my slice of life | Stephanie's Slice Of Life

Tag: my slice of life
- Easy Mexican Taco Pasta
  
  Posted at 10:01 am by StephMo
  
  Jan 29th
  
  Taco Tuesday had a little bit of a twist yesterday in my house. It was actually a coincidence, I didn’t even realize I was making a taco type meal on a Tuesday. But go me! I probably shouldn’t have admitted it wasn’t planned so it would look like I have my act together much more than I really do. If you love tacos and pasta, then you will love this recipe. It is the best of both worlds. Oh, and did I mention it is incredibly easy?
  
  I have been making this pasta dish fairly often for years. Last night I used whole grain pasta as you can probably tell from the photo. Personally, I think it tastes better with regular pasta, but the other flavors are so great that it was excellent with whole grain as well. If you are looking to cut calories, this is a perfect recipe. You can use ground turkey, low fat sour cream, and reduced fat cheese (I wouldn’t use fat free because it won’t melt properly).
  
  My children even love this recipe despite the fact that there are always little piles left on each of their plates. One plate has a pile of beans and olives, and the other plate has a pile of beans, olives, and scallions. I used to get annoyed, but now I just giggle to myself at the effort that goes in to picking around everything.
  
  Ingredients:
  
  1 lb. ground turkey or beef
  
  Taco seasoning packet (I prefer McCormick)
  
  1/2 cup (or more) shredded Mexican cheese
  
  1/2 cup sour cream
  
  1 cup chopped tomatoes
  
  1/2 cup chopped scallions
  
  Small can of sliced black olives
  
  1/2 cup black beans
  
  1 lb. pasta
  
  Cook pasta as directed on package. While pasta is cooking, cook the meat in a pan until done. I use ground turkey instead of beef, but you can use either. Drain any excess grease. Add taco seasoning mix and water as directed on package. Cook on low-medium heat for about 5 minutes.
  
  When pasta is cooked return it to the pan after draining. Add taco meat, shredded cheese, and sour cream. Stir well.
  
  Stir in remaining ingredients. The black olives are mixed with the beans in the photo in case you were wondering. I really recommend using scallions and not substituting another type of onion, it makes a big difference with the taste.
  
  That’s it! Now just serve and enjoy. So easy and delicious! It tastes great with a little added hot sauce on top too, we prefer Cholula or Red Devil.
  
  Posted in Dinners, Mexican Taco Pasta, Recipes | Tagged dinner recipe, easy dinner ideas, easy dinner recipe, easy pasta recipe, food blog, food blogger, my slice of life, pasta, pasta recipe, taco pasta recipe, taco recipe
- Key Lime Pie – Oh My!
  
  Posted at 4:09 pm by StephMo
  
  Jan 24th
  
  I have not made this recipe in years, and I can’t believe how many opportunities were missed when I could have made this delicious pie. I actually just forgot about it. My children aren’t big fans of lime and I just started making other things. Now that I have dug out the recipe again, I will be putting it back up at the top of the list. It is even better than I remember it being – wow! In your best Southern accent repeat after me, “Everybody love key lime pie!”. They sure will with this recipe!
  
  I am not sure where this recipe came from, I have it written on a piece of paper. Paper I don’t even recognize, so it was from quite some time ago.
  
  You can either use or store bought graham cracker crust, or make your own. I have included the crust recipe I use after the recipe for the pie. The homemade crust is really worth the extra effort, it is just so good!
  
  Ingredients:
  
  9 inch graham cracker crust
  
  5 egg yokes
  
  1 14oz. can sweetened condensed milk
  
  1/3 cup key lime juice
  
  1 cup heavy cream
  
  1/4 cup confectioners sugar
  
  Bake pie crust for 10-15 minutes at 350 degrees. Let cool. Even a store bought crust should be baked, not just homemade.
  
  Whisk egg yokes, condensed milk, and lime juice until smooth. Pour into crust.
  
  Bake at 350 degrees for 10-15 minutes or until set. Cool, then refrigerate for 4 hours.
  
  Beat heavy cream and confectioners sugar with an electric mixer on high until it thickens to whipped cream. Do not over beat. Spread over pie. Keep refrigerated.
  
  I grated some lime peel onto the top to make it look pretty 🙂
  
  So creamy, and absolutely delicious!!
  
  Graham Cracker Crust Recipe:
  
  1 1/2 cups crushed graham crackers
  
  1/3 cup sugar
  
  6 tbsp. butter – melted
  
  Combine all ingredients in a mixing bowl.
  
  I use a chopper to crush the graham crackers, but if you don’t have a chopper you could put them in a plastic bag and crush with either a rolling pin or a mallet.
  
  Press mixture firmly into a 9″ pie plate.
  
  I use my hands and the back of a measuring cup to press the crumbs into the pie plate. The sides are a little bit of a challenge.
  
  Then as I mentioned previously, before using with any pie recipe be sure to bake at 350 degrees for 10-15 minutes.
  
  Pie really does fix everything!
  
  Posted in Key Lime Pie, Pies, Recipes | Tagged food blog, food blogger, key lime pie, key lime pie recipe, my slice of life, pie, pie recipe
- Ballet Slipper Cake
  
  Posted at 1:09 pm by StephMo
  
  Jan 23rd
  
  Ok, ok, I know the photo quality is horrible and the cake is not the best looking. I made this cake 15 years ago when my daughter was 4 and in ballet. Back in the days when you didn’t take pictures of your food, and if you did it was just to remember a special occasion not thinking it would ever be posted on-line.
  
  I came across this recipe recently and after I wiped away my tears, I looked on-line and saw that you can’t find this recipe anymore. At least I was unable to. So despite the terrible photo from taking a photo of an old actual photograph, and me not being the best cake decorator 15 years ago, I felt it was worth sharing.
  
  Let me just say how thrilled my daughter was to come home to this cake after her “big” dance recital. I’m adding a photo of her more for myself than anything, but wasn’t she adorable? Also back in the day where you couldn’t see the photo and didn’t realize she was squinting. She still is adorable, but she is in college now, gulp. The years really do just fly by. Cherish every moment of your little ones, because they are big in the blink of an eye.
  
  So, this cake is not gourmet in any way, but it really doesn’t matter to a little ballerina. It will pretty much guarantee you the title of “parent of the year” for making it though. What you need are:
  
  Red M&Ms
  
  Red or pink fruit roll ups
  
  Vanilla frosting
  
  2 frozen pound cakes
  
  Red food coloring
  
  Thaw the pound cakes and trim them with a knife to look like the shape of ballet slippers. Use some of the vanilla frosting to spread on the tops where the slipper opening would be. Dye the rest of the frosting pink with a few drops of red food coloring. Frost the rest of the slippers pink. Place one slipper leaning against the other as I did. ** One thing I can’t really remember is whether or not to decorate the cakes completely and then lean one against the other, or to lean and then decorate. That should be easier to determine when the cakes are in front of you.
  
  Cut the fruit roll ups into 3/4 inch wide strips. Then cut four 3 inch pieces and place them as an “X” across the white portion of each cake. Cut four 8 inch strips and cut the ends as I did, then drape them off of the cakes where the straps would be. Use the red M&Ms to outline the white frosted areas.
  
  Now you have a happy ballerina!!!
  
  Posted in Cakes, Recipes | Tagged ballet cake, ballet shoe cake, ballet slipper cake, ballet slipper cake recipe, ballet slippers cake, food blogger, lifestyle blogger, mom blogger, my slice of life
- Turkey Pork Meatloaf
  
  Posted at 10:08 am by StephMo
  
  Jan 21st
  
  Every time I make meatloaf I think “Meatloaf, smeatloaf, double beatloaf. I hate meatloaf”. If you have never seen the movie The Christmas Story, then you may not be familiar with that line. As you can probably guess, the little boy Randy in the movie does not like meatloaf. But I do! Talk about a classic comfort food, yum!
  
  Since my family doesn’t eat beef, I make it with ground turkey and ground pork. I used to make it with just turkey for years, but started adding pork and like this version better.
  
  It’s funny when you have to write out your recipe because you actually have to measure the ingredients. I am so used to just adding some of this, and a little of that, that I never knew how much I was adding. Last night’s meatloaf came out perfect, so now I know exactly how much to use!
  
  Ingredients:
  
  1 lb. ground turkey
  
  1 lb. ground pork
  
  1 1/2 cups Italian seasoned bread crumbs
  
  2 eggs
  
  1 tsp. salt
  
  3/4 tsp pepper
  
  1/4 cup ketchup
  
  1 tbsp. Worcestershire sauce
  
  2 tbsp. grated parmesan cheese
  
  Combine all ingredients except meats in a large mixing bowl.
  
  Add meats and combine thoroughly. Make sure you really take the time to incorporate the bread crumb mixture with the meat.
  
  Add half of mixture to a greased loaf pan. Add a layer of cheese, then add remaining meat mixture. You don’t have to use cheese, but I enjoy it this way. You can use whatever cheese you prefer or happen to have in the house. I have used cheddar, slices of American cheese, and tonight I decided to use shredded mozzarella.
  
  Top with ketchup, maybe about 1 tbsp? I went a little crazy with it this time and don’t usually use this much. I like the crust that it adds on the top when cooked.
  
  Bake at 375 degrees for 1 1/4 hours. Let the meatloaf rest for 5-10 minutes before cutting.
  
  My favorite side dish with meatloaf is mashed potatoes, but since my son doesn’t like potatoes, I decided to be nice and make couscous last night. Next time I’m not going to be so nice 😉
  
  Posted in Comfort Food, Dinners, Meatloaf, Recipes, Turkey Pork Meatloaf | Tagged Comfort Food, food blog, food blogger, life blogger, meatloaf recipe, my slice of life, turkey meatloaf recipe, turkey pork meatloaf recipe
- Chicken Cutlet Parmesan
  
  Posted at 12:59 pm by StephMo
  
  Jan 20th
  
  After all the wonderful flavors had melded together in my pot of sauce the other day (recipe for homemade sauce in separate blog), I decided to add some chicken parm to the dinner menu. Not something I do often because it is time consuming. Not to mention that my husband recently told me that my chicken parm is the best he has ever had, which now puts tremendous stress on me every time I make it.
  
  Just as you can get some frustrations out while crushing peppermints for chocolate peppermint bark, you can also get some out while pounding chicken breast. I personally don’t like to purchase the already packaged cutlets because I find there are always pieces I want to cut off of the chicken and it never leaves enough for a good sized cutlet. I buy packages of boneless chicken breast and just cut them into smaller pieces and pound them with a wooden mallet between pieces of wax paper or plastic wrap.
  
  When I am just making cutlets not to bake into chicken parmesan, I pound them thinner than I did for this.
  
  Depending on the size of your pan, I use enough vegetable or canola oil so that it ends up being about 1/4 inch high. Heat the oil over medium heat until it sizzles when a drop of water is put in the oil. Then start preparing the cutlets.
  
  In one bowl I beat 2 eggs mixed with equal amounts of water. In another bowl I put flour, and in the third bowl I put Italian Seasoned Breadcrumbs mixed with about 2 tbsp grated parmesan cheese.
  
  Dip each cutlet into the flour, then the egg, and lastly the breadcrumbs. Put each cutlet in oil and cook for about 2-3 minutes per side depending on the thickness of your cutlets.
  
  When cutlets are cooked I like to put them on a paper towel lined plate to remove some of the excess oil.
  
  Put a very thin layer of sauce on the bottom of your baking dish. Then add a layer of cutlets, another layer of sauce, a layer of shredded mozzarella cheese, and repeat with cutlets, sauce and cheese.
  
  Cover with aluminum foil and bake at 350 degrees for 30 minutes. Remove foil and bake for 5-10 more minutes until cheese is melted and sauce is bubbly.
  
  Enjoy!!
  
  Posted in Chicken Cutlet Parmesan, Chicken Parmesan, Dinners, Recipes | Tagged chicken cutlet parmesan recipe, chicken cutlets, chicken cutlets recipe, chicken parm recipe, chicken parmesan, chicken parmesan recipe, dinner recipes, food blogger, italian food, life blogger, my slice of life, my slice of life blog
- Brunch at the Lincoln Tavern
  
  Posted at 5:40 pm by StephMo
  
  Jan 19th
  
  Today we headed into Southie for brunch at the Lincoln Tavern. Every time I head to Southie, usually just to Castle Island or Rondo’s Sub Shop, I always think of the old Song “I was born down on A Street, raised up on B street, Southie is my home town”. Southie is not my home town, but I always remember my Dad singing that every time we went to South Boston when I was a child.
  
  I have only recently discovered the Lincoln Tavern, and today was my second time dining there. The restaurant has such a great warm feel to it with the exposed brick, dark wood, and old school lighting. It is a very popular spot and has been packed both times we have been there. The waitstaff has been great, the managers have been friendly and professional, and the food has been amazing. The only negative aspect has been the hostesses, which have all been quite rude, but maybe they were all having a bad day, both times. Maybe?
  
  Both times have been on a Sunday morning, and I think the next time I go it will be on a different day and time. I wasn’t the oldest person in the restaurant, but I was definitely in the minority. As a person who is only in their 40’s, this restaurant made me feel much older. I’m hoping it is just the Sunday brunch that attracts such an all young crowd, but time will tell.
  
  I know it’s been awhile since I was in my twenties, but I have never seen a morning party location like this other than tailgating. It’s crazy! If you are looking to party on a Sunday morning, this is the place to be. It made for great people watching.
  
  They serve brunch every day and the “Friday Test Kitchen” brunch sounds like something I will want to try. The menu changes weekly and I have just followed them on Instagram to see what the weekly offerings will be.
  
  Both times the food has been excellent, which was good and bad. Bad because I would come here more often if I didn’t feel so old.
  
  I was so surprised when we were treated with complimentary blueberry coffee cake while we waited for our meal. On our first visit it was amazing, but today it was a little dry and just ok. Regardless, what a nice treat and definite added points in my book!
  
  The first time I dined there I ordered the Eggs Benedict which was honestly an out of body experience. Holy wow! Ham, spinach, boursin cheese, poached eggs, asparagus, and hollandaise sauce, accompanied by crispy hash browns. It was so rich and sinful that I just couldn’t bring myself to order it again today, even though I REALLY wanted to. Absolutely delicious!
  
  My husband had a little more willpower than I did and ordered the California Omelet both times, which has egg whites, pepper jack cheese, avocado, bacon, and mango salsa. It was also accompanied by the hash browns. He loved the omelet. Oh, and did I mention the hash browns were so good!
  
  Today I ordered the Fruity Pebble pancakes because I just felt like I had to. Right? Fruity Pebble pancakes? I am not a fan of Fruity Pebbles, and hardly ever order pancakes, but it was something I just had to try. It came with a cereal milk anglaise which was a little too much for me, but it was fun, and worth trying. As far as Fruity Pebble pancakes go, these were good!
  
  My son ordered the Hot Chocolate Pancakes which came with a marshmallow topping and crushed peppermints, with a side of hot fudge. Yikes! Definitely a sweet treat, but he loved them!
  
  Needless to say we both brought most of our pancakes home.
  
  If the lunch and dinner are anything like their brunch, then it must be delicious. The Lincoln Tavern is a place you need to try, just try to look young 😉
  
  Posted in Blog Posts, Restaurants | Tagged food blog, food blogger, lincoln tavern, lincoln tavern south boston, my slice of life, south boston, southie, southie restaurantm
- M & M Cookies
  
  Posted at 10:21 am by StephMo
  
  Jan 17th
  
  For years any time I baked M&M cookies I just used my regular chocolate chip cookie recipe and added M&M’s instead of chocolate chips. They were good, but just good. Then I started looking around and trying other recipes and found this recipe which is great! This recipe uses shortening as opposed to butter, which I must say makes quite a difference.
  
  These cookies stay plump and soft, which has to do with the shortening. I have been so used to recipes containing butter, but often times they cook too thin for my liking. I am not sure where I found this recipe, but it has been a favorite ever since I did.
  
  Ingredients:
  
  1/2 cup sugar
  
  1 cup packed brown sugar
  
  1 cup shortening
  
  2 eggs
  
  1 1/2 tsps. vanilla
  
  2 1/2 cups flour
  
  1 tsp. baking soda
  
  1 tsp. salt
  
  1 cup (plus more) M&Ms
  
  Combine sugars, shortening, eggs, and vanilla in a large mixing bowl. Combine flour, baking soda, and salt in a small bowl, then add to large bowl and mix well. Add 1 cup M&Ms.
  
  Drop by teaspoonfuls (I like to use cookie scoop) onto baking sheet. Gently add a few M&Ms onto the top of each cookie.
  
  Bake for 9 to 11 minutes at 350 degrees.
  
  The thing that’s fun about M&Ms is that you can use their Holiday colors, or whatever colors you choose. Except when you take out all of the reds and blues for the 4th of July, make sure you tell your peanut allergic son because he may think the leftovers are Reese’s Pieces and get a little nervous 🙁
  
  Posted in Cookies, M&M cookies, Recipes | Tagged baking, cookie recipe, cookies, food blog, food blogger, homemade cookies, life blogger, M & M cookies, M&M cookie recipe, M&M cookies, M&Ms, my slice of life, my slice of life blog
- Fish Tacos
  
  Posted at 2:20 pm by StephMo
  
  Jan 16th
  
  Fish tacos are so easy to make, and it doesn’t have to be Tuesday to enjoy them. Taco Tuesday can be any day! This picture was actually of tacos made from a Striped Bass my husband caught this summer. Other than that one time, I always use Haddock for my tacos. I actually use Haddock for anything I make with fish because it is my favorite white fish.
  
  For the fish I just squeeze some lime over the fish, and sprinkle a little cayenne pepper (just a very little) and some garlic powder. Then bake it for 22 minutes at 375 degrees. That is it for the fish! Simple!
  
  You can use tortillas or hard taco shells, whichever you prefer. As far as toppings, also whatever you prefer. I typically use lettuce, chopped tomatoes, shredded cheese, and sometimes jicama. If you have never had jicama it is a juicy, crunchy, sweet root vegetable that is fantastic on fish tacos. Just slice it into thin strips, and serve it raw.
  
  For a taco sauce I whip up this easy recipe:
  
  Ingriedients:
  
  3 tbsp. sour cream
  
  2 tbsp. mayonaise
  
  Juice of one lime
  
  1/2 tsp. garlic powder
  
  1/2 tsp. hot sauce like Red Devil or Cholula
  
  Mix all ingredients until smooth. Refrigerate until ready.
  
  Now you are ready for taco Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday, Friday, Saturday, or Sunday!
  
  Posted in Dinners, Fish Tacos, Recipes | Tagged fish taco sauce, fish taco sauce recipe, fish tacos, fish tacos recipe, food blog, food blogger, haddock, haddock recipes, haddock tacos, my slice of life, taco recipe, tacos
- The BEST Pulled Pork
  
  Posted at 3:50 pm by StephMo
  
  Jan 13th
  
  This pulled pork recipe is hands down the best pulled pork I have ever had. I am not a ribs type of person, so any time I have ever gone to a BBQ restaurant I always either choose pulled pork or pulled chicken, and can say I have yet to find one that tastes better than this. This will be your new favorite once you try it, I can guarantee it. And since there is no cost for you reading this blog, I can offer a money back guarantee 😉
  
  I know there are some regional differences in regards to pulled pork, and this version uses a dry rub and a vinegar based sauce. I wasn’t aware of the differences but after trying this recipe I determined that I prefer the vinegar sauce. The only negative of the vinegar version is when you take a deep sniff of the sauce cooking. That vinegar is strong, yikes!
  
  When making this yesterday, I could not find a large enough piece of pork so I ended up using two which worked just as well. I thought maybe it would cook a little faster, but it didn’t. It took about 6 1/2 hours for the pork to be easily “pull-able”.
  
  I also have a strange hang up with meat with bones in them, so I always buy boneless shoulders or butts. Some may argue that bone-in may give it a better flavor, but the one time I tried that I almost passed out so boneless it is for me going forward.
  
  Below is the link to the recipe, and included in the link is a recipe for coleslaw, which I do not use. I will add my own recipe at the end in case you would like to try that as well.
  
  https://www.foodnetwork.com/recipes/tyler-florence/pulled-pork-barbecue-recipe-1953137
  
  Although the recipe recommends rubbing the pork at least an hour before cooking, I usually just rub the pork right before I put it in the oven and it still comes out great.
  
  When the meat is done cooking I start making the sauce. The first part of the sauce can be made ahead of time and re-heated when it’s time to add the de-glazed pan drippings. As I mentioned, be careful taking a big sniff of this sauce, it has a strong vinegar smell. I used spicy brown mustard in my sauce, and I also use slightly less than it calls for.
  
  Once you take the meat out of the pan to rest, it is time to de-glaze the drippings. If you have never done this it is very easy. My pan was large so I had two burners on under the pan. You add water to the pan and scrape the pan to release all the drippings. Cook it while bubbling until some of the liquid burns off. Then add to the sauce as directed in recipe. I tend not to use as much as stated.
  
  The recipe states that you should let the meat rest for 10 minutes before you start pulling. You can use two forks to pull the meat, or your hands. I often just use my hands so that I can remove the fat as I go. If you can I suggest waiting until the meat has cooled somewhat so you don’t burn your fingers, which I have done numerous times. I am pretty sure I have been without finger prints after trying to pull this meat too soon.
  
  After you have pulled all of the meat, just pour on the sauce. Use only as much as you need so that the meat is moist, but not sitting in a pool of sauce. Depending on how much pork you yield after the fat is removed, you should have extra sauce. You can refrigerate the leftover sauce and add to the leftover meat to re-moisten.
  
  It is quite a time consuming meal to make, but if you are going to make pulled pork then this is the only recipe to use. Remember, it’s guaranteed or your money back! From me, not Tyler Florence or the Food Network.
  
  Here is the recipe for my coleslaw.
  
  Coleslaw Recipe:
  
  Bag of coleslaw
  
  1 cup mayonaise (or more)
  
  2 tbsp. apple cider vinegar
  
  1/2 tsp. celery salt
  
  1/2 tsp. pepper
  
  1 tbsp. sugar
  
  Whisk together all ingredients except coleslaw. Stir in coleslaw. Refrigerate until coleslaw has softened.
  
  Posted in Comfort Food, Dinners, Pulled Pork, Recipes | Tagged Comfort Food, food blog, food blogger, my slice of life, my slice of life blog, pulled pork, pulled pork recipe, the best pulled pork
- Fish Cakes
  
  Posted at 7:32 pm by StephMo
  
  Jan 2nd
  
  It has all been about comfort food with me lately, and what better comfort food than fish cakes. Fish cakes are one of my family’s favorite meals and this no frills recipe is simple and delicious. While my husband would eat just about anything that comes from the sea, I am very finicky about fish. I will only eat mild white fish such as haddock or cod, and these fish cakes are haddock cakes.
  
  When I was looking for a fish cake recipe years ago, most had potatoes as an ingredient. Since my son doesn’t like potatoes, I decided to start playing around and create my own version. I have had fish cakes containing potatoes in restaurants, and I must say I prefer these because you taste the fish and not just potatoes. There have been times I have added some other ingredients to “spice it up” a little, but I really like the simplicity of this recipe.
  
  Ingredients:
  
  1 1/2 lbs. white fish
  
  2 eggs slightly beaten
  
  1 cup plain bread crumbs
  
  1 tbsp. dried parsley
  
  2 tbsp. grated cheese
  
  1 tsp. salt
  
  1/2 tsp. pepper
  
  Cook fish in a glass baking dish at 375 degrees for 22 minutes. Let cool long enough that you can touch it with your hands. I use my hands to break up the fish as a second way to make sure I have not overlooked any bones. You can also cook the fish ahead and store in refrigerator until you are ready.
  
  In a large mixing bowl combine all the other ingredients, then add the cooked fish and mix well.
  
  Once well mixed, use your hands to firmly form the mixture into fish cakes.
  
  Heat canola or vegetable oil in a heavy frying pan on medium heat until oil sizzles when a drop of water is added. The amount of oil you use depends on the size of your pan, I use enough so that it is about 1/4 inch deep.
  
  Add the fish cakes and cook until they are brown on each side. Pat them down with a spatula while cooking to flatten them slightly.
  
  Drain the fish cakes on a plate lined with paper towels to absorb the excess oil.
  
  If you feel like really being gourmet you can make your own tartar sauce. All you need to do is mix equal parts mayonaise with relish, and add a squeeze of lemon juice. Ta da, homemade “gourmet” tartar sauce!
  
  I usually like to serve my fish cakes with mashed potatoes, but since my son doesn’t like them we went with mac and cheese tonight. No complaints here!
  
  Posted in Dinners, Fish Cakes, Recipes | Tagged cod fish cakes, fish cakes recipe, food blog, food blogger, foodie, haddock, haddock fish cakes, home cooking, my slice of life, my slice of life blog
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