9/26/2017

Peach Cobbler

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I most certainly couldn't tease you with pictures of my homegrown peaches this past Sunday without sharing a recipe.  And with all those peaches, I have already made this recipe twice this week and it's only Tuesday!

Cobblers are quite simple to make-- fruit filling and a biscuit dough.  This recipe calls for cooking the peaches first in a mixture of cornstarch, sugar, lemon juice (and I also add a bit of cinnamon because I like it).  So when choosing your peaches, you want to make sure you use ripe, but firm peaches.  Save those Southern "juice dripping down your arm" peaches for eating fresh, otherwise the fruit will break down too much when baking.  My variety is quite firm, so I do need to bake them a little longer, hence the 10-20 baking time range in the recipe.  Go ahead and check on your peaches while they are baking to achieve desired tenderness.  

While the peaches are baking, make the biscuit dough. This dough is more similar to a shortcake than a biscuit, which makes for a delicious topping.  The tenderness in the dough comes from the addition of yogurt.  I use Siggi's Icelandic-style non-fat vanilla yogurt for little more flavor and ease on the waist-line, but you can use any whole-milk or low-fat plain or vanilla yogurt of your liking.  Just remember not to over mix the dough or the biscuits will be tough. It may seem a little dry, but it will become cohesive enough to make mounds.  


This recipe is baked in an 8-inch round or square baking dish and serves 6, but it can be easily doubled to feed a crowd.  Just use a 9x13-inch rectangular baking dish.  Serve warm with a generous scoop of good vanilla ice cream and...my jaws just cracked.  I think I'll be freezing some peaches to get me through the winter with this recipe!

*UPDATE-- If you received a Galley Gourmet e-mail, I accidentally omitted the yogurt from the written recipe.  It has been corrected.

9/24/2017

Sunday Harvest/Dinner

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Blackened Shrimp

Cucumber Chive Salad
Tomato Basil Salad
Creamy Egg Salad
Rustic Toast Points

Peach Cobbler

I don't have a Sunday recipe to share, but I do have a couple of pictures.  It's been 90+ degrees here the past few days and my peach tree has been loving it! And so have I! We spent the morning, with the help from neighbors, harvesting our peach tree in our potager.  I know...peaches in Illinois?? This  variety, Reliance, was cultivated from The University of Minnesota. It can withstand our brutal cold winters.  It's perfect for canning, freezing, and making peach cobbler for dessert tonight😋🍑.





9/13/2017

Portillo's Chopped Salad

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A little over four weeks ago, I dropped off my first born child, Jack, to The University of Missouri. Man, oh man, was that ever tough.  I told my husband that it was a good thing that he was there because I would've had to stay in a hotel in Columbia for a week just to compose myself before driving home.  I think I lost 5 pounds in tears alone😭.  But on the bright side, the move-in went well, he was happy and excited, and I was going to see him in three weeks!!

So last weekend, my husband and I drove back down to Columbia to see our first SEC football game, Missouri Tigers vs. South Carolina Gamecocks.  Woohoo! Actually, it was just an excuse to hug him one more time😉.  It was so much fun!!  Friday we took him out for Shakespeare's Pizza with his roommate and a friend. Their Panda Pepper pizza is the bomb!  Saturday we saw SEC Nation show live with Tim Tebow, then my husband and I headed over to Glenn's Café for some fried oysters and bloodies that were made with Absolut Peppar vodka. Yummy!  Then we walked and walked and walked some more.  Next, we met up with Jack again and my husband's cousin who was the former SID (sports information director) for the Gamecocks and then we might have had a few beers (Jack had a coke) while we were catching up on our lives.  Later that day we walked down Stadium Blvd. and watched South Carolina beat Mizzou 31-13.  Minus the score for the Mizzou fans, it was a beautiful day!  

But before we headed back down to Columbia, I asked Jack if there was anything he would like me to bring from home.  It was also his birthday weekend, so he most certainly asked for a batch of my cupcakes, but he also requested Italian beef and gravy from that quickly expanding American restaurant chain serving up Chicago-style foods, a.k.a Portillo's. You got it, babe! Since then, I have had Portillo's on my mind, but the weather has been unusually warm for me to sink my teeth into an Italian Beef. So I pulled out an old recipe for the Portillo's Chopped Salad to satisfy my craving.

This salad is a meal!  Pasta✓ Chicken✓ Bacon✓ Veggies✓ Greens✓ Cheese✓ Seriously, what more could you want?  Well, maybe a super yummy sweet Italian vinaigrette to bring it all together 😋.  Like most salads, it is also very versatile.  In my version, I marinate the chicken breast in some of the vinaigrette, then I grill the chicken for a nice charred flavor.  However,  you can simply sauté the chicken or you can leave it out all together and serve it as a side salad for a large crowd.  I also use Radicchio instead of red cabbage because I like the bitter taste of it with the sweet dressing.  You can also add as much or as little of the tomatoes and the pungent blue cheese to your liking.  Whatever your variation turns out to be, I guarantee it will be good.  This salad also keeps pretty well.  It was easy to pack for school/work lunches and it was very nice to come home to on my lunch break this week.


Back to the weekend...on Sunday, we took Jack out one more time for breakfast at The Broadway Diner.  I don't think it has ever taken me that long to eat breakfast.  I just didn't want the weekend to end and leave my baby.  He wanted to walk back to his dorm room, so we said good-bye in the parking lot and...yes, I cried again 😢.  But it wasn't as bad as the first time.  You see, I get to see him again in two and a half weeks!!  Doin' my happy dance! This is one of the few times I am more than happy to travel more than 8 hours for soccer games in Kansas City because we will drive right through Columbia and have dinner with our boy!

7/19/2017

Antipasto Pasta Salad

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So yeah...I kind of vanished from the food blogging radar once again.  I'll spare you the details of a nasty fall that I had at the end of May. It left me pretty banged up and bruised from my knees down. And by bruised, I mean a severe bone contusion in my right knee that left me immobile for a couple weeks until I had to push through the pain and gimp around The University of Missouri on crutches for Jack's freshman orientation.  Less than two weeks later, I was hobbling around the streets of Nashville to visit Vanderbilt University for Emma.  Since then,  I've been home, resting and recovering as much as I can before I have to leave for another road trip tomorrow.  Mabelle's U13 soccer team won their Midwest Regional soccer tournament and we are off to Indianapolis to watch them compete for The National Cup⚽️🏆. Woohoo! So as you can read, it has been a painful, but proud two months of not blogging.  Ok, that was a couple of details😉.

On to the food...pasta salad.  It's the quintessential summer bowl of goodness that can be made in advance to feed a large crowd all at once or to feed a busy family in shifts because everyone is constantly coming and going.  I swear one these days I am going to have revolving doors installed in the front and back of the house! Like most pasta salad recipes, the ingredients are flexible.  For instance, the original recipe called for 8-ounces each of sopressata and hot capicola (actually they called for salami, but we prefer hot capicola), however I only use 4-ounces of each because I think that is enough cured meat flavor.  I also dial back on the sharp provolone, but then toss in some fresh mozzarella pearls because my family loves that creamy texture. I even add quartered artichoke hearts and a little oregano to bulk up the finished product and flavor.  But the one step in the recipe that is definitely a keeper and really makes it stand out is when the mushrooms are sautéed in part of the vinaigrette.  They become tender and deeply marinated in those antipasto flavors.  Having said that, "Make it for you, make it your own."  Happy cooking!

5/21/2017

Sunday Dinner

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Shrimp Cocktail

White Chocolate-Cream Cheese Mousse with Raspberries


I needed a relatively easy-one-pot-main-dish Sunday dinner tonight.  You see, I am in a huge undertaking of transforming my garage and cooking for my son's high school graduation BBQ party that is being held next Sunday!  And by cooking, I am talking about 45 pounds of Hickory Smoked Pulled Pork, several quarts of Western Carolina Sauce and Mustard Sauce,  a massive amount of Stove-Top Baked Beans, and a bucket load of Classic Creamy Coleslaw for the main event.  Then there are the appetizers-- veggies and Ranch Dressing, Pimento Cheese, Sweet Onion Cheddar Spread And I can't leave out the sweet ending of 6 dozen of my super-duper awesome cupcakes (that's a whole 'nother story that some of you may or may not know about)!  I won't mention the yard work, house cleaning, decorating and Memorial Day soccer tournament.  I just collapsed on my laptop thinking about it.  So yeah, back to the easy Sunday dinner.  

Shrimp cocktail-- cooked tail-on shrimp and jazzed up ketchup. Easy peasy, right? Well, it can be if you buy the shrimp already cooked, but I like to take it one step further and cook the shrimp in a court bouillon (a.k.a fancy word for flavored water).  Taking that little extra step really adds a depth of flavor to the shrimp and the bonus is that it can be done the night before.  The sauce can also be made a week in advance.  That's perfect for me tonight!  

Apparently there is a BBQ theme going on this time of year for me😂!

5/10/2017

Quick Beef and Barley Soup

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My son and I were huddled up in my big comfy chair the other night watching Netflix when I  turned to him and asked the daily question..."Any dinner druthers for tomorrow night?"  Usually I get a smart response like--"Food" from him 🙄.  But this time he quickly responded, "Beef and Barley Soup would be nice."  Me--🤔

Normally, I would serve this soup in late October when the skies are grey and the air temperature is cool and crisp.  Well, guess what...the skies have been grey and the air temperature has been cool and crisp lately; not to mention the rain.  So it was the perfect time to pull out this recipe.  It's easy and I know everyone LOVES it!

The original recipe called for chicken broth--???, this is a beef soup, so I like to use a mixture of mainly beef broth and a little chicken broth.  I also add garlic because everything is better with garlic.  I use a slurry of a bit more chicken broth and cornstarch at the end of cooking to give the soup a little body.  Then I finish the soup with Worcestershire sauce for a deeper flavor, and red wine vinegar and fresh parsley to give it a bright and fresh taste.
  
Serve it with some warm baked Brown Soda Bread, and this is a soup you will enjoy all year long.

5/07/2017

Sunday Dinner

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(I really need to retake a picture of my roast chicken)



This is one of those Sunday's that I do not have a new recipe to share.  In fact, I have shared each and everyone of the recipes on our dinner menu tonight.  The menu is a variation of one of our favorite Sunday meals; chicken, potatoes, and a green salad.  The only thing that changes seasonally is the appetizer and dessert.  Although I don't have a new recipe to share, I do have something quite beautiful to share that I captured with my camera just a little bit ago.

My next door neighbor texted me that there was a Robin's nest in the peach tree in my fruit and vegetable garden.  I called to my children, grabbed my camera and flew up the stairs to my son's bedroom window.  We spotted the nest immediately and waited for to see if Momma bird came. Moments later, the most beautiful thing happened--a momma feeding her babies ❤️. Happy Spring Sunday!



5/05/2017

Cinco de Mayo Eats

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I apologize for the last minute round-up of Cinco de Mayo fare, but I think it is safe to say that many of you might need some last minute ideas, will be celebrating through out the weekend, or need some recipe inspirations to use up the leftovers.  All those good eats can be found below!

To Start Your Day (or the next morning😉)
To Start Your Evening


A Few Snacks and Condiments








Soups and Salad





The Main Event


(I can't find the picture so, just click on the link above to see the post)







Complimentary Sides
Homemade Flour Tortillas







5/04/2017

Piña Colada Cake

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Can't get to a tropical beach for an island getaway and a glass of the popular drink made with frozen pineapple, pineapple juice, coconut, cream, and rum?  Then... MAKE THIS CAKE! I already know how good this cake tastes, but boy oh boy, is the picture making me drool as I type and it's bringing back fond memories of taking that first bite this past Sunday (cue the ocean breeze).  However, you are going to probably take one look at the recipe and say, "Nope, not happening."  It is a long recipe that requires serval parts and steps, but I guarantee that It comes together fairly easily.

The filling is a cooked combination of pureed pineapple and rum (the alcohol is cooked out) that is thickened with cornstarch.  It can be made up to a day ahead (easy prep work).  The cake itself is a simple yellow cake that is made in a rather unconventional way.  Instead of creaming the butter and sugar first, the butter, sugar, and flour are blended together before adding the wet ingredients.  The frosting is a traditional confectioners' sugar buttercream flavored with a little more coconut.  The assembled cake is garnished with toasted coconut and thin slices of pineapple (that I did dry on paper towels so they would slide around on the top of the cake and make the frosting wet).


I just have one warning before you read the recipe.  There is a copious amount of butter in the cake and the frosting!  But, you are only eating a sliver or a slice (ok maybe two).  Just try not to think about it, don't tell you guests, and wait to feel the island breeze when you take that first bite.

Now, if upon reading the recipe and you still don't want to tackle it, here are some other tasty sweets for your Cinco de Mayo Fiesta!

5/02/2017

Grilled Steak Fajita Sheet Pan Pizza

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When you're working for the day and all you have is take-out pizza on the brain for dinner, but you're kind of craving Mexican food and you still have a leftover grilled strip steak in the refrigerator that you don't want to go to waste...what do you do?  You come home on break, do a quick search on one of your favorite cooking sites and then become inspired to make Grilled Steak Fajita Sheet Pan Pizza, of course! Doesn't everyone think like that??

The original recipe technique required pulling out the grill and grilling the steak, vegetables and the pizza.  But my steak was already cooked and I have several mouths that I need to feed, so I broke out my Sheet Pan Pizza recipe and got down to business.  While the dough was rising, I made the sauce. Oh my, the sauce is so good!  It's a South of the border adaptation to my traditional pizza sauce.  Just make sure you use chipotle chili powder and not regular chili powder for a nice smokey flavor. Instead of vinegar to brighten the sauce, I used pickled jalapeño juice that comes from a jar of jalapeño nacho slices. 



While the dough was still rising, I decided to broil the peppers and onion instead of dragging out the grill for a nice charred flavor.  Then I had my daughter, Mabelle, grate a mixture of Cheddar, Chihuahua, and Monterey Jack cheese for me before she went to soccer practice ⚽️ (she's such a good helper in the kitchen).  The only thing left was to chop some cilantro, stick my head in the oven 😉 and throw it all together!  

OMG y'all--this was mind blowing! It was like, stuff-your-face good! Or like, I can't-wait-to-have-leftover-steak-to-make-this-again good.  So, if you are celebrating Cinco de Mayo this week...make this pizza!! It has all Mexican-American flavors covered.

4/30/2017

Sunday Dinner

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Avocado-Dressed Shrimp a la Mexicana

Pork Carnitas

Piña Colada Cake


How many of you actually celebrate the independence of Mexico from French forces on May 5th? Yeah, I don't either.  But I find it a very good reason to celebrate the Mexican-American culture through food and festivities (emphasis on the food).  Since Cinco de Mayo is only days away (how is it almost May already?!?), this Sunday dinner menu was easily inspired.

Like many recent recipes that I have shared, I have lost count how many times I have had this on a Sunday dinner menu.  So, it is time that the Avocado-Dressed Shrimp a la Mexican makes a solo debut.

If you like pico de gallo, guacamole, and sweet shrimp, you are gonna love this! The original recipe used this mixture as a topping for tostadas, but I adapted it so it is a more scoopable appetizer/dish/salsa to begin our meals or have as a light snack.  I added a bit of garlic for more flavor and also added an extra diced avocado for a nice balance of textures and because I love avocados.  The recipe can be made a few hours in advance (bonus when you are a food blogger taking pictures on a Sunday before a big meal).  Just make sure you press a sheet of plastic wrap directly on the surface of the mixture to avoid oxidation of the avocados. Bring to room temperature before serving, then grab some tortilla chips and dig in. 


4/23/2017

Sunday Dinner

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Steak Salad with Creamy Horseradish Dressing
Cheesy Garlic Bread

Fluffer-Nutter Treats


With quite a bit of steak leftover from dinner last night, I am composing it into a simple salad for dinner tonight.   Not only do I have leftover steaks, but I also have half a pan of these yummy treats.  Cue the easy Sunday dinner for me!

These treats are the love child of a traditional Rice Krispies treat and the classic New England sandwich made with peanut butter and marshmallow fluff.  There's the obvious sticky, gooey, crunchy texture of the traditional recipe, but then there is the salty and nutty flavor from the trio of peanut butter chips, peanut butter, and chopped peanuts.  

The recipe calls for an 8-inch square pan, but you can easily double the recipe and press the mixture into a 9-x13-inch rectangular pan, as I did last night.

4/22/2017

Goo Goo Cluster Cupcakes

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If you've been following me through my posts or on Facebook the last few weeks, you'll remember that my husband I recently took a road trip to Nashville, TN.  And...I have found my new home!  It was my first time there and I immediately fell in love.  Even my Midwestern-born and raised husband said, "I could get use to this."  

After a 7 1/2 hour car ride down I-65 (ugh-I really don't like that stretch of road through Indiana), we were famished.  So, we headed straight to the The Southern for a few good eats and beverages.  The fried shrimp BLT and the oysters did not disappoint. Then, we walked across the Cumberland Pedestrian Bridge and back which was quite the accomplishment for someone who is deathly-- and I mean deathly, afraid of heights🙋🏼.  

Next up was a walk down 2nd Ave.  There was a painted brick wall to my left that said-- go get a Goo Goo. I looked to my husband and asked, "What's a Goo Goo?".  He then preceded to tell me about the political "Goo-Goos" or government guys in Chicago.  I politely listened (as I usually do) and then turned the corner to investigate The Nashville Goo Goo.  

Goo Goos are historical Nashville confections.  They consist of a marshmallow nougat candy, topped with caramel, salted peanuts and chocolate.  Jaws are cracking. When you have all those flavors and textures in one treat, what is not more to love? Well, a recipe combining said flavors with a simple warm baked good and a generous scoop of vanilla ice cream.

Can't get to Nashville for a Goo Goo?  They are sold at your local Bed Bath and Beyond, as well as Cracker Barrel (I looked it up).  If you are ever in Nashville for a Goo Goo or a night out on the town, head to the Grand Ole Opry.  We had a great time!


4/19/2017

Hawaiian Fried Rice

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You've read my ramblings about how my Southern heritage and my husband's Midwest background has brought a lot of love into my kitchen.  But one thing that I don't write much about is my love for the foods of the Pacific Islands (Oahu to be specific) where I spent a few years when I was little.  I can still remember our visits to the Dole Plantation. There was an employee there that would make origami cranes out of Dole packaging paper.  I thought it was the coolest thing ever.
But the best part of the Dole visit was walking through the pineapple farms.  It was like walking through a row-field of giant tropical thistles. The sweet pineapple tasting at the end of the tours was a highlight, as well.  Needless to say, that is where my love of pineapples came from.  

Another Hawaiian favorite is Spam...cue the screeching sound of culinary brakes.  Seriously, I'm not going there.  Encased meats--yes!  Canned meats--no!  How is it that something that is manufactured in Minnesota, is a staple in the Pacific grocery isle🤔? I'll save that one for later. But when hearing the word Spam, I can't help think of ham.  And I think it is safe to say that at this time of the year, the majority of us all have a little bit of leftover ham in the refrigerator.  

Ok, time to get to the "Hawaiian" recipe.  
Pineapple✓ 
Ham✓
Veggies✓
Rice✓
Leftovers✓
Sweet & Savory✓
One skillet✓
Weeknight✓
Easy for entertaining✓
SOO DELICIOUS✓✓

Many recipes for Hawaiian Fried Rice like to simply add the fresh cut pineapple to the fried rice, but like my Hawaiian Pizza, I like to take it one step further and caramelize the pineapple.  It really brings out a deep, almost smokey flavor to the pineapple, as well as reducing the moisture to the rice dish, which would make a gummy mess if you have any leftovers.  *Note--there will not be any leftovers, so make two batches😉.  

The real beauty of this one-skillet dish is the versatility.  Allergic to eggs? Leave them out. Don't have red bell pepper? Use shredded carrots and peas.  Cutting back carbs? Try cauliflower "rice" and tell me how it works out!! I love cauliflower.  Don't like onion? What's wrong with you?? I can't promise that it'll taste the same as the one pictured and devoured, but...


Make it for you, make it your own!

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