Saganaki - Greek Flaming Cheese

Saganaki was one of our favorite appetizers that we discovered while in Greece. We never saw it "flaming" there, but that's the way they do it in most Greek restaurants in America. I wouldn't recommend eating it every day...it is fried cheese, of course! But, it's a fun appetizer to serve for a group. I got this recipe from my friend Kelly, who also had it in Greece. Saganaki is traditionally made with Greek Kasseri cheese, but I have found that to be not only expensive, but it can have a funny taste (sometimes imported cheese doesn't taste quite like the real thing for some reason).

1 medium block Monterey Jack cheese
2 T butter
1/2 lemon (seeds removed if possible)
1 T brandy, or other liquer (pretty much anything works)
Salt

Preheat oven to broiling. Butter all sides of cheese block, then sprinkle with salt (salt is an important part of the flavor). Put the buttered cheese in the middle of a shallow baking dish (pie pan or other small appetizer pan), and leave in oven until the top is golden-brown and cheese is mostly melted. Remove from oven and pour brandy directly on top, then immediately light with a match. The cheese will flame while the alcohol burns off. Squeeze half a lemon while flaming. Ta-da!

Serve with warm pita triangles.

My Top Ten Highlights - Memorial Day Weekend

1. Meeting the family for dinner Friday night at our favorite Mexican restaurant – Cancun. It’s our Friday night tradition in Clear Lake. They have the best salsa!

2. Knowing it’s Memorial Day weekend means summer is almost here!

3. Girls’ lunch at Starboard Market in downtown Clear Lake. I had really good chicken salad with cheesy cornbread soup. Yum!

4. Going to Hobby Lobby and Super Target with the girls Saturday. Got to have a little bit a shopping!

5. Making saganaki – Greek flaming cheese (pictured) - for an appetizer!

6. Playing my three new favorite games this weekend – Scrabble, Rummikub, and Sequence.

7. Meeting the L's for lunch at The Café in Ames – Elyse even came home all the way from Nashville for the weekend!

8. Walking around Ada Hayden lake in Ames on a super sunny, beautiful Monday afternoon, and no one was at work!

9. Finally seeing Annie’s apartment in Ames – super cute – she even cleaned for us! =) College is (was) such a fun time.

10. Making the tail end of Beth and Dan’s Memorial Day party at their house Monday night.

Kiley's got a blog!

Kiley and Matthew just started a blog!

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Okay, I may have had a little influence on that decision...but what else are big sisters for?

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If you know Kiley, why not leave a comment on her blog today and say hi!

Creamy Corn Dip

I've been meaning to get this recipe to Ranya, so I just thought I would post it for everyone. I serve this dip with tortilla chips. I originally got the recipe from my mother-in-law, who got it from Kyle's aunt, and now I am giving it to you! Hope you like it!

2 cans Mexicorn
1 8-oz container sour cream (I use light)
3/4 c mayo
4 green onions, thinly chopped
1 (7 oz) can diced green chilis
1 t cumin
dash hot sauce
salt (to taste)

Mix all ingredients and serve with tortilla chips. Keep refrigerated.

Italian Tortellini Soup

My sister, Kiley, originally made this soup for Kyle and I while we were visiting them in Chicago, and now it's probably my favorite soup to make. I made a few slight changes to the recipe to make it a little easier, but the end result is still fantastic (Traci, I think Zac asked me for this recipe awhile ago). This is probably best to make for having company, because it makes a lot!

1 lb ground Italian sausage
1 c chopped onion
2 cloves garlic, minced
6 c beef broth
2 cans diced tomatoes
1 (8 oz) can tomato sauce
1 c thinly sliced carrots (round slices)
3/4 c sliced zucchini (round slices)
3/4 c sliced yellow summer squash (round slices)
1/3 bunch fresh basil leaves (dry is okay)
1/2 t dried oregeno
1 pkg refrigerated tortellini pasta (I use white and green)
3 T chopped italian flat-leaf parsley
Salt and pepper, to taste

Brown sausage in a large sauce pan, then drain and remove. In same pan, saute onions and garlic. Stir in beef broth, canned tomatoes, carrots, basil, oregano, tomato sauce, and sausage. Bring to a boil and simmer uncovered for 30 minutes.

Stir in zucchini and summer squash. Simmer covered for 30 minutes. Add tortellini and parsley during the last 10 minutes, then add salt and pepper to taste. Sprinkle with Parmesan cheese on each serving. If making ahead of time, add the tortellini right before serving.

Rogan for Target

Target's next designer for their Go International collection is Rogan Gregory. It actually starts tomorrow in most Target stores and ends June 28th; the Edina Target store has already featured a preview of this line. Rogan is an American, NYC-based, eco-friendly designer. His collection at Target features a "beach-safari vibe" with organic swimsuits, t-shirts, dresses, and even jeans. Only $15 to $45 per item.

What I thought was really interesting about this is that the exclusive Barney's New York and Target have teamed up to launch the line. Barney's has been debuting a "mini Target" in their stores to sell the exact same collection that will be at our Target stores, and even at the same prices. It sold out right away. Cool, huh? Barney's stops selling the line May 19th, and then it will only be available at Target for six weeks.

Just thought you might want to know!

Steph's Pick + Alan's Two Cents

Stephanie, my good friend in Phoenix, has started a weekly post on her blog called Steph's Picks, where she discusses some of her favorite finds and ideas. I just wanted to share this incase you are looking for a new blog to read; she updates it every Friday. Ideas she has had are photobooks from blub.com, panini makers, pregTASTIC (a podcast for pregnant women), and even sangria recipes!

Another reason to check out this blog is because her husband, Alan, posts weekly as well, and his are at the beginning of the week. Alan is in finance, and writes about financial advice (he shares how to save, and she shares how to spend...perfect match!). =) Alan's blog is called Alan's Two Cents, and is full of money-saving ideas such as saving a few cents when getting oil changes, postage, and grocery-shopping.

FYI!

Spinach-Artichoke Dip

Here's my favorite recipe for Spinach Artichoke Dip, a restaurant favorite. This is great as an appetizer with tortilla chips or a toasted baguette, and everyone seems to like it.


1 block lowfat cream cheese
1/4 c mayo (not Miracle Whip)
1/4 c parmesan
1/4 c romano (all parmesan is okay)
1/2 c spinach, frozen or fresh
1 jar artichoke hearts, drained and chopped
1 clove garlic, minced
1 t basil
1/4 c shredded mozzarella
Salt and Pepper to taste

Preheat oven to 350° and allow cream cheese to come to room temperature. Cream together everything except spinach, artichokes, and mozzerella. Add the artichoke hearts and spinach (drained). Pour into baking dish and top with mozzerella cheese. Bake at 350° for 25 minutes or until the top is browned. Serve with tortilla chips or toasted bread.

Top Five: Favorite Books

Just incase you are looking for a good book to read this summer, I have posted my top five favorites.

1. Mark of the Lion trilogy, by Francine Rivers
2. Safely Home, by Randy Alcorn
3. God’s Smuggler, by Brother Andrew
4. The Count of Monte Cristo, by Alexandre Dumas
5. Left Behind series, by Tim LaHaye and Jerry B. Jenkins

Anyone else care to post your top five favorite books?

Thank you...for your Comments!

I just wanted to thank those who have left comments on my blog! I've only been writing for about a month or two, and it seems I get comments every day! I look forward to hearing from you all, and it's nice to know that people actually read the stuff that I write!

I also wanted to give some simple instructions on how to leave comments on my blog for those of you who read it but don't blog yourself.

1. Click on "0 comments" at the bottom of the post

2. Type your message in "leave your comments"

3. Click "Name/URL" and enter your name

Easy as that! Thanks for your comments!

What's for Dinner?

Here's a random idea that I discovered this week.


Scoping out the fridge and cupboards, deciding what's for dinner tonight, can be a hassle. Do potatoes go with tacos (probably not)? Would a side of rice work with beef (maybe)? So I came up with the idea of making a "menu" for the week of possible meals.


At the grocery store, I bought ingredients for about 3-4 meals that I had planned. When I got home, I created a few more new meal ideas with the leftover items that I had in the house - this part is key. Then I made a list on my computer of all of the dinners that I could make with the ingredients I had in the house (new and old), as many as I could come up with. I printed out a "menu" and put it on the refrigerator. Some days I will even e-mail Kyle the list so he can decide what he's in the mood for (he loves it and says he feels like he's at a restaurant). I just cross off the meals as we go!


It's been convenient to have everything planned out ahead of time, and I know what ingredients I have and what they will make. It's also nice because I can reuse items so I don't have to waste anything. I've included what our 'Dinner Options' menu looked like for the next several days. Of course, I made things sound a little more gormet than they really are! If you try this, let me know if it works for you!

Fish Tacos with Avocado
Southwestern Cabbage Slaw

Corn and Black Beans

Grilled Shrimp Skewers

Couscous with Sweet Potatoes

Teriyaki Salmon

Steamed Broccoli

Spinach Salad

Baked Chicken Parisienne

Sweet Potatoes

Broccoli

Scallops and Green Beans with Green Curry

Steamed White Rice

Spaghetti with Meat Sauce

Spinach Salad

Bratwursts/Hot Dogs

Steamed Cabbage

Cheesy Hashbrown Casserole

Pepperoni Pizza

Happy Mother's Day!

This Mother's Day I am thankful because I have not only one, but two, wonderful (and beautiful) mothers!

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My mom is such a great mom. She does everything for her kids and cares so much for us. She gives the best advice, and I don't know where I would be today without her. I appreciate the fact that "family time" was so important to her when I was younger. Our family is really close today because of it and because of her. Now that I'm older, she has really become by friend, not only my mother. My mom is so much fun just to laugh with! She's the greatest, I am so proud of her and want to be just like her (actually, I think I am)!

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I have two moms this Mother's Day because of my mother-in-law, Debbie. She is probably one of the sweetest people I know, and is always putting the needs of others before her own. Debbie has been so welcoming to me since the day I met her, and she really treats me like part of the family. I also love her because she did such a great job raising my husband; many of the qualities I love about Kyle are things that his mom taught him. Debbie has given me so much, and I love to see her generosity and how she cares for others. I really look up to her and think she's a great role model, and and excellent mother to Kyle and me!

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Happy Mother's Day!

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"Her children arise and call her blessed..." Proverbs 31:28

Benihana's Fried Rice

Have you been to Benihana's Japanese Restaurant? They have the best fried rice, I think they are famous for it. I actually found a recipe that turns out just like it!

1 cup rice, uncooked (sushi rice is best)

5 T butter

1 c onions, chopped

1 c carrots, chopped

2/3 c green onions, chopped

3 T sesame seeds, toasted

5 eggs, beaten

5 T soy sauce

salt and pepper

Cook rice according to package directions (best from rice cooker). In a large skillet, melt butter and add onions, carrots, and green onions. Saute until translucent and set aside. Lightly grease another skillet and cook eggs (as you would scrambled). Combine all ingredients and stir in skillet until hot.

This dish would be great as a side dish or also a meal (Chicken Fried Rice) with any kind of meat added like chicken, shrimp, or beef.

Which Way to Chicago?

I am known for being bad at directions. Really bad. This (completely true and not exaggerated) story describes just how directionally challenged I am!

One summer in college, my friend Julia and I had plans to go backpacking in Europe. We worked super hard for the first half of the summer, each taking two or three jobs waiting on tables, trying to save up enough money for a month in Europe.

The day was finally here, and due to the (good) advice of Julia’s mom, we decided to leave Ames at 5am to catch our 5pm flight from Chicago to Paris. Let me remind you that we were two blondes heading off in a yellow bug.

After a few hours of driving on I-80 (the interstate that crosses the state of Iowa east-west), I was starting to wonder why I hadn’t seen the Coral Ridge Mall near Iowa City. I knew that it was supposed to be on the right side of the road. Well, we hadn’t seen it and had been driving for a few hours, so I started to panic and wondered what was wrong.

We had just passed Council Bluffs, and Julia reassured me that Council Bluffs was “one of the Quad Cities.” At the time, I didn’t really even know what the Quad Cities were. We stopped for gas after passing a sign that read Welcome to Nebraska. A little worried and confused, we went into the gas station and asked the lady if this was the right way to Chicago.

“Yes, just keep taking I-80,” she replied.

“Phew!” We were so relieved!

On our way out, she added, “By the way, where are you girls coming from?”

“Ames,” we replied.

“Oh no… You girls went the wrong direction!!!”

“What?!?!” We ran to the car and Julia decided to take a turn driving. We were completely panicking and shaking. Less than 10 minutes after being back on the road (now headed east at 94 miles per hour), we saw some flashing lights in the rearview mirror.

The officer came to the passenger side window where I was sitting. He recognized our car (yellow bug) and thought something seemed suspicious since we had been going one direction then turned around and sped in another direction. As soon as we rolled down the window to talk to the officer, we instantly started bawling and ranting at the same time, explaining that we might miss our flight to Paris that we had worked so hard for! Isn’t that a good excuse for speeding? We couldn’t waste precious time getting a speeding ticket!

“Whoa,” he said. “Calm down. Do you know how fast you were going?”

He asked Julia to come sit in the front seat of his car with him. There he (slowly) got out his map, and (slowly) showed her where Iowa, Nebraska, and Illinois are located.

Needless to say, the officer didn’t think our excuse was quite good enough, and we left with a $100 speeding ticket. We drove back across Iowa, east this time, through Ames again and to Chicago. As we got finally to the airport, they were literally closing the doors of the plane. We ran as fast as we possibly could with our huge backpacks on our backs and shouted, “Wait for us!”

Can you believe we made our flight?

At least this flight was going to Paris. You see, what I failed to mention at the beginning of this story is that when we were originally planning our trip, we found this steal of a deal ticket price to London. We quickly bought two tickets before the ticket price increased! They were just too good to be true; less than half the price of the cost of tickets to Paris! We had found incredibly cheap tickets to London.

London, Canada, that is. Definitely too good to be true. We realized this a few days later due to Julia’s mom’s friend who was a travel agent, and told us we should probably double-check that our tickets weren't going to Canada. It turns out that we actually got a refund for our purchase. If we didn't talk to this lady, we may have wondered why they were speaking French…in London!

Can you believe that we made it – to Europe and back – alive?!? I mean, how blonde can you get?

Well okay, you can get a little more blonde than that. One last kick...on our trip, one of the places we visited was Rome and the Vatican City. We even went to the Sistine Chapel. We took tons of pictures of the beautiful ceiling of the Sistine Chapel. About six months after we returned from our trip, I was showing my roommate Lindsay our pictures, particularly the one of the Sistine Chapel.
"That's not the Sistine Chapel," Lindsay told me. She was right. It was the dome of St. Peter's Basilica. And all this time, we thought we had seen the Sistine Chapel and we had missed it!

More About Me

My friend Bri tagged me for this. She's a great photographer and has lots of fun pictures on her blog. Here goes! More about me!

I am…girlie.
I want…a tan.
I wish…someday I will have twins.
I hate…grudges.
I miss…old friends.
I fear…geckos.
I feel…pretty content.
I hear…the clock ticking.
I smell…Tide clean breeze laundry detergent.
I crave…traveling to new places.
I search…the internet.
I wonder…what heaven will be like.
I regret…changing my major 4 times in college (Psychology, Human Development and Family Studies, Advertising, Architecture, then Mathematics)!
I love…the beach.
I ache…after I play tennis.
I care…about my family.
I always…love hearing from friends.
I am not…usually moody.
I believe…that Jesus Christ is Lord.
I dance…when I hear Britney Spears. =)
I sing...just for fun.
I cry…occasionally.
I don’t always…wear sunscreen.
I fight…well, I don’t really fight.
I write…my blog!
I never…like to floss.
I listen…to the TV while doing things around the house.
I need…my husband.
I am happy…most of the time.

Now I am tagging…Steph and Steph!

Magnolia’s Cupcakes

While I was in New York City last summer with some friends, we visited Magnolia’s Bakery in Greenwich Village. It was the cutest place, and they had the best vanilla cupcakes! I found the recipe in a magazine and have made them a few times. The frosting is the best part!

Vanilla Cupcakes

1 1/2 cups self-rising flour

1 1/4 cups all-purpose flour

1 cup (2 sticks) unsalted butter, softened

2 cups sugar

4 large eggs, at room temperature

1 cup milk

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F and line 2 (1/2 cup-12 capacity) muffin tins with cupcake papers.

2. In a small bowl, combine the flours. Set aside.

3. In a large bowl, on the medium speed of an electric mixer, cream the butter until smooth. Add the sugar gradually and beat until fluffy, about 3 minutes. Add the eggs, 1 at a time, beating well after each addition. Add the dry ingredients in 3 parts, alternating with the milk and vanilla. With each addition, beat until the ingredients are incorporated but do not over beat.

4. Using a rubber spatula, scrape down the batter in the bowl to make sure the ingredients are well blended. Carefully spoon the batter into the cupcake liners, filling them about 3/4 full. Bake for 20 to 25 minutes, or until a cake tester inserted into the center of the cupcake comes out clean.

5. Cool the cupcakes in tins for 15 minutes. Remove from the tins and cool completely on a wire rack before icing.

Vanilla Buttercream Frosting

1 cup (2 sticks) unsalted butter, softened

6 to 8 cups confectioners' sugar

1/2 cup milk

2 teaspoons vanilla extract

1. Place the butter in a large mixing bowl. Add 4 cups of the sugar and then the milk and vanilla. On the medium speed of an electric mixer, beat until smooth and creamy, about 3 to 5 minutes.

2. Gradually add the remaining sugar, 1 cup at a time, beating well after each addition (about 2 minutes), until the icing is thick enough to be of good spreading consistency. You may not need to add all of the sugar.

3. If desired, add a few drops of food coloring and mix thoroughly. (Use and store the icing at room temperature because icing will set if chilled.) Icing can be stored in an airtight container for up to 3 days.

Makes one dozen cupcakes

Six Random Things

Amanda has tagged me and asked that I list six random things about myself. Here they are, and they are pretty random!

1. I am always trying to think of things that I can sell on e-bay.

2. I really like to read, especially well-written fiction, but have trouble finding new books and authors. Any suggestions?

3. I lived in the dorms for 4 years in college. My roommates were Missy, Lindsday, Lindsay again, Jodi, and Crystal.

4. I am obsessed with being organized and think about it a lot, but I’m really not. I try, but it escapes me.

5. I’m addicted to my blackberry. It's pink. It has Facebook. And blogs. And e-mail. And Google. It's pretty awesome.

6. I am really bad at directions (more on this to come later).

Okay, now I get to tag someone to answer these questions as well. Kristy and Jess, let's hear it!

Old Friends, New Memories

We spent this weekend with some of our good friends from college: Jared and Stephanie with their baby Brenna, Abby, and Andy, Kyle's good friend from high school. We met in Clear Lake for the weekend, and had a great time catching up and making new memories, with lots of laughs and great conversation.

We took a picture of the three girls in the kitchen (while Abby was making some fabulous Pad Thai). Later, we realized that we took one in that exact same spot...about 6 years ago when we were in college. How funny!

I guess Jared, Steph, and I missed the memo that said we were all supposed to wear blue on Saturday. How random that three people wore blue! Oh, and check out this cute couple (above, minus Kyle). I must have some stellar match-making skills, because we set them up on a blind date a few months ago. Just look at them now!

About Nealy

Hello!

I'm Nealy, author of Bambina Babe.  
Welcome to my blog!


Things I like:
Jesus, white kitchens, people, "good" jeans, travel, cooking, motherhood, Bar La Grassa, carrara marble, anything monogrammed, spicy food, Facebook, my new cowboy boots, blogging...and taking pictures!

Thanks for visiting! Please leave a comment and let me know you were here.


If you are interested in visiting my other blog home, Photography By Nealy, just click here.

Tortilla Soup Recipe

Since today is Cinco de Mayo, a Mexican holiday, I thought I would share my recipe for Tortilla Soup. I make this pretty frequently, and it always turns out really good.



Ingredients:
1/2 T oil
½ onion, minced
1/3 green pepper, minced
1 clove garlic, minced

1 rotisserie chicken, shredded
3 cans chicken broth
1 can diced tomatoes, with juice
1 can black beans, drained and rinsed
1 can sweet corn OR 1 ear of corn, cut from cob
1 T Cumin
1 t Chili powder
Salt, to taste
Dash of hot sauce, optional

Toppings:
Tortilla chips (white or blue corn)
Chopped avocado
Sour cream
Shredded cheese
Cilantro

Directions:
Combine oil, onion, green pepper, and garlic in a saucepan until tender. Add remaining ingredients (except toppings) and bring to a slight boil. Simmer for about 20 minutes. Serve hot and top with tortillas, avocado, sour cream, shredded cheese, and cilantro.

Happy Birthday, Kiley!

Today is my beautiful sister Kiley’s birthday! Happy 25th birthday, Ki! You are such a great sister, and I am so thankful for our friendship.

Cheers to Kiley!

Chocolate Molten Cakes

This is my new favorite dessert to make! I got the recipe from my sister Kiley, who is a dessert specialist. It's originally a Martha Stewart recipe that I tweaked slightly. I’m not usually a huge baker, but this one turns out perfectly.

4 tbsp. butter, plus more for muffin tins

1/3 cup sugar, plus more for muffin tins

3 eggs

1/3 c flour

1/4 t salt

8 oz bittersweet or semisweet chocolate, melted

Preheat oven to 400°F. Generously butter 6 cups of a standard muffin tin. Dust with granulated sugar, and tap out excess. Set aside. In bowl, cream the butter and granulated sugar until fluffy. Add eggs one at a time, beating well after each addition. With the mixer on low speed, beat in flour and salt until just combined. Beat in chocolate until just combined. Divide batter evenly among prepared muffin cups. Place muffin tin on a baking sheet; bake just until tops of the cakes no longer jiggle when the pan is lightly shaken, 8 to 10 minutes. Remove from oven; let stand 10 minutes. DO NOT OVERCOOK. To serve, turn out cakes, and place on serving plates, bottom sides up. Dust with powdered sugar.

Serves 6.