Chesapeake Bay Sausage & Crab Stuffing

http://www.delish.com/recipefinder/chesapeake-bay-sausage-crab-stuffing-recipe

I have to say I am really excited about this recipe.  I am madly in love with stuffing!!!  I found a recipe online a few minutes ago that I am soooooooo making this week. 

1 package(s) (16-ounce) dry corn bread mix

2 tablespoon(s) butter
1 tablespoon(s) garlic, minced
1/2 cup(s) celery, diced small
1 yellow onion, diced small
1 red bell pepper, diced small
1 pound(s) Andouille or chorizo sausage, cut into small cubes
1 pound(s) jumbo lump crabmeat, drained and picked of shells
2 eggs, beaten
1 cup(s) clam juice
1 cup(s) chicken broth
1 1/2 tablespoon(s) Chesepeake Bay-style seasoning

1.Prepare corn bread mix according to the packaging. Cool and crumble into a large metal bowl.

2.Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Grease a 13" x 9" glass casserole dish.
3.In a large skillet melt butter over medium high heat. Sauté garlic, celery, onion, and pepper until tender. Add sausage and crabmeat and continue to cook for 5 minutes, stirring gently so as to not break up the crabmeat.
4.Pour ingredients into crumbled cornbread and add the eggs, clam juice, chicken broth, and seasoning. Mix well and pour into greased casserole dish. Bake for 30 minutes and serve.

Food Everyday - Fresh Flavor Fast

Today I bought, yet again, a new cookbook. I couldn't resist.  I am a very sick individual.  I am a stress shopper, so the last place I need to end up is ANYWHERE there is cooking magazines or cookbooks.  The more I looked through the cookbook the more excited I got.  There are so many wonderful recipes.  I can't wait to start cooking!!  This is my first recipe to try:

Salmon With Braised Napa Cabbage

(Original Recipe)

4 Slices Bacon, Cut Into 1" Pieces

1 1/2 Pounds Skinless Salmon Fillet, Cut into 4 Pieces (Lengthwise & Then Crosswise)

1 Napa Cabbage - Halved, Cored, & Thinly Sliced Crosswise

3 Tablespoons White Wine Vinegar

In a large, deep skillet with a tight fitting lid, cook bacon over medium heat until crisp, turning occasionally, 5 to 8 minutes.  With a slotted spoon, transfer to a paper towel lined plate to drain.  Pour off all but 2 tablespoons rendered fat from skillet.

Raise heat to medium-high.  Season salmon on both sides with salt and pepper.  Cook until browned, 1 to 2 minutes per side (salmon will finish cooking later).  Transfer salmon to a plate.

Put as much cabbage into skillet as will fit; add vinegar.  Cover; cook, tossing occasionally, adding more cabbage as it wilts.  Once all cabbage has been added, cook, covered, until tender, 10 to 12 minutes.  Season with salt and pepper.

Stir in bacon, and place salmon on top.  Cover; cook until salmon is opaque throughout, 3 to 5 minutes.  Divide cabbage mixture among 4 plates, top with salmon, and serve.



Mediterranean Pizza With Whole Wheat Crust

http://find.myrecipes.com/recipes/recipefinder.dyn?action=displayRecipe&recipe_id=1980248&adsqs=raid:1990411

I was looking around for a different recipe and this is what I came across.  I am actually scared to DEATH to use yeast - ugh!  I would really like to make this crust though.  Allen doesn't like artichokes, so that would have to be left off, but other than that everything looks really yummy!  I am really trying to put more veggies in my diet but for some reason my brain puts the brakes on every time.  Below is the recipe:

2 tablespoons honey
1 1/2 teaspoons dry yeast
2 tablespoons warm water (100° to 110°)
1 tablespoon olive oil
1 cup all-purpose flour
1/4 cup whole wheat flour
3/4 teaspoon salt, divided
1/3 cup cold water
Cooking spray
2 teaspoons cornmeal
1 plum tomato, thinly sliced
1 teaspoon olive oil
1/2 cup chopped red onion
1 small zucchini, thinly sliced
4 garlic cloves, minced
2 tablespoons chopped fresh basil, divided
2 tablespoons chopped fresh oregano, divided
1/4 teaspoon black pepper
3/4 cup (3 ounces) pre-shredded part-skim mozzarella and provolone cheese blend
1/2 cup crumbled feta cheese with basil and sun-dried tomatoes

Combine first 3 ingredients in a large bowl; let stand 5 minutes. Stir in 1 tablespoon oil. Lightly spoon flours into dry measuring cups; level with a knife. Stir flours and 1/2 teaspoon salt into yeast mixture. Gradually add 1/3 cup cold water, stirring until dough forms a ball.


Turn dough out onto a lightly floured surface. Knead until smooth and elastic (about 2 minutes). Roll dough into a 9-inch circle on a lightly floured surface. Place dough on a 12-inch pizza pan coated with cooking spray and sprinkled with cornmeal.

Cover and let rise in a warm place (85°), free from drafts, 1 hour or until doubled in size.

Place tomato slices on paper towels; let stand 5 minutes.

Preheat oven to 400°.

Heat 1 teaspoon oil in a large nonstick skillet. Add onion, zucchini, and garlic; sauté 4 minutes or until tender. Add 1 1/2 tablespoons each of basil and oregano; sauté 30 seconds. Drain. Stir in 1/4 teaspoon salt and pepper. Set aside.

Crimp edges of dough with fingers to form a rim; coat with cooking spray. Bake at 400° for 9 to 10 minutes or until lightly browned. Sprinkle crust with 1/2 cup cheese blend. Top with vegetable mixture. Sprinkle with 1/4 cup cheese blend. Place tomato slices on top of cheese. Sprinkle with feta cheese and remaining basil and oregano. Bake an additional 6 to 7 minutes or until crust is golden. Serve immediately.

Halloween Treats

This morning I was really excited.  My Dad called early and asked if he could pick up little man to take him for a few hours.  Well duh - he will be ready in 5 minutes...LOL!! 


I started sorting out the items I had purchased the day before to make: "Owl-ween Treats"


http://www.southernliving.com/food/holidays-occasions/halloween-desserts-treats-recipes-00400000054823/




I bought: Oreos, M&M, Candy Corns, 3 different bottles of Halloween sprinkles, milk chocolate, and (what I thought was) Moon Pies.  Apparently I bought "Marshmallow Pies" which are basically the same thing but they are much smaller.  There is no way possible that I could fit 2 Oreos on the cookie.  UGH - so I gave up and called my "Mommy" to complain...LOL.  She told me she had seen "Moon Pies" at Target - how neat that she remember that.  Slight hope started to weasel its way into my negative mood and I decided to go to Target when little man woke up from his nap.  Off we go to Target.  We picked out Halloween shirts for little man and my niece, we looked at toys, and then we went to get Moon Pies.  Guess what? NO MOON PIES!  They didn't even have the Marshmallow Pies.  Sooooo $64 later, we had shirts, movies, and NO Moon Pies.
 
At this point, I decided to just decorate the Marshmallow Pies I had already purchase.  By doing this, I have found that decorating is a lot more complicated than I thought.  How hard is it really to decorate chocolate covered marshmallow cookies?  Apparently, for me, pretty hard!

UPDATE:

I FOUND MOON PIES!!! Whoo Hoo!!  Boy did these things turn out!  So simple and everyone who ate them (and likes moon pies) loved them.

http://www.angelarecipe.com/Owl-Ween_Treats.html

HALLOWEEN PROJECT

Thinking - thinking - thinking......DECISION!
Ok this is the plan.  I have NEVER been much on making crafty creative baking items.  My sister is really the one who does that.  I don't know why but I am starting to get an itch to do some.  They just seem fun and silly.  I guess I am also getting a little more comfortable with baking and melting chocolate.  Any-whoo...I asked my sister today if she would like to help me with my new project.  I plan on creating a page for "Holidays" - starting with Halloween.  I want to make 10-15 different Halloween Treats and post them on my site.  We will see how it all unfolds!!

Gooseberry Patch - Halloween

I saw a magazine on the wrack at the grocery store that I have never purchased.  The cover looked so neat I couldn't resist (I would like to think that I tried really hard to resist, but I'm not sure if that is the case.)  For the sake of my husband - I tried really really hard...LOL! 

There is one recipe, for a fact, that I am going to make this year.  I always say I am going to make a festive recipe, but normally I do not....that is my sister.  She is very crafty when it comes to neat little snacks that look like corn, or heart, oh how about the age of her child as give-a-ways for her birthday.  Don't get me started - she is super Mom when it comes to that stuff.  We like to go to Aunt Shell's how to get crafty cause Mommy is a dud!!!!!  Ok back to the recipe:

BABY GHOSTS

Microwave 12 ounces of white chocolate in a microwave safe bowl on high 60 seconds, stirring every 15 seconds, until smooth.  For each ghost, dip three-quarters of a peanut-shaped peanut butter cookie (pretty sure they are called nutter-butters) in the melted chocolate.  Top with 2 mini chocolate chips for eyes.  Place prepared ghosts on wax paper and refrigerate to set.

I am telling you these are the cutest things I have EVER seen.  They seem so simple to make.  I will make the BEFORE Halloween and post a picture so you can see what I am talking about.

UPDATE:

Not only are these things too cute - they are sooooooooooooo yummy!!!  I don't think I can make these often...I ate too many of them!

http://www.angelarecipe.com/Baby_Ghosts.html



DIXIE DELI

I just bought a Food & Wine cooking magazine (September's Issue).  I like Food & Wine but I don't have a lot of their magazines.  I am really enjoying this issue.  I read a layout they did on "Dixie Deli".  His food looks sooooooo yummy.  The deli is located in Carrboro, North Carolina (makes me want to visit). 

http://www.foodandwine.com/articles/dixie-deli

Things that look tasty off his menu:
 - Grilled Zucchini & Tomato Sandwich
 - Hot Dogs With Cheddar & Sauteed Apples
 - Meatball & Provolone Subs
 - Watermelon Salad With Mint & Lime
 - Herb-Roasted Pork Subs With Garlicky Spinach
 - Oversized Breakfast Biscuits
 - Neal's Deli Smoky Pastrami

I love the different ideas and combinations people come up with.  I think that is why I enjoy cooking so much - it is almost as though you can never run out of ideas and new recipes to try.  Just when you think there isn't another way to make a biscuit or serve a hot dog, someone comes up with a neat idea.  I never get tired of going out to dinner and getting ideas for what I can do at home.  It feels weird when you get something and the first thing that comes to mind is - I could make this at home and it would taste better.