Southwest Dip

This is perfect for a game day dip. WARNING: Very addicting!!! INGREDIENTS 1/2 cup fat free sour cream 1 8oz pkg reduced fat cream cheese 2 packets dried Ranch dressing mix 1 8.5 oz can corn, drained 4 TBL chopped jalapenos (buy sliced in a jar and chop them) 4 TBL black olives, chopped DIRECTIONS Mix all together. Chill before serving.

Easy Sticky Buns

Hey everyone! I'm finally updating my blog. Been very busy - but I have some great new recipes! I saw this idea on Pinterest. They are AMAZING. Give these a try for a special breakfast treat. INGREDIENTS 1 tube of reduced fat Pillsbury Grands biscuits 4 TBL melted butter 1 cup maple syrup 1/2 cup brown sugar sprinkle of cinnamon DIRECTIONS Preheat oven to 350. Mix together melted butter and syrup. Place half of syrup mixture on bottom of the greased bundt pan. Arrange biscuits in a ring, make them slightly over-lap each other. Sprinkle brown sugar on top and rest of the syrup mixture. Bake at 350 for 29-25 minutes or until golden brown.

ORIGINAL RECIPE FROM PINTEREST http://stamps4fun.blogspot.com/2011/10/traditions.html

Stuffed Bell Peppers

I made these the other night for dinner. They were great! As a side note - when browning meat always make sure to break up the big chunks so it all cooks evenly. INGREDIENTS 4 large green bell peppers; 1 package ground chuck; 1 cup of rice, cooked; 1 yellow onion, chopped; 2 cloves of garlic, minced; 1 1/2 cups spaghetti sauce; salt and pepper; cajun seasoning pepperjack cheese breadcrumbs DIRECTIONS Preheat oven to 375. Cut tops off of bell peppers and take out seeds. Brown meat and add onions/garlic...cook until tender..and additional 5 minutes. Fill a large pot with water and boil bell peppers for 5 minutes...remove from water and place in a baking dish. Add cooked rice, spaghetti sauce, seasonings to the same skillet you are browning the meat. Mix all together and fill each bell pepper with the mixture. Sprinkle breadcrumbs on top and then pepperjack cheese. Bake for 20 minutes.

Caprese Chicken

I had this at my friend's house one night. It was amazing! I used chicken thighs, instead of chicken breasts. It's very easy to make...if you have friends/family over they will be impressed! INGREDIENTS 6-8 boneless, skinless chicken thighs 1/4 cup olive oil 1 cup balsamic vinegar 4 cloves garlic, minced sprinkle of salt and pepper 1 red bell pepper, sliced thick 5-6 pieces of fresh mozzarella, sliced 5-6 fresh basil leaves In a large ziplock bag, place chicken and marinate in garlic, salt and pepper, olive oil and balsamic vinegar for 1 hour. Preheat oven to 375. Place chicken in baking dish and top with cheese, bell pepper slices and basil. Bake for 1 hour, covered.

Italian Sausage Subs

I was trying to find something I could make in a hurry the other night. I had bought some Italian Sausage a few weeks ago that I had frozen. I also had marinara sauce, mozzarella and hoagie buns. I know what I'm making for dinner! These are delicious with carmalized onions. INGREDIENTS 1 onion sliced 1 package mild Italian sausage 1 jar of your favorite spaghetti sauce 4 hoagie buns 1 bag of shredded mozzarella cheese DIRECTIONS Cut the sausage up in 1 inch pieces and brown for about 15-20 minutes. Add Onions and carmalize about 5 minutes until tender. Warm the marinara sauce. Place buns in oven on 350 for about 5 minutes. When buns are done, place sausage pieces in the middle, top with onions, marinara sauce and cheese. Serve hot.

Shrimp Pistolettes

These are awesome! I had one at a Farmers' Market last weekend and I had to make it. This is a popular Louisiana treat..fried bread with a cheesy filling consisting of either crawfish or shrimp. Since I have a ton of fresh shrimp my inlaws got me from South Louisiana, that was the obvious choice. The tricky part is getting the bread just right. INGREDIENTS French rolls - about 12 1 lb of shrimp, peeled and deveined 1 8oz pkg of Mexican processed cheese (I used Velveeta) 1 cup of evaporated milk 1 onion, chopped 1/2 green bell pepper, chopped 1/2 cup celery, chopped 1/4 cup green onions, chopped 3 cloves of minced garlic 1 bottle of canola oil 3 TBL butter 2 TBL butter (for cooking shrimp) salt and pepper to taste garlic powder cayenne pepper cajun seasoning In a large saute pan, melt butter over medium heat. Add all veggies and saute for about 5 minutes. Add evaporated milk, bring to a boil. Reduce heat medium to low and stir in cubed cheese until melted. In a small skillet, melt butter over medium heat. Add shrimp and also add seasonings...adjust spice to any level you would like -(remember: a little cayenne goes a long way! Just do a little sprinkle and add more at the end) Cook shrimp in skillet for 3-5 minutes. Add shrimp to cheese mixture and cook another 5 minutes on medium heat. FRYING THE ROLLS heat oil to 350 degrees over medium heat. Place rolls in hot oil and cook until golden brown (about 1 minute each side). Remove, place on towels and let cool. Split the rolls open and spoon in about 1/4 cup of cheese mixture.

Shrimp Lettuce Wraps

These were AMAZING! Great for a light, summer dinner. They're a ittle messy to eat - but so yummy! INGREDIENTS 1 lb shrimp, peeled and deveined 1/2 red bell pepper, chopped 2 TBL olive oil 1 TBL cornstarch 2 TBL soy sauce lettuce Marinade 2 TBL olive oil 1 clove minced garlic 3 TBL soy sauce 3 TBL lime juice (about 2-3 small limes) spinkle of ground ginger sprinkle of salt and pepper Prepare shrimp and combine all ingredients for the marinade in a small bowl. Whisk together. Place shrimp in the marinade and put back in fridge for about 30 minutes (also put a few cubes of ice on top of the shrimp...I always do this when I'm cooking with shrimp if they have to marinate in the fridge) In a large pan, saute bell pepper for about 5 minutes over medium heat in about 2 TBL of olive oil. Remove ice cubes and pour shrimp and marinade in the pan. Cook shrimp for about 10 minutes over medium heat (any longer and shrimp will become very tough - they will curl up and turn pink when finished cooking). Add cornstarch in last and stir to thicken sauce. Serve shrimp over lettuce and drizzle sauce on top. BEAUTIFUL GULF SHRIMP!

Cooking away in the yummy sauce

Marinated Artichokes

INGREDIENTS 1 can artichoke hearts, sliced 3 TBL parmesan cheese 2 TBL balsamic vinegar 2 TBL olive oil salt and pepper Mix all together - marinate in fridge for 30 minutes. This is a quick way to serve up artichokes! Makes a great side dish.

Peach Cobbler

I know it has been a while since I've posted on here...but I'm back with some great new recipes! I made this peach cobbler the other day and my office went crazy over it - it was gone in less than 1 hour. It's so delicious...perfect with fresh peaches. Read on below! INGREDIENTS PEACH MIXTURE 10 fresh peaches, peeled and sliced 1/4 cup brown sugar 1/4 cup white sugar juice of 1/2 lemon 2 TBL corn starch 1/4 tsp cinnamon

TOPPING 1 cup of flour 1 tsp baking powder 1/4 cup brown sugar 1/4 cup white sugar 6 TBL unsalted cold butter, sliced 1/4 cup boiling water

Preheat oven to 425. Mix together all of the peaches and remaining ingredients for the peach mixture. Place peaches in a 2 qt baking dish. Bake for 10 minutes. Remove from oven. Next, mix all ingredients together for the topping. Add in butter slices and mix with fingers. Add boiling water. Mix together - there may still be some crumbly pieces, but that's ok. Spread over peaches and place back in oven. Bake for about 20 minutes or until golden brown.

Delicious Meal - Another Cleaning Out The Fridge Week!

Hi all!  I know it's been a little while since I've posted.  Been out of town a lot!  Also, been watching the budget a little more.  This week is another "Cleaning Out The Fridge Week".  Below is the amazing steak dinner we had last night - all from stuff that was burried in the freezer/pantry! 

On the Menu:

Steak
marinated artichokes (they've been sitting in the back of the pantry)
mushrooms (got them 2 weeks ago), in a wine/ garlic sauce
sweet peas (also been in the pantry - who knows for how long!?)
and chocolate chip cookies for desert (had some frozen cookie dough I made several months ago)

So, my point is - you're likely to find just as great of a meal as we made last night with items you already have.  I completely forgot about those additional steaks that were burried (we got them way back during Thanksgiving).  Be creative and plan a great menu by cleaning out your fridge/freezer!

Smothered Pork Chops

I kind made this recipe up in my head.  I had randomly bought a package of brown gravy mix.  Also, the pork chops were on sale.  So I just grabbed them, not having a specific recipe in mind.  Well, this turned out AMAZING!  Be sure to get the thin pork chops, so they will be really tender.


INGREDIENTS

1 package of thin pork chops, usually comes with 6-7
1/2 cup of flour
3 TBL olive oil
1green bell pepper
1 white onion
1 package mushrooms, washed and sliced
2 packages of McCormick brown gravy mix
2 cups water
salt
pepper



DIRECTIONS

Season each pork chop with salt and pepper.  Coat each side with flour (dust off any extra) and pour olive oil in a large skillet.  Brown each side for about 5 minutes each.  Remove from skillet and set aside.  Slice onions and bell pepper lengthwise and saute in the same skillet for about 4 minutes. Add mushrooms and cook for about 2 minutes.  In a medium sized bowl, place 2 packages brown gravy mix and 2 cups of water, mix together.  Put pork chops back in pan and pour gravy in.  Bring to a boil and simmer for 15 minutes.  Add more water if needed if gravy gets too thick.  Make sure internal temp on pork chops reaches 160.

Cinnamon Swirl French Toast Casserole

This is great for a brunch or Easter morning breakfast. Happy Easter!!


1 loaf of Cinnamon Swirl bread (16oz)
6 eggs
3 cups of milk
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
powdered sugar
maple syrup


Cut bread into cubes.  Set Aside.   Whisk together eggs, milk, vanilla.  Place bread cubes into a baking dish and pour egg mixture on top.  Press bread cubes into mixture with a spoon to make sure all gets absorbed.  Cover and let sit in fridge overnight.   Bake at 350 for 40-45 minutes or until golden brown on top.  (and when you stick a toothpick in, it comes out clean) Sprinkle with powdered sugar and drizzle maple syrup on top.

Yum!!

Original recipe:

http://www.pepperidgefarm.com/RecipeDetail.aspx?recipeId=26009

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Meal Planning

It's taken me a while to get good at planning meals for the week. I was into couponing for a while (not extreme - just beginner level) I realized rather quickly, that if you aren't buying for a huge family, you spend significantly more than you would if you stuck to a list. So I started planning a weekly menu and then, if I happened to find any coupons or sales going on that matched my items, I would go for it. Some people have asked what my average grocery trip costs. I will admit its around $85.00 per week and this is for a family of 2. (we also have our fur babies - a cat and dog) I try to stick to this number, but if I need to get dog or cat food, toilet paper, paper towels or other items that cost a lot more, this number goes up. This may seem large, but we only go out to eat once during the week. We have really tried to cut back on this. Not only is it healthier to cook your own meals, but yes, YOU SAVE MONEY! If you figure you are going out to eat 3x per week (in addition to going grocery shopping) depending on the restaurant, you can figure it will cost about $30.00 each time. Sure, doesn't seem like a ton of money, but if you do average monthly budgets, this will quickly come to 360.00 per month on dining out. That is the cost of an airplane ticket to somewhere fun - Why not save that money towards a cool vacation? Seems like a good idea to me! Anyway, I always do an inventory of what I have in the fridge or pantry, then try to make meals around those items. Here is my method for menu planning. I write down the items below the meal that I need.

Example:

Monday night: Spaghetti & Turkey meatballs with garlic bread
-ground turkey
- frozen garlic bread
Tuesday night: grilled chicken sandwiches with grilled corn
- chicken breasts
- hamburger buns
Wednesday night: Beef stew
- baby carrots
- stew meat
Thursday night: Fried shrimp Po-boys
- French bread
- tomatoes
- lettuce
Friday night: Burgers with fries
- ground meat

Additional items:
Fruit
Chips
Yogurt
Canned veggies
Snacks
Eggs
Milk
Half and half

****************

This is how it goes. Sometimes I may have to
run to the store during the week. I usually make a batch of muffins or something for breakfast during the work week. I hope this helps!

Raw Meat 101

I worked in the food business in high school/college.  The #1 thing I was taught is DO NOT CROSS CONTAMINATE!!!  This means cutting boards, utensils, even storing meat in your fridge.  Some of this may seem like common sense stuff, but it can be easy to forget if you get flustered or are in a rush.  I have stressed in a previous blog how important it is to get meat temperature to the necessary levels.  This is just as important.

1) Always use 1 cutting board for veggies and 1 for raw meat. 

2) Use different counter space for cutting raw meat/veggies.  If you have a small counter cut veggies first and then meat.

3) When finished with the dishes, put all raw meat dishes on the side of the sink where water will not be going in.  This avoids splashing anything around that could be dangerous.

4) Sanitize counter space IMMEDIATELY after preparing raw meat.  It's very easy to forget and you could cross contaminate faster than you think.

5) When storing meat in the fridge, always place on the bottom. If you store on the top there is a risk that the juices could drip below onto other foods. 
6) ALWAYS WASH YOUR HANDS!  Even if this means multiple times - wash before you open any cabinets, fridge or any spices/containers you have to use.  You don't want those germies crawling all over your kitchen!   Also, sanitize your sink when you finish cooking.  Including the faucet and knobs as well.



                                    REMEMBER KIDS...

Blueberry Muffins

These are great to make on a Sunday night and eat during the week for breakfast.


INGREDIENTS

2 cups All-Purpose flour
1 1/2 teaspoon baking powder
1 stick of butter, softened
1 cup sugar
2 large eggs
1/2 cup whole milk
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
2 cups fresh blueberries


DIRECTIONS

Preheat oven to 350

Mix butter and sugar until blended well.  Add eggs one at a time, vanilla and then milk.  Slowly add in flour and the baking powder and blend until smooth.  Fold in blueberries.  Place in a greased muffin pan about 1/2 full in each.  (If you use liners, make sure to spray those with cooking spray also).  Bake for about 20 minutes, or until the tops are lightly golden brown.

Honey Mustard Chicken

This is a variation of the spicy honey chicken I made the other night.  It's the same exact concept, just a few different ingredients.

INGREDIENTS

1 package of boneless, skinless chicken thighs
1/3 cup honey
1/3 cup prepared yellow mustard
Italian seasoning
salt
pepper


DIRECTIONS

Preheat oven broiler on low

Mix together honey and mustard in a small bowl and set aside.  Place thighs flat on a baking sheet lined with foil (greased).  Season both sides with a sprinkle of salt and pepper.  Then, sprinkle Italian seasoning on both sides (about 1/4 teaspoon on each side).   Take the honey mustard mixture and spread evenly over one side.  Broil on low for 7 minutes, watching carefully.  Take chicken out, flip over and add more honey mustard on top.  Broil for an additional 7 - 10 minutes.  Make sure internal temp reaches 165.  

Red Velvet Brownies

So yummy..I could eat half of the pan!! (but I'm not going to because I'm trying to get back into shape..haha - as I bite into one of these delicious, moist brownies!)


**Recipe from Southern Living**

INGREDIENTS

4 oz Bittersweet chocolate baking bar, chopped
3/4 cup butter
2 cups sugar
4 large eggs
1 1/2 cups All-Purpose Flour
1 (1 oz) bottle liquid red food coloring
1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1/8 teaspoon salt


Preheat oven to 350.

Melt chocolate and butter in microwave in 20 second intervals for about 1 minute.  Pour into a large bowl. Stir in sugar. Add eggs one at a time and then food coloring. Add flour and baking powder and stir in mixture.  Finally, add vanilla extract and salt.  Make sure all is stirred in well. 

Pour into a well greased baking dish - bake for 40-45 minutes.  Let cool and add frosting if you would like.  I'm not a huge fan of frosting on brownies (I know, it's crazy), but buttercream frosting would be great on these.

Cheesy Baked Taquitos

These are perfect...for game day or a mexican dinner.


INGREDIENTS

1/2 cup salsa
1/3 cup cream cheese (I always use the 1/3 less fat)
1 cup Mexican shredded cheese
1/4 tsp black pepper
1/4 tsp salt
1 tsp garlic powder
1/2 tsp cumin
1/2 tsp chili powder
8-10 small, flour tortillas


Preheat oven to 425. 

Soften cream cheese and then mix all ingredients in with the cream cheese.  Heat tortillas in microwave so they're easy to work with (about 20 seconds).  Spoon 2-3 tablespoons of mixture on tortillas.  Roll tightly and place on a greased baking sheet with foil. Spray tops of tortillas with cooking spray.  Bake 15 - 20 minutes or until edges of tortillas are lightly brown and crispy.

Spicy Honey Chicken

I found this recipe on Pinterest and changed it up to make it my own. The secret is boneless, skinless chicken thighs...they are very juicy and tender.

INGREDIENTS

1 package of boneless, skinless chicken thighs (usually comes in a pack of 8)
3 TBL honey
3 TBL apple cider vinegar
1/2 tsp black pepper
1 tsp salt
2 tsp garlic power
1 tsp chili powder
1 tsp paprika
1 tsp crushed red pepper flakes


                                   
DIRECTIONS

Mix together honey and vinegar, set aside.  Mix together all spices and set aside.  Place thighs on a baking sheet with foil greased with cooking spray.  Make sure thighs are placed flat on the baking sheet.  Season both sides. Cook on broil on low for 5 -7 minutes each side.  Then, put the vinegar/honey mixture on top of the thighs.  Bake for an additional 3 minutes and make sure internal temperature registers 165 degrees.


                                                          YUM!!!

Chicken Nachos

Really easy for a quick dinner!

INGREDIENTS

Tortilla Chips
3 chicken breasts, cut into 1/2 inch pieces
1 cup pepper jack cheese
1 cup cheddar cheese
jalapenos
homemade taco seasoning

Toppings:

lettuce
sour cream
salsa

DIRECTIONS

Empy a bag of tortilla chips onto a baking sheet with aluminum foil.   Before cooking chicken pieces, season with 2 TBL olive oil and 2 - 3 TBL of my taco seasoning  - stir all together.  http://carolinecuisine.blogspot.com/2012/02/homemade-taco-seasoning.html Cook chicken in a skillet on medium heat for about 15-20 minutes until well done.  Place chicken on top of chips, and next place jalapeno slices.  Top with cheese and sprinkle it evenly.  Broil on low for about 5 minutes, watching carefully so nachos won't burn.

Instant Garlic Bread

Hi all!  So tonight I was making spaghetti and I realized I didn't have any garlic bread (I love the frozen kind)  Anyway...I was digging through the pantry and found hot dog buns.  Problem solved!  I just mixed a few tablespoons of butter (melted - put it in microwave, covered for about 10 seconds) with a sprinkle of Italian seasoning and a little bit of minced garlic and spread it over the hot dog buns, which I split in half..and result = delicious garlic bread!  Just preheat the oven to 350 and bake about 4-5 minutes. 

Meat Safety

I am very particular when it comes to meat and you should be too.  I got my husband this meat thermometer for Christmas.  It's a little more expensive than your average, but it gets the temperature instantly.   I do encourage anyone who cooks with meat to get a thermometer.  They can range from $15.00 - $100.00.  Worth the investment!  I have a temperature chart I keep in my kitchen.   You can get one from USDA website:
http://www.fsis.usda.gov/is_it_done_yet/brochure_text/index.asp

Spinach & Artichoke Baked Chicken

This is almost like my spinach and artichoke dip on top of chicken.  A few changes though - the chicken turns out very tender and it's so delicious!


INGREDIENTS

4 - 6 chicken tenders
1 can artichokes, chopped
1/2 cup frozen, chopped spinach
1/2 cup mayo
1/2 cup sour cream
1/2 cup pepperjack cheese
a few dashes of hot sauce
salt and pepper


Preheat oven to 350.

Place tenders in a greased baking dish.  Season with salt and pepper.  Mix all other ingredients together and spread evenly over chicken.  Cook at 350 for 40 minutes, until chicken is no longer pink and internal temperature reaches 165 degrees on a thermometer.

Mardi Gras Madness

I love Mardi Gras! The official day is tomorrow, Fat Tuesday. We have been celebrating for the past 2 weeks. Parades, parties and FOOD! If you have never been to New Orleans to experience "real" Mardi Gras, you must go! It's an experience you won't soon forget! We had a party at our house the other night. The main event...my husband's jambalaya - which is impossible to duplicate. It's unique and a true Louisiana dish. There were other good eats as well!
                                                
                                           My Mardi Gras Table

Menu
Appetizer - cream cheese & spicy pepper jelly
Entree - Jambalaya
Side dish - White Beans
Desert - King Cake

.
                                         

                                      A Traditional King Cake

King cake is so good! My favorite is classic cinnamon - if you're into fillings they have everything from strawberry to chocolate.

Ash Wednesday is the day after Mardi Gras, starting the season of Lent. Catholics can't eat meat on Wednesdays or Fridays until Easter, so I'm getting ready to be cooking a lot with seafood for my husband. Crawfish season is here! So stay tuned for posts on seafood! Happy Mardi Gras!!!

Homemade Taco Seasoning

This stuff is awesome.  I have a ton of spices I needed to get rid of.  I had everything I needed for this...you won't buy those packets of taco seasoning again!


~You Will Need

3 TBL chili powder
2 TBL cumin
2 TBL garlic powder
1/4 tsp salt
1/4 tsp black pepper
1/4 tsp dried oregano
1/2 tsp Tony's seasoning


You can add as much or as little of these seasonings as you want.  This a chili powder base.  If something is too strong or over powering just play around with it until it's how you like it.

To make chicken tacos:

Cut chicken up in 1/2 " chunks (seasoned with salt and pepper) and cook it over medium heat, in a large skillet with a few tablespoons of olive oil - cook for about 15 minutes, or until chicken is no longer pink. Add this taco seasoning in, about 2 tablespoons and about 1/4 cup of water.  Stir until all is combined.

Coffee Cake Muffins

I was searching Pinterest for a coffee cake recipe.  I then got inspired by some coffee cake muffins!  They are so delicious and moist! 

~You Will Need

~1/2 cup brown sugar
~1 tsp ground cinnamon
~2 cups flour
~1 cup regular sugar
~1 tsp salt
~1 stick of butter, cut in 1/2 inch slices
~1 1/2 tsp baking powder
~1/2 tsp baking soda
~3/4 cups sour cream
~1 large egg
~1 tsp vanilla


GLAZE

~1 cup powdered sugar
~3 TBL milk

Preheat oven to 350.  Spray a 12-cup muffin pan with cooking spray and set aside.

1)   In a small bowl, mix brown sugar and cinnamon, set aside.  In a bowl with an electric mixer, add flour, sugar, and salt.  Beat until well combined.  Then add slices of butter and beat until combined.  Remove 1/2 cup of flour mixture and add to bowl with brown sugar.  Stir with a fork until combined to make the streusel filling.

2)   Back to the bowl with the elctric mixer - add baking soda and baking powder.  Next, combine sour cream, egg and vanilla and beat until smooth.  Finally, add the streusel in the small bowl back to this mixture and fold in with a wooden spoon.  Spoon into muffin cups and bake 20 minutes.   

3)   To make the glaze, combine milk and powdered sugar and stir until smooth.

Caroline's Cuisine: Valentine's Day

My husband and I thought about going out for dinner on Valentine's Day. Then I realized all restaurants will be packed and it would mean so much more if I went over and beyond for a delicious meal, cooked in our kitchen.  Well, might I say, he was overly impressed!!  To start off, I have never cooked with lobster in my life.  I was so scared - mainly because they aren't cheap and I didn't want to mess it up.  Well, this just goes to show you, it's fun to take some risks with cooking - because it turned out amazing!  I found a special at the store - a filet mignon and lobster tail.  I just had to get it!  Well, the hardest part of this was peeling the lobster tail...Very difficult. I somehow managed to do it!

Valentine's Day Menu: 

Appetizer - Wedge salad with chives
Entree - Surf & Turf - Lobster with garlic butter and filet mignon
Side - Sauteed mushrooms with garlic and chive sauce

LOBSTER TAIL

I did this the easiest way - don't let this scare you.  The lady at the grocery store told me exactly what to do.


~1 uncooked lobster tail
~a few pinches of salt

Get a large pot and fill with water - enough to cover the tail.  Bring to a boil and place lobster in water.  Sprinkle salt and boil 15 minutes.  When tail is done, it will turn red and will curl up.  Remove from water and cut down the back of the tail to open up and get to the meat

GARLIC BUTTER (for dipping lobster meat)

This is very simple.  Just get however much butter you want, a few tablespoons and put a little minced garlic and salt in.  Microwave, covered, in 10 - 15 second intervals stirring after each. 

WEDGE SALAD

Get a head of lettuce and cut off the end.  Then cut in quarters and top with your favorite dressing!

FILET MIGNON

This was also very easy.  Just season with salt and pepper.  Get a large, ovenproof skillet and put a few tablespoons of olive oil.  Cook both sides for about 3 minutes.  Then transfer the pan to oven preheated to 375.  Cook 6-8 minutes.  Let sit for about 10 minutes before cutting into it.   I like mine medium rare.

These are the temperatures your thermometer should read depending on how you want it cooked:

Rare - 125 degrees
Medium Rare - 130 degrees
Medium - 140
Medium Well - 150
Well Done - 160


Sauteed Mushrooms

~mushrooms, washed and chopped
~1/2 cup chicken broth
~3 TBL butter
~3 TBL chives, chopped
~2 cloves garlic
~salt and pepper

Cook mushrooms for about 10 minutes until tender.

Baked Parmesan Fries

These are some kind of yummy!  They are very easy and way better than the frozen stuff!

~You Will Need

~6-7 medium sized potatoes, cut length-wise
~3 TBL olive oil
~2 TBL parmesan cheese
~1/4 tsp black pepper
~1 tsp Italian seasoning
~1/2 tsp garlic powder
~1/4 teaspoon Tony's seasoning


Preheat oven to 425

Peel, wash and cut potatoes.  Place in a large ziplock bag.  In a small bowl, mix olive oil, parmesan cheese and all spices. Add to plastic bag and shake until all potatoes are covered.  Place all coated potatoes on a baking sheet, with aluminum foil.  (I always grease the foil with Pam)  Bake for 40-45 minutes or until golden brown and tender.

Place them on a greased baking sheet like this....

Finished Product!

Delicious!

BBQ Pork Sandwiches with Creamy Coleslaw

This is AMAZING.  My husband is going on and on about how this is the best BBQ sauce he's ever had.  I'm so proud of myself!  I used two bbq sauces.  One for the pot roast, which had a little more liquid and my personal BBQ sauce I've created, which is thicker.   So delicious!!!

~You Will Need

1 chuck roast, around 2 1/2 - 3 lbs

Crock Pot BBQ Sauce

1/2 cup vinegar
1 cup ketchup
1/2 cup yellow mustard
1/4 cup brown sugar
1 TBL garlic powder


Mix all together and put roast in crock pot on low for 6 hours and high on last 2 hours.

My BBQ sauce is on this link:

http://carolinecuisine.blogspot.com/2011/10/awesome-bbq-sauce.html


When roast is done, chop it up and mix with my sauce.  You may have to double my sauce recipe, depending on how much you want.

Caroline's Creamy Coleslaw

1  16 oz package coleslaw (can be found with the shredded lettuce at the store)
1/2 cup + 1/3 cup mayo
1/2 TBL white vinegar
1 TBL spicy dijon mustard
1/4 tsp celery seed
1/4 tsp salt
1/4 tsp black pepper

Mix all ingredients and add to coleslaw.  Mix well and let sit in fridge for about 1 hour before serving. Serve on a hamburger bun.



                                                                  Amazingly Yummy!

Cheese Enchiladas

These are seriously awesome.  You can prepare these in less than 20 minutes and they are delicious.  I think this is my new favorite "Go To" meal! 

~You Will Need

~3 + 1/2 cups cheddar cheese
~1 cup peppper jack cheese
~1/3 cup green onions, chopped
~1 can mild enchilada sauce
~5 small flour tortillas
~jalapenos
~sour cream
~chopped tomatoes
~lettuce


Preheat oven to 350.  Combine the cheddar and pepper jack cheeses.  Fill each tortilla with about 1/4 cup of the cheeses.  Roll each tortilla and place face down in a greased baking dish.  Cover tortillas with the can of enchilada sauce.  Sprinkle reserved 1/2 cup of cheddar cheese and green onions on top.  Bake for 25 minutes or until cheese is melted.  Remove from oven and top with jalepenos, lettuce, sour cream and tomatoes.

                                                                        Delicious!!!

Easy, Cheesy, Broccoli & Rice Casserole

Ok..so I'm not a huge fan of broccoli.  However, I know I need to eat it because it's healthy. When I put it in this recipe, I forget I am eating broccoli.  It's THAT good!  Cheesy and delicious, this is a must try.

~You Will Need

~ 4 TBL butter
~4 cloves garlic, minced
~1/4 cup flour
~2 cups of milk
~1 cup rice, cooked
~2 cups broccoli florets
~2 + 1/2 cups grated (fat-free) cheddar cheese
~1/3 cup grated pepper jack cheese
~1  TBL dijon mustard
~1/2 teaspoon cayenne pepper
~2 tsp Tony's seasoning
~1/4 tsp of salt and pepper

Preheat oven to 400 degrees.   Melt butter in a large pan, over low heat. Add garlic and cook until fragrant (about 1 minute).  Whisk in flour and cook 3-4 minutes (it will clump up, make sure to stir all of it)  Slowly add in milk and dijon mustard bringing to a simmer for 4 minutes.  Add cheddar and pepper jack cheese.  Stir until most of cheese is melted....

Finally, stir in rice and broccoli.  Pour into a greased baking dish and sprinkle reserved cheddar on top....

Bake for 30 minutes, until lightly golden and bubbly on top.

YUM!

**Side Note** - I have been cooking with Smart Balance butter lately. You can't event taste the difference.  However, if I'm baking, I do have to use regular butter because it willl not turn out right if I use a lighter butter*

Hot Crab Dip

This is a very easy crab dip recipe.  Always a hit!

~You Will Need

~1/2 pound crabmeat, check for shells
~1 8oz package light cream cheese
~1/4 cup grated pepper jack cheese
~1/3 cup green onions, chopped
~1/2 cup light mayo
~1 tsp lemon juice
~1 TBL Worcestershire sauce
~1 TBL Crystal Hot Sauce
~1 tsp Tony's
~pinch of salt and pepper


Preheat oven to 325.  Mix all together and pour into a greased baking dish.  Bake or 35 minutes.  Serve hot with crackers.

The Perfect Ultra Chocolate Chunk Cookie!!

Chocolate chip cookies were the first thing I ever learned to bake.  I have long been searching for the perfect cookie.   Well, I have found it!!  The secret here is BREAD FLOUR.  Not All Purpose flour.  The original recipe I used said to use half bread flour and half pastry flour.  I could not find pastry flour anywhere.  So I used all bread flour and it is amazing!!  No these aren't exactly for the healthy eating type..1 pound of butter...you'll see all the awesomeness that goes into these below!


~You Will Need

~1 pound unsalted butter
~1 3/4 cups granulated sugar
~2 1/4 cups packed light-brown sugar
~4 large eggs
~6 cups, plus 2 TBL of BREAD FLOUR
~1 tablespoon salt
~2 teaspoons baking powder
~2 teaspoons baking soda
~1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
~2 pounds semi-sweet chocolate chunks

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Line baking sheets with aluminum foil (greased) or nonstick baking mats; set aside.   In the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, cream together butter and sugars.
Add eggs, one at a time, mixing well after each addition. 
In a large bowl combine all dry ingredients. Reduce speed to low and add flour, baking powder, baking soda, vanilla, and chocolate; mix until well combined.
Scoop about 1-2 TBL of cookie dough onto baking sheet. Bake for about 11 minutes until lightly brown.

Cool slightly on baking sheets before transferring to a wire rack to cool completely.

Southwest Pinwheels

I made these for a football watching party (GO SAINTS!!!!!) :)  They were a huge hit.  Very easy!

~You Will Need

~1 8oz package cream cheese
~1/2 cup sour cream
~3 TBL Rotel (medium)
~3 TBL medium salsa
~1/2 cup shredded pepper jack cheese
~1/3 cup green onions, chopped
~1 package large flour tortillas

Mix all ingredients together in a blender until smooth.  Spread about 4 tablespoons of mixture on a tortilla. Roll tortilla tightly and cut about 1 inch pieces. Serve with your favorite salsa!