Kale Chips

I don't know if you've heard about the phenomenon of kale. Growing up, kale was always that weird, curly-lettuce garnish on plates at restaurants. It turns out that it's one of the healthiest foods you can have. I never really knew what to do with it until my neighbor said "I LOVE kale chips!" So I turned to Google and found a recipe and decided to simplify it. It's the easiest thing to make! When they were done, Jake was a little apprehensive but after me convincing him to at least try it and THEN say he didn't like it, he tried it. After that, I couldn't keep him away from the bowl. So here you go...

Enjoy!

Kale Chips
Prep Time: 10 mins, Cook time: 20 mins, TOTAL TIME: 30 mins
Recipe and Photo by: Me!

1 head (or bunch) of fresh Kale with ribs removed and cut/torn into 1.5 to 2 inch pieces
2 tbsp of olive oil
1 tsp of kosher salt

1. Preheat oven to 275 degrees.

2. When you wash your kale, make sure it's completely dry before performing this recipe. I apparently had some extra water in there somewhere and some of the kale turned out steamed and a little limp.

3. In a bowl, lightly massage kale with the olive oil to make sure it coats completely. Place kale evenly on a large cookie sheet. Sprinkle lightly with the salt.

4. Bake for 10 minutes in preheated oven. After the 10 minutes, flip the kale over and bake for another ten minutes.

Crispy Rosemary Chicken and "Fries"

Lately, some of my recipe attempts have been a bust, so I was a little apprehensive to try this one. Of course, after reading all the reviews about how delicious this meal was, I knew I had to try it. It's basically 5 ingredients (except for salt and pepper which are needed a little) and super easy to make. So I decided to share it with you! I put "Fries" in apostrophe marks because the picture in the original recipe looks like fries, but they didn't come out like fries when I made it, but still really yummy!

Crispy Rosemary Chicken and "Fries"
Recipe by SANDY WITEK of allrecipes.com, Photo by Me! :)
Prep time: 15 mins, Cook time: approx 1 hour, TOTAL TIME: Approx 1 hour 15 mins

4 chicken thighs (I recommend bone-in with skin on to keep the chicken moist and skin gets crispy)
6-8 small red potatoes, quartered
1/4-1/2 cup EVOO (I used 1/2 cup and it was a little much, but it's good for basting the chicken)
1 tbsp chopped fresh rosemary
1 tbsp chopped fresh oregano
Salt and pepper to taste

1. Preheat oven to 375 degrees Farenheit.

2. Place chicken and potatoes together in large bowl. Pour EVOO over them and mix together. Scatter the chicken and potatoes into baking dish or cookie sheet with sides. Sprinkle with rosemary, oregano and salt and pepper (the potatoes especially need salt and pepper - I used Kosher salt)

3. Bake for 1 hour in preheated oven, uncovered. Baste chicken for the last 15 minutes for extra crispness. (When I baked the chicken, I baked it for an entire hour without basting, then basted the chicken, cooked for another 10 mins, then took the chicken out again, basted and baked for an additional 10 minutes - 20 extra minutes total.)

Enjoy!

(Sorry the picture is rotated, but you get the idea)

Best Ever Brisket

Those who know me personally, know that I'm not a big red meat eater. There was a point in time where I wouldn't step near a steak, claiming I could "feel it clogging my arteries" if I ate it. Of course my palate matured, as did my attitude towards meat. I realized that once in a while a GREAT piece of beef is needed to satisfy the carnivore within.

Jake and I are also HUGE fans of the Food Network, and Man vs. Food on the Travel Channel. When Guy Fieri visits BBQ joints, I can see Jake starting to drool from across the room. Despite my being a novice when it comes to cooking, I love trying new recipes and having them work out well. Every once in a while, Jake asks for a certain thing for me to make. This time, it was brisket.

Brisket is Jake's favorite type of BBQ next to ribs. Of course, a whole brisket is a tad pricey for our house, so it's a big treat when I make it. I found this recipe on allrecipes.com and I'd love to share it with you!

Best Ever Brisket
Recipe by: ChristineD of allrecipes.com
Prep Time: 10 mins, Cook Time: 4 hours, TOTAL: 4 hours, 10 mins
Makes 16 servings

2 tbsp chili powder
1 tbsp salt
1 tbsp garlic powder
1 tbsp onion powder
1 tbsp ground black pepper
1 tbsp white sugar
1 tbsp seasoned salt
1 (4 pound) beef brisket
1 1/2 cups beef broth

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

2. Combine chili powder, salt, garlic powder, onion powder, black pepper, sugar, and seasoned salt in a medium bowl, and blend thoroughly. Apply rub to surface of brisket.

3. Cook brisket, uncovered, in a foil-lined (believe me, you NEED to foil-line your pan/dish), in preheated oven for 1 hour. Remove from oven and add beef broth to roasting pan. Lower temperature to 300 degrees, cover roasting pan tightly with foil, and cook 3 more hours. Let brisket rest 30 minutes before slicing.

Here's a picture of our glorious brisket before we cut it.

Enjoy!

LoLo's Homemade Garlic Bread

I've never posted a recipe of my own before, and frankly, I'm nervous. I only post recipes that I find worth sharing, and I've never tried something on my own just to see how it goes. I'm not that courageous when it comes to cooking - mainly because I don't want to be one of those people on Food Network's Worst Cooks in America that gets to say "I put my husband in the ER from my cooking". Yeah...not for me, thanks.

But a friend of mine once invited me over for an early dinner and ever since, I've been making this garlic bread. I was raised with the "bake and serve" Colombo garlic bread which is tasty, don't get me wrong. But this is just divine for me and I usually end up eating more of the bread than what the main course is. It's easy and it's done in about 15-20 minutes. Enjoy!

LoLo's Homemade Garlic Bread
Prep Time: 5 minutes Cook time: 15 minutes, TOTAL: 20 minutes
(serves 4-6)

1 Loaf Pugliese Bread (Pugliese is an Italian bread that is crunchy on the outside and semi-soft on the inside - feel free to use whatever bread you'd like)

6tbsp stick butter softened (NOT MELTED)

2tsp minced garlic

Ground black pepper

Ground white pepper

Onion powder

Shredded parmesan cheese (I use fresh shredded from the deli, but you can use what you want)


1. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees, Farenheit

2. If using Pugliese bread, cut off the ends and cut the middle section into threes. Once you have sliced "rounds" of the bread, cut those in half so you have the bottoms and tops. Arrange on a baking sheet (I use a cookie sheet)

3. Soften butter and add minced garlic. Mix together. Spread butter/garlic mix evenly over the "insides" of the bread sections.

4. Sprinkle onion powder very lightly onto freshly spread butter. Follow with a sprinkle of black pepper (use a little more black pepper than onion powder) and then white pepper.

5. Sprinkle shredded cheese onto bread. I usually make sure the cheese fully covers the top with a little extra for some extra cheese (I mean, really - who doesn't like (LOVE) extra cheese?)

6. Bake in oven for 10-15 minutes (10 minutes will just melt the cheese, but 15 minutes will make the cheese semi-golden brown - so 12 minutes might be a happy medium)

7. Take out and enjoy! Careful, the cheese might take a couple of minutes to cool down enough to eat.

It's that easy! Let me know what you think if you try it! :)

Caramelized Onion and Gorgonzola Pizza

It's my first recipe in a looooong time, so I figured I'd try something outside my comfy box and give this one a whirl.

I love caramelized onions. There is something so...I don't know...sinful (?) about caramelized onions. It's part veggie, part candy. It's amazing to me with a little heat and some patience, the dreaded plant that makes my eyes water no matter what I do to avoid that happening while cutting it turns into something so yummy! I also love gorgonzola. It's the #2 after Bleu Cheese and before Feta. I used to HATE Bleu Cheese when I was little, but of course as I grew, so did my taste buds. So to think both of them on a pizza??? GENIUS!!! I will admit I didn't make enough onions to cover the pizza as much as I wanted too, so I'd recommend adding more onion (you can use your discretion). I also couldn't find Vidalia onions, which I'm SURE would've made this pizza's yummy-factor to be upgraded to the umpteenth degree, but such is the shopping options at my local Safeway. I used regular sweet yellow onions, which were yummy nonetheless. Next time I find some Vidalia onions (Farmers Market trip!), I'm grabbing some and making this pizza again.

Enjoy!

Caramelized Onion and Gorgonzola Pizza

Recipe by Julie of allrecipes.com

Photo by allrecipes

Prep time: 15 min, Cook time: 40 min, TOTAL: 55 min

Recipe yields 12 servings

1/8 cup butter

2 large Vidalia onions, thinly sliced

2 teaspoons sugar

1 (10 oz) package refridgerated pizza dough (you can also make your own if you like)

80z Gorgonzola cheese, crumbled (the original recipe calls for 1lb, but that seems extreme for me, but again, do what you like)

1. In a large saute pan, melt butter over medium heat. Saute onions in the butter until the onions are soft and dark brown, approximately 25 minutes. Stir in sugar and continue cooking for 1-2 minutes.

2. Preheat oven to 425 degrees Farenheit.

3. Grease pizza pan or cookie sheet, and press out the dough to desired thickness. Spread onions evenly over the dough, and top with the crumbled Gorgonzola cheese.

4. Bake for 10-12 minutes, or until done.

Balsamic Roasted Pork Loin

Wow...how long has it been since I've posted a recipe!? Holy cow! Or in this case, Holy Pig!

I've been making more of an effort to post on the blog, and try new recipes. My goal is to try a new recipe at least once every two week, then get more ambitious and try a new one at least once a week. It could be a main dish, a side dish, dessert, or baked goodies (because we all know how great those are!)

I'm not a fan of the pork chop. I used to be until I saw a video on YouTube that changed everything (long story, don't ask). For some reason, though, pork loin doesn't bother me. So while on allrecipes.com, my go-to place for new ideas for meals, I stumbled across this recipe and thought I would share. It was dee-lish! :)

Balsamic Roasted Pork Tenderloin
Recipe by Melissa S. of allrecipes.com and photo by Lori L. of allrecipes.com

Prep Time: 5 mins (2 hours to marinade), Cook Time: 1 hour, TOTAL: 3 hrs. 5 mins.
Serves 4

1 lb pork tenderloin or roast
1 tablespoon steak seasoning rub
1/4 cup balsamic vinegar
1/4 cup EVOO

1. Dissolve steak rub in balsamic vinegar, then stir in EVOO. Put pork into Ziploc bag and add marinade into bag with pork. Make sure the marinade covers the pork. Refridgerate for 2 hours (or overnight if you'd like).

2. Preheat oven to 350 degrees Farenheit.

3. Put pork into glass baking dish along with the marinade. Bake in preheated oven for 1 hour, basting occasionally (if you can) until the center of the pork reaches 145 degrees F. Let rest for 10 minutes before slicing.

Enjoy!

Chicken Enchilada Soup

I know it's been FOREVER since I last posted a recipe, but I HAVE to share this one. I wasn't aware until recently that Chili's (the restaurant) had something called Chicken Enchilada Soup, and it happens to be a major favorite for Jake. So I wanted to try my hand at it and it is OH MY YUMMM!!!!!!!!!!! I made it last night for dinner and Jake said and I quote "You can make this again any time you want".

Chicken Enchilada Soup (by KMHIX of allrecipes.com)

Photo by Pamela D. of allrecipes.com

Prep Time: 10 min, Cook Time: 50 min = TOTAL: 1 hour

8 servings

1lb boneless, skinless chicken breast halves

1 tbsp vegetable oil

1/2 cup diced onion

1 clove garlic, minced

1 quart (4 cups) chicken broth

1 cup harina para masa (Mexican corn flour for making tortillas)

3 cups water, divided

1 cup enchilada sauce

2 cups shredded Cheddar cheese

1 tsp salt

1 tsp chili powder

1/2 tsp ground cumin

1. In large pot over medium heat, cook chicken breasts in oil until well browned on all sides. Remove and set aside.

2. Cook onion and garlic in remaining oil until onions are translucent. Pour in chicken broth.

3. In a bowl, whisk together harina para masa and 2 cups of the water until well blended (I found that mixing the harina para masa slowly by 2 tbsp at a time in warm water keeps it from getting grainy). Pour into pot with remaining 1 cup water, enchilada sauce, cheese, salt, chili powder and cumin. Bring to a boil.

4. Shred cooked chicken and add to the pot. Reduce heat and simmer 30-40 minutes, until thickened.

We topped our soup with sour cream and more shredded cheese on top and had it with tortilla chips. Enjoy!

Peppermint Bark

Every year for the past three years, my big cuzzie Megan and I make Peppermint Bark together. It's become a sort of tradition for us. The first year we did it, she was pregnant with her youngest son and this year I'm pregnant with Jake and my first child. The funny thing is, this year when we got together I was only 6 weeks behind where she was when we got together the year she was pregnant.

I was raised in a neighborhood where the neighbors look out for each other, and give cookies or some kind of homemade goodie around the holidays. When we moved to my parents' current house, we weren't that close with our neighbors but I did manage to make cookies a couple of years.

Now that Jake and I live on our own, I cherish the thought of having neighbors on friendly terms, because they're the ones who will call the cops if someone suspicious is casing your house. They're the ones who will help you out, say hello, invite you to neighborhood functions. It's important this day in age to have that sense of community, and Jake and I have that where we live. So I make Peppermint Bark for my neighbors because #1, they are awesome people that I'm glad are my neighbors and #2 because I like visiting them and letting them know that I do think of them, especially this time of year.

So, onto the recipe...

Peppermint Bark
Prep time: 10 minutes, cook time: 45 minutes = TOTAL: 55mins
Makes 2 9x13 inch pans

1 regular bag (forgot the oz) semi-sweet chocolate chips
1 regular bag of white chocolate chips
(You can of course have all white, or all semi-sweet and therefore would need two bags of that flavor rather than one of each)
6 regular-size peppermint candy canes
Wax Paper
a cookie sheet

Unwrap candy canes and put into a ziplock bag. Crush candy canes with either hammer or rolling pin (make sure your countertop is adequately protected). Make sure when crushing that there is a good mix of small chunks of candy and more powder-like candy. Take a small mesh collander and separate the larger chunks from the powder. Set aside.

Melt semi-sweet chips either in a double-boiler or in the microwave - be careful to melt chocolate slowly so it doesn't burn. Mix in half of peppermint powder into melted chocolate. Spread a 1/8 inch layer onto wax paper-lined cookie sheet. Place in refridgerator.

Melt white chocolate chips either in double-boiler or in the microwave - again, be careful to melt chocolate slowly so it won't burn. Mix in rest of peppermint powder into white chocolate. Take semi-sweet-chocolate out of fridge and spread 1/8 inch layer of white chocolate on top of the semi-sweet. Sprinkle peppermint candy chunks on top of white chocolate.

Take large piece of wax paper and using that, gently press peppermint chunks into the white chocolate. If you don't do this, the candy won't stick into the chocolate as it cools and will fall off.

Refridgerate for 45 minutes. Take out and break into pieces.

Blueberry Sour Cream Pound Cake

I haven't posted (or tried) a new recipe in a while. I saw this one on allrecipes.com and the only thing keeping me from making it was that I didn't have a tube pan. Bed, Bath & Beyond is awesome, I tell ya.

Blueberry Sour Cream Pound Cake

Prep Time: 20 min, Cook Time: 1 hour = 1 hour 20 minutes total

16 servings

Recipe by Taste of Home & allrecipes.com, photo by Laurel Smith

1 cup butter, softened

3 cups sugar

6 eggs, separated

1 cup sour cream

1/4 teaspoon baking soda

3 cups all-purpose flour

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

1 teaspoon almond extract

1 teaspoon butter flavoring (I didn't find this so I skipped it)

1 1/2 cups fresh or frozen blueberries

1. In a large bowl, cream butter; gradually adding sugar and mix well. Add egg yolks, one at a time, beating well after each addition.

2. In a separate bowl, combine sour cream and baking soda. Add alternately with flour to creamed mixture. Beat egg whites until stiff peaks form. Fold egg whites, extracts, butter flavoring and berries into the batter.

3. Spoon into greased 10 inch tube pan. Bake at 350 degrees for 60-70 minutes or until cake tests done.

Enjoy!

Easter Egg Dipper Treats

I know this is a little late since Easter's been done for about 3 weeks, but I HAVE to post this recipe.

Enjoy!

Easter Egg Dipper Treats (from allrecipes.com, Kellogg's Rice Krispies)

Prep Time: 20min, Ready in: 1 hour

24 servings

3 tbsp butter or margarine

1 (10oz) package regular marshmallows

6 cups Kellogg's Rice Krispies cereal

1 1/2 cups semi-sweet chocolate morsels or milk chocolate morsels

5 tsp shortening

Multi-colored sprinkles

Plastic easter egg shells

1. In a large saucepan, melt butter over low heat. Add marshmallows and stir until completely melted. Remove from heat.

2. Add Kellogg's Rice Krispies cereal. Stir until well coated.

3. Coat inside of plastic easter egg shell with cooking spray. Press cereal into taller half of egg with excess on top, snap bottom of egg onto top. Cool.

4. In small saucepan, combine chocolate morsels and shortening. Cook over low heat until melted, stirring constantly so chocolate does not burn. Dip bottoms of cooled cereal eggs into chocolate. Decorate with sprinkles. Place on wax paper-lined baking sheet. Refrigerate until chocolate is firm. Individually wrap in plastic wrap.

Shrimp and Asparagus

Jake and I tried this recipe last week and Oh. My. Yum! More please! :)

Enjoy!

Shrimp and Asparagus

recipe by Cathy Christensen of allrecipes.com

Photo by ALFANN02 on allrecipes.com

Prep time: 20 min, Cook time: 30 min, TOTAL: 50 min

8 servings

1 pound fresh asparagus

1 (16oz) package egg noodles (I used No Yolks noodles)

4 cloves garlic, minced

1/2 cup EVOO

1 cup butter

1 tbsp lemon juice

1 lb medium shrimp - peeled and deveined

1 lb fresh mushrooms, sliced

1/2 cup grated Parmesan cheese

salt and pepper to taste

1. In a small saucepan, boil or steam asparagus in enough water to cover until tender; chop and set aside.

2. Bring a large pot of salted water to full boil, place the pasta in the pot and return to a rolling boil; cook until al dente. Drain well.

3. In a large saucepan, saute garlic in the olive oil over medium-low heat until the garlic is golden brown.

4. Place butter and lemon juice in the saucepan. Heat until the butter has melted. Place the shrimp in the saucepan and cook until the shrimp turns pink. Place the mushrooms and asparagus into the saucepan, cook until mushrooms are tender.

5. Toss the shrimp and vegetable mixture with the egg noodles and sprinkle with Parmesan cheese. Salt and pepper to taste. Serve immediately.

Onion-Roasted Potatoes

This is a recipe that my mom first made when I was a kid. She made them in the mircowave (if I remember correctly) but they've been a favorite of mine ever since. I love making them, but I bake them in the oven, which I think makes them even better.

Enjoy!

Onion-Roasted Potatoes

Original Recipe and photograph by Lipton Soup Mixes

Prep Time: 10 minutes, Cook Time: 40 minutes, TOTAL: 50 minutes

4 servings

-1 envelope Lipton French Onion Soup mix

-4-5 medium potatoes (I use Yukon Gold potatoes because they cook better than Russet), cut into chunks.

-1/3 cup oil (I use EVOO)

1. Preheat oven to 425 degrees. In a 13x9 glass baking dish, combine all ingredients.

2. Bake, stirring occasionally, for 40 minutes or until tender and golden brown.

Clam Chowder & Cheddar Biscuits

OK, so I've decided to have a recipe challenge and have begun a weight loss challenge for myself.

Jake and I recently took pictures with a very talented photographer friend of mine. When I saw the pictures, my jaw literally fell to the floor. The pictures themselves were wonderful, beautiful...the editing was unbelievable. But all I could see was my double chin(s). Yes, I said it. In the blogosphere. I have a double chin. I was disgusted with myself. How had I let this happen? Time and time again I thought that I was doing OK, then when I saw a little progress, I figure "oh this one thing won't hurt me"..but it does. Because it never stops with that one thing. It continues...and continues...and continues...and I hate it.

So I am making a pledge, and am hoping to make myself accountable by posting my ups and downs on this blog. I'm hoping you all will help and support me in this and I'm hoping I can stick to it.

So onto this week's recipe...

The chilly weather is in full effect. Thanksgiving is 3 days away (woohoo! Family!) :)

So, here is a classic recipe combo, and the biscuits are an almost carbon copy of Red Lobster's Bay Biscuits...Yummo!

New England Clam Chowder

Recipe & Photo from allrecipes.com

Prep Time: 15 mins, Cook Time: 40 mins, TOTAL: 55 mins

8 servings

4 slices of bacon, diced

1 1/2 cups chopped onion

1 1/2 cups water

4 cups peeled and cubed potatoes

1 1/2 tsp salt

ground black pepper to taste

3 cups half-and-half

3 tbsp butter

2 (10oz each) cans minced clams

1. Place dices bacon in large stock pot over medium-high heat. Cook until almost crisp; add onions, and cook 5 minutes. Stir in water and potatoes, and season with salt and papper. Bring to a boil, and cook uncovered for 15 minutes, or until potatoes are fork tender.

2. Pour half-and-half, and add butter. Drain clams, reserving clam liquid; stir clams and 1/2 of clam liquid into soup. Cook for about 5 minutes, or until heated through. Remove from heat and allow to sit for about 10 minutes to slightly thicken. Serve and enjoy!

Cheddar Biscuits

Recipe & Photo from allrecipes.com
Prep Time: 15 mins, Cook Time: 15 mins, TOTAL: 35 mins

8 servings

2 cups biscuit baking mix (Bisquick)

1 cup shredded Cheddar cheese

2/3 cup milk

1/2 tsp garlic powder

2 tbsp butter, melted

2 tsp dried parsley

1 tsp garlic salt

1. Preheat oven to 400 degrees F. Grease a cookie sheet or line sheet with parchment paper.

2. In a large bowl, combine biscuit baking mix, Cheddar cheese, and garlic powder. Stir in milk. Drop batter by heaping tablespoonfuls onto prepared cookie sheet.

3. Bake in preheated oven for 10 minutes. Brush biscuits with melted butter and sprinkle with dried parsley and garlic salt. Bake for 5 more minutes, or until lightly browned on bottoms.

Shrimp Scampi Bake

Jalen - this one's for you buddy! :)

Shrimp Scampi has always been one of those dishes that's intimidated me for no reason. I thought for a long time that only professionals or gourmets would know how to make scampi correctly. When I saw this recipe and how simple it was, I decided to give it a try. I've modified the recipe a little, so here it goes.

Shrimp Scampi Bake

original recipe & photo on allrecipes.com

Prep: 30 min, Cook: 15 min, TOTAL: 45 mins

6 servings

1/2 cup butter (1 stick) - the original recipe calls for 1 cup butter...WAY TOO MUCH!

1 tbsp lemon juice

2 tbsp Dijon style mustard

1 tbsp garlic, minced or chopped

1 tbsp fresh parsley, chopped

2 pounds medium raw shrimp, shelled, deveined

1. Preheat oven to 450 degrees.

2. In small saucepan over medium heat, combine butter, mustard, lemon juice, garlic and parsley. When the butter melts completely, remove from heat.

3. Arrange shrimp in shallow baking dish. Pour butter mixture over the shrimp.

4. Bake in preheated oven for 12-15 minutes or until shrimp are pink and opaque.

(I served this over wheat pasta...yum!) Enjoy!

Balsamic-Glazed Salmon

Jake and I are big fish people. We looooooove us some good fish. For this my mom thinks I'm some sort of alien, my Dad thinks it's my Portuguese side peeking out a little. Regardless, I love fish. Yum.

This is a recipe that I've been wanting to try for a while, but just had the inspiration to try. Usually Jake and I grilled fish instead of baking it, but the baking turned out pretty tasty.

Enjoy!

Balsamic-Glazed Salmon

6 servings

Total prep & cook time: 30 minutes

Recipe and picture from allrecipes.com

6 (5 oz) salmon fillets

4 cloves garlic, minced

1 tbsp white wine

1 tbsp honey

1/3 cup balsamic vinegar

4 tsp Dijon mustard

salt and pepper to taste

1 tbsp chopped fresh oregano

1. Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Line a baking sheet with aluminum foil, and spray with non-stick cooking spray.

2. Coast a small saucepan with non-stick cooking spray. Over medium heat, cook and stir garlic until soft, about 3 mins. Mix in white wine, honey, balsamic vinegar, mustard, and salt and pepper. Simmer, uncovered, for about 3 mins or until slightly thickened.

3. Arrange salmon fillets on foil-lined baking sheet. Brush fillets with balsamic glaze, and sprinkle with oregano.

4. Bake in preheated oven for 10-15 minutes or until flesh flakes easily with a fork. Brush fillets with remaining glaze, and season with salt and pepper. Use a spatula to transfer fillets to serving platter, leaving skin behind on foil.

Garlicky Tortellini, Spinach & Tomato Soup

With the stormy weather headed our way in the Bay Area, I decided to try a soup recipe last night. It wasn't heavy, but it was filling. Jake and I had garlic bread with it. Can you tell with both looooooove garlic? :) Enjoy!


Garlicky Tortellini, Spinach & Tomato Soup
Courtesy of: Cooking New American


Ingredients:

2 tbsp unsalted butter
6 to 8 cloves garlic, chopped (I used 4 tbsp jarred minced garlic)
4 cups homemade, or low-salt chicken broth
6 oz fresh or frozen cheese tortellini
14 oz canned diced tomatoes, with liquid
10 oz spinach, washed and stemmed, coarsely chopped if large
8 to 10 leaves basil, coarsely chopped
Grated Parmesan cheese


1. Melt butter in large saucepan over medium-high heat. Add garlic and saute until fragrant, about 2 minutes.

2. Add broth and bring to a boil. Add tortellini and cook halfway, about 5 mins for frozen pasta, less if using fresh tortellini. Add tomatoes and their liquid, reduce the heat to a simmer and cook just until the pasta is tender.

3. Stir in spinach and basil and cook until wilted, about 1 to 2 minutes. Serve sprinkled with parmesan cheese on top.

(sorry for the blurry picture)

Boilermaker Tailgate Chili

Well, football season has officially commenced....with a win by the 49ers I might add! Woohoo!! So to start off the season right, and because of the strange and rainy weather we were having this past weekend, I decided to make the ultimate gameday delight/rainy day comfort food: Chili. This isn't just any chili...oh no...this is Boilermaker Tailgate Chili. It's the chili Purdue football fans make at Purdue's football games. Now normally, I'm not a big chili fan...but this was oooooh yummy. Jake was speechless it was so good.

Enjoy!

Boilermaker Tailgate Chili

from allrecipes.com

12 servings

Prep Time: 30 min

Cook Time: 2 hours

Ready in: 2 hours 30 mins

2 pounds ground beef chuck

1 pound bulk Italian sausage

3 (15oz) cans chili beans, drained

1 (15oz) can chili beans in spicy/zesty sauce

2 (28oz) cans diced tomatoes with juice

1 (6oz) can tomato paste

1 large yellow onion, chopped

2 stalks celery, chopped

1 green bell pepper, seeded and chopped

1 red bell pepper, seeded and chopped

2 green chile peppers, seeded and chopped

1 tbsp bacon bits

4 cubes beef buillion

1/2 cup beer

1/4 cup chili powder

1 tbsp Worcestershire sauce

1 tbsp minced garlic

1 tbsp dried oregano

2 tsps ground cumin

2 tsps hot pepper sauce (e.g. Tabasco sauce)

1 tsp dried basil

1 tsp salt

1 tsp ground black pepper

1 tsp cayenne pepper

1 tsp white sugar

1 (10.5oz) bag of corn chips like Fritos

1 (8oz) package shredded Cheddar cheese

1. Heat a large stock pot over medium-high heat. Crumble the ground chuck and sausage into the hot pan, and cook until evenly browned. Drain off excess grease.

2. Pour in the chili beans, spicy chili beans, diced tomatoes and tomato paste. Add the onion, celery, green and red bell peppers, chile peppers, bacon bits, bouillon, and beer. Season with chili powder, Worcestershire sauce, garlic, oregano, cumin, hot pepper sauce, basil, salt, pepper, cayenne, paprika, and sugar. Stir to blend, then cover and simmer over low heat for at least 2 hours, stirring occasionally.

3. After 2 hours, taste, and adjust salt, pepper, and chili powder if necessary. The longer the chili simmers, the better it will taste. Remove from heat and serve, or refrigerate, and serve the next day.

4. To serve, ladle into bowls, and top with corn chips and shredded Cheddar cheese.

Photo courtesy of username: Scuba Steve from allrecipes.com

Garlic Lemon Shrimp and Orzo with Broccoli

I know I haven't posted a recipe in a while, my apologies. Last night, Jake and I decided to try something new to add variety to our weekly menus. I came across the following recipe from a blog I follow, Cooking This and That. Jake and I found it to be satisfying (not filling) and light enough to not feel bogged down by heavy ingredients.

Enjoy!

Garlic Lemon Shrimp and Orzo with Broccoli

slightly adapted from Dinners for a Year and Beyond

Makes 2-3 servings

1 cup orzo

1 broccoli crown, cut into bite-sized pieces

1 tablespoon olive oil

1/2 medium onion, diced

2 garlic cloves, minced

1/2 lemon, juiced and zested

1/2 cup white wine or chicken broth

kosher salt and coarse ground black pepper, to taste

scant tablespoon butter

about 1 pound of large shrimp, peeled and deveined

2-3 tablespoons parsley, chopped

1/3 cup Parmesan cheese, grated

Bring a medium saucepan of water to a boil, add orzo and cook until al dente, 8-9 minutes.

During last 2 minutes of cooking, add broccoli to the pasta water. Drain orzo and broccoli, set aside.

In large saute pan, heat olive oil over medium-high heat. Add onions and cook until soft and translucent, about 5-6 minutes. Add garlic and cook for another minute.Add lemon juice, zest, and wine/broth to saute pan. Bring to boil and then reduce heat; simmer for 2-3 minutes. Season with salt and pepper. Stir in butter and stir until melted.

Add shrimp to saute pan, cook until pink and cooked through, 4-5 minutes. Add orzo and broccoli, parsley, and Parmesan cheese to shrimp mixture; toss gently to combine. Serve immediately.

Wanting to learn to cook

I'll admit, I'm a timid cook. I like to mostly play it safe, and am always looking to *maybe* branch out and try new things. Here are some things I'd love to learn

1. How to properly use cutting knives, and learn what the different knives are and what they're uses are.

2. To decorate a cake (a la Wilton).

3. How to create my own recipe.

4. How to host a good dinner party (for future Christmases, Thanksgivings, etc.)

5. How to properly use different kitchen tools, and possibly know when to weed out old ones that I won't use.

Anyone up for the challenge?

Chipotle Shrimp Tacos

From a wonderful blog I follow, "Sarah's Test Kitchen", I decided to try a recipe from this fabulous lady :). (Hi Sarah!). I made a few minor changes that would've helped Jake and I eat these tacos without the tortillas crumbling to pieces. I also modified our recipe a little bit since we didn't have a BBQ readily available. I might have missed something, but here it is.

Enjoy!

Chipotle Shrimp Tacos

from Sarah's Test Kitchen

Makes 4-5 small tacos

--1lb medium-sized raw shrimp (31/40) - deveined, shells removed (I also recommend removing the tails now, since I tried to after the shrimp were cooked and burned my fingers)

--1 tbsp olive oil

--2 tbsp chipotle sauce (I used a marinade/sauce since I couldn't find it in a can)

--1 tsp salt

--White corn tortillas (I would suggest lightly pan frying for 2 seconds on each side for more pliable tortillas)

--Any other taco fixings you'd like (We used black beans, fresh homemade pico de gallo, and cheese)

1. Toss shrimp, olive oil, chipotle sauce, and salt and mix together. Marinate in refrigerator for 30 minutes.

2. Saute shrimp in a non-stick pan until thoroughly cooked.

3. Once cooked, give shrimp a rough chop, assemble your tacos...Enjoy!

Thanks again Sarah! :)

Fresh Pico de Gallo (LoLo's recipe)

1 large tomato, chopped

1/2 large onion, chopped

2 or 3 tbsp fresh cilantro, chopped

1/4 tsp salt

1 1/2 tbsp lime juice

Mix all ingredients well, refridgerate.

Makes 2-3 servings