Happy Birthday Adam!!!

Oh my!... my man turned the big 3-0 on Wednesday!!! 

In honor of him I thought it might be time to post a recipe. It really has been a while since I posted one! I know I've been a horrible blogger since Landon was born and I haven't updated nearly enough!!! I can only do so much one-handed typing though (he's asleep in my arms right now!) But anyway, one of Adam's favorite restaurants is the Outback Steakhouse however since we are broke (whats new?) and I remembered we had this gem collecting dust under our counter, I thought I'd give it a go!!! :)

Great American Steakhouse Onion Machine

Now, I have to say, we've tried this thing before... it sucked. We could never get the coatings in the instruction book to work and it always turned out like crap. However this time... it turned out AWESOME!!! 

If you don't have access to the onion machine (I imagine not since I could only find it for sale anymore on ebay?!) Here's instructions from Allrecipes.com to hand slice it:

***To slice onion: slice 1 inch off of the top and bottom of the onion and remove the papery skin. Use a thin knife to cut a 1 inch diameter core out of the middle of the onion. Now use a very sharp, large knife to slice the onion several times down the center to create 'petals': First slice through the center of the onion to about three-fourths of the way down. Turn the onion 90 degrees and slice it again in an X across the first slice. Keep slicing the sections in half, very carefully until the onion has been cut 16 times. Do not cut down to the bottom of the onion. (The last 8 slices will be difficult, be careful).*** 

Ok so... once you have your onion sliced you need to soak it in ice water root side up for 1 hour. I guess this helps separate the petals and makes them nice and full which helps to coat the onion better. 

While its soaking you can prepare the dry mixture which all we did was just take a bunch of flour along with random spices (Johnnys, pizza seasoning, garlic powder, onion salt, paprika, ground mustard...etc... whatever you have on hand that sounds good). Throw it all in a bag large enough to fit your onion.

The wet coating you'll need is Tempura. Mix it according to the package instructions (I did notice this works best if you leave it a little thick... so use a little less water than instructed). 

After an hour, remove your onion from the ice water and shake dry. Coat with your tempura mixture making sure to get down in between all the petals. Move onion to your bag of dry coatings (this got messy for us!) And shake it... shake it baby shake it!!! :) Remove onion and place it on a plate. Again separate the petals and make sure that the dry coating got down into all the crevices! 

I forgot to mention you need a pretty good size deep fryer (or I guess a large pot would work too but have fun with that?!). We heated oil to about 375 degrees and cooked our onion till she was golden brown!!! 

Look at this beauty... oh it was good!!!

OH! I almost forgot... the sauce! I found a few different variations of the ingredients online for this. I have to be honest, we kind of make-shifted?! Here's the ingredients we used, however, the measurements are questionable so I'm not including them :)

• Mayo
• Ketchup
• Chili Sauce
• Cheyenne pepper

One last recipe that I attempted was the Outback Steakhouse Bread... it didn't turn out :( BUT - I have to admit that I was in a hurry cause Landon was starting to get fussy. You just can't rush making bread!!! Adam ate a lot of it anyway so maybe it wasn't THAT bad but it was not picture worthy! I'm going to try it again when I have more time :) If it comes out better I'll post it.

Alright folks that's all for now... my arm is asleep from holding Landon this whole time and I need to shower! CHEERS!!!

Olive Garden Chicken Castellina

I don't know why I don't make this more often... oh wait... probably because it's REALLY super gooey and yummy and I'm sure it can't be healthy. But man, is it OH.SO.GOOD! It's also no longer on the Olive Garden menu - they won't even make it special order... boo. So I googled and found that while they don't offer it anymore, they do give the recipe right on their website!!! I've had the recipe for some time now just in case it falls off their website... here's their credit...

So my sister was in town this weekend and while she HATES mushrooms, I decided we'd make it anyway - she picked them out :)

While it I thought it would do NOTHING for my blood sugar numbers, suprisingly, we made this along with a huge salad and some garlic bread (which I only had 1 small piece of) and my numbers turned out fine... so I had leftovers for lunch the next day :)

We ate it so fast that I didn't have time to take a picture... oops! Next time :) Enjoy!

Ingredients
Chicken Ingredients:
1/4 tsp Salt
1 oz Cornstarch
--
2 oz Sun-dried tomatoes, diced
1 Tbsp Fresh rosemary, chopped
3 oz Butter, cubed
1/2 tsp Salt
2 oz Grated Parmesan
12 oz Milk
1 1/2 lb(s) Cooked pasta
--
8 1/2 oz Can sliced artichokes, drained
2 oz White wine
Fresh parsley, chopped
12 oz Heavy cream
1 1/2 lb(s) Skinless boneless chicken breasts, cut in 1 to 1-1/2-inch pieces
2 oz Pancetta (or bacon), diced
1/4 tsp Pepper
3 oz Mushrooms, sliced
6 oz Flour
1/4 tsp Pepper
--
Sauce Ingredients:
3 oz Smoked Gouda, chopped
1 1/2 oz Olive oil
1 tsp Garlic, chopped

Procedures
Sauce Preparation
- In a 3-qt sauce pan or large pot, sauté pancetta (or bacon) over medium/high heat until crisp and golden (not dark)
- Lower heat, add butter and melt
- Add garlic and sun-dried tomatoes
- Sauté for approximately one minute stirring frequently (do not brown)
- Whisk in cream, milk and cornstarch. Raise heat to medium/high
- Whisk in Parmesan and Gouda
- Once cheese melts, add remaining ingredients and bring to a boil stirring continuously
- Remove from heat and let stand uncovered


Chicken Preparation
- Mix flour with salt and pepper
- Coat chicken in seasoned flour, shake off excess flour
- Heat olive oil in large sauté pan
- Add chicken in a single layer and cook until golden brown on both sides (it should take approximately seven minutes). Using a meat thermometer, make sure the internal temperature of the thickest piece of chicken reaches 165 degrees
- Begin pasta in a separate pot according to package directions
- Add wine to chicken in pan (caution: there will be a low flame in pan). Toss gently until wine is evaporated
- Once reduced, add sauce and bring to a boil on medium/high heat
- Place 6 oz of cooked pasta on each plate
- Evenly distribute chicken and sauce over pasta
- Garnish with chopped parsley

Baked Potato Soup

THANKS PEPPER!!! :) Tonight's dinner was fabulous!

Adam went out hunting all day so I made this while he was gone. He also added rotisserie pheasant and hungarian partridge to the menu but I decided to pass on that one.

Baked Potato Soup
* 12 slices bacon
* 2/3 cup margarine
* 2/3 cup all-purpose flour
* 7 cups milk
* 4 large baked potatoes, peeled and cubed
* 4 green onions, chopped
* 1 1/4 cups shredded Cheddar cheese
* 1 cup sour cream
* 1 teaspoon salt
* 1 teaspoon ground black pepper
* 1 teaspoon chili powder


DIRECTIONS
1. Place bacon in a large, deep skillet. Cook over medium heat until browned. Drain, crumble, and set aside.
2. In a stock pot or Dutch oven, melt the margarine over medium heat. Whisk in flour until smooth. Gradually stir in milk, whisking constantly until thickened. Stir in potatoes and onions. Bring to a boil, stirring frequently.
**At this point I put everything in my crock pot until Adam got home.
3. Reduce heat, and simmer 10 minutes. Mix in bacon, cheese, sour cream, salt, chili powder, and pepper. Continue cooking, stirring frequently, until cheese is melted.
**I omitted the sour cream because Adam doesn't like it, but added a dollop to the top of mine when I served them. Still oh so good!

YUM-O!!!! :)

Dirt Cupcakes!

Happy October everyone!
So we're having a potluck tomorrow at work and I got a little creative tonight. I decided to try some dirt cupcakes! haha - here ya go!
I have yet to try them but I'm sure they are nice and yummy :-) ENJOY!

• 1 pkg. (18 1/4oz) chocolate cake mix
• 1 can (16oz) chocolate frosting
• 20 cream filled chocolate sandwich cookies, crushed
• 24 gummy worms or other gummy bugs
  

1. Prepare and bake cake batter according to package directions for cupcakes. Cool completely.
2. Set aside 1 Tbsp frosting. Frost cupcakes with remaining frosting; dip each into crushed cookies.
3. Place a dab of the reserved frosting on the bottom of each worm or bug; place on each cupcake.

Recipe courtesy of: Taste of Home - Simple & Delicious, Sept/Oct 2009

White Chicken Chili

Oh fall - we meet again! And how I LOVE you! While the weather turned cold about a week ago, today marked MY first official day of fall.

Back in college the one thing I always remember about the first few weeks of school is walking from my apartment up to the EWU campus through the swarms of little white nat-like bugs. SICK! Today as I was leaving my office for lunch and walking to my car, there they were... it's officially fall. And so was the inspiration for my dinner!

No, not the bugs... but my favorite fall food! Chili - not just any chili:

White Chicken Chili

- 16oz can of white kidney beans - 2 medium onions, chopped - 1 stick butter - 1/4 cup flour - 3/4 cup chicken broth - 2 cups 1/2 & 1/2 - 1 tsp tabasco - 1 1/2 tsp chili powder - 1 tsp cumin - 1/2 tsp salt - 1/2 tsp pepper - 1 4oz can green chilis - 1 4oz can jalapenos (optional for more spice) - 1 lb chicken breast - 1 1/2 cup montery jack cheese - 1/2 cup sour cream

Boil chicken in large pot 15-20 min. Remove, let cool and shred with fingers or between two forks. Saute onion and butter, whisk in flour. Slowly add broth and 1/2 & 1/2. Bring to slow boil, stir in tabasco, chili powder, cumin, salt and pepper. Add shredded chicken, chilis, beans, cheese and jalapenos if desired. Cook over moderately low heat for 20 minutes. Add sour cream. Serve immediately, freeze or keep warm in a crock.

YUM-O! I wish I could remember where I originally got this recipe so I could give them credit but it's been in my recipe book for some time! The usual cornbread staple didn't sound the greatest with this kind of chili so I just made some quick garlic bread for dipping! Enjoy!!!!

My 1st Apple Pie!

Wow - I've been a really bad blogger. But anyway, I had a craving the other day... Apple Pie! It worked out nicely that a very nice financial center in Yakima sent my office a whole box of Gala apples! I stole a small bag of them so all I had to buy was the pre-made crust. It was SO easy! So here ya go, I went right at it and here's how it turned out!

YUM-O!!!!!


INGREDIENTS:
7 tart apples, peeled and cored
1 cup white sugar
1 1/2 teaspoons ground cinnamon, or to taste
2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
1/2 teaspoon ground nutmeg
2 recipes unbaked pie shells
1 tablespoon butter



Don't worry - that's non-alcoholic wine :-)

DIRECTIONS:

1. Preheat oven to 400 degrees F (200 degrees C).
2. Cut the apples into 1/4 inch slices.
3. In a mixing bowl, combine sugar, cinnamon, flour, and nutmeg; mix thoroughly. Pour the spice mix over the apples and stir until the apples are coated.
4. Line one crust in a 9 inch deep dish pie pan. Place the apples in the pie crust. Dot the apple filling evenly with butter. Fit the top crust over the apples. Press the crust down gently and cut 3 or 4 slits in the top crust to allow steam to escape while the pie bakes. (I obviously cut my top crust into strips, cross crossed it over the top of my pie and sealed the edges)
5. Bake in the preheated oven 50 minutes, or until the crust is golden brown. Check the pie after the first 30 minutes of cooking: if the crust is already browned reduce the heat to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C) to allow the apples to cook without the crust burning.

That's it! Turned out SOOOO good! Enjoy!

The gloves are off... wait, I mean on!

As promised, when we find a good recipe and we have success making it I'll post it! Since hubby has quite the green thumb (and knows I love spicy food) he grew 4 jalapeno plants this summer so we are OVERWHELMED with jalapenos! We've been looking for different recipes and stumbled upon this one tonight. We made our own alterations and the recipe is as follows:

Fried Jalapeno Poppers

• 1 pound of jalapeno peppers
• 1 package of cream cheese, softened
• 1 tsp cumin
  
• 2 slices of bacon, fried crisp & chopped fine
• 1 package beer batter mix
• 1/2 cup beer (or measurements according to beer batter mix)
  
• 2 cups of plain dry bread crumbs
• Canola oil for deep frying

Put on a medium sized pot of water to boil.

Put on a pair of kitchen gloves before you even think about starting! You will not regret this decision, because no matter how much you scrub your hands afterward, I guarantee they will retain the sting from these peppers! No gloves and you'll know what I mean the first time you touch your nose or rub your eye!

Meanwhile, slice the jalapenos in half lengthwise, removing all of the seeds and cutting out the ribs. Rinse. When water begins to boil, add the jalapenos, return to a boil, stir and boil for two minutes. Drain, fill pot with fresh cold water to cease the cooking process. Remove the peppers and allow to dry thoroughly.

Using a fork, whip together the cream cheese, cumin and bacon until well blended. Using a small spoon, fill the large end of the pepper with a rounded spoonful of the cream cheese mixture, and spread out to the narrow end, pressing into the pepper. Set aside on the prepared pan and continue until all of the peppers have been stuffed.

Prepare beer batter mix according to package directions in small bowl to cover the pepper when you dip it in, and dump the bread crumbs into another bowl. Using one hand for the wet and one hand for the dry, dip the stuffed peppers into the beer batter mix and then using the other hand, dredge the pepper in the bread crumbs and roll so that the entire pepper is well coated. Set on the baking sheet until you have dredged all of the peppers.

Preheat the deep fryer to 375 degrees.

Place the peppers into the fry basket with the stuffed side up and fry for 2 - 2 1/2 minutes, or until golden brown. Serve immediately.

YUM-O!!!!!