More is Better

This was such an awesome use of leftovers and it didn't taste like last night's dinner. I ended up using leftover roaster chicken and leftover roasted butternut squash for this recipe. I found the recipe from Everyday Food October 2010. The seasoning of cumin and coriander and the brightness of fresh lemon juice and cilantro took this meal to spectacular. I also happened to have some frozen Alexis brand sweet potato rolls which were an awesome compliment of the flavors.  You will want seconds of this soup. I would rate this recipe ***** stars. I promised Kevin I will make this again !! 4 bone-in, skin-on chicken thighs ( I used 2 cups leftover roast chicken) 1 medium butternut squash (about 2 1/2 pounds), peeled, seeded, and diced medium (used 2-3 cups of leftover roasted butternut) 1 small yellow onion, diced medium 2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil Coarse salt and ground pepper 4 cups low-sodium chicken broth 1/4 teaspoon ground cumin 1/4 teaspoon ground cor...

Trying to eat fish several times a week and so tonight's meal was Haddock ! This would be great served with rice or delicate pasta like angel hair or a crusty bread to absorb the sauce. 3 pieces of haddock s/p 3 roma tomatoes sliced thin 1 yellow pepper sliced thin 1 red pepper sliced thin 1 onion sliced thin 2 T capers 1/2 c white wine juice of half a lemon fresh chopped parsley for garnish Either saute or microwave the peppers and onions until soft Layer tomatoes and sauteed vegetables in pan, lay fish on top of veggies, salt and pepper , pour white wine over top, along with lemon juice and capers. Cover with lid and after mixture comes to a boil then lower heat and simmer 10 minutes until fish is flaky. Garnish with parsley and more lemon.

This recipe is based on a Southern Living recipe from March 2015.  I decided to top it with an egg over easy but next time we are going to poach the eggs. I followed package instructions for a batch of yellow polenta. Then added the rest and sprayed waffle maker with Pam rather than butter, 1 batch of grits or polenta 4 bacon slices -cooked almost crisp and crumbled 1/2 cup shredded cheddar cheese Poached eggs Mix cooked grits with crumbled bacon and cheddar and place 3/4 cup into preheated waffle iron --cook until golden crisp. Top with egg --to garnish sliced green onions or chives would have been perfect!! Next time!! I also saved leftover 'waffles' for Kevin for weekday breakfast with a fresh egg on it.

This recipe was made by Michael Symon on The Chew and I had just received a Cataplana as a gift. This is a traditional pan in P ortugal  usually made of copper and shaped like two clamshells hinged at one end and able to be sealed using a clamp on either side of the pan. I bought the smaller size but those of you that know me I am wishing I had bought the larger More-is-Better size-don't tell Kevin that!! You can definitely use a skillet as well this was just a fun weekend presentation! 1/4 pound   bacon lardons ( I used 4 slices of bacon chopped into 1/2" pieces) 3  garlic cloves (separated) 2 pounds   mussels (cleaned) 4  garlic cloves (minced) kosher salt and freshly ground pepper 1 cups   dry white wine 2 tablespoons   whole grain mustard 1 cup   brussels sprouts, shaved 1/4 cup   fresh flat-leaf parsley leaves (chopped) 1/2  baguette (cut in half lengthwise, then cut into 4" pieces) Preheat a grill or pan to ...

This is my 500th recipe blogged and who better to be the GUEST BLOGGER but my Katie who started me on this blog Mothers Day 2009! Katie says "This is from Iowa Girl Eats food blog. My photos don't look nearly as beautiful as hers, but it's delicious!" serves 6 Ingredients 3 Tablespoons + 1 teaspoon grapeseed or vegetable oil, divided 14oz Andouille sausage, sliced into half moons 4 skin-on, bone-in chicken thighs (about 1-1/4lb) 1 Tablespoon + 1 teaspoon Cajun seasoning 6 Tablespoons gluten-free or all-purpose flour (I used white rice flour) 1 green bell pepper, chopped 2 small celery stalks, chopped 1 large shallot or 1 small onion, chopped 2 cloves garlic, minced 2 Tablespoons tomato paste 56oz low-sodium chicken broth 2 bay leaves 1/4 teaspoon smoked paprika 1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper (or more or less, optional) Directions Heat 1 teaspoon oil in a  6+ quart Dutch oven   or soup pot over medium-high heat. Add sausage then saute u...

One of my  birthday  gifts was the Pasta Attachment for my mixer --since Katie has already made several batches on hers she came out to do a home cooking class with me - it was delicious and we served it with the  leftover  Vodka sauce I made over the weekend. The pasta recipe was from Williams-Sonoma. 2 1/3 cups all-purpose flour  1 cup semolina flour  1 tsp. salt  1 Tbs. olive oil  4 eggs  2 Tbs. water, plus more as needed ( I ended up adding another tablespoon) In the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the flat beater, combine the all-purpose and semolina flours, salt and olive oil. Beat on low speed just until combined, about 30 seconds. In a small pitcher or other pourable container, whisk together the eggs and water. With the mixer on low speed, slowly drizzle in the egg mixture and beat until the flour has been absorbed into the egg mixture, about 2 minutes. Stop the mixer and, using your hands, squeeze a ...

Brrrrinnnggg Brriiinnggg -the phone rings and it is my son Daniel asking if I had a recipe for dark chocolate covered peanuts - he wanted to make them for his girlfriend Kate. I found this recipe on the Hershey's website and with a few changes  ie all dark chocolate no milk chocolate he made them. Wish he lived closer so I could have sampled!! The same warning to you as I gave Daniel about melting chocolate in the microwave -stir every 15 seconds as the melted chips will maintain their shape and you can easily ruin them and need to start again. (Yes I have made that mistake!!) 1 cup HERSHEY'S SPECIAL DARK Chocolate Chips 1 tablespoon shortening (do not use butter, margarine, spread or oil) 1 cup unsalted, roasted peanuts OR raisins 1. Place chocolate chips and shortening in small microwave-safe bowl. Microwave at MEDIUM (50%) 1 minute; stir. If necessary, microwave at MEDIUM an additional 15 seconds at a time, stirring after each heating, until chips are melted and...

This recipe was demo'd on The Chew and my sister-in-law Andrea managed to make it first! So this is her Guest Blog !! She loved it and said it was a keeper. Thanks Andrea --looks like an awesome weekend breakfast or great for brunch for company. 1  sheet puff pastry 1  onion (thinly sliced) 2 tablespoons   olive oil salt and freshly ground black pepper 1/4 cup   gruyere (shredded) 4  slices cooked ham 3  large eggs (divided) 1 tablespoon   butter 1/4 cup   creme fraiche 2 tablespoons   chives (finely chopped) Preheat oven to 400°F. In a medium sauté pan over medium low heat, add 2 tablespoons olive oil. Add sliced onions and cook until onions turn golden and release their natural sugar, about 20 - 30 minutes. Add a bit of water to the pan as necessary if brown bits begin to form on the bottom of the pan. Season with salt and pepper. Allow onions to cool. To form the danish, begin with the long edge of the pastry on the bottom of yo...

We made this for a romantic delicious Valentine's dinner last night. I  was inspired by my sister Linda's recent meal in NYC and decided to make my own version. I blogged this vodka sauce a few years back but now with a few additions! 32 oz Marinara Sauce ~  I used Trader Joes Canned Marinara 1 cup Vodka 1/2 cup heavy cream, at room temperature 1/2 cup grated Parmesan   8 spears asparagus ,sliced and steamed 4 large Shrimp (I used U8) , drizzle with EVOO baked at 400 for 15 min Simmer the tomato sauce and vodka in a heavy large skillet over low heat until the mixture reduces by 1/4, stirring often, about 20 minutes. Stir the cream into the tomato and vodka sauce. Simmer over low heat until the sauce is heated through. Stir in the Parmesan cheese until melted and well blended. Meanwhile, cook the pasta in a large pot of boiling salted water until al dente tender but still firm to the bite. Drain the pasta and put back into p...

My Dad would make this up for us when we came to visit and I always requested this of him (sometimes as a take home meal in a foil pan to reheat for dinner when we got home after 8 hour ride back) --I made a few changes that he would not have approved of but wanted to cut down on the calories! I used leftover sliced lamb roast and ran it through my Kitchenaid grinder--what a breeze to do --Dad always pressure cooked his meat for this recipe. You could just cut it up into small pieces as well. OK so the big difference was not using mashed potatoes but using mashed cauliflower as the topping. Sorry Dad .....This recipe is originally from Women's Day Encyclopedia of Cookery. I also sprinkled a little cayenne and paprika on top to brown up the crust. 1/4 cup butter or margarine 1/4 cup flour 3 cups chicken broth 1 tablespoon aromatic bitters 1 teaspoon salt 2 cups carrot slices, cooked 2 cups onions, 1 jar ( I sliced one large onion and microwaved to cook it prior to adding...

I remembered making these years ago so easy and very good --the only thing I added was 1/2c chocolate chips as chocolate makes everything better!! 1 cup peanut butter 1 cup white sugar 1 egg 1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). Line baking sheets with parchment paper. 2. Combine the peanut butter, white sugar and egg. Mix until smooth. 3. Drop spoonfuls of dough onto the prepared baking sheet. Bake at 350 degrees F for 6 to 8 minutes. Do not overbake! These cookies are best when they are still soft and just barely brown on the bottoms.

Mario was on The Chew again this week and was raving again this year how he would be serving them again this year at his SuperBowl party. So we just had to try them out for lunch today. They were yummy and YES we served them on whole wheat buns --felt a little healthier! Yes Kevin stays true to MUSTARD as I am a KETCHUP and MUSTARD aficionado 12  Hot Dogs 2 quarts   Water 2 tablespoons   Vinegar 1 teaspoon   Cumin pinch Freshly Grated Nutmeg 12  Hot Dog Buns (split; toasted if desired) Combine the Water, Vinegar, Cumin, and Nutmeg in a large pot, and bring to a boil. Reduce to a simmer, and add the Hotdogs, cooking until the Hotdogs have heated through, about 5 minutes. Serve on buns with desired condiments. 

Thanks to my sister-in-law Andrea for making this up and sending me the picture. YUMMY! I found this online from a website of NE Pat Superbowl recipe ideas.  Take some popcorn and cover it in white chocolate and you have utter decadence. Throw in some cranberry, the regional staple fruit of Cape Cod and all things New England and you have a very Patriotic snack! 10 cups lightly salted already popped popcorn 2 cups semi-sweet real chocolate chips (12 ounce bag) —or  even better, white chocolate 1 1/2 cups dried cranberries Spread popcorn out on a large baking sheet in one layer Sprinkle evenly with 1/2 of the dried cranberries. Melt the chocolate chips by either the stovetop or microwave. Once chocolate is fully melted, pour chocolate over popcorn and cranberries.  Sprinkle remaining 1/2 of dried cranberries on the warm chocolate and popcorn. Let cool and chocolate will harden.