Layered Cornbread Salad

Layered Cornbread Salad

1½ cups sour cream
½ cup milk
1 Hidden Valley Ranch Dressing packet

One pkg. JIF cornbread mix
One can chopped green chilies, drained

3 Hearts of Romaine, chopped (or a head of iceberg)
1 can corn, drained
1 can black beans, rinsed and drained
1 lb. bacon, cooked and crumbled
4 hard boiled eggs, chopped
1 medium tomato, chopped
1 bunch scallions, chopped
2 cups shredded cheese

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Make ranch dressing.

Add chilies to cornbread mix and make to package directions. Let cool, and crumble.

Place half of crumbled cornbread in the bottom of a glass bowl. Layer half of all ingredients, starting with lettuce. When you have layered all of the ingredients, top them with half of the ranch dressing. Layer the other half of the cornbread, then lettuce, and remaining ingredients. Top with remaining ranch dressing.

Salmon Patties

Quickie Salmon Patties - My original

This is a great "go-to" recipe because it's easy to always have on hand the ingredients for them.

2 6oz. packages salmon
¼ cup grated carrot
1 stalk celery, finely minced
1 small shallot, finely minced (or about 3 T minced onion)
2 eggs
½ cup bread crumbs (add more or less, depending on consistency-you want enough bread crumbs to be able to easily form cohesive patties)
1 T lemon juice
Salt and pepper

Add all ingredients into a bowl and mix thoroughly. Scoop ¼ cup of salmon mixture and shape into patties for an even size. Spray a non-stick pan with olive oil and cook patties over medium flame for about 3-4 minutes on each side.

Makes about eight patties. Fresh dill is a great addition—say, about 2 T.

I like to serve these salmon patties with cucumbers- I peel, halve lengthwise, and thinly slice a whole English Cucumber (they're also known as "Hothouse" cucumbers--you know, the really long ones that are always wrapped in a plastic sleeve). At this point, I will either:

a. Add a 4oz container of Greek yogurt (DON'T substitute another kind of yogurt-it just isn't the same! If you can't find Greek yogurt, then make the "option b" cukes), a pinch of kosher salt and 2 T of fresh chopped dill. Yum!

-OR-

b. Add 1/4 cup red wine vinegar, a pinch of kosher salt and 2 T fresh chopped dill.

Does it get much easier?

Mojo Pork Tacos

Mojo Pork Tacos - My original

3 Cups mojo marinade (normally 99 cents for a HUGE bottle in the "Latin Foods" section)
3 Cups water
1½ - 2 lbs. pork, cut into 2” chunks (any kind, from a roast, boneless ribs, whatever’s on sale)

Combine ingredients in slow cooker and set to cook on low for 8-10 hours. Remove meat and shred with two forks.

Use the meat in lieu of ground beef for tacos-have all the normal fixin’s like lettuce, cheese, sour cream and salsa ready to go—and dinner’s done!

I often serve this meat with black beans and yellow rice for a nice Latin meal!

Tristin's White Chili

My “White Chili” Recipe

1 49.5 oz can Chicken Broth (about 6 cups)
1 packet McCormick White Chili Seasoning
2 cans Great Northern Beans, rinsed and drained
1 small can chopped green chilies
3-4 uncooked boneless skinless chicken breasts, left whole
¼ cup roughly chopped cilantro

Combine all ingredients except for cilantro in slow cooker. Cook on low, 8 – 10 hours.

Before serving, remove chicken breasts and shred with two forks. Stir chicken and cilantro into chili.

Garnish each bowl with shredded cheese and sour cream if desired. Serve with corn muffins.

BLAT Pizza

When my family and I lived in California, we used to frequent a pizza restaurant called "Pepperoni's Pizza". One of the things we loved most was the B.L.T. Pizza. I often make this simple pizza by layering tomatoes, cooked bacon and mozarella on an unbaked pizza crust. While it's baking, mix about 2-3 fistfuls of chopped lettuce with about 1/4 cup ranch dressing. When the pizza comes out of the oven, spread the lettuce mixture evenly over the pizza and serve immediately. It's delicious!
This time, I am taking a shortcut and starting with one of my favorite frozen pizzas--since it already has the cheese and tomatoes, all I need is a few more ingredients.

You'll need:
1 Frozen California Pizza Kitchen brand Thin Crust Margherita Pizza
About 6 strips of cooked bacon, chopped
2-3 handfuls of chopped lettuce or bagged salad
1/4 cup ranch dressing (just eyeball it--make sure it's not so much that it makes the lettuce soggy- yuck!)
1 ripe avocado, peeled, pitted and sliced

Cook the pizza to package directions. While the pizza is baking, mix the lettuce and ranch. When the pizza comes out, spread the lettuce mixture evenly over it. Sprinkle the top with bacon. Top each slice of pizza with a slice of avocado.

Yum!

Pottery, Week 4. A bowl and a spoonrest!

I felt like I was getting the hang of it this week. Can't wait to do some more and to paint the rest of the pieces I have already made!

Pottery, Week 3.

I have only painted one of week 3's pieces thus far, and it is an ashtray for James's father, Jim. It was meant to be a bowl, but it collapsed and is now the perfect ashtray!

My pottery!

So, over the last few weeks I have been in pottery lessons. I have learned the basics now, and am going to continue to practice and gain skill. I also enjoy the painting. Our little studio in downtown Melbourne is great, and it's beginning to feel like a second home to me.

I haven't taken any photos of my week 1 attempts. They're pretty pitiful, and hardly worth mentioning. Even the paint on them looks like crap!

Week Two attempts:

These two are attempts at mugs. Not very drinkable. However, they gave me a good canvas to practice my painting techniques.

This is my funky gravy bowl. The sides were weak, so one side collapsed leaving neat creases. I formed a "spout" and added a handle, and VOILA!

Memoirs of a Geisha--the movie

Last night I watched "Memoirs of a Geisha" to compare it to the book. As I normally say--the book was better than the movie! Surprise, surprise.
I really did like the scenery, and the characters--that really made everything worthwhile. The plot, however, lost a lot in the movie (as most do). I would still recommend it, though.

Lucky me, my nieces are visiting from Tampa this weekend! My in-laws are here as well, and I am so glad they were able to bring Kami (6 yrs.) and Kenzie (4 yrs.) along. Those two little stinkers certainly liven the place up and keep me on my toes. They're such a blessing to me, and my favorite part is that they think Aunt Tristin is the coolest! (I also think they're the coolest because they just told me of their new-found adoration of The Sound of Music! Does it get any better than twiriling around the living room and singing "The Sound of Music" with your nieces?)

Tonight I am making a lasagne for all of us, and tomorrow James is smoking some Boston Butts so we can have barbeque with all the works! Of course, we'll make our Famous Smoked Beans and my Asian Cole Slaw. Also, it's my father-in-law's birthday on Superbowl Sunday so we're having the carrot cake that made me his favorite daughter-in-law (well, technically his only daughter-in-law, but who's counting?).

Also, we have Chitty Chitty Bang Bang to watch tonight--yay!

Superbowl Sunday Snacks

I recently made these layer bars for a potluck and I really enjoyed them. I thought I'd share the recipe... They're from a compilation cookbook that my mom made for me for Christmas this year.

Delicious Layer Bars

1 1/2 cups graham cracker crumbs (that's 1/3 of a box, or 1 plastic sleeve)

1/4 cup sugar

1/4 cup butter, melted

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1 8oz. pkg cream cheese, softened

1/2 cup sugar

1 egg

3/4 cup flaked coconut

3/4 cup chopped nuts

1 cup chocolate chips

Combine crumbs, sugar and margarine; press onto bottom of a 13x9-inch baking pan. Bake at 325 for 10 minutes.

Combine cream cheese, sugar and egg, mixing until well blended. Spread over crust. Sprinkle with combined coconut, nuts, and chocolate; press lightly into surface. Bake at 350, 25-30 minutes or until lightly browned. Cool; cut into bars.

*Tip: I lined the pan with foil before assembling these bars--it made cutting and clean-up much easier!