Cajun

Copeland's Cheesecake Bistro in Atlantic Station is a little piece of New Orleans in Atlanta. The atmosphere is great, the service is good, and the cheesecake is perfection. I have a confession to make: every other time I go to this restaurant I order the same thing. Luckily I've been so many times I've tried many things on the vast Louisiana inspired menu. This time I ordered my usual: wings for an appetizer, catish for an entree, and dulce de leche cheesecake for dessert. My friend and I totally indulged! As you can see no vegetables or leafy greens in sight. This is my favorite dish because its always crispy, seasoned wonderfully, and served with fresh cocktail and tartar sauces. The portion is out of control so you can eat it two or three times; talk about bang for your buck! For dessert try any of the cheesecakes and you'll leave satisfied.

Quiche

As a kid my mom made quiche but I never ate it. I can't remember where I tried it but when I did I loved it. I also decided that I preferred vegetable quiche. The other day I went to the store and a large bag of spinach was on sale so I found a general recipe on Allrecipes and adapted it for what I wanted. Instead of butter I cooked two strips of bacon to saute the onions and garlic in, but I didn't actually use the bacon in the quiche.

Original recipe makes 6 servings

 2 tablespoons butter
 1 onion, minced
 1 teaspoon minced garlic
 1 cup chopped fresh spinach
 1 (9 inch) unbaked pie crust
 1 1/2 cups shredded mozzarella cheese
 4 eggs, well beaten
 3/4 cup milk
 1 teaspoon salt
 1/2 teaspoon black pepper
 1 tablespoon butter, melted


Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C).

Over medium-low heat melt butter in a large saucepan or crisp two strips of bacon and remove.

Add onions and garlic and saute until translucent not brown. Let cool.

Stir saute mixture into spinach and sprinkle with cheese. Spoon filling into crust

Combine eggs and milk. Season with salt and pepper. Stir in melted butter. Pour egg mixture over vegetables and cheese.

Bake in preheated oven for 30 minutes, or until center has set.

Pumpkin Bread

I've this recipe for a while and had been meaning to make it since before Thanksgiving, yet never got around to it. So now that I'm on vacation and have to classes to attend, I decided it was as good a times as any to finally make some pumpkin bread. I love making breads because there's always plenty to share. Not to mention it makes the house smell homey. Below is a recipe I got from Allrecipes that I substituted oil for applesauce. Enjoy!

Original recipe makes 3 - 7x3 inch loaf pans

 1 (15 ounce) can pumpkin puree
 4 eggs
 1 cup applesauce
 2/3 cup water
 3 cups white sugar
 3 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
 2 teaspoons baking soda
 1 1/2 teaspoons salt
 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
 1 teaspoon ground nutmeg
 1/2 teaspoon ground cloves
 1/4 teaspoon ground ginger


Directions

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). Grease and flour three 7x3 inch loaf pans.

In a large bowl, mix together pumpkin puree, eggs, oil, water and sugar until well blended. In a separate bowl, whisk together the flour, baking soda, salt, cinnamon, nutmeg, cloves and ginger. Stir the dry ingredients into the pumpkin mixture until just blended. Pour into the prepared pans.

Bake for about 50 minutes in the preheated oven. Loaves are done when toothpick inserted in center comes out clean.

Korean Fusion in Little Five Points

As much as I enjoy being in the Little Five Points neighborhood of Atlanta, I don't know that I've ever eaten at one of its restaurants. A friend and I stopped into to OMG Taco on our way to East Atlanta Village. 

When I walked in the first thing I noticed was the artwork and decor. Street art adorned the walls and the counter was made to look like a food truck. I ordered bi bim bap. It is a signature Korean rice dish with sauteed veggies, marinated beef, and topped with an egg (raw or fried) and chili pepper sauce. The vegetables were crisp, not over cooked, the sauce was delicious and the beef was tender. I will go again to try the tacos. 

Atlanta Food Trucking

You already know how much I love food trucks so it's only right I visited a few while on vacation! I was on my way to lunch with a friend, when I noticed one of my friends posted a pic on Instagram from one of the trucks; of course I had to figure out where it was and go, so on the off ramp headed to a different restaurant, I Googled the location and got directions. Oh the joys of social media and a smart phone! Luckily it was down the street from our original destination so we were already going in the right direction. 

There were a few options so we looked around a bit first and decided on bbq. I ordered the brisket sandwich and the guy taking my ordered mentioned a "crisket" sandwich. Intrigued I asked for that instead. I received a heap of pulled brisket AND pulled chicken on buttery Texas toast. I ordered a side of loaded potato salad and topped my sandwich with sweet and spicy sauces. For 6 bucks you can't beat it!

Dessert Please

Café Intermezzo is another Atlanta favorite and a must visit. I haven't had anything I didn't like. I usually go for dessert but the few times I've gotten paninis they were good. There's a wide variety of hot, cold, alcoholic, non-alcoholic, caffeinated and non-caffeinated beverages to choose from. When you go don't ask for dessert menu because there isn't one! Everyday the dessert cases are filled with different fluffy cakes and creamy cheesecakes. You can be a "regular" and not get the same thing every time. 

I ordered the orange cream cake which was moist and provided just the right combination of tart and sweet. I liked that the cake itself had the orange flavor as opposed to just the frosting. It tasted like a orange creamsicle. One of my friends ordered the lemon cake that was made similarly. Another friend ordered the strawberry cheesecake. Hands down the best I've ever tasted. It wasn't just a plain cheesecake thawed and topped with that disgusting strawberry gel. The strawberry was incorporated into the cream cheese filling! So delish! Can't wait to go back and try something else!

Twist

Twist is one of nine restaurants in the Here to Serve network of establishments. Its trendy, young, stylish, and hip atmosphere lends itself to different crowds and portrays everything that I love about Atlanta. While there is plenty to choose from on the regular menu, I can't remember the last time I ordered from it because they have a great all-you-can-eat tapas menu on Sundays from 4 to close. The menu changes every week and includes fresh salads, fruit or vegetables, sushi and more. My last night in Atlanta I met some friends to share conversation and good food. The menu consisted of a fresh green salad with tomatoes and chickpeas, a pineapple salad with coconut and rum, caramelized onion and chorizo ragu, chicken enchilada balls with tomatillo sauce, and an assortment of sushi. Everyone's favorite was the enchilada which was really unique and cooked similar to falafel. The food is served family style and the plates keep coming until you say when. Its always a good time at Twist!

Down Home with Mary Mac

Miss Mary Mac, Mac, Mac
All dressed in black black black
With silver buttons buttons buttons
All down her back back back
She asked her mother mother mother
For fifty cents cents cents
To see an elephant elephant elephant
Jump over a fence fence fence
He jumped so high high high
He touched the sky sky sky
And didn't come back back back
Till the Fourth of July July July . . .

There's probably no correlation between that childhood song and this restaurant but I can't help sing it every time hear the name Mary Mac. As I looked it up the lyrics to make sure I had them right I realized the ending is rather morbid. I'm not sure if ever knew the end or I just chose to forget it because I didn't like it, either way Mary Mac's Tea Room is a must when visiting Atlanta. It's cuisine is the epitome of southern comfort food and has been since 1945. 

It's fried, smothered, covered and baked to perfection. You won't be disappointed with any selection. They start you off with yeast rolls, cinnamon rolls, and cornbread that you'll struggle not to fill up on. If you haven't been here before definitely try the Brunswick stew or pot likker as an appetizer. I chose the special of the day, chicken fried chicken. It was topped with classic white gravy and served with a choice of two sides. With all the sides they have to choose from it was particularly hard to narrow it down. You can't have white gravy without mashed potatoes, so that's one but I couldn't decide on just one other after that so I got macaroni and cheese and fried green tomatoes. The chicken was tender and crispy even the next day. I've had better green tomatoes and the mac & cheese was too salty this time but that's not the norm. From previous experiences I can tell you the greens, green beans, black eyed peas, sweet potato souffle, and cheese grits are killer sides. Save room for dessert! The peach cobbler is warm and sweet with flaky, buttery crust. You can also choose from pecan pie, bread or banana pudding, or strawberry shortcake to name a few. 

Dinner in the Park

All of my friends know how much I love Park Tavern at Piedmont Park. Birthdays, anniversaries, farewells, random Tuesday nights have been spent at this wonderful little place. The menu is always fresh and flavorful.

You can feel comfortable picking anything from their small yet diverse menu. From southwest egg rolls to mahi mahi you will not be disappointed and the prices are unbeatable for the quality.  Plus they have half price sushi everyday from 10pm to close, half price bottles of wine on Wednesday, and $1 drafts on rainy days!!!!

The bison burgers are made with fresh ground meat, seasoned, grilled to perfection, and topped with local and sustainable veggies.  while the sushi rolls are unique and fresh rolled. My favorite is the Dragon Roll, rolled with shrimp tempura, red pepper, cream cheese and green onions topped with grilled eel and crab. I get it almost every time I go to Park tavern or recommend it to anyone who goes.

I've tried almost everything on the menu, but since the last time I went they added a few new items so I chose the Big Bang Shrimp Tacos. One of my culinary pet peeves is tacos made with flour tortillas but I indulged anyway. The tortillas were stuffed with crispy fried shrimp and served with fresh pico de gallo and a chipotle cream sauce. Expectantly delicious, my only complaint is that there were only 2 and not the typical trio of tacos. 

Another must order is the sangria. Skip the glass and get the carafe! I do and I promise you won't regret it. Just be careful standing up after! What are you waiting for? Go!

Herb & Soul

Groupon helped me find a wonderful little place in northeast Baltimore; Parkville to be exact. The concept is similar to the staple of Baltimore: the carry out. They're all over the place; sometimes two on one block serving Chinese, pizza, sandwiches, and the notorious chicken box. The twist is that Herb & Soul strives to bring fresh, sustainable meats and produce. If you cant beat em, join em right? They boast Maryland farmed, cage free chicken and eggs, grass fed beef, pork and lamb, and Maryland grown veggies. My wonderful little groupon included an appetizer, two entrees, and dessert for two. I was able to try a lot of items from their small but diverse menu. I had:

Appetizer: Chicken and Waffles

The chicken was seasoned perfectly. It was juicy and still crispy even though I got it delivered. The waffle had a wonderful sweet potato flavor and it's served with a homemade maple syrup that is to die for.

Entrées: Catfish and Pork Loin

The catfish was fresh, perfectly crisp, and not greasy at all but the cornmeal completely lacked seasoning. The macaroni and cheese was ooey, gooey, and delicious. I'm pretty sure it had nutmeg which is the "secret" to any great baked Mac and cheese. The Liberian collard greens were tender and well seasoned but entirely too sweet for my taste.

The pork loin was tender and juicy but again lacked seasoning. I could have eaten an entire pot of the green beans and I'm not the biggest green bean fan. The candied yams were tender but not sweet enough for me.

Dessert: Cranberry Cupcake

The flavor was good and it was topped with a tart frosting but the cake itself was very dry.

Overall: Good, fresh, local food. I'm going back to try their Indian fry bread taco! And if all else fails get the chicken and waffles!

City Café

Back to one of my favorite places in Mount Vernon. The last time I went was restaurant week. The friend I went with back then wanted to go again. Being incredibly busy people, months later we finally got together last Friday. Dinner, dessert, and hours of great conversation are always welcomed on a Friday night. 

We shared an appetizer, the MEATLESS NACHOS with Green Chili Chickpeas, Pepperjack Cheese Sauce, Fresh Salsa, Guacamole & Sour Cream. All the ingredients were fresh as opposed to canned. I'm definitely going to make nachos at home with chickpeas; who knew it would be so good?

I ordered the CHILEAN SEABASS which was Pan Seared, with Jumbo Lump Crab, Beurre Blanc, Whipped Potatoes & Asparagus I'm kind of a seafood snob and City Café never disappoints. The fish melted in my mouth. It was fresh and perfectly seared. I could eat that meal everyday . . . if only I had the metabolism of a 16 year old boy. 

My friend got the LAMB & VEAL MEATLOAF it was Prosciutto Wrapped and served with Whipped Potatoes, Local Green Beans, and Rosemary Demi Glace. It was very hearty and the gravy was scrumptious.

For dessert I had the Heathbar Crunch Bread Pudding with House Made Caramel Sauce and Fresh Whipped Cream and my friend ordered the Baileys Creme Brulee With Chocolate Curls & Fresh Whipped Cream. Both equally delectable!

Jalapeño Popper Dip

I usually have jalapeños on hand because I love spice and I put them in a lot of things. I had a lot of extras and wanted to make something different. I found this recipe on Pinterest and gave it a try. I made it without the bacon because I didn't have any. Because I'm cooking for one I halved the recipe and still ate it for four days. I kept the same amount of jalapeños but they were on the small side, too small for stuffing. Next time I'll probably keep some seeds because it wasn't hot at all but still very tasty.

Ingredients

6-8 slices of bacon, diced and cooked crispy
2 8-oz packages of cream cheese, soft
1 cup of mayonnaise
4-6 jalapeno's, chopped and deseeded. The seeds will make it fiery hot.
1 cup of cheddar cheese, shredded
1/2 cup of mozzarella cheese, shredded
1/4 cup diced green onion

Topping:

1 cup of crushed crackers (I used Club crackers)
1/2 cup parmesan cheese
1/2 stick of butter, melted

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 350.

2. Combine all of the ingredients into a medium bowl. Stir well.

3. Transfer to an oven proof dish. The size of the dish depends on how thick the dip is. The thicker the dip the longer it may need to warm up. I used a glass pie pan. My dip was a little less than an inch thick.

4. Combine the topping ingredients and sprinkle all over the top of the dip.

5. Bake the dip for 20-30 minutes or until bubbly.

Loaded Baked Potato Soup

Delicious as it sounds! And Simple!

Loaded Baked Potato Soup

Ingredients

6 Large Potatoes, peeled and cubed
1 Large Onion, diced
1 Quart Chicken Broth
3 Garlic Cloves, minced
1/4 Cup Butter
Salt and Pepper to taste
1 Cup Milk
16 oz Container Sour Cream
1 Cup Shredded Sharp Cheddar Cheese

Oven bake the potatoes and let cool enough to remove the skin. Crisp bacon in the bottom of a large pot and remove. Add onion and sauté in bacon drippings. Add garlic, don't not allow it to brown or burn. Stir in a couple tbsp of butter and a couple tbsp of flour to make a rue, stirring continuously. Pour in chicken broth and bring to a boil. Toss in potatoes and boil for 5 minutes. Remove a couple cups of potatoes and a little broth and pulse in a food processor or blender. Reduce heat and incorporate milk and sour cream. Pour the previously removed portion back into the pot. Simmer for 10-15 minutes stirring occasionally. Melt cheese into soup and season with salt inf pepper. Stir continuously for as long as you keep it on heat so the cheese wont stick and burn. Serve topped with sprinkle of the bacon bits you made and chives or green onions. 

Chicken Parmesan Meatballs

Chicken Parmesan Meatballs

1-1/2 Ground Chicken
3/4 cup Italian bread crumbs
1/4 cup grated Parmesan cheese
1 tsp Oregano
1 Egg
1 tbsp Milk
3-4 tsp minced Garlic
1/2 tsp Garlic salt
1 tsp Black pepper
1/2 tsp Sea salt
1/2 tsp Onion powder

Season meat. Mix all ingredients and let stand in the fridge for 30-60 minutes if possible. Form into large meatballs so you have enough surface area for sauce and cheese. Bake at 400 degrees for 20-30 minutes or until slightly browned. Remove from the oven and spoon red sauce of your choice over each one with a sprinkle of shredded italian or mozzarella cheese. Bake for another 5-10 minutes or until brown and bubbly. Serve with penne or angel hair pasta tossed in your favorite red sauce. I like to use four cheese marinara.

Breakfast on the Go

Hi my name is Raven and I'm a skipper. The first step is admitting, right? Yes I skip breakfast most of the time. You already know I always have tortillas on hand, most of the time corn, but every now and again I find a sale on flour and make quesadillas or burritos. The problem is they don't last as long as corn so I usually have to eat them pretty quickly: breakfast, lunch, and dinner quesadillas? Burritos? I do enjoy breakfast burritos and I ran across a post on Pinterest where a mom had made them all at once and froze them. Problem solved! I no longer waste half the bag of tortillas and I have no excuse for skipping breakfast because I can grab one out of the freezer, pot it in the microwave and go! I made two kinds, one with bacon and the other with chorizo.

What I used:

10 10-12" Flour tortillas

14 Eggs

5 Strips of bacon

1 1/2 Cups of southern style potatoes (frozen)

1/4 Small onion (chopped)

1/4 Small green bell pepper (chopped)

1 Package of Mexican chorizo

3 Small white or russet potatoes

1 Cup of Cheddar Jack or Mexican Cheese

For the bacon burritos (makes 5):

Cook the frozen potatoes in a drizzle of oil, add the onion and bell pepper, and season with salt and pepper. Bake or pan fry the bacon (1 strip per burrito) and rough chop. Scramble the eggs. Let everything cool before assembling.

For the chorizo burritos (makes 5):

Oven bake or microwave the potato(es). Set aside to cool. Cook the chorizo until all the grease is cooked out. Make a well in the center of the cooked meat and add 5 eggs and scramble until cooked thoroughly. Peel the potato(es), chop, and add to the chorizo mixture. Let cool before assembling.

Spoon all ingredients into the tortillas, sprinkle with cheese, and roll. Then wrap with plastic wrap, pop into a freezer bag, and freeze.

For best results warm on a low setting for 2-3 minutes.

Toffee Chip Cookies

For those who don't love chocolate as much as others or just want to switch it up and try something different, this one's for you! Dare I say it, I'm a woman and I'm not a huge fan of chocolate. I don't like chocolate cake, cookies, ice cream, milk, etc. Oddly enough I do enjoy the occasional brownie, but I usually make chocolate chip cookies without the chips and just add nuts. People usually say aren't those just sugar cookies but, anyone who knows cookies knows that isn't the case. I didn't know what to call them since they're technically not chocolate chip cookies, but a little while ago a friend told me to call them "feel good" cookies because I usually make them when people are feeling bad to cheer them up. 

I was in the store this past weekend and all the baking candies were on sale so I picked up Heath chocolate toffee bits and butterscotch chips to try in my "feel good" cookies, that's how this adaptation came about. It's a basic recipe; I'm pretty sure this one is on the back of the Nestle Toll House package.

Ingredients

1 cup butter, softened
1 cup white sugar
1 cup packed brown sugar
2 eggs
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
3 cups all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon baking soda
2 teaspoons hot water
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 cup heath chocolate toffee bits

Note: I usually half the recipe even for two or three people but if you're serving a group make the whole thing.


Directions

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C).

2. Cream together the butter, white sugar, and brown sugar until smooth. Beat in the eggs one at a time, then stir in the vanilla. Dissolve baking soda in hot water. Add to batter along with salt. Stir in flour, chocolate chips, and nuts. Drop by large spoonfuls onto ungreased pans.

3. Bake for about 10 minutes in the preheated oven, or until edges are nicely browned.

Creamy Butternut Squash Soup

I've never had butternut squash soup, let alone made it. So this was an experiment for sure. I looked at an array of recipes but I didn't really use any one in particular. I winged it and this is what I came up with:

Ingredients

1 Large Butternut Squash
2-3 Cups of Chicken or Vegetable Stock
4 oz. Cream Cheese (Half the bar)
1 Small Onion
2 Tbsp Garlic (Minced)
1 Tbsp Butter
1 Dash Ground Clove
1 Sprinkle Nutmeg
2 Dashes Cinnamon
Sea Salt and Cracked Pepper to taste

Prep

1. Saute the onions and garlic in butter.
2. Pour in the stock and bring to a boil. (The amount depends on the consistency you want and how large the squash you have.)
3. Dice the squash and add it to pot.
4. Cook until tender.
5. Remove from heat and add the spices and room temperature cream cheese cubed.
6. Use an immersion blender or carefully transfer the contents of the pot to a blender (add the cream cheese and spices after you put it in the blender)
7. Return to low heat and simmer so the flavors get incorporated. Stirring for 10-15 minutes.

No Bake Chewy Granola Bars

Ran across this chewy goodness on another blog (Vittles and Bits). What drew me to the recipe in the first place was the pretzels. Apparently these granola bars are an adaptation of a Rachael Ray recipe but my favorite part about this interpretation is the added peanut butter! If you're not a fan, just leave it out and they still taste great! They're quick, delicious, and of course a great snack. Next time I'll leave out the peanut butter, and add walnuts, almonds, and Craisins. 

No Bake Chewy Peanut Butter Pretzel Granola Bars

1/4 C. butter
1/4 C. honey
1/3 C. packed brown sugar
1/4 C. creamy peanut butter
2 C. quick cooking oats {not to be confused with rolled oats!}
1 C. crispy rice cereal
3/4 C. coarsely crushed pretzels
1/2 t. vanilla
2 T. mini chocolate chips

Line an 8x8 square pan with foil, and grease foil with nonstick spray. Set aside.

In a large bowl, stir oats, rice cereal, and pretzels together.  Set aside.

In a medium saucepan, melt butter, honey, and brown sugar together over medium high heat until mixture comes to a bubble.  Reduce the heat and add the peanut butter; cook 2 more minutes. Remove saucepan from heat, pour in vanilla and stir. 

Pour peanut butter mixture over dry ingredients, and mix to coat evenly.  Using a spatula, empty contents of bowl into prepared pan, and pack the mixture into the pan very tightly.  You really want to press them down so they stick together.  Sprinkle top of bars with mini chocolate chips and press down lightly (& quickly before they start to melt!) 

Cool to room temperature for two hours, or until the chocolate chips are set.  Lift out of pan using the edges of the foil, and cut into 9 bars.  Stack bars between layers of waxed paper, and store in airtight container at room temperature.

Semi Homemade

After a long day sometimes I want a home cooked meal but I don't want to do much work. Semi homemade I the best thing that ever happened to my little kitchen. At this point in my life I only have to feed myself (no husband or children to worry about), so it is extremely easy to cop out and pick a bag of fast food or order in. Eating smarter and healthier is always on mind; I'd rather feel full after dinner rather than guilty. I actually saw this recipe on a commercial and decided to try it.

Just brown a few thin cut pork chops (bone-in or out), saute a whole white onion, pour on a jar of salsa verde (Goya or Herdez), simmer for 30 minutes, and serve over white rice.

If you have the time try the following recipe for your own salsa:


1 1/2 lb tomatillos
1/2 cup chopped white onion
1/2 cup cilantro leaves
1 Tbsp fresh lime juice
1/4 teaspoon sugar
2 Jalapeño peppers OR 2 serrano peppers
Salt to taste

*courtesy of Simply Recipes

You can oven roast, pan roast, boil, or fry the tomatillos. Authentic salsa would then be mixed with mortal and pestle but you can just toss all the ingredients in a blender or food processor and enjoy. 

No Takeout or Delivery

 

Everyone loves Chinese food but we don't always have or want to spend the money for takeout. So here's a couple of recipes to have on hand to satisfy your craving: a crispy, savory sweet chicken and a fried rice with green and yellow squash instead of peas and carrots. **The chicken prep is a little labor intensive but so worth the delicious outcome.

Sweet and Sour Sesame Chicken

Ingredients

The chicken coating:

3-4 boneless skinless chicken thighs

salt + pepper

1 cup cornstarch

2 eggs, beaten

1/4 cup oil

The sauce:

1/4 cup white sugar

1/4 cup brown sugar

4 tbsp ketchup

1/2 cup distilled white vinegar (you may need more)

1 tbsp soy sauce

1 tbsp teriyaki sauce

2 tsp honey

1 tsp of minced garlic

Sprinkle of sesame seeds

Prep

1. Start by preheating your oven to 325 degrees. 

2. Rinse your chicken breasts in water and then cut into cubes. 

3. Season with salt and pepper to taste. 

4. Dip chicken into the cornstarch to coat then dip into the eggs.  

5. Heat your 1/4 cup oil in a large skillet and cook your chicken until browned but not cooked through. 

6. Place the chicken in a 9 x 13 greased baking dish. 

7. Mix all of your sweet and sour sauce ingredients in a bowl with a whisk and then pour evenly over the chicken.

8. Bake for one hour and during the baking process you will need to turn the chicken every 15 minutes.  

Adapted from Life as a Lofthouse

Fried Rice

Ingredients

1 cup of cooked jasmine rice

2 eggs

1/2 a yellow squash (chopped)

1/2 a zucchini (chopped)

1 small onion (chopped)

2 tbsp minced garlic

3 tbsp sesame oil

Soy sauce to taste

Green onion for garnish

Prep

1. On medium high heat, heat the oil in a large skillet or wok.  

2. Add the squash, onion and garlic. Stir fry until tender. 

3. Push the mixture off to one side, then pour your eggs on the other side of skillet and stir fry until scrambled.

4. Add the rice and soy sauce and blend all together well. Stir fry until thoroughly heated.

Vegetable Stuffing

Sorry if you came across this post looking for a tasty holiday treat. Honestly, I don't like stuffing at all, I just liked the play on words. Anyway, as you are aware I am not from the "old country", but I love comfort food as much as the next girl. Every country, region, city, town, village, family has their own comfort foods. I bought a huge head of cabbage from HMart the other week and I wanted a different way to prepare it other than the usual steaming. So I decided on stuffed cabbage. Its a eastern European favorite that is made differently in different regions. You can stuffed it with lamb, beef, or pork and bake it in broth or a tomato sauce. Here's a recipe for the Polish version:

 Polish Stuffed Cabbage

Prep Time: 30 minutes
Cook Time: 1 hour
Total Time: 1 hour, 30 minutes

Ingredients:

1 whole head cabbage, about 4 pounds
1 large onion, chopped
2 tablespoons butter
1 pound ground beef
1/2 pound ground pork
1 1/2 cups cooked rice
1 teaspoon finely chopped garlic
1 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon black pepper
1 cup beef stock
Sour cream for garnish (optional)

Preparation:

Heat oven to 350 degrees.

Remove core from cabbage. Place whole head in a large pot filled with boiling, salted water. Cover and cook 3 minutes, or until softened enough to pull off individual leaves. You will need about 18 leaves.

When leaves are cool enough to handle, use a paring knife to cut away the thick center stem from each leaf, without cutting all the way through.

Chop the remaining cabbage and place it in the bottom of a casserole dish or Dutch oven.

Saute the chopped onion in butter in a large frying pan until tender, and let it cool.

Mix cooled onions with beef, pork, rice, garlic, salt and black pepper until well combined. Don't overmix or the meat will become tough.

Place about 1/2 cup of meat on each cabbage leaf. Roll away from you to encase the meat. Flip the right side of the leaf to the middle, then flip the left side. You will have something that looks like an envelope. Once again, roll away from you to create a neat little roll.

Place the cabbage rolls on top of the chopped cabbage in the casserole dish or Dutch oven, seasoning each layer with salt and pepper. Pour beef stock over rolls, cover and place in oven. Bake for 1 hour or until cabbage is tender and meat is cooked.

Serve with pan juices and a drizzle of sour cream, or mix the pan juices with sour cream and ladle it over the cabbage rolls.

Cabbage rolls freeze well before or after cooking, and can be made in a slow cooker (see your manufacturer's instructions).

Snacking

Another Chili

I know what you're thinking, "Another chili?" But its so easy and so hearty; its effortless cooking at its best. Just chop everything and throw it in a pot for an hour. I may need to do one of those 7-, 10-, or 30- days of chili posts; something to think about because I've got a million of them. Anyhow  I don't really have a name for this chili, but it is a white chili and it has southwestern flavors, so I guess I'll go with that for now.

Southwest White Chili

Ingredients

2 cans of cannelli beans
3 cans of great northern beans
2 cans of white beans
2 lbs of ground turkey
1 large can of petite diced tomatoes (drained)
1 box (32 oz) of chicken stock
6-8 tomatillos (diced)
3 small poblanos (diced)
1 medium onion (diced)
2 tbsp of chili powder
2 tsp of cumin
1 tsp of cayenne pepper
2 tsp of pepper
1 tsp of Adobo
1 tsp of paprika (for turkey)
Seasoning salt (for turkey)
Garlic powder (for turkey)
Onion powder (for turkey)

Directions

1. Dice all the veggies before starting to cook
2. Season (to taste) and brown the ground turkey
3. Add in the onions and cook until translucent
4. Pour in the chicken stock and add tomatillos and poblanos
5. Cook for 15-20 minutes
6. Add beans, tomatoes, and remaining seasoning
7. Bring to a boil, stirring occasionally
8. Simmer as long as you like, but at least 30 minutes