Butternut Squash and Ham Soup w/bacon

Mmmmm.... bacon infused.... it's really good!

1 Lg Butternut Squash
Olive oil cooking spray
1 Tbsp EV Olive oil
1 Sm Onion, chopped
1 Tsp Garlic, minced
6-8 Slices Turkey Bacon (reduced sodium)
1 Ham Steak (8oz - 1Lb depending on how much you want in there), cubed *NOTE: you can also substitute with chopped/shredded chicken or turkey.
2 Cans Chicken broth (reduced sodium)
1 Tbsp Smart Balance Butter (or I can't believe it's not butter)
2-3 C Water
1 Tbsp Garlic powder
2 Tsp Onion powder
1/8 Tsp Cayenne pepper
Dash or 2 Ground cumin
1 Tbsp Parsley, dried
Salt & fresh ground pepper
1/4 C Shredded cheese (for garnish)

You can do the butternut squash step and the bacon step at the same time and before hand.

Preheat oven to 400º. Cut butternut squash in half (or in 4ths length-wise if you have a fairly large one). Place on non-stick foil on a rack and spray both sides liberally with olive oil. Bake for 20-40 minutes, until you are able to pierce with a fork easily. Once butternut squash is done, remove from oven, let sit until cool enough to peel off skin. Cut into chunks.

While butternut squash is cooking. Heat a pan and cook your bacon. Remove bacon from pan, and set aside on paper towels. Reducing the heat on the pan to low, add 1/2 can of broth and deglaze for a few minutes, scraping the bottom of the pan with a spoon to get all the bacon bits that stuck to the pan mixed into the broth. Set aside.

Once you have your butternut squash and bacon ready to go, heat tbsp of olive oil in a large pot on med-high. Add onions, garlic, ham, and break your bacon (I only used 4 of the slices, but you can add more if you like and no one in your household has gobbled it up) up into the pot. Saute until onions are soft. Add butter. Saute more until butter has melted. Take the broth/bacon grease mixture and add to the pot, then add the rest of the broth, water, and butternut squash, bring to a boil. Stir, then add in seasonings (and adjust as necessary to taste) and parsley. Continue to simmer, stirring frequently, and while stirring smash the butternut squash against the side of the pot with the spoon. Cook in this manner until soup has thickened and most of the butternut squash has melted (though I like to leave a few chunks).

Chinese Chicken Salad

Not the healthiest salad out there, but it is oooooo soooooo gooooood! And just think of it as the ingredients balancing themselves out :Op

I love this version of the salad because it reminds me of the one that they sell in a little local restaurant in Hawaii across the street from Honolulu Community College. Though that one rocks so much more than this one does.

Oh, by the way, you need a large bowl for this!


1/2 Lb Chicken breast, chopped (or use left over handmade chicken fingers like I did)
1/2 - 1 C Le Choy rice noodles or egg noodles (egg noodles are better, but rice noodles have less sodium), or won ton strips
1/2 Lb Char siu pork, chopped (or Tochino)
Head of lettuce torn into bite sized pieces - romaine or a mix is good, or plain old iceberg will do
1 Small bag of Ededame, cooked & cooled (soy beans, shelled)

Make the dressing by boiling the following ingredients:
1/2 Tsp pepper (fresh ground is the best)
1 Tsp salt
1/4 C Vinegar (I used a 50/50 combination of white and cider)
1/4 C Sugar

Cool dressing, then whisk in 1/4 C each of Sesame oil and Olive oil. Set aside.

Make sure most of your ingredients, like the chicken, ededame, char siu is room temperature. If too hot it'll wilt the lettuce too fast, if cold, it won't taste as good.

Put all ingredients, except for the dressing into a big bowl, then toss. When you're ready to serve, drizzle the dressing over it and toss again.

Coming back!

I know this blog has flat-linned, but I'm hoping to get it up and kicking again shortly!!!

Creamy Clam Sauce Over Angel Hair Pasta

Recently, while browsing Fresh Market in Savannah, I came across two products that just lit me up with a smile, Olive oil flavored with Lime, and Angel hair pasta nests.


I thought, mmmmm.... using those two ingredients in a recipe would be so good! I wanted to use a sauce that was creamy, first thinking alfredo, or creamy parm, but ultimately decided up on a creamy clam sauce.

Now, even before I started, I knew cooking the angel hair pasta nests would be tricky. I kept puzzling over how it would cook without falling apart, as I envisioned it blooming and expanding as it cooked in the boiling water. Umm... well, yep, it did bloom and fall apart, and ended up more like a mess rather than a nest. Normal angel hair pasta, except with some clumps here and there. So that was that. The pasta was still good, don't get me wrong, but the outer edges that bloomed cooked faster than the inside. I think next time I cook it, I'll put it in a smaller pot so that it doesn't have much room to float around.

All in all, this was very delicious! DS, having watched one too many Top Chef episodes with me, said, "mom, I think this dish deserves 4 stars". LOL! I asked him why just 4 and he said, "because you didn't make dessert". Well there you have it! I'm a proud mama of a budding food critic.

The other day he asked me if food critics make a lot of money, LOL.

1 Tbsp Olive oil (flavored with lime, or just add 1 Tsp of lime juice to the oil)
2 Shallots, chopped finely
2 Garlic cloves, minced
2 6.5oz Cans Chopped Clams in clam juice, undrained
1/2 C Half and Half (fat free)
2 Tbsp Butter, unsalted + 1 Tbsp flour (make a paste w/flour and butter)
1/4 Tsp Garlic powder
1/4 Tsp Onion powder
1 Tsp Parsley flakes
Salt & Freshly ground pepper to taste
1/3 C Freshly grated pecorino romano or parmesan cheese

Heat oil over med-high in a pan. Add garlic and shallots, saute until soft. Add in paste made from flour and butter, then add in clams w/clam juice and half and half. Season, then grate in cheese. Continue to stir until desired thickness is reached. Meanwhile cook your pasta according to package directions. Serve sauce over pasta.

Not your mama's iced tea!

When I visited family in Las Vegas not too long ago, my Aunty made a drink for us from a recipe that her boss had given her. Now, I'm not sure where the recipe originated from, so can't give credit and I'm not sure on the accuracy of the measurements because I'm only relaying what I think tastes good in my opinion.

This is a nice refreshing drink that reminds me a lot of Red Robin's Freckled Lemonade, with the kick of some alcohol. The recipe calls for Jeremiah Weed Sweet Tea Vodka:


But alas, I couldn't find any, and so came home with Bacardi Rum Island Iced Tea, which is surprisingly good!


I believe you can also substitute with Firefly Sweet Tea, but I haven't tried it.


Basically, take a glass, add ice, add about 2-3 heaping spoonfuls of frozen strawberries (that have sugar added to it), fill to about 3/4 full (or 2/3 if you want more alcohol content) of Simply Lemonade (more or less to your liking), and top off with the rum/vodka iced tea. Stir. Again these are just to my tastes, so adjust to yours as necessary.

That's it! Cheers!


Ice
Frozen sliced strawberries with sugar added (preferably melted)
Simply Lemonade
Jeremiah Weed Sweet Tea (vodka), Bacardi Rum Island Iced Tea, or Firefly Sweet Tea

Burgers Gone Wild

Ever make/do something that you're just totally completely (probably irrationally in another's eyes) proud of yourself for creating? This would be one of those moments for me. I'm so excited about this one that I can't contain myself!

I would call this one a work of art {insert girly giggle here}. Yes, it is humongous, yes it's quite a feat trying to fit it in your mouth, but I promise you that through that and though it is a bit messy, it is very good. In fact, I would have eaten two of them if the one hadn't been as filling as it was.

In the process of this recipe, I also got to try out my new gadget, which is almost always fun. I recently bought a new potato peeler that came with something similiar and looks like one too, but actually jullienes the veggie. Perfect tool for making shoestring potatoes!


This recipe requires you to make a few things at the same time, so be prepared to juggle. It also assumes you know how to fry an egg, and cook a burger.

The Burger

1 1/2 Lb Ground beef, lean (or sub with any ground meat)
1 Sm Onion, minced
1/4 C Fat free mozzarella
1/4 C Fat free cheddar
2 Cloves garlic, minced
1-2 Tbsp Sundried tomatoes (~used the jarred type in olive oil), minced
1/2 Tsp Red pepper flakes
1 Tsp Italian Herbs
1/2 Tsp Freshly ground pepper
1/2 Tsp Basil (~dried)
1 Tsp Onion powder
1 Tsp Garlic powder
1/4 Tsp Chili powder
2 Tsp Balsalmic vinegar

Combine the above ingredients and form patties (approx. 4-5). Heat skillet and cook on med-high heat or throw them on the grill and cook until desired doneness.

While burgers are cooking... Fry 4-5 eggs (you can optionally make the eggs, set them aside on the stove under cover while you make the other items), and while those are cooking, make...

Shoestring Potato Flat-Nests

1 Lg Baking potato
Oil for frying


{Shown, are 4 flat-nests stacked on top of eachother}.

Julienne the baking potato. Grab a handful and drop into hot oil. Using thongs or frying basket flip once the edges beging to turn golden brown. Cook until both sides are golden brown. If your oil is hot enough, it should only take a little while to cook, so you'll need to watch it carefully or it'll burn before you know it (ask me how I know...). Drain on papertowels and set aside.

Meanwhile...

Parmesan Crisps

1 Pkg of shredded/grated parmesan


Pre-heat oven to 400 degrees. Line a baking sheet with non-stick foil. Create small circular flat piles (a little bigger than a burger would be) with the parmesan. Cook in the oven until they edges begin to crisp approx 1 1/2" inward. Remove from oven, season with salt (or seasalt) and let stand.

-----

Lastly

Season fried eggs with some freshly ground pepper.

Compile burger in buns, with lettuce, tomatoes, onions, ketchup, mustard, etc.

How to eat? Press it down, and shove it in!

Thai Cucumber Salad

Today's Farmer's Market yielded a small surprise: lemon cucumbers. I've been reading about them on a few blogs lately, and was hoping they'd show up! They are very mild and easy on the tummy (the latter is definitely appreciated here).

This is a quick and easy salad to mix up. It's light and refreshing, too.

Thai Cucumber Salad

3 lemon cucumbers

1 serrano chili

2 tablespoon rice wine vinegar

2 tablespoons granulated sugar

handful of cilantro

~1 teaspoon salt

Peel the cucumbers. Then slice in half and scoop out the seeds. Quarter them, then slice into 1/4" slices. Place in a collandar over the sink and sprinkle with salt. Toss a bit, and let sit while you prepare the remaining ingredients.

In a small mixing bowl, whisk together the vinegar and sugar until the latter is disolved completely. Stem and seed the chili, then mince finely. Mince up the cilantro and add it and the chili to the sugared vinegar.

Rinse and drain the cucumbers well, then toss with the dressing.

Serve chilled or at room temperature.

Buffalo Soldier

For whatever reason, whenever I say "Buffalo Meatball" I sing it to the tune of the Bob Marley song. Scarier still is that my boys sing along as I make up silly words...

Buffalo Meatball
Tasty morsel
Yeah, it was a Buffalo Meatball
In the mouths of America

The man is on a low-carb kick. And I am trying to accomodate. It really does suit him better and it keeps him away from the sweets. This recipe is adapted from one by Racheal Ray. This is like Buffalo Wings, but no bones, and all tasty, meaty goodness.

Meatballs

1.5 pounds ground turkey or ground chicken
2 eggs
1 tbsp. onion powder
1 tbsp. garlic powder
2 tbsp. dry parsley

Roll into small balls (1 inch or less). Bake on cookie sheet at 400 degrees for about 20 minutes or until cooked through.

Sauce

6 tbsp. of butter
1/4 cup of hot sauce (more if you like 'em hotter)
1 tsp. of liquid smoke
2 tbsp. of splenda



Melt the butter in a large frying pan and mix in the other ingredients. Toss the cooked meatballs into the sauce until evenly coated. Serve with celery & blue cheese dressing. We did celery, carrots, and ranch ('cause blue cheese skeeves me out!).

Stew!

Ok, ok, so not a lot of people like tripe, and if you're one of them, please feel free to omit it from the recipe! I like tripe, only because I used to eat it when I was a kid, and growing up in Hawaii, we get all kinds of good stuff like this! I make mine similar to regular beef stew and also throw in some stewing beef, just because DH doesn't like tripe either and he can pick it out and just eat the beef and vegetables.

This stew is slow cooked, but I used a multi-cooker, and unlike crockpots, where you can leave it unattended for several hours, this you have to watch and stir (at least every 15 minutes) or it WILL stick to the bottom and burn... ask me how I know. You can certainly use a regular large pot or even cook it in a crockpot (though if you do use a crockpot, the cooking time may be longer).

Tripe, in my opinion, isn't cooked right unless it is soft, almost like a piece of fat - I know not the best analogy, but it's the only one I can think of at the moment. If it's chewy/rubbery then it needs to cook longer. Also, very important, before cooking make sure you clean it thoroughly!!! It has all those pockets in it that it must be cleaned well with cold water. It is also like a sponge, so be sure to squeeze the water out when you're ready to chop it up.


2 Tbsp Olive oil
1 Jalapeno, sliced in half and seeds removed
1/3 C Green onions, chopped
1 Med Onion, chopped
2 Shallots, chopped
3 Garlic cloves, minced
1 1/2 Lb Stewing Beef
1 1/2 Lb Tripe, cleaned, chopped into small 1/4" wide strips
2 Tbsp Flour
6 C Water (to start)
2 14.5oz Cans Stewed Tomatoes
2-3 Tbsp Tomato Paste
1 Tbsp Patis (optional)
2 Lg Potatoes, peeled & chopped
3 Carrots, peeled & chopped
1 1/2 Lb Stewing Beef
1/2 Tsp Celery salt
2 Bay leaves
1 1/2 Tsp Onion powder
1 1/2 Tsp Garlic powder
2 Dashes Cumin, ground
Salt & pepper to taste
1 14.5oz Can Chicken broth

Heat oil in your pot over med-high heat. Add jalapeno, onions, shallots, and garlic. Sautee until onions are soft. Brown beef and tripe. Add flour, and stir for a couple of minutes. Mix in remaining ingredients (if preferred, you can hold off in adding the vegetables until further into cooking time). Continue to cook, stirring frequently, over med-high heat for 4-4 1/2 hours or until tripe is soft. Add more water as you go along, if needed.