Crispy Cauliflower with Parmesan

We roast cauliflower often, by far one of my most favorite methods of cooking vegetables. I can't think of anything that doesn't taste better roasted. But I was looking for something different.

Spicy. Crunchy. Crispy.

Even though there are hundreds of recipes out there for Parmesan Cauliflower, I couldn't find the right one for me. The recipes I found were boring or had weird combinations of spices, and most of them are for cooking in the oven, and it has been too hot to bake. So, like I often do, I made up my own recipe. They were amazing, so I have to share!

I did something I don't normally do, I fried. Yes, I'm talking about submerging my perfectly beautiful and healthy vegetables into a bath of sizzling hot, oil. But not before they are lightly coated with delectable spices and panko crumbs.

I don't know if it makes it any healthier, but I used extra light olive oil. I heard that it has a higher smoke point.

The most important thing here is that these are delicious, and pretty easy to make!

Crispy Cauliflower with Parmesan Print this recipe

Ingredients:
1/2 cup extra light olive oil for frying
1 head cauliflower
1 cup panko bread crumbs
1/4 cup rice flour
1 egg
Sea salt and pepper
1-2 tsp. sweet paprika
1 tsp garlic salt
1 tbs Italian Seasoning
3-4 tbs. shredded fresh Parmesan cheese

Instructions:
Wash the cauliflower, then break up into little bite sized pieces.

Blanch the cauliflower pieces by adding them to a pot of well-salted, boiling water for about 30-45 seconds just until crisp/tender; drain, then shock for about 30 seconds in ice-water to cool; drain from ice water and pat dry with paper towel; set aside for a moment.

Add the panko bread crumbs and rice flour to a large ziplock bag, along with a pinch of salt. Beat the egg in a large bowl; add the panko, the parmesan, the paprika, Italian seasoning, garlic salt, pepper and a pinch of salt into another large ziplock bag.

To bread, add the blanched cauliflower pieces to the bag with the rice flour and panko, and very gently shake to coat the pieces well. Then, add the floured pieces to the bowl with the beaten eggs, and toss the pieces to coat with the egg. Add the pieces to the bag with the panko/parmesan mixture, and again, gently shake to coat the pieces well; take the coated pieces out and place on lined tray.

To fry, heat enough oil to shallow skillet (about ½ cup) in a large skillet. When the oil is hot, add about a third or half (depending on size of pan) of the breaded cauliflower pieces in, and allow them to fry for about 5-7 minutes, moving them around occasionally, until crispy and golden-brown on all sides; remove and drain on paper towel, sprinkle with a little salt, pepper and paprika if desired, and repeat until all pieces are fried.

To serve, allow the pieces to cool slightly, as they will be quite hot when fresh out of the oil. Serve alongside your choice of sauce, perhaps buttermilk ranch or a marinara sauce!

Raw Cashew Chocolate Mousse

I'm not really a big dessert blogger, but if you've never made a mousse made from cashews, I'm telling you to do yourself a favor and try this recipe, it is delicious and it's SO easy!

If it sounds too weird to be good, completely disregard the fact that it is raw, vegan, healthy, organic and easy. All you need to know is that this is an AWESOME, DELICIOUS DESSERT!

No Cooking required.

Yes,  it's true. There is NO cooking required to make this truly amazing dessert. You are sure to impress even the most critical chocolate aficionados. 

Raw Cashew Chocolate Mousse Printable recipe here

Ingredients:

1 cup cashews, soaked 5-6 hours and drain

1. 3 tbsp cacao powder
2. 2 tbsp coconut oil
3. 2 tbsp raw agave nectar
4. ¼ tsp ground cinnamon
5. 1 tsp vanilla extract
6. 2 tbsp water, or as needed

    Directions:

Combine all the ingredients in a blender or food processor. Blend until very smooth, at least three minutes, adding more water as needed.

Spoon into glasses or serving dishes and let mousse set up in refrigerator to chill for at least 1 hour.

Top with cream if desired, enjoy!

Sweet Potato Fries - Baked and Crispy!

I can not tell you in words how fantastic these fries are, really, you just have to make them. 

I'm not sure what is the best part, they are healthy and good for you, or that they are super easy and fast to make? 

Either way, make lots of them and invite a few friends over, they are sure to be impressed!

                   Sweet Potato Fries - Baked and Crispy!

Ingredients: (Printable Version Here)

1 large sweet potato should be enough for 2 people
2 tbsp rice flour (you could also use cornstarch)
2 tbsp of olive or coconut oil 
* Salt, pepper, paprika, cayenne, Cajun spice blend, dried basil


*Here, you can add your favorite blend of herbs and spices such as garlic, cinnamon, curry, pumpkin pie spice, garlic – sweet, savory and/or spicy!

Directions:

Preheat oven to 425F degrees. Line a large baking sheet with aluminum foil or a silicone baking mat. More than one large sliced potato is usually too crowded on 1 sheet, but it depends on their size. You may need an additional sheet. Set aside.

Wash and peel (I leave some of the skin on) the potatoes. Cut off the ends. Cut the potatoes into thin slices about 1/4 inch wide. The important thing is that they are roughly the same size.

Place in a large bowl and toss with rice flour. You want a nice thin coating. Shake off any extra flour. Place potatoes back into the bowl and add the olive oil and seasonings of choice. Toss/stir to coat evenly.

Spread the sweet potatoes on the baking sheet in a single layer making sure the slices are not touching each other. Bake for 10 minutes, remove from the oven and stir em up with a spatula. Place back into the oven for 10-15 more minutes. Rotate the pan to avoid uneven browning, it’s good if the edges are a little brown and caramelized, just not burnt.

For extra crispier fries: Turn the oven off and keep the fries inside as the oven cools down for about 10 minutes. Enjoy while still hot.

These fries are fantastic alone, but they also taste great with an aioli dipping sauce, ranch dressing or a try them with a simple plain yogurt with dill mixture!

Roasted Spicy Pumpkin Seeds

There are so many reasons to love Halloween! The cooler temps and brisk winds are great reasons for making soups and casseroles, or maybe you like to use Halloween as an excuse to decorate your house, get dressed up in crazy costumes and have a party!

Some people might also enjoy stealing a piece or two of candy, but I for one get very excited about carving pumpkins and roasting the seeds.

I have tried a hundred ways of preparing pumpkin seeds, but I think this is my favorite method so far......

Roasted Pumpkin Seeds

(printable version)

1 ½ cups fresh pumpkin seeds (approx. seeds from one medium pumpkin)

1 tsp Kosher salt

1 Tbsp olive oil

1 tsp chile powder

1/2 tsp smoked paprika

1/2 tsp cayenne pepper

Preheat oven to 400 F. Line a baking sheet with foil, or use a non-stick cookie sheet.

In a medium pot, bring pumpkin seeds, water and salt to a boil -- approximately 2 cups of water for every 1/2 cup pumpkin seeds, and 1 tsp salt for every cup of water. Once it comes to a boil, reduce heat and simmer for 10 minutes, drain and discard water.

Place the drained seeds in a large mixing bowl. Drizzle with olive oil and toss to coat.

Combine dry ingredients in a small bowl. Sprinkle spice mixture over the seeds, and toss well to coat.

Arrange seeds in a single layer on the prepared baking sheet. Roast for 20-25 minutes or until seeds are lightly browned, stirring once or twice halfway through.

Allow seeds to cool for 5-10 minutes and enjoy! Seeds can be stored in an airtight container or plastic bag for 4-5 days.

Wishing you a happy and safe Halloween!

Prickly Pear Fruit

I have always been curious about the odd brightly colored spiky globes that protrude from the cacti in our yard, today was the day I found out what they taste like!

We have several kinds of cactus in our yard. Couldn't tell you what kind they are but this is what they look like......

There are several varieties of cactus pear. The prickly pear cactus is a fruit AND a vegetable. The green pods are the napolito and the vegetable part, and the red to purple pears are the fruit, also known as tuna.

The pears have a melon-like aroma and a sweet but bland flavor. Popular in Mexico, Central and South America, the green pods are abundant year around but the pears are harvested in the later Summer months.

Cactus pear is fantastic raw, peeled and chilled by itself or made into a tasty salsa. You will find it used for its medicinal properties, but it can also be used to make juice, salads, jelly or even in a margarita!

Selecting and preparing the prickly pears should be done with care. If you are buying them, make sure they have been de-spined. If you are picking them yourself, wear thick gloves when handling and carefully scrape off the prickly spines. You will also need to trim the “eyes,” and remove any remaining prickers with a vegetable peeler or a sharp knife. Another effective method of removing the thorns and spines is with a blowtorch which may sound extreme, but it is a quick and effective way of getting getting it done!

The fruit is edible raw, with a flavor reminiscent of watermelon, but with a more granular texture. The fruit is full of tiny seeds which can be chewed and eaten, swallowed whole, or spit out. It has been used to make juice, jelly and candy.  You can peel and dice the pear much like a pineapple for cereal or toppings on ice cream and mixed in salads. Seeds can also be dried and ground into flour. 

To cook, steam over boiling water for just a few minutes (if cooked too long they will lose their crunchy texture). Then slice and eat. Steamed cactus is delicious added to scrambled eggs and omelets, or diced fresh and added to tortillas. They taste especially good with Mexican recipes that include tomatoes, hot peppers and fresh corn.  

Now that I know how sweet and delicious they are, I can't wait to experiment and try more recipes. Not only are they tasty but the prickly pears are full of antioxidants and they provide vitamin C, vitamin E, Magnesium and fiber. 

Roasted Carrots with Fresh Thyme

Roasted Carrots with Fresh Thyme

I used to think roasted carrots needed balsamic vinegar or a little honey or lots of spices, and those are all great options, but sometimes the simplest ingredients make the BEST dishes!

Ingredients:
Carrots, cut into even sizes (don't peel for extra vitamins and nutrients)
Toss with fresh thyme and olive oil

Directions:
Heat oven to 400*
Place on baking sheet and cook for about 25 to 40 minutes, (depending on size and how many you are making) stirring halfway through.

That's it.

Simple. Delicious. Healthy.

We served these carrots alongside a grilled pork loin, (simply seasoned with orange juice and rosemary) but they would also be fantastic with beef, fish, chicken, a la mode...... you get the drift.

Another great thing about carrots is that you can keep them in the refrigerator for about a month. Just wrap them in a paper towel and place them in a bag to avoid condensation from forming. Oh, and don't put them near apples or pears, for some reason that makes them get soft.

I know I keep promising you details about our latest move and our new house, I am working on that post and it is coming soon!!

Rainbow Chard

I took these photos just before we found out we had to move.......beautiful Rainbow Chard that we pulled from our garden.....

Chard has always been our go-to side with chicken, fish and pork. Not only is it one of the healthiest vegetables available, it is full of nutrients, vitamins and natural anti-oxidants, but it's also gorgeous!!

Basic Chard Recipe (you can use Swiss, Rainbow, Green etc.)

1 bunch of chard
1/2 small onion thinly sliced
2 cloves garlic, thinly sliced
2 tbsp. olive oil
1 tsp red pepper flakes
salt and pepper

Rinse chard thoroughly in a colander. Roughly chop into 1 inch strips. Place chard in a large bowl and toss with 1 tbsp of olive oil until thoroughly coated. Add the onion, garlic and pepper flakes to a large skillet with the other half of olive oil and saute for about 5 minutes, add the chard and mix well over medium high heat. Chard is done when soft and wilted, add salt and pepper to taste.

You can also add other ingredients, olives, nuts, mushrooms, leeks, bacon, don't be afraid to experiment!

Black Bean, Corn and Mango Salad

I am blessed to have a husband that doesn't mind grocery shopping, especially since I HATE grocery shopping! Instead, I scour the weekly ads and coupons and meticulously write out the grocery list with detailed instructions of what brand to buy, what to get if that brand isn't available, how many, etc.....


Apparently, last week my penmanship was less than perfect because instead of a jar of mayonnaise, or "mayo" my beloved came home from shopping with a beautiful MANGO. No sandwiches this week.


The unexpected ingredient was actually a welcome treat since I recently saw a recipe for Thai Green Mango Salad that I really wanted try. Ramya of The Mistress Of Spices is one of my favorite food bloggers.She and her husband recently moved to Thailand, but her cooking influence includes India, France and America, her catalog of recipes are mostly vegetarian, and always tempting!


I still want to make that salad, but while browsing her site, I found this other salad that I thought would be perfect to serve with our grilled salmon, Black Bean Corn and Mango Salad. There are a lot of flavors going on in this salad......it was Mark's suggestion to add the fresh strawberries, it worked quite well!

Black Bean, Corn and Mango Salad
Adapted from The Mistress Of Spices  serves 4

1 tbsp. olive or canola oil
1 cup corn kernels (fresh, canned or frozen)
1 (15-ounce) can black beans*, rinsed and drained
1/2 roasted or fresh red bell pepper, chopped
1/4 red onion, diced
1 large, ripe mango, chopped
5 large fresh strawberries, chopped
1/4 cup fresh cilantro, chopped
1 Serrano chili de-seeded and finely diced 
Juice of one lime
1/2 tsp. cumin powder
1/2 tsp. salt 

Spray a large nonstick pan with cooking spray or heat the oil in the pan. Add the corn (undrained if from a can) and stir well. Pan-roast until the corn begins to blacken in spots, about 8-10 minutes, stirring occasionally to make sure that it doesn't stick. Remove from heat and set aside to cool.

While the corn is cooking, mix the beans, bell pepper (any color bell pepper will work), onion strawberries and mango in a large bowl. Once the corn has cooled down to room temperature, add it to the bowl.

Add the lime juice, cilantro, salt, cumin and chili and mix well. Adjust seasonings to taste.


*We also added a handful of garbanzo beans for more fiber

Sweet Potato Hash... The Other Yams?

With so much going on these days, we are happy we only need to bring ONE dish to the family Thanksgiving meal. This year we are going out on a limb and trying something different. Instead of the standard mashed yams smothered in gooey, melty marshmallows, (although that does sound really good!) we are going to try a savory but still sweet, Sweet Potato Hash.

We accidentally created this dish a couple months ago and we both fell in love with its sweet and savory flavors with just a tiny bit of heat from the jalapenos. It is certainly a dish to enjoy all year round.

Let's just hope Aunt Marilyn will forgive us.....she loves those sweet marshmallows!

Sweet Potato Hash

Printable Recipe

Makes 8 servings

Ingredients:

3 large sweet potatoes, diced into small cubes

3 tbsp. olive oil

2 1/2 cups sweet onion, coarsely chopped

2 green peppers, coarsely chopped

2 jalapeño peppers, finely diced (remove seeds for less heat)

4 cloves of roasted garlic, finely chopped

2 tsp. salt

2 tsp. fresh ground pepper

1 tsp. ground cinnamon

1 tsp. ground allspice

2 tbsp. fresh basil, chopped

2 tbsp. fresh parsley, chopped

Directions:

Bring large pot of water to a boil and add diced sweet potato. Boil for 5-8 minutes, until potato cubes are cooked through. Drain the water and set the sweet potato cubes aside to dry while you cook the pepper and onions.

In a large cast iron skillet, heat 1 tbsp. of oil and add the onion, garlic, green peppers and jalapeno. Stir often and sauté until the onion becomes translucent, about 5 minutes.

Drizzle another tbsp. of oil to the skillet then add the cubed sweet potatoes, salt, pepper, cinnamon, allspice and fresh herbs, combine well.  Keeping the skillet at medium heat, arrange the hash in a single layer and continue cooking until potatoes, onions and peppers have slightly browned.

Wishing you and yours a very fulfilling and grateful holiday season!

Anaheim Peppers Stuffed with Nuts and Berries

If there is one trend in our cooking, it would have to be our tendency to add something sweet to our spicy. We have also started adding nuts to many of our dishes. Walnuts, pine nuts, sunflower seeds, peanuts.....and yes, we are a bit nutty ourselves!


This stuffing recipe was put together by using up what we had lying around.We found these beautiful Anaheim peppers (among other things) at our local Hillcrest Farmers Market, and we wanted to make an appetizer that would be delicious and satisfying without a whole lot of effort.

Nutty, fruity, cheesy, savory, I'm still not sure what to call these stuffed peppers, but I can tell you that they turned out amazing!

Anaheim Peppers Stuffed with Nuts and Berries

Printable Recipe

Ingredients: (Makes 6 appetizers)

3 Anaheim peppers
1/2 cup mixed nuts

1/4 cup dried cranberries

1/4 cup sun dried tomatoes

1/4 cup goat cheese crumbles

4 oz canned corn1 handful of fresh basil, sliced
1 tbsp. olive oil

1 tsp. sweet paprika to garnish

1 tbsp. honey

Directions:

Clean the Anaheim peppers and carefully and cut in half lengthwise. Gently remove the seeds from the inside of the pepper. Line a baking sheet with aluminum foil then place the pepper on top.

Broil peppers until they start to get charred and blackened, about 10-15 minutes. Transfer the peppers to a small brown paper bag, (some people like to use a plastic bag) and let cool for about 10 minutes. (Here is a great tutorial from The Pioneer Woman!)

Reduce the oven setting to 400 degrees. 

While peppers are cooling, prepare the stuffing mixture in a medium bowl. Combine the nuts, cranberries, dried tomatoes, goat cheese, corn and basil. Add a tablespoon of olive oil and gently combine.

Once the peppers are cool enough to handle, remove the blackened skin VERY CAREFULLY.

Coat a glass dish with olive oil cooking spray. Place the roasted peppers in the dish, then carefully stuff each pepper with the stuffing mixture. Bake in oven for 10 to 15 minutes or until hot and lightly browned on top. 

Sprinkle peppers with sweet paprika, drizzle with honey and serve hot.

We found that these tasty appetizers to go exceptionally well with Margaritas......Salute!

Savory Mashed Sweet Potatoes

Yup. Another sweet potato recipe. We just can't get enough.

It really is all about simplicity. There is nothing fancy or complicated about the recipe. Just look at the list of ingredients, nothing but goodness.... you can't go wrong.

We served this as a side dish with some fabulous rib eye steaks and grilled corn on the cob, it was one of the best meals we have EVER made.

Savory Mashed Sweet Potatoes
print version

Makes 2 servings

Ingredients:

2 medium sweet potatoes, roasted

2-3 cloves soft roasted garlic

1 green onion, finely chopped

2 tbsp. softened butter

1/4 cup parsley, finely chopped

2 sprigs of fresh rosemary stalks (optional)

Directions:
Preheat oven at 425. Cut potatoes cut into quarters (or at least equal sizes) and place on a roasting pan covered with foil. Optional: we like to roast a whole bulb of garlic wrapped in foil, though you will only need about 3-4 cloves for this recipe. Roast for about 40 minutes or until potatoes are soft. Another option: include 2-3 whole sprigs of rosemary in the roasting pan, it infuses a subtle rosemary flavor to the potatoes.

Place potatoes in a medium sized bowl, add the garlic and butter and mash by hand, until well combined and slightly lumpy. Mix in green onions and parsley and serve warm.

Roasted Garlic

Sausage Stuffed Mushrooms.... Again

This is a repeat recipe. We made these Sausage Stuffed Mushrooms last year and it is still one of our more popular posts. Easy to see why, these mushrooms are AMAZING! This is a great appetizer to bring to a party, but if you do, make a double batch, because they go fast!

Click here for the recipe.



I am still learning how to play with the settings on our new camera, but it is so much fun experimenting......

Thanks for reading, more great posts coming soon!

Recipes for the Holiday Weekend

It's been 3 weeks since I have had a real camera. You probably noticed the drab and dull photo in my Fathers Day post, that was taken with my husbands cell phone, which actually came out better than the one with my iphone camera...... but that is another story.

Since I just can't take a good picture right now, we thought this would be a great time to recap some of our favorite Summer recipes that you might consider making for the upcoming holiday weekend.........

Brisk Tea Cocktail

 Orange Pasta Asparagus Salad 

Potato Salad

Colorful Tomato Salad

Sausage Stuffed Mushrooms

Pinto Beans That Rock!

Turkey Burgers

Grilled Sweet Potatoes

A new camera is being carefully researched and I can't wait to start photographing again. Until then, wishing you and yours a wonderful Fourth of July weekend brimming with good eats and lots of fun!

Avocados - The Best From California

"Wow."

"Are you serious?"

"That is soooo creamy!"

"Now THAT is what an avocado is supposed to taste like!"

Those were the first words out of our mouths after tasting a plain avocado straight out of the sample box that California Avocados and Foodbuzz sent us last week.

My husband and I both grew up in San Diego and we are privileged to know what the BEST avocados on earth taste like. You can imagine what a treat it was to find a box full of our favorite fruit on our door step!

There really is a BIG difference between California Avocados and those from anywhere else.There must be something about our near perfect climate that produces the tastiest and creamiest avocados!

Not only was it Memorial Day weekend, but it was also our one year wedding anniversary! We had parties to go to and people to see, so we didn't have a lot of time to play with new recipes.

There are so many interesting recipes out there.... I am tempted to try the Authentic Suburban Gourmets Beer Battered Fried Avocado Wedges, doesn't that sound crazy good?

Like I mentioned, we went to some parties over the weekend. It was a pleasure to share our good fortune in the way of some fun and avocado based appetizers. Fellow party goers raved about how delicious the avocados were......

Mini Bacon Tomato Avocado and Goat Cheese Sandwiches

Guacamole and home made chips

 I just realized we have never posted a recipe for our guacamole recipe. Well, it really isn't much of a recipe. I have always sworn that the more basic, the better.

2 medium Avocados

1/8 cup red onion, finely chopped

1 serrano pepper, seeded and finely chopped

3 garlic cloves, finely chopped

1/2 cup cilantro, chopped

1/2 lime juiced

Salt and pepper to taste

Combine everything in a medium bowl and mix well with a fork. Add salt and pepper to taste. Garnish with smoked paprika and fresh cilantro.

Chicken Tacos with Bobby Flay Green Onion Slaw

That last photo, with the chicken tacos, was our dinner last night. It turned out to be the perfect meal to finish off the last of the avocados. The chicken was grilled with an awesome and simple marinade Mark made, then he grilled it to perfection, like he always does....and that cole slaw from Bobby Flay was perfect with everything!

Thank you California Avocado and Foodbuzz for sponsoring all these generous and delicious giveaways!

Spiced Sweet Potatoes on the Grill

We have been experimenting a lot with sweet potatoes lately, mostly trying to perfect baked sweet potato fries. We have gotten pretty good at them, learning that a higher heated oven and thinner cut potato gives us the best results.

This was the first time we grilled them.

It turns out you pretty much have to boil them on the stove for a few minutes before you grill them. Even though they taste really good just plain, the flavor of the grill adds a whole different layer, and this hot and sweet spice mixture will leave you wanting more.

These sweet potatoes turned out fantastic! We served them with steak and some skewered mushrooms, onions and bell peppers. We will definitely be including more sweet potatoes on the grill this Summer!

Spiced Sweet Potatoes on the Grill

Serves 2-3 - Printable recipe here

Ingredients:

2 large sweet potatoes (about 1.5 pounds)
1 tsp kosher salt
1 tsp ground cumin
1 tsp paprika
1 tsp fresh chopped rosemary

1 tsp fresh thyme

1/2 tsp ground cinnamon
1/2 tsp cayenne pepper

2 tbsp honey
2 tbsp apple cider vinegar
1/4 cup olive oil

Directions:

Cover potatoes with cold salted water in a large pot, and then bring to a boil. Simmer until slightly resistant when pierced with a sharp small knife, about 10 minutes. Drain and let cool, slice potatoes lengthwise.

In a small bowl mix together salt, herbs and spices, then add honey, apple cider vinegar and oil, stir well. Brush this mixture on both sides of the sliced sweet potatoes.

Grill potatoes on a lightly oiled grill rack over medium heat, until they have nice grill marks and potatoes are cooked through, about 15 minutes.

Serve potatoes warm with other veggies, steak, pork, chicken….. or just eat them plain, they have a wonderful natural sweet flavor and nice texture. And it’s true, everything tastes better when it's grilled!

Tostitos Seasoning Mixes

We were thrilled to receive a package of new Dip Creations from Lays/Tostitos the other day. It’s always fun to try new products and get creative trying to come up with new recipes. After a few trials and errors, we discovered a few new favorite combinations.

Our package contained 2 packets each of the Garden Onion, Country Ranch and Freshly Made Guacamole season mixes. Dip Creations seasoning mixes are made from all-natural ingredients, like real onions, garlic and a combination of other herbs and spices.

 The first thing we did was to make each dip as directed on the package. The Country Ranch mixed with sour cream has really nice flavor and tasted great served with raw carrots and celery. Of course I had to play around a little and added some fresh chopped parsley and chives, which worked very well.

We also really liked the Guacamole seasoning mix. The package directions say to mash ripe avocados and add the mix. We were skeptical, but it was really good just the way it was, a nice texture and great flavor. We had all kinds of back up ingredients in case it needed to be doctored up, but all we added was a little chopped cilantro and about half of a seeded serrano pepper.

We only used half of the guacamole seasoning mix, and since we liked it so much, we decided to add the other half to our chicken marinade. Wow, this may be our new favorite chicken recipe. All we did was mix half of the seasoning mix with about 6 ounces of plain yogurt, the juice of half a lime and a handful of chopped cilantro, mixed it up and poured it over 2 boneless chicken breast and marinated in the refrigerator for about 2 hours.

The Garden Onion package has been more of a challenge for us. We tried sprinkling the dry mix on potatoes before roasting them but the seasoning was a little overwhelming.What we did like was mixing it with sour cream and adding it to our potato salad, it was awesome! Maybe one of the best potato salads I have ever made.

Potato Salad with Lay's Garden Onion seasoning mix

8-10 servings
Printable Version


Ingredients:

10-12 red potatoes

6 eggs, hard boiled

1 1/2 cups sour cream

½ cup mayonnaise

½ package Lays Garden Onion Seasoning

3 tbsp Djon mustard

1/8 tsp paprika

1/8 tsp celery salt

¼ cup black olives, sliced

¼ cup green onions (and/or red onions)

½ cup celery chopped

¼ cup parsley chopped

1/8 cup chives to garnish

Salt and pepper to taste

Directions:

Place the eggs into a saucepan in a single layer and fill with water to cover the eggs by 1 inch. Cover the saucepan and bring the water to a boil over high heat. Remove from the heat and let the eggs stand in the hot water for 15 minutes. Pour out the hot water; cool the eggs under cold running water in the sink. Peel and chop the cooled eggs.

Place the potatoes in a large pot and cover with water. Bring to a boil over high heat, then reduce heat to medium-low, cover, and simmer until tender, 15 to 20 minutes. Drain and refrigerate until cold. Once cooled, chop potatoes into bite sized cubes.

In a large mixing bowl stir together the sour cream, mayonnaise, Garden Onion Seasoning, mustard, salt, pepper, paprika, and celery salt. Add the eggs, potatoes, celery, onions and olives; mix until everything is evenly coated. Cover and refrigerate at least 2 hours before serving.

Roasted Baby Artichokes

We try to make it to our local Hillcrest farmers market every Sunday. Last weekend we discovered baby artichokes. Many of the vendors had the big green spiky artichokes that you can find in the grocery store, but it was the small purple ones that caught my eye.

Artichokes can be stuffed, steamed, boiled, fried or stewed. When I was growing up my Mom would steam them, then we would dip them in mayonnaise, GOBS of melted butter and lemon juice, not the healthiest way, but delicious all the same!

Baby artichokes don't fully develop, so you can eat them whole after they are trimmed before they are cooked. After steaming for a few minutes, it is recommended that you roast or sauté them so that he flavor gets more "artichokey", and they get melt in your mouth tender.

However you cook them, artichokes are very healthy as well as delicious. They are a good source of vitamin C, folate, fiber and they have a number of minerals especially potassium, phosphorus and magnesium.

Roasted Baby Artichokes

Ingredients:
2 lbs baby artichokes
1/4 cup olive oil
salt and pepper to taste

Instructions:
Place the artichokes in a pot of boiling water and cover. Simmer for about seven or eight minutes or until tender, then drain.

When cool enough to handle, you will need to trim them. Once they are trimmed, cut the larger artichokes in half, or if they are really small leave them whole.

Toss artichokes in olive oil, sprinkle with salt and pepper and place in a glass baking dish lined in foil. Roast in a pre-heated 400 degree oven for about 8-10 minutes. Sprinkle with salt and pepper to taste, and drizzle with more olive oil. Enjoy!

Mark's Ceviche

One thing about growing up and residing in San Diego, we eat a lot of fish and seafood. Lucky for me, Mark makes a fantastic shrimp ceviche, one of my favorite appetizers!

There are a lot of ways to make ceviche, (sometimes spelled seviche). It seems every culture has a version of this dish. Some people like fruit, or an assortment of fish and shellfish, that's great, for them.

Mark's philosophy on making ceviche is that the less ingredients the better. Keep it simple. Most important, when it comes to shrimp and fish, don't scrimp, get the good stuff and get it fresh, uncooked, and not frozen.

  Proof..... he really does cook! 

(AND he proudly supports our SDSU Aztecs!!)

Mark’s Ceviche (makes 4 servings)

1/2 lb. of shrimp (21-25 count)
6 oz of white fish – we use talapia fillet (dice into ½ inch cube)
3-4 large limes
1 small lemon
1 medium diced fresh tomato
½ small red onion, finely chopped

1 green onion, chopped
½ cucumber diced

½ jalapeño pepper, diced
2 cloves garlic minced

½ bunch of fresh chopped cilantro
1 tbsp. of olive oil
Salt and pepper to taste
½ avocado cut in slices (optional)
Corn tortilla chips (optional)

Tapatio hot sauce (our favorite!)

In a large bowl, gently mix and submerge the shrimp and fish in the lime and lemon juice. Cover and put it in the fridge for at about 1 hour, or until shrimp and fish are opaque and slightly firm. This step is important because the juices will actually cook the shrimp and fish.

In another bowl mix the tomato, onions, cucumber, jalapeño, garlic, cilantro, olive oil, salt and pepper.

Mix all ingredients; cover the bowl and chill ceviche in the refrigerator until ready to serve. Serve with corn tortilla chips, Tapatio hot sauce, lime and avocado slices.

Beverage suggestion; Tecate Mexican beer with lime, Salute!

Consider serving this appetizer as a precursor to these delicious Fish Tacos!

Stuffed Shells in Brown Butter Sauce

Stuffed Shells in Brown Butter Sauce

Last weekend was our annual ravioli making day where the whole family gets together and hand makes over 1,200 ravioli. It’s always a big deal, a lot of work and when we finally eat them on Christmas Day it’s all worth the trouble.

This year we made a couple of different fillings and we had some delicious leftover Butternut Squash with Goat Cheese filling, there was no way I was going to let it go to waste!

We have never made stuffed shells before but it was surprisingly easy. Simply boil the pasta shells per package directions, drain and separate them so they don’t stick to each other. Use a spoon to fill each shell and place them in a baking dish lightly sprayed with cooking spray.

We topped ours with candied walnuts (don’t skip this part!) and baked them in a 350 degree oven for about 30 minutes. While the shells are in the oven, prepare the brown butter sauce. To serve, drizzle the brown butter sauce and top with fresh grated Parmesan cheese.

Butternut Squash & Goat Cheese Filling (printable recipe)

2-pound butternut squash, halved lengthwise and seeded
1 medium onion, finely chopped (about 1 cup)
1 tbsp fresh sage, chopped finely
1 tbsp unsalted butter
1 garlic clove, minced
4 ounces goat cheese
1/2 cup Parmesan Reggiano cheese, grated

Put squash halves, flesh sides down, on baking sheet and roast in middle of oven 30 minutes, or until flesh is very tender. When squash is cool enough to handle, scoop out flesh into a bowl and discard skin. Mash squash with a fork until smooth.

While squash is roasting, in a skillet cook onion, garlic and sage in butter with salt and pepper to taste over medium heat, stirring for about 5 minutes, or until onion is golden brown.

Let onion mixture cool slightly and add to squash. Add the Parmesan and goat cheese and stir well to combine. This filling can be covered and refrigerated for several days or freeze for future use.

Brown Butter Sauce

1/4 cup unsalted butter
2 tbsp minced shallot
1 tbsp minced garlic

1 tsp ground sage

1 tsp fresh lemon juice

Heat butter in a heavy saucepan over moderately high heat, about 3 minutes. Add shallots, garlic and sage to butter and cook, stirring, until shallot and butter turns a deep golden color, about 1 to 2 minutes. Add lemon juice and remove from heat. Season with salt and pepper if needed and use immediately.

Pinto Beans That Rock!

Pinto Beans with Bacon, and stuff.

There is something to be said for the often bland and/or under appreciated Mexican side dish. When it comes to rice and beans, yeah, you can go with the standard Rosario’s canned re-fried beans, maybe mix in some cheese and peppers. Yippee.

Or, you can make these amazing pinto beans that your guest will not only remember, but rave about during the meal, and even better, quietly ask you for the coveted recipe.

Oh yeah, this is NOT one of our vegetarian recipes. I suppose it would be easy to make it vegetarian, but I wouldn't recommend it. Most of the flavor comes from the half pound of bacon that goes in it.

Ingredients:

1 pound dry pinto beans

1 medium roasted onion, sliced

1/2 pound bacon

3 Serrano chili peppers, seeded

4 cloves of garlic, minced

2 tsp. dried cumin

2 tsp. dried thyme

1 tsp. salt

1 tsp. pepper 

¼ cup cilantro chopped

Grated cheese to garnish

Instructions:      

In a large mixing bowl, soak the pinto beans in room temperature water overnight.

When ready to prepare, drain the beans and set aside.

In a cast Dutch oven or heavy pot, stir the onions, bacon, garlic and peppers over medium high heat until onions are transparent and the bacon is crispy. Stir in the cumin powder and thyme.

Add the beans, 4 cups water and a pinch of salt. Increase heat to high, bring liquid to a boil. Decrease heat to medium or medium-low and cook for about 8-10 minutes or until the beans are tender, adding more water as needed.

Add salt and pepper to taste. I like to throw in a handful of chopped cilantro towards the last few minutes before serving.

Garnish with Queso Fresco, Cheddar or Parmesan cheese, cilantro, or fresh onions.