Fall Fun Fantastic Foods!

Looking out my front door window I can see the sun is casting a golden glow on my oak tree.  The tinted window give the illusion of a cool and brisk day ahead.  My cup of chai tea helps the fall season to settle in my mind. Clear, cool, and calm is how fall has come in.

Here in Texas fall is a welcome season after the brutal summer we had with temps well over 100 and little or no rain.  Let's not forget those pesky mosquitoes that made the summer even more frustrating.  But this awwww moment is what I have been waiting on.  It the time when the smell of cinnamon, cloves, nutmeg, ginger, vanilla, apples, oranges, and  home baked cookies that fill the air that says, "fall foods are here."

I know most of us worry about eating these heavy foods, but let's see how we can make some lighter versions that offer an even more enjoyable fall fest. 

Check out the videos for the light versions for pumpkin bread and chicken pot pie two favorite fall dishes. 

Pumpkin Bread:
http://www.cookinglight.com/eating-smart/recipe-makeovers/recipe-makeover-pumpkin-bread-00400000056188/

Chicken Pot Pie:
http://www.cookinglight.com/eating-smart/recipe-makeovers/healthy-chicken-potpie-recipes-00412000067896/


This past summer, I tried my hands at homemade pizza with the encouragement of my friend The Sage Book Whisper.  And now I much prefer homemade over commeical because I can make it more tasty and healthy for them.  My speciality is Grill Chicken Greek Pizza - no measuremenst here just eye balling everything. 

1 can Pillsbury Artisan Pizza Crust
10-12 chicken tenders
Olive Oil
Fresh Spinach
Bell Peppers (your choice of red, yellow, or orange)
Onions
Pizza Cheese (already bagged)
Black Olives
Artichokes
Greek Salad Dressing
Oregano
Salt/Black Pepper
Garlic Powder
Onion Powder
Crush Red Peppers

1. Season chicken tenders with garlic and onion powder, black pepper, salt (or salt substitute).  Heat medium pan and add enough of olive oil to get the entire bottom pan covered.  Do not fill the pan with oil.  Cook until done for 4-5 minutes.  Remove from pan and cut up into bite size pieces. *Set the pan to the side for use again.

2. In a large pizza pan, lightly spray pan and spread out the pizza dough in the greased pan with your hands.

3. Shake up a bottle of your favorite Greek dressing and pour in a prep bowl.  Take a food brush and brush the pizza dough with the dressing making sure the dough is completely covered and not soggy.

4. *If you want your veggies a little soft, just saute them in the pan you cooked the tenders for flavor  for 3-4 minutes and add them to the pizza dough. (bell peppers, spinach, onions)

5.  Add the chicken tenders, olives, and artichokes.

6. Sprinkle some oregano, garlic, onion, black pepper, salt over the veggies and chicken.

7. Add cheese over the veggies, artichokes, and chicken to seal them.

Shove it in the oven at 350 degrees for 12-16 minutes or until crust is brown.  Cut and enjoy!


Pork Chops with Roasted Apples and Onions

 http://www.myrecipes.com/recipe/pork-chops-roasted-apples-50400000122914/

 

 

Been Gone Too Long

Hello to my followers:

Well its been weeks since I provided some new blog insight from the Blue Rose Cook!  Please excuse me from not bring you the cooking tips and ideas you look forward to getting.

I am in the process of revamping my schedule so that I can stay connected to you.  With that being said, I will be doing monthly blog news rather than twice weekly.  Not only will this work with my schedule, but an opportunity to bring some new and more exciting tips for your use.

So stay tune, the Blue Rose Cook will be coming back at ya!

Thanks for your following.

The Blue Rose Cook

Cooking Salmon

One of my favorite seafood's to prepare is salmon. There are so many ways to fix a great salmon dinner. In most of my blogs, I talk about grilling a lot because I like my indoor grill as my choice of cooking.  I love using salmon for fish tacos.  I cook it on top of the stove in lots of onions, jalapeno peppers, cilantro, salsa, and my favorite seasonings.   I was preparing dinner one day when a friend came over and I invited her to stay and eat with us. Not knowing what I was cooking, she was glad she stop by because she loves salmon. When I had finished cooking and we sat down to eat, the first thing she said to me was, "wow, your salmon dosen't taste fishy. What did you do?" I told her I removed the skin from the fish. Sure this skin helps keep the fish moist when you cook it because salmon can be very dry if you don't keep it moist. I just don't like the that taste from the skin so I prefer to take it off and rub in some EVOO all over it and season it up real good and let it sit for 20-30 minutes in the refrigerator before it hits the grill. 

There several varities of salmon to select from and they vary in price.  The most common salmon is pink salmon which can cost $6.99 a pound to the more expensive wild salmon and sockeye salmon at a price of $10.99 a pound.  The difference is the taste and the price.  So whatever your preference, you won't be dissappointed. 

Another way to cook salmon is using cedar planks when you are grilling.  These planks provide lots of moisture to your meats when cooking on the grill.  Be sure to follow the instructions when using planks.  They really do make a difference and add flavors to your cooking and can be found in most major grocery stores.  

We can get a lot of valuable nutrients from our food sources as we can in our supplemental vitamins and fish is a good source of your daily vitamin needs.  But that's another topic for another blog!   Check out some of the websites for nutritional information about the health benefits from eating salmon. 

http://www.ehow.com/about_5509018_benefits-salmon-oil-vitamins.html

http://www.livestrong.com/article/30253-vitamins-salmon/

http://www.goldseal.ca/health/nutrient_fsalmon.asp

http://www.ehow.com/info_7847849_nutritional-fresh-salmon-frozen-salmon.html

Grill Salmon Recipes

http://allrecipes.com/recipes/bbq--grilling/seafood/salmon/

http://www.great-salmon-recipes.com/GrillingSalmon.html

http://www.foodnetwork.com/recipe-collections/grilled-salmon/index.html

Removing the thick skin from salmon.  There is a little trick to do that I learned several years ago.  It works very well the more you do it.

• Lay the salmon on a flat surface using parchment paper or foil  or you can lay it in your kitchen sink.

• Get a knife with rigged edges.  Start at either edge of the fish and hold the edge with one hand and the rigged knife in the other.
• Put the knife between the thick skin and the flesh part of the fish and do a press scraping on the flesh part and lift the thick skin at the same time.

• Keep the knife moving in a press scraping motion and you should start to see the thick skin separating from the flesh.  You will have to adjust your hand that is holding the thick skin as more of it is separated from the flesh.
• If some of the flesh is torn and is still on the thick skin, just scrape it with the knife; it will come off.
• Once all the thick skin has been lifted, rise the fish and pat dry with a paper towel.  Its ready for some oil and seasoning.

Shopping Discount Grocery

Talk about making the dollar stretch from week to week or month to month, shopping smart and buying items that you know you and your family will use and not be wasted is one way to get more bang for your buck.  One of my marketing college professor shopped at Town Talk all the time.  He told us about the prices he would pay for food and the money he saved in the process.  This guy had a salary of $100k+ a year so he really could shop anywhere he wanted.

Later on, I found out my neighbor went there as well and so I decided to go with her one day to see what it was all about and was amazed at what I was able to find at half the cost I would spend at my regular store on some items.  Now this dosen't mean I will stop shopping my local neighborhood grocery, but it allowed me to price bargain and compare.  One day on one of our grocery trips there we were able to find 3lb bag of Cuties; I love Cuties one of my favorite fruits.  The fruit was fresh and sweet at a cost of $1 per bag versus $4.99 in the regular grocery store.  Of course we both brought 3-4 bags each which we shared with our families.  Most of the items in this particular store come from some of the local upscale stores and other regular grocery stores.  The prices are reduce not because the items have expired, but other reasons like stores going out of business, overstock etc.  Whatever the case, the discount store ends up with many of these products and I go and search the shelves, refrigerated storage, and freezer for top bargain items of the day. 



Other items I have picked up are some great cheeses.  In my regular grocery I have seen the same brands priced $3 to $4 and I have paid as low as $1.99 for some very good high quality cheese.  Other items I have gotten great deals on are spices, frozen chicken breast, fresh veggies, breakfast sausage, can goods (not bend), and even household cleaners, paper goods,  and laundry detergent.  Some of these prices are the same in a regular grocery or they may be a few cents discounted so just be aware of prices and if you are getting a deal or not.  Another thing about shopping discount is the items you get this week is not guarantee that it will be available next week or the next day.  So you have to get it while the getting is good.

In shopping discount, Town Talk carry some good meat marinades, cooking sauces, all kinds of vinegars, bulk items (rice, flour, corn meal, etc) and herb olive oils at some very good prices and I get to try products at a reduce cost which works for me.  But with any food purchase you always want to check dates and if possible inspect the content to make sure its not discolored or murky looking.  Don't be afraid of shopping at discount grocery; its a smart thing to do.  It doesn't mean that you can't afford to buy, but that you are a smart and economical consumer interested in saving money wherever you can.   It took some time for me to figure this out, but I got bargin shopping down almost to a science and I love it.  Now go and find some good bargains today and save some money!

Outdoor Cooking Safety

Aww summer will be here in two more months and there will be lots of outdoor cooking going on. What would a Texas barbeque be like without a bowl of potato salad or coleslaw?  And to make sure that everyone enjoys it, you have to keep them cold.  As we get ready to fire up our grills whether at home, at the lake, or your local park we have to have some type of portable refrigration to avoid spoilage and possible food poisoning.  One of the main foods that is typically know for quick spoilage is potato salad and coleslaw! 



While both contain mayo, these salads can go bad quickly and can turn your delicious dish into a bowl of bacteria.  If you are outside the best thing to do is to keep your potato salad in a separate ice chest or invest in a portable refrigerated cooler.  Portable refrigerated cooler prices vary for inexpensive to very expensive.  Whatever you choose, be sure to review the performance of the cooler for the best results you need. 

You also want to make sure that when transporting raw meat to your cookout, you want to have it already seasoned and prepared for the grill by putting them in zip lock bags for easy carry.  For double protection, I drop each zip lock bag of meat in a clean trash bag and then ice it down in the cooler. Take extra gallon of water and hand soap to wash your hands after handling raw meats.  Hand sanitizers aren't enough when it comes to cleaning your hand from handling raw meat.



We are ready to have fun with the family and friends and keeping your food safe from spoilage makes for a great outdoor gathering.  It's always best to have your cookout remembered for good food and fellowship rather than someone getting sick from ruined food.  Happy cookout and keep it safe.
                   

Pantry Ready: Staples to keep on hand

In my last blog we talked about planning and how it is helpful in what we have to do.  Well this week we will talk about what staple items we should keep on hand in our pantries.  Keeping certain items that are used in most recipes are vital to your time in preparing a quick and easy meal.

I have included several websites to check out and some that you can print for your grocery trip to the store:

http://familyfun.go.com/recipes/helpful-checklist-of-pantry-staples-714146/

http://www.realsimple.com/food-recipes/shopping-storing/food/pantry-staples-checklist-00000000000197/index.html

http://www.sheknows.com/food-and-recipes/articles/805755/perfect-pantry-list-for-quick-and-easy-meals

Be sure to invest in air tight containers and label your dry items like flour, cornmeal, pastas, rice, etc to keep bugs from getting in and to better organize your pantry.  An organize and well stock kitchen makes for a happy cook.  I'm very familiar with the kitchen and I still rely on using a pantry list to pick up items.  And while you are stocking your pantry, be sure to pick up aluminium pans, freezer bags, plastic wraps and foil.  They too are part of your pantry needs. 

Don't try to buy these all at one time, but purchase a few here and there and before you know it, your pantry will be pantry ready.

Planning is Everything

For me, I love to plan things out no matter how big or small the event is.  The farther the date the early I start with putting those ideas down on paper.  In preparing for holiday meals my pet peeve is to plan a month or two in advance.  That's right I said a month or two.  It allows me to make adjustments as I go, decide what my decorations will be, how much time I need to prepare, and how much I need to add to my budget. 

I use this type of planning for big dinners that include 20 or more people. Take Christmas, this is my month to host my family over for the holiday meal so before Thanksgiving even takes place at my sisters, I already know what I will be cooking. Since my husband likes to grill, he cooks all the meats and I season and prep them and make sure that he has all his resources like full propane tanks, coals, foil, pans etc. so he can get started.  Keeping him ahead of my plans makes it comforting to know he won't be dragging his feet at the last minute.
 
My family knows that I go all the way in making sure that everything is together all the way down to having enough of trash bags, hand soap, paper towels, and toilet paper.  I survey my pantry, dig out old recipes and put them with my grocery list so that I pick up everything I need.  Since timing is everything in your planning always consider the prep time on your recipes.  Getting set up is very helpful and you want to be sure that you have enough of measuring cups, spoons and any other tools you need on hand.  Once all the food purchases have been done, its time to pick up decorations for the table, candles, tablecloths, disposal plates, cups, utensils and other items Iwill need to make the house festive for the day.  Three days before I start cooking, I make a check off list.  Have you ever start cooking and forgot to fix something?  I have and it has either held up the meal or kept me in the kitchen when everyone else is sitting down eating.  The check list works great for me so that I can enjoy the feast with everyone.

Check out this site for weekly meal planning to help save you time and make room to do more fun things. http://www.mealsmatter.org/MealPlanning/MealPlanner/  Be sure to print out the conversion chart listed on the Planning Tool tab on this website. 

I have been doing this for a long time so I consider myself a pro at it.  If this is your first time, don't be afraid to ask for help from family and friends.  These type of gatherings should be something enjoyable for you and your guest.  As time goes on and you have done this for awhile, you will see that getting all these logistics together requires a well plan process.  Planning keep you organized and on track.  It also makes time in the kitchen less stressful. 

When you want to impress your family and friends with a special dinner, plan it out and not jump in feet first.  Rushing and being unprepared can cause all sort of problems and brings frustration to you.  Select a menu that is not complicated and something you can do with ease.  Don't try to cook something new that you never made for a big group.  Practice the recipe several times before you try to serve it at a large gathering.  Remember the key is to show your good cooking and planning skills and not the results of a dish gone bad.

Let me hear from you and join me as a follower me on this blog.  Hope this has been helpful to you.  Send your comments and questions and I will get back with you with an answer. 

http://www.ehow.com/way_5514569_easy-meals-large-groups.html

http://ask.metafilter.com/116203/What-are-some-good-meals-to-cook-for-dinner-partiesgroups-of-people

Tornadoes -Twisters- Texas

As many of you have heard, Texas experience the first tornadoes of the season on yesterday.  As a matter of fact the news reported about 6 -12 storms hit the Dallas-Fort Worth area.  The storms left a lot of destruction behind, but we are so grateful that lives were spared.  It's a frightening thing to see the sky go from clear one moment to dark in a matter of minutes.  But Texans know when this happen, we stop what we are doing and listen to the weather.  When you hear people in Texas say, "if you don't like the weather here, stick around cause it will change" is a true statement.  So when you are here visiting and something like this happen, don't wait to see how close it will get, run for cover.

Please see my friend's blog site The Sage Book Whisperer for more Texas Twister details.

I want to add some recipes I found that had a"twist" to it in reference to yesterdays events.

http://www.tasteofhome.com/Recipes/Twister-Cheddar-Rolls/Print

Cohutta Twister Recipe

Recipe

2 oz Malibu coconut rum
2 oz vodka
4 oz Tropicana Twister Orange Cranberry Clash juice
2 oz orange juice

Preparation Instructions:
Pour the Malibu, vodka, orange juice and cran-orange juice into a hurricane glass filled with crushed ice. Stir and serve.

Additional/Optional Info:

Servings: 1 person

Serve In:
hurricane glass

http://www.food.com/recipe/cosmopolitan-raspberry-twist-96210

Bright, Lite Cooking

OMG, when I walk to the fruits and vegetables section or if I pass a farmer's market when I'm driving, I just want to buy all I see.  I love the vibrant colors that spring fruit and vegetables offer to the eye.  We are ready to spring forward from the comfort dishes of fall and winter. 

We are enjoying the Texas spring weather while the temps are pleasant to sit out and grill with your favorite beverage, share some laughs, watch the kids play, and listen to some great music.  It's something about the smell of food grilling in the outdoors that makes this time of year my favorite.

This is when I get my creative juices flowing and create some excitement for the tongue to hear "wow this is so good."  I look for recipe ideas so that I can put my own spin on it like dressings for my salads, or a marinade for the meat.  Whatever it is, my goal is to make it tasty and keep them asking for it again and again. 

So let's get ready to try some new things and spring up our menus.

Getting Started

Well, my first time blogging and I'm really excited about this new adventure in my life.  Thanks to a really good friend that has been blogging for awhile who has inspired me to do the same.  I'm looking forward to sharing ideas and tips about my cooking experience especially to the new generation of cooks and those who aspire to become good cooks. 

Cooking for me is not just about eating a tasty and well prepared meal, its about the fellowship that goes along with it, the love that is put in it, and the memories it gives for my family and friends.  I hope that you will join me here from time to time and share your comments and ideas about your cooking experience and recipes.

Looking forward hearing from you.

The Blue Rose Cook