This is a soup I made for friends by request, another copycat of an Olive Garden Soup.  You can use the handy, dandy search feature at the top right corner of the page and find the recipe for the hearty, meaty Zuppa Tuscana soup, mine and my friend 'Nette's favorite!  Here's the recipe for the Chicken Gnocchi Soup:

Copycat Olive Garden Chicken Gnocchi Soup

Ingredients:

• 1 c diced cooked chicken breast (I boiled the breast in broth) For convenience, use rotisserie chicken, a favorite!
• 3 tbsp butter
• 1 tbsp olive oil
• ¼ c all-purpose flour
• 1 c onion, diced
• ½ c celery diced
• 2 garlic cloves, minced
• 2 c half-and-half
• 14 oz chicken broth, for a thinner soup use more broth
• 1 c fresh spinach leaves, chopped
• 1 c shredded carrots
• 1/2 tsp fresh thyme - 1/4 tsp. if using dried thyme (it's stronger)
• 1 16 oz package potato gnocchi  (I didn't use the whole package, it's a lot of gnocchi)
• salt and pepper to taste (start with 1 tsp salt, 1/2 tsp black pepper)

Instructions: 

1. In a large pot add butter and olive oil. Over medium high heat sauté onion, celery and garlic until tender. (I add a little bit of salt here, because it is important to "salt your layers"). Add the flour to "make a roux" and cook for one or two minutes until the flour is mixed well with the fats and cooked a little bit.  This will be clumpy.
2. Slowly, yes, slowly, add the half and half and chicken broth and stir until it starts to thicken. Add the thyme, carrots, spinach, chicken and gnocchi. Simmer for about 5 minutes or until gnocchi is cooked and soup is thickened. (If you want a thinner soup just add broth until it's like you like) Salt and pepper to taste.

​        My sister is a fan of the Chicken Gnocchi Soup at The Olive Garden and she says their soup is not as creamy as mine; it has more broth in it.  It's hard to make a copycat dish when you've never had the dish before. I don't advise that!  I did have more chicken and gnocchi in mine, too.  My friend, Kenneth, who requested it, asked for me to leave the gnocchi out and said it was delicious!  He suggested a little heat would be good.  Next time I'll add a pinch or two of ground cayenne pepper.  I like a little heat, too!

        I will confess, I did not make the gnocchi, I bought it.  I attempted to make gnocchi for my friend Ghee, Sawyer's dad, a couple of years ago I guess.  It was a big, hot mess!  I wish I had the photos still to show you my kitchen when I was attempting to make it  I have matured a little, no, a lot, in how I prep and cook, and could probably make the gnocchi now, but as a matter of convenience, the potato gnocchi was store-bought this time.

        Home cooking is all about making foods the way you like them.  I did make one recipe without gnocchi for Kenneth, and this photo includes the gnocchi for Sis and me.  It's a beautiful dish, too!  Look how the colored bowl brings out the pretty colors of the veggies! ​

​        Since attending culinary school (the real school in Marietta, not the one in Rome that bought stock from Kroger), one idea I love so much is to make your own hearty broth for soups and other dishes.  I don't make the stock from scratch a lot unless I am going to use it right away, but only because I don't have a freezer with room to store it.  However, stock is something you can make every day if you have a pressure cooker, and that is on my wish list!  So, save those celery leaves, carrot tops, onion  and pepper pieces, chicken bones, shrimp shells, whatever you have and depending on what your dish is, and make your own broth.  Remember, it takes a little while to get all the flavor if you're making it on the stove so that's something that needs to be done a couple of hours before you need it.  Here's an easy to read article on simple stocks to make at home: ​fabulousfoods.com/articles/19919/stock-making-101-how-to-make-soup-stocks

        The most wonderful thing about this dish is that once the prep work is done, it all just goes into the pot!  I made a stock by cooking the chicken breasts with water and chicken broth and the veggie "scrappings" I had.  I took the chicken out of the broth once it had time to cook and let the broth simmer until I was ready for it. 

​        I cooked  three large boneless, skinless chicken breasts (some chicken I saved for salad and tacos at a later time) in water, chicken broth, "scraps" from the celery, carrots and onions (these were cleaned), on medium high heat for 15-20 minutes.  The chicken is done when it reaches 160-165 degrees on a food thermometer.  Since this chicken is going to be diced, just slice the chicken at it's fattest point and make sure there is no pink in it!  Before you slice the chicken, let it "rest" on the counter for about five minutes.  This lets the juices that have built up during cooking redistribute throughout the chicken.  There will also be some "carry-over" cooking during that five minutes that will continue to raise the temperature, so it's okay to take the chicken off the heat at around 160-165 degrees. ​      

You never know when you're going to have cold weather in Georgia, even after the warmer weather in the 70's we had this week, but this is a pretty good meal anytime, especially if it's loaded down with chicken.  I hope you'll try it and enjoy it! 

        I'm a little late in showing you the cookies I made for Valentine's Day, but I actually thought I had lost the pictures by accidentally deleting them from my phone.  They were on the Dished With Love Facebook page.  Sawyer loved the "cherry cookie" and so did the girls at Sis's office.  These are simple, pretty, and delicious. 

Here's the recipe!

Cherry Valentine Cookies

1 c salted butter (two sticks)
1 c sugar
1 (3 oz) package cherry Jello
3 eggs
1 tsp. almond extract
3 c flour
1 t baking powder
1/2 t salt

Mix and chill the cookie dough overnight. Roll out like a sugar cookie on a floured surface.

Bake cookies on an un-greased sheetpan or on parchment paper at 375 degrees for 8 minutes (larger cookies) – 7 minutes (smaller cookies). Cool completely and frost by dipping the tops of the cookies into the frosting and let them dry.  Top them with a few M&M's if you have them, they are always appreciated in this house!

For the Frosting:

1 c powdered sugar
2 tsp cherry juice (from maraschino cherries) 
2 tsp light corn syrup
1 tsp almond flavoring

Mix and add more corn syrup and cherry juice to get the right consistency. 

        Here is a wonderful chocolate chip cookie recipe that are "yuge" like the ones you can buy in the store. I made the chocolate chip cookies before and called them Hurricane Cookies because we actually had a hurricane warning in Northwest Georgia last September!  You just never know about the weather here!  Here's a picture of the large cookies I made.  Click on the picture for a link to the recipe!

        And this is what you do with leftover chocolate chunks and maraschino cherries!  I used the same recipe from the link above and added a jar of maraschino cherries, without the juice (I don't know what size, not the smallest jar but not the biggest). Instead of measuring the cookie dough out in a 1/4 cup measuring cup, I used a cookie scoop and the recipe made about three dozen cookies.  If you use chocolate chips instead of chunks the cookie dough will go even further.  The smaller cookies only take 7-8 minutes to cook per batch.  Take them out of the oven when they're a little bit brown on the edges!

        Well, Friends, I'm happy for the chance to catch up with you a little bit.  I would love to hear from you to see if you like the recipes, and if you try them!  Some of you who have been with me from the beginning of the blog know that it is dedicated to the most beautiful girl in the world, Sawyer!  Dished With Love, the blog, is dedicated to her and was started on her birthday, and she will be three in May!  Here are a few current photos of her and her lucky parents, and the Easter basket she got from Niecey and JJ!  She's growing up so fast, and she's as sweet as she is beautiful!

        Until next time, love from Dished With Love!  Denise xoxoxo

        This was one of my favorite dishes.  It's beautiful to look at with its bright colors, it is tasty and crisp and it offsets "some" of the fat, and there is a lot of it, in the other dishes.  It was also the most simple dish to make. 

Ingredients

• 1 tablespoon of a cooking oil
• 2 cups frozen corn kernels (or fresh if in season), thawed in the refrigerator
• 1 green bell pepper, small diced
• Pinch red pepper flakes
• Salt and pepper, to taste

Directions
In a non-stick skillet, heat the oil over moderately high heat until it is hot but not smoking Add corn and diced green pepper and saute', stirring, until tender but still crunchy, about three (3) minutes. Stir in red pepper flakes and cook 15 more seconds. Season with salt and pepper.

        Here's an honorable mention:  these are the hard-boiled eggs my sous chef painstakingly peeled, and I took the yoke to make deviled eggs with salt, pepper, sweet salad cubes and too much mayo.  They were delicious but were not photogenic at all.  Another delicious take on deviled eggs is to add chopped green olives and add them instead of sweet salad cubes.  Yum!

        This recipe was so wonderful, I could have eaten the whole dish!  I did not do a great job of taking photos during prep or you would see the toasted pecans heated in a sauce pan with butter and maple syrup!  Click on the picture of the whipped potatoes for the recipe.  If you've never checked out "The Kitchn" Facebook page and blog, it is well worth checking out for tons of kitchen tips and recipes!

        Here are the biscuits from scratch for the dressing.  Here's a recipe we were tested on in culinary school.  I converted the measurements for those who might not have a food scale, so they might look a little wonky.  Also, because this recipe does not include buttermilk, my friends have called into question that they are "Country Biscuits".  I agree, but cutting extra cold butter into the dough will make for some flaky biscuits!

Country Biscuits

Ingredients:

• 3 cup all-purpose flour*
• 1 1/4 tsp salt
• 3 3/4 tsp granulated sugar
• 3 3/4 tsp baking powder
• 1 stick plus 2 Tbsp unsalted butter (cold)
• 1 cup milk

Directions:
        Line a sheet pan with parchment paper.  Preheat the oven to 425 degrees.

1. Stir the dry ingredients together, making sure they are blended thoroughly.
2. Cut in the cold butter with a pastry cutter, or rub the butter in with your fingers until the mixture looks mealy, or like crumbs.  Do not over-mix.
3. Add the milk and stir, only until the ingredients are mixed together.
4. Transfer the dough to a lightly floured work surface. Knead until it forms one mass, approximately five or six kneadings.
5. Roll out the dough to a 1/2 inch thickness. Cut with a two-inch cutter and place the biscuits on the lined sheet pan, touch each other.
6. Bake until the tops are light brown, the sides are almost white and the insides are still moist, approximately 10-12 minutes. Internal heat will continue to cook the biscuits after they have been removed from the oven.
7. Remove the biscuits to a wire rack to cool.

Cook's Note:  Okay, you can't beat a hot, buttery homemade biscuit; however, for purposes of expediency, or for this dressing where the biscuits are mixed with cornbread and other ingredients,  you have two other options.  They are: 

(1)  You can still make the biscuits from scratch and use self-rising flour and buttermilk (eliminates the need for baking powder and/or baking soda) .  Check out this recipe!  http://www.marthawhite.com/recipes/famous-buttermilk-biscuits-2462  or

(2) Buy Mary B's Buttermilk Biscuits in the freezer section at your grocer's.  They are so convenient and taste like homemade!  They also make the idea of creating a dressing seem not so daunting! 

        I forgot to take a picture of the cornbread but I use the Martha White Southern Cornbread recipe.  It is an easy-peasy recipe.  I use lard (yes, politically incorrect) to grease a cast iron skillet.  Here's the link:  http://www.marthawhite.com/recipes/southern-cornbread-2630   

        Then comes the dressing!  This recipe is awesome, and the gravy recipe is almost drinkable.  I did not make enough gravy!  These are two of the dishes I made last year.  I tweaked the recipes a little on last year's blog.  You can find them here:  http://www.dishedwithlove.com/blogging/tis-the-season-to-be-thankful-and-jolly

   Also, on the same blog post from November of last year, you will find this delicious homemade cranberry sauce recipe.  How pretty is it in one of the jars my friend Karen gave me!  http://www.dishedwithlove.com/blogging/tis-the-season-to-be-thankful-and-jolly

        More Honorable Mentions: Sister Schubert's Dinner Yeast Rolls and Smithfield's Spiral Sliced Ham with Classic Ham Glaze!

Southern Peach Cobbler With Blackberries!

        Since Bobby and Connie had not had this wonderful peach and blackberry cobbler before, I decided to share this with them rather than my original plan of a homemade apple pie. Turns out it was my brother's choice! I made this for a "tailgating" party in September when peaches were still fresh, but let me tell you, the frozen ones are just as good and a lot more convenient!  Here's the link again:
https://www.onceuponachef.com/recipes/southern-peach-cobbler.html  It's just a coincidence that more than one recipe has the name Southern in them!

        I hope you've enjoyed the blog as much as I have enjoyed putting it all together for you.  One day I'll learn to pace myself so I can get lots more pictures of the prepping, which is my favorite part.  There's nothing like preparing all of the ingredients and then putting them all together to make something beautiful and delicious, except for the looks on the faces of the friends and family who are enjoying the dishes!

        We're spending Christmas with cousins at Seminole Lake in South Georgia.  Sis's birthday present to us this year is a trip to Callaway Resort and Gardens to visit the gardens and see the Fantasy of Lights on our birthday, which is four days before Christmas! 

        Merry Christmas to all of you.  Let us all remember the Reason for the Season, Jesus Christ! 

          Dished With Love, Denise!

        This year is going to be a little different, Friends!  This year our family Thanksgiving dinner is going to be at mine and Sis's home and my brother, Bob, and his wife, Connie, will be here!  I am very excited to have them here, and happy to be cooking for them.  

           I have experience with three of the dishes we're having (for you that do not know, I have only been cooking for about four years) and I am trying a couple of new ones.  The menu consists of traditional dishes, and a couple of them will be embellished a little.  Sis, Janise, is here today to help me prep the dinner, and clean the house.  We have lots to do!

             I have to start things now.  This is one of my favorite things to do, cooking for friends and family.  I think I have allotted plenty of time to do everything and also take lots of pictures for the blog, so I'll be sharing this culinary experience with you soon! 

          Happy Thanksgiving to you all!  I hope you all have a great time with friends and family, and a lot of great food!  Don't forget this weekend is great for football!  I'm not from Alabama but the Iron Bowl sounds like it is going to be exciting this year!

​             Dished With Love, Denise

              

Chicken Tortilla Soup

Prep Time: 10 Minutes
Difficulty: Easy
Cook Time: 90 Minutes
Servings: 8 Servings

Ingredients

• 2 whole Boneless, Skinless Chicken Breasts
• 1 Tablespoon Olive Oil
• 1-1/2 teaspoon Cumin
• 1 teaspoon Chili Powder
• 1/2 teaspoon Garlic Powder
• 1/2 teaspoon Salt
• 1 Tablespoon Olive Oil
• 1 cup Diced Onion
• 1/4 cup Diced Green Bell Pepper
• 1/4 cup Red Bell Pepper
• 3 cloves Garlic, Minced
• 1 can (10 Oz. Can) Rotel Tomatoes And Green Chilies
• 32 ounces, fluid Low Sodium Chicken Stock
• 3 Tablespoons Tomato Paste
• 4 cups Hot Water
• 2 cans (15 Oz. Can) Black Beans, Drained
• 3 Tablespoons Cornmeal Or Masa
• 5 whole Corn Tortillas, Cut Into Uniform Strips Around 2 To 3 Inches
• _____
• FOR THE GARNISHES:
• Sour Cream
• Diced Avocado
• Diced Red Onion
• Salsa Or Pico De Gallo
• Grated Monterey Jack Cheese
• Cilantro

Instructions
Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Mix cumin, chili pepper, garlic powder, and salt. Drizzle 1 tablespoon olive oil on chicken breasts, then sprinkle a small amount of spice mix on both sides. Set aside the rest of the spice mix.

Place chicken breasts on a baking sheet. Bake for 20 to 25 minutes, or until chicken is done. Use two forks to shred chicken. Set aside.

Heat 1 tablespoon olive oil in a pot over medium high heat. Add onions, red pepper, green pepper, and minced garlic. Stir and begin cooking, then add the rest of the spice mix. Stir to combine, then add shredded chicken and stir.

Pour in Rotel, chicken stock, tomato paste, water, and black beans. Bring to a boil, then reduce heat to a simmer. Simmer for 45 minutes, uncovered.

Mix cornmeal with a small amount of water. Pour into the soup, then simmer for an additional 30 minutes. Check seasonings, adding more if needed---add more chili powder if it needs more spice, and be sure not to undersalt. Turn off heat and allow to sit for 15 to 20 minutes before serving. Five minutes before serving, gently stir in tortilla strips.

Ladle into bowls, then, if you have the garnishes, top with sour cream, diced red onion, diced avocado, pico de gallo, and grated cheese.

        For The Pioneer Woman's Crock version of Chicken Tortilla Soup, click on the link!  http://thepioneerwoman.com/cooking/slow-cooker-chicken-tortilla-soup/

        Here are a couple of dishes I've blogged about before, Bow-Tie Pasta Salad and Best Baked Beans Ever!  The pasta salad is a recipe from culinary school, and one of our hostess' favorites!  It's easy enough for anyone to do, and great for practicing your knife skills and dice cuts.  If you want to get very industrious you can make your own creamy Caesar dressing, but I did use bottled dressing here, for convenience. 

Ingredients:
 
1 lb. bowtie pasta, cooked
½ c black olives, sliced
½ medium green pepper, small diced
½ medium red pepper, small diced
(Prepare extra olives and peppers for garnishing)
¼ c sweet onion, finely diced
½ c grated parmesan cheese
½ c grated Romano cheese
4 c creamy Caesar salad dressing
1 clove garlic, minced
½ tsp black pepper

Directions:

In a large mixing bowl, combine cooked pasta, olives, peppers, and onion.  Sprinkle with parmesan and Romano cheeses and stir to combine.  In a small bowl combine the salad dressing, garlic, and black pepper, then stir well.  Pour the dressing over the pasta mixture and coat well. Garnish with diced green and red peppers and sliced olives.

Refrigerate at least an hour to chill and meld flavors before serving.

*********************************************************

        What goes better with smoked meats, Southern cobbler,  and a cool, Summer salad?  Baked beans, of course!  This is one of my sister's favorites, and mine, and worth repeating over and over!  Named Best Baked Beans Ever by The Pioneer Woman!  Click on the picture of the beans for the recipe!

        Here's a picture of the Tiki Hut that Carrie took before the party, the best little bar in Cassville, and Matt, her handsome son who is in his last year at ABAC in Tifton, Georgia.  This is such a fun place.  Thanks again, Jeff and Carrie, for sharing with us!

       

        Summer may be ending, but college football always makes things better!  Until next time, friends, Denise!

            Here is some more fresh produce we picked up at the farmer's market: peppers, zucchinis, beets, apples, onions and garlic.  It's just a heavenly garden smorgasbord!  The market is an almost two hour drive for us, but the trip is well worth it!   It is an international market with about every ingredient you've ever heard of if you're into cooking different cuisines, and much more than just fresh produce!  I have bought hard sought out spices and ingredients there for Korean, Chinese, and Mexican dishes! 

        Are you ready for some more healthy protein muffins?  My next recipe isApple Cinnamon Protein Muffins.  These are made with a combination of Granny Smith and McIntosh apples from the farmer's market!  These turned out really moist and scrumptious! (I'm using other words besides delicious.)  I might be getting the hang of this!

          And now for your viewing pleasure, here are some of my pet friends I have been keeping while their owners are on vacation this Summer!  I have had many jobs since May and few more lined up through September!  This is part of the reason you haven't heard from me much in the last few weeks, but I'm trying to keep up some, in addition to having Sawyer two or three days a week.  It has been a wonderful, busy Summer!

​            I hope everyone enjoys the rest of their Summer!  Dishing With Love,  Denise!

             The banana-nut muffins did turn out dry.  Maybe one reason was because the bananas should have been allowed to over-ripen more.  I have also since learned to add more moisture because, in addition to the grain flours requiring additional moisture, the muffins contain whey protein that requires more moisture.  I'm not going to give you the recipe to these banana-nut muffins until I get the recipe like I like, and like you'll like it!  

               I use an eight cavity mini loaf pan.  Sometimes I have extra batter depending on how much moisture I add so I'm going to buy another pan.  Also, every protein muffin recipe I've made has had different cooking times so get those toothpicks out to check for doneness.  They can dry out very quickly.

              I did learn a few things from that first healthy muffin endeavor, and I made Ghee some tasty blueberry muffins, and forgot to take pictures of them.  Here is the Blueberry Protein Muffin recipe.  This recipe is for my work-out buddies who favor a higher protein diet (Let me clarify that as my buddies who work-out, because I don't work out.  I think about it every day; does that count?).  So these recipes will call for ingredients that some of you may not be familiar with, but if you're one of those protein smoothie people like Ghee and my sister, you will recognize them. Ghee enjoys these during his work days and has been a wonderful guinea pig...I mean taste tester!

              Let me mention here, in case you don't know, the muffin method of baking is the easiest ever!  See instructions below.  

                 Before I move on to the Blueberry Protein Muffins, let's break up the page a little bit.  Here's a Pioneer Woman Recipe for some delicious, sugary blueberry muffins, great for anytime...breakfast, brunch, having friends over for coffee!  Anytime!  Click on the picture for the recipe!

               Now back to the protein muffins!              

         First, here's a note on whey protein. Because different products contain different sized scoops and the grams in the weight of the product is different, we are measuring the grams of protein, not the powder.  Got it? Also, cinnamon bun flavor was on hand and unless your product has an extremely strong flavor that would contrast with other flavors in the muffin, most of the time any mild flavor will do.

             Next, a note on the frozen blueberries (fresh blueberries will give you a slushy muffin, which is not really a muffin): Lightly coat the frozen blueberries with some extra oat flour and this will keep them from sinking to the bottom of the batter due to their extra water content.  You will probably have to break them up a little first.  Put them back into the freezer until everything else is done.

Blueberry Protein Muffins

Ingredients (separated by dry and wet):

• 75 grams protein from Whey Protein Isolate
• 1.00 cup dry Oatmeal Flour (Old-Fashioned Oats crushed in a blender or food processor)
• .25 cup finely ground Almond Flour
• .25 cup Stevia
• 1.50 tsp Baking Powder
• .50 tsp Baking Soda


• 2 Egg Whites plus 1 Whole Egg, beaten*
• 4.00 ounces Nonfat Greek Yogurt
• 1 cup Unsweetened Apple Sauce
• 2 tbsp Honey (I use low glycemic Tupelo Honey)

• 1 tsp Vanilla Extract
• 8 tbsp. Peanut Butter Powder, Prepared (a wet ingredient)
• .50 tsp Lemon Juice, fresh
• 1.50 cup Frozen Blueberries, plus some for topping (measure out your blueberries, lightly coat with oat flour, and put them back into the freezer)


•  Directions:
• Preheat the oven to 350 degrees and spray the muffin tins with non-stick cooking spray. 
• Sift the dry ingredients into a medium sized bowl
• Combine wet ingredients in another bowl, and then add the dry to the wet! Never over-mix, but mix thoroughly just until the ingredients are combined or you'll have another "drying" problem!  I mix muffins with a silicone spatula. If the batter is a little thick, feel free to add a little more yogurt or applesauce.
• Take your blueberries from the freezer and gently fold them into the batter.  
• Taste the batter. If it tastes good, the muffins are going to taste good.  If you like it sweeter, add a little more sweetener.  Be careful you're not doing too much stirring!
• Scoop the batter into the muffin tins, a little over 3/4 full, and bake!  An ice cream scoop works great here!


• Begin baking for 15 - 17 minutes, then check at two minute intervals. They are done when a toothpick comes out clean.  Take into account any wet blueberries or melted chocolates, and just check the crumbs from the baked batter. A lot of recipes call for 20 - 25 minutes but I've never had to leave them in the oven that long.  When I did, they were really, really dry. 

*Note on eggs: Crack the egg and egg whites into a separate small bowl before adding to the other wet ingredients.  This is to keep from getting egg shells into a whole batch of ingredients, in case there are egg shells.  I also whisk my eggs before adding. I think it makes incorporating the eggs with the other ingredients easier.

Nutrition Facts (these are approximate facts gathered by submitting ingredient information to a nutrition calculator but they have not been officially evaluated by anyone): Servings 8-10; Amount Per Serving: Calories 218; Total Carbohydrate 26 g: Dietary Fiber 4 g ; Protein 22 g.

​        I also made Double Chocolate Protein Muffins.  This recipe has to be tweaked, too, because it ended up with too much chocolate and too many calories.  Imagine, I got carried away with the chocolate!  Of course they were delicious, but lots of calories are not good when you're working hard at working out!

Triple Chocolate Banana Bread!    

Here's another goody for breakfast, brunch or having friends over, or just for having chocolate. My sister saw this recipe on Facebook and requested it.  It was very good and very rich.  A little goes a long way!  Click on the picture for the recipe!

          Are you muffin-ed out yet?  I have a couple of more recipes coming your way for tasty protein muffins.  As I continue to make these and improve them, hopefully, I'll keep you updated.  Please note that there is a comment section here on the blog and I would love to hear from you if you have any experience in baking, or if you have any questions.

             Dished With Love, Denise 

        We picked these up at a place called Sawyer's Produce in Melvern Alabama after our friend Howard, who attended nearby Alabama's Troy University, told us about them.  They are also known as Geneva-Hartford tomatoes. According to one of the local farms:  "Slocomb tomatoes are not a variety; they are a culture in how the tomatoes are grown, picked, stored and delivered."

        I really love the name of the produce place!  Most of the tomatoes were not fully ripe so they lasted for a while.  We enjoyed them for weeks and we had lots to share!  Here's a picture of a sandwich I made with the last of them.  Look how beautiful that tomato is!

        These tomatoes, for you local folks, are from the Pick Your Own Farm on Hwy 53 toward Calhoun.  These are also some beauties, and well worth picking in 100 degree weather!  There is more than one variety, and one I like better than the others, so be mindful of that if you go.  I grilled these vegetables and made salsa.  The serrano peppers are for me, Sis likes the milder peppers.  This salsa was also delicious, but not yet to perfection!  Not the tomatoes' fault!!

        Here's a recipe for salsa that I used in a restaurant project in culinary school.  This is a pretty great recipe I adapted from a recipe that I like a lot, and anyone can make it because the main ingredients, the tomatoes, come from cans!  For all you food purists out there, the seasonings in canned tomatoes go a long way to tasty salsa!!   It was a big hit on the Mexican Buffet!  FYI: Mexican restaurants use canned tomatoes.  I know, because I have asked!

Fire Roasted Salsa

• 32 oz Canned Whole Tomatoes W/Juice
• 2 cans (10 Ounce) Rotel (diced Tomatoes And Green Chiles)
• 1/4 cup Chopped Onion, yellow onions were used here
• 1 Clove Garlic, for roasting, then minced
• 1 whole Jalapeno, for roasting, then diced (seeded or not, depending on how much heat you want!)
• 1/4 teaspoon Sugar
• 1/4 teaspoon Salt
• 1 Bunch of Cilantro, leaves chopped (I use more)
• 1/2 - 1  Lime, Juiced, or 1-2 T Lime Juice

 
In a small ungreased skillet over medium heat, roast the jalapeno and garlic, turning regularly, until they are soft and blotchy brown, about 5-10 minutes.  Put the jalapeno and garlic in a small bowl while hot and cover with plastic wrap and let them steam.  This will allow you to peel the skin off the garlic and mince; cut the stem off the jalapeno, peel the skin (or scrape with a paring knife), then quarter and thinly slice

Combine whole tomatoes, Rotel, onion, jalapeno, garlic, sugar, salt, lime juice, and cilantro in a blender or food processor. Pulse about 10 to 15 pulses. You are looking for the consistency of restaurant salsa.  Test seasonings with a tortilla chip and adjust as needed.  Refrigerate salsa for at least an hour.

        Do you have a favorite salsa recipe?  Please share!

        Dished With Love, Denise

 

Ingredients:

• 4 - 6 boneless skinless chicken breasts (4 ounces each)
  
• 1/4 teaspoon smoked paprika
• 1/2 pound fresh mushrooms, sliced
  
• 1 tablespoon butter
• 1/2 cup chicken broth (use red wine or sherry, if you like)
  
• 1/2 medium Vidalia onion, in season right now, small diced
  
• 1 garlic clove, minced
• Salt and pepper, to taste

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees.  Salt and pepper both sides of the chicken breasts.  Place them in a glass baking dish after spraying the dish with cooking spray (I love my Misto, I use good, light olive oil in it). Sprinkle with smoked paprika. Bake, uncovered, for 15 minutes.
   
2. While the chicken is in the oven, saute the onions, garlic and mushrooms in butter for about five minutes. Add the broth or wine, salt and pepper. Bring to a simmer and let the liquid cook down a little. Pour over chicken.
   
3. Bake 10-15 minutes longer or until a meat thermometer reads 165°. 

          Enjoy this easy, impressive, delicious, and healthy dish!

        I have two honorable mentions this week.  Sawyer just turned two, so I must show you how beautifu she is.  From this picture you can tell she gets that from her beautiful mother, Lindsay!

        On a sadder note, my pet friend, Bo, died last week.  He was the sweetest big dog who loved to play catch with his tennis balls and cool off in the pool.  He belonged to my friends, Jeff and Carrie, and was part of Willie and the Boys.  Willie is the cat and Marley is Bo's brother.  They have all been featured in previous blogs and Willie, Bo and Marley are in the pet slideshow on the right side of this page.  He is missed.

INGREDIENTS:

16 oz extra sharp cheddar cheese, grated
2 cups all-purpose flour
2 sticks butter, softened
2 cups Rice Krispies (or other puffed rice cereal)
1/2 teaspoon ground cayenne pepper (or to taste)

INSTRUCTIONS:

Preheat oven to 325 degrees.  Line baking sheets with parchment paper, or very grease them very lightly with a cooking spray.

Combine all of the ingredients together.  Mix all of the dry ingredients first before adding the butter.  This can be done in a large electric mixer with a dough hook, but I donned my food service latex gloves and mixed it by hand. Don't over-mix any kind of dough because it will become tough!  Roll into small balls about one inch in diameter and place them on the cookie sheets an inch apart. Flatten the balls with a fork that has been dipped in water and bake at 325 degrees for 12-14 minutes or until lightly browned.

Don't forget!  If you make the balls much more than one inch in diameter then you will need to cook them a little bit longer, depending on how big they turn out.  Just watch them in the oven, without opening the oven door if possible!

I made some special crisps for myself by sprinkling extra cayenne powder on top of them before baking.  I do like spicy!

Enjoy!  Denise

         The recipe for these beautiful mini blueberry lemon bundt cakes is also on the blog, in a full-sized 10" bundt cake.  Search Blueberry Lemon Bundt Cake!  This recipe will make six Mini Blueberry Lemon Bundt Cakes and 24 Li'l Lemon Drops.  If you just want to make six mini cakes, cut that recipe in half!  When making the mini-bundt cakes, the temperature and cooking time is also different.  Preheat your oven to 375 degrees and cook for 20-25 minutes.  Check to see if they're done by inserting a toothpick that comes out clean!

        I hope you enjoy these as much as my friends and I have!

         Don't forget "Mise en Place", which means "everything in its place". Put all of your prepped ingredients and the tools you'll need in one place before you start mixing and blending (this means you have to read the recipe in its entirety before you start!).  I promise, it will make your cooking and baking experiences seem effortless and be so enjoyable!

START WITH A FEW SIMPLE INGREDIENTS:

• 1 pound semisweet chocolate, chopped
• 4 tablespoons unsalted butter
• 4 large eggs, at room temperature
• 1 1/2 cups sugar
• 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 1/2 cup all-purpose flour, sifted
• 1/2 teaspoon baking powder
• One 12-ounce bag semisweet chocolate chips

INSTRUCTIONS:

1. In a glass bowl set over a saucepan of simmering water, melt the chopped chocolate with the butter, stirring a few times, until smooth.
2. In another large bowl, using a handheld electric mixer, beat the eggs with the sugar at medium speed until thick (like a thick sauce, not a thick batter) and pale, about five (5) minutes. Beat in the vanilla and salt. Using a rubber spatula, fold in the melted chocolate, then fold in the flour and baking powder. Stir in the chocolate chips. Scrape the batter into a shallow baking dish, cover and freeze until well chilled and firm.  
   
   Cook's Note:  Check the dough in 30-45 minutes if you're going to use it right away; otherwise, it will be frozen and you'll have to wait until it thaws out.  I know this from personal experience. It just needs to be firm and "scoopable".
3. Preheat your oven to 350 degrees and line 2 baking sheets with parchment paper. Working in batches, scoop 2-tablespoon-size mounds of dough onto the prepared baking sheets, about 2 inches apart. Bake for about 10-13 minutes, until the cookies are dry around the edges and cracked on top. Let the cookies cool on the baking sheets for 10 minutes, then transfer to a rack to cool completely before serving.

The cookies can be stored in an airtight container at room temperature for up to four (4) days.

Here's a link from TheKitchn that I intend to use to freeze cookie dough and have it on hand when needed.  http://www.thekitchn.com/how-to-freeze-cookie-dough-cooking-lessons-from-the-kitchn-195223

       Brownie Cookies,..for a chocolate lover they are perfect for any occasion!

       Dished With Love, Denise!        

        I used regular Panko bread crumbs because that is what I had on hand.  It worked just fine, but the finer bread crumbs give you the more traditional dish.  I like to use the herbs and spices in recipes but I usually cut back on those, to taste.  When you use them you'll learn how intense some of them can be and how to use them to your own taste.  Don't forget, you can add them but you can't take them away.  Use a little at a time, tasting along the way, to make your dish perfect.

        One of my most favorite things in the world is an aromatic tomato sauce, and this is a simple and delicious version I'm sure I will make over and over. It tastes like the sauce that is piled on top of a favorite lasagna at a local restaurant, and they also serve it with homemade bread.  Heat some olive oil, saute some finely chopped onions and fresh garlic, add two cups of canned crushed tomatoes, oregano, salt and pepper, bring to a boil, simmer for a few minutes, and you have heaven!

       The attached recipe calls for a large skillet and a baking dish for completing the dish, but I used my iron skillet on the stove-top and in the oven, making this a one pot recipe.  You can't get much better than that!  

         We thoroughly enjoyed this, and it's perfect for a quick and easy weeknight dinner!  The next time I make it I will use chicken, which is a main staple in our household, and I'm already looking forward to it!  

              Dished With Love, Denise!

       

​

       There's provolone for the ham and cheese sliders, extra sharp cheddar and pepper jack for Jumpin' Jack Cheddar, and extra sharp cheddar for sausage balls!  Easy and popular appetizers and party dishes!

        Here's another fan favorite, my Jumpin Jack Cheddar!  Go to the little searchy thingy on this page and you'll find the recipe!  The recipe has been edited a couple of times, and I think I have it just right!

        Here's a Super Bowl Party staple, and always a favorite.  I buy the two packages of the black forest ham and one of the provolone cheese in the big packages at Sam's, along with the King's Hawaiian rolls.  I use one slice, folded, of the ham, and one-half of a cheese slice, folded, on each roll.  This makes at least seven (7) dozen sliders.  Click on the picture above for the recipe!  My sister (sous chef) is always helpful in helping me put these together!

         Cook's Tip:  If you buy the Hawaiian rolls that have not been pre-sliced, place the layer of rolls on your cutting board or a flat tray.  Hold gently by placing the clean palm of your hand on the rolls, and slice the pack of rolls gently with a long, sharp serrated knife. Voila!

        These delicious chicken wings get honorable mention, because you can't have a Super Bowl party without them, right?  My sister contributes toward these every year.  These were actually some that were steamed, and not crispy like we like them.  We brought home the leftovers, I dried them out on a rack in the oven at 200 degrees for about 30 minutes, flipping them once.  They still weren't crispy enough, so I fried them in my iron skillet.  I'm glad this was all we had because I could have eaten a hundred.  They were so delicious, fried, as they should be!

        Another Super Bowl gone by, hopefully Atlanta will make it and win next year, they deserve it!   Before I end, let me show you current pictures of Girly Sawyer!  This was before a daddy-daughter date at Chick-Fil-A.  She gets more beautiful every day! 

       Until next time, Friends!  Thanks for stopping by and your comments are always appreciated!

        Dished with Love, Denise

        Click on the picture of the cornbread dressing for a delicious buttermilk cornbread recipe!  Here's the recipe for the dressing!  I don't have a picture of the buttermilk biscuits on here.  The ones I used were biscuits I had made previously and kept in the freezer.  I'll be sure to post the biscuit recipe soon.  Make the cornbread and biscuits at least a day or two ahead of time so they will be dry and will soak up all those dressing flavors!

Old Fashioned Cornbread Dressing

Ingredients:

• 1 pan of Southern Buttermilk Cornbread
  
• 6 cups of crumbled buttermilk biscuits
  
• 1 stick of unsalted butter
  
• 2 tablespoons bacon grease (or chicken drippings), or 1 T butter with 1 T cooking oil (adding oil allows a higher heat on the butter)
  
• 2 cups sweet onions, small diced
  
• 2 cups celery, small diced
• 2 tablespoons olive oil
  
• 1 1/2 teaspoons poultry seasoning (sage and thyme)
  
• 2-3 quarts of homemade chicken stock and/or a good store bought one
  
• 1 tsp black pepper
  
• Salt to taste
  
• 2 large chicken breasts, pulled apart (optional) Use chicken from the whole chicken or boil two chicken breasts separately
  
• Additional butter for top
  
• While you're dicing up that onion and celery, go ahead and dice more for a dressing gravy (a small onion and a celery rib). Make that small dice a little smaller.
  

Directions:

• Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Generously grease a 9x13 baking dish.  There may be more dressing for an additional, smaller dish. 
  
• Tear the cornbread and biscuits into pieces in a big bowl.  Big.  Set aside.
  
• Sautee onions and celery in bacon grease or oil and butter, just until tender.  Add the cooked and pulled chicken, the vegetables and the poultry seasoning to the bread mixture.
  
• Add two quarts of stock and stir well.  Add enough stock, 1/2 cup at a time, until it's just a little "soppy", which means still thick but moist. 
  
• Add one teaspoon of black pepper, stir, then taste and adjust salt and seasonings as needed.
• Let the dressing sit for about 30 minutes to absorb all the liquid.
• Stir and pour into a greased baking pan, or two.
  
• Add pats of butter to the top of the dressing, cover with foil.
  
• Bake at 375 for 30 minutes,  then remove the foil and bake for another 20-30 minutes, depending on your oven, until a beautiful brown and a little firm, but not dry.
  

        Here's a simple gravy recipe I made, and I put it in a  fancy gravy boat and then I packed it up to go without taking a picture.

Ingredients:

• 3 tablespoons of fat from chicken drippings (or your fat of choice, butter, olive oil, bacon fat, etc.)
• 1 small onion, small dice
• 1 celery stalk, small dice
• 6 tablespoons of all-purpose flour
  
• 3 cups of chicken stock
• salt and pepper, to taste
• 1/2 teaspoon fresh thyme

Instructions:

• In a large saucepan over medium heat, add your fat until just shimmering.  Add onion and celery and saute until vegetables are soft and the edges start to turn brown.  Stir frequently.
• Sprinkle the flour over the cooked vegetables and cook, stirring until the flour is absorbed and the roux (fat and flour mix) turns light golden brown.  Whisk in the chicken stock and bring to a simmer.  Simmer until thick and glossy, about 10 minutes, sometimes longer to get to the right consistency.  Season with salt and pepper to taste.  Pour through a strainer into a bowl and remove the solid ingredients.
  
• Stir in chopped thyme, put it into a pretty gravy bowl, take a picture of it, and serve.  ​           

        I know most of us grew up with canned cranberry sauce, and I still love it, but if you feel like getting a little fancy (with fresh cranberries and pecans), click on the picture on the right for this simple and delicious cranberry sauce.  Delicious!

        These are some beautiful Autumn Poinsettias I saw in Kroger.  I didn't know there was such a thing. The picture does not do them justice!

        Here is Sawyer at her Thanksgiving celebration at her aunt's house, and with her parents.  She is really the most wonderful little girl!

        Since I started this post, my Sister Janise, and I made a quick trip to Florida to visit some friends in Freeport, Florida.  We did make a little trip out of the way so we could see Panama City Beach, one of our favorite places.  This scene is at dinner time at Schooner's, The Last Local Beach Club.  We passed several places before we got here and some are closed for the season and some are just open on the weekends.  Janise remembered Schooner's advertises as local so we went by there, and true enough, they're open year round.  They also have a special from 4 p.m. - 6 p.m. that's pretty good!  I love this picture!

        Thanks for stopping by, Friends!  I hope you are all having a great holiday season! 

          Dished With Love, Denise