Roasted Tomatoes, Shrimp and Goat Cheese with Farfalle

This is one of those summer dishes that benefits from big, juicy tomatoes, fresh basil picked right from your garden, shrimp caught the same day they are cooked, and goat cheese bought at a farmer’s market. I paint a pretty good picture, don’t I?

Well, I had none of the benefits of the ingredients so eloquently explained above. Being that it is still spring and barely a daffodil has sprouted out of the ground, I had to scrounge for my ingredients. To make Roasted Tomatoes with Shrimp, Goat Cheese and Farfalle, I used faintly red plum tomatoes probably grown in a hothouse, basil off the shelf at the grocery store, and frozen shrimp and goat cheese from Costco. The dish still turned out as I had hoped. It is one of my go to recipes that I have adopted from my Step mom. Great ingredients make it better, but everyday ingredients still equate to one of our family favorites – at least for 3 out of the 5 of us.

The Husband said, “This is one of the best things you make. I love the rich sauce.” I ate too much which usually happens when I make this dish. I had to change into my pajama pants right after dinner. My Oldest is one to always make me feel good about my cooking; she had two servings. We won’t even discuss My Middle One and No Thank You Boy. I got them to eat roasted beets with goat cheese yesterday. I was not expecting any culinary miracles tonight. Some farfalle with homemade marinara for the Boy and plain old buttered noodles for his sister was as adventurous as they got. Their loss.

I couldn’t wait until summer to prepare Roasted Tomatoes with Shrimp, Goat Cheese and Farfalle. It is just too good of a dish to have only during one season of the year.

Roasted Tomatoes with Shrimp, Goat Cheese and Farfalle

The total prep time for this dish is about 1 hour. Active cooking time is only about 15 minutes making this an impressive entrée for serving guests or an almost effortless weeknight dinner.

Serves about 6

1 pound farfalle, cooked and drained
4 cups chopped fresh tomatoes
6 garlic cloves, chopped
½ large Vidalia onion, diced
olive oil
salt
pepper
½ cup white wine
1 ¾ cups chicken stock
1 ½ pounds large shrimp, peeled
¼ pound goat cheese, crumbled
about 15 basil leaves, chopped
Parmesan cheese, freshly grated

Preheat oven to 425 degrees. On a large baking sheet toss tomatoes, garlic, and onions with about ¼ cup olive oil, 1 teaspoon salt, and 1 teaspoon pepper. Roast for 40 minutes, stirring after 20 minutes.

Heat a large sauté pan to medium high and add the roasted tomato mixture. Add the wine and bring to a boil. Cook for about 2 - 3 minutes. Add the chicken stock and bring to a simmer. Add shrimp and cook for 2 – 3 minutes until just cooked through. Stir in the crumbled goat cheese until it is melted.

In a large serving dish, combine the shrimp and tomato mixture with the farfalle. Toss with some of the basil, reserving a couple tablespoons for garnish. Sprinkle with Parmesan cheese. Serve immediately.

Grilled Lemon Cilantro Chicken* and Roasted Beets with Green Beans and Goat Cheese

* - this recipe is not included in my post. It is nothing spectacular. Keep reading for my suggested alternative.

Dinner time at my house never ceases to amaze me. I never know what dish will be a hit and which one will turn out a disaster. I had planned on preparing dinner a little early because of nightly kid activities. Torrential rains cancelled everything - Oh damn! I am so upset. Can you hear my sarcasm? My Middle One and No Thank You Boy filled there new found free time getting a soaking as they played basketball in the downpour.

My menu included Grilled Lemon Cilantro Chicken, Roasted Beets with Green Beans and Goat Cheese, Steamed Artichokes, and plain old white rice. The kids love artichokes. Most likely because they consume artery clogging amounts of melted butter using the leaves as spoons. The grilled chicken was good, but nothing to write home about. It got kinda dried out as we waited for The Husband to grace us with his presence. Nothing a little A-1 sauce (No Thank You Boy likes to call it B-2) and Baby Ray's barbecue sauce couldn't cure.

The star of last night's dinner was the Roasted Beets with Green Beans and Goat Cheese. Who would have guessed. I made enough for about 4 servings thinking The Husband and I would be the only takers. The eating adventurer, My Oldest, had some and loved it. A bribe of $5 got No Thank You Boy to eat 2 beans and a few chunks of the beets. Low and behold, he liked it and even ate more. He enjoyed the beets and green beans so much that he forgot to collect his $5 bribe when dinner ended. I guess I don't need to worry about him being a corrupt politician someday. My Middle One also loved it and finished off the last few green beans in the bottom of the bowl.

Note to self. Double the recipe of the Roasted Beet with Green Beans and Goat Cheese next time. Also, beets stain everything!!! Even your new white, blue, and green striped table runner. After telling your kids repeatedly to be careful with the beets, it will be The Mom who drops a big spoonful of the beets on the table runner. God bless the inventor of the Tide to Go stain stick.

I am only posting one recipe. My grilled chicken was just okay. I would recommend using the Barefoot Contessa's Grilled Lemon Chicken recipe instead.

Roasted Beets with Green Beans and Goat Cheese

serves 4 - double the recipe - you won't regret it

3 beets, trimmed of leaves and stems
olive oil
1 pound green beans, trimmed
1/4 cup balsamic vinegar
1 teaspoon Dijon mustard
1/4 teaspoon dried oregano
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon pepper
1/2 cup olive oil
4 ounces goat cheese

Preheat oven to 425 degrees. Place beets in a small baking dish and drizzle with olive oil. Roast for about 45 minutes or until tender. Remove from oven and let cool. Peel beets when cool and cut into large dice. The beets will stain whatever they come in contact with. Wear disposable or rubber gloves to keep your new manicure looking its best.

Bring a large pot of water to a boil. Add green beans and cook for about 3 - 4 minutes until they are just tender crisp. Drain and run under cold water to stop the cooking. Drain and set aside.

In a small bowl combine the balsamic vinegar, mustard oregano, salt and pepper. Whisk in the olive oil to combine. Adjust seasonings. Set aside.

In a large bowl, place the green beans and top with the roasted beets. Drizzle the the balsamic vinaigrette over the vegetables. Crumble the goat cheese over the top and serve at room temperature.

Adventures in the Big Apple

A night off from cooking dinner for me while The Family spent a day in New York City. We all had differing ideas on how to explore the Big Apple. Museums, shopping, and dining at new restaurants all made the list. Our final selections were ESPN Zone for lunch, Madame Tussard's Wax Museum, and Shake Shack for dinner. As you can see I counted my votes twice and included more eating than any other activity in our days' events.

Our first stop was ESPN Zone in Times Square. This choice was for No Thank You Boy, and he was decked out in his finest Chicago Bears apparel. Having 2 older sisters, he is usually saddled with days filled with shopping when he has to tag along with us.

We ate a plate of cheese fries with bacon (I don't think it was real bacon), a cheeseburger, shrimp Caesar salad, a dry Italian beef sandwich, an oddly orange-colored Buffalo chicken sandwich, and an unspectacular grilled chicken sandwich. Nothing to write home about as far as the food at ESPN Zone is concerned. It is a place that is filled with tourists and the food is tourist food. The entrees were not bad; they just weren't very good. I would compare it to any sit down chain restaurant.

Off to Madame Tussard's Wax Museum for My Oldest, My Middle One and myself. The Husband and No Thank You Boy opted out of our adventure to partake in the many games at ESPN Zone. The Wax Museum was a hoot to say the least. We paid way too much ($69 for the 3 of us and that was with an $18 off coupon) to have our pictures taken with wax replicas of famous people. I do have to say that the place had a steady stream of guests so they must be be doing something right.

Highlights for me --


chatting with my new best friend "Rachael Ray"


and sipping bubbly with "Wolfgang Puck." Hey! Watch that left hand Wolfgang!

After catching up with the boys after their ESPN Zone escapades, we did some shopping with the other 250,000 tourists in Times Square. We hit the M&M store, the Hersey store, the MTV store, the Billabong store, and a few street vendors to pick up some ultra cool $10 sunglasses. After a couple hours battling the crowds, we had enough. Off to our next stop, the Shake Shake.

I had read about the Shake Shack somewhere online - a benefit of spending too many hours reading about food on the world wide web. After scoring a parking spot on the street, we entered Madison Square Park at Madison Avenue and 23rd Street.

Even with the perfect Spring evening for eating outside, grumblings were heard from the peanut gallery as we descended on a line of about 30 people waiting to place their orders. We secured a table for the kids and began our 20 minute wait in line. "I hear these are some of the best burgers in NYC," I informed The Husband as the line inched ever so slightly forward. As soon as he spotted the sign for the "Spring Special" - $3 draft beers, his demeanor greatly improved. We eventually placed our order - 3 Shake Shack burgers, a Shake-cago Dog, 3 orders of fries, 1 Black and White shake, 1 chocolate shake, 3 beers and a Coke.

Another wait for the food, but thankfully with our beers, was about 10 minutes. With a 75 degree Spring day, the wait was well worth our time. The food did not disappoint; it was much better than our lunch.


The burgers were just the right size and cooked to perfection. No Thank You Boy wanted another naked Shake-cago dog. We told him he could get in line again - it had swelled to about 100 people by the time we got our food. He declined and just sucked his shake down. Nicely crisped fries, cold beer, and thick shakes along with our burgers made for an enjoyable meal. And for about 40 bucks our wallet still had some cash left in it.


I would highly recommend the Shake Shack to anyone venturing into New York City. There was a majority of native New Yorkers eating there so it must be more than a tourist trap.

Back to our car to collect our $55 parking ticket, and we were headed home. Just enough of the city life for us. We had a fun time be New Yorkers for a day.

Blogging with a Purpose

Thanks to Robin Sue at Big Red Kitchen for honoring me the Blogging with a Purpose award. She has a great foodie blog - she even has a recipe for tacos in a bag!! Go check out her blog. You won't regret it and will back visiting often.

This award is given by bloggers to bloggers that are blogging with a purpose. Now I get to bestow this honor on other bloggers I feel are working hard to make their blogs meaningful. I get to give this award to 5 fellow bloggers - drum roll please.........

My first award goes to Holly over at Phe/MOM/enon. She is cooking up one recipe at a time and throws in a little humor every once in a while. Next up is Nikki at the great foodie blog Canary Girl. Every recipe I have made of hers has turned out fantastic. Give her Chicken Verde a try. I am impressed with Warda's blog 64 sq. ft. Kitchen. All of her posts are in English and French! I have enough trouble writing in English let alone trying to translate to another language. Evil Chef Mom Krysta gets the next award because she thought of such an awesome name for her blog. If I would have thought of it first, I would have used it. She's really funny too. I like to honor moms who really know what raising kids is all about. Last but not least, I award Erin at erin's kitchen a Blogging with a Purpose award just because I am living vicariously through her as she eats, cooks and drinks her way around NYC.

Now for the rules -

1. Awarded parties must nominate five people who have not received the award.

2. The blogs that receive the award must serve some purpose.

3. In their post about the award they need to link back to this entry.

4. Awarded parties must post the award banner on their site. The banner must remain linked to this site.

Okay. Let's see if I followed the rules. I was never very good at following rules. #1 check. #2 I think these blogs serve a purpose so I am checking that one off too. #3 & #4 I'm computer challenged so following these two rules is really not going to happen. I would need to spend an inordinate amount of time figuring out all the links I need to put in and then I would forget a " or a <. I copied off the guy next to me to get through my Computer 101 class in college. There is no guy sitting next to me now that I can cheat off of so this is the best I can do. I'm glad I'm not getting a grade for my blog.

Congrats to all and keep blogging.

Grilled Steak Gyros with Fresh Tomato Basil Salsa and Cucumber Sour Cream Sauce

Some foods are best when purchased from a local joint on a street corner. Philly Cheesesteaks. Chili dogs. Thin crust pizza. Cheese fries. The other day I saw one of those faded posters of a gyros as I was driving by an old restaurant. Can I make a gyros as tasty and tempting as that rundown-looking place? The challenge was on!

A gyros is pita sandwich with meat (typically pork, lamb, beef, chicken, or a combinations of meats) and tomatoes, onions, and tzatziki - a yogurt and cucumber sauce. Having grown up in Chicago, gyros were available on lots of street corners. I remember the huge skewers of lamb hanging in the windows of many a restaurants.

I like gyros because by eating one, you are covering many of the basic food groups in the Food Pyramid in a single sandwich. Meat category (beef) - check. Grain category (pita) - check. Fruit and vegetables category (tomatoes, onions, and cucumbers) - check. Dairy category (sour cream) - check. This new Food Pyramid looks different than the one I knew from 30 years ago in elementary school. What the heck?! It includes categories for Physical Activity and Discretionary Calories i.e. junk food. That is not the Food Pyramid of the 1970s. I think the gyros does a pretty good job covering the foods I need to eat relatively healthy.

My gyros dinner fit well with our evening. It was a pretty typical night at our house. Lacrosse practice at 6 p.m. Softball game at 6 p.m. When does dinner fit into that schedule? I marinated the steak earlier in the day and grilled it up right before we left for our evening’s events. Covered it with foil and headed out the door. When we got home a couple hours later, I sliced up the steak super thin, gently heated it on low power in the microwave and piled it into a pita with a fresh tomato basil salsa and cucumber sour cream sauce.


The reviews came rolling in. We all enjoyed the steak even if we had it different ways. The meal lends itself to our varying tastes. A couple kids - No Thank You Boy and My Middle One - ate just the steak with a side of fresh salsa and tortilla chips. The Husband spiced it up with a little Tabasco. My Oldest and I ate ours as traditional gyros. "Very flavorful meat. I can't wait for the leftovers tomorrow," commented The Husband. "More steak for me," said No Thank You Boy.

Full stomachs = Happy family.

Grilled Steak Gyros with Fresh Tomato Basil Salsa and Cucumber Sour Cream Sauce

serves 5 with leftovers

5 pitas
1 sirloin steak, about 2 pounds
1 large vadalia onion, chopped, about 2 cups
4 garlic cloves
juice of 1 lemon
1 teaspoon thyme
1 teaspoon cumin
2 teaspoons oregano
2 teaspoons sugar
2 teaspoons pepper
2 teaspoons salt


Cucumber sour cream sauce
1 cup sour cream
1 kirby cucumber, diced
1 tablespoon lemon juice
dash of salt
dash of pepper


Fresh tomato basil salsa
about 2 pounds of fresh tomatoes, chopped
2 kirby cucumbers, diced
1/4 small red onion, diced
8 – 10 fresh basil leaves, chopped
drizzle of olive oil
dash of salt
dash of pepper


For the marinade, combine the onion, garlic, lemon juice, thyme, cumin, oregano, sugar, pepper, and salt in a food processor. Pulse until onion is finely diced and all ingredients are mixed well. Place steak in a large resealable bag and add marinade. Refrigerate for up to 12 hours; about 4 hours would be good.

For the cucumber sour cream sauce, combine the sour cream, cucumber, lemon juice, salt and pepper. Set aside.

For the fresh tomato salsa, combine the tomatoes, cucumbers, red onion, basil, olive oil, salt, and pepper. Set aside.

Heat a grill to high. Remove the steak from the marinade and grill for about 6 – 7 minutes per side or until medium rare. Remove from grill, cover with foil, and let rest for about 10 minutes. After resting period, slice steak very thinly.

For each gyros, pile a pita with the sliced steak, tomato basil salsa, and cucumber sour cream sauce. Serve with plenty of napkins.

The Shadow

My kids are on spring break this week. The Husband also decided it would be a good week to take off. I have been baking more than usual to keep up with cookie demand. Chocolate chip, peanut butter, oatmeal raisin, sugar. All the popular cookies fill the cookie jar on my counter at one time or another. I already made a batch of chocolate chip cookies that were devoured in one afternoon earlier in the week. What to make next? Time to develop a new recipe. The Shadow was born. After baking these cookies, I asked for a suggestion for naming these chocolate chip, chocolate, and peanut butter cookie combination. "How about The Shadow?" was one reply. The cookies are the same color as of one of our dogs that is named Shadow. Sounded as good a name as any, so The Shadow it is.

The Shadow was such a big hit that as soon as the first batch was gone, a second batch was requested. The cookies had that sweet/salty combination with the addition of chocolate and the crunch of honey roasted peanuts. "One of the best cookies I have ever had," commented The Husband. I'll make him a second batch for that compliment.

The Shadow

makes about 24 large cookies

3/4 cup butter, softened
1/4 cup peanut butter
1 cup brown sugar
1/2 cup sugar
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
2 extra large eggs
1 3/4 cups flour
1/2 cup cocoa powder
1 teaspoon baking soda
1 teaspoon salt
1 1/2 cups semisweet chocolate chips
1/2 cup chopped honey roasted peanuts
extra chopped honey roasted peanuts, for topping cookies just before baking

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Line 2 large baking sheets with parchment paper. Set aside.

Combine butter, peanut butter, and sugars in the bowl of a standing mixer. A hand mixer can also be used. Beat until well blended, about 3 - 5 minutes. Add vanilla extract and eggs to the butter mixture and beat until blended. Add flour, cocoa powder, baking soda, and salt. Blend to combine. With mixer on low, add chocolate chips and 1/2 cup chopped peanuts.

Using a 2-inch dasher form golf ball sized dough balls. Place 6 on each of the prepared baking sheets. Top with about 1/2 to 1 teaspoon of the remaining chopped peanuts. Bake for approximately 10 - 11 minutes. The cookies will be slightly undercooked. Remove from oven and let cool on sheet for about 5 minutes before removing to a piece of parchment paper on the counter.

Thanks!!

I have blogging away for a little over a year. I enjoy it and sometimes get a little obsessed with finding the next great recipe to post. My family has been patient with my photo-taking of dinners and has relished reviewing my cooking. Many new and old friends visit my blog on a daily basis. I am glad others find my recipes, comments, photos, and posts something of interest. A special thanks to others that have linked to my site. I'm sure this isn't a complete list. Sorry to those I have missed. Send me a comment and I will add you to the list.
Visit often!!

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Lemon Barbecued Kebabs and Fennel Apple Slaw with Bleu Cheese

Lemon Barbecued Kebabs

With the warm weather hopefully here to stay, barbecue season is open at our house. Never one to be satisfied with recipes I have already tried, I developed a new marinade for our kebabs last night. Chicken, shrimp and kielbasa were marinated, skewered, and grilled. Accompaniments for the Lemon Barbecued Kebabs included a crunchy Fennel Apple Slaw with Bleu Cheese, Fruit Salad, and Tri Color Pasta tossed with Olive Oil and Parmesan.

Very flavorful was the consensus review of the marinaded kebabs. The Husband especially enjoyed the Fennel Apple Slaw. "I'll eat anything with bleu cheese in it." My Oldest raved about my cut up fruit. She is easy to please. We had a dinner guest (a friend of My Oldest) who especially liked the chicken kebabs. No Thank You Boy stuck to the protein of the meal. A couple chicken kebabs and one shrimp (to give them a try) were his dinner last night. He was saving room for ice cream.

I liked the ease of the meal prep. Cut up boneless chicken breasts were marinated for a few hours. The shrimp was marinated separately for about 30 minutes. Sliced smoked kielbasa chunks, chicken, and shrimp were skewered and grilled for about 8 - 10 minutes. The Fennel Apple Slaw was just a little chopping for a fresh new salad. I keep cooked pasta in a resealable bag in the refrigerator as it makes for quick side dishes. It was heated with olive oil and tossed with Parmesan and salt and pepper. Cut up some bananas, apples, oranges, and kiwi for the fruit salad. Dinners on!

Lemon Barbecued Kebabs

serves 6

marinade -
1/4 cup ketchup
3 scallions, sliced thin
3 tablespoons lemon juice
1 tablespoon honey
1 tablespoon apple cider vinegar
2 teaspoons Worcestershire sauce
1 teaspoon sesame seed
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon pepper
1/4 teaspoon allspice

3 boneless chicken breasts, cut in chunks
1 pound shrimp, peeled (I used 21 - 25 per pound)
1/2 pound kielbasa, cut in chunks
wooden skewers

In a small bowl, mix together the ingredients for the marinade. Place the chicken in a resealable bag and add about 1/2 of the marinade. Marinate for about 2 - 4 hours in the refrigerator. Place the shrimp in a separate resealable bag and marinate for about 30 minutes. If using wooden skewers, soak in water for about 30 minutes to prevent burning.

Thread the chicken, shrimp and kielbasa on skewers. Grill for about 3 - 4 minutes per side. Remove from grill and serve.



Fennel Apple Slaw with Bleu Cheese

4 servings

1 fennel bulb, sliced thin
1 medium apple, sliced thin
2 celery stalks, slice thin
1/4 cup chopped pecans
1/4 cup crumbled bleu cheese
2 tablespoons lemon juice
1/4 cup olive oil
big pinch of salt
big pinch of pepper

In a large bowl, combine fennel, apple, celery, pecans, and bleu cheese. In a small bowl, whisk lemon juice, olive oil, salt, and pepper. Toss dressing with the fennel mixture.

Hummus for Happy Hour

Friday + 5 o'clock = Happy Hour.

A quick recipe for Happy Hour today. Chickpea Sundried Tomato and Basil Hummus. Pour a glass of wine and whip up a batch of hummus to get your weekend off to a great start.

Chickpea Sundried Tomato and Basil Hummus

1 15-ounce can of chickpeas, drained
3 oil-packed sundried tomatoes
1 large garlic clove, peeled
juice of 1 medium lemon
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon pepper
1/4 cup olive oil
water
8 basil leaves

Put chickpeas, tomatoes, garlic, lemon juice, salt and pepper into the bowl of a food processor. Pulse several times. With food processor running, add olive oil in a steady stream until hummus is relatively smooth. Add a little warm water (about 1/8 cup) if it is thicker than you like. Add basil leaves and pulse.

Serve with some funky crackers you paid way too much for.

Spring Pea and White Bean Chowder

Spring Pea and White Bean Chowder

Busy Spring nights call for dinner made in advance. With 5 family members all going in different directions, the refrigerator better be stocked with meals ready to go. I spent about a half of my day filling the frig with dinners, lunches, desserts, and snacks for the next few days.

On tap for tonight is Spring Pea and White Bean Chowder and Grilled Chicken Caesar Salads. For the salads, I just grilled up some chicken breasts seasoned with salt, pepper, thyme, and parsley mixed with a few tablespoons of olive oil and balsamic vinegar. The sliced grilled chicken tops a bed of romaine lettuce and my favorite bottled Caesar dressing - Cardini's - is drizzled over. A sprinkle of fresh grated Parmesan completes the salad. The Spring Pea and White Bean Chowder is my version of split pea soup. My ham bone from Easter dinner has been haunting me from the freezer. A traditional split pea soup seemed to wintry. I developed a new soup/chowder for the springtime weather we have been experiencing. I used my stock from the freezer. Looks like icebergs headed for the Titanic.


With a big pot of chowder and the fixings for a hearty salad chopped in the refrigerator, dinner is ready to go at our house. With the variety available, each family member will to satisfied with some part of the meal without the Chief Chef and Bottle Washer resorting to preparing different foods for the likes and dislikes of the family. Who would want to do that anyway?!!

Make a couple meals in advance. You'll be happy when dinner time rolls around. With such a big potful of chowder, pack some up for the neighbors. They will thank you.



Spring Pea and White Bean Chowder

makes a big pot of chowder, enough for about 12 - 14 servings

2 tablespoons olive oil
2 tablespoons butter
2 cups carrots, diced
4 cups onions, diced
4 cloves of garlic, chopped
12 cups of chicken stock, low sodium
1 pound dried split peas
1 ham bone from your Easter ham
2 teaspoons thyme
2 bay leaves
2 teaspoons pepper
2 teaspoons salt
2 15-ounce cans white beans, drained
a handful of fresh parsley, chopped


In a large stockpot, heat the olive oil and butter. Add the carrots, onions, and garlic and saute for about 10 minutes or until the vegetables are tender.

Add the stock, peas, ham bone, thyme, bay leaves, pepper, and salt. Bring to a boil then reduce to a simmer and cook for about 1 hour to 1 and 1/2 hours. The peas will be tender and the chowder will have slightly thickened. Remove the ham bone and trim off any ham that may still be on it. Add to the chowder. Stir in the white beans and the parsley and adjust the seasonings.

Store in the refrigerator for about 3 - 4 days. Any chowder that is left can be packed up for the freezer to enjoy later.

Maple-Dijon Pork Tenderloin and Sweet Potato Lettuce Wraps

I make many Asian dishes. It was time try to change up our favorite Asian Chicken Lettuce Wraps. Want to keep the family guessing at dinner time. The pork tenderloins were calling my name this morning at the grocery store as I shopped for one of my personal cheffing clients. With a recipe idea in my head, I also picked up a couple bell peppers and romaine lettuce. Upon returning home after a day of cooking, I got to work on Maple-Dijon Pork Tenderloin and Sweet Potato Lettuce Wraps.

We all enjoyed the meal. A couple family members (The Husband and My Middle One) could have done without the sweet potato addition to the dish. This is one of those Dinner's Ready meals because it can be made in advance. When reheated on about 70% power in the microwave, it tastes as if just made. Served on a crisp romaine leaf on top of jasmine rice, it is a whole meal in your hand.

Maple-Dijon Pork Tenderloin and Sweet Potato Lettuce Wraps

Serves about 6

1 large sweet potato, peeled and diced
2 pork tenderloins, about 2 to 2 1/2 pounds total
2 teaspoons crumbled dried sage
1 tablespoon olive oil
1 tablespoon butter
salt
pepper

1 red bell pepper, diced very small
1 orange bell pepper, diced very small

3/4 cup pure maple syrup
3/4 cup apple cider vinegar
1 and 1/2 tablespoons Dijon mustard
2 teaspoons corn starch
sprinkle of red pepper flakes

romaine lettuce leaves
jasmine rice, cooked
chopped pecans
scallions, finely chopped

Put sweet potato in a medium sized pot and cover with water. Bring to a boil then reduce heat to medium. Cook potatoes until just tender. Drain well and set side.

Cut each tenderloin into small cubes, about 1/2 inch each. Place pork in a large bowl and season with sage and a sprinkle of salt and pepper. Toss to coat.

Heat a large saute pan or wok to high. Add oil and butter. When the oil is hot and the butter is melted, add pork tenderloin and quickly cook until the center of the meat just loses it's pink color. Remove pork from pan and discard any liquid that accumulated when the pork was coated.

Add the bell peppers to the pan and continue cooking over high heat. Cook for about 3 - 4 minutes stirring constantly. Remove from heat and combine with cooked pork.

In a bowl, whisk together the maple syrup, apple cider vinegar, Dijon mustard, corn starch and red pepper flakes. With pan still on high, add the syrup mixture and cook for about 2 - 3 minutes until slightly thickened. Add the sweet potato, pork and bell peppers. Toss to coat.

Serve on top of a lettuce leaf topped with about 1/4 cup jasmine rice. Sprinkle with pecans and scallions.

Steak Wrapped Asparagus with Soy Glaze

"I can't believe you haven't posted this yet," commented My Oldest when see heard we were having Steak Wrapped Asparagus with Soy Glaze for dinner tonight. This dish is a family favorite that takes a little prep, but has impressive results. A side of jasmine rice mixed with edamame rounded out the meal. We all enjoyed dinner tonight.

My Middle One has been requesting this entree for quite some time now. "It was succulent and juicy," she said. I think she was being a bit sarcastic. She asked that the steak and asparagus be made separately next time. I told her, "It won't be Steak Wrapped Asparagus with Soy Glaze if I do that." "That's alright," she said, "I'll eat it no matter what it is called."

No Thank You Boy tried his first asparagus tonight. Alert the media! "I am turning into a vegetable guy. The asparagus tastes good soaked in whatever it is soaked in," he said.

My Oldest ate hers standing over the stove. She started with an appetizer of Tostitoes and a dip of fake cheese mixed with refried beans. She was grouchily hunger having just arrived home from softball practice. "Ummmm! These are some of my favorites. Can we have Asian lettuce wraps tomorrow?" She always wants to make sure we have a recipe in the queue.

This is one of our Top Ten Recipes. It also makes a nice little appetizer.

Steak Wrapped Asparagus with Soy Glaze

adapted from a recipe in Cuisine at Home magazine.

Scallions can be substituted or used in addition to the asparagus spears. The steak rolls can also be cooked in on a hot grill pan or grill.

makes about 30 rolls

1/2 cup soy sauce
4 tablespoons mirin (Japanese sweet rice wine)
3 tablespoons seasoned rice wine vinegar
1 teaspoon sesame oil
1 tablespoon brown sugar
1 1/2 to 1 3/4 pounds of flank steak
1 pound fresh asparagus spears
scallions, thinly sliced for garnish

Preheat oven to 450 degrees. Place a baking rack in a large baking sheet. Set aside.

In a small bowl, combine soy sauce, mirin, seasoned rice wine vinegar, sesame oil, and brown sugar. Set aside.

Lay steak flat on a cutting board. Slice very thin pieces against the grain and on an angle. You should have about 30 pieces of very thin steak. Cut the tough bottoms off the asparagus spears. Cut the remainder of the spears into 2 equal-sized pieces. Take one piece of meat and lay flat with the skinny end facing you. Place 2 pieces of asparagus at the end and roll up jelly roll style. Place in a large shallow glass dish. Roll remaining steak and asparagus. Pour marinade over rolls. Marinate for at least 30 minutes and up to a few hours, turning the rolls so the marinade evenly coats all sides.

After the marinating time, place the steak rolls on the prepared baking rack and sheet. Roast for about 8 to 10 minutes until browned and slightly charred. Meanwhile, pour any remaining marinade in a small pot and bring to a boil for about 3 - 5 minutes. Pour over steak rolls when they are taken out of the oven.

Top rolls with sliced scallions and serve with fluffy rice.

Pineapple Applesauce Pumpkin Muffins

Pineapple Applesauce Pumpkin Muffins

I like baked goods. Lots of baked goods. I get a little agita if I don't have a bundt cake on my cake stand, a jar full of cookies or quick bread on the counter. No Thank You Boy can polish off a dozen of my Pineapple Applesauce Pumpkin Muffins in one sitting or as he is just passing through the kitchen. It makes his siblings quite upset when the muffins disappear before they have each had their dozen.

I have begun to enlist the help of the shorter members of the family in the baking detail. My Middle One and I made No Bake 'Ems - candylike cookies with oats, peanut butter, cocoa, butter, and sugar a couple nights ago. They were gone by the time I packed lunches in the morning. Probably because I usually pack some extras in my kids' lunches for their drooling friends at the lunch table.

I had ulterior motives for including pumpkin in my muffin recipe. I belong to a restaurant supply club. It is like Costco or Sam's but has all supplies needed for operating a restaurant. It is like Disney World to me. I couldn't resist picking up a couple cans of pumpkin while I was there. The only drawback was that the cans were a little large - enough pumpkin for eight 9-inch pies. I needed to come up with some new recipes to use up all that pumpkin.

No Thank You Boy will be getting a baking lesson in Muffin 101 very soon. I can't keep up with his muffin intake.

Pineapple Applesauce Pumpkin Muffins

makes 36 mini muffins - enough for 3 kids

1 1/2 cups flour
3/4 cup sugar
3/4 teaspoon baking powder
3/4 teaspoon baking soda
1/4 teaspoon cloves
1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
1/4 teaspoon nutmeg
1/2 teaspoon salt

1/4 cup canola oil
1/4 cup applesauce
1/4 cup crushed pineapple
2 eggs
3/4 cup canned pumpkin

Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Spray a mini muffin pan with nonstick cooking spray. Set aside.

In a large bowl, combine first 8 ingredients. In a separate bowl, combine oil, applesauce, pineapple, eggs, and pumpkin. Add to dry ingredients and stir just to combine. Spoon a rounded tablespoon into each muffin cup. Bake for 12 - 14 minutes.

Note - the pineapple, applesauce and pumpkin make these muffins very moist!!

Savory Creamy Chicken Mini Pastries

After making way more Chicken Verde than our family could possibly eat in a million tostadas, it was time to come up with some new recipes for the remaining chicken. I decided to make an appetizer for Friday afternoon. I like to have a little something special to celebrate the end of the work week. And the snack goes well with an icy beer.

Using up some premade pie crust from the freezer, I mixed the tomatillo-seasoned chicken with a little chopped onion, a couple cheeses, melted butter and sandwiched it between mini pastry circles. Savory Chicken Mini Pastries were born in my kitchen on Friday afternoon.

Lots of advice was offered by my kids while making the little pastries. One knew the best way to roll out the dough, another thought there should be more filling in each pastry, and a third wasn't too sure about the addition of seasoned bread crumbs as a topping. Lots of hands made for quick work of the snack preparation.

Enthusiasm for my cooking and cooking in general has grown in my family since my blogging began. And not only in my family, but in our friends as well. I even receive culinary pictures on my phone from my kids' and their friends while they are eating out. Here's to endless culinary curiosity.

Savory Creamy Chicken Mini Pastries

makes 16 pastries

2 cups cooked chicken, shredded (I used leftover Chicken Verde)
3 ounces neufchatel or cream cheese, softened
1/4 cup sharp cheddar cheese, grated
3 tablespoons melted butter
2 tablespoons onion, chopped
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/8 teaspoon pepper
2 tablespoons milk or cream
4 premade pie crusts
1 egg, beaten
seasoned bread crumbs

Preheat the oven to 400 degrees. Line a large baking sheet with parchment paper.

In a bowl, combine the first 8 ingredients and mix well. Set aside.

Roll out one of the pie crusts and cut out 8 3-inch circles. A biscuit cutter works will for this. Place 4 of the circles on the baking sheet and top with a generous teaspoon of the chicken mixture. Top with the remaining pie crust circles. Use a fork to seal the edges of each pastry. Brush with the beaten egg and top with a sprinkle of the seasoned bread crumbs. Repeat with the remaining pie crusts.

Bake for about 12 - 14 minutes until nicely browned. Serve warm.

*Note - this recipe makes more of the chicken filling than will be used in the pastries. Heat the remainder of the chicken filling in the microwave and serve with pita or tortilla chips.

Chicken Verde Tostadas Fresco

OLE! Sounds like a really fancy name for last night's dinner doesn't it? Why have a hum drum sounding dinner of Chicken Tostadas when you can spice it up a bit and and say, "Tonight, we are having Chicken Verde Tostadas Fresco!" That will bring them running to the table.

A frequent visitor to many families' weekly menu is tacos. They are easy to prepare, can be adapted to the varying tastes of the family members, and are a cost effective meal. Why not change up the typical taco routine and serve Chicken Verde Tostadas Fresco instead? With only one minor change in the taco recipe, you can pretend like your family is spending a night in Mexico.

Ditch the store bought taco shells and pick up some fresh tortillas instead. The tortilla becomes the "plate" for building the tostada on and your eaters will have a grand time creating their masterpieces. The chicken used in this recipe is from an earlier post for Chicken Verde borrowed from Canarygirl's blog. If you don't want to use that recipe, roast up some chicken breasts in the oven, shred, and then simmer in the sauce as directed in the recipe below. Another option is to brown up a couple pounds of ground beef or ground turkey, season with 1 teaspoon of cumin, 1/2 teaspoon of chili powder, a few shakes of hot sauce, and salt to taste.

Start the night off with a bowl of tortilla chips (zap them in the microwave for 35 seconds and they taste like homemade - kind of) and salsa fresco with your favorite margarita. Your family will be heaping praise on you for days. Or at least until they are done eating and you then make your kids load the dishwasher.

Chicken Verde

a big batch of chicken verde - enough for dinner and to freeze for future dinners

For the chicken:

1 whole chicken, about 7 - 8 pounds, rinsed with cold water and giblets removed
1 onion, chopped
2-3 cloves garlic cloves, chopped
salt and pepper
water to cover

For the sauce:

3 cups of salsa verde or tomatillo sauce - this is the green kind
about 1 cup fresh cilantro, chopped
2 tablespoon cumin
1 large onion, chopped
2-3 cloves garlic, chopped
a sprinkling of oregano
hot sauce to taste
salt and pepper to taste

For the tostadas:

soft 6-inch flour tortillas
refried beans
sour cream
cheese cheddar or monteray jack, or pepper jack are good choices
avocado, chopped and mixed with a little lime juice
salsa fresco
black beans


Place the chicken in a large stock pot and cover with water and add the onion, garlic, salt and pepper. Bring to a boil, then cover and reduce heat to low. Simmer an hour to an hour and a half, until the chicken falls from the bone.
Remove chicken from broth to a plate and allow to cool enough to handle. Strain broth and reserve. When chicken is cool enough to handle, shred and discard all skin and bones.

Put shredded chicken in a medium sized stock pot and add enough of the strained broth to just cover. Refrigerate or freeze any remaining broth for another use. Add the salsa verde or tomatilla sauce, cumin, onion, garlic, oregano, and hot sauce and bring to a boil, then reduce heat to medium low and simmer at least 45 minutes to an hour. Adjust seasonings.

Now you are ready to make the tostadas.

Heat a large skillet or grill pan over medium high heat. Brush both sides of the tortillas with a little oil. Toast or grill the tortillas one at a time in the heated pan. This should take about a minute or two per side. Watch closely so they do not burn. Magically, you now have tostada shells.

To build your tostada, put a shell on a large plate. Top with any of the above ingredients to suit your taste. For example, spread about 2 tablespoons of the refried beans over each tortilla; next top with the chicken verde. Top with shredded cheese, sour cream, avocado, salsa fresco and black beans. Sprinkle with a little cilantro.


Salsa Fresco

about 3 pounds of fresh tomatoes, chopped
1/2 English cucumber, diced, about 1 cup
1/2 small red onion, diced, about 1/2 cup
1/2 cup fresh cilantro, chopped
juice of 1 lime
about 2 tablespoons olive oil
salt
hot sauce

Combine tomatoes, cucumber, red onion, cilantro, and lime juice. Drizzle with olive oil and season to taste with salt and hot sauce. Serve with warm tortilla chips and on top of the tostadas.