Antipasto Skewers

I had all intentions of posting this while it was still November. At the very least.

Well, needless to say, that never happened.

On the bright side, I'm getting to it before "Fall" is officially over.

Initially I was going to share a recipe for pumpkin oatmeal cookies. But it seems that once we hit December, everyone's mindset automatically switches to winter and of course the holidays!

So as much as it pained me, I had to abandon it. We can't go backwards!

Although I'd love to go back a couple months and have it be October 17 instead of December 17! You all know I love Fall... and how is it possible that there is only a week left before Christmas? I feel like it was just Halloween.  (Although now that stores start putting out the Christmas decorations by the 2nd week of October, I should probably be used to the idea of Christmas by this point.)

Anyway, I'm so sad that Fall always seems to pass by in a flash. But we did a lot this season! In September, the Mini started nursery school - I can't even handle how big she's getting.

The Minion actually proved to be more emotional about the milestone than I was, but I still can't believe my girl is that much closer to Kindergarten!

At the end of October, we celebrated her 4th birthday at home with family, and also at an ice cream parlor with her little friends.  Her ice cream party had a Cinderella theme, as she is very into the Disney princesses at the moment.

 The party at our house, however, was a woodland theme.

Her obsession with forest animals continues, as she followed up last year's fox Halloween costume with a hedgehog costume this year!

The fox was hard enough to find (although this year of course I saw numerous foxes available in stores)... but a hedgehog proved to be impossible.

Enter my fabulous aunt, Jody, who actually made the Mini's costume by hand (and did it in just a couple days, no less!)

I have never seen a happier hedgehog. She was thrilled to strut her stuff in her school parade, and we had an awesome time trick-or-treating.

                           

I thought Mini would get tired early, but we actually had to tell her that it was time to go home a little before 8pm! Luckily the Minion was a little more content being a penguin this year than he was being a bat, so he didn't seem to mind the late night.

It helped that Mr. Vittles fed him a slow but steady stream of M&Ms. The white on his costume was streaked with orange, red, and yellow as his flippers kept getting the way of his nibbling.

Ah, the hazards of being a penguin.

Not that it stopped him at all, though.  As he would say, "Nom nommmm."

Then came November and of course Thanksgiving.  We got to experience the first of many holiday shows at school for Mini, and even though she was quite sheepish, it was totally adorable.

I also realized I spent my 9th Thanksgiving in a row with my in-laws! My first one there was in 2008, before I was a Mrs.

me (left) with my sister-in-law, 11/2008

That year, I brought zesty carrots and boursin dip, and one of these days I will have to post the carrot recipe, because I have brought it probably 7 out of the 9 years by request! (Brought it again this year, too, haha).

But the antipasto skewers was an idea I 'pinned' long ago on Pinterest, and have been wanting to make for a while. I got my chance when I suggested it as an appetizer for my brother-in-law Chris' engagement party at the end of October.

That's right - in June of 2017, I will be getting another beautiful sister-in-law, one that has been part of the family for many years now as well. I am excited for the wedding, and for Kristen to be an official member of the family!

                             

She has an Italian-American side of her family like I do, and I remember at the party her grandma asked if I made the "antipast" skewers.  She said they were very good.

They seemed popular, too - at a party of 60-some people, about 2/3 of the tray went in one passing.

So this would be a good appetizer if you are having a holiday party, or even just some company!

It's really more of an idea, though than a recipe, and the amounts are listed as a guide.  I didn't see any recipes on the internet that were exactly what I had in mind, so I did my own thing. I thought these flavors and colors (yes, colors - Mr. Vittles made fun of me for that one) went well together.  You might have your own twist that you prefer!

I hope everyone has a fun and safe holiday!

Antipasto Skewers

• 1 pint grape tomatoes
• 1 8-oz. stick pepperoni
• 1 8-oz. stick salami
• 1 6-oz. wedge of provolone cheese
• 2 6-oz. cans pitted black olives
• 1 12-oz. jar pepperoncini
• long "fancy" toothpicks or thin craft sticks
  

Wash & dry tomatoes. Cut salami & pepperoni into slices about 1/2-inch thick pieces. Cut each piece in half so you have a semi-circle.  Set aside.  Cut provolone into 1/2-inch thick cubes & set aside. Drain olives then place on baking sheets lined with paper towel to dry.  Drain pepperoncini and cut into small pieces, then place on baking sheets lined with paper towel to dry.  (Keep sheets in refrigerator if drying for a while). Then assemble skewers.  Keep refrigerated if not using immediately.

Original Recipe, Inspired by ideas found on Pinterest

Mary's Cowboy Caviar

Today, I have for you a special treat. Not only is this bean "salsa" amazing, but one of my favorite people in the world offered to share her recipe and a post. Take it away, Mary!

Hello! My name is Mary and I am super excited about being a guest blogger today! To start, Maggie and I have been friends since high school, and I am actually shocked she asked me (well I may have gently suggested) that I guest blog for her! As it with most friendships, as we get older it gets harder and harder to find time to catch up. We decided though to make the time to get together and catch up over the holiday. 

My friends and I were all going to bring something to eat to Maggie’s. Now as they know I am not a cook...at all. However I do have one ace up my sleeve, a great bean dip known as Cowboy Caviar which I bring everywhere I go, and it’s become a hit with a lot of people. 

My sister-in-law gave me the recipe, who had gotten it from someone else- so I am not sure of the origin. But it’s delicious and easy, and everyone loves it!

Cowboy Caviar

Dressing:
1/2 C. oil (I use canola)
1/2 C. apple cider vinegar
1/2 C. sugar
1 t. salt

Salad:
1 can black beans
1 can black-eyed peas
1 can shoe peg corn
1 C. chopped green pepper
1 C. chopped red pepper
1/2 C. chopped scallions

Make dressing first so it can cool: put dressing ingredients in pot, and boil until sugar is dissolved.

Meanwhile, pour beans, peas, corn in a colander to drain liquid and rinse well. Add all to a big bowl. Mix well, and pour dressing when cooled. Best to chill at least 4 hours, and prior to serving drain some of the liquid. Serve with tortilla chips.

Family Recipe - Origin Unknown

Cranberry Salsa

I don't know how, but this happens to me every year - Christmas sneaks up on me!

I love this time of year but I do wish it wasn't so busy.  In the desire to see our loved ones and celebrate the holiday (as well as December birthdays!), it can get a little hectic and stressful.

This holiday season has luckily been pretty low-stress for me so far... our decorations are up, my cards are mailed, I have my shopping done, and this week I've even been able to fit in some baking.

If I can just finish my wrapping, I'll be in good shape!

But that leaves little time for blogging.  When I'm not working, it seems I'm either busy around the house, or watching the movie Frozen for the umpteenth time with the Mini.  (I know we're a little late on the bandwagon, but she only turned 2 in October - so this is the first time she's had enough of an attention span to watch even part of a movie.  Be careful what you wish for, by the way.  Saturday we watched it 3 times in a row!)

So anyway, I actually made this yummy salsa for Thanksgiving... but 'tis still the season for cranberries!  This comes together quickly, and would be a festive addition to your holiday appetizer table.

Feel free to experiment with the amount of sugar and jalapeno in the recipe.  I would start out with less and add more if necessary, to suit your taste. If you like spicy, you might consider more than the two jalapenos.

More importantly - I wish you and your families a wonderful holiday and a happy, healthy 2015!

Cranberry Salsa

• 1 12-oz. pkg. fresh cranberries
• 1/3 C. sugar (or, to taste)
• 1 bunch green onions
• 1/2 C. packed cilantro leaves
• 2 fresh jalapenos, stemmed & seeded
• Juice of 1 lime
• 1/4 t. kosher salt

Combine all ingredients in food processor, and pulse until coarsely chopped. For best results, refrigerate overnight or at least 3 hours before serving.

Slightly Adapted from Recipe of Unknown Source

Roasted Tomato & Jalapeno Salsa

Mr. Vittles and I have grown our own veggies almost every year since we met.

Some years have definitely been more successful than others.  Before we owned a home, we would plant everything in containers on our deck, but last summer was our first time having a "real" garden space.

Interestingly enough, it was our worst crop to date.

Thankfully, this year we redeemed ourselves, and I think next year will be even better now that we've had two growing seasons in our home to learn from our mistakes.

One thing I learned this summer was to let Mr. Vittles do all the harvesting.  He got rather prickly when I picked a bell pepper before it was apparently 'ready.'  Jeez... do NOT mess with a man and his peppers.  Just sayin'.

Anyway, our jalapeno and tomato plants were going crazy toward the end of summer, and I could not keep up.  I love a good caprese salad, but we were getting tired of that, and there is only so much one can do with fresh tomatoes!  And I was really at a loss with the jalapenos, because even if I would use a sprinkling here & there in various dishes, there was always a bunch still left.

So I made this slightly time-consuming salsa, and it killed two birds with one stone... used up our veggies, and tasted amazing.  Totally worth the extra time and effort of roasting.

In fact, I'm not gonna lie - I basically had a dinner of chips and salsa a couple nights after I made it.

And even the Mini enjoyed it!  My dad & stepmom were over a little while after it was finished, and we were all hanging out on our deck.  I put the salsa out with some chips, and my dad (her Poppa) was breaking off chips for her - naturally, she wanted to dunk them in the salsa, too.  He was a little skeptical that it would be too hot, but I knew she likes other spicy things, so I figured we should let her try it.  Lo and behold, she loved it.

The next day, just Mini and I were sitting on the deck in the very same place.  She got a far-off look in her eye and said "Poppa.  Chips.  Hot."

Dreaming of food - that's mommy's girl.

And that's how memorable the salsa was!

Roasted Tomato & Jalapeno Salsa

• 1 1/2 lb. ripe whole tomatoes (about 10 medium), preferably plum
• 2-3 fresh jalapeño peppers, stemmed (amount depends on your preference for spicy & also size of the peppers)
• Half of a small white onion, sliced into 1/4 inch thick rings
• 4 garlic cloves, peeled
• 1/3 C. chopped fresh cilantro, loosely packed
• 1 t. salt
• 1 1/2 t. cider vinegar

Preheat the broiler on high. Lay the whole tomatoes and jalapeños out on a broiler pan or baking sheet. Set the pan 4 inches below the flame and broil for about 6 minutes, until darkly roasted on one side.  The tomatoes may split and lose some juices. Using a pair of tongs, flip over the tomatoes and chiles and roast the other side for approximately 6 more minutes. The tomatoes may get charred on the outside, but the idea is to cook them through. Set aside to cool.

Turn off broiler, and preheat oven to 425 degrees. Place onion rings & garlic on another baking sheet, and roast in the oven, stirring every couple minutes, until the onions are browned and wilted and the garlic is soft and browned in spots (approximately 15 minutes). Cool to room temperature.

Peel the cooled tomatoes with your fingers and cut out the cores, working over your baking sheet to keep all the juices. Place whole jalapenos with the onion and garlic in food processor and process until finely chopped, scraping everything down with a spatula as needed. Place jalapeno mixture into a large bowl.  Without washing the processor, coarsely puree the tomatoes & excess juice from baking sheet.  Then add them to the bowl with cilantro, and stir to combine.  If needed, stir in some water to achieve a spoonable consistency.  Add salt & vinegar to taste, using ingredient amounts as guidelines.  Can be eaten immediately, or covered & refrigerated for up to 5 days.

Recipe Slightly Adapted from Rick Bayless with JeanMarie Brownson and Deann Groen Bayless, as found on Epicurious

Cheesy Buffalo Chicken Bread

So I've been all about the easy stuff lately, at least when it comes to the kitchen.

At the grocery store, I recently found this refrigerated, roll-out pizza crust with whole grains- which I am super excited about!  It's by Pillsbury, called Artisan Pizza Crust.

Ok ok, I know it's still not as good (or good for you) as homemade, but at least it's a slightly healthier, convenient option.

Now somewhere deep in the dusty annals of my brain lay a recollection of this taco ring that we made in Home Ec in high school, where we braided dough around a meat & cheese filling.

Do not ask me how I remembered this, considering I have to write myself notes to remind myself of pretty much everything these days - but I did.

That, in turn, gave me the idea to do a braided stuffed bread.  And what better to stuff bread with than buffalo chicken and cheese (especially when your husband is Mr. Vittles?)

By the way, I apologize for the atrocious photos - it's not that I'm regressing back to the early days of V&B, but rather that I made this for dinner and there was zero natural light available.  And the aforementioned lazy factor prevented me from getting out my special indoor light.

So deal, ok?  You get the idea.

Cheesy Buffalo Chicken Bread

• 1 can refrigerated roll-out pizza crust (I recommend Pillsbury Artisan crust)
• 1 lb. boneless skinless chicken breast, cooked & shredded
• 1 T. butter
• 1 t. garlic, minced
• 1/2 C. Frank's Red Hot sauce (or hot sauce of your choosing)
• 1/4 C. blue cheese dressing
• 3/4 C. shredded mozzarella cheese
• 1 egg white, beaten
• sesame seeds, for garnishing (optional)

Unroll pizza crust onto a cookie sheet that's been greased or lined with nonstick foil.  Preheat oven to 425 degrees Fahrenheit.

Place shredded chicken in a large bowl.  In a small frying pan, melt butter over medium heat until foaming.  Add garlic and saute about 30 seconds until fragrant.  Pour butter mixture over chicken in bowl, and add hot sauce.  Mix well to coat chicken evenly.

Turn the cookie sheet with the crust so the short side is facing you.  Evenly distribute chicken mixture down the middle of the crust, vertically.  Using a sharp knife or kitchen shears, make a horizontal cut in the middle of each side of the crust, to within a 1/2" of the filling.

You will now have 4 squares of crust surrounding the chicken.  In the very middle of each of those squares, make another cut to within a 1/2" of the filling.  You will now have a total of 8 strips surrounding the chicken.

In the center of each of those strips, make another cut to within a 1/2" of the chicken so that you have a total of 16 strips (8 on each side of the chicken).  See diagram below (the tan color is crust, the peach is the chicken, and the dotted lines are the cuts you need to make):

Once you have all the cuts completed, drizzle top of chicken with blue cheese dressing.  Sprinkle with mozzarella cheese.  Then, using two hands, alternate pulling the strips across filling to cover.  At the ends of the braid, pinch any holes together so none of the filling comes out.

Brush the beaten egg white over the top of your braid, and sprinkle with sesame seeds (if desired).  Bake in preheated oven 12-15 minutes, or until top is browned.  Let sit 5 minutes on sheet before cutting and serving.  Serves 4.

Original Recipe

Cheesy Bacon Oven Chips with Chipotle Ranch Sauce

Ok so I can hardly contain my excitement for the Super Bowl tonight, and I decided that a special weekend like this deserves a double post!

Mr. Vittles and I had an appetizer similar to this at a restaurant recently, and I thought I might be able to replicate it at home.

Well, all I can say is - sorry if you had any health-related New Years resolutions, because I'm pretty sure you will not be able to keep them with these puppies around.

The dipping sauce really takes things to the next level.  But if you don't like spicy dips, start with just a tiny bit of cayenne (or none) and adjust from there.

Also, feel free to use more cheese and/or bacon to your taste.  Never hurt anyone except their pants size.

Now... LET'S GO BIG BLUE!

Cheesy Bacon Oven Chips 

• 1 large, uniformly-shaped russet potato, scrubbed well and sliced into 1/8" rounds*
• cooking spray
• 3/4 C. shredded colby jack or cheddar cheese
• salt & pepper to taste
• 2 T. crumbled bacon (about 2 slices) - I used real bacon bits
• chopped parsley or chives, for garnish (optional)

Preheat oven to 375 degrees.  Bring sliced potatoes to a boil in cold, salted water to cover for 5 minutes.  Carefully drain, and transfer slices to a paper-towel lined countertop or cutting board.  Pat to dry.

Grease a baking sheet with cooking spray, and lay out potato slices so they are overlapping on it.  Spray lightly with additional cooking spray, then sprinkle with salt & pepper to taste.  Sprinkle evenly with shredded cheese & bacon.  Bake 12-14 minutes in preheated oven until cheese is melted & bubbly.  Serve with chipotle ranch sauce (recipe below).  Serves 2.

*You can use 2 medium-sized potatoes rather than 1 large.  Also, I like to leave the skin on but you can peel the potatoes if you prefer.

Chipotle Ranch Dipping Sauce

• 1 T. ranch dressing
• 3 T. sour cream
• 1/4 t. chipotle chili powder
• 1/8 t. cayenne (adjust more or less depending on how spicy you want).
• 1/8 t. salt
• 1/8 t. garlic powder

Place all ingredients in a small bowl, and stir to combine.  Refrigerate any leftovers.

Original Recipes

Pepperoni Pizza Crescent Rolls

I know it's been over a week since my last post, but  Mr. Vittles and I have been busy vacationing on the beautiful island of Aruba!

We left Saturday morning after Thanksgiving, and returned on Friday night, spending a total of 6 nights with our friends Vanessa and Eric.

eric & vanessa

Vanessa's parents own a (gorgeous) condo down there, and they were kind enough to invite us to stay in the spare bedroom.

And to top it all off, my dad & stepmom were also vacationing there over the same week - just a block away from us!  We even got to see Dan's cousin from Ohio, whose vacation ended the day after ours started.

So in other words... it was a fiesta.

This was our first true vacation since our honeymoon over 2 years ago, so it was nice to get away from work and just relax.

mr. vittles and me

We did a little bit of sightseeing...

me & vanessa at bushiribana gold mill ruins

...but mostly spent our days basking in the sun and our nights stuffing our bellies with delicious food.

mr. vittles

my dad & me

And... we might have thrown in a few cocktails for good measure.

vanessa, me, and my stepmom at shon gecko

Needless to say - it was fabulous.

But I feel like I gained about 10 pounds.  Maybe I'll go on a diet?

Maybe... tomorrow.

Because today, it's time for cheesy, buttery pepperoni rolls.

They're my offering to the football gods, in the hopes that my NY Giants can somehow find a way to beat the (unbeatable?) Green Bay Packers this afternoon.

Pepperoni Pizza Crescent Rolls

• 1 8-oz. can crescent rolls
• 1/2 C. tomato or pizza sauce
• 2 T. freshly grated parmesan cheese
• 1 C. grated mozzarella cheese
• 12 slices pepperoni
• Italian seasoning, for sprinkling (optional)

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.  Grease a baking sheet or line with foil, and set aside.

Remove crescent rolls from packaging, and divide into 2 rectangles  - the tube should split in half.  Unroll each rectangle onto counter or work surface, and firmly press perforations together.  (You don't want your filling falling out between the cracks!)

Spread 1/4 C. sauce evenly on each of the rectangles.  Sprinkle each rectangle with 1 T. parmesan cheese, and 1/2 C. mozzarella.  Top each with 6 slices of pepperoni.

Then, with the short side of the rectangle facing you, carefully but tightly roll up each rectangle into a tube.  You will have two tubes.

Cut one tube in half, and then cut each of the halves in half again so you end up with 4 slices of the tube.  Carefully place each slice, cut sides down, onto prepared baking sheet.  Repeat with remaining tube to make 8 slices total.  If any of them start to unroll, tighten them up on the baking sheet.

Bake in preheated oven for 12-15 minutes until puffed & golden.  Let cool briefly on sheet, then sprinkle with seasoning if desired.  Serve immediately.

Original Recipe, Inspired by What About Pie

BBQ Chicken Pizza Bites

Oh my.

Have you ever had to put on a happy face for hours on end and just feel emotionally drained?

I'm sooo there.

Not that all of it was a show.  There was definitely genuine happiness and enjoyment.

But it all sort of runs together after a while. 

And the worst part is, I'm only just getting warmed up for this marathon.

You know, stretching the quads & hammies.  A few arm circles, a quick jog in place.

And I'm already ready to quit.

I... don't even know what to say to you guys right now.

Except maybe - "Eat these."

It will make us both feel better.

BBQ Chicken Pizza Bites

• 1 1/2 C. shredded cooked chicken breast
• 1/3 C. your favorite barbecue sauce (I like Sweet Baby Ray's), or more to your taste
• 1 can Pillsbury pizza dough (in the refrigerated section) or your favorite pizza dough recipe stretched into a rectangle approximately 12x8
• 1/2 to 2/3 C. mozzarella cheese
• olive oil
• garlic powder & Italian seasoning for dusting

Preheat oven to 400 degrees.  Grease a pie pan and set aside.

Roll out pizza dough on lightly floured surface, and pat to flatten evenly (the long sides should be horizontal).  Using a pizza cutter or sharp knife, make 2 slices to create 3 horizontal rows.  Then make 5 slices to create 6 vertical rows (which will make 18 rectangles).* 

Divide chicken and mozzarella evenly between dough rectangles, placing filling in the middle of each & being careful not to overstuff them (otherwise you won't be able to close them).  Once the filling is in, then pull the sides of the dough into the middle, gathering and pinching together to seal it shut into a ball.

Place balls seam side down in greased pan.  When all rolls are in pan, brush tops with about 1 T. of olive oil.  Sprinkle with a little garlic powder & Italian seasoning, if desired.

Cook in pre-heated oven for 15-20 minutes or until tops are golden brown.  Serve plain or with dipping sauce (such as ranch dressing).  Makes 18.

*Note: The original recipe calls for 24 squares but I find that when they're that small it's a little tougher to fill - totally up to you though, that way would make more bites.

Recipe Adapted from Our Best Bites

Strawberry Sesame Spinach Salad

 
Happy Memorial Day Weekend, everyone!

So I know that, for most people, Memorial Day is the official start of summer.

But for people that live at the beach like myself, it's also the start of traffic and crowds of tourists.

All the places that were nice and peaceful during fall, winter, and spring are now inundated with people.

And the holiday weekends (Memorial Day, July 4, and Labor Day) are always the most packed.

When I was young, I loved it.  I thought it was fun.

But as time goes on, I am getting weary of it.

Today I only had to drive a short distance for work (normally I drive a lot) but all I did was sit in traffic.

And more traffic.

And I missed half my lunch break because I didn't properly calculate just how long I'd be sitting in said traffic.

Grr. 

I was getting so frustrated. 

I just wanted to go home, and shut the door, and say "Alright, bennies," (that's what we call tourists at the Jersey shore), "you win, the beach is yours! I quit!"

But today my brother-in-law is visiting us for the first time in Asbury Park.  So I knew at some point tonight I was going to have to suck it up brave the crowds.

And probably walk up to the boardwalk.

In case you didn't know.... Shore Town + Boardwalk + Memorial Day Weekend = Crowded Craziness.

But a miraculous thing happened. 

We walked up the boardwalk and it wasn't crazy.

Sure, there were a good number of people out and about- but not only could you walk freely, you could walk quickly.

I'm a fast walker, so this makes me happy.

At the boardwalk where I grew up (in Point Pleasant Beach), I'd be willing to bet there is no fast walking happening right now.

Ha  ha! Suckers!

I knew it was a good idea to move.

What's also a good idea is making this salad for your Memorial Day barbecue.

According to my sassy middle-aged friend from Vanessa's party last weekend, this is her most requested recipe for parties.

I tweaked it slightly (it had an ungodly amount of sugar) but once you make it, it won't take you long to figure out why it's so popular.

Mr. Vittles hates vinegar, but even he enjoyed this salad.

If you're feeling crazy, you can add some feta or goat cheese.  Mmmm :)

Just stay away from my beach or I'll have to hurt you.

Strawberry Sesame Spinach Salad

• 6 C. fresh spinach (rinsed, dried & torn into pieces if large)
• 2 C. sliced fresh strawberries 
• 2 T. olive or canola oil
• 2 T. apple cider vinegar
• 1 T. sugar
• 1/4 t. paprika
• 1/4 t. Worcestershire sauce
• 1 T. sesame seeds
• 1 1/2 t. poppy seeds
• 1/4 t. onion powder, (or 2 t. minced red onion)

In small bowl, whisk together oil, vinegar, sugar, paprika, Worcestershire, sesame, poppy, and onion powder.

Place strawberries and spinach in a bowl.  Top with dressing when ready to serve (do not dress in advance- spinach will wilt.  If bringing to a party, bring dressing separate from salad and dress before serving).  Serves 4.

Adapted from a family friend's recipe (original source unknown)

Smoky Restaurant-Style Salsa

In addition to being a brownie snob, I'm also kind of a salsa snob. 

I rarely eat salsa out of a jar, and when I do it's only IN recipes, and only certain brands.

To be honest, I didn't even really eat salsa until I was older because I had only had the likes of Pace and Tostitos.  I'm sorry to knock those brands but... ugh!  Not good.

Then in high school my mom started making her own salsa and oh my - I can remember Lauren Vittles and I coming back to my house after a night out and devouring a huge bowl of it.

Like... 3 to 4 times a week.

For a month straight.

Yeah.  It was that addicting.

Although come to think of it,  we actually had to take a breather from it for a while because we ate so much of it we could barely stand the sight of it.

That is... until a few weeks later, when we were back off the wagon again.  Ha!

Anyway, I know I already shared with you a recipe for fresh pico de gallo & salsa verde.  But I realized on my blogoversary last week that I never shared a basic restaurant-style recipe!

I have been on a kick of using fire-roasted tomatoes in recipes though, so I decided to change things up a bit and use those in place of whole canned tomatoes.  I also used a touch of chipotle to add to the smoky flavor.

Considering all the ingredients just get thrown into the food processor, there is no excuse not to make your own delicious, fresh salsa at home.

The beauty of a salsa like this is that you can change anything to your taste.

Don't like your salsa to be spicy?  Use less jalapeno.  (The recipe below makes what I would consider a medium salsa, in regard to the level of heat).

Can't fathom the thought of using tomatoes out of a can?  Use fresh ones (and if you're really feeling frisky, you can oven-roast them yourself first.)

Love chipotle?  Double the amount below, or to taste.

You get the idea.  You're a smart cookie.

Now make it happen :)

Smoky Restaurant Style Salsa

• 1 can (14.5 Ounce) fire-roasted diced tomatoes
• 1 can (10 Ounce) Rotel (diced tomatoes And green chilies)
• 1/4 red onion, chopped
• 1 clove garlic, chopped
• 1/2 jalapeno, chopped
• 1/8 t. Sugar
• 1/8 t. Salt
• 1/8 t. chipotle chili powder
• 1/4 C. cilantro (more to taste)
• 2 t. lime juice

Combine roasted tomatoes, Rotel, red onion, jalapeno, garlic, sugar, salt, chipotle, lime juice, and cilantro in a blender or food processor. Pulse until you get the salsa to the consistency you’d like. Test seasonings with a tortilla chip and adjust as needed.  Let sit in refrigerator at least 30 minutes before serving.  Serves 6.

Recipe Adapted from Pioneer Woman

Queso Dip

While Mr. Vittles and I were watching football yesterday, I got a hankering for some queso dip.

But a quick search online led me to much disappointment... most of the recipes required Velveeta.

I don't know about you, but I don't really get down with processed cheese.

So I got to thinking... what other kind of soupy cheeses did I have experience with?

This led me to the sauce you would make for macaroni and cheese (like my Pepperjack Bacon Mac & Cheese), so I decided to try a queso dip with a roux base.  And, I must say, we both thought it was pretty awesome.

Nonetheless, I asked Mr. V what he would change about it, and he said less tomatoes and more cheese.

Personally, I liked the amount of tomatoes in it -  but you can feel free to use half a can of Rotel if you'd prefer less.

I did, however, agree that it would benefit from a stronger cheese flavor- so I doubled the amount of cheese for you below.

Leaves you plenty of time to experiment to your taste before the Superbowl in a couple weeks!

On another note... are you excited for me that I'm back in the kitchen?  First brownies, then queso... and wait til you see what I made last night!

You're gonna like it.  That's all I'll say for now.

Queso Dip

• 2 T. butter
• 2 T. flour
• 1/4 t. garlic powder
• 1/4 t. onion powder
• 1/8 t. chili powder
• pinch cayenne (or more or less to your taste)
• 1 C. milk
• 1/4 t. salt
• 2 C. grated Mexican cheese (I used a blend of jack & asadero)
• 1 10-oz. can Rotel diced tomatoes & chilis, drained but with some of juice reserved

In small bowl, combine flour, garlic, onion & chili powders, and cayenne (if using).  Melt butter in a medium saucepan over medium heat until foaming.  Add flour mixture and whisk until fragrant, about 30 seconds.

Add milk and whisk until boiling.  Reduce heat and continue whisking about 3-5 minutes until mixture thickens (mixture should resemble heavy cream).

Remove saucepan from heat and add salt & half of grated cheese.  Whisk until melted, then add remaining cheese.  Add Rotel and mix.  If mixture is too thick, add some of reserved juice from Rotel until desired consistency is reached.  Serve warm with tortilla chips.

Original Recipe

Salsa Verde

Ok so this has nothing to do with cooking - but I am totally freaked out right now.  And unfortunately Mr. Vittles is not home tonight, meaning I have no one else to share this with but all of you.

So I think by now you know how much I despise moths.

I had them on the brain earlier today because Mr. Vittles showed me a picture he snapped of a moth at the golf course, which spanned the length of a Bic pen.

I know this because there was a pen next to it in the picture.

Naturally my first thought was, Eww, he got close enough to that thing to put a pen next to it??

But now that I think of it - man, what a jerk my husband is.

"Hey I know you're deathly afraid of these things, but I saw this mammoth moth and thought of you."

Gee, thanks.

(Reminds me of when my college "friends" Nat and Flav Vittles brought me back a giant, framed moth from their summer trip to Spain, and then insisted we hang it on the wall of our apartment.)

So then on Graphics Fairy, a vintage clip art blog I like to look at, I see a recent post of this moth drawing:

Which I am sure to some people is very... lovely?  But to me it is positively revolting.  This image will probably give me nightmares, and sadly I'm not joking.

The caption says that it's from an early natural history book, and the moth is called a "Death's Head Hawk Moth."

See, Moth = Death.  I knew it.

Anyway, the most disturbing part is a comment that a reader left, saying that they are native to Europe & Asia (thank goodness) and they have a strange ability to squeak when irritated.

Umm... first of all, I'm not sure what constitutes moth "irritation".  Second of all... squeaking?  I don't really know what that means, but regardless it's creepy.

So then as I was doing some internet research on this filthy creature (rule #1 - know thy enemy!) I actually SAW a moth fluttering out of the corner of my eye.

And... I dropped my laptop.

The last time I did that I broke the power cord - thankfully, this time no damage was done.

Which is especially good since it was actually just a feather from our little parrot that got swept up in a breeze from the fan, and not a moth at all.

Our Senegal Parrot, C.J.

Ok!  Well on that note... I guess you're probably looking for a recipe.

I really have no good 'story' for this salsa so this is probably as good a time to post it as any.  I just felt like trying out a green salsa recipe because I always enjoy it at restaurants.  This one isn't quite as good, but it's pretty darn close.

So, uh, that's it.  End of story.

If you need me, I'll be in bed with the covers pulled over my head.

Salsa Verde

• 8 tomatillos, husked & chopped into large chunks
• 3 shallots (or, 1 medium onion), chopped into large chunks
• 2 cloves garlic, peeled
• 1 4 oz. can chopped chiles
• 1/4 C. fresh cilantro
• 1 jalapeno, seeded
• salt to taste

Place all ingredients in a food processor.  Using pulse setting, coarsely chop.  Cover & chill in refrigerator.

Recipe from AllRecipes.com

*Note: For anyone who has never worked with tomatillos - they come in a papery husk that you have to peel off and then you'll want to wash them thoroughly (they have a sticky exterior).  Otherwise, they are basically like a green tomato, just with more seeds.

 tomatillos