Kitchen Tip #1

I've been bombarding you all with recipes, but did you know more than just recipes lives inside this cook's brain? I've learned a lot of tips over the years from Food Network, other cooks, my Gram, etc etc. Here's a tip for you.

Tired of onions making you cry? Stick your onion in the freezer for 10-15 minutes (bigger onion, more time) before you chop it up. You won't be covered in the juicy onion while you're chopping, or sobbing like The Notebook is on while you're trying to cook. :)

Happy chopping!

Better Potato Salad? Just add Bacon!

I love bacon. It's a simple but true fact that I literally eat it daily. Crunched on top of salads, crumbled into my omelets, sometimes stolen right out of the pan as I'm cooking it. It's my bacon-given right as the chef - or so I tell my husband as I steal it all. :) Here's a new twist on a summertime classic - potato salad. Just add the bacon!

Creamy Bacon Potato Salad

• 5 hardboiled eggs*
• 4 slices crispy bacon (i prefer the center cut!)
• 2 tablespoons of Dijon mustard
• 3 stalks of celery, minced
• 2 pounds of small red potatoes
• 1 cup mayonnaise
• 2 tablespoons Flat-leaf parsley, chopped
• salt & pepper

Place the potatoes in a large pot with enough water to just cover the potatoes completely. Bring them to a boil, cook for 20 minutes and then drain them and let them cool. Peel the eggs, place them in a large bowl and mash them to little bits with a fork. Stir in the celery, mustard, mayo, salt and pepper. When combined, crumble 3 pieces of the crispy bacon into the mayo mixture and set aside.

Chop the potatoes into bite-sized pieces and stir into the mayo mixture until well coated. Garnish with the rest of the bacon crumbled on top with the parsley. Best cool or at room temperature - let it sit for a bit so the flavors can combine!

Party Punch

Sure, you can drag out the coolers of beer but I find that every great party has a signature cocktail. During the warm WARM WARM summer months in lovely Texas, I've got the perfect party drink - with or without the "sauce".

Chill Out Punch

• 1 cup superfine or granulated sugar
• 2 packages of Strawberry Jello mix (sugar free or regular)
• 1 - 46 ounce can of pineapple juice (use the real thing!)
• 1 quart of no-pulp orange juice
• 2/3 cup lemon or lime juice (they both taste great)
• 2 -2 liter bottles of Sprite Zero at room temperature
• 6 cups of drinking water

In a large saucepan, combine the strawberry jello packages, water, and sugar. Stir until combined over high heat until the mixture boils. Let it boil for three minutes before turning off the heat and removing the pan from the hot burner. Stir in the pineapple, orange, and lemon or lime juice and stir together. Let it cool and divide it into two separate containers and then freeze for at least 4 hours. When you're ready to serve it, turn one frozen container out into a punch bowl and then pour 1 liter of Sprite Zero directly over the frozen block. When it turns slushy, stir the contents together and enjoy!

To make this beverage a bit more adult, simply add in a cup..or two..or three of vodka. It won't change the flavor but if you end up looking for your pants in the morning, it isn't my fault.

What says Memorial Day Weekend like a BBQ?

I love to BBQ. Before Mr. Man's parents bought us a grill as a birthday present - I was the lone griller in the house. I weilded the grill tongs like a master, a black belt in proper BBQ etiquette. My dear husband apparently became the master griller the second we bought the grill, but I still marinade, chop, butterfly, and flip my way to burger freedom. To me, meat on the grill with your friends - it doesn't get any better.

Simple Burgers

• 1lb. ground chuck beef (at least 10% fat - you NEED the fat!)
• 1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
• 1/2 teaspoon onion powder
• 1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
• 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt

Mix the spices into the burgers with your hands without overmixing! You want to loosely divide the meat into four burgers (or eight sliders!) that are roughly the same size so they will grill in the same amount of time. Only press the meat together so it forms a burger (do not pack it like a snowball or it will be rough and dry!). Grill on medium heat, flipping only once!

Pancakes!

There are few things in life better than a good pancake. Here in Austin, we have the wonder of Kerbey Lane who serves the world's most amazing pancakes (and queso but that's another recipe). When I'm not in the mood to roll my crazy haired, sleep-faced self out of bed and go fight the bible beaters for my pancakes - I make these at home.

Whole Wheat Buttermilk Pancakes

- 3/4 cup all-purpose flour
- 3/4 cup whole wheat flour
- 3 tablespoons sugar
- 1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
- 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 1 1/2 cups low-fat buttermilk
- 1 tablespoon vegetable oil
- 1 large egg
- 1 large egg white
- Cooking spray
- 3/4 cup maple syrup
- 3 tablespoons butter

Lightly spoon flours into dry measuring cups and level with a knife.

Whisk together the flours, sugar, baking powder, baking soda, and salt in a large bowl.

In a separate bowl, whisk together the buttermilk, oil, egg, and egg white. Add to flour mixture, stirring just until moist.

Heat a nonstick griddle or nonstick skillet coated with cooking spray over medium heat. Spoon about 1/4 cup batter per pancake onto griddle. Turn pancakes over when tops are covered with bubbles and edges look cooked. Devour with syrup and butter, glaring repeatedly at anyone who you think is taking your share. :)

I heart breakfast.

I do love breakfast. If I happen to wake up at 1pm - I still want breakfast. I simply cannot imagine LUNCH as the first meal of the day. Why on earth would I want a salad when I could have BREAKFAST? :) If you share my love of the A.M. meals - I've got a doozy for you. Sour Cream Coffee Cake. It's like dessert and breakfast all in one!

Sour Cream Coffee Cake

- 3/4 cup old-fashioned rolled oats (divided)
- Cooking spray
- 1 cup all-purpose flour
- 1/4 cup whole-wheat flour
- 1 teaspoon baking powder
- 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
- 1/4 teaspoon salt
- 1/2 cup granulated sugar
- 1/2 cup packed brown sugar, divided
- 1/3 cup butter, softened
- 2 large eggs
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1 (8-ounce) carton light sour cream
- 2 tablespoons finely chopped walnuts, toasted
- 1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
- 1 tablespoon chilled butter, cut into small pieces

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Take a dry baking sheet and sprinkle the oats out on it, and bake until the oats are light brown - usually about 5-6 minutes.

Coat a 9" springform pan with baking spray and set aside. Reserve 1/4 cup oats and set aside. Place remaining oats in a food processor; process 4 seconds or until finely ground. Lightly spoon flours into dry measuring cups; level with a knife. Whisk together processed oats, flours, baking powder, baking soda, and salt.

In a separate bowl, combine the granulated sugar, 1/4 cup brown sugar, and 1/3 cup butter and beat with a mixer on medium speed until light and fluffy. Add eggs one at a time, and then vanilla and beat until combined. Next, add the flour mixture & sour cream into the sugar mixture in 2-3 separate additions, alternating between adding the flour and sour cream. (Start and end with flour!) Place batter in prepared pan (it's okay for it to be a little lumpy).

Combine remaining 1/4 cup oats, remaining 1/4 cup brown sugar, nuts, and cinnamon in a bowl. Cut in 1 tablespoon butter with a pastry blender or 2 knives until well blended. Sprinkle top of batter evenly with nut mixture. Bake at 350° for 38 minutes or until a wooden pick inserted in center comes out clean, top is golden, and cake begins to pull away from sides of pan. Cool cake in pan for 10 minutes; remove from pan and devour. :)

The Most Important Meal of the Day

I love breakfast. Mainly pancakes, but since I've been trying to low carb it a bit - our household's become huge fans of the frittata. In case you too are trying to surprise your out-of-town friends with just how darn skinny you've gotten in their absence - I present my Ham and Asparagus Frittata. So darn delicious, you'll be doubly thrilled that it helps you get into your skinny jeans.

Ham and Asparagus Frittata

- 2/3 cup chopped 33%-less-sodium ham
- 1/2 cup (2 ounces) shredded low-fat Jarlsberg cheese (mmm)
- 1/4 teaspoon black pepper
- 1/8 teaspoon salt
- 3 large egg whites
- 2 large eggs
- Cooking spray
- 1/2 cup finely chopped onion
- 1/2 cup finely chopped bell pepper
- 1/2 cup (1-inch) slices asparagus
- 1/4 teaspoon Italian seasoning

Preheat your broiler and wrap the handle of your pan in foil.

In a medium-sized bowl, whisk together your eggs, egg whites, ham, cheese, black pepper and salt. Then heat your skillet (I use a 9" pan) over medium heat and coat it with cooking spray like you're hosing out a fire. Do you want all your hard work stuff to the pan?

Add in the bell pepper, onion and asparagus and saute for 3-4 minutes until everything is softened and delicious. Add in your egg mixture and cook, covered for about 3-4 minutes or until it's just a little jiggly and not quite set. Sprinkle the Italian seasoning on top. Place your pan (foil covered handle and all!) into the broiler for 2-3 minutes. This moves REALLY fast, so don't walk away!

Remove it from the broiler when the eggs have set and cut into four wedges. Let it cool a bit and enjoy! :)