Cooking During Stolen Moments» Uncategorized

Great Grilling Tips!

Kate — Thu, 12 Apr 2012 02:26:45 +0000

Last week, I had the pleasure of joining The Motherhood and chef George Duran for an online cooking demonstration and Q&A session. George prepared two delicious meals on the grill and offered up a ton of great grilling advice. Aside from making me hungry for my past-due lunch, the half hour of watching George grill made me long for the return of warmer weather so that we can fire up the grill on a regular basis. I’m plotting ways to convince Eric to grill at least every other day. We’ll see if he’s willing to get on board with that plan or not.

In the meantime, here are some of the tips George shared with the audience.

…on grilling vegetables: George likes grilling zucchini, yellow squash, and eggplant with the skin removed. Spray the vegetable chunks or thick slices with PAM® and throw on the grill long enough to get grill marks on them, then remove and season with salt, pepper and a splash of olive oil. Avoid thin veggies that fall through the grates, like asparagus spears. George also recommended using a grill mat by Cookina that he’s discovered for grilling veggies.

…on what fish to grill: Definitely try grilling salmon or other fish with skin. Lay skin side directly on the grill. Because it’s fatty, it won’t really stick, and you won’t be eating the skin, but it will help keep the fish moist. Tilapia is also great to grill. It cooks quickly. Because tilapia fillets are typically skinless, be sure to use more PAM® non-stick spray to prevent sticking.

…on making burgers to please adults and kids: Put a twist on a classic cheeseburger by stuffing a cube of cheese inside a burger. To keep the cheese from melting and oozing out of the middle of your ground beef or turkey, freeze the cheese cubes before putting them inside the meat.

…on the best foods for grilling novices to try (besides hot dogs and burgers): Try thick chunks of veggies, and chicken breasts. Marinate thin-cut chicken, or use a dry rub and grill quickly on both sides.

…on cooking corn on the cob: George grills his corn with husks on, after trimming the ends of the husks. Don’t bother to soak; there’s plenty of moisture already inside the husk. Grill until husks are burnt, let cool for 5 minutes, and corn will be perfectly cooked.

…on cooking steak perfectly: Stick with grass-fed, organic beef. George says to sear the beef over direct heat, then finish cooking it over indirect heat. Use a meat thermometer to test doneness. Digital or standard meat thermometer is fine.

…on grilling veggie burgers: Use your PAM® non-stick spray to prevent more burger sticking to your grill than ends up on your bun. Toast the buns, too.

…on whether meat should come to room temp before grilling: George says, never, never, NEVER! A lot of bacteria can grow, and it’s totally unnecessary to have room-temperature meat for proper cooking. Sometimes George will even freeze thin cuts of meat before grilling so they have time to caramelize on the outside without overcooking on the inside.

…on grilling dessert: George says you can bake a cake on the grill using indirect heat (you can even do this on a campfire). Also recommended: Grilled Banana Split Sundae, in which pound cake, bananas, and cherries are skewered and grilled before the sundae is assembled. Grilling the ice cream is not recommended.

…on cleaning your grill grates: Have a very good, big, metal grill brush and replace it every year. Also have an adjustable spray bottle of water handy. After grilling, mist the grill, which creates steam, and scrub with your brush. Straight streams of water are good for taking care of flare-ups.

Click over to The Motherhood to watch the video and see George in action. Also, check out ReadySetEat for some great grilling recipes.

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Fiesta Burgers & Firing Up The Grill

Kate — Thu, 05 Apr 2012 03:21:02 +0000

Last summer, we fell in love with grilling. For years before that, we want without grilling because we didn’t have the backyard space for a grill. But once we moved to a home with plenty of room for a grill, we started firing it up on a regular basis and my husband happily became the grill-master of the Miller household.

One of our favorite grilled items last summer was Fiesta Burgers. Simple, delicious and full of flavor!

Fiesta Burgers

1 1/2 lb. ground beef
1 can Ro*Tel tomatoes with diced chilies, drained
1 c. corn, thawed and frozen or fresh
1/4 c. diced fresh cilantro
1 1/2 t. salt
1/2 t. cumin
1/2 t. garlic powder
6 slices Monterey Jack cheese
Hamburger buns
Garnish: avocado slices, lettuce and tomatoes

1. In a large bowl, combine ground beef, Ro*Tel, corn, fresh cilantro, salt, cumin and garlic powder. Shape into 6 evenly-sized hamburger patties.

2. Grill hamburgers until desired doneness. Just before removing from the grill, add a slice of Monterey Jack on top of each burger.

3. Place burgers on buns and garnish with avocado slices, lettuce and tomato slices.

We’re still learning the ropes of grilling and have been a bit hesitant about broadening our horizons beyond the basics of burgers, hot dogs, bratwursts and BBQ chicken breasts. So I am thrilled to be joining The Motherhood on Thursday, 4/5 for a Virtual Cooking Class with George Duran sharing some great grilling tips and recipes. Here’s all of the details for the class. I hope you’ll join me!

What: A virtual cooking school class called Firing Up the Grill: New Recipes, Flavors and Ingredients to Kick-Start Barbeque Season. The class is part of the Cooking Connections series on The Motherhood. You can check out great easy grilling recipes ahead of time on recipe website Ready Set Eat here.

When: Thursday, April 5, at 1 p.m. ET. It will last 30 minutes.

Where: TheMotherhood – here is the link to the page where the class will be held: http://bit.ly/Ha4xnV

About the class: It’s been a warm spring, giving us a head start on grilling season! Join celebrity chefGeorge Duran, coming to us via live video feed from his own backyard, as he shares his top grilling techniques and new flavor twists on old favorites.

Giveaway! We are also giving away two summer grilling gift baskets for class participation – don’t miss out! There are TWO methods of entry if you’d like to get involved:

1) post your own idea for a hot dog or hamburger recipe in the text chat on this page: http://bit.ly/Ha4xnV. You must use one of these required ingredients in your recipe: Hebrew National, Ro*Tel, Hunt’s Ketchup, Hunt’s Canned Tomatoes, Gulden’s Mustard or Wolf Chili.

2) go to ReadySetEat.com ( http://bit.ly/HPon8R ), pick a recipe you’d like to try the next time you grill or host a barbecue, and post the name of the recipe in the text chat on this page: http://bit.ly/Ha4xnV

The class is sponsored by ReadySetEat.com and ConAgra Foods, and it is hosted by TheMotherhood. I’ll be there with nine other bloggers to co-host the class, and I hope you’ll join us:

Amy, Cajun Inspired Living
Caryn, Rockin’ Mama
Faith, An Edible Mosaic
Jennifer, Mom Spotted
Kelly, Kansas City Mamas
Lisa, Life with Lisa
Monet, Anecdotes and Apple Cores
Vanessa, The Sew*er, The Caker, The Copycat-Maker
Victoria, Veep Veep

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Good Luck In The Kitchen

Kate — Fri, 16 Mar 2012 15:10:47 +0000

Good luck comes in many forms. There have definitely been times in my life when “being lucky” was a loud and clear experience. However, I look at those little times – the little moments when something just goes your way for no real reason – as the true meaning of luck, and being blessed, in my life.

This is never more true than it is when I’m in the kitchen. I can’t even tell you how many times I’ve said “well that was lucky” while working in the kitchen or sent up a whispered “thank you” praise when a disaster is averted. How many of these incidents can you relate to?

When turning from the stove to the sink to drain a boiling pot of pasta, I stumbled over Jill who had been all the way on the other side of the room just moments before. My feet tripped, but luckily my hands held firm to the handle of the pot and not even a single drop splashed out of the pan.
I was baking cookies and realized just before I got ready to put them in the oven that I had completely forgotten to add the brown sugar that was called for. Luckily I was able to salvage them with a little tweaking and delicious cookies were enjoyed by all!
Every year I make Eric a corned beef and cabbage dinner for his birthday. And every year, he uses enough mustard during that dinner to cover the entire state of Michigan. One year, we ran out of mustard, which was definitely sad news to him. This year, as I was getting ready to take the Birthday Dinner dishes down to the table, I grabbed the mustard and realized it was dangerously low. I rushed to the pantry to find the extra bottle that I knew was there. Except when I opened the door, I couldn’t find any mustard. Then Alex and Olivia said they knew where it was and saved the day. The mustard had somehow (who knows how) ended up with their toys. Luckily, it had never been opened and was completely full. Whew…birthday dinner saved!

Those are just a few recent experiences with good luck in the kitchen that I’ve encountered. How about you? What’s your kitchen-luck like? International Delight also wants to hear about your good luck with their Luck of the Irish contest.

Now, tell me about the last time good luck was on your side?

For your chance to win a Keurig coffee maker and a one year’s supply of International Delight creamer, complete these two steps:

1.Share the International Delight’s Luck of the Irish Facebook Contest with your friends below

2.Tell us that you’ve invited your friends to enter the Luck of the Irish Facebook Contest AND tell about a time when good luck was on your side

This is a sponsored conversation written by me on behalf of International Delight. The opinions expressed by me do not necessarily reflect the view of the International Delight Brand. Official Contest Rules. Official International Delight Facebook Contest Rules.

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10 Recipes For Super Bowl Sunday

Kate — Thu, 02 Feb 2012 03:11:50 +0000

Awesome commercials and delicious food. That’s what the Super Bowl is really all about, right? Whether you’re a die-hard fan or just a fan of the party, here are some of my favorite recipes that would be perfect to serve up this Sunday.

BBQ Nachos

Rueben Dip

Taco Skins

Buffalo Chicken Puffs

Piled High Chicken Melts

Black Bean & Mango Salsa

Queso Fresco & Sausage Dip

Bacon Cheeseburger Meatballs

Pizza Pie Bites

Chicken Ranch Quesadillas

And here are a few dessert options for you. Afterall, what’s a party without dessert?!?

Bacon Maple Cookies

Chocolate Peanut Squares with Sea Salt

S’Mores Topped Brownies

Cream Puffs filled with Chocolate Pots de Creme

Peach & Blueberry Cobbler

Rainbow Sprinkle Cookies

Thanks for reading! You can also follow me on twitter and

Favorite Recipes From 2011

Kate — Sun, 01 Jan 2012 18:10:50 +0000

Happy New Year Everyone! I hope you all had a wonderful New Year’s Eve and that 2012 is off to a great start for you!

2011 was a great year for our family. It was filled with many changes, a lot of hard work, tons of fun and love, and some really great food! Here are our favorite recipes from the year.

JANUARY

Chimichurri Steak & Vegetable Quesadillas

FEBRUARY

Homemade Chicken Rice-A-Roni

Chocolate Cherry Cobbler

MARCH

Italian Sausage Risotto

Lemon Coffee Cake

APRIL

Coconut Chicken with Pineapple-Curry Dipping Sauce

Minted Melon Salad

MAY

Roasted Asparagus with Red Onions & Feta

Hot Chocolate Fluff

JUNE

Creamy Stuffed Pork Cutlets

Pasta Salad Skewers

JULY

Stuffed Jalapeno Pepper Dip

Brown Sugar Chicken

AUGUST

Glazed Blueberry Biscuit Bites

Crockpot Country Chicken

SEPTEMBER

Veggie Loaded Twice Baked Potatoes

OCTOBER

Baked Eggs with Bacon & Cheese

NOVEMBER

Chicken Enchilada Chili

Nutella Cream Pie with Hazelnut Crust

DECEMBER

Mac & Cheese Soup with Veggies

What were some of your favorite recipes in 2011?

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Post-Holiday Catch Up

Kate — Fri, 30 Dec 2011 04:51:29 +0000

We are catching our breath after a whirlwind few weeks of Christmas celebrations. We definitely had a wonderful time though and I hope that you all did too!

I know I was a little remiss in my usual posting of Christmas cookie recipes this year. You know what counts as a major fail when you are a food blogger? Packaging up cookies and candies to give away without first making sure you got pictures of each item. I was definitely frustrated when I realized that the 4 other recipes I was so excited to share were never photographed.

Aside from not being able to share those, my Christmas baking experience this year was incredible! My Frigidaire Gallery^® Range with Symmetry™ Double Oven made such a huge difference.

I loved being able to have different types of cookies baking at the same time and at different temperatures. Plus, having 4 cookie sheets going at one time really cut down on the overall time needed to get everything done. I don’t know if I could ever bake cookies again without the double ovens. I love them!

So, now 2011 is coming to a close, which personally, I can hardly believe. It’s been a fantastic year and I have a feeling 2012 will be even better! We’ve had quite a few changes, including some major changes in the kitchen and my cooking methods and habits. I’ve held off on going into details, but I plan to change all that soon.

In the meantime, I’m getting ready to put together a round-up of our favorite recipes from 2011. If there are any that you’ve tried and really loved, please let me know!

I hope you all have a wonderful New Year!

Full disclosure: I was provided with a brand new Frigidaire Gallery Freestanding Electric Range with Symmetry Double Ovens at no cost to me for participating in the Frigidaire Test Drive campaign. As always, all thoughts and opinions will be entirely my own.

Thanks for reading! You can also follow me on twitter and

Last Minute Thanksgiving Tips, Ideas & Recipes

Kate — Thu, 24 Nov 2011 01:58:47 +0000

So, I had these great intentions of sharing some Thanksgiving tips earlier this week. And intentions are only as good as the follow-through that goes into them. I don’t think I need to say anymore…

Anyhow, here are some links to Thanksgiving tips, ideas and recipes in case you need any last (like, really last) minute assistance.

Here are two Thanksgiving side dish round-ups that I posted last year – Part 1 and Part 2.
Hope about some ideas for re-purposing all those Thanksgiving leftovers you’ll be facing on Friday? Here’s another round-up post from last year of some of my favorite ideas.

Here’s one of my favorite appetizers – Apple Sausage Balls – that is great for Thanksgiving, and chances are good that you already have all of the ingredients on hand.

Hot Cranberry Salad is a great twist on traditional cranberry side dishes. It’s worth scrapping your original cranberry plans in favor of this one!

Happy Thanksgiving! I hope you all have a wonderful day filled with family, friends and delicious food!

Thanks for reading! You can also follow me on twitter and

My New Best Friend

Kate — Sat, 19 Nov 2011 02:36:22 +0000

Remember last month when I told you that I was going to be part of the Frigidaire Test Drive program while enjoying a brand new Frigidaire Gallery^® Range with Symmetry™ Double Oven? Well, my fantastic new oven has become an amazingly welcome addition to our little kitchen. And now I’m at the point where I’m wondering how I ever lived without it!

Here are just a few of the features that I love and have come to rely on on a daily basis:

The “quick boil” burner that boils a pot of water in about half of the time as a regular burner.
The “quick preheat” that heats the top oven to any desired temperature in just 4 minutes.
The top oven is a convection oven, which I’ve never used before. But I love how it cuts down on the cooking time and there have been a few occasions lately when those few saved minutes were vitally important.
I extra fifth burner that is a warming burner. You know those times when the gravy is done before the rest of the meal or you need to keep something warm while waiting for everyone to get to the table. This burner is perfect for that!
I don’t really think this needs to be said, but I’ll say it anyhow – Double Ovens! One oven at one temperature and the other oven at a different one. I had NO idea this was something I needed until I started actually using it.
The automatic oven settings that cook certain foods for you from start to finish. For example, place a frozen pizza in a cold oven and push the pizza button. The oven heats to the right temperature, cooks the food and then automatically switches over to the “keep warm” setting. It feels very Jetson-ish.

I’ll be completely honest here and let you know that there was a bit of a learning curve for me while I got used to using the range. The burners get really hot, which is a good thing, but it does take a little time to get used to. In fact, I burned ground beef for the first time ever when using the range early on. I’ve learned to start the burners at a much lower heat than what seems logical to me and go up from there instead of the other way around.

I can’t wait for Thanksgiving next week when I’ll get to really put the range and ovens to the test! I’m probably going to cook way more food than I’ll need, just because I can. That just means we’ll get to enjoy leftovers for days, and there’s nothing wrong with that!

Full disclosure: I am being provided with a brand new Frigidaire Gallery Freestanding Electric Range with Symmetry Double Ovens at no cost to me for participating in the Frigidaire Test Drive campaign. As always, all thoughts and opinions will be entirely my own.

Thanks for reading! You can also follow me on twitter and