Mummy Dogs

I'm a recipe junkie. Not only do I have tons of cookbooks, but I also have a folder full of recipes that I've pulled from various magazines over the years.

This is a recipe that's been in my folder for quite a few years. I finally decided to give it a try. So for fun on Halloween last year, I made Mummy Dogs for dinner.

They may not have turned out perfectly, but my kids didn't seem to mind. They got a kick out of them.

(If you want to try your hand at these, the one of the far left is the one to aspire to.)

Mummy Dogs

Rhodes Dinner Rolls, thawed but still cold
Hot dogs
Mustard/Ketchup

For each Mummy Dog, cut one dinner roll in half.  Roll each half into a 22-24 inch rope.  Wrap one rope around hot dog from bottom up 4 and  1/2 inches.  Cut a 1 and  1/2 inch piece off of the second rope and set aside. 

Then wrap the second rope around the hot dog from the bottom up 4 and  1/2 inches going the opposite way.  Wrap the 1 and  1/2 inch piece around the top of the hot dog. 

Place Mummy Dogs on a sprayed baking sheet and bake at 350 degrees for 10-15 minutes or until lightly browned.  Remove from oven, cool slightly and add mustard eyes.  Serve warm with mustard/ketchup.

I hope you enjoy!

A very happy weekend to all.

Le Love, Sweet Le Love

Yes, sweet le love for Le Creuset!



This little beauty is mine, all mine!



I have wanted one of these braisers for the longest time. I saved up for it & although I experienced a few seconds of panic right before I clicked on the "process order button," I can honestly say that all panic has left me. I love it...it's like my little piece of cooking heaven. It cooks beautifully & cleans beautifully.

What more can a chef wannabe ask for?

Excuse Me, Mr. Parsley Lover

Recently, with a pot of homemade sauce simmering away on the stove, I set out to make meatballs.

I love summer because I am able to grow my own Italian flat leaf parsley & just hop out my back door for fresh parsley whenever I wish.

On this particular day, as I grabbed a handful of the herb, I nearly jumped out of my skin when I saw this:



I am no bug lover so upon closer examination (yet with one foot ready to run should he attack me) it appears that this fellow enjoys eating parsley. He has eaten all the leaves off that stem.



Honestly now. Do all caterpillars eat parsley or have I discovered the only one who finds a feast in Italian parsley? I've been checking for him for several days now & he is still hanging out on that same spot of parsley. Weird.

Since he obviously loves parsley, of the Italian flat leaf variety, perhaps I should name him Carmine? Carmine the Caterpillar, mio amico. Si?

Caprese Pasta Salad

I made this salad for a cookout that we had recently. It was very well received so I thought I'd share it with all of you. I believe it came from the Food Network magazine.

Now might be a good time to admit that I, personally, did not try this salad. Brace yourselves for this declaration....I don't like tomatoes. I know, I know, terrible, isn't it? They look so delicious, but as they enter my mouth, no, can't do it. (Somewhere my Italian ancestors are crying out in horror. LOL)



I'm taking a gamble here sharing something that I haven't tried, but like I said, it was well received by my tomato loving family.

Caprese Pasta Salad

1/3 cup extra virgin olive oil
1/4 cup fresh lemon juice
1 shallot, minced
1 small clove garlic, minced
Kosher salt & freshly ground pepper
1 teaspoon sugar (optional)
2 pounds mixed heirloom tomatoes, cored, seeded and cut into 1/2 inch pieces
1 pound pasta, such as campanelle (I used this), penne or fusilli
12 ounces fresh mozzarella cheese, cut into 1/2 inch pieces (if you're anything like me, you'll have to clench your jaw tight not to eat all of this before it hits the salad! lol)
1/2 cup chopped fresh basil (I used less)
1/2 teaspoon grated lemon zest

Whisk the olive oil, lemon juice, shallot and garlic in a large bowl. Season with salt & pepper. Add sugar, if desired (depending on the sweetness of your tomatoes). Add the tomatoes and gently toss. Marinate at room temperature, about 15 minutes.

Meanwhile, bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Add the pasta and cook as the label directs. (I like mine al dente) Drain in a colander and run under cold water to stop the cooking.

Add the pasta and mozzarella to the tomato mixture and toss. Stir in the basil and lemon zest, and season with salt & pepper. Refrigerate, tossing occasionally, until serving.

Good, simple ingredients & a cinch to make. What's not to love? (I won't answer that.)

Tortellini Salad

We have a local Italian eatery that makes a delicious Tortellini Salad. I love it & since it didn't seem complicated to recreate, I went ahead & made my own.



Truthfully, I think I came pretty darn close to the original.
I obviously don't have an actual recipe, but I'll tell you what I did.


Tortellini Salad

1 package tricolor tortellini, the refrigerated kind, I used a family size package
1 can of black olives
1 12 oz. jar of roasted red peppers
1 16 oz. piece of mozzarella
1 packet of Good Seasons dressing mix, prepared with EVOO & balsamic vinegar

I cooked the tortellini. You want it to be less than al dente. The package said to cook for 8-11 minutes, I cooked it for 6 minutes.

Drain the tortellini & let cool. I then cut the mozzarella & the roasted red peppers into bite sized pieces. Drain the olives, add them to a bowl with the mozzarella & peppers. Once the tortellini are cool, add them to the bowl as well. Pour the salad dressing over top. Mix it all up. Let marinate in the refrigerator for a few hours. Now eat & enjoy!

Pretty simple really. I would imagine you could add whatever you wanted to this to switch it up to suit your tastes, but I love it as is like the original.

Sweet Nigella

If you've been around here awhile or know me at all, you will know that I have a crazy love of cookbooks. I love to buy them, I love to use them, I even love to read them...just like novels.

A week after Christmas, my daughter & I were at Barnes & Noble. I saw Nigella Lawson's cookbook, Nigella Kitchen, for 50% off. I love to watch Nigella. There's just something about her...maybe her British accent, maybe how eloquently she speaks of the food...I don't know...I just love her.

Anyway, I picked up her book, scanned through it & talked myself out of buying it. Several days later? Total regret. Why didn't I just buy it? It was 50% off for Pete's sake!

The following week, my daughter & I went to Barnes & Noble again. (Book lovers, the two of us.) As we were browsing, I came across her cookbook once again, fortunately still 50% off, & I quickly grabbed it.

Can I just tell you how much I love this cookbook? Honestly, I think this one is a keeper. It is filled with normal recipes with mostly normal ingredients and lots of great photos. I highly recommend it.

So, do you have any favorite cookbooks that you'd like to share with this cookbook crazed girl?

Pasta Salad

With summer so close I can almost taste it, I thought I'd make a summer salad...a pasta salad to be exact.



Pasta Salad

1 pkg. (7 ounces) tricolor spiral pasta
6 oz. hard salami, julienned
6 oz. provolone cheese, cubed
1 can (2 1/4 oz.) sliced black olives, drained
1 small red onion, thinly sliced
1 small zucchini, halved and thinly sliced
1/2 cup each chopped green pepper and chopped sweet red pepper
1/4 cup minced fresh parsley
1/4 cup grated Parmigiano cheese
1/2 cup olive oil
1/4 cup red wine vinegar
1 garlic clove, minced
1 1/2 tsp. ground mustard
1 tsp. dried basil
1 tsp. dried oregano
1/4 salt
dash of pepper
2 medium tomatoes, cut into wedges

Cook pasta according to package directions; rinse in cold water and drain. In a large bowl add pasta and next 9 ingredients. In a jar with a tight fitting lid, combine oil, vinegar, garlic, mustard, basil, oregano, salt & pepper; shake well. Pour over salad; toss to coat. Cover and chill for 8 hours or overnight. Toss before serving. Garnish with tomatoes.
Makes 10-12 servings.


Don't let the long list of ingredients scare you. It's not that many ingredients and it's a snap to put together.



Pull up a chair, grab a bowl and enjoy!

Eggplant Focaccia

Today, I am participating in Foodie Friday at Designs by Gollum.


I know, I know. How can I have the nerve to post delicious recipes when I'm supposed to be dieting? Well, I am still dieting, but because I have a passion for cooking and baking, it's difficult to not get in the kitchen and stir up some love. I will be honest, I did have one piece of this loveliness and it was DE-lish! (I had to sample it, right? How could I post this if I had no idea what it tasted like? Oh, how I suffer for my blog readers! ;) Heehee!


The recipe came from Everyday Food magazine. Here it is:
Eggplant Focaccia

1 medium eggplant (1/2 pound, cut into 1/4-inch thick slices)
coarse salt
all-purpose flour, for rolling
1 ball (1 pound) homemade or store bought pizza dough
2 tablespoons fine cornmeal
6 tablespoons olive oil
1 cup shredded Emmentaler cheese (4 ounces) or other type of Swiss
2 tablespoons chopped fresh oregano

In a colander, toss eggplant with 1 1/2 teaspoons salt. Let stand 30 minutes. Press slices between a double layer of paper towels to dry and set aside.
Preheat oven to 400 degrees; place a rimless baking sheet or inverted rimmed backing sheet in oven. On a floured surface, roll out dough to 1/2-inch thickness. Sprinkle cornmeal on another baking sheet or inverted rimmed baking sheet or lightweight wooden board; top with dough (you will transfer it onto the preheated sheet to cook).
Brush dough with 3 tablespoons oil and sprinkle with 1/2 cup cheese. Layer on eggplant; top with 3 tablespoons oil, oregano and 1/2 cup cheese. Let stand 30 minutes. Give sheet a gentle shake to ensure dough isn't sticking.
Carefully remove baking sheet from oven and slide focaccia onto sheet. Return to oven and bake until bottom of focaccia is crispy and edges are golden, 20 minutes. Serve warm or at room temperature.
Now enjoy!

Yum!

For dinner tonight, I decided to try something different, something I have never made before...Lasagna Rollups. They were so delicious and really easy to make too!

Want some?

We've been pretty busy around here. Lots of shopping going on for school...we start on the 8th. I'm looking forward to getting back to work, and then again, I'm not. I've been pretty productive this summer so just think of all I could continue to get done if I didn't have to work! Actually, I'd be better off to go to work...I need a rest! LOL