Cooking with Karin

Korean Tacos

noreply@blogger.com (Karin) — Wed, 15 May 2013 22:39:00 +0000

If you missed these Korean Tacos when they ran in the Chronicle, hurry and give them a try. They're inspired by the food trucks that they have all over the place now (just not in Augusta...yet!).

Here's the link to the recipe: Korean Tacos

Strawberry Season and a Luscious Strawberry Tart

noreply@blogger.com (Karin) — Thu, 18 Apr 2013 21:39:00 +0000

I had a happy surprise on the way home from the Augusta Family Magazine office earlier this week. The Gurosik's Strawberry Farm stand near my house is up and running.

Strawberry season is truly one of my favorite times of the year. I call Orlando, Fla., home and nearby Plant City boasts some of the best strawberries anywhere. Here in the CSRA, we've got strawberries that are as delicious and local.

My daughter, C.C., and I have literally eaten half a bucket of Gurosik strawberries while standing over the sink!

In case you're looking for a way to enjoy these local strawberries, here's one of my favorites, a luscious Strawberry Mascarpone Tart.

Mascarpone cheese can be found in the specialty cheese case and it can be pricy. If you're watching your budget, regular or reduced-fat cream cheese can substitute for the mascarpone.

What's your favorite way to enjoy the fruits of strawberry season?

Strawberry Mascarpone Tart

1 sheet frozen puff pastry, thawed

8 ounces mascarpone cheese, softened

1 cup sugar

1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice

1 cup (1/2 pint) whipping cream, whipped

Fresh strawberries, washed, stemmed and sliced

Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Line a 9-inch tart pan with removable bottom with the puff pastry sheet, trimming to fit. Place in oven and bake for 15 minutes, until puffed and golden brown. Remove from oven and deflate by placing a pie plate and can or other heavy item atop the crust. Set aside to cool.

Combine mascarpone, sugar and lemon juice in a medium bowl. Fold in whipped cream and spread over the cooled puff pastry crust. Refrigerate until ready to serve.

Just before serving, arrange sliced strawberries on top of mousse in decorative pattern.

Makes 6 to 8 servings.

What's for Supper 3/10/13

noreply@blogger.com (Karin) — Sun, 10 Mar 2013 18:26:00 +0000

We were without a kitchen for a bit and I promise to share updated photos once we patch up a few spots with a little paint. It is looking GOOD!

In the meantime, here's what's on the menu for this week:

Bourbon Pork Tenderloins. This is an oldie, but a goodie! I like to serve baked sweet potatoes and steamed broccoli as sides.

Goat Cheese and Artichoke Tortellini. This was a dish we enjoyed in NYC a couple of years ago that I came home and recreated. So delish! Although making a from-scratch pasta dish mid-week seems like too much work, this one is easy since it uses wonton wrappers in place of homemade pasta sheets.

I'm testing recipes for breakfast dishes over the next few weeks, so I think I'll serve one up for dinner...this Sausage, Egg and Biscuit Bake from Steph over at Plain Chicken.

On a lighter note, this will also appear on the menu: Pasta with Broccoli Raab and White Beans.

And, I'd like to throw some fish into the mix, so we'll pick up some wild-caught salmon and make this Salmon with Tomato Concasse. It's a simple dish that is elegant as well.

What are you cooking this week?

Here are the links again:
-Bourbon Pork Tenderloins
-Goat Cheese and Artichoke Tortellini
-Sausage, Egg and Biscuit Bake
-Little Ears with Broccoli Raab and White Beans
-Salmon with Tomato Concasse

I'm linking this post up to Menu Plan Monday over at I'm an Organizing Junkie.

Kitchen Update: Before

noreply@blogger.com (Karin) — Thu, 07 Feb 2013 13:00:00 +0000

We've been slowly updating our kitchen over the past few years, and this year we're finishing it up!

We started in 2007 (I think). Yep. That's a long time ago! Slowly is an understatement!

Local artist Richard Worth came in and painted a cool "tile" backsplash and some "wall words."

We're still loving the backsplash, but the wall words...not so much. So, we painted over them. I still love the sentiment.

That was phase one. The old window treatments had been taken down but the kitchen chairs still needed some work, since they were covered with the fabric that matched the original window treatments. I wanted to paint the chairs turquoise...but Hubs said, "No way." :(

But in the end, I am glad I didn't paint them because I did something even more fun. I picked some super fun zebra-striped turquoise and white fabric to recover the seats. I'll show you how they look next week.

I'll also share photos of what we accomplished in phase two. Small changes with big impact.

Over the next three weeks, we'll complete phase three! Woot to the hoot! We're getting the cabinet boxes cleaned and re-sealed, replacing the doors and hardware and getting new countertops, sink and faucet. I. Am. So. Excited!

This is a very economical remodel, since we're not completely replacing the cabinets and since I already have rockin' Viking appliances thanks to my 12 years as their on-line chef. (I honestly still can't believe I have a complete Viking kitchen. We were so blessed to be affiliated with Viking for so many years. We met the most wonderful people and I loved the work I did for them, developing recipes and menus for the Viking Web site. Good times!)

Come back next Thursday for pix of phase two. And then, hopefully, phase three will be completed by the first week in March...and I'll definitely do a big drum roll and share the final photos once it is completed.

In the Chronicle: Spicy Shredded Chicken

noreply@blogger.com (Karin) — Wed, 06 Feb 2013 14:13:00 +0000

Shredded chicken...how many recipes can I come up with for this versatile item?

Turns out the answer is: A Lot! And they are all prepared in the slow cooker, while I'm at work or doing something else.

Or shredded beef or pork. I've run loads of great recipes because, well, I love a juicy sandwich of succulent shredded meat or a good tortilla wrap, burrito or taco.

This week's recipe can be as spicy or as mild as you like. I usually use two jalapeno peppers, and the result isn't over-the-top hot. However, you can use mild or fruity salsa and omit the jalapenos for a very mild dish.

What to do with the Spicy Shredded Chicken? Wrap it in a tortilla. Serve it as a topping for a taco salad. Put it on a bun. Any way you use it, I think you'll love how easy it is to prepare and how flavorful it is.

Here's the link: Spicy Shredded Chicken.

Want a few more ideas? Here are some links to other shredded slow cooker meats and chicken:
-Jerk Chicken Sandwiches (Hubs favorite!)
-Crockpot Carnitas
-Italian Beef Sandwiches
-Crockpot Carne
-Asian Barbecue
-Shredded Pork from Par 3 Tea-Time at the Masters
-Chili Verde
-Kalua Pork
-Chili Beef Sandwiches
-Sunday Brisket
-Chile Verde 2

Spicy Southwestern Chicken Wings

noreply@blogger.com (Karin) — Thu, 31 Jan 2013 13:39:00 +0000

If you plan to make just one kind of chicken wing for the Super Bowl, may I suggest these?

However, I'm rarely able to be forced to offer up just one type of wing at our annual Super Bowl bash. Nope. It's kind of like Hubs is when he hits the bbq smoker--it's three types of meat, each with a different rub and mop and then three different homemade sauces. No room for streamlined or simple in the kitchen of Casa Calloway!

The recipe looks like a lot of work, and although the list of ingredients is long, everything comes together pretty simply and you can make the spice mix and sauces a day or two ahead.

What's your favorite type of wing? Are you a classic Buffalo lover or more of a teriyaki fan?

Spicy Southwestern Chicken Wings with Chipotle Barbecue Sauce and Cilantro Ranch

For the Wings:
3 pounds chicken wings, cut at the joint, tips reserved for making stock
¼ cup olive oil
2 tablespoons paprika
1 teaspoon cayenne pepper
1 teaspoon sea salt
1 teaspoon ground white pepper
1 tablespoon ground black pepper
1 tablespoon garlic powder
1 tablespoon chile powder
1 tablespoon oregano
Chopped fresh cilantro, for garnish, if desired

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Combine the oil and spices in a large zip-top plastic bag. Squeeze well to combine. Add the chicken wings, close the bag and squeeze to coat chicken evenly. Place wings on a large baking pan and bake for 30 minutes. Turn and bake for 15 minutes more. (Can be made ahead at this point, cooled, covered and refrigerated to be reheated on the grill later.)

Before serving preheat charcoal or gas grill. When hot, grill the wings until heated through, turning continually, about 4 minutes. Place the wings in a large bowl and toss with the sauce. Sprinkle with chopped cilantro and serve with the Chipotle Ranch for dipping.

For the Chipotle Barbecue Sauce:
2 tablespoons olive oil
½ onion, peeled and chopped
2 tablespoons minced garlic, about 5 large cloves
1 teaspoon ground cumin
1 tablespoon chile powder
1/3 cup cider vinegar
1 cup ketchup
3/4 cup brown sugar
3 tablespoons soy sauce
2 tablespoons Worcestershire sauce
2 chipotle peppers, finely chopped or pureed in a small food processor

Heat the oil in a saucepan over medium-high heat. Add the onions, garlic, cumin and chile powder and cook until the onions are soft, about 5 minutes. Add the vinegar and stir, scraping up any browned bits in the bottom of the pan. Add the remaining ingredients and simmer until slightly thickened. Puree using an immersion blender, pour into a plastic container with a tight-fitting lid and refrigerate until ready to use. (Can be made 3 days ahead. Reheat the sauce before tossing with the hot wings.)

For the Cilantro Ranch Dressing:
½ cup buttermilk
¾ cup mayonnaise
1 tablespoon lime juice
1 tablespoon minced fresh cilantro
1 green onion, chopped
1 teaspoons minced garlic (about 1 large clove)
Sea salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste

Combine all ingredients in a bowl. Whisk until smooth. Cover and refrigerate until ready to serve. (Note: Can be made three days ahead. Flavor improves if made at least one day ahead.)

Makes 6 to 8 servings

Super Bowl Team Color Tips

noreply@blogger.com (Karin) — Tue, 29 Jan 2013 13:00:00 +0000

I received an e-mail from McCormick & Company today that offered up ideas to help personalize your menu for the Super Bowl around your team's colors. These are all really fun ideas, so I thought I'd share them here.

From McCormick & Company: Bring the competition off the field and into the kitchen with battling cupcakes in colors from both coasts.

Team Color Guide
Use these food color recommendations from the McCormick Kitchens to help clinch a victory for your party spread.

Baltimore Purple and Black:

    Purple Cake Mix: Add 35 drops Neon Purple Food Color + 20 drops Neon Blue Food Color to 1 package (15.25 to 18.5 oz.) white cake mix
    Purple Frosting: Add ½ teaspoon Neon Purple Food Color + 25 drops Neon Blue Food Color to 1 can (16 oz.) frosting
    Black Frosting: Add ½ teaspoon Black Food Color to 1 can (16 oz.) white frosting
    Purple Beer: Add 5 drops Neon Purple Food Color + 3 drops Neon Blue Food Color to 12 oz. beer
    Purple Soda: Add 10 drops Neon Purple Food Color + 1 drop Neon Blue Food Color to 12 oz. lemon-lime soda

San Francisco Scarlet and Gold:

    Gold Cake Mix: Add 1 teaspoon Yellow Food Color to 1 package (15.25 oz. to 18.5 oz.) yellow cake mix
    Scarlet Frosting: Add 1 ½ to 2 teaspoons Red Food Color to 1 can (16 oz.) chocolate frosting
    Scarlet Beer: Add 20 drops Red Food Color + 1 drop Blue Food Color to 12 oz. beer
    Scarlet Soda: Add 28 drops Red Food Color + 1 drop Blue Food Color to 12 oz. lemon-lime soda

For more ideas for your game day celebration, visit Facebook.com/McCormickSpice or McCormick.com. Visit Pinterest.com/mccormickspices, to repin recipes in your team’s colors! Look for McCormick Food Colors and Extracts in the spice aisle of supermarkets nationwide

Beer Cheese Potato Soup

noreply@blogger.com (Karin) — Thu, 24 Jan 2013 14:25:00 +0000

I recently made some homemade pretzels and beer cheese spread to take to our friends' house to enjoy while watching a football game.

I learned two things form this experience. First, don't bake pretzel bites on parchment paper. They stick! Totally my fault for not following the recipe and baking them on a greased pan.

The second thing I learned is that leftover beer cheese is a wonderful addition to potato soup!

With the chilly weather this weekend, this would be a wonderful soup to enjoy in front of the fire, wrapped up in a blanket, watching an old movie.

Although I used homemade beer cheese in the soup, you can purchase beer cheese in the deli section of most supermarkets alongside other cheese dips and spreads. No need to make your own!

I used a combination of diced potatoes and leftover mashed potatoes in the soup, but you can use either one exclusively in the recipe. I just had a little of each, but it worked out really well. Creamy, with chunks of potato.

Beer Cheese Potato Soup

3 strips of bacon
Olive oil (about 2 tablespoons)
1 cup very finely chopped onion, about 1 small onion
3 tablespoons flour
4 cups reduced-sodium chicken broth (I used one of the new Knorr Homestyle Stock chicken flavor and diluted it with 4 cups of water)
1 cup peeled and diced raw potato
1 cups leftover mashed potatoes
1 beer cheese spread
Milk or half and half, if needed, to get the soup to the consistency of your liking
Salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste
Shredded sharp cheddar cheese, for serving

Spray a stock pot or Dutch oven with nonstick cooking spray. Cook bacon over medium heat in the prepared stock pot until bacon is crisp. Remove bacon and drain on paper towels. Leave the bacon drippings in the pan and add enough olive oil to make about 3 tablespoons of fat (you'll probably need about 2 tablespoons of olive oil). Crumble the bacon and set aside.

Heat the drippings and olive oil over medium-high heat and add the onion. Saute until the onion is very tender and translucent, about 5 minutes.

Whisk in the flour and cook, stirring, for 1 minute. Whisk in the broth and diced potatoes mashed potatoes and bring to a boil. Reduce heat and simmer, stirring occasionally, for 15 minutes, until potatoes are tender.

Stir in the mashed potatoes and beer cheese spread and simmer 5 minutes more. If the soup is too thick, thin it a little with some milk or half and half. Taste and add salt and pepper as needed. Ladle into bowls and sprinkle each serving with a little crumbled bacon and shredded cheddar cheese.

Makes about 4 big bowls of soup.

In the Chronicle: Quick Nutella or Biscoff Cookies

noreply@blogger.com (Karin) — Wed, 09 Jan 2013 15:02:00 +0000

This week's Chronicle recipe is a delicious, Quick Cookie recipe.

I first attempted the recipe as what I would call a "Pinterest fail." You know, you hear about it all the time. Something is pinned and re-pinned on Pinterest and it looks really great. You give it a try and guess what, you end up with something that is not at all like the photo on the Internet.

What sounded like a great, quick cookie recipe that used just Nutella, an egg and a little sugar turned out to be a big, gooey mess. I had good reason to believe it would work, since there's an old peanut butter cookie recipe in Second Round: Tea-Time at the Masters that works perfectly and is also flourless.

Since I wanted to make some quick Nutella cookies, I didn't let the first flop get me down. After I had that recipe down, I got inspired by other "pins" on the site and decided to try a version made with the new Biscoff spread that you can find near the peanut butter. It worked great!

Hubs didn't really get the reasoning behind the Biscoff cookies. He was perplexed by it. He thought it was hysterical that I was taking a spread made out of crushed up cookies to make...cookies. But, these are soft and chew, while the original Biscoff are crisp and crunchy.

Either way, these are some yummy treats. My college-age kids loved them when they were here over Christmas break.

Here's the peanut butter cookie recipe I mentioned...just in case you've wanted to try a flourless cookie that actually works!

Here's the link to the cookie recipe again: Quick Cookies.

Katie's Easy Peanut Butter Cookies

1 cup sugar
1 cup creamy peanut butter
1 egg
1 teaspoon vanilla

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Cream all ingredients. Roll dough into 1-inch balls and place on uncreased cookie sheet. Bake for 15-17 minutes. Allow to cool on wire rack.

Makes 2 dozen cookies.

In the Chronicle: Slow Cooker Cheesy Corn Chowder

noreply@blogger.com (Karin) — Wed, 02 Jan 2013 15:28:00 +0000

I posted a while back that I've developed a ton of recipes for corn chowder. Well, I'm at it again!

This week's recipe in The Augusta Chronicle is a delicious corn chowder that cooks up in your slow cooker. It's thick and creamy and cheesy. And, it has a secret ingredient that makes it beyond luscious: Cream cheese.

I use reduced-fat cream cheese in the recipe. It melts as the chowder cooks, but if it isn't all the way melted when you're ready to serve your chowder, just give everything a good stir and it'll break up and incorporate right into the chowder.

This recipe makes a ton, and I developed it for use in a six-quart slow cooker. If you have a smaller slow cooker, just cut the recipe in half.

This is one of my new favorite recipes and it is a crowd pleaser! I hope you'll make it soon!

Here's the link again: Cheesy Corn Chowder.

Happy New Year and a Recap of Popular Posts

noreply@blogger.com (Karin) — Mon, 31 Dec 2012 13:00:00 +0000

I've been off the radar not only because of the holidays, but because Hubs had to have his previously detached and re-attached retina re-attached again. Poor guy has spent the holidays in a face-down position lying in a special device at the foot of our bed.

That's meant I've been busy taking care of him, feeding young adults and enjoying spending time with family over the holidays.

It has been a somewhat tough final quarter of 2012 for us, but we're so very thankful that everyone is well and we continue to count our blessings. We know things could be so much worse, and that for many families, things are so much worse.

As we head into 2013, I thought I'd share links to the most popular posts on the blog instead of posting my weekly Menu Plan Monday post. Most of these recipes can easily be incorporated into your weekly menu plan, and we'll definitely be enjoying some Hungarian Cabbage Rolls over the next few days!

So, here they are. The top five posts of 2012.

#1: Greek Potatoes.

I am a bit surprised that this recipe keeps bringing in the "hits" but I'm also thrilled. I was a major failure when it came to making these potatoes. I'm talking about multiple attempts that ended up with basically lemony roasted potatoes, but not the slightly chewy, extremely flavorful potatoes I'd enjoyed at Greek restaurants and Augusta's annual Greek Festival.

#2: Creamy Black Bean Dip.

This one is another surprise, as this is a recipe I developed a long time ago. It's my version of a packaged, prepared grocery store dip Hubs and favorite son picked up. This is good stuff!

#3: Creamy Buffalo Chicken Pasta.

This recipe resulted when I tried a cookbook version that had WAY. TOO. MUCH. GARLIC. So much so, in fact, that this garlic-lover couldn't even eat it. No joke.

I adapted it to include less garlic, and used the recipe for Alfredo Sauce from "Second Round, Tea-Time at the Masters" (one of my all-time favorite cookbooks) in place of the garlic-laden sauce in the original recipe.

#4: Hungarian Cabbage Rolls.

This is my grandmother's recipe, with a few updates for ease of preparation. They're a Gage family tradition on New Year's Day.

#5: Mickey Mouse Party for Gage Part 3.

My sister threw a fantastic 3rd birthday party for her son, Gage. It was months in the planning and came off almost without a hitch. (My poor mom's project, the Mickey centerpieces below, were the hitch. The oasis she bought to stick the greenery into didn't absorb the water. Instead, it floated. Repair of the centerpieces was a frustrating project, but we got it done and they ended up looking awesome!).

The food at the party was great, and I highly recommend the cupcake recipe! It uses a cake mix, but Leslie consulted friends who have worked in bakeries for the recipe so it the cupcakes are really delicious.

Well, that sums up the top five posts of 2012. I hope to get back to posting more often in 2013, but bear with me if I go absent from time to time. Life can get complicated!

Happy New Year!!! -Karin

As usual, I'm linking this post to Menu Plan Monday at I'm an Organizing Junkie.

Menu Plan Monday: December 17, 2012

noreply@blogger.com (Karin) — Mon, 17 Dec 2012 14:07:00 +0000

Everyone is home from college, so we've been feeding a crowd. Favorite son invited two friends and his girlfriend over for dinner the other evening, and favorite daughter invited friends as well. I'm thinking that is the way it is going to be over the next few weeks, so I'll be cooking a lot!

Here's what's on the menu. First, I'm making Chicken Paprikash with a big pack of chicken thighs I have in the freezer. I'll make extra sauce and dumplings in case we end up with extra young adults.

Simple Sunday Gravy makes a ton of delicious, meaty Italian red sauce, so it'll be on the menu as well. It simmers all day in the slow cooker, so it'll free me up for last-minute holiday shopping and baking.

Deep Dish Pizza serves six to eight normal eaters, but about 4 or 5 20-something young men. In other words, I may be making two of these!

I might make Jeannine's Tortilla Pie, which is always a hit with my young adults. (It feels strange to have "young adults," but what else do you call kids in their early 20s?)

Friday night, my dad is in charge of the meal, and he's making Baked Ziti. He uses the recipe from Cook's Illustrated magazine and it's the perfect meal since my niece is a vegetarian.

Last, I've got some Chunky Slow Cooker Chili in the freezer that I'll pull out for dinner on the weekend. I'm stashing a couple of cans of chili beans to add to the chili just in case we end up with more "young adults" than I anticipate. And, I'm also going to make some vegetarian chili for my niece.

Here are the links again:
-Chicken Paprikash
-Simple Sunday Gravy
-Deep Dish Pizza
-Jeannine's Tortilla Pie
-Chunky Slow Cooker Chili

As usual, I'm linking this post to Menu Plan Monday over at I'm an Organizing Junkie.

Gifts from the Kitchen

noreply@blogger.com (Karin) — Thu, 13 Dec 2012 13:00:00 +0000

I love sharing gifts of food during the holidays, so I thought I'd share some links to some of my favorites.

First, I'll start with the Apple Cinnamon Quick Bread I shared a few months back in my Chronicle column. This stuff is seriously delicious.

Also on the bread front, Buttermilk Cinnamon Loaves, which is a favorite of my daughter.

I love baking up these little savory Cheddar and Mustard Seed Biscotti to wrap in a cellophane bag and deliver with some of my Winter Tomato Jam.

Snack mix is also a favorite. I love this Red Hot Snack Mix. It's spicy but good!

If you want something really easy, just whip up these yummy Pain au Chocolate Facile.

A jar of this Amaretto Chocolate Sauce is always welcome.

The last idea I'll share today are these killer Ham Rolls. The recipe makes three foil trays of rolls, and I freeze them in the roll bags and deliver them to friends. Just wrap them in a pretty kitchen towel and tie them with a bow. They can heat them up while opening presents Christmas morning.

What do you like to cook and share with friends during the holiday season?

Here are the links again:
-Apple Cinnamon Quick Bread
-Buttermilk Cinnamon Loaves
-Cheddar and Mustard Seed Biscotti
-Winter Tomato Jam
-Red Hot Snack Mix
-Pain au Chocolate Facile
-Amaretto Chocolate Sauce
-Ham Rolls

This Week's Chronicle Column: Sausage and White Bean Soup

noreply@blogger.com (Karin) — Wed, 12 Dec 2012 12:50:00 +0000

I love to make soup, and this one is perfect to make now and freeze for a casual dinner on Christmas Eve or to serve holiday guests anytime.

Just make a big tossed salad and pick up some crusty bread from the bakery. Then, pull the soup out of the freezer to reheat gently for a simple, quick and delicious family meal that's fit for the season.

You can use sweet or hot Italian sausage in the recipe, either regular sausage made from pork or lower fat turkey or chicken Italian sausage. I've been using the chicken sausage a lot lately and really like it.

Here's the link to the recipe: Sausage and White Bean Soup.

Menu Plan Monday: December 10, 2012

noreply@blogger.com (Karin) — Mon, 10 Dec 2012 13:00:00 +0000

Here's what's cooking this week at Casa Calloway:

I've been craving the coffee cake my grandmother taught me to make when I was in middle school, so I'm thinking that making it is a good excuse to have breakfast for dinner! I'll do bacon and eggs and the coffee cake with a side of fresh fruit salad. (See the recipe below. It is a no-fail recipe that is super easy.)

I'm photo shooting this week, so we'll have some good leftovers for mid-week, but until then I plan on making some of my friend Rebecca's Herbed Leg Quarters with some Greek Potatoes and Blistered Brussels Sprouts.

It's not a weekly menu at Casa Calloway without a little pasta, so I'm going to make a quick Spaghetti Trapanese, one of my favorite discoveries of 2012. It doesn't look like much, but the flavor is complex and delicious. Plus, grape tomatoes are always "in season," and they're the base for the sauce.

Favorite son comes home from college late this week, so I'll make some of his favorites including My Meatloaf, which is yum (and I don't usually like meatloaf). I don't know whether I like it best the first night with mashed potatoes on the side or the second day, when it becomes meatloaf sandwiches...maybe the sandwiches win!

That's all I have on my radar for the week, since I'll be making five different dishes mid-week for my photo shoot. What's cooking at your casa this week?

Oh, and I hope to have a fun post with gifts from the kitchen links later this week.

-Herbed Leg Quarters
-Greek Potatoes
-Blistered Brussels Sprouts
-Spaghetti Trapanese
-My Meatloaf

Grandma Dorothy's Easy Coffee Cake

2 tablespoons butter or margarine, melted
1/2 cup brown sugar
2 tablespoons flour
2 teaspoons cinnamon
3/4 cup sugar
1/4 cup vegetable oil
1 egg
1/2 cup milk
1 1/2 cups flour
2 teaspoons baking powder
1/2 teaspoon salt

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F on convection bake. In a small bowl combine melted butter or margarine with brown sugar, flour and cinnamon. Set aside.

Cream sugar, oil, egg and milk in a medium bowl. Stir in flour, baking powder and salt. Pour batter into 9-inch square baking dish, 8-inch spring form pan, pie plate or muffin tins that have been sprayed with nonstick cooking spray. Sprinkle cinnamon mixture over top of batter and bake for 20 to 25 minutes.

Makes 8 servings.

As usual, I'm linking this post to Menu Plan Monday over at I'm an Organizing Junkie.

This week's Chronicle column: Chunky Slow Cooker Chili

noreply@blogger.com (Karin) — Wed, 05 Dec 2012 13:00:00 +0000

I have a pet peeve when it comes to slow cooker recipes. I don't like it when the recipe says to brown or saute something before adding it to the slow cooker. I mean, if I have to dirty up a pan I might as well cook the whole dish on top of the stove or in the oven.

For that reason, I've never developed a slow cooker recipe that requires this step. I'm a dump-it-in kind of slow cooker girl.

This week's recipe is my answer to slow cooker chili without browning the meat. And it is chili cookoff good!

There are a lot of spices, which is why we're running it as a Sunday supper idea, but they all come together to make one good bowl of chili.

The chili has two additions that you don't always see in chili recipes: Masa harina and cocoa powder.

The masa helps the chili thicken and the cocoa powder gives the chili a rich, deep flavor. Don't worry! It doesn't taste at all like chocolate chili!

Here's the link again. Chunky Slow Cooker Chili. I hope you'll give it a try!

Plates on the Wall

noreply@blogger.com (Karin) — Tue, 04 Dec 2012 21:29:00 +0000

Yes, this is a cooking blog but today I'm blogging about home decorating.

But this post does have to do with plates, so I'm not too far off.

I am a slow decision maker when it comes to my house. I love to decorate, but I don't just jump in there and throw things together. I deliberate over each and every decision.

This works for me because once I make up my mind I am usually happy with my decision for a long time. This makes Hubs happy, since I'm not asking him to budget for redecorating every other year!

We had the den and kitchen painted the same color as it already was: Navy blue. (See what I mean. Once I'm happy with a decision I tend to stick with it!) After the painters left, I lived with blank walls for a while. Ok, more than a while. Probably six or seven months. Just ask my mom! (Who, by the way approaches decorating in a much more decisive way than I do and at lightening speed...hence, she had a little trouble wrapping her brain around my intertia when it came to putting pictures back up on the wall.)

Then one day the inspiration came. One of my favorite decorating blogs had the answer. The blog is Life in Grace, written by an amazing lady named Edie. She lost her home in a fire. Fortunately, all of the family was unharmed, but they lost everything. So they rebuilt...and the rebuild is inspiring.

My kitchen and den are all one room, and I had an artist paint my backsplash years ago. Because the two rooms need to be harmonious, I was having trouble bringing the multi-colored feeling into the den. Here's an image of the kitchen to show you what I'm talking about.

The photo of Edie's guest room was the inspiration I needed. As soon as I decided this was the direction I should go, I went out to the garage, where I keep all of my photo shoot plates (I have mega photo shoot plates!) and picked some to go with my favorite blue and white dishes.

Here's the inspiration photo from Edie's blog.

Image Source: Life in Grace
Here's a link to the post with all of their guest rooms: Guest Spaces

Isn't it gorgeous? The whole house is! ( If you love "shelter" blogs, please check this one out. It's one part decorating, one part entertaining, one part spirituality, one part family life and 100 percent inspiring! There are recipes from time to time, as well.)

Here's the wall a few years back.

And after about an hour of laying everything out on the floor, playing with different plates and layouts, here's my wall of plates:

Much better! (Sorry about the bad iPhone photo...but it was quick!)

Ok, so it's back to food tomorrow.

Chocolate Peppermint Chews-A Cake Mix Cookie!

noreply@blogger.com (Karin) — Tue, 04 Dec 2012 01:30:00 +0000

Chocolate + Peppermint = well, it equals something darn good!

In light of the upcoming holiday season, I offer up this easy recipe that combines the two in a sublime way.

Oh, and this is a cake mix cookie! I think I mentioned that in the title.

BTW, don't you hate the new smaller cake mix sizes? I have done some research and supposedly you can make up the difference by adding 1/3 cup of flour. I recommend doing that with this recipe, since I developed it with an 18.25 ounce mix.

These are delicious and addictive.

Chocolate Peppermint Chews

For the cookies:

1 18.25-ounce devil's food cake mix

1/2 cup vegetable oil

2 large eggs

½ teaspoon peppermint extract

1 cup mini or regular semisweet chocolate chips or mint chocolate chips

Combine first 4 ingredients, and beat at medium with an electric mixer until blended. Stir in chocolate chips. Drop dough by rounded teaspoonfuls about 2 inches apart onto ungreased baking sheets. Bake at 350 degrees for 10 minutes. Cool cookies on the pan about 5 minutes; remove to wire racks to cool completely.

To finish the cookies:

1 cup confectioners’ sugar

2 drops peppermint extract

4 teaspoons water

1 cup crushed peppermint candies.

Combine the sugar, extract and water in a small bowl. Stir until smooth. Pour into a zip-top plastic sandwich bag. Seal and cut off a small piece at one of the corners. Drizzle over the cookies and sprinkle immediately with the crushed peppermint candies.

Makes 3 dozen cookies.

Little Ears with Broccoli Raab and White Beans

noreply@blogger.com (Karin) — Fri, 30 Nov 2012 13:00:00 +0000

I have two favorite vegetables and they're both bitter with a peppery bite. Yep. I love broccoli raab (also known as rapini) and arugula.

I could eat them every day. (And I probably should!)

I've combined broccoli raab with pasta in a number of ways, most recently in a creamy lasagna for my column in The Augusta Chronicle. Here's the link: Sausage and Broccoli Raab Lasagna.

Most recently, I whipped up a quick and easy vegetarian pasta dish that hubs and I loved.

I used little artisan orcchiette, but you can use whatever pasta shape you like. Standard shells or penne would be great. Canned white beans bulked up the dish and I added a good bit of red pepper flakes for some heat.

Consider this dish for your next Meatless Monday. I know I'll be making it again soon!

Little Ears with Broccoli Raab and White Beans

1/2 pound orcchiette or other pasta
3 tablespoons olive oil
1 teaspoon minced garlic, about 1 large clove
1/2 teaspoon red pepper flakes, or to taste
1 bunch broccoli raab, washed, tough stems removed and then cut into 2-inch pieces
Salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste
1 can white beans (15 or 16 ounces), rinsed and drained
Freshly grated Parmesan cheese

Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil and cook pasta according to package directions for al dente.

While you're waiting on the pasta, heat the olive oil in a large saute pan with a tight-fitting lid over medium-high heat. Add the garlic and red pepper flakes and cook for 1 minute. Add the broccoli raab and stir to coat with the garlic and oil. Season with salt and pepper and cover and cook for a few minutes, stirring occasionally, until tender.

Remove 1/4 cup of the pasta water from the pot before draining the pasta. Add the pasta, white beans and pasta water to the broccoli raab and cook, stirring, for a few minutes, until the white beans are heated through.

Serve, sprinkling each serving with Parmesan cheese.

Makes 4 servings.

This Week's Chronicle Column: Honey Mustard Ham Bundles

noreply@blogger.com (Karin) — Thu, 29 Nov 2012 15:06:00 +0000

My kids (both young adults) gobbled up these Honey Mustard Ham Bundles from this week's column in The Augusta Chronicle. Like almost everyone, they love anything made using crescent roll dough and the combination of ham and honey mustard is always a hit.

You can use cooked chicken or turkey in place of the ham.

Here's the link to the recipe: Honey Mustard Ham Bundles.

Leftover Turkey Part 2

noreply@blogger.com (Karin) — Mon, 26 Nov 2012 19:25:00 +0000

Friday I featured soup recipes that could help you use up your leftover turkey and today, I'm focusing on main dishes.

Leftover turkey can be used to make wonderful casseroles, and it's also delicious tossed into your favorite pastas, wrap sandwiches and main-dish salads.

Just substitute leftover, diced turkey for the chicken in these recipes for a nice post-Thanksgiving change of pace.

First, this Chicken and Sausage Scarpariello is an Italian classic that I absolutely love!

The following two recipes would be more classic uses of your leftover turkey. First, in a Chicken and Wild Rice Casserole. (Scroll all the way down for the recipe.)

And second, a luscious Chicken and Artichoke Casserole. D.E.L.I.C.I.O.U.S!

How about tossing your leftover turkey into some of my favorite pasta recipes?

This Creamy Buffalo Chicken Pasta is one of the most-visited posts on this blog!

My Sauce Pot Casserole is a one-pot wonder.

And then there's this luscious Lemon Cream Pasta. Just skip the step of sauteing the chicken tenders and simply warm some diced turkey in the microwave and add it to the pasta along with the cream.

Now, how about some semi-unusual ways to use up that turkey. Like in some simple Quick Fried Rice. (Or, if you baked a ham, use it here!)

Chicken Portobello Wraps would also be a great way to use the turkey. Perfect to pack in a post-holiday lunchbox.

And what about tossing it into a main-dish salad? Like this Chinese Chicken Salad.

Or, use turkey in place of the grilled chicken in this crunchy Chopped Salad. (Scroll down for the recipe.)

I really hope these links help you find a delicious way to enjoy all of that leftover Thanksgiving turkey.

NOTE: THIS POST IS A REPOST FROM THE PAST. THOUGHT I'D SHARE IT AGAIN!

Here are the links again:
-Chicken and Sausage Scarpariello
-Chicken and Artichoke Casserole
-Creamy Buffalo Chicken Pasta
-Sauce Pot Casserole
-Lemon-Cream Pasta Toss
-Quick Fried Rice
-Chicken Portobello Wraps
-Chinese Chicken Salad

Mother’s Chicken and Wild Rice

1 store-roasted rotisserie chicken, skinned, boned and cut into bite-size pieces

1 6-ounce package long-grain and wild rice mix, cooked according to package directions

1 can reduced fat and sodium condensed cream of mushroom soup

1 cup reduced fat sour cream

1 tablespoon dry sherry

1/2 teaspoon curry powder

1 cup sliced almonds, toasted*

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Combine chicken pieces and prepared rice mix in a large bowl. In a medium bowl, combine the soup, sour cream, sherry and curry powder. Fold soup mixture into the chicken and rice until well blended. Spread the mixture in a 9x13” baking dish and sprinkle with the almonds. Bake, uncovered, for 1 hour.

Makes 6 to 8 servings.

*Toast almonds in a skillet over medium-high heat until golden, or in a shallow baking dish in a 350-degree oven for 10 minutes.

Chopped Salad with Marinated Chicken

Lemon Vinaigrette:

1 large lemon, juiced

1 tablespoon chopped fresh herbs (basil, dill or chives)

1 teaspoon Dijon mustard

1 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce

1 teaspoon salt

1/2 teaspoon ground black pepper

2 cloves garlic, minced

Salad:

1 head Romaine lettuce, cut into thin strands

1 8-ounce package iceberg shreds

1 cup fresh basil leaves, cut into thin strands

2 cooked boneless, skinless chicken breast halves, diced (may use leftover chicken from Marinated Chicken with Shitake-Bourbon sauce)

4 ounces dry salami, diced

4 ounces canned chick peas, rinsed and drained

2 large ripe tomatoes, chopped

4 ounces feta cheese ,crumbled

2 green onions, chopped

Whisk vinaigrette ingredients together in a small bowl and set aside. Toss Romaine, iceberg and basil leaves together in a large serving bowl. Top with remaining ingredients and toss with the vinaigrette.

Makes 4 dinner-sized servings.

Leftover Turkey Part 1

noreply@blogger.com (Karin) — Fri, 23 Nov 2012 17:46:00 +0000

I love a good leftover turkey sandwich, but there are so many other ways to use leftover turkey.

First, don't discard that turkey carcass! After you remove the usable meat from the turkey just toss it in a stock pot with one onion, cut into wedges, two carrots, chunked, two stalks of celery, chunked, a bay leaf or two and 10 black peppercorns. Cover with cold water, bring to a boil over medium-high heat and then simmer for a couple of hours. Strain the broth and store in plastic containers in the freezer.

I like to freeze the stock in quarts and pints, but if you often use just a cup, freeze some in half-pint containers as well.

Since I'm on the subject of stock, I'll start Part 1 of my "what to do with leftover turkey" posts with soups. If the recipe calls for cooked chicken and chicken stock, just use leftover turkey and turkey stock.

Here's a delicious soup I developed specifically to use up leftover turkey: Turkey and Wild Rice Soup.

This Turkey Tortilla Soup is really quick and easy; perfect since you'll have been cooking a lot leading up to the big meal. (No link on this one. It's not on the Viking site any more, so scroll all the way down to the bottom for the recipe.)

Then there's one of my all-time favorites: Bean, Bacon and Chicken Soup.

For something comforting, consider Vietnamese Porridge. Soothing and easy on the stomach, making it perfect if you overindulged over the holidays.

I love spinach and chicken enchiladas, and I turned the combo into a super-easy soup: Chicken Enchilada Soup.

And last, White Chili would also be a good way to use up your homemade turkey stock and leftover turkey. Just skip the step of sauteing the meat and add it along with the beans.

Come back tomorrow for Leftover Turkey: Part 2!

Here are the links again:
-Turkey and Wild Rice Soup
-Vietnamese Porridge
-Chicken Enchilada Soup
-White Chili

Turkey Tortilla Soup

2 14.5-ounce cans low-sodium chicken broth
1 14.5-ounce jar mild salsa
2 cups cooked shredded turkey
Juice of 1 lime
1 teaspoon ground cumin
1 7-ounce can corn, drained
2 cups broken tortilla chips, for garnish
1 avocado, peeled and diced, for garnish
Sour cream, for garnish
Shredded Monterey jack or Cheddar cheese, for garnish

Combine broth, salsa, turkey, lime juice and cumin in a large pot over medium heat. Simmer to combine flavors, 8 to 10 minutes. Add corn and heat through. Ladle hot soup into soup bowls and top with desired garnishes.

Makes 6 servings.

NOTE: THIS IS A REPOST FROM 2009.

Countdown To Thanksgiving!

noreply@blogger.com (Karin) — Thu, 15 Nov 2012 14:13:00 +0000

I love Thanksgiving, and this year it will be especially awesome since we'll be sharing it with not one, but two cute little nephews! My sister and her boys, ages 3 1/2 and 2 months, will be here for most of the week.

On top of that, we'll be a family of four, all under one roof. That's something to truly be Thankful for!

Like everyone else, I also love Thanksgiving because of the big meal with family. This isn't a time to mess with the menu. It's time to do exactly what you've done in the past since it's a once-a-year meal that everyone looks forward to. So, the green bean casserole will be there, thanks to my Aunt Lynn, along with turkey, dressing and gravy from Hubs and me, cranberry sauce and marinated cheese from my sister, pies, rolls and two types of potatoes (sweet and mashed) from my mom.

IMPORTANT: Go ahead and buy your turkey before the weekend if you're buying frozen. It takes almost a week for a turkey to defrost in the fridge and you don't want to be in a panic Thanksgiving morning!

If you're struggling with any of the Thanksgiving preparations, you'll find lots of helpful recipes and and tips on this blog. Look to the right column and click on Thanksgiving Countdown and you'll find tons of planning pointers, a great make-ahead gravy recipe, lots of dessert and side dish ideas and more. It's the culmination of a 30-day Thanksgiving Countdown I compiled a few years back.

To make it easy for you to find it, here's the link again: Thanksgiving Countdown.

What's your favorite part of the Thanksgiving holiday?

Menu Plan Monday November 12, 2012

noreply@blogger.com (Karin) — Mon, 12 Nov 2012 13:34:00 +0000

It's press time again at Augusta Family Magazine, so I've got a busy work week ahead. That means that I'm keeping it simple. I got a jump start on the week yesterday by cooking up a batch of my Oven Simmered Beans. This is a simple method and I'll use the beans in two different meals.

First, I'm use about two cups of the beans in a nice pasta dish: Broccoli Raab (aka rapini) with Orecchiette and White Beans. I'll post the recipe later this week!

Then, I'll take the remaining beans and make White Bean Pesto Soup. This is a super easy soup that's really delicious!

I've got a quart of leftover Coq au Vin sauce(John Besh's recipe) in the freezer, so I think I'll put it in the slow cooker with some bone-in, skinless chicken pieces.

A quick Bahn Mi sandwich sounds good for a mid-week meal.

Lately we haven't done our usual Friday night "steak night," but I think hubs and I will share a ribeye or a t-bone at the end of this hectic week. We usually serve this Iron Skillet Steak with baked potatoes or spaghetti with butter, black pepper and parmesan cheese on the side, along with a big salad, roasted broccoli raab or another green veg.

What's on your menu this week? I hope you have a great one!

-Oven Simmered Beans
-White Bean Pesto Soup
-John Besh's Coq au Vin
-Bahn Mi
-Iron Skillet Steak

As usual, I'm linking this post to Menu Plan Monday over at I'm an Organizing Junkie.

Pumpkin Season (with lots of recipe links!)

noreply@blogger.com (Karin) — Fri, 09 Nov 2012 13:58:00 +0000

It's pumpkin season and pumpkin definitely ranks as one of my favorite flavors of fall.

If you love pumpkin, too, here are some ideas to bring some orange to your autumn menus.

First, how about some simple Cream Cheese Pumpkin Bars? They're super easy and really good!

A bit more work, but simply sublime: Pumpkin Cheesecake.

Here's a link to the Pumpkin Cheesecake recipe I shared in my Augusta Chronicle column that's a bit simpler than the one pictured: Easy Pumpkin Cheesecake.

Sometimes I can't decide whether I want pie or cake, so this Pumpkin Pecan Pie Cake satisfies both cravings.

And, this Pumpkin Flan is just amazing in the way it combines two of my favorites: Flan and Pumpkin. Yum!

And, I don't limit my pumpkin consumption to dessert. Try these delicious Curried Pumpkin Rolls the next time you're baking up a ham or braising a pork loin.

What's your favorite way to enjoy pumpkin in the fall? I'm thinking I'll have to come up with some new pumpkin recipes soon. Maybe pumpkin pancakes, pumpkin coffee cake, pumpkin muffins with maple cream cheese frosting...What about you?

Here are the links again:
-Cream Cheese Pumpkin Bars
-Pumpkin Cheesecake
-Easy Pumpkin Cheesecake
-Pumpkin Pecan Pie Cake
-Pumpkin Flan
-Curried Pumpkin Rolls

Note: This post is a re-post from October 2011, with the addition of the link to the Easy Pumpkin Cheesecake.