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Tomato Sofrito

November 5, 2015 By Julie 2 Comments

Today I thought that I would share a versatile and easy recipe for my take on sofrito. Now before all the experts out there tell me I’m doing it wrong, I will throw out the disclaimer that this is not traditional and yes I took some liberties to make it my own. Love it or leave it I say. I do hope you decide to love it though because this stuff is pretty darn good.

What is sofrito you ask? Look it up and you’ll see that it’s a Caribbean (particularly Puerto Rican) and Latin American sauce that is used to flavor anything from stews, to soups to beans and more. This stuff can take an ordinary dish and kick it up to a whole new level. I’ve spread it on sandwiches, added it to soup and mixed it into my chili base. It’s just that good. If you really want to have fun, I could see italian, indian and even cajun versions of this. Just sub the spices and voila.

You ready to get cooking? Here’s the scoop for how to whip up a tasty batch of your own.
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Family Friendly Fridays: A Review of 400 Best Sandwich Recipes

May 13, 2011 By Julie 21 Comments

Who loves a good sandwich? I know I sure do. That’s why I was delighted when Alison Lewis asked me to review her newly published cookbook; 400 Best Sandwich Recipes. As soon as I received it, I knew it would become one of my go-to kitchen favorites. With everything from the classic club and sloppy joe, to international flavors you might not have thought to put together on your own (think Banh Mi, a Vietnamese sandwich containing pork, radishes and pickled carrots), to an extensive list of condiment recipes, this book has it all. She even throws in a handful of dessert sandwiches that are guaranteed to get your sweet tooth dancing. The best part is that the majority of recipes are quick, easy and healthy. Definitely my variety of cookbook.

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Penne alla Vodka – A guest post from Christy at Fudge Ripple

April 18, 2011 By Julie 24 Comments

I’m thrilled to have Christy from Fudge Ripple as a guest poster for Mommie Cooks today! Her unique writing style drew me instantly into her blog and the delicious recipes keep me coming back for more. I hope you enjoy reading and tasting her delicious creations as much as I do. When you’re finished here, be sure to stop over and check out her blog. I promise you won’t be disappointed. On with the show!

when i received Julie’s kind invitation

to share a recipe with all of you

i got so excited

i had so many ideas about what i should share

and this one stuck

a recipe

that brings back memories of my wonderful

grandma

today

i share with you

spaghetti alla vodka

made with vodka soaked tomatoes

this is really simple. peel tomatoes and cram into a jar, use a skewer to secure tomatoes if they start to float to the top. fill the jar with vodka and store in the refrigerator for at least 5 days. i make several jars because i like to use the tomatoes and the vodka for my sauce. leftover vodka is really great for a bloody mary pick me up.

spaghetti alla vodka

(printable recipe)

1 lb spaghetti or pasta of choice

olive oil

1/2 of small onion–finely diced

2 garlic cloves–finely diced

6-8 basil leaves–chiffonade

1 large tin peeled whole tomatoes or combination of vodka soaked tomatoes and tinned tomatoes to equal about 4 cups whole

1/2-1 tsp crushed red pepper flakes

1/2 cup tomato soaked vodka (or other vodka you have on hand)

1/2 cup heavy cream

1/4 cup grated parmesan plus more for serving

cook pasta in salted water, according to package instructions. cook onions and garlic in olive oil over low heat. meanwhile, place the tomatoes in a food processor or blender and pulse until it is smooth. do not allow the onions and garlic to brown, but let them begin to soften and become translucent. at this point, add the tomatoes and vodka and let simmer for about 10-15 minutes. add the basil, red pepper flakes and heavy cream and allow to heat through. stir in parmesan, then toss drained pasta in. if the sauce seems too thick, use a bit of the pasta water. shave a bit of parmesan on top of each individual serving, along with additional crushed red pepper, if you like spicy.

Chicken Cordon Bleu with Mushroom Sauce

April 13, 2011 By Julie 30 Comments

The voting over at the Rice Krispies Facebook page is officially up and running! If you have a minute head over and cast a vote for Team Asheville’s entries. We’re the top four pictures listed. Thanks so much and I’ll let you know the results as soon as they’re announced.

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Cordon Bleu is one of those dishes that instantly takes me back to my childhood days. My family spent all their vacations up in Northern Wisconsin at my grandparents cottage on Rest Lake. We enjoyed summers frolicking in the water and digging never-ending holes to China, and winters planting our tip-ups on the iced over lake in the hopes of catching that one lucky fish. I still remember venturing out on the boat one warm summer morning with my grandfather on a hunt for muskies; one of the biggest and baddest lake fish there is, and the exact moment that one actually started to follow my line towards the boat. I began to reel faster and faster; there was no way I was going to let that fish actually catch my line!

When we arrived home from our fishing expedition, my grandmother had put together a lunch for us of cordon bleu with mushroom sauce. She was a big fan of the Schwan man (still is) and would always have a pack of their cordon bleu on hand. Oh how I loved those chicken filled treats. I used to look forward to visiting my grandma Mimi just so I could get my hands on one of them.

Today my grandmother lives in Arizona and we don’t get out to visit her and my grandfather nearly as much as we’d like. My grandfather’s 87th birthday was a few weeks back and it reminded me of those younger times up at the cottage. This dish is a way to bring back those cherished moments and to say thank you to my grandparents for all the wonderful memories and love they continue to pour over me to this day.

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Salsa Verde

March 28, 2011 By Julie 33 Comments

Our family ~~is addicted to~~ loves salsa. Take my kids to a Mexican restaurant and we might as well save the money on the meals because they’ll scrape the dishes of salsa clean and ask for more before the drinks even arrive at the table. My husband practically inhales the stuff. And for him, the hotter the better. He’s the one asking for the “muy caliente” batch sitting in the back of the kitchen. You know the one; it’s usually deemed to have a little too much kick for American Gringos. Well not my husband. He relishes in the deliciousness of a good salsa induced sweat.

It can be said that salsa is the Mexican version of ketchup and I believe it. It tastes good on (and in!) just about everything. Give me a bowl of salsa, some chips and a beer and I’m as happy as a girl can be. Recently, I’ve really been getting into salsa verde. It has a real “limey” flavor that you just don’t get from regular salsa. And the best part about about this green nectar of the Gods is how truly easy it is to make.

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17 Bean White Chicken Chili

March 21, 2011 By Julie 24 Comments

Have you ever bought one of those packs of beans from the grocery store? You know the ones, they have 17 different flavors of legume in the assortment and a recipe for the same old soup on the back every time you pick it up.

Well, I just so happened to have one such bag gracing the inside of my pantry a few weeks back that was bellowing at me to eat it. Being the adventuresome food blogger that I am, I decided to veer away from the bean sack’s dinner plans and instead attempt to create a dish of my own. It would be a chili dish. And while I was at it, I resolved to make it a chicken based chili. And if I was going to use chicken, why not take it one step further and make the base be something other than tomatoes. I was on fire; the inspirational juices were flowing like a glass of cool water on a hot summer day.

I threw in a little of this, and a bit of that. The steam was rising and the water was bubbling. All I needed was my witches hat, a wart and a good cackle, and I would have been concocting one seriously wicked witches brew. When the smoke cleared and the spoon was laid to rest, what remained was one seriously delicious white chicken chili.

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