It's Bawlmore, Hon

Baltimore is a very confused city, it’s not quite southern and not quite Yankee.  A few things are very certain though: we love our Maryland blue crabs steamed with Old Bay, we love our Orioles and our Ravens and certainly don’t forget the Natty Boh, Utz and Berger Cookies!  Most Baltimoreans seem to have a love-hate relationship with our city, proud to be from Baltimore but most want to live somewhere else :).  However, we will speak of our hometown with a passion and if you mess with us, you will be sure to see our Bawlmore side come out!

My sister in law gave me these cute Kate Spade "Shore Thing" earrings for my birthday and I have been obsessed with them ever since!  They are the perfect summer earrings and this would be the perfect crab picking outfit! Comfortable (no white!) and influenced by some of the things Baltimoreans love: Crabs & Flamingoes!

In Maryland, particularly the Baltimore area, crabs come in and on everything.  There is Maryland Crab Soup, Maryland Crab Cakes, Crab Imperial, Crab Dip, Chesapeake Burgers and Chicken (Crab Imperial on a burger/chicken), Shrimp Stuffed with Crab and just plain Steamed Crabs.  My absolute favorite way to use crab is in Cream of Crab Soup, there is nothing more decadent than Crab, Cream and Old Bay. This is hands down the BEST cream of crab soup recipe I have ever had.  Every time I order Cream of Crab in a restaurant it is compared to this and every time it falls short (except for maybe G&Ms).

The Most Perfect Cream of Crab Soup

1 Quart + 1 Pint Heavy Whipping Cream

1 Quart + 1 Pint Half & Half

1 Cup White Wine

2 Pounds Crab Meat (Jumbo lump is best)

2 Tablespoons Old Bay (Add more or less to your taste)

Combine all of the above ingredients in a large pot and bring to a simmer.

1 Cup Melted Butter

1 Cup Flour

Combine butter and flour in a separate bowl until smooth.  Pour into soup and stir.  Bring back to a simmer and cook for 30 minutes stirring often.

Stuffed Acorn Squash

I found this awesome recipe for Roasted Acorn Squash Stuffed with Fennel Sausage, Farro, Goat Cheese & Spinach on Pinterest and adapted it to what I could find/already had in my pantry.  When I put it in front of my husband asked if he was suppose to eat the 'food bowl'.  I told him yes, even though it was a vegetable, he was suppose to eat it.  It was really good, my husband particularly liked the stuffing bit :) of course!

Ingredients

1 Acorn Squash
1 Tbsp Butter

1/2 Cup Basmati Rice

Extra Virgin Olive Oil

2 Cloves Garlic, Minced
1 Shallot, Diced

Salt & Pepper To Taste

1 Tsp Dill

1 Package Ground Italian Sausage

2 Cups Spinach, Uncooked

4 Oz. Crumbled Feta Cheese

Instructions

Preheat oven to 400 degrees.  Cut the Acorn Squash in half and scoop out all of the seeds (and discard).  Rub the Acorn Squash all over with the Extra Virgin Olive Oil (inside and out).  Put half the Butter in the bottom of each Acorn Squash.  Season with Salt and Pepper.  Put the Acorn Squash in the oven and roast for about 30 minutes or until tender and easily pierced with a fork.

While the Acorn Squash is roasting, make your filling.  Cook Basmati Rice according to package.  While Basmati Rice is cooking, brown the Ground Italian Sausage in a pan.  When nearly browned, add Extra Virgin Olive Oil, Minced Garlic and Diced Shallot to the pan.  Cook for a few more minutes, until Shallot is soft and sausage is done browning.  Add Basmati Rice, Feta Cheese (reserve 1/4 of crumbles to sprinkle on top) and Spinach to pan and mix until Spinach is wilted and Feta Cheese is melted.  Season with Salt, Pepper and Dill.

Let the Acorn Squash rest for a few minutes after taking out of the oven.  Fill each half with a good helping of the filling. Top with the rest of the Feta Cheese.

Enjoy!

Leave It To The French

Leave it to the French to create a grilled cheese sandwich that takes 45 minutes to make, but it's worth it!  I paired mine with Campbell's Thai Tomato Coconut Bisque.

Croque Monsieur

I used this recipe from Simply Recipes.

Ingredients

2 Tbsp Butter
2 Tbsp Flour

1 1/2 Cups Milk

A Pinch Each of Salt, Freshly Ground Pepper, Nutmeg, or More to Taste

6 Ounces Gruyère Cheese, Grated (about 1 1/2 cups grated)

1/4 Cup Grated Parmesan Cheese (packed)

8 Slices of French or Italian Loaf Bread

12 Ounces Sliced Ham

Dijon Mustard

Instructions

Preheat oven to 400°F.

Make your béchamel sauce. Melt the butter in a small saucepan on medium/low heat until it just starts to bubble. Add the flour and cook, stirring until smooth, about 2 minutes. Slowly add the milk, whisking continuously, cooking until thick. Remove from heat. Add the salt, pepper, and nutmeg. Stir in the Parmesan and 1/4 cup of the grated Gruyère. Set aside.

Lay out the bread slices on a baking sheet and toast them in the oven, a few minutes each side, until lightly toasted. For extra flavor, spread some butter on the bread slices before you toast them if you want.

Lightly brush half of the toasted slices with mustard. Add the ham slices and about 1 cup of the remaining Gruyère cheese. Top with the other toasted bread slices.

Spoon on the béchamel sauce to the tops of the sandwiches. Sprinkle with the remaining Gruyère cheese. Place on a broiling pan. Bake in the oven for 5 minutes, then turn on the broiler and broil for an additional 3 to 5 minutes, until the cheese topping is bubbly and lightly browned.

Baked Garlic & Rosemary Fontina

This could possibly be the simplest recipe ever!  And it was so yummy, I can see this appetizer becoming a regular!  Recipe adapted from Smells Like Home. 

Ingredients

    1/2 lb italian fontina, cubed into 1-inch pieces
    3 cloves garlic, minced
    2 tsp fresh rosemary, chopped
    3 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
    1/2 tsp salt
    1/2 tsp freshly ground black pepper
    1/2 a french bread baguette
    olive oil to drizzle

Instructions
First I made the homemade crostini.  Preheat oven to 350 degrees.  Slice a half of a french bread baguette, spread out evenly on a baking sheet and drizzle both sides of each slice with olive oil.  Bake for 5 minutes on each side.

Adjust top rack of the oven so that it sits about 5 inches under the broiler unit. Preheat broiler on low setting.  Spread cheese out in the bottom of a baking dish. Drizzle olive oil over the cheese. Sprinkle the garlic, rosemary, salt and pepper evenly over the cheese. Broil for 6 minutes or until the cheese is bubbly and melted through. Carefully remove the pan from the oven and set it on a heatproof surface - the pan will be hot! Serve immediately. Enjoy!

New! Featured Recipes

I am going to try to post a monthly featured recipe (see above tab) in the hopes that it will encourage me to try some of the awesome looking recipes I have pinned on Pinterest.  Last night, John and I had a date night except that I wanted to cook. So, I made some yummy Fried Goat Cheese (one of our favorite tapas at Isabella's!) and Shrimp and Grits, both were delicious!  I need to work a little more on the sauce for the Shrimp and Grits though.  Enjoy!

Crispy Fried Goat Cheese
(adapted recipe from The Hungry Mouse)

Ingredients:

8 oz. goat cheese log

½ cup panko bread crumbs

1 tsp. fresh parsley

1 tsp. dried thyme

2 cloves minced garlic

½ tsp. ground white pepper

pinch of salt

2 eggs, beaten

½ cup of flour

olive oil

honey

Directions:

Pop the goat cheese in the freezer for about 15 minutes to firm it up so it’s easier to slice. 

While you wait for the goat cheese to firm up, put together the stuff you need to batter the cheese. Put the panko breadcrumbs in a medium-sized bowl. Add the parsley, thyme, garlic, ground white pepper and salt to the breadcrumbs and stir to combine well. Crack the eggs in a separate bowl and beat to scramble them. Put the flour on a plate or in a shallow bowl. 

Take the cheese out of the freezer and slice it into 1/4 – 1/2-inch pieces. Use a sharp knife. Next, put the cheese in the flour. Flip it gently to coat on both sides. Then, drop the floured cheese into the beaten egg. Flip it gently to coat with egg on both sides. Lastly, put it into the seasoned panko breadcrumbs. Flip it to coat on both sides. Put the battered goat cheese on a clean plate and repeat with the remaining slices. 

Coat the bottom of a nonstick pan with olive oil and set it on the stove over high heat.  Allow to heat up, you can test if it is hot enough by flicking a little water into the pan, if it sizzles it’s hot enough. Take one of your slices of breaded goat cheese and set it down gently in the hot oil. It should start to bubble around the edges immediately. Repeat with the rest of the cheese.  Keep an eye on your cheese…it cooks fast. When the cheese is brown on the bottom (this will happen very quickly), flip it over carefully with a spatula. When it’s brown on the second side, remove the cheese from the pan. 

Drizzle with honey. Enjoy!

Shrimp and Grits 
(adapted recipes from Paula Deen and Lauren's Latest)

Ingredients:

For The Shrimp:

5 slices bacon, chopped
½ diced onion
1 diced green pepper
2 cloves garlic, minced
¾ lb. peeled & deveined medium shrimp
salt & pepper, to taste
butter

For The Grits:

5 cups chicken broth
¾ cups grits {not quick cooking!}
2 tablespoons butter
1 cup grated medium cheddar cheese
salt & pepper, to taste

For the Sauce:

1 to 2 tablespoons white wine
1 cup heavy cream
salt and pepper

Garnish:

parsley

Directions:

Start by cooking the grits. Bring chicken broth to rolling boil in large pot. Whisk in grits, salt and pepper and reduce heat to medium and cook 15 minutes, stirring occasionally (or per package instructions).

While the grits are cooking, heat butter in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Sauté bacon, onions and peppers together until bacon starts to crisp and onions/peppers have browned, about 5 minutes. Stir in garlic, shrimp, salt and pepper. Stir another 3 minutes or so until shrimp are bright pink and thoroughly cooked. Remove from heat.

Deglaze the pan with a little white wine. Slowly add the cream and let reduce until thickened. Season with salt and pepper, to taste. 

Finish grits by melting in butter and cheese. Taste and adjust seasonings.

Divide grits among 2 serving plates. Top grits with shrimp and sauce. Garnish with parsley.

How One Little Chicken Went So Far

Cook one whole Perdue Oven Roaster Chicken on a Monday or Tuesday and have your meals done for the week!  It is amazing that one little chicken can feed two people so many times.

Tuesday -

Carved Chicken with Gravy, Mashed Potatoes and Corn (Dinner) - My husband was so impressed by this meal that he said "Wow, you really went all out"... little did he know that it was one of the easiest meals I've ever made!  First I roasted the chicken, just removed the outer bag and popped in the oven! Since it takes at least an hour and a half...I even left him to "watch" it while I went grocery shopping. Then, I cheated with the Mashed Potatoes... I used boxed Mashed Potatoes, boil water, add milk and 'potatoes', stir and done.  Corn was easy, put in boiling water, done.  The gravy was probably the only complicated part.  Make a rue, add milk and the drippings from the chicken, season (I used salt, pepper, thyme and basil), cook until thick (it made a lot of gravy so I saved it as well for Thursday's meal).

Wednesday -

Chicken Sandwiches (Lunch) - Leftover chicken sandwiches for lunch for my husband and I for lunch.  I like to make a "healthier" version of a chicken salad sandwich....Chicken, Onion, Corn (leftover from Tuesday's Dinner), and Guacamole (I use one of the 100 calorie packs from Wholly Guacamole, now while probably not lower in fat than mayo, guacamole is packed with more nutritious things like Vitamin E, folic acid and a natural antioxidants.  Guacamole is high in monounsaturated fat; there are many health benefits associated with monounsaturated fat associated with blood cholesterol, cancer and diabetes.) then put that on bread with a slice of provolone cheese and done.  I don't know how my husband made his but probably went something like... bread, chicken...done! And he somehow always seems to make a huge mess!

Thursday -

Chicken Pot Pie (Dinner) - Start by sauteing onion and garlic in some olive oil, then add diced leftover chicken and vegetables and heat.  I warmed up my gravy from Tuesday in a separate pot, added a bit more milk to the gravy mixture and then simmered it until it thicken a bit more.  Then I poured it over the chicken and vegetables, added some thyme and pepper and brought it to a boil.  Pre-heat the oven to 425 degrees, pour the chicken mixture into a baking dish and cover with pre-packaged croissant rolls.  Bake according to the croissant package, about 12-15 minutes or until the croissants are golden brown.  Then serve!

Chicken Noodle Soup (Lunches/Dinners) - This was the last use for the chicken, first I took the chicken carcass (I couldn't think of a better word for it, sorry!), and simmered it in water with some seasonings (salt, pepper, thyme, basil) for about 2 hours.  Then I strained the stock and put the liquid back in the pot, added some more water and egg noodles.  While the egg noodles where cooking, I diced up the last of the chicken, added that and some vegetables.  I let the soup cool once the noodles were done, and divided it up into some Tupperware and refrigerated it overnight.  Then I froze it for future lunches and dinners :)

I rocked that chicken :) So I got 2 dinners and several lunches out of one small chicken!

Copy Cat Recipes

Sometimes you are too broke to go out for dinner, but still crave your favorite appetizer or entree from a local restaurant.  I love trying to re-create some of John's, my husband, and my favorites!  Most recipes from restaurants are pretty straight forward and simple!

So, when we stayed in this past New Year's Eve, too broke for a big party,  I recreated Longhorn Steakhouse's Wild West Shrimp and Hard Times Cafe's Frito Chili Pie... they turned out pretty good!

First up, Longhorn Steakhouse's Wild West Shrimp.  I cheated a bit and bought frozen breaded shrimp (after all I did want to enjoy my New Year's Eve, not slave away in the kitchen all night).  So, I baked the shrimp according to the directions, while they were baking I melted a stick of butter (so not healthy, but what better way to ring in the New Year then break the first resolution everyone makes!) and then added a few minced cloves of garlic, a couple of minced sweet peppers and some chili powder.  I cooked that over low for about 5 minutes to infuse the butter a bit and soften the garlic and peppers.  Then I stuck the butter mixture back in the refrigerator for about 5-10 minutes to harden it back up a little (this was a trick I actually did the second time I made this because the first time the butter went straight through the breading where as I wanted it to coat the shrimp).  Once the shrimp are done, toss them in a bowl with the butter mixture, then arrange on a plate with some ranch dressing! And done!

For the main course, Hard Time Cafe's Frito Chili Pie.... simple as simple could be!  I started my chili in the morning and let it cook in the slow cooker all day until we were ready to eat.  Brown a pound or so of Ground Turkey (healthier, counteracting the stick of butter above), put in a crock pot with a can of red kidney beans, water (use about half a kidney bean can of water), chopped red onion (about a quarter cup), garlic (a few minced cloves) and tons of chili powder (I like mine super hot).  I don't use any tomatoes or tomato paste in my chili, apparently my grandmother never did and so my mom/dad never did and now I don't! Let cook for about 5 hours (checking to make sure all the water hasn't evaporated every once in a while!). As you see it wasn't an exact science, which cooking never is, season, taste, repeat!  When ready to eat, dump a few spoon fulls on a plate of Fritos, top with shredded cheese and sour cream and add a little chili powder on top for presentation! Yummy!

American BBQ with a Twist

I love putting twists on traditional meals, it keeps food interesting and I love playing around with different flavorings...the inspiration behind this meal was an All-American BBQ - complete with chicken, mashed potatoes and greens...

BBQ Chicken Thighs with Blue Cheese, Garlic and Thyme Mashed Parsnips and Red Potatoes and Sauteed Spinach with Garlic and Red Onion.

The whole meal is easy to make!  Simply take chicken thighs and slather in BBQ sauce (I used Jack Daniels BBQ Sauce for mine), then bake at 375 degrees until done (about 50 minutes).  While your chicken is baking, cut parsnips and red potatoes into same size chunks and boil in salted water for about 20-30 minutes (or until both are soft).  I mashed mine by hand but if you like them more whipped you can use a mixer.  Add milk, butter, about 1-1/2 to 2 tablespoons blue cheese, a pinch of thyme and 2 sauteed cloves of garlic.  Lastly, saute 2 cloves garlic and equal amount of red onion until soft (I used a white truffle infused olive oil), then add spinach until just wilted.

The timing for this meal works just about right...I always have trouble with the timing and wind up having half the meal done before the other.... but this meal is easy to balance.

My husband went back for seconds on the mashed parsnips and potatoes, he doesn't normally like blue cheese but liked it in this meal :)