Corn and Wild Rice Soup with Smoked Sausage

Mmm good!!!!

Corn and Wild Rice Soup with Smoked Sausage

I made this over the Christmas holidays to rave reviews.  Last week I decided to make again. It was just as good as I remembered.  I served with crusty french bread.  Yum!!

patti

Pumpkin Muffins

I love this time of year!!! When I saw the big display of pumpkin in the grocery store, I knew it was time to start baking.  These muffins are so good.

Don't you just love these cute fall shapes!!!

I found the silicone baking molds at WalMart several years ago.  I have been searching for another mold for quite some time. It takes a long time to bake when you only have a mold of 6.  I have had no luck until recently.  I was so excited when I found a mold of 6 pumpkins!!!  They are made by Wilton and I found them in the Halloween section.

I sure hope you enjoy the Pumpkin Muffins and find a cute pan to use!

patti

Tuscan Lemon Chicken

I was in the mood for a tasty grilled chicken and remembered how much I enjoyed this recipe the last time I prepared it.  It was as good the second time around as the first.  Thank you Ina Garten!!!! Your recipes are the best.

This recipe seems a little complicated since you cut the bird in half and remove all of the breast bone.  I must admit I was a bit intimidated by this process, but I did it. (miracle)  Removing this bone allows the chicken to lay flat on the grill.  Tuscan Lemon Chicken is so moist and tender.  Make sure you grill the lemon halves and squeeze over the grilled chicken.  I served this with oven roasted broccoli.  Oh my, so good!!!!!

Enjoy,

patti

Bran Muffins

I was getting tired of my usual oatmeal and toast for breakfast, so I decided to make a batch of Bran Muffins.  I froze all but the three that I scarfed down the minute they came out of the oven. Delicious!!! Now that they are frozen and not in my face tempting me,  I can take out one each morning.

This was a nice change for breakfast, but impossible to eat just one.  I found this recipe on allrecipes.com and changed it just a little.  I added craisins instead of raisins and doubled the amount.  Nuts would have been good but I was too lazy to chop.  These are really yummy!!!

Enjoy,

patti

This Week in My Kitchen

I have been out of my kitchen lately and I am looking forward to the recipes I have selected this week. Ready to get cooking!

     

From top left:


Chipotle-Marinated Pork Chops with Chimichurri Sauce:  The weather is getting warmer and days longer so I decided to grill this week.  This is a cooking light recipe from June 2000.  I had some

canned chipotle peppers left from the salad dressing I made last week, so this sounded like a good way to use them.
Results:  These pork chops were actually good.  I was surprised at how much flavor they had while only marinating in chicken broth and peppers. Love a low fat way to add flavor to a dish.  I think I would add another pepper to the marinade the next time.  I did not like the chimichurri sauce.  Yuk--too much vinegar flavor for me.  I will make the pork chops again but never the sauce.

Baked Zucchini Fries:  (Not Pictured)  I found this recipe on another food blog(Two Peas and Their Pod).  I thought it would be a nice substitute for potato fries.
Results:  This was the hit of the week.  OMG these are delicious.  I served with the pork chops but they would be great with a burger as well.  I liked this so much, I made it twice this week.  Great with ketchup.

Fiery "Fried" Chicken:  This is a Real Simple recipe from 2007.  I love chicken and this is a low calorie recipe that looks "real simple".
Results:  Delicious!!  So easy and fast with lots of flavor. The recipe did not say how long to marinate the chicken.  I did it all day and it was perfect.   I will definitely be making this recipe again and again.

Roasted Cauliflower with Kalamata Vinaigrette:  I found this recipe at epicurious.com.  I enjoyed the roasted cauliflower I prepared a few weeks ago so much that I decided to try this one with the kalamata vinaigrette.
Results: This was great and the Kalamata Vinaigrette was to die for.  I loved it on the roasted cauliflower. So yummy.   I cant wait to serve this to guests.

Can't wait to try these recipes.  Check back for the results.

patti

This Week in My Kitchen

Busy and crazy week, so not too much cooking this week.

Couscous Stuffed Chicken Breasts with Feta, Sun -Dried
Tomatoes and Kalamata Olives

Baby Romaine Salad with Spicy Chicken and Warm
Chipotle Vinaigrette

Couscous Stuffed Chicken Breasts with Feta, Sun-Dried Tomatoes and Kalamata Olives:  This is a Food Network recipe that I have been eyeing for some time.  I hope it is as good as it looks.
Results:  Wow!! Delicious!!  A bit tedious but so worth it.  It is hard to keep the stuffing in the chicken breast when browning it in skillet.  Loved the combination of sun-dried tomatoes, kalamata olives and feta cheese.  Mmmm!!!

Baby Romaine Salad with Spicy Chicken and Warm Chipotle Vinaigrette:  I am a salad lover and this one looks so very good. I found the recipe on the Fine Cooking website.
Results:  This was really good.  I must admit after making the dressing I was worried, but mixed with all the other ingredients it took on a great flavor. You could also add other ingredients to this salad, such as black beans and cheese. Be careful with the chipotle.  It is very hot.  I served this salad as a main dish. 

Check back and I will post the results.

patti

This Week in My Kitchen

I am so excited about the food I am cooking this week!

    

From top left:

Smothered Pork Chops:  This is a Tyler Florence recipe.  I love pork chops and this looked easy

for a week night meal.
Results:  Very good, but just your ordinary pork chops and gravy.

Reese's Peanut Butter Cup & Chocolate Cheesecake Bars:  I have been wanting to try this 

for some time.  Not exactly in keeping with light cooking.  This is a recipe from Tastebook.com.

Results:  Great!  Love it when you bite into a piece of a Reese's Peanut Butter cup.  Mmmmm!!

Asian Lettuce Cups:  This is a Cooking Light recipe.  It looks tasty and after all the food

I ate this past week, I needed to cook light.

Results: OMG--This is great.  Lots of flavor.  The sauce is a must.  Messy but delicious!!

I will definitely be making this again.

Check back and I will let you know the results.

patti

This Week in My Kitchen

Sorry, but I have been a slacker on my posting and cooking the past 2 weeks.  My mother and sister came to visit and spent a night with me.  We decided to go to a local restaurant instead of cooking. I was also preparing to go and visit my friends, who recently bought a condo in Auburn, Alabama,  their beloved alma mater.  I tell you all this to explain why I only cooked one thing last week.  I wanted to take something with me to Auburn so I made Muffuletta Dip. This is a Southern Living recipe.  My sister made this for a Super Bowl party and suggested I try it.  Great recommendation sis.  It was delicious!!!

Muffuletta Dip 

Thought you might like to see a few of the pictures from the weekend in Auburn.  

The Wilcoxes Condo.  So Nice!!!!!

What a great welcome mat

Little did I know that when I planned my trip to Auburn, it would be the week the news about the poisoned trees was released.  What a sicko that would poison 2 trees that were over 100 years old over the score of a football game.

The site of a very old tradition and according to the experts there is only a 10% chance the trees will survive the actions of a very sick man.

Fans gathering to remember happier times.

Could not resist getting my picture made in front of this tribute on the side of Tomer's Corner Drug Store

This was my first time back to Auburn since Harrison graduated.  What a treat!!!  A great place to be with some great friends.  Thanks Linda and Sammy for a wonderful weekend!  WAR EAGLE!

patti

This Week in My Kitchen

Ok folks.  This is what I am cooking this week.  I have a new Barefoot Contessa cookbook,
 How Easy Is That, so all but one of the recipes come from this book.

 From top left:  

Mustard Chicken Salad:  This looked so good and I needed something to have for lunch this week.
Results:  Very Tasty and a new slant on chicken salad.  Love the tomatoes and broccoli in this salad.

Lemon Chicken Breasts:  I love chicken and this recipe looked easy and somewhat healthy.
Results:  Good.  Lot of trouble for just good.

Garlic Roasted Cauliflower:  I have been wanting to try my hand at roasting cauliflower so here goes.  I'll let you know how it turns out.
Results:  Fabulous!!! I loved this.  So much better than steaming.  

Roasted Tomatoes and Individual Meatloaves: This sounds like a great combo.  Can't wait to try. These two recipes came from Food Network.
Results:  Great!!  I loved both the tomatoes and the meatloaves.  Lots of flavor in both.

This Week in My Kitchen

Here's what's cooking in my kitchen this week

Pork Chops with Mustard Sauce

                                                           

Chicken Paillard with Creamy Parmesan Salad

Pecan Cheesecake Bars

Chicken Mushroom and Swiss Quiche:  (Not Pictured)  I found this recipe in the  2009 Southern Lady Simply Southern Magazine.  It looks so good.
Results:  Good.  The egg mixture needs more salt.  Not sure I would make again.  Just ordinary.  I would prefer to try another recipe.

Pecan Cheesecake Bars:  This recipe also comes from the 2009 Southern Lady Simply Southern Magazine.  I had some cream cheese that needed to be used so this looked like a great recipe.
Results:  So good. What's not to like about this combination of ingredients.

Chicken Paillard with Creamy Parmesan Salad:  This is a Food Network Recipe by Tyler Florence.  I love his recipes and have been eyeing this one for some time.
Results:  Very easy, very quick, and very good!!!!  I was apprehensive about the salad dressing.  I think I would cut the lemon just a bit next time.  Even so, it was still delicious.  I could not find arugula in my little town so I used a spring mix.  Will definitely make again.  Thanks Tyler, I love your recipes. 

Pork Chops with Mustard Sauce:  I found this recipe on Fine Cooking web site.  I had the pork chops in my freezer and this seemed like a great way to use them.
Results:  Very easy and quick meal.  I only used 4 pork chops; however the recipe calls for 8.  If using 8,  I would double the mustard sauce.  I served with steamed broccoli and spooned a little of the mustard sauce on my broccoli.  Mmmm! 

Guess I better get to cooking.  Check back and I will give you the results and links.

This Week in My Kitchen

This is what I am cooking in my kitchen this week



Green Beans with Meyer Lemon Vinaigrette & Parmesan Breadcrumbs





Baked Chicken with Herbs, Garlic & Shallots



Rainbow Chard with Pine Nuts, Parmesan, and Basil

Baked Eggs with Chives and Cream

You are probably wondering why this combination of foods. I found all the recipes on the Fine Cooking website.  The chicken just looked good and simple, plus I had all the ingredients on hand. I went to the Fine Cooking website again looking for a recipe that I could use meyer lemons since I have 2 meyer lemon trees that have several lemons on them and wha--laa I found the green beans, so now I have a side and I get to use my tasty little lemons.  I have included a photo of my lemons for you to see.  They are sooo pretty!!!  The egg dish just looked good and I thought it would be a nice change from the chicken, especially since the chicken recipe will last me several meals.  The Rainbow Chard recipe was not initially planned.  When I went to my local Kroger to pick up a few things, I found the chard.  It was so pretty I decided to buy. So that is this week's recipes.  Check back and I will let you know how they turned out.

My beautiful meyer lemons

Baked Chicken with Herbs, Garlic & Shallots:  Results:   Great.  I really enjoyed this version of baked chicken.  I was surprised it had so much flavor.  My only compaint--sure wish you could find chicken that was not the size of Texas.  I will be making this again. 

Green Beans with Meyer Lemon Vinaigrette & Parmesan Breadcrumbs:  Results:  Yummy!! The Meyer Lemon Vinaigrette was delicious.  It would be good on almost anything--well maybe not bananas.  Loved, Loved, loved the parmesan breadcrumbs.  This is a great and pretty side.

Baked Eggs with Chives and Cream: Results:  Fabulous!!  How could anything so simple be this good?  Maybe it is because I love breakfast foods.  I served with bacon and it was oh sooooo good.  Can't wait to make and eat again.

Rainbow Chard with Pine Nuts, Parmesan, and Basil:  Results:  Well, I probably would not make this again.  It was not bad, it just was not good enough to make again---or maybe I just don't like swiss chard.  Either way, it is not a favorite.


Thought I would include my own photos of these recipes:

 Great Meal--the shallots were tasty too.

I bought these tiny cast iron skillets at Williams Sonoma some time ago.  They were so cute I could not resist.  When I saw the egg recipe, I knew I had a use for them.  Perfect!!



Chicken Salad

While snowed in these past few days,  I decided to make chicken salad.  I know that does not sound like a warm and fuzzy recipe for a cold winter weekend,  but I had been wanting to try this recipe.  I had all the ingredients without going to the Kroger so it seemed like a logical recipe to me.  This Chicken Salad recipe came from Dallas Dish, a cookbook from the Junior League of Dallas.  The recipe had 3 different variations and I made the Southwest version.  Very Good!!

I do not have any pics for this salad (sorry), I promise I made it--just forgot to photograph.  I was too busy enjoying the great flavor.  Instead I included these pics of the snow--who doesn't like photos of beautiful snow.

 Isn't it beautiful!!

This Week in My Kitchen

Not a lot going on in my kitchen this week.  I am only planning to cook two recipes.

Baked Ziti with Tomato, Mozzarella & Sausage:   This recipe came from the Fine Cooking website. I have been wanting to try this for quite a while and just have not had the time.  So I decided that this was the week to give it a whirl.

Results:  Great!! It was a bit dry, however I would make again with a bit more tomatoes.  Great flavor!!

Cranberry Almond Cake:  I saw this recipe on another food blog, Let's Dish,  and since I had a bag of cranberries left from the holidays, I decided that this was the other recipe I would be trying this week. Hopefully when I post the results of these recipes, I will have a photo of the finished product.

Results:  So good.  This makes a great breakfast/brunch food.  I will be buying more cranberries next year to freeze so that I can make this again and again.  Mmmm!!!!

My Merry Christmas!

I just wanted to share my very, Merry Christmas with you.  It began on the Tuesday before Christmas with the Pizazz party.  

 Meet the Pizazz girls

 As you can see it is difficult to get 8 women to pay attention

  

Opening my gifts from the Pizazz girls.

Christmas Eve arrived with much anticipation.  I was so excited to welcome my mother and children just in time to attend the Christmas Eve service at First Methodist.  I love that service and also love seeing everyone that has come home for Christmas.  After the communion service we were off to the Wilcoxes for dinner.  We have been celebrating with the Wilcox family for many years and always have great food and fun.  We take turns hosting our Christmas Eve dinner and we also share in the food preparation even though my only contribution to this fabulous meal was the desserts.  

 One of the great appetizers--Cranberry Brie--Delicious!!!!

Shrimp--also delicious!!!

Linda, Sammy, Harrison and Bailey enjoying conversation and cocktails.

Looks like some serious conversation for Christmas Eve

Time to Eat---Salad, Beef Tenderloin, Potatoes,  and Broccoli & Artichoke Casserole-
Wow!!!!  So Good

My contribution to our meal---Bananas Foster Cake and

Chocolate Chunk Cheesecake--I know this cheesecake looks very messy in the photo, but it was fabulous!  If you love chocolate, this is heavenly. 

After great food, friends and fun, we are ready for bed.  We sure don't want to surprise Santa Claus.

.

Bailey surprised me with matching pajamas.  So here we are--THE TWINS

 We woke to snow on Christmas Morn and guess who was the first one outside

 Avery!!!!

Looks like Santa has filled the stockings

Avery can hardly wait to get into her stocking

 Mother Bailey encouraging Avery to sit til we find Chloe--Good girl

Avery is thrilled with the toys Santa brought her

This should keep her busy for 2 minutes.

After our traditional Christmas Brunch which consisted of Breakfast Pizza, Cinnamon Rolls and Cheddar Baked Grits, it was time to open presents

The presents looked so pretty under the tree

but we all managed to 

tear into them

Such fun!!!!

Harrison gets a little help from Avery

 Now its time to play with Moe

Family photo--The Copelands

 Avery settles down to her toys and is probably thinking--enough of that family stuff

After all the presents were open, we started a jigsaw puzzle(this might be a new Christmas Day tradition), cooked, and Harrison flipped thru all the sports channels.  Since we had a very late breakfast/brunch, we snacked through out the day and enjoyed our Christmas meal that night.  We were joined by Pat and Katie.  David went on a duck hunting trip late Christmas afternoon, so I invited them to join us for dinner.  Remember I posted on David's delicious grilled teal breast, so we want him to go hunting. 

 Enjoying cocktails before dinner

Katie has captured everyone's attention

Time to eat

 Harrison gets us all settled and blesses the food.  Time to dig in.

Roasted Cornish Hens with Cranberry-Port Sauce, Potato Gratin with Rosemary Crust, and Green Beans Supreme

This was absolutely delicious!!  Will definitely be making again.  Check out my Christmas Day Menu Post for all the recipes.

On Wednesday after Christmas, I traveled to Tupelo to share Christmas with my sister who lives in Arkansas.  Not all of my family or hers was able to make the trip.  Jobs always get in the way of celebrating.

My sister Debbie opening her gifts from Bailey--Napa Firelites

Nash delivering a gift to my Mother--Great dog!! You can
see the proud Mother's face in upper left corner of
photo--Allison

All right--I have delivered enough presents.  That's Santa's job.
Now leave me alone!

Dusty (Allison's new Hubby) opening his gift.

Christmas has come and gone for another year.  It was a great Christmas!!!!  Celebrating with family,  friends, and with good food is a recipe for great memories.