Baked Tilapia with brown rice, scallops, asparagus and baked sweet potato.

Tilapia: I used 2 fresh fillets and baked them with a little olive oil and garlic salt and parsley.

Scallops: I sauteed them in olive oil, garlic, parsley and white wine.

Grilled Steak with sauteed mushrooms and asparagus.

Steak Marinade: 1 beer of your choice, 1 cup soy sauce, garlic, 6 pepper blend and any other spice of your choice. YUM

BBQ grilled chicken, pasta salad and Rolls.


I made a wonderful pasta salad. It has shell pasta, cucumber, cherry tomatoes, red onion, orange and green pepper, feta cheese and italian dressing. YUMMY

Chile Rellenos

I made my version of Chile Rellenos last night.
Here is how I do it...it's easy!

I use Anaheim peppers (wash them, cut open to remove all seeds).
Fill with Refried beans, uncooked meat filling of your choice ( I use burger or pork).
Cook at 350 degrees F until meat is done. Cover with monterrey jack cheese and bake until cheese melts. Serve with your favorite salsa and chips! Ole!!!

Summer Strawberry Salad

Now here is a simple and oh so good salad.

Summer Strawberry Salad

In a salad bowl layer fresh salad spinach, sliced strawberries, blue cheese and/or feta cheese and candied walnuts and/or pecans (can be found with the nuts in the baking section).

Dress with your favorite oil/vinegar dressing. I use the blush wine.
YUMMY!!!

Southern Pork Praline

This recipe is sooooo good. It combines pork with the sweetness of pecan pralines.

Southern Pork Praline

Ingredients

• 2 lbs pork tenderloins
• 4 tablespoons butter, divided
• 1 1/2 cups maple syrup
• 1/2 cup brown sugar
• 1/4 cup dark rum (optional)
• 1 cup pecans, chopped

Directions

Melt 2 tablespoons butter in large heavy skillet. Brown tenderloins on all sides. Remove to shallow baking pan. Melt remaining butter in small saucepan. Add remaining ingredients and blend well. Pour sauce over tenderloins. Roast at 350ºF for 30 minutes, basting often, until internal temperature reaches 160ºF. Slice into 1-inch slices and drizzle with remaining glaze to serve.

Vanilla Mousse Cheesecake

40 NILLA Wafers, crushed (about 1-1/2 cups)
3 Tbsp. butter or margarine, melted
4 pkg. (8 oz. each) PHILADELPHIA Cream Cheese, softened, divided
1 cup sugar, divided
1 Tbsp. plus 1 tsp. vanilla, divided
3 eggs
1 tub (8 oz.) COOL WHIP Whipped Topping, thawed

HEAT oven to 325ºF.

MIX wafer crumbs and butter; press onto bottom of 9-inch springform pan.

BEAT 3 pkg. cream cheese, 3/4 cup sugar and 1 Tbsp. vanilla with mixer until well blended. Add eggs, 1 at a time, mixing on low speed after each just until blended. Pour over crust.

BAKE 50 to 55 min. or until center is almost set. Run knife around rim of pan to loosen cake; cool completely in pan.

BEAT remaining cream cheese, sugar and vanilla with mixer in large bowl until well blended. Whisk in COOL WHIP; spread over cheesecake. Refrigerate 4 hours. Remove rim of pan before serving cheesecake.

Chicken Castellina

I made a new recipe last night. Chicken Castellina from Olive Garden.
I followed the recipe exactly, except I used Smoked gourmet bacon instead of pancetta. Next time I will use pancetta because the bacon was a little to strong for this dish. Overall it was great and I would give it a 7 out of 10. My husband didn't like it, but he does not like dishes with an alfredo type sauce like this one.


Here is the recipe:

Chicken Castellina

Ingredients:

Sauce
1/4 cup pancetta (or bacon), diced
6 Tbsp butter, cubed
1 tsp garlic, chopped
¼ cup sun-dried tomatoes, diced
1 ½ cups heavy cream
1 ½ cups milk
1 oz cornstarch
¼ cup Parmesan cheese, grated
½ cup smoked Gouda cheese, chopped
1/4 tsp salt
1 Tbsp fresh rosemary, chopped
8.5 oz can sliced artichokes, drained
1/4 tsp pepper
¼ cup mushrooms, sliced
1 1/2 lbs pasta of choice, cooked according to package directions

Chicken
1 1/2 lbs skinless/boneless chicken breasts, cut in 1 - 1 ½” pieces
¾ cup flour
1/2 tsp salt
1/4 tsp pepper
3 Tbsp olive oil
¼ cup white wine
Fresh parsley, chopped (for garnish)

Procedures:

Sauce

1. SAUTÉ pancetta (or bacon) in a 3-qt sauce pan or large pot, over medium/high heat until crisp and golden brown. Reduce heat, add butter and allow it to melt. Add garlic and sun-dried tomatoes. Sauté for approximately one minute, stirring frequently (do not brown).
2. WHISK in cream, milk and cornstarch. Raise heat to medium/high. Whisk in Parmesan and Gouda cheeses. Once cheese melts, add remaining ingredients and bring to a boil, stirring continuously.
3. REMOVE from heat and let stand uncovered.


Chicken

1. MIX flour with salt and pepper. Coat chicken in seasoned flour, shaking off excess flour.
2. HEAT olive oil in large sauté pan. Add chicken in a single layer and cook until golden brown on both sides (approximately 7 minutes total). Juices should run clear.
3. ADD wine to chicken in pan (caution: there will be a low flame in pan). Toss gently until wine is evaporated. Add sauce and bring to a boil on medium/high heat.
4. TRANSFER drained, cooked pasta to large platter. Evenly distribute chicken and sauce over pasta.
5. GARNISH with chopped parsley and serve.

Hope you all enjoy!

My big fat Southern Idea

As a food lover, I wanted to be able to share my passion of food with others. After watching "Julie and Julia" and being able to relate to the both of them, I realized that I would write my very own food blog. Only mine would be devoted more to the history and culture of Southern food. However, I do not only cook Southern foods. I love Paula Deen and the Neely's, but I do not want to consume a pound of butter per day. So, my blog will take the fatty, butter-covered Southern foods that we all love and try to transform them into more healthier foods for today's society. With that being said, I will cheat from time to time. I am Southern after all!!
I hope you all enjoy my blog.