Bloody Mary Bar

Louisiana has so much to offer in the way of food. Since living in Louisiana, I have eaten some of the best food I have ever had and tried some new things that I either previously did not like or had never really wanted to try. A Bloody Mary is one of those things. It was never something that really appealed to me and one time I had one (in Las Vegas) I didn't really care for it. But, once I tried one here in New Orleans, I realized that these were the real deal--they really know how to make them here!

For the first time in over ten years, Steve decided not to go to Dallas for the annual OU/TX game. The OU/TX game is a game surrounded by great tradition. Between the weekend festivities, the Texas State Fair, seeing friends, walking around hearing Boomer Sooner and OU Sucks constantly, Texas fair food, Big Tex and, of course, the big game, I felt bad that Steve would be missing it. So, to make it a little fun and festive, we decided to have friends over for Bloodys and Breakfast to celebrate the big morning game.

I decided to put together a Bloody Mary bar so that each person to add what they wanted to their own bloody mary. It is super easy to put together and just need to you make sure you have a few options for everyone and let your guests be creative. I have listed a few suggestions below for you but really the possibilities are endless!

The Essentials
The Mix:  If you have a preference, choose your favorite. If not, I recommend Zing Zang. This was a recommendation by one of Steve's coworkers and it really is the best I have had. It is spicy and perfected seasoned. It really stands alone without needing to be "doctored" up.
The Vodka: Again, choose your favorite. We used Tito's. Tito's is handmade vodka from Austin, TX. It is good and not too expensive.
The Veggies: Cut up carrots and celery stalks that can serve as stirrers for your cocktail
The Glass: I think Bloody Marys look best in a high ball glass
The Garnish: Lime Wedges, pickled okra, green olives

The Extras:
Hot Sauce: Here in our house, Tabasco is the only way to go. Crystal or Louisiana Hot Sauce are also good choices
Dry Seasonings: Tony's, fresh ground pepper, celery salt, cayenne pepper. Try rimming your glasses with any of these!
Additional Seasoning Ideas: Worcestershire sauce, horseradish, lemon or lime juice, clam juice, beef broth
Garnishes: Tabasco flavored green beans, pearl onions, boiled shrimp, pepperoncini peppers.

Spice Rubbed Steak Taquitos

I have had a few people mention that they are big fans of my Chipotle Chicken and Cilantro and Lime Chicken taquito recipes, so I asked my resident taquito connoisseur and asked if he had any preferences for a new taquito recipe. He said, "Steak, please." and the result is what you'll find below! A taquito made with flavorful, juicy steak--seasoned to perfection with my homemade spice rub--a little onion, a little heat and some jack cheese. Oila!

I hope you love my homemade taquito recipes as much as my hungry husband! They are definitely a healthier, more flavorful alternative to the frozen variety and are sure to impress!

Spice Rub:
1 teaspoons salt
1/2 teaspoon black pepper
1 teaspoon garlic powder
1 teaspoon dried minced onion
1 teaspoon cumin
1 teaspoon chili powder
1 teaspoon coriander powder
1 teaspoon paprika
1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper

Ingredients:
1 lb. flank steak
1 teaspoon olive oil
1 poblano, finely chopped
1 quarter of a yellow onion, finely chopped
1 jalepeno pepper, seeded (if desired) and minced
4 oz. jack cheese, shredded
Tortillas
Small skewers

Remove steak from refrigerator and allow to come to room temperature. Preheat grill to high heat.

Season steak liberally on both sides with spice rub, rubbing the mixture into the meat. Grill on medium high heat for approximately eight minutes on each side or until desired doneness. Set aside to rest and cool.

Meanwhile, preheat oven to 450 degrees. In a skillet over medium heat, saute the poblano, onion and jalepeno in the olive oil for 2-3 minutes, or until onions are translucent. Remove from heat, allow to cool.

When steak has cooled, cut into thin strips. Make sure to cut perpendicular to the direction the grain runs.

To assemble, cut each tortilla in half. Starting with one tortilla half, place two to three strips of steak on in the tortilla, spoon about one tablespoon of onion mixture into the tortilla. Top with a pinch of cheese, roll tortilla up, wrapping as tightly as possible, secure with a toothpick and place on a baking sheet. Repeat with remaining tortillas or until you run out of steak and onion mixture. Top each taquito with a bit of cheese, if you still have extra cheese leftover. Bake for 7-9 minutes and then broil for one minute.

Enjoy!!

Smoked Gouda en Croute

If you loved my recipe for Baked Brie en Croute, you will love this recipe for Baked Smoked Gouda en Croute just as much! It is equally simple (if not more) and equally delicious! Perfect for those holiday parties and get togethers!

Ingredients:
1 sheet puff pastry, thawed
1 7 ounce round of smoked gouda, wax removed
1 tablespoon dijon mustard
1 egg

Preheat oven to 375 degrees.
Dust your countertop with the flour and carefully unfold the puff pastry. With a rolling pin, roll the puff pastry out to expand the size a bit. Spoon the mustard into the center of the pastry and using a pastry brush, a knife or the back of a spoon, evenly spread the mustard over the pastry. Place the gouda in the center of the pastry. Carefully fold up the sides of the pastry around the gouda, crimping the sides together and tucking the folds under. If you can, trim off any excess pastry. Flip the gouda and place on a greased pan seam side down. If you have any excess pastry, use it to decorate the top. Use your favorite cookie cutters to achieve the desired shapes.  In a small bowl, beat the egg and add about a teaspoon of water. Brush the pastry with the egg wash.

Bake for about 20-25 minutes or until the pastry is a nice golden brown color.

Allow to sit for about 10-15 minutes before cutting into the pastry to allow the cheese to set a bit. Serve with an assortment of crackers.

Enjoy!

Baked Brie en Croute (with cranberries and pecans)

In need of an easy yet elegant appetizer? Look no further! This recipe can be prepared in less than ten minutes and will look great when it comes out of the oven--and will taste even better! I recently made this for a dinner party and it seemed to be a big hit because it was gone fairly quickly!

The creamy brie goes really nicely with the tang of the cranberries and the crunch of the pecans while the buttery, flaky pastry holds it all together and imparts a decadence in both taste and appearance.

Ingredients:
1 wheel of brie cheese
1/4 cup pecan halves, chopped
3 tablespoons cranberry preserves
2 tablespoons dried cranberries (Craisins), roughly chopped
1 tablespoons flour
1 sheet puff pastry, thawed
1 egg, beaten

Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Remove brie from packaging and carefully cut the rind off using a serrated knife. Hold your knife parallel to the counter and carefully shave the brie off the top and bottom. Turn the brie up on its side to cut the rind off the sides. Don't worry if you don't get it all off, you just want to lightly remove the rind but not too much that the cheese will lose the shape.

In a small pan over low heat, toast pecans for several minutes, until warm. Toasting nuts releases the oil in the nuts and intensifies the flavor. Remove pecans from pan and roughly chop. Add the pecans, preserves and cranberries to a small bowl and mix until well combined.

Dust your countertop with the flour and carefully unfold the puff pastry. With a rolling pin, roll the puff pastry out to expand the size a bit. Spoon the pecan mixture onto the center of the puff pastry. Place the brie directly on top of the pecan mixture. Carefully fold up the sides of the pastry around the brie, crimping the sides together and tucking the folds under. If you can, trim off any excess pastry. Flip the brie and place on a pan seam side down. If you have any excess pastry, use it to decorate the top. I attempted to make some leaves for mine and they didn't turn out so hot, so I hope you have a bit more talent than I-which shouldn't be hard...I am not much of an artist! In a small bowl, beat the egg and add about a teaspoon of water. Brush the pastry with the egg wash.

Bake for about 20-25 minutes or until the pastry is a nice golden brown color.

Allow to sit for about 10-15 minutes before cutting into the pastry to allow the cheese to set a bit. Serve with an assortment of crackers.

Enjoy!

Football Food Friday! Chipotle Chicken Taquitos with Smoky Sour Cream Sauce

One of the great things about having a husband that loves to eat is that in addition to loving almost everything I make (except for that one time I made fried rice...that's a story for another day) he also, on occasion, helps me think of ideas of stuff to make--and for him to eat!

This recipe is one of those occasions. Last Saturday, as we were driving to the city he asked the weekly question,
S: "What are you going to make for the game?"
C: "I don't know, any ideas?"
S: "How about those taquitos that I love that you never make anymore."

haha

I preceeded to tell him that I would make his beloved taquitos but that I thought we should make a new type of taquito. So, what follows is what we came up with as we crossed the Causeway bridge....24 miles of talking about food...Gotta love my huz!

Ingredients
2 boneless, skinless chicken breasts, chopped as finely as possible
Salt
Pepper
1 clove garlic, minced
1 poblano pepper, minced
1-2 tablespoons of olive oil
1 7 oz. can of chipotle peppers in Adobo Sauce
4 oz. pepper jack cheese, grated
6 tortillas

Heat oil in large pan over medium heat. Season chicken with salt and pepper. Saute garlic and poblano pepper for about one minute. Add chicken and cook until browned. Spoon out about half of the can of chipotles and sauce and chope finely. Add to pan and stir to combine all ingredients. Cook another minute or so and then remove from heat to cool before assembling the taquitos.

Meanwhile, heat oven to 450 degrees. Remove chicken mixture from pan to a cutting board and chop chicken as finely as possible. Return to pan. Cut each tortilla in half. Starting with one tortilla half, spoon about two tablespoons of chicken mixture into the tortilla. Top with a pinch of cheese, roll tortilla up, wrapping as tightly as possible, secure with a toothpick and place on a baking sheet. Repeat with remaining tortillas or until you run out of chicken. Top each taquito with a bit of cheese, if you still have extra cheese leftover. Bake for 7-9 minutes and then broil for one minute. Serve immediately with Smoky Sour Cream Sauce, recipe below.

While taquitos are cooking, make the sauce.

Smoky Sour Cream Sauce
1/3 cup nonfat or light sour cream
1 chipotle pepper plus 1 1/2 tablespoons Adobo sauce
Juice of 1/2 lime
1 teaspoon honey

In a food processor (those mini ones are perfect for something like this), combine all ingredients and process on high until well blended. Serve with taquitos.

I hope you enjoy these homemade taquitos! I have to warn you that these babies are hot, so if you don't like spicy food, I recommend cutting open the peppers and removing the seeds before chopping them and adding them to the chicken. This will cut down on the heat.

Football Food Friday! Mexican Corn Dip (Hot or Cold)

One of my sweet friends, Amy, made a dip similar to this for one of my wedding showers and it was a huge hit. I asked her for the recipe afterwards and she sent it to me and I somehow lost it! Oh, the tragedy! So, I had to come up with my own version and here it is! Mine is a little different than Amy's so maybe I can get her to send it to me again and I'll post it for her (and for you!)

This dip, like my Spicy Artichoke Dip is good hot or cold, so take your pick!

Ingredients:
1 lb. bag of frozen yellow corn, thawed (or 2 cans of corn)
8 oz. package of cream cheese (non or reduced fat is fine), softened
1/2 cup of mayonaise
1/2 cup of sour cream (non or reduced fat is fine)
1 jalepeno, seeded and finely chopped (leave the seeds if you like it spicier)
4 oz. can of chopped green chilis
4 oz. pepper jack cheese, shredded (about half of a small block and equals about one cup shredded)
1/ teaspoon ground cumin
1/2 teaspoon chili powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon pepper

Combine all ingredients in a bowl until well incorporated. Chill at least two hours.

To Serve Hot: Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Spoon dip into an oven proof dish and bake for 35-40 minutes until warmed through and slightly brown on top. Serve with Fritos or tortilla chips.

To Serve Cold: Spoon into serving dish of your choice and serve with Fritos or tortilla chips.

Enjoy!

Football Food Friday! Spicy Artichoke Dip

I am so excited to share this recipe with yall as this dip is by far my favorite dip and I love any opportunity to make it! It is creamy and delicous with just a hint of heat.

Another great thing about this dip is that it is great hot or cold, so depending on when you're making it, if you're taking it somewhere, etc. you can decide whether or not to serve it hot or cold.

Ingredients:

2 cups of artichoke hearts, drained, lightly chopped

2 cloves of garlic, minced

2 jalepeno peppers, finely diced

1/2 cup sour cream

8 ounces cream cheese

1/2 cup mayonaise

1 cup grated parmesan cheese

To serve warm: Preheat oven to 325 degrees. Mix all ingredients together and pour mixture into an oven proof dish. Bake uncovered until lightly browned on top, approximately 25 minutes.

To serve cold: Mix all ingredients together and pour mixture into a serving bowl of your choice.

Serve with pita chips, wheat thins or crackers or chips of your choice.

Enjoy!

Holy Moly Guacamole it's Cinco de Mayo!

In my last post, I mentioned my love for guacamole and my new love for avocados in general. Not being a fan of queso (surprise, surprise) I have always loved guacamole and it is of course my favorite thing about Mexican food (and margaritas). My brother in law, Brian, shares my loves for guacamole and I can always count on him to want to order it in addition to queso, so that I am not the only one who wants it!

Back in the day, I actually worked as a waitress at a Mexican restaurant. Funny to imagine that I actually carried those big trays around (I totally sucked at that, by the way) but I did. It was not your run of the mill Mexican restaurant and was actually pretty nice and one of the things that the restaurant offered was Table-Side Guacamole. So, needless to say, I got pretty darn good at whipping up tasty guacamole.

There are a few things that I make/cook that my family members look forward to and my guacamole is one of them. So, I hope you enjoy it just as much!

Ingredients:
3 ripe avocados, halved and seeded
2-3 tablespoons finely chopped yellow onion
2 tablespoons of salsa of your choice (I personally like Pace!)
Juice of 1 lemon
1-2 tablespoons cilantro, finely chopped
1/2 teaspoon of salt
1/2 teaspoon of garlic powder
1/8 teaspoon of cumin
Pinch of cayenne pepper or a few dashes of Tabasco

After halving the avocados and removing the pit, use your knife to make vertical cuts across the avocado being careful not to puncture the skin or cut your hand! Then rotate the avocado and make vertical cuts across the other side making a checkboard-type pattern. Repeat with all the halves and then carefully scoop out the flesh of the avocado into a bowl with a spoon by running the spoon around the edge of the skin. Combine the remaining ingredients and mash the avocado with either a potato masher or two forks to achieve the texture and consistentcy you desire.

Make sure to taste the guacomole and adjust the seasoning as necessary. I find that most often the salt or the lemon need to be adjusted, so add more according to your taste. Give it one last stir and taste and then serve with your favorite tortilla chips or as a topping for fajitas, tacos or your other favorite Mexican foods.

Tip: If you are not going to be serving right away, reserve one or two of the avocado pits and place them in the guacamole. This will help slow down the browning process. You may do this with leftovers as well, but I would recommend placing plastic wrap directly on top of the guamacole to prevent the air from getting to it and then putting one more piece of plastic wrap over the bowl.

Enjoy and Happy Cinco de Mayo!

Football Food Friday! Baked Taquitos with Chicken, Carmelized Onions, Lime and Cilantro

You will love this homemade version of the frozen food classic! These taquitos are easy, healthier and more flavorful than the kind you buy in the grocery store. I can promise you will love them! (The actually came from an idea that my husband gave me, so he technically deserves the credit!)

Ingredients

2 boneless, skinless chicken breasts, cubed

2 tablespoons olive oil

1 medium yellow onion, sliced very thinly.

Salt, pepper and garlic power, to lightly season

1 cup very loosely packed cilantro leaves

2 medium limes- zest of one, juice of both

1/2 teaspoon cumin

1/4 teaspoon chili powder

5 medium sized tortillas

Cilantro Lime Sour Cream

About 2-3 tablespoons of sour cream (light or non fat is fine)
1 tablespoon finely chopped fresh cilantro
zest and juice of 1/2 of small lime

Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Preheat two skillets with one tablespoon each of olive oil over medium heat. Add onions to one pan and allow to carmelize. Caramelizing takes awhile (about 20 minutes), so be patient and allow the onions to cook down to a deep golden-brown color, stirring occasionally.

Meanwhile, season cubed chicken with salt, pepper and garlic. Add chicken to the other pan and saute until cooked through, five to seven minutes.

When the chicken is cooked and the onions are carmelized, remove both from their pans to a cutting board. Finely mince the cilantro, and chop the onions and chicken as small as you can. Add the chicken, cilantro and onions back to one pan and heat on low. Add the lime zest and juice, cumin and chili powder, stirring to incorporate.

Cut the tortillas in half. Starting with one tortilla half, fill place a "tong-ful" (meaning the amount you grasp with tongs) :) of filling about 1/3 of the way up the tortilla. Roll the tortilla around the filling and secure with a toothpick. Place on a baking sheet. Repeat with remaining tortillas or until you run out of filling.

Bake for seven minutes. Broil on high for two minutes.

Prepare the sauce in a small bowl by combining the sour cream, zest, juice and cilantro. Sprinkle a tiny bit of the cajun seasoning. Taste a bit of the sauce to see if it needs to be adjusted. It should taste light and fresh with a touch of lime. If it is too much cilantro, add some lime and vice versa if it is too limey.

Remove from the oven and serve with cilantro lime sour cream or your choice of salsa.

Enjoy! Happy Gameday!

Football Food Friday! Bacon Wrapped Pretzel Rods

In honor of the greatest football weekend of the year, OU/TX,
I am posting one of my favorite football/party foods! This is such an easy recipe and these things will be gone the second you put them on a plate!

Ingredients:
1 package of thick cut bacon
Pretzel rods: 1 per strip of bacon
1 to 1 1/2 cups of fresh shredded parmesan cheese

Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Line a baking sheet (make sure it has sides) with foil. Take one strip of bacon and starting at one end of the pretzel rod, tightly wrap it around the pretzel finishing at the other end. Place on baking sheet, tucking ends under the pretzel rod to keep it wrapped up. Bake for approximately 20 mintues or until the baked is cooked and beginning to crisp. Remove from oven and cool for a few minutes before transfering to serving platter. Sprinkle pretzels with parmesan cheese and ENJOY!

Leave a comment to let me know what you think!

BOOMER SOONER!

Football Food Friday! Cream Cheese Sausage Dip

This is such an easy and delicious recipe that my sister, Katherine, gave me. I am telling you, it will be a crowd pleaser and you'll want to make this every gameday!

Ingredients
1 package of breakfast sausage (the kind in the tube-like packages) or other favorite sausage
2 8oz. packages of cream cheese, room temperature
2 cans of Rotel

Brown the sausage in a skillet over medium heat. Drain any excess fat and put the sausage into your slowcooker with the temperature turned to high. Add Rotel and cream cheese stirring occasionally until cream cheese is melted and everything is mixed well. Once it is all melted, turn slowcooker to low or warm.

*Tip* Cut the cream cheese into small cubes for faster melting.

Serve with Fritos or tortilla chips.

As always, leave a comment to let me know what you think! Also, use the comments to give a shout out to your favorite team!

Football Food Friday! Chorizo Stuff Jalepeno Poppers

Football Food!

A delicious accompaniment to any gameday festitivity and if you like it hot, this is a great recipe for you!

This is a slightly ambitious recipe in terms of preparation but it is still very simple to follow.

In addition to the ingredients below, you'll need a peeling knife or paring knife and a jalepeno roaster.

Ingredients:
1/2 lb. of ground chorizo sausage
4 oz. cream cheese (half of a package) at room temperature.
18 jalepeno peppers

Preheat outdoor grill to medium high heat.

In a skillet over medium high heat, brown the chorizo and drain off any excess fat. Transfer the chorizo to a mixing bowl and stir in the cream cheese until well incorporated. Set aside.

To prepare jalepenos, cut the tops off and carefully hollow out the centers of the peppers, removing the seeds and ribs. This is where the pointed tip of the peeling knife comes in handy, but a paring knife should be fine! I would suggest holding the peppers with a dish towel or wearing rubber gloves because if you did not know, jalepenos can actually burn your skin, so be careful and wash your hands when you are finished!

When you have prepped all the peppers, begin stuffing them with the chorizo mixture. You will more than likely have extra chorizo left over, so use it the next day in scrambled eggs or a breakfast burrito!

Gently place the jalepenos, stuffing side up, in the roaster and place on grill over indirect heat for about 10-12 minutes until peppers are cooked through and slightly charred.

**If any of the peppers are small enough to fall through the roaster, use a doubled over piece of foil and poke a hole in it and then place the jalepeno in the hole. This will hold it up and prevent it from falling through.

Remove from roaster and serve alone or with ranch dressing. Enjoy!

Let me know what you think!

Mediterranean Flatbread Pizza

For those you know might be thinking, Pizza?? Caroline doesn't even like cheese, why is she making pizza?!?

And all of you are correct, I don't like cheese in the general sense, but there are a few exceptions. While I won't get into the idiosyncrasies of my pickiness, (because let's face it, it might take awhile!) there are a few cheeses that I like, goat cheese being one of them and that's what my flatbread recipe calls for!

This recipe is super duper fast and easy and is pretty healthly and the great thing about it is you can add your favorite ingredients for a new flatbread pizza everytime! This is a great recipe to make with your husband/boyfriend, kids or friends and can be served for dinner or would be great to serve at a party!

Ingredients:
1 store-bought pizza dough
Olive oil
Garlic power, for sprinkling
About 1/2 cup store bought spagetti sauce of your choice
1 small onion
1 small can of black olives, drained
1/4 cup marinated artichoke hearts, roughly chopped
About 1/2 cup of goat cheese crumbles
Turkey pepperoni (it's 1/3 less fat than regular and tastes the same!)

Preheat oven to 400 degrees.

Heat about 1 tablespoon of olive oil in a skillet over medium high heat. Slice the onion very thinly and add to the pan to caramelize. Sprinkle lightly with salt and pepper. Caramelizing takes awhile (about 20-25 minutes), so be patient and allow the onions to cook down to a deep golden-brown color, stirring occasionally.

Lightly spray a flat baking sheet and roll out the crust onto the sheet. Roll out with a rolling pin as thin as you can get it. Lightly drizzle with olive oil and sprinkle with garlic powder. Using a fork, pierce the dough all over to prevent the dough from bubbling up and rising too much when you bake it. Bake the crust for about 8-10 or until it is just starting to turn golden. It will not necessarily be cooked all the way or totally golden brown but pre-cooking the crust will ensure that the end result is extra crispy! Allow the crust to cool for a few minutes before putting the toppings on.

Begin with the sauce, spreading thin and leaving a very small border around the edges. Add onions, artichoke hearts, olives, goat cheese distributing evenly over the crust. Place pepperoni over the toppings. Bake for an additional 8-10 minutes or until crust turns golden brown.

Enjoy!

As always, leave a comment if you have a question or just to let me know what you think!