Quickie - Bacon and Blue Cheese Salad with Sautéed Scallops

I flew into town last night just in time for my Thursday Quickie.  So satisfying to be sure!!!

~MAW Steve

2 Cups of Spring Mix

2 pieces of Bacon Chopped (Cook these in a frying pan and save a tsp of the grease)

2 TBSP Blue Cheese Crumbles

1 TBSP Balsamic Vinegar

4 -6 oz Scallops (Bay or Sea, up to you)

1 TBSP Soy Sauce

Salt and Pepper

1.  Combine Spring Mix, chopped bacon, blue cheese crumbles and balsamic vinegar in a bowl and stir to combine.  Add the tsp of hot bacon grease to the bowl and mix.  This will cause blue cheese to melt slightly.  

2.  Salt and Pepper both sides of the scallops.  In the same pan as bacon was cooked, sear them 4 minutes.  Add Soy Sauce and cook another 2 minutes or until cooked through.  Place both the salad and the scallops on a plate with a lemon wedge.  Enjoy!

Interesting Idea for Cranberries

A few weeks ago I bought a couple bags of fresh Ocean Spray cranberries just to have on hand, so when Steve picked cranberries as the ingredient, I was glad to have a reason to use them and not let them go to waste. When we lived back in Kansas, there was this winery that sold some cranberry jalapeno jelly and it is amazing! I looked up a couple jelly recipes, but it seemed like it wouldn't be ready in time to post for this week, so I decided on a different route. I got this recipe from the bag of cranberries itself, used dried orange peel because I had it on hand, and decided it needed a streusel topping to kind of balance everything out since cranberries can be kind of tart sometimes. So here is how it turned out! ~Melissa

Kitchen Tips - Saving Money on the Baking

~MAW Steve

I love to bake Christmas treats for the holidays, but the cost can be extraordinary.  This year, I am in the middle of a move and really can't afford to spend an exorbitant amount on flour, butter and all the specialty ingredients to make the perfect Pecan Balls and Frosted Snowmen.  To the internet I went and here is what I found.  8 ways to save money on your holiday baking.  Thanks to our friends at Canadian Living.  (Who knew?)

8 secrets to spending less on Christmas baking

By Signe Langford

Cookies for Santa blowing your budget? Follow these tips to have fun with holiday baking without spending a fortune on ingredients and supplies.Ah, Christmas cookies: buttery shortbread stars dotted with tiny, molar-shattering, silver balls; sugar cookies, expertly flooded in designer shades of Tiffany blue and eggshell; charming gingerbread people in little Charlie Brown sweaters -- and giant grocery bills from overindulging on expensive ingredients and baking supplies. But you can satisfy your inner Martha without maxing out the credit card. Here are eight easy dos and don'ts for inexpensive baking this Christmas. 

Do shop at the bulk food store. They have a great selection of baking supplies and generally lower prices, and you can buy just what you need and no more. 

Do bake with buddies. Have a baking bee where everyone chips in on the cost of ingredients and then goes home with a share of the goodies. Bonus: You aren't left at home with mountains of cookies and squares begging to be eaten. Put a pot of mulled wine or cider on the stove, crank up the cheesy Christmas tunes and you've got a party. 

Do use no-name ingredients where you can. OK, if chocolate is the star of the show, splash out on the good stuff. But for flour, butter, baking soda and so on, either go bulk or go cheap. 

Do search for wartime and Depression-era recipes. They were created in a time when people were being rationed or just going without, so they're naturally inexpensive to make. 

Don't buy premade icing, mixes or baking kits. Those little tubes of coloured icing look like fun, but the price (not to mention the ingredient list) is scary. Making icing is too easy for that. 

Do cut corners. Don't want to invest in a piping bag and tip set? Snip a tiny corner off a durable freezer bag -- it's instant decorating fun.

Do visit thrifts shops for fun, seasonal cookie jars, tins, baskets or mugs. They make cookie gifting affordable, individual and really special. You'll also be able to pick up cookie sheets and other bakeware for pennies. 

Do go rustic. A simple roll of butcher's or garden twine is lovely tied up around a gift of homemade cookies, and way cheaper than fancy ribbon. Same goes for paper or fabrics. Look for brown paper or little off cuts of funky fabrics, and skip the expensive packaging.

Food Story - A Different Kind of Cookie

MAW Steve

So, one thing about MAW Steve...he runs half marathons.  Yep, I do!  I have run 4 total of the past 13 months and I have about 4 more on my calendar over the next year or so.  I am not quite sure what got me into running except for the fact that I was slowly gaining weight and was close to 300 lbs at my heaviest.  The other thing reason was that as an Army Wife I got tired of one phrase that I used to hear from those lovely people who are not a part of the military community.  Tell me if you have heard it.  "I could NEVER be apart from my spouse for a WHOLE year."

My response to this statement is usually something like, "It's part of the life we live,"  or, "Thanks!"  But the truth is that I really want to say something else to them.  I want to say "How do you know?  How do you know, what you could or could not do, until you are actually put into a situation where it HAS to happen?"  The fact is that most of us military wives didn't think we could, would or should have survived our first deployments.  Not only did we survive, we powered through more.  My dear Soldier and I have gone through 2, but i know of families that are going through 3, 4, 5 or more.

So, in the same vain of How Do You Know, I started running.  I signed up for races I started losing some weight.  And it was the best thing I have ever done.  Now, I must add a new diet to my list of changes.  With all of the processed food out there and with the different ways our supposedly natural food is raised, grown and produced it is more important than ever to figure out a healthy diet.  But I don't want to give up sweets and I may not have too.

Let me explain.  Last weekend was the Walt Disney World Epcot 2012 Wine and Dine Half Marathon.  My Soldier and I signed up and decided to attend the expo for the event on Friday afternoon.  During the expo we met Erin McKenna, owner of Babycakes NYC in Manhattan.  She is a Vegan and makes her living finding ways to make classic desserts in a way that people with any allergies could still eat.  For those of us at the expo, she made Chocolate Chip Cookies, and with her permission, I am sharing the recipe here.

This recipe can be found in Erin's cookbook, "BabyCakes Covers the Classics.  It is gluten free, lactose free, soy free, low calorie, low carb and vegan. AND BEFORE YOU SAY NO....I WENT BACK FOR 3 MORE because they were great!

Here is the recipe

Ingredients

• 1-1/2 cups GLUTEN FREE WG OAT FLOUR
• 1 cup GLUTEN FREE ALL PURPOSE FLOUR
• 1 cup Organic Sugar 
• 1/4 cup FLAXSEED MEAL
• 1/4 cup ARROWROOT STARCH FLOUR
• 1-1/2 tsp XANTHAN GUM
• 1 tsp BAKING SODA
• 1 tsp Salt
• 3/4 cup plus 2 Tb melted, refined Coconut Oil
• 6 Tbsp unsweetened Applesauce
• 2 Tbsp gluten free Vanilla Extract
• 1 cup gluten free, dairy free Chocolate Chips

Directions

Step 1 Preheat the oven to 325°F. Line 2 rimmed baking sheets with parchment paper and set aside.

Step 2 In a medium bowl, whisk together the flours, sugar, flaxseed meal, arrowroot starch, xanthan gum, baking soda and salt. Add the coconut oil, applesauce, and vanilla and stir with a rubber spatula until a thick dough forms. Stir in the chocolate chips until evenly distributed.

Step 3 Drop the dough by the tablespoonful onto the prepared baking sheets, about 1-1/2 inches apart.

Bake for 7 minutes, rotate the baking sheets, and bake for 7 minutes more, or until the cookies are golden brown and firm. Let stand on the baking sheets for 15 minutes before eating.

Makes 36 cookies.

Another thought about these.  For those of us who love sending baked goods to our Soldiers, this might be a way for Soldiers with allergies to also get some home baked love.  Give them a chance...you will be happy you do.  I know I was.  

For more information on Vegan Baking visit Erin's website at www.babycakesnyc.com

Quickie - Panini

It seems as if I never leave the kitchen.  I am always cooking, cleaning, prepping, making snacks. Because of this, I LOVE an meal that can be accomplished quickly.  One of our family favorites is a panini.

I do not have a fancy press so no need to add that to the shopping list.  Check this out...

Sourdough bread, sliced
or ANY favorite bread, just keep in mind bread has flavor to and you want it to compliment your other ingredients.
Sliced turkey
Sliced ham
French dressing
Provolone cheese.

Make your sandwich just as you would do if it was cold. Use french dressing instead of mayo or mustard. Place sandwich in a heated saute pan medium heat. If you do not have an iron press, use a large spatula to press sandwich.  Flip when toasted. Cover after flipped to make sure cheese completely melts. Serve hot!

There are many combinations for this square deliciousness.  Try this one...

Sourdough
Pepperoni
Light smear of maranara
Mozzarella cheese
Grated parmesan

Enjoy your quickie and let me know if you come up with a fantastic new combination of ingredients.

...daphne

Interesting Ideas for Brown Sugar

Challenge Brown Sugar ~ Melissa

So we were supposed to make something with brown sugar and not make it a dessert. It took me a little online searching for inspiration, but I found it! This turned out quite tasty, and not too sweet at all. Next time, however, I would make a rue with the sauteed veggies before adding the liquid, as the sauce would be better a little thicker. I also think a pan fried chicken breast would add a nice crunch to this, but I was pretty tired today so I went with baking it lol. It still turned out delicious! Hubby gave it a perfect score too! :-)

Tuesday Tip : Stress Free Thanks

This time of year I feel more concerned about peoples emotional well-being than I do about what goes in their stomach. It's a given that we will be well fed! More importantly, will we actually enjoy our Thanksgiving season, or will we stress out about perfection, in-laws, house guests or wine stains on the new carpet. Here area few tips to remember as a very busy season approaches...

1. Give yourself time-out or alone time each day. Even 5 minutes can help you refocus and keep perspective.
2.  Purpose to give time or a meal to a family that is less fortunate than you are. The humbleness you'll find in this gift will change you forever.
3. Don't expect perfection from yourself.
4. Have fun. If you cannot enjoy this season, it has no purpose.
5. Always remember to thank God for the privilege to celebrate with our families. Freedom is a gift.

Happy Thanksgiving from our home to yours...daphne

Thursday Quickie - BBQ Chicken Quesadilla

Here's a pretty quick dinner, or lunch, for you today. Got leftover cooked chicken? Great! Now all you need are a few more things to make some yummy BBQ chicken quesadillas!

Ingredients:
1-2 tortillas
Cooked chicken, cubed or shredded it doesn't matter
Your favorite BBQ sauce
2 slices cooked bacon
Small amount of diced onion
Shredded cheddar cheese

In a skillet over medium-low heat, place a tortilla and heat until slightly browned. Flip over and on half of the tortilla, layer your ingredients. I like to start with cheese, then onions, bacon, chicken, BBQ sauce and more cheese. Fold the empty half on top of the stuffing, and flip one more time to melt the extra cheese. You can either eat like a really giant taco, or cut it into more manageable pieces. If you like, have with sour cream as well. Enjoy!

~Melissa

Challenge French's Fried Onions ...daphne

Jalepeno Poppers

My goal in challenges is always to create something spicy.  I love poppers and this ingredient adds great flavor to the filling and the topping of one of my favorite appetizers!

Challenge French's Fried Onions ~ MAW Steve

Tuesday Tip - Wakey Wakey Eggs 'n Bakey!!

My husband and I almost always have bacon (or sausage) and eggs for breakfast. The eggs are usually over medium. (On a side note on this, this used to be over easy....and then over easy somewhere along the lines of my life changed to some white still liquid too...GROSS! So now I have to remember to say over medium at restaurants so I don't end up with a nasty white mucus-like egg substance on my plate!) Anyway, I occasionally appreciate a nice scrambled egg too. I've noticed some people (ahem my father) have issues with curling bacon when they pan fry it. And others (sometimes my hubby) tend to way overcook the eggs and then there is no liquid yolk. The perfect fried egg is solid white, with liquid yolk. And the perfect bacon has a nice light crisp, while still being a bit chewy. I realize these are my opinions and others' perfect eggs and bacon may be much different. But if you're like me and enjoy this variation, here are a couple tips for the eggs and bacon.

First, I cook the bacon. Place the bacon in the pan, then turn the heat on to medium low. Reduce heat slightly if your bacon starts to curl. Keep the heat lower and be sure to flip the bacon several times during the cooking process. This helps with even cooking and helps you keep track of how done it is without burning it. When it's to your liking, remove to paper towels and pat excess grease off. Pour the grease out of the pan into whatever container you use. Cooking the bacon over higher heat causes it to curl, and burn more easily. Wipe the pan out of the extra bits, unless you enjoy eggs cooked in bacon grease, then by all means leave it! Make sure your pan has time to cool a little, or use a new pan if desired. The pan will be hotter than you want for the eggs immediately after cooking the bacon. For the eggs, again, your pan will be over medium-low to low heat to cook. If you're good at cracking eggs without breaking them, then feel free to crack them directly into the pan. If you're not, then crack them into a bowl first, and pour the bowl contents into the pan. Let the eggs cook until the bottom white layer is cooked through, and the clear layer that surrounds the yolk just begins to look cooked. Then gently flip them over and cook only an additional minute or two. You can use your spatula to test around the yolk; you will be able to feel when the white is fully cooked and the yolk is still liquid.

Here is a picture to show what the egg looks like right before I flip it. You can see the bottom white is fully cooked through and the clear that surrounds the yolk is just beginning to look cooked.

Enjoy!
~Melissa

The Dinner Party

I love to cook!  That is a given though, because why would I be a part of a cooking blog if I didn't.  One of the reasons I love to cook is because of the creativity it affords me.  I can think of nothing better than putting new flavors together and thinking of new ways to serve the dishes.  This was the case this week when I invited some of my friends over for dinner.

It was Halloween night and those of us without kids who didn't feel the desire to pass out candy decided to get together.  (For the record, I left a huge bowl of the sugary treats outside for kids to take.  I'm not heartless.)  I told them to come after dark and to bring nothing but their senses.  Little did they know, I would be taking one of those senses away.  We did Dinner in the Dark.

That's right.  I took away their sense of sight for the meal.  I had heard about a restaurant that does every day.  Everyone is served in a completely darkened room.  I loved the idea and thought that it would work if I did little tasting bites of food.  So I came up with 10 dishes, made them bite size and served them to my guest who had been blindfolded.  My wife served as the table captain helping people find the food on their plate and not spill their wine. Stemless wine glasses are a good idea here.

Here are a few of the dishes I served.  Proscuitto wrapped Melon,  Tomato Soup and a 3 Cheese Grilled Cheese, and a Steak, Potato and Asparagus Bite.  There were a couple desserts too including a Candy Corn crispy rice treat in honor of the holiday.  Everyone was impressed with the food and all in all the dishes were a success.

Here is the funny thing though.  As much as we think we know what food tastes like, this dinner party proved that our eyes have a lot to do with that.  One girl at the party thought that the tomato soup was French Onion.  Another thought that chocolate chips were mince meat.  These things could never be confused by sight, but without that sense we become accostomed to we aren't as sure of things as we once were.  Thankfully, everyone knew what the steak and potatoes were.

Next time you want to have a dinner party, think about how you will present the dishes and be creative with how you serve everything.  Life is an experience, and that includes everything that happens in the kitchen as well.

Thursday Quickie

Salsa Chicken

4 boneless skinless chicken breast
1 pkg taco seasoning
1 jar favorite salsa
2 cups mexican blend shredded cheese


Preheat oven to 350*
Season chicken well with taco seasoning and place in sprayed baking dish.
Pour salsa evenly over chicken.
Top with cheese.

Bake for 70 minutes.

Serve with black beans and rice for a yummy, easy prep meal!