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That’s Amore!: Little Italy Dinner Party

February 8, 2010 by newinthekitchen

This wonderful party theme will work for almost any crowd; with an Italian meal and wonderful décor, it is sure to please!  Go on, escape to Rome, or Venice, or Tuscany!  You’re friends and loved ones will be right there with you.
The Food: For starters, serve fun Italian finger foods, such as Basil Marinated Mozzarella Balls or Grilled Bruschetta with Pepper-Basil Oil (for both recipes, see Appetizers section). Then try serving a traditional Meat Lasagna or a large bowl of Sweet & Spicy Marinara with spaghetti noodles (for both recipes, see Main Courses section).  You may also choose to serve a side Caesar salad (store-bought dressing is fine) for each guest.  For a more casual party, have guests top their own pizzas (use store-bought crust and offer toppings such as: pepperoni, sausage, olives, bell pepper, mushrooms, pineapple, jalapeño, artichokes, etc.) then throw them all in the oven and bake until dough is cooked through and golden brown.
The Drinks: Red wine will pair extremely well with any of the dishes suggested for this party. You could also offer an Italian beer such as Peroni®.
The Décor: Try using empty bottles of wine as candlestick holders!  Place a decorative plate in the center of your table and top with fresh lemon leaves; accent with fresh fruits, such as: oranges, lemons, limes, apples, pears, grapes, etc. Hang a chalkboard that you have written the menu for the evening on.
The Fun:  Try showing a movie set in Italy (such as “The Italian Job” or “Under the Tuscan Sun”).  You could also play a murder mystery game (widely available at stores where you can purchase board or other games) with a theme of Italian mobs or gangsters and crime.

34877944It is always a treat when Brady and I are able to go to our favorite Italian restaurant here in Santa Barbara (The Chase) on a weekend date night. We always order the same meal and I ALWAYS look forward to it all week.  It was also in a small Italian restaurant in San Diego that Brady proposed to me three and a half years ago. So romantic! I figured I’d try to come up with a party theme that would be similar to the fun of going to a small, authentic restaurant in Italy!  This wonderful party theme will work for almost any crowd; with a delicious meal and wonderful décor, it is sure to please!  Go on, escape to Rome, or Venice, or Tuscany!  You’re friends and loved ones will be right there with you.

** This party would work quite well for a Valentine’s Day party with your closest friends or family. :-) That’s Amore!

The Food: For starters, serve fun Italian finger foods, such as Basil Marinated Mozzarella Balls or crackers with Layered Basil & Cream Cheese Dip. Then try serving a traditional Meat Lasagna or a large bowl of Sweet & Spicy Marinara with spaghetti noodles.  You may also choose to serve a side Caesar salad (store-bought dressing is fine) for each guest.  For a more casual party, have guests top their own pizzas (use store-bought crust and offer toppings such as: pepperoni, sausage, olives, bell pepper, mushrooms, pineapple, jalapeño, artichokes, etc.) then throw them all in the oven and bake until dough is cooked through and golden brown.

The Drinks: Red wine will pair extremely well with any of the dishes suggested for this party. You could also offer an Italian beer such as Peroni.

The Décor: Try using empty bottles of wine as candlestick holders!  Place a decorative plate in the center of your table and top with fresh lemon leaves; accent with fresh fruits, such as: oranges, lemons, limes, apples, pears, grapes, etc. Hang a chalkboard that you have written the menu for the evening on.

The Fun: Try showing a movie set in Italy (such as “The Italian Job” or “Under the Tuscan Sun”).  You could also play a murder mystery game (widely available at stores where you can purchase board or other games) with a theme of Italian mobs or gangsters and crime.

Posted in Entertaining | Tagged , , , , | Leave a Comment »

Fried Eggs

February 7, 2010 by newinthekitchen

Happy Super Bowl day!!! Although our wonderful, amazing, super-star Chargers are not in the Super Bowl this year we will still be watching the game and routing for a team. What team? THE SAINTS!! They have never been to a Super Bowl not to mention won one. They deserve it and we’ll be screaming for them right along with the rest of their fans. GO SAINTS!

Why not have a delicious breakfast before the game starts!?! That or fix a fried egg tonight after all your friends or family have left and hunger hits you. :-) Brady and I both think of our close friend Nate when we think of fried eggs.  There have been quite a few occasions over the years where late at night we have been hanging out and he’ll get hungry and fix himself a fried egg.  Brady loves fried eggs too…me, not so much. I don’t like runny eggs. But, this blog is not just about me and what I like!!! So enjoy these runny eggs people! :-)  Cheers to yummy breakfasts and late night snacks!!

Ingredients:
1 fresh large egg
½ tablespoon butter
Pinch of dried oregano
Dash hot sauce (optional)
Salt and pepper, to taste

Directions:
1. Place a small non-stick frying pan over the lowest possible heat on your stove.

2. Add the butter and let slowly melt, making sure it doesn’t foam and is not sizzling.

3. When all the butter has melted, crack the egg into a small bowl.

4. Gently slide the egg off the dish into the frying pan, sprinkle with oregano, and cover with a lid.

5. Continue cooking approximately 5 minutes until the egg white solidifies from transparency into opaque white; the yolk will thicken slightly as it heats.

6. At this point you can either flip the egg to cook the other side (about a minute or two of cooking) or leave it sunny-side up (and not flip it).

7. When your egg is done, slide cooked egg onto a serving plate; sprinkle with fresh cracked pepper, salt, and hot sauce and serve with toast.

Posted in Breakfast | Tagged , , , , , | 1 Comment »

Roasted Garlic & Red Pepper Hummus

February 6, 2010 by newinthekitchen

I’m headed to my cousin’s 40th birthday bash tonight and I’m getting some delicious hummus ready to bring! I can’t wait to party with her and help her bring in a fabulous new year. Here is my delicious hummus recipe. It is super easy to make and truly the longer it sits in the fridge (up to a few days) the better it will taste – however, add the cubed veggies to the top just before serving. This recipe would OF COURSE also be delicious served tomorrow for your Super Bowl party! Enjoy!

HAPPY BIRTHDAY TRICIA!! :-)

Ingredients:
2 cups Garbanzo beans
1 cup white beans, plus 1 tablespoon liquid from can
½ cup Tahini paste (a paste made from sesame seeds)
2 roasted red bell peppers (we use pre-roasted that come in a jar)
2 shallots, sliced
3 cloves roasted garlic
3 tablespoons lemon juice
Salt and pepper, to taste
For garnish: half a cucumber, two green onions, and half of each a yellow and red bell pepper, cut into ¼” cubed pieces
For dipping: pita chips, celery and carrot sticks, slices of bell pepper, etc.

Directions:
1.  Saute shallots in a sprinkle of olive oil until tender, about 5-7 minutes.

2. Combine ingredients in a food processor or blender. Mix to desired consistency. If hummus is too thick you can add additional olive oil or liquid from white beans.

To serve: Sprinkle cubed veggies over dip. Serve with pita chips, celery, carrots and slices of bell peppers.

** MVD’s: Most Valuable Dippers!

Posted in Appetizers & Snacks, Dips & Salsa, Game Day!, Healthy Options | Tagged , , , , , , , | Leave a Comment »

Dean’s Dip GIVEAWAY!!

February 4, 2010 by newinthekitchen

I have five vouchers for FREE Dean’s Dip to give away! Although it may be just a little bit late to enjoy the dip for the Super Bowl, how about putting some out for opening night of the 2010 Olympics! Or perhaps at a Valentine’s Day cocktail party or Mardi Gras bash!?! This dip is versatile and delicious. It can be scooped into a pretty bowl and no one will ever guess it isn’t homemade! :-)

Now…to win one of the 5 vouchers, simply leave a comment below with your favorite dipper! Do you love veggie sticks? Or are you a pretzel person? Or neither? Tell me! I’ll pick 5 winners at random the morning of the Super Bowl!!

** Don’t forget to visit the Dean’s Dip website and check out their great products!

Posted in Dips & Salsa | Tagged , | 8 Comments »

Asparagus with Cilantro Dressing

February 4, 2010 by newinthekitchen

One evening a few summers ago Brady and I were searching the fridge and trying to figure out what to make for dinner.  We love cooking together and experimenting with different ingredients. So on this night we found some asparagus, but didn’t really know what to do with it.  I had just bought some Cilantro Lime Salad Dressing from Trader Joe’s, planning to use it on a salad.  We decided to give it a try on the asparagus.  We heated up about a cup of it and poured it over the cooked asparagus.  It was amazingly delicious and we ended up eating this dish for the next two nights!

* This recipe will make about four servings.

Ingredients:
1 large bunch of asparagus
2 cups TJ’s Cilantro Dressing
1 shallot, minced
Olive oil

Directions:
1. Sauté minced shallot in olive oil until very tender (approx. 15-20 minutes) in a small saucepan.  Then add salad dressing to heat.

2. Boil some lightly salted water in a shallow frying-type pan.  Cook asparagus for 2-3 minutes then drain; make sure not to overcook the asparagus, it gets very soggy and stringy…yuck!

3. Pour hot salad dressing over asparagus.

Serve and enjoy! :-)

Posted in Healthy Options, Side Dishes | Tagged , , , , | Leave a Comment »

GRILL IT! – 15 Super Bowl Ideas

February 3, 2010 by newinthekitchen

THE OFFICIAL SUPER BOWL COUNTDOWN: 4 days (including today)!!! Unfortunately for us (but fortunately for our backyard plants) I am pretty sure it will be raining in my own hometown on Super Bowl day. I love the rain but that means that we definitely won’t be grilling. Maybe some of you out there will have sunny weather and be able to get out to your grill so I figured I’d post some recipes just in case! These recipes are all in our archives. I’m pulling them up and dusting them off so you can enjoy them once again! :-) Enjoy!

1. Smoked Baby-Back Ribs - Oh goodness, these are tender and delicious. Brady just made them for our friend Nate’s birthday party. The meat falls right off the bone. Mmmmm. :-)

2. Smokin’ Jalapeno Bombs – Hot and savory jalapeno “boats” stuffed with chorizo (or soyrizo!) and smoked. So tasty!

3. Grilled Horseradish Steak Bites – A wonderful finger-food to enjoy while you cheer on your team!!

4. Santa Fe Grilled Corn – In my opinion there is no better way to eat corn than to grill it. The natural flavors of the corn are highlighted by the smokey/grilled essence. Oh so delicious!

5. California Burgers - A fresh tasting burger that is topped with avocado and a Smoked Paprika Aioli. This classy burger is super easy to make!

6. Beer Marinade – Beer and the Super Bowl really go hand-in-hand so this marinade is truly perfect to use this Sunday (or any day!). Use this on whatever meat or fish you want.

7. Spicy Wet Rub – Not only is this wet rub delicious for taco meat, it would work well for your straight-up grilled meat too. Try rubbing it on your meat of choice, grilling it, and slicing it up for you and your loved ones to enjoy. Delicious!

8. Brady’s Santa Maria Dry Rub – Truly mouth-watering, especially when rubbed on steak or tri-tip. The flavor is absolutely hard to beat!

9. First-Down Burgers – These burgers are spicy from jalapeno and sweet from pineapple, salty from sliced ham and savory from sliced cheese. AMAZING.

10. Tequila-Lime Marinade – Tequila and lime are a great flavor combination. Add some meat or seafood to it and you will be thrilled with the results!! :-)

11. Brats and Beer! – Easy to make and truly a wonderful treat to your taste buds!! The beer gives the brats a rich flavor that can’t be beat.

12. Gone Fishin’ Tacos – Delicious white fish tacos served with a spicy Baja Sauce. We always grill our fish for tacos as opposed to frying because it is so much healthier.

13. Create Your Own Dry Rubs! – Pick any meat you want and then create a dry rub. Experimenting like this will get you comfy in the kitchen and on the grill in no time!

14. The BEST BBQ Sauce Around – Brady’s famous BBQ sauce which we use on just about anything. It would even be delicious with some grilled wings or chicken tenders. Yum!

15. Santa Fe Dry Rub – A flavor-packed and SALT-FREE (!!) dry rub that you can use on just about anything. We’ve even put it on grilled quesadillas. Yum! Just last night we sprinkled it on some turkey burger patties…AMAZING!

** 5 HOT Grilling Tips!

** Marinating Tips & Info

** 10 Useful Grilling Tools

Posted in Game Day!, Grilling, Meats & Fish, Sandwiches & Burgers | Tagged , , , , , , , , , | Leave a Comment »

Cyber Tuesday! – 2/2/10 – Super Bowl CHILI

February 2, 2010 by newinthekitchen

It’s almost the Super Bowl! The time has come to celebrate two really fantastic football teams and enjoy a great game. I cannot wait! We will be heading over for a small get-together at our friend Angela’s house. I am going to be cooking and bringing my homemade chili. It is supposed to be rainy (according to the weather person…) so I figured chili would be a great choice to keep everybody warm and happy! For today’s edition of Cyber Tuesday! I decided to include my chili recipe as well as some neat options that I found online. Remember to cook up a batch of our Cheddar Jalapeño Cornbread Muffins to serve alongside your chili of choice! Yummm.

** Remember that for any good chili you need a delicious and fresh chili powder. Check out our Homemade Chili Powder. It will take your chili to the next level of flavor…guaranteed!

1. Soyrizo & Veggie Chili – Our homemade chili. Yummm! If you have never used soyrizo you should really check it out. It is a fabulous product! Less greasy but similar flavor to regular chorizo.

2. Turkey Chili with White Beans – A healthier option than your average chili, this recipe uses lean ground turkey and plenty of other wonderful flavors. I am very intrigued by the use of unsweetened cocoa powder and cinnamon with a kick of chili powder!!

3. Halftime Chili – Loved the name of this chili so I had to include it! Oh, and the recipe looks great too! :-)

4. Chipotle Chili – Ok YUM! We love chipotle peppers. This recipe also uses flavors such as tequila, orange juice, and cumin. It looks absolutely delicious!

5. The Best Chili You Will Ever Taste – The name of this chili gives it a lot to live up to! I’m curious and will probably have to try this recipe out…I consider my own chili to be pretty darn good so we shall see! :-)

Posted in Cyber Tuesdays!, Game Day!, Soups & Stews | Tagged , , , , , | 2 Comments »

World Salt Awareness Week – Feb. 1-7

February 1, 2010 by newinthekitchen

Today begins World Salt Awareness Week 2010. While we all know that salt adds good flavor to foods we also must remember that it should be used in moderation. Generally speaking, processed foods contain higher amounts of salt than foods you make at home from scratch with fresh ingredients. That being said the only way to avoid the high salt content of the processed foods is to avoid them all together.

Ok, let me take a step back so we are all on the same page…what are processed foods anyway? A processed food is one that has been somehow altered usually for convenience or safety purposes. For example processed foods could be canned, frozen, dehydrated, etc. With the exception of frozen veggies and pasteurized milk, most “processed” foods are not great for you – the best example that I can think of is white sandwich bread which has absolutely no nutritional value to you.  Processed foods are usually either high in fat, high in calories, loaded with sugar or saturated fat or all of the above! My mom has always said to stay on the outer edges of the grocery store while shopping. If you notice, the fresh produce, fresh meat, yogurt and dairy, etc. are all generally on the outer edges of the grocery store. Interesting, huh!?!

Now, to cut salt intake when you are cooking at home is easy! There are so many wonderful herbs and spices to give your food flavor without loading it with salt.

Here are some of the spices we love to use in place of salt:
Cumin, paprika, Homemade Chili Powder (so that you know there is no salt in it), black pepper, celery seed, all-spice, cayenne pepper, lemon pepper (although watch for hidden salt in these store-bought blends), cinnamon, etc.

Not to mention many delicious bbq rubs that can be made with no salt and used on anything from veggies to meat. Try our Santa Fe Dry Rub.

As well as wonderful, fresh herbs:
Flat-leaf parsley, cilantro, basil, thyme, mint, rosemary, sage, dill, and the list goes on and on and on!!

Then there are the flavor-packed veggies that will spruce up any meal without any added salt:
Garlic, onion, shallot, green onion, bell pepper, hot peppers, etc.

A few more tidbits of info:
1. When you are cooking try not to add salt until the very end. When you add salt at the beginning and then your food is cooking for awhile the flavors can become intensified and soon you have an over-salted dish. Yuck!

2. Try buying low-sodium alternatives to your usual groceries. For example, we use low-sodium soy sauce, low-sodium chicken broth, etc.

3. Watch the amount of high-salt condiments that you use. Period. I was shocked to discover how much salt/sodium that ketchup, mayo, and mustard contain. Not to mention the amount of salt that pickles have. Whoa!

Spread the word about cutting down on salt. You, your friends, and your loved ones will all be better off!! :-)

Posted in Healthy Options, Sauces & Marinades, Tips & Tricks | Tagged , , | Leave a Comment »

FEBRUARY: Recipe of the Month Contest!

February 1, 2010 by newinthekitchen

Happy February! It's the month of love! :-)

Happy February! It's the month of love! :-)

Brady and I want to see what you are cooking!  Each month we’ll do a call for recipes, try each of them and then post our favorite!  Part of the fun of cooking is being able to share your food with others.  We want this to be a community where we can all learn together, share tips and tricks, and most importantly try new recipes!  So go ahead, email us your favorite recipe between the first and the tenth of each month!  We’ll check them out and post our favorite recipe of those submitted.

newinthekitchen@gmail.com

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Happy Birthday Crystal!!

January 31, 2010 by newinthekitchen

Happy Birthday Crystal!! Hope you have a wonderful day today celebrating your big day. We love you and always have so much fun with you. Hope to have many more fun times with you and your wonderful family. xoxo

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