It's been a while... but I'm back baby!!!

I haven't been on for lack of cooking or new favorite kitchen accessories but I've been super busy, we moved I went from full time Coastie to full time mommy! It's been hard I'm not going to lie but if you want to hear about that check out my other blog.. so to Cooking. My most recent favorite recipe is for "Chicken Roll Up's" this is not a recipe I came up with on my own it can be found here: http://mmmcafe.blogspot.com/2012/01/chicken-alfredo-roll-ups.html

However being a  cook I did change a few things... first  off I didn't make my own alfredo sauce, I know how and believe nothing beats home made (I do both my own recipe starting with a rue and the Olive garden recipe) but in this case and for the purpose of and running after the kids I used store bought alfredo sauce. i also used the sauce with mushrooms in it... I love mushrooms... so here is what my list looked like...

you need one and a half jars of alfredo sauce so if you get three you can make it one time save half of a jar and make it again a week or so later or make them both at one time and simply freeze the other! I added fresh Parmesan cheese on the top for extra flavor and used granulated garlic and salt instead of garlic salt, I believe they taste very different and prefer granulated garlic and salt then garlic salt anyday!!! I also boild my chicken breast early in the day and when I was ready to boil the noodles and cook the meal to shred my chicken. I used two big chicken breasts so mine came out very big I would say I had over three cups... also all you needed as a serving is one... my husband ate two and was overly full. I followed the directions as far  as the rest went and it came out so perfect... highly recommended!

Chicken Bacon Ranch Wrap

This is one of the favorite things I make at work, It super easy and when I make it at home I use my George.

Ingredients:

2 Chicken Strips/Boneless Skinless

2-3 Bacon Strips

Romaine Lettuce

1/2 Small Tomato

1 Wrap

Ranch (or Ceaser) dressing

Directions:

Cook the bacon strips until they are crispy flipping over every once in a while (close the lid so the cook quicker) then cook the Chicken (since they are generally different thicknesses you will have to flip them over as well) thinly chop the lettuce so it looks almost shredded and dice the tomato, lay out your tortilla like wrap lay down your lettuce then put some tomato, then the chicken and bacon drizzle the ranch dressing on top. Make sure when you lay down your insides you put it on top of each other and towards one end see picture. Fold up* and serve, goes best with an Arnold Palmer!

*How to fold a wrap, turn the tortilla so the food is horizontal grab the side closest to you and pull it across the insides, fold the bottom up then roll it leaving the top open!!!

Sausage Gravy

Okay so I'm a North Western Girl relocated to the South East, I grew up hating all things southern and well a lot (like grits) I could still do without, there are some things that I love and have grown to love like cornbread.... well the other is Sausage Gravy... MMM the smell the test and over a warm flaky biscuit ****drool**** so here is my recipe: (btw this was made by me two weeks ago at my In-laws house the morning after the Guac)

Use a Pan with Deep Sides, first use pan spray to spray the pan (again another trick of the trade) then brown the sausage (check out the neato thing my MIL has)

Then you are going to add half a stick of butter Butter (yep this is not low fat). Then add about a quarter cup of flour (I don't usually measure so just compare to the picture, notice how it clumps together) Plenty of Garlic powder, onion powder, and a little bit of season salt.

Mix it until there is no Nutty Flavor (again I don't time it but it should be around four min for a white rue, however it will look a little brown cause there is sausage in it!)

Then mix in a quart of heavy cream and then milk until it thins out. Taste if you need more spices add them until your heart is content!

Serve on a Biscuit and Enjoy

Yummy Guac

Two weekends ago I went to Tarpon Springs, to spend the weekend with my in-laws. My mother in law and myself love snacking on things like chips and salsa well we love Guacamole... we found an awesome brand at Winn Dixie however this weekend we where unable to find it... feeling certain disappear I decided to make some Guac and it was YUMMY!!!

Ingredients:
1 Red Onion
3 Avocados
2 Plum Tomatoes
1 Handful of Cilantro
1 Lime
3 Garlic Cloves
Salt to taste

Directions
1. put lime in microwave for 10 seconds (yep that's a cook trick)*
2. mince the red onion, plum tomatoes, cilantro and garlic combine in bowl.
3. peal and slice the Avocados then mash with a potato masher.
4. mix all together and add salt to taste and squeeze in the lime juice

Eat with your favorite Tortilla chips (or make your own) Remember if you store it, it will get a brown tint this is normal as it doesn't have any preservatives in it just mix it and enjoy!

Special how to:
okay if you have never cut up an avocado don't fret it's really easy if you fallow these directions
1. Cut completely in half (remember there is a pit so you have to go around it)
2. The halves should still be together if you hold onto either side and twist one should pop off really easy leaving the other side with the pit in it.
3. Hold the side with the pit in it and take your knife (in your cutting hand) and use the heel and hit the pit (you have to hit it HARD) then twist and the pit will pop right out attached to the heel of the knife.

4. Slightly break the skin at the smallest point and the skin should just peel off.

Goes great with Bud Light with Lime MMM YUMMY!!!

*the reason you put the lime in the microwaves it to soften it when you slice it in half it squeezes easily and you get all the juice out!

NEW MAN!!!

That's right there is a new man in my life... I have fallen in love and his name is George!!!


Alright now that you have picked your chins up off the floor I will explain:

This year for Christmas my in-laws (or as my Mother in Law would put it "Santa") gave me and Tommy a George Forman... I have totally fallen in love with it, not only with the ease of cooking and the fact that it only takes a little times to actually cook anything on it, CLEANING IS A BREEZE, I highly recommend one if you don't have one (i do realize it has been out for a LONG time but hey sometimes i get a little behind).

Not only is it everything i have previously mentioned but it makes your food a lot leaner (aka cooks out the fat which then drains so your weist line will also thank you)

this is mine... (that's right i am so in love i took a picture)

If you haven't used one be sure you watch what you are cooking, it cooks your food EXTREMELY fast so a full sized chicken breast only takes about 5-8 min just make sure you temp, here are the temps for perfection:

Pork: 150*
Poultry (chicken or turkey): 165*
Fish: 145*
Steak: from 120*-160* (depending on how done you want it)
Pre-cooked food you are reheating should be 140*

If you already have a George in your life let me know what your favorite thing to cook on it is, feel free to share recipes!

For the Love of Cooking

Enchilada Pie

So I've been making Enchilada pie since I was on the Alex Haley, it's one of those recipies that's not only quick and easy but is yummy and makes people think you spent all night cooking it!

Ingrediants:
1lb Ground Beef
1 Jar Sofrito

1 Jar Recaito

2 pk Sazon

4 Flour Toritilla's
1 Can Enchilada Sauce
1 lb Shredded Chedder Cheese

Directions:
Brown ground beef in pan, drain, add sofrito recieto, and sazon, simmer.
In caserole dish lightly grease it then put a small amount of enchilada sauce (approx 2 tbs) then two flour tortillas to cover the bottom, then enchilada sauce on them (approx 2 tbs) then a layer of the gb mixture, then a layer of cheese, repeat.
 
Heat oven to 375* Cook for 45 min take out let cool for 5 min serve with sour cream.

Nutrition Facts


Servings Per Recipe: 6

Serving Size: 1 serving

Amount Per Serving

Calories 227
Total Fat 10.0 g
Total Carbohydrate 2 g
Protein 21 g

Pillsbury Doughboy

My Mother in Law sent me this... lets all take a min and remember. You will be missed dough boy!

Sad News….


Please join me in remembering a great icon of the entertainment community. The Pillsbury Doughboy died yesterday of a yeast infection and trauma complications from repeated pokes to the belly. He was 71.

Doughboy was buried in a lightly greased coffin. Dozens of celebrities turned out to pay their respects, including Mrs. Butterworth, Hungry Jack, the California Raisins, Betty Crocker, the Hostess Twinkies, and Captain Crunch. The grave site was piled high with flours.

Aunt Jemima delivered the eulogy and lovingly described Doughboy as a man who never knew how much he was kneaded. Doughboy rose quickly in show business, but his later life was filled with turnovers. He was not considered a very smart cookie as he wasted much of his dough on half-baked schemes. Despite being a little flaky at times, he still was a crusty old man and was considered a positive roll model for millions…

Doughboy is survived by his wife Play Dough, three children: John Dough, Jane Dough, and Dosey Dough, plus they had one in the oven. He is also survived by his elderly father, Pop Tart.

The funeral was held at 3:50 and ran about 20 minutes.