Black Bean Dip

IT'S GAME DAY! Gooooo GATORS and War Eagle! I am being such a good wife saying War Eagle on the blog... wow, my bday must be coming up soon so I have to be nice!!!

Here is a great and delicious game day dip. This recipe was to be featured in my "Healthy Tailgating" workshop at the Pilates Studio. So, with that being said, it is relatively healthy as long as you don't dip too many chips. It is easy to make your own baked tortilla chips instead of the processed fried ones, or look into buying baked tortilla chips instead. Also, I only used about 1/2 to 3/4 of the cheese so don't feel like you have to use all of it if you are trying to cut calories!

Black Bean Dip

Recipe from Aggie's Kitchen, originally from She Wears Many Hats

Ingredients:

2 15 oz cans organic black beans, drained

1/4 tsp ancho chile powder

1/4 tsp cumin

1/4 tsp black pepper

1/4 tsp salt (or to taste)

3 Poblano peppers, roasted

1/3 cup cilantro leaves, packed

1 Tbs olive oil

1/3 cup corn, drained if from a can

1/3 cup diced tomato (I didn't have a fresh tomato... so used Rotelle Tomatoes = yummy)

1/2 cup of salsa - medium if like it spicy!

4 oz divided queso or Monterey Jack cheese - shredded

Directions:

To roast the peppers: click on this link . Please be careful when handling peppers... I accidentally touched my eyes after handling this hot babies and I wasn't happy!

Heat the beans in a saucepan over medium heat, add the chili powder, cumin, salt, pepper, combine well. When warm, mash the bean mixture (I used a potato masher). Add 1/4 cup of the shredded cheese and mix well. If the mixture gets gummy then add some of the juice that you strained earlier from the beans. Get your food processor, place the cilantro (FRESH), peppers, and 1 tbs of olive oil and process until you reach a smooth consistency. Get an oven safe dish, spread the bean mixture on the bottom then spread a layer of the salsa, then add the pepper mixture on top, then the tomato and corn, and sprinkle the top with cheese. Place into a heated 400 degree oven, and cook until the cheese melts. The original recipe called for 10-15 minutes but it took me almost 25 minutes (I had prepped the whole dish the night before so it was cold from being in the fridge overnight so I think that is what caused the increase in cooking time).

We also have to serve anything mexican related with sour cream... my husband loves sour cream so if you love it as much as he does, it of course goes well with this dip!

I had some leftovers of this dip after the football party so I put this mixture in a quesadilla and it was delicious... can be added to tacos, burritos, salads.... get crazy!

Enjoy and of course enjoy your game day... whichever team you cheer for! Please pass along any yummy dips that you like to make for tailgating! My absolute favorite one is Lauren's Taco Dip!!! Lauren- want to be a guest blogger for your dip????

EGGPLANT!

EGGPLANT!

This eggplant was harvested from our garden! Can't get much fresher than that

Eggplant is one of our favorite vegetables so I wanted to share some fun health facts about eggplant in hopes to persuade you to give them a try and use them frequently in your kitchen!

Health benefits of eggplant:

• Flavonoid Nasunin - A powerful antioxidant and free radical scavenger = protection of cell membranes against damage (found primarily in the skin)
• Dietary FIBER - keeps you "regulated" and acts against cardiovascular disease
• Chelates Iron - protects blood cholesterol from peroxidation which reduces the rate of free radical damage in joints and also prevents cellular damage which promotes cancer formation
• Potassium (K+) - balances with salt which maintains good hydration levels in the body and regulates the blood pressure in the body
• vitamins and minerals galore!
• low in calories and carbohydrate but still high in fiber = win win for weight loss

I will share a quick and easy recipe that I have made TWICE this week...

Eggplant Bake

Ingredients:

• 1 regular sized eggplant (will make one large servings or two small servings) sliced into cubes (i.e. Bite size pieces)
• 1/4 cup chopped onion
• couple of hand-fulls of baby bella mushrooms - washed and dried
• 2 cloves chopped garlic
• sprinkle of mozzarella cheese
• Salt and pepper to taste
• Tuscan Sunset (Penzey's) or Italian seasoning if don't have access to Penzeys
• Sandwich Sprinkle (Penzey's) omit if no access to Penzeys
• Red pepper flakes
• Prepared tomato sauce - I used Organic Basil Tomato Sauce
• olive oil

Pre heat oven to 400. Heat olive oil in skillet over medium heat. Then add the chopped onion to the pan for a few minutes until translucent in color, then all the garlic until the garlic speaks (i.e. the garlic aroma fills your kitchen). Once garlic speaks, add the eggplant and mushrooms and saute in the pan until the eggplant becomes slightly tender. Add the salt, pepper, and spices, including the red pepper flakes to taste. I just kind of sprinkle these over the mixture. I like spicy so I give a few extra shakes of the red pepper flakes. Then, remove from heat and add the tomato sauce - coating the mixture but you don't want your veggies to be swimming in the sauce! Add a sprinkle of the mozzarella cheese on top. Put in oven safe dish and put into the oven. Cook for about 10-15 minutes or until cheese is melted and dish is bubbly. Take out, let cool a couple of minutes and then VIOLA! I usually just eat this on its own, but sometimes if I feel like it will serve it over whole wheat organic pasta....

On a side note... I love Penzey's Spices. They make delicious salt free seasonings (like the Tuscan Sunset below). So, go to their website and order a catalog. They send out great coupons in the catalog as well as yummy recipes. I have a drawer full of their spices and still would love to have more!

My drawer filled with spices (and I have more in the cabinet these are just my regular go-to ones!

I could snort these seasonings! Seriously put on everything from eggs to sandwich bread (Sandwich sprinkle makes a mean garlic bread)

Pasta Primavera and new niece Ella!

WHEW! Been Busy!
I have been in Florida the last week celebrating the birth of my niece, Ella. While I didn't get to spend tons of time with her (babies sleep and eat the whole day!) I did get lots of time with my nephew, Johnny! I love him so much and we had the best time! I really miss him A LOT!

Here is John Pierce with his new baby sister, Ella... He loves giving her kisses!

Baby Ella holding her daddy's hand!

Me and baby Ella - look at those eyes! Can't wait till she is ready to play!

John Pierce welcoming baby Ella home!

He loves cows and his cowboy hat!

My buddy

He has to hold his pants up when he runs... so funny

Handsome!

He cooperated for pics, this was my favorite!

Moving on to a good recipe....

Now that I am back in bham, I needed veggies and wanted to take advantage of the last summer produce before fall (officially fall on Wednesday!) This recipe makes a TON so you might want to cut it in half or cook for friends and plan for leftovers! And, if you want to go lighter and not make the pasta part, sometimes I just make the vegetable medley for a side dish and it is super super yummy by itself!

Pasta Primavera:

Sauce:

1/4 cup butter

1 1/2 cups heavy whipping cream

1 egg, lightly beaten

1/2 tsp pepper

1/2 tsp sugar

1/4 tsp salt

1 1/2 cups freshly grated parmigiano-reggiano

24 ounces of precooked grilled chicken pieces

1 (16 oz) box of bow tie pasta, cooked, and drained

Primavera vegetable medley:

1-2 tbs butter

2 tbs olive oil

1 (8 oz) container of baby portabella mushrooms

1 large onion chopped

2 red bell peppers - cut into chunks

2 large carrots - peeled and sliced

2 tbs minced garlic

2 large yellow squash

2 zucchini

1 bunch asparagus

1 (8 0z) package sugar snap peas

1 1/2 tsp salt and pepper

2 tbs chopped fresh basil

1 tbs chopped fresh thyme

1 tbs fresh squeezed lemon juice

1 1/2 tsp finely grated lemon zest

For the sauce: In a dutchoven, melt the butter over medium heat. Add cream, egg, pepper, sugar, salt and whisk to combine well. Bring to a simmer, and cook, stirring frequently for about 2-3 minutes - or until it is getting slightly thickened. Add cheese slowly, stirring constantly until melted. Then add the cooked chicken and cooked pasta. Stir together until well mixed and heated.

For the vegetable medley: Heat 2 tbs butter and olive oil in a large saute pan over medium high heat until the butter is melted. Add the mushrooms, onion, bell pepper, carrot, and garlic. Cook for 5 minutes which stirring constantly. Add the squash, zucchini, asparagus, snap peas, salt, and pepper. Cook, stirring frequently for 4-5 minutes or until the veggies are crisp tender. Then add the basil, thyme, lemon juice, and lemon zest. Stir to combine well. Remove from heat.

To serve this dish. spoon the past mixture onto a plate and top with the vegetable medley!

Roasted Potato Salad

I am from the South, I like mayonnaise and egg in my potato salad!  However, while looking for "healthy tailgating" recipes - I was given this recipe from my pilates' client.  This potato salad is so delicious that I have made it twice... yes 10 pounds of potatoes.  I have entertained with it and served it both warm and cold, it makes a delicious little snack also!  

Roasted Potato Salad:

5 lbs new potatoes (I have used red potatoes and red and white fingerling potatoes - both are good)

1 bunch fresh sage (about 1/2 cup sage leaves)

2-3 garlic cloves

1/2 cup good quality extra virgin olive oil, divided

salt and pepper to taste

1/4 cup apple cider vinegar

3 Tbs finely chopped shallots

1 Tbs fresh thyme leaves

Place potatoes, sage, and garlic (clove left with skin on) on a large cookie sheet.  Drizzle 1/4 cup of the olive oil over this mixture and toss gently.  Bake at 450 degrees for 45 minutes or until potatoes are tender and browned, stirring every 15 minutes.  Cool potatoes.  Then cut the potatoes in quarters.  Remove the garlic cloves, take out of skin and set aside.  Collect the sage leaves and crumble over potatoes, then sprinkle with salt and pepper to taste (I like lots of pepper, limited salt).  Whisk together remaining 1/4 cup of olive oil, apple cider vinegar, shallots, thyme, and the roasted garlic (mash so it can mix into the dressing).  Once well combined, drizzle over the potatoes.  Toss gently.  Can serve warm or chilled.  This yields approximately 15 servings, so be ready to share!

Sorry that it has been so long since I have blogged... things have been crazy busy around here which is typical for us during football season!  Also, my beautiful niece was born yesterday so I am here baby sitting my nephew and enjoying our time together!  Let me know if you try this recipe and enjoy the "healthier" type of potato salad!

Balsamic Vinaigrette with Filet Mignon

This salad is a great summer dish. Of course you can put your choice of protein on top, Ryan just happens to love Filet Mignon grilled. Since he is the man of the grill, he chooses the meat!

The salad dressing is to die for, I make a big batch and then keep for side salads through the week.

If you are trying to not eat a lot of meat like I have been doing lately, I made my own salad topped with mandarin oranges, strawberries, blueberries, tomatoes (from our garden), pecans, and blue cheese (or gorgonzola-whichever you have on hand). I am not sure why I didn't take a picture of my salad.... bummer!

Balsamic Vinaigrette

1/2 cup balsamic vinegar

3 Tbs dijon mustard

2-3 Tbs honey

2 garlic cloves, minced

1-2 small shallots, minced

1/4 tsp salt

1/4 tsp pepper

1 cup olive oil

Whisk together all of the ingredients except for the olive oil. Once everything is well blended, gradually begin to which in the olive oil.

It is that simple and equally as delicious... much better than anything you will find in the store. Get creative with your salad toppings and if you find a good combo, pass it along to the Pearce's Kitchen

Granola

I made this Granola a week or so ago and I am still munching on it. I loved the taste and I also split the recipe in half.... just a thought cause even half a recipe makes a ton!

Mom's Granola - From the Kind Diet by Alicia Silverstone

Ingredients:

6 cups quick cooking oats

1/2 cup maple sugar (too expensive... I used regular sugar)

3/4 cup wheat germ

1/2 cup shredded coconut

1/2 cup sesame or sunflower seeds (I used sunflower because that is what I had in pantry)

1 cup chopped nuts or raisins (I did 1/2 nuts and 1/2 raisins)

1/2 cup craisins or another dried fruit

1/2 cup safflower oil

1/3 cup brown rice syrup

1 1/2 teaspoons vanilla extract

Instructions:

Preheat over to 350

Spread the oats on baking pan and bake for 10 minutes. Transfer the oats to large mixing bowl, add the sugar, wheat germ, coconut, seeds, nuts, raisins, and dried fruit. Stir to mix well, then add the oil, syrup, vanilla extract and combine until everything is moistened.

Spread one layer on baking sheet, may have to bake in 2 batches if using the whole recipe. Bake for 10 minutes, stirring half-way thru to ensure even browning.

Allow the baked granola to cool on the pans, then place in airtight container and stir the granola until crumbly!

Enjoy! This was a great snack option, light and healthy. I liked the flavor a lot. Let me know if you try this and what you might add it to!

Warm Mango Salsa and grilled Tuna Steaks

Grilled Tuna Steaks with Mango Salsa

Tucher anxiously awaiting his ''leftover'' plate!

WOW! Things around our house have been super busy lately-lots of out of town trips can make you really appreciate a night-in with a fresh and delicious meal. That is just what we did on Friday night. I had to work on Saturday and then we headed to ATL to celebrate a 30th Bday party with awesome friends - so Friday night was low key.

I made this delicious dinner for Ryan and I and it is something that you need to make soon! This recipe is a keeper, promise!

Seared Tuna with Mango Salsa - Ina Garden, Barefoot Contessa Parties!

• 2 tablespoons good olive oil, plus extra for searing
• 1 1/2 cups diced yellow onion (2 onions)
• 2 teaspoons peeled, minced fresh ginger
• 1 1/2 teaspoons minced garlic
• 2 ripe mangos, peeled, seeded, and small diced
• 1/3 cup freshly squeezed orange juice
• 2 teaspoons light brown sugar
• 1 teaspoon kosher salt
• 1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
• 1 to 2 teaspoons minced fresh jalapeno pepper, to taste (1 pepper)
• 2 teaspoons minced fresh mint leaves
• 2 tuna steaks

Directions

Saute the olive oil, onions, and ginger in a large saute pan over medium-low heat for 10 minutes, or until the onions are translucent. Add the garlic and cook for 1 more minute. Add the mangos, reduce the heat to low and cook for 10 more minutes. Add the orange juice, brown sugar, salt, black pepper, and jalapeno; cook for 10 more minutes, until orange juice is reduced, stirring occasionally. Remove from the heat and add the mint. Serve warm, at room temperature, or chilled.

Heat a saute pan over high heat for 5 minutes until very hot. Season the tuna liberally with salt and pepper. When the pan is very hot, add a drizzle of olive oil and then the tuna steaks. Sear for 2 to 3 minutes on each side, or until the outside is browned, but the inside is very rare.

Serve the tuna on top of the mango salsa.

Here are a couple of pics from our fun weekend celebrating a birthday in ATL.

Ryan and I

San Francisco vacation and the Kind Diet

We just got back from San Francisco and visiting the surrounding areas of Saulsalito, Napa, Sonoma, and the coastline on US 1. It was a fun trip with lots of great food and great times with the hubby. We drank more wine than one should followed by lots of great California Food. Now it is back to reality, unpacking the suitcases (the worst part of a trip), laundry, cleaning, etc....But first, a few pics from our wonderful trip!

Details about the trip:

Stayed at Hotel Monaco. Loved the decor of this hotel and the location was wonderful! They had daily wine tastings for free in the lobby from 4-6. Great coffee bar in the am and the service was amazing. We didn't have time on Sunday to mail all of our wine back to Alabama, so we left it in their luggage room. On Monday, one of the men who work there went to a packing store, bought the boxes to pack the wine in and shipped it to us... Talk about SERVICE! Oh, and he didn't charge for the boxes.... They also are pet friendly which says a lot about a hotel in my opinion (they will walk your dog daily for you while you are out exploring the city).

Restaurants: We ate at Zuni cafe, recommended by a friend. Loved the drinks and the food was so fresh and seasoned perfectly. Didn't get to go to Chez Panisse though... One day i will get to Alice Waters restaurant, love her Slow Food Movement influence and her cookbook! We also enjoyed Scoma's Restaurant. Of course you cannot forget the SOURDOUGH bread! Ate several sandwiches and clam chowders that included this amazing bread!

Saulsalito: We LOVED saulsalito. I could move there tomorrow! NOT KIDDING. We ate at Sushi Ran which had amazing sushi. Great place to walk around or get on a bike and explore further.

Activities: Walked through China Town, explored Golden Gate Park, drove down Lombard Street, went to Alcatraz (wouldn't do again, but recommend to do at least once), saw the Golden Gate Bridge, experienced the stench associated with Fisherman's Wharf (my least favorite thing we did, likely because it was so touristy), and did lots of shopping around Union Square

The Golden Gate Bridge with all the clouds that pour over San Francisco during this time of year... making it freezing, highs around 60 and lows in the 50's! Nice refreshing break from 110 degrees and very humid!

Ryan and I in Napa, heading into Pejo Vineyard

Wine Tasting at our favorite... Cakebread!

In the tasting gardens at Cakebread

On our trip I read the "Kind Diet" by Alicia Silverstone, recommended to me by Sara. It got me thinking a lot about vegetarian diets and adding more veggies to all of our meals. I of course support local and organic ingredients, grass fed beef, cage free chickens, etc...which I always thought was good enough... however, how can I eat even better for my health was what I started debating. So, starting on Monday, I started eating less meat, more veggies, more fruit, and being even more aware of what is in food. I went on a large grocery store shopping spree, buying different veggies that I had never worked with. I made roasted chick peas (amazing), homemade granola (yummy), and a delicious pasta dish that even Ryan liked!

The basis of this book focuses on a macrobiotic diet, protecting our furry animals (she is very pro-animal fyi), eliminating "nasty" foods and eating "kind" foods that support our energy and the environment. Am I saying that this book made me believe in global warming... no. Am I saying that I will never eat meat again... no! But, I am trying to change the choices I make, adding more nutritious things (veggies, fruits, whole grains) to my diet and trying not to crave meat all the time. This type of change definitely doesn't occur overnight, but hopefully in the long run I can make it work for us here in the Pearce Family! Trying to convince meat lovers like myself and Ryan is hard to do, but this book has really got me thinking a little differently!

Look at this picture...

This is my Nephew petting our limousin and angus cows

Our cows on our farm are well taken care of by my brother... they get petted and roam wherever they want... If only all cows were treated like this, maybe we wouldn't have the animal cruelty cases that are appearing in lots of slaughter houses...

Here is a yummy new recipe to try, it makes a lot so you will have great leftovers!

Rustic Pasta - from the Kind Diet by Alicia Silverstone

• 1/4 pound pasta, whole wheat
• 2 tbs olive oil
• 1 vidalia onion, thinly sliced(if in season, if not just a yellow or white onion)
• 2 garlic cloves, chopped
• 2 celery stalks, diced
• 1/4 cup shoyu (by the soy sauce)
• 1/2 tsp sea salt
• 1/2 tsp garlic powder
• 1 head green cabbage, thinly sliced
• 5-6 tbs of organic or homemade marinara sauce (look for ones with no sugar)

Cook the pasta, until al dente and drain.

While the past is cooking, heat the oil in a large skillet over medium to high heat and add the onions. Cook for about 6-7 minutes until they are softened, add the garlic and saute for 3 minutes longer, until the onions are turning golden and the garlic is fragrant. Now add the celery and saute for 4 minutes. Then stir in the shoyu, salt, garlic powder, and cabbage. Saute for 4 minutes. Reduce the heat to a simmer and cook for 5 minutes longer. Now add the pasta to the skillet, add the marinara sauce, and toss all together. Cook for about 2 minutes on medium-high heat until everything is simmering and well mixed. Serve!

On a side note, I picked about 10,000 tomatoes from my garden, so I added 3 of these tomatoes to the mixture and it worked very nicely with the flavors.

Give this recipe a try, serve with a nice salad, and you have a delicious, hearty, vegetarian meal!

Where are the Pearces???

This should give you a little cue:

Enjoy your week/weekend, we will!

And Tucher wants Jaxon to know that he misses his play partner... too cute of a pix not to post!

Ice Cream!!!

The Heat Advisory today suggests that people stay inside and down water. It is supposed to be up to 106 degrees! I love it, much better than snow in my opinion. I love it because I can stay indoors with little interaction with the heat. I love it because I can whip up this ice cream, head to the gym while it freezes, and then eat the calories that I just worked so hard to burn! At least I added some fresh blueberries for some antioxidants...

Vanilla Bean Ice Cream - From the Perfect Scoop by David Lebovitz

• 1 cup organic milk

• A pinch of salt

• 3/4 cups organic sugar

• 1 vanilla bean (I used a vanilla bean from Penzey's)

• 5 egg yolks

• 2 cups organic heavy cream

1. Heat the milk, salt, and sugar in a saucepan. Split the vanilla bean lengthwise and scrape the seeds into the milk with the tip of a paring knife. Add the bean pod to the milk.

2. Stir together the egg yolks in a bowl and gradually add some of the warmed milk, stirring constantly as you pour. Pour the warmed yolks back into the saucepan.

3. Cook over low heat, stirring constantly and scraping the bottom with a heat-resistant spatula until the custard thickens enough to coat the spatula. Strain the custard into the heavy cream. Rinse the vanilla bean and put it back into the custard and cream to continue steeping. Chill completely, then remove the vanilla bean and freeze in your ice cream maker according to the manufacturers instructions.

As soon as it is ready, get ready to dive into the most delicious vanilla ice cream! Ryan loves it and requests is all the time! This recipe is a keeper. Please enjoy this ice cold ice cream while watching the beautiful butterflies in your backyard (until your dog chases the butterfly away!)

"Karem" Hummus

I have no picture for this post, but I have a recipe from my friend here in Bham who makes bomb hummus and have to share it! This was my first time making hummus and it was out of this world... after my "taste" tests, there was really hardly any left to share! Please enjoy and I will upload the picture soon, just couldn't find my camera/USB cord tonight...

"Karem" Hummus:

1 can (15 oz) chickpeas (garbanzos)

2 cloves of garlic, peeled

1/2 tsp salt

1/4 cup tahini

1 lemon - fresh juice

Drain the chickpeas, keeping 1/4 cup of the liquid from the can. Put the liquid from the chickpeas, garlic cloves, chickpeas, lemon juice, salt, and tahini in a food processor and blend until smooth.

Place in a serving dish... It is delicious just like this; but for added benefits, garnish with cayenne pepper, olive oil, and feta. We also have tons of banana pepper and pepperoccini in our garden, so I topped those on as well since Ryan loves them!

Serve with fresh veggies, tortilla chips, pita chips, or whatever else... This Hummus will make anything taste good! Thanks for sharing Rebecca!

Scalloped Summer Veggies

This is our new favorite side dish to go with anything we grill or cook up in the kitchen! We have served this alongside parmesan pork chops as well as chicken kabobs. It was so yummy the first time that we made it 2 days later once the leftovers ran out!

Scalloped Summer Veggies:

And just to make your mouth water...Parmesan Crusted Pork Chops... must come back and visit the site when I post this delicious recipe!

Scalloped Summer Veggies: Adapted from Ina Garten

• Olive oil (I used Bennissimo Italian flavored olive oil)
• 2 cups of bread from a french boule (I used a whole wheat round bread loaf) - cut into cubes - bite size
• 2 1/2 lbs of the freshest tomatoes roughly chopped (I used heirloom, roma, and plum tomatoes - variety). Take the juice and seeds out of roughly half of your tomatoes while chopping to prevent a soggy dish...
• 3 cloves of minced garlic
• 1-2 zucchini or summer squash, roughly chopped
• 1/2 vidalia onion, diced
• 1 red or yellow bell pepper, diced
• 1 tbs organic sugar
• 2 tsp sea salt
• 1 tsp ground black pepper
• 1 tsp red pepper flakes
• 1/2 cup julienned basil leaves
• 1/2 to 1 cup freshly grated parmesan cheese

Directions:

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Heat some of the olive oil in a large saute pan over medium heat. Add the bread cubes and stir to coat with the oil. Cook over medium to medium-high heat for 5-9 minutes. You want the bread to be evenly browned and kinda close to the consistency of a fresh crouton (crunchy outside, soft inside).

While the bread is crisping, combine the tomatoes (removing any excess liquid after you cut the tomatoes), zucchini, bell pepper, garlic, sugar, salt, pepper, onion, and red pepper flakes in a bowl. When the bread crumbs are done, take out and place to the side. Add a little bit more olive oil to the pan, add the tomato mixture, and stir while cooking on medium high heat. Cook until the veggies are slightly tender (not getting soft). Turn off the heat, stir in the basil. Then combine the bread crumbs to this mixture, and stir.

Pour the whole mixture into a 9x13 baking dish (want it to be shallow). Sprinkle evenly with the parmesan cheese and bake uncovered for 35 to 40 minutes until the top is browned and tomato mixture is bubbly. This can be served hot or cold...

I have to admit that I have eaten it straight out of the fridge cold!

I like this dish because it has great taste and uses all of the fresh and local ingredients that are in season right now! Plus, it is a great and healthy side dish with tons of flavor!

Will post the parmesan pork chops next - super yummy!!!

Grilled Pizza!

Kamado Joe PIZZA!!!

Simply the best pizza you will eat... OK, maybe if you are in Sicily they might have better pizza, but here in Alabama, this is the best!

Here is a pic of a delicious BBQ pizza cooking on the grill

Once again, this grill is getting lots and lots of use!

Preparing pizza is a lot of fun... Here is the summer veggie with pepperoni pizza before cooking

Pizza Dough: Adapted from Pioneer Woman

makes 2 crusts

1 tsp active dry or instant yeast

2 1/2 cups all-purpose flour

1 1/2 cups whole wheat flour

1 tsp kosher salt

1/2 cups olive oil

1 tsp dried rosemary

Sprinkle yeast over 1 1/2 cups warm water (make sure water is warm, not lukewarm). Combine flour, salt, and rosemary in the mixer bowl. With the mixer running on low speed, with the paddle attachment on, drizzle in olive oil until the flour and salt mixture is combined with the oil. Pour in the yeast/water mixture and mix until just combined. Coat a separate mixing bowl with ah light drizzle of olive oil and form the dough into a ball. Toss to coat the dough in the olive oil then cover the bowl tightly and store in the fridge. It is best to make the dough ahead of time, at least 24 hours or 3-4 days! When you go to make the pizza up, use 1/2 of the dough mixture, this recipe makes 2 crusts! Before you start assembling pizza, spread a little bit of olive oil on top of crust.

BBQ pizza:

2 chicken breasts, cooked and shredded

3 slices bacon, cooked

2 cups (approximate) of BBQ sauce (we used the homemade sauce posted under the BBQ section of my blog!)

1 Red or Yellow Bell Pepper, diced

Mozzarella cheese

Cheddar cheese

handful of chopped cilantro

1-2 Pepperocini peppers (serve on the side)

To Prepare:

Spread BBQ sauce on pizza crust. Then add the chicken, bacon, and bell pepper. Sprinkle the top with mozzarella and cheddar cheese until crust is covered. If you are baking, get your oven up to 500 degrees and bake for 10-12 minutes. However, please try it grilled! We placed the pizza stone on our kamado joe and got the grill up to 425 degrees - for 10 minutes. Add cornmeal to the pizza stone before placing pizza on top (keeps it from sticking!!! very important). Then place the pizza on the pizza stone and bake it on the grill for about 10-15 minutes. Take off the grill and let it cool slightly before devouring! Serve alongside pepperocini peppers and sprinkle cilantro on top of pizza.

The reason grilled pizza is so amazing is because when it is grilled on good charcoal it will bring out the nutty flavor in the crust. It also cooks more evenly and the crust is slightly crunchy but doughy in the middle.... ahhhh mouth is watering now!

Veggie/Pepperoni Pizza:

1 zucchini, sliced in bite size pieces

1/2 cup cherry tomatoes, sliced in half

1 bell pepper, diced. (I used yellow or orange to add more color)

2 cloves of garlic, minced

1/2 onion chopped

Tomato sauce

pepperoni

pepperrocini (on the side)

1 tsp red pepper flakes

1 tbs olive oil

Mozzarella cheese

parmesan cheese

Turn broiler on high. Combine zucchini, cherry tomatoes, bell pepper, onion, and minced garlic on a cookie sheet lined with aluminum foil. Add red pepper flakes, salt, and pepper to taste. Drizzle with olive oil. Combine well and place in oven on top rack close to the broiler. Cook for about 5 minutes, stirring half way thru.

To prepare pizza, roll out pizza crust, drizzle lightly with olive oil. Spread the tomato sauce evenly on the crust. Add the zucchini mixture on top (Note, you don't want to add any of the liquid from the cookie sheet- think of adding dry veggies!). Top with pepperoni. Sprinkle the mozzarella cheese on top until covered. Then sprinkle a bit of parmesan cheese (please fresh grated and not from the "green" can!). You can get creative on this pizza, try adding different veggies sometimes!

See instructions above for grilling and baking!!!

Enjoy these!

The Best BBQ!

Testing out the KAMADO JOE! And the Man of the Grill!

Tucher enjoys all the time in the back yard catching frisbees!

A little bit of tailgate toss! Great outdoor fun!

Sausage and Cheese plate... Like they serve up at Rendezvous in Memphis... AMAZING. Such a quick and easy appetizer to serve!

Just a glimpse of some of the ribs... my mouth is still watering!

Recently we got a Kamado Joe... Actually it was Ryan's Birthday Present and we LOVE it! The best food we have made in the last few weeks have come off of that grill. We have made pizzas, chicken, steak, and the last thing we grilled was baby back ribs!

Cajun Rub for our Baby Backs - From Girls on a Grill

8 Tbs Hungarian paprika

1 Tbs cayenne

1 Tbs red pepper flakes

5 Tbs fresh-ground black pepper

6 Tbs garlic powder

3 Tbs onion powder

6 Tbs Kosher salt

3 Tbs dried oregano

3 Tbs dried thyme

Combine all ingredients and mix well. Store in an airtight container. Will keep in a cool, dry, dark place for about 3 months.

This was the rub we used on our ribs, from Girls on a Grill (link above). It was absolutely amazing and just the right amount of heat to it. Make sure to use a good quality paprika...

For our ribs, we put this rub on the night before and let soak in thru the night. Our ribs went on to the Kamado Joe for 4 hours, cooking around 225 for the majority of the time. When they were done, we took them off, chopped them up and basted them in some HOMEMADE BBQ sauce (also compliments of girls on a grill!) This sauce was unbelievable so of course I will share the recipe. After the ribs were basted, we turned on our gas grill on high heat and basically stuck the ribs on for a few minutes to basically caramelize the sauce on them! Then, took them off and enjoyed!!!

Black Jack BBQ Sauce - from girls on a grill

1 cup strong black coffee

1 cup worcestershire sauce

1 cup catsup

1/2 cup apple cider vinegar

1/2 cup brown sugar

3 Tbs chili powder

2 tsp salt

2 cups chopped onions

1/4 cup minced hot chili peppers (I used 1 jalepeno, 1 serrano, and 1 poblano... think next time I may try a habenero in there... to spice it up even more!)

6 cloves garlic, minced

Combine all ingredients in a large saucepan and simmer for at least 25 minutes. I actually simmered mine for over an hour! Strain the sauce into a bowl using a mesh collander. With the solid stuff left in the collander, place this in a food processor and puree until smooth. Add back to the liquid strained mixture. This makes 5 cups... So, if you have a lot of ribs (we had 8 slabs) you will need to double or tripe the recipe!

Be sure to refrigerate what you don't use!

This is absolutely the best BBQ sauce! I loved it and so did everyone else... We loved it so much that I actually considered using it on my cereal the next morning.... haha, but it would be great on a BBQ pizza! It really took those amazing ribs that Ryan smoked to a whole new level!

What great timing to try this out for the 4th of July weekend!!!! Run to the grocery, get the stuff and start grilling. And, please look into getting a Kamado joe!!!!

Guacamole

Perfect Summer Guacamole

The hot and humid summer has set in here in alabama, and I love it! Reminds me of Florida and how it is always hot and humid there! We had a little BBQ cookout with great friends and the guacamole went fast! So, here is my recipe for the guacamole. I don't really follow a person's particular recipe, so I will call it mine! After all, there is only so many ways to make guacamole!

Guacamole:

3 avocados (ripe) - skins removed

Juice from 1/2 of a lime (FRESH)

Handful of Fresh Cilantro, washed and finely chopped (add more or less to your taste for cilantro)

2-3 heaping spoonfulls of sour cream

1 jalapeno - seeds removed and finely diced

1-2 garlic cloves - minced (add less if you don't like garlic as much as we do!)

Sprinkle of Salt

Sriracha Sauce - just a couple of squeezes (this stuff goes a long way - spice wise, but it adds the heat and it "was" my "secret" ingredient)

If you like tomatoes, chop those and add to the guacamole!

Place ingredients in molcajete, stir together with a spoon or fork. I like mine kind of chunky so don't over mix if you like yours this way, if you like it creamy, continue mixing! Guacamole is as simple as that! Make sure to buy higher quality yellow or blue corn chips. This refreshing appetizer will be a real crowd pleaser!

Broccoli Slaw

This broccoli slaw is delicious and simple. Lately we have been grilling out and often do the traditional sides... rice, pasta, baked beans... You get the point. To mix things up a bit, this slaw though goes well with pork and chicken and pairs nicely with a sandwich for lunch.

Greek Broccoli Slaw:

1 package of organic broccoli slaw (Found typically next to the bagged lettuces)

1 pint of cherry tomatoes (sliced in half)

about 15 green olives (sliced in half)

1 jar of marinated artichokes (glass jar, NOT a can)

1/2 bottle of Newman's Own Greek style dressing or Family Italian (I use whichever I have in the pantry...)

Feta Cheese, add as much as you would like to your liking!

salt and pepper to taste

couple of dashes of red pepper flakes

Mix all the ingredients together, but add the dressing Last. This will allow you to see how much dressing you are adding because it is not exactly a 1/2 bottle, sometimes more, sometimes less depending on the size package of broccoli slaw you buy. I add the dressing until it looks slightly coated, but NOT dripping in the dressing. Place in fridge and chill. Then, enjoy!

Tucher's Brother

Three BEAUTIFUL AUSSIES!!!!

And the Big Brother, Coby. He is such a handsome boy!

Living about 8 1/2 hours from my hometown sometimes is hard. Particularly during the summer when it is unbearably hot and all you want is to hang out in a backyard that has a pool! Many summer memories were made in our pool back in Florida! But, for Tucher, this is the time that he really misses his family back home, where his grannie and his brother, Coby, have a pool.

He loves his real brother Coby and really hopes to see him soon, whether in Alabama or Florida! I realize that the pics above are for Christmas, but I loved the pic of Coby and his whole family celebrating together. I wish that I had one of Coby doing his favorite thing... FRISBEE! However, you cannot get a shot of him doing just this because he is fast as lightning!

So, Coby, will you invite Tucher home to come for a swim, and he will invite you up for a snowy winter!