed, dry, grain-filled foods, and have switched them to a grain-free dry kibble and supplement with a less than dry meal consisting of meat and vegetables, such as peas, carrots, sweet potatoes and green beans. What better way to make a good two to four days worth of meals for them than in this beast of a slow cooker? Overnight even. As Ron Popeil says: "Set it and forget it." </div>
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I've cooked overly enlarged store-bought chicken breasts, a pork roast, some chicken breast patties, and at least three roasts (one for us, two for the babies). Before you assume we're made of money, no, we're not. I used up meat that I had stored in the freezer and buy frozen peas and carrots, sweet potatoes and fresh green beans when they're on sale. I'm still sort of balking at how much we spend to feed all the assorted animals; however, after seeing the difference in their coats and their demeanor, I have to admit, it's well worth it. </div>
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<b>Aren't they adorable? They are. </b></div>
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Back to the topic at hand, the <a href="http://amzn.to/1Z4JfEW" target="_blank">Hamilton Beach 8-Quart Slow Cooker</a>. It's a basic model, no digital bells and whistles here, which is how I like it. I don't want to have to become a computer scientist to operate my kitchen equipment. Four settings: Off, Keep Warm, Low and High. That's all I need. Different models of the 8-Quart slow cooker come in different colors, such as white and a lovely, shiny red, but this one is your basic black, and matches my black stove and black fridge splendidly. </div>
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The cooker, a large, sturdy ceramic crock lifts out of the cooking base for easier clean-up. That's one huge bonus over the pain in the arse of trying to clean a Crockpot with no way to remove the crock and trying to keep the cord and operating parts out of water. This is much better! A sturdy warning about the Hamilton Beach crock. It's HEAVY. meaning, if you have any sort of hand, wrist, shoulder or elbow injuries, either get someone else to move it around, or wear protective braces when handling it, and use both hands. Also, the bottom is unfinished (unpainted) and is rather rough, so it's advisable not to drag it across delicate surfaces like tile or glass or stainless steel that you want to keep scratch-free. I have a feeling the bottom of the crock could do some serious damage to those surfaces if handled improperly! </div>
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The lid is a lid. Seems a bit less durable than the crock, but if you don't toss thing around with reckless abandon, it should hold up. The one thing about this model that I find completely useless is the "mess-free" lid rest. Unless you've got a wide open, unencumbered countertop on which to plant the cooker, it's just nothing short of awkward. As you can see above, that comes right up to the very bottom of our cabinets and actually touches the bottom if the unit is pushed back. It's fairly useless to me. Not to mention the fact that I'm not sure how they assume it's "mess-free" when it's very awkward and difficult to finagle it ON to the rest when the lid is hot, and if you're making any sort of large batch of soup or anything that nears the top of the crock, the lid, whilst on the rest, kind of sinks down into the food below. You're better off laying the lid on a towel where you can just grab it by the handle and set it back in place. </div>
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The lid rest also doubles as a cord wrap. I can't speak to that because I haven't had it unplugged or out of use long enough to use that feature, but I'm sure it'll work fine if I ever do decide to put the unit away. Ha. </div>
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As for cooking, I have yet to use it on the High setting. I've only used the Low and Keep Warm settings. The Low setting seems really hot to me, when comparing it to the antiquated model. Hot enough that when I lifted the lid the other morning, after it had been on all night, the liquid was boiling around the edges. Nothing was burnt, however, just really, really warm. </div>
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You'll also want to keep perishables away from the outside when you're using the cooker, as the outer shell also gets very warm. Apparently, that's why they provide full-grip handles! The more you know ... </div>
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All in all, I think this is going to be my new favorite way to cook, at least until I get bored with being lazy. I'll be sure to let you know when that happens. Overall, I'd give it 4.5 out of 5 stars, if I used a star rating system. Like I mentioned, my only complaint is that odd lid rest, but since that's not a necessity for me, it's more likely to be ignored than to be a nuisance. </div>
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Here are some handy specs, which can also be found on the <a href="http://amzn.to/1OJAGEd" target="_blank">Amazon product page</a>: </div>
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<li style="box-sizing: border-box; list-style: none; margin: 0px 0px 5.5px; word-wrap: break-word;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="box-sizing: border-box; font-weight: 700;">Product Dimensions: </span>10.8 x 17.7 x 11.6 inches ; 7.6 pounds</span></li>
<li style="box-sizing: border-box; list-style: none; margin: 0px 0px 5.5px; word-wrap: break-word;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="box-sizing: border-box; font-weight: 700;">Shipping Weight:</span> 14.6 pounds</span></li>
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<span style="color: #333333;"><span style="font-family: inherit; line-height: 19px;">Meanwhile, since I received this glorious gift, I started collecting slow-cooker recipes that I'll be making over the course of forever. For your enjoyment, stop back from time and time and see my reviews of the recipes I find. If you can't wait, just go check out the recipes here on my Pinterest board: </span></span></div>
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<span style="color: #333333; font-family: verdana, arial, helvetica, sans-serif;"><span style="line-height: 19px;"><a href="https://www.pinterest.com/miragi/slow-and-low/" target="_blank">Slow and Low on Pinterest</a></span></span></div>
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<b>And finally, a disclaimer, in not so tiny print: </b></div>
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Any link you see to items on Amazon, within Cooking Squared blog posts or on the Shopping Squared tab are affiliate links, meaning if you should decide to purchase anything from these links or from my Amazon store, I will receive a percentage of the sale. Rest assured, I am not making anything close to a killing by blogging. I think I've made a total of $7 from Amazon sales in over five years of blogging. I'm just not that dedicated, but still I wanted you to know. Any questions, just holler! </div>
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<br />Miragihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01374321412520155636noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9137804757950380794.post-26152432697968604282014-03-23T08:49:00.000-04:002014-10-12T08:17:41.816-04:00Hot! Hot! Hot!! Rachael Ray's Chipotle-Barbecue ChickenWe have yet another winner! This one is not for the faint of heart or tongue! I saw this recipe years ago, in the 'EveryDay with Rachael Ray' magazine:<br />
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<b><span style="font-size: large;"><a href="http://www.rachaelraymag.com/recipes/rachael-ray-magazine-recipe-search/budget-recipes/chipotle-barbecue-chicken" target="_blank">Chipotle-Barbecue Chicken</a></span></b></div>
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It's way simple and quick, with just a few ingredients and a few minutes of prep to make the sauce. Since we are trying to eat just a touch healthier, though, I did swap out the butter for olive oil and probably only used two tablespoons, tops. And since her recipe serves four, I made just a touch less sauce and only cooked two pieces of chicken.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgKUVjXkhX_xs0ch-8OMzVodgTQlEihF88iBzEt2oBn0PXA9srhCBQl54G0vGMxA7rOZdRLxlsiVgXreUu5PfLd1UzqZFs0LsrfiUrdn5ukSHJul-bh1Gr9i7RozuJgtvSCx1a7VpH5OFc1/s1600/Stuffswm.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgKUVjXkhX_xs0ch-8OMzVodgTQlEihF88iBzEt2oBn0PXA9srhCBQl54G0vGMxA7rOZdRLxlsiVgXreUu5PfLd1UzqZFs0LsrfiUrdn5ukSHJul-bh1Gr9i7RozuJgtvSCx1a7VpH5OFc1/s1600/Stuffswm.jpg" height="305" width="400" /></a></div>
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This recipe is hot, hot and MORE hot...but I do believe you can alter, lessen or increase the heat depending on how many chipotles in Adobo you use. I used 2, scraped out as many seeds as possible and removed the ribs/membranes/whatever you call them....yet, I could easily have knocked that down to half of ONE pepper, scraped, and probably still had adequate heat for our delicate palates. </div>
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Unless you like scrubbing your baking pans, you will definitely want to line the pan with a piece of foil. That way, once it's cooked, discard the foil and clean up is much easier! </div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEij6n_ox9yXJPVNm6HZaOiWHEHLcr0W9fj88o3OIGdsreODV9PUAVhL9CUKeSICe4DmICgr4E4ovrhGEXB18UwWWwVzI41Isg-QL7biFFZXIZcY0keJyYCydyQQGzvYLm4lZUDJDLlNtwbi/s1600/Beforeovenwm.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEij6n_ox9yXJPVNm6HZaOiWHEHLcr0W9fj88o3OIGdsreODV9PUAVhL9CUKeSICe4DmICgr4E4ovrhGEXB18UwWWwVzI41Isg-QL7biFFZXIZcY0keJyYCydyQQGzvYLm4lZUDJDLlNtwbi/s1600/Beforeovenwm.jpg" height="316" width="400" /></a></div>
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I'm guessing that if you wanted to save hassle, you could just use a premade BBQ sauce of your choosing, in place of everything but the onion and garlic, but I highly recommend just making it as the recipe directs, it's a different flavor than processed BBQ sauce. Much brighter, less full of all those nasty chemicals and preservatives and sugars. </div>
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Here's the final product. I served it with asparagii and some instant baby red mashed taters, which really helped counteract the heat. My beloved loaded up on carbs to get through his piece....I think he ate four pieces of bread and two helpings of taters. This chicken will definitely clear out your sinus cavities, so be prepared if you make it at full strength! <br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgqlO2Hav190Zl15jyiRFe-Qu7xxFd99f07A9M_f-UxvSwUqD6U58zmxDw2IgXZ4bTw0457YhtK82QzqOyn3CzBUpfGIZcSalp-x8ebRT6Z-jauWBxi0u1As0_KaMa3UFVnYhok10dfrB-I/s1600/Dinnerisservedwm.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgqlO2Hav190Zl15jyiRFe-Qu7xxFd99f07A9M_f-UxvSwUqD6U58zmxDw2IgXZ4bTw0457YhtK82QzqOyn3CzBUpfGIZcSalp-x8ebRT6Z-jauWBxi0u1As0_KaMa3UFVnYhok10dfrB-I/s1600/Dinnerisservedwm.jpg" height="300" width="400" /></a></div>
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All in all, it's definitely a winner and will remain in rotation here, just with much less chipotle in future occurrences! </div>
<b><br /></b>Miragihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01374321412520155636noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9137804757950380794.post-21522370943237984232014-03-02T15:16:00.000-05:002014-03-02T15:16:19.432-05:00The Winning Streak Continues: Bourbon Chicken <div class="MsoNormal">
I found this delightful little recipe for <a href="http://www.bigoven.com/recipe/201809/bourbon-chicken" target="_blank">Bourbon Chicken</a>
over on BigOven.com, via Pinterest, of course..and I knew I would eventually have to try it. Whenever we eat at the foodcourt at the local mall, I tend to aim towards the Bourbon Street Grille, which has absolutely NO correlation to the street in New Orleans. Instead, the menu contains nothing but Chinese food, stir-fries, rice, egg rolls, etc. and they have this divine rendition of Bourbon chicken that, for some reason, cannot be repeated at home. </div>
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Regardless, always up for a challenge and already having tried the Bourbon Chicken seasoning mix from the International aisle at the store, I was ready to give this a shot. Other than chicken, most of the ingredients, you might already have on hand, like ketchup, soy sauce and apple cider vinegar. The only thing I amended was to use powdered ginger, instead of fresh....and the recipe really doesn't specify which form to use, so that's not much of a change. </div>
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I used 3 thin-sliced chicken boobs, which admittedly was WAY less than enough, but made the full amount of sauce, which is fine, especially if you don't want dry rice! </div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhXHyk6jKRhR5_yYnAzZvm1bspdnqeMd_D266U8eXGAmC1JIdiF3-68tgtdT9GjYaRUgYmCw0pqj7RCkCg4hxMaxiseIUEktxIfFLGVFHNxLAzUcTUmmlkhKv598nAnVAhO9hpILBv6zj1A/s1600/bourboningredwm.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhXHyk6jKRhR5_yYnAzZvm1bspdnqeMd_D266U8eXGAmC1JIdiF3-68tgtdT9GjYaRUgYmCw0pqj7RCkCg4hxMaxiseIUEktxIfFLGVFHNxLAzUcTUmmlkhKv598nAnVAhO9hpILBv6zj1A/s1600/bourboningredwm.jpg" height="283" width="320" /></a></div>
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See...not enough chicken. Fine for two servings, but not enough for seconds or leftovers. Bummer!<br />
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This was almost too easy. Sauteed the chicken, took it out, whipped up the sauce.....</div>
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Added chicken back to sauce, simmered for about 10 minutes, then DONE. 25 minutes, top to bottom.<br />
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Of course, I was so hungry by the time it was ready that I forgot to provide you with that finished product presentation shot...but you get the drift....add a scoop or more of rice to your plate, then top it with this. Dinner. Served. </div>
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Way less hassle than the packaged seasoning mix variety...and you can control the heat, by decreasing or increasing the amount of red pepper flakes and Sriracha sauce....(I used about a tablespoon of Sriracha and just a sprinkling of flakes..) </div>
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Yeah, the sugar content is higher (with the brown sugar) and sodium, but you could substitute a low-sodium soy sauce and use a brown-sugar substitute (to which I say NAY....), but other than that, it's very low fat, high protein and very good on the tastebuds! </div>
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Oh yeah, and just start rice before you start the chicken (if you have a rice cooker)....or start the chicken about 20 minutes before the rice will be done, if you're making it via stovetop, and it'll all be ready at the same time! </div>
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That and the husband really, really liked it!!! ( A bonus, when you consider that he doesn't order much more than Orange chicken -NO VEGETABLES and rice when we dine at Chinese restaurants!!) </div>
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Seriously, try it. Just use more chicken than I did! </div>
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Here's the full recipe: <span style="font-size: large;"> <a href="http://www.bigoven.com/recipe/201809/bourbon-chicken" target="_blank">Bourbon Chicken</a></span></div>
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Last Week's Winner: <a href="http://www.cooking-squared.com/2014/02/we-have-another-winner-whole-lotta.html" target="_blank">A Whole Lotta Chicken Enchilada Flatbread</a></div>
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Miragihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01374321412520155636noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9137804757950380794.post-54295509727045621802014-02-24T18:20:00.000-05:002014-02-24T18:20:16.446-05:00We Have Another Winner! A Whole Lotta Chicken Enchilada Flatbread!Hi kids! Since the beloved is not a huge fan of Mexican fare, we rarely try anything other than some form of chicken fajitas on the homefront. I decided, however, to step out on a long, skinny, shaky limb and try this recipe that I found for "<a href="http://www.skinnymom.com/2013/06/22/skinny-chicken-enchilada-flatbread/" target="_blank">Skinny Chicken Enchilada Flatbread</a>" on Pinterest...where else?<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhQ0BbtDdgCgdq6jP-gD1tD5jUKy9_DmQvthhpa9Jr88jUc-IpJCqJr06pdC1nDMZr8EZQ0o96_d_5eIcQTXnVQhToE_sif2jNlmCwJnssu82xWdR2uDrtyMZx0D7WQw_U4y_wdgmDB9jHK/s1600/frontenchiladawm.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhQ0BbtDdgCgdq6jP-gD1tD5jUKy9_DmQvthhpa9Jr88jUc-IpJCqJr06pdC1nDMZr8EZQ0o96_d_5eIcQTXnVQhToE_sif2jNlmCwJnssu82xWdR2uDrtyMZx0D7WQw_U4y_wdgmDB9jHK/s1600/frontenchiladawm.jpg" height="320" width="320" /></a></div>
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I changed very little, but mine is probably a bit higher in fat content, due to the fact that I used canned, shredded chicken and regular Kraft Queso Quesadilla cheese rather than any low-fat version. I also omitted the white onion, because my beloved is NOT a fan of onions and instead I just sauteed approxmately TWO green onions to add the onion flavor without going overboard. I also omitted the jalapeno, after much thought, because really, the green chiles combined with the enchilada sauce were enough heat for our wimpy palates. </div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiKtUajfXlcQlYUucWS6WnhJe3eRY1uhsAEZmw__8hn60YQoPFKVlhIzMoAaq4FHBpyFjLR6RSJ1gzK_57ltU4yIfn957lb337ESnVquikQIm3rXraIQcqD6h_eKCQ1KOo766xImdBhUM2l/s1600/Enchingredientswm.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiKtUajfXlcQlYUucWS6WnhJe3eRY1uhsAEZmw__8hn60YQoPFKVlhIzMoAaq4FHBpyFjLR6RSJ1gzK_57ltU4yIfn957lb337ESnVquikQIm3rXraIQcqD6h_eKCQ1KOo766xImdBhUM2l/s1600/Enchingredientswm.jpg" height="256" width="320" /></a></div>
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Let's face it, I am not a professional cook or chef and I do not own a professional-grade cutting board or cutting apparati, therefore, when I hand-chop cilantro, it looks abused and not all lovely like the kind you see chopped up on television. Sorry. It's still cilantro, it's still fresh and it's still chopped. It gets cooked, appearance is not top priority! I did set a bit aside for garnish, though, along with some of the green tops of the green onions. </div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEin3_3VE4-If0crXxAipEVcKCXVP8DycWU2pdwwd6XeS8KH4UZE2zCovsO2zmEl0oDMLezXIgLnhcz0ZavUKhYOaDzIFbwSpoi5BBxL6X4_ComqoJ5BvAQA_S0jlSvoXakmuX9pBGHEPQ35/s1600/choppedcilantronionwm.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEin3_3VE4-If0crXxAipEVcKCXVP8DycWU2pdwwd6XeS8KH4UZE2zCovsO2zmEl0oDMLezXIgLnhcz0ZavUKhYOaDzIFbwSpoi5BBxL6X4_ComqoJ5BvAQA_S0jlSvoXakmuX9pBGHEPQ35/s1600/choppedcilantronionwm.jpg" height="255" width="320" /></a></div>
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In order of appearance and completion, I give you step by step photos. How lovely, right? </div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh1wVtjlGMTjVlKq9Szq6edOuJgeW2qk6HhRREjdntLPfVXZ8MdvFlx06RtoXZUySkFtmn3hn8NZIwBi28EsClxHpgC-TM0YaF6gVQnLHIX1wklxwdZVJNBDwKDUK3CGe984I16gDJPYm9r/s1600/sauteedpepperswm.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh1wVtjlGMTjVlKq9Szq6edOuJgeW2qk6HhRREjdntLPfVXZ8MdvFlx06RtoXZUySkFtmn3hn8NZIwBi28EsClxHpgC-TM0YaF6gVQnLHIX1wklxwdZVJNBDwKDUK3CGe984I16gDJPYm9r/s1600/sauteedpepperswm.jpg" height="288" width="320" /></a></div>
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Make sure you thoroughly drain the chicken (if you used canned) and skim off any visible chicken fat.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEib14ZYVuPVEmn5BV2wWpp7IlfKrWvUA71WevvMS01tdpi84ndCdj4DM3-1QsdN-ABupjs8uucQBjLAzP-Tng_KeB6U4opOXUzucqemghjFCLuxBhQeATcI7GhkR81sQIr3GGc9AYTyPzJT/s1600/addchickenchwm.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEib14ZYVuPVEmn5BV2wWpp7IlfKrWvUA71WevvMS01tdpi84ndCdj4DM3-1QsdN-ABupjs8uucQBjLAzP-Tng_KeB6U4opOXUzucqemghjFCLuxBhQeATcI7GhkR81sQIr3GGc9AYTyPzJT/s1600/addchickenchwm.jpg" height="278" width="320" /></a></div>
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When adding the enchilada sauce to the skillet, I only added 1/2. I save the rest for constructing the flatbread.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgvAo1QV029OgLckdGdXZajfg2eTg-HOwodh8ztTIsNY599C2T369HFokSwgy3BEevJ22axfvtPp69j0hyphenhyphenjf4Q-LuILnG7v0UwYJXC0_Jai8GrCasCZMW7sff1tm-0WaZHzXPUqLNF03s4P/s1600/addenchscewm.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgvAo1QV029OgLckdGdXZajfg2eTg-HOwodh8ztTIsNY599C2T369HFokSwgy3BEevJ22axfvtPp69j0hyphenhyphenjf4Q-LuILnG7v0UwYJXC0_Jai8GrCasCZMW7sff1tm-0WaZHzXPUqLNF03s4P/s1600/addenchscewm.jpg" height="304" width="320" /></a></div>
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I had sauce left over even after spreading it over the flatbread, which is much narrower than this picture would have you believe! <br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj4xn59GiXovY5ffUGQ6Xb5UOtT0s894-nkZRQDyYgwlz8V1MTX2VLQROPJZzYbbnk8A4nH7i5aq_C3tIl1wh0mLzDeNulIPfCQ_hmfxAJBFPqDdcWIUosy_ANJrXv0ky2kDTgYfl8iZs04/s1600/flatbrdprepwm.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj4xn59GiXovY5ffUGQ6Xb5UOtT0s894-nkZRQDyYgwlz8V1MTX2VLQROPJZzYbbnk8A4nH7i5aq_C3tIl1wh0mLzDeNulIPfCQ_hmfxAJBFPqDdcWIUosy_ANJrXv0ky2kDTgYfl8iZs04/s1600/flatbrdprepwm.jpg" height="240" width="320" /></a></div>
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I only used 1/2 the enchilada/chicken mixture on this flatbread. I had enough left over to make myself a tortilla filled with it the next day and then after that, another flatbread the next night.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgSbJu_JifwDSz_1eAk9cOTz1CacxCGYuyd_Jj83ThMthyBCzVDcq7mR9po8l0tZFCx0egH4D4PesNArwpMKoDnsxylR-OhNrhmZqXHd5JCjoE6mTmSbDvhmyK3Hq4xt5xxxZzNHFg6OdnC/s1600/assemblingenchwm.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgSbJu_JifwDSz_1eAk9cOTz1CacxCGYuyd_Jj83ThMthyBCzVDcq7mR9po8l0tZFCx0egH4D4PesNArwpMKoDnsxylR-OhNrhmZqXHd5JCjoE6mTmSbDvhmyK3Hq4xt5xxxZzNHFg6OdnC/s1600/assemblingenchwm.jpg" height="240" width="320" /></a></div>
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I think I used about 1 cup of cheese. You can go either way.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhQ9RC8XxJAGktf7ZBT4gTqIGnxpvwECu0lTY8YK-OPRE8wUMZ5Eo6ec0kk1ooh3bw1VRtE5e0igiaeE0ZYgtNCsxTJ7vPOFih5yNyHseNA6IMTfDS0y6uPiwG7Hy2J9hyphenhyphendtH8C68x14y8Y/s1600/addchsenchwm.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhQ9RC8XxJAGktf7ZBT4gTqIGnxpvwECu0lTY8YK-OPRE8wUMZ5Eo6ec0kk1ooh3bw1VRtE5e0igiaeE0ZYgtNCsxTJ7vPOFih5yNyHseNA6IMTfDS0y6uPiwG7Hy2J9hyphenhyphendtH8C68x14y8Y/s1600/addchsenchwm.jpg" height="240" width="320" /></a></div>
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Here it is, right before cutting and serving. I'm getting hungry just looking at it! <br />
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So, much to my total shock, my beloved RAVED about this! I think he said he loved it at least 5 times during the course of eating it. That's why I made him another one the next night. This from the guy who doesn't like Mexican cuisine. Go figure.<br />
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It was rather tasty, I must admit. And it really didn't take more than 20 minutes to put it all together. I made the chicken stuff ahead of time, then assembled and baked the flatbread right before he got home. Easy stuff. <br />
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Easy is good.<br />
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You want spicier? Get a non-mild enchilada sauce and add the jalapeno or an even spicier pepper varietal. Your stomach lining to do with as you wish, right? <br />
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So, if you want something quick and at the same time delightful, give this one a go. <br />
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You'll find the complete recipe here:<br />
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<b><span style="font-size: large;"><a href="http://www.skinnymom.com/2013/06/22/skinny-chicken-enchilada-flatbread/" target="_blank">Skinny Chicken Enchilada Flatbread</a></span></b></div>
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<b>Want some more winning ideas? Check these out: </b></div>
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<b><a href="http://www.cooking-squared.com/2014/02/another-winner-jerk-chicken-pasta.html" target="_blank">Jerk Chicken Pasta</a></b></div>
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<b><a href="http://www.cooking-squared.com/2014/02/we-have-winner-killer-caprese-chicken.html" target="_blank">Caprese Chicken</a></b></div>
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All recipes tested and approved (or rejected) by me and my beloved! </div>
<br />Miragihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01374321412520155636noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9137804757950380794.post-9554373812630492132014-02-16T15:11:00.000-05:002014-02-16T15:11:25.095-05:00No Go: Trying The "Eat Your Greens Detox Soup"<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
I recently came upon this recipe via my beloved. He sent me the link and said "I'd try this." After a short round of questioning his sanity, we agreed to try it. </div>
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The only thing I changed was subbing curry powder for the required turmeric. I was NOT about to pay $4.37 for a tiny little vial of turmeric (same size as the curry powder in the picture). Nope. We do not eat nor make any Indian-inspired recipes, and therefore, it would be like paying $4.37 for 1/2 a teaspoon. And again...nope. </div>
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I did go ahead and buy the seaweed wraps, because they were only $2. Yet, I'm pretty sure I just paid $2 for two sheets of the stuff because I seriously don't know what I'm going to do with the rest of it. </div>
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Let's face it...I've tried two dishes now with fresh ginger and I'm fairly certain that I will safely be happy with NOT consuming it again in the future. It is just not for me. I gave it a good try. The recipe calls for 1 1/2 to 3 teaspoons, I figure this was close to the 1.5 side....and I have the world's cheapest and crappiest grater, so it was more like mushed ginger. </div>
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My only question: How can I ADORE Vernor's Ginger Ale and yet despise the taste of fresh ginger in food? I don't get it. </div>
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I used one container of mushrooms (14 shrooms, exactly). It was a bit over the required 3 cups, sliced, but it was fine. </div>
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Here are the veggies before they cooked down considerably...</div>
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These are the veggies, cooked down, with the spices and ginger added. Steamy stuff!</div>
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As for kale, it didn't specify what kind of kale, so I got the Lacinto (Black) kale. I did tear the leaves from the stems which are rather tough and therefore would be kind of gross as an addition to the soup. </div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhfRumZ1_SIMdH6H7vroJDpbi6D_FAsjx6ZIZvePRM-OtucaldsaLfSjYhyzgIE4own7hQvxNH1BD1q6EHMUmwsqRqftrGCLmVcC0p-6wgEForGw4LtiuGukAyurF8PT6G4Q4-L06z8fz10/s1600/tornkalewm.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhfRumZ1_SIMdH6H7vroJDpbi6D_FAsjx6ZIZvePRM-OtucaldsaLfSjYhyzgIE4own7hQvxNH1BD1q6EHMUmwsqRqftrGCLmVcC0p-6wgEForGw4LtiuGukAyurF8PT6G4Q4-L06z8fz10/s1600/tornkalewm.jpg" height="277" width="320" /></a></div>
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This is the kale and the seaweed combined. LOOK at the color of that seaweed! It's GORGEOUS. If I could have everything in that shade of iridescent, shiny, khaki-ish green, that would be great, thanks! I used my kitchen scissors to cut the two sheets into long strips, then just cut them into bite-sized (1-2" pieces)</div>
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This is the basic soup (before kale and seaweed)</div>
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This is the final soup, after adding the greens...I let it simmer for another 15 minutes or so. </div>
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Here it is, in the bowl. Served with whole grain Italian bread. </div>
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And now that you've seen how it's made, I will tell you OUR opinion. </div>
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If I can just find the right words....</div>
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Ok, yeah, so I think we have established that we don't go much for the combination of spices (the curry, cumin, ginger thing). That's NOT to say that you won't love it to pieces. It just was not a flavor that made us go back for seconds or even finish the firsts. </div>
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It's definitely packed with nutrients and very low in fat/calories but other than that, we could have very easily done without. I'll try anything once (within reason, of course). My husband decided that perhaps it would have been better WITHOUT the spices/ginger, with more garlic and chicken stock instead of the veg stock. I don't tend to disagree. </div>
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However, that would then just be more of a vegetable soup and the chicken stock would deter from the health benefits. </div>
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SO, all in all, if you like Indian foods, or anything that involves ginger, this might just suit your tastie buds. I'm not saying it sucked at all, just that it was not something we will make again. </div>
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A side note: I think adding the broccoli so soon in the cooking process was a mistake. By the time the soup was finished, you couldn't tell by texture or flavor that anything in there used to be broccoli. I think it might be better to blanch the broccoli for 2-3 minutes, separately, and then add it in when you add the kale and seaweed. THEN you would have substantially more texture and flavor. Just a thought. </div>
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The complete recipe: <a href="https://www.yahoo.com/food/a-detox-soup-that-wont-remind-you-of-the-cabbage-soup-76222985910.html" style="font-weight: bold;" target="_blank">Eat Your Greens Detox Soup</a>, courtesy of blogger Angela Liddon, </div>
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<br />Miragihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01374321412520155636noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9137804757950380794.post-89306421500123498922014-02-15T11:03:00.000-05:002014-02-15T11:17:17.599-05:00Another Winner! Jerk Chicken PastaMy cooking success rate skyrocketed this past week. I planned a menu for the entire week, using recipes found on Pinterest and managed to make 3 out of the 5 selections. Go ME! This one, Jerk Chicken Pasta comes from this nifty little blog, <a href="http://www.plainchicken.com/2013/08/jerk-chicken-pasta.html" target="_blank">Plain Chicken</a>. I was attracted to the picture before the name, because I haven't had a whole lot of Jerk Chicken dishes in my life. It just LOOKED good.<br />
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Turns out, it IS good!<br />
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There were approximately two things I changed, solely in the interest of cutting back the fat and carbs. The original recipe called for 1/4 cup of butter, 3 cups of heavy cream and a pound of bow tie (farfalle) pasta. I swapped those for a bit of olive oil, a jar of Ragu Light Alfredo and some whole wheat couscous. While, I'm not sure how much fat or carbs was eliminated, every little bit helps, so there's that...<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi1o0cM1T9k0D6AafkVvCjazAquuTLRLx9RXoUDlXsJLFHEEpKOSIDiPUwrVNRRl9NGD1ujSk_uCfxbMsSYP811ysj5BOw3SGahBDYuTUIDEsZ6BuhE_F3VmCuNXjeLOU0jQ0UK0SaHCqVf/s1600/jerkingrwm.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi1o0cM1T9k0D6AafkVvCjazAquuTLRLx9RXoUDlXsJLFHEEpKOSIDiPUwrVNRRl9NGD1ujSk_uCfxbMsSYP811ysj5BOw3SGahBDYuTUIDEsZ6BuhE_F3VmCuNXjeLOU0jQ0UK0SaHCqVf/s1600/jerkingrwm.jpg" height="270" width="320" /></a></div>
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Here's the conglomeration of herbs and spices that make up the Jerk seasoning, as she stated in her blog, it makes quite a bit of seasoning...Please also not that garlic powder doesn't typically arrive in clumps, unless you have our cabinets-which seem to be adorned with a great amount of humidity or moisture that makes anything in a plastic bottle clump together....tightly sealed or no! Just dump them all in a bowl and combine with a fork, or, if you're lazy like me, slap a lid on it and shake until thoroughly combined! </div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhGod4qHmAhMECpWcelbUJV0l91lDS1jQOLXPEwrxDL1p7D-r10Wcr-jAA1Q5FIgloWFYII3xY2mpPmf7J-J5uPTvpBlpF3hAj5bu4qpZ0c221155I6w0p3va0sgqdellmKuHozWXi95URN/s1600/Jerkrubwm.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhGod4qHmAhMECpWcelbUJV0l91lDS1jQOLXPEwrxDL1p7D-r10Wcr-jAA1Q5FIgloWFYII3xY2mpPmf7J-J5uPTvpBlpF3hAj5bu4qpZ0c221155I6w0p3va0sgqdellmKuHozWXi95URN/s1600/Jerkrubwm.jpg" height="255" width="320" /></a></div>
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We are not HUGE lovers of eyewatering spicy heat in our foods, so I did not thoroughly coat the chicken bits...just a healthy sprinkling on both sides of each piece. </div>
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While the chicken bits were fricaseeing, I went ahead and cut up the peppers and onions. Riveting shit, I know! </div>
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Once the chicken was nicely seared and looking like this, I set it aside to reflect...</div>
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then sauteed the peppers and onion in the same pan, with a bit more olive oil....maybe a teaspoon. I also tossed in a chicken broth ice cube to loosen up all the brown stuff on the bottom of the skillet. Now, if you're a neat freak and want a perfectly WHITE sauce, you will want to clean the skillet out before you sautee the veggies. </div>
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Once the veggies were perfectly cooked (for me), about 5-7 minutes on medium, I added the entire jar of Alfredo, stirred and then put the chicken back in the skillet. I put a lid on it and let it simmer for another 5-7 minutes. </div>
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Here it is, the finished product. Since there are only two of us, I only used half the pack of chicken tenderloins (5, to be precise). There was enough sauce left over to make it again the next night. </div>
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The couscous was a fine substitute for the pasta, but you could always use a whole grain pasta (in any shape or size) to increase the health value. The choice is yours. Regardless, I highly recommend this recipe, even if you leave the <a href="http://www.plainchicken.com/2013/08/jerk-chicken-pasta.html" target="_blank"><b>original recipe</b></a> unmodified, because what's NOT to love about heavy cream and butter? </div>
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This one's a winner, folks! Try it! </div>
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Here's another winner: </div>
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<a href="http://www.cooking-squared.com/2014/02/we-have-winner-killer-caprese-chicken.html" target="_blank">Caprese Chicken</a><br />
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UPDATE!!! <br />
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Because I am a dork, I forgot to show you what to do with all that leftover seasoning:<br />
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If you've got an empty spice bottle, toss it in there and stick a new label on it...or like me, just throw it in a zip-lock bag, sign and date it and toss it up in the cupboard. The Jerk season could very easily work with some roasted vegetables or fish. Carry on! </div>
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<br />Miragihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01374321412520155636noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9137804757950380794.post-91904101147235654172014-02-13T17:55:00.001-05:002014-02-13T17:55:01.941-05:00We Have a Winner! Killer Caprese Chicken!<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
Hi kids! I know it's been a while! I hope your new year is treating you well. Just wanted to clue you in an a crazy-simple and crazy-excellent meal that was met with rave reviews by my beloved! I found this recipe for <a href="http://www.pinterest.com/pin/70298444157462134/" target="_blank">Caprese Chicken</a> on Pinterest a while back and finally got around to making it this past weekend. </div>
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The only thing I altered was the format of the basil. I forgot to grab some at the store, but I knew I had my tube of Gourmet Garden basil, so we were good to go! </div>
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I find it kind of comical that when I poured the oil in the pan, it formed the shape of a boot...kind of like Italy itself. A sign from the Universe perhaps? </div>
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I sliced up the cheese and tomatoes while the chicken was cooking. I bought one of those small balls of mozzarella, which gave me six slices, perfect for three pieces of chicken! </div>
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Here we see chicken boobs in their most unnatural habitat. I forgot to trim off the excess fat, but there wasn't a profuse amount, so it didn't detract from the flavor at all. </div>
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My apologies for this less-than-stellar shot of the sauteeing tomatoes. While the original author directs one to use two different pans, this cook is lazy and therefore transferred the cooked chicken to the baking sheet and just used the same skillet to to do the rest of the cooking. I will probably never learn to add the garlic LAST!! It did get a bit brown, but it wasn't burnt, so we proceeded. We being me. </div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi4QAr6KkTfcTpFFr5ZoUcn9On3GRccrpCmTUKk1D0dJw6_cqlq3A3K6ITyrhiQlNbJ_6PHrrPScNMWMk50s0_GezQRVjbBNcE9WVnJVWPyak_Vxd40IJ9FaOeOo9shEPFO4Vdp244a6Uyt/s1600/blurredtomatoeswm.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi4QAr6KkTfcTpFFr5ZoUcn9On3GRccrpCmTUKk1D0dJw6_cqlq3A3K6ITyrhiQlNbJ_6PHrrPScNMWMk50s0_GezQRVjbBNcE9WVnJVWPyak_Vxd40IJ9FaOeOo9shEPFO4Vdp244a6Uyt/s1600/blurredtomatoeswm.jpg" height="312" width="320" /></a></div>
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The assembly line. While the original author also suggests using a baking dish, I figured, again, why be that ambitious? So, I just broiled them on that baking sheet. Same difference. I put two slices of cheese on each piece then topped them with the tomatoes, as evenly as possible. </div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhwg4sjw-Py0rGoU2-e09HjWwOMvlz4CfSiLJh0bzCI3f2iKHpEGkuR9bGIth8b4rsrDTlxIGQsFTzdnIOEuSANXLWf5tYXriZEZnBFLXBM07IfSDxqVoix15MxYk9NWNm2yGIgppA-RTG6/s1600/beforeovencapresewm.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhwg4sjw-Py0rGoU2-e09HjWwOMvlz4CfSiLJh0bzCI3f2iKHpEGkuR9bGIth8b4rsrDTlxIGQsFTzdnIOEuSANXLWf5tYXriZEZnBFLXBM07IfSDxqVoix15MxYk9NWNm2yGIgppA-RTG6/s1600/beforeovencapresewm.jpg" height="207" width="320" /></a></div>
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THIS is the final product. It was a fairly simple meal. I boiled up some whole grain penne while working on the the chicken so it was ready to go by the time the chicken was finished broiling. I drained the pasta, then tossed it with about a tablespoon of butter and a few healthy sprinkles of grated parmesan cheese. </div>
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My assessment? This one is a winner, folks! The beloved absolutely LOVED it and agreed that it could remain in regular rotation. So if you want a relatively inexpensive yet highly scrumptious and very easy meal....add this one to your culinary repertoire NOW! </div>
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You can find the full recipe here: <a href="http://www.thetaylor-house.com/easy-chicken-recipe-caprese-chicken/#_a5y_p=1051973" target="_blank"><span style="font-size: large;">Caprese Chicken</span></a></div>
<br />Miragihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01374321412520155636noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9137804757950380794.post-14651397492176796262014-01-12T14:48:00.000-05:002014-01-12T14:50:00.338-05:00Another 20-Minute Meal: Balsamic and Mustard ChickenI am having one horrific time of trying to keep track of things thus far this year! So, anything I can do to make life easier for myself is a bonus! I have discovered another quick, very hassle-free recipe, <a href="http://everydaypaleo.com/budget-friendly-balsamic-mustard-chicken-and-oven-roasted-bacon-veggies-by-erika/" target="_blank"><span style="font-size: large;"><b>Balsamic Mustard Chicken</b></span></a> that takes all of 20 minutes or less to cook. <br />
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The recipe itself hails from Erika at Everyday Paleo, a blog I found on Pinterest, of course. After reviewing the recipe, I decided to NOT try the roasted veggies with bacon, since my beloved may be one of the few people on the planet that does not enjoy bacon. <br />
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This is the finished result from today's lunch: <br />
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I changed very little, and still ended up with a fairly tasty and very easy recipe: </div>
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Instead of 1/4 cup of olive oil, I probably didn't use more than 1/8 cup and since I am out of spicy brown mustard, I subbed Dijon. The flavor was probably slightly more mustardly than if you use spicy brown mustard, but still it's a great flavor combination! I did butterfly the chicken boobs, but I just added a pinch of kosher salt and coarse ground pepper to the marinade itself, instead of sprinkling the boobs pre-marinade. I mean, really, do you think the seasoning is going to stay on the boobs if you rub it around in the sauce? I think not. </div>
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I did use a bowl with a lid rather than a plastic bag and I decreased marinade time to about 1 hour. </div>
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That's it for recipe changes. </div>
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Instead of the roasted veggies, I just steamed a few broccoli crowns with two cloves of garlic and made some instant baby red mashed potatoes while the chicken cooked, so it was a very low-fat, healthy kind of meal. </div>
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Marinade took a whole 1.5 minutes to stir together, and apart from the marinade time, you have yourself a meal within 15-20 minutes. </div>
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Final thought: Try it! </div>
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<br />Miragihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01374321412520155636noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9137804757950380794.post-87836116405103047282014-01-02T16:41:00.000-05:002014-01-02T16:41:07.635-05:0030-Minute Sweet and Spicy ChickenHappy New Year! I know I disappeared there for a few weeks, apologies! Life, of the real variety, got in the way. But, here we are on January 2nd, ready to hit that kitchen and hit it hard. Today, I'm sharing a recipe I found of Pinterest:<br />
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<a href="http://www.food.com/recipe/sweet-and-spicy-chicken-321674" target="_blank"><b>Food.com: Sweet and Spicy Chicken</b></a></div>
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Being the one who can never follow directions exactly, to the letter, of course I had to tweak this baby not only just out of an incessant need to disobey, but also to eliminate the 6.5 hour wait/cook time. I was in no mood for slow-cooking today. <br />
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The recipe is way easy. Sauce + Chicken + Cook. Yeah. And regardless of how you cook it, the prep time is all of about 5 minutes. The original recipe can be found at the above link, therefore, I'm not going to repeat it.... I'll just tell you what I used instead...<br />
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1 envelope onion soup<br />
1/2 c Open Pit Brown Sugar Bourbon BBQ sauce<br />
1/4 c Jack Daniels Honey Smokehouse BBQ sauce<br />
1/4 Sriracha (<a href="http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2013/11/27/sriracha-factory-shut-down_n_4349191.html" target="_blank">that stinky hot chile sauce that certain Californians don't seem to appreciate</a>)<br />
1/4 water<br />
1 tsp olive oil<br />
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Please note that I drastically reduced the amount of Sriracha, as my innards cannot handle that much heat, and believe me, this dish got spicier the longer we ate at it. If, however, you appreciate a fine, painful, gastric burn, by all means, use the entire 3/4 cup from the original recipe. Please read all the way through, however, to find out what I would do different the next time!!<br />
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I was trying to think of a way to eliminate all that brown sugar (almost a CUP), since we are trying to eat much healthier. Then I recalled that I had a bottle of Brown Sugar/Bourbon BBQ just sitting in the fridge. Hello! Then, being the adventurer that I am, I decided it couldn't hurt to add some of the Jack Daniels sauce to the mix. Put this all in a bowl, stir or whisk it thoroughly to break up all the clumps from the onion soup mix, and add more water if it's too thick. You want a sauce that will allow the chicken to bathe...not just give it a coating during cooking.<br />
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The original write-up requires a crock pot. I say PFFFFT. Someone, in the comments section of that post, stated that they used chicken tenderloins instead of the chicken thighs and sauteed then simmered them in the sauce for 30 minutes. BINGO! My kinda woman! <br />
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Since we don't much care for thighs, of the chicken variety, I used chicken breasts, trimmed of 98.2% of the fat and gross bits. Brush the skillet with 1 tsp of olive oil (you might need a touch more if you don't have a non-stick skillet) and heat it to medium. Saute the boobs about 4 minutes per side, til nice and golden.<br />
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Top with the sauce, cover, reduce heat to medium-low (about 4 on an oven with numerical settings) and let it simmer for 20-25 minutes, spooning sauce over and flipping the boobs about every 6 minutes for excellent coverage.<br />
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This is what I ended up with:<br />
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Oh, and I cooked up some Jasmine rice while the chicken was simmering, so yeah, 30 minutes start to finish.<br />
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The results: Meh...(and I HATE that word with a passion, but still that's about how good it was...) <br />
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Why? The sauce. It's that damnable Brown Sugar Bourbon sauce, I just know it is. No one should try to duplicate the flavor of bourbon or brown sugar synthetically. Just ewwww.<br />
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So, the next time I make it, and possibly the first time YOU make this, you will definitely NOT want to use that sauce. Teach me to NOT play by the rules, eh? I do believe, when I make this again, I will follow the recipe (except for the amount of Sriracha), use regular brown sugar and a spicy, NON-Bourbon-flavored BBQ sauce. There really is something to be said for simplicity. All these new-fangled, "artisanally flavored" condiments ain't. got. nothin'. on plain bbq. While I did cut back the sugar count, the sacrifice came by way of flavor.<br />
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The beloved agrees....it was just "ok".<br />
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So there you do have it, my take, and mistakes, on Sweet and Spicy Chicken! <br />
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Enjoy! Miragihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01374321412520155636noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9137804757950380794.post-29987226467838777612013-12-19T19:30:00.000-05:002013-12-19T19:30:12.575-05:0020-Minute Meal: Cajun Smoked Turkey Sausage AlfredoWhile I haven't been in much of a festive mood this year, I still cook...and even eat occasionally! I was in the mood for smoked sausage the other night, so I threw together this splendid concoction in 20 minutes, start to finish:<br />
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While I made it just for me, out of sheer boredom and a sausage craving (yeah, yeah, I know...), what I made would easily serve four and would probably be really good with a nice, green salad on the side. </div>
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<b><span style="font-size: large;">What You Need: </span></b></div>
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<li style="text-align: left;">Medium egg noodles</li>
<li style="text-align: left;">1/2 yellow or white onion, chopped coarse</li>
<li style="text-align: left;">1 bell pepper, whatever color you like, cored, seeded and chopped coarse</li>
<li style="text-align: left;">1 pack turkey smoked sausage (we have Butterball brand, use whichever brand you've got) </li>
<li style="text-align: left;">1 jar Ragu Light Parmesan Alfredo (or whatever lite or fat-free Alfredo sauce you find)</li>
<li style="text-align: left;">Cayenne pepper, sprinklings...I didn't measure, sorry</li>
<li style="text-align: left;">Kosher salt...just a touch</li>
<li style="text-align: left;">1 tbs olive oil</li>
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<b><span style="font-size: large;">What You Do:</span></b></div>
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<li style="text-align: left;">Heat water for noodles to boiling, add noodles and let them cook</li>
<li style="text-align: left;">Heat olive oil on medium and saute the peppers and onions for 5-7 minutes</li>
<li style="text-align: left;">Sprinkle a touch of kosher salt and cayenne pepper, to taste, over the peppers and onions</li>
<li style="text-align: left;">Slice sausage into 1/2 inch coins and add to the skillet</li>
<li style="text-align: left;">Continue cooking the peppers, onions and sausage for another 5-10 minutes, stirring occasionally, til the sausage gets all nice and toasty brown (see above...like that!) </li>
<li style="text-align: left;">Check noodles. I like mine done. I don't do that Al Dente stuff...I'm not Italian. Sacrilege, I know!</li>
<li style="text-align: left;">Add the entire jar of Alfredo to the skillet and stir to evenly coat all the veggies and sausage. </li>
<li style="text-align: left;">Reduce heat and let it simmer for another 5 minutes or so to warm the sauce</li>
<li style="text-align: left;">Drain the noodles, add them to the skillet, stir it all up til everything is getting along nicely</li>
<li style="text-align: left;">Plate. </li>
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That's it. Simple, straightforward and great for lazy, lonely cooks like me! </div>
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Oh, and if you've ever wondered how to get all that sauce that's stuck to the sides of the jar OUT of the jar, <b><a href="http://frugal.simplydeb.com/2013/11/good-to-last-drop.html" target="_blank">read here</a></b> for ways to set it free and get your money's worth out of canned and jarred items!! </div>
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Happy, happy cooking, eating and then going back to whatever you were doing before I so rudely interrupted! </div>
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Miragihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01374321412520155636noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9137804757950380794.post-3545497659338995142013-12-18T20:24:00.000-05:002013-12-19T08:34:47.856-05:00Christmas Gifts with Flavor: Flavored Syrup for Coffee<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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So, clearly, December is the month for slacking...at least when it comes to cooking fodder, eh? I must apologize for my absences. Chickens. Heads Cut off. Ya know. </div>
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Anyway....as the time for Christmas Cheer draws near, I thought I'd finally get this out to you, in case you've got some last minute gifts to come up with. Above, is a bottle of peppermint syrup that my cousin's beloved made for her...at home....made, bottled and labeled...at home. </div>
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And while I don't have a recipe myself, I did find these two recipes that sound EXTREMELY easy and cheap to make up...all you need to do is provide the bottles, labels and maybe a little ribbon to tie around the top. </div>
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<b><a href="http://www.inkatrinaskitchen.com/2013/12/candy-cane-peppermint-simple-syrup.html" target="_blank">Candy Cane Simple Syrup from In Katrina's Kitchen</a></b></div>
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<b><a href="http://www.mysteryloverskitchen.com/2012/12/Candy-Cane-Peppermint-Syrup-Cleo-Coyle-Holiday-Buzz-Recipe.html" target="_blank">Peppermint Syrup from Mystery Lovers' Kitchen</a></b><br />
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<b><span style="font-size: large;">EDIT: My cousin has divulged the recipe for the syrup pictured above!!!</span></b><br />
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<b>-1 C. Water</b></div>
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<b>-1 C. Sugar</b></div>
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<b>-20 peppermint candies</b></div>
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<b>Don't have exact directions, but I would imagine you add all the above into a pan and let it melt down, slowly, probably at medium, or medium to low heat...stirring regularly.</b></div>
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<b>Lisa also stated that she would've enjoyed a touch more peppermint without more sugar, so she recommended adding a few drops of peppermint extract to bump up the flavor more, if you're into peppermint really, really bad! </b></div>
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And peppermint is just one of about one billion possibilities when it comes to making flavored syrups for coffee, hot chocolate or even ice cream! </div>
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You can find glass bottles with lids at most any dollar store. Just make sure you wash and rinse them thoroughly before filling with the syrup. </div>
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Use a heavy stock paper or grocery bag paper to make your own labels. Whether you handwrite and design them, or create a label on your computer and print it onto the paper, your personal touches will make it even more special! Use a hot glue gun or glue stick to adhere the label to the bottle. </div>
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Tie some raffia or regular foil ribbon around the top for a finishing touch. </div>
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Voila...flavorful gift, freakishly cheap! </div>
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I won't make any promises about posting more Christmas-related ideas before the big day, but I do want to wish you all a very Merry Whatever You Celebrate on That Day and hope it's the best one yet! </div>
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Miragihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01374321412520155636noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9137804757950380794.post-12110715825233788502013-12-11T17:07:00.001-05:002013-12-11T17:07:10.599-05:00Christmas 2013: Not So JollyLet's face it. I had high hopes of providing a ton of ideas for the upcoming Christmasy festivities. Yet, to be honest, 2013 hasn't been the happiest of years. In some cases, yes, but knowing what it's going to be like this year, with family issues and what not, I'm just not much in the spirit of Yuletide caring.<br />
<br />Don't get me wrong, I love holiday food and all, but anything I think about now is just the standard stuff:<br />
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-Homemade Mac and Cheese<br />
-Green Bean Casserole<br />
-Ham<br />
-Turkey<br />
-Roast Beef<br />
-Rolls<br />
-Cake<br />
-Pie<br />
-My Aunt's always better than anyone else's homemade Chex Mix.<br />
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So, I would like to extend my apologies for being a bit Grinchy this year. <br />
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I'm working on creating a whole new me...one who is much happier and much more productive in 2014. As a tried and true introvert, this is taking a tremendous amount of mental work on my part! Meanwhile, I hope you can find some other recipes here that will help feed you between now and the big day! Check out the archives. Or, jump on over to <a href="http://www.simplydeb.com/" target="_blank">Simply Deb</a> and see what else is going on! </div>
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<br />Happy Holidays! </div>
Miragihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01374321412520155636noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9137804757950380794.post-67749773177382043812013-12-03T12:09:00.000-05:002013-12-03T12:09:49.327-05:00Christmas Gifts with Flavor: Quick BreadsOk, kids....so it's December 3. That means approximately 2 to 2.5 weeks to get all your Christmas gifts planned, bought and wrapped before the big day. Over the course of these next two weeks, I'm going to share with you some great gift ideas that involve food, or the ingredients therein.<br />
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Giving food-related gifts not only saves you tons of cash, it allows you to make something from your heart and possibly provide something new that your friends and family members may have never tried before.<br />
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What I'm sharing today is something I've done throughout the years, when money was exceptionally tight and Christmas shopping was fairly out of the question. Most of the ingredients I used were bought at the local discount grocery (Save A Lot) and only took about a day to bake, then package the foodstuffs.<br />
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<b><span style="font-size: large;">Quick breads </span></b></div>
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I don't have my own recipes for these, I got each one out of one of the best, most useful cookbooks, ever:<br />
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Keep reading...it's worth it! </div>
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The possibilities are endless, here are just some of the quickbread flavors you can try: </div>
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<li>Banana</li>
<li>Pumpkin</li>
<li>Applesauce</li>
<li>Cranberry-Orange</li>
<li>Zucchini</li>
<li>Lemon-Poppyseed</li>
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I'm telling you, with the advent of the Internets, you can find a <a href="http://www.bhg.com/recipes/bread/our-best-banana-bread-recipes/#page=18" target="_blank">quickbread recipe</a> in ANY flavor imaginable. </div>
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My go-to flavors have been banana, pumpkin, applesauce and cranberry-orange. Because during the holiday months, you can pick up canned pumpkin and fresh cranberries for great prices. Bananas, you know the ones that are turning brown and sitting on the Markdown cart? Those are the bananas you need for a great, sweet banana bread! As for the main ingredients, I always picked up a 5-lb bag of flour, a large tray of eggs and generic-brand stick margarine or butter. You can also buy generic applesauce, because really, the only difference between that and the brand-name stuff is the brand name itself. </div>
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Depending on how many bread gifts you want to give, you're going to need some loaf pans...I've done both mini and normal-size loafs, using my own collection of glass and metal pans and those disposable aluminum pans. If you use the aluminum variety, I suggest purchasing and using some non-stick cooking spray (normal or butter flavor) to line the aluminum buggers, otherwise you will contort them beyond recognition when trying to make the loaf exit the pan. </div>
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As for presentation, there's a wide variety of colored plastic wrap available. You can either wrap them completely, or pull the plastic up and around the loaf and then secure it with a festive kind of ribbon of your choosing. The choosing is yours! When I made full-size loafs, I did the complete wrap, then placed 3 loaves (one of each flavor) in a smaller gift bag. </div>
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You can get some fairly inexpensive gift bags at places like Dollar General, Big Lots, etc....the kind that are just plain paper, then just add red and green ribbon or draw a delightful Christmas design on each one. Again, choice is yours! </div>
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While I don't recall the exact total expenditure for such an undertaking, I do know that it fell well below the $40 dollar mark for all the ingredients and packaging and possibly even under $30, and this made enough for each couple in the family (which at that time was 6 couples), so essentially, you're spending less than $10 for each gift. Sweet, yes? </div>
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Miragihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01374321412520155636noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9137804757950380794.post-8127929157815787512013-12-02T15:24:00.001-05:002013-12-02T15:25:17.126-05:00Veggin' Out with Chef BoyardeeBack in October, I wrote about doctoring up your standard, run of the mill <a href="http://www.cooking-squared.com/2013/10/think-inside-box.html" target="_blank">Chef Boyardee Pizza</a> mix. I get bored easily. I also cannot make any sort of "boxed" meal without doing at least SOMETHING to it, whether that be adding more noodles, more veggies or different herbs, to make MORE of it and to make it taste at least LESS processed than it is. <br />
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(Please note, I never have claimed to be, nor will I ever BE a "foodie"...this should eliminate any expectation that I will never post about Hamburger Helper or frozen pot pies!)<br />
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Over the past month or so, I had some major stomach/gut issues and learned that I have that lovely thing called Irritable Bowel Syndrome. Yay. So, now, in hopes of finding the foods that will not upset my delicate innards, I've been playing around with assorted foods. I know that frozen pizza, fresh cucumbers, barbecued chicken, that lovely <a href="http://www.cooking-squared.com/2013/10/the-easiest-thing-youll-ever-make.html" target="_blank">creamed chicken</a> that I adore so much and Honey Bunches of Oats cereal all upset me greatly, much to my dismay. Everything I read, however, seems to want you to avoid any kind of healthy food, including vegetables, fiber and what not...so how is it that I can eat more healthy stuff without causing an internal ruckus? (I'll let you know when I fully figure that out!)<br />
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I wanted pizza, but didn't want the grease and fat levels of the frozen variety, so I picked up another Chef Boyardee pizza kit, the Cheese-only variety, and some fresh veggies that I knew would go good on top of it and set out to make a veggie pizza of sorts.<br />
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Keep reading to see what fresh hell I made!!! <br />
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What I added: 1 red bell pepper, two gray zucchinis, a pack of baby bella mushrooms, two large cloves of garlic and one baby eggplant. I cut them into large pieces first, sprayed a baking sheet with olive oil spray, then roasted them at 400 degrees F for about 15 minutes.<br />
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I let them cool for about 10 minutes, then proceeded to chop the peppers, onions, zukes and eggplant into more bite-friendly pieces. </div>
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Putting the veggies in a large bowl, I crushed the roasted garlic into the bowl (I use a garlic press, much quicker that way!) and sprinkled them with a bit of kosher salt, then stirred gently to disperse the garlic. </div>
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While the veggies were roasting and cooling, I made the pizza crust, put it in a bowl and let it sit for nearly 20 minutes, by the oven vent for warmth. Using the same baking sheet, I coated the bottom with about a tablespoon of olive oil, using a paper towel to spread it around the bottom and sides, then sprinkled the bottom with a bit of kosher salt and a sprinkling of Italian seasoning. </div>
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Then, when the crust was ready, I spread it out over the pan, added the provided pizza sauce, then topped it off with the roasted veggies. </div>
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I added probably half of a regular-size bag of Italian cheese blend. Personally, I don't mess around with fat-free or even reduced-fat cheese because it doesn't melt right and it's disturbing. If you wanna go completely vegetarian, you could use that veggie mozzarella cheese, but again, it doesn't melt like normal cheese, so it will be a touch different. To each their own, right? </div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhtrB_iA15KB5_Gl27nXnbd5UCqFeCua7DHUoK06X9n5uSClc1DKFqvbV_wi17RmgIiTdBGY2uE0i9UfQCyBS3zwYZVYVHfi-92Ud4WwQNa_yU9nA2gNXC_99vBdSzmrk0xkLTe2AXU3qE5/s1600/20131125_121503.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhtrB_iA15KB5_Gl27nXnbd5UCqFeCua7DHUoK06X9n5uSClc1DKFqvbV_wi17RmgIiTdBGY2uE0i9UfQCyBS3zwYZVYVHfi-92Ud4WwQNa_yU9nA2gNXC_99vBdSzmrk0xkLTe2AXU3qE5/s320/20131125_121503.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
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<b><span style="font-size: large;">Voila. Veggie Pizza a la Chef Boyardee. </span></b></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgAYlQcA4Qv-hLbL4MMJvI8K-Yc14muebmPdkMHiMmtUeqJ6v8ITDXW4zO_qlPLFwEtI4CvY0RL0DKdj_Ltyx7Ft-24F2CzyXYt4k4ZBYW_rE-QHuiyduPq4pxJ_3kC_u5k0ta64g_fg4C0/s1600/20131125_123524.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgAYlQcA4Qv-hLbL4MMJvI8K-Yc14muebmPdkMHiMmtUeqJ6v8ITDXW4zO_qlPLFwEtI4CvY0RL0DKdj_Ltyx7Ft-24F2CzyXYt4k4ZBYW_rE-QHuiyduPq4pxJ_3kC_u5k0ta64g_fg4C0/s320/20131125_123524.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
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All in all, it wasn't half bad. Granted, the husband did not appreciate it as much as I would have liked him to, but for me, it was fairly decent stuff. I roasted the veggies before hand to avoid getting a soggy pie and I think that worked successfully, yet, he felt it was still a bit too soggy/slimy for his palate. It was definitely better the first time around, hot, fresh from the oven. I had some the next day, and I can honestly say it was rather NOT good. So, there you have it. You could probably even use this as an appetizer, cutting it into tinier pieces, but I would still serve it at least lukewarm, rather than cold. </div>
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What do you do to pizza to make it your own? </div>
<br />Miragihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01374321412520155636noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9137804757950380794.post-51030239403564860052013-11-22T07:08:00.000-05:002013-11-22T07:08:37.650-05:00Tried but Not True: Melt in Your Mouth ChickenSo, the other night, we couldn't figure out what to make for dinner...and I was rummaging around Pinterest for something quick in the chicken department. I didn't find anything quick for that night, but found this recipe for "Melt in Your Mouth Chicken" that I put on the lunch menu for Sunday. (For once, I actually had EVERY single ingredient required.<br />
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I followed the directions to a T....a big, capital...T.....and yet, THIS is what came out of the oven: </div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhZU1kPsNoYXcAwDT_T-K8a8ZWLzvvjW_7aKqUnIc7mw33ZHemOzg3v9xgGHh46agkolLQe2l-8cnrKpsb8Hfy0GPRSHo95f5UoNxJz8578v0awWzmVqs-RP6EcxXgPlN14MXLnyb4BWfVT/s1600/20131117_124426.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhZU1kPsNoYXcAwDT_T-K8a8ZWLzvvjW_7aKqUnIc7mw33ZHemOzg3v9xgGHh46agkolLQe2l-8cnrKpsb8Hfy0GPRSHo95f5UoNxJz8578v0awWzmVqs-RP6EcxXgPlN14MXLnyb4BWfVT/s320/20131117_124426.jpg" width="240" /></a></div>
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One of these things is most DEFINITELY NOT like the other. I don't know if it's because I lined the baking sheet with foil (because I didn't feel like scrubbing a pan) or if it's because I used grated parmesan cheese instead of shreds. I just do not why mine does not look like the picture above. </div>
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It was an odd, odd thing, this recipe. Granted, I've never baked with Greek yogurt before, so maybe this is normal and what they used was NOT Greek yogurt? I can tell you that I opened the oven at about the 25-minute mark and they were SWIMMING in what I assume to have been yogurt liquid....runny, gross looking, yuck and so I drained the majority of THAT off. Maybe that's why they didn't brown properly? I baked it at the indicated temperature, for the indicated period of time. The only thing that got golden brown was the bottom of each boob, after I got done peeling them off of the aluminum foil. </div>
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The flavor was different. Good, but different. My husband said it got better the more he ate, and that we had a winner with this one. Allow me to show you my face at hearing this: </div>
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<a href="https://scontent-b-ord.xx.fbcdn.net/hphotos-prn2/1236464_10151905920176535_1256153055_n.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://scontent-b-ord.xx.fbcdn.net/hphotos-prn2/1236464_10151905920176535_1256153055_n.jpg" width="242" /></a></div>
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No, this is NOT me.....but that most certainly had to be my expression at that particular moment. </div>
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<b><a href="https://www.facebook.com/MisterSamShearon" target="_blank">This is Mister Sam. Meet him. </a></b></div>
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He's an artist. He draws pictures and stuff. Rock your world, he will. </div>
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Anyway....back to that chicken. Yeah. Next time, I will be omitting the aluminum foil, and if it's still not browned by near the end of the cooking time, I think I'll stick it under the broiler for a minute or two to see if that does anything other than burn the stiff peaks. </div>
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PS: This is NOT a non-messy kind of proposition. Sure, the yogurt spread mixes up all nice and neat in the bowl, but then you have to somehow get it to spread over the slippery chicken. Of course, NOW, after the fact, I realize that I should've patted them dry before applying the spread. I'm on the ball, yes I am! The spread is so thick that I didn't feel it would be feasible to put it in a pie pan or something and then try to dip the chicken in, so I just used the good ol' digits and slopped it on each side, then around the edges as best I could. </div>
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I will let you know what happens the next time I try this! </div>
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If YOU have any clue why it did not brown like the chicken pictured in the recipe picture, please do share! </div>
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<br />Miragihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01374321412520155636noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9137804757950380794.post-84843323346900030182013-11-18T07:45:00.001-05:002013-11-18T07:45:59.696-05:00The Lighter Side of Chicken CacciatoreOn Lidia's Italy the other day, she was making her version of Chicken Cacciatore, and I was immediately reminded of this recipe from Michael Chiarello: <a href="http://bewitchingkitchen.com/2011/10/26/chiarellos-chicken-cacciatore/" target="_blank">Chiarello's Chicken Cacciatore</a>. It may very well be the first recipe I ever made that ventured outside the lines of spaghetti and meat sauce or some version of Helper. The kids were small, so I know it was YEARS ago, back when I barely knew what olive oil was and had never cooked with fresh herbs before. (Yes, I am that old.) I loved Mr. Chiarello's PBS show, so much so that I signed up for his catalog and ordered these:<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjFGB2FgkpJZE-KbF3lqlSZBjQDSWHH5yRItzL-qjova8DMxxtMJzIBsllaeJnzUAGf2JSvOZR4ByLG_j-f-S0IvGtOlRrGNIkZrsyT81jr2HDJvnm6USUPik6ZLjYCuQAJ50XELAvPvTJR/s1600/20131116_134402.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="287" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjFGB2FgkpJZE-KbF3lqlSZBjQDSWHH5yRItzL-qjova8DMxxtMJzIBsllaeJnzUAGf2JSvOZR4ByLG_j-f-S0IvGtOlRrGNIkZrsyT81jr2HDJvnm6USUPik6ZLjYCuQAJ50XELAvPvTJR/s320/20131116_134402.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
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Yes, they're old. Worn. And mainly sitting up there on the shelf for decoration...along with a can of Arizona Sunshine that I found in my grandpa's house after he passed. I miss my grandparents. I hold on to the tiny things to help me remember the best times in life. ANYWAY! Back to cacciatore. This recipe made me see parsley as something more than a garnish. I have never stopped using Italian parsley since I first made this. It's amazing. Try it, if you never have...the fresh stuff!!! </div>
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So, I went searching for the recipe and found it on another food blog (see link above). I was overjoyed! However, having recently discovered that my digestive system is not what it once was, I am now trying to lighten everything up, that and I'm not all that fond of chicken thighs, so I revamped the recipe to fit my dietary and budgetary needs. </div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjxhZuS-aacTRq4Xed3_Qj7kuK3S9mX9ERGc8GYF_BE8jh_Et5LGJQKhDvjYTsR7SCYiK1olk2XbfsQXKHEPU7yaoA7G1LXrCbpM-R_ar-vIlaQFSgOiRxliGg0m9LZj2FW8xiYFoNqhx-4/s1600/20131116_130521.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="316" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjxhZuS-aacTRq4Xed3_Qj7kuK3S9mX9ERGc8GYF_BE8jh_Et5LGJQKhDvjYTsR7SCYiK1olk2XbfsQXKHEPU7yaoA7G1LXrCbpM-R_ar-vIlaQFSgOiRxliGg0m9LZj2FW8xiYFoNqhx-4/s320/20131116_130521.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
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Chicken boobs. I did leave about half of the fat on them just because my mind tells me that it will add more flavor that way. A total falsity, but it got me through! Mushrooms. The recipe calls for dried porcinis. My wallet screamed NO! $6 for about 1/2 cup of mushrooms? HELL. NO! So, instead I picked up some Porteenies (some hybrid, I suppose) and used the Baby Bellas I had here. There are ways to get more mushroom flavor without having to take out a 15th mortgage! I'll tell you how, in a moment. </div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjd4SunBcQnAXGBaScrMWEoG9EXPKRLqJEADMNBHeQ6E-znNQ-LpCG6ijwh9PCLrtWiF5nSXgvwSB-4MLBeddz9IWYzeQYEB1c-0NCOdqeqrycHZPqBXX_r81hjMGjByIDHt9eaEYfEDNGW/s1600/parsley.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="246" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjd4SunBcQnAXGBaScrMWEoG9EXPKRLqJEADMNBHeQ6E-znNQ-LpCG6ijwh9PCLrtWiF5nSXgvwSB-4MLBeddz9IWYzeQYEB1c-0NCOdqeqrycHZPqBXX_r81hjMGjByIDHt9eaEYfEDNGW/s320/parsley.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
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Fresh parsley. It MUST be fresh. THAT is where alot of the flavor comes from in this dish. Pick out most of the stems, if you like, and use a fairly sharp knife to chop it up fine. </div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhfT5eXdYuAYjXIPamsuOc9MtHNSjDHl7xSYxW1gQfbE7_AY3YI8qBXtGjCOL6Nr_EVuPoEMaY92wKnquPIPCQWEyaXYsE8zJ3kGOl3Kfc9pQTU9SmB7nh-nLm6qaQDlKdGN11iaLhPhzQ0/s1600/20131116_131502.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="256" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhfT5eXdYuAYjXIPamsuOc9MtHNSjDHl7xSYxW1gQfbE7_AY3YI8qBXtGjCOL6Nr_EVuPoEMaY92wKnquPIPCQWEyaXYsE8zJ3kGOl3Kfc9pQTU9SmB7nh-nLm6qaQDlKdGN11iaLhPhzQ0/s320/20131116_131502.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
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Part one of mushroom intensification. Slice and roughly chop the shrooms, then sprinkle with a bit of kosher salt and coarse-ground black pepper. Add about 1 teaspoon of olive oil to a skillet, heat it to medium and then add the mushrooms and spread them out evenly, then LET THEM BE. Set the timer for a good 3-4 minutes. Salt draws out the moisture....which is why you need very little oil. After the timer beeps, stir them and let them go for another 3 minutes. Turn off the heat and let them sit. </div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhiz6ZZ3iZDhW_-fuKG93wpAv283mw-EIClIBblFlhFgEVXpeO-FfmjRDP0VZVUSO3PG80o8hy-59OBWhnpNnZsE6IkPD2B_ENCZCYdMgQui953ye-A5qW1JmLHEcDemDhJrHdMWXnFHg_I/s1600/20131116_132755.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="281" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhiz6ZZ3iZDhW_-fuKG93wpAv283mw-EIClIBblFlhFgEVXpeO-FfmjRDP0VZVUSO3PG80o8hy-59OBWhnpNnZsE6IkPD2B_ENCZCYdMgQui953ye-A5qW1JmLHEcDemDhJrHdMWXnFHg_I/s320/20131116_132755.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
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I pounded the bejesus out of the chicken boobs to help them cook more evenly. Add a tablespoon of olive oil to the skillet, heat it to medium, liberally salt and pepper one side of the boobs and then put them in, seasoned side down. Now, season the nekkid side. I cooked them approximately 7 minutes on side one, letting the fat melt off and getting that lovely golden brown. Chicken with no color freaks me out. Ick. </div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhwGWbGWXbcjblCuEV1nKCJc8amQT2InEB8fgmb_hVckdoLDcYDfRrZKFxQKTnP6XHZpe_SKEoFk9uDlMjKkr-khJqu2brArbmlpSW8V3mOxsyCo0Pz8mMv0V5rYW1Feor5LSjjQ5g2YEFP/s1600/20131116_133214.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="270" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhwGWbGWXbcjblCuEV1nKCJc8amQT2InEB8fgmb_hVckdoLDcYDfRrZKFxQKTnP6XHZpe_SKEoFk9uDlMjKkr-khJqu2brArbmlpSW8V3mOxsyCo0Pz8mMv0V5rYW1Feor5LSjjQ5g2YEFP/s320/20131116_133214.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
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Back to the shrooms. I put the cooks shrooms in a bowl. The recipe calls for 1/2 cup broth and 1/2 cup water. Water? Just no. Add more flavor. Live on the edge. Use a whole cup of broth. Turn the skillet back on medium or med-high, and add the broth to loosen up any remaining mushroomy bits. Bring it to a boil, then pour the hot broth over the mushrooms in the bowl. Let it sit. THIS is where you will get a TON of that mushroomy flavor. </div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiNhpu6_cw9BH2AXe_rK5XSuvXE0v4aUig_p433eZb-xrrvaccs6hfhILicAn5Opm0hFPjemXJng0Ih30krxoip9Dvb39xKqP4HlQzE22slsw4DqfdJcj0cEVETkb6SPO7JIH2ouxb-4iou/s1600/20131116_133633.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="233" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiNhpu6_cw9BH2AXe_rK5XSuvXE0v4aUig_p433eZb-xrrvaccs6hfhILicAn5Opm0hFPjemXJng0Ih30krxoip9Dvb39xKqP4HlQzE22slsw4DqfdJcj0cEVETkb6SPO7JIH2ouxb-4iou/s320/20131116_133633.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
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Remove the boobs from the skillet and put them in the oven, which should be on because you should be having some format of garlic bread, because why not? Meanwhile finish the sauce. I always, always, ALWAYS burn garlic. Seriously. No matter how low I set the heat, I burn it. Never good. So, this time, I made sure I was ready, added the garlic to the remaining oil/fat in the skillet (there wasn't much, probably about a tablespoon), let it saute for about 15 seconds (yes, seconds) then poured in the mushrooms and liquid. Add about 2 tablespoons of the chopped parsley and 1/2 a 28 0z can of pureed tomatoes. I'm not sure how my version didn't become overwhelmingly tomatoe-y, but it didn't. You never know till you try, right? Let the sauce cook for a minute or two, then add the boobs back in so they can absorb that saucy flavor. </div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhyEXYZXiQjLNMdTcia5VeQZvFWcnWehWpMx-sw00-UDYBFS49Chn0zQRHOEHX_z3RHkrtNO_FfAnJyMDksVTuZ2AUEKdgZqaT2nePF1JrXREqA9DNvHBSpTZofzpouNUJuAcbiGJFd6_6x/s1600/20131116_133906.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="253" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhyEXYZXiQjLNMdTcia5VeQZvFWcnWehWpMx-sw00-UDYBFS49Chn0zQRHOEHX_z3RHkrtNO_FfAnJyMDksVTuZ2AUEKdgZqaT2nePF1JrXREqA9DNvHBSpTZofzpouNUJuAcbiGJFd6_6x/s320/20131116_133906.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
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I put a lid on the skillet, but I don't think that's a requirement. If you leave the lid off, though, you may end up with a thicker sauce. Let it cook on medium for a few minutes, then reduce heat to med-lo and let it simmer. The color is amazing....almost blood-like or rusty....very deep, very dark. Very tasty! </div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEih8zhNLzIVT0oY2Na7GPxPz8TAwnf3x7OsZpU-HJjB4xzAydmFhaahm8SowLwVQnPNhtSaYUlRWtys7uJ13wx1VFjAoZfJG9bp_3iMn0imarCEMki77Thl2fAc86NEBaNucQpn-AUgYvZF/s1600/20131116_135818.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEih8zhNLzIVT0oY2Na7GPxPz8TAwnf3x7OsZpU-HJjB4xzAydmFhaahm8SowLwVQnPNhtSaYUlRWtys7uJ13wx1VFjAoZfJG9bp_3iMn0imarCEMki77Thl2fAc86NEBaNucQpn-AUgYvZF/s320/20131116_135818.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
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While the recipe calls for polenta cakes, and while I LOVE polenta, my husband does not, so I subbed cappellini. Put the pasta on the plate, add some sauce, with lots of the shrooms, add a boob, more sauce, then sprinkle it all with more fresh parsley. Add garlic bread. Eat! </div>
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<br />Miragihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01374321412520155636noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9137804757950380794.post-83387001504165115402013-11-15T09:52:00.002-05:002013-11-15T09:56:06.200-05:00The Joys of Spinach<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
This week, during one of the rare times when I catch part of an episode of Dr. Oz, I saw this recipe for a <a href="http://www.pinterest.com/pin/70298444157443520/" target="_blank">Spinach Walnut Citrus Salad</a>. I like spinach. I like citrus. It's a go! Took all of 5-10 minutes to put it together. I highly recommend this, not only for the health benefits, but also for the lovely flavor! </div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjrphVMwxtXp__t3JhF2PTe-fVEbOuZbYOEhRemz8rrWMSEM9sJdbmKlXoBWCu9HuTZ3kB-_URcj9YQBgWrLimQntC1tRLZC8b97Ih9WuOR8ax9yeEkP7ORDVD-ezu07YLKRNZnJg667sBA/s1600/20131114_173143.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="368" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjrphVMwxtXp__t3JhF2PTe-fVEbOuZbYOEhRemz8rrWMSEM9sJdbmKlXoBWCu9HuTZ3kB-_URcj9YQBgWrLimQntC1tRLZC8b97Ih9WuOR8ax9yeEkP7ORDVD-ezu07YLKRNZnJg667sBA/s400/20131114_173143.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
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As for the vinaigrette, I am not one to waste, so I added the juice from the grapefruit. Or, rather, I was letting the juice fall into the bowl while I was sectioning the grapefruit and then decided "HEY, this would add even MORE ruby red grapefruit flavor! All in all, it probably amounted to two tablespoons of juice. </div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgfUAf1zoaQrybrL8-H_uAuxMLYY5LnpWVRx-GNacGyQH8wuso8Np59qkuUUZwItCDCnjGCK7gaQzU1TnMdEV9u538Gt83sZr1ajU05OC58YdjdTcHL0JGjJYGV7DpCg3KfXg6YdxUA2pFM/s1600/20131114_173435.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgfUAf1zoaQrybrL8-H_uAuxMLYY5LnpWVRx-GNacGyQH8wuso8Np59qkuUUZwItCDCnjGCK7gaQzU1TnMdEV9u538Gt83sZr1ajU05OC58YdjdTcHL0JGjJYGV7DpCg3KfXg6YdxUA2pFM/s400/20131114_173435.jpg" width="393" /></a></div>
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Being the ARTISTE that I am (HA), I dressed the spinach before adding the rest of the ingredients, because I like to create a somewhat photogenic plate, even if I'm not shooting it! I added enough baby spinach to fill an entire dinner plate, since this WAS my dinner last night. To be honest, next time, I will combine spinach with romaine hearts. After about 1/2 the plate, the spinach was just, well, too much spinach, not enough crunch for me. </div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjtCc1kv31UT1r6pTGFnWkKMGocQw7Id3jyfJIxTFdhem4Vb41hkcOVtG69yZRMtla3e9PP7Dz43UQlS_9EDage4m2tAZEkGYZqq2LnEgYOUYgukyZwLG88C6hBidH12r31rB1jk87qT_n3/s1600/20131114_174010.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="375" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjtCc1kv31UT1r6pTGFnWkKMGocQw7Id3jyfJIxTFdhem4Vb41hkcOVtG69yZRMtla3e9PP7Dz43UQlS_9EDage4m2tAZEkGYZqq2LnEgYOUYgukyZwLG88C6hBidH12r31rB1jk87qT_n3/s400/20131114_174010.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
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Here she is, the finished and lovely salad. I did sub mandarin oranges for a fresh orange, just because I really need to use up items in my cupboard. It was just a fairly delightful combination of sweet and sour and a little kick with the cayenne in the vinaigrette. </div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhMQqu2sJXTl-KkHEHNodylAbb7Ut9CfDPGT7WHPxiBkJ3te-Ld_vBDTH0e_QK8VVqYvYqE8JP1JOxeYna9AhbpnWjqwP6YO3cjRtATDnu6JLcN5iLlBjI0besjlGWetwDxRa32qbUbUBRR/s1600/20131114_174321.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhMQqu2sJXTl-KkHEHNodylAbb7Ut9CfDPGT7WHPxiBkJ3te-Ld_vBDTH0e_QK8VVqYvYqE8JP1JOxeYna9AhbpnWjqwP6YO3cjRtATDnu6JLcN5iLlBjI0besjlGWetwDxRa32qbUbUBRR/s400/20131114_174321.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
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Miragihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01374321412520155636noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9137804757950380794.post-23289754619499242332013-11-14T20:08:00.001-05:002013-11-14T20:08:46.404-05:00Simply NOT Organic-The FollowupBack on October 6th, in <a href="http://www.cooking-squared.com/2013/10/simply-not-organic.html" target="_blank">Simply NOT Organic</a>, I shared with you some rather disturbing findings about a rather stubborn zucchini and some "fresh" rosemary that I bought back in July. In October, the zuke and the rosemary were still going strong, looking and feeling like I'd just bought them that week.<br />
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I checked them again on November 1st. Behold, we have SPOILAGE! FINALLY! <br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgzg2ldDijWGzVx7XeaTBMhp0UYbhQT2kX93oItaXLW76kACn2MVCGZQRUV0D2TEa-_GojHyM32k94EBaSg2JMbVwLQUPmLXPCWTeCsjmzHNdlghHVSSMl8zX3mZSSil4prYrhUrQaLj97R/s1600/20131101_232457.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="204" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgzg2ldDijWGzVx7XeaTBMhp0UYbhQT2kX93oItaXLW76kACn2MVCGZQRUV0D2TEa-_GojHyM32k94EBaSg2JMbVwLQUPmLXPCWTeCsjmzHNdlghHVSSMl8zX3mZSSil4prYrhUrQaLj97R/s320/20131101_232457.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
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The rosemary is starting to decay, with some leaves turning black and a bit of mold developing on the base of the stem. Only took a little over three months. THREE. MONTHS! How organic is that really? </div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhPba_aGL1Spdud8kw5l7135Z1eu0IRNaeyNxGOxKZcGNw2GkXVCz6S5LFbvriO8YaVSqnzvhR5VO_c9aPUIisPmS004xfzO2KAZARF9lsb216C8ottY8Q8tHKVYZOfIsmheeXJS3GbLHq2/s1600/20131101_232509.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhPba_aGL1Spdud8kw5l7135Z1eu0IRNaeyNxGOxKZcGNw2GkXVCz6S5LFbvriO8YaVSqnzvhR5VO_c9aPUIisPmS004xfzO2KAZARF9lsb216C8ottY8Q8tHKVYZOfIsmheeXJS3GbLHq2/s320/20131101_232509.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
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The zuke, bought at a local farm, was still fairly solid, but was starting to look just a tad withered. No bad spots on the outside though and no mold on the stem or blossom ends. </div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg5KfKxC0AzION-7eSy7dBvU9SGlkH3rVncX1jcMmiJKaqKZZYQp7qnof5LBHoB0pNvcDaFu9j42RDysxqSpwydj-v5DKf3b1JDx8OzxKTVNB2d9qbbtiZL9s1Ynv9Pmw4hG7n3NhBm3qGy/s1600/20131101_232629.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg5KfKxC0AzION-7eSy7dBvU9SGlkH3rVncX1jcMmiJKaqKZZYQp7qnof5LBHoB0pNvcDaFu9j42RDysxqSpwydj-v5DKf3b1JDx8OzxKTVNB2d9qbbtiZL9s1Ynv9Pmw4hG7n3NhBm3qGy/s320/20131101_232629.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
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I knew I wasn't going to eat it, so I chopped it up. This is what I found. Actually, the picture makes it look more browned than what it really was. I did not try to do a taste test, because...EWWW. So, I'm going to presume that had I wanted to, I probably could've still used it back at the beginning of October. However, since it frightened me, I just left it on the counter.</div>
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So, yeah. That's what they call "organic" now in the herb world. And I don't think it matters much whether a veggeble is grown locally or far away. What matters is the seed. Clearly, a touch of genetic modification occurred at some point to produce a very long-lasting fruit. </div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhezEw7V_2LUjeo-hkhRwna9Y01-zoKsGwhfZ2BO-yXCSoIlbwzluFBNWAaykZ_7jJ3xKkODndICVUqWfRdMWZE6Dn6Hz5yfZxuiFRPS56jJ2v15AFhuta0KxmkR_PLRwARwJL2c5mBjFtE/s1600/fbd.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="294" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhezEw7V_2LUjeo-hkhRwna9Y01-zoKsGwhfZ2BO-yXCSoIlbwzluFBNWAaykZ_7jJ3xKkODndICVUqWfRdMWZE6Dn6Hz5yfZxuiFRPS56jJ2v15AFhuta0KxmkR_PLRwARwJL2c5mBjFtE/s320/fbd.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
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I'm still kind of conflicted, because I like fresh vegetables and frankly, it's quite obvious that it doesn't matter where you get them, you just do not know what kind of seeds were used to produce the PROduce. All we can do is buy local, ask questions, keep calm and hope for the best, right? </div>
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<br />Miragihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01374321412520155636noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9137804757950380794.post-29975790726732954032013-11-07T13:54:00.000-05:002013-11-07T13:54:17.825-05:00Easy Holiday Appetizers: Cranberry Roast Beef Roll Ups<a href="http://www.simplydeb.com/" target="_blank">The other Deb</a> and I were discussing the joys of surviving on a diet consisting solely of appetizers. Why do we love them so? Is it because they are neat, tidy, compact and portable? Is it the ability to eat without having to cook an entire 3-course dinner? We don't know, but we know we love appetizers.<br />
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With the holidays (think THANKSGIVING) right around that corner, you need quick, easy apps that you can make in mere minutes, like this recipe for cranberry roast beef roll ups. This combines the best of cheesey, sweet and savory goodness in a portable little pinwheel. I don't have pictures yet, because I haven't made it in a few years, but believe you me, pictures can't do the divine flavor any sort of justice. For now, we'll have to suffice with a few shots of separate ingredients.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEithUAJuw4QIvYUBKD1aLdHscCyl5wZsoKrXYawcxZtajDDgBCJTs1vqkoMF8HVewP6OncwKV-oAsnMcv03Iq1iIFDrAwv3bvrGSrCjwD8lhKjh877QvU1_HR-6EJLL16l1gACFxMRaGSxe/s1600/rbcran.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEithUAJuw4QIvYUBKD1aLdHscCyl5wZsoKrXYawcxZtajDDgBCJTs1vqkoMF8HVewP6OncwKV-oAsnMcv03Iq1iIFDrAwv3bvrGSrCjwD8lhKjh877QvU1_HR-6EJLL16l1gACFxMRaGSxe/s1600/rbcran.jpg" /></a></div>
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What You Need:<br />
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Flour tortillas<br />
1/2 red onion, chopped (fine for smoother texture or rough for more crunch, you pick)<br />
Cream cheese (Fat free is fine, as is whipped, which is delightful)<br />
Deli Roast beef, sliced thin, but not chipped<br />
Cranberry relish<br />
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Amounts:<br />
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The amounts vary, depending on how many rollups you wish to make. For one tortilla, you'll need at least 2 tbs onions, 2-3 tbs relish and 3-4 tbs cream cheese, along with 2-3 slices of roast beef. I know this is a very shoddy way to tell you, but when I made them before, here at home, it was just random and just for me. So, to guesstimate, I will surmise:<br />
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1/2 lb cranberry relish (from deli or prepackaged)<br />
1/2 to 3/4 lb roast beef<br />
1-2 containers of cream cheese (depending on how cheesy you like it)<br />
1 small red onion<br />
1 pack of large tortillas (usually 8-10 in a bag)<br />
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What You Do:<br />
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Let the tortillas sit out for about 20 minutes. Cold tortillas don't roll as easily.<br />
Same with cream cheese, if using regular, non-whipped varieties. It spreads much easier at room temperature.<br />
Chop up that onion while you're waiting<br />
Assemble tortillas:<br />
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<li>Spread a thin (or thick if you want more) layer of cream cheese across the tortilla. Doesn't have to be perfect, just has to be cheesy.</li>
<li>Place 2-3 slices of roast beef across the surface of the torilla</li>
<li>Spoon cranberry relish over the roast beef, spreading it out to a thin layer </li>
<li>Sprinkle roughly 2 tbs of onion over the the surface</li>
<li>Start rolling. Don't try to make it too compact, just roll</li>
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Place rolled tortillas, with the end flap facing bottom, on a tray, cover with plastic wrap and chill for at least one hour. </div>
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Once rollups are chilled, use a sharp, serrated knife to slice each one into 6-10 pieces. Cut off the awkward tortilla-y ends and dispose, via your mouth. </div>
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You can secure each rollup with a decorative toothpick if you're feeling particularly festive, or place a layer of curly kale on the serving platter OR just use a really colorful platter. </div>
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Keep these babies chilled until serving. </div>
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It might take all of 30 minutes to put these together, if making the entire bag of tortillas. Quick, easy, and almost too good to save just for holidays! </div>
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Enjoy! </div>
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If you like what you see, please subscribe so you can keep up with all my cockamamie cooking ideas! </div>
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While you're at it, visit me and my dear friend, the other Deb, over at <a href="http://simplydeb.com/" target="_blank">Simply Deb</a>. You'll find a ton of ideas and information on health, fitness, food, gardening and money management. </div>
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Furtherform, please visit these other fine purveyors of decadent foods and recipes. </div>
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Credits for the lovely pictures:<br />
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<a href="http://www.eckrich.com/products/deli/roast-beef" target="_blank">Eckrich Deli Roast Beef</a> Get some, it really is excellent!<br />
<a href="http://www.copykat.com/2009/05/13/lubys-cafeteria-cranberry-relish-you-can-have-this-cranberry-relish/" target="_blank">Luby's Cranberry Relish</a> I am so making this. You should too!<br />
<a href="http://www.genaw.com/lowcarb/cream_cheese_whipped_cream.html" target="_blank">Cream Cheese Whipped Cream</a> Ok, so this is NOT all cream cheese, but the picture is lovely and it sounds delightful, especially with cut, fresh fruit!<br />
<a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:Red_onions_(cross-sections).jpg" target="_blank">Red Onion</a> Onions rule the world.<br />
<a href="http://homecookinginmontana.blogspot.com/2010/04/flour-tortillas-with-leaveningthe-best.html" target="_blank">Homemade Flour Tortillas</a> If you want to be adventurous, make your own tortillas. These.Miragihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01374321412520155636noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9137804757950380794.post-90684109998817485032013-11-05T09:32:00.003-05:002013-11-05T09:32:41.960-05:00Easy Holiday Appetizers: Decadent Peppery, Limey, Green Onion SauceSeriously. Sorry about the title, I don't have an official name for this sauce. You might wonder how these four items:<br />
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Could, would or ever should be joined in one recipe. (Those are limes, not peas!) Hold on to your hats, I'm about to describe an absolutely AMAZING sauce that you can use to make sandwiches, wraps or little finger sandwiches, perfect for any holiday gathering or Sunday afternoon football snacking! </div>
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I know, it sounds a bit odd to combine lime and green onions and then put it on roast beef. I never believed it myself until I tried it. I snagged this recipe from a product sampler at a local Meijer store many years ago. I think I also gained a lifetime supply of sample packets of this: </div>
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<a href="http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B0057Y02MU/ref=as_li_ss_il?ie=UTF8&camp=1789&creative=390957&creativeASIN=B0057Y02MU&linkCode=as2&tag=cookingsquared-20"><img border="0" src="http://ws-na.amazon-adsystem.com/widgets/q?_encoding=UTF8&ASIN=B0057Y02MU&Format=_SL160_&ID=AsinImage&MarketPlace=US&ServiceVersion=20070822&WS=1&tag=cookingsquared-20" /></a><img alt="" border="0" height="1" src="http://ir-na.amazon-adsystem.com/e/ir?t=cookingsquared-20&l=as2&o=1&a=B0057Y02MU" style="border: none !important; margin: 0px !important;" width="1" />
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Trust me, it's one of the bestest black peppers around! So, let's get down to the nitties and gritties, shall we? </div>
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The Sauce. </div>
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Ingredients: </div>
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1 cup mayo (fat free would probably be the best alternative but live on the edge and use full-strength for the best flavor) </div>
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4-5 tablespoons lime juice (1/2 a lime, juiced or lime juice from a bottle, you pick) </div>
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2 heaping tablespoons <a href="http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B0057Y02MU/ref=as_li_ss_tl?ie=UTF8&camp=1789&creative=390957&creativeASIN=B0057Y02MU&linkCode=as2&tag=cookingsquared-20" target="_blank">McCormick Worcestershire Ground Black Pepper</a></div>
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1 large or 2 med bunches green onions, washed and sliced thin, using all but the tattered ends and roots)</div>
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What You Do: </div>
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Add all the aforementioned ingredients to a bowl</div>
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Stir</div>
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Chill (for at least an hour, but overnight is an exquisite amount of time to let it all comingle!) </div>
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Where You Put It: </div>
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Deli roast beef, sliced thin or even chipped, if you want to frustrate your local deli clerk! Go for the best brands....trust me, cheap roast beef is full of water and just kind of gross. </div>
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Italian Bread, sliced thin. </div>
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Wraps (like Flat Outs, or even tortillas) </div>
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Putting It Together: </div>
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If you're making finger sandwiches, I highly recommend having the Italian bread sliced in store, so you don't have to mess with it. Most commercial bakery slicers run thin, so it makes the perfect size for this recipe. Since Italian loaves tend to be a bit short, I'd recommend making two tea sandwiches per two slices of bread. </div>
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Cut two slices of bread in half before assembling. </div>
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Slather on a layer of the onion sauce, covering the surface of the bread bits for best flavor. </div>
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Hold a piece of roast beef up from one end, so it's dangling in the air, touch it to the bread and let it kind of cascade into a lovely, frilly little pile o' beef. Or, just smack it on there. </div>
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Top it off with the another 1/2 piece of bread. VOILA. </div>
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You can use decorative toothpicks to hold them together or just let them hang out. </div>
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If you're not going to eat them right away, cover the platter with plastic wrap and keep them chilled to prevent them from getting icky and stale! </div>
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Onion pinwheels: </div>
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Flatouts offer more bread-like chew than a tortilla, but the choice is yours. I wouldn't recommend flavored tortillas because it will definitely distract from the amazing flavor of the sauce. However, if you're adventurous, go for it! </div>
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Spread a healthy amount of sauce over the entire surface of the wrap</div>
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Cover the surface of the wrap with slices of roast beef</div>
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Sprinkle a little kosher salt over the beef (a very little)</div>
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Roll it up and then slice into 1-inch pieces. </div>
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Eat those awkwardly shaped end pieces now. </div>
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You can hold these together with decorative picks or just tuck them neatly together on a platter. </div>
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Same as before, wrap and chill if not eating immediately. </div>
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This IS a COLD recipe. I do NOT recommend heating the sauce at all, since it's mayo and it will just become oily and disappear. I've tried it at room temperature, but I really do prefer cold. </div>
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I must apologize as I do not know for certain the serving amounts for the above recipe. For guesstimation purposes, I would have to say that you can cover at least four Flatout wraps, six large tortillas or 16 tea sandwiches. That is a total GUESS however. Just depends on how much sauce you want to add. It's easily doubled or tripled and it stores well in the fridge for at least 3 days. </div>
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And a final note: I have never tried this with anything but roast beef. I don't know how it will pair with poultry or even seafood, but it might be kind of funky with some flaked crabmeat! Please share if you try it with other meats. Let me know how it goes! </div>
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Miragihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01374321412520155636noreply@blogger.com2