Wheat Thins Toasted Chips

I have been slighly obsessed with these lately. So good with a thin slice of colby jack or laughing cow cheese. Photo from here.

Rhubarb Custard Pie

This recipe is from my mother-in-law and much loved by my beloved.Rhubarb Custard Pie
3 C cut up rhubarb
2 eggs, beaten
2 T milk
1 1/2 C sugar
3 T flour
1/4 t salt
1/4 t nutmeg
1 pie shell

Combine eggs, milk, sugar, flour, salt and nutmeg. Mix with rhubarb and put in pie shell.

Topping
1/2 C butter
1/2 C brown sugar
1 C flour

Cream together and top pie shell with mixture. Bake for 10-15 minutes at 400, then for an hour back at 300 or 350. Serve with warm with vanilla ice cream and/or whip cream.

Photo from here.

How Low Can You Go Rules

Okay, I did some sleuthing and came up with some rules based on other folks who have taken on this challenge:

• The meal must cost $10 or less
• Freebies are salt and pepper
• Price fats (butter, margarine, oil) at 10 cents a tablespoon
• Recipe can be something you make currently or a newly created recipe
• Extra points for making a meal that looks more expensive than it is

Anything else we should add? Lets shoot for posting them the week of July 6. Sound good? And if you know anyone else who'd like to participate, send them the challenge and we'll just have all the more recipes to enjoy!

How Low Can You Go Challenge

Did you ladies hear All Things Considered How Low Can You Go family dinner challenge? I happened to be listening the day one of the winners of the challenge was on, talking about her Dal, Chilean style recipe. In addition to NPR listeners, chefs also submitted recipes like $9 Mac-n-cheese.

Here was the challenge: Feed a group of four for under $10. Bonus points for dishes that seem more expensive.

So I was thinking...what if we did our own $10 meal challenge? Could be very interesting to see what we come up with, especially those of us who feed hungry menfolk who need meat with their meals. Let me know what you think and we'll go from there.

Recipes I Can't Wait to Try

I flag a lot of recipes in google reader, which means I always have a virtual recipe file. The only bad things is I often I have more recipes flagged than I've made. Here are some of the ones I've been wanting to make:

Cuban sandwich
bean and bacon soup
orzo pasta salad
cranberry walnut salad
roast chicken and bread salad
mustard roasted chicken and veggies
raspberry lemonade
healthy lasagna
baked lemon pasta
Pastor Ryan's bread

baked goods
peanut butter layer cake
sour cream lemon cake
creme fraiche quiche
lemon drenched lemon cake
double chocolate peppermint cookies
snickerdoodles
lemon blueberry tart
perfect panna cotta
strawberry sour cream scones
rhubarb cobbler
peanut butter chocolate fudge
strawberry rhubarb crumble
caramel pumpkin gingersnap cheesecake
mint brownies
chocoholic torte
blood orange tart
pita bread
prosciutto Gruyere Dijon puffs
s'mores brownies
strawberry country cake
pretzels
vanilla vanilla cupcakes
peach brulee

The sick part is I have at least 20 more recipes I didn't post here. Oy, I better get cooking and baking!

Grilled Teriyaki Pork and Dip

I posted this marinade on my other blog, but thought I'd repost with an awesome pork dip. We had friends over last night for a cookout and this was perfect.

Teriyaki [insert meat or veggie]
1/4 C oil
1/4 C soy sauce
2T ketchup
1 T vinegar (cider, white or last time I used rice wine)
2 cloves garlic, crushed
1/4 t pepper

Mix together and marinate for at least 2 hours. I usually add some water to mellow it out or make it go further depending on how much I'm marinating. Last night I marinated three pork tenderloins (make sure you get tenderloins, not center loins!) and just doubled the marinade.

Yummy Pork Dip
1 T dry mustard
1 1/2 t vinegar
1/3 C mayo
1/3 c sour cream
chopped green onions

Mix together and serve.

Last night I served it with this salad and this salad. It ended up being an unplanned homage to pork, which was fitting for a going away gathering from this pork-producing state.

Rhubarb Strawberry Cobbler

Rhubarb and Strawberry is one of my favorite fruity dessert combinations.

I made this Rhubarb Strawberry Cobbler over the weekend. It was very good but the cobbler part was definitely more like a biscuit (maybe that's what a cobbler is??) so be warned if you are going to try it and are looking for something different. It would have been even better with vanilla ice cream but alas, we're trying to be healthier....

Photo courtesy of: http://images.craveonline.com/

Fettuccine with Rapini, Walnuts and Gorgonzola

Our crop share has started and last night was our first meal experimenting with a new ingredient, Rapini which is also called Brocolli Raab.

This Fettuccine with Rapini, Walnuts and Gorgonzola recipe was really good. It tasted like something you'd get at a restaurant.

For the rest of the week I have rhubarb, spinach, arugula, radishes and lovage.

Photo courtesy of: http://www.tigersandstrawberries.com

Chicken and Blueberry Pasta Salad...hmmm?!

Not sure I ever would have thrown blueberries into a pasta salad but this recipe intrigues me- just saw it on MSN..

Chicken and Blueberry Pasta Salad
From EatingWell.com
Yes, blueberries and pasta. The addition of poached chicken and feta cheese makes this dish into a light and satisfying summer supper that's also great for a potluck. If you already have some leftover chicken, skip Step 1 and add shredded chicken in Step 4.

· 1 pound(s) boneless, skinless chicken breast
· 8 ounce(s) whole-wheat fusilli or radiatore
· 3 tablespoon(s) extra-virgin olive oil
· 1 large shallot
· 1/3 cup(s) reduced-sodium chicken broth
· 1/3 cup(s) crumbled feta cheese
· 3 tablespoon(s) lime juice
· 1 cup(s) fresh blueberries
· 1 tablespoon(s) chopped fresh thyme
· 1 teaspoon(s) freshly grated lime zest 1/4 teaspoon(s) salt

1. Place chicken in a skillet or saucepan and add enough water to cover; bring to a boil. Cover, reduce heat to low and simmer gently until cooked through and no longer pink in the middle, 10 to 12 minutes. Transfer the chicken to a cutting board to cool. Shred into bite-size strips.

2. Bring a large pot of water to a boil. Cook pasta until just tender, about 9 minutes or according to package directions. Drain. Place in a large bowl.

3. Meanwhile, place oil and shallot in a small skillet and cook over medium-low heat, stirring occasionally, until softened and just beginning to brown, 2 to 5 minutes. Add broth, feta and lime juice and cook, stirring occasionally, until the feta begins to melt, 1 to 2 minutes.

4. Add the chicken to the bowl with the pasta. Add the dressing , blueberries, thyme, lime zest and salt and toss until combined.

My Mom's 7 Layer Salad

This is a childhood favorite.

1 Cup mayo
1 Cup sour cream
1 Cup milk
2 T Dijon mustard
4 Cups Romaine, chopped
1/2 Cup cooked ham
2 Cups shredded cheddar cheese
8 ozs of mostaccioli or other small, ridged pasta (to keep the dressing from sliding off the pasta)
1 small red onion, sliced or chopped depending on your preference
10 oz peas

Mix dressing. In bowl (glass if you have one), layer greens, ham, cheese, pasta, onions, peas and sauce. Set in fridge, and either serve as is or mix together if you prefer.

Lica's Corn Salsa

I'm pulling out all my old Minnesota friend recipes. This is my friend and former roommate Lica's recipe for corn salsa. It is hard to mess up and easy to customize by adding more of what you like.

A chopper is the best tool for this, though you can chop by hand as well. Just crank up the music and chop away.

Corn on the cob, cooked and cut off
Onion red is best, but white or scallions would work
Tomatoes be sure to cut out the seeds and other watery bits
Green, red and/or yellow peppers these tend to get watery like the tomatoes
Fresh lime juice
Cilantro
Jalapeno even if you don't like spice, a little gives it nice flavor
Avocado
Salt and pepper, to taste

Just chop everything up to your liking, make sure to add plenty of lime juice and seasonings. Like Lica, I tend to put lots of corn, cilantro and lime juice in mine.

I find it it best when it has mixed together overnight, but you could eat it right away. I love it best with lime Tostitos. This is a great side for entertaining or bringing up to a friend's lake place.

Karen's Salad

I got this recipe from my friend Sage's mom Karen. Likely the name of it is something like Romaine Sesame Salad or something like that. Do not be scared about the amount of sugar...this recipe is worth it.

3 large heads of romaine (or whatever leafy green you have)
1 small jar sesame seeds, toasted
3/4 lb bacon, crumbled
1 wedge blue cheese (I buy the blue cheese crumbles)

Dressing (shake it together in a container)
1 1/2 C vegetable oil
1 cup wine vinegar (I usually use red, but I have used white before)
2 to 3 cloves garlic grated or sliced
10 T sugar (yes, that is correct!)
1 T salt

Wash and tear lettuce. Add sesame seeds, bacon and blue cheese. Toss with dressing.

This is especially good for BBQs, showers and parties, but I have also halved it and served with dinner. I can't fully express how good it is.