Hot Chocolate on a Stick

Today was Polar Express Day at work- one of my favorite days of the school year.  After a morning full of reading, writing, and 'rithmetic, my students and I spent the afternoon watching Polar Express while sipping hot cocoa in our jammies.

It was also the afternoon of my teaching team's annual Christmas gift exchange.  I was planning to make homemade hot chocolate mixes for them, but I saw these little guys on Dainty Chef over the weekend and just couldn't resist the adorable presentation.  If you are in need of any last-minute homemade gift ideas, look no further.  They were quick to whip up and taste delicious.  (I kept one for myself, of course!)

Be sure to visit the Make and Takes link to find printable directions for your lucky hot chocolate recipients.

From Make and Takes, originally from King Arthur Flour, via Dainty Chef
Yields 36 squares

* For gluten-free recipients, use Eagle brand sweetened condensed milk and Kraft marshmallows.

INGREDIENTS
1/2 cup heavy cream
One 14-oz can sweetened condensed milk
3 cups semisweet chocolate
One 4-oz bar unsweetened chocolate (broken or chopped into smaller pieces)

For assembly:
Marshmallows
Wooden or cookie/lollipop sticks
Cellophane bags
Pretty ribbon

DIRECTIONS
1.  Prepare an 8x8 pan by lining it with parchment paper. Set aside. Heat the cream and sweetened condensed milk over medium-low heat until it starts steaming, stirring frequently. Remove from heat and add chocolate. Stir and let sit for 10 minutes. After ten minutes, put the chocolate mixture back on medium-low heat and stir with a whisk until chocolate is completely melted and shiny. Pour chocolate into prepared pan and spread chocolate as level as you possibly can. Let sit overnight (12 hours or so).

2.  Remove chocolate from pan and cut, top side face down, into squares. Divide the block into sixths each direction, so your squares will be a bit larger than 1″ x 1″. Use a long, thin knife. Heat the knife under hot water, wipe dry with a towel or paper towel, make a few cuts, then repeat the knife-heating procedure.

When ready to use, stir into 3/4 cup of piping hot milk until melted and well-combined.

Baked Oatmeal- Healthy and Delicious!

Awhile back, I told you guys that I was really not a breakfast food person.  I'd like to go ahead and take that back now.

A couple of years ago, my parents built a vacation cabin out in the country.  Its kitchen has over four times as many cabinets and drawers as mine.  Nope, I'm not bitter at all!  Aside from being a wonderful place to slow down and relax for a few days, the cabin is synonymous with a good old fashioned spoiling.  While we're there, I wake up most mornings to the smell of a delicious breakfast on the stove or in the oven.  On our last trip, my mom cooked up this tasty baked oatmeal and I recreated it at home this morning.  I love everything about this dish from the bursting-with-flavor blueberries to the crunchy pecans.  I'm looking forward to having leftovers for breakfast tomorrow. 

Adapted from Super Natural Every Day, via Annie's Eats



* For gluten-free diners, use 100% pure maple syrup and vanilla extract along with gluten-free oats, such as those from Bob's Red Mill.

INGREDIENTS

1 cup old fashioned rolled oats
¼ cup chopped walnuts or pecans, lightly toasted, divided
½ tsp. baking powder
¾ tsp. ground cinnamon
Pinch of salt
¼ cup maple syrup
1 cup milk
1 large egg, lightly beaten
2 tbsp. unsalted butter, melted and cooled slightly
1 tsp. vanilla extract

1-2 ripe bananas, peeled and thinly sliced
1 cup fresh blueberries, divided

DIRECTIONS

1.  Preheat the oven to 375˚ F.  Lightly grease a 2-quart baking dish.  

2.  In a medium bowl, combine the rolled oats, half of the nuts, baking powder, cinnamon and salt.  Stir with a fork to combine.  In a liquid measuring cup, combine the maple syrup, milk, egg, butter, and vanilla.  

3.  Spread the sliced bananas in a single layer over the bottom of the baking dish.  Top with half of the berries.  Sprinkle the dry oat mixture over the fruit in an even layer.  Pour the liquid ingredients evenly over the oats.  Sprinkle the remaining nuts and berries over the top.  

4.  Bake for 35-40 minutes, until the top is browned and the oats have set.  Let cool 10 minutes before serving.

Three-Ingredient Grape Sherbet

Okay, so I'm about as attention-deficit (deficient?) as they come.  When I was a kid, I'd go to my room to make up my bed, but then I'd notice my closet door was open.  So I'd walk over to close it and spot that Bop-it I hadn't played in a couple of months.  By the time I got through playing a few rounds of that, I'd set it down only to glimpse the sleeve of my missing favorite t-shirt hiding behind a pile of yearbooks.  So I'd try it on and prance my preteen self in front of the mirror before sprawling out on the floor to flip through the yearbooks.  But then I'd stumble across a picture of dear friend Betty-Sue ("Wonder how she's doing these days?") and go BACK to the closet for stationery and my gel pen set.

By the end of my bed-making expedition, I'd walk out of my room wearing different clothes with a sealed envelope in hand, the contents of my closet scattered hither and yonder, and my bed as unmade as the day it was purchased.

True story.  My mother can attest to this.  (Mom?  You out there?)

So that should explain, at least in part, how I went to Kohls.com to buy a bathrobe last weekend and wound up on a Google results page for "Why in the world have I never seen grape ice cream?"  (As it turns out, the majority of the grape flavor is contained within the skin, which does not good ice cream make.  Thanks, Google.)

Anyway, I came across this recipe for grape sherbet and had to try it right away.  This stuff was a dream come true, let me tell you.  I used a tart not-from-concentrate grape juice that shined in the final product.  It had light and fluffy texture, which surprised me given the short ingredient list.  This is a must-try if you're a sucker for grapes like me.  :-)


Adapted from Taste of Home 

 * For gluten-free diners, use 100% grape juice or Welch's juice.

INGREDIENTS
1 3/4 cups grape juice (preferably the fancy-pants no-sugar-added kind)
1 3/4 cups half-and-half
1/2 cup sugar

DIRECTIONS
1.  Combine all ingredients.  Pour into the cylinder of ice cream maker and freeze according to manufacturer directions.  For soft-set sherbet, serve immediately.  For firmer sherbet, transfer to a container and freeze for at least four hours.

Brigadeiro

I happened upon these tiny Brazilian treats sometime last week and filed the recipe away in my "to make in the future" folder.  Well, "the future" happened to be yesterday.  (Read:  Making dessert is a lot more fun than writing papers.)

I've gotta tell you, these little dudes are delicious.  They're basically bite-sized chocolate caramels, with bonus points for being coated in sprinkles.  (YES, I'm 26 and still go goofy over anything with sprinkles!)  You'll know the condensed milk mixture is ready to come off the heat when it thickens up.  You'll be able to see the bottom of the pan briefly as you stir and scrape the bottom.  It took mine right at ten minutes to reach that point. 

Oh, and save yourself the headache and grease your hands when it's time to roll these into balls.  You won't regret it.  I tried to be lazy at first and ended up with gooey choco-Frankenhands.

* For gluten-free diners, use Eagle brand sweetened condensed milk and gluten-free sprinkles.  According to the GF Foodlist, Guittard semi-sweet chocolate sprinkles, Betty Crocker candy sprinkles, and Betty Crocker Decor Selects sprinkles are all gluten-free.

Adapted from Allrecipes
Makes approximately 20 brigadeiros

INGREDIENTS
3 tbsp unsweetened cocoa
1 tbsp butter
1 tsp white sugar
1 14 oz can sweetened condensed milk
Sprinkles

DIRECTIONS
1.  In a medium saucepan over medium heat, combine all ingredients. Cook, stirring, until thickened, about 10 minutes. Remove from heat and allow mixture to return to room temperature. (You may also refrigerate the mixture for ease of handling.)

2.  Grease your hands with butter or cooking spray to prevent sticking.  Form mixture into small balls and rolled in sprinkles to coat.  Truffles may be eaten at once or chilled until serving.

Black Bean Salad

This black bean salad, aka "Texas Caviar" is great on tortilla chips or on its own as a quick and easy side dish.  Be sure to rinse the beans well if you want to keep it looking pretty.

 From Allrecipes

* For gluten-free diners, double check your cans of black beans and corn for gluten sources.   Trader Joe's and Amy's black beans are gluten-free for sure, as are Del Monte cans of whole-kernel corn.  For the dressing, you can opt to make your own vinaigrette or purchase a bottle of gluten-free dressing.  Annie's Naturals, Ken's Steakhouse, Newman's Own, and Wishbone all make gluten-free Italian dressings.

INGREDIENTS

1 (15 ounce) can black beans, rinsed and drained

2 (15 ounce) cans whole kernel corn, drained

8 green onions, chopped

2 jalapeño peppers, seeded and minced

1 green bell pepper, chopped

1 avocado - peeled, pitted, and diced

3 tomatoes, seeded and chopped

1 cup chopped fresh cilantro

1 lime, juiced

1/2 cup Italian salad dressing (more or less to suit your tastes)

1/2 teaspoon garlic powder

DIRECTIONS
1. In a large bowl, combine the black beans, corn, green onions, jalapeno peppers, bell pepper, avocado, tomatoes, cilantro, lime juice, and Italian dressing. Season with garlic powder. Toss, and chill until serving.

Creamy Jalapeno Ranch

 
This year, we've been blessed with an overabundance of jalapenos from our potted plants.  (Read:  This year, I've remembered to water said jalapeno plants on a semi-regular basis.)

I recently harvested more jalapenos than I knew what to do with, so I consulted the Oracle Google.  This spicy ranch dressing was among the first results to pop up, and it was definitely love at first bite.  We ate salads everyday for a week while this was in the fridge.

True story.

From Confections of a Foodie Bride
Serves 12-16

* Gluten-free diners should double-check the sour cream and mayonnaise labels for gluten sources.  My favorite sour cream, Daisy brand, is gluten-free.  Hellman's and Kraft produce gluten-free mayonnaise.

INGREDIENTS
3/4 cup sour cream
3/4 cup mayo
Juice of 1/2 lime
1 small bunch of chives (equal to ~2 Tbsp chopped)
Small handful cilantro
1-2 jalapenos, seeds and stem removed
1/4 to 1/2 tsp salt
1/4 tsp fresh ground black pepper
1 clove garlic
1/4 to 1/2 cup buttermilk (optional)

DIRECTIONS
1.  Place all ingredients in a blender.
2.  Blend for 10 seconds. Check consistency and blend in buttermilk if desired. (Use less buttermilk for dipping, more for dressing).
3.  Store in an air-tight jar in the fridge.

Roasted Okra

I get a little "Bubba Gump" when I talk about my okra- fried okra, boiled okra, stewed okra, okra gumbo, I love it it all!  Until today, though, I was lacking one glorious method of preparation in my repertoire- roasted okra!  I don't know why I'd never thought to roast it before.  Roasting veggies almost always results in awesomeness, and this was no different.  The roasted okra had less of the "slimy mouthfeel" that my husband loves so much.  (Not!)

Adapted from Allrecipes
Serves 3

* Gluten-free diners should double-check the seasoned salt label for gluten sources.

INGREDIENTS
18 fresh okra pods, stems removed
1 tbsp olive oil
Seasoned salt to taste

DIRECTIONS
1.  Preheat oven to 425.

2.  Place okra and olive oil in a gallon-sized Ziploc and shake to coat.  Place okra on a nonstick baking sheet in a single layer.  Place in preheated oven and roast until tender, about 10-15 minutes.

Mexican Sour Cream Rice

 Authentic?  Not a chance.  Delicious?  Ohhh yeah!

This is the wonderful rice dish I promised you a couple of weeks ago, and believe me when I say it's worth the wait!  This rice concoction was creamy and spicy- the perfect complement to salsa chicken.  I'm usually not a leftovers type of girl, but I took it to work for lunch three days in a row!

Adapted from Allrecipes

* Gluten-free diners should check their chicken broth for sources of gluten.  This website has a list of gluten-free broths.  In addition, diners should check the sour cream and corn labels for sources of gluten.  Daisy produces gluten-free sour cream and Del Monte's whole kernel corn is gluten-free as well.

INGREDIENTS
1 cup uncooked long grain white rice
1 (14 ounce) can chicken broth
1 cup reduced fat sour cream
2 jalapenos, finely diced
1 cup shredded Monterey Jack cheese, divided
1 (8.75 ounce) can whole kernel corn, drained
1/4 cup finely chopped fresh cilantro
salt and ground black pepper to taste
1 green onion, sliced

DIRECTIONS 
1.  In a large pot, bring the rice and chicken broth to a boil. Reduce heat to low, cover, and simmer 20 minutes. 

2.  Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). Lightly grease a 1-1/2 quart casserole dish. 

3.  In the pot with the cooked rice, mix the sour cream, jalapenos, 1/2 cup Monterey Jack cheese, corn, and cilantro. Season with salt and pepper. Transfer to the prepared casserole dish, and top with remaining cheese. 

4.  Bake uncovered 30 minutes in the preheated oven, until cheese is bubbly and lightly browned.  Top with green onion slices and serve.

Crockpot Salsa Chicken

This dish is so easy that I'm hesitant to call it a recipe at all.  I like to make a big batch of salsa chicken and freeze it in portions to use in other recipes- tacos, enchiladas, tostadas, you name it. If you decide to give it a go, do pick a spicy salsa because the level of heat will decrease with the long cook time.

Oh, and that rice concoction sitting beside it?  Heaven. 

Looking for a quick and easy crockpot taco recipe but tired of chicken?  Check out my crockpot carnitas!

As seen on Trainer Momma 

* Gluten-free diners should double-check their salsa for sources of gluten.

INGREDIENTS
6-8 boneless, skinless chicken breasts
16 oz of your favorite salsa

DIRECTIONS
Combine in a slow cooker and cook on low for 6-8 hours.  (I put it on to cook before I left for work today, so mine cooked for about 10 hours and it was fine.)

Skillet Chicken with Peppers and Peanuts

This was a throw-together meal that turned out so tasty I cooked it again the following week.  The marinade gives the dish a nice Asian-inspired flavor.  The first time I made it, I marinated the chicken for a full 24 hours and thought the meat tasted a little too salty.  If you're going to marinate it for that long, I'd recommend using low-sodium soy sauce.

This would make a great after-work dish because the bulk of the cook time is hands-off.

From How Sweet It Is
Serves 3

*  Gluten-free diners should ensure that their soy sauce is gluten-free.  Kikkoman now produces a gluten-free soy sauce that is clearly labeled.  Additionally, double-check your peanuts for gluten sources.  Diamond Nuts brand peanuts are gluten-free.  You may opt to substitute plain peanuts for the dry roasted ones.

INGREDIENTS
3 boneless, skinless chicken breasts (I used large ones)
1 each: red, green, yellow pepper, sliced into thin rings
2 tablespoons olive oil
1/3 cup dry roasted peanuts, coarsely chopped

For the marinade:
1/3 cup soy sauce
2 tablespoons olive oil
1/4 cup sherry wine (I just used a couple tbsp of vermouth)
1-2 tablespoons brown sugar
3 garlic cloves, minced

DIRECTIONS
2-24 hours beforehand, combined marinade ingredients in a baking dish. Add chicken to the marinade and let marinate for 2-24 hours, turning occasionally to coat.

1.  Preheat oven to 400 degrees F.

2.  Heat an oven-safe skillet over medium heat.  Add 2 tablespoons olive oil to skillet and add pepper slices with a pinch of salt. Stir and cook for 5 minutes. Remove peppers to a plate and turn heat up to medium high. Add chicken breasts and sear on each side until well browned, about 5 minutes. After the second side has seared, top the chicken with the pepper slices and add the entire skillet to the oven uncovered.

3.  Bake for 25 minutes. Remove from oven and top with peanuts. Let sit for 5 minutes before serving.  Serve over rice.

Rice Pudding

My Mom will tell you, I've always been a pretty adventurous eater.  As a kid, I'd eat pretty much anything as long as it didn't involve:

A)  Sweet pickles
B)  Olives
or C)  School cafeteria pig-in-the-blanket (Sausage should *NOT* be slimy.  Blech.)

But rice pudding was one of those things that never sounded appealing to me.  Rice + pudding just didn't seem to jive.  I ordered it for the first time a couple years ago at a local South American restaurant.  (They were out of my beloved coconut sorbet, and I don't do cappuccino.)  One very cautious bite later, I was hooked.  Since then, I've eaten it at several different restaurants and loved it every time.

As you can see, I finally got around to making it at home a few days ago.  It was SO good!  This recipe doesn't take a lot of time or effort, and it won't totally trash your diet.  The original recipe doesn't specify which type of rice to use, but pudding is best with a short grain white rice.  I used Arborio, and the finished product was wonderfully creamy.

Adapted from Allrecipes.com
Serves 4

INGREDIENTS
3/4 cup Arborio rice
2 cups milk, divided
1/3 cup white sugar
1/4 tsp salt
1 egg, beaten
1 tbsp butter
1/2 tsp vanilla
Cinnamon, to taste

DIRECTIONS 
1.  In a medium saucepan, bring 1 1/2 cups water to a boil. Add rice and stir. Reduce heat, cover and simmer for 20 minutes. 

2.  In another saucepan, combine 1 1/2 cups cooked rice, 1 1/2 cups milk, sugar and salt. Cook over medium heat until thick and creamy, 15 to 20 minutes. Stir in remaining 1/2 cup milk and beaten egg. Cook 2 minutes more, stirring constantly. Remove from heat, and stir in butter and vanilla. Garnish with cinnamon.  May be served warm or chilled.

Savory Polenta

The Mister and I are not complicated folks.  We're way more likely to eat at a greasy elbows-on-the-table joint than anything with "Chez" in the name.

But we all have to step out of our comfort zones every now and then.

Last summer, we had dinner at Central Park Fusion, a fancy-pants restaurant in Hot Springs.  I chose the filet over creamy truffled polenta.  Now, I'm going to level with you here and admit that I didn't have a blessed clue what polenta would taste like, and wasn't sure that the yellowy mush was really something I wanted to put in my mouth.  I'm so glad I did, though, because it was amazing.  A-maz-ing- rich and savory, with a hint of corn flavor.

Aiming to recreate that dish, I tried a few different polenta recipes at home and have officially found the winner.  With an ingredient list this simple, it's hard to go wrong.  It has a very simple flavor that can be tweaked with additions like roasted poblano peppers or corn on- off-the-cob.

Adapted from Alton Brown
Serves 4

* Gluten-free diners should double-check the chicken broth for sources of gluten.  This website has a list of gluten-free broths.

INGREDIENTS
2 tbsp olive oil
1/2 red onion, finely chopped
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 quart chicken broth
1 cup coarse ground cornmeal
2 tablespoons unsalted butter
2 ounces Parmesan, grated
Salt and pepper to taste

DIRECTIONS

1.  Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.

2.  In a large, oven-safe saucepan heat the olive oil over medium heat. Add the onion and saute until they begin to turn translucent, approximately 4 to 5 minutes. Reduce the heat to low, add the garlic, and saute for 1 to 2 minutes, making sure the garlic does not burn.
3.  Turn the heat up to high, add the chicken stock, and bring to a boil. Gradually add the cornmeal while whisking continuously. Once you have added all of the cornmeal, cover the pot and place it in the oven. Cook for 35 to 40 minutes, stirring every
10 minutes to prevent lumps.
4.  Once the mixture is creamy, remove from the oven and add the butter, salt, and pepper. Once they are incorporated, gradually add the Parmesan.

Blackening Mix

Summertime during childhood usually meant day trips to Galveston.  After a stroll down Seawall Boulevard, we always made a beeline straight for Gaido's Seafood.  Now, Gaido's is kind of a fancy-pants restaurant to a kid, but I certainly didn't mind.   I'm still convinced that foodie heaven lies somewhere amidst the skewers of blackened shrimp and the thick slices of parmesan-crusted green tomatoes.

I haven't been to Gaido's in years, but I caught a craving for blackened-anything last week.  I whipped up a batch of blackened chicken using this flavorful homemade rub.  It was delicious, and I can't wait to try it with shrimp!

Blackening mix adapted from About.com

INGREDIENTS
1 tbsp paprika
1 tsp chili powder
1 tsp onion powder
1 tsp garlic powder
1/2 tsp thyme
1/2 tsp oregano
1 tsp salt
1/2 tsp black pepper
1/2 tsp sugar

DIRECTIONS
1.  Combine spices in a small bowl and mix well.  Store in an airtight container.

***************************

Blackened chicken adapted from Allrecipes

INGREDIENTS
4 boneless, skinless chicken breasts
1 1/2 tbsp blackening mix
1 tbsp olive oil

DIRECTIONS
1.  Preheat oven to 350 degrees.  Pound chicken breasts to an even thickness.  Pat dry and sprinkle with blackening mix on both sides.

2.  Pour olive oil in a nonstick, oven-safe skillet.  Heat over medium-high until shimmering but not smoking.  Add chicken breasts and sear, about 3 minutes per side.

3.  Place skillet in the preheated oven and bake until internal temperature is 165 degrees, 15-20 minutes.

Fig Leather

 

Mom likes to say that my generation has it easy when it comes to research projects.  Gone are the days of sitting in a shadowy microfiche room, searching, squinty-eyed, for a hidden gem.  Now, we can access all manner of articles with the click of a mouse.

Sorry to tell you, Mom, but research just got even easier.  Thanks to the wonderful world of  Google Books, I am (almost) done with my first grad school term paper.  I've used this nifty site to access dozens of professional books, many of which are out of print. 

So what does my research paper have to do with food?  Well, I can only look at online textbooks for so long before my brain begins to wander.  I've had figs on my mind lately, and decided I'd poke around Google Books to see if there were any books about them.  Jackpot!  I found a USDA bulletin from 1921 called Fig Growing in the South Atlantic and Gulf States.  Inside, I found several suggestions for preserving figs, but one method in particular- fig leather, caught my eye.  I went straight to the kitchen and got to work.  The product was amazing- a mildly sweet Fruit Roll-up for adults, full of figgy flavor. 

Adapted from Fig Growing in the South Atlantic and Gulf States

INGREDIENTS
2 cups fresh figs, washed and stems removed
1 tbsp powdered sugar

DIRECTIONS
1.  Line a baking sheet with heat-safe plastic wrap or parchment paper and set oven to "warm".
2.  Puree figs in a food processor.  Spread fig puree onto plastic wrap (or parchment paper) in a very thin layer.
3.  Place baking sheet in the warm oven.  Remove when fruit leather is fully dehydrated and peels off in a single sheet, about 10-12 hours.  (Leather may be slightly tacky to the touch.)
4.  Separate fig leather from cooking surface.  Sprinkle with powdered sugar and roll up like a jelly cake.  Slice into serving-size pieces and store in an air-tight, moisture proof container.

Spicy Spinach-Stuffed Chicken

We've all heard the phrase "finder of lost things."  Well, allow me to introduce myself- my name is Lauren and I'm the loser of lost things.  Yes, if I've lain my paws on it, chances are it got set aside and forgotten.  No matter what "it" may be- books, money, or firstborn children.  I'm the woman who puts ice cream in the pantry and empty soup cans in the freezer.  I look for my glasses while I'm wearing them and keys while I'm holding them.  I once found a hundred bucks in a purse I had brought to prom four years earlier.

Anyway, back to the food.  This dish has got everything my little heart desires- pepperjack and spinach, all wrapped up in bacony-chickeny goodness.  It was a fabulous meal.  We ate it, loved it, and enjoyed it.

About 19 months ago.

(Remember the whole "loser of lost things" spiel?  Let me just say that  I  my husband found my long-lost memory card this afternoon.  On top of my computer.  Doh!)

From Allrecipes
Serves 4

* Gluten-free diners should double-check the sour cream for gluten sources.  Daisy brand sour cream is gluten free.

INGREDIENTS

1 (10 ounce) package fresh spinach leaves
1/2 cup sour cream
1/2 cup shredded pepperjack cheese
4 cloves garlic, minced
4 skinless, boneless chicken breast halves - pounded to 1/2 inch thickness
1 pinch ground black pepper
8 slices bacon

DIRECTIONS
1. Preheat the oven to 375 degrees F (190 degrees C).

2. Place spinach in a large glass bowl, and heat in the microwave for 3 minutes, stirring every minute or so, or until wilted. Stir in sour cream, pepperjack cheese, and garlic.

3. Lay the chicken breasts out on a clean surface, and spoon some of the spinach mixture onto each one. Roll up chicken to enclose the spinach, then wrap each chicken breast with two slices of bacon. Secure with toothpicks, and arrange in a shallow baking dish.

4. Bake uncovered for 35 minutes in the preheated oven, then increase heat to 500 degrees F, or use the oven's broiler to cook for an additional 5 to 10 minutes to brown the bacon.

Tomato, Cucumber, and Onion Salad with Homemade Vinaigrette

My husband is Mr. Fix-it.  Computers, lawn mowers, ancient video game systems- you name it, he can fix it.  (Case in point:  He bought an Ipod from Goodwill this week for four bucks and had it working in less than an hour!)

Anyway, he's become the go-to man in the neighborhood for computer and small-engine repair.  In return, our neighbors often bless us with goodies from their gardens.  It's not uncommon for us to come home to a bag of grapefruit or cucumbers on our front stoop.  One time, we even came home to find our ugly, overgrown aloe vera plant cleaned up and looking spiffy.  (Yessss!)

For lunch today, I made a salad with a cucumber and heirloom tomato from the neighbors, along with one of my deliciously sweet Noonday onions.  I topped it with a quick homemade vinaigrette.  It was light and refreshing.

An Ommy Noms Original
Serves 1-2

INGREDIENTS
1 medium tomato, diced
1 small cucumber, thinly sliced
1/4 cup sweet onion, thinly sliced
1 tbsp olive oil
1 tsp vinegar of your choice (I used white wine)
1 garlic clove, minced
1 fresh parsley leaf, finely chopped (optional)
Salt and pepper to taste

DIRECTIONS
1.  Layer cucumber, tomato, and onion pieces in a medium bowl.  Combine oil, vinegar, garlic, and parsley in a small prep dish.  Mix with a fork and add salt and pepper to taste.  Pour dressing over vegetables and enjoy!

Brandy-Baked Peaches

You know how you go to the grocery store to get one thing and leave with your arms full?  I had one of those grocery trips today.  I just couldn't resist the scent of locally grown peaches, so two of them ended up in my basket.

(Along with about a million other things.)

I searched for a peach dessert that I could throw together with minimal effort, and settled on baked peaches with a brown sugar & brandy glaze.  Oh my, they were delicious.  I only wish I had bought more peaches!

Adapted from The Daily Iberian

INGREDIENTS

1/4 cup brown sugar 

2 tbsp butter

1 tbsp brandy

2 peaches 

Whipped cream, optional

DIRECTIONS

1.  Preheat oven to 350 degrees.  Peel peaches and cut into quarters.  Remove pit and discard.  Place peaches in an oven-safe glass baking dish.  (I used a small Corningware dish.)

2.  Melt the butter in a small saucepan.  Add the brown sugar and brandy, and stir to combine.  Drizzle over peaches.

3.  Bake the peaches in the preheated oven until soft, about 30 minutes.  Top with whipped cream, if desired.

Watermelon Frozen Yogurt

What foods remind you of summertime?  For me, it's watermelon- specifically, sitting on the back porch with my very own wedge, juice dripping off my fingers.  When I saw this watermelon fro yo on Tastespotting, I had to try it.  It's a dessert tailor-made for a Texas summer day- the Greek yogurt provides a tangy complement to the fresh taste of watermelon.  It's low in fat and calories, so don't feel bad if you shovel down half the batch in one sitting.  Not that anyone would do that, right?

(Hey, stop looking at me!)

From Menu for Love 

INGREDIENTS
2 cups seedless watermelon chunks
1 cup Fage 0% yogurt
About 1/3 cup sugar (to taste)
Juice of half a lime
1 1/2 Tbsp vodka (keeps your fro yo from turning into a giant ice cube)

DIRECTIONS
1.  Chop the watermelon into chunks and remove the large white seeds, if any. Add to blender and puree.  Strain out the grainy pulp and discard.

2.  Return watermelon juice to the blender.  Add the yogurt, lime juice, and vodka, and blend until well-combined.  Add sugar a little at a time.  Taste and adjust sugar as necessary. 

3.  Add the mixture to the ice cream maker and mix until frozen, about 20 minutes.

Watermelon

Pan-seared Tilapia with Jalapeno-Lime Butter

A friend of mine gave me a goodie-bag full of home grown cherry tomatoes and jalapenos yesterday.  Score!  The tomatoes didn't last long around me.  (If you have never eaten a home grown tomato, you are missing out!)  I concocted this jalapeno-lime butter to dress up seared tilapia, and it was a big hit. 

I've got 3 jalapenos left- any ideas?

Seared Tilapia

*  Gluten-free diners should double-check their seasoning for gluten sources.

INGREDIENTS
1 tbsp olive oil
4 tilapia fillets
Salt and pepper (or Cajun seasoning if you're feeling spicy!)

DIRECTIONS
1.  Pat fillets dry with a paper towel and season on both sides with salt and pepper.
2.  Heat the olive oil in a skillet over medium heat.  Add the tilapia and cook until the fish flakes easily with a fork, about 3-4 minutes per side.

Jalapeno-Lime Butter
An Ommy Noms Original

INGREDIENTS
1/2 stick butter, room temperature
1 jalapeno pepper, finely diced
Juice of 1/2 a lime

DIRECTIONS
1.  Combine all ingredients in a small bowl.  Dollop onto seared tilapia fillets.

Roasted Butternut Squash

Butternut squash, where have you been my whole life???

I know it's a winter vegetable, but I just couldn't pass up the butternut squash display at the Asian market yesterday.  I was a little worried about trying a new veggie after Luffa Disaster 2K11, but the butternut squash was anything but disastrous.  I was impressed with its smooth texture and pumpkin-like flavor.  My only regret is that I didn't buy two of them.  I am dying to try this butternut squash risotto! 

Inspired by Whole Foods
Serves 4

INGREDIENTS

1 butternut squash
1 tbsp olive oil
1 tbsp brown sugar
1/4 tsp garlic powder
Salt and pepper to taste

DIRECTIONS

1.  Preheat oven to 400.  Wash squash thoroughly.  Poke several holes in the squash with a fork.  Microwave on high for 2 minutes.

2.  Cut off the top and bottom of the squash.  Peel (carefully!) with a sharp knife, and cut flesh into one-inch pieces.

3.  Place squash pieces in a medium bowl.  Drizzle with olive oil.  Add brown sugar, garlic powder, salt, and pepper.  Stir to combine.  Pour onto a nonstick baking sheet with sides and spread so that squash pieces are in a single layer.

4.  Roast for 30 minutes, stirring after 15 minutes.  Taste and adjust seasonings as necessary.