Buffalo Bites for Game Time or Anytime

 Buffalo Chicken bites and tenders are one of my favorite things to have as an appetizer out with friends or as a game time snack. However, the deep fried and breaded chicken is not the healthiest thing to eat, especially if it also being dipped in bleu cheese dressing!

 Betty Crocker has a recipe that you can lightly bread pieces of chicken in Bisquick and cornmeal that you can dip in reduced/ lower fat homemade Bleu Cheese Sauce.

Of course I made just a few modifications from the original to get in some Munroe Dairy/ Cowtruck love!

Ingredients:

• 1 egg white
• 1/3 hot wing sauce (like Frank's Red Hot)
• 1 lb of boneless skinless chicken breast cut into 1" pieces
• 3/4 cup of Original Bisquick mix
• 3 tbsp of Kenyon's Cornmeal
• 1 tsp of salt
• 1/2 tsp of pepper

 In a large bowl mix the buffalo sauce and egg white until combined. Add the chicken bites to the mixture. Cover the bowl and refrigerate for at least one hour to marinate the chicken.
 In a resealable plastic bag add the Bisquick, cornmeal, salt and pepper. Using a slotted spoon add a few pieces of the marinated chicken to the bag and toss around until evenly coated. remove the coated chicken from the bag with the spoon and place on a line cookie sheet. Repeat until all of the chicken is coated. 

  Place the cookie sheet into a 400*f oven on the middle rack and cook the bites for 15 to 18 minutes or until fully cooked (times may vary depending on the thickness and size of the chicken bites.) 

 You can also do the same thing to Cauliflower!!! This is perfect for those Meatless Monday Night Games...

 Just switch the chicken out for one head of cauliflower. Cut the into 1" florets and treat it the same way. The cooking time even remains the same!

Reduced Fat Bleu Cheese Dipping Sauce:

• 3/4 cup of crumbled Bleu Cheese
• 6 tbsp of Low Fat Cabot Sour Cream 
• 6 tbsp of Low Fat Mayonnaise
• 3 tbsp of Low Fat Milk

Combine all of the ingredients in a bowl and combine together. Cover the bowl and place in the refrigerator until ready to serve. 

Roasted Butternut Squash and Apple Soup

  Tis the season of apple picking, squash, pumpkin and all things Fall. The leaves are now turning their seasonal bright red, yellows and oranges, the nights are getting crisper and there is the faint smell of a fireplace burning. In my household this also means it is the time of year for soups, chili and stew. I love soup and could eat it almost everyday! I am not sure if I have a favorite type but, Butternut Squash is in the top 10 of favorites and over the years I have made many different varieties of it. Some have bacon, carrots, cranberries, and sweet sweet fall apples.

 

Butternut Squash & Apple Soup

Ingredients

• 1 medium Yellow Onion (chopped 1" pieces)
• 1 rib of Celery chopped
• 1 Carrot chopped 
• 2 Shallots chopped
• 4 cloves of Garlic
• 1 - 20 oz package of Diced Butternut Squash
• 1 large hearty Apple cored and diced (Gala, Granny Smith, or Fuji)
• 4 cups of Chicken or Vegetable Broth
• 1 Bay Leaf
• 2 tbsp of Olive Oil 
• Salt & Pepper
• 1 cup Whole Milk or Light Cream

Photo Credit: Choosing Raw 

 On a lined cookie sheet place the onion, celery, shallots, garlic, apple, squash and bay leaf. Drizzle evenly with olive oil and sprinkle with salt and fresh ground pepper. Roast in a 425*f oven for 25 to 30 minutes or just until softened and the corners are turning brown. (Can be roasted ahead of time by one day.) Remove the Bay Leaf and discard

  In a large stock pot add the butter over medium heat. When the butter has just melted add the roasted vegetables to the pot and cook for 5 before adding the broth. Once the broth is added simmer for 30 minutes until all the vegetables are very soft. Let the soup cool slightly before adding it to the food processor for blending or before using an immersion blender. Once the soup is blended add the milk to the cooled soup and incorporate it before returning the pot to the stove to bring to serving temperature.

Serve the soup in bowls with a dollop of Cabot Sour Cream! 

Shameless French Fries in All Flavors

Photo Credit: Oprah.com

 French Fries are often a favorite of kids (and adults too!) They are the ying to a burger or chicken tenders yang. With more families watch the quality of food and nutrition that makes it to the dinner table these days french fries are more of a treat than a stable.  But, this does not always have to be the case... French fries do not have to be made with potatoes and they do not have to be fried. They can be made with all types of vegetables and baked in the oven with a deceiving crisp of deep fired goodness.

  It all starts with a simple batter or coating for the "fries." My favorite is a simple base of Kenyon's Cornmeal, flour, salt, and eggs. It is a the foundation for a crispy coating that will impress event the pickiest of eaters and you can build on it by adding your own seasonings like, fresh herbs, dried peppers, and grated cheeses.

Coating Ingredients:

• 8 ounces of sliced vegetable (sticks) 
• 2 large eggs beaten
• 2 tsp of salt
• 1/2 cup of Kenyon's Cornmeal
• 1/4 cup of unbleached flour   

In a medium shallow bowl beat the eggs and set aside. In a large shallow bowl combine the salt, cornmeal, flour and seasoning of your choice.
 First dip (or dredge) the vegetables in the egg and then coat them in the cornmeal four mixture. Place the coated vegetables on a lined cookie sheet. Bake the fries at 425*f for 15 to 20 minutes or until the coating is crispy and golden brown.

Serve with BBQ, ketchup, or any sauce of your choosing!

Here are a few of my favorites...

Quick and Easy Cheaters Aioli:

Spicy Siracha Aioli

• 1 tsp of roasted garlic(from a jar or tube)
• 1 tbsp of olive oil (not EVOO)
• 3/4 cup of light Mayonnaise
• 1 tsp of Siracha Sauce

 In a bowl combine all of the ingredients together and serve. 

Chipolte Aioli

• 1 tsp of roasted garlic(from a jar or tube)
• 1 tbsp of olive oil (not EVOO)
• 3/4 cup of light Mayonnaise
• 1 tsp of Chipolte Pepper Flakes

 In a bowl combine all of the ingredients together and serve. 

Tarragon Aioli

• 1 tsp of roasted garlic(from a jar or tube)
• 1 tbsp of olive oil (not EVOO)
• 3/4 cup of light Mayonnaise
• 1 tsp of dried Tarragon or 2 tbsp of fresh chopped

 In a bowl combine all of the ingredients together and serve. 

Grilled Salmon and Avocado Salad

  Now that the 4th of July is past, it is time to move on from the hot dogs and hamburgers. I am not sure about you but, I am definitely burger and dogged out!
 With the hot summer days and nights it the perfect time for me to start perfecting my summer salads again. The last thing I want to do is turn on the oven and bring the temperature of the kitchen up by another 20 degrees. So... For the next 8 weeks my grill will be in over drive cooking up all the dinner table essential!
 A few weeks back I was looking for a light and flavorful salmon salad when I stumbled across this fresh little thing over at avocado.org. There were some slight changes that had to made in order to use the ingredients that I had on hand that came in my delivery from the cowtruck. Also, the whole thing came together in less than 30 minutes!!

Grilled Salmon:
 2 - 8oz filets of Salmon
 1/4 cup of olive oil
 1 tablespoon of Orange Juice
 Sea Salt & Pepper to taste

Salad:
 1/4 a package of Olivia's Baby Spinach
 1/4 a package of Olivia's Mixed Greens
 1/2 a red onion sliced thin
 1/4 cup of English Cucumber Sliced thin
 1 orange, peeled and sliced (pith removed*)
 1 avocado sliced
 1/4 cup of Narragansett Creamery Salty Sea Feta Crumbled
 1 ear of fresh grilled corn off the cob
 1/4 cup of D.E. Vine Honey Balsamic Dressing 

Combine the olive oil and orange juice in a bowl with the salt and pepper. Marinate the defrosted Salmon in the olive oil and orange juice for at least 15 minutes while you prepare the salad ingredients (can be marinaded for longer in the refrigerator.) Grill over medium heat for 6 to 8 minutes on the bottom side, then flip and cook for another 6 to 8 minutes.

 In a large bowl toss together the all the salad ingredients with the salad dressing until evenly coated. Plate the salad onto two plate or large pasta bowls and top with the grilled salmon. Serve and Enjoy!

 I have also served this same salad with a scoop of Quinoa or Couscous over the greens and under the salmon either warm or chilled. It is a great way to use up extra left overs that you might have in the fridge. Left over grilled vegetables are another great options too.
 Chicken, shrimp or cod can also be substituted for the salmon using the same marinade. Just make sure to adjust your grilling time.

 *Leaving the pith on the orange will cause a bitter aftertaste that can offset the flavors of the salad.

Have Chicken, Bacon & Ranch. Will Make Pizza!

In my house pizza is always a winner for dinner any night. However, I am always up for trying something new and different. Pizza can be a great way of getting creative and cleaning out the fridge at the same time!

photo credit: Feisty Fork

   The other day I was perusing the perusing the internet looking for new ideas to add to my list of must try's when I came upon a post over at The Feisty Fork. It immediately caught my eye as a yummy and easy dinner choice for a weeknight meal. Because, it was a Monday I cheated with the Top This! Pizza Crusts instead of a making my own dough or using frozen. However, it did cut the prep time down significantly!

Makes 2 Pizza's

 1 Package of Whole Wheat or White Top This! Pizza Crusts
 8 oz of your favorite ranch dressing
 1 package of Supreme Shredded Cheddar Cheese
 2 Maine Backyard Tomatoes diced
 1 red onion chopped
 1 cup of corn kernels
 1/2 lb of cooked Plumrose Bacon crumbled
 3 grilled chicken breasts chopped

Preheat the oven to 500*f or the grill to 600*f. If you are using a  pizza stone make sure to preheat the stone in the oven or on the grill.

  Using a spoon or spatula evenly spread the ranch dressing down on the base of the pizza as you would the sauce. Next layer on the rest of the toppings to evenly cove the crust of the pizza. Make sure to not gather too many toppings in the center of the crust as it will weight it down and get soggy. Finish the pizza with the cheese.

 Bake in the oven for 10 to 12 minutes or until the edges of the crust are golden brown and the cheese is melted. Let the pizza sit for 2 to 4 minutes before slicing so you do not pull the topping when cutting.
 Slice and enjoy with a yummy summer salad or fresh garden veggies on the side!

Fresh Lemon Garlic Grilled Shrimp Caesar Salad

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

photo credit: The Salon

  I had found an amazing looking salad over at the Salon Kitchen Challenge. It was the winning entry by Lucy Mercer for a Loaded Caesar Salad with lemon, garlic shrimp and avocado. It had immediately caught my eye and stomach. The salad itself is so versatile, in being that you can add more fresh veggies, change the shrimp for salmon, chicken or steak of just leave it as is (which is excellent!)

I have made a few adaptions from Lucy's Original Recipe work with what is available from the Cowtruck and to also adapt to what I already had in my fridge too ;)

Caesar Dressing:

 2 lg egg yolks
 1 tbsp  of fresh lemon juice
 1 tbsp of white wine vinegar
 1/2 tsp of  Worcestershire sauce
 1 tbsp of Dijon mustard
 1/4 tsp of anchovy paste*
 1/4 cup of olive oil**

 In a blender combine all of the ingredients, except for the oil, and blend until full combined (you can whisk if a blender is not available.) Slowly add the oil the other ingredients until it is emulsified. Refrigerate the dressing until ready to serve. Can be made ahead by 4 hours.

* I keep a tube of anchovy paste in my refrigerator at all times. It is easier and more economical than dealing with cans of anchovies.
** Note that the recipe calls for olive oil not extra virgin olive oil. The EVOO flavor will be too strong for the dressing and over power the rest of the ingredients.

For the Salad:
 
 2 heads of romaine lettuce chopped into 1 inch bite sized pieces
 1/4 cup of grated Atwell's Gold Cheese from Narragansett Creamery
 1/2 red onion diced
 1 avocado diced
 
 Just before serving toss the lettuce in the dressing. Equally the divide the lettuce onto four salad plates. Top each bowl with avocado and red onion and a sprinkling of Atwell's Gold Cheese.  Lay 2 skewers of cooked over each bowl of salad

Lemon Garlic Shrimp

 32 peeled shrimp 
 3 cloves of garlic, minced
 2 tbsp of olive oil
 3 tbsp of fresh lemon juice
 sea salt and fresh ground pepper to taste
 soak 8 -  4" skewers in water

 In a large bowl combine all of the ingredients and whisk together.  Toss the shrimp in the marinade until it is fully dressed. Cover the bowl and let it rest in the refrigerator for at least one hour.
 Skewer the marinaded shrimp five to six shrimp to a skewer.
On a preheated grill (medium to 400*f) lay the skewers on the grill grates and brush with the remaining marinade. After about 4 minutes flip the shrimp and cook until they are pink (about 1 to 2 minutes.)

 In place of the croutons I had made bread sticks using frozen pizza dough.

1lb of defrosted whole wheat pizza dough defrosted.
2 tbsp of melted unsalted butter
3 cloves of crushed garlic
sea salt & pepper to taste
sprinkling of chopped parsley

 Defrost the dough and work it into 8 equal sized balls. Roll the ball into tubes about 1/2 - 3/4 in thick and about 3 to 4" long.
 On a lined baking sheet or warm pizza stone place the bread sticks into a preheated 450*f degree oven for 12 to 14 minutes or until golden brown.
Pull the rack with bread stick out of the oven and brush the tops of the bread sticks with the melted butter and sprinkle with the salt, pepper, garlic and parsley. Return the rack to it's place and bake for another 2 to 3 minutes.
Serve the bread sticks warm with the salad.

DIY Deviled Egg Bar

  Bring it Back Old School with a Deviled Egg Bar!

Photo Credit: Maddycakes Muse

  Deviled Eggs were a staple of my youth. You could expect to find them at every family gathering, holiday and garden party. My mother even had a plate that was in the shape of the chicken with small grooves in place to hold the eggs so they would not slide around.
 Over the past few years I have seen deviled eggs appear as a retro option on an appetizer menu with different twists on the classic like: pulled pork, raisins and curry, and always bacon. It was recently when I was out with some girlfriends that I heard of the Deviled Egg Bar that was recently featured as the main appetizer at a hen party. It sounded so cool and fun! Immediately my attention was focused and now obsessed with having one myself.

Photo Credit: Maddycakes Muse

 There are several things that are pretty amazing about having a Deviled Egg Bar:

1.   You can let your guest get creative and have fun with their food
2. It is a relatively simple set up and you are not having to worry about making 5 different apps for the party. (A cheese board or veggie tray is the only addition you may need!)
3. Much of the prep can be done ahead of time allowing for less stress!!!
4. Everyone will walk away amazed at your ingeniousness and what a great host/ hostess you are! 

Martie Knows Parties

The Toppings selection is where you have all the fun! 

Keeping all the offering chopped into small bits so they can be sprinkled onto the yolk mixture and stick is very important. If the pieces are too big they will slide off and end up on the plate not the egg.

Here is a list of some of my favorites:  Apple wood Smoked Bacon, Blue Cheese, Crab, Capers, Curry Powder, Olives, raisins, Sun Dried Tomatoes, Pimentos, Roasted Red Pepper, Smoked Salmon, Ham or Prosciutto, Shrimp, Crab, Lemon Zest, Lobster bits, Feta Cheese Crumbles, Caviar, Sour Cream and assorted Fresh Herbs (basil, cilantro, chives, dill, parsley.)