Choux Pastry for Cream Puffs

Making this Choux Pastry for Cream Puffs from Random Rachel on Genius Kitchen was definitely a new experience for me. I have never made cream puffs before but thought I would try it out. As the submitter of the recipe said, it did look gross after the eggs were added but worked its way out once it was stirred enough.

I admit I expected the dough to be a little sweeter but there's just enough sweetness to satisfy a craving and I'm glad mine turned out successful as this was an easy recipe to follow.

As you can see by the picture, I filled them with the pastry cream I made the other day.

If you're REALLY feeling adventurous, try your hand at making these!

Pastry Cream

Ok, so this Pastry Cream recipe I found on Allrecipes submitted by Kevin Ryan is pretty good.

It's not like a sweet donut filling so don't expect that if that's what you were thinking. It's reminiscent of a smooth slightly sweet vanilla pudding... like something you would find in an eclair or cream puff which is what I intend to use it for.

I think it tastes like homemade vanilla pudding... yummy, yummy!!

So if anyone out there in cyber-land wants to get creative and has a hunkering sweet tooth. Try this out and let me know how it goes!

Barbeque Sauerkraut Bake

This Barbeque Sauerkraut Bake from Julie R on Genius Kitchen was an interesting combination. You wouldn't think the combination of sauerkraut and chicken barbeque would actually go together. I am here to tell you that it actually does... and quite nicely, in fact! I used the leftover balsamic roast chicken I made the other day and chopped it up in bits and pieces.

The BBQ sauce for this is homemade but you can definitely use your favorite bottled sauce if you so desire. I made the recipe as is. I kind of wish I had homemade sauerkraut as nothing store-bought comes close to my homemade stuff. It's nice and tart as sauerkraut should be. I used the jarred stuff for this.

That being said, I hope you try it out and let me know... it may sound totally gross but it is definitely delicious!

Garlicky Mayonnaise

If you love garlic... yes... make THIS Garlicky Mayonnaise from the Epicurious site!

Remember the Greek kick I was on? Well, this recipe was the ultimate way to use the rest of it up! What I really like about this is there is no strong mayo taste that you sometimes find in mayo-based sauces. I guess this is kind of like aioli however, aioli doesn't have yogurt in it.

But this... oh yes! I love garlic and this is a MUST to keep on hand in the fridge! It is versatile enough to go on top of anything!

Check it out!

Cheese-Crusted Flat Bread

I recently watched the Green Mile and I know that has nothing to do with cooking BUT... if I were on death row right now - THIS Cheese-Crusted Flat Bread would be what I wanted as my last meal! It is absolutely DELICIOUS!! I am COMPLETELY blown away!

A HUGE shout-out to SharleneW from the Genius Kitchen site!

This bread is nice and soft on the inside, a bit of crunch on the outside. I replaced the onion for chive in this but the flavor of the cheese, chive, oregano and butter match beautifully! It literally melts in your mouth!

It is DEFINITELY a delicious treat that is SO worth it!

Balsamic Roast Italian Chicken

Sometimes I take my food inspiration from my friends, as was the case with this recipe. While talking to Rich, he reminded me of roasting chickens in the Crock-Pot. I wanted something a little different to my taste buds and this Balsamic Roast Italian Chicken on GeniusKitchen from WickegoodMaine looked a bit different than the same old, same old that I usually make.

One thing I was missing with this chicken was the crispy skin roasting in an oven would obtain. That makes me wonder if this can be accomplished using the Crock-Pot. It looks like I will have to do some research on that because I really would love to have the crispy skin.

However, that being said, this chicken came out of the cooker nice and juicy. As you can see by the picture, I separated the skin from the bird and the recipe says to use a spoon to spread the balsamic mixture between the meat and skin but I did it the easy way... set the bird up on end and dumped the mixture in between.

The flavor was phenomenal with the combination of herbs and vinegar and it definitely gave me the "something different" I was looking for. Quite yummy!

Try it for yourself and let me know!

Scalloped Oysters

Scalloped Oysters... is this a Southern thing? This recipe was submitted by Debbie Thomas on Allrecipes. I thought of something somenoe said to me back when I revived the blog and my first post was Oyster Stew. She said that she read it and it reminded her of a typical dish her family had at Thanksgiving.

I have heard of Oyster Stuffing so I am wondering if this is sort of what it is? Can anyone out there elaborate? I'd really love to know.

My version of this dish turned out creamy and buttery... very very good! I did use two cans of oysters and not the fresh ones... mainly because of convenience and expense.

The flavor was... well... full of oysters, which I love!

Here is my version:

Old Fashioned Chicken and Dumplings

I was looking for a chicken and dumplings recipe that sort of matched what Nancy made while I was there and I found this one submitted to Allrecipes by Karena. I need to be clear on my recollection of chicken and dumplings. Dumplings to me are NOT noodles. They're airy balls of yummy deliciousness cooked on top of the broth! There. I said it. That's my story and I'm sticking to it.

I made a few changes to the recipe. First, I didn't have celery so I used celery flakes. I also added some garlic. I skipped the "gravy" part and added a can of cream of celery while I had the chicken out of the pot cooling on the bone.

After reading the dumpling part of the recipe I decided to use a different recipe for those. This Herbed Dumplings recipe submitted  by Ronna is the one I used. I omitted the herbs listed and used parsley, garlic powder, and chives in mine.

While I definitely didn't get the same flavor as Nancy had in hers, these two recipes, as she would put it, were... the BOMB!

Try them for yourself! You won't be disappointed! Also... LET ME KNOW in the comments below!!

Greek-Style Lemon Roasted Potatoes

I have been asked numerous times to try this recipe for Greek-Style Lemon Roasted Potatoes submitted by koko to Allrecipes by my friend Rich.

NUMEROUS times!

I finally made them and they definitely didn't disappoint! (Perhaps he'll stop nagging me about it now? HA!). I wouldn't have it any other way!

When I first read it, I thought that the amount of stock was outrageous... way too much. However, it dissipates and infuses the potatoes with such an intense flavor, that it will knock your socks off!

The spices, oil, and juice, I didn't measure, as I rarely do when I'm cooking - only with baking does that really matter. So the olive oil, lemon juice, and oregano, I sprinkled on until it looked like enough. When you have been cooking for as long as I have, you tend to know what spice levels you like and what will taste pretty good.

These roasted to perfection and I'm glad Rich kept asking me if I made them yet...

GOLD STAR!!

Sunday Morning Lemon Poppy Seed Pancakes

Lemon poppy seed pancakes?

Ok... I'll bite.

I found this recipe on Allrecipes submitted by TTV78. I wanted something different for breakfast, it's not like I eat breakfast that much to begin with but I wanted something other than bacon and eggs. This little gem caught my eye. I guess I got the inspiration for pancakes when I was out East. Yeah - we went to Ihop one morning.

First of all, I need to say... I suck at making pancakes from scratch. They never seemed to poof up like they would if I were using a pancake mix. Perhaps it was always because of my using older baking powder and baking soda? Who knows. All I know is that these particular pancakes did poof a bit and were quite tasty!

For those of you who don't like lemon in or on anything except fish - you know who you are.
There is such a faint lemon flavor in these, you can barely taste it; which to me is absolutely perfect. I think the lemon gave a pop to the pancakes without being an overwhelming flavor.

The poppy seeds? Well, I'm not sure if I could taste those or not. What exactly is a poppy seed supposed to taste like? Is there a flavor? Or is it just something that gets stuck in your teeth?

But at any rate, here is my version of this pancake recipe and I hope all of my readers (ok, the two of you) will try this and let me know in the comments section what YOU thought of them!

Let's start a conversation!

Cucumber Yogurt Sauce for Gyros

Pretty close!!

This recipe for cucumber yogurt sauce I found on Genius Kitchen by Shaye... OMG! YUMMY!

It tastes like what's on the gyros when you buy them from a food vendor... or the frozen isle at the grocery store. Absolutely delicious!!

Two things I did different with this... and yes I realize I just said that it was an exact replica. It was until I made an herb adjustment. I didn't realize the cucumbers had to be pulverized in the food processor so I only chopped them fine. I think by pulverizing the cucumber, the flavor of it would be much more intense. Lesson for next time. I also added some chopped chive just to kick it up a tiny notch.

All in all though, I have more Greek yogurt in the fridge so you can bet I'll be using this on everything and making more within the next week!

I thank Nance for sending me down this Greek path! :)

Traditional Gyro Meat

Can you fall in love with food?

That is a question I ponder from time to time. I remember reading in one of my earliest posts on here that I should have went into culinary instead of journalism. Looking back on those days, however, I definitely made the right choice not only because of what I learned academically but because of the incredible group of people I was surrounded with. But remembering that old blog post, I said that I would combine my love of food with my love of writing with this blog... I think so far, that's been my take-away of it. I hope that anyone else reading it will sense that passion and excitement I bring in my musings.

This recipe, though...this Traditional Gyro Meat recipe submitted to Allrecipes by The Dread Pirate Paramour (interesting name, I might say. Catchy!), is as Nance says - the BOMB! I don't think I can get any clearer about this.

I realize, though, that the recipe is not so traditional in my case. I used only beef and no lamb. Lamb is a huge luxury and considering I cut the recipe in half just to try it out, I wasn't going to dish out the extra cash for the lamb. Perhaps in another time and life... I will do just that... but for now... this is where I'm at.

I will say, however, that this meat mixture did come pretty close to the taste of the gyros you can get in the freezer section of the local supermarket and even the gyros you can buy at fairs and from street vendors. It's probably the same thing either way.

I think it's the spices used that gives it such a unique flavor... probably the rosemary. I can tell you that if you put in on homemade pita bread and top it with a homemade cucumber sauce, you won't go wrong!

Make it and see for yourself!

It's worth it!

Easy Pita Bread

Yes, I know... my photo of the Easy Pita Bread doesn't look appetizing... but I can tell you, the flavor was spot on!

The main thing working against me while making these pitas was that I used a toaster oven. That meant only baking one at a time. The other thing was trying to get them into the toaster oven without burning my hands... hey! you try handling a soft disk of dough and see how easy it is!

It's a magical adventure!

I will say, though, that this pita recipe submitted by Bitsie on the Genius Kitchen is a definite "try and try again" recipe because the flavor and texture were absolutely wonderful. Light and chewy - as a pita should be. Perhaps I will make them a little smaller next time and try to figure a way of getting them into the toaster oven without disfiguring them.

Besides... you can top these things with ANYTHING! Want a gyro? Poof - DONE! Want a pizza? Poof - DONE! Want a taco? Poof - well, you get the picture! I was going to use tomatoes, onion, black olives, the gyro meat that I made, and feta cheese but it was simply too late in the evening to want to mess with any of that. Instead, I only topped the one ( half of one, really) I tried with the meat, black olives, and the cucumber sauce I made to go with them.

Check it out and let me know!

Greek Tilapia Filet

To go along with the Simple Greek Home Fries I blogged about the other day, I used the same flavorings for a tilapia filet.

This is so easy it isn't even funny. Coat your tilapia filet with garlic powder, oregano, ground pepper, basil, and a touch of salt.

Saute the filet in a combination of lemon juice, olive oil and butter and there you have it - Greek-inspired tilapia.

The flavor pops with the hint of lemon juice and everything melded together.

Simple. Easy. Delicious!

And there you have it, folks!

Looks good, doesn't it?!

Cheesy Potato Corn Soup

If you might remember from a previous post, I was recently out near Philly visiting my friend Nance. What I didn't say in that post was that my friends Rich and Tim also joined us for a few days. We spent some time in a few thrift stores and these little clay soup bowls were spotted. I didn't pick them up because they were what I call a "want" and not a "need" and I certainly didn't need them. However, on my way to the train station, Nance surprised me with this thoughtful and beautiful gift and told me that the three of them conspired against me... thus - the soup bowls are mine. :)

I know people usually make French Onion Soup in these things but since I already made that a month or so ago, I settled for this Cheesy Potato Corn Soup submitted by Meghan on GeniusKitchen. It made a nice amount of soup that I'll be eating for a few days. I'm not sure about freezing since it's a "cream"-based soup (even though it's actually milk).

I really like it. I think the cheese really made the soup shine. The next time I make it, I think I will add more corn and maybe some bacon - just to add variance to the dish. Serve it with a nice, crusty bread and you have a hit!

Simple Greek Home Fries

I recently spent five days with one of my favorite people, Nance, at her place out near Philly. She kind of got me on a Greek kick after one night making homemade Greek meatballs and cucumber sauce.

The meatballs Nancy made were, using her words - "the bomb!" and I tend to agree with her. They were absolutely delicious! She has inspired me to make some Greek food and I take no shame in doing so. Greek food is awesome!

So on that note and the first submission of my Greek-inspired kitchen musings, I found these Simple Greek Home Fries on GeniusKitchen submitted by Connie. There was an intense yet balanced flavor of oregano and basil in these home fries and I am sure going to make them again. They were quick and easy!

Try it!

Ugandan Curried Potatoes

I thought with the Crock-Pot Curried Chicken, I would make this Ugandan Curried Potatoes provided by Um Safia on GeniusKitchen.

I doubt this one, I will make again. I found the flavor of them a little off-putting and not like a curry. I should have used the hot curry powder I used for the chicken. Maybe I should have let them brown into a "home fry" consistency because they seemed to lack something. Perhaps a crust would work?

They LOOK really good...

Crock-Pot Chicken Curry

Looking for a slow-cooker recipe, I found this Crock-Pot Chicken Curry recipe from PrairieHarpy by way of the GeniusKitchen site. I have a couple different types of curry powder in the pantry: hot and regular. I used the hot because I wanted a little extra kick.

While it was in the Crock-Pot, I could really smell the curry, however, there is only a nice, subtle flavor of it while eating it. After finishing eating, there was a lingering heat from the powder which was a pleasant, little kick. Not a lot but enough to let me know it was there. Quite delicious.

The chicken itself - fell off the bone. I didn't even need a knife to cut it. It was tender and juicy; everything one would want chicken out of the Crock to be. I think next time I make this, I will take the skin off first to allow the simple flavor of this dish to permeate the meat.

 This was a simple, easy recipe that I will add to my collection and recommend that people try.

Bacon Balls in Broth

Yes... that is exactly what it says - and I thought the same thing!! I would think a better name for them would be 'dumplings' but hey, I didn't name them!  This is how I used up the last bit of homemade Italian bread I made, the leftover beef broth, and the three-quarter can of carrots I had in the fridge. Good thinking, huh?! HAT TRICK!!

I admit, I have never had much luck with any type of dumpling, least of all a dumpling made with breadcrumbs. They always turned out gritty. Perhaps this is because I always used the breadcrumbs in the containers. This time however... I succeeded in making light, fluffy dumplings and the flavor in these was superb! They had just the right combination of bacon, onion and chive flavor and nothing overpowered the other; not to mention the carrots in the boiling broth added another layer of yummy flavor. It seems this would be a good, hearty dish to make when you are sick.

I suggest trying these Bacon Balls in Broth
ey are definitely worth it!

Homemade Salami!

I know what you're thinking. This Salami looks exactly like the pepperoni I made and how do I distinguish between the two?

I will tell you... TASTE!

The process for this recipe is exactly the same as with the pepperoni. Simple and easy to make and definitely a KEEPER! The ingredients were a little different, obviously, as the taste is different. Both, though, will make a great snack with cheese!

I think I explained in my pepperoni post that I have all that TenderQuick to use up. I will reiterate that I will be playing around more with this product to see what other yummy goodies I can come up with. I noticed after a Google search that it can be used on fish... that would be interesting.

I'm curious... has anyone else out there in cyberland used this stuff? Would you be willing to share what YOU have created using it? Hit me up!

Stay tuned for more delicious creations! (That sounded like a commercial! HAHA!!)

Bacon, Onion and Cheddar Dip

My biggest thought about this Bacon, Onion and Cheddar Dip is that it's not a dip. The consistency of it is more like a cheese ball. It does however, invoke fun memories of what seems to be a lifetime ago.

I used to make different flavors of cheese balls when my dad was still alive when we had holiday gatherings at my parents house. My particular favorites were always the salmon ones... easy to make and even better to eat. Those days are long gone and I don't attend events that I have the opportunity to make such delicious snacks. So for me to even have made this... is a rare treat.

This recipe in particular, if you love onions; this one is for you. I do like onions but found it a bit overpowering so the next time I make this, I will reduce the onion flakes. I also think that I will increase the sour cream and reduce the cheddar cheese to make it more of a dip as the recipes says it is.

But you know... the sky is the limit to recipes like these and I will make this one again. However, I will doctor it a bit to my own liking.

Here is my version to check out!

Bacon Cheddar Chive Muffins

I know I get excited when something turns out tasting incredible. These Bacon Cheddar Chive Muffins. O.M.G.!! I could just hug Shelley over at Allrecipes right now. These are definitely the "BOMB" as my bestie, Nancy, likes to say.


I tried one right out of the toaster oven (I cut this recipe down to make six) and I was completely blown away with how delicious they were. They are extreme cheesy, bacon goodness! Soft to boot, as well! They sort of remind me of *GASP* Red Lobster's Cheddar Bay Biscuits! (If those had bacon in them)

I made a couple of minor changes. The one thing I changed was - I used more bacon. What doesn't taste better with bacon?! Seriously?! The other thing was that instead of using veggie oil, I used the bacon grease. Why waste oil when the grease accomplishes the same thing. Plus, as I said - everything tastes better with bacon!

I know, I know... that's fat and cholesterol and all that jazz, but you know what? You only live once and so long as you don't eat them all at once - have at it! Moderation is key!

I'd also like to share a little trick. When I cut the recipe down, it called for half an egg. Here's a tip - break an egg into a measuring cup, beat it with a fork, then measure out half of that. There's your half an egg. Works like a charm!! I put the other half in a zip-lock and threw it in the freezer. Now I have half an egg for another use later on. ;)

But without further adieu... here's what it looked like:

Homemade Pepperoni!!

In August 2010 after I started this blog, I stumbled upon this recipe for homemade Pepperoni on the Morton Salt website. I made it once back then and considering I will be back on a train soon, I thought it would be a good little snack for the trip.

This is a quick (sort of) way of making the pizza topper everyone loves: just mix everything up, chill overnight and then bake at a low temperature. That's it. No casings, no endless shoving meat through a grinder. Nothing. I find it a simple way for home cooks who don't want to get into meat processing; either due to time, money, or interest, and want a neat trick to try... this is it.

The basic ingredient for this pepperoni that is a must-have is TenderQuick. This is a product blend that has sugar, salt, and other added ingredients to aid in preserving and tenderizing meat quickly - hence the name. It's also something I still have a ton of, so much to my original post on this subject, I really need to use this stuff up.

Julie's Spam Spread

I don't know who Julie is but this sandwich spread is pretty tasty!

I have always made these simple spreads to make sandwiches with: egg; tuna; chicken; ham; salmon, etc. but I never combined any of those meats (usually canned) with the egg. I'm glad I did with this one because it adds an extra flavor.

This was EXTRA delicious spread on the homemade Pretzel Rolls I just made! The combination of the touch of sweetness in the roll and the saltiness of the spread was the best combination.

This is for all you SPAM lovers out there!

Check it out!