Tomato and Mozzarella salad and Crustless Quiche

The tomato salad is pretty simple, 1/2 c. chopped tomatoes, 1/3 cup mozzarella cheese, 3 tbsp. diced onion, drizzle with olive oil, season with salt and pepper. Add a tbsp chopped parsely and a pinch of crushed red pepper, if you desire.

The egg dish. I have been trying to remember where I got the idea from but it has alluded me. Anyways, it was supposed to have a crust, which I did not make because carbs hate me.

3-4 mushrooms chopped and sauteed in olive oil, set aside. Boil 1 sliced leek until tender, drain and set aside.

Beat 4 eggs, seasoned with salt and pepper with 1 tbsp creme fraiche. Add mushrooms, leeks, and 1/4 c gruyere. Bake in greased pan on 325 for 20-30 minutes, or until eggs set and top begins to brown.

Two Egg and Mushroom Omelette

1.About 3 small mushrooms sauteed and seasoned with salt and pepper, set aside.

2. Beat 2 eggs, season lightly with salt and pepper. Add in 1 tbsp creme fraiche and a 1/2 tsbp of chives.

3. Pour into skillet and cook eggs, add mushrooms when center is almost completely cooked. Fold over and continue to cook for a minute or so. Slide onto plate. Eat. Rinse. Repeat. Just kidding!

Outta Sight Mac and Cheese and Grilled Pork Tenderloin Dinner

I think I one-upped Martha Stewart here. You know I love ya Martha, but I just had to. The Mac and Cheese comes from her Cooking School book. Which if you really want to improve your cooking skills, I highly recommend. I added a generous helping of panko top the top ans well as bacon that I cooked and chopped. But what makes this a dish-o-awesomeness are the roasted, seeded, chopped jalapenos I mixed in with the pasta before topping. Heart-attack!


Roasted Portobello: drizzle in olive oil, season with salt and pepper, top with fresh mozzarella and bake on 350 until cheese bubbles, about 10-15 minutes.

Watercress with Roasted tomato dressing, toasted pecans and goat cheese: Recipe. I toasted my pecans (about 3-4 tbsp) on 350 for about 10 minutes and let them cool. I also diverged from the recipe by using small, halved tomatoes that I had on hand.

The pork tenderloin was marinated with rosemary, salt, pepper and olive oil. You should really marinated it for at least two hours in the fridge. And then I ruined it on the grill by cooking it too long. Don't be like me, cook it to 155 and let it stand covered for about 10 minutes. Pork cooking guidelines have changed, and pork can be served slightly pink in the middle. I was grilling in the dark so I have somewhat of an excuse.

Grilled Tomato Risotto with Roasted Portobellos

The last time I made risotto, 5 years ago it was awful. It took about a year to cook. Well, nott hat long but I royally messed it up. So this was my second attempt ever at making a risotto. I had some ingredients that I wanted to use up and it was a Friday, so it had to be meatless. I found this (click "this" for link):

This is about halfway through before adding the tomatoes.




After adding grilled tomatoes. Don't forget to taste it and add a little salt if needed!











And this is what the dish looks like, assembled with the portobello.

I just want to take a minute here and apologize to Emeril. I know you are probably really excited to see your recipe on my blog, Emeril. I just know you check it every day. And I want to say I am sorry for thinking this recipe would be bland and boring before I actually made it. It was so good, flavorful and I know you would think I did a great job seasoning it. I will make this recipe again and again.

Spinach-Stuffed Mushrooms

I had some leftover spinach dip, and some extra mushrooms. I added about 1/2 c bread crumbs, and 1/2 cup shredded cheese to about 1 1/4c spinach dip and stuffed it into the mushrooms that I did not use for my traditional stuffed mushroom recipe. Baked at 350 for 15-20 minutes. These were good and a great use for leftovers.

Crustless Egg Bake

Ingredients:

• 1/4 green pepper, diced
• 1/2 small onion, diced
• 5-6 button mushrooms, sliced
• 3 tbsp butter, melted
• 1 tsp garlic powder
• 2 cups shredded cheese
• 10 eggs, beaten
• 1/4 tsp sea salt
• fresh ground pepper to taste

Directions:

1. preheat oven to 300
2. beat eggs and add spices
3. layer green peppers and onions on bottom of 9x13 pan
4. layer cheese on top of green peppers
5. layer mushrooms
6. pour melted butter over top
7. pour egg mixture over over layered vegetables and cheese
8. bake at 300 for 45-55 minutes, or until center is cooked

Sausage Stuffed Mushrooms

Ingredients:

• 16-20 large stuffing mushrooms, save 10-12 of the stems
• 1 small green pepper or 3/4 of a large green pepper
• 1 medium onion
• garlic powder
• 1-1.25 lbs bulk Italian sausage
• 1 cup Italian bread crumbs
• 3 tbsp butter
• 1/2 cup grated hard cheese such as Romano or Parmesan

Directions:

1. begin to brown sausage over medium heat
2. chop onions, green peppers and about 10 of the stems and add to pan with a few dashes of garlic powder
3. brown meat and cook off any excess liquid
4. add butter and melt it, mixing it into the other ingredients
5. allow mixture to cool enough that you can work with it
6. grate cheese into a large bowl
7. add meat mixture and breadcrumbs
8. preheat oven to 350
9. stuff mushrooms with mixture
10. cook for 15-20 minutes or until mushrooms are tender

This can be a great appetizer or can be served as a meal with a side salad.

Save a few dollars:

• buy store brand sausage
• or buy sausage in bulk
• buy mushrooms (and a big wedge of grating cheese) at a wholesale club and save any extras for dinner on another night
• make or use your own bread crumbs

Splurge:

• make your own sausage (I have yet to do this but I just bought a grinder!)

Sausage Stuffed Mushrooms

Ingredients:

• 16-20 large stuffing mushrooms, save 10-12 of the stems
• 1 small green pepper or 3/4 of a large green pepper
• 1 medium onion
• garlic powder
• 1-1.25 lbs bulk Italian sausage
• 1 cup Italian bread crumbs
• 3 tbsp butter
• 1/2 cup grated hard cheese such as Romano or Parmesan

Directions:

1. begin to brown sausage over medium heat
2. chop onions, green peppers and about 10 of the stems and add to pan with a few dashes of garlic powder
3. brown meat and cook off any excess liquid
4. add butter and melt it, mixing it into the other ingredients
5. allow mixture to cool enough that you can work with it
6. grate cheese into a large bowl
7. add meat mixture and breadcrumbs
8. preheat oven to 350
9. stuff mushrooms with mixture
10. cook for 15-20 minutes or until mushrooms are tender

This can be a great appetizer or can be served as a meal with a side salad.

Save a few dollars:

• buy store brand sausage
• or buy sausage in bulk
• buy mushrooms (and a big wedge of grating cheese) at a wholesale club and save any extras for dinner on another night
• make or use your own bread crumbs

Splurge:

• make your own sausage (I have yet to do this but I just bought a grinder!)