I'm Bringing Skinny Back

I left the laptop home and turned off during my holiday travels and have plugged it back in today with a new goal in sight. Meals by Misty did some SERIOUS cooking over the last 2 months and the buttocks is proof that it all tasted quite nice! I'm pulling out the markers and poster board and am setting some goals. I guess you could say I'm getting an early start on ONE of my New Year's Resolutions: losing 10 pounds!

I'm saying goodbye to the following:

Ok, maybe not goodbye to the wine, but I'm saving this indulgence for the weekend! Oh, one more thing thats gotta go: my love for bacon.

BYE BYE BACON, HELLO GYM.

Souped up Taco Soup.

I catered a couples baby shower last week and they wanted Taco Soup...so that is exactly what they got. But it was a "SOUPED" up version of the original "Santa fe" soup we all have come to know and love.

First, brown a pound or two, depending on how much soup you want to make, or how meaty you want it, with a chopped up red onion.

Add a large can of diced tomatoes, undrained.

Drain 1 can of kidney beans, 2 cans of whole kernel corn, and 2 cans of black beans and mix it all together.

Now for the fun part. Welcome to flavor town. I like to add the following:

3 garlic cloves, minced

1 tbl dried oregano

1 tbl chili powder

2 teas salt

1 tbl black pepper

Hot Sauce (you decide how much, don't be scared)

1 ranch dressing packet

Ok, now this is another added extra I decided to whip out of my pocket. I had some sour cream and a brand new box of the smooth, creamy melt with a distinctive taste that has been a classic since 1928:

This was odd for me because I NEVER use velveeeeeta. I thought what they hay, and went with it. I diced up 2 pounds of this creamy delight and melted it in the pot, along with 1 cup of sour cream.

I'm glad I did because it was FAN-Flippin-TASTIC!

**On a side note: I am a huge sucker for different hot sauces and I wanted to fill you in on a new one I found at the farmers market a few months ago. Its called Gator Sauce and its great.

I added about 3/4 a bottle, which sounds like a lot, but it wasn't. This hot sauce isn't as hot as some of the standard hot sauces. Order here: not there, HERE!
One last shot:

Its official. John Besh is my boyfriend.

See! He told me I was good looking! That means he wants to be my boyfriend! (Some of you, including my husband, might believe this says Good Cooking. I assure you it doesn't. You're just jealous.)

:)

jj

He is such a cutie patootie. He showed up at the signing right on time and we only had to wait about 20 minutes to meet him.

I actually was a little star struck, which is very unusual for me. I had all these topics I wanted to ask him but FROZE when it was my turn! To be honest, I don't have a clue what I said. I just smiled. My smile hurt my face. Oh, and it made my cheeks look like a chipmunk. All these Christmas parties I've been catering are getting to me. Getting to my cheeks, both sets!

I'm off on a mini vacay today to the mountains. Stay tuned for some amazing pictures. I might even take some food shots!! That would be a first!

This Jambalaya is good...I Garontee!

Mardi Gras isn't so far away...

In honor of a few of my ragin Cajun friends and the snow that fell on Alabama last night, I decided to whip up a big pot of Chicken Jambalaya. For all you football fans out there, I have to say, it sure is nice watching Alabama beat Florida (I do love Tebow, but not as much as Julio) all while enjoying some yummy Cajun food!

 

2 tablespoons canola oil
1 1/2 cups sausage, cut into slices

2 bay leaves
2 1/2 cups chicken (I use boneless chicken breasts, but you could save time with a store bought rotissere chicken)
1 teaspoon salt

1 teaspoon dried thyme

1 teaspoon dried basil

1 teaspoon dried oregano
1-2 teaspoons fresh ground pepper

A shake or two of red pepper flakes
4 garlic cloves, minced

1 red pepper, finely chopped
1 green pepper, finely chopped
1 yellow pepper, finely chopped
1 large onion, finely chopped
2 cups celery, finely chopped

1 large can of diced tomatoes
1 carton of chicken broth
1 1/2 cups cooked rice
Hot Sauce

Cajun Seasoning

Heat your oil in a large Dutch oven on medium heat and add your sausage. I try and keep it somewhat healthy so I use turkey sausage. The best one I've found is Smithfield's. I can't tell a difference.

After the sausage turns dark in color and begins to crisp, take the sausage out of the Dutch oven and let it hang out on a paper towel. Return the pot to medium high heat and brown your chicken, along with the herbs and salt and pepper. (If you are a fan of Cajun seasoning, go to town here! I like things hot and spicy, so I add a few shakes of my favorite Cajun spice) When your chicken is brown and well seasoned, remove it from the pot and let it rest while we move on to the colorful part of the dish.

Add the vegetables to the pot and let them hang out until they are a nice golden brown color. Add the tomatoes and bay leaves.

Add your chicken and sausage back to the pot and cover it up.

 I think the longer it simmers, the better it tastes. Try and let it simmer a good hour, if not longer. Surely you have some errands to run. Oh, I know, go to the gym and get a good workout in. Haha, right??

This is when I like to add my secret weapon.

My in-laws live in Mobile and were sweet enough to get me hooked on this stuff. I think it was all a big plot to get me to make the 4 hour trip to see them more often, but hey,  it worked! This is the best hot sauce I've ever tasted and I am a hot sauce connoisseur. Its from my favorite restaurant, Wintzell's. They have the best oysters! You really should check out this sauce:  buy it here.

Add in the rice and watch how the pot thickens! (not the plot, the pot)

Toast up a few pieces of garlic bread and SHAZAM!

 Bon Appetit.

Hi Misty, I'd like to order 1, 000 of these for tomorrow.

I am struggling as I try and come up with the adjectives appropriate for these little delights. They are good. No, they are perfect. Easy to make, inexpensive, fun, darn good, fattening as all get out! Meals by Misty has filled more orders in the last month than I thought was possible. I have met so many new clients lately and I'm going to let my math teacher self estimate that over 75% have asked for either Red Velvet Cake Balls or these OreoJoe's. (I just named them that..its sorta catchy don't you agree??)

First, gather up some oreo cookies. The recipe I found from Bakerella here, says to use an entire bag. I used about 3/4's the bag and they turned out HEAVENLY.

Pop them in your food processor and pulse until the cookies turn into a fine powder. Actually, the cookies turn into what appears to be dirt. Tasty dirt that is.

Pour the dirt into a large bowl and plop in a package of room temperature cream cheese.

f

Use your hands and mix the oreo's with the cream cheese. Once combined, roll out quarter sized balls and place on a cookie sheet that has been lined with parchment paper.

 

Ok, this next step is CRUCIAL. Once you have rolled out these booootyfull balls, you MUST pop them into the fridge for a couple hours, if not longer. The longer the better. You chill these so that they will stay true to size and shape even after rolling them in chocolate.

I had a tough time finding the right chocolate for drowning these Oreo balls in. I tried Bakers, it was too thick. I tried Quickcandy, HAHA! I hate that stuff. Its as thick as Mississippi mud (not the cake, the actual mud.) I finally found chocolate bark at a Kroger grocery store in my mom's hometown in Mississippi. We do not have Kroger here so when I go home to visit, I load up. I'm pretty sure my stocking will be hung by the chimney with care, with packages of bark flying all through the air.

Be sure you "Got Milk" for dunking.