Watching football on tv is fun, and we always make our football Sundays a good time. Going to an actual NFL game on the other hand, is OFF THE HOOK. Especially at our favorite Buffalo Bills! My favorite part is the tailgating. It is a feast for the senses! I love nothing more than to sit in my chair, a beer in my hand, surrounded by friends, and taking in all of the sights, sounds, and smells around me. Among my favorite smells are those of amazing food being prepared all around us. Watching the creative things people come up with, along with their creative ways of cooking never ceases to amaze!
This year, I wanted to try out some new recipes. Honestly, not all of them were stellar. In fact, quite a few of them need some work. Among the stellar recipes was my pull apart, ranch, bacon bread. To be fair, we first ate this at Jay's cousin's farm at a family reunion. Problem was that I couldn't find the exact recipe after misplacing my copy. Here is what I pieced together to create a tailgating breakfast masterpiece!
Bacon Ranch Pull Apart Bread
6 slices of bacon, cooked until crisp and chopped finely
1 tube of refrigerated biscuits (I used Pillsbury Butter Tastin' Grands)
1 packet Hidden Valley Ranch dressing mix
1/2 cup shredded cheddar cheese
1/2 cup shredded mozzarella cheese
2 tbs. olive oil
Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Liberally grease either a small sheet pan, or a bundt pan. Open the tube of biscuits and cut each biscuit into quarters, placing pieces into a large bowl. Add olive oil, packet of dressing mix, bacon bits and cheeses to the bowl. Toss well to coat all of the biscuit pieces. Pour into greased pan, and bake for 20-30 minutes until biscuits are golden, and cheese is melted and bubbly. Serve warm!
One of my goals for a tailgating menu is always to incorporate beer in as many of my recipes as I can, because honestly, it just isn't tailgating without some! My idea this time was to create some kind of drunken pasta salad. Finding a good recipe for a beer vinaigrette proved to be quite the task! After looking at several recipes, I threw this one together on my own...
Beer Vinaigrette
1/2 cup beer of your choice (I actually used Labatt Blue Light as I had this on hand... I am thinking this would be WONDERFUL with either a Hefeweizen or a good wheat beer)
1/4 cup Apple Cider Vinegar (again, I had this on hand... could use white vinegar or white wine vinegar as well!)
2 tbs. lemon juice
1 tbs Dijon mustard
1/4 tsp salt
Ground black pepper, to taste
Place all ingredients in a bowl and whisk together until emulsified. Here's a tip for you... I, rather foolishly, decided to make this in a cruet, as I do most of my dressings, and just give it a good shake until it emulsified. The beer DOES NOT like this!!! The lid popped off, and I was covered from head to toe in said vinaigrette as was my kitchen!! Lesson learned! For my pasta salad I tossed this with elbows, cheddar cheese, green onions, black beans and red beans. Another tip for you... whenever you make any kind of pasta salad only toss in 1/2 of the dressing when you first make it, then toss in the rest just before serving to ensure the salad doesn't dry out!
Finally I was left with the question of what to do with the remainder of the bacon. I decided I wanted to try to incorporate it into some kind of dessert... a sweet/salty combo if you may. I ended up candying the bacon and making maple chocolate chip bacon cookies. This cookie recipe is a work in progress. I wanted light, high, airy cookies, with a thumbprint full of delicious candied bacon in the center. What I got was run of the mill, flattened out cookies that had the bacon all throughout them. The cookie recipe is still being fixed. The candied bacon however was AMAZING and I think that it would be a perfect accompaniment to a French toast breakfast!
Candied Bacon (AKA... Pig candy!!)
6-8 slices of bacon
1/4 - 1/2 cup brown sugar
Preheat the oven to 400 degrees. Place an oven safe rack on top of a baking sheet. Sprinkle sugar on one side of each slice of bacon, using your fingers to press it into the meat. Flip over all slices and repeat on the other side. Place all slices on top of the rack. Place rack on baking sheet in the oven and cook for 10-15 minutes, until bacon is to desired doneness.
And as always... eat up and enjoy!!!
Oh... and GO BILLS ;)
Sunday, September 29, 2013
Sunday, September 22, 2013
Game on!!!!
I can think of about a gazillion reasons why fall is my favorite season... beautiful colors, crisp days, pumpkin flavored everything and FOOTBALL!!! It is my favorite sport to watch and our Sundays in the fall are usually spent in comfy clothes, the Bills game on the tv, and snack foods on the table. Today I decided to experiment with some recipes to come up with some new snacks to munch while we watched. I wanted not only delicious but somewhat healthy as well. The result?? Corn Dog Bites, Raspotle Chicken Bites, and Spicy Zucchini Bites... AMAZING!
So let's start with the corn dog bites (despite my just realizing that they look a little obscene in the picture and like the Transformer on the table is holding up the plate!) These little bites were so easy, yet SO tasty! To keep it healthier I used turkey dogs. We dipped them in honey mustard and they were great! Next time I think I may try this in a mini-muffin pan instead, as the big corn muffin was a bit much. These will also make super quick and easy lunches for the kids!
1 cup of cornmeal
1 cup of flour
1/2 cup sugar
2/3 cup of milk
2 eggs
1/2 cup of oil
4 hotdogs, cut in thirds
Preheat the oven to 400 degrees. In a large bowl mix together cornmeal, flour, sugar, milk, eggs and oil until well combined. Spray a muffin tin liberally with cooking spray. Fill each of the cups 2/3 full with batter. Stand a piece of hotdog in the middle of each muffin tin. Bake for 20-30 minutes until muffins are set. Serve with mustard of your choice!
Next up, raspotle chicken bites. This is going to be a new Rookey family fave and I am already coming up with 20 different ways to make these!!! I LOVE recipes like this that are SO versatile and can easily be manipulated to accommodate any palate! We are BIG fans of Fischer &Weiser's Original Raspberry Chipotle Sauce. It is good on just about everything and even makes a quick appetizer dumping it over a brick of cream cheese and serving with crackers, but I digress. This recipe you can easily do with ANY sauce you like and ANY kind of crumbs. I'm thinking Buffalo style with hot sauce and plain panko, with bleu cheese for dipping. Barbecue style with BBQ sauce and seasoned breadcrumbs. Thai style with peanut sauce and sesame seeds. ENDLESS possibilities!!!
2 boneless, skinless chicken breasts, cut into small nugget size pieces
1/2 cup of Raspotle Sauce
1 cup seasoned panko breadcrumbs
Preheat the oven to 400 degrees. Spray a baking sheet with non-stick cooking spray. Dip cut chicken pieces into raspotle sauce (I heated the sauce in the microwave for 30 seconds prior to this step to loosen it up a bit.) After dunking into the sauce, coat the pieces in panko breadcrumbs. Arrange in a single layer on the baking sheet and either spray lightly with cooking spray or drizzle with olive oil. Bake for 20-30 minutes until chicken is cooked thoroughly and panko is golden.
Tuesday, September 10, 2013
Scampering for Scampi!
So I have gotten my first request for one of my recipes... and it's a doozy!! First a little background on one of my signature dishes...
I remember this very clearly. My parents had taken me to Red Lobster for the first time, I'm guessing I was around 6-8 years old. While I can't remember who ordered it, someone had gotten Shrimp Scampi. We thought it was fantastic. As they say, the apple never falls far from the tree... and my mom, my biggest cooking mentor, went home determined to make a Scampi that would knock socks off feet. Mission accomplished.
My mom created a Shrimp Scampi, that as far as most people who have tasted it would attest, is absolutely unparalleled. You will bathe your shrimp in olive oil, butter, garlic, herbs and breadcrumbs. You will end up with not only amazingly delicious shrimp, but this breadcrumb butter sauce that will turn the bed of rice you put your shrimp on, into a thing of absolute beauty. Be warned, this recipe is not in any way, shape or form, waist friendly, making it the perfect dish to save for holidays or special occasions.
Now this recipe has become more of a family tradition than just a recipe. It wows. EVERY TIME. The trickiest part though, is that it is one of those recipes I make, that I do not have a single instruction or ingredient written down. It's one of those things that you just trust your eyes, nose and gut as you throw it all together. The real beauty of it is, that it can easily be adjusted to fit anyone's tastes. Love garlic?? Add however much you like! Want the sauce thicker?? Add more breadcrumbs! I am giving you this as a base, but trust your gut, and what you like to make it your own Shrimp Scampi masterpiece!!!
Garlic, finely minced- A LOT of it. I normally use an entire head when making this, but adjust accordingly to your taste!
Stick of Butter
Fresh Parsley, 1-2 tbs. chopped finely
Italian Seasoned Breadcrumbs- about 1-2 cups, depending on how "crumby" you like it!
salt & pepper
Lemon Wedges for garnish and serving
Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Liberally grease a large, rimmed baking sheet with olive oil. Arrange shrimp in a single layer on the baking sheet, if baking for a crowd, use 2 baking sheets, just be sure the shrimp do not overlap. Brush or drizzle the top of the shrimp with olive oil. Sprinkle garlic, parsley, salt and pepper over the shrimp. At this point I normally toss the shrimp around to make sure they are all covered and then rearrange them in a single layer. Here's where the REAL magic begins... liberally sprinkle the seasoned breadcrumbs over the shrimp... you want a fairly good layer of breadcrumbs. Drizzle the top of the breadcrumbs with a bit more olive oil, then generously sprinkle more breadcrumbs on top. Dot the top of the breadcrumbs generously with butter. Bake in the oven until the shrimp are cooked through and breadcrumbs are golden brown.
You are ready to serve! Scoop all of the shrimp and breadcrumby goodness into a large bowl, making sure to get all of the oil and crumbs off the pan. Serve over rice (I like to serve it over my lemony rice pilaf... recipe coming soon!!) with lemon wedges for garnish and squeezing over the top! Enjoy with no regrets... you can hit the gym tomorrow!!
I remember this very clearly. My parents had taken me to Red Lobster for the first time, I'm guessing I was around 6-8 years old. While I can't remember who ordered it, someone had gotten Shrimp Scampi. We thought it was fantastic. As they say, the apple never falls far from the tree... and my mom, my biggest cooking mentor, went home determined to make a Scampi that would knock socks off feet. Mission accomplished.
My mom created a Shrimp Scampi, that as far as most people who have tasted it would attest, is absolutely unparalleled. You will bathe your shrimp in olive oil, butter, garlic, herbs and breadcrumbs. You will end up with not only amazingly delicious shrimp, but this breadcrumb butter sauce that will turn the bed of rice you put your shrimp on, into a thing of absolute beauty. Be warned, this recipe is not in any way, shape or form, waist friendly, making it the perfect dish to save for holidays or special occasions.
Now this recipe has become more of a family tradition than just a recipe. It wows. EVERY TIME. The trickiest part though, is that it is one of those recipes I make, that I do not have a single instruction or ingredient written down. It's one of those things that you just trust your eyes, nose and gut as you throw it all together. The real beauty of it is, that it can easily be adjusted to fit anyone's tastes. Love garlic?? Add however much you like! Want the sauce thicker?? Add more breadcrumbs! I am giving you this as a base, but trust your gut, and what you like to make it your own Shrimp Scampi masterpiece!!!
Shrimp Scampi:
Shrimp- uncooked, peeled, deveined, and de-tailed. I like to use fairly large shrimp, but buy what fits your budget for however many people you are serving!
Extra Virgin Olive OilGarlic, finely minced- A LOT of it. I normally use an entire head when making this, but adjust accordingly to your taste!
Stick of Butter
Fresh Parsley, 1-2 tbs. chopped finely
Italian Seasoned Breadcrumbs- about 1-2 cups, depending on how "crumby" you like it!
salt & pepper
Lemon Wedges for garnish and serving
Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Liberally grease a large, rimmed baking sheet with olive oil. Arrange shrimp in a single layer on the baking sheet, if baking for a crowd, use 2 baking sheets, just be sure the shrimp do not overlap. Brush or drizzle the top of the shrimp with olive oil. Sprinkle garlic, parsley, salt and pepper over the shrimp. At this point I normally toss the shrimp around to make sure they are all covered and then rearrange them in a single layer. Here's where the REAL magic begins... liberally sprinkle the seasoned breadcrumbs over the shrimp... you want a fairly good layer of breadcrumbs. Drizzle the top of the breadcrumbs with a bit more olive oil, then generously sprinkle more breadcrumbs on top. Dot the top of the breadcrumbs generously with butter. Bake in the oven until the shrimp are cooked through and breadcrumbs are golden brown.
You are ready to serve! Scoop all of the shrimp and breadcrumby goodness into a large bowl, making sure to get all of the oil and crumbs off the pan. Serve over rice (I like to serve it over my lemony rice pilaf... recipe coming soon!!) with lemon wedges for garnish and squeezing over the top! Enjoy with no regrets... you can hit the gym tomorrow!!
Sunday, September 8, 2013
Let's Get This Going!
Welcome friends! I have been toying with the idea of doing this for awhile now, and I figure it is the perfect time to start! As most of you know, I LOVE to cook. I am happiest in my kitchen making meals for my friends and family. I used to be the kind of cook who would find a recipe, and make it verbatim. As time has gone on, I began experimenting more and more to the point I am now, where every recipe I find or want to try is merely a base. I add my own touches to all of them and, in most cases, create some pretty amazing dishes. My goal here is to share my best recipes, requested recipes, and overall just share my passion with whomever is interested in reading! Feel free to message me at any time as well with recipes you would like me to post!
On that note... let's get started! At the grocery store last week we purchased a large bag of Jonamac apples. I knew as I put those babies in the fridge that I HAD to make some kind of dessert with them. I also had a pint of raspberries that needed to be used. Pie?? Nope. This girl wanted a tart. A perfect tart. One that looked like it came from a bakery.
Now any other tart I have ever made, the crust was, quite honestly, just like pie crust. You'd make the dough, roll it out, fit it in the tart pan... which is all well and good. But I REALLY wanted this one to be more "tarty" and less "pie-like." I managed to find a recipe that was different from any other tart crust recipe I had ever seen. I decided to give it a go. The original recipe called for both butter AND vegetable oil. That seemed a bit overkill to me. I decided to add a touch more butter than the recipe called for and omitted the oil all together. Still, I was skeptical as the dough came together. It seemed a little oily and the texture just seemed odd to me. Yet, what baked up AMAZED me. A beautiful, golden brown, tart pan filled with perfection. I made a simple filling with the sliced jonamacs and raspberries, carefully arranged all the fruit on the crust to make it pretty, and this was the final result...
10 tablespoons unsalted butter
6 tablespoons water
2 tablespoon sugar (for savory fillings, just use 1 teaspoon... and side note, already planning a savory tart!)
1/4 tsp. salt
1 1/2 cups flour
Heat the oven to 400° F. In a Pyrex type oven-safe bowl, combine the butter, water, salt, and sugar. Place in the hot oven for approximately 15 minutes, until the butter has completely melted and starts browning. CAREFULLY remove from the oven, add flour quickly, and stir until it forms a ball. (here's where the skepticism hits... just trust me!) Place the dough in the bottom of an 11 inch tart pan and spread out to let it cool a bit. Once the dough is cool enough to touch, press it into the tart mold evenly with your fingertips, along the bottom and up the sides. Pierce the bottom with a fork in several places. Bake for about 15 minutes until the crust is golden brown. Carefully remove from the oven, and let cool while you make your filling!
Apple Raspberry Tart Filling
2 1/2 cups of apples, peeled and thinly sliced (I used 4 Jonamacs)
1 pint of fresh raspberries
1/4 cup sugar
1 tbs. cornstarch
3/4 tsp. cinnamon
Mix all ingredients together in a large bowl until all the apples and raspberries are coated evenly. Next step is up to you, either just dump and spread the fruit on top of the crust, or if you're fussy like I am, make it pretty, arranging the apples and raspberries perfectly on the crust. Bake at 375 for 30-40 minutes, until the apples are soft and crust is golden. Let cool, remove outer ring from tart pan, and serve warm with vanilla ice cream! Enjoy!!!
On that note... let's get started! At the grocery store last week we purchased a large bag of Jonamac apples. I knew as I put those babies in the fridge that I HAD to make some kind of dessert with them. I also had a pint of raspberries that needed to be used. Pie?? Nope. This girl wanted a tart. A perfect tart. One that looked like it came from a bakery.
Now any other tart I have ever made, the crust was, quite honestly, just like pie crust. You'd make the dough, roll it out, fit it in the tart pan... which is all well and good. But I REALLY wanted this one to be more "tarty" and less "pie-like." I managed to find a recipe that was different from any other tart crust recipe I had ever seen. I decided to give it a go. The original recipe called for both butter AND vegetable oil. That seemed a bit overkill to me. I decided to add a touch more butter than the recipe called for and omitted the oil all together. Still, I was skeptical as the dough came together. It seemed a little oily and the texture just seemed odd to me. Yet, what baked up AMAZED me. A beautiful, golden brown, tart pan filled with perfection. I made a simple filling with the sliced jonamacs and raspberries, carefully arranged all the fruit on the crust to make it pretty, and this was the final result...
Tart Crust:
6 tablespoons water
2 tablespoon sugar (for savory fillings, just use 1 teaspoon... and side note, already planning a savory tart!)
1/4 tsp. salt
1 1/2 cups flour
Heat the oven to 400° F. In a Pyrex type oven-safe bowl, combine the butter, water, salt, and sugar. Place in the hot oven for approximately 15 minutes, until the butter has completely melted and starts browning. CAREFULLY remove from the oven, add flour quickly, and stir until it forms a ball. (here's where the skepticism hits... just trust me!) Place the dough in the bottom of an 11 inch tart pan and spread out to let it cool a bit. Once the dough is cool enough to touch, press it into the tart mold evenly with your fingertips, along the bottom and up the sides. Pierce the bottom with a fork in several places. Bake for about 15 minutes until the crust is golden brown. Carefully remove from the oven, and let cool while you make your filling!
Apple Raspberry Tart Filling
2 1/2 cups of apples, peeled and thinly sliced (I used 4 Jonamacs)
1 pint of fresh raspberries
1/4 cup sugar
1 tbs. cornstarch
3/4 tsp. cinnamon
Mix all ingredients together in a large bowl until all the apples and raspberries are coated evenly. Next step is up to you, either just dump and spread the fruit on top of the crust, or if you're fussy like I am, make it pretty, arranging the apples and raspberries perfectly on the crust. Bake at 375 for 30-40 minutes, until the apples are soft and crust is golden. Let cool, remove outer ring from tart pan, and serve warm with vanilla ice cream! Enjoy!!!
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