Cassoulet Misadventure... STICK to the RECIPE on this one! LOL!!

The other night I did a variation of Easy Cassoulet. (Click on it for the original recipe and image)

The night before I had done stuffed Portabello mushrooms to DIE FOR... That post is COMING SOON!! HOWEVER, I decided to make life a little easier and cook up sausage and mushrooms for both meals. I figured since I was out of ham, I'd just use more sausage. I learned an important lesson about this cassoulet. It has a delicate balance of ingredients and spices and I will not mess with it again... except for adding cheese on top!! LOL!! This time I didn't add cheese on top and I should have!  ;p

I discovered that the beans and ham balance the spices and sausage. As it was, it was WAY too spicy for our liking!! So TONIGHT, I fixed the leftovers. I added the ham, more beans, more mushrooms and a tad more cooking wine. It was MUCH BETTER!! *sigh*  I made a pan of cornbread and we drank apple juice with it. We are not wine drinkers, so it was apple juice!! I have to say, the apple juice truly DOES enhance the flavor of this dish!! YUMMO!! Now, this REALLY is a yummy dish when you make it the way it was intended. So click on over to the original post and try it out right!  ;D

So Wednesday night's misadventure turned into today's success. I learned my lesson on this recipe and I won't assume and play again... I can only promise that on this one though, because I had a RAVING success PLAYING with the stuffed mushrooms recipe!!  ;p

Unedited image... GASP!!

Stuff It: Guest Post TAMARA AKA CHEAPSKATE MOM

This post is from Tamara,

AKA Cheapskate Mom

and apparently she has included links to even ANOTHER blog for even MORE GREAT recipes!! Hope you ENJOY!! ;D

She had a WONDERFUL recipe for the stuffed mushrooms that I can't wait to try!!

HERE'S TAMARA!

*******************

That's right I said Stuff IT!!

It's the theme over at Think Tank Mama's place! She does this fun weekly thingamajig called Share a Spoon and I told her to Stuff It and she did!



I love stuffing food. Esp in my face. So what better food to stuff your face with than stuffed food? Right??

Today's recipe is Stuffed Shrooms! I love mushrooms and recently my hubs and I went out on a date (seriously that like never happens) so we splurged and got appetizers before our meal. I ordered stuffed mushrooms and they came served with a lemon wedge. Oh it was scrumptious! The lemon gave the flavors a pow!

Of course I had to make these the very next chance I could. They turned out yummy!


Stuffed Shrooms

Ingredients18 fresh portabello mushrooms
2 tbsp olive oil
1 tsp garlic powder
2 tbsp chives chopped
1 tsp lemon juice
1/2 tsp dill
1/3 cup of cream cheese (for lower calories you can use reduced fat)
1/3 cup of shredded parm/romano cheese blend
1/4 cup of panko crumbs
salt and pepper to taste
parsley
2 lemons

Preheat oven to 400 degrees
Wash mushrooms and pat dry
Gently remove stems from the caps by pulling them with your fingers
Finely chop stems
In a large saute pan heat olive oil
Add chopped stems
Add garlic powder
Add chopped chives, lemon juice and dill
cook until fragrant
remove from heat and set aside
in a medium bowl combine cream cheese, shredded cheese, salt, pepper, and panko crumbs
add mushroom stem mixture and mix well
prepare a large baking sheet with cooking spray
stuff mushrooms generously with mixture
Garnish with parsley. I usually sprinkle a little more cheese on top as well.
Bake in center rack approx 10-15 minutes or until tops are golden brown.

Cool about 5 minutes before serving with a lemon wedge.

You can add crabmeat or artichokes for a more hearty appetizer. I like to mix up my spices so sometimes I add paprika or red pepper flakes. Sometimes a dash of hot pepper sauce or white wine instead of lemon juice. It's really all about making the recipe your own!

For more great Stuff It recipes and to add your own please visit Think Tank Mama's place!

"Healthified" Turtle Ice Cream Cake

"Healthified" Turtle Ice Cream Cake

10 chocolate wafer cookies, finely crushed (1/2 cup) 1 tablespoon no-trans-fat 68% vegetable oil spread stick, melted 3 cups chocolate reduced-fat ice cream, slightly softened 1/2 cup fat-free hot fudge topping 2/3 cup chopped pecans 3 cups vanilla reduced-fat ice cream, slightly softened 1/4 cup fat-free caramel topping 1. In small bowl, mix wafer cookie crumbs and melted vegetable oil spread until crumbly. Press gently and evenly in bottom of ungreased 9-inch springform pan. Freeze 30 minutes. 2. Drop chocolate ice cream by small spoonfuls over crust; carefully spread until smooth. Freeze 1 hour or until firm. 3. Spoon and carefully spread fudge topping over ice cream. Sprinkle with 1/3 cup of the pecans; press lightly. Freeze 1 hour or until firm. 4. Drop vanilla ice cream by small spoonfuls over pecan layer; carefully spread until smooth. Sprinkle with remaining 1/3 cup pecans. Cover; freeze at least 8 hours or overnight. 5. To serve, let stand at room temperature 5 to 10 minutes to soften. Carefully remove side of pan. Cut into 12 wedges. Place each wedge on individual dessert plate; drizzle each with 1 teaspoon of the caramel topping. Store remaining ice cream cake covered in freezer. High Altitude (3500-6500 ft): No change.

Prep Time: 30 min70% less sat fat • 62% less fat • 45% fewer calories than the original recipe. With fewer calories and less fat, this turtle won’t take a bite out of your diet!

Total Time: 11 hours 0 min

Makes: 12 servings

Nutrition Information:

1 Serving: Calories 240 (Calories from Fat 80); Total Fat 9g (Saturated Fat 3g, Trans Fat 0g); Cholesterol15mg; Sodium 125mg; Total Carbohydrate 34g (Dietary Fiber 1g, Sugars 25g); Protein 4g Percent Daily Value*: Vitamin A 6%; Vitamin C 0%; Calcium 10%; Iron 4% Exchanges: 1 Starch; 1 Other Carbohydrate;0 Vegetable; 2 Fat Carbohydrate Choices: 2 

*Percent Daily Values are based on a 2,000 calorie diet.

Pico de Gallo to DIE For

Recipe/Post/Photos are ALL courtesy of Courtney at One Fine Wire! 


Thank you Courtney!! YUMMY!!!  ;D
Now go check out Courtney's blog as a THANK YOU!!  ;D

Pico de Gallo:

First you need to chop up (dice):

*5 Roma Tomatoes

*1 Jalapeno

*1/2 of a Sweet Onion

*A handful of Cilantra

Make sure to de-seed each item.  Here are our leftovers.

Once you have diced everything, simply squeeze three Limes all over!

Doesn't that look beautiful and oh so colorful!?

Then you take your Tostito's Scoops chips and dip away!  

It's such a refreshing snack for the summer!  

You can't go wrong with those natural flavors :)

Weight Watcher's Chinese Recipes

MMMMMmmmmm.... Chinese is one of my FAVORITES!!! 

NOT that it's all  that GOOD FOR YOU... It's HIGH in MSG and not so great for someone watching their calories and fat... UNLESS... you make it yourself and use recipes from Weight Watcher's!!

General Tso's Chicken

1.5 lb boneless skinless chicken breast, cut into 1-inch pieces
1.5 tbsp cornstarch
3/4 cup stir-fry sauce (purchased or recipe below)
2-3 cups of your choice of veggies -- I used broccoli florets and shredded carrots
1-2 tsp. dark sesame oil

3 scallions, chopped
soy sauce to taste

Stir Fry Sauce:

1 tbsp. canola oil
1 tsp ginger paste
1 tbsp minced garlic

Adapted from Weight Watchers Take-Out Tonight: 150+ Restaurant Favorites to Make at Home
Serves 4-5 people

Take the chicken pieces and add to 1 tbsp. cornstarch and 3 tbsp. of the stir-fry sauce, mixing thoroughly and letting chicken marinate for at least 5 minutes.

Combine the remaining stir-fry sauce, cornstarch, sesame oil, and soy sauce in a separate bowl and set aside.

Heat a large nonstick pan over medium-high heat. Add oil, once heated add ginger, garlic, and scallions. Cook for a minute or so, then add the chicken and marinade and stir-fry for a couple minutes, until the chicken begins to brown. Add the vegetables and stir-fry until crisp-tender. Now add the sauce ingredients and stir-fry as the mixture comes to a boil and thickens, about 1-2 minutes. Make sure chicken is cooked through!

Veggie Lo Mein

8 oz. angel hair or vermicelli pasta, broken in half
1 tbsp canola oil
1 tbsp minced garlic
1-2 tsp ginger paste
3 scallions, chopped
approx. 2 tbsp soy sauce (more if needed)
1 tbsp oyster sauce  (I use soy... I'm allergic to seafood)
1 tbsp teriyaki sauce (optional)
3 cups veggies -- I used frozen Japanese blend veggies and fresh coleslaw mix
2 tsp dark sesame oil
1 tsp cornstarch

Boil water for pasta. While this is going on, heat the oil in a large nonstick pan. Then add garlic, ginger, and scallions and stir fry for a minute or so. Add the veggies and stir fry for a minute. Add sauces and keep stir-frying until veggies are crisp tender. Set aside.

Cook the pasta, and drain. Reheat the pan with veggies and add the pasta, making sure to combine all ingredients thoroughly. Taste and adjust seasonings as needed.

Take the cornstarch in a small bowl and add water until you get a slurry. Add this to the pan and stir to coat and heat through. Add the sesame oil at the very end and toss.

Serves 4-5 people

1. All measurements are approximate, adjust for your personal preference
2. Disclaimer: These images are from the internet and not mine.  ;p
3. I was inspired to try this and got these recipes from One Bite at a Time

Traditional Florida Key Lime Pie

This post is dedicated to T from You Asked For It in response to this post! Just wanted to help a gal out!! ;D

This is an awesome recipe I got from June's Princess Captain's Circle Newsletter:

A Taste of Princess^® — Recipe of the Month

Many Princess cruises depart from sunny Florida, and our traditional Key Lime Pie brings the sunshine directly to your table. Simple to prepare, beautiful to serve and wonderfully light and delicious, Princess chefs take great pride in serving this fresh pie to passengers and we know you’ll delight in sharing it with friends at home. 

Traditional Florida Key Lime Pie 

Ingredients:
Crust:
1 ½ cups graham cracker crumbs
2 tbsp sugar
4 tbsp melted butter
Filling:
14 oz. sweetened condensed milk
3 egg yolks
½ cup key lime juice
Whipped cream
2 tsp lime zest

For Crust: Preheat oven to 350°. In a medium bowl, mix graham cracker crumbs and sugar. Add melted butter and mix well. Press graham cracker crumb mixture evenly over bottom and sides of a 9" pie pan. Bake for about 10 minutes until crust just starts to darken slightly. Remove from oven and set aside.

For Filling: Pour sweetened condensed milk in a mixing bowl. Add egg yolks one at a time, mixing after each addition. Slowly add the key lime juice while mixing. Pour mixture into baked pie crust. Bake for about 15 minutes until filling is set in the center. 

To serve, spread top of pie with whipped cream and sprinkle with lime zest. 

If green color is desired, add 1-2 drops of green food coloring to filling before baking. 

Serves 6

Chocolate Gooey Butter Cookies by Paula Deen

I made these for our BIG family gathering yesterday. They are easy AND delicious!!

For those of you looking for a HEALTHY recipe... Paula Deen's are not your best option. Note the BUTTER and CREAM CHEESE... that you don't taste, but they doe make a marvelous cookie that doesn't go hard on you!! I know, you may imagine your arteries clogging as you down these scrumptious morsels of yumminess... but I didn't notice... or mind... ;p  oh, and to make sure we had plenty, I doubled the batch!!

Ingredients

• 1 (8-ounce) brick cream cheese, room temperature
• 1 stick butter, at room temperature
• 1 egg
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 1 (18-ounce) box moist chocolate cake mix
• Confectioners' sugar, for dusting

Directions

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.

In a large bowl with an electric mixer, cream the cream cheese and butter until smooth. Beat in the egg. Then beat in the vanilla extract. Beat in the cake mix. Cover and refrigerate for 2 hours to firm up so that you can roll the batter into balls. Roll the chilled batter into tablespoon sized balls and then roll them in confectioner's sugar. Place on an ungreased cookie sheet, 2 inches apart. Bake 12 minutes. The cookies will remain soft and "gooey." Cool completely and sprinkle with more confectioners' sugar, if desired.

You can find this recipe and more at FoodNetwork.com