Stuffed Green Pepper Soup

This was surprisingly good and slightly spicy. No need to add any salt, either. The recipe is from Cooking Light. Instead of green peppers, I used red. I also used chunky salsa instead of diced tomatoes since I was out of canned tomatoes. Tasty!

Ingredients:

1/2 pound ground round or ground chuck
2 cups chopped green bell pepper
1 cup chopped onion
1/4 tsp black pepper
1 (14 oz) can less-sodium beef broth
1 (14.5 oz) can diced tomatoes, undrained
1 (10.75 oz) can tomato soup, undiluted
1.5 cups hot cooked white rice

Directions:

Heat a small Dutch oven over medium-high heat. Add beef; cook 3 minutes or until browned, stirring to crumble. Add chopped bell pepper and onion; cook 8 minutes or until vegetables are tender. Stir in black pepper, broth, diced tomatoes, and tomato soup; bring to a boil. Reduce heat, simmer 45 minutes.

Spoon 1/4 cup hot white rice into each of 6 bowls; top with 1 cup of soup. Makes 6 servings.

Shrimp Ceviche

Ingredients:

24 large shrimp, cooked
1/2 cup fresh lime juice
1 large tomato, diced
1 medium onion, diced
1 jalapeno pepper, diced
2 tablespoons cilantro
2 tablespoons ketchup
6 drops hot sauce

Directions:

Remove shells from shrimp. Gently combine everything together and chill. May be chilled up to 3 hours, but take care since the acidity of the lime juice can cause the shrimp to become “overcooked” after extended periods of time.

Divide into 4 servings as an appetizer or into 2 servings for a light meal. For extra flair, serve in martini or parfait glasses or brightly colored dishes. Garnish w/ tortilla chips, avocado slices, and/or lettuce.

Note: sea scallops may be substituted for the shrimp or a mix of both can be used. You can add more or less tomato, onion, and/or cilantro, depending on your tastes.

Aunt June's Potato Salad

This might be a little late for summer, but we're experiencing summer temps here this week. My aunt's recipe, which is always a hit at picnics and cookouts.

Ingredients:

*4 medium or 6 small red potatoes (about 1¼ pounds)
*1/2 cup mayonnaise or salad dressing
*1/2 cup sour cream
*2 tablespoons milk
*1½ teaspoons yellow mustard
*1 or 2 hard boiled eggs, thinly sliced or diced
*1/4 cup green onion, sliced
*salt and pepper to taste
*paprika (optional)

Directions:

Wash potatoes. Cook potatoes, covered, in boiling water for 20-25 minutes or until tender. Drain water and cool.

Peel potatoes, if desired, and slice or dice. Place in a large serving bowl.

In a small bowl, mix together mayonnaise, sour cream, milk, and mustard. Pour mixture over potatoes and toss gently until potatoes are coated.

Fold in eggs. Add green onions an hour before serving so that they don’t overpower the salad. Add salt and pepper. Keep refrigerated until serving. If desired, sprinkle the top of the salad with some paprika to add a little color.
Makes 6-8 servings.

Clam Linguini

This is my mom's awesome recipe. She doesn't technically follow it and claims she never makes it the same way twice, but this is a great guide. Tweak it to your liking.

Ingredients:

*1 lb linguini
*1/4 cup olive oil
*1/4 cup butter
*3 cloves garlic, minced
*2 cans minced clams, juice reserved
*1/2 cup fresh parsley, chopped
*2 Tbsp fresh basil, chopped
*salt and pepper to taste
*1/4 cup parmesan cheese

Directions:

In a large pot with boiling salted water, cook linguini until al dente. Meanwhile, in a medium saucepan over medium heat, cook oil, butter, and garlic until garlic is translucent, approximately 1 minute. Add clams, reserved juice, parsley, basil, salt, and pepper. Bring to boil. Simmer 3 minutes on low. Toss pasta with clam sauce and garnish with cheese. Makes 4 servings.

*To make red sauce, add 2 diced tomatoes when adding clams and spices.

50 Foods

This is my version of the "50 Foods You Must Eat Before You Die" from the BBC that has been floating around the Internet lately. I've had about 80% of what's on the list. It is definitely British-centric in design. Someone should write a more universal version. I can't believe escargot didn't make this list!

1. Fresh fish - Yes. Even have had ones that I caught myself!
2. Lobster - Yes. One of my favorite memories is eating fresh Maine lobster on our honeymoon.
3. Steak - Yes. Medium-rare, please!
4. Thai food - Yes.
5. Chinese food - Yes.
6. Ice cream - Yes. Could go for a Pralines 'n Cream/World Class Chocolate sundae right now.
7. Pizza - Of course. Make mine Hawaiian
8. Crab - Yes. Given a choice, I'll take crab over lobster most days.
9. Curry - Yes.
10. Prawns - Yes. They are really big shrimp and make a great lobster substitute.
11. Moreton Bay Bugs (AKA Bay Lobster or Slipper Lobster) - No.
12. Clam chowder - Yes.
13. Barbecues - Yes. And I've discovered Southern BBQ is way different than Midwestern BBQ.
14. Pancakes - Yes.
15. Pasta - Yes! On the menu for dinner tonight.
16. Mussels - Yes.
17. Cheesecake - Yes.
18. Lamb - Yes. Not a fan after getting food poisoning twice. Now it always tastes bad to me.
19. Cream tea- No. Would like to try it some day.
20. Alligator- Yes. Tried it fried the night of my senior prom. Tastes like chicken.
21. Oysters -Yes. Yum!
22. Kangaroo - No.
23. Chocolate - Many, many, many times.
24. Sandwiches- Yes. Had a beef dip sandwich for lunch.
25. Greek - Yes. Although it is very hard to find good Greek around here.
26. Burgers - Yes! Unlike steaks, I like mine medium-well to well.
27. Mexican food - Yes! Real Mexican in Mexico, too, not just the Americanized crap.
28. Squid- Yes.
29. American diner breakfast - Ah, nothing like a good greasy spoon diner.
30. Salmon- Yes. I like it smoked and in lox and sushi, but don't care for it cooked.
31. Venison - Yes. I grew up eating more venison than beef. Miss having it.
32. Guinea pig - No. And I don't plan on it. I don't eat rabbits, either.
33. Shark - Yes. Only a few times due to the mercury issue with predatory fish.
34. Sushi - Spicy tuna rolls are my favorite!
35. Paella - Yes.
36. Barramundi - Possibly. I might have eaten had it as white seabass.
37. Reindeer - No, but I've had elk. Imagine it is a lot like venison.
38. Kebab - Yes.
39. Scallops- My favorite shellfish!
40. Australian meat pie - No. I don't like pot pies.
41. Mango - Had a mango daiquiri last week. So good!
42. Durian fruit - No. And after watching the Travel Channel, I never will try it.
43. Octopus- Yes. I've had it in sushi and I don't like it. Chewy and the suckers weird me out.
44. Ribs - Yes.
45. Roast beef - Yes. AKA as roast beast in our house.
46. Tapas - Yes.
47. Jerk chicken/pork- Yes.
48. Haggis - No. I don't like organ meats, so I doubt I would try it.
49. Caviar- Yes. It doesn't live up to the hype, although I like flying fish roe on my sushi.
50. Cornish Pasty- No, but I have had empanadas, samosas, pierogi (Polish), piroshkies (Russian), and calzones, which are all turnover-like dishes.

"Dalmatian" Cupcakes

I made these cupcakes for a one-year-old's first birthday party. I dyed the frosting pink in honor of the little girl's big day. The recipe is from Betty Crocker.

2 packages (3 ounces each) cream cheese, softened
1/3 cup sugar
1 egg
1 1/2 cups miniature or regular semisweet chocolate chips
1 package devil's food cake mix
1 1/3 cups water
1/3 cup vegetable oil
3 eggs
Vanilla frosting (I made my own, you can use pre-made)


1 . Heat oven to 350ºF. Place paper baking cup in each of 24 regular-size muffin cups.
2 . Beat cream cheese, sugar and 1 egg in medium bowl with electric mixer on medium speed until smooth. Stir in 1 cup of the chocolate chips; set aside.
3 . Beat cake mix, water, oil and 3 eggs in large bowl on low speed 30 seconds. Beat on medium speed 2 minutes.
4 . Divide batter among muffin cups (1/4 cup in each). Top each with 1 tablespoon cream cheese mixture.
5 . Bake 21 to 26 minutes or until tops spring back when touched lightly. Cool 10 minutes in pan. Remove from pan; cool completely, about 30 minutes.
6 . Frost tops with frosting. Sprinkle with remaining 1/2 cup chocolate chips. Cover and refrigerate any remaining cupcakes.

Freezing Strawberries - Sugar Pack Method

1 quart strawberries
1/4 to 1/2 cup of sugar
1 quart sized freezer bag

Gently rinse and remove tops of strawberries. Allow strawberries to dry on a drain board or in a sieve. Slice strawberries and place in bowl. Gently stir in sugar until sugar completely dissolves and berries are completely covered. Place in freezer bag, allowing about 1 inch of head space. Recipe can be doubled, tripled, etc.

-Method a result of reading various Internet sites and cookbooks.

Strawberry Sauce

3 cups sliced fresh berries
1/3 cup sugar
1 teaspoon cornstarch

Place half of the berries in a blender container or food processor bowl. Cover and blend or process until berries are smooth.

In a medium saucepan stir together sugar and cornstarch. Add berry puree. Cook and stir over medium heat until thickened and bubbly. Cook and stir for 2 minutes more. Remove from heat. Cool to room temperature before serving. Makes about 1 cup sauce.

-Recipe from Better Homes and Gardens Cookbook

You Put the Lime in the Coconut

Dinner on Monday night was Thai green curry over rice with pina coladas.

For the curry:
1/2 pound large shrimp, shells removed
1/4 cup green onions, sliced
1/2 large red bell pepper, juillenned
1/4 pound green beans, cleaned
One jar of Trader Joe's Thai green curry simmer sauce

Stir fried beans and peppers for 5 minutes, removed from pan. Stir fried shrimp and green onions until shrimp became pink, about 4 minutes. Added simmer sauce and covered with lid. Simmered for 10 minutes. Served over cooked white rice.

For the pina coladas:
Ice
Fresh pineapple
Pineapple juice
Coconut milk
Coconut rum

I don't know the exact measurements because I adjusted as I blended the ingredients together. I made way too much since I used the whole can of coconut milk...will be drinking again tonight!

Cinnamon Streusel-Topped Pumpkin Pie

From Cooking Light...

Ingredients

Filling:
3/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/4 teaspoon ground allspice
1/4 teaspoon ground ginger
1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg
1/8 teaspoon ground cloves
2 large eggs
1 (15-ounce) can unsweetened pumpkin (or 2 cups fresh mashed pumpkin)
1 (14-ounce) can fat-free sweetened condensed milk

Crust (this time the recipe called for pre-made dough):
1/2 (15-ounce) package refrigerated pie dough (such as Pillsbury)
Cooking spray

Streusel:
1/3 cup all-purpose flour (about 1 1/2 ounces)
1/3 cup packed dark brown sugar
1/4 cup regular oats
1/4 cup chopped pecans
3/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/8 teaspoon ground ginger
2 tablespoons chilled butter, cut into small pieces
2 to 3 teaspoons water

Directions
Preheat oven to 375°.

To prepare filling, combine first 8 ingredients in a large bowl; stir with a whisk.

To prepare crust, roll dough to an 11-inch circle. Fit dough into a 9-inch pie plate coated with cooking spray. Fold edges under; flute.

To prepare streusel, lightly spoon flour into a dry measuring cup; level with a knife. Combine flour and next 5 ingredients (through 1/8 teaspoon ginger) in a bowl. Cut in butter with a fork or fingertips until crumbly. Sprinkle with water, tossing with a fork just until lightly moistened.

Pour pumpkin mixture into crust; sprinkle with streusel. Place pie on a baking sheet. Bake at 375° for 50 minutes or until a knife inserted in center comes out clean. Remove from baking sheet; cool completely on a wire rack.

Caramel Apple Crumb Pie

from Cooking Light...

Ingredients

Crust:
1 Pillsbury pre-made crust (yes, I cheated, if you want the crust recipe, go to Cooking Light)

Filling:
1 tablespoon butter or stick margarine
1/2 cup packed brown sugar
3/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon
9 cups sliced peeled Granny Smith apple (about 2 3/4 pounds)
3 tablespoons all-purpose flour
2 teaspoons lemon juice

Topping:
1/4 cup all-purpose flour
1/4 cup packed brown sugar
2 tablespoons chilled butter or stick margarine, cut into small pieces
1/4 cup fat-free caramel sundae syrup

Directions
Preheat oven to 375°.

To prepare crust, fit dough into a 9-inch pie plate coated with cooking spray. Fold edges under; flute. Line bottom of dough with a piece of foil; arrange pie weights (or dried beans) on foil. Bake at 375° for 15 minutes or until the edge is lightly browned. Remove pie weights and foil; cool on a wire rack.

To prepare filling, melt 1 tablespoon butter in a large nonstick skillet over medium-high heat. Combine 1/2 cup brown sugar and cinnamon. Add sugar mixture and apples to skillet; cook 5 minutes, stirring occasionally. Remove from heat; stir in 3 tablespoons flour and lemon juice. Spoon into prepared crust.

To prepare topping, lightly spoon 1/4 cup flour into a dry measuring cup; level with a knife. Combine flour and 1/4 cup brown sugar in a bowl; cut in 2 tablespoons butter with a pastry blender or 2 knives until mixture resembles coarse meal.

Drizzle syrup over apple mixture; sprinkle topping over syrup. Bake at 375° for 30 minutes or until apples are tender. Cool on a wire rack.

Friday Forum: Snacks

1] Which snack foods do you enjoy the most? Do you prefer salty or sweet snacks [or both]?
I love potato chips, but I rarely keep them at home. [Ruffles with a yummy dip are my favorite!] I also like granola bars, pickles, Coke, and chocolate and candy. I guess from that list you can say I like both salty and sweet snacks, but really it depends on my mood and hormones.

2] Do you tend to snack most often during a particular time of day, such as mid-morning or late at night?
I don't tend to snack a lot, but when I do, it tends to be in the afternoon. Some times I'll have the munchies after dinner...but that's pretty rare.

3] Have you been craving any snacks in particular lately? Like what?
Well, now that I mentioned them, I want some chips and pickles. :p The other night I craved popcorn, which I normally don't care for due to an incidence with the flu while working the concession stand in high school. Otherwise, I could always go for a Snickers with Almonds (formerly known as a Mars Bar).

4] Would you rather snack on chocolate or candy? [In other words, are you a chocolate or a candy person?]
Mainly I'm a chocolate person, especially in candybar form [aside from Mars Bars, I like Hershey's with Almonds and Butterfingers]. However, I have a weakness of gummy candy and jelly beans.

5] Do you crave any snacks that others might think are strange? Like what? Did you invent this snack yourself, and how did it come about?
When camping I thought it would be good to slice up some bananas in a bowl and put some freshly made s'mores on top. I got some strange looks for that, but my brother-in-law and I enjoyed them. I also like to eat leftover roasted chicken as a sandwich with pickles and mayo...I don't think that's strange but my husband thinks it is disgusting.

Slow Cooker Pork Chops

I found this recipe on All Recipes and tried it out in my brand new crockpot.

Ingredients:

*1/4 cup olive oil
*1 cup chicken broth
*2 cloves garlic, minced
*1 tablespoon paprika
*1 tablespoon garlic powder
*1 tablespoon poultry seasoning
*1 teaspoon dried oregano
*1 teaspoon dried basil
*4 thick cut boneless pork chops
*salt and pepper to taste

Directions:

In a large bowl, whisk together the olive oil, chicken broth, garlic, paprika, garlic powder, poultry seasoning and basil. Pour into the slow cooker. Cut small slits in each pork chop with the tip of a knife, and season lightly with salt and pepper. Place pork chops into the slow cooker, cover, and cook on High for 4 hours. Baste periodically with the sauce.

Ben & Jerry's Vanilla Sweet Cream Ice Cream

If you are watching your figure, then don't even bother trying this recipe. I made this with my brother-in-law last week. It was a fun and tasty way to bond!

Ingredients:

*2 large eggs
*3/4 cup sugar
*2 cups heavy or whipping cream
*1 cup milk
*2 teaspoons vanilla extract

Directions:

Whisk the eggs in a mixing bowl until light and fluffy, 1 to 2 minutes. Whisk in the sugar, a little at a time, then continue whisking until completely blended, about 1 minute more. Pour in the cream, milk, and vanilla and whisk to blend. Transfer mixture to an ice cream maker and freeze following the manufacturer's instructions. Makes 1 quart.

***Vanilla Superfudge Brownie can be made by adding 1 cup of coarsely chopped frozen fudge brownies to the ice cream about 2 minutes before it is done freezing in the machine. ***

Pasta with Five Fresh Herbs

This recipe is from Cooking Light, August 2005. Very flavorful. Technically, mine should have been called "Pasta with Three Fresh Herbs and Two Dried" since I didn't have fresh oregano or thyme on hand. The substitution of dried herbs worked very well, though (1 tablespoon fresh herbs = 1 teaspoon dried herbs). I also used fettuccine instead of penne and tomato and basil infused feta for the goat cheese.

Ingredients:

*1 pound uncooked penne rigate
*4 teaspoons extravirgin olive oil, divided
*1/4 cup chopped fresh basil
*1/2 teaspoon chopped fresh oregano
*1/2 teaspoon salt
*1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
*2 pints fresh cherry tomatoes
*1 garlic clove, minced
*1 tablespoon chopped fresh chives
*1/2 teaspoon chopped fresh thyme
*1/2 cup fat-free, less-sodium chicken broth
*2 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley
*1/2 cup (about 3 ounces) goat cheese, crumbled

Directions:

Cook pasta according to package directions, omitting salt and fat; drain. Place in a large bowl. Add 2 teaspoons olive oil, basil, oregano, 1/2 teaspoon salt, and 1/2 teaspoon pepper to hot pasta, and toss well to combine.

Heat remaining 2 teaspoons oil in a large nonstick skillet over medium-high heat. Add tomatoes and garlic; sauté 2 minutes. Add chives and thyme; sauté 1 additional minute or until tomatoes are slightly charred and skins are just beginning to burst. Add broth; bring to a boil. Cook over high heat 1 minute. Add tomato mixture and parsley to pasta; toss gently to combine. Sprinkle with cheese; serve immediately.

Yield: 6 servings (serving size: about 1 1/2 cups pasta and about 1 1/2 teaspoons cheese)

Jammin'

Jam!
Originally uploaded by Mrs. B.

Mom made a ton of jam and jelly this year. We brought home a few jars of cherry, strawberry, and raspberry. It will probably last us a few months.

Beans, Beans...

Beans!
Originally uploaded by Mrs. B.

While we were picking peas, Mom picked some beans, too. As you can see, she grew green, wax, and purple varieties this year.

Peas, Please!

Peas!
Originally uploaded by Mrs. B.

Mom, Ben and I picked peas from my mom's garden during our visit in late July. Then Mom and I shucked for a few hours. Definitely worth the effort, though. Fresh peas are the best!

Slacker

Lack of posts here has also meant a lack of cooking at home and most likely the trend will continue in July. We ate out a lot in June and most of the meals that I did make at home consisted of some lackluster form of sandwich or salad. Perhaps the best dinner I made recently was filet mignon with a pseudo-au poivre sauce accompanied by a baked potato and herbed green beans. I made the meal on the fly to celebrate my recent job offer, so I don't know if I could re-invent the sauce if I could. It was very yummy, though, and went very well with the Symbius that we were saving for a special occasion.

Chocolate Raspberry Ganache

Chocolate Raspberry Ganache originally uploaded by Mrs. B.

This yummy and beautiful cake recipe can be found in May's edition of Cooking Light on page 272 (recipe is here if you have a subscription).