Herb's the Word and 3 Minute Roasted Bacon and Green Onion Appetizer

I love complexities of flavors and textures in cooking.  I love to grow my own herbs and vegetables.  I have had better luck with some than others.  I can grow the hell out of some oregano, which occupies about 1/3 of my current herb garden, and I am proficient at keeping my Rosemary 'bush,' branching out and reaching for the sky. I just can't keep my Sage, Sweet Basil or Thai Basil or neither Mints thriving to my satisfaction.
 I gifted a portion of my Chocolate Mint to my sister Gayle last growing season.  Lo and behold, I had to be gifted back a portion to start again.  It's going swimmingly, by the way!  I had a surplus of fresh parsley, both curly and Italian Flat Leaf,  but apparently it has run its course.  It was my very first herb, about 7 years ago.  I have some fresh seeds ready to go.
As a girl, reading about cooking and the mechanics thereof, was how I got my feet wet.  I would read through the recipes and wonder what they would be like to prepare them without substitutions or omitting certain ingredients.  We possessed the basics; salt and pepper, seasoned salt, spice blend for homemade sausage and maybe some onion and garlic powder.  Dried parsley may have also been in the mix, but I am uncertain.
Fresh herbs were of regions unknown in our home, though we grew an enormous garden every year.  I remember memorizing the characteristics of herbs and what they paired with to act as my experience, until I could get out and buy some of the herbs I'd often read about in recipes.  I could not execute by the books, because the ingredient call was not a part of our staple items at that day and time.
My mom and sisters prepared delicious dishes using the dried herbs, but the Culinarian in me wanted to get my hands dirty, literally, and submerge myself in all of the beautiful aspects of cooking and cookery; seasoning and garnishing, accenting and embellishing.  Having an herb garden helped,  in my mind, confirm my commitment to the arts and my passion.  I feel they grew and helped me grow.
I beam with pride knowing that I can walk out the door, and come back inside after just a couple of minutes with the Lime Thyme to accent a Thai Soup perfectly.  Roasting some potatoes, pork or poultry'? A few sprigs of Rosemary can add a pleasant and satisfying earthiness, even warmth.  Sprucing up a summertime drink or a combination of fresh fruit? Some Mint or Chocolate mint, will do the trick!
Gardening can be fun and therapeutic for us. I am embarking on a new project and renovating my precious herb garden and replacing it with a spiral one.  I am currently in the process of  transplanting, re-planting and customizing my usual herb suspects and incorporating some new guys in the mix, I'll be sure to keep you posted;)

Recipe:
One pkg. of green onions
1 pkg. precooked bacon
olive oil for misting
SPST ( Salt and Pepper to Suit your Taste)

Instructions:
Turn on broiler.
Trim the onions on both sides.
Wrap a slice of bacon around the onion, starting with the white part.
Place on a roasting rack sprayed with an olive oil mister or cooking spray.
Spray the onions and SPST.
Roast until bacon is crisp, flipping once, if desired.
Serve immediately or at room temperature.
Perfect beside a nice juicy steak, medium rare with a baked potato and a glass of Chardonnay!

Broccoli Leaf Dolmas with Lentils and Greens

I used leaves of a broccoli plant to make these Southern American style dolmas.  I had some lentils cooked with a smoked ham hock and was able to put up to 1 tsp. in each viable leaf.
 The lentils, I cooked in chicken stock and I also added a pound of mixed seasonal greens and wilted them in before adding the lentils.
I blanched the broccoli leaves in salted water with a splash of vinegar, then shocked them in cold water.
I placed the dolmas in a small cast Iron baking dish and sprayed them with olive oil and balsamic vinegar infused with FIGS!
I open roasted the dolmas until tender, about 25 minutes. They were delicious, even at room temperature.
I love finding new ways to utilize everyday foods. Next time you cut your broccoli from your garden, save the larger leaves and let your imaginations run wild!

Easiest Banana Cream Pudding Cups

Banana Pudding is an icon in Southern American cuisine.  Ironically enough, it was dubbed a Southern "thang" mainly because of an association with cooks of the south and references made by fans along the Southern Belt.  The fact that the major ports were located in the lower southern states like Louisiana and Mississippi, contributed to the localization of the dish, but there were also ports  in New York and Boston.    

The humble beginnings of banana pudding contained no wafers or cookies, until around 1921.  Some of the more sophisticated renderings of this dessert contained slices of rich pound cake and dainty lady fingers.   The now familiar version surfaced in the north, Illinois to be exact, and the recipes we know today, stemmed from an adaptation to the recipe first introduced by a home cook, by the name of  Laura Kerley, then embraced by Nabisco and printed on the box, as a way to sell their vanilla wafers.  A Star is Born.

Other companies began to cash in on its popularity with instant pudding, allowing the creamy goodness to be easily right at our fingertips,  J-E-L-L-O, YEAH!  These puddings, with homemade custard as well as instant, were made all across the country.   

 The ever popular banana made its debut in the Americas in 1876 at a Centennial fair in Pennsylvania as part of it's exotic fruits exhibit.  It was discovered by Jean Francois Poujot, a Jamaican, in 1836, who cultivated the magnificent fruit into what we know today.  This is the little sister to the 'cooking' type, also known as plantain!

The featured recipe is a no fuss favorite, introduced to my family on Easter, as a shortcut dessert item to lessen my cooking load.  I added a banana pudding to my menu, rather late in the game and hadn't factored in the possible 'Nilla' shortage, as a result of it being the morning of our dinner and last minute as heck!  

After tediously searching for the wafers and roaming the isles like a nomad for several minutes too long, I consulted with an employee, stocking in the dairy department.  He joined in the hunt for the elusive wafers as passionately as I, finally locating them beside the graham crackers.  For the life of me, I could not find that place, where I had been before, (just not recently) for the same wafers, on many occasions....maybe it was the stress! 

The shelf was almost barren, containing no store brand, no Nabisco, some miniature version and some by Murray's.  I felt the price of those were a bit too steep and I could not immediately recall the quality. The wafers would soften and take on the flavors of the custard and bananas, as the dish set and married, so I didn't feel that expensive meant better.  

 As I held the box in my hand, pondering the purchase, my eyes roved the shelves and surrounding options.  My wheels started to turn and ideas for variations bespoke new kitchen adventures and recipes, and for us, a 🌟 was born, again!  Vanilla Sandwich Cookies, you ROCK!

Recipe:

1 pkg. Vanilla sandwich cookies, about 14 oz., half smashed into rough crumbles, half left whole

2 boxes banana cream instant pudding mix

4 c. 2% milk

3 ripe bananas, not soft, but semi-firm

1 8 oz. container  whipped topping

15- 8 oz. serving cups

Crumble the cookies in a sandwich sized resealable bag.

Prepare the pudding according to instructions.

Slice the bananas into the pudding and stir with rubber spatula.

Gently fold in the whipped cream.

Place a whole cookie in the bottom of each cup.

Spoon about 4 oz. of pudding mixture into cup.

Sprinkle with 1 tbsp. of crumbles.

Twist cookie apart and put one side or the other in the center of pudding.

 Chill, covered with plastic wrap until ready to serve, preferably 2 to 4 hours in advance.

Makes about 15 individual servings.

This version is family style, featuring Cinnamon Toast Crunch Cereal for embellishment on top.  The flavors were there, but the cereal, albeit great in ice cold milk, did not withstand the time needed for the rest of the dish to set. Garnish with CTC just before serving for a fantastic and cinnamony spark of delight!

Chicken and Portobello Bacon Parm Sandwiches; Mastering the Art of Cabin Cuisine

Turn your boring camping or anytime menu into a spectacular display of delicious layers and Italian flavor with this saucy and cheesy sandwich.  Loaded with an ample slice of portobello wrapped in bacon, then grilled and riding shotgun with a crispy chicken patty or cutlet, dipped in a simmered and reduced spaghetti sauce, Plus, topped with fresh, sweet basil, sandwiched between two slices of garlic bread, need I say more?  This recipe can be as easy or complex as you desire, depending on your time allotments, but the outcome will be a most satisfying one.
 I made these sandwiches as the "Special" on our camping trip with my bestie, R.D.  I like to try out my new sandwich designs with him, giving him a chance to experience my cooking and culinary prowess.  This is extra special because we live two hours away from each other.  Our camping and cabin time is when we get to unwind and relax, kids and dogs included, catching up on everything and nothing all at the same time.  We value each other's presence, and have for almost 25 years. 
He is one of my most doting and loyal fans, ever supportive in my endeavors, and represented my one person cheering squad, for my debut in the Masterchef open calls in Raleigh, North Carolina 2017.
I prepared my dish in the parking lot, on a propane camping cook stove, encouragingly provided by my brother in law Jackie and sister Bonnie!  I prepped and individually bagged all my ingredients at the condo the night before.    My sign-in time was set for 12 noon.  We left North Myrtle Beach that morning, well before the 10 a.m checkout time. The travel time to the culinary institute was around 4 hours. We had a blast and it was a great way to wind up our hurricane laden vacation last September.

I did not fare as well as I expected, I think I blew the interview by not taking enough risks with my dish, Thai Style Chicken and Penne with Broccoli,  not being "unapologetically black" enough (kidding) AND/OR by blurting out "SOOKIE"(not kidding) :), still reeling from my introduction(on vacation) and subsequent binge watching of True Blood seasons 1 and 2, something that was new to me, old to others, spectacular nonetheless.
Anywho, can't wait to try out again, this time I plan to NAIL IT!, "SOOKIE"!

You may use good quality ready to cook chicken patties or cutlets for this assembly, as per time allocations. Of  course, you may take the long road at home in your kitchen and rock this sandwich from scratch, or not! 
 I used a store bought spaghetti sauce, and simmered it for about 2 hours, amp up it's flavor profile, for a sauce that would coat the chicken well. I cut whole portobellos in half horizontally (as best I could) and wrapped them in slices of precooked bacon before placing on a two sided grill pan. I used shredded Parmesan, Pepper Jack and Provolone cheeses and garlic bread or Texas Toast to tie it all together, adding a crisp and buttery finish with a pillowy interior.  The fresh basil leaves impart a bright, herby and fragrant kiss on the end.

The Beginnings of Something Wonderful!

This piece is dedicated to the simple and beautiful beginning buds on the trees and vines in our yard.  The top two photos are of a Red Delicious apple tree, planted decades ago by the twins.  The bottom bud that resembles cotton candy is that of a White Grape vine, planted by me about 5 years ago. I also planted a Red Grape vine.  I wanted the kids to have fresh fruit while playing outside, without having to stop having fun to receive sustenance.  The grape vines have some aging to do to produce the amounts we'd like, but we did get to share a bunch summer before last.  Last year the grapes did not produce as well. 
When we were children, we could stay outside from dusk till dawn, because of the plethora of fresh fruits and vegetables at our disposal.  These delicacies included fresh Golden Delicious and Red Delicious apples, blackberries, peaches, pears, grapes, cherries, wild black cherries, currants, huckleberries, tomatoes, and cucumbers.  The majority of these fruit trees were on our property, but the grapes were nearby at my Aunt Gloria's and the cherries at Aunt Pearl's.  I don't think Aunt Pearl was really my aunt, but I called her what everyone else called her. She seemed like my aunt too! The largest blackberries were on Ms. Dorothy's and Mr. Buck's property (also neighbors), along the same fields where they held these large egg hunts for years and years of my childhood.  There's nothing like those blackberry cobblers!   Those three fruits were especially awesome, because we didn't eat those every day. 
 My childhood bestie and I would take the ripened tomatoes from our garden by the shirt-full, grab a container of Morton's and cop a squat on our front porch and commence to eating tomatoes, comparable to any candy or soda high.  On other days, we would raid her family's garden for the green tomatoes, and she would fry them up for us to enjoy at her house. Sweet and Delicious Memories. 
It is important to show and discuss where foods come from with your children.  They too are like these little buds, full of energy, teeming with life, ready to grow.  With proper nourishment and attention, they will develop into spectacular fruits of the Earth and share their gifts with the world.    

Edible Flower Garden: Crafts for Kids and the Kid in Us All

Fun should not be limited to just the kiddoes.  I had as much fun with this project, as the kids at my daughter's birthday soiree did.  It was a small, all day affair, starting with appetizers.  The day was cold and windy with rain, but on the inside of our home, it was bright and sunny with smiles, food, edible plants and fun!  I initially planned to do the plants as place settings, and the miniature terra cotta pots that held the treat was the party favor, along with some seeds to grow their own little personal plants.  I then figured, heck, the kids can do this with me as an engaging, interactive party craft, bursting with Spring flair and full of vibrance, yummies and creamy delectables.  This  would also help over shadow the fact that the first days of Spring were actually quite wintry!!
There is no wrong way to arrange the indoor garden and the kids and you can let your creativity run wild. At the end of the day, the most important thing will be the bonding and time shared, adding yet another pleasant and loving memory to the scrapbooks of our minds. Cherish Each Day!<3 p="">
Supplies:
pudding cups or homemade chocolate pudding
whipped cream
chocolate striped shortbread cookies, crumbled
sweet and sour gummy worms
gummy savers
colorful straws with little spoons on the end
miniature bows
scissors to trim straw
plastic wrap to line flower pots
Instructions:
Tear pieces of the plastic wrap, just enough to coat the inside and hang over the edges of the pots.
Anchor the plastic wrap in the pots with about 1 tbsp. cookie crumbles in the bottom.

Place 4 oz. of pudding in each of the pots.

Add whipped cream over the pudding and another tbsp. cookie crumbles.
Trim the straw about 3 inches and attach miniature bow to top portion of straw with spoon end.
You may use the trimmed piece of straw to make another little flower or toadstool decoration.
Use the gummy savers to decorate the stalk of the flowers.
Garnish with gummy worms as desired.

Enjoy and have fun!  The above photo is of the edible garden we made. Contributors included My daughters Genesis and Bronwyn, my nephew Braelyn and me.

Bacon Wrapped Mini Sweet Peppers Stuffed w/ Brie and Pickled Beets

Quick and easy snacks don't have to be boring and unhealthy.  With just a few ingredients, you can turn delicious flavors into extraordinary combinations.  To aide in time management, I used precooked bacon.  You may omit it if you choose, to cater to specific dietary needs, but the smoky, salty and crunchy bite, is most welcome with the creamy brie and sweet/tart pickled beet quarters, nestled inside.
The colors and flavor profile of this dish scream Spring and your family will never know how hard you didn't have to work.  It will be our little secret!
Recipe:
1 lb. bag of mini sweet peppers
1 8 oz. portion of Brie
homemade or store bought whole, small pickled beets, cut into small portions or quarters
1 pkg. precooked bacon
Olive oil mister, optional
Green onions, fresh chives or parsley for garnish, optional
SPST
Instructions:
Turn on broiler.
Halve and de-seed desired amount of peppers, using all colors available.
Cut up portions of cheese.
Cut strips of precooked bacon in half.
Assemble by placing a portion of cheese and pickled beet in each pepper half.
Wrap with a half strip of bacon.
Place on roasting pan or cookie sheet. I find the roasting pan helps keep the peppers upright.
Spray with olive oil.
Place under broiler and broil until cheese is melty and bacon is crisp, about 4 minutes.
Remove from oven and arrange on fresh greens or platter.
Serve.  Also may be enjoyed at room temperature!