Peppermint Martini

This recipe was featured in the KC Star a few weeks back. The recipe comes from Mike Catlin of My Martini in Arlington TX. It sounded like the perfect recipe to serve for Christmas, so after going to 3 different stores to find the 3 liquors that go in to it, I finally had the ingredients. I then almost forgot to serve them. So after mixing them and serving them, my family and I decided that they were kind of gross. So this recipe is posted as one of those that you should not try.

Peppermint Martini

10 oz. pepper vodka (yes, that is pepper. Absolute has one)
4 oz. white creme de menthe
1 oz. peppermint schnapps
Ice
Mini candy canes for garnish

In a tall martini pitcher, mix liquors with ice.
Strain into frosty glasses, garnish and serve.

Blackberry Wine Cake

This recipe comes from my friend Jan. She served this for dessert once and I thought it would be the perfect cake for Christmas dinner. The recipe calls for the cake to be made in a bundt pan, but my sister gave me this snowflake cake pan for Christmas and I thought it would look nice. As it was, the cake turned out very nice in the pan and the flavor is amazing. Since the cake uses Jell-o and wine, you can use any flavor combo, like peach Jell-O and peach wine if you so desire.

Blackberry Wine Cake

1 box white cake mix

1 3 oz. box blackberry Jell-O

4 eggs

1/2 cup cooking oil

1 cup blackberry wine

1/2 cup chopped pecans

Grease bundt pan and sprinkle nuts on the bottom. Mix the rest of the ingredients, beat on medium speed for 3 minutes. Pour batter over nuts. Bake for 45 to 50 minutes at 350 degrees.

Glaze

1 cup powdered sugar

1/2 cup butter

1/2 cup blackberry wine

Combine in a small saucepan and bring to a hard boil. When cake is done, remove from oven and pour 2/3 of glaze over the bottom of warm cake while still in the pan. Let it cool for 30 minutes and turn out of pan. Add more powdered sugar to thicken glaze (approx. 1/4 cup) and drizzle over cake.

Classic Creme Brulee

Creme Brulee is one of my favorite desserts. If I order dessert at a restaurant , it's usually creme brulee. This is a very easy recipe that I have been using for years. I served it Sunday night for some friends and they thought it was wonderful. The recipe comes a little book called Elegantly Easy Creme Brulee by Debbie Puente. Along with this recipe comes some very nice variations and other custard type desserts.



Classic Creme Brulee


8 egg yolks
1/3 cup granulated white sugar
2 cups heavy cream
1 tsp. pure vanilla extract
1/4 cup granulated white sugar (for the caramelized tops)

Preheat oven to 300 degrees. In a large bowl, whisk together egg yolks and sugar until the sugar has dissolved and the mixture is thick and pale yellow. Add cream and vanilla and continue to whisk until well blended. Strain into a large bowl, skimming off any foam or bubbles.

Divide among 6 ramekins. Place in a baking dish and pour warm water 1/2 the way up the sides of the ramekins, making sure not to get any on the mixture. Bake until set around the edges, but still loose in the center, about 40 to 50 minutes. Larger, deeper ramekins may require more time. Remove from oven and leave in water bath until cooled. remove cups and chill at least 2 hours or up to 2 days.

When ready to serve, sprinkle about 2 tablespoons of sugar over each. Melt sugar with small, hand held torch. If you do not have a torch, place under broiler to melt sugar. Rechill for a few minutes before serving.

Chicken Noodle Soup

I recently purchased Tyler Florence's new book Dinner At My Place and so far have not been disappointed. The cook book is full of what look like some great recipes. I prepared this chicken soup the other night and it was good and simple. using a store bought rotisserie chicken makes this one a no brainer.

Chicken Noodle Soup

1 store bought deli roast chicken
2 Qts. cold water
2 carrots, washed and sliced into circles
3 celery ribs, roughly chopped
1 small onion, chopped
2 garlic cloves, peeled and chopped
1/4 bunch fresh thyme sprigs (4 sprigs), leaves only
Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
2 cups dried pasta noodles
1/2 lemon, juice only
1/4 bunch fresh parsley (about 4 sprigs), roughly chopped

Place chicken in large stockpot and add water, carrot, celery, onion, garlic and thyme. Place over medium heat and slowly bring to a boil to extract flavors of chicken. Reduce heat and simmer for 25 minutes, then remove chicken. Remove meat from chicken; shred meat. Discard bones and skin. Season chicken stock in pot with salt and pepper; add chicken and pasta. Bring to a boil, reduce heat and simmer until pasta is cooked. Finish with lemon juice and parsley.

Pumpkin Cheesecake w/ Marshamallow-Sour Cream Topping & Gingersnap Crust

Forget the pumpkin pie this year, here is the dessert you need to serve for the holidays this year! This recipe comes from the November 2008 Bon Appetit and it's a keeper. The cheesecake rises out of the springform pan to make a spectacular dessert. The only issue I had with this recipe was the crust. You use a combination of gingersnaps and pecans, but the end result tastes too much like pecans. I would use only a 1/2 of a cup next time or leave them out all together. Pecans are one of my favorite nuts, but it seems like a perfectly good waste of the cookies, since you don't really taste them.

Pumpkin Cheesecake w/ Marshmallow-Sour Cream Topping & Gingersnap Crust

Crust:

Nonstick vegetable oil spray

2 cups gingersnap cookie crumbs ( about 9 oz.)

1 cup pecans

1/4 cup packed brown sugar

2 Tbsp. chopped crystallized ginger

1/4 cup unsalted butter, melted

Filling:

4 8-oz. packages cream cheese, room temperature

2 cups sugar

1 15 oz. can pure pumpkin

5 large eggs

3 Tbsp. all purpose flour

1 tsp. ground cinnamon

1/2 tsp. ground ginger

1/4 tsp. freshly grated nutmeg

1/4 tsp. ground allspice

1/4 tsp. salt

2 Tbsp. vanilla extract

Topping:

2 cups mini marshmallows

1/4 cup whole milk

1 tsp vanilla extract

1/8 tsp. salt

1 cup sour cream

Crust/ Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Spray 9-inch springform pan with nonstick spray. Grind crumbs, pecans, brown sugar and ginger in processor until nuts are finely ground. Add butter; pulsing, to blend. Transfer to pan and press into bottom and 2 inches up sides. Bake until set ad lightly browned, about 10 minutes. Cool completely.

Filling/ Using electric mixer, beat cream cheese and sugar until light and fluffy, about 2 minutes. Beat in pumpkin. Add eggs, 1 at a time, beating on low to incorporate each addition. Add flour, spices and salt; beat just to blend. Beat in vanilla. Transfer to crust. Bake until filling is just set in center and edges begin to crack ( filling will move slightly when pan is gently shaken), about 1 hour 20 minutes. Cool 1 hour. Run knife around sides of pan to release crust. Chill uncovered in pan overnight.

Topping/ Stir marshmallows and milk in medium saucepan over low heat until marshmallows are melted. Remove from heat and stir in vanilla and salt. Cool to room temperature, stirring occasionally.

Add sour cream; fold gently just to blend. Pour over cheesecake and spread evenly, leaving 1/2 inch uncovered around edges. Chill to set at least 1 hour.

Can be made a day ahead, keep chilled.

Fennel Pistachio Cookies

I have found my new favorite cookie recipe!! This recipe was in an ad for real butter and the cookies are amazing. Even Dan liked them and he's a big fennelphobe. I actually never told him that they had fennel in them, so he'll read it here first. The recipe is simple and other than the nuts, I had all the ingredients at home. Set out a plate of these for the holidays and watch them disappear.

Fennel Pistachio Cookies

1 cup butter, softened
1 1/2 cups sugar
1 egg
2 Tbsp. amaretto
1 Tbsp. lemon zest
1 1/2 tsp. fennel seeds
2 cups all-purpose flour
1 tsp. baking powder
1/2 tsp. salt
3/4 cup pistachio nuts, chopped

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. In bowl of electric mixer, beat butter at medium speed until creamy. Gradually add sugar; mix well. Add egg; beat well. Add amaretto, lemon zest and fennel seeds; mix to combine.
In a medium bowl, combine flour, baking powder and salt; gradually add to butter mixture; beat well. Stir in nuts.
Shape into 1 inch balls, place 2 inches apart on ungreased cookie sheets. Bake for 10 minutes or until lightly browned. Cool slightly on cookie sheets; remove to wire racks and cool completely. Store in airtight container up to 1 week.

Arroz Con Pollo

I was skimming through The Joy of Cooking searching for something to prepare for dinner when I came upon this recipe. It looked simple enough and I had most of the ingredients, so it became the winner. Once it was done, I was a little disappointed in the recipe. The flavor was okay and the aroma was wonderful, but the rice was a little on the gummy side for me. I will look for another version and try it at a later date. The only thing I did differently was I added 3 cloves of garlic as opposed to 1 tablespoon and I omitted the green olives.

Arroz Con Pollo

3 1/2 to 4 1/2 lbs. chicken parts
Salt and Pepper
2 Tbsp. olive oil
1 medium onion, chopped
1 green bell pepper, diced
4 oz. ham, finely diced
2 cups medium or long grain white rice
3 cloves garlic, minced
1 Tbsp. paprika
1 tsp. salt
1/2 tsp. black pepper
3 cups chicken stock
1/2 tsp. dried oregano
1/4 tsp. loosely packed saffron threads
1 cup unthawed frozen peas
1/3 cup drained roasted red peppers cut into 1-inch thin strips

Season chicken with salt and pepper. In a Dutch oven heat oil over medium-high heat. Add chicken in batches, and brown on both sides. Remove chicken to platter. Pour off all but 3 tablespoons of fat from pan. Reduce heat to medium-low and add onion, peppers and ham. Cook , stirring occasionally, until onions are tender but not brown, about 5 minutes. Add rice, cook, stirring, until all grains are coated with fat. Add garlic, paprika, salt and pepper. Cook , stirring for 1 minute. Add stock, oregano and saffron. Bring to a boil over high heat, scraping the bottom to loosen brown bits. Place the chicken in the rice and pour in any accumulated juices. Cover pan and simmer over medium low heat for 20 minutes. Stir in peas and red peppers. Cover and cook until rice is tender, about 10 minutes.

Crispy Pork Cutlets

Like so many of the meals I prepare these days, the recipe for this one comes from Cook's Country Magazine. They have a section of recipes under the heading of 30-Minute Suppers and they seem to be pretty good. I always have good luck with the ones I try. This was very good and simple to prepare. The magazine served theirs with buttered noodles, but I used mashed potatoes as a side. I reheated the leftovers the following night on a pizza stone and served them on sandwiches.
This recipe comes from the December/January 2008 edition.

Crispy Pork Cutlets

5 slices hearty white sandwich bread, torn into pieces
1/2 cup all purpose flour
2 large eggs
2 Tbsp. Dijon mustard
8 boneless pork cutlets (3-4 oz. each), about 1/4 inch thick
Salt and pepper
1/2 cup vegetable oil

Adjust oven rack to middle position and heat oven to 200 degrees. Pulse bread in food processor until coarsely ground; transfer to shallow dish. Place flour in second shallow dish. Beat eggs and mustard in 3rd shallow dish. pat pork dry and season with salt and pepper. One at a time, coat pork lightly with flour, dip in egg mixture and dredge in bread crumbs, pressing to adhere.
Heat 1/4 cup oil in large skillet over medium- high heat until just smoking. Fry half of cutlets until deep golden brown and crisp, about 3 minutes per side. Drain on paper towel-lined plate and transfer to oven to keep warm. Wipe out skillet and repeat with remaining oil and cutlets.
Serve.

Ham and Bean Soup

Growing up, the one meal I hated more than any other was when my mother fixed ham and beans. I think we had them at least once a week and no matter how much she coaxed, pleaded or screamed, I would not eat them. The rest of my family loved them and covered them with ketchup (gross!!) and chopped raw onion. I would push them around my plate and pretend that I had eaten a few. After what seemed like hours, mom would relent and let me get up from the table. I would then go over to the candy cabinet (yes, we actually had a cabinet stocked with our favorite candy) and get some red vines or a few packets of sours ( those were a Smarties type of rolled candy that I don't know the correct name for, but a little on the fizzy side and oh so good).
I found this recipe and it looked so good that I decided to give the old bean and ham night a resurrection. This recipe comes from Cook's Country December/January 2008 edition and is very good. The ham is the real star of this recipe and it's very easy to prepare. The addition of the the vinegar at the end really brightens the flavor.

Ham and Bean Soup

2 Tbsp. vegetable oil
1 lb. ham steak, patted dry and diced
1 onion, chopped
3 carrots, peeled and chopped
2 celery ribs, chopped
6 garlic cloves, minced
4 cups low-sodium chicken broth
6 cups water
2 smoked ham hocks
1 lb. dried navy beans, soaked overnight
2 tsp. minced fresh thyme
1/2 tsp. pepper
3 Tbsp. red wine vinegar

Heat oil in Dutch oven over medium heat until just smoking. Add ham and cook until browned, about 3 minutes. Add onion, carrot and celery and cook until softened, about 8 minutes. Stir in garlic and cook until fragrant about 30 seconds. Stir in broth, water, hocks and beans. Bring to a boil, then reduce to medium low and simmer until beans are completely tender and the soup is slightly thickened, about 1 1/2 hours. ( I skimmed a lot of fat from the surface of my soup.)
Remove hocks from pot. If desired, let cool for 5 minutes, then shred meat and add to the soup. Stir in thyme, pepper and vinegar. Serve.

Doug's Pumpkin Spice Cake

This recipe comes from a friend of mine at work, who decided to bake a pumpkin spice cake after I told him of my easy recipe. Doug's recipe is much more challenging, but sounds incredible. I have not spoken with him yet to see how it turned out, but the maple syrup in the icing sounds wonderful.

Pumpkin Spice Cake:



1/2 cup (113 grams) unsalted butter, room temperature
1 1/4 cups (270 grams) light brown sugar
2 large eggs
1 cup fresh or canned pure pumpkin (about 1/2 of a 15 ounce can)
1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
2 cups (200 grams) sifted cake flour
1/4 teaspoon baking powder
1 teaspoon (5 grams) baking soda
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/4 teaspoon ground ginger
1/8 teaspoon ground cloves
1/2 cup (120 ml) buttermilk, room temperature)


Cream Cheese Frosting:

8 ounces (228 grams) cream cheese, room temperature
1/4 cup (56 grams) unsalted butter, room temperature
2 tablespoons pure maple syrup (preferably Grade A dark amber)
2 cups (230 grams) confectioners' (powdered or icing) sugar, sifted

For Garnish:

1/2 cup (50 grams) toasted and chopped walnuts or pecans


Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F (177 degrees C) and place rack in center of oven. Butter and flour (or spray with Baker's Joy) two - 8 inch (20 cm) cake pans. Cake: In the bowl of your electric mixer(or with a hand mixer), cream the butter and sugar until light and fluffy (about 2-3 minutes). Add the eggs, one at a time, mixing well after each addition. Add the pumpkin puree and vanilla and beat until incorporated.In a separate bowl, whisk together the flour, baking soda, baking powder, salt and spices. Add the flour mixture and buttermilk alternately to the pumpkin batter, in three additions, beginning and ending with the flour mixture. Divide the batter in half and then pour the batter into the prepared pans. Bake for approximately 25 - 30 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted in the middle comes out clean. Cool on a wire rack for 10 minutes and then invert and remove the cakes from their pans. Cool completely before frosting.



Frosting: Place the cream cheese and butter in the bowl of your food processor (or use a hand mixer) and pulse until smooth. Add the maple syrup and confectioners' sugar and process to combine. Adjust syrup or sugar until you have the right consistency.Assemble:Place one of the cake layers, top side down, on a serving plate. Frost with a layer of icing. Place the second cake, top side down, onto the first layer and frost the top and sides of the cake. Garnish with chopped nuts, if desired. Refrigerate but bring to room temperature before serving.



This recipe is adapted from Cindy Mushet's excellent baking newsletter "Baking with the American Harvest". (Unfortunately, it is no longer in publication.)

White Chocolate Marshmallow Frosting

This is the frosting recipe for the Pumpkin Spice Cake . It's so simple and so sinfully sweet and good. The sweetness works well with the spice in the cake and would also work well on a carrot cake. How can you go wrong with 3 simple ingredients like cream cheese, marshmallow cream and white chocolate chips?


White Chocolate Marshmallow Frosting

1 8oz. package cream cheese, softened
1 container of marshmallow cream
1 bag white chocolate chips, melted

Using a hand mixer, mix ingredients until well blended. Frost.

Pumpkin Spice Cake

I came across this recipe in the Northland Sun Tribune last week and was intrigued with the frosting. It's a simple recipe and perfect for the upcoming holidays. The cake tastes like pumpkin pie, so it would be a great alternative for a Thanksgiving dessert. It would make a great layer cake that could be decorated with those little candy pumpkins.

Pumpkin Spice Cake

1 box spice cake mix

1 can pumpkin

Mix cake following box directions with the addition of the pumpkin. Box according to directions.

Can't get any easier than that!

Beef Brisket Chili

When I received my October 2008 issue of Bon Appetit, I immediately wanted to make the brisket on the cover, it looked so good. Of coarse, I ended up making a different version, but pretty much followed their recipe. I left out the autumn squash and used different chiles, spices and added beans, but the concept was close and it turned out great. I have a similar recipe for a steak and black bean chili that i will post when I come across it again.

Beef Brisket Chili

6 dried New Mexico chiles, stemmed, seeded and coarsely torn

2 Tbsp. olive oil

1 1/4 lb. onion, chopped

1 4lb. flat cut beef brisket, cut into 2 to 3 inch cubes

Coarse kosher salt

6 garlic cloves, peeled

1 tsp. chipotle chili powder

2 tsp. cumin seeds

1 tsp. dried oregano

1 tsp. ground coriander

1 1/2 tsp. kosher salt

1 (10 oz) can diced tomatoes with green chiles

1 (12 oz) bottle Mexican beer

2 (4 oz) can diced fire-roasted green chiles

1/4 cup finely chopped fresh cilantro stems

2 (15 oz) cans black beans, rinsed

Place chiles in medium bowl. Cover with boiling water. Soak, covered with plastic wrap, for 30 minutes and up to 4 hours.

preheat oven to 350. Heat olive oil in large ovenproof pot over medium-high heat. Add onion. Reduce heat to medium, cover and cook 5 minutes. Sprinkle salt over beef and add to pot; stir to coat. Set aside.

Drain chiles, reserving soaking liquid. Place chiles in food processor. Add 1 cup of liquid, garlic, chili powder, cumin seeds, oregano, coriander and 1 1/2 teaspoons of salt. Puree, adding more liquid if too thick. Pour over beef in pot. Add tomatoes with juices, beer, green chiles and cilantro stems. Stir to coat evenly.

Bring to a simmer. Cover and place in oven. Cook 2 hours. Uncover and cook another hour. Add beans and cook another 45 minutes. Season to taste with salt and pepper. Tilt pot and spoon off any excess fat.

Garnish with chopped cilantro, sour cream or grated cheese.

French Baguette

I had a request for a good French baguette recipe and since I've never made one I looked on the Martha Stewart website for one. I have put the link here. I have not personally made this recipe, but it looks like a good one to me.
http://www.marthastewart.com/portal/site/mslo/menuitem.fc77a0dbc44dd1611e3bf410b5900aa0/?vgnextoid=4cb1d187432a6110VgnVCM1000003d370a0aRCRD&vgnextfmt=default&rsc=header_1&autonomy_kw=french+baguette

Peas and Prosciutto

This easy and delicious recipe comes from Giada DeLaurentiis's book Everyday Italian. I prepared it for some friends this past weekend and it was a big hit. Since I keep all these ingredients on hand all the time, this will become a standard in my house. The next time I prepare it, I might add a little chopped fresh mint to the dish. One of the notes in Giada's book about the recipe was adding leftovers to scrambled eggs in the morning. We tried that the following morning and it was a great suggestion!

Peas and Prosciutto

2 Tbsp. olive oil
3 shallots, chopped
1 garlic clove, minced
1 (1-lb) bag frozen peas
4 oz. thinly sliced prosciutto, diced
1/4 cup chopped fresh flat leaf parsley
1/4 tsp. salt
1/4 tsp. freshly ground black pepper

In a large heavy skillet, heat oil over medium-low flame. Add shallots and garlic and saute for 1 minute. Add peas and saute until heated through, about 5 minutes. remove from heat and add prosciutto, parsley, salt and pepper. Serve.

Tortellini and Italian Sausage Soup

I was watching Tyler's Ultimate on Food TV the other day and he made an incredible looking chicken noodle soup using cheese tortellini and chicken-apple sausage. I decided to make something similar last night and it turned out great. I still want to get Tyler's recipe, but in the meantime, this one is very good.

Tortellini and Italian Sausage Soup

2 Tbsp. olive oil

3 cloves garlic, minced

2 carrots, chopped

2 celery ribs, chopped

1 medium onion, chopped

2 bay leaves

1 tsp. fresh thyme leaves

48 oz. low-sodium chicken broth

2 Tbsp. flat leaf parsley leaves, chopped

salt and pepper

1 lb. Italian sausage, cut into 1 inch pieces

1/4 cup white wine

20 oz. bag frozen cheese tortellini

Heat a large stock pot over medium heat and add oil. Add garlic, carrots, celery, onion, bay leaves and thyme. Saute for 5 to 8 minutes. Add broth, parsley and salt and pepper to taste. Bring to a boil and reduce to a simmer.

Brown sausage in batches in a large skillet, add to soup pot. When finished, add white wine to pan and scrape up any brown bits, add to soup. Add frozen tortellini to soup and cook until they float. Adjust seasonings and serve.

Three-Cheese Bread

A few weeks back, I decided I wanted fresh baked bread with my dinner. I always love the process of baking bread, it just never seems to work out the way that I would like for it too. This recipe comes from The Panera Bread Cookbook and was simple to make. The loaf turned out beautifully and I was excited to try it out. When I sliced into the loaf it seemed a little dense and has a cake like crumb. The flavor was good, but the consistency was nothing to write home about. I guess I will continue my search for the best recipe. This recipe makes 2 loaves.

Three-Cheese Bread

Starter:
1 cup warm water (95-105 F)
2 tsp. fresh yeast
1 cup all-purpose flour
Dough:
3/4 cup warm water (95-105 F)
3 Tbsp. honey
4 tsp. fresh yeast
1/4 cup + 1 tsp. vegetable shortening
4 3/4 cups all-purpose flour
1 Tbsp. salt
1/2 cup 1/2-inch cubes Romano cheese
1/2 cup 1/2-inch cubes Parmesan cheese
1/2 cup 1/2-inch cubes Asiago cheese

For the starter, combine water and yeast in medium bowl. Stir to dissolve yeast. Add flour and stir until completely incorporated. Cover with a cloth and and set in warm place for 30 minutes.
For the dough, combine water, honey and yeast in bowl of a stand mixer. Stir to dissolve yeast. Add shortening, flour, salt, cheeses and starter. Mix on low until dough is fully developed. Remove from mixing bowl.
Divide into 2 pieces. Roll each piece of dough int smooth ball. Place on counter and cover with a warm, damp cloth and let rest at room temperature for 30 minutes. Preheat oven to 400 degrees.
Form the dough into loaves, cover with warm, damp cloth and proof at room temperature for 30 minutes.
Score the loaves with a sharp knife, spray with water and bake for 30 minutes. until crusts are golden brown.
Remove from oven and place on cooling rack for 30 minutes.

Pistachio Heaven

My Mom makes this great pistachio pudding dessert that is so addictive and has become one of my favorites. I finally got the recipe from her and prepared it for dinner with friends. Needless too say, it was a huge hit and is so very easy to make. I guess you could use any pudding flavor in this recipe, but I love the flavor of the pistachio and Heath bars together.

Pistachio Heaven

1 pre-baked angel food cake
2 (3.4 oz.) boxes instant pistachio flavored pudding
1 (12 oz.) container Cool-Whip, thawed ( I used lite)
4 Heath Bars, crushed

Cut or tear the angel food cake into bite size pieces and place in bottom of 9x13 cake pan. Make pudding according to box directions and pour over cake. Cover and place in refrigerator until pudding is set. Spread with Cool-Whip and sprinkle with crushed candy bars. Serve.

Tarantino's New Location

If you didn't already know, Tarantiono's has a new location. They are located at 13th and Locust, the address is 417A East 13th. They are still serving up the best calzones, pizzas and eggplant around. Joe and Trish are working harder than ever, keeping up with their big new lunch business. They should have their liquor license by the end of this week, so be ready to enjoy a nice, cold Peroni with your favorite calzone. The space is much larger than the old place, but Joe and Trish have all the charm as before. Joe has such a passion for cooking and food and Trish makes you feel as though you are spending the evening with family. If you haven't checked them out before, make sure to add this to your list. They have their own parking lot behind the building, plus there is plenty of street parking. You can call for carry out and delivery at 816-421-0043. They are open Monday through Saturday from 10 to 10.

Justus Drugstore a restuarant

For my birthday, Dan took me to Justus Drugstore in Smithville, MO. We had been wanting to eat there for a while and we finally made it. I was worried that the place was over-hyped, but my concerns were for nothing. This place is wonderful!! It's worth the drive to Smithville, even with too high gas prices. Travel magazine even listed Justus Drugstore as the reason the visit the state of Missouri in their July '08 issue.

The kitchen is totally exposed to the small, beautifully appointed dining room. There is a nice sized outdoor eating area and a small, but fully furnished bar. Even the restrooms are worth checking out. Reservations are recommended, but they do welcome walk-ins.

We were fortunate enough to have the General Manager/Owner Camille Eklof wait on us! She gave us lots of info on the restaurant and the menu. Everything is prepared from scratch and they buy from local farmers. Everything on the menu comes with a suggested wine pairing, so it takes all of the guess work out of what wine goes with what meal. I, personally took full advantage of this.

We started our meal with an Herb Cheese Spread that was made with house made goat and ricotta cheeses with chives and served with house made crackers ($8.00). This was very good and light, a perfect starter for a meal.

Dan had the Mixed Baby Greens with a creamy balsamic dressing ($7), while I chose the Maytag Blue Cheese Salad of mixed greens, beets, apple gelee and a thin Missouri black walnut praline ($9). Both were very good and perfectly dressed.

For dinner , Dan chose the Akaushi Beef, a Kobe flat iron steak served with a brandied morel mushroom cream sauce, chive mashed potatoes and asparagus ( $26). He loved it and from my taste, I agreed with his enthusiasm for the dish. I ordered the Akaushi Beef Brisket ($22). This was Kobe beef braised in their house brewed root beer with a celery root puree, smoked vanilla butter glazed carrots, watercress, sorrel and arugula dressed in a honey sassafras mustard vinaigrette with a sprinkling of vanilla pepper on the plate edge. The flavors were meant to evoke the old drugstore flavors and they did that and more. The flavors of this dish exploded in my mouth with each bite, truly amazing stuff.
For dessert Dan ordered the Flourless Ale Cake ($8) which was this nice white chocolate mousse with a mint foam and marshmallow meringue and I had the Goat cheese Cheesecake ($8) with a sour cherry topping and a shortbread crust. Not my favorite dessert of all time, but I don't really like goat cheese ( I was being adventurous).
The Executive Chef/Owner Jonathan Justus sat with us during dessert and told us a short history of his career and the opening of the restaurant. After dessert, Camille served us a complimentary glass of Moscato, the perfect ending to the perfect meal.
They are located at 106 W. Main, Smithville MO 816-532-2300 http://www.drugstorerestaurant.com/ .

Sun-Dried Tomato Pesto

This is a quick recipe for a topping that's good on grilled meat or fish, or as I served it over penne pasta. The trick to adding pesto to pasta is too use some of the pasta water to thin out the pesto. This helps the pesto coat the pasta so that you don't have clumps of pesto.

Sun-Dried Tomato Pesto

1 (10 oz.) jar sun-dried tomatoes in olive oil
1 cup (packed) fresh basil
3 garlic cloves
2/3 cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese
1/2 tsp. salt
1/2 tsp. freshly ground black pepper

Blend sun-dried tomatoes, their oil, basil and garlic in a food processor until the tomatoes are finely chopped. Transfer to a bowl and stir in cheese, salt and pepper.

Blueberry Pie with Almond Crumble Topping

I prepared this pie last week and it was delicious. It was also very easy since I cheated and used a frozen pie crust and frozen blueberries. The recipe called for using wild blueberries, fresh or frozen, so I opted for frozen. The crumble topping is amazing and very simple. The original recipe came from the Bon Appetit. Serve this with some premium vanilla ice cream.

Blueberry Pie with Almond Crumble Topping

1 9-inch deep dish frozen pie crust

3/4 cup + 2 Tbsp. sugar
1/4 cup cornstarch
32 oz. frozen blueberries (do not thaw)
2 Tbsp. fresh lemon juice

2/3 cup unbleached all purpose flour
4 oz. marzipan, broken into 1/3 inch pieces
1/4 chilled unsalted butter, cut into 1/2 inch cubes
1/2 tsp. salt

Thaw pie crust.
Whisk sugar and cornstarch in heavy medium saucepan to blend. Stir in berries and lemon juice. Cook over medium heat until mixture bubbles and thickens, frequently stirring gently, about 13 minutes. Chill until cool, about 1 hour.
Combine flour, marzipan, butter and salt in food processor. Blend until mixture begins to clump together. Transfer to a bowl; chill 30 minutes.
Position rack in bottom third of oven and preheat to 400 degrees. Spread pie filling into unbaked crust. Sprinkle topping evenly over. Place on rimmed baking sheet and bake until golden brown and bubbly, 40 to 50 minutes. Transfer to a wire rack and cool completely.

Tequila-Glazed Chicken with Jalapeno

Here is a grilled chicken recipe that is simple to prepare and has an awesome flavor, it's sweet, spicy and smoky. The original recipe calls for using red jalapenos, but my local grocery only had green on this outing. I came across the recipe in the August '07 issue of Bon Appetit and I'm glad that I saved it. Try this one out, it's good cold the next day, too!

Tequila-Glazed Chicken with Jalapeno

1 1/2 Tbsp. whole coriander seeds, coarsely ground

1 3/4 tsp. coarse kosher salt

1/2 tsp. dried crushed red pepper

1 3 1/2-to 4-lb. cut up chicken

1/3 cup pineapple juice

1/2 cup gold or silver tequila

2 Tbsp. (packed) golden brown sugar

2 Tbsp. honey

1 t0 2 jalapeno chiles, finely chopped

1 shallot, minced

Mix coriander, salt and red pepper. Sprinkle all over chicken. Arrange chicken skin side up on a baking sheet; cover and chill at least 6 hours or overnight.

Combine juice, tequila, honey, jalapenos and shallot in small saucepan. Bring to a boil, stirring until sugar dissolves. Reduce heat to medium-low; simmer until mixture thickens slightly, about 10 minutes. Cool glaze. Transfer 3 tablespoons to a small bowl and set aside for serving.

Arrange chicken on prepared grill, skin side up. Grill for 15 minutes, turning occasionally. Brush chicken with glaze. Turn chicken over; brush with glaze. Grill until juices run clear when pierced with a fork, turning and brushing with glaze, about 10 minutes longer. Transfer to a platter and spoon reserved glaze over top.

Fresh tomatoes in KC

Heather asked where you can find good, homegrown tomatoes in Kansas City. I found some really good ones at the Farmer's Market at Briarcliff Village. The market is on Thursdays from 3:00 PM until 7:00 PM. I have also bought some nice ones at Green Acres at Briarcliff Village. There are so many little farmer's markets popping up across the city and there is also the City Market. Parkville has a nice market on Saturday mornings and North Kansas City has one on Friday mornings.

Tomato & Avocado Salad

This salad was inspired by one I had in Italy once. With all of the wonderful home grown tomatoes you can get right now, this makes the perfect summer salad.

Tomato and Avocado Salad

1 large ripe tomato, cut into wedges

1 medium ripe avocado, sliced

juice of 1/2 of a lime

3 large basil leaves, sliced

fresh marjoram leaves

olive oil

salt and pepper

Arrange the tomato and avocado on a plate. Squeeze lime juice over all, drizzle with olive oil. Sprinkle with fresh herbs and salt and pepper. Serve.

Mustard & Coriander Roasted Potatoes

This is a great recipe for roasted potatoes. I usually do my rosemary roasted potatoes , but I may have to switch it up some. The flavor of these potatoes is so amazing and the vinegar gives them a nice subtle kick. The potatoes are crispy on the outside but soft on the inside. Try these with a grilled pork loin or a nice juicy rib-eye. The recipe comes from the March 2008 Bon Appetit.

Mustard & Coriander Roasted Potatoes

1/4 cup Champagne vinegar

2 Tbsp. mustard seeds

6 Tbsp. Dijon mustard

1 Tbsp. coriander seeds, crushed

Coarse kosher salt

3 lbs. russet potatoes, peeled, cut into 1 1/2 to 2 inch cubes

6 Tbsp. vegetable oil

Preheat oven to 425 degrees. Bring vinegar and mustard seeds to boil in small saucepan. Reduce heat; simmer until almost dry, about 5 minutes. Transfer to large bowl. Add mustard and coriander. Season with salt and pepper. Place potatoes in a large saucepan; add water to cover by 1 inch; sprinkle with salt. Boil 3 minutes. Drain and return to pan. Cook over medium-high heat until dry, shaking pan occasionally, 3 minutes.

Meanwhile drizzle oil over large rimmed baking sheet. Place in oven to heat for 10 minutes.

Add potatoes to mustard mix and toss. Spread potatoes on hot baking sheet (oil may splatter). Sprinkle with coarse salt and pepper. Roast 15 minutes. Turn, roast until brown and tender, about 15 to 20 minutes longer. Serve hot.

Sloppy Giuseppes

I used to have this great recipe for an Italian version of Sloppy Joes and lost it. I decided to recreate it and this recipe turned out just as good, if not better. The beef and Italian sausage mixture tastes so good on a toasted Hague. The recipe is simple, so it's perfect for a weeknight dinner and will make six nice sized sandwiches.

Sloppy Giuseppes

1 Tbsp. olive oil

3 cloves garlic, minced

1 small shallot, minced

1 lb. lean ground beef

1/2 lb. bulk Italian sausage, crumbled

2 (8 oz) cans of tomato sauce

1 Tbsp. Italian seasoning

6 slices Provolone cheese

6 Italian hoagie buns, sliced and toasted

In a large skillet, heat the oil on medium-high heat. Add garlic and shallot and saute for 1 minute, stirring constantly. Add beef and sausage, cook until cooked through and browned. Drain fat from pan and return to heat. Add tomato sauce and Italian seasonings, bring to a boil. Reduce heat and simmer uncovered for 20 minutes. Add some crushed red pepper for some added heat if desired.

Serve on toasted hoagies with Provolone cheese.

Storms

There have been some pretty incredible scenes in the sky tonight. We have had some major storms all around us. This is a shot of the sky as I was grilling out, pretty awesome! Right now, we have a great view of the gas tank fire in KCK, lots of black smoke lit by explosions and lightning.

Grannie's Iris

These iris are from my Grandmother's old iris terrace. She had some of the most incredible flowers. After she died, I was visiting with my Grandpa and I asked him about the old flowers. He said he mowed them down because he could not take care of them any more. I went out back to her old garden and was amazed that some of the iris were still there, tiny and struggling to grow. I used a kitchen soon and dug some of them up in the pouring rain and transplanted them at my new home. I think of Granny when they bloom and took some of them to her grave site this year with my Mom. Granny was a great gardener, cook and she inspires me today.

Ranchero Stuffed Shells

Once upon a time in a land far, far away......Well, it wasn't all that far away, (it was Grandview after all), I had the perfect job. The perfect job for me, that is. I was the Associate Product Manager for the cooking line at The House of Lloyd. I was able to work with some of the best people ever and deal with food related items. I was involved in coming up with new products, testing the prototypes, writing up the use instructions and catalog descriptions and coming up with the recipes for the product and for the website. I was constantly going through cookbooks and magazines looking for recipes that I could rework and I have so many of those recipes still. The one I am posting is from that time. I reworked it , but will redo it again. The shell stuffing is perfect, but the sauce needs help.
I left my job at The House of Lloyd before they finally closed up. My boss there was the worst boss a person could ever dream of, seriously. I called her Ugzilla behind her back and lost a minute of my life each time I had to come face to face with her. It was really too bad because everyone else that worked there were incredible. "Diane" had some major issues, though and I could only take so much of her. I learned so much there and will always think of it as "my perfect job".

Ranchero Stuffed Shells

1 (16 oz) package jumbo pasta shells, cooked until barely tender
1 lb. ground turkey
2 (15 oz) cans diced tomatoes and green chiles
1 (6 oz) can tomato paste
1 Tbsp. dried oregano
1 Tbsp dried cilantro
2 garlic cloves, minced
1 yellow onion, diced
1/4 cup olive oil
2 Tbsp. cumin
2 lbs. ricotta cheese
1/2 lb. sharp cheddar, shredded
2 eggs, slightly beaten
3 Tbsp. chopped flat leaf parsley
1/2 tsp. black pepper

For sauce, heat oil in large skillet. Add garlic and onion and cook until lightly browned. Add turkey and brown. Drain grease. Add tomatoes and green chiles, tomato paste, oregano, cilantro and cumin. Cook until heated through. Combine cheeses, eggs, chopped parsley and pepper in a bowl and stuff into shells. Place a layer of sauce in the bottoms of 2- 11x13 inch baking pans. Place shells, stuffed sides up into pans, keeping in one layer only. Spoon remaining sauce over shells, bake at 375 degrees for 20 minutes.

More Flowers

Here's another iris from my garden. Unfortunately, they won't be blooming for the garden tour in June, so I thought I would share some of them on the blog.

Peanut Butter Pie

This is a simple recipe for a pie with big flavor. If you like peanut butter, you'll love this recipe and since it comes from Cooking Light you'll love the fact that it is not all that fattening. The recipe makes 2 pies with 10 slices each containing 302 calories and 10 fat grams. This comes from their Sept. 2007 magazine.

Peanut Butter Pie

1 cup powdered sugar
1 cup natural-style, reduced fat creamy peanut butter ( like Smuckers)
1 (8oz) block 1/3-less-fat cream cheese, softened
1 (14-oz) can fat-free sweetened condensed milk
12 ounces frozen fat-free whipped topping, thawed
2 (6 oz) reduced-fat graham cracker crusts
20 tsp. fat free chocolate sundae syrup

Combine powdered sugar, peanut butter and cream cheese in large bowl. Beat with mixer at medium speed until smooth. Add milk; beat until combined. Fold in whipped topping. Divided evenly between 2 crusts; chill 8 hours ( pies will have a soft fluffy texture). Cut in wedges; drizzle with chocolate syrup.

Pasta With Pancetta and Broccoli

This was a very simple recipe that I prepared last night. The recipe may have come from Gourmet magazine, but I'm not 100% sure on that one. The recipe should have been prepared with orecchiette, but I didn't have any so I used cellentani. The orecchiette would have held the topping much better, but sometimes you gotta go with what you've got. The magazine recipe also called for a 10 oz box of frozen chopped broccoli, thawed, drained and patted dry. I used fresh broccoli that I steamed in the microwave first. This dish would be great with broccoli rabe if you can find it at your grocery. I used to grow it in my veggie garden, but gave that garden up, because I was tired of fighting the rabbits, deer and squirrels for the produce. This recipe serves four.

Pasta with Pancetta and Broccoli

3/4 lb. pasta

2 Tbsp. unsalted butter

3 Tbsp. extra-virgin olive oil

1 garlic clove, smashed

3 Tbsp. pine nuts

3 oz. pancetta, coarsely chopped

5 scallions, thinly sliced

10 oz. fresh, steamed broccoli

Fresh grated Parmigiano- Reggiano

Cook pasta in pot of boiling salted water until al dente. While pasta cooks, heat butter and oil with garlic in a 12 inch heavy skillet over medium high heat until garlic starts to sizzle. Add nuts and cook, stirring, until pale golden. Discard garlic and stir in pancetta and scallions, cook 1 minute. Add broccoli and a 1/4 teaspoon each of salt and pepper and cook over medium high heat, stirring, four minutes. Reserve 1/2 cup of pasta water, drain pasta and stir into broccoli mixture. Add some reserved water to moisten if needed. Serve with grated cheese.

Back Up And Running

Wow, it's been awhile since I've sat down at the computer! My new job is keeping me very busy and very tired. We've also been busy getting Mom set up in her new apartment and busy working on the yard so that it will look perfect for the Northland Garden Club's tour on June 22. Then we had the tornado come through and we were without Internet for a week. A tree came down in the backyard bringing down the electric, phone and cable lines and the Time Warner people were having some serious communication issues on how to handle their lines. I also lost my camera with all of the recent recipes that I prepared, so some posts will be picture free. For now, I will be using my old camera.

La Nueva Ropa Vieja

I found this recipe a few months back in The Kansas City Star and thought it look good and simple. It goes together simply and turns out really nice. I served it over rice with warm tortillas, but it would also taste great on toasted onion buns. You can do all you chopping the night before and assemble it in the morning pretty fast. I changed this slightly from the written recipe, they called for 2 teaspoons of bottled garlic and I hate using that stuff and I used 2 red bells as opposed to 1 red and 1 green.

La Nueva Ropa Vieja

1 (8 oz) can tomato sauce

1/2 cup water

3 bay leaves

3 cloves garlic, minced

1/2 tsp. ground cumin

1/4 tsp. salt

1/4 tsp. ground black pepper

1 large onion, sliced

2 lbs. skirt or flank steak

2 red bell peppers, sliced

1 (14 oz) can diced tomatoes, seasoned with garlic and olive oil

2 cups cooked rice

Put tomato sauce, water, bay leaves, vinegar, garlic, cumin, salt and pepper in a slow cooker. Stir to combine. Add sliced onion and place beef over them. Spoon some of the liquid over the beef. Add the sliced peppers and pour diced tomatoes evenly over the top. Cover and cook on low for 8 hours.

Before serving, use two forks to pull beef into shreds. Stir together and serve over rice.

1 Tbsp. red wine vinegar

White Chicken Chili

I think I originally came across this recipe in an advertisement for cheese. I have made alterations to it and this the recipe I now use. You can use any type of white beans in this recipe, I wanted to try butter beans because I've never had them. You could also use ground turkey in this recipe, but I find those packages of pre-cooked chicken save so much time on a week night.

White Chicken Chili

1 tsp. olive oil
1 medium onion, peeled and chopped
1 yellow bell pepper, stemmed, seeded and chopped
1 jalapeno, seeded and chopped
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 1/2 tsp. ground cumin
1/2 tsp. ground white pepper
1 (15 oz) can creamed corn
1 (7 oz) can diced green chiles
2 cups whole milk
1 (15 oz) can butter beans, drained and rinsed
6 oz. cooked chicken, chopped
Salt to taste
1 1/2 cups sharp white cheddar, shredded

In a Dutch oven, heat oil over medium heat; add onion, bell pepper and jalapeno. Cook until onion is limp , stirring often, about 4 minutes. Add garlic and cook until fragrant, about 30 seconds. Add cumin, white pepper, corn, green chiles, milk and beans. Bring to a boil, then reduce to a simmer. Cover and stir occasionally. Cook for 10 minutes, stir in chicken and season with salt. Stir in cheese and serve.

Mashed Cauliflower

This recipe is a great alternative to mashed potatoes. You can serve it to people who don't like cauliflower and they won't even realize what they have just eaten. This recipe comes from George Stella, who used to have a show on the Food Network during the whole lo-carb craze. The recipe makes 4 servings.

Mashed Cauliflower

1 medium head cauliflower
1 Tbsp. cream cheese, softened
1/4 cup grated Parmesan cheese
1/2 tsp. minced roasted garlic
1/8 tsp. straight chicken base or bouillon
1/8 tsp. fresh ground pepper
1/2 tsp. fresh chopped chives
3 Tbsp. unsalted butter

Set a stockpot of water to boil over high heat. Clean and cut cauliflower into small pieces. Cook in boiling water for 6 minutes or until well done. Drain well, do not cool, pat very dry with layers of paper towels. In a bowl with an immersion blender, puree hot cauliflower with cream cheese, Parmesan, garlic, chicken base and pepper until smooth. Garnish with chives and serve with pats of butter.

Soft Molasses Cookies

I found the recipe for these incredible cookies in The King Arthur Flour Baker's Companion. The cookies turn out nice and soft, with some intense spice flavors. If I make these again, I would leave out a 1/4 tsp. of the ginger and a 1/2 tsp. of the cloves, just to see if they make an even better cookie. I ended up making my cookies a little bigger than the recipe called for, so I baked them for about 15 minutes and i rolled my dough in raw sugar as opposed to granulated.

Soft Molasses Cookies

8 Tbsp. butter, softened
1/2 cup shortening
1 1/2 cups sugar
1/2 cup unsulfered molasses
2 large eggs, lightly beaten
4 cups unbleached all-purpose flour
1 tsp. salt
2 1/4 tsp. baking soda
2 1/4 tsp. ground ginger
1 1/2 tsp. ground cloves
1 1/2 tsp. ground cinnamon
Granulated sugar to coat cookies

In a large mixing bowl, cream together butter, shortening and sugar. Beat in molasses and eggs.
In a separate bowl, whisk together flour, salt, baking soda and spices. Stir the dry ingredients into the wet and blend until smooth. Refrigerate for 1 hour to stiffen the dough.
Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
Roll the dough into balls about the size of a golf ball, about 2 Tbsp. of dough or 1 ounce. Roll each ball in the sugar to coat. Place cookies 2 inches apart on lightly greased or parchment lined cookies sheets.
Bake for 13 minutes. They will have flattened, but won't brown significantly. They should be soft on top and barely colored.
Cool completely on a wire rack.

Drunken Pintos with Cilantro and Bacon

On Saturday night, our friend, Stacy invited a group over to her house for dinner.She made some great fajitas and we all had a really good time. I asked her if I could bring over one of my favorite bean dishes and she said yes. This recipe comes from Rick Bayless's Mexican Kitchen. I love his cookbooks and his restaurant in Chicago. I altered the recipe a little bit this time, but will print the original. I added extra beans and cooked chorizo this time, but actually prefer the recipe as written.

Drunken Pintos with Cilantro and Bacon

8 oz dry pinto beans
1/2 cup (2 oz) cubed pork shoulder (or extra chopped bacon)
4 thick slices bacon, cut into 1/2" pieces
1 small white onion, diced
1 jalapeno, stemmed, seeded and chopped
Salt, about 3/4 tsp.
1 1/2 Tbsp. tequila
1/4 cup roughly chopped cilantro

Rinse beans and place in 4-qt. pot. Add 5 cups water, remove any beans that float, then add pork shoulder or extra chopped bacon and bring to a boil. Reduce heat to medium -low and gently simmer, partially covered, until beans are tender, about 2 hours. Stir the beans regularly and add water as necessary to keep liquid a generous 1/2 inch above beans.
In a medium skillet, fry bacon, stirring until crisp, about 10 minutes. Remove with slotted spoon. Pour off all but 2 Tbsp. of drippings and return pan to medium heat. Add onion and jalapeno and fry until golden brown, about 10 minutes. Scrape onion mixture into beans, taste and season with salt. Continue simmering to blead the flavors.
If the beans seem to soupy, boil over medium high heat, stirring frequently, until the consistency of a nice, brothy bean soup. Just before serving add tequila and cilantro and serve topped with crispy bacon.

Baked Rigatoni with Bechamel Sauce

This is a recipe that I I have made in the past and just came across. It comes from Giada De Laurentis, with a few minor changes from me. It's fairly quick and simple and tastes great. Plus it's a little something different than typical red sauce baked pastas.

Baked Rigatoni with Bechamel Sauce

1 stick unsalted butter
1/2 cup + 2 Tbsp. all-purpose flour
1 qt. whole milk at room temperature
Pinch fresh nutmeg
Sea salt and white pepper
1 cup grated fontina
1/2 lb. thinly sliced prosciutto, julienned
8 oz. sliced cremini mushrooms
1/2 tsp. crushed red pepper flakes
1 lb. dry rigatoni
3 Tbsp. unsalted butter, diced

Preheat oven to 425 degrees.
In a 2 qt. saucepan, melt butter over medium heat. Add flour and whisk until smooth, about 2 minutes. Always stirring, gradually add milk and whisk until smooth and creamy. Simmer until thick enough to coat the back of spoon, about 10 minutes. Remove from heat and stir in nutmeg, 1/2 cup fontina, prosciutto, mushrooms, salt and peppers. Set aside.
Cook pasta in large pot of boiling salted water. Add pasta and cook for about 5 minutes. You want the pasta a little hard since you are cooking a second time in oven. Drain, return to pot and add sauce. Mix well until pasta is coated with sauce.
In a greased 13x9 baking dish, pour pasta. Smooth out top and sprinkle with remaining cheese. Sot with diced butter and bake 25 minutes or until bubbling and golden brown.

Pizza Grilling Stone

I have always wanted an outdoor pizza oven and one of these days I will have one. but until then, I have this wonderful pizza grilling stone. Some weeks back, Dan and I were at Crate and Barrel when we came across this. The packaging says that it duplicates the effects of a brick oven and is great for pizzas, quesadilla and more. The stone distributes heat evenly for a perfect, crispy pizza crust.

The stone is dishwasher and microwave safe, but is not intended for stove top use. You can cut the pizza on the stone without worrying about the stone being damaged. I used my own crust, but you can use this with frozen pizza dough, a prepared crust or even a frozen pizza.

Spice Rubbed Pork Tenderloin

I'm actually posting on the same night that I cooked! With my new job taking all my time, I have hardly been able to cook, let alone sit at the computer and write about it. This week, I'm only working 9 hour days as opposed to 10 hours so I have a little extra time. I actually wanted to grill out tonight, but it was way too windy and cold. I decided to prepare the pork loin inside and create a rub for it. It turned out perfect, just the right amount of heat and salt.

Spice Rubbed Pork Tenderloin

1 tsp. salt
1 tsp. black pepper
1 tsp. smoked paprika
1 tsp. garlic powder
1 tsp. brown sugar
1/2 tsp. aleppo pepper
1 1-lb. pork tenderloin
2 Tbsp. olive oil

Heat oven to 350 degrees. Mix the first 6 ingredients and rub over entire pork tenderloin. Heat a cast iron skillet to medium heat; add olive oil. When oil is hot add meat and brown on all sides. Place skillet in oven and cook for 15 minutes. Let the tenderloin rest for 5 to 10 minutes before slicing.

Campanelle with Chicken and Peas

This recipe was adapted from one I found on www.discoverbarilla.com. Their recipe uses farfalle and did not have chicken. Since I didn't have any farfalle, I used campanelle. Campanelle is my favorite pasta shape and means bell flower. I have made other versions of this pasta, but this one is very simple and good.

Campanelle With Chicken and Peas

1 box (1 lb.) campanelle pasta

2 Tbsp. olive oil

1 small white onion, diced

3 oz. prosciutto, diced

6 oz. cooked chicken

1 1/2 cup peas

1/2 cup dry white wine

2 cups half and half

1/2 cup heavy cream

1/2 cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese

salt and pepper to taste

Cook pasta in large pot of boiling salted water. Saute onion in olive oil over medium heat for 5 minutes. Add prosciutto, peas and chicken and saute for 3 minutes. Add wine, simmer until reduced by half. Stir in half and half, cream and cheese, season with salt and pepper. Bring to a boil and cook for 3 to 5 minutes, until sauce thickens slightly. Drain pasta and toss with sauce. Serve sprinkled with extra Parmesan.

Mocha Angel Cake

This recipe was given to me by someone at my old job. I was told that the cake was wonderful and would be a favorite. It did not go over to well at my house. My icing did not turn out right, although the flavor was good, it just kind of slid of the cake. The cake itself was okay, but I prefer a plain angel food.

Mocha Angel Cake

1 package (16 0z) white angel food cake mix

1 Tbsp. cocoa

1 1/2 cups cold coffee

1 package (2.8 oz) whipped topping mix

4 Tbsp. powdered sugar

4 tsp. cocoa

Prepare cake mix as directed on package, except stir cocoa into dry cake mix and substitute cold coffee for water. Bake and cool as directed.

prepare topping mix as directed on package, except use skim milk and stir in sugar and cocoa during last minute of beating. Spread onto cool cake, serve.

Something Different at Senor Tequila

Last night , Dan and I headed to Senor Tequila, for some of our favorite Mexican food. It seems that I always order either the Tacos de Carne Azada or the Enchiladas Rancheras, with the occasional bowl of Caldo de Pollo. I wanted to try something different, so I scoured the menu and decided on the Carnitas ($9.75). The thing I love the most about the Enchiladas Rancheras is the wonderful chunks of moist and crispy pork that top the dish and the carnitas description sounded like the same thing. The Carnitas are pork tips served with rice and beans, shredded lettuce, chopped tomato and onion, avocado, jalapenos and corn or flour tortillas. This dish did not disappoint me, the pork was cooked to perfection and was just the right amount of food. I now have a new favorite dish to decide upon.
Senor Tequila is located at 6502 North Oak Trafficway, Gladstone MO 64119.

I Miss Cooking

Three weeks ago I started a new job and I have not had the time to cook , let alone sit at the computer and post about it. I am working for a retail store and we are setting it up and getting it ready to open. I have been working 10 hour days or more, which does not leave much time to post. Thank goodness for takeout and Lean Cuisine! One big plus was that my mother was staying at my sister's while she looked for a place to live and there were some very good mom cooked meals with plenty of leftovers. Things will start to settle down and I will be able to catch up, I even plan on cooking tonight since I am off!! Now the question is , "what will I cook?"!!

Dutch Genever Cheese Soup

I came across this recipe in an old Gourmet or Bon Appetit and thought it sounded interesting. I decided to prepare it last week and was not all that impressed with the flavor. The recipe did not call for any seasoning other than the optional chives and gin, both of which I used and I added salt and pepper to taste. That helped somewhat, but the recipe was still on the bland side, so I picked up the hot sauce and gave it a couple of good shakes and it turned out okay. I really thought that adding the beaten eggs to the boiling broth would cause them to curdle, but they actually made the soup nice and smooth. I would not make this again, but thought that I would post the recipe as printed.

Dutch Genever Cheese Soup

4 cups unsalted chicken stock
5 eggs
1/4 cup whipping cream
1 1/3 cups grated Gouda cheese
1/2 cup finely chopped Dutch ham or other lean ham
3 Tbsp Dutch genever or English gin (optional)
2 Tbsp snipped fresh chives

bring stock to boil in heavy large saucepan. Beat eggs and cream in large bowl until smooth. Stir in cheese and ham. Slowly pour into boiling stock, stirring constantly. Pour in gin if desired, stirring to incorporate. Ladle into bowls. Garnish with chives if desired.