Fudge Drop Cookies

These cookies are chewy and delicious. Must try!

You Will Need

~8oz semisweet chocolate (Baker's brand)
~3 Tablespoons butter
~1 cup sugar
~3 large eggs
~1 teaspoon vanilla
~1 cup flour
~1/4 teaspoon baking powder
~1/4 teaspoon salt


Preheat oven to 325.

Break up the chocolate pieces and melt chocolate and butter in the microwave.  Do it in 20 second intervals (so it won't burn) and take out and stir.  Do this 3-4 times, until chocolate is completely melted.  In a seperate bowl, mix eggs with sugar.  Add the hot, melted chocolate and stir in remaining ingredients.  Spoon tablespoonfuls onto greased baking sheet. Bake 11-12 minutes until their tops are shiny and cracked.  They won't crack until the very end.  Make sure not to bake for more than 12 minutes, because they will be crispy instead of chewy.

                                                                     

                                                                       Yumminess!!

http://www.kingarthurflour.com/recipes/fudge-drops-recipe?recipe_id=R731

Apple Cider Tenderloin

I love The Deen Bros cookbook.  My favorite recipe in there is the Apple Cider Tenderloin.  So simple and tasty!   This was last night's dinner..


~You Will Need

~2 pork tenderloins
~1 Tablespoon olive oil
~2 Tablespoons butter
~1/4 cup apple cider vinegar
~1 cup apple cider (or apple juice)
~1/4 teaspoon dried thyme
~salt and pepper

Preheat oven to 350

Season tenderloins with salt and pepper.   Place tenderloins in large ovenproof skillet on medium-high heat.  Cook each side in olive oil and butter for about 5 minutes.   Add apple cider vinegar, apple cider and dried thyme. Bring to a boil and transfer skillet to oven.   Cook for 15 minutes, turn tenderloins and cook another 15 minutes, until meat is no longer pink and internal temperature reaches 150 degrees (make sure to check with a thermometer).  Transfer meat to a platter and cover with aluminum foil.  Place skillet with juices back on stove and bring to a boil.  Let boil until sauce thickens (about 5-7 minutes) and pour over tenderloins.

Great Gift Idea!

Again...Pinterest.com is completely awesome.  Saw this idea on there and made some last night for neighbors.  Inexpensive, but cute gift.  Everyone will love it too!


Hot Cocoa in a Jar


~You Will Need

~Instant Dried Milk
~Cocoa Powder
~Sugar
~Mini Chocolate Chips
~Marshmellows
~Candy Cane



Layer 1 cup of dried milk, 1 cup cocoa powder and 1 cup sugar.  Sprinkle mini chocolate chips on top and top everything with marshmellows. 

Instructions to put on a label:  Mix all indgredients in a large bowl.  Place 1/3 cup of mix with 1 cup of boiling water in mug.  Store in an airtight container.  Makes 12 servings.

Cranberry Crumb Bars

I just made these and they are FABULOUS!  I stocked up on fresh cranberries (I'll freeze them and use them later)  Can't wait to make more cranberry goodies!


~You Will Need

CRUST & TOPPING

 

~2 1/2 cups all-purpose flour

~1 cup sugar

~1 teaspoon baking powder

~1/4 teaspoon salt

~1 cup cold butter

~1 egg

~1 Tablespoon cinnamon sugar

FILLING

~4 cups fresh cranberries
~1 cup sugar
~Juice of 1/2 orange (4 teaspoons)
~1 tablespoon cornstarch
~1 teaspoon vanilla extract


Preheat oven to 375.  Grease a 13x9 inch pan.  In large bowl, mix flour, 1 cup sugar, baking powder and salt. Cut in butter, using pastry blender until mixture looks like coarse crumbs. Stir in egg.

Press 2 1/2 cups of crumb mixture in bottom of pan.

In medium bowl, stir all filling ingredients. Spoon evenly over crust.

Stir in cinnamon sugar with remaining crumb mixture. Spoon reserved crumb mixture evenly over filling.

Bake 45 to 55 minutes or until top is light golden brown. Let cool completely.

YUMMY!!

Spinach Artichoke Dip Stuffed Mushrooms

I saw this idea on Pinterest.com (only the coolest site ever!) I discovered an awesome way to serve my favorite...spinach artichoke dip - in mushrooms!  Very easy! Just use my blog post on Spinach Artichoke Dip  http://carolinecuisine.blogspot.com/2011/09/hot-spinach-artichoke-dip.html and do the following..


You Will Need~

~1 package fresh mushrooms, caps removed
~Your favorite Spinach Artichoke dip

Preheat oven to 350.   Fill each mushroom with the dip.  

Spread on a cookie sheet and bake for 12-15 minutes.  Makes great appetizers for a Christmas party!

                

Perfect Crab Cakes

On a recent trip to South Louisiana, I found lump crabmeat that didn't cost $30.00 per pound (like it does in North Louisiana). It was only $14.99/pound and that's a great deal!  I got 2 pounds and have made all kinds of things.  Last night's dinner was crab cakes.  They were perfection!

~You Will Need
~1 pound fresh, lump crabmeat

~1/3 cup, crushed Ritz crackers (about 7-8 crackers)
~1/3 cup, chopped green onions
~1/2 cup, finely chopped green bell pepper
~1/4 cup mayo
~1 egg
~1 teaspoon Worcesterhire sauce
~1 teaspoon lemon juice
~1 teaspoon dry mustard
~1 teaspoon garlic powder
~1 teaspoon salt or Tony's seasoning
~flour for dusting
~1/2 cup peanut oil



Mix all ingredients together except four and oil. 

Shape into little patties and dust each side with flour...

Next, heat up oil (over medium heat) and fry about 4-5 minutes on each side.  Serve with your favorite dipping sauce...

(side note: use caution when dealing with hot oil.  It's very important to not turn the heat on high because the oil will burn and so will your crab cakes..not to mention kitchen filled with smoke...)


I love Remoulade Sauce!

(side note: Remoulade Sauce: or rémoulade, invented in France is a popular condiment in many countries. Very much like the tartar sauce of some English-speaking cultures, remoulade is often  mayonnaise-based. Although similar to tartar sauce, it is often more yellowish (or reddish in Louisiana), often flavored with curry, and sometimes contains chopped pickles or piccalilli. It can also contain horseradish, paprika, anchovies, capers and a host of other items. While its original purpose was possibly for serving with meats, it is now more often used as an accompaniment to seafood dishes, especially pan-fried breaded fish fillets (primarily sole and plaice) and seafood cakes (such as crab or salmon cakes) [source: Wikipedia]

                                                                         Yummy!!!!

Original Recipe: Paula's Home Cooking on the Food Network  http://www.foodnetwork.com/recipes/paula-deen/crab-cakes-recipe/index.html

Bacon, Egg and Cheese English Muffin

Keeping in theme with the English Muffin, I made this breakfast sandwich this morning and it was great! Much heathier than McDonald's!

~You Will Need

~1 English Muffin
~1 slice thick cut bacon
~1 egg, scrambled, or egg white
~1 slice cheddar cheese

Toast english muffin.  Layer egg, bacon and top with cheese.  Pop in microwave for about 15 seconds so cheese can melt. Yummy!

Crab English Muffins

This is a very simple way to make a quick lunch or dinner.  Very good and has a kick to it as well!

~You Will Need
~1/2 pound lump crab meat
~6-8 English muffins
~1/2 cup light mayo
~1/2 cup dark brown dijon mustard
~1 cup grated cheddar cheese
~1 teaspoon cayenne pepper

Mix mayo and dijon mustard together.  Cut English Muffins in half and spread this mixture on top.  Add a good serving of crab meat on top of muffins and sprinkle each with a little cayenne pepper.  Top with cheddar and place in oven on low on broil.  Broil for about 5-7 minutes. Or until English Muffin is brown and cheese melted. 

Pralines

I love New Orleans Pralines.  I used to not like pecans, but now I love them! These are easy and tasty...just make sure the temp reaches 238-240 degrees! 

(side note: It's important, when making candy, that you meet the required temperature of the boiling mixture.  If not, they will not harden properly once placed on aluminum foil.  Trust me, this has happened to me!)

You Will Need~

~1 1/2 cups sugar
~3/4 cups dark brown sugar
~1/2 cup milk
~6 Tablespoons butter
~1 teaspoon vanilla
~1 cup pecans, chopped


Combine all ingredients in a small pot.  Boil until temperature reaches 238 degrees.

Remove from heat, stirring constantly, about 3-5 minutes, until it thickens.  Take a medium size spoon and spoon onto aluminum foil. 

YUMMY!!

Tiny Cinnamon Rolls!

I saw this idea on Pinterest and made it my own recipe.  They are really yummy and take no time at all to make. 

You Will Need~

~1 package crescent dinner rolls
~1 1/2 teaspoons sugar
~1 1/2 teaspoons cinnamon

Icing~

~1/3 cup powdered sugar
~2 teaspoons milk
~1 drop vanilla extract


To make the rolls, tear a part rolls and lay out flat.  Mix together sugar and cinnamon and sprinkle over each roll. Roll each as you would when you would make a crescent dinner roll.  Then, cut each in half. 

Bake at 375 for 8 minutes or until lightly brown. 

To make the icing, mix together milk, powdered sugar and vanilla until smooth.  Drizzle on top of rolls.

Mini Muffaletta Sandwiches

These are perfect finger sadwiches for a party..they are tasty and easy to make!

You Will Need~

~1 package Hawaiian Rolls
~1 package ham, chopped
~1/2 package salami, chopped
~1 cup Mozzarella Cheese
~1 jar olive mix

First, scoop 2 Tablespoons of olive mixture on a Hawaiian roll, then top with 1 tablespoon of chopped ham and 1 Tablespoon of chopped salami.  Sprinkle 1 Tablespoon of cheese on top.  Spray tops of rolls with cooking spray and bake at 350 for 10-15 minutes or until golden brown.

Oreo Brownies With Oreo Buttercream Icing

In the words of Rachael Ray...Yum-O!!

This is completely easy and quite tasty!  The icing is very rich...Just put a thin layer on top!


You Will Need~

~a box of your favorite brownie mix
~about 4 oreos crushed

Buttercream Icing:

~2 cups powdered sugar
~2 Tablespoons heavy cream
~4 Tablespoons of butter, room temp
~about 3 oreos crushed


                                            OREO BUTTERCREAM ICING!!

Mix brownies according to box instructions.  Fold in oreo cookies.  For icing, mix powdered sugar and butter..slowly adding in heavy cream.  Beat with mixer until light and fluffy.  Fold in oreos.   Wait for brownies to cool and spread icing on top. 

Caroline's Cuisine: Halloween Edition

I LOVE Halloween!  I love turning regular food into fun stuff!  I made several things last night for a party and they were really delish!  


1) Spider Web 7 layer dip:

You Will Need:

~Bean dip
~Guacamole Dip
~Sour Cream
~Salsa
~Fresh, shredded lettuce
~Freshly grated sharp cheddar cheese
~chopped tomato
~olives

To make it look like a spider web, use a pie pan to make dip.  Layer bean dip, guac dip, sour cream and salsa.  Then around the outside, circle around lettuce, cheese tomato and top with black olives (they almost loof like little black spiders!)  Place a plastic spider in the middle...wash it first!

2:  Little smokie appetizers..

These little guys are great! Also, very easy to make!

You Will Need..

~1 1/2 cups ketchup
~1/2 cup mustard
~3 Tablespoons brown sugar
~2 Tablespoons chili powder
~3 Tablespoons Worcheshire sauce
~2 Tablespoons vinegar
~4-5 dashes of liquid smoke

Place smokies in crock-pot on low heat.  Add all ingredients and stir.  Let cook on low for 1-2 hours before gathering.

1st Anniversary Dinner!

My husband and I celebrated our 1st anniversary last night and we had a fab dinner!  Steak, lobster and my all time favorite..potatoes au gratin!  Our waiter surprised us with the awesome desert..it was almost too pretty to eat!

Homemade Sloppy Joes

Forget the canned stuff.  My sloppy joes are completely awesome....AND they're in the crock-pot!  They're tangy, with a little spice and perfect seasoning.  I made these in college all the time and my husband still loves them:)


You Will Need...

~1 package ground beef, seasoned with salt and pepper
~1 yellow onion, chopped
~1 clove garlic
~1/2 bell pepper, chopped
~1 1/2 cups ketchup
~1/2 cup prepared yellow mustard
~3 Tablespoons dark brown sugar
~3 Tablespoons vinegar
~3 Tablespoons Worcheshire sauce
~1 Tablespoon chili powder
~1/4 cup water

In a large pan, brown meat for 10-12 minutes.  Add veggies and saute for 2-3 minutes.  Transfer cooked meat and veggies to crock-pot.  Add all ingredients and stir them together with the meat.  Cook on high in crock-pot for 1 1/2-2 hours.  Check after one hour to see if you need to add any water. Serve on hamburger buns.

Sweet & Sour Chicken With Stir Fried Rice

This is one of my favorites! 

You Will Need~

Sweet & Sour Chicken

~6-8 chicken tenders, cut into pieces (seasoned with salt and pepper)
~2 Tablespoons pineapple juice
~2 Tablespoons cornstarch
~1 clove minced garlic
~1/2 cup soy sauce
~1/3 cup vinegar
~3/4 cups sugar

Preheat oven to 350.

In a small pot, combine cornstarch and pineapple juice.  Add all other ingredients and bring to a boil.  Place uncooked chicken pieces into a greased baking dish.  Pour boiling sauce over chicken pieces.  Bake for 1 hour, stirring chicken at 30 minutes.

                           This is what the sauce will look while boiling..

Basic Stir Fry

You Will Need~

~2 eggs, beaten

~1 yellow onion, chopped

~1 stalk celery chopped

~1/3 cup soy sauce (if you want more, that's fine)

~1 cup of cooked rice

First, cook rice like normal: 2 cups of water for every 1 cup of rice.  While rice is cooking, saute the onion and celery about 2-3 minutes.  Remove veggies from pan and cook scrambled eggs.  Finally, when rice is done cooking, add veggies in with the eggs and pour rice all in the large pan.  Add soy sauce (pour over rice evenly) and cook all together for 5-6 minutes over medium heat.

(side note:  There's already a lot of soy sauce in the sauce cooking with the chicken.  It will blend well when you pour chicken over the fried rice)

Make sure rice doesn't burn...Stir constantly..

Ready to serve!

Streusel Coffee Cake

This coffee cake is so delish.  It's a Martha Stewart recipe and it's pretty easy.  I didn't add the pecans.  The dough, you will have to work with to spread around pan, because it gets pretty thick.  It's so moist and delish!  The streusel topping is awesome!


Streusel Topping

~1 3/4 cups all-purpose flour

~1 cup packed light-brown sugar

~1 1/4 teaspoons ground cinnamon

~Coarse salt

~1 1/2 sticks cold unsalted butter, cut into small pieces

To make streusel topping: Mix together flour,  brown sugar, cinnamon, and teaspoon salt. Add butter and rub in with your fingers until small to medium clumps form.  Refrigerate until ready to use.

For the cake:

~1 stick unsalted butter, room temperature, plus more for pan

~2 cups all-purpose flour

~1 1/4 teaspoons baking powder

~1/2 teaspoon baking soda

~Coarse salt

~1 cup granulated sugar

~2 large eggs

~1 1/2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract

~1 cup sour cream

Preheat over to 350. 

Sift flour, baking powder, baking soda, and 1/2 teaspoon salt into a bowl.

Beat butter and granulated sugar with a mixer on medium speed until fluffy, about 2 minutes. Beat in eggs, 1 at a time, then vanilla. Add sour cream and beat in flour, slowly. Continue to beat until well combined.   Grease baking dish and spread batter, top with streusel topping.  Bake for 45-50 min. 

                                           

                                                                                 

Yummy!!!

http://www.marthastewart.com/337805/cinnamon-streusel-coffee-cake

Dirt!

So, I'm thinking of ideas for a Halloween bash my husband and I are throwing in a few weeks.  Definitely on the menu...dirt!

You Will Need~

~1 pkg. (3.9 oz.) Jello Chocolate Instant Pudding

~15  Oreo Cookies, finely crushed (about 1-1/2cups)

~Worm-shaped chewy fruit snacks

Make pudding according to package instructions.  Let stand 5 min. Spoon into individual clear cups. Top with cookie crumbs and a worm.

Game Day Buffalo Chicken Dip

I got this from a good friend (Thanks Kelli!)  She made it for a Halloween party last year and it was pure awesomeness.  When I first heard canned chicken I thought..ugghhh. But give it a try. I promise you won't regret it!!

You Will Need~
~2 8 oz packages cream cheese
~2 cans chicken (find it in tuna section of the store)
~1/4 cup Frank's Buffalo Wing sauce
~1 cup plus 1/2 cup grated cheddar
~1 cup ranch dressing or blue cheese dressing. (I love ranch!)

Mix all in all ingredients and fold in chicken. Sprinkle 1/2 cup cheddar on top. Spray baking dish with cooking spray. Bake at 375 for 20 min. Fabulous!

                                                                   So Yummy!

Apple Crisp

This is so yummy!  Apple crisp is Joey's favorite thing, so I was determined to find a good recipe!  I altered this a bit and it is pretty awesome!

You Will Need~
~5 Granny Smith apples, peeled, cut into 1 inch slices
~1/2 cup sugar
~1 tsp lemon juice
~1 tsp vanilla
~1 tsp cinnamon
~1 tsp nutmeg
~1/2 tsp salt

Topping
~1 stick butter
~1 cup light brown sugar
~1 cup all purpose flour
~1/3 cup oats

In a bowl, mix lemon juice, vanilla, nutmeg, cinnamon, salt and apples.   Melt butter over medium heat.  Remove from heat and add brown sugar.  Stir well and then add flour and oats.  Will be a dough when completed.   Spread evenly over apples in a nonstick baking dish.  Bake at 350 for 50-60 minutes.

Spicy Macaroni & Cheese

I have been trying to find a really delicious, homeade mac and cheese recipe.  I was watching "The Best Thing I Have Ever Made" on the Food Network and saw Sunny Anderson make her spicy mac and cheese.  I have never watched something on The Food Network where I had to make it NOW.  I went to the store and got all ingredients and it was made a few hours later.  It's so easy and amazing. I can't stop eating it!  I didn't do the croutons on top, but I'm sure those would be amazing to add as well!

You will need~

• 2 cups elbow pasta, cooked until almost al dente
• 16 ounces Cheddar cheese, 1/2 cubed, 1/2 shredded
• 8 ounces Monterey pepper jack cheese, cubed
• 2 teaspoons all-purpose flour
• 1/2 teaspoons salt
• 1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
• 1/2 teaspoon cayenne pepper
• 1/2 teaspoon dry mustard
• 1/8 teaspoon freshly ground nutmeg
• 4 tablespoons sour cream
• 1 large egg, beaten
• 1 cup heavy cream
• 1 cup half-and-half
• 4 slices bread
• 1 tablespoon butter

                                              Cheese!

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.

In a large bowl, toss together pasta with the cheese cubes and pour into the baking dish. In a large bowl mix together the flour, salt, black pepper, cayenne pepper, dry mustard, nutmeg and sour cream, egg, heavy cream and half-and-half. Pour over the pasta and cover with shredded Cheddar. Bake uncovered until top is just beginning to brown, about 35 minutes. Meanwhile, cut the bread into crouton-sized squares. In a skillet over medium heat, melt butter, add cubes and toast until golden. Sprinkle the bread cubes on top of the macaroni and cheese and bake until golden brown, about 10 minutes more.


Finished!                                                           First bite!

http://www.foodnetwork.com/recipes/spicy-macaroni-and-cheese-recipe/index.html

Celebration Dinner!

The family came over last night and we had my homemade spaghetti!  It was delish and everyone was so excited about our new family member!  I don't really have a recipe for this one.  I literally just threw in 2 large cans of crushed tomatoes, 2 small cans of tomato sauce, sauteed some chopped onions, bell peppers and garlic and threw in a bunch of spices!  Spices were Italian seasoning, garlic powder, salt, pepper, Tony's seasoning, cayenne pepper, basil and sugar (to cut down acidity of the tomatoes). I just kept adding spices until it tasted right. Of course garlic bread for a side.  

                               The perfect setting for a celebration!

Baby!!!!

This has absolutely nothing to do with cooking at all, but I had to put it on here...I'm an AUNT!!  My sister gave birth to a beautiful baby girl last night.  Mary Ellen~weighing 6lbs 11oz.  Soo exciting!!!

1 Egg, 2 Yolks

My husband was making his usual egg and grits breakfast and he emailed me this picture.  He cracked open an egg and 2 yolks fell out. I have heard of this but never seen it before!  He says it means good luck.  So, this inspired me to google "egg yolk superstition"...here's what caught my interest...

"In many parts of Europe, farmers would take a fresh egg into the fields in the hopes that it would bring a good healthy crop. Eggs were also used to tell fortunes – two yolks would mean a marriage was coming up soon, a black spot on a yolk was a bad omen – and an egg with no yolk at all was just about as bad as you could get."

Pumpkins = Pumpkin Pie Time!!

Family Photo!(Our cat, Eddie is absent)

We went to the Pumpkin Patch yesterday and I am seriously excited about the Fall.  It's my favorite season.  I love Thanksgiving/Halloween and everything about Fall in general.  I love fall decorating too! 

Check out this adorable Halloween wreath I ordered!...

So back to food...  I made this pumpkin pie a few years ago.  It's a Paula Deen recipe and was quite tasty and I will be making it this year!!

You Will Need~

~1 (8-ounce) package cream cheese, softened

~2 cups canned pumpkin, mashed

~1 cup sugar

~1/4 teaspoon salt

~1 egg plus 2 egg yolks, slightly beaten

~1 cup half-and-half

~1/4 cup (1/2 stick) melted butter

~1 teaspoon vanilla extract

~1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon

~1 piece pre-made pie dough

~Whipped cream, for topping

Preheat oven to 350.

Prepare pie dough according to package instructions.

For the filling, in a large mixing bowl, beat the cream cheese with a hand mixer. Add the pumpkin and beat until combined. Add the sugar and salt, and beat until combined. Add the eggs mixed with the yolks, half-and-half, and melted butter, and beat until combined. Finally, add the vanilla, cinnamon, and ginger, if using, and beat until incorporated.
Pour the filling into the warm prepared pie crust and bake for 50 minutes, or until the center is set. Cut into slices and top each piece with a generous amount of whipped cream.

My homemade whipped cream..

~1 cup heavy whipping cream
~2 Tablespoons sugar
~1/2 teaspoon vanilla

Beat with mixer until fluffy.


http://www.foodnetwork.com/recipes/paula-deen/pumpkin-pie-recipe/index.html

My Go-To Appetizer

I have recently discovered how delicious pepper jelly is.  My new favorite appetizer is the classic cream cheese and pepper jelly.  So easy and you can make it look completely fancy.

You Will Need~

~1 package cream cheese
~1 jar Tabasco Spicy Pepper Jelly
~Your favorite crackers

All you have to do is get a plate and place cream cheese on it.  Then spread jelly on top of cream cheese and arrange crackers pretty.  It's that easy!

Best Brownie Mix

I make mostly everything from scratch.  However, when it comes to brownies...there is nothing more amazing than the Ghirardelli Double Chocolate Mix.  I have not found a homemade recipe that comes close to this good!  So the next time you want an easy desert...buy this mix!

Bad Sushi Experience..Beware!

I am going to do something I don't normally do...talk about a recent bad sushi experience.  I think everyone should know what a bad sushi roll tastes like and not just try to drown the taste out with extra soy sauce. The restaurant (which will remain nameless, they may have just had an off day) I went to today was probably one of the worst spicy tuna rolls I've ever had.  I KNOW what a good spicy tuna roll tastes like.  I've been eating sushi since I was 12(I'm now 27).  Only sushi roll I have ever gotten is a spicy tuna roll.  This sushi I had today was just awful.  The rice was warm and gooey and the fish just didn't taste right.  I nearly gagged when I tried to eat it.  My point in telling this is if you aren't an experienced sushi eater, you will know what a bad roll vs a good roll tastes like. 

A good Spicy Tuna sushi roll:

1) Is cold!  A spicy tuna roll should be cold/cool temperature wise.  It shouldn't be hot/warm.  Nothing is nastier than eating a spicy tuna roll and it's warm. (which is the experience I had today)

2) You should look forward to your next bite...
     I know this sounds pretty basic, but with sushi it's even more true.  If it's bad fish, you can usually taste it  on your first bite...don't make yourself eat it...spit it out!

3) NO TEMPURA in a spicy tuna roll!  I went to a sushi place once and they had tempura mixed in with the tuna mixture.  It was crunchy and gross.  Always make sure they don't put this in there..I always ask to be sure.  Of course if you like this sort of thing...it's totally up to you.


~My favorite sushi restaurants I have tried so far..I'm sure I'll try many, many more places!~


LITTLE KATANA SUSHI BAR in the Dallas Galleria - the most fabulous sushi I have ever had.  Before you start thinking because it's in a mall it's gross..think again!  It's seriously amazing. 

BLUE FISH SUSHI, Dallas, TX - So yummy!

RA SUSHI BAR, Houston, TX - Expensive but EXCELLENT!

NORWEGIAN CRUISE SHIP "Pride of America" (East Meets West Restaurant) - Our cruise we went on in Hawaii this summer.  They had AMAZING sushi on this ship!

SUSHIKO, Shreveport, LA

SUSHI GEN, Shreveport, LA

Classic Awesome Chili

I made this last night for dinner and WOW....was it awesome.   I have made chili from scratch before, but got it perfect last night. I don't like beans, so I didn't add any, you of course could add a can of kidney beans if you want to.  I hope you will make this soon...weather is finally cooling down and it's the perfect time of year for a nice, warm and tasty bowl of chili!!

You Will Need...

~1 1/2 pounds ground chuck chili meat (season with salt, pepper to taste)

 ~2 cans  of chunky (mild) Rotel , undrained

~1 15 oz can of tomato sauce
~1 8 oz can tomato sauce
~1 small onion chopped

~1 green bell pepper, chopped
~1 stalk celery chopped

~1 clove garlic, minced

~1 1/2 Tablespoons Chili Powder

~1 Tablespoon Cumin
~1 TBL sugar (to cut down acidity of the tomatoes)

~1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper
~1/4 teaspoon garlic powder

**You can add more or less of seasonings.  I like mine a medium spice level**

~Toppings - Fritos, grated cheddar, sour cream

(side note- you can buy the frozen pre-chopped bags of onion, bell pepper & celery...I use about 2 cups of the frozen veggies)

~Start off by browning meat in 2 Tablespoons of olive oil on medium heat.  This will take around 10-12 minutes.  Drain grease and add onions, bell pepper and garlic.  Saute for about 5 minutes.  Next, add Rotel (with juices), tomato sauce and water (if needed). Stir and bring to a boil.  Add spices and cook on low-medium, stirring often, for 30 minutes so flavors can blend well.

                                                                      Spices go in!

(side note:  if it is too thick just add some more water in and let it boil down)
Finally...time to eat!  Top with fritos, grated cheddar and sour cream....

                                                                          Delish!!