New Direction And 4 New Recipes

So if you subscribe to my 365 Clever Cookbooks blog you may be wondering why no new posts. Well, let me tell you, life got in the way. Simply stated my life in the last three weeks involved 2 great vacations and not a lot of time to cook home cooked meals. But isn’t that the problem with all of us…..too much to do and not enough time. Normally I would just suck it up and get it done however I had a second problem. The second problem was it just wasn’t fun for me anymore. The blogging every day of new recipes, the trek to the library, the cooking because I felt I “had to” just got to be too overwhelming. So I took a break, told my children, announced it on facebook and listened to everyone’s reactions. The most important reaction was from my children, they were disappointed. My youngest and middle, who are the fussy eaters wanted me to keep going. I said, “but you never ate what I cooked”. The response was simple and profound, “but we liked you making it and trying just a bite to see if we liked it”. Wow….blow me over with a feather. I did not expect that at all!

So I have had a week to regroup and this is what I came up with. I will cook like I have always done and just post my recipes. Sometimes you will get photos, sometimes you will not. But the important thing is, I will post recipes that our family loves. What I would love from you is to help me along the way. Do you have some recipes that your family goes ape wild over, if so be a guest blogger for me. Write a blog post and I will post it to share with all my friends. Because lets face it, we all need help in figuring out what is for dinner!

So back to the basics; I am a creature of habit and they way I search for recipes is simple, online. That is the source that I will go back to. It is part of my mission of getting less dependent on recipes found in books and on cards and ones found on-line. I love to search my favorite sites for new and inspiring recipes. So back to my habits of finding a good one online and less on the trek to the library….where frankly I was going to run out of cookbooks!

Here is what I made this weekend with the complete recipes for the ones out of my recipe book and the links from the ones that I found on the internet:

Cafe Rio Pork Salad (my adaptation as I have made it much simpler than the version I had found online)

Cafe Rio Pork Ingredients:

•  pork roast, one that is great for shredding
• 1 cup of chunky salsa
• 1 can coke
• 1/2 c. brown sugar

Directions:

1. Place pork in crock-pot. Mix together ingredients, salsa, coke, brown sugar and put on top of pork. Cook for 6 hours on low. Shred pork with forks, taking out the fat. Leave it on low until ready to serve.

 Creamy Tomatillo Dressing Ingredients:

•  1 packet hidden valley ranch buttermilk dressing
• 1 c. buttermilk
• 3/4 c. of light sour cream
• 3/4 cup  tomatillo salsa
• ¾ bunch fresh cilantro
• juice from 1 lime (about 2 tsp.)

Directions:

1. Blend all ingredients in the blender. Refrigerate.

 SERVING:

 There are two options for this, either serve it as a salad or eat it as a taco. I eat it as a salad and my younger two boys eat it as a taco. For the salad I add whatever fresh vegetables I have around the house such as tomatoes, peppers,cucumbers and avocado. I don’t even add cheese as I think the salad has enough flavor and you really don’t miss having the cheese. For some who are making the tacos, they may like cheese.

 Lemon Thyme Bars

Ingredients:

• Butter, for greasing dish
• Flour, for dusting dish

Bar Ingredients:

• 1 stick (4 ounces) unsalted butter, at room temperature
• 1 cup all-purpose flour
• 2 tablespoons chopped fresh thyme leaves (I have lemon thyme that I grow every year just for these bars)
• 1/2 teaspoon fine sea salt
• 1/2 cup powdered sugar
• 2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
• 1/2 teaspoon pure vanilla extract

Glaze Ingredients:

• 2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
• 1/2 cup powdered sugar

Directions:

1. Place an oven rack in the center of the oven. Preheat the oven to 325 degrees F. Butter and flour an 8 by 8-inch glass baking dish.
2. In a small bowl combine flour, thyme and salt. Set aside. Using a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, beat together 1 stick of butter and powdered sugar on high-speed until light and fluffy, about 30 seconds. Beat in the lemon juice and vanilla. Reduce the speed to low and gradually add the flour mixture. Using damp fingers, press the dough into the prepared pan. Bake for 30 minutes until golden. Cool for 30 minutes.
3. In a medium bowl, whisk the lemon juice and powdered sugar together until smooth. Spoon the glaze over the cooled crust. Allow the glaze to harden, at room temperature, for at least 1 hour.
4. Using a metal spatula, remove the crust from the pan. Cut into 1 1/2-inch square bars and arrange on a serving platter or store airtight in a plastic container at room temperature.

The Pioneer Woman Taco Pizza

The Pioneer Woman Red Velvet Cake with The Best Frosting Ever

 

To Joyful, Simplified Living,

MS. Simplicity

 MS. Simplicity, also known as Melissa Schmalenberger  operates her business as I Did it with MS. Simplicity.  She is a Professional Organizer based out of Fargo, ND and her website can be found at http://www.ididit-fargo.com/.

• Interested in starting your own Professional Organizing business, visit http://www.mssimplicity.com/ to learn about how Melissa can help you! 
• Need to contact MS. Simplicity privately, you can email her at melissa@mssimplicity.com.
• MS. Simplicity offers monthly classes, click here to find out the latest offerings!
• For daily organizing tips find the MS. Simplicity fan page here.

 

Roasted Poblano Quiche with Queso Fresco

Day 155: Good Day For A Picnic: Simple Food That Travels Well

June 4, 2011

I have been told that real men don’t eat Quiche. I don’t believe it as I had real men not only eat the Quiche, but they made the Quiche as well. Can I tell you how much I love having my children work for a fine dining establishment! He knows how to roast poblano peppers. I know I didn’t teach him that skill. I will take credit for teaching him how to tie his shoes….in a funny way yet endearing way. But the boy can also make gorgeous chocolate dipped strawberries and he isn’t even 18. Lucky mom I am!

Have you been on a picnic lately? I highly suggest you do so. It is good for your soul. My middle son is taking his girlfriend on a picnic this week. I raise some awesome kids! He needs to take a peak at this cookbook to find something to take on the picnic. Lovely cookbook with lovely ideas. Be romantic, and take that special out for a picnic.

The Ruling: I liked it….the men in my life felt it needed some meat added to it. Maybe some ham would have made them happy. I took a short cut and used a premade pie crust, go ahead and cheat, I won’t tell!

Roasted Poblano Quiche with Queso Fresco, pg 131

 Ingredients:

•  1 tablespoon olive oil
• 2 cups chopped scallions
• 2 poblano peppers, roasted, peeled, seeded, and chopped
• 1 or 2 jalapeno peppers, roasted, peeled, seeded, and chopped, optional
• 2 tablespoons flour
• ½ teaspoon salt
• Freshly ground black pepper
• 1 cup crumbled queso fresco or mild feta cheese (about 4 ounces)
• 1 recipe Whole Wheat Quiche Pastry in a 9 inch pie pan (page 133)
• 1 cup whole milk
• 2 large eggs
• ¼ teaspoon ground cumin, optional
• Chopped fresh cilantro
• 1 recipe tomatillo Salsa (page 134), optional

Directions:  

1. Preheat the oven to 375 degrees F.
2. In a medium skillet over medium heat, heat the olive oil.  Sauté the scallions until they’re soft and just starting to brown, about 10 minutes.  Add the poblanos and jalapenos, if desired, and heat through.  Stir in the flour, salt, and pepper, and remove the mixture from the heat.
3. Layer half of the cheese on the bottom of the Quiche crust.   Add the pepper mixture.  Beat the milk and eggs together and pour them over the Quiche.  Top with the rest of the cheese and the cumin, if desired.
4. Bake for 35 to 40 minutes, until the custard is set and the crust is browned.  Serve garnished with cilantro and tomatillo salsa, if desired.
5. For a picnic, serve the Quiche at room temperature or cold.  Though best the day it’s made, it can be refrigerated for 2 days.  For dining at home, or a backyard picnic, the dish is also good served warm.

 

To Joyful, Simplified Living,

 

MS. Simplicity

 

MS. Simplicity, also known as Melissa Schmalenberger  operates her business as I Did it with MS. Simplicity.  She is a Professional Organizer based out of Fargo, ND and her website can be found at http://www.ididit-fargo.com/.

• Interested in starting your own Professional Organizing business, visit http://www.mssimplicity.com/ to learn about how Melissa can help you! 
• Need to contact MS. Simplicity privately, you can email her at melissa@mssimplicity.com.
• MS. Simplicity offers monthly classes, click hereto find out the latest offerings!
• For daily organizing tips find the MS. Simplicity fan page here.

 

Grilled Pizza Dough

Day 152: Let the Flames Begin: Tips, Techniques, and Recipes for Real Live Fire Cooking

June 1, 2011

Have you ever grilled a pizza? The first time we tried it, it ended in disaster! I remember coming home after my husband had grilled the pizza and my oldest son asked if we could order some “real” pizza. Needless to say, our kids were not impressed at our first attempt. That was about 10 years ago and I felt it was time to try it again. I know that people have great success with grilling pizzas, so I knew I had to try it again.

Did you know that grilling cookbooks don’t always just cover the traditional grilling recipes that you imagine. Sometimes they expand to do pizza dough! This is a fun cookbook for those who love to grill as for those who are new to grilling.

The Ruling: We made this with friends on their smoker grill. We grilled the bread and then added some non traditional ingredients, such as pesto and artichoke hearts as well as tomatoes, garlic stuffed green olives and mozzarella. One thing that I loved is that the dough that did not stick to the grill, like I thought it would. Success! I liked the addition of the beer, it added a level of flavor that was unexpected.

EZ Grill Bread with Personality, pg 77

Ingredients:

• 1 tablespoon active dry yeast
• 3 cups all-purpose flour
• ½ cup warm water
• 2 tablespoons olive oil, plus more for brushing
• ½ cup beer of your choice, at room temperature
• ¼ cup yellow cornmeal, plus more for dusting
• 1 teaspoon kosher salt, plus more for sprinkling

 Directions:

1. In the bowl of an electric mixer, stir together the yeast and ½ cup of the flour.  Add the warm water and mix until just blended.  Cover with a damp towel and let stand in a warm, draft-free place (inside the oven with the pilot light on, for example) for 30 minutes, until the mixture is thick and foamy and gives off a sound sort of like soda fizz when you stir it.
2. Add the 2 tablespoons of oil and the beer to the yeast mixture and mix well.  Now add the ¼ cup of cornmeal and the teaspoon of salt, then begin adding the remaining 2½ cups of flour, ½ cup at a time, to form a soft dough (you may not need all of the flour).  Turn the dough out onto a floured board and knead , adding as much of the remaining flour as necessary to prevent the dough from sticking, until the dough is satiny and slightly sticky, about 8 minutes.
3. Place the dough in an oiled bowl, turning once to coat.  Cover loosely and let rise in a warm place until doubled in bulk, about 1 to 1½ hours.  Divide the dough into quarters, then form each one into a ball.  Sprinkle a cookie sheet with cornmeal and put the balls of dough on the sheet, then cover loosely and let rise again for 30 minutes.  Or, if you want, at this point you can cover the dough with plastic wrap and refrigerate until about 1 hour before you want to cook the bread.)
4. Build a multi-level fire in your grill:  leaving one quarter of the bottom free of coals, bank the coals in the remaining three quarters of the grill so that they are three times as high on one side as on the other.  When the coals are all ignited and the temperature has died down to medium (you can hold your hand about 5 inches above the grill grid, over the area where the coals are deepest, for 4 to 5 seconds), you’re ready to cook.
5. Stretch each ball of dough into a rough circle or rectangle about 1/8 inch thick and 10 inches across.  Brush with additional olive oil and sprinkle with kosher salt, then place on the grill directly over the coals and cook until black spots from on the bottom and bubbles form on the top, about 4 minutes.  Flip the bread and grill the other side until golden and crusty, about 3 to 4 minutes.  Remove from the grill and serve.

 

To Joyful, Simplified Living,

MS. Simplicity

MS. Simplicity, also known as Melissa Schmalenberger  operates her business as I Did it with MS. Simplicity.  She is a Professional Organizer based out of Fargo, ND and her website can be found at http://www.ididit-fargo.com/.

• Interested in starting your own Professional Organizing business, visit http://www.mssimplicity.com/ to learn about how Melissa can help you! 
• Need to contact MS. Simplicity privately, you can email her at melissa@mssimplicity.com.
• MS. Simplicity offers monthly classes, click hereto find out the latest offerings!
• For daily organizing tips find the MS. Simplicity fan page here.

 

Pappardelle With Meat Ragu And Poached Egg

Day 150: Italian, My Way: More Than 150 Simple and Inspired Recipes That Breathe New Life into Italian Classics

May 30, 2011

Even though it is summer, sometimes we get those rainy days where we need a home cooked comfort food meal. Sunday’s are my favorite days to make these types of meals. Sunday’s are the days that I am more laid back and I am not so rushed. The kids are usually all in one place and I am not playing carpool shuffle.

Those Sunday meals don’t get better than Italian slow cooked food. This cookbook focuses on the basics of Italian cooking, but not the hard parts. Just simple goodness.

The Ruling: Everyone ate it. I served it over wide noodles because I couldn’t find the Pappardelle. I also skipped the part of the fried egg on it. The fried egg would have been fun, but I am not a fried egg fan….so no friend egg 🙂

Pappardelle With Meat Ragu And Poached Egg, pg 111

Ingredients:

• 2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
• 2 pounds beef stew meat, cubed
• ½ cup chopped pancetta
• 3 onions, peeled and chopped
• 2 cloves garlic, chopped
• 1 bottle red wine
• 2 cups cold water
• 1 cup canned San Marzano tomatoes
• Sea salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste
• 1 pound pappardelle
• 4 eggs
• 4 tablespoons (1/2 stick) unsalted butter
• ¼ cup grated Parmesan

Directions:

1. In a large skillet, heat the olive oil and brown the beef and pancetta.  Add the onions and garlic and cook until browned.
2. Add the wine and bring to a boil, then add the cold water and the tomatoes with their juice.
3. Braise for 3 hours, covered, on low heat.
4. When the meat is tender, mash with a fork and season with sea salt and black pepper.
5. Bring a pot of salted water to a boil.  Cook the pappardelle until just tender.  Drain, reserving 2 cups of the water.
6. Place the pasta water in a saucepan over low heat.  Crack the eggs into a small bowl and gently slide them into the pot.  Soft-poach the eggs – this will take about 3 minutes.
7. Place 3 cups of the sauce in a pan, add the butter, the Parmesan and the pappardelle and toss well.  Season with sea salt and black pepper.  Place onto a platter and carefully spoon the eggs on top.  Serve hot.

 

To Joyful, Simplified Living,

MS. Simplicity

MS. Simplicity, also known as Melissa Schmalenberger  operates her business as I Did it with MS. Simplicity.  She is a Professional Organizer based out of Fargo, ND and her website can be found at http://www.ididit-fargo.com/.

• Interested in starting your own Professional Organizing business, visit http://www.mssimplicity.com/ to learn about how Melissa can help you! 
• Need to contact MS. Simplicity privately, you can email her at melissa@mssimplicity.com.
• MS. Simplicity offers monthly classes, click hereto find out the latest offerings!

• For daily organizing tips find the MS. Simplicity fan page here.

Curried Chicken Breasts

Day 148: Barbecue Nation

May 28, 2011

What type of chicken do you grill? We tend to stick to the same boring boneless, skinless chicken breasts. So much easier to eat and you know that I am all about ease! However, there is something about eating the chicken with the skin and bone on that takes that plain chicken breast to the next level. You see, the juices stay in the breast as it grills and the chicken with the bone and skin on, simply stays juicy. Of course with the skin on, you have the added calories as well….but that is ok once in a while.

This is one smart cookbook author, he searched the country for the best home cook inspired barbecue recipes and compiled them all in one book. How come I wasn’t contacted? Just kidding! I do love to get recipes from friends that you know are not full of fuss but are full of flavor! Wouldn’t we rather get a recipe from a girlfriend or neighbor than a cookbook? If so this is a great option!

The Ruling: We all loved this! This one is going in the monthly rotation file for our family. We didn’t let it marinate long enough…but even the short amount of time, it still had a lot of flavor!

Curried chicken breasts, pg 145

 Ingredients:

• 1 cup salted dry-roasted peanuts, finely chopped
• 1 cup orange marmalade
• ½ cup extra-virgin olive oil
• ½ cup fresh orange juice
• ¼ cup Dijon-style mustard
• ¼ cup fresh tarragon leaves, chopped
• 2 teaspoons curry powder
• 1 teaspoon kosher salt
• 8 bone-in, skin-on chicken breasts

Directions:  

1. Combine the marinade ingredients in a large bowl.  Add the chicken breasts and coat thoroughly.  Transfer the chicken to a roasting pan, pour over the marinade and cover with plastic wrap.  Let marinate in the refrigerator for 4 to 6 hours.
2. When ready to cook, preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.
3. Place the roasting pan in the oven and bake for 35 minutes.  (At this point, you can proceed with the recipe or let cool, cover, and refrigerate up to 3 days)
4. Light a charcoal fire or preheat your gas grill on high.  Oil the grill’s cooking surface.
5. Remove the chicken from the marinade and place on the grill.  Cook about 10 minutes per side to heat through, basting with the marinade.  When done, remove the chicken to a platter and serve immediately.

To Joyful, Simplified Living,

MS. Simplicity

MS. Simplicity, also known as Melissa Schmalenberger  operates her business as I Did it with MS. Simplicity.  She is a Professional Organizer based out of Fargo, ND and her website can be found at http://www.ididit-fargo.com/.

• Interested in starting your own Professional Organizing business, visit http://www.mssimplicity.com/ to learn about how Melissa can help you! 
• Need to contact MS. Simplicity privately, you can email her at melissa@mssimplicity.com.
• MS. Simplicity offers monthly classes, click hereto find out the latest offerings!
• For daily organizing tips find the MS. Simplicity fan page here.

Grilled Asparagus Chopped Salad

Day 147: Bobby Flay’s Grill It!

May 27, 2011

I am on a salad kick that is now combined with grilling. I rarely make a meal using my oven in the summer but I do get tired of the traditional grilled chicken breasts. Mix it up when you grill and add in something fun like grilling fruits and vegetables.

Bobby Flay is that cutie pie grilling Iron Chef master that can be seen on the Food Network. His focus is on the grill, and when he writes a cookbook, I pay attention. This cookbook is full of 150 dishes that are not all that complicated but as always full of flavor.

The Ruling: So good! I can’t wait to make this one again. We did not have Meyer Lemons, and used just regular lemons and it was still delicious. Did my fussy eaters try the salad…..nope. Too bad for them!

Grilled Asparagus Chopped Salad with Creamy Meyer Lemon Vinaigrette and Grilled Pita Chip Croutons, pg 14

Ingredients:

• 2 pocketless pita breads
• Olive oil
• Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
• 4 cups mesclun greens
• ½ pint grape tomatoes, halved
• 8 ounces aged white Cheddar cheese, cut into ½ inch dice
• 1 English cucumber, cut into ½ inch dice
• ½ cup black olives, pitted and coarsely chopped
• 1 cup canned chickpeas, drained, rinsed and drained again
• Perfectly Grilled Asparagus, cut into 1-inch pieces (recipe follows)
• Meyer Lemon Dressing (recipe follows)

Directions:

1. Heat your grill to high.
2. Brush the pita on both sides with oil and season with salt and pepper.  Grill until golden brown and crispy, about 1 minute per side.  Remove the pita to a cutting board and cut each pita in half.  Cut each half into ½ inch slices.
3. Combine the mesclun, tomatoes, cheese, cucumber, olives, chickpeas, and asparagus in a large bowl.  Add half of the dressing and toss well to coat; season with salt and pepper.  Drizzle with more of the dressing and top with the pita chips.

_____________________________

Perfectly Grilled Asparagus, pg 11

Ingredients,

• 1 ½ pounds (about 24 medium stalks) fresh asparagus
• 3 tablespoons olive oil
• Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper

Directions:

1. Heat your grill to high.
2. To trim the asparagus, snap the spears with two hands; the tough part should break right off.   For a cleaner look and less waste, you can cut off the tough bottoms with a knife and peel the bottom half of the stalk if necessary.
3. Place the asparagus on a baking sheet, toss with the oil, and season with salt and pepper.  Grill the asparagus, perpendicular to the grates of the grill, for 3 to 5 minutes on each side or until just crisp-tender.

______________________________

Meyer Lemon Dressing, pg 15

Ingredients:

• ¼ cup fresh Meyer lemon juice or 3 tablespoons fresh lemon juice plus 1 tablespoon fresh orange juice.
• 1 tablespoon red wine vinegar
• 2 teaspoons honey
• 1 tablespoon mayonnaise
• 2 teaspoons Dijon mustard
• 1 teaspoon whole-grain mustard
• Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
• ½ cup extra-virgin olive oil
• 2 tablespoons chopped fresh tarragon leaves

Directions:

1. Whisk together the Meyer lemon juice, vinegar, honey, mayonnaise, both mustards, and salt and pepper to taste in a medium bowl.  Slowly whisk in the oil until emulsified and then stir in the tarragon.

To Joyful, Simplified Living,

MS. Simplicity

MS. Simplicity, also known as Melissa Schmalenberger  operates her business as I Did it with MS. Simplicity.  She is a Professional Organizer based out of Fargo, ND and her website can be found at http://www.ididit-fargo.com/.

• Interested in starting your own Professional Organizing business, visit http://www.mssimplicity.com/ to learn about how Melissa can help you! 
• Need to contact MS. Simplicity privately, you can email her at melissa@mssimplicity.com.
• MS. Simplicity offers monthly classes, click hereto find out the latest offerings!
• For daily organizing tips find the MS. Simplicity fan page here.

Chicken Legs in Basque Red Pepper Prosciutto Sauce

Day 145: Home Cooking Around The World

May 25, 2011

Does you family love chicken legs? My kids just devour them. My husband does not care for them, but the kids love it. Maybe it is because it is food with a handle? Maybe because they don’t need to use a knife or fork? Whatever it is, my kids love them and have always loved them. I haven’t always cooked with them because I am more a boneless, skinless chicken breast type of person. But since my kids grow overnight I try to find things that I can prepare to fill them up and not break the bank. Chicken legs tend to be lower in price than other cuts of chicken. I think the legs and the thighs are the cuts of meat that tend to be less per pound.

The author of the  Home Cooking cookbook takes a homestyle classic like beef stew and finds an African version called Beef-and-kale stew with pumpkin-seed sauce. Or want a dessert, try asian black rice pudding. I found a chicken leg recipe that seemed interesting and easy to make.

The Ruling: The boys loved them. Remember my husband who doesn’t like chicken legs, he liked the sauce. He thought the sauce would be good served over rice or noodles. He is creative that husband of mine. There are few things in life that he doesn’t eat, but he will be a good sport and find another way to eat the meal. He is setting a good example!

Chicken legs in Basque red pepper-prosciutto sauce, pg 14

 Ingredients:

• 2 tablespoons olive oil
• 3 pounds whole chicken legs, split into drumsticks and thighs
• ½ teaspoon salt

Sauce:

•  1 can (1 pound, 12 ounces) peeled whole tomatoes plus 1 can (14.5 ounces) peeled whole tomatoes
• 2 teaspoons olive oil
• 2 yellow onions chopped
• 4 cloves garlic, finely chopped
• 2 sweet red peppers, cored, seeded, and cut into large dice
• ¼ pound thick-sliced good-quality prosciutto or smoked ham, cut into ½ inch cubes
• 2 tablespoons brandy
• 1 bay leaf
• 1 teaspoon dried thyme
• 1 teaspoon Chinese five spice powder
• ¾ teaspoon salt
• ½ teaspoon dried basil
• ¼ teaspoon black pepper

Directions:

1. In a large skillet, heat the oil.  Season the chicken with the salt and add to skillet.  Working in batches if necessary to avoid crowding skillet, brown chicken on all sides, about 20 minutes.  Remove chicken to a plate as it browns.  Drain off fat from skillet.
2. Heat oven to 350 degrees

 Sauce:

1. Drain the tomatoes over a bowl, reserving liquid.  In same skillet, heat the oil.  Add the onion and sauté until slightly softened, about 4 minutes.  Add the garlic, sweet pepper, and prosciutto and sauté until sweet pepper is slightly softened, about 5 minutes.  Add the brandy and cook briefly, scraping up and browned bits from bottom of skillet, until most of liquid has evaporated, about 2 minutes.  Add drained tomatoes, breaking up with a wooden spoon.  Mixture should be moist but not too liquid.  If too wet, cook a little more.  If too dry, add a little of reserved tomato liquid.  Add the bay leaf, thyme, five-spice powder, salt, basil, and black pepper.  Spoon into a 13x9x2 inch baking dish or casserole.  Tuck chicken pieces into sauce, spooning some sauce over chicken.  Cover dish tightly with aluminum foil.
2. Bake in 350-degree oven until instant-read thermometer inserted into thickest part of legs and thighs without touching bone registers 170 degrees, about 45 minutes.  For the last 10 minutes of baking, uncover the dish and increase oven temperature to 400 degrees.  When cooked, transfer chicken to a platter.  If sauce has become too thin, spoon into saucepan and cook until thickened.  Spoon over chicken, and serve.

To Joyful, Simplified Living,

MS. Simplicity

MS. Simplicity, also known as Melissa Schmalenberger  operates her business as I Did it with MS. Simplicity.  She is a Professional Organizer based out of Fargo, ND and her website can be found at www.ididit-fargo.com .  Need to contact MS. Simplicity privately, you can email her at melissa@ididit-fargo.com.  MS. Simplicity offers monthly classes, click here to find out the latest offerings! For daily organizing tips find the MS. Simplicity fan page  here.

 If you try any of my suggestions, I would love to hear from you.  It helps me to understand what my readers want me to write about and what they think is a waste of their time….thanks for taking the time to help me out.

Grilled Herbed And Spiced Beef Tenderloin Salad

Day 142: The BBQ Queens’ Big Book of Barbecue

May 22, 2011

Another grilling recipe! Yes, I have found the grilling section of my local library and boy are there a lot of choices here. This is going to be fun! We had a friend who bought a new smoker and I thought smoking the meat for this recipe would be a nice option. I have never prepared anything in a smoker, but boy and I hooked. I want to buy my husband a smoker for father’s Day, but he told me he doesn’t want one. Maybe we can just go to our friends house and use theirs!

I am so glad that I picked up this cookbook! There are so many recipes that I want to make in it. I narrowed it down to two and will share with you one of them. The other one I made was the Blueberry Tart on page 295. This is not only a BBQ cookbook, but it takes you though the whole meal, not just the main course. So much information in between the covers of this 450 page book. I don’t want to return it to the library….there are so many more things I want to make.  How about Chive Pesto….I always have a garden full of chives!

The Ruling: We made this for friends and we all loved it. My friend saved her meat until the end as she was saving the best for last. Using the smoker worked out great! We could see the smoke rings in the meat. One thing that we did that was different from the recipe was we put all of the marinade in a food processor and doubled it and let it sit for 5 hours…..yumm! We also used a pork tenderloin and not a beef tenderloin and it tasted just as good.

Grilled Herbed and Spiced Beef Tenderloin Salad, page 341

Ingredients:

Dressing:

• ½ cup mayonnaise
• ½ cup freshly grated Romano cheese
• 3 tablespoons Dijon mustard
• 3 tablespoons fresh lime juice
• 2 anchovy fillets, mashed
• 2 cloves garlic, minced
• 1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce
• Tabasco sauce to taste
• Kosher Salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste

Salad:

• 2 large heads romaine lettuce
• 4 large ripe beefsteak tomatoes, cut into wedges
• 2 large ripe avocados, peeled, pitted, and diced
• 6 slices bacon, cooked crisp and crumbled
• 1 small red onion, chopped
• ½ cup salted sunflower seeds, CornNuts, or other salty nuts

Grilled Herbed and Spiced Beef Tenderloin:

• ¼ cup chopped fresh Italian parsley
• ¼ cup chopped fresh cilantro
• 2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
• 1 tablespoon ground coriander
• 1 tablespoon ground cumin
• 2 cloves garlic, mince
• 1 tablespoon coarse kosher salt
• 2 tablespoons freshly ground black pepper
• 2 pounds beef tenderloin, trimmed of any fat and silverskin
• Handful of wood chips, soaked in water for at least 30 minutes before grilling

Directions:

1. In a large, shallow glass dish, combine all the ingredients except the beef and wood chips.  Stir to blend, then add the meat and turn to coat thoroughly.  Cover and refrigerate for 1 to 2 hours.
2. Prepare a hot indirect fire in a grill.
3. Remove the meat from the marinade and pat dry.  Grill over the hot fire, searing it by turning it a quarter turn at a time until well browned all over, about 12 minutes total.
4. Place the meat on the indirect side of the grill and tent a heavy duty aluminum foil or cover with a disposable aluminum pan.  Add the wood chips to the fire.  Close the lid and roast smoke until an instant-read meat thermometer inserted in the thickest part of the beef registers 125 to 130 degrees F for medium-rare, 25 to 30 minutes.  Transfer to a platter and let rest for 10 to 15 minutes before slicing.
5. To make the dressing, combine all the ingredients in a medium-size bowl.  Stir to blend and check the seasoning.  Cover and refrigerate until ready to use.  (The dressing may be made the day ahead.)
6. To make the salad, rinse and dry the lettuce and tear into bite-size pieces.  Toss with half the dressing.  Mound on a large platter and surround with the tomato wedges and diced avocado.  Sprinkle the bacon, onion, and sunflower seeds over the salad.  Arrange the sliced meat on top and serve, passing the remaining dressing at the table.
7. To make the salad, rinse and dry the lettuce and tear into bite-size pieces.  Toss with half the dressing.  Mound on a large platter and surround with the tomato wedges and diced avocado.  Sprinkle the bacon, onion, and sunflower seeds over the salad.  Arrange the sliced meat on top and serve, passing the remaining dressing at the table.

 

To Joyful, Simplified Living,

MS. Simplicity

MS. Simplicity, also known as Melissa Schmalenberger  operates her business as I Did it with MS. Simplicity.  She is a Professional Organizer based out of Fargo, ND and her website can be found at www.ididit-fargo.com .  Need to contact MS. Simplicity privately, you can email her at melissa@ididit-fargo.com.  MS. Simplicity offers monthly classes, click here to find out the latest offerings! For daily organizing tips find the MS. Simplicity fan page  here.

 If you try any of my suggestions, I would love to hear from you.  It helps me to understand what my readers want me to write about and what they think is a waste of their time….thanks for taking the time to help me out.

Grilled Vegetables With Saffron Rice

Day 141: Sandra Lee Semi-Homemade Cooking Made Light

May 21, 2011

I really have been on a grilling kick lately and I don’t anticipate it going away anytime soon. Winter was long and all I can hope for is for summer to last even longer…..since we didn’t get a spring. Have you ever tried grilling vegetables before? It takes the vegetable and takes it to the next level and adds several different layers of flavor. If you have never tried to grill vegetables, I challenge you to do so….you will thank me!

Sandra Lee is one of the Food Network starts whose philosophy is to use 70% store-bought ingredients and 30% fresh combine to make simple and delicious meals for your family. I always enjoy her cookbooks as they have wonderful photos and are pretty straight forward in both their ingredient list and instructions. This cookbook is filled with chapter after chapter of so many easy recipes. From breakfast smoothies to desserts and from vegetarian to salads and soups. Something to please everyone in your household.

The Ruling: Tasted great. But of course the fussy two didn’t eat any…..that is sad for them. Some day I know my boys will read my blog and regret all the great food that they passed by. But the trick to getting kids to eat food they don’t want to eat is to not nag them…..but to keep putting it in front of them and offering it to them. I am seeing hints of my middle child becoming a better eater as he will at least try new foods. He use to vomit at the sight of certain foods. Now he has tried sushi, salmon and shrimp….which is a huge step! I am keeping the faith!

Grilled Vegetable With Saffron Rice, page 196

Ingredients:

• 1 2/3 cups low-sodium chicken broth
• 1 packet (5-ounce) saffron –flavored rice
• Canola oil cooking spray
• 1 pound fresh asparagus, woody ends removed
• 2 medium red bell peppers, cut into 1-inch pieces
• 1 zucchini, cut into ¼ inch slices
• 1 teaspoon capers, drained
• ¼ cup slivered almonds, toasted

 Directions:

1. In a large saucepan, bring chicken broth to a boil over high heat.  Add rice; reduce heat to low.  Cover; simmer for 20 minutes or until rice is fluffy.
2. Set up grill for direct cooking over medium-high heat.  Coat a grill pan with cooking spray.  Preheat pan.  Working in batches, place asparagus, peppers, and zucchini on pan and grill just until tender.  Use tongs to remove from heat.  Cut zucchini and asparagus into bite-size pieces.
3. In a large bowl, toss together rice, grilled vegetables, and capers.  Top with toasted almonds.

To Joyful, Simplified Living,

MS. Simplicity

MS. Simplicity, also known as Melissa Schmalenberger  operates her business as I Did it with MS. Simplicity.  She is a Professional Organizer based out of Fargo, ND and her website can be found at www.ididit-fargo.com .  Need to contact MS. Simplicity privately, you can email her at melissa@ididit-fargo.com.  MS. Simplicity offers monthly classes, click here to find out the latest offerings! For daily organizing tips find the MS. Simplicity fan page  here.

If you try any of my suggestions, I would love to hear from you.  It helps me to understand what my readers want me to write about and what they think is a waste of their time….thanks for taking the time to help me out.

Summer Panzanella

Day 140: Moosewood Restaurant Simple Suppers: Fresh Ideas for the Weeknight Table

May 20, 2011

Summer is here…..summer is here…..or so the calender tells me! I am choosing to believe that the sun is outside and it is shinning down on us and there is just a slight breeze. When summer is here I really do not like to heat up the oven for very long. Finding meals that can be made with barely turning on the oven is a way to keep the house cool. We look for those meals that don’t heat up the house during the summer.

Relying on fresh food is the premise of The Moosewood Restaurant. You will not find bottled sauces or mixes between the pages of this cookbook. Most of the recipes are fresh and fast and mostly vegetarian. If you are a vegan, there are recipes with eggs, cheese and fish, but for the vegetarian this will become a favorite cookbook.

The Ruling: We liked it….the youngest one ate the bread.  The middle one didn’t eat any of it….but the other 3 of us did like it. I can imagine making this in the prime of tomato season. I like to grow heirloom tomatoes that I find at my local greenhouse. I find such cool types of tomatoes to grow and I get excited dreaming of making this salad with those tomatoes. The recipe does not specify what kind of olives to use, I would use Greek olives the next time as we just used plain black olives.

Summer Panzanella, page 108

Ingredients:

• ½ loaf of crusty French or Italian bread (about 8 ounces)
• 4 tomatoes
• 1 large ball of fresh mozzarella (about 5 ounces)
• ½ red onion
• ½ cup fresh basil leaves
• 1 cup pitted olives
• 1 tablespoon red wine vinegar or cider vinegar
• 1 tablespoon olive oil
• Salt and pepper
• Versatile vinaigrette (page 222) (optional) (added below)

Directions:

1. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees.  Cut the bread in half lengthwise and place in the oven until crisp, 5 to 10 minutes.
2. Meanwhile, prepare the other ingredients and place them in a serving bowl.  Cut the tomatoes and fresh mozzarella into ½ inch cubes (about 4 cups of tomatoes and 1 cup of mozzarella), peel and thinly slice the red onion, cut the basil leaves into thin strips and chop the olives.  Add the vinegar and oil to the bowl and toss well.
3. Cut the toasted bread into 1 inch cubes (7 to 8 cups).  Add the bread cubes to the bowl and toss well.  Let the salad sit for at least      0 minutes before serving, to allow the bread to soak up some of the juices.  Add salt and pepper to taste.  Pass vinaigrette at the table if you like.

Versatile Vinaigrette, page 108

Ingredients:

• 1/3 cup vinegar or lemon juice
• ½ teaspoon salt
• 1 teaspoon Dijon mustard
• 1 garlic clove, pressed
• ¼ teaspoon black pepper
• 1 cup olive oil (extra-virgin is nice)

 Directions:

1. Either whisk together all of the ingredients or whirl them in a blender for a few seconds.

To Joyful, Simplified Living,

MS. Simplicity

MS. Simplicity, also known as Melissa Schmalenberger  operates her business as I Did it with MS. Simplicity.  She is a Professional Organizer based out of Fargo, ND and her website can be found at www.ididit-fargo.com .  Need to contact MS. Simplicity privately, you can email her at melissa@ididit-fargo.com.  MS. Simplicity offers monthly classes, click here to find out the latest offerings! For daily organizing tips find the MS. Simplicity fan page  here.

If you try any of my suggestions, I would love to hear from you.  It helps me to understand what my readers want me to write about and what they think is a waste of their time….thanks for taking the time to help me out.