Red Sangria Recipe + New-found Celebrity Status?!

In case you were wondering, I am now a celebrity.  Well, maybe just a local celebrity.  Actually, nobody knows me at all.  But this is a start!

One of my recipes (Indian Spiced Hummus) was printed in this month’s edition of Bella magazine!  I was so excited when I got the email saying that my recipe would be included, I started jumping around at work.  A few people thought I was crazy, but I didn't care.

Fried Egg Red Pepper Rings {Happy Mother's Day!}

Mother’s Day is this weekend, and for all 29 years of my life that has meant celebrating and thanking my wonderful mother and grandmothers (Thanks Mom!).  But this year, for the first time ever, I received a Mother’s Day card of my own and it meant the world to me.  

No, I did not have a child this past year, but I did get married.  And with that I gained a smart, adorable, loving 6-yr-old step-daughter.  I met “B” when she was one; she has grown up knowing me.  I have done my best to help raise her and teach her and be a role model for her.  

But, while being a step-mom can be very rewarding, it can also be very difficult and frustrating.  Sometimes I feel like no matter what I do, I will never be considered a mom to “B” even though I do all the things that a mom does.  This is a hard realization for me.  But when she and my husband handed me a Mother’s Day card the other day that said, “Happy Mother’s Day.  You are the best Liz ever,” I felt like the title “step-mom” didn't matter.  Even though I am “Liz” and not “Mom”, she loves me for who I am and what I do for her.  I felt appreciated, and that is a wonderful feeling.  

So to all the step-moms out there that may feel a little unappreciated sometimes (like all mom’s do, I’m sure), keep in mind that you aren't alone and everything you do for your step-children does matter, probably more than you know.  Happy Mother’s Day! 

P.S. Thanks Mike and “B”, and Meghan, for making my day.  I am so lucky to have you in my life! 

Oh, and here’s a fabulous idea, print out this recipe and give it to your hubby or significant other on Saturday, so he’ll be armed and ready to go to make you breakfast in bed on Sunday!  Feel free to request 18 pieces of bacon too!

Chocolate Peanut Butter Macarons

My college roomy and best lady got me hooked on these delicious French cookies.  For her bachelorette party last summer, the ladies packed into a cute little bakery for a macaron cooking lesson.  I don’t remember everything we were taught (oh, wine) but I do remember how amazing the cookies were.

This is my third attempt at making macarons.  My first batch was a major flop; my egg whites did not get fluffy  (see note 2).  My last batch was good, but not as fluffy as batch #2 (see note 3).  Therefore, the recipe below is a combo of a few recipes, one of which was adapted from Martha Stewart.  

This way, your first batch will be a smashing success, and won’t leave you crying in the kitchen with a Silpat full of runny cookie batter.  (That’s just a “for instance”, I obviously had no problem controlling my emotions over failed cookies.)

A few notes:
#1: Macarons taste better the next day (but that certainly doesn't stop me from eating a handful on day 1!)

#2: The chef at the cooking class said you can use boxed egg whites, but the kind I tried did not form stiff peaks, so I suggest sticking to egg whites straight from the egg!

#3: Sifting may seem tedious, but it’s worth it

Pimento Cheese Chicken Quesadillas

Cinco de Mayo is upon us.  

I took 5 years of Spanish in school, and here's what I remember:

- Puedo sevirle al bano? (Can I go to the bathroom?)

- Callate!  (Shut up!)  Yes, my teacher taught me that... She was awesome.

- Siéntate por favor.  (Sit down please)

I'm basically fluent. 

I just created this new quesadilla concoction because, let's face it, quesadillas are awesome.  

Oh, and our local grocery store has this amazing pimento cheese, which is apparently very popular in the south (I'm still learning these things).  They have free samples at the store, so I make a bee-line to the cheese section every time I go to Kroger.  

The cheese was a little tangy and a little spicy, and melted perfectly in the quesadillas.  They also went perfect with my margarita.  But what doesn't go perfectly with a margarita!?

Printable Recipe HERE

Ingredients

2 chicken breasts

4 ounces fat free cream cheese
1/2 cup fat free Chobani Greek yogurt
1/2 cup grated extra sharp cheddar
1/2 cup grated Pepper Jack cheese
1/4 cup Miracle Whip or light mayonaise
1 garlic clove

1 tablespoon chopped onion
1 large pimento pepper, or 3 tablespoons chopped pimentos
1/2 teaspoon ground black pepper

1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper

1/2 teaspoon salt

Cooking spray

8 large tortillas (I used whole wheat)

Grill the chicken breasts over medium-high heat for about 8 minutes on each side.  Remove from the grill and let cool. Chop the chicken into small chunks.

Add the cream cheese, yogurt, cheddar cheese, Pepper Jack cheese and Miracle Whip into the bowl of a food processor, and beat until smooth and fluffy.  Add the garlic, onion, pimento, black pepper, cayenne, and salt and process until the peppers are chopped and all ingredients are combined.

Preheat a large skillet over medium-high heat.  Spray the pan with cooking spray.  Spread about 1/4 cup of the pimento cheese on one side of each tortilla. Spread 1/4 of the chopped chicken on 4 of the tortillas.  Top with another tortilla to make a quesadilla.  Cook each quesadilla for about 3 minutes on each side, flipping carefully.

Remove from the pan and cut each quesadilla into 6 wedges.  Serve immediately with salsa and sour cream for dipping, if desired.

Pesto Potato Salad with Snap Peas and Feta

This past weekend was the spring football game at Virginia Tech, and you know what that means - tailgating!  

You may have heard... I'm obsessed with tailgating and Virginia Tech football, but mostly the tailgating.  What's not to love?  You get to sit outside all day with your friends, while playing lawn games and partaking in adult beverages AND continuously eating amazing food.  

I just wish people would cool it with the tablecloths.  Seriously, why do you need a tablecloth at a tailgate?  All you need is food and alcohol.  No one cares what the table looks like.  You aren't Martha Stewart.  "This food must be displayed on a plastic tablecloth before I can eat it," said no one ever.

For the first tailgate of 2013, I wanted to make something amazing (duh) and springy.  Our friend Bret grilled some awesome chicken chorizo burgers so I put myself in charge of a side dish.  Hello potato salad.  


I didn't want to make the tired old mayonnaise-based potato salad though.  So, being all brilliant and everything, I created a PESTO potato salad and threw in some vibrant green snap peas for a crunch.  And feta.  Lots of feta.  

Get in my belly.