Life gets in the way

There has been some drama in my life lately.  I'm still documenting my recipes, but haven't been motivated to post. However, I did submit a recipe suggestion for Pulled Pork Mac and Cheese to a local restaurant, Mac N More, and won for the month of August! That's twice now... pretty cool.  :)  I've also entered a couple of "bigger" recipe contests... haven't won yet, but I love having my family and friends over for tasting parties to try out my original recipes .I had a  front yard full of people camping out for the Labor Day weekend....Of course, I cooked for them and enjoyed every minute of it!

Collard Greens and Cheese Dip

This is a combination of 8 oz. Cream Cheese, 1 tablespoon Lemon Zest,  2 garlic cloves  and 3 green onions, large chop. Blend until smooth.

Added a 1 pound package of frozen (thawed) chopped Collard Greens, 1 cup of Parmesan Cheese 1/2 cup Milk/Cream, Salt & Pepper to taste. Pulse 5-10 times just to incorporate the greens and cheese.
Serve with crackers or pita chips.

Pretzel Buns (Burger Size)

Combine 1 1/2 cups Warm Water, 1 tablespoon Sugar, 2 teaspoons Kosher Salt, 2 1/4 teaspoons (1 package) instant yeast, 4 1/2 cups Flour and 1/4 cup melted Butter in a Food Processor until well incorporated and dough starts to pull away from the sides of the processor. Approx. 5 minutes.  Transfer dough to a clean oiled bowl, cover and let rise for 1 hour or until doubled in size. Preheat oven to 450 degrees.

Line a sheet pan with parchment paper or a Silpat and set aside. Bring 10 cups of water and 2/3 cups baking soda to a rolling boil. In the meantime, turn the dough out onto a slightly oiled work surface and divide into 8 equal pieces. Form into a Bun and place on Parchment/Silpat lined sheet pan.  Place the Buns into the boiling water for 30 seconds, turning once. Remove Buns from the water using a large flat spatula and return them to the sheet pan.

Brush the tops of each Bun with the beaten egg and water mixture (1 large egg yolk w/ 1 tablespoon water) and sprinkle with Kosher Salt or Pretzel Salt. Slash tops with sharp bread knife once or twice. 

Bake until dark golden brown in color, approximately 14 minutes. Transfer to a cooling rack for at least 5 minutes before serving.

Tomatillo and Avocado Salsa

This is a combination of 5 small Tomatillos, 1 Avocado, 1 small onion, 2 Jalapeno, 2 teaspoons dried oregano, 3 teaspoons dried cilantro and Salt & Pepper to taste. **to reduce the heat level, remove the seeds and ribs of the Jalapeno.

Serve with your favorite tortilla chips!!

Baked Potato Salad w/Avocado and Dill Sour Cream

Roasted a combination of baby red and yellow potatoes in a 350 degree oven for approx. 1 hour or until they are soft when you squeeze them. Cooled the Potatoes and cut them into bite size pieces. Added 3 sliced green onions, 1 1/2 cups shredded cheese and 7 pieces of bacon, cooked and chopped.

1 to 1 1/2 cups of Sour Cream and Hidden Valley Dips Harvest Dill.

Added Avocado plus Salt & Pepper to taste.

This change up of my basic Baked Potato Salad was quite tasty with the addition of Avocado and Dill.

Smoked BBQ Pulled Pork Mac N Cheese

3 pound and 4 pound Pork Butts. Rubbed with Garlic & Onion Powder, dried Thyme & Rosemary, Paprika, Red Pepper Flakes, Salt & Pepper.

Into the Smoker: using Mesquite and Apple Wood Chips for 2.5 hours.

This is after 2.5 hours of cook time in a 300 degree oven.

I cooked both Pork Butts last night and put in the Fridge. It is now the next morning and I'm shredding the 3 pound Pork Butt.

I used two pounds of Rigatoni pasta for this size dish which I took to a Potluck. Cook the pasta 1 minute less than what is says on the package.

I added BBQ sauce to my Cheese sauce... Budweiser, LOL!!

I toasted (to golden brown) 1/2 cup Panko Bread Crumbs and 1/2 cup Potato Flakes with 2 1/2  tablespoons butter in a frying pan, cooled and sprinkled over my Smoked BBQ Pulled Pork Mac N Cheese and put into a 350 degree oven for 30 minutes.   BIG HIT!!!!!

Seafood Chowder

Fried up 4 slices of Bacon in 1 tablespoon of Olive Oil.

Took out fried Bacon and drained on paper towels. Added diced Yellow Bell Pepper, diced Shallots, diced Leeks and minced Garlic to the bacon grease.

Chopped Shrimp, Bay Scallops and Crab Meat.

Add Diced Potatoes with 1 cup Claim Juice, 1 cup Shrimp Stock and 1 quart Half N Half.  The seasonings I added were Garlic & Onion powder, dried Rosemary, dried Thyme, Salt & Pepper to taste.

Add Seafood and Simmer until Potatoes are tender.Stir in Bacon at last minute..... Soups On!!!!

Nice cup of Seafood Chowder!!!

Want to come to a Tasting Party???

Well, I have entered 3 recipe contests so far. Fingers crossed. I had a tasting party for the Foster Farms Fresh Chicken Cooking contest, which turned out fantastic! I needed to make a couple recipes I had not made with actual measurements of each ingredient... easier said than done. I cook by eye and taste. However, I have become accustom to knowing approx. how much just by looking at it, I just need to write it down! lol  Will be having another tasting on Sunday, June 24th. The Johnsonville "No Ordinary Burger" contest is due by July 3. These recipes will be something I've not made before, so I need 8 Guinea Pigs!! If you know me and live near me, and want to come taste a couple of original recipes, let me know. Keep in mind it is a tasting, not a full on meal. I will only be making what is required for the contest. Sharing is a must! LOL!! P.S. I'll have some other snacks out.  :)  If you miss out on this tasting don't worry, I will be having a few more before the year is over!! <3<3

Stove Top Grilled Flounder

Flounder is what's up for dinner...oh, and some left over sauteed Shrimp and Scallops from the night before.

Seasoned the Flounder with equal parts Garlic, Onion Powder, Red Pepper Flakes,  Dill Weed, Salt & Pepper. Store the extra in a air tight container and use can use it again for something else.

Serving up the Flounder with cold Shrimp and Scallops that I sauteed last night with some Olive Oil, minced garlic, onion powder, salt & pepper. A big plate of good protein!!... YUM!! 

Vanilla Sesame Chicken Tenders w/ Maple Dipping Sauce

I'm using Foster Farms Chicken Breast Tenders.  *1st bowl in the lower left corner is 1 cup of Flour, 1/8 teaspoon Nutmeg and ground Cloves and 1/4 teaspoon Cinnamon.  *2nd bowl is 2 large eggs (3 small-medium), 2 teaspoons Vanilla Extract. If using Pure Vanilla add 1 teaspoon or less. *3rd bowl is 1/2 cup Plain Panko bread crumbs and 1/2 cup Potato Flakes, 2 tablespoons Sesame Seeds, 1/2 teaspoon Garlic, dried Oregano, dried Basil, Red Pepper Flakes, Salt & Pepper.

Start by lightly dusting the Chicken Tenders with the flour. Pat off any excess. Next, submerge in the Egg mixture and finally dredge through the Panko/Potato Flake combination.

Fry coated Chicken Tenders in Vegetable Oil for 2-3 minutes on both sides or until Golden brown.  Remove from oil and place on on paper towels to absorb extra oil.  Prepare Maple Dipping Sauce:  1/2 cup Sour Cream or Crema, 2 1/2 teaspoons Vanilla Extract (1 to 1 1/2 teaspoons Pure Vanilla), 1 tablespoon Maple Syrup, 1/8 teaspoon Cayenne Pepper & Salt.

I chose to serve my Vanilla Sesame Chicken Tenders with my Cherry Coleslaw... Soooo Delicious!!!!!

Chicken w/ Shitake Mushroom Cream Sauce

1/2 pound of Shitake Mushrooms. I clean the dirt off of them with a dry paper towel. Never submerge your mushrooms in water.
 I removed the stems and slice the caps approximately 1/4 to 1/2 inch thick.

I diced two large shallots.

2 tablespoons Olive Oil over Medium-High heat, add the shallots and cook until they are translucent. Then add 1 tablespoon Minced Garlic, 2 teaspoons dried Rosemary, dried Thyme, 1 1/2 teaspoon Salt & Pepper

Add the Shitake Mushrooms, 1/2 cup Chicken Broth, 1 Quart Half N Half, 2 teaspoons Garlic and Onion Powder and 1 teaspoon Red Pepper Flakes.

Simmer on Medium-Low heat until the liquid has reduced by 1/4. Approximately 1 hour.  

While the Sauce is reducing, I seasoned Chicken Legs and Wings with Salt & Pepper and fried them in Vegetable Oil on Medium-High heat until crispy, not necessarily cooked all the way. I finished cooking the Chicken in the Mushroom Sauce. When the Chicken is cooked through, I remove the pieces from the Sauce and take off the skin using a paper towel.
**My thought process on this was that I wanted that "fried flavor" IN the Sauce and the fat from the skin would add even more flavor to the Sauce. However, I never intended to eat the skin, so I took it off. lol!!

I chose my Arugula, Asparagus, Grapefruit Salad to accompany my Chicken in Mushroom Sauce. Awesome combination, great flavors!!

Cherry Coleslaw

I used a 16 oz. bag Coleslaw mix of green and red cabbage and carrots. I quartered approximately 15-20 cherries and added them with a dressing of 1 cup Greek Yogurt, Juice from 1/2 a Lemon, 1 teaspoon Garlic & Onion Powder and 1/2 teaspoon Celery Salt. Salt & Pepper to taste.

Place finished Cherry Coleslaw in the refrigerator for at least one hour to over night. The longer it sits the better the flavors.

Arugula, Asparagus and Grapefruit Salad w/ Blood Orange Balsamic Vinaigrette

Prep 1 bunch of Asparagus by snapping off the woody ends. Then drop into a pot a boiling, salted water. Let cook for 3-5 minutes, depending on how "crisp" you want them.

After cooking to your desired "crispness", place the asparagus in an ice bath to stop the cooking.

Cut into bite size pieces. I chose to cut mine at an angle cuz it looked pretty.

I neglected to take of photo of segmenting the Grapefruit. I used 2 large Grapefruits. I cut  it in half and  cut the Grapefruit from the skin and pith at the edges. I also cut-out the "triangles"/sections of  Grapefruit and removed it with a spoon.  Use the Pulp Of the Grapefruit Only

I added the Asparagus, Grapefruit and 5 oz. of Arugula, as well as torn pieces of Thia Basil (8 leaves) and Mint (8 leaves) into a salad bowl and dressed it with 2 tablespoons Olive Oil and 4 tablespoons Blood Orange Balsamic Vinegar. Salt & Pepper to taste. Serve immediately.
**My friends and I were sooo pleasantly surprised by the taste of this one...... OUTSTANDING!!

Whassupp!!!!

I'm bad, I know. I've been busy with life so I haven't been cooking as much.  However, I have been concentrating on creating original recipes for food contests. I'm interested in seeing if I can make an impression. Plus, the prize money wouldn't hurt, it would help reach the ultimate dream of running my own gig, serving up some kick ass twisted comfort food!!  Fingers crossed!!!

Taboule Salad Recipe #2 Scallops

Taboule Salad Recipe #2

Add one cup of boiling water to one box of taboule, cover with plastic wrap and let stand for one half hour

Add one can of Succotash or a can of Garbanzo beans (chick peas) and one can sweet corn.

  

Saute' 15-20 bay scallops and chopped roasted red pepper, diced leeks 

Mix with Alfalfa sprouts 3 tbsp olive oil and 5 tbsp balsamic vinegar for a healthy alternative

End result is HEALTHY & DELISIOUS!!!

Baked Potato Salad - Ranch

Bake your favorite potatoes. I had a bag a reds. 350 degrees for approx. 45 minutes or until soft when you gently squeeze them.

After the potatoes have cooled, cut into 1 inch cubes.

Add 1 1/2 cups shredded cheese, 1/2 cup sliced green onions, 1/2 cup bacon bits (I chopped up some left over bacon from breakfast)

1 1/2 cups sour cream and 3 tablespoons of Ranch dry seasoning. And always, Salt & Pepper.

BEAUTIFUL!!!! This is an easy, yummy potato salad for any occasion that is sure to please!