.tabasco onion rings.

This is the recipe for the onion rings I made to go with the Vidalia Meatloaf. Man, these are so good! Vidalia onions are possibly the best onion to make onion rings with. Walla Walla sweets are pretty good too, but you can't find those in this part of the country (east coast).... just as I'm sure Vidalia onions aren't plentiful in your neck of the woods (west coast). Sometimes it's good living in Georgia.




I hate frying sometimes, and this is no exception. You can only fry a few rings at a time and there are usually a lot to do. The easiest way to do this is to fry them up and hold in a warm oven if you can.





Put all of your separated rings in a bowl. Pour buttermilk over the top. Put in 1 tsp tabasco and mix around to coat. Let sit for a few minutes.



While they're sitting, put some flour (about 1-2 cups) in a pie plate. Season with salt.

When you're ready to start dipping, dump the onions into a colander to drain off the excess buttermilk. The buttermilk will help the flour stick to the rings.

Put some onion rings in the flour and coat. If you use one hand to put the wet rings into to the flour, and another hand to pull the rings from the flour, you won't have as big a mess. Nothing like gunky hands to have a good time, right? LOL

Put all of the floured rings on a cookie sheet.



Heat oil in a wok or pot or fry daddy to 375*.

In a bowl, put 1 cup flour, 1 tsp sugar, 1 tsp salt, a Tbsp tabasco sauce, and 12 oz beer. Whisk everything together. You want this batter to be not too thick and not too thin.

Put a handful of onion rings in the bowl at a time. Move them with a fork to coat.

Carefully place one onion ring at a time into the hot oil. Use tongs to turn over.

When nice and golden brown on both sides, pull from the oil and put on paper towels to absorb any oil.



Put the rings on a rack over a cookie sheet and hold in a warm oven while you finish frying all of the onion rings.

Serve with my Vidalia meatloaf.



Printable version:
http://docs.google.com/Doc?id=dg2vfjqm_49fzr6gxsf

Shrimp Fajita Quesadilla

My husband came home late from work tonight. I knew he would be working til 8ish but also thought he might feed himself. I thought wrong. I don't really mind though. I had to think about what I could actually make in a jif. I thought about making him an omelet. He loves those. Then I thought, "OH! I have stuff for quesadillas!"

So I rummaged around and pulled some shrimp out of the freezer, which can be quickly thawed out by running under cold water, some veggies, cheese, and tortillas. With the flash! of a culinary knife, I whipped together something pretty amazing. At least that's what the husband told me. ;)

Cut up some green bell pepper, onion, and mushrooms.

Saute in a pan with heated olive oil. Add a little soy sauce, a dash of liquid smoke, a little lime juice, a splash of tabasco, and some chili powder. Saute until everything is nice and soft and dark and ooey yummy. Actually, just before you get to that stage, you want to throw in the shrimp (chop up your shrimp first).

I used a full sized tortilla. Lay down a little cheese (I used mexican blend pre-grated... some I had in the fridge because I'm going to use it to make a yummy dip!), then the sauteed goods, and a little more cheese. Hey! We're allowed to indulge now and then.

Fold over and put in a skillet that has some heated oil in it (don't use olive oil). Fry on both sides until nice and golden brown. Remove from pan and put on paper towels to soak up any lingering oil.

I threw together some chopped onion, tomato, jalapeno, and cilantro to make fresh pico de gallo. Add a splash of lime juice and salt and pepper.

.oh yah baby.

Tonight I got Paige in the kitchen to help me fix dinner. She loves to help me cook and even has her own apron my mom made at Christmas. Tonight we grilled ribeye steaks and served them with a mushroom, onion and blue cheese topping. It is so good! I made this for my parents a few years back and my dad who is not a big blue cheese lover really liked it.

First you want to wipe clean some mushrooms and slice up.
Slice up some onion and pull apart the rings. Put on the baking sheet with the mushrooms. Cut up 1/2 cup of butter into small pieces and put all over the top.



Mmm.. blue cheese!

Sprinkle the blue cheese on top and then put a few shakes of Worchestershire sauce, salt and pepper, and dill weed. Put in a 400 degree oven and bake until onion and mushrooms are nice and tender, and blue cheese and butter have melted.
Behold the power of beef. These are ribeye steaks. Probably my most favorite cut EVER. I like to season mine with McCormick's Montreal Steak seasoning. Rub it on real good. You'll want steaks that have good marbling. That's fat of course, but when you're grilling these babies up, it will make the steak nice and juicy. You want to bring your steaks to almost room temperature before throwing them on the grill too. It helps the meat relax a little and will also help keep them juicy and tender.

Here's my proud helper! She is a chef in the making.

When grilling the steaks, you want to sear on high heat on both sides for about 3 minutes per side. Then lower the heat a little and cook to the stage you want. We like our steaks medium rare so they don't stay on very long once they've been seared. The firmer the center, the more cooked it is. Don't be tempted to cut into the meat to check for doneness. Just push the center.

Really spongy = raw
slightly spongy = medium rare to medium
firm but has some give = medium well to well
really firm with no bouncing back? = blasphemy! it's dead. :P


Let your steaks rest for a few minutes before cutting into. Top with the sauteed mushroom/onion/blue cheese bake. Serve with whatever you like steak with. Tonight we had baked potatoes and green beans. Enjoy!

Printable version:

http://docs.google.com/Doc?id=dg2vfjqm_13gb3mbgqk

.hola amigos.

Yesterday we had company over for dinner and had a delicious fajita dinner with all the fixings. Rice and beans, sweet corn cake, flan... mmm. It was so good!


Since I adore dessert, I thought I'd start off this entry with the flan! This recipe came out of a magazine (remember my food magazine addiction?) I bought years ago. Don't know what flan is? It's a custard with a burnt sugar top. It's rich and yummy... a lot like creme brulee, spanish style. There are two things you can bake this in. A bundt pan, or ramekins. I like using ramekins when we have company because they make the perfect single serving size. I really suggest you get yourself some ramekins if you don't have any.




FLAN:

Use a paper towel and dip it in some oil. Lightly rub the inside of your ramekins or bundt pan.

Put 2/3 sugar in a saucepan and put on the stove over medium heat. Stir constantly until you get a nice amber brown syrup. The sugar goes through a couple stages before getting to the syrup. When it first begins to melt, it forms what I like to call crack. HA! Seriously.. it looks like rock cocaine or something. So if you get this and think you've messed up, no worries, my friend! You are doing things just right.

Spoon a little of the sauce into each ramekin, or bundt pan. Set aside. (Soak your saucepan immediately with hot water otherwise you will have permanent sugar on your pan.)


In a large mixing bowl, put: 4 large eggs, 1 14oz can sweetened condensed milk, 1 3/4 cups milk, 2 tsp vanilla, and a dash of nutmeg. Whisk everything together until the egg is mixed in well. Ladle into your prepared dishes over the burnt sugar. Put the ramekins (or bundt pan) in a baking dish and fill the baking dish up 1" with water. Don't let water get into the ramekins. Loosely cover the entire thing with foil. Put into a preheated 350* oven and bake for an hour. When they're done, remove the ramekins from the water. Let cool a little and then put in the fridge (cover with saran first) to chill completely.


To serve: Run a butter knife along the inside of the ramekin to loosen it from the sides. Put a plate on top and then flip it over. Shake gently to release the flan from the dish.

I top this with some fresh whipped whip cream and a marashino cherry. Absolutely delicious! I know you'll enjoy this and while it's super easy and quick to make, it is a SHOW STOPPER dessert! Don't you agree?

Printable version: http://docs.google.com/Doc?id=dg2vfjqm_5fxwv28db

Now onto the fajitas. This is a mock recipe of Chili's fajitas. YUM! YUM! I use flank steak and chicken because we like a combo. You can use shrimp too if you want. You'll want to marinate your steak and chicken overnight. Here's the recipe:

1/4 c. fresh lime juice
1/3 c. water
2 Tbsp oil
2 clove garlic, minced
3 tsp vinegar
2 tsp soy sauce
1/2 tsp liquid smoke
1 tsp salt
1/2 tsp chili powder
dash cayenne pepper
dash black pepper
dash onion powder

The following day, (when you're actually going to cook these) prep your veggies -- onion, green bell pepper, red bell pepper. I was in such a hurry to get things done, I didn't get very good pictures. I apologize! But hey.. here's a picture of them in a baggie right before I put them into the cast iron skillet to sautee.

I prepped my things early in the day so I wouldn't be stressed out before my company got here. This is a huge time saver. Trust me.

Grill up your steak and chicken on the bbq until nice and done. Remember: Sear the meat on high on both sides, then lower the heat and the lid and let cook all the way through. The centers will be firm and non-spongy. Don't cut into the meat to check for doneness. That will cause the juices to leak out and you'll be left with a dry piece of shoe leather.

About 10 minutes before they're finished, put your veggies on to sautee in a hot skillet (I use cast iron). Slice the steak and chicken on the diagonal and then mix together with your cooked veggies.

For presentation, I like using these plastic faux terra cotta dishes. Secret. These came from Lowe's. In the garden section. They sell those fake terra cotta pots and they have the bottoms. Clean it really well and you've got a great dish to use that looks real and only cost a fraction the cost of something say at... bed, bath and beyond!














Serve with warmed tortillas, shredded lettuce, cheese, and pico de gallo. Oh and don't forget the sour cream and fresh guacamole (I make my guac with nothing but a little fresh lime juice and seasoning salt).









PICO DE GALLO:
2 roma tomatoes, seeded and diced
1 small onion, diced
1 jalapeno, seeded and pithed (that's the ribbing on the inside), diced
Cilantro, chopped
1/2 a lime, squeezed
dash salt, pepper, and sugar

Mix all of this together. I make this early in the day too so the flavors have a chance to marry.




Okay.. on to the very last dish in our little fiesta night! Sweet corn cake. You don't want to skip this. It's like very very moist corn bread.





The ingredients you'll need are: Cornmeal, masa harina (which is a mexican corn flour used to make tortillas.), cream, butter, and frozen corn.

Preheat your oven to 375*.
In a blender, cream 1 stick butter until there aren't any lumps. Add 1/3 c. masa harina and 1/4 c. water. Mix. Add 1/4 c. cornmeal, 1/3 c. sugar, 2 Tbsp cream, 1/4 tsp salt, 1/2 tsp baking powder. Mix well.

Thaw 1 1/2 c. frozen corn. Use a food processor and pulse the corn a little. I personally don't have a food processor anymore. So I used my handy dandy Pampered Chef food chopper to break down the corn. Mix in the frozen corn by hand.



Spoon the entire batter into a baking dish and smooth out. Put your baking dish into an even larger one. We're going to steam this much like we did the flan. Fill the baking dish 1/2 way up with water and then cover the entire thing with foil. Put in the oven and bake for an hour.

.sausage and zucchini tortellini casserole.

When I was 19, I lived with my older sister, Ronda. This was a dish she used to make and I absolutely love it. It is pretty easy to make yet is quite a show-stopper dish that will easily impress your friends. They don't need to know how easy it is, right? It'll be our little secret.

My husband is not a very big veggie eater. I have learned to camoflauge veggies in dishes that he will eat so I know he is getting his nutrients. He actually loves the zucchini in this so if you have skeptics in your home, let them try it first before casting judgement!

Shopping List:

• Mild italian sausage
• Onion
• Zucchini
• Tortellini (fresh from the deli)(2)
• Alfredo sauce (2)
• Garlic
• Parmesan cheese
• Bacon
• Caesar croutons
• Caesar dressing
• Romaine

First, break apart the sausage into a skillet and fry. When it's halfway done, add one diced onion, 2 cloves minced garlic, and zucchini cut in half and sliced.

This is how you want to slice the zucchini!

You don't want to overcook the zucchini, because this dish will go in the oven for a little while and you don't want it to turn to mush. So cook only until the sausage is no longer pink.








This is the type of tortellini I buy. These packs hardly had any pasta in them and I am MAD! I will have to remember to pick up family sized packs next time I'm in at Costco.

Boil your tortellini in salt water as directed on the package. When it's done, drain thoroughly. Dump into a 9x13 casserole dish. Dump your sausage/zucchini/onion mix on top of the pasta and stir gently to mix.

When I'm in a hurry and don't have time to make my own alfredo sauce, I pick up the fresh stuff that is usually right next to the pasta (above). BUT, the commissary was out of it, so I substituted using this Classico Four Cheese alfredo. We'll see if it's any good. Honestly, any alfredo sauce will work well, but I like to use the expensive good stuff because it has the best flavor. That's my opinion though. You go with whatever you want!

Pour the alfredo sauce on top of the pasta and meat and zucchini. Mix up a little. Grate some fresh parmesan cheese on top.








At this stage, this dish can be covered and put in the fridge until later. Bake in a 350* oven until it's nice and bubbly. Serve with caesar salads and french bread. (See recipe below for caesar salads)















This is very easy to put together.

Chop one head of romaine.
Fry up some bacon, drain the fat and cool.
Grate some fresh parmesan cheese.
Toss in caesar croutons.
Use your favorite caesar dressing. My absolute favorite is
Great Caesar salad dressing by Johnny Foods. It's impossible to find out east but I usually pick up a bottle or two when I'm in Seattle visiting my family. I've even been known to order big bottles of the stuff online. Yes.. I love this dressing *that* much!

Mix everything together. Put some fresh ground black pepper on top, mix again and serve!

.tuscano soup.

You're probably asking, "What is tuscano soup?" It's a soup offered at Olive Garden and if you've ever had a chance to try this soup there, you know you're in for a treat. It's essentially a potato and sausage soup that is FABULOUS. This recipe is my adaptation, which I enjoy a lot more than theirs. I used to make tuscano soup at the bakery and it was talked about all over town. Everyone LOVED it. I'm sure you will too.

Begin by peeling 5-6 yukon gold potatoes. Cut in half and then slice. Set aside.

Dice one medium onion and finely mince a clove or two of garlic. Set aside.

I use two different types of italian sausage. This soup is supposed to have a little kick to it. Since I have a child in this house who can't tolerate spicy food, I use 3 of the mild sausage links, and 2 of the hot. If you want mild soup, use only mild. If you like it spicy, use all the hot. At your house, you can make it any way you want!


Cut off the tube casing and break the sausage apart. Put in a stock pot and drizzle with a little olive oil. Cook over medium high heat.

When the sausage is halfway cooked, add the onion, garlic, and potatoes. Cook until the edges of the potatoes become translucent.

Add 3 cans chicken broth and 2 cans beef broth. I use a combo to give the soup a richer flavor. At this time, put in 1 to 1 1/2 cups frozen spinach. Olive Garden uses kale, but since I have a tough time finding kale, I use spinach. And in fact, I actually prefer spinach! Don't worry about thawing and draining. Just dump it right on in. Reduce heat and cover with a lid. Let simmer 20-30 minutes. When potatoes are fork tender this is ready to serve!

If you're not scared off by spicy food and if you want to, as Emeril would say, "kick this up another notch"... then add some dashes of crushed red pepper flakes to the pot. If you have kids in the house (like I do), then add the flakes to your own bowl and not the entire pot.

Ladle soup into a bowl, filling it 3/4 of the way up. Add a little half and half and spoon in some freshly grated parmesan cheese. I add the half and half into each bowl individually instead of the entire pot so it doesn't curdle. That's a bad thing. It also helps cool this soup down so you don't burn your tongue. ;)

Voila! Tuscano Soup Suzanne style. Enjoy!

Printable version:

http://docs.google.com/Doc?id=dg2vfjqm_12qqbdxg

.comfort food part 2.

I decided to make a fresh entry with the pot roast recipe because there are a lot of pictures and steps and hated the thought of you guys reading on and on and on.

I have to admit that I used to really struggle with pot roast. It was never awesome. I finally tried a combination at the suggestion of a friend and it is now really good and we love it. I cook mine in the oven, but this recipe can be converted for a crock pot.

Shopping List:

• 5 lb chuck roast
• Yukon gold potatoes
• baby carrots
• pearl onions
• 1 can french onion soup
• 1 bottle beer

Peel and half the potatoes. Peel the pearl onions. (NOTE: To peel pearl onions, dump into a pot of boiling water and let cook 3 minutes. Remove by using a serrated spoon and immediately put in a bowl of ice water. This is called blanching and the reason for the ice water is to stop the cooking. Use a paring knife and slice off the root end, then squeeze gently the onion and the center will come out of the dried onion layer.)

In a pie plate, put 1 1/2 cups flour, 4-5 Tbsp Seasoning Salt, and 2 tsp thyme. Mix up and coat the roast on all sides.

Put 1/4 stick butter and about 2 Tbsp Crisco in a skillet (or dutch oven if you have one). Saute your carrots for a few minutes then remove and set aside, then saute potatoes on all sides, remove and set aside when done...then sear the roast on all sides. This will lock in the juices.

Put the seared roast in a baking dish. Put carrots, potatoes, pearl onions, and 3 cloves garlic in. Pour the can of soup and bottle of beer on top. Salt and pepper generously. (NOTE: I don't drink alcohol so I don't know what beer is good, but my husband picked up Killian Red and given the price, it better be the best out there. )

Cover the dish with foil and bake for 2 1/2 hours at 350*. What you wind up with is a delicious, moist roast with perfectly tender vegetables on the side. I ladle some of the broth over my meat and potatoes. Yummy!