Happy Halloween

To those of you that enjoy Halloween, I will say Happy Haunting!  And to those that don't, I hope you have a great day too.

Enjoy the sweet treats that this day brings and always remember safety first.

Picture courtesy of Pittsburgh Candy Buffet

Apple Cake

While we don't have a change of seasons here in Houston, I look forward to this time of year.  I can't wait to start making soups and apple dishes, oh and pumpkin bread.  It's all so good.  The pick of the day is apples.

 As I was looking for recipes, I found the perfect one on 'The Pioneer Woman Cooks'.  She calls it Apple Cake in an Iron Skillet and it is a snap to make.  Most of her recipes are easy to follow as is this one.  It reminded me of a cobbler.  Since I didn't change anything in the recipe, please click on the link above to Ree's website.  You will love the story she tells about it almost as much as you love the cake.

Here are photos of this little autumn adventure. 
First add the apples, butter and sugar to cast iron pan.  Super simple, You let it cook for about 15 minutes.

 Mix the batter while the apples simmer away.  Yummy, Yummy.  Then spoon the batter on top.

 Spread out the batter to cover all of the apples.  It doesn't look like much but it goes along way.

 Then throw it in the oven.  I had to bake mine about 10 minutes longer than the recipe calls for.

It gets golden brown and soaks up all that butter making a cobbler like dough.

 It would be a very pretty presentation to turn it out on a cake plate but it got cut into too fast.

It looks good this way too. 

 And this way....



David Lebovitz

I regularly read David Lebovitz's blog.  I am living in Paris through him at times.  When I read this post I thought I had to share it with everyone.  I am making this cake today.

http://www.davidlebovitz.com/2010/10/french-chocolate-mousse-cake-recipe/

The pictures make you want to lick the computer screen.  Take a look.

I'll post pictures of my cake tomorrow.

Texas Chili

I know Chili is a personal thing.  Everybody has their own way of doing it.  Beans or no beans, spicy or mild.  But no matter how you like it, you've got to have chili when the weather turns cool.

Unfortunately, the weather hasn't turned cool here.  So we decided to make our own little cookout and not heat up the house.  We moved it outside to the grill.  I don't use the burner often, other than frying on it so grease doesn't splatter everywhere.  It was a nice day so Charlie and I thought we would spend some time in the back yard.

Here's our take on Texas Chili:

Prep time:  15 minutes
Cook Time:  1 hour 15 minutes


What you need:
2 pounds ground beef
2 pounds Italian sausage
2 large onions, chopped
3 garlic cloves, minced
1 tsp red pepper flakes
1/4 cup chili powder
1 tablespoon Italian seasoning
2 tablespoons all purpose flour
1 teaspoon salt
1 tablespoon sugar
2 (28 oz cans) whole tomatoes, broken up
2 (16 oz cans) dark kidney beans
1 (16 oz can) light kidney beans
Cheddar Cheese

Here's what you do:
Crumble the beef and sausage.  Put them along with the onion and onion in a cast iron dutch oven.

Wait until the meat is cooked through and the onions are tender.   Have a beer while you wait, the parts takes awhile because there is a lot in that pot.  And you know the more you watch it, the longer it is going to take.

After that's done, if there is a lot of grease, please drain it at this time.  Add the red pepper flakes, Italian seasoning, flour and sugar.  Combine.Cover the pot and simmer for about 30 minutes, stirring every now and again so it doesn't stick.

Next, add the tomatoes and beans.  We have played around with the seasoned tomatoes and even used Rotel before.  Like I said, Chili is a very personal thing.  Find what works for you and stay with it.  Taste for seasoning.  Cover and let it simmer for 30 minutes.

Now, you are ready for another beer and to make cornbread or whatever else you think goes with chili.

Enjoy!

Deviled Egg Dip

I saw this in The Foodnetwork Insert 50 Tailgate dips and since I love to snack and deviled eggs are one of my all time favorites, I had to try it.

Here's my version - it's just a bit different.

Takes about 10 minutes - good the next day too.

Ingredients:
8 hard boiled eggs
1/3 cup mayonnaise

1 Tablespoon mustard

Dash of hot sauce, paprika, salt and pepper

1/4 cup pickle relish (Wickles)

pickle relish juice

chives

I think the amounts are personal preference.  Some people like it creamier and some a little drier.  Do it your way, I know it will turn out great.  (Now I have the Burger King song in my head)

Here's what you do:
Put everything in the food processor.  Push the button.  Wait till it's smooth.
Taste for seasoning.
Put in bowl.
Service with toast wedges, pretzel crackers, potato chips.

The picture on Foodnetwork is much better.  I should have put it in a bowl.  Funny thing is though, it disappeared pretty fast even though it looks weird.

One other note, I use Wickles spicy pickle relish.  It gives things just a little bit more of a kick.  The relish and the pickles are both out of this world.  (Wickles doesn't know me from anyone one else.  I just like to pass along a good thing when I find it.)

Pulled Pork Sliders with Carolina Sauce

Don't ya love the easy stuff?   Get your slow cooker out for this one.

What you need:
Pork shoulder - I use bone out - the bone in is just too big for the slow cooker
Pork Rub
One large onion, cut into wedges
1 cup Apple Juice
Dinner Rolls

Wash and dry the pork shoulder.  Rub it generously with the pork rub seasoning. 

Spray the slow cooker with cooking spray.  Add the pork shoulder, the onion and the apple juice.

Cook on low heat for 7-8 hours.

Using tongs remove it from the slow cooker.

It will fall apart, I promise you.

Shred with tongs or forks.

Make the sauce:

This sauce came from a bag of Frito-Lay Carolina Style BBQ chips.  Here's what I do:

1 cup apple cider vinegar
1 cup ketchup
1/3 cup spicy brown mustard
3/4 cup brown sugar
3/4 cup onion - pulverized in the food processor
2 tablespoons butter
1/2 teaspoon Worcestershire Sauce
3/4 teaspoon chili powder
pinch of cayenne pepper
1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
1/2 teaspoon red pepper flakes
salt and pepper to taste

Heat on low heat under well combined.  Enjoy!

Ladle on sliders.  Not too much though. A little goes along way.  Add onions and pickles or you can put cole slaw on them.  No matter how you dress them up.  They are delicious.

Steak Sandwiches

This is one of the best and easiest sandwich ideas.  I promise you will love it.

Here's what you need:
4 onions
9 tablespoons of butter (divided)
16 oz mushrooms
Strip steak
Soy sauce
Sub rolls
horseradish or horseradish sauce
Swiss cheese

Start with 4 onions and caramelize with 3 tablespoons of butter.

      Caramelizing is easy.  Melt the butter in a pan and add the onions.  Cover for about 30 minutes stirring occasionally.

In another skillet, saute one pound of butter in 6 tablespoons of butter.

Grill a two strip steak to medium rare.

Let them rest for about 15 minutes.  They've been working hard and need this extra time to themselves.

Then slice into thin pieces.

Add the steak and mushrooms to the onions along with 1 Tablespoon of Soy Sauce.  Mix them all together.

Next up, The Bread.  I use sub rolls, you could use crusty french bread or whatever you like.  Slice them enough to open up but not all the way through. Put them on a foil lined baking sheet and turn the broiler on.

Smear a little horseradish or horseradish sauce on each bun.  Remember a little goes a long way and it want it to compliment the steak not overtake it. 

Now load them up.  Fill each bun with the steak, onion and mushroom mixture and top with swiss cheese.

You want alot of meat in each one.  This is really a meal than a sandwich. Now that you are completely hungry and ready to eat.  Put them in the broiler for about 5 minutes.  This will melt that wonderful cheese and get the buns all toasty.  Yummy. 

You can cut them in half and have them as a meal or I have cut each one into 4 pieces to serve at parties.  And they are great as leftovers the next day.

Enjoy!

Stuffed Shells

I was wanting something different for dinner last night and I'm trying really hard to limit our eating out.  But as usual I didn't take any meat out of the freezer.  I told myself to just figure it out and this is what I came up with.

I had made sliders on Sunday from a recipe on The Dutch Baker's Daughter blog.  They weren't bad but the meat was a little on the thick side.  It reminded me of meatloaf.  I'll try it again but next time will definitely be more careful about the amount.  Anyway, I slipped away there.  So, I had hamburger meat with onions and cheese.  I took a look in the pantry to see what was going on in there.  Beans, rice, potatoes, jarred pasta sauce, tuna, shells, lasagna noodles.  Wow, I have some choices now. Beans were out though because we have chili in the fridge from the weekend. Rice or potatoes, nah not feeling it.  So I went with the pasta.

My hands were yucky so I didn't get pictures of the steps to make it.  When I do things like this, I wash up and dive in.  Mixing ingredients like this are easier with your hands than with a spoon.  Ok, call the kitchen police but it's what I do!

And forgive the measurements, I mix until I get a good balance and texture.  Then I taste, season and I'm done.   And I literally just  cleaned out the fridge for this one.

Cooked hamburger patty, crumbled (with or without cheese)
Ricotta cheese (I used the entire pint)
Parmesan cheese (shredded, crumbled - use the kind in the green can if you must)
Cooked bacon, crumbled
garlic salt
chives
oregano
red pepper flakes
onions, diced
pepper
Pasta Sauce - any flavor
Pasta Shells
mozzarella
fried onions - the packaged kind (you can eat these like chips! Yummy)

Boil water and cook pasta according to package directions.
Spray a casserole dish with cooking spray

Put meat, bacon, onions, cheeses, and spices into a bowl.  Start with a small amount and add as you mix to get the textures correct.  You want more cheese than meat and you want it to hold together in a bowl.  Taste and add more seasoning if necessary.

When pasta is ready, rinse and fill with stuffing.  Don't overfill, you still want them to have a shape.  Put one layer in the casserole dish.  Top with pasta sauce, mozzarella cheese and fried onions.

Put in oven to warm through.  I went with a 300 degree oven for about 25 minutes.

Enjoy!

What a Weekend

I love it when I have so much planned and get nothing done because that means I scrapped it all to do something fun or maybe nothing at all.

This is how it all started.  Date night on Friday night.  We went to see Secretariat and let me tell you, it is a great movie.  You have got to see it in the theater though.  He was larger than life anyway but to see those great big strides, it was just incredible.  And a touching story to go along with it.  Dinner was at the movie theater.  It's one of those with a restaurant and bar within the movies.  I had fried stuff - mushrooms, onion rings and chicken.  Nothing to write home about.  Charlie had a steak sandwich.  He says that this sandwich is one of the best.  Must be because he scarfed in down before I could snap a picture.

Me:  Were you that hungry?

Him:  No, It's just that good!

I also had a Gummy Bear Martini.  I can't tell you what was in it but it came in a sugar rimmed glass and tasted really good and cold.  Yum!

So you see, it started out good and productive.  Saturday we had stuff to do, Little Guy Football, grocery shopping, Halloween costume to make, house cleaning and on and on and on.  I can at least say, we went to the football game and to the grocery store.  That was about it.

I made Chili, which is another post entirely.  That stuff is good.  The Myers family came over to watch the Phillies game and I was done.

Sunday....complete laziness because football takes over and oh yeah, the Texans won.  Imagine That!

Corn Souffle

Prep Time - not much
Total Time - about an hour

What you need:
Ladle
Bowl big enough to hold two cans of corn and a few other ingredients
Muff in Pan
Cooking spray
2 Tbsp Butter
1 8 oz pkg Cream Cheese, cubed
1 15 1/4 oz can whole kernel corn, drained
1 14.75 oz can cream style corn
1 8.5 oz corn muffin mix (Jiffy is the only brand that comes in that size)
1 1/2 tsp sugar
2 eggs
1/2 medium onion, diced
1 cup shredded cheddar cheese
A few dashes of Louisiana hot sauce, depending on your taste

Prep:
Heat oven to 350 degrees
Spray muffin pay with cooking spray (use plenty)
Cut cream cheese into cubes
Lightly beat 2 eggs
Drain whole kernel corn
Dice onion

Mix:
Microwave mutter in medium microwaveable bowl on high for 30 seconds or until melted.
Add cream cheese cubes and continue microwaving in 15 second increments or until the cream cheese is softened.
Stir until well blended. You don't want any lumps.

Add both cans of corn, the muffin mix, onion, sugar and eggs.  Mix well.

Add Louisiana hot sauce, as much or as little as suits you.

Using the ladle, fill the muffin tins 2/3 full.  Sprinkle with cheese.

Bake 40 minutes or until golden brown.  It is hard to tell if they are done in the middle so make sure you cook them for 40 minutes.

Cool slightly.

Share with others.

Sucker for Song Lyrics

Don't you just love a good song lyric?  One that sticks in your head and makes you smile every time. Or one that everything you think about it, you sing or hum the entire thing.  It's such a good feeling and usually takes you to a happy place.

How about this one....

Love, love, love, love, love, love, love, love, love.
There's nothing you can do that can't be done.
Nothing you can sing that can't be sung.
Nothing you can say but you can learn how to play the game
It's easy.
There's nothing you can make that can't be made.
No one you can save that can't be saved.
Nothing you can do but you can learn how to be you
in time - It's easy.

All you need is love, all you need is love,
All you need is love, love, love is all you need.
Love, love, love, love, love, love, love, love, love.
All you need is love, all you need is love,
All you need is love, love, love is all you need.
There's nothing you can know that isn't known.
Nothing you can see that isn't shown.
Nowhere you can be that isn't where you're meant to be.
It's easy.
All you need is love, all you need is love,
All you need is love, love, love is all you need.
All you need is love (all together now)
All you need is love (everybody)
All you need is love, love, love is all you need.
It's such a happy little tune. 

LIVE, LAUGH, LOVE.....it's all that really matters!

Karen & Charlie

All you need is love was written by John Lennon and Paul McCartney.

2011 Houston Things

I love living in Houston.  It's country, it's city. Refined and Bubba all at the same time.

We like to explore and have adventures finding things within driving distance that we haven't seen or done before.  And guess what...it doesn't always involve food.  I will admit, however, that we have eaten some pretty good meals along the way.

I would like to share some of the things we've done and the past and take you with us as we continue to explore.  I am going to post 2011 Houston Things for 2011.  Let me know if you like the same places we do or if you experienced something different.

It's a party and you are all invited!

Perfect Pork Rub

This is the best dry rub I have found.  I use it on all kinds of pork and it hasn't failed me yet!  Kinda looks like dirt, doesn't it?

2 tablespoons brown sugar
1 tablespoons Italian seasoning
2 teaspoons onion powder
1 1/2 teaspoons unsweetened cocoa
1 1/2 garlic powder
1 teaspoon paprika
1/2 teaspoon paprika
1/2 teaspoons ground red pepper flakes
1/2 teaspoon cumin
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon black pepper

Mix together and rub on any kind of pork.