Kacey's Kitchen

Swedish Meatballs

2012-01-27T13:51:00.001-06:00

Okay, I can't be the only one out there who immediately thinks of IKEA when they hear the words "Swedish Meatballs". Oh how I love IKEA. Maybe we'll live near one soon. Organizing supplies. Containers. Oh! How I love containers. Don't even get me started on The Container Store. Sometimes I browse their websites and drool. And then I wander around the house looking for things to re-sort and organize. Sometimes I bring my label maker around with me and find things to label.

*sigh*

I love to organize. I know, weird, right?

Anywho. These are NOT your IKEA meatballs. These are delicious and homemade and not frozen and tasty, tasty, tasty. I made these quite a while ago and sort of forgot about them. I don't know why, because as I stare at this photo thinking of a story to tell you guys, I'm quickly remembering exactly how delicious these were. These meatballs have the perfect texture. They hold together well but are light and fluffy. They have tons of flavor and the gravy they are served with is perfect. I ended up adding a bunch of dill to this dish just because it complimented it so well.

These are perfect as a meal with some veggies, but they would be perfect appetizers for a party to to bring some place. Because they simmer for about an hour, you could easy prep everything and transfer it all to a crock pot and bring int wherever you need to.

Swedish Meatballs
Printable Recipe
By Thibeault's Table, Adjusted from c.1998, M.S. Milliken & S. Feniger

Meatballs:

2 slices white bread, crusts removed
1/2 cup milk
1 pound ground beef
1 pound ground pork
1 small onion,
2 to 3 eggs
1/4 to 1/2 teaspoon ground allspice
1/2 teaspoon Nutmeg
1/8 teaspoon ground ginger
Salt and freshly ground black pepper
Butter and vegetable oil for frying meatballs

Gravy:

3 cups beef stock
2 to 3 tablespoons flour
1/2 cup heavy cream
Salt and freshly ground black pepper
Fresh parsley or Dill, for garnish

Pulse onion, bread and milk in processor.
Mix beef and pork together. Add spices, salt, pepper and mix well. Add onion/bread/milk mixture and using hands mix to combined. Add eggs. Test seasoning by sauteing a small piece. Taste and adjust seasoning.
Shape meatballs. Heat skillet, add butter and oil and brown meatballs.
Remove from pan. Make sauce by adding flour to the drippings. Cook for a couple of minutes.
Add enough beef broth to make sauce. Add 1/2 cup cream. Bring to a simmer and add the meatballs to the sauce and simmer for at least an hour.
Serve over noodles. Sprinkle with minced parsley or dill.

Horseradish Crusted Ribeye

2012-01-19T06:00:00.000-06:00

Oh goodness, look at this. I posted something GREEN on this blog. I've just noticed that all my recent posts have been yellows/oranges/browns. Basically carbs and cheese. Not that there is anything wrong with that, right? Sure. I swear, we really do eat colorful meals in this house on a regular basis. I even just recently promised my in-laws that I do feed their son fruits and vegetables on a regular basis. It's just...the cheese and carbs are what I like to talk about the most, so it's what gets blogged about the most. And often I find myself just taking a photo of one part of the meal....not the leafy salad we had with it. I'll mix it up a little with this picture.

What we have here is a deliciously juicy rib-eye steak (my fav!) with a horseradish panko crust. Served along side with a mixed green salad with the best balsamic vinegar and some leftover noodles.

Unfortunately for you, I don't have an exact recipe for this but I'll give you my best guesses.

Horseradish Crusted Rib-Eye
Printable Recipe
By Kacey's Kitchen

2 Rib-eye steaks (Or whatever steak suits your fancy)
Prepared grated horseradish
Panko crumbs
Butter
Garlic powder
Parsley
Salt and Pepper

Preheat an oven safe grill pan over medium high heat. Preheat oven to 400°F.
Season steak with salt and pepper.
Prepare horseradish coating. Melt about 1 tbsp butter and mix in with panko crumbs and horseradish to taste. Season with garlic, parsley and a little salt and pepper. Combine until it's a consistency you can spread over the steak.
When pan is preheated throw the steak on and leave it there (WITHOUT touching it) for about 1 minute or until nicely seared. Flip over and sear the other side for about 1 minute.
While your cook the second side, coat the top of steaks with the horseradish mixture.
Place entire pan in over for approximately 5 minutes depending on how you like your steak and how thick it is. I like mine medium rare.
Remove from oven and let sit a few minutes. Serve with a nice glass of wine and enjoy!

Caramel Filled Pumpkin Spice Rice Krispie Treats

2012-01-11T10:00:00.000-06:00

There's some catching up that needs to be done here at Kacey's Kitchen. I've got a (digital) mound of photos waiting to be written about and posted to the blog. I could sit here and tell you I've been too busy to blog because I've been traveling a bit the past month and a half, but that's still an excuse. I'll give it to you straight. I've been lazy. Kacey the Lazy Ass. *Sigh*

I made these back around Halloween, but you could totally find pumpkin spice marshmallows on clearance right now, which is definitely a sign to make these as soon as possible.

Everyone likes Rice Krispie Treats, right? Right. Well...these are Rice Krispie Treats on crack. An absurdly delicious, absurdly caloric Crack Krispie Treat. You'll love it.

I made these for Aaron's class, and word has it, they went over pretty well, even with other sweets brought in from the other guys and gals. Pilots apparently love sweet overload.

Check out these cute little labels I ordered a while back through one of Vistaprints promotional deals. They are actually return address labels, and I only had to pay shipping for them.

Pumpkin spice rice krispie treats stuffed with caramel and marshmallows. Go make them. Unless your diabetic. And in that case, you probably shouldn't even look at the pictures.

Caramel Filled Pumpkin Spice Rice Krispie Treats

Printable Recipe

By Real Mom Kitchen

1/2 Cup butter
1 (10oz) bag of pumpkin spice marshmallows (You can use regular mini marshmallows)
8 cups of rice krispies cereal
50 caramels, unwrapped (like kraft or wether's chewy caramels)
2/3 cup sweetened condensed milk
1/2 cup butter
2 cups mini marshmallows

Spray two 9x13 inch baking pans with cooking spray.
In a large sauce pan over medium to medium low heat, melt 1/2 cup butter with pumpkin spice marshmallows until completely melted and well blended.
Mix in the rice krispies and fold in until the cereal is well coated with the marshmallow mixture.
Divide the cereal mixture between to two 9x13 inch prepared pans. Press the cereal in each pan until it covers the pan evenly.
In another sauce pan, place the caramels, condensed milk, and 1/2 cup butter. Melt over medium heat until melted and well combined. Remove from heat and let cool of a few minutes.
Spread the caramel evenly over one pan of the rice krispies. Sprinkle the mini marshmallows over the caramel.
Invert the other pan of rice krispies on top on the miniature marshmallows. You are basically creating a rice krispie sandwich with the caramel and the mini marshmallows in the center.
Refrigerate for 1 hour and cut while cool.

Oven Baked Fries

2012-01-05T06:00:00.000-06:00

Never again will you ever feel the need to deep fry french fries. (Not that I actually deep fry french fries because I hate the smell and mess). Look at those. Amazing, right? Go ahead, tell me I'm wrong. I dare you.

No? I thought so.

Not only do those look like crunchy on the outside and soft on the inside and perfectly seasoned french fries of awesomeness...but they taste like it to. These are everything you want a french fry to be. Dip them in ketchup mixed with a little adobo sauce, or curry, or dip them in a creamy garlicky dressing and they'll be everything you want a french fry to be AND MORE.

You'll never buy frozen fries again...trust me on this one. Oh yeah, and don't limit this recipe to big wedges. Use it for little diced up homefries or skinnier suckers, or just hunks of potatoes. And toss them with fun stuff like minced up garlic and jalapenos and things like that. Make potatoes fun!

I always line my pans with tinfoil for easier clean up. If your having problems flipping the tots over because they are sticking, don't do it, they aren't ready. Just pop them in the oven for another 5 minutes and try again. They'll loosen up when they get the perfect amount of crispy.

Oven Baked Fries
Printable Recipe
by Annie's Eats, Adapted from The New Best Recipe by Cook's Illustrated

3 Russet Poatoes, peeled and cut lengthwise into even sized wedges
5 tbsp canola oil
3/4 tsp. kosher salt, more to taste
1/3 tsp freshly ground black pepper, more to taste

Preheat the oven to 475˚ F. Place the potato wedges in a large mixing bowl. Cover with hot water; soak for 10-30 minutes. Put 4 tablespoons of the oil onto a heavy, rimmed baking sheet. Tilt the sheet side to side to evenly coat the pan with oil (a pastry brush can also help with this). Sprinkle the pan evenly with the salt and pepper. Set aside.
Drain the potatoes. Spread the wedges out on layers of paper towels or on clean kitchen towels. Pat dry with additional towels. Wipe out the now empty bowl so it is dry. Return the potatoes to the bowl and toss with the remaining 1 tablespoon of oil.
Arrange the potato wedges on the prepared baking sheet in a single layer. Cover tightly with foil and bake for 5 minutes. Remove the foil and continue to bake until the bottoms of the potatoes are spotty golden brown, 15-20 minutes, rotating the baking sheet after 10 minutes.
Using a metal spatula and tongs, flip each potato wedge keeping them in a single layer. Continue baking until the fries are golden and crisp, 5 -15 minutes. Rotate the pan as needed to ensure even browning.
When the fries are finished baking, transfer to a paper-towel lined plate to drain some of the grease. Season with additional salt and pepper to taste. Serve warm.

Butternut Squash Soup

2011-12-21T08:17:00.002-06:00

Before I even get to this amazing delicious soup, I want you to check out the bowl it's in. That amazing ceramic creation was given to me for my birthday by my favorite sister ever, Rachey Face. Okay, Okay, she might be my only sister, but she's still the best ever. She ordered this on Etsy from Electra Sylva Vincent Shop, and it's actually a ceramic yarn bowl. But she knows me well, and she has seen my knitting. Let's just say....there isn't a yarn bowl in the world that would improve my knitting. She also knows how much I love me some Cephalopods and soup/cereal bowls.

Believe it or not, I've never made a Butternut Squash Soup before. I love it, but I just never thought about making it myself before. Not to mention, I HATE blending hot soups in a blender. I always manage to make it explode all over myself and the entire kitchen. I also used another birthday gift I got this year to make this soup, my new immersion blender from my parents. It's even more amazing than I hoped and I've used it a ton of times already.

This soup is so thick and hearty, and if needed, you could definitely lighten it up by leaving out the heavy cream and even the milk. This is really easy to make, so there is no excuse not to try it.

Curried Butternut Squash Soup
Printable Recipe
By Dalias Delights, adapted from The Pastry Queen

2 tbsp unsalted butter
1/2 medium yellow onion, chopped
1 large carrot, peeled and sliced
1 1/2 lbs (small size) butternut squash, peeled, seeded, and cubed
1 medium russet potato, peeled and cubed
1 tsp ground ginger
1 tsp ground cinnamon
1 1/2 tbsp curry powder
1/4 tsp nutmeg
pinch cayenne
1/2 tsp salt
1 (14.5 oz) can chicken stock (this ='s 2 cups)
1/2 cup milk
1/2 cup heavy cream
1 tsp honey (omit if you don’t want that hint of sweetness)
1/2 tsp paprika
Freshly ground black pepper
Sour cream or Greek yogurt, for garnish

Melt the butter in a large saucepan or Dutch oven over medium-high heat.
Add the onion and carrot and sauté over medium heat for about 3 minutes, or until the onions begin to soften. Add the squash potato, ginger, cinnamon, curry powder, nutmeg, cayenne, and salt. Sauté for 2 minutes.
Add the stock, milk, cream, honey, and paprika and bring the soup to a boil. Decrease the heat to the setting in between low and medium-low, cover the pot, and simmer the soup over low heat for about 40 minutes, or until the vegetables are soft.
Working in batches, puree the soup in a blender or food processor until smooth.
Add black pepper to taste (but watch out, it is already spicy from that pinch of cayenne). Serve hot with a dollop of sour cream or Greek yogurt, croutons, and Parmesan cheese.

Spinach and Ricotta Stuffed Tomatoes

2011-12-19T06:00:00.000-06:00

For my birthday, Aaron's parents sent me a bunch of really awesome cookbooks. I haven't cooked too many recipes from them (yet!), but each one has been sooo delicious. One of my favorite ones, which this recipe is from is called The Silver Palate Cook Book. Typically I often change recipes around to add something different, some thing more, or because I'm short on ingredients. However, I have yet to come across a recipe in this book that I want to change. They all sound flavorful and bellyful.

These tomatoes were filling enough on their own, but I served them along side some rice. And although there is no need to change this recipe, you could stretch it even farther by using more tomatoes and adding the cooked rice inside of them.

I have fallen in love with tomatoes all over again.

I wasn't able to find the recipe online, so I would hate to post it from the book, especially since I didn't change anything about it. But trust me, the book is totally worth purchasing. Or you could always ask for it as a gift!

Everything is better stuffed with cheese, isn't it? I dare you to suggest something that isn't. Go ahead. Leave a comment. Or better yet, do you have a suggestion for something to stuff with cheese? I'm totally game.

Bring it.

Pumpkin Snickerdoodles

2011-12-09T16:49:00.001-06:00

I do believe that one of my favorite cookies would have to be the Snickerdoodle. A slightly warm sugary, cinnamony, fluffy snickerdoodle. Adding some pumpkin to the mix just makes me want to inhale the entire batch by myself. I practically did.

It's a good thing one of us works with other people (hint - it's not me!) that I can send food in with, otherwise I would be Little Miss Plumper McPlumpyson eating pumpking snickerdoodles on the couch until my teeth fall out. Really. I would. It's not even a slight exaggeration. I sent in nearly the whole batch to work with Aaron, keeping just a couple at home so we could eat them the following day. Keep in mind, at this point I've already 'sampled' plenty of dough and taste tested a couple of cookies as they came out of the oven. By the time Aaron came home from work, there were no cookies to be found. No evidence I saved any to begin with either. How convenient!

These are perfect holiday cookies, and you probably have all the ingredients on hand! My favorite type of recipe....although I would eat these all year. I wouldn't mind having some right now either!

So, make these and let me know what you think! Oh, and just to let you know, I like my snickerdoodles a little bit 'spicier' so I up the cinnamon and nutmeg quantities just a bit for this recipe. The original recipe is posted below.

Pumpkin Snickerdoodles
Printable Recipe

Found at Annie's Eat's

For the cookies:

3¾ cups all-purpose flour
1½ tsp baking powder
½ tsp salt
½ tsp ground cinnamon
¼ tsp ground nutmeg
1 cup (2 sticks) unsalted butter, at room temperature
1 cup granulated sugar
½ cup light brown sugar
¾ cup pumpkin puree
1 large egg
2 tsp vanilla extract

For the coating:

½ cup granulated sugar
1 tsp ground cinnamon
½ tsp ground ginger
Dash of allspice

In a medium bowl, combine the flour, baking powder, salt, cinnamon, and nutmeg. Whisk to blend and set aside.
In the bowl of an electric mixer, beat together the butter and sugars on medium-high speed until light and fluffy, 2-3 minutes.
Blend in the pumpkin puree. Beat in the egg and vanilla until incorporated. With the mixer on low speed add in the dry ingredients and mix just until incorporated. Cover and chill the dough for at least 1 hour.
Preheat the oven to 350˚ F. Line baking sheets with silicone baking mats or parchment paper. Combine the sugar and spices for the coating in a bowl and mix to blend.
Scoop the dough (about 2½ tablespoons) and roll into a ball. Coat the dough ball in the sugar-spice mixture and place on the prepared baking sheet. Repeat with the remaining dough to fill the sheets, spacing the dough balls 2-3 inches apart.
Dip the bottom of a flat, heavy-bottomed drinking glass in water, then in the sugar-spice mixture, and use the bottom to flatten the dough balls slightly. Recoat the bottom of the glass in the sugar-spice mixture as needed.
Bake the cookies for 10-12 minutes, or until just set and baked through. Let cool on the baking sheets about 5 minutes, then transfer to a wire rack to cool completely. Repeat with the remaining dough. Store in an airtight container.

Sweet and Spicy Coleslaw

2011-11-16T06:00:00.000-06:00

I love coleslaw, but I am very picky about it. It can't be too bland, too mushy, too dry, too vinegary, too mayonaisey. It's just one of those things that is good when it's good. I don't remember ever having a spicy coleslaw, and when I saw it in one of the recent Food Network Magazines, I knew I needed to try it.

I ended up eyeballing the quantity of ingredients. I usual do a decent job of figuring out how much to use, but as it's apparent from the photo, I used too much mustard. Whoops. Nevertheless, it was still delicious and I will be making it again. I kicked up the quantity of cayenne pepper just a bit, and I might even try this with chipotle at some point. And just FYI, this is delicious on a hotdog!

So try this version next time. Adjust pepper and cayenne to your preference. And if your in a rush, feel free to use bagged coleslaw mix, I promise, it'll be okay.

Sweet and Spicy Coleslaw
Printable Recipe
By The Neelys

2 lbs green cabbage
4 carrots
1 medium yellow onion
1/2 cup mayonnaise
1/4 cup mustard
2 tsp apple cider vinegar
1 cup sugar
1 tsp black pepper
1/2 tsp cayenne
Salt and freshly ground black pepper

Cut cabbage in quarters and remove core.Grate carrots, onions and cabbage (or use a food processor). Toss together.
In another medium bowl, prepare the coleslaw dressing by whisking together the mayonnaise, mustard, cider vinegar, sugar, black pepper, and cayenne.
Toss dressing with the cabbage mixture, and season with salt and pepper, to taste. Cover with plastic wrap and chill for at least 2 hours before serving.

Jalapeno Popper Mac and Cheese

2011-11-10T06:00:00.000-06:00

Cheesy?

Check.

Creamy?

Check.

Crunchy?

Check.

Spicy?

Check.

This might sound like a no brainer, but if you like macaroni and cheese and jalapeno poppers, then you'll absolutely LOVE this dish. I could eat this every day, but it's probably a good thing I don't.

During dinner we forced ourselves to finally put the fork down and save some for leftovers. It was so good we could have devoured it all at once, but we really, REALLY wanted some leftovers. Don't tell, but I may have taken a fork full (or two or three) for breakfast the next morning. I may have even washed the fork and put it away quickly to hide the evidence. And I may have had to take that last bite just to even out the leftovers, so it didn't look like anything happened.

Yup, I'm that type of girl. I'll also eat off your plate. So there.

I may have laid in bed at night thinking about the leftovers. So....you should probably go make this. Dream about it. Eat it all. Repeat.

Jalapeno Popper Mac and Cheese
Printable Recipe
by Life's Ambrosia

1lb pasta
2 tbsp unsalted butter
2 jalapenos, diced
2 tablespoons all purpose flour
1 cup milk
1 cup pepper jack cheese
4 oz. cream cheese softened
1/4 tsp seasoning salt
2/3 cup panko bread crumbs
2 tsp olive oil
kosher salt

Preheat oven to 350°F.

Bring a large pot of water to a boil. Cook pasta for 6- 7 minutes or until tender but still has a bite to it. Drain.

Melt the butter in the same pot that you cooked the pasta in. Stir in jalapenos and cook just until softened, about 2 minutes.

Whisk in flour. Cook 1 minute. Pour in milk. Stir in pepper jack and cream cheese. Cook until melted. Stir in 1/4 tsp of seasoning salt. Stir in pasta. Adjust with more seasoning salt if needed.

Pour macaroni and cheese into a casserole dish. Sprinkle with panko bread crumbs. Drizzle olive oil over the top.

Bake for 15 minutes or until pasta is bubbly. Turn on the broiler and broil for 3 – 4 minutes or until panko bread crumbs have browned. Remove from oven, sprinkle lightly with salt. Serve hot.

Seafood Pot Pie

2011-11-08T06:00:00.000-06:00

I'm a few weeks behind, but I celebrated my 28th birthday in October! Woo! I love my birthday, and getting older doesn't scare me at all. I don't feel old. Well, except when I go yard sale-ing every weekend. Or when I go to bed at 9pm. Or when I see 'kids' born in the 90's buying booze and cigarettes. Or when the expiration date on my new passport says 2021 (that's SOOO the future!). Okay...maybe those times I feel a little old. Oh wait! There was also the time at the gym the other day when someone thought that VH1's Pop-Up Video was a new thing! WHHATTT!? Oh Boy.

Please tell me you know about pop up video. Like, pop up video from back in the day. If you don't remember it, then please, stop reading this blog and go finish your homework. It's past your bedtime anyways.

So....okay. Maybe sometimes I feel old. But I don't really feel old. You know what I mean? I don't think I act old. I even get carded (most of the time).

For my birthdays, I use to want to go out to eat, but for the past few years I've just wanted to stay in and cook for myself. It usually gives me an excuse to splurge on "special occasion" ingredients such as high quality meats, cheeses, and seafood. This year I was planning on making myself a cake in addition to dinner, which I delayed until the weekend, and then we ended up going out and having a bunch of fun and I never got around to the cake. That ended up being quite alright with us, because we ended up splurging on all sorts of other gluttonous things over the weekend.

A few weeks before my birthday, I spotted an Alaskan Cod Pot Pie online and knew that was going to be my birthday dinner. Cod, creamy goodness, and golden flaky crust...what's not to love?!? It's safe to say that we both enjoyed this dinner a lot. I'm not sure what I was thinking by making the ENTIRE recipe, I mean, we love leftovers....but this was insane, and it wasn't one of those things I wanted to freeze. So, we enjoyed this meal many times throughout the week.

Asides from suggesting to cut the recipe AT LEAST in half, I would also recommend using ramekins/mugs instead of one big dish. Even though you'll let the pot pie sit to thicken, it will still be too thin to cut and scoop out of a big pan. Plus, it's much more fun to have your own pot pie, and everyone will have the same amount of puff pastry topping!

Seafood Pot Pie
Printable Recipe
Adapted from Alaska Seafood (Jerry Traunfeld)

5 cups milk
1 tbsp kosher salt
2 lbs Cod, or other similar white fish, cut in 3" pieces
10 tbsp unsalted butter
1 can (2 ounces) anchovy fillets, drained
2 large leeks (white and light green part only), cleaned and sliced
1 lb mushrooms, cleaned and sliced in wedges
1/2 cup plus 2 tbsp all purpose flour
3/4 tsp celery seed
1/2 tsp celery salt
1/2 tsp nutmeg
1/2 tsp freshly ground black pepper
2 medium-sized celery stalks, diced
1 piece frozen prepared puff pastry (8.5 ounces)
Egg wash of 1 egg yolk and 1 tbsp water

Bring the milk and salt to a simmer in a large heavy-bottomed pot. Add the Cod and cook on medium-low heat, below the simmer, until the fish flakes easily, about 7 minutes. While the fish is poaching, scrape the bottom of the pot from time to time with a rubber spatula to be sure it does not scorch. Drain the fish in a colander, saving the milk.
Wash and dry the pot. Put it over medium heat and add the butter. When it melts, add the anchovies and mash them with the back of a spoon until they dissolve.
Stir in the leeks and mushrooms and cook, stirring often, until the leeks are wilted and the mushrooms are cooked through, about 8 minutes.
Stir in the flour and continue to stir for a minute or two. Pour in the milk all at once and stir vigorously to dissolve the flour. Bring to a low boil, stirring constantly.
Add the celery seed, celery salt, nutmeg, pepper, and celery , and cook, stirring very often, until the celery root is tender, about 12 minutes.
Break the cod into large pieces and fold it in. Pour the filling into a large baking dish, at least 9" x 13" x 3", or divide between 8 ramekins or oven safe mugs. Leave at least 1" of space below the rim. If you have more filling than will fit, pour the remainder into a small dish/dishes and bake separately. Allow the filling to cool in the refrigerator.
Roll the pastry on a floured board into a rectangle about 1" larger than the dimensions of the top of the baking dish. Lay the pastry over the filling and press the 1" overhang into the sides of the dish. Brush with egg wash. Cut several slashes into the top of the pastry. Refrigerate until ready to bake.
Preheat the oven to 375°F. Place the pie on a baking sheet to catch any drips and bake for 20 - 25 minutes, or until the pastry is nicely browned all over. Allow the pie to rest for 10 -15 minutes before serving.

Buffalo Chicken Sliders

2011-10-24T06:00:00.000-05:00

Burgers are amazing, but mini burgers are just so damn cute and fun. Sliders. Are they named that because they can slide down your throat one by one and before you know it you've eaten 5 of them? No? Of course that's ~~not~~ happened to me.

So here we have mini delicious goodness in the form of buffalo chicken burgers. Hot sauce. Freshly ground chicken. Tiny buns. Served with tots. Oh yeah baby.

I've spoke in the past about grinding my own meat. Ever since getting the attachment for my kitchenaid, I've been hooked. I LOVE grinding my own meat. Asides from the enjoyment I get of shoving partly frozen chunks of meat into a machine and watching it pump out the other side, it really does taste better. And I'm not even kidding a little bit. There is a noticeable difference in the quality and flavor of freshly ground meat. And I just buy the packaged chicken breast at the store. I can't even imagine if it were a fresh bird. Oh man...that would be awesome.

Feel free to send your fresh meat my way.

No. Wait. Don't. That just sounds wrong. So, so wrong.

Moving along...back to the sandwiches... Always partially freeze your meat before grinding, cut it into appropriate size pieces for your machine, and throw it in the freezer for 10-15 minutes while you prep the other ingredients. In this case, I threw the garlic cloves and celery right into my grinder for it to do the chopping for me...it worked perfect, and any pieces that got stuck in the machine would be soon forced out by all the chicken I was going to pump into it. I didn't even need to dirty a cutting board for this meal! Sweet!

I added more hot sauce then the recipe calls for, and I still didn't think it was enough. I love hot foods, so add however much you might prefer. The 1/4 cup that the recipe calls for shouldn't be too hot for those sensitive to spice.

I will be making these again. They would be great to bring to a party or BBQ. With a tray full of tots of course.

Buffalo Chicken Sliders
Printable Recipe
by What's Cooking Chicago, Adapted from Rachael Ray

2 lbs ground chicken
1 tbsp poultry seasoning
1 tbsp grill seasoning, such as McCormick's Montreal Steak Seasoning
2 garlic cloves, chopped
4 scallions, finely chopped
1 celery rib from the heart, with greens, finely chopped
1/4 cup panko breadcrumbs
1/4 cup crumbled blue cheese
1/4 cup hot sauce, such as Frank's Red Hot
slider buns
preferred slider toppings

Combine all the ingredients except the buns in a large bowl. Form 10-12 large meatballs and transfer them to a plate. Cover with plastic wrap and chill for at least 2 hours.

Heat up a grill or large skillet with oil. Place a few meatballs on the grill/skillet and flatten down to 3/4 inch thick. Cook for 5-7 minutes on each side.

Place on bun bottoms, top with preferred toppings and top with other bun half.

Chicken Marsala

2011-10-18T06:00:00.000-05:00

This dish is so easy to make well that I'm often surprised how disappointed I am if I order it out to eat. Which isn't very often...but when I have had it in the past, the chicken is usually dry and tough and the sauce is way too salty. Come on people! This is comfort food at its finest. It should leave you full and wanting to put your pajamas on and curl up on the couch happily in a carb coma. It's the type of meal you wake up wanting the leftovers of, straight out of the fridge. Don't even think about messing with it in the microwave...Nuh Uh.

Here's a few tips. Beat your breasts. I've mentioned it before, but you wanna make sure you smack those suckers to at least half the size. It tenderizes them. It flattens them out. It helps take out aggression. Another thing, only season the flour with salt and pepper. Mix it all up, coat the chicken. There's no need to rub the chicken down with salt. It's not a slug. You don't want to kill it. And for heavens sake, DON'T overcook your chicken. If you need to cut open a piece while it's cooking to check, then do it, sacrifice one of the breasts. You can take the chicken out when about 95% of the pink is gone. Don't worry, it'll keep cooking. Just set it aside on a few paper towels. You'll make the sauce and throw the chicken back in for a few minutes just to get all warmed up.

I served this with a salad. Keep it simple, it's easy, and that's another reason why it tastes so good. If you need some extra veggies or wanna brighten up the plate, steam some green beans or broccoli. The marsala sauce will taste wonderful on those.

You'll probably want some bread as well. I whipped up a 60 minute dinner roll recipe I found online, which came out pretty darn good. I'll share those with you soon as well.

Now, go forth and beat your breasts, then smother them in cream. You'll be glad you did.

Chicken Marsala
Printable Recipe
by Gourmand Recipes

1/4 cup all-purpose flour
4 boneless and skinless chicken breast halves
3 tablespoons oil
7 oz. button mushrooms, sliced
1/4 cup Marsala wine
1/2 cup chicken stock
1/2 cup single cream or half and half (optional)
1 tablespoon chopped parsley
Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper

Season the flour with the salt and pepper. (You can also season the flour with paprika and dried oregano but it is not necessary as they may overpower the flavor of the Marsala wine.)
Use the meat mullet to slightly flatten the chicken breasts.
Lightly coat the chicken breasts with the seasoned flour.
Heat the oil in a fry pan over medium high heat. Fry the chicken breasts until golden brown and cooked through. Remove and drain on paper towels.
Fry the mushrooms using the remaining oil over medium heat until slightly browned and softened.
Add the Marsala wine and let it simmer and is reduced by half.
Add the chicken stock and simmer until the sauce is slightly reduced and thickened.
Add the cream and mix it through with the sauce. Reduce the heat to medium low.
Add the chicken to the pan and simmer for 2-3 minutes until warmed through.
Stir in the chopped parsley and serve immediately.
The dish can be served with pasta, polenta, potato or rice with a side of vegetables.

Enid, OK: Dogtown

2011-10-11T17:00:00.000-05:00

Aaron's parents came and stayed with us this past week. They were our first visitors in Oklahoma, and I think I can speak for everyone when I say that we had a really nice time together. We stayed pretty busy checking out new places (even to us!), chatting up a storm, tiring out the cat, and of course....eating!

The first day they were here we took a stroll downtown, which is a great place to walk around, with little shops and statues and old buildings and that sort of thing. We were getting pretty hungry, and I had heard of this new funky hotdog place that just opened up. We decided to check it out, and boy were we glad!

It's in this little place just off of the square that looks like it use to be a diner. There are a few seats outside, and it looks kinda nice. But when you walk in...the atmosphere is GREAT! The colors, the style, the music, it's a hip little happy place with a giant chalk board with AMAZING hotdog combinations for FABULOUS prices. I wish I had taken more pictures of the place, but I didn't, which is a perfect reason to go back and have more hotdogs! They have a little bar that seats maybe 4 or 5, and a small back room with a bunch of booths and tables. But check out that menu board! It's insane. They all sound great...and trust me...the ones we've ordered tasted just as good as they sounded. Let's take a look, shall we?

Here we have the Old Yeller:

The Old Yeller is a hotdog with macaroni & cheese, grilled ham and coleslaw. Yes, it is all piled on top of a big fat Nathan's hotdog. It's huge. The bun it's served on is almost a hoagie roll, which had perfect texture, but seemed slightly too big. It really wasn't an issue. I think an easy solution could be hollowing the bread out slightly and stuffing the toppings in a little bit. Or a slightly smaller bun. But the taste! Oh YUM!!! The hotdog was cooked perfect and being a Nathan's it was flavorful and substantial. I love coleslaw on my hotdogs, and of course macaroni and cheese couldn't hurt either. The Old Yeller costs $4.99 and it's an additional $2 for a 24oz. drink and handcut fries. I loved the fries. They tasted fresh and I really liked how they WEREN'T doused in salt and seasonings. Mmm.....

Next, Aaron's dad ordered the Chihuahua:

I didn't try this, but was told it was really good. It must have been, because we talked about the hot dog place all week. The Chihuahua is a hotdog inside of a fried tortilla topped with guacamole, salsa, cheddar cheese and scallions. Yum! And only $3.79!

Here we have the Treehugger, ordered by Aaron's mom:

This would normally be served with a vegetarian hot dog, but they were out of them, so she ate this with a big meat dog. Topped with provolone, onions, tomatoes, cucumber, sprouts, cheddar and avocado, this just looked like a mountain of goodness. A mountain that I will try sooner than later for $5.29.

We were lucky to catch this place open, apparently it was only it's 3rd day, and they had recently gone through some personnel issues. Our wait was quite a bit longer than it should have been, but numerous employees and the manager (owner maybe?) came up explaining the delay, apologizing, etc. Some other patrons had an issue, mostly because of time restraints with lunch breaks and their own stubbornness and bitchiness The manager sat with them apologizing and explaining the issue, and in some cases, comp'ing their meal. We had no issues. The fact they came out to let us know what was going on was great, and the staff was very nice. We were enjoying each others company and although we were starved by the time the food came out, we had fun chatting it up and checking out other peoples hot dogs. Even with a long wait, our food, service and atmosphere made our Dogtown experience great!

I was really hesitant about a themey restaurant like this opening in downtown Enid. There aren't many good (or even decent) options in the area, and only being here 2 months, I've already nearly given up looking. But I am so glad I didn't. Yes, it may just be hotdogs, but it was a great experience and one that I look forward to going to on a regular basis. I can't wait to bring Aaron there. Maybe this weekend for a Wild Thang and a beer!

You know what would be cool? If they had some sort of "frequent dog card" or something like that. Like a card you get stamped that shows you've eaten every one of their dogs. And maybe get a free hotdog next time. I think that would go over really well. With me anyway.

I know it's tough for new restaurants to open in small towns nowadays, and I really hope this place is able to stick around. I know I'll be going back to get fat and support it!

Let's check out the final review:

Dogtown -115 E. Main Street, Enid, OK

$19.77

1 - Old Yeller
1 - Chihuahua
1 - Treehugger
3 - Combos (Large soda & fries)

Food: 9
Atmosphere: 7 (Could easily be a 9 if speed improves without compromising quality)
Presentation: 9

Menu Planning: How I Do It

2011-09-14T09:50:00.001-05:00

As you know, my love for food doesn't just come from eating it. I enjoy the whole process of making dinner. From menu planning, to grocery shopping, to organizing the fridge (which is desperately needed), to prepping for dinner (the chopping, measuring, mixing, sauteing) and finally, sitting down to enjoy it. I don't even mind doing dishes. And of course, I love sharing my food with you. I just wish I could have an awesome photographer be in my kitchen every time I want to take a picture of something. Often things don't show up on this blog because of picture quality or my laziness of taking photos. That's why it's important for me to get some sort of photography setup soon, more blogging!!!!

If I could, I would go grocery shopping every day. I love it. I love to browse the aisles taking everything in. I like to imagine buying everything I want. I like to visit multiple grocery stores. In order to save time, gas money and grocery money, I try to make 1 serious trip a week, and stop 1 or 2 other times for something specific I may have forgotten or if I changed my mind on what's for dinner. Here in Oklahoma, I'm still trying to figure out where the best bang for my buck is, where my couponing hobby will work the best, and which items I should buy where and on what day. There aren't any major national grocery stores in town and no double coupon days (that I've found), so I have to be careful. I found my best bet is to stick with the commissary on base for a majority of items, especially when they have specials and case lot sales. The only day they are closed is Monday, and on those days, the other grocery stores in town offer a 10% military discount. I don't have a specific 'day' to shop (yet), although I rarely shop on the weekends...I just can't take the crowds, especially when I find grocery shopping relaxing and sort of therapeutic.

So at some point during the week, I'll sit down with my menu planning/grocery shopping list notebook, my recipe binders, and my computer and start working. I first write out the day "Monday, Tuesday..." skipping a few lines in between for recipe titles/notes. I then fill in any days I know we'll be eating out. For example, this Saturday we are going to the Oklahoma State Fair and will be eating there.

(Click for larger view)

I'll then scan my starred items in my google reader. I think I've talked about my google reader before. It's my website-reading-hobby-hero. I don't know what I would do without it. I follow nearly 200 sites, most of them food blogs. I read/scan them in the morning (my little routine) and occasionally throughout the day on my phone during down time. When I see something that I want to read more thoroughly or I'd like to go look at another time, such as a recipe, I'll star it.

So I'll first scan my starred google reader items for anything that I might want to eat in the coming week. If I find something, I'll pick a day to make it and write it down and print the recipe (or write down what site it's from). I'll then add any meals I've been thinking about and craving. I'll also usually ask Aaron if he wants something special and he always responds with "I'll eat anything you want to make. Or if you don't want to make anything, I'll be fine with peanut butter and jelly."

Boys.

*Sigh*

After I exhaust my google reader and brain (not hard to do), I'll hit my food binders for recipes I've printed out in the past and torn out of magazines. I'll usually have a full menu for a week by now. If for some reason, there is still nothing standing out, I'll look through random cookbooks and even foodgawker or tastespotting. And if THAT doesn't work. Well, I guess we'll starve.

No. That could never happen.

Oh, I forgot to mention that as I find recipes, I start my grocery list. I look at the ingredients, and if I don't have something, or don't have a substitute, I'll put it on the list. I do that for every meal planned for the week.

If there were more than one store I was going to, I would make columns for each store and list the ingredients that way. Typically where we are living now, I hit up the commissary first and then other stores after.

My initial list often changes throughout the week. Sometimes it's due to our schedules, sometimes we have more leftovers than expected, sometimes there was a great price on another item at the store. I found this really helps me out throughout the week, I've been doing it for years. And I really like it, it makes me feel organized. It also gives me something to do while watching tv at night or during a lazy part of the weekend. I recommend it for everyone. Remember, you are never 'stuck' to a list. It's more like a guide, and as you make them, you'll be surprised that it's a lot easier to stick to your list than not. I don't have to worry about what I need to get for dinner or how long it will take me to cook. I know it ahead of time. If I need to prep something the night before, it goes on my list.

So, after all that...wanna see what's on my list for this week?

Wednesday - Buffalo Chicken Sliders & Tots (What's Cookin' Chicago)
Thursday - Breakfast for Dinner, Grits, Eggs and Homemade Biscuits
Friday - Baked Chili Rellenos in tomato broth (Binder Recipe)
Saturday - State Fair
Sunday - Tomato, Cucumber and Avocado Sandwiches
Monday - White Clam & Arugula Flatbread (Binder Recipe)
Tuesday - Brown Rice w/ Shrimp, Snowpeas & Avocado
Wednesday - Rosemary Roasted Potatoes w/ Grilled Chicken

So, do you plan your weekly meals? Do you have any menu planning routines?

Pork and Vegetable Eggrolls

2011-09-10T08:09:00.000-05:00

I made these a while back in my Florida kitchen trying to use up some freeze items like egg roll wrappers and ground pork.

I have used egg roll wrappers numerous times before, but I always baked them. I don't like the smell of oil frying in my house, and baking them was always a healthy alternative. This time however, I wanted the real thing. I wanted crispy, flaky, delicious, greasy, pork filled rolls of goodness.

And that is exactly what I got.

They were devoured. Because that's the only appropriate thing to do with delicious unhealthy food. Devour the evidence.

I was pleasantly surprised by how well these fried up. They only took a few minutes each, and puffed up and browned up beautifully. If your not into frying (although I suggest you fry these ATLEAST once) you could very easily spray the eggrolls with cooking spray and bake them, maybe at a temperature around 400°F or so. You could also substitute the pork for more veggies, chicken, shrimp, or beef. Whatever your little fried heart desires.

Pork and Vegetable Egg Roll Filling
Printable Recipe
by A Sweet Pea Chef

1 tbsp sesame oil
1 lb ground pork
2 cups shredded green cabbage
3 green onions, sliced
1 small onion, thinly sliced
4 cremini mushrooms, diced
1/2 cup (8 oz) water chestnuts, chopped
1/2 cup fresh bean sprouts
2 carrots (about 1/2 cup), shredded
3 cloves garlic, minced
1 tsp granulated sugar
1/2 tsp freshly grated ginger
2 tbsp (low sodium) soy sauce, plus more to taste
kosher salt, to taste
ground black pepper, to taste
package egg roll wrappers
1 egg, beaten (for moistening/sealing wrappers)

In a large skillet or wok, heat sesame oil. Add and cook pork over medium-high heat until well-browned. Remove from pan and reserve drippings. Set cooked pork aside.
Add cabbage, green onion and onion to the skillet and cook until tender, about 5-8 minutes. Add water chestnuts, mushrooms, bean sprouts, carrots, garlic, soy sauce and sugar and stir to incorporate. Cook 2 minutes. Add the cooked pork and stir again to incorporate well. Cook an additional 5 minutes. Remove from heat and let cool.
On a clean, flat surface, place 1 egg roll wrapper with 1 corner facing you (FYI: If you prefer chewier egg rolls, like I do, use two egg roll wrappers instead of one — using just one will make the egg roll more crispy). Place approximately 1-2 tablespoons of the filling (see recipe below) about 2 inches from the bottom corner of the wrapper. Fold the bottom corner over the filling.
Firmly roll the filled wrapper half-way up the rest of the wrapper. Dab the exposed edges of the wrapper with a beaten egg. Fold the two sides over the filled roll and roll the rest of the way up, pressing the top corner firmly onto the egg roll to seal it.
Repeat for the rest of the wrappers. Once ready to cook, heat about 3/4-inch to 1-inch of vegetable or canola oil over medium-high heat in a large skillet or wok. Once oil is hot (you will know it’s ready when a very tiny amount of water dropped into the oil dances and sizzles), carefully place enough egg rolls to cover the bottom of the pan. Try not to crowd them. Fry until golden brown on both sides, about 1-2 minutes per side. Once golden brown on both sides, remove and drain on a plate lined with paper towel.

Kacey's Kitchen - Oklahoma Edition Begins

2011-09-08T22:07:00.002-05:00

Hellooo good people, friends, strangers, and whoever else stumbles upon this blog!!!
You may or may not have noticed that it's been a little stagnant here. You may or may not even care to know why, but I'm gonna do you a favor and tell you!

In the middle of July, we found out that we would be moving to Oklahoma for Aaron to finish his undergraduate pilot training. We had to wait a little bit for official orders, and to find out the exact date we needed to be there, but I basically started preparing and organizing for our first PCS (Permanent Change of Station).

Cooking at home started to dwindle quickly at that time. Between trying to eat everything perishable in the house (lots of strange 'freezer meals'), and spending time with friends (lots of eating and drinking out), there was little that I wanted to blog about, or had time to blog about. We ate like crap for about a month. Tasty, tasty, bad for your health crap. Not that I'm turning into 'Little Miss Healthy Eating' or anything, don't worry. But day after day for weeks eating out...it's a little gross. Not to mention, I had to buy new jeans after we got to Oklahoma. I literally ripped mine from the crotch to the knee trying to squeeze into them. Great visual for you guys, right? I know!

Anyway, I had a lot of fun getting ready for our move. I got to clean and organize and purge and do all sorts of fun stuff that normal people hate! We had most of our household goods shipped, so I got to oversee a bunch of guys in our tiny apartment packing all of our stuff with barely any room to manage. It's a good thing they only brought 3 people. We've heard mixed reviews about military moves, and at this point, everything was going great! They were packing our stuff waaay better than we would have done, and they were super nice and friendly.

We also did a partial DITY (Do-it-Yourself move), and we loaded our vehicles to the brim with totes of things we would need right away (Pillows, blankets, toiletries, food, cloths, and the important things like the KitchenAid stand mixer. There are priorities you know.). On August 11th, we headed out, leaving good ole Milton, Florida and heading to the center of the country.

Did I mention it was the hottest week of the year, temperatures in Florida AND Oklahoma were averaging 110°F. AND it was a 15 hour drive. AND my truck doesn't have air conditioning?

It's okay though. I survived, and honestly, it wasn't nearly as bad as I expected it to be. There was only one time when we were stuck in stopped dead traffic for about an hour that it started to get a little toasty. I was sweaty to say the least. Just a tad. I do have my dear friend Joey to thank, she got me the most genius going away present...an oscillating fan that plugs into my cigarette lighter!!! And it really helped! Genius!!!

On the way up we stopped to see some family for a few days, checking out a rodeo and just hanging out. Sammy also got to experience a hotel room for the first time.

And I would think it's safe to say she didn't want to go back in her crate for another car ride. Don't worry, she rode with Aaron, in style, with air conditioning. Her Maine Coon-ness couldn't handle the heat!

We eventually made it up to our new town. Did I mention that we didn't have a place to live yet? Yup. That's right. We drove halfway across the country, not knowing where half of our things were, and not having a place to call home. We drove to base and stayed there in temporary lodging for the next 4 days while we house hunted. And house hunted. And house hunted. And then we found something perfect for us, something that felt a million times bigger than our studio apartment, and the price was even better than we were hoping!

We camped out in the living room for a week until our stuff was delivered. At this point, I really tried not to eat out much. I was still limited with supplies, but I made some fantastic meals, eating off of paper plates or out of the pans. (Warning: Absurdly blurry photos ahead!)

Chicken Parmigiana

Spicy Pan Seared Chicken with Garlic Smashed Potatoes and Summer Squash with Green Beans

Once our stuff was delivered (Everything was accounted for an in the same condition we left it! Yay for our first successful PCS move!!!) the kitchen was the first to be setup. I'm sure you could have guessed that at least.

I've been having a lot of fun getting back into the cooking routine, and I've been making a lot of delicious things I haven't tried yet. I haven't really taken the time to photograph much of the food though. Partly because I'm being lazy about it, but mostly because I need to rebuild my DIY photo lights. Taking them down and putting them up every time I cooked something led to unnecessary wear and tear so I ended up throwing most of them out, only salvaging the hardware. And now that we have more room, I plan on setting up a food photography table and keeping it up permanently. I just have to research, brainstorm, and come up with something affordable and crafty that will work for me. If you have any specific ideas, please feel free to share!

I hope to have more foodings and recipes up for you shortly. Now that our yard work (trying to grow new grass) is needing less tender care, and the house it coming together with details like curtains and pictures, I'll be able to focus more on this blog that I love so much.

Thanks for being patient and sticking around while we transitioned from the Sunshine State to the Sooner State. Never living in the mid-west before, I'm sure we are in for a change, but so far so good, and we are looking forward to exploring the area. Of course, I've been doing plenty of research on restaurants in Oklahoma City (the nearest big city to us), and the few places in our town, but if anyone has any recommendations for food in the Oklahoma City (and North) area, please let me know! Maybe we'll be seeing some more reviews here at Kacey's Kitchen.

Well...I guess that's the scoop. See you soon!!!

If you have any requests, questions, suggestions...please leave a comment or contact me directly at the link above!

Be sure to subscribe to Kacey's Kitchen so you don't miss a thing!

Honey Mustard Chicken Tenders

2011-08-05T08:00:00.000-05:00

One of my favorite blogs I follow is Life's Ambrosia. I love the look and flow of her blog and her pictures are so, nom nommy. Not to mention she pretty much loves all the food I do, so everything always looks amazing to me and I want to cook it all. If you love avocados, chipotle, cheese, shrimp, and easy to put together real people food, you should really check it out.

Anyway, I have tons of recipes bookmarked from that site, and I finally got around to making this one. I wish I didn't wait so long. It was ridiculously easy and so tasty! I will never be buying honey mustard dressing again! The only thing I may change is the marinating time. I think I would like my chicken with a little more of a tangy taste, so I would extend the marinade a few more hours.

I also love that these are baked. Not even for the health factor, but because I hate the greasy smell of frying things. Using the panko crumbs, they still get super crunchy and crispy!

Honey Mustard Chicken Tenders

Printable Recipe

by Life's Ambrosia

1/2 cup mayonnaise
2 tbsp prepared yellow mustard
1/2 tsp garlic powder
1 tsp vinegar
2 tbsp honey
salt and pepper to taste
1 1/2 lbs chicken tenders, rinsed and pat dry
1 cup panko bread crumbs
1 cup plain bread crumbs
1 tbsp olive oil

Whisk together mayonnaise, mustard, garlic, vinegar and honey. Season to taste with salt and pepper.
Place chicken tenders in a bowl and pour honey mustard over the top. Turn to coat. Cover and refrigerate for 2 hours.
After the chicken has marinated, preheat oven to 400 degrees and spray a cooling rack with non-stick spray. Place cooling rack on top of baking sheet and set aside.
Combine panko and plain bread crumbs in bowl. Remove the chicken from the marinade and let excess drip off. Dredge in the bread crumb mixture to coat completely. Place on prepared baking sheet, drizzle with olive oil and bake for 20 – 25 minutes. Turn on the broiler and broil for 3 minutes or until browned.

Blackberry Bourbon Iced Tea

2011-07-27T06:40:00.002-05:00

I'm guessing it's sweltering by you. Chances are your weather is at least 10°F hotter than mine down here in Florida this past week. There are also chances that you need a drink. A nice, cold, refreshing boozy drink. You know, while your sitting in front of your air conditioner that's maxing itself out. Just don't go outside, they say you'll get dehydrated and that boozy drinks don't help that. Pfffftttt.

It's only been in the high 90's lately, which is practically frigged for the end of July. (uh...yeah...frigged. No, not really.) I'll stay perfectly hydrated sipping on my boozy bourbon blackberry goodness before jumping in the 87°F gulf coast waters. (And yes, it is refreshing.)

If your not into the whole boozy qualities of this beverage, you still need to make it. Especially if you've got an excess of blackberries on hand and you love iced tea! It might seem like it takes a long time, but it is really good and totally worth it, especially if you make a double batch!

Blackberry Bourbon Iced Tea

Printable Recipe

By Bobby Flay

3 cups fresh blackberries
3/4 cup sugar
2 tbsp chopped fresh mint, plus mint sprigs for garnish
6 good-quality black tea bags
bourbon!

Combine the blackberries, sugar and chopped mint in a large bowl and mash with a potato masher or wooden spoon; let sit while making the tea.
While the blackberries are macerating, bring 1 1/2 quarts cold water to a boil in a medium saucepan. Remove from the heat, add the tea bags and let steep for about 3 minutes.
Remove the tea bags and pour the tea over the blackberry mixture. Let mixture sit at room temperature for at least 1 hour to let the flavors meld.
Pour the mixture through a strainer into a pitcher, pressing on the solids. Cover and refrigerate until cold, at least 2 hours.
Serve the blackberry tea over ice and float a shot of bourbon on top. Garnish with fresh mint sprigs.

Baked Creamy Chicken Taquitos

2011-07-25T13:10:00.000-05:00

Sometimes I forget that I don't have to make a huge meal for dinner. Don't get me wrong, I love me some huge meals, but sometimes it's just not necessary. I know Aaron would be fine eating a sandwich and canned baked beans (that's his go-to, make-it-himself-meal when I'm not home), but I prefer something much more satisfying. That's a big difference between us, he eats to fuel up, I eat to enjoy food. If I only knew how to eat for energy, we'd save a boat load of money. But don't worry, that's not going to happen anytime soon! I have a figure to maintain so my cloths don't get too big!

These Baked Creamy Chicken Taquitos made it around the blogosphere a couple of times before I actually whipped them up. I wish I didn't wait too long, cause they were delicious! Perfect for dinner, served with some black beans and a light salad, they would also be terrific appetizers/finger food when guests are over. Once you have the chicken cooked, they only take a few minutes to put together. I'd imagine they would freeze well (prior to cooking) if you wanted to make a few batches for a later time.

Baked Creamy Chicken Taquitos
by OurBestBites.com

Printable Recipe

1/3 C (3 oz) cream cheese
1/4 C green salsa
1T fresh lime juice
1/2 t cumin
1 t chili powder
1/2 t onion powder
1/4 t granulated garlic
3 T chopped cilantro
2 T sliced green onions
2 C shredded cooked chicken
1 C grated pepperjack cheese
small corn tortillas
kosher salt
cooking spray

Heat oven to 425. Line a baking sheet with foil and lightly coat with cooking spray.
Heat cream cheese in the microwave for about 20-30 seconds so it's soft and easy to stir. Add green salsa, lime juice, cumin, chili powder, onion powder and granulated garlic. Stir to combine and then add cilantro and green onions. Add chicken and cheese and combine well. (You can prepare up to this step ahead of time. Just keep the mixture in the fridge.)
Work with a few tortillas at a time and heat in the microwave until they are soft enough to roll without cracking. It helps to place them between damp paper towels. Usually 20-30 seconds will do it. If you find yours are cracking when you roll them or come unrolled right away, just try heating them longer and try the paper towel thing.
Place 2-3 T of chicken mixture on the lower third of a tortilla, keeping it about 1/2 inch from the edges.
Then roll it up as tight as you can.
Place seam side down on the baking sheet. Lay all of the taquitos on the baking sheet and make sure they are not touching each other. Spray the tops lightly with cooking spray or an oil mister and sprinkle some kosher salt on top.
Place pan in oven and bake for 15-20 minutes or until crisp and the ends start to get golden brown.

Oreo Stuffed Chocolate Chip Cookies

2011-07-17T07:00:00.000-05:00

I'm pretty sure I don't have to tell you how amazing chocolate chip cookies stuffed with oreos are. I've made these a few times to bring to parties and they were definitely a hit. People talked about them all night! Instead of me going on and on about how dreamy they are, I'll share with you a few comments I've received about them.

Typically, most reactions start out with, "Oh....My.....God....".

Then, "Look at these cookies Kacey made!!! And she isn't even a stoner!!!"

Or, "Oh my god, these are amazing. Oh my god. These are so good. Oh my god these are ridiculous."

And my personal favorite, "It's like an orgasm....in my mouth!!!". (Woah, I know!)

Do you need something to completely blow your co-workers minds? Do you need to leave your friends in a sugar coma for a week? Do you need a dessert that is simple to make??? Hell yeah you do!!!

Go forth and make these, now. Just be sure to have a gallon of milk on hand and a nice cozy spot to nap after you've pigged out on them!

Oreo Stuffed Chocolate Chip Cookies

Printable Recipe

by Picky Palate

2 sticks softened butter
3/4 Cup packed light brown sugar
1 Cup granulated sugar
2 large eggs
1 Tablespoon pure vanilla
3 1/2 Cups all purpose flour
1 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon baking soda
10 oz bag chocolate chips
1 bag Oreo Cookies, I used the double stuff

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.
In a stand or electric mixer cream butter and sugars until well combined. Add in eggs and vanilla until well combined.
In a separate bowl mix the flour, salt and baking soda. Slowly add to wet ingredients along with chocolate chips until just combined.
Using a cookie scoop take one scoop of cookie dough and place on top of an Oreo Cookie. Take another scoop of dough and place on bottom of Oreo Cookie. Seal edges together by pressing and cupping in hand until Oreo Cookie is enclosed with dough.
Place onto a parchment or silpat lined baking sheet and bake cookies 9-13 minutes or until cookies are baked to your liking. Let cool for 5 minutes before transferring to cooling rack. Serve with a tall glass of milk, enjoy!

Jalapeño, Avocado and Bacon Burger

2011-06-14T08:00:00.001-05:00

I bet you were curious how to make this delicious burger, weren't you? Were you worried I would leave you hanging without a recipe? Have no fear, I have always planned on sharing it with you!

I found this recipe in a Rachael Ray magazine and needed to have it. So I made it. And it was amazing. Like, bacon fat amazing. Trust me, you'll see.

Go, make this today, serve it with tots, and tell me how delicious it is.

Jalapeño, Avocado and Bacon Burger

Printable Recipe

by Robert Del Grande, RDG & Bar Annie

6 jalapeño chiles
6 slices bacon
3 pounds ground beef chuck
Salt and pepper
1/2 cup (about 2 ounces) crumbled queso fresco
1/2 cup mayonnaise
1/4 cup buttermilk
2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
2 avocados, pitted and thinly sliced
1 bunch cilantro, chopped
1/2 onion, thinly sliced
6 hamburger buns, split

Preheat a grill to medium and place a cast-iron skillet on top. Add the chiles and cook until softened and the skin is charred, about 10 minutes. Transfer the chiles to a bowl, cover and let cool slightly. Remove and discard the stems, skin and seeds; finely chop the chiles.
Meanwhile, cook the bacon in the skillet until crisp. Discard all but 1 tablespoon of bacon fat; chop the bacon.
In a large bowl, combine the chopped bacon, the reserved bacon fat, the beef and half of the chiles. Form into 6 patties; season with salt and pepper.In a medium bowl, combine the queso fresco, mayonnaise, buttermilk, 1 tablespoon olive oil and the remaining chiles. Season with salt and pepper, cover and refrigerate.
In another bowl, toss the avocados, cilantro, onion and remaining 1 tablespoon olive oil; set aside.
Grill the burgers, flipping once, for about 10 minutes for medium-rare. Just before the burgers are finished cooking, grill the buns until toasted, about 1 minute. Place a burger on each bun bottom, top with some of the avocado salad, drizzle with some of the queso fresco dressing and set a bun top in place.

Summertime - Burgers!

2011-06-10T10:00:00.003-05:00

Helloooo Everybody! Although I've been mega slacking on the blog posts, we still have been stuffing our faces with deliciousness like this chili burger topped with guacamole! Oh, and don't forget about the tots. You know how much I love those (See Tator Tachos and Cheesy Tots with Green Chili Sauce). I've also been on a burger kick for the past year. Summertime always makes people crave burgers...but I think moving to warmer climate (hello 105 degrees!) really kicked it for me. Asides from burgers, I think I'll be eating a lot of potato salad this summer and looking to expand with all types and interesting flavors. (I know, it's gonna be one freakin' healthy summer!)

We've been really busy around here, doing all sorts of stuff, but just wanted to let you know I'm still here at Kacey's Kitchen!

What about you? Have you been staying busy this summer? Keeping busy in the kitchen? Have you had any summertime cravings? Let us know!!!

Shrimp & Chorizo Stuffed Poblano Peppers

2011-05-23T08:31:00.000-05:00

Let's be honest here. Food network chefs are pretty cheesy now a days, aren't they? Yeah, I thought so too. I really can't remember the last time I watched Food Network either. I subscribe to the magazine, which I really like. I also follow FoodNetworkHumor.com which, if you haven't seen it (you really should), just bashed Food Network stars. If you like food and laughing at people, then it's for you.

Anyway, occasionally I use to watch Guy Fieri, whatever his cooking show was. The one with the outrageous background props and Nascar (or whatever it was) on a huge tv in the background. While I found him to get pretty annoying while cooking, I always thought his food was really appealing, and seemed to be the stuff I like to eat.

I must have cooked other Fieri recipes, but I can't remember, so this will be my first official one. And I loved it! I love the flavor, the amount of heat, the texture. I loved everything about these stuffed peppers. They are a meal in itself, I don't think I served anything along side of them (it really doesn't need anything else). If your poblanos are small, definitely use more of them. I believe I used 6 or 7 poblanos for this recipe.

Shrimp & Chorizo Stuffed Poblano Peppers

Printable Recipe

by Guy Fieri

1 tablespoon oil
1/2 pound Mexican-style chorizo
1/2 red bell pepper, diced
1/2 green bell pepper, diced
1 jalapeno, minced
1 red onion, diced
2 tablespoons garlic, minced
1 cup short-grain rice
1 cup low-sodium chicken stock
1/2 cup white wine
1/2 cup water
4 large, fresh poblano chiles
1 pound shrimp, shelled, cut into
1/2-inch pieces
3/4 cup Cheddar, shredded
3/4 cup Jack cheese, shredded

DirectionsIn a medium saucepan, heat oil and chorizo, cook for 3 minutes.
Add peppers, jalapeno, onions and garlic. Cook until translucent, then add rice and cook until all the grains of the rice are coated with oil.
Add all liquids and stir over high heat for 3 minutes, cover and reduce heat to low. Check rice for doneness after 20 minutes.
Preheat oven to 400 degrees F.
Place poblano chiles on baking sheet and bake for 15 minutes. Remove from oven and let cool. Once cool, cut top 1/4 of chile off and remove ribs and seeds.
When rice is finished cooking, fluff with fork and stir in shrimp. Stuff chiles with 1/6 of the rice mixture.
Place all the chiles on baking sheet and place into oven for 10 minutes. Remove from oven, mix cheeses together and cover pepper with cheese. Broil for 3 minutes to melt and brown the cheese.

Tator Tachos

2011-05-09T07:42:00.003-05:00

Do you even know what this is? Can you decipher it's slutty amazing goodness through the layers and layers of delicious tator tots, ground beef, vegetables and most importantly, cheese?

This my friends, is my new favorite, laying-around-on-a-weekend-afternoon-watching-movies-snacking-all-day-without-a-real-meal-sort-of-meal. This could very possibly be your only meal of the day.

After making the Cheesy Tots with Green Chili Sauce, I have been officially addicted to tator tors. Please, don't send help. This is an addiction that I am willing to deal with. I have it under control. Really. To be honest, I am careful not to eat tator tots all of the time. Although I am completely aware of the half full bag in the freezer right now and it's barely 8am. It's not the tator tots I'm afraid of eating all of the time, its the quantity. I could kill a whole bag myself. Without flinching. And after they were all gone, I would probably look around wondering what happened to them. WHERE DID ALL THE TOTS GO???

Anyway, so a while back we were hanging out craving some nachos but there were no chips to be found in the house (thats something else I can't leave around, Aaron will inhale the entire bag before I ever have a chance to ask him not to). So I thought....TATOR TOTS!!!

The trick (no, it's not really a trick) to these is cooking the tator tots very well done. You want them extra, extra, extra, extra crispy because your going to be piling a lot of things on top. And then just pile on anything that you crave. Whatever your normal nacho toppings...do it! You'll love it. You might even have to unbutton your pants and take a nap afterwards.

Feel free to wash this down with a nice cold beer.

Tator Tachos

Printable Recipe

by Kacey's Kitchen

1 bag Tator Tots
1-2 cups prepared taco meat (or beans)
2 cups shredded cheddar cheese (or a blend)
1-2 tomatoes, diced
1 cup black olives, sliced
shredded lettuce
guacamole
sour cream
salsa

Cook Tator Tots according to package in a single layer on a tin foil lined cookie sheet. Cook 2-3 times longer than instructions say. You'll want them very crispy and golden brown, but not burnt. Be sure to flip the tots over once while cooking.
Prepare all toppings. When tots are done cooking, remove them from the oven and sprinkle the taco meat, cheese, tomatoes and black olives.
Pop the tray back into the oven for just a minute or two, until cheese is melted. Remove from oven.
Scoop the tots onto a plate, piling them on top of each other to ensure layers of toppings.
Sprinkle shredded lettuce on top and serve with guacamole, sour cream and salsa. Forks may be required.

French Toast

2011-05-06T07:31:00.003-05:00

I love breakfast, and at first, I brought breakfast into our (semi)weekly menu rotation to save time, money, and to be honest, brainpower. Throughout the week I am fairly busy, and if I plan a 'normal' dinner on those days, I often find myself running around whipping something up half assed, not taking a picture of it, scarfing it down, and running out the door before the pan even cools.

On those busy nights, making a simple breakfast is fun for me. For starters (get it? Starters? Breakfast?? Oh never mind.). For starters, it's almost like special treat. Simple I know, but since we rarely have breakfast (my favorite meal) it's a treat to have it for dinner. I also get to spend more time unwinding or talking with Aaron. But my favorite part....it's mindless!!! I don't have to think about a thing! I don't have to worry about not having the right ingredients on hand.

We are both a fan of egg dishes, but I do like to mix it up a bit. On this day, I just made a huge platter of french toast. I did however forget to serve them with peaches I bought specifically for this dinner. Oh well, it was still delicious.

Maybe it's because I love breakfast. But I think another reason I love this is because it reminds me of how excited I would get when I was younger and my mom served breakfast for dinner. It was just once in a while, and now that I'm older, I realize she probably did it for the same reason. I'm tired. I'm busy. I want something easy to clean up. But we always thought it was special. It was right up there with dessert before dinner! Yup, we had those nights too!

I used Texas toast because it was on sale. And it's near impossible to find Challah here. But if you can get Challah, promise me you will make french toast with it. It will bring your french toast to a whole other level. And please, only use real maple syrup. (I need to make a shirt that says something like that)

French Toast

Printable Recipe

by Kacey's Kitchen

4 eggs
1/2 cup milk
1 tsp cinnamon
1 tsp vanilla
approx 8 slices of bread
butter (or non stick spray)
real Maple syrup
fruit (optional)

Beat eggs, milk, cinnamon, and vanilla together. Pour into a shallow bowl.
Heat a large flat griddle or non stick skillet on medium heat. Dip each slice of bread into the egg mixture, allowing the bread to absorb it.
Melt butter on pan and add as many slices of bread that will fit.
Fry until brown on both sides.
Serve with butter, maple syrup, and fruit.

Sweet Potato Hash, Crab Cake, Poached Egg and Chipotle Hollandaise

2011-04-27T05:00:00.003-05:00

I have been craving this mountain of goodness for a while now. Ever since I made Bobby Flay's Sweet Potato Hash I've wanted to use chipotle hollandaise sauce and add a crab cake. Seriously, how much better could it get. Just to let you know, this is delicious. Although one of these towers will fill you up, you'll be wanting another one.

It may seem like there are a lot of steps to this, but you'll be able to make the sweet potato hash and the crab cake ahead of time, and reheat them together while you are prepping the egg and hollandaise.

Below you'll find all the recipes you need in order to recreate this. Make the Sweet Potato Hash first along with the crab cakes, then as the water for the poached eggs is heating up, whip up the hollandaise and finish making the eggs. Stack however you wish, and dive in!

Sweet Potato Hash with Poached Eggs
Printable Recipe
by Kacey's Kitchen - slightly adapted from Bobby Flay, Foodnetwork.com

2 large sweet potatoes
2 scallions, thinly sliced
1/4 cup cilantro, coarsely chopped
1 tablespoon honey
Salt and freshly ground pepper, to taste
3 cups water
1 tablespoon white wine vinegar
4 eggs

To prepare the hash:

Preheat oven to 375°F.
In a medium saucepan, cover the potatoes with cold water and bring to a boil over high heat. Reduce the heat and simmer until tender, about 25 to 30 minutes. Drain the potatoes, peel and cut into 1/2-inch cubes.
Place the potatoes, scallion, cilantro and honey in a large bowl and mix gently until combined, season with salt and pepper. Form into 4 equal-sized patties and place on a greased baking sheet.
Place in oven for about 20 minutes or until golden brown.

To prepare the poached eggs:

Heat the water and vinegar until simmering in a large frying pan. Break each egg into a cup and gently add to the water.
Poach for 4 to 5 minutes, or until the yolk is nearly cooked. Remove the eggs from the pan with a slotted spoon to drain the liquid and top each hash patty with 1 poached egg.

Crab Cakes
Printable Recipe
by Kacey's Kitchen, adapted from Phillips Foods (Shirley Phillips Crab Cakes)

8-10 oz. crab cakes, chopped
1 egg
1 tsp. Worcestershire sauce
1 Tbsp. mayonnaise
½ tsp. lemon juice
1 ½ tsp. mustard
1 ½ tsp. melted butter
½ tsp. parsley flakes
¼ c. breadcrumbs
chopped chives for garnish (if desired)

Preheat oven at 375°F degrees.
In a large mixing bowl, combine all ingredients except for crab meat.
Fold in the crab. Shape into four patties.
Line cookie sheet with tinfoil (for easy cleanup), place patties on it, and bake 12-15 minutes or until evenly brown on each side and warmed through.

Chipotle Hollandaise

Printable Recipe

by Food Network

3 egg yolks
1/2 tsp hot sauce
1/2 tsp Worcestershire sauce
1/4 tsp salt
Lemon juice, to taste
1/8 cup melted butter
1/2 tbsp chipotle pepper puree

Whip the egg yolks until they are foamy.
Continue whipping while you add the hot sauce, Worcestershire sauce, salt and lemon juice.
Transfer the mixture to the top of a double boiler and place over medium heat, and continue whipping by band until sauce thickens and forms ribbons when the whisk is lifted.
Remove the sauce from the heat and add the butter and the chipotle puree.

Tiramisu - Reader Request Monday's

2011-04-25T16:13:00.006-05:00

(Photo courtesy of Chef Dennis)

That's not my photo. I considered posting this recipe without a photo, but I couldn't bring myself to do it. I love food blogs with photos, it's what draws me into them. And when I follow over 200+ blogs daily, it's important to quickly pick and choose which ones I read to completion. So, I thought the next best thing is to use the photo from the blog I got this delicious recipe from. My Tiramisu tasted very good, and it looked okay in the pan, but it, uh...wasn't very photogenic by the time a took out a slice. Anywho...onto the story....

A long, long time ago (last year) my good friend Nich asked me if I had ever made a Tiramisu. I replied, telling him I would make it that week and let him know how it comes out. It's been a long freaking week. Never looking at a recipe for it, he was curious if it was even possible to make it at home. To be honest, so was I. I never read a recipe for Tiramisu, and I never even thought to make it at home. And then, when I saw this recipe, I kinda wanted to kick myself it was so simple. It was just one of those things I just assumed order out at a nice restaurant.

So, the only reason you might hesitate to make this recipe is that it calls for coffee liquor. Sure, you could leave it out if you wanted, but really, who wants to? But then again, who actually has a bottle of coffee liquor in their house? If you don't, you probably don't want to buy a whole bottle of it just for a Tiramisu. Maybe you have a creepy neighbor you could borrow some from.

Well it's just my luck that the hub-ster likes to drink White Russians (Weird, right? That's a whole other topic I could get into). I guess it's a Big Lebowski type guilty pleasure that he started indulging in before I moved down here with him. But hey, if that's what his hobby his while I'm away, go for it Dude.

I didn't even intend to add that pun right there. Perfect!

Anywho...This was a breeze to make. Of course, I could have gone the extra step(s) to make my own lady fingers, but I wanted to be realistic. I'm sure most restaurants your getting your tiramisu at don't make their own lady fingers, and I'm sure most of you don't want to both making you own. I sure didn't. But I would still consider this homemade. So will you.

Reader Request Monday's is where you, the reader, request what meals/product reviews/anything that you would like to see here at Kacey's Kitchen! Over the week I will make one of your suggestions and will post the recipe and pictures the next Monday.

So, what would you like to see on Kacey's Kitchen, leave a comment below!

Tiramisu

Printable Recipe

by Chef Dennis

6 egg yolks
1 cup sugar
1 1/4 cup mascarpone cheese
1 3/4 cup heavy whipping cream
2 -12 oz packages Italian Lady fingers
1/2 cup cold espresso
1/4 cup coffee flavored Liquor (optional)
1 tbsp cocoa for dusting

Combine egg yolks and sugar in the top of a double boiler, over boiling water. Reduce heat to low, and cook for about 10 minutes, stirring constantly. This is your sabayon, remove from the heat and whip yolks until thick and lemon colored.
Add Mascarpone to whipped yolks, beat until combined.
In a separate bowl, whip cream to stiff peaks.
Gently fold the whipped cream int the marscapone sabayon mixture and set aside.
Mix the cold espresso with the coffee liquor and dip the lady fingers into the mixture just long enough to get them wet, do not soak them!
Arrange the lady fingers in the bottom of a 8 inch square baking dish (or 6x9)
Spoon half the mascarpone cream filling over the lady fingers.
Repeat process with another layer.
Refrigerate 4 hours or overnight.
Dust with cocoa before serving.

Sun Dried Tomato Lemon Pasta

2011-04-20T05:00:00.001-05:00

I feel like I should tell you that I don't eat pasta every day. Could I? Yes. Have I? Yes. Do I want to? Very often I do. But do I actually do it? No.

Because of my method of blogging (the 'whatever I feel like' method), it's deceiving what we eat on a regular basis. You see, I cook food, take pictures of it, edit the photos, and then they typically sit on my computer until I feel like talking about it. So sometimes you see things that I made that day, or that week, and other times you get things that I made a month or two ago. I like telling you little stories, so I pick what feels good at the time. So although I may blog about 500 pasta dishes in a row, chances are I probably threw a few other meals in between.

So....lets get back to the food.

Pasta is delicious. We can all agree on that, right? I'll take pasta anyway there is, although I prefer my pasta with a olive oil or a light cream based sauce. Or fresh diced tomatoes. A delicious way is something light and citrus-y and fresh, just like this meal. With a huge side of crusty bread and even a light crispy salad. Of course there is always stuffed pastas...but that's a whole other irresistible ball game.

So, how do you like your pasta?

Sun Dried Tomato Lemon Pasta

Printable Recipe

by Kacey's Kitchen

1 lb penne (or your other favorite pasta)
5 cloves garlic
2/3 cup olive oil
juice of 4 lemons
zest of 1 lemon
1/4 cup chopped sun dried tomatoes
1/4 cup packed fresh basil leaves
salt and pepper

Cook penne in a large pot of salted water until al dente. Drain and set aside, reserving some pasta water.
Meanwhile, heat olive oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Chop garlic and add to oil until just fragrant.
Add lemon juice, zest, and sun dried tomatoes. Whisk to combine.
Add pasta to pan, toss and add reserved pasta water if necessary to moisten.
Season with salt and lots of freshly ground pepper.
Chop basil and sprinkle on top of pasta just prior to serving.

Mushroom and Chicken Stroganoff

2011-04-18T16:41:00.004-05:00

I have been craving comfort food lately. Probably cause I miss my sister and when I talk to her, we often talk about food. What she is having for dinner, what I am having for dinner. And then we talk about her coming to visit me. Yay!!! But until then, I miss her!

And then I want to fill my belly with comforting goodness. Creamy, cheesy, fatty goodness. Except this meal isn't as bad as it seems...I don't think anyway. It's creamy without using cream, and you really don't have to put it over pasta if you don't want. In fact, this would be good with additional vegetables, seafood, or even over rice.

But as usual, I have to eat most things with an entire loaf of bread. So that just leaves this meal as comforting for me, and that's quite alright.

Oh! It's Reader Request Monday! What do you want to see here on Kacey's Kitchen??? Leave me a message below and I'll try to whip something up for you!

Mushroom and Chicken Stroganoff

Printable Recipe

by Kacey's Kitchen

2 tbsp butter
1 tbsp EVOO
1 onion, chopped
4 cloves garlic, minced
1 lb mushrooms
1/2 lb chicken breasts, cut up
fresh baby spinach
1.5 cups chicken stock
1.5 cups non fat plain Greek yogurt
3 tbsp all-purpose flour
1 tsp soy sauce
1 tsp Worcestershire sauce
salt and pepper
pasta

Bring a large pot of salter water to a boil. Add pasta and cook just shy of al dente. Drain and set aside.
Season chicken pieces with salt and pepper.
While pasta is cooking, melt butter and EVOO in a large skillet over medium heat. Add onions and garlic, stir and cook until softened.
Add the chicken and mushrooms. Cook until the mushrooms are softened and lightly browned.
Add the stock, soy sauce, and Worcestershire sauce. Bring to a boil and reduce temperature slightly to simmer until mixture reduces by about 1/3.
Combine sour cream and flour in a small bowl, add this mixture to pan and stir. Continue cooking over low heat, just until sauce thickens.
Add spinach and stir. Pour pasta into the sauce and cook until the dish is heated through.
Season with salt, pepper, parsley and as always, crusty bread.

Turkey Pesto Melt

2011-04-15T07:02:00.004-05:00

I don't know many people that can resist a grilled cheese sandwich. And that's all that this started out to be. And then I started loading on the toppings. And each layer added more deliciousness to this sandwich.

It's not fancy, it's not complicated, and it's not hard to make. The best part is...it's delicious!!! And, it's another one of my 'recipes' that you could use anything you have on hand. The only requirements: bread & cheese.

I use a cast iron griddle and press to make my grilled cheese sandwiches, but you could just as easily use a non-stick skillet and and a heavy pot on top of it. This helps stick everything all together while encouraging the insides to heat through quicker. You don't want to smash everything into a flat brick, so this little bit of weight is perfect. You'll be able to keep all the textures of your fillings that way.

I could eat this every day.

Turkey Pesto Melt

Printable Recipe

by Kacey's Kitchen

Bread, sliced (5 minute no-knead is my favorite for grilled cheese)
Pepperjack cheese
Pesto
Cajun roasted turkey breast, thinly sliced
Tomato, sliced
Butter, softened

If using a cast iron pan with press, preheat pan on medium heat with press inside of pan.
Lay out all slices of bread and smear one side of each with butter.
Place one slice of bread for each sandwich in pan, butter side down.
Start building your sandwich on each of those pieces of bread. A layer of pesto, a layer of cheese, a layer or two of turkey, tomato, turkey, and cheese.
Take remaining buttered bread and smear a layer of pesto on the non-buttered side.
Place the bread, pesto side down onto each sandwich in the pan.
Place press on top of all sandwiches and cook about 4 minutes or until bottom of sandwiches is golden brown. Flip over and cook until everything is melted and golden brown.
Enjoy every glorious bite!

Reader Request Monday's - Kiwi Sorbet

2011-04-11T05:00:00.000-05:00

My good friend Jenn up in New York State, where it is still snowing, asked for a recipe using kiwis without it being a fruit salad.

I thought of a few things before making the sorbet. A light flaky fish pan seared with a kiwi mango salsa? Chocolate covered kiwi slices? And then I had a craving for ice cream. It's been really warm here. And we had no ice cream. So I made the next best thing. Sorbet!!!!

Jenn, I know this recipe isn't going to do you very good for the next few months, since it's freezing up there already. But I think you'll really like this when you do make it. It's light, refreshing, and sweet.

I just realized I don't have a round ice cream scoop. I use one of those flat paddled ice cream 'scraper' things, so I had to form this kiwi ball with my hands, ha ha! Can you see my finger prints in it?

So, what would you like to see on Kacey's Kitchen, leave a comment below!

Kiwi Sorbet

Printable Recipe

by Our Kitchen

6 kiwifruit (peeled)
½ cup caster sugar
2 tbsp ice cold water

Cut the kiwi in half, remove the core and cut into small pieces. Place on a plate or tray and place into the freezer for two hours or until frozen.
Once the kiwifruit is frozen put into the blender with the sugar and blend for a few minutes or until it has a granular texture.
Gradually add the water until the mixture comes together in a nice creamy pale green sorbet.
Scoop out into a bowl and place into the freezer until you are ready to serve it.

Asian Pork Tenderloin

2011-04-06T05:00:00.002-05:00

Whoops, looks like Reader Request Monday's Kiwi post is going to be delayed AGAIN! I'm usually very good about deadlines. I guess because it's my blog with my rules, I can switch it up if I want. Plus, your not going to leave me over something silly like that, are you?

Good news is....kiwi is being processed right now. I had derby last night which gets in the way of cooking. And I had work in the morning which gets in the way of everything. Excuses, excuses...on to the pork!

I don't buy pork tenderloin often, mainly because I often forget about it. I stumbled upon it for a really good deal at the grocery store a while back and threw it in my freezer. Another thing I often forget is how much meat comes in those little vacuum sealed pouches. It's very deceiving. But in that good, "Oh! Look how much meat there is!" sort of way. You know what I mean, don't you?

Sometimes though, I do something wrong with my tenderloins. I try my hardest not to overcook them, but they often come out dry. But not this time! Not with this recipe! This was delicious and juicy and oh so tasty! I thank the marinade, although it could just be my lovely cooking hands working their magic again!

Either way, it was gooood, and I'll be using this recipe again. It's pretty quick to throw together as well. Once you marinate it, it's less than 10 minutes hands on time. While it finishes in the oven, I was able to whip up a light veggie stirfry to serve along side. It makes for excellent leftovers also!

Asian Pork Tenderloin

Printable Recipe
by Dishing Up Delights, adapted from For the Love of Cooking

1/3 cup of low sodium soy sauce
2 tbsp toasted sesame oil
1/2 tsp Worcestershire sauce
1 tbsp brown sugar
1 tsp hot chili sauce (I used chili-garlic sauced)
3 cloves of garlic, minced
2 green onions, sliced
7 ounces pork tenderloin, trimmed of fat
Canola oil
Rice or noodles for serving (optional)

Combine the soy sauce, sesame oil, Worcestershire sauce, brown sugar, chili sauce, garlic, and most of the green onions in a large zip lock bag, then add the pork. Seal and marinate in the refrigerator for 8-24 hours, turning the bag occasionally.
Preheat the oven to 425 degrees. Heat some oil in a large oven-proof skillet over medium high heat.
Remove pork from bag, reserving marinade. Add pork to pan, cook 6 minutes, browning on all sides.
Place pan in oven, and bake at 425 degrees for 15 minutes or until meat thermometer registers 155-160 degrees (medium) or until desired degree of doneness. Let stand 5 minutes before slicing.
Bring reserved marinade to a boil in a small saucepan. Reduce heat, and simmer 5 minutes. Cut pork into 1/4 inch thick slices and drizzle with sauce and the remaining green onions.
Serve over rice or noodles.

Cilantro Lime Salad Dressing - Reader Request Monday On Wednesday

2011-04-04T05:00:00.000-05:00

Regarding Reader Request Monday's. We are switching things around slightly. I never got around to making this weeks Reader Request Dish (Jenn's request of a non-fruit salad kiwi dish), so I'll be making it and posting about it on Wednesday. Keep an eye out for it!

In the meantime, feel free to suggest something for next weeks Reader Request Monday's. Simply leave a comment below, and I'll pick someone's request, make it, and share it with you next week!

It's ~~getting~~ warm out. Mid-80's type of warm. It's awesome. And although I made this salad dressing back in January, the weather demands a salad. My hips demand a salad. And my jeans that I can no longer fit into demand a salad. A refreshing salad. A salad without a creamy base. A salad that is crisp, tangy, and with a little bite to it. This is that type of dressing. Take a look, it's green and delicious:

I made a simple salad of things I had laying around. Lettuce, onions, carrots, and sundried tomatoes. And then I whipped up this Cilantro Lime Salad Dressing. It's so versatile. I would imagine how tasty this would be as a marinade for either chicken of beef. Or even brushed on some crusty bread and toasted. Nom, nom.

Don't be scared to make your own dressing people...this literally took only a minute or two to whip up, and I promise, it's so much better than what you can find in the store. But then again, we are oil & vinegar (balsamic vinegar) type of salad people.

I don't remember exactly where I got this idea from, so I can't take all the credit. But I took the idea and used what I had handy.

Cilantro Lime Salad Dressing

Printable Recipe

by Kacey's Kitchen, original recipe unknown

2 limes, juiced
1/3 cup EVOO
1/2 tsp salt
1 tsp sugar
1 cup cilantro, finely chopped
freshly ground pepper (lots)
1 tbsp spicy mustard

Combine all ingredients and whisk until salt and sugar is dissolved. Pour over salad or use as marinade.
If ingredients separate, simply whisk before use.

Chipotle Corn Chowder

2011-04-01T06:31:00.003-05:00

Man, do I have a back log of recipes to share with you. Taking that month off from blogging really through my files and organization for a loop. This is another one made back way in December.

I'm still addicted to the smokey heat of Chipotles, so when I came across this recipe, I had to try it. The recipe calls for a dried Chipotle pepper, but I just used canned with adobo sauce since I always have a ton on hand. Start out by using one pepper, but if you are a fan of heat like we are, you might wanna throw in a second one. Just taste it first, cause it does sneak up on you.

Another tip, if you have an immersion blender, use it. Otherwise, don't do what I did and over fill my blender so when I pulsed it, a hot disaster of Chipotle Corn Chowder exploded all over me, the counters, the windows, and of course, the floor. Brilliant....

This was very good, and I'm sure I'll be making it again. It could be a meal in itself, but I happened to have some extra crab cakes, so I served them on top of spinach and red onion salad. If I had the fresh crab, I probably would have just threw chunks of the meat in the chowder just before serving.

Here's the recipe so you can give it a whirl!

Corn Chowder with Chipotle Pepper

Printable Recipe

by Kacey's Kitchen, very slightly adapted from Phoo-d, adapted from Canyon Ranch Cooking

1 dried Chipotle pepper or 1 Chipotle in adobo sauce
1 tsp Olive oil
1/2 small Onion, diced
3 Garlic cloves, minced
2 cups fresh or frozen Corn kernels
1/2 tsp Chili powder
1/2 tsp Cumin
2 cups Vegetable stock
1/2 cup milk
1/2 tsp salt
1 tbsp chopped Cilantro, plus additional leaves for garnish
1 Red bell pepper, seeded and diced
1 Green bell pepper, seeded and diced

(If you are using canned chipotle, skip this step). Boil a small amount of water in pot or kettle. Once the water is boiling, place the chipotle pepper in a small heat-proof bowl and pour the hot water over the top of the pepper. Let the pepper soak in the hot water until it is soft, while you prep the rest of the ingredients, about 5-10 minutes. Once the pepper is soft, discard the water, cut the pepper in half, carefully remove any seeds, and finely chop the pepper.
Place a medium soup pot over medium-high heat, and add in the olive oil. Once the oil is warm, add the onion, garlic, and chipotle pepper. Cook, stirring often, until vegetables are soft.
Add the corn kernels, chili powder, and cumin to the soup pot. Stir well, and cook for about 5 minutes.
Pour the vegetable stock into the pot, and bring the mixture to a gentle simmer. Cook for 10 minutes or until the corn is tender.
Add in the milk, and continue to simmer until the liquid is warmed through and well combined. Turn off the heat.
Use a stick blender, or carefully transfer the hot soup to a blender and puree. (Be careful blending hot liquids in the blender, as steam can become trapped under the lid and lead to an explosion!)
Once the soup has reached a consistency that is to your liking, stir in the salt and cilantro. Taste the soup to see if it needs additional salt or pepper.
Pour the soup into serving bowls and garnish with the diced bell peppers and additional cilantro if desired.

English Muffin Melt (Bagel Mania Melt)

2011-03-30T05:00:00.000-05:00

Oh, my sweet, sweet, Bagel Mania. How I miss you. Never in a million years would I have guessed a Jersey girl like myself would love a bagel shop in Central Maine. I would have even put money on it!

When I moved from New Jersey to Maine, for the first time in my life, I realized, I may never again be able to find pizza that meets my standards. I will never again be able to find a bagel that meets my standards. What do you mean, you've never ate a buttered roll for breakfast? What do you mean you don't eat Taylor Ham, Egg and Cheese sandwiches everyday on your commute to work?

I realize that never is forever. But for a long time, that's how it felt until I tried that famous bagel shop in Augusta, Maine. One bite and I was hooked. It was my one restaurant that made me feel at home. I loved that they would sell out of bagels by noon. I loved that they made anything I wanted to order. I loved that they carried Boar's Head products (the only place in the area that I could find it). And you know what? Their bagels were awesome.

I may have told you stories about my bringing Jersey pizza (and strombolis, and calzones) with me up to Maine so I could freeze it and eat it later. I may have told you that I drove 2 pizzas down with me to Florida (and I'm proud of it!)! These bagels were so good that when my parents moved to Vermont, whenever I would visit them, I would bring them bags of bagels to freeze (and a cooler of lobsters of course!). I have no shame traveling with food.

Once again I'm making a long story short. Thanks for sticking through it. My point was... Bagel Mania had this open faced bagel sandwich that my sister would order every time she came to visit me. It was called The Bagel Mania Melt. It was a bagel of your choice, toasted, topped with pesto, tomato, and cheese of your choice. Simple, right? But so, so delicious!

Since I rarely eat bagels down here in the land of NO bagels (I need to start cooking them myself), I just transform this delicious simplicity onto an english muffin. I'll add things too, like hot peppers or onions or sliced turkey or anything I feel like.

I know I don't usually do these step by step photos, because honestly, it takes a shit ton of work unless you are able to cook in the middle of the day near a super huge window. And it's kinda funny that the day I do a step by step phone, it's for a recipe that you definitely don't need a step by step photo for. You probably don't even need a recipe either, but let's give it a go!

First step. Preheat your broiler. Toast your bread/bagel/english muffin. You want to make sure it's crispy all around before topping it. No soggy bread allowed!!! I use a slice of tin foil so I can just toss everything out when I'm done. No dishes!!!

After toasted, your going to slather on some delicious pesto. Homemade if you can!

And then top with tomato. I know, those are sad looking tomatoes. But I'll work with what I have. Add other ingredients at this point if using.

Top generously with cheese that melts well. My favorite is pepper jack for this. Something with a little heat.

Pop it under the broiler until cheese is melted and bubbly! Be careful not to burn the edges of your bread. You can play it safe by making sure the whole thing is covered in cheese. That's often what I'll do...play it safe by adding more cheese.

Final step. Eat. It'll be delicious, simple, and you'll wish you had more. I often eat this for a late breakfast/early lunch on my days off. And I have been known to serve it for dinner on those express nights!

What? You need a formal recipe? That's crazy! But, here you go!

English Muffin Melt (Bagel Mania Melt)

Printable Recipe

By Kacey's Kitchen, Inspired by Bagel Mania

One english muffin, bagel, or slice of bread
Pesto
Tomato slices
Pepperjack cheese, sliced

Preheat broiler. Toast bread. Leave broiler on.
Slather bread with pesto.
Top with tomato.
Top with slices of cheese.
Place under broiler until cheese is melted and bubbly.

Reader Request Monday's - Tempura

2011-03-28T15:09:00.003-05:00

This weeks Reader Request Monday's was by Cyndi again! Yay! While I failed last week at suggesting kid friendly vegetable recipes, I would call today's dish a success. This was my first time frying up delicious tempura which is surprising given how many times I've ordered it out. While yes, this was a successful meal, I feel there is still plenty of room for improvement. My batter was quite thick. Which, on one hand, made it easy to work with, but I would have preferred it thinner. I know I could have just added in some more ice water, but I wanted to see how it was going to come out. And although thick, it wasn't too shabby.

I long after I had cleaned up, I realized I added more flour than I should have, but if you follow this recipe, you should be alright. Based on what I read about tempura, the important thing is to use ice cold ingredients. I even put everything in the freezer for about 20 minutes. Another important step is not to over beat your batter. It should remain lumpy. Although thick, after frying, my tempura coated goodies were still pleasantly fluffy! Yay!

I am often hesitant to deep fry things in my apartment. 500+ square feet with no doors terrifies me that EVERYTHING will smell like grease. It wasn't too bad, although one of these days I'll invest in an electric fryer. Nothing fancy, just one of those small fry daddy's or something similar. Just something that I can plug in outside and not worry about the smell or splatter. But then that would mean I would end up deep frying more things...my thighs say no!!!

Anyway... Almost anything will tempura well. You could do other types of fish, broccoli, sweet potatoes, or even eggplant. In addition to the dipping sauce I made, I also served it with some sweet chili sauce which was delicious, of course. This would be great with a side of rice, or accompanying some soup. Give it a whirl and let me know how it goes!

So, what would you like to see on Kacey's Kitchen? Leave a comment below!

Tempura

Printable Recipe

By Kacey's Kitchen, Slightly Adapted from Pink Bites

1 onion, peeled and cut into rings
1 zucchini, cut into 1/4 inch slices
1 chicken breast, cut into strips
1 dozen large shrimp, tails on
canola oil for frying
tempura sauce, see recipe below

Batter

1 large egg, cold
150ml iced water
1 1/2 cups of flour, cold (leave four in the fridge to chill it)

In a medium size bowl, lightly beat the egg, add the water and mix it well.
Add the flour and mix it using two chopsticks. Do not over mix it, leave a few lumps of flour.
If the oil is hot and the vegetables and shrimp are ready, dip each into the batter and fry until the outside is golden and looking crispy.
The vegetables will first sink to the bottom of the wok (or large pot) and rapidly come to the top. Drain in a cooling rack set over a baking tray. Serve immediately with the sauce for dipping.

Tempura
Printable Recipe
By Kacey's Kitchen, Slightly Adapted from Pink Bites

1 cup of water
2 tbsp of soy sauce
1 tablespoon of mirin (sweet cooking rice wine)
1/4 cup of bonito flakes

Put all ingredients in a saucepan and gently simmer for about 2 minutes.
Strain and discard solids. Set aside.

Coconut Curry Clams

2011-03-23T05:00:00.011-05:00

Oh dear...I wish I could bathe in this. As I look at this picture, I can almost taste the wonderfulness of this dish. I should make it on a weekly basis. It's that good. It's better than good. It's fabulous. If I were to have a dinner party, I would invite you over and have this. Even if I weren't to have a dinner party, I would still make this for myself.

This is such a messy picture. We actually had this on New Years Eve along with lots of other seafood-y goodness, and I was so starved by the time I got everything out to serve, we just dove right in. By the time I got around to taking a picture, it was looking ~~a little~~ rough and I didn't care. But I couldn't hold out on you any longer with this recipe. That just goes to show how delicious it is, we attacked it, and I'm not afraid to show you. (Well, maybe a little afraid to show you - don't hate). Next time I make this, I'll show you something a bit more appealing and less like a pack of wolves served themselves.

If your not familiar with some of these ingredients, don't be afraid. You should be able to find everything in an averagely stocked grocery store. (Yes, even up in Vermont Mom & Dad) Don't be intimidated with the curry past either. It's probably not as strong as you think it is, and it's going to add so much dimension to this dish.

My local fish monger was all sold out of mussels, but I substituted clams using the same exact method. Shellfish are quite interchangeable. This would be just as good with scallops, shrimp, or really any type of fish.

Go make this! It takes less than a half hour. It's worth hours. And be sure to warm up some crusty bread to soak up all of that brothy goodness!

Nom. Nom. Nom.

Steamed Mussels with Lemongrass Coconut Curry
Printable Recipe

by Steamy Kitchen

2 lbs mussels, scrubbed & picked through (discard cracked shells and ones that don't close when tapped)
1 stalk of lemongrass, white part grated with microplane grater (substitute with 4 wide strips of lemon peel, or a tbsp of lemongrass paste)
2 bottles of clam juice
1 can (14oz) of good coconut milk (shake can vigorously to mix the fat with the liquid)
1/2 cup of Thai curry paste (add less depending on your spice tolerance)
1 tablespoon fish sauce (or substitute with 1 teaspoon of kosher salt)
1 teaspoon sugar
3 small skeins of mung bean noodles (cellophane/glass noodles) soaked in cold water for 5 minutes.
chopped scallions & chili for topping

Fry the curry paste: In a wok or large pot, turn heat to medium. When wok is hot, but not smoking, add 2 tbsp curry paste and the lemongrass. Fry for 30 seconds to release its flavors.
Add the clam juice, fish sauce, sugar and coconut milk.. Simmer for 3 minutes. (If you are using lemon peel, discard it.)
Taste the broth. If you want more heat, add more curry paste. In the meantime, drain your mung bean noodles. The noodles should still be a little stiff.
Steam the mussels: Turn heat to high and add your mussels. Immediately cover with a tight fitting lid. Steam on high for 4 minutes.
Open lid, scootch the mussels to one side, add mung bean noodles and cook for another minute uncovered.
Use large spoon to redistribute the mussels from the top to the bottom of the broth, cook another 30 seconds and it's done! Top with chopped chilies and scallions.
(I don't know what's up with that font, every time I change it, it keeps going back to big, bold, and orange! Yikes!)

Reader Request Mondays! FAIL - Vegetable Tacos

2011-03-21T05:00:00.002-05:00

It's BACK! And it's a FAIL! Today's Reader Request Monday's comes from my cousin Cyndi who has 3 children that don't eat vegetables. One of those children also cannot have dairy! This left me with multiple problems. Let me break it down for you.

I don't really DO children. Sure, I was a child once. And I feel like I did my share babysitting and working at day camps for multiple years. But that was a long time ago. And what I took away from all of those experiences is to run far far away from the screaming little assholes. And if they aren't screaming, just give it a few minutes, they will. The sound of it is like nails down a chalkboard. So, I'm rarely around them as it is, never mind when they are being fed and crying about how they want a hot dog for the 678th meal in a row.

There are 3 exceptions to this. Benjamin, Josiah, and Simone. My little cousins are ridiculously strange children - They are really good! And I like them, and not just cause I love them because they are family, but they are really cool little people and I like being around them!

Another tricky thing to this challenge is the lack of dairy. Kid friendly vegetables without cheese? I have no freaking idea. How is that even possible. I don't know. It's blowing my mind. I can't even trick myself into eating food without cheese.

My first thought was just to write a post about how to make children eat vegetables. But this was hard for me also, I ate vegetables as a kid. As far as I know, I ate nearly everything, and I still do, so I don't really know what it is like NOT to like something. But I came up with one solution.

The solution: Don't let you kids eat anything. Hours, days, or even weeks might pass, but eventually, they will be hungry enough to eat whatever you give them, V-E-G-G-I-E-S included. Is there a problem with this? Nahhh.... No kid, no matter how stubborn, is going to starve themselves to death. They'll eat it. I've heard many parents say to their kids 'your not getting ____ until you finish your dinner', but they never follow through.

Sure, I know I don't have kids. And that's for a good reason. I know it's easier for me to say than it is for you to do. But no one likes to be lied to, even kids. So don't do it.

So I thought to myself, "Kacey, just make something that is familiar with kids, but only use vegetables." So I thought of pizza or a calzone. But my pizza stone broke in half the last time I used it, and I have yet to replace it. I thought of veggie tempura, but then I forgot, and didn't remember until I started writing this post. I also thought about vegetables with pasta, but we've been eating way to much pasta lately. And then I thought of tacos. Who doesn't love tacos!?!? Well, I think it was a great idea, but unfortunately I think I executed them with a big giant FAIL.

The idea was to fill some homemade corn tortillas with roasted marinated vegetables, refried beans, and rice. I was hoping on taking some familiar things, and satisfying textures to make a healthy, filling, and vegetable filled meal.

Was it bad? No, not at all. Was it a bad idea for a kid friendly vegetable meal? Probably. I blame the fact that I was rushed the weekend I made these and didn't have too much time to think of what I'm eating, never mind what kids wanna eat. So that's my fault.

So if your looking for a meal to have yourself, or want to try a variation of this to give to your kids, try out this rough recipe below. Goodluck!

So do you guys have any tips or tricks to feeding little ones? Do you cave into their wants rather than needs? Do you beat them until they eat peas? Tell me, tell me, I want to know!

So, what would you like to see on Kacey's Kitchen, leave a comment below!

Roasted Vegetable Tacos (A rough guide)

Printable Recipe

By Kacey's Kitchen

Homemade corn tortillas
taco seasoning
lemon juice
zucchini
mushrooms
onions
red pepper
corn kernels
refried beans
rice (any kind)
sour cream and cheese (If appropriate)

Cook rice according to package.
Cut all vegetables up into 1-inch pieces. Place in a large bowl and sprinkle with taco seasoning and lemon juice. Toss until coated. Set aside for 30 minutes.
Preheat oven to 400 degrees.
Place marinated vegetables on a baking sheet in a single layer and put in oven for about 25 minutes or until slightly dried out and roasted looking.
Heat refried beans through.
When vegetables are done, spread refried beans inside of each corn tortilla. Fill with vegetables and rice. Top with sour cream and cheese if appropriate.

Swiss Steak

2011-03-18T05:00:00.000-05:00

I'm going to the beach tomorrow. It's going to be in the 80's. It's going to be glorious!

But some people will still be experiencing cold weather. Weather that makes you want to stay inside, bundle up, and eat something nice and hearty. Something easy and comforting. And affordable. Which brings me to another rant that I'm sure you can all relate to, whether or not you like to cook. It's the price of groceries. And it's crazy.

For the past few months (or longer) I've been hearing how food prices have skyrocketed, but I wasn't really sure if I noticed or not. I spend a lot of money on groceries for 2 people, and for the past 6 months or so, I've been trying to shop exclusively at the commissary. The first few times I did major shopping there, I was blown away by how many groceries I brought home for the money. I was curious to find out exactly how much I saved. So later that week I brought my receipt to a normal grocery store I use to shop at and looked up every item on my receipt. I saved about 35%!!! That's crazy! And very fortunate that I work less than 10 minutes from a very decent commissary.

Ever since then I have bought nearly everything there. They have the best fruit and vegetable selection around, their deli is great and carries all Boar's Head products, and they even have a bakery that sells Portuguese rolls (yay!)! The only things I don't pick up there is juice, cereal (those are still cheaper at Sam's Club, and in the bulk we need), and seafood (no fresh seafood department).

Anyway, so I'm getting to my rant. Eventually.

So once in a blue moon I forget something and I need to pick up a few things from a regular grocery store. One of these things was unsalted butter. I go to the store, walk to the butter section, and gasp!!! You know how much they wanted?! $4.99 for 4 sticks of STORE BRAND BUTTER!!! What the hell?!

I was furious. I went home without butter. I refused to do it. I didn't cook whatever it was I was going to cook. A few days later I went to the commissary to pick it up for under $3.50. That was a month ago, and I'm still mad about it.

It's still expensive though, no matter where you go. And trying new things all of the time increases my food budget dramatically. We'll talk about this more, I'm sure. The point is, a great tasting meal and inexpensive meal like this make me happy.

I also like it because it's little mess using a ziploc bag. And because your cooking it so long to get the meat nice and tender, you'll have plenty of time to clean up everything else before dinner is ready!

This also makes for great leftovers, and would freeze easily if you were to make a big batch of it (minus the noodles of course!).

Swiss Steak

Printable Recipe

by Life's Ambrosia

1 1/2 pounds chuck steak
1/2 cup flour
1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
1/2 teaspoon black pepper
1/4 – 1/2 cup canola oil
1/2 medium onion, sliced
2 cloves garlic, minced
12 crimini mushrooms quartered
1/2 cup beef or mushroom broth
2 (14.5 ounce) cans diced tomatoes
1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce
2 bay leaves
1/2 pound egg noodles

Cut steak into bite size pieces. Combine flour, salt and pepper in a plastic bag. Place cut meat into the bag and shake to coat completely.
Heat 1/4 cup of oil in a large pot over medium heat. Shake excess flour off of meat and cook just until browned. Add more oil as needed. Transfer to a plate and set aside.
In the same pan that you cooked the beef in, cook onion, garlic and mushrooms for 5 minutes. Return beef to the pan. Pour in broth, diced tomatoes and Worcestershire sauce. Add in bay leaves. Reduce heat to low and let simmer for at least 1 1/2 hours. Stirring occasionally and skimming any fat that accumulates at the top.
When you are just about ready to serve begin boiling the water for the pasta and cook according to package directions.
Remove bay leaves and spoon Swiss steak over the hot noodles and serve.

Garlic Rice

2011-03-16T05:00:00.001-05:00

I needed something to go with my Tikka Masala and Naan, and I just happened to have some Basmati rice on hand. And not that the dish didn't already have tons of flavor, I felt the need to add a little more to this rice. Trust me, the extra garlic didn't hurt at all.

I know I've mentioned it before, but my rice cooker is one of my most utilized appliances I own. I often make entire meals for myself only using that. I throw in rice, shrimp, fish, vegetables, herbs, anything I feel like. And like magic, the rice is always cooked perfectly. I don't even own one of those fancy smancy ones. I found this one at Bed, Bath and Beyond for $12 (with a coupon). It never fails me and I don't know what I would do without it.

You can make the rice the night and saute just before serving for an even quicker dish. This recipe is just a guide, use whatever seasonings/rice you have on hand. Don't be afraid to experiment, especially with inexpensive meals like rice!

Garlic Basmati Rice

Printable Recipe

by Kacey's Kitchen

2 cups basmati rice
3 cups water
3 cloves garlic
1 tbsp butter
1 small onion
onion powder
garlic powder
salt & pepper
dried parsley

Add rice and water to rice cooker. Press start. Wait until machine clicks off. Cool rice.
Melt butter over medium heat and saute garlic and onion until golden.
Add rice and stir until heated through.
Add garlic and onion powder, salt and pepper, and parsley to taste.
Serve and enjoy!

Garlic Asparagus

2011-03-14T05:00:00.001-05:00

First, I've got to say a huge HAPPY BIRTHDAY to my favorite skister ever, Rachael! I miss you so much and I miss our tradition of you visiting me on your birthday! We have to bring it back or otherwise I'll poke my eyes out! I love you and I hope you have a fabulous day!

Now the food blog:

Holy crap it's been a over a month. Close to two months. Absolutely freakin' ridiculous. It's been busy around here, and while I'm usually pretty good about balancing my time...lately, I just haven't had any. And that bums me out. Up until this past week, I haven't cooked anything worthy of talking about. And I miss it. I miss cooking, I miss menu planning, I miss eating things I'm proud of making and I miss talking to you guys about it. And to make things worse, I've gained a ton of weight by eating things I really don't want to eat but have to because I don't have time.

It couldn't have been that smoked gouda bacon mac & cheese I made last week. Or the 400 (or so it seemed) mini homemade funfetti cupcakes I inhaled yesterday. No, not at all...

(I'm eating the last cupcake as I type this)

AND my ankle has been wonky so I haven't been skating (which I have a love/hate relationship with anyways). That means I skip the exercise and go out drinking with the team anyway (beer is much easier on the ankle). So of course that helps. I'm gonna go check out a physical therapist to see if I'm gonna be gimpy the rest of my life or if there is something that can help.

I'm down to 3 days a week at work, which I think will turn out pretty good for me. I have long weekends, Friday - Monday off, and I'll be able to dedicate more of my time to the kitchen, and now that the weather is getting nicer, the beach. I look forward to menu planning and grocery shopping for foods that I will enjoy turning into something, rather than the utility meals we've been consuming. I'd also like to continue with Reader Request Monday's. Now that I have a little more time, hopefully it'll turn into something useful for you guys!

Enough bitching and let's get onto the food, don't you think?

We'll start off with an easy but tasty one, getting back into the swing of things. Sauteed Garlic Asparagus is a standard that everyone should make. You could serve it with practically anything, and only takes minutes to whip up. I served this along side Salmon with Lemon and Dill.

Garlic Asparagus

Printable Recipe

by Kacey's Kitchen

3 tbsp butter
1 bunch fresh asparagus
5 cloves garlic, finely chopped

Trim bottoms of asparagus off, discard.
Over medium heat, melt butter in large skillet.
Add garlic and asparagus to pan and cook for about 10 minutes or until tender, stirring occasionally. To speed things up, you can cover the pan for a few minutes to help steam you veggies.

Reader Request Monday's - Cable Car Beer

2011-01-31T05:00:00.001-06:00

(Image from http://creativeroots.org)

I'm sure when Claire requested a cocktail, she probably was hoping for a homemade cocktail with liquor and mixers. Maybe even some funky fruit garnish or such. Something unique, something fun, something new to try to act all fancy pants at her next dinner party. Trust me...a nice strong homemade cocktail would have settled nicely in my belly this weekend. But the truth is...it didn't happen. And that beer in the picture? I drank it all last week before I took a picture, so I had to borrow the image above.

I have half given up looking for reasonable priced beer that has lots of flavor. But walking through Winn Dixie the other day, a nice cold beer was sounding pretty damn good. I stared blankly at the selection in front of me. Not really wanting to spend $10 on a 6-pack of Sam Adams, and not wanting yet ANOTHER Yuengling. And then I spotted it. A cute package that I had never seen before. Cable Car Amber Ale. I had never seen it before, and trust me, I would have noticed. But I was a little skeptical of the price. $6.99??? Hmm....

So I thought, why not? Let's try it.

And I tried it.

And I really really liked it!

And I thought that, while it's not a homemade cocktail, it's a beer that's tasty and that you should know about. The unfortunate thing about it is that it's only available in a few states: CA, FL, GA, LA, AL, IL, MN, and MI. But if you see it, it's totally worth the $6.99, especially in places like this where good beer comes at a steep price.

So Claire, I'm not sure if your into craft beer, but hopefully this might have interested you?!

And of course, it's Reader Request Monday, so leave me a comment below on what you would like to see next Monday on Kacey's Kitchen!

Please see the previous post for to see what I made from last weeks request!

Photo Friday - On Saturday

2011-01-29T08:00:00.001-06:00

Things have been busy around here, so I thought it would be fun to show you one of the reasons why. It's sort of food related, in a little itty bitty tiny way. My derby name is Murder 'em Rare. And my theme is meat:

Human Meat! MUAHAHA!!!

And I've been super duper busy because among lots of other things, Emerald Coast Roller Derby (facebook) is preparing for our first competitive season, including our first bout in exactly a week! One week! Yikes!

If you remember, I did derby in 2009. And I loved it. And this happened:

And that, I didn't love so much. So after lots of time not walking, and lots of time trying to walk like a normal human being, I've recently started skating again. And it's not pretty. It could be that I'm scared that the above could happen again. It also could be that I'm waaay outta shape (those Fatty McFatty thighs I've talked so highly about). Most likely, it's a combination of the both. But I'm trying, and that's what counts, right?

Right?

So while I'm slowly (like snail slow) building up my skating legs, I've been working as our bout coordinator doing exactly that - Coordinating our bout. It takes a lot of work. And after I get home from work, I'm often doing something derby. And because of our bout coming up on February 5th, that's all I've been doing. And not much cooking. And if I do cook, I'm exhausted and I don't bother to set up my food-taking-picture-stuff, I just shovel the food in my face, throw the dishes in the sink, and zonk out.

So. No food for you!

A few weeks ago, Wicked T offered to take some shots of individuals (cause that's what she does when she's not beatin' bitches to the ground). I thought I'd share a couple of them with you.

Well, that's what I have to share with you today. I hope you enjoy. And I hope that if your in the area, your going to be coming to the bout. If you need tickets, let me know. I can hook you up like that.

All derby photos courtesy of Hornbrook Photography

X-Ray courtesy of X-ray machine circa 2009

P.S. I just noticed that I'm facing the same way in all of my pictures. That's kinda weird. Maybe I should flip one around or something. I've never had pictures like that taken of myself before, and I was really kinda nervous about it (does it show?). But I ended up having a lot of fun, and I can't wait to do it again. It was one of those things where I couldn't think of what to do during the shoot, but as soon as I got home I had a ton of those 'I should have done that!' moments. Oh well. There's always a next time.

Chow on,
Murder 'em Rare

aka

Kacey

Reader Request Monday's - Leave Your Request!

2011-01-24T23:41:00.003-06:00

Yet another Monday goes by where I post my request recipes, but fail to ask you what you would like to see here next week.

I keep un-used prior weeks suggestions in mind, but I am always willing to take on more. What will happen is this. You will suggest a recipe/product/technique/story idea to me in the comments of this post. Over the week I will create one of your suggestions, blogging about it the up coming Monday. And then we will do it all over again!

So, leave me a comment below on what you would like to see next Monday on Kacey's Kitchen!

Last weeks request was something healthy. Because one of my readers is on a diet! Which leaves me to wonder...how the heck do you tolerate reading my blog...while your on a diet?!?!? Well, I guess this weeks post is for your my dear friend - Salmon with Lemon and Dill.

Salmon with Lemon and Dill

2011-01-24T05:00:00.003-06:00

Remember how the other day I was filling your minds with way too much information about how my thighs rub together (during the lovely Naan post)? Oh, you blocked it out? Well I'm glad I could remind you! So I've been complaining about those monster thighs to Aaron lately and he came up with the worst ideas ever to solve them. He said that if my growing thighs bother me, I could do the following: workout, eat less, or both.

My thoughts? I hate working out. And I don't like the idea of eating less. And the combination of the two makes me want to eat a package of oreos by myself. And that my friends, sounds like a beautiful idea.

So...I rolled my eyes, told him those were horrible ideas, and pulled the covers over my face waiting for him to come up with a solution for me to cook fatty foods and sit on my butt and lose weight. The idea never came, and I fell asleep.

Realizing that Reader Request Monday's was coming up, I decided to make an anonymous request of something healthy. Figuring it, well, it couldn't hurt my figure to try, here we are.

Salmon is one of my favorite foods. I buy it often at Sam's Club and freeze it into serving sizes for the two of us. I was really careful with this whole meal, using lemons, herbs and spices for seasoning, and taking advantage of salmons natural oils rather than adding butter or oil. I ended up serving this with basmati rice and asparagus sauteed in just a touch of EVOO and lots of fresh garlic.

I've been slow cooking my salmon instead of broiling it, it keeps the fish extremely moist and colorful. The fish looks the same before and after cooking it, but you can tell it's done by how well it flakes. Instead of typically broiling it, drying the fish out, I preheat the oven to 250°F and bake it for about 30 minutes. Even if you leave it in the oven for 10 extra minutes, it still won't dry out. Take a look!

Aaron thought it was too lemony, and although it was strong, I didn't think it was too much. I was surprised by how lemony the fish tasted just by laying slices on.

If your interested in something easy and healthy, try it out!

Salmon with Lemon and Dill

Printable Recipe

by Kacey's Kitchen

1 filet of Salmon
1 lemon
fresh dill
salt and pepper

Preheat oven to 250°F. Slice lemon.
Season Salmon lightly with salt, pepper, and chopped fresh dill.
Place a layer of sliced lemons on the bottom of a baking dish. Place salmon on top, folding under any very thin pieces so the cooking surface is about even.
Place lemon slices on top and bake for 30 minutes.

Tikka Masala

2011-01-21T05:00:00.001-06:00

I haven't eaten a lot of Indian food, but I have enjoyed everything that I have tried. I've also been wanting to try making some at home, but it's one of those things that I keep forgetting about, until, well, I don't forget about it.

So I got off my butt, browsed around on the good ole' internet starting with some of my go to blogs. Within seconds I found 100's of gorgeous sounding recipes, and it took me about an hour to narrow down which one I would select. I figured I'd start out with a classic, Tikka Masala from Joelen's Culinary Adventures who adapted the recipe from Cook's Illustrated. Sign me up!

It might look like a lot of ingredients, but you should have most on hand, with the exception of garam masala which you should be able to find in the spice rack of most grocery stores. Except the commissary apparently. But that's for another day.

About this recipe. It makes a TON. Sure, it helped that I served it with that delicious Naan I shared with you the other day. I also served it with garlic rice, and both of those helped spread out the meal for a couple of days. That was perfectly fine with us because it was delicious. So much flavor and texture! It made for great leftovers that we looked forward to eating at many consecutive meals.

Try it, I think you'll like it - That means you too MOM!

Speaking of my mom, I really think she should be leaving me more comments. She reads my blog often and will call me with a request for Reader Request Monday's, or verbally comment about my blog. Don't get me wrong, I love that she calls me and gives me all that information. But for the past year and a half, I've been trying to encourage her to leave me comments for the world to see. Am I wrong? Wouldn't you want your mom leaving you little public notes of praise and encouragement and suggestions and help? I thought so. Hint, Hint, Hint, Mom, Hint....

Hehehe.

Chicken Tikka Masala

Printable Recipe

By What's Cookin, Chicago?

Chicken Tikka

1 tsp ground cumin
1 tsp garlic powder
1/2 tsp cayenne pepper
2 tsp table salt
4 large boneless, skinless chicken breasts, trimmed of fat (about 3-4 lbs)
1 cup plain whole-milk yogurt
1 tbsp vegetable oil
3 medium garlic cloves , minced
1 tbsp grated fresh ginger

Masala Sauce

2 - 3 tbsp vegetable oil
1 medium onion , diced fine
2 medium garlic cloves , minced
2 tsp grated fresh ginger
1 tbsp tomato paste
1 tbsp garam masala
1 (28-ounce) can crushed tomatoes
4 tsp sugar
1/2 tsp table salt
2/3 cup heavy cream
1/4 cup chopped fresh cilantro leaves (optional)

For the chicken, combine cumin, garlic powder, cayenne, and salt in small bowl. Sprinkle both sides of the chicken with spice mixture, pressing gently so mixture adheres. Place chicken in a baking dish, cover with plastic wrap, and refrigerate for 30 to 60 minutes.
In large bowl, whisk together yogurt, oil, garlic, and ginger. After the seasoned chicken has 'marinated' for 30-60 minutes in the fridge, pour the yogurt mixture over the chicken and toss to fully coat both sides. Cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate for 6-8 hours or overnight.
For the sauce, heat oil in medium sized saucepan over medium heat until shimmering. Add onion and cook, stirring frequently, until light golden, 8 to 10 minutes. Add garlic, ginger, tomato paste, and garam masala; cook, stirring frequently, until fragrant, about 3 minutes. Add crushed tomatoes, sugar, and salt; bring to boil. Reduce heat to medium-low, cover, and simmer for 15 minutes, stirring occasionally. At this point, allow the sauce to cool. Transfer the sauce into a storage container, cover and then refrigerate overnight.
The next day, remove the chilled sauce from the fridge and heat up in a large dutch oven over medium heat. Stir in cream and return to simmer. Remove pan from heat and cover to keep warm.
While sauce simmers, adjust oven rack to upper-middle position (about 6 inches from heating element) and heat broiler. Remove the chicken from the fridge and place on a parchment lined baking sheet. Place the yogurt coated chicken on the parchment lined baking sheet. Broil chicken until thickest parts register 160 degrees on instant-read thermometer and exterior is lightly charred in spots, 10 to 18 minutes, flipping chicken halfway through cooking.
Let chicken rest 5 minutes, then cut into 1-inch chunks and stir into warm sauce (do not simmer chicken in sauce). Adjust seasoning with salt if needed. Before serving, stir in cilantro into the sauce or garnish with cilantro if using.

Naan

2011-01-19T05:00:00.002-06:00

Oh man, this is my new 'favorite' bread. I say put quotations around the word favorite because if you know me, or read this blog more than once, you'll notice the lovely trend of my favoriting everything I eat. It's just how I roll.

It's sweet, it's salty, it's soft, it's moist, it's chewy, it has crispy pieces. How could you not love it?! Much easier than I thought, and much less time consuming than I originally thought. We ate through the whole batch so quickly...I can't wait to make this again. I would like to see how well it freezes, which is what I have to do with most bread I buy or make because if I don't, we'll eat it within hours. And although it tastes great with a stick of butter....my thighs don't appreciate rubbing together...and 3 nights of derby a week isn't enough to burn off that much bread and butter. (Surprised? I was too!)

Anyway, your not here because of my Fatty McFatty Thighs, you want the recipe!

Naan

Printable Recipe

by The Novice Chef

1/2 cup warm water
2 tsp. active dry yeast
1 tsp. sugar
2 1/2 cups all-purpose flour, plus extra for rolling
1/2 tsp. salt
1/4 cup canola oil
1/3 cup Greek fat free plain yogurt
1 large egg
olive oil for cooking

In a large bowl, stir together the water, yeast and sugar and let stand for 5 minutes, until foamy.
Stir in the flour, salt, oil, yogurt and egg and stir, then knead until you have a soft, pliable dough. Cover with a tea towel and let rise until doubled in size; about an hour.
Divide the dough into 6-8 pieces and on a lightly floured surface, roll out each piece into a thin circle or oval.
Cook each naan in a nice hot skillet drizzled with oil (just a teeny tiny bit–you’re not frying it) until blistered and cooked, flipping as necessary. (When the surface has big blisters and is golden on the bottom, flip it over and cook until golden on the other side.

Reader Request Monday's - Pumpkin Soufflé

2011-01-17T05:00:00.001-06:00

This weeks Reader Request Monday was suggested by my lovely sister. She actually suggested it a previous week, but I thought it was a great idea. You see...I have never even THOUGHT of making a soufflé before. So, last night, I whipped up some mini soufflés.

Maybe it was the recipe I used, but it was so easy. That is...if you followed the recipe. You see, I just woke up from a 2 hour nap, and when I nap for that long, I feel weird. Like woozie, hungover, and generally worse than before I took a nap. So I wasn't quite on my game. And this happened:

It was actually much worse, but I had thrown half of the mess out by the time I thought to take a picture. Like I said, the recipe was very easy, but for some reason, I kept mixing the wrong ingredients together, or using a yolk instead of a white, incorrect measuring, yadda, yadda, yadda. So, I made this batter 4 times before baking it. The recipe only calls for 2 egg yolks and 4 egg whites. I went through almost 2 dozen eggs screwing this up. It got to the point that when I cracked an egg, I just threw the rest of it on the counter instead of taking the time to walk to the garbage or sink. I can be a real disaster sometimes.

Once I finally got it in the oven, set the timer to 12 minutes, I was relived. I'm sure Aaron was too...who knows what would have happened in the kitchen if it didn't work! It was just one of those kitchen nights.

Have you ever had one of those kitchen experiences?

As you can see, they rose beautifully (well, I thought so anyway). Don't mind my nasty baking sheet, I use that one underneath oven spillables. It works by the looks of it. By donating a cookie sheet, it saves on lots of cleanup time.

It was fun to see how big they got, and it was amazing how light and fluffy they were.
I will definitely make these again, just when I'm a little more awake. Don't be intimidated by my kitchen experience, or by the word 'soufflé'-it's much easier than I ever imagined. Great suggestion sister!

Below you'll find the recipe, but for next week we will continue Reader Request Monday's!

So, what would you like to see on Kacey's Kitchen, leave a comment below!

Pumpkin Soufflé

Printable Recipe

by Sugarlaws

3/4 cup milk
Pinch of nutmeg
2 large egg yolks
1/2 cup sugar
2 tbsp all-purpose flour
1/2 cup solid-pack canned pumpkin
4 egg whites
Extra sugar and butter for ramekins

Preheat oven to 400° F.
Butter 6 4-oz ramekins, and coat them with sugar.
Whisk together egg yolks, pumpkin and 1/4 cup sugar. Whisk in flour until thickened evenly.
In a saucepan, bring milk and nutmeg to scalding over medium heat (just until little bubbles form at the edges of the pan), remove from heat.
Pour milk into the yolk mixture and whisk until blended.
In a metal bowl, whisk egg whites until very foamy. Add 1/4 cup of sugar in a slow stream, whisking constantly. Beat until egg whites form soft peaks.
Pour half of the egg whites into the yolk mixture and stir. Pour the new yolk mixture into the remaining egg whites, and fold until blended.
Pour batter into ramekins, bake immediately for 12 minutes.

Photo Friday

2011-01-14T05:00:00.001-06:00

While I ran out of time this week to set up a post for today, I didn't want to leave you completely hanging. I try my best to have food posts every Monday, Wednesday, and Friday, but sometimes that just doesn't happen. On those days, I'll do my best to give you something.

Here you find Sammy. She's been learning to walk on a leash the past few months, and she's actually starting to enjoy it. Minus the putting on the harness part. Of course, she always lays down while I try to take a picture...we say that she's interval training...

I tried to walk her on a leash when she was little...but it didn't go very well. At all. But this time around it's going very well, and we think we'll get her to the point where we can bring her places and go for walks around the block.

She's awesome. And I don't even like cats!

Does your pet do non-traditional things for it's breed? Let me know!

Cod with Hash Browns

2011-01-12T05:00:00.003-06:00

I love the fact the Food Network Magazine is filled with food. There might be a number of ad's in there too, but at least they are food and recipe related also. It's totally worth my $10/year or whatever the subscription is. I often find recipes that I'll actually make in there, and if not, it gives me plenty of ideas.

I had purchased one of those bags of frozen cod from Sams Club, never doing it before, and never doing it again. I tried all different ways to defrost and cook those suckers, but they always ended up tough and dry. Oh well, it was worth a shot.

Having a few pieces of cod left, I browsed through my food binders for what to do with it and stumbled upon this one I tore out a while ago. It looked interesting, and I happened to have a bag of hash browns on hand for those quick meal times.

We really enjoyed this. The crunchy hash browns with herbs tomatoes, and especially the green olives were a great combination. This is quick and easy to make, and you really could use any white flaky fish you have available.

Cod with Hash Browns

Printable Recipe

by Kacey's Kitchen, slightly adapted from Food Network Magazine

20 oz bag frozen shredded hash browns, thawed
4 cloves garlic, smashed and thinly sliced
Kosher salt
5 tbsp EVOO, plus more for drizzling
1/2 cup pitted spanish green olives, roughly chopped
3/4 lb tomatoes, cut into 1" pieces
1/4 cup diced roasted red peppers
3 scallions, chopped
2 tbsp chopped fresh parsley
1 1/2 lbs cod
1 tsp fresh rosemary, finely chopped
Fresh ground pepper

Preheat oven to 425°. Toss the hash browns with garlic and 1 tsp salt in a bowl.
Heat 2 tbsp EVOO in a large non-stick oven safe skillet over medium heat. Add the hash browns, flatten with a spatula and cook until the bottom is golden brown, 6-8 minutes.
Drizzle with 2 tbsp EVOO. Flip the potato cake and pat it back into shape. Cook until crisp and golden, 6-8 minutes.
Meanwhile, mix the olives, tomatoes, roasted peppers, scallions and parsley in a bowl. Cut the fish into 12 pieces and season with the dried herbs, salt and pepper.
Scatter half of the olive mixture over the potato cake and top with the fish. Scatter the remaining olive mixture on top and drizzle with the remaining 1 tbsp EVOO. Transfer the skillet to the oven and bake until the fish is cooked through, about 15 minutes.
Drizzle with olive oil and season with salt. Serve from the skillet.

Reader Request Monday's - Leave Your Request!

2011-01-10T07:01:00.001-06:00

Silly me...It's Reader Request Monday's and although I already posted 3 appetizers for Superbowl, as requested, I forgot to ask you for this weeks request.

So, leave me a comment below on what you would like to see next Monday on Kacey's Kitchen!

Please see the previous post for to see what I made from last weeks request!

Reader Request Monday's - Appetizers for Superbowl Sunday! Tequila Wings, Crab Nachos, and Cheesy Tots!

2011-01-10T05:00:00.008-06:00

Per reader request from Lauren, I'm bringing you a couple of appetizers that would be tasty for Superbowl Sunday. She also requested a story about Sammy the Stoic Cat, but I thought that deserved it's own post.

I was originally thinking of doing a theme of appetizers for Superbowl. Maybe trying to make healthy appetizers. But I don't really want healthy appetizers during Superbowl, and when I mentioned it to Aaron, the look on his face told me he didn't want healthy appetizers either. So I stuck with what might not be the most creative apps in the world, but I went with these 3 for a few important reasons: they hit the spot, they are quick, and they go well with beer and football. The three appetizers I chose to make are Cheesy Tator Tots with Green Chili Sauce, Crab and Corn Nachos, and Tequila Lime Chicken Wings. Be sure to scroll all the way through to view each recipe!

#1 Cheesy Tator Tots with Green Chili Sauce

I had also originally thought I should make these from scratch. If you haven't noticed, Tator tots are making a come back (Which I'm super stoked for!), and I thought, I could totally make those from scratch. I could also have easily made some salsa verde from scratch also. But when I couldn't find Poblanos or Tomatillos at the store the other day, and I wasn't willing to drive all over for them, I realized...who in there right mind is going to spend hours making a cheesy tot appetizer that is going to be under appreciated and inhaled within minutes while watching the Superbowl.

Not this girl...Not today.

So I went with the next best thing. Frozen tots (not even Ore-Ida!), pre-shredded cheese (I always keep a bag of this in my freezer for days like this), and canned chilis and salsa verde.

The most recent time I've had these was at Boulder Brewery in Boulder, CO this past fall. After hours of Mead and Craft Beer tasting, and days talking over high-quality food, ordering a pile of Green Chili Cheese Tots may have been one of the more genius food selections made. It was one of those right time and right place sort of meals. And let me tell you something. It tasted fucking beautiful!

I don't know about you, but I am glad that tots are coming back to tables. And smothered in cheese and hot sauce is the way to do it...

Cheesy Tots with Green Chili Sauce

Printable Recipe

By Kacey's Kitchen

1 bag frozen tator tots
1 can salsa verde
1 can green chilies
2 handfuls shredded cheese
hot sauce (optional)

Follow cooking instructions on bag of tator tots, cook for an additional 10 minutes to get them really crispy. You'll be pouring sauce on them, and you want to be sure they are crispy enough to maintain tot consistency.
When done, leave on baking sheet and sprinkle green chilies even over the tots.
Pour salsa verde evenly over tots.
Sprinkle evenly with cheese.
Bake another 5 minutes or until cheese is nice and melty.
Serve with hot sauce.

#2 Crab and Corn Nachos

If you don't love nachos, then you should probably just leave. Nachos, nachos, nachos. I love nachos! I'm not sure if I've ever met a person that doesn't love nachos. And I'm hoping I never will. I love veggie nachos, meat nachos, and especially seafood nachos!!!

I've never made these before, and I found them in the Food Network Magazine pull out this month. #27 Crab and Corn Nachos. At first, I was a little worried that these might be too bland tasting. But once I popped them into the salty tortilla scoop and added some hot sauce, they were really very good. I thought they were a perfect game day snack. They were super quick to make, even with putting them in each individual scoop, a little creamy, a little spicy, a little cheesy, and a little salty. Even if your not too keen on super spicy foods, I would still throw in a few dashes of hot sauce in the mix, it'll just bring it to another level. I didn't add hot sauce to the mixture, instead we brought the bottle to the table and coated every piece!

Crab and Corn Nachos

Printable Recipe

by Kacey's Kitchen, adapted from Food Network Magazine

8 oz crab meat
3/4 cup frozen corn
1/4 cup mayonnaise
2 tbsp minced chives
1 tsp spicy mustard
2 tbsp Franks Red Hot Sauce
3/4 cup finely grated cheddar cheese
fresh ground pepper
tortilla scoops

Preheat oven to 350°.
Mix all ingredients except cheese and tortilla scoops until well combined.
Spoon into tortilla scoops, top with cheese, and bake for 12 minutes.
Serve with additional hot sauce if preferred.

Last but not least we have #3 Tequila Lime Chicken Wings.

I wasn't gonna do it, but I gave in a went for a wing dish. Cause wings are fun to eat. And they feel like they belong. So having a bottle of tequila handy and never have made a Guy Fieri recipe (not that I can remember at least) before, I went with it. Another super easy to make dish, and half of the recipe can be made ahead, so you can just pop them on the grill (or back in the oven like I did) for a few minutes just to heat up.

What I really loved about these slutty foods (asides from slutty deliciousness of them) is how quick they all were to make and how simple clean up was. Cause lets face it, that plays a huge role in what we decide to cook.

So these wings were also very tasty. I think they would taste lovely dipped in some greek yogurt or sour cream with some chopped cilantro. Below the picture you'll find the recipe.

Tequila Lime Wings

Printable Recipe

By Guy Fieri, found in Food Network Magazine

3 lbs chicken wings, split at the joint, tips removed
Kosher salt and freshly ground pepper
1 tsp grated lime zest
1/2 cup fresh lime juice
1/4 cup tequila
1 tbsp agave syrup
1 tsp ground cumin
1 tsp adobo sauce
fresh cilantro

Prepare the wings: Preheat the oven to 350°. Season the wings with salt and pepper and arrange on a baking sheet in a single layer. Cook until just brown and crisp, about 45 minutes.
Make the sauce: Combine the lime zest and juice, tequila, agave syrup, cumin, adobo sauce, 1/2 tsp salt and 1/2 tbsp pepper in a bowl. Pour ove the warm wings and let marinate at least 30 minutes.
Preheat a grill to high. Grill the wings until marked, 10 to 15 minutes, turning as needed. Transfer the marinade to a saucepan and cook until slightly thick, about 8 minutes (you can do this on the grill as well). Drizzle the wings with the sauce and top with cilantro.

Mock Entenmanns Chocolate Chip Cookies

2011-01-07T05:00:00.003-06:00

I've been looking for a new chocolate chip cookie dough recipe. For some reason, my usual go to recipe doesn't do so well in my oven. And although I'm not super crazy for chocolate chip cookies, they are usually quick and easy and come in handy...if they come out alright. But these little guys, which I call Mock Entenmanns cookies, are delicious. You know those little chocolate chip Entenmanns cookies, the ones that come in the box that are soft and addictive. I could kill a box of those myself in one sitting. These are really good, and if I didn't share them with Aaron, then I would have totally taken care of them myself.

They were small, and soft, and the mini chocolate chips worked perfectly and really made a difference in these. I'm not sure if I could go back to the normal sized cookies again...these are my new go-to.

So, next time your in the mood for little chocolate chip cookies, give these a shot!

Mock Entenmanns Chocolate Chip Cookies

Printable Recipe

by Kacey's Kitchen, slightly adapted from Betty Crocker

1 1/2 cups unsalted butter, softened
1 1/4 cups granulated sugar
1 1/4 cups packed brown sugar
1 tbsp vanilla
2 eggs
4 cups all purpose flour
2 tsp baking soda
1/2 tsp salt
1 bag of mini - semisweet chocolate chips

Heat oven to 350°F. In large bowl, beat butter, sugars, vanilla and eggs with mixer on medium speed until light and fluffy.
Stir in flour, baking soda and salt (dough will be stiff). Stir in chocolate chips.
Roll small balls of dough (about half the size of a ping pong ball) and place on ungreased cookie sheet about 1 1/2 inches apart. Flatten slightly.
Bake 11 minutes or until light brown (centers will be soft). Cool 1 or 2 minutes, remove from baking sheet and immediately place in sealed container to keep soft.

White Chicken Chili (Soup)

2011-01-05T05:00:00.001-06:00

Hmm...White Chicken Chili. What do I think about you? Well, I consider you more of a soup. When I hear the word 'chili', my mind immediately flashes to something thick, and heavy, and glutinous, and red. So when I make something that has a clear broth with veggies, I can't help but consider you a soup. But, call yourself what you will. And by the way, you still taste lovely.

With that thick, red, heavy chili I just mentioned, one might feel a little guilty after eating it, but not with this White Chicken Chili Soup. It's light and fresh tasting, hardy and filling, warm and comforting. And you don't feel bad about going back for seconds. Cause if your like me, you'll go back for seconds (or thirds) no matter how guilty you should feel.

Also, I guess this isn't technically a white chicken since I used dark beans and red pepper, but I really liked it a little more colorful.

Will I be making this again. It's an easy, quick, and I'd image fairly healthy. Most importantly, it tasted good and was comforting.

Easy Peasy White Chicken Chili

Printable Recipe

by Kacey's Kitchen, slightly adapted from Spache the Spatula, slightly adapted from How To: Simplify

1 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
1 medium onion, chopped
1 clove of garlic, minced
2 large poached chicken breasts (a rotisserie chicken would work fine here)
2 cans of any beans, I used kidney & pinto because they were on hand.
1 can of corn, drained
1 4-ounce can roasted green chilies
1/2 tsp cumin
1/2 tsp dried oregano
1 32-ounce box chicken broth
salt & pepper
juice of one lime

In a large dutch oven or pot, heat the oil over medium-high heat. Add in the onion and saute until it becomes translucent. Add in the garlic and stir for another 30 seconds or so. Add in the chicken, corn, chilies, beans, cumin, and oregano and cook for a couple of minutes.
Add the chicken broth and bring to a boil. Reduce the heat to a simmer and cook for about 30 minutes. Add in the lime juice and salt and pepper to taste.
Serve with the toppings of your choice!

Reader Request Mondays! Steak Fajitas

2011-01-03T05:00:00.002-06:00

I've been wanting to try some new things here at Kacey's Kitchen - try to make my blog a little more interactive, make it a little more fun for you guys. And why not start it off on the first post of the new year?!?

Every Monday I'll be asking you guys for suggestions on what you would like to see posted here. What you'll do is leave me a comment with your request. It could be anything. Have you heard of a dish that sounds amazing, but your afraid to try and want me to test it out first? Let me know. Is there a product or technique that you would like to know more about? Let me know! Have you seen something a little bizarre like a Meat Cake, that you can't bring yourself to make or eat, but you want me to? Let me know. Do want to hear a random story about my stoic cat? Let me know!

What I'll do then, is pick a random request (and by random, I don't mean random at all). Whoever's suggestion I select wins the honor of bragging rights - Kacey's Kitchen picked YOU! That's right...crazy. I know. It's insane. It's amazing. It really makes you want to participate, right? Of course! Let's just try it out and see how it goes.

The following week I will post my review, picture, and blah, blah, blah of my selection and you guys get to do it all over again!

Last week, my favorite sister in the whole wide world suggested that I make fajitas. It was a brilliant idea because these were so delicious. The marinade I found hit the spot, and next time you make a steak, seriously, try this. It's scrumptious and made for excellent leftovers.

Now it's your turn. Leave a comment below of what you would like to see here at Kacey's Kitchen!

Skirt Steak Fajitas

Printable Recipe

by Guilty Kitchen

Steak

1 skirt steak (approximately 3/4 – 1 lb)
1 chipotle pepper (canned in adobo sauce)
1 Tbsp adobo sauce
1/2 cup fresh cilantro, loosely packed
2 cloves garlic
1 tsp cumin
1 Tbsp Chili powder
1 tsp salt
3 Tbsp extra virgin olive oil
3 Tbsp red wine vinegar

Add all ingredients (except the steak of course!) into a blender or food processor. Whir until the whole mixture comes together.
Pour over steak, coating on both sides, in a dish or plastic bag.
Allow to marinate for 1 hour at the least, but you can go as long as overnight.
When done marinating, grill steak on BBQ or other grill. This is a quick grill, so no more than 5 minutes per side on medium high heat. You want the steak to be no more then medium rare for optimal taste and tenderness. Skirt steak can be tough if cooked incorrectly.
Let steak rest for 5 minutes before slicing and slice across the grain.You may need to cut the steak into smaller pieces and then slice in the opposite direction.

Fillings (Can be made ahead of time)

1 tbsp canola oil
1 red pepper, thin strips
1 yellow pepper, thin strips
1 large onion, sliced in half moons
1 tbsp chili powder
1/2 tsp oregano
1/2 tsp garlic powder
1 tsp cumin
salt & pepper
1/2 cup stock (chicken, beef, vegetable…)
1/2 cup cilantro, loosely packed and then minced
flour tortillas to serve in
grated cheese
salsa
sour cream

In a large sauté pan, heat oil. Add in peppers and onions, cook until softened.
Stir in seasonings and stock, allowing stock to completely cook off.
Stir in cilantro and remove from heat.
Serve family style with tortillas, cheese, salsa, and sour cream.

Funfetti Friday

2010-12-31T05:00:00.000-06:00

Because it's Friday.

Because it's New Year's Eve.

Because I have a dozen recipes I need to type up and post and I don't feel like doing it right now.

And finally...because everyone loves Funfetti cupcakes. From the box.

Have a good evening folks - party hardy.

Eggplant Parmesan

2010-12-29T05:00:00.001-06:00

Eggplant parmesan. It's a dish that I often forget how much I love, until I have it. Of course, a favorite is always chicken parm, but this is a great veggie alternative that I guarantee will satisfy most 'meat at every meal' people. Eggplant is a thick and hearty vegetable, pairs deliciously with cheese and tomato sauce. Especially once you bread and fry it. I fried my breaded eggplant, but you could bread it and bake it...or if your looking for something even healthier, this would still be delicious if for forgo the bread coating all together. Just thinly slice the eggplant, season with salt and pepper, and continue on.

I made this a few months back, and I think I'll be making it again soon. We eat a lot of chicken in this house anyway, so it's great to have such a comforting and satisfying meal, with a healthier substitute.

Eggplant Parmesan

Printable Recipe

by Kacey's Kitchen

1 large eggplant
2 eggs, beaten
1 cup flour
2 cups Italian seasoned bread crumbs
salt and pepper
4 tbsp EVOO
1.5 cups shredded mozzarella
1/2 cup shredded parmesan
3 cups homemade tomato gravy (or your favorite jarred sauce)

Slice eggplants about 1/2" thick. Pat dry, season with salt and pepper.
Dip each slice of eggplant into flour to lightly coat, then egg mixture, and finally bread crumbs to coat completely.
Heat oil in large skillet over medium-high heat. Place eggplant in pan. After about 3 minutes, when bottom of eggplant is golden brown, flip over and cook another 2 minutes until bottom is browned. Remove to paper towel lined dish. Repeat with remaining eggplant.
Preheat oven to broil.
In large baking dish, spoon a little of the tomato sauce into bottom of dish to lightly coat.
Place slices of eggplant down so touching or slightly overlapping. Sprinkle with parmesan cheese.
Cover eggplant with tomato sauce, and sprinkle with mozzarella cheese.
Place baking dish in oven, and broil until cheese is slightly brown and bubbly.
Serve over pasta and with a piece of crusty bread.

Pulled Pork Enchiladas & Homemade Corn Tortillas

2010-12-22T05:00:00.000-06:00

When I make pulled pork, I make a lot of it. I eat some, then I freeze most of it, and I'm able to use it for lots of different thinks including: Pulled Pork Quesadillas and Pulled Pork Sandwiches, and now these delicious Pulled Pork Enchiladas.

I've shared with you my love for homemade tortillas, and now I'm going to tell you how to make them. Until my birthday this year, I've had to take the time to hand roll each tortilla. And while it might not seen like a big deal to roll dough out to 6", using a tortilla press saves tons of time and is much easier. Which means I like to do it more, which means we eat tortillas more, which is always good.

I love, love, love (homemade) corn tortillas. They are incomparable to store bought. Don't get me wrong, I had always loved store bought tortillas...until I made my own.

So anyway, my mom bought me a 6.5" cast iron tortilla press and I use it so much, I bought my sister one recently. So she can flatten whatever she wants. It's heavy duty, and doesn't take up much room. Like I said, sure you can roll your dough out...but if you've got one of these baby's - I guarantee your making more tortillas than before.

I made these tortillas to help use up the rest of my frozen pulled pork. And they tasted great. I did use canned enchilada sauce for this dish, but I spruced it up a little adding tomatoes, onions, and seasoning. Of course, if you have time, you could make it completely from scratch.

Below you'll find the recipes to both the Corn Tortillas and the Pulled Pork Enchiladas. Enjoy!

Corn Tortillas

Printable Recipe

by Maseca

2 cups MASECA
1/4 tsp salt
1 1/4 cups water

Mix all ingredients thoroughly for about 2 minutes to form soft dough. If dough feels dry, add more water (one tbsp at a time).
Divide dough into 16 equal balls. Cover with a damp cloth to keep dough moist.
Line a tortilla press with two sheets of thick plastic wrap. (I cut a ziplock bag open. Alternatively, you can roll out each ball of dough with a rolling pin)
Place each ball between plastic and press until tortilla measures 5-6" in diameter. Carefully peel off plastic wrap.
Preheat un-greased skillet on medium-high heat. Cook tortillas one at a time for 50 seconds. Turn, then cook the other side for another 50 seconds. Cover tortillas with a cloth napkin to keep soft and warm.
Repeat with remaining balls of dough.

***I find that waiting until the first tortilla is almost done cooking for flatting the second tortilla is the best way, that way the dough doesn't dry out too quickly. If the dough does dry out, simply add a tad more water and continue on!

Pulled Pork Enchiladas

Printable Recipe

by Kacey's Kitchen

Leftover pulled pork
Corn tortillas
Shredded Cheddar cheese
1 can Enchilada sauce (I used green)
1 tomato
1/2 red onion
garlic powder
black pepper

Preheat oven 350°F.
Pour enchilada sauce into a bowl. Add a sprinkle of garlic powder and black pepper.
Dice tomato and red onion, add to enchilada sauce. Stir to combine. Add seasoning if necessary.
Spoon a little enchilada sauce into the bottom of baking dish so the tortillas don't stick.
Fill each tortilla with some pulled pork and shredded cheese and lay in baking dish, overlapping slightly. Repeat with remaining tortillas and pulled pork.
Pour remaining enchilada sauce over filled tortillas, sprinkle with cheese.
Cover with aluminum foil and place in oven for 25 minutes or until tortillas are heated through. Remove aluminum foil and continue baking until cheese is bubbly and starting to brown.
Remove from oven and serve.

Cabot Cheese Gift Delivery

2010-12-20T05:00:00.001-06:00

So I get a UPS delivery the other day (I love deliveries!) and the package says "Refrigerate Immediately"...hmm...I guess it wasn't the ink cartridges I ordered. And then I noticed the return address label, "Cabot Creamery, Vermont".

Oh Hell Yeah! CHEEEEEEESE!!!

So I tear open that sucker and behold - 6 blocks of Cabot cheese, straight from the creamery. And!!! A wooden cheese board!!!

My parents know my love for all things cheese (and all other foods), and knowing that we would appreciate something practical (edible), they sent down a box of cheese from Vermont.

I had only been the Cabot Creamery once, it's tucked way in the middle of nowhere Vermont (like everything else) and surrounded by cows (like everything else). Unfortunately they weren't making cheese that day, but I did spend a good amount of time in the visitors center sampling their flavors of cheese I had never heard of.

Most of the ones my parents sent I had never seen before. If you notice, the ones they sent all have a bit of heat to them, which of course we love. This made for an excellent lunch on Saturday. Sliced spicy cheddar cheese, some crackers, some olives, and some wine. And then we sliced more cheese. And then got more crackers. And maybe while I was putting it all away, I may have sliced off some more cheese. It may have happened. And it was delicious.

Thanks mom & dad for the cheesy surprise!!! Love you!!!

Panko Crusted Cod Tacos

2010-12-17T07:00:00.001-06:00

I love fish tacos. It doesn't even matter what kind of fish it is, I just love the whole combination. I order them often, but it seems like not enough. If I see them on the menu and order something else, it always seems like still want the fish tacos! I know I've shared with you my Spicy Shrimp Tacos, which are fabulous, and this time, we've got some cod tacos! There's something about warm corn tortillas, crispy citrus-y cabbage slaw, and nice warm seafood that just goes so well together. And ever since I've been making my own corn tortillas, I really am addicted. So easy, especially with my new tortilla press I got for my birthday a few months ago! I've got a tasty post that needs to go up that will tell you all about making them!

Anyway, one of my favorite battered and fried fish is cod. It's great as Fish & Chips, it's great as a Fishwich, and it makes for delicious fish tacos. You should try it! Of course, it doesn't need to be fried (baking these work great too!) or even battered (you could grill/saute/broil it!), but hey, why not, right?

Panko Crusted Cod Tacos
Printable Recipe
by Kacey's Kitchen

1/2 lb fresh cod
1 cup panko crumbs
1 egg
salt and pepper
corn tortillas
2 tbsp vegetable oil
cabbage slaw
lime juice
cilantro (optional)

Cut cod into strips or 2 inch pieces. Season with salt and pepper.
Beat egg in small bowl. Place panko crumbs in dish.
Dip each piece of cod in egg to coat, shaking off any excess. Coat in panko crumbs and place on a dish.
Preheat oil in a skillet over medium to medium-high heat. Place a single layer of cod pieces in pan. Once bottoms start to turn golden brown, just about a minute or two, flip cod over and cook until just golden. Remove from oil onto a paper towel lined plate and repeat for all cod.
Warm corn tortillas, fill with cabbage slaw and cod pieces. Give a quick squirt of lime juice. Garnish with cilantro if desired.

Cincinnati Chili - Bachelor Style

2010-12-15T05:00:00.003-06:00

Warning: This post does not contain Kacey's culinary skills at its best.

I've never been to Cincinnati, but I would like to. For nothing in particular, in fact, I'm not really sure what is in Cincinnati. But as usual, the only thing that I can think of is food related, Cincinnati Chili.

The appeal of this comes from shows on Travel Channel and Food Network like Diners, Drive-ins, and Dives, and other similar shows where some grease hungry man travels around eating absurd amounts of slutty food. You know you love it. This is totally a meal that you would find on those shows.

If you've never seen or heard of Cincinnati Chili, I'll give you the Kacey's Official Breakdown. Usually when I give you something totally official, it means it's not official at all, and it's typically something I have little to no experience with. But since it's my blog, I can pretty much claim anything official that I want.

Anyway, here are some of the basic ways Cincinnati Chili is served:

Spaghetti & chili
Spaghetti, chili, & cheddar cheese
Spaghetti, chili, shredded cheese, and either diced onions and beans

If that's not heart attack delicious sounding, I don't know what is. Unless of course you throw it all on top of a hotdog. Which sometimes happens too.

Anyway, so a few months ago on some random weekend, I was craving something that would meet 3 important criteria: quick, warm, hearty. And viola, a 3 ingredient Cincinnati chili was born in the amount of time it takes to cook a box of pasta.

The trick with this: Do not skimp. There should be tons of chili on top of tons of pasta topped with tons of cheese.

Not that you need a recipe, I'm sure you can guess what this entails, but just incase, here you go:

Cincinnati Chili - Bachelor Style
Printable Recipe
by Kacey's Kitchen

1 Box of pasta (any kind)
1 can of chili (any kind)
1 block of yellow cheddar cheese

Boil pasta according to al dente instructions.
While pasta is boiling, remove chili from can, place in a microwave proof dish, and heat until hot.
Grate cheese.
Drain pasta, top with hot chili and grated cheese.

Pre-Wedding Dinner: Ferrisburg, VT: Starry Night Cafe

2010-12-13T05:00:00.001-06:00

Since it's already been 2 months since the wedding, I thought it might be time for me to actually share some of the delicious foodings with you. We had plenty of it. We arrived Thursday afternoon, giving us time to get our marriage license and unwind from the days worth of flights. The next day friends and family started to arrive. Rachael, Aaron, and I spent the morning wine and beer tasting (to pick out the best party-favors for our guests of course!), hitting up Lincoln Peak Vineyard and Otter Creek Brewing, both located in beautiful Middlebury, Vermont.

Dinner was prepared by my mom, making her lasagna (which is the best lasagna ever by the way), followed by a huge breakfast the next morning - pancakes, eggs, fruit, the works! Soon after we got a great maple syrup tour by their neighbor who taps and produces maple syrup right out of his house (okay, his syrup shack).

We hit up Burlington, walking around Church Street, farmers markets and having lunch at Vermont Pub & Brewery. It was busy, but I think everyone had a good time. By the time we got home, we only had a couple of hours to relax and get ready for dinner at the Starry Night Cafe in Ferrisburg, VT - which is where I'm headed with this post. I had only been to the Starry Night Cafe once before, with my family just prior to moving down to Florida. I had driven past it a hundred times, and it looked tiny and fitting, just on the side of route 7 next to a covered bridge. It looked quaint, and although I knew nothing about it, I always wanted to go there. Now I know that apparently, it's known as being one of the more upscale places in the area (Let me clarify, it's Vermont Upscale. Which means it's pleasant and nice and clean and has local food, ever changing menus, and although it does have a slightly 'upscale' feel, just like every place in Vermont, it's COMFORTABLE.). It is on the pricier side, but everything is local, and really very good. It's a good special occasion type place. And it's super cute inside - local art, a round room, and very cozy. Let me share with you some of the delicious things we had.

Fresh Maine Lobster Phyllo with Sprout Salad and Tarragon Vinaigrette

Cheese Ravioli with Local Fresh Tomato Sauce and Shaved Parmesan

Sauteed Duck Bread and Confit Leg with Sweet Potato Celery Root Cheddar Gratin, Wilted Greens with Pancetta Red Wine Sauce, and Citrus Pistachio Butter

Grilled Misty Knoll Chicken with Smoked Apples, Baked Brie, and Seasonal Vegetables, and Sage Grilled Fingerling Potatoes

VT Cider Braised Pork Shank with Buttermilk Mashed Potatoes, Wilted Greens, Smoked Cranberry Chutney and Crisp Parsnip Chips

A Grilled Tofu Dish

Carrot Cake with Local Maple Cream Cheese Frosting and Pomegranates

Other dishes that weren't pictured included: Roasted Buttercup Squash and Pear Soup with Dried Cherry Creme Friache, Pappa al Pomodoro' Soup with Shaved Parmesan and Fried Zucchini Sticks, Cornmeal Encrusted Calamari with Yellow Curry and Coconut Dipping Sauce, Steak Tartare with Horseradish Slaw House Made Cheese Crackers and Cornichons, Mixed Greens with White Balsamic and Lemon Vinaigrette, Seared Organic Scottish Salmon with Roasted Spaghetti Squash, Wilted Spinach, Tomato Fondue, and Pesto Beurre Blanc, and a Local Venison Special. And of course, a bottle of wine and a few specialty drinks.

So the verdict? While I am only one of 10 people that enjoyed this meal, and we did do our best to share bites, I can only share with you my opinion on the foods I remember trying.

Lobster Phyllo: Um...seafood wrapped in a light flaky buttery dough served in a rich sauce - of course it's yummy!

Sauteed Duck Breast: I haven't had duck in a while, and dishes like this make me wonder why I don't have it more often. I think it was a table wide consensus that the confit leg was amazing.

Cider Braised Pork Shank: This was my order. I am never disappointed when ordering a pork shank, and this time was no different. Falling off the bone delicious, my only problem with this was the fact that I couldn't finish every last bite. In fact, I would like a Cider Braised Pork Shank right now please.

The Tofu Dish: Unfortunately I can't remember exactly what this was, I just know there were huge slabs of grilled tofu on my sisters plate. While I'm no tofu connoisseur by any means, I'm glad I didn't order this dish. I occasionally like tofu, depending on how it's prepared, but this was just too much, and I think my sister agreed.

Carrot Cake: Although I'm completely biased and find it hard to stray from my moms famous carrot cake, I'd have to say that they have something going here. The maple frosting was just enough and I loved the addition of pomegranates.

Steak Tartare: My go to appetizer. This one was pretty good, it could have used a little more of that horseradish 'kick', but I would totally order it again.

Mixed Greens Salad: The only thing that we ordered that we wish we could have taken off the bill. It was one of those dishes that everyone just stared at wondering where the $8 was. I mean, how hard is it to screw up a mixed greens salad, it's not like there are super high expectations there to begin with. One would think mixed greens would be, well, a variety of mixed greens. This was literally a small plate of 1 type of chopped lettuce. Maybe someone forgot to throw some sprouts on it or something, who knows. But everything else was so delicious, I think we all just tried to forget about it.

Salmon: I remember this being tasty, but nothing stands out as being particularly special.

Venison: I only had a small bite of this, and I remember enjoying it and thinking that it was cooked very well.

House Specialty Mixed Drinks: Tasty, although not seasonal.

So what's my final review of the Starry Night Cafe?

Starry Night Cafe - 5371 Route 7, Ferrisburg, VT

Total Price: Unknown, my father refused to disclose, although he did share that it was much lower than expected.

Food: 8.5
Atmosphere: 9.5
Presentation: 9

***All photos in this post are courtesy of Mr. Nich***