Citrus, Dill and Salmon Kabobs

Several times each year I desire to enlighten my soul by resting my body and mind. Taking myself on an internal journey to find the beauty within by attending a few hours in a spa recommitting myself to fitness, health, relaxation and inner peace.

There is something magical that happens when you enter through the front doors of a spa. The calming music that is playing in the background gives you permission to leave your thoughts and worries at the doorstep.  Neutral colors, aromatherapy, and the trickling sounds of nature are all experiences that I look forward to when I enter the serene environment of a retreat.  A sanctuary to rejuvenate, revitalize and restore my mind and body.

A few years ago Cory and I decided that we would gift to each other a couples massage for our anniversary.  I found a spa close to our home that would allow us to use our lunch hour.  I wasn’t sure how this would work or if we would even enjoy the experience.  To our surprise the experience was amazing!  I would recommend this to all of my friends.

There are ways to bring this spa environment into our own homes when our lives get busy and too full to add one more event to our schedules.  Sometimes staying home is the only alternative. The question arises, how do we do this?

I believe we would all have different answers as to what would bring us to a calming state of mind.   In my own home I have invested in candles, essential oils, body scrubs, a beautiful robe, music that calms my spirit and a few spa inspired recipes.

Spa cuisine has a certain expectation for me.  We need bright, fresh and colorful dishes that remind us to stay on a healthy course.  I need to feed my spirit with a healthy philosophy.  This will ensure my journey to a calming inner glow is achieved.

My family and I are always striving to live with a healthy philosophy about our food choices.   The recipes today are a reflection of those choices.  Our everyday diets are filled with lots of fruit and vegetables, healthy fats, natural sweeteners and lean meats. 

Our mindfulness of what we put into our bodies allows us to stay active and nourished. 

Let me share with you a few ideas that can easily be followed when you are capturing the spirit of spa cuisine in your own home.

1. Chose quality foods.  Pamper yourself with a few favorites.
2. Avoid processed food.  Stay with fresh ingredients.
3. Make spa water.  Add a few mint leaves and lemon slices to dazzle your water intake for the day.
4. Use local ingredients when possible.
5. Relax.  Close your eyes and clear your mind.  Enjoy your food!

Spa food is not about limiting what you eat but reintroducing modifications to how you eat.  Make choices that will feed your body, soul and mind.  It is not about being this way or that way but more about feeling complete and whole. 

I had left over pieces of salmon that were not suitable for skewering.  I went ahead and grilled them anyways.  I added the roasted dill and a wedge of lemon.  It was perfect!

  

Citrus, Dill and Salmon Kabobs

Makes 6-8

Prep Time: 30 minutes

Bake Time: 15 minutes

1 pound salmon filet, remove skin and cube

1/2 teaspoon onion powder

1/2 teaspoon salt

Pepper to taste

2 whole lemons, sliced thin

1 grapefruit, peeled and cubed

Fresh dill

Olive Oil

Skewers

1.  Soak skewers for 30 minutes in cold water.

2.  Preheat oven to 425 degrees.  Place a baking rack inside a cookie sheet. 

3.  Season both sides of salmon (skin removed) with onion powder, salt and pepper. Prepare salmon, lemon and grapefruit according to ingredient list above.

4.  Add salmon, grapefruit chunks and lemon slices to skewers in any order.

5.  With a pastry brush, brush each skewer with olive oil.  Lay long stems of dill next to each skewer.  See picture.

6.  Bake for 12-15 minutes.  Try not to over bake.

7.  Crush baked dill over each skewer and serve.

Written by Sherron Watson

Gluten Free Cheddar and Green Olive Bites

I first posted this recipe three years ago when I started my blog.  The idea was to share with my family and friends recipes that I grew up eating and enjoying.  These little bites of deliciousness were considered comfort food in my family and of course I wanted this recipe written down for my posterity.

To this day when we all get together, the three sisters, we have to make a batch...and sometimes two batches. They just remind us of home. They bring about memories that join our hearts together in a virtual wave of laughter, tears and endurance as we sit around the table and chat about our younger selves.

I have tried to share my love of green olives with my kids and they have decided that this is one part of me they don't want anything to do with. I am slightly heart broken that my kids don't like olives. I love olives. I have yet to taste or try an olive that I don't love.

I eat olives in my sandwiches, on my taco's, in my lasagna, as a snack, with salads, diced up by the spoonful (I mostly do this with black olives). I am an olive addict.

Each and every time I go to Whole Foods I am tempted by the olive bar. Did you know they have a huge variety of olives: black, red, green, stuffed, marinated, pitted, unpitted?

My daughter knows the look I get as I enter the area. My eyes are bouncing between the different rows, slightly narrowing as I attempt to read each label for the name and variety. My hand slowly reaches for the large plastic container and then it twitches back to the small. Large or small--I cant' decide. What will it be this week? I hesitate between the two and finally settle on the small container which leaves me with a limited amount of real-estate to stack my olives.  I hand select a few of the bright green olives and then go towards the feta cheese mix and then to the super duper large pitted marinated black olives.

AND. AND. AND....I want them all.

I have learned that my eyes are much larger than my stomach and I need to stick with just a few to get me through the week.

Heaven!  That is what the olive bar is for me.  A mixture of sweet and tangy flavors.  Olive flesh that is firm and soft in my mouth and to the touch.  The variety of saltiness that each type is brined with makes pairing the olives with cheese, fruit, salami and crackers, a wonderful way to experiment with different flavor profiles.  

Have I bored you yet with olive love?  I hope not.  The Cheddar and Green Olive bites are a great appetizer, a quick snack during the day or just a meal.  Yep, I have eaten a whole tray as my dinner on more than one occasion.  

I make these bites two different ways.  You can see from the pictures that I have made them using a mini size muffin pan or by hand rolling them into small balls.  Either method works well. 

The reason I use the mini muffin pan is because the dough holds up well and pushing the olive down into the dough is a bit quicker when I am in a hurry. I also like the shape it produces when I am serving these to our guest.

The hand rolling method does take a bit more time and they are not all uniform in shape and size. The dough tends to spread out a bit more and you are left with a blob bite.   Ha, that is a funny description.  Blob bite!!

If you love the flavor of sharp cheddar cheese and green olives I am encouraging you to give these a try.  They can be made with regular all purpose flour too.  Substitute one cup of all purpose flour for the rice flour, tapioca starch and xanthan gum.   The measurements for the Old English jar cheese, butter and baking powder are the same.

I am going to make a suggestion and this will produce a better cheddar bite.  You should use a high quality butter.  I know it is tempting to substitute something else, but for me, they don't always turn out perfect when I use a butter that has a lower fat content.  European-Style butter tends to offer more flavor, better texture and the fat content is higher.  I used Kerrygold Irish Butter in this recipe.  This is not a paid post.  I really do use this butter for special dishes and this is a special dish in my family.  

ENJOY!

Gluten Free Cheddar and Green Olive Bites

Makes 20-25, depending on method and size of each bite

1 small jar of green olives with pimentos, drained

6 tablespoons of cold butter, grated

1-5oz jar of Old English cheese, cold

1/2 cup fine white rice flour

1/2 cup tapioca starch

1/4 teaspoon xanthan gum

1/2 teaspoon baking powder

1.  Preheat oven to 425 degrees.  Prepare pans.  If using a mini muffin pan, spray with non stick spray.  If using a cookie sheet I usually lay a piece of parchment down.

2.   Spread olives on paper towels to dry.

3.  In a medium bowl combine all of the dry ingredients.  Blend well.

4.  Add the jar of Old English cheese and grated butter.  I used a pastry blender to cut the butter and cheese into the dry ingredients.  They will start to combine to form a thick dough.  Try not to over blend.

5.  Take a small amount of dough and form a flat disc in your palm.  Add the olive and wrap the dough around the olive to form a ball.  Place on cookie sheet every 2 inches.  If using the mini muffin pan, use a cookie scoop and add the dough to each mini muffin spot and push a green olive into the middle.

6.  Bake the bites for 10-12 minutes.  Try not to over bake.  Remove bites to a cooling rack.

7.  Serve immediately or microwave for a few seconds before serving them at a later time.

Written by Sherron Watson

Opened-Faced Grilled Cheese Sandwiches and 26 Years of Wedded Bliss

Wedded bliss?

You bet!

Smooth Sailing?

Hardly!

Crazy days, long stretches, enduring years, sleepless nights, changing personalities, ups and downs in finances and the best roller coaster ride of a lifetime is what the last 26 years have been.

Through it all we have remained the best of friends, parents and lovers.  Friends can laugh and say things to each other that lovers cannot.   In the heat of the moment emotions and feelings come under attack and our walls of defense become stronger and more fortified when we fear that we may lose that friendship.  We communicate with our "friend voice" when issues arise.  We try to always keep things friendly.

This past year has been our rockiest to date; but also the most compelling.

WHY?

We have come of age.  The age when we just don't give a shit anymore and life is passing us by faster than we care to admit.  The age when we sit back and say, "I am too old for this" or "life is too short to keep beating a dead dog with the same stick".

That coming of age. We both arrived there at the same time last year while I was pregnant.  We had a sit down discussion that lasted into the night. Our talk was honest, real and raw.

We asked ourselves, and each other, some serious questions:

Is this going to last?

Do you want out?

Is our love strong enough to make it another 25 years?

To answer these questions we had to be painfully honest with each other.  It hurt.  There were a few tears (I was 5 months pregnant).  We laughed.  We promised.

At the end of the night we concluded that it will last, that neither of us wanted out and we hoped, with all  of our hearts, that we will get another 25 years together.

Our son, Drake, made an interesting observations this past year too.  He said to us, "Your relationship is different.  You act like friends most of the time.  My friends are amazed that you are still married after only dating for two weeks and marrying two months later.  They don't get it."

I looked at him and said, " You're right.  We have remained  the best of friends. I will always love your Dad but with any relationship you have to have a firm foundation. The love that we started with is not the same love that we have today but our friendship has remained the same."

Our foundation is friendship sprinkled with love, passion, responsibility, longevity, endurance, fun, adventure, kids, laughter and lots of "benefits"--insert smiley with a wink. 

I love Cory more today than any other time in my life.  When they say that a person's love only gets stronger with each passing year, it is true.  He is a fantastic father.   A hard worker.  A powerful influence for good in our family.  He is a very spiritual man.  His heart is pure with the best of intentions.   He is the strength in our family.  He carries a lot of weight on his shoulders to be a good provider for our kids.

Simply put--We love him. 

Cory makes me a better person.  He allows me to be the spice in his life; sweet like sugar and fiery as chili pepper powder.  He lets me be me.

Today I am sharing his favorite sandwich.  It just happens to be National Grilled Cheese Month and this worked out great because I also got a surprise box from Kerrygold Cheese.   (Not a paid post)  The stars just aligned perfectly and this all happened at the same time: anniversary, free cheese and another national food day.  BONUS!

When I first met Cory we were young and poor.  We ate these a lot along with bowls of tomato soup.   He believes this is the "meal of the Gods".   He is totally a keeper in my mind. 

In my mind this would best describe the title of my blog: simply gourmet.  A simple sandwich using the best ingredients to create a gourmet meal in a matter of minutes.

SIMPLY.

DELICIOUS.

In my opinion.

ENJOY!


Opened-Faced Grilled Cheese Sandwich

2 tomato slices per slice of bread
1 square slice of cheese per slice of bread
2 pieces of bread
salt/pepper

1.  Set your oven to broil.

2.  Prepare your ingredients.

3.  Use a cookie tray to set your slices of bread on.

4.  Place tray under broiler until edges are brown and cheese is melted.

5.  Add fresh slices of tomatoes to each slice.

6.  Season with salt and pepper.

Written by Sherron Watson

Coconut, Cilantro and Shrimp Cakes

I love coconut.

I believe my first taste of a fresh coconut was in the Philippines.   We lived on the Navy base.  We  had a young woman who helped my Mom each day with jobs around the house.  We would leave the base to visit her family.  They lived in a small village with coconut and mango trees in their back yards.

She would bring us coconuts all the time.   To this day I think of her.  I don't remember her name because I was only 5 at the time and that was a very long time ago.

I recently bought a fresh coconut for my family to try.  Isabella enjoyed watching me try to open the coconut.  I should have done it outside because my floor soon became wet with the milk from inside.  I was able to salvage a cup of coconut milk.

I tried to get my kids to "try it".

UM-- NO!

They looked at me like I was handing them a cup of poison.  So naturally I took the first sip to prove to them that it was safe to try.  I still had no takers.  I enjoyed the drink and ate the fresh pulp.  It brought back so many memories of playing in the warm rain, visiting my friends puppies and learning to ride my first bike.

I buy organic, unsweetened coconut pieces from Whole Foods to use in my granola, cookies and for these shrimp cakes.  I never buy sweetened coconut.  There really isn't a reason why I don't, other than, it seems too sweet for me.

These shrimp cakes are filled with fresh ingredients, they are simple to make and look pretty on a plate.
Yep--I like pretty food and this is one of them.

ENJOY!

Coconut & Shrimp Cakes

Makes 6-8 cakes

Prep Time: 15 minutes

Cook Time: 10 minutes

Cakes:

3 cups of precooked shrimp, diced 

1/2 cup unsweetened coconut flakes

2 tablespoons coconut flour

1/4 cup almond meal

1/2 cup chopped cilantro

2 tablespoons chopped green onion

2 garlic cloves, minced

Zest and juice from 1/2 a lemon

Zest and juice from 1/2 an orange

1 tablespoon Dijon mustard

2 eggs

1/2 teaspoon Old Bay Seasoning

Coconut oil for frying

Wicked Awesome Sauce:

1/2 teaspoon hot sauce

1 tablespoon mayonnaise

1.  Combine all of the cake ingredients in a medium bowl. Combine sauce ingredients in a small bowl and set aside.

2.  Use a large skillet, heat set to medium, melt 1 tablespoon of coconut oil.  Use more oil as needed.

3.  Form cakes/patties, with hands, into tight flattened disk. Fry on both sides until golden brown.  I recommend making your cakes no larger than 2inches wide.  They may fall apart if you try to make them too big.

4.  Serve immediately with sauce.  To swirl the sauce, I placed the sauce in a small sandwich baggie and cut a tiny corner off.  Gently squeeze and swirl.

Written by Sherron Watson

Roasted Cauliflower with Mizithra Cheese

The first time I had Mizithra cheese was at a restaurant in Oregon (eons ago).  I believe I was in high school and they served it over broccoli with brown butter and this cheese.

I fell in love immediately with it.

Since this first experience, I have traveled and moved often. We don't always find this cheese with every move-- but-- I did last week while my sister was in town.

Whole Foods has this small basket of remnant cheese ends for a great price.  I like trying out new cheeses and this is a great way to experiment with new flavors without spending a small fortune.  They will run between $2 and $4 dollars.

I believe we both reached for the cheese when we saw the beginning few letters on the packaging.  We both knew immediately what it was.   Our faces broke out in grins a mile wide.

Happy bellies were on our horizon.

The problem was that we already had so much food in the fridge that we never got around to making it while she was here.

Darn it!

The purple cauliflower would not last long so I roasted it the next day, used the left over browned butter from our raviolis and blanketed a thick layer of grated Mizithra cheese over the top.

My mouth and belly did a happy dance.

This recipe is so simple but the flavors are amazing and so I wanted to share it.  Purple cauliflower is not necessary but it does make for a beautiful dish.

My sister will have to do with a few pictures or venture out on her own and make it for her family.  I hope she does the later because it is well worth the culinary experience.

ENJOY!


Roasted Cauliflower with Mizithra Cheese

1 head of Cauliflower, any color
1 tablespoon of extra virgin olive oil
salt and pepper
1 stick of salted butter, softened
small chunk of Mizithra cheese

1.  Preheat oven to 425 degrees.

2.  Prepare cauliflower by washing and cutting the crown into pieces.  In a bowl, toss the salt, pepper and olive oil to coat the cut pieces.

3.  Spread on a cookie sheet and roast for 30-45 minutes.  I cooked mine longer because I like the little browned edges of the cauliflower.  It adds texture to every bite.  Every oven is different so start checking for color and doneness at 30 minutes.

4.  While the cauliflower is roasting,  I will make the browned butter.  I do this by placing the softened stick into a small saute pan and turning the heat to medium high.  The butter will melt and start to foam. Then you will see it turn from a golden color to a light brown color.  It will also have a nutty aroma to it.   You must watch this the whole time because it happens quickly and you don't want it to burn. When I start to see the browned specks in the bottom of the pan I give it a stir or two and turn the heat off.  It will continue to cook a bit in the warm pan.  I will transfer it to a cool bowl if I don't use it right away. The browned butter stores nicely in the refrigerator.  When I need a spoonful I just break off a chunk and melt it in the microwave.

5.  When the cauliflower is to your liking, remove from oven and pour browned butter over the top.

6.  Add the Mizithra Cheese.

7.  Toss together and eat.  You can see that I didn't wait to put it in a bowl.  I ate it straight off of the cookie sheet.  You may want to serve it differently.  LOL

Written by Sherron Watson

Gluten Free Chocolate Sheet Cake

Today is my birthday.  I can't believe I am sitting here as a 46 year old woman.

I remember thinking as a teenager that 46 was old, and yet here I am.  I don't think of myself as old or ancient (my teenagers like that word).  Although I also never saw myself at this age having a baby--LOL  Maybe that is the secret to staying young--more kids.

46 years has taught me a few things.  They are:

1.  Don't give up.


2.  Love.

3.  Smile.

4.  Be yourself.

5.  Value others.

6.  Apologize often.

7.  Time does heal most things.

8.   Accept others for who they are.

9.   Do what you love for work.

10.  Laugh often.

This list is not complete by any means but I would say these ten items are what I focus on the most.  It has been a great ride and I look forward to the next 46 years.

But this post is about the cake that I made for my husbands 47th birthday last year.  He loves a good chocolate sheet cake and so I have ventured out and made a gluten free version similar to The Pioneer Woman's sheet cake.   I am pretty sure it is the same chocolate sheet cake that every grandma and great grandma has handwritten in some shoe box stored in the pantry.

It is by far our favorite cake that I make.

A good birthday is not complete until we have attacked his office with a ton of streamers, balloons and confetti.  Oh, the fun this brings the kids.

Oh, who am I kidding--I do it for me.  I love a good party filled with messy rooms.

 Don't believe me?  Ask my kids.

They are still finding confetti from every holiday we have had for the past three years.

Gluten Free Chocolate Sheet Cake

Cake:

1 cup fine white rice flour
2/3 cup tapioca flour (tapioca starch is the same thing)
1/3 cup sweet sorghum flour
1/4 teaspoon xanthan gum
2 cups of sugar
1/4 teaspoon salt
2 sticks of unsalted butter
4 heaping tablespoons of cocoa
1 cup of boiling water
1/2 cup buttermilk
2 beaten eggs
1 teaspoon baking soda
1 teaspoon vanilla

*To make the cake with regular flour, omit the first 4 ingredients and substitute with 2 cups of all purpose flour.

Icing:

1 3/4 sticks of butter
6 tablespoons milk
4 heaping tablespoons of cocoa
1 teaspoon vanilla
1 lb bag or box of powdered sugar
1/2 cup chopped pecans (optional)

1.  Preheat oven to 350. Spray pan with cooking spray.

2. Combine in a mixing bowl the three flours, xanthan gum, sugar and salt. Set aside.

3. In a medium size saucepan, over medium high heat, melt butter and cocoa. Stir together. Add 1 cup boiling water, allow mixture to boil for 30 seconds. Turn off heat. 

4. In a medium bowl, add buttermilk, eggs and vanilla. Whisk together. 5. Add dry ingredients (step 2) to warm cocoa mixture (step 3). Blend well. Add buttermilk mixture (step 4). Stir to combine ingredients.

6. Pour into 9X13 sheet cake pan and bake at 350-degrees for 20 minutes. While cake is baking, make the icing:

1. Melt 1 3/4 sticks butter in a saucepan. Add cocoa, stir to combine. Turn off heat.

2. Add milk and vanilla. Stir well.  

3. Add powdered sugar. Stir together. 

4. Pour over warm cake and smooth out.

Serve warm. Cover leftover cake with plastic wrap.

Written by Sherron Watson

Boneless Leg of Lamb

Lamb or ham?  That is the question at our house for Easter dinner.

I grew up eating lamb and ham for our Easter dinners until I was a teenager. The grown-ups always wanted the lamb but after a while my grandmother stopped making it because most of it would go to waste.  I kind of missed it because I really enjoyed the flavor of lamb.

I have been in a similar pattern with my own family.  They ask for it and then they don't eat it.  I would make both and watch as the lamb would go untouched but for a few slices on my plate.  When asked the family always says lamb and ham.

I think they said that because it rhymed and it has been our traditional dinner for years.

This year we are more than likely going to stick with just ham--again. 

BUT--I love lamb and decided that I would make something for our dinner this past month that I liked and enjoyed.  I bought a small boneless leg of lamb and watched as every slice disappeared from the table.  Not on one occasion but two.

WHAT JUST HAPPENED? That was strange.  The kids loved it.  That was the first time.

The second time was last week while my sister was visiting. 

I was greeted with, "oh, I don't like lamb" right before dinner was to go into the oven.

I proceeded to make the sauce to coat the lamb with and explained that I doubt she had ever tasted lamb like this.   She was willing to give it another try and she was pleasantly surprised that the flavor of the lamb was mild and the coating of herbs and sauce tasted delicious.

I served it with mint jelly and we had two slices left.  

I can't prove this but I have a feeling that the "leg" or the bone was throwing my family off.  I wonder if having the bone in the lamb made the flavor profile too strong for their young palettes?  I believe by removing the bone it helped with the look and possibly the flavor too.   Let me know if you have any experience with this thought.

I am pleasantly surprised that I have been able to add a new meat to our menu.  I get kind of tired of beef and chicken to be honest.

ENJOY!

Boneless Leg of Lamb

5 cloves garlic, crushed
1/2 lemon, juice only
3 tablespoons fresh rosemary, chopped
1 tablespoon Dijon mustard
2 teaspoons Extra Virgin Olive Oil
1 teaspoon salt, add more to taste
fresh ground pepper
3-4 pound boneless leg of lamb, rolled and tied
Mint jelly--optional

**extra oven twine to retie lamb if you wish to unroll meat and add sauce to the inside and reroll.

1.  Preheat oven to 375 degrees.

2.  Prepare sauce by combining the first 7 ingredients in a bowl.

3.  I chose to cut and untie my roast.  I smeared the sauce all of the inside of the lamb and re-rolled the roast with new oven twine.  Place the roast in a baking dish and add the remaining sauce to the outside. See picture above.

4.  Roast in oven for 60-70 minutes.  Use a meat thermometer.  This will help you to get the exact doneness of your lamb.  We like ours to be pink on the inside, 135 degrees is preferred for us.

5.  Let roast rest for 15 minutes then slice the roast to 1/4 inch thickness and return to roasting pan.  All of the juices and marinade will cook together. The two together make a wonderful sauce that the slices will be coated in when you return the slices to the roasting dish.

6.  Serve with mint jelly.

Written by Sherron Watson

Homemade Hummus

Hummus is something we always have in our refrigerator. My teenagers love it.

I have played around with a variety of flavor profiles but they always come back to the plain version. I think they enjoy the simple flavors of this tasty dip.

Carrots seem to be the dipping stick of choice in our home but certainly try your favorite veggie or cracker too.

Enjoy!

Homemade Hummus

Makes 1 1/2 cups

Prep Time: 15 minutes

1 15.5 oz can of garbanzo beans, rinsed and drained

1/4 cup tahini paste

1 teaspoon minced garlic

1/2 lemon, juice only

1/2 teaspoon cumin

1/2 teaspoon salt

1/4 teaspoon white pepper

1/4 cup beef broth

1/4-1/2 cup olive oil

1.  Using a high powered blender or food processor add beans, tahini paste, garlic, broth, lemon juice and all of the spices.

2.  Pulse or blend until thick and creamy.

3.  Slowly add olive oil until the desired consistency is achieved.

4.  Season according to your flavor profile: more salt, more tahini, etc...

5.  Serve with pita chips or prepared vegetables.

As an added topping you can sprinkle toasted pine nuts, drizzle the top with olive oil, sprinkle with your favorite herb, etc... or just eat it plain with your favorite cracker or veggie.

Written by Sherron Watson

Enchilada Dip

My kids ask for enchiladas about once a week.  They love the combination of corn tortillas and cheese layered with lots of red sauce.

I have seen versions of this dip around and decided that it may be a bit easier than making a couple of trays of enchiladas--especially on Tuesdays and Thursdays.  On those two days I am usually running kids from 4:30 until 8:00.  I try to make meals in the morning so that those that are home can reheat and eat at their convenience.  I miss eating together but busy families do what we have to do to get everyone fed and out the door.

I was correct.  It was much faster to whip this up.  I served the dip with corn tortilla chips.

I found that I could portion up the leftovers in small containers. This made for a great snack after school.

Beef Enchilada Dip with Green Chilies and Black Beans

1 pound of ground beef
1/2 medium onion, diced small
2 gloves of garlic, minced
2 cups of enchilada sauce (I make my own sauce--follow link)
2 cups of cheese, grated  (I used jack and mozzarella--but you can use any cheese you love)
1 small can (4.5 oz) diced green chilies
1 (14.5 oz) can black beans, rinsed and drained

1 bag of tortilla chips

toppings:

diced tomatoes (optional)
avocado chunks (optional)
green onion (optional)
black olives (optional)
sour cream (optional)

1.  Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

2.  In a large frying pan, cook meat and onions together until the meat is no longer pink.  Add garlic, cook another 3-5 minutes and remove from heat.  Drain any fat from the meat.

3.  Add black beans, chilies and 1 cup of cheese to meat mixture.  Combine well.  Transfer mixture to a baking dish.  I am using a round stone dish that makes the dip about 1 inch thick.

4.  Pour the enchilada sauce over the meat/cheese mixture.  The recipe says 2 cups but you can always use less if you prefer your dip not so runny.

5.  Top with remaining one cup of cheese  (add more if you want more)  I like lots of cheese so we usually add a bit more.  I also use what I have in the fridge.  This is a great way to use up small pieces of cheese.

6.  Heat in oven until cheese is melted.  In my oven this takes about 7 minutes.  Remove from oven and serve.

7.  While the cheese is melting, prepare your toppings.

Written by Sherron Watson

Filet Mignon

  
Cooking together in the kitchen has always been a favorite past time for Cory and I. We have 26 years of marriage under our belts and have spent many hours fine tuning our skills with a knife, opening bottles of wine and reading recipes; all the while, laughing and sharing stories about our work week, kids and upcoming adventures.

Early in our dating and courting days (which were few-2 months to be exact), we decided that weekly date nights needed to be a priority in our relationship. We wanted a way to keep the love alive. Often our dates involved going out to eat, seeing a good movie, visiting the bookstore or enjoying coffee at our favorite local Café. As the years went by, and kids came along, it became a bit more challenging to have our weekly date nights but we managed. We hired baby sitters and swapped childcare with friends in a similar boat. It worked for us. The time that we have spent together each week has made a huge impact on our relationship.

This year we have set some new goals and one of them is that we want to eat more home-cooked meals. We don’t want to eat out as often as we have in the past for a variety of reasons. One reason being, with my food allergies, it has just become easier to dine in. We will still do our weekly date night but the dinner part will be enjoyed at home, feasting and cooking together.

Hands down our favorite meal is what I am sharing with you today. Steak and sautéed mushrooms have always been an easy dinner that the two of us can work on together in the kitchen.

A romantic dinner can be as simple or as elaborate as you choose to make it. I think that there are times when a quiet romantic dinner is just as sweet as a more executed venture with more bells and whistles. I know, from personal experience, that my time with my sweetie is always appreciated, and vice versa, no matter what effort is put forth on either of our parts.

A dinner for two doesn’t just have to happen at home in the kitchen with a pretty table. Other ideas and suggestions would be a picnic, a BBQ at the beach, a wine tasting tour, going on a hike or spending time on the water. The list is endless of places that the two of you can spend time together eating, drinking and connecting through adventure and food.

Food in all of its many presentations, settings and preparations has always held a special place in my family.
  

         

I like my steak on the rare side--so that is what you see here.

Filet Mignon

2 Filet Mignon Steaks, 1 1/2 inches thick

1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil

Salt and Pepper, to taste

Garlic Powder

Onion Powder

Parsley Flakes (optional)

1.  Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

2.  In a hot cast iron pan, heat oil on medium high heat.

3.  Brush olive oil on each side of steak and season with spices and parsley flakes.  Seasonings are not        measured so you can season to your liking.

4.  Sear each side of steak for 3 minutes.

5.  Turn oven off and put cast iron pan into the oven for 15-20 minutes.

6.  Steaks will be medium rare to medium depending on thickness.  To get exact temperature that is            desired, use a meat thermometer.

7.  Remove from oven and cover with a piece of foil and let rest for 8-10 minutes.

8.  Serve with sautéed mushrooms (recipe here).

Sauteed Mushrooms

One thing I have learned over the years is that if I serve steak in my house--I better have sauteed mushrooms too.

It took me a while to learn this though.

The disappointed looks, the short "oh" when it was relayed that I did not have mushrooms finally sank in.  I realized that Cory was a mushroom man and he LOVED them with steak.

I have made a variety of recipes through the years.  I have interchanged the "oil" for bacon grease, butter and olive oil; in some cases I even combined them--oh, the horror!  (Remember I am a home chef and sometimes these things happen).

I actually like the flavor and results that I get when I combine butter and olive oil to make my mushrooms but I wasn't sure if everyone else would so I have kept the recipe below with just butter.  I will leave it up to you to substitute or exchange the sautéing oil if that is your desire.

What made this recipe so different is the addition of brandy.  Just the small bit added a deep and rich layer of flavor.  It was different and my family thought these were great.

In fact, next time I will double the recipe.

Enjoy!

Sautéed Mushrooms

Makes 1 cup

Prep Time: 5 minutes

Cook Time: 20 minutes

2 cups sliced baby portabella mushrooms

2 shallots, sliced

2 tablespoons of unsalted butter

2 tablespoons of brandy

3/4 cup of beef stock--follow link for homemade stock

1/2 lemon, juice only

1 tablespoon garlic, minced

1.  Heat butter in saute pan over medium heat. Add mushrooms, garlic and shallots.  Cook for 4 minutes.

2. Add remaining ingredients.  Increase heat to medium high and reduce most of the liquid until the mushrooms are browned (see photo).  

3.  Serve immediately over steaks.

4.  Store in an airtight container for up to one week.

Written by Sherron Watson

Homemade Beef Broth

I have been making my own beef and chicken broth for sometime now.

I love the idea of putting a soup together and knowing that I created and developed one of the main ingredients--the broth.

We have been buying our beef from an independent rancher in Pennsylvania for about 6 months now.  The reason I chose him is because his cows are grass fed, kept on a rotating grazing schedule, hormone free (unless they become sick) and are not given any type of supplements to increase growth or milk production.

I am not a farmer or a rancher so I don't know all the big words and terms to use in describing his process other than to say, he keeps a clean living space for the cows, they are minimally "handled" and the beef taste very good.

When we place our order I try to get as many bones that I can freeze.  These are not like the bones you get when you go to a grocer which are neatly cut, packaged and wrapped.  These are every joint, rib, socket and such.  My kids get a bit grossed out when the bones come in the front door.  They are pretty raw looking---extra meat and some blood.

It is great for homeschooling because we can try to "match up" the bones to where they belong on the cow.

I prepackage the bones in ziplock baggies and store them in my upstair freezer.  The night before I take them out to thaw.  This allows me to roast them in the morning and get the broth started early in the day.

I roast my bones at 400 degrees for about 1 hour. I usually toss some potatoes on the cookie sheet.  This makes the best, and I mean the best, potato wedges.  The potatoes are being cooked in bone marrow!  They are crispy on the bottom and tender and fluffy on the inside.

I really should take a picture one day and add them to this post.  It is hard to get in between my family and the potatoes when they are fresh out of the oven.

Once the bones are baked, I then place them in my large stock pot, add the water, vegetables and seasonings.

I try to simmer my stock for 12 hours.  Why?  Because this gives me what you see below.  A flavorful and well set stock.  This has been in the fridge overnight and it looks perfect.

Recipe:  Homemade Beef Stock
Makes 3-5 quart jars, depending on how long you let it simmer and reduce

4-5 pounds of beef bones, grass-fed if possible
12-14 (estimate) cups of water, fill pot until bones and veggies are covered
6 carrots, chopped in large chunks
2 large onions, quartered
4 gloves garlic, minced
6 stalks of celery, chopped in large chunks
1 teaspoon salt
Pepper
2 tablespoons of herbs.  I use an assortment of dried and fresh herbs--this is really up to you and what you have in your cupboards or refrigerator.  The broth might be flavored differently each time but this does not bother me.

1.  Preheat oven to 400 degrees.

2.  On a cookie sheet, place your bones.  Cook for one hour.  (Your house will smell amazing.)

3.  In a large stock pot, add all of the other ingredients.  When bones are done cooking, add the bones and marrow that has melted on the cookie sheet to the stock pot.  Cover with water until bones are just beneath the water.

4.  Set stove top to medium high to heat water and get the water to a slow boil.  Turn the heat down to a medium low and let it cook all day. If your stock is not reducing then increase the heat a little bit more.

5.  Check back ever few hours and stir.

6.  When you are ready to bottle up the stock, turn the heat off and let it cool for about 15 minutes.

7.  I always strain my stock several times to get it as clear as you see above.  The first time I use a metal strainer for the big pieces of vegetables or bone.  The second time I strain it with a mesh bag that I have.  It is great for catching all of the tiny bits.

8.  When the bottles are portioned I let them cool to room temperature.  I cap them with a canning lid and ring but not too tightly until they are completely cooled.

9.  You will notice that as you portion the broth, the fat will rise to the top.  I keep this fat and use it for making gravies, biscuits and Yorkshire Puddings.  I use my turkey baster and suck it off the top.  I try to leave about a quarter inch on top so that when I do add this to my soups, the fat will add flavor and body to my next recipe.

10.  You can freeze the broth too.  Just use a freezer approved container, leave enough head space for expansion and make your containers. I try to use mine up within 3 months.

Written by Sherron Watson

Tortilla Casserole

Snow, sleet and rain.

Three things we have had in abundance in Maryland over the last month.

I hate to complain about the cold weather but boy it sure gets to you after a while. It starts affecting your life which in turns messes with your mind.

Isabella told me that she has "cabbage fever". I laughed so hard when she said this. I didn't have the heart to correct her because it was so cute and memorable. She will figure it out and until then I smile each time she mentions "cabbage fever".

I can relate though, I am starting to feel a bit of it myself.


Cooking in the kitchen always helps me to clear my mind.

I needed something cheesy and warm. I decided to make this tortilla casserole and I am glad that I did.

I think we found a new family favorite for the winter months. It helped that I made the tortillas from scratch. I followed the directions on the back of the masa harina package (see comments below).

My wish is that everyone has stayed warm this cold cold winter.  

We are wishing for Spring almost daily.  I guess without the wintery blues we would not be able to fully appreciate the warm sunshine when it finally arrives for Spring.  I love the changing seasons.  This is one of the reasons that Maryland is so beloved by my family.  

We. Can. Not. Wait. For. Spring!

Enjoy

Tortilla Casserole

12 corn tortillas, (homemade are amazing)

2 eggs
1/2 cup milk
1/2 cup sour cream
1 1/2 cup salsa
1 teaspoon salt
8 oz cream cheese, soft
1.5 pounds ground beef, cooked
2 green onions, diced with green and white parts
4 cups of shredded cheese. You can use jack or cheddar or a combination of both.

To make the tortilla's from scratch I used Bob's Red Mill Masa Harina and followed the directions on the bag for one batch. This made 12 tortillas. You do have to let the dough rest for one hour and then the making and baking of the tortilla's takes about 30 minutes. It is a few extra steps but the freshness of the tortillas really shines in this recipe.

1.  Preheat oven to 350.  Spray a 7X11 baking dish (or close to this size) with cooking spray.

2.  In a medium bowl, combine eggs, milk, sour cream, salsa , salt and cream cheese.

3.  Layer the casserole in this order:  cooked ground meat, cream cheese sauce, cheese and then tortillas.  Repeat one more time.  You should have enough tortillas for two layers and everything else you will have enough for 3 layers.  You want to end with the cheese on top.

4.  Bake for 30 minutes.

5.   Serve immediately with sour cream, shredded lettuce, diced tomatoes and/or jalapenos.

Written by Sherron Watson