More is Better

I realize I am sporadic with my blogging--usually each week of so blogging many recipes at once. I was so excited with this new tool so now you can sign up vial email and receive notification when there are new recipes and what they are!! Blogspot has a great new feature. You will find it at the  bottom of my blog - it allows you to sign up and then you will receive an initial email to confirm... You recently requested an email subscription to More is Better. We can't wait to send the updates you want via email, so please click the following link to activate your subscription immediately... As soon as your subscription is active, FeedBurner will send a daily email message if More is Better has new content. Then each night if I have blogged new recipes you will get an email from More-is-Better with a list of the recipes -links to take you direct as well as an email version of them! Sound appealing?  Simply scroll to the bottom of the page to sign up for your very own...

Clam Chowder is definitely a New England favorite- I found 2 different recipes to use as a template but then just created my own --I was trying to use up the leftover clams as well as keep it a 'light' version -- it was a little thin upon sampling so used about 1T cornstarch in 2T skim milk and thickened it. A little instant mashed added would have done the same trick and don't be soooo horrified I do use instant sometimes! 20 clams -cooked and cleaned (see the ziploc of my leftovers) -Chopped 1 Bottle Clam juice 1 c half and half 1 T flour 2 T dry sherry (optional- I think I would skip it next time) 1 onion, chopped EVOO 3-4 small potatoes -cooked and chopped small dice bay leaf 1/4 tsp dry chopped thyme tabasco sauce to taste Saute your onion in EVOO until soft --then add flour and stir and cook for a minute--add clam juice Cook until thickens about 1-2 minutes--add bay leaf and thyme Stir in cooked potatoes, half and half, sherry, clams and taba...

Heading down to the lake we stopped at Costco and they had fresh clams so grabbed them --then had to figure how I was going to serve them and as it was a chilly night I decided to make them up in a red sauce. With a bit of improvising using a basic recipe we made this and it was very good. Katie got to get some of the leftovers and raved about it. (There was also a lot of clams so I saved about 1/3 of them -steamed them and saved the cleaned cooked clams to make clam chowder with -see other blog) Ingredients 3# clams 1 bell pepper, chopped 1 onion, chopped 2 cloves garlic,chopped or crushed 2 andouille sausage chopped ( these were chicken ones from Costco) EVOO 14 oz can diced tomatoes 28 oz can crushed tomatoes 1-2 T tomato paste 1 T crushed red pepper 1/2+ c dry red wine 1 # spaghetti  pasta -(we used dreamfields) **ignore the Folgers coffee in the background - its the lake and stores on counter top!** In a large family sized skillet -heat EVOO and saute onions,...

Kate was coming out for dinner and this had come into my email from MyRecipes.com as a Cooking Light recipe and looked really easy to put together quickly on a work night. In fact you really could assemble ahead and cook that night. (Bring the 13x9 to room temp before putting it in the oven). It was delicious and would be a great potluck to bring or give someone as a meal in a foil throw away pan) 1 cup (4 ounces) preshredded 4-cheese Mexican blend cheese, divided (I only had plain cheddar) 1/3 cup fat-free milk 1/4 cup egg substitute 1 teaspoon ground cumin 1/8 teaspoon ground red pepper 1 (14 3/4-ounce) can cream-style corn 1 (8.5-ounce) box corn muffin mix 1 (4-ounce) can chopped green chiles, drained Cooking spray 1 (10-ounce) can red enchilada sauce (such as Old El Paso) 2 cups shredded cooked chicken breast 1/2 cup fat-free sour cream 1. Preheat oven to 400°. 2. Combine 1/4 cup cheese and next 7 ingredients (through chiles) in a large bowl, stirring just u...

We first had this recipe down the Outer Banks one year we stayed at Whalehead Coastwatch. It was suggested by Freixnet Champagne website and that how this became a favorite of ours. There is no champagne in the recipe just suggested serving it with it. Yes I know I made it over instant potatoes but oh well....this could definitely be served to company-- don't over cook your Tuna --depending on thickness less than 2 minute per side--you want a little pink in the middle. It is really a quick meal to put together.    TUNA                   4 Yellow fin Tuna Steaks (about 5 oz. each and 3/4" thick) 3 TBS Olive Oil 1/4 C Cracked black pepper (mill in coffee grinder and discard small pieces) Season steaks with salt and sprinkle black pepper to desired quantity. **I ground fresh pepper coarsely into a dish then dredged tuna steaks in this.** Potato Purée : I used instant mashed...

Quite awhile back I had bought Morningstar Meatless Crumbles --they were supposed to be healthier option than ground meat in recipes. Last Saturday was looking for a quick easy lunch and threw this together once again using several recipes as templates. It was good and we 'felt' good about eating the meatless version! Try it--you may just like it! We topped it with sour cream and shredded cheddar and a few crumbled blue tortilla chips. 1 package Morningstar Meal Starter crumbles 1 red bell pepper, chopped 1 onion, chopped 1can diced tomatos with chilies 1 can dark red kidney beans, drained and rinsed 1 1/2 T cumin 1 1/2 T chili powder couple of splashes of tabasco sauce ( more if you like it hotter) 1 cup of beeth broth  (or veggie broth if you want it totally meatless) 1- 1 1/2 T tomato paste ( I added it at the last minute) garnishing ingreds - sour cream/ chopped onion/ cheddar cheese/ tortilla chips  In a large pot or skillet --heat a little EVOO and saute r...

We returned last week from Paris and one of the very simple 'appetizers' we experienced was from a restaurant right near the Eiffel Tower called Chez Francis which gave us great views and pictures once they lit it up for the night. Of course was I clever enough to have taken a picture of the actual salad we ate there- NO of course not! However here is a picture of the restaurant and the meals we chose-- Kevin had Duck L'orange and I had the Veal Liver --it was fabulous. As you also may note they don't serve vegetables with their main course so that is why we ordered this salad as an appetizer. If you look at the pics below also is me building the salad at home. ***On a side note while we were away I received a very nice email from Carla V. (the mom of one of Katie's friend Laura) anyhow --she raved about the Roast Chicken recipe previously blogged about from the Paris Cookbook --so if you haven't tried it out yet...*** Ingredients Sliced Tomato - one 1/2 ...

Trying to observe the no meat on Fridays during Lent I had offered a few weeks back to Kevin a list of choices for dinner --one of them being Creamed Tuna with Peas --he selected it and then I pulled all ingredients only to discover that my skim milk had turned while we were away--so he was stuck with his second choice of leftover frozen Vodka Sauce (see recipe elsewhere on blog). So finally made it this past Friday and he was raving and raving about it! It was a very simple recipe --I did end up thinning it a bit with more milk as I did not serve it immediately and it thickened as it sat. Also as always I altered and used 2 cans of tuna and about 1 cup frozen peas  4T Butter 4 T flour 1/2- 3/4 C frozen peas, cooked (I used 1 cup) 7 0z can tuna in water , drained ( I used 2 cans) s/p 2 C milk ( I used more and skim milk)  In skillet melt butter and whisk in flour and s/p until thickened and smooth about 1-2 minutes Then add in milk gradually and whisk until thickened...