Tuesday, September 29, 2009
Goin' on a Little Trip
Monday, September 28, 2009
Saturday, September 26, 2009
A visit to the Farmer's Market
When you walk in, you get so many delicious smells, first one being fresh coffee beans.
Thursday, September 24, 2009
I Love the Fall
Then I open my front door to see all of the beautiful colors and see this....
STINK BUGS!!!!
I don't know about you, but we have them all over the place. The porch, screens, side of the house, the front door, sometimes they even sneak inside of the house. If you squish them, they really do stink! I was just wondering if anyone else had these little critters roaming around?
Happy Fall everyone!
XOXO
Wednesday, September 23, 2009
Beef Bourguignon
Beef Bourguigon
INGREDIENTS:
•8 ounces bacon, coarsely chopped
•3 pounds well-trimmed boneless beef chuck, cut into 1 1/2-inch cubes (from 7-bone chuck roast)
•1/3 cup all purpose flour
•1 1/4 pounds boiling onions, peeled
•3/4 pound large carrots, cut into 1-inch pieces
•4 celery stalks cut into 1 inch pieces on the diagonal.
•6 white new potatoes, peeled and quartered.
•6 large garlic cloves, peeled (left whole)
•3 cups canned beef broth
•1/2 cup Cognac or brandy
•2 750-ml bottles of good red Burgundy wine
•1 pound crimini mushrooms
•1 cup fresh or frozen green peas.
•1/3 cup chopped fresh thyme or 2 tablespoons dried
•1 tablespoon dark brown sugar
•1 tablespoon tomato paste
•Preheat oven to 325 degrees. Saute bacon in heavy large Dutch oven over high heat until brown and crisp, about 8 minutes. Using slotted spoon, transfer bacon to paper towels. Season beef generously with salt and pepper; coat with 1/3 cup flour, using all of flour. Working in 3 batches, brown beef in same pot over high heat, about 5 minutes per batch. Transfer meat to large bowl. Add onions and carrots to same pot and sauté until light brown, about 6 minutes. Add garlic and sauté 1 minute. Transfer vegetables to bowl with beef.
•Add 1 cup broth and Cognac to pot; boil until reduced to glaze, scraping up browned bits, about 8 minutes. Return meat and vegetables and their juices to pot. Add wine, mushrooms, thyme, sugar, tomato paste and 2 cups broth. Bring to boil, stirring occasionally. Cover pot and place in oven. Cook until beef is tender, about 1 hour 30 minutes.
•Add celery and potatoes after 30 minutes of cooking time. •Add peas at the end of the cooking time after heat has been turned off.
•Ladle liquid from stew into large saucepan. Spoon off fat. Boil liquid until reduced to 2 3/4 cups, about 40 minutes. Season with salt and pepper. Pour liquid back over beef and vegetables. (Can be prepared 1 day ahead. Cover and chill.) Rewarm over low heat before serving. Serve over egg noodles.
-Didn't use the brandy
-Only used one bottle of red wine
-Added a can of chicken broth
-Added an extra tablespoon of sugar and tomato paste
Please give it a try, you will LOVE it!!
XOXO
Monday, September 21, 2009
Happy Monday
XOXO
Friday, September 18, 2009
HAPPY FRIDAY!!!!
I just wanted to tell everyone to have a fantastic weekend! This is a picture of my mother-in-law, Helen, (on the far left) with her college roommates. They both flew in from Florida this week to visit. She never asks me for anything, but she was adamant about really wanting me to come to Maryland to meet them. So yesterday after work I drove down to grant her request. We had a wonderful dinner of a nice salad, crab cakes, roasted asparagus, and corn on the cob.
They were up bright and early this morning, and are off to the airport. I'm really glad I got to meet them, very sweet and lots of laughs. The topic of conversation was grand kids, getting old, and pills! Funny.
XOXO
Sunday, September 13, 2009
Birthday Dinner Party
Last night we went to a wonderful dinner party to celebrate my friend Betsi's 50th birthday. We had a great time, and the food was outrageous. What a beautiful home this couple had. This is Betsi and her husband, Bob, me and John.
Tuesday, September 1, 2009
Best Turkey Burger EVER!!
I saw these turkey burgers on Oprah last year. They are from Donald Trump's private club, Mar-a-Lago in Palm Beach. I made them last summer, and they were the best turkey burger I have ever had. I wouldn't change a thing! A little bit of work, but well worth the effort! They are on the menu for this weekend. If you get a chance, give them a try!
Mar-a-Lago Turkey Burger
Recipe courtesy of Jeff O'Neill
Oprah found a new favorite food when she tried this turkey burger at Mar-a-Lago, Donald Trump's private club in Palm Beach. "I believe [it] may be the best turkey burger in the entire world," she says. The Mar-a-Lago Turkey Burger will be permanently available at the Trump Bar and Grille in Trump Tower in New York City, open to the public for lunch and dinner. It will also be served during lunch in Chicago at Sixteen, the Trump International Hotel restaurant.
Ingredients:Serves 6
1/4 cup thinly sliced scallions
1/2 cup finely chopped celery
3 Granny Smith apples , peeled and diced
1/8 cup canola oil
4 pounds ground turkey breast
2 Tbsp. salt
2 Tbsp. black pepper
2 tsp. Tabasco® chipotle pepper sauce
1 lemon , juiced and grated zest
1/2 bunch parsley , finely chopped
1/4 cup Major Grey's Chutney , pureed
Sauté the scallions, celery and apples in the canola oil until tender. Let cool.Place the ground turkey in a large mixing bowl. Add sautéed items and the remaining ingredients. Shape into eight 8-ounce burgers. Refrigerate for 2 hours.Season the turkey burgers with salt and pepper. Place on a preheated, lightly oiled grill. Grill each side for 7 minutes until meat is thoroughly cooked. Let sit for 5 minutes.Serve with a side of Mar-a-Lago Pear Chutney and your favorite toasted bread, pita or hamburger roll.
1 Anjour Pear, peeled and diced
1/2 tsp. sea salt
1 1/2 cups Major Grey's Chutney
1/4 cup raisins
-Toss diced pears in a little bit of cinnamon and salt.
-Bake on parchment lined cookie sheet for 10 minutes @ 350.
-Cool and mix with chutney and raisins.
I hope everyone has a WONDERFUL Labor Day. I'm heading to Maryland tomorrow, and will try to keep in touch. Then it is back to work next Wednesday, YEAH!
XOXO