Nibblin' On Sponge Cake and Watching the Sun Bake

Any of you facebookers HAVE to know that I am beyond excited for my girl's trip to the Florida Panhandle in a few weeks. B is off to Africa in one week to chase elephants and get his education on...and I am meeting about a half dozen of my best friends from Biloxi to Savannah to catch up on old times and soak up the sun! I am truly looking forward to having my toes in the water and bum in the sand!

Almost ten years ago, B, JJ Pinter and myself headed to a wedding in South Florida. JJ insisted on listening to the Jimmy Buffett Disc set during the entire drive. Like most people, I had heard of "Margaritaville"...but I didn't know any of his other songs like JJ and B did. From then on, I became a fan. And when we went to the Jimmy Buffett show in Waikiki, I officially became a parrothead. Well, maybe not a "true" parrothead like some of the die hards..but I thought I was. It was truly one of the most fun nights of my life. I went to another Jimmy Buffett show in 2008 in Philadelphia. It was not the same as the big party in paradise though. I hope to go to many, many more in the future. Even if you aren't a Buffett fan, the concerts are always a blast!!

Our best friends went with us to this big party in Waikiki and we were all quite sunburnt and inebriated by mid-afternoon! My best friend in Hawaii, Nicole Darling, and I did our best to prepare for the big tailgate and we had to scramble to make some beachy dishes and drinks that would work for a tailgate without electricity! So, in other words, how could we enjoy the frosty "boat drinks" without my blender? And what kind of bite size foods fit the beachy-Buffett atmosphere? I scrambled and come up with Ziploc Bag Portable Margaritas and Daiquiris, Jalapeno Cream Cheese Chicken bites, Margarita Chicken Skewers, and Key Lime Pie Mini Cheesecakes. It was soo fun trying to figure out what to do and come up with new recipes!

Like I said earlier, if you have not been to a Jimmy Buffett concert, I suggest you go if you get the chance. When we arrived to the scene, it was so crazy. The outfits are crazy (full grown men wearing walking blow-up flamingo suits), the tailgate setups are crazy, and most of all the intricate details to tailgate food was crazy! People literally had big turkey fryers set up for "shrimp dipped in the boil". I could not believe how many people had foods that were referenced to all the songs. The smells alone were amazing! We met so many people walking by...everyone's tailgate was a big party! And many Parrothead strangers got a sample of all my special snacks I made for our tailgate. We wasted away all afternoon into the evening hours...and it truly was a blast.

So, now I am leaving for the Florida Panhandle in two weeks and I listen to Kenny Chesney, Buffett, and Marley everyday to pump myself up for the beach. I've always been and always will be a beach girl! And I'm packing a little surprise for my girlfriends, Jen and Christin, for our weekend on "one particular harbor"... AKA Destin! I hope you enjoy my recipes perfect for the beach or... Buffett! Cheers to Summer 2010!!!

Margaritas and Daiquiris TO-GO

Strawberry Daiquiris

2 pints of fresh strawberries, washed and sliced
1/4 cup of frozen limemade concentrate, thawed
4 oz of rum (more or less, depending on how drunk you want to get!)
1 oz of strawberry schnapps (optional)
2-3 glasses of ice


Frozen Lime Margaritas

6 oz tequila (Patron is the best!)
6 oz Triple Sec
2 oz Rose's lime juice
Few splashes of fresh lime juice
2-3 glasses of ice



Pineapple Daiquiris

1 15 oz can of crushed pineapple
4 oz rum (more or less, depending on how drunk you want to get!)
Juice of one lemon
2-3 glasses of ice

Mix all ingredients in blender. Pour into 4-6 sandwich size ziploc bags. Freeze in freezer. Take out and place in cooler to take to party. Frozen drink should thaw a bit and be slushy within a few hours. Cut hole in corner to create "spout" . Daiquiri/Margarita will be ready to drink!



Stuffed Jalapeno Chicken

4 chicken breasts
8 slices of bacon
8 oz of cream cheese, softened
1/4 cup or small can of diced jalapenos, drain and reserve juice
Seasoned Salt
Wooden Skewers or toothpicks

In small bowl, mash cream cheese with drained jalapenos with a fork. Add a little of the reserved jalapeno juice to make the cream cheese mixure spreadable. Take chicken breasts and slice in half. Put chicken breasts between plastic wrap and pound thin with a meat tenderizer. There should be 8 thin chicken breasts, long enough to wrap into a roll. Carefully spread cream cheese mixture into thin layer on each chicken breast. Sprinkle chicken with seasoned salt. Roll tightly and then wrap chicken with bacon. Secure with toothpicks/skewers. Heat up grill and grill for 8 - 10 minutes on each side. Bacon will burn a bit. Serve immediately!
**Definitely be careful working with chicken at an inebraited event. I had chicken rolls all ready to go in tubberware and used a spatula to transfer.


Margarita Chicken

1 package of chicken tenders
2 cups of margarita mix
1 package of shredded mexican cheese
Wooden Skewers

Pound chicken tenders till they are long and thin. Marinate chicken tenders in margarita mix overnight. Put chicken tenders on skewers and coat with shredded cheese. Place on grill and grill till chicken is completely cooked.


Miniature Margarita Cheesecakes

3 8 oz packages of cream cheese
3/4 cup of sugar
3 eggs
1/4 cup of margarita mix
Zest of one lime
24 gingersnaps or vanilla wafers (if gingersnaps don't fit in a muffin cup, use vanilla wafers)
24 cupcake/muffin cups
Spray whipped cream (optional)

Heat oven to 325 degrees. Use a bowl with a spout. Beat cream cheese till fluffy. Add sugar and eggs. Slowly beat in margarita mix and lime zest. Place muffin cups in muffin pan. Place one cookie in each muffin cup. Pour cream cheese mixure evenly into muffin tins (2/3 full). Bake for 20 minutes. Top with whipped cream if desired. Keep refrigerated!

***TIP FOR TAILGATING****

Make sure to have large containers filled with ice packs. A cheaper, easier way to make ice packs is to fill milk jugs or 2 liter bottles with water and freeze. Or fill large ziplock bags halfway with water and lie flat in freezer. It is imperative to have all of these items on ice. I find putting ice cubes on the food containers tends to make things leaky and messy. I find the ice packs work much better. Also, use all the food/drink items within 6-8 hours.

Bluebonnets, Blue Bell, and BBQ

As the gorgeous bluebonnets are blooming here in central Texas..and the smells of the neighborhood BBQ trailer flow through the open windows...and seeing Blue Bell ice cream stocked in the freezer, I am reminded of the new culinary delights I am finding in Austin, TX. Between all of the Mexican restaurants, the German restaurants, and the great markets, I am in heaven!

Being a military wife, I have lived many parts of the country. Each state I've lived in has had their share of fine food. Starting with my home state of Kansas, I'd say we are, of course, known for our great barbeque meats and a local favorite is Ross-Nunemaker sweet corn..it melts in your mouth! In Hawaii, I tried sushi, huli chicken, various fishes, poke (raw fish in a soy sauce), and various Asian-style dishes. Although some people will say Hawaii has some of the best food ever, I do not like fish or Asian food; therefore, I wasn't too fond of the food. The only thing I learned that I loved was the Huli chicken with pineapple salsa. Huli Chicken is a basic seasoned chicken cooked over an open fire grill and it tastes great after a long day on the beach. I left Hawaii..and didn't miss the foods too much, although they were fresh and excellent. Of course, I've written a whole blog on my southern cooking and eating experiences in Southern Alabama...I love it all! And in Northern New York? This was probably the worst place for any culinary delights. Watertown was on the border of Canada..and I am not aware of any foods that Canada is known for. In fact, the best Mexican place in a 100 mile radius of Watertown was a Tex Mex place in Kingston, Canada. I thought maybe there would be some great New York Italian places...but there weren't any that were great, unfortunately. The only thing I enjoyed and miss in NNY was the fabulous apple orchards with fresh apple cider doughnuts and cider. These could only be enjoyed for a month or two in the fall though.

And finally, we are in the great state of Texas. I don't know about you but it seems like men just LOVE Mexican food. And over the years, I have learned that I love Mexican food way more than I did growing up. In every place we have lived in the military, we have lacked in the Mexican restaurant department. Hawaii, of course, did not have any decent Mexican restaurants. Enterprise, AL had two restaurants..One was way too mild and the other got shut down for violation health-code reasons...possibly involving a goat. And finally, there wasn't one Hispanic person to be seen in the NNY region so there weren't any good Mexican restaurants up there as well. The Cantina in Sackets Harbor served salsa that wouldn't even burn my mild tongue and B was terribly disappointed. So, when B and I were counting down the days to gobbling down Mexican food down in Austin, we really expected to have Mexican every other weekend. And now... almost ten months into living in Texas, we've ate at a Mexican restaurant once!!! And it was actually a more authentic Mexican restaurant than traditional Tex-Mex. I had mole sauce for the first time...Not too fond of the cinnamon flavor in a Mexican dish but many people love it.

I've learned quite a few things about Texas cooking...just as I did with Southern Alabama cooking. First, Texas BBQ is a BIG deal. In Austin, there's quite a bit of debate on what's best.... Salt Lick, The County Line, Green Mesquite...etc. They even debate what kind of wood is best. And not even what type of wood..the age of the wood..the dryness of the wood.. etc. Sauces, spices, and rubs are everything..and most Texas BBQ seems spicy. There's definitely a difference between Tex-Mex and authentic Mexican food; however, I can't tell you specific differences yet. Finally, Texas has the best homemade tortillas. Every grocery store makes them fresh, right in front of you. When I pick up a bag of tortillas, they are often hot with steam trapped in the bag. They have a better flavor and texture...I love using them for everything.

I'm still hoping to go to one of those realllllly tasty Mexican restaurants sometime. And I still don't like Tex Mex or BBQ that is too spicy. I still feel out of place shopping at our nearest grocery store, Fiesta Mart. But, any guests that come to visit..salsa, guac, and fresh tortillas are always on the table. I've also learned that Lousiana is a close neighbor to Texas...and I'm starting to try gumbo and shrimp etoufee.. Might not like it all as much as I do cajun music. But I'm trying!

So, YA'LL....here's my three favorite "Tex Mex" inspired recipes. Enjoy!


Sarah's Sassy Salsa

10-12 GOOD tomatoes (I prefer ripe romas. If you use regular tomatoes, make it 7-8 depending on size)
1 onion
3-5 jalapenos (Use 3 and take seeds out for mild...use 5 and leave seeds in for HOT!)
4-5 large garlic cloves
1 small bunch of cilantro
1 tablespoon of Paula's House Seasoning (mix of salt, pepper, and garlic powder--or one teaspoon of each + one additional teaspoon of salt)
Olive Oil
Lime Juice

Cut tomatoes and jalapenos in half. Cut onion in fourths..save one fourth and set aside. Smash and peel garlic cloves. Set one aside. Place all tomatoes, jalapenos, and 3/4 of onion and remaining garlic cloves on large, foil-lined pan. Drizzle with a little olive oil. Place in oven under high broiler for 5-7 minutes. Watch carefully and take out when edges are starting to burn. While tomatoes are broiling, place cilantro, 1/4 of onion and 1 garlic clove in large food processor. Pulse a few times till ingredients are finely chopped. Leave in processor.

When tomatoes are broiled, take out and let cool for five minutes. Place all tomatoes, jalapenos, garlic, and onions in with the onion mixture in food processor. Pulse for 20-30 seconds till processed. If you like chunky salsa, pulse a few times. Add seasonings and a few dashes of lime juice and pulse again. Serve with chips. **Can be stored in airtight container for several weeks in refrigerator.


Sarah's Chicken Fajita Salad

My healthier salad form of Chicken Fajitas

1 bag of field greens salad mix
2 chicken breasts
1 half bottle of fajita marinade or 1 pkg of fajita mix, made according to directions
1 avocado
1 small red onion
1/4 cup of roughly chopped cilantro
1 small red pepper
1 roma tomato
1 cup of fresh grated pepper jack cheese

Vinegarette:

1 cup of medium salsa
1/2 cup of water
1/4 cup of olive oil
1 T of vinegar

Marinate chicken for a few hours before preparing salad. Grill chicken till fully cooked. Cool, slice into strips, and set aside. Arrange salad, tossing greens with cilantro, pepper, and onion. Arrange sliced chicken, diced tomato, and sliced avocado on top. Top with pepperjack cheese.

For Vinegarette:

Put in shakeable, closed container. Mix all ingredients and shake vigorously. Serve with salad.

***I like to serve this salad with the following quesadillas for some substance :) OR...you can serve salad and place in tortillas to eat "wrap style".


Sarah's Spinach Quesadillas

Because Sarah often hates meat....


6 Soft Taco Size Tortillas
1-1 1/2 cups of fresh monterey jack cheese (or pepper jack if you like things spicy)
1 bag of baby spinach
1 small onion, chopped
2-3 cloves of garlic, minced with garlic press
1 roma tomato, chopped (optional)
2 tablespoons of butter
Olive Oil
Salt, Pepper, Garlic (Paula's House Seasoning)

Heat oil and butter in pan over medium heat. *I add butter because it adds a little flavor to spinach* Add onion and garlic. Saute till softened. Add spinach one cup at a time. Spinach will wilt in pan and become runny. Add a teaspoon or two of seasoning. Saute over heat for a few minutes for spinach to absorb flavors. Toss in chopped tomato at end. Take off heat. Lightly drain off extra liquid if there's a lot.

Lightly oil a large frying pan or griddle and place on medium heat. Have all tortillas ready on counter. Spoon a generous spoonful of cheese and a large spoonful of spinach mixture in each tortilla. Carefully place on greased pan. Flip over side when quesadilla starts lightly browning. You can flip quesadilla a time or two till it is lightly browned and ends are sealed. Place on ovenproof pan. Cook rest of quesadillas same way. You can keep quesadillas in warm oven. Slice each quesadilla 3 times with pizza cutter. Serve with Chicken Fajita Salad.

The way to a man's heart...is through his stomach!

Clockwise: V-Day, 2008--Alex and I, V-Day, 2002--B and I in Alabama, V-Day, 2010--Triple Chocolate Mousse Cake

Well, another Valentine's Day has come and passed and I can honestly say that the best part of Valentine's Day is what I am going to bake. Sorry folks..I'm not a very lovey dovey schmuck...and neither is Brian (believe it or not hehe). We don't buy each other gifts anymore and we definitely don't go out to eat. But I do believe in making a thought-out, unique dinner that is a little bit more special than normal. I set the table and we actually sit at it.. And I always make a very unique dessert. We also have another milestone to celebrate. On February 16th, B and I got engaged at Disney World. Can't believe it's been eight years!

The first time I realized that men cared about how well you cook was in 7th grade. We had some sort of festival in my social studies class where we had to bring an international dish. I had a crush on a Hispanic boy...so my international dish was Chicken Enchiladas--HA! I carefully made them..and the Hispanic boy who never gave me attention certainly gave me attention that day. He was quite impressed. Mom used to make the high school coaches and LHS football players treats and dinners. And because of their love for Martha's food, they were always hanging around--which I loved! Throughout college and "BB" (Before Brian), I got my own apartment and attempted to make a few meals for a few boyfriends and male friends. I have to say..I usually did pretty well! Mom's shish kabobs and the enchiladas were always hits. On that engagement weekend Valentine's Day in Alabama in 2002 (a few days before we left for Floria), it was just the beginning of my attempts to make thought-out, romantic dinners. That night, I made some sort of Shrimp Scampi and Pasta dish, carefully picking out the best ingredients I could find at the Wal-Mart in Enterprise--EEK! But my special treat was a Strawberry Shortcake with Chocolate Sauce. I realized then there is something really delicious about strawberries, chocolate, and ice cream.

Over the years, B has been gone to Iraq for two Valentine's Days..almost missing three (he came back a few days before V-Day in 2005). I will never forget the last Valentine's Day I was by myself in Northern New York. I had my dear friend Alexandra over for the day. We went to the salon and had our hair done..we went out for some girly drinks, and we had a nice dinner at my house. I made a dish--Spinach Penne Pasta with Broiled Chicken Parmesan-- that I have made before..and it always impressed house guests. Brian loves it as well. It looks pretty and it tastes wonderful. Plus, it's a nice balance of appealing to ladies..and being filling enough for a guy :). This dish is definitely "dressed to impress" and one of my favorite dishes that guests love.

As I mentioned earlier, I realized that the dessert was my most special part of the Valentine's meal. Over the years, I've made Brian cheesecake many times...because that is his favorite. Unfortunately, it's not mine. For Alex, on our Deployment Valentine's Day, I made up something that really impressed her..and I think would impress any woman. So guys...listen up! (Do any guys read my blog?!) I wanted to create something with strawberries, brownies, and ice cream--and I wanted it to look fancy. So, I made a Brownie Strawberry Dessert-ini. It was FABULOUS! It was so simple..and anyone can do it--trust me.

Tonight, B and I had our Valentine's Dinner. You might ask why I made it tonight. You might think we are celebrating the engagement anniversary...not so. Sarah had her once in a very rare blue moon night of drinks with Brian and our friend Matt. And..let's just say I cannot handle drinking like I used to :(. So, unfortunately, I was in no shape to make a special dinner Sunday night. But, tonight, I was able to make it..and he said it was as good as any dinner you would get at Roy's or Ruth Chris. SO, I think in eight years, I've moved up in the romantic cooking world--yay! We had a really great aged ribeye (thank God for Central Market and Whole Foods in Austin), artichoke risotto, garlic broccoli, and ciabatta bread. As usual, I had to do something awesome for a dessert. And that I did.. I made a triple chocolate layer mousse cake (pictured above). Needless to say, this cake was very difficult to make and I would only recommend if you plan ahead and have a lot of patience with it. It was delicious and it beautiful.

And I realized that the artichoke risotto (which was B's favorite in the meal) is kind of like marriage. It takes patience, care, and attention. Ahhh! I can't believe these words are coming out of this anti-schmuck's mouth! So, here's three of my favorite "loving" recipes from Valentine's Days present..and past. They'll win over any man (or woman's) heart!!


Sassy Recipes of the Week:

Artichoke Risotto

3 tablespoons of butter
1/3 cup of finely chopped shallots
1/4 cup of a dry white wine (I used Chardonnay)
1 cup of arborio rice
20-24 ounces of chicken broth
1/2 cup of fresh grated parmesan cheese
1/2 cup of chopped artichokes (drain and pat dry)

**This dish requires constant stirring and attention..thus the marriage reference! This is a wonderful compliment dish for a great steak.

In medium pot, bring chicken broth to boil. Set aside. Place butter in separate dutch oven and put over medium heat. Cook shallots in butter till lightly browned--1 minute. Add rice to butter mixture. Stir constantly till rice is lightly browned--2-3 minutes. Carefully and slowly add white wine and stir till rice absorbs liquid. Add one cup of the broth slowly to the rice mixture. Stir constantly till all liquid is absorbed--about 5-7 minutes. Repeat this process 4-5 times till all of the chicken broth is gone (one cup at a time). When all the broth is absorbed, test the rice. It should be soft. If not, add another cup of broth and repeat process. Stir in cheese and artichokes, stirring for 2-3 minutes over low heat. Serve immediately.


Spinach Penne Pasta With Broiled Chicken Parmesan

PASTA:

1 box of penne or bowtie pasta
1 32 ounce box of chicken broth
1 package of baby spinach
2-3 cloves of fresh garlic--use fresh--the jarred kind just does not provide the same flavor
3 ounces of light cream cheese
3/4 cup of feta cheese
1/3 cup of freshly grated parmesan cheese
pepper

CHICKEN:

2-3 cups of any Italian marinade
4 chicken breasts, sliced and pounded thin
1/2 cup of freshly grated parmesan cheese
Italian seasoning

Marinate chicken breasts for several hours in Italian marinade beforehand. Cook pasta in chicken broth, according to box directions. While pasta is cooking, place garlic in a medium sized food processor and process till finely chopped. Reserve a half cup of the spinach and set aside. Add rest of spinach to processor, and process till spinach is almost a creamy texture. Add all cheeses and a few shakes of pepper and process till sauce is a thick, green cream mixture. When pasta is almost al dente, dip a third cup measuring cup into the chicken broth/pasta water and slowly add to spinach sauce. Process again till smooth and creamy. Set aside.

Place chicken breasts on greased, foil lined broiler pan. Place in oven under high broiler heat. These breasts, if sliced thin, will cook for 5-7 minutes so watch carefully. Flip after half of chicken is cooked (white). Sprinkle breasts with parmesan cheese and italian seasoning. Place under broiler and bake for another 7-8 minutes, till chicken is cooked thoroughly and cheese is a nice golden brown.

Towards the end of the chicken cooking time, drain pasta. Roughly chop reserved spinach and toss with hot pasta. Stir in spinach sauce. Add additional chicken broth if pasta is too thick.

Serve pasta in individual pasta bowls and place sliced chicken breasts on top. Sprinkle with parmesan cheese. If serving two, save the rest--it makes great leftovers.

Brownie Strawberry Dessert-ini

**This is so easy, anyone can do this!

1 batch of brownies, homemade, storebought or box. **Box mix brownies are great and easy. Cook in the biggest pan recommended, according to directions. Do not slice!
1 small container of fresh strawberries, washed and sliced
2 tablespoons of amaretto
1 teaspoon of sugar
1 pint of favorite vanilla ice cream
1/2 cup of jarred hot fudge sauce
Miniature chocolate chips
Fresh Whipped Cream (optional)

Place sliced strawberries in glass bowl and toss with sugar and amaretto. Cover dish with plastic wrap and place in fridge for an hour before serving dessert. Make brownies according to directions. Let cool. Heat hot fudge sauce, according to package directions. Set aside. Use a large heart shaped cookie cutter and carefully cut out 4 heart shaped brownies--save scraps to munch on throughout week :). Place heart brownie in a pretty martini glass--mine laid against the side of the martini glass. Place one small scoop of vanilla ice cream on the side of the brownie. Cover with a spoonful of strawberries and amaretto sauce. Lightly drizzle hot fudge sauce and sprinkle with miniature chocolate chips. Dollup with a little whipped cream. Serve immediately.

The REAL Story On Me and Paula Deen

** I am sorry I have been MIA and late posting my blog. I had a colonoscopy a few weeks ago and my stomach has not been the same since. So, the idea of food and cooking has made me feel ill at times! I'm slowly getting better though. :)**


If you know me at all, you know that I LOVE Paula Deen. You may have read my first blog, “My Obsession With Southern Cooking”. When I moved down to Alabama, I became enriched with the southern culture, including cooking. I believe that within a week or two of moving down to Alabama and getting settled in, I started watching the Food Network. And with the Food Network came this lady that reminded me a little bit of my mom, southern style. That was, of course, Paula Deen. Her food was simple and real, wholesome and fattening. This was in 2006, before she really got too crazy with all of her business adventures. She had two restaurants, a handful of cookbooks, and one show on the Food Network--Paula's Home Cooking. And I learned that Paula's hometown, Albany, GA, was not too far as the crow flies from our town in Alabama. As I mentioned in my Southern Cooking blog, I loved her two original Lady and Sons cookbooks and I find them to have some of the best southern style recipes. So, every day I watched her religiously and tried many of her recipes, still using the local southern influence to inspire me.

Brian and I went to Europe in June of 2006 and were fortunate to fly out of Charleston for the flight. We had a few days to spend in Savannah and Charleston. This is when I fell in love with Savannah and I still say to this day "the best part of our European vacation was Savannah, Georgia"... We didn't have time to eat at her restaurant though. Many months later, we moved to NY and I was determined to get back to Savannah and to continue my love for Paula even in the extreme north. I will sheepishly admit that I wrote her a letter and she replied immediately with an autographed photo, which I proudly displayed on my fridge. During an after church dinner at the house, my new friend, Christin James, told me SHE loved Paula as well. This made me even more determined to get to Savannah. When Sarah wants something, she gets it!!! Three months later after B deployed to Iraq, I convinced my parents to accompany me on a trip to Savannah and Charleston. And, I wanted to treat my mom to a Mother's Day lunch at The Lady and Sons. After being completely and utterly stuffed, we all agreed that she had a buffet filled with the richest, most tasty foods ever. We also ate at Uncle Bubba's and found it to be almost as great if not better than the other restaurant. I was in heaven and both were everything I hoped they would be.

But BEFORE I even made the trip to Savannah, I started researching Paula Deen's website. I was determined to get more...I was going to MEET Paula Deen! At this point, in May of 2007, Paula was really starting to get popular. She had a magazine, an increasing amount of cookbooks, and a second show, Paula's Party. On her website, she was advertising they were taking applications for audience members. I hastily called Christin and within an hour or two we had typed up our "reasons" for wanting to be on the show. Of course, we had to use the Iraq card...and Christin's anniversary was the same weekend as one of the tapings. Words cannot describe how elated we were when I got the call saying we were accepted and scheduled for the June 16 taping. Meanwhile, the producers called me and asked how we could plan a suprise anniversary wish to Christin from Jason, her husband. Long story short, we headed down to Savannah and Christin did not have a clue that the producers had arranged for Jason to do a videotaped message and they were going to prepare her dream wedding reception dinner, filet mignon and lobster. Three weeks after my trip to Savannah with my folks, I was heading back to be on Paula's Party.

Early that morning, we arrived at the site of the taping, Uncle Bubba's Oyster House. We were treated so wonderfully and were placed right in the front row. We sited several celebrities (Billy Joel's wife and wedding planner David Tutera). The producers reminded us repeatedly to always wash our hands if we were on tape and they encouraged us to ask questions. I remember when they asked us if any of us would NOT eat caviar...Christin nudged me and said "don't you DARE say yes!" The taping began...it was lengthy and just plain silly at times. We were all driven to tears when Christin was finally called up and they played Jason's message. There were many memories of the day..but two stick out in my mind. First, Paula was walking away and I got her attention. We told her we "bonded" through our fascination of her..she was so sweet and kind to talk to us. The second moment was after the show--we were given beautiful flowers and we got to meet Paula's husband, Michael Groover. What a wonderful guy...he was so kind and down-to-earth. Overall, it was an amazing day we both will not forget. The show aired on September 9th and Christin and I hosted a watching party. I made all of the food from the show..and Christin was on the verge of giving birth to Nathaniel (she did two days later).

But my story with Paula is not over... A month later after we returned from the show, I got an email asking if I had any recipes that could be featured on Paula's NEW show, Paula's Best Dishes. I shared the recipe that is one of Martha's most popular and requested recipes--Cream Cheese Bread. A day later, I got a call from the producer saying that my recipe was chosen and they were going to book my flight soon. I was pretty estatic. To know that I was going to make my recipe WITH Paula..ON TV...I just could not wait. Unfortunately.... I got a call a week before my flight saying that the Food Network didn't approve it. This broke my heart. I saw it as an opportunity to really get my foot in the door in the southern cooking world. At the time, there was talk that our unit would move to Savannah..and I thought I could be the sugar mama in the family by owning my own bakery in Savannah!! It was not meant to be though and I still hold hopes for that opportunity.

So..I am not going to post my favorite recipes by Paula Deen. There's nothing I would do to change them and they are a little lengthy. Surprisingly, my favorite recipes AREN'T too southern or rich. But, they are amazing and great for company.

Baked Spaghetti http://www.pauladeen.com/index.php/recipes/view2/baked_spaghetti/

**This is honestly one of the best recipes ever..much better than traditional baked spaghetti recipes. It's my favorite for company.

Tastes Like Lasagna Soup http://www.pauladeen.com/index.php/recipes/view2/tastes_like_lasagna_soup/

**It really does taste like lasagna..and it's much easier! My favorite soup recipe of all time.


And finally..here is the recipe I think Paula would love. It contains all of her favorite ingredients: butter, sour cream, and cream cheese. This was the recipe that was going to be featured on her show.

As Paula would says..."Best Dishes!"

Sassy Recipe of the Week:

Cream Cheese Bread
Bread:
1 8 oz. carton of sour cream
1/2 c sugar
1/2 c margarine
1 tsp. salt
2 pkg. yeast
1/2 c warm water
2 eggs
4 c flour

Filling:
2 8 oz. pkg. cream cheese
3/4 c sugar
1 egg
1/8 tsp. salt
2 tsp. vanilla

Frosting:
2 c powdered sugar
3 oz. package of cream cheese
1/2 stick of softened butter
1/2 tsp. vanilla
Enough milk to make spreadable

Melt first four ingredients of bread ingredients in a pan. Put on heat and mix together till melted and smooth. Cool these ingredients till lukewarm. Meanwhile, mix yeast mixture and warm water in large bowl. Let sit for five minutes. Add eggs and cooled sour cream mixture. Stir in flour till smooth. Cover tightly. Refrigerate at least four hours.

Beat filling until ingredients are smooth. Divide dough into 3 or 4 pieces. Roll out into 8x12 pieces of dough, very thin. Spread equal parts of filling over bread to 1/2 inch of edge. Roll up tightly, sealing edges and placing edges down on lightly greased cookie sheet. Make slashes across top of roll. You may also make individual rolls. Form small balls and make an indention on the top with a spoon. Put one spoonful of filling on top of roll. Cover with plastic wrap and let raise 45 minutes. Bake at 375 degrees for 15-20 minutes. Frost with frosting.

Beet Cake..and Other Unique Douglas County 4-H Cooking Entries

Sarah cooking for 4-H projects..sometime during the 1980's

For 12 years, I participated in Douglas County 4-H. Many people tend to assume that 4-H is only for farm kids and in 4-H, you only show animals at the fair. Despite all my begging for that steer...I only took clothing/sewing, crops, leadership, and... cooking. I am very grateful for these many years of cooking lessons from various 4-H ladies, including my mom. There were definitely some memorable experiences in 4-H cooking. I will never forget the girl that took a bread baking project from my mom..and she was afraid of flour! Once, I was doing a cooking demonstration, possibly one of my first demonstrations, making "Mary's Eggs" (Mary Ross). I put the fork I was using to stir the eggs in the microwave and nearly set the microwave on fire! Finally, there have been countless disasters and messes over the years when you are trying to teach kids how to cook. Who's the worst...a young child trying to cook..or a ditzy, annoying teenager?! Ask Martha..she would likely tell you, as she taught Bread Making mostly to teenagers.

Despite all of the disasters, I would recommend 4-H, especially home-ec type projects like cooking and sewing, to any youngster because it teaches you meaningful life skills. But this blog isn't about 4-H...it's about 4-H fair entries and the outstanding, unique, and straight out weird recipes that go with them. At some point during my 12 years of 4-H cooking projects, it became the right thing to make healthy recipes for fair entries. During the 90's, we were definitely on a health kick, starting to use whole grains, less fats and sugars, and more veggies and fruits. So, with this health kick, the fair judges definitely started looking for healthy recipes. And I remember as a kid, this wasn't very fun for me! I wanted to make brownies and things that looked pretty. Whole wheat prune bars aren't really nice to look at, nor do they taste good for that matter.

I can't remember many of the recipes I used for the fair, but here are a few that stick out in my mind. The first one is very simple and it is a recipe that I made for my first demonstration at 7 years old. The next one is the one recipe I came close to winnig a championship ribbon for. Unfortunately, in all my years of 4-H, I did not receive one championship or reserve championship ribbon and I always hoped I would :). When I entered the second recipe, I received third place and took it to the state fair. I was also asked by Arden Booth's daughter-in-law to make this bread for her personally--Arden Booth was an amazing supporter of Douglas County 4-H and is well respected in Lawrence, KS. The third recipe is some crazy idea that my mother had--Chocolate Beet Cake. Many people do not know this but I despise beets and the smell alone makes me gag. So, the idea of a Chocolate Beet cake is just crazy to me. However, after making it, I realized it had less sugar and fat than a traditional cake. And the beets made it incredibly moist. My picky tongue could very faintly taste the beets but it wasn't too bad. Finally, the last recipe is one I found recently that I would definitely do as a fair entry, if I was in 4-H now. They were delicious!

So, here's to 4-H cooking and always trying "To Make the Best Better!"

Sassy Recipes of the Week

Marigold Salad
**Great recipe for little ones

12-15 strawberries, stemmed and halved
1 large red apple, any variety
1 banana
Peanut butter
Sunflower seeds
Lemon Juice

Core apple but do not peel. Cut apple into 1/4 inch slices (so slices are thick round disks). Slice banana into bite size pieces. Place both in lemon juice to avoid browning. Dry apple slices (should be around four) and place on a serving plate. Press banana slices into apple where core was (banana might be slightly smashed). Spread peanut butter over entire apple and banana slice. Place another banana on top of the other banana and spread that banana with a tiny bit of peanut butter. Arrange sliced strawberries around the banana to represent petals. Sprinkle peanut butter topped banana with sunflower seeds.

Maple Pecan Coffee Twist

BREAD:
1 package or a tablespoon of yeast
1/4 cup warm water
3/4 cup warm milk
1/2 cup mashed potatoes
1/2 cup shortening
1/4 cup sugar
2 eggs
1 1/2 teaspoon maple extract
1/2 teaspoon salt
4 to 5 cups all-purpose flour
FILLING:
1/2 cup sugar
1/2 cup chopped pecans
1 teaspoon cinnamon
1 teaspoon maple extract
1 stick of butter, room temperature
ICING:
1-1/2 cups powdered sugar
1/4 teaspoon maple extract
A few tablespoons of milk

Mix the yeast with the warm water and let set till foamy, about five minutes. Mix the rest of the bread ingredients till a dough forms. Knead for several minutes and form into a ball. Place dough ball in a greased bowl, cover with a towel, and let raise for an hour.
For the filling, mix all ingredients except butter till combined and set aside. Melt butter in microwave, set aside. Take dough and divide into three parts. Roll each part into separate large circles, about 15 inches. Place one circle on a large greased baking sheet. Brush circle with 1/3 of the melted butter and sprinkle with 1/3 of the filling. Seal the edges by pinching the ends of the dough together, completely around. Place a second circle on top, and repeat process. Place the last piece of dough on top and spread with butter and filling. Place a glass or round object in the middle. Take kitchen shears and gently slice dough circle into sixteen even slices, NOT cutting through entire circle--just to edge of glass. Carefully twist each slice several times. When finished with all slices, pinch edges together and tuck underneath. Cover with a towel and let raise for an hour. Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Mix all ingredients for glaze. Set aside. Bake for 25-30 minutes. When you take bread out of oven, slide a spatula underneath and transfer to wire rack to cool. Drizzle with icing. Slice and serve.

Chocolate Beet Cake

4 ounces of semisweet chocolate (I prefer Ghiradelli 60% Cacoa)
1 cup of oil
2 cups of sugar
3 eggs
2 cups of pureed cooked or canned beets
2 cups sifted flour
2 teaspooons baking soda
1/2 teaspoon of salt
1 teaspoon of vanilla
Powdered sugar

Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Melt chocolate with 1/4 cup of oil over double boiler or in microwave. Cool chocolate for a few minutes. Beat sugar and eggs together till fluffy. Stir in the remaining oil, beets, and melted chocolate. Beat thoroughly. Sift flour with salt and baking soda; add to batter. Stir in vanilla. Pour into greased and floured bundt pan. Bake until inserted toothpick comes out clean (baking times vary). Take out of pan and cool on wire rack. Dust with powdered sugar.


Chocolate Zucchini Brownies

3 cups flour
3/4 cup dutch processed cocoa
1 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon salt
2 teaspoons cinnamon
2 cups of zucchini, shredded
1 stick of butter, melted
2 cups sugar
1 cup oil
2 large eggs
1 teaspoon of vanilla
2 cups of chocolate chips (I prefer Ghiradelli 60% cacoa chips)

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Mix together flour, cocoa, soad, salt, and cinnamon. In separate bowl, mix together zucchini and butter. Combine with flour mixture, mixing well. In same separate bowl, mix sugar, oil, eggs, and vanilla. Combine with flour-zucchini mixture. Stir all together till mixed well. Stir in chocolate chips. Bake for 30 minutes. Cool and slice into bars.

Give Me The Butter!!!

Two years ago, a wonderful friend of mine from the Pennsylvania Dutch Country said “I will never eat margarine…always have real butter on the table.” Over the years, I’ve gone through different types of butters and margarines. I remember the big tan tub of Country Crock being in our fridge as a little kid. Here’s something to think about folks…if a tub of “butter” is located in the dry goods section of the Wal-Mart, then it’s probably a good idea NOT to eat it, despite the great value. I remember during Martha’s diet stages in the late 80’s we acquired the spray butters. Spray butter makes me cringe when I think about what exactly makes up that concoction. Ew. This was definitely the age of America’s obsession with margarine. No, Fabio, I really can believe it’s not butter. During the late ninties, it came out in health and nutrition reports how bad trans fats were and butter made a comeback! And Martha gave up on the old dieting ways and resorted back to a good ol’ stick of butter . Real butter. In recent years, I’ve tried the whipped butter, the canola butter, the “light” canola butter (margarine in disguise), etc. But with time, I’ve realized nothing beats softened butter. And yes, it needs to stay out on the table or counter..not in the fridge. My mom, Martha, is finally getting better at this!

Did you hear about the Texas State Fair’s most-talked about food? Yes, it was Fried Butter. I heard about it on the local Austin radio stations and our army friend, Andrew Wild, told us it was quite tasty. And you know if it is featured on Oprah, it has to be the next big thing. I was surprised to see Oprah taste it with reservations….I figured she’d dive right in! I’m not an Oprah watcher…but I was very intrigued to watch how exactly this fried butter is made. I figured that a pat or ball of butter was dipped in a sweet batter of some sort and flash fried—my guess was correct. This fall, it was the biggest hit of the fair. Despite its competition with deep fried peaches and cream and deep fried pecan pies, it stood on top, making it the talk of the town. Unfortunately, we did not make it to the Texas State Fair this year…but we will next year and I WILL be trying some deep fried butter! I will also try not to puke…

So, here’s what I’ve learned about butter. It does need to stay out on the counter. It will be soft and perfect for spreading and it is not unsafe to leave it out. If you are like me and go through at least a stick a week, it won’t have time to get nasty. Unsalted butters are best on breads such as sourdough or any bread with a distinct flavor that the butter will not mask. Sometimes it’s a matter of north/south. My in-laws (father-in-law, Jim, is from Philly) always use unsalted butter on the table. The first time I ate at their house I wasn’t too sure about it, but now I realize it can really enhance the flavor of a good bread and not mask it. I love it with artisan breads. All southerners use salted butter for everything..and I do too. I prefer the salty taste to match with maple syrup or jelly. Have you ever tried toast with butter and peanut butter?! Yes, it’s one of my guilty pleasures! Don’t knock it till you try it. It can be the best breakfast or late night snack. Finally, if you look in my fridge, you will see a few measly sticks of margarine. The reality is, some recipes turn out better with margarine than with butter. I try to use margarine without trans fats though. For instance, Martha’s chocolate chip cookies turn out much better with margarine and I really can’t tell you the scientific answer for why. They will have a better consistency and texture. But if your recipe calls for butter for anything except SOME cookies, it’s best to use the real thing…salted or unsalted depending on preference.
So, here are a few of my favorite butter-filled recipes. And as the Old Dutch proverb states…

“Eat butter first, and eat it last, and live till a hundred years be past.”

Sassy Recipe of the Week:
Very Simple and Delectable Shortbread:
**I prefer making my shortbread in a shortbread pan with indented snowflakes. It can be purchased on various websites, including amazon.com

¾ c of softened butter 1 ½ c flour
½ cup of powdered sugar ½ t vanilla or almond extract

Preheat oven to 325 degrees. Beat butter with hand mixer till light and creamy. Beat in powdered sugar and then vanilla. Work the flour into the dough till stiff and smooth. Transfer to board and knead with hands. Press firmly into pan so patterns will show on shortbread. Prick dough with fork several times. Bake in oven for 30-35 minutes until lightly browned. Take out of oven and let sit for ten minutes. Slide knife along edges and quickly and carefully flip onto cutting board. Slice squares gently while shortbread is still warm. Sprinkle with powdered sugar.

Old-Fashioned Butter Pound Cake with Strawberries:

2 sticks of softened butter 1 c. of sour cream
2 1/2 c. of sugar ½ t baking soda
2 1/2 c. of flour 5 large eggs
1 t of vanilla ½ t of almond extract
Fresh sliced strawberries whipped cream

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. With a hand mixer, cream the butter till light and fluffy. Add the sugar, followed by sour cream. Sift flour and baking soda together and set aside. Mix eggs in small bowl. Add third of flour mixture to batter, followed by a third of the beaten eggs, switching till batter is combined. Mix in extracts. Pour batter into greased Bundt cake pan and cook for hour and fifteen minutes to hour and a half. Cool on baking rack for 20 minutes and flip onto cutting board. Slice and serve with fresh whipped cream and strawberries.

Top Secret Recipes…Yeah, right!

Have you ever googled “Red Lobster’s Cheese biscuits” or “Cinnabon Cinnamon Rolls” or “Houlihan’s Spinach Artichoke Dip”? Have you ever received the junk mail “Top Secret Recipes from your Favorite Restaurants”? I’ve done this..and I’ve got that email. Let me tell you…most restaurants keep pretty good tabs on their special recipes because those released “top secret” recipes are often crap! Now, I subscribe many cooking magazines and one of the magazine's sections is titled “Almost Famous” and although I haven’t tried many of the tempting ones, I have to wonder if they might be crap, too.

Here’s a perfect example. I really love Cinnabon Cinnamon rolls. I love the stringy yeasty dough, the intense cinnamon flavor, and the cream cheese frosting. Cinnamon rolls are one of my three “weakness foods” (be on lookout for weakness food blog). So, when I received the “Top Secret Restaurant Recipes” email from my friend Marla, I immediately tried the recipe for Cinnabon rolls. I will admit..the ingredients were a little strange. Tonic water in the dough? Bran flakes in the cinnamon filling? This didn’t make sense..but I thought maybe they were the secret ingredients that made Cinnabons special. So, I took some tonic out of the bar and I picked out bran flakes from a box of Raisin Bran and I made the “Cinnabon” cinnamon rolls..and I know I made it correctly. They may have looked right when they came out of the oven, but after the first bite, I knew they were not right. I could taste the tonic water in the dough and that was NOT a good thing. The filling was odd to say the least and overall, it tasted nothing like a Cinnabon cinnamon roll. This was a disaster!

Well, it’s New Year’s Eve tomorrow and today I googled “Melting Pot Fondue recipes” and came up with a few things but…. not exactly what I wanted. Take a guess what we’re having for New Year’s with our friends! I wanted the simple cheese-beer fondue and one of the chocolate fondues, and I wanted them to taste EXACTLY like the Melting Pot’s recipes. Instead of recipes, the first entry to pop up was a bookstore's copy of the Melting Pot’s own recipe book! This was perfect. We’ll have to see how it turns out, but I think fondue is a good choice for New Year’s and I played with the recipes to see how it turned out. Sometimes, it’s nice when restaurants share their “secrets”. Those are the best cookbooks!

For now, here are a few of my favorite “restaurant-style” recipes, including the fondues I am making for tomorrow. Cheers to 2010!!!


Sassy Recipes of the Week:
Tasty Cheddar Biscuits:
Recipe adapted by me

2 c. flour
1 1/2 T baking powder
2 1/2 t sugar
1/4 t salt
1/2 t garlic powder
4 T vegetable shortening
4 T cold butter, cut into pieces
1 1/2 c shredded sharp cheddar cheese (not pre-packaged bagged kind, freshly shredded)
1 c milk
Garlic butter:
3 T butter
1 clove garlic, finely chopped
1 t parsley

Preheat oven to 425 degrees. Grease baking sheet or use pizza stone.

Pulse the first five ingredients in a food processor. Add the shortening and pulse until combined. Add the butter, repeat process. Pour in the milk and pulse just until the mixture is moistened and forms a dough. Mix in cheese. Turn out onto counter and gently knead until it makes dough ball. Knead as little as possible or the biscuits will be tough. Spoon the dough onto the baking sheet and bake until biscuits are lightly brown, 15 to 20 minutes.

While biscuits are baking, make the garlic sauce. Melt the butter with the garlic in a small saucepan for 1 minute, careful not to burn garlic. Remove from heat and stir in the parsley. Brush the biscuits with the garlic butter.


Chocolate Fondue:
Recipe adapted by me

8 ounces Ghiradelli 60% cacao chips
8 ounces of caramel sauce
4 T crunchy peanut butter (or creamy if you do not want pieces of nuts)
1 t rum
Canola oil
Strawberries, bananas, pretzels, dried apricots, marshmallows, cubed poundcake, cubed brownies

Stir first three ingredients in double broiler over medium heat. Mix till smooth and creamy. Carefully mix in teaspoon of rum. **I found this fondue to be very thick so I had to add a little canola oil. Pour into fondue pot and serve with fruits and sweets.

Cheese & Beer Fondue
Recipe adapted by me

2 1/2 cups shredded sharp cheddar cheese (fresh cheese, not pre-shredded bagged kind, works best
3 cloves of garlic finely chopped
3 T flour
1 cup of light beer
1/2 t dried mustard
Dash of Worcestershire sauce
Dash of hot sauce
Cubed sourdough bread, sliced granny apple, pretzels, tortilla chips, carrots, celery

Prepare double broiler over medium-high heat and spray pan with Pam. Coat cheese with flour. Saute garlic with a little olive oil. Saute for minute. Add half of cheese and beer. Stir constantly till it is smooth and melted. Add sauces and mustard. Stir and add rest of cheese. **You might need to add more beer if sauce is too thick.** Transfer to fondue pot and serve with breads, pretzels, etc.