CAMPFIRE POTATOES

Amounts are proportionate and per taste.

Slice some yukon gold potatoes and Vidalia onions.

Generously sprinkle with salt and pepper.

Toss with melted butter until well coated.

Using heavy duty foil cut out generous sized squares per person.

Squirt a generous amount of yellow mustard all around.

Sprinkle with grated cheddar cheese and crumbled crisp bacon.

Seal well.

Seal well and toss on grill for 25-30 minutes.

ARTICHOKE HEART VINAIGRETTE

I can see the headlines now, A YUMMY FIND at the thrift store yields great recipes!  Now I have modernized them to my family's likes, but they were pretty good to begin with.

ARTICHOKE HEART VINAIGRETTE

1 can (1 lb) artichoke hearts 9 ounce baby artichoke hearts

1/3 cup white vinegar champagne vinegar

2/3 cup salad oil 1/2 cup light olive oil

1/4 teaspoon salt 1/2 teaspoon sea salt

dash pepper 1/2 teaspoon white pepper

1 tablespoon parsley

1 2 green onions, thinly sliced

• Drain artichoke hearts.
• Combine remaining ingredients and shake until well blended.
• Puree' artichoke hearts.
• Pour over artichoke hearts, cover and place in refrigerator to marinate several hours. 
• Add all other ingredients and puree' until well blended. 
• Chill.

SWEDISH MEATBALLS REVISITED - made healthier, quicker for weeknights and yummier too! ALSO made into a SWEDISH MEATLOAF.

Traditionally this recipe is served with lingonberries - YUMMMMMMY!!
MEATBALLS*
1 Jumbo egg
1/4 cup heavy cream
1 large slice white bread, crusts removed, and bread torn into 1-inch pieces
8 ounces ground pork, double ground
8 ounces ground beef, double ground
1 medium onion, grated or minced
1/8 teaspoon freshly grated nutmeg
1/8 teaspoon ground allspice
1/8 teaspoon white pepper
1 teaspoon brown sugar
1 1/2 teaspoons table salt
Olive Oil, heavy coat

• Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
• Whisk egg and cream together in small bowl. Stir in bread and set aside to soak.
• Blend hamburger & pork, onion, nutmeg, allspice, pepper, brown sugar, and salt smooth and uniform.
• Using fork, mash bread mixture until no large dry bread chunks remain.
• Add mixture to beef mixture and blend until well mixed.
• Form 1-inch round meatballs. You'll have about 25-30. 
• Bake 20-25 minutes until cooked through.
• At this point you can either complete the recipe or freeze the meatballs for a later weeknight.

SAUCE
1 tablespoon butter
1 tablespoon all-purpose flour
1 1/2 cups chicken broth
1 tablespoon packed brown sugar
1/2 cup heavy cream
2 teaspoons juice from 1 lemon
Table salt and freshly ground black pepper

• Melt butter over medium high heat.
• Once melted, add flour and cook, stirring constantly with whisk, until flour is light brown.
• Slowly whisk in broth.
• Add brown sugar and bring to simmer.
• Reduce heat to medium and cook until sauce is reduced to about 1 cup, about 5 minutes.
• Stir in cream and return to simmer.
• Add meatballs back to sauce and simmer, turning occasionally, until heated through, about 5 minutes.  If making the meatloaf, at this point pour sauce over the meatloaf and bake for 45 minutes at 350 degrees.
• Stir in lemon juice; season with salt and pepper to taste and serve over noodles.

*I doubled this recipe and also made a "Swedish Loaf" for the freezer that I can then just add the sauce over and bake one evening.

ITALIAN GARLIC SUPREME PIZZA

We have a favorite pizza - ITALIAN GARLIC SUPREME from Round Table Pizza.  This pizza is full of pepperoni, Italian sausage, Roma tomatoes, white mushrooms, green onions and lots of chopped garlic and is baked with a blend of 3 cheeses in a creamy garlic sauce.  Unfortunately they are not a national chain.  We have spent horribly disappointing meals  out trying to find a local replacement for this pizza.  I have since decided the best replacement is the one I make myself.  And when hubby got home the other night he whole heartily agreed!

ITALIAN GARLIC SUPREME PIZZA

CRUST
1 cup of warm water (105F)
3 1/2 cups of all-purpose flour
2 tablespoons of olive oil
2 teaspoons of honey
1 teaspoon sugar
1 teaspoon of salt
1 teaspoon of yeast

• Put warm water into a bowl. Add salt, sugar and honey and mix well. Add the yeast, mix and let it sit for about 10 minutes.
• Gradually add the flour and olive oil until well blended.
• When the mixture gets too heavy to mix, start kneading the dough with your hands.
• Knead the dough until you have a smooth ball. If the dough cracks it is too dry. Add water bit by bit until if forms a nice smooth ball. If you need to add water or flour, do it by small amounts.
• Coat the dough with olive oil, place it in a large bowl and cover it with kitchen wrap and a flour sack towel. Let the dough rise for about an hour at room temperature, then push it down again so it deflates. Let it sit for about another hour. Either bake it or refrigerate for later use.
• Put the dough on a lightly floured surface, put a bit of flour on top and make it into the shape of a pie by stretching it out from the center outwards. Use a rolling pin until the dough is about 1/4" thick. Punch some holes in the dough with a fork to let the air escape while the pizza is in the oven.
• Lightly oil a cookie sheet with olive oil and sprinkle with cornmeal.
• Pre-Bake dough at 400 degrees for 5 minutes.

TOPPINGS 

1 package John Morrell pepperoni

3 Italian sausages, cooked and crumbled 

1 can Contadina tomato paste with basil and oregano

1/2 pound mushrooms, thinly sliced

1 large bunch green onions, thinly sliced including the majority of the tops

6 cloves garlic, finely minced

1 Roma tomato, diced small

2/3 cup grated mozzarella cheese

2/3 cup grated provolone cheese

2/3 cup grated Romano cheese

Extra light olive oil

• Whisk together the tomato paste, garlic and 1 teaspoon olive oil to make the sauce.
• Brush pre-baked dough with a small amount of olive oil and then an even layer of the sauce.
• Evenly sprinkle the crumbled sausage over the sauce followed by half of the pepperoni.
• Top with the mushrooms, green onions and tomatoes.
• Evenly sprinkle the cheese over it all
• Top with the remaining pepperoni.
• Bake the pizza at 400-450° F for about 20-25 minutes until the crust is golden.

Chicken Marsala

• 1/4 cup all-purpose flour
  
• 1/2 teaspoon sea salt
  
• 1/4 teaspoon ground white pepper
  
• 1/2 teaspoon dried oregano
  
• 4 skinless, boneless chicken breast halves - pounded 1/4 inch thick
  
• 4 tablespoons butter
  
• 4 tablespoons olive oil
• 1 small white onion, sliced into thin rings and then separated
• 1/2 pound mushrooms, sliced thin
• 1 tablespoon lemon juice
  
• 1/2 cup Marsala wine
  
• 1/4 cup sweet cooking sherry

1. With a mortar and pestle grind the oregano. 
2. Sift together the flour, salt, pepper and oregano. 
3. Coat the chicken pieces well with the flour mixture.
4. In a heavy skillet, heat oil and butter.  
5. When oil and butter is hot, saute' onions and mushrooms until just caramelized. 
6. Set aside onions and mushrooms and place chicken breasts in skillet and brown on both sides about 6 minutes per side over medium heat. Remove and set aside, but keep warm.
7. To the skillet, add the wine, lemon juice and sherry. Stir, reduce heat, and cook for about 10 minutes until the sauce is partially reduced and begins to thicken.
8. Return onions and mushrooms to the skillet. 
9. Plate chicken breasts.
10. Spoon sauce over the chicken.
11. Cover and cook over low heat for about 5-10 minutes or until chicken is done.

PEACH NUTTY CHEESE BARS

1 cups all-purpose flour
1 cups quick-cooking oats
1/2 cups chopped cashews
1/2 + 1/3 cup granulated sugar, divided
1/4 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 cup butter, melted
8 ounces cream cheese, softened
1 large eggs
2 teaspoons fresh lemon juice
1 teaspoons vanilla extract
3/4 cup peach jam

• Preheat oven to 350°. Spray a 9″x 13″x 2″ baking pan with nonstick cooking spray. 
• Combine flour, oats, cashews, 1 cup sugar, and baking soda in a large bowl. Stir in melted butter. Reserve 1 & 1/2 cups of mixture for topping. Press remaining mixture into bottom of prepared pan. Bake for 12-15 minutes or until lightly browned. Set pan on wire rack to cool. 
• Beat cream cheese and 3/4 cup sugar at medium speed with an electric mixer. When mixture is creamy, add eggs, one at a time, beating well after each addition. Add lemon juice and vanilla extract. Beat until combined. 
• Spread apple butter over cooled crust. Spread cream cheese mixture over apple butter. Top with reserved oat mixture. Bake 35-40 minutes or until cream cheese layer is set. Cool completely before cutting into bars.
• Let cool.  Store in air tight refrigerated container.

CHICKEN SCAMPI

A while back I made Shrimp Scampi and it was so good I decided to make Chicken Scampi.

"Scampi is a culinary name for some species of lobster, notably the 'true' scampi Nephrops norvegicus,..." In both the United Kingdom and the USA, the word has come to define the method of preparation rather than the ingredient, although referring to quite different methods in the two countries. This being said, I'm going to "scampi" just about everything before I'm done.

1 1/2 pounds chicken pieces
1/3 cup clarified butter
4 cloves garlic, minced
6 green onions, thinly sliced
1/4 cup dry white wine
Juice of 1 lemon
Fresh parsley for garnish
salt and pepper, to taste

• Clean and rinse chicken pieces, dry well and set aside.
• Heat butter in large skillet over medium heat.
• Cook garlic 1 or 2 minutes or until softened but not browned.
• Add chicken pieces, green onions, wine and lemon juice; cook until chicken is cooked through.
• Do not overcook.
• Add chopped parsley and salt and pepper before serving.
• Garnish with lemon slices and parsley sprigs if desired.
• Serve with buttered noodles and a green veggie. I tossed them all together for a one pot meal.

TASTE & CREATE ~ MY GREEN MOUTH ~ HOMEMADE CHOCOLATE PUDDING

The whole purpose of Taste and Create was, and has been, and continues to be to create a community of bloggers who test each others’ recipes and share links. The participants of the event are paired together and try a new recipe from one another's blog.

This month is a special 3 year anniversary where we are showcasing desserts.  I was paired with MY GREEN MOUTH, who is a relatively new blogger (so it made it easy to choose a dessert - I love chocolate!) and is dedicated to cooking green.

Homemade Chocolate Pudding
1/2 cup organic granulated sugar
4 tablespoons cornstarch
1/2 teaspoon salt
2 organic eggs (I used Eggland's best)
6 ounces chopped or shaved chocolate 

4 cups organic milk
2 teaspoons instant coffee granules
2 teaspoon vanilla extract 

Her recipe is an adaptation of a classic recipe from the superb Ms. Betty Crocker! I halved her recipe and had plenty! 

• In a large pot, mix the sugar, cornstarch, salt and eggs together thoroughly. 
• Slowly whisk in the milk.
• Whisk in the instant coffee.
• Add the chocolate. I used about 2 oz. bittersweet, 2 oz. milk chocolate, and 2 oz. dark chocolate. If you use unsweetened chocolate, double the sugar. But I use regular eating chocolate. And I believe a blend makes the flavor deeper and more multi-faceted.
• Cook on a low or medium heat until the mixture boils, stirring constantly. Boil for 2 minutes.
• Whisk in the vanilla extract.
• Take off the heat, allow to cool. Once cool, put into glasses or a container to store in the refrigerator.

MENU PLANS

Menu Plan Monday hosted by Laura at I'm an Organizing Junkie

	DATE	BREAKFAST	DINNER	DESSERTS
	MON 8/16			SPICY LEMON CHICKEN
	TUES 8/17			CADILLACS
	WED 8/18			OUT for our anniversary
	THU 8/19			BUNLESS BURGERS w/ CARAMELIZED ONIONS & MUSHROOMS w/ PEPPERJACK CHEESE
	FRI 8/20			CHICKEN SCAMPI & CREAM OF ARTICHOKE SOUP
	SAT 8/21	Toasted French Toast	CHILI & CORN BREAD	Chinese Chicken Salad
	SUN 8/22	Huevos con Yummy	SALAMI, FRUIT & CHEESES	SHRIMP SCAMPI & STUFFED ARTICHOKES

Tomatoes are good for you, no I mean REALLY good for you!

Tomato Bisque
2 tablespoons butter
1 medium Vidalia onion, chopped
2 large carrots, chopped
1 celery stalk, chopped small
4 cloves garlic, minced
4 cups fresh Roma tomatoes, peeled
4 cups chicken broth
3 or 4 sprigs fresh parsley
5-10 fresh basil leaves
2 bay leaves
1/2 cup heavy whipping cream
Sea salt and white pepper to taste
Grated Parmesan cheese for serving

• Melt butter in a large soup pot over medium heat. 
• Add chopped onions, carrots, celery and garlic.
• Cook stirring often until soft, about 8-10 minutes.
• Add chicken broth and tomatoes, stirring well.
• Tie herbs together in cheesecloth and drop into the soup. This makes it easy to remove later.
• Season with sea salt and white pepper to taste.
• Reduce heat to low and simmer covered for 30 minutes.
• Remove herbs and discard.
• Add whipping cream and blend until smooth.
• Ladle into bowls and top with freshly grated cheese and fresh basil.

Pairs really well with Tuna Melts.

CALLING ALL FOODIES!

We have some openings for some new team members over at Our Krazy Kitchen. The themes are open to what you would enjoy posting. Would you like to join us once a week or even just once a month? Let me know, we'd love to have you as part of our team!

MENU PLANS

Menu Plan Monday hosted by Laura at I'm an Organizing Junkie

	DATE	breakfast	lunch	supper
	MON 8/9			Chicken spaghetti
	TUES 8/10			Carnitas
	WED 8/11			Chinese chicken salad
	THU 8/12			Chicken posole
	FRI 8/13			Stacked Green Chile & Grilled Chicken Enchiladas
	SAT 8/14	Baked ham & egg cups	fruit & cheese	Pot Roast & Roasted Veggies
	SUN 8/15	Swedish pancakes with lingonberries	pot roast burgers	Twisted pepper steak in gravy