Mayonnaise-The Rules & How to Break Them

Did ya even KNOW that mayonnaise had rules???

So when I'm "being" good I eat the "lite" mayo, which says it has half the fat.  But of course, the fat is half the taste.  So what's a girl to do?  Take said lite mayo, and add the folowing:

>some chopped up fresh cilantro

>some chopped up fresh roasted garlic (remember I said they have it at Kroger's Mediterranean bar?)

>some fresh lime juice

Just mix it all up, and you something that tastes MUCH better than lite mayo.  I promise.  

Now for how to break the rules: This is a one-word answer.  DUKE'S.  Made by the C.F. Sauer company right here in Richmond, VA.  All the fat, all the taste.  The best.  Period.  

Now, if you want to be really baaaad....you do what my friend Wendi Winstead taught me back in college.  It sounds weird, but ohmygoodLord, it's Heaven between two slices of bread.

>Two slices of totally fresh white Wonder bread

>Duke's mayo on both sides

>slices of very ripe bananas

In order to achieve the full effect, there can be no deviation from the above.

Okay, you Mayonnaise Rebels, do your worst!

Being Good Doesn't Have to Hurt

Crazy sounding, but it's true!  

>Tuna steak pan seared, with some balsamic vinagrette.

>Sweet potato:  microwave on high for five minutes on each side.

>Green beans:  with the scallions and lemon juice like I've posted about before.

Total time from fridge to table:  about 25 minutes.  

All kinds of good for ya, and plenty tasty!  

Tomato Pie- It's "WORTHY!"

Tomato PieRecipe courtesy Paula Deen

Ingredients

• 4 tomatoes, peeled and sliced
• 10 fresh basil leaves, chopped
• 1/2 cup chopped green onion
• 1 (9-inch) prebaked deep dish pie shell
• 1 cup grated mozzarella
• 1 cup grated cheddar
• 1 cup mayonnaise
• Salt and pepper

Directions

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.

Place the tomatoes in a colander in the sink in 1 layer. Sprinkle with salt and allow to drain for 10 minutes.

Layer the tomato slices, basil, and onion in pie shell. Season with salt and pepper. Combine the grated cheeses and mayonnaise together. Spread mixture on top of the tomatoes and bake for 30 minutes or until lightly browned.

To serve, cut into slices and serve warm.

Mimosa Madames-The Mill on MacArthur

 



Two of the three Mimosa Madames convened at The Mill on MacArthur in Richmond's historic Bellevue District today.  MM 3 was feeling under the weather and could not join us, so we toasted her good health with a delicious $5 mimosa made just the way I like them-a little heavy on the champagne!

MM1 had something billed as "hoppel poppel" which alleged to have everything but the kitchen sink atop a biscuit, and it certainly did!  Much enjoyed!

I had a crab and leak quiche, which I HIGHLY recommend!  TONS of lump crab meat, and just the right amount of leek in there to flavor it nicely.  The sauce they poured on top was just right to compliment the crab and leak.  The crust of the quiche, too, was just right.  

Mimosas:  (because they're a category all their own!)-totally worthy
Bacon:  also totally worthy
Food/coffee:  perfectly acceptable.
Service:  a little slow.....I had to be really obvious in making sure the waitress know my coffee cup was empty. Only one negative thing to report, which certainly isn't a game-changer, but seemed a bit odd.  When the waitress was picking up our payments, she asked MM1 if she (the waitress) should keep the change.  Seemed a bit presumptious, but certainly doesn't prevent me from recommending The Mill, nor will it keep me from going back.  

Always glad to support a local small business!

http://themillrva.com/#home

I just love a good champagne buzz on a Sunday morning!

Trader Joe's-The Love Affair Continues

Tonight I made use of one of my favorites, and played with black beans to make them a bit more palatable.  No, that does not mean I played with my food.  Quite.

Black beans:  heated them up with a bunch of chopped up cilantro and chopped up roasted garlic (Kroger now has it in the Mediterrean bar).  Not bad!

Tilapia:  All I did was heat up a saute pan and sprayed it with PAM...heated the fish a few minutes on each side.  (You know it's done when it's flaky).  

Sauce:  Trader Joe's Yellow curry sauce cut about 50/50 with coconut milk.  This is GOOOOD stuff!

Instead of having a starch, I just ate the second piece of fish.  Good, satisfying meal.  Plenty of fiber.  Total cost:  about $8.  And still have lots of leftover sauce and another serving of beans.

Quinoa-who knew?

Thanks to Sara Pomeroy for turning me onto this!

Pronounced:  kinWAH...it's a grain, kind of like cous cous.  I got a bag of it (the "vegetable melange variety) at good old Trader Joe's.  High in fiber and protein, and low in fat, it's, like, really GOOD for you.  This particular bag came from the frozen section for a little under $5.  It'll make two or three servings for me.  You just throw it a pan with a couple tablespoons of water (I used chicken broth) and add whatever you want.  Let it heat for five minutes or so.  I let the grains get a little browned, because I thought it was pretty that way.  This already had some "kick" to it, so the roasted garlic I added was a bit "much" I admit.  Sara tells me she adds chicken or fish to it for a complete dinner.  

I made some frozen sweet potato fries (baked, not fried, I might add!) as a side.  

Feeling rather pleased with myself for having a healthy dinner that actually tasted good, was visually appealing, and really made my tummy happy.

SO freakin' easy and quick.  I can how this would be a good thing to make a few servings of ahead of time and freeze for quick and easy lunches or dinners.  

I did a little reading about it; apparently there's a push in some poor countries to grow and eat this due to its high nutritional value.  All I know is it's good, and it's cheap.  Can't wait to try variations of it!

I pronounce this "worthy!"

Bon Apetit, y'all!

Inspiration! Black Beans and Rice

So I'd been racking my brain to figure out a way to eat rice and beans that isn't just full out carbs (the rice).  I liked the idea of the fiber in the beans (remember my mantra:  "fiber is our friend."  It helps keep the cholesterol  in a good place, and helps keep you running....um...."regular.")

I ALMOST have it figured out.   I heated up a can of black beans (minus the liquid that I drained off) with two individual servings on Minute Rice brand brown and wild rice.  Added some bacon fat for flavor (hey-nobody's good ALL the time!) and a little chicken broth and cumin.  Cumin adds a neat "smoky" flavor, by the way.

(Sidebar:  always keep some chicken broth in the fridge.  It's cheap and magically adds flavor to pretty much anything).  I now return you to my regularly scheduled programming...

It's pretty good this way, but still needs "something."  I'm thinking maybe a dash of Tabasco, but since I don't have any right now, I can't test that theory.  Suggestions welcome.

Here's what I like about this concoction:

>It's practically instant

>Stores easily/reheats easily

>Fills you up

>I can eat it as a light supper/lunch, or a side with something protein-related.

>And it's freakin' CHEAP!!  The can of beans was 99 cents, and the two servings of Minute Rice cost $2.39. 

 Bon Apetit, Y'all!

Alison