Arroz Con Pollo

This dish (inspired by pinterest) was delicious and easy. It reminded me of a paella but much more simple to make.

Here are my tips to creating this recipe, along with a few time savers.
2 Time Saver Recommendations:
1. precook your chicken (3 breasts) by cooking in boiling water about 10-15 minutes until done
2. Instead of using regular rice which will take longer, there are two options I recommend: 1) use 90 second Uncle Ben's whole grain rice* or 2) Israeli couscous mix (cooks more quickly than rice)

Ingredients:

• 3 cooked chicken breasts, cubed
• 1 can of green chiles, drained
• 4 cups of chicken broth
• 2 T butter
• 3 cloves of garlic, minced
• 2 t cumin
• 2 t coriander (ground)
• 1 1/2 t Tumeric (I did not have this spice and omitted it)
• 1 onion, chopped
• 1 pepper, chopped
• 1 can diced tomatoes (I used a can of Rotel for extra heat)
• 1 tsp chili powder
• 1/2 t salt
• 1/2 t onion powder
• 1/2 c shredded cheddar cheese

Heat butter over medium heat in a large pot; a dutch oven could work also. Add garlic and let cook about a minute, when that beautiful garlic aroma fills up your kitchen!

Next, add the pepper and onion and cook until slightly translucent. 

Add chicken broth, couscous mix, canned vegetables and spices. If you want to use regular rice, add 4 cups of broth and cook rice until done, about 20 minutes or so.

*if using 90 second rice, cook according to package instructions then add just 1 cup of chicken broth to keep the dish moist.

After cooking all components, stir in the chicken. Let simmer for a few minutes until all is combined flavor-wise.

Finally, when serving the dish, top with shredded cheese. 

Enjoy!

Best Southern Biscuits

There's nothing better to bake and enjoy on a Sunday morning than a freshly made buttermilk biscuit. The best recipe I have is from my pink-check Better Homes & Garden Cookbook. Using the buttermilk and the portion of shortening and butter is a must. I recommend buying a pastry cutter as this will make cutting in the fats much easier.

BHG Biscuits Supreme

Mushroom Risotto

Making Tyler Florence's classic mushroom risotto! Will report back on how it turns out...yummmm!

Link to Recipe

Mmmmm...Bonefish for dinner!

Yummm, Cory and I just returned from a dinner date out to Bonefish. It is truly one of our local favorite (national chains), if those descriptors can even work in the same sentence :) As always, our dining experience was fantastic.

We started with:
Rain vodka martini w/ bleu cheese stuffed olives (Cory had two, he couldn't get enough)
Grapefruit martini (very tart but they rim the glass with sugar)
Saucy shrimp (this is truly the unsung hero appetizer dish at Bonefish; the bang bang shrimp receives all of the attention but this one is truly delectable. they pair shrimp with a sundried tomato lime garlic sauce, Kalamata olives and top it with feta cheese, mmm, mmm, mmm)
Link to Bonefish Starters Menu

Later, I ordered an Ocean Trust Mango Lime martini (and I promise, I could have drank a pitcher of that crave-able cocktail)


I won't give a review of the entree as it was not as memorable as the above but Bonefish, I have to say, we love you and we'll see you again soon!

BTW, Go Hogs!!! (They're in the Cotton Bowl playing tonight) and Go LSU (on Monday)! We're having a few people over Monday night and trying a new pot roast recipe, I'll report. Happy Friday and enjoy your weekend!

Bacon and Wild Mushroom Risotto with Baby Spinach

While risotto can be a lot of work, it is such a divine mouthwatering dish, all of the work is worth it. This risotto is a delicious introduction to making your own at home and pairs nicely with a buttery Chardonnay. I recommend as a main meal or a side dish. If you are cooking for two, a half recipe is the perfect amount for a side dish. This recipe was found on the Cooking Light website and the link is below.

Risotto Recipe

Great Cooking Light Magazine Deal

Cooking Light is one of my favorite magazines to find healthy meals that also fix the foodie within :) They typically use seasonal ingredients, are simple to make but full of great flavor! Here is a great deal to subscribe to them and also give the gift of a subscription for only $18 a year for 2 subscriptions!

Link to the subscription deal

The Wild, Wild West

2011 1st Trip of the Year out to the wild, wild west.

We visited the Grand Canyon, Monument Valley, Telluride and Sedona, AZ. It was truly amazing!

Grand Canyon

Monument Valley (Road shot)

Telluride (Skiing Shot, Horseback Riding and Restaurant shot) - we dream of living here one day, it is completely fabulous.



Sedona

More Trip Details:
To Start: On a funny note, our trip got off to a bang by being delayed one full day due to the terrible snow/ice storm we had in AR in February. We go almost 2' of snow! It did give us a legitimate reason to try out 4WD on our new wrangler, you can see Cory smiling and enjoying that a lot!



Grand Canyon
Time in location: we stayed here 2 nights and spent about 2 full days there which was the perfect amount of time for a quick, first time trip.
Where we stayed: the Best Western Premiere Grand Canyon Squire Inn - Grand Canyon - it's literally a 5 - 10 minute drive outside of the Grand Canyon South Rim park entrance. While not a necessary romantic hotel, the rooms were very large and spacious. The hotel had many amenities that would be fantastic for a family trip. Still, it was clean and the best value we could find with the best access.
What we ate: the restaurant options are quite limited in the Grand Canyon. We made reservations for fine dining at El Tovar and really enjoyed our meal and wine.
What we did: Toured and hiked along the south rim, we visited the Watchtower which was fantastic culturally and for photos. I also recommend catching a sunrise and sunset; the area newspaper publishes the anticipated times for your reference.
Next time ideas: overnight mule trip to the Phantom Ranch (http://www.grandcanyonlodges.com/lodging-704.html) or a multi-day river rafting trip during the summer.
yelp review: http://www.yelp.com/biz/the-el-tovar-hotel-grand-canyon#hrid:WvUJqC__AaVnbSJOBtb8kQ/src:self

Telluride
Time in location: 3 Days (was supposed to be 4 but was cut short b/c of AR snowstorm)
Where we stayed: The Mountain Lodge at Telluride - this was a fantastic location. The lodge is ski-in/ski-out, has ski/snowboard rentals and a fabulous heated outdoor pool with amazing views of the mountain scenery.
What we ate: The Butcher & the Baker, Telluride Truffle Inc, Allreds Inc, The Bar at the Sheridan New Steakhouse.
What we did: Skied and went horseback riding in the snow (for Valentine's Day!). The town of Telluride is incredibly charming, scenic and not too touristy. You can take a free gondola ride from the lodge all the way to downtown as much as you like, very convenient.
Next time ideas: dog sledding! We also heard that the Alpino Vino restaurant, off of one of the ski runs, was amazing but we weren't up to the task of skiing a blue run :)

Sedona
Time in location: 2 days
Where we stayed: The AHMAZING L'auberge de Sedona - this hotel was incredibly romantic and relaxing. As one of the top spas in Sedona, it did not disappoint. You can book any type of spa treatment, enjoy an outdoor shower under the stars in your cottage, eat at their delicious award winning restaurant and have access to fantastic landmarks as well.
What we ate: Their in-house restaurant L’Auberge Restaurant on Oak Creek.
What we did: Skied and went horseback riding in the snow (for Valentine's Day!).
Next time ideas: dogsledding! We also heard that the Alpino Vino restaurant, off of one of the ski runs, was amazing but we weren't up to the task of skiing a blue run :)

All restaurant reviews are on my yelp account: http://www.yelp.com/user_details?userid=Nxu_yrBkWBClS_vP9bE7Tg

Happy New Year 2012!

As has now become a family tradition, I prepared our "good luck" New Year's meal this morning. My mother-in-law Debra, who is a wonderful cook herself, introduced me to this tradition the first year Cory and I were dating. She and Bill (my father-in-law) had come to visit us for New Year's and insisted I stay for the meal so that I could also have good luck. Although I don't necessarily believe in luck, I must say this meal is so delicious, I am happy to say it continues to be a tradition!

This "good luck" meal consists of the following:
-collard greens
-black eyed peas
-colcannon potatoes
-cornbread
-spiral sliced ham



Collard Greens recipe, courtesy of Mrs. Paula Deen: http://www.foodnetwork.com/recipes/paula-deen/collard-greens-recipe/index.html
Spicey Black Eyed Peas recipe, courtesy of Mrs. Paula Deen: http://www.foodnetwork.com/recipes/paula-deen/spicy-black-eyed-peas-recipe/index.html
cornbread recipe, truly the BEST EVER cornbread recipe we have tried. It is easy to make, fluffy and flavorful! Courtesy of Cooking Light (this is also the cornbread recipe used in the Thanksgiving Cornbread, Chorizo and Jalapeno dressing recipe I posted): http://www.myrecipes.com/recipe/corn-bread-chorizo-jalapeno-50400000116743/

Colcannon Potatoes recipe:
1 lb of yukon gold potatoes (peeled or unpeeled, your preference)
1/4 - 1/2 head of cabbage, chopped into 2x2" pieces
1 stick of butter
1/2 - 1 c of milk
Salt & pepper, to taste

1. Cook cabbage in boiling water until tender (should be slightly translucent), drain and set aside
2. Cook potatoes in boiling water, until a wooden spoon breaks through them easily
3. While the potatoes are boiling, place 1 stick of butter in your mixing bowl to soften
4. Once potatoes are finished cooking, drain in a colander and put in your mixing bowl
5. Blend potatoes until pretty smooth at a high speed, slowly add milk until the potatoes reach the smooth consistency desired. Add salt & pepper to taste.
6. Once potatoes are to your desired consistency and seasoned, fold in cabbage. Enjoy!

New Year's Eve 2011

We decided to do our first ever beer pairing party to celebrate New Year's Eve. I researched some online to get my creative juices flowing and here is the menu we came up with. If you enjoy craft beers, this is the perfect way to try a few while also eating good food. We split one bottled beer between the two of us for each course.


Course 1: Samuel Adams Latitude 48 IPA with chocolate malted milk balls and Kettle brand sea salt chips (this beer is super malty and goes well with fried foods)

Course 2: Hefeweizen with Citrus Dressed Salad. This pairing was quite delicious. This dressing is very thin and liquidy, I recommend tossing the chopped romaine lettuce to make sure it's coated well. We topped our salads with goat cheese crumbles, which was a nice smooth finish.

Course 3: New Belgium Blue Paddle Pilsner Lager with Pepperoni Pizza Puffs (recipe to follow). The saltiness of the puffs was delicious with this heavier lager.
Course 4: Homemade Pretzel Bites - these were even better than the pretzel bites we made for our Christmas party. Even though the dough is made from scratch, it was less complex than the previous recipe. I recommend using the same cheese sauce as what was used at our Christmas party. Since we had already gone through 3 courses, there was not a particular beer we paired these with, as they will go with any one of your choice. We are planning to dip these in chocolate later, mmm, salty and sweet, yum!

Pepperoni Puff recipe:
1 can of crescent roll dough (I used Great Value from Walmart)
1/2 pack of pepperoni
1 c of shredded mozzarella
3/4 - 1 c of tomato pasta sauce
Preheat Oven to 350 degrees.

Step 1: Open crescent roll dough on a floured surface. Pinch together any open seams so that the dough is in one piece. With a floured rolling pin, roll dough to about 1/8" thickness
Step 2: Spread pasta sauce on the dough with a spoon - you should be able to slightly see the dough through the sauce.
Step 3: Sprinkle cheese evenly over the sauce then layer evenly with pepperoni.
Step 4: Cut dough in half lenghthwise in preparation to rolling into logs.
Step 5: Cut dough at about the 1/2" mark to create individual pinwheels.
Step 6: Place pinwheels into greased mini muffin pans, should make 16 pieces.
Step 7: Bake at 350 degrees for about 12 minutes or until the pastry is golden.

Link to pretzel bites recipe (these were made courtesy of my hubby, the doughboy): http://www.twopeasandtheirpod.com/homemade-soft-pretzel-bites/http://www.twopeasandtheirpod.com/homemade-soft-pretzel-bites/

Link to citrus dressing : http://www.myrecipes.com/recipe/citrus-vinaigrette-10000000221970/. Additional notes on this recipe: We were out of fresh oranges and grapefruit, so I doubled the amount of orange juice used in the mixture. Also, we did not have fresh ginger and used ground ginger to taste (about 1/2 tsp).