I am blessed with a former student I call my friend who is also a prolific hunter.  When I have a hankering for some wild game or a desire to stretch my culinary wings, Adam is but a text away and shows up with a cooler full of Pennsylvania’s finest wildlife.  Last night for Monday Night Trashy TV we dined on duck breast.  I served my duck with basmati rice- which did not remain brown as I had hoped ergo throwing off the aesthetic of my final plate- and lemon pepper zucchini in a white wine cream sauce.  All things considered it was a great success; even the boys got to play with the tiny, steel BB that killed the duck after John spat it into his hand.

The kill shot.

Asian Citrus Duck Breast

Duck breasts

1 medium mango, diced

The juice and zest of a lemon, lime and an orange

Equal parts lemon and orange juices to make 1 cup when added to the fresh juices.

1 c. olive oil

2 TBSP fresh lemon grass, chopped

2 TBSP fresh cilantro, chopped

5-6 whole cloves of garlic, peeled

1 c. red onion, diced

1 tsp. chili powder

1 TBSP Sriacha

3 TBSP sweet chili pepper sauce

Fresh ground pepper

Sea salt

In a large glass bowl, mix everything together before adding the duck to marinate for at least 6 hours.  Overnight is great.  When ready to cook, pre-heat the oven to 350°.  Very lightly spray a large, heavy bottom skillet with olive oil and heat.  Sear the breasts skin side down for a few minutes just until they begin to brown.  Transfer to an oven grill pan, skin side up, and brush with marinade.  Bake uncovered for 20-25 minutes or until the juices run clear and the internal temperature reaches 165°.  (Bookmark this page!  http://whatscookingamerica.net/Information/MeatTemperatureChart.htm)

If the breasts are skinless, skip the searing step and place directly onto the pan.

While the duck is in the oven, sauté the mango, onion, garlic and herbs from the marinade in a little of the liquid.  It’s important to heat it to a rapid simmer and sustain for at least 3 minutes as the mangos and garlic soften to cook any of the bits of duck protein that is left in it.  Put it all in a blender and puree, adding a little white wine as needed.  It should be smooth with the consistency of gravy.  Transfer to a sauce pot and keep warm, season to taste with sweet chili sauce, sriacha, chili powder, salt & pepper.  Serve as a garnish with the duck.

In a large glass bowl, mix everything together before adding the duck to marinate for at least 6 hours. Overnight is great.

While the duck is in the oven, sauté the mango, onion, garlic and herbs from the marinade in a little of the liquid. It’s important to heat it to a rapid simmer and sustain for at least 3 minutes as the mangos and garlic soften to cook any of the bits of duck protein that is left in it.

Transfer to an oven grill pan, skin side up, and brush with marinade. Bake uncovered for 20-25 minutes or until the juices run clear and the internal temperature reaches 165°.

My plan was to make Baked Ziti.  You know the expression, “Men plan, God laughs”?  Yeah, that goes double for a busy nanny-baker-writer-cook…  I had all of the supplies; I had taken the meats out of the freezer to thaw, so I was all set to make the baked ziti when Weston’s mother, Tracy, brought me several beautiful green peppers.  They were very near their expiration and she didn’t think she would be able to use them before they went bad.  And that’s when the plan changed.  Instead of baked ziti covered in red sauce, (which has way too much sugar to be considered healthy), I made all the components and stuffed it inside of the halved peppers.  YUM!

4 c. pasta, cooked, any variety

1# ground beef

1# ground sausage

16 oz. blocks of cream cheese, softened

30 oz. ricotta

6 eggs, beaten

¼ c. Parmesan, grated

¼ c. Romano, grated

28 oz. canned diced tomatoes, drained

2 c. Mozzarella, shredded

6 oz. Pepperoni bites

Salt, to taste

Pepper, to taste

Italian Seasoning, to taste

8-10 Bell Peppers, assorted colors

Pre-heat the oven to 350°.  Cook the pasta according to package directions.  Drain and set aside.  Brown the beef and sausage together, season with salt, pepper and spices as you do.  Drain and set aside.  In a very large bowl, use an electric mixer to combine the cheeses, eggs, tomatoes, salt, pepper and spices.  Fold in the browned meat, cooked pasta and pepperoni.  Allow it to sit for a bit, it makes it much easier to stuff after it has rested.  Cut the peppers in half lengthwise, remove the stem, seeds and ribs; rinse well.  Stuff the pepper halves with the cheese, pasta and meat mix and place into a prepared baking dish.  Bake for about an hour or until they are brown and bubbly.  Serve with or without your favorite tomato sauce.

As I was doing my regular shopping at Karns this weekend, the sign that caught my eye was the sale on Boneless Beef Shoulder Roasts.  Displayed in the case right next to them were stuffed, ready-to-bake, shoulder roasts at nearly twice as much.  Well-play, Karns; well-played.  While that’s a stroke of marketing genius on Karns’ part , I wasn’t about to fall for it for several reasons:  A)  I looked at the price.  B)  They were stuffed with bread-cubes and my gluten-free goals prohibit that.  C)  I could totally do it myself.  I picked up a shoulder roast, on sale, and a few other things to stock my freezer.  (Chicken legs were on a fantastic sale!)

As I shopped my other stores, however, I had to force myself to think about the other proteins I had just purchased because I was so focused and excited about what I was going to stuff into the beef! I knew that bleu cheese would be a focal point of the stuffing, but what else?  Celery, sure- that makes sense and I knew I had some in the fridge that needs a purpose.  What should take the place of the bread?  Potatoes!  I have lots and they’re gluten-free.  How about a little color?  Red peppers!

I forced myself to focus on the rest of my shopping trip and be one step closer to trying my hand at stuffing that shoulder.

Stuffed Beef Shoulder

2 c. potatoes, peeled, diced

1 ½ c. red peppers, diced

1 c. celery diced

2 cloves garlic, chopped

8 oz. bleu cheese, crumbled

Olive Oil

Sea Salt

Pepper

A-1 Sauce

Preheat the oven to 350°.  Sauté the vegetables in olive oil, seasoned with salt and pepper, until tender; adding the garlic halfway through.  Set aside allowing it to cool.  Cut a slit in the roast about halfway deep so that you have a deep cavity to stuff.  Rub it all over, inside and out, with olive oil and sprinkle with salt and pepper.  In a separate bowl, combine enough of the veggie sauté and the bleu cheese to fill the cavity in your roast.  Fill the cavity with the veggie and cheese mix, tie with kitchen string and use aluminum foil to keep it upright in a roasting pan.  Drizzle the top with A-1 sauce and bake for at least an hour, perhaps longer, depending on the size.  Cook until you reach the internal temperature of your desired doneness.  (Bookmark this page: http://whatscookingamerica.net/Information/MeatTemperatureChart.htm.)  When you have reached the internal temperature that you prefer, remove from the oven and tent with aluminum foil while the meat rests- at least 15 minutes.  Serve with oven roasted potatoes and vegetables and with A-1 sauce and horseradish sauce on the side.

Sauté the vegetables in olive oil, seasoned with salt and pepper, until tender; adding the garlic halfway through.

In a separate bowl, combine enough of the veggie sauté and the bleu cheese to fill the cavity in your roast.

Fill the cavity with the veggie and cheese mix, tie with kitchen string and use aluminum foil to keep it upright in a roasting pan. Drizzle the top with A-1 sauce and bake for at least an hour, perhaps longer, depending on the size.

Cook until you reach the internal temperature of your desired doneness.

Holy, Cannoli, I was a Pioneer Woman in the past 36 hours!  My nephew, Jackson, is only four months old and has the flu.  Poor little fella, his mom- my sister- has bronchitis.  As he had been on the meds long enough to no longer be contagious, she dropped him off at Zia’s infirmary so that he didn’t also catch her bronchitis and so that she could actually get a good night’s sleep!  I was lucky enough to have one-on-one snuggle time with my little fella for 24 straight hours.  (By the time he left this morning, his fever had broken, his nose was mostly clear and his appetite was terrific!)  After I was done channeling my mom’s nursing skills, I put all the toys he played with in the dishwasher, washed all the blankets he used in hot water, finished the chicken stock I’ve been working on for three days, made scratch gravy from the stock, baked several homemade chicken pot pies, delivered some, baked a batch of cupcakes, delivered them to the pizza shop, did the shopping and menu-planning for the week and put a dozen quarts of chicken stock in my freezer.  Winter storms, below zero temps, colds and flu?  BRING IT!

Sunday dinner today was Chicken Pot Pie, but since that recipe calls for gravy made from chicken stock we should probably discuss how to make it.  I make three-day stock.  Yes, I literally take three days to make it and I have to plan for it to make sure I have both the fridge space for the pot and the time to be home and babysit it on the stove.  It’s so worth it, however, as it makes the most delicious, rich stock you can imagine!  Bear with me, the two recipes I’m sharing tonight have very little in the way of measurements.  In the past few months, I’ve made a roast chicken a time or two.  After carving and getting the meat off of it as much as I could, I put the carcass in the freezer for when I knew I would be making stock.

Three-Day Stock

Chickens, three whole or two whole and two carcasses.

Celery- especially the leafy tips and the bottoms near the root

Onions

Fresh herbs- thyme, rosemary, bay leaves, sage, etc.

Peppercorns

Salt

Butter

Put everything except the butter in a 10-quart pot and cover with water.  Boil and cool, boil and cool, boil and cool for three days.  After the first day, pick all of the meat from the bones of the chicken and return the bones, skin and fat to the pot to continue the process.  After the third day, strain through colanders, strainers and cheese cloth until the broth is as clear as possible.  When you get to as clear as possible, add one stick of butter and bring to a boil.  Cool for the last time and pour into two-quart containers filling each only by half.  Fill the other half with plain water.  Freeze and use within a year.  Seriously, this is the best basis for recipes, soups and gravy you will ever taste!

Chicken Pot Pie

Gravy

Pie Crust

Chicken

Potatoes

Peas

Carrots

Salt

Pepper

Egg, beaten

Again, I apologize that this is another recipe that has almost no measurements.  Because I make fresh, homemade stock and because I hate, hate, hate rolling out dough, I buy ready-to-use pie crust and live to fight other battles on other days.  I also use frozen peas and carrots. I make nearly everything else homemade and from scratch, I have no problems cheating a little here and there.

To make gravy, make a slurry by putting a little hot stock in the blender and add a little corn starch.  JUST A LITTLE!  Since it’s hot, the lid will really want to burst off and you don’t want that.  Cover and puree.  Remove the center part of the blender lid and add a little more hot stock and a little more corn starch while it’s “whirring” until the blender is half full.  Add salt and pepper.  How much of each?  I don’t know.  You have to play with it until you get it right and sometimes you’re going to make stuff that tastes like shit.  Don’t let that scare you away from the kitchen, just clean up the mess and try it again.  In a sauce pan, put more stock in it and slowly add the slurry while whisking over medium heat.  Bring it just to a gentle boil and remove from the heat, whisking frequently.  It will thicken as it cools.  Add salt and pepper to taste.  If it’s not thick enough, make a new slurry and be heavier-handed with the corn starch.  If it’s too thick, add more hot stock.  It’s an art, not a science.  Good luck!

Pre-heat the oven to 425°.  Peel and cut up the potatoes into slightly larger than bite size pieces; boil in heavily salted water.  In a large bowl, combine the cooked, chopped chicken, veggies and potatoes.  Mix it up.  Spray the deep-dish pie pans with non-stick spray and press a pie crust into the bottom of the pan and up the sides.  Poke with a fork to create some steam vents.  Into the crust, spoon the chicken mixture evenly but do not pack.  It should come up nearly to the top of the pan.  Sprinkle all over with pepper, (no salt because everything else is already pretty salty), gently pour enough gravy all over so that it looks like milk in your cereal bowl.  Put the top crust on, pinch the two crusts together, cut a few slits in the top to vent the steam.  Bake for about 20 minutes or until the crust begins to brown.  Once it has begun to brown, brush all over with the beaten egg and continue to bake until the gravy bubbles up and the entire crust is an even, deep brown.  Allow to rest for 15 minutes before cutting.  Buon Appetito!

Spray the deep-dish pie pans with non-stick spray and press a pie crust into the bottom of the pan and up the sides. Poke with a fork to create some steam vents.

In a large bowl, combine the cooked, chopped chicken, veggies and potatoes. Mix it up.

Into the crust, spoon the chicken mixture evenly but do not pack. It should come up nearly to the top of the pan.

Sprinkle all over with pepper, (no salt because everything else is already pretty salty), gently pour enough gravy all over so that it looks like milk in your cereal bowl.

Put the top crust on, pinch the two crusts together, cut a few slits in the top to vent the steam.

I’m not one to whine about the weather because there is really no changing it.  However, when it’s 18° outside with snow on the ground something must be done.  Here at Villa Mia, it’s a pot of something hot and comforting to put in a bowl and avoid shoveling the sidewalk.  I went to the freezer and pulled out the chopped onions, zucchini and bell peppers I had left over from other recipes and got to work!

Turkey Chili

¼ c. Canola Oil

1# ground turkey, (frozen at Aldi’s)

1 packet Sazón

1 TBSP paprika

1 ½ tsp. salt

1 tsp. onion powder

1 tsp. garlic salt

1 tsp. cayenne pepper

½ tsp. chili powder

1 tsp. black pepper

½ tsp. thyme

½ tsp. oregano

3 TBSP flour (optional)

¼ c. water

1-28 oz. can Italian-style diced tomatoes

1 can seasoned black beans, drained and rinsed

1 can sweet corn, drained

At least 4 cups of the following chopped veggies: bell peppers, onions and zucchini.  More if you like or if you need to stretch the pot!

In a large, heavy bottom pot, cook the turkey in the Canola oil over low heat.  Cook it slowly, stirring often, as turkey will burn and stick.  While it’s cooking, mix all of the spices together in a small bowl.  If you choose to omit the flour, your chili will be gluten-free but not as thick.  Once the turkey is fully cooked, add the spices and the water; mix well and simmer for 2-3 minutes.  Add the veggies, still frozen is okay, mix and simmer until everything is thawed and bubbling.  Transfer all of it to a large crock pot and add the tomatoes, beans and corn.  Cook on low all day long and warm up with your choice of toppings.  My cup of chili has a little cheese, a dollop of sour cream and a spoon full of the jalapeño relish leftover from the other night. Buon Appetito!

I hosted a small dinner party for my friend, John, the other night.  I wanted to play dress up and be fancy, but it was a Tuesday night and I’m a girl on a budget!  Another friend, Adam, gave be a gorgeous venison roast courtesy of a fine Pennsylvania deer and his superior hunting skills and I began planning from there.  Seven or more courses was just too ambitious for a school night so I planned for five, and we ended up skipping one since we were just too full!  In addition to delicious, three things were important to me: 1.  That the meal flow so that each course made sense in relation to the others.  2.  That I could prepare ahead of time so that only minimal effort would be needed to plate and serve each course.  (I don’t have staff…)  3.  That I could make a dinner for a special occasion on the cheap that didn’t look cheap!

Nailed it.

Have you ever heard the expression, “from soup to nuts”?  It refers to the entirety of something in the context of a full-course dinner.  At its extreme, there can be up to 21 courses if you’re including palate cleansers and each of those is paired with a wine or aperitif.  Oy.  I don’t have the time, tolerance or attention span for all of that!  I took a look at the basic ten:

1. Hor D’Oeurves
2. Soup
3. Fish
4. Meat
5. Game
6. Poultry
7. Salad
8. Dessert
9. Cheese and Fruit
10. Nuts

From there, I combined and deleted it down to five:

1. Hor D’Oeurves
2. Soup
3. Game
4. Salad
5. Dessert, Cheese, Fruit and Nuts

Venison is a delicate meat with very little fat.  It is so easy to overcook it in a nanosecond.  I knew I wanted to slow-roast it in the crock pot to keep it tender, moist, and to not have to think about it too much.  Cream of mushroom soup seemed to be the best way to approach it.  What side dish should I pair with venison roast cooked in a mushroom sauce?  Stuffed mushrooms seemed logical- it’s a good way to use the entire mushroom, stems in the soup and caps on the side.  What should I stuff them with?  Crab and bacon, of course!  Hmmmm, if I’m going to use crab in the mushrooms a nice lead-in to that would be a shellfish bisque for the soup course.  However, since that’s got potatoes in it and is a little on the heavy side, I really did not want a heavy starch on the dinner plate but it did need something.  How about mashed cauliflower?  Yes!  It will look like mashed potatoes, so it’ll be aesthetically pleasing, but it will incorporate a vegetable instead of a starchy element.

The menu is beginning to come together!  I scoped out the sales at Karns before I made a decision and found that both Jumbo prawns and wild-caught Maine clams were on sale.  Done and done!  Since I planned to serve the prawns as an hor d’ouerves then I can get away with serving only two per person.  If I wrapped them in bacon more the better; a nice lead in to the main course side dish and really dresses up the starter.  Clams, oh clams, at a mere $1.99 per dozen I could afford to indulge.  After three fairly substantial courses, a simple spinach salad would be perfect.  A little crumbled bacon on top will help carry through the previous dishes and keep it vibrant and green.  (As it turns out, the salad was the course we skipped!)

There was never any doubt that I would bake the birthday cake.  I mean, duh…  But I decided to also make a tray of fruit, cheese and nuts.  Simple, inexpensive, and a super indulgence!  Aldi’s had nice wheels of edam and smoked gouda, Weis had a small block of Swiss, granny smith apples, dried apricots, red grapes and mixed nuts- all on sale.  Two Pillsbury cans of French bread nearing their expiration date had coupons on them so we had fresh bread on the table from start to finish.  The best part?  We had leftovers for days!

Happy Birthday, John; thanks for the excuse to stretch my culinary wings!

Bacon-Wrapped Prawns

12 large prawns, shells & tails removed, deveined

Olive Oil

Lemon Juice

1 TBSP garlic, chopped

12 strips bacon, thin-sliced

Marinate the prawns in equal parts olive oil and lemon juice whisked with the garlic at least 6 hours, overnight is fine.

Pre-heat the oven to 450°.  Wrap a slice of back around each prawn and secure with a skewer.  Place on a broiling pan and cook for 6-7 minutes, turn over and cook 6-7 minutes more.  Serve garnished with jalapeño relish blended with sour cream and a lemon wedge.

Jalapeño Relish

2 c. jalapeños, pickled

1 c. dill pickle slices, large

1 TBSP tequila

1 clove garlic, roughly chopped

¼ c. onion, chopped

1 tsp fresh cracked pepper

1 tsp. fresh dill, chopped

1 dash Tabasco

Put it all in a food processor and pulse, serve chilled.  Can also be folded into sour cream or cream cheese and served as a dip.

How to Steam Fresh Seafood

Melt a little butter and olive oil in a large, heavy bottom pan.  Use it to gently sauté some chopped garlic.  Gently add the seafood in a thin, even layer- be careful not to stack of be too rough.  Swirl and gently fold to coat the shells or shrimp on all sides with the fat and garlic.  Once coated, add just enough white wine so that there is a quarter inch of liquid in the pan.  Cover and steam for about 4 minutes.  The clams and mussels should pop open and the shrimp will turn pink.  Serve immediately.  The sauce in the pan is fantastic for dipping crusty bread into.

Shellfish Bisque

2 c. half & half

3 TBSP cornstarch

1½ tsp. thyme, dried

¼ tsp. salt

¼ tsp. pepper

1-6 ½ oz. can minced clams

1-4 ½ oz. can tiny shrimp

1-7 ½ oz. can crabmeat

¼ c. butter

4 TBSP olive oil

1 TBSP onion powder

3 large potatoes, peeled & diced

¾ c. cream sherry

1-10 ½ oz. can condensed cream of celery soup*

3 c. milk

2 c. boiling water

¼ tsp. curry

1 tsp. Old Bay Seasoning

In a blender, combine the half & half, cornstarch, thyme, salt and pepper.  Set aside.  Drain clams, shrimp and crabmeat; reserve liquids.  Set aside.  In a large pot or kettle, sauté potatoes and onion powder in the butter and olive oil, stirring frequently.  Deglaze with sherry.  Add soup with milk, boiling water, reserved liquids, curry and Old Bay.  Cover and simmer for 25 minutes over very low heat.  Add clams, shrimp and crabmeat; cook for 5 minutes.  Add cornstarch mixture to bisque stirring constantly over medium heat, until just at boiling point.  Do not boil.  Lower heat and cook for 5 minutes longer.  Transfer to a slow cooker to keep warm on the lowest setting.

*I make my cream of celery soup from scratch so that it is gluten-free.  The recipe is below.

Cream of Celery Soup

4 TBSP butter

1 c. celery, chopped

1 c. cold milk

2 TBSP cornstarch

1 tsp. chicken bouillon

½ tsp. salt

¼ tsp. pepper

In a heavy-bottomed sauce pot, sauté the celery in the butter over low heat.  In a blender, combine the remaining ingredients.  Once the celery is soft, remove the pot from the heat and add the milk mixture.  Heat gently over low heat, stirring constantly, until heated through.  Do not allow to boil.  Remove from heat and it will thicken.  This recipe makes the equivalent of a can of condensed soup.  Use it in your recipes in place of a can or add milk to serve as a soup.

Venison Roast

3# Boneless Roast

1 large onion, sliced

2 c. mushrooms, sliced

2 TBSP Worcestershire sauce

1 TBSP garlic salt

¼ tsp. pepper

1 package onion soup mix

1-10 ½ oz. can Condensed Cream of Mushroom Soup*

½ c. milk

In a medium bowl, mix together milk, sauces, spices and soups.  Layer into the slow cooker, meat, onion, mushrooms and sauce mix.  Cook on low for 6 hours.

*I make my cream of celery soup from scratch so that it is gluten-free.  The recipe is below.

Cream of Mushroom Soup

4 TBSP butter

1 c. mushrooms, chopped

1 c. cold milk

2 TBSP cornstarch

1 tsp. chicken bouillon

½ tsp. salt

¼ tsp. pepper

In a heavy-bottomed sauce pot, sauté the mushrooms in the butter over low heat.  In a blender, combine the remaining ingredients.  Once the celery is soft, remove the pot from the heat and add the milk mixture.  Heat gently over low heat, stirring constantly, until heated through.  Do not allow to boil.  Remove from heat and it will thicken.  This recipe makes the equivalent of a can of condensed soup.  Use it in your recipes in place of a can or add milk to serve as a soup.

Mashed Cauliflower

2-medium heads of cauliflower

½ block cream cheese

¼ c. Parmesan, grated

½ stick butter, salted

3-4 cloves garlic, roasted

1 c. Heavy Cream

Cut, clean and cook cauliflower in salted water until very tender.  Gently heat and blend cheese, butter, garlic and pepper.  Add to hot, drained cauliflower and mash well.  Blend with cream to the consistency you prefer; salt to taste.  Transfer to an oven-safe bowl, cover and keep in a warm oven until ready to serve.

Crab-Stuffed Mushrooms

12 medium mushrooms

6 slices bacon, brown and crumbled

1 TBSP. garlic paste

1-7 ½ oz. can crabmeat

1 egg, beaten

Olive Oil

Bread Crumbs

Parmesan, Shredded

Pre-heat the oven to 350°.  Clean the mushrooms by wiping with a damp cloth, do not run under water.  Remove and discard mushroom stems.  (Actually, I used the stems for my cream of mushroom soup, but if you’re not making soup or stock, just discard them.)  Place the caps in a prepared baking dish.  Drain the crab meat, discard the liquid.  In a heavy bottom pan, cook the bacon and reserve the grease.  Remove the bacon and use the grease to gently sauté the garlic and crab meat together.  In a glass or Pyrex mixing bowl, combine the garlic, crab and bacon with a little of the grease.  Once cool enough so as to not scramble the egg, add the egg and fold gently to mix well.  Add bread crumbs and olive oil a little at a time until the mixture clumps, but does not stick, and you have enough to stuff all of your mushrooms.  Use a spoon to press the mixture into each mushroom, mounding ever-so-slightly, and sprinkle with Parmesan.  Pour a little white wine into the baking pan, just enough to cover the bottom of the pan.  Cover and bake for about 20 minutes.  (The liquid will steam the mushrooms.)  Uncover and cook another 10 minutes or until browned and the liquid has evaporated.  Spritz with fresh lemon juice and serve immediately.

These can be assembled and refrigerated up to 12 hours ahead of time.  Allow your pan to come up to room temperature before placing into a hot oven!

Spinach Salad

Baby Spinach

Bacon, browned, cooked and crumbled

Roma Tomatoes, sliced

Eggs, Hard-Boiled

Red Onions, thinly sliced

Red Wine Italian Dressing

Buy a bag of baby spinach and feel no guilt.  It’s already washed and ready to go.  Place the spinach in a large bowl and toss with enough dressing to coat, but not drown.  Put the desired amount into each serving bowl and build each salad individually.  As for the salad, make them as big or small as you like with the ingredients list.  DO take the time to make fresh dressing.  It really is quick and easy and much more cost-effective than the prepared bottle dressings.  Plus, once you’ve made your own, you’ll never be able to go back.  Serve the salads with the dressing on the table for anyone who would like to add more.

Red Wine Italian Dressing

Dry Mix

1 TBSP Garlic Salt

1 TBSP Onion Powder

1 tsp. Pepper

1 TBSP Sugar

¼ tsp. Thyme

1 tsp. Basil

1 TBSP Parsley

¼ tsp. Celery Salt

2 TBSP Salt

Liquid Mix

Two-parts oil to one-part acid.  Whisk them together and add the dry mix a tablespoon at a time to suit your taste.

Chocolate Cake with Salted Caramel Frosting

Yeah, no way am I giving up these recipes.  Love you!

Peyton
01.20.92-11.16.02

Just this side of heaven is a place called Rainbow Bridge.

When an animal dies that has been especially close to someone here, that pet goes to Rainbow Bridge.
There are meadows and hills for all of our special friends so they can run and play together.
There is plenty of food, water and sunshine, and our friends are warm and comfortable.

All the animals who had been ill and old are restored to health and vigor; those who were hurt or maimed are made whole and strong again, just as we remember them in our dreams of days and times gone by.
The animals are happy and content, except for one small thing; they each miss someone very special to them, who had to be left behind.

They all run and play together, but the day comes when one suddenly stops and looks into the distance. His bright eyes are intent; His eager body quivers. Suddenly he begins to run from the group, flying over the green grass, his legs carrying him faster and faster.

You have been spotted, and when you and your special friend finally meet, you cling together in joyous reunion, never to be parted again. The happy kisses rain upon your face; your hands again caress the beloved head, and you look once more into the trusting eyes of your pet, so long gone from your life but never absent from your heart.

Then you cross Rainbow Bridge together.

Author unknown

Here in the good ‘ol US of A we have the most disgusting excuse for bar food known to man.  I’m both heinously appalled and incredibly proud of that.  However, now and then, I like to look across the pond to see how their drunks like to nosh.  In an English pub, if you need a little something to soak up the pints you’ve been imbibing, you just might get a Scotch Egg.  Traditionally, it’s a hard-boiled egg wrapped in sausage, breaded and fried.  Oy.  Last night’s ode to deep frying has nixed that fat-laden delicacy.  Tonight, at Villa Mia, I served up my variation on the English pub classic.  Whichever way you have your Scotch Egg, it goes down best with a beer.  Buon Appetito!

Scotch Eggs, sort of

1# ground turkey

1 c. onions, chopped

6 oz. tomato paste

1 TBSP Worcestershire sauce

½ tsp. hot sauce

1½ c. bread crumbs*

¼ c. Parmesan cheese, grated

1 TBSP Italian Seasoning

½ tsp. pepper

¼ tsp. salt

3 eggs, beaten

8 hard-boiled eggs, peeled and cooled

16 slices of bacon

Pre-heat the oven to 350°.  In a large bowl, combine everything except the eggs and bacon.  Spray eight sections of a jumbo muffin tin with non-stick cooking spray.  Arrange a slice of bacon inside each one, making a ring.  Next, a heaping tablespoon of the turkey mixture; press down in the center to flatten.  Place an egg in the center of each followed by two tablespoons more of the turkey mixture to snuggle the egg and a third on top to cover it up.  Tuck it all in with another slice of bacon, cut in half, and bake uncovered for 45 minutes.  Allow to rest for 10 minutes before serving with spicy mustard, mashed potatoes and green beans.

Look at that! It’s the inside of the onions that got batter-dipped and fried last night.

In a large bowl, combine everything except the eggs and bacon.

In a large bowl, combine everything except the eggs and bacon.

Arrange a slice of bacon inside each one, making a ring. Next, a heaping tablespoon of the turkey mixture; press down in the center to flatten. Place an egg in the center of each followed by two tablespoons more of the turkey mixture to snuggle the egg and a third on top to cover it up. Tuck it all in with another slice of bacon, cut in half.

The remaining onions are chopped and in the freezer with the zucchini waiting for a pot of chili to swim in!

I am blessed with a wonderful neighbor, who is a single mom of two.  I often get to hang out with just the kids and we frequently collaborate on dinner.  I had made chicken tenders one night, her daughter tried them and just thought that the sun rose and set by this chicken.  So much so that the next day at school, when part of her fourth grade writing assignment was to discuss her favorite food, she wrote about this chicken.  She also discussed it with her friends at recess; she talked all about this amazing dish.  The chat continued into the car with her mother on the ride home prompting her to text me asking about Wala Chicken.  What?  I was just as clueless as was Mom!  We finally managed to get the three of us together in the same room and asked her about it.  It turns out that she and her friends were talking about their assignment on their favorite foods and she told them all about the Vóila! Chicken that her Zia makes.  A-ha!  From that day on, the simple, breaded chicken that my Gramma taught me to make when I was a little girl has been known as “Wala Chicken.”  I hope you enjoy it as much as we do!

Tonight’s meal looks like it’s a deep-fried heart attack waiting to happen, but to be honest, it’s not all that bad.  Yep, the onion rings are batter-dipped and fried.  But, the chicken is all white, no skin, and only fried just long enough to make it crispy and the zucchini is not fried at all.  It’s a bit of an indulgence  but considering the traditional recipes, these alternatives are a welcomed healthy option!

Wala Chicken

4 boneless, skinless chicken breasts

Flour

4 eggs, beaten

Salt

Pepper

Italian Seasoned Bread Crumbs

1 packet Sazón

Vegetable Oil

Pre-heat the oven to 350°.  Cut up the chicken into nugget sized pieces, trimming off the fat as you go.  Set up your breading station; put 2-3 cups of flour in one large food storage bag, beat the eggs with a generous amount of salt and pepper in a large, shallow bowl and place 3-4 cups of bread crumbs with the seasoning in a second food storage bag.  Bread the chicken in this order:  flour, egg, bread crumbs.  I prefer to bread all of the chicken before I begin frying.  Heat the oil in a large, heavy bottom pan over medium heat.  You’ll know the oil is ready when a few drops of water flicked into sizzle immediately.  Fry the nuggets, only a few at a time, for about a minute on each side.  You will fry it only long enough to make it crisp; the chicken itself will cook in the oven.  There’s no use using a healthy, lean cut of chicken if you’re just going to soak it in trans fats!  Bake for about 20 minutes and serve with your favorite dipping sauce.

Cut up the chicken into nugget sized pieces, trimming off the fat as you go.

beat the eggs with a generous amount of salt and pepper in a large, shallow bowl

Set up your breading station; put 2-3 cups of flour in one large food storage bag, beat the eggs with a generous amount of salt and pepper in a large, shallow bowl and place 3-4 cups of bread crumbs with the seasoning in a second food storage bag.

I prefer to bread all of the chicken before I begin frying.

You’ll know the oil is ready when a few drops of water flicked into sizzle immediately. Fry the nuggets, only a few at a time, for about a minute on each side. You will fry it only long enough to make it crisp; the chicken itself will cook in the oven.

Bake for about 20 minutes and serve with your favorite dipping sauce.

Zucchini Fries

5 or 6 Zucchinis

4 eggs, beaten

Salt

Pepper

Bread Crumbs

1 packet Sazón

Grated Parmesan

Pre-heat the oven to 350°.  Cut your zucchinis into quarters lengthwise and then into “fry size” pieces.  Rinse well.  Set up your breading station; beat the eggs with a generous amount of salt and pepper in a large, shallow bowl and place 1-2 cups of bread crumbs with the seasoning and about a half a cup of Parmesan in a food storage bag.  Dip the zucchini in the egg wash and then coat with bread crumbs.  Lay them out on a baking sheet, skin side down.  Drizzle with Olive Oil and bake for about 20 minutes or until they are tender.  Serve with Lemon-flavored Greek Yogurt to dip in.

Cut your zucchinis into quarters lengthwise and then into “fry size” pieces.

Rinse well.

Beat the eggs with a generous amount of salt and pepper in a large, shallow bowl.

Place 1-2 cups of bread crumbs with the seasoning and about a half a cup of Parmesan in a food storage bag.

Dip the zucchini in the egg wash.

Coat with bread crumbs.

Lay them out on a baking sheet, skin side down. Drizzle with Olive Oil and bake for about 20 minutes or until they are tender.

When my baking sheet was full, I cut up the remaining zucchini and put it in the freezer. It’ll show up in my next pot of chili.

Beer-Battered Onion Rings

3 large Vidalia Onions

3 c. flour

2 eggs, separated

12 oz. beer

4 TBSP butter, melted

½ milk

Salt

Vegetable Oil

Sift the flour into a large mixing bowl.  In a small bowl, beat the egg whites until they form soft peaks.  In a medium bowl, mix the butter, beer, milk and salt.  Add the egg yolks and mix well.  Add the liquid mixture to the flour and beat with an electric mixer.  Finally, add the egg whites and allow to rest for 10-15 minutes.  In the meantime, peel and slice onions into rings.  Place in a food storage bag with flour and shake to dredge completely.  Heat the oil in a large, heavy bottom pan over medium heat.  You’ll know the oil is ready when a few drops of water flicked into sizzle immediately.  Coat the rings in the batter and fry until golden.  Drain on paper towels and serve immediately.

I’m sorry, I was short on time and extra hands, no pics along the way as I was making the onion rings.  Give it a whirl, anyway!

It’s Taco Tuesday!  Sometimes we have chili or tacopalooza and sometimes we have tacos on a different day of the week but there is something just a little bit special about Taco Tuesday.   I like a taco salad because it eliminates that middle step.  You know the one; after you’ve carefully built your taco shell with all the goodies and toppings, your mouth is watering in anticipation as you go in for that first bite that you know is going to be life-changing- and it is!- until your shell breaks and dumps itself all over your shirt.  Then, you lose half of that delicious first bite when you yell, “Dammit!”  Why go through all of that?  I just make a salad in a bowl from the get-go and eat it with chips.  Done.

The best thing about Taco Tuesday is that you can use whatever you’ve got on hand.  Sometimes I use ground turkey, sometimes shredded chicken, even a nice fish taco is a lovely variation.  Tonight I went classic with a stretch.  A pound of ground beef, browned and seasoned with a Weis brand package of taco seasoning, was my base.  I added to that a drained and rinsed can each of black beans and sweet corn.  The beans add a healthy protein and needed fiber and the corn adds a sweetness without added sugar.  The presence of each stretches the star of my taco buffet to feed three adults for dinner tonight and tomorrow for lunch those same three adults plus a toddler.  So what’s on my buffet?  Well, cheese, of course.  Plus:

• Black Olives- straight out of the can!
• Cucumbers- leftover from last night’s salad bar, just cut up smaller.
• Guacamole- made fresh, recipe below.
• Hot Sauce- Aldi’s brand of Frank’s.
• Pickled Jalapenos- Weis brand.
• Red Onions- the inside half of last night’s onion.
• Salsa- Weis brand, use it for your guacamole, too.
• Sour Cream- Aldi’s brand, light.
• Spinach- instead of lettuce because A) it’s healthier and B) I had an open bag.
• Sriacha- an Asian, deeper hot sauce.
• Tomatoes- leftover from last night’s salad bar, just cut up smaller.

Taco Buffet

Taco Toppings

The star of the show!

Guacamole

You know that little packet of guacamole seasoning mix that is near the avocados in the produce section?  Skip it.  It’s over-priced and unnecessary.   Speaking of avocados, the shells should be black and they should be slightly soft to the touch.  If they’re mushy then they’re overripe and you may have yucky spots.  Friends don’t let friends eat bad guacamole, my friends.  Nothing, I mean nothing, compares to fresh guacamole made table-side at a bar on the Riverwalk in San Antonio with a signature margarita to wash it down.  However, if a trip to Texas is not on your itinerary this recipe will do.  You also might want to whip up a pitcher of margaritas in your blender, just in case…

2 ripe avocados

Juice of ½ a lemon and ½ a lime

½ packet Sazón con achiote

½ c. fresh salsa

Sprinkle of Adobo con pimento

Scoop out the flesh of the avocados into a bowl and squeeze the lemon and lime juices on it.  Use a pastry blender or two table knives to cut up the avocado, but do not mush.  Add the spices and salsa and mix well, at this point mush the avocado to suit your taste.

Scoop out the flesh of the avocados into a bowl and squeeze the lemon and lime juices on it.

Use a pastry blender or two table knives to cut up the avocado, but do not mush.

Add the spices and salsa and mix well, at this point mush the avocado to suit your taste.