Carolina in January - Hilton Head Island

In a little more than two weeks the NASCAR season starts. That means that this past weekend was one of my last free weekends until Thanksgiving. So when I got home from work on Friday afternoon, I invited Caitlin to go on a day trip with me to Hilton Head Island in South Carolina.

Saturday morning we hit the beach and the hot tub before we had to check out of our hotel room. The weather was absolutely perfect! It was in the 70s without a cloud in the sky. Then we rented bikes and peddled our way to the Salty Dog Cafe for lunch - it was about a five-mile bike ride from where we started. If you are ever in Hilton Head make sure you stop by and order some hush puppies! If not, here is a recipe so you can make them at home:

Shrimp Hushpuppies

Ingredients for Hushpuppies
2 cups Yellow Cornmeal
1 cup Flour
1 tsp Baking Powder
1 Egg, beaten
½ cup Corn Kernels
1 tbsp Garlic, chopped
1 tbsp Sugar
1 cup Tomato, diced
1 cup Onion, diced
1 cup Milk
1 tbsp Blackening Spice
2 cups Shrimp, cooked & chopped
Salt and Pepper, to taste

Ingredients for Horseradish Sauce
2 cups Mayonnaise
1 cup Sour Cream
½ cup Horseradish
½ cup Roasted Red Peppers, diced
Salt & Pepper, to taste

Method for Horseradish Sauce
• Combine all ingredients.

Method for Hushpuppies
• Combine all ingredients in mixing bowl.
• Deep fry of 375° oil, in small batches for 3-5 minutes.

Once we got done with our bike ride back, we hit up a few more shops on the island and headed back down to the beach before heading to dinner.

Our final stop before heading home was The Lowcountry Backyard Restaurant. This is a tiny place where it feels like you really are sitting in someone's backyard. Great food and fun local-type place. Another place that you should definitely visit if you are in Hilton Head. The Bischick Chicken was amazing!

I hope you are all enjoying the final days in January as well.

Help

Looking for an awesome au gratin or scalloped potato recipe. Please share if you have one.

New England Clam Chowder

This is the recipe we had on Christmas Eve...

This is the link to the original recipe.

http://allrecipes.com/recipe/new-england-clam-chowder-iii/detail.aspx

While the basic ingredients are great...the directions are a little crazy. I have simplified them for you below. Remember....this recipe is enough for 20 servings. You can go to the link above and adjust the ingredients on the calculator on allrecipes.com


New England Clam chowder. (Modified)

Ingredients

• 2 tablespoons butter
• 1/4 cup all-purpose flour
• 2 onions, chopped
• 1/2 bunch celery, chopped
• 4 cups milk
• 4-1/2 (16 ounce) cans minced clams, drained with juice reserved
• 4 cups chicken broth
• 2 cups heavy cream
• 3+ teaspoons chopped fresh thyme
• salt and pepper to taste
• about 6 cups diced potatoes

Saute onions and Celery with the thyme in a little oil or butter until onions are transparent.
Add Chicken broth and potatoes. Simmer until potatoes are well cooked.
Add clams with juice and simmer about 10 min or so.
Add the milk and cream and heat until hot but not boiling.
In small sauce pan over medium heat make Roux of equal parts flour and butter. (start with about 1/2 cup each). Cook until well blended and bubbly. Add to hot soup while stirring until you get the desired consistency. Cook for about 5-10 min longer to make sure the roux cooks.
Season with salt and pepper to taste.

Big Changes...

Hi Everyone,

Well, by now many of you know that I have accepted a new position with Gorman's. I will be the General Manager of the Gorman's, Grand Rapids.

I will be moving to Grand Rapids this Sunday, and I begin work on Monday. It will be a huge adjustment for me but I'm very excited about it!! I will be staying in a Residents Inn for the first month or so until I can find a place to live. Ken and I will be commuting back and forth. The good news is that it's only two hours. I keep telling Ken that he has to look at it like he just got a great weekend getaway and a summer home. He has the summer off school so he will probably spend more time there in the Summer. For those of you wondering...Chase will stay with Ken until i find a place in Grand Rapids, then he will come to be with me.

The new job will be a real challenge for me as there are many problems with the store right now. I am looking forward to that challenge and hope to turn things around.

I'll keep you posted as things develop. Wish me luck!!!

Duane

Italian Sausage with Tortellini Soup

It remains a mystery as to who should take credit for this recipe; Grandma or Uncle Duane. Regardless...thank you.

Ingredients
1 lb Italian sausage, uncased
1 medium onion, coarsely chopped
2 cloves of garlic, crushed
5 c. of Beef broth
½ c. of water
½ c. of dry white wine
1 can of petite diced tomatoes
3 carrots, peeled and thinly sliced
½ tsp. dried basil
½ tsp. dried oregano
1 can of tomato sauce (8 oz)
2 zucchini, sliced
9 oz fresh cheese tortellini (preferably Buitoni)
3 tbsp. freshly chopped parsley
1 green bell pepper, cut into pieces
Parmesan cheese

Brown sausage in 5-quart Dutch oven over medium heat. Remove sausage, reserve 1 tbsp. drippings in Dutch oven. Cook onions and garlic in drippings until onions are tender. Add cooked sausage, broth, water, wine, tomatoes, carrots, basil, oregano and tomato sauce. Bring to a boil. Reduce heat and simmer for 30 minutes.

Skim fat from soup. Stir in zucchini, tortellini, parsley and green pepper. Cover; simmer an additional 20-25 minutes, or until tortellini is tender. Sprinkle each serving with Parmesan cheese. Yield: 8 servings (1.5 cups)

Crowders Mountain - Day Trip

Last weekend Caitlin, Riley and I took a day trip to hike Crowders Mountain in North Carolina. The total hike was just over 5.25 miles up and around the mountain. This is our picture from the very top before we headed back down.

It was a fun way to spend an afternoon outside - and quite a workout!

Chicken Tortilla Soup

I started making this one about six months ago. So far it is Caitlin's favorite thing I make (other than guacamole).

Ingredients
4 - boneless skinless chicken thighs (about 1 pound)
2 - cans (15oz each) diced tomatoes, undrained
1 - can (4 oz) chopped mild green chilies, drained
1 - yellow onion, diced
2 - cloves garlic, minced
1 - cup of chicken broth
1 - teaspoon cumin
Salt and black pepper to taste
4 - corn tortillas, cut into strips
2 - tablespoons chopped fresh cilantro
1/2 - cup shredded Monterey Jack cheese
1 - avocado, seeded, peeled, diced and tossed with lime juice to prevent browning lime wedges

Directions
Place chicken in slow cooker. Combine tomatoes with juice, chilies, onion, garlic, chicken broth and cumin in small bowl. Pour mixture over chicken. Cover and cook on high for 3 hours or until chicken is tender.

Remove chicken from slow cooker and shred with two forks. Return to the slow cooker. Adjust seasoning if necessary.

Just before serving, add tortillas and cilantro to slow cooker. Stir to blend. Serve in soup bowls, topping each serving with cheese, avocado and a squeeze of lime juice.

McDonald’s: Big Mac Revised!

INGREDIENTS 3 oz. 96% lean ground beef (approximately 1/3 cup) 2 pinches salt 3-1/2-diameter inch sesame seed bun + 1 additional bun bottom (we didn’t use the extra bun) 1 Tbsp. + 1 tsp. + 1 Tbsp. Big Mac Sauce (see below) 1 tsp. minced white onion 1/3 cup shredded iceberg lettuce 2 dill pickle rounds 1/2-oz. slice 2% milk yellow American cheese Big Mac Sauce 1/3 cup low-fat mayonnaise ( both Dianne and I preferred Miracle Whip light as opposed to Hellmann’s) 1 Tbsp. + 1 tsp. freshly minced white onion 2 tsp. dill relish 2 tsp. ketchup 2 tsp. sugar (with Miracle Whip, didn’t need the sugar) 2 tsp. yellow mustard DIRECTIONS Divide the beef in half. On a sheet of waxed paper, shape each half into a 4-inch-diameter patty. (Each patty will be only 1/4-inch thick). Transfer the waxed paper to a plate and place the plate of patties uncovered in the freezer. Prepare the Big Mac Sauce. Big Mac Sauce: In a small bowl, mix all of the ingredients. Cover and refrigerate it until it is ready for use. Yield: 4 2-Tbsp. + 1 tsp. servings. Preheat a large non-stick frying pan to medium-high heat. Remove the burgers from freezer and season both sides with salt. Add them to the hot pan and cook them 1-2 minutes per side or until they are cooked through. At the same time, toast the bun tops and bottoms by placing them in the pan with the insides down (you do not need to add any oil or fat). If the pan is not large enough to hold the burgers and the buns, cook 1 burger with the bottom bun first then start assembling the sandwich while the others cook. Just before the burgers are done, add the cheese to 1 burger. Finally assemble the sandwich by placing 1 tablespoon of the sauce on one of the bun bottoms. Next add the burger with the cheese so that the cheese is on the bottom. Next add another teaspoon of the sauce to the bottom of the second bun bottom. Place that on top of the burger. Top that with the remaining tablespoon of sauce, followed by the remaining onion, then the remaining lettuce, the pickles, the remaining burger, and finally the bun top. Serve immediately. Yield: 2 1/2-burger servings Drive-Thru: It’s easy to throw together a Big Mac-like burger in minutes once you have the sauce made. So to save time, make a batch of the sauce, omitting the onions (they are the only ingredient that will spoil quickly); multiply the recipe times ten and store it in your refrigerator in a plastic container. When you’re ready to enjoy a burger, simply add the onions to the sauce you’re about to use and assemble the remaining ingredients. Revised: 380 Cals., 25g Protein, 19g Fat, 32g Carb. Original: 540 Cals, 25g protein, 29g Fat, 45 Carb. Recipe compliments of Devin Alexander from Fast Food Fix (Rodale 2006). For more on Devin, go to www.devinalexander.com

Preoccupation With Inequality

Saw this in the paper today.  Not wanting to get political here, but thought I'd share it because it's worth thinking about:

Try a thought experiment ... Suppose society’s wealth trebled overnight without any change in the relative distribution among individuals. Would the unchanged inequality at higher levels of affluence decrease concern about inequality?

Surely not: The issue of inequality has become more salient as affluence has increased. Which suggests two conclusions:

People are less dissatisfied by what they lack than by what others have. And when government engages in redistribution in order to maximize the happiness of citizens who become more envious as they become more comfortable, government becomes increasingly frenzied and futile.

Girls Just Want To Have Fun

Maddie, Anna, Emily and Mary lovin' life in the kitchen.

Guacamole

This is one of my favorite things to make on Saturday and Sunday afternoons when I'm home watching football or basketball - which isn't very often, so it's a bit of a treat. (Prep Time: 10 Minutes)

Ingredients

- 3 avocados - peeled, pitted and mashed

- 1 lime, juiced

- 1 teaspoon salt

- 1/2 cup diced onion

- 3 tablespoons chopped fresh cilantro

- 2 roma tomatoes, diced

- 1 teaspoon minced garlic

- 1 pinch ground cayenne pepper (optional)

In a medium bowl, mash together the avocados, lime juice and salt. Mix in onion, cilantro, tomatoes and garlic. Stir in cayenne pepper. Refrigerate for one hour for best flavor or serve immediately.

Personal preference: Tostitos Hint of Pepper Jack
(They are amazingly delicious)

Please feel free to let me know if you might do something a little different. I love this stuff, but I'm always open to suggestions!

Cajun Pasta

Great recipe to use left overs from Jambalaya.
(use same Creole seasoning as Jambalaya)

1 cup Diced cooked chicken

Sliced Andouille sausage (1.5-2 links)

1 jar Bertolli Four Cheese Rosa Alfredo Sauce

2 tsp Emeril's Creole seasoning

Penne pasta noodles

Saute chicken and Andouille sausage. Add pasta sauce and Creole seasoning. Toss with penne pasta noodles. Yum!

Grandma's Apple Crisp

I make this every chance I get! Nothing says comfort food like a little slice of heaven ...

Peel, slice and core enough apples to fill a standard casserole dish. For best results, use a mixture of Granny Smith and Gala apples. Mix in 1/3 cup of sugar and let sit while preparing the rest.

In a bowl, mix together the following:

- 1 cup of flour
- 1 cup of sugar
- 1 teaspoon of baking powder
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 1 egg

Once the mixture is complete sprinkle over top the apples.

Melt a stick of butter and drizzle over the top.

Bake for one hour at 350 degrees.

Let cool to desired temperature.

Enjoy!

Adult Hot Apple Cider

1 gallon of apple cider
1 bottle of peach wine
2 cinnamon sticks
1 bottle of captain morgan spiced rum

Heat the cider, wine, and cinnamon sticks on the stove until they develop a rolling steam on top. Put a shot and a half (or so) of the rum into a coffee mug. Ladle the cider mixture on top of the rum and serve immediately.

Italian Beef

2-3lbs roast (I use eye of round)
2 envelopes of Italian salad dressing mix
2 jars of pepperoncini's
1 32oz beef broth

Add all ingredients into your crockpot including the juice from the peppers. Cook on low for 8-10 hours.

In the last hour, shred the beef with two forks. Serve with pepperjack cheese on french bread or alone.

I have started to reserve some of the pepperoncini's to be added uncooked with the end product so they retain their crisp texture. You may also want to reduce the peppers if you do not enjoy very hot Italian beef.

Cajun Jambalaya

Awesome recipe!

Ingredients

• 12 medium shrimp, peeled, deveined and chopped
• 4 ounces chicken, diced
• 1 tablespoon Creole seasoning, recipe follows
• 2 tablespoons olive oil
• 1/4 cup chopped onion
• 1/4 cup chopped green bell pepper
• 1/4 cup chopped celery
• 2 tablespoons chopped garlic
• 1 can petite tomatoes
• 3 bay leaves
• 1 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce
• 1 teaspoon hot sauce
• 1 large box Zatarains Dirty Rice
• 3 cups chicken stock
• 5 ounces Andouille sausage, sliced
• Salt and pepper

Directions

In a bowl combine shrimp, chicken and Creole seasoning, and work in seasoning well. In a large saucepan heat oil over high heat with onion, pepper and celery, 3 minutes. Add garlic, tomatoes, bay leaves, Worcestershire and hot sauces. Stir in rice and slowly add broth. Reduce heat to medium and cook until rice absorbs liquid and becomes tender, stirring occasionally, about 15 minutes. When rice is just tender add shrimp and chicken mixture and sausage. Cook until meat is done, about 10 minutes more. Season to taste with salt, pepper and Creole seasoning.

Emeril's ESSENCE Creole Seasoning (also referred to as Bayou Blast):

• 2 1/2 tablespoons paprika
• 2 tablespoons salt
• 2 tablespoons garlic powder
• 1 tablespoon black pepper
• 1 tablespoon onion powder
• 1 tablespoon cayenne pepper
• 1 tablespoon dried oregano
• 1 tablespoon dried thyme

Combine all ingredients thoroughly.

Yield: 2/3 cup

Blueberry Oatmeal Bread

I made this bread over the weekend and we loved it.

2/3

cup packed brown sugar

3/4

cup milk

1/2

cup vegetable oil

2

eggs

2 1/4

cups Gold Medal® all-purpose flour

1

cup quick-cooking or old-fashioned oats

3

teaspoons baking powder

1

teaspoon ground cinnamon

1/4

teaspoon salt

1

cup fresh or frozen blueberries (thawed and drained)

• 1Heat oven to 350ºF. Grease bottom only of 8- or 9-inch loaf pan.
• 2In large bowl, mix brown sugar, milk, oil and eggs with spoon. Stir in remaining ingredients except blueberries; beat 30 seconds. Fold in blueberries. Pour into pan. Sprinkle with additional oats if desired.
• 3Bake 45 to 55 minutes or until toothpick inserted in center comes out clean. Cool 10 minutes. Loosen sides of loaf from pan; remove from pan to wire rack. Cool completely, about 2 hours, before slicing. Wrap tightly and store at room temperature up to 4 days, or refrigerate up to 10 days.

Chicken Wild Rice Recipe

Thank you, for sharing this recipe. I made it a few weeks ago and loved it! It's very good leftover, too.

Ingredients:

3 c. bite size cooked chicken pieces

2 6 oz packages Wild Rice

Chicken broth

1 c. sour cream

1 can cream of mushroom soup

1/4 c. butter

1 lb fresh mushrooms

2 tbs. minced onion

Stuffing mix

Cook rice according to package directions substituting broth for water. Saute mushrooms in butter. Combine chicken, rice and mushrooms. Blend sour cream, onion and mushroom soup. Combine both mixtures. Top with buttered stuffing mix. Refrigerate 24 hours. Bake at 350 degrees for 1 hour. Serves 10-12.

Thank you!

What a wonderful idea! Thank you for putting this up!
Danielle xoxo

Marie's Kitchen - The Gathering Place

Members of the Petroskey family have tried for years to find a way to share a laugh, stories from the past, recipes, achievements and anything else that comes to mind when we are not sitting around the kitchen table at the Petroskey house. Well, with that in mind, we have started an online home to help us share and keep record of some family history.

(Mom, Grandma, Aunt) Marie Petroskey's Kitchen has always been that place where the family gathers for a laugh, a cry, a game, a story or a place to share the latest kitchen creation. It's the common ground for all the happy memories, in-depth discussions, debates, jokes and a place that we'd all like to be on any given day.

So please pull up a chair and begin to share :)

P.S. Aimee (aimeembarry@hotmail.com) and I (rbarry1024@gmail.com) will be happy to help anyone that needs a little assistance with the technical side - so please let us know if you're not sure how this all works!