Feel it Hot Hot Hot !....or is it FEELIN' Hot Hot Hot ! ???

I never knew the words to that song...anybody? You know that song from the 80's, it's always played at weddings. I have a whole list of songs I sing to the wrong lyrics, more on that another day. It's been in the 90's here at the shore for the past two days, summer is upon us!

We were on the road to AAU basketball games all weekend, and sadly, I was unprepared to make dinner today...my son's team lost in the afternoon, so no celebratory dinner out.

Since it's Sunday, and that means pasta anyway, I was just going to make a marinara sauce, along with some kind of meat on the grill. I had these cans of Redpack tomatoes on hand, (not my favorite, but bought on sale), and I found a little recipe I thought I'd try for Penne Arabiata. I thought it was fitting for the heat of this weekend, and lo and behold I had some hot sausage to go along with it. Hence this blogpost...hot food for a hot day.
My mind just rolls along sometimes...just don't let me wear headphones listening to "The Bruce Brunch" on 105.7 the Hawk (Springsteen territory) while watching my son's basketball game in a large gym that echoes. The ref almost stopped the game according to my son...can I get a big eye roll and "AHEM" here?



Here's the recipe for the sauce, just click on it to enlarge, only my big, chubby, unmanicured Rachael Ray thumb doesn't need to be enlarged. Boy, that was mean of me...her fingers are always in need of a manicure in case you haven't noticed, she must be too busy making all that dough. Martha Stewart always has perfectly shiny, clean nails...just sayin'...


Sauce bubbling...


Finished product minus the cheese...I didn't add the pasta water in the recipe, I forgot, it was fine though.


2 peppers and 2 onions sauteed in olive oil


The hot sausage...cooked in a skillet with 1/2 cup water for 10 minutes, covered, then cooked 10 more minutes uncovered, then I stirred in the cooked peppers and onions. It was too hot to grill.
Forgot to mention Johsonville is the best I have tried so far...perfect name for a sausage maker don't ya think? had to say it.

Now to the good stuff. On my recent trip to California I visited a few (again, AHEM) wineries in Sonoma County.One of my favorites was the Francis Ford Coppola Winery in Geyserville. It was under renovation, and the new grand opening will be this summer, I will have to return! Mr. Coppola was set to arrive in the tasting room to interview a chef we were chatting with that day, but it was a beautiful day and we had more places to see, so we didn't stay to catch a glimpse of him. Imagine that, me, passing up a sure fire celebrity sighting. I would have told him about the house we rented in Maine for a year from one of his relatives named Millie...at least that's what the realtor and next door neighbor told us. It was a joyous place, and we have some of the best memories of our lives in that house. I have lived a good life. Rambling again...back to the wine...

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This is called Sophia, for his daughter. A light, fruity sparkling wine with beautiful packaging!!!


Beautiful label and wrapped in pink cellophane, makes a lovely gift.


I'm a sucker for anything pink. These come in a four pack with their own straws. Perfect for a girls day at the beach...Sundays at 4 at the Cove...wine, cheese and girl talk.







If you see these at your local watering hole, try them, you won't be sorry! Perfect for the hot summer nights to come! I am cherishing them until I can get more, but my friend Brigette and I tried the 2 missing out of the box during a spur of the moment get together last week...we needed them.

Chipotle, Em style

It's been long time, I know, lots of life altering events in the last 3 months, but, as they say, "life goes on..." and all that jazz. Onward, ho!

For those of you fortunate to have a Chipotle restaurant near you, I am envious...free range beef, pork, and chicken, all healthy, in moderation of course. What more could you ask for in fast food? Today, was supposed to be normal taco night. Zach prefers soft tacos, and as I was nearly done preparing them, I remembered my Cumin Rice with Black Beans recipe, which I haven't made in a long time. Dinner was delayed a bit, but as I was making the rice, I came up with a new twist for boring taco night. From now on, taco night will be a combo of taco & Chipotle night. I will be searching to find the recipes for the beef, chicken, & pork they use in their burritos.



I love this rice, but you MUST MUST MUST have cilantro, lime, and cumin seeds. I've tried it before, trying to alter it without these things, and it's just not the same. So tonight I realized I had the trinity of those ingredients on hand without a trip to the store! WOO HOO, we are having the rice! This recipe came from my international dinner club's Brazil night, but I think it's a Cuban recipe...anyway, it works for anything South American, so do Margaritas!

Cumin Rice with Black Beans

1 TBSP vegetable oil
1 medium onion, chopped
1 garlic clove, minced
2 tsp cumin seeds
1 1/2 cups regular long-grain rice
1 can (14 oz.) chicken or vegetable broth
1/4 tsp salt
1 can ( 15 to 19 oz) black beans, rinsed and drained
2 TBSP chopped fresh cilantro
Lime wedges

1. In 3 quart saucepan, heat oil over medium heat. Add onion and cook 5 minutes, or until tender. Stir in garlic and cumin seeds; cook until fragrant ( a minute or 2). Add rice and cook, stirring, 1 minute.

2. Stir in chicken broth, plus enough water to equal 3 cups, and salt; heat to boiling over high heat. Reduce heat to low; cover and simmer 15 minutes.

3. Stir black beans into rice. Cover and simmer 5 minutes longer. Remove from heat and let stand 5 minutes. Spoon rice into serving bowl and sprinkle with chopped cilantro. Serve with lime wedges.



As for the meat, I use this Hot and Spicy taco mix. I've tried making my own seasoning, but this beats all, hands down. I'm not worried about the sodium on the package because I use 1 1/2 pounds of ground beef, which spreads it out a little more.


Next up, my 2 favorite items from my favorite store, Trader Joe's. Again, I am envious if you have one near you. Two hours away for me, so I covet these things when I get them. I am ready to move to California...it seemed like there was a TJ's in every beautiful little town in Sonoma county when I was there a month ago.


This salsa tastes just like a salsa Margarita!!





What are these you ask? Don't pay attention to my silverware scratched plates, they're not that old, they just require a Bon Ami scrubbing once a week, Sheesh!

Here's another view



Tortilla chips shaped like surfboards!!!



I dream of sitting at a beach in Northern Cali with all my surfer friends drinking Margaritas when I eat these.... I guess Poverty Beach will have to do! For now...



Today was a good day, and I'm glad I'm back!
The boy and his dog...Happy!

Cookware & Clinique

Let me start off by saying I am a Clinique junkie...I am also a Bare Minerals junkie, any kind of mascara junkie, lip gloss junkie...you name it I want it or want to try it.
I always go back to Clinique though, I am not sure why, but each time I tell myself (and my recently purchased make-up kit)that I will never stray again. My last big purchase of new Clinique products was in late October, and I fell right into the Clinique lady's hands...and spell. She convinced me I needed to buy all new cleanser, moisturizer, and yellow powder to combat my redness filled, rosacea laden face. I am ashamed to say how much that trip cost. For awhile, I felt like a new woman, a beauty, dare I say, and I received some compliments too. Well, three months later, and the glitz and glamour, so to speak has worn off. The cleanser and moisturizer don't seem to be helping my redness at all, but the yellow powder does seem to conceal it a bit. Long story short, I saw a gal named Brooke Burns on The Doctors tv show recently. I don't know who she is, except she is a pretty mom who is also an actress. She had ideas on saving money in a recession, or whatever, and stated a woman only needs three things in her make-up kit...an eyelash curler, mascara, and lip gloss. So I dug out my old eyelash curler and started using it...what a difference! For now I am going to try this minimalist approach, but I am not sure I will like it. I just bought an extra curler, and a new mascara for my purse (not normally the kind I buy, but I had a coupon!) I will say it makes for a lighter load in my purse, and I feel kinda free and liberated.

I am also feeling free and liberated with the delivery of my new Cuisinart Chef's Classic stainless steel 10 piece cookware set today! No, it's not All-Clad (about 1/4 of the price), but it comes close to it in several performance reviews. If I don't like it, I am sure some kid will be needing it somewhere along the way, and maybe by then I will be able to afford the $$$ for All-Clad.
Here's the christening meal I made tonight!


Pesto stuffed pork chops (from Better Homes & Gardens cookbook)


easy Parsley potatoes


Greek salad with feta and pine nuts


good ole Stove Top stuffing for the teenager.

Chicken Parm and an Ice Cream Cake!

Do you have Carvel? I remember when I first moved to New Jersey in '83, this was a very special treat for us, now I think they are all over the place.




We finally got the snow I've been dreaming about....9.5 inches! woo hoo!


Snow bath... good...she's been stinky lately!


Chicken Parm today! One of the faves here.
Make a marinara sauce.
Today I made it like this:
2TBSP olive oil
1 28 oz can tomatoes, crushed
1 15 oz can tomato sauce
2 6 oz cans tomato paste
1 bay leaf
1 clove garlic, left whole
1 tsp dried basil
Combine all ingredients in a large pot, and simmer for 1 hour...easy peasy.

Boneless skinless chicken breasts
Egg
Bread crumbs
Parmesan cheese
Salt and pepper
Parsley
Pound and flatten chicken breasts as thin as you can. I hate pounding the chicken, so I split them down the middle, butterfly style.

Season with salt & pepper, then dip in egg wash (egg & water), then a mixture of half bread crumbs, and half parmesan cheese. Heat some oil (vegetable or olive) in a skillet, then fry the cutlets for 4 minutes per side on med.

Place in a baking dish, top with sauce, and mozzarella cheese, parmesan cheese, and parsley
Bake at 350 for 20-30 minutes, till cheese and sauce are bubbly.



Serve with whatever pasta you like, I used linguine today. I also made homemade garlic bread...slice a loaf of bread in half down the middle. Mince 2 cloves of garlic, and sprinkle on both halves, spread with softened butter. Broil until golden.

Sweethearts....If It Ain't Broke...

What is up with Sweethearts?



The red bag above is the traditional bag of Sweethearts that we all know and love. The ones that taste like Necco wafers, with pink, orange, yellow, green, purple, and white hearts. I purchased that bag at the $ store. Then I went to Wally World and bought the pink bag. I noticed something different...why the pink bag? Anyway, I was looking for the large conversation hearts to put on top of cupcakes. I have Valentine's Day OCD, ok? Back to the Sweethearts...my faves are the yellow ones...or I like to put one of every color in my mouth for a tutti-frutti flavor. I am still a kid when it comes to candy, just ask my dentist.

Here's the pink bag

notice the colors
pink=strawberry, purple=grape, green=green apple, yellow=lemon, orange=orange, blue=blue raspberry.

What the heck? Did I buy the wrong kind??? I want the "normal" sweethearts, damn it!
Was it a Wal-Mart thing? So off to CVS, and all they had was the new pink bag with the new flavors. Onto the next piece of the puzzle.




Hmmm...both bags are made by the New England Confectionery Company, Revere, Mass.
Well I have a few words for them...I want the Sweethearts that taste like Necco Wafers! So just be careful when you're out buying your Valentine's Day treats...I did your homework for ya! Oh, and if anyone knows where I can buy the oh so rare chocolate sweethearts, let me know...love them too!

Just a few pics of my table...spent less than $30 on the linens, between Target and Kohl's, now I need to work on some red Fiestaware!

Tigers #1!

I better do some more catching up...the height of basketball season is my alibi this week.

Monday, January 25, 2010

We were in Vineland for both basketball games (JV & Varsity). A friend gave us the number for Martino's Pizzeria & Trattoria there. It is one of the top five pizzas I have ever eaten. I can't wait until another sporting event takes me to Vineland!



Tuesday, January 26, 2010

I should start a taxi service. I was gone for 6 hours, and didn't go more than 6 miles a trip...just sayin'. By the time I arrived back home after running errands for others, I didn't feel like making my normal "meat" on Tuesday. I'd been wanting to try Cooking with Clara's Pasta Faglioli for a few weeks, so I made it, along with crescent roll cheese dogs. The teenager wasn't impressed, but he is way too fickle. It was good stuff.




Wednesday, January 27, 2010

What a night! Both JV & Varsity games were exciting nailbiters, good times, and we won. The Tigers are #1 in the conference! I was quite organized before the 4:30PM tip-off, and made tacos for us to eat when we came in at 8:00.


Thursday, January 28, 2010

Of course it is chicken again. This is a really good go-to recipe for chicken and potatoes.
Here's what you need:
4-6 potatoes, any kind ( I used red today, no peeling)
onion (optional)
4 cloves, garlic, whole
Legs, thighs, or breasts of chicken with skin left on
Olive oil
Oregano
Lemon juice (if you have it)
Salt & pepper


Peel (if necessary) and quarter potatoes and put in a large baking dish, I used a large saute pan today. Add onion and garlic. Place chicken pieces over the top. Generously pour olive oil over all. Season with oregano, lemon juice, salt and pepper. Bake covered, at 375 for 2 hours, uncover the pan the last 30 minutes to brown.



I served this with pasta with garlic and oil, ( I know, too much starch, but we like it...everything in moderation) and green beans seasoned with olive oil and lemon juice.


For dessert I made Oatmeal Scotchies, recipe on the back of the butterscotch chips bag. I don't know why they fell apart today, but they are good anyway.

Catching Up!

Let's just say last week was a wash...but here's what we had anyway...time to move on.
Tuesday
a small roast beef tenderloin, bearnaise sauce (Knorr), mashed potaoes, corn, Bisquick cheddar garlic biscuits.

and for dessert this:

icebox "cake"
layers of graham crackers, vanilla pudding, chocolate pudding, whipped topping, and frosted with chocolate frosting (back of the Hershey's cocoa box)

Wednesday, January 20, another basketball game warranted homemade subs.

Thursday, January 21, Sirloin Stir Fry with white rice.


The frozen veggies and sauce are from the warehouse club. I also added frozen chopped spinach and an onion.

Just a few drops of this hot sesame oil and some soy sauce gives more authentic flavor.



I also made a romaine salad with sliced oranges and toasted walnuts.

Off the cuff honey orange dressing:
Grated orange peel, orange juice, honey, ginger, rice wine vinegar, poppy seed, vegetable oil.


Friday, January 22
another basketball game, but early in the day I made bread/pizza dough, so we had pizza and fried dough. (deep fried cubes of bread dough, dusted with powdered sugar, a big hit!)

Saturday, January 23
Cheeseburgers and fries.

Sunday, January 24
Am I caught up? I hope so, wheww, that was fast...
No pasta Sunday! Our friends own a commercial scallop boat, and this morning, they brought us a huge bag of sea scallops. Normally they are much larger, but this time of year they tend to be about half the size of a golf ball. Since our house is only three people today, I had to freeze 2/3 of the bag for later. I'm not a big seafood fan, but I like my share of fish sticks, tuna, shrimp, and lobster. When I came to Cape May, I had only eaten scallops in a seafood pasta dish, and I wasn't impressed. Those scallops were tiny bay scallops, as opposed to the large sea scallops we have here. Cape May scallops are sweet as sugar, and larger than a golf ball most of the time. I like them broiled or deep fried, but most of all I like them wrapped in bacon. The next time someone says they don't like seafood, have them try these, they are awesome.
Rinse and pat dry with a paper towel about 24 sea scallops.
Cut 12 strips of bacon in half, wrap around scallop, secure with a toothpick.
I had 36 scallops, so some of the bacon is cut in fourths.
Sprinkle liberally with McCormick's Montreal Steak Seasoning.
Bake at 425 for 20-30 minutes, turning once.
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The rest of the story, which I will blog about tomorrow. We will be away for dinner, so some of it will be leftovers...