Eating Dinner With My Family

I made this for the annual Halloween party, but I am posting it tonight as the family and I are on our way to Orlando for a mini vacation and the hubby and I are getting to go to the Party for the Senses!! (Whee and giggle!)  This was well received by all and, as the name promised, easy to throw together.  The original recipe didn't have cucumber.  I think it is better this way.  (even my husband who doesn't like raw tomato liked this one:)  It was light and fresh and going to be a regular item for our cul de sac parties. Easy Feta Dip 1/3 cup olive oil 3 Roma tomatoes seeded and diced 4 green onions sliced thinly 8 ounces feta cheese crumbled (crumbled yourself preferred) 3 teaspoons Cavender's Greek seasoning (I started with 2 and adjusted.  I suggest you do too) 1/2 a large Cucumber peeled, seeded and diced fresh baguette sliced thinly 1.On a large platter drizzle olive oil until you have a thin layer on the entire platter. You may u...

I actually made this last night for a late evening with the girls.  The evening was full of laughter and great friends, the mushroom were meh.  I guess they are ok, but I had much higher hopes for two of my favorite things.  First of all, and I can't believe I am about to say this, but there was way too much garlic.  There was way too much topping in general.  I have made and eaten plenty of stuffed mushrooms and these were near the bottom of them all.  Sorry Pioneer woman, I have loved every other recipe of yours I have tried, and I enjoyed your post and laughed a lot, but I just didn't dig the mushrooms. Mushrooms Stuffed With Brie 1 Pkg White Button Mushrooms Washed And Stems Removed 4 Clove Garlic Minced 1/4 Cup Flat-leaf Parsley Chopped 4 whole (to 5) Green Onions Sliced (up To Middle Of Dark Green Part) Splash Of White Wine (optional) 1 Slice (wedge) Of Brie Cheese Preheat oven to 350 degrees Melt butter in large saucepan. Add mushroom ...

While it wasn't bad as made, I would make some changes next time,  I knew the sauce wasn't going to stick, so I put about 1/4 cup aside just in case.  That was a good thing!  Next time, I will brush the sauce on several times along the cooking process.  (maybe use just a little to mix on the chunks)  There was way more sauce than needed anyways.  Not fabulous but not bad, and it was pretty quick. Sweet And Spicy Sesame Chicken Kebabs Nonstick cooking spray 1/2 Cup hoisin sauce 1/4 Cup medium sherry 2 Tbs. soy sauce 1 Tbs. oyster sauce 2 large cloves garlic minced 3/4 Tsp Chinese five-spice powder 1/8 Tsp crushed red pepper flakes 1 -1/4 lb. boneless skinless chicken (they said thighs, but I used breast) 1/4 Cup toasted sesame seeds 1/4 Cup thinly sliced scallions Position a rack about 6 inches from the broiler and heat the broiler on high. Line a large rimmed baking sheet with aluminum foil and coat the foil with cooking spray. In a m...

Xin Nian Kuai Le  ( 新年快乐) it is the year of the snake!  That is kind of a big deal in my house since my boy was born in the year of the snake.  (Yes I can't believe he will be 12?!?)  From looking at my blog, you might suppose I am of Asian decent.  I'm not.  I just happen to be a girl named Kim who likes cooking Asian (along with many other culture's) food. (I am telling you this so you don't get the impression that these are in any way 'authentic'.  I just read a lot of recipes and go from there)  I also love that more and more holidays are creeping in to our national culture.  I remember when the only time we saw anything about the Chinese zodiac was on place mats in Chinese restaurants.  Granted that was a hundred years ago and, get this, before the Internet. Now I do try to keep up, but I think Fat Tuesday is not going to get much culinary representation in the house.  I forgot to figure it in to my we...

This recipe was a bit of a disappointment.  The meatballs were very plain.  I admit, I forgot to add the scallions and parsley, but I don't think that would have saved them.  The sauce was quite good,  but since it was thin, not a lot of it stuck to the meatball.  I did add scallions to the sauce to make up for my oops, but other than that, I followed the recipe.  I thought the Korean Style Meatballs I made had a better sauce and unbelievably, the frozen meatballs were even better than these.  So, I deleted the recipe but kept the sauce that my husband and son loved, and I really liked.  To go with it, I quickly sauteed some carrots, bok choy and broccoli that I had blanched.  It was my favorite part:) Hoisin Cocktail Meatballs 2 Tbl hoisin sauce 1 Tbl reduced-sodium soy sauce 1 Tsp sesame oil 1/4 Cup dry bread crumbs 3 Tbl chopped green onions 3 Tbl minced fresh parsley 2 garlic cloves minced 1 Tsp minced fresh gingerroot 1 -1...

I had a get together, and  most were repeat recipes, but the one new one was a big hit.  I took little pieces of fresh mozzarella and grape tomatoes and put them on a skewer to make a caprese of sorts.  I personally don't like all the leafy bits of basil in the traditional caprese, so I made a garlic and basil infused oil to drizzle over the top.  Now WARNING!!!!  Garlic infused oils have an affinity for Botulism!!!  For a bit more on it, click here .  I will still sum up.  Make sure that all water is evaporated from the oil,  refrigerate and use within a week.  (I would half that just because I'm a little crazy about germs:)  I made the oil while I was prepping the rest of the menu and put it in the fridge to chill it a bit before using.  I also made a balsamic reduction.  The original recipe I used it for is my Steak Salad , and it is an all time family favorite! However I use this reduction in any recipe that...

We do our big dinner on Christmas eve and graze on leftovers all day on Christmas.  We had my husband's side of the family in town for tonight and my MIL brought a beautiful prime rib for me to cook.  As it is a special occasion, we had a lot of dishes.  The menu tonight: Grilled Antipasto With Garlicky Bean Dip   Grilled Romaine With Blue Cheese-Bacon Vinaigrette Prime Rib Roast For A Small Crowd        Horseradish Sauce Mashed Potatoes and Gravy Coconut Cream Pie      As there are so many dishes, I figured I would write the post around them.  We started with the grilled antipasto.  It was the first time I had made it, and really loved it. It was a bit of work in that there were a bunch of veggies to be sliced, (I did the peppers and zucchini ahead of time as well as the bean dip), and the veggies took up a lot of space on the grill.  I pretty much had to do one type at a time....

I liked this one so much I gave it it's own post :) Grilled Antipasto With Garlicky Bean Dip 1    nineteen-ounce can cannellini beans,drained and rinsed 2    small garlic cloves,minced 2 T  fresh lemon juice 2 T  extra-virgin olive oil,plus more for brushing 1/2 c  chopped basil Salt and freshly ground pepper 6    small Italian frying peppers or Cubanelle peppers 4    medium zucchini,sliced lengthwise 1/4 inch thick 2    one-pound eggplants,sliced lengthwise 1/2 inch thick 24  anchovy fillets 24  marinated bocconcini (about 3/4 pound) 2    large beefsteak tomatoes (1 pound each),sliced crosswise 1/2 inch thick Grilled country bread,for serving 1.In a food processor, combine the beans with the garlic, lemon juice and 2 tablespoons of the olive oil. Process until smooth, then scrape into a bowl. Fold in the basil and season with salt and pepper. 2....

My son requested my grilled steak salad for dinner, so I decided to put the snack I made today on the blog.  I did throw some in to the salad as well so that counts right?  I enjoyed the edamame, but I do want to play around with the recipe.  I think that the parmesan was totally unnecessary.  I also think next time, I will bake them for a bit to dry them before I toss them in olive oil. (not drizzle, that so didn't work)  I think that all kinds of seasonings will work.  Everything from just some garlic, to curry or five spice should work with them.  I have no idea how the calories might compare to say popcorn, but they are really filling and pretty nutritious Crispy Edamame 12 oz Edamame,Shelled 1 T  Olive Oil 1/4 c  Parmesan,Grated Salt And Freshly Ground Black Pepper Directions Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F (200 degrees C). Place the edamame into a colander and rinse under cold water to thaw. Drain. Spread the edamame bean...

Well it was a disastrous dinner with friends. I tell you the Hindenburg had nothing on this evening. (well the last hour anyways) but one good thing came of it, this recipe. I had been wanting to make it for a while, but so many pounds of cheese seemed (ok not seemed but is) an obscene amount of cheese to make for 3.5 appetites. So, a cookout seemed to be the time for it. Despite the fact it said serve immediately, it traveled well and I just put it in to oven at like 250 for about 15 minutes, covered with foil, to make sure it was nice and hot and spreadable.   It was well received by all, including my husband and his thing about tomatoes. It was easy to put together. It did take a bit of time because of the roasting of the tomatoes, but that was inactive time.  It is a great warm dip.  With football coming up, you will be a hit with this vat of hot bubbling cheese.  Now, it is not healthy, but in moderation;) White Pizza Dip ...

Well as we had other plans for dinner tonight, I decided to make my lunch the post.  I am the only one in the house that appreciates tuna and olives so I wouldn't make this for dinner for everyone.  It does, however, make a great lunch for me:).  It is a tuna salad as much as it is a tapenade, but that doesn't make it bad.  I liked it a lot and it was ready in like 7 minutes.  (crostini took a little longer)  It would be a nice appetizer addition to a cocktail party. Tuna Tapenade 1/2 c  canned pitted black olives 1/2 c  jarred pitted green olives 4 T  capers 1    lemon,zested and juiced 1    garlic clove,minced 1 T  olive oil 1    (5 to 6-ounce) can tuna,in oil Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper Crostini,recipe follows Blend all the ingredients, except the tuna, in a food processor until smooth but still chunky. Transfer to a medium serving bowl. Drain the tuna but do...

I have an absolute addiction to the Blue Diamond Wasabi and Soy almonds!  I could eat them until my eyes water, and then eat some more.  They are not the cheapest snack, especially when you eat them like I do.  I need to limit myself to the one ounce portion size recommended for heart health;).  So, when I saw that blue diamond had a recipe for wasabi almonds, I couldn't wait to try them out.  (my previous attempts to recreate them have never lived up to the original!)  The first thing I saw was that I had been seriously under portioning the wasabi powder.  This recipe called for 2 whole tablespoons!  I liked the fact it called for an egg white; I individually freeze egg whites whenever I need just a yolk.  I am always looking to thin out the bulging pantry and fridge/freezer.  When I reached the stir part in the baking, I noticed that the almonds were stuck in a giant chunk.  So when I "gently stirred" I actually beat the almo...

As you may or may not know, I get a by monthly delivery of local, organic produce from Front Porch Pickings.   I was also honored to be picked to write recipes for their news letter on those same weeks.  I gave them the spaghetti squash frittata recipe I love, but also looked around for some more unusual applications for the spaghetti squash.  I happen to really like Indian spices and I think they go  well with the sweetness of the squash, but this recipe I hadn't tried yet. I liked it but I was sad that the squashes natural delicious flavor was smothered by the heavy spices.  I think it would make a lovely vegetarian meal and for a pretty healthy meal it was really tasty.  I think that the mixture would be nice over rice. We had this with salad, rice and I made 2 steaks as my husband, father and son prefer having some meat, but as there were only two we all had nice small portions and filled up on the toasts and the salad (with some very tasty peppers an...

It seems that my belief that I struck the fridge a mortal blow the last time we met in battle was presumptuous.  It has retaliated by actively breeding its contents in the dark of night and doubling its number of suicide troops. (you know those items that are stacked on top of other items and leap at you when you open the door!) It is hoarding its leftovers in order to keep the temperature cooler in there and there just so it can start freezing items and ruining them just for spite.  I am tempted, with the same spite, to just blitzkrieg its a$$ by throwing out all the contents and starting over. But I can't, there are too many pricey condiments in there to justify such a drastic action.  The only way I am going to beat this monster is to make a meal that resembles heavily patched jeans. (IE 1 leftover pizza slice, 1 burger, some random 1/2 portions of sides and some odds and ends of cheese blocks.  yummy, NOT!) I don't know if I can do that. ...

It is super bowl Sunday, and we are going to a friend's house.  We alternate who's house we go to.  Our hostess had the brilliant idea to have a pasta bar, and as her husband is a vegetarian, I am going to do a meat that can be added to the pasta dishes.  My husband did not like that I wanted to do a dish we hadn't made before; I said that we can blame the blog;).  He decided he liked this new dimension to the blog, blame for bad new recipes.  I'm not too worried. It is an Alton Brown Recipe and at worst it will to just ok. I have wanted to try this recipe for a while as I am a fan of meatballs.  I did find one that I thought was pretty great (9/1/11), but I still am looking for the OMG recipe. This one was a good one.  I like the cooking technique, but I thought the meatballs were a tad dense.  That is most likely my fault and I am going to try them again.  The star, among many gems, was the hostess' Gorgonzola sauce.  I liked it m...

Well I was looking for a recipe that would use up the rest of the Crème fraîche I left.  I thought this sounded like a good use and I could finally try these amazing looking fritters.  Well the soup was a meh, but the boy loved it.  The fritters were AMAZING.  Love, love, loved them.  They were pretty easy to make too. Next time I make them, I think I might put the grated zucchini in a paper towel and squeeze a bit of the liquid out of them.  I only think this might help with how they hold together.  They were knife and fork food and I wanted finger food:) I think the lemon wedges were unnecessary, as there was plenty of lemon flavor from the zest, but it didn't hurt it either.   Zucchini-Ricotta Fritters 2    medium zucchini (about 7 ounces each),coarsely shredded 2    garlic cloves,very thinly sliced 3    large scallions,very thinly sliced 1/2 c  fresh sheep-milk ricotta cheese 2...

Well I wanted to use up the caviar I had left over from the pizza I had made.  I found this one and thought well, I love, scallops, potato pancakes, creme fresh and butter, how could this be bad.  During the prep, I was worried that the end result wouldn't be worth the investment of the ingredients.  I was so very wrong.  It was not a simple recipe, but it was very tasty.  The butter is worth making, even alone.  The potato pancakes as well.  The scallop method was not perfect, but still alright. The recipe did call for slightly larger scallops, so that may have made a difference.  I will say that I made one small deviation, I used lime as I didn't have lemon for the juice. We all really liked this a LOT! I am excited to make it again for guests.  It is technically an appetizer (2 pieces as a portion for each), but we just ate more and added a salad. Yummy! Scallops With Potato Pancakes And Caviar Sauce Yield: 10 Servings Panca...

Top to bottom: Bean, Formage, Blue Well tonight was a movie night at the boy's karate school. A group of my friends who have their children in the school decided to take this opportunity to go out. However, as movie night started at 4 (and it's closest to my house) we decided to have some wine here before we went to dinner. I think it irresponsible (much less bad manners as a host) to serve alcohol with out some sort of food to go with it. I made a white bean dip, formage fort, blue cheese and chive spread for the savory options. To accompany them, I had some crackers, herbed flatbread crisps, pita triangles and marinated olives. I also made a marscipone and honey spread to put on some thin crisp coconut cookies. I choose what I did because I had almost everything on hand. I knew I needed to restrain myself because I tend to make too much and I didn't want to spoil our dinner. I started with the formage fort. I hadn't made it before but have always want...

YUM! Tonight we went to have dinner with dear friends we don't get to see enough.  We brought a take out pizza but it was not my meal.  I ate there AMAZING croquettas.  Growing up in Miami, I have had my fare share of them, but these were by far the best.  I gorged myself on these tasty tubes until I felt "Thanksgiving" full.  Along with the croquettas, we had their signature mojitos! (in an earlier post)  I am looking forward to trying to make them.  (I'm also nervous I won't be able to get them as good as they did!)  YUM! Croquetas – Ham Croquettes 24 Servings  4 T  butter 1/2 c  onion,minced fine 1/3 c  flour 1    and 1/2 cups whole milk,at room temperature (more or less) 1/4 t  nutmeg 1 T  dry sherry 1 T  parsley,finely chopped 4 c  (about 1 pound) smoked ham ground 1 c  dry bread crumbs (more or less) 1/2 t  salt (more or less to taste) 1/4 t  black pepper ...

The recipe for the black beans is mine. I wanted I it for dinner tonight, but I found a stack of printed out recipes and really wanted to try the fritters, so  I decide on both.  The fritters are a bit laborous; I am not the fryer in the house, and I had some issues with the breading.  (I have issues with breading always) I couldn't find the regular mozzarella in smoked; I could only find the fresh in smoked. Fresh mozzarella dosen't melt like the regular so there were consistancy issues, but still really tasty.  The beans are one of my favorite recipes and super easy.  I like to mix them with spinach; don't be tempted to just throw the raw spinach in at the end and cook it with the beans.  It changes the whole flavor of the dish. My Black Beans 4 Servings 1 sm Onion,Diced 1 sm Squash,Diced 1 stalk  Celery,Diced 1 cn Black Beans 2 ea Garlic,Minced 1/2    Chapotle In Adobo,Chopped Salt Olive Oil Balsamic V...