Texas Caviar

I could eat this as main dish. Love it!  Perfect for a Memorial Day cookout. 

5 cans of black eyed peas, drained and rinshed
Small bottle of Italian dressing (may need to use all - add some stir, add, stir, etc.)
1 purple onion - finely chopped
1 green bell pepper
1 red pepper
1 yellow pepper  - all finely chopped
2 stalks celery - finely chopped
jalapenos - to taste
1/2 tsp. garlic - minced
salt and pepper to taste
fresh cilantro to taste
juice of one lime
Mix all together and enjoy - I usually serve with Fritos.

Chocolate Revel Bars

How in the world have I never heard of Revel Bars before?  I ran across this recipe on Pinterest, which is my new favorite thing by the way, and I HAD to try these bars immediately. I sprinkled a little fleur de sel on the top, because the nuts I had were raw.  And wow.  This picture does not do Revel Bars justice.

1/2 cup butter, room temperature, divided
1 cup brown sugar
1 large egg
2 tsp vanilla extract, divided
1 1/4 cups all purpose flour
1/2 tsp baking soda
1/2 tsp salt
1 1/2 cups quick cooking oatmeal (not instant)
7 oz sweetened condensed milk (1/2 can)
1 1/2 cups dark or bittersweet chocolate chips, divided
1/2 cup toasted and salted pecans, coarsely chopped


Preheat oven to 350F. Line a 9×9-inch square baking pan with aluminum foil and lightly grease.
In a small bowl, whisk together flour, baking soda, salt and oatmeal.
In a large bowl, cream together 7 tbsp butter (reserve remaining tablespoon) with brown sugar until light and fluffy. Beat in egg and 1 tsp vanilla extract. Blend in flour mixture until well incorporated.
In a small, microwave safe bowl, combine sweetened condensed milk with 1 cup chocolate chips and reserved 1 tbsp butter. Melt on high heat in 40 second intervals, stirring frequently, until mixture is smooth. Stir in remaining 1 tsp vanilla extract.
Take 1 1/2 cups of the cookie dough mixture and press it into an even layer on the bottom of the prepared baking pan. Spread the chocolate mixture evenly on top of the cookie layer.
Stir remaining 1/2 cup chocolate chips and toasted pecans into remaining cookie dough. Break dough into small chunks and sprinkle evenly over entire chocolate layer. Chocolate layer will still be partially exposed.
Bake for 25 minutes, or until top is lightly browned. Chocolate will still look “wet.”
Cool completely in the pan before slicing.

The World's Best Sandwich

I don't know how many calories are in it.  A lot would be my guess.  But it truly is the world's best sandwich.  I've changed the recipe a little from Thomas Keller's original, only because I don't like mayo and I find the cheese unnecessary. 

4 large eggs
8 thick slices of bacon
8 thick slices of bread, toasted and hot
1/4 cup BLT dressing (recipe follows)
8 tomato slices
8 leaves of butter lettuce

Place bacon on a cookie sheet and bake at 400 for 10 minutes, or until crispy.  Transfer to paper towels to drain.

Toast bread and spread the dressing on each slice of toast, then top with the bacon, tomato and lettuce.

In a nonstick skillet, melt 1 tsp of butter. Add the eggs and fry over moderate heat, turning once, until crisp around the edge, about 4 minutes; the yolk should still be runny. Slide the egg onto the lettuce; close the sandwich and eat right away.

Makes 4 sandwiches.

BLT dressing

3 tablespoons real mayo (Hellmans)
1 tablespoon Greek yogurt
one clove of garlic, grated
juice of half a small lemon
salt and pepper to taste

Birdseed Salad

This recipe is an oldie but goody!  It's usually made as a coleslaw (for every church event in Arkansas, I think), but a local restaurant makes it with lettuce and it's much fresher tasting.  They call it a Birdseed Salad because it has sunflower seeds in it (or maybe because it's "bird food"), but I've always called it Crunchy Coleslaw.  And it's @critidefan's favorite food.  Maybe if I post a picture, she'll come visit me...

1 head of cabbage, shredded or romaine lettuce
1/2 cup of vegetable oil
1/2 cup chopped green onions
1/4 c. sunflower seeds
1/4 c. sliced almonds
1/3 cup cider vinegar
2 1/2 tablespoons sugar
1 pkg of Ramen noodles

 

Mix together the oil, vinegar, sugar, and Ramen noodle flavor packet. Toast almonds and broken up Ramen noodles in oven until lightly brown, about 5 minutes; cool and set aside. In salad bowl combine cabbage/lettuce, green onions, sunflower seeds, crushed ramen noodles, and almonds. Add dressing; stir and serve immediately.

 

Chicken Gyros

I think I mentioned before how much we love Greek food.  This was my first attempt at gyros at home, and they were pretty good!  I didn't get to grill the chicken as I had planned because it started to rain, and there is no way I'm standing out in the rain to grill some chicken...I just cooked it on the stove. 

Chicken Gyros
1 lb. boneless, skinless chicken breasts
4 cloves garlic, smashed
Juice of 1 lemon
2 tsp. red wine vinegar
2 tbsp. extra virgin olive oil
2 heaping tbsp. plain yogurt
1 tbsp. dried oregano
salt and pepper
tzatziki sauce (recipe follows)
sliced tomatoes
sliced red onions
4 pitas (I had to use my Walmart bakery naan, no Greek style pita around here)

Whisk together the garlic, lemon juice, vinegar, oil, yogurt, and oregano in a bowl. Add the chicken and rub the marinade in. Cover and refrigerate for about an hour.

Preheat the grill (or pan on the stove).  Sprinkle the chicken with salt and pepper on both sides, and then broil/grill until cooked through, about 5 minutes per side, depending  what size/type chicken you are using. Allow the chicken to rest for a few minutes before slicing into strips.

Meanwhile, heat your pitas. I have a gas stove, so I just spray them with a little bit of oil and stick them right on the burner for a few seconds per side. Top the pita with the chicken, tzatziki, tomatoes, onions. Roll up and eat!

Tzatziki Sauce
1/2 cup plain Greek yogurt
1/4 seedless cucumber, peeled grated on box grater
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon pepper
1 teaspoon champagne vinegar
juice of one lemon
2 cloves garlic, grated
fresh mint and fresh oregano, to taste
fresh dill, if you like dill. I do not. If you know about my pickle aversion, you don't need to ask why I hate dill.

Mix it all together.  

Buffalo Turkey Burgers with Homemade Blue Cheese Dressing

I've been making these burgers for years and we always love them (I leave the hot sauce out for the kids).  The girls decided tonight, however, that even though they had eaten them several times before, that they hated them.   But that's just how it goes around here sometimes....

1 pound ground chicken/turkey (I can't find ground chicken at my Walmart)
1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
1/2 teaspoon onion powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon pepper
2 garlic cloves, chopped
4 scallions, finely chopped
1 celery rib from the heart, finely chopped
2 tablespoons butter
1/4 cup hot sauce, such as Frank's Red Hot or Tabasco
Crusty rolls or toast (I use toast because it has fever calories)

In a large bowl, combine the turkey, seasonings, garlic, scallions, and celery. Mix the burgers and form into 4 1-inch-thick patties.

Heat a nonstick skillet over medium-high heat and cook the burgers for 5-6 minutes on each side. Remove to a plate.

Wipe the pan clean and reduce the heat to low. Melt the butter in the pan. Add the hot sauce to the melted butter. Return the patties to the skillet and turn to coat in the hot sauce-butter mixture. Place the burgers on bun bottoms.  Top with blue cheese dressing and serve with lettuce on the buns.

Homemade Blue Cheese Dressing* (enough for the burgers and for dipping carrots and celery)
1/2 cup fat free Greek yogurt
1/4 cup real mayo (like Hellman's)
2 cloves of garlic grated with a microplane (don't chop it or you'll bite into raw garlic)
juice of one whole lemon
salt and pepper to taste
1/4 cup crumbled blue cheese

*I used my Homemade Ranch Dressing and added blue cheese.

Watermelon Basil Salad

When John and I were in Mexico a few weeks ago, I had this amazing salad with watermelon, some sort of Mexican cheese, basil, and a lime-y dressing.  It was so good!  I probably could have used one of those cheeses in the Mexican section of my Walmart to try to make it at home, but I used goat cheese since I already had some and it was just as good as I remember it.  It's so different!

Watermelon Basil Salad (all quantities to taste)

Fresh seeded watermelon

Goat Cheese

Basil

Freshly squeezed lime juice

Toss everything together and serve immediately.

We also had the refrigerated cheese tortellini tossed with olive oil, parmesan cheese, salt and pepper, and fresh basil and chives.

Mushroom Risotto with Goat Cheese and Green Apples

I typically order something different every time I go to a restaurant.  But, at our fave local restaurant, Bordinos, I always order this risotto dish with goat cheese, asparagus, green apples, and a balsamic glaze.  And tonight, I made it at home! It was easy, but kind of a lot of work.  It was worth it, though.

Mushroom Risotto with Goat Cheese and Green Apples

5 cups low sodium chicken broth
2 tablespoons olive oil
1/2 large onion, diced
2 cloves of garlic, minced
1 package mushrooms (I used baby bellas), chopped
asparagus (as much as you want
1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
1 tablespoon olive oil (additional)
1 tablespoon butter
1 1/2 cup Arborio rice
1 cup dry white wine   
1 teaspoon kosher salt (additional), more to taste
4 ounces, weight goat cheese
½ cups grated parmesan cheese
1 Granny Smith apple, sliced thinly
balsamic vinegar, to drizzle over finished dish

Pour chicken broth into a small saucepan. Heat to a simmer.

In a large Dutch oven, heat 2 tablespoons olive oil.  Add diced onions and cook for a minute or two. Add garlic and mushrooms and cook for 5 minutes, or until mushrooms soften.  Sprinkle in salt and stir. Add asparagus and cook for one minute.  Remove everything from pan and put on a plate. Set aside.

Add 1 tablespoon olive oil and 1 tablespoon butter to the same pan. Heat over medium-low heat. Add rice and stir, cooking for 1 minute. Add half the wine and 1 1/2 teaspoons kosher salt. Stir and cook until liquid is absorbed. Over the next 30 to 45 minutes, add 1 cup of simmering broth at a time, stirring and cooking until each addition of broth has absorbed. Add other half of wine and cook until absorbed. Taste to make sure rice is the right texture; add another helping of broth if rice has too much bite to it. Check salt content and add more salt if necessary.
Once rice is cooked, remove from heat. Stir in most of the goat cheese (save a little for the top), parmesan, and vegetables until all the cheese the melted.

Serve risotto in large bowl topped with sliced apples, goat cheese, and a drizzle of balsamic vinegar. 

Cheddar Cheese Biscuits

For the Teacher Appreciation Luncheon on Monday, another mom made these delicious Cheddar Cheese Biscuits to go along with our Chicken Berry Salad.  They are just like Red Lobster's! Why don't we ever go to Red Lobster anymore?  Anyway, here's the recipe.

Cheddar Cheese Biscuits

4 cups baking mix (like Bisquick)
3 ounces Cheddar cheese, shredded
1 1/3 cups water
1/2 cup melted butter
1 teaspoon garlic powder
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/8 teaspoon onion powder

1. Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
2. In a mixing bowl, combine the baking mix, cheese, and water. Mix until dough is firm. Using a small scoop, place dough on the prepared pan.
3. Bake at 375 degrees F  for 10 to 12 minutes, or until golden brown.
4. Combine the melted butter, garlic powder, salt, onion powder. Brush over baked biscuits immediately upon removing from oven.

Lighter Chicken Parm

I like to say Chicken Parm instead of Chicken Parmesan because it makes me feel like Carmella Soprano, but it probably makes me actually sound more like one of the RHNJ.....Anyway, I made this recipe to be a little lighter than regular Chicken Parm and I think it's even better than the breaded, fried, and heavily cheesed original.    And if you really want to keep it light, don't serve it with pasta.  Make a salad instead!

4 boneless, skinless chicken breasts
1/2 cup flour
salt, pepper, garlic powder
jarred or homemade marinara sauce (I like this Barilla one)
fresh mozzarella cheese, grated (the stuff that comes in round packages)
freshly grated Parmesan cheese (grate it fresh for this, it makes a difference, and even my Walmart carries it now)
fresh basil to taste

Preheat the oven to 400 degrees. 

Place each chicken breast between 2 sheets of  plastic wrap and pound out to 1/4-inch thick. Sprinkle both sides with salt and pepper.  Alternately, you can buy thin chicken cutlets and skip that step.

Mix the flour, 1/2 teaspoon salt, and 1/4 teaspoon of pepper, and 1/2 teaspoon garlic powder in a shallow plate. Dip each chicken breast in the flour, and shake of the excess.

Heat 1 tablespoon of olive oil in a large saute pan over medium to medium-low heat. Add the chicken breasts and cook for 2 minutes on each side, until browned. Top each piece of chicken with about 1/4 cup of marinara sauce and a couple of tablespoons of grated mozzarella cheese.  Put the pan in the oven allow them to bake for 5 to 10 minutes.

When they are cooked through, sprinkle each with Parmesan cheese and fresh basil.