I don’t normally cross post between here and Foodwhirl, but since I’ve been such a slacker at posting either place lately (I know, I know, I’ll do better this summer, I promise!) I figured you wouldn’t mind too much.  Plus this technique is soooo cool.  It’s super easy, no-mess, and really quick.  You don’t have to shuck the corn before hand, which I love.

Anyway, I wrote it all up at Foodwhirl, so go check it out:

Corn on the Cob: Fast, easy, & No Mess!

Enjoy!

• On Foodwhirl today, pick your favorite recipe for a chance to win an $80 gift certificate!

Go ahead… I’ll wait. OK, you entered the contest? Good. Now, on to some recipes!

More recent recipe yummies on Foodwhirl:

Spotlight: Pork Ragu

Over at Talk of Tomatoes, Janelle has a tasty looking recipe for Pork Ragu!  This looks like a wonderfully simple ‘go-to’ meal…
“I am in love with ragu. Shall I marry it? I made this ragu recently for lunch, and my eldest son says to me: “mom, this is the only thing I am willing to eat the rest of my life.” His way of saying: make it again and again and again and again and again…”

Don’t fear the Quinoa! Crunchy Quinoa Salad.

Quinoa. Pronounced “keen-wah”. What the heck is it? It’s a grain-like seed from Peru that is incredibly healthy (high in protein, and full of amino acids) and quite tasty too! You basically can use it as a healthier substitute most places you would use rice or couscous.

Spotlight: Rhubarb Cream Pie

Reader Allison, from the delightful newish blog, Radishes and Rhubarb, does her first actual rhubarb related post… And it’s a sweet one, dedicated to her mom, with a delish looking recipe for Rhubarb Cream Pie.  The recipe is her mom’s, and thanks to Allison for sharing it!  (I must admit, I have never tried to cook with rhubarb… although those gorgeous red stalks always look tempting.)

Chicken & Spinach Enchilada “Lasagna” Casserole

The other night I was brainstorming on dinner, and my eyes feel to a bag of tortilla chips we had opened the other evening when we had friends over. “Hmmm…” Dot thinks. “What can I do with those?” (Because Dot is inherently cheap and knows that the chips will just end up going stale and being throw away…)  This fabulously easy and tasty enchilada casserole was the result.

Vegetable Stir Fry with Orange Ginger Sauce

“All of these vegetables need to be eaten before they go bad!!”  Sound familiar?  We went to visit my man’s parents for Mother’s Day and had just gotten my organic produce box the day before we left.   I contemplated taking the whole box with me, but it wouldn’t have fit in the overhead compartment… I love my organic produce, and I really hate it when I let it go bad!!    I was determined not to let that happen this time!

Fried Chicken

Fried Chicken is one of my loves, along with chocolate, mint juleps and David Tennant’s Dr. Who.  However, like most things I love, it’s something that I can only have in small amounts. Why is that?  Why do we love that which is bad for us?  Why can’t fried chicken be a HEALTHY meal? That plaque on my arteries should be good for me – some added structural basis to weakening coronary vessels!

Spotlight: Potato Gnocchi Tater Tots

I ran across this recipe the other day at Deliciously Organic, and had to save it into my ‘to post’ folder! I love this updated take on that old favorite (and guilty pleasure), tater tots.
“What a blast kneading the fluffy potato with a little flour and arrowroot, rolling it into tiny logs, boiling then frying them to golden brown perfection. They taste way better than the tots you find in a bag.”

Simple (almost) Summer Salad

As much as I really wanted to try out Dot’s frank-and-burger loaf recipe for dinner tonight (I mean, yum, right?), I opted to go a slightly simpler and (more than slightly) healthier route. I received some lovely avocados, tomatoes and corn in my produce box this week, and all of them were in need of being used, so I decided to throw together this quick and tasty salad as a side with my stuffed poblano peppers for dinner.

Recently on Dabbled:

• Knight Costume for dress up fun!
• Star Wars, Pancakes, Goldfish and other mostly geeky links
• Interview: Debbie Does Cakes

First off, if you’ve never done a White Elephant Party, they are a lot of fun… I try to do one every year, and this year –since my December was so busy– it’s happening after the holidays. In fact, a White Elephant is a great *after* the holidays party since people probably received one or two things that they could stand to regift! A White Elephant (also called a Yankee Swap or a Dirty Santa) is a gift exchange where everyone steals gifts from each other. The rules are pretty simple, but I’m just going to point you to last year’s post, with all the rules, if you’re not familiar. Go ahead, I’ll wait…

OK!

So today I’m doing a bit of party prep… cooking of course… I figured you might like to see what I’m making! I’ve be taking pictures, so you’ll be getting full recipes and how-to’s for some of these next week.

You’ve been wondering what I was going to do with the Tartlet Shells I made the other day, right?

I think things are coming together nicely, don’t you?

Want to through your own White Elephant Party?

You’re in luck!

Download invites and everything you need to play here.

…..

Well, emergency condiment recipes to the rescue!  Why buy that 1000 Island Dressing, when you could have easily made it from stuff you already had in your refrigerator?  Take cocktail sauce off your shopping list.  Tartar Sauce too…

Ingredients needed to make all the below: ketchup, mustard, mayo, sweet pickle relish, horseradish, Worcestershire sauce & honey.  As usual, all measurements are VERY approximate!

Cocktail Sauce:

Having a party and need some cocktail sauce for the shrimp?  Your trusty ketchup provides the base.  Try 4 parts ketchup to 1 part horseradish (jarred prepared horseradish).  Add 1/2 part worchestershire sauce (or several shakes).  Stir and taste.  Add more horseradish or worchestershire to taste.  Optional: a dash of lemon juice.

Essential ingredients: Ketchup, prepared horseradish, worchestershire sauce

Thousand Island Dressing:

I learned this trick waiting tables in grad school.  We didn’t have 1000 Island dressing, and once in a blue moon, someone would want some for their salad. Emergency restaurant trick:  Mix tartar  sauce with ketchup!

I rarely need 1000 Island, but it IS a must for a good Reuben.  For the home version, since I may not really keep tartar sauce on hand either, it’s 3 ingredients.  Mix mayo and ketchup (try 4 to 1), and spoon in pickle relish until you have your desired consistency.

Essential ingredients:  Mayo, ketchup, sweet pickle relish

Tartar Sauce

I use this quick and dirty tartar sauce recipe whenever I make fish tacos. Combine Mayo with sweet pickle relish (optional: dash worchestershire sauce).

Essential ingredients: Mayo, sweet relish

Horseradish sauce

A good horseradish mayo is obligatory for a roast beef and swiss sandwich, in my book.  Just add prepared horseradish to mayonnaise to taste — i like it pretty strong.   For a dip (like for fried mushrooms or veggies or chips) mix mayo with equal parts sour cream, and add horseradish to taste.

Essential ingredients:  Mayo, horseradish

Honey Mustard dressing

Either for a dip for a chicken fingers, or a salad dressing for those with a sweet tooth — like kids– honey mustard is an easy quick fix.  Personally, I prefer a less creamy and more mustardy version, so I )go easy on the mayo, but prepare this to your taste.  Start with equal parts mayo and mustard (I prefer spicy brown), and honey.  Stir and taste.  If too sweet add more mayo/mustard.  Add more mayo if you’d like it creamier.

Essential ingredients:  Mayo, mustard, honey

Note: These are REALLY basic versions, you can punch up the flavoring in these, of course… just google for a real recipe and you can see what you may want to add.  Also, I never measure when making these, just start with a mixture that looks about right, taste, and add more of what ever is needed.  Like most cooking, it’s an art!

Next Steps…

So you’re all set for your condiment crises now, but these aren’t just for emergencies.  Once you have the basics down, go to town with your creations.  For example, I like to add fresh cucumber and onion, dill, and a dash of rice wine vinegar to my tartar sauce recipe, for a perfect sauce for grilled salmon tacos…

Enjoy!