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.

I Lied About the Alligators

Well, I told you that I don't have alligators in my back yard, but there are always sightings near by. They love to hang out in ponds and canals. Occasionally you will read about a gator capture in the city.  If you really want to cross gator viewing off of your bucket list , then come to swamp! I call it Whale watching for rednecks! Just a few miles down the road from me is an actual gator farm.  Go here to read all about Kliebert's Alligator Farm. On your visit you can see those famous reptiles up  close and personal.   Their gift shop carries a  wide variety of swamp items. Who doesn't need a alligator head,some turtle meat, or a t-shirt like this one, a must have for the little lady(or maybe the not so little lady)?

Busy Day Faux-Smoked Brisket

There's nothing like a big hunk of meat to make the fam really happy. Especially if it is smoked. I fool 'em all the time with my cheaters recipe for smoked brisket. I pull out the slow cooker for this one.It is  so easy and the house smells like a Texas Bar B Que all day long.

I am enjoying taking hoards of pics then blowing them up. I figured since this is a Texas style recipe, the pics should be Texas size, too. 

Ingredients:

Trying some outdoor photos. Cool perspective, don't you think?  And all with a micro camera.

Take your slab of brisket and brown it in a skillet that has been heated with a bit of canola oil. Be sure to turn on the exhaust and alert the fire dept. Add a little tobasco. Be careful.

Time for the dry rub, use a spatula to press it into the meat.

.

Place in slow cooker and add some more stuff.

And now for my favorite cooking ingredient: Onions. Slap some sliced ones on top.

Cook  for a really long time. Voila!This is what it looks like when done. Yee Haw.Can you say Voila and Yee Haw in the same sentence? That's my Texalian coming out.

Shred with a fork and serve on buns with barbque sauce today and use the left overs to make a Tex Mex pizza tomorrow night! To have leftovers at my house, I would have to have a bigger hunk of cow.

Busy Day Faux-Smoked Brisket

3-4 lb trimmed beef brisket

1 Tablespoon canola oil

few shakes of Tabasco

For the dry rub:

1 tsp. salt

1/2 tsp.

1/2 tsp. garlic powder

1 tsp. celery seed

1 Tablespoon smoked paprika

For the smokey goop:

1 Tablespoon smoke flavoring liquid

1 tsp. honey

1 Tablespoon apple cider vinegar

1 Tablespoon soy sauce

1 Tablespoon Thick Worcestershire sauce 

1 onion, sliced

Heat skillet til very hot. Add oil and cook brisket  until lightly browned. Remove skillet from heat and add dry rub to brisket, using a flat spatula to press the seasoning into the meat. Transfer  meat to a slow cooker set on low. Mix together smokey goop ingredients and pour over brisket. Add sliced onion to the top. Place lid on top and cook for 4-5 hours. Shred with a fork.  Serve with your favorite barbque sauce. Makes about 8 sandwiches.

Notes: You can use this very recipe with a pork roast or country pork ribs. The smoked paprika really adds a nice color and a super smokey flavor, but if you don't have it available, use a little more of the  liquid smoke flavoring. If you don't have a slow cooker, wrap the brisket in foil, place in a shallow pan and cook 300 degrees until tender--about 3-4 hours.

Busy Day Faux Smoked Brisket

Sleepy Squares

Dr. Oz  recommends Scottish oats, tart cherries and pumpkin seeds to help you go to sleep at night. These foods contain high amounts of tryptophan and melatonin. I combined all three to make these yummy, not too sweet,squares. If you don't need the sedative affect, just make the substitutions in the notes below. Sweet Dreams.


Ingredients:

Mix it all up, bake it, and this is what you get.

Sleepy Squares

1/3 cup raw pumpkin seeds, ground
2 cups Scottish oats
1/3 cup tart dried cherries
1 tsp. cinnamon
1/2 tsp. ground ginger
1/4 tsp. ground cloves
1 tsp. honey
1 egg, beaten
2 Tbsp. canola oil

Preheat oven to 350 and grease an 8x8 pan. In a large bowl combine all dry ingredients. Add egg and oil and mix until thoroughly combined. Press into  pan. Bake 25-30 minutes. Cool and cut into 12 squares. Store in airtight container.

Notes: You can use rolled oats or steel cut oats if you don't have access to the Scottish. I grind the pumpkin seeds in my coffee grinder but you can use a food processor. You can substitute any other dried fruit for the cherries and/or any nut for the pumpkins seeds .  As I have said before, I haven't met a nut I didn't like!

Sleepy Squares

Quinoa with Cumin Chicken

If you have never tried quinoa (pronounce keen-wa) you are missing out. This is grain comes from South America and is packed with protein. You can use it in place of rice. It has a nutty, earthy flavor. I like the red quinoa best. You can find it some grocery stores but for sure at Whole Foods or a gourmet store.

Here are some of the ingredients. You don't have to use fancy vinegar as I did, you can use any that you have on hand.

First, you make the dressing.

Then you cook the quinoa using pacakage directions. It looks really weird, kind of like worms, but you are gonna have to trust me on this one.

I like to slice through the chicken breasts. This is called butterflying. It makes me wonder how they get those chickens to grow so big. Hmmmmmmm.

Liberally season your chicken with this stuff. You can cut back on the cajun seasoning if your shy.

The pan should sizzle when you place the chicken in.

You know how I love that caramelization process. Get some color on that bird. Be sure your exhaust is on . You may want to open a window too. Cough.

Smell-vision.

Mix dressing ingredients into cooled quinoa.

Slice the browned chicken on the bias. Look at all that yummy juice.

Time for plating and eating.

And now for the cleanup-dang it.

Quinoa with Cumin Chicken

1 Cup quinoa, cooked to pkg. directions

1/2 tsp. salt

Dressing:

1/4 cup vinegar

1 Tbsp. olive oil

1 clove garlic, minced

1/4 cup sliced green onions

1/2 tsp. dry mustard

1/2 tsp. pepper

1/2 tsp. salt

1 Tbsp. honey

Chicken:

1 lbs. chicken boneless, skinless breasts, butterflied

Cumin

Cajun seasoning

Additions:

1 stalk celery, diced

3 Tbsp. craisins, chopped

3 Tbsp. sunflower seeds (or other nut you like-I don't discriminate)

Directions:

Cook quinoa according to pkg. adding 1/2 tsp salt.

Combine dressing ingredients and set aside. Heat pan to smoking hot. Season chicken. Add 1 Tbsp. olive oil to pan and cook til golden brown. Slice chicken on the bias.

Combine dressing, quinoa, additions, and chicken. Enjoy. 

Quinoa with Cumin Chicken

Blurring Backgrounds

I just realized that my point and shoot camera has a feature that helps you blur backgrounds. This is what makes closeups look so professional. I was outside, it was lightly drizzling, so I decided to try this newly found  setting . Closest colorful subject? My freshly painted toenails. While I am quite happy with the the look of the photo itself, I am mortified at the quality of my self-pedicure. Yikes! Too much of a close-up for my toes.

This next subject is easier on the eyes. Azaleas are in bloom . Ain't these purty? I thought the rain gave them a special, dew-kissed appearance.

I have so much to learn and I would love a better camera. All in good time.

You know my motto. "Baby steps." Baby steps with a better looking pedicure. Ha!

Girls Night In: Sushi

My friend Lisa called and wanted to plan a girls night. By girls she meant her two girls(each with a friend) and of course me. I had to say yes because Thing2 is one of the friends and Lisa wanted me to teach them how to make sushi. Now, I have only made sushi a few times, but I am always up for a party that includes cooking and eating. If any Japanese person is reading this, I hope you won't be offended at my amateur approach to the beautiful art of sushi making. I know it takes 1 year just to learn to make sushi rice.  I won't be posting the recipe because it is so complicated, but I have a little kit that contains the bamboo roller and a book with great pictures and directions. Check your local bookstore for such books. There are tons.

Lisa's oldest daughter is taking a photography class. She was teaching Thing2 and me how to use her fancy camera. The pics in this post were taken with my lame point and shoot. I have a lot to learn about sushi and photography.

Thing2 fooling with the rice. Note: orange polka dot fingernails. That's my girl.

Sliced cucumbers add that nice crunch. They look pretty, too.

Here is the eel sauce. That yummy, salty, sweet,brown, gooey substance you drizzle on sushi.

This is Beignet, the Bichon. He wasn't sure about the eel sauce.

Here is the real eel. That was fun to say.

Finished product. The girls loved it. So did the moms.
 

Governor's Mansion

Today I have the great honor of going to the Governor's Mansion. I am helping to cater a party there in April.Even though I have lived here all my life, I have never been inside the mansion. Cannot wait .I am very excited. Oh boy!  Stay tuned for pics and menu.

All things Orange

I love orange. I love it more and more each time I look at it. I even painted my hall bathroom a color called "Orange You Happy" . If I wear orange near my face, I make sure it is more of a salmon or neon orange. Warm pumpkin washes out my skin tone. It makes me look nauseous and sad. However, I have been known to sport a hot orange purse, shoe, bracelet or toenails. Someone once told me that orange is the color of organization and since I am not the neatest nick on the block, perhaps it makes me feel like my world is in order. I have spent time thinking about why I love it so much. Let me count the ways.

1. It is warm
2. It is bright
3. It makes me feel happy
4. It is refreshing
5. It speaks life to me
6. My friend Kristin loves it and I trust her sense of style implicitly

I will be posting photos that contain orange., mainly because it will fun for me to have more orange stuff to look at. What is your favorite and why?
BTW-orange is very big this season. Yayyyyyy me.


All Things Orange

Orange Cabin

Arnold Palmer Look Alike

I don't like to consume a lot of artificial sweetener.  Why do anything to slow down my already sluggish brain?
I found a drink mix that contains stevia and sugar but is low in calories.

Take a 16 oz. glass of water.


Add one packet of this:

Plus 2 teaspoons of this:

Plus 1/2 tsp. or more of this:

Stir well and add lots of ice and a straw. Soooooo refreshing. I have tried it with the decaf tea, but it really tastes so much better with the regular. I have also tried it with freshly brewed tea, but the powdered tea makes me think of the 70's. Plus, it is a lot faster.  If you want to be shi shi, adding a sprig of mint or a slice of lemon would be a nice touch.

Arnold Palmer Look Alike

Words

I have a really smart friend. She is quite articulate and I love to hear her speak. I learn new words every time I am around her. Today she said "pariah'. I immediately demanded a definition. Here it is. A pariah is a social outcast. I will now attempt to use it in a sentence. I hope my friend approves. She graduated from Vanderbilt, I'm nervous. "In high school,although I wasn't a pariah, I certainly did not find myself circulating in the most popular cliques". Whew. I hope that made me sound smart. Do I get an "E" for effort?

Dad and Thing1 showing off their new fancy t-shirts from some redneck bar-b-que  restaurant out in the middle of nowhere. My two favorite things. Orange and funny stuff.