tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-12120396863495209722024-02-07T04:18:25.456-08:00With Love and Best DishesKelleyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00404145458729417637noreply@blogger.comBlogger10125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1212039686349520972.post-15884425341584034762012-10-07T06:13:00.002-07:002012-10-07T06:13:25.010-07:00Superbowl PartyWhat a night this was... the NY Giants were once again underdogs against the New England Patriots... wonderful night for food, fun and football. Oh, and did I mention food? <br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjyhFs_snIr3z92x1LHPgmEvMvwM6los8SPCb0_kVGCLK8nAzIK80LChVofx9nHL7NjCtJck3sdaHOJsYVbEjzTfB3NwNFqmPvSXaqDK75iAqqMHJSTFFu8FPKNLaQ8HvssaerY0upjvcr5/s1600/DSC_0092.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="212" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjyhFs_snIr3z92x1LHPgmEvMvwM6los8SPCb0_kVGCLK8nAzIK80LChVofx9nHL7NjCtJck3sdaHOJsYVbEjzTfB3NwNFqmPvSXaqDK75iAqqMHJSTFFu8FPKNLaQ8HvssaerY0upjvcr5/s320/DSC_0092.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>
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That, my friends, is a turducken. In all of its roasty-toasty-delicious glory. Obviously that was the highlight of the evening - the bird of the hour and the star of the show. We also enjoyed some <a href="http://klgshgcook.blogspot.com/2012/02/layered-buffalo-chicken-dip.html" target="_blank">buffalo chicken dip</a>, seven layer dip, homemade cinnamon roasted almonds and red velvet <a href="http://stephaniecooks.blogspot.com/2011/01/cake-batter-cookies.html" target="_blank">cake batter cookies</a> with chocolate and white chocolate chips. <br />
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There was probably more, but my camera was not as active as it should have been that evening - I was too busy licking my fingers. Kelleyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00404145458729417637noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1212039686349520972.post-75658624407504950712012-10-07T06:00:00.002-07:002012-10-07T06:01:07.159-07:00Christmas Eve-Eve PartyLast year we hosted the first of our parties on December 22 - a Christmas eve-eve gathering with our families and friends - it was a great night of food and fun!<br />
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The food included a platter of crackers, meats and cheeses, most of which were bought at our local grocery store, or our favorite <a href="http://www.savorygourmetlititz.com/" target="_blank">cheese shop</a> here in town, pretzels with assorted mustards, "fried" ravioli (that were actually baked) in several varieties with marinara sauce, and phyllo cups filled with a home-concocted mixture of ground lamb and couscous flavored with sage and feta cheese. Desserts were homemade <a href="http://www.joyofbaking.com/GingerbreadMen.html" target="_blank">gingerbread cookies</a> with ginger cream cheese frosting, and <a href="http://www.joyofbaking.com/RumBalls.html" target="_blank">rum balls</a>. this was also our first attempt at <a href="http://www.foodnetwork.com/recipes/alton-brown/eggnog-recipe2/index.html" target="_blank">eggnog</a>. Delicious! We made irish coffee drinks later on in the evening, which is my favorite thing:<br />
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Strong Coffee<br />
Irish Whiskey (we like Red Breast)<br />
Brown Sugar<br />
Whipped Cream<br />
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In an 8-ounce footed glass coffee mug, add 1 tbs of brown sugar and 1 ounce of whiskey. Top with hot coffee, leaving a little space at the top. Stir well, top with whipped cream and enjoy!<br />
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I can't wait to do this one again in 2012... Kelleyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00404145458729417637noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1212039686349520972.post-69547249462313914372012-10-07T05:37:00.001-07:002012-10-07T05:37:48.031-07:00Party Menus...We like to have parties, as often as we can. Please don't misunderstand - for us a party generally consists of little more than a few good friends coming over and enjoying some themed food, beverages and music. We all particularly love summer themes like islands, and it's a way for us to experience those things without the burden or expense of travel. <br />
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My goal for the next few weeks is to catalog the parties we've had and get some of the menu details down so I can reference them later. I'm going to try to go chronologically and hit the big ones from the last year. Kelleyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00404145458729417637noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1212039686349520972.post-79138878885059886202012-02-05T17:00:00.000-08:002012-10-07T06:02:07.370-07:00Layered Buffalo Chicken DipI stole this from a fellow Nestie from way back... I didn't have her recipe in front of me, but this turned out pretty well!<br />
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8 oz cream cheese, room temperature<br />
16 oz sour cream<br />
2 oz ranch dressing/dip mix (2 envelopes)<br />
2 - 12.5 oz cans of chunk chicken breast<br />
1/2 - 3/4 cup buffalo wing sauce<br />
2 cups shredded sharp cheddar cheese, divided<br />
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Preheat your oven to 350<br />
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Cream the cream cheese and sour cream together with a mixer until smooth. Add the ranch mix and mix until evenly distributed. Spread this mixture into the bottom of a 9x13 baking dish. <br />
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Drain the chicken breast and place in a bowl. Add 1/2 cup of the cheddar cheese and wing sauce to taste. Stir well, then spread over the ranch mixture in your baking dish. Top with remaining cheddar cheese and bake at 350 until cheese is melted and bubbly, 15-20 minutes. Serve with crackers, chips and celery sticks for dipping!Kelleyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00404145458729417637noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1212039686349520972.post-72918112114002637082012-01-19T16:41:00.000-08:002012-10-07T06:01:40.118-07:00Herbed Cream Cheese AppetizersI made these for a cocktail party/whiskey tasting we hosted the other weekend - they were delicious, I just wish I'd remembered to grab a photo of the finished product...<br />
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<ul>
<li>Herbed Cream Cheese (adapted from the <a href="http://wheat-free-meat-free.blogspot.com/" target="_blank">Crispy Cook</a>)</li>
<ul>
<li>2 packages cream cheese (room temperature)</li>
<li>1 stick unsalted butter (room temperature)</li>
<li>1/4 cup EACH finely chopped basil, chives and dill</li>
<li>2 cloves garlic minced or put through a garlic press</li>
</ul>
<li>4 ounces pancetta, small dice</li>
<li>4 ounce package of smoked salmon, torn/cut into bite sized pieces</li>
<li>2 English (seedless) cucumbers cut into 1/8-1/4" thick slices</li>
</ul>
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Several hours ahead of time, combine cream cheese and butter in a mixer until well blended. Add herbs and garlic, and mix until well combined and herbs are evenly distributed. Add a splash of milk or white wine if the mixture is too stiff. Refrigerate to allow flavors to combine for about 4 hours, or overnight. Remove mixture from the refrigerator about 20 minutes before assembling the remainder of the dish - place in a piping bag with a large star tip. </div>
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Cook your diced pancetta in a skillet over medium heat until golden and well rendered. Set aside to cool. </div>
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Lay your cucumber slices on your chosen serving platter. Pipe a small dab of cream cheese mixture on each slice, top with salmon. </div>
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Pipe a decorative swirl of additional cream cheese and place 1-2 cubes of pancetta on top. Serve immediately.</div>
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Kelleyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00404145458729417637noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1212039686349520972.post-76053179765314044262011-08-14T05:36:00.000-07:002011-08-14T05:36:08.703-07:00BBQ Chicken Pita PizzasWe found this recipe in our "Eating for Life" cookbook and were instantly hooked! This is a frequent weekend lunch in our house.<br />
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Ingredients (per person):<br />
4 oz uncooked chicken breast<br />
1 whole wheat pita pocket<br />
2 Tbs. BBQ sauce<br />
1/4 cup part-skim mozzarella cheese, shredded<br />
1 thin slice red onion<br />
2 tsp. fresh or 1/2 tsp. dried rosemary<br />
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Preheat your oven to 425. Cook the chicken in a pan, cool slightly and chop OR chop into bite sized pieces before cooking. Top each pita with the BBQ sauce, cheese, onion, chicken, rosemary and then just a little extra cheese on top. Bake pizzas for 5-7 minutes or until warmed through. Yum!<br />
Kelleyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00404145458729417637noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1212039686349520972.post-71230611061800214812011-08-07T14:01:00.000-07:002011-08-07T14:01:47.270-07:00Black Bean and Corn SaladThis has become a standard in our lunch rotation. It makes just the right amount to feed both of us for a week. You could bulk it up with some quinoa, chicken, or even cheese and avocado if you wanted. <br />
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Slightly adapted from <a href="http://www.cookinglight.com/">Cooking Light</a>. <br />
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Salad:<br />
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<li itemprop="ingredient" itemscope="" itemtype="http://data-vocabulary.org/RecipeIngredient"><span itemprop="amount">1 teaspoon</span><span itemprop="name"> olive oil</span><span itemprop="preparation"> </span></li><br />
<li itemprop="ingredient" itemscope="" itemtype="http://data-vocabulary.org/RecipeIngredient"><span itemprop="amount">2 teaspoons</span><span itemprop="name"> cumin seeds</span><span itemprop="preparation"> </span></li><br />
<li itemprop="ingredient" itemscope="" itemtype="http://data-vocabulary.org/RecipeIngredient"><span itemprop="amount">2 </span><span itemprop="name"> garlic cloves, minced</span><span itemprop="preparation"> </span></li><br />
<li itemprop="ingredient" itemscope="" itemtype="http://data-vocabulary.org/RecipeIngredient"><span itemprop="amount">2 cups</span><span itemprop="name"> corn kernels (fresh, drained canned or thawed frozen all OK)</span><span itemprop="preparation"> </span></li><br />
<li itemprop="ingredient" itemscope="" itemtype="http://data-vocabulary.org/RecipeIngredient"><span itemprop="preparation"><span itemprop="amount">2 cans</span><span itemprop="name"> black beans, rinsed and drained</span><span itemprop="preparation"> </span></span></li><br />
<li itemprop="ingredient" itemscope="" itemtype="http://data-vocabulary.org/RecipeIngredient"><span itemprop="amount">2 cups</span><span itemprop="name"> chopped seeded tomato</span><span itemprop="preparation"> </span></li><br />
<li itemprop="ingredient" itemscope="" itemtype="http://data-vocabulary.org/RecipeIngredient"><span itemprop="amount">1 cup</span><span itemprop="name"> finely chopped Vidalia or other sweet onion</span><span itemprop="preparation"> </span></li><br />
<li itemprop="ingredient" itemscope="" itemtype="http://data-vocabulary.org/RecipeIngredient"><span itemprop="amount">1 </span><span itemprop="name">chopped red bell pepper</span><span itemprop="preparation"> </span></li><br />
<li itemprop="ingredient" itemscope="" itemtype="http://data-vocabulary.org/RecipeIngredient"><span itemprop="amount">1 </span><span itemprop="name">chopped green bell pepper</span></li><br />
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<span itemprop="name"><span itemprop="name"><div class="subheading">Dressing:</div><li itemprop="ingredient" itemscope="" itemtype="http://data-vocabulary.org/RecipeIngredient"><span itemprop="amount">1/2 cup</span><span itemprop="name"> fresh lime juice (about 3 limes)</span><span itemprop="preparation"> </span></li><br />
<li itemprop="ingredient" itemscope="" itemtype="http://data-vocabulary.org/RecipeIngredient"><span itemprop="amount">1 tablespoon</span><span itemprop="name"> chili powder</span><span itemprop="preparation"> </span></li><br />
<li itemprop="ingredient" itemscope="" itemtype="http://data-vocabulary.org/RecipeIngredient"><span itemprop="amount">3 tablespoons</span><span itemprop="name"> olive oil</span><span itemprop="preparation"> </span></li><br />
<li itemprop="ingredient" itemscope="" itemtype="http://data-vocabulary.org/RecipeIngredient"><span itemprop="amount">2 teaspoons</span><span itemprop="name"> salt</span><span itemprop="preparation"> </span></li><br />
<li itemprop="ingredient" itemscope="" itemtype="http://data-vocabulary.org/RecipeIngredient"><span itemprop="amount">1 1/2 teaspoons</span><span itemprop="name"> ground cumin</span><span itemprop="preparation"> </span></li><br />
<li itemprop="ingredient" itemscope="" itemtype="http://data-vocabulary.org/RecipeIngredient"><span itemprop="amount">2 teaspoons</span><span itemprop="name"> honey</span><span itemprop="preparation"> </span></li><br />
<li itemprop="ingredient" itemscope="" itemtype="http://data-vocabulary.org/RecipeIngredient"><span itemprop="amount">3 </span><span itemprop="name"> garlic cloves, minced</span><span itemprop="preparation"> </span></li><br />
<li itemprop="ingredient" itemscope="" itemtype="http://data-vocabulary.org/RecipeIngredient"><span itemprop="amount">2 </span><span itemprop="name"> jalapeƱo peppers, seeded and minced</span><span itemprop="preparation"> </span></li><br />
<li itemprop="ingredient" itemscope="" itemtype="http://data-vocabulary.org/RecipeIngredient"><span itemprop="amount">1/3 cup</span><span itemprop="name"> chopped fresh cilantro</span></li><br />
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Heat the teaspoon of oil in a large skillet. Add garlic and cumin seeds, and cook for about 1 minute, until garlic is fragrant, stirring constantly. Add corn and black beans, stir to coat. Cook over low heat for 3-5 minutes. Remove from heat and cool. <br />
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In a large bowl, combine tomato, onions and bell pepper. Add cooled corn and bean mixture. In a small bowl, whisk together dressing ingredients except cilantro. Stir in cilantro and pour over salad. Stir until dressing is evenly distributed. Refrigerate for at least 30 minutes before serving. <br />
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Makes 12 (1-cup) servings. <br />
</span></span>Kelleyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00404145458729417637noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1212039686349520972.post-76905383951976246852011-06-02T17:20:00.000-07:002011-06-02T17:22:25.127-07:00Our favorite saladWhile searching for new and interesting Eating for Life recipes to try, I came across this gem and it became a fast favorite for both of ours. <br />
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<strong>Mexican Ranch Chicken and Avocado Salad</strong> (serves 2)<br />
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1/2 pound chicken cut into bite sized pieces<br />
Paprika <br />
Chili powder<br />
Cumin<br />
Garlic Salt<br />
Onion Powder<br />
Celery Salt<br />
1 slice red onion<br />
2 tomatoes<br />
2 servings light ranch dressing (about 1/4 cup)<br />
1 ripe avocado<br />
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Toss the chicken with spices (I never measure, just eyeball; if you're not comfortable doing this, a couple of tablespoons of packaged taco seasoning would be a reasonable substitute) and saute in a hot pan until cooked through, 7-10 minutes. Remove from the pan and cool. <br />
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Meanwhile, seed and chop both tomatoes and finely chop the onion. Stir together tomato mixture and cooled chicken with ranch dressing until combined. Halve, pit and slice the avocado, placing half on each of 2 plates; season with salt and pepper. Top each avocdo with half of the ranch mixture and serve immediately.Kelleyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00404145458729417637noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1212039686349520972.post-80156106961327391372011-04-01T14:36:00.000-07:002011-04-01T15:09:38.532-07:00Maple Bourbon BlondiesI think I'm starting to understand why Shaun likes to go hang with the guys on Friday nights so much now. Whenever he goes over there, I get the urge to bake. Tonight I whipped up these little baddies - so delish. They baked up cakier than I expected, but they were still awesome; not too sweet, just enough kick from the bourbon. <br />
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(Adapted from <a href="http://www.best-ever-cookie-collection.com/maple-walnut-blondies.html">Best Ever Cookie Collection</a>)<br />
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1 1/4 cups all-purpose flour<br />
3/4 teaspoon salt<br />
1/2 teaspoon baking powder<br />
6 tablespoons unsalted butter<br />
1/2 cup dark brown sugar<br />
1/4 cup light brown sugar<br />
1/3 cup maple syrup (the real stuff please!)<br />
2 large eggs, lightly beaten<br />
1/2 teaspoon vanilla<br />
1 teaspoon bourbon or whiskey<br />
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Preheat your oven to 350 and lightly butter an 8x8 baking dish. Sift the flour, salt and baking powder together into a large bowl. In a small saucepan, melt butter over medium low heat. Stir in brown sugars until well combined; remove from heat and stir in the maple syrup. Allow to cool to lukewarm. Once cooled, add your eggs one at a time and stir to combine. Add the vanilla and bourbon. Add the liquid ingredients to your flour mixture and stir to combine (I like to use my hand mixer for this to ensure a smooth texture). Bake for 20-25 minutes or until the center is set; the edges will be golden and starting to pull away from the pan. <br />
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This is a great recipe for add-ins; chocolate chips or toasted nuts would be amazing, even though I didn't have any.Kelleyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00404145458729417637noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1212039686349520972.post-23700830147189687252011-04-01T14:24:00.000-07:002011-04-01T14:29:02.983-07:00A bit about me...My name is Kelley. I'm a late 20's, working mom of one adorable toddler named Kayla, and wife to Shaun. I love to write, and I love being in the kitchen. I super pink puffy heart Paula Deen, hence me totally ripping her off for the title of this blog. I love blogging too - check out our<a href="http://klgshg.blogspot.com/"> family blog</a> and my <a href="http://klgshg365.blogspot.com/">occasional photo blog</a> in addition to peeking into my kitchen here! Thanks for reading!Kelleyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00404145458729417637noreply@blogger.com0