Easy to Clean Bacon Grease

 My dad always seems to have a can lying around when it's time to get rid of bacon grease. I never seem to be that lucky so I've found the next best option. I actually think I like this a little bit better.

I know, I know. I'm a southern gal - I'm supposed to keep my bacon grease for cooking. However, I wasn't raised by a southern lady and I don't cook southern food very well. So alas, I turn my back on that southern norm and toss it right in the trash.



Line a small bowl with a piece of foil so that it hangs over the edges.
Pour all that warm grease in there and let it sit until it hardens.

If you live in 100 degree weather and your air conditioner seems to stay at 75 all the time (like mine), it may never harden. So put it in the fridge and you'll get it to solidify.

Curl up all the ends to make a little pouch and you can throw it right in the trash! Since it's hard it won't leak everywhere and it's easy clean up.

Blueberry Cheesecake Cookies

As I have said before, I'm a terrible cookie baker. Just ask Matt. I've done everything wrong: too flat, won't cook all the way, burned them too many times to count, crispy on the bottom and soft on the top, liquidy, lumpy, too salty, etc. I don't know if it's the precision that you have to use with the ingredients for the 8-12 minute bake time. It's not really enough time to do anything else but it's too long to just stand there. Any, if I try to use that time to clean I inevitably will be in the middle of washing a dish when the buzzer goes off. By the time I finish, dry my hands, and get the oven mitt - they're burned.

So last night when I made these Jason came over and said "You made cookies? They look fine. Are they slice and bake?" and as soon as Matt walked in the kitchen he says "oh..... you made cookies (with a frown on his face)." When I pointed out that they weren't burned he asked "have you tried it yet? because that could be the problem." Thanks guys.... and no, I hadn't tried them yet.

Lo and behold, they were delicious and Matt quickly asked if I got more milk. So, try out this recipe - that I got via Pinterest - because they are cakey and sweet and too good to pass up.

Blueberry Cheesecake Cookies

Blueberry Cheesecake Cookies
makes 36 cookies


1/2 cup margarine
4 ounces cream cheese, softened
1/2 cup brown sugar
2 eggs
2 boxes Jiffy Blueberry Muffin Mix
1 1/2 cups white chocolate chips


1. Blend the margarine, cream cheese, and brown sugar until well combined. 
2. Stir in eggs one at a time until well blended.
3. Add muffin mixes and blend well.
4. Fold in white chocolate chips. Refrigerate for at least an hour - this is important as the batter will seem runny. The muffin mix will soak up the liquid and the dough will become fluffy and cake-like.
5. Preheat oven to 325. Drop cookies by the tablespoon about 2 inches apart. Bake for about 14-15 minutes or until the edges are lightly brown. Let cool about 2 minutes before moving to a cooling rack.


Originally posted on:
http://the-inspiration-cafe.blogspot.com/2012/04/blueberry-cheesecake-cookies.html

How to Chiffonade

The best smelling things in the kitchen are garlic simmering in olive oil and fresh basil. We grow basil every summer because it's easy to grow and it is one of our favorite herbs. Plus, if a plant is only $3 how in the world does the grocery store charge $2 per package?? Robbery I tell ya...

So, I thought that if I was going to talk about fresh basil and use it in so many recipes, that maybe I go over what in the world "chiffonade" is - because I surely had to google that one day!

If you have ever tried to "chop" basil you've probably realized that it doesn't work that well. I think that too much pressure and repetitive motion bruises the leaves and it just it kills the look, the scent, and you lose some flavor. So, let's chiffonade instead (that may be one of my favorite cooking words - I feel smart when I say it and it sounds pretty).

So, first stack up your basil leaves like in the picture above.

Next you should try and roll up that stack as much as you can. It doesn't have to be perfect - it just makes it easier.

Now use a sharp knife to quickly slice through the rolled up basil creating thin shreds.   

Toss these in toward the end of your cooking process so that they don't cook down and loose too much of the freshness. 

Beautiful basil that has kept all of its aroma and flavor!

Clams with Chorizo and Corn

If you've ever been to northern Spain you ate chorizo with crusty bread and cheese everyday. We loved it - breakfast, lunch, dinner, appetizer, whatever. Luckily this dish puts that beautiful chorizo on the main stage and you get to eat as much of it as you like. Since you're likely to have some chorizo left over you should serve it with freshly warmed bread slices and some gouda cheese. Matt thinks that we're in love with this dish just because it immediately took us back there.

The corn is sweet and crunchy, the clam is meaty, and the chorizo is smoky with a perfect heat to it. Just make sure that you get Spanish style chorizo which is smoked so it is firm and you have to slice it. If you use Mexican style chorizo it will be crumbly and soft like an Italian sausage which isn't what you want here.

Clams with Chorizo and Corn

Serves 4

1 tablespoon olive oil

1/2 pound Spanish-style chorizo, sliced 1/4 inch thick

1/2 medium onion, finely chopped

1 tablespoon garlic, minced

1 cup dry white wine

40 clams, rinsed of any dirt

1 cup fresh corn kernals

Salt and pepper

1. Heat the olive oil over medium-high heat in a heavy pot that has a tight fitting lid. Add the chorizo slices and saute until warm, about 2 minutes. Remove and keep warm.

2. Add the onion to the pot and saute, stirring, about 5 minutes. Add minced garlic and continue sauteing until the onion is soft. 

3. Add the white wine and reduce almost completely. 

4. Add the clams to the pot and cover with the lid. Simmer over low heat until they just begin to open, about 8 minutes.

5. Add the corn and cooked chorizo slices, cover with the lid again, and continue to cook about 5 more minutes. 

6. Remove lid and discard any clams that do not open as these shouldn't be eaten. Season with salt and pepper. Serve in a bowl with the broth and crusty french bread.

Sweet Potato and Plantain Puree with Cinnamon and Maple

This may just replace sweet potato casserole in this family. I haven't gotten the official word from Matt yet but I know he loved it too. He actually ate it cold the next day and suggested that we put it in a pie crust for dessert. It's very silky and just sweet enough.

Unfortunately the picture isn't going to make you just have to try this dish but you should. As I was taking my 6th picture - trying to make it look so good that you just had to make it tonight - I realized that mashed potatoes, of any kind, are never going to photograph particularly well. So, you'll just have to take my word for it! 

Sweet Potato and Plantain Puree with Cinnamon and Maple Syrup **
Serves 8


3 large sweet potatoes
1 very ripe plantain
8 tablespoons unsalted butter, room temperature and cut into cubes
2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
1/4 cup maple syrup, plus more for drizzling
1 cup heavy cream, plus more to make it creamier if desired


1. Preheat the oven to 400 and bake the sweet potatoes until almost tender, about 50 minutes. Put the plantain (peel on) on the baking sheet and cook another 15 minutes, until the potatoes are fork tender and the plantain looks black. 
2. Once cool enough to handle, cut the sweet potatoes lengthwise and scrape the flesh into a food processor . Also, cut open the plantain and add the flesh to the sweet potatoes. Pulse in a food processor until creamy.
3. Add the butter, cinnamon, 1/4 cup maple syrup, and heavy cream to the food processor and pulse until combined. You can add more heavy cream to make it creamier if you'd like. 
4. Spoon the puree into a baking dish and heat in the oven for about 10-15 minutes or until hot all the way through. Drizzle with a little more maple syrup. Serve on warmed plates. 


** Bobby Flay

Watermelon Basil Martinis

We started with Bobby Flay's Frozen Watermelon Martini but to be perfectly honest - it was terrible. I didn't even take a second sip. Luckily, Matt was determined to drink it since we had made an ENTIRE pitcher and bought melon liqueur just for this. So, he doctored it up and the result was fabulous! . It's not too sweet and the fresh basil it in is surprisingly delicious!

Watermelon Basil Martinis
Makes 1 pitcher


5 cups watermelon, seedless is best
1/2 cup sugar
1/2 cup water
2 tablespoons lemon juice
1 1/2 - 2 cups vodka, depending on taste
2 ounces melon liqueur, optional
1 cup orange juice
1/4 cup lime juice
                                        10-15 fresh basil leaves


1. Blend the watermelon until smooth and freeze until slushie-like.
2. To make the simple syrup, bring sugar and water to a boil and stir until the sugar dissolves. Remove from heat and let cool.
3. Blend together the frozen watermelon, the simple syrup, lemon juice, vodka, melon liqueur, orange juice, lime juice, and basil together. Served in a chilled glass and enjoy!

Lime and Vanilla Creme Brulee

Since I don't often like something super-sweet this dessert is perfect! The hint of lime in it really freshens it up leaving it sweet and fresh at the same time.

Lime and Vanilla Creme Brulee**

3 1/2 cups heavy whipping cream
1/2 cup whole milk
zest from 3 limes
1 vanilla bean, split lengthwise and seeds scraped
7 large egg yolks
1 whole large egg
1/2 cup sugar
1/2 teaspoon salt
Raw sugar - this is usually brown and is for caramelizing the top


1. Combine the heavy cream, milk, lime zest, vanilla bean, and vanilla bean seeds together in a large pot and bring to a simmer over medium heat, stirring occasionally. Once it begins to simmer remove it from the heat and let it sit for at least 30 minutes. The longer this sits, the stronger the flavors will be.
Preheat the oven to 350.
2. With a mixer, whisk together the egg yolks, whole egg, sugar, and salt until pale yellow and fluffy. 
3. Meanwhile, return the cream mixture to the stove and bring back to a simmer.
4. VERY slowly add the warm cream to the egg mixture. You want to make sure and do this in a slow steady stream so that you don't let the heat cook the eggs. 
5. Pour the liquid into your ramekins and place in a large baking dish. Add enough very hot water so that it comes about half way up the sides of the ramekins. Carefully place in the oven and bake for 40 minutes or until the sides are firm and the center still jiggles slightly. 
6. Remove ramekins from baking dish (with a pot holder!) and let them cool to room temperature. Then, chill them for about 4 hours (it can be longer than that).
7. To caramelize sprinkle with just enough raw sugar to coat the top of each creme brulee. Either place directly under a broiler on high heat or use a kitchen torch to melt the sugar. Enjoy!




** Bobby Flay's Mesa Grill Cookbook

Oyster Stew

My Grandpa (dad's dad) rarely cooked but when he did - it was awesome. This was one of my favorite nights - Oyster Stew. He always served it with homemade, toasted English muffin bread and I loved it! But, then again I was also that weird kid that could eat a whole can of smoked oysters with saltine crackers  by the time I was probably 5. One of my favorite memories of this was making it with hamburgers for the Ronzas and Daniels at the beach my freshman year of high school. I don't think it have ever tasted so good!

Oyster Stew                                     
 4 servings


4 tablespoons unsalted butter
16 ounces canned oysters - more if preferred
4 cups milk - as long as you aren't trying to go low-fat, I'd use whole milk. It'll be richer
Salt and pepper

1. Melt the butter in a large pot. Drain the oysters but save the liquid, setting it aside. Add the oysters to the butter and cook until they start to curl, about 4 minutes.
2. Meanwhile heat the milk with the oyster liquid and season with salt and pepper. Do not let this boil, just make sure that it is hot.
3. Once the oysters have started curling, slowly add the liquid to the oysters while stirring. Season with salt and pepper and serve hot with saltine crackers or toasted bread.

Creamy Loaded Potato Soup

It has rained for 5 days in a row now. I know that it's been step-one-foot-out-the-door-and-start-sweating hot but 5 days?! If Baxter doesn't get outside to run around soon, I will no longer have any bedroom dresser drawers. That's right, he's actually chewing the corners off of them. New ones have been ordered which means that the bedroom door will stay closed. Poor B$ (our stupid nickname for him which he will answer to as much as he does to Baxter).

Anyway, as Matt will be the first one to tell you if it is really cold, if one of us went to the dentist (thanks for that ritual mom), or it is rainy outside - we have soup.

Although the potato is my go-to soup, since I always have everything at my house, you can change it up with what you serve it with. Try sliders, chicken tenders with buffalo sauce on them, croutons, or even an arugula salad with a little Italian dressing. Since I cook the potatoes in chicken broth and add all the toppings of a baked potato, it's really flavorful and not your average potato soup!


Creamy Loaded Potato Soup
4 servings


4 russet or Idaho potatoes
4 cups chicken Broth, possibly more
5 slices of bacon
1/2 cup whipping cream (you can use any kind of milk but the thicker the milk, the creamier the soup)
1/4 cup cream cheese
1/4 cup butter or margarine
1 cup sharp Cheddar Cheese, shredded - more to taste if you want
salt and pepper
Sour cream to garnish


1. Peel and cut all the potatoes and place in a large pot. Fill with enough chicken broth to fill up the pot about 3/4 of the way up the potatoes. Boil over high heat until they are fork tender. Once ready, DO NOT DRAIN! Just set it aside.


2. Meanwhile, pan-fry or broil the bacon until cooked through. I like mine really crunchy so that it doesn't get too soft in the soup. Chop into small pieces. I use my kitchen shears here because it's so much easier and neater than using a knife with the bent and curved slices.


3. Using a potato masher (or a fork) mash up the potatoes in the chicken broth that you cooked it in. Add the whipping cream and more chicken broth until you get it just a little bit more liquidy (let's pretend that is a word) than you want. Season with salt and pepper.


4. Stir in the cream cheese, cooked bacon crumbles, butter, and cheddar cheese until well combined. Add more of each ingredient to your liking. Reheat if needed and serve warm with a dollop of sour cream on top. 

Roasted Corn Chowder with Chipotle Crema

This Roasted Corn Chowder is my favorite soup ever. The recipe is a little odd in that it calls for turning up the heat, lowering it, and turning it back up. But, the end result is worth every bit of it.I can't get enough of the Chipotle Crema that you drizzle on top but you could also serve it on the side for those that don't like spicy food. Enjoy!

Roasted Corn Chowder with Chipotle Crema**

serves 8

6 ears of corn, roasted and kernels cut off the cob

2 tablespoon unsalted butter

1 medium onion, finely chopped

1 tablespoon minced garlic

2 cups dry white wine

5 cups chicken broth

2 cups heavy cream

1/2 cup sour cream

2 teaspoons pureed canned chipotles in adobo

1 teaspoon fresh lime juice

salt and pepper

1. Over medium heat melt the butter and sweat the onion and garlic for about 5 minutes. Raising the heat to high, add the wine, and reduce until it is about 4 tablespoons, about 12 minutes.

2. Reduce heat to low and add the roasted corn kernels. Sweat about 5 minutes. 

3. Raise the heat back to high, add the chicken stock, and return to a boil. Reduce back to medium and simmer for about 20 minutes. Raise heat to high and add the cream. Bring to a boil. Cook for about 12 minutes, stirring occasionally, until the soup has slightly thickened. 

4. Process about 3/4 of the soup in a blender or food processor until smooth. Return back to pot with the remaining soup and reheat. Season with salt and pepper.

5. For the crema, combine the sour cream, chipotle puree, lime juice, and salt and pepper. 

6. Serve the soup hot with the chipotle puree drizzled on top and on the side in case people want extra.

** Bobby Flay

Fajitas, Cilantro Lime Rice, & Mexican Twice Baked Potatoes

Often when people come to our house for dinner they ask me "do you always eat like this?" The answer is usually no because if I'm having people over, I'm going to show off!  :)

But that is usually followed by "What do you eat usually?" So today, I thought that I'd share a normal, go-to dinner for us. Fajitas. They're usually something that I have all the ingredients to just sitting in my house (except maybe not the pepper) so it's easy to whip it up. The hardest part is deciding if I want Cilantro Lime Rice or Mexican Twice Baked Potatoes with it.

To be honest my fajita recipe isn't that exciting so I'm going to be very general with it. All I do is slice up a bell pepper and an onion. Saute those in a little oil and add some fresh garlic. When those are softened, remove them and set aside to keep warm. Slice up your chicken breasts and season them with some southwestern seasoning, fajita seasoning, or whatever you have. Saute those until cooked through. Add your veggies back and re-heat. Serve it with shredded cheese, sour cream, warm tortillas, and salsa.

OK, now the fun part!

Cilantro Lime Rice
4 servings - about 200 calories per 3/4 cup.

1 cup white rice, uncooked
2 cups water
1 teaspoon salt
1 tablespoon lime juice, fresh if possible
3 tablespoons fresh cilantro, chopped
1 teaspoon vegetable or canola oil


1. Cook the rice according to package directions in the water and salt.
2. Remove to a mixing bowl and let cool slightly.
3. Stir together lime juice, cilantro, and oil.
4. While the rice is still warm, drizzle the lime - cilantro mix over the rice while stirring. Gently stir until the cilantro is dispersed but not so much that the rice gets gummy. Serve warm.


This is delicious in the fajita itself, as a side, or in the bottom of a bowl with all your fajita goodies on top (minus the tortilla).

Mexican Twice Baked Potatoes
4 servings - about 150 calories per potato half


2 russet baking potatoes
3/4 cup cheddar cheese, shredded  (you can use pepperjack, colby jack, whatever you have)
2/3 cup cottage cheese (I used to shy away from this but it's actually tasty in dishes!)
1/2 cup corn kernels
salt and pepper
jalapenos - optional (I use jarred jalapenos that I chop up pretty finely)


1. Bake the potatoes at 425 for about an hour or until tender. You could also microwave them, 1 potato at a time for about 8 minutes each. They should be fork tender all the way through.
2. When the potatoes are cool enough to handle, slice in half lengthwise. Scoop out almost all of the potato flesh, leaving about 1/4 inch all the way around, into a mixing bowl.
3. Mix in both cheeses, corn, jalapenos (if using), and season with salt and pepper.
4. Put the filling back into the 4 potato halves. They will be heaping. Broil for about 6 minutes or until the top gets golden. Serve hot.

We have finally finished framing the mirror in our master bathroom and it looks great. It turned out to be quite the project once Matt got involved because a) he's an engineer and b) he's a perfectionist with things like this.

Here are some before photos. Just a standard builders mirror.

 

Here are the after photos with our new frame.

Prosciutto Wrapped Tilapia with Fresh Sage

Matt and I are trying to go back on a health kick so I've come up with 4 weeks of weekday recipes. Last night was delicious. It's actually one of my favorite fish recipes so I just made it a little healthier. I didn't take any photos but check out the fish and salad recipes below. You could seriously have this dinner together in under 20 minutes.

Prosciutto Wrapped Tilapia with Fresh Sage
Serves 4; about 158 calories per 4 ounces of fish (no sauce)

4 - four ounce tilapia filets
4 large fresh sage leaves
4 thin slices proscuitto
salt and freshly ground pepper
1 teaspoon olive oil 

1. Place a sage leaf in the middle of the each tilapia filet. Wrap a slice of prosciutto around the width of the filet covered the sage leaf. Lightly season with salt and pepper.
2. Heat a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add olive oil and swirl around to cover the bottom. Add the fish to the skillet and cook 3 minutes on each side or until cooked through. 
3. Remove and serve on a warm plate to keep the fish warm.

My less healthier version:
4. Remove tilapia and keep warm. Heat about 4 tablespoons of butter in the skillet until it bubbles and starts to turn golden brown. Add 1 tablespoon capers, 2 tablespoons white wine, and 1 teaspoon lemon juice. Add fish back to the skillet and warm. Serve hot with any extra sauce drizzled on top.

If you aren't going to serve this with the lemon butter sauce, I suggest serving it with some smashed red potatoes with a little butter and lemon juice or a citrusy salad. It'll pair nicely with the fish. Or, you can always squeeze a little lemon juice over the top when you serve it.

Napa Cabbage Salad with Cashews

I love this salad. I could eat the whole bowl by myself for a meal. I serve it all the time with seafood because of the salty freshness in the dressing. My mom and I used to pick at any salad that was leftover after dinner right out of the bowl and this was always my favorite (although there wasn't usually leftovers!).

Cashew and Napa Cabbage Salad

Serves 4: about 154 calories per cup of prepared salad

1/2 cup cashews, slightly chopped

4 cups Napa cabbage cut into small pieces

4 tablespoons olive oil

2 tablespoons red wine vinegar

Salt and Pepper

1. Toss cashews and cabbage in a large bowl. 

2. Drizzle olive oil over the salad first (this will keep the vinegar from wilting the cabbage). Drizzle with the vinegar and toss again. Season with salt and pepper. 

Mac and Cheese Grilled Cheese

Mac and Cheese Grilled Cheese - that's right, we combined the two gooey, cheese everyday staples into one terrific sandwich. I made our favorite mac and cheese on Thursday night and saved a cup for leftovers (I had to hide it from Matt and Jason). 


Then on Saturday I did the normal grilled cheese routine where I buttered one side of 4 pieces of Texas toast, put one down, topped with a slice of sharp cheddar, top with 1/2 cup mac and cheese, another slice of cheddar, and last piece of toast. Make sure the skillet is hot so that you can get a nice crunchy golden brown on the outside while the inside is warm.

            Result? Delish - you don't really notice the noodles necessarily but what you do bite into is a extra creamier inside once you crunch through the golden toast. We just might have to make some more "leftover" mac and cheese soon. Definitely worth doing.

Breakfast Burger

 Breakfast Burger from Cuisine at Home: This was a ground pork and breakfast sausage mixed patty on top of a biscuit, with a maple bacon gravy, a fried egg, and flat tater tots!

         Result? Good, but not great. I have to be honest. I am one of those people that doesn't want my syrup anywhere near anything except French toast, pancakes, or waffles. To me it just doesn't belong on my meat. So, I'd definitely make this again but I'd rather just use a regular gravy rather than the one they made with the "hint" of maple. But either way, just use your favorite gravy and add a little maple syrup if you want.

Breakfast Burger:
12 ounces ground pork
12 ounces breakfast sausage
6 biscuits
6 eggs
about 24 tater tots (plus more for snacking of course!)
about a cup of your favorite breakfast gravy


1. Pulse the ground pork and sausage together until just mixed. Form into 6 patties. Grill or saute until well done.
2. Meanwhile bake both your biscuits and your tater tots. Keep warm.
3. Fry or scramble 6 eggs. Keep hot.
4. Stack your burger: bottom of biscuit, burger patty, spoonful of gravy, tater tots, fried egg, top of biscuit. Serve and eat while warm.


** Optional: Go run 7 miles to work this off!