Pom and Pell Spritzer

In the warm weather, I like to serve my signature drink. Doesn't signature make it sound really special? If you serve this when folks visit you and the temperature is 90 or above, then you will become famous. It is so pretty and refreshing. What a tasty way to get your antioxidants!

Pom and Pell Spritzer

Fill a tall glass with ice then sparkling mineral water, like Pellegrino or Perrier. Leave some room for the juice. I use about a 4:1 ratio of water to juice, but you can adjust to your liking. Squeeze and drop in a fresh   lime wedge, insert straw and serve. Prepared to be refresssssssshed.

Note: This is the best juice around. It is very concentrated so you can use less.  I like the one with the blue cap because it is flavored with blueberry juice.

Bestest Salsa Ever (AOC)

I did a study on salsa, mainly by tasting lots of different ones! I like bold flavors so I tend to use a lot of lime and cilantro when making Mexican style dips. Like any of my recipes, you can add or subtract amounts of ingredients to suit your taste. My only rule is that you use all fresh ingredients when called for.  Jarred garlic and lime juice in a bottle are not acceptable. The bottled and jarred products are pasteurized which dramatically changes the flavor. If you want it to taste like Aunt Claire's then use the fresh stuff unless noted. In this case, you can use jarred jalapeno and of course, the beans can be canned or you can cook your own which I do, sometimes, well, rarely.

Best Salsa Ever

3 , 15 oz can cans diced tomatoes( I like the Hunt’s fire roasted )

 3 Tbsp. chipotle salsa 

 Juice of 2 fresh limes

1 Tbsp. diced jalapeno 

 1 clove garlic

 ¼ cup minced fresh onion

 1 bunch cilantro, chopped ( you can use most of the stems too)

 2 tsp.  ground cumin

Salt and pepper to taste

2 Tablespoons olive oil

Place cilantro, onion, and garlic and jalapeno in food processor and pulse until minced well. Add 2 cans tomatoes and all remaining ingredients. Pulse until smooth. Add 3rd can of tomatoes and give 3 quick pulses. I like to have a few chunks but it is ok if you want it smooth. Just pulse a little longer.

Black Bean Dip

Out of all the recipes I have designed, this is the ugliest. It looks like purple mud. You will get a lot of "what is it?" questions when you set it out. However, it is my absolute favorite. I never get tired of making it or eating it. It is a crowd pleaser. The flavors are bold. It will take your guests  a few bites to decifer the complextiy. Caution, if you don't cilantro, don't make this!!!


Black Bean Dip (ACO)

2 cans black beans, drained and rinsed
juice of two limes
2 Tbsp. olive oil
1/4 cup sliced green onion
1 clove garlic
3 Tbsp. chipotle salsa ( I use San Marcos)
2 tsp. cumin
1/2 bunch cilantro
Salt to taste (about 1/2 tsp.)

Place all ingt. in a food processor and blend until smooth. Sometimes I add a tablespoon of water if the dip is too thick. Serve with tortilla chips.

Note: Do not use the juice that comes in a bottle. It will not taste the same. I use an electric juicer for the limes. If you don't have one, you may want to use 3 limes. I add juice then taste, add juice then taste. I like lots of lime but you can adjust any of the ingredients to your taste level. This dish refrigerates well and keeps for a week.

Antioch BR Signature Carrot Cake

Many years ago I fell in love with carrot cake. It has been a long standing relationship. A dear friend, Mrs. Vi Atchison has been bringing  it to functions for years and she is very famous for it. Over the years I have experimented with and tweaked her recipe just a bit to my liking.  I named it after my church because several members of the congregation have a deep affection for the confection!  Anyway, don't you think churches should have mascot cakes?

Antioch BR Signature Carrot Cake (Aunt Claire)

2 cups sugar

2 ¼ cup all purpose flour

2 tsp. baking soda

1 tsp. salt

2 tsp. cinnamon

4 eggs

2 tsp. vanilla

1 cup oil

1 lb. carrots, peeled and grated
1 cup toasted pecans or walnuts (optional)

Mix sugar, flour, soda, salt and cinnamon in mixing bowl til combined. Add oil and eggs one at a time. Add carrots and vanilla. Mix until all ingts. are combined (don’t over mix).

Line the bottom of 3 cake pans with parchment paper that has been sprayed with cooking spray.  Divide batter to each pan and bake at 350 for 35-40 minutes. Tops should be brown and spring back when touched.  Try 35 min first then add more time if needed.

Cool for 15 min then turn cakes onto a rack and remove parchment. Let cakes continue to cool until room temp. Frost with cream cheese frosting and sprinkle toasted nuts all around and on top. Store in fridge.

Cream Cheese Frosting

8 oz cream cheese

4 tablespoons butter

1 box powdered sugar

2 tsp. vanilla

Bring butter and cream cheese to room temp.  Beat on high speed until combined. Add vanilla and sugar then beat until light and fluffy.

Do not use low fat cream cheese or diet butter. Also, I like real vanilla extract.

PS – you can use two cake pans instead of three but  you will def have to bake the full 40

PPSS- this cake uses soda instead of baking powder. It does not rise really high like a cake mix. I like to turn the layers over so that I frost the bottom sides ( the sides with parchment). It makes for a flatter more even look.

PPPSSS- Feel free to buy a 1 lb bag of baby carrots and shred them if you don't like peeling.

Eggscellent Egg Salad

6 hard cooked eggs , go here for instructions
6 slices crispy cooked bacon
2 Tablespoons sliced green onions
salt, pepper  to taste
1/3 cup sweet pickle relish                     
1 Tablespoon dill relish
1/2 tsp. dry mustard powder
3 Tablespoons lo fat mayo
1/2 tsp. dried dill weed (optional)
few dashes hot sauce (optional)

The key to great eggs is to  really cook them properly. Click link above for that.
Cool and dice the eggs. Mix all ingredients gently. That's it!

Pan Interpretations

My neighbor Michael is a very funny, witty man. His humor is dry. I love to chat with him because I never go away without a chuckle. There were some french exchange students visiting and working with him over the summer. One day they brought a dessert to work. Michael was trying to describe the kind of pan they brought it in. He says to his wife Dee, " It came in one of those girdle pans".  Of course Dee fell out in laughter and could not wait to tell me. I immediately knew he was talking about a springform pan. Ha!



Pan InterpretationsPan Interpertations

Crab Cakes with Roasted Bell Pepper Vinaigrette

This is one of my very favorite dishes to ever enter my mouth. I love them so much, but when ordered out, they are fried and very heavy. Here is a lightened up yet very flavorful version.

1 lb. fresh  white crab meat (pick out all shell fragments)
2 Tablespoons light mayo
1/4 cup unseasoned bread crumbs
1 egg, beaten
1/4 cup sliced green onions
2 Tbsp. finely diced red bell pepper
1 Tbsp. finely diced celery
1 tsp. dried parsley flakes
Juice of half a lemon
Paul Prudhomme's  Seafood Magic (to taste-about 1/2 tsp)
Salt and pepper to taste

Heat a nonstick pan or griddle on medium heat. While heating, combine all ingredients in large bowl and mix well . Form into small patties-you should get about 8 cakes. Spray griddle with with cooking spray. Cook patties until they are golden brown on each side being careful to adjust heat as needed as to not burn them. Make sure to let the patties  brown well on the first side before flipping to avoid having them fall apart. Use a very thin spatula to turn them.  Serve immediately with vinaigrette.

Roasted Red Bell Pepper Vinaigrette

1 large red  bell pepper
1/4 cup olive oil
2 Tbsp. sliced green onion
Juice of 1.5 lemons (add less or more to your taste)
2 tsp. creole mustard
salt and pepper to taste


Oil the bell pepper and roast at 400 in oven until soft--about 30 min. Remove from oven and wrap in foil until cool . Peel off outer skin. Remove stem and seeds. Place in blender with all but the oil. Process until smooth and then add oil slowly. Serve with crab cakes.

Note: if you have any leftover, you can crumble into an omelet the next morning. To die for.
Crab Cakes

Orange Cabin-Love it!

Is this the coolest thing ever?? I want one.


Orange Cabin

Hello ,Again

I have been busy with end of the school year events,thus the reason for my lack of posts. I am back for a while. Until, of course I go on vacay. Whew, another grade has passed for Thing 2. I am getting old. Only one more year of carpooling for me because her majesty will soon be driving. I have complained about all the driving I have done over the years, but I actually think I will miss the time we have had together on our journey to and from school. Summer is my favorite time to cook because of all of the fresh produce available. Stay tuned for summer salads and veggie filled recipes . Yummmmmmmy.

Sweet and Tangy Pork Loin

This is probably the easiest thing you can do with a pork loin or tenderloin. There are 3 basic ingredients. Pork, brown sugar and mustard. I don't even use the fancy mustard. Just your regular ole yellow mustard like you put on a hot dog. As you have probably figured by now, I always brown or sear my meats before cooking them in the oven or slow cooker. This produces a nice caramelized outer and the meat doesn't wind up tasting poached. Sweet potatoes make a nice side dish.

OK, technically there are more than 3 ingredients.

Stuff your hunk o meat with garlic. I left a piece sticking out so you could see how it is done.

Season it up. I was holding the camera in one hand and sprinkling with the other. I don't have someone from gourmet magazine taking action shots for me.

Mix up this stuff.I get really excited when I see all those bright colors.  

Sear that hunk til golden brown.

Coat with mustard sauce and bake. Look at all that yummy, gooey, caramelized sauce.

Cut into slices. Look at all that garlic. Don't worry, you can eat a breath mint later. 

Sweet and Tangy Pork Loin

2 lb. pork loin 

3 cloves garlic, sliced

1 Tablespoon canola oil

Salt and pepper to taste

1/4 cup brown sugar

2 Tablespoons yellow mustard

2 tsp. smoked paprika

Heat oven to 350.

Cut small slits in pork and stuff with garlic. Season with salt and pepper. Heat skillet til hot. Add oil and sear pork on both sides until golden brown. While meat is browning, mix brown sugar, mustard and paprika. Place hot pork on baking pan that has been sprayed with cooking spray. Spread half of sauce on top. Bake for 20 minutes then spread remaining sauce on top and bake another 20-25 minutes. Internal temperature should reach  145.

Notes: you could also do this with thick pork chops. If you choose to use a pork tenderloin, you will not have to cook it as long, since it will be thinner.