BLTA with Garlic Mayonaise

It gets plenty busy around here during the week and sometimes we just need a simple, quick dinner.  This one generally pleases our entire family and is not too overwhelmingly processed and unhealthy which can be a problem when you need fast, fast, fast!  This can be thrown together in an instant!  It’s sort of a non-recipe, really… but, hey, I was hungry…

BLTA WITH GARLIC MAYONAISE

Ingredients:

Sliced French Bread (or your favorite kind of bread)

1-2 Large Tomatoes, washed and sliced

1-2 Avocados, sliced

Romaine Lettuce, washed and torn

Your Favorite Bacon, cooked (we like the thick cut Applewood smoked stuff)

For the Mayo:

1/2-3/4 Cup Your Favorite Mayonaise

3 Tsp Garlic Paste

Juice of one large lemon

Salt and Black Pepper to taste (I used about 1/2 Tsp each)

Directions:

1.  Mix all the mayo ingredients together well and refrigerate at least 15-30 minutes ahead of time.

2.  Toast French Bread

3.  Assemble sandwiches per your taste.

Black Truffle Oven Crisp Fries

I’m baaaaaack!  I took a little hiatus from blogging (but not from cooking) as this new year has started off as quite a doozy!  I’m hoping that the Foodie Family has a nice, peaceful remainder of 2012 – and hope I didn’t just jinx us by putting that in print!

Now, onto the matter at hand…  I made this recipe on Baby Foodie’s first birthday as he is a BIG FAN of the French Fry.  I stumbled upon a spice store on one of our little adventures and among the wonderful booty I came away with was Black Truffle Salt.  Oh.  Em.  Gee.  (Can I actually write that on a food blog?)  Anyway, I just love this stuff.  The Salt.  The Truffle.  The Togetherness.  It was love at first taste (sniff, really.)  Perfecting a crunchy oven-baked french fry has been on my to do list for a while.  I’ve played with this a lot in the past and have come up just sort of shrugging my shoulders – just okay.  Crispy, but not crispy enough.  I knew I had to get it right to use some of my truffle salt goodness on them.  And, I finally did!

Mr. Foodie really liked these and requested them again.  And again.  Foodie, Jr. was not interested in them as they did not come in a little red paper container with golden arches on them.  Baby Foodie was all over them and was a very happy ONE YEAR OLD!

BLACK TRUFFLE OVEN CRISP FRIES

Ingredients:

1 Ib. Russet Potatoes, peeled

1-2 TBS Vegetable Oil

Cooking Spray, such as Pam

Black Truffle Infused Salt, to taste

Directions:

1.  Preheat oven to 400 degrees (ovens may vary, so you may want to play with the temp.)

2.  Slice potatoes lengthwise, making thin strips.

3.  In a bowl, toss the potatoes with the oil, be sure to coat well

4.  Spray a cookie sheet with cooking spray and spread potatoes out in a single layer.

5. Bake the fries for 15 minutes, then toss.

6.  Bake for about 10 minutes more, until you reach your desired crispness.

7.  Remove fries from oven and immediately sprinkle with Black Truffle Salt to taste.

Baked Kale Chips with FAGE Garlic Basil Dip

As part of the Foodbuzz Tastemaker’s Program, I have agreed to participate in the FAGE Total program and blog about good living in exchange for being entered to win an extraordinary eight day trip to Greece.

I have been using the FAGE products for quite a while and love them.  I’ve been on a quest lately to make some changes to our family diet.  One of Mr. Foodie’s biggest downfalls is potato chips.  It amazes me how many chips he can down in a sitting!  So, in an effort to make a change, I thought I would try some kale chips.  I am a big fan of kale generally, but I wasn’t sure exactly how Mr. Foodie would feel about them.  To my surprise, he really liked them and munched on them through the evening.  While the chips are a great snack on their own, I thought I’d try to create a little dip for them using some FAGE yogurt I had on hand in the event I ever wanted to use these ‘chips’ at a gathering.  It was a simple dip and I thought it complemented the chips very nicely.  If you haven’t tried these very popular morsels yet and are trying to work on a healthier lifestyle for yourself and family, I really recommend giving them a try.  They might not taste just like the junk food chips you are used to but they are definitely a tasty snack!

BAKED KALE CHIPS WITH FAGE GARLIC BASIL DIP

Ingredients:

1 Bunch of Kale, washed and dried (any variety is okay)

1 TBS Olive Oil (you can add more to your taste)

Sea Salt, to taste

Fresh Cracked Black Pepper, to taste

3 TBS Fage Total 0% Greek Yogurt

Fresh Garlic Paste, to taste

Fresh Basil Paste, to taste

Water

Directions:

1.  Preheat oven to 300 degrees and line cookie sheet with parchment paper or foil sprayed lightly with cooking spray.

2.  Remove all stems/ribs from kale then toss in olive oil.

3.  Place kale on cookies sheet in a single layer.  You want to minimize the overlap as to reach maximum crispness.  Season with salt and pepper as desired.

4.  Bake kale for 20-30 minutes.  Ovens will vary so continue to check until they reach your desired crispiness, be careful not to let them burn.

5.  While the chips are baking, combine yogurt, basil and garlic in a small dipping dish.  Mix together well, adding tiny amounts of water to thin the sauce out a bit.  The yogurt tends to be thick and sometimes the kale chips will break off into it.  Thinning it out makes dipping easier – it does not take much water to do this, maybe a few drops.

7.  When chips are done, remove from oven and sprinkle with additional salt and/or pepper if desired.  Let cool and serve immediately.

“As part of the Foodbuzz Featured Publisher program, I have been entered for the chance to win a trip to Greece courtesy of FAGE. You too can enter to win one of three trips to Greece by entering the FAGE Plain Extraordinary Greek Getaway here: http://www.fageusa.com/community/fage-greek-getaway“

Cranberry Jalapeno Sauce

Or ‘cranapeno’ sauce?  Whether you go with the long drawn out name in the title or the cutesy nickname I gave it, it tastes the same – good.  I’ve known a lot of people over the years who make a version of this and I generally put my feet up and let someone else make the cranberry sauce for Thanksgiving but this year, I thought I’d give it a try.  (Frankly, I did not even start eating any kind of cranberry sauce until maybe five years ago, it never did anything for me.)  And though I now love my beloved can-shaped, congealed, whatever that is that graces family tables every year (I know, I know) this kicks butt on that.  I love the sweet heat of this sauce and can’t wait to try it with my bird tomorrow.  Confession?  I can’t wait to try in on my leftover turkey sandwiches after Thanksgiving.  Even bigger confession?  I will probably dump this on cream cheese or ricotta and eat it with crackers before it even takes it’s place on the table next to that stinkin’ bird.  So, from my table to yours, I hope you have a really great Turkey day and relish is all the things you are most thankful for.  Oh, and if you need something to be thankful for – make this.

Okay, so once I threw the jalapeno in, I just loved the festive color of the dish.  It made me want to start playing Christmas carols, almost.  So, I wanted to share this photo because well, I thought it was pretty.

CRANBERRY JALAPENO SAUCE

1 12 oz Bag of Fresh Cranberries, washed

1 Cup Water

1 Cup White Sugar

1-3 Jalapeno Peppers, cleaned, seeded and chopped (This pepper amount is dependent on how big of a spicy kick you want your sauce to have.  I used one larger one and one medium one and liked it just fine.)

Juice from 1/2 a Lime

1/4 Cup of Cream Sherry

Directions:

1.  Add sugar and water to a sauce over medium-high heat and bring to a slow boil.

2.  Add cranberries and lower heat, simmer for 10-12 minutes.

3.  Add Jalepenos and lime juice and continue to simmer another 10-15 minutes, until you get the consistency you want.

4.  Add in Cream Sherry and simmer a few minutes longer.

5.  Remove from heat and serve either room temp or chilled.

Cali Roll Salad To Go

Foodie Jr. LOVES California Rolls.  He would eat them all day, every day, if I let him.  He isn’t too fond of salad though.  This was my attempt to compromise with him on a very busy night that had us on the go.  We keep a pretty busy schedule around here and being able to whip these up while he was at school for quick assembly  at dinner time was a big help.  I normally would make these with real crab but I had the surimi on hand the day I made these and no time to get to the store to buy lump crab meat.  (Shrimp would be just fine to use as well.)   Foodie Jr. will eat them either way, so I luck out there.  I do not think this is an earth shattering recipe or anything, but it might be a helpful idea to some, especially busy families.  You could easily replace the crab with tofu or simply load it with more avocado if you do not like seafood.  Mr. Foodie and I enjoy these as well and they make for a great, light meal or a quick appetizer for a gathering.  I generally make a platter of them at a time but it is fun to let your guests make their own as well.

CALIFORNIA ROLL SALAD TO GO

Ingredients:

-Lump Crab Meat (flaked) or Surimi (chopped), lightly tossed with Japanese or regular mayonaise.

-English Cucumbers, peeled, sliced thin and marinated in Mirin (or rice wine vinegar)  and black pepper for a few hours

-Avocado, chopped or slice per your preference

-Nori Komi Furikake (Japanese Rice Seasoning)

-Hearts of Romaine, broken in half to form a sort of lettuce cup to hold salad

Directions:

1. Layer ingredients onto romaine lettuce cup, I usually go crab, avocado, cucumber and top with furikake.

Blackberry Chipotle Glazed Pork Ribs

Since BBQ season is sort of coming to a close, I thought I’d post a rib recipe Mr. Foodie and I made recently after we found ourselves with a refrigerator full of blackberries.  (Oh, the sales!)  I actually got this recipe out of a local grocery store handout and was quite enticed by the picture and the word ‘glaze’.  This came out good, with a balance of sweet and smokey flavors.  Mr. Foodie liked it a bit better than I did, I thought there was a little bit too much tang but I suppose this would also depend on the berries used so this recipe could vary batch to batch.  It was different and a nice alternative to our regular rub with BBQ sauce.  Enjoy these last few weeks of summer and get out there and grill!

BLACKBERRY CHIPOTLE GLAZED PORK RIBS

Ingredients:

3 Racks of Baby Back Pork Ribs

For Spice Rub:

1/4 Cup Paprika

2 TBS Sugar

1 1/2 TBS Chili Powder

1 1/2 TBS Salt

1 TBS Ground Black Pepper

1 TBS Garlic Powder

1 Tsp Cayenne Pepper

For The Glaze:

1 TBS Olive Oil

1 Cup Diced Onion

3 Garlic Cloves, chopped

1 TBS Chipotle Chilis in Adobo, seeds removed and chopped

3 6 oz. Packages of Blackberries

1/2 Cup Balsamic Vinegar

1/2 Cup Sugar

1 Tsp Salt

Directions:

1.  Mix all spice rub ingredients in small bowl and rub mixture onto each side of rib racks.

2.  Cover ribs with plastic wrap and refrigerate for at least 2 hours, or overnight.

3.  In a medium saucepan, over medium-high heat, cook the onion until soft, about 4 minutes.

4.  Add the garlic, saute for 1 minute and then add the chipotle chilies and stir constantly for 1 minute.

5.  Add blackberries, balsamic vinegar, sugar and salt and then stir until well blended.

6.  Bring blackberry mixture to a boil, stirring frequently.

7.  Reduce heat to low and simmer until reduced to 1 1/2 Cups, about 35 minutes.

8.  Remove from heat and place in blender and puree for about 2 minutes, until smooth.

9.  Strain to remove seeds.

10.  Grill Ribs about 20 minutes over indirect heat.

11.  Brush the glaze on both sides of each rib rack and turn to baste about every ten minutes.

12.  Repeat the basting process 2-3 times, until the ribs are cooked through.

13.  When meat pulls away from the bone, ribs are done.

14.  Take ribs off the grill and let rest about 1o minutes, covered in foil before serving.

Elote

Elote is a Mexican street food – basically corn on the cob.  You may see it frequently being sold in some neighborhoods by people pushing little metal carts.  I really liked having my grilled corn like this, it gave it a nice creamy flavor with a little punch.  (Mr. Foodie said it was a little too creamy for his taste.)    It would be a little bit rich to have your corn this way all the time, but it was a nice addition to our little weekend BBQ feast.

ELOTE

Ingredients:

4 Ears of corn, still in husks but silk removed

1/4 Cup Melted Butter

1/4 Cup Mayonaise

Juice of 1/2 Lime

Crumbled Cotija Cheese

Hot Mexican Chile Powder

Lime Wedges

Directions:

1.  Grill corn in husks about 15-20 minutes, turning at least once during cooking time.

2.  While corn is grilling, mix melted butter, mayonaise and lime juice until well blended.

3.  Remove corn from grill, remove or pull back husks and spread butter mixture onto corn.

4.  Sprinkle with desired amount of chile powder and cotija cheese before serving with lime wedges.

Mexi-Dog

With the summer upon us and everyone out there grillin’ and chillin’, I’ve noticed a lot of hoopla surrounding hot dogs.  I subscribe to a good amount of foodie magazines and hot dogs seem like a big summer topic.  Not just what brand of hot dog is the best but what kind of toppings to put on your dog.  I have to admit, the first time I saw all the topics on a Chicago style hot dog, I was repulsed.  There was just too much going on for me.  But that was years ago and I’ve gotten more adventurous with my hot dogs since then!  Mr. Foodie and I decided to fire up the grill for lunch and do hot dogs.  He chose to go with a BBQ Bacon Cheese Dog, which is topped with exactly what it sounds like – bacon, bbq sauce and cheese.  I decided to get my creative juices flowing and came up with this Mexi-Dog.  I actually enjoyed it a lot.  It was definitely a step in a more interesting direction than my usual hot dog, which usually has some ketchup on it…maybe.

MEXI-DOG

Ingredients:

Your favorite type of hot dog, grilled

Bun (I suppose you could go really Mexican and use a tortilla but I didn’t.)

Toppings:

Avocado, diced

Onion, diced

Bacon Pieces

Jalapenos (seeded), grilled then diced

Mexican Crema

Cotija Cheese, crumbled

Directions:

1.  Place hot dog in bun (or tortilla) and top with as much or as little of the topping ingredients as you like.

KC Masterpiece Buffalo Chicken Lumpia

I recently received a bottle of the new K.C. Masterpiece Buffalo Marinade through the Foodbuzz Tastemaker  Program.  Mr. Foodie and I both love buffalo sauce so I was excited to make something with this new marinade.  One of my favorite things to do in the kitchen is to come up with fusion recipes, I love taking the unexpected and putting them together.  I decided to make some buffalo chicken lumpia, a Filipino version of the spring roll.  We generally abide by the ‘anything fried is good’ rule around here and this was no exception.  The crispiness of the lumpia wrapper collided with the creaminess of the filling and it worked.  We enjoyed it.  We used three different dipping sauces – ranch dressing, the K.C. Masterpiece Buffalo Marinade, and a combination of the two.  Mr. Foodie loved dipping them in more of the marinade and I really liked the marinade/rancho combo.  Thank you to Foodbuzz and KC Masterpiece for the opportunity!

KC MASTERPIECE BUFFALO CHICKEN LUMPIA

Ingredients:

4 Boneless, Skinless Chicken Breasts

1 Bottle of KC Masterpiece Buffalo Marinade

1 Packet of Ranch Dressing Seasonings

1 8 oz. Tub of Cream Cheese

50 Lumpia Wrappers

Water, for sealing lumpia

Vegetable oil for frying

Directions:

1.  Mix about 2/3 of the marinade with one packet of ranch dressing seasoning, set aside.

2.  Place chicken breasts in crockpot, cover with marinade/dressing mixture and heat on high for 5-6 hours.

3.  Once chicken is done, shred finely with forks and let cool completely.

4.  Let frozen lumpia wrappers thaw for about an hour (or per package directions, which may vary from brand to brand.)

5.  Once chicken is completely cooled, mix in cream chese.  (I did this by hand to get it mixed in really well.)

6.  Place about a tablespoon of chicken mixture on one end of the lumpia wrapper, rolling and folding in sides until formed.  Seal with water.

7.  Heat vegetable oil in skillet over medium heat.

8.  Fry lumpia in oil until golden brown, let cool slightly before serving with desired dipping sauce.

Rub-a-Dub-Dub for Ribs

Raw Ribs with Rub

Grilled!

We like to BBQ year round at our house.  (BBQ’ing around here usually goes something like this:  I prepare all the foods and bring them to Mr. Foodie to put on the grill and then he diligently asks me if I think they are done yet.  When I say yes, he takes them off and I put them on the table.)  One of my favorite things to BBQ is baby back ribs, the only ribs Mr. Foodie will eat.  I always use a rub on the rack and let it sit in the fridge overnight.  While cooking, we baste with our favorite BBQ sauce towards the end of cooking to get a nice glaze.  This is my rub recipe, it’s a little spicy for some but we like a little heat.  This makes enough for two racks of baby back ribs.

RIB RUB

Ingredients:

6 TBS Brown Sugar

3 TBS Each Salt, Black Pepper and Paprika

2 Tsp Garlic Powder

Directions:

1.  Combine all ingredients in a bowl and mix thoroughly.

2.  Remove the membrane from each rack of ribs.

3.  Generously rub mixture into the rib racks, on both sides.

4.  Cover each rack with foil and refrigerate overnight.

5.  Grill as you would your normal ribs, basting several times towards the end of cooking with your favorite bbq sauce to get a good glaze.