Antipasti

This year we had Italian for Thanksgiving. I don't remember what we had last year. 

 Since we are broke this year and cereal isn't acceptable for Thanksgiving fare, we had pasta and salad. 

But before we could stuff ourselves on salad and bread and noodles, I put out this antipasti tray.

Like any good Midwestern girl, I love me some meat and cheese trays. But instead of cheddar cheese cubes and summer sausage, I put out fine Italian meats and cheese. 

I had prosciutto, coppa and salami, marinated mozzarella, green and black olives, grapes, crackers, bread sticks and goat cheese covered in fresh, chopped parsley. 

Yum!!

Hotdog Cupcakes

The Good Daughter loves hot dogs. I blame The Good Husband. It all started after he took her to the hardware store with him and they just happened to have a hot dog stand there. Now it's all she wants to eat.

I made this one night when TGH and I were having lamb kabobs for dinner. Unsure if TGD would eat lamb, I made these as her meat option. Needless to say, she gobbled these down and half my lamb.

At first these little guys look just like a regular cornbread muffin but... 

cut them open and see the hot dogs. 

TGD went nuts over these. She kept calling them her hotdog cupcakes.

They were super simple to make and keep well for leftovers the next day.

Ingredients: 

1 cup all purpose flour 

1 cup cornmeal 

1 tablespoon baking powder 

2 eggs 

1 cup milk 

1/3 cup unsweetened applesauce or oil

1/4 cup sugar 

1/4 teaspoon salt 

1/2 teaspoon onion powder 

1/4 teaspoon garlic powder 

6 hot dogs, cut into 4 pieces  

Directions: 

~Heat oven to 400 degrees F.

~In a large mixing bowl mix together flour, cornmeal, salt, and baking powder until combines. In a separate bowl whisk together eggs, milk, applesauce and sugar. Combine wet and dry ingredients, careful not to over mix. 

~Pour batter into lined or oiled muffin cups, filling 3/4 of the way full. Insert two pieces of hot dog and spread batter over top to cover. 

~Bake for 15 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in the middle of a muffin comes out clean Remove from pan and allow to cool on a wire rack. Serve warm.

recipe adapted from: Happy Good Time Blog found via Pinterest

My Mom's Stuffed Mushrooms

This is one of the dishes that I can actually remember my mom making. But I know she hasn't made them in years. I thought it would be nice to make them for Thanksgiving. 

(and yeah I know I am just getting around to a fucking Thanksgiving post in January, but I have been a lazy heifer lately)

The white wine and mustard provide a sharp bite to the mushrooms while the cheese gives them a soft texture. My mom had forgotten just how good they were.

Ingredients:  

24 large button mushrooms

1/2 cup finely chopped onion

2 gloves of garlic, minced

1 tablespoon olive oil

1 tablespoon minced fresh parsley

1/2 teaspoons dried basil

1/3 cup dry white whine

1/4 cup Dijon mustard

18 Ritz crackers, finely crushed

4 oz shredded sharp cheddar cheese

Directions:

~Remove stems from mushrooms and reserve and roughly chop.

~In a large skillet, saute chopped mushroom stems, onion and garlic in olive oil until tender. Ass parsley, basil, wine and mustard. Simmer for five minutes.

~Remove from heat and let stand five minutes. Stir in cracker crumbs and cheese. Fill mushroom caps with mixture. Place on baking sheet and bake at 350 for 12 to 15 minutes or until done. Serve warm.

recipe by: my mom

Homemade French Onion Dip

I like to make simple, homemade versions of traditional Thanksgiving foods. One of the easiest things to make was onion dip. The Good Husband will eat an entire container and bag of chips in one sitting, if allowed. So instead of buying a container at the store, I wanted to make my own this year.

With everything else I had to cook this year, this one was actually one of the easier ones.

Ingredients:

1 tablespoon vegetable oil 

2 cups thinly sliced onion 

2 teaspoons chopped fresh sage leaves 

3/4 cup mayonnaise 

3/4 cup sour cream 

1 teaspoon salt 

1 teaspoon ground black pepper 

Potato chips, for serving 

Directions:

~Heat oil in heavy medium saucepan over medium-low heat. Add onions and sage. Cover and cook until onions are deep golden brown, stirring occasionally, about 20 minutes.

~Remove from heat and let cool. Whisk together mayonnaise and sour cream in a medium bowl to blend. Stir in the cooled caramelized onions, salt, and pepper. Cover dip and refrigerate until flavors blend, about 2 hours. 

recipe by: The Food Network

Bacon Mushroom Pinwheels

I was bored in the kitchen the other day. I wanted bread and I wanted bacon. I knew I would eat an entire loaf of bread and a pound of bacon, and even though I need 500 extra calories since I am nursing, I am not so sure all of that should "bad" calories.

So I decided to make this little recipe. It combined my need for bacon and bread and was super easy.


Ingredients:
1 package crescent rolls
6 strips of bacon
10-12 baby portabella mushrooms, chopped
6 ounces cream cheese, softened
1/2 tablespoon sour cream
1 teaspoon ground thyme
1/2 teaspoon rosemary
1/4 teaspoon sage
salt and pepper

Directions:
~Unroll the crescent dough and form into 4 rectangles, pinching the seams together.

~Chop the bacon and fry in a pan over medium high heat until brown and crispy. Remove the bacon with a slotted spoon, reserving the fat. Add the chopped mushrooms and cook until browned. Remove from heat and allow to cool to room temperature.

~In a small bowl, combine the cream cheese, sour cream, thyme, rosemary, sage and salt and pepper. Using a whisk or hand mixer, blend until combined. Add the bacon and mushrooms.

~Spread a thin layer on each of the four rectangles, about one fourth of an inch away from the sides. Roll up the rectangle from the short side, pinch to close and slice into one half inch thick slices.

~Bake at 350 for 12-14 minutes or until golden brown

recipe by: The Good Wife

Baby Shower

I was lucky enough to have two baby showers. The first one was thrown by my cousin and was a low-key affair with the typical (for my family) menu of chicken and tuna salad on dollar rolls, pasta salad, relish try, chips and dip and veggies and dip. Everything was delicious but I forgot to take pictures.

My second baby shower was hosted by The Good Husband's family and I was able to help out with the food. My not so cutesy theme was baby sized foods, aka finger foods.

The menu (with recipes included):

Boiled New Potatoes with Sour Cream, Smoked Salmon and Chives (modified from this recipe)
Spring Mix Salad with Meyer Lemon Vinaigrette in a Parmesan Cup

Assorted Fresh Fruit with French Cream
Turkey, Apple and Butter on Wheat Bread Tea Sandwich
Crab, Avocado and Vanilla Mayo on White Bread Tea Sandwhich

Crudité Platter with Roasted Garlic Aioli

BBQ Kettle Chips
Salted Kettle Chips with Buttermilk Ranch Dressing

Everyone seemed to love the food and there was more than enough to go around, which makes me happy. I want everyone to be full and happy whenever there is a party. I had an amazing time and got some great gifts for The Good Baby.

The Good Wife Trial Mix

I was craving some trial mix the other day and since I am rather picky about what type of nuts and fruit I like, I decided to make my own. My favorite type of nut is walnut, which is not very common in trial mix. But walnuts and other nuts are high in the good kind of fat and all the pregnancy books I am reading say it is really good for a baby's growing brain.

Ingredients:
2/3 cup honey roasted peanuts
2/3 cup dried fruit, I used Tropical Trio by Sunmaid
1/2 cup walnut halves
1/2 cup pecans halves
1/2 cup dried bananas (optional)
1/2 cup chocolate covered soy nuts (optional
1 package plain M&Ms (optional)

Directions:
~Combine all in a medium bowl. Stir to combine.

~Grab a handful and enjoy.

recipe by: The Good Wife

Roasted Garlic Dip

I was craving a simple snack the other night but I didn't have too many ingredients on hand. I had some cream cheese and some sour cream and garlic. I pondered what I could make with such scare ingredients and thus, Roasted Garlic Dip was born.

The flavors of this dip were mellow the first day but after it sits in the fridge to a while, the flavors start to blend and sharpen. After a few days I could really taste the spices but it was not overwhelming.

Ingredients:

2 heads garlic

1 8 oz. pkg. cream cheese, softened

1 8 oz. pkg. sour cream

1/2 tablespoon Mrs. Dash Southwest Chipotle Seasoning Blend

1/2 teaspoon powdered garlic

2-4 drops of liquid smoke

salt

pepper

Directions:
~Peel away dry outer skin from one large garlic head, leaving the skins of the individual garlic cloves intact. Cut off the top portion of the head, leaving the bulb intact but exposing the individual cloves. Place garlic head, cut side up, on a large square of foil and drizzle with olive oil. Allow the oil to seep into the head of garlic, about 2 minutes. Sprinkle with salt. Wrap the garlic tightly with foil and bake in a 350 degree F oven for 60 minutes or until cloves feel very soft when pressed. Cool. Press to remove garlic paste from individual cloves.

~Combine the remaining ingredients and chill for at least one hour or overnight.

recipe by: The Good Wife

The Good Wife Party Mix

Mmmm. Party Mix.

I am not old enough to have seen the height of the home party mix craze in the 70s. I had only know party mix as the kind you get in the bag at the store. The horror!

Once, a few years ago, my grandma made the original, old-fashioned kind and I was hooked. I had to make it and I had to make it for every party there was. Then I discovered Peanut Lover's Chex Mix at the store and I was torn. How could I incorporate all the peanuty goodness of PLCM with all the traditional flavors of the original Party Mix?

I experimented and I developed this very tasty Party Mix: The Good Wife Party Mix!

The two main secrets to my party mix are: 1. Use real garlic and 2. Use both dry- and honey-roasted peanuts. I also don't add pretzels, just because I am not a big hard pretzel fan but feel free to add pretzels if you like them. Oh and I don't add the wheat Chex either.

Ingredients:
4 1/2 cups Corn Chex cereal
4 1/2 cups Rice Chex cereal
1 cup dry roasted peanuts
1 cup honey roasted peanuts
1 cup garlic flavor bagel chips, broken into 1-inch pieces
6 tablespoons butter or margarine
2 tablespoons Worcestershire sauce
1 1/2 teaspoons seasoned salt
3 to 4 cloves garlic
1/2 teaspoon onion powder

Directions:
~Heat oven to 250°F.

~In large bowl, mix cereals, nuts and bagel chips; set aside. In ungreased large roasting pan, melt butter in oven. Stir in seasonings. Using a garlic press, press 3 to 4 cloves of garlic, depending on your love of garlic flavor. Stir in cereal mixture until evenly coated.

~Bake 1 hour, stirring every 15 minutes. Spread on paper towels to cool, about 15 minutes. Store in airtight container.


The addition of the real garlic cloves really add a nice roasted garlic flavor to the mix and the two contrasting peanuts enhance the flavor of the mix.

recipe by: The Good Wife

French Fried Onions

Like any good Midwestern girl, I love fried vegetables, especially onion rings. But I have always been scared to make them. I don't know what struck me as particularly scary about making homemade onion rings, but I never did try. Until I saw this recipe for onion strings on The Pioneer Woman's website.

I was amazed at how fast and easy these were to make and they provided for a great topping for homemade burgers. I foresee great use of this recipe now that Thanksgiving is coming up and I always get stuck making green bean casserole.

Ingredients:
1 large onion, I used one medium white onion
2 cups buttermilk, I used two tablespoons of lemon juice plus enough milk to make 2 cups
2 cups flour
1 scant tablespoon salt
Lots of black pepper
1/4 to 1/2 teaspoon Cayenne Pepper, I omitted
Canola Oil

Directions:
~Slice onion very thin. Place in a baking dish and cover with buttermilk for at least one hour.

~Combine dry ingredients and set aside. Heat oil to 375 degrees.

~Grab a handful of onions, throw into the flour mixture, tab to shake off excess, and PLUNGE into hot oil. Fry for a few minutes and remove as soon as golden brown.

recipe by: The Pioneer Woman

Potato Skins

One of the things on my 100 Foods I Want to Make is potato skins. This dish was no doubt made popular by all the casual dining chain restaurants that have taken the place of home cooked food in Middle America. I can maybe see some housewife in the 50s creating this dish out of boredom with having mashed potatoes over and over again, but I doubt it. I get a feeling that this dish might have been popular at bars, where the skins of the potatoes would have been left over from making french fries. But I am no food anthropologist, so that is just my uneducated guess.

The Good Husband loves 'tater skins and it is one of the only dishes where he will eat sour cream (he doesn't know I put sour cream in the mashed potatoes. Don't tell him, ok?). So here is my first attempt at making them.
'Tater Skins
Ingredients:
4 large Russet potatoes, scrubbed
6 strips of bacon
3/4 cups of shredded cheese, I used CoJack cheese
1/2 cup of sour cream
2 green onions, sliced, I didn't have any so I skipped this

Directions:
~Scrub the potatoes and cut them into thick slices. Bake on a large baking sheet in a preheated 350 degree oven for 20 minutes until the slices are almost tender.

~While the potatoes bake, brown the bacon, remove, cool and break into crumbles.

~Remove the potatoes from the oven and in a large skillet over medium high heat, heat 2 tablespoons of canola oil. Place the potato slices in the pan and fry until golden brown on each side.

~Remove the potato slices from the pan and allow them to drain on a plate lined with several paper towels.

~Place the crisp potatoes back on the baking sheet and top with the cheese and bacon. Bake for 5 minutes or until the cheese is melted.

~Serve with sour cream.

recipe by: The Good Wife

Cowboy Sushi

I know that foods differ by region, ethnicity and family. This is one of those dishes that seem to be a regional favorite and family specific. This little delight is something I was introduced to the first time I went to a family reunion for The Good Husband.

If you can't tell what it is, it is cream cheese, Budding Beef and pickles. My family served something similar but our version was cream cheese, salami and green onion. This is a popular appetizer 'round our family and I have seen uncles fight over the last pickle.

This is a relatively new dish to me and no one seemed to have a name for it. I have heard it called "the pickle dish" and even "oh, you know, those things". So I figured since this might be the only time this dish has been on a food blog, I will give myself the honor of naming it.

I give you: Cowboy Sushi!

Ingredients:
6 large whole kosher dill pickles
3 packages Buddig Beef
1 package (8 oz) cream cheese, softened

Directions:
~Spread a thin layer of cream cheese over one slice of beef. Top with another slice of beef and spread cream cheese over the second layer.

~Roll the two slices of beef around one whole pickle.

~Repeat steps one and two so that the pickle ends up with four layers of beef and cream cheese.

~Slice the pickle into thick slices and serve cold.

~Repeat all the steps until all the pickles are covered.

If your family has something similar and you call it something else, please email me and let me know. One of the things I love about cooking is that every family and region has their own version of basic dishes. I get a feeling The Good Family is not the only one to enjoy this cowboy sushi.


recipe by: The Good Wife

Popcorn

One of my favorite snacks is popcorn. I have never been a fan of microwave popcorn so I learned how to make popcorn the old fashioned way - on the stove. The great thing about making popcorn on the stove is that you can flavor it a ton of different ways. My current favorite is Parmesan popcorn. I also like white popcorn better than yellow popcorn and always use white popcorn kernels.

Parmesan Popcorn

Ingredients:

3 tablespoons canola or vegetable oil

1/2 cup white popcorn kernels

2 tablespoons butter

1/4 teaspoon salt

1/2 cup Parmesan cheese

Directions:

~Heat the oil in a large pot with a lid set over medium-high heat. I use my heavy bottom Dutch Oven.

~Pour in popcorn kernels and sprinkle with the salt. As soon as the kernels start to pop, shake the pan back and forth across the burner constantly until the popping slows down. Listen until the pops are about 2 seconds apart, remove from the heat and pour into a serving bowl.

~Add the butter to the pan and allow it to melt. Pour the melted butter over the popcorn and toss to coat. Add the Parmesan cheese to the hot popcorn and toss to coat. Serve warm.

Variations:

Minus the Parmesan cheese, the previous is my basic popcorn recipe. All the variations use it as a base and the different seasonings should be added to the popcorn after it has popped but is still warm.

Spicy Cowboy Popcorn

Ingredients:

1 recipe The Good Wife basic popcorn

1/2 tablespoon chili powder

1 teaspoon cumin powder

1 teaspoon garlic powder

1/2 teaspoon red pepper flakes

1/4 cup pepper jack cheese

Directions:

~Pop popcorn according to recipe above but do not add the melted butter to the popped popcorn.

~Melt the 2 tablespoons of butter in a small bowl. Add the chili, cumin and garlic powder to the butter and stir to combine. Pour over the popcorn and toss to coat. Add the pepper jack cheese and serve warm.

Very Italian Popcorn

Ingredients:
1 recipe The Good Wife basic popcorn
3 teaspoons dried oregano
1 teaspoon dried basil
1 teaspoon garlic powder
1/2 teaspoon onion powder

1/2 teaspoon dried thyme

1/2 teaspoon dried rosemary
1/4 cup Parmesan cheese

Directions:
~Pop popcorn according to recipe above but do not add the melted butter to the popped popcorn.

~Melt the 2 tablespoons of butter in a small bowl. Add all the seasonings to the butter and stir to combine. Pour over the popcorn and toss to coat. Add the Parmesan cheese and serve warm.

recipes by: the good wife

Roasted Corn and Black Bean Salsa

I have been craving some Mexican food lately and my latest trip to the farmer's market yielded some fresh corn and tomatoes. So I figured salsa was the easiest thing to do with the corn.

Ingredients:
3 ears corn in the husk
1 can black beans, drained
1 fresh jalapeno chile, peeled, seeded, and finely chopped
3 large tomatoes, seeded, peeled and chopped
¼ cup fresh cilantro, chopped
½ small red onion, finely chopped 3 cloves garlic, minced
Juice from 1 large lime
1 teaspoon of sugar
Salt and ground black pepper to taste

Directions:

~Remove husks and silk from corn. Cut the kernels off the cob. Char the corn in a large cast iron skillet over medium high heat with one tablespoon oil, until the corn is warmed through and the edges are slightly blackened. Remove from heat an allow to cool.

~Place the remaining ingredients, except the black beans, in a food processor and chop to the desired size. I processed the ingredients rather finely.

~Combine the corn, black beans and the tomato mixture. Cover and let stand for one hour or overnight for the flavors to marry.

recipe by: The Good Wife