Housewarming Party

Happy Friday friends!  The first weekend in June, we hosted a Housewarming Party at our new house.  It was great motivation to get projects done, and it was a lot of fun to have the opportunity to celebrate our first home with so many friends and family.  We each invited our co-workers as well as friends and the whole family. We had a full house, and it was wonderful to get to use the house to host people we love just as we envisioned when we bought it. 

Because who doesn't love details, here is the spread!

Mom came over early (with perfect mirrors that were a last-minute find for our bathroom in tow as I shared in the last post) to help make a few little flower arrangements and put the finishing touches on things.  Fresh flowers just make my heart happy!  For the record, JW thought we were ridiculous for doing flowers, but they add so much, don't they?

I love to look back at party menus for inspiration, so here's what we served:

Drinks- Peach Tea, Red Sangria, White Wine, Beer, and Water

Food- Guacamole, Salsa, Fruit, Artichoke Dip, Texas Caviar, and Baked Crescent Roll Brie with Blackberry Preserves

Dessert- Southern Chess Squares, Brownies, and Lemon Crinkle Cookies

Of course, I put some recipes at the end of the post for you!

We had such a great time.  It feels good that our house is feeling like home and we have been able to use it to entertain and make memories with friends and family.  Here are some of those recipes I promised.  Enjoy!

Texas Caviar

Ingredients:

•  2 (15.8 ounce) cans black-eyed peas, drained
•  1 (14.5 ounce) can petite diced tomatoes, drained
•  1 (15 ounce) can of chickpeas, drained
•  1 (16 ounce) bag frozen corn, thawed
•  2 fresh medium jalapenos, stemmed, seeded and minced
•  1 small red onion, diced
•  1 green bell pepper, diced
•  1 red bell pepper, diced
•  1/4 cup chopped fresh cilantro
•  6 tablespoons red wine vinegar
•  6 tablespoons olive oil
•  1/2 teaspoon salt
•  1/2 teaspoon ground black pepper
•  1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
•  1 teaspoon dried oregano
•  1 1/2 teaspoons ground cumin

Directions:
Mix all ingredients in a medium bowl; cover and refrigerate 2 hours or up to 2 days.  Taste and adjust seasoning if needed before serving.

Baked Crescent Roll Brie with Blackberry Preserves

Ingredients:

• 1 can crescent rolls
• 1/2 - 3/4 cup blackberry preserves (or any other preserves you'd prefer)
• chopped pecans or walnuts (optional)
• 8 oz. block of brie cheese

Directions:
Unroll the crescent rolls all in one piece on a baking sheet.  Press together the perforations to form one piece of dough with no breaks or tears.  Place block of brie in the center.  Spread the preserves on top of brie so that it runs over the sides and sprinkle with either pecans or walnuts.  Fold the edges of the crescent roll up over the top so that the brie is covered.  Pinch together the dough to seal.  Place in the oven at 350 degrees and bake for 15-20  minutes until the crescent roll shell is golden brown.  Serve warm with crackers.

Mom's Famous Artichoke Dip

This is a recipe my mom started making several years ago.  It's always a raving success and people always want the recipe.  I think almost every woman in our family has it in her repertoire now.

Ingredients:

•  8 oz. can artichoke hearts, chopped
• 2 jalapeno peppers, seeded and diced
• 2 garlic cloves, minced
• 1 cup grated Parmesan cheese
• 1/2 cup sour cream
• 1/2 cup mayonnaise
• 8 oz. block of cream cheese, softened

Directions:
Combine all ingredients in a medium bowl and then spread in a shallow ceramic dish.  Bake at 350 degrees for 45 minutes, until browned around the edges.  We always serve warm with Wheat Thins.

Southern Chess Squares

Ingredients:

• 1 box yellow cake mix
• 1 cup chopped pecans (optional)
• 3 eggs
• 8 oz cream cheese, softened
• 1/2 cup (1 stick) butter, melted
• 4 cups (1 lb) powdered sugar

Directions:
Preheat oven to 300 degrees and spray a 9×13 dish with cooking spray.  Mix cake mix, melted butter, pecans, and one egg to a soft dough.  Press into the bottom of the pan.  Mix powdered sugar, softened cream cheese and remaining two eggs until smooth, about 1-2 minutes.  Pour on top of crust.  Bake at 300 for 40-50 minutes until top is golden brown.

Christmas Celebrations- Part 1

We like to celebrate a lot around here, as you know if you've read our blog or known us for any length of time.  We also have a pretty large family, so the week of Christmas was filled with a lot of celebrating with everyone we love.  To kick it off, we hosted my dad's family over at our house for Christmas dinner on the 23rd.  Papaw and Denie came up from Galveston, and Aunt Kimmie, my parents, and siblings came too.  Taylor even drove in straight from Lubbock to start his break at dinner with us.  We had never had Papaw, Denie, and Kim over to see our house, so that was fun.  And, since I love to cook and entertain it was the perfect excuse.

You're all dying to know the menu, right? :) 

Appetizers:
Baked Spinach and Artichoke Dip with pita chips
Baked Apricot Brie with crackers

Dinner:
Orange Glazed Pork Tenderloin
Roasted Garlic Mashed Potatoes
Green Beans
Balsamic Glazed Carrots

Dessert:
Mom's Pecan Pie
Aunt Kimmie's Banana Pudding
Cheesecake

It's always a good time when we're all together.  We missed Grandma a lot, but know she was looking down from heaven and laughing along with the rest of us. 

Here are a few recipes I used.  Many of them were new and turned out great.

Baked Spinach and Artichoke Dip

adapted from Southern Living Christmas Cookbook

Ingredients:

• 2 (6-oz.) packages fresh baby spinach
• 1 tablespoon butter
• 1 (8-oz.) package 1/3-less-fat cream cheese
• 1 garlic clove, chopped
• 1 (14-oz.) can artichoke hearts, drained and chopped
• 1/2 cup light sour cream
• 1/2 cup shredded part-skim mozzarella cheese, divided
• Fresh pita wedges or baked pita chips

 Directions:
1. Steam spinach in
2. Melt butter in a nonstick skillet over medium-high heat. Add cream cheese and garlic; cook 3 to 4 minutes, stirring constantly, until cream cheese melts. Fold in spinach, artichokes, sour cream, and 1/4 cup mozzarella cheese; stir until cheese melts.
3. Transfer mixture to a 1-qt. shallow baking dish. Sprinkle with remaining 1/4 cup mozzarella cheese.
4. Bake at 350° for 15 minutes or until hot and bubbly. Serve immediately with fresh pita wedges or baked pita chips.

Baked Crescent Roll Brie

This one I adapted from Pinterest and a version of this I'd had before.  It's super simple and delicious.
Ingredients:

• 1 can crescent rolls
• 1/2 - 3/4 cup apricot preserves (or any other preserves you'd prefer.  Cranberry would have been great too.)
• chopped pecans or walnuts
• block of brie cheese

Directions:
Unroll the crescent rolls all in one piece on a baking sheet.  Press together the perforations to form one piece of dough with no breaks or tears.  Spread the preserves all over the crescent roll dough and sprinkle with either pecans or walnuts.  Place the block of brie in the middle of the dough and fold the edges up over the top so that the brie is covered.  Pinch together the dough to seal.  Place in the oven and bake for 10-15 minutes until the crescent roll shell is golden brown.  Serve warm with crackers.

Orange Glazed Pork Tenderloin

courtesy of South Living Christmas Cookbook

(I used a 5 lb. roast, so doubled the recipe)

Ingredients:

• 1 (3-pound) boneless pork loin roast
• Vegetable cooking spray
• 1 1/2 teaspoons coarsely ground pepper
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1 cup orange marmalade
• 2 tablespoons Creole mustard
• 2 teaspoons fresh or dried rosemary
• 2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
• 1 (14 1/2-ounce) can fat-free reduced-sodium chicken broth
• Garnish: fresh rosemary sprigs

Directions:

1. Place roast on a rack coated with cooking spray in an aluminum foil-lined shallow roasting pan.
2. Rub roast with pepper and salt.
3. Heat marmalade in a microwave-safe bowl at HIGH 10 seconds or until melted. Add mustard and rosemary, stirring until blended. Brush mixture over roast.
4. Bake at 375° for 1 hour or until a meat thermometer inserted into thickest portion registers 155°. Cover with foil; let stand 10 minutes. Remove roast from pan, and cut into slices; cover and keep warm.
5. Sprinkle roasting pan with flour; place on cook top, and cook over medium heat, 1 minute, whisking constantly. Add broth, and cook 5 more minutes, whisking constantly or until mixture thickens. Serve with sliced pork. Garnish, if desired.

 Roasted Garlic Mashed Potatoes

courtesy of The Neely's
I doubled this recipe to serve 10-12.

Ingredients:

• 1 head garlic
• Olive oil
• 2 pounds red potatoes, washed well and quartered
• Salt and freshly ground black pepper
• 5 tablespoons butter
• 3/4 cup heavy cream

Directions:
Preheat oven to 425 degrees F.
Slice off the very top of the garlic head. Drizzle head with olive oil and wrap in foil. Place on a sheet tray and bake until tender and fragrant, roughly 35 minutes. Remove from the oven and let cool. Remove the cloves and mash with a wooden spoon.
Place potatoes in a large stockpot and cover with cold water. Add salt and bring to a boil. Cook until fork tender and drain. Mash the potatoes until smooth.
Meanwhile heat butter and cream until butter melts. Add the roasted garlic and potatoes and mash all together.
Taste and season with salt and pepper. Serve immediately

Balsamic Baby Carrots

courtesy of Southern Living
I doubled this recipe to serve 10-12.

Ingredients:

• 3 cups water
• 1 pound baby carrots
• 2 large shallots, thinly sliced
• 1 medium-size red bell pepper, diced
• 1 tablespoon olive oil
• 3 tablespoons balsamic vinegar
• 1 1/2 tablespoons sugar
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1/4 teaspoon freshly ground pepper
• 2 tablespoons chopped fresh Italian parsley
• Garnish: fresh Italian parsley sprig

Directions:

1. Bring 3 cups water to a boil in a 3-quart saucepan; add carrots, return to a boil, and cook 4 minutes. Remove from heat; drain well.
2. Sauté shallots and bell pepper in hot oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat 3 minutes or until crisp-tender. Stir in carrots, vinegar, and next 3 ingredients, and cook 4 to 5 minutes or until liquid is reduced and vegetables begin to glaze. Remove from heat; stir in chopped parsley. Garnish, if desired.

If you give a girl a cookie....

If you give a girl a cookie... voucher to redeem at any time for a batch of her favorite cookies, it is likely to be used with eagerness during that week in the month when she craves certain things, especially sweets!  Remember those cute Valentine's Day debit cards that my mom gave us last month?  Well, I had one that could be redeemed for a batch of my favorite cookies made by JW.  Here's the recipe I picked out for him to use.  They were delicious!

Oatmeal Chocolate Chip Cookies

recipe courtesy of Betty Crocker via Pinterest

Ingredients:

• 1 1/2cups packed brown sugar
• 1 cup butter or margarine, softened
• 1 teaspoon vanilla 
• 1 egg
• 2 cups quick cooking oats
• 1 1/2 cups all-purpose or unbleached flour
• 1 teaspoon baking soda 
• 1/4 teaspoon salt 
• 1 cup semisweet chocolate chips (6 oz) 
• 1 cup chopped nuts, if desired, (I did not desire) 

Directions:

1. Heat oven to 350°F. In large bowl, stir brown sugar and butter until blended. Stir in vanilla and egg until light and fluffy. Stir in oats, flour, baking soda and salt; stir in chocolate chips and nuts.
2. Onto ungreased cookie sheet, drop dough by rounded tablespoonfuls about 2 inches apart.
3. Bake 9 to 11 minutes or until golden brown. Cool slightly; remove from cookie sheet to wire rack. Makes 3 1/2 dozen cookies 

So, after redeeming my cookie voucher, it became Joey's to use.  This week he wanted these cookies.  I made them on Sunday and they are very good.  They taste just like thin mints! 

Chocolate Mint Chip Cookies

recipe courtesy of Two Peas & Their Pod via Pinterest

Ingredients: 

• 1-1/4 cups flour
• 1 teaspoon baking powder
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 2/3 cup unsweetened cocoa
• 1/2 cup (1 stick) unsalted butter, cubed and room temperature
• 1/2 cup white sugar
• 1/2 cup dark brown sugar
• 1-1/2 teaspoons vanilla
• 1/3 cup milk
• 1 bag of mint chips- I used the Andes Mint brand

Directions:

Preheat oven to 325 degrees F and line baking sheets with silicone baking mat or parchment paper.

Whisk together flour, salt, baking powder and cocoa, and set aside. Beat the butter on medium-high until light and add sugars, creaming well. Add the vanilla and beat until smooth. Add the flour mixture in 2 batches, alternately with the milk in one batch, mixing well. Stir in the mint chips. Chill dough for at least 15 minutes. You can make the dough a few hours or 2 days before baking and it will be fine. Just wrap it up and keep in the fridge.

Scoop the dough onto a parchment- or silpat-lined cookie sheet, press down on them slightly, and bake for 14-15 minutes…for a normal size cookie. Let the cookies cool completely on the cookie sheet, they will set up as they cool. Store in an air-tight container, they will stay fresh for a couple of days.

If you are craving a yummy baked treat, I would recommend either one of these recipes.  They were both delicious and not too difficult to make! 

Valentine's Day Menu

Instead of braving the crowds at a restaurant this year on Valentine's Day, JW and I decided to cook a yummy meal at home.  We do have a gift card to a nice restaurant here in town that we want to use to celebrate this weekend, but tomorrow we will have a romantic dinner at home.  Here is what we'll be making.

Filet Mignon with Balsamic Syrup and Goat Cheese

recipe courtesy of Giada De Laurentiis

Ingredients

• 1 1/2 cups balsamic vinegar
• 3 tablespoons sugar
• 2 tablespoons butter
• 6 (5 to 6-ounce) filet mignon steaks (each about 1-inch thick)
• Salt and freshly ground black pepper
• 2 ounces soft fresh goat cheese

Directions

Boil the balsamic vinegar and sugar in a heavy small saucepan over medium-high heat until reduced to 1/3 cup, stirring occasionally, about 18 minutes.

Meanwhile, preheat the broiler. Melt the butter in a heavy large skillet over medium-high heat. Sprinkle the steaks with salt and pepper. Cook the steaks to desired doneness, about 3 minutes per side for medium-rare. Transfer the steaks to a baking sheet. Crumble the cheese over the steaks and broil just until the cheese melts, about 1 minute. Sprinkle with pepper.
Transfer the steaks to plates. Drizzle the balsamic sauce around the steaks and serve.

Roasted Garlic Mashed Potatoes

recipe courtesy of The Neely's

Ingredients

• 1 head garlic
• Olive oil
• 2 pounds red potatoes, washed well and quartered
• Salt and freshly ground black pepper
• 5 tablespoons butter
• 3/4 cup heavy cream

Directions

Preheat oven to 425 degrees F.

Slice off the very top of the garlic head. Drizzle head with olive oil and wrap in foil. Place on a sheet tray and bake until tender and fragrant, roughly 35 minutes. Remove from the oven and let cool. Remove the cloves and mash with a wooden spoon.
Place potatoes in a large stockpot and cover with cold water. Add salt and bring to a boil. Cook until fork tender and drain. Mash the potatoes until smooth.
Meanwhile heat butter and cream until butter melts. Add the roasted garlic and potatoes and mash all together.
Taste and season with salt and pepper. Serve immediately.

We will also have salad and steamed broccoli as additional sides.

And for dessert....

 Molten Lava Cakes

recipe courtesy of The Neely's

Ingredients

• 2 sticks unsalted butter, plus more for the ramekins
• 4 teaspoons granulated sugar
• 1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
• Pinch of cayenne pepper
• Pinch of nutmeg
• 12 ounces semisweet chocolate, chopped
• 1 cup all-purpose flour
• 2 1/2 cups confectioners' sugar, plus more for dusting (optional)
• 6 large eggs plus 6 egg yolks
• 1 1/2 teaspoons vanilla extract
• 1/4 teaspoon almond extract

Directions

Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F. Butter eight 6-ounce ramekins and sprinkle each with 1/2 teaspoon granulated sugar.

Combine the butter, cinnamon, cayenne, nutmeg and chocolate in a saucepan over low heat, stirring frequently until melted and smooth. Cool slightly. Whisk the flour, confectioners' sugar, eggs and yolks, vanilla extract and almond extract in a bowl until creamy. Whisk in the melted chocolate mixture. Divide among the prepared ramekins.

Bake the cakes until the tops are stiff and the edges darken, 12 to 14 minutes. Remove from the oven and let cool 5 minutes. Loosen the edges of the cakes with a small paring knife and transfer to plates while warm. Dust with confectioners' sugar.

Yum, right?!  My mouth is watering just thinking about it.  I hope your Valentine's Day is full of great memories with those you LOVE! 

A Chocolate Pick-Me-Up

Was it cold and rainy where you are today?  It sure was a soggy and dreary day here.  I am making this hot chocolate for me and the hubs tonight.  Yum!  What a way to end to a yucky Monday, right?  And, The Bachelor is on tonight, so things are looking up!  Chocolate and drama... all a girl needs.  :)

Joey has "Big Trial", which is a mock trial that is the culmination of PC 1, 2, and 3 tomorrow and Wednesday.  Prayers for him to have clarity of mind and to do well would be much appreciated this week!

Delicious Hot Chocolate

recipe courtesy of Pioneer Woman

Prep Time: 5 Minutes

Cook Time: 15 Minutes     Servings: 6

Ingredients

• 2 cups Milk
• 2 cups Half-and-half
• 1 cup Good Semi Sweet Chocolate Chips
• 1 teaspoon Sugar (optional) 

Preparation Instructions

To make the basic hot chocolate, combine milk with half-and-half in a small saucepan. Warm over medium-low heat, then stir in chocolate chips. Stir until melted (though there will still be lovely particles of chocolate throughout.) If it’s too chocolatey for you, splash in a little more milk. If it’s not quite sweet enough for you, add 1 teaspoon sugar. Serve in mugs with whipped cream.

VARIATIONS
Orange Hot Chocolate: Add 4 slices of orange rind as you warm the milk mixture. Add a splash of orange syrup if you have it, but it isn’t necessary.

 Raspberry Hot Chocolate: Add 3 tablespoons raspberry syrup to the hot chocolate. Drop a couple of raspberries into each cup.

Mint Hot Chocolate: Drop 1 to 2 miniature peppermint patties into each mug before adding hot chocolate. Stir to melt.

Mexican Hot Chocolate: Substitute 2 discs of Abuelita chocolate for the chocolate chips. Simmer cinnamon sticks in the saucepan with the hot chocolate. Add 1 cinnamon stick to each mug before serving.

Garnish any and all variations with whipped cream or chocolate shavings.

Home Cooked Sunday: Slow Cooker Style

Dana and Carolyn came over for Sunday dinner last night.  We had warm Baked Potato Soup and enjoyed catching up.

The Menu: Baked Potato Soup, Croissant Rolls, Salad, and White Sangria
Dessert: Chocolate Chunk Brownies and Ice Cream

Baked Potato Soup

recipe courtesy of Southern Living

• 6 large russet potatoes, peeled and cut into 1/2 inch cubes (I washed and left skin on 2 of the potatoes)
• 1/2 onion, chopped
• 6 cups chicken broth
• 1 tsp. minced garlic
• 1/4 cup butter
• 2 1/2 tsp. salt
• 1 tsp. pepper
• 1 cup half and half
• 4 oz. cream cheese
• 1 cup shredded Cheddar Cheese
• chopped fresh chives
• sour cream
• bacon slices, crumbled
• Shredded Cheddar cheese

Combine the first 7 ingredients in a slow cooker.  Cover and cook on High for 4 hours or Low for 8 hours or until potato is tender.  Mash mixture until potatoes are coarsely chopped and soup is slightly thickened.  Stir in half and half, cream cheese, and Cheddar.  Use chives, sour cream, bacon, and additional Cheddar as garnish if desired.

White Sangria

• 1 bottle Chardonnay
• 1/2 cup Vodka
• 1 can frozen fuzzy navel concentrate
• 1 1/2 cans Sprite
• 1/2 cup frozen fruit (or fresh if you have it)

Combine all ingredients and serve chilled.   I always have a hard time finishing bottles of wine.  This Sangria recipe was a result of combining some things we had in the kitchen.  It was pretty good and a great way to use left-over wine. 

This dinner was so easy to just combine and let it cook.  It will be great left-over for lunch this week too.  Have a great week!

Home Cooked Sunday: Baby It's Cold Outside

Tonight Sunday Dinner was just JW and I.  No one else from the law school bunch was able to attend, so we enjoyed a quiet dinner at home after being out of town most of the weekend.  We had a friend's wedding in Dallas last night and got to stay with the Roush's.  We drove up Saturday morning and spent time with them and watched the Baylor v. Texas game... Sic 'Em!  Our Bears beat the Longhorns for the second year in a row.  It was exciting!  It has been rainy and cold most of the weekend, and my allergies have been bonkers lately, so warm soup hit the spot tonight.  This is one of my favorite things Momma Hance makes, and it is super easy.

The Menu:
Tortellini Soup and French Bread
Dessert: Rum Cake

Tortellini Soup

recipe courtesy of Momma Hance

• 3 garlic cloves, minced
• 1 Tbs. butter
• 48 oz. chicken broth
• 20 oz. cheese and/or chicken tortellini
• 10 oz. frozen chopped spinach, drained
• 2 (14.5 oz.) cans stewed tomatoes

In a large pot or dutch oven melt butter and cook garlic until golden.  Add the chicken broth and bring to a boil.  Once boiling, add tortellini and cook for 10 minutes.  Add the drained spinach and stewed tomatoes.  Allow to simmer for another 10 minutes. 

Rum Cake

Ingredients:

• 1 cup chopped pecans
• 1 (18.25 ounce) package yellow cake mix
• 1 (3.4 ounce) package instant vanilla pudding mix
• 4 eggs
• 1/2 cup water
• 1/2 cup vegetable oil
• 1/2 cup dark rum

Glaze:

• 1/2 cup butter
• 1/4 cup water
• 1 cup white sugar
• 1/2 cup dark rum

Directions:
Preheat oven to 325 degrees F (165 degrees C). Grease and flour a 10 inch Bundt pan. Sprinkle chopped nuts evenly over the bottom of the pan.

In a large bowl, combine cake mix and pudding mix. Mix in the eggs, 1/2 cup water, oil and 1/2 cup rum. Blend well. Pour batter over chopped nuts in the pan.

Bake in the preheated oven for 60 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted into the cake comes out clean. Pierce bottom, brush on glaze. Let sit for 10 minutes in pan. Then turn out onto serving plate. Brush glaze over top and sides. Allow cake to absorb glaze and repeat until all glaze is used.

To make the glaze: in a saucepan, combine butter, 1/4 cup water and 1 cup sugar. Bring to a boil over medium heat and continue to boil for 5 minutes, stirring constantly. Remove from heat and stir in 1/2 cup rum.

Stay warm out there this week!

Home Cooked Sunday: Thanksgiving Dinner

This week for Sunday Dinner we had a Thanksgiving feast.  It was a great way to kick off the holiday week! 

Menu
Dinner: Roasted Turkey and Vegetables, Cornbread Dressing, Sweet Potato Casserole

Carolyn also brought a yummy corn casserole and oreo cheesecake for dessert.  Here's a picture of our feast.

And the great thing is- after spending much of the afternoon in the kitchen cooking, we'll have enough leftovers to eat for the short week we will be in town before we head to Houston to spend Thanksgiving with our family.

This was my first time to cook a turkey, and I sort of made this recipe up as I went along.  I watched some episodes on Food Network this week and combined several ideas I got.  I had fun, and it turned out great!  The turkey was crisp on the outside and so juicy and flavorful on the inside... yum!

The Turkey

Brine:

• 6 quarts water
• 3/4 cup salt
• 1/3 cup sugar
• 1 cup apple cider vinegar
• 1 head of garlic, peeled and broken up
• 6 bay leaves
• 1/2 onion, cut into large chunks

• 13 lb. turkey
• 1 stick butter, softened
• 1 1/2 tsp. salt
• 1/2 tsp. pepper
• 1 tsp. dried basil
• 1 tsp. dried rosemary
• 1 tsp. dried sage
• 1/2 tsp. paprika
• 1 Tbs. fresh parsley, chopped
• 1 bundle fresh thyme
• 1 red onion, chopped into large chunks
• 1 head of garlic, peeled
• 3 carrots, peeled and chopped into large chunks
• 5 red potatoes, chopped into large chunks
• 1-2 cups of chicken broth
• 1 cup white wine
• olive oil

Directions:

In a large pot heat water and following 6 brine ingredients to dissolve salt and sugar and release flavor of remaining ingredients.  Remove from heat.  Fill a large bucket halfway full of ice and place turkey, cavity side up, on top.  Allow brine to cool a little and then pour brine into the bucket allowing turkey to be fully submerged in liquid.  Cover and leave turkey soaking overnight (at least 12 hours).  Note: If you have room in your refrigerator you can reduce amount of ice and keep in there. 

Remove turkey from the brine and place on rack in roasting pan, breast side up, on the counter for about 30 minutes allowing it to dry and come to room temperature.  Meanwhile, combine butter and next 6 ingredients.  Rub all over the outside of the turkey and under the skin on the breast.  Tie the bundle of thyme with butchers twine and place inside the cavity of the turkey.  Place a quarter of the onion inside the cavity along with a few cloves of garlic, and one carrot.  Place the remaining onion, garlic, carrots, and potatoes in the bottom of the roasting pan with chicken broth and white wine.  Tuck the wings under the turkey and tie the legs together. 

Drizzle olive oil over the top of the turkey and place in the oven at 350 degrees for 3 hours or until internal temperature of turkey reaches 165 degrees.  Remove turkey every hour to baste with liquid and check temperature.  When turkey is done, allow to rest for 30 minutes before carving.  Joey did the honor of carving our bird.  It was his first time and he did a great job!

Corn Bread Dressing

recipe courtesy of Mom

Ingredients:

• 2 pkgs corn bread mix, cooked according to package instructions
• 3 slices of bread
• 6 hard boiled eggs
• 2 stalk of celery, finely diced (I only used 1)
• 1 yellow onion, finely diced (I used half)
• 1 stick butter, melted
• 2 raw eggs, lightly whisked
• 2-3 cans chicken broth
• salt, pepper, poultry seasoning, sage: to taste

Combine all ingredients in a 9 x 13 casserole dish.  Bake at 400 degrees for 20-30 minutes or until slightly browned and crusty on top.

Sweet Potato Casserole

I adapted this one from one I had from Momma Hance.

Ingredients:

• 3 sweet potatoes, peeled and chopped into large chunks
• 3/4 cups sugar
• 3 eggs
• dash of salt and dash of cinnamon
• 1 tsp. vanilla
• 1 stick butter

Topping:

• 1 stick melted butter
• 1 cup brown sugar
• 1/2 cup finely chopped pecans
• 1 cup mini marshmellows

Put potatoes in large pot and cover with water.  Bring water to boil on stove and cook for about 20 minutes or until potatoes are fork tender.  Drain water and add remaining ingredients to potatoes in pot and mash.  Place into a 2 quart baking dish and bake at 350 degrees for 20 minutes.  Meanwhile, combine all ingredients for topping.  Remove sweet potatoes from oven, pour topping over top of potatoes, and return to oven for another 10 minutes.

Wishing you a Happy Thanksgiving with lots of great food and time with people you love!

Home Cooked Sunday: Fall Themed

Tonight our menu is fall inspired.  We had a couple of days this week that were pretty cool.  We even turned our air conditioning off for a few days, and it made me want to make a something warm that tastes like fall.  When I think about fall food, I picture stew slow cooking all day and filling the house with a delicious aroma, maybe a warm apple or pear cobbler, chili, root vegetables, squash, pumpkin, and spices like cinnamon and nutmeg.  So, it's probably not quite cold enough to keep the air off and bundle up, but tonight we are going to crank up the air and enjoy some warm soup and a pumpkin infused dessert.  Fall will get here, even if it's just a few days between now and winter. :)

Menu
Dinner: Taco Soup and Corn Bread
Dessert: Pumpkin Cheesecake

Taco Soup

recipe adapted from one by Paula Deen

Ingredients

• 2 lbs. ground beef
• half of an onion, diced
• 1 (15.5 oz.) can pinto beans, drained
• 1 (15.5 oz.) can pink kidney beans
• 2 (15.25 oz.) cans whole kernel corn, drained
• 1 (14.5 oz.) can Mexican-style stewed tomatoes
• 2 (14.5 oz.) cans diced tomatoes
• 1-2 (14.5 oz.) cans tomatoes with green chiles (depending on how much spice you like.  I stuck with 1.)
• 1 (1.25 oz.) package taco seasoning mix
• 1 (1 oz.) package ranch salad dressing mix
• beef broth, to add moisture if needed
• Corn chips for serving
• Sour cream for garnish
• Grated cheese for garnish
• Chopped green onions for garnish

Directions

Brown the ground beef and onion in a large dutch oven, drain excess fat, then transfer back to pot or slow cooker.  Add the beans, corn, tomatoes, taco seasoning, and ranch dressing mix, and cook for 6-8 hours in a slow cooker or simmer for 1 hour in pot on the stove.  If the soup needs more moisture throughout cooking, add beef broth for desired consistency.  To serve, place a few corn chips in a bowl and ladle soup on top.  Top with desired garnishes. 

I also made corn bread to go with the soup.  This one is perfect for dunking!

Pumpkin Cheesecake

recipe courtesy of Paula Deen

Ingredients

Crust:

• 1 3/4 cups graham cracker crumbs
• 3 tablespoons light brown sugar
• 1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
• 1 stick melted salted butter

Filling:

• 3 (8-ounce) packages cream cheese, at room temperature
• 1 (15-ounce) can pureed pumpkin
• 3 eggs plus 1 egg yolk
• 1/4 cup sour cream
• 1 1/2 cups sugar
• 1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
• 1/8 teaspoon fresh ground nutmeg
• 1/8 teaspoon ground cloves
• 2 tablespoon all-purpose flour
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract

Directions

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.

For crust:
In medium bowl, combine crumbs, sugar and cinnamon. Add melted butter. Press down flat into a 9-inch spring form pan. Set aside.

For filling:
Beat cream cheese until smooth. Add pumpkin puree, eggs, egg yolk, sour cream, sugar and the spices. Add flour and vanilla. Beat together until well combined.

Pour into crust. Spread out evenly and place oven for 1 hour. Remove from the oven and let sit for 15 minutes. Cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate for 4 hours.

Happy Fall... even if we have to pretend it's cold outside and our leaves are changing colors!  This is the last week of law school classes before finals start, so prayers for JW and our other law school friends to finish strong are appreciated.

Home Cooked Sunday

Next week Joey and Dana have been assigned to go against each other in a mini trial exercise for school.  So, the strategies for each one of their sides of the case was a big topic of conversation at dinner tonight.  Everyone was pretty into it, and I think it helped them both to talk it out, but it was just another affirmation to me that the right spouse is in law school. :)  I'm not a huge fan of arguing, (unless it's with Joey and I know I'm right).  I was pretty tense throughout dinner, but everyone liked the meal and seemed to be enjoying their heated discussion, so I was happy to stay out of it.  The menu this Sunday was:

Dinner: Turkey Enchiladas with Guacamole and Chips
Dessert: Pineapple Upside Down Cake

Turkey Enchiladas

recipe courtesy of Mom

Ingredients:

• 10 flour tortillas
• 2 (14.5 oz.) cans diced tomatoes
• 2 (8 oz.) cans tomato sauce
• 1 poblano pepper, chopped
• 1/2 cup chopped green onion
• 1/4 cup chopped parsley
• 1 tsp. chili powder
• 1/4 tsp. crushed red pepper
• 1/4 tsp. ground cumin
• 2 cups cooked turkey, chopped (Thanksgiving leftovers are the best, but otherwise I use ground turkey cooked in a skillet with salt, pepper, and cumin)
• 4 oz. cream cheese
• 1 cup shredded cheddar cheese

Directions:

Heat oven to 350 degrees and wrap tortillas in foil and put them in oven to warm for 10 minutes.

For sauce: Heat next eight ingredients in a saucepan.  Bring to a boil.  Reduce heat and simmer uncovered for 5 minutes. 

Combine half of the sauce with the turkey, cream cheese, and half of the cheddar.  Place mixture in tortillas, roll, and place in a 13"x9" baking dish- seam side down.  Pour sauce and remaining cheese on top and cover with foil.  Bake covered for 20 minutes.  Remove foil and bake uncovered for 10 more minutes.

This dish is my brother, Taylor's, favorite thing my mom makes.  So, it's tradition for her to make it for his birthday in July and the day after Thanksgiving with leftover turkey.  It is a good one that was a hit tonight and any other time I have made it.

Pineapple Upside Down Cake

recipe adapted from one by Emeril Lagasse

Ingredients:

• 1 can sliced pineapple, drained
• 3/4 cup (1.5 sticks) unsalted butter
• 3/4 cup brown sugar
• pecan halves
• 2 cups all-purpose flour
• 1 tsp. baking powder
• 1 tsp. baking soda
• 1/4 tsp. salt
• 1 cup granulated sugar
• 2 eggs
• 1 cup buttermilk
• 1.5 tsp. vanilla extract
• 2 Tbs. rum

Directions:

Melt 4 tablespoons of butter in a 12 inch iron skillet, over medium heat.  Add the brown sugar and stir to combine.  Increase the heat to medium high and cook until the sugar mixture is bubbly, about 2 minutes.  Add 1 tablespoon of rum.  Arrange pineapple slices in the skillet in a pleasing pattern and continue to cook for 2 minutes.  Turn the pineapple slices over and remove the pan from the heat.  (The mixture will continue to cook event though the heat is off.)  Arrange the pecan halves in the middle of the pineapple rings.  Set aside to cool slightly.

Preheat the oven to 375 degrees.  Stir together the flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt in a bowl.  In the bowl of an electric mixer, cream together the remaining 1/2 cup of butter and the granulated sugar until light and fluffy.  Add the eggs, 1 at a time.  Alternately add the flour mixture and buttermilk mixture at a low speed.  Stir in the vanilla and the remaining tablespoon of rum. 

Spoon the batter evenly over the pineapple slices in the skillet.  Bake in the middle of the oven until golden brown and a tester comes out clean, 35-40 minutes.

Cool the cake in the skillet for only 4 minutes.  Then, invert the cake onto a cake plate and replace any fruit that gets misplaced or stuck to skillet.  I served the cake warm with whipped cream.  It was delicious and a great evening with friends... legal debate and all!  Hopefully JW and Dana are still friends after this week. :)

Home Cooked Sunday: on the grill

On the menu this Sunday for our weary law student friends is:

Dinner- Guacamole Burgers, Grilled Corn, Avocado, and Tomato Salad with Honey Lime Dressing, and Sweet Potato Fries
Dessert- Hot Fudge Spoon Cake and Vanilla Ice Cream

Guacamole Burgers

Ingredients

• 1.5 lbs. ground beef
• 1/2 tsp. garlic powder
• 1 tsp. Emeril's Original Essence
• 1 Tbs. dried parsley
• 1/4 cup shredded Parmesan cheese
• 1/4 cup bread crumbs
• 1 tsp. olive oil
• dash of salt and freshly cracked pepper
• slices of cheese, to top burgers

Guacamole:

• 2 ripe avocados
• 2 Tbs. fresh pico de gallo
• 1/4 tsp. garlic powder
• dash of salt and freshly cracked pepper

For guacamole, mash avocados first, and then add remaining ingredients and mix.  Let sit in refrigerator for 5-10 minutes for flavors to mingle.

In a large bowl combine ground beef and remaining burger ingredients.  Mix well using hands to ensure all ingredients are incorporated.  Form into hamburger patties about 1 inch thick and grill.  I usually put a slice of pepper jack cheese on the burger patties during their last couple minutes of cooking.  This is also a good time to put the buns on the grill to toast them as well.  Once done, spread guacamole on bun and build burger with desired toppings.

Grilled Corn, Avocado, and Tomato Salad with Honey Lime Dressing

recipe courtesy of For the Love of Cooking

Ingredients

• pint of grape tomatoes, cut in halves
• 1 ripe avocado
• 2 ears of fresh sweet corn
• 2 Tbsp. fresh cilantro, chopped

Honey Lime Dressing:

• Juice of 1 lime
• 3 Tbsp. Olive Oil
• 1 Tbs. honey
• sea salt and freshly cracked pepper, to taste
• 1 clove garlic, minced
• dash of Cayenne pepper

Add all the dressing ingredients to a small bowl and whisk to combine.  Set aside.  Slice the tomatoes in half.  Remove the husks from corn and grill over medium heat for 10 minutes.  The corn should have some char marks and be tender, but not mushy.  Cut the corn off the cob and scrape the cob with the back of your knife to get the juices.  Set aside and let cool.  Dice the avocado and chop the cilantro.  Add the tomatoes, corn, avocado, and cilantro to dressing and mix gently so that everything is evenly coated.  Be careful no to mash the avocados.  Let the salad sit for flavors to mingle 10-15 minutes in the refrigerator.  Enjoy!

Hot Fudge Spoon Cake

recipe courtesy of Gooseberry Patch

Ingredients

• 1 cup all-purpose flour
• 1 3/4 cup brown sugar, packed and divided
• 1/4 cup plus 3 Tbs. baking cocoa, divided
• 2 Tbs. baking powder
• 1/4 tsp. salt
• 1/2 cup milk
• 2 Tbs. butter, melted
• 1/2 tsp. vanilla extract
• 1 3/4 cup hot water
• Optional- vanilla ice cream

Combine flour, one cup brown sugar, 3 Tbs. cocoa, baking powder, and salt in a medium bowl.  Whisk in milk, butter, and vanilla.  Spread evenly in slow cooker.  Mix together remaining 3/4 cup brown sugar and 1/4 cup cocoa.  Sprinkle evenly over top of batter.  Pour in hot water; do not stir.  Cover and cook on high setting for 2 hours or until a toothpick inserted 1 inch deep comes out clean.  Spoon warm cake into bowl and top with vanilla ice cream.

I haven't tried this recipe yet, but how can you go wrong with warm chocolate gooeyness?  That's what I'm thinking at least. :)  It has been wet and cool outside today, so I am looking forward to huddling by the grill and not sweating tonight.  We've had a productive weekend, but I'm certainly not ready for it to be Monday yet...  I'm going to go cuddle up by my hubby on the couch for the rest of the Texans game and pretend our weekend is not almost over! 

Good Eatin'

It looks like it's a recipe blog kind of week!  I tried two new meals this week that JW and I both really enjoyed, so I thought I would share them.  It is usually my goal over the weekend to plan out our meals for the week, and then we go grocery shopping together.  So, when the week starts, I don't have to think about what's for dinner or running to the store.  Work and life is busy enough without the added stress of what to make for dinner.  I have also found that I really love to cook once the hard part of putting together a menu and shopping for ingredients is done.  Those who know me may also realize that I don't love being asked unnecessary questions.  So, I post our menu for the week on the fridge, and when the hubs wants to know what grub he has to look forward to, he can look for himself! :)  Here are a couple you should definitely try.

Shake n' Shimmy Pork Chops

recipe courtesy of The Neely's

Ingredients

Brine:

2 quarts water

1/4 tsp. salt

3 Tbs. sugar

1 Tbs. brown sugar

2-4 (1 inch thick) pork chops

2 cups panko bread crumbs

1/2 cup finely grated Parmesan

2 Tbs. chopped parsley leaves

Salt and black pepper, to taste

(I also added about 1/2 tsp. of garlic powder.  Everything is better with garlic.)

3 large eggs, beaten

Vegetable oil, for grill plates

Directions

Brine: Add all of the ingredients into a large bowl and put the pork chops into the brine.  Allow them to soak for 1 hour (I let mine soak for almost 2 hours.)  Preheat a grill to medium.

Add the panko, cheese, parsley, salt, and pepper, to taste to a large heavy duty resealable plastic bag.  Add the beaten eggs to a casserole dish.  Remove the pork chops from the brine.  Dredge them through the eggs, then drop them into the bag one at a time and shake them until they are fully coated in the bread crumb mixture.

Oil the grill grates with vegetable oil.  Put the chops on the grill and cook for 10 minutes on each side. 

I made mashed potatoes and cinnamon apples to go with these delicious chops.  (I found a recipe to make cinnamon apples here.)  It was lip smackin' good!

Lime Chicken & Shrimp Kabobs

recipe courtesy of Paula Deen

Ingredients

2/3 cup olive oil

3 limes, juiced

2 Tbs. vinegar (I used apple cider vinegar)

1 Tbs. sugar

1/4 tsp. crushed red pepper

1 red bell pepper, cut into 1 inch pieces

(I also added a green bell pepper)

1 red onion, cut into 1 inch pieces (about half of an onion would be enough)

1 (16 oz.) can pineapple rings, drained, cut into 1 inch pieces

6 boneless , skinless, chicken breasts, cut into 1 inch pieces

1/2 lb. large fresh shrimp, peeled and de-veined

Directions

In a small bowl, whisk oil, lime, vinegar, sugar, and crushed pepper together.

In a shallow dish or resealable plastic bag, combine remaining ingredients.  Pour lime marinade mixture over chicken, shrimp, and vegetables, and place in refrigerator for 4-6 hours.  (I did this during my lunch break and it was ready to cook when I got home.)

Heat grill to 350-400 degrees.  Thread meat, vegetables, and pineapple onto skewers, alternating to distribute flavors.  Keep chicken and shrimp on separate skewers since their cook times will vary.  Discard marinade.  Place chicken kabobs on the grill first- they will take longer to cook.  Rotate halfway through so that both sides cook evenly.  Chicken should take 10-15 minutes total and shrimp will take 6-8 minutes.  Let cool slightly before removing from skewers to serve.

I made wild rice to go with this meal.  The smoky flavor of the meat and vegetables and the sweetness of the grilled pineapple went well with the wild rice... yum!  Since I am cooking for two, we had left over chicken and vegetables that we will be using to make quesadillas tonight.  If you are cooking for more, throw a couple extra chicken breasts in your marinade and on the grill, and you already have another meal started!  Tonight, all I'll have to do is put together quesadillas on the skillet and make some guacamole.  Easy peesy!

I hope you get a chance to try and enjoy these recipes soon.  I'm not good at remembering to take pictures during or after I cook.  I'll try to do that next time, but for now, just trust me- these were good meals!

Home Cooked Sundays: The Menu

Back in August I told you about a tradition I was starting for PC in Joey's last year of law school - Homecooked Sundays.  I have been cooking dinner on Sunday nights for PC students to come over to our house and have a home cooked meal and a break from school.  I have prepared some of my favorite meals, so I thought I would start sharing a few recipes. 

Week 1 Menu:
Dinner: Chicken Tetrazzini, Garlic Bread, and Salad
Dessert: Fresh Peach Cake

Since I already shared my Chicken Tetrazzini recipe, here is a recipe I got from my G-Ma for Fresh Peach Cake.

Fresh Peach Cake
recipe courtesy of G-Ma

Ingredients:

1 box yellow cake mix

3 eggs

1/2 cup sour cream

1 cup butter, softened

1 teaspoon vanilla

1/4 teaspoon cinnamon

1 (0.3 oz.) sugar free Peach Jell-O

2 fresh peaches, peeled and sliced

Grated fresh nutmeg- for top

Heat oven to 350 degrees.  Grease and flour 13 x 9 inch baking dish.  Mix cake mix, eggs, sour cream, butter, vanilla, cinnamon, and peach Jell-O on medium speed until well mixed about 2 minutes.  Spread in prepared baking dish and then line sliced peaches to cover top.  Grate nutmeg and sprinkle additional cinnamon over top of peaches.  Bake 35-45 minutes.  Serve with vanilla ice cream or Cool Whip.

Week 2 Menu:
Dinner: Lasagna, Ciabatta Bread, and Salad
Dessert: Sopapilla Cheesecake

The lasagna recipe I use is my mom's.  Her lasagna is famous in our family.  Many have tried to make it, but hers is always best.

Lasagna

recipe courtesy of Mom

Sauce:

1.5 lbs. ground beef

1/2 onion, chopped

1 clove of garlic

16 oz. can petite diced tomatoes

2 - 8 oz. cans tomato sauce

6 oz. can tomato paste

2 Tbl. basil

1 tsp. salt

Cheese filling:

2.5 cups ricotta cheese

3/4 cup Parmesan (reserve 1/4 c. for topping)

2 eggs

2 Tbl. parsley

1 lb. sliced mozzarella cheese

Brown the meat with the onion and drain.  Add remaining ingredients in sauce and simmer.  Mix first four ingredients for cheese filling.  Cook noodles following package instructions or assemble a day ahead without cooking noodles.  Spread thin layer of sauce in bottom of 13 x 9 baking dish.  Layer half of the noodles, cheese mixture, mozzarella slices, and sauce in that order.  Repeat a second layer.  Top with remaining 1/4 cup Parmesan and refrigerate until ready to cook.  Bake at 350 degrees for 37-45 minutes if refrigerated overnight or 30 minutes if noodles are cooked and hot.

Week 3 Menu:
Dinner: BBQ Pulled Pork Sandwiches, Potato Salad, and Fruit
Dessert: Berry Peach Cobbler

BBQ Pulled Pork Sandwiches

recipe courtesy of Paula Deen

Dry rub:
2 tablespoons salt
2 tablespoons black pepper
2 tablespoons dark brown sugar
2 tablespoons paprika
1/2 tablespoon cayenne

4 pound shoulder pork roast
2 cup apple juice
1 cup apple cider vinegar
2 tablespoons Worcestershire
1/2 tablespoon liquid smoke
1/2 tablespoon garlic powder
6 soft hamburger buns with seeds
Bbq sauce
Cole slaw
Preheat oven to 325 degrees F.

Mix the dry rub ingredients in small bowl. Sprinkle dry rub all over the pork roast, pressing into the pork. Cover with plastic and refrigerate for at least 2 hours.

Combine liquid ingredients and the garlic powder in a medium bowl and pour into a large Dutch oven. Place pork in the oven and tightly cover with aluminum foil then lid. Roast for 4 hours or until fork tender and shreds easily. Brush the roast with cooking liquid every hour.  Remove from oven and let stand until cool enough to handle. Shred the pork with a fork or tongs into bite size pieces.  Serve on hamburger buns topped with BBQ sauce and cole slaw.
*I posted this recipe last year.  For pictures click here.

Week 4 Menu:
Breakfast for Dinner:
Spinach and Bacon Quiche, Pigs in a Blanket, Bacon, Fruit and Cinnamon Rolls

Spinach and Bacon Quiche

recipe courtesy of Paula Deen

Ingredients:
1 9 inch refrigerated pie crust, fitted to a 9 inch glass pie plate
1 1/2 cups shredded Swiss cheese
1 lb cooked bacon crumbled
2 cups chopped fresh baby spinach, packed
Salt and pepper to taste
6 large eggs beaten
1 1/2 cups heavy cream

Preheat the oven to 375. Combine the eggs, cream, salt, and pepper in a food processor or blender. Layer the spinach, bacon, and cheese in the bottom of the pie crust, then pour the egg mixture on top. Bake for 35 to 45 minutes until the egg mixture is set. Cut into 8 wedges.

*We were out of town week 5 for Shay's wedding, and didn't have a Sunday dinner that week.*

Week 6 Menu:
Dinner: Spaghetti and Meatballs, French Bread, and Salad
Dessert: Spice Cake with Cream Cheese Frosting

Spaghetti and Meatballs

this is a recipe I adapted from Bobby Flay

For the Meatballs:

2 Tbs., plus 1 cup olive oil

4 cloves of garlic, finely chopped

2 large eggs

1/4 cup finely chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley

2 Tbs. dried basil

1 Tbs. onion powder

1.5 lb. ground beef

1 lb. ground Italian sausage

1/4 cup grated Parmesan

1/4 cup bread crumbs

salt and ground black pepper

For Tomato Sauce:

1/4 cup olive oil

1/2 onion, chopped

4-6 cloves of garlic, rubbed to paste

1 teaspoon red chili flakes

1 can tomato paste

3 (28 oz.) cans peeled whole tomatoes and their juice, mashed up with a whisk

1 can petite diced tomatoes with olive oil and garlic

1 Tbs. dried parsley

1 Tbs. dried basil

1 tsp. onion powder

salt and freshly ground black pepper

1 lb. spaghetti noodles

Shredded Parmesan to top

Directions for meatballs: Heat 2 Tbs. of olive oil in skillet over medium heat.  Add garlic and cook until soft.  Whisk together the eggs, parsley, and other spices in large bowl.  Add browned garlic, meats, and cheese and use hands to mix together.  Add bread crumbs, salt, and pepper and mix together thoroughly.  Cover and refrigerate for at least 30 minutes.  Form the meat into 1.5 inch balls. (I used a small scoop so that my meatballs were consistent in size.)  Heat remaining 1 cup of olive oil in a large saute pan over high heat.  Add the meatballs in batches and fry until golden brown on all sides.  Carefully remove to a baking sheet lined with paper towels.

Directions for the sauce: Heat oil in large dutch oven over medium-high heat.  Add the onion, garlic, and chili flakes and cook until the onion is soft.  Add the tomato paste and cook for 30 seconds.  Stir in tomatoes and let simmer, uncovered for about 10 minutes.  Add the parsley and remaining spices, bring to a boil, and cook for 10 minutes, stirring occasionally.  Add the meatballs, reduce the heat to medium, and continue cooking until the meatballs have cooked through and the sauce has thickened, about 30-45 minutes longer.

Cook spaghetti according to package instructions.  Top noodles with sauce, meatballs, and sprinkle with fresh Parmesan.

I hope you are able to enjoy some of these recipes with people you love!

Homecooked Sundays

Along with Joey, I have two college girl-friends going through their last year of law school, and therefore PC, right now.  Carolyn and Dana came over to our house for dinner one night the week before PC began.  The two of them and Joey sat there talking about what lies ahead and all the tricks and tips they had heard from friends and previous students in preparation.  That's when I got the idea for Homecooked Sundays.

I know from living with Joey that these poor students have class from 7:45 a.m. until 3 or 4:00 in the afternoon.  Reading and preparing for the next day starts immediately, and the only break Joey takes is for a quick dinner, and then he often is reading until after midnight.  While I am so happy to be able to handle the house, dinner, bills, and whatever else I can do so Joey doesn't have to, I have been thinking about my other friends who don't have anyone living with them to cook dinner, etc. 

Of course I have told them to call me if there is ever anything I can do to help, but have decided to schedule one night a week that I will cook dinner for a group.  No one is obligated to come, but my goal is to provide a homecooked meal and an opportunity to take a break and talk with other students who are in the same boat.  Sunday seemed to be a good day since week nights are so full, and last Sunday was our first one.  We had Chicken Tetrazzini, Garlic Bread, and Salad.  So, in honor of our first Homecooked Sunday, here is the recipe for my Chicken Tetrazzini.

Chicken Tetrazzini:

1 (7 oz.) package of vermicelli pasta

3 cups chopped cooked chicken

1 cup shredded Parmesean Cheese

1 (10.75 oz.) can Cream of Chicken soup

1 (10 oz.) container refrigerated Alfredo Sauce

1/2 cup chicken broth

1/4 tsp. ground pepper

1/2 cup slivered almonds

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.  Prepare pasta as directed on package.  Stir together chicken, 1/2 cup Parmesean cheese, and next 6 ingredients.  Stir into pasta.  Spoon mixture into lightly greased 13 x 9 baking dish.  Sprinkle with almonds and remaining Parmesean cheese.  Bake at 350 degrees for 20 minutes.

Cravings

Grocery shopping is not one of my favorite things to do. I find it exhausting. My hubs usually has to come with me if we are going to have any food for the upcoming week. We just got back in town from being gone all weekend and I really didn't want to go, but we have no food, so it was a neccesity.

Tonight we came home with a pretty interesting variety of stuff. I attribute it to that lovely time of the month that just arrived. As we walked down the aisles I craved all kinds of things... coke, blueberry muffins, grape gatorade, popcorn, strawberries for a protein shake that I want for dinner, and all the fixings to make banana pudding with fresh bananas and vanilla cookies. I have never made banana pudding in my life. It is a crazy thing what hormones can do to ruin a girl's plan to stick to the grocery list. My sweet hubby just went with it tonight. I am thankful for the sweet man that puts up with me even during that week every month that I do crazy things, and for the strawberry protein shake that is hitting the spot for dinner tonight. Here's to all you girls who know exactly what I am talking about and can maybe even relate... cheers!

Hey Y'all!

I really love watching Paula Deen on the Food Network. Love just radiates from her kitchen as many times her family and friends are on the show cooking in her kitchen with her. She emblemizes southern hospitality to me, and I chuckle almost the whole show because she is such a hoot! Not to mention, I love her kitchen and all of her products that she uses. Many of them are for sale on her website, but are sometimes pretty pricey. Her pewter measuring cups are my favorite. One time Trisha Yearwood was on her show and after she admired Paula's measuring cups, Paula gave her a set of the measuring cups and spoons! I was pretty jealous.

The kitchen is definitely the center of her home just as I hope mine will be one day. I love the memories I have in the kitchen with family and look forward to making many more. Anyways, Paula's recipes are delicious and last night I made this one:

BBQ Pulled Pork Sandwiches

Ingredients

Dry Rub:

- 2 Tbs. salt

- 2 Tbs. black pepper

- 2 Tbs. dark brown sugar

- 2 Tbs. paprika

- 1/2 Tbs. cayenne

- 4 lb. shoulder pork roast

- 2 cups apple juice

- 1 cup apple cider vinegar

- 2 Tbs. Worcestershire

- 1/2 Tbs. liquid smoke

- 1/2 Tbs. garlic powder

- 6 hamburger buns (I used hoagie rolls)

- BBQ sauce and cole slaw (optional) to garnish

Directions

Preheat oven to 325 degrees F.

Mix the dry rub ingredients in a small bowl. Sprinkle dry rub all over the pork roast, pressing into the pork. Cover with plastic wrap or place in a ziplock and refrigerate for 2 hours.

Combine liquid ingredients and the garlic powder in a large Dutch oven. Place pork in the oven and tightly cover with aluminum foil then lid. Roast for 4 hours or until fork tender and shreds easily. Brush the roast with cooking liquid every hour. (I only ended up cooking mine for 3 hours, so make sure to check it every hour when you take it out to pour liquid on it.)

Remove from oven and let stand until cool enough to handle. Shred the pork with forks into bite size pieces. Serve on buns topped with BBQ sauce and cole slaw. Here's a picture of my yummy masterpiece:

We ate our sandwiches with baked beans (my version of my dad's amazing ones), and ice cold peach tea. It was an All-American meal that really hit the spot! Enjoy!!!