Weeknight Bites: Seared Scallops with Bacon, Cabbage and Apple

Scallops could quite possibly be one of my favorite foods. They're so delicious, versatile and easy to make - what more could you ask for? Today's recipe is fresh, bright and really allows the scallops to shine as the star of the dish. It comes from the January/February 2013 issue of Cooking Light (ya, ok, I'm a little obsessed with this magazine), and though I made a few minor changes of my own, it's definitely a keeper. Need a quick and healthy but still fabulous dinner recipe this week? This one won't disappoint.

Seared Scallops with Bacon, Cabbage and Apple

Adapted from Cooking Light magazine (Jan/Feb 2013)

3 center-cut bacon slices, cut into 1/2-inch pieces

6 cups thinly sliced green cabbage

1 tsp dried thyme

1/2 cup water

1 chopped Gala apple

3 tbs cider vinegar

1/2 tsp black pepper

1 tbs canola oil

16 large sea scallops (1 lb)

1/4 tsp salt

2 tsp fresh dill, chopped

Cook bacon pieces in a large, deep skillet over medium-high heat until crisp. Remove bacon pieces from pan, keeping drippings in the skillet. 

Add sliced cabbage and dried thyme to pan and saute for 2 minutes, stirring occasionally. Add 1/2 cup water and bring mixture to a boil. Reduce heat to medium and cover pan.

Cook for 5 minutes, then stir in chopped apple and cider vinegar. Cover and cook 5 minutes. Stir in bacon and 1/4 tsp pepper.

Separately, heat a heavy skillet over high heat. Add oil to pan and swirl to coat. Season scallops lightly with salt and pepper, then add to pan and cook for 3 minutes on each side or until scallops are done (3 minutes works well for cook time on large scallops; use 2 minutes for smaller). 

Place 1 cup cabbage mixture on each of 4 plates. Arrange 4 scallops on each serving and sprinkle with dill.

Until next time...

Cheers!

Snack Pack: Crunchy BBQ Chick Peas (GF)

In my last post, I mentioned that I recently decided to go gluten-free. I have to say, it's been more difficult than I imagined. I've cheated a couple (ok, maybe several) times. Even so, I do notice a difference (a positive one) in the way I feel in the times when I stick to it. I also REALLY notice a difference (a not-so-positive one) when I mistakenly (or, more often than not, purposely - I told you, it's been hard) eat something with gluten in it.

Many people ask me why I initially decided that this was something I wanted to try. I'm not Celiac, so it wasn't as if I HAD to do it. That being said, I'd talked to several friends and family members who had gone GF, some more recently than others, and after having discussions with people who swore that a GF diet had changed their life, I did some research of my own.

I've dealt with G.I. issues since I can remember, and I've been taking some form of acid-reducing/acid-inhibiting medication on a regular basis since I was in high school. Much of the research that I read about a GF diet indicated that it may help to relieve some of the persistent (and uncomfortable) symptoms that come along with tummy troubles. So I decided I'd try it. I'd rather control my issues naturally than have to take medication all the time.

I did really well for the first month or so (everything I've read says you really have to be GF for 6 weeks or more to get all of that icky gluten out of your system initially, so it will likely take that long to truly see how the diet will work for you), but unfortunately, lately I've kind of fallen off the wagon.

I love pastas and pizza and heck, apparently I love bread. A lot. And yes, you can eat all of those things and still be gluten-free, but it just isn't the same. And honestly, the stuff hides EVERYWHERE! Soups, salad dressing, sauces...spices, for goodness sake. I find myself checking the labels of everything I eat, hoping and praying before I look at the ingredient list that I won't find something forbidden.

I think that my true problem with eliminating gluten from my diet is that I'm such a proponent of EASY cooking. You can make a perfectly healthy, easy dinner for yourself and for your family and it doesn't have to be gluten-free. So really, I have to weigh the pros and cons every time I make my menu. Continue to eat gluten even though I know that I can do my body better if I don't? Or sacrifice a little more time in the kitchen/making my menu so that I feel as great as possible? I'm trying to do the latter. And once I figure out the maze that is gluten-free eating, my goal is to figure out a way to make it easy, too.

One of the biggest problems that I had during my first two weeks of this diet was figuring out how to keep my caloric intake in the right place. I needed something to nibble on in between meals, something that would fill me up enough to hold me over and prevent me from picking up something I wasn't supposed to eat just because I was that hungry. I needed snacks.

Today's recipe is a tried and true one for me. I honestly make these probably three times a week. My husband and I are addicted to them. I've made them with all kinds of flavor combinations, too, and I always enjoy them. The recipe I'm giving you just happens to be one of my favorite combos, but feel free to try your own as well (seriously, even just salt and pepper works great!).

1 can chickpeas (garbanzo beans)

1 tbsp olive oil

chili powder (I use McCormick - check your label!)

ground cumin (I also use McCormick)

salt

pepper

Preheat your oven to 400 degrees. Drain chickpeas and pour beans onto a baking sheet. Drizzle olive oil over beans and stir to coat. Sprinkle chili powder, ground cumin, salt and pepper on beans, mixing together to coat well (use as much as you like, there are no exact measurements here. I sprinkle enough to cover the beans evenly). Place in preheated oven for 20 minutes.

Remove from oven and stir beans. Add back to preheated oven for 15 minutes. 

Allow chickpeas to cool for 5 minutes. Enjoy!

Until next time...

Cheers!

 

New Year, New Life

Happy New Year, everyone! I realize that this sentiment is slightly delayed since 2013 has been here for a full two weeks now, but hey - like they always say, better late than never, right?

2013. Wow. Where has the time gone? This year marks 11 years since I graduated from high school, 7 years since I graduated from college (SEVEN?!? whew!), and 6 years since I first started my job at Norfolk Southern. It also marks the last year of my twenties...good grief. Wasn't it just yesterday that I was turning 21?

Sometimes it feels that way. Like 11 years ago was just here, a blink of an eye away. Like 7 years was a blur. And I guess, in the big grand scheme of things, it isn't really that long.

Sometimes, though, it feels like forever. When I sit down and think about all of the things that have happened to me in the last decade (plus 365), I realize how wonderfully full my life has been. I've been places, done things. Fallen in love. Found new friends. Lost touch. Mourned. Renewed my Faith. Learned new things (every day). I bought my first car, became a homeowner, adopted animals, watched my family grow. Got married. Taught myself to cook. Read a lot of books...a LOT of books.

Started a blog. Wrote a book.

Found myself.

I know that most of my blogs are typically short, sweet and to the point (and always contain a yummy recipe for you to try), but tonight, I'm not going to do that. Tonight, I'll just give you a little food for thought (ya okay, a little cheesy).

The last two years of my life have been a bit of a rollercoaster ride - a lot of ups, a lot of downs, and even some crazy loops every now and then. I came to a point in my life where I was really, really NOT happy, and there came a time when I decided that instead of moping around and feeling sorry for myself, I had to take the reins and take the horse down a different path, so to speak. I quit my job, convinced that starting a career in my "field" was the answer to the emptiness that I was feeling in my everyday life. But while I certainly learned a lot about myself through that transition, there was still something missing.

Passion. Somewhere along the line, I'd lost mine. Somehow, I let routine and normalcy and "life" take over the person that I'd always wanted to be. Honestly, it's no wonder I was so unhappy.

When I think about where I am now compared to where I was then, I can't help but think that this blog saved my life. That may sound dramatic, but it's true. This blog forced me to remember the things I enjoy in life, to focus on those things instead of getting stuck in the daily rut of work and chores and bad television. To branch out, to teach myself, and to try new things. And, more than anything else, it allowed me to do the one thing that I've always wanted to do, that I've always loved to do: write.

When I penned the last word of the first draft of my novel back in November, I suddenly felt...different. Lighter. Happier. Accomplished. Truly, I felt empowered. I'd set out to do something I'd always wanted to do, and I DID IT. I actually, finally did it. And it didn't matter to me how long it took me to reach that point - because in the end, the time it took wasn't relevant. All that mattered was that I set a goal for myself and I got there. And now, I'm no longer controlled by the routine. By the rules that society puts in place for us. Now, I know that I can do anything I want to do. I may never make a dime off of my book. But you know what? I didn't do it for money. I didn't do it for fame.

I did it for myself. And I'm really proud of that.

I implore you to make 2013 your year to do something big for yourself. Set a goal and stick to it. It doesn't matter what it is, or why. It doesn't matter who you tell, if anyone. Because in the end, you'll know. And that's what matters. Your happiness is entirely in your own hands.

I hope you'll come back often this year to check out my recipes, party planning tips and entertaining ideas. As I've recently gone gluten free (that's a story for another day, since I've already given you a book in this post), I'll be posting GF recipes that I come up with as well as adaptations of recipes that I find in cookbooks and my favorite cooking magazines. I can't wait to share more fabulous food with you!

Until next time...

Cheers!

Weeknight Bites: Lemon and Thyme Beef Stroganoff

A few months back, I signed up for a subscription to Every Day with Rachael Ray. I'm now subscribed to at least 4 "cooking" magazines (Cooking Light, Bon Appetit and Southern Living being the other three) and I have to say, I literally squeal with delight every time I get a new one in the mail. Whenever the most current issue of any of these publications arrives in my mailbox, I march right into my house, grab my notebook (where I make all of my lists and menus) and plant myself on the couch so I can scour through it from front to back.

I know, I'm a big dork.

Anyway, I have a point. While browsing the November 2012 issue Every Day with Rachael Ray, I came across today's recipe. At first, I was slightly apprehensive. When it comes to Beef Stroganoff, I pretty much love the classic. While the flavor profile of this variation sounded interesting, I just wasn't sure I was going to like it much...but, in the spirit of trying anything (almost) once, I found that I was intrigued enough to try it. Clearly, it rocked (otherwise I wouldn't be posting about it!). The lemon and thyme are so fresh and bright in this dish. It wasn't what I was expecting, but it was really delicious. My husband and I both agreed - it's a keeper, and I'll definitely make it again. Give it a try!

1 12 oz. package extra wide egg noodles

1 pound ground beef

1 vidalia onion, chopped

5 tsp fresh thyme

salt and pepper

1/2 cup beef broth (or vegetable broth)

1 8 oz container sour cream

1 1/2 tsp dijon mustard

1 lemon

Cook noodles as instructed on package and drain. Meanwhile, brown beef in a skillet over medium-high heat until no longer pink. Add onion and 4 tsp thyme to the beef and cook until softened (about 5 minutes). Season with salt and pepper.

Stir in the broth and allow the liquid to reduce for 3 minutes. Reduce heat and stir in sour cream, mustard and lemon juice and cook until heated through (about 2 minutes).

Add noodles to stroganoff mixture and stir well to combine. Top with remaining 1 tsp thyme and service with lemon slices.

Until next time...

Cheers!

Weeknight Bites: Baked Chicken Parmesan

Why, hello there! Did you think I'd fallen off the face of the planet? I know I've been MIA lately...in fact I looked at the calendar today and did a double-take when I realized that it's November 9th. How in the world is it already almost mid-November? How is Thanksgiving already right around the corner?!

Well, for me, it's because I've been locked in the whirlwind known as life for the past 3 weeks and frankly, I just haven't been paying attention to the fact that time has been passing by like a speeding bullet. I was quite busy with planning a trip that didn't end up happening (thank you, Sandy, for that), getting ready for our first Halloween in the new house, meeting the deadline for the first draft of my novel (I did it! yay!) and, most recently, taking care of a sick puppy who had a most unfortunate run-in with a snake in our own backyard (it was tiny and not poisonous, and did not live to tell about it...but it turns out that poor little Gus was allergic - no fun).

So, life is never boring. I think that's what makes it so wonderful.

We didn't go to Atlantis for our 2-year anniversary as planned, but we had a fabulous time with each other here in Atlanta instead. And, even though we didn't buy travel insurance (oops...), the resort credited us for the nights we'd already booked (and paid for) due to the Hurricane. We'll now get to enjoy our trip in April, which luckily is NOT in Hurricane season...so hopefully no bad weather!

I must confess: I didn't cook at all while we were enjoying our "stay-cation." My husband and I treated ourselves to several nice restaurants in the Atlanta area that we'd been meaning to try, and we enjoyed being able to just sit back, relax and let someone else do the work. But once the week was up, I found myself dying to get back in the kitchen, ready to get back in the groove of trying new things and cooking up a storm. Today's recipe is the first meal I made after our break was officially over, and I'm pretty darn proud of it if I do say so myself. It's really tasty and easy to make, and I don't know too many people who don't like Chicken Parmesan...including my Italian-food hating husband.

4 chicken breast halves

1 cup Lite Italian dressing

3/4 cup panko bread crumbs

1/4 cup grated parmesan cheese

2 tsp italian seasoning

1 tsp garlic powder

salt and pepper

2 slices provolone cheese, halved

1 cup marinara or spaghetti sauce

cooking spray

dried parsley flakes, for garnish

Marinate chicken breasts in Italian dressing for at least 30 minutes (or up to overnight) prior to preparing. Preheat oven to 450 degrees.

 In a small bowl, mix panko, parmesan cheese, italian seasoning, garlic powder, salt and pepper. Dip marinated breast halves in panko mix until well coated. Place a wire rack on top of a baking sheet and cat rack with cooking spray. Place breast halves on the wire rack and back in preheated oven for 20 minutes. Flip chicken and bake for another 5 minutes.

Remove chicken from the oven and spread marinara sauce over the top of the breasts. Top with provolone cheese (1/2 slice for each) and bake for 5 additional minutes or until cheese is melted. When plating, sprinkly with parsley flakes.

Serve over spaghetti or with veggies/sides.



Until next time...

Cheers!

Mix of the Month: The Caramel Apple Martini

At this time two years ago, my now husband (then fiance) and I were wrapping up our last minute wedding plans, trying to prepare everything and everyone as much as possible for the big day, and packing up our suitcases for our honeymoon. One of the things that we did in those final days was finalize our menu, which included picking out our signature cocktail.

Now, don't get me wrong, the wedding coordinator at our venue had plenty of suggestions, but I didn't want to just pick a drink off of a list and go with it. I knew what I wanted: a drink that would fit in with the season, one that would appeal to the majority of the people at the reception and one that would also fit into my wedding colors (red, orange and purple). So, my husband and I did what any normal couple would do - we invited a couple of our close friends over and hosted a signature cocktail taste test. I came up with 3 recipes that I liked and we sat down, mixed them up, and gave them a try. The Caramel Apple Martini was the winner by a long shot, and I think you'll easily see why. In honor of my anniversary, I'm making it October's Mix of the Month. Enjoy!

2 oz vanilla vodka (or "whipped" vodka)

2 oz sour apple schnapps

1 oz buttershot liqeur

Healthy splash cranberry juice

 Pour all ingredients into shaker with ice and shake until frost begins to form on the outside.Pour into martini glasses.

I'm also including a couple wedding photos, in case you're interested. I'm feeling a little nostalgic ;)

Until next time...

Cheers!

Girl's Day: Origami Owl Jewelry Bar Party

Now that I'm in a home with much more space (MUCH more) and room to move around, I'm basically finding any and every excuse in the book to throw a party and have people over. As I've said before, there really isn't much in life that makes me happier than making my friends and family happy, and this is just one of the ways that I can do that!

On Sunday, I hosted an "Origami Owl" jewelry bar party for some of my friends and family members. If you've never heard about Origami Owl, you really should go check it out. They have the cutest stuff! We really enjoyed learning about the company and looking at all of the goodies. Their biggest seller is something called a "living locket," an "open" locket-type necklace that you can add a variety of charms to in order to represent things that you love and to tell your life story. It was a lot of fun hearing about the different pieces that each of the guests picked out for themselves. My friend JoLynn is the rep who helped me throw the party, and she did a fabulous job (she's pretty darn awesome, if I say so myself!). If you're interested, go check it out here (and tell her Cocktail Cutie sent you!). We had a lot of fun building our "living lockets" and trying on different necklace combinations. It was the perfect girl's day!

Aside from the jewelry bar, I wanted to make sure that I took care of my guests as far as food and drinks go, too - after all, I have a reputation to uphold! I spent a lot of time in my kitchen last weekend getting ready for the party, and I enjoyed every minute of it. Here's a little taste of the menu I prepared for my guests...and some of the recipes, too!

             Hors d'oeuvres                          Sweets                                                     Drinks
        Cucumber-Dill Toasts           Pumpkin Spice Cookies                            Pink Moscato Champagne
        Chicken Salad Cups                  Spice Cupcakes                                            Riesling
        Avocado Deviled Eggs               Lemon Bars                                       Raspberry Limeade Punch
        Prosciutto Purses                     Pumpkin Roll*
        Caprese Salad Skewers   
        Mini Quiches (Variety)
        Sausage Balls*
        Cheese Plate

*Not pictured - thanks so much to my mother-in-law and sister-in-law for sharing these goodies with the group!

Now, I cheated a bit, I'll admit. I used boxed mixes for the sweets. Yep, that's right, I have to thank Betty Crocker for those. However, I did mix everything, bake everything and frost everything myself. So, I'm doing better. I'm still an amateur when it comes to baking, and I'm not ashamed to admit it! Really though, those pumpkin spice cookies are pretty amazing...and I don't even like sweet stuff, so you know that's saying a lot.

I also cheated on the mini quiches, as those were kind of a last minute buy while I was grocery shopping. Apparently I just thought I needed one more item. So, they were there and I bought them. To be honest, they weren't a big hit. I probably wouldn't spend the money again.

Anyway, I'll stop blabbing and give you what you really want - the recipes! Please let me know if you have any questions and I will be glad to help. ENJOY!

Cucumber-Dill Toasts 

1 8oz package cream cheese, softened

1 package dry Italian-style salad dressing

1/2 cup mayo        

1 french baguette, cut into 1/2 inch circles

1 english cucumber, sliced

Dried dill weed

Pre-heat oven to 350 degrees and toast baguette rounds. Very thinly slice cucumber. In a medium bowl, combine cream cheese, italian-style salad dressing and mayo. Spread on baguette toast and top with slice of cucumber. Sprinkle with dill.

Chicken Salad Cups

1/2 cup mayo

1 tbs lemon juice

1/4 tsp ground black pepper

1/2 tsp garlic powder

1/8 tsp salt

1 stalk celery, chopped

2 cups shredded rotisserie chicken

1 container frozen mini fillo cups

Thaw frozen fillo cups as instructed on package. Combine remaining ingredients in a medium bowl until mixed well. Spoon chicken salad mixture into fillo cups and serve immediately.

Avocado Deviled Eggs

12 eggs

1/2 cup mayo

1 tbs dijon mustard

1 tsp caper juice

1/8 tsp ground black pepper

1 dash bottled hot pepper sauce (like Texas Pete)

1 avocado, halved, pitted and cubed

Chives (optional)

Place eggs in a single layer in a Dutch oven. Add enough cold water to cover eggs by at least 1 inch. Bring to a rapid boil over high heat. Remove from heat and cover, allow to sit for 15 minutes. Drain and run cold water over eggs. Allow eggs to cool before peeling. 

Once peeled, cut eggs in half lengthwise. Remove yolks and place in large bowl. Put egg whites aside. Mash egg yolks with fork. Add mayo, mustard, caper juice, black pepper, and hot pepper sauce and stir to mix well. Spoon mixture into a ziploc bag and seal tightly.

Snip off a corner of the ziploc bag filled with the egg yolk mixture and pipe mixture into egg white. Top each with a piece of chopped avocado and garnish with snipped chives, if desired.

Prosciutto Purses

Thinly sliced prosciutto

Pre-sliced melon

Trim melon into bite-size cubes. Lay prosciutto slices on cutting board and place bite-size melon on top of the prosciutto. Cut prosciutto in a square around the melon piece, leaving enough room to wrap the melon on each side. Wrap up melon completely with prosciutto and secure with toothpick.

Caprese Salad Skewers

Grape tomatoes

Fresh Basil leaves

Marinated Mozzarella balls

Small wooden skewers

Black pepper

Balsamic vinegar (for drizzling, optional)

Slice grape tomatoes in half lengthwise. On each skewer, thread one grape tomato half, one mozzarella ball, another grape tomato half and half of a basil leaf. One skewers are completed, sprinkle with black pepper. Serve with balsamic vinegar, for drizzling.

Raspberry Limeade Punch

1 container frozen limeade, thawed

1 2-liter raspberry gingerale

2 cups pineapple juice

Lime, sliced

Add all ingredients to large punch bowl or beverage dispenser. Stir to mix well, and add lime slices. Serve over ice.

So there you have them! Plenty of hors d'oeuvres recipes (and a drink, too!) for the next get together you have at your own humble abode. A note on the cheese plate - I served havarti with dill, pepperjack and asiago (along with pepperoni and salami) because these cheese went well with the wines I was serving. If you decide to make your own cheese plate as well, think about the drinks you're planning on providing so that you are choosing the cheeses that will best compliment them. 

Until next time...

Cheers!