Memorial Day Martini

No, it is not red, white and blue...although that is a good idea.  This is just one of those yummy drinks that just tastes like summer.  You can serve it in a martini glass or just in a tumbler...you can do like I did and just make up a pitcher and enjoy it on the deck in the sunshine with your sweetheart or some friends.  Either way, this drink says,  "Welcome summer!"

3 c. lemonade
3/4 c. watermelon vodka
1/2 c. coconut rum
1 c. sliced fresh strawberries

Mix all ingredients well in a pitcher with ice.  Pour into desired glass!

Salmon Cowell

It is Memorial Day weekend here in the good old USA.  If the weather cooperates that means barbeque.  Out here in the Pacific Northwest salmon is always a go to barbeque item...especially for out of town guests.  Copper River Salmon is coming in to the markets now.  So here is a recipe for a yummy salmon BBQ..grilled salmon in an orange ginger marinade.  This recipe is from the "Looneyspoons Collection." (I told you I'd get back to that cookbook!)

Marinade;
1/4 c. orange juice frozen concentrate
1/4 c. hoison sauce
1 T. soy sauce
1 T. grated ginger
1 t. irange zest
1/4 t. red pepper flakes
Whisk all marinade ingredients together. Pour into a large ziplock plastic bag.  Add
4 boneless skinless salmon fillets. 
Turn salmon in bag to coat well.  Place in refrigerator for 30 minutes.
Preheat grill to medium heat.  Spray with a nonstick cooking/grilling spray.  Place salmon on grill for 4 minutes per side, or until done.  Baste salmon with marinade the last minute of cooking.

Beef, Green Bean and Scallion Stir Fry

I recently purchased a new cookbook, "Simple American Favorites" from American Test Kitchens.  I like to take the opportunity to hunt out new recipes all the time.  This results in a never ending "This is a new recipe" night at our house.  Luckily my husband doesn't seem to mind, and heck, he can never complain we are in rut!   I will be trying out many of the recipes in this cookbook in the next month so bear with me if it seems that is all I am posting....kind of like when I got my "Looneyspoons Collection"  cookbook (and by the way, we will be coming back to that one!

1/3 c. beef broth (it called for chicken broth but I had beef in the refrigerator)
1/4 c. oyster sauce
2 T. soy sauce
2 t. rice vinegar
1 t. red pepper flakes
3 T. vegetable oil
1# green beans, trimmed and cut into pieces
1# steak, sliced into thin strips
8 scallions (these are green onions) cut into 2" pieces
6 garlic cloves, minced
1 T. fresh ginger

Whisk broth, oyster sauce soy sauce, vinegar and red pepper in bowl and set aside.
Heat 2 T. oil in a skillet or wok over high heat.  Add steak, green beans and onions. 
Add garlic and ginger.  Cool for 30 seconds until fragrant.  Add broth mixture to the skillet.  Cook several minutes.  
Serve over hot rice.

Olive Garden Alfredo Pasta

I have noticed that any recipe that is a take off from a restaurant seems to be a popular post.  So today I will share another one of those take off recipes.  This one is for the Olive Garden's Alfredo Pasta.  It is a rich and creamy recipe that is simple to prepare.  Serve it as they do with some grilled chicken pieces or cooked shrimp.
1/2 c. butter
2 c. cream
1/4 t. garlic powder
1/8 t. pepper
1 12 0z. pkg. fettuccine
1/4 c. parmesan cheese
Melt the butter in a medium saucepan over medium heat.  Add the cream, garlic and pepper and simmer for 10-12 minutes or until thick.  Add parmesan cheese.

Bring 4 quarts of water to boil and add the pasta.  Cook 12 minutes and then drain.
Serve pasta on plates with Alfredo sauce on top.

Meatball Minestrone Soup

It has been a rather rainy week...and I have a head cold that will not go away.  So today I am cooking up a nice healthy bowl of soup and baking a loaf of bread to go with it.  I have seen many recipes for this soup online, but this one is a version that is all my own.  Cook up a pot, invite friends over and pass the bread bowl!

2 cans Italian style stewed tomatoes
2 c. beef broth
1 small can tomato sauce
4 carrots, diced
2 c. diced celery
1 c. chopped onion
1 c. sliced green beans
1 t. each of basil, parsley and oregano
1 c. pasta: seashell, elbow macaroni, or ditalini
1 can red kidney beans, drained
1# ground beef
3/4 c. Italian style bread crumbs
1 egg
2 T. oil
Mix the ground beef, bread crumbs and eggs well.  Form into meatballs and place on a greased cooky sheet.  Bake at 350 degrees for 20 minutes.
While the meatballs are baking, heat the olive oil in a large soup pan.  Add the onion, carrots and celery and saute for 5 minutes.  Mix in the tomatoes, tomato sauce, kidney beans, green beans and beef broth.  Bring to a boil.  Add spices and pasta.  Boil gently for 10 minutes.  Stir in the cooked meatball and continue to simmer gently for another 10 minutes.

Egg Braid Bread

I love baking bread...especially the part where it is warm and you spread butter on it!  This is a recipe I have been baking for probably the last 20 years.  It is much easier to make than it seems.  You can add seeds to the top if you like.  Today I am serving it with my Meatball Minestrone Soup.

2 T. yeast
1/2 c. warm water
2 t. salt
2 T. oil
Combine all these ingredients and whisk well.  Allow to sit for 5 minutes.
Heat: 1/2 c. milk to lukewarm.
Stir in 2 T. sugar.
Mix the milk mixture into the yeast mixture.  Beat in 3 eggs.  Add
3 c. flour
Knead the dough for 5-8 minutes.  Put in a buttered bowl   Put into a warm spot and allow to rise for 30 minutes. 
After rising, punch the dough down.  Divide into 3 pieces.  Roll each piece into a rope shape.
Line the 3 ropes side by side.  Braid the ropes just like you would hair.  Place the braid onto a greased cooky sheet and allow to rise for another 30 minutes.
Beat 1 egg with 1 T. water.  Brush this mixture onto the braid.
Bake at 400 for 20 to 30 minutes.

Greek Salad Pizza

Fridays are traditionally pizza night at our house.  But I like to mix it up a little and make pizza that is just a little unusual once in a while.  Tonight I had all the ingredients for a good Greek salad so I thought...hmm..why not on a pizza?  I used my own homemade pizza crust but you could use whatever you like...
This is it before baking:

My pizza crust recipe:
1 T. yeast
dissolve this in 1 c. warm water.  Whisk well.
Now whisk in:
1 T. olive oil
1 t. honey or sugar
1 t. salt
Stir in:  3-4 c. bread flour until it forms a not so sticky ball.  Knead for several minutes.  Roll out into a circle shape and place on a pizza pan.
Top the dough with 2-3 T. balsamic salad dressing
Then in a food processor blend:
3 cloves garlic
3/4 can garbanzo beans -drained
This will make a substance much like humus.  Spread this mixture on top of the balsamic dressing.

Top the humus mixture with
2 c. fresh spinach
1 c. slied kalamata olives
 2 sliced tomatoes
remainder of the can of garbanzo beans
On top of this sprinkle:
1 c. feta cheese
1/2 c. Parmesan cheese
1/2 c. mozzarella cheese
Then bake the pizza at 400 degrees for 15 minutes.  When it comes out of the oven, sprinkle on some tazaki.
Make the tzaki by blending 1 c. cucumber with 1 c. plain greek yogurt and 1 t. oregano.

Thai chicken with cashews and chilies

I have a wonderful Thai cookbook called, "Quick and Easy Thai"..it is a great collection of easy delicious recipes.  Tonight I was feeling like having some Thai so I got out the cookbook and tried this recipe for the first time.

1# chicken breasts or thighs
1 c. sliced onion
2 T. fish sauce
2 t. soy sauce
2 T. water
1/2 t. sugar
1 c. cashews
I also added 2 c. frozen stir fry veggies....you can leave this out if you want
2 large red chilis cut in pieces--you can also leave these out if you don't like hot spicy food
(I didn't have any chilies so I just used some dried red pepper.)

Cut chicken in bite size strips.  Saute in a saucepan with 2 T. corn oil.  Cook until just barely pink.  Add in vegetables and all remaining ingredients except cashews.  Stir fry until vegetables are just crisp.  Stir in cashews.  Serve over hot cooked rice.

Stuffed French toast

This morning I had some leftover strawberries that needed to be used up..so I made this for my sweetheart's breakfast in bed.  It was yummy.  You could use any fruit that you have in the house.  If you like things a little sweeter you could use a little more powdered sugar with the cream cheese.

2 eggs
1/4 c. milk
1/2 t. vanilla
Beat all ingedients well with a whip.

Slice your choice of fruit:  I used strawberries

4 oz. cream cheese
2 T. powdered sugar
Beat these two ingredients together for the filling.

Heat a large skillet on medium heat.  Spray with cooking spray. 

4 slices of any type of bread

spread  1/2 of the cream cheese mixture on the top of  2 of the bread slices.  Dip the bottom of these slices in the beaten egg mixture and set slices in pan.  Top cream cheese mixture with fruit.  It will look like this:

Dip just one side of each of the remaining slices in egg mixture.  Place on top of the pieces in the pan--egg side up.  Cook til one side is brown, flip and cook the other side.

Before serving sprinkle with powdered sugar and top with whipped cream.

Lemon Asparagus Chicken Pasta

I got this recipe from a blog called "Gimme Some Oven."  I made only a few adjustments to the original recipe.  I grilled my chicken.  This time of year grilled chicken just tastes better than sauteed to me.  Plus it's an excuse to cook outside.  I had some extra cherry tomatoes, and mushhrooms so I sliced those up and put them in too.  If you are not a mushroom lover, just leave them out.  This is a light and healthy, simple dinner.  One to enjoy while sitting out on a sunny deck with a glass of wine and that someone you love.

• 12 oz. pasta (I used farfalle bows)
• 3 Tbsp. olive oil
• 1 Tbsp. fresh rosemary, finely chopped
• 2 boneless, skinless chicken breasts, pounded to even thickness
• 1 bunch (about 1 lb.) fresh asparagus, ends trimmed and cut into bite-sized pieces
• 3 cloves garlic, minced
• 1 tsp. lemon zest
• 1 tsp. lemon juice
• 2/3 cup (about 1 carton) Greek yogurt, plain
• 1/3 cup grated Parmesan cheese
• 2 cups fresh baby spinach 
• 1/2 c. slice mushrooms
• 1/2 c. slice cherry tomatoes ( I just 1/2'd them)

Prepare pasta al dente according to package instructions.

Grill the chicken until done then slice the chicken into thin strips.

In a skillet with the oil saute the asparagus, garlic, lemon juice and zest, mushrooms, cherry tomatoes and rosemary  until the asparagus is cooked but still slightly crisp. Stir in the spinach and saute a few minutes more. Stir in the  Greek yogurt,  and Parmesan cheese

Combine cooked and drained pasta with sauce and chicken.  Serve in bowls with a sprinkle of Parmesan cheese on top.

Stuffed Steak with Balsamic Mushroom Sauce

Well, this is one of those recipes I found and then just totally tweaked to what I had in my own fridge.  This is my own version ..great on the BBQ or you could bake it in the oven.  I served it with a baked potato and salad.  Perfect warm weather meal!

2 cube steaks
1/4 c. sliced onion
1/4 c. carrot cut in very thin strips
1/4 c. sliced red pepper

for the marinade:
3 T. Worchestershire sauce
1 T. olive oil
1 T. monterey steak seasoning

for the steak sauce
 1/2 c, sliced mushrooms
2 T. butter
2 t. chopped shallots or onions
1/4 c. beef broth
1/4 c. balsamic vinegar
2 T. brown sugar

Lay the cube steaks flat, pour marinade over and marinate at least 20 minutes.   Take steak out of marinade and arrange 1/2 of each of the vegetable on one end of the steak.  Roll up and secure with toothpicks.  BBQ for 10 minutes or bake at 350 for 20 minutes.
Meanwhile combine all the ingredients for the sauce in a sauce pan and simmer for 10-15 minutes.  Serve sauce over steak.

Crockpot Cilantro Lime Chicken

It is Cinco de Mayo which means Mexican food tonight.  It is warm outside so I thought I would give this recipe a try.  Plus instead of being in the house cooking all afternoon..I can be out enjoying the nice weather.


1# chicken breast
3/4 c. lime juice
1-2 t. taco or fajitas seasoning (* my homemade recipe is below)
1/2 c. cilantro

Put all ingredients in crockpot on low for 6 hours or high for 4 hours.  Shred chicken.  Serve as meat in tacos with lettuce, tomato, avocado and pico de gallo.

Homemade pico de gallo
3-4 roma tomatoes chopped small
1/2 c. chopped cilantro
1-2 diced jalapenos
1/4 c. chopped onion
Mix all ingredients well

Homemade taco/fajita seasoning

1T. chili powder
1/2 t. oregano
1 1/2 t. cumin
1 t. black pepper
1 t. salt
1/2 t. paprika
1/4 t. garlic powder
1/4 t.onion powder
1/4 t. crushed red pepper

Magic Cake

I seem to be in a mood today to try out things that I am not sure are going to work.  It started with making a homemade wasp trap and somehow evolved into trying a dessert that was posted on the blog "Jo Cooks."   The review on Jo's blog assured me that many cooks have tried the recipe with success.  Basically, you mix up all the ingredients, bake it .....and when it is done it is a beautiful little cake with 3 distinct layers--one of them being a vanilla custard.  I had to try it! 
I think this cake would be spectacular topped with fresh sliced strawberries and whipped cream.  Here is the recipe for you to try:

• 4 eggs (separate yolks from whites) at room temperature
• 1 tsp vanilla extract
• 3/4 cup sugar
• 1 stick butter, melted
•  3/4 cu) of flour
• 2 cups milk lukewarm
• powdered sugar for dusting cake

Preheat oven to 325 F degrees. Grease a 8 inch x 8 inch baking dish.

Separate eggs and add the egg whites to a mixer and mix until egg whites are stiff. Place egg whites in a bowl and set aside.  

Beat the egg yolks with the sugar until light. Add butter and vanilla extract and continue beating for another minute or two after which you can add the flour and mix it in until fully incorporated.

Slowly start adding the milk and beat until everything is well mixed together. Add the egg whites, a third at a time and gently fold them in using a spatula, repeat until all egg whites are folded in. .

Pour batter into baking dish and bake for 40 to 70 minutes or until the top is lightly golden. The baking time could vary greatly depending on the oven, so take a peek at around 40 minutes and see how it looks.

Sprinkle some powdered sugar after cake has cooled

Mango Pineapple Martini

Today, in celebration of the sun and the 70 degree weather,  I am sharing a yummy martini recipe.  I am going to Hawaii in June and this cocktail is definitely working with the weather to get me in the mood!  Add to that some Hawaiian music on Pandora and life is just too good.

1 1/2 oz. mango vodka
3/4 oz. coconut rum
splash of pineapple juice

Put all ingredient into a shaker with crushed ice.  Shake well and serve in a martini glass.