tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-21444471191608390112024-03-05T03:34:50.166-08:00Mental NotesHillbilly Foodiehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08322943405486930355noreply@blogger.comBlogger18125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2144447119160839011.post-20856511811994791402012-05-13T18:43:00.000-07:002012-05-13T18:44:18.341-07:00Confessions of a Serial Gardener<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjHbpOLrzdqN_h33gE2QoJr6K2VokztsE9cT2BaNCaHrbxlG05igqRWv-nvUkzqjv7EP7_p6uu38FLbdIKEShieujNaBFi992O-DPJBRLp2y2V5P3kGju4X95qY6ML98xFTdGK2DPzDLqSg/s1600/IMG_0078.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"></a>Hi, my name is Carrie and I am a basil killer. My trouble with basil began back when I began cooking. Basil is such a nice ingredient to have around and who doesn't like pesto? So I decided I needed FRESH basil for my cooking. I started small... A packet of basil from the grocery store every once in a while. Those bad boys cost about $3 a pack and I felt guilty using an entire package for one night's worth of pesto. But it got worse. I would save a small portion of the small package thinking I could use it for garnishes and instead I would forget about it in the fridge and my sad fistful of basil would wilt and die. Then I thought, let's go to the source and buy those happy little basil plants they sell at the grocery store! Oh the carnage... I would bring the plants home and put them in a vase of water and watch them die. Half the time I wouldn't even have a chance to harvest one time before the sad little plant would kick the bucket. So last year I moved on to buying a full on plant from Lowe's to plant in the garden. The garden was a raging success and life was good. I would go out at random and happily pluck the leaves as needed. Sometimes as I gardened I would snap off a leaf and snack on it. Oh the fruits of my labor. So this year I eagerly went to Lowe's to buy my basil plant so that once again I could have a summer of delicious basil with a side of triumph. I laid the plant out in a nice sunny spot in the front yard and went on my merry way. This is Mother's Day weekend this weekend, so I was in no rush to transplant because this weekend is the traditional planting weekend in our neck of the woods. In fact this year, I'm feeling even more ambitious so I want to have my herb garden separate from my vegetable garden. I bought some terra cotta this weekend and spent the day transplanting all my herbs into the new pots. When I got to the basil, what did I find? It had been eaten down to the point that only a few stalks survived! I know what you are thinking: rabbits, deer? But no. This was not the work of a wild animal. Nope, our outdoor cat Milo has decided basil and dill are <i>delicious</i>. So I replanted the sad remains of my basil and dill and only time will tell if I get anything for my efforts. Sometimes I think basil and I just weren't meant to be. He's an intimidating beast, no? <br />
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjHbpOLrzdqN_h33gE2QoJr6K2VokztsE9cT2BaNCaHrbxlG05igqRWv-nvUkzqjv7EP7_p6uu38FLbdIKEShieujNaBFi992O-DPJBRLp2y2V5P3kGju4X95qY6ML98xFTdGK2DPzDLqSg/s1600/IMG_0078.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="239" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjHbpOLrzdqN_h33gE2QoJr6K2VokztsE9cT2BaNCaHrbxlG05igqRWv-nvUkzqjv7EP7_p6uu38FLbdIKEShieujNaBFi992O-DPJBRLp2y2V5P3kGju4X95qY6ML98xFTdGK2DPzDLqSg/s320/IMG_0078.JPG" width="320" /></a>Hillbilly Foodiehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08322943405486930355noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2144447119160839011.post-41256362763878702232012-02-05T18:18:00.000-08:002012-02-05T18:18:18.259-08:00Carolyn comes to the Poconos and has some brunch<div>The lovely and talented <a href="https://www.facebook.com/sweetcarolyns">Carolyn</a> of the delightful Etsy shop <a href="http://www.etsy.com/shop/SweetCarolyns">"Sweet Carolyn's"</a> came down to visit us last month and so we did our best to show her a good time. Easiest way to do that is to have brunch at <a href="http://www.porterspubeaston.com/index.html">Porter's Pub</a>. Feel free to check out the menu because it is out of this world. I'm not even a breakfast person but I can't say no to a lazy Sunday at Porter's drinking fine beers and eating delicious food.<br />
Beer of note from this particular trip: <a href="http://www.dogfish.com/brews-spirits/the-brews/occasional-rarities/black-red.htm">Dogfish Head Black and Red</a>. This beer is not for the faint of heart. Of course I had to begin with it. It's dark and fruity and "dry-minted" whatever that means. Add all of that together and you get a very heady, exciting beer. I had a few others over the course of our time there as did John and Carolyn. I enjoyed the Black and Red so much Carolyn partook of one as well. While we were there our conversation meandered as our conversations tend to do.<br />
Carolyn shrieked the words "<a href="http://punchfork.com/">Punch fork</a>!" at me several times, so of course, I am now hooked. Just what I need another social network site to obsess over. If you haven't already been there, devote a couple hours of your life to visiting this site. We also determined we have quite a few trips to make together this summer. We will be hitting Colonial Williamsburg and Bourbon St as well as going on as many brewery tours as humanly possible. Lastly, we decided Carolyn and <a href="https://www.facebook.com/MaryPat.CrazyGram">Mary Pat</a> need to come to the Jazz Fest this year. All in all, 2012 will definitely be a busy year!</div>Hillbilly Foodiehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08322943405486930355noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2144447119160839011.post-11513514034180435292012-01-31T19:07:00.000-08:002012-01-31T19:10:47.674-08:00Jingle Jingle!<div>So what seems like a year ago, but was really this past December, we went to the <a href="http://www.deerheadinn.com/">Deer Head Inn</a> for their Jingle Jingle event. We had a blast for so many reasons, but here are some of the highlights. Joy Mazur did a wonderful spoken word piece about if everyday were Christmas. Johnny Rydell was outrageously fun and it makes me wish he spent more time on the stage at Sarah St instead of adjusting the sound! Sara Bauer did some <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/SantaLand_Diaries">Santaland Diaries</a> fun. If you haven't read it, do! My favorite, <a href="https://www.facebook.com/bovinesocialclub">Bovine Social Club</a> got up and rocked the house. <a href="http://www.jambands.com/news/2011/11/04/shockenaw-mountain-boys-and-twice-the-tim-carbone-this-weekend">The Shockenaw Mountain Boys</a> were also incredible even if they were missing a few band members. If you like Railroad Earth, then you know and like Tim Carbone already and this is another great project that he is involved in. Tim also got up at one point and did an incredible spoken word which I wish I could remember because it was great! I also learned a new turn of phrase that night, "new grass". This definitely describes the awesome music we heard that night.<br />
Now on to the food! If you ever have the opportunity to go to the Deer Head, you won't be disappointed. We started with a really nice house salad and a cup of butternut squash soup with almonds. I love butternut squash soup especially with a little dollop of sour cream or plain yogurt. Perfect toasty feeling for a cold night. I think it could have done with a small bit of heat or acid to balance it a little better because this particular incarnation tasted a little too much like dessert to me. Delicious, but sweet. I absolutely love their stuffed flounder and get it almost every time we go there. It's got a wonderful lemon beurre blanc sauce that I must learn to make. John always gravitates to their chicken pot pie, and I can't say I blame him. It's topped with a crispy, chewy, buttery puff pastry that is divine. We ended the night with their creme brulee because it is an absolute must any time we go there. The sugar top is crisp and caramel-ly and the custard is cold and creamy. Mmmmm... I could go for some right now! Oh and lest I forget, I won the 50/50! It basically covered our dinner and also got me a lovely poster of the event autographed by some of the players! All in all, it was a really fun night and I'm glad that we went and I'm really glad I finally got the opportunity to blog about it!</div>Hillbilly Foodiehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08322943405486930355noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2144447119160839011.post-30650299668438205552012-01-13T15:07:00.000-08:002012-01-13T15:12:32.307-08:00Make Ahead Meal: Baby Spinach with Bacon and EggsI absolutely love <a href="http://www.rachaelraymag.com/Recipes/rachael-ray-magazine-recipe-search/breakfast-brunch-recipes/swiss-chard-with-bacon-and-eggs">this recipe</a> and I am barely an eggs for breakfast person let alone for dinner. I have made it with the Swiss chard but this time I decided to do baby spinach. If you haven't had Swiss chard, it is similar to spinach but I recommend that you remove the stalks. This is very easy to do if you grab it by the end and pull upwards. This works with kale as well and this recipe works well with kale. If you use kale, Swiss chard or regular spinach, allow for some extra cooking time. The baby spinach took very little time to cook down. I love the idea of garlic bread and eggs and now I want garlic bread for breakfast! We got our bacon from the butcher case of the meat department and I urge you to try it if it's available. It was cheaper and really bacony! :)<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgwvj3FVgKGgaBlGNMeGaz8gc0bCe6kAlxI4Ji-yhJKxuKYL9LLo75uAU_yodyatzpQ3rstbyQTU7moLM6Y7BY2aZkpmtG0eceYOiANPd9GACa2Fq4l_qKQnKf59kAwpu9_Zywg_wWOLBAj/s1600/20120111202610.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgwvj3FVgKGgaBlGNMeGaz8gc0bCe6kAlxI4Ji-yhJKxuKYL9LLo75uAU_yodyatzpQ3rstbyQTU7moLM6Y7BY2aZkpmtG0eceYOiANPd9GACa2Fq4l_qKQnKf59kAwpu9_Zywg_wWOLBAj/s320/20120111202610.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>I wish the colors were more true as this was a really beautiful dish that was just as nice to look at as to eat.Hillbilly Foodiehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08322943405486930355noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2144447119160839011.post-17853929670613494422012-01-06T18:29:00.000-08:002012-01-06T18:29:28.521-08:00Make Ahead Meals: Pork and Ginger Noodle Soup and Pork Fried RiceWe love a good soup in this house and boy is this a <a href="http://www.rachaelraymag.com/Recipes/rachael-ray-magazine-recipe-search/soup-recipes/pork-and-ginger-noodle-soup">good soup</a>! I had never worked with rice noodles before and the directions are very helpful. All of the ingredients are work well together and create a very "Asian" style flavor. If you don't like bok choy, you can always replace it with a different green or take it out completely. If you've never tried it, I highly recommend it especially if you can track down the baby bok choy that the recipe calls for. It cooks out to a really beautiful bright green color and is not quite as bitter as full bok choy. If you like spinach, definitely try it. I have made this and other soups like it before and subbed in spinach as well as salad greens which work wonderfully. Unless of course all you have is iceberg lettuce. Then just skipped the greens! If you've never used hot chili oil before, use it sparingly at first and add more to taste as that is a flavor that sneaks up on you! Enjoy this delicious soup with something else with an Asian flavor such as the Make Ahead <a href="http://www.rachaelraymag.com/Recipes/rachael-ray-magazine-recipe-search/side-dish-recipes/pork-fried-rice-2">Pork Fried Rice</a>. This recipe is fantastic. Unbelievable fast and easy especially if you have the rice and pork already prepared. This is the best fried rice I have ever had and I can't wait to make it again!Hillbilly Foodiehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08322943405486930355noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2144447119160839011.post-70569449414176375442012-01-02T05:43:00.000-08:002012-01-02T05:43:42.637-08:00Make Ahead Meals: Creamy Chicken with Soft PolentaI have been looking forward to this post for a while! <a href="http://www.rachaelraymag.com/Recipes/rachael-ray-magazine-recipe-search/dinner-recipes/creamy-chicken-with-soft-polenta">This chicken recipe</a> is by far my favorite thing that I make from this collection. The ingredients work together flawlessly and it comes together surprisingly quickly. I had never worked with polenta before this and had only eaten it once or twice so I was very curious as to how this would go. Polenta may actually be the easiest starch I have ever worked with. It takes three minutes to make and as long as you don't have an attention span problem and can focus on it for three minutes, it is very easy to make. If you do wander away from it, it can become lumpy, so dedicate those three minutes and you will be glad you did.<br />
This recipe is not for the calorie faint of heart as it does involve heavy cream and is just all over luxurious. As always you can alter this recipe to your heart's desire. I love mushrooms but not everyone does, so you could substitute some other element in for the mushrooms or skip them all together. I also really love the roasted butternut squash in this dish but keep in mind that it does sweeten it along with the heavy cream, so if you don't like to mix sweet and savory, you may want to omit or sub them as well. It also calls for peas which I'm not a huge fan of but I have found that frozen peas lately are getting a lot better, so the choice is yours. The end of the recipe calls for fontina to be added to the polenta but it doesn't give a measurement or even mention it in the ingredient list so I have used any number of cheeses in varying amounts in it's place. Really whatever grate-able cheese you like will be very nice and you can put in as much as you want as long as you keep stirring until smooth. I hope you enjoy this recipe as much as our family does!Hillbilly Foodiehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08322943405486930355noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2144447119160839011.post-31989926612420033652011-12-30T18:16:00.000-08:002011-12-30T18:16:04.309-08:00Pulled Pork and Slaw SandwichesBack to a text only blog for a while as I catch up on all of the cooking I have done this year! What can I say about pulled pork sandwiches that hasn't already been said? Pulled pork may be the sandwich of the gods and this coming from a girl that has a lukewarm relationship with pork. My father referred to me as his Jewish princess for years because of my distaste for pork. The odyssey that is my evolving feelings for pork could fill a blog on its own.<br />
Anyway, for those of you who grew up under a rock or perhaps just further from the Southland than I did, here's what pulled pork is. It's the result of a slow, low, delicious roasting process. In this case, I prepared a huge pork shoulder as detailed in <a href="http://hillbillyfoodie.blogspot.com/2011/10/make-ahead-meals-basics.html">building blocks blog for pork</a>. You can season the pork many ways during this process and just about all of them are good. The shoulder is fatty, which makes it deliciously juicy. After hours of slow cooking the pork in the oven, it will become fork tender and then after even more time, it will fall apart. You always want to make sure you catch it in that sweet spot before it becomes dry. Dry pork can of course be saved with a luscious barbeque sauce, but let's not rely on the sauce to do all the work.<br />
Now that you have your wonderfully slow roasted pork shredded to perfection, it is time to make some sandwiches! We never wait til this recipe comes up in the rotation. We make it the day of or the day after the roast comes out of the oven because it's just that good! Honestly, in this case, we never refer to the <a href="http://www.rachaelraymag.com/Recipes/rachael-ray-magazine-recipe-search/lunch-recipes/pulled-pork-and-slaw-sandwiches">Rachael Ray recipe</a> but just wing it on our own. The recipe looks excellent though, so feel free to dive in. And if you're in a pinch for time, or just don't feel like making your own sauce, grab your favorite bottled barbeque and go nuts. There are some great brands out there!<br />
Oddly enough, I have never been a "slaw" fan either but I have learned to stop worrying and love the slaw. (bonus points if you caught that esoteric reference) It adds a fun crunch and clean flavor that I enjoy. I often cheat and make it a no mayo slaw because I much prefer vinegar to mayonnaise. If you just can't bear to have the slaw on the sandwich, as a certain Bean I know can't, then feel free to slap it along side the sandwich and enjoy! Or make your own tasty side. Maybe some mac and cheese or a pasta salad...? Oh and if you are going to skip that crunchy slaw as a topping I recommend toasting and buttering the bun! Yum!<br />
I guess I had more to say about the humble and delectable pulled pork sandwich than I thought! What do you like with your pulled pork? Are you a slaw on top or slaw on the side or none of the above?Hillbilly Foodiehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08322943405486930355noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2144447119160839011.post-34620522062030874952011-12-26T18:30:00.000-08:002011-12-26T19:49:08.986-08:00Homemade Egg Nog!Welcome to my first attempt at a photo blog! We have started a new Christmas tradition where I make homemade egg nog! All you need for this fabulous egg nog are the following ingredients:<br />
<br />
6 eggs separated<br />
3/4 C sugar<br />
1 pint of heavy cream<br />
4 pints milk<br />
1/2 pint bourbon<br />
1 T vanilla extract<br />
nutmeg to taste<br />
<br />
Follow along and you can have delicious egg nog, too!<br />
<br />
<div style="text-align: center;">First gather all of the ingredients:</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhH_N-sBX9XjdtIR7Bl0XkaJ3uhaPq2nb0F3WK0Q2dI7cHvwI6SM9iAFyw_aYB063sS7pxlHuN83cZO8Sdz0nhZ9KURTbi8_U5aBTKXR1cIw8N2FZXzTcGOmqfjYSCzH4MvSZiaOmvnbR2t/s1600/569.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhH_N-sBX9XjdtIR7Bl0XkaJ3uhaPq2nb0F3WK0Q2dI7cHvwI6SM9iAFyw_aYB063sS7pxlHuN83cZO8Sdz0nhZ9KURTbi8_U5aBTKXR1cIw8N2FZXzTcGOmqfjYSCzH4MvSZiaOmvnbR2t/s320/569.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;">Then whip together all of the liquids</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhLZXfO6kozDrCAweDGbF8UH1Mxrr68eLp91HbY9bNkJGzeFb3hHw-A69pluZJsqRRX49vED54mfMLcGcw_0afKgnp1JJRBtRsXcrb11tcPiHqfU8mqOmXmKUMTAgVnZJtHN9eaFXgg4JLn/s1600/570.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhLZXfO6kozDrCAweDGbF8UH1Mxrr68eLp91HbY9bNkJGzeFb3hHw-A69pluZJsqRRX49vED54mfMLcGcw_0afKgnp1JJRBtRsXcrb11tcPiHqfU8mqOmXmKUMTAgVnZJtHN9eaFXgg4JLn/s320/570.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;">Fold all three bowls together for fluffy dreaminess</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhOrEo8uUq4MHoFdhtNVRdZIKI7nTeuAF2xWCKPmhch3s7N5Qchuhc25ku5eYvvC1yvtShZfWDS1yH7GAQTK-Ci516NQaGZOpvhmcywIWmISPNUgu2sTNB9Qb4LMcAe01RhuRYyot3tgi2Z/s1600/571.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhOrEo8uUq4MHoFdhtNVRdZIKI7nTeuAF2xWCKPmhch3s7N5Qchuhc25ku5eYvvC1yvtShZfWDS1yH7GAQTK-Ci516NQaGZOpvhmcywIWmISPNUgu2sTNB9Qb4LMcAe01RhuRYyot3tgi2Z/s320/571.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;">Pour in the milk and grate nutmeg over top to taste</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiRk_gYiGotAFmlGPNYMoSne6ksBbz8xtvKFaafnuz4KpqhDN_EeY24U9EUsCoZ_I7Y31cG48z7KJriT1sSGd4Oo3amq5RcdzvFWVldNNmyn8ZtMeYmHRJ66czwh8mxjp9uaVz5XaCeyyu0/s1600/573.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiRk_gYiGotAFmlGPNYMoSne6ksBbz8xtvKFaafnuz4KpqhDN_EeY24U9EUsCoZ_I7Y31cG48z7KJriT1sSGd4Oo3amq5RcdzvFWVldNNmyn8ZtMeYmHRJ66czwh8mxjp9uaVz5XaCeyyu0/s320/573.jpg" width="240" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;">The recipe calls for a cup of bourbon but we may have added a little bit more...</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjAUgp0TNV4FxqAbzIMKIBN7bHgLYoyoDXlkth39ZcMii7uVhJOv8eFPWh_gwUrozHp-e6R4H8Rw-mnUvKVwZC-mfnt4XG9UuUbr7y2OdSDuV4alrrNtjkJuuYdvSAqb4fcEXWPL_9kD5qw/s1600/575.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjAUgp0TNV4FxqAbzIMKIBN7bHgLYoyoDXlkth39ZcMii7uVhJOv8eFPWh_gwUrozHp-e6R4H8Rw-mnUvKVwZC-mfnt4XG9UuUbr7y2OdSDuV4alrrNtjkJuuYdvSAqb4fcEXWPL_9kD5qw/s320/575.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;">Throw it in the freezer for as long as you can hold out and then enjoy!</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgUI0rDvB5Ex274nJdf4_Ul0UoFdwPBYuVp8tKWIoG4Egf8OERMcMskjNo6jfCDi5AMhyRDj5jNPxWxMLYH8N_3Mqw9e1MwcNTsvJL6hZbvrmNNcYrFfq-VZDPeOZ0SHpp6FChteKNQFxsT/s1600/576.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgUI0rDvB5Ex274nJdf4_Ul0UoFdwPBYuVp8tKWIoG4Egf8OERMcMskjNo6jfCDi5AMhyRDj5jNPxWxMLYH8N_3Mqw9e1MwcNTsvJL6hZbvrmNNcYrFfq-VZDPeOZ0SHpp6FChteKNQFxsT/s320/576.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><div style="text-align: left;"></div><div style="text-align: left;">I hope my first photo blog was a help in your egg nog making needs! Check out Paula Dean's full recipe at <a href="http://www.foodnetwork.com/recipes/paula-deen/mamas-eggnog-recipe/index.html">Food Network</a>. Happy Holidays!</div>Hillbilly Foodiehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08322943405486930355noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2144447119160839011.post-9916638658260265092011-11-27T07:48:00.000-08:002011-11-27T07:48:37.228-08:00Veggie Flatbreads with HummusTalk about a quick and easy recipe! <a href="http://www.rachaelraymag.com/Recipes/rachael-ray-magazine-recipe-search/dinner-recipes/veggie-flatbreads-with-hummus">Veggie Flatbreads with Hummus</a> came together basically in the time it took to heat the oven. Fortunately we have a toaster oven so that's pretty quick! We loved the hummus on the naan bread. What great concept. We aren't huge fans of fennel but it worked just fine on the flatbread. This is a great recipe that you can have a lot of fun with. We made one flatbread following the directions and then a second one using stuff we had in the fridge. It all came out great and this will definitely become one of our go to recipes for something quick, easy and fun to make!Hillbilly Foodiehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08322943405486930355noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2144447119160839011.post-36672746316498661062011-11-20T11:05:00.000-08:002011-11-20T11:05:41.230-08:00Easy Brunswick StewThe only soup I have ever been able to come up with that uses pork is an Asian inspired one that involves garlic and ginger and scallions and noodles and is super yummy. I'll have to post that one someday. So when I saw that this was a recipe for using pork in a soup I was definitely intrigued. I'm a big fan of stews but I have never heard of Brunswick stew. <a href="http://www.rachaelraymag.com/Recipes/rachael-ray-magazine-recipe-search/dinner-recipes/easy-brunswick-stew">This stew</a> is truly easy to make. It uses a lot of vegetables, so it's healthy, too. I don't think I had ever had okra before I came across this recipe, so I was a little nervous about using it. I'm also not a fan of peas in general but the peas I used for the pilaf were nice so I figured I'd give it a whirl. Now, once again keep in mind that you are taking thawed items and putting them in this stew. I don't care what the directions say, it takes longer than 5 minutes to get everything heated up. At least on my crappy electric stove anyway. Also, I usually cook on instinct so I'm not a big measure-er. This kind of messed me up with this recipe because I wasn't paying attention to the directions and just started dumping veggies in and well, I bought the wrong size packages and ended up with about double the number of veggies I was supposed to put into the soup! So now it was a veggie soup with some pork in it! It actually tasted pretty good and was very thick. I liked it a lot and will definitely make it again. The only difference will be that I will be a little more true to the measurements! Oh and I'll probably put whatever vegetables I feel like putting in there instead of sticking with the list. But the okra really wasn't bad!Hillbilly Foodiehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08322943405486930355noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2144447119160839011.post-75819985674707093822011-11-18T10:09:00.000-08:002011-11-18T10:09:34.618-08:00Butternut Squash and Spinach StrataNext up on the list <a href="http://www.rachaelraymag.com/Recipes/rachael-ray-magazine-recipe-search/breakfast-brunch-recipes/butternut-squash-and-spinach-strata">Butternut Squash and Spinach Strata</a>! So what is a strata? It's a casserole made of day old bread and milk and eggs and pretty much anything else you would like to put in there. It's a lot like a bread pudding and makes a great meal for breakfast, lunch, dinner, brunch, whatever. With all that said, this was not my favorite. I'm not a huge egg fan and this is eggy. I always want to like eggs, especially interesting recipes like this or frittatas but I just don't. I'm always willing to give things a try though and here are my thoughts on this try: This recipe calls for white bread, but I was listening to a program on <a href="http://theradioblog.marthastewart.com/">Martha Stewart radio</a> on Sirius XM last week and the guest suggested using some more interesting bread such as ciabatta or brioche. Definitely something to keep in mind. Due to the nature of this meal plan, you make the night you are going to eat it but it is actually recommended that you throw the whole thing in the fridge the night before and put it in the oven the next day. I might try these changes this month and see how it goes. Overall, it looks very cool when it comes out of the oven. It rises and becomes golden and fluffy. It's really just too much bread and egg for me but I think with a more interesting bread, I might enjoy this more. I wasn't a huge fan of the butternut squash in it either because it already seemed too much like bread pudding and then the sweetness of the squash really underlined that. I will probably try mushrooms and thyme or sage next time along with the spinach because I love that combination.Hillbilly Foodiehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08322943405486930355noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2144447119160839011.post-1303816355426124422011-11-15T16:54:00.000-08:002011-11-15T16:54:54.696-08:00Fusilli with Chicken and Tomato SauceThis recipe was really a no brainer in the sense that how could homemade tomato sauce and roasted chicken be bad? <a href="http://www.rachaelraymag.com/Recipes/rachael-ray-magazine-recipe-search/dinner-recipes/fusilli-with-chicken-and-tomato-sauce">Fusilli with Chicken and Tomato Sauce</a> was incredibly simple to make. Make sure you don't forget to reserve that pasta water! It makes any sauce better. :-) The only thing that tripped me up in this recipe was the mozzarella cheese. The description calls for "6 oz. mozzarella, diced (1 1/2 cups)" but doesn't say whether it is fresh mozzarella or regular mozzarella. I went with the fresh and honestly it didn't do the fresh mozzarella justice. It became very melty and stringy and not really worth the effort. Save the money and buy regular! I'll be making this recipe again sometime this week without the fresh mozz so hopefully I will see a difference. We really enjoyed this recipe and we will definitely be making it again.Hillbilly Foodiehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08322943405486930355noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2144447119160839011.post-91792786287712820532011-11-12T07:22:00.000-08:002011-11-12T07:22:05.346-08:00Make Ahead Meals: Mango, Pork and Watercress SaladAnd we're back! Just in time for me to start a new month of MAM, let's continue the recap of last month's successes and alterations. I have to admit this recipe gave me pause. I only started eating pork about 5 years ago, I've never been a fan of mango and I'm not sure I have ever even eaten watercress... So this was going to be a taste adventure! (or disaster...)<br />
<a href="http://www.rachaelraymag.com/Recipes/rachael-ray-magazine-recipe-search/salad-recipes/mango--pork-and-watercress-salad">The salad</a> came together very easily as most salads should. There was absolutely no cooking involved which is great for a week night. I forgot to save one bell pepper from my pepper roasting extravaganza so I didn't have a raw pepper to throw into it. I think it would have done just fine in the mix. This recipe also calls for toasted almonds and I always hesitate to put nuts in food, but just like the olives were great in the shrimp and rice dish, the almonds definitely served their purpose in this dish. Overall, I liked this salad a lot and look forward to having it again this month! Keep in mind that once again you are pulling the pork either out of the fridge or freezer and act accordingly. In a salad, cold pork isn't so bad but frozen is!Hillbilly Foodiehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08322943405486930355noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2144447119160839011.post-26014022874859048212011-10-24T11:25:00.000-07:002011-10-24T11:25:27.820-07:00Make Ahead Meals: Spanish Rice with ShrimpLittle interruption in our blog time due to a fabulous time up in Boston with some great friends including the one and only <a href="http://www.bloglovin.com/m/3035656/316288363/fb">Angela King</a>! I have to track down all of the notes I took on the great beer we had while we were there but for now, back to the Make Ahead Meals!<br />
The next meal on the list that we tackled was <a href="http://www.rachaelraymag.com/Recipes/rachael-ray-magazine-recipe-search/dinner-recipes/spanish-rice-with-shrimp">Spanish Rice with Shrimp</a>. This recipe involved using the <a href="http://www.rachaelraymag.com/Recipes/rachael-ray-magazine-recipe-search/snack-spread-dip-recipes/tomato-sauce-3">Tomato Sauce</a> , <a href="http://www.rachaelraymag.com/Recipes/rachael-ray-magazine-recipe-search/side-dish-recipes/rice-pilaf-2">Rice Pilaf</a> and also the <a href="http://www.rachaelraymag.com/Recipes/rachael-ray-magazine-recipe-search/side-dish-recipes/roasted-veggies">Roasted Peppers</a>. I was hesitant about the tomato sauce because it seemed a little bland on its own. This recipe came together incredibly fast! <b>Lesson number five:</b> something to keep in mind with this and all of the Make Ahead recipes is that it doesn't seem to allow for the fact that you are removing these ingredients from the fridge to the pan. You need to either bring them to room temperature before using them or throw them in the microwave for a minute or so just to get them heated up a bit. I'm not a huge fan of olives cooked into food but I like to try all of the recipes the way they are written the first time through. The olives gave a it a delicious salty flavor that really kicked up the tomato sauce. All together we really enjoyed this recipe and will definitely make it again!Hillbilly Foodiehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08322943405486930355noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2144447119160839011.post-89216378624784636302011-10-16T11:14:00.000-07:002011-10-16T11:14:20.233-07:00Make Ahead Meals: Pork and Avocado Tacos and then some...On that Monday night after I had done all of the shopping for the meal plan and made the first two blocks, <a href="http://www.rachaelraymag.com/Recipes/rachael-ray-magazine-recipe-search/dinner-recipes/pulled-pork">Pulled Pork</a> and <a href="http://www.rachaelraymag.com/Recipes/rachael-ray-magazine-recipe-search/snack-spread-dip-recipes/tomato-sauce-3">Tomato Sauce</a>, on Sunday, I was ready to begin really trying the whole concept out. I made the <a href="http://www.rachaelraymag.com/Recipes/rachael-ray-magazine-recipe-search/dinner-recipes/pork-and-avocado-tacos">Pork and Avocado Tacos</a>. Now the article advises making the meals in the order they are listed on the website because that gives the greatest variety of meals per week and I do try to follow that as best I can but I had a guest coming over on Monday night with dietary restrictions that would not work well with the <a href="http://www.rachaelraymag.com/Recipes/rachael-ray-magazine-recipe-search/dinner-recipes/spanish-rice-with-shrimp">Spanish Rice with Shrimp</a>. Also, I hadn't finished making the rest of the building block recipes so this was one of the few for the first week that I could throw together.<br />
The Pork and Avocado Tacos went over very well. I had never had pork on a taco before, and I must say, it was very nice. The dressing was delicious although honestly, I skipped the cilantro. We aren't cilantro fans here. I'm also not a huge fan of iceberg lettuce and wish I had just followed my instincts as I learned in lesson 3 and just used the lettuce I wanted to use. The only thing that didn't work that well in my opinion was the veggie mixture was so chunky that it did not want to stay in the taco shells. I ended up only putting a small amount in the shell and eating the rest as salad. Oh and FYI: this entire concoction baked over tortilla chips as nachos - <i>Outstanding</i>! I think I preferred it that way more than any other combination.<br />
After dinner as we are cleaning up and catching up, I started the rest of the building block recipes. <b>Lesson Number 4: get a good oven thermometer</b>! My oven pretty much claimed to never get up to temperature that night and everything roasted just fine. Don't trust appliances! Use thermometers. Now here's a little product placement for you: if you don't buy the butternut squash already cut up and peeled, you must get a <a href="http://www.pamperedchef.com/ordering/prod_details.tpc?prodId=15642&words=peeler">Pampered Chef Serrated Peeler</a>. This thing will change your life when it comes to difficult to peel fruits and vegetables. Anyway, there isn't much to say about <a href="http://www.rachaelraymag.com/Recipes/rachael-ray-magazine-recipe-search/side-dish-recipes/roasted-veggies">Roasted Veggies</a>. Everything came off without a hitch on that recipe but bear in mind that you do not want veggies that are blackened just nicely roasted. Blackened can create a bitter unpleasant taste. Both the roasted veggies and the <a href="http://www.rachaelraymag.com/Recipes/rachael-ray-magazine-recipe-search/dinner-recipes/pulled-chicken">Pulled Chicken</a> went well but I wish I had portion the chicken right away. Don't forget to save all the non meat parts such as the bones and such for making chicken stock!<br />
I was very happy with the <a href="http://www.rachaelraymag.com/Recipes/rachael-ray-magazine-recipe-search/side-dish-recipes/rice-pilaf-2">Rice Pilaf</a> recipe. I came together easily, was light and fluffy and tasted great. I don't really like peas but they work in the recipe and I'm glad I put them in. My only complaint with this recipe is when I think of rice pilaf I think of it as having orzo in it which I absolutely love. The next I make it I may throw a handful of orzo in there as well. So finally I was done with the building blocks and had successfully made on of the recipes! I'm enjoying this process a great deal and I hope it is helpful to other people as well!Hillbilly Foodiehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08322943405486930355noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2144447119160839011.post-38802906725094841082011-10-13T18:30:00.000-07:002011-10-13T18:38:57.668-07:00Make Ahead Meals: The BasicsThis month we decided to try <a href="http://www.rachaelraymag.com/food-how-to/grocery-shopping-tips/one-month-of-make-ahead-meals-grocery-list">Rachael Ray's Make Ahead Meals</a>. I had been looking for a way to get a more set schedule for dinner that didn't involve a lot of cooking during the week. I've been working until 7 o'clock or later every night and I try to be in bed by 10. That doesn't leave a lot of time for meal planning and cooking! This plan seemed like a perfect fit. I have a lot of thoughts as to how it is progressing and I'll try to blog about it as much as I can!<br />
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I started out by making the building block recipes that you create the rest of the meals around. You could definitely make all of them at once but I got a late start so I only made the pork and the tomato sauce the first day. An important thing to keep in mind when you are creating the shopping list is to only check off the recipes you plan on cooking that week. I initially checked everything off and then realized that the list was way too complicated to deal all at once. Not all of the items can be purchased all at once because of freshness issues. <b>Lesson number one: only check off what you plan on cooking!</b> And for us, that's about 4 meals a week. I chose the building block recipes, <a href="http://www.rachaelraymag.com/Recipes/rachael-ray-magazine-recipe-search/dinner-recipes/spanish-rice-with-shrimp">Spanish Rice with Shrimp</a>, <a href="http://www.rachaelraymag.com/Recipes/rachael-ray-magazine-recipe-search/salad-recipes/mango--pork-and-watercress-salad">Mango, Pork and Watercress Salad</a>, <a href="http://www.rachaelraymag.com/Recipes/rachael-ray-magazine-recipe-search/dinner-recipes/fusilli-with-chicken-and-tomato-sauce">Chicken and Tomato Sauce</a>, and <a href="http://www.rachaelraymag.com/Recipes/rachael-ray-magazine-recipe-search/dinner-recipes/pork-and-avocado-tacos">Pork and Avocado Tacos</a>. Grand total grocery bill was about $200 due to all the meat that I had to purchase for the month.<br />
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I made the pork and the tomato sauce on Sunday after all the grocery shopping. The <a href="http://www.rachaelraymag.com/Recipes/rachael-ray-magazine-recipe-search/dinner-recipes/pulled-pork">Pulled Pork</a> recipe had a few flaws... It calls for 2 five pound pork shoulder roasts. I purchased one beastly 9 and change roast. The way I have always cooked a pork shoulder or really any roast is to throw it in the oven low and slow and enjoy the results. I made the mistake of following the directions which had me butcher the roast into chunks. I'm assuming this was a time saving effort but instead it took forever to work my way through it. <b>Lesson number two: always cook a pork shoulder low and slow!</b> Oh and <b>Lesson number three: follow your instincts, the recipe isn't always right!</b><br />
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I also made the <a href="http://www.rachaelraymag.com/Recipes/rachael-ray-magazine-recipe-search/snack-spread-dip-recipes/tomato-sauce-3">Tomato Sauce</a><b> </b>that night. It was a simple recipe and went pretty easily. People that make your own sauce: do that if you choose but keep in mind that this recipe is intentionally basic so that it works well with a variety of additions. When I first tasted I couldn't believe how bland it was but when added to the other upcoming recipes it works very well.<br />
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That first night I was so consumed with the prep of these two recipes we didn't even get a chance to try out any of the meals! Ironic to be sure. If you have the time, make all of the building blocks at once. Buy lots of freezer ziplock bags. If not, do like I did and make a few building blocks each night but be sure you have enough prepped so that you can create dinner out of what you do have! I'll write about the other recipes I've created these past two weeks as I have time. Hope you found this helpful!Hillbilly Foodiehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08322943405486930355noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2144447119160839011.post-84673313547311286052011-08-15T20:18:00.000-07:002011-08-15T20:18:50.779-07:00Ode to the BeanHow (Why) do I love Thee....<br />
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Let me count the ways...<br />
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10. Because you came back for me.<br />
9. Because you showed me there was more to life than the Poconos.<br />
8. Because you loved me when I was young and bitchy.<br />
7. Because you loved me when I was still bitchy and a little more curvy.<br />
6. Because you taught me to love WINE!<br />
5. Because you brought me into your family.<br />
4. Because you accepted the wackiness of my family.<br />
3. Because you brought cats into my life.<br />
2. Because you have unwavering faith me.<br />
1. Because you are you.<br />
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Happy 10th Anniversary!<br />
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Tomorrow I will attempt to recount our lovely 10th anniversary which included going back to the first place we ever went on a date together.Hillbilly Foodiehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08322943405486930355noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2144447119160839011.post-33001566348927339642011-07-10T19:45:00.000-07:002011-07-10T20:51:29.749-07:00Columbia Crest ChardonnayHey there! Welcome to Mental Notes. I spend a lot of my time thinking about all the great beer and wine that I have drunk over the years and then promptly forget about them (probably due to their alcohol content)!<br />
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So the first item that I'm going to talk about is <a href="http://www.columbiacrest.com/">Columbia Crest Chardonnay</a>. I'm a big fan of white wine in the summer time and this Chardonnay really delivers. It's crisp yet smooth and buttery. It has a delicious finish that hints at vanilla. This Chardonnay doesn't have the huge overpowering flavor of some Chardonnays and would easily pair with a nice chicken and pasta dish or a vegetarian dish with an olive oil sauce.<br />
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Thanks for stopping by. Keep your eyes open for a lot more delicious food, wine, beer and whatever else crosses my mind!Hillbilly Foodiehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08322943405486930355noreply@blogger.com0