In Patti's Place

New Eats

2012-01-16T08:42:00.000-05:00

With the new year I decided to change my eating habits eliminating grains and legumes, but not dairy so much at this point, concentrating on protein, vegetables, and fruit (mostly berries) - no processed stuff, clean eating basically. It's sort of a cross between Paleo and Primal actually. I do eat such little Dairy so it is definitely more Paleo than not. A friend of mine has been a big inspiration in all this. She has dropped 70 pounds just by changing what she eats and adding a workout routine. That is truly inspiring. Her husband has dropped some pounds as well, however, I do not know the amount. Both look fabulous and feel fabulous!

So, with the new eating plan I've been trying new recipes. Two that I've tried have been breakfast items. One is called Egg Muffins. These were good but they didn't particularly rock my boat. Here is that recipe.


Egg Muffins

Ham and Egg Cups

Egg Muffins

10 -12 eggs whisked well
1 green onion, chopped
3 big handfuls of spinach
1/2 red pepper, chopped
6-8 slices of COOKED and crumbled bacon
sea salt and black pepper to taste

Preheat oven to 350 and grease with coconut oil two muffin pans. Whisk all your eggs in a big bowl. Add remaining ingredients. Mix well. Using a 1/4 measuring cup, fill the muffin pans (you’ll be able to make 18-20 cupcakes). Bake for 20-25 minutes or until the eggs are set in the middle. Enjoy!

My most favorite new breakfast item are the Ham and Egg Cups. You simply preheat your oven to 400 degrees. Oil your muffin pan with coconut oil. Line each muffin well with a slice of deli ham. Crack an egg in each. Top with a few leaves of spinach, then a tablespoon of shredded cheese. I used a Colby and Monterey Jack blend. Bake for 10 minutes or until set. Serve! I absolutely love these!!

I've also tried other recipes, most have involved nut flours ie almond flour and coconut flour. There are others that are used in recipes and I think I've purchased every one of them. Thus far, I've tried a biscuit and two buns for hamburgers. None were palatable I must say. My friend originally suggested that I stay away from the nut flours that nothing she had ever tried turned out all that good. I should have listened.

There are two more recipes that I want to try that involved nut flours. One is brownies and the other is pancakes. I'll probably get to those this week so stay tuned!

Progress is Made

2012-01-11T21:45:00.000-05:00

Lucy and I just started our READing Paws program at the New Georgia Library this past fall. The exact month escapes me but rest assured, we haven't been there that long. The entire month of December we took off because of schedule conflicts, either the library's schedule or our's.

So, our first day back was this past Saturday, January 7th. Out of three children who had signed up to read to Lucy, only one showed up. It was Cooper, our favorite little reader. Cooper was scheduled for 3:15 p.m. and no one had the 3 p.m. slot so I suggested he start early and he could read for the entire 30-minute period. (The sessions are in 15-minute increments.) He agreed and found a book and came over to where Lucy and I were set up in the children's area of the library. This is a picture of Cooper reading to Suzy and her handler, Christine Basso.

Nonetheless, Cooper started reading and I was completely floored by the progress he has made. Cooper is home schooled and he was taught (appropriately so, I believe) to enunciate each word. He would do this but didn't seem to understand how to put that all together to form the word and then properly pronounce the word. Before, we would rarely finish a single book per session.

But not anymore. He just whizzes through the words as if he has known them all his short little life. I asked him if he had been practicing over the holidays and he said he hadn't. His mother is very proud of him and asked me if I noticed the difference and I said, "wow, I had and Lucy did, too"! It is amazing to see that it clicked with him. I don't know his age but I'm guessing he must be about five. I asked his Mom had he been practicing and she said no, that he did that all on his own. She had not even been working with him, in particular!

I'd like to think that Lucy and I had some small part in his amazing progress. You see, Cooper adores Lucy and talks about her all the time between our reading sessions, so maybe we DID have a little influence in his progress - just maybe!! Regardless, it is awesome to see. Cooper left the library with a stack of books to read for the week! And I left with a big smile on my face! (Lucy, too!)

Baby, It's Cold Outside

2012-01-03T10:12:00.003-05:00

It's Tradition

2011-12-25T07:23:00.000-05:00

It's Christmas morning and as I've done every year since I can remember, I made the infamous Breakfast Brunch. It's probably the only time of the year that I make this but it is oh, so delicious and is quick and satisfying for everyone.

It's too late to make it this Christmas morning but there are many other special occasions throughout the year for you. Make it a new tradition for your family!

Breakfast Brunch

Yields: 12 Servings

3/4 cup milk
4 large eggs
8 ounces cheddar cheese, shredded
8 ounces Pillsbury crescent rolls
16 ounces sausage meat

Preheat oven to 425 degrees. Spray bottom of 9 x 13 pan with vegetable cooking spray. Press crescent rolls into bottom and up sides about one-quarter inch of pan. Sprinkle cheddar cheese over crescent rolls. Cook sausage. Drain. Crumble sausage over cheese. Mix milk and eggs. Add salt and pepper to taste. Pour over cheese and sausage layer. Bake 12-15 minutes or until browned and bubbly. Let stand 5 mnutes. Cut into squares and serve.

Traditional Ginger Snaps

2011-12-24T14:17:00.000-05:00

At work every year before Christmas we have a "grazing" table where we all sign up to bring munchies to share with everyone else. The guy who sits behind me requests Ginger Snaps every year. They are his favorite. One of my other cubemates stated to me on Thursday (the day I bought them to work) that he didn't even like Ginger Snaps but had eaten 8 so far and ate his 9th in front of me as we chatted. They are delicious and I have to say it's a good recipe. Your family and friends will enjoy them as well. As always, Bon Appétit!

Ginger Snaps

Yield: 2 to 3 dozen cookies

Prep Time: 10 minutes | Cooling Time: 30 minutes

1 cup sugar
1/4 cup molasses
2 teaspoons baking soda
1/2 teaspoon cloves
1 egg
2 cups all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon ginger
1 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon cinnamon
3/4 cup shortening

Mix all ingredients. Roll into balls, then roll in sugar. Cook on top rack in 350 degree oven for 8-10 minutes.

Holiday Baking Extravaganza!

2011-12-24T13:27:00.000-05:00

As in years past, the Christmas season wouldn't be complete without LOTS of "making and baking" of yummy holiday treats! This year I have to admit that I just haven't had the Christmas spirit in me so have done alot less "making and baking" than I usually do. I did get a Christmas tree up and decorated but that was it. No Christmas cards, no other decorations to speak of, and I didn't even pull out my First Frost dinnerware. I may yet do that for tomorrow's dinner - we will see. I have managed, however, to do some baking.

First, last Sunday I made an array of goodies to take to work for my workmates on the 4th floor (the Alcohol and Tobacco agents) and those on the 5th floor (Information Security folks). I made No Bake Cookies. I'm sure many of you have this recipe but if not, it is very easy and this should be a "go to" recipe anytime you have a craving for something chocolatey. Then I made a new cookie, Nutella Pinwheels. OMG, these are so awesome. A keeper recipe, for sure, and one I'll make again next year. The last cookie isn't really a cookie at all but they are still yummy. This is the Key Lime Coconut Snowballs. These were quite the hit with the guys in ATD. Might also be something to make this summer. Love key lime ANYTHING!!

Enjoy the recipes and as always, Bon Appétit !!

No-Bake Chocolate, Peanut Butter & Oatmeal Cookies

Yield: 2 to 3 dozen cookies

Prep Time: 10 minutes | Cooling Time: 30 minutes

1/4 cup butter
2 cups granulated sugar
1/2 cup milk
3 tablespoons cocoa powder
1/2 cup peanut butter
1 teaspoons vanilla extract
3 cups quick-cooking oats
1 cup chopped nuts

1. Add the first four ingredients (through the cocoa powder) to a 4-quart saucepan.
2. Bring to a rolling boil and let boil for 1 minute.
3. Remove from heat.
4. Stir in the peanut butter and vanilla until smooth, then stir in the oats.
5. Drop by heaping tablespoons onto wax paper-lined baking sheets.
6. Let cool until set.

Nutella Pinwheels
adapted from The Purple Foodie (via The Galley Gourmet)

Yield: 4 dozen cookies

Prep Time: 40 minutes | Cooling Time: 30 minutes

2 1/3 cups all-purpose flour
1/4 teaspoon kosher salt
1 cup (2 sticks) unsalted butter, at room temperature
1 cup granulated sugar
2 large egg yolks
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
1/2 cup Nutella, divided

Whisk the flour and salt together in a small bowl. In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, beat the butter and sugar on medium speed until light and fluffy, about 2-3 minutes. Beat in the egg yolks and vanilla until well combined. With the mixer on low, add the flour mixture, beating until a soft dough comes together. Turn the dough onto your work surface and shape into a square. Divide the dough in half and wrap each piece in plastic wrap. Refrigerate for at least 30 minutes.

Working with one half of the dough at a time, unwrap and place on a lightly floured sheet of parchment paper. Place a piece of plastic wrap on top and roll the dough into a rectangle measuring about 10x8-inches - the dough should be approximately 1/4-inch thick. Remove the plastic wrap and use an offset spatula to spread 1/4 cup of the Nutella in a thin layer over the dough, leaving just a tiny border around the edge.

With a long side of the rectangle facing you, use the parchment paper to help you roll the dough into a tight log (my dough cracked slightly at first, but once I got it going, it was fine). Wrap the log in plastic wrap and freeze for 15-20 minutes. Repeat with the second half of the dough.

Preheat oven to 350 F. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper.

Unwrap the logs and slice them into 1/4-1/3-inch rounds. Place the rounds on the prepared baking sheet, spacing them about 2 inches apart. Bake for 14-15 minutes, or until golden around the edges and set in the center. Transfer the baking sheet to a wire rack and cool the cookies for a few minutes before using a spatula to remove them to the rack to cool completely. Repeat with remaining rounds (be sure to cool the baking sheet between batches). Store in an airtight container at room temperature.

Key Lime Coconut Snowballs

Yield: 2 dozen snowballs

Prep Time: 40 minutes

2/3 cup graham cracker crumbs (about 4 cookie sheets)
6 tablespoons fat-free sweetened condensed milk
1 teaspoon grated Key lime rind
1 1/2 tablespoons fresh Key lime juice
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 cup shredded unsweetened coconut, divided
1 1/4 cups powdered sugar

Combine crumbs, sweetened condensed milk, rind, juice, and vanilla in a medium bowl. Add 2/3 cup coconut, and beat with a mixer at medium speed for 1 minute or until no longer grainy. Add sugar, 1/4 cup at a time, beating until well combined. Cover and chill 20 minutes.

Shape crumb mixture into 24 balls, about 1 teaspoon each. Place remaining 1/3 cup coconut in a shallow bowl; roll balls in coconut.

Note: Refrigerate balls in an airtight container for up to one day.

Backyard Excitement

2011-10-24T15:10:00.010-04:00

Last evening I had a bit of excitement in the backyard. I let the Greyhounds out to potty after I arrived home from the Smyrna Jonquil Festival. All were muzzled as is my customary procedure. My four girls plus three foster boys - yes seven Greyhounds!!

Well, in the middle of changing clothes, I (for some reason) decided they had been outside long enough to do their business or maybe I heard something that made me go to the backdoor but nonetheless, I get there and holler for everyone to come in. Remi, Sugar, Foster Lefty and Foster Indy all came running to the back door. I promptly undid muzzles as they each came inside. But where was Lucy, Sami, and Foster Fonzy? I stuck my head out the door only to see Foster Fonzy on the ground doing something - I couldn't tell exactly what - with Lucy and Sami standing over him watching. My first thought was Fonzy had hurt himself running around the backyard.

I ran inside to change into something more appropriate then ran back to the back door and then out to the yard out to where Fonzy was sitting down in the grass. Upon closer examination, I found he had tackled a squirrel. Well, it actually appeared to be lodged onto his muzzle but Fonzy definitely had a death grip on the critter. And, yes, they can grab things through the muzzle if a poop guard is not attached.

My first instinct was to get the other two, who weren't participants at that moment but who sure wanted to be, inside and safe from said squirrel. Now catching them all was quite a task as you can imagine. They wanted to stay RIGHT there with said squirrel. Everyone had their eye on the prize!!

After some maneuvering, I was able to grab Sami first. I drug her unwillingly into the house. Then, I was able to get to Fonzy who was still wrestling with said squirrel. He dropped it when I told him to drop it (after some coaxing) and then I drug him inside while Lucy then commenced to chasing the poor thing who then thought he was free. After getting him in, I went back to get Lucy who then had the squirrel cornered in the flowerbed. I grabbed her and drug her inside.

You could tell everyone's adrenaline had kicked in - everyone wanted a piece of that poor squirrel. I checked the flowerbed when I returned home from work and didn't find him there so I am assuming he ran off. He wasn't maimed but probably was scared half to death.

The sad thing about the entire incident is that the whole time they were chasing said squirrel, there was another up in the tree screaming his head off. It was probably his/her mate who witnessed the entire event. I felt so bad but thank goodness he/she did survive.

Last night when I let everyone out to potty after coming home from work, no one seemed to have remembered the squirrel last seen in the flowerbed. As Martha might say, that's a good thing!

Taco Soup

2011-10-02T12:38:00.003-04:00

Wow, my sister gave me this recipe that she got from an old neighborhood friend. It is so delicious. Sort of like chili but with a kick to it. Definitely a keeper!! Try it, you're family will love it, too!!

Taco Soup

2 pounds ground beef
2 cups diced onions
2 (15 1/2 oz) cans pinto beans
1 (15 1/2 oz) can kidney beans
1 (15 1/2 oz) can whole kernel corn, drained
1 (14 1/2 oz) can Mexican-style stewed tomatoes
1 (14 1/2 oz) can diced tomatoes
1 (14 1/2 oz) can tomatoes with chiles
2 (4 1/2 oz) cans diced green chiles
1 (4.6 oz) can black olives, drained and sliced, optional
1/2 cup green olives, sliced, optional
1 (1 1/4 oz) package taco seasoning mix
1 (1 oz) package ranch salad dressing mix

For serving:
sour cream, for garnish
grated cheese, for garnish
chopped green onions, for garnish
pickled jalapenos, for garnish

Directions:
Brown the ground beef and onions in a large skillet; drain and transfer to a large slow cooker or stockpot. Add the beans, corn, tomatoes, green chiles, black olives (if using), green olives (if using), taco seasoning mix, and ranch dressing mix. Cook in the slow cooker on low for 6-8 hours or simmer over low heat for about one hour in the stockpot.

To serve, place in a bowl and top with garnishes. Serve with tortilla chips!

Shrimp and Grits

2011-10-01T05:52:00.009-04:00

As Southerners, we all love Shrimp and Grits, right? Well, if you're a Southerner and you don't I think you should try this recipe as I'm certain it will change your mind. This is a most delicious recipe I found on Foodbuzz.com. I tried it for one of my lunches at work. As a charter member of the "Lunch Club", I am responsible for bringing lunch on Mondays and Wednesdays and my cubemate brings it on Tuesdays and Thursdays. It works out really well as we always get something really yummy and two days out of the week we don't have to worry about lunch!!

And this recipe was quite a hit! It is definitely a keeper and will now be my standard Shrimp and Grits recipe!! Try it as I'm sure it will also become your favorite

Pan-Seared Shrimp and Grits Soufflé with Corn, Chives and Peppers

1-1/2 pounds (12 to 15 count) shrimp
kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
garlic powder, for seasoning
3 tablespoons unsalted butter, divided, plus more for ramekins
1 teaspoon minced garlic
1-3/4 cup heavy cream, divided
1/4 cup quick-cooking grits
1/4 cup cooked ham, diced
1/3 cup corn
2 tablespoons well-drained and chopped roasted red peppers
2 tablespoons chopped chives
2 large eggs, lightly beaten
1/8 teaspoon ground nutmeg
1/2 cup grated Parmesan
2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil

Peel and devein the shrimp, leaving the tails attached. Rinse under cool water and pat dry with paper towels. Place the shrimp in a single layer on a baking sheet and season both sides of each shrimp with a little salt, pepper and a sprinkle of garlic powder. Refrigerate uncovered for 30 minutes.
Preheat the oven to 325 degrees. Butter four 4-ounce ramekins and set aside. In a small saucepan over medium heat, melt 1 tablespoon of the butter. Add the garlic and cook for a few seconds. Add in 1 cup of the cream, some salt, a few grinds of pepper and bring to a boil. Add the grits, reduce the heat to low and simmer, stirring frequently, until thick, about 5 to 8 minutes. Remove from the heat to cool slightly. Stir in the ham, corn, peppers and chives. In a large bowl, combine the remaining 3/4 cup cream, the eggs, nutmeg and Parmesan. Season with a little salt and pepper. Gently fold the grits mixture into the egg mixture until combined and evenly divide among prepared ramekins. Place the ramekins in a roasting pan, place in the oven and pour enough hot water to come halfway up the sides of the ramekins. Bake until a toothpick or skewer comes out clean, about 25 to 30 minutes. Allow to cool for 5 minutes, then run a knife around the edge of the ramekin and invert onto a serving plate.
In a large sauté pan over medium-high heat, bring the olive oil to shimmering. Add the shrimp and cook for 2 to 3 minutes. Flip the shrimp and cook until shrimp are rosy pink and firm to the touch, about 2 minutes more. Transfer the shrimp to a bowl. Melt the remaining 2 tablespoons of butter in the hot pan, add the shrimp and toss to coat. Remove the pan from the heat and serve immediately.

Just Peachy

2011-09-05T20:08:00.007-04:00

I found this recipe in Martha Stewart's recent Living magazine and just had to try it. I love canning and haven't done it in quite some time - mostly due to time constraints.

The recipe originally called for vanilla pods, however, I used vanilla paste which I had on hand (thanks to my friend Michelle Kroh)!!

I have enough peaches to make another batch after I find the jars!! Can't wait to try these on some pound cake, ice cream, waffles, or pancakes. Definitely not low cal, however, I hope worth it!!

Bourbon-Poached Peaches

4 pounds peaches (peeled and sliced in 1/4 inch slices)
2 1/2 cups sugar
1 teaspoon vanilla paste (or 2 vanilla beans, split, and scraped, pods reserved)
1 cup bourbon

Bring four cups water, the sugar, and vanilla to a boil in a large saucepan, stirring until sugar dissolves. Add peaches and bourbon. Simmer until peaches are tender but still hold their shape, 5-7 minutes.

Transfer peaches to a large bowl using a slotted spoon. Cook syrup over medium heat until reduced by half, about 15 minutes.

Divide peaches into four pint sterilized jars. Pour hot syrup over peaches to within 1/4" of top. Cap jars. Seal jars in boiling water for 10-15 minutes. Remove from hot water and allow to cool.

Canned peaches can be stored at room temperature for up to 3 months.

The Mystery Garden

2011-08-01T20:20:00.012-04:00

I should probably explain the title of this blog post. When I planted my vegetable garden back in early May, I thought it would be fun to not mark what or where I had planted. I was using seeds, so really had to wait until things sprouted, grew and produced vegetables to realize and remember what I had planted!!

This has been intriguing to a point and aggravating at the same time. The intriguing part is the surprise factor in what the garden produces and when that happens and the aggravating part is not being able to identify specific plants and/or their vegetable!

Case in point is the gourd pictured to the right - the green and orange gourd, looking quite like an acorn squash. I picked my "acorn squash" and proceeded to cut it and prepare it for the oven. It was to be my Sunday dinner!! After topping with a bit of butter and some ground cinnamon, it was ready to be baked.

About an hour later, I determined the delicacy to be ready to eat. It smelled yummy!! I pulled it out of the oven and let it cool a little before I dug in. Yuck!! To my surprise, the meat of the vegetable was quite stringy. This was my first clue that this was definitely not an acorn squash. If not an acorn squash, then what was it?

Of course I had to ponder this question because as I mentioned, I couldn’t remember what I had planted! I did plant some zucchini and watermelon seeds in the same general area, both “viney” plants, and none of which apparently sprouted as I’ve seen neither at this point.

Ah, then it came to me – I remember planting some pumpkin seeds!! Alas, that is what I had picked – a baby pumpkin that will no longer have the opportunity to mature. I killed a baby pumpkin! I guess I thought because it was green, it couldn't have been a pumpkin at all!! After some research, I found that pumpkins do, indeed, start out green, turning more orange as the nights cool down.

I also found out the life cycle of the pumpkin, from seed to fruit. It is quite interesting to say the least. Ten weeks after planting, the first flowers appear. The first ones are typically the male flowers, which seem to be more plentiful than the female flowers. The female flowers are distinguished by a small round bulb at the base of the flower. The flower is waiting to be fertilized by the bees before it can then start it's growth cycle to become a full-fledged pumpkin. If the female flower is not fertilized the day it blooms, it will die – forever. Kind of harsh, I agree, but that’s nature.

So, after reading this at lunch yesterday, my fear was that I had picked the only pumpkin in my patch and there would not be another this season!! Low and behold, when I arrived home and had changed clothes, I immediately ran out to the garden to search for more pumpkins. The vines are everywhere and have taken over so it is not as easy as you might think.

Thank goodness, I did find one that is growing nicely toward the back of the garden. I am hopeful for many more as the female blooms can be fertilized by the bees continuously even until the vines come out of the ground! Or, I could even manually fertilize them using pollen from the male blooms and placing it on the center of the female blooms. Yes, I may become a pumpkin botonist.

I have to say I have learned quite a bit about the accidental pumpkin patch I now have growing in my backyard. Who knew? I definitely plan to watch the patch more closely and will weed out other vines ie the squash and cucumber vines, so the pumpkins have more room to grow. With any luck, I should have perfect pumpkins in September for my decorating needs. I only wish I had thought to plant the Baby Pam Sugar Pie variety which is perfect for making pumpkin pies!

I really can't complain as I've had great success with this year's garden. I've had green peppers, cucumbers, corn, lima beans, green beans, yellow squash, eggplant, sweet potatoes, and now pumpkin. It's been the best fun watching everything grow. But the best part? It's walking out to the garden and picking what I'll be eating for dinner that night. You absolutely can't beat that for freshness and the taste is incredible.

This is not my first garden, not at all. It's been a few years since the last one though. I surely have missed it and will definitely not let that much time lapse before the next one. In fact, I am already planning what will be in the fall garden!!

Two-Cheese Squash Casserole

2011-07-18T20:04:00.006-04:00

With the abundance of yellow squash coming out of my garden, I am thinking of different ways to cook it. Of course the traditional squash casserole is not really very different, well, not for this Southern girl so I had to make it at least once during "squash season". And it seems I never use the same recipe each time I make it and this time was no different.

I found this recipe at www.southernliving.com. It was published in their May 2010 edition. Most Southern cooks know you just can't go wrong with a Southern Living recipe so I decided to try it and of course, it did not disappoint. It actually is probably the best squash casserole recipe I've tried to date! Very flavorful! You, too, will enjoy it!

Ingredients

4 pounds yellow squash, sliced
1 large sweet onion, finely chopped
1 cup (4 oz.) shredded Cheddar cheese
1/2 cup chopped fresh chives
1 (8-oz.) container sour cream
1 teaspoon garlic salt
1 teaspoon freshly ground pepper
2 large eggs, lightly beaten
2 1/2 cups soft, fresh breadcrumbs, divided
1 1/4 cups (5 oz.) freshly shredded Parmesan cheese, divided
2 tablespoons butter, melted

Preparation

1. Preheat oven to 350°. Cook yellow squash and onion in boiling water to cover in a Dutch oven 8 minutes or just until tender; drain squash mixture well.
2. Combine squash mixture, Cheddar cheese, next 5 ingredients, 1 cup breadcrumbs, and 3/4 cup Parmesan cheese. Spoon into a lightly greased 13- x 9-inch baking dish.
3. Stir together melted butter and remaining 1 1/2 cups breadcrumbs and 1/2 cup Parmesan cheese. Sprinkle breadcrumb mixture over top of casserole.
4. Bake at 350° for 35 to 40 minutes or until set.

Chicken Cordon Bleu

2011-07-17T19:04:00.007-04:00

I've made Chicken Cordon Bleu a few times before in the past, however, it's been quite some time as I can't even remember the last time. So, I found this recipe and just had to try it. Barbie, my cubemate at work, and I will eat well for lunch next week!!

Chicken Cordon Bleu (from Cooking Light, December, 2005)

Ingredients

1/4 cup fat-free, less-sodium chicken broth
5 teaspoons butter, melted
1 large garlic clove, minced
1/2 cup dry breadcrumbs
1 tablespoon grated fresh Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese
1 teaspoon paprika
4 (6-ounce) skinless, boneless chicken breast halves
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon dried oregano
1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
4 thin slices prosciutto (about 2 ounces)
1/4 cup (1 ounce) shredded part-skim mozzarella cheese
Cooking spray

Preparation

Preheat oven to 350°.

Place broth in a small microwave-safe bowl; microwave at high 15 seconds or until warm. Stir in butter and garlic. Combine breadcrumbs, Parmigiano-Reggiano, and paprika in a medium shallow bowl; set aside.

Place each chicken breast half between 2 sheets of heavy-duty plastic wrap, and pound each to 1/4-inch thickness using a meat mallet or rolling pin. Sprinkle both sides of chicken with salt, oregano, and pepper. Top each breast half with 1 slice of prosciutto and 1 tablespoon mozzarella. Roll up each breast half jelly-roll fashion. Dip each roll in chicken broth mixture; dredge in breadcrumb mixture. Place rolls, seam side down, in an 8-inch square baking dish coated with cooking spray. Pour remaining broth mixture over chicken. Bake at 350° for 28 minutes or until juices run clear and tops are golden.

A Spin on Traditional Strawberry Shortcake

2011-07-17T09:29:00.007-04:00

It's July and that means it's peach season!! Yeah!! Love 'em and I love pound cake. I can't think of a better combination than peaches and pound cake - my take on the traditional Strawberry Shortcake!!

The pound cake recipe I tried this time is a buttermilk version. It is very good - dense and full of flavor. I did substitute almond extract for the lemon extract.

For the peaches, I simply peeled and cut ripe peaches, tossing them in a few tablespoons of raw sugar and about a half teaspoon of ground cinnamon.

Why not try this quick and easy dessert for your next family gathering? Don't forget to top with fresh whipped cream!!

Buttermilk Pound Cake

3 cups all-purpose flour
1/4 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 cup butter
3 cups sugar
6 eggs
1 teaspoon lemon extract
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 cup buttermilk

Preheat oven to 325 degrees. Grease one 9 or 10-inch tube pan. Mix together the flour, baking soda, and salt. Set aside.

In a large bowl, beat butter with sugar. Mix in the eggs, one at a time, beating well after each addition. Stir in the lemon and vanilla extracts. Gently mix in flour mixture alternately with the buttermilk. Pour batter into the prepared pan.

Bake in preheated oven for 90 minutes. Do not open oven door until after one hour. When cake begins to pull away from the side of the pan, it is done. Let cool in pan for 10 minutes, then turn out onto a wire rack and cool completely.

The Many Faces of Reading Paws

2011-07-17T08:50:00.007-04:00

I just thought I'd share some pictures from our Reading Paws adventures. Lucy appears in some to not be "reading", however, she is following along and as my Dad might say, "is just resting her eyes".

We have a great time performing this little bit of community service, if you will, that is certainly helping many children. I wish there were many more R.E.A.D. teams and many more libraries and schools accepting of the program!

Yummy Chocolate Cookies

2011-07-04T20:40:00.007-04:00

I have been searching high and low for a recipe for a chocolate cookie topped with pecans that might match that magical chewy pecan cookie my Mom used to buy for us at the local Winn-Dixie bakery. I think I've come close in this one, but it's still not quite the same. I don't think the cookie at the WD was as chocolatey as it was pecan flavored. And, my Mom isn't here to help me scrutinize the recipe. I'm sure she would know exactly what is missing!! This one is a good one though, however, I will continue my search until I find the right one!

The first batch I used my cookie press to make the cute flower cookies you see above. The second time, I pressed the dough into a large cookie sheet, pressed chopped pecans into the top, then baked and cut into squares.

The dough is quite versatile so lends itself to whichever form you desire the end result to be!! Just have fun with it! They will be delicious!!

Rolled Chocolate Cookies

1 1/2 sticks unsalted butter, softened
1 cup sugar
1 large egg, at room temperature
1 1/2 cups plus 2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
1/2 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
Pinch of salt

In a standing electric mixer fitted with the paddle, beat the butter and sugar at medium speed until fluffy. Beat in the egg. Sift the flour, cocoa and salt into the bowl and beat at low speed until the dough comes together, 2 minutes. Turn the dough out onto a lightly floured surface and knead 2 or 3 times. Flatten into 2 disks, wrap in plastic and chill until firm, about 30 minutes.

Preheat the oven to 350°. Line 2 large baking sheets with parchment paper. Roll out each disk of dough between 2 sheets of plastic wrap to a scant 1/4-inch thickness. Using a floured 1 3/4-inch round cookie cutter, stamp out as many rounds as possible; transfer to the baking sheets. Gather the scraps, reroll and stamp out as many cookies as possible. Bake the cookies for about 20 minutes, until puffed and set, shifting the baking sheets for even baking. Let the cookies cool on the baking sheets.

The Mojito

2011-07-01T18:35:00.005-04:00

I decided to try making my own Mojito from scratch. I've used the mixes and while they are good, I honestly know that you can't beat anything that is homemade!!

My cubemate had given me a mint plant so I had fresh mint on hand as well as club soda and rum. And I always have limes.

I used the recipe provided by Bacardi on their website. I must say they are very yummy and as I usually do after making something from scratch, I'll never go back to using a mix for my Mojitos!! It's a little extra work, but well worth it!!

Enjoy!

INGREDIENTS

1 1/2 Oz. Bacardi Superior Rum
Club Soda
12 Mint Leaves
1/2 Lime
2 Tbsp. Simple Syrup or 1 Tbsp. Sugar

INSTRUCTIONS

Muddle 12 fresh mint leaves and 1/2 a lime. Cover with 2 Tbsp. of simple syrup or 1 Tbsp. of sugar and top with ice. Add 1 1/2 oz of BACARDI Superior Rum and top with Club Soda. Stir well and garnish with a lime wedge and sprig of mint.

Nails

2011-06-21T13:47:00.005-04:00

As long as I can remember or at least since I was a teenager, I've always worn nail polish. I've prided myself in having nice nails and used to wear them much longer than I do now. The thing is now, it's much more difficult to keep them long! I suppose age, diet, and simple wear and tear have quite a bit to do with that. Granted, I am older and don't eat near the veggies I should and am involved in activities now such as house work and yard work which present the wear and tear I spoke of earlier!

In order to have nice nails, I have on two occasions (and, yes, I can only count two) resorted to getting acrylic nails applied which, in the end and while looking extremely nice, tend to intensify the claustrophobic part of me so much that I eventually wind up tearing them off. Which, as you probably know, only damages and weakens my own nails even further. So the vicious circle continues. I then tend to do everything I can to strengthen the nails I have and get them back into shape which is the cycle I'm in at the moment!!

While recently in my hometown of Panama City to attend my niece's wedding, my sister, myself, the bride to be and my other niece proceeded to a local nail salon the day before the wedding for manicures and pedicures.

Lo and behold, it is there where I learned of a new polish called Shellac. The picture you see is of the manicure I received on Friday, June 10th. It is 11 days later and it still looks pretty darn good if you consider I've done house work, yard work, and even weeded my vegetable garden (with gloves on, of course).

I am so incredibly impressed that I have purchased the UV light needed to "cure" the polish, as well as a base coat, top coat, and two different pink polishes so that I can do my Shellac manicures/pedicures at home. I do enjoy going to the salon and being pampered and will probably continue to do that on occasion, however, I am terribly excited about doing my own manicures/pedicures using the technique that I learned during my visit home. My salon does offer gel manicures which I believe is a harsher technique than the Shellac but that is only based on what I've read on the Internet. They may both be the same for all I know. I've never had any reactions to polishes (including Shellac polish), remover (acetone or non-acetone), acrylic nails, etc.

What I DO know is that from this point further, I shall always have perfectly manicured nails that last and have no chips!!

Rachel Ray's Super Hot 'n Crisp Drummers or Wings and Homemade Blue Ranch

2011-06-19T20:40:00.004-04:00

I've always wanted to make homemade wings but just haven't come across a recipe I wanted to try. That is, until I caught an episode of Rachel Ray's show a few days ago. She made these awesome hot wings and they are crispy just like I like them! So, of course, I had to try them and tonight was the night.

They are certainly awesome! I'm taking the leftovers into work tomorrow to share with my cubemate. She and I tend to do this alot these days and it saves us both from having to worry about what we'll be having for lunch!

Serves 6

3-4 pounds chicken drummers or cut chicken wings
Frying oil, such as vegetable or canola oil
Carrot and celery sticks

For the chicken coating:

1 cup cayenne pepper sauce, such as Texas Pete or Frank’s Red Hot
2 cups flour
1 tablespoon poultry seasoning
1 tablespoon sweet paprika
1/2 tablespoon dry mustard
1 teaspoon baking powder
Salt and pepper

For the ranch dipper:

1 cup sour cream
1/2 cup buttermilk
1 tablespoon lemon juice or white wine vinegar (a splash)
1 clove garlic, grated or pasted
Salt and pepper
1 cup blue cheese crumbles
3 tablespoons fresh herbs, finely chopped, such as chives, dill and parsley

Place the chicken pieces in a large stockpot and cover with water. Bring the water to a boil, par-boil for 10 minutes, then drain and pat the chicken dry.

Cool the chicken and toss it in hot sauce to coat, then toss with flour seasoned with spices to coat. Toss the chicken once more in the hot sauce and the flour. Fry in batches over medium to medium-high heat in 3 inches of hot oil, 350°F, until very crisp, 5-6 minutes.

Combine the dressing ingredients and serve as a dipper for the vegetable spears (such as carrot and celery sticks) and chicken.

Dr. Jekyll (and Mr. Hyde)

2011-05-26T09:07:00.006-04:00

As some of you know, my Greyhound Sami loves to "play bite" me - no one else, but me, it seems (thank God). Well, sometimes the play biting gets downright aggressive to the point that her eye's glaze over and fire spits out of them, all the while she is nipping me to the point of leaving bruises on me. And I'm usually laughing so hard because the look in her eyes is so intense and it's a clear deviation from her normal sweet self! And, of course, me laughing just antagonizes her into biting me harder!

I call it her "Dr Jekyll" episode. She is getting better about it and doesn't do it nearly as often as she did. I adopted her when she was not quite 2 years old (she's about to be 4) so I've always chalked it up to puppy behavior.

I follow Cesar Millan on Twitter and on Facebook. He recently had a suggestion on this topic that I'd like to share with you. He said to diffuse this type of behavior in puppies, try to divert their attention to performing a command ie "sit" or whatever else they might know.

None of mine are prison trained Greyhounds but I have been able to teach them all to "sit" and some to do the "down" command. Sami learned to "sit" last summer, I believe. Anyway, the last time her "Dr. Jekyll" came out, I remembered what Cesar had suggested and I immediately put my closed hand in the air and said "sit" and lo and behold, the little villain did it which then was enough to distract her and end the episode. Yeah, no bruises!!

I've done it several times since and it has worked every time. This may be old news to some of you who are actually "trainers" but to me, it is a wonderful revelation. I imagine this will work for anything your Greyhound might be doing that they shouldn't be doing. It's quite a distraction and if it can get "Dr. Jekyll" out of her trance, I imagine it will work for your Greyhound too!

The Birthday Dinner

2011-05-20T05:33:00.014-04:00

A few weeks back I hosted a special birthday dinner celebration for my good friend, Hank and his wife, Susan.

On the menu - Crab Crostini (appetizer), Lettuce Wedges with Homemade Blue Cheese Dressing, Grilled Lobster Tails, Baked Potatoes with all the fixin's, Steamed Asparagus, and Homemade Vanilla, Chocolate, and Strawberry ice creams.

Much to my surprise and delight, they walked in with a chilled bottle of Dom Perignon which was perfect for our planned feast! We also had Margaritas before dinner and a German white wine with dinner. All wonderfully paired with our lobster!

The recipe for the Crab Crostini follows:

Crab Crostini

Servings: 8 crostini

Ingredients

8 slices French bread, cut into 1/2-inch slices
1/2 pound fresh crab meat, or 6 and 1/2-ounces canned meat
3 tablespoons minced green onion
1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice
2 tablespoons mayonnaise
2 teaspoons garlic, minced
1/2 teaspoon Dijon mustard
Cayenne pepper, to taste
Ground white pepper, to taste
Salt, to taste
1 cup Parmesan or Romano cheese, grated
Fresh chives, for garnish (optional)

Instructions

1. Preheat the broiler on your oven.
2. On a baking sheet, line the French bread pieces about 1-inch apart.
3. In a large bowl, combine the crab meat, green onions, lemon juice, mayonnaise, garlic, mustard, cayenne pepper, white pepper, and salt. Mix well.
4. Lightly toast the bread slices under the broiler until lightly golden, about 4-5 minutes.
5. Remove the bread from the oven, and flip all the bread slices over to the other side.
6. Top each bread slice with about 1-2 tablespoons of the crab mixture (your desired amount).
7. Sprinkle the cheese over the top of each crostini evenly.
8. Broil the crostinis until the cheese is melted and lightly browned, about 4-5 minutes (depending on your broiler temperature).
9. Garnish with fresh chives and serve immediately.

Other recipes used include the Blue Cheese Dressing recipe I previously posted and blogged about, http://patemarie.blogspot.com/2010/07/blue-cheese-dressing.html. This is the Trisha Yearwood recipe and it is to die for!!

The lobster were cut in half, generously sprayed with drawn butter then sprinkled with garlic powder, onion powder, seasoned salt, Old Bay Seafood seasoning, fresh cracked black pepper and fresh ground sea salt. Then on the grill they went for approximately 10-12 minutes. Of course, once ready, they were served with drawn butter.

The ice creams were normal ice cream recipes except the strawberry was a Buttermilk Strawberry ice cream recipe. I'll post that one shortly with a picture. It well deserves the spotlight in its own post!

Overall, the dinner was quite a culinary success and I dare say that Hank had a wonderful birthday week!!

Kids, Books, and a Greyhound!

2011-03-23T04:48:00.031-04:00

And a beautiful quilt but I'll get to that in a little bit!

As some of you may know, I've had Greyhounds since 2003 when I first adopted Reminisee Blair now known as Remi. Shortly thereafter came PB's Honey Fritz now known as Sugar, then Yopon Laverne now known as Lucy, and lastly Oakland Scarboro now known as Sami. The latter being a total "uh oh" as she was definitely not planned but that, my friends, is an entirely different blog post!

So, when you have dogs, you like to include them in activities, right? The old mantra - a tired dog is a happy dog holds true in my household, that's for sure! Well, I've done lure coursing with Remi, Sugar (who was #4 in Greyhounds in 2005), Lucy, and Sami. I've also participated in pet therapy with all four. Pet therapy is where we visit nursing homes and children's hospitals with our Greyhounds. The patients and children just love loving on the dogs. We all know that therapy using pets is quite beneficial for our health. For those in nursing homes, it is known to:

Diminish emotional pain
Diminish physical pain
Reduce boredom
Reduce anxiety
And it makes people happy

For children, therapy with pets teaches them:

Gentleness
Caring
Responsibility
How to interact safely with an animal, and most importantly,
Allows them to love an animal

Researchers found even one 30-minute long session of animal assisted therapy reduced loneliness to a statistically significant degree. Journal of Gerontology: Medical Sciences, 7/02. Pets provide internal chemical therapeutics for people. Tests show that within minutes of petting a dog, the humans and dogs alike experience massive release of such beneficial hormones as prolactin, oxytocin and phenylethylamine.

So, with all this being said, I have been very active in pet therapy since adopting my first Greyhound in 2003. We've certainly enjoyed our experiences and most every month, the patients at the nursing home crack me up with something they say or do. They know us and we know them and when we see an empty bed, it truly is a very sad moment. Our only hope and thought is that a new patient will reside in that room who will enjoy our visits as much as the last patient.

At one visit many years ago, we stopped in the hallway and chatted with a woman who was trying to tell me about her day. Afterwards, a nursing assistant stopped me to ask what we had done because this particular patient hadn't spoken a word in over 6 months. Of course, it was nothing we did specifically but I suspect having the Greyhounds spurred some memory for this particular patient. Perhaps she had had dogs of her own in the past and seeing them made her remember them fondly and, quite frankly, come to life right before our eyes. It was quite a thing knowing we had a small part in helping that patient "reconnect", for lack of a better word. I will never forget it, that's for sure.

Another form of therapy using our dogs is called R.E.A.D. (Reading Education Assistance Dogs). This is where trained R.E.A.D. teams visit schools and libraries and serve as reading companions for children. The program is very successful with proven results by increasing reading test scores and improving reading levels for children of all ages. It works because the children aren't intimidated by reading to a dog as they sometimes can be reading to an adult or teacher. The dog does not criticize or judge the child. The program increases their self-esteem, thus making the children enjoy the reading experience.

So, Lucy and I embarked on this next journey by completing the necessary training and registering as a R.E.A.D. team. In Georgia our program is called Reading Paws. We then started searching for a library who would welcome our program with open arms. We found that with the Smyrna Public Library.

Our very first visit was March 19th. Lucky for us, our entire hour was filled with appointments made by four children. The first to read to Lucy was a little boy named Varun. He is from India, I believe, and if there was ever a very animated and enthusiastic reader, this is Varun. It was quite comical but you could tell he loved to read and loved reading to Lucy. After Varun was done, a little boy from Africa read to Lucy. He had a bit more difficulty but he did pretty well for a child his age. The book he chose was a difficult one, I think. Next time, we'll get one that is a bit easier for him. Then a Mexican girl read to Lucy. She was a really good reader. By this time, the hound in Lucy had come out and she was sprawled out on the blanket fast asleep. I told the children that Lucy was listening and was just resting her eyes. The last child was the best friend of the first Mexican girl. She also was an excellent reader. I believe three of these children have signed up for every session until June or so and we will be there two Saturdays a month. Whoo hoo!!

What an excellent start to what I foresee to be a wonderful journey with kids, books and a Greyhound!!

Oh, I cannot forget to mention the beautiful quilt my sister made for us (see picture above). We were very lucky to have Brooke Shenson of ShopMollyd fame donate several Greyhound appliqués which my sister included on the four corners of the quilt. With the largest appliqué that Brooke sent, Pam made a most awesome quilted bag that I will use to transport the quilt to and from the library. Obviously we will use the quilt to sit on while the children read. It is absolutely a stunning piece of art!! I am very proud of the quilt and thank my sister profusely for dedicating her time and talent to the cause. We truly appreciate it and will take very good care of my new artwork!

Themed Dinners!

2011-03-14T14:07:00.030-04:00

As you probably have guessed by now, I really enjoy hosting themed dinners! I always have!! And this past weekend was no exception. With it being Mardi Gras last week, I decided to cook an entire meal based on Cajun recipes.

We enjoyed Shrimp and Sausage Jambalaya, Shrimp Creole, Red Beans and Rice, Corn Muffins and for dessert, a delicious Bread Pudding. Oh, and I cannot forget the Hurricanes to drink!!

Everything was very good, even if I say so myself. The Jambalaya recipe is courtesy of my favorite food blogger, Brown-Eyed Baker. The Corn Muffins recipe is from my cubemate at work and the Bread Pudding was Paula Deen's recipe, of course!! The Shrimp Creole is my recipe and the Red Beans and Rice came from Southern Living. Oh, and the Hurricanes, from an online source!

I couldn't have been more pleased with how everything turned out and I think my guests also enjoyed the dinner.

Hurricane Drink

1 oz vodka
1/4 oz grenadine syrup
1 oz gin
1 oz light rum
1/2 oz Bacardi 151 Rum
1 oz amaretto almond liqueur
1 oz triple sec
grapefruit juice
pineapple juice

Pour all but the juices, in order listed, into a hurricane glass three-quarters filled with ice. Fill with equal parts of grapefruit and pineapple juice. Garnish with a half orange slice and maraschino cherry "flag".

Shrimp and Sausage Jambalaya

Serves: 6 to 8

1 tablespoon olive oil
1 pound sausage, kielbasa or andouille, sliced
1 pound smoked ham, cubed
1 tablespoon butter
1 medium onion, diced
1 cup diced celery
1 green bell pepper, cored and diced
1 red bell pepper, cored and diced
1 cup seeded and diced tomato
3 garlic cloves, minced
1 jalapeno pepper, seeded and minced OR ½ teaspoon cayenne
2 teaspoons diced fresh oregano
1 teaspoon diced fresh thyme
2 tablespoons tomato paste
6 cups chicken stock
3 cups long-grain rice, rinsed
3 bay leaves
2 teaspoons coarse salt
1 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
6 to 8 dashes hot sauce, optional
½ cup chopped scallions, divided
¾ cup chopped fresh parsley, divided
¼ cup freshly squeezed lemon juice
1 pound medium shrimp, deveined (20 to 24 count)

1. Heat the oil in a large Dutch oven over medium heat, add the kielbasa and saute for 8 to 10 minutes, until browned. Remove the kielbasa to a bowl, and set aside.
2. Add the ham to the same pot and cook 8 to 10 minutes, until lightly browned. Remove to the bowl with the kielbasa, and set aside.
3. Add the butter, onion, celery and peppers to the same pot and saute for 8 to 10 minutes, until the onion is translucent.
4. Add the tomato, garlic, jalapeno or cayenne, oregano, thyme, and tomato paste and cook until all the vegetables and herbs are blended well.
5. Add the stock and bring to a rolling boil. Stir in the rice, and add the sausage, ham, bay leaves, salt, pepper and hot sauce. Return to a boil, reduce the heat to low and simmer, covered, for 20 minutes.
6. Add ¼ cup of the scallions, ¼ cup of the parsley, the lemon juice and the shrimp, and stir well. Cover the pot, remove it from the heat and allow the jambalaya steam, for 15 minutes, before serving.
7. Garnish with the remaining ¼ cup scallions and ½ cup parsley, and a dash of hot sauce, if desired.

(Recipe adapted from Barefoot Contessa)

Red Beans and Rice

Serves: 8-10

1 pound dried red beans
1 pound Andouille sausage, thinly sliced
3 celery ribs, chopped
1 green bell pepper, chopped
1 red bell pepper, chopped
1 sweet onion, chopped
3 garlic cloves, minced
1 tablespoon Creole seasoning
Hot cooked long-grain rice
Hot sauce (optional)
Garnish: finely chopped green onions, finely chopped red onion

1. Combine first 8 ingredients and 7 cups water in a 4-qt. slow cooker. Cover and cook on HIGH 7 hours or until beans are tender.
2. Serve red bean mixture with hot cooked rice, and, if desired, hot sauce. Garnish, if desired.

Shrimp Creole

Serves: 6 to 8

2 quarts water
2 pounds shrimp unpeeled
1 cup onion chopped
1 cup green bell pepper, chopped
1 tablespoon vegetable oil
2 14 oz cans tomatoes, drained and chopped
1 6 oz can tomato paste
1 bay leaf
1 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce
1/2 teaspoon dried oregano
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon lemon pepper
1/4 teaspoon pepper
dash red pepper
2 cups cooked rice

1. Bring water to a boil in a large Dutch oven; add shrimp and cook 3 to 4 minutes. Drain well; rinse with cold water. Chill. Peel and de-vein shrimp.
2. Saute onion and green pepper in oil. Drain. Combine tomatoes, tomato paste, bay leaf, Worcestershire, oregano, salt, lemon pepper, pepper, and red pepper in large Dutch oven.
3. Add green pepper and onion. Simmer over low heat for about 45 minutes. Add shrimp and simmer until shrimp are heated.
4. Ladle hot shrimp creole over hot white rice.

Cornbread

2 packages Jiffy Cornbread Mix
5 eggs
½ cup sour cream low fat
3/4 cup milk (would go with less than that)
1 15-oz can cream corn

Preheat oven to 350 F., grease a 9 x 13 pan or muffin pan.

Mix eggs. Add sour cream until blended. Add milk to eggs and sour cream until blended.
Add cream corn to mixture. Gradually add in cornbread mixes until blended, but still may have lumps. Pour into greased pan.

Bake approximately 30-40 minutes (or more) until a toothpick comes out clean in the middle. Top should be golden brown.

Let cool at least 10 minutes before serving.

Bread Pudding

Serves: 8 to 10

2 cups granulated sugar
5 large beaten eggs
2 cups milk
2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract
3 cups cubed Italian bread, allow to stale overnight in a bowl
1 cup packed light brown sugar
1/4 cup (1/2 stick) butter, softened
1 cup chopped pecans

For the sauce:

1 cup granulated sugar
1/2 cup (1 stick) butter, melted
1 egg, beaten
2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract
1/4 cup brandy

1. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Grease a 13 by 9 by 2-inch pan.
2. Mix together granulated sugar, eggs, and milk in a bowl; add vanilla. Pour over cubed bread and let sit for 10 minutes.
3. In another bowl, mix and crumble together brown sugar, butter, and pecans.
4. Pour bread mixture into prepared pan. Sprinkle brown sugar mixture over the top and bake for 35 to 45 minutes, or until set. Remove from oven.

For the sauce:
Mix together the granulated sugar, butter, egg, and vanilla in a saucepan over medium heat. Stir together until the sugar is melted. Add the brandy, stirring well. Pour over bread pudding. Serve warm or cold.

An Italian Feast

2011-03-11T05:57:00.003-05:00

A few weeks back I hosted a dinner party where Italian was the theme! And who doesn't love an authentic Italian meal?

We started with Arancini di Riso as an appetizer, then a nice Caesar Salad and crunchy Cheesy Garlic Bread, then the most awesome Lasagna I've ever made (complete with homemade noodles), followed by New York Style Cheesecake with Strawberries! Yes, it was all so delicious.

Here are the recipes! I didn't include the noodle recipe as that is just an egg noodle dough. I believe it's on my blog from a previous posting!

Arancini di Riso
(Rice Balls with Marinara Sauce)

Serves 6

2 eggs
2 cups cooked rice
4 oz. mozzarella cheese, cut in ½-inch cubes (about 1 cup)
¾ cup seasoned bread crumbs
2 Tablespoons olive oil

Line a baking sheet with parchment paper.

Beat eggs lightly with fork. Add the rice and stir gently but thoroughly.

Take 1 tablespoon of the mixture, place a cube of mozzarella in the middle and then top with another tablespoon of rice. Shape into a ball and roll in the breadcrumbs. Place on parchment-lined baking sheet. Repeat with the rest of the rice mixture.

Refrigerate pan of rice balls for at least 30 minutes.

Meanwhile, preheat oven to 425°F. Drizzle 2 tablespoons of olive oil over rice balls.

Bake in the preheated oven for 20 to 25 minutes, or until golden brown. Serve with warm marinara sauce.

World's Best Lasagna

Serves 10

1 pound sweet Italian sausage
3/4 pound lean ground beef
1/2 cup onion minced
2 cloves garlic crushed
28 ounces crushed tomatoes
12 ounces tomato paste
13 ounces tomato sauce
1/2 cup water
1 1/2 teaspoons dried basil
1/2 teaspoon fennel seeds
1 teaspoon italian seasoning
1 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon ground black pepper
4 tablespoons chopped parsley
12 lasagna noodles
16 ounces ricotta cheese
1 egg
1/2 teaspoon salt
3/4 pound mozzarella cheese sliced
3/4 cup grated Parmesan cheese

Instructions:

In a Dutch oven, cook sausage, ground beef, onion, and garlic over medium heat until well browned. Stir in crushed tomatoes, tomato paste, tomato sauce, and water. Season with sugar, basil, fennel seeds, Italian seasoning, 1 tablespoon salt, pepper, and 2 tablespoons parsley. Simmer, covered, for about 1 1/2 hours, stirring occasionally.

Bring a large pot of lightly salted water to a boil. Cook lasagna noodles in boiling water for 8 to 10 minutes. Drain noodles, and rinse with cold water. In a mixing bowl, combine ricotta cheese with egg, remaining parsley, and 1/2 teaspoon salt.

Preheat oven to 375 degrees F (190 degrees C).

To assemble, spread 1 1/2 cups of meat sauce in the bottom of a 9x13 inch baking dish. Arrange 6 noodles lengthwise over meat sauce. Spread with one half of the ricotta cheese mixture. Top with a third of mozzarella cheese slices. Spoon 1 1/2 cups meat sauce over mozzarella, and sprinkle with 1/4 cup Parmesan cheese. Repeat layers, and top with remaining mozzarella and Parmesan cheese. Cover with foil: to prevent sticking, either spray foil with cooking spray, or make sure the foil does not touch the cheese.

Bake in preheated oven for 25 minutes. Remove foil, and bake an additional 25 minutes. Cool for 15 minutes before serving.

New York Style Cheesecake

Serves 16

1 1/4 cups HONEY MAID Graham Cracker Crumbs
1/4 cup butter, melted
5 (250 g) packages PHILADELPHIA Brick Cream Cheese, softened
1 cup sugar
3 tablespoons flour
1 tablespoon vanilla
1 cup sour cream
4 eggs
1 (19 ounce) can cherry pie filling (I substituted fresh strawberries)

Instructions:

Heat oven to 325 degrees F if using a silver 9 inch springform pan (or to 300 degrees F if using a dark nonstick 9-inch spring-form pan). Mix crumbs and butter; press firmly onto bottom of pan. Bake 10 minutes.

Beat cream cheese, sugar, flour and vanilla in large bowl with electric mixer on medium speed until well blended. Add sour cream; mix well. Add eggs, one at a time, mixing on low speed after each addition just until blended. Pour over crust.

Bake 1 hour 10 minutes or until center is almost set. Run knife or metal spatula around rim of pan to loosen cake; cool before removing rim of pan. Refrigerate 4 hours or overnight. Top with pie filling before serving. Store leftover cheesecake in refrigerator.

Yummy - Homemade Pancakes

2011-03-06T11:11:00.003-05:00

I recently came across a very awesome blog about one of my favorite subjects - cooking!! It's called Brown Eyed Baker. A read her blog religiously as she has some very awesome recipes.

This one came across her blog the other day. I have to say I like pancakes but don't make them at home that often but this recipe just called out to me to try it! And so I did! She was right, they are the very best pancakes I think I've ever eaten. Worth a try everyone!

Best Buttermilk Pancakes

Yield: Sixteen 4-inch pancakes

Prep Time: 20 minutes | Cook Time: 15 minutes

2 cups all-purpose flour
2 tablespoons granulated sugar
1 teaspoon baking powder
½ teaspoon baking soda
½ teaspoon salt
2 cups buttermilk
¼ cup sour cream
2 eggs
3 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted and cooled slightly
1 to 2 teaspoon vegetable oil, for greasing the pan

1. Whisk the flour, sugar, baking powder, baking soda and salt together in a medium bowl. In a second medium bowl, whisk together the buttermilk, sour cream, eggs and melted butter. Make a well in the center of the dry ingredients and pour in the wet ingredients; gently stir until just combined (batter should remain lumpy with a few streaks of flour). Do not overmix. Allow the batter to sit for 10 minutes before cooking.

2. Heat 1 teaspoon of the vegetable oil in a nonstick skillet over medium heat until shimmering. Using a paper towel, carefully wipe out oil, leaving a thin film of oil on the bottom of the pan. Using ¼ cup measure, portion batter into pan in 4 places. Cook until edges are set, first side is golden brown, and bubbles on surface are just beginning to break, 2 to 3 minutes. Using a thin, wide spatula, flip pancakes and continue to cook until second side is golden brown, 1 to 2 minutes longer. Serve pancakes immediately. Repeat with remaining batter, using remaining oil as needed.

*Note 1: This recipe was formulated using lower-protein flour such as Pillsbury and Gold Medal. If you use flour with a little higher protein content like King Arthur, you will need to add 1 to 2 more tablespoons of buttermilk. I forgot about this at first, and when I mixed the batter I saw how thick it was. I added 1½ more tablespoons of buttermilk and the batter was perfect.

*Note 2: If you make these on an electric griddle, preheat it to 350 degrees F.

(Recipe adapted from Cook’s Illustrated)

An Evening With Williams and Sonoma

2011-02-11T05:21:00.009-05:00

This past Tuesday evening I attended my first cooking class at a local Williams and Sonoma store. This is a treat I've dreamed of doing for many years and I am so thrilled that I finally decided to do it! Of course I like to think I can cook but you know you can ALWAYS learn something from the professionals.

One of the first things that our instructor, Anne Terrell shared with us was that she hoped that each and every one of us would learn at least one new thing during the class. She also shared some of her background accented with the fact that she graduated from a local culinary school and has worked as a chef in various restaurants around Atlanta, before landing at Williams Sonoma. It's obvious she loves what she is doing.

Our class was titled "Simple Yet Sophisticated Dinner Party" with the description - "This memorable meal is sure to impress your guests, yet you won't need to spend all day preparing it." The original menu:

Romaine, Gorgonzola and Walnut Salad
Pork Chops with Garlic and Herbs
Bittersweet Chocolate Cake

Ms. Terrell, instead showed us how to prepare:

Romaine, Gorgonzola, Grape and Walnut Salad (has a wonderful walnut vinaigrette dressing)
Pork Chops with Garlic and Herbs
Potato Pancake
Glazed Carrots
Strawberry Tart with Orange Cream

Everything was just wonderful, very tasty, and well presented. We were truly impressed with how Ms. Terrell cooked and prepared every dish in the make-shift kitchen in the Williams Sonoma store using an All-Clad counter-top grill, a convection oven, and stove top. Well, and she did have the best of the best available to her at any given time so I imagine that helped!

A few takeaways for me:

- using a ceramic knife will prevent fruits and vegetables from browning (oxidizing) because it's blade is nonreactive. Who knew? (I'll be getting my set next month)
- a juicer is a must-have item for any home cook (I'll be getting mine next month)
- and lastly, sparkling water is most awesome!! They served this to us during our class. I watched to see where it was coming from and they were making it from a SodaStream machine. I went to Bed, Bath, and Beyond the next night and purchased one for myself!! I love it!!

Ms. Terrell conducted the class with ease and even though she used WS products, she didn't overly promote them which was refreshing. Overall, I was very impressed with the entire class, so impressed that I signed up for the next four classes!! I can hardly wait until March when we will be doing "Brunch Favorites" which includes a menu of Very Berry Smoothies, Strata with Asparagus, Sausage and Fontina, Apple Pancakes, and Brown Sugar Macadamia Nut Coffee Cake!

- Posted using BlogPress from my iPad

His Special Day!!

2011-02-02T04:56:00.010-05:00

Today is Groundhog Day and in his honor (and more especially so that we impress him so he brings Spring on really fast) we annually hold a bash at work in his honor. Again, just another excuse to make goodies for the co-workers!!

My contributions for the day include Wonton Tacos (yes, an oxymoron but delicious nonetheless) and Groundhog Cupcakes. For the Wonton Tacos, I simply browned some ground round, added hot taco seasoning and chopped jalapenos. Then I took Wonton wrappers and put them in my mini-muffin pan filling them full of the cooked hamburger mixture. Then topped with cheese and baked for 10 minutes in a 350 degree oven. That's it although next time I will get tomato and lettuce to top them with just before serving. That would make a complete taco!

As for the Groundhog Cupcakes, here are the recipes. I used Martha's recipe for the cupcakes and the Swiss Meringue Buttercream recipe for the icing.

White Cupcakes (by Martha Stewart)

Makes 3 dozen

4 1/2 cups sifted cake flour (not self-rising)
2 tablespoons baking powder
3/4 teaspoon salt
1 1/2 cups milk
1 tablespoon pure vanilla extract
1 cup plus 2 tablespoons (2 1/4 sticks) unsalted butter, softened
2 1/4 cups sugar
7 large egg whites

Directions

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Line cupcake or muffin tins with papers; set aside. Into a medium bowl, sift together cake flour, baking powder, and salt. Combine milk and vanilla in a glass measuring cup.
Place butter in the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, and beat until pale and creamy. With mixer on medium speed, gradually add sugar in a steady stream; continue beating until light and fluffy, about 3 minutes. Reduce speed to low.
Add flour mixture to butter mixture in three batches, alternating with the milk mixture and starting and ending with the flour. Do not overbeat.
In a clean bowl of electric mixer fitted with the whisk attachment, beat egg whites on medium-high speed until stiff peaks form. Fold one-third of the whites into flour mixture to lighten. Fold in remaining egg whites in two batches, being careful not to deflate the whites.
Pour batter into prepared tins, filling cups to about 1/2 inch from the tops. Bake until a cake tester inserted near the centers comes out clean and the tops spring back when pressed lightly in the center, 18 to 20 minutes. Remove from oven; let cool completely before icing or storing.

Swiss Meringue Buttercream for Cupcakes (by Martha Stewart)

Ingredients

Makes about 9 cups, enough for about 28 cupcakes

2 1/2 cups sugar
10 large egg whites
4 cups (8 sticks or 2 pounds) unsalted butter, cut into pieces
2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract

Directions

Place sugar and egg whites in the heat-proof bowl of an electric mixer. Set bowl over a pan of gently simmering water, and whisk until sugar has dissolved and egg whites are hot to the touch, about 3 minutes. Test by rubbing the mixture between your fingers; it should feel completely smooth.
Transfer bowl to mixer stand. Using the whisk attachment, beat on high speed until mixture has cooled completely and formed stiff and glossy peaks, about 10 minutes.
Add the butter, one piece at a time, and beat until incorporated after each addition. Don't worry if the buttercream appears curdled after all the butter has been added; it will become smooth again with continued beating. Add vanilla, and beat just until combined.
Switch to the paddle attachment, and beat on the lowest speed to eliminate any air pockets, about 5 minutes. If using buttercream within several hours, cover bowl with plastic wrap, and set aside at room temperature in a cool environment. Or transfer to an airtight container, and store in the refrigerator, up to 3 days. Before using, bring buttercream to room temperature, and beat on the lowest speed with the paddle attachment until smooth, about 5 minutes.

Now, for decorating the cupcakes. Here are those instructions:

Ingredients

Baked cupcakes
Almond Joy candy
White frosting
White jelly beans
Black decorators' gel
Watermelon slice candy
Brown M&M's Minis
Chocolate cookie

Remove a piece of cake the width of an Almond Joy candy from the center of a baked cupcake. Set the candy upright in the hole, then spread a layer of white frosting on the cupcake.

For the groundhog's eyes, trim the ends from a white jelly bean, stick them in place with frosting, then dot them with black decorators' gel. Add a tiny triangle cut from a watermelon slice candy for a nose, brown M&M's Minis for ears and cheeks, and a tiny rectangular piece of white jelly bean for teeth. Sprinkle chocolate cookie crumbs around the partially emerged groundhog, and he's ready to greet his fans.

Chili - Perfect This Time of Year!

2011-01-22T18:05:00.006-05:00

With temps hovering in the mid-20's for days now and snow forecasted again in Atlanta this week, I thought it best to cook up another pot of homemade Chili. Nothing warms the body and soul like Chili. It is just perfect, especially this time of year.

Here's my recipe:

Chili

1 1/2 pounds ground round
1/2 cup onion, chopped
1/2 cup green pepper, chopped
4 cloves garlic, minced
2 28-oz cans diced tomatoes
1 15-oz can tomato sauce
1 cup water
2 tablespoons chili powder
2 teaspoons cumin
1 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon oregano
1 teaspoon red pepper
1 teaspoon black pepper
3 15-oz cans dark red kidney beans, drained

Place a large skillet over medium heat until hot. Add 1 tablespoon olive oil. Add ground round, onion, pepper, and garlic. Cook until beef is browned, stirring to crumble meat. Drain. Add tomatoes and next 8 ingredients, stir well. Bring to a boil; reduce heat and simmer uncovered 15 minutes or so. Stir in beans. Simmer until beans are heated thoroughly. Enjoy!

The Commute

2011-01-13T09:32:00.001-05:00

Well, we are on our way to work once again, in the frozen tundra now known as Georgia. The roads aren't bad at all. But we are on the Interstate so that's the difference, I guess. Surface streets are still pretty bad.

Yesterday when I left my home I slid down my driveway. Really fast, too. I bounced and ended up almost in my neighbor's front yard. It was pretty scary. No damage to my vehicle which is good and I also narrowly missed the telephone pole which, again, is good. This morning it was dry so no problems at all, however, when I got to Hank's (my carpool buddy) house, I parked my Pilot, gathered my belongings, and got out of the vehicle. I walked maybe four feet and promptly was on my ass. His driveway was pretty icy and I hit a patch just right. Short of a pretty sore elbow, I'm none the worse for wear. Nothing that a bottle of German wine won't cure.

The biggest hazard I've seen on the highway, thus far, seems to be the ice falling off 18-wheelers and other assorted vehicles. It seems quite dangerous. Sort of like those ice javelins we saw on the news that were falling from that tower in the parking lot in Mississippi. Really scary.

And then there is the exit ramp at I-85 and Clairmont Road. Yesterday it was pretty bad. Ah, and today, it's fine. They put sand out, it seems. Oh and there is the parking lot at work. Yesterday it was a sheet of ice. Security came and picked me up and drove me to the sidewalk. They had a bobcat out when we left, scraping the ice up, little by little. Today, they are still out here with the bobcats. Well, wish me luck. We're about to get out and try the trek to the front door.

- Posted using BlogPress from my iPad

Shepherd's Pie

2011-01-12T20:07:00.004-05:00

Today after the last several days of snow and ice we've endured here in Atlanta, I was pondering what to make for dinner and Shepherd's Pie came across my mind. I can't think of a more comforting and warm meal to have in this God awful weather. So, on my way home from work today (and, yes, I did make it to the office), I stopped at Publix to purchase the necessary ingredients. And wa la, what a wonderful filling meal it was. Of course I'll have leftovers for weeks to come but that's okay, that means less time in the kitchen, too!! Enjoy!

Cheddar-Topped Shepherd's Pie (from MarthaStewart.com)

2 pounds baking potatoes (about 4), peeled and thinly sliced
Coarse salt and ground pepper
1 tablespoon vegetable oil, such as safflower
6 medium carrots, halved lengthwise, quartered if large, and thinly sliced
6 celery stalks, thinly sliced
1 large onion, chopped
1/2 teaspoon dried thyme
1/4 cup all-purpose flour
1/4 cup tomato paste
2 pounds ground beef chuck
1 cup whole milk
1 1/2 cups shredded sharp white cheddar (6 ounces)

Directions

Preheat oven to 450. Place potatoes in a large saucepan, and cover by 1 inch with salted water. Bring to a boil; reduce to a simmer. Cook until potatoes are easily pierced with the tip of a paring knife, 15 to 20 minutes.
Meanwhile, heat oil in a 5-quart Dutch oven or heavy pot over medium-high. Add carrots, celery, onion, and thyme. Cook, stirring occasionally, until vegetables are tender, 8 to 10 minutes. Add flour and tomato paste; cook, stirring, 1 minute. Add beef; cook, stirring occasionally, until no longer pink, 6 to 8 minutes. Add 1 cup water; bring to a boil, and simmer 1 minute. Set beef filling aside.
Drain potatoes; return to pan. Cook over medium, stirring, until liquid has evaporated and a thin film covers bottom of pan, about 1 minute. Remove pan from heat; add milk and 1 cup cheese. Mash until smooth; season cheddar-potato topping with salt and pepper.
Pour beef filling into a 13-by-9-inch baking dish. Drop dollops of topping over filling; spread to edges with a spatula. Using a fork, make decorative peaks; sprinkle with remaining 1/2 cup cheese. Bake until topping is browned and filling is bubbling rapidly, about 20 minutes (if topping and filling were chilled, increase to 35 minutes). Let stand 5 minutes before serving.

Christmas Dinner

2010-12-26T15:26:00.013-05:00

Last evening I prepared a wonderful Christmas Dinner for myself and my friends, Hank and Susan. For starters, we had Crabmeat Stuffed Mushrooms (using the recipe for crabcakes from Tyler Florence from previous post), Field Greens Salad, Horseradish Encrusted Prime Rib (see previous recipe from January, 2010), homemade Mashed Potatoes, steamed Asparagus with Hollandaise, Yeast Rolls, and for dessert Chocolate Rum Swiss Roll.

Everything was so very delicious and I think the dessert choice was especially perfect as it is a very light and flavorful chocolate roll. The recipe is compliments of Martha Stewart.

Chocolate Rum Swiss Roll

Serves 8 to 10

FOR CAKE

Vegetable-oil cooking spray
1/4 cup sifted unsweetened Dutch-process cocoa powder, plus more for pan
1/3 cup plus 2 tablespoons sifted cake flour (not self-rising), plus more for pan
Pinch of salt
3 large whole eggs plus 2 large egg yolks
1/2 cup granulated sugar
4 tablespoons (1/2 stick) unsalted butter, melted and cooled completely

FOR FILLING

1/4 cup water
1/4 cup plus 1 tablespoon sugar
2 tablespoons light rum
1 1/4 cups heavy cream

FOR FINISHING

Unsweetened Dutch-process cocoa powder

Directions:

1. Prepare oven and baking sheet: Heat oven to 450 degrees, with rack in bottom half. Coat a 12 1/2-by-17 1/2-inch rimmed baking sheet with cooking spray. Line with parchment paper; coat with cooking spray. Dust with cocoa powder and tap out excess.
2. Combine dry ingredients: Whisk together cocoa powder, flour, and salt in a bowl.
3. Combine eggs and sugar: Bring about 2 inches of water to a simmer in a medium saucepan. In the heatproof bowl of an electric mixer set over (not in) simmering water, whisk eggs, yolks, and granulated sugar until sugar has dissolved and mixture is warm to the touch. Attach bowl to mixer fitted with whisk attachment; beat on medium-high speed for 2 minutes. Raise speed to high; beat until mixture is pale and thick, about 4 minutes more.
4. Add dry ingredients: Sift cocoa mixture over egg mixture; using a large rubber spatula, carefully fold. When almost incorporated, pour melted butter down side of bowl; gently fold to combine.
5. Bake: Using an offset spatula, spread batter evenly into prepared sheet. Bake cake until golden brown and springy to the touch, 6 to 7 minutes. Meanwhile, dust a clean kitchen towel with cocoa powder. Run a knife around sides of cake. Invert onto prepared towel, and remove parchment.
6. Roll into log and cool: While the sheet cake is still warm, gently roll, starting from one short side, into a log, incorporating the kitchen towel. Let the cake cool completely, rolled. (This will give the cake a "shape memory," so it will be easier to roll again with filling.)
7. Meanwhile, make rum syrup: In a small saucepan, combine the water and 1/4 cup sugar. Bring to a boil; reduce heat, and simmer until sugar has dissolved, about 3 minutes. Remove from heat; add rum, then let cool completely.
8. Fill cake and reroll: Unroll cake. Brush entire surface generously with cooled rum syrup. Whip cream and remaining tablespoon sugar until soft peaks form; spread over cake leaving a 1/2-inch border all around. Roll cake to enclose filling (without towel), starting at a short end. Wrap the towel around rolled cake, securing with clips or clothespins to help retain the shape.
9. Chill and serve: Refrigerate 30 minutes (or up to 3 hours). Dust with cocoa powder, cut into slices with a serrated knife, and serve.

It's Tradition

2010-12-25T10:44:00.006-05:00

It's Christmas morning and as I've done every year since I can remember, I made the infamous Breakfast Brunch. It's probably the only time of the year that I make this but it is oh, so delicious and is quick and satisfying for everyone.

It's too late to make it this Christmas morning but there are many other special occasions throughout the year. Make it a new tradition for your family!

Breakfast Brunch

Yields: 12 Servings

3/4 cup milk
4 large eggs
8 ounces cheddar cheese, shredded
8 ounces Pillsbury crescent rolls
16 ounces sausage meat

Preheat oven to 425 degrees. Spray bottom of 9 x 13 pan with vegetable cooking spray. Press crescent rolls into bottom and up sides about one-quarter inch of pan. Sprinkle cheddar cheese over crescent rolls. Cook sausage. Drain. Crumble sausage over cheese. Mix milk and eggs. Add salt and pepper to taste. Pour over cheese and sausage layer. Bake 12-15 minutes or until browned and bubbly. Let stand 5 mnutes. Cut into squares and serve.

The Taste Test

2010-12-24T19:06:00.010-05:00

I'm entertaining dinner guests Christmas night and tonight I am taste testing cocktails to serve. Probably not a good idea to cram this all in one night!! But alas, that is indeed what I've done!

First up is the Spiced Apple Cider Martini.

Spiced Apple Cider Martini

Yields: 2 Servings

4 ounces spiced apple cider
4 ounces vodka
2 ounces brandy
2 ounces triple Sec
1 ounce fresh lemon juice
1 teaspoon cinnamon
1 teaspoon superfine sugar
1 teaspoon brown sugar

Combine all ingredients in blender for 5 seconds. Pour mixture into shaker of crushed ice. Shake and pour into 2 martini glasses. Garnish with thin slice of apple (soaked in lemon water to preserve color) and a cinnamon stick.

I have to say this one is yummy but I can't help but think it should be heated and drank from a mug. It tastes just like spice apple cider but, obviously, with a kick!

So, onward to the next concoction . . . the Poinsetta.

Poinsetta

Yields: 2 Servings

1 oz Cointreau or triple sec
Champagne
6 oz cranberry juice

Chill all of the ingredients beforehand. Pour the Cointreau and cranberry juice into a chilled Champagne flute. Stir well. Top with Champagne.

Obviously, the Poinsetta has won! I love this cocktail. It's light and airy and perfect for my Christmas dinner. I'll be serving Crabmeat Stuffed Mushrooms, Field Greens, Prime Rib with Horseradish Crust, Garlic Mashed Potatoes, Steamed Asparagus with Hollandaise, Yeast Rolls, and for dessert Chocolate Rum Swiss Roll and coffee!! Yum, yum - I cannot wait.

Look for photos from the dinner!

Tyler Florence's Crabcakes

2010-12-12T20:12:00.012-05:00

One of my favorite celebrity chef's is Tyler Florence. I've had the pleasure of meeting Tyler on two separate occasions. Once was in Birmingham at a Southern Living Bake-Off on April 2, 2003. I know that was the specific date because he autographed my copy of "Tyler Florence's Real Kitchen". He wrote "Patti, keep on cooking", then signed and dated it. The autograph probably wouldn't have happened if my friend Michelle hadn't been with me. She is more bold than myself so took my book with her's up to the stage to get his autograph. I was too scared - can you believe that? Yep, I was.

The second occasion where I met Tyler was at a book signing (I should have figured there would be one in Atlanta). My neighbor at the time, Belinda, and I took off work specifically to be at the book signing and meet Tyler, once again. You see, Belinda had the honor of hosting Tyler and his film crew in her home once. Yes, she wrote in for his show, Food 911, about the perils of baking a duck and she was picked. A few months later Tyler and his crew descended on my neighborhood during the middle of the week to film the episode about how to cook an awesome duck. I only wish I had been there but, unfortunately, outsiders were discouraged from filming.

But, at the book signing, he recognized Belinda and we all chatted for a bit before he had to move on to the other fans waiting patiently to have their cookbooks autographed. I have to say I'm thrilled to have met him not only once but twice. What more could a foodie want?

Back to the point of this post - sorry, I get carried away sometimes! Tonight I decided to make Tyler's Crabcakes from the above mentioned cookbook. It's my favorite crabcake recipe and honestly is the only one I ever make. The only alteration I do is I bake mine instead of pan frying them. They are to die for!!

Crab Cakes (slightly adapted)

2 garlic cloves, minced
1 tablespoon grated fresh ginger
1 pound lump crabmeat, preferably Dungeness, picked over for shells
1 cup fresh bread crumbs
1 green onion, finely chopped, white and green parts
2 tablespoons mayonnaise
1 1/2 teaspoons red chili paste, such as sambal
juice of one lemon
1 egg white
sea salt and ground white pepper

Place crabmeat in bottom of small bowl. Add remaining ingredients. Season with salt and pepper. Gently fold all ingredients until thoroughly combined. Using your hands, form the mixture into six crabcakes. Place on a cookie sheet sprayed with PAM. Place in refrigerator overnight or until crabcakes have set.

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Place crabcakes in heated oven, cooking 25-30 minutes or until browned.

Serve with your favorite mustard, cocktail or aoili sauce!

My Favorite Non-Traditional Holiday Song

2010-12-10T13:50:00.002-05:00

Baby, It's Cold Outside

2010-12-08T09:38:00.002-05:00

My favorite rendition of "Baby, It's Cold Outside" and baby, it truly is!! Temp this morning was 22 with a "real feel" temp of 18 degrees. Brrr!!!!

Chocolate Gingerbread Bars

2010-11-05T14:10:00.009-04:00

Chocolate Gingerbread Bars (adapted from Martha Stewart), from http://www.foodbuzz.com/recipes/2747636-chocolate-gingerbread-bars

3/4 cup all purpose flour
1/4 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1 1/4 teaspoon ground ginger
1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/8 teaspoon ground nutmeg
1/8 teaspoon allspice
3/4 cup packed dark brown sugar
5 Tablespoons unsalted butter, melted
4 Tablespoons unsulfured molasses
1/4 cup sour cream
1 large egg, room temperature
1/2 cup semi sweet chocolate chips

Cream Cheese Frosting

4 ounces cream cheese, softened
1/4 cup unsalted butter, softened
1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
2 1/2 cups powdered sugar, sifted

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Lightly grease a 8 by 8 inch baking pan.
Sift together the flour, unsweetened cocoa powder, kosher salt, ground ginger, ground nutmeg, ground cinnamon and allspice. Set aside.

In a large mixing bowl with a paddle attachment (or a handheld mixer works fine) combine the 4 Tablespoons unsulfured molasses, 5 Tablespoons melted unsalted butter, 1/4 cup of sour cream, 3/4 cup packed dark brown sugar and 1 large egg. Slowly add the dry ingredients to the wet ingredients until almost combined. Be careful not to overmix. Add the 1/2 cup of semi sweet chocolate chips and fold them into the batter.

Bake for 20 minutes, be sure not to overbake the bars. Cool the bars completely on a cooling rack. Once cooled completely, frost the bars with a thick layer of cream cheese frosting.

To make the cream cheese frosting - combine the cream cheese and unsalted butter in a large mixing bowl fitted with the paddle attachment. (a handheld mixer works fine) Once the two ingredients are mixed together, add the vanilla extract and combine. Slowly add in the powdered sugar, 1/2 cup at a time. Once all of the powdered sugar is added, slowly increase the speed and then mix mix mix! Be careful not to overbeat the cream cheese frosting.

Feel free to get creative with the toppings! I used milk chocolate shavings and drizzled milk chocolate!

New Favorite Rita

2010-10-08T19:30:00.003-04:00

Okay, this is now my favorite margarita. It is quite good and naturally sweet so hopefully not so fattening as a normal margarita using mix.

1 1/2 ounces tequila
1 ounce fresh squeezed lime juice
3/4 ounce water
3/4 ounce organic agave nectar (found this on the syrup aisle at Kroger)

Mix in a shaker, shake and pour when ready to drink! Yummy!!!

One For The Pups!

2010-10-03T07:02:00.003-04:00

I finally had a moment to make the Greyhounds a new treat - Cheddar Bacon Mini-Muffins. This very simple recipe was included in our recent newsletter for Second Chance Greyhounds so I decided I would make them for my hounds last night.

I think the consensus amongst the group is "yum, yum"! They all decided I can make these again for them anytime!

Cheddar Bacon Mini-Muffins

1 cup all-purpose flour
2 tsp baking powder
4 strips bacon, crumbled
½ cup cheddar cheese
½ cup milk
1 egg, beaten
2 tbsp bacon drippings

Combine all dry ingredients in a medium mixing bowl. In a smaller bowl, beat the egg and stir in the milk and bacon drippings. Pour egg mixture into the dry ingredients and stir just until combined. Spoon into mini-muffin tin and bake at 375° oven for about 10 minutes. Cool completely before serving. Makes 24 mini-muffins.

Spiced Almonds

2010-08-29T20:39:00.008-04:00

At a recent Braves game, I stood in front of The Nutty Bavarian cart watching the action on the field all the while inhaling the delicious aroma of the cinnamon sugary nuts being dolled out to the customers at, I must say, outlandish prices. I say that because I have a fabulous recipe for such and can make them at a fraction of the cost that these vendors normally charge.

So, I couldn't get those wonderful cinnamon sugary nuts off my mind all day today so after a quick trip to Kroger this afternoon to pick up some almonds, I commenced to making my own batch.

During the holidays I would normally use pecans but they are so very fattening so I decided to use almonds this time around. And we all know almonds are "brain" food!! And goodness knows, that certainly can't hurt and they are very good for you, too!!

So, without further adieu, here is this fabulous recipe I've been making for years and years. It's such a fast (and delicious) recipe that will never let you down! Enjoy!

Spiced Pecans (or Almonds)

1 cup sugar
1/4 teaspoon cream of tartar
1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
1/4 cup water
2 cups pecans
1/2 teaspoon vanilla

Combine sugar, cream of tartar, cinnamon, and water. Cook to soft ball stage. Add vanilla and nuts. Stir until pecans are sugary. Pour onto waxed paper and separate.

Banana Nut Bread

2010-08-29T20:11:00.004-04:00

I recently had some bananas that were too ripe to eat plain so I decided to make some banana nut bread for the office. Once, again a great hit!

If you have ripening bananas lying around and don't know quite what to do with them, I highly suggest making banana nut bread.

I think everyone loves this special treat and if you don't, you have no idea what you're missing!

Banana Nut Bread

1 1/4 cups sugar
1/2 cup butter, softened
2 eggs
1 1/2 cups bananas, mashed
1/2 cup buttermilk
1 teaspoon vanilla
2 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
2 teaspoons baking powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon baking soda
1 cup walnuts or pecans, chopped

Heat oven to 350º. Grease bottoms only of 2 loaf pans, 8 1/2 × 4 1/2 × 2 1/2 inches, or 1 loaf pan, 9 × 5 × 3 inches. Mix sugar and margarine in large bowl. Stir in eggs. Add bananas, buttermilk and vanilla until smooth; beat until smooth. Stir in flour, baking powder, salt and baking soda just until flour is moistened. Stir in walnuts. Pour into pans.

Bake 8-inch loaves about 1 hour, 9-inch loaf about 1 hour 15 minutes or until toothpick inserted in center comes out clean. Cool 5 minutes. Loosen sides of loaves from pans; remove from pans. Cool completely on wire rack before slicing. Store tightly wrapped in refrigerator up to 1 week.

Makes 2 loaves (12 slices each) or 1 loaf (24 slices)

Shrimp and Grits

2010-08-11T05:35:00.006-04:00

I had a craving for Shrimp and Grits and found this recipe so I decided to try it. It is very tasty but didn't do well as leftovers. To solve that, I'd suggest making for a crowd so there aren't any leftovers!! Add a tossed salad and some crusty hard rolls and you'll have quite a meal!

Shrimp and Grits Casserole

A few spoonfuls of cream cheese give the casserole a velvety texture. Garnish with a sprig of fresh parsley, if you like.

Yield: 6 servings (serving size: about 1 cup)

2 cups 2% reduced-fat milk
3/4 cup fat-free, less-sodium chicken broth
1 cup uncooked quick-cooking grits
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/2 cup (2 ounces) shredded Parmesan cheese
2 tablespoons butter
1 (3-ounce) package 1/3-less-fat cream cheese
3 tablespoons chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley
1 tablespoon chopped fresh chives
1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice
2 large egg whites
1 pound peeled and deveined medium shrimp, coarsely chopped (I used salad shrimp, left whole)
Cooking spray
Hot pepper sauce (optional)

1. Preheat oven to 375°.

2. Combine milk and broth in a medium heavy saucepan; bring to a boil. Gradually add grits and salt to pan, stirring constantly with a whisk. Cook 5 minutes or until thick, stirring constantly. Remove from heat. Stir in Parmesan, butter, and cream cheese. Stir in parsley and next 4 ingredients (through shrimp). Spoon mixture into an 11 x 7–inch baking dish coated with cooking spray. Bake at 375° for 25 minutes or until set. Serve with hot pepper sauce, if desired.

Blue Cheese Dressing

2010-07-30T06:45:00.005-04:00

Another new love of mine is blue cheese dressing. Not store bought, mind you, but homemade blue cheese dressing. I've never had store bought actually, if you can believe that.

My first experience with blue cheese dressing was at a restaurant I used to work at. They had a most wonderful blue cheese vinaigrette which I loved and indulged in often!

Most recently I was charged with bringing an appetizer or salad to a July 4th dinner. I rummaged through my recipe books, starting with my latest favorite (you guessed it) Home Cooking with Trisha Yearwood. Lo and behold she had a wonderful recipe there for Lettuce Wedge with Blue Cheese Dressing. I had to try it, I said to myself!! And I did and again, it did not disappoint. You will love it as well!

Lettuce Wedge with Blue Cheese Dressing

juice of one large lemon
1 C. mayonnaise
1 C. buttermilk
1/2 C. sour cream
1 1/2 t. garlic powder
1 1/2 t. onion powder
6 ounces blue cheese, crumbled
1 head iceberg lettuce
10 slices bacon, cooked and crumbled
1 medium tomato, finely diced

In a medium mixing bowl, combine the lemon juice, mayonnaise, buttermilk, sour cream, garlic powder, and onion powder. Whisk the mixture together until smooth. Add the cheese and mix just until blended. Chill in an airtight container in the refrigerator for at least 2 hours before serving (makes 2 1/2 cups).

Core and quarter head of lettuce and divide among 4 salad plates. Serve a generous dollop over each lettuce wedge and top with bacon and tomato.

Stuffed Jalapenos

2010-07-29T20:26:00.005-04:00

The latest treat to take to the office didn't involve any sugar at all which is very unusual for me. It does seem that I'm the one to make the cakes, cupcakes, cookies, pies, etc. (I do think I missed my calling as a pastry chef because I love baking so much) but this time the theme was Mexican, for some odd reason so I had to come up with something befitting for such a celebration. What we were celebrating no one really knows but we usually connect our little "feasts" at work with some odd holiday or happening at the office. This week, I think it was just for plain fun as we have all been so terribly busy in our respective projects and have been working really hard. So I think this little celebration was simply a stress reliever for everyone involved, one which was desperately needed and appreciated.

I decided to bring Stuffed Jalapenos to our little fiesta. Yum, yum!! I hadn't made these in some time but they are very delicious and really very easy to make as well. Here's the recipe:

Stuffed Jalapenos

25 medium fresh jalapeno peppers
1 8-oz. package cream cheese, room temperature
3 C. (12 ounces) finely shredded cheddar cheese
1 1/2 t. Worcestershire sauce
4 bacon strips, cooked and crumbled

Cut jalapenos in half lenghwise, removing seeds and membranes. In a large saucepan, boil peppers in water for 5-10 minutes (the longer you boil the peppers, the milder they become). Drain and rinse in cold water to stop the cooking process. Set aside.

In a small mixing bowl, beat the cream cheese, cheddar cheese, and Worcestershire sauce. Spoon 2 teaspoonfuls into each jalapeno half; sprinkle with bacon. Place on a greased baking sheet. Bake at 400 degrees for 5-10 minutes or until cheese is melted. Serve warm. Makes about 4 dozen.

Note: When cutting or seeding hot peppers, use rubber or plastic gloves to protect your hands. Avoid touching your face or eyes. It will burn, believe me!!

Definitely, don't boil for very long and to bring on a little more heat for the peppers, when taking out the seeds and the membranes, leave a little membrane on the inside of the pepper. This will most assuredly add the heat your fiesta participants will love!!

Key Lime Cake

2010-07-25T08:58:00.011-04:00

I recently baked another cake from Home Cooking with Trisha Yearwood. This time it was the Key Lime Cake and what better time of year to do this - in the dead heat of July!

I had always wanted to make one of these but never found the recipe that I wanted to try. Most start with a white cake mix which I refuse to use! No need in that when baking from scratch is so much better.

So, lo and behold, while thumbing through Trisha's (yes, we are now on a first name basis) recipe book, I came across this recipe.

And as all her recipes thus far, this one did not disappoint. My work mates loved it as much as I did. It's definitely a "keeper" recipe and one which I'll have to bake again - very soon!! It's cool and refreshing - perfect to enjoy during these hot summer days!

Key Lime Cake

1 3-oz package lime-flavored gelatin
1 1/2 C. sugar
2 C. sifted all-purpose flour
1/2 t. salt
1 t. baking powder
1 t. baking soda
5 large eggs, slightly beaten
1 1/2 C. vegetable oil
3/4 C. orange juice
1 T. lemon juice
1/2 t. vanilla extract
1/2 C. key lime juice (I used Nellie & Joe's Key West Lime Juice), from about 25 small Key limes or 4 regular limes
1/2 C. confectioners' sugar

1. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Grease and flour three 9-inch round cake pans.

2. In a large mixing bowl, mix the gelatin, sugar, flour, salt, baking powder, and baking soda. Stir to mix well. Add the eggs, oil, orange juice, lemon juice, and vanilla. Divide the batter evenly among the 3 pans and bake for 35 to 40 minutes. Test for doneness by lightly touching the tops of the layers or inserting a toothpick. Cool the layers in the pans for 5 minutes, then turn them out onto racks.

3. While the layers are still hot, mix the lime juice and confectioners' sugar and pour it over the layers on the racks. You can pierce the layers with a fork to allow the glaze to soak in better. Allow the layers to cool completely as you prepare the icing.

Cream Cheese Icing

1/2 C. butter, room temperature
1 8-oz package cream cheese, room temperature

1 1-lb box confectioners' sugar

Cream the butter and cream cheese. Beat in the confectioners' sugar until the mixture is smooth and easy to spread. I added a bit of Nellie and Joe's Key West Lime Juice, perhaps a 1/4 C. Spread the icing between the layers and on the top and sides of the cake.

I also sprinkled some lime zest over the top! Enjoy!

The Birthday Party

2010-06-26T07:27:00.003-04:00

Last weekend I held a birthday party for Sami who turned 3 and Lucy who turned 6, both birthdays are June 20th. What a blast we had.

My friend Camille was here for the weekend and this is the video she put together of the event. Enjoy and thanks Camille for the video!!

Sami and Lucy's Birthday Party from Camille Barkley on Vimeo.

Nutella Cake with Chocolate Hazelnut Ganache

2010-06-04T06:12:00.010-04:00

I came across this recipe on a cooking blog, http://www.bunkycooks.com/. It appears she is local to the Atlanta area, too, so I figure it was probably a good recipe. And boy did I nail that one! It is a to die for recipe!! I've made this twice and plan to make another tonight to take to a friend in Birmingham tomorrow. I mean, to die for! It's easy and quick as well! Try it, you will see.

For Cake:

6 large eggs, separated and at room temperature
pinch table salt
1/2 cup unsalted butter, softened
1 13-ounce container Nutellla
1 tablespoon Frangelico
1/2 cup finely ground hazelnuts
4 ounces semi-sweet chocolate, melted and cooled (I used Ghiardelli)

For Ganache:

1/2 cup heavy cream
1 tablespoon Frangelico
4 ounces semi-sweet chocolate (Ghiardelli)
2 ounces whole hazelnuts, toasted and cut in half (I used pre-chopped hazelnuts from the nut section in the grocery store)

Preheat oven to 350 degrees; butter a 9-inch springform pan. In a large bowl (preferably metal), whisk the egg whites and salt until stiff. In another bowl, cream the butter and Nutella, then add the Frangelico, egg yolks, and ground hazelnuts. Fold in melted chocolate.

Add a large tablespoon of beaten egg whites to the chocolate batter, and mix gently until well-combined. Fold in the remaining whites, one-third at a time, very gently but thoroughly. Pour into springform and bake for 35-40 minutes. Test for doneness by inserting tester, which should come out mostly clean; lightly pressing finger into top to check for a slight bouncing-back; and observing edges beginning to separate from pan. (My cake was done in 35 minutes). Let cool completely, in pan, on a rack.

Toast the hazelnuts in a dry skillet, or toaster oven shaking them around frequently. Do it for about 4 minutes, or until they are lightly browned, then let cool completely. If hazelnuts came with skins on, put them in a towel after toasting and rub around; this will remove most of the skins. Cut in half. (again, I use the pre-chopped hazelnuts from the nut aisle and I didn't toast them - still scrumptious)

Chop chocolate, and add to sauce pan with heavy cream and Frangelico over medium-low heat. Once chocolate is melted and components are combined, whisk until mixture reaches desired thickness, then cool. Remove rim of cake pan and pour cooled ganache over, spreading lightly to create a smooth, shiny surface, and apply hazelnuts all over.

This cake is at its best when served at room temperature.

Carrot Cake

2010-05-25T05:25:00.006-04:00

Another fantastic cake in the recipe book, Home Cooking with Trisha Yearwood, is the Carrot Cake. I recently made this for a birthday for a work mate. It was quite a hit, so much so that my work mates have already requested a repeat!

I've made Carrot Cake before but this recipe "takes the cake", no pun intended. It is moist and has a dark tint to the six layers (yes, six). This can definitely be attributed to the fact that the carrots are pureed and not shredded.

Of course, the entire cake does take some time to bake and assemble but let me tell you, it is well worth every minute!

CARROT CAKE (Serves 12)

3 cups granulated sugar
1½ cups corn oil
4 large eggs
1 tablespoon vanilla extract
3 cups all-purpose flour
1 tablespoon baking soda
1 tablespoon ground cinnamon
1 teaspoon salt
1½ cups walnuts, finely chopped
1½ cups frozen grated coconut, thawed
1½ cups pureed carrots (about 6 medium, boiled)
¾ cup crushed pineapple, drained

Preheat the oven to 350°F. Grease the bottom of three 9-inch round cake pans with cooking spray, line with circles of parch¬ment paper, and grease the paper with cooking spray.

With an electric mixer, cream the sugar, oil, eggs, and vanilla. Sift together the flour, baking soda, cinnamon, and salt. Add the dry ingredients to the sugar mixture. Add the walnuts, coconut, carrot puree, and pineapple, and beat until smooth. Divide the batter evenly among the prepared pans and bake for 40 to 45 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean.

Cool the layers in the pans for about 5 minutes. Run a knife around the edges of each pan and turn the layers out onto wire racks that have been sprayed with cooking spray. Cool the layers completely before frosting (see Note).

NOTE: After the layers have cooled, wrap each in plastic wrap and refrigerate overnight. They are easier to handle and cut in half the next day. Also, to handle as little as possible, put the first layer of cake on the plate you intend to store it on, slice it in half, ease a piece of parchment between the layers, and lift the top portion off. Frost the bottom slice, and then add the next layer. Continue until the entire cake is frosted.

CREAM CHEESE FROSTING

2 8-ounce packages cream cheese, room temperature
¾ cup (1½ sticks) butter, room temperature
6 cups confectioners' sugar
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
2 cups walnuts, finely chopped

To make the frosting, combine the cream cheese and butter in an electric mixer and beat until smooth. Slowly add the confection¬ers' sugar and continue beating until fully combined. Add the vanilla.

Slice each layer horizontally in half using an electric knife. Frost each layer, the sides, and the top of the cake. Press the chopped walnuts into the sides of the cake. Refrigerate until ready to serve. Enjoy!

A Bite or a Kick?

2010-05-17T06:13:00.008-04:00

My next creation from Home Cooking with Trisha Yearwood were these delightful little Jalapeno Bites. I made these for our appetizer feast we had planned at the office to celebrate Cinco de Mayo (we will apparently celebrate anything if it provides us an opportunity to cook)! And, once again, the recipe did not disappoint. They are wonderful, to say the least! Addicting, too, and not at all "diet friendly"!

Through the years I have found the best and hottest jalapeno peppers are those found at Subway. Yes, it's true! Try them on your next Subway sandwich and you'll see what I'm talking about. With that being said, before I made these, I had to go to Subway to get my jalapenos!! They were perfect, providing the necessary "bite" or "kick" that made this appetizer outstanding and a definite crowd pleaser! Try them for your next office celebration or just to munch on at home! You'll love them, too!

Jalapeno Bites

1 (8 ounce) package cream cheese, softened
8 ounces grated parmesan cheese
3 tablespoons chopped jalapeno peppers
1 large egg, slightly beaten
2 cups dry breadcrumbs

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 350°F.
2. Combine the cream cheese, Parmesan, jalapeño peppers and egg in a bowl and mix to form a paste.
3. Shape a 1/2 tablespoonful at a time into 1/4-inch rounds and roll in the bread crumbs.
4. Place on an ungreased baking sheet and bake for 10-15 minutes or until golden brown.
5. Serve warm.

Another New Recipe Book . . .

2010-05-14T11:23:00.011-04:00

As most cooks would agree, you can never have too many recipe books. The latest of my purchases is Home Cooking with Trisha Yearwood. I have to say I have been quite pleased with the dishes I have made thus far. Most of the recipes are typical Southern fare with a twist here and there. Accompanying many of the recipes are handwritten notes from Trisha herself whether they be about the recipe, or a favorite holiday or memory associated with the recipe, or a family member or friend associated with the recipe. Hence, the recipe book is both entertaining and useful!

One of her favorites in the Appetizer section is this Charleston Cheese Dip which I made recently for a co-worker's birthday celebration. It was quick and easy and delicious!! Everyone devoured it in record time. It definitely was a hit and is something I plan to make as a starter for dinner guests next Friday evening.

Here is the recipe:

Charleston Cheese Dip

1/2 cup mayo
1 8 oz cream cheese, softened
1 cup grated sharp cheddar (4 oz)
1/2 cup grated monterey jack
2 green onions, chopped
dash of cayenne pepper
8 ritz crackers, crushed
8 slices bacon, cooked and crumbled (I used Hormel bacon bits)

Preheat to 350 degrees. Mix all but the crackers and bacon, spread into shallow 1-quart baking dish. Top with cracker crumbs, bake for 15 minutes. Remove and top with bacon bits. Serve with corn chips, crackers or bagels chips.

Chocolate Chip Cupcakes

2010-05-13T06:22:00.009-04:00

As I mentioned in a previous blog, I plan to make lots of cupcakes in the upcoming months - all out of Martha Stewart's Cupcakes recipe book.

These delicious, moist, yummy Chocolate Chip Cupcakes were on the very first page of the very first chapter. They looked so good and sounded so good that I decided to try them first.

And, of course, they did not disappoint. They were the most delicious cupcakes! My workmates enjoyed every one of them!

Here's the recipe!

3 1/4 C. plus 1 T. sifted cake flour
4 1/2 t. baking powder
1/4 t. salt
1 T. vanilla extract
1 C. plus 2 T. milk
1/2 C. plus 6 T. unsalted butter, room temperature
1 3/4 C. sugar
5 large egg whites, room temperature
2 C. semisweet chocolate chips

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Line standard muffin tins with paper lines. Whisk together 3 1/4 C. cake flour, the baking powder, and salt. Stir the vanilla into the milk to combine.

2. With an electric mixer on medium-high speed, cream butter until smooth. Adding the sugar in a steady stream, beat until pale and fluffy. Reduce speed to low. Add flour mixture in three batches, alternating with two additions of milk mixture, and beating until just combined after each.

3. In another bowl, with an electric mixture on medium speed, whisk the egg whites until stiff peaks form (do not overmix). Fold one-third of the egg whites into the batter to lighten. Gently fold in the remaining whites until just combined. Toss chocolate chips with remaining tablespoon cake flour, and gently fold into batter.

4. Divide batter evenly among lined cups, filling each three-quarters full. Bake, rotating tins halfway through, until a cake tester inserted in center comes out clean and the tops are springy to the touch, about 22 minutes. Transfer tins to wire racks to cool completely before removing cupcakes. Cupcakes can be stored overnight at room temperature, or frozen up to 2 months, in airtight containers.

5. To finish, use a small offset spatula to spread cupcakes with frosting. Refrigerate up to 3 days in airtight containers; bring to room temperature and, if desired, decorate with white sprinkles before serving.

Dark Chocolate Frosting:

1/2 C. plus 1 T. unsweetened Dutch-process cocoa powder
1/2 C. plus 1 T. boiling water
2 1/4 C. unsalted butter, room temperature
3/4 C. confectioners' sugar, sifted
1/4 t. salt
1 1/2 pounds semi-sweet chocolate, melted and cooled

Combine cocoa and the boiling water, stirring until cocoa has dissolved. With an electric mixer on medium-high speed, beat butter, confectioners' sugar, and salt until pale and fluffy. Reduce speed to low. Add melted and cooled chocolate, beating until combined and scraping down sides of bowl as needed. Beat in the cocoa mixture, if not using immediately, frosting can be refrigerated up to 5 days or frozen up to one month, in an airtight container. Before using, bring to room temperature, and beat on low speed until smooth again.

Next on the list, Margarita Cupcakes!! Que la celebración comenzar!

Trials and Tribulations of Public Transportation

2010-05-03T08:12:00.002-04:00

As luck would have it, it is raining cats and dogs this morning and, of course, it's Monday. I contemplated driving into work, however, I decided it best to ride public transportation as I normally do because I figure it would be safer than driving.

It's truly messy getting on the bus with an umbrella in the pouring rain, but not much more than getting into the SUV, I guess, so I headed to the bus stop at o'dark thirty this morning determined to make the best of it. The rain had let up a bit so getting on the bus was no problem. Once onboard, I settled into my seat, grabbed my Zune, and commenced to listening to some tunes. As usual, I was dozing in no time!

I awoke, as I normally do, when we turned off the Interstate weaving our way toward Forsyth Street which would take us to the Five Points MARTA station where I would get on the train heading North. Once we arrived in front of the station, I disembarked from the bus only to notice there were crowds and crowds of people out front as well as inside of the station. This seemed a bit unusual to me but I chaulked it up to the rain and it being a Monday. Silly me (if I had only known)! And well, I wasn't fully awake from my nap yet, however, that was about to change!

Much to my dismay, when I walked further down into the station on the way to the Northbound track, I was confronted with folks telling me something - one after the other. Of course, I was still listening to my music so didn't hear a word they were saying. I took my ear plugs out just in time to hear a few folks tell me that the Northbound train wasn't running. Once I arrived at that platform, a MARTA attendant told us that the Northbound train would be running from the Southbound track, that the electricity was out on the Northbound track. So, a group of us turned around and headed for the Southbound track. Once we arrived there, the MARTA attendant told us that the train had arrived on the wrong side of the track (the Northbound side where we just were standing) but that it couldn't go Northbound but would be heading to the airport. What to do?

Now I'm reading the AJC and they say there was a fire in the tunnel near the Midtown station which prompted the outage. This has happened before in that same tunnel. I ask you, how does a fire start in the tunnel of a train where there is no access to humans (well, unless you're on a train)? Are the rats catching on fire from standing on the electric track? If so, wouldn't they just burn quickly? What is in the tunnel that is catching fire? Perhaps they should install a sprinkler system within the tunnels or at the very least rid the area of debris on a weekly basis. But I digress . . .

Anyhoo, after the last misguided information about the train, the attendant then told us that there were MARTA shuttles outside on Forsyth Street that would take us to the Art Center station where we could take a Northbound train from there, circumventing the problem at the Midtown station. My own bus, the GA Xpress 477, goes to the Art Center station as well so I decided to go back out to wait on the next 477 to come along. I would catch that one and head North to Arts Center and catch the train from there. I headed back up to the top of the station. As I'm on the escalator almost to the top, I drop my Breeze card, flat on the escalator step that is rolling and rolling. The Breeze card is a plastic card the side of a credit card that holds fare for the bus and the train which at this time has about $70 worth of fare on it. I knelt down to grab it just in time before the top of the escalator sucked it, and my fingers and hand, underneath!! Whew, that was a close call - scared me to death!

After gathering my wits about me after that incident, I headed back outside. Unfortunately, I went to the Peachtree exit instead which meant I had to tap in and out twice to get to the Forsyth Street side where the buses were. It's $2 to come in or out without transferring to a bus. Oh well, I finally made to to the buses where I boarded a GA Xpress bus that was headed to the Arts Center. Not the 477 but another one who said he would go that way to help out. Once onboard, the MARTA attendent on the sidewalk announced that the trains were now running so I quickly disembarked from the bus and headed back into the train station to catch the train. Thank God, a MARTA attendant was there at the turnstiles letting folks back in without paying yet AGAIN.

I headed to the Northbound track where probably 5,000 people were headed as well. I was able to catch the next Doraville train heading North, arriving at the Doraville station at 7:13 a.m. Just in time to catch the 7:15 a.m. shuttle to the office off Clairmont Road. Our shuttle driver had the most aromatic cup of coffee that made me wanting that first cup ever so badly. After arriving at my building, I immediately headed to the snack bar to get that coffee which is just what the doctor ordered.

Safe and sound and dry again! All is well!

It's Derby Day!!

2010-05-01T10:16:00.008-04:00

Whoo hoo!! I cannot wait until 4 p.m. when coverage of the 136th Kentucky Derby starts on NBC.

The simple syrup for the Mint Juleps is chilling in the frig and the lobster is thawed and ready for the oven. I'm ready! The recipe I used this year for the Mint Juleps is very simple and very delicious. Here it is:

For mint syrup:

2 Cups water
1 Cup granulated sugar
4 sprigs fresh mint

Bring water to a boil in a sauce pot. Once boiling, remove from heat, then whisk in sugar. When the sugar is dissolved add the leaves of four sprigs of mint, then steep for 10 minutes. Strain syrup to remove the mint leaves. Chill in refrigerator.

To mix the drink:

Chill a low-ball glass in the freezer. Fill the frosted low-ball half full with crushed ice. Add a touch of Bourbon and a couple torn up mint leaves. Then stir. Add more crushed ice and pour 2-3 oz. of Bourbon and a healthy splash of the mint syrup, to taste. Serve with a sprig of mint.

Enjoy!

And that I did. This has to be the best Mint Julep I've had to date. I think this recipe is a keeper, for sure.

As for the Derby, it was awesome. The winner was Super Saver, ridden by jockey Calvin Borel, who also rode Mine That Bird to victory in last year's Derby, as well as Street Sense in 2007. What a ride it was! Muddy, muddy, and more mud, but Calvin and Super Saver prevailed. The trainer, Todd Pletcher, had entered 24 horses in past Kentucky Derbys, including four in this race, however, his horses always fell short. But not this time!

And to top off the wonderful win for Calvin and Todd Pletcher, the gentleman, Glen Fullerton from Houston, Texas, who won the chance to place the "Dream Bet" with $100,000 given to him by Churchhill Downs, Inc. and CNBC bet on Super Saver and won $900,000!

All in all, it was a delightful "two minutes of the fastest sport" I've seen in some time. Life is good - especially for Calvin Borel, Todd Pletcher, Winstar Farm, and, of course, Glen Fullerton. Congratulations to all the winners!

Cupcakes . . . and More Cupcakes

2010-04-30T07:51:00.010-04:00

About a year ago my friend Michelle and I stood in line at the Georgia Aquarium to purchase Martha Stewart's recipe book, Cookies: The Very Best Treats to Bake and to Share plus we had an opportunity to meet Martha and get her autograph on our recipe books. We were quite thrilled, as you can imagine. Since that time, I have made several of those recipes and have been quite pleased with the results, as have my officemates!

So when Martha released her cupcake recipe book, Cupcakes: 175 Inspired Ideas for Everyone's Favorite Treat, I had to get it right away. After scouring the book from front to back, I decided that I must commence to baking cupcakes for my officemates. Yes, they are one lucky bunch of folks!

The first selection is Martha's Strawberry Cupcakes. Oh my, I can't say enough good things about these. They were light, moist, airy - perfect for Spring. Everyone in the office LOVED them and have been requesting another batch almost daily. Here is the recipe. It truly is worth a try - you won't be disappointed.

Martha Stewart’s Strawberry Cupcakes with Strawberry Meringue Buttercream Frosting

2 ¾ cups all-purpose flour
½ cup cake flour
1 tablespoon baking powder
1 teaspoon salt
1 cup (2 sticks) unsalted butter, room temperature
2 ¼ cups sugar
1 ½ teaspoons pure vanilla extract
3 large whole eggs plus 1 egg white
1 cup milk
2 cups finely chopped fresh strawberries (about 20), plus about 10 more for garnish, if so desired

1. Preheat oven to 350°F. Line standard muffin pans with paper liners. Sift together both flours, baking powder, and salt.
2. With an electric mixer on medium-high speed, cream butter, sugar, and vanilla until pale and fluffy. Add whole eggs and the white, one at a time, beating until each is incorporated, scraping down sides of bowl as needed. Reduce speed to low. Add flour mixture in two batches, alternating with the milk, and beating until well combined. Fold in chopped strawberries by hand.
3. Divide batter evenly among lined cups, filling each about three-quarters full. Bake, rotating tins halfway through, until golden brown and toothpick inserted in centers comes out clean, 25 to 30 minutes. Transfer tins to wire racks and cool 15 minutes; turn out cupcakes onto rack and let cool completely. Cupcakes can be stored up to 1 day at room temperature in airtight containers.
4. To finish, fill a pastry bag fitted with a large open-star (Ateco #826 or Wilton #8B) with buttercream frosting (recipe below). Pipe buttercream onto each cupcake, swirling tip and releasing as you pull up to form peak. Just before serving, thinly slice strawberries, and tuck a few pieces into the buttercream.

Strawberry Meringue Buttercream Frosting

1 ½ cups fresh strawberries (8 ounces), rinsed, hulled, and coarsely chopped
4 large egg whites
1 ¼ cups sugar
1 ½ cups (three sticks) unsalted butter, cut into tablespoons, room temperature

1. Puree strawberries in a food processor. Combine egg whites and sugar in the heatproof bowl of a standing electric mixer set over a pan of simmering water. Whisk constantly by hand until mixture is warm to the touch and sugar has dissolved (the mixture should feel completely smooth when rubbed between your fingertips.)
2. Attach the bowl to the mixer fitted with the whisk attachment. Starting on low and gradually increasing to medium-high speed, mix until stiff (but not dry) peaks form. Continue mixing until the mixture is fluffy and glossy, and completely cool (test by touching the bottom of the bowl), about 10 minutes.

Be sure and watch this blog for more cupcake recipes!! There's definitely many more in the works!

I'm In Love!!

2010-03-23T21:31:00.015-04:00

No, silly, I'm not talking about my iPhone however let it be known that I will never fall out of love with it!

Unfortunately, I am also not talking about a man, as much as I wish that were the case!

I am talking about butter!! Fresh, homemade butter! I came across a recipe to make homemade butter today that I had to try out. It is quite simply, the easiest recipe you'll ever try. Here it is:

2 C. Heavy Cream

Pinch Kosher Salt

Whip heavy cream in food processor, adding pinch of kosher salt. Continuing whipping 6-10 minutes. The cream will soon begin looking like very thick whipped cream. Then it will begin to form a ball and the liquid will separate. Remove excess liquid and place butter in a dish. You can save the (buttermilk) liquid to use in pancakes or baked "fried" chicken. Most awesome.

And, of course, homemade butter is the perfect accompaniment to homemade buttermilk biscuits!

Buttermilk Biscuits

4 Cups all-purpose or flour (White Lilly or cake flour)
2 Tablespoons baking powder

2 teaspoons salt

8 Tablespoons unsalted butter

2 Cups buttermilk

Mix dry ingredients. Using a pastry cutter, cut butter into dry mixture until it resembles coarse meal. Add buttermilk and mix gently until combined. Roll out on floured surface 1/2-inch thick. Cut with round cutter. Place on ungreased baking sheet. Bake 8-10 minutes until golden brown.

Enjoy with your fresh butter!!

Success!!

2010-03-17T05:30:00.004-04:00

I adopted my dear Sami (formerly Oakland Scarboro) back in June of 2009. In the beginning, I tried to teach her to sit using the "tuck" method. She was totally against me trying to tuck her, instead acting as if I were about to cut off her back legs. I tried backing her into a corner, but that didn't work. I tried backing her into a hill and that didn't work. I temporarily gave up thinking she might just be one of those dogs who would NEVER sit!!

Some time had passed and I thought I would try again. This time, oddly enough, she was amenable to me tucking her back legs to position her in a sit. It took about two weeks of nightly training and then we were at a Meet and Greet two weekends ago and like magic, she just sat!! All on her own (and on command) and for a stranger who happened to be there with treats!! It wasn't even with me!! I stood there screaming and jumping in excitement. I was afraid I had scared her to death with my antics and she would never do it again, but alas, while we were sitting at a restaurant down the street from the M&G grabbing a late lunch she surprised me again. Lo and behold, out of the corner of my eye, I see this most beautiful sight!!

Now, as you can imagine, I can hardly get her butt off the ground. She has definitely made the association with her sitting and her getting a treat, and of course, with the "sit" command! I am so very proud of my girl. She really is a smart cookie!

This past weekend we were lure coursing in Cartersville . This was the first trial since Sami's toe amputation in January. She did fairly well, however, I could tell she did have some difficulty managing the turns and she was not nearly as fast as she had been. The sluggishness I can chaulk up to not being in shape and the turning thing is definitely her getting used to not having all of that toe and the nail that she might otherwise use to plant in the ground when turning.

Although she placed last in her category (took NBQ out of five entries) and Lucy placed 2nd out of two entries in her category, I cannot say that the coursing day was all that successful as far as placements go, however, neither sustained any injuries and both had a marvelous time running the course! And I had a grand time hanging with my coursing buddies. All in all, it was a VERY successful day.

Couple that with Sami's success with sitting plus Second Chance Greyhounds sent six new Greyhounds to the prison program last week and we adopted three this past weekend - I have to say the last few weeks have been very successful!

I am very grateful for all that I have! Life is good!!

Luscious Chocolate Covered Cherries

2010-02-22T21:50:00.007-05:00

I'm about two weeks late with these as I would normally make these for Valentine's Day, however, I wanted to make them for my Daddy for his birthday so I waited.

As I previously blogged, they were a big hit with him and actually are a big hit with most men. At least that has been my experience. So, why not make a batch today for your man? He'll love them and will love you even more! Trust me!

Here is the recipe:

Homemade Chocolate Covered Cherries

2 pounds sifted powdered sugar
1/2 cup butter, softened
1 can sweetened condensed milk
1 teaspoon almond extract
3 large jars maraschino cherries w/stems
1 cup brandy
additional powdered sugar
1 pound semi-sweet chocolate chips
1 1/2 block paraffin, chopped

Drain maraschino cherries well. Pour brandy over cherries and let sit overnight. Drain again, this time pat dry with paper towels.

Cream together sifted powdered sugar, butter and condensed milk. Add almond extract. Mold this mixture in small amounts around the dried cherries to create a layer which entirely envelopes the cherry. Dip hands in powdered sugar to make it easier when molding mixture around cherries. Place balls on a cookie sheet and freeze for at least 45 minutes.

Melt the chocolate chips and chopped paraffin in the microwave for 5 minutes on high, stirring every minute to keep chocolate from burning. This can be reheated in microwave if gets too thick. Dip cherries into chocolate mixture using the stem. Place on another cookie sheet on wax paper to cool. Let sit overnight. Enjoy!

The Weekend

2010-02-22T10:16:00.028-05:00

This past weekend I meandered down to Panama City to visit with friends and family. The occasion you ask? Well, my Daddy turns 75 tomorrow so we celebrated this past Saturday but more on that later.

Before I headed down, I headed up - up to Canton to drop the girls off at Ms. Kate's place, Manyhounds Inn, however I call it "Camp Whynot". She has a small kennel in her basement where she boards Greyhounds and only Greyhounds. The perfect spot in the country for my girls to relax and enjoy the weekend. Before I left, I wanted to show Ms. Kate the lumps on Sugar's neck in case it started draining again, which it has been doing off and on since the dog fight back in October. While she was looking at Sugar, I headed outside to gather Remi and Lucy. When I returned, Ms. Kate had found the most interesting thing in her neck . . . a drainage tube!! Yes, a drainage tube. Somehow the vet or vet tech missed this one when they were removing the others. It had also regressed back under the skin so was not noticeable to me until recently when her body began rejecting it, we assume. The very tip was visible from the outside, however, I thought it was an internal stitch coming out so had planned to take her to the vet this week to get it checked out. In any event, Ms. Kate is a Registered Nurse so removing the tube was nothing extraordinary to her. Thank goodness I showed her Sugar's neck and thank goodness she knew what the problem was!! After that little episode, I then headed back home to finish making my birthday present to my Dad . . . homemade chocolate covered cherries! (that blog post will happen tomorrow)

Once home and after the cherries were complete and packaged for giving, and the car was loaded, I then commenced to driving to Panama City. I arrived there around around 5:30 p.m., just in time for dinner. My sister Pam had planned for us to go out to The Captain's Table down on Beck Avenue in old St. Andrews. It was delicious. We each ordered a fried seafood platter. Needless to say, I was stuffed after all that food. I don't think I've had a meal like that in months!!

The next morning I met a friend from high school for coffee at the Starbuck's in Lynn Haven. I just happened to bring my senior year annual with me for us to thumb through and reminisce. We did and had a great time catching up on what our classmates are doing. He filled me in on those he knew and I did the same with those I knew. It was really fun Steve! I enjoyed it.

After that I went to help my niece move a few boxes from her old townhouse to her new townhouse. Then it was back to Pam's to get ready for dinner. Not just any ole dinner, but a dinner cruise which was a surprise for my Daddy for his birthday!

We left her house around 3:30 p.m. so we could pick up Jenny, my niece, Zac, my nephew, and Jenny's friend Craig who was going to be our personal photographer for the evening. After all that, we headed to Baytowne Marina inside Sandestin where our ship was docked. I don't know the length of the ship but it was quite nice. To the left is a picture of it I took from my iPhone. The name of the ship is the Solaris and it's with Sunquest Cruises.

We boarded the ship meeting up with my brother, his wife, and three kids who were already there waiting on everyone else. After meeting them, Craig managed to snap a few photos of us, then we waited for Daddy and his girlfriend, Pat, to arrive. Soon thereafter we saw them walking down the dock on their way to the boat. Pat had bought my Daddy there as a so-called post-Valentines dinner but unbeknownst to him, we were there to surprise him. And that we did. Can you tell?

He was so surpised to see us and was so surprised that we were there for HIS birthday. After a few more pictures, we finally headed to our table. I believe there were 13 of us total. Soon after they began our little cruise out to the Choctawhatchee Bay. Drinks were ordered and served and we had an opportunity to order appetizers, if we so desired. I did, and ordered a Shrimp Cocktail for those on our end of the table. They were huge and delicious! After that, they began serving our dinner. First came wonderful soft bread with delicious seasoned butter in tubs. Then salads were next with a delightful light dressing already on them. They added a special touch to the salads, one which I just love, and that is a few roasted walnuts! Delicious!! After that, the main course. We had to preorder our dinner but there were choices for everyone including a chicken dish, tenderloin of beef, fresh fish, and shrimp pasta. I believe everyone enjoyed their choices immensely as I don't recall seeing any food left on any plates!! Once the dinner plates were removed out came dessert which on that night happened to be New York Style Cheesecake which also had a delicious sauce (caramel maybe?) ladled over it.

Everyone had nothing but wonderful compliments for the staff and food. The portions were just right, serving temperatures were just right, and the timing by our waiter was just right. We couldn't have asked for anything more. If you are in the Panama City/Destin area, I highly recommend you book a reservation on the Solaris for your own dinner cruise. You won't be disappointed!

After dinner was over, Daddy had an opportunity to unwrap his gifts. He opened the birthday cards first and then my gifts. I had purchased a coffee mug, complete with a caricature drawing of my four Greyhounds, compliments of Kim Morris who is a very multi-talented person! After the coffee mug (which was completely filled with Hershey Kisses), came time for him to open the candy tin filled with homemade chocolate covered cherries!! He was tickled that I had made his favorite candy! I love making them and I know he loves to eat them so it seemed to be the perfect gift for a 75 year old who has EVERYTHING!! After my gifts, he opened the big gift that was from all of us. It was a picture collage of all those he holds dear to his heart, including a picture of my Mom who passed away in 2001. I believe it was her Senior portrait picture from high school. So awesome! He was so pleased with his gift, I could tell it on his face. There were pictures of us kids (Pam, my brother Tadpole and myself), plus all the grandkids, Mom, and Ms. Pat. That's something he'll cherish, I know, for years to come. My gifts are for immediate consumption but the picture collage, that one is for a lifetime!

After that, the ship was back at the dock and it was time to drive home. The drive back was much quieter than the drive over, as you can well imagine. We did enjoy spotting the numerous (too many to count) deer we would see on the beach side of Highway 98. They were eating clover on the side of the road, my BIL said. Oddly, they would stay put as we drove past, hardly even noticing there were cars within feet of them.

Once home, I hit the bed almost immediately!! It was a long day and I knew I had to get up the next morning bright and early and head home. I left around 9:30 a.m. arriving at Ms. Kate's in Canton around 3:15 p.m. I picked up the girls from there and headed on home, arriving around 5:30 p.m. Wow, another long day. But I was glad to be home and the girls were equally as happy as they immediately ran into the backyard to romp in their own yard!!

Oh, a visit to Ms. Kate's is not complete without a picture or two of the girls in an array of hats. Here is Lucy as the Joker. I thought it very appropriate! :) She said in an email today that keeping them is no problem - that they are very happy girls. And that they are!

I'm hoping to get back to Panama City in April to do some kayaking with my sister and BIL. It's their latest hobby, one which I plan to take up as well. I'm very much looking forward to it!

Making Whoopie!

2010-02-16T06:32:00.012-05:00

Silly, I'm talking about making Whoopie Pies!! Yet another confection I had never made before and was dying to make.

So, the perfect little celebration at work presented itself and I decided the Whoopie Pies would be a great contribution! So, I scoured the Internet searching for the perfect recipe and lo and behold, found what I was looking for at http://www.marthastewart.com/.

Here is the recipe:

Whoopie Pies (makes 2 dozen sandwiches)

3 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon salt
1 1/2 cups unsweetened cocoa powder
1 tablespoon baking soda
1 teaspoon baking powder
1 cup (2 sticks) unsalted butter, room temperature
2 cups sugar
2 large eggs
2 cups buttermilk, room temperature
2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract

Seven Minute Frosting

1. Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Sift together flour, salt, cocoa powder, baking soda, and baking powder. Set aside. Line two baking pans with Silpats (French nonstick baking mats) or parchment paper. In the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, cream butter and sugar until light and fluffy. Add eggs, buttermilk, and vanilla. Beat until well combined. Slowly add dry ingredients. Mix until combined.
2. Using a 1-ounce ice-cream scoop, place cookies onto lined baking pans, twelve per pan. Bake for 12 minutes. Remove to a rack to cool. Repeat with remaining batter.
3. Spread 2 tablespoons of frosting onto each of twenty-four of cookies. Sandwich together with remaining twenty-four cookies. Store in an airtight container for up to 3 days. Do not stack!!

The cookies resemble devils food cake and the Seven Minute Frosting adds just enough flavor as the filling. Not too sweet and not too overbearing. A great combination!!

These are certainly wonderful "pies" which I will definitely make again in the future. Why not make some tonight?

The Blizzard

2010-02-13T18:20:00.003-05:00

The "Feel Good" Soup

2010-02-08T05:19:00.017-05:00

I've never been a big soup person but lately that seems to be my forte, huh? I suppose it's the extremely cold temperatures we've been enduring which has forced me to rethink the soup thing.

In any event, this weekend seemed the perfect time to make my first batch of Chicken Noodle Soup, complete with homemade noodles, of course!

For the noodles, I used a basic egg noodle recipe (see below). Then, using my pasta machine and the fettucine setting, I made the noodles, cutting them several times for use in the soup. If you don't have a pasta machine, you can always roll the dough with a rolling pin and hand cut the noodles. Either method will result in the most delicious homemade noodles you've ever tasted!

Ingredients:

2 1/4 C. plain flour
3 eggs, lightly beaten

Sift the flour onto a clean work surface, forming a mound. Make a hollow in the center. Break the eggs into the hollow. With a fork, break up the eggs and start gradually whisking, incorporating the flour from the edges a little at a time. Try not to let the egg spill over the sides. Keep whisking and then mixing by hand until all the flour is incorporated.

Knead the dough lightly for 6-8 minutes until glossy. The dough should not be sticky; add more flour if necessary. Cover the dough lightly and leave to rest for 30 minutes before using.

Here is the recipe I used to make the soup. And on a cold winter weekend, there is no other soup that warms the body and the soul quite like homemade chicken noodle soup!

Ingredients:

4 C. water
2 (32-ounce) cartons fat-free, less-sodium chicken broth
2 T. olive oil
1 C. onion
1 C. celery
1 t. salt
1 t. freshly ground black pepper
3 medium carrots, chopped
12 ounces egg noodles
5 C. shredded cooked chicken breast
2 T. McCormick's All-Purpose Seasoning
4 T. chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley

Combine water and chicken broth in a large dutch oven. Add onion, celery, salt, pepper, and carrot. Bring to a boil. Stir in chicken and noodles. Turn down heat and simmer until chicken is throughly heated and noodles are al dente. Stir in parsley. Serve with warm french bread!

Obviously this makes quite a large pot of soup so invite friends over to enjoy it with you or freeze some for later or you can always half the recipe!!

A perfect meal for a perfectly cold, winter day! It will definitely make you feel good!

Chicken Florentine Ravioli - My First Pass!

2010-01-26T05:03:00.019-05:00

This past weekend I decided to pull out the pasta maker, complete with the ravioli attachment, and try my hand at making ravioli. The flavor of choice? Chicken Florentine, of course!

First thing to do was make the pasta dough which is great fun! I must say I love rolling the dough through the pasta maker, watching the texture get more perfect with each roll!

Here is a basic dough recipe worth trying!

1 egg, beaten
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 cup all-purpose flour
2 tablespoons water

Directions:
In a medium sized bowl, combine flour and salt. Make a well in the flour, add the slightly beaten egg, and mix. Mixture should form a stiff dough. If needed, stir in 1 to 2 tablespoons water.

On a lightly floured surface, knead dough for about 3 to 4 minutes. With a pasta machine or by hand roll dough out to desired thinness. Use machine or knife to cut into strips of desired width.

If you've never made homemade pasta before, take a look at this web page. Very good information!

http://allrecipes.com/HowTo/Making-Pasta-Dough/Detail.aspx

Beware, once you make pasta yourself, you will probably never buy it in the store again! The freshness of the homemade pasta just can't be beat!! You can make noodles without owning a pasta maker, however, I must say having this nifty little kitchen gadget does make the work a bit easier! And it's loads of fun!!

For the filling:
1 c. (4 oz.) ground cooked chicken
10 oz. fresh spinach, cooked, drained and chopped
3 tbsp. butter, melted
3 tbsp. Parmesan cheese
1/4 tsp. salt
1/8 tsp. ground nutmeg
Dash of pepper

Combine chicken, spinach, and melted butter. Stir in cheese, salt, nutmeg, and pepper. Set aside.

So the dough is ready and the filling is ready. Now to make the ravioli. Instead of hand cutting the ravioli, I tried using the ravioli attachment for my pasta maker. I was not that successful with it, I have to say and decided that when I make ravioli again, I will roll the dough, cut the dough, fill the ravioli and crimp the edges myself. I think, in the end, it will be less work and aggravation!

When your ravioli squares are complete using either method, cook ravioli in large pot of rapidly boiling salted water for 7 to 8 minutes or until tender. Rinse in cold water and drain well. Place in bowl and pour your favorite warmed marinara sauce over it. Sprinkle with fresh grated Parmesan cheese.

Even though I had difficulty with the ravioli attachment, my efforts weren't totally wasted as I did get three very wonderful meals out of the experience. Plus I learned more about making pasta! And I have left-over noodles, perfect for that next batch of lasagna!!

Now, doesn't that bowl of ravioli look delicious? Trust me, it was! Add a Caesar Salad and warm garlic bread and you've got a meal!

Try making your own pasta at least once, you won't be disappointed.

The Raw Diet

2010-01-23T15:37:00.010-05:00

Most everyone knows I feed raw to my Greyhounds. Actually, I feed half kibble and half raw. For kibble, it's Innova Evo which is the next best thing to feeding raw, in my humble opinion. It's grain-free and is high protein and high fat. This is their morning meal. For their evening meal, I usually feed raw chicken backs which typically have some organ meat still attached so they are getting those nutrients as well. I mix up the chicken backs with turkey necks (once a week), beef heart, mackeral, beef liver, ground beef, ground chicken, ground rabbit, chicken livers, stew meat, etc. It's all raw - not cooked.

One day I'm going to get my courage up to get some chicken feet. I know, it's disgusting, but they are suppose to be great for their teeth and they usually love 'em! Oh, and they also get fruit regularly and frozen veggie glop which has a mixture of veggies, cottage cheese, and raw eggs!! When I'm baking and have egg shells left over, they get those, too!! Yep, it's okay to feed all these things and typically your dog will flourish. They love all of it and if kibble weren't around, this is what they would eat! And they have the whitest teeth and freshest breath!!

So, yesterday it was time to stock back up on chicken backs. I get these at a place in Marietta called Tip Top Foods. They charge $14 or so for 40 pounds. I purchased two 40 pound cases and the total was $32. And for the first time, I purchased a 40 pound case of turkey necks for $21. All of this will last 2-3 months for four Greyhounds, again, just feeding the evening meal. How long all that will last depends on how much of the other I slide in on a weekly basis! And that depends on what I can get and at what price!

Once I got home from Tip Top, I carried the cases (one by one) into the kitchen and began the tedious task of separating and bagging up the chicken backs and then the turkey necks. Then I tossed everything into the small deep freezer in the garage. Done!

It's not fun, that's for sure, but I know that what I'm doing benefits the girls so much. Their health is my most primary concern so whatever it takes to keep them healthy AND happy, well, that is what I do!

Remember, it's all about the dogs, isn't it?!

Chewy California Fig Bars

2010-01-18T18:38:00.011-05:00

Another treat I've always wanted to make and just hadn't yet is fig bars. I found a great recipe, Chewy California Fig Bars, that I thought suitable for the dried California figs I had on hand. So, I commenced to making them - finally!!

I must say they were most delicious and well worth the effort. They are quite chewy due to the figs, I'm sure, and had such a delightful buttery crumb crust and topping that is to die for!

As is the usual protocol, I brought the bars into work the next day for my cubemates to enjoy. They are so spoiled that the next day five different people came to my cube to see what treat I may have brought in that day!

It's interesting that after I made these and had one myself, I vaguely remember having these same creations, on occasion, as a dessert with my elementary school lunches. They may have been fig bars but I suspect they were cherry bars. And that, my friends, is the flavor bar I will bake next when I make these again!

Chewy California Fig Bars

Filling

8 oz dried figs

1 C. granulated sugar

1/2 C. hot water

1/2 C. chopped nuts

Crumb Crust and Topping:

1 C. salted butter
1 3/4 C. quick-cooking oats

1 3/4 C. flour

1 C. light brown sugar
1/2 t. vanilla

1/2 t. salt

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees (or 325 if using a glass baking dish). Have ready a 13 x 9-inch metal baking pan or glass dish.

With scissors, cut figs into small pieces. In a medium saucepan, combine the figs, sugar, water, and nuts. Heat to boiling. Reduce heat and simmer, stirring frequently, until thickened, about 10 minutes. Set aside to cool.

In a large bowl, with an electric mixer at medium-high speed, beat the butter, brown sugar, salt, and vanilla until very creamy, 2-3 minutes. With a mixing spoon, stir in the flour and oats until well blended and crumbly. Press two-thirds of this mixture evenly onto the bottom of the ungreased pan. Spread the filling over the top. Crumble the remaining crust mixture over the filling. Bake for 25-30 minutes until lightly browned. Reverse the pan from front to back once during baking. Set the pan on a wire rack to cool completely before cutting into 6 x 6 rows.

Store in the baking pan, tightly covered with aluminum foil or plastic wrap.

New Year's Eve Dinner

2010-01-11T04:59:00.014-05:00

I'm a little tardy in posting this but I promised I would post the recipes I used for my fabulous New Year's Eve dinner.

I had always wanted to cook a Prime Rib so I decided this would be the year to do it - a final tribute to 2009 and a grand welcoming to 2010. I searched the Internet high and low for the perfect recipe and found it in my own kitchen in Tyler Florence's first recipe book, Real Kitchen: An Indispensable Guide for Anybody Who Likes to Cook, pub. date 2003. The recipe I refer to is Horseradish And Garlic Prime Rib and I must say it is exceptionally delicious.

I did omit the carrots, parsnips and red onion and next time I would probably decrease the sea salt to about 1/4 cup. Other than that, it was absolutely delicious and definitley is something I will cook again. The mushrooms are a perfect addition, as well. To complete the meal, I included Twice Baked Potatoes and Steamed Asparagus.

Prime Rib:

1 (3-rib) prime rib beef roast, about 6 pounds
5 garlic cloves, smashed, plus 2 heads garlic, halved
1/2 cup grated fresh or prepared horseradish
1/2 cup sea salt
1/4 cup freshly ground black pepper
1/2 cup extra-virgin olive oil
2 carrots, peeled and chopped
2 parsnips
1 red onion, halved

Wild mushrooms:

1 tablespoon unsalted butter
Extra-virgin olive oil
2 pounds assorted mushrooms, such as cremini, oyster, shiitake, chanterelle, or white, trimmed and sliced
Leaves from 2 fresh thyme sprigs
Sea salt and freshly ground black pepper
1/2 cup Cabernet Sauvignon
1/4 cup reserved beef broth (drippings from roast) or low-sodium canned broth
1/4 cup heavy cream
1 tablespoon minced fresh chives

Directions:

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Lay the beef in a large roasting pan with the bone side down. (The ribs act as a natural roasting rack.) In a small bowl mash together the garlic, horseradish, salt, pepper, and olive oil to make a paste. Massage the paste generously over the entire roast. Scatter the vegetables and halved garlic around the meat and drizzle them with a 2-count of oil. Put the pan in the oven and roast the beef for about 1 1/2 to 2 hours for medium-rare (or approximately 20 minutes per pound). Check the internal temperature of the roast in several places with an instant-read thermometer; it should register 125 degrees F. for medium-rare. Remove the beef to a carving board and let it rest for 20 minutes. The internal temperature of the meat will continue to rise by about 10 degrees. Remove the vegetables and set aside. Pour the pan juices into a fat separator or small bowl and set aside to allow the fat and beef juices to separate. Pour off and discard the fat. You will use the tasty beef juices for the mushrooms.

Place a clean skillet over medium heat. Add the butter and a 2-count drizzle of oil. When the butter starts to foam. add the mushrooms and thyme; and season with salt and pepper. Stir everything together for a few minutes. Add the red wine, stirring to scrape up any stuck bits; then cook and stir to evaporate the alcohol. When the wine is almost all gone, add the reserved beef juices. Let the liquid cook down and then take it off the heat. Stir in the cream and chives, and season with salt and pepper.

As a final course for the evening, I chose Champagne Sorbet. It had been some time since I had made this lucious frozen concoction so I felt it time to do it again! I originally found this recipe in a very old cookbook I had purchased in my hometown of Panama City. It was written by Gay Sudduth and is titled, You're Invited, pub. date 2004.

1 1/4 cups sugar
1 cup water
1 1/2 cups champagne
fresh lemon juice

Boil sugar and water 4-5 minutes (important). Cool. Stir in champagne and juice of one lemon. Freeze. Let it completely freeze over and then cut it with a knife until you can stir it. Cover and stir a couple more times before serving. Serve in small amounts.

As you can see, this was quite a meal and one which I had such fun preparing and then enjoying afterwards! If you have a special occasion coming up, I highly suggest the same menu. You won't be disappointed!

A New Christmas Dinner Tradition

2009-12-25T16:37:00.009-05:00

I found the perfect dish to compliment any meat served for Christmas dinner - Corn Pudding. Sounds rather gross, doesn't it? In actuality, it is really just a corn souffle. Really tasty and not really heavy. Not heavy like a casserole - light like a souffle.

The recipe I tried is called Tee's Corn Pudding, Southern Living, August 2006. Here it is:

Tee's Corn Pudding

Yield: Makes 8 servings

1/4 cup sugar
3 tablespoons all-purpose flour
2 teaspoons baking powder
1 1/2 teaspoons salt
6 large eggs
2 cups whipping cream
1/2 cup butter, melted
6 cups fresh corn kernels (about 12 ears)*

1. Combine first 4 ingredients.

2. Whisk together eggs, whipping cream, and butter in a large bowl. Gradually add sugar mixture, whisking until smooth; stir in corn. Pour mixture into 8 lightly greased 8-oz. custard cups.

3. Bake at 350° for 30 minutes or until pudding is set and deep golden. Let stand 5 minutes.

*6 cups frozen whole kernel corn or canned shoepeg corn, drained, may be substituted.

Note: You may substitute 1 (13- x 9-inch) baking dish for ramekins. Bake at 350° for 40 to 45 minutes or until set. Let stand 5 minutes.

Southwestern Corn Pudding: Stir in 1 (4.5-oz.) can chopped green chiles and 1/4 tsp. ground cumin.

This is definitely going to be a future annual tradition. Most delicious as you will soon find out!

And More . . .

2009-12-23T08:05:00.009-05:00

For today's grazing table I made Artichoke Tarts and No-Bake Cookies. Both are fabulous recipes. The Artichoke Tarts actually came from Weight Watchers, however, I failed to use Fat-Free Cream Cheese or Low-Fat Cheddar Cheese, so I guess my batch really isn't diet friendly at this point. Delicious nonetheless and quite a hit with my co-workers! Oh, and I substituted a Monterery Jack blend cheese instead of Cheddar.

Artichoke Tarts

6 spray(s) cooking spray
16 pieces wonton wrapper(s)
1/4 cup(s) low-fat shredded cheddar cheese
4 oz fat-free cream cheese, softened
1/4 tsp cayenne pepper
1/2 Tbsp Dijon mustard
2 Tbsp sweet red pepper(s), chopped
7 oz canned artichoke hearts, without oil, drained and chopped
1/4 cup(s) parsley, fresh, sprigs

Preheat oven to 350°F. Coat a 16-hole miniature muffin pan with cooking spray. Gently press 1 wonton wrapper into each muffin hole, allowing ends to extend above cups. Coat edges of wrappers with cooking spray and set aside.

Combine cheeses, cayenne pepper and mustard in a medium bowl; mix well. Stir in red pepper and artichoke hearts; spoon about 1 teaspoon of cheese mixture into each muffin cup.

Bake until cheese mixture is set and edges of wrappers are lightly browned, about 15 minutes. Garnish with parsley and serve. Yields 2 tarts per serving. 2 points per serving.

And the No-Bake Cookies are fabulous. Some call them "Cow Patties". This is a recipe I've made for years and is one of my favorites. It stems from a chocolate, oatmeal, peanut butter concoction I remember being served weekly with our hot lunches in elementary school. The lady in charge of our lunches was Mrs. Baggett. She was the nicest lady and she served the best tastiest lunches I can ever remember being served in a school lunchroom. Many moms would happily come eat with their children just to enjoy her wonderful cooking.

Long after elementary school was over, I searched high and low for the recipe for many years and I finally found it. It is quick and easy and I find I usually have the ingredients on hand so whipping up a quick batch is always possible.

No-Bake Cookies

2 cup(s) sugar

1/2 cup milk

3 Tbsp cocoa

1/4 cup butter

1/2 cup peanut butter

3 cup(s) quick cooking oats

1 tsp vanilla

1 cup nuts (optional)

Combine sugar, milk, cocoa, and butter in saucepan. Heat to boiling point, stirring constantly. Boil one minute. Remove from heat. Stir in peanut butter, oats, vanilla, and nuts, if desired. Drop on to parchment paper. Let cool. Enjoy!

More Holiday Baking

2009-12-22T16:16:00.003-05:00

For our munchie table today at work, I bought in delicious homemade cake donuts. Yum, yum is all I can say. They were enjoyed by all!

Ginger Snaps

2009-12-21T05:27:00.006-05:00

Last night I hunkered down in the kitchen to make the most wonderful holiday cookies - Ginger Snaps. I'm taking these to work for our "grazing" table. Actually, if you can believe it, I had a request from a co-worker to make them again this year.

Instead of rolling in sugar, I use the little white round candies. They are much more festive this way, don't you think? Besides looking good, they are most delicious! :)

Ginger Snaps

1 cup sugar
1/4 cup molasses Grandma's Molasses
2 teaspoons baking soda
1/2 teaspoon cloves
1 egg
2 cups all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon ginger
1 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon cinnamon
3/4 cup shortening

Instructions:

Mix all ingredients. Roll into balls, then roll in sugar. Cook on top rack in 350 degree oven for 8 minutes.

Baby, It's Cold Outside

2009-12-11T09:11:00.002-05:00

A classic performed by Tom Jones and Cerys Matthews in December 2008.

It's Begun . . .

2009-12-10T06:22:00.013-05:00

Yes, the holiday season is upon us which means what for Patti? Yep, lots of hours in the kitchen "making and baking". I'm not complaining at all as most of you know I love this stuff. And my office mates love it too as I usually bring the fruits of my labors to the office for all to consume.

As well, here at work we customarily volunteer to keep a munchie table fully stocked for the last two weeks leading up to Christmas. It's actually called the "grazing" table. I think I've signed up to bring something at least four of those days, if not more. But I love it! I think I missed my calling - I should have been a pastry chef!

In any event, the first thing I made this season really isn't edible at all - well, not unless you're a canine. And, yes, my Greyhound Lucy ate her fair share of these last year hence why I'm making more this year. The item in question is Cinnamon Ornaments!

No Christmas tree should be without these fabulously aromatic ornaments. Cinnamon is a fragrance that is so typically associated with the Christmas holiday season and I, for one, love that aroma when I walk into my home. It's a comfort thing for me as I vividly remember the scent of cinnamon wafing through the air of my childhood home. Such memories!

The ornaments are fairly easy to make - you just have to be very careful with them because they are very delicate. Here is the recipe:

Cinnamon Ornaments

1 C. ground cinnamon
1 t. allspice
1 t. ground cloves
1 t. nutmeg
1 C. applesauce

Mix dry ingredients. Add applesauce a little at a time. Mixture should have consistency of playdough. If too dry, add 1-2 tablespoons applesauce. Roll 1/4 inch thick on ungreased surface. If too sticky, sprinkle with ground cinnamon. Cut with cookie cutters. Place on level surface to dry 4-5 days. Insert fine wire at top of ornament before drying. Tie with ribbon. Yield 2 dozen.

Here is the blob of spices after mixing.

Here is the blob rolled out. This does get a bit messy but the end result is well worth it!

Here are my little Gingerbread boys and stars all ready for the drying period.

I added a few white buttons for the Gingerbread boys and lastly I have to add ribbon bows. The wire hooks were inserted in the beginning prior to the drying period. They will be ready to hang tonight! Once the holiday season is over, be sure to carefully pack these away in Zip Lock bags to ensure their aroma keeps for years and years to come.

Each day until New Year's I'll be able to enjoy the robust fragrance of these delightfully easy to make ornaments. But alas, after the holidays they are packed away with the other ornaments until next year when I'll pull them back out for another season of reminiscing.

Last Weekend

2009-11-17T18:29:00.005-05:00

On Saturday we attended a Meet and Greet for Second Chance Greyhounds at one of our favorite spots, Top Dogs, in Kennesaw. We did visit with quite a few folks that day and are hoping for an adoption or two.

One of our volunteers, my friend Kim Morris, purchased these adorable antlers for her Greyhounds to wear in the upcoming Christmas parade in Kennesaw. Our group is scheduled to appear, along with our Greyhounds, of course. The antlers caught Sami's attention the moment she pulled them out of her bag, so naturally I had to put them on her to see how she like them. Here is the result!

Afterwards, we walked down to Highland Grill to grab some lunch. We are able to bring the Greyhounds and eat on the covered patio which makes it really nice. Here I am sharing my margarita with Sami. No, not really. I was drinking it and she was licking the outside of the glass. She is such a goofy one but I love her dearly!

The Weekend from Hell!

2009-10-27T13:44:00.009-04:00

Friday afternoon after work I drove to Marietta to Tip Top Foods to purchase two cases of chicken backs. This is part of the raw diet I feed my four Greyhounds. I got home and unloaded the chicken and then commenced to letting the pack out to potty. Once that was over, it was time for their dinner. I grabbed four chicken backs for them and put them outside to eat. As usual my foster ate her kibble in the kitchen in her bowl. While they were eating, I had begun the process of bagging the chicken backs in meal-size bags for freezing.

After having ample time to potty, it was time for them to come back inside. Everyone clamored around me as I worked to bag the chicken backs. After completing the first case, I decided to let them back outside so they wouldn't have their noses right in the case of chicken! It would only be for a few minutes. I didn't muzzle them as I normally do. About ten minutes later, I heard alot of commotion so I flew out the back door only to see them attacking Sugar. She was on the ground, belly up, kicking and screaming. It was really Lucy and my foster. Remi and Sami were there but they weren't on her. I tried to get Sugar away from them but couldn't. I grabbed her by the collar and started dragging her toward the back door. All the while, they continued to take jabs at her - they wouldn't stop no matter how loud I screamed at them. It seemed the more she shrilled, the more they attacked. She was pretty torn up but I was finally able to get her in the house by herself.

I immediately called my BFF, Kim, who then called my vet to see if they would wait for me. It was 5:50 pm and they close at 6 pm. They said they would so I put Sugar into the Pilot and then went inside to get the others from the backyard. I went to crate them and Lucy even lunged at me, ready to attack! I couldn't believe it!! I was able to get everyone crated and then I jumped in to the vehicle to head to the vet. We arrived in 20 minutes or so - a total bloody mess. During the entire ride there, Sugar stood up the entire time.

Because of the extent of her injuries, it being a weekend, and the fact that she has Von Willebrands disease, it was recommended that we go to Cobb Emergency Veterinary Clinic so they could monitor her 24x7. My vet bandaged her up to slow the bleeding and we then headed to the emegency clinic. When we arrived, they took her back and started procedures and such to stabilize her. Kim arrived shortly thereafter. Surgery was definitely required. After some creative financing (her bill was est. at $3,000-$4,000), they started some tests to ensure she could clot before doing the surgery. I went back to see her and she looked just horrible - just beaten to a pulp and her color was grey. They were going to give her plasma, which would take 2 hours, so we decided to go home and clean up blood. We got back to the hospital about midnight. They had decided not to do the plasma just yet but had begun the surgery. About 4-4:30 a.m. they came to tell us that all went well and Sugar was awake. Kim actually heard her yell out around 3:30 a.m. Apparently she had a rough time waking up from the anesthesia and was in quite a bit of pain.

They did decide to give her the plasma Saturday morning. That afternoon, I went to see her, taking her some hamburger meat, marshmallows, and sweet potato treats - hoping she would eat something. Sunday morning she did eat some of the hamburger and was able to take her meds orally so she was weaned from the IV drip and I was able to bring her home that afternoon.

She has a 3-inch tear on her neck that was stitched, several on her left side that were stitched, another 3-inch tear on her chest that was stitched, one on her crotch that was stitched, several smaller ones here and there on her body that were stitched, and the worst was her left forearm. There was no skin left on that 4-inch long, 2-inch wide wound. The night it happened, I could see muscle and tendons. The vet stitched her up the best she could but there is an area the size of a quarter that is still bare. She has a wet/dry bandage there which will be there for a few days.

I saw the wound yesterday during a dressing change and it is amazing how good it looks. My vet was totally impressed with the surgical work they did on her. The before and after is quite a transformation. Anyway, she does walk a bit funny on that front leg, folding her foot over and dragging it. We're hoping there isn't any neurological damage but won't know that until the bandages come off and she is able to bend it better and put pressure on it. She is bruised pretty badly, mostly on her stomach, chest and legs.

Despite her injuries, she looks really good now that she's stitched up all over. She ate a chicken back last night and a little hamburger meat and a bit more stew meat this morning for breakfast. She is taking her pills via peanut butter which is excellent because when she had the liver ailment a few years back, I ran out of various methods to pill her. She would figure out a pill is involved in whatever I was giving her and wouldn't eat it - for months afterwards. Smart and stubborn - that is my Sugar.

Her six drainage tubes come out tomorrow and another bandage change will happen on that front leg. I'm hoping one more after that and then we'll be home free. Next week her stitches will come out. She's a fighter and will survive.

I can't say enough good things about the emergency clinic. They were informative, professional, and current on Sugar's case anytime I asked about her. My vet called there on Saturday morning to inquire about her status and then again on Sunday which made me feel really good. I didn't know that until we were there yesterday for the bandage change.

Lucy is now on Amitriptyline and the foster was moved to another foster home. I am being careful about the dynamics and am watching for anymore signs of aggressiveness from Lucy. Of course, I have no idea what transpired in the backyard that night and probably won't ever know. I do know, however, that I will be much more careful about the muzzles. I was busy with the task at hand in the kitchen and it just slipped my mind and I am usually a stickler about the girls wearing them!

The look on Sugar's face that night will forever be in my mind and definitely will serve as a reminder to me to muzzle, muzzle, and muzzle again!

Upcoming Coursing at Moreland

2009-10-23T09:08:00.003-04:00

It's been some time since I've blogged - it's been very busy at Second Chance Greyhounds. So much has been going on and it seems to be daily if not hourly! But it's for a good cause and we are doing a good thing - placing Greyhounds into their forever homes and we're having a blast doing it!! I must say that starting a new Greyhound adoption group has proven to be very difficult but we've come such a long way since January when we first began tossing this idea around. I've said it time and time before, we should all be very proud of our achievements, as there are so many!

But tomorrow I actually get to take the day off and do something I so love to do and that is watch my dogs lure course! We're going to be at the ASFA National Greyhound Specialty in Moreland. In the Open category where Sami will run there are 11+ Greyhounds. It'll be Sami's first real trial so I'm a bit anxious to see how she does. She's a nut for the lure which is a good thing, but it can also be a bad thing as they don't seem to think with their brains when that is the case. Their only goal is to get the lure, at all costs! So, we will see how she does.

Lucy will run in Field Champion, along with about 7+ Greyhounds. Last time she ran, she suffered a puncture on the outside of her front right foot. Ten days worth of antibiotics cured that and she's been good to go ever since. That was also two months ago so she's had plenty of time to recoup! We'll see how she does.

There will definitely be some competition for both Sami and Lucy.

We are expecting rain this afternoon and evening which should make the ground perfect for coursing tomorrow. Temps should reach near 70 which is perfect for coursing. Everyone should be comfortable, most importantly, the dogs!

I'll report back after tomorrow with results. Keep your fingers crossed that my girls do well!

Rainy Mondays

2009-10-05T08:30:00.002-04:00

Rest and Relaxation?

2009-09-01T12:40:00.027-04:00

Last weekend I had a 2 1/2 day mini-vacation planned (this also included 12 hours RT of driving time), to go down to my hometown (Panama City) to visit the family and get a little R&R. So, as you can imagine, I needed to find a facility to board my four Greyhounds. I hate splitting them up into private homes and thought they would do best if kept together.

I consulted a few of my Greyhound friends and was immediately told about this most wonderful place that I call "Camp Why Not". I called and thank goodness, there was room at the inn for my four. I was all set and they were all set. The night before, I packed up their food and treats and gathered muzzles - they tend to eat things in the yard which shouldn't be consumed so the muzzles help eliminate that.

Friday morning I packed the car with my gear, their overnight bag loaded with food and treats, and them, of course. We headed to Camp Why Not in what appeared to me to be a monsoon. Thank God, it was just drizzling when we made it to the camp, so everyone bounded out of the SUV for a run around the grounds. They seemed happy and the camp counselor took a moment to get to know each of the dogs. I left, feeling very comforted that they would be well taken care of.

Then it was Southbound to PC. It rained a hard rain all the way to Columbus which made for miserable driving but then the clouds parted and blue skies could be seen. The weather continued to improve during the drive through Alabama and was absolutely beautiful when I arrived in Panama City and during the entire weekend.

Here's a shot from my balcony at the Bay Point Marriott. Beautiful, huh? I wish I could live in Panama City and make a living as well but I don't think I could without taking a $40,000 a year pay cut and that would be very painful!

Friday night the entire family (brother, sister-in-law, sister, brother-in-law, nieces and nephew, Daddy and girlfriend, Ms. Pat) all met at my favorite restaurant, Capt. Anderson's for a very nice dinner. I had Greek salad, 1/2 Florida lobster stuffed with crabmeat dressing and new potatoes. Umm, my most favorite meal!

I remember when our birthday's rolled around when we were children and we were asked which restaurant we wanted to go to and my sister, who has a March birthday, and my brother, who has an April birthday, always suggested Capt. Anderson's so that's where we always went for theirs. Capt. Anderson's is always closed during the winter months so when it was my birthday, December 15, I was out of luck. I had to choose somewhere else but it was never my favorite but merely a substitute because I had no choice!

The next day after our family dinner, my sister, brother-in-law, niece and myself went kayaking. Around 9 a.m., we launched our boats somewhere off the base (Tyndall AFB) and paddled across to Crooked Island Sound. It was about a 5-mile hike across the bay but we eventually made it! This little slice of heaven is part of the Air Force Base but is open to civilians unless they are doing military exercises. They weren't this weekend so we did get to go onto the beach and explore. My sister went sea shell collecting while my niece and myself enjoyed swimming in the Gulf. The water was beautiful despite a bit of seaweed here and there. As you can see from the picture of the beach, it's a very unspoiled stretch of land that very few folks know about. We used to snorkel and scallop along this bay but the State has since mandated certain areas where scallops can be harvested and this is not one of them.

My Dad and Ms. Pat soon joined us on their motorboat and we sat beachside enjoying chicken salad sandwiches, chips, and grapes for lunch. Very nice.

We didn't leave until well past 4 p.m. because my BIL and Dad were mullet fishing. Yes, my family does enjoy a fried mullet every now and then, complete with cheese grits and hush puppies. Actually, when we were younger, we had mullet quite often. My Mom used to joke that she was afraid we would all be born with scales, fins and gills!

On our way back, my BIL and sister tried out their new sails they purchased for their kayaks. It was the oddest looking thing but quite effective when there was wind going the right direction. And, of course, totally ineffective when the wind died or changed directions. But pretty cool, nonetheless.

We finally made it back to the landing at about 7:30 p.m. My, what a fun-filled day! I was sunburned, exhausted, hungry for dinner, and thirsty for a Margarita. I headed back to the Marriott and showered, ordered some fried shrimp for take-out, and poured myself a Margarita. I spent the rest of the night just enjoying and relaxing.

The next morning I ordered a ham, onion, spinach, and cheddar cheese omelet through room service, savoring every bite while doing some last minute computer work. Then, it was time to load the SUV and head home.

Another six hour drive back and I was in Atlanta. Again, driving in torrential rain. Seemed it did stop on Saturday but kicked back up just in time for my drive in. Figures, huh?

I drove directly to Camp Why Not to gather the girls. On my way there, I decided to call the camp counselor to alert her that I'd be there directly. She told me they had quite a few "adventures" over the weekend. When I asked her to elaborate, she said that Sami jumped a fence into her backyard in an attempt to kill one of her Jack Russells.

She was muzzled, thank God, and all was well when she was able to break them apart. No harm done. Sami sustained a pretty bad bruise on the inside of a back leg but she'll be okay. Secondly, she said that Lucy and Sami got into a brawl in their run. She was sure one of them had been injured badly, especially with the ruckus they were making. But again, just a scrape here and a bruise there on Sami - none on Lucy.

Before leaving, she shared these photos with me. From the expressions on their faces, I see they did have an excellent time at Camp Why Not, especially playing dress up. Who knew?

Needless to say, they were exhausted puppies when we did finally get home. They barely moved that night and all of yesterday, finally acting like themselves last night. I, too, felt pretty much the same and finally think I've recovered from the whirlwind weekend although I honestly feel as if I need another vacation so I can truly rest and relax! Oh well, fun does come at a price, doesn't it? And fun was had all around by everyone!

Things To Be Thankful For

2009-08-06T05:27:00.002-04:00

I found this plaque in the spare bedroom closet. It's been some time since I saw it. Here is what it says:

Things to be Thankful For

Faith in the ultimate goodness of life.
Faith in yourself.
Faith that what you seek, you will find.
The kindness of strangers.
Thewarmth and security of home.
Expressions of unconditional love and support.
Your health.
The health of those you love.
Your boundless imagination.
Restored hope.
Answered prayers.
Daydreams.
Following your intuition and being happy you did.
Trying something new and loving it.
The desire for knowledge.
Watching the sunset.
Meeting a kindred spirit.

Now, isn't that nice? Maybe it should go back on my desk to provide me with daily inspiration (I could use that these days) !

Spoiled Rotten?

2009-07-30T06:32:00.007-04:00

It's been some time since I baked the girls some homemade cookies. I recently purchased a paw print "cookie stamp" which gave me the incentive to whip up a batch of cookies last night.

I chose the recipe, Peanut Butter Carob Cookies, from my most favorite doggie recipe book, Doggie Desserts. Here is the recipe:

6 T. all natural applesauce, no sugar added
1/4 C. honey
1/2 C. vegetable oil
1/2 C. all natural peanut butter, no salt or sugar added
1 t. pure vanilla extract
1 1/2 C. unbleached white flour
1 C. whole wheat flour
1/2 C. carob powder
2 eggs
1 T. ground cinnamon
2 t. baking soda

In a large bowl, mix all ingredients. With your hands, make 1-inch balls wth the dough. Place balls 1 inch apart on baking sheet. With a fork, flatten ball leaving indent marks from the fork. (I used my paw print cookie stamp instead.)

Bake at 350 degrees for 10-12 minutes. When done, cookies should be firm to the touch. Turn oven off and let cookies sit 1 to 2 hours to harden.

Spoiled Greyhounds? I dare to admit to that, but I do know I have four very happy Greyhounds who know they're loved!

A Man and His Dog

2009-07-20T07:47:00.003-04:00

Kim LeVear and I drove over to Talladaga Friday evening to conduct a home visit for a potential adopter. On the way over, we encountered a most unusual sight. See for yourself . . .

We laughed and laughed. Thank God my Lucy wasn't with us or she'd be wanting a Harley herself so we could drive around like that. Can you imagine a Greyhound on the back of one of those?

Christmas in July

2009-07-15T09:22:00.005-04:00

Or so it feels like it and no, the temps aren't in the 30's (actually they're in the 80's - pretty mild for July in Georgia).

What is it I speak of? It's a gift I purchased for myself, a pre-Christmas gift if you will - my first 3GS 16 GB iPhone! I think I spent about 3 hours last night bonding with my iPhone. I'm almost a professional user at this point. Just kidding as I have so much to learn on this new device. It's totally different than my Treo.

And there are so many little apps for it which is way cool. If anyone knows of any that just knock your socks off, please let me know.

New toys are always such fun, aren't they?

Quiet a Scare

2009-07-13T11:23:00.012-04:00

Saturday evening, my foster Misty's new Dad came to pick her up. They had been vacationing in Puerto Rico for a week or so and had just flown into Atlanta that night. Their little girl had been anticipating the arrival of Misty for two weeks or more.

Well, not 15 minutes after leaving my house, Misty's Dad called me to say something was wrong. My first thought was that he had been in a car wreck and something had happened to Misty. Unfortunately something just as bad had happened - Misty escaped while he was getting her out of the SUV. My mouth went dry and my heart starting pounding. I told him I would be right there.

I immediately ran into the bathroom, stuck my contacts in my eyes, threw on my shorts and a t-shirt and stuck on my tennis shoes. I crated my girls and gave them a cookie and said "bye for now". And then I was off!

Luckily, Misty's new family lived within 5 miles of me so I was there in no time. On the way, I called Kim who subsequently called Scott. Everyone converged in the neighborhood of the new adopter within a half hour or so. It was amazing, to say the least, and always makes me proud to be a part of such a wonderful group. As I said on our email list, we would move "heaven and earth" to help find one of our lost hounds.

We had spent a good bit of time in a cul-de-sac that butted up against this neighborhood. We heard quite a few barking dogs and I told Robert (Misty's Dad) that they must be barking at something and maybe it was Misty. I used the squawker and sure enough, Misty came out of the woods. I called her name and she immediately turned and ran back into the woods. Robert and I proceeded into the brush, hoping she would stay put and we could catch her. She did have her leash and collar on as well as her Second Chance Greyhound tag. I was hoping the leash would get snagged on something which would immobilize her, giving us a chance to grab her. She is a skittish thing so I knew she wouldn't just walk up to us.

About the time that Kim arrived, Robert and I had headed to the neighborhood behind his, which was called Heritage. Funny enough, this neighborhood is located off Austin Bridge which is the same road my neighborhood is on! Anyhoo, we walked that neighborhood for what seemed like hours, trying to find the back of it, the portion that would have backed up against his neighborhood. We thought we had found it because we heard the barking dogs. Yes, they were still barking. Along the way, we passed out business cards to folks we found out and about. It was late, maybe 11:00 p.m. by then but we did run into a few folks. Everyone was very nice, wishing us luck in finding Misty.

In the meantime, Kim was patrolling the cul-de-sac in Robert's neighborhood in case Misty decided to run back out of the woods. One of Robert's neighbors was there as well. I believe they were walking about when one of the homeowners in the cul-de-sac approached them with a pistol, asking what they were doing, etc. Obviously, this scared Kim half to death. When they explained they were looking for a lost dog, the man backed off and actually wished them luck as well.

About this time, Scott and his girlfriend, Tricia, arrived on the scene. Robert and I were walking back to my vehicle when Kim called to say they were going to branch out and search some more, from their vehicles. Scott and Tricia actually ended up driving to Heritage where Robert and I were, however, by that time, we had headed back to Robert's neighborhood. We hadn't even made it back to his house when Kim called to say that Scott had spotted Misty. She was in Heritage and he had her cornered. She was running around and around one house. Robert and I turned around, heading that direction. About then, Kim called again to say that Scott had Misty. WOW, I think that's the first time I had breathed since Robert's initial call some 3 1/2 hours earlier. It seems that Misty's leash got caught on something with afforded Scott the opportunity to grab her. Funny, she was right where Robert and I were not 15 minutes before.

Luckily for us, she was in fine shape. A few briers but that was all. As you know, Greyhounds are sprinters with no true endurance so she was obviously exhausted from the ordeal but seemed in good spirits otherwise. When we all arrived back at Robert's house, we all hugged on Misty while Mariam (Robert's wife) got Misty a bowl of water and then some liquid nourishment for us as well. We stood around marveling at Misty's calm demeanor while we were all attempting to come down from the adrenaline high. She just looked at us as if to say, "what's the big deal - I just went on a midnight stroll"!

What a harrowing experience for sure. There is nothing worse than loosing a Greyhound, especially in a brand new neighborhood. Robert's neighbors were so nice and helpful and without Kim, Scott, and Tricia coming to the rescue, I'm sure we would still be looking for Misty. It does take a team, and that we were. As someone said, "we rock"! I have to agree.

Here is a map of the area. The "A" pointer is Misty's new home. The red circle indicates the last sighting where she came out of the woods and the yellow circle is in the vicinity of where Scott found her.

On a side note, whilst rummaging through the forest with Robert searching for Misty, I couldn't help thinking to myself, "you're going to get poison ivy". I am so allergic to it, it's not even funny. Sure enough, this morning I woke up with a few welts on my hand and my neck. I'm waiting on "the others" to appear as I'm sure there will be more! I think an Epsom Salt bath is in my future.

The First Run

2009-07-05T09:49:00.005-04:00

Yesterday I took my new girl, Sami, up to Calhoun where GANG was in the middle of a three-day lure coursing trial. I had been anticipating this day for about a month - ever since I adopted Sami. My goal was to see how Sami liked lure coursing. I had intended just to let her watch a few runs and then, hopefully, let her do a practice run. Unfortunately, we arrived too late as the coursing of the day was complete. So, there was no one to watch!! We decided to go ahead and go for the gusto and let her run a practice run. After the hour drive, we had to make the best use of our time, you know?

So, we taped up pads and gathered slip leads and headed to the line. The lure operator started the lure and Sami just stood there. I ran a bit with her trying to get her to run - and NOTHING. As my friend Kim said, the look on my face said it all. I was so afraid this would happen and was so disappointed. I really enjoy lure coursing and wanted a coursing dog. I thought Sami would be perfect when I chose her.

At the suggestion of the lure operator, we decided to let Haylee take a practice run. Kim had her taped and she was ready to go. Once she started running (and Haylee loves to run and she's good at taking the turns, too), the light bulb went off in Sami's little head. She was overexcited and definitely wanted to take another turn at it. So, once Haylee came back, we once again, approached the line. The lure operator started the lure and Sami was off and running. She really did well, running really too fast, but I am certain she'll figure that out and will learn to take the corners a bit slower. She has a very fluid style with a long gait.

Needless to say, I am quite pleased and can't wait until fall when we can course for real. A few Single runs and she'll be ready for her certification run and then on to the Open category. In the meantime, we will train and train so we'll be ready.

I am just happy I won't have to return her. Now wouldn't that be something - the Chair of a Greyhound adoption group returning a dog because it won't lure course!! Ha - I wouldn't have done that as I love that girl - she is the funniest and sweetest dog! But, don't think I didn't think about it!!

Call Me Grace

2009-07-01T07:33:00.006-04:00

Actually, I'm the less graceful person on the planet. This morning is proof of that. I actually fell off the bus this morning. Yes, it was quite embarrassing and actually was quite funny at the same time. I fell on that last step from the bottom of the step on the bus to the ground.

As luck would have it, there was a nice black gentleman standing right there to witness it all. He did reach out his hand for me and asked the proverbial question, "are you alright ma'am?" Well, of course, it "smarted" quite a bit and as I was gaining my wits about me, I looked down and to my defense, there was a pretty big hole in the concrete. I then exclaimed, "there's a thing there", pointing to the monster hole that caused my fall. That's all I could muster. I stood up and told the young man, thank you, and proceeded on my merry way.

Once I made it to the train I glanced down at my foot - the one that took the brunt of the fall. Thank God it wasn't "frankenfoot" but was my left foot. I was concerned it may have been bleeding because it hurt so darn much but it's okay. There is a little weird bruise on the very left side of the foot, right on the bone there. Really strange spot for a bruise but it's there nonetheless! I first thought it must be embedded asphalt or concrete but it's a bruise.

There are three things to note here - (1) unfortunately the ballet lessons as a kid didn't help much, (2) make sure you're fully awake from the bus ride before disembarking, and (3) watch your step!!

Birthday Wishes!

2009-06-20T10:59:00.005-04:00

I'd like to wish my newest girl, Sami, Happy Birthday today. She turns 2! Yes, she is still a puppy and it shows!

One of my other girls, Lucy, also has a birthday today. She is now 5!! Hard to believe.

Tonight after the dog wash and after a nice dinner of turkey necks, they’ll enjoy some cinnamon/banana cake and ice cream!! They also received new alphabet charms for their collars from Brighton and hopefully, their new collars will arrive today. And then later tonight they will both get manicures and pedicures!

Happy birthday, my sweeties! Enjoy the day watching golf while I’m helping to bathe 60+ of your cousins, Aunts and Uncles!

Who knew?

2009-06-18T09:33:00.007-04:00

My friend Kim Morris and I were chatting yesterday when out of the blue she mentioned a story on Fox News about minature cow farming. Minature cows? My first thought is that you can't really trust Fox News so it was probably a hoax. Honestly, I had never heard of such but yes, after one Google search, I found many minature cow farms ie http://www.minicattlecountry.com/ and http://www.littlemoos.com/ just to name a few.

Apparently mini cow farms are quite the rage, especially amongst women farmers because they are easier to handle. As well, with rising feed costs, it obviously is more economical to own and feed a herd of mini cattle as opposed to their larger cousins.

There are also other benefits. As this article in the LA Times states, "Their miniature Herefords consume about half that of a full-sized cow yet produce 50% to 75% of the rib-eyes and fillets, according to researchers and budget-conscious farmers." The dairy cows can produce 2-3 gallons of milk per day. It's a little hard to milk them since you basically stand on your knees, but the dairy farmers say its well worth the effort.

"Minicows are not genetically engineered to be tiny, and they're not dwarfs. They are drawn from original breeds brought to the U.S. from Europe in the 1800s that were smaller than today's bovine giants, said Ron Lemenager, professor of animal science at Purdue University in West Lafayette, Ind."

There are now more than 300 mini-Hereford cow farms in the US. That number is dramatically higher than in 2000 when there were less than 24 farms. You can now purchase a heifer for about $800 and a bull for about $1200. Phenomenal is all I can say.

I wonder how many mini-cows would fit on my 1/2 acre? :)

PS - I stand corrected. Kim Morris commented to this post reminding me that the topic of mini cows came about when I complained to her that I was addicted to my virtual farm on Facebook. Duh? That's where it came from. And no, I don't have mini-cows on my virtual farm. Thus far, I only have one cow, four horses and one rooster.

PSS - If these had been mini-moos, perhaps this might not have happened. Poor woman!

A Sign of the Times

2009-06-17T07:43:00.004-04:00

On the way to Five Points on the bus this morning, I observed something very disturbing. We always pass by a church on Central Avenue called Church of the Immaculate Conception.

I usually see 2-3 homeless folks sleeping on the steps of the Church most every morning but not today. Today, I counted about 12 men sleeping out there or it could have even been more.

I wish there were something I could do to help these folks. There are plenty of soup kitchens downtown and I know there are shelters so I wonder if there is no more room there for these folks? Or perhaps they are comforted more being near the Church?

I dunno but as the days progress and the economy seems to be in quicksand, I see more and more homeless folks (men and women) in the downtown area. It's very sad to say the least.

Cool Memories

2009-06-14T14:52:00.024-04:00

As I sit here trying to cool down after 3+ hours of yard work, I can't help but reminisce about our recent trip to Gatlinburg where the mornings were cool and crisp. It was very refreshing.

A few of us traveled there the last weekend in May to attend an annual event known as Mountain Hounds. And yes, it involves Greyhounds! It's just a weekend or rather about four days, set aside for Greyhounds and Greyhound people to socialize, play games, shop, and generally just have fun.

We rented a cabin not far from downtown Gatlinburg where the festivities took place. It had three floors with a bedroom and private bath on each floor. A full game room on the lower level, decks surrounding the place, flat screen TVs, fireplace, gas grill, etc. It truly was a beautiful place and oddly enough, is owned by someone in the Atlanta metro area. Here is a view taken from the front deck. Isn't that just beautiful?

We drove up through the Smoky Mountain National Park. What a beautiful drive that was. The road paralleled the Nantahala River. Watching the rapids and rafters made me so badly want to make another weekend trip to do just that. It is so much fun!! And that water has to be the coldest on earth! Just beautiful!

The weekend was filled with many wonderful events, both for the Greyhounds and for their humans. One such event was the Luau held that Saturday evening. Most of the Greyhounds wore Leis and some even went so far as to wear grass skirts. There were hamburgers and hotdogs complete with all the fixings as well as ice cream treats for the dogs. Everyone had a wonderful time!

Another highlight of the weekend was a presentation by Dr. C. Guillermo Couto who is Professor/Chief, Oncology/Hematology/Transfusion Medicine, in the Greyhound Medicine Department of Veterinary Clinical Sciences at Ohio State University. Wow, that was a mouthful, huh?

Dr. Couto is a highly respected Greyhound veterinarian who's speciality is oncology. He has also led numerous research studies, all of which will eventually lead to better veterinarian procedures and medicine for our Greyhounds. His staff and clinic are wonderful and as I told someone after the seminar, the Greyhound breed is very lucky to have someone as knowledgeable and dedicated as Dr. Couto in their corner.

The weekend was soon over and it was time to head back to Atlanta and to reality. It was a wonderful weekend and I definitely plan to go again next year!

As the days get hotter and hotter as we progress into summer, I will continue to reminisce about the cool, refreshing mornings of Gatlinburg.