Pistachio Ice Cream...how I love thee...

I had something soooo delicious tonight, pistachio ice cream! It was perfect! Creamy, smooth, not outrageously flavored, just simple delightful pistachio in a waffle cone. Where did I have it, you ask...why HERE, says I.
http://www.hoggiedoggies.com/aboutus.html
It is their flavor of the week. But I would bet next weeks flavor will be good too!

Spicy Shrimp and Coffee Haus Cous Cous

Spicy Orange Shrimp:
24-30 Large Shrimp, de-everythinged.

Make the "sauce" ahead of time:
3/4 cup orange juice
1 teaspoon garlic
1/2 tsp Chili Powder
1 tsp seasoning salt

Melt 2 TableSpoons of butter in a pan, add the shrimp and brown on both sides on high heat ( about 1 min per side). Remove from pan.
Throw the sauce in the pan and heat it till it thickens, add one more tablespoon of butter, then throw the shrimp back in the pan and "tada!" you have some pretty tasty seafood!

Coffee Haus Cous Cous

Follow directions on box/bag of cous cous for basic preparation, BUT add a chicken boulion cube to the mix, plus 1/4 cup dried soup veggies ( carrots, parsley, peppers, tomatoes...).This is super yummy!

Banniversary Cake

It is the time of year when we are smack dab in the middle of my brother in laws birthday and the anniversary of this same wonderful guy and my sister! They arrived from Nebraska yesterday with a 3 year old suffering from a bad case of allergies. Since I show people love by feeding them ( or making them workout so hard they want to puke). I decided to make a Banniversary Cake ( get it now?). Here it is.
P.S. I did make a FABULOUS dinner last night, it turned out great, photos and recipe to come ASAP.
The Cake:
* 1 2/3 cups granulated sugar
* 3/4 cup butter or margarine, melted
* 2 tablespoons water
* 2 large eggs
* 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
* 1 1/3 cups all-purpose flour
* 3/4 cup NESTLE® TOLL HOUSE® Baking Cocoa
* 1/2 teaspoon baking powder
* 1/4 teaspoon salt
* 3/4 cup chopped nuts
* powdered sugar

Directions

1. PREHEAT oven to 350 degrees F. Grease 13x9-inch baking pan.
2. COMBINE sugar, butter and water in large bowl. Stir in eggs and vanilla extract. Combine flour, cocoa, baking powder and salt in medium bowl; stir into sugar mixture. Stir in nuts. Spread into prepared baking pan.
3. BAKE for 18 to 25 minutes or until wooden pick inserted in center comes out slightly sticky. Cool completely in pan on wire rack.

When cooled spread 1/2 cup melted chocolate chips on brownie, sprinkle on chopped roasted pecans ( I put the pecans in the oven with the brownies and roasted them for about 30 mins). On top of pecans drip globs of vanilla frosting, then carefully spread, some nuts will travel with the frosting, there is nothing you can do about it. On top of frosting sprinkle coconut. I used about 1 cup. Then garnish with whole roasted pecans and feel very spiffy about how fancy you made it look!

Breakfast Saturday!!

Oh, how I love breakfast. I loath rushed breakfast. Stuffing something in your face as you jet out the door is not my idea of the perfect morning. My ol' standby of a PB Sandwich and a banana is effective, but certainly not an adventure for my taste buds, or very exciting to look at for that matter. Thus, Saturdays are Breakfast days AT ALL COSTS. Colorful, tasty, mouth pleasing food is served at the Kotula House! This Saturday is I made an Omelette. I chose 1 cup worth of various veggies and cooked them up in a pan till tender crisp. Season with just a little dash of salt. Remove from pan. Whisked together 2 eggs and 3T Milk and put in pan. Make sure to spread the eggs over the whole bottom of the pan. Cook till firm. The key here is to give your eggs TIME. Go drink some coffee, fold some laundry, post on facebook, whatever! When the eggs are firm flip them over just once. Then place veggie filling in egg "pancake" and fold them over, wrapping your veggies in a warm blanket of protein. Garnish with a few shreds of your fav cheese and say HOORAY! for Breakfast Saturday!

Things His Hotness Loves: Taco Salad

Cook up 1 Lb Ground Beef, drain off juices, put back in frying pan add i can of drained black beans. Let cool.

Meanwhile cut up about half a head of lettuce. Slice 1 pint of cherry tomatoes. Have Light Western Dressing,grated cheddar cheese and Doritos Nacho Chips handy....here we goooooo!

Mix cooled beef and bean mixture with about half a cup of Western Dressing, add more or less to your taste.Throw in the tomatoes.

Put a hand full of shredded lettuce on a plate, top with beef mixture, top that with cheese, top all of that with a BIG handful of crushed up chips.....
devour the spicy crunchy taco-y goodness!

Tiramisu

mix together
5 egg yokes
2/3 cup sugar
8oz of mascarpone cheese

in glass bowl whip egg whites till stiff peaks form, fold in egg yoke mixture

in large flat bottom pan mix together 3 TBS brandy and 8OZ STRONG espresso
soak 30-40 ladyfingers in brandy mixture

**Line bottom of a baking dish with half of the soaked ladyfingers,spread half of egg white mixture, another layer of ladyfingers, top with rest of egg white mixture

chill for at least 2 hours

Iced Coffee Break

Iced Coffee: 1 1/2 cup ground coffee...any type, 2quarts cold water, combine and let sit for 8 hours or overnight. Strain out coffee grounds with cheesecloth or old pillowcase into pitcher, add 1/2 cup sugar and 1 TBS vanilla flavor. Fill a glass with ice cubes, add about 1/4 cup of cream or half and half, top off with coffee. YUM! Store coffee in fridge and use as needed :)

Tempting Thursday

PICO DE GALLO:
* 5 whole Plum (roma) Tomatoes
* 1/2 whole Large (or 1 Small) Onion
* 3 whole Jalapeno Peppers
* Cilantro
* Lime Juice
* Salt To Taste
* _____
GUACAMOLE:
* 3 whole Avocados
* Pico De Gallo
* Lime Juice
* Salt To Taste
_______
INDIAN FRY BREAD
* 1 Cup All purpose flour
* 1/4 tsp salt
* 1 tsp baking powder
* 1/2 cup milk
* veg. oil for frying

Mix ingredients for fry bread together. kneed until smooth, dough should be sticky. Let rest for 1 hour to let the gluten create a chewy soft dough. Cut into 4 pieces and flatten about 3 inches wide. Fry in oil till golden brown, will be puffy, crispy on the outside, chewy on the inside.
While still warm top with cooked ground beef(seasoned with Taco Seasoning) Pico De Gallo and Guacamole. Garnish with extra tomatoes, sour cream, lettuce and cheese.
Go make friends with your local Fitness Center.....

Spicy Wednesday

Tomorrow I am making tacos with home made Guacamole....today I made my taco seasoning. I LOVE LOVE LOVE tacos, with a passion, but a few years ago tacos started making me sick. Yucky yucky sick. I couldn't eat them out, I couldn't make them with the seasoning packets from the store, I tried every brand I could find. Alas, sickness prevailed. As a last ditch effort I decided to try making my own seasoning mix. I am SO glad I did! Not only is it useful for Tacos, but also in making dips! Yummilicious! To top it all off we have a store here in Rhinelander call " Spice of Life". The vast offerings of quality spices will blow your mind, and in my case...inspire cooking adventures! Be wild this week and try a new spice you've never tried before, your taste buds will thank you!
** WARNING: Home Made Taco Seasoning more ROBUST than store bought brands..season accordingly!**
Taco Seasoning
* 1 tablespoon chili powder
* 1/4 teaspoon garlic powder
* 1/4 teaspoon onion powder
* 1/4 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes
* 1/4 teaspoon dried oregano
* 1/2 teaspoon paprika
* 1 1/2 teaspoons ground cumin
* 1/2 teaspoon salt
* 1 teaspoon black pepper


P.S. I did make something for eating today ( as if I wouldn't....)
Cherry Tomato Salad
1 Pint Cherry Tomatoes, cut in half
2 Green Onions,sliced up
FRESH Mozzarella Cheese Cubed
2 TBS Balsamic Vinaigrette

toss everything together and EAT! Oh heavenly....I LOVE this stuff...
Please have gum handy if you plan to kiss anyone for the next day or so....

Tasty Tuesday

Homemade Wontons. This weekend I found an EASY recipe for Wonton Wrappers and thought I would give it a shot. I am SO glad I did! I decided to stuff my wontons with chicken and scallions and peppers and then place finished wontons in chicken broth with a dash of Basil. If I had really been thinking I would have scored some FRESH Basil from my friends garden today, but didn't think of that before we were headed home after our play date. Next time! I can't say how very very pleased I am with how this turned out! Wonderful! I have a sneaking feeling that His Hotness will love these...
http://kitchensimplicity.com/wonton-wrappers/

Manic Monday

Mondays are BUSY for this lady. So Mondays will be the day on which I review various local places a foodie can find an adventure for the senses.
http://www.islandcafeminocqua.com/
The Island Cafe is wonderful wonderful WONDERFUL! When I was there I had breakfast and I was totally blown away! The Huevos Rancheros were to die for. Piled high with salsa and black beans and crunchy lettuce it really took my standard to a whole new level. I also had the Chai, delicious. Drizzled with Honey, this drink was both amazing to drink AND to look at. I can't wait to go for lunch sometime! Try the Island Cafe ASAP!

Dine In Sunday

Nothing thrills me like a meal well cooked. Sundays are family days. Days to be together, stay at home and COOK! When creating a meal I start with meat! I use the meat as the centerpiece of my edible work of art. If your meat is not well prepared the rest of your meal could be top notch, but it will mean nothing. Concerning meat: Salt is your BEST FRIEND. Under-salted meat should be illegal. Over-salted meat should be punished with jail time. Use enough salt to enhance the flavor of the meat, but not so much that your tongue shrivels up and dies. For a pound of any kind of meat I like to start with 1/2 a tsp of salt. That seems to have served me well thus far.
Todays Menu:
Red Wine marinated Sirloin Steak
Italian Veggies
Cheese Bread
Raspberry Cream Pie