Category Archives: Recipes

The Ultimate Dude Dip

: The Ultimate “Dude Dip”

I nicknamed this “Dude Dip” because it’s such a hit with my man and his buddies, but it’s too good to relegate to “Dude Only” status. I was catering a party a few years ago and my appetizer fell apart at the last minute, so I whipped together this dip, stuffed it into some mushrooms and called it GOURMET! The jet set guests went crazy for it…I just smiled and let their distinguished palates assume I had zested in some pricey imported truffle. No one has to know how easy (and cheap) it really is!

Only 3 ingredients….

1 package of Spicy sausage (I prefer Jimmy Dean)

1 can “Original” Rotel Tomatoes

1 8oz package of full fat cream cheese (Warning: If you use low-fat cream cheese, it gets watery and gross!)

Directions:

Saute sausage until browned. Drain and mix with cream cheese and entire can of Rotel (juice included). I put it all in a casserole dish, let the cream cheese melt and then pop it into the oven at 400 for about 10 minutes just before guests arrive so it’s hot. Serve with tortilla chips.

Dude-licious.

Oreo Truffle Halloween Cats

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Nothing says Halloween like Black Cats and nothing says delish like Oreo Truffles. Yup, that’s right. This is the Truffle Love Child of Double Stuff Oreos and Cream Cheese. Just do yourself a favor and don’t leave yourself alone with them for long….or it’ll be bad luck– (for your waistline!)

Here, kitty kitty!

Oreo Truffle Halloween Cats

1 package of Double Stuff Oreos

1 8oz package of full-fat cream cheese

Lollipop sticks

1 package of dark chocolate melting wafers

Candy Confetti

Candy Eyeballs

Gourmet Writing pen

*block of styrofoam

Whip together Oreos and cream cheese in food processor until batter is smooth.

Put truffle batter in freezer for 2 hours

Ball up batter into golf-size balls and insert lollipop sticks

Melt Cake Art dark chocolate wafers in double boiler on low heat

Insert cat ears (Cake Art’s candy confetti) into truffles and dip in melted chocolate

Stick on candy eyeballs and nose while chocolate is still wet

When truffles have dried, use Cake Art Gourmet Writer to draw on whiskers and/or eyeballs

*It’s helpful to use a block of Styrofoam to stick your truffles in to dry them!

Bourbon Banana Bread

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Bourbon Banana Bread….3 of my favorite things

…Because I always want an excuse to add booze to my bread.

Ingredients

1 c. sugar
1/2 c. butter
3 very ripe bananas mashed
2 beaten eggs
2 c. flour
1 tsp. (teaspoon) baking soda
1 Tb Jack Daniels

Topping (put on after baking for 40 minutes)

3 Tb butter
3 Tb brown sugar
3/4 cup pecans

Melt 3 Tb butter with 3 Tb brown sugar in a sauce pan on medium heat and stir in 3/4 c. pecans. Stir until pecans are lightly toasted, about 5 minutes.

Cream butter and sugar. Add bananas, eggs and Jack Daniels. Combine baking soda with flour and stir into banana mixture. Bake in greased bread pan for 40 minutes in a preheated 350 degree oven. Pull out the pan after 40 minutes, pour on the brown sugar/butter/pecan topping and bake for another 10 minutes.

It turns into a crusty, sugary, buttery, pecan nutty delish of all delish. OMG.

Smoked Gruyere & Guinness Potato Soup

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Beer and Cheese, why yes please!

Boozy and Smoky usually brings up visions of a dive bar. For me, I think Potato Soup.

Potato soup was my grandmother Ronnie’s specialty– and spending summers and Christmas vacations in Connecticut, it didn’t matter whether it was 90 degrees or -9 below zero— I always requested her potato soup. She didn’t add the bacon, cheese or BEER to her soup, so I just decided to up her game a bit. Hope you don’t mind, Ronnie!

Boozy, Smoky Potato Soup

Ingredients

4 Idaho baking potatoes
½ Vidalia onion chopped
3 chopped garlic cloves
1 Tb butter
¼ cup flour
¾ cup Guinness beer
2 cups of half and half
2 tsp Worcestershire
1 tsp ground mustard
1 tsp kosher salt
1 cup chicken stock
1 cup smoked Gruyere cheese (plus more for topping)
Cooked and crumbled bacon (bake strips at 400 degrees for 20 minutes, blot with paper towel and then crumble)
Chopped chives

Instructions

Peel and chop 4 Idaho baking potatoes.
Boil water in a large soup pan or dutch oven and toss potatoes in—simmer until tender, 20-30 minutes.
Meanwhile, chop up ½ of a large Vidalia onion with 3 chopped garlic cloves and saute in 1 Tb butter. Stir for about a minute on medium heat until onion and garlic gets light golden in color.
Add ¼ cup of flour and stir for one minute.
Add ¾ cup Guinness beer, 2 cups of half and half, 2 tsp of Worcestershire, 1 tsp of ground mustard and 1 tsp of kosher salt. Stir until mixture thickens, 3-4 minutes.
When potatoes are soft, drain them and set aside 2 cups.
Take rest of potatoes and mix with onion/garlic/Guinness mixture. Add one cup of chicken stock.
Put soup in blender or food processor in 2 batches (don’t fill too high or blender will explode!) and blend till smooth.
Pour soup back into soup pan/dutch oven and add the 2 cups of softened potatoes. Add 1 cup of smoked gruyere cheese shredded. Taste and add more salt if necessary.
Top with crumbled bacon, chopped green onions and more gruyere.

http://whatsonparkersplate.flywheelsites.com/2013/09/boozy-smoky-potato-soup/

Sugar-free Green Goddess Dressing

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Dressing Fit for a Goddess

No sugar and no heavy oils for THIS goddess. The base of the dressing is made with coconut oil, which contains Medium Chain Triglycerides. Medium chain whaaaat, you ask? According to Wikipedia: “Medium Chain Triglycerides are generally considered a good biologically inert source of energy that is easy to metabolize. Some studies have shown that MCT’s can help in the process of excess calorie burning, and thus weight loss.”

Parker translation: It’ll keep your ass in your skinny jeans!

Green Goddess dressing
Mix in food processor:
2 garlic cloves
1 cup cilantro
1/4 cup parsley
Juice from 1/2 lemon
1 Tb Dijon mustard
2 Tb Truvia
Sprinkle of kosher salt

Melt 1/2 cup coconut oil in microwave for 35 seconds. At room temperature it is congealed, so you have to melt it to mix it. Pour into food processor to emulsify and mix till blended. I prefer the refined coconut oil because if doesn’t have a strong coconut taste like unrefined does. Toss dressing on salad and enjoy! The dressing will congeal again quickly, so if you don’t plan to serve it right away, you may have to melt it down again before serving.

Meaty Monday: Buttermilk Thyme Chicken Thighs

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What’s up, tender juicy chicken thighs?

This is my new favorite way to prepare chicken! In the past, I’ve used buttermilk for frying chicken, but since I’m trying to keep things ~~extremely~~ relatively healthy, I decided to branch out into the buttermilk marinade style. The buttermilk really tenderizes the chicken beautifully. This is inspired by a Rachael Ray recipe that used a portion of the marinade for salad dressing (and that’s put aside BEFORE you marinate the chicken!…We’re not prepping a salmonella salad, y’all!)

Try my version– it’s fabulous and super easy. And, it’s perfect if you’re low-carbing.

Marinade:
1 cup buttermilk
1/2 cup full fat mayo
2-3 Tb fresh thyme
1 tsp garlic powder
1 tsp kosher salt

Chicken:
1 pound of boneless, skinless chicken thighs cut into chunks
1 Tb butter
1 Tb olive or canola oil

Whisk together and set aside 1/2 cup to use as salad dressing.

Cut up boneless skinless chicken in chunks or strips and soak in remaining marinade for 2 hours in fridge. Heat up a grill pan on medium/high with 1 Tb butter and 1 Tb oil. When pan is hot, put chicken chunks in (don’t crowd them) and grill for about 7 minutes per side on medium heat. Don’t move them around in the pan too much– let them sit and sizzle so they get that yummy, crunchy, caramelization!

1 pound of chicken pieces will require 2 batches of grilling. Replenish with more butter/oil before grilling second batch.

Serve with a salad tossed with the leftover dressing. Top chicken with a few sprigs of thyme before serving.

Bacon, Bacon, Bacon….

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Nothing better than crispy bacon….

Bacon is gooooooood. And it’s super easy to get crispy by cooking it for 10 minutes at 400 degrees. (Sometimes, it’s closer to 15 minutes, depending on how hot your oven runs, so keep an eye on it.) Personally, I prefer regular, center cut bacon. Thick cut doesn’t get as crispy. Put down some foil on a sheet pan for easy cleanup. Drain on some paper towels and get your bacon on.

Roasted Brocc-OH-li with Buttered Pecans

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Buttery, crunchy, nutty Brocc-oh-li!

Nuts over Veggies, ya’ll! This dish puts the “OH” in Brocc-OH-Li….If you aren’t a broccoli lover now, you will be after this buttery, crunchy goodness. OHHHHHYEEEEEES.

Roasted Broccoli with Buttered Pecans

2015-03-25 16:38:22

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Ingredients

2 large broccoli crowns
Olive oil
Kosher salt
2 Tb butter
1 cup pecans

Instructions

Cut broccoli stems off so broccoli florets are small and not too chunky. Drizzle with some olive oil and a sprinkle of kosher salt. Roast on a cookie sheet for 15 minutes in an oven preheated to 500. Halfway through roasting, stir broccoli around the pan so there is an even heat distribution.
While broccoli is cooking, heat 2 Tb of butter in a frying pan on medium heat and when it gets bubbly, toss in a cup of pecans. Stir frequently so the pecans are coated in the butter and get an even cook. Toss roasted broccoli together with the buttered pecans and enjoy!

By Parker Wallace

What's on Parker's Plate? http://whatsonparkersplate.flywheelsites.com/

Peach and Brandy Marscapone Cheesecake with Pecan Crust and a Sweet Balsamic Reduction

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Peach and Brandy Marscapone Cheesecake that won’t make your ass fat, I peeeeeromise!

Now before you get your panties in a bunch cuz I’m tempting you to cheat on your diet— relax. It’s Sugar Free! And it’s Gluten Free! Go ahead, let your friends think they’re indulging– no one has to know it’s goodferya!

Cheesecake filling:
1 Tb butter
3 peeled, pitted peaches
1/4 cup brandy
1 Tb vanilla extract
1/2 tsp cinnamon
pinch of nutmeg
8oz marscapone cheese
2 1/2 blocks of cream cheese (two 8oz boxes and 1/2 of another) *bring to room temperature
1 Tb fresh lemon juice
3 eggs
1/2 cup Truvia

Crust:
2 cups of pecans ground up in the food processor until fine
3 Tb of melted butter

Topping:
3/4 cup balsamic vinegar reduced down to a sweet syrupy delish

In medium sauce pan, melt butter and stir in peeled, pitted peaches. Smash down peaches into the butter and let simmer for 5 minutes on medium heat. Add 1/4 cup brandy, vanilla, cinnamon and nutmeg and let the peaches macerate (fancy way of saying let them get mushy and absorb the booze and butter!) for another 10-15 minutes, stirring every few minutes.

Put peach mixture into a food processor (or blender) and mix for 30 seconds. Add the marscapone and the cream cheese, lemon juice, truvia and eggs and blend for 1-2 minutes until combined without any lumps.

Combine pecans and melted butter and press down into a greased Springform pan. Pour in cheesecake filling and bake at 325 for one hour. Cool cheesecake in fridge for 3 hours before serving.

Immediately before serving, make balsamic topping. Pour 3/4 cup balsamic vinegar in a sauce pan and bring to a boil. Reduce down on medium high heat until balsamic vinegar turns the consistency of syrup. Drizzle on top of cheesecake right before you serve it.

Holy Guacamole!

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Holy Guacamole with Holy Homemade chips

Guacamole:

4 avocados
1/4 cup chopped red onion
Palmful of fresh cilantro chopped
1 diced jalapeño (no seeds)
Juice of one lime squeezed
1 tomato chopped
Kosher salt to taste

Mash avocados with lime juice and fold in rest of ingredients.

Homemade Chips:

Corn or flour tortillas
Canola or corn oil

Cut corn or flour tortillas into triangles. Meanwhile, heat 2-3 inches of canola or corn oil in a deep rimmed frying pan or Dutch oven on medium heat until it sizzles if you flick a little water on it. Pop tortillas into oil and flip over when browned on one side. They may bubble up, which I love! Drain on paper towel and sprinkle kosher salt on chips.

Dip in guac and enjoy!