What's For Dinner?

Fall Salad with Cranberry Vinaigrette

11:30 AM |

From allrecipes.com
I subbed dried cranberries for fresh cranberries.

1/2 cup cider vinegar
1/4 cup cranberries
1/4 cup olive oil
2 teaspoons white sugar
1/8 teaspoon kosher salt
1 pinch freshly ground black pepper
2 heads romaine lettuce - rinsed, dried, and torn into bite-size pieces
2 medium heads Belgian endive - washed, dried and chopped
2 red Anjou pears
1/2 cup toasted walnuts, chopped
1/2 cup crumbled Gorgonzola cheese

Directions

In a saucepan, combine vinegar and cranberries. Cook over medium heat until cranberries soften. Remove from heat; add olive oil, sugar, salt and pepper. Place in blender and mix until smooth. Refrigerate until chilled.
Core and julienne one pear, core and dice the other.
In a large bowl, combine the Romaine lettuce, endive, diced pears, walnuts and Gorgonzola. Toss and drizzle with enough dressing to coat.
Divide among salad plates and garnish with julienned pear. Top with any additional walnuts as well.

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Coming Soon!

12:56 PM |

A blog about Harvest Salad, Drunken Pork Chops served over Garlic Mashed Potatoes and Spinach and the Mushroom Log Appetizer. Having dinner guests and I'm cooking! YAY! Check back after the weekend!

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That's what Ian called them...he also called them "Oh my God, these are the best nachos ever!"
While I can't take full credit for the recipe, I did make some alterations as I went along based on ingredients I had in the house. I used Linguiça instead of the recommended Chorizo because we had it in the house. And I used chili beans because I didn't have black beans...and I might have added some cilantro in there somewhere...and more garlic and green onions that I was supposed to...ha...

So I present to you the recipe that inspired Snauchos or Spicy Sausage, Bean and Cheese Nachos

The picture of my final product. YUM!

From the kitchen of Emeril Lagasse

Servings: 4-6

Difficulty: Easy

Cook Time: 1-30 min

Ingredients

· 1 pound fresh hot sausage (such as chorizo), removed from the casings and crumbled

· 1/4 cup finely chopped green onion bottoms (reserve tops separately)

· 1 tablespoon chopped garlic

· Two 15-ounce cans pinto or black beans, drained

· 3/4 cup chicken stock or canned, low-sodium chicken broth or water

· 1/2 teaspoon chili powder

· 1/4 teaspoon ground cumin

· 1/4 teaspoon salt

· 12 ounces large (restaurant-style) tortilla chips

· 3 cups grated pepper Jack or sharp cheddar cheese, or a combination

· 1/4 cup pickled jalapeno slices, or to taste

· Your favorite salsa, for serving

· Sour cream, for serving

Cooking Directions

Preheat the oven to 450°F.

Place a large skillet over medium-high heat, add the sausage, and cook until it is nicely browned and the fat is rendered, about 5 minutes. Use a slotted spoon to transfer the sausage to a paper towel-lined plate to drain.

Add the green onion bottoms and the garlic to the fat remaining in the skillet, and cook until fragrant and soft, about 20 seconds. Add the beans, mix well, and cook until heated through, about 1 minute. Add the chicken stock, chili powder, cumin, and salt. Mash the beans with the back of a heavy wooden spoon or a potato masher until chunky-smooth.

Reduce the heat to medium and continue cooking until completely warmed through, 1 to 2 minutes. Remove from the heat.

Spread half of the tortilla chips in one even layer on a large oval ovenproof platter or in a large baking dish. Top with half of the beans, half of the sausage, half of the cheese, and half of the jalapenos. Repeat with another layer of chips, beans, sausage, cheese, and jalapenos. Bake until the cheese is melted and the mixture is hot, 2 to 3 minutes.

Remove from the oven, and serve garnished with chopped green onion tops, salsa, and sour cream.

4 to 6 servings

Prep time: 10 minutes Cook time: 10 minutes Total: 20 minutes

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Tangy, Zesty & Spicy Grilled Shrimp

3:38 PM |

I have returned to blogging! I have been cooking, just nothing really inspiring...'cept for a few things, which I have been documenting and am now sharing with you!

If you're looking for a change up on your grilled shrimp, try this recipe. It has a hint of citrus, garlic and spice all in one. It is great with a grilled onion and a side of quinoa salad.

This recipe had been a hit THREE times, so I suppose it's time to share it. First, make the marinade and while you're waiting for that (20 minutes to 1 hour, depending on what you feel like) then you can make the seasoning. It makes A LOT of seasoning, so it's good to have a container or jar to store the remaining seasoning in so you can you it over and over again.

I've made about 36-40 large (peeled) shrimp with this dish (serves 4) and there is enough season left over to make this dish 10 times at least!

Marinade

1/2c lime juice

2Tbs cilantro

2tbs scallions

1 tbs shallots

1tbs ginger

1tbs garlic

1tbs lime rind

1/2c olive oil

Seasoning

1/3c salt

2tbs garlic powder

2tbs onion powder

1tbs smoked paprika

1tbs cayenne pepper

1 tbs red pepper flakes

After marinading, skewer the shrimp and season with the seasoning. The first time I did this, I seasoned both sides it was a little salty. The second time I made it, I completely forgot the seasoning so we added it after it was cooked, which was also good. The third time, I only seasoned one side--that seemed to work out the best.

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Fresh Salsa

1:03 PM |

This recipe was inspired by the the farm fresh tomatoes that my neighbor dropped off for us today.

1 1/2lbs plum tomatoes (roughly chopped)
3 cloves of garlic (chopped)
1 small sweet onion (chopped)
1 jalapeño (chopped) (or whatever kind of pepper you happen to have in the house)
1 tsp course salt
1 tsp white vinegar
2 tsp oregano

In a food processor, pulse chopped garlic, onion, pepper and about 2/3 of the chopped tomatoes.
Remove from the food processor and set aside in a bowl and add remaining tomatoes to the food processor. Pulse until liquefied. Add to the bowl.

Stir in remaining ingredients and make sure you have a chip near by so you can try your creation.

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Spicy Escarole and Bean Soup

4:32 PM |

This recipe is based on a few that I've made in the past and since the hubby and I are both sick today, it's also the easiest.

Ingredients
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- 3 garlic cloves, chopped
- 1 pound escarole, chopped
- Salt
- 4 cups low-salt chicken broth
- 1 (15-ounce) can cannellini beans, drained and rinsed
- 1 (1-ounce) piece Parmesan
- 1 (14.5oz) can of diced tomatoes with Jalepenos
- ]Freshly ground black pepper
- 6 teaspoons extra-virgin olive oil
- Serving suggestion: crusty bread

Directions

Heat 2 tablespoons of olive oil in a heavy large pot over medium heat. Add the garlic and saute until fragrant, about 15 seconds. Add the escarole and saute until wilted, about 2 minutes. Add a pinch of salt. Add the chicken broth, beans, and Parmesan cheese. Cover and simmer until the beans are heated through, about 5 minutes. Season with salt and pepper, to taste.

Ladle the soup into 6 bowls. Drizzle 1 teaspoon extra-virgin olive oil over each.

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A Healthy Spin on Shrimp Scampi

9:45 AM |

This another Weight Watchers inspired meal. Haven't made it in a while but it was very tasty--and has a healthier spin on it than regular Shrimp Scampi.

Ingredients:
2 tsp olive oil
6 medium garlic clove(s), minced
1 tsp dried oregano
1 pound(s) shrimp, medium, peeled and deveined
1/4 cup(s) wine, dry white or vermouth
2 tsp cornstarch
3/4 cup(s) reduced-sodium chicken broth
3/4 tsp table salt, or to taste
1/8 tsp black pepper, or to taste
8 oz uncooked whole grain pasta cooked and kept hot
1/4 cup(s) parsley, fresh, chopped
2 Tbsp basil, fresh, thinly sliced

Instructions

Heat oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat; add garlic and sauté 1 minute. Add oregano and stir to coat. Add shrimp and sauté until bright pink, stirring frequently, about 3 minutes. Add wine and simmer about 1 minute.

Dissolve cornstarch in chicken broth in a small cup and whisk until blended; add mixture to skillet and simmer 2 minutes, until sauce thickens. Season to taste with salt and pepper.

Transfer cooked pasta to four individual shallow bowls and spoon shrimp and sauce over top; sprinkle with parsley and basil. Yields about 1 1/3 cups of pasta, 1/4 cup of sauce and 3 ounces of shrimp per serving.

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Fall Salad with Cranberry Vinaigrette

Directions

Coming Soon!

"Snauchos"

Tangy, Zesty & Spicy Grilled Shrimp

Fresh Salsa

Spicy Escarole and Bean Soup

Ingredients

Directions

A Healthy Spin on Shrimp Scampi