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February 7, 2017Packaged Dinner Kit Services – Are They Worth It?I have several friends who subscribe to dinner kit delivery services that offer pre-measured ingredients with recipe instruction. The meals are relatively easy to prepare. Often some of the time consuming items are already premade, such as dough and ramen noodles. However, chefs-to-be still need to prep vegetables. This means peeling, slicing and dicing. Everything is essentially pan saute’ or assemble and pop into an oven and bake. It’s easy enough to put these premeasured dinners together, but the burning question of course – is it worth it? A common complaint from my friends is the packaging. Every little ingredient comes in it’s own container or bag. Mini oils in plastic bottles. Tiny plastic boxes for herbs. Plastic bags for each and every vegetable, meat, grain, etc. Not to mention the food is shipped in thick insulated styrofoam containers. It’s a lot of debris for one meal.However, the overall feedback is that the products and ingredients are usually fresh and tasty, with rarely any misses. The instructions, printed and online, are easy to follow and the stress factor into dinner prep decreases because this is a ‘tested recipe’. Should there be something wrong or missing from the dinner pack, these kit companies are known for having excellent customer service. Mishaps are often taken care of by offering credits, or additional free boxes. One friend received THREE extra dinner boxes to make up for one box with the incorrect order.Cost of a pre-prepped dinner:If ordering for a family of four, the average cost for two meals a week is is about $70, or $35 per meal.To really judge the effectiveness of these meal services, I decided to do a comparison with price, time savings and food quality.To level the playing field, I’m going to compare a to-my-door dinner-to-prep service such as ‘Blue Apron’ and to-my-door groceries via Amazon Prime. Amazon Prime is a grocery delivery service that allows me to order food via their app and pick a 2 hour windows for delivery to my door. It is not available everywhere – mostly larger cities for now. Amazon’s Prime Now service takes ‘grocery shopping’ in the traditional sense out of the picture completely. All food is coming to my door, just like a dinner kit service. The difference being, I have to make a list and order everything and then measure out my ingredients for my dinner. Prime Now is also great with handling any delivery mishaps by offering a credit, or removing errant products from your bill.Sample Meal Ingredients from Blue Apron – Butternut Squash Pasta with Romaine & Apple Salad¾ Pound Elicoidali Pasta3 Cloves Garlic2 Romaine Hearts1 Apple1 Butternut Squash1 Bunch Kale1 Lemon1 Bunch Rosemary4 Tablespoons Butter2 Ounces Ricotta Sal |
February 2, 2017Celery Leaf Walnut Pesto SauceStop throwing your celery leaves away! These typically discarded leaves can transform into a delicous and healthy pesto sauce!Combined with walnuts, this tasty sauce also incorporates zesty lemon with hints of red pepper. Not only are you repurposing, but did you know that celery is an excellent source of vitamin K and molybdenum? It is a very good source of folate, potassium, dietary fiber, manganese, and pantothenic acid. Celery is also a good source of vitamin B2, copper, vitamin C, vitamin B6, calcium, phosphorus, magnesium, and vitamin A (in the form of carotenoids). Wow!Print YumCelery Leaf Walnut Pesto SauceIngredientsYou Will Need: 2 cups lightly packed celery leaves (from 1-2 large bunches)2 cloves garlic½ teaspoon salt½ cup walnut pieces½ cup grated ParmesanJuice and zest of 1 lemon½ cup extra-virgin olive oilCrushed red pepper, additional walnuts and/or grated Parmesan; optionalInstructionsDirectionsAdd celery leaves, garlic, salt, walnuts, parmesan and lemon juice to a blender or food processor. Process to combine. With the motor running, pour in the olive oil, stopping to scrape down the sides of the bowl as needed, until very smooth.Serve in a bowl as a dipping sauce for Caulifower Buffalo Bites, or use as a sauce for pizza or flatbread or in any recipe that calls for pesto.Schema/Recipe SEO Data Markup by Yummly Rich Recipes0.1https://www.boredmom.com/recipe/celery-leaf-walnut-pesto-saucePER SERVING (2 tablespoons): 196 cal, 19g fat (11g mono, 5g poly, 3g sat), 5mg chol, 262mg sodium, 3g carb (1g fi ber, 0g sugars), 3g proteinThis recipe is from http://deliciousliving.com/recipes/celery-leaf-walnut-pesto-sauce?cid=nhbcAuthor: BoredMom Filed Under: Food, Recipe Tags: celery, Food, Healthy, Pesto, Recipe Related PostsJuly 6, 2020Kids Love Chia PuddingNot only is this ridiculously easy to make, but if you have kids on Instagram, all they see are beautiful chia pudding combos so you’re not going to have to twist their arms to try it! Ha..social networking peer pressure for nutritional good!Food, Kids, Recipe - by BoredMom March 1, 2023A Day Tasting Wine in Alexander ValleyHaving exactly one full day to tour around Sonoma and do some wine tasting, I knew we had to have laser focus when planning our agenda. As the Sonoma area is rather large, |
January 26, 2017Cooking with Avocado OilI recently received some samples of avocado oil and decided it was time to play with it in the kitchen. Avocados are typically pricey, so as a cooking oil, my concern is always health first, but secondly – can I afford it?The 16 fl. oz bottle of avocado oil is about $13.95. In contrast, high-end quality olive oil about the same size is about $12.50. So, the price difference isn’t really an issue. So why switch?Health Benefits of Avocado OilThe majority of essential fatty acids found in avocado oil are monounsaturated oleic acid, which is the same omega-9 EFA that won olive oil its status as a healthy oil. Oleic acid is known to have several positive effects throughout the body including lowering risk of some cancers, preventing flare-ups of certain auto-immune diseases, speeding cell regeneration and wound healing, aiding the body in repelling and eliminating microbial infections, as well as reducing inflammation inside and out.Avocado oil is also very high in vitamin E, which is a fat-soluble vitamin is known for improving skin and eye health and bolstering the immune system. Vitamin E can improve the defense against oxidative damage to cells caused by free-radicals, improving memory and mental acuity, as well as increasing the overall efficiency of the digestive tract.So, now that we’re wondering where Avocado oil has been all of our lives, how about cooking it?Heating Avocado OilAlong with healthy coconut oil, avocado oil is one of the best possible oils to have your kitchen for cooking with. The refined oil has a very high smoke point, usually listed as between 480 Fahrenheit and 520 Fahrenheit (270 Celsius). The samples I received claim to have a 500 Farenheit smoke point. This makes it a great choice for high heat stir-frys and other quick flash cooking.Olive oil’s smoke point, by comparison, can depend on the grade of the olive oil and its processing, however low quality “cooking” olive oil is around 430 Fahrenheit smoke point which may be ok for medium heat cooking.Cooking Ideas with Avocado OilAvocado oil is light and buttery tasting. It’s wonderful as is on salads with a little balsamic, rich and creamy, but it’s also fun to cook with.Today I experimented with some fresh broccoli greens from my CSA (yes, you can eat broccoli leaves!), onion and mushroom. I did a quick stir fry with only avocado oil, seasoned and mixed with some good old fashioned cheapie ramen noodles.The result? Outstanding. The avocado oil is light and doesn’t interfere with my seasoning choices of cumin and tumeric. The oil is light and absorbed perfectly into my vegetables and noodles.Can’t wait to look for avocado oil my local store and play with it some more!Av |
January 20, 2017Easy Rainy Day SaladWhen it’s cold and blustery outside, I want to wrap up in a blanket and eat a huge pile of mashed potatoes or some other mass carbo-laden feast. I know I won’t feel good about myself after a comfort binge, but it’s so cold outside! (whine)However, my heart won the battle vs. my brain in today’s frigid rainstorm. Fresh veggies sliced with a Mandoline with a little impromptu dressing of lemon juice, rice vinegar and balsamic reduction sauce and my tastebuds gleely leapt as if it were a hot summer’s day. This mandoline is super easy to use and comes with several blades to pop-in and adjust the cut sizes and shapes. It’s also available on Amazon Prime.Print YumEasy Rainy Day SaladIngredients1 zucchini1 carrotInstructionsMix dressing and toss veggies into it - 1 tablespoon lemon juice, 1 tablespoon rice wine vinegar, 1/2 tablespoon balsamic reduction sauce (store-bought) Mix in 1/4 cup of diced fresh cilantro.Slice 1 avocado and 1 tomato, arrange and season with salt and a little cayenne if you prefer. Schema/Recipe SEO Data Markup by Yummly Rich Recipes0.1https://www.boredmom.com/recipe/easy-rainy-day-saladHere’s the low down:Using a mandoline, simply slice:1 zucchini1 carrotMix dressing and toss veggies into it – 1 tablespoon lemon juice, 1 tablespoon rice wine vinegar, 1/2 tablespoon balsamic reduction sauce (store-bought)Mix in 1/4 cup of diced fresh cilantro.Slice 1 avocado and 1 tomato, arrange and season with salt and a little cayenne if you prefer.The cilantro and lemon give these crunchy veggies a kick and it’s also a satisfying salad! Fight the winter blues and power through with a healthy pick-me-up salad! Author: BoredMom Filed Under: Food, Recipe Tags: carrots, cilantro, Food, Healthy, Recipe, zucchini Related PostsJuly 6, 2020Kids Love Chia PuddingNot only is this ridiculously easy to make, but if you have kids on Instagram, all they see are beautiful chia pudding combos so you’re not going to have to twist their arms to try it! Ha..social networking peer pressure for nutritional good!Food, Kids, Recipe - by BoredMom June 8, 2023Korean BBQ Carrot Sloppy JoesThis meat-free vegetarian BBQ carrot sandwich is satisfying and tasty! Even my husband who eats meat thought this was delicious and filling. The texture of the carrots and onions has a nice bite with the sauce – if you’re looking to eat less meat, try […]Food - by BoredMom Savory Pumpkin Quiche with |
January 15, 2017Savory Pumpkin Quiche with Lactaid (Dairy-Free)Will I ever tire of pumpkin? I think not! Quiche is sort of my easy go-to thing to make when I have guests coming for a little bite to eat. The beauty of quiche is that it may be served hot or just slightly warm, so I don’t have to obsess about the serving temperature. This savory pumpkin quiche recipe with whipped egg whites comes out light and fluffy almost like a soufflé.I would typically make this recipe with cream. However, my daughter was recentlu diagnosed as being Lactose intolerant, so we are now more aware of dairy products in our recipes and pre-prepared foods. I have been revamping many of my own recipes by using LACTAID® Milk, which is 100% Lactose Free and easy to digest. Lactaid tastes just like regular milk, so this recipe change is flawless! It’s also much healthier, as I am subbing out reduced fat LACTAID® Milk for the full fat cream.You Will Need:3 large eggs1-1/4 cup of solid-pack pumpkin2 egg whites whipped until peaks form1 cup of LACTAID® Milk1 small yellow onion diced1 tablespoon olive oil1/2 cup of diced sausage, bacon, or soy sausage/bacon ( I used soy sausage)12/ teaspoon salt1 tablespoon fresh thyme1 tablespoon all-purpose flour1 frozen deep-dish pie shellHow to Prepare:Prehead oven to 400 degrees. Saute onions, salt, fresh thyme and savory sausage/bacon (I used soy sausage) in olive oil until onions have softened. Set aside.Combine by hand pumpkin, LACTAID® Milk, nutmeg and whole eggs. Add cooled onion mixture.In a mixing bowl, mix two egg whites on high until they turn white and foamy and start to stiffen.Fold fluffy egg whites into pumpkin mixture by hand until gently combined. Pour in prepared pie crust. Bake for approximately 50 minutes until center is firm and toothpick comes out cleanly in center.Allow to cool for 20-30 minutes before serving.This Holiday season, we have a healthy supply of la LACTAID® chewable tablets on hand as well. If a guest brings any dairy products to our home, my daughter simply takes one tablet per serving of dairy. This way she can enjoy everything!I found my LACTAID® products at Walmart, which was very convenient. You may also find other great products in the same aisle that help alleviate issues from overindulgence such as IMODIUM®, LACTAID® & PEPCID ® . To learn more about these products at Walmart, please click here.Print YumSavory Pumpkin Quiche with Lactaid |
January 14, 2017Heart Healthy Valentine’s Day Dinner PartyI love Valentine’s Day! It’s not only a day to celebrate my cherished relationship with my husband, but it’s also a ‘month’ whereby I celebrate my great friends. Here’s a super easy dinner to prepare for friends to say ‘thank you’, and best of all it’s nutritious and heart healthy!Part of good heart health is not only a balanced diet and exercise, but living a stress-free life. This dinner is so easy and I promise completely stress-free. Not only can you crank it out (literally! with a zuchinni spiralizer) in seconds, but the prep is less than ten minutes. It’s also gorgeous!When setting the table, put a little Valentine’s Day message on each plate! Rose’ is also the perfect light wine to pair with this dinner.Spialized Zucchini Noodles with Heirloom Tomaotes & CapersThese Round White Dinner plates by YHY are great for serving pasta or other food that may slide around a bit! The edges are slightly curved up so it contains food perfectly! I love them!! This 4 piece set of 10.6 inch Porcelain Dinner Plates is available on Amazon Prime.How to Make:With a Zuchinni Spiralizer, quickly crank out noodles. One zucchini per person is plenty, in fact you’ll have leftovers. In a hot pan, heat high-quality olive oil and add noodles.Stir on high heat until they start to go a little limp. Add 1/2 teaspoon of salt (per zucchini), 4-5 heirloom cherry tomatoes (halved), 1/2 tablepoon capers and a little fresh flat leaf parsley in at the last minute, Cooking should be no more than 3-4 minutes total in a hot pan. Serve fresh and hot!Freshly squeezed lemon is nice on this, or a little shaved Parmesan cheese.Spinach and Arugula Salad with Carmelized Pecans & Blackberries in a Balsamic Reduction SauceSalad plates by YHY and best of all, they too are available on Amazon! I told you this was a stress-free dinner! This 4-Piece Porcelain Dessert/Salad Plates, 8-inch White Plate Set can come to your door by Prime as well.In a bowl combine washed spinach leaves (1 bag) and (1/2 bag) of clean arugula and toss. Add in pecans (or candied pecans – storebought is fine), and 1 cup of fresh blackberries. I prefer to chill mine as it helps keep the salad cool as well. Toss in a vinegar & balsamic reduction sauce dressing (1/2 cup vinegar and 1/4 cup balsamic reduction) and drizzle on the salad greens. Display on pretty salad plates. As this dinner is completely vegetarian, it’s |
January 3, 2017Signature Onion TartletGoing to a party and you offered to bring an appetizer? Are you now panicking because you don’t know what to bring? This recipe involves a little effort and time, but you will look like a bonafide rock star! This is for a flour crust, but you can sub-out with your favorite gluten-free pastry crust if you wish.Ingredients1/3 butter2 large red or yellow onions, thinly sliced2 tbsp balsamic vinegar1 pinch of salt3 sprigs thyme, leaves picked2/3 C feta cheese (optional) – I left it out1 cup (all-purpose) flour4 tablespoons chilled butter, cut into cubes1 pinch of salt3 tbsp chilled waterPreparationTo make the pastry crust, put the flour, butter (not cubes) and salt into a food processor. Using the pulse button, process until the mixture resembles fine crumbs. While still processing, slowly add the water to the mixture in a steady stream, until the mixture comes together to form a dough.Turn out onto a lightly floured work surface and flatten the dough into a large circle. Wrap in plastic wrap. Put the dough in the refrigerator to rest for at least 30 minutes- 1 hr.Preheat the oven to 350°F.Place the dough on a floured work surface and roll it out to a 1/4″ thickness. Put on parchment paper on a pan. Stab dough pastry bases a few times with a fork. Bake the tart ‘shell’ for about 12 minutes, or until golden, but still soft. Remove from the oven and set aside to cool a little, then take the pastry cases out of the tin and rest on a wire rack until completely cool.To caramelize the onions, melt the butter in a saucepan over medium-low heat. Add the onions, sugar and salt and saute SLOWLY for about 35-40 minutes, or until the onions are softened and golden brown. Stir frequently so the onions don’t burn. When the onions are soft, set aside to cool.Turn the oven back to 350°F. Smother onions across the tart. If still soft, fold edges around the onions.Top with feta cheese if you wish and bake for another 12-14 minutes until delicious looking! Cool and serve, although this goes fast!If you have fresh basil, shred and top before serving! I also like to drizzle some balsamic reduction sauce on top, but this tartlet is SO tasty that you really don’t need this extra steps!Author: BoredMom Filed Under: Food, Recipe Tags: appetizer, onion, tartlet Related PostsJanuary 14, 2021Air-fryer Ginger Shrimp EggrollsThese low-fat air-fryer Ginger Shrimp Eggrolls are tasty and a better for your option on Game Day |
November 20, 20162016 San Diego Bay Food & Wine Grand Tasting HighlightsThis year’s San Diego Bay Food & Wine Grand Tasting did not disappoint. Not only did we have our stellar San Diego weather, but the event was loaded with quality wine and restaurant offerings. Here are some of the highlights from the event and a round of kudos is in order!WineSquare Peg Winery – Dry Farmed Pinot Noir from the Russian Valley. Need I say more? This family owned winery is located up in the Russian River area and produces lovely pinot noirs from bright with berries, to earthy and deep. The owner’s wife is also an artist, so when you go to visit, you may enjoy quality wines and be surrounded by gorgeous art! Definitely on my list of stops next time I’m up in the Russian River Valley.San Luis Obispo had a big showing this year with a large educational tent including foods, wines and spirits from the area. As a Cal Poly SLO Alum, I was so proud to see so many quality offerings come out of this area.Tablas Creek / Paso Robles – French style whites and rhone blends. The Tablas Espirt Blanc was refreshing, creamy yet light and was a perfect fit for a warm event day.ReFind / Paso Robles – Brandy from grapes? Yes, please. Re:Find Distillery has the luxury of starting with a premium base fruit, ripe red-wine grapes, which affords us the ability to craft superior spirits.If you’re planning a trip to the Central Coast, make sure to stop off in Paso Robles to this amazing little distillery located in the stunning Adelaida region.Harmony Lavender Farm – Not only was great food and wine represented for the San Luis Obispo area, but samples of dried lavender were offered up.This wonderful lavender farm had a self-fill sachel display showcasing the fragrant lavender flowers that come from the San Luis Obispo area. This farm offers tours and other fun activities throughout the year. Make sure to stop here (great for kids as well) on a trip up through the Central Coast.Finally, Preston + Parker wines from San Diego (but using Paso Robles area grapes) is one of our local favorites. They just launched ‘Dreamer” a new lovely white wine blend that is perfect for a crispy fall day and paired well with the rich restaurant offerings.Sarah, one of the owners, also does a fabulous wine pour pose! FoodKorean BBQ Jackfruit from FireFly at Dana PointJackfruit is so in and all I can say is ‘finally!’ This fruit can shapeshift into any meaty lookalike and it’s awesome. Firefly did a great job with their Korean Bulgogi interpretation.Hamachi bites from Marina Kitchen on a seaweed cracker. Fresh and delicious. Great appetizer bite!Il Fornaio |
November 2, 2016Pumpkin Spice Cheesecake Cups with Hefty® Slider BagsWe made it through Halloween, but that hasn’t weakened my strong desire to have Pumpkin Spice EVERYTHING! Here’s a quick no-bake recipe for a fun Fall dessert that is a hit with both kids and adults. These Pumpkin Spice Cheesecake Cups are light and fluffy, yet the chocolate cookie layers makes it addicting.Often dessert goes uneaten at our parties as we have too much of it. However, these tasty Pumpkin Spice Cheesecake Cups are the perfect portion size, so everyone can indulge! The best part is that you can whip this dessert up in less than an hour, and then park them in the fridge until it’s time to serve.Hefty® Slider Bags make this dessert creation a snap.I used the Hefty Slider Bags to crush my chocolate cookies, and I then used another bag to pipe in the cheesecake filling into small cups!Yum You Will Need:2 cups crushed Oreo (or similar style) cookie crumbs – about 20 cookies4 tablespoons melted butter8 ounces softened cream cheese1/2 cup sugar1 cup pumpkin puree3 teaspoons pumpkin pie spice1 tub frozen but defrosted whipped topping (just pull out from the fridge for about 30 minutes)Chocolates for garnish – I used Hershey’s Chocolate Caramel PumpkinsHefty Slider BagsHow to Prepare:Take a Hefty® Slider Bags and fill it with the Oreo cookies.The Hefty® Slider Bags have a MaxLock® track design , so it will have an extra strong seal. Using your hand or can, smash the cookie crumbs inside the Hefty® Slider Bag.Combine cookie crumbs from the bag and melted butter in a small bowl. Set aside.Mix softened cream cheese, pumpkin puree, pumpkin pie spice and sugar together until blended. Fold in whipped topping until mixture is all smooth. Place in refrigerator for 15 minutes to set up.Fill another Hefty® Slider Bag with several heaping spoonfuls of the chilled cheesecake filling. Seal the bag – The Clicks Closed™ sound lets you know it’s closed! Using scissors, trim one corner of the bag so you may then pipe the filling into a dessert cup.I found my dessert cups at Smart and Final, but you may find lots of varieties online at Amazon as well.Place 2 tablespoons of cookie crumbs in bottoms of 8 glasses. Pipe some cheesecake mixture into glasses. Place another 2 tablespoons of cookie crumbs in glasses and pipe in remaining cheesecake mixture.Top with pumpkin chocolate or you may just finish off with a little dusting of pumpkin pie spice.Yummy, creamy and crunchy Pumpkin Spice!Walmart is a convenient place to stock up on Hefty® Slider Bags. I found that Hefty® Slider Bags cost less than Ziploc® Slider Bags, when comparing the same type of bag ( |
October 8, 2016Pumpkin Pie Popcorn with Hefty® Slider BagsWith Fall activities in full swing, we find ourselves outside a lot with sports and social gatherings. As my family is obsessed with everything pumpkin right now, I came up with this delicious popcorn combination which tastes like a lighter version of pumpkin pie!The salty sweet popcorn mix is seasonally tasty with real pumpkin, agave, cinnamon and vanilla. Hefty® Slider Bags are perfect for snacks on the go like this as the bags are easily resealable and keep everything fresh. They are also easy to customize for party snacks! I shopped for my Hefty® Slider Bags at Walmart, and you can too! Hefty® Slider Bags cost less than Ziploc® Slider Bags, when comparing the same type of bag (freezer/storage) and size (quart/gallon) of the closest price point. They are also super strong thanks to the MaxLock® track design! You Will Need: 2 Bags of Microwave Popcorn – I recommend Light Butter Flavor 2 tablespoons agave or honey 2 tablespoon pumpkin puree 1/4 tsp. cinnamon 1/2 teaspoon of vanilla extract 1 tablespoon of vegetable oil Fall colored sprinkles (optional) Candy Corn (optional) Yum How To Prepare:Pop the microwave popcorn bags per instructions on the bag. Allow to cool. Put on bag of popped popcorn in a large glass bowl. Take the other bag of popcorn and spread out on top of a roasting pan lined with parchment paper. In a small saucepan, combine the oil, agave syrup, vanilla extract, pumpkin puree and cinnamon.Cook over medium heat for a minute or two, stirring until all the ingredients are combined and mixture is slightly bubbling.Drizzle the pumpkin mixture over the popcorn on the pan and stir until coated. Bake for 5 minutes at 325 degrees and stir at least once. When you pull the flavored pumpkin popcorn out of the oven, add sprinkles and toss. Allow to cool.Mix the regular popcorn with the cooled flavored popcorn and serve or package up in Hefty® Slider Bags.Add some candy corn if you want to make it even more festive! Hefty® Slider Bag Toppers!Here’s a PDF Template you may download and print out to make quick and easy bag toppers for your Fall Popcorn Snacks. These are great to bring to class parties, birthday parties or sports events on the weekends. Visit the Hefty® Slider Bags Handy Hints site for more inspirational ideas and projects! Make sure to take advantage for special savings — Get $1 Rebate when you buy Hefty® Slider Bags.Thanks to Hefty Bags for the wonderful slider bags and fun inspiration! This post is sponsored |
October 4, 2016Celebrate Fall with Homemade SpaetzleI feel like 90% my friends here in California have no idea what Spaetzle is. They get noodles, but spaetzle is totally a wacky word to them. I’ll say, “Want some spaetzle?” and they’ll think I’m saying something dirty. Ok, look…Shhh..don’t tell, but noodles and spaetzle are the same thing, but spaetzle is a lot more fun!Spaetzle is a German loose noodle that is made with flour, eggs, milk and a little butter. The noodle is chunky and ill-formed, so there’s no bowtie or angel hair process here. Salt and pepper, as basic as these ingredients can be, are equally important to the success of a tasty spaetzle dish. The other key component to this recipe is using a potato ricer. The potato ricer will allow you to squeeze out the dough mixture into thin loose noodles that will boil up rapidly in the boiling water. I got my ricer on Amazon.Print YumCelebrate Fall with Homemade SpaetzleIngredients2 cups all purpose flour2 tsp salt¾ cup of milk2 eggs1/2 stick of melted butter additional salt and pepper to taste and chives or green onions to garnishInstructionsFill a pot with water and add 1 tsp salt and set to boil.Meanwhile sift out 2 cups of flour into a bowl and stir in 1 tsp of salt. In a separate bowl, mix 3/4 cups of milk and two eggs until blended well.Add to flour mixture and incorporate well. The mixture will be sticky and start to form a ball. Stop there and add 1 tablespoons of melted butter and 1 tablespoon of water to the dough mixture. Stir more until the consistency is wetter and more even.The water should be boiling now. Load up the ricer with the dough mixture and squeeze over the boiling water.The dough noodles will mostly sink at first, but as they cook (about 1 minute or so), they will float to the top. Scoop them out and give them a good shake with a slotted spatula or spoon so they drain. Put them in a large bowl and add the rest of the melted butter.Schema/Recipe SEO Data Markup by Yummly Rich Recipes0.1https://www.boredmom.com/recipe/celebrate-fall-homemade-spaetzleStir and add lots of black pepper and salt to taste. Before serving, I add diced green onions. This dish will be a huge hit with family and friends! It’s the ultimate comfort food – give the German noodles a try!Author: BoredMom Filed Under: Food, Recipe Tags: Potato, spaettzle Gourmet Egg Sandwich with a TwistPumpkin Pie Popcorn with Hefty® Slider Bags |
September 22, 2016Dinner Cheats: With Trader Joe’s Seasonal Honey Roasted Pumpkin RavioliIn an ideal world, I’d make everything from scratch – but, ain’t nobody got time for that.What I do have time for is a quick trip though Trader Joe’s to pick up some prepared items that make my dinner look super fancy, and best of all very healthy.As we roll into Fall, Trader Joe’s is rolling out their Pumpkin products. I snatched up pumpkin crackers, pumpkin bread mix, pumpkin chocolates and pumpkin ravioli. As I checked out, I made sure to tell the checker that I scored on all the pumpkin products. The checker looks at me and says, “Oh, you haven’t even scratched the pumpkin surface. We’ll be getting in 78 different pumpkin products this year!”What the what? Ok, I’ll have to come back then. For tonight, let’s see what I was able to shake down pumpkin style.The Trader Joe Honey Roasted Pumpkin Ravioli are fresh and you’ll find them near the cheese. They are orange on one side and yellow on the other. Filled with a creamy pumpkin spice filling, they are delicious tossed with a little buter. Make sure to prep these last if you are making other things as they only need three minutes in boiling water!I sauteed up some spinach and diced mushrooms (also, thanks to Trader Joe’s) in a little olive oil and garlic.I’ve been a big fan of the riced cauliflower that TJ’s has been selling, but was excited to mix it up with riced broccoli. The riced broccoli was prettier with the green, but too hard and fibrous for me to want to buy it again. Bummer.I simply layered the fresh goodies on top of each other and topped with a little shaved Romano cheese. Dinner was met with rave reviews!Again, I’d like to take ANY of the credit, but I really can’t. Thanks to Trader Joe’s for letting me have a night off from cooking. Now to plan another visit so I can find the other 73 Pumpkin products at Trader Joe’s.Here’s the nitty gritty on all the extra nutrients I was able to cram into this dish as well. Three ravioli have about 166 calories, and the rest is veggies. The entire dish is less than 300 calories, including the little bit of olive oil and romano cheese.Mushrooms are a good source of B-vitamins (riboflavin, pantothenic acid, and niacin), iron, and selenium.Spinach is an excellent source of vitamin K, vitamin A (in the form of carotenoids), manganese, folate, magnesium, iron, copper, vitamin B2, vitamin B6, vitamin E, calcium, potassium and vitamin C.Broccoli is an excellent source of vitamin K, vitamin C, chromium and folate. It is a |
September 17, 2016Quick Grilled Salmon + Gingered Carrots with the TECHEF Grill PanThe new TECHEF Indoor Grill Pan is great for cooking meats and seafood inside the house! I simply put the two piece grill pan onto my gas stovetop and started grilling with my burner heat on high.The process for grilling salmon is very easy. Simply buy fresh quality salmon ( I get mine from Catalina Offshore in San Diego as they are handsdown the best fish market in the county). I only seasoned with herb salts and pepper. Quality fish does not need marinade!You don’t need to add ANY oil to this TECHEF Grill Pan, however I did add just a tiny bit of olive oil because I like how it tastes and crisps up the skin.Cook the salmon on high and watch the ‘white line’ on the side of the fish as it cooks up. When the line is about 1/2-3/4″ up, it’s then time to flip it. Cook for another 3 minutes (if that..watch that line!) and then pull the fish.Make sure to let it ‘rest’ before cutting. The juices inside the fish are still hot and continue to cook the fish.There is an external drip ring on the outside of the pan to catch any liquid or fat. It’s a rather large channel, so no need to worry about it overflowing.Once the grill pan cooled, I simply rinsed it off in warm water with a little light liquid soap and wiped down with a towel.The great part about this pan is that I could use it on my outdoor BBQ as well. Gingered CarrotsYou will Need:4 sliced peeled carrots into 1/2″ chunks1 1/2 cups water1 tablespoon balsamic reduction sauce1 tablespoon diced ginger1/2 tablespoon of agave nectarBoil carrots until soft in all of the above ingredients. Liquid will have cooked down and be a rich dark sauce around the carrots.Serve over the hot salmon.Enjoy!Thank you to TECHEF for the Smokeles Indoor Grill Pan to review. You may find one on Amazon. Author: BoredMom Filed Under: Food, Product Reviews, Recipe Barrel Sample Wines by Coomber Family Ranch WineryDinner Cheats: With Trader Joe’s Seasonal Honey Roasted Pumpkin Ravioli |
September 16, 2016Gourmet Egg Sandwich with a TwistMy husband and I work out of the house, so around eleven thirty every day he starts to knock around the kitchen looking for something to eat. Sometimes we’ll go out to eat, but honestly (insert humblebrag here), I can make a mean sandwich. Living in California means that we have access to fresh organic farm produce year around.Using fresh organic produce from my SeaBreeze Farms CSA, I decided to make a gourmet grilled cheese & egg sandwich. Today I used Rumiano Farms Organic Cheddar cheese. Rumiano Farms uses milk from small family owned dairy farms located in Humboldt and Del Norte Countries in Northern California and crafts it intro delicious organic cheese. The cheddar was a great creamy yet tangy addition to my sandwich.Use the Store Locator to find Rumiano Cheese near you – http://rumianocheese.com/You will need:Sourdough Bread2 Organic EggsQuality Olive Oil1 Large Organic Tomato2 Slices of Rumiano Farms Cheddar CheeseDiced Organic Fresh BasilRed Pepper Jelly (either storebought, or here is a recipe). How to Prepare:Cook eggs sunny side up in a non-stick pan with 1 tsp of olive oil. As the eggs are getting firm, make space in the pan and drizzle just a little olive oil in the pan.Reduce heat to low-medium.Put one slice of bread on top of olive oil. Take a rubber spatula and carefully lift the eggs onto the bread.Place two slices of Rumiano Cheddar Cheese on top of the eggs.Drizzle a litte more olive oil on the other side of the pan and put one more slice of bread into the oil.Spoon a few tablespoons of red pepper jelly onto the slice of bread with nothing on it. Spicy red pepper jelly is best!Cook for about 2 minutes on low and then sprinkle on fresh basil, fresh tomatoe and then combine into a sandwich.Cool for 2 more minutes and then slice. Serve and enjoy!The spicy red pepper jelly combined with tangy cheddar cheese and fresh basil and tomato is so delicious! The quick fried egg helps anchor all the ingredients into a satisfying sandwich for lunch.Print YumGourmet Egg Sandwich with a TwistIngredientsSourdough Bread2 Organic EggsQuality Olive Oil1 Large Organic Tomato2 Slices of Rumiano Farms Cheddar CheeseDiced Organic Fresh BasilRed Pepper Jelly (either storebought, or here is a recipe). The quick fried egg helps anchor all the ingredients into a satisfying sandwich for lunch. InstructionsCook eggs sunny side up in a non-stick pan with 1 tsp of olive oil. As the eggs are getting firm, make space in the pan and drizzle just a little olive oil in the pan. Reduce heat to low-medium.Put one slice of bread on top of olive oil. Take a rubber spatula and carefully lift the eggs onto the bread.Place two slices of Rum |
September 10, 2016Barrel Sample Wines by Coomber Family Ranch WineryLast night I had a small casual dinner party and can honestly say it was probably the easiest gathering I have ever had! I took the night off from cooking (gasp!) and ordered beautiful appetizers and entrees from renown Supannee House of Thai in San Diego. All I had to do was plate up the fresh farm-to-table Thai food on pretty platters. I then served two lovely Barrel Sample wines by the Central Coast based Coomber Family Ranch Winery.And yes, the name of the wines really is Barrel Sample! In what I consider very innvotive packaging, the bottles of wine are missing the typical foil wrapper on top and the big wide sticker. Instead, each bottle has a clean cork visible on top, no wrapper needed. Instead of the standard wine sticker, there is a very cool and trendy ‘hang tag’ that dangles from the top denoting the type of wine, lot number, PH Level, alcohol content and other important wine notes.This bottle is super eye-catching and complemented my table decor.My guests took their glasses of 2013 Barrel Sample Chardonnay outside to enjoy with Supannee’s Summer Rolls. The Barrel Sample Chardonnay has crisp green apple and citrus notes on the initial taste, followed by a creamy buttery finish. The smooth Chardonnay was well balanced and really paired well with the crisp vegetables and shrimp stuffed inside the rice wrapper summer rolls and peanut sauce.After appetizers, we sat down to eat dinner. I actually had to disappear for about 5 minutes as I quickly microwaved some of the entrees such as Red Curry with Tofu, Green Curry, Eggplant Delight with Veggies and Pineapple rice actually served in a pineapple. I also plated up the spicy tangy green mango salad.The 2013 Barrel Sample Pinot Noir had been opened about 30 minutes prior, so it had plenty of time to aerate, if it even really needed to. I honestly felt as if it was quite drinkable the minute I took out the cork! My guests and I really enjoyed the bright cherry flavors and light smooth finish. The soft tannins are a great match for spicy Thai food, as it did not overpower the food. The pinot was thoroughly enjoyed throughout all the entrees!Thank you to Barrel Sample Wines & the Coomber Family Wines for hosting wine to be reviewed. These are great wines that were greatly enjoyed and my guest and I will be sure to have these as ‘go to’ bottles for entertaining! The Barrel Sample wines may be ordered on Amazon. You must be 21 to order and consume wine.Thank you to Supannee for SDThai.com for your amazing Thai food, dedication to fresh local ingredients and being the hardest working person I know in the San Diego Restaurant scene! Author: BoredMom Filed |
September 8, 2016Grilled Lotus Root, Zucchini & Chinese Eggplant with TECHEFI love meandering through my local Korean grocery store. Not only do they have a ton of fresh locally grown produce, but they also offer unique vegetables that are normally not found in a big retail chain grocery store. On my most recent visit, I stumbled upon some Lotus Root. As I’ve never met a veggie I didn’t like, I decided this fun looking plant was going in my dinner.I just received a beautiful TECHEF Grill Pan to play with, and knew this was the perfect tool for my grilling gameplan.The TECHEF Grill Pan is not only nonstock, but it has nicely spaced grill ridges inside the pan to leave beautiful char grilled marks on my food.You Will Need:1 medium Lotus Root chunk, peeled and slicedVinegar – any kind (2 tablespoons)Sesame OilSoy Sauce1 large Zucchini Slices1 medium Chinese Eggplant sliced without endsOptional – 1 block of tofu How To Prepare:Peel the Lotus Root and slice into 1/4″ slices. Drop into boiling water and add 2 tablespoons of vinegar to water. This will prevent browning of the Lotus Root. Boil for at least 10 minutes.Lotus Root is slightly crunchy like a big water chestnut and is a wonderful addition to stir frys or salads.Add 1 tablespoon of sesame oil to the TECHEF Grill Pan and heat on medium. Carefully layer slices of zucchini and eggplant inside the pan.Grill for about 5-7 minutes and then add some soy sauce. Lightly shake the pan to incorporate the soy.The zucchini and eggplant should have changed color and look a little translucent. Flip the slices.Drain the Lotus Root and add to the stir fry.Optional – I added 1 cube of diced tofu. I also added some more soy and sesame at this point to re-coat everything.Season with salt and pepper, and a little red pepper flakes if you are so inclined.Serve over noodles (Soba noodles are tasty!) or rice.WATCH THE VIDEO & SEE IT BEING MADE!Enjoy!I received the TECHEF Grill Pan for free in exchange for a review. As you can see it made beautiful vegetables! It’s available on Amazon here: https://www.amazon.com/dp/B01KKTJ6ZKThe opinions and experiences with this product are that of my own.Author: BoredMom Filed Under: Food, Recipe Tags: Food, korean, lotus root, Product Review, Recipe, review, stirfry, TeChef, Vegetarian Related PostsJuly 6, 2020Kids Love Chia PuddingNot only is this ridiculously easy to make, but if you have kids on Instagram, all they see are beautiful chia pudding combos so you’re not going to have to twist their arms to |
September 1, 2016Soy Meatball & Zucchini Rigatoni with RAGÚ HomestyleOur little homegrown veggie garden is located in the front yard, so it is a source of pride for our family as the neighbors walk by. Passerbys often ask what we are growing and my teen daughter beams when she shows them our bounty of huge zucchini that is coming up right now.Teens don’t often get excited about much, so…Yeah! #ParentingWin!Planting the organic heirloom starters.The other bonus of having a garden, is that my family wants to eat every single thing that it produces!As to not have veggie burnout, we have been extremely creative with our zucchini recipes as of late. I’ve created this easy Rigatoni recipe using RAGÚ Homestyle Thick and Hearty Traditional Sauce and it’s been a hit with everyone.It’s busy afterschool with sports and homework, so I do my pre-prep during the day on my vegetarian meatballs and then everything cooks up quickly when it’s time to eat.I love using RAGU Homestyle because it’s not made with any artificial flavors, artificial colors or high fructose corn syrup. Just like I have put a lot of effort into my garden, Ragu puts a lot of effort into their sauces as they peel, chop and simmer their ingredients and use a special blend of herbs (basil, fennel, oregano and black pepper) to layer and build the flavor.You will need:1 package of Gimme Lean Soy Hamburger (or similar product)2 tablespoons olive oil or canola oil1/2 cup Italian seasoned breadcrumbs1/2 cup diced parsley1/2 cup shredded Parmesan1 box of Rigatoni noodles1 jar of RAGU Homestyle – I used Thick & Hearty Traditional, but any variety of RAGU would work great!Salt and pepper to tasteHow to prepare:Cook pasta per instructions on the pasta box. Drain and combine hot noodles with 1 jar of RAGU Homestyle Thick and Hearty Traditional SauceTo make the vegetarian meatballs:Combine the soy hamburger in a bowl with breadcrumbs, Parmesan and parsley. Using your clean hands, mix everything and put aside until you are ready to form meatballs.Over a hot skillet with some vegetable oil or olive oil, add small formed meatballs no bigger than a quarter in diameter. Brown on at least two sides and then add the zucchini.Squeeze fresh lemon juice over the vegetables and soy meatballs. Season with salt and pepper.When zucchini is tender, gently stir in the meatballs and zucchini into the pasta with the RAGU Homestyle Thick and Hearty Traditional Sauce already mixed in. The sauce is so thick it will mix around the veggies and meatballs as well!Sprinkle on more Parmesan |
August 29, 2016Making Fresh Chocolate MousseI recently received the EurKitchen Whipped Cream dispenser to review and play with and now I’m addicted to this cool tool! This whipped cream dispenser converts fresh whipping cream into beautiful pressurized cool whip, or in my case creamy chocolate mousse.How to PrepareI simply mixed 1 cup of fresh cream, 1/2 cup of chocolate powder and 3 tablespoons of sugar into a bowl and stirred until dissolved. I then poured the mixture into the Eurkitchen dispenser and chilled for several hours.The dispenser must have a pressurized N2O cartridge (not included with the EurKitchen dispenser) inserted in order to create the pressure. I was a little nervous adding the cartridge so I received some help from Bored Dad. However, now that I see how it works I realize it’s seriously no big deal. The EurKitchen dispenser comes with ample instructions, so just make sure to read over everything before you begin and all is easy and fabulous. I did have to shake the can about 8 good times to get it to firm up. If you over shake the dispenser, you’ll run the risk of hardening up the cream. However, I think you’d really have to go to town shaking it to make that happen, so don’t worry!Look at the pretty little chocolate mousse desserts I made in seconds! Add some berries, and I’m cranking out fancy pants desserts!The EurKitchen Whipping Cream dispenser is available on Amazon here. Watch the EurKitchen Tool being used! I received this product in exchange for an honest review. All opinions expressed here are that of my own. Author: BoredMom Filed Under: Creative Living, Food, Product Reviews Tags: Chocolate, Entertaining, Food, Food Reviews, Mousse, review Related PostsJuly 6, 2020Kids Love Chia PuddingNot only is this ridiculously easy to make, but if you have kids on Instagram, all they see are beautiful chia pudding combos so you’re not going to have to twist their arms to try it! Ha..social networking peer pressure for nutritional good!Food, Kids, Recipe - by BoredMom March 1, 2023A Day Tasting Wine in Alexander ValleyHaving exactly one full day to tour around Sonoma and do some wine tasting, I knew we had to have laser focus when planning our agenda. As the Sonoma area is rather large, we decided to focus on the Alexander Valley area.Food, Travel, WIne - by BoredMom Vintage Syroco ClockBarrel Sample Wines by Coomber Family Ranch Winery |
August 18, 2016Shrooms & Snaps Stir-fry with TECHEFBoiling pasta is pretty easy, right? But sometimes I just have to resort to shortcuts to get dinner out quickly. I love the yaki soba noodles that are precooked and prepacked from health food or Asian stores. All I need to do is quickly stir- fry up some fresh veggies, add some seasoning and toss in my noodles with a bit of liquid.Disclaimer: I have been given the TECHEF Art Pan to review, however the experiences and opinions are that of my own. I was not compensated for this review. I used the TECHEF art wok pan to cook up the Shrooms & Snaps stir fry. The high rounded edges make it really easy to toss the veggies in oil and season everything thoroughly. The handle is also insulated, so not pot holder needed.You Will Need:1 package fresh snap peas – with ends trimmed1 container (8-9 large) bella mushrooms2 cloves fresh garlic, cut up2 tsp of sesame oil (more added later per taste)2 tsp of oyster sauce or you can use soy saucesalt & pepper How to Prepare:Add to 2 teaspoons of sesame oil to a pan. I love how the TECHEF pan has a sizing inscription inside the actual pan so I can pour oil into the pan and know how much is in there. Because this pan is non-stick, I don’t need to add a lot of extra oil.After the pan is heated, I add in the mushrooms and garlic. Saute for several minutes until the mushrooms start to wilt.Add in the snap peas, oyster sauce and 1/2 – 3/4 cup of water. Saute for a few more minutes.Add in the soba pasta noodles and cook until the moisture is absorbed. Noodles should be hot and juicy, but snap peas should still be firm. Don’t overcook the peas!Serve fresh and enjoy!I received the TECHEF Art Pan in exchange for an honest review and cooking demonstration. All recipes and opinions are that of my own! You may find the TECHEF Art Pan here. Author: BoredMom Filed Under: Food, Recipe Tags: Mushroom, pasta, TeChef Related PostsAugust 21, 2019The Bold & The Beautiful at the PMAIt’s been almost FIVE YEARS since I attended the PMA Fresh Summit and I’m still reeling from the unusual finds from the Expo show. Here are some foods that I must classify as Bold & The Beautiful, as they are all stunning!Food, Food & Wine Events - by BoredMom September 22, 2016Dinner Cheats: With Trader Joe’s Seasonal Honey Roasted Pumpkin RavioliIn an ideal world, I’d make everything from scratch – but, ain’t nobody got time for that. What I do have time |
August 10, 2016Easy Garlic Pickles with the Techef SaucepanNow is the season of summer crop Kirby cucumbers, so pick up a few pounds next time you’re in the produce aisle! These quick refridgerator pickles are made with things you probably already have on hand, but make sure you have a good supply of clean canning jars.You’ll pack the clean jars with fresh raw cucumber spears or slices and then pour a hot aromatic spiced liquid over them. They will cool at room temperature and then into the fridge they go. You are supposed to wait a week before eating, but if you can wait 48 hours, you are doing a better job than I. These are so fresh, tangy and delicious that they will go fast! This is why I don’t bother doing the long term canning process – why put in all that time when you don’t need to?I just received a beautiful 2 quart TECHEF sauce pan to review, so I have used it to make my delicious spicy brine as it’s the perfect size for small batch pickles. The TECHEF sauce pan comes with a glass lid which is perfect for checking to see if your liquid is boiling.You Will Need:Makes 3 pints2 pounds Kirby cucumbers1 1/2 cups white vinegar1 1/2 cups water2 tablespoons pickling salt1 tablespoon sugar6-9 garlic cloves, peeled, sliced and evenly distributed in the jars with the cucumbers1 tablespoon Ball pickling spices, or if you don’t have that: black peppercorns, red pepper flakes and dill seedHow to Prepare:Wash and slice the cucumbers. I made both spears and pickle chips by using my mandoline to make the wavy slices. Be careful not to cut yourself!In a saucepan like the TECHEF, combine vinegar, water, pickling spices, sugar and salt. Bring to a quick boil, then reduce to simmer for 5 more minutes.Arrange jars on counter and dole out the cukes evenly. Pack the cucumber slices firmly into the jars. You don’t want to damage the cukes, but you do want them packed tight.Pour the brine into the jar, leaving approximately ½ inch headspace. I used a spoon to evenly distribute the chunky spices as I poured in the liquid.Tap jars gently on countertop to dislodge any trapped air bubbles.Apply lids and let jars cool. When at room temperature, place jars in the fridge.See how long you can wait before opening a jar!I received the TECHEF sauce pan in exchange for a review, but the opinions and experiences are that of my own.You may find the TECHEF sauce pan on Amazon here.Author: BoredMom Filed Under: Food, Recipe Tags: Food, garlic, pickles, Product Review, Recipe |
August 6, 2016Lucky Olympian Black Eyed Peas with TeChefIn my ongoing series of foods to make during the Olympics, I have decided to make ‘Lucky Black Eyed Peas’. Black eyed peas with greens are traditionally made in the South to bring luck into the New Year. The theory is ‘eat poor’ on New Year’s Eve (peas), and then one will be rich into the New Year. Black eyed peas also look like little gold coins, as another theory goes. As I’m rooting for Team USA to bring home the gold, it just seemed like the perfect dish! Many Olympians who have trained their whole lives for this event, do come from humble beginnings.So in the spirit of the black eyed pea luck tradition, I hope all Olympians will reap the rewards of their tremendous efforts and experience great success after the event – they most certainly deserve it! Black eyed peas are also rich in protein, which is an excellent food choice for an athlete – or those of us who like to watch athletes on TV from our couch.I received a beautiful TeChef Wok to review, and was excited to use it on this dish because I could saute the onions and then keep everything in the same ‘pot’ as I simmered my peas on low heat for two hours.Many of the recipes I make are vegetarian, so feel free to add meat of your choice to this recipe if you desire. Many add ham or bacon to a black eyed peas recipe in the simmering process.You Will Need:2 lbs. black eyed peas (soaked over night )2 tsp. salt1 large white onion,diced1 tablespoon olive oil3 bay leaves2 cups of vegetable stockadditional water to first cover the peas1/2 tsp. black pepper1 tsp. allspice6 garlic cloves, smashed1/4 c. of your favorite hot sauce ( I used Tapatio)2 lbs. rainbow chard, with the center vein cut out and greens chopped. How To Prepare:In the TeChef Wok, saute the onions and garlic in the olive oil until slightly translucent. Cook for about 5 minutes. Because the TeChef Wok has a safe non-stick finish, only 1 tablespoon of olive oil is needed to do the onions. I recommend using a plastic spatula, as you don’t want to scratch the non-stick finish.Add peas and add vegetable stock. Add additional water until it covers the peas about an inch.Add the bay leaves and allspice.Set to low and cook for 2 hours or until tender.Add collard greens and hot sauce and cook for another 30 minutes on low. Keep the glass lid on in order to maintain the moisture. I love the TeChef Wok‘s glass lid so I can see what is going on without having to lift it!Adjust seasonings.Serve in bowls! If it’s too spicy for some guests, I recommend a |
August 6, 2016Celebrating the Olympics with Vegetarian Brazilian Bobó StewThe Olympics in Rio start tonight, so what better way to celebrate than with food! While finely tuned Olympians go for the Gold, I’ll be going for my bowl! (Heh Heh..) I did a little research on Brazilian food and learned that stews are common and easy. Brazilian Bobó is typically made with chicken, shrimp or fish and is served over rice. I decided to go for a vegetarian option so I could really taste the vegetables. Truthfully I was too lazy to go out and buy shrimp today. Shrimp would have been nice. The most appealing part of this recipe however, is that it has yuca! I have never cooked with yuca root (also known as cassava), so this was extra exciting. I also received a beautiful new saute pan from WaxonWare to review, so the stars were aligning for this dish. I based this recipe off of some others I have found online, but made variations based on the fact that this is a vegetarian dish. Ingredients:1 pound yuca root3 cups veggie broth2 tablespoons olive oil1 large white onion, finely sliced1 red bell pepper, seeded and finely sliced1 green bell pepper, seeded and finely sliced2 large garlic cloves, minced3 big red tomatoes, chopped1 can organic coconut milk1 tablespoon dried crushed red chile peppers1 teaspoon paprikia1 cup chopped cilantroSalt and pepper to tasteHow to Prepare:Peel the yuca root and cut it in halt, crosswise and chop into smaller pieces. Using the WaxonWare saute pan that holds 4.5 quarts, I then added the yuca root with the vegetable broth. Boil on medium heat until the yuca is soft, about 50 minutes.Transfer the yuca and liquid to a food processor and process until smooth. Let it sit in the processor while the vegetables are prepared. If you don’t have a food processor, you can simply put it in a big bowl and mash it.While the yucca is cooling, heat the vegetable oil in the WaxonWare saute pan. It’s always a good idea to oil your non-stick pan before using to best protect the non-stick finish. I love this WaxonWare saute pan because it’s so large and so easy to keep adding more ingredients to.Add the onions, red bell pepper, green bell pepper, and garlic. Cook it for about 5 minutes. Stir in the tomatoes. Close the lid and cook until all vegetables are soft and chicken is cooked through, 7 minutes.Add the yuca, coconut milk, red pepper flakes, paprika and cook for another 2 minutes. Remove from heat and add the cilantro, salt and pepper.The WaxonWare saute pan |
August 3, 2016Spicy Pickled Mexican CarrotsThere is an ample supply of rainbow carrots right now in the stores, so I have been making up batches of Spicy Pickled Mexican Carrots. They are super tasty and fun to bring over to impromptu gatherings. I brought this over to a BBQ the other night and people were raving about them! They make great snacks served with cheese, or with Mexican food.Print YumSpicy Pickled Mexican CarrotsIngredients2 lbs carrots, peeled and sliced on the diagonal (1/4 inch thick)2 white onions, peeled and sliced1 1?2 quarts water3 sliced jalapenos6 whole garlic cloves2 cups cider vinegar1 tablespoon cumin1?4 cup olive oil4 bay leaves1 tablespoon saltInstructionsHow to Prepare:Put carrots in a large 3 or 4-quart pot with water and bring to a boil over high heat.Boil for 5 -8 minutes and then remove from heat.To pot, add the peppers, cumin, onions, garlic, vinegar, bay leaves and salt.Let cool until safe to touch.Schema/Recipe SEO Data Markup by Yummly Rich Recipes0.1https://www.boredmom.com/recipe/spicy-pickled-mexican-carrotsI place my carrots verically and as tightly packed as possible when putting in a jar.Pur liquid on top from pot & put in refridgerator to cool further for 2-3 hours (optimally before serving or bringing to a party!)These will keep for a week after opening jar. If you can do these a day in advance, then they will have better flavor and be chilled for serving.Makes about 8 cups of carrots.Author: BoredMom Filed Under: Food, Recipe Tags: Food, Recipe Related PostsJuly 6, 2020Kids Love Chia PuddingNot only is this ridiculously easy to make, but if you have kids on Instagram, all they see are beautiful chia pudding combos so you’re not going to have to twist their arms to try it! Ha..social networking peer pressure for nutritional good!Food, Kids, Recipe - by BoredMom March 1, 2023A Day Tasting Wine in Alexander ValleyHaving exactly one full day to tour around Sonoma and do some wine tasting, I knew we had to have laser focus when planning our agenda. As the Sonoma area is rather large, we decided to focus on the Alexander Valley area.Food, Travel, WIne - by BoredMom Mango French Toast FrittataCelebrating the Olympics with Vegetarian Brazilian Bobó Stew |
July 28, 2016Mango French Toast FrittataI recently got a Fritatta pan and am finding that I want to cook just about everything in it now! Here’s a quick and easy French Toast recipe with fresh mango that will turn out fluffy and delicious. Dare I say it’s failproof?You will need:1 Ripe Mango4 Eggs1/2 Tsp Cinnamon1 Tablespoon Sugar1/4 Cup Milk3-4 Pieces of Sandwich Breada Frittata PanHow to Prepare:Mix eggs, milk and cinnamon in a bowl.Rip of bread into small pieces and soak in egg mixture.Dice up fresh mango into small chunks.Warm up Fritatta Pan with a little pat of butter in each side on medium-low heat. I used the Techef Fritatta Pan that is available on Amazon. *Put half of the soaked bread mixture into one side of the pan. Then add the mango evenly across the bread.Put the remaining bread mixture on top of the mango.Flip the top lid over and let cook for about 5 minutes on low.The French Toast Fritatta will rise and start to get firm on top. This is when you know it’s OK to flip it over. Holding a finger down on the lid of the Techef Frittata Pan, flip the pan over so you are cooking the wet bread mixture side.Cook for another 4-5 minutes. The French Toast will feel firm to the touch and the sides will start to pull away a bit when it’s done.Take off heat and carefully flip or slide onto a plate. Let cool for a few minutes and then slice up. Put powdered sugar and syrup on and serve!*I was given the Techef Fritatta pan for demonstration and review purposes. The recipe, review and photos are that of my own.Author: BoredMom Filed Under: Food, Recipe Tags: Food, French Toast, Frittata, Mango, Recipe Related PostsJuly 6, 2020Kids Love Chia PuddingNot only is this ridiculously easy to make, but if you have kids on Instagram, all they see are beautiful chia pudding combos so you’re not going to have to twist their arms to try it! Ha..social networking peer pressure for nutritional good!Food, Kids, Recipe - by BoredMom March 1, 2023A Day Tasting Wine in Alexander ValleyHaving exactly one full day to tour around Sonoma and do some wine tasting, I knew we had to have laser focus when planning our agenda. As the Sonoma area is rather large, we decided to focus on the Alexander Valley area.Food, Travel, WIne - by BoredMom Tortilla de Patatas RecipeSpicy Pickled Mexican Carrots |
July 25, 2016Tortilla de Patatas RecipeTortilla De Patatas, also known as a Spanish Omelette, is a typical dish prepared in Spain as an easy appetizer. It may be served warm, room temperature or chilled. It’s a basic egg and potato combo that may be baked or cooked in a pan.I prefer to serve it chilled as it’s easier to handle. It’s hearty, yet lighter fare at the same time and perfect for warm summer evenings.You Will Need:6 eggs1/2 onion1/4 cup diced chives2 tablespoons olive oil1/2 cup milk1 red pepper (some slices for decor)1 pound of waxy potatoes (about 3 medium sized potatoes)1/2 teaspoon smoked paprika1/2 teaspoon red pepper flakessalt and pepper How To Prepare: Pre-heat oven to 360 degrees.Wash potatoes well and slice in about 1/4″ thick slices.Parboil the potatoes in boiling salted water for 8 minutes. They should be firm but slightly cooked. Cool potatoes in strainer.Take the 1/2 onion and cut and cook in 1 tablespoon of the olive oil. Cook down until onions become sligtly translucent. Mix in smoked paprika and a pinch of salt.Mix the 6 eggs in a mixing bowl and add diced chives and red pepper flakes (optional).Add 1 tablespoon of olive oil to a round shallow baking dish. Make sure the sides are oiled as well. Put one layer of the potato slices down.Add half the onion mixture to the first layer of potatoes. Repeat layering process again. Potato, remaining onions and remaining potatoes as a topper.Poor egg chive mixture carefully over the potatoes.Slice a red pepper very thinly and top in any pattern you wish (a little or a lot!)Bake for 40 minutes. Check to make sure the center is done. It should feel firm if you push a spoon on top of it. If not, put it in for 5 more minutes.Let cool for 1-2 hours. I let it cool on a rack for 1 hour and then put in the fridge for at least another hour.The potatoe egg dish will be firm and easy to cut into slices. You may serve it out of your glass dish, or put on a different platter for guests to grab.Author: BoredMom Filed Under: Food, Recipe Tags: appetizer, eggs, Food, Healthy, potatoes, Recipe, Tapas Related PostsJuly 6, 2020Kids Love Chia PuddingNot only is this ridiculously easy to make, but if you have kids on Instagram, all they see are beautiful chia pudding combos so you’re not going to have to twist their arms to try it! Ha..social networking peer pressure for nutritional good!Food, Kids, Recipe - by BoredMom March 1, 2023 |
July 24, 2016Last-Minute Summer Party IdeasI love entertaining and typically put a lot of effort into my party-planning. However, over the weekend I found myself scrambling to come up with food and decor for a last minute evening party. A friend pointed out that Martha Stewart and I are both ‘Leo’ babies. That would explain why I simply can’t rip oven a bag of Doritos and call it a day, although my husband encouraged me to do so. Nope! I’d combust into flames before that happened!Here are some easy appetizers I prepared that were also beautiful and got lots of compliments. The market lights also reclaimed a part of my yard that had previously been abandoned at night!Backyard LightingMy husband actually put these up for me, but I was the bossy-pants that directed where I wanted them. These beautiful market lights come in a 48′ strand and fit perfectly over a stretch of grass on the side of our yard. When it gets dark, this part of our yard has been completely abandoned. However, this one strand lit up the space and the kids were playing on it all evening! They even set up croquet by themselves! Seriously my inner Martha Stewart was giddy as can be.These market lights by Proxy Lighting are available on Amazon and come with the bulbs.* I’s a very sturdy, well-made set. I recommend getting wire either on Amazon or your local Ace Hardware store. It will keep the lights straighter and more stable over time. { Learn how you can win a set below! }FoodWhen it’s hot, light fare works best. I made a veggie and fruit platter and a Tortilla de Patatas. Here’s how to pull it together quickly!Fruit & Veggie PlatterDuring the warm summer months it seems like every fruit and vegetable on the planet is suddenly available in the stores. I chose two colors and then decided only those fruits and vegetables in that color scheme were going on a platter together. Even though the mixture was ecletic, it totally worked!Green & Purple Platter – I added some beet chips for a crunch factor. Next time I may add something like that to my platter, but put them in a small bowl. The chips touching vege got a little soggy. Tortilla de PatatasTortilla De Patatas is a typical dish prepared in Spain as an easy appetizer. It may be served warm, room temperature or chilled. It’s a basic egg and potato combo that may be baked or cooked in a pan. I prefer to chill mine and then make slices and serve. This was a big hit with my guests as it’s hearty, but not heavy.{ Get the Recipe Here }*Disclosure: I received the Proxy Lighting Market Lights in exchange for an honest review, which I have provided. All thoughts and opinions are that of my own. Author: BoredMom Filed Under: |
July 10, 2016Spicy Mango ChutneyMango chutney is easy to make but does have many ingredients in it, so check your shopping list before attempting! Also, try to make this during the summer when mangoes are cheap and plentiful. If you wait until off-season, you’ll spend a fortune on the fruit alone. Mango chutney may be served with cheeses (great on baked brie), crackers, breads, fish, chicken and as a glaze for veggies. However, I must say that this chutney on a basic grilled cheese sandwich is probably the most delicious thing I’ve had in a long time! Super addicting!! Make grilled cheese sandwiches on sourdough with mango chutney and cut up into quarters. Serve as an easy summer appetizer! I used 5 fairly large mangos for this recipe. If yours are smaller, use 6. Try to get as much fruit off of the mangos as possible when slicing up.Makes about 5 pintsIngredients1 tablespoon virgin olive oil2 teaspoons fresh ginger, finely minced2 cloves garlic, finely minced1 red chili, sliced – or one red pepper (leave half the seeds so you get some spice). If you can’t find either, you may use a serano – or jalapeno. Something with heat!2 teaspoons whole nigella seeds (they sell them on Amazon if you can’t find in your local store).1 teaspoon ground coriander½ teaspoon ground cumin¼ teaspoon turmeric¼ teaspoon ground cloves¼ teaspoon ground cinnamon¼ teaspoon salt5 mangoes , peeled and diced – use gloves to peel if they are green! Otherwise you may get a mild itchy reaction. I did, but it went away quickly.1 – 3/4 cups white granulated sugar1 cup white wine vinegar (not distilled)InstructionsHeat the oil in a medium stock pot at medium heat. Saute the ginger, garlic and red chilies for a minute. Make sure to have your fan on, otherwise they spice mixture can make you cough 🙂 Add the spices and saute for another minute. Add the diced mangoes, sugar, salt, and vinegar and stir to combine. Bring it to a rapid boil and reduce to medium-low. Steady simmer on low for 1 hour and stir occassinally. I used a big spoon to mash up the big pieces as I wanted it to have a smoother consistency.Sterlize your jars per standard water bath.Pour chutney into clean sterile jars and seal (but not overtigthten).Put in boiling water bath for 10 minutes.Take our jars carefully and let them sit and seal. If jar doesn’t seal, either put in fridge and use relatively soon (within a month), or undo lid, clean glass rim and seal again. Boil for 10 more minutes until vacuum seal occurs. Author: BoredMom Filed Under: Food, Recipe Tags: |
July 6, 2016Easy Island Rice with La VictoriaIf you own a rice cooker, then you are almost done making this easy rice dish! I am always seeking out tasty shortcuts when it’s super hot outside and I don’t want to spend much time in an even hotter kitchen! I used La Victoria’s Pineapple Salsa and coconut milk to season this dish and add a tropical Island flair.The pineapple salsa’s sweet and slightly spicy flavor pairs perfectly with the coconut rice and reminds me of cuisine I’ve had during past tropical vacations!You will need:1 jar of La Victoria Pineapple Salsa1 cup diced red pepper1 cup of peas (fresh or frozen) – I used fresh English Peas found in the fresh produce aisle.1 cup of raw unsalted cashews (optional)1 can of coconut milk1 1/2 cups of white rice1/2 cup waterHow to prepare:Add the rice to your rice cooker. Then add in the coconut milk and stir into the rice. Measure out 1 cup of La Victoria Pineapple Salsa and add to rice cooker mixture. Stir in peas, nuts and diced red pepper. Once all is incorporated, add 1/2 cup of water and stir again. Whew! That is the extent of your hard work! Now here comes the easy part.Set rice cooker to cook and all of the wonderful liquid and veggies will cook down without any additional fuss! It’s as easy as a summer day!Yum After rice has cooled a bit, serve and top with the remaining La Victoria Pineapple Salsa. This recipe is a breeze to make on days where you are short on time, but don’t want to skimp on flavor. It also makes a great side dish with BBQ’d foods and Teriyaki Salmon! Today’s post is sponsored by LA VICTORIA® Brand, but my love for their Pineapple Salsa is all my own! Author: BoredMom Filed Under: Food, Recipe Tags: Food, Food Reviews, La Victoria, pineapple, Recipe, Salsa, sponsored Related PostsJuly 6, 2020Kids Love Chia PuddingNot only is this ridiculously easy to make, but if you have kids on Instagram, all they see are beautiful chia pudding combos so you’re not going to have to twist their arms to try it! Ha..social networking peer pressure for nutritional good!Food, Kids, Recipe - by BoredMom March 1, 2023A Day Tasting Wine in Alexander ValleyHaving exactly one full day to tour around Sonoma and do some wine tasting, I knew we had to have laser focus when planning our agenda. As the Sonoma area is rather large, we decided to focus on the Alexander Valley area.Food, Travel, WIne - by BoredMom Fastest Quiche Recipe EverSpicy Mango Chutney |
June 16, 2016Fastest Quiche Recipe EverQuiche is one of my go to things to make if I have a last minute guest coming over for breakfast or lunch! I always keep pie crust in the freezer as it lasts a long time and comes in handy for these emergency quiches! I can also whip one of these up in about an hour with very little effort. It just LOOKS like a big deal.You will need:2 cups of baby potatoes (make thin slices)1 zucchini (cut in thin slices) slices6 eggs1/2 cup milk1/2 cup cheddar/or mixed cheeseRed pepper for garnish or I used hot & sweet cherry peppers because I like the zing they add1 frozen pie crustHow to Prepare:Take pie crust out and thaw for 15 minutes. Add in sliced veggies and sprinkel with the cheese. In a separate bowl, mix in 6 eggs with 1/4 cup milk until well blended. Pour egg mixture evenly over veggies and cheese.Bake for 45-50 minutes at 350.Let cool for 10 minutes and serve with salsa or spicy sauce of your choice. I used a Spicy Lime Cilantro Drizzle. Author: BoredMom Filed Under: Food, Recipe Tags: easy, Food, Potato, Quiche, Recipe, zucchini Related PostsJuly 6, 2020Kids Love Chia PuddingNot only is this ridiculously easy to make, but if you have kids on Instagram, all they see are beautiful chia pudding combos so you’re not going to have to twist their arms to try it! Ha..social networking peer pressure for nutritional good!Food, Kids, Recipe - by BoredMom March 1, 2023A Day Tasting Wine in Alexander ValleyHaving exactly one full day to tour around Sonoma and do some wine tasting, I knew we had to have laser focus when planning our agenda. As the Sonoma area is rather large, we decided to focus on the Alexander Valley area.Food, Travel, WIne - by BoredMom Avocado Peach Caprese with Spicy Lime Cilantro DrizzleEasy Island Rice with La Victoria |
June 15, 2016Avocado Peach Caprese with Spicy Lime Cilantro DrizzleSummertime fruit is here and now is a great time to take advantage of those slightly tart peaches that are coming to market! This is a version of caprese, albeit a bit of a stretch. If you have a food processor, prep time is really easy. Blend the drizzle sauce ahead of time and keep chilled in the fridge if you like to pre-plan, otherwise you can do this on the fly.I love using local produce whenever possible, so in this recipe please use California grown peaches and avocados if you are nearby! They are delicious and I promise you’re getting the very best of the best.Drizzle Sauce Ingredients (enough for at least 8)1 bunch of fresh cilantro – cut off long stems1 whole jalapeño1 clove of garlic1 lime (juice)3 tbsp of extra virgin olive oil2 tbsp of honey1 tbsp of white wine vinegar1 tsp of sea saltfreshly ground pepperCaprese Salad Ingredients4 California Avocados – Firm, yet Ripe8 oz of fresh Mozarella balls2 fresh firm California PeachesHow to PrepareAdd fresh cilantro with long stems cut off to food processor with 1 whole jalapeño with stem cut off, but washed and cut in half. Add in garlic, lime juice, olive oil, honey, vinegar and salt. Blend in food processor until everything is well incorporated and you have a beautiful bright green drizzle sauce. Set aside until ready to create caprese salad. Keep chilled.Carefully cut avocado into two. Take a sharp knife and cut the avocado in both directions, but do not piece the skin. Scoop out avocado into bowl and reserve Avocado skins as you’ll use these as mini serving bowls.Peel peaches with a peeler and then cut fruit away and dice into cubes. Add to a bowl.Drain fresh mozarella and cut into cubes and add to bowl. Add pepper to bowl and gently stir – overstirring may mush avocado, so be gentle! Simply spoon mixture back into the empty avocado skins and add Drizzle Sauce. Serve and enjoy!I instruct my guests to dump the avo skin onto a plate, although it’s fun to watch people try to eat it out of the avocado skin too . 🙂Author: BoredMom Filed Under: Food, Recipe Tags: avocado, cilantro, Food, Jalapeno. Lime, Peach, Recipe Related PostsDecember 12, 2017Ultimate Avocado Toast This shop has been compensated by Collective Bias, Inc. and its advertiser. All opinions are mine alone. #SimplyAvocado #CollectiveBias I love avocado on just about anything, but my Ultimate Avocado Toast recipe has to be my favorite. It’s easy to make, delicious and nutrient rich in […]Food, Recipe - by BoredMom July 6, |
June 13, 2016Gluten-Free Brownies MixI have several gluten-free friends which means dessert time can be precarious. A gluten-loving guest will inevitably bring a beautiful pie or cookies for dessert, and my gluten-free friends are left looking a little sad.“Here, want some fruit?”, I’ll offer. Not much of a consolation prize.Thankfully, I have just been introduced to Paka Baking Mixes. They offer a large variety of healthier alternative dessert mixes that are low in sugar, high in protein and high in fiber. Some of the baking mixes are gluten-free as well! *This article has affiliate revenue sharing links in it. I’ve just baked up a batch of their Cookies & Cream Brownies and they were a hit! In fact, I had to hide the tray of brownies as my gluten-eating friends were devouring them and I wanted to make sure there were some left for my gluten-free peeps!The Paka Baking Cookies & Cream Brownie Mix is a gluten free, brownie loaded with 6 grams of fiber and 5 grams of protein. The delicious taste of cookies and cream can be served warm and fresh with only 4 net carbs per serving. Each 12.2 oz. box makes 16 bars.These brownies are also low in carbs as they use Kakato™ Sweetener. Whereas most baking mixes load up on sugar, Paka baking mixes uses Kakato™ sweetener as its sugar substitute. This allows for a teeth friendly, prebiotic, low glycemic index, and fiber sweetener sugar substitute to give you the sweetness you crave from sugar without all the negatives of sugar.The brownies are easy to mix up and you’ll need two eggs, butter and some water. They bake in about 13-15 minutes max. { The Paka Baking Mixes are available online for purchase. They currently offer Free Shipping with orders of $35 or more. } * This post is sponsored by Paka Baking Mixes but the content and opinions expressed are that of my own. There are also affiliate links in this article. Author: BoredMom Filed Under: Food, Food Reviews Tags: Brownies, Food Reviews, Gluten-free, Recipe, sponsored Related PostsJuly 6, 2020Kids Love Chia PuddingNot only is this ridiculously easy to make, but if you have kids on Instagram, all they see are beautiful chia pudding combos so you’re not going to have to twist their arms to try it! Ha..social networking peer pressure for nutritional good!Food, Kids, Recipe - by BoredMom March 1, 2023A Day Tasting Wine in Alexander ValleyHaving exactly one full day to tour around Sonoma and do some wine tasting, I knew we had to have laser focus when planning our agenda. As the Sonoma area is rather large, we |
June 11, 2016Guilt-Free Protein PancakesI love pancakes, but Insead of feeling fueled for the day after a shortstack, I feel as if I’ve been hit by a truck! Not OK! The empty carb-fest also makes me feel incredibly guilty. I really try to prepare meals that are high in nutrition, as we’re very busy during the day and it may be awhile before we sit down to eat again. Mealtime simply must count!Therefore, I’m so excited that pancakes no longer have to be associated with empty calorie guilt! Paka Baking has created a natural pancake mix that is devoid of sugar, high in fiber and even higher in protein! There are an amazing 16 grams of protein jammed into each serving of pancakes. An average person needs 46-56 grams of protein a day, so what a super way to get a protein boost – especially for vegetarians!* There are affiliate links in this article. Here’s the breakdown comparison between a Mainstream Brand Pancake Mix & Paka Baking Pancake Mix:Per Serving of Pancakes:Per ServingRegular Pancake MixPaka Baking MixSugar6g0gFiber1g11gProtein5g16g The Paka Baking Pancakes are quick and easy to make. Simply take 1 cup of mix and stir in 1/2 cup of water and 1 egg. Heat griddle to 350 degrees and cook up a stack of tasty nutrient rich pancakes! These protein rich pancakes come out light and fluffy and have a subtle coconut flavor which pairs amazingly well with fruit. I do love to add a little pure maple syrup and fresh fruit, so it’s great that this pancake mix starts out so low in sugar.I’m always looking for ways to add additional fiber to my family’s diet, so what a bonus to have 11 grams of fiber per serving!Ditch the pancake guilt and try out some healthy-option Paka Pancakes!The Paka Baking Mixes are available for purchase online.{ Click here to view their products }Paka Baking has other amazing guilt-free treats and gluten-free baking mixes. * This post is sponsored by Paka Baking Mixes but the content and opinions expressed are that of my own. There are also affiliate links in this article. Author: BoredMom Filed Under: Food, Food Reviews Tags: Fiber, Food, Food Reviews, Healthy, Paka Baking, Pancakes, Protein, Recipe Related PostsJuly 6, 2020Kids Love Chia PuddingNot only is this ridiculously easy to make, but if you have kids on Instagram, all they see are beautiful chia pudding combos so you’re not going to have to twist their arms to try it! Ha..social networking peer pressure for nutritional good!Food, Kids, Recipe - by BoredMom December |
June 10, 2016Spicy & Sweet Summer Salsa BitesSweet and spicy food just naturally goes with hot summer weather and cool drinks! As we start to entertain more outside, I love to make appetizers that are easy to eat poolside. LA VICTORIA® Brand has just created a new Mango Habanero Salsa that is both spicy AND sweet; it’s absolutely addicting!Large chunks of sweet mango mellow out the spice from the chili peppers in a gorgeous orange red salsa flavor combination.I’ve created an easy appetizer recipe that can be ready in less than an hour for your ‘summer celebrating’ guests to enjoy.My Spicy & Sweet Salsa Bites are not only a snap to prepare, but they are also pretty in presentation. Guests can easily grab them while socializing, but make sure to prepare several batches as these go fast! Thank you to LA VICTORIA® Brand for sponsoring today’s post and inspiring me to try Mango Habanero Salsa!Spicy & Sweet Summer Salsa Biteswith LA VICTORIA® Habanero Mango SalsaINGREDIENTS1 package (8 oz) cream cheese, softened1 jar of of LA VICTORIA® Brand Mango Habanero Salsa (3/4 cup in recipe preparation & additional needed for topping)2 eggs1/2 cup shredded cheddar cheese1 teaspoon salt1/2 cup black beans2 tablespoons chopped fresh cilantro (optional)1/2 cup sour creamHOW TO PREPARE1. Preheat oven to 350°F.2. Whisk cream cheese and egg in mixer until smooth.3. Slowing mix in salsa and shredded cheese.4. Generously spray a mini-muffin pan with vegetable spray or use oilve oil oil to grease muffin cups.5. Fill muffin cups and bake 15-18 minutes or until firm.6. Let cool in pan 5 minutes.7. Remove from and cool on a baking rack.8. Spread tops of cooled bites with a small amount of sour cream and add cilantro leaves for garnish. I used a piping bag to put sour cream on as I had better control when putting it on!Makes 24 servings. You can make two batches with the one jar of LA VICTORIA® Brand Mango Habanero Salsa. If you want to spice these bites up even more, simply put more salsa on top of the sour cream.These are delicious served room temperature or chilled! You do not want to warm them up because the sourcream will run. Author: BoredMom Filed Under: Food, Recipe Tags: Entertaining, Food, Food Reviews, La Victoria, Recipe, Salsa, Spicy, sponsored Related PostsJuly 6, 2020Kids Love Chia PuddingNot only is this ridiculously easy to make, but if you have kids on |
June 3, 2016Zucchini Noodle Lasagna with RAGÚ HomestyleThe very first meal I learned to make when I was a child was spaghetti. I would carefully monitor my noodles to be perfectly al dente as I warmed up my Ragu sauce in a saucepan.It was complicated stuff as an eight year old, but I became so good at making it that my mother nominated me to make my famous spaghetti one day a week, every single week. It was a win-win for my Mother; she was off the hook from making dinner, and I was getting comfortable in the kitchen which is an important skill for all kids!As an adult, warm spaghetti in a thick rich tomato sauce sprinkled with parmesan cheese still equates to comfort food and happy memories. I do make pasta for my family at home, but as times have changed and diets have evolved for various reasons, I often find that making a pasta dish for a dinner party may be a tricky task. I have many friends and relatives who no longer eat gluten. Some have celiacs disease, some are cutting it out due to ‘sensitivity’ and others are cutting out simple carbohydrates altogether for personal health reasons.So, having said that, I tend to find gluten-free alternatives of my favorite recipes when possible. I also want my food creations to be beautiful in presentation and creative! I present to you my version of a traditional (yet gluten-free) dinner: Zucchini Noodle Lasagna with RAGÚ Homestyle Pasta SauceI use thin zucchini noodles in this recipe instead of pasta noodles, and am staying true to my family tradition by using a Ragu brand sauce. I have chosen the RAGÚ Homestyle Thick and Hearty Mushroom Sauce because it’s the perfect flavorful addition to make this recipe a home-run. It also has no artificial flavors, artificial colors or high fructose corn syrup. The other RAGU Homestyle pasta sauces would have been great too! Check out the other NEW RAGU Homestyle pasta sauces here Shop List:2 pounds of zucchini (or about 3 large zucchini)1 jar of RAGÚ Homestyle Pasta Sauce – I used the Thick and Hearty Mushroom Sauce, but any of the RAGÚ Homestyle Pasta Sauces are a good choice. Here are the other options!1 red pepper (diced)1/2 large white onion or small onion (diced)1 cup shredded mozzarella cheese1 15oz. tub of ricotta cheese1 12oz. bag of defrosted soy crumbles – you may use real hamburger meat if you choose.How to Prepare:Prep Time: 20 minutesBake Time: 55 minutes at 375 degreesCut off the ends of your zucchinis and using a spiralizer, cut up all zucchinis into thin ribbons. I used the WonderEsque |
May 30, 2016Shitake Mushroom Appetizer PuffsThese easy shitake mushroom appetizers are perfect to bring to a dinner party! They do take a little prep, but you can bake them before you leave or bring them on a cookie sheet to bake at a dinner party. Who doesn’t love fresh hot appetzers?You will need:3 large shitake mushrooms1 box puff pastry3 cloves garlic1/2 cup diced fresh parsley1/2 tsp white pepper1/2 salt2 tablespoons red wine (if you have a bottle open – this is great to simmer the mushrooms in!)1 tablespoon olive oil How to Prepare:Take out puff pastry and thaw.Dice the mushrooms and garlic up and saute in the olive oil. Start with higher heat to get the oil hot, but then reduce heat to let the mushrooms cook down. You will want to cook some of the juices that come out of the mushrooms, as you don’t want your mushroom filler to be soppy wet.After 5 minutes, add salt, pepper, parsley and wine. Saute for another 5 minutes.The juice and wine should have cooked down by now leaving you cooked juicy mushrooms (but not swimming in liquid!)Roll out puff pastry onto a cutting board. Using a circle cookie cutter or similar shape (I used the round metal butter bowl that came with my crab cracking kit!), stamp out as many little circles as you can. They do not need to be huge as they will be bite-sized appetizer (no more than 2″)Cool the mushroom filling, and then using a small spoon put a little in the center of each puff pastry circle.Using your fingers, stretch the puff pastry over and fold it. You may have to tuck the filling in a bit.Take a fork and stamp down the outside edges.Sprinkle parmesan cheese on top of the puff pastry pockets and bake at 360 degrees for 12-15 minutes until lightly golden.Cool for 5 minutes and enjoy!Guests at the dinner party I went to devoured these in minutes!Author: BoredMom Filed Under: Food, Recipe Tags: Appetizers, Food, Mushroom, Puff Pastry, Recipe Related PostsJuly 6, 2020Kids Love Chia PuddingNot only is this ridiculously easy to make, but if you have kids on Instagram, all they see are beautiful chia pudding combos so you’re not going to have to twist their arms to try it! Ha..social networking peer pressure for nutritional good!Food, Kids, Recipe - by BoredMom March 1, 2023A Day Tasting Wine in Alexander ValleyHaving exactly one full day to tour around Sonoma and do some wine tasting, I knew we had to have laser focus when planning our agenda. As the Sonoma area is rather large, we decided to focus on the Alexander Valley area.Food, Travel, WIne - by BoredMom Sp |
May 18, 2016Spicy Pickled Red OnionsWhen we go out for Mexican food in San Diego, and I mean REAL Mexican food (no chain restaurants), we are typically given a side of spicy pickled vegetables. They are often a combo of carrots, onions and peppers. We especially love the pickled onions so much that a burrito without spicy veggies feels naked.It’s surprisingly easy to make your own and they last up to a week in the fridge.You will need:1 Red Onion1 Jalapeno (leave the seeds if you love spice!)3/4 Cup Apple Cider Vinegar3/4 Cup Water1 Tsp Yellow Mustard Seed4-5 Cloves Garlic1 Tsp Salt2-3 Tsp Sugar based on preferenceHow to Prepare:Slice the red onion and jalapeno up into to fine thin slices and put it in a bowl. Cut into pieces that YOU would enjoy on top of your food. (Preference decision here)Dice up the garlic and add to bowl.Put the vinegar, water, sugar, salt and mustard seed in a pot and bring to a boil. Turn off the heat quickly.Pack some jars (about 2-3 small jars depending on the size of your onion) with your onion & jalapeno mixture.Pour the hot vinegar mixture on top of each jar full of vegetables. Make sure there is enough liquid to cover the veggies on top.Close with a lid and let it sit out for about an hour. You’ll see the onions start to turn bright pink after this time.Put in the fridge and let it develop for at least another 2 hours.It’s best if you can remember to do this in the morning and then you have awesome spicy pickled onions for your dinner!This is a fun topping for a taco bar! The pickled onions will last up to two weeks in the refridgerator. Author: BoredMom Filed Under: Food, Recipe Tags: Food, onions, pickled, Recipe, Spicy, taco bar Related PostsJuly 6, 2020Kids Love Chia PuddingNot only is this ridiculously easy to make, but if you have kids on Instagram, all they see are beautiful chia pudding combos so you’re not going to have to twist their arms to try it! Ha..social networking peer pressure for nutritional good!Food, Kids, Recipe - by BoredMom March 1, 2023A Day Tasting Wine in Alexander ValleyHaving exactly one full day to tour around Sonoma and do some wine tasting, I knew we had to have laser focus when planning our agenda. As the Sonoma area is rather large, we decided to focus on the Alexander Valley area.Food, Travel, WIne - by BoredMom Aloha Bread with Pineapple + Pataya + BananaShitake Mushroom Appetizer Puffs |
May 13, 2016Aloha Bread with Pineapple + Pataya + BananaI often buy way too much produce and then race to use it up before it goes bad. Here’s a classic example of good intentions gone awry. My fresh tropical fruit is not looking so fresh anymore and nature can’t wait around.So, I’m going to use up these browned bananas and overripe pineapple to make some Tropical Aloha Bread. The recipe is inspired from my recent trip to Hawaii where I navigated produce stands in Chinatown, Honolulu buying up as much tropical fresh fruit as I could. I was so happy to be able to find fresh Dragon Fruit (Pataya) in both the white and purple varieties! At home, Dragon Fruit or Pataya is easily accessible in the smoothie packets in stores near us. However, if you can’t find them you may substitute out pataya with another red colored fruit such as blended strawberries or raspberries as options. This tropical fruit bread is not only moist and delicious, but beautiful as well! Make this for brunch or dessert and it’s sure to be a big hit. This recipe will make 2 loaves.You Will Need:3 cups all-purpose flour1 cups sugar1 teaspoon salt1 teaspoon baking soda1 teaspoon ground cinnamon3 eggs3/4 cups canola oil1 teaspoons vanilla extract1/2 fresh pineapple pureed in a food processorSave the rest of the pineapple and cut into thin round slices about 1/2 inch thick2 mashed ripe bananas 1/2 packet of Pataya smoothie for colorDirectionsIn a large bowl, combine the flour, sugar, salt, baking soda and cinnamon.In another bowl, whisk the eggs, oil and vanilla. Then dump in the pineapple and mashed bananas.Add the pataya mixture and stir.Stir into the dry ingredients just until moistened. It will look like the pink goo from the Tele Tubbies show!Pour into two greased 8-in. x 4-in. loaf pans.Take the thin sliced pineapple rounds and core them. I used a star shaped cookie cutter to remove mine.Place the pineapple slices gently on top of your batter.Bake at 350° for 50-55 minutes or until a toothpick comes out clean.Cool for 10 minutes before removing from pans to wire racks. Yield: 2 loaves (16 slices each).Author: BoredMom Filed Under: Food, Recipe Tags: Banana, Bread, dragon fruit, Food, loaf, pineapple, Pitaya, Recipe, tropical Related PostsJuly 6, 2020Kids Love Chia PuddingNot only is this ridiculously easy to make, but if you have kids on Instagram, all they see are beautiful chia pudding combos so you’re not going to have to twist their arms to try it! Ha..social networking peer pressure for nutritional good!Food, Kids, Recipe - by BoredMom March 1, 202 |
May 9, 2016A Day at the San Diego Paella & Wine FestivalIn anticipation of the San Diego Paella & Wine Festival, I made a serious effort to not eat much in the days leading up to the event.After all, what are we going to do with all this paella???? (For my Seinfeld Fans).If you aren’t familiar with paella, it’s a dish that originated in Spain, with origins dating back to the eighteenth century. It’s a rice based dish that is typically saffron infused (giving the rice its signature yellow color) and has a variety of meats, shellfish and veggies. However, this particular Paella & Wine Festival is based around a very serious competition of over 60 chefs cooking up their interpretation of paella from traditional to vegan. Some Chefs were from California, but many had traveled from Mexico to bring their ‘A’ game. Judges came prepared with the best qualification ever: the ability to eat a lot of paella.I arrived at the event early in order to scope out the grounds and get a feel for how the day would go. All of the paella competitors were assigned staggered serving times, so some had already started cooking. Others were holding off until later in the day. This allows an ongoing ‘flow’ of paella tasting, as this event goes from noon to 6:00pm!Paella Judge Mitchell Thompson, Director at the Otay Water District, said that as a public service official he had to be fair and intended on tasting ALL of the entries. Vaya con Dios, Mitchell! That’s a lot of entries!Here’s some early contestants getting their paella’s started. It was interesting to see so many different variations, even from the start.This was the largest paella dish being prepared and is said to feed thousands! The pan was the size of a hot tub and had 4 to 5 cooks working on it at all times. Amazing!Everyone was all smiles!San Diego Local Chef – [email protected] noon approached, the line for attendees started to queue up outside of the event. The sun also decided to make a debut in full force, and it got hot very quickly! Thankfully there was no shortage of beer, wines and tequila to cool down with. We made our way over to some vintners to test out some wines from San Diego, Spain and Baja California. Some of my favorites were:San Diego’s Vinavanti Urban Winery – The La Zingara White Wine was refreshing and crisp. All grapes are grown organically in San Diego County. The Spanish Cune Rioja – a brightly colored Rosé made from Tempranillo grapes. Typically bright or dark colored Rosés have a lot of sugar content, but this was surprisingly dry with great floral notes. This is a Spanish Rosé I will be sure to hunt down! Finally |
April 21, 2016Spicy Vegan PoppersAfter eating an entire block of cheese this morning, I sort of felt bad about myself. I love cheese, but clearly my day had a precarious start. Determined to right my bingeful wrongs, I decided to make myself a vegan afternoon snack.I knew that something spicy would keep my tastebuds happy, so I made some vegan Jalapeño poppers. What I did not prepare myself for was how much my family loved them. They even accused me of withholding this recipe and not sharing this delicious combination with them before. Like, what… I’m a closet eater of vegan poppers? Considering I did scarf all that cheese earlier today, they did have a point.You will need:6-8 good sized Jalapeños1 package of soy chorizo1 carrot1 tablespoon white wine vinegar1 tablespoon olive oil1 small ripe avocadoPreparation:Set oven to 375 degrees.1. Halve the Jalapeños and clean out the seeds. Sometimes I leave a few seeds to add some spiciness, but today’s batch just happened to be level 100 on the fire scale. Even though I took out every darn seed, they still had serious heat!2. Stuff soy chorizo in each half.3. Grate a carrot’s skin off and keep going. Take the non-skin shreds and dice them up. Toss the carrot shards in a bowl of vinegar and olive oil and let them sit for a few minutes.4. Place the stuffed peppers on a baking sheet. I lined mine with parchment paper because I hate big clean-ups!5. Take the soaked carrots and place on top of each pepper to your liking.6. Bake for 20-25 minutes.7. Let cool for approximately 5 minutes and top with small slices of avocado. Larger chunks of avo are great for cooling your mouth down if they are too spicy!These make great appetizers for vegetarians and meat-lovers alike! You can par-bake these if having a party for about 15 minutes, and then finish in an oven for another 10 minutes prior to serving.If you would like to subsitute out the carrots shreds for cheese, please do as I know it would be delicious. Author: BoredMom Filed Under: Food, Recipe Tags: Jalapeños, Spicy Vegan Poppers Spicy Roasted Pineapple + Sweet Potato SaladAloha Bread with Pineapple + Pataya + Banana |
April 20, 2016Spicy Roasted Pineapple + Sweet Potato SaladSometimes I walk through the produce aisle and buy pretty fruit. I certainly didn’t have a game plan for the pineapple, but in my cart it went. Afterall, pineapples are probably the coolest fruit out there! The weather in San Diego has been unseasonably hot, which means our local farmers are madly picking lettuces before they go to seed. So, our CSA loaded us up on just about every variety of lettuce this week. Today’s plan of attack was salad, and using that cool impulse-buy pineapple.Why are pineapples so cool?Sure it’s hot today and I have no air conditioner, but what better pairing is there than roasted pineapple slices and sweet potato! You will need:cayenne peppersolive oil1 large sweet potato1/2 whole fresh pineapple1 large romaine lettuce head1/4 cup red onion1/2 cup frozen sweet corn3/4 cup of black beans (drained and rinsed) Preparation:I sliced the pineapple and sweet potato into thick slabs and drizzled a little bit of olive oil and added a heavy sprinkling of cayenne pepper.In the convection oven it went at 400 degrees for 25 minutes. Don’t be skimpy on that cayenne. Make it happen!As the potato and pineapple are cooling, place your frozen corn on top. The corn cools down the pineapple and sweet potato. Clever, yes?Dice the red onion and add it a long with the can of rinsed black beans to your cooling mixture.In a separate bowl, mix 2 tablespoons of olive oil – I used 1 tablespoon of citrus olive oil from Pasolivo Farms, but you can use all olive oil instead. Add 2 tablespoons of white wine vinegar, juice from 1/2 lime and a big pinch of salt. Mix well.I cleaned, dried and cut my lettuce into nice sized bites and fluffed them in a bowl. I then added all of my toppings (gently) on top of the lettuce. Drizzle the dressing on top and then toss it gently a few times until everything is incorporated, but leave lots of good stuff on topI hate it when al the good toppings sink to the bottom!Had there been a little fresh cilantro on hand, that would have made a nice addition. I did have a little leftover baked & shredded coconut from last night’s coconut rice. It was a perfect sweet & crunchy topping as well. Who needs cheese?This is a satisfying but refreshing salad that is perfect for a daytime luncheon or outside picnic. Enjoy! Author: BoredMom Filed Under: Food, Recipe Tags: Food, pineapple, Recipe, Salads, Sweet Potato Related PostsJuly 6, 2020Kids Love Chia PuddingNot only is this ridiculously easy to |
April 19, 2016Easy Coconut Rice + Cilantro RecipeWe make a lot of rice during the week, so sometimes it’s fun to mix it up. If you have a rice cooker, then I suggest trying out this super easy coconut rice recipe. It goes well with stir fry veggies and any type of seafood, especially teriyaki salmon on the grill.1 cup uncooked jasmine rice1(14 ounce) can coconut milk (NOT water!) 1/4 cup water1/2 teaspoon salt1 teaspoon sugar1/4 teaspoon finely crushed red pepper flakes1/2 cup of Cilantro chopped – don’t add to the rice until finished though! Combine all of your ingredients into your rice cooker. Make sure to gently stir in the creamy coconut milk with a plastic mixing spoon. You don’t want to scratch up the non-stick part of your rice cooker bowl. When it’s done, let cool with the top off. Serve and sprinkle fresh diced cilantro on top of it! Coconuts are about $2 in Sprouts right now. Although I didn’t use any of this in the recipe, I did drain the coconut by popping a hold in it’s ‘eye’ with a screw driver. I then got a towel and wrapped it around my coconut. Using a hammer, I found the natural ridge line that is raised and runs from top to bottom. Give that line a firm whack with the hammer. The seam will split evenly this way. I then flipped it over and continued to tap on the seam line until I could pull it a part in two even halves. Rinse off the inside and serve hot rice in it! Super cute! Author: BoredMom Filed Under: Food, Recipe Tags: Coconut, Food, Recipe, rice Related PostsJuly 6, 2020Kids Love Chia PuddingNot only is this ridiculously easy to make, but if you have kids on Instagram, all they see are beautiful chia pudding combos so you’re not going to have to twist their arms to try it! Ha..social networking peer pressure for nutritional good!Food, Kids, Recipe - by BoredMom July 2, 2021I ate Oysters in July and SurvivedThere is a well-known food adage that says you should only eat oysters in a month that has an ‘r’ in it. If you are risk-adverse, stick with that sage advice. However, I like to test boundaries, so let’s investigate this dire shellfish warning.Education, Food, Summer BBQ - by BoredMom Smoked Trout PizzaSpicy Roasted Pineapple + Sweet Potato Salad |
April 15, 2016Smoked Trout PizzaI bought some smoked trout from Trader Joe’s and have been staring at it all week. Today I had a lightbulb moment as I was putting away new produce from my CSA delivery. I HAD to use up some vegetables to make room, so what better time than now to make a smoked trout pizza?Total time: 50 minutes with prep and baking.Make a basic pizza dough (youlr favorite), or use my basic basil infused dough recipe here: 3/4 cup warm water 1 envelope active dry yeast 2 cup all purpose flour 1 teaspoon sugar 1 teaspoon salt 3 tablespoons olive oil 1 tablespoon dried basil PREPARATIONPour 3/4 cup warm water into small bowl; stir in yeast. Let stand until yeast dissolves, about 5 minutes. Mix 2 cups flour, sugar, and salt in processor. Add yeast mixture into a dry well into the floud. Add warm water and oil slowly and beat in mixer with flour hook. Let sit for up to one hour. Roll out dough by staring Start in center of dough, working outward toward edges .As far as toppings, this is up to you. However, red onion and basil pair very well with smoked trout so try to sneak those on!I actually had ZERO mozarella in the house, so I used what odds and ends that I had which was about 1/2 cup of Gouda & 1/2 cup of Manchego. Again, you can use any cheese that you’d like, but I don’t recommend cheddar as it is too overpowering for the pizza. A mild melty cheese mixed with a firmer cheese like parmesean of manchego is awesome.My Smoked Trout Pizza Recipe Dough rolled out with olive oil lightly rubbed on it. A Can of Roasted Tomato Paste ( I used Trader Joe’s) 1/2 cup diced red onion 1/2 cup fresh basil torn 1/2 cup portabello mushrooms 1/2 cup shredded Gouda 1/2 cup shredded Manchego 1/2 cup diced zucchini 1/4 cup diced kalamata/olives if you have them 1 clove of garlic finely chopped and dispersed around pizza. 3/4 cup smoked trout PREPARATIONConvection Oven at 415 degrees.After dough is on a pizza pan or on baking paper, spread tomato sauce evening.Evenly distribute the vegetable toppings with basil on top.Even distribute both shredded cheeses.Bake for 10 minutes.Pull pizza out and put the flaked smoked trout on top in of pizza. You don’t want to bake the smoked trout the whole time or it will get too dried out and chewy.Finish baking for another 10 minutes. |
April 14, 2016How to Store Fresh ProduceIf your produce is dying in the refridgerator in a wilty sad demise, then check out these storage tips!I receive a Vegetable and Fruit CSA delivery every other week and often the produce is damp. Between trial and error and some research, I have found the proper way to store common vegetables and fruits to get the max lifespan out of them.Fragile ProduceLettuces often bite the dust first. Too much moisture and they get soggy and gooey. Too dry and they wilt. I will keep lettuce in the plastic bag (you may use a storage container as well) and then gently wrap it with a dry paper towel if the produce is wet. If the produce is bone dry, then include a damp paper towel.I also wrap Chard, Spinach & Collard Greens in the same way. They are a little bit heartier, but also need some moisture monitoring.Tomatoes – Just like in the grocery store, keep them out. Try to use them within 3 days. If they need some more ripening, but in a paper bag.Strawberries are tough. I recommend eating them within 24 hours. To prolong their little red lives, put in the refridgerator but they will lose their sheen and start to wrinkle. An alternative is to take all the berries that you haven’t eaten within 24 hours, and clean, chop & freeze.HerbsStore Tender Herbs by snipping off the bases of the stems and removing any discolored or wilted leaves. Transfer them to a large mason jar with an inch of water in the bottom.Store Hardy Herbs by arranging them lengthwise in a single layer on a slightly damp paper towel, rolling them up like a jelly roll, then transfer the bundle to a plastic zipper lock bag or wrap it in plastic wrap. Store in the refrigerator.If you have Basil or any fragile herb with roots, go ahead and store in water outside the fridge just like cut flowers.Needs Ripening or the Paper Bag TreatmentBananas – Never ever in the fridge unless you like brown bananas! Ripen bananas in a closed paper bag. You can do double duty and ripen an avocado faster by pairing it with the banana in the bag.Mushrooms -Although they are often sold loose or in a container, it’s best to store them in a paper bag. The paper will help keep them dry and absorb extra moisture. Lunch sack sized bags are perfect for this!Avocados – To ripen, keep at room temperature in a paper bag until soft.Mangoes – To ripen, keep at room temperature in a paper bag until soft.Hardy ProduceCucumbers, Zucchini & Carrots can last quite some time in the refridgerator, but make sure they stay dry and aren’t touching ‘wet’ or juicy produce.Onions, Potatoes & Yams |
April 12, 2016Easy Side Dishes to ImpressI always volunteer to ‘bring a side dish’ when going to a dinner party. For starters, the definition of side dish is fairly broad so I don’t feel stressed out about committing to something tricky. My side dishes are always easy and most importantly colorful. I think beautiful side dishes help contribute to a dinner party and shows your host you put a lot of effort into it. Or, did you? Here are some super easy side dishes that impress & won’t stress! They are also incredibly wallet friendly. Shhhh…I won’t tell. Beets, Potato & Garbanzo Bean Salad with Lime, Cilantro & Garlic (pictured above)You could buy prepared beets for this if you’re in a hurry, but I decided to cut my big yellow raw beets in half and boil for about 15-20 minutes til soft with a fork puncture. Fresh is always best (and cheaper!) Cool the beets and then the skins peel of easily. Cut the beets into little square chunks. Next take colored potatoes (medium size). I got a bag of tri-color potatoes from Trader Joes. Scrub well and cut up into cubes. Boil for about 10-15 minutes until a fork can easily stab through. Drain and cool.Once the beets and potatoes have cooled, put in a glass bowl. Use high quality olive oil or green peanut oil and mix in about 2 tablespoons LIGHTLY. YOu don’t want to damage the potatoes and make them mushy. Chop a half a cup of cilantro and toss in with lime juice from one lime. I added one big clove of garlic, but dial it up or down based on your preference. Salt, Pepper & I did add a smidge or red pepper flakes on top for presentation and a bit of spice. This side dish will cost you less than $5 to make. Rainbow Carrots in Garlic & Basil Chopped organic rainbow carrots cooked for 3 minutes max in a rolling boil + drain & toss with +1 tbsp butter + 2 cloves diced garlic + 3 large basil leaves chopped + dash of herb salt. Rainbow carrots are available at Trader Joe’s, Sprouts and other similar markets. This side dish will cost you less than $3 to make. Wild Rice with Beet Greens (or Spinach)Cook first and then in a separate pan, stir fry in olive oil porcini mushrooms, beet greens (or spinach) & fresh marjoram leaves + garlic. That’s it! This side dish will cost you less than $5 to make, and taht’s using porcini mushrooms. Caramelized Onion Mashed PotatoesThe onions take some time, but it’s so worth it! Simply slice up about 2-3 onions and on LOW heat and a splash of olive oil |
March 21, 2016Family Winemakers Tasting Event in San DiegoThe yearly Family Winemakers of California event in San Diego is always such a great opportunity to discover new small family owned wineries. Small family run farms are the heart of California, so lending support to their efforts makes the event even more meaningful. Held at the Del Mar Fairgrounds, there is the opportunity to taste of 500 wines from over 125 wineries. However, as ambitious as you think you are, it’s simply not possible to taste them all. This year I went in with a gameplan to taste wines from the Healdsburg/Sonoma region and some new ones from Paso Robles area since I’m a frequent visitor. It was a relaxing day and there were a fun mix of people milling about including winemakers, trade industry and consumers. Several people made fun of me for taking my geeky notes, but trust me after tasting so many wines I’m so thankful I kept notes!Here are my standout favorites from the event. As a winemaker so astutely pointed out to me once, “The best wine is the wine that you like.” Everyone has their preferences, so just like sizing in clothing, wine fits everyone in a different way. As a disclosure, I do not like heavy fruit bombs. All of the wines I have highlighted are therefore lighter, smoother and more flavorful than some of the big kahunas that exist out there.The Farm Vineyard from Paso RoblesThis Adelaida region winery is not open to the public, so I made a beeline over to their booth upon arrival. Tasting their wines is a priviledge and based on the crowd around the winemaker’s table, the secret was out. This winemaker couple (along with an Argentinian partner) work the farm themselves and cultivate their wines from start to finish. My favorite was the 2012 Touchy- Feely. Bright, rich fruit but it remains fresh with a hint of mineral with a smooth finish. There are only 294 cases produced of this 77% Grenache and 23% Syrah blend. Azmina explained to me that they decant the wine and use blowers to ‘blow off the alcohol’ before further processing. This wine takes a lot of work, and it shows. It is only available through their website and you must register to be a member (free membership) to get the emails of availability. Getting an email notice from them is like getting a secret message from Batman in the sky – you don’t want to pass this one up, or else you’re a Joker.Tablas Creek Tablas creates French style wines in the Paso region which is a departure from many of the other wineries in the area that typically go big. My favorite from Tablas is the dry style Espirit de Blanc, which is bright in citrus, but solid minerality with low sugar. |
March 18, 2016Spring Salad with Cilantro Garlic Dressing & Strawberries Often I let my CSA organic produce box dictate my salads. I am loaded with fresh leafy greens and have a beautiful bunch of Claytonia (Miner’s Lettuce), so I wanted to come up with a vibrant dressing to really punch up the mellow flavors of my lettuce greens. Cilantro Garlic DressingI blended up 1 cup of fresh cilantro, 2 cloves garlic cloves (you may want to keep your distance for awhile), salt, 1 tablespoon virgin olive oil, 2 tablespoons of fine grated fresh parmesean cheese, 1 tablespoon white wine vinegar and 2 tablespoons of sour cream. I sliced up some fresh California straberries and placed on top and drizzled with my super powered dressing. Wow! The tangy cilantro garlic dressing really paired great with the sweet strawberries. Next time I would add some avocado, but I just didn’t have one ripe and ready today! Happy Friday! BoredMom Author: BoredMom Filed Under: Food, Recipe Tags: cilantro, Food, garlic, Recipe, Salads, Strawberries Related PostsJuly 6, 2020Kids Love Chia PuddingNot only is this ridiculously easy to make, but if you have kids on Instagram, all they see are beautiful chia pudding combos so you’re not going to have to twist their arms to try it! Ha..social networking peer pressure for nutritional good!Food, Kids, Recipe - by BoredMom November 16, 2017Roasted Garlic Green Beans with Parmesan Panko This shop has been compensated by Collective Bias, Inc. and its advertiser. All opinions are mine alone. #SeasonYourHolidays #CollectiveBias As a kid, I remember sitting at my Grandmother’s house on Thanksgiving poking at mushy traditional side dishes and wondering if Pilgrims had teeth. We had […]Food, Recipe - by BoredMom Toasted Easter Peeps + Chocolate BrownieEasy Side Dishes to Impress |
March 18, 2016Toasted Easter Peeps + Chocolate BrownieTake an ordinary batch of brownies and make them spectacular by toasting some Easter Peeps on top of them! Although Peeps are made year round now, this is still an Easter holiday fav for me. Simpy take two peeps (any color) and place them on top of your brownie. Using a hand-held creme brulee torch ( I used the Counter Top Torch), lightly toast the Peeps to your desired level of toast. I like mine a little of the crispy side. The sugar on the Peeps carmelizes instantly forming a lightly crispy shell around the soft marshmallow center. Tastes Amazing!Here’s a quick video on the torching method: Toasted Easter Peeps on a Double Chocolate Brownie #easter #peeps #countertoptorch #review #dessertA video posted by bored mom (@bored.mom) on Mar 17, 2016 at 2:29pm PDT The Counter Top Torch that I used for this recipe demo was extremely easy to use, and would be good for toasting sugar (creme brulee) or even regular marshmallows on hot cocoa. Simply fill the Counter Top Torch with Butane through the access hole at the bottom, while making sure the safety button is down. When you’re ready to fire it up, just pull the safety button out and hold down the trigger to light. Always make sure the torch is facing away from you, and pointed at your target recipe!* I received the Counter Top Torch in exchange for a product review. Author: BoredMom Filed Under: Food, Recipe Tags: Candy, Food, Product Review, Recipe Related PostsJuly 6, 2020Kids Love Chia PuddingNot only is this ridiculously easy to make, but if you have kids on Instagram, all they see are beautiful chia pudding combos so you’re not going to have to twist their arms to try it! Ha..social networking peer pressure for nutritional good!Food, Kids, Recipe - by BoredMom May 28, 2023Summer Vacation 2023 – Must Pack Travel Items!I was a Girl Scout and a Girl Scout leader, so really I have no excuses to be ill-prepared. However, it always feels like Summer sneaks up on me and I’m scrambling to pack the perfect travel suitcase. (Sponsored Post) This year I’ve made a […]Travel - by BoredMom Blood Orange Cake BitesSpring Salad with Cilantro Garlic Dressing & Strawberries |
March 10, 2016Blood Orange Cake BitesThis is a super easy way to make a tasty dessert for friends! Modify a pound cake recipe and simply add blood orange juice and zest. Click for more…I cheated and used a pound cake batter and then added 2 teaspoons of blood orange juice + 1/4 teaspoon of orange zest to the batter. I also wanted to punch up the color since my batter was white, so I used the ‘Sunset Orange’ from the amazing Us Cake Supply set of colors. I only added two drops of the gel color and the batter came out to be a beautiful warm orange that will look great with the chocolate coating to come. However, feel free to add even more and really make it orangey! The US Cake Supply set comes with 12 beautiful colors – I plan on using thse again soon for Easter Egg dying!Bake the cake per instructions on packaging. Make sure that you lightly grease and flour that pan before you bake though! You want to be able to get the whole cake out in one clean layer. After the cake has cooled for about 10 minutes, flip it over on to a cutting board. If the top is raised, cut the top off to level. My cake only had a slight slope, so I decided to leave it and just cut into cubes.I put the cooled the cubes about 40 minutes.Using a double boiler, melt your chocolate chips. I added 2 tablespoons of cream to get the consistency a bit softer. You may use a piping bag or a plastic baggy with tip cut off an dthen swirl some melted chocolate (I used milk, but it would be great with semi-sweet or dark.) Any design that you’re comfortable is just fine!Let cool on wax paper & then out for guests to eat! Wa la! Looks pretty & tastes great! *I received the US Cake Supply food coloring in exchange for an honest review. This is a great set that includes many fun colors and will be used for many upcoming food projects!Author: BoredMom Filed Under: Food, Recipe Tags: Baking, cake, Food, orange, Recipe Related PostsJuly 6, 2020Kids Love Chia PuddingNot only is this ridiculously easy to make, but if you have kids on Instagram, all they see are beautiful chia pudding combos so you’re not going to have to twist their arms to try it! Ha..social networking peer pressure for nutritional good!Food, Kids, Recipe - by BoredMom July 2, 2021I ate Oysters in July and SurvivedThere is a well-known food adage that says you should only eat oysters in a month that has an ‘r’ in it. If you are risk-adverse, stick with that sage advice. However, I like to test boundaries, so let’s investigate this dire shellfish warning.E |
March 7, 2016Green Tea Cupcakes for St. Patrick’s DayIf you love Green Tea, then you’ll love these Green Tea Cupcakes – and they are the perfect shade of green for St. Patrick’s Day! Not only are these ‘naturally’ pretty, but Matcha Green Tea has excellent health benefits too. Matcha is rich in the amino acid L-Theanine, containing up to five times more than other types of green tea. Because of this, it has been associated with increased alpha wave activity in the brain, and can produce a calming and relaxing effect. Matcha’s combination of L-Theanine and caffeine is also claimed to produce better mental focus and concentration. It’s been a crazy month already, so I’m ready for some mental clarity!You’ll need: 2 cups of flour, sifted ¼ teaspoon of salt ½ tablespoon of baking powder 1 ½ cups of sugar 6 oz of unsalted butter at room temperature 2 large eggs 1 large egg yolk 2/3 cups of milk 2 tablespoons of matcha green tea powder (can add less or more depending on how much green tea flavor you would like) 1. Preheat your oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit and line with cupcake liners. I found these cute little green ones at HomeGoods.2. In a large bowl, mix together your dry ingredients: flour, salt, baking powder, and matcha green tea powder3. With an electric mixer, or by hand, beat together your butter and sugar until smooth, about 3 minutes4. Beat in your eggs one at a time until everything is evenly incorporated5. Slowly add in your dry ingredients and milk and mix until everything is fully distributed6. Evenly pour your batter into your cupcake liners, making sure to only fill ¾ of the way full7. Bake for 18-20 minutes or until toothpick comes out cleanYou could put a cream cheese or buttercream frosting on these. I did buttercream, but they were still warm when I frosted! I big no no..but I was hungry. 🙂 As part of this recipe, I used and reviewed the Midori Spring Eco Culinary Class Matcha Green Tea powder. It has a very fragrant taste & worked wonderfully in these cupcakes. You could also make delcious homemade green tea ice cream & smoothies with this! Author: BoredMom Filed Under: Food, Recipe Tags: Baking, Cupcakes, Food, Food Reviews, Green Tea, Holiday, Recipe, St. Patrick's Day Related PostsJuly 6, 2020Kids Love Chia PuddingNot only is this ridiculously easy to make, but if you have kids on Instagram, all they see are beautiful chia pudding combos so you’re not going to have to twist their arms to try it |
February 17, 2016It’s Thyme for Lemon Cookies!It’s citrus season! If you are lucky enough to have a lemon tree, or have a nice neighbor who does, here’s a beautiful delectable lemon thyme herb cookie recipe that everyone will love. Lemon Thyme Tea Cookie RecipeYou will need:1 cup all-purpose flour1/4 teaspoon baking powder1/4 teaspoon salt8 tablespoons (1 stick) unsalted butter, at room temperature6 tablespoons sugar1 tablespoon finely chopped fresh thyme leaves. I run my finger down the long stems and try to ‘de-leaf’ first, then I finely chop the leaves. 1 teaspoon grated lemon zest (from 2 lemons or one super huge lemon). Make sure to only zest the yellow part of the lemon & not the white, as the white is bitter!1/4 teaspoon vanilla extract1 large egg yolkHow to Prepare:1. In a medium bowl mix flour, baking powder and salt.2. In a large mixing bowl, beat butter, sugar, thyme, vanilla and lemon zest with an electric mixer on medium-high speed for 3 minutes.Scrape down sides of bowl, then add yolk and beat until smooth. Stir in flour mixture until just incorporated. Mixture may be crumbly.3. Turn dough out onto a piece of waxed paper and shape it into a log about 8 inches long and 1 1/2 inches in diameter. Wrap in plastic or wax paper and refrigerate for 2 to 24 hours.4. Preheat oven to 350ºF.5. Slice dough into 1/3 ” thick rounds and place at least 2 inches apart on ungreased baking sheets. Bake until pale golden around edges but still soft on top, 13 to 15 minutes.Let stand on baking sheets on wire racks for 5 minutes, then remove them with a metal spatula to wire racks to cool completely.Author: BoredMom Filed Under: Food, Recipe Tags: Lemon Thyme Herb Cookie, Recipe, tea cookie Related PostsJuly 6, 2020Kids Love Chia PuddingNot only is this ridiculously easy to make, but if you have kids on Instagram, all they see are beautiful chia pudding combos so you’re not going to have to twist their arms to try it! Ha..social networking peer pressure for nutritional good!Food, Kids, Recipe - by BoredMom July 2, 2021I ate Oysters in July and SurvivedThere is a well-known food adage that says you should only eat oysters in a month that has an ‘r’ in it. If you are risk-adverse, stick with that sage advice. However, I like to test boundaries, so let’s investigate this dire shellfish warning.Education, Food, Summer |
February 11, 2016Red Hot Pepper JellyI like to give my friends & family a little something for Valentine’s Day to show them I care. As a huge believer of consumables, I was trying to think of something a little outside of the box this year. I was initially going to make truffles, but there’s no shortage of chocolate this time of year. While floating around Sprouts, I noticed that red peppers were on sale and they were beauties!Red Pepper Jelly is fairly easy to make in the realm of jamming. If you’re new to jamming, I recommend this one. You can adjust the jelly in spiciness – but word to the wise, please use powdered Ball pection. Do NOT use the liquid pectin, as it simply won’t work.My recipe makes a little thinner jelly, which I like because I can pour it over a block of cream cheese & garnish with fresh herbs like cilantro or parsley.You will need:6 large red peppers, seeded and cubed. Put in food processor and pulse.2 jalepenos (seeded) – pulse with red peppers.2 cups of white wine vinegar1 tbsp of red pepper flakes5 cups of sugarBring the above to a slow boil in a pot while sterilizing your jars in a hot water bath. Prep jars per canning instructions.As the jelly mixtures starts to slow boil, turn down heat and add two (3 oz) packets of Ball Powdered Pectin. Add slowly so it doesn’t clump up and stir rapidly. After incorporated, start to test the jelly for congealing. Put a little on a spoon and cool and bit. It should start to gel up a little – this is the sign that it’s ready to get in your sterlized jars.Ladle hot jelly into jars, cap with clean lids and put in water bath for 10 minutes.Remove from water & cool. You will hear the jam jars lids ‘popping’ as they vacuum seal – the happiest sound on earth! Author: BoredMom Filed Under: Food, Recipe Tags: jelly, Red Pepper Related PostsAugust 8, 2019Tofu Veggie Enchilada Bake with Simply OrganicAs we mosey into summer, I get so excited to see bright beautiful bell peppers back in the store and bonus – they are inexpensive! Grabbing in season organic produce, I decided to make an easy enchilada bake for dinner using Simply Organic’s Red Enchilada Simmer […]Food, Food Reviews, Recipe - by BoredMom March 8, 2021Irish Jalapeño JellyAhh, St. Patrick’s Day is almost upon us! I love making this hot jalapeno jelly every year to give out to friends and neighbors. Are jalapenos Irish? Nope – not in the least, but as a native San Diegan it’s my way of |
February 2, 2016Southern Fried Tofu – Wait, What? House-Autry BreaderHouse-Autry Mills was sending me one of their flavorful products to try, so I was excited to see which one I would get! As a fan of all food Southern, I was hoping for Hush Puppy mix because that’s simply something we don’t get enough of here in Southern California. However, I received the Chicken Breader mix. Hmmm…as a Pescatarian family (we eat fish, lacto/ovo & vegetarian diet), I had to put my thinking cap on. There is no actual Chicken in the mix, so this was an easy peasy recipe conversion. Instead of chicken, tofu it is! I’m always looking for something fun to so with tofu, as it’s such a maleable food that can take on pretty much anything you want it to be. So, in honor of the upcoming Super Bowl and that fact that I’m a So Cal girl rooting for the Panthers, Southern Style Buffalo Tofu it is!I sliced firm tofu into strips and let it marinate in (mixed) 1 egg + 2 tablespoons milk + 2 tablespoons of Spicy Buffalo Wing Sauce.The tofu soaked for about an hour and then I dredged the wet strips in the House-Autry Mills Chicken Breader mix in a shallow bowl.I put on a baking sheet, and baked on 350 degrees for 35 minutes. After 25 minutes, I did flip all my Spicy Fakey Wings so it would golden on all sides.I let them cool for about 10 minutes and then put in front of my family. I am happy I took a picture when they came out because they disappeared within minutes. That my friends, is a success. The batter was a fabulously lightly cripsy combo with the spicy marinated tofu. Since I didn’t fry anything, there was trace amounts of fat since I only used one egg for the entire recipe. Woo! Extra bonus. Easy, healthy, spicy and hey, Southern! I do have to admit that if I had a fryer available, it would have been pretty darn tasty quickly fried up as well. 🙂If you have kids are an looking for a fun way to get them to eat tofu, tone the sauce to their tolerance and try this recipe!GO Panthers! Thank you to House-Autry Chicken for sending their Breader to review.Author: BoredMom Filed Under: Food, Food Reviews Tags: Food, Food Reviews, healthy snacks, house-autry mills, Recipe, tofu, Vegetarian Related PostsJuly 6, 2020Kids Love Chia PuddingNot only is this ridiculously easy to make, but if you have kids on Instagram, all they see are beautiful chia pudding combos so you’re not going to have to twist their arms to try it! Ha..social networking peer pressure for nutritional good!Food, Kids |
January 20, 2016Easy Kale & Bean SoupThere’s no shortage of kale in winter months! Here’s a great kale soup recipe that’s fast & tasty! Saute 2 tablespoons of olive oil + 14 oz of turkey kielbasa (or I used Tofurky Beer brats.) Add 6 cloves of crushed garlic (or more if you have a Vampire problem.)Add 32 oz veggie broth + 1 can of Muir Glen Organic diced tomatoes. Bring to a low boil. Add 6 sprigs of Thyme.Add 3 cups of diced kale (de-stem). Add 1 can of Great Northern Beans (white beans).Simmer on low for 20 minutes. Season as needed – I punched it up w/ a little fresh ground black pepper and a dash of red pepper flakes. Fish out Thyme sprigs if they bother you, but I like to eat around them. Garnish with fresh shaved Parmesan.Author: BoredMom Filed Under: Food, Recipe Tags: Comfort Food, Food, kale, Recipe, Soup Related PostsJuly 6, 2020Kids Love Chia PuddingNot only is this ridiculously easy to make, but if you have kids on Instagram, all they see are beautiful chia pudding combos so you’re not going to have to twist their arms to try it! Ha..social networking peer pressure for nutritional good!Food, Kids, Recipe - by BoredMom June 3, 2022Spiced lentil soup with Karoun LabneRed lentils are unique in that they cook a bit faster than regular brown or green lentils and offer up a creamier texture. Lentils are one of my favorite legumes as they are low in calories, rich in iron and folate and an excellent source […]Food, Recipe - by BoredMom Green Tomato PieRed Hot Pepper Jelly |
January 11, 2016Green Tomato PieGreen tomatoes are tomatoes that haven’t ripened fully yet, and they are delicious. Typically when picking green tomatoes off the vine, I look for ones that have a slight give. I want it to be green and firm, but not hard. Everyone has heard of fried green tomatoes (which are fab), but green tomato pie is a tasty alternative. You can make this pie with red, ripened tomatoes, but the green ones just hold up better in the layers instead of turning into essentially tomato mush.This recipe uses carmelized onions. If you’re in a rush, look elsewhere. Carmelized onions can’t be rushed! Sometimes I make extra carmelized onions and then freeze them for when I need them in a pinch. Enjoy!Print YumGreen Tomato PieIngredientsYou will need: 4-6 Green TomatoesPie Crusts (2) - one for the top, one for the bottom2 onionsolive oilthymebalsamic reduction or a thick balsamic vinegarsalt/peppershaved parmeseanInstructionsTo make this easy pie, pick about 6 medium tomatoes or 4 jumbo ones that are green, and have a slight give. If they are slightly ripening, even better. Slice them in about 1/4" slices and set aside with a nice sprinkling of salt. Take 2 medium onions diced fine and 1 tablespoon of olive oil and sautee over a low heat for 45 minutes. If the heat is low enough you can walk away from it, and come back and give it a stir every once in awhile until the onions are goldeny translucent. Black/burnt, not good..this is a slow process.Once you have carmelized onions, spread at the bottom of a pie shell.Layer the tomatoes on top of the onions. Sprinke liberal shaved parmesean between layers. Add a little bit of balsamic reduction and fresh thyme on top of all the layers. I add a little bit of red pepper flakes to give it a little kick, but everyone needs their culinary secrets. 🙂Add more cheese and then another layer of pie crust.Bake for about 45-50 minutes at 350.Let pie cool for at least 20-30 minutes before slicing. Schema/Recipe SEO Data Markup by Yummly Rich Recipes0.1https://www.boredmom.com/recipe/green-tomato-pie Author: BoredMom Filed Under: Food, Recipe, Uncategorized Tags: green tomatoes, Recipe, Southern, Tomato Pie Related PostsJuly 6, 2020Kids Love Chia PuddingNot only is this ridiculously easy to make, but if you have kids on Instagram, all they see are beautiful chia pudding combos so you’re not going to have to twist their arms to try it! Ha..social networking peer pressure for nutritional good!Food, Kids |
December 21, 2015Easy Olive WreathI was asked to bring a savory appetizer to a party tonight, and being short on time, this was the coolest & easiest appy that I could make! I raided a friend’s rosemary bush, and after washing the sprigs, I arranged a tight wreath shape on a round flat platter. I tried to put as much rosemary in the center as well giving me more room for olive & pickle placement.You can add anything to this wreath, but I did mixed olives, sliced dill pickles (baby cornichons would have been cuter), small fresh mozarella balls & spicy cherry peppers for a pop of color. I sprinkled some colorful Sal De Fleur on the cheese balls for an extra boost of color (salts with crushed flowers).Chill before serving. Enjoy!Merry Christmas!Author: BoredMom Filed Under: Christmas, Entertaining, Food, Holiday Tags: Entertaining, Food, Olive, Wreath Related PostsJuly 6, 2020Kids Love Chia PuddingNot only is this ridiculously easy to make, but if you have kids on Instagram, all they see are beautiful chia pudding combos so you’re not going to have to twist their arms to try it! Ha..social networking peer pressure for nutritional good!Food, Kids, Recipe - by BoredMom March 1, 2023A Day Tasting Wine in Alexander ValleyHaving exactly one full day to tour around Sonoma and do some wine tasting, I knew we had to have laser focus when planning our agenda. As the Sonoma area is rather large, we decided to focus on the Alexander Valley area.Food, Travel, WIne - by BoredMom Step Off Elf On A Shelf, Here Comes Marvin The MouseSouthern Fried Tofu – Wait, What? House-Autry Breader |
December 1, 2015San Diego Bay Food + Wine Event Foodie PicksA day of foodie trick-or-treating was greatly enjoyed by all at the annual 2015 San Diego Bay Food + Wine event. Although it was tough to choose favorites, here are some of my picks for local San Diego Restaurants who really brought out thoughtful, beautiful and delicious bites to share with the community. Four of my picks are actually restaurants within a hotel! They also did a good job of serving the food at the correct temperature and kept pace with the flow of traffic. This is often a daunting task at big events. Some chefs will ‘bite off more than they can chew’ by creating difficult samples with many steps, and can’t get out the tastes fast enough. Or, some put out too many samples at once and food that should be served chilled ends up warm, or hot food ends up cold. The restaurants below did a great job in the whole presentation for service and explanation of food. Congrats to these stand-outs for doing a great job!The Oceanaire – Crab cakesMarriot Coronado Island Restaurant – Squash with Mexican PrawnsValencia Hotel – Grilled OctopusSolare in Point Loma’s Liberty Station – House cured swordfish belly with aceto balsamico pearlsBarleymash – Bacon wrapped cinnamon rollsBlue Wave Bar & Grill – Ahi Poke50/50 – Bacon BurgerRancho Bernardo Inn – Hiramasa bitesAuthor: BoredMom Filed Under: Food, Food & Wine Events Tags: Food & Wine Events, SDBAYFEST Related PostsMarch 1, 2023A Day Tasting Wine in Alexander ValleyHaving exactly one full day to tour around Sonoma and do some wine tasting, I knew we had to have laser focus when planning our agenda. As the Sonoma area is rather large, we decided to focus on the Alexander Valley area.Food, Travel, WIne - by BoredMom October 21, 2014Trendy Foods at the PMAWatch out Kale, there are some new kids on the block! Most of these ‘trendy’ foods are not new per se, but they are finally coming onto the foodie scene as they reach a larger distribution and chefs are having a culinary field day. Unicorns […]Food, Food & Wine Events, Product Reviews - by BoredMom 2015 San Diego Bay Food + Wine Shining StarsEasy Olive Wreath |
November 23, 20152015 San Diego Bay Food + Wine Shining StarsFor foodies like myself, the San Diego Bay Food + Wine Fest is probably one of the most joyous days of the year. Advance reservations must have been made for stellar weather, because we had a perfect summer day in November.Pacing myself at this event is key. I really thought that as a veteran attendee, I had this all figured out by now. Sunprotection, check. Comfy shoes, check. Light/layered outfit, check. Super hungry stomach ready to go on a crazy-gastro-feast, check. However, despite my best efforts – I am simply not able to taste everything. My friends have nicknamed me ‘the Python’ for my great ability to go without food for a long period of time, and then eat the equivalent of a gazelle. However, this is the Big Kahuna of all San Diego Food & Wine events and there is A LOT to cover. If someone has ever achieved this task, I’d like to meet them.I did manage to physically make my way around the entire event this year to check things out, and there were some new and fun surprises a long the way. This is my first review installment for the 2015 San Diego Bay Food + Wine Fest , and it will focus on wineries that I think are doing an outstanding job. The price range is $30-$60 per bottle. Before you think, “That’s sort of expensive”, please consider that these are wines are family grown and every ounce of wine exudes grade A effort. You can spend $8-$15 for a glass of subpar mass produced ‘house’ wine when you dine out – so consider that the quality bottle of wines below are about the same pricing per glass. Which would you rather have now? These are bottles to buy, sit on, share with friends, or enjoy because you know what … we are all worth it. 🙂 By the way, there is a $15 option that is fantastic, but you have to keep reading to find out who it is and how you can get it. Cheers!Wineries Preston Parker – Amibitious $35 – This local Point Loma family has done what pretty much all of us dream of doing, and that’s creating their own wine! Named after their sons, this is a balanced bordeaux blend wine that is dating a Californian. The Cab Franc is balanced out with a soft mellow fruit kick from the Cab Savignon. Look for amazing growth – they are starting out small, but doing it right.Linked Vineyards – $120/3 Pack – Linked is owned the by Link Family and they too are living the dream. They are fortunate to be living in Knight’s Valley between Napa and Sonoma where grape growing conditions are ideal for Cabernet Sauvignon. Not only are they making great wine |
November 13, 2015Easy Spicy Fish ChowderI thawed out some nice Opah that I got from our local fish monger at Catalina Offshore. My plan was to grill it up on the BBQ tonight, but then I realized I just wanted a nice hearty stew instead because it’s cold outside and I don’t even want to go out there! Fish chowder it is!I diced up the thawed fish (about 2 cups) and seasoned well.Meanwhile, I took 1 can of spicy organic tomato soup & added 1 large box of vegetable broth and brought to a low simmer.I added 1 cup of long grain rice.That’s it. I let it simmer on low for about another 10-15 minutes until the rice was soft.I then added:1/2 white onion diced3 garlic cloved diced1 cup diced mushrooms1 1/2 cups of frozen okra (if you don’t have this, you can use 1 large green pepper diced). Or, better yet..use both!1/2 cup to 3/4 cup of red wine vinegar (malt would be fine too)lots of fresh ground black pepperSimmer until the mushrooms and onions have cooked. You may need to add more water at this point as okra has a tendency to gum up. I added 1 c of water to thin out.Last but not least, I added my raw fish to simmer on low.The fish cooks very quickly considering it has been diced into small cubes. Cut the heat after 4-5 minutes and the remaining heat will ensure thorough cooking.Season more to taste – more vinegar if needed (I love tangy), red cayenne pepper and salt if needed.Easy & ready in about 30 minutes! I usually cook this and then let it sit to cool for about another 20 minutes. This also lets the flavors meld.Other veggies to add/substitute – celery, peppers, canned diced tomatoes if you don’t have tomato soup.Author: BoredMom Filed Under: Food, Recipe Tags: easy dinner, fish, Food, Recipe, Soup Related PostsJuly 6, 2020Kids Love Chia PuddingNot only is this ridiculously easy to make, but if you have kids on Instagram, all they see are beautiful chia pudding combos so you’re not going to have to twist their arms to try it! Ha..social networking peer pressure for nutritional good!Food, Kids, Recipe - by BoredMom March 1, 2023A Day Tasting Wine in Alexander ValleyHaving exactly one full day to tour around Sonoma and do some wine tasting, I knew we had to have laser focus when planning our agenda. As the Sonoma area is rather large, we decided to focus on the Alexander Valley area.Food, Travel, WIne - by BoredMom Chilled Cauliflower Pesto SaladGreen Tomato Pie |
November 10, 2015How the West (Marin) Was Won (By Women!)My husband and I parked in front of Tomales Bay Foods to meet up with the West Marin Food & Farm Tour. For those of you who don’t know where Marin County is, it’s north of San Francisco on a unique strip of land jutting out westward. Although we had stellar weather earlier in the weekend, the dark, heavy sky for the day looked foreboding. Of course in my attempt to pack light, I only had one pair of black suede boots, because hey…those will hold up in the goopy mud if it rains. We spotted the white tour van and went over to say hello. The tour guide and owner of the West Marin Food & Farm Tour, Elizabeth Hill, greeted us with a huge warm smile and sincere sunshine energy. Bad weather be damned, this gal was like teflon and she was ready to get this gastro-party started.Elizabeth led us to Cowgirl Creamery which is inside a restored barn, and now converted shop for several local food purveyors. Cowgirl Creamery is not only a ridiculously delicious stop, but an important one in the history of West Marin. Sue Conley and Peggy Smith, the founders of Cowgirl, brought craft-cheese making to an area that was historically only milk production. Cheesemakers were far and few, but with these ladies’ successful business growth, encouragement and training of other cheesemakers, gourmet cheese businesses are now top dog in this region and attract foodies from all over.We sampled delicious pastries from Bovine Bakery and Cowgirl Creamery cheeses such as the popular and decadent, creamy Mt. Tam, pungent Red Hawk, seasonally herbed Devil’s Gulch, sweet Wagon Wheel and more. Honestly, I could have just sat at this first stop all day and stuffed my face and day dreamed of my future dreamjob as a cheese taster. Is that even a thing? With the promise of fresh bread, I managed to pry myself off the bench and venture outside to visit Brickmaiden Breads next door.Our small group piled into the shedlike bakery. This compact bakery makes all of the bread for the town and local restaurants. It was clean-up day, and a young man scrubbed down equipment while a waft of flour was still in their air. Elizabeth showed us the amazing ‘modern’ brick oven that burned wood as the heat/baking source. What’s crazy is that ultra-techie Silicon Valley is about an hour away, but yet here I was in this remote rural location where cell service was iffy, buildings are on septic due to the lack of City services and burning wood is still the most efficient and cheapest way to create heat. I looked down at the opague powdery concrete floor. Cowboy boots would have been a solid choice. Black suede boots. I |
October 4, 2015Salt – Why Care Where It’s From?All salt comes, or came from the sea. But do you know where your salt is from or how it has been harvested? Do you know what has been done to it since it’s been scraped from the ground and landed on your table? I actually thought about this recently while at a vacation rental. Every vacation rental has about 17 containers of salt because it’s the one thing we absolutely want if we are going to cook. It’s also the one thing most people will leave in a cabinet because it has no expiration date. But as I salted my food with the plastic brown shaker simply labeled ‘Salt’, I started to wonder. Hmmm…what exactly am I putting on my food?After some online research, I have seen the ‘Salt Light’ so to speak. The majority of the salt consumed in the United States is refined salt. It is often very bright while, has non-caking additives added to it and has an after-taste. Start tasting quality salts and then go back to tasting regular table salt (like you’d find in a vacation rental) and you’ll see what I mean.Naturally harvested unrefined salt contains trace minerals, has no anti-caking agents, and may have little flecks of color (fun!). And, it tastes pretty darn good! Most unrefined salts that have not been tinkered with are from places like France, Himalayas (the pink salt) and wouldn’t you know it…Utah! I was super excited to find Redmond’s Real Salt, as they do harvest from an ancient sea bed in Utah. It was important to me to find a nice salt that is from the United States. I try to buy my produce locally, so consuming unrefnined salts from Utah is about as local as I can get.I contacted Redmond and they were so nice to send out some samples for me to try. I received the Nature’s Finest Sea Salt, Real Salt Organic Garlic Salt, Real Salt Organic Onion Salt and Real Salt Organic Seasoning Salt to test out. Let’s just say we’ve been cooking up a storm here and testing all of the varieties and it’s been a flavor blast!I went into my local fish monger and he convinced me to buy a whole local rock cod. He told me to season the inside and cook whole, about 10 minutes on each side on the BBQ gril. This was a job for the Real Salt Organic Seasoning Salt! This blend contains Real Salt, Organic Onion, Organic Corriander, Organic Mustard, Organic Black Pepper, Organic Paprika, Organic Celery Seed, Organic Tumeric, & Organic Parsley. (Kosher Certified by OU) We seasoned well, grilled and added a little lemon at the end. Not to toot my own culinary horn, but our dinner that night would rival that of |
September 14, 2015Chilled Cauliflower Pesto SaladThis easy salad is a snap! You can have this ready within an hour for a dinner party!You will need:1 head of cauliflower1 can of white beans (Tuscan white beans)1 small tub of premade pesto Flat leaf parsleyRed Pepper FlakesSalt First chop the cauliflower into big pieces and boil for 4 minutes. That’s it! you don’t want to make your cauliflower mushy – it should still be slightly crunchy. Pull from hot water and run cold water over it. Chop into small bits (like under 1 inch each) and put in a bowl.Add the can of beans and pesto and mix.As the amount of salt can vary in premade pesto mixes, don’t add anything else to it until you have mixed everything together very well. Taste & add a little red pepper flakes if you’d like some zing, and salt if needed.Chil in the fridge until serving time. I like to add my flat leaf parsley last & on top to make it pretty. Mix together before serving.Enjoy! Easy! Author: BoredMom Filed Under: Food, Recipe Tags: Cauliflower, Food, Pesto, Recipe Related PostsJuly 6, 2020Kids Love Chia PuddingNot only is this ridiculously easy to make, but if you have kids on Instagram, all they see are beautiful chia pudding combos so you’re not going to have to twist their arms to try it! Ha..social networking peer pressure for nutritional good!Food, Kids, Recipe - by BoredMom July 2, 2021I ate Oysters in July and SurvivedThere is a well-known food adage that says you should only eat oysters in a month that has an ‘r’ in it. If you are risk-adverse, stick with that sage advice. However, I like to test boundaries, so let’s investigate this dire shellfish warning.Education, Food, Summer BBQ - by BoredMom Heirloom Tomato PieEasy Spicy Fish Chowder |
September 9, 2015Heirloom Tomato PieSummer is upon us which means heirloom tomatoes are ripe and ready! Take advantage of the beautiful tomato bounty that is available this summer and make an Heirloom Tomato Pie.I modified this recipe from Garden & Gun, one of my most favorite Southern Style & Food mags.This recipe below calls for a topping of bread crumbs which is delicious, but I’ve made it with a pie crust top as well and it is equally loved and cherished!Tomato pie is an excellent side dish to bring to any pot-luck or dinner party. It’s unique, in-season and pretty darn easy to make. Make sure to get different heirloom varieties if possible! Yellow, red, green stripey! Tomatoes should be ripe and bursting with flavor. You can make this with regular hot house tomatoes, but it’s just not going have that yummy heirloom tangy tomato taste.Heirloom Tomato Pie RecipeIngredients1 small onion, minced3 garlic cloves, minced4 tbsp. extra virgin olive oil, divided1 tbsp. Dijon mustard9-inch (organic from Spouts) pie shell * pie top crust if you don’t want to do breadcrumb topping1 lb. assorted (organic from Spouts) heirloom tomatoes (any variety,but fun to mix up colors), sliced ¼-inch thick2-3 oz. fresh goat cheese, crumbled (don’t use Feta! Feta doesn’t melt well!)½ oz. fresh basil choppedOPTIONAL – 1 tbsp. Balsamic Reduction sauce (Trader Joe’s has pre-made sauce – use balsamic vinegar if you can’t find the reduction sauce)½ cup plain bread crumbs1 oz. grated Parmesan cheeseHerb Salt and fresh black ground pepper PreparationPreheat oven to 400 degrees.In a small pan, sauté shallots and garlic in 1 tablespoon of olive oil until tender, about 3 minutes. Stir in mustard, and set aside.Place pastry shell in a 9-inch pie dish or use a pie shell that is already in foil. Layer in half of the tomatoes, and season with salt and pepper; spread shallot mixture over top. Add goat cheese and half of the basil, distributing evenly. Layer in remaining tomatoes, and season with salt and pepper. Drizzle 1 tablespoon each of olive oil and balsamic reduction over the tomatoes. Top with remaining basil.In a small bowl, combine bread crumbs, remaining 2 tablespoons of olive oil, and Parmesan cheese. Sprinkle evenly over tomato filling.Bake 35-40 minutes, or until topping and crust are golden brown.I typically serve this ‘warm’ but not hot. It’s too runny when hot, so let it cool down before serving.Printable Recipe Here:Print YumHeirloom Tomato PieIngredients1 small red onion, minced3 garlic cloves, minced4 tbsp. extra virgin |
September 4, 2015Why Support a CSA?We signed up for a local organic farm CSA several months ago and hands down, it’s the best decision we have ever made. Not only do we get fresh organic fruits and vegetables do our door, but we also get a bouquet of flowers. Although the farm will email us a few days in advance to let us know what to expect in our weekly shipment, I almost hate looking because it’s always different and always fun. Eating ‘seasonally’ can be challenging if you’re used to a dietary ‘routine’. However, eating seasonally (and locally) is also creating a lot of fun recipe and kitchen experiences for my family and I. Each week is like a Cooking Reality TV Show. You’re given Chard, Celery, Leeks, Red Peppers…ok, go! Make something!My friends are often in awe of the bounty we receive each week but shy away from signing up. The common complaint for CSA membership is that if you leave for a week, you have a paid delivery. It’s recommended that you donate the food, or have a friend or neighbor take it for the week. However, people generally hate paying for something they don’t directly receive. However, what most folks are not understanding is that farmers plant their crops and plan out food production based on how much money they have taken in. If you miss a week and they don’t get paid, that hurts the farm and their planning. It is afterall, Community Supported Agriculture, not Agriculture Supporting the Community!Definition by the USDA, United States Department of AgricultureCommunity Supported Agriculture consists of a community of individuals who pledge support to a farm operation so that the farmland becomes, either legally or spiritually, the community’s farm, with the growers and consumers providing mutual support and sharing the risks and benefits of food production. Typically, members or “share-holders” of the farm or garden pledge in advance to cover the anticipated costs of the farm operation and farmer’s salary. In return, they receive shares in the farm’s bounty throughout the growing season, as well as satisfaction gained from reconnecting to the land and participating directly in food production. Members also share in the risks of farming, including poor harvests due to unfavorable weather or pests. By direct sales to community members, who have provided the farmer with working capital in advance, growers receive better prices for their crops, gain some financial security, and are relieved of much of the burden of marketing.Some CSAs will have a local pick up spot like a home or farmer’s market where you pick up your produce every week. I am fortunate enough to belong to one that actually delivers to my door! Everything is carefully packaged and the delivery is always chock full of beautiful veggies and fruits.A weekly commitment can range from $25-$40+ depending on the size of the order you have. The price is well worth it. No driving, no agonizing in the produce department as to what |
June 4, 2015Easy Pickled Garlic for Summer BBQs Summer BBQ season is upon us, so I’m cooking up some pickled sides to purdy up my (veggie) hot dogs! Great with any dogs, brats, tofu pups, burgers, etc. Tonight’s accompaniments – pickled garlic + sweet & sour cabbage. Recipe for easy Pickled Garlic below! This is an easy recipe to make tart & spicy + fiery garlic! TIP – Asian markets and health food stores sometimes sell BULK bags of pre-peeled garlic. Unless you want your hands to smell like garlic for a week, go this route. 🙂 Makes 4 pints1 1/4 cups white wine vinegar or 2.5 cups of distilled wine vinegar 1 tbsp. pickling salt (or kosher salt)1 lbs. garlic cloves, peeled.4 sprigs of fresh rosemary.4 sprigs of fresh fennelblack pepper corns – – 1 tsp in each jar. mustard seed (yellow) – 1 tsp in each jar. red pepper flakes – 1/2 tsp per jarLemon – in slices (thin) to put on top.onion slices (like 1/4 cup for decor) Prep your jars as you would for normal canning, but since you are cooking 15 minutes you do not have to do additional sterilizing. Take clean jar and layer pepper corns and mustard seeds and salt. Add garlic but artfully put red onion slices and rosemary/dill or other herbs on hand on the sides. Fill with the vinegar and leave about 1/2 inch headroom. Place a lemon slice on top and tap down. If there is too much vinegar (above the lemon slice) take a bit off. Otherwise, put lid on. Put in hot boiling water bath for 15 minutes. Take out & let seal. Keep sealed jars in dark storage for up to a year. Jars that did not seal, or ones that you intend on eating soon (within 3 weeks), but in the fridge. Regardless of sealing, let the jars settle for at least 3 days before opening to really get those tangy spicy herbal flavors infused in. Enjoy! Author: BoredMom Filed Under: Food, Recipe Tags: Food, garlic, pickled, Recipe Related PostsJuly 6, 2020Kids Love Chia PuddingNot only is this ridiculously easy to make, but if you have kids on Instagram, all they see are beautiful chia pudding combos so you’re not going to have to twist their arms to try it! Ha..social networking peer pressure for nutritional good!Food, Kids, Recipe - by BoredMom November |
April 21, 2015Vegetarian Neat LoafThis vegetarian ‘Neat Loaf’ is so tasty that my daughter will often beg me to make it. It’s super easy to make and has less than 8 grams of saturated fat in the entire thing! A great option for those trying to keep things lean, but high protein. (Hey, that rhymed!)It’s a mixture of cereal, walnuts, cottage cheese, eggs & onion mix that comes together into something that is so addicting, even meat lovers will be having seconds and thirds.Here’s the nitty gritty:Get out a large mixing bowl and mix:4 eggs, beaten ( I do these first so I can check for egg shells – not that I would EVER drop any shells in the bowl).1 (16 ounce) carton cottage cheese – use any variety you’d like.1⁄4 cup vegetable oil or olive oil1 (1 ounce) envelope ANY dry onion soup mix – Lipton works GREAT and is always easy to find. I must of stocked up last year because my supply is endless. Want some?1 cup finely chopped walnuts – or leave our if you don’t like nuts, but they add a lovely texture to the overall loaf.1 white or yellow onion chopped finelyMix all the goo up and then add:2-2 1⁄2 cups corn flakes (I use Corn Flakes but Special K also works great. If you use Corn Flakes, your loaf will be lighter. If you want a darker color, user Special K)Grease or spray one glass bread loaf pan. Glass works better than metal for this loaf. But, use metal if that is all you have.Pack the mixture in the pan and pat down. You don’t want big air gaps inside.Bake at 350 degrees for 65 minutes. When you take it out of the oven you shoudn’t see any wet spots of pools of liquid on top. It should be firm (springy) to the touch. If it’s still soft, put back in for another 5-10 minutes.Suggested Wine Pairing – if you are a white wine person, Pinot Gris (Oregon preferably) . Red wine peeps, try a nice Pinot Noir (again, Oregon). Wine that is too sweet will overpower this delicious loaf. Let that Lipton onion mix flavor run through you. Enjoy. 😉Printable Recipe Here:Print YumVegetarian Neat LoafIngredients4 eggs, beaten ( I do these first so I can check for egg shells - not that I would EVER drop any shells in the bowl).1 (16 ounce) carton cottage cheese - use any variety you'd like.1?4 cup vegetable oil or olive oil1 (1 ounce) envelope ANY dry onion soup mix - Lipton works GREAT and is always easy to find. I must of stocked up last |
March 16, 2015Vegetarian Irish Farm StewHere’s a super easy crock pot ‘Irish’ stew chock full of root vegetables! Hearty and satisfying, yet all vegan so none of the saturated fat!1 lb of soy based ground ‘hamburger’ like Yves Veggie Cuisine2 quarts water or veggie broth1 tablespoon olive oil1/2 red lentils or split peas1/2 cup barley2 bay leaves1 onion, thinly sliced2 carrots, thinly sliced1 turnip, thinly sliced1 parsnip, thinly sliced1/2 head green cabbage3 lbs potatoesonion powder (dash)cayenne (dash)sea salt and pepper, to tasteWash, peel and chop all vegetables except potatoes and cabbage (save these for later).Wash barley. Put everything into the crock pot and cover with water or brothSet it on high and let it simmer for at least 4 hours (5 is best).In the hour before you want to eat, parboil sliced russet potatoes. Drain and chop into chunks and add to crock pot.Add cabbage to crock pot.The cabbage will be cooked but have a nice texture. The potatoes will also cook through, but not be mushy.Author: BoredMom Filed Under: Food, Holiday, Recipe Tags: Cabbage, crock pot, Food, irish, parsnip, Recipe, St. Patrick's Day, turnip Related PostsJuly 6, 2020Kids Love Chia PuddingNot only is this ridiculously easy to make, but if you have kids on Instagram, all they see are beautiful chia pudding combos so you’re not going to have to twist their arms to try it! Ha..social networking peer pressure for nutritional good!Food, Kids, Recipe - by BoredMom March 1, 2023A Day Tasting Wine in Alexander ValleyHaving exactly one full day to tour around Sonoma and do some wine tasting, I knew we had to have laser focus when planning our agenda. As the Sonoma area is rather large, we decided to focus on the Alexander Valley area.Food, Travel, WIne - by BoredMom Easy Mini PopoversVegetarian Neat Loaf |
February 26, 2015Easy Mini PopoversThese are excellent for parties as an appetizer. Great by themselves or serve with a little jam! I used parmesean per original recipe, but you can also change up the cheese and use a hard cheddar or a swiss emmental cheese. The trick to making these is greasing your mini-cupcake pan really well! Ingredients2 large eggs1 1/4 cup milk1 cup all-purpose flour3/4 cup grated Parmesan cheese (fresh grated is best)2 T olive oil1/2 tsp salt1/2 tsp coarsely ground pepper DirectionsBeat eggs with whisk in medium bowl until blended. Whisk in milk, flour, cheese, olive oil, salt and pepper until just blended. Let stand 10 minutes.Preheat oven to 425 degrees FPlace a 24-cup mini-muffin pan in oven and heat 5 minutes (best to use a really good non-stick pan)Remove muffin pan from oven and spray cups with nonstick spray. Fill each cup about 3/4 full with batter.Bake 15 minutes. DO NOT OPEN THE OVEN. Use oven light to see progress.Reduce the oven temperature to 350 degrees F and bake until popovers are puffed and golden, about 15 minutes longer. DO NOT OPEN THE OVEN until popovers are done.Serve immediately (they will “deflate” somewhat as soon as taken out of the oven)Author: BoredMom Filed Under: Food, Recipe Tags: Appetizers, Cheese, Popovers, Recipe Related PostsJuly 6, 2020Kids Love Chia PuddingNot only is this ridiculously easy to make, but if you have kids on Instagram, all they see are beautiful chia pudding combos so you’re not going to have to twist their arms to try it! Ha..social networking peer pressure for nutritional good!Food, Kids, Recipe - by BoredMom July 2, 2021I ate Oysters in July and SurvivedThere is a well-known food adage that says you should only eat oysters in a month that has an ‘r’ in it. If you are risk-adverse, stick with that sage advice. However, I like to test boundaries, so let’s investigate this dire shellfish warning.Education, Food, Summer BBQ - by BoredMom Super Easy Dhal SoupVegetarian Irish Farm Stew |
January 24, 2015Super Easy Dhal SoupDhal is an Indian lentil soup that is ridiculously easy to make, and very delicious. I’ve never met anyone who didn’t like my soup (or maybe they were just being polite). However, when I do whip up a soup pot, it’s usually gone by the next day. Here are the basic ingredients that you absolutely need to pull off successful dhal, and I will put notes as to where you can fudge on it. One bag of red lentils. They must be red lentils. Brown or French will not work.One Onion * any variety½ tablespoon of Cumin seeds * Ok, you CAN use ground cumin, but for some reason the seeds just ‘make’ the soup. Go invest in a bottle. It’s inexpensive and really worth it. That’s the bare bare bones.Now to add:Tomatoes (big, small, whatever) Curry power or Garam Marsalagarlic (fresh cloves work best, in a pinch powder will do)cayenne pepper (or red pepper flakes if you don’t have cayenne)In a large pot, cook rinsed red lentils in enough water that covers at least 2 inches above legume line. Add cut up tomatoes (or whole!) You will be adding more water as these cook down. Add some olive oil (2 tsp), or other vegetable oil so it doesn’t stick to the sides.In a separate pan, cook down chopped onions + the cumin seeds in a vegetable oil. I prefer olive oil on a low heat. Cook them until the onions are browning. Add in 1 tbsp of curry powder or garam marsala. Add in diced garlic and cook lightly with the onions. After several minutes, transfer the onion mixture to your soup pot with the lentils. This is when I add my cayenne pepper. I decide who I am cooking for – I like hot spicy food, so I add in at least one healthy tsp. If you don’t like spicy hot, skip this step. Continue to add water under the tomatoes have cooked down and are looks. Lentils should have broken apart and soup should be a consistent texture. Keep stirring! You want to incorporate that onion mixture. I add salt and pepper last to season my soup, but the previous spices will already add amazing flavors. Author: BoredMom Filed Under: Food, Recipe Tags: dhal, Food, Recipe, Soup Related PostsJuly 6, 2020Kids Love Chia PuddingNot only is this ridiculously easy to make, but if you have kids on Instagram, all they see are beautiful chia pudding combos so you’re not going to have to twist their arms to try it! Ha..social networking peer pressure for nutritional good!Food, Kids, Recipe - by BoredMom March 1, 2023A Day Tasting Wine in Alexander ValleyHaving exactly one full day to |
November 19, 2014Tex Mex Quinoa RecipeThanksgiving is coming up and if you’re like, you’re already pinning out some recipe ideas for the big day. Here’s an easy gluten-free side dish that is NOT traditional, but it’s really tasty, everyone loves it and it holds up well for an extended meal.Baja Quinoa Gluten-Free RecipeGet a bag of red or mixed quinoa. The red or mixed quinoa is for color effect, not so much flavor. If you can’t find red, regular quinoa will work!Cook the entire bag per instructions. While the quinoa is cooking down, you may need to add additional water. As the quinoa starts to swell, add in a delcious herbal or spiced butter if you are so lucky enough to find some! I used a few healthy dollops of Charlie’s Jalapeno Smoked Sea Salt Butter. This is the perfect start to my Baja themed dish.Once the quinoa is cooked, mixed in a can of rinsed black beans. Add two large pinches of herb salt and season with fresh ground pepper. Mix together.Put in a giant serving bowl.Add one bag of corn – or if you live near a Trader Joe’s, grab a bag of the Roasted Corn. The extra roasted flavor really adds a nice smokiness. Dump on top of quinoa and mix in.Dice up one red pepper. Add on top, but do NOT mix in.Dice up ½ cup of cilantro (or more if you dig it!) and do NOT mix it. Just pile on top.Put one small container of Feta Cheese. Do not mix in.Mmm!! Chunky Fresh Jalapeno Smoked Sea Salt Butter from Charle’s Butter! Ok, why all the no mixing? You will mix or toss this quinoa dish right before serving. This keeps the veggies crisp and the feta firm. However, it’s really ready to go.Now make your dressing!½ cup of quality Olive Oil2-3 diced garlicLime juice from 3 limesZest from 1 limeHealthy pinch of SaltHealthy shake of PepperI put the dressing in a separate Tupperware container and add to my quinoa dish right before serving and then I mix up all the goodies that were previously sitting on top of everything.The lime adds a nice tang. If you want to make yours spicy, I recommend adding a little red pepper flakes in or Hatch Pepper powder.Pin this Tex Mex Quinoa Recipe Author: BoredMom Filed Under: Food, Recipe, Thanksgiving Tags: butter, Food, Gluten-free, quinoa, Recipe, Thanksgiving Related PostsJuly 6, 2020Kids Love Chia PuddingNot only is this ridiculously easy to make, but if you have kids on Instagram, all they see are beautiful chia pudding combos so you’re not going to have to twist their arms to try it! Ha..social networking peer |
November 17, 2014Bring These Potatoes to a Dinner PartyI love dinner parties and I’m a big believer that everyone should bring something to contribute. It makes it less stressful for the host and it’s fun to see what different people come up with to share. Here’s a super simple, but delicious recipe for Roasted Lemon Rosemary Potatoes. It’s a winner everytime!Roasted Lemon Rosemary PotatoesYou can buy fingerlings, baby potatoes, small red, purple, yellow, white, it doesn’t matter. Just no russets. Waxy style potatoes like baby fingerlings work best because they crisps up nicely.Buy enough for your party. Estimate about 8-10 chunks of potatoes per person. It’s ok to have leftovers because people are happy to take them home!Although you can leave small potatoes (smaller than a golf ball) whole, it’s up to you on sizing. Just keep in mind that smaller pieces will crisp up faster. Try to keep all of your sizes about the same so they cook at the same rate.Wash the potatoes and cut them up. Par boil in salted boiling water for five minutes. Drain and let cool.Once cool, pour a liberal amount of olive oil on them and sprinkle with diced rosemary. Cut up enough so that each potato has at least a few tiny sprigs on it. Add chunky herb salt. Using clean hands mix the potatoes and salt/herbs together ensuring that every potato has a nice olive oil coating on it. Put the potatoes in a large baking dish and put sprigs of rosemary on it. Slice 1-2 lemons and place on top and between the potatoes. The lemon will carmelize while baking and infuse a delicious tangy flavor into the dish.Bake 30 minutes at 400 degrees. Take them out and turn over. Bake another 25 minutes. If they don’t look browned, then stir again and at another 10 minutes. I will usually stop after the 55 minutes because I will typically reheat the potatoes for about 20 minutes at the dinner party home, so I allow for this extra baking time.I leave the cooked down lemons and rosemary in the dish when served. It’s pretty and will continue to impart flavor.Right before serving, squeeze the juice of one fresh lemon over the potatoes once again. This is the lemon juice that will add a bright lemon flavor. A little more pepper and salt, and this side is ready to be enjoyed!I have some heavy duty food carriers which are a must for transporting hot food. Sadly I used such a large baking dish, that it didn’t fit in ANY of them. The back-up plan – get a sturdy cardboard box and place 1-2 dishtowels on the bottom. Place the hot dish inside and close the box back up. The cardboard box is an easy alternative to keep your car clean in transport, food hot and you can |
October 25, 2014Hot New Healthy Kid SnacksMany new and innovative healthy snacks for kids were showcased at this year’s PMA Fresh Summit and here’s a few fun ones of interest.Bolthouse Carrot Snack BagsThese snack-size packs of carrots (pictured above) come with an insulated section of flavoring spices that can be released when the bag is pulled apart in that one section. The spices all down and then shake the bag to coat the carrots. My daughter brought a bag to school in her lunch and the kids at her table were literally freaking out. You mean you get to shake the bag for flavoring and then eat it? All of the kids wanted to ‘help shake the bag’ and then of course try some. Note to self – pack more of these next time. Grapple The Grapple is an apple, that tastes like a grape. What? Yep. They take Washington apples and then put them through a grape bath (concentrated grape flavor and pure water). The apple takes on no additional sugars or calories. They are not genetically altered in any way. The apple is as healthy as ever but now has the new exciting grape flavor. A fun party game – put a bunch of apples in a big bowl and then one or two Grapples. Have the kids find the ‘grape scented one’. It’s very obvious! It’s definitely a fun new twist on apples.I had it in my head that apples only come from Washington. The folks in Michigan ALSO grow delicious beautiful apples, so look for the Grown in Michigan stickers on displays. Is it me, or is EVERYONE from Michigan just super nice?Ch-Ch-Ch-Chia!I was going to put this one in my ‘Healthy Finds’ write-up because Chia is ALL the rage right now, and I’m not talking about It has Omega 3,6 and 9 fatty acids. Although it’s the new wonderfood on the block, getting kids to eat chia can be a challenge. These fruit squeezes have chia in them and they taste delicious. The chia seeds are swollen with juice and have a ‘Boba’ type texture in the fruit mixture. Kids will enjoy the texture and also reap the health benefits of chia. Visit their site and use the product locator tool to find a store that carries it near you .Trick or Treat!Packaging also seems to be as important as the actual snack in produce marketing. These Hobgoblin ‘ Pretty Lady’ grapes will be re-branded to Holiday packaging in December. Same great grapes, different bags, but kids are drawn to seasonal art (as well as parents!), so if this helps our kiddos eat more fruits and vegetables, bring on the creativity!Author: BoredMom Filed Under: Food, Food & Wine Events Tags: Food, Food & Wine Events, Food Reviews, Health Kid Snacks, PMA Fresh Summit |
October 21, 2014Trendy Foods at the PMAWatch out Kale, there are some new kids on the block! Most of these ‘trendy’ foods are not new per se, but they are finally coming onto the foodie scene as they reach a larger distribution and chefs are having a culinary field day.Unicorns & Rainbow Vegetables – Unicorns are hot right now and so are rainbows. So, why wouldn’t we demand that our vegetables also be shades of the rainbow? Oh yeah, and can these brightly colored beauties also be organic, please? Lakeside Organics Gardens in Watsonville (the largest family-owned and operated solely organic vegetable grower/shipper in the USA) offers beautiful, colorful produce options. Lakeside grows gorgeous rainbow carrots, colorful beets, cabbages and they even have the watermelon radish that is a bright pink inside. I drive through Watsonville several times a year and now that I know what amazing produce comes from this Farm, I may have to stop by and ask if I can run through their color-producing fields to see ‘where the magic happens’. I’m certain they have a unicorn or two hiding among their rainbow chard fields as well.Learn more about Lakeside Organics here.Hatch Peppers – These smoky tasting peppers grown in New Mexico are all the buzz. You will start to see a big selection of Hatch Pepper products hitting your local groceries soon from salsa, seasoned chips, spices and more. Hatch chile refers to varieties of species of the genus Capsicum which are grown in the Hatch Valley, an area stretching north and south along the Rio Grande in New Mexico, The soil and growing conditions in the Hatch Valley create a unique terroir which contributes to the flavor of chile grown there. Terroir – Fancy! It is very popular to roast or smoke these peppers, and if you see fresh ones in the store you can roast your own in the oven. If you’re short on time, but want that smoky flavor infused in your food, check out Melissa’s Produce Hatch Salsa and Chili Powder Shakers. I added some of the ‘Hot’ Hatch Chili Powder to my tofu veggie stir fry last night and it was the necessary pièce de résistance. Just a side note, the Hatch chilies did not seem very spicy to me, but then again I’m from San Diego and we put hot stuff on everything. #bringonthetearsYou may learn more about Melissa’s Produce Hatch Products here. Finger Limes – These extremely cool little oblong limes may be sliced or broken open and then the lime ‘citrus caviar’ may be easily squeezed out. The tangy lime pearls are a great way to add lime flavoring without the soggy juice. Shandley Farms hit a homerun with their stuffed avocado appetizer with the beautiful pale pink Finger Lime caviar |
October 17, 2014Who I Want to See at the PMA Fresh SummitI’m getting up early tomorrow morning to drive up to the Fresh Summit Convention in Anaheim to blog my little heart out. This event is the epic gathering of produce growers both local and international. As a blogger, I’ll be looking for creative, unusual and delicious ideas and I’m sure there will be no shortage. I’ve already decided to stop eating until tomorrow, because I have a feeling that my stomach will be working overtime.I’ve downloaded the #FreshSummit app and am marking off booths I wish to visit. Some stops of interest (and I’m adding many more):Hurst Berry Farm – HBF International LLC, booth #1048 – A big thank you to them for inviting me to the Fresh Summit. They grow delicious berries (U.S. & International) and produce those fun little Kiwi Berries that I recently wrote about.LotPath – They are tweeting about giving away free Refractometers. Why would a blogger need a refractometer? And, what the heck is a Refractometer? A refractometer is an instrument for measuring a refractive index. What? Ok, let’s delve further. Without a refractometer, your beer and wine would taste pretty bad. A refractometer is an essential piece of test equipment used to determine the sugar content in a liquid, for example beer wort. You’ll often see vintners out in the field with a refractometer. Winemakers know there is a direct correlation between the amount of sugar present and the ability to make wine. This portable instrument (it’ll fit in your pocket) allows the winemaker to assess the ripeness of fruit by measuring Brix in the field or vineyard so he or she can decide the proper harvest time depending upon the readings taken. So, again – why does a blogger need one? My husband brews beer and it would be useful. Secondly, next time I go wine tasting at one of the many wonderful wineries in California, I want to run out to the vineyard, whip this puppy out and do a Brix reading. It will most certainly freak everyone out.LotPath creates software for capturing fresh produce inspections. My inner tech geek is dancing around my foodie persona right now. So, let’s say you are out in the field and want to track some real time data about the crops. Their app shares product quality data and photos as it goes from packing thru shipping.Frieda’s Produce, booth #2830 – They will have some of the weird fruits I adore. I remember being on Rarotonga in the Cook Islands and throwing my shoe at a Jack Fruit tree trying to knock one down. I’m so happy I don’t have to throw a shoe this time – I can just go sample some of my tropical favs. They will also have some weird ones I haven’t |
October 8, 2014Parsnip & Horseradish: This One Blew My Mind!I found some really big parsnips at my local natural foods store, so I decided now is the time to play with this long root vegetable. I saw a recipe for baked parsnip fries and this huge specimen was going to be perfect for experimentation!I took off the skin with my peeler and started to chop it up into wedges. It was firmer than what I had expected and a little woody. Shoot..did I buy an old parsnip?I popped a piece in my mouth and my eyes started to water and my nose started to burn. I couldn’t breathe. Air! (Gasp) Air! Oh HELL, this isn’t a parsnip!Like a brainiac, I realized I had just put a huge piece of raw horseradish and my mouth and it detonated. After drinking lots of water and praying that none of my brain slid out of my ears, I put the demon impostor back in the refrigerator. It hurt me and I was mad at it.Now by looking at the pictures above you’re thinking I’m a dumbass. Yes, this is true, however, the horseradish I bought had the top cut-off and it was very elongated and smooth like a parsnip.Parsnips should never have their rounded tops cut off, so that should have been the tip-off . I’m certain that this is some sort of produce clerk practical joke.Today I have made peace with the oddball root vegetable and decided to do something with it.I put all the chunks in a food processor and added about 3 tablespoons of apple cider vinegar, 1 tablespoon of sugar and a healthy pinch of herb salt.I pulsed and pureed away until it was obliterated. No one needs this much horseradish. No one. I dumped the horseradish mixture in a big jar and reserved about 3 large tablespoons off it to the side.Now to make something useful! (As I grumbled and wished I had baked parsnip fries) My husband is a mustard freak and puts it on just about everything. He also loves spicy horseradish, so here goes the Spicy Horseradish Mustard recipe!Print YumParsnip & Horseradish: This one blew my mind!Ingredients1 1/2 cups cider vinegar3/4 cup dry mustard1/4 cup yellow mustard seeds (if you have them - they give it a nice chunky texture)4 cloves garlic, minced3 tablespoons prepared white horseradish, drained1 teaspoons herb salt2 tablespoons packed light-brown sugarInstructionsBlend in a food processor until smooth and put in jars. Schema/Recipe SEO Data Markup by Yummly Rich Recipes0.1https://www.boredmom.com/yep-im-nuts/parsnip-horser |
September 29, 2014Spicy Sweet Potato & Lime Soup It’s Fall, so let’s eat like it! Here is a really fresh twist for sweet potatoes. This soup is really easy to make and almost addicting! The flavor combo with the heat from Chipotle chils and the fresh lime are a great way to offset the natural sweetness and creaminess of a sweet potato. Here’s the low down on how to make it. I just ate 3 bowls of it, so time for a nap. Enjoy! Preparation Time: 30 minutes 4 Medium Sweet Potatoes, peeled and cut into large chunks. 5 Cloves Garlic, peeled 1/4 Cup Agave Nectar 2 Chipotle Chilis in Adobo Sauce 2 Tbsp Freshly Squeezed Lime Juice 1 Cup Canned (Full Fat) Coconut Milk 1 tsp Sea Salt and 1 tsp Black Pepper to taste plus more if desired Place Sweet Potatoes, Onion and Garlic in 4-quart plus-size tightly lidded pot and add the water. Bring to boil and reduce heat to medium until tender– about 20 minutes. Remove from heat and Transfer to blender . Add Agave, Chipotle Chilis and Coconut Milk and puree until smooth. Return mixture to heat and simmer. Turn off heat and add Lime Juice and Salt and Pepper to taste. Do not overcook at this point or the Lime juice will disipate. Author: BoredMom Filed Under: Food, Recipe Tags: Fall, Recipe, Soup, Sweet Potato Related PostsJuly 6, 2020Kids Love Chia PuddingNot only is this ridiculously easy to make, but if you have kids on Instagram, all they see are beautiful chia pudding combos so you’re not going to have to twist their arms to try it! Ha..social networking peer pressure for nutritional good!Food, Kids, Recipe - by BoredMom September 21, 2022Pumpkin RisottoIs it Fall yet? I’m ready to start pumpkin everything! Here’s a healthy pumpkin rice dish that’s easy, high in Vitamin A, inexpensive, and tasty.Food, Recipe - by BoredMom Spicy Tomato JamBring These Potatoes to a Dinner Party |
September 22, 2014Spicy Tomato JamI’ve been reading about Tomato Jam in all my favorite Southern foodie magazines so I finally decided to bust out my canning supplies and do this before all the good late-summer tomatoes are gone.It’s really important to use quality tomatoes in this recipe. Hot house tomatoes will result in something that looks like tomato jam, but tastes like spices.I was able to get some nice tangy tomatoes from Farmer’s Market. I asked my local tomato hawker (& farmer) which variety he thought was best for Tomato Jam and he got pretty excited as he had never had it, but now wanted to try it. I guess I need to bring him some now. I told him I needed the very best Tomato-y flavor ones and he directed me to a variety that he uses for sauce. How lucky to be able to buy direct, and I was rewarded with a flavoful tomato spread that packs a punch!The recipe is below. If giving these as gifts, make sure to let people know what it’s good with.I printed out a little paper that said:Spicy Organic Tomato JamServe as a spread with chèvre/ goat cheese.Also very good with grilled pork, grilled salmon,chicken, burgers, BLTs and turkey sandwiches.*Now that I have a jar open, I would also add that it’s amazing on toast with a poached egg on top.Makes 5-6 8oz jars depending on how big your tomatoes are.Ingredients3 large lemons4- 5 pounds nice red tangy tomatoes, cored and cut into 1-inch pieces2.5 cups light brown sugar packed3 teaspoons ground cumin4 teaspoons Kosher salt2 teaspoons crushed red pepper flakes⅛ teaspoon cinnamon¼ teaspoon ground cloves⅛ teaspoon nutmeg3 tablespoons of apple cider vinegar15 1/8 -inch-thick slices peeled ginger2 tablespoons of fruit pectin (tomatoes HAVE pectin in them, however I have reduced the sugar in my recipe and I didn’t want a runny jam)Clean and core your tomatoes and chop into 1 inch chunks. Place tomatoes into pot.Zest from the lemons and add to pot. Squeeze the lemon juice through a strainer and add to pot.Add sugar, spices, salt, the red pepper flakes and ginger. Once bubbling hot, add the pectin and stir in well.Cook over medium-high heat, stirring occasionally, until the tomatoes are dark and thickened. 40 to 50 minutes. Reduce the heat if the mixture starts to scorch.Meanwhile, sterilize six 8-ounce canning jars and lids. Fill the jars with the tomato mixture, leaving 1/4 inch headspace, then seal and process in a water bath for 10 additional minutes. Author: BoredMom Filed Under: Food, Recipe Tags: Farmer's Market, Jam, Recipe, |
September 21, 2014Urban Chickens Inspire Sweet Potato & Caramelized Onion QuicheMy friend gave me a carton full of glorious multi-colored fresh chicken eggs from her very own little chicken babies. Here is one of her feathered kids cruising around the living room.Isn’t she cute?I’m sure the hens worked hard on these masterpieces and I didn’t want to waste another minute NOT eating these!I’ve had the pleasure of consuming these backyard beauties before, and they simply burst when cracked open. There is nothing like the taste of fresh eggs. These homegrown eggs make store bought eggs taste like stale yuck. I was even lucky enough to get a double yolk last time. Not only was it double yummy, but I went out and bought a lottery ticket that day because it’s a lucky omen to get two yolks. Either that, or I was having twins. Wait! How’d that happen?My friend grows her own organic veggies and feeds some to her Urban Chickens. She not only feeds them the very best munchies, but she lets them free range in her yard and eat bugs. They get to watch Food Network shows as well. I dug through my refrigerator to see what ingredients I had for my quiche. I found a big beautiful sweet potato and half of a large white onion. Caramelized onion and sweet potato quiche it is!I diced up the onion and put on the stove on low heat with a smidge of olive oil. I slowly cooked the onions on a low heat and added ½ teaspoon of mustard seed (optional) until they were caramelized. As caramelized onions can take awhile do to, you can cheat and add a little brown sugar to get the same effect. That’s cheating though. But, yes, you can do it.While the onions were slowly (and painfully) cooking, I peeled and chopped up the sweet potato. I threw that into a pot of boiling water for about 8 minutes until they were soft. Drain and cooled, I then diced them up a bit more.I went out to my garden and picked some fresh sweet basil leaves. You don’t have to use basil, but if you happen to have some on hand, then go for it as this pairs well with the onion. Thyme would work with this combo as well.If doing a true quiche, I would have a crust and I would have cream. I didn’t have either and I had zero interest in going to the store on a Saturday evening. So, I liberally used olive oil to grease my quiche baking dish. I made a mental note that leaving out the crust and cream actually removed the naughty fats, so kudos to my laziness.I added milk to six (6) Urban Fresh eggs in a bowl and whisked until frothy.I put my onions, potato and basil in the baking dish and made sure everything was evenly distributed. I then dug out some |
September 7, 2014Purple Basil PestoJust scored some gorgeous basil at the Farmer’s Market this morning. We had a choice of the regular bright green basil, or a deep purple mottled variety. My daughter smelled both kinds, as we are ‘smellers’. How can you not go to a Farmer’s Market and not smell your food? Is that weird? She opted for the bright green sweeter variety. The dark purple was not as sweet smelling and gave off heavy herbal notes of spice and licorice. Sorry, kid. You lose on this one. Mommy wants the purple one today. Once picked, herbs will start to wilt and droop so the clock is ticking for preparation. Given the vast quantity I now had, I decided to make a big batch of purple basil pesto.The first and most important step is to wash my basil with warm water. I get the front and back sides of all the leaves as that sneaky farm dirt can cling to this slightly fuzzy basil, and no want wants dirt crunch in their pesto! Once convinced that that the basil is squeaky clean, I add the ingredients (below) to a food processor. Slowly add the olive oil after you have pulse chopped all the other ingredients first. Keep processing until you have a consistency that you like.Ingredients: 1 cup walnuts (unsalted) – * FUTURE CHANGE – As walnuts are slightly bitter, I realized after mixing the batch up that almonds would have been a better choice because they are creamy and milder and would off-set the spicy purple basil better. 4 cups packed purple basil leaves (No stalks! Just handpick all the leaves off so you only get the very best spicy flavors!) 6 large garlic cloves, peeled and coarsely chopped. The more fresh garlic the better. 1/2 teaspoon chunky herb salt 6 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil What to use it on:This version is thick, but that’s how I like it. I typically use it right away, but if I have some to store, I leave it chunky and will often reconstitute with more olive oil and a little water to thin it out as needed.I like my pesto on pasta noodles with a squeeze of fresh lemon and cracked pepper. The tangy herbal purple pesto with garlic works well with lemon.It’s also a great base for easy bruschetta and some pretty sliced heirloom tomatoes. The sugar from the tomatoes makes this a hit.This pesto is super as a salad dressing on arugula or rocket salad. Thin it out with a little more oil and water and then mix with a little red wine or balsamic vinegar. Add in some feta and it’s a winner!If you have leftovers, one handy trick is to pour it in an empty ice cube tray and freeze it. When frozen, |
August 30, 2014Super Easy Zucchini Pancake FrittersI do a lot of cooking by sight versus exact measurement. It’s not real accurate, but I’m lazy and don’t feel like dirtying up measuring cups. I mean taking five seconds out of my day to clean that 1C measuring cup is really going to throw me off my game, you know?Here’s a quick and easy zucchini mix-up that you can throw together and look like a dinner champ. As zucchini and summer squash are going to be plentiful for at least another month, I figured it’s a good time to sneak one more squash recipe in.You must start with beautiful squashes and zucchinis that are medium in size. Large ones don’t taste as great because all of their sugars have been blown out and they are getting fibrous and starchy. Don’t feed your family blown out zucchinis. Ew. Since it’s peak season it’s ok to be a picky. Now on the flipside, we’re going to not be picky at all and cheat and with some Jiffy Corn Muffin mix. It’s inexpensive and perfect for fast fritters. Just hide the box when you’re done mixing everything up. No one will know. Shhh….Grate 2-3 medium size squashes of your choosing in put in a large mixing bowl. Dice ½ large white onion.2 fresh eggsChop ¼ cup flat parsley. If you can’t get flat, you can use curly, but it will change the texture in your fritter. 1 – 1 1/2 cups of Jiffy Corn Muffin mix (Yep! Retro throwback!)Add more if you feel the consistency is too loose. If your batter is too thick, add a tiny splash of milk.Add a dash of cayenne if you like a touch of heat. (optional)Your bowl should like like this before you start mixing ingredients.Mix until you have a chunky batter that is not too loose. You want the fritters to hold a circle shape and not spread in a hot pan.I use olive oil, but you can use any vegetable oil of your choosing. Lightly pan fry these about 3 minutes on each side. You do not want to overcook these. Cook until browned, but it’s ok to have your shredded zucchini be slightly firm.Sprinkle with chunky salt and cracked pepper when out out of the pan. Serve with a dollop sour cream. I like to squeeze fresh lemon juice in my sour cream when possible so the fritters have an extra zing. This also prevents scurvy. Yum!Oh Snap! This is how you ruin your Easy Zucchini Fritter Pancakes.See all these squash fritters in the trash? In haste and in laziness, I grabbed a non-stick pan in |
August 25, 2014Quickie Tasty Zucchini Salad Recipe Have more end of summer zucchinis than you know what to do with? Here’s a super easy, but flavorful way to dispose of them – I mean, prepare them. Enjoy! You will need: 2 medium sized zuchinis 1 lemon cilantro fresh garlic if you have it, or garlic power/or garlic salt chili powder cayenne powder black pepper (optional) – Avocado – firm ripe Dice up the zuchinni into little cubes. Squeeze lemon juice from a whole lemon on the chunks. Watch those seeds! Add some thinly sliced leeks, or chives. Add a generous shake or two of chili and garlic powder. Now, with your lightest touch, a dash of cayenne. Salt & pepper to taste. If you have an avocado, chop it up into little chunks as well and lightly mix in. Serve cold – put in fridge for about 10 mix. max, and then serve.Author: BoredMom Filed Under: Food, Recipe Tags: Food, Recipe, zucchini Related PostsJuly 6, 2020Kids Love Chia PuddingNot only is this ridiculously easy to make, but if you have kids on Instagram, all they see are beautiful chia pudding combos so you’re not going to have to twist their arms to try it! Ha..social networking peer pressure for nutritional good!Food, Kids, Recipe - by BoredMom July 2, 2021I ate Oysters in July and SurvivedThere is a well-known food adage that says you should only eat oysters in a month that has an ‘r’ in it. If you are risk-adverse, stick with that sage advice. However, I like to test boundaries, so let’s investigate this dire shellfish warning.Education, Food, Summer BBQ - by BoredMom Mock-Hollandaise SauceSuper Easy Zucchini Pancake Fritters |
August 15, 2014Mock-Hollandaise SauceWant a lower fat hollandaise sauce option? This is a pretty good substitute! This quick and easy mock-hollandaise sauce is great with biscuits and eggs and is a cinch to whip up.Take 1/2 cup of low fat mayo and mix with 3/4 cup of low fat or nonfat sour cream. Squeeze the juice from about a 1/2 sliced lemon, or up to 1 tablespoon depending on how tangy you want it.Heat in a small sauce pan, but becareful not to scald it. Slowly season with salt and pepper.If you want to make the taste a little less tangy, add a few more tablespoons of mayo.Serve warm on top of biscuits, eggs, and sausage or bacon. It’s also good for vegetarian Morningstar sausage and bacon!Author: admin Filed Under: Food, Recipe Tags: Breakfast, eggs, Recipe, Vegetarian Related PostsJuly 6, 2020Kids Love Chia PuddingNot only is this ridiculously easy to make, but if you have kids on Instagram, all they see are beautiful chia pudding combos so you’re not going to have to twist their arms to try it! Ha..social networking peer pressure for nutritional good!Food, Kids, Recipe - by BoredMom August 8, 2019Tofu Veggie Enchilada Bake with Simply OrganicAs we mosey into summer, I get so excited to see bright beautiful bell peppers back in the store and bonus – they are inexpensive! Grabbing in season organic produce, I decided to make an easy enchilada bake for dinner using Simply Organic’s Red Enchilada Simmer […]Food, Food Reviews, Recipe - by BoredMom Tangy Red Onion Relish for TurkeyQuickie Tasty Zucchini Salad Recipe |
July 31, 2014Tangy Red Onion Relish for TurkeyBring something zesty to Thanksgiving or Christmas dinner! Make this a day or two ahead and let the juices stew into chopped roasted red onion. The horseradish, yellow mustard see and lemon bring a tang to the sweet caramelized online. A dash of honey will help mellow everything out. Great with poultry, and if you have it – smoked turkey! Save for the ‘next day’ sandwiches with a little mustard as well. Tangy Red Onion Relish (can double recipe)2 medium red onions roasted at 400, cut side down until bottoms are brown.2 tbsp. whole-grain mustard2 tbsp. fresh horseradish, gratedlemon juice from 1 lemonolive oilSalt and ground pepper1/2 tbsp. honeychop onions after cooking, and mix together Let sit overnight and serve with poultry Author: admin Filed Under: Food, Recipe Tags: Food, Recipe Related PostsJuly 6, 2020Kids Love Chia PuddingNot only is this ridiculously easy to make, but if you have kids on Instagram, all they see are beautiful chia pudding combos so you’re not going to have to twist their arms to try it! Ha..social networking peer pressure for nutritional good!Food, Kids, Recipe - by BoredMom July 2, 2021I ate Oysters in July and SurvivedThere is a well-known food adage that says you should only eat oysters in a month that has an ‘r’ in it. If you are risk-adverse, stick with that sage advice. However, I like to test boundaries, so let’s investigate this dire shellfish warning.Education, Food, Summer BBQ - by BoredMom Crock Pottin’ – Easy Black Eyed Peas with Chard StewMock-Hollandaise Sauce |
July 12, 2012Crock Pottin’ – Easy Black Eyed Peas with Chard Stew Dust off the ol’ crock pot – it’s winter, and now making dinner is even easier. Fresh chard is in season, so I am always looking for easy ways to good it up, in order to take advantage of it’s nutritional goodness..and have my child eat it. Always a tricky feat. Here’s an easy, and kid-tested recipe for Black Eyed Peas & Chard Stew – a nod to my relatives in the Deep South, y’all! You will need: 1 pound dried black-eyed peas 1 cup chopped onion (white or yellow) 2 to 3 cloves garlic, minced 1 cup chopped carrots One healthy bunch of chard, clean leaves, de-stem and chop up leaves coarsely. 1 teaspons dried thyme 1 teaspons dried oregano 1/4 teaspoon cayenne 1 box of veggie broth 1 teaspoon salt, or to taste 1/2 teaspoon seasoned pepper blend, or to taste Take out the crockpot, and put in the washed dried black eyed peas. Next add the box of veggie broth. Add the chopped onion and garlic. Turn the crock pot on high, and walk away. After about 5 hours or so, add the carrots and chard, and herbs. If you have fresh thyme, go for it! Use your creative herb license here to add whatever you’d like – you really can’t mess this one up. After about another hour, everything will be done. I usually set it to low until we are ready to eat. Kid Tip – Serve with grated cheddar cheese on top. I love to serve this with Tabasco or other hot pepper sauce. Yummy and warms the belly and soul! Easy, Easy!Author: BoredMom Filed Under: Food, Recipe Tags: black eyed peas, Food Related PostsMay 2, 2016#FolgersBrunch SundayI was so excited to be able to host a Folgers Brunch at my house and sample several varieties of Folgers K-Cup pods with my family and friends. As a new Keurig owner and avid coffee drinker, I now LOVE the ease of making a […]Uncategorized - by BoredMom September 17, 2015ROWPA Premium Wine Aerator SetI recently received the ROWPA Premium Wine Aerator Set (aka Magic Decanter) in exchange for an honest review. Aerators can be great for quick decanting and Exposing wine to air does two things: it triggers oxidation and evaporation. Gift Giving Idea: For Any Wine Enthusiast/Newlyweds/Birthday Gift […]Uncategorized - by BoredMom |
November 1, 2009Pumpkin Soup from Left-Over Halloween Pumpkins Have a leftover pumpkin from Halloween that you didn’t carve? If it’s in good shape, turn that orangey-goodness into some Roasted Pumpkin Soup! If your pumpkin has caved in and is liquidity with buzzy gnats around it, please throw that away. What’s wrong with you! Ok, for those of you who had to good sense to make soup with a pumpkin that’s not rotted out, let’s do this. Sugar pumpkins make nice soup, of if you don’t have any pumpkins left, you can use a butternut squash. Cut your pumpkin up in big chunks, seed and lay in a roasting pan. Drizzle olive oil on it, and garlic cloves (about 2-3 cloves) and bake at 450 degrees for about 40 minutes. Let cool, and take the skins off. Not take the roasted pumpkin and add to food processor. Add in 2 cups of vege broth. Blend and slowly add in a few more cups (2-3) based on how much you have left! I usually get a box of organic veggie broth. Take blended smooth soup, and transfer to a large soup pan. Heat up, season with salt and pepper. Serve with a dollop of sour cream. Add a little pinch of red pepper (fine) flakes if you like a kick, and ground up pepita nuts, or roasted pumpkin seeds also are a nice touch on top of this easy, nutritious soup!Author: BoredMom Filed Under: Food, Recipe Tags: Fall, Food, Recipe Related PostsJuly 6, 2020Kids Love Chia PuddingNot only is this ridiculously easy to make, but if you have kids on Instagram, all they see are beautiful chia pudding combos so you’re not going to have to twist their arms to try it! Ha..social networking peer pressure for nutritional good!Food, Kids, Recipe - by BoredMom September 21, 2022Pumpkin RisottoIs it Fall yet? I’m ready to start pumpkin everything! Here’s a healthy pumpkin rice dish that’s easy, high in Vitamin A, inexpensive, and tasty.Food, Recipe - by BoredMom Crock Pottin’ – Easy Black Eyed Peas with Chard Stew |
Salisbury Steak with Mushrooms
This Salisbury steak with mushroom gravy is wonderful over mashed potatoes or rice. A great from-scratch recipe I found a long time ago. The gravy is still good without mushrooms. I've made it for my husband that way.
Ingredients
1 pound lean ground beef
⅓ cup dry bread crumbs
¼ cup chopped onions
1 egg, beaten
1 teaspoon salt
¼ teaspoon ground black pepper
2 cups beef broth
1 large onion, thinly sliced
1 cup sliced mushrooms
3 tablespoons cornstarch
3 tablespoons water
Directions
Combine ground beef, bread crumbs, chopped onion, egg, salt, and black pepper in a large bowl until evenly mixed. Shape beef mixture into 4 patties, about 3/4-inch thick.
Fry patties in a large skillet over medium heat until browned on both sides, about 10 minutes. Add beef broth, onion, and mushrooms; bring to a boil. Reduce heat to low, cover, and simmer until patties are no longer pink in the center, about 10 minutes more. Transfer patties to a platter and keep warm.
Bring onion mixture to a boil. Mix cornstarch and water in a small bowl; stir into onion mixture. Cook and stir until onion gravy is thickened, about 1 minute. Pour over patties to serve.
naples34102
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Chef John's Salisbury Steak
When I was a kid, we didn't have smartphones or the internet — all we had was a TV. But we didn't care because as we watched, we got to enjoy a little something called a "TV dinner." The king of those dinners, in my opinion, was the Salisbury steak, which is what I'll show you how to make here, along with one of the greatest gravies ever invented. Serve with buttered mashed potatoes and a vegetable side of your choice.
Ingredients
Steaks:
1 pound 85% lean ground beef
½ cup plain bread crumbs
1 large egg, beaten
2 tablespoons ketchup
1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce
1 teaspoon dry mustard
1 teaspoon soy sauce
½ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
1 pinch cayenne pepper, or to taste
2 tablespoons salted butter
Gravy:
2 tablespoons salted butter
12 large white button mushrooms, sliced
1 cup diced onion
salt to taste
2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
3 cups high-quality, low-sodium beef broth
2 tablespoons ketchup
1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce
Directions
Prepare the steaks: Mix ground beef, bread crumbs, egg, ketchup, Worcestershire sauce, mustard, soy sauce, pepper, and cayenne together in a mixing bowl with a fork or your hands until well combined. Cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate for at least 2 hours or overnight.
When almost ready to cook the steaks, make the gravy: Melt butter in a large nonstick skillet over high heat. Add mushrooms, onion, and salt; sauté until nicely browned, 5 to 8 minutes. Reduce the heat to medium and add flour; cook and stir for 3 minutes.
Stir in broth, ketchup, and Worcestershire sauce. Increase the heat to high and bring to a simmer. Reduce the heat to medium and cook, stirring occasionally, until gravy thickens slightly and reduces, about 10 minutes. Taste and adjust salt as needed.
Transfer gravy to a liquid measure. Scrape the pan clean with a spatula.
Finish the steaks: Remove meat from the refrigerator and divide into four equal portions. Moisten hands and form each portion into a 1/2-inch-thick oval patty. Lightly season both sides of patties with salt.
Melt butter in the clean skillet over medium-high heat. Add patties and cook until browned, 2 to 3 minutes per side. Pour in gravy and bring to a simmer. Reduce the heat to medium and continue to cook until gravy is piping hot and steaks are no longer pink in the center, about 5 more minutes. An instant-read thermometer inserted into the center should read at least 160 degrees F (70 degrees C).
Chef's Note:
You can use the meat mixture immediately rather than wrapping and refrigerati |
Midwest Salisbury Steak
This recipe for Salisbury steak uses good quality ground sirloin and tastes wonderful. You won't have to drain any grease from the patties once they've browned. Serve over mashed potatoes, egg noodles, or rice. Simply delightful!
Ingredients
Patties:
1 pound ground sirloin
½ cup panko bread crumbs
1 egg, beaten
2 tablespoons milk
½ (1 ounce) package dry onion soup mix
1 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce
¼ teaspoon ground black pepper
Gravy:
3 tablespoons butter
2 cups fresh mushrooms, sliced
1 sweet onion, sliced
3 tablespoons all-purpose flour
½ (1 ounce) package dry onion soup mix
1 ½ cups beef stock
1 cup water
salt and ground black pepper to taste
Directions
Make the patties: Mix ground sirloin, panko bread crumbs, egg, milk, 1/2 packet onion soup mix, Worcestershire sauce, and black pepper together in a large bowl; shape into 5 patties.
Heat a skillet over medium heat. Cook patties in the hot skillet until browned, 3 to 5 minutes per side.
Make the gravy: Melt butter in a separate skillet over medium-high heat. Sauté mushrooms and onion in melted butter until tender, about 5 minutes. Stir flour and remaining 1/2 packet onion soup mix into mushroom mixture until combined. Gradually add beef stock and water, stirring continually, until simmering. Reduce heat to medium; cook, stirring frequently, until gravy has thickened, about 4 to 5 minutes. Season with salt and pepper.
Place browned patties into gravy; simmer until very tender, about 30 minutes. An instant-read thermometer inserted into the center should read 160 degrees F (70 degrees C). |
Hamburger Steaks with Creamy Mushroom Gravy
This hamburger steak recipe uses the oven to transform ground beef patties, condensed soup, and canned mushrooms into a comforting, old-fashioned meal. Serve with warm mashed potatoes and your favorite vegetable. Our family loves this inexpensive meal!
Ingredients
3 pounds ground beef
25 saltine crackers, crushed
1 cup milk
½ teaspoon black pepper
½ teaspoon salt
½ teaspoon garlic powder
½ teaspoon Italian seasoning
3 (10.5 ounce) cans condensed cream of mushroom soup
1 (8 ounce) can mushrooms, drained (Optional)
Directions
Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C).
Mix ground beef, crackers, milk, pepper, salt, garlic powder, and Italian seasoning together in a large bowl until well combined. Form into eight large patties and place into a 9x13 inch baking dish. Pour condensed soup evenly over patties, then sprinkle canned mushrooms over top. Cover the pan with a lid or aluminum foil.
Bake in the preheated oven until patties are no longer pink in the center, about 45 minutes. An instant-read thermometer inserted into the center should read at least 160 degrees F (70 degrees C).
Editor's Note:
Nutrition data for this recipe includes the full amount of gravy. The actual amount consumed will va |
Basic Salisbury Steaks
These are delicious steaks my mom used to make when I was growing up. They are easy too! They go great with mashed potatoes or white rice and have a flavorful sauce left over, almost like a gravy.
Ingredients
1 pound ground beef
⅓ cup dry bread crumbs
1 egg
1 (1 ounce) package dry onion soup mix
1 tablespoon vegetable oil
1 (10.75 ounce) can condensed golden mushroom soup
1 (10.75 ounce) can water
Directions
Mix ground beef, bread crumbs, egg, and onion soup mix together in a bowl; shape into 6 oblong patties.
Heat oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Cook patties until browned, about 5 minutes per side.
Stir golden mushroom soup and water together in a bowl; pour over the patties in the skillet. Turn patties to coat in the liquid. Bring liquid to a simmer, reduce heat to medium-low, place a cover on the skillet, and cook until steaks are very firm, hot, and grey in the center, 10 to 15 minutes. An instant-read thermometer inserted into the center should read 160 degrees F (70 degrees C).
Recipe Tip
You can substitute ground turkey for the ground beef. |
Low-Carb Salisbury Steak
The steaks are full of flavor and are good on their own! Then you add the mushroom gravy and it's beyond delicious.
Ingredients
Salisbury Steaks:
2 pounds ground beef
1 onion, diced
2 eggs
1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce
1 tablespoon dried parsley flakes
2 teaspoons salt
½ teaspoon garlic powder
½ teaspoon onion powder (Optional)
½ teaspoon ground black pepper
Gravy:
7 tablespoons butter
2 cups sliced button mushrooms, or more to taste
1 tablespoon all-purpose flour
1 cup beef broth
1 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce
½ cup sour cream
salt and ground black pepper to taste
Directions
Mix ground beef, onion, eggs, 1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce, parsley, 2 teaspoons salt, garlic powder, onion powder, and 1/2 teaspoon pepper together in a bowl. Split steak mixture into 6 portions and form into patties.
Heat a large skillet over medium-high heat. Cook patties, 3 at a time, until slightly browned on one side, about 5 minutes. Flip and cook until other side is browned, about 5 minutes more. Repeat with remaining patties, pouring off any excess liquid. Place Salisbury steaks on a plate and cover with aluminum foil to maintain heat.
Melt butter in the same skillet over medium heat. Add mushrooms and cook until golden brown, about 5 minutes. Transfer mushrooms to a bowl, reserving butter in the skillet.
Stir flour into the butter until dissolved. Pour in beef broth slowly, stirring until thickened, about 7 minutes. Add 1 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce; cook, stirring frequently, until gravy starts to thicken slightly, about 5 minutes. Add sour cream and season with salt and pepper. Cook, stirring until all sour cream is melted and gravy is light brown, about 2 minutes.
Stir mushrooms back into the gravy. Remove from heat and let cool until thickened, about 2 minutes. Ladle gravy and mushrooms over steak patties.
Cook's Notes:
Use high-fat ground beef if possible.
You can also keep steaks warm in the ov |
Simple and Flavorful Salisbury Steak
This baked Salisbury steak recipe is a simple and flavorful version of an old standby. The sauce makes wonderful gravy to serve over the meat or mashed potatoes.
Ingredients
2 pounds lean ground beef
1 cup Italian seasoned bread crumbs
2 large eggs, beaten
1 (1 ounce) package dry onion soup mix
salt and ground black pepper to taste
1 (10 ounce) can beef broth, divided
1 (10.5 ounce) can cream of mushroom soup
½ teaspoon dry mustard
Directions
Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C).
Mix together ground beef, bread crumbs, beaten eggs, onion soup mix, salt, and pepper in a large bowl until well combined. Pour in about 1/2 of the beef broth; continue mixing until mixture is thoroughly moistened. Divide into six equal portions and shape into patties.
Heat a Dutch oven over medium heat. Cook patties in the hot pot until browned, 3 to 5 minutes per side. Discard excess grease, leaving patties in the pot.
Stir together condensed soup, remaining beef broth, and dry mustard in a medium bowl until smooth; pour over browned patties in the pot.
Bake in the preheated oven until patties are no longer pink in the center, about 45 minutes. An instant-read thermometer inserted into the center should read at least 160 degrees F (70 degrees C). |
Family Beef Salisbury Steak
This family-favorite steak recipe is quick and easy. Anyone can make this, from the seasoned long-time cook to beginning newlyweds who are just building their recipe collection. I plan on giving this to my son's future wife at her upcoming bridal shower!
Ingredients
cooking spray
1 ¼ pounds extra-lean ground beef
½ cup finely chopped sweet onion
⅓ cup Italian seasoned bread crumbs
1 (14 ounce) can beef broth, divided
3 tablespoons milk
¼ teaspoon ground black pepper
¼ cup flour, or as needed
salt and ground black pepper to taste
¼ cup vegetable oil
2 (10.75 ounce) cans cream of mushroom soup
¼ teaspoon salt
¼ teaspoon ground black pepper
1 small sweet onion, or to taste, sliced thin
Directions
Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). Prepare a large casserole dish with cooking spray.
Lightly mix ground beef, 1/2 cup onion, bread crumbs, 3 tablespoons beef broth, milk, and 1/4 teaspoon black pepper together in a bowl; divide into 5 portions and shape into patties.
Season flour with salt and pepper in a wide, shallow dish. Gently lay patties into the flour to lightly coat.
Heat vegetable oil in a 10-inch skillet over medium-high heat. Fry patties in hot oil until browned completely, 3 to 5 minutes per side. Remove patties to a plate lined with paper towels to drain excess grease.
Stir remaining beef broth, cream of mushroom soup, salt, and 1/4 teaspoon black pepper together in a bowl until smooth.
Arrange drained patties into the prepared casserole dish. Spread onion slices atop the patties and pour the soup mixture over the patties to cover completely.
Bake in the preheated oven until no longer pink in the center, 45 minutes to 1 hour. An instant-read thermometer inserted into the center should read at least 160 degrees F (70 degrees C).
Cook's Notes:
This can also be made in a slow cooker instead of in the oven by moving the browned patties to a slow cooker, adding other ingredients from there, and cooking on Low for 4 to 5 hours.
This is delicious served with mashed potatoes, buttered egg noodles, or rice.
It could easily be made with ground turkey for a lower calorie alternative.
I use all msg-free products and Healthy Request brand soup, and nobody knows the difference.
I leave extra seasoning to my guests so some might not find this salty enou |
Instant Pot® Salisbury Steak with Onion and Mushroom Gravy
Just like Mom used to make, but much faster.
Ingredients
¼ cup fresh bread crumbs
¼ cup finely diced onion
1 egg
1 teaspoon dried parsley
1 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce
1 clove garlic, minced, or more to taste
1 pound ground beef
½ pound lean ground pork
2 tablespoons avocado oil
1 large onion, thinly sliced
1 (8 ounce) package sliced cremini mushrooms
¼ cup dry red wine
2 cups beef broth
1 tablespoon tomato paste
1 teaspoon salt
½ teaspoon ground black pepper
4 tablespoons beef broth
2 tablespoons cornstarch
Directions
Combine bread crumbs, onion, egg, parsley, Worcestershire sauce, and garlic in a large bowl. Stir well and add beef and pork. Mix gently and form 8 equal portions. Place patties on a plate, cover with plastic wrap, and refrigerate 1 hour. Remove from the refrigerator 30 minutes before cooking.
Turn on a multi-functional pressure cooker (such as Instant Pot®) and select Saute function. Add oil. Add patties in batches to avoid overcrowding the pot. Saute 2 minutes per side. Transfer cooked patties to a plate. Add onions to the pot and cook until brown, about 2 minutes. Add mushrooms and cook 2 minutes more.
Pour wine into the pot and stir, scraping up all the brown bits from the bottom. Add broth, tomato paste, salt, and pepper; stir well. Return cooked patties and any accumulated liquid to the pot and turn to coat.
Close and lock the lid. Select high pressure according to manufacturer's instructions; set timer for 15 minutes. Allow 10 to 15 minutes for pressure to build.
Release pressure using the natural-release method according to manufacturer's instructions, 10 to 40 minutes. Unlock and remove the lid.
Combine 4 tablespoons broth and cornstarch in a bowl and stir until dissolved. Add mixture to the pot slowly, stirring constantly. Select Saute function; cook until thickened, about 5 minutes.
Cook's Notes:
Refrigerating the patties before cooking them is optional, but it does help the flavor.
The gravy will be fairly thin. Add an additional 1 tablespoon corn starch and 2 tablespoons broth for a thicker gr |
Smothered Hamburger Steak
Warning: can become habit-forming and a weekly regular on your kitchen table. Good change of pace from traditional burgers, great served with mashed potatoes or rice. It's so easy to tweak and add your own twist to this meal. Good Southern comfort food.
Ingredients
2 eggs
2 tablespoons minced onion
1 tablespoon beef base
½ teaspoon black pepper
3 slices white bread
2 pounds lean ground beef
1 (10.75 ounce) can condensed cream of mushroom soup
1 (10.75 ounce) can water
1 dash Worcestershire sauce
Directions
Whisk together the eggs, onion, beef base, and pepper in a bowl. Tear the bread into large pieces, and place into the bowl. Let the bread soak for a few seconds and add the ground beef. Mix the meat into the egg-bread mixture, and form into 8 patties.
Heat a large heavy skillet over medium-high heat, and fry the patties until they are browned and the meat is no longer pink in the center, about 8 minutes per side. Set the patties aside.
Remove the excess grease from the skillet, and whisk the mushroom soup, water, and Worcestershire sauce together in the skillet until smooth. Place the patties back into the skillet, spoon sauce over them to cover, and bring to a boil over medium-high heat. Reduce the heat to a simmer, and cook until the sauce is thickened and the flavors have blended, about 20 minutes.
Cook's Note
To make this dish in an electric skillet, set the skillet to 350 degrees F/175 degrees C for simmeri |
Easy Salisbury Steak
My mom would make this for us growing up. It was one of those easy dinners that we all loved to eat at the family table. Now we are still passing it down. My 17-month-old daughter LOVES this recipe. You can add other vegetables if you want (i.e. green onions, fennel, mushrooms, etc.). It can also be made with ground pork.
Ingredients
1 pound ground beef
½ cup rolled oats
1 egg, beaten
2 tablespoons Worcestershire sauce
2 tablespoons ketchup
2 tablespoons water
1 ½ teaspoons dried minced onion
½ teaspoon salt
¼ teaspoon ground black pepper
1 large onion, sliced into rings
1 (10.75 ounce) can condensed cream of mushroom soup
1 (10.75 ounce) can milk
Directions
Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C).
Mix ground beef, oats, egg, Worcestershire sauce, ketchup, water, dried minced onion, salt, and pepper in a bowl until evenly combined; shape into 6 oval-shaped patties.
Heat a large skillet over medium heat. Cook patties in hot skillet until browned completely, 2 minutes per side. Transfer browned patties to a baking dish.
Top patties with onion rings. Stir mushroom soup and milk together in a bowl; pour over patties. Cover baking dish with aluminum foil.
Bake in preheated oven until firm, hot, and grey in the center, about 45 minutes. An instant-read thermometer inserted into the center should read 160 degrees F (70 degrees C). |
Scrumptious Salisbury Steak in Mushroom Gravy
This simple, hearty dish will remind you of Sunday dinners at grandma's house. This is my husband's all-time favorite meal. The recipe makes plenty of gravy, so serve with mashed potatoes or buttered noodles.
Ingredients
1 pound ground beef
1 egg
3 tablespoons crushed buttery round cracker crumbs
2 tablespoons finely chopped onion
½ teaspoon salt
½ teaspoon pepper
¼ teaspoon poultry seasoning
2 (4 ounce) cans sliced mushrooms with juice
3 tablespoons butter
3 tablespoons all-purpose flour
3 cups milk
3 cubes beef bouillon
Directions
In a medium bowl, mix together the ground beef, egg, cracker crumbs, onion, salt, pepper and poultry seasoning using your hands. Shape into 6 patties about 1 inch thick.
Fry the patties in a large skillet over medium-high heat for 3 to 4 minutes per side, or until browned. Drain off grease, and remove patties to a platter; keep warm.
Melt the butter in the same skillet, and add the mushrooms. Cook and stir for about 2 minutes. Sprinkle the flour over, and mix in until blended. Stir in the milk and beef bouillon. Cook and stir over medium heat until smooth and starting to thicken. Return the patties to the gravy and cook over low heat, uncovered, for 10 minutes, stirring occasionally.
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Hamburgers with Mushroom Gravy
Simple and delish! Serve the hamburgers and mushroom gravy immediately over mashed potatoes, rice, or noodles.
Ingredients
1 ½ pounds ground beef
1 egg, beaten
½ cup panko bread crumbs
¼ cup finely chopped onion
1 (10.75 ounce) can condensed cream of mushroom soup
1 (14 ounce) can beef consomme
Directions
Combine ground beef, egg, panko bread crumbs, onion, and 1/4 cup cream of mushroom soup in a large bowl. Divide beef mixture evenly into 6 portions; shape each portion into a 1/2-inch-thick patty.
Heat a large nonstick skillet over medium-heat. Cook the burgers until browned, 3 to 4 minutes on each side.
Whisk together remaining cream of mushroom soup and beef consommé in a bowl until smooth. Pour mixture over patties, then reduce heat to low. Simmer until patties are no longer pink in the center, about 20 minutes. |
Amish Salisbury Steak
First had this version of Salisbury steak at an Amish church in rural Ohio. I will never forget the delicious smell of that church kitchen! After a little questioning, a kind woman gave me the recipe. Great for a plan-ahead meal.
Ingredients
1 pound ground beef
1 cup milk
1 cup crushed saltine crackers
1 onion, finely chopped
1 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon ground black pepper
1 (14.5 ounce) can cream of mushroom soup
Directions
Mix ground beef, milk, crackers, onion, salt, and black pepper in a bowl. Shape mixture into a narrow loaf and place onto a baking sheet. Cover and refrigerate, 8 hours to overnight.
Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C).
Heat a large skillet over medium-high heat. Cut loaf into 1-inch thick slices and sear in the hot skillet until browned, 2 to 3 minutes per side. The inside will still be pink. Arrange slices in a roasting pan. Spread mushroom soup over steaks.
Bake steaks in the preheated oven until mushroom soup is bubbling and meat is no longer pink inside, about 1 hour. An instant-read meat thermometer inserted into the center of a meat slice should read at least 160 degrees F (70 degrees C).
Tips
We like to supplement the gravy by adding additional fresh mushrooms and onion slices. You can use French onion soup instead of cream of mushroom but skip the teaspoon of sa |
Sorta Salisbury Steak
This is a somewhat altered version of the original, thus the name. Everybody loves it! Water may be used in place of beef stock.
Ingredients
3 tablespoons vegetable oil
1 cup all-purpose flour, divided
6 (4 ounce) cube steaks (pounded round meat)
1 large onion, sliced into strips
2 cups beef stock
2 tablespoons Worcestershire sauce
Directions
Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C).
Heat the oil in a Dutch oven, or deep iron skillet. Dredge steaks in some of the flour, reserving the rest of the flour. Brown steaks in the oil a few at a time, and remove to a plate. When all of the steaks are browned, place a layer of sliced onions into the Dutch oven, and alternate layers of steak and onion. Pour in beef stock and Worcestershire sauce.
Cover, and bake for 2 hours in the preheated oven. Remove steaks and onions from the pan, and whisk in 2 tablespoons of the remaining flour. Bring to a boil over medium heat, and cook, stirring until thickened. Serve steaks and onions with gravy with mashed potatoes or noodles. |
Broiled Salisbury Steaks
These Salisbury steaks are flavorful and very moist. Nothing like the shoe leather served in cafeterias and frozen dinners. These steaks go wonderful served with a Belmont sauce.
Ingredients
1 pound extra-lean ground beef
2 tablespoons minced onion
2 tablespoons minced green bell pepper
1 tablespoon finely chopped fresh parsley
1 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon paprika
1 clove garlic, minced
¼ teaspoon ground black pepper
¼ pinch dried thyme leaves
all-purpose flour, or as needed
1 tablespoon oil, or as needed
Directions
Set oven rack about 6 inches from the heat source and preheat the oven's broiler. Line a baking sheet with aluminum foil.
Mix ground beef, onion, green bell pepper, parsley, salt, paprika, garlic, black pepper, and thyme together in a bowl; divide into 4 portions and shape into patties. Arrange patties on the prepared baking sheet. Dust both sides of patties with flour and brush with oil.
Broil in the preheated oven until steaks are cooked through, 4 to 8 minutes per side. An instant-read thermometer inserted into the center should read at least 160 degrees F (70 degrees C).
Cook's Note:
Substitute 1/8 teaspoon garlic powder for the fresh, if desir |
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