Foodgitive's Frugal Friday Fare: Cantaloupe, Blueberry & Ginger Milkshake

Serving Size: 6
Cost Per Serving: $0.99

Cantaloupe, Blueberry & Ginger Milkshake
What You'll Need:
1 cup fresh blueberries
1/4 cup honey
1 inch knob fresh ginger, peeled and minced
1 teaspoon lemon juice
2 cups cut Cantaloupe pieces
2 cups low fat milk
1 cup Plain Vanilla ice cream or Yogurt Blend

Place all ingredients in blender and mix until thick and creamy in texture. Serve in a tall glass topped with a slice of fresh cantaloupe.

Add more milk as needed to create the thickness to your liking.

Foodgitive's Frugal Friday Fare

Hey All! I am happy to announce that I will be starting a weekly Friday post on all things frugal. You will find anything from recipes, gadgets, ingredients and services specifically tailored to my penny-wise readers. I will be sharing some of my thrifty ideas with everyone, and will welcome all, and may even post some ideas brought to me by my readers.

Look out for the first Foodgitive Frugal Friday Fare posting tomorrow where you will save a buck or two, learn something new, and may even create a tasty fare from it all.

Marinated Grilled Portobello Mushroom “Burgers” with Roasted Red Peppers

Marinated Grilled Portobello Mushroom “Burgers”
with Roasted Red Peppers
What You'll Need:

*Dijon Marinade (See Recipe Below))
*4 Large Portobello Mushrooms
*Roasted Red Peppers (See Recipe Below)
*4 Ciabatta Rolls
*4 Slices of Swiss Cheese (Optional)
*Olive Oil for Drizzling
*Sliced Red Onions (Optional)

Directions:

*Marinade Mushrooms in a Large Platter for 30 Minutes, Flipping Halfway Through
*Heat Grill (I use the George Foreman Grill) to High
*Cook Mushrooms for 8 minutes on each side
*In the meantime, Set the oven to 350 degrees
*Cut rolls in half and drizzle insides lightly with olive oil
*Toast in oven for a few minutes until crispy
*Add cheese to the Mushrooms the last minute of cooking to melt
*Pile Mushroom “Burger” with Roasted Red Peppers and Red Onions to Serve
*Goes well with my Spinach, Walnut & Feta Pesto with Penne


Dijon Marinade
What You'll Need:

*3 tbsp. EVOO
*1 tbsp. dried rosemary
*¼ tsp. Cracked black pepper
*Zest of 1 lemon
*Juice of ½ lemon
*4 tbsp. Red wine vinegar
*4 tbsp. Dijon mustard
*2 small garlic cloves, minced

Directions:

*Whisk everything together while pouring olive oil into mixture slowly
*Whisk until a creamy texture is created

***Tip: Do not use salt. Salt will dry out the food you are marinating.



Roasted Red Peppers
What You'll Need:

*4 Red Peppers
*Olive Oil
*3-4 small cloves of garlic, minced

Directions:

*Set oven to 500 degrees
*Cut Peppers in half and remove seeds, pithy insides and stems
*Place peppers on a baking sheet on tin foil and drizzle peppers with olive oil
*Cook in oven for 10 minutes or until peppers get mostly black
*Remove from oven and place in brown bag and roll to seal shut
*Let sit in bag for 15 minutes
*Remove from bag and rub off black crust from peppers. (The black char should flake off very easily)
*Cut into strips and place in bowl
*Toss with garlic and a light drizzle of olive oil

***Tip: When cooking more peppers, remember to use approx. 1 garlic clove per pepper

Yada Yada Yada Spinach, Walnut & Feta Pesto

This is my second attempt at making pesto. The first time, I will admit, did not turn out so well, which is a shame, because it is expensive to make. So, rather than wasting money and energy on creating an expensive pesto that may or may not turn out so hot, I decided to make substitutions this time. Usually, pesto is made with pine nuts, basil and Parmesan cheese. I swapped out those main ingredients with walnuts, spinach and feta cheese. I am so glad I did. The texture of the sauce was amazing, slightly thick and very creamy. Garlic was very present in the dish, so if you prefer a less potent taste of garlic, use less.

I will get a picture over to you later today. But you get the gist, pesto is green and creamy...yada yada yada...Got it. Not so hard to imagine, I bet?

Spinach, Walnut & Feta Pesto
Serving Size: 6

What You'll Need:

*2 cups spinach, washed thoroughly and packed tightly when measuring
*2 cloves garlic- chopped finely
*1/2 cup reduced fat feta cheese
*2 tbsp. extra virgin olive oil
*1/2 tsp. dried basil
*Juice of 1 lemon
*1/2 cup walnuts

Instructions:
*Put ingredients (everything but the olive oil) into a blender and blend while drizzling in the olive oil very slowly until creamy in texture, approx. 1 minute, constantly scraping sides with a spatula
*Serve over your favorite pasta, using approx. a 1 lb. box to 1 1/2 lbs. of pasta, or serve as a spread on sandwiches or a panini

Taking a Long Hard Look at My Role As a Food Consumer

You've probably noticed I haven't been here to write to you in approximately a week. That's because I decided to take a clear understanding of what my purpose on this blog here is. I love to cook, that is obvious. I love to cook food from scratch, using fresh herbs, fresh vegetables, so why is it I post recipes of mac and cheese egg rolls? I have decided to completely take a good hard look at my recipe blog and cook food I would be proud to serve my family and friends.

I am educated on the obesity epidemic invading this country. I have seen the overweight children slurping on fruit punch in hand and a super size French fry appetizer in the other. I don't like it as much as the next consumer. I need to take a responsibility here and realize that I should only cook good food that warms the belly, fresh food that as Michael Pollan would say "something your grandmother would recognize as food."

I have decided through much thought that I will cook only the freshest food available to me. Cook with passion, cook with heart. Only cook food that is made with the best ingredients, the most local ingredients, unprocessed foods, whole foods.

So the next time you see a recipe posted here, I want you to repeat the steps as someone who cares about what goes into their bodies, someone who cares about what goes into their family's bodies, someone who will take pride in how they just took the time to cook a delicious meal from scratch, which is one of the best things you can do for your family, the best option you have as a food consumer, someone who doesn't take the easy way out, someone who cares.

Buckwheat Tabouli Salad

I am absolutely in love with tabouli. Tabouli is a perfectly light dish to enjoy in the spring or summer months. And I don't use the word "anyone" lightly here. My boyfriend adored the tabouli I made for him last night, which was so shocking coming from a guy who hates anything green but money. I made the tabouli at home and brought it over his house in an airtight container and once I popped off that lid and told him to breathe in the splendor, he fell in love. We paired it with toasted pita bread for an authentic Mediterranean feel. Now, only if I had a brick-paved, outdoor trattoria to enjoy my coffee in the morning....

2 bunches parsley, finely chopped
6 green onions, finely chopped
1 tablespoon dried mint
3 tomatoes, finely diced
2 cups vegetable stock
1 cup buckwheat
1 egg white, beaten slightly
3 tablespoons olive oil
4 lemons, juiced
1/4 tsp salt
1/4 tsp black pepper

*Bring vegetable stock to a boil
*In the meantime, mix together beaten egg white with buckwheat
*Add buckwheat mixture to pan set at high heat and cook for 3 minutes, stirring regularly to break up clumps
*Add buckwheat mixture to stock and cook for 7 minutes, covered
*In the meantime, mix together salt, pepper, lemon juice, olive oil and mint and set aside
*Let buckwheat cool
*Mix buckwheat together with tomatoes, green onions, parsley and dressing mixture
*Add salt and pepper to taste
*Serve with pita bread

Beer Review- Philadelphia Brewing Company's Fleur De Lehigh

I Heart Beer. That's it. That's my credential. I'm not a beer genius, nor am I a beer connoisseur, you don't look to me for beer advice, rather for food wisdom. I don't just love any beer, I love specialty beers. What do I mean by specialty beers? Beer from all over the world, beer brewed in Pennsylvania, beer brewed in Germany, beer with hops, beer that excites me. Don't get me wrong, I love a good beer special just as much as the next gal, but there is something intriguing about that specialty beer store. Aisles upon aisles of beer fill the elongated refrigerators, one beer different from the next. "I wonder which meal this beer will pair well with?" I ask myself while browsing through the liquid gold.

While my sister was hosting The Bottle Shop's completely informal beer tasting party to see which types of beer to sell in her store, I came across something very light accompanied by interesting flavors that would pair perfect with the upcoming summer months. Philadelphia Brewing Company created this marvelous treat called Fleur De Lehigh (Lehigh being a county in Pennsylvania- so darn clever). As an amateur chef I immediately picked up on the notes of ginger and lemon grass infused in the brewing process. Philadelphia Brewing Company describes the beer on its website: "It was our first Select Ale and now Fleur De Lehigh is part of our regular line up for the summer months. This unfiltered golden ale is brewed with chamomile, rhubarb, ginger, rose hips, and lemon grass; then fermented with our Belgian yeast strain to provide a uniquely full flavored yet highly drinkable spring/summer brew. 4.2 % abv available in both bottles and kegs"

I highly encourage you to leave your comfort zone for a moment, shy away from the beer specials and try a beer that you may usually pass up on (if you are 21+ years of age, of course). Doing so may cause you to find a delicious beer that pairs well with my recipe for Always Soft Chocolate Chip Cookies, your recipe for Singapore noodles or with your mom's baked ziti.

Beer Tasting Party (Recipe for Brie & Apricot Egg Rolls)

Some of my best friends and their boyfriends were in attendance last night, so my sister and I wanted to ensure a party with delicious foods and great fun. The great fun came in the shape of an elaborate beer spread, which my sister and her business partner received for FREE from various beer distributors to sell in their store, The Bottle Shop, soon to be located at 1941 E. Passyunk Avenue in Philadelphia. So they thought, "Why not have a beer tasting party?" How could I argue? Since they were offering various types of beer, everything from Wheat Beer to Malts, we tried to create a spread that would compliment just about every type of beer.

The spread:

1. Apples doused with lemon juice to ensure color
2. Strawberries
3. Dehydrated banana slices
4. Figs
5. Apricot preserves
6. Various Crackers
7. Reduced Fat White Cheddar Cheese-Its (for my boyfriend)
8. Tostito Scoops
9. Homemade Spicy Salsa
10. Jalapeno Roasted Pepper Jelly
11. Apricot Preserve & Brie Cheese Egg Rolls (Recipe to Follow)
12. Muenster Cheese
13. Cheddar Cheese with Almond Slices
14. Port Wine Cheese
15. Grapes
16. Ferrero Rocher Chocolate Balls
17. Popcorn
18. Wine
19. And of course, Beer!

I am completely obsessed with egg roll wrappers. After realizing that just about anything could enter the egg roll galaxy for dinner treats, I had to take my ideas to the dessert world. And what is better than cheese for dessert at a wine and beer tasting party? I absolutely adore Brie cheese. I always have it out when people come over, and last night was no exception.

If you are a novice at egg roll wrapping, check out my previous post for a quick tutorial before you start. If you are a battle scarred veteran, check out my recipe below to get started.

Brie & Apricot Egg Rolls
Serving Size: 10

What You'll Need:
*10 Egg Roll Wrappers
*1 Egg Beaten
*10 Tablespoons Apricot Preserves
*1 Wedge Brie Cheese
*Pam Cooking Spray
*An Open Mind

Directions:
*After prepping the edges of the egg roll wrapper with the egg wash, add 1 tbsp. of the apricot preserves to the center
*Add a 1/4" thick x 2" long slice of Brie cheese on top of the preserves (approximate sizes)
*Fold bottom up, then sides, then roll away from you, tucking in the edges as necessary
*Place on sheet pan sprayed with Pam cooking spray
*Brush top with egg wash
*Cook for 22 minutes at 350 degrees
*Serve warm

I'm taking a sneak peek at the egg rolls while cooking. The anticipation is killing me!

Macaroni & Cheese Egg Rolls, Spaghetti & Meatball Egg Rolls, Stuffing & Cranberry Egg Rolls, Chili Egg Rolls

Yeah. The weirdest dinner I ever ate.

Watching The Neely's cooking BBQ Pork Egg Rolls on The Food Network the other day caused my brain to scatter with visions of different variations of egg rolls. What other fillings would work? With no set menu in mind, my sister and I dashed to the grocery store, wandering through the aisles, searching each shelf for an item to grab our attention.

The vegetable and side dish aisle piqued our interest, containing multiple possibilities for this endeavor. "Would Stroganoff work?" Michele shouted. "How about egg and bacon scrambles?" I yell back. Too many ideas filled our heads, causing an unneeded, time-consuming, could-have-been-cleaning-out-our-backyard-but-instead-decided-to-make-a-random-dinner-including-egg-rolls trip to the market. We decided to make four versions of this treat, including mac and cheese, chili, stuffing and cranberry and spaghetti and meatballs.

Some worked and some didn't. The spaghetti and meatballs was tasty but did not work. If you decide to create this, I suggest wrapping the mixture in two egg roll wrappers, rather than one, so the filling will stay put. The chili also almost popped open in the oven, so I suggest that you experiment with the filling to wrapper ratio. The mac and cheese and the stuffing and cranberry egg rolls were the winners in this random egg roll dinner challenge. The filling was thick enough not to seep out of the sides, creating a hearty bite throughout.


How to prepare egg roll wrappers:


*Place egg roll wrapper in diamond shape, with point facing you
*Brush edges with beaten egg
*Add Mixture as shown in image

*Fold Bottom corner up as shown in image

*Fold sides up as shown in image

*Roll away from you
*Brush with egg mixture and place on sheet pan, prepared with nonstick spray

*Bake on 350 degree for 15 minutes on each side


Mac & Cheese Egg Rolls

What You'll Need:

*1 Box Kraft Macaroni & Cheese
*Milk as listed
*Butter as listed
*1/2 Cup Breadcrumbs

Directions:
*Follow directions on Box to create, adding breadcrumbs to completed mixture.
*Add two tablespoons mixture to prepped egg roll wrappers.


Spaghetti and Meatballs Egg Rolls

What You'll Need:
*1 Can Chef Boyardee Spaghetti and Meatballs

Directions:
*Do not heat mixture. Simply add two tablespoons mixture to prepped egg roll wrappers.


Chili Egg Rolls

What You'll Need:
*1 Packet Chili Mix
*1 15 oz. Can Kidney Beans
*2 8 oz. cans tomato sauce
*2 tablespoons flour
*1 Lb. Lean Ground Beef

Directions:
*Follow directions on packet, adding flour to thicken while cooking.
*Add two tablespoons mixture to prepared egg roll wrappers.


Stuffing and Cranberry Egg Rolls

What You'll Need:
*1 Box Stuffing Mix
*1 Can Cranberry Sauce
*Additional ingredients as noted on box

Directions:
*Prepare stuffing as noted on box, mixing in roughly chopped cranberry sauce
*Add two tablespoons mixture to prepared egg roll wrappers.

St. Patty's Day Potato, String Bean and Tomato Peasant Soup

Alright. You caught me. I'm acting as if this soup is representative of the Irish Tradition of St. Patty's Day. Well, it's not. The only thing Irish about it is the green color of the string beans and the addition of potatoes, but I have decided to post it anyway.

This inexpensive, hearty soup will be great for helping with a hangover, so I suggest making a batch and freezing some to always have it on hand. I use the word hearty in the most sincere of ways here. People often use "hearty" to describe soup, but this time, this soup lives up to the word, meaning to provide abundant nourishment. The potatoes fill you up, the string beans create a nice texture and crunch, and the tomatoes, cooked with garlic and olive oil, aids in the creation of a well-balanced, simple, yet tasty broth.

The soup pairs well with beer bread. Hints of beer will flutter around in your mouth with each crunchy bite, creating the perfect St. Patrick's Day treat. I simply purchased a beer bread dry mix, mixed in a bottle of Newcastle Brown Ale, poured some melted butter over the batter, and cooked it for 55 minutes in unison with the cooking of the soup.

Peasant Soup
Serving Size: 12
What You'll Need:

*1 Large can Crushed Tomatoes
*1 tbsp Tomato Paste
*3 Cloves garlic, smashed
*1 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
*Water to fill 2 large pots
*1 pound string beans, cleaned and snapped in half
*Approx. 10 medium-sized potatoes, cleaned and cut in 4 (make sure every piece is approx. the same size to ensure proper cooking)
*1 1/2 tbsp plus 1 tsp Salt
*2 bay leaves
*1 pound medium pasta shells

Directions:
*Heat large pot over medium-high heat
*Add olive oil and heat for 1 minute
*Add garlic and move around pan for 1 minute, making sure not to brown
*Remove garlic from pot
*Add tomato paste
*Move around pan for 1 minute with wooden spoon, slightly browning the tomato paste
*Add can of crushed tomatoes and stir to incorporate mixture
*Fill up pot with cold water
*Set heat to high and bring to a boil
*Once boiling, add 1 1/2 tbsp. salt, bay leaves and potatoes
*Cook for 15 minutes, stirring often
*While the potatoes are cooking, bring a pot of water to a boil and add tsp of salt
*Add pasta shells to boiling pot of water and cook for 10 minutes, stirring occasionally
*Add cooked pasta to soup mixture with string beans and cook for 5 minutes
*Remove bay leaves and serve

Meat to Veggie Conversion:Asparagus Parmesan

When asparagus goes on sale, I splurge, popping endless bushels into my cart. At the time, it seems like a great idea-- fresh greens for days. But when I get home, it really hits me, "Fresh greens for days! What will I make?" If you haven't encountered this problem before, don't worry. Stay calm. Everything will be fine. Simply think of your favorite meal including meat and substitute it with asparagus. What comes to mind? Beef bourguignon? Not sure that will turn out too great. Steak tacos? Doesn't do anything for me. I got it! How about chicken parmesan?

Creating a meat to vegetable meal list will require some patience and imagination, but you will certainly be able to create a beautiful meal in no time. Try it with just about any of your favorite vegetables for a lighter dish filled with nutrients not suitable for meat-filled delicacies.

Asparagus Parm
Serving Size: 2

What You'll Need:
* ¼ cup part-skim shredded mozzarella cheese
* 1 cup prepared marinara sauce
* ½ Bushel Asparagus
* 1 egg white
* ¼ cup lowfat milk
* ¼ tsp salt
* ¼ tsp black pepper
* ½ cup Italian seasoned breadcrumbs
* Pam nonstick spray

Directions:
* Preheat oven to 375 degrees
* Clean asparagus in cold running water and break apart by bending asparagus gently with hand. Discard ends or use later for vegetable stock. Pat dry
* Whisk together egg white, milk, salt and pepper in large bowl
* Spray bottom and sides of casserole dish with Pam
* Dip asparagus spears in egg white mixture, then in breadcrumb mixture
* Place in casserole dish
* Cover top of asparagus with marinara sauce
* Sprinkle cheese over mixture
* Place in oven and cook for 20 minutes
* Serve hot

Finished product:

Grilled Polenta Monte Cristo Sandwich with Gruyere Cheese & Turkey

Polenta, though inexpensive to make, has been spotted on the fanciest of international menus, used in place of mashed potatoes, bread, pizza dough and even pasta. Versatile by nature, it can be grilled, fried, boiled, baked, microwaved, toasted, whipped or poked.

The Monte Cristo, also called French Sandwich, Toasted Ham Sandwich, and French Toasted Cheese Sandwich, is traditionally created by dipping the bread in an egg batter and frying it to create a crispy, yet creamy texture. Polenta is already soft and creamy, so the traditional “monte cristo” texture is already instilled without the extra need for egg dipping and deep frying.

Serve this sandwich, rather than a traditional grilled cheese sandwich to your kid, the health conscious big kid in your life, the person watching their carbs, or even serve it to your foodie friends with a nice glass of red wine. Or a lip smacking Stout beer. Well, that's how I enjoyed it.


Grilled Polenta Monte Cristo Grilled Cheese Sandwich
Serving Size: 2 sandwiches

What You'll Need:
4- 1/2” Slices of Prepared Polenta
4 Slices Gruyere Cheese
4 Slices Turkey Lunch meat
Pam Nonstick Spray

Spray grill pan with Pam and heat over med-high
Cook polenta slices for 3 minutes on each side
Add layer of cheese, turkey and cheese and top with another polenta slice
Press down lightly with spatula
Place lid over sandwiches to melt cheese for 3 minutes
Serve hot

Collard Greens & Bacon Gnocchi

Why did the pig cross the farm? To get to the other swine.

You strictly read my blog for stories and recipes, not for the extremely creative and very humorous, showing the awesomeness of the creator, jokes. So consider this a treat, my friend.

OK. Enough fun for one day. Now it is recipe and story time, so cuddle up with your iPhone, your future iPad, your personal computer, your expensive reading device, a warm cup of milk, grab your cuddle buddy, and enjoy.

It 'twas a long long time ago, in a far away land where a peasant name Gnocchi once lived. Only tomatoes wanted to be friends with it, because it's mother would shun her from the other vegetables. But one day.... OK enough story time. To sum it up, I created an awesome, and I mean awesome meal consisting of collard greens, gnocchi and wait for it, wait for it some more, wait...Why did the pig cross the farm?... OK, you guessed it. It's bacon. My readers are so smart.

Don't get discouraged by the collard greens. They are cooked with butter and bacon, and anything is amazing if cooked with butter and bacon so rethink your hate for anything green. I'm not saying it is a good idea to have bacon bits with your string bean casserole, I'm simply saying that... wait. That may be good. String beans and bacon? I will write that down.

Enjoy.

Collard Greens & Bacon Gnocchi
Serving Size: 4

What You'll Need:
*1 tbsp butter
*1 bunch collard greens
*4 slices bacon
*2 cloves garlic (finely minced)
*¼ tsp salt
*¼ tsp red pepper flakes
*2 pounds frozen gnocchi

Instructions:
*Boil a large pot of water
*Add 1 tbsp of butter to pot
*Wash collard green leaves three times to remove dirt
*Cut away leaves from center stalk and discard stalk or use for vegetable stock
*Lay leaves onto each other and roll them from tip to tip- holding roll in place with hand
*Cut ½ inch slices along the length of each roll
*Add collard greens to boiling water and cook for 25 minutes
*18 minutes into cooking the collard greens, heat large sauté' pan over medium-high heat and add 4 slices of bacon
*Cook bacon for 3 minutes on each side
*Remove from pan and place on paper towel-lined dish
*Add garlic to pan and cook for 30 seconds
*Remove collard greens with slotted spoon, making sure excess water drips back into the pot. Return water back to a boil because you will be using this water to cook the gnocchi.
*Add collard greens to pan.
*Add salt and red pepper to pan, stirring to combine
*Cut bacon into tiny bits and add to pan and stir to combine
*Add 1/4 cup of water from the collard green pot to mixture and combine
*Heat through for 3 minutes
*While collard green mixture is heating, add gnocchi to the water and cook for 4-6 minutes
*Strain gnocchi and toss gnocchi with collard green mixture in large bowl and serve.

Stuffed Artichokes

As I said in my previous post, I decided to try and translate my grandmother's stuffed artichoke recipe to something easy to understand. I believe I knocked it out of the park on the first try. OK I'm lying, my sister is the person responsible for cracking the code.

We may have been a bit too generous with the stuffing, creating large pumpkin-sized full-course meals, rather than appetizers. If you use a lighter hand, however, you may be able to stuff additional artichokes, creating generous appetizer-size portions for your entire family.


Stuffed Artichokes

6 Medium-Large Artichokes
1 Whole Loaf of Sliced Bread
1 cup Grated Parmesan Cheese
10 oz. pkg. of button mushrooms
Salt & pepper to taste
Approx. 1/4 cup olive oil, or enough to moisten
2 cloves garlic
Juice of 1 lemon

For Stuffing:
*Finely grate a whole loaf of sliced bread and add to a large mixing bowl
*Add salt and pepper to taste
*Add Parmesan cheese and mix well
*Mince mushrooms and sauté them in a tbsp of extra virgin olive oil
*Add the mushrooms to the rest of the ingredients and mix together.
*Add juice of 1 lemon to mixture
*Add 1/4 cup olive oil to mixture

Cooking:
*Cut off a little of the top of the artichoke.
*Rinse out the artichoke
*Put enough water in a pan to cook, cover the artichokes about 1/2 the way
*Crush 2 cloves of garlic and add to pot
*Open up each artichoke leaf and stuff with the stuffing. Sprinkle with a little bit of oil.
*Put enough water in a pan to cook but not cover the artichokes.
*Bring to a boil, then immediately turn to simmer. Simmer slightly covered for 30-45 minutes.
*When the leaves come out easily, they're done.

How to Eat:
*Rip off each leaf, with stuffing attached, and scrape off with your teeth to enjoy

Stuffed Artichokes, First I Need to Translate the Recipe

I absolutely get a kick out of translating recipes. I'm not saying I enjoy translating recipes from Italian to English, because I don't speak a lick of Italian, I mean from Grandma Recipe to Actual Recipe. For example, below is exactly how the ingredients are written down for my grandmother's stuffed artichokes recipe:

Artichokes
1 Whole Loaf of Sliced Bread
Macaroni Cheese
10 oz. pkg. of button mushrooms
Salt & pepper to taste
Oil

Seriously? How many artichokes? How much cheese? What kind of oil? This should be interesting.

OK. So I take a deep breath, take my mind to a time where I remember enjoying the stuffed artichokes, thinking about each artichoke leaf, remembering the amount of filling crammed into each, visualizing the ratio of cheese to.... OK. This is silly. Visual memory recipes? Never heard of it. I will just wing it and see how it goes. Wish me luck.

Lasagna Tryouts- Take 1 (Recipe for Sautéed Asparagus)

Last night, my lasagna didn't materialize as planned. Don't get me wrong, the flavors were impressive as a whole, complimenting each other very well, also working well as solo acts. The asparagus sautéed in bacon grease, garlic and onions was beyond amazing. The bechamel sauce, one of the most simplest and inexpensive sauces to make, turned out quite lovely. The substitution of lasagna noodles with polenta was a great choice, but the addition of my homemade gravy was inadequate. The sauce wasn't thick enough, causing the lasagna to become a pool of ingredients on our plates.

Even with the malformation of my dinner, my stagehands seemed to enjoy the flavors, dipping their bread into the mixture, leaving no remnants of polenta, sauce or vegetables behind, all seemingly enjoying their meals. Maybe they were just acting nice?

Next time, I will add a thicker layer to the lasagna, possibly a ricotta cheese mixture or maybe even a hearty meat sauce. So for now, I will unmask the recipe for the sautéed asparagus, which can be used to compliment my Cod Packets: http://italianfoodgitive.blogspot.com/2010/02/protein-envy-cod-vegetable-foil-packets.html or my Veal Marsala: http://italianfoodgitive.blogspot.com/2010/01/new-years-eve-menu-veal-marsala.html

End scene.

Sautéed Asparagus

Serving Size: 6
What You'll Need:

*4 slices of bacon
*2 bushels of asparagus
*1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil
*1 medium onion
*2 cloves garlic
*3 anchovies in oil
*Pinch of salt

Instructions:
*Set oven to 350 degrees
*Rinse asparagus spears under cold running water to clean in colander
*Remove ends of asparagus **
*Heat large sauté pan over medium-high heat for 1 minute
*Add bacon and cook for 3 minutes on each side
*Remove bacon with slotted spoon, leaving grease in pan
*Add 1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil to pan
*Dice onion
*Finely chop garlic
*Finely chop anchovies
*Add onion, garlic and anchovies to pan
*Cook for 4 minutes, stirring occasionally
*Add asparagus and salt to pan, mixing ingredients together and sauté for 10 minutes
*Pour mixture into ungreased cookie sheet and cook for 10 minutes


** Tip: When purchasing asparagus, remember, the thinner the better. I find the best asparagus at farmer's markets or at The Produce Junction. Grab ends of asparagus with both hands and firmly bend it until it snaps. Do not eat the ends of the asparagus. You can, however, use the asparagus ends for vegetable stock.

How to Properly Store Leftover Hamburger Meat

Last week, I created a delicious, creamy and inventive hamburger using blue cheese dressing, bacon crumbles and onion soup mix. This recipe has been a hit amongst my readers. But I forgot to mention how to properly store the uncooked meat.

As I was molding the ingredients into another with my bare hands, really getting into the meat, I realized that I have all of this meat for only three people. So I was faced with the challenge of how to properly store the meat. My boyfriend, being so kind as to clean the work area and stow away the meat, stored it incorrectly. He gathered all of the leftover meat and catapulted (OK, he isn't as clumsy as to "catapult" anything, but I decided to use the word for dramatic effect) it into a plastic bag. Yikes! I quickly tore it out of the freezer and changed direction.

In order to prevent freezer burn, the following steps should be followed:

1. Form meat in hands to create a hamburger shape
2. Place between two halves of a Ziploc bag (separate Ziploc bag with scissors to create two plastic sheets)
3. Press down slightly to flatten burger meat
4. Wrap extra plastic from halved bag around the meat
5. Place burger in Ziploc bag
6. Remove air by squeezing bag, making sure not to interrupt meat
7. Slide zipper to seal
8. Store in freezer
9. Repeat as necessary

Simple Bacon & Swiss Cheese Omelette

Breakfast burritos, French toast chicken sandwiches, hamburger omelettes, what's next: chicken Saltimbocca muffins?

Every time I go to the diner with my mother or boyfriend, they order an omelette, no matter what time of day. It could be six o'clock on a Saturday evening, where my father orders spaghetti bolognese, my grandmother ordering chicken Parmesan, I order a hearty meatloaf meal complete with two sides of vegetables, and still, an omelette is ordered. It has come to the point where they don't look at the menu, because they know they want an omelette, loaded with delicious cheese. I have seen this custom practiced many times, but still choose to cook and eat my omelette during normal omelette-eating hours.

This recipe is very simple, yet very tasty. I am using the fat rendered from cooking the bacon to cook the omelette. This adds an amazing flavor and depth to the standard omelette. I like my omelette fairly simple, choosing not to stuff it with additional ingredients, but for those of you who like something a bit thicker, mushrooms or asparagus would pair nicely with the bacon flavor.

For those who enjoy omelette eating at midnight, this omelette will satisfy- just ask my boyfriend.

Serving Size: 2
What You'll Need:

1/2 cup Egg Beaters
2 slices bacon
6 slices Swiss Cheese
Dash salt
Dash black pepper

For one omelette:
*Brown bacon slice, cooking for 3 minutes on one side and 2 minutes on the other side
*In the meantime, mix together salt, pepper and 1/4 cup egg Beaters
*Add to pan over bacon (bacon should be set in the middle of pan diagonally), set on medium-high heat
*Move egg around pan quickly, scraping sides, scraping egg mixture inwards and letting the liquid portion pour over to the sides and repeat until no liquid is left
*Add 2 slices swiss cheese to one side of the mixture
*Gently fold over egg mixture diagonally
*Add one slice swiss cheese to top of omelette
*Cover with small lid and let the steam melt the cheese for one minute
*Slide off pan into serving plate
*Sprinkle with chopped scallions if desired
*Repeat for additional omelette

Creamy Blue Cheese-Infused, Onion & Bacon Cheeseburger Sliders

Hamburgers have been an American favorite for years, changing shape in the process, from quarter pounders, double deckers, triple cheese-infused, turkey meat, vegetable packed, bean-based, and now the ever popular slider.

Sliders have moved its way to the mainstream recently with inventions to catch the attention of the consumer, using infomercials showcasing the ease and trendiness of cooking one at home. But do they stand up? Well, first, you need a good recipe.

My cousin gave me a tip on retaining moisture and adding a creamy texture to hamburgers- just add some heavy cream to the meat. I was plum out of heavy cream, but wanted to keep the the integrity of my cousin's hamburgers intact so I searched for something comparable, and stumbled upon a bottle of creamy blue cheese dressing in my refrigerator. Let's just say, I'm glad I ran out of heavy cream (sorry cousin Richie).

The blue cheese dressing, coupled with the bacon bits, sautéed onions and onion soup mix made for a delicious meal, where any American would be happy to call this slider a hamburger.


Serving Size: Party Size (approx. 3 dozen sliders, depending on size)
What You'll Need:

* 48 Ounces Lean Ground Turkey Meat (can use ground beef)
* 2 Packets Lipton Onion Soup Mix
* 1 Large Onion- Roughly Chopped
* 1 cup Blue Cheese Dressing
* 6 slices bacon

* Cook Bacon over medium high heat for 3 minutes on each side and set on paper towel to cool
* When cool, break into smaller "bits"
* Add chopped onion to grease in pan and cook for 5 minutes
* Add onion soup mix, blue cheese dressing, cooked bacon and cooked onion to ground turkey meat. Mix Well
* Spray bottom of slider pan with Pam and heat for 1 minute over medium-high heat
* Scoop out approx. 1/4 cup meat and add to slider pan, using included lid and cook for 5 minutes over med-high heat
* Toast buns for a few minutes in oven set on 350 degrees
* Add desired toppings, such as bacon strips, sautéed onions, swiss cheese or mushrooms

Gardening in a Concrete Jungle

The image of a garden usually brings to mind an extensive variety of ripe red tomatoes, carrots sprouting from the vast earth, beets staining my imagination and lettuce plants resembling lily pads in a pond of vegetation. However, a 12x12 cinder block and concrete backyard with a plastic device for growing plants is what I have to work with, where a Philadelphia row home is my countryside and pigeons act as the Antichrist.

I am a beginner gardener. Last year, I grew four tomato plants only to see six deformed, reddish-brown, round objects emerge. As you can imagine, I did not use them for my tomato and red onion salad. I did, however, buy countless books to educate myself on the proper gardening way, only to gain knowledge of when to plant and how- not where! Florida planting will be quite a different experience than Philadelphia planting, I could imagine. Since my educational books lack unique benefits, I have decided to take matters into my own hands, throw caution to the wind and take on the challenge of learning as I go, where the term "practice makes perfect" will really matter.

What Will I Plant? Beets and carrots are my vegetables of choice this year, simply because I have taken on the challenging task of living a daily, fresh juice diet, where weekly trips to the supermarket holstering five-pound carrot and apple bags over my shoulders, with beet leaves tickling my chin have started to become a hassle. Besides less shoulder pain and a rash-free kisser, the benefits of gardening will be immense. I can just imagine the possibilities now- an arugula salad sprinkled with pine nut-crusted goat cheese and slices of roasted beets drizzled with fresh carrot-ginger dressing complete with a tall glass of freshly juiced carrots and apples will top the menu. It doesn't get any better than this.

How will you be updated on the progress of my backyard delicacies? I will post weekly pictures and a quick blurb on the status so you can see what I'm doing wrong, what I'm doing right and what you can do to help me along (I hope).

Answer to the Question: What's For Dinner? Pan-Fried Mayo & Panko Crusted Eggplant Rings

In my experience, someone's creativity is tested when stripped of their resources and thrown into a situation where one does not feel comfortable. For example, it is a rare occasion when my pantry is somewhat bare and my refrigerator lacks essentials. Yesterday, however, I was faced with the challenge of what most of us face on a busy day: What's for Dinner?

All day I was dreaming of the opportunities the fresh eggplant I had at home would present. Possibly eggplant Parmesan, or maybe grilled soy-glazed eggplant sprinkled with sesame seeds? However, my pantry stripped me of my dreams. My pantry lacked Parmesan cheese, soy sauce, sesame seeds and eggs. As you can imagine, I was pretty unhappy with this new situation, but I did not let this minor setback discourage me from creating an eggplant dinner where I would play with new flavor combinations.

Let me know your thoughts.

Pan Fried Eggplant Rings
Serving Size: 4

What You'll Need:

*1 Whole Eggplant- cut into 1/4 inch round slices
*1 cup Panko Breadcrumbs
*1 cup Light Mayonnaise
*1/4 tsp black pepper
*1 tsp salt
*Vegetable oil to evenly coat bottom of pan
*3 cloves garlic
*Marinara sauce for dipping

*Heat pan over medium flame for 1 minutes
*Add vegetable to bottom of pan and heat for 1 minute
*Add 3 cloves smashed garlic to pan and cook for 3 minutes
*Remove garlic from pan
*Mix together salt, pepper and Panko breadcrumbs
*Dip each eggplant slice into mayonnaise and then into Panko mixture, making sure to press the Panko onto the eggplant, making it stick
*Add eggplant to pan and cook for 4 minutes on each side
*Remove and add to paper towel-lined dish and let soak up oil for 20 minutes before serving

Cost Breakdown: For All Coffee Lovers

In order to miss the new single cup coffee craze to bombard the nation, either you have been hiding under a mattress for some time or you walk around shopping centers with a paper bag over your head.

With these single serving coffee machines, you need not only to purchase the machine itself, but accessories, portioned coffee-filled packets and specialty packets to place inside the packets are also needed. Excuse me, I didn't realize it was so difficult to drink and enjoy a cup of coffee.

The premise is good, but all of these pieces can add up. Let's do the Math (not a good subject for me but I always can calculate a tip).

High grade machine: $199.00*
Accessories: $24.00*
Total $223.00

12- Pack of Coffee Packets $24.00 or $2.00/serving*

Say you drink 365 cups of coffee at home/year, a regular sized cup of coffee for the first year would cost you $2.61. If you drink only half of that a year, a cup of coffee for the first year would cost you $3.22

If you keep it for five years, and drink 365 cups of coffee a year, the coffee will still cost you $2.12 per serving.

And say you keep it for 10 years, and drink 365 cups of coffee a year, the coffee will cost you $2.06 per serving.

Starbuck's largest coffee costs $2.07
McDonald's largest coffee costs $1.19
Local Takeout coffee costs $2.30

I'll stick to my local corner store for takeout coffee- it may cost more than Starbucks and taste better than McDonalds, but at least I'm leaving with a freshly made tofu scrambler in hand.

*Prices were taken from a leading department store's website. Prices and stores may vary.

Poll
**Take a minute and vote with the poll on the right. With cost, taste and convenience all considered, which would you prefer: At-home, Starbucks, McDonalds or your local breakfast joint for take-out coffee?

Hello, welcome to Lard R' Us, would you like to try one of our veggie combos?

Juicing is one of the healthiest obsessions you can have. Fresh vegetable or fruit juice promotes healthy eating habits, filling you up before you can grab that second slice of pizza. It's almost like seeing that person order the double cheeseburger, a large order of fries and a large diet soda. Well, this is slightly different, simply because vegetables are better for you than their carbonated counterpart having the audacity to call itself a beverage- the dreaded soda.

If you are parched, what is stopping you from grabbing a freshly squeezed can of carrot-ginger-apple juice? I'll tell you what is- the fact that it doesn't exist! You have the two options of mastication: at home or at your local fresh juicer deli. Fresh is the only way, I mean, when have you seen a McBurger joint offering free refills on their juice bar? "Hello, welcome to Lard R'Us, would you like to try one of our fresh veggie combos?"

So inconvenience yourself a bit. Rather than cramming your orifice with nacho grande at your favorite fast food parking lot, take the extra trip to your local fresh juicer, bring your meal home and enjoy it while watching an episode of The Bachelor from the comfort of your couch- your colon will thank you.

Crock Pot No Mash Shepherd's Pie

I have had a busy week. No time to cook, just to purchase it and eat it. Luckily, I came home today to my sister's creation working its wonders in the crock pot (her cooking tool of choice). The crock pot has made its way into my home recently, a Christmas present my sister received this year. I have yet to master the art of crockpotting, (yes, I believe this word should be used in the world of cooking) but I plan on experimenting in the days to come.

Magically, dinners are fully prepped, fully cooked and kept warm and waiting for you to enjoy. Cookbooks have been popping up on bookshelves everywhere tailoring to the crock pot chef- the busy parent, the workaholic professional.

This past weekend, I took a lovely walk to the Reading Terminal Market in Philadelphia. The aisles were packed with tourists and locals, looking for great flavors, fresh flowers and vibrant produce. I was there strictly for the produce. I searched through the crowded aisles of greens, reds, oranges and yellows until I found the perfect vegetable for my sister to cook with this week (as I said, very busy week for me) and found green beans.

Green beans are the perfect vegetable, easily accepted in a stew, never shunned by her stir fry friends, and never shy when acting alone. But how would they hold up to the challenge of being crockpotted? Would my sister succeed in showcasing the perfection of these multi-talented legumes? Let me know your thoughts. Enjoy!

Crock Pot No Mash Shepherd's Pie
Serving Size: 6

What You'll Need:

* 1 pound Lean Ground Beef
* 1 pound fresh green beans- trimmed and washed
* 6 Yukon Gold Potatoes- scrubbed clean and sliced thin
* 1 Large Red Onion- Sliced Thin
* 1 Packet Swedish Meatball Seasoning & Sauce Mix Packet
* 3/4 Cup 2% Milk
* Salt & Pepper to taste
* Pam cooking spray

1. Spray sides and bottom of crock pot with Pam cooking spray
2. Divide onions, green beans and beef into thirds
3. Divide Potatoes into fourths
4. Mix together milk, salt, pepper and seasoning packet and heat in microwave for 1 minute and whisk well to combine, return to microwave and heat for an additional 30 seconds
5. Split seasoning mixture into fourths
6. Add one layer of potatoes to crock pot
7. Add layer of onions
8. Add layer of ground beef
9. Add layer of green beans
10. Pour sauce over mixture
11. Repeat until everything is gone
12. Potatoes and then the sauce should be the last layers
13. Set on high and cook for 4 hours or Cook for 8 hours on low

Biscuit & Potato Egg Scramble Crocks

I visited a flea market years ago and bought three crocks, usually used for making french onion soup. At the time, the purchase was unnecessary, but aren't most items at a flea market unnecessary? I mean, who needs an eight pack of patriotic scrunchies or an assortment of flavored honey from South Dakota? These crocks have survived two moves without seeing the insides of my ovens, except today!

I rarely cook breakfast on work days, because I am always running out of the door wearing one shoe with a toothbrush dangling from the side of my mouth. Today is different, however, because a blizzard is underway, complete with heavy winds and as Doug Kammerer calls "snow pellets". With an abundance of time on my hands, I created a perfect, tummy lovin' morning treat.


Biscuit & Potato Egg Scramble Crocks
Serving Size: 2

What You'll Need:

3/4 cup Bisquick Baking Mix plus extra for sprinkling
1/4 cup 2% Milk
4 eggs
1/2 cup Part Skim Shredded mozzarella cheese
1 Potato- peeled and cut in small cubes
Dash of Salt
Dash of Black Pepper
2 tbsp. 2% Milk
Pam spray

Set oven to 400 degrees
In small bowl, combine Bisquick and 3/4 milk until a soft dough forms
Sprinkle a surface with bisquick
Kneed dough approx. 10 times
Roll out dough to 1/2 inch thick with a rolling pin sprinkled with bisquick
Dip small juice glass with a 2 1/2" diameter in bisquick
Cut dough with juice glass and set aside
Kneed and roll out dough until mostly all dough is used- making sure each biscuit is 1/2" thick
Spray either ramekin or small crock with Pam
Place one biscuit in bottom of ramekin
Add approx. 1/2 cup cubed potato
Beat 4 eggs with tbsp eggs and dash of salt and pepper in separate bowl
Pour half of mixture into each ramekin
Add 1/4 cup cheese to each ramekin
Add biscuit to top
Put ramekin on a baking sheet and put in oven for 10 minutes
Scrape sides with spoon and lightly stir mixture
Return to oven and bake for an additional 10 minutes
Remove from oven and enjoy!

Easy Polenta Pizza Appetizer Bakes

While at the supermarket shopping for necessary ingredients such as milk and eggs to brace the second snow storm in a week, I stumbled upon polenta. It's been a while since I ate this delicious treat, so I was compelled to pick it up and create something I believe polenta tastes great as: pizza.

Polenta can be used in place of starches like rice and potatoes, so why can't it be used to replace another important food group like pizza. OK, so it's not a food group, it's just tasty and can showcase your creativity using other food group items anywhere from pepperoni to pineapples.

I decided to pair not my ordinary pizza toppings for this polenta pizza appetizer, something a bit fancier than your average sausage crumbles. I simply enjoy the saltiness of anchovies and cheese when paired with the complexity of olives and rosemary. I hope you enjoy.

Easy Polenta Pizza Appetizer Bakes
Serving Size: 4 appetizer slices
What You'll Need:

4 Slices Polenta- Sliced 1/2 inch thick
Olive oil for brushing
4 anchovy filets in olive oil- roughly chopped
8 Gaeta olives - roughly sliced
1 sprig rosemary
4 tbsp pizza sauce
Grated Locatelli Cheese

Heat oven to 450 degrees
Slice 4 slices of Polenta 1/2 inch thick
Brush both sides with olive oil and place on baking sheet
Add 1 tbsp pizza sauce to each slice
Evenly distribute rosemary, over polenta slices
Evenly distribute anchovies and olives
Sprinkle top with grated locatelli cheese
Bake for 12 minutes
Serve hot

Original Recipe Ice Box Cake- A South Philadelphia Row Home Tradition

In my lifetime, I have constantly been reminded of how things used to be. "Nothing is like how it was in my day, nothing", has been proclaimed at every opportunity from my father. And he is right. I have been part of a generation where things have been made differently. The way cars are made, knives are sharpened, clothes are sewn and food is prepared have all changed, causing the general public to become immune to the "new way".

From my experience, things are always better when done the original way, especially when it comes to recipes. I rarely tamper with my family's recipes, preserving every ingredient and instruction if possible. I have been making ice box cake for years, a recipe passed down from generation to generation. It seems as if this recipe is a staple among South Philadelphia Italian homes, because my friend's families also have this recipe, which has also been passed down within their family. We have all preserved the original, 5 ingredient recipe, causing this recipe to become a staple within the community.

This ice box cake has been given its name, to my knowledge because it needs no oven, no baking and no stovetop preparation. It uses only an ice box, a term given to the refrigerator years ago. It uses simple ingredients that even a beginner chef should have in their pantry.

You may see recipes for ice box cake calling for lady fingers, coconut and chocolate wafers, but I know this original recipe doesn't need any added fillers to make it taste any better than it already does. Enjoy!


Original Recipe Ice Box Cake
Serving Size: 9-12

What You'll Need:
1 Small Box of Instant Chocolate Pudding
1 Small Box of Instant Vanilla Pudding
4 Cups of Cold Milk
16 Whole Graham Crackers
4 Medium Bananas
1 Throw Away Aluminum Utility Pan 13x9x2

Follow the directions on the boxes of pudding, making vanilla pudding first, and in same bowl making chocolate pudding when the step in the directions calls for it
Lay whole crackers on bottom of pan- Breaking into smaller squares if necessary to fit flat
Pour prepared vanilla pudding on graham crackers, spreading evenly
Cut slices of bananas and lay them across in one layer over the vanilla pudding
Lay another layer of graham crackers on top of the banana slices
Pour prepared chocolate pudding on graham crackers, spreading evenly
Crumble one whole graham cracker in hand and sprinkle on top of cake
Refrigerate for 30 minutes
Serve and enjoy

Brown Sugar & Marshmallow Baked Sweet Potatoes

I have decided to showcase a dish using marshmallows and sweet potatoes, creating a sweet and savory side dish or lunch item, sure to warm your heart and body.

There is something cerebral about marshmallows and the effect they have on me. White, innocent little nuggets of goodness creating flashbacks of cold winter days, where my sisters and I would shuffle into the house leaving the cold behind us, ripping off our layers upon layers of socks, hats and thermal underwear, making sure every inch of damp clothing was removed before entering the kitchen, where a large mug filled with hot chocolate was waiting for us, complete with overflowing miniature marshmallows.

Knowing we wouldn't leave our chocolate and marshmallow dessert mugs behind us, my parents took this opportunity to lecture us on the importance of staying together and to be be safe out there, where we sled down hills and built snowmen with friends- lessons that have lingered in my brain for years following. Because of this, marshmallows are more than just a garnish to me, they are little treasures of perfectly created memories overflowing my heart.

Brown Sugar & Marshmallow Baked Sweet Potatoes
Serving Size: 4

What You'll Need:
4 Med. sweet potatoes scrubbed
Salt & Pepper to taste
4 tsp butter
8 tsp. packed brown sugar
48 mini marshmallows

Preheat oven to 400. With a fork, poke potatoes in several places.
Wrap in square foil on baking sheet and bake for 45 minutes- being sure not to rip foil when wrapping
Tuck foil under to the sides of each potato- being careful not to burn yourself
Cut a deep cross in the top of each potato- reaching ¾ of the way down the potato
Slowly push together the ends to create an opening.
Sprinkle inside with salt and pepper
Add 1 tbsp butter to each potato
Add 2 tsp sugar to each potato
Sprinkle 12 marshmallows on each potato
Set oven to High broil and put under broiler for a 4 minutes, making sure to move pan inside the oven at 1 minute intervals
The marshmallows should be light brown in color

Chew on Michael Pollan's Food Rules

I'm currently reading one of Michael Pollan's newest books labeled Food Rules. I am a huge fan of Michael Pollan, who uses his edgy, fact-based storytelling to produce witty, bible-like pantry staples. I am currently reading Food Rules on my Kindle, so I am unable to see the various colorful images of fresh fruits and vegetables which would cause me to salivate and ultimately cheat on my longtime friend- red meat, but there is something sincere about how he speaks of these vegetables, causing them to sprout off the page and into my better judgement.

Michael Pollan suggests you create your meals only by shopping for food in the outer aisles of the supermarket, steering clear of processed food and boxed items that your grandmother wouldn't recognize. So far I've been listening to Mr. Pollan's words of advice- this book has caused me to wander down the center aisles of the supermarket only once during my late afternoon shopping trip today, only to purchase paper towels and toothpaste. OK OK- and Wheat Thins- I love those buttery wonder snacks.

I'll keep you posted on future shopping trips, informing you of other items that cause me to break Michael Pollan's Food Rules.

Protein Envy- Cod & Vegetable Foil Packets

So I just arrived home from my beautiful vacation to the Sundance Film Festival in Park City, Utah. Beautiful scenery, amazing food, great people and interesting movies. This is something I could get used to regularly.

We ate at great restaurants during our journey, where after I ordered my meat and pasta dishes, I envied other people's fish choices swimming past my senses.

So for tonight's dinner, I figured I would make a wonderful fish dish at home, abundant with vibrant colors of tasty vegetables. I am making this dish with cod, but this light dish will taste great with salmon, tilapia or any other white fish.

Cod can get pricy, so this would be perfect to make for a special ocassion such as Valentine's Day or for your man candy's birthday.

I hope you enjoy creating and eating my rendition of Sundance's most envied protein.

Cod & Vegetable Foil Packets
Serving Size: 4

What You'll Need:
4- 6 oz filets of Cod
1/2 cup Italian seasoned breadcrumbs
2 tbsp. olive oil
4 teaspoons capers
1/2 tsp salt
1/2 tsp pepper
1/2 tsp rosemary
2 lemons -use 1 lemon to zest, making sure not to use white plithy part-and juice it- and use the other to cut into 4 slices
8 tbsp white wine (I use Pinot Grigio)
1 cup grape tomatoes halved
1 cup thinly sliced red onion
1/2 cup roughly chopped black olives (I use Gaeta olives)

Heat oven to 400 degrees
Pat dry each cod filet
Place filets in a large square of foil
Brush each filet with olive oil
Season each with salt, pepper and rosemary
Mix together breadrumbs, the zest of one lemon, 1 tbsp olive oil and capers
Place breadcrumb mixture on filets and pat mixture to adhere to fish
Place 1 lemon slice on each filet
Arrange tomatoes, onions and olives on fish
Fold and pinch together two sides of the packet, and fold up the other two sides
Pour two tablespoons of white wine and 1 tbsp lemon juice in each packet
Fold and pinch together entire packet, making sure not to rip foil
Arrange fish packets on a baking sheet
Bake at 400 degrees for 15 minutes
Remove from pan and serve immediately
Be careful not to burn yourself while removing from packet-juice & all

Vacation

I apologize for not informing you of my week long trip to the Sundance Film Festival. I just returned and will get back to blogging and cooking tonight. I'm thinking something Park City or movie themed-- we'll see.

Mommom Faiella's Sausage Scallopini

Cooking this recipe tonight reminded me of my childhood. The only changes to the scene were me as my mother and my sister playing myself. The oregano, parsley and tomato sauce permeated the air, causing my sister's arrival home from work a pleasant one, anxiously awaiting the upcoming meal. She hung out in the kitchen for the entire cooking process, saying she wanted to help, but I know she just wanted to breathe in the goodness. Now, if I only could make the smell of cleaning up after dinner a pleasant one...

This is almost straight out of my grandmother's recipe book. The only changes my mother made to this recipe were to substitute canned mushrooms with fresh mushrooms and to add a bit more seasonings.

Sausage Scallopini
Serving Size: 4

1 - 15 oz. can of tomato sauce
1 pound Italian sweet sausage cut into approximately 1 inch pieces
1/2 large onion minced
1 large pepper sliced (can be either green or red - I use green)
1 - 10 oz. package of white button mushrooms sliced
1/2 tsp salt
1 tsp. Oregano
1 tsp. parsley flakes
1 tsp. garlic powder
2 1/2 cans of water (use the empty tomato sauce can to measure the water)
1 teaspoon of sugar (to be added to mixture after it starts to boil)
Cooked rice

Mix all of the above together except the last two ingredients
Bring the mixture to a boil.
Add the 1 teaspoon of sugar and stir in it well.
Then immediately lower the burner to a simmer with the lid on the pot slightly ajar.
Cook for 1 1/2 hours, stirring occasionally all of the way to the bottom.

*If you didn't add enough water from the beginning, you might need to add a little more water during the cooking time - you just have to judge if it looks like it cooked down too much. It should be liquidy, but more on the thick liquid side, not watery.

When finished cooking, serve it over the cooked rice.

Mother's Always Right- Stuffed Peppers

Finally! Tonight, I made my mother's Stuffed Peppers Recipe.

Be warned, listen to my mother- when she says to be careful with the peppers when straining because they may fall apart, it means be careful with the peppers when straining because they may fall apart. I broke 2 out of 3 peppers because of my lack of direction following. I had to use the broken peppers and cut them in half, laying the filling on the top.

This episode reminds me of the time when my mother told my sister and I not to play on the metal beam in the supermarket, or we would get hurt. Well, I played on it, fell and consequently needed six stitches on my chin. So as the saying goes, “mother's always right.”

Stuffed Green Peppers
Serving Size: 4

What You'll Need:
4 green peppers
¾ cup diced onions
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 clove garlic, smashed
PAM
15 oz. can tomato sauce
8 oz. shredded mozzarella cheese, divided in half
1 cup Chunky Mild Salsa
1 ½ cups hot cooked brown rice ( 1 cup uncooked rice)
2 ¼ cups water
2 tsp butter

Preheat oven at 350 degrees
Bring 1 cup of rice, 2 ¼ cups of water, and tsp. butter to a boil.
Lower to med-high flame, and cook for 18 minutes with lid on, stirring occasionally.
In the meantime, wash peppers
Cut a half an inch around the stem of the peppers
Remove the seeds and white pithy insides
Bring a large pot of water to a boil with added smashed garlic
Add green peppers (make sure that the water flows into the peppers so that they sink)
When the water comes to a boil again, simmer for 12 minutes.
When finished simmering, drain them very carefully, trying to not break them apart.
Heat saute pan with Pam sprayed evenly on bottom for 30 seconds
Add onions and garlic and cook on medium-high for 3 minutes S
Stir in the tomato sauce, cooked rice, 4 ounces of shredded mozzarella cheese and 1 cup Salsa.
Remove from the heat and mix together.
Spray a cookie sheet (or any large pan with sides) with Pam and place the peppers in the pan.
Fill the peppers with the mixture
Bake at 350° for 30 minutes
Top the peppers with the remaining mozzarella cheese and continue baking for 3 minutes

Shrimp Fried Rice with Edamame- No Need for 3-Day Old Rice

I personally am not a fan of recipes calling for prep time lasting for more than a day. Most fried rice recipes call for use of three-day old rice. Who has three day old rice at their disposal when they decide to make a quick meal such as fried rice? Fried rice is usually a combination of items you have in the house, a last minute adventure. This fried rice recipe will use minimal prep time and cook time for ultimate deliciousness.

I have included a simple tip to drastically cut down that three day prep time to spur of the moment cooking. Just look below for the recipe and trick.

Shrimp Fried Rice with Edamame
What you'll need:

3 cups cold water
1 ½ cups brown rice
1 tbsp butter
8 ounces frozen, deveined uncooked shrimp- shells and tails removed (can substitute 8 ounces of cubed tofu making sure you drain liquid out on a paper towel weighed down with a dish for 20 minutes)
½ tsp kosher salt
¼ tsp black pepper
½ tsp cornstarch
½ cup edamame
½ cup mixed frozen carrots and corn
2 scallions- sliced thin
½ cup onion- diced
1 tbsp minced fresh ginger
3 large eggs-beaten
2 tbsp oil + 1 tsp oil
1 tbsp soy sauce


Add brown rice, butter and water to medium pan
Put on high flame until boiling
Lower to medium flame and cook (with lid on) for 10 minutes
Stir
Lower to medium-Low and cook additional 3 minutes
Stir
Cook additional 3 minutes on medium-low flame
Line large plates with paper towels and spread rice out evenly and let dry for 20 minutes- Do not touch rice in these 20 minutes
While the rice is drying, put frozen shrimp in plastic bag, let the air out of it by squeezing bag, then zipper it shut and place in bowl
Run cold water over bag of shrimp for 15 minutes- moving shrimp around in bag every 5 minutes
In a bowl, toss the shrimp with salt, pepper and cornstarch. Let marinate for 8 minutes at room temperature.
Heat a wok or large pan on high heat for 30 seconds
Add 1 tablespoon of the oil and swirl to coat pan and heat for 30 seconds
Add the shrimp
Let the shrimp cook, untouched for 1 minute on each side
Remove the shrimp from the pan onto a plate
Heat 1 tbsp oil in wok on medium-high heat.
Add ginger, stir and cook for 2 minutes.
Add onion, stir-fry for about 4 minutes and push to side of pan
Add the frozen corn or peas in the middle, and stir-fry for 2 minute. Push to side of pan
Add the green onions and cook for 2 minutes and push to side of pan
Add edamame and cook for 2 minutes and push to side of pan
Add shrimp and mix with everything and heat for 1 minute
Add rice in middle of the pan. Stir with vegetables and heat for 2 minutes moving around with wooden spoon
Make a 3”x3” hole in center of pan, pushing rice mixture to sides
Add 1 tsp oil to center and heat for 30 seconds
Add beaten eggs in middle
Stir eggs slightly after 2 minutes
Stir again after 1 minute
Stir and again after 1 minute
Stir again after 1minute
Mix egg with rice mixture for 30 seconds- being careful not to break rice
Shut off flame and stir in soy sauce

What is Following??

Hey everyone. I want to thank you for reading my blog. It has been exciting the past week and a half writing, cooking and eating. I want to invite all of my readers to become followers of my blog. Just go to my followers widget and click Follow. It's that simple. All you have to do next is check your Google Reader List on the Google homepage. These simple steps will help you gain access to your favorite blogs and organize them in one spot on any computer. Just enter your password and you instantly have access to any blog you follow. Thanks again and if you have any suggestions on how to improve this blog, or if you want for me to try out a new recipe, decipher a recipe containing the words “dash of”, “to taste”, or “a handful of”, just let me know- I will gladly test it out for you.

The Secret to Soft Cookies Revealed

I made some promises to people saying I would make chocolate chip cookies and post the secret on how to keep the cookies fresh and soft for longer. Well, I did make the cookies but decided to eat them instead of writing. My apologies. I couldn't help myself. I'll usually take multiple pretty pictures of the food I create, angling the camera for precise screen-to-screen indulgence, but this time, the pictures and the writing took the back burner. I snapped one picture of the cookies. That's it, then Nom Nom Nom.

If you ever wondered what purpose baking soda served in baking, I will tell you. It makes the cookie into a cookie. I made a batch of cookies, forgetting to add the baking soda and salt. Well, they didn't rise, they were hard and didn't resemble a cookie at all. When I realized what was going on and for what reason, I quickly threw the batter back into the mixer and added the necessary ingredients. No harm done, because the cookies, as I said earlier, turned out delicious. Also, if you plan on being productive on the day you make cookies, you are a fool my friend. You will sit down with a glass of milk in one hand, a cookie in the other savoring each morsel while watching an episode of Frank the Entertainer. I mean, the Evening News.

And the secret ingredient to prolonging the freshness and softness in cookies is adding Instant Vanilla Pudding Powder to the flour mixture. I know. Shocking. Follow the recipe below and you will have fresh and soft cookies lasting you well beyond the speed in which you will eat them.

Fresh & Soft Chocolate Chip Cookies- Serving Size- Maybe I will share

What You'll Need:
2 ¼ cups all purpose flour
1 tsp. Baking soda
1 tsp. Salt
1 package Vanilla Instant Pudding Mix 5.9 oz.
1 cups of butter, or 2 sticks, softened in microwave for 30 seconds
¾ cup granulated sugar
¾ cup packed dark brown sugar
1 tsp. Vanilla extract
2 large eggs
1- 11.5- ounce package of Milk chocolate Chip Morsels

Preheat oven to 375 degrees
Mix together flour, pudding packet, salt and baking soda in bowl for 30 seconds using wooden spoon
Beat butter, granulated sugar, brown sugar and vanilla in large bowl for 2 minutes on medium speed (if using a Kitchen Aid mixer, put in on speed setting 3)
Add first egg, and mix for 30 seconds.
Add 2nd egg and beat for 30 seconds.
Using a measuring cup that is ¼ cup, slowly add the flour mixture
Continue adding the flour mixture slowly until all flour mixture is gone.
Mix and medium speed (Kitchen Aid Speed 3) for 1 minute
Stop mixing, and scrape sides, bottom and attachment
Return mixing on medium speed for 2 minutes
Shut off mixer and add morsels and mix for 30 seconds using a wooden spoon, incorporating all morsels into the mixture
Scoop out mixture with a tablespoon and roll into ball with hand and drop onto an ungreased, unlined, light in color cookie sheet (the dark cookie sheets will burn the cookies easily)
Bake on middle rack for 8 minutes
Remove from cookie sheet with spatula and place onto a plate to cool
Repeat with rest of batter until gone

Syrup Deficiency

Cooking anything at my boyfriend's house is anything but easy. This morning, I had the choice of making a salsa and mustard sandwich using three-week old pizzelles as the bread, a teriyaki and pringle breakfast tart or Bisquick Shake & Pour panakes. I uneasily chose to make the Shake & Pour pancakes. Please do not follow the directions on the jug. The pancakes will turn out extremely runny and thin. Just add 2 tbsp. of powder from another jug of Shake & Pour and you will have pancakes that are not amazing, but better than a cream cheese and mentos grinder. Oh, and I am actually writing this while my boyfriend decided to take a trip to the store for the syrup deficiency in his house. Next meal will be at my place!

Creamy Delicious Risotto- Mushroom Delight

You don't realize how out of shape you are until the day comes when you are standing in front of a mixture of rice, feet planted on your cold ceramic floor, wooden spoon in one hand mixing for fifteen minutes and you have to switch hands four to five times. But my Mushroom Risotto is so worth the pain. It is another vegetarian dish, but this dish is so hearty and flavorful. Mushrooms have such an amazingly firm texture, making it easy to replace meat with mushrooms. Well, it's no filet Mignon, but when you have a starch-filled main course and add the texture of mushrooms, you will fill up and won't miss the meat at all.

Mushroom Risotto
Serving Size: 4-6 Main Dishes

What You'll Need:
24 Oz. Mushrooms (2- 10 oz. Packages of whole mushrooms & 1- 4 oz package of Specialty Blend Mushrooms including Shitake, Oyster & Baby Portobello)
1 onion (medium size- I used a 6 oz onion)
1 shallot
3 tbsp. Extra virgin olive oil
46 ounces chicken broth
1 pound Arborio Rice
1/3 cup Parmesan cheese
¼ tsp salt
¼ tsp black pepper

Rinse mushrooms under cold water in a colander for 30 seconds- shaking colander to coat mushrooms
Do not remove stems
Slice mushrooms 1/4” thick
Dice onion
Heat large saute pan for 30 seconds over medium heat
Add 2 tbsp. extra virgin olive oil and swirl around pan for 3 seconds
Heat over medium heat for 30 seconds
Add onion and swirl around pan for 3 minutes with a wooden spoon
Add mushrooms and mix around pan to incorporate
Cook for 7 minutes over medium flame
Remove mixture and drain liquid in colander
Add chicken stock to medium pot and bring to a boil- after brought to a boil, shut off flame
Finely chop 1 shallot
Heat pan for thirty seconds over medium heat
Add 1 tbsp. Olive oil to pan and swirl around pan
Heat for 30 seconds over medium flame
Add shallot and stir around in pan for 20 seconds
Add 1 pound Arborio rice to pan and mix around in pan for 2 minutes
Add 23 ounces of Liquid to pan, constantly stirring over high heat
Bring to a boil
Add ½ cup Liquid to pan, stirring constantly
Continually add liquid ½ cup at a time, mixing in between until all the liquid has been added
Lower to medium-high flame after all chicken broth has been added
*Stir constantly for 15 minutes, making sure the sides and bottom of pan are being moved around with spoon
After 15 minutes, stock will be absorbed
Immediately add mixture to large bowl
Add 4 tbsp unsalted butter in 1 tbsp pieces
Mix around in bowl for 30 seconds
Add 1/3 cup Parmesan cheese, ¼ tsp salt and ¼ tsp black pepper
Mix around in bowl for 30 seconds
Add mushrooms to mixture and mix for 30 seconds

Orecchiette Pasta with Sauteed Broccoli Rabe- Eat Your Veggies

So my mother voiced her dismay yesterday when I decided to go with a recipe that is not from her collection. She wanted me to make her sausage scallopini. But another meat recipe? Yikes! I might as well add a disclaimer to this blog saying "You must consult a physician before going on a Foogitive regimen." So, I told her that I promised my readers, all 5 of you, that I would cook vegetarian, so that is exactly what I did. Well, she emailed me her recipe for sausage scallopini, anyway. I almost forgot how much I love that recipe. I can almost smell it now. Every time I arrived home when this dish was on the stove, I knew exactly what it was. The fresh mushrooms, sausage, tomatoes, onions and spices boil to a perfect temperature, creating cascades of scent waves throughout the air. So now that I have you salivating, in a few days you will get that recipe, but for now, you are with this leafy treat. I thought mother's wanted you to eat your veggies?

Orecchiette Pasta with Sauteed Broccoli Rabe
Servign Size: 4-6

1 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
3 Anchovies soaked in olive oil with 1 tsp olive oil from jar
1 bunch broccoli rabe
1 medium size (0.2 oz) clove of garlic finely chopped
1 tbsp salt for water
1/2 tsp. red pepper flakes
1 pound orecchiette pasta

Fill large pot with 12 cups of water
Set on stove with lid over high heat and bring to a boil (will take 10 minutes)
In the meantime, cut 2" off tips of broccoli rabe
In colander, rinse broccoli rabe under cold water for 30 seconds
When water comes to a boil, place broccoli rabe in water, pushing broccoli rabe down with wooden spoon to ensure water is covering
Do not place lid on pot
Set timer for 15 minutes
Every 3 minutes, push down and stir contents of pot
After 15 minutes, drain broccoli rabe in colander and shake around in colander for 20 seconds
Fill pot with 12 cups of cold water and return to stove with lid over high flame
Bring to a boil (will take 10 minutes) * Make sure to use different water as noted unless your pasta will be bitter tasting
Once water comes to a boil, add 1 tbsp. salt and stir
Add pasta and stir
Set timer to 10 minutes
Over medium flame, heat large sautee pan for 30 seconds
Add 1 tbsp olive oil, 1 tsp oil from anchovy jar, 3 anchovies, 1 tsp red pepper flakes and garlic
With wooden spoon, smash anchovies into mixture and move around pan for 1 minute
Add broccoli rabe and mix around until everything is combined and cook for 8 minutes
When pasta is finished cooking, drain in colander and shake around for 30 seconds to remove any excess moisture
Add pasta to broccoli rabe mixture and mix until combined
Remove from heat and serve hot