One Woman's Quest

National Guacamole Day

2009-09-16T06:03:00.000-07:00

Even though this can be added to my (long) list of foods I happen to dislike there is no reason not to celebrate it! I have many a people in my life that absolutely adore some fresh guacamole....so peeps, this ones for you!

I found this article at FoodNetwork.com on guacamole trends and we do like trends here at One Woman's Quest. Sounds like interesting stuff. Click here, read it, ill wait.

I must say for years my mom's been whipping up a seven layer dip (ish) type thing. She does include guacamole in it and while I don't have a liking to that ingredient I do love the dip, I just pick around the green stuff. yes, I am that utterly annoying person that is holding up the line so I can scoop, pick, push aside the stuff I don't like to get to the stuff I do. Sorry, but wouldn't you prefer I actually let that for you to have as opposed to taking it in my helping and throwing it away. That's wasteful...we don't do wasteful in this house!

Anyway, here's my moms layered dip...its pretty standard but welcomed warmly at gatherings.

Layer 1- Re fried beans
Layer 2- Colby Jack shredded cheese
Layer 3- Sour cream
Layer4- Salsa ( of the medium variety)
Layer 5- Cooked ground beef
Layer 6- Some more re fried beans
Layer 7- Guacamole

Garnish with some black olives and a little more shredded cheese and green onion for good measure!

Dip in,
eLp

Who would have thought...

2009-09-14T13:17:00.000-07:00

That Quaker oats would have a recipe for oatmeal raisin cookies inside the container. NOT ME!

I decided I needed to grow up, be a big girl so a couple of weeks ago bought some oatmeal for breakfast. I have never in my life tried it and for good reason...it has Never looked appetizing to me.

Well, I was right! It was horrible.

Please understand....I get that there are people out there who love it and good for you. I tried it (3 brands/flavors to be exact) and couldn't stand it. End of story!

Well, now what in the world was I going to do with a can of plain oatmeal (hubs won't eat oatmeal either). It never dawned on me because....I'm a cookie made from a box kinda gal that you could in fact make oatmeal raisin cookies outta this crap!
I made them and they were fantastic...really, really good.

So, if someone out there is dying for the Quaker Oats Oatmeal Raisin Recipe, here ya:

*The Best Oatmeal Raisin Cookies, ever!

*hubs tested and approved!

Cheers,
eLp

Is a cupcake a muffin if there is no frosting?

2009-09-09T08:47:00.000-07:00

Absolutely not...a cupcake is a cupcake and a muffin is a muffin. My charming husband tried to argue the fact that is there is not icing on a cupcake then it is in fact a muffin.... I think not sweetheart!

The only reason this was a discussion in our house this weekend was because yours truly got bit by the baking bug and there was just no stopping me.

Labor day weekend didn't turn out like anything I had planned but I still managed to whip up the spinach dip for dinner one night and made cupcakes with butter cream frosting.

As I was thumbing through my binder of recipes that I have pulled over various years I came across a recipe for butter cream. I was stoked.

You see....for my wedding I (like most women) registered for the Kitchenaid stand mixer. That was almost 2 years ago that I received it and brace yourselves....I HAVE NEVER USED IT! I know I'm hanging my head in shame too!

When I came across the butter cream recipe I thought to myself...perfect, I can finally break out the Kitchenaid!

Now, I am fully aware that butter cream is called butter cream for a reason...the base is butter but Never had I had butter cream that tasted like I literally whipped up some butter and schmered it on top of a cake/cupcake. Way to buttery!

I followed the directions carefully. The recipe said that it was more about the technique than the actually ingredients so I whipped (well my lovely kitchenaid whipped..I stood in amazement) that butter for a solid 10 minutes. I then added other ingredients and whipped some more.

Frosting was done (according to the directions) so I stuck my finer in the bowl to get a taste. Ummmm....did I forget something because it tastes like there is nothing else but butter in that bowl. So I add more confectioners sugar in there...still to buttery.....add a little vanilla....still not right....add sugar crystals.....Nope!

Anyway, it was a good think that I only frosted a few of the 24 cupcakes because that adorable husband of mine took one bite and pleasantly declined to eat the rest.

What does it boil down too:

If you have grown up in Florida then you must be crazy if you have never had Publix cake with butter cream. CRAZY, i tell you! I don't know what in the world there secret ingredient is but Lord....its just downright amazing.....ah-may-zing!

Which leads to the fact that I indeed have NEVER had really made from scratch butter cream. The horror, I know. So the only butter cream I know is Publix butter cream.

Needless to say....the recipe I followed left alot to be desired.

Do you have a recipe for butter cream that your willing to share? Do you think it is all about the technique or the recipe?

Cheers,
eLp

DipTacular

2009-09-03T16:00:00.000-07:00

When I saw that BooMama was doing this DipTacular blog tour, I thought I so had to play along. I too am a lover of anything dip. They are usually easy and that's right up my alley!

So I give you a recipe today for artichoke dip. Its super cheesy (which is what I do best), rather simple and most raved about when I make it for friends and family!

Ingredients:
2 (14 ounce) cans artichoke hearts, drained
2 cups shredded mozzarella cheese
1 cup grated Parmesan cheese
1 cup mayonnaise
1 teaspoon dried parsley *
2 teaspoons of garlic**

Directions:
1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C).
2. Drain the artichokes, squeeze the juice out of them, pull them apart and place in a 1-quart casserole dish.
3. In a medium-sized mixing bowl, combine Mozzarella cheese, Parmesan cheese and mayonnaise. Pour this mixture into the casserole and mix well until the artichoke hearts are mixed in well. Sprinkle the parsley over the top.
4. Bake at 350 degrees for 40 minutes, or until the dip is brown on top.

* I usually nix the parsley
** I added the garlic after reading the reviews and it was fabulous. Who doesn't love garlic!

Cheers,
eLp

Long Weekends Were Made For Fun!

2009-09-01T11:38:00.000-07:00

Oh sweet, sweet long weekend...hurry up and get here already!

I know for a fact I am not alone in the worshiping of long weekends but what I covet the most about them.....the excuse to have our friends over for a get together. I get to try new recipes and hang with the creme De la creme. When two of your friends work at the same restaurant having either one of them at a get together is never possible on a Saturday so Holiday Mondays give us the best chance to see one of them for a Sunday party!

Last weekend I spent sometime trying to figure out what I was going to try to wow the crew with this time...I'm still working on it.

Of course there will be the staples...Spinach dip, panzanella, salsa and cookies.

What that? Did I mention salsa? You bet I did. Along with chicken, salsa ranks very high on my list of faves. Though not something to brag about, I manage to have salsa almost daily.

So, you can imagine my delight when I was surfing the blog YoungHouseLove and came across a DIY salsa making kit!

I could have died! It looked crazy tasty and I am so stoked to give that salsa a try. I am even considering making up the little kits to give to my friends as a sort of parting gift at the end of the evening. I will have to price it out first because I am certainly no made of money (I like to think differently but that husband of mine likes to burst that bubble).

I am really hoping I can pull this off because who on earth would not love to take one home at the end of the night.

Make sure to click on the YoungHouseLove link to see what on earth I am talking about!

More to come on what my complete menu will look like for Sunday so make sure to come back!

In the Land of Bland: Chicken Fajitas

2009-08-31T12:19:00.000-07:00

Tonight's dinner will be none other than my fave: Chicken Fajitas!

In our house bland is usually the name of the game and my fajitas fit nice into that category though there is no shortage of peppers in my pretty little fajitas!

What you need:
Medium sized burrito wraps
Brown rice (I use the five or 10 minute stuff)**see below for side note
4 large(ish) peepers in various colors
Garlic
1 onion
Sour cream
Shredded colby jack cheese
Salsa
1 pkg. Chicken
Garlic

**If you are feeling as lazy as I sometimes feel you can even use the uncle Ben's microwave rice in a pouch

Directions:
(brace yourself, its gonna be a tuffy,lol)

1. Clean chick and cut it up into small bite sized pieces. You can also cut it into thin strips. I cut it up depending on how impatient I am feeling. If I just want to eat already I cut it up small so it cooks quicker.

2. Spray a pan with Pam and put chicken in a cook.

3. While chicken is cooking cut peppers into thin strips and cut up onion. Please both veggies into same pan as chicken and let it all cook. Add garlic and pepper and whatever else floats your boat.

4. Prepare your rice.

5. When chicken is done and veggies are cooked to you liking remove from stove and....THAT'S IT!

6. I am no fancy pants so I just throw the warmed wraps, rice, bag of cheese, the salsa and sour cream on the table.

My layering technique:
~Layer from bottom to top~
Warm wrap
Sour cream
Rice
Chicken and veggie mixture
Salsa
Cheese

By all means do it as you wish, BUT please do share!

What do you like on your fajitas??

Cheers,
eLp

Update on Buffalo Chicken Sandwhiches

2009-08-24T13:07:00.000-07:00

Blech!

I got half way through making the buffalo chicken sandwiches and called it a wash.

The buffalo sauce was what ruined it for me. As I started to melt the butter and hot sauce together on the stove I just couldn't convince myself that slathering butter and hot sauce on my chick would be tasty.

I dipped my spoon in the sauce and my suspicions were right.... blech!

I didn't not care fr the taste at all.

Perhaps you will...but it was not what I was looking for!

Do you have a Buffalo wing sauce recipe you would recommend....do share!

Cheers,
eLp

Bufflo Chicken Sandwiches and Spinach Artichoke Dip

2009-08-18T10:50:00.000-07:00

I love spicy anything, husband...not so much, so any chance I get to have spicy things that I can control the spicy factor on, I'm game!

Tonight we will be having Buffalo chicken sandwiches. Though I don't like to admit it (who am I Kidding..I could care less) I like short cuts. While grocery shopping, I picked up a bag of the frozen breaded chick tenderloins so I could bypass doing it my self.

The sauce is super easy. You need 2 things:

Hot Sauce
Butter
(add a smidgen of vinegar if you would like)

Cook the chicken pieces in oven according to direction on bag.

While cooking:

Place butter and hot sauce in sauce pan and let melt Slowly...very slowly!

You can change the intensity to your liking by adding more butter or less hot sauce.

Once chicken is done put in a dish and cove with sauce.

Place chicken in the oven and broil for a minute or two for a crispy sandwich.

Serve blue cheese dressing on the side.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

With the sandwiches tonight I will be serving spinach dip.

Let me tell you...I found this spinach dip recipe at none other than allrecipes.com and this is the best one I have ever tasted...ever!

I make this often when we have company.

Ingredients:

1 (14 ounce) can artichoke hearts, drained
1/3 cup grated Romano cheese
1/4 cup grated Parmesan cheese
1/2 teaspoon minced garlic
1 (10 ounce) package frozen chopped spinach, thawed and drained
1/3 cup heavy cream
1/2 cup sour cream
1 cup shredded mozzarella cheese

Directions:

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C).
Grease a 9x13 inch baking dish.
In a blender or food processor, place artichoke hearts, Romano cheese, Parmesan cheese and garlic . Pulse until chopped, but not ground. Set aside.
In a medium bowl, mix together spinach, heavy cream, sour cream and mozzarella cheese. Stir in artichoke mixture. Spoon into prepared baking dish.
Bake in the preheated oven for 20 to 25 minutes, or until cheese is melted and bubbly.

**If you are not into artichoke in your dip just leave it out and skip the blender/foor processor step...just add the cheeses and garlic to the stuff in the next step. Ive done this a few times to cut down on time since I was in a rush. Still tasted absolutly delish!

artichoke dip from allrecipes.com

sauce recipe from allrecipes.com

Meat (loaf) Subs!

2009-08-14T05:55:00.000-07:00

It was another hit in this household last night with the meatloaf subs. Its a take on a classic meatball sub just meatloaf-esq so when you bite into it you get the perfect ratio of meat, bread, cheese and sauce!

Hubs L.O.V.E.D it despite the fact that he hates (though he has never tried) meatloaf. I just didn't mention it to him until he was done eating. Sucka!

Ingridents:

1 1/2 pounds lean ground beef
1/3 cup Italian seasoned bread crumbs
1/2 small onion, chopped
1 teaspoon salt
1/2 cup shredded mozzarella cheese, divided
1 tablespoon cracked black pepper
1 teaspoon garlic powder
1/2 cup marinara sauce
3 hoagie rolls, split lengthwise

Directions:

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

2. In a medium bowl, mix together the ground beef, bread crumbs, onion, salt and pepper, garlic powder, and half of the mozzarella cheese. Form the mixture into a log, and place it into an 8x8 inch baking dish.

3. Bake for 50 minutes in the preheated oven, or until the center is no longer pink.

4. Let stand for 5 minutes, then slice into 1/2 inch slices. Place a few slices onto each hoagie roll, cover with marinara sauce, and sprinkle remaining mozzarella cheese over.

5. Wrap each sandwich with aluminum foil, and return to the oven for 15 minutes, until bread is lightly toasted and cheese is melted. Let stand 15 minutes before eating. Each sandwich serves 2.

Recipe from All Recipes

My Dish on the Dish~

Bake the bread a little before you put ingredients in it and toast it again. This way it is slightly toasted and will not be soggy from the sauce.

After taking them out of the oven and unwrapping them I realized that it may be nicer to put a slice of mozzarella cheese on top as opposed to shredded. Just my opinion!

Cheers, eLp

Lazy Night Dinner

2009-08-13T06:45:00.000-07:00

Last night I had every intention to make meatball subs (recipe to come), however I was bit by the lazy bug and decided it was a much better idea to catch up on missed TV shows. So, what did I opt to make for dinner...Hot dogs and french fries.

In our house we only eat Hebrew National hot dogs. Hubs likes to cover his with a Kraft Single and me, I just like a little bit of ketchup...so exciting, I know!

We mainly stick to Ori da Seasoned Crinkles for french fries. Hubs is a sucker for seasoned fries while I could take it or leave it. I prefer plain fries but I always compromise and we end up with seasoned. A few weeks ago (I won't lie, this laziness happens often) I made these sweet potato fries with the chipolte seasoning....freakin amazing! Last night we dipped the fries in BBQ Sauce. KC Masterpiece to be exact.

On the topic of BBQ Sauce, we are in love with Montgomery Inn BBQ Sauce. Its from Cincinnati and we have ordered it online. It is my fave!

Well, since this is such a lame post...I want you to let me know what you like!

Here's what I want to know:

What do you like on your hot dogs?

What do you like to dip your french fries in?

What is you favorite BBQ sauce?

Cheers, eLp

A Chicken Casserole, YU-UM

2009-08-11T17:24:00.000-07:00

**Added to Kelly's Korner- Show Us Your lIfe

Just finished dinner (by myself since the husband is working late) and I am so excited. I just tried a delish new dish that I found and I couldn't be happier!

I had mentioned this recipe last week to hubs and he seemed than enthusiastic than a bundle of hay. After making it...I think he will be pleasantly surprised. He was concerned that it would be mushy-ish. No at all!

So I give you....

A Chicken Casserole (I know, so original)

Ingridents:
1 (6 ounce) package wild rice (such as Uncle Ben's ®)
3 cups water
1 tablespoon vegetable oil
1 pound skinless, boneless chicken breast meat - cut into chunks
1 (14.5 ounce) can French-cut green beans, drained
1 (10.75 ounce) can cream of mushroom soup
1 cup mayonnaise

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

2. Bring the wild rice and water to a boil in a saucepan over high heat. Reduce heat to medium-low, cover, and simmer until the rice is tender but not mushy, 20 to 25 minutes. Drain off any excess liquid, fluff the rice with a fork, and cook uncovered 5 minutes more.

3. While the rice cooks, heat the oil in a pan over medium heat. Add the chicken and cook until completely browned on all sides, about 5 minutes. Combine the rice, chicken, green beans, mushroom soup, and mayonnaise in a large baking dish.

4.Bake in the preheated oven until the chicken is no longer pink in the center, about 45 minutes.

Recipe found on All Recipes

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

My dish on the dish:

Really really good. Pain in the ass to make but really good.

I decided that I wanted to use frozen green beans instead of canned. They pack much more of a nutritional value. So I had to make the chicken, make the green beans and make the rice...then mix it together and bake it. That's ALOT of pots and pans (and time) which means alot of cleanup.

The recipe calls for mayo in it. In my house, we don't do mayo, so I omitted it. Still delish!

I may, since I don't want to use canned green beans (which would cut prep time down) may make a chicken dish one night and make enough chicken for left overs so I can skip making one thing for that meal.

If you try it, please come back and tell me what you thought!

Cheers,

eLp

Where do I Find this Stuff...

2009-08-10T08:37:00.000-07:00

Below are links to some of the websites that I search though for anything that will feed the ~~wild beast~~ husband.

Usually (unless it is mine but lets not get head of ourselve...Im not that good) under the recipe I will link to the web page that I found the delightful dish at. I will keep adding as we go!

All Recipes

Yum Sugar

Real Simple (my bible)

Kraft

Food Network

Me?

2009-08-09T11:50:00.001-07:00

So you wanna know about me, do you?

Pour a cocktail and come back, Ill wait!

It all started in late 2007 when one woman (that's me) married one man (that's hubs) and started their new life.

I am no foodie, first off. There are more foods that I dislike than I actually like. I don't like to try new things and find comfort consistency. I don't eat anything from the sea, except for Calamari. I will say and hubs will vouch for me..I have tried on several occasions fish and shrimp. It all boils down to texture for me and there is just no getting used to it. I am absolutely head over in heals in love with chicken. Its may fav. For the most part, I make some kind of chick dish 3 days a week. I am nothing like my husband (See below for his description) in that I am constantly facing the weight battle. I try to make smart choices when I cook but that doesn't always work (I just found a recipe for a cheesy french fry casserole, see!).

Hubs is a skinny guy. The kind that you wanna sucker punch (I do not abuse my husband, thank you) because he eats and eats and never gains a pound....That is until he married me. He loves to eat and does a really good job of it. He is always a member of the clean plate club and rarely complains about my selection unless it is tacos (I make them once a week, wha? Its my go to dinner).

Here's the kicker:

I should have seen it coming but I suppose I was just being naive. The pots, the pans the utensils (all things that I registered for) who was I kidding! I don't mind cooking but I was never deeply connected to it. I could take it or leave it. I never had to have the coolest new frying pan or food processor or for that mater a freakin egg separator. My ~~parents~~ mom is a big fan of take out and restaurant dining (probably where I get it from).

Now, that sweet man who stood before me in late 2007 wants dinner...every night!

This is my quest to feed him and how along the way, I have come to enjoy it-sort of!

Cheers,
eLp

The most bland but OH SO GOOD chili

2009-08-08T13:08:00.000-07:00

I love chili but only if its the chili that my mom makes (now I make it too). Hubs is not very onto spicy so my chili recipe was perfect for him.

It consists of very little (which I love) and takes very little effort (which I love even more)!

I usually make this dish on a Sunday since it needs to simmer for as long as you are willing to let simmer. The longer the better.

Turkey Chili

Ingredients:

One package of ground turkey. I use the 43% fat kind
4 Cans of plain tomato sauce
2(ish) Cans of Campbell's tomato soup
1 tablespoon Chili powder (you will need to add more as it simmers)
A couple sprinkles of Garlic powder
Onion powder ( a few sprinkles should do the trick)

Directions:

1. Brown the ground turkey until cooked

2. Combine all cans of tomato sauce, tomato soup and ground turkey in a large pot

3. Add about 1 tablespoon of chili powder

4. Add the garlic powder and a few sprinkles of onion powder

5. Let simmer on low for as long as you can. The longer it simmers the better.

6. After it simmers for a little, taste and add chili powder to taste. I usually end up adding quite a bit.

I usually serve it with white or brown (when I'm being a good girl) rice in the bottom of the bowl. Add chili on top of rice and sprinkle shredded sharp cheddar cheese. Mix together...or not.

If you prefer you can skip the rice and scoop the chili with tostito chips.

Enjoy!

For the Love Of Chicken

2009-08-08T12:38:00.000-07:00

If you read the about me section (I hope you did because it pretty much spells out everything me) you would know that me and chicken are like this (picture me crossing my fingers)!

At the very least the husband and I have some sort of chicken dish two times per week.

Since I have such a love of chicken I thought it fitting for the first post to be a chicken recipe.

Bruchetta Chicken:

Ingredients:
1 Package of boneless, skinless chicken breast
*1- 1 1/2 containers of diced tomato
Diced onion
Wishbone Red Wine Balsamic Spray
Basil
Minced Garlic
Spray butter

Directions:
-Preheat oven to 350

1. Clean up chicken by cutting all visible fat off ( I am a freak about this)

2. Spray Pam into a baking dish and place chicken in pan

3. Spread minced garlic on chicken (use as much or as little as you would like, we are garlic whores in our house so more is usually better)

4. Top chicken with diced tomato's ( we are also tomato obsessed so I pile it on too) and onion

5. Sprinkle basil over tomato and onion

6. Give a few squirts of spray butter to top it off

7. Bake in oven until chicken is done (I never pay attention to time so when the chicken is done the dish is ready)

I usually serve this dish with Near East Rice Pilaf. Follow the directions on the box.

*Diced tomato- At the main food store here we have a section in produce that is already diced veggies (onion, tomato... etc). I know Walmart near us has that too so maybe try there if your local food store does not have it. Or you could you know, dice tomato yourself..that's just not my style!

Cheers, eLp