FIRE!!!!!!! (Note to self...get chimney cleaned)

FIRE!!!!!

Call 911!!!!

Yup, thats what I woke up to this morning!!!

(NOTE TO SELF... get chinmey cleaned!)

Fire Department is on the way!

Well I guess that's one way to get it cleaned for free!  hehe





Hash brown Casserole Via Everyday Mom's Meals

I Love my Fb Foodie Friends! <3

Sometimes all you have to do is ask and you shall receive!  That is exactly why I Love my Fb Foodie friend!  I was in need of this recipe and sure enough, my friend at Everyday Mom's Meals sent it right over for me!!!!  Isn't she great!!!!  You ought to stop by and check her out BTW.  Anyway, I didn't want to lose it so here it is.  Picture to follow!



Hashbrown Casserole:
32 oz. frozen diced potatoes
8 oz. sour cream
1/2 c. chopped onion
1/2 c. melted butter
1 can cream of chicken soup
1 tsp salt
1/2 tsp pepper
2 c. sharp cheddar cheese, shredded

Combine first 6 ingredients. Mix well. Add potatoes. Pour into a greased 9x13 baking pan. Bake 40 minutes at 350. Remove, sprinkle w/ cheese. Bake 5 additional minutes or until cheese is melted.

Utica Riggies True Utica New York Flavor

This Recipe comes straight from one of my home town boys.

He is from Utica and this is one of the home town favorites.

He was talking about Riggies and posted a picture on our Utica Fb page

https://www.facebook.com/groups/264250363591428/?notif_t=group_activity

Well anyone who has been hanging out with me knows I just have to

ask...Wheres the recipe?????

Well Kevin , (that's his name...Kevin lol) I am so thankful you passed this on to

 us!!!!

Let me know what YOU think!

Big <3

Utica Riggies

Long hot & cherry peppers at a 2:1 ratio. 

Mixed Sweet peppers & green peppers at a 3:1 ratio

Diced GarlcFresh Onion
Cora Medium pitted olives
Sliced Baby bella mushrooms
Chicken broth
Heavy cream
Chicken

In a pan:
- Saute garlic onions and some of the diced hot peppers in olive oil until the garlic is golden.
- Add chicken and brown it.
*then add to sauce pot

In a sauce pot:
- Saute garlic onions and some of the diced hot peppers in olive oil until the garlic is golden.
- Add your Marinara (I usually cheat with my Red sauce. I like Classico 4 cheese, spicy red pepper, tomato & basil, etc. You can mix & match.) - Add 1 can chicken broth, 1 can pitted olives (juice & all, I don't drain it) 
- Add heavy cream until the color is right.
- Add sweet peppers. (Red/yellow /orange will make the sauce sweeter, green will not.)
- Add mushrooms. 
- Add, add basil, oregano, parsley, and cayenne & crushed red pepper to taste.
- Bring sauce to a boil and then let simmer for @ an hour. The longer it simmers the more tender the peppers and chicken will be.

Here is another version that I think you might like too....
http://www.ridiculousfoodsociety.net/2011/11/chicken-riggies-reloaded.html

CHICKEN PICCATA * (PROFESSIONAL RESULTS FOR THE BEGINNER COOK)*

CHICKEN PICCATA

Sometimes you just need a quick and easy dish that is sure to impress...This is the one!  I do have a couple more that I'll share with you later, but for now enjoy one of my favorites!  Big <3 

INGREDIENTS

4 CHICKEN CUTLETS

2 T. VEGETABLE OIL

1/4 C. DRY WHITE WINE (USE GOOD STUFF)

1 t. garlic, minced

1/2 C. chicken broth

2 T. fresh lemon juice

1 T. capers drained

2 T. butter

Fresh lemon slices

chopped fresh parsley

Heres how you do it!

1-Season cutlets with salt and pepper, then dust with flour.

2-Coat a saute pan with vegetable oil and heat over med. high heat.

3-Saute cutlets 2-3 minutes, flip and saute on the other side for 2-3 minutes.

4-Transfer cutlets to a warm plate.

5- Deglaze pan with wine and add garlic.

6-Cook until garlic is lightly brown and liquid is almost evaporated, about 2 minutes.

7-Add broth, lemon juice and capers and lemon slices.

8- return cutlets to pan for about 3 minutes.

9-Transfer cutlets back to plate.

10-Finish sauce with butter.

11- Once butter melts plate chicken with some sauce and garnish with cooked lemon slice and fresh parsley.

As you can see I like to serve mine with seasoned wild rice and mixed veggies

 (normally I serve with California blend but I was out so ya just make do!)

I hope you enjoy this as much as we do!  <3

IRISH SODA BREAD 'CAUSE I'M ALL ABOUT QUICK AND EASY!

I don't know about you but I am a anything bread foodie!!!!  That and pasta, but I tell you about that later!  I Love home baked bread, but some times I just don't have the time to make it!  Well here is the solution...It's quick and easy ( I know, I know...always quick and easy!) and very yummy!

Ingredients

• 4 cups all-purpose flour
• 4 tablespoons white sugar
• 1 teaspoon baking soda
• 1 tablespoon baking powder
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1/2 cup margarine, softened
• 1 cup buttermilk
• 1 egg
• 1/4 cup butter, melted
• 1/4 cup buttermilk

Directions

Preheat oven to 375 degrees F (190 degrees C). Lightly grease a large baking sheet.

1. In a large bowl, mix together flour, sugar, baking soda, baking powder, salt and margarine. Stir in 1 cup of buttermilk and egg. Turn dough out onto a lightly floured surface and knead slightly. Form dough into a round and place on prepared baking sheet. In a small bowl, combine melted butter with 1/4 cup buttermilk; brush loaf with this mixture. Use a sharp knife to cut an 'X' into the top of the loaf.
2. Bake in preheated oven for 45 to 50 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted into the center of the loaf comes out clean, about 30 to 50 minutes. You may continue to brush the loaf with the butter mixture while it bakes.

NUTELLA BANANA BRUSCHETTA

 

 

Ingredients

1 small loaf whole-wheat French bread
1/2 jar Nutella
1 banana, peeled and thinly sliced
1-2 Tbsp brown sugar
Sea salt

Directions

Preheat the broiler or, if your oven doesn't have a broiler, heat oven to 450°F.

Heat a dry nonstick frying pan or griddle over medium heat.

Cut the bread 1/4 inch thick on an angle to make long, thin slices. Toast the bread in the frying pan for 2 minutes on each side, until lightly toasted. Remove from the pan and set on a tray or counter top.

Smear each slice of bread on one side with a bit of Nutella. Top each with 3-4 slices of banana. Sprinkle on a tiny bit of brown sugar. Place the bread slices on a sheet pan, and put the pan under the broiler for a minute or longer, depending on the strength of your broiler (mine is infrared, so it takes less than a minute), until the sugar is just melted.

Remove sheet pan from the oven and sprinkle each bruschetta with sea salt. Let sit for 5 minutes before serving.

SPECIAL THANKS TO THE PERFECT PANTRY <3

HOW TO MAKE FETA CHEESE

Do you Love Feta Cheese as much as I do?

If so you will enjoy this recipe....

Have fun with it ...

Here is a little FYI on it first....



 

• 1/2 tsp Calcium Chloride Liquid (30%)
• 1/4 tsp Mesophilic A Cheese Culture
• 1/8 tsp Lipase Enzyme Powder (mild)
• 1/2 tablet Rennet Tablets (microbial)
• 1 gallon whole milk

Dissolve lipase powder in 2 Tablespoons distilled water. Combine milk with calcium chloride and lipase powder in a 6 quart or larger pot. Gently stir milk and heat to 90° F. Remove pot from heat. Sprinkle culture over milk surface and let rehydrate for 1 or 2 minutes. Gently and thoroughly stir culture into milk.

Note the time and add rennet by mixing it into milk with an up and down motion for about 1 minute. Monitor gel development. (See: Test for gel development)

Cut curd into ½ inch pieces. It is okay if they are not perfect cubes. Let the curds heal for 5 minutes. (See: How to Cut Curd)

Maintaining a temperature of 90°F, stir the curds gently for 20 minutes. Allow the curds to settle for 10 minutes.

Drain the whey into the sink, keeping the curd back with your free hand.

Divide and scoop the curds into two small ricotta baskets or berry baskets (like the green pint–sized in which strawberries are packaged).

Place one basket on top of the other and place on a tray to catch the whey. Press for 30 minutes. Remove the top basket, turn the cheese over in each of the baskets and switch baskets, placing bottom basket on the top this time. Press 30 minutes. Repeat this sequence 2 more times, allowing 1 full hour between switches this time (for a total of 3 hrs. of pressing).

Remove the cheese from the baskets and place them on a draining mat overnight at room temperature with cheesecloth loosely covering them.

Prepare a heavy brine solution of ½ gallon of water, 1 lb. flaked salt, 1½ teaspoons calcium chloride solution and 1 teaspoon vinegar. Heat and stir until salt is dissolved. Cover and allow to cool to room temperature until needed.

Next day, cut the Feta cheese into 1 ½" - 2" cubes and place into cooled brine. Place the brine into your aging refrigerator for 6 hours.

Meanwhile, prepare a pickling brine of 1 quart hot water, 3 oz. flaked salt, ¾ teaspoons calcium chloride solution and ½ teaspoon vinegar. Stir until dissolved and refrigerate at your aging temperature.

After 6 hours, remove the cheese from the heavy brine. It will have formed a firm rind.

Place blocks of cheese into a clean 1 quart jar and fill with the pickling brine to the top. Place a lid on and store in your aging refrigerator up to 1 year. The temperature for aging can be anywhere from your regular refrigerator up to 55°F.

If the cheese is exposed to air in the jar, it may mold. Just cut the mold off and make sure the cubes stay submerged in the pickling brine.



(LEMON PEPPER CHICKEN STIR FRY ON WILD RICE) I LOVE QUICK AND EASY!

LEMON PEPPER CHICKEN STIR FRY

Ingredients

2 - large chicken breasts

1 - bag frozen Chinese vegetables

2 - boxes Uncle Ben's wild rice

lemon pepper season

DIRECTIONS

RICE

*start cooking rice according to box directions

CHICKEN

*cut up chicken into small even pieces

*season with lemon pepper season (about 2 tsp.)

*fry in hot pan 2 min. per side

*rinse vegetables in water till thawed....then drain

* add vegetables into pan with chicken 

*stir and saute' till veggies are tender and chicken juices run clear.

SEE ALL DONE!!!! SO EASY AND SO QUICK!!!

love it!!!!



BIG MAC Todd Wilber make over

Do you want to eat fast food without the guilt? Chef and author Todd Wilbur has made over some of your favorite drive-thru meals into healthier dishes that still taste the same! Enjoy one of your favorite guilty pleasures – the hamburger – with half the fat and 150 fewer calories than the original.

Make your favorite fast-food meal for fewer calories in the comfort of your home. Only 12 g of fat!

Ingredients

Burger 

1/4 lb super lean ground beef

1 1/2 whole wheat sesame seed buns

1 tsp finely diced white onion

1/2 cup chopped lettuce

2 slices low-fat American cheese

2 dill pickle slices

Olive oil

Dash of salt

Dash of pepper

Sauce 

1/8 cup low-fat mayonnaise

1/2 tbsp low-fat French dressing

1 tsp sweet pickle relish

3/4 tsp minced white onion

1/4 tsp white vinegar

Dash of salt

Directions:

Form ground beef into patties and thinly coat a sauté pan with olive oil before placing patties in pan to cook.

Cook patties on high for 2 minutes on each side.

Combine mayonnaise, French dressing, relish, vinegar and 3/4 tsp minced onion in bowl and mix into sauce. Add a dash of salt for flavor.

Assemble burger, toppings and sauce on sesame bun, and enjoy. For a special treat, make it a double-decker!



KFC® Original Recipe Fried Chicken*Todd Wilbur's version

Todd Wilbur's version of KFC® Original Recipe Fried Chicken*

This recipe is for deep frying. If pressure frying, cooking time will be shortened to 12 to 14 minutes.

1 frying chicken cut into 8 pieces

Brine

8 cups water
1/3 cup salt
1 tablespoon MSG

6 to 10 cups soybean oil (vegetable oil)

Breading

9 ounces all-purpose flour
1 tablespoon plus 1 teaspoon salt
1 tablespoon MSG (monosodium glutamate)
2 teaspoons granulated sugar
2 teaspoons ground tellicherry pepper
1/2 teaspoon ground white pepper
1/2 teaspoon paprika
1/2 teaspoon ground savory
1/2 teaspoon ground sage
1/4 teaspoon ground ginger
1/4 teaspoon ground majoram
1/4 teaspoon onion powder
1/8 teaspoon garclic powder
1/8 teaspoon ground cayenne pepper

Dredge

4 eggs
2 cups skim milk

1. Dissolve 1/3 cup salt and 1 tablespoon MSG in 8 cups water. Add chicken and marinate for 2 hours. Remove chicken from brine, rinse with water and blot dry.
2. Heat oil in a deep fryer to 300° F.
3. Make the breading by combining all ingredients in a large bowl.
4. In a separate bowl, beat the eggs and then stir in the milk.
5. When the oil is hot, dip each piece of chicken in the egg and milk mixture and then press into the breading. Toss each chicken piece in the breading until well-coated, let chicken sit for 2 minutes in the breading, shake off the excess breading and fry 2 to 4 pieces at a time (or whatever your fryer can hold) for 18 to 20 minutes or until the chicken is golden brown. Drain chicken on a rack for at least 5 minutes before serving.

TIDBITS

If you want to keep the chicken warm until it's all cooked, place the fried pieces on a rack on a baking sheet and keep them in your oven set to 200° F.

*Recipes by Todd Wilbur taken from CMT's Top Secret Recipe have not been reviewed for accuracy or endorsed by the applicable restaurant or food service provider.

(FUDGE BROWNIE TARTLET) I must have chocolate on my mind

Every now and then I go nuts over chocolate. 

 I don't mean "oooo I want some" type nuts,

I mean "ooooooooooooooo I GOTTA HAVE SOME" type of nuts. 

So instead of caving in to my frenzie, I start checking out recipes online. 

 Well here is one I found that I have tried before and its sooooo yummy!!!!

and of course, EASY

Big <3

Ingredients

• 1/2
  cupbutter, softened
• 1
  3 ounce packagecream cheese, softened
• 1
  cupall-purpose flour
• 1/2
  cupsemisweet chocolate pieces
• 2
  tablespoonsbutter
• 1/3
  cupsugar
• 1
  egg, beaten
• 1
  teaspoonvanilla
• Macadamia nuts, hazelnuts (filberts), almonds, or walnut pieces (optional)
• Chocolate Butter Frosting (below)

Directions

 

1. For pastry, in a medium bowl, combine the 1/2 cup butter and the cream cheese. Beat with an electric mixer on medium to high speed for 30 seconds. Using a wooden spoon, stir in flour. Cover and chill dough about 1 hour or until easy to handle.

2. Shape dough into 24 balls. Press each ball evenly onto the bottom and up the side of an ungreased 1-3/4-inch muffin cup.

3. Preheat oven to 325 degrees F. For filling, in a small saucepan, combine chocolate pieces and the 2 tablespoons butter; heat and stir over low heat until melted. Remove from heat. Stir in sugar, egg, and vanilla. If desired, place a macadamia nut, hazelnut (filbert), almond, or walnut piece and about 1-1/2 teaspoons of the chocolate mixture into each dough-lined muffin cup.

4. Bake for 20 to 25 minutes or until pastry is golden and filling is puffed. Cool tartlets in muffin cups on wire racks for 5 minutes. Carefully run a knife around the edge of each muffin cup to remove tartlets from pans. Transfer tartlets to wire racks and cool.

5. Pipe or spoon Chocolate Butter Frosting onto tartlets. If desired, top with additional nuts. Makes 24 tartlets.

From the Test Kitchen

• Make Ahead Tip Prepare as directed through step 4. Place cooled tartlets in a single layer in an airtight container; cover. Store in the refrigerator for up to 3 days. (Or place cooled tartlets in a freezer container; cover. Freeze for up to 3 months.) To serve, thaw tartlets, if frozen. Continue as directed in step 5.

Chocolate Butter Frosting

Ingredients

• 1/4
  cupbutter, softened
• 1/4
  cupunsweetened cocoa powder
• 3
  cupssifted powdered sugar
• 2
  tablespoonsmilk
• 1
  teaspoonvanilla

Directions

In a large bowl, beat butter with an electric mixer on medium to high speed until smooth. Beat in unsweetened cocoa powder. Gradually add 3/4 cup sifted powdered sugar, beating well. Slowly beat in milk and vanilla. Gradually beat in 2-1/4 cups sifted powdered sugar. Beat in enough additional milk, 1 teaspoon at a time, to reach piping consistency.