Pumpkin Creme Pies

So I've been off the radar for a while. Call it a late summer slump - The spring and summer produce is dwindling, but it's too early to start making winter stews and baking pies.

But I have the cooking bug again thanks to these yummy Pumpkin Creme Pies. A co-worker found them online and as soon as I saw them I knew I'd be back in the kitchen. I mean how can you resist! Yummy frosting sandwiched between sweet pumpkin cakes. I'm drooling just thinking about it.

First things first, these were really easy. I had nearly all the ingredients on hand was able to make four dozen pumpkin cream pies in a couple of hours.  That said, unless you're doing a bake sale you may want to cut the recipe in half. I mean, how many Pumpkin Creme Pies do you really need?

The original recipe called for cutting parchment paper up into squares. I skipped that step, but my had was sore by the time I was finished. I'm not sure if that was because I didn't cut up the paper or the fact that I made four dozen creme pies.

Everyone also wanted to know how I made the little swirly marks in the cake. As you'll see in the recipe, it just happens when you make the cake rounds with the frosting piping bag (or the Ziploc bag for all you non-foodies).

These pies were definitely a hit at home and at the office. If you refrigerate them, let them sit on the counter for a bit before eating. It's unbelievable how much better they are at room temperatures. Check out the link for the recipe below. Enjoy!

Recipe: Pumpkin Creme Pies, by The Deutsch Girl

Asian Lettuce Cups

I just tried making lettuce cups at home for the first time and they were so delicious and easy, I had to pass on the recipe. It's called Asian Lettuce Cups and I found it in the August 2010 edition of Cooking light, in case you have the magazine at home.

The recipe called for 3 cups of coarsely chopped shiitake mushrooms. I only had about one cup because, #1 I didn't read the recipe correctly, and #2 I'm cheap and didn't feel like spending $9 on mushrooms.

It still came out delicious and next time I'll probably try it with just regular mushrooms. A definite must make if you're having friends over or if you're tired of the same old dinner.

(Insert Flavor Here) Mac 'n Cheese

It's been one of the those weeks - My roots are showing, the gym membership card has been lost and the girl at the Wendy's drive-thru knows me by name. 

Yep, microwave the Cup-O-Noodle and eat the random cupcake that someone left in the break room at work. This week I'm the poster child for Who Give a Fuck. 

But I have seen the light at the end of the tunnel. My body must be tired of all the junk, because I was inspired this afternoon to spice up a box of mac 'n cheese (I'm sure many of you have tried the old tuna and peas trick). Today I turned my shameful lunch into Southwest Mac 'n Cheese. 

As the macaroni was cooking, I chopped up some red onion and red bell pepper and cooked them in a non-stick pan until just tender. I added a can of drained and rinsed black beans, cayenne pepper, garlic powder, cumin, salt and pepper and tossed until mixed. When the macaroni was ready, I added the fake cheese and my bean mixture. 

Sure it's not a healthy meal, but it's a first step. I actually made something that required more than a microwave. And even though it was just a bowl of mac 'n cheese, I feel like I'm on the road to recovery. 

Maybe this afternoon I'll even order a salad from Wendy's instead of a bowl of chili (Welcome back Amber, do you still want a frosty with that?). 

Kitchen Sink Potatoes

Weekends are a great time for family traditions. Usually it's a Sunday night dinner, a special batch of brewed coffee or maybe even a homemade dessert. In our household it's breakfast potatoes.

On Saturday or Sunday morning my husband always makes breakfast potatoes. I call them kitchen sink potatoes because we just use the leftover produce and meat in our fridge. Some weekends it's potatoes with chicken and mushrooms. Others it's potatoes with bacon and onion. It all depends and it's always good. 

This week he made potatoes with bell pepper, onion, jalapeno, green onion, tomatoes and a bratwurst link. 

I've never been good at potatoes because I don't have the patience. While they may be nice and golden brown, they always come out undercooked. But the significant other has got it down pat. 

First make sure you cut the potatoes into small cubes. Too large and they'll take forever to cook. Then heat some oil (we use olive) in a large skillet. We also like to add some butter. Add the potatoes and cook on medium heat, for about 20-30 minutes, turning just a few times. 

If you turn too much, the potatoes won't brown - Not enough and your potatoes will burn. 

When the potatoes are about done, season with salt and pepper. Then add the rest of the kitchen sink in order of what takes longest to cook. Onions, peppers, mushrooms, blah, blah. Toss a few times and you're done. 

If you have meat, I'd suggest you cook it separately and then add it, but my husband likes to just clear a hole in the pan and cook it with everything else. Not sure how safe that is, but I haven't been sick... yet. 

Cook up a couple of eggs the way you like them and serve them on top. Enjoy!

Tailgating, Texas Caviar & The Two Dollar Grill

College football season kicked off this week and I was very excited to get last minute tickets to the UNLV Wisconsin game. Not so much because of the game, but because of the tailgating.

There's something about tailgating that I love. Maybe it's the fact that middle-aged people can stand around in a parking lot and drink beer without feeling weird about it. Yep, that's definitely it. Imagine standing in the parking lot of a Target or Sears drinking beer. Weird. 

We only had a day to whip up a tailgate party menu and we had two big problems. Problem number one? We don't have a grill. Problem number two? It was expected to be 105 degrees that afternoon. 

The grill was no problem. If you ever need a grill or don't want to bring your own grill because it's a mess, buy a disposable grill. You can find them in the charcoal section of the supermarket or the camping area of places like Target and Walmart. It's usually around $4 and comes with everything you need. We found this guy in the summer clearance section of our supermarket for $2. The best part is when you're finished, you can just throw it away. 

One word of warning. These grills are pretty ghetto. I wouldn't suggest cooking chicken or ribs on them. I pretty much buy them when I want to grill hot dogs. 

So first problem solved. Now the second problem was to find a dish that can add some life to my hot dog and chips menu, without melting in the heat. That's where the texas caviar comes in. 

Texas Caviar has nothing to do with fish eggs, and is pretty much a classic bean/corn salad that's made with black eyed peas. There are about a million recipes online, with different variations. I needed one that was easy to make, so I used a recipe called Cowboy Caviar that I found on myrecipes.com.  It was a big hit and only took about 15 minutes to make.  

This picture is of day-old leftovers, so don't let the wilted cilantro and browning avocado fool you. It was really good. 

Fresh & Simple Peach Crisp

I love having people over for dinner at the last minute. I can run to the store pick up a few things (and a few bottles of wine) and put a great meal on the table. Unfortunately the dessert can always be a little tricky - Anything homemade usually needs to be done in advance and I hate finishing off a nice meal with a box of supermarket cookies.

That's when I turn to the classic fruit bakes, and this one is no exception. It's easy to make and you probably have most of the ingredients on hand. Getting the peaches off the pit was a bit of a pain, and if anyone knows a trick please let me know. 

Sorry I don't have a completed dish to show you - We were just having too much fun. This is what was left of my Fresh & Simple Peach Crisp. Wine and shot glasses are not included. 

Recipe is adapted from Texas Cowboy Cooking by Tom Perini

Ingredients:

5 fresh peaches, peeled and sliced

Juice from 1 lemon

1 tbs cinnamon, divided in half

6 tbs of butter (about 3/4 of a stick), cut into pieces

3/4 cup of flour

3/4 cup of light brown sugar

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Place peaches in the bottom of an 8x8 square baking dish. Sprinkle with 1/2 tbs of cinnamon and lemon juice. In a bowl, combine the butter, flour, sugar and rest of cinnamon. I found it easiest to just mix and crumble with my hands. If the mix seems too dry and some more butter. Crumble on top of the fruit dish and bake for 30 minutes, turning the oven to broil for the last five minutes to crisp the top. 

Serve with ice cream if you're feeling really crazy. 

Sweet And Spicy Red Pepper Gazpacho

I haven't blogged about food in weeks because frankly it's just too hot. Sweating over a hot stove or a flaming grill is not the summer look I'm going for.

When I hit the summer doldrums I always turn to my favorite cool-off recipe, Sweet and Spicy Red Pepper Gazpacho. I could eat the stuff by the bucket (and I do). The one thing I love about this soup is it's easy to make. I don't want to break a sweat chopping stuff all afternoon. Everything gets thrown in the food processor and you're done.

A quick note about gazpacho. If you've never tried it, stop thinking of it like cold tomato soup. Cold tomato soup sucks. Gazpacho is sweet and refreshing and can have a spicy kick.

This recipe came from a friend who got it from the Food Network. I have no idea if this is the original version. Enjoy!

Ingredients:
2 red bell peppers, coarsely chopped
2 slices of white bread, crust removed, coarsely chopped
2 jalapeno peppers, without the seeds, coarsely chopped
2 cloves of garlic, crushed
2 tsp sugar
8oz can of tomato sauce
28 oz can of stewed diced tomatoes
1/4 cup of olive oil
2 tbs of red wine vinegar
Salt
Cucumber, chopped (optional)
Red onion, chopped (optional)

Place bell peppers in a food processor and puree. Add next six ingredients, bread through stewed tomatoes, and puree until smooth. Add olive oil and vinegar and pulse until mixed well. Add salt to taste.

I like to top my soup with a little chopped cucumber and red onion to give it some crunch, but it's optional.  You can also add some chopped shrimp if you want to make it a meal.

Ranch House Has Good Food Without Vegas Attitude

There's no doubt we have some fantastic restaurants in Las Vegas. Places where the food melts in your mouth, and the service makes you feel like royalty. Places where you order food you've never heard of. Places where you don't blink an eye when the check is over $200.

But sometimes you just want a steak.

That's when I go to the Ranch House. You've got to be a stuck-up son of a bitch not to like this place. It's been around since the 50's and back then it was in the middle of nowhere. Nowadays it's tucked between a neighborhood in North Las Vegas and the 215 beltway.

I love this place because, well, it's not Vegas. I went there with a girlfriend the other night and felt overdressed in my jeans and high heels. The waitress even asked if we were celebrating because we were so dressed up.

Nope, this is a place where you can wear jeans and a t-shirt and let your gut hang out.

The dinning room has old wood paneling and pictures of John Wayne. If you go there during the holidays, Christmas lights will hang from the wooden beams of the ceiling. There are candles and white tablecloths, but you still feel like you can put your elbows on the table.

My friend had the special, a bacon wrapped filet topped with Bechamel sauce. I had the prime rib, seared on the grill at the suggestion of our waitress. Throw in some clam chowder, a twice stuffed potato, ranch potatos and chocolate cake for desert and we were stuffed. All the food was great - Not fancy restaurant on the strip great, but how you would make it at home great.

Add on a bottle of cab and our bill came to about $84. Not bad, considering it's Vegas.

The Ranch House has personality in a city that feels a little too trendy at times. It's old, it's classic, and it's comfortable. I've never had a bad time or a bad steak. And I'm sure if I didn't like my steak, they would just make me a new one. If you've haven't been, I recommend you check it out. I promise you'll like it, unless you're a stuck-up son of a bitch.

Bob Taylor's Original Ranch House
6250 Rio Vista St.
North Las Vegas, NV 89130

Reservations: (702) 645-1399

Canned My Own Salsa, But Don't Think I'm Getting All Domestic On You

I know what you're thinking - Canning sounds so old fashioned. So grandma. So stay at home mom. So boring.

Well, I'm none of those things, but today I became a home canner. I made a small batch of salsa and now have three jars sitting in my pantry. I have to admit, there's something amazing about canning. I didn't have to buy a lot of expensive equipment. I didn't have to take classes or practice. I just took some fresh produce, a few glass jars and a pot of hot water and made something that can sit in my pantry for a year.

Anyone who is still holding on to the lamp they made in wood shop knows what I mean.

I enjoyed my first canning experience, but I'm certainly not going to turn my kitchen into a canning factory. It was a lot of work and I have a big mess to clean up. Even so, I definitely have the canning bug, and I'm already thinking about what I want to make next. Jam? Zucchini relish? Kimchi?

Does that make me domestic? No.
A food lover? Most definitely.

Home Canning For Dummies

Okay, maybe not for dummies, but certainly for the person who has never canned before. My new Ball Home Canning Discovery Kit arrived yesterday, and I hate to admit it, but I'm really excited.

The kit comes with a basket you use to heat the jars in hot water, three cute little jars that I'll use for lemonade if this canning thing doesn't work out, and a recipe book. 

If you've never canned, here's the basics: You follow a recipe and cook some fruit, vegetables or meat. Then you put the food in jars, seal them up and heat them at high temperature in hot water. Once the jars are sealed you can keep them in your pantry for about a year. So if you love strawberry jam, you can make 10 jars of strawberry jam when berries are in season and enjoy it all winter long. 

Yes, you can also go to the store and buy strawberry jam, but what's the fun in that? 

The instructions that come with the kit are easy to understand, although phrases like "headspace" and "fingertip tight" are foreign to me. Whose fingertips are we talking about? Mine? My husbands? My 80-year-old grandmother? Thank goodness for 1-800 hotlines. 

The recipe book is also pretty decent. It has 12 recipes and covers everything from Bread and Butter Pickles, to Tomato and Apple Chutney and Zesty Zucchini Relish. I'm actually surprised that it doesn't have recipes for simple stuff, like strawberry jam. 

I think I'm going to start off with salsa. The recipe is not too intimidating and we can never get enough salsa in our household. 

The kit cost $18.45 with shipping and handling. I think it's perfect for people like me, who want to try out canning without investing a lot of money. If it works out, my friends and neighbors will find some canned salsa under their tree this Christmas.

Blueberry Cornmeal Pancakes and Minty Fruit Salad

I made pancakes from scratch this week, and for the first time, I realize I love pancakes. It only took me 35 years.

I thought all pancakes tasted like the giant piles of mush served up at Denny's and IHOP or the tasteless Bisquick pancakes that I've made at home. Who knew that pancakes could have actual texture and flavor? Wild!

My 7-year-old and 11-year-old house guests drove me to it - For some odd reason, they didn't enjoy black coffee and toast every morning. So I dug out Martha's trusty cookbook and found a recipe for cornmeal pancakes. They were easy to make and delicious! So good, that I made a second batch for Sunday morning along with my favorite Minty Fruit Salad.

If you've never tried pancakes from scratch, I think you're missing out. Here's the recipe, adapted from The Martha Stewart Living Cookbook. The Minty Fruit Salad is all mine. Enjoy! 

Pancakes 

2 cups of milk 

(I used 1 cup of whole milk and 1 cup of 2%)

5 tbs of butter 

(I know, but I haven't had time to experiment with margarine)

2 eggs

3/4 cup all purpose flour

1/2 cornmeal

1 tbs & 1 tsp baking powder

2 tbs sugar

3/4 tsp of kosher salt

Small package of fresh blueberries

Canola oil

On low heat, warm the milk and butter in a small sauce pan. When the butter is melted, remove from heat and let cool until milk is luke warm. Do this entire process first because it will take a while for the milk to cool down. Once the milk is luke warm, whisk in the two eggs. 

In a medium bowl, mix next five ingredients (flour through salt). Add milk mixture and whisk until moist. The batter may have small lumps. If you like, add blueberries.  

Heat skillet on medium and lightly coat with canola oil. I used my cast iron skillet and wiped off the extra oil with a paper towel. You really don't need a lot of oil. 

Pour about a 1/4 cup of pancake mix into pan. You should see air bubbles almost immediately. Flip after about 2 minutes, or when edges of pancakes begin to solidify. Cook on other side for about 1 minute and serve. 

Minty Fruit Salad

3 cups of seasonal fruit, chopped. I like strawberries, mango and kiwi, but I've also used grapefruit wedges, blueberries and honeydew melon. 

Whisk together the following and toss with fruit. 

3 tbs of orange juice

1 tbs lime juice

2 tbs honey

4 or 5 fresh mint leaves, chopped

Chill for 30 minutes or serve immediately. If you want to prep this ahead, make the fruit and the dressing separately then toss together before serving. 

Why We Chose Milwaukee For Our Summer Vacation (Hint: It's All About The Beer)

In August we're going on vacation to Milwaukee.

Yes, you heard right - Milwaukee. The land of Laverne and Shirley, Miller Brewing Company and Summerfest.  A lot of things draw me to this city - My old friends, the ball park, State Fair. But it's also the beer.

When I moved to Milwaukee back in 2004, I drank Coors Light. Hey, I'm from Southern California and the choices were Coors Light, Bud Light, Amstel Light and Heineken. Sure there were probably some craft beers on the shelf of my liquor store, but I didn't know anyone who drank them. There were no small breweries in my city. No trend. Just Coors Light.

But when I moved to Milwuakee, that changed. People returned favors with cases of Miller Lite. Supermarket shelves were stocked with beer I had never heard of. Friends drank beer that I had never tried. And yes, I became a born again beer drinker.

I toured the breweries and bought their beer. I tried pumpkin ales in the fall and summer ales in the spring. I embraced their beer culture and I'm so grateful I did.

While I still drink the occasional Coors Light, my fridge is usually stocked with beers that my California friends have never head of and never tried. I wish the supermarkets here in Las Vegas had more of a selection - Thank God we have Lee's Liquor.  

And in a few weeks, I'll be back in Milwaukee, shopping for beer like a kid in a candy store. If you want to find me, try starting at Sprecher Brewery. I'll be the one drinking the Black Bavarian. And who know, maybe I'll even tour the Miller brewing plant again. After all, it's all about the beer... even if some of that beer tastes like water :)

Found The Fukuburger Truck And I Liked It

I don't know if it's a new trend, or a trend I just discovered, but gormet food trucks seem to be the new thing in Las Vegas.

These aren't the trucks that wander construction sites, selling tacos and sodas to hungry workers. These trucks use twitter, blogging, and good ol' world of mouth to find their customers. They roam the streets in brightly colored trucks, stopping in parking lots, sending out tweets about their location.

The first truck that I really noticed is called Slidin' Thru. The guys sell sliders and fantastic sweet potato fries. If you're lucky enough to catch up with them on certain nights, you may even find yourself with french dip or pork bbq sliders. I have a hard time getting to these guys because they're only in my neighborhood on Sundays and that's the day I like to cook at home. But I have tried their stuff and it's really good.

There's also a new guy on the block. Fukuburger makes full sized burgers with a japanese twist. The guys are just getting started and haven't established a routine yet, but they've been hanging out in China Town which I love because it's right near my office. I talked to one of the owners and he said their goal is to feed the masses who work on the strip - Industry workers who only have a few choices when their late night shift is over.

When I found their truck this week, they had a good crowd of people hanging out on lawn chairs and listening to music coming from a car. It was definitely a laid back experience, although with temperatures near the triple digits, I decided to take my burger back to my air conditioned office.

I ordered the Tamago Burger which comes with a fried egg and crunchy onion strips. I love egg on just about everything and this was no different. After my first bite I had egg yolk smothering the meat and bread. Perfecto! The burger itself was medium rare and I was fine with that, but I know some people may want to ask for their meat to be cooked a little more.

Overall I love the concept. Good food without having to pay a bundle or sit down in a restaurant. At FukuBurger, burgers are $5 and fries are $2. At Slidin' Thru, you get three for $7, but can also buy one at a time for $3. And definitely get the sweet potato fries, which are also $3 (Thanks for the prices Justin).

If you have a couple bucks and see these trucks around town, they're definitely worth the stop. If anything, you may make some new friends.

Fava Beans Without The Liver And Chianti

Ever see fresh fava beans at the supermarket? Pretty unlikely in Las Vegas unless you're lucky enough to have more money than God and shop at Whole Foods.

So when my corner Smith's supermarket started carrying fresh fava beans last week, I couldn't pass up the opportunity. Of course I had no idea what I was looking at in the produce section, and I definitely had no idea how to serve them (except with liver and a nice Chianti). But here's what I learned...

Fava beans come in a pod, much like green beans. But the pod is huge, like green beans on steroids. You have to open the pod and pop out the beans, one by one. Not sure why, but the inside of the pod is soft and furry - When I first opened them, it kinda grossed me out. Sorry foodies, I just wasn't expecting it. 

There were only about 5 beans per pod, so if you're gonna make some for dinner, make sure you get enough pods. 

I took out the old trusty Martha Stewart Cookbook at found a recipe for Stir Fried Fava Beans. First you simmer the beans for 10 minutes. Next, a nice ice bath. For those of you who don't know what that means (Heather) drain the beans and dunk them in ice cold water so they stop cooking. 

Next you peel the individual beans. Who knew the outer skin wasn't good? Thanks Martha. 

Then I added the beans to a hot pan with oil. I stir fried the beans for about 2 minutes and added a splash of fish sauce. Yes, I have that stuff in my pantry. After another minute, I tossed the beans in a little salt and some diced chives out of the garden, and served them up. 

They were surprisingly delicious. It's hard to explain, but they were meaty and heavy, almost like a meal. Now that I know about them, and their fuzzy pod insides, I'll definitely make them again. Although probably only when I'm trying to impress my friends or I'm having Anthony Hopkins over for dinner. 

And just in case you're wondering, it took me two days to get Hannibal Lecter out of my head. 

These pods are huge! 

The inside of the pod

What I got out of two pods

The beans after they were cooked and peeled

The final product

Keeping Basil Fresh: My Accidental Experiment

I would love to grow basil in my garden, but it's just too hot in my backyard.

So when I bought some fresh basil at a gardens market, I was really hoping to make it last. I had read somewhere that you should always keep basil in a vase of water, kinda like flowers. So I trimmed the stems and put my basil in a little glass vase on the kitchen counter.

Surprisingly it did great, and it was really nice to have some fresh basil at my fingertips. I just changed the water every couple of days, just like flowers.

About a week and a half later, I was cleaning out the fridge, when I realized I had put some of that same basil in my produce drawer (yes things stay hidden in my fridge for weeks).

So 10 days after I bought the fresh basil from the farmers market, here's what it looked like - Half was fresh and green. The other half not so much.

The basil in the vase lasted another three days or so, before I finally threw it out. Not bad, considering the alternative.

Specialty Cocktails Make Vegas Restaurant Shine

If you haven't figured it out by now, I love myself a good drink. Beers, cocktails, premixed margaritas out of plastic jug - You name it, I'll enjoy it.  

This weekend I was on a quest to find a new watering hole and I think I found it at Herbs & Rye on the corner of Sahara and Valley View.

There are three main reasons I love this place:

- The drinks were superb

- The bartender was fantastic

- It's close to work

Okay, so number three sounds like I need a quick alcohol fix on my lunch break. Nothing could be further from the truth. I need a looooong alcohol fix on my lunch break.

While the restaurant and bar serve pretty much everything, it's the specialty cocktails that make this place stand out. If your tired of the same crappy pear and raspberry martinis for $15, this is the place for you. The ingredients may seem unusual and unheard of... but the combinations were fantastic. Even the drinks based with scotch or gin, which I am not a fan of, tasted delicious.

The drinks are sepearted into eras.. like the "Old School Age of American Bartending" and "Prohabition". I started with a drink called the Clover Club, made with gin, lemon, raspberry Syrup and egg white. The menu says the drink was Created at the Bellvue-Statford Hotel in Philadelphia, and named after the men’s club in the city by the same name…… It was delish!

Later I tried the Aviation which is my new favorite drink, not that I'll ever be able to replicate it at home. The Aviation is made with gin, Maraschino liqueur, lemon, and creme de violette. It also came with a real Maraschino Cherry, not not those bright pink things soaked in food coloring.

The place is nice, but not stuck up, so you feel comfortable asking the bartender plenty of questions. Our bartender was great and explained each drink. He even showed us the bottles of liquor and mixes. It was certainly a learning experience.

If I remember correctly, the martinis were about $9, which considering you're actually getting a real drink and not some sugared down alcohol mix, it was totally worth it. And if you're local, it's a great place to take people from out of town - It's "away from the strip" but still close enough that people won't get bored on the drive there. And it truly feels like some hidden gem that only locals know about.

I will definitely be stopping by again, but after work of course. 

Sliders Were The Hit Of The BBQ

Yes, summers in Las Vegas are hot, but they're nice and dry. Which means the evenings are fantastic!

Last weekend we had about 20 people over for a backyard BBQ (yes, we were grilling but I think barbecue just sounds better).  Anyway we provided the main dishes and everyone else brought a side. On the menu were three types of sliders, grilled chicken wings, watermelon, pasta salad, zesty three bean salad, chicken sonoma salad, and plenty of desserts.

Everything was great, but people really loved the sliders. Originally we were going to do burgers and dogs, but thought sliders would be a nice touch. It turns out people liked the portion size. They could have one or two sliders and still try all the other side dishes. And they were great for the kids.

We used a recipe from Food Network's Alton Brown called Mini Man Burgers.

You basically roll out the ground beef in a baking sheet, season it, fold it up and then cut it into squares. I had a hard time rolling it in a baking sheet because my rolling pin was too long and I didn't have any baking sheets without edges. So I just put the parchment paper right on the countertop. At first it was little awkward, but after the third batch of patties I had it down. By the time I finished making all 64 patties I was a pro.

The burgers cook fast, like lightning. We had to turn off a part of the grill and move the burgers so the cheese would have time to melt.

We did three different toppings:
- American cheese
- Blue cheese and bacon
- Swiss with Pineapple and a drizzle of teriyaki

Everyone loved the choices and loved the sliders. I'll definitely make them again, although I'll probably limit them to two toppings unless I have lots of help. And sadly I didn't get to try any until later, so I don't know how they tasted right off the grill.

If you decide to try these sliders at your next party, here's my only advice:
- Make the patties in advance.
- Keep the meet cold until you're ready to roll it out. It was much easier working with cold beef.
- Don't underestimate how long it will take the burgers to cook. They're super fast.
- Depending on how many you make, forget toasting the buns. It's a nice touch, but no one will notice.
- And get creative with the toppings. People at our get together had a lot of fun trying the different burgers. I'd love to hear what you come up with!

Anaheim Chilies Stuffed With Cheese

When you grow a garden it's always nice if you can actually eat the food you're growing. In Las Vegas, that means peppers. My anaheim chili plant did great this spring and produced a bunch of peppers, so this week I whipped up some stuffed cheese pepper things, and they came out great. It was very easy and definitely something I'll make again. Here are my not so exact instructions.

Ingredients: 
Cream cheese
Cotija cheese (In the southwest you can usually find cotija cheese in the refrigerated section next to the fresh salsa and chorizo)
Salt
Pepper
Whole fresh anaheim chilies
Tomatoes for garnish if you like

Mash equal parts of cream cheese and cotija cheese and season with salt and pepper. Cut chilies in half and  remove stem and seeds. I like to toss the chilies in a hot skillet for a few minutes to give them some blackened edges. Stuff the peppers with the cheese as best you can. Bake on 375 for about 15-20 minutes or until the top of the cheese browns. Top with diced tomato for a little color.

Southwestern Corn Pudding

Sometimes I try a new dish because I just hate to see food go to waste.

This weekend we hosted a fabulous potluck, but the corn never made it to the table. The woman who was supposed to bring it ended up coming late, and the next morning I had 12 cobs of corn sitting in my kitchen.

I love corn on the cob, but there was no way my husband and I were going to eat it all by ourselves. So I decided to sift through the recipe books and found an easy recipe for corn pudding. Imagine cream of corn, but stiff, like bread pudding. I had all the ingredients on hand and I even added some green chilies to spice things up. It was delicious! Especially if you like corn.

So, if you have a bunch of leftover corn this summer, here's an easy side dish from the Texas Cowboy Cooking cookbook:

4 tbs butter
2 tbs flour
1 cup milk
2 eggs, beaten
2 cups of corn, cut from the cob (about 4 cobs, depending on the size)
1 1/2 tbs of canned diced green chilies. Add or subtract chilies as you like.
2 tsp sugar
1/2 tsp salt
1/2 tsp pepper

In a large saucepan, over medium heat, melt butter and stir in flour. Gradually add the milk, stirring constantly until thickened (3 to 5 minutes). Remove from heat and add the beaten eggs, stirring with a wire whisk. Stir in the corn, sugar, salt and pepper, and pour into a small buttered baking dish. Place the dish in a shallow pan half filled with warm water (I used to bottom half of a small roasting pan). Bake at 350 degrees for 45 minutes or until pudding is set.

Pizza Dough: What A Pain In My ***

Do you ever have one of those moments in the kitchen, where you say to yourself... This is not going well. I had about seven of those this week.

I was on a mission to learn how to grill pizza. Everyone told me to just buy the dough from the store, but that's not my style.

I started with a pizza recipe that I found online. I mixed the flour and yeast in my stand mixer like the recipe called for. Then I added the warm water and... wait a second, a dough hook? I don't have one of those.

So much for reading the entire recipe first.

Hoping to salvage my dough and water mess, I "hooked" the dough by hand. The recipe said it should take about 10 minutes in the mixer and the dough should look smooth and elastic. My method went on for about 15 minutes and ended when my arms were tired.  I put the dough in the bowl, covered it and put it in the fridge. The recipe said it should double overnight.

First of all, this was taking way too long! I had to wait until the next day to enjoy my grilled pizza? This better be the best homemade grilled pizza ever!

The next morning, nothing. The dough was the same as I left it. Some blob that had been kneaded by hand and hadn't risen an inch.

In the trash it went.

I needed a new recipe. One that wasn't going to take 24 hours. I was getting hungry!

The second recipe was a little better. Put the yeast and water together. Add some flour. Put it on a floured surface and start kneading. Except the dough kept sticking to my hands. I mean, really sticky, like I just put my hands in a pot of honey.

I'm sure it needed more flour, but that's when everything went downhill.

With my hands covered in gooey dough, my toddler decides to open a container of bubble solution and spill it on the floor. Before I could even roll my eyes, my husband arrives home and the dog starts going crazy. My daughter tries to walk to the garage door, but keeps stepping in the bubble solution and falling on her butt - It was like watching an episode of The Three Stooges.  My husband walks in to find me covered in goop and the kid covered in slippery bubble solution and crying on the floor. Welcome home honey!

The good news was this batch of dough did what it was supposed to and doubled in size. A few hours later I was able to put in on the grill and topped it with fresh mozzarella, basil and tomatoes. The dough was a little thick and needed some salt or garlic oil or something, but it wasn't bad.

I'm going to attempt to make another batch soon, but I may also check out the stuff at the supermarket. I know it's not my style, but making that dough was... well, you know.

California, Mexico and Rattlesnake Tequila

I've been on the road the past couple of weekends, vacationing and visiting friends. It's great to get away, but it's also great to try new food along the way. There's nothing worse than checking into a hotel and realizing the only restaurant they have is an Applebee's.

Over Memorial Day weekend we stayed with friends at the beach in Ventura County, California. We literally did nothing but drink and eat. There were at least three cookouts while we were there - A neighbor made elk burgers stuffed with American cheese and cilantro, I cooked up fresh rock fish and zuchinni from the local farmers market, and friends gathered down the street to share fish tacos with parmesan fried tortilla shells.

Those shells were fantastic! The guy who made them takes corn tortillas and fries them in a pan. When they're nearly ready, he shapes them into a taco shell and then dips them into a mixture of parmesan cheese, crushed red pepper and garlic powder. They were definitely the hit of the party. I've tried making them a couple of times at home, but so far they're not quite the same.

We recently got back from Baja Mexico, where once again, all we did was drink and eat (I'm seeing a pattern here). My three favorites were the roadside fish tacos, the fresh calamari steak and the tequila soaked in rattlesnake.

The fish tacos were perfect - A woman who barely spoke english served them with hot sauces, radishes, shredded cabbage and white onions that had been marinating in vinegar, salt and oregano. Of course, maybe I loved the tacos because were were allowed to bring our own beer!

The calamari was served at a place called Los Gordo's Bar. If you're ever in Ensenada, check it out. It's at a great location and the food was good and cheap. The night we were there, they were serving fresh calamari steak dinners for $6. It was fantastic! There's nothing like fresh fish!

As for the rattlesnake tequila, that was also at Los Gordo's. Yep, that's me! Take a drink, get your picture with the snake and they'll post it on Facebook for the whole world to see. You can't beat that deal. And as much as I dreaded it, the tequila was pretty good. Good enough to do a second shot later that night. Ouch.