Independence Day Lunch!!

Happy 4th Ecclesia! I hope you loved today's lunch! I couldn't resist making BBQ two weeks in a row. Well, I actually didn't think last week that I would want to make BBQ for the 4th of July....anyways, I did, here it is! Enjoy!!



1 (2 pound) pork tenderloin
1 (12 fluid ounce) can or bottle root beer
1 (18 ounce) bottle your favorite barbecue sauce (sub root-beer bbq sauce recipe below!)
8 hamburger buns, split and lightly toasted

Place the pork tenderloin in a slow cooker; pour the root beer over the meat. Cover and cook on low until well cooked and the pork shreds easily, 6 to 7 hours. Note: the actual length of time may vary according to individual slow cooker. Drain well. Stir in barbecue sauce. Serve over hamburger buns.

Root Beer BBQ Sauce

1 cup root beer
1 cup ketchup
1/4 cup fresh lemon juice
1/4 cup orange juice
3 tablespoons Worcestershire sauce
1 1/2 tablespoons (packed) dark brown sugar
1 tablespoon mild-flavored (light) molasses
1 teaspoon liquid smoke*
1/2 teaspoon grated lemon peel
1/2 teaspoon ground ginger
1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
1/2 teaspoon onion powder

Combine all ingredients in heavy medium saucepan. Bring to boil over medium heat, stirring occasionally. Reduce heat to medium-low and simmer until reduced to 1 1/2 cups, about 20 minutes. Season sauce to taste with salt and pepper. Cool slightly. Transfer to bowl. Cover and refrigerate. (Can be made 2 weeks ahead; keep refrigerated.)


Roasted Potato Wedges with Cilantro-Lime Mayonnaise



For potatoes:
1/2 teaspoon ground cumin
1/2 teaspoon dried oregano
3 tablespoons olive oil
2 pounds baking potatoes (about 4 medium), each cut into 8 wedges

For cilantro-lime mayonnaise:
1/2 cup mayonnaise
1/4 cup sour cream
2 tablespoons finely chopped cilantro
2 teaspoons grated lime 1 tablespoon fresh lime juice


Roast potatoes: Put a 4-sided sheet pan in lower third of oven and preheat oven to 450°F. Stir cumin, oregano, and 3/4 teaspoon salt into oil in a large bowl. Add potatoes and toss. Arrange potatoes, cut sides down, in 1 layer in hot pan and roast, turning once, until golden, about 40 minutes. Meanwhile, make mayonnaise: Stir together mayonnaise, sour cream, cilantro, lime zest and juice, and 1/4 teaspoon salt in a small serving bowl. Serve potatoes with mayonnaise.

THESE WERE THE BEST POTATOES I HAVE EVER MADE!!! SO SIMPLE YET SOOOOO GOOD WITH THE DIP!!

Creamy Cliantro-Lime Slaw



1/2 cup mayonnaise
1/2 cup sour cream
3 tablespoons (or more) fresh lime juice
1 1/2 teaspoons finely grated lime peel
1 serrano chile, seeded, minced
2 garlic cloves, pressed
1/3 cup chopped fresh cilantro
8 cups thinly sliced green cabbage
2 green onions, minced (about 1/8 cup)

Whisk mayonnaise, sour cream, 3 tablespoons lime juice, lime peel, chile, and garlic in large bowl. Stir in cilantro. Add cabbage and green onions; toss to incorporate evenly. Season with salt and pepper. Cover and chill 1 hour. DO AHEAD: Can be made 1 day ahead. Keep chilled. Season slaw with more lime juice, salt, and pepper, if desired, just before serving.

A tad different, but excellent!!

The Best Red Velvet Cupcakes

2 1/2 cups flour
1/2 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
1 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 cup butter, softened
2 cups sugar
4 eggs
1 cup sour cream
1/2 cup milk
1 (1 ounce) bottle Red Food Color
2 teaspoons Vanilla Extract

Vanilla Cream Cheese Frosting:
1 (8 ounce) package cream cheese, softened
1/4 cup butter, softened
2 tablespoons sour cream
2 teaspoons Vanilla Extract (try to find clear or whitish yellow vanilla...or your frosting will be slightly brown! But still delish!!)
1 (16 ounce) box confectioners' sugar

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Mix flour, cocoa powder, baking soda and salt in medium bowl. Set aside. Beat butter and sugar in large bowl with electric mixer on medium speed 5 minutes or until light and fluffy. Beat in eggs, one at a time. Mix in sour cream, milk, food color and vanilla. Gradually beat in flour mixture on low speed until just blended. Do not overbeat. Spoon batter into 30 paper-lined muffin cups, filling each cup 2/3 full. Bake 20 to 25 minutes or until toothpick inserted into cupcake comes out clean. Cool in pans on wire rack 5 minutes. Remove from pans; cool completely. Frost with Vanilla Cream Cheese Frosting. Vanilla Cream Cheese Frosting: Beat cream cheese, softened, butter, sour cream and Vanilla Extract in large bowl until light and fluffy. Gradually beat in confectioners' sugar until smooth.

Sunday Lunch, June 27th

I can not, can not believe that it has been over a month since I last made Sunday lunch for Ecclesia! Too long, too long indeed. Well this Sunday I wanted to make something very summery!! I decided to go with BBQ chicken...which can be made any which way you want!! I did not grill them for 40 people!! I baked mine covered for 40 mins in an oven at 350* drained the juices and added bbq sauce...then baked it a little longer! I am just going to put the recipe for the sauce on this post, because I trust you all know how to make chicken some way or another!! I also made corn cakes, and a watermelon salad!! For dessert, I made lemon bars...my favorite! Enjoy!!



Bourbon & Brown Sugar BBQ Sauce

1 cup ketchup
1/2 cup bourbon
3 tablespoons brown sugar
3 tablespoons mild (light) molasses
3 tablespoons apple cider vinegar
2 tablespoons Worcestershire sauce
1 tablespoon soy sauce
1 tablespoon Dijon mustard
11/2 teaspoons liquid smoke
1 teaspoon onion powder
1 teaspoon garlic powder
1/2 teaspoon dried crushed red pepper
1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

Bring all ingredients to boil in saucepan over medium heat, stirring occasionally. Reduce heat; simmer until sauce is reduced to 2 cups, stirring often, about 10 minutes. DO AHEAD: Can be made 2 weeks ahead. Cover; chill. Use at room temperature.

I would cut down the bourbon a tad...if you don't want that bourbon bite!!! I loved it!!



Corn Cakes

1 cup yellow cornmeal
1/2 cup all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon salt
3/4 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon freshly ground pepper
2 teaspoons sugar
2 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted and cooled, plus additional melted butter for brushing the griddle
1 large egg
1 cup buttermilk
1 cup thawed frozen corn, chopped coarse
1/4 cup finely chopped onion
1/4 cup finely chopped, rinsed, drained, and patted-dry bottled roasted red pepper
1 fresh jalapeño or serrano chili, or to taste, seeded and minced (wear rubber gloves)
1 cup coarsely grated Monterey Jack

(As you may have noticed, I did not put the red peppers or jalapeno into my corn cakes...I would also cut the onions down a bit, I thought they were very prominent in the cakes!! But you can follow the recipe however you'd like!!) Enjoy!!

In a bowl whisk together the cornmeal, the flour, the salt, the baking soda, the pepper, and the sugar. In another bowl whisk together 2 tablespoons of the butter, the egg, and the buttermilk, stir in the corn, the onion, the roasted pepper, the chili, and Monterey Jack, and stir in the cornmeal mixture, stirring until the batter is just combined. Heat a griddle over moderately high heat until it is hot, brush it lightly with the additional butter, and working in batches drop the batter by a 1/4-cup measure onto the griddle. Spread the batter slightly to form 3 1/2- to 4-inch cakes, cook the cakes for 2 to 3 minutes on each side, or until they are golden, transferring them as they are cooked to a heatproof platter, and keep them warm



Watermelon, Feta and Arugula Salad with Balsamic Glaze

1 (5-ounce) package baby arugula
8 cups 3/4-inch cubes seedless watermelon
1 (7-ounce) package feta cheese, crumbled
2 tablespoons balsamic vinegar glaze

Arrange arugula over large platter. Scatter watermelon, then feta over. Drizzle with balsamic glaze and sprinkle with pepper.



Bake Sale Lemon Bars

2 1/4 cups all-purpose flour
1 cup confectioners' sugar
1 1/4 cup butter or margarine, softened

6 eggs
3 cups white sugar
6 tablespoons all-purpose flour
1/2 cup lemon juice
2/3 cup confectioners' sugar for decoration

Preheat the oven to 375 degrees. Grease a 9x13 inch baking pan. With crisco. Combine the flour, 1 cup confectioners' sugar, and butter. Pat dough into prepared pan. Bake for 10 minutes in the preheated oven. While the crust is baking, whisk together eggs, white sugar, flour, and lemon juice until frothy. Pour this lemon mixture over the hot crust. Return to the preheated oven for an additional 20 to 25 minutes, or until light golden brown. Cool on a wire rack. Dust the top with confectioners' sugar. Cut into squares. Cool down a lot before attempting to cut!!

Enjoy!!

Michael Stevenson's Red Velvet Cupcakes!

Well, I am very sad to say that our first fun, rockin, party came way to late in the game!! We celebrated Michael's birthday with margs, beer, hooka and red velvet cupcakes last Monday....and we are moving this monday! Blast! We had all 12 seats at the table take at once, plus a full living room! It was very fun. I wish we could do it again! Here is the picture that sums up the evening!



Amazing Red Velvet Cupcakes

2 1/2 cups flour
1/2 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
1 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 cup butter, softened
2 cups sugar
4 eggs
1 cup sour cream
1/2 cup milk
1 oz Red Food Color
2 t. Vanilla

Vanilla Cream Cheese Frosting:
1 (8 ounce) package cream cheese, softened
1/4 cup butter, softened
2 T sour cream
2 t. Vanilla (if you can find white vanilla, then the frosting won't turn slightly brown!)
2 cups confectioners' sugar

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Mix flour, cocoa powder, baking soda and salt in medium bowl. Set aside.
Beat butter and sugar in large bowl with electric mixer on medium speed 5 minutes or until light and fluffy. Beat in eggs, one at a time. Mix in sour cream, milk, food color and vanilla. Gradually beat in flour mixture on low speed until just blended. Do not over beat. Spoon batter into 30 paper-lined muffin cups, filling each cup 2/3 full.

Bake 20 to 25 minutes or until toothpick inserted into cupcake comes out clean. Cool in pans on wire rack 5 minutes. Remove from pans; cool completely. Frost with Vanilla Cream Cheese Frosting.

Vanilla Cream Cheese Frosting: Beat cream cheese, softened, butter, sour cream and vanilla in large bowl until light and fluffy. Gradually beat in confectioners' sugar until smooth.

Enjoy!!

Sunday May, 16th

Pesto & Provolone Grilled Cheese With Olive oil! Yum! This Sunday I made grilled cheese sandwiches and a oven roasted tomato salad!

Grilled Cheese

Sourdough Bread (enough for however many sandwiches you would like to make!)
Pesto (homemade is good, but store bought is also fine!)
Cream cheese (about 2 Tablespoons per sandwich)
Provolone (1 1/2 slices per sandwich)
olive oil

Spread cream cheese on one side of bread, top with pesto and spread evenly. Top with provolone and other piece of bread. Spread olive oil on one side and place face down in pan set on med-low heat. Spread olive oil on other side of bread. Toast until browned on both sides. Yum, yum!!


Roasted Tomato and Arugula Salad

1 cup olive oil
1 large clove garlic, minced
1 1/4 teaspoons kosher salt
3/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
12 large plum tomatoes, halved lengthwise and seeded
2 tablespoons balsamic vinegar
2 1/2 cups (loosely packed) arugula

Preheat oven to 250°F. Line large rimmed baking sheet with foil.
In large bowl, stir together olive oil, garlic, 1 teaspoon salt, and 1/2 teaspoon pepper. Dip tomato halves into oil, shake off excess, and arrange on baking sheet, cut sides down. Roast until skins are wrinkled and beginning to brown, about 2 hours. (Tomatoes can be roasted ahead and refrigerated, covered, up to 2 days. Bring to room temperature before using.)
In large bowl, whisk together remaining 1/2 cup olive oil, vinegar, remaining 1/4 teaspoon salt, and remaining 1/4 teaspoon pepper. Add arugula and tomatoes and toss to coat.


Enjoy!!

Easter Sunday, Picnic in the Park!

Aside from missing our families, this Easter Sunday might have been the best I have ever experienced. Ecclesia had their service at Miller Outdoor Theater followed be a picnic in the park. We were asked to bring a lunch for ourselves and something to share! They grilled 1,200 hot dogs and 1,200 hamburgers to share with the crowd of people who joined us for the joyful celebration of the resurrection of Jesus!! It was a beautiful day! I knew that all Scott and I needed was sandwiches and a little something sweet! So I decided to make these to share!!




White-Chocolate-Dipped Strawberries with Citrus Sugar

2 tablespoons sugar
1/2 teaspoon finely grated orange peel
1/2 teaspoon finely grated lemon peel
6 ounces high-quality white chocolate (such as Lindt or Perugina), chopped
16 large ripe strawberries

Line baking sheet with foil. Using fingertips, mix sugar and citrus peels in small bowl until sugar is moist. Stir chocolate in small bowl set over saucepan of barely simmering water until melted and smooth. Remove from over water. Holding 1 strawberry by stem end, dip 2/3 of berry into chocolate; shake excess back into bowl. Turn berry dipped end up and sprinkle with citrus sugar. Place on prepared sheet. Repeat with remaining berries, chocolate, and sugar. Chill until chocolate sets, about 30 minutes.

Here are the sandwiches I made for us to eat! They were DELISH!!

Dijon-Cilantro Tuna Salad on Whole Grain Bread

2 scoops mayo (of your choice)
2 heaping tablespoons Dijon mustard
1 tablespoon Honey
2 6-ounce cans solid albacore tuna packed in water, drained
1 cup chopped celery
1/4 cup chopped red onion
1/2 cup chopped fresh cilantro
6 slices whole grain bread, toasted
6 slices ripe tomato
Avocado (enough for 3 sandwiches)

Mix first 3 ingredients in large bowl. Mix in tuna. Add celery, onion, and cilantro; mix well. Cover; chill at least 30 minutes. Overnight is best....lets everything meld well! Spoon 1/2 cup tuna on each of 6 bread slices. Top with tomato slices, avocado, and bread slices. Cut sandwiches in half.

MMMMM....so good!

Sunday March 21st!

A few months ago, Bon Appetit featured a ton of different gourmet hot dog recipes....I didn't really think anything of it, until I "ran out" of lunch ideas. I know there are a million different burgers/sandwiches out there to try, but for some reason I wanted to make something this week that I have never made! Adult loving hot dogs. And yes, people loved them! Someone even said it was the best hot-dog they have ever had! If that doesn't make you want to try them for yourself, the recipe will!

Here it is....

Cheddar Dogs with Cider-Braised Leeks and Apples



2 tablespoons (1/4 stick) butter
2 cups (generous) thinly sliced leeks (white and pale green parts only)
1 apple, peeled, cored, diced
1/2 teaspoon caraway seeds
Pinch of ground allspice
Coarse kosher salt
1 1/2 cups hard apple cider or 1 1/4 cups apple cider and 1/4 cup bourbon
6 grilled hot dog buns or brioche-style oblong rolls
Dijon mustard
6 grilled all-beef hot dogs
2 ounces sharp cheddar cheese, coarsely grated (1/2 cup packed)

Melt butter in large skillet over medium heat. Add leeks and apple. Cover; cook until tender, stirring occasionally, about 8 minutes. Mix in caraway and allspice; season with coarse salt and pepper. Add hard cider; bring to boil. Reduce heat to medium-low. Simmer, uncovered, until most of liquid is cooked away, about 16 minutes.
Arrange buns or rolls on plates. Spread each with mustard, then top with grilled hot dogs. Sprinkle dogs with cheese and top with leek mixture.


I served these amazing hot-dogs with a classic potato salad and Grilled Corn on the Cob with Maple-Chipotle Glaze!

Grilled Corn on the Cob with Maple-Chipotle Glaze



1/2 cup pure maple syrup
1/4 cup (1/2 stick) butter
2 garlic cloves, minced
4 teaspoons minced canned chipotle chilies*
1/4 teaspoon salt

6 ears fresh corn, husked

Bring first 5 ingredients to simmer in heavy small saucepan over medium heat. Reduce heat to low and simmer until glaze is reduced to 3/4 cup, stirring occasionally, about 10 minutes. (Glaze can be made 1 day ahead. Cover and refrigerate.)
Prepare barbecue (medium heat). Brush corn with some of glaze. Grill until lightly charred in spots, turning frequently, about 8 minutes. Transfer corn to platter. Brush corn with remaining glaze. Sprinkle generously with salt and serve.



3 pounds russet potatoes, peeled, cut into 1-inch pieces
4 hard-boiled eggs, peeled, yolks and whites separated
8 sweet pickles, finely chopped
1 1/2 cup chopped celery
3/4 cup chopped sweet onion
1 teaspoon dried mustard
2 tablespoons prepared mustard
2 tablespoons sweet pickle juice
1 cup light mayonnaise
1/4 cup milk

Cook potatoes in large pot of boiling water until just tender. Drain. Transfer potatoes to large bowl and cool.
Mince egg whites. Add whites, pickles, celery and onion to potatoes. Mash yolks in medium bowl. Add dry mustard, prepared mustard and pickle juice. Add mayonnaise and milk and blend until smooth. Pour dressing over potatoes and toss gently. Season with salt and pepper. add whatever floats your boat....garic powder etc!

Enjoy!!

Sunday March 7th

This Sunday I made homemade mac and cheese with buttermilk biscuits, southern green-beans and sweet tea! Yum. My first official southern meal since coming to Houston!



Baked Macaroni and Cheese

This recipe calls for Parmigiano-Reggiano (which is a more expensive cheese.) To save on this recipe I just used a parmesan. It tasted fabulous, but if you have the extra dough, I would buy the better cheese for sure!!

For the TOP
1/4 pound coarsely grated extra-sharp Cheddar (1 1/2 cups)
1/2 cup grated Parmigiano-Reggiano

For macaroni and sauce
1 stick unsalted butter
6 tablespoons all-purpose flour
5 cups whole milk
1 pound coarsely grated extra-sharp Cheddar (6 cups)
1/2 cup grated Parmigiano-Reggiano
salt/pepper/garlic powder
1 pound elbow macaroni

Melt butter in a heavy medium saucepan over medium-low heat and stir in flour. Cook roux, stirring, 3 minutes, then whisk in milk. Bring sauce to a boil, whisking constantly, then simmer, whisking occasionally, 3 minutes. Stir in cheeses, 2 teaspoons salt, and 1/2 teaspoon pepper until smooth. I really like to add some garlic powder for extra flavor...you can add and taste, add and taste etc. Cook macaroni in a pot of boiling salted water (2 tablespoons salt for 4 quarts water) until al dente (not to mushy.) Reserve 1 cup cooking water and drain macaroni in a colander. Stir together macaroni, reserved cooking water, and sauce in a large bowl. Transfer to shallow baking dish. Sprinkle topping evenly over macaroni and bake until golden and bubbling, 20 to 25 minutes.

Holly's Southern Green Beans

Here is a perfect example of me fixing a recipe until I LOVE it....I wasn't very impressed with the green beans I served on Sunday, but later that week we ate the leftover mac and I made more green beans! My way!

8-10 oz cooked up bacon
frozen package of Italian Green Beans (flat ones)
2-3 chicken bouillon
1 T. dehydrated onions

Dissolve bouillon in 8 oz boiling water. From there, you basically just put everything into a pot and simmer until everything is nice and soft and hot! The onions should soften and the chicken broth should be almost boiled out! Yum!

They look like a combination of these two photos!





Buttermilk Biscuits

This recipe only makes 6 biscuits

1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
1 1/2 tablespoons sugar
1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
Rounded 1/4 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 stick (1/4 cup) cold unsalted butter, cut into 1/2-inch cubes
3/4 cup well-shaken buttermilk
1 tablespoon milk or cream for brushing biscuits (try not to let it spill over onto the pan or they will be hard to scrape off!)

Put oven rack in middle position and preheat oven to 425°F.
Sift together flour, sugar, baking powder, salt, and baking soda onto a sheet of wax paper, then sift again into a bowl. Blend in butter with your fingertips until mixture resembles coarse meal. Add buttermilk and stir with a fork until a dough just forms (dough will be moist). Turn dough out onto a well-floured surface and knead gently 6 times. Pat out dough on a floured surface with floured hands, reflouring surface if necessary, into an 8- by 5 1/2-inch rectangle. Trim all 4 sides with a knife, dusting knife edge with flour before each cut. Cut rectangle in half lengthwise, then into thirds crosswise to form 6 (2 1/2-inch) squares, flouring knife between cuts. Transfer biscuits with a metal spatula to an ungreased baking sheet, arranging them 2 inches apart, and brush tops with milk or cream. Bake until pale golden, 12 to 15 minutes, then transfer to a rack to cool to room temperature.


Smooth Sweet Tea

1 pinch baking soda
2 cups boiling water
6 tea bags
3/4 cup white sugar
6 cups cool water

Sprinkle a pinch of baking soda into a 64-ounce, heat-proof, glass pitcher. Pour in boiling water, and add tea bags. Cover, and allow to steep for 15 minutes. Remove tea bags, and discard; stir in sugar until dissolved. Pour in cool water, then refrigerate until cold.