I'm So Happy!!

Hello,
I have really enjoyed creating this blog and I would like to thank everyone who has taken an interest.  I have noticed that I have a new follower and also people from different states have been visiting my site.  How exciting to see that people are taking an interest in what you are saying.  I am so happy!!  So thank you and be on the look out for my next recipe.  Have a great night!!!!

Mo

Pork The Other White Meat

Hello,
Well another long night at work, but since it wasn't to busy I had an opportunity to be creative.  I started out with a very large piece of meat, "Pork Loin".  I don't know many people who cook with pork loin on a regular bases, but its a very nice piece of meat for large family meals.  A great choice for maybe even a Christmas meal to change up the typical turkey centerpiece.

(Ingredients list is at the end of this posting)

Looking at this large piece of meat last night and trying to change it up from the norm I had many ideas.  I first thought of cutting it into big pieces and stuffing it with ..... "What?" I had no idea and anymore thinking about it would of took to much of my time.  Ding, Ding, Ding!!!! My creative juices started to flow!  The grill was red hot and it came to me I will make grilled pork loin chops.  I cut the loin into about 20 pieces of maybe a 1/2 inch or so and marinated it with olive oil, salt, and coarse black pepper, and on to the grill I went.  This could have been done with a counter top electric grill or even in a frying pan.

Happy Halloween!!

Happy Halloween!!! 

This is one of those holidays that I was never a fan of but never denied my children from participating if they wanted to.  Unfortunately for them they are all home sick and will not be going out in their great costumes that I made for them.  My oldest Malcolm, will be a scary man... found a face at the local dollar store and some spider webs with spiders on it.  He really didn't care what he was he just knew he had to be something to get the goodies.  Brandon my middle child, is going to be a devil child.  Found a mask for him at the dollar store, made a pitch fork out of hard cardboard, and he is going to wear black.  Now the littlest TREATER, Vanessa, she is going to be a cheetah.  Found some ears, tail and a bow-tie at Target.  Got a child size tee-shirt from the dollar store and we drew in some spots to give her the real cheetah experience.  I love the dollar store, if you can not figure that out already.  I even found face paint to draw in her whiskers.  She looked adorable when we had an earlier dress rehearsal.  Since they are not going out tonight, to torture the neighborhood, I have decided they would trick and treat here at home once everyone is feeling better.  They will dress up in all their attire and go to every door here in the house and collect their treats.  The things I do for my kids!!  So to all the other Mommies and Daddies out there taking their little ones out tonight be safe, check the candy, and don't stay out to late schools tomorrow!!!

Mo

Add Some Sauce!!

Hello,
In my previous posting I talked about pasta being an inexpensive ingredient to any family dinner.  For a side dish you can turn pasta into a salad with added vegetables.  For a main dish I prefer to add cooked vegetables, meat (poultry, seafood, or beef), and a great sauce (white or red). 
Not everyone knows how to create a homemade from scratch sauce whether its a white cream sauce or a red tomato sauce.  I like to suggest using store brought sauce.  Some of you may freak out and claim that your Great Grandmothers have all turned over in their graves for suggesting using a jarred sauce.  I on the other hand think any jarred sauce can be a GREAT sauce!  Now, do not think that I am suggesting using the sauce straight out of the jar and it will be great,  you have to be creative and add some of your own special flavors.

Calling For Pasta!!

Hi,
The next time you are attending a party and need to make a contribution to the menu, may I suggest pasta.  Pasta is a perfect choice.  Its great especially if you are on a budget and looking to feed a big crowd.  Pasta shapes are so different these days that pasta can actually be an added conversation piece.   "Are those alphabet noodles, what cute little bowties, spiral noodles just like when I was a kid.." The conversation is endless!   A customer where I work requested a pasta salad with goat cheese and vegetables and  I created this dish with the following ingredients:

INGREDIENTS:
PENNE PASTA
SPRING ONIONS
SUNDRIED TOMATOES AND FRESH TOMATOES
PEPPERS (YOUR CHOICE OF COLORS YELLOW AND RED LOOK NICE)
FRESH BABY SPINACH
GOAT CHEESE
LEMON JUICE
OLIVE OIL
GARLIC
SALT AND PEPPER

Rain Rain Go Away!

Hello all that follow my words daily!  Today is rainy and grey.  It has not been a great day for creativity to flow from my head to my fingers.  I did not want to go into work without saying something so here you go.  Lately I have been reading that eating beans are great for your health and even to lose weight.  I have been working on getting my life and health together for some time and have decided to add a few more beans to the pot.

Working At Night!

I am sure I never told everyone that I actually work in the middle of the night in a gourmet to go and catering shop.  I work in the middle of the night so I can be at home with my little girl who unfortunately is to young to attend public school.    Myself along with 3 1/2 other people are responsible for getting out a lot of meals that serve most of Annapolis,MD and areas outside of Annapolis.  I am actually the supervisor of my mom, two friends and the half person just happens to be my sister (she does not work daily).  Working at night is hard because of lack of sleep but it is also a blast.  The rest of the employees in the bakery and catering departments are not there and we have the run of the place. WooHoo!!! You would be surprised how much fun we have and how much food our little group of ladies can put out.