Eats to Enjoy

garden party

2011-10-17T17:20:00.002-05:00

Recently, I was asked to cater an event at a beautiful home here in Nashville. The gardens were simply gorgeous and I was so happy to get a tour and be a party of this fabulous event! Here is a sampling of the bites that I prepared for this lovely afternoon soiree...

caramel fudge ball

2011-10-13T11:29:00.000-05:00

When I was little, my grandfather was a member of the Belle Meade Country Club. My mother used to take all 6 of us - my sister and our 4 cousins - and drop us off at the club. We would swim all day and play tennis and charge stuff to granddaddy's account. My absolute favorite thing to get was a caramel fudge ball. It is rich and creamy vanilla ice cream, rolled in a ball, coated with crumbled chocolate cookies and smothered in caramel sauce. They were about the size of your fist, and just seemed like the most wonderful ball of heaven to all of us children. Now that I am all grown up, I often make these for my fiancé and his son. They love them just as much as I did! For his birthday this year, I decided to go crazy and make a gigantic one as his cake. Needless to say, it was a big hit!

spaghetti squash

2011-10-13T10:37:00.000-05:00

Yesterday morning on the Today Show they had a segment on fall vegetables. They were saying that you can stretch spaghetti by adding spaghetti squash. Use half noodles, half squash and cut your calories and carbs in half. I just so happened to have one of these bad boys in my fridge so I thought I'd give this a try. So yummy! The squash noodles add a little bite to the dish. It was way better than I thought it would be. Next time I may go all squash and no noodles. You just never know - I'm pretty crazy like that! Just cut your squash in half, scoop out the seeds, roast it in the oven at 375º for and hour, then scoop out the noodly flesh and add it to your favorite pasta recipe.

just another day at the office

2011-08-26T23:44:00.001-05:00

what a peach!

2011-08-15T07:06:00.000-05:00

What a beautiful Sunday afternoon in Franklin, Tenn! I can't believe in the middle of August the temperature was in the low 80's all afternoon. Ahhhh. My sweet husband-to-be decided to pull out the grill and smoke some ribs. I went to the farmer's market and got purple hull peas, fresh squash, okra and peaches. He wanted to prepare it all and, if I do say so myself, I have trained him well. It was wonderful. He even made us a dessert of caramelized peaches and vanilla bean ice cream. Such summery goodness.

is anything better than brown butter?

2011-08-13T18:35:00.002-05:00

My fiancé and I were watching the Cooking Channel today and saw an episode of French Food at Home that made our mouths water. We immediately decide to make this for dinner. Halibut with brown butter, crushed chickpeas with olives and Roasted cumin carrots. We actually used flounder and not halibut because they didn't have halibut at the grocery. We added chopped capers to the brown butter sauce too. We also added sauteéd spinach with bacon and homegrown Cherokee Purple tomatoes from our garden. It was such a yummy dinner!

wedding day brunch

2011-08-08T16:53:00.003-05:00

Recently, I had the opportunity to prepare a brunch for a local bride and groom on their wedding day. They brought along about 170 of their nearest and dearest. If I do say so myself, I put together a truly scrumptious feast! It really turned out well. Here is the menu for the event along with a couple of party pics. enjoy!

Hors d' Oeuvres Italiano!

2011-08-08T15:46:00.004-05:00

I've had several requests for antipasti platters and other Italian appetizers. I love any dish that involves an artichoke. Here are some recent party preparations...

Antipasti

Large Antipasti

Bruchetta bar featuring tomato basil, white bean & artichoke, and roasted thyme mushroom bruschettas.

These are little mozzarella & basil with marinated tomato skewers

This is a pesto drenched goat cheese ball topped with roasted pine nuts. Also served with herb cream cheese stuffed grape tomatoes and toast points.

Prosciutto wrapped melon & breadsticks

Sundried tomato & pesto goat cheese torta

organic farmer in the city

2011-08-01T17:24:00.000-05:00

I was determined to get a little garden going this year, even if my yard is very small and doesn't get full sun. It is working out quite nicely! I am so excited about my tomatoes! And I think they are just getting started. My cherry tomato plant is nearly 8' tall. Basil, parsley, chives, rosemary, thyme! So nice to be able to cook fresh! My bruschetta recipe is so simple, but it will knock your socks off. Try it while everything is still in season!

BRUSCHETTA: Slice and toast a french baguette. While still warm, rub with garlic cloves and sprinkle with salt & pepper. In a bowl combine 3 or 4 large ripe diced tomatoes, 2 cloves of garlic, a handful of chopped fresh basil, 2 tablespoons each of extra virgin olive oil and red wine vinegar, salt & pepper to taste. Serve tomato mixture in the bowl with the toast on the side. Let your guests serve their own so the juices can soak into the bread, but don't stick around long enough to mess up that CRUNCH of the crisp bread! YUM!!

custom cookies

2011-07-30T13:57:00.000-05:00

I now feel like I have perfected the shortbread cookie. Thanks to an old family recipe and a little creativity, these cookies can be decorated however your little heart desires. I love the butterflies and my new hot air balloons! So much fun! Let me know if you have an idea and I'll try to make it happen. Contact me for more information and pricing.

yummy weeknight dinners

2011-07-28T12:14:00.001-05:00

Chicken pot pie... the ultimate comfort food!

Artichoke, tomato & white wine mussels... with Champagne!

Faucon Salads... for delivery!

Cheddar Herb Biscuits... fresh from the oven!

more custom cupcakes

2011-07-12T12:30:00.000-05:00

various party eats

2011-06-30T22:16:00.000-05:00

Smoked Salmon on Pumpernickel Platter

Three olive cheese biscuits

Cheese platter with fruit & crackers

chocolate covered strawberries

Heavenly Deviled Eggs

Pesto goat cheese ball with stuffed grape tomatoes

Lemon tartlets

4 Layer Chocolate Nutella Cake

Stuffed Apricot Baked Brie

Fresh Veggie Platter & Spinach Dip

Fresh Veggie Platter with Curry & Herb Dips

Butter Cup Menu

2011-06-30T14:55:00.000-05:00

{ DIPS, CHIPS, & DRESSINGS }

{ PICK-ME UPS }

{...CONT. + PLATTERS }

{ BREAKFAST & BRUNCH }

{ ONE DISH MEALS }

{ ENTERTAINING }

{ SALADS }

{ BOXED LUNCHES }

cupcakes

2010-04-21T13:38:00.004-05:00

Who doesn't love cupcakes? Me. That's who. I am not a huge fan of sweets, but... and that's a big but... I think I am pretty darn good at knowing what makes a good cupcake. Not too much icing. Plenty of butter. Fresh ingredients. Real vanilla. And they have to be cute. Cuteness is essential. I am doing a party this coming weekend with three different types of cupcakes, so more pictures to come.

Easter Caramel Cupcakes

Strawberry Brownie Cupcakes

bonnie's bun in the oven

2010-04-21T13:30:00.001-05:00

Last weekend we had a baby shower for my dear friend and business partner, Bonnie Cross. I made lots of mini or "baby" finger foods. They turned out really cute. I think she was happy! I know her belly was thrilled. Ha.

box it up please!

2010-04-20T14:24:00.002-05:00

Long time no see. Whew - I have been so busy catering up a storm! I want to get better about sharing pics and recipes, but I can't make any promises. :) Today I prepared my first box lunches for a ladies luncheon. They turned out so well, and I wanted to share a few pics. The menu is below also. They ordered Turkey & Brie sandwiches with pasta salad, and Roasted Veggie Quiches with spinach salad. Everyone also got a brownie cupcake with strawberry frosting.

faux fried hearts

2010-01-12T15:10:00.005-06:00

Long time no see! I have not posted anything in a long time, but I have made a resolution to post a lot more often this year. We shall see! Look for many new posts in the next few weeks.

This is a super easy new appetizer that I have been making lately. I got the idea from Southstreet, a Nashville favorite. They serve fried artichokes with their fried calamari and serve with a side of warm marinara sauce. It is so yummy! I don't fry these chokes at all. Instead, I simply coat them with a combination of seasoned Italian bread crumbs and parmesan cheese.

I created an assembly line. I drain a can of quartered artichoke hearts. You can also use whole chokes and quarter them yourself. The smaller they are, the better they will taste. I always try to get whole chokes that are 10-12 per can. You can also get the frozen variety. The important part is making sure they are not soaking wet. I roll them in a clean dish towel after they are drained.

Then, one by one, I roll them around in the bread crumb & cheese mixture. Lay them on a parchment paper lined cookie sheet. Bake them in a 375º oven until they begin to brown, roughly 15 - 17 minutes.

Serve with a little warm marinara or a spicy aioli sauce. So easy and simply wonderful!

Pizza Party

2009-10-08T09:55:00.006-05:00

My sister and I had such a great time making our perfect pizza for dinner the other night. We rolled out pizza dough very thin and topped it with sauce, Italian spices, extra virgin olive oil, red pepper, Canadian bacon, mushrooms, zucchini, onion, broccoli, goat cheese, parmesan, more chrushed red pepper, and a little sprinkle of EVOO on top! Bake at 425º until brown and bubbly! My secret tip is to always use parchment paper. Your pizza will not stick and less clean up.

It was sooo good!

Yummy dinner followed by a night of karyoke at Springwater.
Good stuff!

accidentally in love with this salad

2009-10-01T14:10:00.005-05:00

Say goodbye to old, boring tunafish, and say hello to my new favorite quicky salad. It is so yummy! I know it seems weird, but it is so good!

I start by juicing 2 lemons into a large mixing bowl, and whisk in a couple of hefty tablespoons of good dijon mustard. Then whisk in a few tablespoons of olive oil. Add fresh black pepper, a little crushed red pepper, and Italian seasoning if you have it. There's your dressing.

Next, drain one can of white tuna and add that to the bowl. Also drain & rinse a can of chickpeas/garbanzo beans (I'm pretty sure they are the same thing), and add those to the bowl. Dice 2 small celery stalks, 1 zucchini and one small onion all very fine. Add those to the bowl. Stir everything to combine and serve it over spinach leaves. Let me know what you think!

Breakfast of Champions

2009-09-28T10:15:00.003-05:00

My friends and I woke up Saturday morning ready for a little fun. We headed down the street to Bricktop's. They have an amazing brunch on the weekends and we laughed and laughed. It was a wonderful start to the day!!

This is what Sarah & Stephanie had... the BLT benedict. I had a bite, and it was fab.

Sterling, the birthday rock star (not pictured), opted for the trendy chicken & waffles. And let me tell you, I haven't ever had a bite of a tastier waffle.

Stephanie loves her mimosas. This time she opted for bellini's (peach juice + champagne) and a carafe of them to boot!

I stayed safe with a blue moon & a grilled artichoke, my fav!

Out and About at 1808

2009-09-21T14:45:00.004-05:00

There's a new spot in town that we have been frequenting as of late... 1808! It's in the new Hutton Hotel on West End here in Nashvegas. It is so much fun! You may find yourself hobnobbing with local music row celebs or an occasional State Senator here and there, but no doubt that this is a place out of character for Nashville and I like it!

This is a mini fried oyster poboy. So good! All apps are half off during happy hour.

Cheese plate.

Me and my 1808 martini with yummy frozen grapes.

Flatbreads are great too.

Now we are all filled up and ready to head out on the town for some Americana Music! Woo hoo!

black bean & corn pico de gallo

2009-08-11T10:51:00.008-05:00

I make this every single summer. Sometimes multiple times. It is such a fresh, summery favorite and a perfect snack to have ready when a friend stops by for a visit! I serve it with tortilla chips usually, but this time I served it with romaine "chips" for a healthier alternative. You can add a little sour cream as a topper or feta cheese is so yummy on this as well. I try to use homegrown cherry tomatoes, but any good homegrown tomatoes will do.

Start with one can of black beans, drained and rinsed well.

Add a couple of handfuls of fresh or frozen yellow corn kernels.

Remove the seeds and stems from a large jalapeño. If you like it super hot, leave them in, but be forwarned.

Slice the pepper into long slices then bunch them together and dice them as small as you can get them.

Toss the jalapeño peppers into your bowl.

Add the zest of one fragrant lime.

Add as much of the zest as you can get from the lime. It adds so much flavor and aroma. It's really an important step.

And of course, you must use all of that yummy juice as well. Squeeze all of it into your bowl.

Next, dice up a good handful of fresh cilantro and toss it in as well.

Garlic. mmmm. I like to add 3 cloves. You might like less. I love garlic.

Smash them with the side of the knife and dice them up really small.

Toss them into the pool.

Then add your diced cherry tomatoes. Good tomatoes are the key to this dish. Whatever type you use, make sure they are red and juicy!

Next add about a 1/4 of a large red onion. Diced up small.

Add that to the bowl.

Stir all these ingredients together and taste. I added a little salt since I was serving mine with romaine "chips." If you are serving it with tortilla chips, you might not want to add salt.

Ta dah! Fresh and yummy feast!

Fix a good bite and enjoy!

worldly ingredients, right down the road

2009-08-10T15:02:00.003-05:00

My mother has been telling me for a while now to visit K & S World Market on Charlotte Avenue here in Nashville. I finally went the other day and was so pleasantly surprised at what I found. That place is really cool! Not only can you see things that you've never seen before, but they have great fresh produce, and very affordable. It is a bit disheartening at first, due to the immediate burst of overwhelming fish aroma as soon as you walk through the door. But there is a good reason for that... they carry a lot of fresh fish. Any by a lot I mean the entire back wall of the place is loaded with seafood varieties, some even swimming in tanks. How fresh is that?! I was able to get avocados for $1.29, where they are $2.25 most everywhere else. Now, some of you may not have time to run all over town just to save a buck. I say go for the adventure of it. I just got produce this time, but next time... I'm trying one of the fish! I just have to check with Julia and see which one she recommends I try first.

Southern Summer Staples

2009-08-10T14:56:00.006-05:00

Tomatoes, corn, squash, okra, green beans... ahhhh. This time of year in the South, there is just nothing better than homegrown veggies. And most of us who do not have a garden of our own, have someone, somewhere with more than enough that is willing to share. If not, then these succulent summer veggies are widely available at roadside stands all over the place.

I made a couple of my favorites a few nights ago. Squash and zucchini sauteed with a little purple onion, salt, pepper, and olive oil. And fresh cabbage sauteed as opposed to boiled. I char the edges and then top it with my favorite vinaigrette dressing. Serve with a few homegrown sliced tomatoes and you have a perfect little vegetarian meal.

my vinaigrette recipe:

tbsp soy sauce
tbsp red wine vinegar
tbsp dijon mustard
3 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
salt & pepper to taste

Add chopped fresh herbs for a little added color. Or substitute lemon juice instead of the soy sauce for something a little different.

I LOVE Julia!

2009-08-10T14:35:00.004-05:00

Last night the women of my family went to see the new movie Julie & Julia. I absolutely loved it! The inspirational tale of 2 women trying to make something happen in their lives through food and cooking. It was right up my alley. I couldn't wait to get home and start thinking of my ideas. How can I improve what I'm doing here? I love my blog and I think I had a pretty good idea at first, but I can only show you what I eat for so long before it gets boring. I think I'm going to try some new directions.

One idea, in similar form to my new friend Julie, would be to try out new recipes from my existing cobweb coated collection at home. When my maternal grandmother passed away 8 years ago, I wanted to keep every single thing that belonged to her. I have boxes of old costume jewelry, hats, scarves, and many other things. But one of my most treasured things is my collection of her cookbooks. They all still have multi-colored post-it notes throughout them so she could remember which recipes she enjoyed or had made, or wanted to make again. I open them to these pages often and think about her and why she picked that particular recipe. Why did she want to make a French Cassoulet? Was she having a dinner party? I've looked at these books time and time again, but I have never actually worked through any of the recipes. In fact, I abhor following recipes. I always tell myself that I am a way better cook than anyone else and using a recipe would be ridiculous and unnecessary. After seeing this movie, I am starting to think that maybe I don't have the patience necessary to follow a recipe. I think I might give it a try.

So, with my sweet grandmother's collection in hand, I might try and work my way through some of the recipes that she's marked. And of course, I'll keep you posted along the way.

Oh, and by the way, if you have a copy of "Mastering the Art of French Cooking" but haven't ever really looked through it... open it up. Read the forward. I could practically hear Julia's voice reading it to me. And I am officially inspired!

Brasserie Beck, Washington D.C.

2009-06-17T13:20:00.003-05:00

My cousin was married this past weekend in beautiful Washington, D.C. It was such a lovely wedding! We all really enjoyed ourselves and the weather was amazing. On Sunday my aunt and uncle took all of us to lunch at Brasserie Beck. When I say this was probably my favorite restaurant I have ever been to ever, I'm not exaggerating. At least in the top 10 for sure. Everything was scrumptious and beautiful, so I thought I'd share a few pics with you.

Onion Soup with fresh and fried onion toppers and bubbly Gruyére cheese. Divine!

Fresh peach juice bellini

Nova Scotian fresh oysters with different dipping sauces

Pomme frites! with mayo trio - curry, garlic and red pepper

Steamy mussels in veal bolognese with fresh herbs & capers - best sauce in my life.

Chelsea's mussels were spicy with fennel & chorizo sausage

I thought these sides looked wonderful.

And interesting starters as well.

This was my aunt's beautiful grouper with lemon caper butter sauce and topped with garlic mashed potatoes.

Eggplant Roll Ups - Healthy Italian

2009-05-28T13:12:00.007-05:00

I'm sure that I'm not the first one to do this, but it just came to me when I was thinking about lasagna and not wanting to eat all of those calories. The end result was so delicious, and I think I'll continue to play with this idea and all the possible fillings. For example, when I made it this time, I added gluten-free pasta shells to the filling. I wasn't too hip on that, and it didn't need them at all. You could also add ground turkey to the filling. That would be so yummy! I might have to try that next.

To start you will need the following:
1 large eggplant
2 or 3 large zucchini
1 can of small artichoke hearts
2 cans of diced tomatoes (I like the ones with garlic & basil)
1 cup of good low-fat cottage cheese
1 cup of grated parmesan
1 cup of cooked & drained shells (optional)
1 pkg. of browned turkey meat (optional also, but do one or the other. not both optionals.)
Italian seasoning
handfull of fresh basil
salt & pepper
extra virgin good stuff

Start by slicing 1/4" long strips of both the eggplant and the zucchini. Place the eggplant on a parchment paper lined sheet pan and drizzle with evoo (sorry Ray Ray, but it's so much easier to type), and a little salt and pepper. Roast in a 400º oven for about 15 - 20 minutes, watching carefully. You want the brown edges, but you don't want them falling apart.

Next start pan searing your zucchini in a little bit of olive oil over medium high heat. Try to get brown edges, but not cooked all the way through so that you can still work with them and they don't fall apart. Set them aside to cool as you go.

Once you have your strips of veggies set aside, you can make your filling. Combine your cottage cheese, half of your parmesan, a handful of roughly chopped basil, 1 can of tomatoes - drained, 1 canof baby artichokes - drained and diced, Italian seasoning, salt & pepper to taste. You can also add one of the optionals here too.

Now it's time to start assymbling the rolls!

Place 1 eggplant slice on your work surface.

Add 2 slices of the zucchini on top. If there are any holes in your eggplant, that's okay. Just cover them with the zucchini.

Next, place a little bit of the mixture at one end of the veggies and start rolling them up!

You can start placing them side by side down a casserole dish.

Oh - a good tip to keep the rolls from sticking, is to spread a little bit of tomato sauce along the bottom of the dish. Keep lining them up until your dish is full.

Pour over them the remaining can of tomatoes, with all it's juices. Top with the cheese and bake at 350º for 30 - 45 minutes, or until golden & bubbly.

Let me know what you think. Enjoy!!

more sushi please!

2009-04-29T13:41:00.003-05:00

I have been making sushi like crazy lately. I love it! I also get a little thing of saki to have with my sushi and it just sets the mood. Sippin' on a little saki while I try to create beautiful little rolls to share and enjoy surely makes them taste better. I make mine vegetarian, but the possibilities are endless. These have carrots, cabbage, cream cheese, and avocado.

Here are a few tips that I've learned through all of my sushi practice as of late...

1. Use wasabi sauce (sauce, not paste) as the sealer for your roll. Brush the dry part with the sauce before rolling.

2. Use a very sharp knife for cutting and be slow and steady about it.

3. Variety. There's something so exciting about lots of little multi-colored rolls!

wonderful wonton wrappers

2009-04-29T09:45:00.004-05:00

Wonton wrappers are incredibly versatile little sheets of loveliness. They are great for potstickers of course, but also homemade raviolis that you can stuff with just about anything you like. In this recipe I've created fun little shells stuffed with poached chicken in wine sauce. You could also use them as chicken salad cups or even dessert cups for pudding with a dallop of whip cream. You can find wonton wrappers in the organic vegetable section of the grocery store, near the tofu and mushrooms.

Wonton Shells:

Preheat your oven to 375º. Coat a mini muffin tin with non-stick spray. Place one wrapper in each little tin, pressing around the inside edges and allowing the points to flow out around. Bake for 10 to 12 minutes watching carefully until they are golden brown. Pull them out and place them on a platter ready to fill with yummy goodness.

Poached Chicken with Wine:

In a large black skillet, sauteé diced onions in a little olive oil over medium high heat. {TIP: I use a heat safe brush to evenly coat my pan with the oil. This also helps to prevent me from using too much oil.} Next, add your smashed, diced garlic to the mix and lower the heat to medium. Then add one package of ground chicken or turkey and combine. Pour in about 1/4 cup of dry white wine and stir until the meat is all cooked through and the liquid has evaporated. Turn off the heat and stir in 2 tbsp. of cream cheese. Place a spoonful of the mixture into each little cup. Top with sliced tomato pieces or chopped scallions. I served this with easy & crunchy green bean fries.

Green Bean Fries:

Clean and trim beans, but leave them whole. Preheat oven to 400º. Place the beans on a sheet pan and salt and pepper them liberally. Coat with a couple of tablespoons of olive oil and toss with your hands. Spread them out as thinly as you can on the sheet pan. Cook for about 20 minutes or until they start to brown. Enjoy!

veg-e-table su-ahhh-she

2009-04-14T13:59:00.004-05:00

My mother and I made homemade sushi last night. This has been something that I have always wanted to do, but never been able to do successfully because of the rice issue. It is so darn hard to create perfect sticky rice. Well, now that issue has been solved. Perfect sticky rice is right at our fingertips in a minute and thirty seconds. And it's brown rice to boot. I found this product in the grocery store recently right over near all of the other instant rice products. It has two ingredients: brown rice and water. No preservatives and other junk. And it works perfectly for homemade sushi.

You will need Nishiki instant brown rice, seaweed wrappers, cucumber slices, avocado slices, grated wasabi, mayo, and soy sauce.

Cook the rice according to the directions. Spread a thin layer of the rice along one half of the seaweed sheet. Top with thinly sliced cucumber and avocado in long strips. Top with a mixture of mayo and wasabi. Brush a little extra of this mixture on the top of the sheet to seal the roll. Then roll it up!

I know this is not the best photo, but here you have it. Really delicious sushi right at home!

Easter and such

2009-04-14T12:57:00.006-05:00

I spent my Easter Sunday at one of the most beautiful places on earth, on the cliffs over looking the Cumberland River in Ashland City, Tennessee. My Aunt Liz and Uncle Nip live there in this wonderfully peaceful place. I went up Saturday to help get ready for the Easter festivities the following day. We had a great time.

This little bugger tried to eat me on my way up the drive, but I didn't let him stop me! No sir!

I gathered river rocks to add to my collection. I've been painting them lately because of this chick.

My friend Grace asked if she could have a slumber party with me and I said sure! She's a great snuggle buddy.

I went to the creek and gathered wild flowers to decorate our table. I was so proud of my arrangements. I think they are my best yet. I'm not that great at it. My sister & Aunt Dancey have the green thumbs in our family.

And this is what I contributed to the Easter meal. Smashed new potatoes. I got this idea from my favorite food blogger. I boiled them until tender, then tossed them in olive oil and smashed them onto a baking sheet. Sprinkled them liberally with salt and pepper, and baked them at 400º until the edges got brown and toasty. They were so yummy! I served them with sour cream that I mixed with finely chopped herbs.

Homemade Black Bean Hummus

2009-03-23T11:25:00.002-05:00

Okay. This has got to be one of the easiest little appetizers that is so yummy and affordable! Mine is a slightly altered version of a recipe found in Cooking Light magazine.

Black Bean Hummus:

1 can black beans (drained and rinsed)

1 jalapeño (seeded and chopped roughly)

1 clove of garlic

juice of 1 lemon

2 tbsp. olive oil

1 tbsp. tahini

1 tbsp. cumin

pinch of red pepper flakes

salt & pepper to taste

Pulse all ingredients together in a food processor. Top your hummus with a sprinkle of red pepper and olive oil. For a little more flavor top with diced tomatoes and onions. I serve it with toasted pita chips sprinkled with cumin, red pepper and sea salt. You can also serve it with celery & carrot sticks, endive leaves, and cucumber slices.

Not Your Average Meatball

2009-03-23T10:59:00.005-05:00

This past weekend was spent relaxing, hiking, eating, painting and soaking up the sunshine here in Nashville. On Saturday my mother suggested that we make turkey burgers for lunch. We then decided to make turkey meatballs with a dijon honey dipping sauce. We had enough left over for a healthy version of a favorite comfort food... spaghetti and meatballs for Sunday night. They were so good and an a great way to stretch a buck! We definitely have enough left over for dinner one night this week. Here's what we did...

Turkey & Mushroom Meatballs:

1 pkg. low fat ground turkey meat

1 pkg. white button mushrooms (diced small)

1 yellow onion (grated)

1/2 cup panko Italian seasoned breadcrumbs

2 tbsp. ketchup

1 egg

handful of chopped fresh parsley

handful of parmesan cheese

a few grinds each of salt & black pepper

a sprinkle of red pepper flakes

a pinch of herbs de provence

Combine all ingredients well. I started by using a spatula and then use my hand to make sure everything is incorporated. Then line a baking sheet with parchment paper and start rolling out your little balls. I like to make them fairly small so they are bite sized... smaller than a golfball. I guess about the size of a quarter. Bake them at 375º for 30 minutes or until golden brown.

We made a dijon honey sauce for dipping or just drop them into your favorite marinara sauce and ENJOY!!

The Caipirinha (KAI-PUR-EEN-YA)

2009-03-05T12:53:00.002-06:00

Recently some friends and I took a trip to a cabin for a weekend. We decided to relax, and make fun food & drinks to spoil ourselves for a couple of days. My friend Anna often raves about a special drink that the bartender at her favorite spot makes just for her. She asked for the recipe and shared the drink with us on our little trip. It was deliciously light and refreshing. Almost like a margarita, but it's brighter. It's made from a Brazilian liquor called cachaça. It was my first encounter with this stuff, but we thoroughly enjoyed our tasty beverages. Thanks Anna!

The Caipirinha:

2.5 oz. cachaça

1 oz. simple syrup

1 oz. fresh lime juice

limes wedge for garnish

Combine in a mixer with ice. Give it a good shake and serve over ice with a lime wedge.

Eat Your Shrimp & Veggies!

2009-03-05T10:51:00.004-06:00

I made this dish the other night and it was such a happy accident. I sauteed cleaned and de-veined shrimp in a little olive oil with salt and pepper. Then added diced zucchini chunks, quartered mushrooms, and a diced Roma tomato. A little more salt & pepper and the juice of half a lemon. It was fantastic!

An Easy App

2009-02-23T12:37:00.003-06:00

A beautiful veggie platter is easy to do, very affordable, and can be quite impressive. Arrange sliced carrots, celery, quartered mushrooms, zucchini slices, or any other combination of fresh slices veggies. I love to blanch whole green beans in boiling water for about 5 minutes and then transfer them to ice water, then blot them dry with a paper towel. I also like to use this method for broccoli, asparagus, cauliflower, and new potato slices. For a special addition, wrap some of the veggies with sliced prosciutto.

Serve with your favorite dip. I make an easy curry dip by combining low-fat sour cream, curry powder, and dijon mustard.

Fancy Little Cake

2009-02-23T11:54:00.002-06:00

I was making some cupcakes for my friend Anna's birthday last week and I had a little extra batter. I decided to play and see what I could do. I used 2 loaf pans and put a thin layer of batter in each pan on top of a piece of parchment paper, so it wouldn't stick. After they were cooked I cut 4 little square out of the cake, by cutting each loaf in half and stacking both half then trimming the edges. I made the top 2 squares a little smaller than the bottom 2. Then I iced it all up and added a few little decorative touches. Voila! I think I'll make these from now on for my friends. It makes for a much more impressive presentation.

Charred Artichoke with Curried Remoulade Sauce

2009-02-23T11:14:00.003-06:00

My absolute favorite vegetable is the artichoke. I am always coming up with new recipes around this heavenly veggie. This one is pretty straight forward. I tried to copy an appetizer from Bricktops, a local restaurant here in Nashville, and I think it turned out pretty durn well if I do say so myself.

Artichoke:

Trim the artichoke by cutting off just the end of the stem, leaving as much of it as possible. Also trimming with scissors the tips of the prickly leaves. You can slice off the very end of the top, to get all of those tips that are snugged in tightly together. In a pot on the stove combine 4 cups of water, half a lemon quartered, 2 tbsp. olive oil and a pinch or two of salt. Bring this to a boil. Cut the artichoke in half lengthwise and then cut each half in half lengthwise again. Next, scoop out the little bristles inside and the smaller inedible leaves and discard those. Then add the 4 quarters to the boiling water and cover. Reduce the heat to medium and leave them alone for about 30 - 40 minutes. When the hearts are fork tender, remove them from the water and place on a baking sheet, inside up. Turn your oven on high broil. Brush them with a little more olive oil, and place them in the oven. Watch this very closely. It will happen fast. As soon as the edges start to brown, pull them out and they are ready to eat.

Remoulade:

Combine 2 tbsp. fresh lemon juice, 4 tbsp. mayo, 2 tbsp. dijon mustard, a pinch of herbs de provance, a pinch of cayenne pepper, and a little salt to taste.

Christmas Eve at Papa's House

2009-01-05T14:12:00.005-06:00

Every Christmas Eve since I was a little girl, we go to my father's house for oyster stew. My father cooks like I do (or I guess you could say that I cook like him), so the recipe changes slightly from year to year. But it is always spectacular! We also always have Aunt Debbe's cheese grits and Aunt Stephanie's spiced apples among many other wonderful eats to enjoy!

Papa & Jill's house

Looking in on the festivities.

Papa and his prize winning pig!

Quichés a plenty... recipes to follow.

Oyster stew... ohh... ahhh...

Cheese grits and baked apples!

Another close up of the baked country ham.

Me and my memaw.

another view from the outside looking in.

Butternut Squash Casserole

2008-12-16T11:22:00.003-06:00

I love butternut squash and this time of year it is always in the grocery store. Last night I made this wonderful casserole and it was so simple. I roasted the whole squash in a 350º oven for about an hour. Slice the squash in half, throw away the seeds and remove the flesh with a spoon. Mash the flesh of the squash with 2 tbsp. of butter, 2 heaping spoonfuls of sour cream, and salt and pepper to taste. Put this mixture into a casserole dish and back into the oven for 20 minutes. That's it!

Snowy Comfort Meal

2008-12-12T12:57:00.004-06:00

Sweet Missy playing in the snow by the light of a full moon.

Veal Piccata over fettucini

Last Thursday it snowed and snowed. It was absolutely beautiful! We all cuddled up by the fire and made Veal Piccata. My version of Veal Piccata anyways. I've never made veal before, and was quite skeptical, but it turned out great. Everyone loved it. Feel free to substitute chicken though if that would make you feel better.

VEAL PICCATA

4 veal cutlets, pounded very thin and cut into 1" slices
1 cup of parmesan cheese
1/2 cup red wine
1 yellow onion, sliced thin
2 large diced tomatoes
8 oz. of mushrooms sliced thin
juice of 1 lemon
2 cloves of garlic, minced
palmful of capers
2 tbsp. olive oil
1 pat of butter
red pepper flakes
salt & pepper
Italian seasoning
2 tbsp. flour
handful of parsley, roughly chopped

Start by covering your veal slices with the red wine and let sit in the fridge for 2 hours. In a large skillet sauté the onions and mushrooms over medium heat in the oil and butter. After the onions turn translucent, add the flour and stir it in well. Next add the tomatoes, capers, garlic, lemon juice, and seasonings and reduce heat to low. Cover this and let it simmer for a while, stirring occasionally. If it needs moisture, add a splash of the red wine. Remove the veal from the fridge and set the wine aside. Add it to the sauce as needed. On a plate put half of the parmesan cheese in a pile and begin tossing the veal peices around in the cheese to evenly coat them. In a seperate skillet, heat a little more olive oil over medium high heat. When the skillet is really hot, add the veal pieces and cook thoroughly. Add the pieces to your sauce, along with your chopped parsley and simmer all together for an additional 20 minutes or so. Serve over noodles of your choice and more parmesan cheese.

The next morning the snow was so pretty on the fields.
And as quickly as it arrived, it started to melt away.

Poppop & Memaw

2008-12-10T11:08:00.001-06:00

Me and my Poppop 1978

My paternal grandfather and I were thick as thieves right off the bat. We shared many things. One of our favorite things was Memaw's wonderful cooking. My Memaw's Sunday dinners were more comforting than a warm blanket fresh out of the dryer! As a child the whole family gathered at their house every other Sunday for scrumptious meals of hearty roast beef with carrots and onions, green beans, mashed potatoes, macaroni and cheese, and squash casserole. I can still remember the smells as we would walk through the door after church. Our stomachs rumbled as we had to sit patiently and wait for my father and my aunts who were notoriously late every time. The television blasted scenes from old country western movies while Memaw would work on a cake, because we were always close to someone's birthday. And "Memaw Cake" was the best. The only difference each time was the number of candles on top!

Me, my sister Chelsea, & Memaw

Me & my cute cousin McLain 1993

Memaw aka Jacquelyn Shivers Howard

McLain, me, my sister Olivia, & Memaw 1996

Holiday Cooking with Aunt Dancey

2008-12-08T13:25:00.000-06:00

I have been dying to learn how to make cheese straws for a while now. My aunt is an expert. Her's are always wonderful. Last weekend I spent a cold, dreary Saturday baking trays and trays of these yummy treats at her house. We made two different kinds - spicy cheddar and blue cheese. They both turned out great. Thanks Aunt Dancey!!

We started by grating 2 kids of cheese in the food processor, sharp white cheddar, and regular sharp cheddar. You can not use pre-shredded cheese. It has to be shredded by hand or in a food processor.

For the blue cheese version, we combined 1 pkg. of blue cheese crumbles with the white cheddar and weighed it to make sure that we had 1 lb. of cheese. For the spicy cheddar version, we just weighed out 1 lb. of cheese.

To mix the batter, combine 1 lb. of cheese, 3 cups of sifted flour, 2 sticks of butter, 1 teaspoon of salt, and as much or as little cayenne pepper are you would like. We also added a few shakes of crushed red pepper.

Combine your batter together and start putting it into a cookie press. This will help to lay out the little rows.

Here are the precooked straws on parchment paper ready to go.

Drinking pink champagne while cooking always helps make the food taste better.

These little guys only take about 8 - 10 minutes at 375º so you have to watch them closely. After they come out of the oven, sprinkle them liberally with kosher salt. Wait until they are starting to cool before slicing them into 2" pieces.

The blue cheese batter was a little softer, so we decided to make little biscuits and they worked out perfectly.

All packed up carefully and ready to be put into gift bags for my friends.

Aunt Dan had another project going on simultaneously. She was making dog shaped cookies.

Here is a closeup of a few of her cookies. I hope they turned out well!

Lemony Turkey & Artichoke Soup

2008-12-03T13:04:00.000-06:00

I made this for dinner last night, and not only is it very tasty, it is extremely low in fat. Healthy and comforting! You can't beat that.

1 pre-cooked rotisserie turkey breast (This is in the grocery near the rotisserie chickens. If you can't find one, substitute a rotisserie chicken.)
1 large yellow onion
3 stalks of celery
3 carrots
2 tbsp. olive oil
1 can of 8-10 count whole artichoke hearts
2 lemons
1 quart of chicken broth
fresh parsley
salt & crushed red pepper

Sauté your trinity of onions, carrots, and celery in a little olive oil over medium heat. I did pretty chunky pieces, but dice them however you please. Shred the turkey and add it to the mix. Open your can of artichoke hearts and drain the brine into the pot. This liquid adds a lot of flavor. Pour the artichokes into a seperate bowl and mush them gently with your hand to break them up a bit then add them to the pot as well. Stir in all of the chicken broth, the juice of both lemons and the salt and pepper to taste. Reduce the heat to low and wait for the soup to warm for about 30 minutes or so. Add the chopped parsley last just before serving.

Perfect Piña Colada - REVISED

2008-12-03T12:03:00.000-06:00

One of my favorite beachside cocktails is the piña colada. I've already posted one blog giving my recipe for the perfect Piña, but I am here to say that I've found a few revisions to that recipe. My sister, Chelsea, and I share a love of this tasty treat. During our trip we had the best one that I've ever had at Blue Heaven, a fabulous Key West original. If you like piña coladas too, then go to Blue Heaven. You don't have to die to get there! Ha ha ha.

The bartender shared his secrets with us and Chelsea and I tried to duplicate the recipe the next day - supurb!!

The ambiance in Blue Heaven is so great.

BLUE HEAVEN PIñA COLADA

Cruzan coconut rum
Cruzan pinapple rum
fresh pinapple juice
2 tablespoons of creme de coconut
Cruzan Black Strap rum

Pour all ingredients over plenty of ice and blend for a really long time until smooth and creamy. After putting it in the glass, each drink gets a "topper" of the black strap rum. It is rich and luxurious and adds a certain something that is undeniably good.

Me with my Piña
Chelsea with her Piña
Our friend, Bill Bickley, with his... fabuloso!!

Coco's Kitchen - Deer Key, Florida

2008-12-03T10:12:00.000-06:00

Coco's Kitchen has been a favorite of the lower keys since 1969, and I can see why. Now located in a strip mall, you wouldn't think much of it from the lack of curb appeal, but the Cuban family that runs this joint can cook like you wouldn't believe!

My sister ordered the Bowl of Grits and it was super good and simple. A bowl of flavorful grits, topped with cheese, ham, and fried eggs for $3.25. Rumor has it that the grandmother of the family is Coco and she makes everything from scratch along with her children and grandchildren.

We went for breakfast and I had the huevos rancheros, which is one of my all time favorites. And priced at $3.75, it was well worth it! A homemade tortilla soaking in yummy black beans that were also homemade (my mother found a bay leaf in hers), topped with perfectly medium eggs and fresh salsa.

MY VERSION OF HUEVOS RANCHEROS
(makes 2 servings)

2 small flour tortillas
1 can of fat free refried black beans
handful of freshly grated sharp cheddar cheese
2 eggs
splash of olive oil
salt & pepper
1 jar of good salsa - I love the Herdez brand
sour cream
fresh cilantro

Preheat oven to 450º and put the tortillas directly on the rack. Watching them closely, wait until they start to brown a little and pull them out. Coat each one with a very thin layer of the beans and on top of that, a layer of the cheese. Place them back in the oven on the rack for a few more minutes until the cheese bubbles. Meanwhile in a skillet over medium low heat, fry the eggs to your desired temperature. I think over easy or over medium are best with this dish. Salt and pepper the eggs while you cook them. Then place the tortillas on the plates and top each on with an egg. Spoon over it a couple of spoonfuls of the salsa and a dallop of sour cream on top. Finish it off with a few leaves of the cilantro. This breakfast will certainly spice up your day!

Side note about Deer Key:

The entire island is inhabited by these adorable little deer. The speed limit is 25 mph on the whole island to prevent you from hitting one because they are everywhere! It is so neat. I love it.

Tangy Tasty Toast with Egg

2008-12-03T09:54:00.000-06:00

This is a light, healthy breakfast with a little bit of a kick. I toasted a piece of whole grain bread, slathered it with creamy dijon mustard, and topped it with spicy arugula. Then I lightly fried and egg with a little olive oil, salt & pepper to over medium. And voila! It is divine!

Island Style Thanksgiving

2008-12-01T12:30:00.000-06:00

We spent Thanksgiving day lounging in the sun and reading. How perfect is that! Then we swam and kayacked before cooking later in the day.

This was the highlight of our supper... cedar smoked salmon on the grill. We served it with hollandaise sauce loaded with shrimp and crabmeat.

A plate of limes and fresh cilantro is a fabulous accompaniment to any fresh seafood.

My dressing balls. They are always a big hit. (recipe is in a previous post)

This is my version of a salad that my cousin brings to every holiday meal. My sister and I love this salad. The highlight is the stuffed artichoke hearts. They are simply stuffed with a combination of cream cheese and a little mayo whipped together. So good!!

Hard to see by the candlelight, but our Thanksgiving dinner was fantastic! Wood-smoked salmon topped with crab & shrimp hollandaise sauce, roasted brussels sprouts and asparagus, spaghetti squash, oyster dressing, and yummy stuffed artichoke salad. Now that's an island style holiday meal!

This is my sister's beautiful "Crazy Cudjoe Coconut Cake" drenched in delectable dark rum. It was a huge hit!

Cudjoe Key for Thanksgiving

2008-11-22T15:45:00.000-06:00

I just returned from a wonderful week in the Florida Keys! The weather was absolutely gorgeous. We spent plenty of time eating seafood and lying in the sun. I am going to post pictures and reviews of the restaurants that we went to, as well as our fabulous Florida Keys Thanksgiving meal. Check back soon!

Greatmomma's Dressing Recipe

2008-11-20T09:27:00.000-06:00

My wonderful grandmother, who we so fondly called Greatmomma, passed away in 2001. She was famous for many things, but around this time of year we remember her cooking. Mainly her dressing balls. They are so yummy, and for some reason I woke up the year of her passing thinking that the recipe came to me in a dream. Probably in all reality, I watched her make it or asked her to tell me how she made it enough times that it just stuck in the depths of my brain somewhere. I wanted to post a few pictures of my family's Thanksgiving last year and I thought I would also share the famous dressing ball recipe.

Enjoy!!

GREATMOMMA'S DRESSING BALLS

2 pkg. Jiffy corn muffin mix (cooked as cornbread according to the directions on the box. You can do this a day or 2 in advance.)
1 pkg. Pepperidge Farms Herb Stuffing Mix
6 - 8 stalks of celery - diced very small
2 large yellow onions - diced very small
1 stick of unsalted butter
a bunch of fresh flat leaf parsley - roughly chopped
a bunch of fresh sage - chopped fine
2 quarts of chicken stock (get more just in case)
salt & pepper to taste

Mix your cornbread according to the directions on the box. Heat a small black skillet in the oven with a pat of butter. Pour the cornbread mix into the hot skillet and cook. After it's finished, crumble the cornbread into a large mixing bowl and repeat. After both cornbreads are in the bowl, add the stuffing mix and one of the quarts of chicken stock. In another skillet on the stove, add an entire stick of butter over medium low heat. Once it melts, add all of the onions and celery. Sauté this until the onions are translucent. Add salt and pepper to taste. Add the onions and celery to your large mixing bowl along with all of your herbs. Add the remaining quart of chicken stock slowly to get the right consistency. Mix all of this together until combined. It should be wet, but manageable and you should be able to form it into balls with your hands. Place each ball (about the size of a tennis ball) onto a nonstick cookie sheet and press slightly to sort of make an egg or small loaf shape. Bake at 350º until the outside browns a little and the inside is still moist and fabulous!!

If you want to really spice things up, you can add a package of sage pork sausage that's been browned and crumbled. Make sure to drain it over paper towels before adding it to your dressing mixture.

My Aunt Dancey and sisser Chelsea

Aunt Dancey's beautiful table setting

the Sanders dining room in all it's glory

Aunt Dancey's amazing centerpiece

Uncle Nip and Cousin Haynes

Dana, Chelsea, and Dancey cooking away!

dining room looks perfect!

time to eat

save room for dessert

awww... my cousin Chenault and yours truly!

Still Pumpkins on Your Porch?

2008-11-19T14:28:00.000-06:00

If you are like me and meant to carve all of the pumpkins that you purchased, but ended up just carving the one pumpkin, then you will appreciate this resource for a superb pumpkin soup! I didn't want my left over pumpkin to go to waste and ended up coming up with this idea. I used a few different recipes and actually made the soup twice. The second batch was by far much better than the first, so that is the recipe that I will pass on to you!

ROASTED PUMPKIN SOUP

1 small pumpkin - deseeded and cut into quarters

3 whole large carrots - chunked

1 small onion - chunked

2 tbsp. olive oil

salt & pepper to taste

1 can low sodium chicken broth

1 cup apple juice

1 tsp. nutmeg

pinch of Italian seasoning

1/2 cup heavy cream

Salt & pepper the pumpkin pieces and roast on 400º until tender - about 1 hour. In a skillet over medium high heat add the carrots, onion, and olive oil. Sauté until they start to get caramelized and then add salt and pepper to taste. Add a splash of the chicken broth, reduce heat to low and cover until soft. Make sure to scrape all of the bits off of the bottom of the pan. Transfer this to a food processor and blend until smooth. Transfer to a large stew pot and start on the pumpkin. Cutting large chunks that will pull away from the skin fairly easily, add in batches to the food processor. Blend until smooth and pour into your stew pot. When you have all of the pumpkin, onion, and carrots pureed, add the apple juice and chicken stock to the pot and heat over medium low. Add in the Italian seasoning and nutmeg and let it simmer over medium low heat for about 30 minutes. Stir in the cream about 10 minutes before serving.

You can top it with thinly sliced green onion or a dallop of sour cream.

Perfect Potroast

2008-11-18T20:04:00.001-06:00

This recipe is perfect for a cool winter day. It will warm you right up from the inside out!

rump roast or chuck roast

salt & pepper to taste

3 or 4 tbsp. olive oil

6 - 8 carrots - peeled and cut into 2" pieces

6 - 8 celery stalks - cut into 2" pieces

2 large yellow onions - cut into 1" chunks

1 small pkg. of button mushrooms

8 - 10 small red new potatoes

1 can beef broth

1 can healthy request cream of mushroom soup

handful of parsley (optional)

garlic salt

Italian seasoning

Preheat the oven to 375º. Generously salt and pepper your piece of meat. Heat dutch oven on medium high for a few minutes and then add your oil. Place the meat in and hope that it immediately sizzles. If it doesn't, raise the heat. You want to get a good sear on all sides before adding everything else. After you sear all sides, reduce the heat to low and add all of your veggies IN THIS ORDER... onions on the bottom, then celery, then carrots, mushrooms and potatoes on the top. Do not worry that your meat is not cooked through. It will finish cooking in the oven. Top with more salt, pepper, garlic salt, Italian seasonings, and chopped parsley. In a separate bowl combine the beef broth and the mushroom soup and wisk together. Pour this mixture into the dutch oven slowly to evenly coat all of the veggies and meat. Place the lid on you pot and put it into the oven for 3 - 3.5 hours. The longer you cook it, the better it will be for up to 4 hours.

After it looks perfect to you, remove all veggies and place on a platter. Also remove your piece of meat and place on the platter. Cover with aluminum foil and let it rest. Place your dutch oven back on the stove top over medium heat to reduce your sauce. Wisk as it reduces. You may need to add a tablespoon or 2 of flour to help the gravy thicken, but usually you won't need to do that if you let it reduce quite a bit. Pour the gravy over your meat and veggies and enjoy!

Currier's Coq Au Vin

2008-11-18T10:58:00.000-06:00

I have created my own version of this classic French dish that is absolutely marvelous! It is essentially chicken with wine, but adding a little of this and a little of that will make it ohh so much more. I just made this for a dinner party last weekend and learned a few new tricks along the way. Unfortunately, I forgot to take a picture, but here is one that I've found that looks pretty similar to mine.

COQ AU VIN

ingredients:
12 chicken thighs (bone in, skin on)
1 large yellow onion - diced
1 pkg. of fresh pearl onions - peeled
6 large carrots - peeled and cut at a diagonal into 1/2" angled slices
3 medium turnips - peeled and cut in half, then sliced into 1/2" pieces
1 large package of white button mushrooms - cut into 1/2" slices
2 or 3 handfuls of long, thin greenbeans - trimmed and left whole
1 decent bottle of shiraz
1 can of low sodium chicken broth
large handful of rosemary
1 small can of tomato paste
a handful of flour
2 tbsp. olive oil
2 tbsp. butter
salt and pepper to taste

Preheat oven to 400º. In a bowl combine flour, salt & pepper. After cleaning and towel drying your chicken thighs, lightly dust each one with your flour mixture. They do not need to be drenched in the flour. Heat a large dutch oven over medium heat. Add the butter and the olive oil. After this melts, begin adding each thigh and browning them on both sides. They do not need to be fully cooked through, just nice and caramelized on either side. Then remove from the heat and pour in your chicken broth & wine. Yup! The entire bottle. Toss all of your veggies except the green beans on top and lightly push everything down into the mixture. I added a little more salt and pepper and a few shakes of Italian seasoning here, but that's optional. I personally do not like pieces of rosemary in my food, so I place the whole stems on top so that I can remove them later. Put your lid on and place in the oven for 1 hour. Pull out your dutch oven and lightly move everything around to get it reincorporated into the sauce. Add your green beans and try to push them into the sauce as well. Return your pot uncovered back into the oven for another hour.

After you take it out of the oven, remove your rosemary and let it sit uncovered while you make your sauce. With a soup ladle, try and remove as much of the liquid as you can (5 or 6 ladles full) and transfer it to a sauce pan over medium low heat. Add in your can of tomato paste and wisk to combine. This sauce will thicken after a few minutes and you can remove it from the heat.

I served my Coq Au Vin over mashed white beans. I will include that recipe below, but it would also be nice over some simple garlic mashed potatoes. Place a heap right in the center of your plate, top that with a peice of the chicken. Sprinkle a variety of the veggies around the sides and pour a ladle of your sauce over the top! For a really pretty touch, add a fresh sprig of rosemary on top. This is a show stopper of a meal and sure to please any crowd.

MASHED WHITE BEANS
1 bag of dried white beans
1 ham hock
1 large white onion - chopped into large pieces
a few sprigs of rosemary
salt and pepper to taste

Soak your beans overnight. Then cook them according to the package with the salt, pepper, rosemary, onion and the ham hock. After they cook for several hours, remove the ham hock and the rosemary and drain as much of the liquid as possible from the beans. Mash roughly to combine and serve.

Aunt Currier Thornton Goodall

2008-11-18T09:49:00.000-06:00

My namesake, Currier Goodall, would make beautiful cakes with marzipan flowers. This picture from the Review Appeal is one of my favorites of her surrounded by her amazing creations.

My grandmother wrote this poem for her:

For Currier T. Goodall on her 89th Birthday

by Jane Trabue

You look at your hands with frustration
Because they can't do the jobs they once could.
They won't hold a cup, a needle or brush,
or do the work that you wish that they would.

I look at your hands in amazement
To think of the work they have wrought,
Beautiful flowers of marzipan, needlepoint, clothes, ---
Things that money could not have bought.

You have made beautiful things,
But more beautiful than all of these
Is the life that you have lived, and the joy that you give
With the work of your beautiful hands.

If You Like Piña Coladas...

2008-11-17T15:47:00.001-06:00

I absolutely LOVE to sip on a piña colada. Here is my recipe for a never fail version...

1 small can of creme de coconut (usually in the cocktail mixer section of the grocery store)
12 oz. pineapple juice
4 oz. dark rum
plenty of ice

Shake up can of coconut creme really well before opening it. Fill up a blender with ice. Pour in the rum. Fill 3/4 of the way up with the pinapple juice and then add a few tablespoons of the coconut creme. The more of this gooey goodness that you add, the sweeter your concoction will be, so make it to suit your taste.

Share the Love

2008-11-17T15:27:00.000-06:00

I love a party! Any excuse is a good excuse to invite people over and make them ooh and ahh over my scrumptious creations! Fresh veggies and creamy dips are always on the top of my list. I also thing it's fun to have a signature drink such as summer beer served in champagne glasses.

SUMMER BEER

1 small can frozen limeade
1 small can vodka (use empty limeade can)
3 domestic beers of your choice
plenty of ice

Stir all ingredients until combined and slurp up this tasty treat! Be careful though - it goes down very smoothly!

Colorado Fruit Salad

2008-11-17T15:16:00.000-06:00

This recipe is simple, yes, but totally fabulous. I combined 1 ripe peach, 1 sliced banana, several sliced strawberries, and the juice of 1 tangerine. In the words of my friend Rachel Ray... yumm-o!

Organic Me Please...

2008-11-17T14:56:00.000-06:00

During the summers here in Tennessee I shop at my local organic farmers market. The pico de gallo that can be made with tomatoes like these is something to talk about! Here is my recipe for superior pico...

PICO DE GALLO (Currier Style)

4 large ripe tomatoes - diced
1 large sweet yellow onion - diced
2 fresh jalapeños - deseeded, deveined, and minced
handful of cilantro roughly chopped
juice of 1 lime
salt & pepper to taste

Serve this with good ole tortilla chips or spice up tilapia by baking it with a little pico on top. The possiblities are endless. I also love to add things to vary the flavors. Add 1 cup of fresh corn kernals and a diced avocado to make a dip that is the envy of all your friends. Serve this dip topped with crumbled feta and watch out! Of course, a corona with lime is always a fabulous accompaniment.

Live Life with a Twist!

2008-11-17T14:25:00.000-06:00

Well here goes... I am planning on writing a cookbook eventually because I love to cook and I write recipes daily. But for now, this blog will be a way for me to see how much information is actually in my head.

I think cooking is one of the greatest forms of therapy. Chopping, stirring, smelling, tasting all sooth my soul in a most amazing way. I like to try and invent things out of what is in the fridge. I also like to try new and unusual concoctions of ingredients that are unfamiliar. Some turn out horrible, some are pretty good. I'll try and spare you the ugly details and share the pretty cool foods for thought.

I live life with a twist! Each new day brings something different and exciting. Hopefully I can bring you into my world a little with my recipes.

Enjoy!!

BIRTHDAY MORNING BLOODIES

1 can regular v8 juice
4 oz. vodka of your choice (Polar Ice is nice!)
plenty of ice
juice of one lime
dash of worcestershire sauce
dash of hot sauce
celery salt to taste
2 large stalks of celery - cleaned very well

Combine all ingredients and serve in 2 large glasses with the celery for garnish.