Personal Pizzas

These little pizzas are perfect for kids to make but don’t tell them that they are actually a little healthier than most pizzas due to their crust.? These are made with Multi-Grain Sandwich Thins.? For the crust I used 1/2 of a Sandwich Thin, topped it with about a Tablespoon full of pizza sauce (you can use spaghetti sauce if you want), I topped that with cheese and then my favorite toppings – bell pepper, onion, black olives and pepperoni.? Preheat the oven to 400 degrees and bake for 10-15 minutes or until the cheese is melted.? I did cover my cookie sheet with a piece of foil, to which I poured about 1 Tablespoon of oil then took a paper towel and evenly spread it around.? This gives you a little crispness to the crust. These are so good and the kids can create their own with their favorite toppings.? They are quick to make when unexpected company drops in too.? You can also use Alfredo sauce to make a chicken and/or spinach pizza.?

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Personal Pizzas

Apricots and Walnuts

I found these 2 walnut ideas in a magazine and thought I would share. Place 20 dried apricot halves on a plate, cut side up.? Spread each with ½ tsp. softened cream cheese or goat cheese .? Press a walnut half into cheese.? Sandwich apricot halves together.? Great Appetizer! Toss 1 cup walnuts with 1 tsp. olive oil and 1 tsp. ground cumin .? Add salt and cayenne pepper to taste.? Bake at 350 degrees for 25-30 minutes, stirring occasionally. Sounds delicious! ?

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Apricots and Walnuts

Summertime…

It is summer in the northern hemisphere and I have really been enjoying it to the absolute fullest.? Eating, hanging out with friends (old and new) and family, traveling and eating some more.? I have picked out some pictures to highlight the first couple of days of our trip to Washington, DC and then to Pittsburgh before we headed to see family for the remaining 2+ weeks. Washington, DC Checking out the dino’s at the Smithsonian Crashing the Smithsonian staff picnic in the National Mall The White House bee keeper’s collecting honey Pittsburgh, PA (The Strip District) Best little donut shop!? Tiny and with little donuts… German Chocolate Favorite spice shop ever! Best sandwiches ever!? White bread, French fries, coleslaw and your choice of meat…very efficient these Pittsburghers! Pastrami somewhere under all of the sides… Greek treats from one of the street vendors.? Delicious!!!! Greek street vendors… Once we left Pittsburgh we headed to Tony’s family to celebrate the 4th of

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Summertime…

Breakfast Sandwich that’s better than that other place…

My girls are pretty self sufficient in the morning when it comes to making their own breakfast but usually it is just a bowl of cereal with some fruit, toast or some oatmeal.? This works out great for me because I work every morning and when it’s busy I just don’t always want to stop to make them something to eat!? On special days or days when I know they have worked their little bodies pretty hard the night before (BMX or Ice Skating) I will get up early and make them their favorite breakfast… It’s really nice and simple and

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Breakfast Sandwich that’s better than that other place…

Another Stir, Laugh Repeat Cookbook Review

Reading At The Beach: Reviews, January 21, 2010 By Vicki (Florida) I had a few reasons for wanting to read this book. I get tired of the same things over and over. I love trying new recipes. I love laughing. It has some of the strangest recipes I’ve ever seen. Here are a few: Mushroom Bread Sausage Cookies Meaty Mashed Potatoes Rabbit Food Sandwich Outside In Cake Stuffed Cube Steak Rolls Here are a few foods I love and can’t wait to try: Fried Pickles Southern Chow Chow Chinese Swiss Steak Hash Brown Omelets Key Lime Pie No Bake Cookies (My mom let me start making No Bake Cookies by myself when I was about 11 yrs. old and they are still my favorite to make…and eat!) There is a tip at the end of each recipes which I thought was a great addition. This book is a great addition to any cookbook library. I love love love it!!!

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Another Stir, Laugh Repeat Cookbook Review

Another Great Review for Stir, Laugh, Repeat

The Biggest Little Cookbook in the World , October 19, 2009 By Lou Allin “Islander” (Vancouver Island) For all those who find preparing meals a chore, here’s a little cookbook with a big attitude. Martha Cheves finds “joy while playing in the kitchen.” Every time she emerges with a brimming pan or pot, she brings another gem to save time and money while pleasing the palate. Her down-home southern commentary reads like a personal diary and gives a special touch to each delicious dish. In this compact book loaded with fail-safe recipes, Martha starts with a winner: Banana Puddin’. This wonderful dessert vanishes faster than spring snow and always leaves guests cleaning their plates. Artichoke Chicken, Meatloaf Muffins, Rabbit Food Sandwich, and Pina Colada Salad. The turn of every page leads to more fun, imagination and taste that won’t quit. Especially helpful are the clever tips at the end of each offering. Who could have thought that sour cream works magic in scrambled eggs or that leftover pickle juice could make cucumbers sparkle? As the final page turns, there’s only one request for Martha, “More, please?”

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Another Great Review for Stir, Laugh, Repeat

Daring Baker’s do Puff Pastry and Vols-au-Vents

The September 2009 Daring Bakers’ challenge was hosted by Steph of A Whisk and a Spoon . She chose the French treat, Vols-au-Vent based on the Puff Pastry recipe by Michel Richard from the cookbook Baking With Julia by Dorie Greenspan. ? Wow, was this month’s challenge ever a “challenge” .? Our temps here in Southwest Florida are still in the mid 90’s every single day and if I turn my A/C to more than 80F I end up with an electric bill that is $350+!!!? Anyone who has ever worked with puff pastry knows that these are not ideal circumstances for making the dough…But I DID IT!!!!? And look how pretty and puffy these turned out!!! There was a lot of refrigerating going on though and I had butter popping through and melting all over my counter so I was shocked at how nicely these turned out.? Unfortunately they took me a whole day to make and then I let them chill over night.? After all of that I just ran out of time for making the wonderful lemon mousse that I had planned to fill them with.? Whatever, the girls loved them filled with fresh blueberries and drizzled with chocolate.? Isn’t that what it’s all about anyway??? For this challenge we had to make puff pastry (Michel Richard’s recipe) and form at least part of it into vols-au-vent… The recipe and directions: Equipment: -food processor (will make mixing dough easy, but I imagine this can be done by hand as well) -rolling pin -pastry brush -metal bench scraper (optional, but recommended) -plastic wrap -baking sheet -parchment paper -silicone baking mat (optional, but recommended) -set of round cutters (optional, but recommended) -sharp chef’s knife -fork -oven -cooling rack Prep Times: -about 4-5 hours to prepare the puff pastry dough (much of this time is inactive, while you wait for the dough to chill between turns…it can be stretched out over an even longer period of time if that better suits your schedule) -about 1.5 hours to shape, chill and bake the vols-au-vent after your puff pastry dough is complete Refrigerate the assembled vols-au-vent on the lined baking sheet while you pre-heat the oven to 400ºF (200ºC). (You could also cover and refrigerate them for a few hours at this point.) Once the oven is heated, remove the sheet from the refrigerator and place a silicon baking mat (preferred because of its weight) or another sheet of parchment over top of the…

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Daring Baker’s do Puff Pastry and Vols-au-Vents

Cranberry-Walnut Celebration Bread

So I am running a little bit behind on the BBA challenge but I still feel pretty good with my progress.? This week I made the Cranberry-Walnut Celebration Bread.? Funny thing is I almost skipped this one.? But the girls went back to school this week and I found myself with a couple of free minutes and an empty house.? When I saw that it wasn’t a 2 bread I jumped right in.? I am so glad I did… About the Bread Baker’s Apprentice Group : Nicole of Pinch my Salt sent out a twitter message saying “I need a challenge. Am thinking of baking my way through every single recipe in The Bread Baker’s Apprentice. Anyone want to join me?” Well I jumped right in . Both feet, no thought at all. I think I was one of the first 5 that joined…did I even have the book? Nope but I ordered it that night!!! The Bread Baker’s Apprentice: Mastering the Art of Extraordinary Bread We are now over 200 strong with members everywhere on the globe. It’s an incredibly enthusiastic group that wants to share like no group I have ever belonged to before. Awesome! Our goal is to bake our way through Peter Reinhart’s The Bread Baker’s Apprentice: Mastering the Art of Extraordinary Bread. An? intimidating book at anytime but to think that you are going to be baking one of these recipes a week is slightly overwhelming to say the least. But I love a challenge and feel a real need to get out of my comfort zone. Oh yah, I bake all of our bread but I never seem to have the time or the desire to try something new and different. This will change all that!!! I really, like this bread.? I followed the recipe to a tee.? Right down to the huge amount of cranberries and walnuts that went into it. It did take a while to get them all incorporated but with some patient kneading they all fit in. Someone on twitter (so sorry that I forget who!!!) suggested that these would be an…

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Cranberry-Walnut Celebration Bread

Grilled Rosemary Swordfish with Capers

(Grilled Rosemary Swordfish with Capers served with Grilled Red Pepper and Squash Salad) Aaah….I’ve been missing my blog lately. I haven’t been cooking much these past couple of weeks. I think it’s because it’s August and disgustingly humid hot, and because the kids and I have been keeping busy finishing up the summer before school started. School started this week for us and I officially have two preschoolers now. My two little butterflies love going to school, you won’t find them crying at morning drop off…but quite possibly when it’s time to go home instead. Yesterday, during my new found 3 hours of (child-free) freedom, I checked out a local fish market called Lighthouse Seafood in Lake Mary that I’ve been wanting to check out for a long time. Apparently they have been around for 6 years…I had no idea! I’m sad that I didn’t visit them sooner. They have some great stuff in their little shop, most of it caught by their own boats right off our coasts. You would think that wouldn’t be so uncommon here in FL, but I have not found many local fish markets in the area that actually catch their own fish. I had a nice chat with the owner Glenda and it turns out she is from the same area in S. Florida that my hubby grew up in, and he actually knows her niece from high school…small world! I love visiting mom and pop shops, I literally walked in and said I wanted to pick up something for dinner and next thing you know we are talking recipes and I left with a beautiful piece of fish. What I really loved about Lighthouse Seafood – other than the actual seafood – is that they have a wall full of their own recipes to share with their customers! Little things like that really stick with me…you can tell these people really love what they do and take care of their customers too. I’m sending my hubby there for his next blogging assignment soon! Speaking of…it made me smile that so many of you enjoyed his first blog post last week ! It was really fun for him (and for me) and I am thrilled that he got into the “cooking thing” and might actually do it again! Ok, now onto the recipe…I found this recipe on the “recipe wall” at the fish market, when I told Glenda the owner that I wanted to grill some fish for dinner she walked me right over to this recipe…it sounded absolutely delicious! And it was!! Grilled Rosemary Swordfish with Capers Recipe from Lighthouse Seafood in Lake…

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Grilled Rosemary Swordfish with Capers

Harissa Steak Sandwich

I really don’t cook much. (This is Larry, Aggie’s husband, by the way.) And when I say I don’t cook much, I should probably say I never really ever cook. Sure, I can bust out some fried egg and cheese sandwiches with the best of them, and “Daddy’s Pasta” made with only the finest butter, salt, and pepper is one of our kids’ favorite meals (or at least top 5). But when it comes down to it, I sadly have to admit that Aggie does pretty much 99% of the cooking in our house. So when Aggie asked me if I ever wanted to be a guest blogger on aggieskitchen.com, I said “Oh yeah definitely”. Pretty much the same “Oh yeah definitely” response she …

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Harissa Steak Sandwich

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