[recipe] – RHUBARB PIE! Ohhhh, best ever!

On September 3, 2013December 8, 2013 By Barbara StroudIn FOOD, Recipe2 Comments

Rhubarb. You either love it or you hate it. I happen to love it. Rhubarb makes the best pie ever. Some people mix it with strawberries… hmmmm, not me, I like it with just rhubarb. I’m funny that way…

Last month was my birthday, and my mother-in-law surprised me with a rhubarb pie, and it was delicious! I swore I was going to freeze some of it, but it was gone before I got around to doing it… Oops!

I was a weird kid… never wanted cake for my birthday, always wanted pie. So my mom would bake me a pie. I love a good pie! I showed you how to make an APPLE PIE on an earlier post… Easy as… you guessed it! Fruit pies are easy as pie to make. Sometimes they may be a bit juicy and make the bottom crust soggy, other times they won’t. Go with it, don’t worry about it, it’s good no matter how it ends up! My favorite are fruit pies (I refer to blueberry pie as ‘antioxidant pie’, hee… hmmm, sounding good right now!).

As I mentioned, I didn’t make the pie above… but I have made this pie before. I don’t usually put a lattice crust, just because it’s quicker to have a top crust and make a pretty design with a knife to let the steam escape. But if you have the time, the lattice really makes it pretty!

I use Pillsbury pie crust (red box in the refrigerator section of the grocery store). I never use any other. I’ve picked up a well known brand and it was horrible… that’s a lot of money down the drain if the crust is bad. So unless you know for a fact that the crust is good, either make one, or buy Pillsbury pie crust…

Here’s a video from the AllRecipes.com website, it shows how to make the “Fresh Rhubarb Pie” step by step…

Here is the link to the RHUBARB PIE recipe on the AllRecipe.com website, from that location you can click to print!

FRESH RHUBARB PIE (recipe by Carol via AllRecipes.com)

INGREDIENTS

4 cups cut rhubarb

1 1/3 cups sugar (recipe says 1 1/3-2 cups sugar… I’ve never needed more than 1 1/3 cups, and it could probably be lowered to 1 cup)

6 Tablespoons flour

1 Tablespoon butter

1 recipe pastry for 2 pie crusts (or Pillsbury pie crust in the red package located in the refrigerated section of your grocery store).

Preheat the oven to 450 degrees.

Open the pie crust package, it contains two crusts (follow directions on box).

Place one crust in the pie dish (roll it out if you need to). A regular pie dish works great, you don’t have to use a deep dish pie dish (like for an apple pie), although you can… I don’t have a regular pie dish, so I use a deep dish for everything…

Then mix up the filling… this takes a lot of skill… kidding! I said it’s easy as pie, right? Here’s what you do…

Combine the sugar and flour. Sprinkle 1/4 of it over the pastry in the pie plate. Then add the rhubarb to the pie dish, even it out with your hands. Sprinkle the remaining sugar/flour mixture over the rhubarb. Dot the rhubarb with small pieces of butter. Cover with a top crust and seal. Cut a few small vents in the center of the crust to allow steam to escape.

Place pie dish on cookie sheet and put in the oven. Bake at 450 for 15 MINUTES. Then REDUCE OVEN TEMPERATURE to 350 degrees, and continue to bake for 40-45 minutes.

This pie is fabulous warm or cold. It’s best served with vanilla ice cream!

Let me know how you like it! I’ve had this recipe since 2008… my dad found it online… good going dad!

Catch you back here tomorrow!

Recipe: Cranberry & Nut Israeli Couscous Salad

On August 13, 2013December 8, 2013 By Barbara StroudIn FOOD, Recipe1 Comment

I found this recipe while searching for a couscous recipe that had cranberries and nuts in it, I had an idea what to use for dressing, but ran across this recipe on Epicurious – it used spices that I definitely would not have used, but am so glad that I did. This recipe is one that was apparently created at Whole Foods. I checked their site for the recipe, but it wasn’t there. I did find it on Epicurious. This is a great side dish/salad that goes well with pretty much everything! It can be served warm or cold. This is a quick and easy recipe that will put a smile on your face! I added fresh orange wedges to it, and that makes all the difference, it takes it from a really good recipe to a blow your mind recipe. Yep, just with a few oranges!

Note: This recipe calls for Israeli couscous. I always thought of couscous as the tiny grain like pasta, which I never cared for, but after reading about it on Cookthink.com I saw that it was entirely diffferent. It’s puffier, this is what it looks like (the other couscous looks a bit like sand)…

This is the description from Cookthink.com:

Like couscous, so-called Israeli couscous are small, round, pasta-like granules made from semolina and wheat flour.

While the Israeli company Osem claims to have “invented” Israeli couscous in the 1950s, it is simply a marketing term for what was known previously as North African berkukes or Palestinian matfoul and popular in Jordan, Syria and Lebanon.

Unlike familiar small, yellow semolina-based North African couscous, Israeli couscous (which is sometimes called pearl couscous) is twice as big and is toasted rather than dried. This gives it a nutty flavor and a sturdy composition that gives it a chewy bite and makes it stand up to sauce.

Israeli couscous can be used in salads, soups or as a base for chicken or fish. It works well when prepared like a rice pilaf.

Here’s the recipe – Click to print this recipe from Epicurious

israeli couscous with cranberries and pecans

ingredients

Salad:
2 cups Israeli couscous, uncooked
1 cup dried cranberries
1 cup toasted pecans, quartered
2 scallions, minced
Dressing:
3 tbsp canola oil (I used olive oil)
1.5 tbsp champagne vinegar (I used white wine vinegar)
1 orange, zest
1/2 orange, juiced
1/2 tsp turmeric
1/2 tsp dried thyme
1/2 tsp dried tarragon
Salt and pepper to taste

NOTE: I added 2 1/2 oranges, cut into wedges (the other half is juiced in the above steps) – this made the recipe over the top good!

preparation

Bring a pot of salted water to a boil, and add the couscous. When it’s done (roughly 8-10 mins, or when it’s al dente), drain it but do not rinse. Set aside and let cool while you mince the scallions, toast and chop the pecans, and make the dressing.

In a small bowl, whisk together the canola oil, vinegar, orange zest and juice, spices and salt and pepper.

In a large bowl, combine the couscous, cranberries, pecans and scallions. Pour the well-whisked dressing over it and toss to combine.

Serve immediately, or chill in the fridge for a few hours to blend the flavors.

This is what I did:

Set out ingredients…

Toast nuts in a dry non stick pan just until they start to turn a light brown and you can begin to smell them; beware, this step can go from good to bad quickly, so get the pan off the stove once you start to smell them roasting.

Zest your orange (not the white part) – In a bowl mix the olive oil, vinegar, fresh squeezed orange juice, zest and spices…

Cut oranges into wedges or smaller pieces, however you like it… this will add a nice sweet burst of flavor- I don’t think you can have too many!

After you cook the couscous in boiling water, as you would pasta (I did mine 6 minutes and it was perfect), drain it and put it into a bowl. Then, chop your green onions…

Pour the dressing over the cooked couscous – oooowie, smells good, doesn’t it?

Add the dried cranberries and orange segments…

Add the green onions that you chopped a few minutes ago…

Then add the toasted nuts…

Now you would think that I would put a serving in a pretty little dish and take a photo… but did I? Nope… I was hungry and I totally missed this step! It would have been pretty too! We had grilled chicken, couscous and sautéed spinach – close your eyes a picture it… on a pretty plate… smell the wonderful combination of orange, roasted nuts, mmmmm… you know you want it… now go get busy! ENJOY!

Catch you back here tomorrow!

My post from a year ago… Featured Artist… Camille Przewodek!

My post from two years ago… Hootie and the Blowfish Concert…

Do you remember Orange Julius? Here’s the recipe!

On August 6, 2013June 18, 2023 By Barbara StroudIn FOOD, Recipe, THOUGHTS1 Comment

Who remembers the Orange Julius drink? Do you remember that wonderful orange flavored iced drink? I remember certain things about my childhood… like when my dad would go to Sears and look at tools… as a little girl… I can still remember the tiles on the floor at Sears in Macomb Mall (St. Clair Shores, MI). A beigy colored tile… HOW do I remember that?

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Recipe: Fred’s Famous Banana Smoothie… I am hooked!

On July 9, 2013June 21, 2025 By Barbara StroudIn FOOD, HEALTH, Recipe4 Comments

TIS THE SEASON! It’s officially SMOOTHIE weather! When it turns hot and humid, relief is needed. This fabulous smoothie tastes great and cools you off quickly. After we walk, we usually come in and make a smoothie. This is my all time favorite, and when Fred is home he makes one each morning (in the summer). Here’s what he does… See updated (2025) version below…

The All Star Ingredients... — The All Star Ingredients… (See end for updated notes!)

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Fast & Healthy Summer Side Dish… Cucumbers in Greek Yogurt… my favorite!

On July 2, 2013December 17, 2013 By Barbara StroudIn FOOD, HEALTH, Recipe5 Comments

This isn’t as much of a “recipe” as it is an idea… This is my all time favorite when the cucumbers are local and oh so good… summer is when we like a lot of cold salads, boiled shrimp… keeps the house (and us!) cooler! I used to make this with low fat sour cream… then it hit me… USE GREEK YOGURT! We always have it, might as well use it! That way you feel GOOD about eating it! There are no feelings of guilt with this recipe…

Start off by chopping up a green onion (if you like them), or chive, minced onion, whatever makes you say WOOHOO! Then peel and cut the seeds out of a cucumber (this is for two people, for more, just double, triple, etc.).

Next… Put a spoonful of Greek yogurt into a serving dish… I scoop one big tablespoon (not measuring spoon)… and slice the cucumbers…

Then… add some cider vinegar (I use unfiltered, it’s supposed to be healthier). If you like vinegar add a big gulp, if you aren’t big on it, put a little gulp, if you can’t stand it then use lemon juice!

Now… stir together the green onion, greek yogurt and apple cider vinegar… lovely!

Toss in the slices of cucumber, and stir it gently, coating the cucumber pieces…

Then sprinkle with dill, and pepper if you like. One thing to mention… don’t make this too far ahead of time, it can get watery… I will make it and put it right back in the fridge while I finish dinner so that it stays cold. Take it out of the fridge, stir again and voila…

Dinner’s ready!

Catch you back here tomorrow!

Quick & Easy Recipe: Caprese Salad… Nothing could taste fresher!

On June 18, 2013December 20, 2013 By Barbara StroudIn FOOD, HEALTH, Recipe9 Comments

My basil plant is growing like a weed. It is absolutely gorgeous… I bought an heirloom tomato the other day and it smelled heavenly! My first thought… CAPRESE SALAD! I mean what could be any fresher tasting as well as quick and easy to throw together?

CAPRESE SALAD

Good tomato (or tomatoes)

Fresh mozzarella cheese (it’s in a ball, slice it into nice slices)

Fresh Basil (MUST. BE. FRESH!)

Olive Oil

Salt & Pepper

Find a good tomato (this one was rather large), and slice it (not too thin). You can lay a slice of tomato, then a slice of FRESH mozzarella cheese (if it’s not the softer fresh mozzarella the results will not be the same, I speak from experience!) and a basil leaf, or you can stack several basil leaves together, roll them up and snip them into small pieces (as I did, above). It tastes the same either way. Now drizzle the tomatoes and cheese with olive oil, and a light sprinkle of salt and pepper.

Note: I made this recipe ahead one day… popped it in the fridge… took it out when dinner was ready and the olive oil had congealed (eek), so if you make it ahead, just take it out of the fridge a few minutes before serving so the olive oil has a chance to come alive!

The other night we had boiled shrimp, corn on the cob, and this caprese salad… too good!

This is also fabulous on a good bakery baguette… nothing fresher, we used to get this at Dean & Deluca – oh, what memories!

Catch you back here tomorrow!

Have you made Roasted Asparagus? Too easy and way too good to be a veggie!

On June 12, 2013November 21, 2019 By Barbara StroudIn FOOD, Recipe8 Comments

Roasted Asparagus – Image: MyRecipes.com

Photo: Leigh Beisch; Styling: Merilee Bordin

I like asparagus. Actually I LOVE asparagus. Of all cooking methods, roasting is hands down the most flavorful cooking method. The taste is out of this world and it is so easy you won’t believe it!

Sometimes I sprinkle a little parmesan, sometimes I don’t. Same with the lemon. It works either way. It doesn’t need it, but it’s a nice twist. You can also just use however much asparagus you like (if you don’t need six servings), toss in olive oil, sprinkle with a little salt and pop in the oven!

Yield: Makes 6 servings

Recipe Credit

Roasted Asparagus

2 bunches asparagus (about 2 lbs.)
2 teaspoons olive oil
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/8 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
1/3 cup packed freshly shredded parmesan cheese
2 teaspoons fresh lemon juice

Preparation

1. Preheat oven to 475°. Hold the end of an asparagus stalk and bend until it snaps off. Repeat with remaining stalks and discard woody ends.

2. Toss asparagus with olive oil, sprinkle with salt and pepper, and toss well. Arrange asparagus in an even layer in a shallow baking dish. Sprinkle with parmesan cheese and bake until asparagus is crisp-tender and cheese is browned, about 10 minutes. Sprinkle with lemon juice. Serve hot or warm.

Note: Nutritional analysis is per serving.

Nutritional Information/per serving

Calories: 84
Calories from fat: 49%
Protein: 7.6g
Fat: 4.6g
Saturated fat: 2.1g
Carbohydrate: 5g
Fiber: 1.2g
Sodium: 274mg
Cholesterol: 7.5mg

Catch you back here tomorrow!

Farmer’s Market Favorite: Field Peas, Rice and Tomatoes!

On May 21, 2013December 8, 2013 By Barbara StroudIn FOOD, Recipe4 Comments

Looks delicious, right? The Charleston Farmer’s Market (CFM) is off and running… and it couldn’t be better! Fabulous fruits, veggies, crafts, art, and all kinds of treats for both humans and our four legged friends. We try to get there early because it gets crazy busy which is fabulous! I remember back in 2008 the CFM was ranked 5th Best Farmer’s Market in the Country! CFM has also been named the Top Outdoor Event by the Charleston City Paper readers for the last four years in a row! This year will be no exception!

We headed there last Saturday and stocked up… gorgeous, juicy tomatoes, crisp radishes and these fabulous field peas… What a treat to eat something so fresh and wonderful! I simply browned 2 pieces of bacon (I bought 2 pieces of bacon from EarthFare – best ever!), cut up an onion and threw that in, once it was translucent, I added the rinsed and drained field peas, covered them with water, brought to a boil and left the cover partially on… Then I started a pot of rice, and by the time the rice was finished dinner was ready! OH! Everything was so delicious!

Here’s a blip about the Charleston Farmer’s Market from their website:

CHARLESTON FARMERS MARKET

Regular CFM Hours
April 13 – December 21, 2013
Saturdays 8:00am – 2:00pm

Select Sundays:
Piccolo Spoleto Festival Hours 9:00am-3:00pm
May 26, June 2 & 9

Holiday Magic Hours 9:00am-3:00pm
December 1, 8, & 15

Location:
Marion Square
King & Calhoun Streets
Admission: FREE

Founded by Mayor Joe Riley in 1989, and the Clemson University Cooperative Extension Service, the Charleston Farmers Market is produced by the City of Charleston Office of Cultural Affairs, in cooperation with the City of Charleston Parks Department. Over the years, the Charleston Farmers Market has received numerous awards: in 2005, the Charleston Farmers Market newly revitalized and relocated back in the renovated Marion Square, received the Three Sisters Award from the Charleston Save the City Committee; in 2008, the Market was ranked by Travel and Leisure magazine as one of the top 10 best Farmers Markets in the nation; and in the Charleston City Paper reader’s poll, “Best Of,” the Charleston Farmers Market was named Best Outdoor Event in 2009, 2010, 2011 & 2012!

Now, permanently located in Marion Square, the heart of historic downtown Charleston, S.C., the CFM is open each Saturday, from April to December, 8 a.m. to 2 p.m. with select Sundays During the Piccolo Spoleto Festival and Holiday Magic. The CFM is dedicated to the support the advocacy of Lowcountry farmers and growers. We offer a variety of local produce, plants, herbs and cut flowers as well as breakfast and lunch Vendors, live entertainment and an assortment of juried arts and crafts from local artisans. Attracting citizens and visitors alike, the CFM is the community connection every Saturday morning from April through December, bringing together people from all parts of the Lowcountry and beyond.

Catch you back here tomorrow!

Fabulous Recipe: Lime Shrimp with Coconut Rice! Quick, easy and delicious!

On May 7, 2013April 28, 2018 By Barbara StroudIn FOOD, Recipe2 Comments

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Williams-Sonoma has a fabulous recipe. It’s quick, easy and comforting. The way the flavor of the coconut milk gives the rice just a faint taste and makes it nice and creamy is just so comforting! The shrimp cooked in a little butter with lime zest, juice and green onions is perfection. Click HERE for the link to the original Williams-Sonoma recipe that you can print.

Below is my version. I cooked the full amount of rice, and made half the shrimp portion, since there are only two of us. The first time I made it there wasn’t much of a lime taste. The second time I upped the zest and lime juice and it was perfect! If I was making this for four people I would double the lime zest and juice and serve with a big tossed salad, some nice hot bread and olive oil!

MY VERSION OF LIME SHRIMP WITH COCONUT RICE – Serves 2 (Click HERE to view/print my version of the recipe):

The ingredients… butter, white rice, water, coconut milk, lime, garlic, shrimp, green onions

(Note: I did not use cilantro… you either like it or it tastes like dish soap. I taste JOY dish soap. Pthewy!)

THE RICE

Start by melting 1 tablespoon of butter in a saucepan over medium heat. Add 1 cup of rice and cook, stirring constantly, until well coated with butter (about 1 minute).

Then stir in 1 1/2 cups coconut milk and 1 cup of water. Bring to a boil, reduce the heat to low and cover. Cook until liquid is absorbed and the rice is tender (about 20 minutes).

THE SHRIMP

I get the ingredients ready to use. Grate or mince the garlic, chop the green onions, zest and juice the lime, rinse and dry the shrimp and then proceed as follows:

While the rice cooks, grate the zest of one small lime and squeeze the juice from that same lime. About 5 minutes before the rice is ready, in a large fry pan over medium heat, melt 2 tablespoons of butter.

Add the garlic and lime (zest and juice from 1 lime) and stir until the mixture is bubbly.

Add the 1/2 pound peeled, deveined shrimp (more or less to taste) and the 4 chopped green onions (white and green). Saute until the shrimp are just opaque and cooked through, about 3 minutes (do not overcook). Stir in half of the cilantro if using.

FINISH THE RICE

Fluff the rice and gently stir in the remaining cilantro (if using). There are four servings of rice, which you can use to heat up for a quick side dish. Spoon some rice onto a pretty plate and top with shrimp mixture.

Serves 2.

Wait. Until. You. Taste. It! See how quick and easy it is? The main portion is cooked in 5 minutes, right before the rice is ready! Woohoo, love that!

Adapted from Williams-Sonoma Food Made Fast Series, Weeknight, by Melanie Barnard (Oxmoor House, 2006).

Catch you back here tomorrow!

Recipe… Tyler Florence’s Roasted Sweet Potatoes… QUICK, EASY & IMPRESSIVE!

On March 21, 2013December 8, 2013 By Barbara StroudIn FOOD, Recipe8 Comments

EYES-ROLL-BACK-IN-YOUR-HEAD-GOOD! A fabulous recipe from Tyler Florence… just gotta love that guy! After you make these sweet potatoes the first time this will be in your stack of favorites forever. Healthy sweet potatoes, olive oil, honey, a wee bit of salt and that’s it! Who doesn’t love a recipe that’s quick, easy and tastes like you spent some time?! We used to have baked sweet potatoes, but they take a good hour to bake, and sometimes it’s too hard to wait that long. I wanted something that would be done by the time the chicken came off the grill… so it had to be a little snappier than an hour. Tyler cuts his sweet potatoes into 1″ chunks, and it takes about 30 minutes. If I put the oven on convection it’s even quicker. And if I need it even quicker than that I cut them up a little smaller. This recipe never disappoints. One thing I do, that Tyler doesn’t mention is to lightly toss (to coat) before putting in the oven, and flipping once about halfway through the roasting process. they get gooey and brown and just fabulous! I also didn’t drizzle with olive oil at the end, I didn’t think it needed it, and didn’t want to add the extra fat/calories… My photos… and Tyler’s recipe with a link to the Food Network (for easy printing) below…

Scrub and peel… (clearly these aren’t peeled)

Cut into 1″ pieces. I cut in half longways, then each half cut in half longways, then cut into 1″ chunks

Drizzle the honey…

Drizzle the olive oil… then sprinkle a little cinnamon and pop it into a hot oven! TADA! Look at the first photo again… Heaven, right?

Here’s the recipe from the Food Network (click to get the printable version):

Roasted Sweet Potatoes with Honey and Cinnamon

Recipe courtesy Tyler Florence – Prep Time: 15 minInactive Prep Time: — Cook Time: 30 min Level: Easy

Serves:

4 servings

Ingredients
4 sweet potatoes, peeled and cut into 1-inch cubes
1/4 cup extra-virgin olive oil, plus more for drizzling potatoes after cooked
1/4 cup honey
2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
Salt and freshly ground black pepper

Directions
Preheat oven to 375 degrees F.

Lay the sweet potatoes out in a single layer on a roasting tray. Drizzle the oil, honey, cinnamon, salt and pepper over the potatoes. Roast for 25 to 30 minutes in oven or until tender.

Take sweet potatoes out of the oven and transfer them to a serving platter. Drizzle with more extra-virgin olive oil.

SERVES: 4 (SIDE); Calories: 304; Total Fat: 15 grams; Saturated Fat: 2 grams; Protein: 2 grams; Total carbohydrates: 41 grams; Sugar: 24 grams; Fiber: 5 grams; Cholesterol: 0 milligrams; Sodium: 216 milligrams

Catch you back here tomorrow!

The Best Baked Chicken Breasts… Quick, Easy and sooo good!

On March 14, 2013December 12, 2013 By Barbara StroudIn FOOD, Recipe3 Comments

Ina Garten’s recipe for baked chicken is the easiest and the tastiest that I’ve found. To smell that chicken in the oven, ahhhh… whip up some mashed potatoes, or some sweet potatoes, quinoa, rice or just some veggies and you have yourself a meal fit for a king! It gets deeply brown like fried chicken. The skin gets crispy… Ina says she bakes the chicken on the bone and WITH the skin, then peels the skin off before eating (which is mighty hard to do, let me tell you!).

This is all you do.

Buy however many chicken breasts you want (or other parts, but time may be different).

Put heavy duty foil on a cookie sheet (something with a rim to catch the grease).

Olive oil on the chicken, rub it around, coat both sides.

Salt and pepper.

Oven at 350 degrees. Bake 45 minutes to an hour OR until the temperature of the chicken reaches 180 degrees. If they’re small it could take about 30 minutes. Ours are usually close to a pound each (I KNOW!)… hefty for sure!

The. Best. Ever!

Shown above with sweet potatoes… recipe coming soon! Catch you back here tomorrow!

Pasta Recipe: Chicken and Mushrooms in Garlic White Wine Sauce – OH HEAVENS!

On February 26, 2013December 17, 2013 By Barbara StroudIn FOOD, HEALTH, Recipe4 Comments

Chicken and Mushrooms in Garlic White Wine Sauce by Cooking Light (Image and Recipe)

Yet another fabulous recipe from Cooking Light magazine! This one will blow you away! I saw this in the magazine and quickly tore that page out and set it on my desk… MUST. GET. MUSHROOMS. I had everything else… We had this last night and oh, were we ever happy!

First, the recipe:

___________________________________________________________

Chicken and Mushrooms in Garlic White Wine Sauce

Print

Put this Chicken and Mushrooms in Garlic White Wine Sauce recipe together in less than 25 minutes, probably without a trip to the store. It’s adaptable to your pantry–if you don’t have egg noodles, use another kind of pasta, and if you’re out of tarragon, try basil, oregano, or thyme.

Cooking Light NOVEMBER 2012

Yield: 4 servings

Ingredients

4 ounces uncooked medium egg noodles
1 pound skinless, boneless chicken breast halves
2 tablespoons all-purpose flour, divided
1/2 teaspoon salt, divided
1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper, divided
2 tablespoons olive oil, divided

1 tablespoon minced fresh garlic
1 (8-ounce) package presliced exotic mushroom blend (such as shiitake, cremini, and oyster)
1/2 cup dry white wine
1/2 cup fat-free, less-sodium chicken broth
1 teaspoon chopped fresh tarragon
1/4 cup shaved Parmesan cheese

Preparation

Cook noodles according to package directions, omitting salt and fat. Drain and keep warm.

Cut chicken into 1-inch pieces. Place chicken breast halves in a shallow dish. Combine 1 tablespoon flour, 1/4 teaspoon salt, and 1/8 teaspoon pepper, stirring well with a whisk. Sprinkle flour mixture over chicken; toss to coat.

Heat 1 tablespoon oil in a large nonstick skillet over medium-high heat. Add chicken to pan; sauté 4 minutes or until browned. Remove chicken from pan. Add remaining 1 tablespoon oil to pan. Add garlic, tarragon, and mushrooms to pan; sauté for 3 minutes or until liquid evaporates and mushrooms darken. Add white wine to pan; cook 1 minute. Stir in remaining 1 tablespoon flour; cook 1 minute, stirring constantly. Stir in broth, remaining 1/4 teaspoon salt, and remaining 1/8 teaspoon pepper; cook 1 minute or until slightly thick, stirring frequently.

Return chicken to the pan. Cover and simmer 2 minutes. Uncover; cook 1 minute or until chicken is done. Stir in noodles; cook 1 minute or until thoroughly heated. Place about 1 1/2 cups chicken mixture on each of 4 plates; top each serving with 1 tablespoon cheese.

Note:This recipe originally ran in Cooking Light November, 2006 and was updated for the November, 2012 25th anniversary issue.

____________________________________________________________

I had taken step by step photos of this recipe, but since this recipe is so self explanatory I don’t think they were necessary. DO take time to read through this recipe a few times AND have all your ingredients ready to go (chicken dusted with flour, oil in pan, garlic minced (I used microplane), mushrooms sliced if you didn’t buy pre-sliced (I didn’t), wine measured, chicken broth measured, 1T flour measured, salt and pepper set out, tarragon chopped and ready. Oh, and water boiling for pasta… parmesan on counter so you don’t forget ;) My recipe that was in the magazine says SUPER FAST 20-minute cooking. To that I say… No. Way. Unless you’re Cat Cora I don’t see how you’re going to pull that off… then again, I was taking photos of each and every step… and I bought cremini mushrooms that I had to clean and slice… I didn’t have chicken broth so I made a cup of chicken bouillon and only used half). So maybe it’s possible… next time I will see! Also, I didn’t have a chunk of parmesan, I only had grated which tasted great and worked fine but… the shaved parmesan pieces would have added a nice elegance. Next time, maybe even more mushroom, they were wonderful!

Catch you back here tomorrow!

Recipe: How To Make Beef Stew: Quick & Easy!

On February 19, 2013December 12, 2013 By Barbara StroudIn FOOD, Recipe2 Comments

For those of you out there who have never made a beef stew, I’m going to show you a quick and easy recipe… In the photo above… I look like I have control with one tiny piece of bread (whole wheat at that!), right? Truth is, I took all these photos while cooking (which is similar to juggling in my opinion), by the time it was ready, LETS EAT is what came to mind… and we did. I think I had two bites left and said HHHHHHIIIIIIIIEEEEGGGGHHHHH! I forgot to take a PHOTO! Poor Fred. Every time I make a recipe that ends up on this blog he watches a tornado with a camera in the kitchen, then a crisis afterwards because I FORGET TO SHOOT THE LAST PHOTO, good grief, the most important one! Lo and behold, there was one slice of bread left… enough to make me look dainty. Ha.

Ok, on to the recipe… click HERE for the printable recipe (minus all the photos)…

Ingredients: 1 # stew beef, carrots (4-6 should be good), 4-6 medium potatoes (I used red and did not peel, but that’s up to you), 1 onion, chopped (I used slices to try, but it cooks down so you really can’t tell), salt, pepper, worcestershire sauce, olive oil and beef broth.

Start by chopping the carrots, potatoes and onions, I usually cook this for a few hours so the veggies will be done and the meat will be tender.

In a plastic zip bag or on a plate, add a few spoonfuls of all purpose flour (I always use unbleached), add salt and pepper.

Roll the pieces of stew beef around so that they’re coated in flour, this will help thicken the stew slightly.

Heat some olive oil (or canola oil) in a heavy bottom pan.

Drop the flour coated beef stew pieces into the hot oil to brown (not cook all the way through).

Once the meat has browned, move it off to the side…

Now, toss in the onions. stir them around until they’re translucent…

Once onions are translucent, stir to combine.

Now is the time to add some beef broth and Worcestershire Sauce (at this point you can also add some red wine if you like). You can use all beef broth or part beef broth and part water. The amount will depend on how many veggies you added… you’ll want to almost cover it… Stir it around and loosen up all those tasty brown bits that are stuck to the bottom of your pot. They add some heavenly flavor!

Now add the potatoes and carrots, salt and pepper and any other seasonings you might like…

Now it’s ready to cook! Turn the heat on medium high until it comes to a slight boil (where you see bubbles), then turn it down to low and simmer. I usually do this with the lid off most of the time… or I’ll crack it so steam can escape if I don’t want the liquid to reduce any more…

Something that gives soups and stew some nice flavor are the center pieces of celery, you know, the ones with all the leaves… toss them in whole, and you can pull them out when it’s done. It adds a nice flavor.

And that’s it! This is a great dish to make on a cold day, keeps the kitchen nice and warm. You can serve this with warm bread and a salad… or all by itself! Enjoy!

Catch you back here tomorrow!

How to make homemade hot chocolate mix!

On February 7, 2013November 27, 2013 By Barbara StroudIn FOOD, RecipeLeave a comment

Hot chocolate. The epitome of comfort food during the cold months. There is nothing better then a warm mugful of the tasty treat that satisfies your need for warmth, sweet and chocolate craving all in one fell swoop!

I have previously posted how to make Hot Chocolate from scratch (using milk). It’s a treat, a real treat!

But… if you’d like to make a hot chocolate mix (like the store brands) that is healthier (because it’s minus the strange ingredients) that you mix with water, just like the pouch you buy at the store, Alton Brown from the Food Network came up with a recipe to make it quick and easy.

This recipe received five stars by all those who reviewed it… that’s the highest… how convenient to whip it up yourself!

This recipe received FIVE STARS

Hot Cocoa

Recipe courtesy Alton Brown – (Food Network) – Yield 5 1/2 cups of hot chocolate mix

Print Recipe

Ingredients

2 cups powdered sugar
1 cup cocoa (Dutch-process preferred)
2 1/2 cups powdered milk
1 teaspoon salt
2 teaspoons cornstarch
1 pinch cayenne pepper, or more to taste
Hot water

Directions

Combine all ingredients in a mixing bowl and incorporate evenly. In a small pot, heat 4 to 6 cups of water.

Fill your mug half full with the mixture and pour in hot water. Stir to combine. Seal the rest in an airtight container, keeps indefinitely in the pantry. This also works great with warm milk.

How easy is that?! Catch you back here tomorrow!

Lobsters… SET THEM FREE… oh, wait a minute…!

On January 27, 2013December 9, 2013 By Barbara StroudIn FOOD, Recipe, THOUGHTSLeave a comment

This is a photo I shot while in Maine. When I used to see this (as you do all over) I used to dream about setting them free, ha ha… Then one day I was watch Alton Brown on the Food Network, he was talking about the similarities of lobsters and… one of my biggest fears… la coockaracha’s as I like to call them, it doesn’t sound so greasy, so downright creepy (oh I just know I’m going to have a nightmare tonight!)… cockroaches. Lobsters and cockroaches are in the same family.

Set them free?

Nope… Maybe don’t squish ’em, but hey, definitely don’t set them free!

Maybe, toss them in a macaroni and cheese… like this recipe from Ina Garten?! Hee, hee.

Catch you back here tomorrow!