Posted by Billie-Jean | Aug 23rd, 2010

Vietnamese Style Chicken Salad

What is great about this recipe is that you can use grilled shrimp, rotisserie chicken or any other protein that you like. 3 small shallots, coarsely chopped (1/2 cup) 1 jalapeno, chopped (seed first if you want less heat) 1 Tbs. Granulated sugar Freshly ground black pepper 1/4 cup rice vinegar 3 Tbs. fish sauce 1 lb. boneless, skinless, thin-sliced (1/4 to 1/2 inch thick) chicken breast.  Or purchase a...

Posted by Billie-Jean | Aug 12th, 2010

Bacon-Wrapped Pork Tenderloin

Ingredients: 2 ½ pounds pork tenderloin coarse salt freshly gound black pepper fresh sage garlic powder 7-8 slices of bacon Directions: Remove about ½ inch off the tapered end of each tenderloin to make a perfect cylinder. Season with salt, pepper, and a pinch of garlic powder. Lay the bacon strips in a overlapping line on a sheet of cling wrap.  Place sage leaves all over bacon...

Posted by Billie-Jean | Aug 12th, 2010

Watermelon Feta and Mint Salad

Okay, so a few weeks ago, I had some friends over for dinner.  It was a really hot summers eve and all I felt like making were some nice cold salads.  I did make ribs too but that was the only thing I cooked.  Anyways, I saw a picture in a magazine of a watermelon salad.  I could not get this salad out of my mind so I decided to make it that night.  I am so glad I did.  While the ingredients may seem bizarre...

Posted by Billie-Jean | Aug 11th, 2010

Turkey Legs-try something new for dinner!

This is a great way to enjoy the taste of turkey without cooking the whole bird.  Also, it gives everyone one of the best parts of the turkey-the leg.  Where I shop, they each come in their own package and are very cost effective.  I give everyone one leg and we eat them like cavemen.  My kids LOVE them Baked Turkey Legs Ingredients: Turkey legs, as many as you need.  One per each adult and 2 kids can easily...

Posted by Billie-Jean | Aug 7th, 2010

Potato and Green Bean Salad

This is a dish that my friend Giovanna taught me how to make.  She said this is a classic Italian dish that appears at most of her family meals. Italian Potato and Green Bean Salad Ingredients New potatoes boiled whole and chopped in half later.  Do not over cook them or they will be mushy.  You can even make them  ahead of time and refrigerate them until you are ready to use them. Green Beans blanched; again...

Posted by Billie-Jean | Aug 3rd, 2010

Sicilian Meaty Tomato Sauce

I had the pleasure this weekend of spending time with friends and cooking.  My friend Giovanna grew up in an Italian home.  Her parents were first generation Italians from Sicily.  We are both extreme foodies so the thought of growing up with such rich cultural heritage would be a dream come true for me.  As we talked she reminisced about how her parents prepared food.  She remembers 3 days dedicated just to...