Tasty Tuesday Rye Bread, Outback Style!

My son Sam loves the bread at Outback, as do a lot of other people, so I've been experimenting with some recipes. I shall continue tweaking, but this is what I've come up with so far. Though it's not exactly like their bread, (theirs is softer and darker) it's still pretty tasty. I realize that the full experience can only be had if you also spread it with honey butter, but I have thus far managed to resist that temptation. It would be very easy to make--stir a bit of honey into softened butter--but that would make the bread too irresistible, and freshly baked bread is tempting enough on its own. 

Cheryl's Outback Bread

















Ingredients

Whisk together in a large bowl and let stand until foamy:

1/2 cup warm water
1/2 tsp ginger
1 tbsp brown sugar
2 pkg yeast

Then add:

1 1/2 cups warm water
1/2 cup dark molasses
1/4 cup brown sugar (optional) 
1 tbsp salt
3 tbsp cocoa
1/4 cup soft butter
2 cups rye flour

Mix well and stir in:
2 cups all purpose flour

Continue adding more all purpose flour (about 1 1/2 cups) as you knead the dough until it is elastic and non-sticky. Place dough in a greased bowl, cover with a damp towel and allow it to rise until doubled in bulk.
Knead the dough again, then form into 2 loaves. Place in greased loaf pans, cover with a damp towel, and allow to rise until doubled in bulk. Bake in a 350 degree oven for about 45 minutes. Remove from pans, slice, and enjoy!

Tasty Tuesday Curried Chicken with Apples!

 I've been making variations of this for years, and it's always been a favorite with my guys. Easy and tasty! You can use any kind of rice or apples you like. I prefer Fuji apples 'cause they're so sweet--like today's hunk!
 


Curried Chicken with Apples

2 boneless, skinless breast halves, cut into bite size pieces
1 large apple, cored, peeled and chopped
1 large onion, peeled and chopped
2 tbsp olive oil
1 tsp curry powder
1 cup milk
1 tbsp flour
salt and pepper to taste
1 cup wild and brown rice mix, cooked according to package directions

Directions
Saute onions in olive oil until translucent. Add apples and saute two minutes or so. Lightly season the chicken with salt and pepper, then add to the apples and onions and cook until browned and done all the way through. Whisk flour and curry powder with the milk and add to skillet. Cook until sauce is thickened. Season to taste with more curry powder, salt, and pepper if desired. Serve over rice. Serves 2-3.

Alicia! You're the winner of the PDF of Mistletoe & Menage! Will email it to you sometime today! Congrats and Merry Christmas!

Tasty Tuesday Crockpot Chex Mix!

Donna sent me this one a while back, and it seems like a good one to have around for the holidays. Enjoy!

CROCKPOT CHEX MIX(Who would have thought?)

Ingredients

• 4 cups Wheat Chex® cereal
• 4 cups Cheerios® cereal
• 3 cups pretzel sticks
• 1 (12 ounce) can salted peanuts
• 1/4 cup butter or margarine, melted
• 2 tablespoons grated Parmesan cheese
• 1 teaspoon celery salt
• 1/2 teaspoon seasoned salt

Directions

1. In a 5-qt. slow cooker, combine cereals, pretzels and peanuts. Combine butter, Parmesan cheese, celery salt and seasoned salt; drizzle over cereal mixture and mix well. Cover and cook on low for up to 3 hours, stirring every 30 minutes. Serve warm or at room temperature. Great treat to bag up for holiday gifts or stocking stuffers.

Tasty Tuesday Sherry Apple Pork Chops!

Now that my apple tree is loaded with fruit, I looked through my recipe file and found this one from our own Diva Donna, which looks like a great recipe for fall. *inhales deeply* I can almost smell it baking....

Imagine  nice  man chops resting on a bed of sliced apples dotted with butter and dusted with brown sugar and cinnamon. Then imagine sherry poured over the top.  Well Baked.  Eat until Satisfied.


Sherry Apple Pork Chops   

Ingredients

• 6 pork chops
• 3 large apples - peeled, cored and sliced
• 1/4 cup packed brown sugar
• 1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
• 2 tablespoons butter
• salt and pepper to taste
• 1/2 cup dry sherry

Directions

1. In a large skillet, brown chops, about 2 minutes each side; reserve.
2. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C).
3. Arrange apple slices in the bottom of a 9x13 inch baking dish. Sprinkle with brown sugar and cinnamon. Dot with butter or margarine. Top with browned pork chops and season with salt and pepper to taste. Pour sherry over all, cover and bake in the preheated oven for 1 hour or until tender and internal temperature of pork has reached 160 degrees F (70 degrees C).

Tasty Tuesday Chicken Cordon Bleu!

Today our own Diva Donna gives us "Blue Ribbon " or Cordon Bleu Chicken in a creamy wine sauce...

Chicken Cordon Bleu

   Ingredients

• 6 skinless, boneless chicken breast halves
• 6 slices Swiss cheese
• 6 slices ham
• 3 tablespoons all-purpose flour
• 1 teaspoon paprika
• 6 tablespoons butter
• 1/2 cup dry white wine
• 1 teaspoon chicken bouillon granules
• 1 tablespoon cornstarch
• 1 cup heavy whipping cream

Directions

1. Pound chicken breasts if they are too thick. Place a cheese and ham slice on each breast within 1/2 inch of the edges. Fold the edges of the chicken over the filling, and secure with toothpicks. Mix the flour and paprika in a small bowl, and coat the chicken pieces.
2. Heat the butter in a large skillet over medium-high heat, and cook the chicken until browned on all sides. Add the wine and bouillon. Reduce heat to low, cover, and simmer for 30 minutes, until chicken is no longer pink and juices run clear.
3. Remove the toothpicks, and transfer the breasts to a warm platter. Blend the cornstarch with the cream in a small bowl, and whisk slowly into the skillet. Cook, stirring until thickened, and pour over the chicken. Serve warm.

And here's Bugsy!  I still think he's pretty ugly. Maybe he'll look better with a little more meat on his bones.

Tasty Tuesday Pizza Pork Chops!

Here's another great recipe (and great hunk!) from our own Diva Donna!

Who would think to make a Pizza Pork Chop? Well I have so many tomatoes and herbs right Now!! Why not? I love pizza. So without the crust. I think of Chops and Chaps I think of Cowboys. This cowboy just has so much possibilities. I love the V pointing down the furred trail to............. his pork chop on a stick. And just a small tug on his Wranglers and we'll know which direction the winds blows.

PIZZA PORK CHOPS

Ingredients

• 5 boneless pork chops
• 1 pinch salt and ground black pepper to taste
• 5 slices tomato (1/2-inch thick)
• 1/4 cup chopped fresh basil
• 1 tablespoon chopped fresh oregano
• 2 cloves garlic, minced
• 2 tablespoons olive oil
• 5 slices mozzarella cheese

Directions

1. Preheat an outdoor grill for medium heat.
2. Season the pork chops with salt and black pepper and arrange in the bottom of a disposable aluminum pan; top each with a tomato slice. Divide the basil, oregano, and garlic between the pork chops; drizzle with the olive oil. Cover the pan with aluminum foil.
3. Cook on the preheated grill until the pork is no longer pink in the center, about 25 minutes. An instant-read thermometer inserted into the center should read 160 degrees F (70 degrees C). Remove the pan from the grill; top each pork chop with a slice of mozzarella cheese, replace the aluminum foil over the pan, and wait until the cheese melts, 3 to 5 minutes, before serving.

I was interviewed by fellow Sourcebooks author Sara Taney Humphreys at RWA in June. Here's the interview on YouTube!

Tasty Tuesday Shrimp Alfredo!

Here's another great recipe from our own Diva Donna!

SHRIMP ALFREDO

Ingredients

• 1 pound fettuccini pasta
• 1 tablespoon butter
• 1 pound cooked shrimp - peeled and deveined
• 4 cloves garlic, minced or chopped real fine
• 1 cup half-and-half cream
• 6 tablespoons grated Parmesan cheese or more
• 1 tablespoon chopped fresh parsley
• salt to taste

Directions

1. Bring a large pot of lightly salted water to a boil. Add pasta and cook for 8 to 10 minutes or until al dente; drain.
2. In a large skillet, saute shrimp and garlic in the butter for about one minute. Pour in half and half; stir. Sprinkle Parmesan cheese in one tablespoon at a time, stirring constantly. After all Parmesan is added, mix in parsley and salt. Stir frequently making sure it does not boil. Sauce will take a while to thicken.
3. When sauce has thickened, combine with cooked pasta noodles; serve with a hot hunk nearby and some nice wine. YUMMO!!!!

Tasty Tuesday Quiche!

Thankfully Donna has sent me another recipe just in time to post. This is gonna be a tough week. I've got three guest blogs starting tomorrow, and two of them are interviews I haven't even written yet. Oh, yeah, and I work Tuesday, Wednesday, and Thursday. I think I need someone to make me a quiche!
Donna writes:

Cheryl,
This recipe I made for breakfast today for my girls. I call if Alex's Quiche because that's my FB role players name. And I used it for her restaurants on my posts. My hubs is away fishing. It's great for breakfast lunch or dinner I always love it with fruit and a small salad with a light vinaigrette dressing, if I have it up for dinner. It makes 9 inch 2 pies. The reason, you'll hate yourself the next day if you make only one. Great warmed up, even tastes better, when the flavors blended more.
Real men don't eat quiche? So not true. ENJOY!





Alex's Quiche
Ingredients

• 1/2 pound thick sliced bacon
• 1 (10 ounce) package frozen chopped spinach, thawed and drained.
• 1 (8 ounce) container sour cream
• salt and pepper to taste
• 2 (9 inch) unbaked pie crusts
• 2 tablespoons olive oil
• 1 onion, finely diced
• 1/2 pound fresh mushrooms, finely diced
• 2 cups finely diced smoked ham
• 8 ounces Monterey Jack cheese, shredded
• 8 ounces Cheddar cheese, shredded
• 4 ounces Parmesan cheese, grated
• 8 eggs
• 1 1/2 cups half-and-half cream
• 1 tablespoon dried parsley
• salt and pepper to taste

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 375 degrees F (190 degrees C). Place bacon in a large, deep skillet. Cook over medium-high heat until evenly brown. Drain, crumble, and set aside. Cook spinach according to package instructions. Allow to cool, then squeeze dry.
2. Heat olive oil in skillet over medium heat. Saute onions until soft and translucent. Stir in mushrooms, and cook for 2 minutes, or until soft. Stir in ham and cooked bacon. Remove from heat.
3. In a large bowl, combine spinach, sour cream, salt and pepper. Divide, and spread into pie crusts. Layer with bacon mixture. Mix together Monterey Jack, Cheddar and Parmesan, and sprinkle over pies. Whisk together eggs, half-and-half and parsley. Season with salt and pepper, and pour over pies.
4. Place pies on baking sheet, and bake on middle shelf in preheated oven for 40 minutes. The top will be puffed and golden brown. Remove from oven, and let stand for 5 to 10 minutes.

---

Tasty Tuesday Magic Cookie Bars

In the mood for something sweet?

If you don't have a chocolate hunk, you might try some of Donna's Magic Cookie Bars!

MAGIC Cookie Bars (No Bowls) 24 Bars

Ingredients

• 2 cups semi-sweet chocolate chips
• 1/2 cup butter or margarine
• 1 1/2 cups graham cracker crumbs
• 14 fluid ounces sweetened condensed milk (NOT evaporated milk)
• 1 1/3 cups flaked coconut
• 1 cup chopped nuts

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (325 degrees F for glass dish). In 13 x 9-inch baking pan, melt butter in oven. Sprinkle crumbs over butter; pour sweetened condensed milk evenly over crumbs. Top with remaining ingredients; press down firmly with fork. Bake 25 minutes or until lightly browned. Cool. Chill if desired. Cut into bars. Store covered at room temperature.

Tasty Tuesday Chicken Pierre!

And here's another yummy recipe from our own Diva Donna!

Hello! This is one of my hub's favorite recipes. I've made it for a long time. And he keeps asking for it over and over. Not sick of it yet. Serve with French bread to mop up every drop!

Or just add a hunk to do the work!

CHICKEN PIERRE(serves 6)

Ingredients

• 6 skinless, boneless chicken breast halves
• 1/4 cup all-purpose flour
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1 pinch ground black pepper
• 3 tablespoons butter
• 1 (14.5 ounce) can stewed tomatoes, with liquid
• 1/2 cup water
• 2 tablespoons brown sugar
• 2 tablespoons distilled white vinegar
• 2 tablespoons Worcestershire sauce
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 2 teaspoons chili powder
• 1 teaspoon mustard powder
• 1/2 teaspoon celery seed
• 1 clove garlic, minced
• 1/8 teaspoon hot pepper sauce

Directions

1. In a shallow dish or bowl, combine flour, 1/2 teaspoon salt and ground black pepper. Coat chicken breasts with flour mixture. Melt butter in a large skillet over medium heat, and brown chicken on all sides. Remove from skillet, and drain on paper towels.
2. In the same skillet, combine the tomatoes, water, brown sugar, vinegar and Worcestershire sauce. Season with salt, chili powder, mustard, celery seed, garlic and hot pepper sauce. Bring to a boil; reduce heat, and return chicken to skillet. Cover, and simmer for 35 to 40 minutes, or until chicken is tender, no longer pink and juices run clear.

Tasty Tuesday Nutty Olives!

Olive Nut Spread

1 cup nuts of your choice. The original version was made with cashews, but I've made it with pecans, brazil nuts, and even sunflower seeds.
1 cup stuffed green olives
Mayonnaise

Coarsely chop nuts and olives together in a food processor. Add as much mayo as you like to achieve the desired spreading consistency. It's great on a sandwich with lettuce and tomatoes (I like it best on whole wheat toast) or on crackers.

Tasty Tuesday

Once again, the time of year has come when my zucchini is growing to outrageous proportions and I've got to figure out some way of getting Budley to help me eat it. He is not, I repeat, NOT, a big fan of squash--or any vegetables, for that matter--which makes me wonder why I bother growing veggies at all when I end up giving most of them away, but I digress.

Budley has, on occasion, wanted to be vegan or vegetarian, and I have learned to laugh at this notion, and continue to serve him hamburgers, pot roast, and barbecued ribs. Thus it was, that as I gazed at the huge mound of squash sitting on the kitchen table, in desperation, I took my recipe for zucchini souffle and added ground beef to it. And voila! We have a new way to trick Budley into eating vegetables!

Hamburger Zucchini Souffle


Saute:
1 onion, chopped or grated
1 lb lean ground beef, seasoned with meat seasoning of your choice, or a mixture of salt, pepper, garlic powder, and onion powder
4 cloves garlic, minced

Mix together:
1 large zucchini, grated (about 2-3 cups)
1 cup or more grated sharp cheddar cheese
1 long pkg saltines (whole wheat or regular), crushed
2 tsp of a salt, pepper, garlic powder, and onion powder mixture (Paula Deen's House Seasoning)

Beat together:
3 eggs
1 can evaporated milk
2 tbsp pesto

Now, mix all of this stuff together, put it in a greased 9 x 13 pan (glass or metal) and bake for about an hour at 350 degrees, or longer if you're like Budley and don't like your casseroles juicy. Let it set a few minutes before enjoying with the hunk of your choice!



























Oh, yeah... I almost forgot. Now that I've used up some of the squash, I've got to figure out what to do with all these cucumbers. Something tells me that my Yah Yahs will have some very interesting suggestions...

Tasty Tuesday Grilled Greek Zucchini!

Once again, the time of year has come when my zucchini is growing to outrageous proportions and I've got to figure out some way of getting Budley to help me eat it. He is not, I repeat, NOT, a big fan of squash--or any vegetables, for that matter--which makes me wonder why I bother growing veggies at all when I end up giving most of them away, but I digress.

Budley has, on occasion, wanted to be vegan or vegetarian, and I have learned to laugh at this notion, and continue to serve him hamburgers, pot roast, and barbecued ribs. Thus it was, that as I gazed at the huge mound of squash sitting on the kitchen table, in desperation, I took my recipe for zucchini souffle and added ground beef to it. And voila! We have a new way to trick Budley into eating vegetables!

Hamburger Zucchini Souffle


Saute:
1 onion, chopped or grated
1 lb lean ground beef, seasoned with meat seasoning of your choice, or a mixture of salt, pepper, garlic powder, and onion powder
4 cloves garlic, minced

Mix together:
1 large zucchini, grated (about 2-3 cups)
1 cup or more grated sharp cheddar cheese
1 long pkg saltines (whole wheat or regular), crushed
2 tsp of a salt, pepper, garlic powder, and onion powder mixture (Paula Deen's House Seasoning)

Beat together:
3 eggs
1 can evaporated milk
2 tbsp pesto

Now, mix all of this stuff together, put it in a greased 9 x 13 pan (glass or metal) and bake for about an hour at 350 degrees, or longer if you're like Budley and don't like your casseroles juicy. Let it set a few minutes before enjoying with the hunk of your choice!



Oh, yeah... I almost forgot. Now that I've used up some of the squash, I've got to figure out what to do with all these cucumbers. Something tells me that my Yah Yahs will have some very interesting suggestions...

Tasty Tuesday Creamy, Fruity Greek Yogurt!

In the mood for something creamy, delicious, and relatively non-fattening?

No, Alicia. I'm not talking about that. I'm talking about yogurt. Since I've been having to avoid the sweet stuff as much as possible, I've missed having yogurt on occasion. True, they make a fat-free or light versions, but they're still loaded with sugar.

I bought some Stevia in the Raw a while back, thinking I'd use it in lots of things. It's sweet, natural, and all that good stuff. Unfortunately, sugar isn't the only bad ingredient in most desserts, so the bag sat around, unopened, for a long time.

Then I discovered fat-free plain Greek yogurt. If you've never tried it before, it is thicker and creamier than regular yogurt, and can pass for sour cream without any trouble at all. No cholesterol, very few carbs, and plenty of protein. I bought a carton of Dannon's plain Greek yogurt and added some raspberry extract. It wasn't bad, but I missed the pieces of fruit.

Then one day, I bought some strawberries. I used to make jam all the time, and nothing I've ever bought in a store can compare with the homemade variety. I miss it. I miss the smell of strawberries on the boil, pouring it into jars, and listening for the pop when the lids seal. Since I can't eat it anymore, I've stopped making it. But I hit on the idea to chop up the strawberries (about a cup), add 2 heaping tablespoons of Stevia in the Raw, stir it up, stick it in the microwave, let it boil for a minute or so, and see what happens. I let the sugar-free "jam" cool in the refrigerator, and then added it to the Greek yogurt.

OMG!!!! It's thick, creamy, fruity, sweet, cool, and delicious!!!! Plus, it's fat-free and the only sugar is what's in the fruit!

Since then, I've tried it with blueberries and raspberries, but I still like the strawberry the best.




















Enjoy your Tuesday!

Tasty Tuesday!

Happy First Day of Summer! I've tried to look at the calendar more since I almost forgot Father's Day. That's what happens when you work nights and are working on books the rest of the time. One day is very much like another.

I'm still trying to get over that bug I got right before I went to Cincinnati earlier this month. I really don't want to go through that again in New York. Elizabeth Raines is my roomie in NY, and she will NOT want to share a room with someone who's up all night coughing!

Maybe what I need is something hot and spicy to drive out the germs.

This recipe from Diva Donna looks like it might fill the bill. Jesse looks pretty spicy, too!

Slow Cooker Chicken Mole
This is a favorite recipe that my Girls love: Wrap in tortilla's or use a Taco Chip Dip
And I just threw in pierced Jesse again for added Spice

Ingredients

• 1 large onion, chopped
• 1/2 cup raisins
• 3 cloves garlic, chopped
• 2 tablespoons toasted sesame seeds (optional)
• 1 finely chopped canned chipotle chile in adobo sauce
• 3 tablespoons peanut butter
• 1 (28 ounce) can crushed tomatoes
• 1 teaspoon sugar
• 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
• 4 teaspoons chili powder
• 1 teaspoon ground cumin
• 1/2 teaspoon ground coriander
• 1/8 teaspoon ground nutmeg
• 3 tablespoons unsweetened cocoa powder
• 1 1/2 pounds skinless, boneless chicken breasts

Directions

1. Place onion, raisins, garlic, sesame seeds, chipotle pepper, peanut butter and crushed tomatoes in slow cooker. Stir in sugar, cinnamon, chili powder, cumin, coriander, nutmeg, and cocoa powder. Place chicken in the sauce.
2. Cover; cook on Low until chicken is very tender, about 5 hours.
3. Serve with tortilla's or as a dip

Tasty Tuesday Olive Chicken!

I've been so immersed in guest blogs and work on the books, I almost forgot to put up a post here on my own blog. It's a sad state of affairs, let me tell you. My body feels permanently frozen in the sitting position. Thank goodness Donna sends me these recipes to post, otherwise I'd simply be telling you all how to put smoked turkey and muenster cheese on a thin bun with a little mayo and calling it dinner!

Thank you all so much for visiting the guest blogs. Sometimes blogging can get pretty lonely. Our publicist recently mentioned not doing a blog tour for Stud and making a big splash with book nine. I was a bit miffed at first, but it might not be such a bad thing. Anyway, there are two more later this week and one on Monday and I'm done!

So, with out further adieu, here is another tasty-looking recipe from our own Diva Donna!

"Chicken Breasts simmered with wine, chicken broth, olives, tomatoes, and smattering of herbs and spices. Serve with rice. And a bottle of Wine and a very nice Hunk."

Olive Chicken

Ingredients

• 8 skinless, boneless chicken breasts
• salt to taste
• 2 tablespoons vegetable oil
• 4 cloves garlic, crushed
• 1 bay leaf
• 1/4 teaspoon dried thyme
• 1/4 teaspoon ground black pepper
• 4 tomatoes, peeled and quartered
• 20 pimento-stuffed green olives
• 1 1/4 cups dry white wine
• 1 1/4 cups chicken broth

Directions

1. Season chicken with salt. Heat oil in a large skillet over medium high heat; brown chicken in oil, about 5 minutes each side. Add garlic, bay leaf, thyme and pepper and mix well, then stir in tomatoes, olives, wine and broth.
2. Reduce heat to low and simmer, uncovered, for 45 minutes or until chicken is cooked through and juices run clear. Remove garlic and bay leaf and serve!

---

Tasty Tuesday Pita Chicken!

Looks like Donna is getting downright feisty!

She writes:
Cheryl,
You always show us the hunkilicious guys and we have to use our imaginations for what we want to do to that hunk and with that hunk. Today I'm sending you the CBEB Chicken Pita Sandwich. So don't be a chicken! Here's what I thought of when I saw this recipe. LOL!

Pita Chicken (It's A WRAP)

Ingredients

• 2 skinless, boneless chicken breast halves - cut into strips
• 1 tablespoon olive oil
• 1/4 teaspoon garlic powder
• 1/4 teaspoon onion powder
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 1/4 teaspoon ground black pepper
• 1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper
• 1/4 cup salsa
• 2 pita breads
• 8 ounces diced tomato
• 1 cup shredded lettuce
• 1/2 cup sliced avocado
• 2 tablespoons low-fat sour cream

Directions

1. Cut chicken into strips. In a skillet, saute in hot oil until almost done. Sprinkle garlic powder, onion powder, salt, ground black pepper and cayenne pepper over chicken. Add salsa and simmer until done (about 5 minutes).
2. Split pitas in half, fill with chicken and garnish with tomatoes, lettuce, avocado slices, and sour cream.

Tasty Tuesday Szechuan Shrimp!

Once again, we have Diva Donna to thank for a terrific recipe!

So, let's play ball and serve a few shrimp!



Szechuan Shrimp (serves4)

Ingredients

• 4 tablespoons water
• 2 tablespoons ketchup
• 1 tablespoon soy sauce
• 2 teaspoons cornstarch
• 1 teaspoon honey
• 1/2 teaspoon crushed red pepper
• 1/4 teaspoon ground ginger
• 1 tablespoon vegetable oil
• 1/4 cup sliced green onions
• 4 cloves garlic, minced
• 12 ounces cooked shrimp, tails removed

Directions

1. In a bowl, stir together water, ketchup, soy sauce, cornstarch, honey, crushed red pepper, and ground ginger. Set aside.
2. Heat oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Stir in green onions and garlic; cook 30 seconds. Stir in shrimp, and toss to coat with oil. Stir in sauce. Cook and stir until sauce is bubbly and thickened.

Tasty Tuesday Eggplant Casserole!

One of my faves I've forgotten over the years is eggplant casserole. I loved it, but the kids didn't, so it sort of fell off the menu. But the kids are grown up now, and the other day, I was in the grocery and spotted the most beautiful, perfect eggplant I'd ever seen. I simply couldn't resist the temptation.
To refresh my memory, I checked out some online recipes and found one on Allrecipes.com that looked good. I made a few modifications, and thought it turned out rather well!

Hamburger Eggplant Casserole
1 eggplant, peeled and sliced
1 can tomato paste (6 oz)
1 can diced tomatoes (14.5 oz)
3 cloves minced garlic
1 1/2 tsp salt, pepper, and garlic powder mixture
1 1/2 lb hamburger, browned
2 cups water
1 onion, chopped
1 onion, sliced
1 tsp basil
1 tsp oregano
1 tsp rosemary
1 tsp thyme
1 cup Parmesan cheese
1/2 cup dry breadcrumbs

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
2. In a large skillet over medium heat, sprinkle hamburger with the salt, pepper, and garlic powder mixture, then saute it with the onion and garlic for 5 to 10 minutes. Drain excess fat. Stir in the tomato paste, water, tomatoes, rosemary, thyme, oregano and basil. Set aside.
3. Slice eggplant into 1/4-inch rounds. Place a layer of eggplant in the bottom of a lightly greased 9x12-inch glass baking dish. Then place a layer of the hamburger mixture over the eggplant, followed by a layer of sliced onion. Top this with 1/2 the breadcrumbs and cheese. Then repeat the layers: eggplant, hamburger mixture, sliced onion and remaining breadcrumbs and cheese.
4. Cover and bake at 350 degrees F for 1 hour, remove foil and bake for 20 more minutes.

Tasty Ricotta Gnocchi Tuesday!

Bless Donna's little heart. I'm exhausted, hurt all over, and the tequila is making me forget what I need to do tonight, but there's a recipe in the file to post, complete with pictures. All I have to do is download the pics, and copy and paste the recipe. God love you, Donna. Wait. I think I said that already. Sort of. . .
Like I told her when she sent me this recipe, I've never made anything with Gnocchi before. But I'm willing to give it a go!
Donna writes:
Cheryl, This recipe is authentic Italian recipe passed down generations of my old friend Angelina Pucci's family.
Secret: Be sure to strain the Ricotta Cheese, by placing it in strainer over bowl in frigerator for 30 min. previous to making Gnocchi.

Ingredients(serves 5)

serve with a nice glass of Sangiovese or Negroni Cocktail

Gnocchi:

• 1 (8 ounce) container ricotta cheese
• 2 eggs
• 1/2 cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 1 teaspoon pepper
• 1 teaspoon garlic powder
• 1 cup all-purpose flour, or as needed
• 
  
• Sauce:
• 3 tablespoons olive oil
• 1 tablespoon minced garlic
• 1 (15.5 ounce) can diced tomatoes
• 1 dash crushed red pepper flakes (optional)
• 6 basil leaves, finely shredded
• Salt and pepper to taste
• 8 ounces fresh mozzarella cheese, cut into small chunks

Directions

1. Stir together the ricotta cheese, eggs, Parmesan Cheese, salt, pepper, and garlic powder in a large bowl until evenly combined. Mix in 1 cup of flour. Add additional flour if needed to form a soft dough.
2. Divide the dough into 3 or 4 pieces, and roll into 1/2-inch-thick ropes on a floured surface. Cut each rope into 1-inch pieces, and place on a lightly floured baking sheet. Place in the refrigerator until ready to use.
3. Heat olive oil in a saucepan over medium heat. Stir in garlic, and cook until softened and fragrant, about 1 minute. Pour in diced tomatoes and red pepper flakes; bring to a simmer over medium-high heat, and cook for 10 minutes. Stir in shredded basil and season to taste with salt and pepper.
4. While sauce is simmering, bring a large pot of lightly salted water to a boil over high heat. Boil the gnocchi until they float to the surface, 1 to 2 minutes, then drain.
5. To assemble the dish, stir the cubed mozzarella cheese into the sauce and allow the heat of the sauce to soften, but not melt the cheese. Place gnocchi into a serving bowl, and spoon sauce overtop.
6. Serve with a Salad and Crusty bread

Day Two on the Road!

Day Two with the gang in Gatlinburg, Tennessee!

We had breakfast and then headed down to the main drag and shopped 'til we dropped.

I had already made a few purchases--two T-shirts for Sam--when I was ready for a little breather.

Willy needed a break too. He found a great resting place among the pansies.



















And then he took a ride on the Earthquake.

After a dip in the fountain,


















And a ride on the ski lift,


















We found the perfect T-shirt for him, but it didn't come in his size.


















Then we stopped for lunch. We had a cute waiter, but Terri got him blushing by telling him I wanted my picture taken with him. We told him Terri was out of control and not to pay any attention to her. I had a Reuben sandwich and chips, which was very tasty, and the restaurant had a very interesting decor, as you can see. Weenie Man felt right at home.


















After lunch, we kept right on going. Got a massage in one of those water massager things, and bought some dark chocolate espresso coffee beans for Budley.

By then, my feet were killing me, so Angie and I went back to the hotel and took a dip in the hot tub. After a little rest, we went out to dinner at Calhoun's. They claim to have the best ribs in America, and I'm here to tell you, they aren't lyin'!



















And now, since it IS Tuesday, we need a recipe! I freely confess to having committed grand larceny, stealing these recipes from Mellanie Szereto's blog. She brought them both to our Sextet critique group meeting this past Saturday, and I totally pigged out on the Chicken Ranch Dip. It is AWESOME!!!! And the Artichoke Dip is fabulous too. She says she normally doubles both of the recipes, and trust me, it won't go to waste!

Chicken Ranch Dip

4 1/2 oz. can of white meat chicken or 2 chicken breast tenderloins, cooked and chopped
2 tablespoons margarine
2 tablespoons finely chopped onion
8 oz. cream cheese, softened (I use Neufchatel)
2 teaspoons ranch dressing mix (about 1/4 envelope)
1/8 teaspoon garlic powder

Saute onion in margarine. Combine all ingredients in a medium mixing bowl. Blend well. Transfer to oven-safe dish. Bake at 350 degrees for 20-25 minutes. Serve with crackers or chips.

Artichoke Dip

1 can artichokes, drained and chopped
1 cup mayonnaise (I use light)
1 cup freshly grated Parmesan
1/8 teaspoon garlic powder

Combine all ingredients in a small mixing bowl. Transfer to oven-safe dish. Bake at 350 degrees for 20-25 minutes. Serve with crackers or chips.

Tasty Tuesday Crockpot Ribs!

Okay, gang, here's an easy one for you. Take a rack of baby back ribs, cut into sections so they'll fit in your crockpot, sprinkle liberally with your favorite dry rub, drop them in the crockpot on low for about 6-8 hours. Don't add water, but after a while, there will be some liquid that cooks out of the ribs, and you can suck it up with your handy-dandy turkey baster and squirt it on the ribs whenever the spirit moves you. Add the barbecue sauce of your choice at the table, and you won't find anything any better.

As you may have noticed at the top of the sidebar, Hero is in the running for Whipped Cream Best Book of 2010 on Long and Short Reviews. The review was one of the best I've gotten on any book, ever. So click on the pink box over there, and it will take you to the voting site. Voting continues until February 28th. Trag and Micayla would appreciate your vote very much!

Tasty Tuesday Sticky Chicken!

Sticky, Sweet, Spicy Chicken

courtesy of our own DIVA DONNA!

Ingredients

• 1 tablespoon brown sugar
• 2 tablespoons honey
• 1/4 cup soy sauce
• 2 teaspoons chopped fresh ginger root
• 2 teaspoons chopped garlic
• 2 tablespoons hot sauce
• salt and pepper to taste
• 4 skinless, boneless chicken breast halves - cut into 1/2 inch strips
• 1 tablespoon vegetable oil

Directions

1. Mix together brown sugar, honey, soy sauce, ginger, garlic and hot sauce in a small bowl.
2. Lightly salt and pepper the chicken strips.
3. Heat oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Add chicken strips and brown on both sides, about 1 minute per side. Pour the sauce over the chicken. Simmer uncovered until the sauce thickens, 8 to 10 minutes.
4. Serve over Rice and Enjoy!!!

Tasty Thursday!

The Casablanca Authors blog is having a giveaway this month!

Comment to win!

Leave a comment on The Casablanca Authors blog and you'll be entered to win drawings throughout the month. Also, EVERY commenter gets an entry in our drawing for a grand prize pack featuring more than TEN SOURCEBOOKS ROMANCE NOVELS!

The contest begins on February 1

The more you comment, the more chances you have to win.

Good luck! And Happy Valentine's Month!

Since I skipped Tasty Tuesday in honor of Nancy's birthday, I figured I'd post the recipe today. This is another delicious treat courtesy of our own Diva Donna!

This recipe is homemade recipe. Whenever I make these for someone. They fall in love with it and want more. It fills your house with a great aroma. It's the best way to have cheap pork chops go so tender they fall off the the bone. I hope your men Enjoy these as much as mine. And the Hunk has nice Chops too!!
Tasty Family Pork Chops

Ingredients

• 8 bone-in pork chops
• seasoned salt to taste
• 3 onions, sliced
• 1/4 cup water

Directions

1. Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F (200 degrees C).
2. Season the pork chops with seasoned salt(I like Greek Season Salt) and place in a glass baking dish. Arrange onion slices on top of pork chops, then pour the water into the pan. Cover with aluminum foil.
3. Bake for 1 hour in the preheated oven, then reduce the oven temperature to 300 degrees F (150 degrees C). Continue to cook for another 30 minutes.

Tasty Tuesday???

As you may already know, Donna has a copy of the Pickle Tickling book, and she sent me this recipe. I have made similar concoctions before, but never noticed that it had any particular effect. Confused? Read on.

You'll understand soon. . . .


Donna writes:

I found this interesting recipe in the Tickle His Pickle book, which I'm donating to you for research. I'm finding the illustrations very amusing. And it's very educational! Did you know that another name for the one of my favorite teasing places is the "Taint?" The perineum is nicknamed the "TAINT" because if you say this fast: it ain't the balls it ain't the butthole, you get TAINT! LOL! But this chapter caught my eye. . .
Taste or Not To Taste (Now I know why the guys taste best on the Tropical Islands)
If you want a tastier guy, here are the secret ingredients: strawberries, papaya, mango, raspberries, blueberries, pineapple and honey.
Here's a Recipe for a Come Sweetener:
Smoothie Sweetener

2 cups fresh squeezed orange juice
6 hulled strawberries
1/4 cup blueberries
1 cup peaches, sliced
1 banana
1 tsp. powdered sugar
4 ice cubes
Blender on high
Down the hatch
Enjoy love juice tonight!!

Tasty Tuesday Tilapia!

When Donna sent me this recipe back in early December, she was having some dental problems. I believe she's doing better these days, but her solution to the problem is still mighty tasty! I tried this one out last night, and, trust me, it's a keeper. With all that butter and garlic, it smelled incredible while it was baking--not fishy at all!




Tilapia with Lemon Garlic Butter

Ingredients

• 4 tilapia fillets
• 3 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
• 1 tablespoon butter, melted
• 1 clove garlic, finely chopped
• 1 teaspoon dried parsley flakes
• pepper to taste

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 375 degrees F (190 degrees C). Spray a baking dish with non-stick cooking spray.
2. Rinse tilapia fillets under cool water, and pat dry with paper towels.
3. Place fillets in baking dish. Pour lemon juice over fillets, then drizzle butter on top. Sprinkle with garlic, parsley, and pepper.
4. Bake in preheated oven until the fish is white and flakes when pulled apart with a fork, about 30 minutes.

Tarq's Tasty Tuesday Omelet!

So, Yah-Yahs (and other lurkers)! What do you think of the cover for Stud?

In honor of this occasion, I thought I'd put up a recipe that is mentioned in the book. His secret ingredient, alas, is not available on Earth, but it's still pretty good without it.

And, yes, he can cook it for you....

Tarq's Favorite Omelet

In a small skillet, saute 2 or 3 sliced fresh mushrooms in 1 tbsp butter over medium heat until cooked through. Set aside.

Beat together:
3 eggs
2 tbsp milk
1/4 tsp salt
2 dashes of ground black pepper
1 tsp or more of basil pesto

Melt 1 tbsp butter in a non-stick skillet. Heat until bubbling. Add egg mixture and cook until done, either by flipping the omelet near the end of cooking or by lifting the cooked eggs to allow the liquid mixture to run underneath it. When omelet is done, top with mushrooms and grated cheese of your choice. Fold in half and enjoy!

Tasty Tuesday Blueberry Buckle!

Took down my Christmas tree last night. Now I need something really tasty to get me over my post holiday blues. Hmmm.... let's see now.... This looks like just the ticket!

Donna sent me this one a while back. Maybe blueberries will help to liven up the winter doldrums!

She writes:
I decided I needed to use up some blueberries. So I'd like to share my Grandmother's recipe.



BLUEBERRY BUCKLE

Ingredients

• 1/4 cup butter, softened
• 3/4 cup sugar
• 1 egg
• 2 cups all-purpose flour
• 2 teaspoons baking powder
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 1/2 cup milk
• 2 cups fresh blueberries
• TOPPING:
• 2/3 cup sugar
• 1/2 cup all-purpose flour
• 1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
• 1/3 cup cold butter

Directions

1. In a small mixing bowl, cream butter and sugar. Beat in the egg. Combine the flour, baking powder and salt; add to creamed mixture alternately with milk. Fold in the blueberries. Pour into greased 9-in. square baking pan.
2. For topping, combine the sugar, flour and cinnamon in a bowl; cut in butter until crumbly. Sprinkle over blueberry mixture. Bake at 375 degrees F for 40-45 minutes or until a toothpick inserted near the center comes out clean. Cool on a wire rack.

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