Tag Archives: cooking

Mexican Hotdogs

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By: Brady Evans

Cinco de Mayo is coming soon. This is such an awesome excuse to eat Mexican food, which is one of my favorites. Enchiladas and burritos and tacos can get boring, though. (I must say, however, not SO boring that my husband and I didn’t just practically fight to the death over the last taco from the 18-pack I whipped up the other day).

If you are looking for a sort of American-Latin fusion dish to celebrate Cinco de Mayo, this is the perfect one. Take your favorite hotdogs and top them with the perfect arrangement of classic Mexican toppings and enjoy this holiday!

Mexican hotdogs

Mexican Hotdogs

Ingredients

  • 4 hot dogs, cooked as desired
  • 4 buns
  • 1 avocado, diced
  • 1/3 cup chopped Mexican crumbling cheese (queso fresco)
  • 2-3 Tbsp. finely chopped cilantro
  • 1/4 tsp cayenne pepper
  • 1/4 cup chopped red onion
  • lime juice
  • pinch salt

Instructions

  1. Mix together all ingredients except hot dogs and buns
  2. Top cooked hot dogs with avocado topping and enjoy!

Dining al Fresco Out of a Brown Box

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By: Elizabeth Webber Akre

Ok, I am not IN a brown box. But I am in love with a brown box. This past Saturday was my second delivery from Brown Box Veggies. I am their new biggest fan. For those of you who are unfamiliar, the “Veggie Girls” stock up a big box of fruits and veggies to deliver on the 1st and 3rd Saturdays of the month. They reach out to as many local farms as possible to grab what’s fresh and what is being harvested right now. Then, they pack the box FULL of what they’ve found and sell it to people like us for only $22! I couldn’t duplicate what I received for $22 in a grocery store, and the produce was fresher and didn’t go bad on me before I could use it all.

Brown box #1

My first box was so beautiful, I almost cried when I opened it. Even my little one got excited helping me unpack. The box contained broccoli, parsley, tomatoes, spinach, kale, Carolina Sweet onions, squash, zucchini, pears, oranges, potatoes and asparagus. A true cornucopia. We used every bit of it with delight.

This past Saturday was my second go-round. Sorry that I didn’t take a photo of box #2- we dove in and never looked back! This time, we received Carolina Sweets, cabbage, collards, oranges, grapefruit, tomatoes, radishes, romaine, corn, strawberries, apples and dill. Lots and lots of dill. I’m talkin’ about two humongous bunches, each about 3″ around and 12″ long. My head is reeling trying to figure out what to do with all of it. This week might be the week I dive in and try to make my own pickles.

But, first, dinner. Of course, when you think of dill, one of the first ideas you have is salmon. Since my daughter is eating salmon (happily!), I’m cooking it every chance I get. I whipped up this dinner and we ate al Fresco on the patio. Now, my title makes some sense, huh? Salmon with dill sauce, sauteed pea pods, and yellow rice.

Salmon with dill sauce, sauteed pea pods, and yellow rice.

Salmon with dill sauce, sauteed pea pods, and yellow rice.

Here’s what I did: I salt and peppered two 6oz. (skinless) salmon fillets. I placed them on foil and topped each with some slices of Carolina Sweet onions and lemons and wrapped up the foil tightly to enclose them. I baked them for about 20 minutes or so at 350°. While that was happening, I mixed together these ingredients to make a sauce:

  • 2 Tbsp. light mayo
  • 2 Tbsp. sour cream
  • 1 Tbsp. white wine
  • 1 1/2 tsp capers
  • 1 tsp finely chopped Carolina Sweet onion
  • 1/4 tsp lemon juice
  • 1/4 tsp horseradish
  • 1 Tbsp. fresh dill, chopped
  • 1/4 tsp garlic salt
  • pepper

Then, we just drizzled the sauce over our salmon and devoured it! I’m a sucker for anything pickled, so I think I’ll add a few more capers next time. I have actually eaten capers out of the jar with a spoon before. (The first step is admitting it, right?) Thank you Veggie Girls for my jam packed boxes of loveliness. And, you may be the reason that I finally embark on this pickle making project. The idea of canning is a little intimidating, but I can’t let all this dill go to waste! If any of you need some dill, I can hook you up.

Elizabeth also writes “Gastronomy (by a Wanna-be Chef).” She loves all things food and wine and how they fit into our lives.

Chicken Parmiginia Bake

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By: Brady Evans

My mom and I have an annual tradition of running the Cooper River Bridge Run (have you heard of it?).

Cooper River Bridge Run

It is SO inspiring to do the same thing as nearly 40,000 other people.  “Hey!  Let’s run across this bridge!  Let’s get as many people as possible!”  As you can see, the crowd is just huge.

Cooper River Bridge Run

My mom has been running the race since the 1980s.  Naturally, it has grown since then, and it has even changed bridges. It just gets better and better every year.  Lately, we’ve been staying with friends of my mom’s who happen to have a beach house on the starting side of this point-to-point race.

I usually put together a meal for us to enjoy the night before the big race and pasta is a natural go-to for this sort of stuff (even though I totally don’t carb load before races). I had seen Elly’s Baked Quinoa and Chicken Parm ages ago and planned on making that meal.  When I made the motions to make this meal I realized I had no more quinoa and I sort of don’t feel like buying it anymore, so I subbed whole wheat pearl/Israeli cous cous.  It was a great sub and one that the Omnivore surely prefers.

Chicken Parmiginia Bake

I also changed it up a bit by using a whole roasted chicken.  Baking meat on the bone with the skin makes for a much deeper flavor.  Roast your own bird or pick one up from the store and you are good to go!  This meal is hearty and filling but not overly fattening or heavy.  Great for a pre-race meal or a Sunday dinner!

Chicken Parmiginia Bake (6-8 servings)  (adapted from Elly Says Opa)

Ingredients

  • 1 Tbsp. olive oil
  • 2 medium onion, diced
  • 5 cloves garlic, minced
  • 3 Tbsp. balsamic vinegar
  • 1 28-oz. can crushed tomatoes
  • 1 15-oz. can diced tomatoes
  • 2 bay leaves
  • 1Tbsp. crushed, dried, basil
  • 2 cups pearl cous cous
  • 4 cups water or broth
  • 1 5-lb whole roasted chicken, cooked and meat removed and bones discarded
  • 1 cup shredded part-skim mozzarella cheese, divided
  • 1/4 cup chopped fresh parsley

Instructions

  1. Preheat the oven to 375 and spray two 2-qt. baking dishes with cooking oil.
  2. Heat a large skillet over medium heat, and add the oil.
  3. Stir in the onion and cook, stirring frequently, until tender, 5-7 minutes.
  4. Add the garlic and cook until fragrant, 30-60 seconds. Add the balsamic vinegar, scraping anything off the bottom of the pan, and cook until it is reduced, about 3 minutes.
  5. Add the crushed tomatoes, diced tomatoes, bay leaves, basil, parsley, salt and pepper to taste.
  6. Bring to a low boil, and then simmer while you prepare the rest of the meal.
  7. Place the cous cous and water or broth in a small sauce pan and bring to a boil.
  8. Cover with a lid, reduce the heat, and simmer until cooked, about 20-25 minutes.
  9. Assemble the casserole by placing the cous cous, sauce, and chicken in a large bowl. Mix thoroughly.
  10. In each prepared casserole, place the mixture in the baking dish until it is halfway up the sides, and sprinkle with 1/4 cup of the mozzarella cheese.
  11. Top with the remaining chicken mixture. Sprinkle with 1/4 cup mozzarella cheese. Repeat with other casserole.
  12. Cover with foil and bake for about 15 minutes. Remove foil and continue to bake until cheese is lightly browned and bubbly, about 10 more minutes.

 

Brown Box Full of Green. And Red. And Yellow…

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By: Elizabeth Webber Akre

I love Facebook.  I’m always amused to hear someone say “I don’t do the Facebook thing” because they have no idea what they’re missing!  Yes, it’s fun to reconnect with old college friends, play games (I was once addicted to the Mafia) and laugh at funny photos.  But what I really love about it is how much I’ve actually LEARNED from Facebook.  You may ask, “like what?”  Well, let me tell you.

I learned about Pinterest! Thank you FB people. I also learned about Zaycon Foods via Southern Savers’ posts.  Huge thank you there.  Just this past Friday I got my delivery and now have 20 pounds of beautiful boneless, skinless chicken breasts resting comfortably in my freezer.  Most recently, I learned about Brown Box Veggies from my blogger buddy April’s  Facebook  page.  I’ve been telling myself that I wanted to belong to one of these vegetable co-ops but haven’t come across one that I felt was really affordable for my family.  Some of them are just plain expensive and they send so much produce that I was really more afraid that we wouldn’t be able to make a dent into it before it started to spoil.  But, I’ve now found the answer…Brown Box Veggies.

Here’s how it works: you place your order and pay for it on their website.  They deliver on the 1st and 3rd Saturdays of the month.  The BBV people work with local farmers to spotlight their produce in their boxes. So, each time you order, you’ll get an assortment of what’s in season.  Then, you choose one of the many distribution points they have around town for pick up.  In my case, I picked up at the Ole Timey Meat Market on Rosewood Drive, which is so close to my house I can walk there.  Chances are you’ll find a pick up location close to your neighborhood, too. Now, here’s the best part of all: this beautiful bunch of goodness is only $22.00.  It can’t get more affordable or more convenient than that.  And if you’re like me, any opportunity to support local farmers and merchants is golden.

Brown Box Veggies

I placed my first order a couple weeks ago, and I was eagerly waiting to get my veggies on April 6th. My daughter and I went to the market to pick them up and when the lady opened the box to show us what was inside, we both squealed with delight.  (Ok, that’s an exaggeration, but you get my drift!) Ours contained the following:  Carolina Sweets onions, broccoli, kale, tomatoes, zucchini, squash, spinach, parsley, apples, oranges, pears, asparagus and red potatoes.  I was absolutely thrilled.  I’ve been telling everyone I know about it ever since Saturday morning!  Brown Box Veggies also offers a salad box and an all-fruit box.  The BBV lady also showed me one of the salad boxes and it was equally beautiful…lettuces, tomatoes, avocadoes, just to name a few.

Spinach is one vegetable that I’ve always loved.  I cooked it last night by simply sautéing it with garlic and touched it off at the end with a little lemon juice.  It was perfect.  In fact, my husband has determined that this is how I should cook it from now on. I did some reading online about these Carolina Sweets.  I didn’t know anything about them until now, so I’m excited to experiment with them.  I am thinking something like an onion tart so I can showcase the onion itself.  Have you ever cooked this type of onion before?  Suggestions?

ElizabethIf you’re interested in fresh, healthy fruits and veggies from our home state, I suggest you check out Brown Box Veggies.  I am certain I could not have bought everything that came in my box for only $22.00 at the grocery store.  And, it can’t be any more easy and convenient.

Support local!

Elizabeth also writes “Gastronomy (by a Wanna-be Chef).” She loves all things food and wine and how they fit into our lives. 

Hands Down the Best Healthy Recipe I’ve Tried: Perfect for Your Pickiest Eater

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By: Mary Pat Baldauf

Picky eaterI’ve been eating healthier for two and a half years now. I best describe my “diet” as simple, clean eating: fresh fruits and vegetables, whole grains, and lean proteins instead of pre-packaged, processed foods or fast food. I love eating this way, but I do occasionally miss some of those comfort foods we all know and love. That all changed when I tried a recipe for Cheesy Taco Bake from The Naked Kitchen. The best way to describe this recipe? A healthy “Hamburger Helper,” without the hamburger. Double this for freezing, ladies. Your kids and/or picky eaters will LOVE it!

Warning: There’s a little upfront work with this recipe as you must pre-make the enchilada sauce and taco seasoning. However, once you make both, you’ll have plenty to use for several batches. In a hurry? You can always use store-bought enchilada sauce and taco seasoning.

Cheesy Taco Bake
(Makes 8-10 servings)

  • 1/4 cup olive oil
  • 2 tbsp whole wheat flour
  • 6 heaping tbsp nutritional yeast
  • 2 tbsp Taco Seasoning (see below)
  • 4 heaping tbsp Homemade Enchilada Sauce (see below)
  • 1 1/4 cup + 1 tbsp low sodium vegetable broth
  • 1 small onion, diced
  • 1 can (15 ounces) no salt added black beans, drained and rinsed
  • 7 ounces organic firm tofu (you can also substitute with quinoa or any other protein source)
  • 8 ounces whole grain pasta of choice, cooked
  • 1/2 cup croutons, finely crushed
  • 1 1/2 cups cooked rice
  • 4-6 ounces shredded cheese

Homemade Enchilada Sauce

  • 1/4 cup olive oil
  • 1 tbsp whole wheat flour
  • 3 tbsp chili powder
  • 12 ounces no salt added tomato paste
  • 2 cups low sodium vegetable broth
  • 1 tsp onion powder
  • 1 tsp cumin
  • 3 cloves garlic, minced
  • sea salt to taste

Homemade Taco Seasoning

  • 2 tbsp chili powder
  • 1/2 tsp garlic powder
  • 1/2 tsp onion powder
  • 1/2 tsp crushed red pepper flakes
  • 1/2 tsp dried oregano
  • 1 tsp paprika
  • 1 tbsp ground cumin
  • 2 tsp sea salt

Preparation

  1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
  2. In a medium sauce pan heat olive oil over medium high heat. Once the oil is hot add the flour, reduce heat to low and stir until completely dissolved.
  3. Add in the enchilada sauce and broth. Stir well and then add the nutritional yeast and taco seasoning. Mix well, remove from heat and set aside.
  4. In a large sauté pan add 1 tbsp broth and heat over medium high heat. Add onions and sauté until translucent.
  5. While the onions are cooking, use a fork and mash the tofu into small crumbles. Add the crumbled tofu and black beans to the pan and stir well. Remove from heat.
  6. In a large bowl add the cooked pasta and rice, the onion, bean and tofu mixture and the cheesy enchilada sauce. Stir well and transfer mixture to a 9 x 13 glass baking dish.
  7. Sprinkle the cheese evenly over the top (if using) and then the croutons. Place in the oven for 25-30 minutes. Remove from oven and let cool for 5 minutes before serving.

Enjoy!

Chocolate Cake

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By: Brady Evans

CakeMy birthday came and went in early March without much fanfare. Part of the problem might have been that I have a student who has been consistently wishing me “HAPPY BIRTHDAY!” daily since August. It was hard to believe when the day had come that it was truly my birthday after all those wonderful salutations all year long.

Another problem, I guess, is that as you get older, birthdays matter less. Unless you are my mom (who blogs at leemalerich.wordpress.com if you want to check her out!), apparently, and then you throw yourself a wonderful party. That’s where this cake came into play – not on my birthday but on her birthday, which is two weeks after mine.

Maybe I went all out on the cakes (yes, there were two; I’ll share the other later) because I had truly not gone all out on my birthday. Or maybe it was because the skies had opened up and it had been raining for two days. What’s better than baking up a storm during an actual storm?

CakeI must confess that I chose this cake because the interior is deep dark chocolate and while my mom and I both prefer vanilla, our husbands do not. Also, I was in the mood to challenge myself by making homemade salted caramel.

The cake was described by the party guests as “shove your face into and eat away” delicious. Ina Garten makes a mean chocolate cake and the salted caramel frosting truly was the perfect contrast. The compliments I received for the baking of this cake at the party were embarrassingly plentiful, so use that as an indication of how quickly you should make this cake! Below are the recipes for the cake, the salted caramel and the salted caramel frosting.

Chocolate Cake (adapted from Ina Garten)

Ingredients

  • 12 tablespoons (1 1/2 sticks) unsalted butter at room temperature
  • 2/3 cup granulated sugar
  • 2/3 cup light brown sugar, packed
  • 2 extra-large eggs, at room temperature
  • 2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract
  • 1.5 cups whole buttermilk, shaken, at room temperature
  • 2 tablespoons brewed coffee
  • 1 3/4 cups all-purpose flour
  • 1 cup good cocoa powder
  • 1 1/2 teaspoons baking soda
  • 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt

Instructions

  1. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Grease your cake pans. (I like to use the wrapper from my sticks of butter).
  2. In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with a paddle attachment, cream the butter and 2 sugars on high speed until light and fluffy (approximately 5 minutes).
  3. Reduce the speed to medium, add the eggs 1 at a time and incorporate fully.
  4. Add the vanilla and mix well.
  5. In a separate bowl, whisk together the buttermilk and coffee.
  6. In a third bowl, sift together the flour, cocoa, baking soda and salt.
  7. On low speed, add the buttermilk mixture and the flour mixture alternately in thirds to the mixer bowl, beginning with the buttermilk mixture and ending with the flour mixture. Mix only until blended.
  8. Finish by folding the batter with a rubber spatula to be sure it’s completely blended.
  9. Divide the batter between two 8″ round cake pan.
  10. Bake for 20-25 minutes, until a toothpick inserted into the middle comes out clean. Let cool for 10-15 minutes and then remove to a cooling rack to cool completely.

Salted Caramel (from Kimberly Taylor Images)

Ingredients

  • 1 cup granulated sugar
  • 4 tablespoons water
  • 2 tablespoons light corn syrup
  • 1/2 cup heavy cream
  • 2 tablespoons butter
  • 1/2 teaspoon lemon juice
  • 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt

Instructions

  1. Combine the sugar, water and the corn syrup in a large saucepan and stir with a wooden spoon over medium heat until sugar is dissolved.
  2. Cover the saucepan and let it cook over medium heat for 3 minutes.
  3. After 3 minutes, remove the lid, increase the heat to medium-high, and bring to a boil.
  4. Do not stir from this point on, but instead swirl the liquid around the pan so that the caramel doesn’t burn.
  5. Continue to cook until the caramel turns an even light amber color (it will darken upon standing) then remove from the heat and let stand for about 30 seconds. This step will take about 5 minutes.
  6. Carefully, pour the heavy cream into the mixture. The mixture will bubble up, so watch out.
  7. Stir the mixture, again being careful. Add the butter, lemon juice, and salt. Stir until combined.
  8. Measure 1 cup into a glass measuring cup. Stirring occasionally, allow to cool until thick like molasses and warm to the touch, about 20 minutes.
  9. Save any extra in a sealed container in the refrigerator.

Salted Caramel Frosting (from Kimberly Taylor Images)

Ingredients

  • 2 sticks (1/2 pound) butter at room temperature
  • 8 ounces of cream cheese
  • 3-4 cups sifted powdered sugar
  • 1 cup salted caramel (recipe above)

Instructions

  1. Beat butter and cream cheese at medium speed until creamy.
  2. Add 2 cups of the powdered sugar into the butter/cream cheese mixture and beat to combine.
  3. Add 1 cup of the salted caramel and beat to combine.
  4. Add additional powdered sugar until the frosting is the sweetness and consistency you desire.

Fun In The Kitchen

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By: Shannon Shull

As one of our fun Easter activities together this year, my li’l angels and I had some sugary fun in the kitchen! We brought out a cookbook that I had bought years ago, which inspired us to want to get creative with some sweets. If you ever get the chance to check out this particular recipe book by Karen Tack & Alan Richardson, you will see why it’s called “Cupcakes, Cookies & Pie, Oh, My!” This book of super cool baking creations is from the creators of the New York Times bestseller “Hello, Cupcake!” I think the pictures alone in this book are enough to spark anyone’s interest and capture your imagination! Leading up to our special baking “date,” the kids and I scoured over the cookbook choosing our favorite recipes that we wanted to try out. My daughter made a list of each of our favorites and we voted in order to decide what we wanted to create on our day of baking and making artistic desserts.

The super cool cook book and the creation we attempted...

I also came across a really cute creation on http://www.JustaPinch.com and had saved a picture of this Kit Kat dessert creation called Redneck Piggy Pool. My 7 yr old son, Sawyer, absolutely loves Kit Kats! So, I saved the picture on my desktop for a couple of months knowing I eventually wanted to attempt this one. A recipe with Kit Kats was  the main enticement that helped me to get my son to actually participate and join us in the kitchen! When it was time for the Kit Kat dessert making, my son was in the kitchen in a flash ready to play and, of course, sample along the way! And now, because I couldn’t get my hands on any fondant (much less had a clue at first what it was!), instead of making little piggies to go in our mud bath, we put pink Peeps in our chocolate puddin’, Kit Kat fenced in, mud bath! We all thought our little ‘Peep show’ creation was very appropriate here at Easter time! ;-)

The Kit Kat lover and his Peeps Mud Bath...

Naturally, my creative 9-year-old girl, Mina, loved every bit of the baking and creating. In fact, the child is quite the artist in her own right, and I must admit, her creations were WAY better than mine! She’s got quite the knack, so we will certainly make sure to do more of this kitchen fun in the future so she can really tap into her artistic baking talents.

The creative, artistic process...

A  big thanks goes to my mother, my babies’ grandmother, a.k.a. “MamaMe,” who opened up her kitchen and aided us in our fun quest to produce some of these neat treats. We  destroyed her newly remodeled, lovely kitchen! Cupcake and brownie crumbs, chocolate, loads of different colored sprinkles, M & M’s, and several different flavors and colors of icing were not only all over the counter tops, but were spilled and splattered on the floor and cabinets! Fortunately, my precious Mama was so excited to have us there playing with her for the day that she didn’t mind the mess one bit! Thankfully, we escaped with only one kitchen injury (I burned my finger from accidentally touching an incredibly hot cupcake pan), and we made out pretty darn well, had a blast, and ended up very proud of our artistic baked creations.

The Fun in the Kitchen!

I of course, was overly ambitious in my plans to make lots of cool, culinary creations and discovered that baking – especially baking with children – takes more time than you ever plan for. So we ended up accomplishing only two of the many recipes we’d chosen, but that’s ok! As you’ll see, our edible art did not come out quite as professional and fancy as the pictures in the book, but we learned several lessons and discovered the importance of specific ingredients and baking tools! And for a first go at it, I’d say our artistic sweet treats turned out pretty darn cool lookin’!

Simple, Sublime Key Lime

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By: Elizabeth Webber Akre

I met Neil in 1997. He was born in Florida, but when I met him, he’d recently landed in South Carolina after 15 or so years in the Norse Land (you may know it as Minnesota). Over those years, he’d been back and forth to FL, since his parents had moved back down there. As we got to know each other, I learned a lot of interesting things about the places he has lived: practically everything in America was invented in Minnesota (’cause they spend half the year locked up in their snowed in houses just thinking up stuff?), when racing jet skis on TV, wear bathing trunks with a drawstring waist (MOOON over Miami), Ducatis are the only motorcycles worth owning, and most importantly, real key lime pie is NOT green.

Up until this point, key lime pie never really piqued my interest. At. All. But, turns out, it’s Neil’s most favorite dessert on Earth. As he was letting me know this, he also told me something I’d never heard before: real key lime pie isn’t green. Lime pie is green, perhaps. Food coloring helps, too. But a real key lime isn’t the same as the big limes we all see on a regular basis. No, key limes are tiny- like the size of a ping pong ball- and that’s considered a big one. And, key limes are way more tart than “regular” (Persian) limes. In fact, these little green orbs will turn your cheeks inside out…that’s how tart we’re talking about! So, Neil advised me of this: if you see a “key lime pie” in a restaurant that is green, know this: it’s not real key lime pie. Just say NO.

See the size of these little babies?

Soaking up some sun

Well, here we are all these years later, married and with a wonderful little girl. I’ve been making key lime pies for awhile now. The first time, I bought a bag of key limes from the grocery. Like I said, they are tiny. So, I cut them all in half, clutched them in my fingers and juiced them one by one. When it was over, I could hardly unclench my fists and was convinced that I’d just given myself incurable arthritis. I vowed that as much as I loved Neil, this was his one and only homemade key lime pie.

The life saver

The life saver

Lucky for him, I was browsing around Williams-Sonoma one day and lo and behold! I discovered you can BUY key lime juice in a bottle! Now, this was a game changer indeed. I bought a couple bottles of (really) expensive juice and ran right home to bake up a pie. Months later, my sister was visiting and saw this primo juice in my fridge and said something like, “You know you can get this in the grocery store, right?” Bahh wuhhh? So, my little sister drove over to the Piggly Wiggly and returned with four bottles of key lime juice for the price of my two Williams-Sonoma bottles. But, no worries…now we’re in business! I can make Neil’s fave anytime I want. Easily, inexpensively and all year long. Good thing for him, because I was never juicing those little limes by hand ever again. Never, ever, ever, again. Period.

Fast forward to today. I now have the most awesome juicing tool ever invented. Good thing too, since this Christmas, my parents found a key lime bush that has been cross-bred with a loquat, so it can withstand colder temps than they have in Florida. So now we’re growing our own key limes on the patio! I wouldn’t be so excited about this if it were not for my juicer, especially since I’d vowed never to juice those things by hand again! Of course, you just can’t beat the bottled juice, but if you want to go old school and juice yourself, you must get one of these. Plain and simple.

You just need this for any kind of citrus juicing…go get one!

This weekend was St. Patrick’s Day, and we were having corned beef and cabbage at my inlaws’ house on Sunday. The only thing I had on hand that I could whip up quickly that was remotely “green” was key lime. I was able to harvest one of our tiny baby limes to garnish and the pie turned out terrific as usual. The crazy thing is how easy this recipe is. Most of the time, you use a graham cracker crust, which is quite delicious. But one day at the grocery, I came across a granola crust, which I’d never seen before. I used one for this latest pie and it was terrific. In fact, it was better than a plain ol’ graham cracker crust. I think this will be my new “go to” for these pies.

The low-down on key lime pie is this: don’t waste your time with “regular” lime juice, either juice your own little tiny key limes or buy the key lime juice…there IS a difference! All you need is 1/2 cup juice, 3 egg yolks and a can of condensed milk. Mix until smooth, pour into pie shell and bake at 350 for about 15 minutes.

Another must-have: egg separator

Another must-have: egg separator

Good eggs are important

Good eggs are important

Look at that beautiful yellow!

Look at that beautiful yellow!

Freeze egg whites in individual packages for future recipes

Freeze egg whites in individual packages for future recipes

Then, cool for about 10 minutes before refrigerating. Garnish as you wish, but rest assured, it wil be happily consumed decorated or plain Jane!

Garnish or dive right in...your call!

Garnish or dive right in…your call!

Elizabeth writes Gastronomy (by a Wanna-be Chef). For more thoughts, stories, musings, and opinions about food, please visit and subscribe.  Eat, drink and be merry!

Chill Out: Use Your Freezer to Save Money, Make Eating Healthier Easier

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By: Mary Pat Baldauf

My grandmother was the “queen of freezers,” and growing up, I couldn’t figure out why anyone would keep two big freezers full of perfectly good food. But since I’ve started eating healthier, I’ve gotten a small freezer myself; I’ve been amazed by how it not only makes eating healthier easier, but also saves some money in the process.

FreezerI tell people that changing my eating habits hasn’t been that hard; the hard thing has been the preparation and planning that goes into eating healthier. Three years ago, if I didn’t have time to pack my lunch, no problem; I’d drive thru Wendy’s instead. Now, however, I have to think ahead, and my freezer has become my best friend! On weekends, I prepare several meals, divide them into individual servings and pop them in the freezer. That way, a healthy meal is only minutes away.

People often complain that eating healthier is more expensive, but using a freezer can really help keep costs down. One way is by purchasing fruits and vegetables when they’re in season, then putting them in the freezer to use later. When your favorite products are on sale, you can also buy extra to put away in the freezer. For instance, every time Publix has my bread on “buy one, get one free” special, I get two loaves, whether I need them or not, because they freeze perfectly.

Frozen food will stay safe pretty much forever because the microorganisms that lead to spoilage and illness go dormant at or below zero degrees. But not all foods will taste good after defrosting. Lettuce will wilt and mayo will appear curdled, for example. Raw meats and poultry freeze better than prepared ones because the moisture that locks in flavor is lost during cooking.

Here’s some helpful information that I’ve had on my freezer for a while, and I thought it would be great to share. The information, from the Department of Agriculture, indicates how long frozen foods will keep their quality.

Food Months
Casseroles 2 to 3
Frozen dinners, entrees 3 to 4
Ham, hot dogs, lunch meat 1 to 2
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Meat: Cooked 2 to 3
Poultry: uncooked whole 12
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Poultry: cooked 4
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Did your mother or grandmother have a freezer? Do you have one? How do you use it? What are your tips for a freezer newbie?

Hummus

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By: Brady Evans

I remember the first time I had hummus.  I was maybe 12 or 13, and my mom’s friend from the big city of Atlanta was visiting our small, stoplight-devoid town.  She brought with her crunchy wasabi peas, edamame, and hummus.

Hummus

Oh, the hummus.  It was so tangy and creamy and unique.  Where I lived, dips came in the form of a pop-top can and accompanied ruffled potato chips.

I’ve been making hummus for a long time, but what takes it up a notch lately is dousing it in a layer of flavor-infused olive oil and savory spices.  Here, I used roasted garlic olive oil and smoked paprika.

Hummus

The true secret to making the best hummus is peeling the chickpeas.  I generally toss them in a bowl with water and swish them around with my hand, which loosens the skins.  Then, I pop each pea out of its skin. It adds a little time to what would be a quick food processor-only recipe, but it is really worth it.

Chickpeas

Hummus (adapted from Oh She Glows)

Ingredients

  • 2 15-oz cans chick peas, peeled
  • 2 garlic cloves, peeled
  • 3 tbsp fresh lemon juice
  • 1/4 cup tahini
  • 2-4 tbsp water, as needed to reach desired consistency
  • 1/2-1 tsp fine grain sea salt
  • 1/4 tsp ground coriander seeds
  • smoked paprika and olive oil for garnish

Instructions

  1. Add chick peas to the food processor and pulse until chopped.
  2. Add remaining ingredients, adding water if necessary to reach desired consistency.
  3. Garnish with spices and oils.