A Cook's Quest

I can not believe that a month has gone by since my last post!  The month of August has FLOWN by like a whirlwind, and I now find myself adjusting to a new school schedule.  In addition to the start of school, it is also time for another round of the Secret Recipe Club . This month, I was assigned to Bewitching Kitchen written by Sally who is originally from Brazil and has traveled the world.  If you want recipes that feature fresh and healthy ingredients this blog is for you.  I was struggling to choose a recipe because all of Sally's recipes look mouth watering!  I finally settled on the Roasted Heirloom Tomato Tart that she adapted from Just a Smidgen because tomatoes are in abundance right now, and I believe that anything that calls for puff pastry is destined to be delicious! I was not wrong!  This tart was delicious with the creamy cheese and sweet summer tomatoes atop the light and crispy puff pastry.  I was not able to locate ...

For a few months I have been following a couple of blogs that participate in The Secret Recipe Club .  It is a private group of bloggers who are each assigned a blog to make a recipe from.  Everyone posts the recipe they chose at the same time on the same day as the rest of the group.  It looked like a lot of fun and a great way to find new food blogs with great recipes.  This is my first time participating and I have to say it was a lot of fun! The blog I was assigned is called Enriching Your Kid  and it is full of wonderful recipes that taste good and are good for you and your family.  The author is writing about her journey as she makes her mother's recipes and nourishes her family.  Her recipes range from nourishing pasta dishes loaded with delicious veggies to fruit salads and tips about packing great cold lunches.  I have quite a few of her recipes marked to make soon but I chose the Cheese Cutlets to make first because they w...

I have a little confession to make.  There is a certain  national fast food chain that makes chicken nuggets that I will eat whenever I can justify it.  There is nothing healthy or good about them and after reading the ingredient list I should be utterly appalled, vowing to never consume them again.   But, something about how they taste, their crispy texture and the bar-b-que sauce I dip them in makes me crumple and I consume them all along with the fries and a diet soda. Yes, I admit I not only eat the nuggets but I also buy them in a combo meal.   Unfortunately all three of my kiddos also love these bites of fried, over-processed goodness too.  It is not something I am proud to admit. Do I endorse this kind of eating?  Absolutely not. It goes against all the changes I have been trying to make for the health of my family. But what is a girl to do when the nugget craving hits not only her but the entire family?  Well come up with a recip...

Ok everyone, if you gave me this recipe please fess up!  I don't know where it came from, I found it scribbled onto a piece of paper, shoved into a purse that I dug out of my closet from last year, but I am so glad I found it! This dip is EASY, TASTY, VERSATILE and SIMPLE!  Change the cheese and type of salsa to suit your taste. A great dish to take to get togethers, but if there is a large crowd I suggest making double it goes fast!  Easy Mexican Dip (Sorry No Photo again) Recipe Source: I don't know... 1 pound ground sausage...use whatever you like best 1 package cream cheese 3/4 cup grated cheese (monteray jack or pepper jack is best) 1 jar (16 oz) salsa 1 clove garlic 1/2 cup fresh onion chopped Tortilla Chips Crumble and brown your sausage in a sautepan.  When almost done, add onion and garlic cooking until soft.  Add cream cheese, allowing the cheese to melt.  Add the grated cheese and salsa stirring to combine.  Serv...

There are occassions that sometimes require really good food regardless of the price.  I have rules for these occassions, 1)I have to get at least a taste of the fabulous food, 2) Others eating the food have to really appreciate it so this usually excludes children (though mine love most of these dishes) and 3) The food has to include ingredients that I don't use everyday.  There aren't many occassions like this, but I thought my book club would be a perfect time for one such recipe. Once a month I get together with a group of women for a book club.  Like my really good food rules, there are a few book club rules, 1) Everyone brings food, 2) Everyone brings a drink of choice, and 3)No men or children. The result is easy conversation--sometimes about the book we read--a lot of laughter and most importantly relaxation from busy lives.  Often we start and end the evening gathered around the food; last night was no exception.  The...

Ok, we're here.  Phase three--cooking actual meals.  I guess, the chicken broth from phase two could be a meal, but I don't consider broth to be a mouth watering, appetite satisfying, type of food.  Up first in this phase, are Egg Rolls, a perfect place to use some of the chicken I made for the Chicken Challenge.  Egg rolls are something I love to eat, but hate to pay for.  I mean, come on, they are just veggies and some meat, wrapped in a wonton wrapper and fried.  Why do they have to cost an arm and a leg? I found this recipe at A Thrifty Mom , the author Sarah is amazing at making her budget stretch and I knew I wanted to make this recipe as soon as I saw it.  Sarah told me, "I came up with it as a twist on my Mother in laws recipe for Fried Wantons....I love egg rolls but hate to pay over $1.50 each for them at our local take out restaurant. I realized they would be rather simple to make...and you can feed a whole family at a fraction of t...

One of the ladies at work was nice enough to bring hummus and pita chips to work on Friday. I love hummus and found myself wanting more once the weekend started. Traditionally made with chickpeas, tahini, garlic and lemon juice and sometimes flavored with ingredients like spicy jalapenos, roasted garlic and red peppers hummus is a creamy, delicious concoction that tastes wonderful on just about anything from carrot sticks to tortilla wraps. Well, I didn’t have any chickpeas or tahini on hand so I decided to try making my own dip that had the feeling of hummus and could satisfy my craving. The result was this tasty combination that my kids devoured and I found myself sneaking into multiple times when no one was watching. Don't be afraid to play with the flavors.  You can easily use something other than peppers to add flavor, add whatever you love.  This would be a great dish to take to a party or a potluck and is very easy on the checkbook! Roasted Red Pepper Bean D...