Gingerbread

I happen to think my gingerbread is delicious. Bobby on the other hand can be found eating fig newtons and Popsicles instead of the gingerbread. It has me doubting my abilities! But this recipe from my mom is a very good, simple holiday favorite that will have your nosy coworkers eying your breakfast saying "What's that...?" which really means "Why didn't you bring me some?" And the answer is, because I plan to eat it all!



Gingerbread

16oz apple sauce (I used No Sugar Added)
2 tsp baking soda
1 cup dark molasses (I had to ask the Kroger lady where it was!)
2 tsp powdered ginger
1/2 tsp salt
4 eggs
3 cups flour
1 tsp cinnamon
1/2 tsp ground cloves
1-1/3c sugar (or 2/3 cup Splenda)
2/3 cup vegetable oil

Preheat the oven to 325. In a medium saucepan bring the applesauce to a boil (who knew you could boil applesauce? it just never occurred to me). Once boiling, stir in molasses and baking soda. Set aside to cool. In a medium mixing bowl, mix flour, salt, and all spices. Then in the larger bowl of either you electric mixer, or whatever bowl you use your handmixer with, beat the eggs until they're light in color. Gradually beat in sugar and continue beating until it's thick--then gradually add in the oil. Alternately fold in flour mixture and applesauce mixture. Once well blended, pour into a PAMed tube pan or bunt pan. Bake for 1 hour and 15 minutes, then let it cool for 15 minutes before turning it onto a cooling rack or beautiful Williams-Sonoma cake plate courtesy of T&C--thanks guys!

Sing with me now..."My gingerbread, gingerbread, gingerbread rocks...Gingerbread Yum and Gingerbread Fun..."

Chicken Delicious

Bobby and I are accepting new name suggestions for this dish. It's not that it wasn't delicious, it was a definite Keeper, but just not fans of the title. So let me know if you think of something.

I don't eat a lot of chicken. I actively avoided it for most of 2008 and well into 2009. But I'm coming back around. So when I do find a good chicken recipe (read: one that masks the taste of chicken), I'm more than happy to share! Chicken-people should cherish these rare posts. Thanks to my AllRecipes.com DinnerSpinner iPhone App for this one!

Chicken Delicious (new name coming soon)

2-5 boneless, skinless chicken breasts
2 Tbs lemon juice
Pinch of Celery Salt
Pepper to taste
1 can Cream of Mushroom Soup (reduced sodium)
1 can Cream of Celery Soup (didn't even know they made that...)
1/3 cup Cooking Sherry
Hefty handful of shredded Parmesan

Cut chicken breasts in half (the original recipe calls for this, but you can probably leave them whole if you prefer), wash and pat dry with paper towel. Spray inside of slow cooker (yay slow cookers! and if I haven't made a plug for Reynolds Slow Cooker Liners, they're wonderful), and place chicken halfs around the bottom. Sprinkle with lemon juice, celery salt, and pepper. In a medium mixing bowl, mix 2 cans of soup and sherry together. Pour over chicken breasts, and top generously with Parmesan cheese. Heat on LOW for 8-10 hours (8 hours for fewer breasts, on up to 10 for many breasts--I did 3 breasts at 8-8.5 hours), or HIGH for 4-5 hours.

I recommend serving over rice or quinoa, but it's not necessary. It was really good. And when I got home from work, I sauteed a box of sliced mushrooms in sherry, and added them to the slow cooker--stirring them into the sauce while I cooked the quinoa. I would also note that the parmesan cheese changes color and consistency when it's in the slow cooker that long. I was freaked out that there was some stringy thing happening to the chicken (because I'm already paranoid about it), and halfway through dinner realized it was the cheese! Shown above with steamed squash and zucchini with a little EVOO and Italian Seasoning sprinkled on it.

Dijon Crusted Salmon

I just watched Antoine's proposal, so forgive me if there's typos from my teary, blurred vision!

My mother (who does not believe in overpowering salmon with extra flavor) is probably sticking her tongue out in disgust and already elected not to read this blasphemous salmon post--so to that I respond with "It was Atlantic salmon! I have to do something with it!" And really, this would be good with tilapia or other white fish too. I'm sure there are many salmon-eating novices (like Bobby) out there who don't think there's a difference between Pacific and Atlantic salmon, and I'm sure the fish-lady at Whole Foods rues the day she asked me if I knew the difference (Tshca!) So if you're like me, and want to eat fish in the "off-season" to stay healthy and get those Omega-3s or whatever, this is a good way to add some flavor to an otherwise bland salmon fillet.

Dijon Crusted Salmon

2 salmon fillets
4(ish) Tbs of Dijon mustard
1 cup Panko crumbs or other breadcrumbs
1 handful shredded Parmesan cheese
Dried parsley
Salt & Pepper

Pre-heat oven to 425. When baking salmon or other fish, I like to peel off a 1'x1' square of aluminum foil for each fillet. PAM the aluminum foil. Place an uncooked fillet in the center of each foil square, and curve the edges of the square up to make a box or boat for the fish (this prevents juices or seasoning from sticking to a baking sheet) and put the foil boats onto a baking sheet. Use a butter knife to spread the Dijon generously over the top of each fillet (about 2 Tbs per piece of fish). In a small mixing bowl, combine Panko, Parmesan, a few sprinkles of dried parsley, and a few pinches of salt & pepper. Using a generous handful or by pouring from the bowl, top each fillet of fish with the seasoning. Bake for 30-35 minutes depending on the thickness.

Great with a side of broccoli--my personal fave!--and a whole grain baguette. This is also a good way to do pork chops in the oven. Tomorrow is a chicken recipe! They're rare, get excited.

Easy Cheesy Creamed Corn

OK so Bobby and I eat pretty healthy most of the time, but obviously in Winter it gets a little tougher because most nights we just want to alternate between chili and pasta. And there's fewer veggie options for sides. I'm not suggesting creamed corn as a veggie, since corn is pretty much straight starch, BUT it is a nice Winter comfort side. I got this recipe from Kraftfoods.com a few years ago and have been using it ever since, because really, if it has cream cheese it has to be delicious. Shown below with crab cakes topped with sweet chili sauce (see archive) and spinach salad.

Easy Cheesy Creamed Corn

1 can cream-style corn
1 small bag of frozen corn
2oz/2Tbs cream cheese (1/3 less fat)
1/2-1 cup of grated cheddar cheese, amount depending on preference (obviously you can guess which way we tip the scale on that one!)
Sliced green onions for garnish, if desired

In a medium saucepan melt the cream cheese over medium heat, stir frequently. Add cream-style corn, and frozen corn. Heat on med/med-high for 10 minutes, or until frozen corn is cooked through. Stir in grated cheddar cheese, and top with green onion slices for garnish.

Quick easy side and sooo good! But again, anything with cream cheese gets my seal of approval :) Just noticed that looks like an insanely large portion, but I swear that's just the angle!

Thanksgiving Take-Aways

I've learned that in corporate life--and life in general--it's all about the "take-aways". So what were my "take-aways" or "key learnings" (substitute your buzzword de jour) from Thanksgiving 2009? Everybody seemed to like the list in the last post, so I'll stick with that holiday trend:

1. Never trust Kroger.

After assuring my friend Alex and I that they would, in fact, provide me with a cooked, WARM, and ready-to-serve turkey, they still found a way to succumb to the Can't-Find-a-Cooked-Turkey-To-Buy-in-Louisville Curse. I sent Bobby to pick up the turkey while I mashed the potatoes (more on potatoes later in the list), he returns in a huff of "OKDon'tfreakout!" Just what every first-time Thanksgiving hostess wants to hear from her hubby, right? He presents me with a white trash bag (tall, kitchen) with yellow drawstrings and GIBBONS scribbled across the front in a black sharpie. I was too distraught to capture this on the iPhone cam because at the time it was NOT funny. Kind of like how leprosy ISN'T funny. It's a little funnier now. The turkey was cooked, put back in a little turkey bag that left imprints all over it, put in a trash bag, and into the refrigerator. COLD. Once removed from it's bags and onto my counter, it was probably the ugliest looking turkey I'd ever seen in my life. Bobby proceeded to attack it with our large kitchen knife (read: not a turkey carving device of any sort), and butchered the poor bird all over again--and all over our counter. It was enough to make this card-carrying carnivore want to turn over a new Vegetarian leaf. Really, I hope Bobby treats his surgical patients a little better under the knife. So all in all...don't trust Kroger.

2. Make your own turkey.

See above.

3. Don't use Fat Free Cheese in Macaroni and Cheese.

Let's call this "Bobby's take-away", and leave it at that.

4. If you're going to mash 10 potatoes by hand, do NOT wear a cashmere turtleneck.

Thank you, Secret Invisible Solid.

5. Dinner should always be after 3:00pm.

Otherwise it looks awkward when you carry the remnants of the champagne bottle back to your room for a "nap". I'm not saying I did that. I'm just saying it's a take-away.

Turkey aside, everything turned out really well. The Bourbon Brown Sugar Ham was the hit of the meal, the Mexican cranberries were delicious, the broccoli casserole was wonderful as always, the potatoes were perfect, and the mac & cheese was better reheated the next day :) You're probably all really sick of looking at your own Thanksgiving left-overs, but here are some snapshots of a few of the dishes before dinner--and my fabulous place mats and napkins (on sale at Pier 1 for $2/ea!!!) Totally showing off my beautiful wedding gifts too! And of course, our surprise dinner guest who wanted us all out of her chairs ASAP.

Thanksgiving SuperPost

And now...the blog post you have all been waiting for...for approx 48 hours--the Thanksgiving SuperPost! I am so excited because this is my very first attempt at hosting Thanksgiving dinner, and therefore a little relieved it'll just be for four people :-) My hope is that it'll be a successful meshing of Bobby and I's traditions. So if you really don't have anything else to read, here's a tally of Bobby and I's compromises and concessions:

1. Turkey AND Ham
Winner: Bobby
We'll be having both

2. Mashed Potatoes
Winner: Anne
Don't get between me and my potatoes

3. Macaroni and Cheese
Winner: Bobby
I don't know why I fought it, it's not like I don't love Mac & Cheese

4. Cranberry Sauce
Winner: Anne
Who cares if I'm the only one who eats it?

5. Broccoli Casserole v. Steamed Broccoli
Winner: Bobby
I guess things covered in cheese are pretty good...

6. Pumpkin Pie
Winner: Bobby

7. Bobby makes his own #$@*&! pumpkin pie
Winner: Anne

8. Dinner Time (lunch or dinner?)
Winner: Bobby
Butts in seats by 12:30 or 1:00pm

9. Gravy Boat Debacle
Winner: TBA
I need a gravy boat to serve gravy. Bobby is (and I quote) "Morally Opposed" to gravy boats because it would imply we ate gravy regularly.

Compromise casualties: Stuffing, Sweet potato casserole, Green bean casserole

OK enough of that...onto what you're actually reading this for!

Champagne Turkey

OK I'm going to be totally honest here. I have ONE oven. So as much as I love this turkey recipe, and would love the bragging rights of making my own turkey, I just can't do it this year. Thank you Kroger for helping me out! However, IF I were to make my own turkey, my mother and I swear on Grammy's fudge that this is the very best turkey you can make.

1 (12 lb) whole turkey, neck and giblets removed
1/2 cup butter, cubed
2 apples, cored and halved
1 Tbs garlic powder
salt and pepper to taste
2/3 (750 milliliter) bottle champagne

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Rinse turkey, and pat dry. Gently loosen turkey breast skin, and insert pieces of butter between the skin and breast. Place apples inside the turkey's cavity. Sprinkle with garlic powder, salt, and pepper. Place turkey in a roasting bag, and pour champagne over the inside and outside of the bird. Close bag, and place turkey in a roasting pan.

Bake turkey 3 to 3 1/2 hours in the preheated oven, or until the internal temperature is 180 degrees F when measured in the meatiest part of the thigh. Remove turkey from bag, and let stand for at least 20 minutes before carving.

It makes the BEST gravy too!

Holiday Ham with Ginger and Bourbon

Because it's not a Kentucky holiday without some Bourbon. Bobby made me buy some Jim Beam from Costco so I'd stop cooking with his Four Roses!

1 fully cooked ham, 5-6lbs, outer skin and fat removed
4in piece of fresh ginger root
1/2 cup (ish) of Bourbon
1/2 cup brown sugar, packed (1/4 cup if using Splenda)

Score a diamond pattern into the ham, 1/4 inch around top and sides. Peel ginger root with a spoon and grate finely. Place ham into crockpot or slow cooker. Combine ginger, Bourbon, and brown sugar in small mixing bowl and pour over the ham.

Cover, and cook on low for 7-8 hours or high for 4-5 hours. Baste often.

Mom's Mexican Cranberries

Since I'm the only one eating them, I'm making them the way I like!

1 (16oz) can jellied whole-berry cranberry sauce
1 (10.5 oz) jar jalapeno pepper jelly (preferably red but green works)
1/2 cup chopped fresh cilantro, divided

Cook cranberry sauce, pepper jelly and 1/4 cup cilantro in a small sauce pan over low heat, stirring often, until jelly melts. Pour into serving dish and mix in remaining cilantro. Cool in fridge until dinner time.

It's good on turkey and ham both, and if you end up with a so-so turkey, it's the best! I'll also use it on turkey paninis with some brie after the holiday :-) Everything's better with brie!

Mom's Garlic Mashed Potatoes

These may be a little bit more work, but they are worth every mouth watering bite! I don't care how you've previously made mashed potatoes. From now on you should make these--end of story.

10 Yukon Gold potatoes, peeled and quartered
6 cloves of garlic, crushed (sorry Dad)
1 cup butter
8oz cream cheese (I use 1/3rd less fat, but I mean, it's the holidays...)
1.75 cup sour cream
2 tsp salt
1 tsp white pepper

Bring 3" of water to boil, add potatoes and garlic. Cook until tender. Mash with all your strength (or Bobby's strength in my case) until smooth and creamy. Add cream cheese, butter, sour cream, salt and pepper. Mix very well. Spoon into a 3-4 quart baking dish, and bake for 30 minutes at 350.

**Can be made a day ahead of time and refrigerated! Just be sure to bring them to room temp before baking.

Jan's Mac & Cheese

This recipe was actually the very first blog post! So you can flip back through the archives, or keep reading. I've eaten a lot of mac & cheese in my day, and this is by far some of the best I've had.

1 (8oz) package of elbow macaroni, or about 2 cups uncooked macaroni
2 cups milk
1/4 cup all-purpose flour
1 tsp onion salt
4 cups shredded sharp Cheddar cheese
1 cup soft breadcrumbs
1/4 cup butter, melted

Cook macaroni according to the package directions, and drain. Place milk, flour, and onion salt into a container with a lid that you can shake. Once the lid is on tightly, shake for approx 1 minute.

Stir together flour mixture, 3.5 cups of cheese, and cooked macaroni is a large mixing bowl. Pour mixture into Pyrex or other 9x13" baking dish that has been greased or Pam-ed. Sprinkle evenly with last 1/2 cup of cheese, followed by the breadcrumbs. Pour melted butter evenly over the top (to keep the breadcrumbs from burning). Bake at 350 for 45 minutes.

Easy Pumpkin Pie

Last but not least. Oh, who am I kidding? We use the Libby's recipe!

1 (9in) unbaked deep dish pie crust (in freezer aisle)
3/4 cup white sugar (use less if working with Splenda)
1 tsp ground cinnamon
1/2 tsp salt
1/2 tsp ground ginger
1/4 tsp ground cloves
2 eggs
1 (15oz) can Libby's 100% Pumpkin
12oz of Evaporated milk

Preheat oven to 425. Combine sugar, salt, cinnamon, and cloves in a small bowl. Beat eggs lightly in large bowl. Stir in pumpkin and sugar-spice mixture. Gradually stir in evaporated milk. Pour into pie shell.

Bake for 15 minutes, then reduce temp to 350, and bake for an additional 40-50 minutes or until toothpick comes out clean. Cool for 2 hours.

________________________

Well OK. I'm tired of typing and you're probably tired of reading. Just remember that if you're also cooking with one oven to watch the dishes closely. The dish on the top rack will heat faster, so you made need to have them switch places halfway through. Here's the FINAL MENU for Gibbons Family Thanksgiving, check back over the weekend for photos of how everything turned out--and HAPPY THANKSGIVING EVERYONE!

Final Menu

Oven-Roasted Turkey
Holiday Ham with Ginger and Bourbon
Mexican Cranberries
Garlic Mashed Potatoes and gravy
Macaroni and Cheese
Broccoli Casserole
Crescent Rolls
Pumpkin Pie
Chocolate Cake
Champagne

Southwestern Soup

As many of you know, Bobby and I have been dieting most of the Fall, so I haven't had the opportunity to be as creative with our weekly menu as I like to be. Lots of grilled fish and veggies most nights...but hey, it's working :-) But here is a great Southern Living recipe that 1) doesn't break the caloric bank 2) is perfect for crisp Fall weather, and 3) double perfect for Thanksgiving week because it makes a ton and you'll feel like you're eating light all week leading up to Starch Day--I mean Turkey Day.

This is delish and has just the right amount of kick.
Southwestern Soup

1lb ground beef (or turkey, but we're saving turkey for later in the week)
1 cup chopped onion
2 cloves of garlic, minced
2 (16oz) cans of red kidney beans, rinsed and drained
1 (15oz) can of black beans, rinsed and drained
14-15oz of Rotel, undrained
1 (14.5oz) can of petite diced tomatoes with green chiles, undrained
1 (14.5oz) can of beef broth
2 cups frozen corn
1 envelope of taco seasoning (we use low sodium)
salt and pepper to taste
4 cups of water
Dallop of sour cream and chopped cilantro to garnish

In a soup pot or dutch oven brown the ground beef/turkey, onions, and garlic over med-high heat until meat is cooked. While browning, rinse and drain all the beans. Then add beans, tomatoes, broth, corn, taco seasoning (basically everything but the garnish), plus the 4 cups of water. Cover and simmer on low to med-low for 30 minutes. Top with sour cream and cilantro.

Yum! Make sure you save or freeze the leftovers. In other news, had a wonderful weekend in Florida with T&C--Bobby was missed, of course. Bobby's starting his last leg of Internal Medicine tomorrow, and his parents are coming up for Thanksgiving on Wednesday or Thursday following Papaw's surgery (replacing the battery in his pacemaker). So stay tuned tomorrow for a pre-Thanksgiving SuperPost--which will include the final menu! And if anyone has good ideas for quick and easy Thanksgiving centerpieces, please send 'em to me!

Cranberry Brie Chicken Pizza

What could be more delicious sounding? Seriously. I made this for myself because Bobby turned up his nose and opted to go out with some friends, and then complained that the smell of brie in the oven made the kitchen stink! Guys! But it took a good deal of self control not to eat the entire pizza, so I'm pretty proud of myself. So thank you, AllRecipes iPhone application for introducing me to this delicious idea!

Also note, when I was describing it to one of my coworkers, she let me know that she does something similar with her Thanksgiving leftovers--and adds brie to a turkey panini with cranberry sauce. So you could take that route, or add turkey to the pizza instead of chicken. Needless to say I'm pretty fired up about Thanksgiving leftovers already :-) Especially since I'm overruling Bobby and keeping the mashed potatoes (whoever heard of something so ridiculous as a person opting to CUT mashed potatoes from the overgrown Thanksgiving menu! Clearly that should have been established pre-wedding--like when I gave him the courtesy of telling him one week before the wedding that I never intended to mow a lawn EVER--there are just some things you should clearly discuss first, and the priority of mashed potatoes on the holiday menu is one).


Cranberry Brie Chicken Pizza

1 Boboli thin crust
2 boneless, skinless chicken breasts or 4-6 chicken tenders
1 cup whole berry cranberry sauce
1 wedge brie
1 cup mozzarella cheese

Grill chicken breasts or tenders or dice in to cubes and cook in a pan over the stove. Heat oven to 350. Place boboli crust on baking sheet. Spread cranberry sauce over the boboli--one cup may not look like it's covering the whole pizza, but when I used the whole can things got very messy in the oven and made the boboli a little soggy. So I think about a cup should do it, because it'll cook down a bit when heated. Cube the brie into bitesized pieces and place evenly around the crust. Add diced chicken, and sprinkle a handful of mozzarella cheese over everything. Bake for 20 minutes and serve!

And it's good cold the next day too :-)

Apricot Chicken

Now if you're familiar with Cranberry Chicken, you'll recognize this as being extremely similar. I found this recipe popping up in a few different books and online, and since Bobby and I like Cranberry Chicken so much, I thought it couldn't be too bad to try!

It's very good, but sweeter than Cranberry Chicken--apricots don't really have the tang that cranberries do. But all-in-all it is quick, easy, can be made the night before and refrigerated, and really good.

Apricot Chicken

3-4 boneless, skinless chicken breasts
1 package dry onion soup mix
1 cup (ish) of Fat Free Catalina dressing
1 jar of apricot preserves (we used Sugar-free and it was plenty sweet)

In a mixing bowl combine the dry onion soup mix, the Catalina dressing, and the apricot preserves. Mix until blended. Pre-heat oven to 400, and Pam a 9x13 baking dish. Use a paper towel to pat down each chicken breast, and place in the baking dish. Cover with all of the apricot mix. Bake uncovered for 45 minutes for 3 breasts, or longer for additional.

Serve over rice or quinoa, and spoon extra apricot mix onto the chicken. Pair with a green salad or veggie and Yum!

And if you want to make the Cranberry version--substitute the apricot preserves for a can of whole berry cranberry sauce, and pat the chicken breasts with a little bit of garlic salt.

Mom's Chili/Frito Pie

I triumphantly return from yet another leave of absence. But with a completely legit excuse because believe it or not, hand surgery doesn't make you feel up to extra typing at the end of the day! While I'm not going to include a pre-op picture (because this blog is for hungry people, not those looking to lose their appetites), but I have included an embarrassing iPhone pic of Shadow smothering me while I was on pain killers. But for those purely interested in food I'll keep the life updates brief: My hand is healing, I have a cool scar; I work, Bobby works, we work (you see the fun pattern?); Bobby is on Internal Medicine and has ruled out specializing in Kidneys; Shadow and Gus are sad the weather is changing and walks and screen door time are becoming more infrequent--but otherwise good.

The blog is also blue--in effort to sooth me into what will surely be a blustery winter--or perhaps more because I got tired of green. I'm also going to try to post a photo with each new recipe so the two I post today will have photos--as well as the Cajun Mahi-Mahi.

So in the spirit of Fall, I made Mom's chili. Taylor would again call this a non recipe, but it varies from the package directions so I think it counts. And I DID take a photo of the chili itself, but you know, the funny thing about photos of chili is that they're never really appetizing. So instead I'm including an "action shot" of the Frito Pie in the making.

For you non-Southerners (and I don't categorize myself as such, but more of a pseudo-Southerner since I'm not without full-functioning use of Bless-Her-Heart's and Shake-A-Leg's), Frito Pie is the best thing that happens to chili. It's when the spicy hot goodness blends with shredded cheddar and a handful of Fritos. Mmm Mmm Mmm.

Mom's Chili/Frito Pie

1 package Carol Shelby's Chili Mix (in KY they come in double packages, so make sure you split it in half and save the rest in a ziploc bag)
1 lb lean ground beef
1 can chili beans
8oz tomato sauce
16oz water

The back of Carol Shelby's Chili Mix will tell you to add different things, but just stick with what my mother does. Brown the ground beef in the bottom of a dutch oven or soup pot. Once fully cooked, add the water, tomato sauce, chili beans, and mix. Carol Shelby's mix comes with flour for thickening, cayenne pepper for spice, and salt. I mix in the flour and about half of the cayenne. Cook covered on med-low for at least 45--but an hour is better.

Before serving, put a handful of Fritos in the bottom of your bowl, and top it with a handful of cheddar cheese. Then pour the chili over it to melt the cheese thoroughly. It should get enough salt from the chips and cheese, but you may need to add a few extra sprinkles if the meat was really lean. And there you have Frito Pie--the best thing you can do for your chili.

Cajun Mahi-Mahi

And no, "Cajun" is not a euphemism for "burnt."

We had this earlier in the week and I thought I should probably post it before I become a hunt-and-peck gimpy typist for a few days! We've started doing a little more shopping at Whole Paycheck--I mean, Foods--and this past week we found some delicious-looking Mahi Mahi. Using all possible recipe-providing iPhone apps I still couldn't find a recipe I liked so we decided to try blackening it (our favorite way to order it in a restaurant). But it turns out you need a cast-iron skillet to blacken things and I'm pretty sure Calphalon does not equal cast-iron. So as we do with just about everything, we turned to the trusty George Foreman Grill and some serious spices.

Cajun Mahi-Mahi

1lb Mahi Mahi filets (2)
2 tbs Chili Powder 1 tsp Garlic Powder
2 tsp Onion Salt
2 tsp Thyme
2 tsp Paprika
1 tbs Creole Seasoning

Cut the fish into two fillets. With Mahi-Mahi, make sure you cut the fillets around the vein line to avoid a fishy flavor (thank you Food Network!) Mix all spices in a medium to large shallow bowl. Dredge each fillet in the spices, and add to *extremely* hot grill (to make it seem blackened). Fish should be ready in 5-6 minutes and you'll want to make sure you have some Popsicle for dessert! I should note I pretty much made up the measurements for the spices and went for a more dump-and-pour method...but I think that's pretty close. Just don't over-do the chili powder because then a whole box of Popsicles won't save you. Serve with steamed green beans.

Favorite Steamed Green Beans

2 handfuls of washed green beans with ends cut off
2 tbs Asian salad dressing (Kraft light)
1 tbs low-sodium soy sauce
1 tbs sesame oil

Steam green beans over the stove or in microwavable Ziploc bag. While they're steaming, mix dressing, soy sauce, and sesame oil. Pour over steamed green beans. The pairing of the Asian flavor actually compliments and almost cools-off the Cajun fish. Could also do this with Tilapia...

Creole Fried-Rice

I admit it. I completely lost the original Southern Living recipe for this, and instead made it up this past week. But it's still good, so I'm sharing it anyway. Perhaps like all things Creole, it's a bit of a "kitchen sink" recipe, so I'll tell you how we make it, and other potential variations for you (to the best of my memory!)

Creole Fried-Rice

1lb chicken tenders, grilled, diced
1/2 lb kielbasa (we have discovered turkey kielbasa works well), grilled, sliced
1/2 lb shrimp, peeled
NOTE you can use any combo of the above based on your preference. For example, I'm not much of a shrimp eater thanks to a bad experience in Mexico, so we combine the sausage and the chicken.

1 can chicken broth (reduced sodium)
1/2 green bell pepper, seeded and diced
1/2 red bell pepper, seeded and diced
1 small to medium yellow onion, diced
2 cups rice or 1 cup quinoa
2 cloves of garlic, crushed
Tabasco
Creole seasoning
Olive oil
**Other add-ins include sliced okra or fresh jalapenos

Prepare rice or quinoa according to directions, substituting chicken broth for water. While rice/quinoa is cooking, grill chicken or sausage on outdoor grill or George Foreman. Or if preferred, you can use one large skillet. I'll reiterate that you should adapt this recipe for your preferences. Brown the onion and garlic in a large skillet with a few tablespoons of olive oil. If cooking chicken or shrimp in the same pan, add those in at the same time with hefty few shakes of Creole seasoning (I'm pretty generous with my seasoning). Once meat is cooked and/or onions and garlic are soft, add in sausage, previously grilled chicken if applicable, and diced peppers with additional shakes of Creole seasoning. The general rule of thumb I invented is: whenever you're adding meat to the skillet, add more seasoning. Stir for a few minutes until everything is heated through and peppers begin to cook. Add rice or quinoa with several dashes of Tabasco, and stir all-together in the skillet until you hear the rice or quinoa sizzling. Serve immediately.

So as you can tell, there's not really any strict way of putting this together, but if you dump and pour all of the ingredients and somehow everything gets cooked, it's delicious! As if Southern Living would print something that wasn't right? I just read my Fall issue this morning and am now dying to decorate chocolate moon-pies with jack-o-lantern faces. I think I'll give them out at work during October. In reality, as much as I hate the fact that Fall leads to into the season I HATE and refuse to name--I can't hold that against Fall now can I? So with that, I think I'll go find some mums for the porch. OH I will also try to start taking pictures of my recipes. You know me--always in such a hurry to eat!

Southwestern Salad w/ Chicken

The only bad thing to say about this recipe is it makes a TON! And of course, salad is a little difficult to save. But it's absolutely delicious and something fresh and light as we go into Fall. I should also note that my mom doesn't make it with chicken, so it can be a completely vegetarian-friendly dish all on it's own. BUT since Bobby has his whole "no-meat-no-meal" philosophy, I throw in some diced chicken tenders. Oh, and my mom layers it too and it's really very pretty. I just dump and pour--but either way use the largest salad bowl you have.

Southwestern Salad (w/ Chicken)

1 head of romaine lettuce, shredded
5 plum tomatoes, chopped
15 oz can of black beans, rinsed and drained
1 small purple onion, chopped (or bunch of green onions, chopped)
80z of shredded Mexican cheese blend
1 lb of grilled chicken tenders, chopped
15 oz can of Mexican corn with green and red peppers, drained
6 oz can of sliced ripe olives, drained (we have to omit these for Bobby)
2 cups of crushed Baked Nacho Doritos

Cook chicken tenders on George Foreman, regular grill, or chop and heat in skillet. Layer in this order, or "dump and pour". Top with Cilantro-Lime Vinaigrette (see below).

Cilantro-Lime Vinaigrette

1/3 c fresh cilantro, chopped
1/2 c olive oil
1 tsp sugar (I use Splenda)
1/2 tsp pepper
1/4 c lime juice
1/2 c sour cream
1/2 tsp salt

Ideally, process all ingredients in a food processor or blender until smooth. I usually don't read all the way to the end of my mom's instructions and just mix together in a Pyrex measuring cup. The downside of that is the cilantro stays large, but I LOVE cilantro, so I'm OK with it.

Top salad with dressing and either serve in layers or stir stir stir with really large or heavy duty salad tongs. I need some. Stocking-stuffer hint.

Trust me on this

And for my final post of the week (Bobby went to bed at 8 tonight after downing a package of Lean Pockets like a college freshman, and is on call tomorrow, thus no more cooking) I give you a Gibbons staple! This is one of the fastest, easiest things you can possibly make, it's not too terrible for you, and it reheats excellently--I've had it twice for leftover lunches this week. This was first served to Bobby and I by Whitney Blocker Mashburn, and it was introduced to us merely as "Cheesy Beefy Thing." I thought titling my blog post "Cheesy Beefy Thing" was probably a bit weird, so really you have to trust me (and Whitney). As further proof this should be incorporated into your dinner rotations, Colleen trusted me and she and Ryan have had it several times. So there.

You can do a lot of substitutions so I'll present all the options.

Cheesy Beefy Thing

1 lb ground beef (OR substitute ground turkey or chicken--this week we opted for turkey)
2 cups rice (white or brown, OR substitute 1 cup quinoa)
1 large jar of your favorite pasta sauce (Whitney opted for Ragu with veggies, while Bobby and I go strictly for Paul Newman--we switch it up between his Marinara, Four Cheese, or this week we used his Garlic and Fire-Roasted Tomato)
2 cups shredded mozzarella (2% is good)

Cook rice or quinoa according to package directions. While your starch of choice is cooking, thoroughly cook the ground beef, turkey, or chicken. In a large mixing bowl combine the cooked meat, the the rice or quinoa, the entire jar of sauce, and the 2 cups of mozzarella. Stir, stir, stir. Pam a 9x13 Pyrex or other baking dish and pour in mixture--spread evenly. Top with sprinkled additional mozzarella or Parmesan if desired, and cover with tin foil. Bake covered at 350 for 20 minutes, then remove the foil. Bake for an additional 10 minutes.

So I get that you wouldn't normally combine rice, beef, and marinara sauce, but seriously just trust that it's quick, yummy, and can reheat all week long--so make it on Sunday, Monday, or Tuesday. And the lighter version with ground turkey, quinoa, and 2% cheese is JUST as good. Or ya know...as close as you get with ground turkey :-) I'll also note that since Bobby gets to make requests, so do readers. So if there's something that you recommend, or want more chicken recipes in general, or know of something I make and want the recipe for...feel free to submit!

Pulled Pork (Tenderloin)

Well our A/C is out and while I wait on maintenance in our now-80 degree apartment, I'm beginning to feel little bit like last night's dinner in the slow-cooker! First off, if I haven't said it before, a slow-cooker is the workweek's best friend. It may sound antiquated or just plain hard to lift from the bottom shelf of the pantry BUT it's worth it. And I've found a few recipes that work year-round, so you don't just have to lug it out in the winter.

So this was an Anne and Bobby creation last night and a first round attempt at making pulled pork for 2 from a pork tenderloin. BBQ aficionados will note that most pulled pork is actually pork shoulder, but we're not really trying to feed an army around here--so tenderloin it is. We had some hiccups BUT I've modified the following and it should be delicious, and perfect for homemade pulled pork sandwiches.

Pulled Pork (Tenderloin) Sandwiches

1 pork tenderloin (plain is preferred, followed by peppercorn) *Note* Plain pork tenderloin often comes in packs of 2, so be sure to freeze the other one. We made this from a frozen leftover and it took about a day and a half to thaw out.
1 bottle of your favorite BBQ sauce (we use and swear by Jack Daniels)
Chili Powder
Crushed Red Pepper
1 cup Bourbon (we use and swear by Four Roses)
1 cup water
1/2 cup honey

Pam your slow cooker. Pat the tenderloin down with a generous handful of chili powder. Regular blog readers might note Bobby and I like spicy food, but feel free to use less. Place tenderloin in the center of the slow cooker and sprinkle generously with crushed red pepper. Put honey in a microwavable bowl or Pyrex measuring cup, add Bourbon. Microwave for 30 seconds to thin out the honey, and stir well. Stir in additional 1/2 cup of BBQ sauce and pour over tenderloin. Rotate tenderloin in pan to ensure coating is all over. Pour the cup of water in the slow-cooker but not directly on the tenderloin (don't want all the seasoning to come off!) Cook on LOW heat for 6-6.5 hours. If you'll be home during the day, set the timer for 3 hours and rotate the tenderloin halfway through. It may look a little charred at the end, but once you take it out and begin forking it apart, it'll be perfectly done inside!

Strip the tenderloin apart with a fork (if the outside is tough use your kitchen scissors) and add to a toasted sandwhich or hamburger bun. Top meat with additional few tablespoons (or globs, whatever) of BBQ sauce. Serve with Mac & Cheese (1st blog recipe, or Velveeta) and a fruit salad and you're good to go!

I've already made tonight's dinner, but I'll post that tomorrow. I don't think people who like a good pulled pork sandwhich would sign off with "Bon Apetit!" Julia-Child-Style, so I'll leave you with a CHOW DOWN Y'ALL!

Macadamia Nut-Crusted Tilapia w/ Pineapple Salsa

OK if it's new recipes you want, then new recipes you get! This is a warm-weather dish, so I highly recommend trying it out before things cool down too much, and it depends heavily on fresh pineapple (even if you don't like tilapia, find something to put this salsa on!) But it's delicious, I made it last night and when I handed Bobby his plate his eyes were almost as big! And I got the recipe from Cosmo of all places. Serve with Cilantro-Lime Rice or Quinoa and Sesame Snap Peas (listed below).

Macadamia-Nut Crusted Tilapia

1/2 c flour
1 egg, lightly beaten
1 cup crushed macadamia nuts
2 tilapia fillets (go for 3 to 4 oz each--mine were only an ounce and a half on accident)

Preheat the oven to 400 and Pam a baking sheet. Put flour, egg, and nuts in three separate shallow dishes. Coat/dredge the fish first in the flour, then the egg, then the nuts. Place each fillet on the baking sheet and cook 12-14 minutes for thicker fish or 10 for thinner fish. It'll turn a nice golden brown and flake easily with your fork. While that's baking...

Pineapple Salsa

1-2 cups finely chopped fresh pineapple
1-2 Tbs. minced purple onion
1/2 a diced jalepeno, seeds removed
1/4 chopped or minced cilantro

Combine everything in a bowl and serve over the tilapia. The combination of the pineapple with the jalepeno is divine. Also while the fish is cooking...

Sesame Snow Peas or Snap Peas (your preference)

1-2 servings of snow peas or snap peas
1 Tbs butter
1 Tbs sesame seeds

I used snap peas because they're my preference. Steam the peas (if you don't have an over-the-stove steamer the Ziploc steamer bags are great), toss with butter until it melts, add sesame seeds and coat.

Cilantro-Lime Quinoa/Rice

We pretty much replace all rice dishes with quinoa so it's your preference. And I actually started the quinoa before the fish because it takes about 15 min. to cook.

Add 1-2 Tbs. of lime juice to the water when preparing the rice or quinoa by package directions. When ready, stir in additional lime juice if desired and 2 Tbs. chopped cilantro. All of it was SO good!

Back to...Blogging?

OK so clearly I don't cook a whole lot in the summer. That's not to say I didn't try a few new recipes (on which I plan to do some retroactive posting on because, like a L'Oreal commercial, they're worth it). But summer is just not the most consistent time to be in the kitchen. And quite frankly after seeing Julie and Julia I felt a little bit like a cooking blog poser! So to that end I will say--I am in no way attempting to copy anyone or any idea. If you are looking for Julia Child-esque recipes, this is NOT the blog for you. I err on the side of Rachel Ray, and would like to reiterate that, with few exceptions, the majority of these recipes are going to be under an hour (and preferably 30 minutes) and weeknight-friendly. I am simply someone who likes to eat and share easy recipes for things others who also like to eat and don't have all day in the kitchen.

So my sister-in-law recommended I make a "triumphant" return to blogging on the first day of Fall...which I believe is the 21st or somewhere around there. But I personally mark Labor Day Weekend the official conclusion of summer--a time to trade in my summer-spirited red and pink Kate Spade tote for my practical, albeit still stylish, black leather Coach carry-all. Therefore, Labor Day is as good a time as any to get back to it.

And for anyone interested in tidbits other than cooking, you can continue reading. All-in-all we had a very nice summer--as Louisville summer's often are. Bobby spent several weeks up in the Cincinnati area doing a Family Medicine rotation with an emphasis in rural medicine. This contributed heavily to my lack of planned summer meals. He's now wrapping up his Psychiatry rotation, which means our dinner conversation steers in the direction of misguided or failed suicide attempts and other unpleasant aspects of Psychosis. Fortunately for Bobby he's found Psych much more interesting than he originally thought and has enjoyed his time there. Up next is Internal Medicine until Christmas. He'll be doing two weeks of career explorations during that time, and has chosen to focus on a week in Orthopedics and a week in Cardio-Thoracic Surgery. I'm sure med spouses everywhere are clucking their tongues with sympathy for me--and I'll take it :-)

I spent the summer working, working, and working some more. Babysitting interns is exhausting. Others get to spend their summer letting things slide, whereas my past few summers have been filled with late nights, forced mingling, and pre-campus stress. Fortunately this was all capped between a lovely weekend in Charleston on one end and a lovely long weekend in Seattle and a visit from T&C on the other. And if you follow me on Facebook you know that this summer was also dedicated to taking Gus to Puppy School! Despite initial concerns leading to several glasses of wine after each class, he GRADUATED! Think old school 90210 and sing with me now--Gus Gibbons Graduates! Gus Gibbons Graduates! And finally, Shadow Belle spent her summer trying to kill wasps through the screen door and sleeping in the sunshine while everyone worshiped her as the Princess of the Gibbons House that she is.

Now that any readers I have left are either caught up on Gibbons life or bored senseless, let's get back to dinner! :-)

Breakfast Bake

Last year for my birthday, Naynie/Melissa picked out a 5 Ingredient cookbook for me. It's a great book, and I recommend it to anyone because really, who doesn't like recipes with 5 ingredients or less? This Breakfast Bake is possibly my favorite from that cookbook because we frequently have "Brinner" or breakfast for dinner. In fact, I've never actually made this for breakfast... but I'm sure it would be good.

Breakfast Bake

5 eggs, slightly beaten
1 cup of Bisquick (we use the new Heart Healthy stuff)
1 lb ground hot sausage
2 cups of milk
1-2 cups of shredded cheddar cheese (and you know we use closer to 2)

Brown the sausage in a skillet over medium high heat. Grease a 9x13 baking dish with PAM and pre-heat the oven to 350. Once the sausage is finished, spread it out over the bottom of the 9x13 baking dish and top evenly with the shredded cheddar (or cheese of your choice, really). In a mixing bowl slightly beat 5 eggs--break the yolk. Then add in the Bisquick and milk, blending together well. Poor the egg mixture evenly over the cheese, cover the pan, and bake for 35 minutes.

It makes a whole bunch and is great for leftovers!

Summer Spinach Salad

Since I'm probably the only 25yr old that regularly reads Southern Living cover-to-cover, I feel it's my particular duty to pass along their recipes. This is a great side they put in their recent issue, or you could easily add grilled chicken if you wanted to make a whole dinner out of it. It also originally just called for Arugula, but I much prefer using Spinach (better for your eyesight), so that's my recommendation. But I promise this is great twist on a simple salad and Bobby was all but licking his salad bowl about 10 minutes after he questioned my use of feta cheese ("Eww why does it look like bleu cheese??" Just because it's crumbled doesn't make it moldy).

Simple Summer Spinach Salad

3 handfuls of washed and spun (or dried) baby spinach (this is an ideal amount for 2 people as a side, but use more if you're making a whole dinner out of it)
1 large zucchini
1/4 crumbled feta cheese
1/2 to 1 diced medium tomato
2 Tbs. chopped fresh mint
2-3 Tbs. lemon juice
2 Tbs. olive oil
salt and pepper to taste

Place all washed and spun/dried baby spinach leaves in a large salad bowl. Use a vegetable peeler to cut the zucchini lengthwise into very thin strips until you hit the seeds. Put skinless zucchini strips into the salad bowl. Add desired quantity of diced tomatoes. Add feta cheese crumbles and chopped mint (I recommend just using good kitchen scissors to finely cut the mint). In a separate small bowl combine the lemon juice, olive oil, and salt and pepper--mix well. Top the salad with the dressing. Toss and serve immediately.

We had this with Buffalo Chicken Paninis (which Taylor would not approve of me posting because he feels paninis are not recipes), and it was a great compliment to the spice of the Buffalo sauce. The short of a buffalo chicken panini is spread a thin layer of buffalo sauce on one slice of panini bread and a thin layer of fat free ranch or bleu cheese dressing on the other. Add 1/4lb sliced chicken (I'm a deli snob so I got buffalo marined sliced chicken from the deli that day) a slice of mozzarella cheese to each side of bread and 2-3 tomato slices.

Honey-Chipotle Pork Tenderloin w/ Watermelon Salsa

That's like a mouthful of a recipe title all on its own! Coming you from a wonderful little cookbook I picked up at Kroger titled "Not Your Mother's Slow Cooker Recipes: For Two". And despite the lengthy title--it's not that hard! I had the pork in to cook before work and made the salsa before dinner...easy as keylime pie :-) And oh yeah, it's quite good! Has a bit of a kick to it, so be in the mood for spicy!

Keep in mind you can nearly always substitute a turkey tenderloin for a pork tenderloin if you prefer.

Honey-Chipotle Pork Tenderloin

1 1/4 lb boneless plain pork tenderloin (the ones at Kroger come in 2 packs, so just be sure to freeze the other one)
2-3 tsp. chili powder
1 tsp salt
1/3 c honey (I used 1/2 cup to make up for what would inevitably stick to the mixing bowl!)
1 chipotle chile in adobo sauce, minced, OR 1 tbs chipotle paste
3 tbs lime juice
1 1/2 tbs adobo sauce

Spray the inside of your slow cooker with PAM or use a liner and then spray with PAM. Rub the tenderloin with the chili powder and salt. I didn't so much measure out the powder and salt, as sprinkle, rub, rotate...kind of like salt and peppering corn on the cob, if you will. If you want to be cautious of the chili powder, then measure out. Place the tenderloin in the center of your slow cooker. Place the honey and lime juice in a Pyrex/glass measuring cup or microwavable mixing bowl. Microwave on high for 1 minute to melt down the honey (will make it easier to stir). Stir in the minced chipotle pepper or the paste and the adobo sauce (Note: I got a can of chipotle peppers in adobo sauce, minced one, and then scooped out extra sauce). Pour the blended sauce over the meat. Cover and cook on LOW for 6-7 hours (keep the size of your tenderloin in mind). I would recommend rotating it in the sauce every so often if you're home. It should end up very tender and come apart like pulled pork.

Watermelon Salsa

2 plum tomatoes, chopped
1-1 1/2 c chopped watermelon
1/2 c chopped fresh cilantro
1/4 c diced purple onion (freeze the rest)
1/4 c chopped fresh Italian Parsley (you know, that thing everyone always accidentally buys when they mean to buy Cilantro..well who knew recipes used it!)
1 small fresh jalepeno pepper, seeded and finely chopped
2 tbs champagne or white wine vinegar
2 tbs olive oil (don't overdo!)
Salt to taste

Mix all ingredients in a bowl and either serve immediately over or side-by-side with the tenderloin, or put in the fridge.

While this dish is great as is (maybe with some corn on the cob as a side...), but about halfway through the meal I thought wow, a tortilla would really keep this together better. And Bobby said, "Yeah, with some cheese" because in our kitchen EVERYTHING is better with a tortilla and cheese!! So sure enough I scooped the remaining contents of our plates into some leftover tortillas and added slices of pepper jack cheese and absolutely delicious picadillo soft tacos!!!

Easy KeyLime Pie

Ok so my mother's version of this has a whole crust recipe--which is really good, but also overly ambitious if I'm making it on a weeknight (which I am this evening). So I'm just going to pass along the deliciously creamy filling and that if you also are less interested in making your own crust that you invest in a reduced fat graham cracker crust that's already pre-made (baking aisle). And then it just takes 10 minutes! Bobby was like "is that it??" He'd barely just gotten the mixer out before it was time to put it away again. But should anyone want the crust part, post a comment, I'll add an adendum.

Anyway, the trick with this keylime pie is that it needs to be made ahead of time, so we're not eating it tonight. Instead, tomorrow I'll be posting a new recipe for Honey Chipotle Pork Tenderloin with Watermelon Salsa--and we'll be having keylime pie with that! So check back, that's coming soon :-)

Easy KeyLime Pie

1 graham cracker pie crust
1 container of fat free cool whip
8oz cream cheese (1/3 less fat)
3/4c KeyLime Juice (note the original calls for 1/2 but Bobby insists on extra keylime-y-ness)
4 egg yolks (and we recommend saving the whites for breakfast the next day or something)
14oz Eagle Brand Milk (Reduced or Fat Free)

In a mixer or food processor (I don't recommend ever trying to hand-mix anything with cream cheese), beat together the cream cheese, Eagle Brand Milk, and egg yolks. Slowly pour in the KeyLime juice while your mixing. Once you are lump-free, pour into the graham cracker crust, put the top back on it, and put it in the fridge overnight. Add with a hefty "dallop" of Cool Whip when serving. Don't forget to defrost the Cool Whip.

On a side note I did make an actual dinner tonight--beef and broccoli stir fry, and it was absolutely delicious. I've started making my own stir-fry sauces out of whatever happens to be in the fridge and looks Asian (sesame oil, soy sauce, always Hoison sauce, oyster sauce, ground ginger if I've been to Whole Foods that week, etc.) so those will be more difficult to type out, and since T&C are probably the only people reading and Taylor doesn't eat broccoli, this particular one won't be worth it! But it was really good :-) I'll type out my sweet n sour pork sauce next time I make that.