The Saucy Bird

Pomegranate Hot Spiced Apple Salsa

2009-11-20T13:41:00.004-05:00

I’m not sure if anything says "Holiday" more than the smell of warm cinnamon and fresh apples. Especially when it is cold outside, the warm smell of cinnamon is one of the most comforting things I know. It magically brings memories of family to mind and somehow makes you feel like everything is right with the world.

There is always an abundance of apples this time of year and one of my favorite things is the spiced apple rings. I love those vivid red cinnamon spiced rings. They can turn any meal into a work of art.

We eat them on almost everything this time of year. We cut them up and stir them into warm oatmeal, or pour them over pancakes and waffles in the morning. Sometimes we eat them cold with cottage cheese for lunch. My favorite is this Pomegranate hot spiced apple salsa with a crispy pork chop. Just delicious!!!!

You are probably used to seeing applesauce served along side pork, but have you ever thought of trying some spiced apple salsa?

Not only are apples plentiful but so are POM Wonderful pomegranates. If you have never had fresh pomegranates, don’t be intimidated. There is a lot of good information on the POM Wonderful sight. It really takes no time to make, and brings a bit of the unexpected to a familiar dish.

Pomegranate Hot Spiced Apple Salsa

2 Granny Smith Apples, peeled, cored and diced
8 oz. fresh POM Wonderful pomegranate juice
2 tablespoons honey
2 tablespoons light brown sugar
2 cinnamon sticks
1 teaspoon black peppercorns
1/4 teaspoon kosher salt
1/4 cup Fresh Pomegranate arils

In a small saucepan over medium heat add stir together the all ingredients. Reduce heat to low and continue cooking stirring occasionally, until mixture has thickened and apples are tender. Stir in pomegranate arils and serve hot with chicken, lamb or pork.　

POM Wonderful Pomegranate Juice

2009-11-11T17:08:00.005-05:00

This week the people from POM wonderful contacted me and sent me a case of delicious 100% POM Wonderful pomegranate juice. When I was a child we had a pomegranate tree in our neighborhood and would spend a lot of time opening and eating the ruby red averils hidden inside the fruit. We called them Chinese Apples. If any of you know why we called them Chinese Apples I’d love to know.

What we didn’t know then was we were eating one of the earliest cultivated fruits and that some believed that it was the pomegranate, not the apple, that Eve tempted Adam with in the Garden of Eden.

I am so happy that we have pomegranate juice now, saves a lot of red stained fingers. And, did you know, arterial plaque is decreased by up to 30% if you drink just 8 oz. of the tangy juice a day?

I’ve been experimenting with the juice and the whole fruit last week and I will be posting some of those dishes in the weeks to come.

For now, go out and get yourself some POM Wonderful Pomegranate juice………it’s good for you!

Cuban Holiday Ham

2009-10-16T09:44:00.003-04:00

Summer is hanging on here in Florida. Feels like temperature today is going to be something like 90 degrees. There is a small cold front moving in this weekend and I'm really looking forward to cooling off, even if it is just for a day or two.

I often make a ham when the weather is hot just so I can use the leftovers during the week. No heating up the kitchen for me, especially when I am patiently waiting for Fall to arrive.

Before we know it the Holiday's will be here and I thought I would share with you my recipe for this Cuban Holiday Ham. It combines some of my favorite Florida flavors oranges, limes and cola. Not only does it taste good, it looks great too!

CUBAN HOLIDAY HAM

1 6-8 Low Sodium Ham
2 Florida Oranges
2-3 Limes
Several Cinnamon sticks
Salt and Fresh ground Black Pepper
1 Tablespoon ground cumin
1 teaspoon apple pie spice
1 12 ounce can cola
1/4 cup dark rum
1/4 cup golden raisins

Preheat oven to 350 degrees

Remove ham from package, rinse and pat dry. Slice oranges and limes into 1/4 inch thick slices. Stack a lime slice on top of each orange slice. Place the fruit stacks onto the ham and secure each with a cinnamon stick.

In a small bowl mix together the cumin, apple pie spice, cola and rum. Pour half of the mixture over the ham, season with salt and pepper.

Place the ham in the preheated oven and bake for 1 hour, basting every 2o minutes. Remove from the oven and let set 15 minutes before serving.

Meanwhile, add the remaining marinade and raisins to a small saucepan over medium heat. Cook gently until thick and bubbly. Transfer the sauce to a small bowl and serve with the ham for passing.

Summer Squash Casserole

2009-08-19T09:09:00.007-04:00

When people talk about comfort foods I usually think about cold weather food like mac and cheese or chicken soup. Who says we have to wait for fall to have some good old fashioned comforting food?

This squash casserole is one of my favorite summer time dishes and it makes good use of the yellow crook neck squash that is so abundant. I like to add zucchini when I have it, just to add a little color but it is equally as good with out it.

There is nothing particularly creative or new about this casserole recipe, it's just plain delicious. It is a great side dish that goes with any main course. It' s a crowd pleaser and I have yet to find a kid that doesn't ask for seconds.

Summer Squash Casserole

2 tablespoons canola oil
2 pounds yellow squash, cut into 1/2 inch thick 1/2 moons
1 small yellow onion, diced
1 (10 ounce) can creamy chicken mushroom soup
1 cup mayonnaise
1 tablespoon spicy brown mustard
2 eggs
2 cups shredded sharp cheddar cheese
2 cups fresh bread crumbs

Heat the oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Add the squash and onions. Cook 5 to 6 miutes or until tender.

Meanwhile, combine the soup, mayonnaise, mustard, eggs and 1 1/2 cups cheddar cheese in a large mixing bowl. Add the cooked squash and gently mix until well combined.

Pour into a 2 quart casserole dish and place in a 350 degree oven. Bake 15 minutes.

While casserole is baking, combine the remaining cheese and bread crumbs. After casserole has baked 15 minutes, spread the bread crumb mixture evenly on top and continue baking 15 to 20 minutes or until crumbs are golden brown and casserole is hot and bubbly. Let cool 15 minutes before serving.

Smokey Spanish Turkey and White Bean Flatbread Melt

2009-08-02T09:59:00.008-04:00

When I was grocery shopping this week I stumbled upon this great managers sale on fresh Turkey Breast, only $1.79 per pound. What a deal!!!

A lot of times you can get a great deal on whole breasts in the summer because most people think of turkey only around the holidays. I love to get a whole turkey breast in the summer and roast it off. Then I can keep the leftovers in the fridge and have some quick week night meals ready to go.

And the best part is that you only have to heat the kitchen up once. Quick, easy and cool just my kind of summer meal.

Look for a manager's sale in your own local market. There are always some great sales going on and with this recipe in your back pocket you'll have no problem using up a whole breast!

Smokey Spanish Turkey and White Bean Flatbread Melt

2 tablespoons olive oil
1 small onion, diced

1 cup fresh or frozen whole kernel corn
1 tablespoon chili powder
1 tablespoon smoked paprika
1 15 oz. can white beans, rinsed and drained
1 cup diced roasted turkey breast
6 10 inch flat bread wraps
4 cups fresh baby spinach
1 cup shredded sharp cheddar
1 cup shredded manchego cheese

Heat the oil in a medium skillet over medium heat. Add the onion, corn, chili powder, and paprika. Saute 8 to 10 minutes or until onion is softened. Stir in the white beans and turkey breast, heat through. Remove from pan, wipe skillet clean with paper towels.

Return skillet to medium heat. Place on flat bread in skillet and top with some cheddar cheese, spinach, turkey mixture, manchego cheese and top with a flat bread wrap. Cook until lightly toasted, about 4 minutes. Carefully turn and toast the other side. Remove from pan and cut into wedges. Serve warm and enjoy!

Wild Salmon and Broccoli Mini Frittata

2009-07-24T09:54:00.003-04:00

You might think that a Heart Healthy lifestyle means giving up some of the things that you really love, like eggs and cheese for example. Well, I am here to tell you that there are so many great tasty products on the market today, that with a little creativity you can still have your eggs and eat them too!

These Wild Salmon and Broccoli Mini Frittatas are a perfect example. They are made with packaged salmon, frozen broccoli and egg beaters. And the Creamy Scallion Sauce is something that you can use for a lot of different things.

Make some of these this weekend, keep them in the fridge and you'll have a quick healthy grab and go breakfast all week. Try chopping them up and stuffing them in a whole wheat pita spread with the scallion sauce.

Wild Salmon and Broccoli Mini Frittatas with a Creamy Scallion Sauce

1 tablespoon olive oil
4 green onions, sliced
2 cups egg beaters

2 tablespoons 1 % milk
1/2 teaspoon fresh ground black pepper
1 (5 oz.) pouch wild salmon, cut into thin strips

1 (10 oz.) box frozen chopped broccoli, thawed

1/2 cup non fat plain yogurt

3 oz. neufachatel cheese (low fat cream cheese) softened

Pre-heat oven to 400. Heat the oil 10-inch non-stick skillet over a medium heat. Add 1/2 of the onions and saute until tender.

Combine egg beaters, milk, and pepper in a large bowl. Whisk well, stir in the salmon, broccoli and sauted onion. Spray a jumbo muffin pan with cooking spray and divide the egg mixture evenly among the cups. Place in pre heated oven and bake 35 to 45 minutes or until eggs are firm.

Whisk together the yogurt, cream cheese. Stir in the remaining green onions.

Serve the frittatas with a dolop of the creamy scallion sauce. Or, spread the sauce inside a whole wheat pita, chop the frittatas and serve as a breakfast sandwich.

Sweet Potato, Broccoli and Black Bean Hash

2009-07-21T10:21:00.004-04:00

So, I was out Blog Jogging the other day and found a blog somewhere that had this delicious looking dish displayed. I'm sorry to say that I can't remember where I saw this but the image stuck in my head and was driving me crazy so I just had to attempt it.

I'm not sure how the original recipe was made or if this is even a close reproduction, all I know is that I really liked it. The Fly Rod Gawd however, well lets just say he ate it.

I did this in a single skillet on top of the stove so it was a snap to make. I really like the way the chili seasoning that I used on the sweet potato, flavored the entire dish. It was also a great looking dish. Very colorful and very healthy!

Chili Spiced Sweet Potato, Broccoli and Black Bean Hash

2 Tablespoons olive oil
1 large sweet potato
2 tablespooons chili powder
1 (10 oz) box frozen broccoli florets
1 (15 oz) can black beans, rinsed and drained

Peel and cut the sweet potato into 1/4 inch thick slices, then cut each slice into 4 wedges. Heat the oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Add the chili powder and cook 1 minute, swirling the pan to incorporate the chili powder in the oil. Add the sweet potato and cook 6 to 8 minutes or until. Add the broccoli florets and beans. Reduce heat to low and continue cooking until vegetables are tender.

Cuban Chicken and Black Bean Orzo Salad

2009-07-07T09:36:00.006-04:00

The summer is always a challenge to keep my family eating healthy, it's just too easy to stop by the nearest fast food place. As much as we enjoy the occasional burger, I try to keep things like this Cuban Chicken and Black Bean Orzo Salad on hand to stop temptation in her tracks!

It's easy to make up a big batch and keep in the fridge. It just seems to get better the longer it sits. I love the way the tangy dressing soaks into the black beans and orzo. And the crunch from the fresh sweet corn........woooweee! that's some good eatin'

I baked up a batch of boneless skinless chicken thighs for this dish, but you could easily make it with a rotissere chicken from your local deli, or you could use Tyson's Southwestern Chicken Strips. Any way you choose the result is a crispy, tangy refreshing dish perfect for a quick dinner. It is a great dish to take to a cookout, or pack up the leftovers for a refreshing lunch box treat.

Cuban Chicken and Balck Bean Orzo Salad

1 box orzo
1 lb boneless skinless chicken thighs
1 tablespoon chili powder
2 tablespoons canola oil
1/2 cup diced green bell pepper
1/2 cup diced onion
2 teaspoons dried oregano
2 cups fresh sweet corn (use frozen if you must)
1 (15 oz.) can black beans, rinsed and drained
2 tablespoons key lime juice
1/4 cup orange juice
salt and fresh ground black pepper to taste
4 cups fresh spinach leaves

Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Season chicken thighs with chili powder, place on a baking sheet and bake 20 to 25 minutes or until done. Cut into bite sized cubes.

Meanwhile, cook orzo according to package directions, drain.

Heat the oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Add the bell pepper and onion, cook 4 to 5 minutes or until vegetables begin to soften. Add oregano, corn and black beans. Heat through, stir in cooked orzo and chicken. Add key lime juice and orange juice, contiue cooking until all liquid is absorbed. Season with salt and pepper.

Refrigerate for at least 1 hour. Just before serving fold in spinach leaves.

Oven Baked Sweet Potato Fries

2009-07-01T15:05:00.007-04:00

Just how many ways can you make sweet potatoes? For most people, sweet potatoes are one of those holiday only items. You know what I mean, like green bean casserole, we only have them on special occasions. It's a shame we don't have them more often given their amazing health benefits.

I won't bore you with in depth research on the power of sweet potatoes, some things you'll just have to trust me with. Lets just say that The Fly Rod Gawd and I are going to be eating alot more of these delicious taters!

These oven baked fries are really easy. I think the hardest part of them is cutting them. Sweet potatoes tend to be very hard so be sure to use a really sharp knife and be careful! If your diet can include salt, try using the chili salt recipe in my earlier sweet potato chip post. But, if you are watching your salt try them with my smokey seasoning. Equally delicious and I promise you won't miss the salt..................trust me!

Oven Baked Sweet Potato Fries

2 medium sweet potatoes, peeled
2 tablespoons olive or canola oil
1 tablespoon ground cumin
2 teaspoons smoked paprika
2 teaspoons fresh ground black pepper
1 fresh lime

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Line a baking sheet with foil.

Carefully slice the sweet potatoes into sticks or wedges and add to a large bowl. Add the oil, cumin, smoked paprika and black pepper. Toss to coat.

Spread in a single layer onto the foil lined pan. Place in the oven and bake 25 to 30minutes or unitl done. Remove from the oven and squeeze the lime juice over the hot fries.

Heart Healthy Smoothie

2009-06-17T09:08:00.012-04:00

So here I am again, finally finding the time to write about one of my favorite things----FOOD!

I had to take some time away from all things bloggy, The Fly Rod Gawd's mom had open heart surgery and taking care of them took up more time than I had. But, here I am again happily blogging away and with a new found spirit. Through all of the doctors,tests, hospitals and nurses, I realized just what an important part food really plays in our lives.

When I first realized that we were going to have to have some more heart friendly meals I thought we were going to be doomed to unsalted tasteless cardboard with a side of steamed stryfoam. But, what I have realized is that creating heart friendly meals is really not as hard as I thought.

Here is a quick cardio friendly smoothie that is perfect for an on the go breakfast, lunch or snack. Try it and let me know what you think!

Banana Pumpkin Pie Smoothie

1 cup pumpkin puree

1 very ripe banana

2 teaspoons pumpkin pie spice

1/2 cup non fat plain yogurt

1/4 cup 1 % milk

2 teaspoons honey

Place all ingriedients in a blender and blend until smooth. Add more milk if you like it thinner and more honey if you like it sweeter!

Sweet Potato Chips with Chili Salt

2009-01-21T09:30:00.007-05:00

Can you think of anything more tasty than a thin, crispy french fried potato? How about thin, crispy french fried sweet potato chips?

A few years ago, The Fly Rod Gawd and I were visiting St. Michaels in Maryland and we stopped at this great restaurant whose name I can't remember. It was one of those great evenings that no matter how hard you try, you just can't recreate.

As we were sitting in the dinning room, looking out over the Chesapeake, our waiter brought us a plate of fresh sweet potato chips. We had never had crispy sweet potato chips before, but as soon as we tried them we wondered where they had been all our lives!

Not only were we lovn' the chips, but just as our dessert was being served a Barbershop quartet that was having dinner at the same time broke out in song!

It was such a wonderful night and one that we will never forget.

You will be surprised at how easy these chips are to make and everyone seems to love them. They can take on a lot of different flavors, but we like them with a spicy chili salt and a lime sour creme.

Sweet Potato Chips with Chile Salt

6 cups Canola oil
2 tablespoons sea salt
1 tablespoon chipotle pepper powder
1 lime
8 ounces sour creme
2 large sweet potato

Heat the oil in a heavy bottom pan to 375 degrees.

Mix the salt and chipotle pepper in a small bowl, set aside. Add the sour creme to a small bowl and mix in the juice and zest of the lime, set aside.

Peel and slice the sweet potato very thin. Fry the sweet potato's in batches until golden brown. Remove with a slotted spoon to drain on paper towels. Immediately season with the chili salt. Serve with the lime sour creme for dipping.

Honey Wheat Pizza Dough

2009-01-14T09:03:00.004-05:00

This week, I have been trying to decide what to do for Superbowl Sunday. I need something to serve that is easy and basically self serve, but I didn't want to just do buffet food. Of course I'll have the usually line up of snacks and finger foods but for the main event, I wanted to do something fun. What I came up with is a pizza bar. Everyone loves pizza right?

My challenge is to find a way to make it a little bit healthier but still have a great tasting pizza. This week I have been playing around with whole wheat bread dough and I think I have finally come up with a winner. By adding a little more honey and some garlic to the dough, the result was a hearty dough with a lot of flavor. The best part, is that it also made a really good sandwich roll as well.

I'm not sure who will be playing in the big game, but I do know that the pizza bar at The Saucy Bird will be open for business!

Honey Wheat Pizza Dough

1 1/2 cup water, warmed to 110°F
1 packet active dry yeast
1 teaspoon sugar
3 1/2 cup whole-wheat flour
1/2 cup all-purpose flour
2 teaspoons salt
1/4 cup honey
4 cloves garlic, minced
2 tablespoons olive oil

Lightly coat a large bowl with olive oil and set aside. Combine the water, yeast, and sugar in a small bowl and set aside. Combine flours and salt in a large bowl. Add the yeast mixture, honey, oil and garlic, stir until dough begins to form -- it will be slightly sticky. Transfer to a lightly floured surface and knead until dough is smooth but still tacky -- about 10 minutes. Form the dough into a ball and transfer it to the prepared bowl, turning to coat all sides. Cover with a clean, damp kitchen towel and let rise in a warm, draft-free place until the dough doubles in volume.

Punch the dough down, remove from the bowl, and let dough rest for 5 minutes. Divide the dough in half and turn one piece out onto a lightly floured surface and roll into desired shape and size.

Buttermilk Onion Crisps

2009-01-04T09:36:00.009-05:00

Whew!!! The holidays are finally over and this year I can't say that I am sorry. The Fly Rod Gawds Mother has had some pretty serious health issues and adding hospital tests and doctor visits to the already hectic season really wore me out.

I have been trying to get these french fried onions posted since New Year's day but haven't been able to get to it. Well, I probably could have but we had to watch the bowl games. And then, I had to get the Christmas lights down, at least from the front porch. (I was beginning to feel a little Gretchen Wilsonish).

So everything, is finally down and boxed, just waiting for The Fly Rod Gawd to stow the boxes in the shed. I am always surprised at how blah the house looks when the decorations come down.

Anywhoo, these crispy onions are the result of my first experiment with the mandolin Santa brought me for Christmas. I have been wanting one for a long time now and it is one of those things that I just wouldn't buy for myself. Well all I have to say is: THANK YOU SANTA! I LOVE IT.

It made these crispy fried onions sooooo easy. Just zip zip zip and they were sliced perfectly. Now I just have to figure out how to keep from eating them so I have enough for everyone else. They made the perfect football snack and I think they would make the perfect topper for mac and cheese.

Buttermilk Onion Crisps

3 large onions
1 cup self rising flour
1 tablespoon fresh ground black pepper
1 tablespoon ground sage
1 large egg
1/2 cup buttermilk
3 cups canola oil
Kosher salt or Celery Salt

Peel the onions and slice thin on a mandolin. Pat dry with paper towels and place in a large bowl. Mix together the flour, pepper and sage. Spoon some of the flour mixture over the onions and stir to lightly coat. Beat together the egg and butter milk. Pour some of the egg mixture over the onions. Stir to evenly coat. Spoon the remaining flour mixture over the onions and stir to coat.

Heat the oil in a heavy bottom pan to 375 degrees. Place the onions a little at a time in the hot oil, sitr with a fork to break apart and fry 3 to 4 minutes turning occasilnally until golden brown. Season with kosher salt or celery salt and serve warm.

Try not to eat too many!

Cinnamon Raisin Crisps

2008-12-24T08:34:00.006-05:00

Dear Santa:

Please don't forget to stop by our house tonight. I have made your favorite cookies and promise that I won't let The Fly Rod Gawd eat all of them before you arrive. They turned out really good this year. They are crispy and have lots of cinnamon, just the way you like them.

I'll even have some "Jolly" Java waiting for you, and since Rudolph is your designated driver I know you can indulge without reservation.

Drive carefull and I hope you have a lot of good boys and girls to deliver to this year, and I hope you will bring lots of toys.

Love

The Saucy Bird

Cinnamon Raisin Crisps

1/2 cup butter or margarine, softened
1/3 cup granulated sugar
1 Egg yolk
1/8 teaspoon salt
1 cup flour
1 1/2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
1/2 cup natural raisins
1/3 cup crispy rice cereal

Cream butter and sugar. Beat in yolk and salt. Mix in flour and cinnamon just to blend thoroughly. Mix in raisins and cereal to distribute evenly. On lightly floured surface, roll into a 12" long. Wrap securely and refrigerate at least 1 hour

With sharp knife, cut 1/3" thick slices, and place 1" apart on baking sheets.

Bake in preheated 350 degree oven 15 to 20 minutes until cookies are set and bottoms are lightly browned. Remove to racks to cool completely.

Express Lane 3 Bean with Bacon Soup

2008-12-15T14:06:00.007-05:00

Nothing seems to satisfy like a steaming hot bowl of homemade bean with bacon soup. The problem is that it takes so long to make. I mean, you have to soak the beans overnight and then simmer them for 2 hours to get those tasty little beans soft. The result for me is pure heaven but I rarely have enough time to get a pot together.

Well, not anymore! I am taking a lot of help from the store but the result is a delicious, mouth watering pot of the most soul satisfying soup you have ever had. And the great part is that it only takes as long as the cornbread takes to bake. Really----- I'm not kidding.

I know that there are plenty of good quality condensed soups on the market today, but nothing beats homemade soup. And, with the help of your local market and a quick trip through the express lane you can have this soup quicker than you can say: "Bob's your Uncle!" Not only is it a great stick to your ribs kind of meal, it's really economical, nutitious, it feeds a crowd and I haven't met anyone who doesn't enjoy a nice hot cup of soup, and frankly if I do I'm not sure I would want to know them.

Express Lane 3 Bean with Bacon Soup

1 box Corn Bread mix
12 ounces peppered bacon, cut into 1 inch pieces
1 large white onion, peeled and diced
3 carrots, peeled and diced
1 ham steak, diced
2 quarts low sodium chicken stock
1 (15 ounce) can Pinto Beans, rinsed and drained
1 (15 ounce) can Great Northern Beans, rinsed and drained
1 (15 ounce) can Red Beans, rinsed and drained
1 (15 ounce) can Diced flavored Tomatoes

Prepare the Corn Bread according to package directions.

Meanwhile, Heat a large soup pot over medium heat. Add the bacon and cook until light brown. With a slotted spoon remove the bacon to paper towels. Leave about 2 tablespoons of fat in the bottom of the pan and discard the rest. Add the onions, carrots and diced ham. Saute until onions are translucent. Add the chicken stock and reduce heat to medium low. Add the all of the beans and the tomatoes to a large bowl, stir to combine. Reserve one cup of the mixture and add the rest to the pot. With a fork or potato masher, mash the reserved bean mixture until mashed but still chunky. Add to the pot, stir well and simmer until ready to serve.

Serve hot over fresh cornbread and enjoy!

Crispy Crumb Coated Broccoli

2008-12-06T09:47:00.007-05:00

I know that this is the time of year that everyone is making those deliciously gooey, sweet decadent treats that we only get once a year, so I thought I would share something that is a little bit on the healthy side.

A few years ago, the Fly Rod Gawd's doctor put him on a diet and it was up to me to figure out ways to get him to eat healthier foods. We all now that if I'd let him he would have chocolate cake for breakfast, pound cake for lunch and cookies for dinner, so my challenge was to get him to "like" green things. Thankfully he was a willing participant and would cheerfully try anything, so my job was a bit easier. But still, getting someone to actually like fruits and vegetables that weren't soaked in sugar or fat wasn't easy.

One day I was watching Lydia's Italian Kitchen and she was making crumb coated vegetables as a side dish and they looked really quick and easy. (I'm all about quick and easy!) I don't remember her exact recipe but this is my interpretation of the recipe I saw her making.

Well, it was a big hit! Not long after I began making his broccoli this way we had to go out of town on business. To my surprise, after eating every meal in a restaurant for a week, The Fly Rod Gawd actually said: "I can't wait to get home, I'm craving broccoli!" I almost fell off my chair.

Since then, I've tried this technique on every vegetable I could think of and it has worked on every thing I have tried. My favorites are broccoli, cauliflower and mushrooms and now I make them to put out as snacks or appetizers with a honey mustard dipping sauce.

Crispy Crumb Coated Broccoli

3 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
1/8 teaspoon crushed red pepper (more if you like it hot)
2 cloves garlic, peeled and minced
1 (10 ounce) box frozen broccoli florets, thawed and patted dry
1/3 cup seasoned Italian bread crumbs

Heat the olive oil in a large non stick pan over medium high heat. Add the red pepper and garlic. Swirl the pepper and garlic in the oil until you begin to smell the garlic, about 1 minute. Add the broccoli florets and saute until tender, 4 to 5 minutes. Reduce the heat and add the Italian bread crumbs. Toss to evenly coat all of the florets and continue cooking until the crumbs are golden brown.

Remove from the pan and serve as a side dish or arrange on a platter with honey mustard dipping sauce for a hot appetizer.

Nut-N-Fancies

2008-11-29T16:54:00.012-05:00

Everyone has a different idea of what makes a good Thanksgiving dinner. For our family it's Dad's stuffing, Aunt Robin's broccoli casserole, Grand mom's candied sweet potatoes and Carrie's cranberry sauce. There just isn't any room for experimenting when you are competing with the memories of generations.

Now don't get me wrong, I look forward to those same dishes every year and enjoy the memories that those familiar flavors conjure. It's after Thanksgiving that I really begin to have fun. We always get a bird that is absolutely too big for our family, just so I am sure to have plenty of leftovers for experimenting.

When I heard about the blogger recipe contest sponsored by POM Wonderful, I knew I was going to enter. Not only are fresh pomegranates a delicious treat, the health benefits are amazing. Although fresh pomegranates are only available for a few months, POM Wonderful has a wide variety of juices available year round. If you aren't familiar with all of the benefits of fresh pomegranates, visit their website and you'll understand why you can't live without this amazing fruit.

I've had a hard time waiting to enter this tempting sandwich. It has become a favorite in our house and we look forward to it as much as we do Thanksgiving dinner itself. We call it the Nut-N-Fancy, because the day after Thanksgiving when my family asks: "What's for dinner?", I say Nut-N-Fancy!

The recipe is written using leftover turkey, but we have grown to love this sandwich so much that I roast turkey thighs year round just to make this sandwich. If you want to use it as an appetizer, substitute English muffins for the Italian bread and you'll have a unique addition to your holiday table.

Nut-N-Fancies
Or

Pomegranate Pepper Turkey Sandwiches on Grilled Italian Bread with Walnut Butter and Pomegranate Apple Walnut Slaw

Turkey in Pomegranate Pepper Sauce:
2 tablespoons olive oil

1 medium white onion, peeled and sliced thin
1 medium red bell pepper, seeded and sliced thin
4 to 5 whole pomegranates
2 to 4 tablespoons sugar

2 teaspoons (Asian) red chili garlic sauce (more if you like things hot)
2 cups cooked and shredded dark turkey meat

Walnut Butter:
1 1/2 cup walnut pieces
1/2 cup cashews
3 tablespoons honey
3 or 4 tablespoons softened butter

Pomegranate Apple Walnut Slaw:
1 medium red apple
1/4 cup pomegranate arils
1/4 cup chopped roasted walnuts
1/3 cup Mayonnaise
3 tablespoons fresh lemon juice

2-3 tablespoons softened butter
8 thick slices bakery Italian bread

(optional) Pomegranate arils and parsley for garnish

Heat the olive oil in a medium pan over medium heat. Add the onion and bell pepper and saute until slightly softened, about 5 minutes. Juice the pomegranates, reserving about 1/4 cup of the arils. Add 1 cup of pomegranate juice to the onion and peppers. Stir in sugar, a little at a time, until the sauce is slightly sweet. Bring the mixture to a boil, reduce heat to medium low and continue cooking until sauce has thickened, about 15 minutes. Add the chili garlic sauce, stir in the turkey and heat through.

Meanwhile, in a large non stick pan over medium high heat, roast the walnuts and cashews 6-8 minutes until they become fragrant. Add the roasted nuts and honey to the bowl of a food processor. Puree on high until very fine. Add the softened butter a little at a time and purée until a "peanut-buttery" consistency. If the mixture seems too thick add a tablespoon or two of warm water.

Peel, core and slice the apple into thin matchsticks. Place in a medium bowl, add the reserved pomegranate arils, walnuts, mayonnaise and lemon juice. Mix well.

Lighlty spread the softened butter on both sides of each slice of bread. On a stovetop grill pan over medium high heat, grill the bread on each side until toasted but not too dark. Spread some of the walnut butter onto four slices of bread. Top with some of the turkey mixture and some of the pomegranate apple, walnut slaw. Top with the remaining slice of grilled bread. Garnish with pomegranate arils and parsley. Serve warm and enjoy!

Amaretto Peach Cobbler

2008-11-26T08:38:00.009-05:00

Thanksgiving is here and that means that Christmas and New Years are not far behind. I love this time of year! When we were kids it seemed that Thanksgiving and Christmas would never get here, and when the time did finally come it never seemed to last long enough.

I don't think it is any accident that Thanksgiving, Christmas and New Year's come so close together. I think the holiday's give us the opportunity to remember the things that are truly important in life.

Thanksgiving is the time for gratitude. It is the time for us to remember everything that we have to be grateful for. It's when we remember and give thanks for those things that we realize how wonderful life can be.

At Christmas, we honor family. Christmas is the time that families get together, some for the only time in the year. It is a time to catch up with each other and remember that no matter what, family is the most important things in our life.

Then comes the New Year. For me it is a time of renewal, and second chances. If we remember all that we have to be grateful for, honor our family and resolve to do better, the new year holds hope and promise.

This holiday season take them time to remember what you have to be grateful for, celebrate and honor your family and resolve to do better

From now until the beginning of the New Year, we will all have too little time and too much to do. People stop by, often unannouced, and being from the south I always have the makings for a fruit cobbler on hand. Most any kind of fruit will work and this easy basic recipe can be dressed up any way you like.

The next time you have unexpected company, try this delicious fruit cobbler. It is a really quick treat that is best served right out of the oven and can be ready before you finish catching up with your friends.

Amaretto Peach Cobbler

4 Tablespoons Butter
2 ounces amaretto
1 cup flour
1/2 cup sugar
2/3 cup milk
2 tsp baking powder
1 can peaches in syrup

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Melt butter in a 8x8 pan. Mix in amaretto.

In a medium bowl mix together flour, sugar, milk and baking powder. Pour over butter mixture. Pour peaches ( including syrup), over flour mixture. Bake in preheated over 30 to 40 minutes or until golden brown. Serve warm with icecream if desired.

Apple Cider Tea Cup Triffle

2008-11-19T13:11:00.003-05:00

My sister and I recieved an easy bake oven one year for Christmas and I think that was the beginning of my cooking obsession. We used the oven all the time and did a lot of experimenting.

We tried everything we could think of in that little oven and much to our surprise alot of what we tried came out pretty good. Well at least in the minds of 2 little girls.

The best of our creations made it to the family dinner table and some, like this triffle, I still serve today. I don't know if it is the cake itself, or the unique way that we came up to serve it, but this cake has remained one of my favorites. Of course back then the tea cups weren't as fancy, but the possiblities are endless. The Fly Rod Gawd remembers an apple cake that his Grandmother used to make him and he thinks that this one comes really close.

Try these tea cup triffles at one of your family gatherings this holiday season and see if they don't become a staple in your house.

APPLE CIDER TEA CUP TRIFFLE

1 spice Cake Mix
1 cup apple cider
1/2 cup applesauce
3 eggs
1 large apple, peeled cored and diced
1/4 cup light brown sugar
1 tablespoon ground cinnamon
2 tablespoons melted butter
1 cup prepared vanilla pudding
1/2 cup orange marmalade

1/4 cup raisins

Preheat the oven to 350, spray a 9 X 13 pan with non-fat vegetable spray and dust with flour. Shake out the excess flour and set the pan aside.

Place the cake mix, cider, applesauce, and eggs in a large mixing bowl. With an electric mixer on low, beat until ingredients are just combined. Increase the mixer speed to medium and beat for 1 to 1 1/2 minutes or until the mixture is smooth. Pour the batter into the prepared pan, and set the pan aside.

Place the apple slices, brown sugar, cinnamon, and melted butter in a small mixing bowl and stir to combine. Spoon the apple mixture on top of the batter in the pan. Stir a few times to swirl the apple mixuture into the batter. Place the pan in the oven and bake 30 to 35 minutes or until the top springs back when lightly pressed with your fingertips. Remove to a wire rack and cool.

When the cake is cool, cut into small squares. Add 2 tablespoons of prepared pudding to the bottom of teacups. Top with equal amounts of cake squares. Mix the marmalade and the rasins in a microwve proof dish and microwave on high until thinned. Spoon the mixture evenly on top of each tea cup.

15 minute Ham Steak Dinner

2008-11-13T09:51:00.004-05:00

When things get really hectic and you think that you don't have time to have a sit down family dinner, take a little help from your local market and try this tasty 15 minute Ham Steak Dinner.

We have all seen those Ham steaks and if you are like me you pass them up as a dinner item because you always think of them as a breakfast dish. I think they are perfect for a quick weeknight meal. They are fully cooked so all you really have to do is heat them up. Saute them with some frozen broccoli and fresh carrots, add a tasty sauce and some rice or Orzo and you have a quick and delicious dinner.

The next time you are ready to order take out or get some fast food, try this Korean style ham steak recipe and treat yourself to some tasty family time.

Cola-rean Ham Steak Dinner

1 12 ounce can cola
1/2 cup rice vinegar
1 pinch crushed red pepper
1 tablespoon fresh ginger, finely chopped
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 tablespoon soy sauce
2 tablespoons fresh squeezed lime juice
2 tablespoons olive oil
1 onion, sliced thin
1 Ham steak, cut into bite sized chunks
2 (10 ounce) boxes broccoli florets
2 large carrots, peeled and cut into coins

In a small saucepan over medium heat add the first 7 ingriedints. Stir to combine and simmer to combine, reduce sauce (about 10 minutes).

Heat the olive oil in a large saute pan over medium heat. Add the onion and saute until translucent. Add the Ham, broccoli and carrots, continue cooking until vegetables are tender (about 10 minutes). Pour the sauce over the ham mixture, toss to combine and serve over orzo or rice.

Rigatoni Divan

2008-11-06T14:32:00.004-05:00

Thank goodness the election is finally over! I am always filled with pride when I cast my vote. I think about all the people who came before me, about all the people who had to fight for the right to vote. There are times when we take our right to vote for granted, and I think that we should all take a little time to remember the people who have struggled and died for our right to vote.

We made history this year and it is one of those days in our collective lives that we will always remember as a nation. We are fortunate to live in such interesting times.

It has been almost 2 years since this campaign season started and now that it is over it is time for us all to come together. What better place to start than at our own dinner tables?

When I was a kid, the dinner table was the place where the whole family got together and talked and laughed and even sometimes argued, but it was a place that we came together as a family.

This dinner is sure to please every member of the family. It comes together quick, you can even make it ahead of time and pop it in to the oven and have a comforting family friendly dinner ready in no time. I used canned chicken, but I have also made it with leftover chicken. And, hey, with Thanksgiving coming Turkey would be great in it too!

Rigatoni Divan

1 1lb. box Rigatoni
2 Tablespoons olive oil
1/2 cup chopped onion
1 (13 ounce) can chunk chicken breast, drained
2 Tablespoon flour
2 cups milk
2 eggs, lighly beaten
1 cup low fat mayonnaise
1 (10 ounce) box Broccoli Florets, thawed and drained
1 pinch fresh ground nutmeg
2 cups shredded parmesean cheese
2 cups plain bread crumbs

Pre-heat the oven to 375 degrees. Butter a 9x13 casserole dish, set aside

Cook the Rigatoni to al dente according to package directions

heat the olive oil in a large saute pan over medium heat. Add the onion and chicken, saute about 2 minutes or until onion is translucent. Sprinkle the flour evenly into the pan and cook 2 minutes, stirring constantly. Stir in the milk, eggs and mayonnaise. Add the broccoli, nutmeg and 1 cup of the cheese. Stir to combine and remove from the heat. Stir in the cooked Rigatoni and pour mixure into the prepared dish.

Mix the remaining cheese with the bread crumbs and spread evenly over the rigatoni mixture. Place in the hot oven and bake for 25 to 35 minutes, or unitl the topping has browned. Serve with a green salad and some good conversation!

Teriyaki Tenderloin Salad

2008-10-30T14:28:00.004-04:00

This week I found some delicious Pork Tenderloins on sale so I bought a bunch. The next thing I had to do was to come up with a lot of different ways to fix them.

Sometimes it is hard to come up with dishes that the whole family will like but this was one that everyone seemed to love. Not just the first time, but The Fly Rod Gawd loved this salad made from the leftovers.

The first night I seasoned the pork loins, then I coated them with a quick and easy teriyaki sauce, roasted them in the oven for about 15 to 20 minutes and served them with some steamed rice and some sauted green beans.

There are always 2 pork loins in every package so I always make them both so I can have another dinner partially made for the middle of the week. This week I decided to get a little creative and use up some of the fresh veggies that were hanging around. What I came up with is this great salad with a toasted sesame sweet and sour dressing that went pefectly with the leftover pork loins. Even though we are getting some colder days here in Florida this salad is still quite tasty!

Teriyaki Roasted Pork Loins

and

Toasted Sesame Sweet and Sour Salad

1 package pork loins
salt and fresh ground black pepper
1 tablespoon 5 pice powder
2 tablespoon olive oil
1 tablespoon cornstarch
1 tablespoon cold water
1/2 cup white sugar
1/2 cup soy sauce
1/4 cup cider vinegar
1 clove garlic, minced
1/2 teaspoon ground ginger

Preheat the oven to 375 degrees

Season the pork loins with salt, pepper and 5 spice powder. Heat the olive oil in a large oven proof skillet. When the oil is hot sear the pork loins on all sides, place in the oven and roast for 15 to 20 minutes

Meanwhile, in a small saucepan over low heat, combine the cornstarch, cold water, sugar, soy sauce, vinegar, garlic, ginger and ground black pepper. Let simmer, stirring frequently, until sauce thickens and bubbles.

Remove the pork loins from the oven and pour the sauce over the pork loins. Return to medium heat to reduce the sauce. Serve with steamed rice.

Toasted Sesame Sweet and Sour Salad

1/4 cup canola oil
2 tablespoons toasted sesame oil
2 tablespoons fresh squeezed lemon juice
1 teaspoon soy sauce
2 minced garlic cloves
salt and pepper to taste
1 yellow squash slice thin
1 small yellow onion sliced thin
1 zucchini sliced thin
1/2 cup snow peas coasly chopped
1 red bell pepper julienned
1 10 ounce bag baby spinach

Combine dressing ingredients in a jar, shaking to combine. Add the vegetables to a large bowl cover with the dressing and toss to combine. Arrange the salad on a serving platter, slice the leftover teriyaki tenderloin and arrange on top. Enjoy!

Potato Crisp Chicken Tenders

2008-10-22T13:48:00.008-04:00

When our local Grocery Store has boneless skinless chicken breasts on sale for 1.79 lb. I always stock up. Sometimes I think I buy to much but the price is so cheap that I just can't resist. I package them up into smaller portions, freeze them and always have chicken in the freezer.

This week I had a major craving for fried chicken. I've tried making oven fried chicken as a healthier alternative but every one knows fried chicken just isn't fried chicken if it doesn't have that great crispy skin.

Thanks to my friends Tony and Maria for this great recipe that will satisfy any fried chicken craving. The potato buds that they use in the crust is really crispy and I used olive oil to fry it in so it is a least fried in a good for you fat.

It's not as healthy as oven fried chicken, but really do we have to be healthy all the time?

Potato Crisp Chicken Tenders

TFC (Tony's Fried Chicken)

4 boneless skinless chicken breasts
2 cups flour
2 cups Betty Crocker Potato Buds
1/2 tablespoon salt
1/2 tablespoon fresh ground black pepper
3 tablespoons hot paprika
Olive oil for frying
Kosher Salt

Slice chicken breasts into strips, set aside

In a large bowl mix together all dry ingriedients. Remove half of the mixture to a large plastic bag.

Stir water into the bowl, a little at a time, until it has the consistency of thin oatmeal.

Dip the chicken strips into the wet mixture one at a time, add to the bag of dry mix and shake to coat. Place in a single layer onto a clean plate and repeat the process until all chicken pieces are coated. Refrigerate for 1 hour.

Pour olive oil into a large heavy frying pan to a depth of 1/2 inch. Heat to 365 degrees. Fry the chicken in batches 5 to 6 minutes or until golden brown. Remove to paper towels to drain and season with kosher salt.

Serve hot with a honey mustard dipping sauce if desired.

Messy-dillia's

2008-10-13T13:21:00.005-04:00

I had what I thought was a great idea for a tasty football snack, so I whipped up some quesadilla's for Saturday's college football games. We don't watch Pro ball that much but The Fly Rod Gawd is glued to the t.v. on Saturday's during college football season.

I always try to make snack food so that we can eat in front of the t.v. and watch every game we can find.

Quesadilla's always seem to make it on to the scene on Saturday's, but I was getting tired of making the same old thing so I decided to jazz them up a little.

Well--------they were really good, and I do mean really good, but not the sort of thing that you could eat while cheering on Penn State!

I'm not sure how I could change them to make them suitable for a football snack, but I would definetly make them for a knife and fork dinner sometime.

WE ARE-----PENN STATE!!!

Messy Dilla's

1 tablespoons olive oil

1/2 cup chopped onion

1 (small can) green chilles

1 cup black beans, rinsed and drained

2 cups fresh or frozen corn kernals

1/2 cup chopped red bell pepper

1 or 2 chipotle peppers, chopped

6 10 inch flour tortilla's

2 cups shredded sharp cheddar cheese

1 rotiserre chicken, skined, boned and shredded

1 cup prepared smokey bbq sauce

1 box frozen spinach, thawed and squeezed dry

1/2 cup prepared buttermilk ranch dressing

Heat a the oil in a large nonstick skillet over medium heat. Add the onions and saute until translucent, about 2 minutes. Add the chilles, beans, corn, red bell pepper and chipotle peppers. Cook over medium heat until corn begins to brown, about 4 minutes. Remove from the skillet.

Reduce the heat to medium low, add a tortilla then layer with some of the cheese, corn mixture, chicken, bbq sauce, spinach, ranch dressing and a little more cheese. Top with another tortilla. Cook about 3 minutes until bottom tortilla is browned then flip and cook until browned.

Slide from the pan, let cool 2 minutes. Cut into wedges and serve with salsa.

Red Beans and Rice Soup

2008-10-02T10:19:00.003-04:00

Fall in the mountains is such a beautiful time, especially if your from Florida. I love the fall and look forward to our September trip to Blue Ridge. It's an early taste of the fall colors and the cool crisp air of the blue ridge mountains. The Fly Rod Gawd loves the fall fishing, it reminds him of his childhood in Pennsylvania.

This year we took one of our best friends and her really cute dog. Her puppy is only 12 weeks old and she is soooo cute.

Here she is with The Fly Rod Gawd ready to go fishing.

We loved her so much that we are going to get one of her puppies. So meet Splash the mother of my dog!

Another thing that I love about fall is the great soups that seem to just hit the spot. We always make a big pot of soup when we go to the mountains. It's always ready to heat up for a quick lunch and what is better on a cool crisp day than a bowl of hot soup and a piece of crusty bread?

This trip we made Emerils Creole Red Beans and Rice Soup. It's delicious and hit the spot!

Emerils Creole Red Beans and Rice Soup

1/4 cup olive or vegetable oil
1 whole chicken, (about 4 pounds) cut into 8 pieces and skin removed
Emeril's Essence
1 1/2 cups chopped onions
1 cup chopped celery
1 cup diced carrots
1 tablespoon minced garlic
2 bay leaves
Pinch cayenne
1 pound dried red beans, rinsed, picked over, soaked overnight and drained
1 gallon chicken stock
1/4 cup uncooked long grain white rice
1/2 cup finely chopped green onions (green tops only)

In a large heavy stockpot, heat the oil. Season the chicken with Emeril's Essence. When the oil is hot, add the chicken to the pot and sear on each side until light brown, about 3 minutes per side. Add the onions, celery and carrots to the pot and season to taste with Emeril's Essence. Sauté the vegetables until they are soft, about for 3 minutes. Add the garlic, bay leaves, cayenne and red beans and sauté for 1 minute. Add the stock and bring the liquid to a boil. Reduce the heat to a simmer, and cook uncovered until the beans are tender, about 2 hours.

Using tongs or a slotted spoon, carefully remove the chicken pieces from the pot and separate the meat from the bones with two forks, or a knife and fork. Discard the bones and return the meat to the pot, stirring to incorporate the meat into the soup.

Add the rice to the pot and cook until tender, about 15 - 20 minutes. Re-season the soup as needed and ladle into soup bowls, garnishing each serving with green onions. Serve with hot French bread.