Black Eyed Pea and Corn Salsa

This friends is a huge crowd pleaser. My friend Julie introduced me to it on a family vacation to Bend, Oregon and we've been loving it ever since. The sweet corn, crunchy pepper, and creaminess brought in with the black eyed peas equals NONE left at the end of any party..... Avocado added just before you serve it sends it over the top. It's been devoured everywhere it's been taken. This weekend I took it to two BBQ's and if the people don't know there's more....it makes enough....

The items you will need: sugar, sweet walla walla onion, pimentos, green bell pepper, avocado (optional,) black eye peas, 2 cans shoepeg corn or sweet white corn, white wine vinegar, & Tiger sauce. Tiger sauce can be found at the grocery store, I think on the condiment aisle...

We like it best with the "Scoop" type chip because it holds a little bit of everything so nicely. Such a great hand model too.....

Everything is combined in a bowl and tossed to coat. It is best when it gets to sit a little while in the frig. before serving. Add the avocado at the last minute if you'd like. I never got to it with this batch....it's good either way.

Black Eyed Pea & Corn Salsa

Inspired by: Julie Archer

1 (15 oz.) can black-eyed peas, drained

2 (15 oz.) cans white shoepeg corn, drained

1 (3oz.) jar diced pimentos

1 green pepper, diced

1 small walla walla onion, diced fine

1/2 cup white wine vinegar

1/4 cup sugar

2 T. Tiger sauce

 Diced avocado, optional

Scoop Tortilla chips

1. Add the first 5 ingredients to a large bowl and mix well.

2. Mix the sugar, vinegar, and Tiger Sauce, pour over vegetables. Mix to coat.

3. It's best chilled a few hours before serving.

4. Dice avocado and gently mix, just before serving.

Click here for the printable.

Enjoy!

Ginger

Lemon-Garlic Herb Chicken

 I saw this marinade over on Our Best Bites and knew I had to try it. I have played slightly with the recipe, slicing the lemon rather than using the juice and zest. We found the lemon juice made the chicken a little tough. The second time we tried it, it worked perfectly. I, of course, also enjoyed the addition of a splash of white wine. I am making myself use the BBQ and I am quite proud of this here chicken....aren't my grill marks fab?? I'm trying to become the "one flip wonder...." I am learning that is the key to good BBQ, don't mess with it too much. The reason things stick is because they aren't ready to be flipped....good thing for Bobby Flay, the master griller!

Here she is all sliced up. This will make a great topper for my salad tomorrow.....lucky me!

Here's what you'll need for the marinade: chicken breasts, sliced lemon, two cloves of garlic, fresh basil, oregano, & thyme (rosemary would also be terrific, I forgot it this time..) salt, pepper, olive oil, and an optional splash of white wine (not pictured.) My fresh herbs are doing well in my garden, in fact it brings me such joy to walk out in to my yard and cut my own fresh herbs to use in my cooking. It makes me happy, I know I'm easily amused....kinda feel a little like Ina Garten.....

Chop the herbs, mince the garlic, and combine them in a bowl with the olive oil.

Another thing I am learning from cooking shows is to season your chicken or whatever protein you are cooking with salt and pepper rather than adding it to your marinade. That way you know it has been seasoned evenly.

Everything goes in a gallon Ziploc and back in the frig for at least 4 hours or overnight.

Lemon-Garlic Herb Chicken

Inspired by: Our Best Bites

2 to 3 cloves of minced garlic

1 large lemon, sliced

1/3 cup minced fresh herbs: basil, rosemary, thyme, & oregano

1 tsp. kosher salt

1/4 tsp black pepper

6 T. olive
Optional splash of white wine

6 boneless, skinless chicken breasts

Slice lemons place in large ziploc bag. Add seasoned chicken. Combine herbs, olive oil, & an optional splash of white wine mix together. Pour over chicken to marinate. Grill!

Click here for the printable.

Enjoy!

Ginger

P.S. Recipe also says it would be great on veggies, it would probably be great on the kabobs! Next time....

Veggie Kabobs

Yes, I know this is not rocket science here.....but I don't make veggie kabobs all that often, actually I don't think I've ever made them before..... After watching a cooking show on TV, I was inspired to give them a go! I simply soaked some wood skewers in water while I diced up peppers, sweet onion, & zucchini. I then brushed the veggies with olive oil and balsamic vinegar.

Pop them on the grill and then rotate them as they cook. YUM!

They were great with our grilled chicken dinner that night, (marinade to come.)  The char bits are my favorite...We weren't able to eat all the veggies that night.....SO the extras were fabulous on....

BBQ chicken pizza!! I put the leftover veggies on the pizza and it brought a little weekend back to the dinner table. This pizza was amazing; I'll give you the play by play on it another time... I think the exciting thing about grilling the veggies is what you can do with what you don't eat! Add them to your salad, put them on your sandwich, throw some in to your scramble at breakfast. We are told how important it is to eat your veggies, this was a great way to add them in!

Give them a try! Enjoy!
Ginger

French Yogurt Cake

The sun has come out in the Northwest! We've had about a week of lovely weather so truth be told although I've been doing plenty of cooking and even picture taking; sitting in front of the computer to pull it all together has not been on the top of my priority list....I mean come on, I've got a tan to work on right?

However, this friends, in my opinion, is better than pound cake. Dense, moist, with a hint of lemon, it will be perfect with your choice of berries all summer long. The batter comes together easily and uses plain Greek yogurt to keep the cake moist.

 YUM! Make one to share with friends. Leave a loaf on someones porch and make their day. I also think it would be good toasted with a little lemon curd.

French Yogurt Cake

Inspired by: Bon Appetit Magazine

1 1/2 cup flour

2 tsp. baking powder

3/4 tsp. salt

1 cup sugar

1 T. lemon zest

3/4 cup plain Greek yogurt

1/2 cup vegetable oil

2 eggs

1/2 tsp. vanilla

Preheat oven to 350. Spray loaf pan with baking Pam & set aside.

Whisk flour, baking powder, and salt in a medium bowl. In a separate bowl combine sugar and lemon zest. Mix until sugar is moist. Add sugar mixture to flour mixture, set aside. Whisk together Greek yogurt, vegetable oil, eggs, & vanilla. Fold into dry ingredients, just to blend. Pour batter into prepared pan. Bake until top of cake is golden brown and tester inserted into center comes out clean, 50 to 55 minutes. Let cake cool in pan on a wire rack for 15 minutes. Invert onto rack; let cool completely.

Enjoy on your patio with friends and family.

Ginger

Bacon Wrapped Meatloaf

This my friends took meatloaf to a whole new level. It was incredible. I'm actually still thinking about the sauce and how I might add it to a burger....YUM! Definetly a man meal, I can't wait to make it for my dad and brother, they will love it. The recipe is not complicated, everything comes together easily. You need a broiling pan to cook the meatloaf on but other than that it's pretty straight forward. Give it a try next time you make a meatloaf; you won't regret it.

I think the heavens may have opened and the angels began to sing....just a little. Seriously, unreal, moist and tender. The sauce provides a great tang. The bacon brings serious richness...all I can say is Oh My!

Meatloaf

Inspired by: Ree Drummond

Meatloaf:

1 cup milk

6 slices of bread

2 lbs. ground beef, (G- I used 96% lean)

1 cup grated Parmesan

1 tsp. salt

pepper, to taste

1/4 tsp. seasoned salt, like Johnny's

1/4 cup parsley, (G- I used dried)

4 eggs, beaten

8 to 12 slices of bacon, (G- I used center cut)

Tomato Sauce:

1/2 cup ketchup

6 T. brown sugar

1 tsp. dry mustard

dash or two  of hot sauce

dash or two of Worcestershire sauce

Preheat oven to 350.

Pour the milk over the bread and allow it to soak in for several minutes. Place the ground beef, milk soaked bread, Parmesan, salt, pepper, seasoned salt, and parsley in a large mixing bowl. Pour in the eggs. With clean hands, mix the ingredients until well combined.

Form mixture into a loaf shape on broiler pan, which will allow the fat from the meat to drain.

Lay the bacon slices over the top, tucking them underneath the meatloaf to give the meatloaf some support.

Next, make the tomato sauce: Pour the ketchup into a bowl. Add the brown sugar and dry mustard, and splash in the hot sauce and Worcestershire sauce. Stir the mixture until well combined. Pour one-third of the sauce over the top of the meatloaf.

Bake for 45 minutes, and then pour of another one third of the sauce over the meatloaf. Bake an additional 20 to 25 minutes; the meatloaf should be no longer pink in the middle. Allow it to sit 10 minutes before serving.

Serve with reamining tomato sauce on the side...for dipping.

Click here for the printable.

Enjoy!

Ginger

Poached Egg

This has been my favorite breakfast as of late. I decided it was time to share it with you. I get in breakfasts ruts, do you? I was eating granola with almond milk for a long time and now I'm in to poached eggs. I actually prefer them runnier than this photo but between getting breakfast for the kids and their lunches put together I can't seem to get a runny egg....too many plates in the air.

I ALWAYS ordered an egg Mcmuffin at McDonald's when I was little...this is my healthy version of that. It is a whole wheat English muffin, toasted.(Just 1/2 of the muffin.) Then I add a little butter and two slices of Swiss cheese and put it back in the toaster oven so the cheese can melt. I cook my turkey bacon in the microwave and then put it on top of the cheese. I top it all with the farm fresh egg. Aren't the yolks amazingly yellow on the farm fresh eggs. I need to "google" that and learn why..

Have you seen these? They are for poaching eggs. They work like a charm too.  Just spray the cup with Pam and crack your egg in. Place the cups in a frying pan that has some water in it, the little cups shouldn't float....turn your stove top to medium and put a lid on your pan. Let them go. The water will come to a boil and you'll see steam....cook to your desired doneness...

This is another view of the little poaching cups. I have four of them so sometimes I cook four eggs and then use one each morning. My daughter likes an egg for breakfast every now and then so sometimes she eats one. The cups clean up real easy. You can find them at Linen's & Things or probably nicer grocery stores that have cooking utensil things..

What are you eating for breakfast? I'd love to know!

Enjoy!
Ginger

P.S. Local peeps you can find turkey bacon at the Grocery Outlet sometimes for a great price!

Tostadas & Guacamole

My husband wanted tostadas...so I made them. They turned out great, everyone enjoyed them. Ben mostly used the tortillas as chips to dip in his beans. They were a fun twist on a weekely meal. We used refried beans on the bottom, ground turkey cooked with taco seasoning, cheese, sour cream, salsa, & guacamole. I was out of lettuce but that would be yummy too. You could add toppings of your choice, olives, sliced tomatoes, or jalapenos, the sky is the limit.

I picked up the little corn tortillas at the Mexican grocer. You can get a huge stack for $2 and they are made there right on sight. We don't usually fry anything at our house, just not something I do, so I was a little worried about spatter oil and all but they really didn't spatter at all. I used Canola oil and my smallest frying pan. I let the oil heat up until when I stuck the end of the tortilla in the oil it sizzled. I had a plate with a paper towel on it right next to the oven. I also heated my oven to 250 and put a sheet pan with a wire rack on it in the oven.

As I cooked the tortillas I'd dab them on the paper towel to get any excess oil off then I'd place them in the oven to keep them crisp and warm.

I thought I'd also share with you my super complicated way of making guacamole.....my sister taught me a few years back that guacamole doesn't need to be complicated and I completely agree. I mean  we pay a lot of money at the grocery store for an avocado....we should really taste it right?? Avocados are so good for you and they are so delicious! I make guacamole by scooping out the avocado into a bowl mashing it with a fork and adding salt and garlic powder to taste. You good also just use garlic salt to taste. Delish!

Here are a couple other of my favorites for Cinco de Mayo tomorrow:

Carnitas, still by far, one of our families favorite meals.

Salsa, it's a staple in our house.

Albondigas, SUCH a delicious soup

Posole, this was AMAZING!

Taco stuffed shells, great to bring to a party if you're going to one!

Enjoy!

Ginger

Rhubarb Streusel Tart

Rhubarb is out! You know, for the longest time I didn't think I liked rhubarb.....but I think it was  because I never really gave it a chance. In my opinion rhubarb has a similar flavor and texture of apple when cooked. I even got my dad to eat it! He liked it too. This crisp was served at a dinner at Dana's house. She is a fantastic cook and has a great vegetarian blog, danatreat.com, you should check it out if you haven't already. She does cooking classes out of her home and I've been lucky to attend several of them. I will say there are many steps to this tart but I think it's definitely worth it. It would be great to wow company! It would also make a lovely addition to a Mother's day celebration.

Here is the rhubarb bubbling away on the stove...it smells SO good and looked so pretty....

This is the crust before the filling has been put in, I found the crust easy to work with. Once I rolled it out, I rolled the dough onto my rolling pin moved over to the tart pan and unrolled it. I then gently pressed the dough into place. There was a little overhang so I pressed with the rolling pin to "cut" it off. I know, I should have taken more photos but I had company....next time...

This is an up close look at the tart, once I removed it from the tart pan. It is so fascinating to me to see the crust turn out, and look so pretty. I think to myself, wow! I made that! Easily entertained I know....

Tada! Rhubarb  in all her glory! It was delicious. Can't wait to make it again.

Rhubarb Streusel

Inspired by: Dana Treat

Recipe from: The Farm to Table Cookbook

For the crust:

1 1/2 cups flour

1/4 cup sugar

1/4 tsp. kosher salt

1/2 cup (1 stick) cold unsalted butter, cut into 1/2 inch pieces

2 egg yolks

ice water, enough to make 1/4 cup liquid with the egg yolks

For the Streusel:

6 T. cold unsalted butter, cut into 1/2 inch pieces

2 1/2 T. almond paste or marzipan

1/2 cup sugar

2/3 cup flour

1 tsp. cinnamon

For the Filling:

1 1/2 lbs. (about 6 cups) rhubarb, thinly sliced

1 cup brown sugar

1 1/2 tsp. cinnamon

1. To make the crust, blend the flour, sugar, salt, and butter in a food processor or with a pastry cutter until the butter lumps are no larger than peas. Whisk the egg yolks in a small measuring cup and add enough water to make 1/4 cup liquid; add to flour mixture. Mix until the dough just starts to come together. Gather the dough, shape into a disc, and wrap in plastic. Chill for at least an hour or up to 3 days. (G- you could make this ahead to break up the process.)

2. To make the streusel, combine the butter, almond paste, sugar, flour, and cinnamon in a food processor and process until the mixture is in fine crumbles. (Alternatively, use a pastry blender.) Refrigerate until needed.

3. Allow the dough to stand at room temperature for 5 minutes. Roll on a lightly floured surface into a 1/2 inch thick disc. Rotate dough to prevent sticking. Transfer to a 9 inch tart pan with removable bottom. Ease the dough into the pan, fitting it to the pan's contour with fingertips. Trim the pastry edges by rolling the pin over the rim and discard trimmings. Freeze the shell until firm, about 30 minutes.

4. Preheat oven to 375

5. Make the rhubarb filling by combining the rhubarb, brown sugar, and cinnamon in a large saute pan. Cook over medium heat, stirring frequently, until the rhubarb is falling apart tender, about 10 minutes.

6. Fill the tart shell with the rhubarb mixture to within 1/2 inch form the top of the crust. Sprinkle on the streusel and transfer to a baking sheet. Bake until the streusel is golden brown and the filling is bubbly, about 45 minutes. Transfer the tart shell to a wire rack and cool completely. Using a small sharp knife, gently loosen the crust from sides of pan. (G- I didn't need to do that, it came out easily.) Push up pan bottom to release tart. Serve with whipped cream or ice cream.

 

Click here for the printable.

Enjoy!

Ginger