What's for Dinner, Sully? Shrimp Boil Pizza!

Warm weather is here, and summer is within grasp…and summer in the South means boils.  Whether it is a shrimp boil, crab boil or crawfish boil, it is a fun thing to do with your friends and always brings good conversation, full bellies and spice-covered fingers.

We had a shrimp boil this past weekend.  Aside from being fun and delicious, having a boil couldn't be easier.  Boil a hug pot of water, throw in whatever you want in there and then drain and dump it out on a newspaper-lined table for all to enjoy.  For us in the South, the shrimp boil usually means shell-on shrimp, corn, red potatoes, onion and sausage all cooked in water where copious amount of Old Bay have been tossed in.  Sully, having roots in New Orleans, also likes to add some Zatarain's liquid crab boil, garlic heads, mushrooms and lemons.

After our boil on Saturday, we had lots of leftovers and Sunday is usually our pizza night.  Then I had a genius idea.  Let's make a boil pizza!  Sully poo-pooed my idea from the start…but I would not be deterred…NO! And let's just say he apologized after it was all said and done, because it turned out to be one awesome pizza!  If you have a boil this summer (and you really should)…make this pizza the day after and you will be happy you did!

Shrimp Boil Pizza

Serves 4

• 1 pizza crust (I used Boboli thin crust…but whatever your favorite is is fine…or make your own!)
• 1/2 cup ranch dressing
• 1/2 lb boiled shrimp, peeled and cut lengthwise in half
• 5 boiled red potatoes, thinly sliced
• 5 boiled large white mushrooms, thinly sliced
• 4-5 oz boiled sausage (I used turkey kielbasa), thinly sliced
• 4-5 boiled half ears corn, kernels cut from cob
• 5 cloves boiled garlic, diced
• 1-2 cups mexican shredded cheese
• 2 green onions, diced
• a couple of shakes of Old Bay

Preheat oven to 450 (or follow direction of your pizza crust).  Spread ranch on crust.  Top with shrimp, potatoes, mushrooms, sausage, corn and garlic.  Top with shredded cheese, green onions and dust with Old Bay.  Bake for 10-12 minutes (broil at the very end if desired) and enjoy!

What's for Dinner? Sausage, White Bean and Kale Stew!

Hello!! Yes, it had been ages since I last posted. Between caring for my 2 small boys, running a small business and keeping up with household stuff, I have little time to cook very interesting meals anymore, let alone blog about them. I do get a nice meal in every now and then that is blogworthy, and have photos to prove it, but then never get around to writing the post. Maybe someday I will catch up with all the backlog!

This recipe came from my sister-in-law, Lauren. We swap recipes a lot and this one is a keeper. It is really healthy and really easy, which is what I primarily look for now days. Hopefully this warm, hearty meal will officially chase the cold weather out of here and finally welcome Spring! Cheers!

Chicken Sausage, White Bean and Kale Stew

Serves 4

• 1 tbsp olive oil
• 16-20 oz. pre-cooked chicken sausage links, sliced
• 1 large onion, diced
• 4 garlic cloves, minced
• 1 tablespoon water
• Pinch of chili flakes
• 2 rosemary sprigs, leaves stripped and minced
• 6 sprigs of fresh thyme
• 1 bunch or bag of kale, thoroughly washed and stems and ribs removed, chopped into 1-inch pieces
• Salt and pepper
• 2-3 cups chicken stock
• 2 16-oz. cans cannellini beans, drained and rinsed

Heat a medium skillet or Dutch oven with olive oil. Brown sausage over high heat until golden. Remove the meat from the pan. While the pan is still warm, sauté onion and garlic in the sausage renderings with water (to prevent them from getting too dark). Once the onions become translucent, add chili flakes, rosemary, thyme and kale. Season with salt and freshly ground black pepper and sauté for 2 to 4 minutes, or until the kale begins to wilt. Add 2 cups chicken stock, reserved sausage and white beans. Cover with a lid and simmer for 30 minutes to 2 hours, or until the kale has cooked down and is tender, and the liquid has reduced (add more liquid during cooking as needed). Adjust seasoning, serve and enjoy!

What's for Dinner? Veggie Bean Burgers!

Ok, I'm back again.  I know I have been slack at my blog posts...I will try and do better! Cooking, and definitely blogging, have not been on the top of my list of to-dos lately...two kids under 2 1/2 definitely keep a person busy! Most of our meals these days consist of a quick protein, like grilled chicken or fish, and a steamed veggie.  So, there is no need to blog that kind of "recipe". But I did get an itch to make something the other day, so I emailed my good friend, Molly, to send me this recipe I had been thinking about.  She made these delicious veggie bean burgers on our vacation a while back to Charleston, with a great group of friends.  They were so good but for some reason I forgot about them until the other day.  I made these and they were fantastic!  I adapted the recipe just a little bit...they will make a lot, but trust me...you'll be happy to have extras in the freezer.  Enjoy!

Veggie Bean Burgers
Makes 10 burgers

• 2 TBSP olive oil
• 1/2 large red onion, finely diced
• 1/4 cup sliced black olive, diced
• 1/2 large red bell pepper, finely diced
• 1 container sliced mushrooms, finely diced
• 2 TBSP minced pickled jalapeno
• 5 cloves garlic, minced
• 1/4 cup finely diced canned artichoke
• 1 15-oz can seasoned black beans, drained
• 1 15-oz can chickpeas, drained
• 1 15-oz can cannelini beans, drained
• 2 cups rolled oats
• 1 1/2 teaspoons Hungarian paprika
• 1 1/2 teaspoons chili powder
• 2 1/2 teaspoons dried oregano
• 3 TBSP minced fresh parsley leaves
• 1 1/2 teaspoons red chili flakes
• 1 1/2 teaspoons ground cumin
• 1 1/2 teaspoons celery salt
• 1/2 teaspoon ground sage
• 5 TBSP seasoned panko bread crumbs
• 2 large eggs

 

In a medium saute pan over medium heat, add 1 TBSP olive oil and all raw vegetables except beans. Saute until translucent. Remove and cool. 

In a medium mixing bowl, add all beans and coarsely mash with potato masher or fork.  Add veggies to beans and mix thoroughly. Add all dry ingredients along with the eggs. Thoroughly mix all ingredients and form into 10 patties. Individually wrap 6 (or however many you want to freeze) in plastic wrap and place in freezer for a later date. Cover the remaining patties and refrigerate for 30 minutes.
 
In same saute pan add remaining TBSP olive oil, and cook patties 2 to 3 minutes per side. Serve on toasted buns with cheese, avocado, guacamole, tomato slices or whatever toppings you like!

Thaw frozen patties in fridge overnight and fry up in the pan when ready to eat!

What's for Dinner? Veggie Ribbons with Shrimp!

Keeping with the low carb theme (I promise they will not ALL be low carb in the next month), this is a new favorite way of mine to substitute veggies for pasta.  Ok, so it doesn't taste 'exactly' like pasta, but it is a great alternative if you are trying to lay low on the carbs.  This is SO healthy and really good.  Sully said he didn't even miss the pasta.  And because it is so low in calories and fat, you can eat a lot of it, be full and not feel guilty.  Try it!  I promise you will like it! And if you really NEED pasta, just add some cooked linguine or penne in here.  I won't tell.


Veggie Ribbons with Shrimp
Serves 2-4

• 2 small to medium zucchinis
• 1 medium yellow squash
• 2 TBSP olive oil
• 1/2 cup shredded carrots
• 1 red bell pepper, julienned
• 1 container sliced mushrooms
• 3 cloves minced garlic
• ** add in any other raw veggies you love
• 2 TBSP Paul Prudhomme's Poultry Magic (love this stuff!)
• 1-2 lbs raw, deveined shrimp (depends on how shrimpy you want it)
• pepper to taste
• crushed red pepper to taste
• Parmesan cheese

With a potato peeler, peel zucchini and squash into long ribbons.  Work around the squash and press hard with the peeler so you get wide ribbons that are thin, but not paper thin.  Stop when you start getting to the interior seeds. Set aside.

In a large skillet, heat 1 TBSP of olive oil and saute the shrimp and 1 TBSP seasoning until just pink and no longer translucent (don't over cook...take them off just before you think they are done...they'll keep cooking). Transfer to bowl.  In the same skillet, heat the remaining olive oil and saute the rest of the veggies until soft.  Sprinkle on the rest of the seasoning.  Add back in shrimp and squash ribbons.  Cook for about 2 more minutes until the squash ribbons become just soft (not mushified!).  Add pepper and more seasoning if it needs it. Remove from heat and serve.  Sprinkle with crushed reds and plenty of Parmesan.  Enjoy!

What's for Dinner? Chicken Kabobs!

Ok, so I dropped off again.  I'm having trouble balancing being the mom of two crazy boys and a blogger...ha!  But seriously, I had dinner with some friends the other night and she made one of MY recipes for dinner. I was so flattered that A) she actually read the blog, B) she actually cooked recipes on the blog, and C) that she would cook one for me (my linguine and clam sauce...a favorite that I hadn't had in a long time!).  She was telling me which recipes she liked best and it made me feel so good that someone (at least ONE person) was using this blog and that the time I take to do it is worth it.  So, thank you, Kim, and I will forge ahead with motivation from you!!

I am trying to lose that "last 10 pounds" of baby weight.  I guess there is always that last 10 pounds, but I am determined to do it.  Having to get into a bathing suit in St. Thomas in a month is good motivation.  So, I have been eating pretty much no carbs during the week (on the weekends, I have to have some carbs or I would implode).  I came across this recipe for marinated chicken kabobs in another blog I get, at and it looked great.  It came out so good...the chicken was juicy and flavorful.  I made a ton and have been eating it everyday.  It is a good snack for my low-carb self.  Eat them with rice or couscous if you want...I made a Greek Salad and put the chicken on top of that.  Yummy!!

Chicken Kabobs
Serves 6-8

• 1 cup plain fat free Greek yogurt (or use the more fat varieties if you like)
• 2 tablespoons olive oil
• 2 teaspoons paprika
• 1/2 teaspoon cumin
• 1/8 teaspoon cinnamon
• 1 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes (reduce to 1/2 teaspoon if you don't like heat)
• zest from one lemon
• 2 tablespoons freshly squeezed lemon juice, from one lemon
• 1-3/4 teaspoons salt
• 1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
• 5 garlic cloves, minced
• 2-1/2 pounds boneless skinless chicken thighs (or 2 pounds boneless skinless chicken breasts), trimmed of any excess fat and cut into large bite-sized pieces
• 1 large red onion, cut into wedges
• Vegetable oil, for greasing the grill

 

In a medium bowl, combine the yogurt, olive oil, paprika, cumin, cinnamon, red pepper flakes, lemon zest, lemon juice, salt, pepper and garlic. Mix well and add in chicken pieces.  Cover and at least eight hours or overnight. (Alternatively, you can skewer the chicken first and then cover with marinade, and that is a less-messy way, but I don't think the chicken gets as covered.)

Thread the chicken onto metal skewers, folding if the pieces are long and thin, alternating occasionally with the red onions. Be sure not to cram the skewers. (Note: You'll need between 6-8 skewers.) Place the kebabs on a baking sheet lined with aluminum foil. 

Preheat the grill to medium-high heat. To grease the grill, lightly dip a wad of paper towels in vegetable oil and, using tongs, carefully rub over the grates several times until glossy and coated. Grill the chicken kebabs until golden brown and cooked through, turning skewers occasionally, 10 to 15 minutes. Transfer the skewers to a platter and serve. Enjoy!

What's for Cocktails? White Sangria!

Happy Fourth of July!!  This is definitely one of my favorite holidays.  Every Fourth we have a big cookout with all of our friends.  We have a ton of food, drinks and outdoor shenanigans, and then when it gets dark, we light some serious fireworks off the end of our dock.  This day just reinforces the fact that we are so lucky to live in the best country in the world and I am a lucky girl to have such wonderful friends and family!

This year, Sully made up a big batch of white sangria.  We have tinkered with other recipes before but this one was a definite winner.  It was so cool and refreshing in the (literally) 100-degree heat.  And with all the amazing fresh fruit in season, why WOULDN'T you make this?! Give it a try and cheers!


White Sangria
Serves 8-10

1 double bottle of pinot grigio

1 cup of granulated white sugar

1/2 cup apricot or other flavored brandy

1 liter of sparkling water or club soda

1 cup orange juice

juice of 1 lime

fruit to your liking (we used peaches, strawberries and lime slices)

Stir all liquids together vigorously to dissolve sugar.  Add fruit and chill for several hours.  Serve over ice and ENJOY!

What's for Dinner? Roast Pork with Romesco Sauce!

Pork sirloin was on sale the other day and when thinking of what to do with it, I remembered this recipe I made a while back with this Romesco sauce.  It is a really awesome and different sauce that they make in the Catalonia region of Spain that's made of nuts and roasted peppers (among other things).  It is easy to whip together and adds great flavor to pork, chicken or fish (or really any protein).  The recipe makes a lot so you can keep the leftovers in your fridge and use the sauce on whatever you like.  It just gets better and better!  Definitely give this one a try.  I hope you will like it!

Roasted Pork with Romesco Sauce
Serves as many as your pork allows!

• 1 pork tenderloin or sirloin
• salt
• pepper
• paprika (smoked or regular)
• 2 TBSP olive oil
• 3 garlic cloves, chopped and 2 whole
• 1/2 cup marcona almonds (you can get these at Whole Foods...if you can't find them, use salted smoked almonds)
• 1 cup stale white bread
• 1 tomato, seeded and cored and roughly chopped
• 1 jar of roasted red peppers, drained
• 1 TBSP sherry (or red wine) vinegar
• 1/4 tsp smoked paprika
• 1/4 cup olive oil
• salt and pepper

Place pork in a roasting pan and rub with salt, pepper, paprika, olive oil and chopped garlic.  Roast on 350 until pork temp reaches 155. Remove from oven and cover with foil.  Let sit for 20 minutes.

In a food processor, add almonds, garlic cloves and bread and process until finely chopped.  Add remaining ingredients except olive oil and turn on processor.  Add olive oil in a slow drizzle until it is all combined.  Season with salt and pepper to taste. Serve over pork. Enjoy!

I'm Back, Baby! What's for Dinner? Salmon Burgers with Sesame Slaw!

She's baa-aaaack!  I have gotten some slack recently for dropping off.  I mean, who do I think I am, a mom with two small kids or something??  Well, the baby is now sleeping through the night and I really have no more excuses for not at least posting a recipe a week.  So...it begins again.

This weekend was a great weekend of sun, fun, friends and food.  My friends Meredith and Tim told us about this recipe they found on Food Network.  Well, coincidentally the Whole Foods in Wilmington finally opened (after YEARS of anticipation from this girl) and was selling wild Coho Salmon for a bangin' deal of $4.99 a pound.  After waiting in line for what seemed like forever, my mom had 5 lbs of the stuff and we split it.  So...we had grilled salmon one day and decided to make the salmon burgers the next and invited Tim and Mere over.  They were delicious and the slaw was awesome.  It would be great on it's own to bring to a picnic.  It was super easy (and easy is the name of the game right now for me).  I hope you give it a try! Ahhh, it's nice to be back!

Grilled Salmon Burgers with Sesame Slaw and Siracha Soy Mayo
Serves 5-6
Adapted from Food Network

• 1 inch piece fresh ginger, peeled
• 2 garlic cloves
• 3 scallions roughly chopped, plus 2 finely chopped, divided
• 1/4 cup fresh cilantro leaves, plus 3 TBSP finely chopped, divided
• 2 pounds salmon fillet, skinned, pin bones removed
• 1 egg
• 1 teaspoon garlic chili paste
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 1/2 cups panko (Japanese bread crumbs) or other dried bread crumbs
• 1/4 cup soy sauce, divided
• 1 bag angel hair slaw (you can slice your own, but make it easy on yourself!)
• 1/2 cup shaved red onion
• 2 tablespoons canola oil
• 2 tablespoons rice wine vinegar
• 1 teaspoon toasted sesame oil
• 1/4 teaspoon crushed red pepper
• 1 tablespoon toasted sesame seeds (put in a hot, dry pan and cook until just brown and fragrant)
• 1/2 cup mayonnaise
• 1 TBSP sriracha sauce
• 6 buns, for serving

In a food processor, add ginger and garlic and process until finely chopped.  Add roughly chopped scallion and 1/4 cup cilantro and pulse several times until chopped.  Add salmon, egg and chili paste.  Pulse several more times until salmon is chopped (but not pureed!). Transfer to a mixing bowl and fold in panko, making sure everything is combined well.  Form into 5-6 patties and refrigerate until you are ready to grill.

In a mixing bowl, combine cabbage, red onion, 1/2 of the finely chopped cilantro, 1/2 of the finely chopped scallion, canola oil, vinegar, sesame oil, 2 TBSP soy sauce, red pepper flakes and sesame seeds.  Combine well and refrigerate until ready to use.

In a small bowl, combine mayo, sriracha, remaining 2 TBSP soy sauce, 1/2 of the finely chopped cilantro and 1/2 of the finely chopped scallion.  Mix well.

Grill burgers until they are to desired doneness.  Serve on rolls and top with slaw and mayo.  Enjoy!

What's for Dinner? Mardi Gras Jambalaya!

HAPPY MARDI GRAS!!  Ok, just when I said I am laying off the posts for a while, I decided I HAD to get one up for this great occasion.  Mardi Gras is huge in our household.  Sully is from New Orleans and usually we are down there for the festivities.  This year, because of a little thing like me giving birth, we had to miss it!  Boo.  But I couldn't resist making my favorite dish so we could have a little of New Orleans right here in good ole' NC.  My Mother-in-Law gave me this recipe.  She said someone gave it to her years ago and she was skeptical about it: it's so easy and isn't the "traditional" way of making it.  But I have to say, it is one of the best versions I've had and it really couldn't be much easier.  I hope you make this and toast to Mardi Gras and the best city in the world!  Enjoy!

Mardi Gras Jambalaya
Serves 4

1 lb smoked sausage (like Hillshire Farms Kielbasa), cut into 1-inch pieces

1 lb chicken breast, cut in bite-sized pieces and browned (does not need to be cooked through)

1 lb peeled, raw shrimp

1 can Campbell’s Beef Bouillon, no water added

1 can Campbell’s French Onion Soup, no water added

1 small can tomato sauce

1/2 stick butter, cut in pieces (I used Brummel and Brown spread and still tastes great!)

1 small chopped bell pepper

1/2 bunch chopped green onions

1/4 cup chopped parsley

1 1lb box Uncle Ben's rice uncooked

1 TBSP Creole seasoning

4 cloves garlic, minced

Now here is the best part--mix everything together in a bowl and bake covered with foil in 350 degree oven in a 9x13 casserole dish (or just a little larger if you have it) for 1 hour (test rice after this to make sure it is done).  Stir every 20 minutes…and that is it!

This can even be made way ahead of time and frozen if you need to before cooking, then thaw before baking. Don't overcook or it will dry out.

Happy Mardi Gras!!

The Sullivans Welcome Kellan Michael Sullivan!

Kellan Michael Sullivan

So, you might have noticed I dropped off the face of the Earth for a while!  Well, we have been just a TAD busy...we welcomed our second son, Kellan Michael Sullivan, on Sunday, February 12, 2012.  He weighed in at a respectable 8 lbs even (and that was 2.5 weeks early...whew!).  We are all doing great.  Finn is adapting as well as can be expected (pretty much all but ignoring his baby brother).  My blog posts will be spotty at best for the next several months as I adapt to being mom of 2, but will still try and get some up here and there.  Thanks for all of your support and love!!

Love,
The Sullys

Sullivans, Party of 4

Sweet Baby Boy

Kellan's First Bottle

Mom and her Boys

Dad and his Boys

What's for Dinner? Shrimp and Veggie Fried Rice!

I discovered (via Facebook, of course), that it is the Chinese New Year today.  So in honor of my friends from the Orient, I decided to cook a Chinese dish this evening.  I made a fried rice that was packed with veggies, shrimp and ham.  It was pretty easy to make and really, really good!  And not to mention, this cook-at-home version is waaaay healthier than the oil-laden versions you most likely are getting when you order take out. Nothing quite says "Welcome, Year of the Dragon" like some fried rice!  You can really use any combo of protein and veggies in this...use what you like...the method will be the same.  Happy New Year to you!!  Enjoy!

Shrimp and Veggie Fried Rice
Serves 6
Download PDF

2 TBSP plus 1 tsp peanut oil, divided
1 cup diced ham (I get a large, thick slice from the deli and cut into cubes)
1 lb shrimp, peeled and deveined
1/2 large sweet onion, diced
1/2 bunch asparagus, cut into 1-inch pieces
2 small crowns broccoli, cut into small florets
4 cloves garlic, minced
1 TBSP fresh ginger, finely minced or grated
1/2 cup frozen green peas
3 cups cooked rice (I like Jasmine)
2 large eggs
1 large handful bean sprouts
1 tsp toasted sesame oil
1/4 cup soy sauce
1 tsp to 1 TBSP garlic-chili paste (depending on how hot you like it)

In a large wok or skillet, heat 1 tsp oil over high heat.  Add ham and sauté until browned.  Reserve to large bowl.  Add in shrimp and cook until just done and browned.  Reserve to same bowl.  Add 1 TBSP oil and add in onion, asparagus and broccoli.  Sauté for 5 minutes until veggies start to brown.  Add in 1-2 TBSP water and cover, letting them steam for a few minutes until veggies are to desired tenderness.  Remove cover and add in garlic, ginger and peas.  Sauté 2 minutes more.  Pour into same reserved bowl.  Heat remaining 1 TBSP oil.  Add in rice and sauté 2 minutes until grains start to brown.  Make a well in the middle of the rice and crack the eggs in the center.  Let the eggs fry for several minutes.  Start pushing them around until they are scrambled and fully cooked.  Mix in with the rice and then add back in all the reserved ingredients.  Add bean sprouts, soy sauce, sesame oil and chili paste.  Make sure well combined and cook for another 2-3 minutes.  Serve and enjoy!

What's for Dinner? Moroccan Lamb Tagine!

For Christmas, my awesome Sisters-in-Law got me a Moroccan tagine.  The word tagine is used to describe a Middle Eastern dish of slowly simmered meat and/or vegetables but it also is the word for the earthenware vessel they use to cook it in.  My SILs know that I love to cook and that I have ALMOST every cooking utensil/vessel I need...BUT they did their homework and discovered I did not, in fact, have a tagine!  Well, thanks to them, I have ventured into the world of Middle Eastern cooking for the first time...and so glad I did!  First off, you do not need a tagine to make a tagine!  Any heavy Dutch oven or pot with a tight fitting lid will do.  Secondly, this type of cooking uses A LOT of different spices.  Lucky for me and my days working for Whole Foods, I have tons of (free) spices, so we have them all.  If you don't have all these spices (and I'm fairly positive 99% of the country would not), just kind of use what you have.  The spices that seem standard for tagines across the board (that most people may have) are cinnamon, ground ginger, paprika, cayenne, turmeric and saffron).  Don't go overboard on the cinnamon.  This is supposed to be a savory dish with a hint of sweetness.   Most of the recipes call for some sort of fruit: i.e. dates, prunes, raisins, apricots, etc.  Now, I am not a fan of the fruit and meat combo thing (as many of you know by now)...but I actually would have tried it this time, had I not had all the other ingredients in my house already.  So next time I will.  But if you want to throw in any of these ingredients, by all means, do it!  I hope you try this one...it is something different that is really tasty!  Enjoy!

Moroccan Lamb Tagine
Serves 4
Download PDF

• 1+ lbs of lamb loin, cut into bite-sized chunks (lamb loin can be expensive, so if you want, you can use any stew cut, it will just need to cook longer to achieve ultimate tenderness)
• 1 tsp paprika
• 1/4 tsp turmeric
• 1/4 tsp cumin
• 1/8 tsp cayenne
• 1/2 tsp cinnamon
• 1/8 tsp ground cloves
• 1/4 tsp ground cardamom
• 1/2 tsp kosher salt
• 1/2 tsp ground ginger
• 1 pinch saffron
• 1/2 tsp garlic powder
• 1/2 tsp ground coriander
• 2 TBSP olive oil
• 2 TBSP butter or ghee
• 3 large carrots, cut into small rounds
• 1 large onion, diced
• 3 cloves garlic, minced
• 1 TBSP freshly grated ginger
• 1, 15-oz can chickpeas, drained and rinsed
• 2-3 cups chicken stock
• 1/2 preserved lemon, cut in small wedges (if you can find preserved in the store, use fresh)
• parsley or cilantro, to garnish
• couscous

In a Ziploc baggie, add all spices (paprika through coriander and mix well.  Toss lamb meat with olive oil and add to bag.  Seal and mix, making sure all the lamb is coated with the spice mixture.  Refrigerate (the longer the better, but if you don't have long, that's ok!).

In tagine or pot over medium high heat, heat butter.  Add lamb and brown on all sides.  Remove from pot with spoon and reserve.  Add onion and carrot and cook for 5-8 minutes until they begin to soften.  Add garlic and ginger and cook for a few more minutes.  Add back lamb and chickpeas and stir.  Add in broth (the broth should just barely cover meat mixture (add more broth or water if it doesn't).  Cover and simmer for 45 minutes.  After 45 minutes, add in lemons.  Continue cooking until meat is very tender and stew is of a good consistency (again you will need longer if not using lamb loin...lamb loin will take about an hour or a little over).  Garnish with parsley or cilantro and serve over couscous and enjoy!

What's for Dinner? Buffalo Chicken Sliders!

I'm a fan of just about anything that involves Buffalo chicken.  However, if you get a sandwich at a restaurant, it usually involves a big deep-fried breast and the sauce is mixed with a ton of butter.  I came across this recipe for making Buffalo chicken in the crockpot...and it's actually healthy...SCORE!  It really couldn't be any easier to make and the result is fantastic.  Now, this makes a lot, so I suggest you freeze about half of it for a later craving.  Other things you could do with it: make a Buffalo chicken pizza, top a salad with it, Buffalo chicken dip for the Super Bowl, Buffalo chicken cheese balls.  Give this a try...it won't disappoint!

Crockpot Buffalo Chicken (Sliders)
Serves...lots!

• 3 lbs frozen chicken breasts
• 1 bottle Frank's Red Hot Buffalo Wing Sauce
• 1 packet Hidden Valley Ranch mix (if you find this tangy, use half a packet at first)

In a Crockpot, add chicken, wing sauce and ranch packet.  Cook on either low or high (6 or 8 hours it doesn't really matter).  It will not take the whole time, but you can leave it in if you like.  Before you are ready to eat, shred chicken with two forks and mix well with the sauce.  Let sit in the Crockpot for a little while longer.  Serve and enjoy!

To make sliders, get good crusty rolls (I like to use Ciabatta) and slice them in half.  Toaster oven them until they get toasty!  Add Buffalo chicken to the bottom.  Add a sprinkle of blue cheese crumbles and top with a slice of provolone or mozzarella.  Re-toast in the oven to melt the cheese.  Add any veggies you like (i.e. tomatoes, lettuce, slaw, onion, etc.).  Top with ranch or blue cheese dressing.  Enjoy!

What's for Dinner? Pulled Pork Napoleons!

When we were in New Orleans over Christmas, we ate at a place that is right on the edge of the French Quarter called the Palace Cafe.  We have never eaten there in the past because it is right on Canal Street and it has a big neon sign and it just screams "tourist" from the outside.  But after receiving great recs from several friends and family we decided to stop by there.  It was a nice December day and they have little outdoor tables.  We were just going to get a snack and a drink (for Sully), but after reading the menu, we decided to go for a full-on meal.  Everything looked so good, but this dish really stood out.  Their description was a "Cochon de Lait Pot Pie". Cochon de Lait is Louisiana's version of a pulled pork, but theirs is slow roasted and SO delicious. In the Palace Cafe's dish, there was no crust or anything, like a normal potpie has, just served with a piece of garlic baguette.  Well, needless to say, it was awe-some!!  And it was funny that while we were eating, Sully's best friend Kyle happened to walk out of the restaurant...he was lunching with some friends.  Can't get much better than that!

When coming up with the recipe here, I decided to do a stovetop-style braised pulled pork and instead of calling it potpie, which is really isn't, a layered Napoleon was more the right description.  Now, most of you aren't total weirdos like me, and will probably choose not to layer your ingredients in a beautiful tower like I did...but I promise, it really took no time at all to do that part.  We just have the luxury of owning a lot of egg rings (Sully loves him an egg ring...don't ask!), that made it easy for me to build the tower.  If you don't have the patience or the care to make a tower, just serve as a plated dish all together.  It will taste the same!  :)  Bon appetit!

Stovetop Pulled Pork
Serves 4-6
Download Recipe

1, 2-lb pork tenderloin, sirloin or butt/shoulder
2/3 cup apple cider vinegar
1/3 cup water, plus more
1/4 cup brown sugar
1 tsp black pepper
1/2 rounded tsp cayenne
1 tsp chili powder
1/2 tsp garlic powder

Cut up pork into 2-3 inch pieces.

In a heavy dutch oven or pot, bring cider and water to a boil.  Add in spices and stir to dissolve.  Add in pork and reduce heat to a low simmer.  Put lid on and cook for about 1 hour, turning pork occasionally. After an hour, take the lid off and let liquid reduce down until the liquid starts to caramelize and the pork is browning.  Stir well.  Pork will start falling apart.  Begin to shred pork, when ready with a fork or stirring utensil. Once well browned, add more water if you need to, to make a little bit of a juice (but not too much). Taste and season with salt, if necessary. Enjoy!

Pulled Pork Napoleons
Serves 4

1 TBSP butter

1 small bag pre-washed baby spinach

2 cups Stovetop Pulled Pork
2 cups mashed potatoes
3/4 cup shredded cheddar cheese

In a skillet, melt butter over medium heat.  Add in spinach and let wilt.  Toss until cooked.  Remove from heat.

Place an egg ring or an aluminum can with both ends cut off (and well washed) on a plate. Firmly pack in 1/2 cup of pork.  Then 1/2 cup mashed potatoes.  Remove ring (or can) Add 1/4 of the spinach to the top and top with 1/4 of the cheese.  Repeat with remaining ingredients.  Broil in the oven for 1-2 minutes, until the cheese as melted and starts to brown.  Spoon some of the "au jus" around the plate. Enjoy!

What's for Dinner? Curried Cauliflower, Chickpeas and Chicken!

I got this recipe in my inbox today from a site I subscribe to (Chow.com) and it really caught my eye.  Theirs called for tofu, which I am not a big fan of, so adapted it and inserted chicken instead.  It turned out really great. Ok, now for the less adventurous of you, this one might sound weird.  But I promise you, it is really good! Although if you are like my mother and detest Indian food (or think you do, like she does), then maybe it isn't for you.  But in our house, it is a keeper...Sully even went back for seconds.  It does call for some spices that most of you probably don't have (we, however have about every spice known to man, which helps!).  Stores like Whole Foods and Fresh Market sell spices in bulk, so you can buy just a little of these so you don't have to break the bank on spices that you will only use a teaspoon of.  Recipes like this one really won't work without the correct spices.  Ok, enough spice rant!  I hope you give this one a try.  It's healthy, easy and delicious!  Enjoy!

Curried Cauliflower, Chickpeas and Chicken
Adapted from Chow.com
Serves 4
Printable recipe

• 3 TBSP olive oil, divided
• 1/2 tsp fennel seeds
• 1 medium to large onion, diced
• 2 TBSP grated ginger (about a 2-3 inch piece)
• 3 cloves garlic, finely minced
• 1 tsp Garam Masala spice
• 1/2 tsp Turmeric
• 1/8 tsp Cayenne Pepper
• 1 15-oz can chickpeas, drained and rinsed
• 1 head cauliflower, cut into medium florets
• 1 cup chicken broth, divided
• 2 large or 3 small chicken breasts, cut into bite-sized pieces
• 1/3 cup flour
• juice of 1/2 lime
• chopped cilantro (to garnish)
• jasmine rice

In a Dutch oven or heavy skillet, heat 2 TBSP olive oil over medium heat.  Add fennel seeds and toast until fragrant, about 1 minute. Add onion and ginger and sauté until they being to brown, about 8-10 minutes. Add garlic and spices and sauté another minute more.  Add chickpeas and cauliflower and stir to combine well.  Add 1/2 cup chicken broth.  Put lid on pan/pot and reduce heat to simmer.  Simmer about 10-15 minutes, until the cauliflower is just tender.

While this cooks, in a separate pan, heat last TBSP of oil.  Toss chicken with flour and add to pan.  Saute until browned and cooked almost through.

When chicken is done and cauliflower is soft, add chicken into cauliflower mixture and gently combine. Add the remaining chicken broth and the juice of the lime and let simmer a few minutes more, until a slightly thickened sauce forms.  Serve over jasmine rice and top with chopped cilantro and Sriracha hot sauce (if desired). Enjoy!

What's for Dinner? White Chicken Chili!

First thing's first...HAPPY NEW YEAR!  It's been a hectic holiday season, so I apologize for dropping off for a bit. We had my family all here for the first half of Christmas Week, and then Sully, Finn and I flew to New Orleans for the second part.  It was crazy, but a lot of fun.  We had some really good meals over the past few weeks and I have lots to share with you but I will start with our dinner tonight.

Here in the South, we have an "arctic air mass" rolling in.  Considering this past weekend it was 72 degrees and I was really hot (some of that MIGHT have been the pregnancy), it was a seriously rude awakening when the high today was 39 and the winds were gusting up to 30 mph. Brrrrrr!  It made me want chili and white chicken chili was it! This is a really good recipe that is perfect for a cold winter's night.  Give it a try and cozy up by the fire.  Here's to a great 2012!!

And by the way, if you cook any of my recipes, please let me know how they turned out!  Good or bad!  I love hearing what people made and any feedback is appreciated. Cheers!

White Chicken Chili
Serves 6
Printable Recipe

• 1 TBSP olive oil
• 2 medium onions
• 3 chicken breasts (about 1 lb raw, diced in small pieces)
• 4-5 garlic cloves, minced
• 2 tsp cumin
• 2 tsp oregano
• 2 4-oz cans diced green chilies
• 2 14.5-oz cans Cannellini or Great Northern beans, drained
• 4 cups chicken stock (I used low sodium)
• 1 cup shredded cheese (Monterrey Jack works well or I used low fat 4-cheese Mexican)
• 3 TBSP half and half (can delete this if you like, but it adds a nice touch of richness to the chili)
• cheese, green onion and sour cream for garnish

In a large soup pot, heat oil.  Add onion and sauté until they begin to soften.  Add in chicken and sauté until browned and cooked through.  Add garlic and cook one minute more.  Add in cumin, oregano green chilies and beans and mix together.  Add broth and bring to a boil. Once boiling, reduce heat and simmer over low heat for about one hour until chili starts to thicken. Add cheese and half and half and continue simmering until desired thickness is reached. Serve with garnishes and enjoy!

What's for Apps? Oysters Rockefeller!

It was our friend Greg's birthday on Sunday, and to celebrate he brought over oysters to our place and made a batch of Oysters Rockefeller (I know...he was doing the cooking on his birthday!) and also steamed a couple of dozen.  It is oyster season, and we are spoiled living here at the beach, because we get great oysters from nearby Stump Sound.  I always think of oysters as kind of a pain to make, though, because of the shucking.  But once you get that down (and it is a bit of a process), they rest is easy!  Maybe you can sweet talk your local oyster seller to shuck 'em for you.  That would be the best!  But, regardless of how you get them shucked, try this recipe...it's really good!!  Enjoy!

Oysters Rockefeller
Adapted from Epicurious.com
Serves 6
Printable Recipe

• 2 cups firmly packed baby spinach, finely chopped
• 4 cloves garlic, minced
• 3 tablespoons finely chopped scallions
• 1 tablespoon finely chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley
• 2 teaspoons minced celery
• 1/4 cup coarse fresh bread crumbs (preferably from a day-old baguette)
• 3 1/2 tablespoons unsalted butter
• Pinch of cayenne
• 5 bacon slices
• 1/4 cup shredded or grated Parmesan cheese
• About 5-8 cups kosher or rock salt for baking and serving
• 20 oysters on the half shell, oysters picked over for shell fragments and shells scrubbed well

Preheat oven to 450°F. Toss together spinach, garlic, scallion, parsley, celery, and 2 tablespoons bread crumbs in a bowl. 


Melt butter in a 10-inch heavy skillet over moderate heat, then add watercress mixture and cook, stirring, until spinach is wilted, 1 to 2 minutes. Stir in cayenne, and salt and pepper to taste, then transfer mixture to a bowl and chill, covered, until cold, about 1 hour.

While spinach mixture chills, cook bacon in cleaned skillet over moderate heat, turning, until crisp, then drain on paper towels and finely crumble.

Spread 5 cups kosher salt in a large shallow baking pan (1 inch deep) and nestle oysters (in shells) in it. Spoon spinach mixture evenly over oysters, then top with bacon and sprinkle with remaining bread crumbs and Parmesan cheese. Bake oysters until edges of oysters begin to curl and bread crumbs are golden, about 10 minutes. Serve warm oysters in shells, nestled in kosher salt (about 3 cups), on a platter.  Enjoy!

What's for Dessert? Peanut Butter Cup Brownies!

A friend relayed some good news to me today...it's National Brownie Day!  Considering I had 4 boxes of my favorite brownies in the pantry because they were on sale...it called for celebration.  Now, I can't even call this a recipe, because it is not by any means homemade, but I thought I would share this with you because these are the best brownies EV-AH!  Ghirardelli Dark Chocolate Brownies rock my world.  And I got a crazy thought...why not add in another one of my favorite things EV-AH...Reese's Peanut Butter Cups!?!  A pretty perfect dessert for me on any given night is a Reese's, but when you add them to my favorite brownie...perfection personified! This is so quick and easy, even the worst bakers (me included) can't screw it up!  Try it, you'll love it!

Peanut Butter Cup Brownies
The box says serves 16...who are they kidding???  Serves about 6!

• 1 box Ghirardelli Dark Chocolate Brownie Mix
• 1/2 bag Reese's Peanut Butter Cup Minis (up to you what to do with the other half of the bag...hmmm...but below is another recipe I've been wanting to try that I found on Pinterest***)

Prepare brownie mix to package directions.  Stir in peanut butter cups into the batter.  Fill a greased, 9x9 glass baking dish with batter.  Bake at 325 for about 35 minutes.  Don't over bake.  You want them to be sort of gooey! For extra indulgence, serve warm with vanilla ice cream.  Ohhhhh, yeah.

***Try below recipe with the remaining peanut butter cups and tell me how it is.  After I pop out baby #2, it's go-time! 
Peanut Butter Cup Martini

What's for Dinner? Seafood Chowder!

This past weekend was a good one.  We had our annual Christmas party and it was a ton of fun.  The food theme this year was "Paninis and Crostinis".  Basically, just a lot of different sandwiches from different countries.  It was fun to do (and I will be blogging a few of them in the upcoming weeks) and oh-so-delicious.  We had a lot of leftover sandwiches, and what goes better with sandwiches than soup?  I was feeling seafood, and chowder is nice and hearty (I would say for the cold weather we have been having, but it was 75 degrees today!).  This chowder was really good, and it led me to beg the question, "why does chowder you get in a restaurant have to be SOOOO bad for you?"  This chowder that I made had no cream at all...only 1 cup of 2% milk.  The stats on it are really good for such a thick and creamy soup.  And you can basically use any seafood you like...mix it up!  Give it a try...you won't be sorry!

Seafood Chowder
Serves 6-8
Printable Recipe

1 TBSP olive oil
2 leeks, mostly white part, halved and thinly sliced
2 ribs celery, diced
1 potato, peeled and cut into 1/2 to 1 inch dice (depending how chunky you want them)
3 cloves garlic, minced
1/4 cup flour
1 1/2 cups seafood stock (this can be found now in any grocery store in the broth/stock section...if not, use chicken broth)
1 cup milk
1 lb cod or halibut, cut into small chunks
1 lb raw shrimp, peeled and roughly chopped
1/2 lbs bay scallops (the small ones)
1 cup grated Gruyere cheese
1-2 TBSP fresh dill
salt and fresh ground pepper to taste

In a large dutch oven or soup pot, heat oil over medium high heat.  Add celery and leek and saute until just soft.  Add garlic and potato and saute 2 minutes more.  Sprinkle flour over veggies, stir and let cook several minutes.  Add broth and stir well.  Let thicken.  Add milk and stir.  Simmer until potatoes are just soft.  Add in fish, cook for 1-2 minutes.  Add shrimp and scallops.  Let all simmer for another 5 minutes.  If chowder gets too thick, add some more stock.  Add dill. At the very end, add in Gruyere cheese and remove from heat.  Serve with garlic toast or oyster crackers and top with more cheese, if desired.  Enjoy!