Challenge Candy Corn ~ Melissa

When I made this up in my mind, it was supposed to be the bottom layer crust, then a layer of slightly melted candy corn, topped with the cheesecake. What actually happened was the candy corn completely melted and seeped into the crust, and by the time it cools, it basically hardens so much you can't really even cut it. I was hoping the cheesecake batter would help prevent the candy corn from doing this, but it didn't. Oh well, the filling is still quite delicious! And next time, I would reduce the butter used in the crust and melt some candy corn to prepare the crust (less than a cup for sure or it would be just as hard!). And the presentation picture was taken with my new awesome camera....I love it! :-) <3 Melissa

Challenge Candy Corn ...daphne

Friday Food Story ~ Halloween Candy

Halloween is less than a week away, and that means....LOTS of candy! Candy everywhere you look! But remember back when you were a kid and you went Trick-or-Treating and there was always a house or two that handed out terrible candy, or only gave out one piece?!? Seriously, what was that about? As a kid, we love this holiday for all the yummy, good candy we get one night a year, so why do the adults have to go get the cheapest possible candy they can find? Yes, I realize candy is expensive (quite ridiculously in fact), but think back to when you were a kid....did you really want that mystery candy in the waxy paper wrapper? Who really knew what that was anyway? It always got thrown away from my sack of loot. And the no name lolly pops? Forget it! They had a party in the trash can with the mystery candy. So now that my hubby and I are *mostly* adults, we have to make sure it is done right! No "child molester candy" as we call it. We get the good stuff, the stuff WE want to eat when we have more candy leftover than Trick-or-Treaters that visit our home. And we aren't stingy either...big handfuls get dumped into the kiddies' bags. We like to be the "good house" that the kids remember later that night, the house they look forward to going to again next year. And whenever we have kids, we will be the best house in the neighborhood in their eyes!

Happy Halloween everyone! Wishing you a safe and spooktacular holiday!

<3 Melissa

Thursday Quickie - 3 Cheese Grilled Cheese

Simple is the name of the game when it comes to the Thursday Quickie and there is nothing more simple than ramping up the flavors and textures of an ordinary grilled cheese sandwich.  So, here is how I make my grilled cheese and I hope you enjoy it.

2 Slices Whole Wheat Bread
1 TBSP Margarine or soft Butter
1 Slice Cheddar Cheese
1 Slice Monteray Jack cheese
1 TBSP Goat Cheese
2 Slices Tomato
Oregano

Instructions

1.  Heat Skillet to medium heat.  Butter both slices of bread.
2.  On the unbuttered side of the bread, place cheddar cheese, goat cheese, tomato slices, oregano and jack cheese in that order.  Add other slice of bread, butter side up.
3.  Place on skillet.  After 2 minutes check bottom for brownness, once bread is browned, flip sandwich.  Cook on bottom side for another 2-4 minutes or until both sides are golden brown and delicious.

Personally, I like to smush the sandwich with my spatula a little to get that cheese melting closer to the cooking surface.

Enjoy...~MAW Steve

Challenge Pumpkin ~ MAW Steve

Challenge Pumpkin ~ Melissa

So the ingredient this week was pumpkin, and it was supposed to be a whole pumpkin and not canned. Well, I did NOT have the patience to use a whole one for this recipe. I even started to cut one up but it was taking forever and I had stuff to do. Besides, this recipe already has enough prep for a slow cooker recipe, and I didn't want to add even more work. Then what would be the point of the slow cooker??? However, I do think this would be really good using whole pumpkin chunks, either added in with the other ingredients, or cooked separately and added at the end. So feel free to use whichever! :-) <3Melissa

Tuesday Tip

It seems like there are dozens of ways to cook eggs, but one of my favorite is in an omelet.  It is probably my love for stuffed food that makes me look at an omelet with complete and utter awe.  Of course, the omelet bar at my local buffet is a favorite, but it has been said, that I can make a pretty mean one at home as well.  You can too by following this one simple step.

Bring your eggs to room temperature before cracking them and scrambling them.

Why, you ask?  I am not exactly sure of the science behind this but I think it has to do with the fact that by allowing the eggs to come to room temperature, you are loosening the whites which will give you a fluffier product when scrambled.  Personally, I have noticed that the eggs seem to come out of the shells a little quicker once cracked.  Believe me it works.

To bring eggs to room temperature you can do one of two things.  First, you can leave them sitting on the counter for about an hour.  (Who has time for that?)  The other way is better.  Submerge the eggs in warm water (WARM NOT HOT) for five minutes, or just enough time to allow your skillet to heat up. Once the eggs have come to room temperature, crack, scramble, cook in your favorite toppings and enjoy!

Friday Food Story

One of my favorite food memories as a child was when my family gathered once a year for our annual family reunion. It was an occasion we all looked forward to as it gave us an opportunity to see aunts, uncles and cousins who lived far away. There is a state park in our hometown so it was always the ideal place for this gathering to occur.

The second best thing about this day was the food! (Family has to be first) If it was southern cuisine, we had it. Black-eyes peas with ham, collard greens, corn bread, macaroni and cheese, and my all time favorite, Aunt Minnie's chicken and dumplings. They were the best! I cannot even remember if I ever ate any of the chicken, I just liked the dumplings! I never had the privilege to watch her make them, or even get her recipe, but they were indeed the best dumplings east of the Mississippi.

Another nice treat at these reunions was that there was always some kind of wild game. There were a few hunters in the family so it wasn't uncommon to have deer, gator tail, soft shelled turtle or squirrel. The fun part of having surprises like this is that you always tell the new people that it's fried steak.  They eat it, like it and want more....THEN you tell them what they are eating.  Works every time!  It's quite amusing how something they were eating so quickly can immediately cause them to choke.

I like the thought that most of my childhood memories are focused around food. There is something very special about a home cooked meal, especially when you can share it with those you love. Food is a balm that can heal, a mood-mender, a face-lifter and a friend to many. Have you blessed someone lately with a home-cooked treat? Our family was full of cooks, some of them professional, but it wasn't the skill that made the difference, it was the loves in which it was served.  LOVE on somebody today!

Thursday Quickie ~ Dirty Rice with Peppers

I came across this recipes years ago online, from a website called sparkpeople.com. At the time, I was using it to help lose weight and they have tons of recipes that are healthier than regular versions, changes to favorites, etc. This one I don't feel counts as a healthier recipe necessarily, but it sure is tasty and quick and easy to prepare! I've made a few little changes, but it's mostly to add more peppers and onions, and definitely more garlic (I love garlic!). The directions below are for the quick and easy version, but feel free to use all fresh ingredients and dice it all up yourself too! 

Dirty Rice with Peppers

Ingredients:

• 1 lb ground sweet Italian sausage (or links if you can't find ground)
• 1 bag frozen julienned bell peppers
• 1/2 bag frozen diced onions
• 6 garlic cloves, diced
• 1 box Zatarain's Lower Sodium Dirty Rice Mix
• 2 1/2 cups water
• Shredded or grated Parmesan cheese to taste

Directions:

1. Brown sausage in a large pan. If it is in links, remove from the casings and crumble. Drain and return to pan.
2. Add onion and garlic and saute until tender.
3. Add peppers and continue to saute until soft and most of the liquid has evaporated.
4. Add water and dirty rice mix, bring to a boil.
5. Reduce heat, stir, cover and simmer over low heat for about 25 minutes, stirring occasionally.
6. Remove from heat, let stand 5 minutes. Fluff and serve with Parmesan cheese. 

Enjoy! <3 Melissa

Challenge Eggs ~MAW Steve

Challenge Eggs ...daphne

I am not a big egg fan, but there is nothing that completes a BBQ or picnic better than a large platter of deviled eggs.  Below is a recipe we like to use at our family gatherings. The lingering heat adds to the greatness of this little devil!

For the perfect hard boiled egg check out this Tuesday Tip from -Melissa <3

http://www.armywivesdoitinthekitchen.com/2012/09/hard-boiled-eggs.html

www.evergladesseasoning.com

Tuesday Tip

Care Package Packing!

I know a lot of us have had our soldier deploy at least once, but most likely more. We love to send them little things from home, some homemade cookies, treats, etc. But how do you send stuff and still have them taste good and not dry out en route? I have a figured out a few different tricks for this, one of which is my hubby's grandmother's.

I sent him cookies a lot last deployment, and I wanted to make sure they were still nice and moist by the time they reached him. So I used Glad Press 'N Seal wrap, sealing it around each cookie in kind of "sheets" of 6-9 depending on the cookie size. Then I put several sheets into gallon sized Ziploc freezer bags and sealed those up. My hubby said they still tasted great! But this takes some time to do. If you have less time and don't want to go through all that, there is another way. Put the cookies in a Ziploc and add a slice of bread to the bag. The bread will dry out leaving the cookies nice and moist. My hubby's grandmother has also used popped popcorn! It worked just fine as well, except you get popcorn crumbs all over the treats. But it would work in a bind.

Do you have any tips or tricks when you send your soldier care packages?

~Melissa

Friday Food Story

Ah, a chill in the air has come to Florida, which basically means that instead of 75 degrees at 6 am it is now 68 degrees.  This doesn't change the fact that by noon it still be in the 90s, but for those brief couple of hours we are reminded that fall is here and the holidays are soon approaching.  What does this mean to me?  It means that it's time for Chili, and if ever there was a food that deserves its own story, it's Chili.

I am proud to say that my Chili has won contests.  It is probably the one recipe I am not willing to share yet, because I am so darn happy with it, and really still want the accolades that come with serving this wonderful dish.  But, as great as it is, and it is great...it almost didn't happen.  This chili, started as an accident, but some of the best dishes are.

You see, back when Heather and I were stationed in Korea, we were coming toward the end of our time there.  I had a bunch of food in the freezer and in the cupboards and was quickly running out of time to use them.  Then our unit, AFN-Korea, decided to have their own chili cook-off.  Perfect!  Most of the things I had in my kitchen would work in a chili.  So, armed with a crock pot and a knife, I went to work chopping, measuring, and pouring everything I had until it was simmering to perfection.

Luckily, most of the ingredients were traditional to chili.  I will give away this secret because it is an easy way to add to almost any chili recipe.  I use two meats, ground beef and ground pork sausage.  Yum!  there was tomato sauce, spices, onion (of course) and I think I even had a jalapeno.  But some of the ingredients were not as traditional.  They were just a part of what I had used over the 3 years we had been in Korea, and I didn't feel like lugging them to the states or throwing them away.

The chili became known as "Cupboard Chili" because everything in the cupboard went into it.  When we went into the competition, I was confident that it could compete, although I didn't know if it could win.  There were some tough competitors, including a couple of 20 year Army Veterans who had seemingly spent their entire careers perfecting their chili recipes.  Was I in over my head, or did I have something?

Turns out, I had something.  The heat level and taste gave me the edge and I ended up winning 2nd place that day.  Apparently, my chili was a little too thick, or I would have won.  It was a nice $15 gift card to the PX.  I can't remember if there were other prizes, or who beat me.

Over the years, I have made some adjustments to the recipe, and a couple years ago I won our churches chili cook off.  It is still "Cupboard Chili," but now it is much more precise.  I even serve it with a Cilantro Sour Cream and Cornbread Crackers just for that little extra.

I tell that story, basically to say this...creativity is in your kitchen.  When you find yourself with nothing to eat, but a lot of ingredients, just start throwing things together.  You never know what you might come up with.  It might be award winning.  It may become your signature dish.  It might taste disgusting.  It doesn't matter.  Dominos is only a phone call away!

Challenge Stove Top Stuffing ~ Melissa

When Steve thought up Stove Top Stuffing as the ingredient, I really had no idea what to do that would be both good and not just serving as a side or on top of a casserole. I basically never use this stuff. So I started thinking of other breading type dishes, and came up with my chicken and dumplings crock pot recipe. Instead of making "normal" dumplings, I'd incorporate the stuffing into it. The directions below are how I would make them next time. This time they were too moist and kind of became one giant blob in the crock pot. It still tasted good though! You could definitely taste the Stove Top stuffing flavor, and I thought it was a nice addition to chicken and dumplings. That's why my hubby gave it only 4 stars, since they didn't turn out as well as we had hoped for. But other than that, pretty good, easy, and delicious on a cool fall day like we have been having a lot of recently! :-)

Tuesday Tip

Bargain Spices!

written by ...daphne

One of the most frustrating parts of cooking for me, is paying the prices for the ingredients I need for the recipes. For instance, herbs and spices! McCormick is a MILLIONAIRE!  Cooking from scratch usually means creating your own seasoning blends and you must have a plethora of herbs and spices to make it work.

One of the secrets I have learned in cost cutting is shopping where they sell products in bulk. A tub of oregano is much more affordable than a case of finely wrapped and printed bottles of oregano. In my area we use Central Market. I have bought bulk at Whole Foods and also Fresh Market.  It makes perfect sense to save money where you can!

Check out a few of the pictures below.  My favorite bargain is always dill weed.  We use this a lot at home and I cannot bring myself to pay between 3.50 (small bottle) and 5.89 (larger bottle) for a bottle!! If you look close to the label, notice it is $16.99/lb. The bag I FILLED is a 4 x 5 ziplock and I PACKED it in there. The price...$1.19. Look again...almost a pound of sea salt for $.73!! I have actually bought bags of spices that weighed so little it would not register on the scale.  If you can't weigh it, you don't pay it!

Let's wrap up...the picture with 8 bags of spices/herbs/blends/salt...total price?? $5.47  I dare you to get that bargain at Walmart!

Friday Food Story

Food makes an impression. It can make an impression in all aspects of life. From your day to day activities, to your work, and even your spouse's work. This last one is often the case for me, since the Army tends to have many social gatherings. And I always like to bring something homemade and delicious. I like to know about events well in advance so I can come up with the perfect dish to take. Is it a picnic or outdoor BBQ? How about a nice refreshing gazpacho salad. Indoors and at the holidays? Mmmm....meatballs in a spicy sweet sauce sauce kept warm in my crock pot. I like to not only associate the food with the event, but also the time of year and weather. But I always make sure it is scrumptious. People will always ask who made it, that it must have taken forever to make (usually this is not the case, which is nice!), and sometimes even ask for the recipe. I like them to remember me for bringing something that wasn't store-bought, that I took the time and effort to make.

This has recently happened to us. About a month ago, some higher ups from my husband's unit were in town for some meetings and such (his brigade is spread out over several posts). So while they were here, his commander hosted a BBQ at their house. I wanted to try out a new dessert recipe since we wouldn't have to eat it all ourselves. So I made some red velvet cake pops dipped in chocolate. First try ever at any cake pops, and they weren't perfectly shaped by any means, but tasted dang yummy! Well needless to say, everyone was talking about them and kept telling others to try them. One of whom was one of these higher ups. A couple weeks later, this same person returned to the area, and rather than remembering my hubby's name, she remembered him as the guy whose wife makes awesome desserts! I certainly appreciate this, and I guess my hubby could be remembered for something worse then dessert. :-)

I find it so interesting how much impact a great dish can have on people's impressions of others. So like I said, I prefer to be the one who brings homemade deliciousness and not store-bought, so the next time I run into someone who was there, they will remember me, even if it is just for the meatballs. :-)

~Melissa

Thursday Quickie....Oh Yeah!!!

It's time for my first Thursday Quickie, and I am loving it.  I have to get my Soldier off to school this afternoon, so before she leaves, this will be the perfect dish for both of us to have.  Plus, if she is hungry when school is over, I will still be sitting on the stove with flavors marrying even more.  With October and the Fall season, comes a chill in the air, and a perfect time for soup.  This is one of the easiest soups to make and oh so yummy!  Plus it takes less than 30 minutes to prepare!

Easy Tomato and Pasta Soup

Ingredients
3 tablespoons olive oil
2 carrots, peeled and chopped
1 small onion, chopped
1 clove garlic, minced
1 jar marinara sauce (choose your favorite)
2 (14-ounce) cans chicken broth
1 (15-ounce) can cannellini  or great northern beans, drained and rinsed
1/2 teaspoon red pepper flakes
1 tsp cumin
3/4 cup small pasta (I use mini shells)
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

Instructions
Heat the olive oil in a large soup pot over medium-high heat.
Add the carrots, onion, and garlic and saute until soft, about 2 minutes.
Add the jar of marinara sauce, chicken broth, beans, pasta and spices. Simmer for 10-20 minutes, or until pasta is cooked.
Ladle into bowls and serve. 

Orange Juice Challenge ~ Melissa

Orange Juice Challenge ~MAW Steve

Tuesday Tip

written by ~MAW Steve

I am not a crier.  Nope, I just don't do it.  I don't cry during the sad parts of movies.  I don't cry when I attend weddings or funerals. I didn't even cry when I got punched in the face so hard I could barely breathe.  I don't know why  Idon't cry, but I don't.  And I am ok with that.

Of course, there is one time that I cry.  That's whenever I cut onions. That sweet, yet spicy vegetable can get the tears flowing faster than "The Notebook" can turn my wife into a pile of goo.  And red onions are the worst.  For some reason, they just make me start bawling.  It happened just the other day when I had a rerun of Saved By the Bell on tv.  I was blubbering like a baby, right as Zach, Screech and the gang got their diplomas.  Sure a tearjerker moment, but for me it was all about the onions.

There are several theories on how to stop yourself from crying while cutting onions.  You can wash your hands and face really well.  You can eat a piece of lemon.  You can wear a mask.  I am here to tell you that none of those has worked for me.  Only one thing has stopped the tears from flowing.  Goggles.

That's right, Goggles.  I prefer the type swimmers wear when in the pool, but there are several other kinds you can use.  The idea is that a suction around your eyes protects them from the mist, or wisp or whatever it is that an onion gives off that makes you cry.  It works.  And since they are perfectly see through, they allow you to complete the chore without those nasty blind cuts to the fingers.

So the next time you are at the grocery store and pick up an onion, make sure you stop and get some goggles as well.  It just might stop your tears from being wasted so you will have them the next time Titanic comes on.