Red Fish Restaurant



While in Hilton Head, SC, we dined at Red Fish since it was listed as a suggested restaurant on our hotel's website. It was our last lunch in the beach town & it exceeded all of our expectations. If you're ever near Hilton Head then you should definitely make time to check out the casual atmosphere & eclectic cuisine offered here. You may also purchase a few bottles of wine from their retail wine shop as souvenirs of your visit.

1/ we were their first customers of the day, so we had this dining room all to ourselves for most of our lunch 2/ The Red, White, & Blue Fried Oysters were a perfect starter to our meal 3/ A large variety of offered wines 4/ Open kitchen views, so we could watch the chefs at work 5/ John's lunch selection, the special soup  & quiche of the day 6/ My lunch selection, the Lobster Roll with perfectly seasoned french fries

Chipotle Chicken Taco Salad

IMAGES: LUXE & LACE INSTAGRAM

We tried this salad for the first time a couple of weeks ago after finding the recipe on Pinterest. The recipe is very easy, makes a ton of food, & the leftovers are great.

CHIPOTLE CHICKEN TACO SALAD
RECIPE ADAPTED FROM NUTMEG NOTEBOOK, ORIGINALLY ADAPTED FROM COOKING LIGHT AUGUST 2006

INGREDIENTS
DRESSING:
1/3 cup chopped fresh cilantro, set aside a small amount for garnish
2/3 cup light sour cream
1 tablespoon minced chipotle chile, canned in adobo sauce
1-2 tablespoons of adobo sauce to taste for a spicy kick
1 teaspoon ground cumin
1 teaspoon chipotle chili powder
4 teaspoons fresh lime juice
1/4 teaspoon salt

SALAD:
4 cups shredded romaine lettuce
2 cups chopped roasted skinless, boneless chicken breasts (about 2 breasts)
1 cup cherry tomatoes, diced
1/2 cup diced peeled avocado
1/4 cup diced jalapenos
1/3 cup diced red onion
1 (15-ounce) can black beans, rinsed and drained
1 (8 3/4-ounce) can no-salt-added whole-kernel corn, rinsed & drained

PREPARATION
Combine first 7 ingredients, stirring well, to make the dressing; set aside.

In a large bowl, add chopped lettuce & remaining ingredients. Drizzle the prepared dressing over the entire salad & toss gently to coat. Garnish top, center of the salad with extra diced cilantro & serve immediately thereafter.

Yields: 4 Serving / Serving Size: Approx 2.5 cups

Nutritional Information
Calories: 249 / Fat: 8.2g / Saturated fat: 2.8g / Monounsaturated fat: 2.9g / Polyunsaturated fat: 0.7g / Protein: 23.3g / Carbohydrate: 25.1g / Fiber: 7g / Cholesterol: 50mg / Iron: 2.2mg / Sodium: 650mg / Calcium: 106mg // WWPP: 6

Cilantro Chicken Salad

We fell in love with this simple twist on a classic dish that's great for a light summer dinner. This chicken salad will become a regularly plated item in our kitchen.


 Visit Skinnytaste for the full recipe.

Mini Pizzas

*IMAGE TAKEN W. IPAD 2 + INSTAGRAM APP


INGREDIENTS
--------------------
- One Jar of Tomato Sauce
- Shredded Mozzarella Cheese
- Minced Garlic
- Sliced Pepperoni -or- preferred toppings
- Half of an Onion, Diced
- Pillsbury Simply French Bread
- Olive Oil Spray


PREPARATION
-------------------
Preheat your oven to 350 Degrees Fahrenheit. Spray your muffin pan with olive oil (may also use canola oil or vegetable oil).


Remove the Pillsbury Simply French Bread Dough from the packaging & cut the dough into twelve rounds. Form the dough in each of the muffin molds by pressing it from the middle up onto the sides of the pan. Once finished, place the dough alone in the oven for about five minutes or so.


While the dough is prepping in the oven, pour your tomato sauce into a small saucepan on your stove with low to medium heat. Add desirable amount of minced garlic & diced onion to the sauce & stir occasionally.


Pull the warmed dough out of the oven to add the sauce, cheese, and toppings. I used one & a half tablespoons of sauce per each dough cup before sprinkling a handful of cheese atop, & then added one pepperoni to each. Remove the saucepan from the heat, so the remaining sauce may cool & be stored for later use. 


Return the muffin pan to the oven for about fifteen to twenty minutes or until the cheese is melted & browned to your liking. Let the mini pizzas cool slightly before serving. They are great with a side salad for an easy dinner & the leftovers reheat well for lunch the next day.

Breakfast Tacos

ORIGINAL RECIPE: COOK THIS, NOT THAT // INSTAGRAM IMAGES: EMJT

Have breakfast for dinner or whip up this easy recipe on a lazy Sunday morning. Whenever you decide to make this dish, you will be left satisfied.

INGREDIENTS
-----------------------
4 Strips of Bacon, Chopped
Half of an Onion, Chopped
2 Cups Sliced Mushrooms
1.5 Cups Fresh Spinach
6 Eggs, Beaten
Salt & Black Pepper to Taste
8 Corn Tortillas
Half Cup Shredded Monterey Jack Cheese
Pico de Gallo or Bottled Salsa

PREPARATION
-----------------------
First, over medium heat, cook the bacon thoroughly in a large, nonstick skillet for about five minutes. Remove with a slotted spoon & set aside on a paper towel.

Discard all of the bacon grease from the pan before adding the onion & mushrooms which should cook for about three minutes or until the onions appear to be translucent. Next add the spinach; continue cooking the mixture until the spinach is heated all of the way through. Rid the pan of any water that accumulates if using frozen spinach instead of fresh spinach.

Add the eggs to the mixture & use a wooden spoon to scrape them from the bottom of the pan consistently as they begin to set; constant movement of the spoon will result in light, fluffy eggs. Season generously with pepper & lightly spread salt.

Heat the tortillas in a separate pan over medium heat or wrap them in a damp paper towel to microwave for thirty seconds. Divide the cheese among the eight tortillas before topping with the egg mixture & then spoon the desired amount of pico de gallo or salsa overtop.


ADDITIONAL INFORMATION: MAKES FOUR SERVINGS, COST PER SERVING: $1.52, 360 CALORIES, 17g FAT, 450mg SODIUM

Stuffed Jalapenos

RECIPE: COOK THIS, NOT THAT // INSTAGRAM IMAGES: EMJT

INGREDIENTS

-------------------------

Four ounces Mexican style Chorizo (casings removed)

One cup cremini or button mushrooms, diced

Half of an onion, minced

Half cup shredded Monterey Jack cheese

Half cup 1/3 fat cream cheese

Salt & black pepper to taste

Twelve jalapeno peppers

PREPARATION

------------------------

Preheat your oven to 400 degrees Fahrenheit

Cook all of the chorizo in a medium sized skillet over medium heat. Break up any clumps with a wooden spoon as the chorizo heats. Once cooked thoroughly, remove the meat & drain off all of the fat. Set the chorizo aside temporarily. Add the mushrooms & onions to the pan then cook for about three minutes or until the onions are translucent & the mushrooms are browned. Then stir the chorizo back into the skillet.

In a medium mixing bowl, combine the cheese, cream cheese, a generous pinch of both salt & pepper, & the chorizo mixture. Use a pairing knife to cut the jalapenos in half, use a spoon to scrape out as much of the white membranes & seeds in each pepper as possible. Wash your hands immediately afterward and especially before touching your face and/or your eyes.

Stuff each pepper halve with a spoonful of the cheese-chorizo mixture. Line up all of the peppers on a baking sheet lined with aluminum foil. Bake them for about fifteen minutes or until the peppers soften & the cheese browns & bubbles. Enjoy!

Additional information: Makes four servings, cost per serving is $1.59, 250 calories, 19 grams of fat (9g saturated), & 620mg of sodium

Chocolate Ganache Cupcakes w. Baileys Icing

INSTAGRAM IMAGES: EMJT, RECIPE ADAPTED FROM SMITTEN KITCHEN

While in Paris, I definitely indulged my sweet tooth -- nutella + banana crepes, chocolate mousse with lunch, hot chocolate from Angelina, & pain au chocolat.

All of which reminded me of my last homemade indulgence prior to my trip. John & I made these Chocolate Ganache Cupcakes with Baileys Icing using this original recipe from Smitten Kitchen, but leaving out a few of the ingredients. The end result was decadently sweet & very delicious. I'd love to incorporate the ganache into other desserts in the future since it was my favorite element. Here's the breakdown below if you'd like to try these for yourselves, your friends, &/or your family.

INGREDIENTS

-------------------------

For the ganache:

8 ounces bittersweet chocolate 

2/3 cup heavy cream

2 tablespoons butter at room temperature

For the chocolate cupcakes:

1 cup (2 sticks) unsalted butter

3/4 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
2 cups all purpose flour

2 cups sugar

1 1/2 teaspoons baking soda

3/4 teaspoon salt

2 large eggs

2/3 cup sour cream

For the Baileys icing:

3 to 4 cups confections sugar

1 stick (1/2 cup or 4 ounces) unsalted butter at room temperature

3 to 4 tablespoons Baileys

Piping bag (or two plastic sandwich bags -- cut a small hole in one corner for a makeshift piping bag)

PREPARATION 

-------------------------

Preheat your oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit before adding paper liners to your cupcake pan. Bring 1 cup butter to a simmer then add the cocoa powder by whisking it in until smooth. Once mixed well, cool the combination slightly.

In a large bowl, whisk the flour, sugar, baking soda, & 3/4 teaspoon salt until blended. In a second large bowl, blend the sour cream & eggs using an electric blender. Add the flour mixture from the first bowl & beat the mixture for a few seconds on a low speed. Then, using a spatula, fold all of the ingredients until the batter is evenly mixed. Add the mixture to the cupcake pan by dividing the batter, so that each liner is about 3/4 full. Bake the cupcakes for about sixteen minutes & then allow them to cool completely.

While waiting for the cupcakes to cool, make the ganache fililng. Chop the chocolate & transfer it to a heatproof bowl. Heat the heavy cream until it is simmering then pour it overtop of the chocolate. Let the mixture sit for a minute or so before stirring until smooth. Add butter and mix completely. Now you'll have to let the ganache cool completely; to speed the process, put the bowl in the refrigerator & stir the chocolate every ten minutes until it thickens & is cold. If you want to use an apple corer to remove the top half of the centers you may or you can use your thumb to indent the center of the cupcakes in order to make a hole for the filling.

Use a piping bag or plastic sandwich bag to pipe the ganache into the centers of the cupcakes. Be generous with each amount added to the centers since there should be plenty of ganache to go around for each.

Now it's time to make the icing to top it all off & finish these sweet treats. In the bowl of your electric mixer, whip the butter until it is very light & fluffy. Very slowly add the powdered sugar while the mixer continues to spin; a few tablespoons at a time, so that everything mixes well. As the frosting thickens & begins to look spreadable, add the Baileys slowly & whip until completely combined.

Using your clean piping bag or second plastic sandwich bag, pipe the icing on top of each cake in a cute little swirl as shown above in our photos. Enjoy one right away or store in an airtight container to nibble on them & share them with others over the next few days.

Broccoli Chicken Casserole

INSTAGRAM IMAGE // BOWL - OLD ANTHROPOLOGIE // PLACEMAT - CRATE & BARREL

This recipe is my Mom's, so please note that she gets all of the credit.

Over the years, we've continually requested this dish for birthdays, holidays, & get-togethers. Now I make it when I want to share something really, really good with our friends or if I am going out of town & want to leave John with an easy, go-to dinner. This casserole is so simple & it reheats well, so I recently made some for our friends who just had a baby only a week & a half ago (I also doubled the recipe, so that I would have one casserole to keep for ourselves at home).

INGREDIENTS

----------------------------

4 Grilled Chicken Breasts

2 Packages of Frozen Broccoli Florets

1 Cup Shredded Cheddar Cheese (sometimes I use Shredded Colby Jack or Sharp Cheddar)

1 Can of Campbell's Cream of Celery Soup (Cream of Mushroom or Cream of Onion work 
well too)

1 Cup of Mayonaisse

2 Eggs (Well Beaten)


1 Tablespoon Lemon Juice

4 Tablespoons of Butter

Half a Sleeve of Ritz Crackers

Pinches of Salt & Pepper

PREPARATION

---------------------------

Preheat oven at 350 degrees Fahrenheit.

Cook & drain the broccoli well. Grill the chicken in a large skillet (add salt, pepper, & additional seasonings now if you'd like; I sometimes add ancho chile pepper for a little kick). Cut both broccoli & chicken into smaller pieces & set aside.

In a large bowl, mix the shredded cheese, cream of celery, mayonaisse, eggs, & lemon juice well with a large spoon. Fold in all of the broccoli & the chicken until everything is distributed evenly.

Transfer the mixture into a greased casserole pan. Crumble the crackers overtop & dot with butter. Bake for forty minutes (hit broil at the end for a few minutes if you want to brown the top a little extra like I do; just keep a watchful eye on it, so it doesn't burn) & cool slightly before eating or refrigerating for later. And enjoy the leftovers next day for lunch (if it's not completely devoured in one sitting).

*For vegetarians -- sub the chicken for 2 or 3 extra eggs (well beaten & seasoned with salt & pepper) & add additional vegetables like diced onions & mushrooms.

Pesto Grilled Cheese Sandwich

PESTO GRILLED CHEESE SANDWICH

*RECIPE ADAPTED FROM CLOSET COOKING

INGREDIENTS

-------------------------

3 Tablespoons Spinach Pesto

(Substitute a basil based pesto if you prefer)

2 Slices of Your Favorite Cheese

(Muenster, Mozzarella, Gruyere are great choices)

2 Slices Wheat or Whole Grain Bread

1 Tablespoon Butter

PREPARATION

---------------------------

This meal is super easy & great if you are cooking dinner for one. I tried it last week when John had to work really, really late & I just couldn't wait to eat with him. He was able to assemble & cook his sandwich when he was finally home.

Just like a regular grilled cheese -- butter both sides of each slice of bread first while your grill pan or skillet heats up on the stove. Spread pesto on the interior side of each piece of bread.

Once each slice is covered in pesto, place both pieces of mozzarella in between the two slices. Add to your grill pan (or skillet) & cook about two to four minutes on each side, so that bread is browned & cheese is melted. This sandwich pairs really well with a small cup of basil tomato soup; a great combination for these cooler nights here in Georgia.

Spooning

Last week, my husband put in a household request for a spoon rest; he's smart to know by now to let me hunt for options first. These are the two best products I found for simple spoon rests to present to him. 

1/ SIMON PEARCE BROOKFIELD SPOON REST from Terrain

2/ CRATE & BARREL SPOON REST

Mustard Roasted Potatoes

Image: Epicurious



MUSTARD ROASTED POTATOES

*from Epicurious.com

This dish is very easy to make; you will find that you probably have most of the ingredients on hand and the end result tastes great.

INGREDIENTS

--------------------------

Nonstick vegetable oil spray

1/2 cup whole grain Dijon mustard

2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil

2 tablespoons (1/4 stick) butter, melted

2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice

3 garlic cloves, minced

1 tablespoon dried oregano

1 teaspoon finely grated lemon peel

1 teaspoon coarse kosher salt

3 pounds 1- to 1 1/2-inch-diameter mixed unpeeled red-skinned and white-skinned potatoes, cut into 3/4-inch-wide wedges

PREPARATION

----------------------

Position 1 rack in top third of oven and 1 rack in bottom third of oven and preheat to 425°F. Spray 2 large rimmed baking sheets with nonstick spray.

Whisk mustard, olive oil, butter, lemon juice, garlic, oregano, lemon peel, & salt in large bowl to blend.

Now add your potatoes to the bowl then sprinkle them generously with freshly ground black pepper & toss to coat. Divide potatoes between prepared baking sheets (leaving any excess mustard mixture behind in bowl) & spread potatoes in single layer. Roast potatoes for twenty minutes. Reverse baking sheets & roast until potatoes are crusty outside and tender inside, turning occasionally, about twenty-five minutes longer.

MAKE AHEAD: You may make this dish two hours ahead then let stand on baking sheets at room temperature. When ready to serve, rewarm potatoes in 425°F oven for ten minutes.

(Almost) Perfect Mac-n-Cheese

(Almost) Perfect Mac-n-Cheese

*Recipe from Cooking Quest, Serves Four People as a Side Dish

Ingredients

8 ounces Penne Pasta (approximately half a box; we used the Ronzoni Smart Grain) // 2 cups Beecher’s Flagship Cheese Sauce (see list or sauce ingredients below) // 1 ounce Cheddar, Grated // 1 ounce Gruyere Cheese, Grated // 1/4 to 1/2 teaspoon Chipotle Chile Powder (Ancho Chile Powder also works well)

Sauce Ingredients

1/4 cup Butter // 1/3 cup All-Purpose Flour // 3 cups Non-Fat Milk //14 ounces Semi-Hard Cheese, grated (we used Sharp Cheddar) // 2 ounces Semi-Soft Cheese (we used crumbled Gorgonzola) // 1/2 teaspoon Kosher Salt // 1/4 to 1/2 teaspoon Chile Powder // 1/8 teaspoon Garlic Powder

Sauce Prepartion

Melt the butter in a heavy-bottomed saucepan over medium heat. Whisk in the flour. Continue to whisk and cook for two minutes; which makes a roux (a substance used for thickening sauces).Preparation

Slowly add the milk, whisking constantly. Cook until the sauce thickens, about ten minutes, stirring frequently; which turns the roux into a bechamel.

Remove from the heat. Add the cheese, salt, chile powder, & garlic powder. Stir until the cheese is melted & all the ingredients are incorporated, about three minutes. If the cheese isn’t melting completely you can put the pan on low heat.

Use immediately or refrigerate for up to three days.

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Oil or butter an 8-inch dish. Cook the penne about two minutes less than the package directions. The noodles will finish cooking in the sauce in the oven. Rinse the pasta with cold water & set aside.

Combine cooked pasta & prepared sauce in a medium bowl & mix carefully, but thoroughly. Scrape the pasta into a prepared baking dish. Sprinkle the top with the cheeses then the chile powder. Bake uncovered for twenty to thirty minutes or until the top has a nice golden crust. Let sit for a few minutes before serving.

This pasta may also be made as a main dish by doubling ingredient amounts, using a 9×13 inch baking pan, & increasing the baking time to thirty-five minutes.

*This mac-n-cheese is very good, but I personally wouldn't deem it as perfect; we want to experiment with this general recipes again using a different combination of cheeses. It definitely beats out boxed-mac-n-cheese.

Image: Cooking Quest // Design by Erin

Chicken Rollatini with Spinach alla Parmigania

Original Photo Credit: Skinny Taste



Chicken Rollatini with Spinach alla Parmigania

*This recipe is from the Skinny Taste Website

Makes eight servings total; each serving is 194.7 Calories • 7 grams of Fat • 24.2 grams of Protein • 7.2 grams of Carbohydrates • 1.5 grams of Fiber

Ingredients

8 Thin Chicken Cutlets (3oz each) // 1/2 cup Whole Wheat Italian Seasoned Breadcrumbs // 1/4 Cup Grated Parmesan Cheese (Divided) // 6 Tablespoons Egg Whites or Egg Beaters (I used Egg Beaters) // 5 oz Fresh Spinach // 6 tbsp Part Skim Ricotta Cheese // 6 oz Part Skim Mozzarella (I used Kroger Brand) // Olive Oil Non-Stick Spray (or Vegetable or Canola Oil Spray)  // 1 cup of Your Favorite Marinara Sauce (I used Bertolli) // Salt // Pepper

Preparation

Wash and dry cutlets before seasoning with desired amount of salt & pepper. Preheat oven to 450°. Lightly spray a baking dish (I used my Pyrex 8"x8" Dish; similar dish found here) with non-stick spray.

Combine breadcrumbs & 2 tbsp grated cheese in one bowl. Combine 1/4 cup egg beaters or egg whites in another bowl.

Finely chop 1.5 oz of mozzarella cheese & combine with remaining grated cheese, spinach (make sure you squeeze it dry), 2 tbsp egg beaters, & ricotta cheese. This mixture will be the filling within each cutlet.

Lay chicken cutlets down on a working surface & spread 2 tbsp of spinach-cheese mixture on each cutlet. Loosely roll each one & keep seam side down.

First dip chicken in egg mixture then in breadcrumbs; once covered place them seam side down in your prepped baking dish (no toothpicks or baker's twine needed; they will remain intact throughout cooking process). Repeat with the remaining cutlets & then lightly spray with cooking oil.

Bake for twenty-five minutes then removed from oven & top each roll with desired amount of marinara sauce. Finally, add desired amount of mozzarella cheese & return to the oven to bake for an additional three minutes (or until cheese is bubbly & browned to your liking). Serve with additional marinara sauce & grated parmesan cheese at the table.

I first made these for Mother's Day a couple of months ago & they were a huge hit (even with the men). Next time, I plan to try these rollups with a pesto & cheese filling. They could also be made with the original spinach filling & pesto sauce instead of marinara.

Spice-Rubbed Pork Tenderloin

Photos: Spice-Rubbed Pork Tenderloin, Green Beans, Baked Spinach Dip Mini-Bread Bowls

For  a Special Dinner

*These recipes were found when I wanted to make John a special dinner for his birthday back in April. He dubbed this as, "probably his favorite meal of all time." I also made these same bread bowls for Mother's Day Lunch with my whole family. They're quite the hit; very simple to prepare & bake.

Spice-Rubbed Pork Tenderloin

*Recipe from Epicurious.com which is originally served with baby carrots. I only had green beans on hand, so I substituted those separately from this meal as our vegetable.

Ingredients:

1 to 1 1/4 Pound Pork Tenderloin

*the recipe calls for two, but unless you're cooking for a large group, one tenderloin is enough for a meal and leftover

2 Teaspoons Dried Oregano

2 Teaspoons Ground Cumin

1 Teaspoon Ancho Chile Powder

1 Teaspoon Smoked Paprika

1 Teaspoon Coarse Kosher Salt

1 Tablespoon Extra-Virgin Olive Oil

Preparation

Preheat your oven to a temperature of 400 degrees Fahrenheit. Arrange your pork tenderloin on a rimmed baking sheet (I like to cover mine with foil for easy cleanup).

In a small bowl, stir your oregano, cumin, ancho chile powder, smoked paprika, & one teaspoon coarse salt together; once well mixed, rub the ingredients all over the pork. Heat your olive oil in a large non-stick skillet (we love our Simply Calphalon Griddle Pan) over medium-high heat. Add the pork to your skillet & cook until all sides are browned which should take approximately five minutes. Now return the tenderloin the your rimmed baking sheet.

Roast pork uncovered in the oven for about eighteen minutes (center of pork should register one hundred forty-five degrees on your meat thermometer). Let the pork rest for about five to ten minutes.

Once settled, transfer the tenderloin to a sturdy cutting board, so that you are able to cut crosswise into half inch-thick slices. Place pork on a large platter for serving and drizzle remaining pan juices overtop. Or if you need time to prep the rest of your items or your guests have yet to arrive, place pork back onto rimmed baking sheet in order to keep warm in your oven until you are ready to serve.

Grilled Green Beans

Ingredients

Desired amout of green beans per number of guests you plan to serve

1 Teaspoon Garlic Powder

1 Teaspoon Salt

1 Teaspoon Pepper

Preparation

Place beans on the same griddle pan that you used for the pork (I don't even rinse it in between uses; this way you don't need to add any olive oil or non-stick spray to the pan for your vegetables). Add pepper, salt, and garlic powder to taste as green beans brown on your pan; add more seasoning if making a significantly large batch of beans. Flip & rotate beans until they're as firm & crispy as you like them. If you're not ready to serve these yet then add them to the rimmed baking sheet to warm in your oven with the tenderloin.

Baked Spinach Mini-Bread Bowls

*Recipe from Picky Palate as a suggested Super Bowl Party food which is a great idea. Eat this as an appetizer or with your meal like we did. Makes ten mini-bread bowls.

Ingredients

13.3 oz roll of refrigerated french bread loaf (Simply Pillsbury is best)

2 Tablespoons Extra Virgin Olive Oil

2 Cups Baby Spinach (Coarsely Chopped)

1 Clove Fresh Garlic (Minced)

3 ounces Softened Cream Cheese (I like Phildephia 1/3 less fat)

1/2 Cup Light Sour Cream

2 Tablespoons Freshly Shredded Parmesan Cheese

1/8 Teaspoon Ancho Chile Pepper

1/8 Teaspoon Garlic Salt

1/8 Teaspoon Sea Salt

1/8 Teaspoon Freshly Ground Black Pepper

1/3 Cup Shredded Mozzerella Cheese

Preparation

Preheat oven to three hundred and fifty degrees Fahrenheit. Spray ten muffin cups with non stick cooking spray. Unroll package of french bread loaf & slice into ten equal size slices, about one inch thick. Press each slice into about a three inch round. Press into the bottom & up sides of the muffin cup; set aside prepped pan aside.

Heat oil in medium skillet over medium heat. Cook & stir spinach until wilted, about three minutes then add garlic, cook & stir for another minute then turn heat off.

Place cream cheese, sour cream, cooked spinach & garlic, parmesan cheese, ancho chili powder, garlic salt, salt & pepper into a medium bowl. Mix until well combined. With a medium cookie scoop, scoop dip into each of the centers of bread bowls. Top each bowl evenly with shredded cheese & bake for fifteen to seventeen minutes until just turning brown on edges. Remove and let cool for three to five minutes before removing from oven.



T-B.L.M.O.

[images: 1 // 2 // 3]

The TURNER - BACON, LETTUCE, MUENSTER, & ONION SANDWICH

*Our twist on the classic BLT which we made last week (inspired by food pins) & will now be a monthly staple

2 // Pieces of Wheat Bread

2 // Pieces of Muenster Cheese

1 // Handful of Your Favorite Lettuce

[Romaine here please!]

3 // Pieces of Bacon - or - Turkey Bacon - or - Veggie Bacon

[Trader Joe's Applewood Smoked is thick & substantial; perfect for this dish]

1 // Handful of Chopped, Sliced, or Diced Red Onions

[John prefers his sliced & large; I like mine to be diced very, very small]

///

We cooked the bacon on the stove in our grill pan, warmed our bread in the toaster, & used mayonnaise as the cohesive element. Assemble according to your preference.

Ours was perfect, but would also be good with other additions such as tomato, vinegar, pickle, etc. Serve with sweet potato fries. Enjoy!



Mini Munchies

These mini grilled cheese sandwiches + mugs of individual tomato soup would be a unique appetizer for winter or dreary day dinner parties. We had regular sized grilled cheese sandwiches + bowls of tomato soup after I spotted this picture here.



Five & Ten

For a fancy-schmancy dinner out in Athens, Georgia, get yourself & other deserving family & friends out to Five & Ten. We went all out for our Valentine's weekend dinner here (thanks to a giftcard from my Mom's boss); it was quite indulgent & a great excuse to wear heels. Make a reservation, arrive early, & enjoy a drink at the bar before you're seated.

And yes, it's taken me this long since mid-February to post this & spread the word, but it'll be totally worth it if you go even once.



Cheers to the New Year

To another great year ahead with a constant glass-half-full outlook. Today, our glasses will remain half full of this Peach Bellini Cocktail while we stay warm inside avoiding the rainfall with very little on our to-do list other than to make & cheers to another round.

[image: bigworldsmallkitchen]



For the Love of [Goat Cheese]

John & I had breakfast for dinner the night before last, so I took advantage of our bowl of steaming hot scrambled eggs by making this Scrambled Egg Toast recipe. After finding this a week or so ago, I knew it was only a matter of time before I tried it out because I love love love goat cheese. I didn't have chives on hand, but I used herb & garlic flavored cheese. 

If you adore goat cheese [like I do -- can't say it enough] then know that this combination will not disappoint. 

[*image & recipe via: smitten kitchen]