the white plate

Black and Blue Berry Gallette! (Taken with instagram)

Sun, 08 Apr 2012 15:33:49 -0400

Black and Blue Berry Gallette! (Taken with instagram)

Portobello and asparagus tart with goat cheese! (Taken with...

Sun, 08 Apr 2012 15:32:22 -0400

Portobello and asparagus tart with goat cheese! (Taken with instagram)

Summer peach tea punch! (Taken with instagram)

Sun, 08 Apr 2012 15:31:12 -0400

Summer peach tea punch! (Taken with instagram)

Bruschetta with goat cheese and balsamic honey strawberries!...

Sun, 08 Apr 2012 15:30:09 -0400

Bruschetta with goat cheese and balsamic honey strawberries! (Taken with instagram)

Easter menu (Taken with instagram)

Sun, 08 Apr 2012 15:28:58 -0400

Easter menu (Taken with instagram)

Easter lunch! He is risen!!! (Taken with instagram)

Sun, 08 Apr 2012 15:28:02 -0400

Easter lunch! He is risen!!! (Taken with instagram)

My best friend. (Taken with instagram)

Sun, 11 Mar 2012 22:45:37 -0400

My best friend. (Taken with instagram)

A present from my momma! 2 books every cook needs! The ultimate...

Tue, 06 Mar 2012 12:05:02 -0500

A present from my momma! 2 books every cook needs! The ultimate southern living cookbook and the complete cooking light cookbook! (Taken with instagram)

First attempt at zaza’s green and white pizza! (Taken...

Tue, 03 Jan 2012 19:41:20 -0500

First attempt at zaza’s green and white pizza! (Taken with instagram)

Homemade biscotti Christmas treats for the office! (Taken with...

Sun, 11 Dec 2011 21:19:45 -0500

Homemade biscotti Christmas treats for the office! (Taken with instagram)

Sopapilla Cheesecake: This WILL change your life

Tue, 06 Dec 2011 10:21:38 -0500

I had never heard of this recipe until moving to Cabot, where it is a staple at every women’s event our church has held. Seriously. The ladies all fight over who gets to bring it, sometimes we even end up with a couple batches of it. But no matter what, there is NEVER a bit of it left over. You are going to absolutely love this recipe.

Anytime I bring something to a potluck or anything like that, I always feel pressure to be sure and make something REALLY REALLY REALLY good. Usually that means I bring some kind of pie (I do so love pie). But I was so busy last night I knew I wouldn’t have time to make a pie for the lunch potluck we are having today at my work. I was at a loss. I needed to make something that everyone would be raving about, but didn’t have time for one of my good old stand by pies. Then it hit me. Sopapilla Cheesecake. There is nothing easier to make that will be more delicious than that.

Here’s the recipe:

In a mixer, beat 2 boxes of softened cream cheese (16 oz total) with 1 cup of sugar and 1 teaspoon of vanilla.

Line a casserole dish with 1 tube of crescent roll dough (they even make it where its not precut, that works best, but the cut kind is fine too). Press the dough all the way to edges and seal up any holes.

Spread the cream cheese mixture over the dough. Unroll a second tube of dough over the top, pushing it to the edges and sealing up any holes.

Sounds good now, but here’s the best (and also the worst) part. Melt 1 STICK OF BUTTER and POUR IT OVER THE TOP. The sprinkle with 1/2 cup of cinnamon sugar.

Bake at 350 degrees for 35 minutes. Cool completely before eating (that’s the hardest part). I’ve heard it’s good cold too, but I wouldn’t know, it’s never been around long enough to find out.

Easiest and BEST Pork Tenderloin!

Tue, 06 Dec 2011 10:10:33 -0500

Pork tenderloin is one of my favorite main dishes. It is so juicy and tender, and INCREDIBLY easy to cook. I used to always buy the Raspberry Chipotle marinated ones form the store, those converted several of my tenderloin hating friends. They loved them.

However, we moved and none of the stores around me carry it. SO! I have gone to an alternative, but possibly even better recipe that is just so easy and wonderful. You’ll be making this once a week.

Buy a plain, non-marinated pork tenderloin. They usually come in packs of 2. Husband I will usually finish off one just between the 2 of us and save the other for leftovers. This next step is optional, but it makes it taste just so yummy. Mince a few (2ish) cloves of garlic and a few sprigs (stems removed) of fresh rosemary. Add about 1 teaspoon of salt and a few grinds of pepper. Stir up the garlic, rosemary salt and pepper with a little (about 1 teaspoon) of olive oil to make a nice rub. Rub down the whole tenderloin with the mixture. If you don’t want to take as much time on this part, you can just rub with olive oil, salt and pepper, just be sure and season it somehow.

Roast in the oven at 400 degrees for about 30 minutes.

While it is roasting, we fix up the best part, the glaze! This is where you can get really creative. Buy a jar of jam, jelly or marmalade. Easy as that. My favorite is fig jam, I empty the fig jam into a small sauce pot on the stove and add about 2 tablespoons of balsamic vinegar, and season with a little salt and pepper. Give it enough time for the jam to soften and stir it all together. You could also do this orange marmalade (balsamic optional) for a fresh citrus twist! Another great way to do it is with raspberry jam. Instead of balsamic, add about 1 teaspoon of chipotle powder (more or less depending on how spicy you want it) and instead of rubbing the pork with herbs and garlic, rub it with chipotle powder. Basically any jam will make a great glaze, just stay away from things like grape or strawberry that are mainly just sweet.

Once the pork has been roasting about 30 minutes, open the oven and glaze the pork, flip it over and glaze the other side. Then return it to the oven until the internal temperature reaches 150 degrees.

Once the tenderloin is done, allow it to rest before cutting it so all the juices don’t run out. Once it is rested, slice it and pour the remaining glaze and the glaze from teh pan over top. ENJOY!!!

Husband made dinner tonight since I’m sick. Asparagus and...

Thu, 17 Nov 2011 19:41:56 -0500

Husband made dinner tonight since I’m sick. Asparagus and ham frittata!!! (Taken with instagram)

Chocolate Ellie with Caramelized Banana and Brown Butter Ice...

Thu, 03 Nov 2011 23:00:16 -0400

Chocolate Ellie with Caramelized Banana and Brown Butter Ice Cream! (Taken with instagram)

Sticky Toffee Pudding from Best Thing I Ever Ate! Yum!!! (Taken...

Thu, 03 Nov 2011 22:57:59 -0400

Sticky Toffee Pudding from Best Thing I Ever Ate! Yum!!! (Taken with instagram)

Curried Carrot Soup! So husband and I are doing the “Fat...

Tue, 18 Oct 2011 10:30:38 -0400

Curried Carrot Soup!

So husband and I are doing the “Fat Smash Diet” and are in phase 1, which means only fruits, vegetables, 4 egg whites, 2 servings of non-fat yogurt, 1 cup of oatmeal and a cup of brown rice per day. CHALLENGE ACCEPTED! I will create delicious meals for every day of the 9 day phase. Tonight’s Plate? or…bowl? Curried Carrot Soup! A dish I have loved for years and that just so happens to be phase-1-friendly! If you are making this dish for Fat Smash phase 1, keep in mind that this is enough to serve 2, so i used 2 servings of the recommended olive oil, etc.

Carrots are beautiful in color and have a slight perfumy flavor, excellent for this Indian inspired soup! Its nice and spicy, full of flavor with a pop of brightness!

Start by finely chopping an onion (I used 1 1/2 because mine were small, but 1 large would be perfect). In a large pot (my Le Creuset!!!) I added 1 teaspoon of extra virgin olive oil (I would’ve typically added more, but the diet only allows a certain amount). Add the onions and stir around, add 1 1/4 teaspoons of curry powder, 1/2 teaspoon of dried basil, 1/2 teaspoon of cumin, and 1/2 teaspoon of ginger powder (fresh grated ginger would be great here too!) I may have also added a hint of cardamom. Stir it all up and saute for a few minutes over medium heat until the onions are translucent and soft.

While the onions and spices are sauteing, peel and dice the carrots. Ideally, you would use about 2 lbs of carrots, but I didn’t have that many so I used about 3 cups chopped carrots and 2 peeled and diced sweet potatoes. The sweet potato is a great substitute for carrot, but if you have enough carrots I suggest you use all carrot. Once the carrots are chopped, add the to the sauteed onions and spices along with 2 boxes of vegetable stock. Stir it all together, bring it to a boil, then lower the heat and simmer for about 20 minutes.

Peel, core and finely dice 1 gala apple, set aside. Zest one lemon, set zest aside, juice lemon into a bowl, remove seeds, set aside.

When the soup has been cooking for 20 minutes, add the diced apple and the zest, cook for another 5 minutes. Then, it’s time to blend it! I use my emersion blender (one of my FAVORITE kitchen tools, you should get one), but if you don’t have an emersion blender a regular blender will do, you’ll just have to pour the soup into the blender, possibly in batches, and be careful when blending hot liquids. If you’re using an emersion blender, just stick the stick in the pot and blend until you get a nice smooth consistency. If the soup seems to be too watery or brothy, finely dice another couple carrots or sweet potato and add it to the pot, then boil for another 5 minutes or so, then blend again. Add 1/2 a cup of non-fat plain yogurt, 1 teaspoon of sea salt and the lemon juice, blend. Taste the soup, if it needs more spice, add more curry and ginger, if it’s plenty spicy but needs more smokiness, add more cumin, if it needs more freshness, add more lemon, if it needs more sweetness, add more apple, if it’s not too salty, most of the time salt is just what a dish needs to enhance all the other flavors. If needed, blend the soup once more so all the ingredients get mixed together nicely.

For the topping, since we can’t have nice buttery croutons, I fixed up some savory granola. On a baking sheet, spread half a cup of oats, drizzle with 3 teaspoons of olive oil, season with salt, pepper and an herb blend. Roast in the oven at 350 degrees for 5 minutes, then toss with a spatula, then let it go another 5 minutes or so.

Top each bowl of soup with a dollop of non-fat plain yogurt, and sprinkle with savory granola. This recipe actually made enough for us to each enjoy a bowl for dinner, and have 3 mason jar serving for lunches the following days! Enjoy!

Mexican pork and lime soup! This soup kind of happened by...

Sun, 09 Oct 2011 20:33:00 -0400

Mexican pork and lime soup!

This soup kind of happened by accident, but it is so yummy and exactly what I was craving!!! So I had planned on making a recipe I found on pinterest for brown sugar balsamic glazed pork loin in the crock pot. You rub the pork loin with a mixture of salt, pepper, garlic and tarragon, then put in the crock pot with 1/2 a cup of water for 6-8 hours. An hour before it finishes, you are supposed to glaze it with a combination of brown sugar, balsamic vinegar, corn starch and soy sauce.

So I had my pork in the crock pot cooking away, seasoned simply with the salt, pepper, garlic and herbs. Husband and I have been trying to eat a little healthier, so I started feeling bad about smothering our dinner in sugar. Then I stumbled (on pinterest) upon this delicious looking recipe for Rachel Ray’s Chicken Lime Soup and after that I just had this craving for a good mexican soup so I changed our dinner plans and created this gem! I didn’t really follow Rachel’s recipe, it was just my inspiration.

When I got home, I checked the crock-pot and found the meat cooking away nicely, I shredded up the pork and added 2 quarts of chicken stock. In a saute pan over medium heat, I added about a tablespoon of olive oil, and then I threw in 1 onion, diced, and 4 cloves of garlic, minced. Saute those for several minutes until they are soft and translucent. Next, I added 2 cans of pinto beans, but in the future I’ll probably add 3 because there weren’t quite enough. Be sure to strain and rinse the beans before adding them. Stir all the onions and beans around in the pan for a few minutes until the beans are soft and warm. Smash a few of them to be a thickener to the soup, but only about 1/4 of them.

This next part gets a little weird. Rachel’s recipe called for 2 chipotles and a tablespoon of the the adobo sauce they come in, which would have been DELICIOUS, however! KROGER didn’t have any CHIPOTLES!!!! I know!!! So, I stood on the aisle for like 10 minutes trying to decide what to do instead, when I saw a jar of Chipotle Enchilada Sauce, you know, the red stuff that comes on enchiladas, and this one happened to be chipotle flavored. In an act of desperation I bought the enchilada sauce and hoped it would work. At first I only added a little, but then it needed more, then more, then I had added the whole jar. It added great flavor, but not quite enough spice, so I added about a tablespoon of chili powder, a half teaspoon of chipotle powder, and a teaspoon of cumin. Stir that all around in the pan, then dump it all in the crock pot with the pork and stock. Stir it up, and let it simmer in the crock pot for a good while longer to let all the flavors marry. I let it go about another hour, but really you could’ve eaten it right away.

Right before serving, I added the juice of 2 limes to the whole pot. Once I ladled a bowl, I squeezed another quarter of a lime into it, although you could serve the lime on the side, it just adds a fresh brightness to each bowl! Top each bowl with a few slices of avocado, yum!!! And sprinkle the each bowl with some fresh chopped cilantro! This soup is so great, meaty, spicy and hearty, yet still fresh and bright with the lime and cilantro! We ate it with tortilla chips. Enjoy!!!(Taken with instagram)

Roasted potatoes and Brussels with bacon and brown sugar! I know...

Mon, 03 Oct 2011 20:33:00 -0400

Roasted potatoes and Brussels with bacon and brown sugar! I know as soon as you hear the word “brussels sprouts” you instantly are no longer interested in this recipe, but here they’re just so crisp and delicious, irresistible! Husband, who hates brussels sprouts, even said he didn’t mind them in this and he had seconds.

Start by prepping all your veggies, quarter about 3 cups worth of potatoes, I used little golden butter potatoes, but redskins would work great too. Cut the bottom off each sprout and cut it in half, then remove any of the outer leaves that may be wilted or unsavory. Boil a pot of water big enough to fit all the potatoes. Once the water is boiling, slat it and add the potatoes. Boil them for just a few minutes until they are tender but maintain their shape. Once they are done, remove them from the water and set them aside with the brussels sprouts.

In a pan, crisp up about half a package of bacon, I used maple because that’s what I had on hand and it was delicious! Once the bacon is crispy, remove it from the pan, but save the fat in the pan. Toss all the potatoes and brussels sprouts into a baking sheet with edges, pour the reserved bacon fat over them. I know that may sound gross or super unhealthy, it probably is but it tastes amazing. If you want to make this healthier you can always just use olive oil instead and it would still be wonderful. Toss the veggies around so they al get evenly coated and season with salt and pepper. Put them in a 420 degree oven, turning ever 5 minutes for abut 15 minutes, or until the brussels sprouts are tender and the potatoes are crispy.

While the veggies are roasting, prepare the dressing! Chop up all the bacon into bit sized pieces. Put it in a mixing bowl along with 2 tablespoons of dijon mustard, 1/2 cup of brown sugar, 2 tablespoons of apple cider vinegar, and I used more reserved bacon fat that I saved from the last time I used the bacon, but 1/4 cup of olive oil would work great here too. Whisk it all together.

Once the veggies are done roasting and look delicious, remove them from the oven and dump them into a large serving bowl, pour the bacony dressing down over the top, toss it all together so each little morsel is covered with the sweet, salty, tangy dressing. ENJOY!!!

For a much healthier alternative you could easily remove the bacon altogether and use olive oil instead of bacon fat. It would taste different but definitely still be yummy and much healthier.

(Taken with instagram)

Citrus roasted chicken breast! This is an easy recipe that I...

Mon, 03 Oct 2011 20:31:00 -0400

Citrus roasted chicken breast! This is an easy recipe that I make with a whole chicken a lot, but for just me and husband I figured 2 chicken breast would suffice.

Start with 2 bone-in skin-on chicken breast. Season each with salt and pepper. In a small bowl, combine the juice of 2 oranges and 2 lemons, 2 tablespoons of olive oil, 1 tablespoon of honey, about 1 tablespoon of chopped fresh rosemary, and a minced clove of garlic. whisk it all together. Spoon a bit of this mixture over the chicken and save the rest.

In a roasting pan, make a bed of all the juiced orange and lemon halves, throw in 6 cloves or garlic, halved, and a few sprigs of rosemary. Lay the chicken breasts atop the bed of citrus and roast in a 420 degree oven. Every 10 minutes or so glaze them with a bit more of the citrus juice mixture. Keep roasting until the chicken reaches an internal temperature of 170 degrees. Let it rest a few minutes before serving. I pour all the pan juices into a bowl and serve it with the chicken as a sauce. So delicious! (Taken with instagram)

Roasted pear and gorgonzola salad! This is one of my favorite...

Sat, 01 Oct 2011 18:45:00 -0400

Roasted pear and gorgonzola salad! This is one of my favorite dishes for fall, although you could probably make it delicious year round. It’s a fresh bed of baby greens tossed in a light vinaigrette, then topped with a decadent roasted pear that’s stuffed with gorgonzola, walnuts and honey with a sprinkling of bacon over the top. The pears are warm and sweet, the cheese is sweet and sharp and melty, the bacon adds just the right amount of salty, meatiness. I can’t get enough!

To make 4 salads, start with 2 red pears (I’m not sure which I used, just the brightest red ones at Walmart) cut them in half, and using a spoon, core out the center with the seeds, and cut out the small tough strip going down the center from the stem. In a small bowl, combine 1 tablespoon of melted butter and one tablespoon of honey. brush the cut side of the pears with the melted honey-butter mixture, season with salt and pepper. Arrange them cut side up on a baking sheet (I put foil down first for easy clean up) and bake them in a 375 degree oven for 15 minutes.

While the pears are baking, prepare the gorgonzola mixture. combine 1/4 cup of chopped walnuts with 1/4 cup of gorgonzola cheese, 2 tablespoons of honey and about 1 teaspoon of thyme. Mix it all together and set it aside.

Next I start on my bacon. A little easy trick for cooking with bacon where you’re going to want it in bacon bits or small strips, it’s easiest to cut when frozen, so I freeze my block of bacon, then using kitchen shears I cut of about 1 inch, going through all the layers of strips. This makes it super easy to cut through, and as it starts to heat up in the pan the layers thaw and come apart. I used about 2 inches of a package of MAPLE bacon. You could use regular bacon, applewood smoked, whatever you have or prefer, I went with maple to add a bit of extra sweetness. The original recipe calls for pancetta, but my grocery store didn’t have any. One the bacon is crispy, remove it and let it cool. This next step is optional, I’ve made it both ways and like them both equally, this is just a bit more economical. Pour the bacon fat from the pan into a medium bowl, add 2 tablespoons of dijon mustard, 2 tablespoons of honey, and 2 tablespoons of apple cider vinegar. Whisk together, taste, if it is too strong or too thick, add some extra virgin olive oil. The alternative is to use all olive oil rather than the bacon fat. Both are delicious, but the bacon fat has a little more flavor and it’s not wasteful! Season with salt and pepper.

By now your pears have probably been in the oven a full 15 minutes, so when that 15 minutes is over, pull them out of the oven and stuff the bowl of each evenly with a spoonful of the gorgonzola mixture. Chop a few more walnuts and sprinkle them over the pears with the gorgonzola filling. Put back in the oven for 3 more minutes.

While the pears are finishing, get everything ready to serve. In the bowl with the dressing, add a few handfuls of baby greens and toss. Place a bed of dressed greens on each plate. Chop the cooled bacon into bit sized pieces. Once the pears are done, remove them from the oven. place one pear half on each salad and sprinkle each salad with the chopped bacon. YUM!

The salad stays nice and fresh and that vinaigrette adds a delicious pop in your mouth. The pears are sweet and delicious which perfectly compliments the tangy dressing, the salty bacon, and the creamy, sharp cheese. The cheese filling mixture oozes out of the pears and becomes almost like a creamy dressing for the salad. I can’t get enough of this one! Husband and I each had one for lunch the other day and he said he could eat just a plate of the pears alone! Sometimes for dinner I’ll make a salad with both pear halves just for myself like in the picture above :) (Taken with instagram)