High School Pumpkin Bars

Alright, you baking, fanatics. This one is for you. Believe it or not, I used to play basketball. On a team that was good! And when we would get to playoff season, we got a little superstitious. For my first playoff game ever in high school, my mom made these things we called "Pumpkin Bars". And when we won, we forced my mom to make them for every playoff game until we lost.

If you think of what the brownie is to chocolate cake, that's what the pumpkin bar is to carrot cake. But not really. Just in my mind. Ha! Confused yet? Just try them, you won't regret it.


Cheesy factor (1 no cheese, 10 all cheese): 2 (even though there is no cheese in this, I still gave it a 2 since it has "cream cheese" flavored frosting. Ha!)
Time factory (1 shortest, 10 longest): 5
Dummy factor (1 easiest, 10 hardest): 4


Mom's Pumpkin Bars
4 eggs
1 and 2/3 cup sugar
1 cup oil (veggie I think)
1 16 oz. can pumpkin
2 cups flour
2 tsp baking powder
2 tsp cinnamon
1 tsp salt
1 tsp baking soda
1 can cream cheese frosting

Beat eggs, sugar, oil, and pumpkin until fluffy. Stir flour and dry ingredients together. Add liquids, mix well. Spread into ungreased baking pan (15 x 10 or 13 x whatever). Bake at 350 deg 25 min (stick tooth pick in, and if comes out clean, it's done). Allow to cool, then evenly spread on cream cheese frosting. Serve warm or cold (after refrigerating).

So I, personally, think these are better served a little underdone (so more like brownie and less like cake), and after refrigerating for a bit (cold). But that's just me. And don't ask me how to make them less fattening or without sugar because I have no idea. You people, and your artificial sweeteners and splenda.....just skip these recipes. Don't make me do research. Because the only thing I will tell you is that sugar substitutes are potentially harmful to your body because your body doesn't recognize them as sugar, and it more resembles a pesticide your body wants to rid itself of. True story.

Random thought of the day: I almost have our honeymoon completely planned out. Well, it's mostly planned out in my mind, and about 1/3 is actually planned out on credit card. I'll get to it. I heard no one goes to Europe in the summer anyway.

Crock Pot Recipe 1: Beans, Beans, the More You Eat....

This song cracks me up. "The more you toot, the better you feel"??? That isn't always the case. But that's a whole other blog.

I've been getting some requests for crock pot recipes. Since I have, thus far, been posting as I cook, I have yet to post a crock pot recipe simply because I haven't used my crock pot since starting this. But here is a good one to get things started. This is a fantastic dish for parties or pot-lucks by the way. You can make it night before (well, prep the night before, set to cook over-night while you are sleeping), and easily transport in your crock-pot, then just plug in at where ever your party is. If you bring tortilla chips too, it can also be a dip!

This recipe is from my friend Vi. I can't remember where she made it, maybe of U of M tailgate?? But it is so good. Another one of those recipes I like where the leftovers are just as amazing as the original serving, AND it's so good I eat it for breakfast with scrambled eggs. (Seeing a trend here, are we??) Plus, it's healthy. Kind of.


Cheesy Factor (1 no cheese, 10 all cheese): 7
Time Factor (1 shortest, 10 longest): no sure what to put here since it takes a long time, but beauty of crock pot is "fix it, and forget it". So let's go on prep time: 4
Dummy Factor (1 easiest, 10 hardest): 2


White Bean Chicken Chili
3 skinless, boneless chicken breasts (shredded)
8 oz chicken broth
48 oz Randall's White Northern Beans
16 oz Salsa (red, chunky, medium temp)
2 cups shredded cheddar cheese
2 tsp cumin
Jalapenos to taste (at least 1/4 jar)
Crock Pot

Cook chicken, and shred. Throw everything else and cooked chicken in crock pot, set desired time/level. (Low setting = cook for 4-8 hours) (High setting = cook for 8-12 hours). Enjoy!


This is super easy. So good. And if you are a spice lover, like I am, go heavy on the jalapenos (like 1/4 - 1/2 of a normal size jar).

I am not sure how to make this vegetarian. I even thought about it for a while. Can you put seafood in a crock-pot? I am sure you can. Actually, I take that back. I bet you this would be delicious with lump crab meat! More expensive, but delicious. Or maybe you could just throw your favorite veggies in, add some extra broth, change up the beans, VOILA!

Eggs: Bring on the wedding, hold the yolk

So I just watched the Brazil v. Portugal game....BORING. I didn't really understand the obsession with Cristiano Ronaldo. Until I googled pictures of him, that is. Whew!! Is it hot in here??? He just moved up my ladder close to the Dhani Jones and Brody Jenner level.

I eat pretty healthy, and I can credit cooking to most of that. It's so much easier to eat healthy when you choose your own ingredients and you stick to a plan, or simply what you have in your fridge (hopefully, you took my advice and bought lots of veggies). But when you go to a restaurant, and they have all these delicious options, full of fat and cheese, and serving sizes a small family would be grateful for??? It's much harder to eat healthy in that situation.

And now that I have a wedding coming up in a month (gasp!)....I need to pack in the protein.

For those of you that eat with me at home often (James), you know I eat a lot of eggs. A LOT of eggs. Like a dozen a week at least. However, I found out a couple of years ago that one egg contains your "allotted" cholesterol content for the day. Oops.

So now if I have two eggs for breakfast or a snack (yes, I eat eggs for a snack. And sometimes for dinner. So what.), one is an egg white, or both are egg whites. And here is my most recent favorite omelette.

Cheesy Factor (1 no cheese, 10 all cheese): 4
Dummy Factor (1 easiest, 10 hardest): 3
Time Factor (1 shortest, 10 longest): 2

Greek-style Egg White Omelette
3 egg whites
3-4 grape tomatoes
1 white or brown mushroom
1 slice sweet onion
Feta Cheese Crumbles
margarine

Put a small amount of butter in omelette size, non-stick saute pan (enough to just barely coat the bottom) and put burner on low. While that is heating, chop the onion and mushroom. Put the chopped mushroom and onion in the pan with butter and saute, until onions are almost soft. Pour the egg whites in so evenly spread out in pan. While cooking, quickly chop tomatoes. After bottom has cooked through omelette, flip and cook other side. When ready, place on plate, then put crumbled feta cheese and tomatoes on one half, and flip other half over (so cheese will melt slightly in between).


I happen to think making an omelette is a science. A science of which I am recently mastering. I have gotten down the whole "flip in the air" trick. Of course, the first couple times I sprayed raw egg all over my range top. But I have it down now.

Trick of the trade: my friend Stephanie taught me this trick for basically steaming the omelette. Basically, once the eggs have been cooking long enough that you can lift the side up (but the top still looks runny)....instead of flipping it, lift up the side of the omelette with a spatula, and pour a tiny tiny bit of water underneath it (like a teaspoon or so I guess?). The water will start to create a "bubble" under the eggs. Immediately put a top on your pan, and let sit. The steam will cook the top of the eggs for you, without having to flip! It's really genius actually and works like a charm.

Another variation, which I tried this morning: I had some spinach in the fridge for salads. So I decided to chop a tiny bit and saute with the mushrooms and onions. It was really good. And to my prego friend: sorry for the feta cheese recipe. You can substitute or try in a few short months. Ha!

GGGOOOOOAAAAALLLLLL!

Now that the USA World Cup soccer game is over (we won for those of you who didn't watch)....I can finally start my day. And by start my day, I mean post something on this silly blog.

So my parents came into town this weekend and we, of course, had to cook a special feast for Father's Day. We chose a tomato and mozzarella salad, chicken, twice baked potatoes, and asparagus! Whew!

Some of you have heard the story about how I tried to cook a whole chicken. It was comical to say the least. I tried this rub I found in one of my favorite cookbooks, I followed directions, I failed. Miserably.

So this weekend was round 2: Abby vs. the chicken. Well, it was more like Abby watching my dad vs. the chicken. But it was a huge success and delicious! And embarrassingly easy.


Cheesy factor (1 no cheese, 10 all cheese): 0 BOOOOO
Dummy factor (1 easiest, 10 hardest) : HA! considering I failed my first time, I say 7
Time factor (1 shortest, 10 longest): 7

Whole Chicken
5 lb whole young chicken (plenty for 4 people)
seasoning of choice (I used jerk)
olive oil
can of beer

Preheat oven to 350 deg. Rub chicken with olive oil and seasoning, including under the skin. Place on top of cup of beer (make sure cup is oven proof), place into baking dish or casserole dish. Make a little tin foil plug for the neck so the steam doesn't come out. Bake chicken for about 1.5 hours (skin should be golden brown and skin should have a crisp).

I got this ceramic contraption as a shower gift from my aunt that is an all in one deal (the dish and cup are connected). It was super moist and amazing. Even for dummies. Someone told me you could do this on the grill too, and just flat out put the chicken on the can of beer itself and put on grill. But I am not that talented. Yet, anyway.



Cheesy factor (1 no cheese, 10 all cheese): 0 BOOOOO
Dummy factor (1 easiest, 10 hardest) : 1
Time factor (1 shortest, 10 longest): 1

Broiled Asparagus
Asparagus
Olive Oil
Salt/Pepper

Take one piece of asparagus, and snap. Where the asparagus breaks, cut all other to match. Spread out asparagus on a sheet of tin foil, drizzle with olive oil, and season (heavily) with salt and pepper. Toss to coat. Place under broiler for 10 minutes, tossing after 5 minutes.

This is so so so easy. And so so so yummy. Especially if you over season and over oil, like I do!


Cheesy factor (1 no cheese, 10 all cheese): 5
Dummy factor (1 easiest, 10 hardest) : 4
Time factor (1 shortest, 10 longest): 7

Twice Baked Potatoes
2 large russet potatoes
Sour Cream
Parmesan Cheese
Milk (small amount)
Garlic Salt

Bake potatoes in oven until cooked (about 1-1.5 hours at 350 deg, depending on size). Allow to cool slightly, then cut in half. Spoon out the inside of the potato into a bowl, saving the skins. Smash the potato up with sour cream, milk, and Parmesan cheese until consistency is soft (like mashed potatoes). Season with garlic salt. Spoon mixture back into the skins, top off with a little more cheese, and place on baking sheet back into over for about 15 minutes (or until tops have a little brown to them).

You can vary the flavors with cheddar cheese, scallions, bacon, whatever. It's all delicious. Because it has cheese.

Put a Ring On It....Best Marinade EVER!

If you like it, better put a ring on it...went to pick up our wedding rings today! WooHoo! And I found it hilarious that every time we told someone today about it, they each started singing "Well if you like it better put a ring on it....whoa oh oh, oh OH....". It was awesome.

He likes it. He put a ring on it. And so I cook mounds and mounds of yummy food for him :)

I am also assuming you all made the yellow butter baste because LAKE SHOW was in full affect this evening. Good work. And good buttering.

This is called "The Only Marinade You'll Ever Need"....and it really is. It REALLY is. It is so so delicious. And easy. And you can put it on anything: chicken, meat, veggies, fish, pork, you name it! I cubed up some chicken breast this evening, marinated for 2 hours, put in on some skewers, grilled and served over a greek salad and it was to die for. If I do say so myself.


The Only Marinade You'll Ever Need
- 1/4 cup fresh lemon juice (about 2 lemons worth)
- 1/2 tsp hot pepper flakes (I used crushed red pepper)
- 1/2 tsp cracked black pepper
- 1/2 tsp coarse salt (kosher or sea)
- 4 strips lemon zest
- 3 cloves garlic, minced
- 1/4 cup chopped fresh parsley
- 1/4 cup chopped fresh basil, cilantro, oregano, or mix
- 1/2 cup extra virgin olive oil

Combine lemon juice, hot pepper flakes, cracked pepper, and salt in glass bowl and whisk until salt crystals dissolved. Then add lemon zest, garlic, parsley, and other herbs and whisk in olive oil.


The true amazingness of this marinade is the freshness so substituting the squeeze bottle of lemon juice or dried herbs may not be quite as finger-licking, but I think it is still pretty dang good. I literally kept dipping my finger in it while whisking. And after whisking. And then again. And again. I'm salivating now thinking about it. Oh, and I don't know what "strips of lemon zest" are. I just use my microplane grater thingy to get the lemon zest and just wing it with the amount.

A couple things to keep in mind:
* 1/4 cup = 4 tablespoons (this is only important if you wish to halve the recipe, which I thought was perfect for 2 decent size boneless chicken breasts)
* 1 Tbls of fresh herbs = 1 tsp dried herbs (don't be afraid to use dried herbs, they are still good. But fresh herbs are cheap to buy in store. They don't last super long, but they really do make things taste amazing. And like veggies, if you have them in the fridge, you will find ways to use them.)
* If you use fresh herbs, and fresh juice, marinade should be used within 1-2 hours of making.


Marination Times
I still don't think "marination" is a word. But I'll use it. And this doesn't just apply to this marinade so feel free to use for whatever you put together for best results.
- Very large piece of meat: 12-24 hours (brisket, prime rib, turkey, etc.)
- Large piece of meat: 6-12 hours (port tenderloin, racks, whole fish, whole chicken)
- Medium-size piece of meat: 3-8 hours (porterhouse steak, pork chops, chicken halves)
- Medium-to-small piece of meat: 1-3 hours (bone-in chicken breast, fish steaks, tofu, veggies, steaks)
- Small piece of meat: 30 min to 2 hours (boneless chicken, fish fillets, shrimp)


There aren't very many "rules" I set for myself when cooking. But A) I always double the amount of garlic called for in a recipe. And B) I always try to marinate for as long as possible. But I also really love strong flavors.

That's why I love cooking so much! It's trial and error of what works for you: you marinate too long? Cut it down next time. Not long enough? Make it longer next time. You hate garlic? You should be shot. You get the idea.

Butter Baste??? Kobe and I say, "Uh... yes, please!"

Since James was having his Salmon for Dummies last night, I got myself a nice little piece of filet. I wanted to do something different with it as far as seasoning, etc. go and I found this in my Barbeque Bible:

Garlic Butter Baste
- 8 Tbl butter
- 3 cloves garlic, minced
- 1/4 tsp fresh ground black pepper

Melt butter. Add garlic and pepper and cook garlic in butter until translucent. Baste meat, poultry, fish, veggies, etc. while grilling.

Oh butter baste, how do I love thee. Best piece of advice: don't sop too too much on while grilling over flame because the drippings catch on fire and can make a soot taste on food. Other than that, I recommend bathing in this stuff. I also added a little lemon zest to it at the very end and it was nice. The Barbeque Bible says you can add all sorts of spices and herbs and whatnot, but why mess with a good thing I think. Simple, delicious, butter.

Not familiar with the Barbeque Bible?? Get familiar. If you like things that are awesome that is. Otherwise, go back to rookie-ville. I happen to have a black-belt in awesomeness and this little gem helps make that possible.

I recommend eating this tonight because it is yellow. And the Lakers are yellow. I secretly hope Rondo breaks his leg before or during tonight's game. Since my super sweet Pistons fail me yet again, the Lakers are a nice 2nd team to cheer for here in SoCal. C'mon people! Concentrate! Lake Show!!!! 6pm! Make it happen!

Salmon and Salt for Dummies and Dhani

I don't like salmon. There, I said it. And I know that makes me a bad person blah blah blah. BUT I have a husband-to-be that LOVES salmon so I am constantly cooking it even though I don't like it.

You know what I do like, though? Dhani Jones

Dhani Jones, the love of my imaginary life, used to play football at Michigan and now he plays for the Bengals. He has a show on the Travel Channel called "Dhani Tackles the Globe" (Mondays at 8pm I think....Tivo it) where he travels around the world to different countries and plays their sports. He played water polo in Croatia, beach volleyball in Brazil, and this week: Lucha Libre in Mexico City. Ha! I can't wait. He's awesome. And dreamy. And I love him.

Enough about that....back to the food.

FYI: Albertsons grocery store must have read my post about going to Trader Joe's for olive oil because when I went there today, PRESTO! olive oil at drastically reduced prices.

So I can't remember where this salmon recipe came from but it is soooo easy and everyone tells me it is amazing. We are having it for dinner this evening with my dad's pea pods and mushrooms recipe (salt lovers paradise) and one of those Near East long grain and wild rice mixes. Well, that's what James is having. I will be having my beloved red meat.

Dummy factor (1 easiest, 10 hardest): 1 (if you can stir and push buttons, you can cook this)
Cheesy factor (1 no cheese, 10 cheesiest): 1 (Boooooooo)
Time factor (1 shortest, 10 longest): marination (is that a word?) takes a while, but quick cook time

Salmon for Dummies
- Salmon (6 oz. piece per serving)
- 1/4 cup Vegetable Oil
- 1/3 cup Water
- 1/3 cup Soy Sauce
- 1/3 cup Brown Sugar
- Lemon Pepper seasoning
- Garlic Salt (or powder)

Mix oil, water, soy, and brown sugar in bowl until sugar dissolved. Season salmon with lemon pepper seasoning and garlic salt. Put salmon and marinade in plastic ziploc, and marinate in fridge for 2-3 hours. Then bake, broil, or grill.

If you broil, do it for like 2 minutes, then pull out and brush on a little more marinade, and put back under broiler for 2 more minutes, flip, and repeat until it flakes. Or bake in foil with some of the marinade at like 375 deg for 30 minutes (less for rare fish, more for well-done fish).


Pea Pods with Mushrooms
- Sugar Snap Peas (maybe 10-15 per person? eye-ball it)
- Brown or white mushrooms (2-3 per person)
- Olive oil
- Salt

Slice mushrooms, season with salt, and saute in olive oil. Be generous with amount of oil as you will want some extra in the pan. Boil water in pot, then cook pea pods in boiling water for like a minute or two (just long enough that you think they are hot). You want to keep them super crispy, so error on shorter side of time in water. Then take out of water, and toss in the mushroom/oil mixture, and season with salt again, serve immediately.

And if you can resist the urge to drink the excess oil/salt mixture on your plate, then you are a better human than I.


On a side note: some of you told you made comments, but for some reason, I don't see any. Granted I am a blogging novice, but I will look into this. Oh, and my dad, the teacher, wanted to give me some grammar advice, of which I, respectfully, declined. A writer I am not. I use commas like my seasonings: in excess. I just type as I would say it. And if I don't know the answer, sometimes I just make it up. Love me for me. Or for my stellar personality and charm. Not my mediocre writing capabilities.

And finally, my random thought of the day: blogging is great, I realized, because it feels like a socially acceptable way for me to talk to myself.

Next post topic: Over-Seasoners Anonymous. The story of Abby, the Salt and Pepper Monster. Stay-tuned!

Easy and Cheesy Enchiladas

I am so hungry right now and I would probably give my right arm to have these immediately. For those of you that know me well, you know I get cravings for food that will NOT go away until I satisfy them. I am going to be the worst pregnant person ever. I also get extremely cranky when I am hungry so as soon as I am done writing this post, I will be going to eat.

So this recipe is from my friend Francoise. Her and her husband Mark came over for dinner one night, and Francoise made these. They are SO easy. And SO delicious. I literally licked my plate when done. This is a great first posting I think because those of you that don't or can't cook, will have an easy time making these. And they are delicious.

Oh, and my favorite food is cheese. All cheese. Except fontina I recently discovered, which I think is disgusting and actually made me gag. Lot's of my recipes will have gobs of cheese. So if you are lactose intolerant or allergic to dairy, make sure to pay attention to my "cheesy factor" to see if you can eat it. Not probable, but I will make sure to mix in a few here and there without cheese.

Dummy factor: (1 easiest, 10 hardest): 3
Cheesy factor: (1 no cheese, 10 cheesiest): 8
Time factor: (1 shortest, 10 longest): 4

Chicken Enchiladas:
- Tortillas (I like flour but get what you like)
- Can of corn kernals (you should already have these in your pantry, thanks to me)
- Can of black beans
- Can of green chili enchilada sauce (get the big big one, and a medium temp. Don't get mild, you wuss. Trust me.)
- Shredded Cheese (probably a blend of some sort)
- Fresh Cilantro (chopped)
- Chicken Breasts (for herbavores, try grilled or sauted shrimp. I haven't tried it but I bet it's good. Let me know if you try it.)
- Sour Cream (optional. Kind of. You want it.)

Preheat your oven t0 350.

1. Season your chicken breast with a little salt and pepper, and cook in saute pan, or however is easiest and quickest for you to cook chicken. Then slice it. Or cube it. However you like.
2. While chicken is cooking, drain the corn and black beans, then pour into a small pan on stove and heat up.
3. Pour half of the green chilli sauce into the bottom of a casserole dish.
4. Make an assembly line of enchiladas and get to filling: tortillas, then some shredded cheese, chicken, black beans and corn, and finally fresh cilantro. Roll up tortillas with goodies in them and place seam side down on the green chili sauce in the casserole dish.
Repeat until your dish is full.
5. Pour the remaining green chilli sauce over the top of the enchiladas and then put some more shredded cheese over the top. The more cheese the better if you ask me.
6. Place in oven for 15 minutes. Booyah! Serve with sour cream.

P.S. If you become obsessed with these as I have, you will soon realize that they are excellent reheated with a side of scrambled eggs for breakfast. Yes, I said it.

Let's get this pantry started!

I'm not a chef. I'm not an expert cook. But I do love to share my tried and true recipes with friends and family. And I love to talk. So why not start a blog to do both??

The gist of it is I will post a recipe here and there that I have tried out. It will probably be accompanied by a pointless story so beware. I really hope you try them and I promise to try and not lead you astray. And definitely let me know what you think of them if you try them please!

Let's get this pantry started!

So my friends often tell me that they don't cook a lot because they don't have the ingredients necessary. Cooking is an investment. And so is your pantry and your fridge. There are some basic essentials you should have to get started.

Here are the pantry basics. I don't care how small your space is, you have room for this stuff.

Spices
When I said cooking was an investment, I meant it literally. An investment which requires start-up money. Get these spices. Just do it. Yes, I know it is expensive to do all at once. But get what you can immediately, then just add one each time you go to the store to soften the blow to your wallet.
- Dried Basil
- Dried Parsley
- Dried Oregano
- Cumin (ground)
- Chili Powder
- Garlic Salt (or powder)
- Crushed Red Pepper
- Salt
- Pepper
- Cayenne Pepper

Cans
- Tomato Sauce
- Stewed tomatoes
- Tomato paste (small one)
- Diced tomatoes
- Mushrooms
- Cream of Chicken Soup
- Corn
- Crushed Pineapple
- Mandarin Oranges
- Pears
- Jalapenos

Everything Else
- Extra Virgin Olive Oil (for cooking, you don't need to buy the super expensive stuff. Save that for the dipping. The best value I have found so far was you can get a pretty decent size bottle at Trader Joe's for like $8....and with the amount I cook with, you are going to need a lot)
- Vegetable Oil (just get a small one. Unless you bake a lot)
- Canola Oil (just get a small one)
- Worchestershire Sauce (just because you can't pronounce it doesn't mean you shouldn't have it)
- Sugar (smallest bag you can find)
- Balsamic Vinegar (If you like to dip things in this, get the good stuff. But like the olive oil, get a middle of the road one for cooking and salad dressings)
- White wine vinegar (small guy)
- Cidar vinegar (small guy)
- Tobasco

Fridge These are the things I usually try and have in the fridge at all times. And my best advice: buy veggies. If they are there, you will eat them. And they last longer than you think.
- Onion (sweet)
- Garlic Bulb
- Green Bell Pepper
- Red Bell Pepper
- Lemon (at least two)
- Lime (at least one)
- A1 Sauce
- Soy Sauce
- Butter
- Eggs
- Milk (small one if you don't drink it)
- Sour Cream (small one if you don't eat it)


I am sure I have forgotten some things here in there. But for the most part, these are the building blocks for easy cooking. Most of the recipes I cook have ingredients that are already in my fridge/pantry which makes cooking a LOT easier. And after the initial expensive grocery store trip, you are just filling in holes here and there.

Now go to store. Make the investment. And then let's get cooking.