Dinner, Wine, & My Spare Time

2 tubes of grands jr buttermilk biscuits 1 stick of melted butter 1-2 C of jarred grated parmesan with herbs (located near pasta sauces) Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Grease bundt pan with non-stick spray. Open biscuits and roll into balls. Dip balls into butter and roll in parmesan, coat completely. Place in bundt pan, rolls will overlap. Bake for 35 minutes. Cool and flip over pan to serve. Serve with a meal or with pizza sauce as a fun snack or app. These remind of breadsticks from a pizzeria! YUM

Dear Meat Eaters, Are you tired of turkey by Christmas? Well here is the solution! Prime Rib  courtesy of my pops  and this website link http://www.simplyrecipes.com/recipes/prime_rib/ Bon Appetit Meaties!!! Merry Christmas! XOXO, OutofZin

I ended up with some fancy cheeses via a mailed Christmas gift. The hubs and I are not fans of brie, but I thought a crescent wrapped brie might just change his mind. 1 package crescent rolls 1 brie round 1 egg, beaten Separate crescent dough into 2 squares and press seams together. Lay one square on baking sheet. Put brie in middle, top with 2nd square of dough. Wrap dough around brie and gather dough over top of brie. Brush with beaten egg. Bake at 350 degrees for 25 minutes. I'm not checking for spelling errors due to massive wine consumption and it's Christmas Eve, don't I get a break lol!

 A couple of years ago the hubs and are were watching some travel show and they went to Philadelphia and had this sub made with coleslaw and stuffed with french fries. So the hubs and I came up with a copycat version. I made myself one sans the ham! It was gooood! Hoagie buns mustard ham provolone pickle coleslaw french fries

Almond Coconut Cookies 1 package Betty Crocker's Chocolate Chip Cookie Mix 1/2 C Organic Extra Virgin Coconut oil 2 eggs 1 C sweetened coconut flake 1/2 C slivered almonds Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Mix all ingredients. Place by rounded tablespoons onto non-stick cookie sheet. Bake 10-12 minutes or until browned. Yields 2 dozen. These are so good,  and they taste like an almond joy!

Veggie Lo Mein 1/2 pkg spaghetti or linguine 2 Tbsp vegetable oil 1/2 C sliced mushrooms 1/2 C chopped broccoli 1/2 C chopped onions 1/2 C chopped carrots 2 cloves garlic, minced 1/2 tsp crushed red pepper soy sauce sesame oil Cook pasta and drain well, set aside. Heat large non-stick pan over high heat. Add oil and saute veggies for 1-2 minutes. Add garlic and red pepper and saute an additional 2 minutes. Add cooked noodles, soy sauce, and toss. Drizzle with sesame oil. Thanks to the hubs for a great food pic!

Thanks to my office Christmas Party and restaurant leftovers the hubs and I got creative with dinner. And we had a Top Chef challenge set to Jock Jams! "Let's get ready to rumble..." (our bellies!) So with the restaurant leftover mushrooms, I came up with Mushrooms on toast Saute mushrooms and onion. Butter French bread, place butter side down in skillet. Spread Dijon mustard on bread and top with mushroom and onion mixture. Top with shredded Parmesan, mozzarella, parsley, and smoked paprika. Grill until cheese melts and toast is browned. And with leftover pulled pork the hubs came up with Pulled Pork Open Faced Sliders Slice slider buns. Place shredded pork on half of bun. Top with BBQ sauce and coleslaw.

We had our Office Christmas Party the other day and decided on a three ingredient no-fail recipe! It always delivers and rarely leaves leftovers. Peach-BBQ Lil' Smokies 2-14 oz package of Lil' Smokies cocktail sausages 1-16 oz jar of Peach Preserves 1-16 oz bottle of BBQ sauce Put all ingredients into a crockpot, stir and cook on high for 2 hours or low for 4 hours.  Serves 12-15, I would double for larger crowds.

Hilarious quote from a classic Seinfeld episode So in honor of that beloved show, here is my spin on the Big Salad! Romaine lettuce blend tomatoes onion white kidney beans ham (for hubs' salad not mine) cheeze-its (once again hubs' salad not mine, well maybe a couple) blue cheese carrots Well that's a terrible picture I took of my husband's salad.  But I had already eaten half of mine when I realized I needed a pic!

Cold Snowy weather, needs some chili (vegetarian style)!  So here is my twist on the Frito Chili Pie in a slow cooker, of course! 1 pkg Morningstar Farms frozen veggie crumbles 1 can kidney beans, undrained 1 can diced tomatoes, undrained 1 pkg chili seasoning Put all ingredients into slow cooker and mix well. Turn on high for 2 hours, then low for additional hour. Serve with frito scoops and a buffet of toppings... sour cream onions salsa salsa con queso cheddar cheese So good and filling!

Friday was a Snow day again!!! I love it! It brings out my inner Julia Child :-)  Truffle oil fries prepared french fries truffle oil parsley parmesan smoked paprika Spicy Garlic Aioli 3/4 C mayo 2 cloves garlic, minced 2 tsp lemon juice 1 tsp hot sauce salt and pepper to taste Veggie Slider 1 veggie sausage patty, prepared 1 ciabatta roll, sliced pickled jalapenos salsa blue cheese dressing

Snow Day!!! or rather freezing rain. Got to leave work early! My blog readers are getting spoiled! I was hungry so I scoured my pantry and decided to make some  mac and cheese...muffins! 1 pkg prepared mac and cheese 1 egg, beaten 1 C Italian cheeses, shredded 1 C cheeze-it crackers, crushed Smoked paprika Truffle oil (optional) Muffin pan for 12 Prepare mac and cheese, mix in 1 beaten egg. Spray muffin pan with non-stick spray. Place 2 heaping Tbsp of mac and cheese into each muffin tin. Top with cheeses, crackers, paprika and oil. Bake at 400 degrees for 20-30 minutes. Let cool 10 minutes before removing from tins. Verdict, pretty good. They don't come out of the muffin pan perfectly but maybe next time I will use paper liners. These would be so cute for a party! Oh yeah those are halloween shaped mac and cheese. Hey they were on clearance and I had a coupon lol!

My blog's titled dinner, wine, & my spare time So I figured it's time for wine! We can discuss my spare time later, after I finish this glass lol! Here is my philosophy on wine Box wine is good, there I said it! Wine doesn't have to cost more that $20 a bottle. Don't be afraid of twist-offs. I will drink $5 champagne (or to be technical sparkling wine). That being said any "champagne" less than $5 I will probably pass on! Yes, I am a sucker for pretty wine bottles. For Thanksgiving I bought box wine, I decided to go with a little more upscale brand (upscale for box wine, it that an oxymoron?) Which gave me more flavor options. I wanted some pinot grigio and hubs wanted pinot noir.  What can I say we love our pinots :-)

Oh the things I would make when I was a poor college student... I would make a bunch of cheesy bean burritos, wrap them in foil and freeze. And when I wanted one for dinner, I would just remove the foil and bake or zap in the microwave. In your face Taco Bell!!! So seeing as I have a can of beans, cheese, salsa, and tortillas. I thought I would get nostalgic and make some burritos. 5-6 flour tortillas (depending on tortilla size) 1 can refried beans 1 Tbsp taco seasoning (optional) 1 C shredded cheddar cheese 1/2 C salsa or hot sauce (Back when I was a poor college student, I didn't always have the luxury of salsa, but hot sauce...oh yes!) Foil about the size of a sheet of paper, one for each burrito Mix beans with taco seasoning in a large bowl. Scoop about 1/4 C or so of the bean mixture in the middle of each tortilla. Top with cheese and salsa. Roll up and wrap in foil. You could put them all in a large ziploc and label with the date or you can just go old school a

Thanksgiving is great, especially the leftovers. I had the genius idea to make a plate using small casserole dishes so we could just heat and eat exactly what we want. Basically we made TV dinners! Seriously who poked the mashed potatoes?

So this morning as I was rushing out of the door for work. I opened the fridge to grab my yogurt. And I noticed some leaking. Stupid strawberry yogurt I thought. So I go back to the fridge to get another yogurt and realize the strawberry yogurt is innocent. It's my %$#* Thanksgiving turkey leaking all over the top shelf of my fridge. So I have to toss all my yogurt and a jello pudding and Clorox spray the bottoms of my expensive french sodas, because I am not throwing those away, I had to drive an hour for those bad boys. I finally shimmied the heavy turkey into a roasting pan. And then proceeded to clean up all the disgusting blood. Did I mention I am a vegetarian, which makes this extra disgusting? I had to sop up all the (gag) liquid before I could remove the shelf and then had to clean my entire fridge, just to be safe! But it gets better. After all the fridge mess is cleaned up and I text work to say I will be a little late due to Turkey-gate 2013, I proceed to start a lau

Buffalo Popcorn 6 C popped popcorn 3 Tbsp melted butter Few dashes hot sauce Nacho popcorn seasoning Smoked Paprika 1/4 C crumbled blue cheese Put cooked popcorn in large bowl. Melt butter and hot sauce. Pour over popcorn. Top with nacho seasoning, paprika, blue cheese, and prepare to be amazed!

What is better than warm soup on a cold and rainy day? How about Broccoli Cheddar soup in a slow cooker? And how about only 4 ingredients? 1 package frozen chopped broccoli, thawed 2 cans cream of celery soup 1 pint half and half 1 jar salsa con queso season to taste Put all ingredients into slow cooker and mix well. Turn to high and cook for 2 hours and then turn it down to low for 1 hour. Serve with shredded cheddar cheese, chopped green onions, and a crusty bread stick.

Comfort food reminds me of childhood and nothing was more comforting than a box of Kraft macaroni and cheese. Once my dad even mixed mac and cheese with spaghettios, it was terrible and my siblings and I still won't let it go. Recently due to a coupon which the grocery store doubled, I purchased a box of Betty Crocker macaroni and cheese. So I decided to do a Betty vs. Kraft challenge. Let's see how they add up. Betty Can cook everything in one pot (+1) Has the ultraviolet orange color (+1) Not as cheesy tasting (-1) Took awhile for liquid to thicken up (-1) Kraft Classic taste cannot be denied (+1) Childhood memories (+1) Mac and cheese is available in a ton of flavors, shapes and some even have whole grain (+1) Missing that ultraviolet orange color (-1) So it looks like Kraft is the hands down winner. Just like the commercials used to say "I've got the blues Kraft macaroni and cheese!" But I would buy Betty again just because of the convenience

Basically I find an oil I like and then I use it on everything. My latest obsessions are organic extra virgin coconut oil, lemon oil, garlic oil, and white truffle oil. So what the heck am I doing with all these oils? Let's start with the coconut oil-with this I am making cookies, pasta, rice dishes, tacos, and my husband even cooked hashbrowns with it. It even tastes amazing spread on toast. Try it!!! Lemon oil-no it doesn't taste like pledge. This is great on asparagus or drizzled on some baked feta cheese. Garlic oil-I use this on my pizza, pasta, bread, or veggies. Or any Italian food for that matter. Truffle oil-OMG! This is the most delicious decadent stuff. I make mouthwatering fries with this, pizza, bruschetta and it even goes on my popcorn. I recently acquired a bottle of basil oil, I betcha can't wait to see what that goes on???

Quinoa Stuffed Peppers 1 pkg flavored quinoa mix or other prepared quinoa 1 Tbsp coconut oil 1 can black beans, drained and rinsed 6-8 Bell peppers with tops cut off and seed scooped out. 1/2 C tomatoes, chopped 1/2-3/4 C crumbled feta cheese Prepare quinoa with water suggested. Add coconut oil, beans, and stir well. I put it all in the rice cooker. Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Steam the prepared peppers in a large pot of water. Bring to a boil and boil for 8 minutes. Remove peppers. Take prepared quinoa and add tomatoes and feta. Stuff peppers and bake 30-40 minutes. P.S. Thanks to my mother-in-law for these yummy peppers!

French Onion Soup 1 pkg Cugino's Baked Burgundy  French Onion Soup Mix 7 C water 1 large onion, chopped Swiss or Gruyere cheese, sliced Green onions, chopped Smoked Paprika 1 loaf baguette bread Heat water, soup, and onion in large bowl over medium-high heat. Bring to a boil and then simmer for 20-30 minutes. Meanwhile bake bread for 10 minutes at 375 degrees, slice when cooled. Ladle soup in oven/broiler safe bowls. top with soup, layer of bread, layer of cheese, repeat layers and top with green onions and smoked paprika. YUMMY!

So I had a pretty productive Sunday, piles of laundry were washed, dried, and hung. The bathrooms are mostly clean and freezer meals are prepped for busy work nights. All in all about 5 meals. 2 Spinach Enchiladas, 2 Cheesy corn and rice casseroles, and 1 French toast casserole. Is it ironic that we ate leftovers for dinner? I do feel a nice sense of accomplishment in completing this task, I think I may just do this once a month. It solves the big problem that working late causes, I'm so hungry! What's for dinner? and eliminates growling noises. I put all the meals in small square foil containers, wrapped them in foil and labeled what it was and how to cook it. I know some people use their casserole dishes for this but at .94 cents a container and not having to wash extra dishes, it seems like money well spent. Also Thanksgiving is coming up, I can't have all my casserole dishes in the freezer. I know I could use plastic locking bags, but that just doesn't appeal t

Hot gooey cheese, burning the roof of your mouth sauce, and crunchy, crusty bread. Yum! It started with a pizza in fifth grade home economics. The recipe was French Bread Pizza, the ingredients were simple, bread, sauce, cheese, and meat. But that was all it took, my culinary spark was lit. I went home and wanted to give my school recipe a try. The actual ingredients were French bread probably from the local grocery store's bakery. The remaining ingredients were less than wholesome, a can of salty tomato sauce, a block of mozzarella you had to shred yourself, and greasy pre-sliced pepperoni you simply had to taste. Hopefully you managed to save enough for the pizza. And Voila, I felt just like a chef! Did it matter that the only chef I knew was Chef Boyardee? Of course not, because I could make my own food. And even got to use the oven much to my mother's disapproval (for fear I would burn the house down). I didn't care because even at that moment I was a better c

Look I'm not a food photographer and probably not the best picture taker either, but at least there is a pic of the food and some of them aren't too bad. I hope! Just thought I would pre-defend (is that a word?) myself if the subject of my food pics comes up :-) Also I may mention specific brands, but I am not necessarily endorsing those products those just so happen to be the products I used to make a certain dish.

What better way to start a birthday than with a blog post! I may not be the most witty conversationalist, I'm certainly not the prettiest girl in the room, I'm just considered "cute" or rather I like to think so. I may not have the money for all the expensive fashion trends or always comb my hair But in my kitchen, I'm the star because none of those things I mentioned above really matter. I wear a silly, frilly apron with iron-on letters that say "Haute Wife", my favorite ripped and filled with holes tee-shirt, running shorts, and fuzzy socks. Oh and I turn the music way up, usually it's 80's music and more times than I should admit it's the Bee Gees.

Dear Fellow Foodies, Family & Friends, Welcome to my virtual kitchen, here is a place for me to post recipes, menus, write about food I've made, will make or won't make. Basically I just want to write about dinner, wine and my spare time. I've often heard the saying, Never trust a skinny cook, well I am a skinny cook and a vegetarian so you have been warned. But what the heck I'll even throw in a few recipes for all you meat eaters just because :-) I hope you enjoy my "mostly" food blog as much as I will. Bon Appetit! Out of Zin P.S. I promise to post the recipe for that lovely pasta dish, soon!