I first tried one of Deanna’s stuffed mushrooms way back when we would have appetizer parties, drink wine, and not have to worry about how much you drank because there were no kids to wake up to. I loved them, got the recipe, and then tucked it away, forgetting about it. Recently, my husband unearthed it to make for a party and OMG!!!! I had totally forgotten how delicious they were. Gourmet and easy, this is the perfect dish to bring to your Oscar party this Sunday. –Alex
Ingredients:
- 16 oz mushroom caps (the bigger, the easier to stuff) Read More…
With the change of hour resulting in the evenings getting darker sooner, I always find myself cooking more. I think that since it’s dark, there’s not much to do and I finally have the time to spend in the kitchen. Nothing like a hot stove emitting yummy smells to make the house feel cozy on a cold night. Here are some of my current favorite cooking gadgets–(almost) all for under $10.00!
5. Vacu Vin Pineapple Slicer
My family adores pineapple, but my husband and I both hate slicing it—getting this gadget changed all that. This pineapple slicer makes it so easy, you just cut off the pineapple top, twist the slicer in and pull out. Creates beautiful pineapple rings, and you’re left with Read More…
You may have read that my daughter was diagnosed with cancer last month. As a result, we were in the hospital for a long period of time, and when we were finally discharged, our friends rallied around us and brought meals every night. Each one was phenomenal, so I thought I’d share them with you; hence the name, “Hospital Series”. This salad kicks it off.
While Emily was still at CHOC, I came home one night to be with Kieran and Bowen stayed with Emily. My sweet friends Cama and Jen brought me dinner from my favorite restaurant. Included was a yummy arugula salad, and I commented that I hadn’t had any vegetables in days, because I was surviving on hospital food. Jen, master of all good eating, and the Queen of Salads put together this meal for me to take back to the hospital the next day. It was delicious, and when I called and thanked her for it she replied, “No problem, I’m glad you liked it, I couldn’t have my friend’s digestive tract going to pieces.” Now if they only had a salad bar half as good in the CHOC cafeteria. . .
Ingredients: Read More…
This past Friday I was at the launch party of Breezy Mama Vanessa’s (Go-To Outfit Whiz) styling business where I was saddled up next to the food table, glass of wine in hand, gobbling up the goods. I somehow managed to avoid the desserts when, at the end of the night, someone said, “Erica, these peanut butter cups are delicious!” Peanut butter cups?? What? Where? Turns out that I had been missing peanut butter and chocolate pieces of heaven. I shoved one in my mouth so fast, and it was so delicious, I couldn’t believe that I was avoiding it. Erica went home and sent me the recipe that same night, but she wants to make sure her friend Kim gets the credit–that’s where Erica originally got the recipe from. All I have to say is, thanks to both you girls for making life a bit sweeter. –Alex
Ingredients:
- Pre packaged peanut butter cookie dough
- Mini Reese’s peanut butter cups
Directions: Read More…
If you’re on this site, most likely, you know first hand about pregnancy cravings. That need for a certain food and you’ll let nothing stop you from getting it. When Breezy Mama Laura was pregnant with her second child, she HAD to have some fried rice. So much so, that she and her family drove down from LA to get her fill at a Japanese restaurant near our house. The plan was to take the kids to the park while the dads watched football, and then we’d head out to quell her craving. Well, when we got back to the house from the park, the dads had a different plan–to stay at the house and BBQ. And, being the go-getters that they were, the BBQ was already started. You should’ve seen Laura’s face drop. Tears silently rolled down her cheeks–she HAD to have her rice. That’s when Bowen, my husband, jumped into action, “I’ll make you some fried rice.” No, it wasn’t the same, claimed Laura. I piped up, “No, he’s good, it WILL be the same.” After a bit more tears (remember, poor thing was about seven months pregnant), we had her convinced, and after eating it, she was as happy as a clam–”It is just as good!” Laura exclaimed. Make it for yourself and you Read More…
You may have read my posting about Ole and his delicious Summertime Salad. . . In it, I write that in the 16 years I’ve known him, I had never tasted his cooking until this summer. Who then, usually feeds us you ask? Well, this is where his wonderful wife, Alysha, enters the picture. She is a fabulous chef–one of those people who can whip up anything and it tastes absolutely gourmet. The recipe below is a perfect example. . . As Alysha says, “It can barely be called a recipe as it is so easy!”
Ingredients:
- 1 jar whole cranberry sauce
- 1 small jar jalapenos
- 1 very small or half of a sweet onion (Maui or Vidalia)
- 1 hefty handful of chopped cilantro
- 1 block of cream cheese
Directions:
Mix together ingredients and pour mixture over the block of cream cheese.
Voila! I told you it was easy.
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Cindy from the Pampered Chef sent Breezy Mama her recipe for: Fresh Pineapple Salsa (from Pampered Chef Season’s Best 2009). She writes, “This would be a nice appetizer / salsa for white fish or even chicken.”
Ingredients:
2 plum tomatoes
1/2 small red onion
1 cucumber
1/2 cup cilantro
1 jalapeno pepper
1 pineapple
1 lime
1/2 tsp salt
Directions:
1. Hull and remove seeds from tomatoes. Dice tomatoes, onion and cucumber.
Chop cilantro. Combine the above ingredients in large bowl. Cut jalapeno
in half lengthwise and remove seeds. Finely chop jalapeno and add to bowl.
2. Slice pineapple (Pampered Chef has a pineapple wedger that makes this a
‘breeze’!!!) Dice half pineapple. Juice lime (2 tbsp) and add salt to mix.
Mix thoroughly until combined. Serve with tortilla chips or as a topping of
fish or chicken. Delicious!
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I thought I’d mix it up a bit today and do a dessert–I’m sure you’ve been bringing your appetizers and salads to all of your summer BBQ’s and want to try something new. Here it is. I got this recipe from an old co-worker, Michele, years and years ago. I needed to figure out a dessert–fast–for a dinner that I was going to straight from the office. Strawberry Surprise (what I call it) was it. Fast, easy, and inexpensive Read More…
This is one of my favorite ways to use up the abundance of tomatoes that I have growing during the summer months. I don’t know who came up with it first–Cama or Breezy Mama Jen (who are sisters-in-law) so I will give them both equal credit. Even if you swore off tomatoes when you were a kid, you still HAVE to try this recipe. My husband, who can’t stand tomatoes, absolutely loves it. What’s so great about it is it’s versatility. As Cama wrote me in an email, “This can be used as a salad dressing, on toast, meats, pasta or bruschetta. You can’t really mess this recipe up…just don’t use too much balsamic!” Enjoy! –Alex
Ingredients:
1 cup olive oil
1/4- 1/2 cup balsamic vinegar (I usually stick closer to the 1/4 cup amount)
2 tablespoons fresh basil
8 vine ripened tomatoes roughly chopped
2-3 cloves of garlic put through press (or chopped garlic from the jar)
3 shallots (diced) OR finely chopped red onions
salt and pepper (to taste)
Directions:
Put all ingredients in a large glass jar (a Mason or cleaned out pickle jar, for example) and cover tightly. Set in the sun for 4-5 hours. (I normally make it in the morning, and set it in the sun for the day.)
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Today’s Delish Dish comes to us from Breezy Mama Anna. The following recipe is her Go-To meal when having company over. The side dish of orzo is Anna’s own adaption of a Rachael Ray recipe; Anna says, “When I first saw a version of this recipe by Rachael Ray, I was skeptical because I had never been a fan of fennel. This side dish was amazing. I never knew that fennel could be so good!” Try it and let us know what you think. Happy cooking!
Serves 2 -3 people.
Tri Tip
Ingredients:
- 1 ½ – 2 lb Tri Tip (2 lbs served 3 people)
- Olive oil
- Santa Maria Style Seasoning (Seriously mouth watering–available at scottsfoodproducts.com. Or you can use any pre-blended meat seasoning you may have on hand.)
Directions:
- Preheat oven to 350 degrees
- Wash and dry the meat. Rub with olive oil. Generously season or rub the meat all over and let it stand at room temperature for up to 2 hours.
- Place meat in oven, fat side up, on a rack with a roasting pan for 45 minutes.
- About ½ way through, brush a little more olive oil on top so that the meat doesn’t dry out. Cooks medium-rare.
Orzo Delight
Ingredients:
- ½ lb of orzo
- 1 large red onion, chopped
- 4 garlic cloves, chopped
- 1 fennel bulb, quartered, cored, and thinly sliced
- 1 cup chicken broth
- 1 pint of grape tomatoes
- 10 fresh basil leaves, chopped
- ½ cup fresh flat-leaf parsley leaves, chopped
- ½ cup of grated Parmigiano-Reggiano
- 2 tablespoons of olive oil
- Salt
Directions:
- Cook the orzo (al dente) according to package directions.
- While the orzo is cooking, preheat a large skillet over medium-high heat with the olive oil. Add the onions, garlic, fennel, salt and pepper.
- Cook, stirring frequently, for 4 to 5 minutes.
- Add the chicken broth and grape tomatoes, bring up to a bubble and cook for 2 minutes.
- Add the cooked orzo, basil, parsley, and grated Parmigiano cheese and stir to combine.
- Add salt to taste.
Warning: Don’t get too full–it’s only your side dish!
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*Photo taken from The Breakaway Cook.
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