My Two Chance Rule When Dining Out

I have held almost every job in a restaurant! Hostess, waitress, bartender, floor manager, prep cook, line cook, caterer, brunch chef, pastry chef, expo line & of course, the dreaded dish washer!!

Because of these jobs, I have a very good understanding about both the FOH (front of the house) and BOH (back of the house). This, sometimes becomes my curse! When I go out to eat I notice EVERYTHING!! As much as I try not to judge so harshly, my personal list of Do's & Dont's overtakes my mind!! Ahhhhhh!!

I have a two chance rule. If I have 2 bad experiences at an establishment I won't go back for a third. It is not always about the food, if its good or bad. Its about the overall experience. From being greeted at the door & how long it takes a serve to come to our table. Ticket times for drinks, apps, & entree's. Cleanliness, staff attitude, menu layout/options, prices, lighting, table set up....everything. Im sorry, I just can't help it!!! I hate to come off as some kind of snob, but I guess if I have to be a snob about something....it will be about my food and where I dine at.

Is this an issue for anyone else or am I just insane?!!??

Fall Jambalaya

I was watching an episode of The Barefoot Contessa where she was making a big batch of spicy Jambalaya! 

Jambalaya is a Creole dish that was inspired by the Spanish dish Paella. Its a hearty rice dish that is filled with peppers, onions, spices, sausage, shrimp & sometimes chicken. 

I thought that it was be fun to do a version of this but with all the flavors of Fall!!

There are a lot of components to this dish, and it takes some extra time but it is definitely worth it!

What You Will Need: 1/2 Red Bell Pepper, 2 Small Carrots, 1 1/2 Sticks Celery, 1 Small Onion or 1/2 of a Large Onion, 1/2 Sweet Potato, 3 Cloves of Garlic, 6 Slices of Thick Cut Bacon, 12 oz. Smoked Sausage, Butter, 2 T. Brown Sugar, 1 Large Green Apple (peeled), Sage, Parsley, Scallions, Zest of half an Orange, Rice, Chicken Stock, Salt & Pepper.

Start off by rendering the bacon.

Slice the smoked sausage to your desired thickness.

Once the bacon is crispy, remove and set aside.

Throw the sausage right into the rendered bacon fat.

When the sausage has a nice brown color, remove them and place on top of the reserved bacon.

If the sausage and bacon didn't render out enough fat, throw in a pat of butter...1 T. Add the sweet potato and allow to cook for 3 minutes.

Add 2 T. Brown Sugar. Cook another couple of minutes.

Carrots and Celery go in next.

Followed by the Onion.

Bring on the Red Bell Pepper!!

Throw in the Garlic.

Salt/Pepper and cook for 5 minutes.

Add in the Peeled, Chopped Green Apple.

Sprinkle in a teaspoon of Sage & if you want, some Cayenne pepper for some heat...1/4 t.

1 c. of Rice. (I used a long grain rice but the next time I make this, I will use a quick cooking rice so it doesn't take so long!!)

A handful of chopped parsley & scallions.

Then the zest of half an orange.

Bring back the Meat! Toss the sausage & bacon back into the pot.

32 oz. of low sodium Chicken stock. Bring to a simmer, cover and cook till the rice is tender. It took about an hour..which is why I wished I would have used quick cooking rice. Ah, lesson learned.

Serve it pipping hot right out of the pot!! 

I love topping dishes with a handful of fresh greens!! I had a mix of baby spinach and arugula that I put on top of my portion....my husband opted out.

Hearty, Sweet & Savory!! This Fall Jambalaya quickly became our new seasonal favorite!!

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Enjoy & Always Cook with Love!

PUMPKIN SEEDS!!!!

Halloween is Here!! Costumes, Candy, Jack'O Lanterns & of course Pumpkin Seeds! 

I love salty, toasted pumpkins seeds! They are super easy to make..they just take a little extra time.

Here's How...

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Place all your seeds in a strainer.

Give them a good wash...pulling out any chucks of pumpkin flesh.

Place them in a large sauce pan or pot & fill with water.

Allow them to boil for 15 minutes.

Strain & give them another quick rinse.

Arrange on a baking sheet. Sprinkle with salt and add a couple pats of butter (4T.)

Place in a 350 degree oven for 1 hour. Toss the seeds every 15 mins or so. Once they start to get brown...taste a couple. Add more butter or salt to your liking & continue baking till they are crispy, toasted & delicious!!

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Happy Halloween & Always Cook with Love!

Leftovers: Part 1

Who doesn't LOVE leftovers?!?!?!

There are certain leftovers that definitely taste better the following day. Lasagna, Chili/Soup, Spaghetti, etc.

Then there are leftovers that I like to transform....add a little of this, a dash of that and make something different. Here is a simple leftover makeover! 

There is a little diner near me that has good home cooked food, reasonable prices and seriously huge portions. This is what I took home from my entree.....Chicken, Mashed Potatoes/Gravy, and mixed veggies

Lets turn this into a quick Chicken Shepherds Pie!!!

Take the skin off the chicken & dice into chucks.

Mix the Chicken and Veggies together.

I add a handful of frozen corn..feel free to add any extra veggies you want!

Place the mixture into Microwave/Oven Safe dishes.

Top with the Mashed Potatoes.

Smooth out the top. {::These can be made ahead of time and placed in the fridge till your ready to bake::}

When your ready...preheat your Broiler to high. 

Make an egg wash = 1 egg and a splash of water....whisk.

Grab the Parmesan Cheese

Brush the top with the egg wash.

Sprinkle on the Parm, Salt & Pepper.

Place them on a baking sheet and pop them under the broiler.

It should take about 15-20 minutes of the top to get golden brown. Once the top is brown, shut off the broiler and allow them to sit in the oven another 5-10 minutes..just to make sure they are heated through.

And there you go. Leftovers turned into a warm and cozy dish. Server with a nice salad & enjoy!

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Here is another quick example: I had some {not so good} pasta but didn't want to just waste it. I added some spinach, tomatoes, & red peppers....gave the sauce a little more substance & it became a whole new dish!

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Have Fun with Your Leftovers & Always Cook with Love! 

Sunday Funday!!

Sunday's are a day for kicking back and relaxing...especially once football season starts!!

My husband and I love laying around, watching the games and spending a lazy day together.

I also love Sundays because as I say..'its my day that I don't cook', even tho I still do, but it really doesn't feel like it to me.

I usually do my grocery shopping at the beginning of the week, so come Sunday, the fridge starts to get pretty bare. This is where the creative fun comes in!!!

From what is left in the fridge and things I have in my pantry, I pull together a couple snack trays around noon & it lasts us all day and usually, becomes dinner Monday night as well. 

Each Sunday, the trays are a little different...depending on what is left over in the fridge. 

Here are a couple examples of our Sunday Funday Trays!

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Veggies, Dip, Cheese/Crackers, Olives & Nuts.

Crostini's (toasted slices of bread), Salami, Pickles & Roasted Pepper Jam.

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Veggies, Dip, Cheese/Crackers.

Crostini's with Pepperoni & Sharp Cheese, Chicken Salad & Deviled Eggs.

Egg Rolls (which I make in big batches and freeze so they just need to be reheated), Homemade Taquitos and Dipping Sauces for both.

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Veggies, Dip & Stuffed Mushrooms.

Pull Apart Pizza Bread with Marinara Sauce.

Mexican Bean Dip with Tortilla Chips.

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There are a million items you can use for this & a ton of them that you can get pre-made or pre-cut right from your local grocery store.

This is also a great idea the next time you want to celebrate something with a special someone. Instead of spending the money to go out, or stressing about making a fancy entree...make a couple of trays (using some of his or her favorite items), pop a bottle of Champagne, lit a couple candles on the table & enjoy a nice, relaxing evening! 

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I love how simple & fun these can be! The Sky is the limit when your creating in the kitchen!! 

Try some of these ideas out for your next Sunday Funday!! 

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Enjoy & Always Cook with LOVE! 

Roasted Butternut Squash Mac-n-Cheese!!!!

Lets put a Fall twist on one of the all time classics...Mac-n-Cheese!!

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Apologies for not doing a post about roasting & pureeing butternut squash. Peel and cut the squash into cubes. Drizzle with olive oil, sprinkle with salt and pepper. Roast in a 400 oven till the squash is tender. Cool and puree the squash in a blender.

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What You Will Need: One Pureed Butternut Squash, Garlic, Butter, Heavy Cream, Milk, Flour, Pasta Noodles, Parsley, Fresh Basil & Cheese of your Choice...I used Mozzarella. 

First off, we will start by making a roux which is equal parts melted butter and flour. Melt 2 T. butter. Add 2 cloves of minced garlic & if desired, some red pepper flakes for a little heat.

Sprinkle in 2 T. Flour

Whisk, Whisk, Whisk! Make sure you don't leave any raw flour.

Add your heavy cream (16. oz)

Whisk away again. You don't want any clumps of flour in your sauce! Wait till it comes to a boil and check the thickness. You want a nice, creamy consistency, if its too thick...add some milk, bring back to a boil and check again.

When your pasta water is boiling, season with salt and dump in the noodles. Cook till al dente (which means 'firm to the bite')

To check your sauce, dip a spoon in and see if the sauce runs right off or coats the spoon.

Add in 2 T. each of chopped parsley and basil

Salt, Pepper and check for taste. At this point, you can turn off the heat

Add in your pureed Butternut Squash. Whisk till it is combined

The Squash is going to make the sauce a lot thicker...but don't worry, I have a trick!

Before you drain out the pasta, reserve a big mug (2 c.) of the starchy cooking liquid

Drain the pasta, place back in the pot & add your squash mixture

Mix and add the extra liquid to desired consistency. You will want it more on the runny side because the pasta will still absorb some of the liquid while baking.

Transfer to an oven safe dish

Top with the Cheese!!!!

Bake till all the cheese is melted. Garnish with some chopped parsley or basil

This Mac-n-Cheese was great with my Turkey Meatballs and Roasted Spaghetti Squash!

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Enjoy & Always Cook with Love!