Saucy Mama Giveaway Winner!
Posted: May 31, 2011 Filed under: Giveaways | Tags: saucy mama 5 Comments »I’m baaaack! And you know what that means? It’s time to announce the winner of the Saucy Mama Giveaway!
I’m still exhausted from the trip, so I’m just going to cut right to the chase… The winner is Victoria from Mission Food!
Congratulations Victoria! I’ll email you to get your address and get your prize out ASAP!
And for the rest of you, I’ll be back later this week with a yummy recipe. Adios amigos!
Huevos Rancheros and Saucy Mama Blogiversary Giveaway!
Posted: May 22, 2011 Filed under: Contests, Food, Giveaways, Recipes | Tags: avocado, breakfast, brunch, chipotle, contest, cooking, dressing, easy, eggs, ethnic, foodblog, giveaway, huevos, mexican, rancheros, recipe, saucy mama, tomatoes, tortilla, vegetarian 53 Comments »
With all of my list making and such, it probably won’t surprise you to know that I am a planner. Not having a plan makes me anxious. Nervous. Unsettled.
I guess technically that makes me a planner and a worrier.
Anyway.
I’m not saying that my plans always work out. In fact, most of them end up getting changed once they’re in progress. Usually because I pack too much in too short of a time span. Or because I’m running late. Or both. Let’s just say timing is an issue for me.
You would think, with all of this planning, that I would have something magnificent up my sleeve for today, my one year blogiversary. And I do! Only, it wasn’t planned.
No, the serendipitous timing of my fun Saucy Mama Fab with Five contest entry, along with a Saucy Mama giveaway for one lucky reader, was pure chance.
(Actually, that’s a lie. It was actually quite predictable. It’s because I waited until the very last day to submit my contest entry. Again, the timing thing.)
I thought a lot about what I wanted to make for the contest. And for a while I really was stumped. I mean, it’s no easy task to utilize only five ingredients (plus the freebies – olive oil, salt and pepper) and put together a winning dish!
But once my Saucy Mama sample products arrived in the mail, my inspiration became clear. The delicious new Sante Fe Creamy Chipotle Dressing would be my muse.
I knew I wanted to use the dressing in an unusual way, not just as a salad dressing or dipping sauce for veggies. But I also wanted to showcase it. Let it shine through. Steal the show.
I just wasn’t sure how.
And then, when thinking about my upcoming trip to Mexico (just four more days and two finals stand between me and Cabo!), it hit me. I would make Huevos Rancheros!
Greek Style Potato Chicken Stew
Posted: May 16, 2011 Filed under: Food, Recipes | Tags: beans, chicken, chicken broth, cooking, foodblog, garlic, lemon juice, olive oil, olives, onion, oregano, potatoes, recipe, Secret Recipe Club, soup, stew, tomatoes, white beans 49 Comments »
When I found out that my assignment for the May Secret Recipe Club was to choose any recipe from Kristen’s blog, Frugal Antics of a Harried Homemaker, I was so thrilled. I’ve been following her posts ever since I started reading food blogs… she has a ton of delicious looking recipes, and is always introducing me to new things. In fact, her Thai Chicken Noodle Soup post is how I found out about the Secret Recipe Club in the first place!
I knew it wouldn’t be hard to find a recipe to try from her vast repertoire. She has something for everyone, from healthy family meals and snacks to decadent desserts…. you really can’t go wrong. I decided to let my brother choose something from her list, since I wanted to make something fun to bring to his graduation party last weekend.
He looked over the list and settled on the Homemade Entemann’s Cheese Filled Crumb Cake. And I fully intended to make it for him. So the night before I left for his graduation in DC, after getting home from a Mets game, and in the middle of packing and doing school work, I looked over the instructions.
Hmm.
The dough alone had to rise for 1 1/2 hours, then rise again for 20 minutes, and then bake for 30 more minutes. I realized that if I wanted to sleep at all, this was not going to happen. So I turned to Plan B. Thirty Minute Crushed Oreo Sugar Cookies.
This week, I went back to Kristen’s recipe list to choose something else to make. I really didn’t have a need for any desserts or baked goods, so I scrolled down to her selection of main dishes. It took me about 1.5 seconds to decide on the Greek Style Potato Chicken Stew. I mean, really. A soup recipe with a Greek twist? It was practically calling out my name!
I planned to make it exactly how Kristen had written it. It was perfect! Except for the green onions. I just can’t get on board with them. So instead, I added a Vidallia onion to make up for it.
Then I thought about how delicious lemony Greek potatoes are. So I decided to add some lemon juice to the mix.
I was all set to make it with just those two small changes, when Jake walked in.
“What are you making?”
“Greek Style Potato Chicken Stew.”
“Oh. Potatoes?”
“Yes, potatoes. Is there a problem?”
“No. But I was just thinking I could really go for some beans this week.”
Jake never asks for beans. And I happened to have some dried white beans in the pantry. I take these kinds of opportunities when I can get them. Into the mix the beans went.
Then, of course, I had to change the other ingredient measurements around to accommodate my changes.
So here, ladies and gents, is my completely bastardized version of Kristen’s Greek Style Potato Chicken Stew.
Morel Mushroom and Brie Tart
Posted: May 8, 2011 Filed under: Food, Recipes | Tags: appetizer, brie, butter, cheese, cooking, foodblog, garlic, half and half, morel, mushroom, onion, puff pastry, recipe, rosemary, tart 31 Comments »
This past week was a big week for food bloggers everywhere. Between Cinco de Mayo and Mother’s Day, you couldn’t help but find a festive taco, burrito, or enchilada recipe, or a tasty Mother’s Day coffee cake or dessert suggestion.
You’ll notice that I posted for neither occasion.
See, for me, this past week was less of a festive one, and more of a hectic one. Between planning a dinner for 60 people for work, traveling to Boston for said dinner, studying for an accounting midterm, taking the midterm, and traveling to Washington DC for my little brother’s graduation, there was no time for such festivities.
There was barely time to do what I had to do!
But one fun food blogger activity I was able to squeeze in was the Morel Recipe Challenge hosted by Marx Foods. (And get another step closer to one of my 27×27 goals in the process!)
For the contest, the kind folks at Marx Foods sent me and fourteen other food bloggers some dried morel mushrooms to create an appetizer recipe. The winner will get 4 more lbs of fresh morels!
I had never worked with, or even tasted morels before, but I love my mushrooms, so I figured I would give it a shot. After tasting the morels in this Morel Mushroom and Brie Tart, I knew I had made the right choice!
Foodbuzz 24×24: Great Berry Desserts Class and Raspberry Milk Chocolate Truffle Tart Recipe
Posted: May 1, 2011 Filed under: Events, Food, Recipes | Tags: 24x24, baking, berries, chocolate, class, cooking, dessert, foodblog, Foodbuzz, mascarpone cheese, racipe, raspberry, sugar, sweet, tart 33 Comments »
Many people probably don’t think of summer as dessert season. More likely, “dessert season” is associated with months like November and December, with holiday cookies, pies, and cakes taking over people’s stomaches kitchens.
But, for me, summer is the time of year that I find myself baking and dessert making the most. During the summer months, my friends and I make any excuse to get together for an outdoor BBQ, a day by the pool, or a tailgate party. Since there are many good cooks in our group, we are never at a loss for food, no matter what the occasion.
Of course, no gathering is complete without a delicious sweet treat to round off the day. That’s where I come in.
Since my mother taught me never to arrive empty handed, and so many of our dessert needs fall in the summer, I would love to have a reliable repertoire of sweet berry desserts to choose from to bring to parties and events in the upcoming summer months.
Luckily, through Foodbuzz’s April 24×24, I was able to attend last night’s “Great Berry Desserts” class at the Institute of Culinary Education. I was thrilled to participate in the class along with my friend Jill.
BSI Broth Round-up
Posted: May 1, 2011 Filed under: BSI, Food | Tags: broth, BSI 14 Comments »As the host of this week’s BSI, I am happy to present all the wonderful submissions containing broth!
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Sara ~ Cupcake Muffin
Best Ever French Lentil Soup
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Biz ~ My Bizzy Kitchen
Tuscan Chicken Soup with Pesto
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Veronica ~ Recipe Rhapsody
General Tso’s Chicken
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Evelyne ~ Cheap Ethnic Eatz
Lobster Broth
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Renee ~ My Kitchen Adventures
Chicken Florentine with Pasta and Fresh Tomatoes
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Danielle ~ Let’s Dish
Crab and Corn Chowder
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Debbi ~ Debbi Does Dinner Healthy
Summer Squash, Zucchini and Pea Risotto
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My Entry ~ Food for Thought
Spicy Tortellini Chicken Soup
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Stephanie ~ The Brunette Foodie
New Belgium Chicken Stew
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Rachel ~ Rachel’s Recipe Reviews
White Chicken Chili
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Kristen ~ Frugal Antics of a Harried Homemaker
Crowd Pleasin’ Chili
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Lauren ~ Healthy Delcious
Springtime Chicken & Spaetzle Soup
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Thank you to everyone who contributed to this week’s contest. Everything looked so great…I didn’t want to choose a winner!
But, when push came to shove, I chose Stephanie’s New Belgium Chicken Stew! I love the idea of beer in the stew… sounds delish! Congratulations Stephanie….. send me your address, and I’ll send out your prize.
**I still have not found next week’s host for BSI. Please let me know if you would like it to be you!**
