Refreshing Strawberry Frosty

Simplicity and grace are sometimes difficult to find in a fast paced world. Sometimes people don’t see what is right in front of them is really the sweetest.  

Ingredients:

About 4 cups sliced frozen strawberries

1 cup whole milk

Handful of fresh basil

3 tablespoons orange marmalade

½ cup brown sugar

Chocolate syrup for garnish

Combine in a food processor the frozen strawberries, marmalade, brown sugar, basil and the milk and process until smooth and creamy.  Hold down the food processor while processing.

Enjoy with Love,

Catherine

xo

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Baked Chicken with Fresh Tomatoes and Basil

My children never met my dad, though I have tried to give them a picture of what he was like.  My dad died when I was sixteen, though my time with him was much too short, he filled it with memories to carry me through the times of my life.  I have fallen back on these memories to sustain and strengthen me and to smile tenderly at those simpler times in my life.

This song is for you Daddy……

Ingredients:

10 – 12 chicken thighs – with skin and bone

For the Tomato and Basil Topping:

1 cup of fresh basil – chopped

1 bulb of fresh garlic - chopped

2 large plum tomatoes – diced (not too small)

1 tablespoon of lemon juice

½ tsp. salt

½ tsp. black pepper

2 tablespoons of grated Parmesan cheese

3 tablespoons olive oil

Rub:

¾ tsp. salt

¾ tsp. black pepper

1 tsp. paprika

1 tsp. dried oregano

1 tsp. brown sugar

Preheat Oven 350 degrees:

Clean and pat dry the chicken thighs.

Combine in a bowl all of the ingredients for the tomato and basil topping and set aside.

Combine in a small bowl the rub and set aside.

Place the chicken in a baking pan and rub the rub on each thigh.

Top with the tomato and basil topping and place in the oven.

Bake 50-55 minutes or until juices run clear.

Enjoy with Love,

Catherine

xo

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Homemade Bacon Egg and Cheese Biscuit

When my grandmother would sit down to eat she always felt so happy and would eat with gusto and heartiness.  I think that most people from that era knew just how fortunate they were to have a good meal. This shows the gratefulness of her heart and so she enjoyed each and every bite.  She always was so happy to eat that it brings a smile to my face just thinking of her at the table. 

This is a simple meal yet it is one of my favorites and it is perfect with some good coffee.

Ingredients:

Slices of crisp bacon

Slice of cheese

An egg prepared your favorite way

For the Biscuits:

2 cups of self-rising flour

1 tsp. sugar

5 tablespoons shortening (unsalted butter or margarine)

1 cup sour milk (this is achieved by adding 1 tsp. vinegar to the milk and letting it sit for a few minutes)

In a bowl combine the flour and sugar.

Add the shorting and crumble with your fingers to incorporate into the flour.  Make a well in the center and gradually add the milk, combining it into the flour as you pour.

Gently form the dough.  Do Not Overwork the dough or the biscuits will not be fluffy.

Flour a clean surface to roll the dough to about ¾ inch thickness.  Cut out biscuits to desired size (a coffee cup works well as the biscuit cutter). 

Butter a cast iron pan and place biscuits in the pan.

Bake for about 18-20 minutes.

Enjoy with Love,

Catherine

xo

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I've added this recipe to Foodie Friday Blog Hop & Foodie Friends Friday Linky Party
 
DONT FORGET TO ENTER MY SAUCY MAMA GIVEAWAY HERE!!!

Oven Roasted Peppers and Eggplant

When I was growing up it seemed that everything was simple.  My mother would go outside and pick a few things in the garden and a delicious meal was prepared.  Zucchini flowers, peppers, tomatoes, fresh basil.  I think you get the idea.  These were much simpler times and quite frankly, the place I go in my heart to find comfort.

I sometimes try to create a dish from my memory of the meals that I grew up with.

 Ingredients:

2 bell peppers – sliced

1 eggplant – cut into quarters

3 vine ripe tomatoes – quartered

4 cloves of garlic – chopped

1 large onion – sliced

1 tsp. of capers plus a little caper juice

1 handful of fresh basil – chopped

1 handful of fresh Italian parsley – chopped

¾ tsp. salt

¼ tsp. black pepper

¼ tsp. red pepper flakes

½ tsp. garlic powder

3 tbs. olive oil

Dressing:

1 tsp. sugar

2 tablespoon vinegar

2 tablespoon olive oil

Preheat Oven 350 degrees:

In a baking pan combine all of the above ingredients.  (Not the Dressing.)

Bake for approximately 50 – 55 minutes until the veggies are tender.

When the veggies are slightly cooled, combine the ingredients for the dressing and mix into the veggies.

Serve with a good Italian or French bread and a good piece of cheese.

Enjoy with Love,

Catherine

xo

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Pesto Potato Skins with Saucy Mama Garlic Mustard and Bacon (AND A GIVEAWAY)!!

I am happy to announce I am a competitor in this year's Saucy Mama 2013 SLICED Recipe Contest!!!

Saucy Mama is gearing up for National Mustard Day early this year by searching for food bloggers' most imaginative uses of mustard.

I was selected as one of 25 food bloggers to participate in Saucy Mama’s 2013 SLICED Recipe Contest.  What an honor.

The contest consists of three rounds, appetizer, dinner and dessert.  Each round has its own secret ingredient.

The secret ingredient for Round 1 - The Appetizer is...*drumroll*

BACON!

Paired with the Saucy Mama Creamy Garlic Mustard, I came up with Pesto Potato Skins and a sourcream and mustard dip on the side.  

Enjoy with Love,

Catherine

xo

Ingredients:

6 russet potatoes

1 lb. of bacon

2 cups homemade bread crumbs

¼ cup grated Parmesan cheese

2 cloves of garlic – chopped

 4 oz. Queso Blanco cheese or cheddar– shredded for topping

Olive oil

For the Pesto:

2 bunches of fresh basil –  about 3-4 cups -remove stems

1 medium jalapeño – with seeds

4 cloves of garlic

2 tablespoons of honey

2 tablespoons of Saucy Mama Creamy Garlic Mustard

Zest of 1 orange

2 tablespoons of orange marmalade

2 tablespoons of sliced sun dried tomatoes

¾ tsp. salt

½ tsp. red pepper flakes

Drizzles of olive oil

For the Sour Cream Topping:

1 cup of sour cream

3 tablespoons of Saucy Mama Creamy Garlic Mustard

Preheat Oven 400 degrees:

Wash potatoes and place in a baking pan whole. 

Bake until the skin springs back a little and they are tender.   Approximately 50-60 minutes.

Place bacon on a pan to bake.  Cook time about 15 – 17 minutes.

Let the potatoes cool while preparing the pesto.

Place all of the ingredients for the pesto in a food processor.  While processing the ingredients drizzle a little olive oil in the food processor while it is processing the pesto; about 3 tablespoons or so.

When the potatoes are cool enough carefully slice them in half and scoop out the insides.  Set the scooped potato aside for another recipe.

When the bacon is cooked set aside the bacon in paper towels to crisp and absorb the grease.

Remove some of the bacon drippings and set aside; leave a bit of the bacon drippings in the pan for the potatoes.

Rub the skins with the bacon drippings and place the potatoes face down in the pan with the remaining drippings.

Place back in the oven to get a golden edge on the inside of the potato and a gentle crispness on the skin.  Cook time about 10-12 minutes.

While the potato skins crisp.  Heat a large frying pan with a tablespoon of the bacon drippings and a tablespoon of olive oil. 

Add the two chopped cloves of garlic and sauté until slightly fragrant.  Add the bread crumbs to get a golden color and crumble the bacon into the breadcrumbs, setting aside enough bacon to sprinkle on the top of the potato skins; about ½ to ¾ cup or so and finally add the grated Parmesan cheese to the breadcrumbs; remove from heat and set aside.

Let the skins cool a bit and then fill with the pesto.  Top with the breadcrumbs, bacon and the shredded cheese and a drizzle of olive oil.

Place back in the oven for about 10-12 minutes.

Combine the sour cream and the mustard and serve with the potato skins as a topping.

If you are interested in trying Saucy Mama, enter my giveaway for a chance to win!

Here are the rules of the entry:

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Don't forget to leave a comment telling me you have done each and of course provide your user so that I may follow you back!

I will an announce a winner at the end of the competition.

All applicants must be located in the U.S.

If you can't wait to try Saucy Mama, you can always visit the Saucy Mama Online Store and use the coupon code: COL25

Good luck everyone & Enjoy!!