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

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

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.
 

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

Speck

"My mom blogs a lot. I sit in the window near the computer. I keep the evil squirrel invaders away. When I am not napping , of course."
Speck in the Window

Easy and Almost Quick Gumbo (Chicken and Sausage)

I did get around to making that gumbo last night. Hubby was very happy. Here it is.

I admit it. I do cheat a little on Gumbo. I use a packaged dry  roux instead of making it from scratch for 2 reasons: it is lower in fat and it saves time.  No one is the wiser for my little secret. Another secret is that I use boneless skinless chicken thighs. They are inexpensive and  the dark meat adds a rich flavor. No one has ever detected the dark meat. If you are white meat lover, just substitute breasts for the thighs.

First, season the chicken and  brown the thighs in 1 tablespoon oil. I like to use an iron skillet because it gets the meat really brown. We like things blackened and browned down here. Remove to a plate.

Next, brown the sausage then remove it to the plate with the chicken.

Do the same to the okra. This will help to release the gelatinous secretions. Sounds yuck but we love our okra in our gumbo.

In a separate pot, you are going to saute the onions, celery and bell pepper til soft.  Once soft, add the garlic  and mix well.

Whew, lots of steps, but now comes the fun part. Add the roux and stir well. Then whisk in the broth and the water. Once combined, add the okra. 

This is what it will look like . The brown roux will have the appearance of gravy. The roux is the most important flavoring ingredient.

After this concoction simmers for 10 minutes, you can add the chicken and sausage. How long it simmers after that is up to you. 30 minutes more is about what I like.

Chicken and Sausage Gumbo

2 medium white or yellow onions, diced

2 stalks celery, diced

1 bell pepper, diced

4 cloves garlic, minced

1 Tablespoon vegetable oil

3/4 cup dry roux

1 quart of chicken broth

3 cups water

1 Tablespoon vegetable oil

1 1/2 lbs. boneless, skinless chicken thighs

1 lb smoked , pork sausage

1 bag frozen okra

salt, pepper, tony's seasoning to taste.

Heat an iron skillet on medium. Season chicken with salt and pepper. Add 1 Tbsp. oil. Cook chicken until lightly browned. Remove chicken to a plate to cool. Add the sausage to the hot skillet and cook until lightly browned. Remove to a plate. Add okra to the skillet and cook til soft and most of the "slime" is gone. Tear cooled chicken into bite size pieces. Heat a dutch oven on medium and saute onions, celery and bell pepper. Season with a little salt and pepper. Cook until soft. Add garlic and cook 1 more minute. Using a whisk, add roux and combine until smooth. Add broth and water and bring to a simmer. Add okra and continue cooking for 10 minutes. You may have to lower heat to keep it at a simmer. Do not let it boil rapidly. Add chicken and sausage and continue cooking for at least 30 minutes. Taste for seasoning. At this point you can add more salt, pepper or Tony's. Serve with rice and sliced green onions. Makes 8-10 servings.

Notes:

I like to use locally made smoked sausage. It is truly superior. Sometimes I will add a smoked chicken quarter and use less of the chicken thighs. You get a really smokey flavor in the gumbo by doing this. If you have a smoked turkey leg , that works well, too.

Easy and Almost Quick Chicken and Sausage Gumbo

A Dolphin Tale

I really don't like to watch movies that make me cry, but Thing 2, Speck and I just watched "A Dolphin Tale." Loved it. I have a great aversion  to cheesiness, but  this one was low on the cheesy scale and high on the tenderness scale. If you love animals like we do, this one is a winner.  Makes me want to go and swim with a dolphin. I think the black wet suit would be slimming to my natural body contours. Morgan Freeman and Harry Connick, Jr. star in this flick and they are both from the South. If  I were given the chance to meet one actor, I think it would be Morgan Freeman. I bet he would really like my cooking.

Welcome Wagon (or pirogue)

In an attempt to having all my recipes accessible to my friends and family, I am to diving  into the world of blogging. Since food blogging is so overdone, I decided it would be fun (for me anyway) to report about my life and funny things that happen to me along the way. I hate journaling, well, at least I thought I did. I hope this experiment will keep me from having to journal stuff with pen and paper and I guess I can claim I am a blogger not a "journaler".  I need spell check anyway........... click the About Me tab to read the full story.