May 17

Roasted Corn and Red Pepper Couscous

Have you tried couscous? It looks like a type of rice but it is a really a tiny pasta. Another ingredient used in this dish is red peppers that you roast yourself. You could use store-bought but they are very simple to roast. If you don’t have fresh corn and use frozen wait til the peppers are half done roasting to add the corn to the oven. This is a nice change for a side dish and would go with just about anything. Enjoy!

Roasted Corn and Red Pepper Couscous

1 1/2 C. fresh corn kernels (about 3 ears)
2 large red bell peppers, halved and seeded
2 cups chicken broth
2 Tbsp. butter
1/2 tsp. salt
1/2 tsp. garlic powder
1/4 tsp. ground black pepper
1 (10oz) package couscous
1 bunch green onions, chopped

Preheat oven to 450. Line a rimmed baking sheet with aluminum foil. Place corn and peppers on prepared pan. Bake for 25 to 30 minutes or until corn and peppers appear blistered; stir corn occasionally. Place peppers in a resealable plastic bag; seal, and let stand for 10 minutes to loosen skins. Remove skins from peppers, and chop, discarding skins. In a medium saucepan, bring chicken broth, butter, salt, garlic powder, and pepper to a boil over medium-high heat. Remove from heat, and stir in couscous, green onion, corn, and red pepper. Cover, and let stand for 3 minutes; fluff with a fork.

May 03

Marinated Beet Salad

For someone who “doesn’t like beets”, I have found another beet recipe that I really like. When I found out how awesome beets are for your body I had to find recipes so that I would enjoy eating them. This is a refreshing salad great for the summertime that comes from Martha Stewart’s whole living website.

5 medium beets (about 1 pound without greens),ends trimmed, halved
1 clove garlic, smashed
1 Tbsp. sherry vinegar
2 Tbsp. olive oil
Coarse salt and ground pepper
1/4 c. fresh mint, coarsely chopped
1/4 c. goat or feta cheese, crumbled

Steam beets until tender, 30 to 35 minutes. When cool enough to handle, grab beets with a paper towel and slip off skins. Cut the beets into thin slices. In a medium bowl combine sliced beets, garlic, vinegar, and oil; season with salt and pepper and toss to combine. Cover and refrigerate several hours or overnight. Remove and discard garlic. Serve beets topped with mint and cheese.

Apr 22

Slow-cooked Barbecued Chicken

Here’s a good way to have bbq when it’s raining, snowing or just too cold outside to grill out. The crock pot does the work for you. This is also great to come home to after a long day at the office. The recipe calls for bone-in chicken; I use boneless, skinless so I don’t cook it as long. Enjoy!

2 tsp. salt
1 1/2 tsp. paprika
1/2 tsp. garlic powder
1/2 tsp. pepper
1 (3-3 1/2 lb) cut-up whole chicken
1/2 c cola soft drink
1/3 c ketchup
1/4 c brown sugar
2 Tbsp. apple cider vinegar
2 Tbsp. bourbon
splash of lemon juice

Stir together first 4 ingredients in a small bowl. Sprinkle over chicken. Place chicken in a single layer in a lightly greased 6-qt slow cooker.

Whisk together cola, and next 4 ingredients in a small bowl. Slowly pour mixture between chicken pieces (to avoid removing spices from chicken). Squeeze a splash of lemon juice over chicken.

Cover and cook on HIGH 5 hours or on LOW 6 1/2 to 7 1/2 hours or until done.

Transfer chicken pieces to a serving platter. Skim fat from pan juices in slow cooker. Pour pan juices over chicken.

Apr 15

Roasted Grape Tomatoes

If you love tomatoes as much as I do you will love this delicious way to eat them. Roasting them brings out their sweetness. Enjoy!


1/2 c cider vinegar
1/4 c packed brown sugar
2 Tbsp. canola oil
4 garlic cloves, minced
1/2 tsp. salt
1/2 tsp. pepper
1 lb. grape tomatoes
1 Tbsp. minced fresh parsley
Assorted crackers and Gouda Cheese

In a large bowl, whisk the vinegar, brown sugar, oil, garlic, salt and pepper. Add tomatoes; toss to coat. Transfer to a greased 15×10 baking pan. Sprinkle with parsley.
Bake, uncovered, at 375 for 12-14 minutes or until tender, stirring occasionally. Serve with crackers and cheese.

Apr 01

Buttermilk Corn Bread

I don’t normally like most corn breads; it seems that most are very dry. This corn bread, which I make often, is moist with a hint of sweetness. I like to serve it with spaghetti, BBQ or fish, but it is definitely good anytime. If the corn bread starts to burn around the edges while baking just lay a piece of tin foil across the top.

1 1/4 C cornmeal
1 C all-purpose flour
2/3 C packed brown sugar
1/3 C sugar
1 tsp. baking soda
1/2 tsp. salt
1 egg
1 C buttermilk
3/4 C. vegetable oil

In a mixing bowl, combine cornmeal, flour, sugars, baking soda, and salt. In another bowl, whisk the egg, buttermilk and oil; stir into dry ingredients just until moistened. Pour into a greased 9 inch round or square baking pan (pan will be full). Bake at 425 for 20-25 minutes or until a toothpick inserted near the center comes out clean. Cool on a wire rack for 5 minutes. Serve warm.

Mar 30

Red Pepper & Feta Dip

Simple and delicious! This can be thrown together very quickly, but needs to chill a few hours for the flavors to come together.


1 pkg. (8oz) cream cheese, softened
1 Tbsp. milk
1/2 C. chopped roasted sweet red peppers
1/2 C. crumbled feta cheese

Beat cream cheese and milk in a large bowl until smooth; gently stir in red peppers and feta cheese. Serve with vegetables or your favorite crackers.

Mar 24

Spicy Sausage Penne

If you love sausage and peppers you’re going to love this recipe. It’s a quick and delicious sausage and pasta dinner that will become a favorite for you. Use whatever pasta you would like; I think the penne works best in this dish. If you don’t have plum tomatoes use what you have on hand just make sure you take the seeds and pulp out if you are using a larger tomato so the sauce is not too runny. Also before I add the tomatoes and the cream I like to deglaze the pan with a splash of white wine. This is to “get all the good stuff” off the bottom of the pan and to add alittle more flavor to the dish. Enjoy!

8 oz. uncooked penne
1 lb Italian sausage links,
cut into 1/2 in. slices
1 med. onion, chopped
1/2 med. sweet red pepper,
cut into thin strips
1/2 med. green pepper,
cut into thin strips
1 garlic clove, minced
1 tsp. fennel seed
1/4 tsp. salt
1/4 tsp. crushed red pepper flakes
1/4 tsp. pepper
3 plum tomatoes, chopped
3 Tbsp. heavy whipping cream
Parmesan cheese

Cook pasta to package directions. Meanwhile, in a large skillet, cook the sausage, onion, red and green peppers over medium heat until the meat is no longer pink and the vegetables are tender; drain. Add the garlic, fennel, salt, pepper flakes and pepper; cook 1 minute longer. Stir in the tomatoes and cream; heat through. Drain pasta; add to sausage and onions. Sprinkle with Parmesan.

Mar 22

Green Beans with Caramelized Shallots

Haricots verts. Have you heard of them? They are French green beans; longer and thinner than the green beans we are used to here in the US. This recipe calls for haricots verts, but if you can’t find them in your grocery store don’t worry you can use the thinnest green beans available. They will just require a longer cooking time. Enjoy!

2 lbs. haricots verts, trimmed
3 Tbsp. butter
1 Tbsp. light brown sugar
1 Tbsp. olive oil
1 lb. shallots, halved lengthwise
and peeled
2 Tbsp. red wine vinegar

Cook green beans in boiling salted water to cover 3 to 4 minutes or until crisp-tender; drain. Plunge beans into ice water to stop the cooking process; drain. Melt butter and brown sugar with olive oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat; add shallots, and saute 2 minutes. Reduce heat to medium-low, add vinegar, and saute 10 minutes or until shallots are golden brown and tender. Increase heat to medium-high; add green beans, and saute 5 minutes or until thoroughly heated. Season with salt and freshly ground pepper to taste.

Mar 20

Sweet ‘n’ Tangy Chicken


Okay, dig out your crock pot from the back of the cabinet to make this delicious recipe! If you don’t own one you don’t know how much of a help this appliance can be.
The aroma from this dish while cooking will make you excited for dinner again. Most of the ingredients you probably already have on hand, so it will be a cinch to put together. You can replace one of your boring weekly chicken dinners with this one. I serve this with white rice, but it would go nicely with mashed potatoes, or egg noodles. Enjoy.

1 med. onion, chopped
1 1/2 tsp. minced garlic
3lbs boneless, skinless chicken
2/3 c. ketchup
1/3 c. packed brown sugar
1 Tbsp. lemon juice
1 Tbsp. chili powder
1 tsp. dried basil
1/2 tsp. salt
1/4 tsp. pepper
1/8 tsp. hot sauce
2 Tbsp. cornstarch
3 Tbsp. cold water

In a 3-qt. slow cooker, combine onion and garlic; top with chicken. In a small bowl, combine the ketchup, brown sugar, lemon juice, chili powder, basil, salt, pepper and hot sauce; pour over chicken.
Cover and cook on low for 4 1/2 to 5 hours or until chicken juices run clear. Remove chicken and keep warm. Combine cornstarch and water until smooth; stir into juices. Bring to a boil; cook and stir for 2 minutes or until thickened. Serve over chicken.

Mar 15

Green Velvet Cupcakes

This one is for St. Patty’s Day, and they are delicious. The recipe is from the Cooking Channel’s website swapping red food coloring used at Christmas time for green. I don’t normally make the red, but thought this would be fun and different. For this recipe they used a food processor to mix the batter. This was a first for me, and it worked great.

1 1/2 cups sugar
2 eggs
1 1/2 cups canola oil
1 cup plain yogurt
2 tablespoons green food coloring
1 teaspoon vinegar
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
2 1/2 cups flour
1 tablespoon cocoa
1 teaspoon baking soda
1 teaspoon salt

Cream Cheese Frosting:
1 (8-ounce) package cream cheese, room temperature
1 stick (1/2 cup) unsalted butter, room temperature
3 cups confectioners’ sugar
2 teaspoons vanilla extract

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.

In a food processor, mix the sugar with the eggs, oil, yogurt, food coloring, vinegar, and vanilla. Add flour, cocoa, baking soda, and salt. Blend until just incorporated.

Place paper cupcake liners into a muffin pan, and divide the batter evenly among the cupcake liners, pouring only halfway so the batter doesn’t overflow. Bake, rotating halfway through, for 25 to 30 minutes. Remove the cupcakes and let cool before frosting.

To make the frosting: In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, add the cream cheese and butter and beat until completely combined. On low speed, gradually add the confectioners’ sugar 1 cup at a time, then beat at highest speed until thick and creamy. Add the vanilla to the mixture and beat until combined.

Makes 24 cupcakes.