HUGE day here at our house! Bailey is finally getting her braces off! She has been wearing them for 4 long years. A quarter of her short life!!!! She is over the moon! I'm a little excited too :)

This calls for a special dinner! (Actually as you will soon see I jump at the chance to have a special dinner!) Tonight will be "foods hard to eat or not allowed with braces". Ribs and corn on the cob! We will have some other things too but those two for sure. She also wants Milk Duds! The poor girl hasn't had a dud in 4 years....lol We will pick those up on the way home from the dentist I think.

Foodie Stuff:
I found a wonderful foodie blog Closet Cooking. I have been checking out his amazing food pics and recipes for a few weeks now. Last week I tried a salad recipe from there.....OH MAN! The dressing is my new favorite! It was fantastic! I think I will keep a bottle of it in my fridge from now on!

Another blog that I check out daily is The Pioneer Woman. I'm a real sucker for beautiful food pics and man does she have them! I tried the black bean soup from there last week. The recipe made enough to feed our entire county but it was very tasty! Now what can I make with all this leftover soup?

my menu blog

Want to know what we're having for dinner tonight?

a new leaf

Nothing like a few health issues in the family to shake things up. So "we" will be turning over a new leaf and eating more healthy. I guess, as I find really awesome healthy recipes I will plop them here for safe keeping. Out with the bad and in with the good! Perhaps I will try my hand at Foodie Photography as well. I'm not sure if I want this to become a "Foodie Blog", or a "Diet Blog", or maybe a Random Thoughts Blog. I think I will just let it evolve into whatever it will be.

Speaking of recipes I found an awesome salad recipe on one of my favorite blogs. The recipe makes enough to feed an army but it really is good. It's an Asian Salad with TONS of veggies in it. I think I may make it for the next church potluck. She also has a killer sandwich recipe there. YUM!

Until next time...

Three for Three

Tried a few new recipes last night. ALL of them were perfect!

The first was a cheap and dirty Crock Pot Chicken Gravy and Stuffing. It was easy to throw together and cooked in the crock pot. Chicken on the bottom stuffing on top both came out perfectly cooked. I used boneless chicken thighs and 2 cans of cream of chicken soup but other then that I followed the recipe. Great comfort food.

The second was Green Beans with Cherry Tomatoes. Delicious but simple sauce.

Lastly dark chocolate cream pie. Not just any chocolate pie but the FIRST chocolate pie not to come out runny!!!! It came out in the most beautiful pie wedge you ever want to see and it was awesome with whipped cream.

Dark Chocolate Cream Pie

1 Deep Dish Pie Shell - baked
3 egg yolks, beaten
1 1/2 c sugar
3 T cornstarch
1/2 c Hershey's Special Dark cocoa
1/2 t salt
3 c whole milk
1 T butter
1 1/2 t vanilla

In a large saucepan, cream together egg yolks and sugar. Mix in cornstarch, cocoa, and salt. Add milk and stir gently. Cook over medium heat, stirring constantly. When mixture comes to a full boil, continue boiling for 3 minutes. Remove from heat and stir in butter and vanilla. Mix well. Cool slightly then pour into pie shell. Place plastic wrap directly on the surface of the chocolate cream to keep from creating a skin. Chill at least 4 hours. Just before serving, top with whipped topping. Store in refrigerator.

Menus!

I love love love planning menus! I post them here: "What's for Dinner?"

Check out what we're having for dinner tonight!

This week was busy but tasty! I was able to make a few new recipes which I would recommend. The best being "Tyler Florance's Ultimate Fried Chicken" (recipe posted below). He brines the chicken to insure juiciness and then heavily seasons the dry and the wet parts of the coating. It was very good! Juicy, flavorful, and crunchy. I give it 2 thumbs up. I had a bit of trouble with the oil. When I had it at the right temperature (he says 350) the chicken was undercooked on the inside, so I had to turn it down and cook it a little longer to make it just right. Maybe my thermometer was not reading right? I don't know.

The second winning recipe this week was "Muffaletta Salad" (recipe posted below). I chopped the ingredients instead of putting them in the food processor so I could have larger pieces and it was perfect! Bailey loved it so much she even had it for breakfast and snacks!

Tyler's Ultimate Fried Chicken

1 (3 to 4 pound) chicken, cut up into 10 pieces
Kosher salt
3 cups all-purpose flour
2 tablespoons garlic powder
2 tablespoons onion powder
2 tablespoons sweet paprika
2 teaspoons cayenne
Freshly ground black pepper
1 quart buttermilk
2 tablespoons hot chili sauce (recommended: Srirachi)
Peanut oil, for frying
1/4 bunch fresh thyme
3 big sprigs fresh rosemary
1/4 bunch fresh sage
1/2 head garlic, smashed, husk still attached
Lemon wedges, for serving

Put the chicken pieces into a large bowl. Cover the chicken with water by 1 inch; add 1 tablespoon of salt for each quart of water used. Cover and refrigerate at least 2 hours or overnight.

In a large shallow platter, mix the flour, garlic powder, onion powder, paprika, and cayenne until well blended; season generously with salt and pepper. In another platter combine the buttermilk and hot sauce with a fork and season with salt and pepper.

Drain the chicken and pat it dry. Dredge the pieces, a few at a time, in the flour mixture,
then dip them into the buttermilk; dredge them again in the seasoned flour. Set aside and let the chicken rest while you prepare the oil.

Put about 3 inches of oil into a large deep pot; it should not come up more than half way. Add the thyme, rosemary, sage, and garlic to the cool oil and heat over medium-high heat until the oil registers 350 to 365 degrees F on one of those clip-on deep-fry thermometers. The herbs and garlic will perfume the oil with their flavor as the oil comes up to temperature.

Once the oil has reached 350 to 365 degrees F, working in batches, carefully add the chicken pieces 3 or 4 at a time. Fry, turning the pieces once, until golden brown and cooked through, about 12 minutes. Total cooking time should be about 30 minutes. When the chicken is done, take a big skimmer and remove the chicken pieces and herbs from the pot, shaking off as much oil as you can, and lay it on a tea towel or brown paper bag to soak up the oil. Sprinkle all over with more salt and a dusting of cracked black pepper. Repeat with the remaining chicken pieces. Once all the chicken is fried, scatter the fried herbs and garlic over the top. Serve hot, with big lemon wedges.

Muffaletta Salad

1 tablespoon garlic, minced
1/4 cup red wine vinegar
1/2 cup extra-virgin olive oil
1/4 cup olive juice from can
1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice
1/2 teaspoon red chili flakes
1 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
1 carrot, peeled and diced
1/2 cup diced black olives
1/2 cup diced green olives
1/2 cup diced marinated artichoke hearts, diced
1/2 cup roasted red bell pepper, diced
1/2 cup diced celery
1/2 red onion, minced
3 cups cooked orzo
1 cup feta cheese
8 to 10 Bibb lettuce cups
1/2 cup diced Roma tomatoes

In a food processor, combine the garlic, vinegar, extra-virgin olive oil, olive juice, lemon juice, red chili flakes, pepper and all vegetables up to the red onion. Pulse until well chopped but not pureed. Transfer to a bowl, cover with plastic wrap, place into refrigerator and let marinate for 2 to 4 hours.

Add orzo to marinated vegetables, toss, then add feta and toss again.

Serve in lettuce cups and top with tomatoes.

Nachos with the President

Tonight was a nice family type night. We made BBQ Pork Nachos (like they serve at Red Hot and Blue) and munched on those while Bailey taught Marty and I how to play President. I think I was catching on by the time we stopped playing. I hope we play it again soon so I don't forget the rules.

In the beginning...

Blogging, what a concept. Do I have enough to talk about to warrant a blog? Anyone who knows me, knows that I always have something to say no matter the topic. Writing is another story. Hmmm, what to write about?

Let's start with the awesome Chicago Style Deep Dish Pizza Pie I made last night!

Cook this pie in a 10” cast iron skillet for 30 to 40 minutes at 425.

I used:

deep dish dough (recipe below)

then sliced mozzarella cheese

then some pepperoni

then one pound of cooked italian sausage

then some grated mozzarella

then the sauce (recipe below)

then some grated parmesan on top

AWESOME! (Next time I will try ham and pineapple, or mushroom and onion, or…)

Tomato Sauce for Chicago Style Pizza

1 hour | 10 min prep | SERVES 8 (3&1/2 cups)

2 (28	ounce) cans whole italian-style peeled tomatoes
1	tablespoon dried oregano
1	teaspoon kosher salt
2	garlic cloves, minced
8	large fresh basil leaves, coarsely chopped
1/2	teaspoon red pepper flakes (optional)

1. Place the tomatoes, including the juice from the cans, into a large stockpot.
2. Crush the tomatoes using the back of a large spoon, or just squish them with your hand.
3. Stir in the oregano and salt. Simmer the tomatoes, uncovered, over medium-low heat until the sauce is thick and all the liquid has evaporated, about 50 minutes.
4. Remove from the heat and let cool. Stir in the garlic and basil.
5. Add the red pepper flakes, if desired.
6. Use immediately, or refrigerate in a tightly covered container for up to 3 days, or freeze for up to 2 months.
7. Bring to room temperature before using.
   

Chicago Style Deep-Dish Pizza Dough

3 hours | 30 min prep | SERVES 8

1/4	ounce active dry yeast (2 1/4 tsps)
1 1/4	cups lukewarm water
1	teaspoon sugar
3 1/4	cups unbleached bread flour, plus more for dusting
1/2	cup medium-grind yellow cornmeal
1	teaspoon table salt or 1 1/2 teaspoons kosher salt
1/2	cup olive oil, plus
	more olive oil, for oiling bowl and pan

1. In a large bowl, dissolve the yeast in1/4 cup of the warm water. Add the sugar and 1/4 cup of the flour and stir with a wooden spoon or rubber spatula to combine.
2. Cover with plastic wrap and let rise in a warm place for 20 minutes.
3. Add the remaining 1 cup warm water and 3 cups flour, the cornmeal, salt, and 1/2 cup olive oil.
4. Using a wooden spoon, mix the dough, incorporating as much of the flour as possible.
5. Turn the dough out on a lightly floured work surface and knead until soft and elastic, 10 to 12 minutes. It will be a little sticky, but shouldn't stick to your hands.
6. Add only a minimum amount of flour to the work surface to keep the dough from sticking.
7. Lightly oil a large bowl. Add the dough and turn to coat on all sides.
8. Cover the bowl with plastic wrap and place a clean, damp, kitchen towel over the top.
9. Set the bowl in a warm spot and let rise until doubled in volume, 1 1/2 to 2 hours. (For a slow rise, place the covered bowl in the refrigerator and let rise for 10 to 12 hours, returning dough to room temperature before using).
10. When the dough has doubled in volume, punch it down and knead it for 2 to 3 minutes. Press the dough evenly into the bottom of an oiled 14-inch round deep-dish pizza pan.
11. Let the dough rise in the pan for 15 to 20 minutes.
12. Press the dough until it comes 2 inches up the sides and is even on the bottom and at the corners of the pan.
13. Proceed with any deep-dish pizza recipe.

Will this end up being a food blog? Or maybe stories about my kids? I guess we will see as time goes on.