Spicy Sloppy Joe Dip

One of the many perks football season is creating amazing concoctions that you'll eventually have to work off later in the spring. But before holidays pass and football season comes to an end, we can enjoy morsels made up cheese, meat or sugar and candies. This dip is a must have during any game time. So good and easy to make, break out the potato chips its playoffs time!

Ingredients: 

• 8oz cream cheese
• 1/2 cup cheddar cheese
• 1 lb ground beef
• 1/2 onion diced
• 3 medium sized jalapenos diced
• 1 can sloppy joe sauce

Directions:

1. In a skillet fry the beef onion and jalapenos together until the meat turns brown. Then drain the fat.
2. Place meat in a crock pot with sloppy joe sauce. Then add both cheeses and turn crock pot on low for two hours.
3. Stir before serving. This makes a lot of dip so make sure your making it for a crowd. If theres just two of you I would definitely split this recipe in half.

See look how easy that was! Enjoy the games and good eats everyone!

Egg and Bread Crumb Casserole (Egg Bake)

I've been so busy with holiday shenanigans, my blog has been suffering a little. But I managed to document one recipe over the week! For any weekend breakfast make something that will fill you up in all the best ways. An easy and filling Egg Bake for breakfast! Makes for about 6.

Ingredients:

• 1 cup from pkg of single slice Ham (cubed)
• 5 eggs
• 2 cups cubed bread
• 1/2 onion (sautéed)
• salt and pepper to taste
• 1 3/4 cup milk
• 3/4 cups cheddar cheese

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
2. In a bowl whisk eggs and milk together, then add salt and pepper to taste.
3. In an 8x8 casserole pan lay bread cubes down, then layer sauteed onion, ham and shaved cheese on top of cubes.
4. Pour egg mixture on top of bread and cheese. Let stand for 5 minutes to let bread soak in some of the egg. 
5. Bake for 35-40 minutes. 

And there you have it, the prep time was short and sweet and took very little clean up (one of my favorite things). I hope you enjoy this recipe and that everyone had a great holiday season see you in 2014! Happy Eatings Everyone!

Gluten Free Chex Mix

At holiday parties I like to bring things that people can enjoy without worry and can eat a lot of without feeling too guilty. For the past few years I have been experimenting with the holiday classic Chex Mix. I found that this can easily be made into a gluten-free snack and no one would be able to tell. I made two batches for a party I hosted this past weekend, it made its way onto everyone's plate and was gone by the end of the night. So here it is:

Gluten-Free Chex Mix
Ingredients:

• 4 1/2 cups Rice Chex
• 4 1/2 cups Corn Chex
• 1 cup mixed nuts
• 1 cup gluten-free pretzels
• 2 tbsp worcestershire sauce
• 6 tbsp butter
• 1/2 tsp garlic powder
• 1/2 tsp onion powder
• 2 tsps seasoning salt

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 250
2. In a large mixing bowl, mix together both chex, nuts, and pretzels well.
3. In a small bowl melt your butter then mix your spices in with a fork.
4. Pour butter mixture onto chex and mix well. If you feel you need more flavoring I add another butter and spice mixture to the recipe but cut the butter and spices in half so it doesn't get too strong. 
5. Pour mixture onto a large baking sheet.
6. Place in oven for one hour and stir every 15 minutes.

Happy Eatings and Happy Holidays!

Cheddar Cheese and Sour Cream Lasagna

Haven't been posting as much due to the holidays and all the stuff going on here and there but I had time to write in this recipe:

I hate when I am left with lasagna noodles but no ricotta and no mozzarella. Ayeeee. But it gives me a chance to be inventive, I have sour cream and cheddar cheese so... same thing right? What I thought would be a huge failure actually turned out to be pretty good. Two layers of noodles and a make shift stuffing, it was quite om noms if I do say so myself. So here it is, for every time you find yourself with the noodles and not the right cheese.

Ingredients:

• 2 cups shredded cheddar cheese 
• 1 and 1/3 cup diced tomatoes (canned)
• 1/2 sour cream
• 1 medium onion chopped
• 1 cloves garlic minced
• 2 slices bacon cut into pieces 
• 1 cup frozen corn
• No Boil lasagna noodles
• 2 cups frozen spinach
• 1/3 cup parmesan 
• olive oil

Directions:

1. Preheat Oven to 400 degrees.
2. Lay lasagna noodles down in a 9x13 inch pan.
3. In a pan over stove top, fry up bacon, garlic and onion until translucent in oil. Then add frozen veggies. When everything is fried set to side.
4. On top of noodles spread sour cream over evenly. Then sprinkle 1 cup of cheddar cheese on top of that. The add a cup of your diced tomatoes evenly over cheese.
5. Next add your onion and bacon mix on top of tomatoes. Layer with another set of lasagna noodles.
6. Top with 1 cup cheddar, then parmesan, lastly your tomatoes.
7. Bake for 25-30 minutes. Serve!

The top was a little crispy in places, but I put cheddar cheese on top of the tomatoes and parm so that was to be expected. Little mistake, won't happen again.

Pear Vodka Cocktail with Rosemary

This is one of those 'people pleasers' drinks for the holiday parties in your future, so if you are the host or an attendee, wow the crowd with a great cocktail (I won't tell you cheated and took on such an easy recipe). It can be served in a punch style to help lower work load and appeals to those who don't even like vodka! Its yummy, so much so that you should probably have someone keep an eye on your drink limit. Simple and sweet here you are:

Ingredients:

• 1 bottle vodka (750ml)
• 2 cans chilled ginger ale
• Fresh rosemary sprigs
• 32 oz pear juice
• Ice

Directions:

1. In a punch bowl or drink dispenser put your ice in, then add your liquids.
2. Puncture the leaves on the sprigs of rosemary to allow the smell and flavor to be released into the drink. Place one sprig in each glass and two or three in your communal dispenser or bowl. 
3. Be sure to mix well. Pour, sip and enjoy.

As they say please drink responsibly, this drink is one of those ninja drinks that gets you later with that heavy buzz so its best to stick to a drink or two. Anyway happy holidays to all and enjoy! 

Rosemary Carrots and a Portobello Bruschetta

Well happy late Thanksgiving! Hope it was swell, the table was full of awesome recipes and fancy feasts and I have a few simple recipes that can translate over from the Thanksgiving table to any table during the year. The two that I am sharing are my carrots that I served with dinner and a bruschetta I served as an appetizer. Here they are:

Roasted Rosemary Carrots

Ingredients:

• 3 bunches small carrots (about 24)
• 2 sprigs fresh rosemary
• 2 tbsp olive oil
• Salt to taste

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 400 degrees.
2. Lay your carrots out in a baking dish. It's ok if they overlap.
3. Drizzle your olive oil on top of the carrots.
4. Remove leaves of rosemary from sprig and sprinkle them generously on top on the carrots. Then salt the carrots. I only did a little salt because I didn't want it overpowering the rosemary.
5. Bake for 25 minutes, then serve!

So this one is almost too easy! They are an easy side if you're at a lost for a veggie dish at dinner and because it's carrots the taste will compliment nearly anything!

Portobello Bruschetta

Ingredients:

• 1/2 avocado cut into smaller pieces
• 3 small portobello mushrooms chopped into small bits
• 1/2 yellow onion chopped finely
• 2 cloves garlic minced
• 2 tbsp olive oil
• 1 1/2 tbsp balsamic vinaigrette
• Fresh basil leaves to taste
• 1 large baguette cut into pieces (or whatever you want to serve on)

Directions:

1. In a frying pan add olive oil, garlic and onion and fry until onion is translucent.
2. Next add your mushroom and cook until it is soft and tender.
3. Next add your sliced avocado half and cook until most all of the avocado has disappeared and coated the mushroom mix.
4. When avocado is mostly gone add as many basil leaves as you prefer, I add about a cups worth, and cook until leaves are tender.
5. Remove mix from heat and place in a bowl. Let cool for an hour or overnight. 
6. Then add your balsamic vinaigrette, I only added 1 and 1/2 tablespoon because I never liked bruschetta where all you could taste was the vinaigrette. Mix well and serve on top of bread or crackers.

This was so good on the baked baguette I had, not too filling and oh so healthy. This recipe would also work at a potluck for a universal spread as its vegan and can appeal to all diets. Hope your holiday weekend was swell. Happy Eatings (if you still have room that is)!

Thai Burger

Yesterday I saw a magnificently intriguing recipe at the website Urban Romance. I mean a Thai burger sounds up my foodie alley and I had to try it today just to see if they were right, I mean peanut butter on a burger? Who ever heard of such a thing, blasphemy. Except, when the burger actually passed my lips and hit my taste buds I nearly melted to floor. Usually I hate cilantro, somehow I didn't taste it and the flavors were a wonderful mixture of spicy, nutty and sweetness. Praise be unto the burger god of the culinary world:

For 4 burgers:

• 1lb ground beef
• 4 pineapple rings
• Sriracha 
• Peanut Butter
• 4 strips thin bacon
• hamburger buns
• 1 bunch cilantro
• 1/3 cup panko bread crumbs
• 1 egg

Directions:

1. In a medium bowl mix together egg, bread crumbs and ground beef with your hands. Then split into four sections and make thin patties with each. (I make mine thick because I like something to sink my teeth into).
2. In a large pan start frying patties by placing them down on medium high heat for two minutes covered, then flipping them for another two covered, so on until finished.
3. In a small pan fry bacon until preferred texture. In the bacon fat fry your pineapple rings until golden brown around the edges.
4. On a cookie sheet broil your hamburger buns open face up for 2-4 minutes depending on your oven. 
5. When buns are done, squirt some sriracha onto both sides of the bun. On the bottom part place your bacon, pineapple then a tbsp of peanut butter. Place patty on top of peanut butter so it can melt a little. Garnish patty with a few leaves of cilantro.
6. Eat those burgers.

I don't want to type anymore, I want to get back to my burger. Happy Eatings!

Pumpkin Crumble Cake with Maple Glaze

I was in charge of the dessert for a party recently so I had to do my usual research. An hour or two just searching for something that sounded like most people would like and of course involved some pumpkin... get used to it. I don't take pumpkin lightly :-) . Then I remembered that I was already prepared to make a dessert a little bit ago, but because of one reason or another, I never got around to it. I quit searching and decided to go with what I already had. It started with a whole cake pan and was suppose to serve 18, but it was gone with only 8 people attending the party. Must of been a hit right?

Ingredients:

• 1/3 cups Water 
• Vanilla Extract 
• 2 whole Eggs 
• 1 box Yellow Cake Mix 
• 2 tsp Pumpkin Pie Spice 
• 1 can Pureed Pumpkin (15 Oz) 
• 1 tsp Baking Soda 
• Brown Sugar,
• 1/2 cups Flour 
• 1/4 cups half and half or heavy whipping cream
• 1/4 cups Granulated Sugar 
• 4 tbsp Butter, Melted 

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
2. In a large mixing bowl combine your water, eggs, pumpkin puree, pumpkin pie spice and 1 tbsp vanilla. Stir. Then add your baking soda and cake mix.
3. With some butter grease a 9x13 cake pan. Then pour your batter in.
4. For the crumble mix together 1/2 cup brown sugar and flour, your melted butter in a small bowl. Then crumble mixture over batter and bake for 25-30 minutes.
5. While your cake is baking take a small pot and add your half and half or whipping cream, granulated sugar,  1 tsp vanilla and 1/2 cup brown sugar. Stir until steaming, then remove from heat and stir until sugar has dissolved.
6. When cake is done poke it a few times with a fork and pour your glaze evenly over the top.
7. This can be served hot or room temp.

Mouth drooling yet? Happy Eatings!

Spaghetti Squash with Kale and Sausage

With a lot of the recipes I use I like to experiment and replace any carb, meat or dairy with veggies or nut milk. I had half of my sausage left from when I made my sausage gravy and wanted to use it in a pasta. But not being in a mood to stuff my face with calorie packed pasta noodles I replaced them with my spaghetti squash:

Spaghetti Squash with Kale and Sausage

Ingredients:

• 1/2lb ground sausage
• 1/2 cup chicken broth
• 1 egg
• 1 medium spaghetti squash
• 1 bundle of kale chopped roughly, stalks removed
• 2 cloves garlic pressed
• salt and pepper to taste
• 1/4 sweet onion diced
• 1/2 tsp thyme
• 1/2 tsp ground sage
• 8 oz shredded mozzarella 

Directions:

1. Preheat your oven to 400 degrees.
2. Cut your squash in half (it will take some muscle) and gut it of the strings and seeds. Then place the two sides face down on a cookie sheet. Bake for 20-25 minutes
3. In a large pan take and crumble your sausage and put your onion in to saute. 
4. Once the meat is no longer red and the onion is starting to become translucent you can add your kale, garlic and broth. 
5. When the kale leaves are getting tender add your sage, salt and pepper (to taste) and thyme. Stir thoroughly.
6. Then when the squash is done use a fork to remove the flesh, breaking the strings apart as you go  along.
7. Add the squash and 1 egg to the kale and sausage mix. Stir well on a medium heat. 
8. Remove from heat and place in an 8x8 baking dish. Stir in your mozzarella.
9. Bake at 350 degrees for 15-20 minutes or until a bit bubbly.
10. Serve!

You can cut your calorie count and just use half of the 8 oz mozzarella bag. Or just cut the cheese all together and just add another egg. Feel free to also omit the meat and use carrots or broccoli instead. This was AWESOME, I ended up stuffing my face anyway and just accepting that good food will always win. Happy Eatings!

Breaded and Baked Fish

I made entirely too much of this tonight, I suppose it's leftovers for us this week. But it was time for a good ole breaded fish recipe. Usually I just use the same egg and flour breading then frying it up in canola oil, but I decided maybe I should try a healthier route. It hit the spot and will make for a good left over this week, maybe I'll repurpose it for fish tacos or something but here we are:

Ingredients:

•  11/2 cup milk
• 1 tbsp and 1 tsp salt
• 1 1/2 cup panko bread crumbs
• 1 tsp thyme
• 1 tsp paprika
• salt and pepper
• 1/2 cup parmesan 
• 2 lbs rockfish, halibut or whichever light fish you choose.
• 3 tbsp olive oil

Direction:

1. Preheat oven 500 degrees
2. Pat your fish dry of any excess water.
3. In one bowl add milk and salt.
4. In another add all the rest of your ingredients sans salt and pepper.
5. Take your fish and dip first in milk then pad in bread mixture until covered well. Repeat until all fish is done. Then drizzle with olive oil.
6. Place in a glass baking dish. And cook for 15-20 minutes until browned and crispy on top. 

Feel free to cut this in half... it made A LOT! Happy Eatings Everyone!

Simple Sausage Country Gravy

Its was one of those special Monday's off this past weekend where you wake up have some coffee, make something delicious for breakfast and put in a beloved movie. Well I had my coffee, Hello Dolly! and an idea of what to make for me and the fiance. Biscuits and gravy is one of our favorite 'treat yourself' breakfasts. And guess what you can make that delicious country style gravy without those nasty little instant packets. Here you are:

Ingredients:

• 1/2 lb country style sausage
• 1 1/4 cup milk
• 4 tbsp flour
• 5 tbsp butter
• salt and pepper

Directions:

1. In a small fry pan cook your sausage until done.
2. In a sauce pot melt your butter then add your flour. Mix until thickened. 
3. Slowly add your milk to your flour mixture and stir until gravy has become thick again.
4. Add your salt and pepper to taste. 
5. Then add your sausage, drippings and all.
6. I usually add a little more milk if the gravy is too thick and then a little more salt and pepper as well until its to my liking.
7. Serve with biscuits or chicken!

Curry Chickpeas and Rice

Made this quick recipe from taste this week, wanted to go easy on myself with my mind on other things. Who doesn't get like that? Too much to juggle in a week and we don't have time to do everything that we would like to , so it's essential to keep a few quick recipes on hand so we don't feel like we're skimping on our meal time! Keeping this one in the books:

Ingredients:

• 1 tsp tumeric
• 1 tsp cayenne pepper
• 1 tsp cumin
• dash allspice
• 1 yellow summer squash diced
• 1 can garbanzo beans
• 1/2 onion diced
• 2 cloves garlic dice
• 1 small can tomato paste
• 1 can coconut milk
• 1 cup jasmine rice

Directions:

1. In a sauce pot cook your rice according to directions.
2. In a fry pan fry your onion and garlic until near translucent. 
3. Next add your beans, squash and coconut milk and tomato paste, stir until mixed well. 
4. Then mix in your spices.
5. When rice is done add to coconut milk mixture and stir.
6. Serve!

I had a lot of dried summer squash, so to get it ready for the dish I soaked it in water for about an hour until it was soft then drained it and added it to the coconut milk. 

Happy Eatings Everyone!

Yam and Black Bean Enchiladas

I believe we take for granted how easy we have it in the kitchen these days. With so many cheats and quickie recipes out there at our disposal we forget that we have better sources for delicious meals sometimes. The best source, in my opinion, is family. I've got a special place for those recipes I've stolen from my mother and grandmothers. From grandma's potato salad to mom's chicken braid, asking mom or dad can turn out to be the best recipes and bring instant comfort to a foody's soul. So here's one from the mother... let me tell you it's AMAZING:

Ingredients:

• 2 large yams ( or sweet potatoes)
• 1 can black beans rinsed and drained
• 1 can 4 oz green chillies 
• 1/2 onion diced
• 2 garlic cloves minced
• Low fat cream cheese
• 3 jalapenos cut into small pieces separately 
• 8-10 corn tortilla shells
• 8 oz low fat sour cream
• 1/4 cup flour
• 1/2 cup butter or margarine
• 2 cup chicken stock
• 2 tsp chili powder
• 2 tsp oregano
• 1 tsp cumin
• salt and pepper to taste
• cilantro to taste

Direction:

For Stuffing:

1. Preheat oven to 350 
2. Wash and peel your yams and stab them a few times with a fork, cook in microwave until soft.
3. On the stove, sauté onion and garlic until nearly translucent.
4. Add 2 tablespoons of green chillies. 
5. Cube the yams to onion mixture along with black beans and 2 of your 3 jalapenos.
6. Next add chili powder, oregano,cumin, cilantro, and salt and pepper to taste.
7. Using 8 corn tortilla shells, spread less than a tablespoon of low fat cream cheese inside, stuff with the beans and potato mixture, roll each and “bed” them in a cake pan or casserole dish.
   
   

For Sauce:

1. In a sauce pot add butter and flour base, melt butter and stir until bubbly
2. Add chicken stock
3. Next add 8 ounces LOW fat sour cream (don’t use fat free, tis nasty)
4. Stir until mixture is creamy
5. Dump in the rest of your green chillies, and other diced jalapeno. You can also add more onion here if you so choose. And stir
6. Pour mixture on top of enchilada, it'll be a bit runny but will thicken while cooking.
7. Top with low fat cheddar cheese (as much as you want)
8. 1. Bake for about an hour or until sauce and cheese are bubbly. Let cool for 10 minutes.

      
      

      
      

      
      

      Happy Eating Everyone! And thanks again mom!
      
      
      
      
      
      

      
      

      
      

      
      

      
      

      
      

      
      

      
      

      
      

      
      

Pumpkin Spice Bread

I was searching for a recipe that would use a whole pint of my pumpkin puree, just so I don't feel obligated to put pumpkin into every dish I make. I found this recipe for a pumpkin bread that sounded perfect for breakfast this past weekend. So I decided to give it whirl. It was ok, she says that you can make 2 regular loafs from the recipe and that it would take 45 minutes to bake. 80 minutes and counting they still turned out dense. I don't know, maybe it was my puree? But they were still tasty and could still be eaten, I put a little cream cheese and apple butter on top and it was to die for! I made a few changes to this recipe because, that's what I do. Here you go:

Ingredients:

• 2 c. sugar
• 1 c. canola oil
• 4 eggs
• 1 tsp vanilla
• 1 pint of (16oz) pumpkin puree
• 3/4 cup water
• 3 c. flour
• 2 tsp. baking soda
• 1/2 tsp. salt
• 2 tsp. cinnamon
• 1 tsp. nutmeg
• 1 tsp. pumpkin pie spice

Directions: 

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees and grease your bread pans.
2. In a large bowl whisk your sugar oil, vanilla and eggs until well mixed.
3. Next add your pumpkin puree and mix slowly, while mixing add your water. 
4. Slowly mix in one cup of flour at a time, until clumps are all gone.
5. In a small bowl combine your spices, baking soda and salt , then add to your pumpkin mixture. Then pour into your two bread pans evenly.
   
6. I put one in at a time for 80 minutes each, keep an eye on them though everybody's oven is different.
7. Take out and let cool for an hour.
8. Serve!

Not all recipes turn out exactly the way you plan, but it's ok, we move on to the next one another day. I still enjoyed this very much and I hope you can make it turn out less dense than mine did. No complaints in the tummy satisfaction department though! Happy Eatings!

Two Beans and Split Pea Soup

I blanch and freeze so many veggies for the fall that I never know what to do with them. My favorite thing however is just dumping them and whatever else I may have in my kitchen into a pot, add some water and POOF you have soup. Its easy, healthy and just satisfying on any cold night. Add some toast and you have dinner.

Anyway, this recipe was completely made up. I seriously just dumped things in a pot and called it good. Usually when I go about making my soup this way I become the taste tester, add an ingredient, taste, add another ingredient, taste, et cetera et cetera. My taste buds came up with this:

Two Bean and Split Pea Soup

Ingredients:

• 2 cubes chicken bouillon
• 4 cups water
• 1 tsp celery seed
• 1 tsp oregano
• 1 bay leaf
• 1 cup frozen carrots
• 1 cup frozen celery (or roughly 2 stalks)
• 1 can great northern beans
• 1 can kidney beans
• 1/2 cup dry split peas
• 1 large clove garlic diced
• 1 cup onion diced
• 1 tbsp pumpkin puree (told you I'd be subtle)

Directions:

1. In a large pot bring bouillon and water to a simmer and stir until cubes have dissolved.
2. Next add your carrots, celery, onion and garlic to the water.
3. Drain your cans of beans before adding it to the water.
4. Then add your celery seed, bay leaf and oregano, stir well.
5. Add your split peas. Turn heat down to a simmer and cover. Let cook for 45 minute or until split peas are soft stirring occasionally.

I used white kidney beans, but that's only because I didn't have red in my kitchen. It still turned out hearty and yummy though, and there were plenty left overs for lunch the next day. Fall =Soup Season, Happy Eating!

Homemade Pumpkin Puree Latte

Once October starts winding down and November starts creeping in, I like to get a little subtle with pumpkin flavors. I still have too many jars of my pumpkin puree, I think maybe a pumpkin baking day is in my future. But for now, it's small doses of the flavor I adore and small doses in my daily caffeine fix sounds just right. Here's an easy, 123 recipe for a Pumpkin Latte:

Pumpkin Puree Latte

Ingredients:

• 1 cup milk
• 3 tbsp pumpkin puree
• 2 tsp vanilla
• 1 tsp cinnamon
• 1/2 cup strong coffee or 1/4 espresso

Direction:

1. Mix all ingredients except coffee in a sauce pot. Bring to boil.
2. Pour into a cup over coffee and serve with a dash of nutmeg or pumpkin pie spice.

There you have it, enjoy and happy ... drinking!

Garlic Duck and Lazy Fried Rice

I went home a weekend or two ago to Spokane to visit family. Coming from a family that loves to hunt means I have been spoiled on more than one occasion with the most organic possible meat. Straight from the woods to my plate I feel like a king and feel as though bragging rights are in order. I don't have to worry about what preservatives have been tossed in or where it comes from, I just have to worry about coming across the occasional BB or feather. I'll take the latter any day. 

I tried this recipe because it's the ingredients I had on hand, so sorry there isn't a fancier way I could show you like, duck l'orange or pan seared or duck confit. But this one was good none less and there is more duck in the freezer!

Garlic Duck and Lazy Fried Rice

For Duck:

• 2lb duck breast cut small and thin
• 2/3 cup of teriyaki sauce
• Salt and Pepper
• Honey
• 3 cloves garlic slivered long ways

For fried rice:

• 1 cup frozen peas
• 1 cup frozen corn
• 1 cup frozen carrots
• 1 cup celery diced into small pieces
• 4 eggs whisked
• 1 cup white rice
• 3 tbsp soy sauce
• 1 tbsp coconut oil

Directions:

1. Marinade your duck breasts for at least an hour in the teriyaki sauce. *duck is gamey, so the longer the marination process the less game taste you will have in the final product.
2. Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
3. Place your garlic on each duck breast, then salt and pepper and drizzle very little honey onto each breast.
4. Place duck in oven for 30 minutes. * note: duck will be red in the middle when done cooking, this is normal for duck.
   
   
5. In a pot cook your white rice according to package.
6. In a saute pan fry your veggies in the coconut oil until soft. Then add your whisked eggs and mix until egg is done.
7. When rice is done, drain of any extra water then place in the saute pan with veggies and mix.
8. Next add your soy sauce, mix well and cook on high until rice has a light brown tint in places.
9. Serve fried rice and duck together and enjoy!

Do I have to tell you how good this was? Because it was... VERY. Duck can be found usually through special orders at your local butcher shop. Again I am spoiled because I have two sources for duck, the woods and the farmer's market, though farmer's market duck wont be as tough. Anyway, hope you find this useful and happy eatings!

Apple Mac and Cheese with Leeks and Bacon

Last day of the week? It screams for mac and cheese! A cheesy and bacon-y concoction that soothes the heart and sets in the weekend. I adore mixing flavors that people raise their eyebrows at and have it actually work! Some experiments do fail, but this was not one of them. It was DELICIOUS and the flavors complimented each other instead of overwhelming each other when mixed together.

 Ingredients:

• 2 cups frozen leeks
• 1 apple diced to small bits
• 6 pieces of bacon cut into 1/2 inch pieces 
• 1/2 yellow onion diced
• 12 oz small shell pasta
• 2 cups cheddar cheese shredded
• 3 cups milk
• 1/4 cup flour
• 4 tbsp butter
• Panko bread crumbs
• Salt and pepper to taste

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
2. In a sauce pan cook your pasta. 
3. While pasta cooks fry your bacon and onion up in a frying pan, then place onto paper towel to cool. 
4. In the bacon fat, fry up your bits of apple until tender and golden. Set off to side.
5. Thaw your leeks and and place in a coriander. Drain your pasta over the top of leeks.
6. In the same pan you cooked your pasta, melt your butter. Then add your flour, and whisk together. Slowly whisk the milk into the flour mixture.
7. Add your cheese to the milk and stir until melted. 
8. In a large 9x16 baking pan put your leek and pasta mix and your bacon, onions and apples. Mix well.
9. Pour your cheese over your pasta and mix. Add a little more shredded cheese on top and a helping handful of Panko for a little crunchy top.
10. Bake for 30 minutes. 
11. Serve with salt and pepper and voila! Eat up!

*this serves 6

I thought while I was eating it that it would have been even better topped with some grated parmesan. But even without it... I ate way more than I should have, but I don't regret it. Happy eating everyone!

Easy Cajun Shrimp and Rice

My fiance and I had a late night the other night, came home and were exhausted. I guess we need to get more sun or something because this has been a regular thing lately and we're not used to it. Yes we're mainly shut-ins but we're not lazy. Supposedly it happens to everyone, the lazy bug, but that doesn't mean your recipes need to suffer along with your chore list. There are some easier ways to go about dinner without sacrificing taste. So I came up with this recipe, short, sweet and simple but satisfying:

Easy Cajun Shrimp and Rice

Ingredients:

• Half of an onion diced
• 2 cloves garlic
• 1 can drained black beans
• 8 oz medium size to large size shrimp
• 1 tbsp creole seasoning
• 1 cup brown rice
• 2 tbsp butter
  

Direction:

1. Cook rice according to packages instructions
2. In a saute pan fry your shrimp, onions and garlic in the butter. (if your using frozen shrimp thaw them in the microwave then drain them of excess liquid)
3. When rice is done add it to your shrimp mixture, along with the black beans. 
4. Then mix in your creole seasoning, I used two tablespoons and it was SPICY. So add as much as you can handle.
   

This little recipe doesn't need sauces, is super quick and really nourishing. Its a good one to use if you're in a rush or just don't want to spend much time in the kitchen. Sometimes simple, is just better.