Taco Dip

The first time I dipped my chip into this dip I was hooked! Now I or someone else makes it for every get together. It doesn't get any easier than this so grab your chip, scoop or whatever you prefer and dig in!

A special thanks to Steve's Mom, Lyn who shared this recipe with me!


Taco Dip

1 pkg. cream cheese or sour cream (I use 8 oz sour cream)
1 can chili with or without beans
1 jar salsa
1 pkg. taco blend cheese
2 lg. tomatoes, chopped
4 scallions, sliced
1 can sliced back olives

Layer ingredients in the order above in a nonstick rectangular pan.
Bake for 20 minutes at 350˚

Taco Dip

The first time I dipped my chip into this dip I was hooked! Now I or someone else makes it for every get together. It doesn't get any easier than this so grab your chip, scoop or whatever you prefer and dig in!

A special thanks to Steve's Mom, Lyn who shared this recipe with me!


Taco Dip

1 pkg. cream cheese or sour cream (I use 8 oz sour cream)
1 can chili with or without beans
1 jar salsa
1 pkg. taco blend cheese
2 lg. tomatoes, chopped
4 scallions, sliced
1 can sliced back olives

Layer ingredients in the order above in a nonstick rectangular pan.
Bake for 20 minutes at 350˚

Lentil Soup

Sorry that it's been so long since I've posted anything new. I've been having some trouble uploading my pictures through imageshack. I think the website was having some trouble but now it seems to be working.

So the fall is here! Yay! I've been looking forward to this season for weeks! Along with all the fun fall activities I look forward to making hearty soups and stews to warm our bellies. Lentil soup is one of my absolute favorites. I like it soupy and I also like it when it thickens up.

Take note of my pretty vietri dish!!! I fell in love with these dishes when I first saw them on Giada's food network show, Everyday Italian. They aren't cheap so I have started my collection with the pretty deep dishes that I used for this photo. I love it!

Michele’s Lentil Soup


Ingredients:

2 cans chicken broth
4 cups water
2 vegetable bouillon cubes
1 onion diced
3 carrots, diced
2-3 stalks celery, diced
1 small potato diced
2 cloves garlic, cracked (optional)
1/2 – 8oz can Delmonte tomato sauce (can substitute with fresh tomatoes or diced)
½ bag lentils
Extra Virgin Olive Oil
Salt and pepper to taste
2-3 bay leaves
* can use 6 cans chicken broth in place of water and bouillon cubes.

Saute onion, garlic, carrots and potato in oil for 2-3 minutes. Stir to prevent potato from sticking. (If using fresh or diced tomatoes, add now and let cook a few minutes so they soften.)

Add broth and water. Cover and bring to a boil. Add bay leaves and bouillon cubes if using. Let it cook a minute so the bouillon cubes dissolve. Add lentils and Delmonte and cover. Let cook for about 25-30 minutes or until tender. Taste for seasoning. Add salt and pepper as needed.

In a separate pot cook 1 pound of small pasta such as ditilini or broken up spaghetti.

Serve with pasta. (Do not mix pasta and soup in the pot b/c the pasta will absorb all the juice and it will be too thick, unless of course you like it that way!)

Bon Apetito!

Note - To make this vegetarian swap the chicken broth for vegetable broth.

Lentil Soup

Sorry that it's been so long since I've posted anything new. I've been having some trouble uploading my pictures through imageshack. I think the website was having some trouble but now it seems to be working.

So the fall is here! Yay! I've been looking forward to this season for weeks! Along with all the fun fall activities I look forward to making hearty soups and stews to warm our bellies. Lentil soup is one of my absolute favorites. I like it soupy and I also like it when it thickens up.

Take note of my pretty vietri dish!!! I fell in love with these dishes when I first saw them on Giada's food network show, Everyday Italian. They aren't cheap so I have started my collection with the pretty deep dishes that I used for this photo. I love it!

Michele’s Lentil Soup


Ingredients:

2 cans chicken broth
4 cups water
2 vegetable bouillon cubes
1 onion diced
3 carrots, diced
2-3 stalks celery, diced
1 small potato diced
2 cloves garlic, cracked (optional)
1/2 – 8oz can Delmonte tomato sauce (can substitute with fresh tomatoes or diced)
½ bag lentils
Extra Virgin Olive Oil
Salt and pepper to taste
2-3 bay leaves
* can use 6 cans chicken broth in place of water and bouillon cubes.

Saute onion, garlic, carrots and potato in oil for 2-3 minutes. Stir to prevent potato from sticking. (If using fresh or diced tomatoes, add now and let cook a few minutes so they soften.)

Add broth and water. Cover and bring to a boil. Add bay leaves and bouillon cubes if using. Let it cook a minute so the bouillon cubes dissolve. Add lentils and Delmonte and cover. Let cook for about 25-30 minutes or until tender. Taste for seasoning. Add salt and pepper as needed.

In a separate pot cook 1 pound of small pasta such as ditilini or broken up spaghetti.

Serve with pasta. (Do not mix pasta and soup in the pot b/c the pasta will absorb all the juice and it will be too thick, unless of course you like it that way!)

Bon Apetito!

Note - To make this vegetarian swap the chicken broth for vegetable broth.

Crash Hot Potatoes

So as you already know I spend a lot of time on bakespace. These past two weeks there has been lots of talk about this potato recipe. I believe it all started at The Pioneer Woman's blog and then over at Cooking Stuff and then Life, Dreams and Cupcakes. I couldn't take it any longer, I had to make my version of these delicious looking potatoes! The minute I saw them I pictured them with melted cheese and crispy bacon, almost like those potato skins you get at most chain family restaurants...but better! The cheese and bacon worked very well on the potatoes, they had the taste of the loaded potato skins but without the grease. I would definitely make these potatoes again and I encourage you to try your version or one of the many I have linked to!

Crash Hot Potatoes

So as you already know I spend a lot of time on bakespace. These past two weeks there has been lots of talk about this potato recipe. I believe it all started at The Pioneer Woman's blog and then over at Cooking Stuff and then Life, Dreams and Cupcakes. I couldn't take it any longer, I had to make my version of these delicious looking potatoes! The minute I saw them I pictured them with melted cheese and crispy bacon, almost like those potato skins you get at most chain family restaurants...but better! The cheese and bacon worked very well on the potatoes, they had the taste of the loaded potato skins but without the grease. I would definitely make these potatoes again and I encourage you to try your version or one of the many I have linked to!

Italian Chicken with Couscous

Steve and I love olives...a lot...kalamatas are our favorites. I try to keep them on hand all the time and we either eat them out of the container or I cook with them. This is a great recipe for using kalamatas. You dont have to make couscous with it but I think it goes so well. I usually put a lot of the sauce on top of the cousous and it's so good like that. I even eat the couscous cold the next morning for breakfast. I know, it's weird but I really love it.

I find myself saying this often...you do not need to follow this recipe exactly. I came up with this to use what I had on hand but I've substitued diced tomatoes and petite diced tomatoes when I don't have fresh. Sometimes I don't use capers. One thing you should keep in mind is that if the sauce is thick you may not need to add the cornstarch. If it's too watery from fresh tomatoes and you want it thicker then add a little or if you like it loose that's fine too. :-)

I tried a new technique with my camera. I shut off the flash and adjusted the lighting through the computer. I'm not sure if it's better or not. I'm new to this and I also have a new camera so any advice would be lovely!


Italian Chicken with Couscous


Ingredients:

2-3 boneless skinless chicken breasts, halved
extra virgin olive oil
1-2 Tbsp unsalted butter
1 large onion, halved and thinly sliced
3 cloves garlic, minced
3 plum tomatoes, seeded and diced
¼ cup kalamata olives, pitted and chopped
1 Tbsp capers, drained
salt and pepper, to taste
¼ cup chardonnay or any dry white wine
1 can chicken broth
2 tsp cornstarch
¼ cup fresh basil, chiffonade
1 box Near East toasted pine nut couscous

Directions:

Rinse chicken, pat dry and season with salt and pepper. In a large skillet heat 1 tbsp butter and a little oil over medium-high heat. Add chicken; cook for 4-5 minutes on each side or until brown. Remove from pan and keep warm on a plate tented with foil.

In same pan add remaining butter and oil (if needed), onion and garlic. Saute for about 2 minutes or until onions are soft. Add tomatoes and a little chicken broth while scraping browned bits from pan. Add olives, capers, salt and pepper to skillet. Let it come to a boil, reduce heat and cover pan. Let cook for about 3 minutes. Meanwhile, prepare couscous according to package directions and substitute chicken broth for water. (May be a little short on broth so add water if needed) Stir together wine and cornstarch; add to skillet. Cook and stir until thickened and bubbly. Add chicken to pan and any juices that accumulated in the dish. Stir in basil. Let cook for 2 minutes more.

Serve sauce over chicken and couscous.

Italian Chicken with Couscous

Steve and I love olives...a lot...kalamatas are our favorites. I try to keep them on hand all the time and we either eat them out of the container or I cook with them. This is a great recipe for using kalamatas. You dont have to make couscous with it but I think it goes so well. I usually put a lot of the sauce on top of the cousous and it's so good like that. I even eat the couscous cold the next morning for breakfast. I know, it's weird but I really love it.

I find myself saying this often...you do not need to follow this recipe exactly. I came up with this to use what I had on hand but I've substitued diced tomatoes and petite diced tomatoes when I don't have fresh. Sometimes I don't use capers. One thing you should keep in mind is that if the sauce is thick you may not need to add the cornstarch. If it's too watery from fresh tomatoes and you want it thicker then add a little or if you like it loose that's fine too. :-)

I tried a new technique with my camera. I shut off the flash and adjusted the lighting through the computer. I'm not sure if it's better or not. I'm new to this and I also have a new camera so any advice would be lovely!


Italian Chicken with Couscous


Ingredients:

2-3 boneless skinless chicken breasts, halved
extra virgin olive oil
1-2 Tbsp unsalted butter
1 large onion, halved and thinly sliced
3 cloves garlic, minced
3 plum tomatoes, seeded and diced
¼ cup kalamata olives, pitted and chopped
1 Tbsp capers, drained
salt and pepper, to taste
¼ cup chardonnay or any dry white wine
1 can chicken broth
2 tsp cornstarch
¼ cup fresh basil, chiffonade
1 box Near East toasted pine nut couscous

Directions:

Rinse chicken, pat dry and season with salt and pepper. In a large skillet heat 1 tbsp butter and a little oil over medium-high heat. Add chicken; cook for 4-5 minutes on each side or until brown. Remove from pan and keep warm on a plate tented with foil.

In same pan add remaining butter and oil (if needed), onion and garlic. Saute for about 2 minutes or until onions are soft. Add tomatoes and a little chicken broth while scraping browned bits from pan. Add olives, capers, salt and pepper to skillet. Let it come to a boil, reduce heat and cover pan. Let cook for about 3 minutes. Meanwhile, prepare couscous according to package directions and substitute chicken broth for water. (May be a little short on broth so add water if needed) Stir together wine and cornstarch; add to skillet. Cook and stir until thickened and bubbly. Add chicken to pan and any juices that accumulated in the dish. Stir in basil. Let cook for 2 minutes more.

Serve sauce over chicken and couscous.

Roasted Peppers

We're in an age where everything is simplified for us. We can do our banking online, go to a drive through for our morning coffee and go to school without leaving the comforts of our own homes. Technology is great, it makes our lives easier but in my opinion it also makes us lazy and dependant. I always loved hearing stories from Nanny about how she brought her laundry to the lake to do her washing or my father's stories about the different peddlers who strolled the streets selling their goods. This is a different age and there are many things that have become lost or forgotten. I know it's hard to resist the supermarkets temptations of pre-made meals and jarred sauces, I myself have been known to give in to the "fast and easy monster". Today I wanted to do things a little different and the result is well worth the time and effort. Next time you make a fresh antipasta platter think twice about opening that jar of roasted peppers. Try roasting them yourself! You'll love the fresh taste, I can guarantee it!

Roasted Peppers

It’s really quite easy to roast peppers. There are a few different methods but this is the one I like the best. I use red peppers because they are the sweetest.

Brush peppers with olive oil and put on a hot grill on medium heat.



Leave peppers alone, don’t fuss with them until they blister and begin to turn black in some areas. Turn and do the same until all four sides are roasted and blistered.



Put peppers in a bowl and cover tightly with plastic wrap. Leave peppers alone to steam and the skins will loosen from the flesh. When they are cool enough to handle, peel off skin and discard.





Dress peppers with fresh garlic, basil, salt and extra virgin olive oil. There are no measurements for this. Use as much or as little as you like. Eat room temperature or cold.

Roasted Peppers

We're in an age where everything is simplified for us. We can do our banking online, go to a drive through for our morning coffee and go to school without leaving the comforts of our own homes. Technology is great, it makes our lives easier but in my opinion it also makes us lazy and dependant. I always loved hearing stories from Nanny about how she brought her laundry to the lake to do her washing or my father's stories about the different peddlers who strolled the streets selling their goods. This is a different age and there are many things that have become lost or forgotten. I know it's hard to resist the supermarkets temptations of pre-made meals and jarred sauces, I myself have been known to give in to the "fast and easy monster". Today I wanted to do things a little different and the result is well worth the time and effort. Next time you make a fresh antipasta platter think twice about opening that jar of roasted peppers. Try roasting them yourself! You'll love the fresh taste, I can guarantee it!

Roasted Peppers

It’s really quite easy to roast peppers. There are a few different methods but this is the one I like the best. I use red peppers because they are the sweetest.

Brush peppers with olive oil and put on a hot grill on medium heat.



Leave peppers alone, don’t fuss with them until they blister and begin to turn black in some areas. Turn and do the same until all four sides are roasted and blistered.



Put peppers in a bowl and cover tightly with plastic wrap. Leave peppers alone to steam and the skins will loosen from the flesh. When they are cool enough to handle, peel off skin and discard.





Dress peppers with fresh garlic, basil, salt and extra virgin olive oil. There are no measurements for this. Use as much or as little as you like. Eat room temperature or cold.