I was lucky enough to be a recipe tester on Angela McKeller’s Podcast last night.  She is the owner of Kick Back and Kook and you can find her site here www.kickbackkook.com

Chef Bill Park was the chef this week and you can try his great dishes at a Boston seafood restaurant.  So if you are in Boston check him out here www.ltkbarandkitchen.com 

I have the link to the podcast below if you would like to listen to it.  Otherwise try the recipe and enjoy!

Subscribe to the “Kick Back and Kook!” Podcast at:
http://itunes.apple.com/WebObjects/MZStore.woa/wa/viewPodcast?id=276246648

Shrimp & Scallop Sausage-8 sandwiches

1 1/4 lbs Scallops

1 1/4 lbs. Shrimp (peeled deveined and tail off)

3/4 lb smoked bacon

½ lg Spanish onion, diced

1 cup fresh parsley (curly)

2 Tbsp Old Bay Seasoning

1 Tbsp ground coriander

2 Tbsp ground fennel seed

2 tsp ground cumin

1/2 tsp cayenne

Salt

Pepper

Using either a grinder attachment for a kitchen aid mixer or food processor,  or finely “grind” the shrimp, scallops, bacon, onion, and parsley. Fold in spices and let rest for approx. ½ hour. Make a test patty: Form one very small patty and sauté in olive oil over medium low heat. When fully cooked, taste to check for seasoning adjustments. (When making this keep in mind that no 2 batches will have the same flavor, so it’s important to adjust to your preference. i.e. salt, pepper, and cayenne.)  When you have corrected your seasoning, form the rest of the mixture into patties, and either grille or sauté in a pan with small amount of oil. (You should be able to get approximately 8 7–oz patties). 

Roasted Tomato- Soy Aioli

3 plum tomatoes

1 Tbsp Soy sauce

1 cup Mayo

 Split and toss tomatoes in olive oil, salt, and pepper. Place them in a 425 degree oven and cook until they are charred, approx. 20 min. Remove from oven and let cool. Puree the tomatoes. Mix together tomatoes, soy, and mayonnaise.  Adjust seasoning with salt and pepper

 To serve:

Lettuce, tomato, roatstd tomato-soy aioli, and patty on a bulky roll. I like to use Kaiser rolls.

If you have a teenager you know that feeding them can be a big job. They are at times picky eaters and also late night eaters.  One way to make it easier on you and hand over the responsibility to them is to invite them into the kitchen and encourage them to cook for themselves and the rest of the family.  It’s a great way to teach them life skills and strengthen your bond with them. 

Have teenagers join in on meal planning.  When planning my weekly menu my 4 year old helps me.  When we eat that meal she feels important that is was her choice.  Giving teens the opportunity to choose some meals of the week will also give you leverage to get them to eat the meals you make too.   Do your shopping when the teenagers can come with you.  They will not only be able to plan healthy meals with you, they will learn budgeting and smart shopping.  When they have their friends over is a great time to let them cook dinner.  They will have so much fun together in the kitchen.  Let them tie on some teen aprons and walk away.  You may come back to the biggest kitchen mess you’ve ever seen, but hey, in a few years they will be gone and you’ll miss the mess…right? Ok, maybe not. 

Many teenagers love to draw.  Having them create a cookbook and illustrate it is another way to get them in the kitchen with you.  Take pictures of them in the kitchen with other family members and friends.  Add the pictures to the cookbook. Imagine how much that cookbook will be appreciated when an adult.  I would love to have more pictures of me cooking with my parents and family.

Think of cooking as a time to spend with the family and not away from the family and you’ll find yourself wanting to cook more and more.  

Aprons for teens are not just functional, they can be a way to have a bit more fun.

Cooking with children is a fun way to let children help you around the house.  Building children’s self-esteem is important and an easy way to do that is to let them help you.  Not only will they learn, feel good about themselves, and enjoy it, they will remember being in the kitchen with you.  Taking a few minutes a week to spend time cooking with your child is important.  Make it fun by giving them a children’s cooking apron.  

TAYGA aprons have matching mother and daughter cooking aprons so you both can look beautiful in the kitchen.  Colors available are yellow, pink, and blue.  New fabric choices will be coming soon.  Get yours today and share some “sweet” moments in the kitchen!

Are your dinners promptly on the table?  Do you always look just right in the kitchen? That may have been what housewives were able to pull off in the 50’s–times have changed! Our lives today are a lot busier and it seems to take a lot more to run a household.  These adorable aprons by TAYGA Aprons are an absolutely perfect dose of nostalgia with a modern, fashionable twist. These bridal aprons are an excellent gift for a new bride settling into married life or a great gift for yourself to make hosting an event at home fabulous!

TAYGA aprons are also the perfect choice for the bridesmaids sharing your wedding day with you.  An apron is a gift that will always be used.  Once they start wearing their apron, they will wonder what they ever did without one.  Bridesmaids aprons are a great way to say “thank you” to the girls who helped make your wedding day special.  They are unique friends.  Show them how thankful you are with a luxury apron.

For football fans, winter means one thing: The Super Bowl!  If you are a die-hard football fan or just love to watch the commercials, no Super Bowl is complete without family, friends, and great food. Throw on your hostess apron and cook up some great food for the big game!  Below I have some great and easy Super Bowl recipes…enjoy!

Beer Cheese Dip. 

2 packages of cream cheese softened

1 package of Hidden Valley Ranch dip packet

1/2 can of beer

1/2-3/4 cup cup finely shredded cheddar cheese

Mix all with mixer and then carefully blend in cheese, leaving some cheese for the top.  Refrigerate and enjoy!  Serve with pretzels or crackers.

Vegetable Pizza

2 pillsburry cresent rolls

8 oz cream cheese

garlic clove

2 tablespoons mayo

1 teaspoon of dill

variety of vegetables, such as, cauliflower, broccoli, red pepper, and carrots

1 cup shredded cheddar cheese

Roll out crescent rolls on a large cookie sheet and bake at 400 degrees for 10 minutes. Let cool completely.  Mix cream cheese, garlic minced, mayo, and dill and spread on crust.  Finely chop all vegetables and layer over dip.  Enjoy!

Meatballs

2 pounds of meatballs precooked

1 can of sauerkraut

1 can of whole cranberries with sauce

1 can of heinz chili sauce

1 cup of brown sugar

This one is easy…throw on your kitchen apron to look like you did something!

Place all ingredients in a slowcooker and let cook until meatballs are steamy warm.

Chicken Wings

Cook your wings in the oven at 350 degrees until fully cooked (30-40 minutes).  Throw in a slowcooker and add the following for sauce (enough for fully coat the wings). 

1 jar of Frank’s Hot Sauce

1 stick of melted butter

Now that you have delicious food for the game, take off that women’s cooking apron and grab a plate!

New Year’s Eve is one of the biggest party nights of the year.  Wear your black and white ruffle apron and make sure your party is successful with these helpful tips. 

1.  Buy more food and supplies than you’ll think you’ll need.  There are always unplanned guests and preparing for 20% more will make sure you have enough of everything.  Guests can always take home leftovers!

2.  Invite guests, but be specific on how many guests they can bring.  You don’t want a party that is too crowded.

3.  Designate 2-3 people as bartenders.  This will limit the traffic in and out of the kitchen and make it fun for the bartenders and other guests.  Have bartenders tie on a luxury apron so guests can find them.

4.  Decorate! Decorate before guests come with the help of one or two friends.  With everyone working to gether the decotations will look great.

5.  State an ending time.  Let everyone know on the invitations when the party will end. 

6. Prepare for cabs.  If guests are drinking have cab numbers available for them to call.

7.  Have activities for guests. Some people like to sit and talk, while others like to play darts or board games.  Have a variety of activities for your guests to choose from.

8.  Midnight Special. Have something special ready for your guests at midnight.  Whether it be a whistle or a toast, make it memorable!

9.  Don’t be afraid to use plastic. Plastic utensils are ok to use.  That will be less mess for you in the morning and keep the clutter out of your kitchen. 

10.  Variety of drinks. Have a variety of drinks on hand.  Also have creative nonalcoholic beverages for your drivers. 

Looking for some way to use leftover turkey?  I have a great recipe for hot turkey sandwiches.  We make this at Christmas now for the whole family.  I double the recipe to serve about 20-25 people.  Just serve it on a bun!

6-7 pounds of turkey shredded and cooked (don’t forget your cute cooking apron while shredding this to protect your clothes from the grease)

1 cup mayo

1 1/2 cups celery diced

3/4 cup onion diced

1 can cream of mushroom soup

salt and pepper to taste

Cook for 3 hours in slow cooker and it’s done!  For New Year’s Eve, wear your hostess apron and serve with a few sides to complete the meal.

Women’s feminine aprons are the perfect last minute gift for this holiday season.  For the women who has everything, these cute aprons will surprise her.  Unique gifts are thoughtful and special.   TAYGA also carries cute children’s cooking aprons for the little cook in your life.

Put on your cute apron and pick up a copy of Angela McKeller’s new cookbook.  This cookbook is both fun and practical!  Perfect for the most discriminating, as well as the inexperienced cook. Ease, affordability, gourmet taste and illustrations utilizing practical kitchen gadgets makes this cookbook a great gift for college students, newlyweds and the experienced entertainer, or simply to spoil yourself and those you love! With recipes for every occasion, from Thai to Cuban, appetizers to desserts, focusing on “waste not, want not”, Angela is sure that this KookBook will be a treasured addition to ANY kitchen!

Full color photographs, cooking tips, anecdotes and illustrations make this cookbook easy to follow and give you clear ideas for how to arrange the presentation of each plate in a way that is sure to impress anyone. Ingredients indexed by recipes and grouped together in full meals, takes all the guesswork out of party planning and dinners, alike!

 Click to purchase this new cookbook.

Love this apron on the right?  It’s the Kick Back and Kook apron and can be found on Angela’s cooking site.

Looking for a great dessert recipe for the holidays?  Look no more!  Try Angela’s Chocolate Hazelnut Lava Cakes here!

TAYGA Cooking Aprons are all 20% off during the holidays.  With our next day shipping, your apron will arrive before Christmas as long as it is ordered on the 21st of December.  Take advantage of saving some money and order your TAYGA cooking apron today!  With all orders over $75 you will receive free shipping this holiday season.  Get your last minute shopping done and get the cook on your list a women’s cooking apron!