Category: Food

“One martini is all right. Two are too many, and three are not enough.” ~ James Thurber

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I have noticed that many restaurants have started adding marinated olives to their appetizers menus and I love it! Sometimes, I would want to order a martini just for the olives.

Who am I kidding?

I would order the martini anyway! The olives are just a bonus.

I love olives! All kinds, well, except those sliced black ones that come on mexican food. Bleh. I don’t like those.

But all the other kinds are fabulous! When you add seasoning, cheese, nuts etc. They just get better.

So, I thought, why not make some at home. Would be a great additive to any Christmas gathering you may have this season.

Marinated Olive and Almonds

(adapted from Southern Living)

  • 1/2 cup extra virgin olive oil
  • 3 garlic cloves, crushed
  • 2 tablespoons grapefruit zest
  • 2 tablespoons fresh grapefruit juice
  • 2 tablespoons red wine vinegar
  • 1 tablespoon chopped fresh thyme leaves
  • 1 tablespoon orange zest
  • 2 teaspoons sugar
  • 1 teaspoon kosher salt
  • 1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
  • 4 cups pitted and drained green and black olives
  • 1 1/2 cups roasted salted almonds

1. Stir together first 10 ingredients in a large bowl. Add olives; toss with marinade to coat. Cover and chill 4 to 24 hours.

2. Remove and discard crushed garlic cloves, and stir in roasted almonds just before serving. Serve with a slotted spoon.

Simple as that!

Enjoy!

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-abp

“How we spend our days is, of course, how we spend our lives.” ~ Annie Dillard

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If I have said it once, I have said it a hundred times!

Crockpots are the best invention ever!

In my case, it’s the afternoons that start to get busy so it’s great to be able to get a meal on in the morning, knowing either all or at least the main part of dinner will be ready when you are ready for it.

It allows for me to concentrate on dessert or a yummy side or to just come dashing in and throw it on the table.

This recipe is no exception. It’s a breeze to put together but so delicious and very versatile.

It can be eaten by itself, on a bun or my favorite way – on a baked potato.

Crockpot BBQ Chicken

  • 2 lbs boneless, skinless  chicken breasts
  • 1 cup BBQ sauce
  • 1/4 cup Zesty Italian dressing
  • 1/4 cup brown sugar
  • 1 tbsp Worcestershire sauce
  • salt to taste

Lightly salt chicken and place in slow cooker.

Mix remaining ingredients in a bowl and pour over chicken.

Cook on high for 3-4 hours.

Shred chicken and cook for another 15 minutes on low.

Voilá – it’s ready for however you want to use it!

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-abp

“One man’s poison ivy is another man’s spinach.” ~ George Ade

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Side dishes really are a thorn in my side.

That’s why a love a roast. You have your meat, carrots and potatoes all together and the most you have to think about is finding some kind of bread to go with it.

But, alas, you can not have roast every night.

Sometimes you just have to make sides.

Luckily, I have finally found a side that is almost as easy as throwing a bag of salad in a few bowls.

Sautéed Garlic Spinach and Tomatoes

  • 2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
  • 2 tablespoons minced garlic (I used the kind in a jar)
  • 1 pint of cherry tomatoes
  • 2 bag of prepared (bagged) baby spinach
  • salt and pepper to taste

Heat oil over medium/high heat in a large skillet.  Add tomatoes and cook until they begin to pop. (I then kind of squash them with my spatula). Add in garlic and cook for 2-4 minutes, or until fragrant.  Place the spinach in the pan and mix around until wilted. Season with salt and pepper. Serve warm.

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This is so very simple, good and healthy. You could very easlily change up this up to fit your taste buds as well. Examples being  – add shallots or top with Parmesan cheese.

-abp

“Autumn is a second spring when every leaf is a flower.” ~ Albert Camus

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Pumpkin, pumpkin, pumpkin!!!

When did the world become so pumpkin obsessed??

Didn’t it start with Starbucks Pumpkin Spice Latte, now know as the PSL?

Don’t get me wrong – I’m not knocking it. Not at all. I’m sitting right in the middle of that bandwagon.

I think a lot of it has to do with how much more people seem to enjoy and want to celebrate the fall season. I say more power to them! I love the fall and I’m glad it is getting the recognition it deserves!

So here is my contribution to the pumpkin craze.

Pumpkin Bundt Cake with Caramel Drizzle

(adapted from Chef in Training)

For the cake:

  • 1¼ cups sugar
  • ⅓ cup canola oil
  • 2 eggs
  • 1 teaspoon vanilla
  • 1 (15 oz). can pumpkin
  • 1 cup sour cream
  • 2 cups flour
  • 2¼ teaspoons baking powder
  • 1 teaspoon soda
  • 1 teaspoon cinnamon
  • ¼ teaspoon cloves
  • ¼ teaspoon nutmeg
  • 1 teaspoon salt

For the drizzle:

  • 1 (14 oz.) can sweetened condensed milk
  • 1 cup brown sugar
  • 2 Tablespoons butter
  • ½ teaspoon vanilla

For the Cake:

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.

Combine sugar, oil, eggs, vanilla, pumpkin and sour cream in a large mixing bowl. Add flour, baking powder, soda, cinnamon, cloves, nutmeg, and salt and stir in to combine. Pour into a greased and floured bundt pan.

Bake for around 50 minutes at 350 degrees F. Test it with a wooden pick to see if it comes out clean. Invert cake onto a cooling rack.

For the Caramel Drizzle:

Heat milk and brown sugar in a medium sauce pan and bring to a boil over medium heat stirring constantly. Reduce heat and simmer for 8 minutes stirring occasionally. Remove from stove and add butter and vanilla. Cool for five minutes and drizzle over cooled cake.

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-abp

“Laziness is nothing more than the habit of resting before you get tired.” ~ Jules Renard

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I love Chicken and Dumplings.

I made them homemade from scratch, once.

And that will probably be the only time.

Don’t get me wrong they were fantastic and no, the shortcut versions will never be a good but if I ever want to have them again anytime soon – it will have to be a shortcut version.

Or I can go to Cracker Barrel.

This is very, very good alternative and it’s made in the crockpot to boot!

Lazy Day Chicken n’ Dumplings

(adapted from All Things Delicious)

  • 2 boneless, skinless chicken breasts
  • 2 Tbsp. butter
  • 2  (10.5 oz.) cans cream of chicken soup
  • 1 (14.5 oz) can chicken broth
  • 1/2 onion, diced OR you can use 2 Tbsp. dried, diced onion (I used fresh)
  • 1 Tbsp. dried parsley
  • 4 Grands flaky refrigerator biscuits

Place chicken in crockpot and plop the butter on top of the chicken.  Add cream of chicken soup and chicken broth.  Followed by onion and parsley.  Cover and cook on high for 4-5 hours or low for 8-9 hours.  After the chicken is cooked, shred it and put it back into the soup. Cut each biscuit into 9 pieces.  Gently stir biscuits into soup.  Cook for another 45 minutes on low.

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I definitely recommend this shortcut recipe for those lazy fall days that are perfect for comfort food! Granted, it doesn’t look like traditional Chicken n’ Dumplings but it sure does taste like them!

-abp

 

“I’m a maniacal perfectionist.” ~ Martha Stewart

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I am very impressed with people who can put dinner on the table and every single bit be homemade, every single time.

I can do it and have done it but I have found that if you really want to try and cook at home most weeknights, you have to take shortcuts or you will burn out.

I have gotten to the point that if I have cooked the main dish, I don’t feel too bad if I heat up a can of green beans or corn to go with it.

Or both.

Don’t judge. I never claimed to be Martha Stewart. 🙂

Here is one of those “I only have a short amount of time and a short amount of energy” dinners.

A main dish and canned veggies.

Baked Honey Mustard Chicken Tenders

  • 1/4 cup of grainy, coarse mustard
  • 1/4 cup smooth dijion mustard
  • 1/2 cup honey
  • 3 teaspoons extra virgin olive oil
  • 1/2 of a small yellow onion, diced
  • 2 cloves garlic, minced
  • 2 1/2 pounds boneless skinless chicken tenderloins
  • salt and pepper
  • 4-5 small sprigs of fresh rosemary, divided

In a small bowl, combine the mustards, honey, and 2 teaspoons of the olive oil.

In a sauté pan or cast iron skillet, add 1 teaspoon of olive oil.

Add the onion and the leaves of one rosemary sprig and sauté over medium heat until golden and tender, about 5 minutes. Add the garlic and sauté for an additional 1 – 2 minutes, until fragrant.

Transfer the onion and garlic to an oven safe dish (or if the saute pan you used is oven safe, you can just use it). Place the chicken on top of onion/garlic mixture. Salt and pepper the tops of the chicken to taste.

Pour the honey mustard mixture on top of the chicken. Arrange the rosemary sprigs around the chicken in the pan.

Bake the chicken covered at 400 degrees F for 20 minutes. Then remove the cover, baste the chicken with the sauce, and continue to cook for an additional 20 – 30 minutes uncovered, or until the chicken is browned on top and cooked through.

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This was really so very good!! It was actually much better than I even expected it to be!! The flavors were fabulous and the chicken was incredibly tender. It will most definitely go on the weeknight rotation.

2 side notes:

1. The sauce was so good that I would omit the canned corn and add a bag of “boil in the bag” (keepin’ it simple) rice, then serve the chicken and the sauce on top of it.

2. I LOVE rosemary so I would never leave it out but if you are not a fan or do not have it on hand, this recipe could easily be made without it and it would be your basic Honey Mustard Chicken but still delicious!

Hope you enjoy it as much as we did!

-abp

“I would have been in bed an hour ago, if only I could find the bottom of this Pinterest page….” ~ unknown

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I love Halloween! I think it is the most fun Holiday other than Christmas. The retail world has caught on to this as well and OH! the fun things you can find to make and to decorate!!

And Pinterest has taken it to the next level.

It makes my head spin.

But today, I am just going to do a Halloween classic. You can never go wrong with a classic. 🙂

Caramel Apples

  • 50 pieces of caramel, unwrapped
  • 4 popsicle sticks
  • 4 medium sized apples
  • 2 Tablespoons of evaporated milk

Wash and dry apples and insert popsicle stick into the core of each apple.

Place caramel and evaporated milk into a 1 quart microwavable bowl. Microwave on high, stirring frequently until smooth. (around 3 minutes)

Dip apples in caramel mixture and use a spoon to help coat.

Place on waxed paper until caramel sets.

The fun part is you can do a number of different things with your apples. You can roll them in nuts, crushed cookies, etc while the caramel is still wet or you can do like I did and decorate after the caramel has set.

So much fun and so easy!!

CA

The great thing about these are how versatile they can be. I know they are traditionally Halloween items but you can decorate them to suit any occasion.  They also bag up well and make great gifts!

bagsHappy Fall Y’all!

-abp

“People find life entirely too time consuming.” ~ Stanislaw J. Lec

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Oh! The lazy days of summer.  I love it!

Although, that saying doesn’t ring true much anymore.  Schedules are crazy and there is no structure or there is too much structure. Years ago you didn’t even need structure because life was just simple.

You got up, you went out to play, you came in for lunch and a little down time (mine was watching I Love Lucy and The Andy Griffith Show at 12:00 and 12:30 while I ate my lunch on the floor in front of the TV) and then you went back out until dinner time which was followed by a bath and a little more down time before you got in the bed.

You got up and did it again.

For 3 months. 3 whole months.

Life was perfect. And simple.

I really do feel sorry for today’s children, they will never know that sense of “easy”.

Makes me sad.

On another note something that is easy and makes me happy are simple things like one skillet meals. I have posted several on here and now I have another to add to the category.

These are perfect for those more hectic summer days.

BBQ Chicken Skillet Pasta

(adapted from Damn Delicious)

  • 4 slices bacon, diced
  • 2 boneless, skinless chicken breast, cut into 1-inch chunks
  • 2 cloves garlic, minced
  • 1 onion, diced
  • 2 cups chicken broth
  • 1 (14.5-ounce) can diced tomatoes
  • 1/2 cup milk
  • 1/4 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes, or more, to taste
  • 3 cups rotini pasta
  • Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste
  • 1/2 cup barbecue sauce, or more, to taste
  • 1 cup shredded cheddar cheese

In a large skillet or pot, brown bacon until crispy, then remove from pan reserving 1 Tablespoon of fat.

Add chicken and cook for 3-4 minutes or until browned on all sides.

Add garlic and onions and cook for an additional 4-5 minutes or until soft.

Mix in chicken broth, tomatoes, milk, red pepper flakes, pasta, salt and pepper, to taste. Bring to a boil, cover, reduce and simmer for around 15 minutes or until pasta is cooked.

Stir in BBQ sauce, bacon and cheese. Mix until heated through.

 

 

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-abp

“Let the past be content with itself, for man needs forgetfulness as well as memory.” ~ James Stephens

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Stuffed Peppers.

A childhood favorite! Mom used to make them all of the time but bless her, she doesn’t remember quite how she did…… 🙂

I can understand that, I cant remember what I made last week. Does the baby brain ever go away?!?

That’s the thing about childhood favorites and all that good food that your mom and grandma made. They didnt have recipes written down. It was just in their head. I honestly do not know how my grandmother kept up with them all. (She obviously didn’t have baby brain)

Thank goodness for the internet and the beloved Pinterest because now I do not even have to try.

Since I knew I would not be able to recreate the ones my mom made, there would be no reason to even try so I’m putting a different spin on them. More Mexican than Italian. Also, since my husband is not a fan of green bell peppers, I will do a mixture of red and green bell peppers.

Although, I haven’t given up on finding a recipe close to mom’s. Stayed tuned!

Stuffed Bell Peppers

(adapted from Trisha Yearwood)

  • 6 large red or green bell peppers
  • 2½ cups long-grain white rice (or rice of your choice)
  • 2 lbs lean ground beef
  • ½ medium-size sweet onion, diced
  • 3 garlic cloves, minced
  • 1 14.5-oz can Italian style diced tomatoes, with their juices
  • 1 10-oz can Rotel diced tomatoes and green chiles
  • 16 oz sharp Mexican blend cheese, grated (about 4 cups)
  • ½ tsp pepper
  • 1 tsp salt
  • 1 tsp garlic salt
  • 2 tablespoons cilantro, chopped
  • cooking spray

Preheat oven to 400º.

Cut the bell peppers in half, top to bottom. Remove the seeds and the ribs and wilt peppers in boiling water for 5 minutes. Remove and set aside.

To save time cook “boil in the bags” rice according to directions in the same water you cook peppers. Or you can cook regular rice in another pot. Set aside.

In a medium skillet, brown the ground beef, onion, and garlic. Drain the meat. Add tomatoes to the meat and bring to a boil, then reduce the heat and simmer for 5 minutes. Remove from the heat. Stir in rice, salts and pepper.

In a foil lined pan sprayed with cooking spray, place the bell peppers skin side down. Evenly divide the beef mixture among the pepper halves. Cover the pan with aluminum foil and bake for 40 minutes. Remove the foil and sprinkle the cheese and cilantro on the top. Return the pan to the oven, uncovered, for about 5 minutes, until the cheese melts.

**** Next time I think I may add taco seasoning to kick up the Mexican flavor. ****

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-abp

“The smallest seed of faith is better than the largest fruit of happiness.” ~ Henry David Thoreau

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You wanna know a sure fire way that you are officially a “grown up”?

When you feel like a kid at Christmas, I mean pure giddy over getting a new appliance.

I realized this a couple years ago when I got a deep freezer for the garage. But that does not even compare to the excitement of getting my new Vitamix in the mail!! Fun times!!!

Remember this is coming from the same girl who has been known to clean out the pantry on New Year’s Eve.

And call it a very successful night.

But, come on ladies (and gents), you know what I mean!!

It also means my poor husband will be drinking half his meals for the next couple weeks or until the new wears off!

Here is an example:

Blueberry Banana Oat Smoothie

  • 1/3 cup frozen blueberries
  • 1/2 frozen banana
  • 1/3 cup fresh spinach
  • 1 Tablespoon flaxseed
  • 1/2 cup uncooked quick cooking oats
  • 1/2 scoop vanilla protein powder
  • 1/2 cup unsweetened vanilla almond milk

Place all ingredients into blender and blend until smooth.

(makes one smoothie)

Yum!

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-abp