Chicken Pecan and Cransins with cheese sauce

Ok we thought this would be fantastic it has some of our favorite things. Maybe it was a bad day but it did not live up to our expectations. Now don't let us discourage any of you from trying it because it was good just not out of the ball park for us, maybe not enough heat for us as our taste buds like a little more heat. We got this from Zaar and hate to hear they are changing it as we get alot of our ideas there so we hope its still as easy to use.

We did cut this in half because its just two of us.

3/4 cup tosted and finley chopped pecans

1/3 cup chopped dried cranberries (we used crasins)

4 chicken breast

1/2 cup flour

2 beaten eggs

cheese sauce

1 Tablespoon butter

1 Tablespoon flour

1 cup milk

1/4 cup jalapeno pepper cheese

2 tablespoons fresh chopped chives

salt and pepper to taste

Preheat oven to 375

Stir pecans and cranberries together

Lightly flour chicken breast and dip in beaten egg then coat well with pecan and cranberry's

Place chicken in oiled baking dish

Cook for 20 to 25 minutes or until meat is golden on outside and no longer pink inside. (we had two monster breast and had to cook it a good bit longer if doing this again I would use pounded or flattened breast.)

While that is cooking start cheese sauce

melt butter in sauce pan over med heat

Add flour and stir about one minute then add milk and whisk till mixture starts to thicken and begins to boil.

Add cheese and stir till completly melted

add chives and salt and pepper to taste

Serve with sauce over chicken

First Tomato taste test

Black and Red Boar

Sliced

Black Krim

Sliced

We picked and sliced two of our tomatoes the Red and Black Boar and the Black Krim.

The Red and Black Boar is a small tomato and looks like n o other tomato I have ever seen. My wife said it reminds her of a red and green zebra. The insides are a very dark maroon red and I must say it was a tomato explosion in the mouth. This was one small powerful tomato packing with a full flavor.

The Black Krim is larger and also a dark red color and is sweeter. It was real good sliced on a hamburger. So far we can see where the heirloom tomatoes have a great flavor and we will need to try and save some seeds.

Shrimp,Crab, Squash Pasta

We had some left over imitation crab meat and was looking for something to cook with it but we didn't have quite enough for any of the recipes we had. So we just kind of threw this together with some stuff we had left over and it turned out pretty good.

Pasta for two cooked and drained. (We really had enough for my honey to have for lunch the next day)
1/4 cup onion diced

1 one stalk celery diced

a few mushrooms sliced

1 or 2 squash (one per person if small or one larger sliced or cubed)

one or two cloves garlic we use 2 because we like garlic

1/2 teaspoon red pepper flakes more or less per your preference

1/2 teaspoon fresh rosemary ( we have a bush out side the kitchen but you can use dried)

2 sweet basil leaves if small or one large( our basil plant is growing like gangbusters we have got to use more)

salt and pepper to taste

one tomato

1 cup heavy cream

1/4 cup grated Parmesan cheese with extra for topping

about 1/2 pack of imitation crab meat

about 12 medium shrimp

a little water about 1 Tablespoon

1 Tablespoon oil

1 tablespoon butter

Combine oil and butter in large skillet on med high heat. When hot add onion,celery,mushrooms and squash. Kinda stir fry for a few minutes till squash is starting to get tender about 5 to 8 minutes.

Add 1 Tablespoons water and the garlic and cook till squash is tender.

Add chopped tomato, red pepper flakes,rosemary,basil.

Add 1 cup cream and 1/2 cup water stir and bring to a boil. then reduce to a simmer to thicken.

Add salt and pepper to taste

Last add shrimp and crab after pasta has been cooked and drained.

Add pasta to sauce after shrimp have cooked (turned pink) if cooked to long shrimp will be rubbery.

Heat till warm serve immediately and top with Parmesan cheese.

Friday tomato update

Black Sea Man

Black and red Boar

Black Krim

White Wonder

Well our tomatoes are starting to get ripe but they don't seem to be putting any new ones out. I hope they get a new spurt going. As you can see they are turning a little not so sure about the white wonder. How do we tell if its ripe? I guess we will pick when it feel a little soft. The Red and Black Boar is a little small it is supposed to be a salad tomato but it sure is pretty.

Friday tomato update a little late

White Wonder

Black Sea Man

Black and Red Boar

Black Krim

I'm late posting Fridays tomato update had to go to town for shopping and then the air on the car went out and down here one has to have air condition. So we had to run to the shop and have them fix the car. By the time we got home and loaded every thing in the freezer and put away the stuff from the farmers market I plum forgot about the tomato up date. Boy the farmers market is full of some beautiful produce now. We finally have two tomatoes from the Black and Red Boar that is ready to eat. This is a small tomato what they called a salad tomato and it sure is pretty. We took pictures of it and will eat it tomorrow. Hope every one had a good 4th. We had some good food at a friends house. We brought one of my lemon pies, corn on the cob and baked beans. Noel has a smoker and made so lip smacking smoked country ribs. Lisa had some great greens and the best cornbread...... Thanks again for the great meal.

Puppy Cow Mix

I can't believe I have never heard of this tasty treat. I did some looking up and it appears it was a popular party dish back in the 80's. Some how I missed this one or one like it. It has peanut butter and jelly in it so I know I would have remembered it. I found this version over on http://picky-palate.com/ on her June 21 2010 blog date and just had to try it. Go to her site for the recipe and some great pictures on the construction of this tasty snack. If you are a peanut butter and jelly fan this is made for you. Licking my finger as I type and I am going to be in trouble getting powered sugar on the keys. LOL.

Friday tomato update and Spam sandwich

White Wonder

Black Sea Man

Black Krim

Black and Red Boar

Been out of town and the tomatoes have been growing and needing a lot of water. We have not had a good rain and we could use one. A few spot showers are not like a good soak. Now we do not need ones that cause floods. I don't think I can remember when I have heard about so many floods and tornadoes. Maybe its just that we have more news outlets. But back to the tomatoes. We are still getting a few from the farmers market and they are good. We are bad as we both like spam. Now we know that is probably not a good food choice but we don't eat it every day ans we like it better than bacon for a tomato sandwich. We slice it thin and fry it and pair it with a tomato with Greek or Creole seasonings we also had some of the cilantro and lime mayo that gave it a kick.

Porcupine Chilie Rellenos

Warning do not try this in the summer. If we ever do this again it will be when it is 40 or below outside. Did we ever tell you we love Mexican food, especially a good Chile rellenos. We have been toying with the idea of trying to make our own. We were walking by the beautiful produce at our local Kroger (wife is always looking for a subject to paint and I have to cook it before she gets it.) And there it was a mound of big pablono peppers. They were calling just like a siren... Will turn me into a Chile relleno; so I did. Next to find out how to cook one. We read several recipes and one suggested that we use tempura for the batter, and we did cheat and use a can enchilada sauce.

Ok now comes the fun part.

Two pablano peppers

cheese (we used Colby jack and mozzarella)

you can use any stuffing you like. Some have just use cheese. but we used shrimp and onion (saute the shrimp and onion a little first.)

some suggestions are mushrooms and corn

chopped cilantro as much as you like

1/2 lime

oil

toothpicks....lots

Now lets go fire up the range. we have a gas stove so we did this using one of the top eyes. But you can also do this in the broiler. Brush peppers lightly with oil and place on the stove to char the outside. In oven broil and tun till all sides are black. (this is why you do it in the winter.)

Once they are black all over pop them in a plastic bag. When cool peel the outer skin off. Messy, messy wife did not like that job. Nor the next one where you make a slit and scoop out the inside seeds and membranes. You have to be real careful as the slits on ours kept getting bigger.

Next stuff the peppers again be careful they split open real easy.

Did I say they split open real easy well we had to go hunt up a bunch of tooth picks to hold the pepper together. Now they look like a porcupine.

Prepare the tempura batter according to directions.

Dip pepper in and then place in hot oil. Cook till batter is golden brown. Remove and place in baking dish and pour over enchilada sauce and place some more cheese on top.

Now pop in a pre heated 350 oven and. Did we say hot the temps have been in the high 90 with heat index of over 100 do not do this in the summer!!!!!!

Cook till bubbling and cheese is melted. let stand 5 minutes till eating. Hot. put a sprinkle of cilantro and lime juice over pepper.

We also cooked some shrimp in the tempura batter and had a side of Spanish rice and some flour tortillas we cut up and baked. This was good but one of the most difficult recipes we have tried. I think I'll go to our fav. Mex restaurant for this dish in the summer for sure.

Friday Tomato Update

White Wonder

Black and Red Boar

Black Sea Man

Black Krim

Our little tomatoes are coming along and here they are. Just a little information on them They are called Black and Red Boar, Black Krim, Black Sea Man and White Wonder. The info I found on them is the Black Krim comes from Crimean Peninsula , Black Sea Man is from Russia, Black and red Boar from CA. White wonder from Canada. The White Wonder is supposed to be a white cream color(I don't know how I feel about eating a white tomato but if it taste good that is all that matters, I will just close my eyes when I eat it. ) The Black Sea Man is supposed to be a brownish pink fruit. Black Krim a black brown color and Black and Red Boar Silvery green with red striping bi colored fruit. 3-5 ounces with deep chocolate/maroon flesh. You can see the stripes on it now. I know the wife is going to want to paint these tomatoes.

If you want to know anything about tomatoes give Tatiana site a look. http://tatianastomatobase.com/wiki/Main_Page

Sweet Corn

Stopped by the farmers market on a Thursday before heading home about two weeks ago to pick up some tomatoes. I know we have some growing but I have a craving for a nice juicy one now and picked up some bio colored sweet corn. Ever since we have fixed the mex corn in a few past post we just can't get enough so we thought we would put up a few ears. I doubt they will last as we most likely have them cooked before fall. So I guess we will be putting more up.

If not shucked take leaves off and use kitchen food brush to get all little strings (silk)off. Place in boiling water for 4 to 6 minute then place in ice water for same amount of time. drain and place in plastic bag. Now I know you are saying why didn't you cut it off the cob??? It takes up so much room in the freezer. Well we don't plan for it to be there that long and its not like it was a whole bushel.

interview with bloginterviewer.com

Spooky Boo in the sun

I just did some kind of interview with a guy named Mike about my blog at http://bloginterviewer.com/food/wills-kitchen-will-roy-martin. click on the link to see.

I have no idea how he found out about my blog or who pointed him in my direction. I guess its about people who use blogs to advertise on and I have not gone there. I must say since I put up the site meter just to see if any one was coming by I am amazed at the hits I get and from all over the world. Who would have thought a old country boy in Mississippi would be getting so much action. I did notice most people find my blog by looking for Chicken and Broccoli pasta. I will have to make that dish again and take a better picture as I made a mistake on that one and left out the milk or cream. This was discovered when some one made this recipe and asked why mine looked so dry. LOL

Meanwhile till wife can get my pictures ready for the web enjoy one of the cats.

Friday Tomato Up date

Our tomatoes are growing so fast and we have some babies on each plant now.

It has been so hot and I've been out of town so we are not cookings wife is eating a lot of sandwiches. I had to break down and get some farmers market tomatoes till ours start comming in and we got some good ones and we fixed a big batch of tuna fish saled to go with them.

Beef and Artichoke Pita Sandwiches

I guess we missed the Greek Festival in Jackson this year. Being out of town most of the week and living in the boonies we miss what is going on around Jackson sometimes. We really hate it because we get some good food there and bring home some of the pastries and a few other things. So we made our favorite sandwich Greek style. Wife has this cookbook she got from Krinos and it has several good recipes and this is one we have fixed a lot over the years. By the way Krinos has the best pepperoncini.

3 Tablespoons olive oil

1 onion sliced thinly

1 green bell pepper sliced thinly

1 lb sirloin steak sliced thinly

1 teaspoon oregano

1 tomato chopped (we did use a can, can't wait till ours star coming in.)

2 jars marinated artichokes

salt and pepper to taste and we sprinkle some Greek seasonings

pita bread

feta cheese

In a skillet heat oil and saute onion and pepper til tender, Add steak and sprinkle oregano stir and cook then add tomato and artichokes long enough to heat. Season with salt and pepper and Greek seasonings. (We use the Greek seasonings Cavenders)

Warm pita bread and fill with meat mixture add feta on top and have a pepper on the side.

Tomato gravy and plants are growing

Tomato Gravy yum yum. This is one of the recipes I had a lot growing up and one of my favorite comfort foods. Nothing like a hot buttered biscuit with this gravy or any thing really on a hot buttered biscuit. I used can tomatoes but I just couldn't wait for my home grown to come in. Speaking of home grown here is a picture of them and they are really growing. This is my Friday up date on the plants.

In a large skillet a cast iron if possible.

3 Tablespoons flour

3 Tablespoon of veg oil

(like making a roux)

1 can 14.5 oz can diced tomatoes of your choice undrained (there are all kinds of flavors now)

salt and pepper to taste

about a cup of cold water

heat oil in skillet and add flour stirring till turns a brown color like a copper penny

add can of tomatoes stirring well (hand crush some if you wish)

Stir in half a cup in water and bring to a boil

Add water as needed to the constancy you like. Let cook for 10 to 15 minutes. If to thick you can add more water. Place on the biscuit.

Pork ribs in crock pot

Hope everyone had a good Memorial Day. I have been under the weather or about to drive myself and everyone else crazy acting like an ol' dog with fleas. I also look like a cooked lobster. Come to find out my blood pressure meds and the sun don't mix. So for the last two weeks I have scratched and thought I'd have to be put down. Imagine how your mosquito bites feel and think all over your body even my lips and ears and you get the picture, not pretty. So with that said I did not cook outside but looked up a recipe to use the pork ribs in the crock pot. I must say it was real tasty and the sauce would be good with some chicken legs we may try that next time.

We also fixed the Corn on the cob and even though my lips were burning it was good.

You can find the recipe for the corn under April 30. I don't think I'll eat corn any other way now.

Again thanks to Recipe Zaar and George Kinzy for this one. (the name may change to Food .com (so boring) but it will always be the Zarr to me. This also makes a lot of sauce so we did put over rice.

5 lbs country style ribs

1 cup chopped celery

2 cups chopped onion

1/2 cup bell pepper

1 cup ketchup

1/2 cup yellow mustard

1 cup barbecue sauce (we use Sweet Baby Rays) yum yum they have some good sauce.

1 cup water

3 Tablespoons dark cider vinegar

2 Tablespoons Worcestershire sauce

1 Tablespoon brown sugar

1 teaspoon salt]1 teaspoon black pepper

1 teaspoon cayenne pepper

1 teaspoon garlic powder

1 14 oz can diced tomatoes

we also added some red pepper flakes for some kick add to taste if you want to.

We did boil the ribs for 30 minutes to decrease the fat.

Mix all ingredients together very well.

put pork in crock pot adding sauce to cover

cook on high for 5 hours.

This starting smelling the house up in about 3 hours it was hard to wait the 5.