Pizza Friday

Chad and I use to always order pizza on Friday night because it was quick and easy...but it was expensive. We have decided to start making our own pizza because its cheaper and I think it taste better. We have tried several different kind and they all turned out great. Last week we made the ol' standby pepperoni pizza and a margarita pizza. We also made a buffalo chicken pizza awhile back thanks to the suggestion of my friend Grace.

Pepperoni Pizza
- Pizza crust (premade or fresh)
- Pizza sauce
- Pepperoni
- Mozzarella cheese
- Dried Oregano

Spread on the pizza sauce, sprinkle with oregano, cover in pepperoni, top with Mozzarella.
Bake at 400 until bubbly and pepperoni starts to crisp up. Yeah its that easy so why ever order it?

Margarita Pizza
- Pizza crust
- Marinara sauce or a can of crushed tomatoes
- Basil
- Mozzarella Cheese
- Fresh sliced tomatoes

Spread marinara sauce or crushed tomatoes on pizza crust, sprinkle with basil and Mozzarella cheese, salt and pepper. If you use marinara sauce add some thinly slices tomatoes on top.
Bake at 400 until cheese melts and crust browns.

Buffalo Chicken Pizza
- Pizza crust
- Chicken
- Buffalo sauce
- blue cheese
- Mozzarella
- Green onion

Toss pieces of cooked chicken with 1/2 cup of Buffalo sauce, pour over pizza crust, sprinkle on as much Blue Cheese as you like and green onions, top with Mozzarella cheese. Bake at 400 until cheese is bubbly.

Granite Steps Country Blueberry Coffee Cake

I had a brunch to attend several weeks ago and was stumped on what to take. I knew my coworkers were expecting something great and I felt pressure to deliver. So I called my mom cause I knew she would have the answer. I think we saw this dish on food network and made it a long time ago. I had forgotten about it but as soon as my mom mentioned it I knew that was what I was going to make.
Start by preheating your oven to 375. Grease a 9 inch square baking dish. Pour a heaping 1/2 cup of light brown sugar into a bowl (the original calls for cinnamon but I omit that). Cut a 12 ounce can of refrigerated biscuits into 4 to 6 pieces (I like 6 pieces). See pic below...
Melt 1 stick of butter! Dip biscuits into a butter bath and save the remaining butter...
Then coat them in brown sugar...

Arrange biscuit in one even layer...

Top with 1/2 cup quick cooking oats (see its healthy)...Mix 1 1/2 cups of fresh berries (blueberries, blackberries, etc) with 1/2 cup of sugar and pour on top of biscuit dough and oats.

Top with another 1/2 cup of oats and drizzle the leftover butter from the butter bath on top.
Bake for 20-30 minutes until bubble and golden. Check to make sure the middle biscuits are done and not doughy. Cool and enjoy with a cup of coffee.

Anal Glands and Cats

Marley woke me up yesterday with agonizing whines. He keep whipping his head around to his backside like it was on fire or something. He would act normal (well as normal as possible) then all of a sudden the whining would start again and he would just lay down in the floor. I new something was majorly wrong when I ate breakfast and he didn't even beg for me to share. So we hopped in the car and headed for the vet. I was imagining the worse...surgery, $1000's of dollars, etc.... Turns out it was just stopped up anal glands. Whew what a relief for me and Marley. I can't forget the look Marley gave me when the doctor stuck his gloved finger up his backside. Let me just tell you if you've never experienced anal glands before, the smell will knock you down. Seriously, it is one of the worse smells I have ever experienced and I work in a nursing home people. The doctor told me this happens to dogs all the time and he could teach me how to "express" the glands myself. I said no thanks.

Then as if Marley's day couldn't have got any worse Chad and I bring a cat into the house. Poor little kitty kept coming up to our door so we brought him (Mr. Whiskers is his temporary name) in and gave him some milk and dog food. I'm not a big cat person but this guy was so cute and friendly (to humans not dogs). Marley was a big chicken and just kept barking at the kitty. The cat would just hiss and swat. It was very entertaining for Chad and I but I think Marley was over it.

Crabbie Patties

Several years ago my mom and I created our own crab cake recipe, picking and choosing from others that we had tried but weren't crazy about. I'm feeling nice today so I thought I would share.

- 3 cans of crab meat (lump crab meat is the best and I always use the Kroger brand)
- 1 stalk of celery diced
- 1/2 red and yellow bell pepper diced
- 1/2 onion diced
- 1 egg
- juice of 1 lemon
- 1/4 cup mayo
- 1/2 cup bread crumbs
- 2 tablespoons Old Bay
- pepper

Saute peppers, onions, and celery in butter until soft.

In a large mixing bowl combine the rest of the ingredients (add peppers, onions, and celery after they have been cooked and slightly cooled). Mix the ingredients and form into patties. If the mixture is too wet you can add some more bread crumbs. Heat large skillet with oil over medium high heat. Saute crab cakes 1-2 minutes on each side until brown. Transfer into oven on 350 to heat through and keep warm.

Secret Sauce (this goes great with the cakes!)
- mayo
- cocktail sauce
- lemon
Equal parts mayo and cocktail and juice of 1/2 lemon

Have I Told You Lately How...

much I love Brussel Sprouts? I don't understand why they have such a bad connotation. I will admit I had my first Brussel Sprout just over a year ago. It wasn't that I refused to try them I just can't remember having an opportunity to try them. Boy am I glad I did. I could probably eat them every night. I like to chop off the ends and cut the large ones in half. After that I either steam them or saute them. Just add some salt and pepper and your all set.

The three B's are my favorite way to make them...butter, bacon, and brussel sprouts! Do you see the little leafs that have become all brown and crispy? Those are my fav! So delicious. If you've never tried them I'm begging you please do! You might be surprised...I was.

Hello Cupcake

It's Friday and I have the day off! Woot woot! To celebrate I am giving away this book! To enter the giveaway just leave a comment telling me what is your favorite cupcake along with your email address. One random winner will be selected Sunday evening. Have a great weekend!

Congrats to the Chocolate Priestess! You are the lucky winner!

Toasted Coconut Ice Cream!

Okay go to the store and some buy vanilla ice cream, coconut, and nutella. Your mouth will thank you. I have been craving toasted coconut ice cream ever since my mom mentioned it the other day. I was just sitting at the kitchen table finishing up dinner when that urge for something sweet hit me (does that happen to everyone or just me?) Anyways, thats when I realized I had some leftover vanilla ice cream in the freezer and a bag of coconut in the cabinet. When I opened the cabinet thats when I realized I had some nutella and that my friends is when delicious was born.
Heat the nutella about 20-30 seconds

Toast coconut on a baking sheet at 350 for 4-6 minutes. Stir frequently and keep your eye on it. Coconut can burn faster than you think. Believe me I know.

Scoop out as much ice cream as you like, sprinkle with coconut, and drizzle with nutella. Get ready for a party in your mouth!

Nobody puts baby in the corner!

During my visit to West Virginia, my parents wanted to take me to brunch at Mountain Lake in Pembroke Virginia since I had never been there before. They must know the way to my heart is food (and money). Growing up I heard a lot about Mountain Lake especially the part about how Dirty Dancing was filmed there. Yes folks its true. Located just an hour away from my stompin' grounds Jennifer Grey was carrying watermelons and Patrick Swayze was working those hips. It was such a gorgeous ride up the mountain to the resort and the food was delicious. Crab legs, eggs benedict, made to order omelets, prime rib, cheese platter, fruit trays, and a huge dessert bar. There was one dessert in particular that rocked my world. I'm not sure what it was but I named it "Orange Creamsicle Cheesecake" and it was awesome. I'm looking for a similar recipe to see if I can recreate that goodness. Anywho, it was such a beautiful place but kinda sad because the business has been very slow. The future is not looking so bright for this mountain resort. So if anyone is looking for a place to take a vacation, have a wedding, or a reunion check it out. Oh and they also have dirty dancing weekends as well!

Chili Willy

It's blazing hot in Nashville so whats the best thing to make? A steaming pot of chili! My mom sent Chad and I a new stock pot from Le Creuset (thanks mom) and we decided we had to use it immediately. We have played around with several versions of this chili but Chad and I both agree this last batch was the best. I dare you to make it...well maybe when the weather gets a little cooler but definitely try it.

Start by dicing up a red bell pepper, 1/2 of a large red onion or 1 small red onion.
Dice 2-3 Jalapenos (if you like it spicy leave the seeds in)
Dice 2 Anaheim peppers
Dice 2 Serrano peppers
If you want your mouth to bleed you can add some Habanero peppers
If a large pot, saute onion and 1lb of ground beef
Add all peppers and saute for about 3-5 minutes
Add 1-2 tablespoons of crushed garlic and 1 small can of tomato paste
Add 1-2 cans of dark kidney beans (depending on how much you like beans)
Add 2 cans of crushed tomatoes
Last but not least add your seasoning...salt, pepper, oregano, paprika, and chili powder. We didn't measure the seasoning, just taste as you go.
Allow the chili to simmer over low for about 20-30 minutes.
Enjoy with some tortilla chips, cheese, and sour cream!

Heart Stopping Goodness

Bacon, onions, celery seed, oregano?? Sounds like a crazy combination doesn't it? Well once again Chad scared me with his wild, no recipe, throw everything into the pot, lovin self. He first made this sauce to go over chicken and it was delicious. Last week he decided it would be good over steaks...and it was! To make the sauce cook 3-4 slices of bacon until super crisp. Set that aside and add a chopped medium size yellow onion and 1-2 cloves of garlic to the skillet with the bacon grease (yum). Cook the onion until translucent and set aside with the bacon. Deglaze the pan with Burgundy wine then add 1/2 cup of beef broth. When the liquid has reduced by half add salt, pepper, oregano, and celery seed. Add the onion, bacon, and garlic back into the pan. Simmer over low heat until ready to serve. Toss in a stuffed potato and a nice bottle of wine and you are in for a great night.

Homemade Oreo Cakesters

Last week my mom called to say she was making "Whoopie Pies" for my little trip home. My mouth watered, my heart sang, and my thighs jiggled. These little suckers are unbelievable! Don't get your hopes up for the recipe though. I don't have it because I am afraid. It would be like housing a deadly weapon. I think there are cups of Crisco involved...yikes! But just to tease you imagine eating an oreo cakester on crack. I just couldn't pry my fingers away from them at home. We ate them for breakfast, mid-morning snack, lunch, afternoon snack, appetizers, and dessert. I love them and I love my mom for making them.


If you are suicidal and just have to make them here is a similar recipe. Just don't complain if you become addicted or gain 15 pounds.

Diet Coke Slushy

Marley was in heaven this weekend as we traveled home to West Virginia. My mom...Marley's grandmaw did a good job of spoiling him. She froze a diet coke and Marley could not get enough of it. My mom held it for a good twenty minutes as Marley attempted to get the slushy goodness out. I'm pretty sure his tongue was frozen and he was in a diet coke coma.

I can only imagine what she is going to do when I have human babies instead of dog babies.

Guacamole!

I have in my opinion the most delicious guacamole recipe. All my co-workers agree as well. I'm not gonna lie, I can eat the whole batch by myself and I have. Its the perfect summer dip and avocados are nice and ripe this time of year.

1. 3-4 soft but not mushy avocados diced

2. 1 small red tomato diced

3. 1/2 of a red onion diced

4. A dollop of sour cream

5. As many shakes of Tabasco as you like

6. Salt and pepper

7. Garlic salt

8. Squirt or two of lemon juice

Just combine all the above ingredients. I like to add the avocados last so they don't get so mushy while your stirring. I recommend tasting as you go. You might like it creamier so add more sour cream. Some like it very spicy so add more Tabasco. You could even add cilantro if you like.

If your not sure how to tackle an avocado watch this video

Enjoy with chips, on tacos, on burritos, on burgers, or just a spoonful.