Super Hero Sandwich

It's been a hot and humid week here in my little state. Muggy, muggy, muggy. I hate muggy. It makes my hair frizz. I hate frizz. I also hate heating up the oven when it's this hot out so we have been surviving on a variety of cold or grilled food this week and lots of salads.

The garden is going into mass production, so we have had plenty of fresh beans, cukes and zucchini. My eggplants are also going into overdrive, there are like 40 baby eggplants on the plant right now. I have a feeling that I will be lavished with eggplants all at once in a week of so. Time to break out the eggplant recipes.

Friday night we finally got a break from all the humidity after days and days of feeling clammy and sticky. I decided that the oven could finally be turned on again and hot food could once again be consumed! Super Hero Sandwiches for everyone!! I was inspired by Cathy's Caesar Salad Club Sandwich over at Noble Pig. This was her version of a sandwich by fabulous Ina Garten. I made my own little version with a few different ingredients, but I think it could stand it's ground with Ina & Cathy's versions.

Super Hero Sandwich

No formal recipe here, but I have found the perfect condiment for the rest of my life.....this herbed mayo! It is outta this world scrumptious.

For the mayo:

1/2 cup mayonnaise

juice from half a lemon

good bunch of fresh parsley finely chopped

fresh chives, finely chopped

fresh thyme, finely chopped

1 heaping teaspoon of Dijon mustard
1 large clove of garlic, pressed

Oh man this is goof stuff. Makes plain ole mayonnaise look downright pitiful and tasteless.

I cooked a pound of thick sliced bacon in the oven. I didn't use the whole pound for this recipe. Lord that would just be too much bacon...well too much bacon for me, the 3 males in the house don't believe in the words "too much bacon". There is no such thing my husband would argue with you. So I hid the rest of the bacon way in the back in the fridge for later use. I wrapped it in paper towel and put it in a bag so they will think it's lettuce and never touch it.

When the bacon was done I cooked some pancetta until it was nice and golden brown and crispy. Then I took a nice big loaf of ciabatti bread, cut it in half, and let it crisp up in the oven for about 8 - 10 minutes. Once the bread cooled a tiny bit I loaded on the mayo, some fresh basil and spinach, some bacon, a few slices of Genoa salami, fresh provolone cheese, some more basil and spinach, the pancetta, and then topped it with some freshly shaved pecorino romano cheese.

My family declared this "the best sangwitch eva" (that was a Rhode Island accent there). Thanks Cathy & Ina.

Little Wonders

Let it go,
Let it roll right off your shoulder,
Don't you know
The hardest part is over
Let it in,
Let your clarity define you
In the end
We will only just remember how it feels.

Our lives are made
In these small hours
These little wonders,
These twists & turns of fate
Time falls away,
But these small hours,
These small hours, still remain.

Let it slide,
Let your troubles fall behind you
Let it shine
Until you feel it all around you
And I don't mind
If it's me you need to turn to
We'll get by,
It's the heart that really matters in the end.

Our lives are made
In these small hours
These little wonders,
These twists & turns of fate.
Time falls away,
But these small hours,
These small hours still remain.

All of my regret
Will wash away some how
But I can not forget
The way I feel right now.

In these small hours
These little wonders
These twists & turns of fate
These twists & turns of fate.

Time falls away but these small hours
These small hours, still remain,
Still remain.
These little wonders
These twists & turns of fate
Time falls away
But these small hours
These little wonders still remain.

Chinese Sausage Fried Rice

Well I had a go at my second test recipe (I made the Firecracker Shrimp awhile back) for Jaden @ Jaden's Steamy Kitchens for her upcoming cookbook.

There is a little series of questions to answer so I will do that here:

1. Did the recipe sound interesting to you from reading the title? What about after you read the ingredient list? Sure did that's why I decided to make it.

2. Were all of the ingredients easy for you to find? If not, which ones were troublesome? If you made substitutions, what substitutions did you make? I have a local Asian Market not far from home, so finding the ingredients wasn't hard at all. Most I had on hand, the only thing I needed to buy was the Chinese sausage.


3. Did the instructions make sense to you? Do you think they would make sense to the average home cook? Was there any part of the recipe that needed clarification, or that you think could be explained in a more easily understandable manner? Made total sense to me. I even had my 13 year old read it and he said he understood it.

4. Were any techniques or procedures unfamiliar to you, or more work than you thought they would be? (or involve more effort) No, pretty easy actually. From pan to plate in less than 15 minutes total time. That's always a help for a busy Mom!

5. Were the times and temperatures associated with various steps correct? Perfect

6. What did you think of the completed dish? We all loved it! The flavor that the Chinese sausage gave this dish was delicious!
• Was this dish easy to make? Very.
• Was it appealing to look at? If there is a photo posted, does your finished dish look similar? I think it looks similar to yours, but your photos always look better than mine.
• Did it smell good? Yup, made the teenager pry his eyes away from his computer long enough to ask..."what smells good Mom?"
• Did it taste good? Very good!
• Was it what you expected it to be, in terms of appearance as well as taste? Yes.
• What did your friends/family think about the completed dish? Family loved it. "You can make this again Mom" I think that says it all.
• Was the number of servings correct, and were the portions appropriate? Yes.
• Would you make this dish again? Definitely, I will be making this again.
• On a scale of 1-10, rate this dish. What would make this dish EVEN BETTER? I really think it's perfect just the way it is. Any additions would just be a plus. I added in some leftover carrots and peas that I had, but you could really use up any of your leftovers with this dish. We loved it!!

My family really loved this fried rice. That Chinese sausage just gives it a wonderful flavor. I think I may need to go back to the Asian market and stock up on more! Oh I almost forgot, the most important tip - use day old rice - I used Jasmine rice, it really makes a difference!

Muddy Buddies

Salty and crunchy, chocolaty and sugary what's not to like about Muddy Buddies? Sometimes referred to as Puppy Chow or People Chow, I have made these plain as you see them now, or to dress them up for the holidays, I have added in mini chocolate chips, peanuts, M&M's, etc. Today we opted for the simple peanut butter and chocolate coated variety. We're trying to keep it simple. We plan on catchin a movie (Wall-E) with the boys this week, and muddy buddies are the perfect movie snack (I'm not paying $6 for jujubes thank you very much). I'll smuggle in four bags of muddy buddies and plenty of wipes.

Warning the following recipe is highly addictive (and very messy to make, but worth every minute of messiness!)

Muddy Buddies
Printable recipe
9 cups of Chex cereal – any variety
1 cup semi-sweet chocolate chips
½ cup smooth peanut butter
¼ cup margarine or butter (use butter!)
1 teaspoon vanilla
1 ½ cups powdered sugar

In 1-quart microwavable bowl, stir together chocolate chips, peanut butter and butter. Microwave uncovered on High 1 minute; stir. Microwave about 30 seconds longer or until mixture can be stirred smooth. Stir in vanilla. Pour mixture over cereal, stirring until evenly coated. Pour into 2-gallon resealable food-storage plastic bag.

Add powdered sugar. Seal bag; shake until well coated. Spread on waxed paper to cool. Store in airtight container.

I am the list maker

I am a list maker, always have been. I think it started way back when I was in Jr. High school. I can remember making lists of what I was going to wear to school the next day, what I needed to bring the next day, what I had to do after school, etc. I felt better knowing that I could get those things outta my head, and be secure in the fact that they were written down a piece of paper just in case I forgot. I don’t usually forget, which makes my list making even more pathetic.

This is how bad it is:

The Coupon Holder: I have a coupon holder in my purse. The only time I am without my coupon holder is when I am attending a wedding, or corporate event. Then I switch to my fancy little purse that can’t even hold my wallet, never mind my bulging coupon holder. Inside the coupon holder is a lined post-it note pad. When I think of something I need to get at a store, out comes the pad, item is written down and then the post-it is secured to the front of the holder, so I can easily view it when I get to the store.

The Post-Its: On this post-it I also write down things I don’t want to forget to do when I get home, something I need to tell the kids or John, calls I need to make, bills I need to pay. There is always a pencil in my coupon holder with an eraser. I don’t like messy lists.

The Menus: When I am hosting a holiday or party my list making goes into overdrive. I have folders in Excel that are marked for each major holiday or birthday. Inside each of these folders are documents for each year. For instance I have a folder marked 4th of July. Inside that folder are the menus that I have prepared since 2002. Each year is marked so I can look back at what I prepared the previous year. After the event I make notes (too much of this, need to make more of that, next time pick up this, etc). It helps me plan for the next year. The shopping list is included on this document also. I keep a hard copy with me at all times so I can add or cross out anything I purchase. Oh yes I am that compulsive.

The Folder: I have a manila folder that I use for each event also. Once I have decided on a recipe that will be used, into the folder it goes. I take this folder with me on my final shopping days in case I need to refer to it. This is the reason why I carry a purse that most people would call luggage.

The Decorative Menu: Then……I know you’re thinking what else can she possibly list at this point?? There’s another then?? Yup. A decorative menu is posted on my fridge at home along side final copy of the Excel list so I can do a run down of everything I need to prepare and cross off what I need to on the Excel list, while the decorative list stays in pristine condition on the fridge. The kids don’t even ask what were having any more; they just consult the fridge door. Even my guests will look at the fridge menu to see what we’re having.

The morning of a party I meet with my list checker Evan. He will run down all the dishes with me one last time, happily checking off what is done, reminding me what needs to be finished. My husband says I am neurotic. Maybe I am a little, but I can’t even fathom hosting a party without my lists. In the few days before I host a party John will announce several times a day that I am in a frenzy. Even yelling the word out like I don’t already know what a crazy person I must look like as I run around the house cleaning, cooking, doing dishes, checking and re-checking my lists.

My lists have helped me to enjoy these times and not be a in constant state of agita. These days are supposed to be enjoyable, not filled with anxiety about everything I had to do. So the lists help me in that respect. Knowing that my “to dos” are written down help me to have peace of mind.

Since I am on a little mini vacation right now I haven't written a thing down since July 3rd! Progress!

Falling Slowly

Take this sinking boat and point it home
We've still got time
Raise your hopeful voice you have a choice
You've made it now
Falling slowly sing your melody
I'll sing along

Our 4th of July Celebration

There were dirty boys, wet boys, lots of food, lots of noise and by the end of the night, really tired kids. We had a great 4th. Family and friends came over to celebrate. We enjoyed lots of great food, had so many laughs, and just truly enjoyed each others company. Eva's nephews found the only water source in the yard and made that their mini pool for the day. By the end of the night it was quite empty and they were quite dirty, but did they have fun. (Psst... see that flag made out of fencing?? John and I made that a few years back from some old pieces of fence he found on the side of the road....Recycle....Re-Use!)

I made one of John's favorite things....Taco Salad dip. He loves the stuff.

Taco Salad Dip
Printable recipe
1 - 8 oz softened cream cheese
1 – 16 oz sour cream
1/2 cup Picante sauce or salsa

Mix these well with a mixer and spread into a 9x13 pan. It will seem a bit goopy, but will thicken in the fridge.

Layer with:
Refried beans*, chopped onions, tomatoes, olives, green chilies, avocado, shredded lettuce. I usually top this in the order listed, but you can change it around and add whatever you'd like. Top with shredded cheese and serve with Tortilla Chips.

*I kind of drop the beans on it little spoonfuls.

I made some Red Velvet Cupcakes and decorated them for the 4th. When else am I going to get to use my red, white & blue sprinkles?

Red Velvet Cupcakes
Printable recipe
2 cups all purpose flour
3 teaspoons baking powder
¼ teaspoon salt
10 tablespoons unsalted butter, softened
1 cup sugar
2 large eggs
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 cup milk
1 ½ tablespoons red food coloring

Preheat oven to 350. Sift together flour, baking powder and salt. Beat together the butter and sugar until it is light and fluffy, 3 – 5 minutes. Beat the eggs in one at a time, beating for 1 minute after each addition. Add the vanilla and reduce the speed to low. Add in the flour, milk and food coloring in 3 batches. Begin and end with the flour. Beat until just mixed. Bake for 15 – 18 minutes or until cake tests done. Let cool in pan 10 minutes, move to wire rack to cool completely.

I used my Buttercream Frosting recipe for this and just colored it blue with good coloring. I still have the blue fingernails to prove it too.

The cupcakes were a big hit at the party, especially with the little ones....well with the not so little ones too.

We had dueling firework wars in the neighborhood which was very cool. At one point there were four houses all lighting them off, so we had our very own little show.

By the end of the night everyone was very full and very happy. There were also some very dirty feet that needed to be washed. That's the sure sign that it was a great 4th. Filthy kids.