Day of YUM

Today started with crepes made with my "new" cast-iron crepe pan.  They were wonderful!  I filled mine with honey-almond cream cheese and sliced banana, and made DH's with Nutella and banana.  DD said hers was "too sweet", as if there is such a thing! 

We had leftover lima beans and ham for lunch with corn muffins (all delicious!) and then I tried out a new recipe for dinner.  I had ham, spinach, cream and Gouda on hand, and this recipe fit the bill perfectly!  I omitted the Edam cheese and added spinach.  It tasted like grown-up mac n' cheese! 

TORTELLINI WITH CREAM HAM AND CHEESE SAUCE

3 tbsp. butter 3 tbsp. flour 1 1/2 c. heavy cream 1/4 lb. Edam cheese, cut into sm. pieces 1/4 lb. Gouda cheese, cut into sm. pieces 3/4 slices of ham 8 oz. tortellini or pasta of your choice In large saucepan melt butter over low heat. Add ham and saute. Sprinkle flour over butter and ham. Stir until flour blends with butter. Immediately add cream and heat (don't boil) until sauce thickens. Add cheeses and heat until melted. Boil tortellini according to package directions. Drain and add to sauce. Serve warm.

Grilled summer goodness

This post is apologetically picture-free, but I made a lovely grilled meal this evening:

kaiser-roll hamburgers
grilled okra
grilled fries
roasted onions

The fries were Bobby Flay inspired:

http://www.foodnetwork.com/recipes/bobby-flay/seasoned-grilled-fries-recipe/index.html

They were super!  They tasted a lot like baked potato but were crispy on the outside. 

The grilled okra was very good, too:

http://localfoods.about.com/od/grilledsidedishes/r/Grilled-Okra.htm

Since our okra is going crazy, I'm trying to find new recipes that aren't just pan-fried.  It's hard to get them "just right"--not too small but not too big and stringy either. 

I also made divinity for the first time yesterday, but sadly, I didn't listen to my mother.  It really IS too humid to make divinity.  :)

cilantro-topped tilapia

I made a variation of a recipe I found online for baked tilapia...I had 1/2 a bunch of cilantro leftover from another recipe, so I whirled it in the Magic Bullet with mayo, cream cheese and seasonings.  I rubbed the fillets with the mixture and topped with french-fried onions.  Yum!  I also roasted cabbage wedges and corn on the cob.  Delicious!

Kale chips

I have heard of making these for a long time and finally got around to trying them (mostly because bunches are on sale for .88 cents right now!). 

It's a very simple recipe--wash a bunch of kale and spin dry (get as much water out as possible!).  Tear into bite-sized pieces, and put on a cookie sheet lined with parchment paper.  Toss with 1 T. olive oil and salt (can add other seasonings as well).  Bake at 350 for 10-15 minutes.  They are crunchy and are very much like thin potato chips.  I ended up eating the whole pan, they were so good!

Salsa chicken

This should really be renamed "chipotle chicken" due to the very spicy and addictive nature of this meal!

Here is the recipe:

3 chicken breasts (I use skinless & boneless)
1 cup salsa
1 can of black beans, drained
1 can of cream of chicken soup
1 packet taco seasoning
1 can of chipotle peppers


Season the chicken breasts with the taco seasoning. Put in the crockpot along with the salsa, sour cream and cream of chicken soup. Shred the chicken so it all absorbs the flavor.

Cook on low for 6-8 hours and viola! I used frozen chicken breasts, and just put it all together in the morning. I served over brown rice and it was fabulous! Enjoy!

Foods from outside

I was hoeing the garden the other morning when I found 4 small potatoes in the ground. They had probably been there over winter and were ready to come out of the ground! I picked some green onions, green peas (which my 5-year-old exclaimed "they look just like the ones that come out of a bag!") and loquats and made myself a "yard meal". I cooked up a chicken egg (from my hens, currently living with my sister's hens). I love self-sustained meals!