Tater Soup

8 medium russet potatoes, peeled and diced
1/4 c white onion, finely diced
1 - 8 oz package cream cheese, softened
1/4 c (1 stick) butter
1 1/2 c milk
1 can cream of mushroom soup
1 can cream of celery soup
1 t garlic powder
1 t salt
grated cheddar cheese, bacon bits, and chives for garnish if desired
salt and pepper to taste

In large pot with heavy bottom, add potatoes and onion with just enought water to cover. Cook over medium heat until potatoes are tender and beginning to fall apart. Add cream cheese (in clumps) and stir well until completely melted. Add butter, milk, mushroom and celery soups, garlic, and salt. Cook until butter is melted and soup is heated through.

Ladel into bowls and top with cheese, bacon bits, and chives if desired. Season with pepper and additional salt to taste. Serves 8.

Chef's Note: This soup was so simple to put together, the hardest part was peeling the potatoes! The total time needed for the potatoes to reach the desired consistency is one hour minimum. This soup can be made well in advance and left covered on the stove over extremely low heat for several hours.

Although the recipe claims it serves 8, it's really more like 10 servings. I had enough for several days of lunches and I think it gets better the longer it sits.

Thank you Ann Margaret for sharing this easy and delicious recipe!

Potatoes; Soup or Salad?

There are at least six different types of potatoes you will encounter at the supermarket at any given time. Choosing the right one for each type of dish can be tricky if you don't know what you need the potato to do. Most potatoes in the typical market fall into one of two cateregoires.





Boiling Potatoes
Waxy potatoes, such as Red Rose, White Rose, and Yukon Gold varieties have a thin skin and round shape. They hold up to boiling and do not absorb as much water. These potatoes are recommended for boiling applications because they have less starch and a higher moisture content. Waxy potatoes are ideal for soups, casseroles, potato salad, roasting, and barbecuing because of their tendency to hold their shape.




Baking Potatoes
Starchy potatoes, such as Idaho and Russett, tend to be long and have a thick, cork like skin. They have a higher starch content and lower moisture, resulting in a mealier texture when cooked and tend to fall apart when boiled. They are ideal for traditional mashed potatoes, baked potatoes loaded with toppings, and are the best potatoes for frying.

Crock-Pot Spinach and Pesto Lasagna

2 c marinara sauce, plus extra for serving
12 uncooked lasagna noodles
1 c pesto
2 c ricotta cheese
12 oz bag baby spinach, washed and dried
1 c grated Parmesan cheese
2 c mozzarella cheese, shredded
1/4 cup water

Place approximately 1/4 c pasta sauce in bottom of large 4 quart Crock-pot slow cooker. Add one layer of uncooked lasagna noodles, breaking them apart to cover sauce. Spread 1/2 c ricotta cheese and 2 T pesto on pasta. Add 1/4 of the spinach and sprinkle heavily withParmesan and mozzarella cheeses. Repeat layers twice or until all ingredients are used. Put 1/4 c water into empty sauce jar and pour over top of lasagna.

Place cover on Crock-pot and cook on low for 6 hours or on high for 3 to 4 hours. Lasagna is done when pasta is tender. Uncover and let stand 10 to 15 minutes before serving. Serves 8.

Chef's Note: This dish was delicious and much easier to prepare than a traditional lasagna with precooked pasta. I would recommend using fresh mozzarella rather than pre-shredded cheese as the anti-caking ingredients make the cheese rubbery.

Spicy Sausage Soup with Kale

This recipe is very similar to my Toscana Soup in the main ingredients, however the taste is completely different. This soup is spicy and flavorful, tasting like it has been cooked for hours but the good news is it's ready in about 30 minutes (especially if you have a sous chef to chop all your veg!)




1-1/2 T olive oil
1 lb hot Italian sausage
1/4 one yellow onion, diced
2 carrots, diced
2 celery stalks, diced
1-1/2 t fresh rosemary, minced
2 T tomato paste
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 quart chicken broth
Two 15-oz cans cannellini beans, rinsed and drained
6 oz kale, center ribs removed, leaves chopped (approx. 4 c)
1-1/2 t cider vinegar
fresh grated Parmesan (optional)

Heat olive oil in 5-quart dutch oven or heavy bottom stock pot over medium high heat. Add sausage (casing removed) and crumble while cooking until browned, about 8 minutes. Add onion, carrot, celery, and rosemary and cook, stirring occasionally, until vegetables begin to soften, about 6 minutes.

Add tomato paste and garlic and cook until fragrant, about one minute. Add broth, beans, and kale and bring to a boil. Reduce heat to low, cover and simmer gently until vegetables are tender, about 15 minutes.

Uncover, raise heat to medium low and cook 5 minutes more to meld flavors. Remove from heat, stir in vinegar and garnish with fresh parmesan, if desired. Serves 4.

Chef's Note: Do not omit the vinegar. It may sound strange, but it adds a wonderful depth of flavor to the spicy sausage.

Maple Upside-down Cake

1 c grade A maple syrup
3 T sugar
1 T butter
1 egg
1/2 c milk, room temperature
1 c sifted all-purpose flour
2 t baking powder
1/2 t salt


Preheat oven to 400°. In a small saucepan, bring maple syrup to a boil over medium-high heat. Pour the syrup into a greased 8-x-8-inch baking pan and set aside.

In the bowl of a standing mixer, cream together the sugar, butter, and egg until well blended. Add warm milk and stir well.

With mixer off, add flour, baking powder, and salt. Beat into the creamed mixture until thoroughly combined. Spoon batter into the syrup filled pan and, using a spatula, spread the batter to the pan edges. Bake 25 to 30 minutes or until golden.

Immediately invert cake onto serving plate taking care to loosen cake from pan if needed. Serve warm with whipped cream.

Pumpkin Cupcakes with Cream Cheese Frosting

Fall is here, hooray hooray! Of course, fall in Phoenix means it only heats up to 99° during the day. But the nights are wonderfully cool and I love thinking it's fall. Humor me, it's the best I can do living where I live.

Fall baking to me means all things pumpkin. I try to cram as much pumpkin into my baking between late September to the end of November as I possibly can without making myself sick. Well, I guess I am trying to make myself sick of pumpkin until next year.




Pumpkin Cupcakes
1 Duncan Hines Yellow cake mix
1 c solid pack pumpkin
4 eggs
1/3 c oil
1/2 c milk
1 t cinnamon
1/4 t ground ginger
1/8 t ground nutmeg
1/8 t ground cloves

Preheat oven to 350°. Line 2 muffin pans with 24 cupcake liners. Combine all ingredients in standing mixer fitted with whisk attachment and mix on medium high for 3 minutes. Divide evenly between cupcake pans.

Bake approximately 20 minutes, or until toothpick inserted in centers comes out clean. Rotate pans half way through cooking time, if necessary. Remove cupcakes from pans to wire racks and cool completely before frosting.

Cream Cheese Frosting
8 oz cream cheese, softened
4 oz butter, softened
2 lb powdered sugar
1 T vanilla extract

Whip all ingredients until very smooth.

Cookies and Creme Cupcakes

I made these this past weekend for DL White's birthday (hi DL!) These are so chocolatey and moist, they are a must have in every chocoholics recipe file.




Recipe ever so slightly adapted from Bakerella.

for the Cupcakes:
1 1/2 c flour
1/2 c unsweetened cocoa
1 1/4 c sugar
3/4 t baking soda
1/2 t baking powder
1/2 t salt
2 eggs
1/2 c vegetable oil
1 t vanilla
3/4 c milk
3/4 c hot water
1 package Oreo cookies (not double-stuffed)

Preheat oven to 350°. Line 2 muffin pans with 24 cupcake liners and place one whole Oreo in each.

In a stand mixer fitted with the beater attachment, mix the flour, cocoa, sugar, baking soda, baking powder and salt on low. Add the eggs, oil, vanilla and milk and mix well until thoroughly combined. Add the hot water and mix on medium high speed for several minutes. Batter will be very liquid.

Transfer batter to a large measuring cup and then pour batter into each cupcake liner cup so that it is no more than three quarters full. Cookies will most likely float to the top but it's okay if they don't.

Bake in center of oven for 16-18 minutes. Rotate baking racks half-way through if needed. Let cool completely before frosting.

Yeild approximately 18-24 cupcakes.

for the Frosting:
2 c shortening
2 lb powdered sugar
2 t vanilla
1/4 c milk
20 Oreo cookies, filling removed and crushed

In stand mixer with whisk attached, beat the shortening until smooth. Add vanilla and mix until combined. Add powdered sugar and milk in three additions, scraping down the sides after each.

Place crushed cookies in a shallow bowl. Mound frosting on each cupcake and roll top in crushed cookies until all frosting is covered.






Chef's Note: Bakerella suggested placing broken cookie bits in the bottom of the cupcakes but I really like the "wow" factor of biting into a cupcake and finding a whole Oreo.

Greek Style Yogurt

As a child, I couldn't get enough lime or lemon yogurt. It was so deliciously creamy and tangy and I loved it. Today however, the American food market has changed so many rules regarding food safety that the fresh tasting yogurt of my childhood has been replaced with something more like... um... I can't really describe the current yogurt selection in the American market but I know I don't like it. But today I had a pleasant surprise. So much so that I decided to write a post about it so you can share in my excitement!

A few months ago I purchased Greek Yogurt at my local market. It was unsweetened plain yogurt to which I added dried fruit and a handful of granola with a drizzle of honey. It was good, but not spectacular. Last week I purchased several flavors of Oikos Greek Yogurt by Dannon. (As an aside, when I was in France I ate a LOT of Dannon yogurt as it was the most like the yogurt of my past. American versions of European foods are usually atrociously sweet and not nearly as good as their European counterpart)

I purchased these flavors:
Fruit on the Bottom: Blueberry; Peach; Honey
Traditional: Key Lime




The Fruit on the Bottom selections were creamy and had a nice balance between sweet and tangy. I would give them a rating of 8 out of 10 stars and would probably purchasse them again. But the real surprise came when I ate the Traditional Key Lime. For some reason, I decided to get some graham crackers to dip into the yogurt. Well, it IS Key Lime yogurt so the idea to add graham to mimic a piece of pie really wasn't a genius idea but I'd like to think so.

You could crush the graham crakers and sprinkle them on top of the yogurt to get the texture more similar to pie but I just dipped the crackers right into the yogurt and scooped it up and ate it.

And it was wonderful.


Chef's Note: After viewing the Dannon Oikos website, I believe the secret to why I loved the Key Lime yogurt the best lies in the difference between the "Traditional" and "Fruit on the Bottom" and that is fat.

In case you didn't know, fat is where the flavor for food resides and American's have decided fat in any quantity is evil. So in order to get non-fat foods palatable, manufacturers add artificial fats and extra sugar because the human sense of taste is highly tied to fat content in food. Without fat, food tastes flat. Never mind that the calorie content is the same in non-fat foods as in low-fat, manufacturers are attempting to sell a product and Americans will buy the non-fat over the low-fat every time.

But not me.

The Dannon "Fruit on the Bottom" yogurt is non-fat while the "Traditional" has 4.5 grams of fat per serving and I could definitely tell the difference. Maybe everyone can't tell a difference, but I can and now that I know why I prefer the Traditional yogurt, I doubt I will purchase the Fruit on the Bottom yogurt again.

Steak and Spinach Salad Sandwich

This recipe may be one of my favorite summer sandwiches. It was inspired by the popular steak and blue cheese salads appearing recently in restaurants. I didn't have any blue cheese on hand (or even any blue cheese dressing) so I substituted Havarti. I have to say, I think I liked the result better than if I had used blue cheese.

I still love blue cheese in salads, especially with spinach, but it might have been difficult to work with on a sandwich.




Steak and Spinach Salad Sandwich
4 slices extra-sourdough bread
4 slices Havarti cheese
4 oz roast beef, deli sliced
1 T dijon mustard
2 c fresh baby spinach, thoroughly washed
1/2 c ranch dressing (recommended: Litehouse Homestyle Ranch)

In a medium bowl, mix spinach and ranch dressing thoroughly and set aside. Place two slices Havarti cheese on two slices of sourdough bread. Divide roast beef equally and place on cheese, also divide spinach salad and place on roast beef. Spread dijon mustard on remaining two slices of sourdough and top each sandwich. Slice and serve along with crunchy pita chips. Serves 2 to 3.

Easy Chicken Alfredo

Yes, I'm doing things the easy way this month. Of course, it is the dog-days of summer here in Phoenix so turning on my oven to roast a chicken is out of the questions. Fortunately, Costco was happy to roast if for me! In case I haven't said it before, sometimes I'm all about cutting corners. However, I only justify the purchase of precooked food if the price is reasonable. I would never spend double the price just for the sake of convenience. That would be irresponsible for me to spend my husband's hard earned salary that way.

So about the Costco roast chicken, I was able to get three complete meals out of one pre roasted chicken and I think that is a value for the money.




Easy Chicken Alfredo
8 oz spaghetti or linguini, prepared al dente
8 oz roasted red pepper Alfredo sauce (recommended: Classico)
1 c cooked broccoli flowrettes
4 oz roast chicken breast, chopped
1/4 c fresh grated parmesan cheese

In large skillet over medium-high heat, place alfredo sauce and heat until thickend and bubbly. Add broccoli and chicken, stir to coat. Add pasta and toss until well blended. Ladle in up to 1/4 c pasta water and thin sauce to desired consistency, if needed. Divide pasta and sauce equally between two bowls and top with freshly grated parmesan. Serve immediately. Serves 2.

Easy Orange Chicken

Sometimes, I just gotta cut corners. As a busy mom with three jobs (not including the one I love most, being a mom!), I don't always have time to get a gourmet lunch on the table in a timely manner. I'm not lamenting that I have a job, I feel very blessed to be able to provide some financial support when so many people are still struggling for work. That said, I've still got to eat and I like food that tastes good (imagine that!).

I've become clever at turning leftovers into a meal, if I do say so myself. This particular recipe was with what I had on hand. Come to think of it, most of the recipes that end up here are ones I thougt up on-the-fly without prior shopping for specific ingredients. I have come to know what I like to eat and the flavor parings I enjoy so I usually have enough of those ingredients to throw something together fast. Some of my favorites that ended up in this recipe are frozen mixed vegetables, short grain white rice, and rice vinegar.




Easy Orange Chicken
1 c frozen mixed vegetables (peas, corn, carrots, green beans)
1 t vegetable oil
8 oz. leftover Orange Chicken (mine was from Chinese takeout)
2 T rice vinegar
1/4 t red pepper flake (optional)
2 c cooked white rice
1 T soy sauce

Place mixed vegetables and vegetable oil in medium nonstick skillet. Heat over medium heat until thawed. Add leftover chicken and vinegar and heat until warmed throughout, stirring occasionally to avoid scorching. Divide cooked rice between two bowls and top with chicken and vegetable mixture, add red pepper flake if desired. Serve immediately with soy sauce. Serves 2.

Tomato & Smokey Turkey Melt

Normally, you would see this sandwich include bacon but I didn't add it to my recipe for several reasons. First, I didn't want to splatter-up my kitchen today by frying a pan of bacon (or frying it in the microwave so everything would taste like bacon for a month). Second, I didn't want to add another hundred calories or so to my lunch by including bacon in my sandwich. Third, I have to admit, I'm not a big bacon fan. It has it's place but I'd just as soon leave it off my menu as put it on anything so the decision not to include it today was a no brainer.




4 slices extra-sourdough bread
2 T melted butter
4 oz. smoked turkey breast sliced deli-thin
4 slices non-smoked provolone cheese
4 thin slices ripe tomato

Heat gridle to medium. Evenly divide melted butter on one side of each slice of sourdough bread. Place two slices of bread on griddle, butter side down. Add two slices of provolone cheese on each bread. Divide turkey between bread on griddle, add two slices tomato to each. Top with remaining bread slices, butter side up. Cook until cheese begins to melt, checking frequently to avoid burning and turn sandwich over. Continue cooking until desired doneness and remove from griddle. Let sandwich rest 2 minutes, slice, and serve immediately. Serves 2.

If you are really missing the bacon "experience" on your sandwich, you can substitute smoked provolone cheese for added flavor. Personally, I didn't miss it at all. The sandwich is crunchy. The turkey and cheese are salty paired with the tangy tomato... it was delicious.

Cashew Orange Chicken Salad

I've been making this salad based on a sandwich I had at an English tea house in Yorba Linda more than 10 years ago. I love the salty, sweet, and tangy flavor combination. Served with a big glass of iced tea, it's a perfect lunch on a hot summer day.



2 cooked chicken breasts, shredded
1/4 c orange marmalade
1/2 c cashews, crushed
1/4 c mayonnaise
2 T rice vinegar
1 small can mandarin oranges
salt and fresh ground black pepper, to taste

Add marmalade, mayonnaise, and vinegar to large bowl and mix well. Add chicken and cashews and gently toss to coat. Season with salt and pepper to taste. Best served immediately over romaine lettuce with mandarine oranges or as a sandwich on nine grain bread. Serves 2 as a salad, serves 4 as a sandwich.

Balsamic Beef with Pasta

This would have been subperb with pene but alas, I only had spaghetti on hand. It was still delicious and I will make it again when time is short and appetites are high.



1 package Hormel Beef Roast au jus
1/2 lb pasta, prepared al dente
1 t olive oil
1 t dried oregano
1 t dried basil
1 T balsamic vinegar
1/2 t garlic powder
fresh ground black pepper, to taste

Heat roast beef according to package directions and place in large mixing bowl along with all juice. Add oregano, basil, vinegar, and garlic powder to beef and mix well using two forks to shred the beef. Toss prepared pasta with olive oil and add to mixing bowl with beef. Stir well and pile onto plates. Serves 2.

Apple Slaw with Brie and Spiced Walnuts

for the Spiced Walnuts
1 T vegetable oil
1 T sugar
2 t honey
1/2 t ground allspice
1/2 c walnut pieces

Line a baking sheet with foil sprayed lightly with non-stick cooking spray. Heat the vegetable oil, sugar, honey and allspice in a medium saucepan over medium heat and cook, stirring constantly until nuts are well coated, about 10 minutes. Spread warm walnuts in single layer on baking sheet. Break into small pieces when completely cool. Store in an airtight container until ready to serve slaw.

for the Slaw
8 ounces Brie Cheese, diced
4 c red cabbage, shredded
2 c green cabbage, shredded
2 c fresh baby spinach
1 large Golden Delicious apple, peeled and diced

Place all ingredients in large serving bowl and set aside to make dressing.

for the Vinaigrette dressing
1/4 c olive oil
2 T apple jelly
2 T cider vinegar
1/4 c heavy cream
1/2 c golden raisins
1/4 t crushed red pepper flakes
1/2 t salt

Heat all dressing ingredients over medium heat in a small saucepan just to boiling and jelly has melted. Let cool slightly (5 minutes maximum), whisk to incorporate and pour in bowl over slaw. Toss slaw well. Serve with spiced walnuts on the side for garnish. Serves 8.

Puffins ~ adapted from Bakerella

Puffins are pancake batter baked in muffin cups making them pancake-muffins, or Puffins. Bakerella's recipe called for 1/2 c chocolate chips in the batter with more sprinkled on top. Because I'm not five-years-old, I don't particularly like that much chocolate for breakfast so I adjusted the recipe making the chips optional. Feel free to add more if you like but if you do, don't be surprised if all you taste is chocolate and not the pancake.



1 c flour
1 t baking powder
1/2 t baking soda
1/4 t salt
2 T sugar
2/3 c buttermilk
1 egg
2 T pure maple syrup
2 T melted butter
1/4 c chocolate chips, optional

Preheat oven to 350°. Generously grease mini-muffin pan with nonstick cooking spray.

Sift flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt and sugar into a medium mixing bowl. In second bowl, stir buttermilk, egg, maple syrup and melted butter until just combined. Add wet ingredients to dry ingredients and stir with a spoon until combined. Fill muffin cups no more than 3/4 full and sprinkle with chocolate chips, if desired. Bake for 8-9 minutes or until set and tops are no longer shiny.

Let cool 5 minutes and remove from pan. You may need to use a toothpick around edges to loosen Puffins from pan. Serve warm with butter and maple syrup for dipping. Yield 24 puffins.

Lemon Curd

Lemon Curd is a custard type spread that most commonly accompanies scones with Devonshire cream. It is very tart but a wonderful addition to any brunch biscuit. This recipe is delicious and although it requires some time, it is not difficult.



3 eggs
1/3 c fresh squeezed lemon juice
1 T lemon zest
3/4 c sugar
4 T unsalted butter, at room temperature

In a stainless steel bowl over a saucepan of simmering water, whisk together eggs, sugar, and lemon juice until blended. Cook, stirring constantly until mixture becomes thick (like hollandaise sauce), approximately 10 minutes. Remove from heat and immediately pour through a fine strainer to remove any lumps. Add butter and whisk until melted. Stir in lemon zest and let cool, lemon curd will thicken as it cools. Store tightly covered in the refrigerator for up to a week. Yield 1 c lemon curd.

Chef's Note: Room temperature lemons provide more juice. Roll lemon gently on counter, pressing slightly, to release as much juice as possible. Slice and juice as needed.

I'm Still Here!

Dear foodophiles,

Do not worry, I am still cooking and writing recipes. I have not forgotten about you!

Recently my wonderfully amazing and generous husband aquired an iPad 2 resulting in his regifting me his original iPad (what a man!). While the iPad is a fantastic addition to my Apple gadget repertoire, my learning curve from laptop to iPad has been much slower than I anticipated. I am eventually getting my iPad to perform more and more like a laptop, (like the addition of a keyboard (love it!)), but there are still a few nuances of using a tablet that illude me. One of them has been the ability to upload pictures to this blog. Desktop publishing is greatly hindered on an iPad by the lack of a desktop!

As you may or may not have noticed, I always post a picture along with a recipe. The photos are all original, taken by me, of my food and I have some pride in achieving a beautiful picture of the food I have made to go along with the recipe. Good news, I have finally found a suitable photo editing ap for the iPad! I hope to begin editing my pictures to add to the six recipes I have already drafted that are awaiting publication. I told you I was still cooking!

So keep checking back, loyal reader. Your patience will be rewarded with wonderful recipes in the near future (hopefully). One of my favorites coming soon is Lemon Ginger Scones which are fantasic in their simplicity and heavenly in their taste.

Update 4/4/11: I have successfully uploaded three new recipes complete with photos! Chocolate Guinness Cupcakes with Bailey's Buttercream Frosting, Sweet Potato Chipotle Chili, and Lemon Ginger Scones with Devonshire Cream (my favorite). Enjoy the new posts and let me know if you try any of these tasty items. Please!

Lemon Ginger Scones with Devonshire Cream

for the scones
2 1/4 c unbleached all-purpose flour
1/3 c sugar
1 T baking powder
1 T lemon zest
1 1/2 sticks unsalted butter, cut into 1-inch cubes and frozen
2/3 c candied ginger, finely chopped
3/4 c + 2 T heavy cream, divided

Preheat oven to 400° and line baking sheet with parchment.

In the bowl of electric mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, combine flour, sugar, and baking powder; mix on low to incorporate. Add lemon zest and butter, and mix on low until mixture is pale yellow and the consistency of fine corn meal. Gently stir in ginger. Remove bowl from stand mixer. Make a well in center of dough and pour in 3/4 c cream. Using one hand, draw in dry ingredients, mixing until just combined.

Wash and dry hands and dust them with flour. Turn dough out onto lightly floured work surface and gently knead to gather into a ball. Pat dough into a circle approximately 1/2 inch thick. Using a 3 inch pastry or biscuit cutter, cut out scones in circles, cutting as closely together as possible and keeping trimmings intact. Gather up scraps, pat and press pieces together and cut out remaining dough. Repeat until all dough has been used.

Place scones 1 inch apart on parchment-lined baking sheet and brush tops with remaining 2 T cream . Bake 12 to 16 minutes, until surface cracks and is slightly browned. Serve warm with Devonshire cream and lemon curd. Yield 12 scones.

for the Devonshire Cream
4 oz Mascarpone cheese
1 c heavy cream
1 t pure vanilla extract
1 t sugar, more or less to taste

Place all ingredients in bowl of standing mixer fitted with whisk. Beat on high until mixture resembles softly whipped cream. Refrigerate until ready to use. Yield approximately 1 cup Devonshire cream.

Sweet Potato Chipotle Chili ~ adapted from Tasty Kitchen

1 lb sweet potatoes; peeled and cut to 1/2 inch dice
salt and fresh ground black pepper; to taste
2 T olive oil; divided
1/2 one white onion; quartered
2 cloves garlic; minced
2 t cumin
ground cinnamon, cloves, and allspice; dash of each
1 c dark beer; recommended, Guinness
1 ~ 28 oz can whole tomatoes; drained and roughly chopped
2 whole chipotle peppers in adobo sauce; halved, seeded and chopped
1/2 c barbecue sauce
2 T Worcestershire sauce
2 c frozen corn kernels
1 ~ 15 oz can black beans; drained and rinsed
3 c tortilla chips, if desired; crushed
Chipotle Tabasco sauce; optional

Preheat oven to 350°. Place sweet potatoes on a rimmed baking sheet and toss with one tablespoon olive oil. Season with salt and pepper as desired and bake approximately 8–10 minutes or until sweet potatoes are just tender.

Heat large heavy bottom pot over medium heat and add one tablespoon olive oil. Sauté onions until soft and caramelized. Add garlic, cumin, and spices and cook for an additional minute until spices are fragrant. Stir and scrape pot constantly to avoid burning.

Add beer to deglaze pot, scraping all fond off bottom. Add tomatoes, chipotle peppers, barbecue sauce, Worcestershire sauce, frozen corn and beans. Reduce heat to low and simmer 15-20 minutes or until slightly thickened. Add sweet potatoes and additional salt and pepper to taste. Spoon into bowls, top with Tabasco and crushed tortilla chips if desired. Serves 6.


Chef's Note: This recipe is spicy! No matter how much sour cream I added, I could not eat it in a bowl. However, Big D used it to make nachos with loads of cheese and sour cream and it was a-maz-ing. Next time, I will halve the amount of chipotle peppers and see what I think. Stay tuned...

Garlic Mac & Cheese

2 boxes macaroni & cheese, recommended: Kraft Three Cheese Mini-Shells & Cheese
1 stick butter
1/4 c milk
1/2 t garlic powder
shredded cheddar cheese, optional

Boil macaroni per package instructions. Drain and return to low heat. Add butter and stir until completely melted. Add milk, cheese packets and garlic powder. Mix until thoroughly combined and cheese is smooth. Serve immediately garnished with shredded cheese, if desired. Serves 4 as a main dish, 6 as a side.

Chocolate Guinness Cupcakes with Bailey's Buttercream Frosting

for the Cake
1 c Guinness Stout
1/2 c (1 stick) plus 2 T butter
3/4 c unsweetened cocoa powder
2 c sugar
2 eggs
1 T vanilla extract
3/4 c sour cream
2 c flour
2 1/2 t baking soda
pinch salt
1 recipe cream cheese frosting, to follow

Preheat oven to 350°. Place 24 cupcake liners in muffin pans. Lightly mist liners with non-stick cooking spray.

Place stout and butter in medium saucepan and bring to simmer over medium heat until butter is completely melted. Whisk in cocoa and sugar until smooth and set aside.

Thoroughly combine flour, baking soda, and salt in large bowl. In the bowl of a standing mixer, beat together eggs, vanilla, and sour cream until well blended. Temper egg mixture by adding a small amount of stout and chocolate mixture; beat well. Add remaining chocolate mixture to egg and beat just to combine. Add flour mixture on low speed and beat just until combined.

Pour batter into prepared muffin pans filling 2/3 full. Bake in preheated oven 15 minutes or until toothpick inserted in center comes out clean. Cool pans on cooling rack 5 minutes then remove cupcakes from pans and cool completely before frosting. Store loosely covered at room temperature up to 4 days.

for the Frosting
2 c powdered sugar, sifted
1/2 c butter, softened
8 oz cream cheese, softened
1/4 c Bailey's Irish Cream, add to taste

In bowl of standing mixer, combine all ingredients and mix on low. Increase speed to medium high and beat 3 minutes or until smooth. Spread on each cupcake just prior to serving. Refrigerate leftover frosting up to two weeks in an airtight container. Yield approximately 3 cups frosting.

Lemon Icebox Pie

This is the same basic recipe as my Key Lime Pie but this recipe uses lemon juice instead of key lime. Both are delicious but there is a very subtle difference in taste with the lemon being slightly sweeter than the lime.

1 14 oz can sweetened-condensed milk
3 eggs, separated
1/2 c lemon juice
1 T lemon zest
3 T sugar
1/4 t cream of tartar
1 prepared 9 inch graham cracker crust, recommended: Keebler Ready Crust

Preheat oven to 325°. In medium bowl, blend milk, egg yolk, lemon juice and zest. Pour into prepared crust.

Combine sugar and egg whites in a heat-proof bowl and set over simmering water. Stir until egg whites are warm (approximately 120°). Remove from heat and add cream of tartar. In bowl of standing mixer, beat egg whites on high gradually adding sugar. Beat until glossy and stiff peaks form. Pile meringue gently on top of lemon filling and spread to edge.

Bake 15-20 minutes or until meringue peaks are golden brown. Cool to room temperature, cover and refrigerate until fully chilled before slicing. Store covered in refrigerator. Serves 8.

Chef's Note: I wouldn't recommend making your own crust from scratch for this recipe. Pre-made pie crusts are delicious plus the pan protector on the crust can be used to cover the pie for refrigeration. Just be sure to wash it before putting it over your pie.

Spaghetti with Butter and Parmesan ~ adapted from Epicurious

1 pound thin spaghetti
2 c freshly grated Parmesan cheese (about 6 ounces)
1/2 cup (1 stick) unsalted butter, room temperature
salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste

Cook pasta in large pot of boiling salted water over medium high heat until al dente, stirring occasionally. Drain, reserving 1 cup cooking liquid. Return pasta to pot and add 1/4 cup reserved cooking liquid, cheese, and butter. Stir well over medium heat until cheese melts and sauce coats pasta, about 3 minutes adding more reserved cooking liquid if needed.

Season generously with salt and freshly ground pepper. Transfer to serving bowl and garnish with additional grated Parmesan, if desired. Serve immediately. Serves 4 as a main dish, serves 6 to 8 as a side.

Chef's Note: I think I've mentioned before that you can't substitute pre-grated Parmesan in a recipe that calls for freshly grated Parmesan. The anti-caking ingredients in pre-grated cheese greatly affects the melting capability and you end up with all the cheese balled up in a lump that doesn't incorporate into the dish. Buy a nice block of Parmesan cheese and using this storage method, it should last you several months.

Banana Bread ~ adapted from Parenting Magazine

I don't know how it is that I've never posted this recipe since I've been making it every couple of months for the past 7 years. I suppose it's just something I've always made and never really thought about publicly posting until my sweet friend Gayla asked me if I had a banana bread recipe. So because she asked, here it is for you all to enjoy.

Banana Bread
3 overripe bananas
1 1/2 c flour
1 c sugar
1/2 t baking soda
1/4 t salt
1 egg
1/4 c butter (half one stick)
1/2 c chopped nuts, optional (I never put nuts in mine)

Preheat oven to 325°. Liberally grease 9 x 5 loaf pan and set aside.

Mash bananas in a large bowl. Add flour, sugar, baking soda, salt, egg and nuts and stir. Melt butter in microwave, add to bowl, and stir just until blended.

Pour into prepared pan and bake 60-70 minutes or just until toothpick inserted in center comes out clean. Cool 10 minutes in pan then remove to wire rack to cool completely. Serve warm with butter.

Chef's Note: I use my Pampered Chef pastry cutter to mash bananas. Its blades work well at getting the right consistency quickly without overworking my wrist.

Traditional Lasagna

1 pound lean ground beef
1 pound sweet Italian sausage
1/4 one white onion, finely diced
3 cloves garlic, minced
1 ~28 oz can crushed tomatoes
1 ~12 oz can tomato paste
1 ~14 oz can tomato sauce
1 T sugar
1/2 t salt
1/2 t garlic powder
2 bay leaves
2 t dried basil, crushed
2 t dried oregano, crushed
1/4 t fresh ground black pepper
4 T fresh Italian parsley, chopped
12 lasagna noodles
16 oz whole milk ricotta cheese
1 egg
1/4 t fresh grated nutmeg
1 pound whole milk mozzarella cheese, shredded
3/4 c Parmesan cheese, pre-grated is fine

In large stockpot with lid, cook sausage, ground beef, onion, and garlic over medium heat until well browned. Stir in crushed tomatoes, tomato paste, and tomato sauce and bring just to boil. Add sugar, salt, garlic powder, bay leaves, basil, oregano, pepper, and half the parsley (2 tablespoons). Reduce heat to low and simmer, covered, for a minimum of 1 1/2 hours, stirring occasionally.

Preheat oven to 375°.

Bring a large pot of lightly salted water to a boil. Cook lasagna noodles until al dente, 8 minutes maximum.

While pasta is boiling, combine ricotta cheese with egg and nutmeg in medium bowl.

When pasta has reached al dente, spread 1 1/2 c of meat sauce in the bottom of a 9x13 inch baking dish. Remove 4 to 6 lasagna noodles from water and arrange over meat sauce. Spread with one half of the ricotta cheese mixture. Top with one third of shredded mozzarella cheese. Spoon 1 1/2 c meat sauce over mozzarella, and sprinkle with 1/4 c Parmesan cheese. Repeat layers, and top with remaining mozzarella and Parmesan cheese.

Cover with foil sprayed with nonstick cooking spray and bake in preheated oven for 25 minutes. Remove foil, and bake an additional 25 minutes. Cool at least 20 minutes before slicing. Garnish each serving with remaining meat sauce and parsley, if desired. Serves 16.

Chef's Note: This will make a little less than double the amount of meat sauce required for a 9x13 baking dish so be prepared to have extra to serve over the top. Or, boil a whole package of lasagna noodles and make the lasagna in a large roasting pan and eat it for a month.

Chicken Tortilla Soup

I've tasted Chicken Tortilla soup at just about every Mexican restaurant in Southern California and Phoenix and have yet to be as impressed by any of them as I am with this recipe. It tastes exactly as I intended. Salty and mildly spicy with the tang of lime juice. It is wonderful.

I created this recipe by going for a specific taste combo of lime, cumin, cheese, and cilantro. I didn't have any fresh cilantro, so I used twice the amount of dried that any recipe I found called for because I love it. Feel free to decrease the cilantro to your taste, but I wouldn't change it much because the flavor balance with the other spices will be affected.


Chicken Tortilla Soup

3 large chicken breasts, washed and dried
1/4 t ground cumin
salt and pepper
2 T olive oil
1/4 one white onion, chopped
2 ~14 oz cans chicken broth
1 ~14 oz can diced tomatoes, undrained
1 ~4 oz can diced mild green chilies, undrained
3 T lime juice
2 T dried cilantro, or 1/4 c chopped fresh cilantro
1 T dried oregano
1 t garlic powder
1 c frozen corn
1 c shredded Monterey Jack cheese
corn tortilla chips

Heat olive oil in dutch oven over medium high heat. Season chicken with salt, pepper and cumin and add chicken to heated oil. Cook over medium heat until no longer pink and juices run clear. Remove chicken from pan and set aside.

Add onion to pan and cook over medium heat until translucent. Add chicken broth, tomatoes, chilies, lime juice, cilantro, oregano, garlic, and corn. Bring to boil over high heat. Reduce heat to low, cover and simmer 30 minutes.

Using fingers, shred chicken into bite sized pieces. Return chicken to pan and heat an additional 5 minutes.

Ladle into bowls, top each bowl with 1/4 c shredded cheese and a handful of crushed tortilla chips. Serves 4.

Note: In summer, I frequently broil a whole pan of chicken breast with olive oil and salt and pepper and store it in the fridge for use in recipes such as this. Feel free to use any leftover chicken you have from a previous meal to make this a super quick dinner. However, I wouldn't recommend using bbq flavored chicken. But then again... that just might end up a Tex Mex Chicken soup. I might just have to try that.

Italian Sausage Stew ~ adapted from Cooking Light

12 oz Italian sausage, sweet or mild
2 medium green bell peppers, chopped
1/2 one medium white onion, quartered
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 ~15 oz can cannellini beans, rinsed and drained
1 ~15 oz can stewed tomatoes
2 T tomato paste
1 t dried oregano
1 t dried basil
1/4 t dried parsley
olive oil
salt and pepper, to taste

Heat large saucepan over medium heat and add enough olive oil to coat pan. Add green peppers and onion, saute 5 minutes. Cover saucepan, reduce heat and cook until soft. Add minced garlic and saute until garlic is fragrant.

Remove sausage casing and add to saucepan. Crumble and cook until no longer pink. Add beans, tomatoes and spices and stir to combine. Reduce heat to medium-low, cover and cook 5 to 10 minutes. Garnish with freshly grated Parmesan cheese and crostini. Serves 4.

Chef's Note: Technically, this isn't a proper "stew" because there's no long cooking or stewing time. But the addition of stewed tomatoes gives the taste of a long cooked dish which gives the recipe a nod to being a stew.

How to "Handle" Cheese

Often times, I purchase large quantities of cheese at warehouse prices because I have one picky child whose physical existence is largely due to her love of dairy products. Occasionally, I will open one of these enormous blocks of cheese for a snack and then not come back to it several days later.

Hard and semi-hard cheeses, like Cheddar and Romano, left unopened in their original packaging can be kept under refrigeration for many months without concern. However once the seal is broken and the cheese is exposed to air, the process for spoilage can be rapid. One way to stave off bacteria is to avoid directly touching the cheese with your hands. Ever. This presents a dilemma... how to use something without touching it.

When I open a package of cheese, I completely remove it from the original wrapping. I take care not to touch the cheese with my hands or place it directly on the counter as no matter how much washing I have done, there will always be some bacteria on the counter or on my hands which will transfer to the cheese causing spoilage. It hurts to admit that, but it's the truth. Once the package is opened, I transfer the cheese directly onto a large piece of wax paper that completely covers the cheese twice. I loosely wrap the cheese in the wax paper and then place the wrapped cheese in a zip-top bag, which is sealed and placed in the refrigerator along with the original packaging for identification.

To use cheese in smaller quantities and for recipes not requiring the whole block, I use the wax paper to hold the large block of cheese (to avoid direct contact with my hands) and taking a sharp knife, I slice off a piece of cheese roughly the size required. Then I rewrap and refrigerate the unused cheese and shred or slice the smaller piece as needed. This keeps the lesser used (and expensive) hard cheeses such as Romano or Parmesan from spoiling for several months until I can use it all.

Soft and semi-soft cheeses such as Brie, Bleu, and Feta spoil much more quickly and are purchased on an "as needed" basis.

Sugar and Spice Pound Cake

1 box Spice Cake mix, recommended: Duncan Hines
1 ~6 oz vanilla instant pudding mix, recommended: Jell-o
1 c milk
3 eggs
1/2 c oil
3/4 c sour cream
1 recipe cream cheese frosting, recipe to follow
sugar sprinkles, for decorating

Preheat oven to 350°. Grease and flour Bundt pan and set aside.

Place cake mix, pudding mix, milk, eggs, oil and sour cream in bowl of standing mixer fitted with whisk attachment. Whisk on low 30 seconds to combine, then mix on medium high 3 to 4 minutes until thick and creamy. Pour into prepared Bundt pan and bake in center of preheated oven 45 to 55 minutes or until pick inserted in center comes out clean.

Cool 10 minutes in pan then remove to wire rack to cool completely. Wrap cooled cake in foil or plastic wrap and refrigertate 1 to 12 hours. Place cold cake on platter and pour icing over. Decorate with sugar sprinkles. Serves 18.

Cream Cheese Frosting
8 oz. cream cheese, at room temperature
1 stick butter, softened
2 c powdered sugar
1/4 c milk

Place all ingredients in bowl of standing mixer fitted with whisk attachment. Whisk on low 30 seconds to combine, then mix on medium high 5 minutes until smooth and no lumps remain. Yield 3 cups frosting.

Chef's Note: If desired, the frosting can be omitted and a light dusting of powdered sugar can be used to achieve the "sugar" portion of the recipe.