"Fried Cheese" aka "Mozzarella Sticks" aka "Fried Mozzarella Sticks"

 

Depending on your regional residence as too what you may refer to this appetizer as.

I decided to look up the term online and I found this particular slang rather comical..

 

Mozzarella Stick

Someone who you turn to for casual, no-strings-attached hookups. a "snack" of sorts.

 

Guy: What's going on with you and Steve? Are you guys dating?
Girl: Oh not really, he's just a mozzarella stick.

 

As Per.....Click HERE.

Really? However, it did give a chuckle when I processed the actual information.

Now lets get back too really discussing the actual yummy, crunchy, cheese that this meal starter has to offer. As an adult of an undisclosed age, I tend to digress back into my youthful years whenever I bite into one of those hunks of goodness. And thus, have passed on my rather absurd behavior to Big D. Here is how it all goes down:

Once the FMS is cooled to moderate temperature, we here at the farmstead bite into one end of FMS. Slowly, carefully, and very delicately begin to move the other end of the FMS away from our mouths. The goal of this ridiculously amusing game is to see how far you can get your cheese away from your mouth without braking the hand to mouth connection. The technique, edicate, and even sophistication of this modern marvel event is unsuppressed. You should try it :)

For more information regarding this "Fried Cheese" recipe please click HERE.

Cheese Out,
Farming Fabulously

Cheers: Fresh Peach Bellinis

 

 

It's great to be back my peeps! So I figured what better way to celebrate then to mixologize a cocktail;) Clink, Clink.. Here at the farmstead, I am all about utilizing the abundance of fresh produce that is currently taking over my kitchen. We've been super busy canning, freezing, and eating our way through all of natures most luxurious bounties. Peaches are one of our fav's! I swear Big D (no longer baby D, sniff) could eat 3 giant peaches in one place setting. So I try to keep them on hand whenever possible. He would devour them grilled, placed into a cobbler, eaten with certain white curds as an afternoon snack or even gobbled to the pit. Basically, he would eat them Here, Or There, On Bus, On a Boat, In a Plane, or On a Train..

 

So I did what any good momma would do. I borrowed a few:0 Yep! And lordy me, did I embrace myself in a heavenly experience. The sweetness of the peach paired with the classic bubbling characteristics of a fine Champaign or Prosecco, Superb! A spectacular summer cocktail, that is refreshing and elegantly served.

 

 

For more information regarding this recipe please click HERE.

 

Enjoy,

Farming Fabulously

Sun-Dried Tomato Stuffed Mushrooms..

 

I am so ecstatic! A cherished friend of mine is going to be getting married this spring. We have been close friends for over ten years now. And no matter how many miles are between us, we still seem to be inseparable. And even though we don't get a chance to chat as often as we would like, we can still pick up right were we leave off. She is my Norwegian soul sister, and I am thrilled to be apart of her special day.

 

Alas, before the wedding you must have a Bachelorette Party. Well, that will be taking place this weekend. All of the ladies are going to waltzing  around the wine district of a quaint little town simply named, Hermann, MO. With rolling hills, rushing rivers, beautiful fall foliage, and an ample amount of appropriate beverages; What could be more perfect? We will be residing in a fabulous little guesthouse, with full trolley access to all accommodating vineyards. Yet as guests to our fabulous bride, each of us comes bearing gifts. An appetizer of your choice and some sentimental/precious/prized/heart-felt, or who am I kidding, eccentric/dirty/quirky/embarrassing paraphernalia that the bride may or may not be tenaciously pleased with.

 

Since we will be surrounding ourselves with all things wine, I thought that this dish would be appropriate. An elegant finger food, that can be served room temperature, and present gorgeously. The meatiness of the mushroom, salty sensation from the olives, tangy surge in the SD tomato's, and the creaminess of the cheese. I would pair this with any white crisp wine of your choice; Pinot Gris, Sauvignon Blanc, Semillon, Riesling or Chardonnay.

 

For more information regarding this recipe please click HERE.

 

Enjoy,

Farming Fabulously

VMBPwCYS

 

Or otherwise known as: Veggie Mini Burger Pita with Cucumber Yogurt Sauce or as I refer to it as, Quinoa Burger. I *heart* Quinoa right know. I gorge myself with it at least every other day. It reminds me of steel cut oats, as far as the cooking process goes. Usually, I make it right on the stove top, bringing 2 cups a H2O to 1 cup on Quinoa to a boil, take the lid off and let simmer for say 20 minutes or until most of the liquid is dissolved. Then you throw in your choice of vegetables, if you are feeling spunky add some feta. Yummy.

 

Please excuse my lack of concentration. Back to the recipe at hand. The burgers were very flavorful but the "icing on the cake" was *insert deep moan* the cucumber yogurt sauce. Heavenly! If you are a fan of Tetzki Sauce, you will adore this. I plated them in two forms, choose your preference; I enjoyed the Burger form and Dexter preferred the Pita form. Both equally as delicious.

 

For more inforamtion regarding this recipe please click HERE.

 

Enjoy,

Farming Fabulously

Boo-tiful Bites

 

Lets get our spook on shall we?

 

I adore creating seasonal eats, it helps direct my attention toward the upon coming holiday. Thus, forcing myself to subconsciously embrace it whole heartily. Halloween is one of my absolute favorite holidays, so I really strive to bring my inner goblin out. Dexter is now old enough to really help in the kitchen. And he has no problems with reaping the benefits by eating his creations.

 

These fun little nibblers, only require 4 ingredients! And it is quite possible that you posses all of these ingredients.

 

Boo-tiful Bites

 

3 Egg Whites

1/2 tsp Cream of Tarter

1/4 tsp Vanilla

3/4 Cup Sugar

 

Preheat oven to 200 degrees and line a baking sheet with parchment paper. Place 3 room-temperature egg whites in a mixing bowl. Beat until foamy. Increase the mixer's speed to medium, then add 1/2 tsp cream of tartar. Continue to beat until the egg whites hold soft peaks.  Turn mixer to high and slowly add 1/4 tsp vanilla and 3/4 cup fine sugar. Beat until stiff, glossy peaks form. Scoop mixture into a large zip-top plastic bag; cut off one corner of the bag and pipe out 2 inch mounds of meringue  onto the parchment paper. Insert chocolate chips for the eyes and nose/mouth. Bake for 1 1/2 hours. Turn off oven and leave "ghosts" inside for at lest 3 hours to set. (I opted out of leaving them in the oven for the additional time, and they still set up fine? Your choice)

 

This recipe came from Parenting Magazine.

 

Enjoy,

Farming Fabulously

Mini Muffin Potato Tots...

 

These are by far the simplest home-made tots that I have ever made! Don't they just adorable? Just by gazing at them, it gives you the urge to pop one right into your mouth. Anyway right now, Racheal Ray  is doing a segment on her show, that demonstrates how many versatile recipe you can use with a "Mini Muffin Pan". I adore this concept for two reasons; One, I seldom think to use the mini pan, so to get my moneys worth out of it is fantastic; Second, I love small portions, if I could execute a tedious way of living on bite sized appetizers alone, I so would.

 

For more information regarding this recipe please click HERE.

 

Enjoy,

Farming Fabulously

 

 

A Spring Time Treat?

At first glace, I perceived this decadent appetizer to be served graciously for a fabulous spring time Hors d'oeuvre. Yet my hypothesis was short lived once I looked further into the origin of this recipe, hence: "Spooky Avocado Witches Fingers". I get that. But to me this recipe screams "Warm Weather"! I adore all things Avocado, especially when it is paired with the salty Prosciutto and a pungent goat cheese. And if your really feeling frisky, may I recommend a robust glass of Norton to go along with your fantastic appetizer. Yummy.

For more information regarding this recipe please click HERE.

Enjoy,

Farming Fabulously

French Dip Cresents With An Easy Au Jus.....

After our "all-inclusive" (aka all you can eat, 24 hours a day) cruise, HH and I have unanimously decided that we need to shed afew pounds. So to begin our dieting journey, we are starting with portion control. Instead of the hearty French Dip sandwich that we are accustom to, we opted for a mini version (which just so happen to be a decedent delight that you could serve at your upcoming Super Bowl Party). And with only 4 ingredients, you can throw these beauties together in no time flat. The comforting flavors are still present, but just in a petite portion. Love this recipe.

For more information regarding this recipe please click HERE.

Enjoy,

Farming Fabulously

10-0 Cheese On A Stick...

Last weekend was the notorious battle of the Bays, Green Bay Packers vs. Tampa Bay Buccaneers. As you all know, I am a loud and proud Cheese head from the north. So a dominate victory from my Pack is something that I strive for each and every weekend. Inorder to keep their winning strike alive, I decided to serve some game day  GB (Green Bay) essentials, otherwise referred to as cheese. When I came across this recipe online, I instantly knew it would be perfect to prepare. As my own personal surgeon generals warning, I would recommend that after consuming anymore then two of these tempting little cheese-on-a-stick that you may want to consider doing some sort of aerobic activity. Then again all things in moderation my peeps. Love them!

For more information regarding this recipe please click HERE.

Enjoy,

Farming Fabulously

Cheeseburger Egg Rolls Madame....

When there is a uniting of two exceptional dishes it gives my heart great pleasure. An All-American Hamburger meets a staple in the Asian cuisine, the Egg Roll. Together you get a hearty finger food, that can be enjoyed by peeps of all ages, especially the kiddo's. Baby D just adored dipping his into some Ketcup and taking a big ol' bite. The best part about these Egg Rolls were that they were baked, not fried. This is not only a healthier alternative, but infact your clean up is next to nothing (no oil splatter). The crunch of the exterior made your first nibble that much more delightful after sinking your teeth into the cheeseburger mixture. Yummy!

For more information regarding this recipe please click HERE.

Enjoy,

Farming Fabulously

Chicken Club Pizza

Here at the farmstead we are pizza fanatics! I whipped up this appetizing little entree last weekend, and could have devoured it all by myself. But since we did have guests over, I thought that it would be unflattering to do so. Thus I did what any respectable farm wife would do, I shared half of it. The picture is really quite deceiving, this dish is loaded with complex flavors that are buried throughout. I would recommend bringing this to any of your next far weather outings as a sensational little munchy.

Chicken Club Pizza

1 8oz Package Cream Cheese softened

1/4 cup Ranch Dressing

Beat together at medium speed with mixer (or just use a fork) until well combined.

1 Prebaked Pizza Crust

Place cream cheese mixture right on top of pizza.

1 cup shredded rotisserie chicken

6 slices cooked and crumbled bacon

1 avocado sliced into wedges (diced)

1 cup chopped tomato's

2/3 cup shredded lettuce

Layer on all of the ingredients in that order. Feel free to add more of your fancy. I loaded up on avocado's. Bake for 10 minutes at 375 degrees.

This recipe derived from this cooking magazine.

Enjoy,

Farming Fabulously

Festive Snack Mix...

Can you believe it is October already? It seems as though, the older I am becoming the faster time seems to fly by. Yet Baby D and I always seem to make time for some special treats. Anymore, I am always on the look out for recipes that Baby D and I can do prep together. And these little munchies were absolutely perfect for us to do as a team (lots of dumping ingredients into a giant bowl, Baby D rocks at that). Even once they cooled, Baby D was able to help me bag them up for the FB's. This proved to be an excellent snack, that your kiddos can help you prepare for the ghoulish month ahead.

For more information regarding this recipe please click HERE.

This recipe called for candy pumpkins, but I found candy corn to be more assessable. *insert twang*  "Because I reckon in these here parts, we prefer all things corn."

Enjoy,

Farming Fabulously

Zucchini Fries With Broiled Halibut....

Today I am presenting you with dishes from two totally different ends of the spectrum. Light vs. Rich! Both equally satisfying, infact down right addicting. HH and I could not stop lusting over the heavenly baked zucchini fries. They served as both a side dish and a fantastic appetizer. I have actually used them on both occasions, and has turned out equally satisfying. Even the kiddo's (Baby D and Khloe) expressed tremendous affection toward them, by eating more then their far share. A wonderfully healthy alternative.

Considering the side dish was more of a lighter flare, I am now giving you free range to splurge on your main coarse. This recipe was one that has been passed down from generations, and I was fortunate enough to come upon it. The Bechamel Sauce, blow it out of the park for me. It was a whole new experience for me preparing fish in this type of fashion. But boy was it tasty!


For more information regarding the Zucchini Fries please click Here.
I used Panko Bread Crumbs and would highly recommend..


For more information regarding the Broiled Halibut With A Bechamel Sauce click HERE.

Enjoy,
Farming Fabulously

Proscuitto Wrapped Scollops With Pesto

The 2011 Regular Season Football kicks off tonight with the New Orleans Saints vs. last years Super Champions my Green Bay Packers. The green and gold dominate our farmstead this time of year. I have even took it upon myself to teach Baby D a chant; "Go Pack Go, Go Pack Go" (I will try to video this tonight so you will be able to see him in action during the game)!

Last weekend we had guests staying at the farmstead for Baby D's big birthday party. One of the appetizers that I prepared was an incredibly easy Prosciutto Wrapped Scallops With Pesto. Only requiring 3 ingredients, I was able to whip this up a day ahead of time, then put it into the oven right before my guests were ready to eat. My family adores all seafood, so I knew this would be a real treat. Infact, I do believe that Papa Buck finished half of this dish all by himself.

Prosciutto Wrapped Scallops With Pesto

2 lbs Big Beautiful Bay Scallops

1 package of Prosciutto cutting each slice in half

1/4 cup of pesto of your choice (I used basil, but tomato would be fabulous as well)

S & P

EVOO

Begin by putting some EVOO in a skillet (cast iron works best) and bring it up to medium heat. Season the scallops with S & P and place them into the skillet. Now you really do not need to cook them for very long, you are basically just getting them seared, nice golden brown. Only afew minutes on each side. Take them out and let them cool. Then cut your prosciutto in half. Grab your pesto, and put a generous dalp on each scallop, then wrap with prosciutto. Place them on a greased sheet tray, and either cook at 350 degrees for 1/2 hour or place them into your refrigerator until later.

How remarkably easy is that?

Enjoy,

Farming Fabulously

Program Note: I will soon be posting Baby D's birthday pictures!

Caprese Salad with Roasted Mango Dressing...

As the summer is dwindling away and the fresh garden produce is nearing its end, I am still attempting to utilize what vegetables still remain. And you really can not go wrong with a reliable Caprese Salad. I was very intrigued by the Roasted Mango Dressing, as mango is one of my favorites.  It has such a vibrant golden color with a pungently refreshing taste. Keep in mind, the components in this dish can be as heated or sweet as you desire (more agave/honey compared to jalapeno). I thoroughly enjoyed snacking on this appetizer last evening.

For more information regarding this recipe please click HERE..

Enjoy,

Farming Fabulously

Fantastic Fried Green Tomatoes....

I love me some Fried Green Tomatoes! As my lustrous produce is dwindling away in our garden, and I am maxed out on canning tomatoes this year. I try to find recipes that I can incorporate my select few remaining garden variety treasures. Baby D and I wiped up a batch of these beauties today for lunch. The crunchy exterior crust that has a hint of earthy thyme, pairs fantastically with the juicy sweetness of the tomato. It really is quite challenging only to eat your recommended serving size. A sheer southern delicacy in my book!

For more information regarding this recipe please click HERE!

Enjoy,

Farming Fabulously

Broccoli Cheddar Spread..

As a parent, I am constantly trying to sneak vegetables into my child's meals. When he was younger, Baby D was not picky about what he would consume. He ate everything! Perhaps he was just glad to no longer have a diet of strictly milk? Yet now that he is older, I occasionally have an issue with him not wanting to eat his vegetables. This recipe was a real winner in Baby D's book. Only requiring 4 ingredients, and broccoli beginning the star, I now know to keep all of these ingredients on hand. Whats also quite pleasant about this recipe is that, it is a cold salad. Thus, I can take it out of the refrigerator and he can even munch on it as a snack. Would also be a great last minute party appetizer, if caught in a pinch for time.

For more information regarding the following recipe please click HERE.

Enjoy,

Farming Fabulously

Scallops Provencal

I am a lover of all seafood! Yet, for reasons unbenounced to me I rarely cook scallops. But while in the Northwoods we had dinner at a quaint little restaurant called the Rookery. It was there that we had the most decadent fresh bay scallops for our appetizer. Instantly I know I must try to recreate them. And it just so happened that our local market was having a sale on many of there seafood items. So there was no denying that a Divine entree of scallops must be prepared. The recipe I found was from the fantastic Barefoot Contessa, she paired the hearty scallops with an almost gravy like sauce. HH and I were blown away by the flavor of these magnificent gems. And the best part, it only requires two handfuls of ingredients, most of which you all ready have stocked in your refrigerator or pantry. I would highly recommend this dish whenever you are really wanting to impress your guests. Infact, I may even serve this again for my family when then come down for Baby D's Birthday, something to ponder?

For more information regarding this recipe please click HERE!

Enjoy,
Farming Fabulously

The Ultimate Fruit Appetizer....

You know that wonderful fruit dip that you make every year. The one with the cream cheese. The one that you can not stop eating. Well, bust that recipe out again. Quite simply you fill phyllo cups with your favorite creamy fruit dip and top with your choice of fruit (perhaps even garnish it with fresh mint from your garden). A one bite wonder that all of your guests will thoroughly enjoy. Would highly recommend taking this to any summer gathering that you may be attending. But this recipe does come with a warning! Warning you to print out copy's of this recipe ahead of time, so when your guests asks you for the recipe you can simply hand them this 5 ingredient little miracle. Please excuse my arrogance, but it is hard to pull off all three key components in a dish: Simple, delicious and gorgeous. Hands down brilliant.

The Ultimate Fruit Appetizer

1 8oz package of cream cheese
1 7oz marshmallow fluff (a whole jar will do)
1 TBSP of orange juice
2 packages of phyllo shells (found in the frozen section, yes even in MarMo Town)
Assortment of fruit. I choose strawberries and blueberries going for the Independence Day theme.

Bake phyllo shells according to packaged directions, only takes 10 minutes or until slightly golden. Then mix first three ingredients with beaters to make sure it is combined throughout. Pour into toasted shells and top with an assortment of fruit. How easy is that?

Enjoy,
Farming Fabulously

Perfect Potato Salad

The hot summer months are now upon us. And what better to serve at a gathering then the ol' faithful potato salad. I am always searching for that suburb p. salad recipe, that will knock my stilettos off. Well, this decedent twist on traditional sure did aim to please. I was estacatic to see that it called for fresh herbs. Herbs that are now over grown in my garden and need to be taken advantage of. A refreshing side dish that would magnify even the tedious of palates.

I did not use the food mill as the recipe required. I prefer more texture in my salad, so instead I used chopped up red new potato's.

For more information regarding this recipe please click HERE.

Enjoy,
Farming Fabulously