Fridge Friday: Episode 20

It may be 7:44 P.M., but it is still Friday, Fridge Friday. Want to see what is in my fridge?

Do you see that sweet corn over on the left side of the fridge? I had grand plans to grill it and serve it up beside some steaks with chili-lime butter, but that isn't going to work this week. Hubs had some dental work done yesterday and really isn't up to corn on the cob...or steaks. Thankfully, the weather is cool. *rant*Really? Did I just say THANKFULLY the weather is cool IN JUNE? Where IS summer?*end rant* Anyway, with these cooler temps comes the opportunity to extend soup season for the tender mouth of my Hubs.

Yes, I do realize that my last submission to this much neglected blog was also a Fridge Friday post featuring a soup with corn as a star ingredient. I am sorry for the repetition. Rest assured that Potato-Corn Crab Chowder is an entirely different soup from Corn and Bean Soup. Both are hearty and benefit greatly from the pop of sweetness of freshly-cut-from-the-cob corn. However, the similarities end there. Creamy, rich, bursting with new potatoes and delightful lumps of crab, Potato-Corn Crab Chowder is really one of my favorite soups. I must warn you not to skimp on the crab; use only the real deal. (I know. In the Midwest, it isn't always easy to get the real thing for seafood, but DO IT. You won't regret it.)

Potato-Corn Crab Chowder

4 tablespoons butter

1 cup onion, chopped

2-3 cloves garlic, minced

3 cups potatoes, cubed

1-2 cups corn kernels (cut from 2-3 ears of fresh corn, or use frozen)

3 tablespoons flour

2 cups chicken broth

2 cups milk (I often substitute half-and-half, or part heavy cream for some of the milk.)

1/2 teaspoon black pepper

1/4 teaspoon freshly grated nutmeg

1 (14 ounce) can creamed corn

1-2 cups lump crab meat

cayenne pepper (to taste...some like it with a kick, other do not)

2-4 tablespoons fresh parsley, chopped

Melt butter in a large, heavy pot.
Saute onion in melted butter until tender.
Add garlic and cook until fragrant.
Add potatoes and corn kernels; stir to combine.
Sprinkle in flour, cook for 1 minute stirring constantly.
Add broth, milk, and creamed corn; season with pepper and nutmeg.
Bring to a simmer over medium heat, stirring frequently.
Cover and reduce heat to low to simmer for about 20 minutes, or until potatoes are tender.
Stir in crab meat and parsley, cook 5 minutes to heat through. (Serves 6-8)

Fridge Friday: Episode 18

Was it really January when I last posted a Fridge Friday? O.M.G. I knew I have been slacking, but wow. Someone needs to give me a kick in the pants.

This morning, April 15th, I woke up to snow. Yep. Snow. It had rained and misted most of the day yesterday, and when I finally drifted off to sleep last night, it was sleeting and the ground was white. 6-8 inches of heavy, wet stuff greeted me this morning, and it is still coming down (who knows what the final snowfall total will be). The wind is trying to whip it around, but thankfully this moisture-loaded stuff isn't really into playing the full on blizzard scene. With the saturated ground from the recent rains, the slop underneath is ugly enough without minimizing our visibility and drifting.

So...since I won't be readying my herb garden for something to keep those now-buried-under-snow chives company, I decide that I should do a Fridge Friday.

What jumps out at me? I thought about grabbing a tube of those refrigerator biscuits and making another batch of Banana Monkey Bread. I whipped that up on Sunday by modifying a recipe I found at another blog, Pinch of Yum. Hubs and I gobbled it up with big glasses of Burbach Dairy chocolate milk for a huge sugar rush. It was delish. But right now, my gaze is drifting to left of those biscuits on the middle shelf. The blueberries caught my eye.

Hubs has a benefit for the local Volunteer Fire Department tomorrow. The guys will be frying chicken and serving it up with baked beans and potato salad. The wives of the crew are providing desserts. Hubs requested something with blueberries, and I picked up 2 big boxes. At this point, I really have no clue what I am going to bake up for the chicken dinner, but some Blueberry Cupcakes with Butter Cream Frosting that I created last summer from a Bon Appetit recipe sound good...so does Blueberry-Lime Pound Cake (that ended up on the floor last time I made it...that is a fateful tale)...and Lemon-Blueberry Zucchini Cake....and there is always the Blueberry Cream Cheese Bar Experiment that I haven't yet perfected... Damn. Too many choices.What blueberry option would YOU like On YOUR Plate?

EDIT: As I post this, I get a call that the Fire Department Benefit will be postponed until April 30th. Weather has forced the school's prom to be delayed until tomorrow (I bet that there are a lot of unhappy kids right now, but...what do you do?). This means that the facility for the chicken fry will be needed on Saturday for the prom banquet. Schedule juggling due to winter weather conditions isn't fun...and, I still have to decided what to do with those blueberries... Cupcake, anyone?

Blueberry Cupcakes with Butter Cream Frosting

(adapted from Bon Appetit)

3 1/4 cups all purpose flour
1 1/4 cups sugar
1 tablespoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon coarse kosher salt
1/4 teaspoon baking soda
6 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted
1/4 cup canola oil
2 large eggs
1 cup buttermilk
1 cup whole milk
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 teaspoon grated lemon peel
1 1/4 cups fresh blueberries, frozen for 4 hours
Frosting:
2 1/4 cups powdered sugar
10 tablespoons unsalted butter, room temperature
1/2 teaspoon coarse kosher salt
1 1/4 teaspoons vanilla extract
4 teaspoons (or more) whole milk
1 cup chilled fresh blueberries
Fresh mint sprigs (optional)

Preheat oven to 350°F.
Line two 12-cup muffin pans with paper liners.
Sift flour and next 4 ingredients into large bowl.
Whisk melted butter and oil in medium bowl.
Add eggs; whisk to blend.
Whisk in buttermilk, milk, vanilla extract, and peel.
Add buttermilk mixture to dry ingredients; whisk just to blend.
Stir in frozen blueberries.
Divide batter among liners.Bake cupcakes until tester inserted into center comes out clean, about 23 minutes.
Transfer cupcakes to racks; cool.
For Frosting:
Combine first 4 ingredients in medium bowl.
Add 4 teaspoons milk.
Using electric mixer, beat until well blended and fluffy, adding more milk by teaspoonfuls if dry, about 4 minutes.
Spread frosting over top of cupcakes.
Garnish cupcakes with chilled berries, and mint sprigs, if desired.
(Can be made 4 hours ahead. Store in airtight container at room temperature.)

Fridge Friday: Episode 17

I almost didn't do a post today. My fridge is so stuffed and disorganized that I didn't really want to share it for Fridge Friday. Also, I have no freaking clue what is going to be On My Plate for dinner. But, I sucked it up and decided to give it a go anyway.

That big box of spinach between the cauliflower and the beets on the bottom shelf? That helped make dinner a couple nights ago. Spinach and Potato Gratin was an excellent pairing with some salmon simply broiled with salt, pepper, olive oil, and a squeeze of lemon (and a side salad). The creamy, comforting potatoes made a sauce for swirling fork fulls of salmon through. Yummy. Too yummy not to share, even if the photo is kinda fugly. I think that I should have left the dish under the broiler for just a few more minutes to toast the Parmesan to a golden brown (instead of just melting). That might have made a better photo, but I really don't think the Spinach and Potato Gratin could have been any better On My Plate.

Spinach and Potato Gratin

Did you remember that the recipes are now printable? Just click the title above to get a handy new page.

4-6 medium red potatoes

10-12 ounces fresh baby spinach

2 tablespoons melted butter

kosher salt

fresh ground black pepper

1/2 cup heavy cream

1/16 teaspoon freshly grated nutmeg

1/2 cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese

Preheat oven to 350.

Scrub potatoes and slice (skins on) into 1/4 inch rounds. (I use my mandoline slicer...but, but watch your fingers.)

Arrange 1/3 of the sliced potatoes in the bottom of a greased casserole dish.

Layer 1/2 of the fresh spinach on top. (I press it down a little.)

Brush with melted butter and season with salt and pepper.

Arrange a second layer of 1/3 of the potatoes on top of the seasoned spinach. (Again, I press down to try to get tighter layers.)

Repeat layering with the remaining spinach.

Brush, again, with melted butter and season with salt and pepper.

Layer the last of the potatoes on top of the spinach, again. (And...yes, again, press down to tighten the layers.)

Brush with the last of the melted butter and season to taste with the salt and pepper. (Beware of over salting and peppering with the repeated layers. However, the dish really needs the flavor at each layer, so don't skimp.)

Whisk the nutmeg and the cream together.

Pour over the potato and spinach layers in the casserole dish.

Cover (this is where a casserole with a glass lid is really handy) and bake for 40-50 minutes, or until potatoes are tender and cream is bubbling up around the layers.

Remove lid or foil and sprinkle the Parmesan cheese on top.

Heat oven to broil and carefully melt the cheese to toasty goodness.

Or, alternatively, leave the oven set at 350 and just slide the dish back in until the Parm is melted. (Serves 4-6)

Fridge Friday; Episode 16

Sweet 16. Sixteen peeks inside my fridge(s)...I haven't taken time to really blog about it, but did you notice that somewhere along the way I finally got the most awesomest fridge of my dreams? I think that I shall celebrate the 16th Fridge Friday with not just a look inside my fridge, but also a look inside my oven. *wide-eyed amusement and sly grin*

OK. It isn't REALLY a look inside my oven, but by the time I peeled a couple sweet potatoes and chopped some of that cauliflower (front and center on the bottom shelf) into florets, and tossed it all with olive oil, salt and pepper, and roasted them to sweet, caramelized excellence, my daylight was gone. No good photo shots were going to happen no matter how close to the windows I plopped the Roasted Cauliflower and Sweet Potato Coins. Therefore, I decided to try a food shot done in the oven. I kinda like glow from the oven light; don't you? *insert sappy kissed-with-oven-light sweet 16 pun*

I more than kinda like Roasted Cauliflower and Sweet Potato Coins (although, truth be told, the sweet potatoes are my favorite part...and Hubs' favorite is the cauliflower...it is the PERFECT side dish for us). Tonight, this will be along side some pretty darn good thrown-together Sloppy Joes. (Chile Garlic Sauce is the secret ingredient, and they would be a most excellent Fridge Friday post, if I had a recipe.) But, I have also paired these amazing vegetables with roasted chicken, stuffed pork chops, meatloaf, and just about anything else that has landed On My Plate.  

Roasted Cauliflower and Sweet Potato Coins

(adapted from Everyday Food)

1 or 2 sweet potatoes

1/2 head of cauliflower (more or less)

2 tablespoons olive oil

kosher salt

fresh ground black pepper

Preheat the oven to 450 degrees.
Peel the sweet potatoes and slice into 1/4-inch thick rounds.
Cut the cauliflower into florets.
On a rimmed baking sheet, toss sweet potatoes and cauliflower with olive oil, salt, and pepper.
Roast until cooked through and browned on one side, about 25 minutes. (Serves 4.)

Fridge Friday: Episode 14

I have cleared all of the Thanksgiving leftovers out of the fridge this past week. A lot of the turkey was packaged and frozen in soup-sized servings to make quick turkey noodle soup on lazy days in the future, and surprisingly, most of the rest of the leftovers were actually (and not pretend) consumed. I did have to toss some dressing, which absolutely broke my heart. Dressing is one of my favorite parts of a turkey dinner, but I guess my eyes were bigger than my stomach when I baked this year's batch.

Here's today's fridge:

For once, it is pretty bare; I will have to make a grocery run soon. There are some Pickled Habanero Sticks on the top shelf (not my fave, but Hubs is a snacker). Middle shelf has some purchased (forgive me for I have sinned) hummus and flatbread, along with my favorite Greek Yogurt and some blueberries. Almost always present in my fridge is that big box of fresh baby spinach (I find that putting a paper towel in the container wicks the excess moisture away from the delicate leaves and keeps the "ick" away.). 

I bet the takeout containers caught your eye right away. Last night, I had defrosted pork chops (yes, that is what is in the butcher paper wrapped package on the right), but about dinner time lost all enthusiasm to cook. Hubs came to the rescue by picking up Hunan Beef and Steamed Dumplings for dinner. I am lucky to have someone so willing to indulge my laziness. However, today, those pork chops *have to* be cooked, and I think that they need gravy. Pork Chops with Sour Cream Gravy is super simple, but super good. I like to top egg noodles or mashed potatoes with the extra saucy onions and gravy, but rice would be a good accompaniment, too. Dare I say that dressing might be a good side, as well. The pork chops are rubbed with sage, and sage is a major seasoning in dressing. Hmm...that is an idea. (cue: *light bulb*) Maybe I will have to whip up a small batch of dressing next time I put Pork Chops with Sour Cream Gravy On My Plate.

Pork Chops with Sour Cream Gravy

4 pork loin chops

1-2 teaspoons dried sage (I used sage dried from my herb garden...and it might be more "crushed" than "ground.")

1/2-1 teaspoon kosher salt

1/2 teaspoon fresh ground black pepper

olive oil

2 medium onion, sliced

1 can (10.5 ounces) beef broth

1 cup sour cream

2 tablespoons flour

additional fresh ground black pepper, to taste 

Combine sage, salt, and pepper and rub both sides of the chops.
Heat oil in a large, heavy skillet and brown chops on each side.
Remove the chops from the pan and set aside. (Tent with foil to keep warm.)
Add the onions to the pan and saute until tender and slightly caramelized.
Return the chops to the pan and add the beef broth.
Cover and simmer 15-20 minutes (depending on thickness of chops), until chops are cooked through.
Again, remove the chops from the pan and set aside. (Again, tent with foil to keep warm.)
Combine the sour cream and the flour. (May need to add a splash of milk to mix well.)
Add sour cream mixture to the broth and onions in the pan.
Stir to combine and season with pepper, to taste.
Simmer, uncovered, 5-10 minutes.
(At this point, you could add the chops back to the pan to have "smothered" pork chops, but I like to just serve the gravy on top.) Serves 4.

Fridge Friday, Episode 13: Black Friday

It is Fridge Friday on the day after Thanksgiving. Oh boy, are you in for a treat.

My fridge is stuffed with leftovers. I don't think another Gladware container could fit inside. Yesterday, we had a full dinner of turkey (I brined with a recipe from Martha Stewart and roasted with a recipe from The Angry Chef), Herbed Sausage Dressing, Spinach Whipped Mashed Potatoes, Giblet Gravy, Roasted Butternut Squash with Shallots, Green Beans tossed with Bacon and Caramelized Red Onion, Potato Rolls, and since I was the only one at the table that really likes cranberries, a can of jellied Ocean Spray Cranberry Sauce (I secretly...or maybe not so secretly...LOVE this stuff.). Gobble. Gobble.

But, it isn't those leftovers that I am going to focus on for this special Black Friday Fridge Friday. I am going to give you a two-for-one post and share recipes for the 2 pies that are precariously balanced above the other goodies on the shelves. The star desserts on the table for our Thanksgiving feast were a Browned Butter Butterscotch Pie and an Apple-Cranberry Pie. (The Gooey Pumpkin Butter Cake was not far behind in the ratings...I am just saving it for another blog post.) As different as night and day, one dessert is creamy and rich and almost has the heavenly flavor of homemade caramels; the other is tart and crisp and begs for a scoop of vanilla ice cream. Gobble. Gobble.

Apple-Cranberry Pie

(adapted from Bake at 350)

pastry for a double-crust pie (use your favorite recipe or *gasp* Pillsbury)

4-6 Granny Smith apples (I actually used 4 Granny Smith and 2 Honeycrisp)

2 cups fresh cranberries

zest of one orange (I forgot to buy oranges & used grapefruit zest...really good.)

1 egg white, beaten

1 1/4 cup sugar

3 tablespoons flour

1/4 teaspoon salt

2 tablespoons unsalted butter, cubed

Preheat oven to 425.
Line the bottom of a pie plate with the bottom crust.
Brush lightly with beaten egg white.
Peel, slice, and core the apples.
Toss apples with the cranberries.
Combine the sugar, flour, salt, and citrus zest and toss with the fruit.
Pile the fruit mixture into the bottom crust.
Cover with top crust, crimp, and vent as you wish. (I went for a lattice crust to show off the pretty red of the cranberries.)
Brush top crust with beaten egg and sprinkle with a dusting of sugar.
Bake for 20 minutes, then reduce heat to 350.
Bake for additional 40-50 minutes.
(I had to foil my crimped edges after about 30 minutes to keep from over-browning.)
Serve with generous scoops of vanilla ice cream.

Browned Butter Butterscotch Pie

(adapted from The Kitchn) 

pastry for a single-crust pie, baked (again, use your favorite recipe or Pillsbury, if that is what rocks your boat) 

1/2 cup unsalted butter
1 cup plus 2 tablespoons dark brown sugar, packed
1/4 cup cornstarch
3 tablespoons flour
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 (12 ounce) can evaporated milk
1/2 cup milk (I used whole milk.)
4 egg yolks, lightly beaten
1 tablespoon bourbon whiskey (Although the flavor isn't prominent in the pie, chose something you would sip.)

In a heavy saucepan, melt butter over medium heat. 
Cook until lightly browned, stirring occasionally, approximately 10 minutes. 
Add brown sugar to butter and cook until sugar is completely melted into a paste.
Combine milks and pour into the sugar mixture. 
Bring to a simmer and stir until smooth and sugar is completely dissolved.
In a separate bowl, combine cornstarch, flour, and salt. 
Ladle 1/ 2 cup of the milk/butter/sugar mixture into the cornstarch mixture and whisk until smooth. 
Pour the smooth cornstarch mixture back into saucepan, stirring constantly. 
Cook for approximately one minute, until just thickened.
Ladle 1/2 cup hot milk/butter/sugar mixture into the egg yolks, stirring constantly.
Combine with mixture back in the saucepan. 
Cook for approximately 30 seconds to one minute, and then remove from heat. 
Stir in whiskey. 
Pour into baked pie crust.
Press plastic wrap directly on the surface of the pudding in order to prevent a skin from forming. 
Chill overnight, or until firm. 
Serve topped with whipped cream (homemade is best).

Fridge Friday: Episode 12

Ready to peek inside my fridge?

What do you want to make today? I would love to put the kettle on to heat some water for a cup of Vanilla Rooibos Tea with a splash of Vanilla Spiced Rum Creamer (in the door, by the orange juice). This is my newest sipping obsession. However, it doesn't make for much of a recipe to share. How about we do something with those ripe and juicy (and admittedly very out of season) blueberries?

Last summer, I made a Blueberry Streusel Bar recipe from Fine Cooking. It was packed with blueberries and lots of crumbly streusel, but seemed to be a little dry and missing something. I enjoyed the dessert, but didn't find the bars calling me to dig in for seconds. More filling. That is what the recipe needed, and that is what I gave it when I recreated Blueberry Lemon Crumble Bars. They are still packed with blueberries and lots of VERY crumbly streusel (you won't want to try to snack on these in bed), but layered into the middle is a hearty dose of creamy, lemon filling. These Blueberry Lemon Crumble Bars call me back for seconds On My Plate.

Blueberry Lemon Crumble Bars

(adapted from Fine Cooking)

1 cup unsalted butter, softened

3 cups flour

1 1/2 cups old-fashioned oats

1 1/3 cups brown sugar

1 teaspoon salt

1 teaspoon baking powder

2 eggs, separated

2 cans (14 ounce, each) sweetened condensed milk

1/2 cup fresh lemon juice (Really, squeeze the lemon. The better flavor is worth it.)

2 tablespoons grated lemon zest

3-4 cups fresh blueberries

Heat oven to 350.
Line a 9x13 pan with foil, and butter the bottom and sides of foil
Combine flour, oats, sugar, salt, and baking powder. 
Blend the butter into the flour mixture to form a crumb mixture.
Transfer 1 1/2 cups crumb mixture to another bowl and reserve for topping.
Blend 1 egg white into the remaining crumbs and then press mixture in the bottom of the pan to form a crust.
Bake 10-12 minutes until it forms a dry top.
Meanwhile, in another bowl, whisk the condensed milk, lemon juice, lemon zest, egg yolk, and remaining egg.
Let stand for 5 minutes to thicken slightly.
When the crust is baked, pour filling over in an even layer.
Sprinkle blueberries evenly on top of the filling layer.
Sprinkle reserved crumble topping over the blueberries.
Bake for 30-40 minutes until the topping is brown and filling has set (bars won't jiggle when pan is moved).
Allow to cool completely before cutting into bars. (If you are impatient, the filling will ooze and the crumble will crumble even more than normal.) 
(Yield: 24 bars)

Fridge Friday: Episode 11

Is it Friday? Yes, by golly, it is. Maybe it is time to roll out another Fridge Friday post. It seems my last contribution to this feature was back in August, but I am not going to apologize for the neglect. I have a life that I live. I love blogging, but it doesn't always fit in that life. 

But, sometimes, like today, it fits. It might be late in the evening, but I have some time and some energy and throwing a few more photos and a recipe up on the blog seems like the thing to do. So...check out my fridge...

What do you see? Brussels sprouts, spinach, eggplant, bacon, yogurt, butter, milk, wine, pickles, peppers, Pumpkin Spice creamer? Can you tell that there are green beans in the bottom right produce drawer?

This fall has been unseasonably warm with temperatures in the 70s and 80s, but the recent dip back to the more normal 40s has me craving soups. One of the soups that I have made basically since I was first married is a Potato, Bacon, and Green Bean Chowder. Forgive me, for does include a can of creamed soup. I have considered altering the recipe to eliminate what is a culinary no-no for some, but why? I don't cook with cream soups often. A can now and then isn't going to be the death of me (or anyone). Most importantly, it tastes good. Really. The soup is rich, hearty, and comforting. It is the perfect thing to warm up a damp, cold, November Friday.

(And, if you really miss me when I don't make it to the blog, become a fan of On My Plate on Facebook. Just "like" the page and you can have (almost) daily little bits of my babbling in your news feed.)

Potato, Bacon, and Green Bean Chowder

10 slices bacon, chopped

1 cup onion, chopped

2 cups potatoes, cubed (I use baby reds and leave the skins on.)

3 cups water

1 1/2 cups fresh green beans, cut into 1-inch pieces

1 can cream of chicken soup

1 cup sour cream

1 3/4 cups milk

1/2 teaspoon pepper

2 tablespoons parsley, chopped

In a large dutch oven or stock pot, fry bacon until crisp.
Add onion and saute until translucent.
Pour off fat (sometimes, I don't do this...yes I KNOW how bad for me that is, but there is so much FLAVOR in bacon fat.)
Add potatoes and water.
Bring to a boil; cover and simmer for 10 minutes.
Add the green beans and simmer for about 5 more minutes until the beans are tender-crisp and the potatoes are fork tender.
Stir in soup and sour cream. (I once used French Onion chip dip when I didn't have sour cream...divine, if slightly scary substitution.)
Gradually add the milk. (If you poured off the bacon fat, you might consider subbing cream for a portion of the milk...or not.)
Season with pepper (and salt, if you feel the need. I think the canned soup has enough salt.)
Add parsley.
Heat to serving temperature.
Do no boil. (Serves 6)

Fridge Friday: Episode 10

Hey! It is Fridge Friday! Did you think that I forgot about giving you little peeks into my fridge? Never. I may have neglected your inquisitiveness, but I didn't forget. I am back this Friday with a gem.

Check it out. That is my hotel room fridge. We have all the basics: water, wine, leftovers, and a Peanut Butter Rice Krispie Treat. What could I possibly blog about from that fridge, you ask? Honestly, nothing. Or, at least nothing that I would want to eat when combined and heated in the little in-room microwave.

Instead, I am going to tell you that when we left home, Hubs had his mind made up that we were going to eat Mexican food. All day, I salivated at the thought of perfectly seasoned and grilled shrimp folded inside a warm corn tortilla with some creamy coleslaw to make the most awesome shrimp tacos. I wanted. I wanted badly. With beans and rice. Then, we got to the big city and Hubs decided he wanted pasta. So much for Mexican food. *shrug*

However, that doesn't mean that I couldn't still share a great Spanish Rice recipe with you. I have been making Denise's Spanish Rice for several years and pairing it with Spicy Black Beans whenever I serve a spicy Mexican/Tex-Mex themed meal. It is, in my opinion, excellent. Why wouldn't it be? It has bacon. Everything that includes bacon is good. Period.

So...it is Fridge Friday, and I have just a miserable hotel room fridge, and I didn't get Mexican food, but that doesn't mean that I wouldn't jump at the chance to have Denise's Spanish Rice On My Plate.

Denise's Spanish Rice

6 strips bacon

1 tablespoon butter

1 medium onion, chopped

1 small green pepper, chopped

3 cloves garlic, minced

1 cup chicken broth

1 (10 ounce) can diced tomatoes with green chiles (Rotel...mild or hot, your choice)

2 cans roasted green chiles

1 cup long grain white rice (I use Jasmine)

In a large skillet, fry bacon until crispy.
Set aside on paper towels to drain.
To bacon grease, add the butter and melt.
Add the onion and peppers, sauteing until the onions are translucent.
Add the garlic and cook until soft, being careful not to burn.
Add the tomatoes, green chiles, and chicken broth.
Simmer about 5-10 minutes to blend flavors.
Add the rice, cover and simmer approximately 20 minutes, until tender. (May need to add more liquid.)
Before serving, crumble bacon over the top of rice. (Serves 4)

Fridge Friday: Episode 9

I am cranky today. There is too much on my to-do list, and not enough hours in this day. The wind is a hot and blustery 20 mph pain in my backside with 30-40 mph gusts just to remind me that it can (and will) do whatever it wants. The dogs are barking at imaginary sounds, people are pestering me, and my bottle of Aleve is almost empty. It is one of those days, but here is my Fridge Friday fridge...

Is it just me and my grumpy mind, but does my fridge pretty much always look the same? Most likely, it does. Why wouldn't it? I tend to buy the same types of groceries over and over. On the top right, we have milk, OJ, and a few sodas; the top left holds assorted condiments and at this point, an impressive stack of blocks of cream cheese (I wanted cream cheese for the Candied Jalapenos, but forgot that I had already purchased some. *shrug*). The middle shelf always has the eggs, pickles, extra butter, and some veggies (cauliflower, broccoli, red & green cabbage this time), and today has a bowl of limes and a lemon. Bottom shelf is another mish-mash of fresh veggies (zucchini, green onions, spinach, celery, sweet corn, brussels sprouts), an icy cold beverage, and luscious blueberries and strawberries. There is also a Gladware container with a package of ground beef and some bacon perched on top of the beer. More odds and ends of produce in the bottom right drawer and some cheeses in the bottom left. I am a bit of a creature of habit, and pretty much always put things in the same places. I could probably be a hundred miles away and tell you were to find the jalapenos in my fridge (bottom right drawer, by the way).

Part of the agenda for the day includes Hubs smoking a pork butt at the farm for dinner with some family tonight. The cabbage will be made into coleslaw at some point, and I will fry up the bacon and ground beef to add to my big pot of Cowboy Beans to round out the side dishes for the meal. I don't have those things made yet (and if I don't get my butt moving and get this blog post done, we might just have to have pulled pork and no sides...like that would fly *eyeroll*). So, I am going to zero in on the bowl of limes. Last night, I zested and juiced a few of those tart jewels and whipped up a batch of White Chocolate Lime Cookies.

I am torn by these cookies. They are everything that I love in a cookie: sweet, but not too sweet; tart with real lime; soft and chewy; and EASY. I think that is what makes me feel so guilty. They are so completely, utterly, totally, easy because they start with a cake mix. (OK, serious bakers can click away now. Sorry.) Think what you want about my baking skills, but it has been a trying day and at this point, you might have to just shoot me before I would give up these White Chocolate Lime Cookies On My Plate.

White Chocolate Lime Cookies

1 box white cake mix

1/2 cup butter, softened at room temperature (melting it makes the cookies texture tough)

2 large eggs

1 tablespoon grated lime zest (don't skip this, it is worth it)

1 1/4 cups which chocolate chips

3 cups powdered sugar

2 teaspoons grated lime zest (again, do it; really)

5-6 tablespoons FRESH lime juice (don't open a bottle, squeeze a lime, please)

Preheat oven to 350°.
Cover cookie sheets with parchment.
With mixer, combine cake mix, softened butter, eggs and 1 tablespoon lime zest until blended and smooth.
Stir in remaining white chocolate chips with a wooden spoon or spatula.
Drop dough by teaspoonfuls, 2 inches apart, onto prepared cookie sheets.
Bake 10-13 minutes or until set at edges and just barely set at center.
Cool 1 minute on sheets; transfer to wire racks and cool completely.
Combine powdered sugar, 2 teaspoons lime zest and enough FRESH lime juice make icing just thin enough to drizzle off fork.
Drizzle icing over cooled cookies. (4 dozen cookies)

Did you think I was going to let this post slip by without another voyeur slide show of other people's fridges? Of course not. I love it when you are willing to share your fridges here on the blog. 

Also, be sure to check out Jeanne at Jeanne Eats World and her fabulous Fridge Friday posts. Scallops on her plate tonight. Doesn't that sound good?

Fridge Friday: Episode 8

This episode of Fridge Friday should probably be called Fridge Friday Flop. I don't know if I jinxed myself in my earlier rant where I claimed that I didn't mind if some of my menus didn't exactly turn out as I had planned, or if it is karma kicking me for making fun of a commenter that stated they have never "served a bad or mediocre dish" on Epicurious's How to Throw Terrible Dinner Parties. (I cried bullsh*t. We have ALL made something that wasn't up to par.)

Now here I am, facing the time crunch of Friday ticking away from me and staring disgustedly at a pan of what was supposed to be a Baked Omelet Roll which is hopelessly overcooked and not willing to roll at all. Fridge Friday Flop. I had the eggs, ham, and cheese in the fridge and thought that this recipe that I have made a thousand times would be a perfect addition to the blog. The eggs had other ideas.

Thankfully, I had just baked a gorgeously delicious pan of Lemon-Glazed Blueberry Muffins last night. The remainder of the carton of blueberries is still in the fridge (second shelf, between the pickles and the cherries, under the strawberries), and I can save this Fridge Friday post by sharing a beautiful muffin.

The recipe is from The America's Test Kitchen Cookbook. They tell us that they were looking for "rich, moist, and dainty muffins, not the big, bland, coarse muffins so popular today." Let me tell you, with the addition of sour cream, there is no flop here. They hit their mark. While I certainly loved the light as air Blueberry Cinnamon Crunch Muffins that I posted back in March, the heavy batter of these muffins is more cake-like (dare I say possibly even pound cake-like?). Rich and even more beautiful when brushed with a lemon syrup and dusted with lemon zest and sugar, I won't mind a Fridge Friday Flop On My Plate with Lemon-Glazed Blueberry Muffins.

Lemon-Glazed Blueberry Muffins

Muffins:

2 cups unbleached flour

1 tablespoon baking powder

1/2 teaspoon salt

1 large egg

1 cup sugar

4 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted and cooled slightly

1 1/4 cups sour cream

1 1/2 cups blueberries

Lemon Glaze:

1 teaspoon lemon zest

1/2 cup sugar

1/4 cup lemon juice

1/4 cup sugar

Muffins:
Heat oven to 350.
Grease muffins tin.
Whisk flour, baking powder, and salt in a medium bowl.
Whisk egg in a second bowl until light-colored.
Add sugar and whisk vigorously until thick.
Add melted butter in 2 or 3 addition, whisking to combine after each addition.
Add sour cream in 2 additions, whisking just to combine.
Add blueberries to dry ingredients and gently toss.
Add sour cream mixture and fold with rubber spatula until batter comes together and berries are evenly distributed.
Use ice cream scoop to drop batter into greased muffin tin.
Bake until light golden brown and toothpick inserted in center of muffin come out clean, 25 to 30 minutes.
Allow to cool on wire rack for 5 minutes.
Lemon Glaze:
While muffins are baking, combine 1 teaspoon grated fresh lemon zest and 1/2 cup sugar in shallow bowl.
Bring 1/4 cup lemon juice and 1/4 cup sugar to a simmer in a small sauce pan.
Simmer until mixture is thick and syrupy and reduced to about 4 tablespoons.
After baked muffins have cooled 5 minutes, brush tops with glaze, then dip tops of muffins into lemon sugar. (12 muffins)

Fridge Friday, Episode 7

It is Friday, and guess what? Some of you have been brave enough to play along with me. You have shared photos of your fridges, and I LOVE IT!

I was totally shocked and honored when Jeanne at Jeanne Eats World posted her own Fridge Friday. How awesome is that? And, how great do steak quesadillas sound...on a brick patio...with s'mores made from homemade marshmallows and graham crackers for dessert? I don't know about you, but I think that I want to take up residence in Jeanne's fridge.

So...do you feel like a voyeur now? Peeking into everyone's fridge with curious hunger? Let me continue to feed your inquisitiveness. Here's a look at my Fridge Friday.

This might be the first week since the start of Fridge Friday that I actually had a meal plan in mind before I opened the fridge to get the photo. Notice that Ziplock bag of meaty goodness on the bottom shelf? Those are ribeye steaks. We are going to grill tonight. I can smell the smoldering charcoal already. I.Can't.Wait. But, my meal doesn't stop with the perfectly grilled rare steaks, seared on one side and flipped to the other over the red, hot coals. See those mushrooms on the second shelf? They are going to accompany those awesome hunks of beef.

Most of my holiday appetizer parties include a pan of Sauteed Herbed Mushrooms. The guests inhale these buttery, seasoned morsels. (Do I say that about every recipe I share? Really? I am sorry, but THEY DO. I guess that is why I know it is a recipe worth sharing.) Tonight, these mushrooms won't be an appetizer, but a side dish. They are so easy to prepare. If you can melt butter, you can make these. Seriously, it is more work to clean the mushrooms than it is to prepare Sauteed Herbed Mushrooms. But, don't let their simplicity fool you. They are delicious. Truly. Paired with a flawlessly grilled steak, they are heaven. I am going to toss up a spinach salad, grill some steaks, and whip up some Sauteed Herbed Mushrooms On My Plate this Fridge Friday. 

Sauteed Herbed Mushrooms

2 lb fresh mushrooms

(I use a mix of cremini and button, but whatever you have is OK.)

8 tablespoons butter

1 envelope (0.7 ounces) Good Seasons Italian salad dressing mix

1/4 cup chopped flat leaf parsley

Clean the mushrooms by wiping with a damp cloth (never put mushrooms under running water...they are sponges).
Halve or quarter any larger mushrooms. Leave smaller ones whole.
Saute cleaned mushrooms in melted butter for 5 minutes.
Sprinkle with the envelope of dressing mix. 
Stir to coat all mushrooms.
Simmer covered for about 5-10 minutes (do not boil). Stir occasionally. 
Add the parsley.
Serve with toothpicks as an appetizer or as a side dish with your favorite meal.

Fridge Friday, episode 6

Week 6 of Fridge Friday? Can you believe that I have actually kept up with this? Can you believe that I haven't made excuses and put it off and let is slide? Yes. I am still here, and frankly, it amazes me. My focus seems to be pulled in so many directions these days that my stick-to-it-ness suffers greatly. But, this *is* about food. Food does hold my attention...too much of the time, according to the every-growing size of my butt. But, I don't want to talk about my butt. Want to see my fridge?

So...what am I going to make? I am in the mood for a salad again. It is summer time. Thunderstorms moved through the region last night, and you can cut the humidity with a knife. Something crisp and refreshing would be good, but it has to be hearty and filling for my Midwestern appetite. I don't want to eat a big bowl of greens only to have hunger and cravings force me to dive face first into a pan of brownies a few hours later. A few years ago, I found a recipe online for a Broiled Feta and Caper Salad. Melty cheese AND crisp greens AND capers? Be still my heart. Grab the fixings and let's start cooking.

Did I mention that this salad has capers? I don't care if the sodium level is through the roof. 

I.Can't.Get.Enough.Of.Those.Salty.Little.Buds.

Broiled Feta and Caper Salad is truly a masterpiece with contrasts in flavors and textures. The crisp, sturdy romaine stands up well to the warm, gooey feta. Thin sliced red onions add depth that balances the pert, little capers. And what isn't better with tomatoes, basil, a drizzle of olive oil, and a squeeze of lemon. Nom. Nom. Nom. This is not a puny salad. There will be no hunger diving with Broiled Feta and Caper Salad On My Plate.

Broiled Feta and Caper Salad

4 slices feta cheese (about 1/2-inch thick)

2 cups shredded romaine lettuce

1/2 small red onion, sliced thinly

2 Roma tomatoes, sliced

4 tablespoons olive oil (chose a fruity one for this simple dressing)

4 tablespoons capers, drained

2 tablespoons chopped fresh basil

fresh ground black pepper

4 lemon wedges

Preheat oven to BROIL.
Place the feta slices on a parchment lined baking sheet and broil until lightly browned.
On 4 salad plates divide and arrange the lettuce. 
Garnish with the onion slices.
Place a slice of the broiled feta cheese on top of each lettuce-onion mound. 
Place 2 tomato slices on each.
Drizzle the olive oil over the mixture and top with the capers and basil. 
Sprinkle each serving with black pepper.
Garnish a lemon wedge on top of each serving. (Serves 4)

Fridge Friday, episode 5

Yes, I know it is Saturday. I had tried to get my act together for Fridge Friday this week, but a lot of other things pulled at my time and attention. Like keeping my house dry without any windows on the entire west side, and making sure the holes in the roof were covered, and cleaning up shards of glass from the floors and furniture (and in places that make no sense whatsoever), and crying over my beloved peonies, and replanting my garden after it was leveled. Yes, we had a hail storm last Saturday. An ugly hail storm that first dropped baseball-sized hail and shattered everything, then pelleted us with 3-4" of marble-sized stuff. It was incredible...incredibly awful.

Honestly overall, we were lucky compared to many. The entire town was hit hard with thousands of dollars of damages to virtually every structure, but our almost 100 year old stucco siding withstood the storm without damage. I can't say the same about the roof we had put on when we bought the house; the contractor stuck his hand clear through a hole into the attic. (Talk about ventilation.) But, interior damage for us is minimal with glass clean up on our hardwood floors being a pain, but so much better than the yards and yards of wet, glass-filled carpeting that is being pulled out of homes all across town. The 3 vehicles we had here at the house were all totaled with broken windows and fist-sized dents, but they are just things. Things can be repaired and replaced. Nobody was hurt. We have insurance. Life will go on.

Which brings us back to Fridge Friday. It is Saturday, and other than a hastily thrown together pizza, I didn't cook yesterday, but I hate to lose the momentum of this weekly post. I did take time to snap a pic of the VERY bare fridge. What do you see? Anything worth talking about? When I shared this pic on Twitter, someone said they thought I would use the blueberries or possibly dip back into the jar of artichokes. What do you think? 

I thought about being super lazy and just telling you that the Gladware containers on the second shelf were leftovers from our take-out Thursday night dinner from The Homesteader in Gregory. They seriously have the most awesome Kung Bao Beef ever...especially for a steakhouse. (Yes, I said steakhouse.) The Vietnamese owners also do homemade eggrolls on Thursday nights (the top container). Nom. Nom. Nom. I don't think that I have ever turned down their Kung Bao on my plate. 

However, even though I haven't cooked much this week, there is something in the fridge for which I could easily share the recipe. Have you noticed that jar of Candied Jalapenos on the second shelf in all of my Fridge Friday shots? Last year, I canned up a ton of these, literally. Hubs brought home a 5-gallon bucket full of jalapenos from the garden at the farm. After making so many poppers that I thought I would pop, I found a few other tasty uses for those heated peppers. 

Having a jar of Candied Jalapenos on hand, along with a block of cream cheese and a box of crackers is seriously the easiest snack or appetizer ever. People love these sweet, but spicy little gems. I have never put out a plate for snacking that wasn't licked clean when it returned to the kitchen. Hubs tops burgers with the Candied Jalapenos, and I have chopped them up and mixed into a pretty plain Jane potato salad for an extra kick. The hardest part of the canning preparation is slicing the jalapenos, but I used my mandolin slicer and it was a breeze...just don't cut yourself (or if you do...stay tuned to the blog, I have a surprise coming up in a future post). So, give it a try. Even after the stormiest of days, I am happy with Candied Jalapenos On My Plate.

Candied Jalapenos

4 pounds fresh jalapeno peppers, sliced

2 pounds onions, diced

1 head fresh garlic, chopped

1/2 cup vinegar

1/2 cup water

6-8 cups sugar

2 tablespoons mustard seeds

1 teaspoon turmeric

2 teaspoons celery seeds

1 teaspoon ginger

Slice jalapenos into thin slices, dice onion, chop garlic. (Gloves are a must for this...and PLEASE don't touch your face or eyes until you have thoroughly washed your hands. Those oils are nasty.)
In large pot, combine peppers, onion, and garlic with the remaining ingredients. 
Bring to a boil, reduce heat and simmer about 10-12 minutes, making sure sugar is dissolved.
Fill prepared canning jars with boiling mixture, leaving 1/4 inch head space.
Adjust lids.
Water bath 5 minutes to seal the jars.