It’s so hot these days, I thought it would be a great time for a salad. I opened the fridge and found some dried cherries sitting there and knew they would be a good start. I added an apple and some brown sugar pecans. For the vegetarians out there that would be perfect, but in my house I’m surrounded by men who like meat so I added some grilled chicken to the mix.
Brown Sugar Pecans are a tasty treat. They are easy to make and great to have in the pantry for a quick snack. I love to put a few into a salad, they provide that crunch and sweetness that adds so much flavor to any salad. Another idea is to split a banana in half, grill it for a minute then add the pecans and drizzle honey over the top. They will keep fresh for a couple weeks provided you place them in a tightly sealed container. Sometimes they don’t last that long though.
This one is for Josh. It’s his favorite and a frequent request for me to make. Just a plate of wings and some ranch dressing is all it takes to make him happy. Chef Paul Prudhomme is my hero for this seasoning mix which makes a great rub that you can taste in every bite. I added a spicy sauce that will make your taste buds sing with some heat and a hint of sweetness.
I’m constantly trying to find new ways to invent pizza. I will put toppings, cheese and sauce on just about anything and call it pizza, because I love it so much. Last night was Pizza Panini’s. I went vegetarian but the guys added pepperoni on theirs. It was so delicious when the cheese started to melt and combined all the flavors in between. Continue reading
Pesto can be made from many herb choices. I have a small herb garden of basil, chives, parsley, thyme, sage and rosemary, but not enough to make pesto. I always have spinach on hand and when I make pesto I start with a spinach base and add whatever herbs I want to enhance the flavor. This time I’ve added some basil leaves. Pesto adds flavor to pizza, soup, sandwiches or pasta. I use pesto in many recipes so I thought it deserved it’s own post. Continue reading
If you like a tender pork chop that isn’t dry, try brining. All it takes is a zip lock bag filled with water, salt and sugar. You can add fresh herbs, maybe citrus such as lemon, lime or orange, or garlic and onion, whatever you like, just throw it into the bag along with the pork chops. The longer they brine, the more juicy and tender they will be. I was in a simple mood so I made 4 chops covered in water with 1 T Sugar and 1 T Salt. I would have liked them to soak longer, but 4 hours was all I had. I wanted a sauce to go along with the pork and searched the pantry to see what fruit jam I had. I found the raspberry jam and knew I had something I could work with.
Flank Steak on the grill is oh so delicious. Whether you make a rub or a marinade, it always tastes good and is very easy to make. I happen to love Steak Fajitas with Monterey Jack cheese, roasted corn salsa, guacamole, and grilled onions & red pepper, however you can use whatever you like for toppings.
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For all the okra lovers, this will be a treat. Okra Gumbo is a side dish that my Mom made every summer. It reminds me of my childhood, Mom in the kitchen frying okra and the wonderful smell of bacon and tomato. I’ve never found any recipe that is quite like Mom’s, and believe me I’ve looked. I’ll have to cook this from memory, I don’t think the recipe is written anywhere and I don’t ever want to forget it. It’s just that good!
The fruit egg roll idea came as a result of picking up an extra package of egg roll wrappers. I had just made Shrimp Egg Rolls and thought that the recipe would make a few more than one package. As it turns out, I only used one package and was left wondering what to do with the extra’s. I had been in the mood for pie and thought, what if I make up some pie filling and roll it up in an egg roll wrapper. I wanted it to be simple, but as it turned out I just couldn’t make up my mind. . .
From time to time I make egg rolls. I found a recipe in the June 2010 issue of Cooking light (Pan Fried Egg Rolls) that sounded so tasty and easy that I just had to try it. It was by far the best egg rolls I had ever made, but I found that the filling inside was not enough to make a dozen egg rolls as the recipe suggested. So I have added some ingredients and tweaked it a bit and I think it now works out to a full dozen. This is my version of Shrimp Egg Rolls.
An Inspired Cook 