Grilled Peaches with a Chocolate Balsamic Drizzle

Oh.
My.
Goodness.

Trader Joe's, needless to say, has been making my life quite easy these days. They had a special on 5lbs of peaches, which I very happily took part in. These peaches have been the most fragrant, delicious peaches I have ever encountered.

Last night, I decided to continue my cooking luck, all thanks owed to Trader Joe's, by grilled peaches. Oh man! So delicious. I used the same concept from when I grilled strawberries, drizzling honey and sprinkling cinnamon on the fruit before grilling. The smell was divine!

I topped it off with some amaaazing chocolate balsamic given to me by my mother in law. I have been dying to use this stuff. And was so glad when I finally did!! This balsamic can be purchased at Williams-Sonoma. It is quite delicious, I recommend picking up a bottle the next time you're in W-S!


Dapper Dan? Well, let's just say he wasn't adventurous enough to try this one out (okay, okay.. he just doesn't like peaches. I know, I think he's crazy, too!)


Alas, the recipe!

Grilled Peaches with a Chocolate Balsamic Drizzle
Yields: 1 serving


Ingredients
1 peach- halved and pitted
Honey to drizzle
Cinnamon to sprinkle
Chocolate Balsamic Vinegar

Directions
1. Drizzle and sprinkle the honey and cinnamon onto the flesh side of the peach.
2. Grill until soft and warm!
3. Drizzle the chocolate balsamic
4. Hide from the rest of the world and consume!

Broiled Truffle Cheese Mashed Potatoes

Oooo. This one is good people. I wouldn't skip this one for the world. Please read on..

My week was made when I found that Trader Joe's carries an Italian Truffle Cheese. Say what?! Oh yeah, you heard me right. ITALIAN TRUFFLE CHEESE. It's amazing. It's everything cheese should be and more.

I have been devising a plan as to how to use this cheese in dinner this week. Last night, I came up with a plan!

I am mashin' some potatoes and puttin' this cheese in!

To top it off, I decided to make individual servings of mashed potatoes, placing it into ramekins and setting it under the broiler (after sprinkling more cheese on top, duh?!?!). It then had the same effect of a twice baked potato, only no skins.

Oh man. It was so good. I was so sad that I only had 2 potatoes to work with yesterday. I am picking up more potatoes and tons more of this cheese and making more of this. Yum! I love me some potatoes.. and some truffles! Therefore, I was in HEAVEN over this dish!

No Trader Joe's near you?! Darn! Well, the next time you see one, STOP AND BUY THIS CHEEEEEESE!


Broiled Truffle Cheese Mashed Potatoes
Yields: 2 servings


Ingredients
2 Russet potatoes- peeled and boiled
1/3 cup heavy cream
Salt to taste
1/4 cup + 2 TBS Italian Truffle Cheese (Trader Joe's)

Directions
1. In your favorite way to make mashed potatoes (whether it be a ricer- which is mine, hand mixer, fork, etc.), combine all of the ingredients.
2. Place mashed potatoes in individual ramekins, top with some cheese, place under broiler for approximately 5 minutes, or until well browned.
3. Mmmm... Serve and enjoy!

Homemade Flour Tortillas

If you can't tell, I'm a bit behind on posting some recipes. So sorry for that. What am I going to do to fix this? Bombard you with a ton of recipes! I know deep down you love it :-)

Thursday was Mexican Night at the Malloy Homestead (yes of last week.. get off my back, you!). I set out on a mission to make my own tortillas. I began channeling my inner abuela... or did a Google search and found this recipe. I did have to work hard to find the right recipe. I wanted to stay at least an arm's length from a recipe calling for lard. I mean, this is a blog about healthy, but still yummy eating.

Jackpot. Found one that did.

The best part?! It was so simple to make. These tortillas had a unique freshness to them that was so much more appealing than purchasing already made ones in the store. MAKE THIS. MAKE THIS AND THEN TAKE A SIESTA.

You're welcome :-)

What should you do with your tortillas?! You can make burritos like we did, yum! And used the left overs to make egg wraps for breakfast (DapperDan's idea!)

Homemade Flour Tortillas
Courtesy: Julia Rodriguez and Recipezaar.com
Yields 12 Tortillas


Ingredients
4 cups flour
1 1/2 tsp salt
1 TBS baking powder
3 TBS vegetable oil
1 1/2 cups warm water (not HOT)

Directions:
"1. Mix the dry ingredients.
2. Add oil and mix with hands.
3. Mixing with your hands, add water a little at a time, until you get a soft dough.
4. You should be able to mix in all the dry ingredients, but the dough shouldn't be sticky.
5. (You can add in more flour if you add too much water.) On a floured surface, knead the dough for 2- 4 minutes, adding flour if the dough is sticky.
6. Form dough into a ball, cover with towel and place upside down bowl over dough.
7. Let the dough rest for 15-20 minutes.
8. NOTE: the dough will not rise, this just rests the gluten.
9. Heat ungreased griddle to medium-high.
10. Break off golf-ball sized pieces of dough and flatten into 5 inch circles.
11. On a floured surface roll out tortillas using a back and forth motion, turning the tortilla 1/4 turn after each roll.
12. Flip the tortilla at least once.
13. Place tortilla on hot griddle and cook till bubbles rise (20-25 seconds).
14. Flip and cook on the other side 20-25 seconds.
15. Finished tortillas will be speckled with brown.
16. Place cooked tortilla in a bowl covered and lined with a towels.
17. NOTE: When you get good you should be able to roll out a tortilla while one on the griddle cooks."

Cod and Potatoes

Just another Manic Monday? Yeah, I couldn't agree more!

I know what will cheer you guys up! These recipes for cod and potatoes. They were so good! And so easy! I could eat these cheesy potatoes every night of the week!

You can serve these two dishes together or separately, I recommend trying them together, since they greatly complement each other!

In just 30 minutes you can serve up this yummy meal. I suggest you give 'er a try :-) Or, if you'd only want to try ONE because you're crazy (and that's the only reason you wouldn't create these dishes at this instant), the potatoes take the cake.


No Hounddog you can't have none.


Italian Crumb Cod
Courtesy: AllRecipes
Yields: Four servings


Ingredients
1/4 cup fine dry bread crumbs
2 tablespoons grated Parmesan cheese
1 tablespoon cornmeal
1 teaspoon olive oil
1/2 teaspoon Italian seasoning
1/8 teaspoon garlic powder
1/8 teaspoon ground black pepper
4 (3 ounce) fillets cod fillets
1 egg white, lightly beaten

Directions
1. Preheat the oven to 450 degrees.
2. In a bowl, combine the bread crumbs, cheese, cornmeal, oil, Italian seasoning, garlic powder and pepper.
3. Coat the rack of a broiling pan with cooking spray. Place the cod on the broiling pan. Brush with the egg white, then spoon the crumb mixture evenly on top.
4. Bake in a preheated oven for about 12 minutes or until the fish flakes easily when tested with a fork and is opaque all the way through.

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Parmesan Potatoes
Adapted from: For The Love of Cooking


Ingredients
5 Russet Potatoes potatoes
4 TBS grated Parmesan cheese
1 TBS olive oil
Garlic powder, to taste
Sea salt and fresh cracked pepper, to taste
Fresh chopped parsley, for garnish

Directions:
1. Preheat your oven to 350 degrees.
2. Boil the potatoes for 4 or 5 minutes, when finished boiling, slice down into small bite sized pieces, allow to cool.
3. Combine with the oil, cheese, and spices.
4. Place into a greased roasting pan, or cookie sheet, whatever you have! And bake for 20-25 minutes.

My Plate:


DapperDanMan's Plate:



....just sayin'.

Grilled Pizza and a Guest Appearance!

A Chronicle: DapperDan in the Kitchen
"Well, it didn't look like a two-horse town, but try finding a decent hair jelly."

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Warning! Warning! Warning! Eeeooo! Eeeooo!

This marks a new series here at Cleanliness is Next to Godliness. You heard it first here, yessireebob, DapperDan is in the kitchen! Cleared for launch this could be dangerous, boys and girls!

It is time that I hand over these precious reins to the husband, Tim, aka My DapperDan.

(Ain't he cute?!)

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Grilled Pizza and a Guest Appearance!!


DapperDan is going to tell ya the best way to grill your pizza... listen up, now, y'all hear?!:

Thanks to some direct heat from my loving wife, I decided to get on here and talk about my first cooking experience with indirect heat. To me, there is no meal out there that can top a nice pizza and there are few things that a man can do around the house other than grilling. So grilling pizza is the perfect way for me to contribute to my wife's efforts in the kitchen.

Emily started the process off for us by making some homemade pizza dough and some fresh sauce to boot. She also had a nice four cheese blend and chicken sausage ready to top it all off. In the mean time, I was out back playing with fire and passing it off as helping out. For those of you who are still using lighter fluid to start your charcoal, do yourself a favor and pick up what is called a chimney starter. They cost no more than $20 and allow you to cook without using lighter fluid, so your next burger doesn't taste like it came from the Sunoco station.

So you get the coals started with the chimney starter and when they are ready, dump the coals into your grill. Since I was going to be cooking with indirect heat, I pushed all the coals to the edges so they made a circle and no coals were left in the middle. This was when the pizza is placed on the grill the heat source is not directly under the pizza. The Mrs. came out with the pizza just as my boyish amusement with the fire was wearing thin. I put the pie on the pizza grill pan and onto the grill. Checking it every five minutes or so, it was finished about 20 minutes later. The time you cook your pizza will vary depending on your heat source, how thick your dough is, and how crispy you would like it to be. I like mine thin and crispy (in case you were wondering).

So we saved ourselves a few bucks in gas from traveling to our favorite pizza shops and ended up with a pie I would say tasted better then what I've had 2/3 of the pizzerias I've been to.

Over and out,

Tim, aka TheDapperDanMan

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Thanks, hubby!!! He grilled one mean pizza... it was delish!


Here's the recipe for all things yummy with this pizza:

Mitch's Basic Pizza Dough
Courtesy: Mitch, not sure who ya are, but you rock the Casbah!
Yields: Approximately 2 to 3 pizzas

Ingredients
3 1/2 cups flour
1 cup warm water
2 tablespoons yeast
2 tablespoons honey
1/4 cup olive oil
1/2 teaspoon salt

Mitch's Directions:
"Pour in warm water. The water should be about 85 to 115° F. Test it with your hand. It should feel very warm, but comfortable. Add the honey and salt. Mix on low for about 20 seconds. Add the yeast and mix on low for another 5 seconds. Add 1 cup of flour, mix on low for 10 seconds. Add the olive oil and mix until blended (about 15 or 20 seconds more). Add the rest of the flour (and any other additions) and mix on high for about a minute or two. The dough should turn into a ball and roll around the processor. If the dough does not ball up because it's too dry, add water one tablespoon at a time until it does. If your mixture is more like a batter, add flour one tablespoon at a time. Adding water or flour as needed to get the right consistency will assure you always get a perfect dough. Just remember to do it in small amounts.

Once the dough is balled up, place the ball on a floured board and knead for about a minute. This builds the gluten which helps the dough to rise and become fluffy when cooked. Place the dough in a plastic grocery bag or a covered bowl and store in a warm, dry area to rise.

After about 45 minutes the dough should have about doubled in size. Show it who's the boss and punch it down. That's right, give it a good smack so it deflates. Let it rise for another hour to an hour and a half. The dough is now ready to be rolled out. You can punch the dough down one more time if you want and wait another hour or two before rolling out."

My Pizza Sauce
Yields: Sauce for one pizza

Ingredients:
5 Roma Tomatoes- boiled, skin peeled, and seeds removed
1 TBS fresh oregano
1 TBS fresh basil
1 garlic clove, minced
1 tsp cayenne pepper

Directions:
1. After you've boiled, peeled, and seeded your tomatoes, place into a food processor.
2. Add the sauce and the rest of the ingredients into a saucepot, cooking on medium for about 30 minutes, so it thickens.
3. Serve on your newly made pizza dough, top with your cheese and toppings of choice, and, most importantly, enjoy!

Berry Sorbet with Fresh Whipped Cream

People. It is Wednesday. You are half way through this week. You can do it!!
We'll get through it, together, I promise.
Now onto the bigger and better.

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My mock letter to Martha:

My dearest Martha Stewart:

For quite some time now I have developed a love-hate relationship with you. It is for no other reason than the fact that you make everything appear to be so easy. Sometimes, those things are not so easy (ahem, Blueberry Pierogi), which causes a downward spiral of self-loathing. On the other hand, you give your captive audience some recipes that are so flippin' fantastic that we appear to be some kind of superwhiz pros when we recreate these dishes. This recipe happens to be one of those things.

It's fan-freakin-tastic. There is no two ways about it. I will sing it from the rooftops! Martha, on this day, you are my favorite. I may just name one of my unborn children after you (Okay, so that may be stretching it).

Sincerely your fan (for today, at least),
Emily

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Okay, people.. my apologies for the delay. This is a recipe that makes me want to shout and throw my heels up!! It was super easy, "a caveman can do it" and probably already has, twice. For one moment, it actually appeared as if I had a freakin' clue about making a sorbet.

This sorbet???? 'S Wonderful.... 'S Mahvelous.... (Side note: I'm helplessly in love with Gene Kelly.)

Do yourself a favor, make this sorbet TODAY. I, for quite some time, have been desperate to get an ice cream machine. Well, to those of you who are homeowners (especially those that have either rehabbed or remodeled) know that something as seemingly frivolous as an ice cream machine wouldn't stand a chance on a long list of must-haves for the home.

For a fair amount of time I have been disgruntled, nay, pouty about the whole thing. I mean c'mon.. homemade ice cream?! That's just the coolest thing since sliced bread.

My pouty, drag-my-feet-as-I-walk mentality came to a halt when I found this recipe while scouring over Martha Stewart's most recent magazine....

Raspberry Sorbet... oh great, probably need an ice cream maker for that.. how about nooo... All ya need is a freezer! *Cue the Hallelujah Chorus*... this girl's making sorbet and DOESN'T need the fancy-schmancy-gosh-I-still-wanna-have-it-deep-down ice cream maker.

I present to you, a version of Martha's Raspberry Sorbet with Fresh Whipped Cream:


Berry Nice Sorbet with Homemade Whipped Cream
Adapted from: Martha Stewart Living
Yields: Four Delectable Servings

^I tried my best to emulate a "glamor shot" with editing. Haha.

Ingredients
1/4 cup water
1/4 cup plus 1 TBS sugar
1 bag (12 oz) frozen berries, or 3 cups fresh berries frozen (I used a combination of blueberries, raspberries, and strawberries)
1/2 cup heavy cream

Directions:
1. Stir together water and 1/4 cup of sugar until sugar is dissolved.
2. Pulse the berries in a food process until coarsely chopped. With the machine running, pour in the sugar-water, pulse until the mixture is smooth. Transfer into an airtight container (I used my Pyrex), and freeze until firm, which is about 30 minutes.
3. Whisk the cream and remaining TBS of sugar until soft peaks form (this homegirl sweaaaated in the process.. Doubtful because it was 85 degrees in my kitchen.. I was just workin' real hard!)
4. Scoop sorbet into 4 glasses, and top with the whipped cream.

Mmmm... Now doesn't that just TASTE like summer?!

Alton Brown's Jerky Tomato Sauce

Alton Brown, I love you.

Yes, you Alton, in all of your dorkiness and zaniness.


I love you for many reasons, but lately, for one reason solely. And it is because of this tomato sauce. Yes, you have made a tomato sauce so unique and unforgettable. I mean, c'mon, it has beef jerky in it. Pure awesomeness.

Yes, you Alton, have become the object of my affection.


*Sigh*


Alton Brown's Jerky Tomato Sauce
Courtesy: Alton Brown
Yields: 4 servings


Ingredients
3 to 4 ounces beef jerky
1 cup boiling water
1 tablespoon vegetable oil
1/2 cup chopped onion
1/2 cup chopped green bell pepper
Pinch kosher salt
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 (14.5-ounce) can chopped tomatoes
1 teaspoon dried parsley
1/4 cup heavy cream

Directions:

1. Using kitchen shears, cut the jerky into small bite-size pieces. Place in the boiling water and set aside.
2. Place the vegetable oil, onion, and bell pepper, along with a pinch of kosher salt, in a large, 12-inch saute pan over medium heat. Sweat for 4 to 5 minutes or until the onions are translucent.
3. Add the garlic and continue to cook for 2 to 3 minutes.
4. Add the jerky and its liquid along with the tomatoes, parsley, and cream, and continue to cook for 8 to 10 minutes or until the sauce thickens slightly.
5. Serve over toast, biscuits, rice, or pasta.

Provencial Perfection Lavender and Lemon Milkshake

This milkshake is inspired by the ever-popular French Lemonade. Never heard of French lemonade? Well, it's simply lemonade with lavender added. The only way to describe French Lemonade is to say that it is pure divinity. There is nothing quite like it.

One of my dearest friends Nadia suggested that I enter The Milk Shake Factory's contest in which individuals submit their own personalized summery milkshake for a prize! *Massive, but exceedingly important side note, go to their website. You are serenaded by my kind of music.. I actually just had it on play at work, oh how I adore Big Band and Swing!**

Thinking about French Lemonade all day led me to want to add this to a milkshake. Oh my gosh.. could such a thing really exist and taste as good as it sounds?! I set out on this quest.. brainstorming the recipe, which is what led to my Lavender Simple Syrup (yes, you're allowed to know the big secret now!)

It is so good. It starts out lemony, but finishes lavendery. Oh my heavens.

I was so excited about how it tasted that I was jumping up and down in the kitchen. The hubs? He liked it, too (but I do think he liked his Bobby Flay extra chocolatey one a bit more.. darn you Bobby! Stealing my thunder!)

Provencial Perfection Lavender and Lemon Milkshake
Yields: 1 serving


Ingredients
1 cup vanilla ice cream (I recommend Breyer's)
1/4 cup whole milk
1 TBS lemon juice, fresh squeezed
1/4 cup lavender simple syrup

Directions:
1. In a blender, combine all ingredients.
2. Put in your favorite glass. Sip, sit on the rocking chair on your front porch, and enjoy the sunset :-)

..if you don't have a rocking chair, front porch, and/or sunset, no worries! It's still just as good without those things!

Lavender Simple Syrup

For a super cool reason to be disclosed later this weekend, I decided to make a lavender simple syrup (it's truly top secret.. Mr. President doesn't even know about this one... yeah, that secretive.). DapperDanMan knows and he ain't tellin' a soul, so don't you go askin'.

Anywho.. Enough mystery and intrigue.

Making this is as easy as snapping your fingers. It takes three ingredients, all of which come from your kitchen or garden.

Massive story behind getting lavender into MY kitchen.

DapperDan and I set out to get lavender. It took not only a reconnaissance mission, but men suspended from the ceiling, a SWAT team, and three scent hounds to get it. Alright, alright... slight exaggeration, only one scent hound could have been involved, but we ended up leaving Daisy Mae at home.

Thank the Lord for Whole Foods. After much searching, we found ourselves a lovely little (well, rather large) lavender plant. She's hanging out in my kitchen window as we speak!

Okay, boys and girls, ladies and gents, hound dogs and poodles... I present to you: my lavender simple syrup!

Lavender Simple Syrup
Yields: Approximately 1 cup


Ingredients
1 cup of water
1 cup of sugar
2 or 3 TBS fresh lavender

Directions
1. In a sauce pot, bring the lavender and water to a boil.
2. Add sugar and cook until it's completely dissolved.
3. Store in the refrigerator until cool, anywhere between one hour and two days, strain lavender before use(depending upon how strong you would like the syrup). The longer you leave the lavender in, the stronger it will be!
4. Add your syrup to any drink or dessert and enjoy!

A Berry Good Oatmeal

Alright, people, I know I've taken a bit of a hiatus on the posting of yummy oatmeal recipes... you can stop being mad at me now.

I'm sure you'll forgive me after I pass onto you this rockin' oatmeal recipe that I have discovered.

I must admit, this morning I was in a bit of a rush. I have been putting in some overtime at work, but not quite giving myself quite enough time in the morning to accomplish all that one should before leaving to catch the train.

This recipe just sort of happened. Trust me, I've tried each of these ingredients with my oatmeal separately, but never altogether. Once altogether, something magical happens. I cannot explain it, you must just simply try it!

Since my husband very much likes oatmeal in the morning, I may try to convert him from his usual raisin, water, salt style oatmeal for this one.

I ate this for lunch today, but it would obviously be best suited for breakfast!

I beg you to try this, you will love it.

**One thing to note, I used instant oatmeal. If you're using steel cut, just use the ingredients and follow the usual preparation for that type of oats**

Soy milk makes for a creamier oatmeal, and the vanilla enhances the flavor of the berries. If you would rather use regular milk (or water), simply add some vanilla to complement the flavors of the berries!

A Berry Good Oatmeal
Yields: 1 serving, easily multiplied


Ingredients
1/2 cup uncooked oatmeal
1 cup vanilla soy milk
1/4 cup strawberries, rinsed and sliced
1/4 cup blueberries, rinsed
1/4 cup raspberries, rinsed

Directions:
1. Follow the usual cooking instructions for your type of oats, using the soy milk instead of water.
2. When the oatmeal is about a minute away from being completed, add the berries. As the oatmeal cooks, the berries should soften and release their juices. Makes for quite the oatmeal experience!
3. Eat, enjoy, and get ready to make another batch for seconds :o)

Crawl into the Comfort of Corn Fritters

Wednesday.. Wednesday... Hump Day.. Half way throoough!

We're just going to jump right into this, no worries, no delays, this is to good to put off..

This side dish is low maintenance and low cost- what's not to love there?! I also think it pairs well with a great majority of meals (Okay, not counting those times when you just have your dinner with two fabulous dudes- Ben & Jerry). But every OTHER dinner, I'm sure you could put it with a great deal of dishes and be quite pleased!

This recipe come from the How to Cook Everything Cookbook. I must admit, at first I was skeptical. I mean, does he really have everything in there? No way... not within one book (even if it is a big book).. can't be done. No way, no how, don't believe it.

...Well, Mark Bittman made a believer out of me. The man has everything in there. I mean, everything. If you want a cookbook that is versatile, this is the one for you.

No more delay, ladies and gentlemen. I present to you, the super fun, comforting, and old timey Corn Fritters!:

Comfortin' Old Timey Corn Fritters
Courtesy: How to Cook Everything
Yields: Approximately 12 fritters


Ingredients
Vegetable/canola oil as needed
3/4 cup cornmeal
1/2 cup all-purpose flour
2 teaspoons baking powder
Salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste
1/2 teaspoon sugar
3/4 cup milk, plus more if needed
1 egg
2 cups freshly scraped corn kernels (can use frozen, fresh off the cob is more preferable)

Directions
1. Pour about 2 inches of canola/vegetable oil into a deep pan, approximately , over medium- high heat. Let it heat while you prepare the fritters; it should reach a temperature of about 365 degrees.

2. Combine all of the dry ingredients into a large bowl. Beat the milk and egg, then add them into the dry ingredients, (add a few tablespoons more milk if needed to make a thick but smooth batter). Add in the corn, mix well.

3. Drop 1/4 cup of batter into the hot oil. Raise heat to maintain a consistent 365 degrees. Cook fritters in batches, turning once, until nicely browned on all sides, a total of about 4-5 minutes per batch. Once finished cooking, place fritters onto a place with a paper towel, so it can drain.

4. Serve plain or with a fancy aioli, salsa, etc!

5. I don’t have to tell you to enjoy them, because you will.

Homemade Sour Cream

This is a continuation of my discussion yesterday regarding homemade mayonnaise and sour cream. Well, since you've waited patiently... I'll let you know about the result of the sour cream. How was it? Well, pretty good.

Unlike the sweatin' good time that can result out of whisking up some homemade mayo, this is a fix it and forget it situation. Although, I do warn you, it's not something you can make and immediately use! Keep that in mind people. After 36 hours, the sour cream is just about perfect. The recipe says 24 hours, but I'm going to give it a full 48 hours before storing it in the fridge for use (I'd say it's about 7/8 of the way to be finished, and the first taste of it was good!!!). I am quite excited over the whole thing!

Homemade Sour Cream
Courtesy: Mother Earth News

Ingredients:
2 cups heavy cream
2 TBS buttermilk (I usually make my own with milk and vinegar)


Directions:
1. Combine whipping cream and buttermilk in a sterilized mason jar. Stir well. Cover loosely. Let stand at room temperature until cream becomes thick, approximately 24-48 hours. Stir well.

2. Store in refrigerator, share and enjoy!!

Homemade Mayonnaise

Good morning all! Happy Monday, and I trust that you all have had a wonderful, resftul weekend! I was fortunate to have a great birthday weekend full of great food, family, and friends!

Last night, DapperDan and I decided to have a light dinner, considering we had a DELICIOUS lunch with my parents that kept us quite full!

This light dinner brought me to making a similar homemade salad dressing to my buttermilk garlic dressing, since DapperDan liked it so much. Well, when I opened up my refrigerator, I realized that I had NEITHER mayonnaise nor sour cream. Quite the predicament when you are trying to make this dressing!

What did I do at this moment of panic? (Maybe I'm exaggerating... 1/4 ounce of panic).. I decided to make my own mayonnaise AND sour cream... totally channeling granny here... What did I come up with?

A pretty good mayonnaise... and the sour cream will be finished this evening (it takes 24 hours to thicken... I will post the results of the homemade sour cream tomorrow!).

Making the mayo, I worked up a pretty good sweat! Lots of muscle is needed for this.. okay, well maybe moderate muscle-power. (Looking down and flexing arms).. .....okay so perhaps really no muscle-power.. ....But you can potentially work up a good ole' sweat with this one! :o)

Homemade Mayonnaise
Adapted from: Justhungry.com
Yields 1 cup and a half of mayo


Ingredients
2 egg yolks
1 cup of oil (I used olive oil)
1/4 tsp ground mustard
1 1/2 TBS lemon juice
1/2 tsp salt

Directions:
1. In a medium sized bowl, combine all of the ingredients except for the oil.
2. Using a whisk, slowly, slowly, slowly add the oil... drops at a time, people, failure to do so can ruin the finishing product.
3. Once you combine the ingredients, store in the refrigerator to put on a yummy sandwich, or add to a great salad dressing!

Cinnamon Cranberry Scones

Baking these scones came to mind when I had pleeeeenty of time to kill while waiting for my sandwich dough to rise (two hours worth of time to be precise). DapperDan was out of the house for the evening for a work meeting. So it was girls' night.. me, the hound dog, and lots and lots of flour! And... I think Steely Dan was serenading us as I made these scones!

And tell ya what, I was pleasantly surprised with these little suckers. Although they're not the sweetest of scones, they definitely hold their own and nicely compliment my morning coffee. What I found best about it, was that it was so easy to make, and in 20 minutes, the whole thing was done. What does this mean?! It means you can make it before you go to work in the morning and eat them while they're fresh! So totally awesome!!


Cinnamon Cranberry Scones
Yields: 10 to 12 scones, depending on how you cut the dough


Ingredients
2 cups whole wheat flour
1 cup all purpose flour
2 TBS cinnamon
1 cup dried cranberries
1/4 cup sugar
1 1/2 tsp baking powder
1/4 tsp baking soda
1/4 tsp salt
1/3 cup butter
2 eggs, slightly beaten
1/3 cup buttermilk (again I made my own, take milk and add either vinegar or lemon juice, et voila! You have buttermilk)

Directions:
1. Preheat your oven to 400 degrees.
2. While you wait for the oven to preheat, combine all dry ingredients in a large bowl, and cut in the butter, until the mixture is crumbly in appearance.
3. In a separate bowl, add the eggs, buttermilk and cranberries.
4. On a floured surface, knead dough about 10 times or until nearly smooth. Roll the dough until about 1/2 inch thick.
5. Cut dough into 10 or 12 wedges, depending upon the desired size.
4. Place dough wedges 1 inch apart on an baking sheet lined with parchment paper. Bake for 13 to 15 minutes or until the edges appear to be lightly browned.

Make a Banker Feel Like A Cowboy Beef and Potato Hash!

For dinner last night, I intended on roasting a whole chicken. Needless to say, after a long day at work, riding a train sans air conditioning on a hot, hot Philadelphia Day, the very last thing I wanted to do upon arriving home to a panting hound doggie was roast a chicken for 2 hours in my very warm house.

So, this left me kind of scrambling. What to do?! I plan on absolutely using the Mahi Mahi for Friday's dinner... and really should use the chicken... but we're just going to wing it once again!

What came out of this quasi-starved-but-lazy-desperation?! This beef and potato hash, which DapperDan said made him feel like a cowboy! Cute :-)

I, therefore, name this dish:

Make a Banker Feel Like a Cowboy Beef and Potato Hash
Yields: 4 to 6 servings


Ingredients:
1 lb ground beef
4 potatoes- peeled, cooked, and diced
1 TBS fresh parsley- chopped
1 medium white onion- chopped
1/2 cup of skim milk
2 TBS butter
1 beer (I used a lager)
A dash (or two) of Italian Seasoning
Salt and pepper to taste!

Directions:
1. In a large skillet, cook the ground beef in the beer (if you're me.. it ends up being only half of a beer because I drank the other half.. whoops!!).
2. Cook until 2/3 of the way finished. Remove from skillet. Drain on paper towel.
3. Place butter in the skillet, once it melts, add all of the ingredients, cooking on medium-high for approximately 5 minutes, stir, and cook for another 4 or 5 minutes.

Definitely not a glamorous dish, but hey, a dish doesn't have to be fancy schmancy to be yummy! Especially a "manly" dish such as this!!

Side note:

By the way Daisy Mae the lazy hound dog was behaving last night, you would think she ate some of this filling, manly hash, too!

Silly girl, sleeping under the nightstand


Silly pants!



Ooh! A blurry paparazzi shot.. Yes, I'm talking about YOU, hound dog



What a tough life you lead, Daisy Mae (oh and ignore those mirrors on the floor.. we'll be hanging them on the wall soon enough!!)

Perfect Wheat Sandwich Bread

Ladies and gentlemen, I have found it. The one true killer bread recipe. DapperDan loves it! I love it! Daisy Mae loves it!

My other wheat sandwich bread that I had made was very good, don't get me wrong, but there is something about this recipe that is now my go-to wheat bread. And it should be yours, too. This bread comes out a bit softer, and has a great sweetness to it. Yum! I love this recipe. It is seriously such a blessing to have Artisan Bread in 5 Minutes a Day and Healthy Bread in 5 Minutes a Day... they help me have the appearance that I have a clue in what goes on with baking bread!

I am quite happy to say that it has been about 3 months since I have bought a loaf of bread! Once you try this recipe, you will rather homemade than anything store bought. I promise!

I usually end up baking this bread after a long day of work and cooking dinner. I usually begin around 7:00, which means I don't finish baking this bread until 10:30, at least! Labor of love I tell ya.

Proof!!!

I should really bake loaves on the weekends, but they have been so jam packed with activities, that after work has been my only time to bake! Oh well.. I completely love doing it! I mean, I thoroughly enjoy this! I trust that you will, too!


Soft Whole Wheat Bread
Courtesy: Healthy Bread in 5 Minutes a Day


Ingredients
5 cups whole wheat flour
1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
1 1/2 TBS kosher salt
1 1/2 TBS yeast
1/2 cup of honey
3 cups lukewarm water
5 eggs
2/3 cup neutral flavored oil

Directions:
1. Mix the liquid ingredients in a 5-quart bowl, or a lidded (not airtight) food container.
2. Mix in the remaining dry ingredients without kneading, using a strong handled spoon.
3. Cover, and allow to rest at room temperature until the dough rises and collapses (flattens on top); approximately 2 .
4. The dough can be used immediately after the initial rise, even though it is more easily manipulated after refrigeration. (Refrigerate, and you can use it over the next 5 days).
5. On baking day, lightly grease a 8 1/2" x 4 1/2" nonstick loaf pan. Using wet hands, scoop out a cantaloupe-size handful of dough. This dough is pretty sticky and often it's easiest to handle it with wet hands. Keeping your hands wet, quickly shape it into a ball by stretching the surface of the dough around to the bottom on all four sides, rotating the ball a quarter-turn as you go.
6. Drop the loaf into the prepared pan. You want to fill the pan slightly more than half-full.
7. Allow the dough to rest for 40 minutes if unrefrigerated, or 90 minutes if your dough is coming out of the refrigerator.
8. Preheat the oven to 350ºF, with an empty broiler tray on any other shelf that won't interfere with the rising bread.
9. Place the loaf on a rack near the center of the oven. Pour 1 cup of hot tap water into the broiler tray and quickly close the oven door. Bake for 40 to 50 minutes, or until deeply browned and firm.
10. Allow to cool for about 10 to 15 completely before removing from the pan and slicing.

Our Memorial Day Barbecue

After a long weekend of excellent wedding festivities, DapperDan and I decided to lay low for Memorial Day and have a Barbecue for two!

It was very exciting in that this was not only our first time celebrating some kind of a holiday as old married folk, it was our first time GRILLING. For Christmas, DapperDan got a beeayyutiful Weber Grill. Monday presented the perfect time to fire her up and break her in!

How did our first grilling session go?! Well, let's just say we won't be inviting Bobby Flay over any time soon, but we still had lots of fun :-)


Some great recipes made a debut, although some parts were charred. Hehe, we're learning, kay?! Save the snickers for another time!

I tried to keep things simple. We ate salmon burgers seasoned with my made up, super awesome seasoning. (It almost, I said almost tasted like a hamburger because of the seasoning).

I also wrapped three or four little things of asparagus with bacon and grilled. Oh, decadent! Oh, yum!

We also made Bobby Flay's Perfectly Grilled Corn. And he's right. With his recipe, it makes for some perfect grilled corn!

And the best thing of all, I think, was the grilled strawberries. Yummmm... That's all I have been thinking about SINCE. If you do nothing else, make these grilled strawberries. deelish.

Okay, now that you've all been ridiculously patient, and I thank you for that, here's the good stuff, the recipes:

Emily's Super Yummy Grilling Seasoning

What to put it on?! Well... anything that goes on the grill! I was tempted to put it on the corn, but forgot. Whoopsie!

Ingredients
1 tsp finely shredded Parmesan cheese
1 tsp cayenne pepper
1 tsp cumin
1/2 tsp kosher salt
1/2 tsp black pepper

Directions
1. Combine all of it in a little bowl, serve on your grilling dish, and enjoy!

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Bobby Flay's Perfectly Grilled Corn
Courtesy: Bobby Flay

YOU CAN SEE DAPPERDAN TOTALLY STEALING THE STRAWBERRIES. TOTALLY CAUGHT YOU, MISTER!!!!!

Ingredients
8 ears corn
Kosher salt

Directions
1. "Heat the grill to medium.
2. Pull the outer husks down the ear to the base. Strip away the silk from each ear of corn by hand. Fold husks back into place and tie the ends together with kitchen string. Place the ears of corn in a large bowl of cold water with 1 tablespoon of salt for 10 minutes.
3. Remove corn from water and shake off excess. Place the corn on the grill, close the cover and grill for 15 to 20 minutes, turning every 5 minutes, or until kernels are tender when pierced with a paring knife. Remove the husks and eat on the cob or remove the kernels."

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Bacon-Wrapped Asparagus
Think of this as the less sophisticated form of asparagus wrapped in prosciutto.

Some charred, but hey we're learners! The charred ones, I stuck in my burger, yum!

Ingredients
Approximately 1 pound of asparagus- peeled and bottoms trimmed
6 pieces of bacon, cut in half
Olive oil to drizzle
Salt and pepper to taste

Directions
1. Gather the asparagus into bunches of three or four, wrap the raw bacon around the asparagus and place onto a platter.
2. Do this for the remaining asparagus and bacon. Drizzle with olive oil, salt and pepper to taste.
3. Throw on your grill, 2 to 3 minutes on one side, about 1 to 2 on the other!

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We're savin' the best for last!!!!!


Grilled Strawberries with Honey
Let me warn you, double this recipe right away, or triple it... It won't be on the plate but a minute before it disappears!


Ingredients
2 cups of strawberries, cut in half
Honey, to drizzle
Cinnamon, to sprinkle!

Directions:
1. Place strawberries onto skewer
2. Drizzle with honey, sprinkle with cinnamon
3. Place on grill, grilling about 2 to 3 minutes each side.
4. Get your massive servings as soon as you can, before other people get their hands on it!