Sunday Southern Days

I can't be the only person who buys a bunch of (parsley, cilantro, basil, etc.) for like, 1 tablespoon for a recipe, then you have the rest of the bunch to essentially go bad over the next week. No more, I say. So I had to get creative. I had over a half bunch each of parsley and cilantro from other recipes this week and started Googling what I could possible do with that much herb (hold you laughter). I started reading an article about traditional Basil Pesto and how to change it up with other herbs. How have I never thought about using other herbs in pesto? Brilliant. Here's how it went down: In the Cuisinart MiniPrep - 1/2 bunch of Parsley, 1/2 bunch of Cilantro, 2 T EVOO, 2 T Minced Garlic (I cooked mine over a low flame for about 5 minutes to get a rich, nutty flavor), 1/4 each Salt and Pepper, Juice of a 1/4 Lemon Pulse until delicious.   I served ours over Grilled Chicken, Grilled Asparagus, and Rice Pilaf as a little 'dressing/sauce/garnish'.

This is my little spin on Panera's Fuji Apple Salad. I had a hankering for this tonight and thought I'd try my hand at creating my own version of it. Entree Salad: 5 cups diced iceburg lettuce 2 ounces crumbles fat-free feta cheese or Gorgonzola, crumbles 1/3 c chopped pecans 8 ounces of grilled chicken breast, sliced or diced 2 small Fuji apples, cored and sliced thin (1/8" or thinner slices) White Balsamic Fuji Apple Dressing: 1 Fuji apple, cored, peeled 2 T honey 2 T white balsamic vinegar 2 T apple cider vinegar 1 t dijon mustard 1/4 t garlic powder 1/8 t salt Dressing: Put all ingredients in small Cuisinart and puree until smooth. Refrigerate until ready to use for salad. Salad: Combine all salad ingredients, plus 1/2 of the dressing, and toss in a large mixing bowl. Divide into two servings for entree sizes, or without this chicken this makes a great side dish for 4. Refrigerate remaining dressing for up to 3 weeks in airtight container.

I loooove this guacamole recipe. It's perfect on any Mexican dish, or just for a snack with tortilla chips. Storage tip: After this is made, you can refrigerate up to 3 days or so. Before putting it in the fridge, cover in saran wrap, pressing the saran wrap against the surface of the guac. Any air between the plastic and the guac will cause the guac to turn brown on the surface. Waka Waka Quacamole 2 avocados, peeled 1/3 cup onion, chopped 1/2 jalapeno chile pepper, seeded and chopped fine 1 medium tomato, peeled and quartered 1 tablespoon lime juice 1 1/4 teaspoons sugar 1/4 cup sour cream Prepare all ingredients. Place the avocados, onions, jalepeno, tomato, and lime juice in a food processor and process on pulse till blended. Add sugar and sour cream and mix well. This creates a very smooth guacamole. If you like it chunkier, hand mash all items with a fork.

The whole basis of this blog is to share my cooking adventures with you all as a newlywed. Well, for the first time ever, my husband cooked dinner for me tonight. Sure, he's grilled, and made pizza and hot dogs. But we're talking a home cooked, from scratch meal. Here's the recipe he chose for this momentus occasion. Enjoy! Chicken a la Pilot 2 6-8 ounce chicken breasts, thawed 4 T cream cheese, divided 1 t chopped fresh chives 2 garlic cloves, minced 2 sliced bacon Slice the chicken breast horizontally, but not all the way through, to create a pocket for the fillings, and set aside. In a mixing bowl, combine softened cream cheese, garlic and chives. Stuff half of the mixture into each chicken breast. Wrap with one slice of bacon to secure the opening, and secure bacon with a toothpick. Bake on a greased baking pan at 375 degrees for 30 minutes. Broil for the last 2 minutes of cooking to brown the top a bit and to crisp the bacon. Recipe served two. We enjoyed this with a b

One bunch of steamed or grilled asparagus (Important not to over-cook) 1/2 cup regular or fat-free feta cheese, crumbled Balsamic salad spritzers (or straight balsamic vinegar) Cut steamed asparagus into 1-2 inch pieces. Toss with feta. Spritz on 10 sprays of balsamic salad spritzer. The flavors come together perfectly. Serve warm or at room temperature.

Happy New Year!! I hope 2009 brings you all health, happiness and prosperity! In the New Year's tradition of eating black eye peas for luck in the coming year, it can be difficult for many of us to just eat them by the spoonful. Here is a light and tasty way to enjoy black eye peas! This is an easy salad to serve with grilled chicken or steak for supper or on a bed of greens for a satisfying lunch or side. Substitute white beans or chickpeas for the black-eyed peas if you prefer (making it a great year-round recipe!) Makes 6 servings, about 1 cup each 3 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil 2 tablespoons lemon juice 2 teaspoons chopped fresh oregano or 1 teaspoon dried Freshly ground pepper to taste 4 cups peeled and diced cucumbers 1 14-ounce can black-eyed peas, rinsed 2/3 cup diced red bell pepper 1/2 cup crumbled feta cheese 1/4 cup slivered red onion 2 tablespoons chopped black olives Whisk oil, lemon juice, oregano and pepper in a large bowl until combined. Add cucumber, black-

We had this for dinner tonight and it was a great and FAST meal for a night were I was late coming home from work. 1 can cream of mushroom soup (condensed) -- you can use cream of chicken if you are not a mushroom eater 2 soup cans water 1 packet onion soup mix 1 1/2 c white rice 4-6 boneless, skinless chicken breasts Preheat the oven to 325. In a saucepan, combine soup, two soup cans of water and onion soup mix over medium meat. Beat with whisk to break up condensed soup and heat just enough to mix all ingredients together (about 4-5 minutes). In 9x13 inch baking dish, spray with non-stick spray (I used olive oil spray). Pour in rice evenly and top with chicken breasts (thawed). Pour over soup evenly to coat. Cover with aluminum foil tightly and place in middle rack of the oven for 40-70 minutes, until chicken is cooked through. This also works for boneless, skinless chicken tenders (You'll cook them about 40 minutes; Thicker breasts will cook longer). Fluff rice with a fork and s

My sister-in-law Bess, who is a fabulous cook, made this Christmas Day as a side dish and it was wonderful! I look forward to trying it again at my own home and hope you enjoy it! 3 red, orange ,or yellow bell peppers, seeded and halved 3 yellow squash (about 1 pound total), sliced lengthwise into 1/2-inch-thick rectangles 3 zucchini (about 12 ounces total), sliced lengthwise into 1/2-inch-thick rectangles 3 Japanese eggplant (12 ounces total), sliced lengthwise into 1/2-inch-thick rectangles 12 cremini mushrooms 1 bunch (1-pound) asparagus, trimmed 12 green onions, roots cut off 1/4 cup plus 2 tablespoons olive oil Salt and freshly ground black pepper 3 tablespoons balsamic vinegar 2 garlic cloves, minced 1 teaspoon chopped fresh Italian parsley leaves 1 teaspoon chopped fresh basil leaves 1/2 teaspoon finely chopped fresh rosemary leaves Place a grill pan over medium-high heat or prepare the barbecue (medium-high heat). Brush the vegetables with 1/4 cup o f the oil to coat lightly. U

1 can green peas, drained 1 can plain chickpeas, rinsed and drained 1/2 c plain fat-free yogurt (I use Fage) 1 medium scallion, chopped 1/2 c dill, fresh (or 1/4 c dried) 2 t fresh lemon juice 2 t olive oil, extra-virgin 1 medium garlic clove 1/2 t ground cumin, or more to taste 1 t table salt, or more to taste Put all ingredients in a mini-prep or Cuisinart. Blend until smooth. Serve with sliced carrots, celery, sweet peppers, cucumbers, chips, or any other dippers you enjoy! Will hold in the fridge, covered, for about three days.

These are a great (and quick) weeknight meal -- and a nice alternative from a usually carb-laden diet. They are great on their own, or with a side of steamed white (sticky) rice, if you like a little extra side with them! It also pairs well with a garden salad topped with the ginger salad dressing found in the marinade. Shrimp (1 cup) or Chicken (1-6 ounce breast) (your choice) 2T ginger salad dressing 2T teriyaki marinade 1t soy sauce Mix all sauce together and toss in a zip-top baggie with your choice of chicken or shrimp (If chicken, slice into strips). Let marinade for at least two hours, or overnight. Cook shrimp/chicken until cooked through on a skillet or grill pan on your stove top. For the wraps: Boston Bibb lettuce 1/4 c shredded carrots 1/4 c chopped celery 1/4 c sliced mushrooms 1/2 c yellow onions (caramelized) Wash lettuce leaved and pat dry with paper towel. To caramelize onions, saute over medium-high heat until onions begin to soften and the sugars caramelize (about 1

I feel it is important to have the basics under control before anyone delves into more complex recipes and food challenges in the kitchen. This recipe for fresh tomato sauce is one of my favorites. I usually keep a jar of this in the refrigerator at all times because it is so versatile. Enjoy! 4 cups rougly chopped tomatoes (I prefer beefsteak tomatoes, but any larger tomatoes will do) 1/4 c fresh basil, cut into ribbons 3 medium garlic cloves, minced 1 1/2 t olive oil 1 t salt 1/2 t ground black pepper 1 T balsamic vinegar In a sauce pan over medium-high heat, heat oil. Add minced garlic to hot oil and saute for 4-5 minutes. Do not let garlic brown or overcook, as this will make the garlic flavor very bitter. Once garlic begins cooking, add all other ingredients to saucepan and reduce heat to low-medium for 20 minutes, stirring frequently. Pour contents of the saucepan into blender and p ulse until smoothed, but with as many chunks as you like (pulse less time for chunkier tomato sauc