Sunny Brunch Days: The Ultimate Coffee Cake

It's that time in Sacramento....the time when you have a few weeks between winter and the Dead of Heat Summer. It's the best time to squeeze in an outdoor brunch before the 110 degree days start rolling in and walking outside is something done only in the case of an emergency.

Several girls came over with food in hand to enjoy a Saturday brunch. I had no idea how much they'd bring - we had a flipping smorgasbord of muffins, fruit, cookies, etc. If you're looking for a great brunch idea that is so easy to make it's ridiculous, I suggest you try this recipe. Don't think about it's calorie-count. Stuff your face and get over it.

Ultimate Coffee Cake
courtesy of Paula Deen
16 to 18 unbaked frozen dinner rolls
1 (3-ounce) package regular butterscotch pudding mix, not instant
1/2 cup brown sugar, packed
1/2 cup pecans, chopped
1 stick (1/2 cup) butter, melted

The night before , place frozen rolls in well greased Bundt pan. Sprinkle dry pudding mix over rolls. Sprinkle brown sugar over pudding mix. Sprinkle chopped pecans over brown sugar. Pour melted butter over all. To prevent the dough from forming a hard crust while its rising overnight, cover with a damp towel or tightly wrap with plastic wrap. Let rise overnight at room temperature, about 8 to 10 hours.

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.

Bake in oven for 30 minutes. Remove from the oven and allow to cool for 5 minutes. Turn pan over onto a serving platter to remove. Serve by pulling apart chunks with forks.

Life in a Zoo...and a Farm

Little Meeko's mom had to rush to St. Louis, so he finds a warm spot on our bed at night. Then Carolyn's air conditioner broke in her house, so Amelie-kittie is shacking up in our guest room. Luckily Eric, who sneezes even at the thought of a feline friend, is out of town on business, so wee (actually, not so wee. She's a big ol' girl. Baby got back.) Amelie is enjoying her residency.

I'm also taking care of my friend Laura's cat, Boba. Laura very generously let me pick up her Community Supported Agriculture veggie box in her place, so I'm now loaded up with produce, some of which has me floored: baby artichokes, snap peas, baby carrots, new potatoes, Napa cabbage and lettuce. So I Pray to Gouda will have some fresh, new recipes coming in this week. Hopefully they taste good, too.

Fishing for a Great Tilapia Recipe

I haven't really found an amazing recipe for fish yet. I've found good ones, but nothing that blow my mind. If you have a bomb diggity recipe for fish (no salmon, por favor), tell
me about it. If not, then commiserate with me.

I did find a good holdover, however. It's pretty gosh-darn healthy, as well, if you're into that kind of thing.

Zesty Grilled Tilapia and Mango Rice
courtesy of Paula Deen

4 (6-ounce) tilapia fillets
6 tablespoon olive oil, plus additional for brushing
1 tablespoon grated orange zest
6 tablespoon freshly squeezed orange juice
1 tablespoon grated fresh ginger
1 teaspoon hot sauce
freshly ground black pepper

Place the fish in a large nonmetal dish. Whisk together the 6 tablespoons oil, the orange zest, orange juice, ginger, hot sauce, salt, and pepper, to taste; pour over the fish. Cover and marinate in the refrigerator for 30 to 60 minutes.

Meanwhile, prepare grill. Brush the fish with additional oil. Grill until fish just flakes when tested with a fork, about 5 minutes per side for each inch of thickness.

Mango Coconut Rice

1 tablespoon olive oil
1 1/2 cup long-grain rice
1 (14-ounce) can unsweetened coconut milk
2/3 cup water
1 teaspoon salt
1 ripe mango, peeled and cubed

In a large saucepan, heat the oil over medium-high heat. Add the rice and stir to coat with the oil. Add the coconut milk, water, and salt; bring to a boil. Stir in the mango. Cover, reduce heat to low, and simmer about 20 minutes or until the liquid is absorbed.

Remove the rice from the heat and fluff with a fork. Place a clean, dry dish towel over the pan, cover with the lid, and let steam for 5 minutes before serving.

Side Note: if you're in the Sacramento area, be sure to stop by the Happy Tails Pet Sanctuary's Barking Lot Sale on 55th and H Streets. We'll have tons of stuff out. If you aren't in the market for such stuff, come out anyway, because I'll be there. And hello. That's awesomeness enough right there. And donate to the kitties, dammit.

Four Food Groups in a Bowl

By this time next week, I plan on taking a vacation to a padded-wall mental facility. Where I can relax in the comfort of a peaceful, serene setting with the aroma of anti-psychotic drugs drifting over me. It's like a hotel - but covered by insurance!

All joking aside, lately life has been ruled by quick meals as I prepare for a huge garage sale to benefit Happy Tails Pet Sanctuary, Junior League meetings, work, petsitting, etc. But quick meals don't have to be unhealthy...in fact, this orzo salad is the Speedy Gonzales of tasty meals that pack in the nutrition.

Chicken Orzo Salad with Goat Cheese
courtesy of Cooking Light, serves 6
1 1/4 cups uncooked orzo
3 cups chopped grilled chicken breast strips
1 1/2 cups trimmed arugula
1 cup grape tomatoes, halved
1/2 cup chopped red bell pepper
1/4 cup prechopped red onion
2 tablespoons chopped fresh basil
1 teaspoon chopped fresh oregano
2 tablespoons red wine vinegar
1 tablespoon extravirgin olive oil
1/8 teaspoon salt
1/8 teaspoon black pepper
6 tablespoons (1 1/2 ounces) crumbled goat cheese

1. Cook pasta according to package directions, omitting salt and fat; drain well.
2. Combine pasta, chicken, and the next 6 ingredients (through oregano) in a large bowl; toss well.
3. Combine vinegar, oil, salt, and black pepper in a small bowl, stirring with a whisk. Drizzle vinegar mixture over pasta mixture; toss well to coat. Sprinkle with cheese.

Basil Grilled Chicken and Garden Risotto

Back to the land of cooking. Oh, my dear wooden spoon, how I have missed you. What's that, Mr. Le Crueset dutch oven? You've been awaiting my return? You and little Miss Saucy Pan have been getting frisky in the cabinet to pass the time? Shame!

Sorry, are you still here? Back to what's important: the amazing dinner enjoyed by all last night. My cousin, Monica, made the trek to our house with her boyfriend, Aaron from the Bay Area to enjoy some food and wine with Eric and me. I decided to whip up an outstanding risotto with a chicken grilled with basil and butter. The risotto was supposed to be on the lower fat side. And it was. But the chicken is Paula Dean-style - be prepared for some butta.

Garden Risotto
courtesy of Ellie Krieger

6 cups low-sodium chicken broth
2 teaspoons olive oil
1 medium onion, chopped
1 1/2 cups Arborio rice
1/2 cup dry white wine
3/4 teaspoon salt
Freshly ground black pepper
3 lightly packed cups baby spinach leaves
1 cup frozen peas
1/2 pound asparagus, steamed and cut into 3/4-inch pieces
1/4 cup freshly grated Parmesan

Bring the broth to a simmer in a medium saucepan. Heat the oil in a heavy saucepan over moderately low heat and cook the onion, stirring occasionally, until soft, 3 to 5 minutes. Add the rice and cook, stirring constantly, 1 minute. Add wine and simmer, stirring constantly, until absorbed, about 1 minute. Add 3/4 cup of the hot broth, the salt and a few grinds of fresh pepper and simmer, stirring constantly, until broth is absorbed. Continue simmering and adding hot broth, about 3/4 cup at a time, stirring constantly and allowing the broth to be absorbed before adding more, until rice is almost tender and creamy-looking, about 18 minutes.

Add the spinach and peas and cook until the spinach is wilted. Add the asparagus and cook just until vegetables are hot. Stir in the Parmesan and more broth if the risotto seems too thick.

Basil Grilled Chicken

3/4 teaspoon coarsely ground black pepper
4 skinned chicken breast halves
1/4 cup freshly chopped basil leaves, plus 2 tablespoons freshly minced basil leaves
1/3 cup (5 tablespoons) butter, melted, plus 1/2 cup (1 stick) butter, at room temperature
1 tablespoon grated Parmesan
1/4 teaspoon garlic powder
1/8 teaspoon salt
1/8 teaspoon pepper
Fresh basil springs, optional

Prepare grill.

Press the coarsely ground pepper into the meaty side of the chicken breast halves. Stir the chopped basil into the melted butter. Brush the chicken lightly with this mixture. In a small bowl, combine the softened butter, minced basil, Parmesan, garlic powder, salt, and pepper. Beat at low speed with an electric mixer until smoothly blended. Transfer to a small serving bowl; set aside.

Grill the chicken over medium coals for 8 to 10 minutes on each side, basting frequently with the remaining melted butter mixture.

Serve the grilled chicken with the basil-butter mixture. Garnish with fresh basil springs, if desired.

Tagged!

I'm still alive. Seriously! Sometimes life just gets in the way of...life. But this past week has made me realize how much cooking relaxes me, so prepare yourself for some dang yummy recipes.

Darling Amy over at Inspiration for Everyday Living (I go broke occasionally because of her) tagged good ol' I Pray to Gouda.

A: Attached or Single? Attached. At the hip.
B: Best Friend? Impossible. I have such a vast collection of diferent, successful women as friends. I'm truly blessed.
C: Cake or Pie? Oh, cake for sure. How is that even a valid question, really.
D: Day of Choice? I'm going to have to go cliche and choose Fridays.
E: Essential Item? Prescriptives mascara. You can put it on with no other makeup and still look fabulous.
F: Favorite Color? Red. The blue-based red. Not the ghastly orangy-red.
G: Gummy Bears or Worms? Yick. Just think of that for a minute - should you really be ingesting something you have to chew for that long?
H: Hometown? The beautiful Napa Valley.
I: Indulgence? A triple cream brie. With a side of camambert, topped off with a lovely dessert of pears drizzled with honey and gorgonzola. Did you mean just one?
J: January or July? July.
K: Kids? Nope
L: Life isn't complete without? A daily dose of uplifting humor.
M: Marriage date? Oct. 20, 2006
N: Number of brothers and sisters? One full brother, a half brother, two half sisters, one stepsister. Did your ADD kick in yet?
O: Oranges or apples? Neither. I'm a veggie girl
P: Phobias and fears? I'm starting to think Amy and I would get along really well. Also constantly afraid of my home getting violently burglarized or some crazy man waiting for me when I get home from work!
Q: Quote? Stand for something, or you'll fall for anything.
R: Reason to smile? My husband.
S: Season of choice? Everything magical in life happens in Autumn
T: Tag three people? I'm gonna pass!
U: Unknown fact about me? I hate, HATE when people whistle. Jeezus H. it drives me nuts.
V: Vegetable? Steamed asparagus.
W: Worst habit? Cracking my toe knuckles.
X: X-ray or Ultrasound? Ew. You really just asked a hypochondriac that?!
Y: Your favorite food? Cheese!
Z: Zodiac sign? Gemini. All. Theeee. Way.

Weekly Go-Buy-It: Vintage Typewriter Key Necklace

So...I usually try to keep my WGBI costs down, since I always appreciate when shopping bloggers do that for me. Generally I like to show you guys stuff I've found that is under $25.

I found these and couldn't help it. These are just beyond adorable. And I'm going to try and forget the car-payment amount I dropped on a Coach briefcase today and click "Buy" here real soon.

But really, is $36 that bad for these original vintage typewriter key necklaces from The Weekend Store? I think not. I imagine you'll always receive a compliment (unless you go off on the person first, thinking they're staring at your boobs rather than your crazy-interesting neckwear) and in no time all the comments will add up to thirty-six dollars and zero cents.

Attacking Cats and Bacon Parmesan Linguine

No, really. This is the story of The Attacking Cat = Woman Driving into a Restaurant, Nancy Drew-style.

Eric was one of the "diners."

When exciting things like that aren't happening in the C Dash A household, I'm busy running with my friends and cooking up a dinner afterward. On Thursday, Julia brought a yummy chianti while Laura whipped up a salad and delicious Meyer lemon cookies and I made a lighter version of a carbonara. This is a hearty dish that won't make your thighs hearty, too.

Bacon Parmesan Linguine
Serves 4
Courtesy of Cooking Light

1 pound uncooked linguine object
12 bacon slices, chopped object
3 garlic cloves, minced object
1 cup 2% reduced-fat milk
1 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
3 large eggs
1 cup frozen petite green peas, thawed
1 1/2 cups (6 ounces) grated fresh Parmesan cheese

Cook pasta according to package directions. Drain in a colander over a bowl, reserving 1/2 cup hot cooking liquid.

While pasta cooks, cook bacon in a large nonstick skillet over medium heat until crisp. Remove bacon from pan, reserving 1 tablespoon drippings in pan. Discard remaining drippings; set bacon aside. Add garlic to drippings in pan; cook 30 seconds, stirring constantly.

Combine milk, salt, pepper, and eggs, stirring with a whisk. Gradually add reserved hot cooking liquid to milk mixture, stirring constantly with a whisk. Add pasta, milk mixture, and peas to skillet; cook over low heat 3 minutes or until sauce thickens. Add bacon and cheese; stir to combine.

Girls Night: Chicken with Wild Mushroom and Balsamic Cream Sauce

On a side note, I just had the greatest weekend. Eric and I went to an amazing dinner at Sopratutto, which, if anyone from Sacramento is reading this, you need to go. It's a quaint, little family owned Italian restaurant nestled in East Sacramento and a ridiculously wicked date spot. Today, we took the dog to the river, dunked him into the water a few times (yeah. We train by experience) then introduced him to the dog park, where he spent most of his time wee-ing on inanimate objects.

Additionally for you Sacramentans, Carolyn and I spent a good part of the day on Saturday picking up the many donations for a huge garage sale we are spearheading as part of the Happy Tail Pet Sanctuary's Shop and Adopt event on May 10th. It will be in the parking lot of East Sac Bike, please come by, we have great stuff!

On Friday night, Carolyn and Stephanie came over for a movie and dinner. And wine. Lots. Of. Wine. Carolyn brought Paris J'taime (excellent) and an alberino from Spain and a Lodi cabernet. For some retarded reason, I forgot to take a picture of this great recipe I made for dinner, but just trust me that it doesn't look fug on a plate, k?

Pan-Cooked Chicken with Wild Mushroom and Balsamic Cream Sauce
serves 4
courtesy of Rachael Ray
Coarse salt
2 Tb extra-virgin olive oil
4 6-oz boneless, skinless chicken breast halves
Coarse black pepper
2 Tb unsalted butter
12 cremini mushrooms, sliced
12 shiitake mushrooms, stems removed and sliced
12 white mushrooms, sliced
2 large garlic cloves, chopped
1 Tb fresh thyme leaves, chopped
2 large shallots, thinly sliced
2 Tb flour
1 1/2 cups chicken stock or broth
1 Tb balsamic vinegar
3 Tb heavy cream or half and half
1/4 cup fresh flat leaf parsley

Preheat a large nonstick skillet over medium-high heat and add the olive oil. Season chicken liberally with salt and pepper and add to the hot skillet. Cook the chicken for 5-6 minutes on each side. Remove the chicken from the pan and cover with foil to keep warm.

Return the skillet to the heat, reduce the heat a bit and add butter. Once butter melts, add the mushrooms and cook, stirring occasionally, for about 4-5 minutes. Once the mushrooms are brown, season with salt and pepper, then add the garlic, thyme and shallots. Cook, stirring occasionally, for about 2 minutes, or until the shallots are wilted. Sprinkle four into the pan and cook 2 minutes more.

Whisk in the stock, balsamic vinegar and cream. Turn heat up to high and simmer for about 2 minutes or until thickened. Add chicken back to skillet to heat up with parsley.

Back in the Saddle Again: Lemony Orzo with Chicken

What a week.

With a new job, Eric's promotion, school and social stuff, things are just dang haywire here in the C Dash A household. And my new employment situation puts me in the position of consuming a lot of free lunches. Which serves as a disadvantage for the Biggest Loser competition. This orzo recipe is a healthy alternative to creamed pasta sauces. Enjoy!

Lemony Orzo with Chicken and Parsley
serves 4

1 1/2 cups orzo, prepared
Salt
1 Tb olive oil
2 large lemons, zested and juiced
Pepper
1/2 cup chopped fresh parsley
Grated parmesan
1/4 cup pine nuts, toasted
1 chicken breast, cooked and cut into thin strips

Prepare orzo. After draining, immediatly stir in olive oil, lemon zest, pine nuts and parsley. Add a dash of salt and about 1 tsp. pepper and chicken. Add lemon juice to taste and top with grated parmesan.