Don’t Miss a Thing!

Subscribe via email to receive the latest recipes in your inbox!

Lynsey Lou's

Enjoying Life One Bite at a Time!

Archives for January 2012

Goat Cheese and Roasted Pablano Guacomole

by 1 Comment

It has been quite some time since we had a taco night at our house, so when tacos went on the menu a few weeks ago it was definitely due time.  Our typical taco night consist of tacos with various toppings as well as salsa, guacomole and cheese dip.  The guacomole I make is my “go to” recipe that is a staple in every taco night.  Typically I don’t stray from this recipe.  Why?  Because you just don’t fix something that isn’t broke.  Right?  Right!

Although my “go to” recipe is delicious and definitely a staple in my recipe archives, I came across a guacomole recipe that was calling my name, that I needed to try sooner rather than later.  When I came across this recipe on Pinterest, I knew I had needed to make this immediately.  So with that, tacos were added to the menu and I was well on the way to being able to try the recipe that sounded so delicious.

This recipe is different from any other guacomole recipe I’ve ever had or made.  It varies in multiple ways.  The typical guacomole recipe consist of tomatoes, onions, a dash of hot sauce, lime juice, salt, pepper and sometimes cilantro.  Never have I heard of a guacomole recipe including cheese, much less goat cheese.  I loved the fact that this recipe varied from the norm but yet was simple in the flavors it included.  Although this recipe called for few ingredients, each ingredient had a lot of flavor and when combined they all made an amazing dip!  The sharp and tangy goat cheese, acidity from the lime, buttery avocados and the bright earthyness from the cilantro.  It was definitely love at first bite.  I had to stop myself from finishing every, last bite because this stuff is so good.  I can honestly say I’m addicted to this guacomole, I will be making this again and again.

Goate Cheese and Roasted Pablano Guacomole

 

Ingredients:

4 Ripe avocados
1 Pablano pepper
3/4 Cup crumbled goat cheese
Juice from 1 1/2 Limes
1 Cup chopped cilantro
3 Cloves garlic, minced
Salt and pepper, to taste

Directions:

*Preheat broiler and arrange the rack on the setting the furthest from the broiler burner.  Place the pablano pepper in a broiler safe dish, place in the oven for two to four minutes turning throughout the cooking process.  Check the pepper frequently to ensure it doesn’t burn.  Once the pepper charred, remove from the oven and place in a bowl and cover with plastic wrap.
*The charring process can be achieved by holding the pepper over the flame of a gas burner. 

Meanwhile, remove skin and seeds from the avocados and place the avocados in a bowl.  Add the salt, pepper, and lime juice to the avocados.  Using a fork, gently mash the avocados and begin to incorporate the ingredients together, until the desired consistency is achieved.

Remove the pepper from the bowl and remove the skin, stem and seeds.  Chop the pepper and add to the avocado mixture along with the cilantro and goat cheese.  Cover and place in the refrigerator until ready to serve.

Recipe source:  Brussels for Breakfast

Daring Baker’s January Challenge

by 1 Comment

A new year, a new challenge!  That’s right, it’s time once again to share another fun, exciting and challenging Daring Baker’s project.  This time around Audax Artifex was our January 2012 Daring Bakers’ host. Aud worked tirelessly to master light and fluffy scones (a/k/a biscuits) to help us create delicious and perfect batches in our own kitchens!

That’s right, this time around we conquered light and fluffy scones.  These biscuit like pastries are known as scones in the rest of the world, but they are actually like our normal biscuits here in the U.S.  Who would have known?  If you’re like me, then you probably had no idea that our biscuits could be served interchangeably as scones in other areas of the world.  To me, it’s interesting to think about how food terms change from one society and region to the next.

This recipe proved to be relatively easy.  The scone was deliciously light and fluffy with the perfect buttery flavor.  I had to restrain myself from devouring every, last morsel fresh from the oven.  I mean is there really anything better than fresh buscuits straight from the oven?  I think not.  Spread them with a tad of butter and your favorite jelly or jam and you have the perfect breakfast, brunch or snack!  I can’t wait to try these again incorporating other flavor variations!

 Basic Scones (a.k.a. Basic Biscuits)

Ingredients:

1 cup all-purpose flour
2 Tspfresh baking powder
¼ Tsp salt
2 Tbsp frozen butter, grated
½ cup cold milk

Directions:

Preheat oven to 475.

Triple sift the dry ingredients into a large bowl.
Rub the frozen grated butter into the dry ingredients until it resembles very coarse bread crumbs with some pea-sized pieces if you want flaky scones or until it resembles coarse beach sand if you want tender scones.

Add nearly all of the liquid at once into the flour mixture and mix until it just forms a sticky dough (add the remaining liquid if needed). *The wetter the dough the lighter the scones (biscuits) will be!

Choose a technique below to achieve desired consistency:
A)Turn the dough out onto a lightly floured board, lightly flour the top of the dough. To achieve an even, homogeneous crumb to your scones knead very gently about 4 or 5 times (do not press too firmly) or until the dough until it is smooth.
B)To achieve a layered effect in your scones knead very gently once (do not press too firmly) then fold and turn the kneaded dough about 3 or 4 times until the dough has formed a smooth texture. (Use a floured plastic scraper to help you knead and/or fold and turn the dough if you wish.)

Pat or roll out the dough into a 6 inch by 4 inch rectangle by about ¾ inch thick. Separate into four equal portions and gently form into rounds.

Place the rounds just touching on a baking dish if you wish to have soft-sided scones or place the rounds spaced widely apart on the baking dish if you wish to have crisp-sided scones. Lightly flour the tops.

Place in the oven and bake for about 10 minutes (check at 8 minutes since home ovens at these high temperatures may vary cooking times) until the scones are well risen and are golden-brown on the tops. The scones are ready when the sides are set.

Immediately place onto cooling rack to stop the cooking process, serve while still warm.

Chicken Pot Pie Turnovers

by 1 Comment

When I think of old-fashioned, down home, comfort food there are a few things that come to mind.  Chicken pot pie is one of those things.  Chicken pot pie is, in my opinion, one of the ultimate comfort foods.  It’s a one pot meal that has been around for generations, it’s a classic and it’s a dish that I think most of us have grown up eating.  I love the classic chicken pot pie with the flaky crust, assortment of vegetables, and hearty pieces of chicken.

This chicken pot pie turnover, takes this classic dish and transforms it into individual servings that are great for a meal on the run.  It has everything you expect from a classic chicken pot pie; flaky crust, a multitude of vegetables, and chicken.  This version makes it into a meal that is not only time saving but perfect for a weeknight meal.  I love the fact that I can still serve my family a healthy, well rounded, and flavorful meal that didn’t take hours to prepare.  The next time you’re craving a classic comfort food but you’re short on time try these turnovers.  They’ll be a regular on your menu. 

Chicken Pot Pie Turnovers

Ingredients:

2 Tbsp butter
1/2 Cup white wine
1 Cup chicken stock
1 Egg
1/2 Onion, chopped
1 Carrot, chopped
1 Stalk celery, chopped
Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
2 Cloves garlic, minced
2 Tsp dried thyme
1 Tbsp flour, plus more for dusting
1 Tsp Dijon mustard
1/2 Cup frozen peas
1 1/2 Cups cubed or shredded cooked chicken
1 Sheet frozen puff pastry, thawed

Directions:

Preheat oven to 375.

Melt butter in a large saute pan over medium heat. Add the onions, carrots, and celery and season with salt and pepper, to taste, cook until the carrots soften, about 10 minutes. Add the garlic and thyme and cook for an additional minute, stirring frequently. Stir in the flour and cook another 1-2 minutes. Increase the heat to medium-high, add the wine to deglaze the pan, be sure to get any bits up off the bottom of the pan (it just adds more flavor!). Whisk in the stock and Dijon mustard and combine. Add the peas and chicken and cook on a very low simmer until the sauce thickens into a gravy, 5 to 10 minutes. Remove from the heat and set aside.

On a lightly floured surface, unfold the pastry dough and cut into 4 even squares (cut once horizontally and once vertically). Gently roll out each square, increasing the size of the square by about 20%. Place the squares on a lightly greased baking sheet and spoon the filling in the center. Fold the squares diagonally to create triangles. Pinch the edges together to create turnovers (use a little water if needed to bind). To finish the edges, press with a fork, this will seal the edges as well as create a decorative border.  Place the egg in a small bowl and add a splash of water, whisk together to make an egg wash.  Brush the top of each turnover with the egg wash. Cut a small slit in the top of each turnover to allow the steam to escape during baking. Bake the turnovers until golden brown, about 30 minutes. Let cool at least 10 minutes before serving as the insides will be very hot.

Recipe source: Melissa D’Arabian via Food Network

Buffalo Chicken Tacos

by 2 Comments

I can’t tell you how excited I am to share this recipe with you!  When I came across this recipe on Nicole’s blog (Prevention RD), it took me all of 2 seconds to decide that I was making these.  They went on the menu for the the next week!  You see, at my house we are slightly obsessed with buffalo chicken.  Whether it’s hot wings, sandwiches, chili, dip (a recipe is coming soon), or anything else involving buffalo chicken you can count us in!

Buffalo chicken.  Love it.  Tacos.  Love them.  Fusing the two to make these buffalo chicken tacos.  Absolutely!  Why didn’t I think of this?  There isn’t a lot to these but they sure are delicious.  Each bite combines the spicy chicken, crunch from the cabbage and scallions, cool creaminess from the cheese and the dressing and it’s all enclosed in a delicious, flour-y tortilla.  Could it get any better than this?  I think not!  Except for the fact that they take literally no time to make.  This is a good thing but it could easily become dangerous at my house…since we are buffalo chicken fiends.  That’s a risk I’m willing to take.

These are perfect for a weeknight meal but they would also be great for a spin on a taco bar.  These would even make a terrific appetizer.  In order to make them more of a finger food, I think it would be good served in phyllo cups or hint of jalapeno Tostitos.  These would be perfect for the Super Bowl!

Buffalo Chicken Tacos

Ingredients:
For the tacos-

1 1/2 lbs boneless, skinless chicken breasts, cut into small pieces

3 Tbsp cornstarch
1/3 Cup whole wheat flour
1 Tsp garlic powder
Large pinch of cayenne peppe
Ground black pepper, to taste
1/3 Cup buffalo wing sauce + 4 Tbsp, for drizzling
1 Tbsp olive oil
10 6-inch flour tortillas

For the toppings-

1 Avocado, diced

4 Oz blue cheese or gorgonzola
1/2 Cabbage, shredded
1 Large tomato, diced
4 Scallions, sliced
Cilantro
Shredded cheddar cheese
Blue cheese dressing

Directions:

Heat a skillet over medium-high heat.

In a large bowl, combine cornstarch, flour, cayenne, and garlic powder. Season the chicken pieces with pepper, then dredge in the flour mixture.

Add 1 tablespoon of olive oil to the skillet and once it gets hot, add chicken and brown on both sides – about 3-4 minutes per side. Once the chicken is done, set it aside in a bowl and toss with 1/3 cup buffalo wing sauce.

Assemble 10 tacos, dividing the toppings evenly among each taco. Yield: 5 servings, 2 tacos each.

Recipe source: How Sweet It Is via Prevention RD

Brownie Pie

by Leave a Comment

By now, I’m sure you are all aware and addicted to Pinterest.  For those of you who have not heard of this new, very addicting, site let me tell you a little bit about it.  It is a virtual pin board that will help you keep track of DIY projects, recipes, clothing, and elements of your dream home and everything in between.  As I have said it is very addicting and it doesn’t take long to real you in.  It is, however, very handy.  It keeps all of your interests in one place that can be accessed from anywhere there is internet.  This is not only convenient, but it helps eliminate frustration as well as the need to print out page after page of instructions, ideas, or recipes that you want to keep on hand, in a safe place, only to find that when you are ready for it you have lost it.  I can’t tell you how many times I’ve gone to make a recipe only to find out that I can’t find the recipe, let alone remember what website I found it on.  Those days are over, Pinterest is one of my new best friends, along with Google reader, I have everything in a centralized location and at my fingertips no matter where I am!  Okay, enough about my new found addiction, hobby, I mean virtual bulliten board.

How, you ask, did Pinterest come up and why is it relevant in any way to this post?  Well, I’m glad you asked.  Pinterest is how I first came across this deliciously, mouth-watering recipe for  brownie pie.  I love the blog Love and Olive Oil (if you haven’t heard of it you must check it out!) and I have following it for quite some time but this specific recipe somehow slipped past me.  Luckily it was brought to my attention through another source and I quickly “pinned” it to my food board and just waited for the perfect occassion to make it…not that there really needs to be a reason for chocolate.

If you have been following this blog for any amount of time, you know that I am a HUGE chocolate fan.  There can honestly never be too much chocolate, in my opinion.  I have an equal enthusiasm for brownies.  There isn’t much, if anything, that can beat a good, hot, chocolate-y, gooey brownie.  Brownies are a classic and pretty simple but there is something magical about that gooey, fudginess that is a brownie.  Could there really be anything that could make a brownie better?  Well, I thought not until I had this recipe.  This recipe takes brownies and puts them in a pie form.  Now for all of you edge and corner lovers out there, this is the recipe for you.  You not only get your fudgy brownie, but you get your crisp yet chewy edges in every bite. 

The brownie is prepared like normal but the difference is made by using a pie plate.  Instead of using a traditional 9×9 or 9×13 pan, a pie plate is used.  By using a pie plate, a “crust” is formed not only along of the bottom of the pie but around the edges too.  The end product is brownie in a pie form that has an edge on every piece.  It’s incredibly easy to put together and even easier to eat.  Chocolate, salt and ooey gooey goodness in every bite!  My friends, it doesn’t get any better than that!

Brownie Pie

Ingredients:

1 1/2 Cups sugar
1/2 Cup flour
1/3 Cup dark chocolate cocoa
1/2 Cup (1 stick) unsalted butter, room temperature
3 Large eggs, room temperature
1 Tsp vanilla extract
1/8 Tsp sea salt, plus additional for sprinkling on top
1/2 Cup dark chocolate or semi sweet chocolate morsels
1 Cup fresh whipped cream (optional)
Vanilla ice cream (optional)

Directions:

Preheat oven to 325 degrees.

Generously grease a 9-inch pie plate or 3 to 4 mini pie plates.

Combine sugar, butter, eggs, vanilla and salt in a mixing bowl and beat at medium speed with an electric mixer. Beat in flour and cocoa. Stir in chocolate morsels. Pour batter into prepared pans.

Bake for 40 minutes (30 to 35 minutes for mini pie plates) or until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out with a few moist crumbs. Let cool at least 30 minutes before slicing. Serve topped with whipped cream or ice cream, if desired.

Recipe source:  Ingredients Inc. via Love and Olive Oil

Pork Tenderloin with Balsamic Cranberry Sauce

by Leave a Comment

What can I say about cranberries?  There really isn’t enough good to say about them.  I love cranberries and my love for them goes way back to my childhood.  I loved them then and I have a passion for them now.  I gravitate towards recipes that include cranberries and I’m always trying to create and write new recipes that incorporate cranberries.  There is just something so delicious about the sweet and tart flavor they have.  They compliment so many different types of food, and they work with both sweet and savory dishes.

As much as I love cranberries in muffins and cookies, I enjoy them in various savory dishes as well.  Cranberries compliment pork, turkey and chicken wonderfully.  I enjoy the days after Thanksgiving and Christmas because I get make chicken and turkey sandwiches and use leftover craberry sauce as a spread, oh my goodness it’s so good!  This pork loin with balsamic cranberry sauce is another successful combination of cranberries and savory.  I love the contrast of flavors in this sauce; sweet, tart and salty. The balsamic vinegar gives it a very distinct flavor, yet compliments it perfectly.

I love how the fresh cranberries are cooked down to for a homemade cranberry sauce and then added to a pan sauce with balsamic vinegar, garlic and rosemary.  This sauce is perfect and hits every single flavor note.  Add this perfectly sweet, tart and tangy sauce to the roasted tenderloin and you’ve got a perfect meal for any occassion.  This is quick enough to make for a week night meal yet impressive enough to use for entertaining.   

Pork Tenderloin with Balsamic Cranberry Sauce

Ingredients:

1 Cup whole cranberries

1 Cup water
2 Tbsp sugar (more to taste, if desired)
1 Tbsp olive oil
1 1/2 lbs pork tenderloin
Salt and pepper
1 Tbsp butter
1/2 Cup chopped shallot (or onion)
1 Clove garlic, minced
1 Tbsp chopped fresh rosemary
1 Cup chicken broth
2 Tbsp balsamic vinegar

Directions:

Place water, sugar, and cranberries in a saucepan, bring to a boil and simmer for about 15 minutes, until the berries and most of the water cooks off, leaving a homemade whole-berry cranberry sauce.

Preheat oven to 400.

Add olive oil to an oven-proof saute pan over medium-high heat.  Pat the pork loin with paper towels to dry. Season liberally with with salt and pepper and place in pan.  Sear pork on all sides and place pan in the oven.  Roast the pork loin until thermometer inserted into center registers 155, about 20 minutes.

Remove the pork from the oven and allow to rest in the pan for 5 minutes and then transfer to a plate and tent with foil.

Place a large saucepan over medium-high heat and add butter, shallot, and rosemary. Cook until shallots are soft, about 3 minutes.  Add garlic and cook for 1 minute more.  Add broth and scrape up the bits from the bottom and sides of the pan.  Add cranberry sauce and vinegar and bring to a boil, reducing heat to medium-low and simmering for about15 minutes, until sauce has thickened.

Slice tenderloin to desired thickness and serve with sauce.

Recipe source: Bon Appetit via Confections of a Foodie Bride

Tucker’s 2nd Birthday

by Leave a Comment

I can’t believe my baby boy is 2.  We celebrated his second birthday a few weeks ago.  Where has the time gone?  Honestly, he’s not a baby anymore, but a tornado of a toddler who is on the go all the time.  He definitely keeps us busy!  He has brought us so much joy over the past two years.  Celebrating his birthday was truly a magical occassion, not only for Spencer and myself but our family and friends as well.  We love this little guy so much!

This year has been all about cars.  Give him a car, or anything with wheels, and he’s a happy little camper.  Any car will make him happy but if it’s a car from the Car’s movie he’s in heaven!  This year, when planning his party it didn’t take me long to determine that Disney Car’s would be the perfect theme.  This past year has raced by, having a theme all about racing was the perfect fit!  We watch the Car’s movie (or Car’s moonie as Tucker says), literally everyday.  Since this movie and these characters are a staple in our everyday life right now I couldn’t imagine not including them in his birthday celebration.

Since invitations really set the stage for any event, I wanted to find some that were perfect for the racing day event. I was thinking something along the lines of pit passes, wrist bands or something else you might find at the race track.  Then I came across these ticket invitations and I knew they would be perfect.  Nothing sets the tone for a race party better than your very own race ticket with all access clearance! 

Food is also a very important part of any celebration, so after finding the invitations the food planning was next on my list.  Since the party was mid afternoon, I decided to keep the menu light.  We had light finger foods as well as cake and a few other sweet treats.  Last year I went all out and made tons of food, literally enough to feed an army, and I had so many leftovers.  Lesson learned, this year I planned a menu that was equally delicious as last years but on a smaller scale.

 
The savory food included:
nugget tray from Chic-fil-a
mini, hot ham and cheese sliders (recipe to come)
sausage, cheese and cracker tray. 

For the sweets:
chocolate covered bananas (oil dipsticks)
chewy frosted sugar cookies
Cookies-n-Cream cake (recipe to come)

I couldn’t resist making Tucker his own, personal cake.  This was a 6 inch cookies-n-cream cake covered in “dirt” (crushed gold and chocolate oreo cookies) and completed with Lightening McQueen and a Route 66 sign.
I chose cookies-n-cream cake not only because it’s delicious but I thought it fit into the theme perfectly.  The bits of cookie flecs throughout the cake resemebled pieces of asphalt and dirct fromt he race track.  It was just one more element that help tie everything together.

Favors:
Mini cookies-n-cream cupcakes
*Each person got to take a little piece of asphalt from the race track home with them!  The cupcakes were topped with half of an oreo, which I thought resembled asphalt that would be thrown around at the race track.

How I love this sweet little boy.
He couldn’t wait until we got home to speed around on his own, personal race car!

Vendor Information:

Invitation design:  Pgioda via Ebay, they were very easy to work with I couldn’t be happier with the invitations
Party decor: Party City (balloons)
Party decor: The Dollar Tree (table clothes, plates, napkins, utensils, serving platters)
Party decor: Bed, Bath and Beyond (Gas pump drink dispenser)
Cars characters: Target, Toy’s R Us, and Wal-Mart
Car’s Pit Crew Shirt: Sears
Food: Chic-fil-a, nugget tray
Location: Bryant Fire Department

Thank you:
A special thanks to the Bryant Fire Department for allowing us to have Tucker’s birthday party at your fire station (Red’s house).  Thank you to all of the firefighters for all your help with the party, you made his day so special and you helped out more than you know.  Your help and involvment in Tucker’s party was truly appreciated and made Tucker’s day so special.  Thanks for all you do and for your service.  God Bless You!

Sweet and Spicy Candied Pecans

by Leave a Comment

When I think of candied pecans, I automatically think of those little booths that are set up at the outlet malls with various varieties and flavors of pecans, almonds and other nuts.  I always buy a bag, or two…I mean it’s necessary to stock up when the opportuinty presents itself!   If you have been following my blog for any length of time you know that I am a huge fan of the sweet and salty flavor combinations.  These pecans are yet another treat that combine my two favorite flavor profiles.  There is just something magical about these sweet, little sugar coated candies…I mean pecans!

I have come across multiple recipes that call for candied pecans but I have not gotten around to making any of them yet because I thought the process of making the candied pecans would be quite time consuming.  Although there are some recipes out there that are a little more involved (and they all look and sound delicious and I will try them) I came across one that took a matter of minutes to prepare.  I must say I was really impressed and happy with the outcome of these pecans.  I loved the enhanced nutty flavor the pecans have from being toasted.  Add that flavor with salt, a light coating of sugar and a hint of spice from the cayenne and you have a snack that is out of this world…and dangerously addictive.  Alone these pecans are truly delicious, using them as an addition for a soup or salad would add so much flavor and another dimension of texture to the dish.  I can’t wait to recreate one of my favorite salads that utilizes these candied pecans…my mouth is watering just thinking about it! 

Now that I know how to make these myself I don’t have to wait for a trip to a mall to stock up, I can have them any time I want.  Since this particular recipe is so easy and quick to prepare this could get dangerous.  But that’s a risk I’m willing to take!

Candied Pecans

Ingredients:

1/2 Cup halved pecans
3 Tbsp sugar
1/8 Tsp salt
Dash cayenne pepper

Directions:

Place a medium, non-stick skillet over medium heat.  Place the pecans, sugar, and salt in the pan.  Cook for about 3 minutes; until sugar begins to melt and coat the pecans.  Shake the pan slightly throughout the cooking process to eliminate burning and to ensure all pecans are coated with the sugar.  Once the sugar is melted and cooking is complete, sprinkle with the cayenne pepper and toss to coat.  Spread the pecans on a parchment paper lined baking sheet and allow to cool.  Store in a air-tight container.

Recipe source: slightly adapted from My recipes

Pantry Organization

by 2 Comments

Do you ever find yourself walking into your pantry, looking around, cringing and then walking out in frustration?  Frustration of not being able to find anything.  Frustration of clutter, unorganization, and pure chaos?  I know I have found myself in this situation many times, not just with my pantry either.  Let’s face it, we all have good intentions of keeping everything neat and tidy and in it’s own special place.  But even with the best of intentions we don’t always succeed because, well, life happens.  With the new year, I decided to start things off by getting everything back in place.
There are many new recipes and techniques I want to attempt this year and I thought it would be much easier to accomplish with a clean and organized pantry where I can easily access the items I need.  I have had every intention of cleaning out and reorganizing my pantry but I honestly just haven’t gotten around to it, until now.  I am so happy with how it turned out.  It’s amazing how much difference some time, cleaning and organization make.  Now there won’t be anymore boxes, packeges or bags of stuff being pushed to the back of the shelves and forgotten forever. 
I promise organization can be accomplished!  I am embarressed of what my pantry was before but because you are all so very important to me I am going to swallow my pride and show you my mess.  Brace yourselves…
This was my pantry before.  I promise it didn’t start out like this.  It started out nice, neat and very organized but as time goes on and multiple people enter your pantry things tend to get put back in the incorrect place and stuck here and there.  Before you know it your stuck with an unorganized closet of chaos.
Let’s fast forward a few hours, add new shelf liner, wipe down the walls with bleach (it’s nice to start completely fresh), Elfa cabinet sized drawers, various sizes of shelving inserts, a couple of hooks for my aprons, and you’ve got my new and very organized pantry!

Take a little time to strategize.  Look at the space you have to work with and envision how you would like it to look.  Use the internet to browse organizational websites, I LOVE the Container Store, they not only have endless options for storage but ideas and inspiration as well.  They would be a great starting point to help bring your vision to life.  Think about what the space is used for now, what is your biggest complaint about the functionality of it, then find the type of shelf, drawer or organizer that will best fit your needs.  
Now that you’ve got a plan, ather and buy your supplies.  There’s nothing worse than getting started on a project only to find that you don’t have something you need.  
Now that you have all of your supplies, now it’s time to get started.  Don’t get overwhelmed, just take it one shelf or cabinet at a time.  Remove everything, wipe your shelves and walls down, and replace the shelf liner if desired.  Once everything is removed from your project area, place your shelving inserts and drawers to get a visual and once you have everything how you want, secure it with the supplies that are provided.  
Now that your project area is organized and how you want it, now it’s time to organize your products and put them back in their new home.  Be sure to get rid of everything that is out of date or that you won’t use…now is the time to get ride of stuff, don’t put it back if you know you won’t use it!
    
                                                                                                                  

From Scratch Green Bean Casserole

by Leave a Comment

I have long been a fan of green bean casserole.  For as long as I can remember the green bean casserole with the cream soups have been a staple at every Thanksgiving and Christmas meal.  Now while there is absolutely nothing wrong with that version of green bean casserole (it is popular for a reason, right?), it is always nice to try a new spin on a classic.  That’s exactly what this casserole is, a new spin on a traditional classic.  Since this dish holds a special place in my heart I literally jumped for joy when the opportunity presented itself for me to make this version of green bean casserole for Christmas.  I have been eyeing this recipe for quite some time so I was very excited to finally have a reason to make it.

This version of green bean casserole is slightly different than the one I have made before.  The previous version not only called for a homemade cream of mushroom soup, but for homemade fried onions as well.  This recipe, however, utilizes the classic canned fried onions, which I am very fond of, but paired them with a buttery, seasoned bread crumb mixture.  Spreading this buttery, fried onion mixture on top of fresh, crispy-tender grean beans tossed in a creamy, homemade mushroom soup is the epitome of deliciousness. 

Though this recipe is slightly more involved than the traditional green bean casserole, it is still quite simple to make.  Blanch the green beans, make homemade mushroom soup and assemble the casserole.  This casserole portion can even be prepared in advance and refrigerated for up to a day.  I can honestly say I think this is one of my new, favorite side dishes that I won’t only enjoy on Thanksgiving or Christmas but year around.  I think next time I will merge the two recipes by utilizing this cream of mushroom soup, but lightly dredging shallots, frying them and then mixing them with the buttery, bread crumb topping.  Sounds delicious to me, I’ll be sure to let you know how it turns out!  Be sure to have this recipe at your next family or holiday gathering.          
Green Bean Casserole

Ingredients:

For the topping-

4 Slices white sandwich bread
2 Tbsp unsalted butter, room temperature
1/4 Tsp salt
1/8 Tsp ground black pepper
3 Cups (canned) fried onions (about 6 oz)

For the beans and cream of mushroom soup-

2 Pounds fresh green beans, ends trimmed and halved
3 Tbsp unsalted butter
1 Pound baby portabello mushrooms, cleaned, stemmed and sliced
3 Medium cloves garlic, minced (about 1 Tbsp)
Ground black pepper
3 Tbsp all-purpose flour
1 1/2 Cups low-sodium chicken broth
1 1/2 Cups heavy cream

Directions:

For the topping-

Tear the bread slices into quarters.  Place the bread, butter, salt and pepper in a food processor and pulse until corse crumbs form, about ten 1-second pulses.  Transfer to a large bowl and set aside.

For the beans and cream of mushroom soup-

Preheat oven to 425.

Prepare an ice bath by filling a large bowl with ice water, place near the stove.  In a large dutch oven, or large stock pot, bring 4 quarts of water to a boil.  Add 2 tablespoons of salt as well as the beans.  Allow water to come back to a roaring boil, reduce to a simmer and allow to cook for 6 minutes, until beans are light green and crisp-tender.  Drain the beans and immediatley immerse into the ice bath to stop the cooking process.  Remove from water and place on a paper towel lined cookie sheet to dry.

Meanwhile, add butter to the dutch oven and melt over medium-high heat.  Once the foaming has subsided add the mushrooms, garlic, 3/4 teaspoon salt, and 1/8 teaspoon pepper.  Cook about 6 minutes; until the mushrooms have released their moisture and the liquid has evaporated.  Stirring constantly, add the flour and cook for an additional minute.  Continuing to stir constantly, add the chicken broth and bring to a simmer.  Add cream, reduce heat to medium and continuing simmering for about 12 minutes, until the sauce has thickened and reduced to about 3 1/2 cups.  Taste and adjust seasonings as needed.

Place the green beans back in the dutch oven and stir to combine the soup with the beans.  Once the beans are evenly coated, transfer the mixture to a 9×13 (3 quart) baking dish.  Mix the fried onions with the bread crumb mixture and sprinkle evenly over the top of the beans.  Place in oven and bake for about 15 minutes, or until the soup is bubbling and the top is golden brown.  Serve immediately.

*To make this ahead of time, make the breadcrumbs, store in the refrigerator and combine with the onions right before baking. The beans and cooled sauce can be combined in a baking dish and stored, covered, up to 24 hours before serving. To heat, simply remove the cover and bake at 425º for 10 minutes and continue baking as directed.
*The recipe can easily be halved just bake it in an 8-inch square (2 quart) baking dish. Reduce the cooking time for the soup to 6 minutes, rather than 12, (1 3/4 cups) and the baking time to 10 minutes.

Recipe source: The Cook’s Illustrated Cookbook