BBQ Portobello Burger with Slaw

Let me, just for the record, state that burgers are probably one of my favorite foods. Along with millions of other people on this green earth, burgers have helped me through hangovers, comforted me when I don't feel like cooking, motivated me TO cook, and to top it all off they have this superhero quality of always making me happy and never leaving me with an ounce of regret. I love burgers. Bean burgers, chicken burgers, beef burgers, mushroom burgers and quinoa burgers. Gimme.

Ingredients:

• 2 large Portobellos caps
• 2 tbsp olive oil
• 2 hamburger buns of choice
• 1/2 red cabbage head diced
• gouda sliced (about 3 small pieces per cap)
• 3 tsp of choice BBQ rub
• 1/4 cup BBQ sauce
• 1/2 tbsp mustard
• 1/4 cup mayo
• 1/2 cup BBQ sauce
• 1 clove of diced garlic
• S&P to taste

Get this song out of my head! No wait! Don't! What a marvelous gospel singer Mahalia was, her pipes could beat out anyone else's pipes and those swinging rhythms get your dancin'. Queen of Gospel indeed, so here's one for the books everyone!

Directions:

1. In a medium sized bowl, place your diced cabbage. Separately in a small bowl mix together, 1/2 cup BBQ, mayo, mustard, garlic, salt and pepper. Pour mixture over cabbage and stir until cabbage is coated. Set aside
2. In a large skillet fry your mushroom caps in your oil on medium heat. Cover (flip every 2 minutes or so until caps are soft).
3. When caps are soft sprinkle BBQ rub onto both sides of each cap, then place cheese slices on fan side. Cover and let sit for about one minute or until cheese is melted.
4. When cheese is melted, add 3 tsp of BBQ sauce to the caps evenly. Place on your bun.
5. Top with cabbage slaw and serve!

Oh lordy, everyone enjoy this delicious doozy of a recipe. Along with your Mahalia, you should have a pretty good night! Happy eatings everyone!

Buffalo Sliders with Avocado

On those days where you know you are going to busy you need to plan dinner ahead of time, trust me you wont regret it. Get up 10 minutes earlier than you would have and just crockpot! That way when you get home from running around or working you can remember, dinner is done, you don't have to do anything except serve it up and eat.

It seems as though my days of late have been just that, just too busy and I am just too tired to bother with recipes. What with work, errands, adult responsibilities and so on I just can't find the energy. I made grilled cheese and heat up some soup a few nights ago, that's my tell. When inspiration and motivation fail me, I turn to grilled cheese. The most basic of the foods (don't get me wrong, I love a good grilled cheese), there come's a time where I just want something spicier or maybe something that looked like I put a lot of effort into it but really I just dumped it all in my crockpot and voila! insta-dinner.

So I set out on a search for just that. Weeding through pinterest pin after pinterest pin, not quite finding anything or reading reviews of how it may look good but in the taste department it failed, it becomes monotonous. Why should YOU have to weed through the pins when you have me to do it for you? Here you go!

Ingredients:

• 1.5 lb chicken breast
• 1 packet dry ranch
• 1 bottle of Franks Red Hot Wing Sauce. (1/4 set aside)
• 1 avocado cut into pieces after chicken is done
• 1 package King Hawaiian Rolls cut in half

Some real musically talented people here and just fun summer listening, turn off your brain and just hangout music, saw them live at a small festival a summer or two ago, couldn't stop dancing and it was such a fun show, we should all know them by now so here are The Avett Brothers. Also... Summertime yet?

Directions:

1. In a crock pot place your chicken, wing sauce (except 1/4 reserved) and dry ranch. Mix the ranch in so it's not clumpy.
2. Cook on low for 6-8 hours.
3. When done, shred your chicken with a fork and mix in your 1/4 reserved cup of frank's.
4. Evenly distribute over one half of each roll, and then add your avocado to other half of each roll.
5. Serve!

See easy. Happy Eatings Everyone!

Lamb Pita Pizza

Crunch your teeth into this crispy and light pizza! A lot of people don't care for lamb but I love it, I would almost choose it over ground beef but beef is a lot more versatile. For all those lamb lovers out there though, this is the recipe for you, I cannot express enough how delicious these were. The minute I bit into them I knew they were going to be one of those 'crave it all the time' dishes that I can't get enough of and will work to perfect through the years. One thing I did change from the original recipe was the type of olives I used, would kalamata olives been better? I am sure, but they were also 5 dollars a jar and I'm a penny pincher. So I went with plain black olives and guess what? they were worked just as well. I also forgot the mint! Oh well I'll try it next time!

Ingredients:

• 1/4 red onion cut into long thin pieces
• 1/2 olives cut in half
• 1 lb ground lamb
• 2 tsp cumin 
• 2 tsp basil
• 7 oz feta
• 1 tsp zest of a lemon
• 1/2 cup water
• 1 tbsp olive oil
• 4-5 pitas about 6 inches wide

Driving with this lady in a pale light makes me feel all the goosebumps. Angel Olsen is one of those artists I couldn't help but fall in love with, she's got a sweet and unique voice harkening back to the stylings of Patti Smith but making her own softer stamp on the genre or maybe not and that's just what I think of when I am listening to her. Alas, I love her and I hope you hop on the Angel train too:

 

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 400 degrees.
2. Mix together your water, lemon, feta, 1 tsp cumin and 1 tsp basil, set aside.
3. In a skillet, brown your lamb in the olive oil and season with 1 tsp cumin and 1 tsp basil. Drain and set aside. 
4. In the same skillet take your pitas and slightly brown them on each side (about 2 minutes each side on medium heat).
5. Once pitas are done, place them on cookie sheets. Evenly distribute your feta mix onto each pita. Then sprinkle an even amount of lamb on top. Add your onion and olives over the top.
6. Bake for about 10-15 minutes. (If you want you can sprinkle fresh mint onto the pitas after they are done in the oven)
7. Serve!

Drooling yet? Happy Eatings Everyone!

Momotaro Cocktail

It's friday and I've been running errands and baking like a mad woman! Seriously, some great recipes are coming your way and I am so excited to share them with you! Right now, I am finally able to sit down and type out a concoction for you all and what a delicious concoction it is. Ginny, peachy sweet goodness, it's a cocktail to really bring in the spring season well, it's name is Momotara. Momo-please. HA. Ok I'm done being dumb and I am ready to get my cocktail on.

Ingredients:

• 2 parts gin
• 1 part Peach Bellini mix
• 1 part sour mix
• ice

One of my top favorite soundtracks ever created is to the movie O' Brother Where Art Thou, and now with the sun shinin' my bluesy, country roots comin' out, I reach out to this soundtrack again and again...and again.

Directions:

1. In a shaker, shake together your gin, peach and sour. 
2. Pour over ice.
3. Serve!

Happy and Safe drinking everyone!

Pesto Quinoa with Spinach

My routine in the kitchen is to make a weekly meal plan, find recipes for each day and make a grocery list for them, I try to budget to 50 dollars or less a week but I find it hard to keep to the budget when the husband finds random (not on the list) stuff to put in our cart. I never stop him because it's usually hummus or salsa and I can't resist them because they're my favorite snacks. 

Anyway, last grocery trip I went without the husby and found it a lot easier to stick to the list and budget, my total was more around 45 dollars (fist pump)! I can't wait to have my own regular sized fridge again, because somehow shopping for the entire month comes out cheaper, of course I still buy produce weekly but I have come to find out that my grocery bill will never be that dirt cheap girl's bill that astonishes you when you read it because the quality of products I try to stick too are higher than the boxed, canned and processed crap most grocery stores try to get you to buy, which leads me to my recipe!

Ingredients:

• 2 cups cooked quinoa
• 5 tbsps basil pesto
• 1/2 cup parmesan
• 5 cup raw spinach
• 1/2 cup chopped cashews

Went record shopping this weekend and found a wonderful live album of Joe Cocker, so excited it was his first ever recored and now it's added to our collection. I love Cocker's vocals, he was a powerhouse of emotion and making already popular songs not only his own but sometimes better. Featured on this album is his version of Let's Go Get Stoned, a song made most popular by Ray Charles but here's Joe's version, can't get enough of that voice!

Directions:

1. Add your spinach to a bowl, then add your cooked quinoa (while it's still hot) on top and stir. This will cause the spinach to wilt a little but still give you that fresh taste.
2. Next stir your pesto in until quinoa is evenly coated. Then your parm and cashews.
3. Serve!

Happy Eatings Everyone!

Simple Ham and Swiss Sliders

Why were these called Cuban in the original recipe? Anyone know? Am I just THAT ignorant to Cuban dishes? Someone let me know, I am at a loss. The confusion I had with the name however did not deter me from making these bad boys, because A) I love dill pickles and B) I love Sliders. It smelled so good in the oven, so drool eventually formed and I needed food ASAP. My stomach is literally growling, grrrrrrrrrwwwllllll. So let's get started!

Wish I had a better pic!

Ingredients:

• 1 pkg Kings Hawaiian rolls
• 1/4 lb sliced hams
• 4 slices swiss cheese
• sliced dill pickles (as many as your taste buds want)
• 1/2 tbsp dried minced onion
• 2 1/2 tbsp butter
• 1 1/2 tbsp dijon mustard

So I will admit I have been in a music rut lately, and by rut I mean I just have been enjoying a few albums for a while and just can't get enough of them, well in all honesty I've been listening to this album since high school because it's a best of slash compilation album, and the artists were The Andrew Sisters. As a former choir nerd, The Andrew Sisters are just the total package, plus the era of which their music comes is one of my favorites to study and read about; something most people don't know is that back when Big Band music was in popular demand the majority of orchestras and bands playing the genre resented singers breaking into it because they stole the spot light from the instrumental solos by mimicking (mainly brass) instruments with their voices, so here's Rum and Coca Cola, a 'Hello Sun' favorite of mine:

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 325
2. Cut rolls in half and place bottom half in greased baking pan.
3. Place ham, pickle, and swiss then other half of rolls on top of bottom half.
4. Heat up in microwave and mix together butter, mustard and onion. Then pour it over the top of sliders.
5. Bake for 12-15 minutes.
6. Serve!

Happy Eatings Everyone!

Chai Tea Cookies

One of my least favorite things about baking is that there are some processes that just seem like they drone on and on. Who has time to be so delicate and patient!? These cookies were one of those recipes,  I just skipped the parts that were for purely aesthetic reasons because I don't care if my cookies are pretty I care if they're tasty. I also just don't think I need to roll them up into parchment paper, freeze them, then slowly cut them so they have a perfect circular shape, that's a bit too much for me. Making your dough into little cookie patties and putting them in the fridge for 45 minutes works for me, and guess what? they turned out so tasty, my husband and I ate the whole dozen in less than 24 hours. Take that long winded directions!

Ingredients:

• 1 cup all-purpose flour 
• 1/4 cup sugar 
• 1/4 cup powdered sugar 
• 2 chai tea bags ripped open (I used Bigelow Vanilla Chai, I really think any flavored chai would work)
• 1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
• 1/4 teaspoon salt 
• 1/2 teaspoon vanilla 
• 1/2 cup unsalted butter

It's sunny and I'm in a good mood, The Shangri Las also put me in a sunshine good mood, so here you go, enjoy this live performance from 1965:

Directions:

1. In a bowl mix together your ingredients until dough is formed (will be a little crumbly).
2. Next form about 2 inch large cookie 'patties'. Place on a plate and refrigerate for about 45 minutes to an hour. 
3. Preheat oven to 375.
4. Place cookies on a greased cookie sheet and bake for 12-15 minutes or until browned. 
5. Let cool, then serve!

Happy Eatings Everyone!

Korean Beef on Rice

It's been a rough week, I've been way too hard on myself over small things and way to wrapped up in my own thoughts. Sleep is hard to find during weeks like this one. I watch my cat sleeping near my feet and I just think 'lucky bastard', he'll peep his eyes open at me every once and a while and give me his drunk on sleep, dreamy look and I just stick my tongue out at him. He's just trying to rub it in. I need to have a good night sleep soon or I think I might just get snappy towards everyone I encounter. I try to suppress the Hyde in me, as we all do, I can usually accomplish this with a sauce pan or crockpot full of heavenly goodness. Tonight my easy one pot meal has done it's job and I will continue to be myself for at least another night:

Ingredients:

• 1 lb lean ground beef 
• Small handful of brown sugar
• 1/4 cup soy sauce
• 1 tbsp sesame seed oil
• 1 tbsp minced garlic
• 1/2 tsp fresh ginger
• 1/2 tsp red chili flakes (or more depending on how spicy you like it)
• salt and pepper 
• 3 green onions diced
• 1 cup brown rice

The husband and myself have been digging this new artist, her EP The Double EP: A Sea of Split Peas, is an example of great and unique song writing, her lyrics are subtly funny, witty and a story set to song that you just can't stop listening too, so here's Avant Gardener hope you have fun listening to her:

Directions:

1. Cook rice according to package.
2. In a large skillet or wok brown your beef in your sesame oil. Then drain most of the fat.
3. Next add your other ingredients to the wok and on medium to high heat stir them well.
4. When your beef is done, place on top of rice for each serving, then sprinkle with green onion. 
5. Serve!

Happy Eatings Everyone! 

Easy Breakfast Pizza

One question, is Robin Wright an alien? I swear that lady doesn't age, so beautiful and so classy. My suspicion stands. Anyway, while you ponder that, why don't you kick your feet up and let dinner take it's course. A 15 minute course that is. Ah, music to my ears '15 minutes'. I love when I can get to watching TCM instead of spending an hour and a half to get dinner on the table. Not to say I don't also love to put a dinner out that took 2 hours. But let's face who has time for that every day?  Let's stop rambling on and on and get to the food!

Look at it. It's beautiful.

Ingredients:

• 3 pieces bacon, cut into pieces and fried
• 3 eggs yolks broken
• 1 handful of arugula 
• 1 pizza crust
• 1/4 onion diced
• 1 cup shredded cheddar cheese

I have this album on repeat in my car, I absolutely love Lykke Li's new album I Never Learn shes catchy and eery and produces beautiful melodies. So here is No Rest for the Wicked off the previously mentioned album. I hope you enjoy it as you're pizza is cooking:

Direction:

1. Preheat your oven to 375 degrees.
2. On your pizza crust, slowly pour your raw eggs so as to not let it go over the edges.
3. Sprinkle onion, arugula and bacon over the egg.
4. Evenly sprinkle your cheddar over your entire pizza.
5. Bake for 20 minutes or until egg is fully cooked.
6. Cut and serve!

Happy Eatings Everyone!