Well, just made a huge batch of yummy salsa. Everyone needs to try this. It was so simple. You can buy the seasoning packages called Mrs. Wages and just add cilantro, onion, garlic and your tomatoes. I even added a couple jalapenos. You put it in a large pan and cook it down and then put in your jars and give them a hot bath. The fantastic thing is that the instructions are on the package. I used the following:

20 lbs. tomatoes

3 bunches of cilantro

2 large red onions

2 jalapenos

3 cups white vinegar

1 clove garlic

I ended up with 12 pints and 6 quarts of salsa. I have included some cool pictures.

Roasting Chicken

I recently found that I love roasting chicken...this is soooo easy and makes such a yummy treat. I have done whole chickens, bone in chicken breast, chicken thighs. They are all fantastic. It is very versatile as to what herbs you use and what pieces of chicken you use. Below are just the basics that I started with and then you can build from there. You will see pictures before going into the oven and after the yummy roasting...

Take whatever pieces of chicken that you want. I will suggest a variation.

6 thighs

4 bone in skin on breasts

4 legs

Place on a large roasting pan.

Your marinade, so to speak, is the following:

1/2 cup olive oil

2 tsp salt

1/2 tsp ground pepper

3 garlic cloves, minced

4 tsp chopped sage

3 tsp chopped thyme

A twitter friend suggested adding some capers to the mix and it will make it very good. We all need to try.

Mix all of these ingredients together in a bowl and rub all over the skin of the chicken. Make sure that you get the oil and herbs all over the chicken on both sides and rub it in nicely. Place into a 375 degree oven and roast for about 1 1/2 hours. Let cool for about 1/2 hour and then the chicken will fall nicely off the bone. I put the breast meat in chicken salad. You can put all of the meat in quiches, soups, wraps with veggies...there are so many things that can be done with this. It is very good just on nice mixed green salad. If you roast a whole chicken it takes about 1 1/2 to 2 hours to make sure it is done, depending on the size. Happy Roasting.

Yummy Pear, Gorgonzola and Walnut Salad with Champagne Vinaigrette

This salad was referred by a friend @Vinoluci and I made it for a recent event Tablescapes 2010 for Arts Illiana in Terre Haute at the Ohio Building. This salad turned out fantastic and everyone seemed to love it. You can make the dressing a little sweeter if you want by adding a little more sugar. You can also use whatever kind of champagne you want, I used a sweeter rose prosecco.

The Salad......

Mixed salad greens, I like red leaf lettuce, romaine and baby spring mix

Gorgonzola cheese, crumbled

Pears, sliced and treated with lemon juice

Walnuts (you can also do candied walnuts)

Red onion slices or you can use sweet yellow onions

Vinaigrette dressing.....

1 cup olive oil

1/2 cup champagne

1/4 cup champagne vinegar

1 Tbsp sugar

salt and pepper

I didn't assemble the salad until I was ready to serve and then I had the salad and just dressed with enough dressing to your taste. This makes quite a bit of dressing, so you can make and just do as much aslad as you want.

Branching out a bit....

We have been asked quite a few times over the last few years if we do any cooking classes. We always just say that we've thought about it, but really haven't gotten much farther than that. With a new restaurant and a catering business that is quickly growing we weren't sure we could do it. Well, we have decided that we have had enough requests that we would like to branch out and do a little teaching. I have had quite a few suggestions as to what kind of classes and curriculum we should have. Some say casseroles, salads, baking and sauces. Others say how to prepare meat and then make a few sides for a nice put together meal. Well, I would like to have some suggestions from everyone out there. What do you all think? I would like to get a cookbook for them to follow so they have something to take away with them. I love suggestions and I can even take constructive critisism if necessary, so bring it on everyone. I want to give my students the best that I can.

Best Most Wonderful Pumpkin Muffins Ever!!!

I think these have to be the best pumpkin muffins I have ever eaten. They are moist and have the most delicious streusel topping.....mmmmm

Pumpkin Muffins

1 cup brown sugar
1/3 cup butter crisco
1 cup canned pumpkin
1/4 cup milk
2 cups flour
2 eggs
2 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp salt
1/4 tsp baking soda
1/2 tsp cloves
1/2 tsp cinnamon

Cream brown sugar and crisco. Beat in eggs. Add canned pumpkin and milk. Mix. In a separate bowl, mix flour, baking powder, salt, baking soda, cloves and cinnamon. Add flour mixture to pumpkin mixture. Mix well. Apply streusel to tops of muffins. Bake at 350 for approximately 30-35 minutes. (For Jumbo Muffins)

Streusel:
1/3 cup brown sugar
3 Tbsp flour
1 Tbsp melted butter
Mix well and put on top of muffins before baking.

This recipe makes 6 jumbo muffins or 12 standard size. Double to make 12 jumbo or 24 standard. I usually always double and I always make standard size. I also do not use muffin liners, I grease my muffin tins with crisco.

Delicious Caramel Dreaminess

Found this bar recipe a few months ago and can't stop making it, better yet, I can't stop eating it. They are just dreamy!

Caramel Pecan Bars

2 cups butter, cubed
4 1/2 cups packed brown sugar
4 eggs
4 tsp vanilla extract
3 cups flour
4 tsp baking powder
4 cups chopped pecans
In a large saucepan, heat butter and brown sugar over medium heat until butter and brown sugar are dissolved. In a small mixing bowl beat the eggs, vanilla and butter mixture. Combine flour and baking powder; gradually add to the butter mixture and mix well. Stir in pecans.
Spread into a greased and parchment lined 9x13 inch baking pan. Bake at 350 for 20-25 minutes or until a toothpick inserted near center comes out with moist crumbs and edges are crisp. Cool on wire rack. Dust with powdered sugar if desired and cut into bars.

These S'mores will leave you wanting more and more...

I was looking through a magazine and was trying to find something that would be different for the dessert case at the restaurant. My clients love things that are gooey and chocolately and totally yummmm! Well, I must say that this bar fits the bill plus more. They are very easy to make and will go so quick you won't know what happened.

S'mores Bar Cookies

1 stick of soft butter

3/4 cup sugar

1 egg

1 tsp vanilla extract

1 1/3 cups flour

3/4 cup graham cracker crumbs

1 tsp baking powder

1/4 tsp salt

5 Hershey Milk Chocolate Bars (1.55 oz. each) broken into pieces

3 cups miniature marshmallows

Heat oven to 350 degrees. Grease an 8 inch square baking pan (or double the recipe and do a 9x13 like I did) and then line with parchment paper. Beat butter and sugar in large bowl until well blended. Add egg and vanilla; beat well. Stir together flour, graham cracker crumbs, baking powder and salt; add to butter mixture, beating until blended. Press half of dough into prepared pan. Bake 15 minutes. Sprinkle chocolate bar sections, marshmallows and bits of remaining dough over baked layer. Bake 10-15 minutes or just until lightly browned. Cool completely in pan on wire rack. Then cut into bars.





These are fantastic!!!!