tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19314435239370776562024-03-07T21:12:13.515-08:00The Fast FoodieMichellehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14691290716388044976noreply@blogger.comBlogger12125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1931443523937077656.post-83860663298238934612007-03-16T06:57:00.000-07:002007-03-16T07:16:10.202-07:00St. Patricks Day Beverages<em>Celebrate St. Patrick's Day at home with these super simple drinks. Serve with your favorite corned beef and cabbage, shepherd's pie, fish and chips, or other pub food recipe.</em><br /><strong></strong><br /><strong>Instant St. Patrick's Day Drinks </strong>Add a few drops of green food coloring to the following beverages to make them Irish for the night.<br /><ul><li>Beer</li><li>Sparkling Cider</li><li>White Wine</li><li>Apple Juice or White Grape Juice</li><li>Champagne</li><li>Bottled Water</li><li>Clear Sodas</li><li>Irish Whiskey</li></ul><p><strong>Irish Coffees</strong> Serve these beverages with your green icing topped desserts.</p><ul><li>Add a little Irish Whiskey or Irish Cream Liquor to your coffee.</li><li>For a non <span class="blsp-spelling-corrected" id="SPELLING_ERROR_0">alcoholic</span> version, buy an Irish Cream flavored creamer for your coffee.</li><li>Dress your <span class="blsp-spelling-corrected" id="SPELLING_ERROR_1">coffee</span> up with a little whipped cream and a dash of green sprinkles</li></ul>Michellehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14691290716388044976noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1931443523937077656.post-91525003232883252612007-03-15T14:09:00.000-07:002007-03-15T14:27:47.362-07:00My Favorite Potato ShortcutParadise Valley All Natural Creamy Mash Potatoes have to be the easiest and tastiest shortcut to mashed potatoes that I have had. I love the ingredient list: Russet Potatoes, Butter, and Salt. No preservatives or additives that take away from the potato flavor. All I had to do was boil 2 cups of water and 3 tablespoons butter (the butter is optional), stir in the potatoes, then add 3/4 cup of milk. Done.<br /><br />Normally, I need gravy or butter to top my mashed potatoes because I don't really like them plain. These potatoes were so creamy and the butter flavor shined through so well, I didn't bother bother with gravy. A dash of pepper was all they needed.<br /><br />The second time we made the potatoes. We substituted sour cream for some of the milk and added cheddar cheese and chives. Delicious!<br /><br />Paradise Valley Mash Potatoes are produced by US Foods. Their website is <a href="http://www.usfds.com">www.usfds.com</a><br /><br />PS I got my box at Costco.Michellehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14691290716388044976noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1931443523937077656.post-14564591055725963122007-03-13T07:07:00.000-07:002007-03-13T07:15:03.244-07:00Snow Ice Cream<em>Snow Ice Cream is so fun to make, especially with kids. I think the simple vanilla ice cream is the best, since it still looks like snow and tastes great. Adding a little peppermint extract adds a little arctic chill to the flavor.</em><br /><br />8 c. clean snow (Or use shaved ice from a snow cone maker)<br />1 can sweetened condensed milk<br />1 t. vanilla<br />Chocolate sauce, to taste (optional)<br />Flavored extracts, such as almond extract or peppermint extract (optional)<br /><br />Mix all ingredients in a large bowl and serve immediately.Michellehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14691290716388044976noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1931443523937077656.post-79580134766321785672007-03-12T22:51:00.000-07:002007-03-13T07:05:08.827-07:00Buttermilk Baked Chicken1 c. parsley-buttermilk dressing (see previous post) or ranch dressing<br />1 c. unseasoned breadcrumbs<br />1 t. salt or garlic salt<br />1/2 2. freshly cracked pepper<br />4 boneless, skinless chicken breasts<br /><br />Place chicken breasts in a large zip-lock baggie with dressing. Marinate overnight.<br /><br />Preheat oven to 350 F. Mix breadcrumbs with seasonings. Dredge chicken breasts in breadcrumbs. Bake for 50-60 minutes, until chicken is cooked through.Michellehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14691290716388044976noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1931443523937077656.post-33322927008245066112007-03-08T07:54:00.000-08:002007-03-08T08:05:27.911-08:00Parsley-Buttermilk Dressing<em>This ranch-like dressing is super simple to make and adds a lot more class to a salad than the bottled ranch. Decrease the buttermilk to half a cup and add a half a cup of sour cream to make a dip for veggies. In tomorrow's post, I'll tell you how to use this dressing for a great oven-baked chicken recipe.</em><br /><strong></strong><br /><strong>Ingredients</strong><br />1 c buttermilk<br />1/2 c mayonnaise<br />1/4 c finely chopped fresh parsley<br />1 T finely chopped chives<br />1/2 t freshly ground pepper<br />2 cloves finely minced garlic<br />salt to taste<br /><br />Mix all ingredients well and chill for several hours before serving.Michellehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14691290716388044976noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1931443523937077656.post-5567325006615403712007-03-06T08:49:00.000-08:002007-03-06T13:21:07.055-08:00Creamy Peanut Butter Dip<em>I love this simple, healthy dip with crisp apples or bananas. It also goes great with graham crackers or <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_0">Nilla</span> wafers. Usually, I use <a onmouseover="window.status='peanut butter'; return true;" onmouseout="window.status=''; return true;" href="http://www2.blogger.com/peanut%20butter">peanut butter</a>, but occasionally I add some variety by using <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_1">Nutella</span> (chocolate <span class="blsp-spelling-corrected" id="SPELLING_ERROR_2">hazelnut</span> spread) or cashew butter. All three variations are delicious for an after school snack, midnight snack, or anytime snack!</em><br /><em></em><br />Peanut Butter<br />Cream Cheese<br />Milk<br />Honey<br /><br />Soften cream cheese in microwave. Mix in an equal amount of peanut butter and a drizzle of honey. Add just enough milk so the consistency is right for dipping.Michellehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14691290716388044976noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1931443523937077656.post-44743762349260186222007-03-05T14:21:00.000-08:002007-03-05T14:22:01.948-08:00Technorati claim<a href="http://technorati.com/claim/43yhv66g6x" rel="me">Technorati Profile</a><br /><br />Just ignore this post and move on. I'll be deleting it later...Michellehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14691290716388044976noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1931443523937077656.post-6773483939617468652007-03-05T06:19:00.000-08:002007-03-05T06:46:34.007-08:00Cheddar-Stuffed Tex-Mex Meatloaf Muffins<em>I wanted a faster cooking meatloaf recipe, so I looked online and found the cooking times for meatloaf muffins. I adapted my <span class="blsp-spelling-corrected" id="SPELLING_ERROR_0">Tex</span>-<span class="blsp-spelling-corrected" id="SPELLING_ERROR_1">Mex</span> meatloaf recipe to fit and added a little cheddar cheese <span class="blsp-spelling-corrected" id="SPELLING_ERROR_2">surprise</span> to the middle. My family loved these and I know that yours will, too. You can also adapt your favorite meatloaf recipe. 30 minutes at 350 is all you need to remember. Enjoy!</em><br /><br />1 egg<br />1/4 c. bread crumbs<br />2 T. milk or beer<br />Salt and pepper<br />1 T. ketchup<br />1 garlic clove, minced<br />5-6 green onions, thinly sliced<br />1/2 T. each of coriander, cumin, and <a onmouseover="window.status='chili powder'; return true;" onmouseout="window.status=''; return true;" href="chili%20powder">chili powder</a><br />1 pound lean ground beef or ground turkey<br />6-8 1 inch cubes cheddar cheese<br />Salsa<br /><br />Preheat oven to 350 F.<br /><br />Beat egg in the bottom of a mixing bowl. Add breadcrumbs through seasonings. Mix well. Work in ground beef. Divide into six to eight portions and place in muffin tin. Press a cheddar cheese cube into the middle of each meatloaf muffin and form the meat over the top so the cheese is fully covered. Spread a small spoonful of salsa over the top of each meatloaf. Bake for 30 minutes.<br /><br />Tip: Place a cookie sheet on the rack below the muffin tin to catch any drippings that may overflow from the meatloaf muffins.Michellehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14691290716388044976noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1931443523937077656.post-45530068033834649972007-03-01T13:20:00.000-08:002007-03-01T18:16:08.425-08:00Pesto-Walnut Crusted Chicken Breasts<em>I love simple, flexible recipes that are big on taste. Any kind of pesto, from traditional basil to some of the more original ones on the market, works beautifully with this dish as does any kind of nut. Baking the nuts with the chicken brings out their toasty goodness. When I want to dress up the presentation and add another layer of flavor, I top each chicken breast with diced tomato and shredded <span class="blsp-spelling-corrected" id="SPELLING_ERROR_0">Parmesan</span> or diced fresh mozzarella.</em><br /><strong></strong><br /><strong>Pesto-Walnut Crusted Chicken Breasts</strong><br />Boneless, skinless chicken breast halves<br />salt and pepper<br />2 T. prepared pesto per chicken breast<br />2-3 T, chopped walnuts per chicken breast<br /><br />Preheat oven to 450 F. Place chicken in a roasting pan and season lightly with salt and pepper. Spread a layer of pesto on top of each chicken breast. Press walnuts into pesto. Bake chicken until juices run clear, about 20 minutes.Michellehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14691290716388044976noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1931443523937077656.post-67852007117289102032007-02-28T13:17:00.000-08:002007-02-28T13:39:53.238-08:00Apple-Pecan Salad<em>I love the combination of crunchy pecans, juicy apples, and salty cheese in this salad. I also love the versatility. Swap out the apple for fresh strawberries or cranberries and the pecans for walnuts or even sunflower seeds for a completely different taste. Any sweet vinegar can be swapped for the <span class="blsp-spelling-corrected" id="SPELLING_ERROR_0">raspberry</span> vinegar, also.</em><br /><strong></strong><br /><strong>Apple-Pecan Salad</strong><br />1 cup pecan halves<br />4 cups of your favorite washed, dried, and chopped lettuce greens<br />Raspberry vinaigrette, to taste (recipe follows)<br />4 oz. blue cheese, <span class="blsp-spelling-corrected" id="SPELLING_ERROR_1">Gorgonzola</span>, or feta cheese, crumbled<br />2 ripe apples (0r pears), peeled, cored, and cut into bite sized pieces<br /><br />Preheat oven to 350 F. Spread the pecans on a baking sheet and bake 10 minutes, shaking the pan 2-3 times during the cooking process. Remove from sheet and let cool.<br /><br />Toss salad with vinaigrette. Top with pecans, blue cheese, and apples.<br /><br />For a main course salad add fully-cooked, chopped chicken.<br /><br /><strong>Raspberry Vinaigrette</strong><br /><br />1 T mayonnaise<br />2 T Dijon mustard<br />1 clove garlic<br />1/4 cup <span class="blsp-spelling-corrected" id="SPELLING_ERROR_2">raspberry</span> vinegar<br />3/4 cup extra-virgin olive oil<br />salt and pepper<br /><br />Put mayo, mustard, and garlic in a blender and blend until smooth. Add vinegar and blend a few seconds more. As the blender runs, add the olive oil in a thin stream. Season with salt and pepper.Michellehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14691290716388044976noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1931443523937077656.post-77274195665876371292007-02-27T08:10:00.000-08:002007-02-27T08:23:16.949-08:00Sweet and Smoky Nut Mix<em>This simple recipe (if you can call it that) is one of my easiest and tastiest combinations. How can anything with butter <span class="blsp-spelling-corrected" id="SPELLING_ERROR_0">toffee</span> peanuts, smoky almonds, and cashews go wrong? I have used this simple nut mix as a party mix and <a onmouseover="window.status='trail mix'; return true;" onmouseout="window.status=''; return true;" href="http://www2.blogger.com/trail%20mix">trail mix</a> with great <span class="blsp-spelling-corrected" id="SPELLING_ERROR_1">success</span>. This is also great to keep in large quantities for after-school snacks or as a quick staple to have on hand for company.</em><br /><br /><strong>Ingredients</strong>:<br />Butter Toffee Peanuts<br />Smokehouse Flavored Almonds<br />Cashews<br /><br /><strong>Method</strong>:<br />Mix equal amounts of peanuts, almonds, and cashews and store in an air-tight container. So simple and so tasty!<br /><br /><strong>Prep Time:</strong> 30 seconds!Michellehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14691290716388044976noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1931443523937077656.post-77194918161320339442007-02-27T07:35:00.000-08:002007-02-27T07:54:05.670-08:00Introduction to the Fast Foodie<em><strong>food-<span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_0">ie</span></strong></em><br /><em>n. slang<br />a person keenly interested in food, esp. in eating or cooking</em><br /><br />First of all, this blog is not about my love of paper-wrapped, grease drenched fast food. Ugh!<br /><br />This blog is about my love of food. I thoroughly enjoy every aspect of food from enjoying every delightful mouthful of a meal prepared by a professional chef to preparing a new innovative recipe in the familiarity my own kitchen.<br /><br />Unfortunately, like most, I don't have the time for all of this. I don't have the time to take on a second job to afford numerous restaurant bill each month nor do I have the time to prepare meals daily completely from scratch.<br /><br />What I do have time for is preparing plenty of simple meals using whole ingredients with occasional cheaters (<span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_1">pre</span>-packaged foods). I will be sharing my favorite recipes, favorite cheaters, and favorite cookbooks and websites that help keep my life simple and delicious.Michellehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14691290716388044976noreply@blogger.com1