well, today is the day and this is my last recipe!

green beans with creamy mushrooms and shallots

prep time: 20 min

total time: 20 min

serves: 8 servings

1 ¾ pounds green beans, trimmed

1 tablespoon plus 1 ½ teaspoon extra-virgin olive oil

2 large shallots, thinly sliced (1/2 cup)

¾ cup chicken stock

2 teaspoons cornstarch

8 ounces cremini mushrooms, trimmed and sliced 1/8 inch thick

1/3 cup 2% greek yogurt

coarse salt and freshly ground pepper

1. bring a large pot of water to a boil.  blanch beans until tender, about 6 minutes. drain.
2. meanwhile, heat 1 ½ teaspoons oil in a large nonstick skillet over medium heat.  cook shallots, stirring occasionally, until tender and just starting to brown, 3 to 4 minutes.  transfer shallots to a small bowl and wipe skillet clean with a paper towel.
3. whisk together stock and cornstarch.  heat remaining tablespoon oil in skillet over high heat.
4. cook mushrooms, stirring occasionally, until golden brown, about 6 minutes. reduce heat to low; add shallots.
5. whisk in stock mixture. cook until thick, about 3 minutes more. remove from heat.
6. stir in yogurt and 1/2 teaspoon salt; season with pepper. toss in beans. serve warm.

spinach-basil pesto

so, I've had quite a few people ask for my pesto recipe, so here it is:

1/2 cup fresh basil leaves
2 1/2 cup spinach
1/2 cup grated Parmesan or Romano
1/2 cup pine nuts, toasted (or walnuts)
4 garlic cloves, roughly chopped
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/2 cup olive oil

combine all ingredients in a blender.
blend until the mixture forms a thick paste, adding more oil if needed.

squash carbonara

we watched jamie oliver make this beautiful courgette carbonara the monday night and it started our mouths watering.  so we decided that we would make it tuesday night for dinner.  then, tuesday morning, our friend dee surprised us with fresh squash from waco city farms (talk about perfect timing).  here is how we made it:

1/4 pound pancetta, diced
1 whole yellow squash, cut into large chunks
1 whole zucchini, cut into large chunks
fresh thyme
black pepper
1/2 box whole wheat rotini
2 egg yolks
1/2 cup cream
1/4 cup grated parmesan

1. cook the pasta according to the package directions
2. in a large pan over medium heat, cook the pancetta until crispy
3. add the diced squash and zucchini, stirring well
4. add the thyme and black pepper to taste and cook until the squash is lightly golden and softened slightly
   
5. meanwhile, mix together the remaining ingredients in a small bowl with a fork until well blended
6.  once the pasta is cooked, drain it reserving a little of the cooking water
7. add the pasta back to the pot (but not back on the heat) and add the pancetta and squash mixture to the pasta and then add the cream and egg yolk mixture
8. stir together adding the reserved pasta water if needed to make a creamy sauce
9. serve and eat immediately
   

caryn’s spaghetti sauce

my friend alicia came over for lunch the other day and I made spaghetti and she loved it so much that she is holding a truffle recipe hostage until she gets this recipe. well, here it is!

8 ounces ground beef (sometimes I crumble in a link of italian sausage as well)
1 teaspoon freshly ground pepper, plus more to taste
1 teaspoon kosher salt, plus more, to taste
1/2 yellow onion, diced
1 zuchini roughly chopped
1/2 cup shredded carrots
2 garlic cloves, minced
1 large (28 ounce) or 2 small (15 ounce) cans of tomatoes
1 cup red wine
1/4 cup sugar, plus more, to taste
2 tablespoons fresh basil, chopped
2 tablespoons fresh oregno, chopped
1 small can tomato paste

1/2 cup milk

1 tablespoon butter

1. cook ground beef (and italian sausage if desired), seasoned with salt and pepper, in pan over medium-high heat until it is no longer pink. remove meat from pan, reserving fat in pan.
2. add onion, zuchini, and carrots and cook until tender (about 5 to 7 minutes). add garlic and cook 1 minute.
3. add the can(s) of tomoatoes, red wine, and sugar to taste
   
4. reduce heat to low and add basil and oregno. cook over low heat, stirring occasionally for 1 hour.
5. using an emerssion blender or a regular blender, blend half the sauce to a smooth liquid. return the meat to the pan and cook for an additional 1 to 2 hours.
6. add the tomato paste, milk, and butter and cook until butter melts and all is mixed well (about 3 to 5 minutes). serve over pasta with parmesan cheese.

warm dijon potato salad with green beans

I don't like the typical (mayo-based) potato salad, i know, that's a crime when you are a southern cook. this potato salad, however, I love!!

3 pounds yukon or baby white potatoes

1 pound green beans, trimmed

1/2 cup mayonnaise

2 tablespoons whole grain dijon mustard

1 shallot minced

3 tablespoons red wine vinegar

30 grinds black pepper

1/3 cup packed finely chopped flat-leaf parsley

1. place the potatoes in a large pot and cover with cold water by at least a couple inches. salt the water generously, bring to a boil and cook until the potatoes are fork tender, about 20 minutes. drain and rinse under cold water.
2. bring another pot of salted water to a boil and throw the beans in just for a minute or two until they turn bright green. strain them and run them under cold water to stop the beans from cooking.
3. in a mixing bowl combine the remaining ingredients and whisk until smooth.
4. cut the potatoes in half lengthwise and then into roughly 1 inch chunks. cut beans in half. toss the potato chunks in the dressing and then toss in the green beans and the parsley.

balsamic pork tenderloin with roasted veggies

this is one of those great and quick recipes.  it is one of my favorite things to make when we are having  friends over for dinner.  all you need to add is some bread and you have dinner!

balsamic pork tenderloin with roasted veggies

1/2 pounds pork tenderloins, 1 packages with 2 tenderloins

4 tablespoons balsamic vinegar
4 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
8 cloves garlic, cracked
steak seasoning blend
coarse salt
black pepper
4 sprigs fresh rosemary leaves stripped and finely chopped
vegetables chopped and washed for roasting (zucchini, broccoli,asparagus, and mushrooms)

1. preheat oven to 500 degrees F.
2. place tender loins in a roasting pan. coat tenderloins in a few tablespoons of balsamic vinegar, rubbing vinegar into meat. drizzle tenderloins with extra-virgin olive oil, just enough to coat. cut small slits into meat and disperse chunks of cracked garlic cloves into meat. combine steak seasoning blend or coarse salt and pepper with rosemary and rub meat with blend. roast in hot oven 10 minutes. 
3. remove the roast from the oven and add the vegatables to the roasting pan.  drizzle roasts and the vegtables with additional basalmic vinegar.  return the roasting pan to the oven and roast for another 10 minutes.
   
4. let meat rest, transfer to a carving board, slice and serve with the roasted veggies.

my mom's corn casserole recipe -- in honor of my sister

my mother is famous for her corn casserole and she has a fool-proof recipe that anyone can make. anyone, but me, that is. I have tried many times to make it and it never comes out right. I am the only one that my mother knows who has not had success with her recipe, even my sister is able to make it. my sister does not bake much, so the fact that she can make this and I can't really gets under my skin. one time, she even forgot to put the sour cream in and when she remembered, she took the casserole out of the oven and mixed the sour cream in and then put it back in to finish baking. and it still turned out good. so, in honor of my sister's birthday today, I am sharing my mom's corn casserole recipe with you.  if you try it, let me know how it turns out for you.

my mom's corn casserole

1 (15 1/4-ounce) can whole kernel corn, drained
1 (14 3/4-ounce) can cream-style corn
1 (8-ounce) package corn muffin mix (my mom uses jiffy)
1 cup sour cream
1/2 cup (1 stick) butter, melted

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.
2. In a large bowl, stir together the 2 cans of corn, corn muffin mix, sour cream, and melted butter.
3. Pour into a greased 9 by 13-inch casserole dish.
4. Bake for 45 minutes, or until golden brown.
5. Let stand for at least 5 minutes and then serve warm.

artichoke casserole

this did not go over really good with my family.  don't get me wrong, they liked it, they just didn't lick the bowls clean.  I think I might try adding some cream cheese next time.

1 ½ cup breadcrumbs
¼ cup finely chopped parsley
4 ounces parmesan cheese, grated
4 ounces romano, grated
6 ounces blue cheese
1 tablespoon Italian seasoning
2 garlic cloves, minced (2 teaspoons)
1 teaspoon coarse salt
freshly ground pepper
3 packages (9 ounces each) frozen artichoke hearts, thawed and drained

1. preheat oven to 325.  combine breadcrumbs, parsley, cheeses, Italian seasoning, garlic cloves and salt in a medium bowl and season with pepper.
2. brush oil inside two 4-cup, 9 ½ inch ceramic baking dishes.  divide artichicke hearts between dishes, and spread into a single layer. sprinkle breadcrumb mixture over artichokes, pushing it into cracks between hearts. tap bottom of dishes on counter to settle breadcrumb mixture.
3. cover dishes with parchment, then foil, and bake for 30 minutes. increase temperature to 375 degrees. uncover, and bake until breadcrumbs are golden brown, 20 to 25 minutes. serve immediately.

zucchini fries

as promised, here is my recipe for zucchini fries. not only do mike and I like them, but the boys eat them up as well. I usually serve them with some horseradish mixed with mayo or sour cream as a dip

1 medium zucchini (6 oz), trimmed
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon garlic salt
1 tablespoon shredded parmesan, plus more to top
1 tablespoon all-purpose flour
¼ cup olive oil

1. halve zucchini crosswise, then cut each half lengthwise into 1/8-inch-wide slices and cut slices lengthwise into 1/8-inch-thick strips. toss with salt in a large medium-mesh sieve set over a bowl and drain 30 minutes. squeeze handfuls of zucchini to remove moisture, then roll up in a triple layer of paper towels and squeeze to remove remaining moisture.
2. place garlic salt, shredded parmesan, and flour in a zip-lock bag and shake to combine. add zucchini to zip-lock bag and shake to coat.
3. heat oil in frying pan and add zucchini, turning occasionally with a slotted spoon, until zucchini is golden, 5 to 6 minutes.
4. transfer zucchini to paper towels to drain and top with additional parmesan. serve immediately.

asparagus and egg "crepe" salad

for all of you who asked for the recipe for mike's salad tonight, here it is.

I saw Jamie Oliver make a salad with egg "crepes" on his show the other day, so I decided to give it a try tonight. this recipe is loosely adapted from his. I ended up making the best salad I have ever eaten. As I wrote on twitter and facebook, I licked the plate. people asked what salad could be so good?


these measures are for one serving.

mixed greens
4 large asparagus stalks, cut into 2 inch pieces.
olive oil
1 clove garlic, sliced
1 or 2 eggs
1-2 tbsp water
1tsp dijon mustard
juice of 1/2 small lemon
2tsp sugar
salt
pepper
shredded parmesan

1. 1-2 T olive oil in small nonstick skillet. Add garlic before turning on heat.
2. Turn heat up to med hi. once oil is hot and garlic is fragrant, add asparagus pieces, season with salt and pepper, and saute until slightly tender, 3-5 minutes. covering skillet will help asparagus to steam. remove asparagus and garlic from pan and set aside.
3. wipe pan with paper towel, leaving a small amount of oil in the pan. keep oiled paper towel.
   

Egg Crepes:

1. beat egg(s), adding 1T of water per egg used. season the egg mixture with salt and pepper.
2. pour just enough egg into hot skillet to coat the bottom, turning the skillet to get uniform coverage.
3. cook egg until set and it starts to form bubbles. do not flip or stir the egg in the pan.
4. once the egg is cooked through, turn skillet over above cutting board and allow crepe to fall out of pan.
5. re-oil pan with paper towel. continue to make crepes until all egg mixture is used up (2-3 crepes per egg if small skillet is used).

Assembly:

1. stack crepes on top of each other. roll crepes up together and slice across the crepes to make strips about 1" wide.
2. toss crepe strips with mixed greens and asparagus, dress with dijon dressing and top with shredded parmesean cheese.
   

Dijon dressing:

1. whisk together dijon mustard, lemon juice, salt and pepper to taste.
   
2. while whisking, drizzle in olive oil until dressing reaches desired consistency.
3. add sugar to taste and whisk until dissolved.

my thanksgiving menu

for a couple of years now, I have been hosting thanksgiving at my house. tuesday night's gno and the new issue of martha stewart living have gotten me in the thanksgiving mood, so here is my menu for thanksgiving. I will share the recipes with you over the next few days

roasted turkey
peach stuffing (this is a new recipe, so I probably won't post it until after I try it out on thanksgiving)
sweet potato casserole
some sort of artichoke casserole (I probally won't post it until after I try it out on thanksgiving)
monkey bread (parker house style)
apple waldorf salad

our favorites from vegas!!

walking back from dinner last night, mike and I were talking about the best things that we ate while we were in vegas. here are our favorites from the vegas trip:

favorite breakfast:
caryn, the terrace pointe cafe at the wynn, especially the breakfast appetizer of blue cheese chips
mike, corned beef hash with poached eggs and hollandaise at terrace pointe cafe

favorite lunch:
caryn, coconut chicken at trader vics
mike, mezze sampler at neiman marcus cafe

dinner:
caryn, zucchini chips at planet hollywood
mike, blue corn pancake with barbecued duck and habanero sauce and chorizo and goat cheese tamale at mesa grill

drink:
caryn, south beach at neiman marcus cafe
mike, prickly pear margarita at mesa grill

dessert:
caryn and mike, crepes from jean phillpe at the bellagio, so good, we had them two nights in a row

we chose wisely -- eating in Vegas, day 4

I walked over to paris this morning for breakfast (I just think it's so cool to say that) and I got a chocolate croissant and a coke and ate them back at the bellagio while I enjoyed my last few hours of internet. the croissant was really good; flaky and sweet.

before I talk about our lunch, I should tell you this; michael is a much more adventuresome eater than I am. for lunch, we had decided on going to noodles in the bellagio. when I was walking back from paris, I noticed trader vics at the miracle mile shops. after looking at trader vics menu, I decided that I would rather go there (noodles was just a little to adventuresome for my taste).

I started off my lunch at trader vics with a bahia cocktail (light rum with coconut and pineapple juice). it was really good, but very strong. to eat, I had the coconut chicken with pineapple sauce. coconut chicken is one of my favorite dishes (once I saw that on the menu at trader vics, I knew this was were I wanted to go), and this one was really good. not as good as the coconut chicken at jd's art cafe (a local restaurant in waco that closed down a few years ago, and I still miss it), but it was a close second. michael had wok hay shu which was a stir-fry of asian veggies with tofu and served with rice. he said it was really good and he would definitely eat here again, which means I made a good choice on lunch, yeah me!

we wanted to eat a nice steak dinner one night while we were in vegas and after looking at the menus for all the steakhouses that we were recommended, we settled on the steakhouse at treasure island (they had an interactive touch screen menu outside the restaurant and we just thought that was too cool, we are easily amused). we made reservations, but once we got there for dinner, we realized we didn't really need them. they weren't crowded, but it was early on a tuesday night. I decided not to read too much into it. they started off the meal by serving us their "world-famous" loaded potato rolls, which did not do much for me. mike and I split their endive salad which was really good, with blue cheese, candied walnuts, and bacon slabs. we were BIG fans of the large pieces of bacon. we decided on the filet mingon with hollandaise horseradish sauce and I got macaroni and cheese and michael got grilled asparagus. the steak was a little overdone for mike's taste (which meant it was about perfect for my taste), but the hollandaise horseradish had nice texture and taste. the sides were not that great, but they weren't really bad either, they were just kind of average. I think that we have gotten spoiled with 135prime (a great steakhouse here in waco).

we went back to jean phillipe's for dessert again tonight, yes, it was that good. we even had the same crepes as last night. would it be obsessive for me to go there again for breakfast in the morning?

making all my food dreams come true -- eating in Vegas, day 2

last time we were in vegas, we had breakfast at this wonderful cafe at the wynn. so, for our first morning in Vegas we were ready to go back. before I tell you about what we ate, I have to tell you this. there are two things that I love most about being married to a fellow foodie; one is that we both think the best part about traveling is where we get to eat, the other is that we are both always willing to break a couple of food rules.

when we finally got to the terrace pointe cafe at the wynn, it was about 10:30 am (remember, I am not a morning person, even for good food). the first thing that I noticed was that they had potato chips covered in blue cheese fondue on their lunch appetizer menu, we ordered those immediately. they were really good, the potato chips were crisp and the blue cheese fondue was perfect, we will definitely be getting those again the next time we are out here. for breakfast, I had the waffles with strawberries and mike had the corned beef hash. the waffle was amazing (trust me, there is a difference between good waffles and these) and mike said the corned beef hash was the best he had ever tasted and the hollandaise on top was rich and really good.

after our trip to the auto collection museum, we went to the neiman marcus cafe for lunch. neimans has really influenced they way I cook and I was so excited that mike was going to get to try their food. but when I got there, I felt like a parent whose child is misbehaving, the service was mediocre at best, they were out of hamburgers (which was the first thing we ordered), and then when we asked about getting some chicken broth, we were told "it's not really good, so we don't want to serve it". that being said, the food that we did get was really good. I got a south coast to drink (see picture) which is midori, malibu, and peach schnapps with orange and pineapple juice and yes, it was as good as it looked. to eat, we split the mezze sampler (mike's been real into mediterranean cooking lately) with hummus, tabbouleh, marinated olives and pickles, tzatziki, chicken skewers with couscous, and pita wedges. it all had really great flavor.

we made reservations for mesa grill at caesars for dinner and when we got there, we were told that they were running about 45 minutes behind (that always ticks me off). once we finally got seated and looked at the menu, it looked like it was going to be worth the wait. I decided on the gala apple salad (apples, spinach, blue cheese, pecans and a spicy vinaigrette) and a double baked potato. mike got the barbecued duck blue corn pancake and the chorizo-goat cheese tamale with a prickly pear margarita to drink. the food was all excellent, my only complaint is that I would have liked a little more spinach in my salad.

after all that we are stuffed and heading to bed without dessert. it must have been a good food day for us to miss dessert!

sometimes the food gods smile on me -- eating in Vegas, day 1

some people plan out what they want to see when they travel, but we plan out where we want to eat. so expect some great posts these next few days. here is what we had today:

driving to the airport, we stopped at geriks in west (a small czech community just north of waco). we have not had good luck lately at the kolache bakery we usually go to in west, so we decided to try geriks (it was recommended to me by a co-worker who lives in west). they had a crowd already at about 7 am (which is always a good sign). I was very glad to see their large variety of kolaches and everything looked very good. mike and I both got sausage kolaches and while they weren't the best we have ever had, they were the best we've found in west. I also had an apricot roll which was out of this world. so, all in all, a good stop and we will definitely be stopping there again.

we got to the bellagio and realized that it was about 3 pm texas time and we had not really had anything to eat since breakfast from geriks. we wanted something quick to eat before we headed out to see the sites. we decided to try snacks, one of the restaurants here in the bellagio, and I am really glad we did. we split a cheeseburger and cheese fries and the were both really good. we may have just been really hungry, but the food was amazing!

after lunch and unpacking, we headed out to the forum shops for some shopping. we decided on planet hollywood for dinner (mike had never eaten there and he NEEDED to try their captain crunch chicken), since we had a late dinner, we decided to just get a couple of appetizers and drinks. I had already decided on the captain crunch chicken, but to my surprise, I also saw zucchini chips on their appetizer menu. the captain crunch chicken was not as good as I remembered (jax's in houston is still better) and the dipping sauce that came with it was not sweet enough for me, but, the zucchini chips made up for all of that, they were amazing. they were thinly sliced and fried and served with a lemon aioli. the only way the zucchini chips could have been better was if they had parmesan on them and a horseradish dipping sauce. but for a meal of two of my favorite things that I didn't have to cook, dinner was really great!

once we got back from our shopping, we treated ourselves to the chocolate treats that we got from ethels in the las vegas airport. I had two chocolate covered strawberries and they were really good, my only complaint is that the chocolate was too soft for my taste, but they had great flavor.

well, that's just day one, keep checking back, like I said, we have some great meals planned out while we are here!!

current food obessions

so, for those of you who do not know me well, I am very obsessive, especially about my food and cooking. below is the list of my current food and cooking obsessions, hope you enjoy the list.

1. talenti sorbet -- this stuff is out of this world!! here in waco I have only been able to find it at HEB, but those of you in larger cities probably have more options to get it. it is italian sorbet and it is to die for, we have tried quite a few of the flavors, but my favorite is sonoma strawberry. I can talk myself into it because a pint of it is about 1/3 the calories of a pint of blue bell ice cream, unfortunately its also about three times the cost of bluebell as well.
   
2. diners, drive ins, and dives -- I am a food network junkie and mike got me hooked on this show. there is really not much else to say, if you've never watched it, you should give it a try.
   
3. what about cupcakes -- this is a local cupcake shop here in waco (actually it is just a block away from my office) and they have the best cupcakes that you have ever tasted! I am so addicted to them and that is not a good thing with them being so close!
   
4. prime rib from rudy’s barbq -- rudy's is a local barbq chain here in texas and as I have mentioned before, I am a bit of a barbq snob, but rudy's is definitely the best barbq in waco. they have prime rib every week from friday night until they run out on sunday and it is so good. in fact, very few weekends go by that we do not have rudy's prime rib for at least one meal.
   
5. sopapillas from rosas cafe -- for drive thru food, these are pretty good and they always cure any sweet craving I've got.
   
6. hideous pomegranate liquor -- I love the taste of pomegranate, but when I went to the liquor store for some pomegranate liquor, there were 3 or 4 different kinds. the hideous one had lime green on the label, so naturally, I choose that one. it has been wonderful in everything that I have tried it in; orange juice, lemonade, cream soda.
   
7. michael's famous biscuits with fuzzy navel jelly -- as I have said before my hubby makes the best biscuits and the only thing that makes them better is the fuzzy navel jelly from woody's smokehouse in centerville, texas
   
8. the whole foods mega-store in austin -- naturally, as I foodie I love to grocery shop and this is like the mother ship of all grocery stores. I could spend days in here. we try to make a stop in every time we go to austin.
   
9. zucchini fries with parmesan and horseradish dip -- this is one of my favorite snacks and actually one that the boys like as well. I will post the recipe soon here on my blog.
10. le creuset cookware -- this is my favorite cookware (in lime green of course). it makes all my cooking so much more enjoyable and taste so much better.

well, I hope you've enjoyed my list. I know that I have really enjoyed putting it together. hopefully, you found a few new things to try.

beer and pretzel pot roast

mike does not like pot roast, but he really likes this recipe (I think it was something to do with beer being in the recipe name), but seriously, beer and pretzels is a time-honored combination. we usually just serve this by itself and count the veggies in it as our side dish. you can substitute potatoes for the parsnips if you want, but the parsnips are really good in this. one of the best ways to crush the pretzels is to put them in a freezer ziploc bag and smash it with a meat mallet, it's a great way to work out your anger or frustration. it takes a little time to cook (about 3 1/2 hours), but it is well worth the time and your house will smell so yummy while it is cooking!

beer and pretzel pot roast

1 boneless chuck pot roast (3 -3 1/2 lbs), trimmed
salt and pepper
2 tablespoons olive oil
2 cups shiitake mushrooms, stemmed and halved
1 1/2 cups onion, chopped
2/3 cup celery, chopped
1 cup carrot, chopped, divided
1 cup parsnips, chopped, divided
1/4 cup garlic, thinly sliced
1/2 teaspoon red pepper flakes
2 bay leaves
3 tablespoons tomato paste
1/2 cup pretzels, crushed
2 bottles of dark beer (guinness), 12 oz each
2 cups chicken broth
2 tablespoons dijon mustard
2 tablespoons worcestershire sauce

1. preheat the oven to 325
2. season the meat with salt and pepper. heat oil over medium-high heat in an ovenproof dutch oven. sear roast on both sides until brown, 8 -10 minutes total. remove roast from pan
3. sweat mushrooms, vegetables (1/2 cup each of the carrots and parsnips), and seasonings in the pot for 5 minutes. add the tomato paste, cook 2 minutes, then stir in the pretzels.
4. deglaze with the beer scraping up the brown pits on the bottom of the pan; stir in broth, dijon, and worcestershire. return the seared roast to the pot and bring the liquid to a simmer. cover the pot, then transfer to the oven; braise roast for 2 hours.
5. after 2 hours, remove pot from the oven and turn the roast over with a carving fork. add the remaining 1/2 cup carrots and 1/2 cup parsnips, then cover and return pot to the oven.
6. braise another 45 minutes, or until the meat is spoon-tender. to serve, transfer roast and vegtables to a platter and spoon the sauce over.