Ina's Potato Salad

I scribbled down this recipe while watching Ina Garten, Barefoot Contessa, one day on the foodnetwork. She is one of my favorites! A lot of her recipes are made with classic, every day ingredients and this potato salad is the perfect example of just that.
This potato salad is like no other I've ever tried. When I think potato salad, I usually think of mushy potatoes drowning in mayo and mustard - which is why I usually would say I don't like it. But this recipe is one I'll make as a side any time of year. This warm potato salad is simple, with few ingredients, giving it a classic potato taste you'll love. If you like potatoes, you've got to try:

Ina's Potato Salad

Ingredients

nocoupons

• 3 pounds small white potatoes ( I prefer/use Yukon Gold as they are much waxier and hold together very well when cooked)
  
• Kosher salt
• 1 cup mayonnaise
• 1/4 cup buttermilk
• 2 tablespoons Dijon mustard
• 2 tablespoons whole-grain mustard
• 1/2 cup chopped fresh dill
• Freshly ground black pepper
• 1/2 cup chopped celery
• 1/2 cup chopped red onion

Directions

Place the potatoes and 2 tablespoons of salt in a large pot of water. Bring the water to a boil, then lower the heat and simmer for 10 to 15 minutes, until the potatoes are barely tender when pierced with a knife. Drain the potatoes in a colander, then place the colander with the potatoes over the empty pot and cover with a clean, dry kitchen towel. Allow the potatoes to steam for 15 to 20 minutes.

Meanwhile, in a small bowl, whisk together the mayonnaise, buttermilk, Dijon mustard, whole grain mustard, dill, 1 teaspoon of salt, and 1 teaspoon of pepper. Set aside.

When the potatoes are cool enough to handle, cut them in quarters or in half, depending on their size. Place the cut potatoes in a large bowl. While the potatoes are still warm, pour enough dressing over them to moisten. Add the celery and red onion, 2 teaspoons of salt and 1 teaspoon of pepper. Toss well, cover, and refrigerate for a few hours to allow the flavors to blend. Serve cold or at room temperature.

Libby's Pumpkin Roll

I made this recipe to the tea. Although, I'm certainly not a master baker, this recipe couldn't have come out better. The moistness of the pumpkin cake was perfect to keep it looking neat and fancy. This looked like a bought it at the store when I was finished making it - and for me, that's NOT normal! =) So here it is.

Libby's Pumpkin Roll

Ingredients

• 1/4 cup powdered sugar (to sprinkle on towel)
• 3/4 cup all-purpose flour
• 1/2 teaspoon baking powder
• 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
• 1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
• 1/2 teaspoon ground cloves
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 3 large eggs
• 1 cup granulated sugar
• 2/3 cup LIBBY'S® 100% Pure Pumpkin
• 1 cup walnuts, chopped (optional)
• 1 (8 ounce) package cream cheese, softened
• 1 cup powdered sugar, sifted
• 6 tablespoons butter or margarine, softened
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 1/4 cup powdered sugar (optional)

Directions

1. PREHEAT oven to 375 degrees F. Grease 15 x 10-inch jelly-roll pan; line with wax paper. Grease and flour paper. Sprinkle towel with powdered sugar.
2. COMBINE flour, baking powder, baking soda, cinnamon, cloves and salt in small bowl. Beat eggs and sugar in large mixer bowl until thick. Beat in pumpkin. Stir in flour mixture. Spread evenly into prepared pan. Sprinkle with nuts.
3. BAKE for 13 to 15 minutes or until top of cake springs back when touched. Immediately loosen and turn cake onto prepared towel. Carefully peel off paper. Roll up cake and towel together, starting with narrow end. Cool on wire rack.
4. BEAT cream cheese, powdered sugar, butter and vanilla extract in small mixer bowl until smooth. Carefully unroll cake; remove towel. Spread cream cheese mixture over cake. Reroll cake. Wrap in plastic wrap and refrigerate at least one hour. Sprinkle with powdered sugar before serving, if desired.

Chicken Tortilla Soup

This recipe is so easy, it's almost embarrassing to admit! If you know how to open a can, then here's the recipe for you =) Even though this soup takes 5 minutes to throw together, the flavor tastes like it took hours. This is the perfect substitute to chili when you're looking for a hearty winter stew! Enjoy this rich and delicious Chicken Tortilla Soup all winter long.

Chicken Tortilla Soup

Ingredients

2 cans black beans (rinsed and drained)
2 cans golden corn (drained)
2 lg. cans white chunk chicken breast
1 lg. jar of your favorite salsa
5 cups chicken stock
1 taco seasoning packet

Garnish
sour cream
shredded co-jack cheese
tortilla chips

Directions

Throw everything in a large stock pot. Bring to a boil and then lower heat to low. Allow it to simmer for 45 minutes to an hour. Serve in bowls with a generous dollop of sour cream, a handful of shredded cheese, and serve with chips for non-stop dipping! mmm!

Serves 6-8 as an entree

Easy Puffy Tacos

This is so easy you're not going to believe how easy it is, but it is so delicious, I'm sure you'll make it again and again! These puffy taco shells are not only a nice change from traditional plain, boring, flat tortillas, but the crisp and flaky texture is so buttery and delicious, you and the kids will love these! Here it is:

Puffy Taco Shells

Ingredients

Plain flour tortillas - fajita size (I use "mission". They crisp up nicely!)
Vegetable oil
Salt to taste

Directions

Fill a medium to large skillet with about 3/4" of vegetable oil. Heat on medium and wait until oil is nice and hot. (You'll know it's ready when you start to see little bubbles forming) Loosely fold the tortillas gently in half and grab the top, where the sides meet, with tongs. Gently lay the tortilla in the oil and brown all sides (It will brown fairly quick, within seconds so be sure to rotate the tortilla from side to side to avoid burning.) Once the tortilla is golden on either side, lay it upside down, as shown below and allow to drain on a paper towel. Immediately dust with salt and serve with your favorite fillings! Enjoy!

Sausage & White Bean Cassoulet

This chilly weather is the perfect time to practice making all your favorite soups and stews. If you like rustic, hearty soups, you'll love the Sausage & White Bean Cassoulet. This slow simmered soup is so rich and full of flavor, you'll look forward to the left overs =)

Sausage & White Bean Cassoulet

Ingredients

Sausage:
5-6 Sweet Italian Sausage links
2 Tbsp. extra virgin olive oil
salt and pepper

Vegetables:
1/4 cup extra virgin olive oil
1 medium onion, diced
4 medium carrots, thinly sliced (about 1/4")
4 stalks of celery, also thinly sliced
6 large cloves of garlic, minced
2 large yukon gold potatoes, cut about 3/4" pieces
2 cans white cannelini beans (drained)
4 quarts good chicken stock
1/2 cup heavy cream
8 sprigs fresh oregano
4 sprigs fresh rosemary
1/2 teaspoon dried thyme
1 large bay leaf
salt and pepper

Directions

In a large stock pot, heat 2 Tbsp. olive oil on medium heat. Remove sausage from casings and saute it in oil, breaking it up into small pieces. Cook until there is no more pink left. Using a spoon, scoop out sausage and set aside. In same pot with heat still on, add remaining 1/4 cup of oil and to it add carrot, celery and onion. Season with salt and pepper. Saute mirepoix until golden around the edges. Add garlic and continue cooking for about 2 minutes or until the garlic becomes aromatic. Add chicken stock, scraping up all the brown bits off the bottom of the pan, and then continue to add the remaining ingredients one at a time and season generously with salt and pepper (be careful if you use chicken stock that may be high in sodium. If so, you won't want to add as much salt. I recommend cooking with low sodium chicken stock, so you can better regulate the saltiness of your soup). Let soup come to a boil, and then lower heat to medium low and allow the soup to simmer for about an hour or until potatoes are tender. Add sausage back into pot, stir together and cook for another 10 minutes to heat sausage through. Serve along side a fresh french baguette and enjoy.

Serves 8 - 10 as an entree

Ham & Cheese My Way

I don't know about you, but I constantly get bored with the same old sandwiches every day for lunch. This afternoon, I was sifting through the fridge and suddenly became inspired =) No this isn't the most crazy sandwhich ever, but it's definitely a nice new twist on a traditional ham and cheese. With crunchy layers of toasted bread, iceberg lettuce and fresh tomato to the creamy layers of honey dijon and creamed cheese, you're going to love eating ham and cheese this way - I promise =)

Jamie's Ham & Cheese

Ingredients

toasted wheat sandwich bread

sliced honey ham

creamed cheese

sliced oven roasted turkey breast

vine ripe tomato

iceberg lettuce

honey dijon mustard

Directions

Layer ingredients in the above order and enjoy this yummy sandwich!

Crispy Roasted Rosemary Potatoes - recipe courtesy of Tyler Florence

One of my favorite chefs on the Food Network is Tyler Florence. Not only is he easy to learn from, but everything he makes is always so rich and delicious. He's one of the few chefs that I can honestly say, every one of his recipes has come out great!

We actually had these potatoes last night as a side to some steak I made, and the ease of this dish was not evident in it's creamy and crispy texture. With only 4 ingredients in the entire dish, these potatoes cook up with little effort, and they lightly crisp up on the outside and leave a smooth, creamy potato on the inside leaving you wanting more. My husband and Jace both loved these potatoes which means I will definitely be making these again! =)

Crispy Roasted Rosemary Potatoes

Ingredients

4 medium yukon gold potatoes

2 large sprigs of fresh rosemary

extra virgin olive oil

salt & pepper

Directions

Wash and scrub the outside of your potatoes well, and then slice each one in half.

Place potatoes on a baking sheet and drizzle liberally with olive oil. Remove rosemary from stems, tear and sprinkle evenly over potatoes. Season generously with salt and pepper and then toss with hands to evenly coat. Lay each potato face down and place in a preheated 400 degree oven. Cook for 20 minutes. Remove from oven, turn potatoes over (so they're face up) coat again with olive oil, dust lightly with salt and return to oven for another 25-30 minutes or until tender. When done, the potato's skin should be golden and crispy, and the inside should be tender. Serve beside your favorite dish and enjoy!

Serves 2-3 as a side

Basil Chicken Scallopine - Inspired by Giada De Laurentis (picture from foodnetwork.com)

Due to the crazy season, it's been a couple weeks since my last post - sorry! But believe me, this recipe is worth the wait. In spite of it's complex sounding title, it's fairly simple to make and tastes oh SO yummy =)

I originally saw a recipe similar to this one on the food network. One of the things I love most about this recipe is the simplicity and the freshness of the sauce. Served over warm pasta, it is the perfect example of a simple & classic tomato sauce. With chunks of tomato in every bite, and the fresh flavor from the basil, this dish is a great way for a pauper to eat with the palate of a prince ;)

Giada made a Sage & Fontina Chicken Scallopine - which I've also made and it's just as good as this one, but last night, I didn't have those ingredients on hand, not mention, I don't cook with sage very often, so buying it seems to always be somewhat of a waste. If you'd like to check her recipe out, here's is the link for her version:www.foodnetwork.com/recipes/giada-de-laurentiis/chicken-scallopine-with-sage-and-fontina-cheese-recipe/index.html

And here is my version =) I hope you enjoy this rich and rustic Italian dish.

Basil Chicken Scallopine

Ingredients

2 chicken breasts, pounded thin (to about 1/4")
Salt and freshly ground black pepper (to season chx.)
8 basil leaves
6 Tbsp. finely shredded Italian blend cheese (I like to use a mixture of Romano, Parmesan & Mozzarella)
4 Tbsp olive oil
3 Tbsp unsalted butter
3 garlic cloves, halved and smashed
1 (28-ounce) can diced tomatoes (with juice)
8-10 chiffonade basil leaves
1/2 cup diced sweet yellow onion
1 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

Special Equipment: toothpicks

Directions

Place the chicken breasts on a clean work surface, narrow end facing you. Sprinkle with salt and pepper. Place 4 basil leaves crosswise on each of the pieces of chicken. Sprinkle each of the pieces of chicken with about 3 tablespoons of shredded cheese. Roll up the chicken tightly carefully making sure to keep cheese and basil tucked in, and seal with one or two toothpicks.(I usually use 2 or 3 just to be sure it's sealed nice and tight)

Warm the olive oil, onions and halved garlic cloves in a large, heavy skillet over medium-high heat until the garlic is fragrant, about 2-3 minutes. Add the chicken. Brown the chicken on all sides, about 3 minutes per side. Remove the chicken from the pan and remove and discard the garlic. Add butter and simmer for about a minute while scraping up the brown bits from the bottom of the pan with a wooden spoon.

Once butter is melted and onions are evenly coated, add canned tomatoes, basil, salt and pepper. Allow it to simmer for 2-3 minutes.

Return the chicken to the pan. Simmer the chicken in the tomato sauce for about 10 - 15 minutes or until cooked through.

Remove the chicken from the pan. Spoon the tomato sauce onto serving plates or a serving platter. Remove the toothpicks. Place the chicken over the sauce and serve immediately with your favorite pasta! (There should be plenty of sauce to go around =)

Serves 2 as an entree

Monthly Meal Planning Tips

After so many people asking me what I do to plan meals for the month, I thought it might be worth while to share what my process is in planning out our meals, and if it's helpful to anyone out there, then great =)

So Here Goes =)

1. I try to stay under $250/month. (this includes all of Jace's needs - diapers, wipes, etc)

2. Because of our busy schedule we certainly don't eat every night, but we also try not to eat out more than 2-3 a month (this includes fast food)

3. For each month I try to plan 5 cheap/quick meals, and about 12 normal, but hopefully quick =) meals (I'll give you some examples in a second)

4. I limit myself to trying only 2 new/more extensive recipes a month. I do that because many times, new recipes always require a few ingredients that I don't typically keep on hand = extra cost.

5. Once I have all my favorite cookbooks/recipes in front of me, I sit down and go through them, and based off of what I already have in my pantry, I try to pick recipes that won't require me having to buy ALL of the ingredients needed. Now this obviously takes some time, but I try to mentally get myself geared up on my day off, and then knock it out during one of Jace's naps. Once it's done, it's such a relief because then throughout the month I'm not scrambling to figure out the night before what to make the next day. The one day of planning really pays off=)

6. I list out each of my meals for the month and post it on the fridge for quick reference.

7. As I select meals I'm going to make that month, I have a separate list I'm compiling of all the ingredients I'll need to purchase, hopefully some of them I already have on hand =)

8. Once I've finished my meal list - my separate list is now my grocery list for the month =)

9. I always have a paper on the fridge for ingredients I run out of throughout the month. I take this list and my new grocery list and put them together, just to be sure I don't forget anything.

10. To stay organized, I like to type up my grocery list in a word document and then separate ingredients by category. For instance: Dairy, Meat, Frozen, Produce, etc. It's an extra step, but again, when I'm getting groceries for the entire month, it really helps me to take the extra 10 minutes & helps make my grocery trip go much faster when I can get everything from one section of the store all at once.

11. Once I have all my groceries and I'm making making meals, I try to be mindful of my most perishable ingredients and incorporate those meals into the beginning of the month. One of the biggest wastes of money, in my opinion, is buying tons of yummy produce and then throwing it away before you can even use it :/

12. Try to go under budget because even though you'll be able to get most of your groceries for the month, there are a few things you'll want to pick up throughout the month as well, i.e. fruit, milk, and anything extra you either forgot or run short on. Its a nice thought to think you can get absolutely everything for the month all at once, but milk just doesn't stay good for that long =) a long with a few other things :P

13. Here are some examples of what I meant when I said, "cheap/quick" meals:
a. Taco's (using the $3 taco kits from the store)
b. Chicken Ceasar Salads (I buy the $3 salad kits then add my own grilled chicken)
c. Sausage Jambalaya (entire meal costs around $7. all you need: Zataran's jambalaya box rice mix and Hillshire Farm Smoked Sausage. So easy and Chris loves it!)
d. Breakfast for dinner (i.e. Biscuits and sausage gravy. Usually costs me around $5. or you can do Pancakes and bacon, again only about $5-7 for the meal)
e. We do a lot of grilled chicken with different marinades. I usually serve it with a side of veggies. (Takes 15 - 20 minutes to make and usually only costs about $8 for the chx and veggies put together)
f. Frozen Pizza - definitely low on glam =), but on a Wednesday night after a long day and youth service, who wants to cook?! Spend $6 on a more expensive brand that you really like, and you've got a quick, cheap, and tasty dinner for two =)

14. Here's one last tip, once I've got my grocery list in hand, I shop at Aldi's first. They don't have a huge selection, but what they do have is much cheaper than even Walmart's prices. I get whatever I can from there, and whatever else I can't get, I either get from Sam's or Walmart.

15. Don't be opposed to going to a few stores. Convenience doesn't always = savings. I always do Aldi's first, and then Walmart, but many times I'll also go to Target. I'm not a fan of going to Target for groceries because I feel like they're mostly over priced, but their diapers are my favorite. They're only $13 a box and they fit Jace just as good as Huggies, w/o paying $20 a box.

16. Finally, of coarse, without a doubt, cut coupons. Be mindful of what coupons you have when planning your meals. BE CAREFUL though. A lot of people make the mistake of cutting coupons and buying those items simply because they have a coupon for it. Here's a helpful hint: ONLY CUT IT, IF YOU NEED IT =)

Hope this helps =)

Chicken Paprika

This recipe is straight from one of my Paula Dean cookbooks. I made a few variations, like I use boneless breasts and she uses bone in, and my cook time is much shorter because of using the boneless chicken, but the taste is nothing shy of Paula's rich flavorful style! I hope you enjoy this simply savory recipe!

Ingredients

2 boneless, skinless chicken breasts

3 Tbsp. Extra Virgin Olive Oil

1 Tbsp. Paprika

1 medium onion, diced

1 garlic clove, minced

1 cup water

3/4 cup sour cream
1 Tbsp. all purpose flour

Salt and pepper to taste

In a medium saute pan, heat olive oil on medium heat and cook onion until just golden. Add garlic and cook for about 2-3 minutes more or until you can begin to smell the aroma cooking off. To the skillet add the chicken breasts, and season generously on each side with salt, pepper and paprika. Cook each side for about 3-4 minutes, or until the skin turns from pink to white, turning only once. Add water to skillet and cook covered for an additional 10 minutes or so, until the chicken is cooked through. Remove the chicken from the skillet, and in a small bowl combine sour cream, flour, and one cup of liquid from the pan. Whisk until completely combined and transfer back into skillet. Heat it through and it should be the consistency of a light gravy. Pour over top of cooked chicken and serve over rice, noodles, or with dumplings! Enjoy!

Serves 2 as an entree