bbq desserts: cooking tips

Showing posts with label cooking tips. Show all posts

Showing posts with label cooking tips. Show all posts

Cooking Shortcut Tips

In my previous post, I mentioned a cooking class I went to last week with High Hopes in High Heels. The cooking instructor was wonderful. She provided some great tips for us on products to use and cooking methods that would make cooking easier and faster.

1. Garlic paste. It comes in a tube and can be found in the produce section. This is much easier than peeling and mincing garlic, but tastes much better than the pre-chopped garlic that is jarred in olive oil. And on this note, why not try out those herb blends found in a tube. No worries about fresh herbs going bad or not using the whole bunch.

2. Dry vermouth instead of white wine. Often recipes call for dry white wine. Our instructor recommended buying a bottle of dry vermouth as it can be stored at room temperature and has a much longer shelf life once the bottle is opened.

3. Better than Bouillon. Instead of buying boxes and cans of broth that also don't last long once opened, our instructor suggested this Better than Bouillon product, which is a concentrated base that is more flavorful than broth.

4. Tubed tomato paste. This one I had already discovered, but look for tube of tomato paste, usually found in the spaghetti sauce, canned tomato aisle. It looks like a tube of toothpaste and will last forever in your fridge. No more opened cans of unused tomato paste in your fridge again.

5. Cooking rice. For a small number of guests (4-6) treat rice like pasta. Bring a large pot of water to a boil, and add 1 to 1 and half cups rice. Cook 10-12 minutes, until tender, then drain in a colander or fine mesh strainer. For large groups, try the method of taking equal amounts of rice and water. For 10 people, use 3 cups of Uncle Ben's Original Converted Rice - NOT INSTANT! and 6 cups of water. Combine in a baking pan. Cover tightly with double layer of aluminum foil. Bake at 450 for 20-25 minutes. Check to make sure all water is absorbed. Rice will be tender, fluffy, and separate.

How to Roast Peppers

My new favorite thing to do is roast my own peppers. I have done it a few times lately with all types of peppers, red bell and poblano, mostly. It sounds complicated, but is actually quite easy. Next time a recipe calls for a jar of roasted peppers, try roasting some fresh peppers yourself. The flavor is so much better. Roasted peppers are great to make sauces with, put on paninis or burgers, mix into casseroles or soups and chili.

If you have a grill or gas stove you can do this directly over the flame, but if you're like me and most people, you don't. No worries, an oven broiler works just fine.

Here is how to do it:

1. Lay clean peppers on a baking sheet. (Don't judge my old, crusty baking sheets. It happens after a lot of use.)

2. Preheat the broiler (to high, if you have a choice)

3. Place the oven rack about 4 inches from the flame. I like to put mine on the second shelf.Lay clean peppers on a baking sheet.

4. Now you must keep an eye on these. Don't walk away. The skin of the pepper will start to roast and turn black. You'll hear it pop from the heat. Turn often until all sides are charred. I like to use tongs to turn.

5. Once charred all around, remove the peppers from the oven. Place in a bowl and cover with plastic wrap. Allow to cool for 10 minutes.

6. Once cooled the charred skins should easily peel off. Cut the tops off, cut in half, remove the seeds and the charred skin. The peppers are then ready to be added to your dish according to the recipe.

Tuscan Pork Loin with Sun-dried Tomato Vinaigrette

Last night we had my parents and my husband's parents over for dinner. It had been awhile since we had either over, and I'm not sure if we've ever had both over at the same time. It was a very nice evening.

My number one rule when it comes to entertaining is making a meal that you can do most of in advance of your guests arriving, so when they do arrive you can actually entertain. So roasts are a great way to accomplish this. But since it is so freaking hot outside, I didn't want to make something too heavy or rich like say a pot roast.

This pork loin was perfect because pork is a lighter meat in the first place, but this vinaigrette isn't a hot or heavy sauce. It can be made in advance and served at room temperature. I served this with roasted red potatoes and a nice mixed green salad. I finished the meal with a nice seasonal peach crisp and vanilla ice cream.

What you'll need:
1/4 cup olive oil
1 Tbsp. garlic, minced
2 tsp. chopped, fresh rosemary
1 tsp salt and pepper each
1 pork loin roast, (3 lbs) trimmed of fat and silverskin
1 and 1/2 pound red potatoes, quartered (figure 2-3 per person, depending on the size, and if they are really big, you might want to cut them in sixths instead of quarters)

What to do:
Preheat the oven to 400 degrees, and coat a roasting pan with nonstick spray.

Combine the oil, garlic, rosemary and salt and pepper in a large bowl, set aside.

Trim pork of excess fat and silverskin, then tie with kitchen twine in three places, both ends and one in the middle, so that it keeps its round shape and stays nice and tight.

Heat a nonstick skillet over medium high heat. Using tongs, toss the pork in the oil mixture, coating all sides. Then sear on all sides in the skillet. See the picture below.

Once seared, transfer the pork to the roasting pan. Toss the potatoes in the remaining oil mixture. Add the potatoes to the roasting pan, surrounding the pork roast. Place in the oven and roast for 30 minutes. Turn the pork and the potatoes and roast for another 25-30 minutes, or until the pork reaches 150 degrees. Remove from the oven and tent loosely with foil. Allow to rest for 10 minutes. Slice into 1/2-inch thick slices and serve with the vinaigrette, recipe follows.

What you'll need for the vinaigrette:
1/2 cup white wine vinegar
1/3 cup sundried tomatoes, chopped
1/4 cup shallots, chopped
1/4 cup Italian parsley, chopped
1 Tbsp. garlic
1 Tbsp. honey
2 tsp. dijon mustard
1 tsp. capers, drained
1/2 tsp. salt and pepper each
3/4 cup olive oil

Pulse all ingredients except for the olive oil in a food processor until tomatoes are minced. Slowly add the oil, blending to combine.

Serves 6-8. Sorry I don't have a picture of the finished product.

This recipe has been adapted from an issue of Cuisine at Home.

Here are some pics of the delicious peach crisp:

BBQ Chicken Pizza

Here is a great way to use that leftover barbecue chicken or pulled pork from Fourth of July weekend.

What you'll need:
1 pizza crust
1/4 cup or so of your favorite barbecue sauce
1 cup freshly grated mozzarella cheese
1/2 a red, yellow or orange pepper, thinly sliced
1/2 a small red onion, thinly sliced
leftover chicken or pork, shredded
pizza seasoning and garlic powder
freshly grated parmesan cheese

How to make it:
Preheat the oven to 425 degrees (or according to the package directions).

Spread barbecue sauce over the crust, sprinkle with mozzarella, top with pepper, onion and chicken. Sprinkle with a little pizza seasoning, garlic powder and freshly grated parmesan cheese.
Place in the oven and bake for 8-10 minutes. Until the cheese melts and the vegetables are tender.

Spinach, Mushroom and Feta Frittata

Frittatas are my new favorite way to prepare eggs. I love omelettes, but often have trouble with the technique of folding them over. A frittata takes care of that issue. It is a similar concept, but easier to make. It is almost a cross between a frittata and a quiche.

What you'll need:
2 tbsp olive oil
about 6 ounces of button mushrooms, sliced
half a sack of baby spinach
5 eggs
2 tbsp half & half
fresh parmesan cheese
2 tbsp butter
feta cheese
salt and pepper

How to make it:
Start out with a 10-inch nonstick skillet over medium heat. Add the olive oil, and once hot, add the mushrooms. Cook for about 5 minutes, until browned and softened a bit.

While the mushrooms are cooking, whisked the 5 eggs in a small bowl with 2 tbsps of half & half and a couple spoonfuls of grated parmesan. The cream and cheese add a little richness. I also like to add some fresh cracked black pepper.

Now back to the skillet. Once the mushrooms are done, season with salt and pepper. Add a few handfuls of fresh spinach to the skillet and toss until it wilts. (You may need to add a little bit more olive oil to the skillet first.)

At this point preheat your broiler to high.

Back to the skillet, pour the egg mixture over the mushrooms and spinach. Stir it a few times, add some feta cheese on top, and cover with a lid. Allow to cook for a few minutes, until the bottom is set, but still a little runny on top.

Place the skillet under the broiler to allow the top to cook. This will take a few minutes. Once it is set on top, remove from your oven, very carefully. Remember to use a potholder. Then cut into wedges like a pie. Makes 2 main servings or 3-4 side servings.

This is by far my favorite one I have made to date.

Risotto Cakes

I have posted about risotto cakes before. See here. I just wanted to share the picture of how they look when made. They are delicious - crispy on the outside, but still cheesey and soft on the inside. As my BFF would say - they are little clouds of heaven.

For a basic risotto recipe, see here.

Chicken Tostados with Fresh Salsa

My husband and I love the blackened chicken tostados at Tijuana Flats, so I thought we should try making them at home. I must say, our first attempt was pretty successful. My husband did a great job blackening the chicken and making fresh salsa, but I was the mastermind behind the whole thing!

What you’ll need:
Olive oil
Corn tortillas (about 2-3 per person)
1 lb chicken cutlets
Blackened seasoning (we used a combo of cumin, chili powder, cayenne pepper, garlic powder and salt and pepper)
1 can refried beans
Queso Fresco (a Mexican crumbling cheese that I have only seen at Super Walmart) or you could substitute Monterey jack cheese
Toppings: hot sauce, salsa (see our recipe below), sour cream (my favorite condiment in the whole world), guacamole, jalepeno peppers, green or red onion

How to make them:
Preheat the oven to 350 degrees.

With a basting or pastry brush, lightly coat both sides of the tortillas with olive oil and season with kosher salt. Place evenly on a baking sheet and place in the oven for about 15 minutes, until crispy, turn halfway through.

Meanwhile, season the chicken cutlets with the blackening spices - cumin, chili powder, cayenne pepper, garlic powder, salt and pepper. Place in a cast iron skillet if you have one or you can use a nonstick skillet with the just a little bit of oil. Preheat the skillet to medium-high to high. Cook on both sides until cooked through, about 8 minutes total. Remove from the pan. Let cool slightly, then chop up.

Heat the refried beans in a saucepan on the stove. When the tortillas are done, spread a little refried beans on the tortillas, top with some chicken, crumbled queso and additional toppings of your choice.

What you’ll need for the salsa:
4 vine ripened tomatoes, cut into smaller chunks
Half a large white onion, cut into smaller chunks
2 garlic cloves
Salt and pepper
A handful of fresh cilantro, roughly chopped
If you like it spicier, add a jalepeno, remove the seeds and ribs

How to make it:
Place the tomato chunks, onion, and garlic (and jalapeno if using) into a food processor fitted with a metal blade. Pulse until it reaches the consistency you like. Season with salt and pepper, add the cilantro and pulse a couple of more times to incorporate.

You could also use ground beef, ground turkey or sirloin instead of blackened chicken.

Roast Chicken

I noticed my local grocery store had whole chickens for only .99 cents a pound this weekend! The voice inside my head said, "Sunday dinner, Sunday dinner." So that is what I did. You can't pass that up. A four pound chicken for $4? Crazy good deal. I made a traditional Sunday dinner with gravy, mashed potatoes and green beans.

For the perfect roast chicken:
Pull out the giblets. Mine mysteriously didn't have any, but the directions on the package said to remove them. So a good rule to live by, always check for giblets because you never know. Instead of stuffing the bird with stuffing, I like to stuff it with half a lemon, a couple cloves of garlic and half an onion. (Adds lots of moisture.) I tie up the legs with twine and tie the wings closely to the body. (See picture below.) Keeping everything nice and tight keeps the bird really juicy. Now you can either rub olive oil all over the bird or you can take room temperature butter and spread over the bird and under the skin. Either way, season well with salt and pepper all over.

Place in a roasting pan on a rack. Bake at 350 for 20-23 minutes per pound. So I baked my four pounder for about 90 minutes. The juices between the leg and breast should run clear or you can put a meat thermometer in the breast and it should read 165 degrees.

Gravy is super easy. Don't let it intimidate you. Start off by making a rue. Melt 2 tablespoons of butter in a pan over medium to medium-high heat. Once the butter is melted, add 2 tablespoons of all-purpose flour. Whisk until the flour is incorporated and golden brown. Voila, you've mad a rue. Add some of the chicken juices. (Super great flavor here.) While whisking, slowly add some chicken stock or broth, about a cup, maybe more, until it reaches the consistency you like. Season with salt and pepper.

Super Easy Vinaigrette

This is a really easy and elegant vinaigrette. I made it the other night to dress some mixed greens to accompany fried tilapia my husband made. There is just something about a nice, simple sample with fried food that is so right.

Ingredients:
juice of half a lemon
tsp of dijon mustard
1/3 cup extra virgin olive oil
salt and pepper to taste

In a small bowl, whisk the lemon juice and dijon mustard. Then slowly whisk in the olive oil until emulsified. Season with salt and pepper. Add a little dressing to mixed greens or a prepared salad and toss well. Be careful not to overdress the salad or it gets soggy.

This is a great go-to salad dressing that takes just a couple of minutes to make.

Flat Bread Pizzas

My husband and I make these all the time. It is just super easy and quick and allows you to be very creative. I like to take whole wheat pitas or pita flat bread and top with my favorite pizza toppings. Bake in the oven at 350 degrees for 10 minutes and you're done!

Carne Asada

My husband made this delicious carne asada a week or two ago. It is a marinated flank steak that is then grilled. Great to make into fajitas with sauteed peppers and onions. We sliced the steak thin and then served on tortillas with cheese, sour cream and guacamole. Flank steak is great because it is inexpensive and can serve a crowd. The key is marinating it overnight. It allows the meat to get really tender.

Ingredients:
2 pound flank steak
olive oil
Kosher salt and ground black pepper
Marinade:
4 garlic cloves, minced
1 jalapeno, seeded and minced
1 tsp ground cumin
1 large handful of fresh cilantro, leaves and stems finely chopped
salt and pepper
2 limes, juiced
2 Tbsp white vinegar
1/2 tsp sugar
1/2 cup olive oil

Mix all the marinade ingredients together in a bowl. Place the steak into a sealable plastic bag. Pour the marinade over the steak. Seal the bag, letting all the air out. Toss around to coat the meat. Refrigerate over night.

Remove the steak from the bag. Season with salt and pepper. We don't have a grill, so we cooked it indoors on our grill pan by heating a little olive oil first, then grilling the steak for about 5 minutes per side. It is very important to not overcook the meat. Medium-rare is ideal. Thinly slice the meat across the grain. (The grain is the lines running through the meat. Slice the opposite way the grain runs.)

Creamy Cauliflower Puree

This one is for all my low carb lovers. I have recommeded before taking cauliflower and mashing it up in the place of mashed potatoes, so here is a great recipe. I haven't actually tried it, but I plan on making it soon. This recipe is courtesy of my boss via Eating Well Magazine. If my boss and fellow foodie likes it, it has to be good.

Ingredients:
8 cups bite-size cauliflower florets (about 1 head)
4 cloves garlic, crushed and peeled
1/3 cup buttermilk
4 teaspoons extra-virgin olive oil, divided
1 teaspoon butter
1/2 teaspoon salt, or to taste
Freshly ground pepper to taste
Snipped fresh chives for garnish

Place cauliflower florets and garlic in a steamer basket over boiling water, cover and steam until very tender, 12 to 15 minutes. Place the cooked cauliflower and garlic in a food processor. Add buttermilk, 2 teaspoons oil, butter, salt and pepper; pulse several times, then process until smooth and creamy. Transfer to a serving bowl. Drizzle with the remaining 2 teaspoons oil and garnish with chives, if desired. Serve hot.

Veggie Side Dishes for Thanksgiving

Roasting vegetables is a very healthy and delicious way to cook vegetables. It enhances the flavors of the vegetables without losing any of the nutrients. Drizzle the vegetables with olive oil, season with a little Kosher salt and fresh cracked black pepper. You could also use some fresh or dried herbs, a squeeze of lemon, etc.

Roast Asparagus
Start by trimming the ends of a bunch of asparagus. The easiest way to do this is hold one at each of the ends and bend until it snaps, this will give you a good guide and then you can use a knife to cut the rest of the bunch at the same place.Lay the asparagus out on a cookie sheet and drizzle with olive oil and season with Kosher salt and fresh cracked pepper. You could squeeze a little fresh lemon on top. Bake the asparagus in a pre-heated oven at around 400 degrees. Cook for about 10 minutes, depending on the thickness of the stalks. At about halfway turn the asparagus.

Roasted Brussel Sprouts
I know most people don't like brussel sprouts, but that is probably because your mom used to boil the hell out of them until they were mushy and lacked all flavor. This is a much tastier wa of preparing them. Lay out the brussel sprouts on a cookie sheet and drizzle with olive oil; season with Kosher salt and fresh cracked pepper. Bake for 30 minutes in a 400-degree oven.

Here is a more modern and healthier take on the traditional green bean casserole.
Green Beans with Carmelized Onions and Sliced Almonds
2 lbs green beans, ends trimmed and rinsed
1 yellow or sweet onion, halved and thinly sliced
1 large clove of garlic, chopped
1 small package of sliced almonds (can be found in the baking aisle of your grocer)
2 tablespoons of extra virgin olive oil
Kosher salt
Fresh black pepper

Heat the olive oil in a large nonstick pan over medium to medium-high heat. Add the onion and sauté until caramelized, about 10 minutes or so. Meanwhile in another shallow pan with tight-fitting lid, add a couple of inches of water. Bring to a boil. Season well with a few good pinches of the salt. Add the green beans and put on the lid. Let steam for about 3-5 minutes. They should be bright green and still have some crunch. This maintains flavor and nutrients. Drain the green beans and shock them in a bowl of ice water. This allows the beans to maintain that great bright color. Once the onions are caramelized, add the garlic and almonds to the pan and let brown for just a minute. Then add the green beans and sauté to coat them in the oil and allow for the onions and almonds to distribute. Season well with pepper and a little more salt.

Chicken and Broccoli Stuffed Potatoes

This is a great hearty dish that seems like it would be really fattening, but is actually quite healthful. Cut even more fat and calories by using low-fat cheese and not using any butter on the potato. I can't wait for it to cool down so I can stuff a big potato with leftover chili.

Ingredients:
2 large baked potatoes
1 chicken breast, about 1/2 a pound, cooked and chopped into small chunks
1 cup broccoli florets in small chunks, blanch in boiling water for no more than 3 minutes
1 Tbsp butter
1 Tbsp all-purpose flour
1 cup skim milk
1/2 cup shredded cheddar cheese
salt and pepper
parmesan cheese, grated

Rinse the potatoes well. Using a fork, poke the potato to make various holes in them. Place in the microwave and cook on high for approximately 14 minutes, turning once halfway through. (You could also bake in the oven, but that would take over an hour, and what modern housewife has an hour to kill after work during the week?) Test the doneness by poking with a fork. If it goes in smoothly and the potato is soft, it is done.

Meanwhile, melt the butter in a sauce pan. Whisk in the flour and let cook for a minute or two, until golden brown. (This is called a rue and is used to thicken sauces and gravys.) Then slowly add the milk while whisking. Bring to a bubble, stirring often until thickened. It won't take long, maybe 3-5 minutes. Season with salt and pepper. Whisk in the cheddar cheese, stir in the chicken and broccoli.

When the potatoes are done, remove to a plate and slice in half. Mash up the insides of the potatoes a little with a fork. If you'd like, add a little butter. Season with pepper. Pour the sauce over the potatoes and sprinkle with a little grated parmesan cheese.

Roasted Garlic

I had to repost this recipe. The first time I posted it was back in February when I made it for Valentine's Day. I made it tonight and served it with pita bread that I warmed in the oven. Just add the pita bread to the oven when the garlic has about 8-10 minutes to go. Cut the pitas into wedges and spread the garlic on them.

Roasted Garlic
1 whole head of garlic
1 Tbsp olive oil

Roasting the garlic this way mellows out the flavor and softens it, allowing you to spread it on bread as if it were butter. Delish! I had this years ago at an Italian restaurant, but this was the first time I tried to replicate it.

Preheat your oven to 375 degrees. Using a knife, cut off the top third of the garlic head. Do not peel the garlic. Place it in a small, oven-proof dish, cut side up. Drizzle with olive oil; and cover the dish with foil. Bake for 30 minutes covered. Remove the foil and bake for another 30-40 minutes. You should now be able to use a butter knife to scoop out the garlic cloves and spread on bread, or anything else you can think of.

Italian Chicken (in the Crock Pot)

My mom, sister and I have frequently been using our Crock Pots lately. The two of them had both told me about this Italian Chicken dish using one of the McCormick slow cooker packets. So, I finally decided to make it. *Note, I found this particular packet at Sweetbay. I was having trouble locating them at Publix.

Ingredients: (This is all on the packet, but I have some cooking modifications to share)
1 McCormick Italian Chicken packet
2.5 lbs chicken (Definitely use skinless, boneless chicken breast. When you use bone-in chicken it all just breaks down and you're left with a bunch of bones hanging out in your sauce.)
1 (12 ounce) package fresh mushrooms, sliced
2 (14 ounce) cans stewed tomatoes
1 (6 ounce) can tomato paste (one of the very few times you'll actually use a whole can of tomato paste)

Add the chicken to the Crock Pot, then the mushrooms. Mix the seasonings, tomatoes and paste together, pour on top. Cook on low for 6 hours. *Note the package says 8 hours on low, but that is really too long.

Remove the chicken and mushrooms to a platter. Stir the sauce well. You can serve over pasta or creamy polenta as I did.

Creamy Polenta
2 cups chicken broth
2 cups milk
1 cup polenta or cornmeal
salt and pepper to taste
olive oil
1/2 cup parmesan cheese, grated

In a saucepan bring the broth and milk to a simmer over medium-high heat, season with salt and pepper to taste. Reduce heat to low while whisking the cornmeal in slowly and continue for about 5 minutes until it starts to thicken. Add a drizzle of olive oil and stir in the cheese until melted.

Sloppy Birds

This is my version of a sloppy joe. I call them sloppy birds because I use ground turkey instead of ground beef. It's a little healthier that way and honestly I can't tell the difference. I'm no mother, but I bet these would be a big hit with the kids. Now, this doesn't use a can of Manwich, but it is almost as easy. It's just dumping in a can of tomato sauce and some other seasonings that you most likely have on hand. Note, this recipe has been altered from a Rachael Ray recipe.

Ingredients:
1 Tbsp. olive oil
1 and 1/4 pounds ground turkey
3 Tbsps brown sugar (adds a little sweetness)
3 tsps steak seasoning, such as McCormick's Montreal Chicken blend
1 small onion, chopped (or half a large onion)
1 medium red bell pepper, chopped
1 Tbsp red wine vinegar
1 Tbsp Worcestershire sauce
1 (15 ounce) can tomatoe sauce
2 Tbsp. tomato paste
4 yummy bakery rolls, split, toasted, and lightly buttered
Garnish with sliced tomato, pickles or banana peppers

Heat a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add oil and turkey to the pan, breaking it up with a wooden spoon or spatula. Combine brown sugar and steak seasoning, then add the mixture to the skillet and combine. When the meat has browned, add the onion and red pepper. Reduce heat to medium and cook for 5 minutes. Add vinegar, stirring briefly to reduce, then add Worcestershire sauce, tomato sauce and paste, stirring to combine. Reduce heat to simmer and cook sloppy bird mixture for at least 10 minutes, stirring often. This will allow the mixture to thicken and not be so sloppy.

Spoon mixture onto the buns and top with select garnishes.

Jazzed Up Couscous

Couscous is great because it cooks so fast and you can start off with plain couscous and add all kinds of vegetables, herbs and spices to jazz it up.

Ingredients:
1 Package of cous cous (I like the Far East brand)
fresh flat-leaf parsley, chopped
artichoke hearts, chopped
kalamata olives, chopped

Prepare the couscous according to the package directions. One caveat, I like to use chicken or veggie broth instead of water to add a little extra flavor. Half way through the couscous cooking process add the additional chopped ingredients. Once fully cooked, fluff the couscous with a fork and incorporate the rest of the ingredients.

Other potential additions: chick peas, green onion, sundried tomatoes, feta cheese, toasted pine nuts, saffron, basil, capers, lemon zest, cucumber, etc., etc.

Breakfast for Dinner: Frittata

Like we often do, we made breakfast for dinner tonight. This is one of our favorite things to do. Tonight I made a frittata and my husband made homemade hash browns. Frittatas are so easy and versatile. You can basically throw in anything you have lying around the house, which is what I did tonight.

I started out with a 10-inch nonstick skillet over medium heat and preheated my broiler. I added a tablespoon of butter and olive oil each. Added some chopped up portabello mushroom and cooked for about 5 minutes, until softened a bit.

While the mushrooms were cooking, I whisked 5 eggs in a small bowl with 2 tbsps of half & half and a couple spoonfuls of grated parmesan. The cream and cheese add a little richness.

Now back to the skillet. I then added 1 diced tomato (seeds removed), some leftover asparagus cut into bite-sized pieces, and some diced ham. Cook for a minute or two until heated through. Then I poured the egg mixture into the skillet. Stirred it a few times, added some feta cheese on top, and covered with a lid. Allow to cook for a few minutes, until the bottom is set, but still a little runny on top.

Place the skillet under the broiler to allow the top to cook. This will take a few minutes. Once it is set on top, remove from your oven, very carefully. Remember to use a potholder. Then cut into wedges like a pie. Makes 3-4 main servings.

I just used what I had around. You could do frittatas with bacon, potatoes and chedder cheese. Spinach would be great. Turkey and fresh dill is another great combination.

By the way you could totally eat the leftovers for lunch the next day. Just reheat in a toaster oven or microwave.

And the winner is...

Middle-Aged Diva! She submitted three ideas/recipes, and they all sound delicious. I will probably make all three at some point. Check out her recipe suggestions here: http://amodernhousewife.blogspot.com/2009/07/old-bay-giveaway.html

The other two people were disqualified because one was my husband and the other emailed me the recipe instead of posting it. It does sound good though, so I have posted it below.

Congratulations, Middle-Aged Diva and you can expect your Old Bay Seasoning gift basket soon.

Steamed Shrimp and Old Bay Aioli (Idea from my sister, who is also a great cook)
Last night I played around with my shrimp idea. I put about a half a pound of shrimp (peels on) in a steamer bag and then added a few pieces of sliced lemon and sprinkled in a couple of tablespoons of old bay. I closed the bag and shook it up and put it in the microwave for 2 and a half minutes. Be careful opening the bag because the steam is hot. The shrimp were cooked nicely and had a nice flavor from the lemon and old bay.

I was out of horseradish so instead of cocktail sauce I made a sort of remoulade but Brad renamed it Old Bay Aioli. I mixed equal parts mayo and ketchup and added a healthy dose of cayenne pepper, salt and old bay seasoning. Brad loved the dipping sauce. This is a great quick appetizer if you have people drop by because I usually have lemons on hand and you can keep shrimp in the freezer. In fact, you can add the shrimp right to the bag frozen if you want to. Plus, it only takes a few minutes to make. I also, thought that this might work with salmon or other types of fish.