Healthy Never Tasted So Good!

 Around here, we love good cookin! And as Summer rolls in, we do more and more of our cooking on the grill!

I've never been a big fan of fish but I've perfected a recipe for Applewood Smoked Tilapia that has warmed my heart to this great source of nutrition.  So what's on the menu?

Applewood Smoked Tilapia with Tropical Salsa, Grilled Garlic Asparagus & Garden Salad. Healthy never tasted so good!

To begin this simple, yet elegant, meal, we'll need to fire up the grill! I prefer charcoal but gas would do; either way, you'll need a moderately hot fire. Begin soaking the applewood chips, but they won't go in until it's time to put the food on.

As the grill is heating up, prepare the Tropical Salsa.

Ingredients:
6 ounces fresh pineapple
4 ounces fresh mango
1/2 navel orange
1/2 sweet onion
1/2 mild bell pepper
1 tablespoon Emerald Coast Espresso Balsamic Vinegar (or infused balsamic of choice)
Pinch of sea salt

Dice fruits and veggies into fine pieces, sprinkle with sea salt, toss with balsamic, cover and refrigerate.

For the entree I used tilapia filets, brushed lightly with extra virgin olive oil (evoo), and seasoned with sea salt and lemon pepper. I grilled it over direct heat until it was no longer translucent, about 5 minutes per side, and then moved it to indirect heat and closed the grill to allow the applwood smoke to fully flavor the fish.

The asparagus was trimmed and marinated for 15 minutes in evoo, sea salt and minced garlic. This was also grilled over direct heat until it was just-tender and slightly charred, 5-7 minutes.

Serve Tropical Salsa topped Tilapia topped with the asparagus and a garden salad for a delightful summertime dinner!

And there should be plenty of the salsa left for a great addition to your next chicken or pork dish!

Guacamole con Pico de Gallo: RECIPE

One of our family-favorite snacks is tortilla chips with salsa or Guacamole con Pico de Gallo.

As Blake and I are in the middle of a 2 week Cleanse that will restrict starches - including tortilla chips - I have modified our recipe into a smoother dip, perfect for fresh vegetables.



INGREDIENTS:
3 whole, ripe avocados
1 large lime
4 whole Roma tomatoes, peeled
1 small Vidalia onion
2 whole Jalapeno peppers
1 tablespoon minced garlic
2 sprigs cilantro, finely chopped (optional)
Salt To Taste


PREPARATION:
(Guacamole)
Cut avocados in halves and remove seeds. Use a spoon to scrape the avocado meat into a large bowl. Mash the avocados to a fairly smooth consistency, (I use a fork) leaving some small chunks. Sprinkle lightly with salt and squeeze in the juice of one half lime. Stir to mix, cover with plastic wrap & set aside.

(Pico de Gallo)
Slice jalapenos and tomatoes lengthwise and remove seeds. On a large cutting board, dice jalapenos, tomatoes and onions into very fine pieces. Add in garlic and cilantro, sprinkle lightly with salt and squeeze in the juice of the other half of lime. Toss lightly with fingers and incorporate into guacamole mixture.

This is a family sized recipe that can easily be halved.  It will store in the refrigerator for about 24 hours if plastic wrap is placed directly on the Guacamole con Pico de Gallo.

This dish serves well as a salad dressing or veggie dip and is fantastic served with grilled chicken or atop an omelet!

Farm Style Chicken & Dumplins: RECIPE

Comfort food, Soul food, Southern food - those fragrant meals that remind you of Mama's kitchen! Such culinary delights that nourish body and soul are still popular in rural southern cooking. This family favorite, Farm Style Chicken & Dumplins, is pure comfort food - a warm, cozy hug of a meal!

'Chicken and Dumplings' could be a quick and easy dish to prepare using store bought broth, chicken and canned biscuits, but I believe that the heart and soul of true comfort food lies in the preparation. No stock off the shelf will fill your house with the tempting aromas wafting from a pot full of home brew.

Drag out the apron and rolling pin and dedicate an afternoon to Farm Style Chicken & Dumplins - your efforts will be rewarded with sighs of praise as the family enjoys the tender chicken and plump, delicate dumplins swimming in rich gravy - all made from scratch.

Farm Style Chicken & Dumplins
Chicken & Stock
1 large, whole chicken
1 large onion, peeled and quartered
3 carrots, cut into chunks
3 stalks of celery, cut into chunks
3 Chicken bouillon cubes
Salt & Pepper, to taste

Dumplins
3 cups cake flour
3/4 teaspoon baking soda
3/4 teaspoon salt
4 1/2 Tablespoons lard or shortening
1 cup whole milk

Clean the chicken (remove neck, gizzards and other accessories, rinse chicken under cool, running water). Place chicken, onion, carrots, celery, and bouillon in a large (6 qt) stock pot and cover with about 1 gallon of water; season to taste with salt & pepper. Bring to a rolling boil, then reduce heat to Medium and simmer, uncovered, for 1 hour or until cooked through (165°).

When chicken is done, remove from the stock and let it cool on a plate.

Remove vegetables from the stock (cool & feed to the goat). You should have about 8 cups of the stock remaining, which is perfect.

As the chicken cools, prepare the dumplins. (Note: I use cake flour for dumplins lighter than air, but all-purpose will work in a pinch.) Mix flour, baking soda, and salt together in bowl. Cut lard (or shortening) into flour mixture with your fingertips until it resembles coarse meal. Add milk, 1/4 cup at a time (you may not need the full cup), and mix with fingers until dough forms a ball. The key to perfect dumplins: do not over-work the dough. Roll out the dough about 1/4" thick on a well floured surface - all purpose flour is fine here. Cut into rectangles about 1" wide and a couple inches long. Lay them out on floured waxed paper, sprinkle with flour and allow to firm up for 30 minutes or so. It's good to be generous with the flour here, because that is what thickens your stock into a creamy gravy.

Now, bring the chicken stock back to a slow boil. While the stock comes up to temp, remove chicken from the bone and shred into bite-sized pieces and set aside; discard bones and skin.

Drop dumplins, one by one, into boiling stock. I like to let each one drop and pop back up before adding the next. When they're all in, use a wooden spoon to move them gently from side to side; stir with too much vigor and you'll break the dumplins into clumps of dough. Reduce heat to Low and simmer for about 10 minutes to plump up the dumplins and thicken the gravy. Add chicken; cover and simmer for additional 20-30 minutes.

Farm Style Chicken & Dumplins are a delicious side dish, served with turkey or fried chicken, or as a meal (like spaghetti, but with a southern accent).

TELL ME ABOUT IT! What's your favorite comfort food?

HOW TO: Preserving Peaches, Dry-Pack Freezer Method

Nothing says Summer In The South like a sweet, juicy peach! In this post I will explain how to preserve that fresh peach flavor for year-round enjoyment.

Peaches are very forgiving when it comes to preservation; they are delicious canned whole or as jam, bulk preserved in syrup, or dry-packed and frozen, which I will explain today.

To enjoy fresh tasting peaches year 'round, it is necessary to begin with ripe, high quality peaches. The farmer's market is your best bet for beautiful, tree-ripened produce. You want peaches that are richly colored, aromatic and that will "give" just a little with a gentle squeeze. Although you are looking for a Perfect Peach, a small bruise is acceptable, as a damaged area can be cut away.

To preserve peaches using the dry-pack freezer method, you will need:
Peaches
Lemons or lemon juice
Granulated sugar
Waxed paper
Zip-close freezer bags

Before freezing, peaches should be peeled, pitted and sliced.

The simplest way I have found to peel the peaches is by blanching. Fill a 6 quart dutch oven half full of water and bring to a boil.  Fill the sink or a tub with ice and water, leaving plenty of room to add peaches.

On each peach, cut a small X into the end opposite the stem. Set a timer for 1 minute and gently lower 6 or 8 peaches into the boiling water. Do not allow the peaches to remain in the boiling water for more than 1 minute - you do not want to cook the fruit!

Using a slotted spoon, transfer the peaches to the ice water.

As the fruit cools, combine 2 Tablespoons of lemon juice with 1/3 Cup of sugar in a large bowl. The lemon juice will help keep fruit from turning brown, and the sugar will protect the peaches from freezer burn, as well as enhance the flavor.

When fruit is cool enough to handle, begin at the X and slip off the peels.

Cut each peach in half and gently pull apart to remove the pit. Slice the peaches into the bowl of lemon-sugar and stir to coat.

Marinate the peaches in the lemon sugar for 10-15 minutes, stirring frequently. Arrange slices in a single layer on a waxed paper lined cookie sheet. Lay a second sheet of waxed paper over this arrangement and freeze until solid, about 2 hours. The most accurate way to make sure the peaches are frozen through, is to pop one right in your mouth! (Maybe not the most accurate but definitely the most fulfilling!)

Your frozen peaches are now ready to be packed into zip-close freezer bags and put back into the freezer for later use. Preserving summertime taste couldn't be easier.

These dry-packed frozen peaches should be good for at least 12 months...but they probably won't be around that long! They add fresh fruit taste to pies, homemade ice cream and smoothies, and they are a cool, refreshing treat right out of the bag.

4 Quart bags from 14 peaches!

Do you have a favorite Peach Recipe to share? Your comments are always appreciated!

Vanilla Coffee Frost: RECIPE

With much of the United States wilting under a brutal heat wave, coffee drinkers - and the people around them - are suffering.

If it's too hot for a cup of coffee, and the sun is melting your iced coffee, but you just can't do without your coffee... this Farmhouse Signature Recipe is for you! Skip the coffee shop and follow me to the kitchen for a cool, delicious Vanilla Coffee Frost.

INGREDIENTS
3 Cups cold black coffee (brewed)
1/4 Cup milk
3 Tablespoons Vanilla Bean Dreams Coffee Syrup
1 dozen coffee ice cubes*
1 scoop Blue Bell Homemade Vanilla (TM) ice cream 

DIRECTIONS
In blender jar combine coffee, milk, Vanilla Bean Dreams Coffee Syrup, and coffee ice cubes.
With cover in place, pulse blender in 3 second bursts until ice begins to break up. Blend at high speed until smooth.
Pour into a quart sized Mason Jar, add a scoop of ice cream to the top and Enjoy! ♥

Speaking of Mason Jars...

***BONUS***

Save time washing up with this bonus tip: blend your Vanilla Coffee Frost right in the mason jar!

The screw on base, gasket and blade on most standard blenders will fit perfectly on a regular mouth Mason Jar! If yours does, pour it up, mix it up, and drink it up - right out of the jar.

*Coffee ice cubes are an integral element to this recipe as regular ice will leave the finished beverage watered down. I am of the opinion that it is a sin to pour coffee down the sink so, on the rare occasion when there is "leftover" coffee in the Farmhouse, I freeze it in ice cube trays. Because "leftover" coffee is uncommon around here, I often brew a strong pot and allow it to cool before pouring it up to freeze.

I invite you to give this recipe a try and, should you have suggestions for improvements, please leave them in the Comments section!

Keep it cool!

Grilled Stuffed Chicken Filets: RECIPE

Grilled stuffed chicken filets topped with a savory Burgundy-tomato sauce.
Yum - so good!

Great recipes can develop any time, anywhere; sometimes inspiration hits in the grocery store, sometimes in front of the pantry. Sometimes inspiration comes from someone else's recipe, as this one did.

I just adore Rachael Ray - she is a joy to watch on TV and her recipes are amazing. A short while ago she demonstrated a recipe for Mediterranean Chicken. 

The recipe is fantastic, but my bunch craves a little more country in the cock-a-doodle-doo, so I have adapted Rachael Ray's recipe...and taken it to the grill!

INGREDIENTS
2 cups shredded cheese, Cheddar & Monterey Jack blended
1 pound bacon, uncooked, cut into 1" squares
1 small onion, chopped
2 cloves garlic, minced
2 small pickled jalapeno peppers, finely chopped
6 boneless, skinless chicken breasts
Salt and pepper
2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
1/2 cup Burgundy wine
1 can fire roasted diced tomatoes (14.5 ounces)
1/2 cup chicken broth
4 cups prepared pasta or rice

DIRECTIONS
Fire up the grill!

Combine the cheese, bacon, onion, garlic and jalapeno pepper. Butterfly the chicken breasts (slit horizontally). Pound the chicken flat with a mallet; season with salt and pepper. Place cheese/bacon mixture into center of each chicken breast filet. Fold the chicken together, top over bottom, and secure open edges with round toothpicks.

In a large, heavy skillet, heat the olive oil over medium-high heat. Add the chicken and cook until browned, 3-4 minutes per side. Transfer the chicken to the hot (350°F) grill; cook completely, 15-20 minutes, with the grill covered.

As the chicken is cooking, pour the wine into the skillet and simmer for 5 minutes, stirring to release the browned bits. Stir in the tomatoes and chicken broth. Reduce heat to low, cover skillet and continue to simmer for 10 minutes.

Slice cooked chicken crosswise, serve over prepared pasta or rice, top with the Burgundy-tomato sauce.

As written, this is quite a spicy dish; if you prefer less heat, reduce the amount of jalapenos.

Where does your kitchen inspiration originate?

As always, I look forward to your questions and comments!

~Until next time!

Fire Roasted Whisky Pecans: RECIPE

Fire up the grill, grab your cast iron skillet and get excited because I've got a new recipe for you - Fire Roasted Whisky Pecans!

Last week I hinted that I've been working on a Grown Up version of the Fire Roasted Candied Pecans and, after a couple of attempts, I have it for you.  

For the Fire Roasted Whisky Pecans I used a 11 1/4" cast iron skillet on the grill over a charcoal fire with whisky-soaked apple wood chunks for great, smokey flavor.

INGREDIENTS
2 Tablespoons unsalted butter
2 cups pecans
1/2 cup granulated (white) sugar
1/2 cup dark brown sugar
1/3 cup Honey Whisky
1 Tablespoon vanilla extract
1/4 teaspoon cinnamon

DIRECTIONS
Generously butter bottom and sides of cast iron skillet.
Combine sugars, whisky, vanilla and cinnamon in a 1.5 qt mixing bowl; mix well with a wooden spoon. Add nuts to mixture, stirring and folding to fully coat the pecans. (Other nuts could be used in this recipe but pecans have those little pockets built in - perfect for holding in delectable flavors!) Spread contents evenly into the buttered skillet.
A side rack on the grill is perfect, if you have one, as indirect heat roasts the nuts without burning the sugar. Slow roasting is the key to great flavor! Roast through the syrupy stage and until syrup crystalizes, stirring occasionally.
The temperature on my charcoal grill read 350° and I roasted the pecans for 35 minutes with the lid closed.

Be sure to use a well padded mitt during this process as the cast iron is heavy and will be extremely hot!

Allow pecans to cool for 10 minutes before turning them out onto parchment paper to cool completely.

There are no adjectives sufficient to describe the taste of these Fire Roasted Whisky Pecans. The honey whisky lends a subtle, malty flavor that is rounded out by the brown sugar - distinct but not overwhelming. The vanilla and cinnamon add delicate undertones to these mouth-watering treats. These are going to be amazing sprinkled on a dish of hand-cranked vanilla ice cream!

Fire Roasted Whisky Pecans are easy to make, delicious, and they make a lovely gift. Here they are packaged in a Cowgirl Cocktail, just one of the Not Your Typical Redneck Wine Glasses, available in my Etsy shop.

Give this recipe a try and let me know what you think! Your comments are always appreciated.

Cheers!

Fire-Roasted Candied Pecans: RECIPE

Like most good southern cooks, I have a recipe for Candied Pecans filed away under Holiday Baking. But it's summertime in The South and heating the house with the oven is the last thing I want to do!   

My sweet tooth is craving those crunchy treats though, and I'm not willing to shell out the bug bucks at the mall so... To the grill I go!   

We fire up the charcoal grill at least five times a week in the summer, and I typically add wet *Applewood Chunks for delectable, smokey flavor. Today's menu includes deer sausage, home grown steak, garlic baked potatoes, and...

Fire-Roasted Candied Pecans!

*TIP!! When soaking wood chunks use just enough liquid to cover them. Wood soaked in a mix of half water/half honey whiskey gives an amazing flavor to food!  


I had intended to trial-run this recipe with pecans but most of my supply has disappeared (into the mouths of babes?) so today I used a combination of 1-1/2 cups pecans and 1/2 cup walnuts. I imagine almonds would be delicous as well.

INGREDIENTS
2 cups pecans
1/2 cup granulated (white) sugar
1/4 cup dark brown sugar
1/3 cup water
1 Tablespoon vanilla extract
1/4 teaspoon cinnamon

DIRECTIONS
Combine all ingredients in a one-gallon ziploc bag, shake well to fully coat the nuts. Spray a sheet of foil with nonstick spray and secure it on grill rack. An upper rack is perfect if you have one as indirect heat roasts the nuts without burning the sugar. Slow roasting is the key to great flavor!
Spread coated pecans in an even layer on the foil. Roast through the syrupy stage and until syrup crystalizes, stirring occasionally.

I was cooking on an open grill for about 45 minutes then I allowed the nuts to cook an additional 45 minutes with the grill closed, for a total of 90 minutes. Had I kept the grill closed for the entire process the nuts probably would have been finished in 45 minutes or less.

Results? Out of this world! Reminds me of Aunt Ruby's Pecan Pie. They are sweet - but not too sweet - and crunchy; mellow  with cinnamon and vanilla and those sultry,  smokey undertones...

These Fire Roasted Candied Pecans would be delightful on oatmeal, ice cream or cinnamon rolls - but I don't think this batch will last that long.   Maybe next time...in fact, I have an idea for a Grown Up version...

But that will be another post~
See you then!

Vanilla Coffee Syrup Recipe: Vanilla Bean Dreams

 While plundering through the pantry last weekend I perceived a prize! A lone Vanilla Bean,  properly stored in a cool, deep corner.  Peacefully he rested, content in Vanilla Bean Dreams of muffins and ice cream - little knowing, or caring, that his fate lay instead as the foundation for not one but two culinary delights.

As I mentioned in my recent post "Farmhouse Signature Vanilla Iced Coffee", I have become a huge fan of iced coffees! The recipe in that post calls for Torani (TM) Vanilla Flavoring Syrup and the recipe makes an amazing glass of coffee.  I was sure that I had created THE perfect vanilla iced coffee...but isn't there always room for improvement. Yes. Yes there is.

Over the course of several days I have toyed around with several mini-batches, all based on simple syrup (equal parts sugar and water) and vanilla. Along the way I have adjusted the amount of vanilla and the type of sugar, always sparing the Bean. I knew that the syrup must be near-perfect before the Bean could be introduced for, as every kitchen artist knows, vanilla beans are quite pricey!

Each trial batch has yielded a good vanilla syrup - and several quart jars of good vanilla iced coffee. But I'm not reaching for good - I'm reaching for excellence!  I believe that excellence has been achieved today. Vanilla Bean Dreams that exceed my greatest expectation are coming to life now in a Mason Jar full of the best tasting beverage I've ever enjoyed.

I have poured a very "clean" iced coffee; this is coffee, milk, ice and Vanilla Bean Dreams Syrup. There is no ice cream, non dairy creamer or added sugar, as I don't want any taste interference. It is really good, with a complex flavor profile I have not found with prior recipes, and I attribute that to the specific ingredients used.

So without further ado...the recipe:

VANILLA BEAN DREAMS SYRUP 
     3 1/2 cups distilled water
     3 cups granulated sugar
     1/2 cup dark brown sugar
     1 vanilla bean
     3 tablespoons vanilla extract
Split vanilla bean in half lengthwise and scrape the seeds into a clean, pint mason jar.
Place bean pod into a medium saucepan along with the water and sugars. Cook over medium-high heat for approximately 15 minutes, stirring constantly. Mixture should come to a slow boil and become thick and syrupy. Cool completely and stir in vanilla extract. Fill sterile quart mason jar with cooled syrup, making sure to include vanilla bean. Cover tightly with lid; store in a cool place.

Vanilla Bean Dreams Syrup, in place of Torani's, brings Farmhouse Signature Vanilla Iced Coffee to a sweet crescendo, and should be a divine addition to milkshakes, yogurt, lattes...let your imagination run wild!

But wait...there's more! What about those vanilla bean seeds we painstakingly scraped out of the pod? Surely they won't go to waste?

Don't take your apron off just yet...we have one more thing to do!

BONUS!!!  

VANILLA BEAN DREAMS INFUSED SUGAR
     Seeds from 1 vanilla bean
     2 cups granulated sugar
Pour 1 cup of sugar into the pint jar containing the seeds scraped from the vanilla bean when the syrup was made. Cover tightly with lid and shake vigorously to incorporate the seeds into the sugar. When the seeds are quite evenly distributed add the 2nd cup of sugar, replace lid and shake again.
Allow the vanilla infused sugar to sit for a week or more, shaking or stirring occasionally. Vanilla Bean Dreams Infused Sugar can be used in place of regular, granulated sugar in tea or coffee, sprinkled over oatmeal, or as a topping for fresh fruit.

So there you go! Two lovely, gourmet-quality sweeteners from a single Vanilla Bean!   Packaged beautifully, this pair would make a darling birthday, holiday or hostess gift and what a perfect way to say "thank you...for making life sweeter!"

I would like to point out a few things about three of the key ingredients in the syrup recipe. In my trials I did find that these specific ingredients truly affected the flavor of the final product.

1) Distilled Water
Simply stated, water chemistry affects flavor. This recipe will call for sugar to be melted - we absolutely do not want the sugar to burn! After a couple of trials I realized that the mineral content of tap water is too high to get a clean syrup.  As the syrup boils down, mineral deposits from tap water form on the sides of the saucepan. The thickened syrup sticks to the deposits, forming a crust which blackens and burns around the edges. Using distilled water helps keep the syrup from taking on a burnt taste.

2) Dark Brown Sugar
While brown sugar makes up only a fraction of the sugar required for this recipe, it is a key component. The molasses in brown sugar adds depth and richness to the syrup and amplifies the vanilla.

3) Vanilla
For this recipe I layered the vanilla flavor by using both vanilla extract and vanilla bean.
*The vanilla bean enters the scene in the first act, releasing flavor as the syrup cooks down, and will remain in the finished syrup. The bean pod will continue to add essence as it lingers.
*Vanilla extract is added after the syrup has cooled. As extract is alcohol-based, adding it while the syrup is hot would allow the alcohol, and the vanilla flavor, to evaporate without fully infusing the syrup. And that would never do!

I hope you enjoy the Vanilla Bean Dreams recipes as much as i do! As always, your questions and comments are appreciated.

Until next time... 
Good night and, 

• Sweet Vanilla Bean Dreams!

Farmhouse Signature Vanilla Iced Coffee: RECIPE

Oh coffee, how I adore thee! I drink coffee 365 days a year! It is never too hot or too late in the day for me to enjoy a good cup of coffee!

Only recently have I jumped on board the Iced Coffee Train and added Vanilla Iced Coffee to my routine. My first Vanilla Iced Coffee was a Golden Arches treat - then I discovered the Starbucks variety. Anything that delightful is going to be illegal,  immoral or fattening (in this case, probably all three) but there is an even darker side to this delicious coffee treat: it is NOT budget-friendly!

It was with that thought in mind that I began my quest for the perfect Farmhouse Signature Vanilla Iced Coffee and I believe I have achieved exquisiteness with this recipe. BEWARE:  while this is a much more budget-friendly coffee concoction, it is not at all diet-friendly! So without further ado, The Recipe:

Farmhouse Signature Vanilla Iced Coffee

1 C hot black coffee (brewed)
2 t dark brown sugar
2 t granulated (white) sugar
3 t non-dairy creamer (powder)
1 1/2 T Torani (TM) Vanilla Flavoring Syrup
1 dozen coffee ice cubes*
1 scoop Blue Bell Homemade Vanilla (TM) ice cream 
2 C cold black coffee (brewed)

In a quart sized mason jar combine hot coffee, sugars and creamer; stir well to melt sugars and incorporate creamer. Stir in vanilla flavoring syrup. Add coffee ice cubes* and ice cream. Fill the jar with cold black coffee and stir well to marry the flavors. Wrap the jar in your favorite Quilted Mason Jar Coozie and Enjoy! ♥

*Coffee ice cubes are an integral element to this recipe as regular ice will leave the finished beverage watered down. I am of the opinion that it is a sin to pour coffee down the sink so, on the rare occasion when there is "leftover" coffee in the Farmhouse, it is poured up into ice cube trays and frozen. As "leftover" coffee is such an anomaly around here, I will occasionally brew a strong pot and allow it to cool before pouring it up to freeze.

I invite you to give this recipe a try and, should you have suggestions for improvements, please leave them in the Comments section!

Like this recipe? Make a great thing even better by using Vanilla Bean Dreams Syrup in place of Torani (TM)!

(ingredients listed are the actual ingredients I use; I am not compensated to endorse any of these products)