with love & tears... A Day of Blogger Silence

Side Dish recipe swap ~ Roasted Spiced Squash

I love, love, love these recipe swaps! And I love, love, love squash! The two together- wonderful!!! This one entailed side dishes. And this one was so good!!! According to Coleen, the The Redhead baker, she made it on Thanksgiving, but forgot to snap a picture, so she didn't get to blog it. But, she says her non-veggie-eating brother even liked it.And I am not surprised! This is loaded with yumminess. It's no secret, I don't like Rachael Ray's recipes, moreso because usually something about them doesn't mesh- the time allotment or amounts, etc. Well, the only thing I didn't listen to here was RR's advice about spice clumping... I love little clumps of brown sugar & left them! YUM.

For my part, I gave the swapee a choice between: Patatas Bravas or a veg (minus the sausage): Brussels Sprouts with Pancetta & Apple Chicken Sausage

Let's see what was chosen! Thank you, as always, to Sarah at A Taste of Home Cooking for hosting!!!

<3 Lishie

Roasted Spiced Squash
slightly adapted from Rachael Ray Magazine

•     2 TBSp extra virgin olive oil, plus more if needed ('twas!)
•     1TBSp brown sugar
•     1/2 tsp ground cinnamon
•     1/2 tsp smoked paprika
•     sea salt
•     3 lbs butternut squash - peeled, seeded & cut into 3/4" cubes (about 8 c)

    Preheat the oven to 425 degrees. In a small bowl, mix 2 TBSp extra virgin olive oil, the brown sugar, cinnamon, paprika & 1 tsp salt. Divide the squash between 2 large rimmed baking sheets. Drizzle the spice mixture evenly over the squash; toss to coat. (The squash should be lightly coated. If the spices are clumping up, add a little more oil & toss again.) Spread the squash out in an even layer; bake until the edges are browned, rotating the pans halfway through cooking, about 20 minutes.
    Transfer the squash to a serving dish.

Happy Thanksgiving

I am truly thankful for all of the support & interest I get from you all!!!!

Happy Thanksgiving!!!

And from Gabriel:

<3 Lishie

Pumpkin Pie Bars

We had Thanksgiving at work & I have a long commute with a lot of walking... so what to bring, what to bring? I had already decided "something pumpkin" but what? Well amongst the many holiday food emails I received, I got one from Kraft (of all places!) & this recipe hit me as very yummy looking & interesting. The twist that got me was the "crumble-like" aspect to it. The only adaptation I made was I made my own pumpkin pie spice (I never get the ready-made because I love fresh ground nutmeg. There is a huge difference!)

Problem was, I didn't have time to allow the end product to cool, refrigerate & cut it into bars... So I did 1 & 2... & carried the tin to work whole. The result? See picture below... I cracked the top & the entire thing was "U" shaped. Good thing, as always, it is the taste that counts because these were Delish... Oh, & sorry about the pics. I took them with my Blackberry AT work, before they were gobbled up.

Happy Thanksgiving!

<3 Lishie

Pumpkin Pie Bars
slightly adapted from Kraft

1-1/3c  flour

3/4c  sugar, divided

1/2 c  packed brown sugar

3/4 c  cold butter, cut up

1 c  old-fashioned or quick-cooking oats, uncooked

1/2 c  chopped pecans

1 pkg.  (8 oz.) Cream Cheese, softened

3 eggs

1 can  (15 oz.) pumpkin   

1 tsp FRESH ground nutmeg  

1 tsp ground cinnamon  

1 tsp ground ginger  

1 tsp ground allspiceHeat oven to 350°F.

Line 13x9-inch pan with foil, with ends of foil extending over sides; spray with cooking spray. Mix flour, 1/4 c granulated sugar & brown sugar in medium bowl until blended; cut in butter with pastry blender or 2 knives until mixture resembles coarse crumbs. Stir in oats & nuts.

 

Reserve 1c  oat mixture; press remaining onto bottom of prepared pan. Bake 15 min. Beat cream cheese, remaining sugar, eggs, pumpkin & all of the spices with mixer until blended; pour over crust. Sprinkle with reserved oat mixture. 

Bake 25 min.; cool 10 min. Use foil to transfer dessert from pan to wire rack; cool completely.
Refrigerate. 

 

Brussels Sprouts with Pancetta & Apple Chicken Sausage

Need a delicious side for Thanksgiving? This is packed with fresh flavors, colorful & pretty good for you!

My mom-in-law came home with a farm-fresh branch/bushel(?) of Brussels Sprouts & shared them with me. I was so excited- they were gorgeous! Those bright green little leaves! If you are not a fan of the little cabbage family veg, this may make you one.

Happy Thanksgiving
<3 Lishie

Brussels Sprouts with Pancetta & Apple Chicken Sausage

• 2 TBSp olive oil
• 2 medium shallots, diced
• 4 oz pancetta, diced
• 1 lb. Brussels Sprouts, cleaned & quartered
• 2 apple chicken sausage, cut into 2" pieces
• S & P, to taste

Heat the oil on medium-high & add the shallots. Allow to cook for 1-2 minutes, stirring. Add the pancetta & cook for another 2 minutes, stirring. Add in the Brussels sprouts & allow to brown for 2 minutes (without stirring). Stir, all to brown for another couple of minutes. Add the Sausage & allow it to brown. In total, cook all about 15 minutes. Add S&P, to taste & serve.

Chicken A L'Orange

I know everyone is talking turkey & I am over here all chicken, chicken, chicken... But we wait near Thanksgiving to have the turkey dinner, all the sides, etc. Then we appreciate it more. And, I am always looking for a change-up to our chicken dinners. So when I saw this twisted upgrade on Julia Child's Duck L'Orange in Women's Day magazine I knew it was one to try. Citrus & my family go together well. Give this a try when you are a little tired of turkey, I promise it will perk up your menu!!!

Happy Thanksgiving prepping...
<3 Lishie

 Chicken A L'Orange Recipe

slightly adapted from Women's Day

• 3 shallots, peeled & diced small
• 2 TBSp olive oil
• Kosher salt
• Pepper
• 1 lb chicken pieces (I used drumsticks)
• 1/4 c orange marmalade
• 1 TBSp white wine vinegar
• 1 TBSp chopped fresh rosemary

Heat the broiler. In a broiler-safe pan, toss the shallots, 1 TBSp oil & s & p.

In a bowl, whisk together the marmalade, vinegar, rosemary, remaining tablespoon oil & more s & p. Add the chicken pieces; toss to coat.

Place the chicken mixture in the readied pan, nestling the pieces among the shallots. Broil until chicken is cooked through and browned and shallots are tender, about 30 minutes, turning the chicken pieces halfway through. Serve with green beans.

Pre- Thanksgiving Post

There is always, always, always something to be thankful for...

Check out the guest post I did at Mom It Forward:

Nature Inspired Turkey / Thanksgiving Card

And look at these for Thanksgiving:

Plymouth Rock Cookies

After Thanksgiving:

Thanksgiving Sandwich

Happy Thanksgiving!

<3  Lishie

GAME DAY SWAP ~ Blooming Onion w/ Dipping Sauce

Before everything went black with Hurricane Sandy, we had swapped recipes with my National Cooking Board for the subject "Game Day Swap". (Thank you, as always Sarah @ A Taste of Home Cooking.)Funny thing is, I was so looking forward to make this & then SHE (Sandy) hit... When I finally was able to make this delicious appy, we still had no tv. No complaints here, for real, I have learned that I watch way less tv than I thought & it permitted me to read more (yes, even more than I already do- for me & to my tot). Not to really mention all of the REAL devastation the storm caused. I happily fried this baby up for a family Board Game Day. I think you all will LOVE it to...

Yes, it is a knockoff Outback Steakhouse recipe. And yes, it is pretty, pretty close to real thing!!! THANK you so much to Christine @ CHRISTINE'S CHRONICLES for this recipe. And I agree with Christine's complaint, "the greasy fried smell that it leaves in your house...yuck!"!!! BUT it is well worth it! I did core the onion (the ONLY use out of the "Blooming Onion Gadget" we have. Do NOT buy it- see pic below! Such a waste!!!) AND my onion still fell apart. That is so ok because I believe taste tops presentation ALWAYS! :)

Make this for your football game, your hockey game or really, for your family game night. So good! Finger-lickin' good!!!!
<3 Lishie

Blooming Onion w/ Dipping Sauce

from Christine's Kitchen Chronicles

via All Recipes

For the Blooming Onion:

• 1 egg
• 1 cup milk
• 1 cup all-purpose flour
• 1 1/2 teaspoons salt
• 1 1/2 teaspoons cayenne pepper
• 1 teaspoon paprika
• 1/2 teaspoon ground black pepper
• 1/3 teaspoon dried oregano
• 1/8 teaspoon dried thyme
• 1/8 teaspoon ground cumin
• 1 large sweet onion
• 3/4 cup vegetable oil for frying

For the Dipping Sauce:

• 1/2 cup mayonnaise
• 1 tablespoon ketchup
• 2 tablespoons cream-style horseradish sauce
• 1/3 teaspoon paprika
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 1/8 teaspoon dried oregano
• 1 pinch ground black pepper
• 1/3 teaspoon cayenne pepper

Directions

1. To make sauce: In a medium bowl, combine mayonnaise, ketchup, horseradish, 1/3 teaspoon paprika, 1/4 teaspoon salt, 1/8 teaspoon oregano, a dash ground black pepper and cayenne pepper; mix well. Keep sauce covered in refrigerator until needed.
2. To make the batter: In a medium bowl, beat egg and add milk. In a separate bowl, combine flour, salt, cayenne pepper, paprika, ground black pepper, oregano, thyme and cumin; mix.
3. To slice onion: slice 1 inch off of the top and bottom of the onion and remove the papery skin. Use a thin knife to cut a 1 inch diameter core out of the middle of the onion. Now slice the onion several times down the center to create 'petals': First slice through the center of the onion to about three-fourths of the way down. Turn the onion 90 degrees and slice it again in an X across the first slice. Keep slicing the sections in half, very carefully until the onion has been cut 16 times. Do not cut down to the bottom of the onion.
4. Spread the 'petals' of the onion apart. To help keep them separate you could plunge the onion into boiling water for 1 minute and then into ice water.  Keep the onions bloom side down in the ice bath for at least 30 minutes to allow onion to bloom. 
5. Dip the onion into the milk mixture and then coat it liberally with the flour mixture. Again separate the petals and sprinkle the dry coating between them. Repeat with a second layer of milk mixture and follow again with flour coating.
6. Heat oil in a deep fryer or deep pot to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). Make sure you use enough oil to completely cover the onion when it fries.
7. Fry the onion right side up in the oil for 10 minutes or until it turns brown. When the onion has browned, remove it from the oil and let it drain on a rack or paper towels. If desired, open the onion wider from the center so that you can put a small dish of the dipping sauce in the center.

Check out the post I gave for the swap: Stromboli!!!
Check out another Outback Steakhouse copy: Shrooms!
And check out my guest post today on Mom It Forward: Kids Craft: How to Make a Nature-Inspired Turkey

Slow-cooked "Roast" Chicken pieces

Here is another yummy slow-cooker meal. The chicken falls off of the bone. Easy & simple, yet delightful! 
<3 Lishie

Slow-cooked "Roast" Chicken pieces

• 3-4 carrots, cleaned, whole
• 3-4 celery ribs, cleaned, whole
• 2-3 lbs chicken pieces, bone-in, with skin
• Paprika
• S & P

Place the carrots & celery length-wise along the bottom of the slow-cooker. Place the chicken pieces, skin-side up on top of the veg. Sprinkle liberally with the paprika, then the s & p.

Set the slow cooker to High for 1 hour, then turn down to Low for about 8 hours, or until the chicken is no longer pink & the juices run clear.

Slow-Cooker Country Chicken Stew

Comfort food! That is what we need!!! Especially after all of the storms, etc. And wait? ANOTHER NorEaster is predicted for Thanksgiving week in NJ? You don't say. Sigh. I'll start praying now it won't wreak much havoc to our already damaged state.

I made this "Before the Darkness" as some of us are calling the hurricane period. I loved it. My mom & pop-in-law loved it. The tot loved it. I think the cat loved it too. Who did not? My hubby. Whatevahs. This.is.so.good. Chicken fall off the bone good. Make a big pot of it & relax....

<3 Lishie

Slow-Cooker Country Chicken Stew

• 1 1/2 lbs baby red potatoes
• 4-5 carrots, cleaned & cut into thirds
• 4-5 parsnips, cleaned & cut into thirds
• 4-5 celery ribs, cleaned & cut into thirds
• 1 medium onion, skinned & cut into quarters
• 2 lbs bone-in chicken thighs & drumsticks
• 1/2 c water
• 1 TBSp herbs de provence
• 1/2 tsp black pepper 
• 1 tsp sea salt or kosher salt
• 3 TBSp cornstarch
• 1/2 c milk

Prep slow cooker with cooking spray. Place potatoes, carrots, parsnips, celery & onion in slow cooker. Place chicken on top of vegetables. Mix water & seasonings in a small bowl until well blended. Pour over chicken & vegetables. Cover.
 

Cook 8 hours on low or 4 hours on high.
 

Last hour of cooking- combine the cornstarch & milk in a small bowl until smooth. Stir into sauce in slow cooker. Cover & cook 15 minutes longer on high or until sauce is thickened.

Serve over egg noodles.

Griddle Corncakes

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In the initial couple of days of the power outage from Hurricane Sandy I attempted to use all of our fresh, refrigerated food. We live in a two-family home upstairs; my mom & pop-in-law live downstairs. We had breakfast together every day. My in-laws have a percolator & make coffee, I made these old camping/Southern great -griddle corncakes - one morning after lighting the gas burner by hand (this, btw, terrifies me). These are delish!
<3 Lishie

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Griddle Corncakes Recipe

• 2 c yellow cornmeal
• 2 tsp baking powder
• 1 tsp salt
• 1 large egg, lightly beaten
• 1 c water, plus more if needed
• 1/3 c canola oil, for frying

In a large bowl, whisk together the cornmeal, baking powder, & salt.

In another bowl whisk the
 egg & 1 c water until smooth. Stir the wet ingredients into the dry ingredients, using as few strokes as possible.
The consistency should be lumpy like pancake batter.

Heat the oil in a cast-iron skillet over medium heat. Ladle 1/4c  of batter into the heated skillet for each corncake.

Cook the corncakes until they bubble on top & are brown on the bottoms & along the edges, 2 to 3 minutes. Turn and brown the other side, for another 2 - 3 minutes. Serve immediately topped with a pat of butter!

*Sorry there is no "after" picture. My camera battery died & I had no way to recharge :( Sigh, Sandy.

The Hurricane (& Zeppoles~ Hurricane-Style)

Hurricane Sandy

Nor Easter Athena 

(yeah, apparently they're named now too?!)

We here at the DeMarias were very, very lucky. 

We live in a town called Bayonne, NJ, on the water. It is a peninsula that connects NJ to NY; Bayonne to Staten Island via the Bayonne Bridge. And Staten Island, NYC was hit horribly bad.The hurricane really was terrifying. We lost power that night, quickly & the hubby & I sat the night out in darkness, listening to the unearthly wind howling, seeing the flashing lights of the First Responders-God bless them, hearing their sirens. Our tot, Gabriel fell asleep before the worst & slept through & I am grateful. We only sustained minor damages & I am grateful. We were in the dark, without power for 5 days. We were lucky. 

I cried when I saw the first newspaper. 

The images were incomprehensible to me. I have been adopted by NJ. I grew up in Florida with hurricanes. The photos didn't.seem.real. The roller coaster we love Sitting in the ocean adrift. The homes destroyed. Then I read an account from Staten Island about a mom, a nurse, who lost her two boys, a 2 year old & 5 year old. And I started bawling. We didn't get our Directv back for 2 weeks (the satellite was buckled, the bolts torn off, half hanging from our roof. Scary stuff.

WE ARE SO LUCKY. 

Please, if you can, 

give to the relief effort. 

The Jersey Shore is decimated. We have had wonderful times on the Boardwalks, the beautiful beaches- Seaside, Pt. Pleasant, Ocean City... NYC's outer burroughs are hurting bad- Staten Island, Breezy Point, Rockaways... Money is what is needed most now or gift cards. 

NJ Governor Chris Christie set up a reflief fund here:

To contribute to the effort donations can be made online at www.SandyNJReliefFund.org or mailed to:
Hurricane Sandy New Jersey Relief Fund, PO Box 95, Mendham NJ 07945-0095.
You can also text NJ to 41444 to donate today.

This story about Zoe & her siblings touched me personally, so I'd like you to take a moment to read it:

http://www.wishuponahero.com/wishes/?id=1316547

And, of course there's also the American Red Cross.

We were without power but we have a gas line & could light the stove with a match. We tried to make the most of it. We ate meals together, combined fresh foods & came up with good dinners. I made these one night for the family & my in-laws for dessert (to use the crescent rolls) & they were loved!

<3 Lishie

Zeppoles~ Hurricane-Style
1 can of Pillsbury Crescent Rolls
canola oil
powdered sugar, to sprinkle

Heat the oil in a deep pan. Cut the crescent roll dough into small 2" pieces. Carefully add them to the oil & cook for about 1-2 minutes on each side, carefully turning them with a spider utensil. Take from heat & place on a paper towel. Sprinkle with powdered sugar to serve.

Open Faced Sandwiches w/ Russian Dressing

Need something really simple to make, yet hearty? Well, this is ridiculously simple & very filling & tasty. All you need to do is either 1) get deli-sliced roast beef or 2) slice up leftover roast beef. That is all. If you want to go the extra mile, add the Russian dressing. Open Faced Sandwiches remind me of NYC deli. Have you ever gone into a NYC deli & ordered a sandwich? Usually they are heaping high with enough meat to make three regular-sized sandwiches! I can never finish one. If you make these at home, you can control the portion & still have the taste. YUM, just serve with a pickle. 

<3 Lishie

Open Faced Sandwiches
nice, crusty bread
deli-style sliced roast beef
sliced provolone
Fire up the broiler. On a broiler pan, place the sliced-open crusty bread. Optional- Spread some 
Russian Dressing on the slices. Pile as high with roast beef & provolone as you dare. Broil for 10-12 minutes or until cheese is melted to your liking.

Eggplant "Sandwiches"

Since I was unwell, my Mom-in-law sent me some fried eggplant. I love it so! I decided to make little eggplant "sandwiches" with the pieces with provolone in the middle, the idea from my friend Melissa at "I Was Born to Cook". I had never thought of making these delicious little packages of love before & what a treat! My mom-in-law made the eggplant the same as IWBTC & I would... I just added the provolone & broiled. So DeLish!!!!
<3 Lishie

Eggplant "Sandwiches"
adapted from I was Born to Cook

• 3 eggs
• water
• 2 c Italian bread crumbs
• 3/4 c Parmigiano Reggiano, grated, divided
• 1 eggplant, peeled and sliced into thin rounds
• s & p
• extra virgin olive oil
• 1/4 lb. provolone slices

Crack eggs into a bowl & beat with a bit of water.  Place bread crumbs on a flat plate, add a bit of Parmigiano Reggiano, & mix.  Dip eggplant slices in egg, one at a time, letting excess egg drip off before coating both sides with bread crumbs.

Heat oil over medium-high heat in a large skillet.  Add eggplant & brown on both sides, sprinkling with a bit of s & p.  Remove & place on paper towel-lined plate.  Repeat process until all eggplant is cooked. 

Heat up the broiler. Take a broiler pan & place eggplant on bottom.  Top each slice with a few slices of provolone.  Top with eggplant & sprinkle Parmigiano Reggiano on top. 

Broil for 10 minutes, until cheese is melted.  Top with more Parmigiano Reggiano, if desired.  Serve.

Makes around a dozen "sandwiches".

Quesadillas

The easiest, tastiest meal. It is like a Tex-Mex grilled cheese. You can add anything inside- refried beans, ground beef, shredded pork or chicken, veggies... You can even add the salsa or the guacamole as spread, warmed up. This can be a meal or an appy, it is so versatile & quick.

<3 Lishie

Quesadillas

• Large flour tortillas
• Grated cheese - either mild or sharp cheddar, or Monterey Jack

All I do is set either a non-stick pan or a cast iron skillet on the stove top & heat to medium-high. Place one soft flour tortilla on it, sprinkle it with the shredded cheese... Place a second flour tortilla on top. Allow to cook for a minute, then, with a wide spatula, carefully flip the "quesadilla" over. Cook on the other side for a minute. Cute into quarters & serve with lettuce/tomato, sour cream, salsa or guacamole. Or all of the above :)

Roasted Mushrooms

OK, my hubby loves mushrooms. Loves, loves, loves them. I got the idea of simply roasting them from a pinterest pin. This is so easy & great when you have the oven on for something else. The mushrooms cook so easily "with others". ;)

<3 Lishie

Roasted Mushrooms

• 1/2c sliced white button mushrooms
• 1/2c sliced baby Bella mushrooms
• 1 shallot, finely chopped
• 1-2 TBSp olive oil 
• 1 TBSp red wine vinegar
• 1 TBSp minced fresh flat-leaf parsley for garnish

Preheat oven to 375degrees. Combine the mushrooms & shallots onto a lined baking sheet (I used aluminum foil). Sprinkle with the olive oil & vinegar. Bake for about 30 minutes. Sprinkle with the parsley & serve. 

Teriyaki Wings

My hubby loves chicken wings, even for dinner. This is a quick, inexpensive meal. The wings come out flavorful & juicy.

<3 Lishie

Teriyaki Wings 

• 2 lbs chicken wingettes
• s & p
• garlic powder
• 1 c Teriyaki sauce
• fresh parsley, to top

Preheat oven to 375.

On a greased baking sheet, season chicken wingettes with s & p, & garlic powder. Brush with terriyaki sauce, save remainder of sauce.

Bake in preheated oven for 25-30 mins.

Remove chicken & baste with the remainder of the terriyaki sauce.

Sprinkle parsley over the chicken& serve.

Facebook & Twitter & Pinterest

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Time to time I have Giveaways & fun things. And of course, GREAT RECIPE posts :)

And if you have tried any of my recipes- PLEASE come back & comment on either the Blog post or on my FB page- I would really appreciate it!! xoxo

PS- I also have a Craft Blog called: 

art for an archangel

art for an archangel on Pinterest.

Thank you all so much your time & following!!!

<3 Lishie

Halfsies!

Time is flying by for me. Gabriel, my tot, is 3 & 1/2. Holy moly my baby is growing up. We went to his friend Sammy's 3rd birthday this past weekend & G just loves the Happy birthday song. I had seen a "Half" birthday cake on pinterest so I thought, why not? Life is too short not to bake & eat cake. So I made a Halfsie cake- a brown bear peeping at Gabriel- for this week. 

Light, fluffy yellow goodness

It is one 8" round cake, cut in half, "glued" together with frosting then turned onto its flat side. The "ears" are two tiny cupcakes "pinned" on with toothpicks & the "eyes" are two nilla wafers with two chocolate chips "glued" on with frosting. I didn't do the best or prettiest job but for my 3 & 1/2 year old, it was awesome. And, really, that is all that counts!

<3 mommy Lishie

Halfsies vanilla cake recipe 
(for the perfect amount)

• 1 & 1/2 c flour
• 1 tsp baking powder
• pinch salt
• 1/2 c butter, softened
• 3/4 c sugar
• 1 egg
• 1/2 tsp vanilla
• 1/3 c milk

Heat oven to 350°F. 

Grease an 8" circle cake pan. Place paper baking cups in each of 2 cupcake cups. 

G 3.5 

In medium bowl, mix flour, baking powder & salt; set aside.
In large bowl, beat butter with electric mixer on medium speed 30 seconds. Gradually add sugar, about 1/4 cup at a time, beating well after each addition & scraping bowl occasionally. Beat 2 minutes longer. Add egg & beat well. Beat in vanilla. On low speed, alternately add flour mixture, then  milk, beating just until blended.
Divide batter evenly among
Bake 20 to 25 minutes or until toothpick inserted in center comes out clean.

Chocolate Frosting recipe here.