One week till Labor Day, bye bye Summer!!

It is far too hot again for our liking but fall is just around the corner. I had to work alot this weekend so we took it easy today and only made a few dishes.





We started out with Peanut Butter Crispies~
TIME 20 MINUTES ACTIVE 2 HOURS REFRIGERATING
MAKES ABOUT 40 BALLS

You will need:

2 - 2 1/2 cups All Natural peanut butter
1 cup Kashi Go Lean Crunch cereal
2 cups *Puffed Millet
1 cup craisins, raisins or other bits of dried fruit
1/2 - 1 cup Honey (eye it, it's easier than messing with a measuring cup)
1/2 cup Wheat Germ (optional, I didn't have it this time, but it's in my original recipe)


Mix all ingredients together. Shape into bite size balls with your hands, adding a spoonful of PB if they become to crumbly.
Place on wax paper lined cookie sheets and cool in refrigerator for at least 2 hours.
Keep stored in an airtight container in fridge. These will be perfectly fine to send to school, they will keep their shape.

We used rice crispie cereal instead of the millet and omitted the wheat germ too just personal preference and what was available at the store.






Next up was Hot Wing Wontons

1 cup finely chopped cooked chicken
1/3 cup finely chopped cabbage
1 large carrot, grated
1 celery stalk, finely chopped or grated
1/2 cup Saucy Mama's Hot Wing Sauce
1 egg, beaten
1 package of Wonton Wrappers
Canola or vegetable oil for frying ( about 1/2 gallon )
Blue Cheese dressing for dipping

In a deep sided pot, heat your oil to 350 using a thermometer.
Meanwhile mix together chicken, cabbage, carrot, celery and wing sauce.
Lay out a few wrappers and put a teaspoon of filling in the middle of each.
Brush all 4 sides with a little egg wash and then fold wrapper over and press out all the air and seal the edges.
You can then either leave them in triangles or, for a more bite size package, fold the corners in to create a little purse.
Continue until all the wontons are done.
Gently drop 4 or 5 wontons in the hot oil at a time, frying until golden brown all over, about 1-2 minutes.
Remove and drain on paper towels.






Three Cheese Mac and Cheese
Ingredients:
3/4 pound penne
1 1/2 cups heavy cream or half-and-half
2-3 tablespoons finely chopped sweet onion
2 garlic cloves, minced
2 tablespoons all purpose flour
5-ounce log goat cheese
3 ounces sharp white cheddar, shredded
1/2 cup packed freshly grated Parmigiano-Reggiano
2 tablespoons sour cream
3/4 teaspoon lemon zest
1 1/2 teaspoons chopped fresh thyme
salt and white pepper (or freshly ground black pepper)
1 extra large egg yolk

Directions:
-Preheat oven to 400º. Butter a 10-inch cast-iron skillet.
-In a large pot of boiling salted water, cook pasta until al dente. Drain and return to pot.
-Meanwhile, in a large saucepan, bring heavy cream, onion and garlic to a simmer.
-Transfer 1/2 cup of the cream to a medium bowl and gradually whisk in flour; return mixture to saucepan. Set the bowl aside for later.
-Whisk over moderate heat until thickened, about 3 minutes.
-Remove from heat and whisk in goat cheese, cheddar and half of the Parmigiano until melted.
-Stir or in the sour cream, zest and 1 teaspoon thyme and season with salt and pepper.
-Add egg yolk to medium bowl and gradually whisk in 1/2 cup cheese sauce. Whisk egg/sauce mixture back into saucepan.
-Pour cheese sauce over pasta and toss to coat evenly.
-Add pasta to cast-iron skillet and sprinkle with remaining Parmigiano. Bake for about 25 minutes, until bubbling and golden brown. Sprinkle with remaining thyme.
-Allow mac and cheese to rest for about 5 minutes (if you can stand it), then serve.
Serves 4 as an entrée.




We also made a sandwich we made from an earlier post with pesto, artichokes, fresh mozzarella and basil on olive oil bread. Bridget really likes this sandwich..she could not wait to get a bite :) Easy and yummy!

Enjoy!

Kelly & I are back after a hiatus...We enjoyed our family vacation and
wish it could have lasted a little bit longer. The kids had such a great
time playing with their cousins in the sand and water.
They will start back to school this week ( Thank the Lord )!

Since we have not cooked much the past couple of weeks , we really outdid
ourselves today...and believe me , we are really feeling the after effects of it...
FOOD COMA!
Why we do this to ourselves every I do not know....but I do know we LOVE food!
Enjoy!






http://www.kraftrecipes.com/recipes/shrimp-tortellini-spinach-107842.aspx

http://www.foodnetwork.com/recipes/giada-de-laurentiis/campanelle-pasta-salad-recipe/index.html

http://www.laaloosh.com/2009/01/19/weight-watchers-chicken-taco-salad-recipe-6/


http://www.foodnetwork.com/recipes/marcela-valladolid/warm-white-bean-and-steak-salad-recipe/index.html



Chipotle Cream Meatballs

Frozen meat balls ~ coated them with heavy cream after pureeing the Chipotle peppers and adobo sauce.
Baked till hot throughout at 350 degrees




Pot Roast and veggies in the crock pot ~ Need we say more...Oh yes We do .... the house smells DELICIOUS!




If you have any request's we would love to try and make it. We love new Ideas:)
Thank goodness fall is coming, today's weather was so wonderful! Cant wait for winter cooking ~ comfort food.

Bacon & Booze

Today was a busy day of cooking! Today we tried to mix it up a bit as we feel by looking back through the blog that we cook alot of shrimp and pasta :) So today we have prepared the following ~ Broccoli Salad, Stuffed Cucumbers, Fish almondine, Lemon Smashed Potatoes, My brother Brussels, Flank Steak Tacos with Guacamole & Rubens along with Zucchini Fries. I absolutely LOVE the Broccoli Salad ~ it is super yummy!

Stuffed Cucumber Recipe
English cucumbers are perfect for this recipe. Not too big or or small when sliced in coins and have an excellent crunch. Persian cucumbers are excellent if you’d prefer cute mini-bites.

1 Lrg. English Cucumber, chilled and sliced in 1/2-1″ thick coins
3/4c (100g) Feta Cheese, crumbled
1/3 c (40g) Roasted Nuts, finely chopped
2 T (30ml) Sour Cream
Slice of Prosciutto, cut into 1″x1/2″ strips
Dill, in 1/2″ pieces to garnish
Lemon Wedges, to serve on the side

1. Combine feta, nuts, and sour cream in a bowl. Have prosciutto and dill prepped and ready.

2. Core out some of the cucumber coins’ centers. Fill with a dollop of feta mix. Garnish each stuffed cucumber coin with a slice of prosciutto and a sprig of dill.

3. Serve with wedges of lemon for individual squeezing.


This is a broccoli salad with raisins and bacon and a sweet and tangy mayonnaise and balsamic vinegar dressing.
Ingredients:

* 2 bunches broccoli, florets only (5 to 6 cups florets)
* 1 medium red onion, chopped
* 1/2 cup raisins
* 10 to 12 slices bacon, fried and crumbled
* .
* Dressing:
* 1 cup mayonnaise
* 2 tablespoons balsamic vinegar
* 2 teaspoons sugar

Preparation:
Separate florets from broccoli stalks. Save the remainder of the broccoli for another use or freeze for later. Combine salad ingredients; top with dressing mixture. Chill and serve.

Fish Almondine
Ingredients
For the Fish:

* 2 cups blanched slivered almonds
* Kosher salt
* Extra-virgin olive oil
* 4 tablespoons unsalted butter
* 2 cups all-purpose flour
* Freshly ground black pepper
* 4 eggs
* 1 cup milk
* 4 cleaned sole fillets (6 ounces each)
*

For the Sauce:

* 1 large or 2 small shallots, finely chopped
* 1 cup white wine
* 1 lemon, juiced
* 1/4 chopped flat-leaf parsley
* Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper

Directions

Set a large nonstick saute pan over medium heat. Add the almonds and toast until golden brown, about 5 to 7 minutes. Season with salt and set aside.

Return the pan to medium heat (if you have 2 pans you can work simultaneously at this point, i.e. 2 fillets per pan) and add a 2-count of olive oil and 1 tablespoon of butter to each pan.

Put the flour in a shallow dish and season with salt and pepper, to taste. In another shallow dish, whisk together the eggs and milk and season with salt and pepper, to taste. Dredge the fillets in the seasoned flour, then dip them into the egg mixture. Allow some of the excess egg to drain off, then add them to the hot pan. Cook 2 pieces at a time. Fry for 1 1/2 to 2 minutes, then carefully turn the fish over to cook the other side. With a spoon, baste the fillets with the butter sauce. Repeat basting to ensure the fish remains moist. Once the other side is cooked (about 30 seconds) carefully remove the fillets from the pan to a serving platter. Repeat with remaining 2 fillets and a 2-count of oil and 1 tablespoon of butter. Once the fillets have been removed the pan, add the chopped shallots and gently saute over low heat until translucent, about 1 minute. Deglaze the pan with the white wine and finish with the lemon juice. Swirl in the remaining 2 tablespoons of butter. Add the parsley and season, to taste, with salt and pepper. To serve, spoon the sauce over the top of the fillets and sprinkle generously with the toasted almonds.

My Brother Brussels

Ingredients

* 2 teaspoons salt
* 3/4 pound Brussels sprouts, ends trimmed, loose leaves removed
* 1/2 pound bacon, thinly cut into 1/4-inch pieces
* 1 1/2 cups diced yellow onion
* 2 tablespoons unsalted butter
* 1 teaspoon freshly cracked black pepper
* 1/4 cup grated Parmesan, for garnish

Directions

Fill a large pot 3/4 of the way with water and add 1 teaspoon of salt and the Brussels sprouts. Put the pot over high heat and bring to a boil. Let boil until the Brussels sprouts are just fork tender about, 8 to 10 minutes. Remove from the heat, drain the sprouts and transfer to an ice bath. Let cool completely, then drain and set aside.

Cut the Brussels sprouts into 1/4-inch lengthwise slices and set aside. Add the bacon to a medium saute pan, and cook until just crisp, then remove to a paper towel lined plate to drain. Adjust heat to medium-high, add the onions to the pan and saute until they are translucent and just beginning to caramelize, about 5 or 6 minutes. Add the butter to the pan, then add the Brussels sprouts and saute for 3 to 4 more minutes. Season with the remaining 1 teaspoon of salt and 1 teaspoon of pepper. Transfer to a serving bowl or platter and sprinkle with the reserved bacon and the cheese. Serve immediately.


Flank Steak Tacos with Guacamole

Ingredients
Steak:

* 1 (2 to 3-pound) flank steak
* 1/2 cup tequila
* 1/2 cup freshly squeezed lime juice
* 1/4 cup olive oil
* 1 tablespoon ancho chili powder
* Kosher salt and black pepper

Guacamole:

* 3 avocados
* 1 small red onion, finely diced
* 1 serrano pepper, minced with seeds
* 1/2 cup roughly chopped cilantro leaves, plus whole leaves for garnish
* 2 to 3 tablespoons fresh lime juice
* Kosher salt

To Assemble:

* Corn tortillas
* 1 head romaine lettuce, coarsely shredded
* 2 tomatoes, roughly chopped
* 1 white onion, diced

Directions

Put the steak in a nonreactive dish and pour over the tequila, lime juice and olive oil. Turn to coat. Add the chili powder, and use your hands to work it into the meat. Let stand about 1 hour.

Preheat the grill to high. Remove the steak from the marinade and season with salt and pepper. Grill, covered, turning once, 3 to 4 minutes per side for medium rare.

Halve the avocados and scoop the flesh into a bowl. Add the remaining ingredients and use a fork to mash to a chunky mix.

Remove the steak from the grill and rest 5 to 10 minutes. Slice across the grain. Heat the tortillas to soften. Fill the tortillas with steak, lettuce, tomato, onion and guacamole.

You will see Kelly bought us a new toy to make cooking easier :)
We also made Rubens and Zucchini Fries , those are pretty much self explanatory
:) If you truly need the recipe , email us and we will get one for you .
If that is not enough I also found time to take 2 kids to the Doctor and now if life has not had enough of me my third has Pink Eye .....Phewww I am done!