Wild Mushroom Risotto

Nelle hosted us a few weeks back....yes, here I am trying to get caught up again. She always has yummy-ness to snack on before dinner. This particular day was Tzatziki from Cooking Light magazine (April 2012), slightly modified by her. Then we moved on to Wild Mushroom Risotto and a Spinach Salad.

After dinner the old photo books from these girls college days at Wazzu were brought out. OH. MY. HILARIOUS! It makes me both sad and extremely thankful I didn't go to college myself. These girls had WAY too much fun. Danielle, Meagan, Lauren, Lisa, Tiff & Teresa graced the campus of WSU back in the day and had the photos to prove they left a few memories. I actually met a few of these girls for the first time on a trip over with Tiff. Ridiculousness all around!
Here are your recipes...

TzatzikiIngredients
3/4 cup Greek yogurt (I like Chobani)
1/4 peeled and grated cucumber
1 Tbsp chopped fresh dill
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon fresh ground black pepper
2 garlic cloves minced
*Mix all ingredients in medium bowl, chill in fridge before serving with fresh veggies, crackers or pita bread

Spinach SaladFrom Danielle
Fresh washed spinach (maybe 6-8 cups)
Fresh washed arugula (maybe 2 cups)
Sliced baby portabello mushrooms (1/2 cup)
Chopped or cubed goat cheese (a lot!)
Chopped green onions (4-6)
Pecans
Crasins
*Mix all ingredients in large salad bowl, toss with homemade white balsamic dressing before serving.

White Balsamic Dressing6 Tbsp olive oil
4 tbsp white balsamic vinegar
Minced garlic (2-3 cloves)
Salt & pepper to taste
Mix all ingredients in small bowl and let sit for 10-15 minutes before tossing over salad

Gourmet Mushroom Risotto

Ingredients

• 6 cups chicken broth, divided
• 3 tablespoons olive oil, divided
• 1 pound portobello mushrooms, thinly sliced
• 1 pound white mushrooms, thinly sliced
• 2 shallots, diced
• 1 1/2 cups Arborio rice
• 1/2 cup dry white wine
• sea salt to taste
• freshly ground black pepper to taste
• 3 tablespoons finely chopped chives
• 4 tablespoons butter
• 1/3 cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese

Directions

1. In a saucepan, warm the broth over low heat.
2. Warm 2 tablespoons olive oil in a large saucepan over medium-high heat. Stir in the mushrooms, and cook until soft, about 3 minutes. Remove mushrooms and their liquid, and set aside.
3. Add 1 tablespoon olive oil to skillet, and stir in the shallots. Cook 1 minute. Add rice, stirring to coat with oil, about 2 minutes. When the rice has taken on a pale, golden color, pour in wine, stirring constantly until the wine is fully absorbed. Add 1/2 cup broth to the rice, and stir until the broth is absorbed. Continue adding broth 1/2 cup at a time, stirring continuously, until the liquid is absorbed and the rice is al dente, about 15 to 20 minutes.
4. Remove from heat, and stir in mushrooms with their liquid, butter, chives, and parmesan. Season with salt and pepper to taste.               

Enjoy!

A Zatarians Mardi Gras Dinner Party

OK, time to get caught up here. Sundays are usually my days. I feel behind :)
Two weeks ago Lauren hosted a party sponsored by Zatarains. I've talked before about how a few of us are signed up through a few companies to sample products, foods & other items. Consequently that's how we came to this weeks dinner. While we were waiting for dinner we played with her boys (who we decided have grown far too quickly), and Lauren broke out mardi gras masks, the 3 hot glue guns that she owns (?!), feathers, sequins, sparkles & beads so we could decorate our dinner party attire. From left to right are Teresa, Meagan, Cassie, Caroline, Tiff, Lisa, Danielle, Emily and myself. We know how to have fun on a Thursday night, eh?

Here are your recipes...

Jambalaya Maque Choux
makes 6 servings
1 T oil
1/2 pound andouille sausage, cut into 1/4 inch slices
1/2 cup chopped celery
1/2 cup chopped green bell pepper
1/2 cup chopped red onion
2 1/2 cups water
1 can diced tomatoes, undrained
1 package Zatarain's Jambalaya Mix
1 cup frozen corn

1. Heat oil in large skillet on medium-high heat. Add sausage; cook and stir 2 minutes. Add celery, bell pepper and onion; cook and stir 3 minutes or until sausage is browned and vegetables begin to soften.
2. Stir in water, tomatoes and Rice Mix. Bring to boil. Reduce hear to low; cover and simmer 20 minutes. Stir in corn, cover and cook 5 minutes longer or until rice is tender, stirring occasionally. Remove from heat. Let stand 5 minutes. Fluff with fork before serving.

Red Beans and Rice Tortilla Casserole
makes 8 servings
1 package Zatarain's Red Beans and Rice Mix
1 can whole kernel corn, drained
1 can chopped green chiles, undrained
6 flour tortillas
2 cups shredded cooked chicken
2 cups shredded cheddar cheese
Assorted topping, such as sour cream, salsa and chopped green onions

1. Prepare Rice Mix as directed on package. Add corn and green chiles; mix well.
2. Spread 1/2 cup of the rice mixture on bottom of 13x9 inch baking dish sprayed with no stick cooking spray. Top with 3 of the tortillas, overlapping as needed. Layer with 1/2 each of the remaining rice mixture, chicken, and cheese. Repeat layering with remaining tortillas, rice mixture and cheese.
3. Bake in preheated 350 degree oven 15 minutes or until heated through. Let stand 5 minutes before serving. Serve with assorted toppings, if desired.

Zatarain's King Cake Cupcakes
yields 10-12
Yellow Butter Cake
1/4 pound butter
1/8 t. salt
1 1/4 cup cake flour
3/4 cup milk
3/4 cup sugar
2 large eggs
1/2 T baking powder
1 t. vanilla extract

1. In a mixer at medium speed, cream butter, su8gar, and salt together until light and fluffy. Add eggs one at a time while the mixer is running, making sure each egg is totally mixed in before adding another. Beat mixture until light and fluffy, making sure to scrape the sides and bottom of the mixing bowl carefully.
2. In a separate bowl, combine flour and baking powder using a wire whisk to sift and combine them. In another separate bowl, mix the milk and vanilla.
3. Alternate adding wet and dry ingredients to butter mixture, starting and ending with the dry ingredients. Do not over mix, as batter should be thick and fluffy. Spoon into lined cupcake pans, filling each cup about 2/3 full. Bake at 350 degrees for 12-14 minutes or until done.

Creole Cream Cheese Filling with Root Beer1 pound softened Creole or regular cream cheese
1/2 cup shortening
1/4 t. Zatarain's Root Beer Extract
1/4 pound powdered sugar
Dried fava beans (set aside, if desired)

1. Combine shortening and cream cheese in mixer at medium speed and whip with paddle until smooth.
2. Add powdered sugar and whip until fluffy,, mix in root beer extract until well combined.

Root Beer Frosting
1 pound powdered sugar
1/4 pound butter
1/2 cup shortening
1/4 cup all purpose flour
1/4 cup water
pinch of salt
1 t. Zatarain's Root Beer Extract

1. Combine all ingredients in bowl of mixer. Beat together at medium speed until light and fluffy.
2. After baking the cupcakes and allowing them to cool completely (about an hour), use a 1/4 t. measuring spoon to scoop out the center of the cupcake from the top to about half way down.
3. With a piping bag, or plastic bag with the corner snipped off, fill the hole with the filling.
4. Insert a dried fava bean in to the filling of each cupcake. Note fava bean is for decoration only and should not be eaten.
5. Using a star tip and separate piping bag, pipe the frosting starting on the outside, working you way in to the center in one continuous motion. Top with green, purple and yellow or gold sprinkles or decorative sugar like on a traditional king cake.

Crack Bread and Sweet & Sour Chicken

Dinner at Tiff's is always yummy. She made us one of her specialties. It's her mom's recipe for deep fried chicken bites with homemade sweet & sour sauce over rice. Homemade is the way to go and this stuff is so much better than that goop you get at the grocery store Asian marketplace. It's not an easy thing to make but Tiff has it perfected.
We are also excited to announce Cassie & her husband Johnny are expecting their 1st baby in September. Congrats you two!! Here we are with Cass at her wedding last year. Loving that we're adding another little one to the group!

Here are your recipes for the week...

Appetizer: CRACK BREAD:

1 unsliced loaf of (round is preferable) sourdough bread
8-12 oz cheddar cheese, thinly sliced
3 oz bag Oscar Mayer Real Bacon bits
1/2 cup butter, melted
1 Tbsp Ranch dressing mix (we like Uncle Dan's)

Using a sharp bread knife cut the bread going both directions. Do not cut through the bottom crust. Place slices of cheese in between cuts. Sprinkle bacon bits on bread, making sure to get in between cuts. Mix together butter and Ranch dressing mix. Pour over bread. Wrap in foil the entire loaf in foil and place on a baking sheet. Bake at 350 degrees for 15 minutes. Unwrap. Bake for an additional 10 minutes, or until cheese is melted.

This recipe courtesy of http://www.plainchicken.com/. Found via Pinterest.com
Sweet & Sour Chicken

Tempura:
1/2 c flour
1/2 c corn starch
1 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp baking soda
3/4 c cold water

Whisk together. Dip bite size chicken pieces in batter. Immediately add them to oil that has been heated for 5 mins over medium heat. Leave them in until golden brown. Test one to make sure the chicken has cooked all the way through before removing them all.

Sweet & Sour Sauce:
3/4 c sugar
2 Tbs rice vinegar
3 Tbs ketchup
2 Tbs corn starch
3/4 c water

Combine and heat on low until ready to serve. Serve over your choice of rice...brown if you're feeling guilty about deep frying. :)

Congrats again to Cassie!

~AK

Gnocchi & a Blind Wine Tasting

Lisa is our wine girl! Last week she hosted a blind wine tasting for us. We each brought a bottle of wine ranging in price from $5 to $25 and immediately put it in a paper bag so no one could see what is was. After dinner we began scoring the wines based on clarity, aroma, taste & finish. After adding up the scores for each once we were done, Lisa announced the winner...drum roll please....... 2009 Cabernet from Desert Wind. This wine retails for only $9. Desert Wind is a beautiful winery directly off Hwy 82 in Prosser, Wa.  I visit this winery every year. We go over in April for the Yakima Valley Spring Barrel Tasting. They've consistently had great wines all of the years I have been.You can find more information about the festival here http://wineyakimavalley.org/ I highly recommend the experience!

Dinner was a delicious Gnocchi Mac n' Cheese. The recipe is as follows...

Gnocchi Mac n' Cheese
From Cuisine at Home

1 lb purchased pre-made or homemade gnocchi
2 tablespoons butter
2 teaspoons garlic, finely chopped
1 tablespoon all-purpose flour
3/4 cup milk (I used non-fat and turned out great)
1 teaspoon Dijon mustard
1/4 cup shredded Gruyere cheese (I probably used a bit more)
1/4 cup shredded Fontina cheese (again probably used a bit more)
*Who says you can't use too much cheese!!
Salt and pepper to taste
1/3 cup shredded Parmigiano-Reggiano

Preheat oven 375 degrees F. Prepare gnocchi according to package directions. Drain and place gnocchi in single-layer in 1-1/2 quart shallow baking dish that has been sprayed with non-stick spray.

Melt butter in a medium saucepan over medium heat. Stir in garlic and cook until fragrant, about 30 seconds. Whisk in flour until it thickens and bubbles, then whisk in milk and Dijon. Continue to whisk mixture and cook until slightly thickened, about 3-5 minutes.

Combine Gruyere and Fontina, then add by the handful to milk mixture, stirring until melted before adding the next handful.  Once all cheese is melted, season sauce with salt and pepper.

Pour sauce over gnocchi and sprinkle with Parmigiano-Reggiano over top.  Bake gnocchi until they puff and the cheese is golden and bubbly, about 25 minutes. Let gnocchi rest for 5 minutes before serving.

*I added bread crumbs to the top before baking to add some crunch.

For dessert we had a variety of different cookies. I brought these...a recipe I found on Pinterest... Courtesy of http://www.chef-in-training.com/ I'm loving this blogger's recipes lately!

CAKE BATTER PUDDING COOKIES

• 1 1/2 sticks (or 3/4 cup) butter
• 3/4 cup brown sugar
• 1/4 cup sugar
• 1 (3.4 oz) package instant vanilla pudding mix, dry
• 3/4 cup yellow cake mix, dry
• 2 eggs
• 1 tsp vanilla
• 1 tsp baking soda
• 2-1/4 cups flour
• 1/2 tsp salt
• sprinkles

Preheat oven to 350 F.

Stir together flour, salt and baking soda and set aside.

In a large bowl, cream butter and sugars together.

Add in pudding package and cake mix and beat until well blended.

Add eggs and vanilla and mix until smooth.

Add flour mixture slowly until well incorporated.

Mix in sprinkles.

Roll into 1" balls and place on greased baking sheet.

Bake at 350 F for 10-12 minutes.

Enjoy!

AK

Cheese Beer Dip Heaven

Cassie hosted girls night for the 1st time. Let me start by saying...wow! what a drive...we really have to hand it to Cassie for joining us so often down south and then driving home to EVERETT. We thank you for your dedication Cass :) but are also looking forward to you moving closer...fingers crossed for you during the home buying process.

We did a lot of talking about food allergies. Until recently the only one we had within the group was my own, to shellfish. Lucky for me, in a group that loves seafood so much, they accommodate my needs very carefully. Recently two of the girls decided to cut out gluten due to some issues they were having...turns out they were able to self diagnose it as an allergy and now we are working through learning about gluten-free alternatives. If anyone has any recipes or product brands they recommend, send 'em on over. We love to try new things.

The dip Cassie made us for an appetizer was AMAZING...soon to be a new favorite.

Cheese Beer Dip

2 - 8oz packages of cream cheese (I use one regular and one low fat)
1 package ranch dressing mix
2 cups shredded cheddar cheese
1/3 cup beer (light or amber)
Chives (optional - can add just as a garnish)
To dip: pretzels, or chips
Directions: Mix all ingredients together. It's best to use a Kitchen Aid or mixer to get cheddar cheese to blend in.

Spaghetti Sauce (to feed 10 people)

1 1/2 cans of Hunts meat sauce
1 can tomato puree
1 can tomato paste (2 small cans)
1 can of tomatoes
Italian seasoning - basil, oregano, garlic powder to taste (You always need more seasoning then you think you do)
1 can of olives
8 large mushrooms cut in 4
1 1/4 lbs ground beef
Directions: Cook ground beef and add garlic while cooking, mix all ingredients in crock pot and let it cook on low for 6-8 hours.

Chocolate Kahlua Bundt Cake

1 package chocolate cake mix
4 large eggs
1/3 cup Kahlua
1 1/2 teaspoon sour cream
1 small instant vanilla pudding mix
6 oz. semi-sweet chocolate chips
Directions: Mix all ingredients and put in greased bundt pan. Bake at 350 degrees for 40 - 55 minutes. Serve the cake cold.
Icing (optional):
Mix powdered sugar, milk, vanilla, and butter until at a texture where you can spread over the bundt cake, but runny enough that it can drip down the sides.


Hope you enjoy this meal as much as we did.

AK

Comfort Food Special - Stuffed Bell Peppers

I love entertaining...especially for these girls. They're really good at making you feel like all the effort you put into making a meal for 10+ was more than worth it, so I had fun having them over this past Thursday. Food is a big part of all of our lives and we believe you should be able to enjoy it with others that share the same love for tasty goodness. This is a huge reason why I love these ladies so much.

While catching up over glasses of wine and All Green Guacamole, I finished up our dinner for the evening - Stuffed Bell Peppers. This recipe was derived from my favorite cookbook, Best of Home Cooking, which can be bought for only $12.99 on Amazon here: http://www.amazon.com/Americas-Family-Favorites-Best-Cooking/dp/1445405687/ref=sr_1_2?ie=UTF8&qid=1329697272&sr=8-2

"This tasty cafeteria classic is the best use of leftover rice ever invented. You have to love a recipe where you get your meat, vegetable and starch all in one delicious package." (Serves 6-8)

For the sauce...
1 T olive oil
1 onion, sliced thin
1 c. beef broth
2 1/2 c. prepared marinara sauce
1 T balsamic vinegar
1/4 t red pepper flakes

Add the olive oil to a saucepan and lightly brown the onions with a large pinch of salt over med-high heat. Remove half, reserve for the stuffing. Stir in the rest of the sauce ingredients ans bring to a simmer. Pour the sauce into the bottom of a large deep casserole dish. Preheat oven to 375.

For the peppers...
1 lb lean ground beef
1/2 lb Italian pork sausage, casings removed
2 c. cooked rice
1 c. grated 'real' parmesan
1/4 c. chopped Italian parsley
4 cloves garlic, finely minced
1 can (10 oz) diced tomatoes
2 t salt
1 t fresh ground pepper
Pinch of cayenne
4 large red peppers (or green if you prefer)

Add all the filling ingredients to a mixing bowl, along with the reserved onions, and stir with a fork, or your hands, until the mixture is combined. Tips: You can cook a small piece of the filling to test the seasoning. Use brown rice to make this dish even healthier.

Cut the peppers in half lengthwise. Use a spoon to remove the stem, seeds and white membrane from each pepper. Fill with the stuffing and place in the casserole dish. Additional cheese can be rated over the top if desired.

Cover with foil and bake for 45 mins. Remove foil and bake for another 20-30 mins, or until the peppers are very tender. Exact cooking time will depend on size, shape and thickness of the peppers. Best to let rest for 10 mins before serving. Serve with the sauce spooned over the top.


Dessert was courtesy of Folgers Coffee & Smucker's... Raspberry Fudge Mocha Mousse Trifle.

I had come across this recipe over the holidays and waited for just the right group to make it for. It's a huge success with my husband and little one too. I promise you won't be disappointed. You can find it here: http://www.folgers.com/coffee-dessert-recipes/raspberry-fudge-mocha-mousse-trifle.aspx

Enjoy...we sure did. Thanks for visiting!

AK

Roasted Chicken Tacos & (Mock) Deep Fried Ice Cream

We gathered at Teresa's house for some fun food and girl time. Funny enough we discussed the appropriate age that all women should probably take their bellybutton piercings. Apparently not all of us agereed on 27. What do you all think? :)

We also had a reader reach out and ask us to review her idea for a new app she's putting together. Here is what we were asked:

"For me, I think the problem with being healthy is motivation. It's an abstract, overwhelming goal. I think the best way to counter this is to have concrete, winnable games and small victories.
So, this app will makes living healthy, and fitness into a RPG game, where users earn points, and "level up' as they achieve their goals. Every time they eat something healthy like vegetables, they earn points. Every time they complete a workout, they earn points. Each level will present different challenges.

The challenges will follow a certain structure. First will come changing your environment such as getting rid of junk food. Then, reducing stress, as stress leads to eating comfort food. Then concrete goals like keeping track of everything you eat, or taking the stairs for a week. Small, concrete goals rather than abstract ones like "be healthy" or "exercise more".

The whole point is to create a holistic framework/game so people will rely less on willpower, and more on fun, achievement, and changing our environment."

We were excited to hear about this app and all agreed that, although there are so many food, health/exercise apps out there, that this one made it seem easier to achieve your goals in a more reasonable fashion. It is currently in the beginning phases and will be sure to pass along the info as soon as it goes live. Thanks for reaching out to us Christine :)

Teresa always has something new for us to try. Last week we pressed our own homemade corn tortillas for our chicken tacos with her tortilla press. Simply made of water, corn meal, and a little bit of corn starch (for texture). Have fun and experiment with the amounts until you achieve a desired texture (should be pliable and a little tacky). Fry in a small amt of vegetable oil.

She served a roasted chicken with a huge assortment of toppings including:

Beans
Guacamole
Jalapenos
Limes
Cabbage
Cotija Cheese (a crumbly Mexican style cheese)
Salsa
Red Onions

Man I know there were more but I'll let you personalize it to your own taste.

Dessert was Deep Fried Ice Cream that was everything but deep fried. If you didn't already know you roll a scoop in crushed up corn flakes and top with whatever you'd like. We had ours with strawberries and mint leaves. Though these are typically used as a garnish, it was really great to incorporate it into a bite.

Don't forget to follow our blog so you don't miss out on any of the great recipes or fun discussions. Thanks for visiting!

AK

Nelle's Famous Pulled Pork Sammies!

As a group of girls who appreciate an amazing menu, we cannot continue to keep this delicious bite a secret any longer. Danielle has been making these for us for years now. They're a big hit at the wedding showers & NYE parties we've celebrated, and we never have any left-overs...unless we mean to of course :)

PULLED PORK SANDWICHES

1 pre-packaged porkloin
1 tsp garlic salt
1 tsp salt
1 tsp pepper
1 Tbsp worcestershire sauce
1 Tbsp liquid smoke
1 14 oz bottle ketchup
1 cup brown sugar

Danielle says, "I usually make 2 batches of sauce. I cook the pork in 1 batch of sauce for about 6 hours. Then I pour out 1/2 the sauce with all the fat that cooked off and add the new batch of sauce. The meat should fall apart by itself. If not gently pull it apart with forks."

Serve on wheat buns (or rolls to achieve the "slider" effect). These are flavorful enough not to have to add anything but if you want, add a spoonfull of coleslaw either right on top or as a side.

I, myself, have now made these twice just in the last week for 2 different groups of friends & family. 2nds and 3rds were enjoyed whole heartedly, and not just by myself.

ENJOY (we promise you will)!

AK