Missy, Author at Weve Tried It

Roasted Red Pepper Hummus Recipe

Posted by Missyon 13 March 2015

Roasted Red Pepper Hummus: If there is one thing I can’t get enough of, it’s hummus. My latest favorite is roasted red pepper. Creamy and delicious.

Ingredients:

1 large red pepper
1 15oz can garbanzo beans
1/4 cup Tahini
1/4 cup fresh squeezed lemon
Olive Oil
Kosher Salt
2 cloves garlic minced
1/2 teaspoon ground cumin
1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper

Directions:

First roast the red pepper. Turn on the broiler in your oven be sure that the top rack is 5 inches from the broiler. Place red pepper that has been brushed with olive oil on baking pan with sides in oven. Watch closely. Once the top side turns black flip it to the next side. Do this until the entire red pepper has turned black.

Once out of the oven, place in a Ziploc bad for 20 minutes. This steams the pepper and makes it easy to peal off the black layer and pull out the inside seeds.

We use a small Kitchen Aid mixer that works great. In the mixer add garbanzo beans, Tahini, start with 2 tablespoons of olive oil, kosher salt, garlic, cayenne pepper, cumin, roasted red pepper and lemon juice. Mix until smooth. If it is on the drier side add more olive oil and mix until you get to the creamy consistency that you are looking for.

Also, be sure to taste and add more seasonings if need be. Check out our Sriracha Hummus and Cucumber Hummus recipes. We served our hummus with pea pods and sea salt pita chips.

What is your favorite kind of hummus?

Homemade Fettuccine Noodle Recipe

Posted by Missyon 25 February 2015

Homemade Fettuccine Noodle Recipe: We have always wanted to make our own noodles and now we can say we’ve tried it. With several steps, the process seemed a bit daunting but really it wasn’t too bad and the pasta turned out great.

The recipe that we found said to make our pot of boiling water taste like water from the sea. Watch your salt it can really take over the taste of the noodles.

Note: If you are making for dinner be sure to give yourself about 2 hours of prep time. There is a total of an hour resting time that you will need to take into consideration. Also, we made a smaller batch with 2 cups of flour and 3 eggs – we gave you the full recipe.

Ingredients:

1 pound all-purpose flour (more as needed)
1/2 teaspoon fine sea salt, plus more for the pasta water
5 large eggs
1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil

Start by placing the flour on a clean counter and shape it into a mound. Sprinkle the flour with salt and make a large well in the center. Add the 5 eggs and 1 tablespoon of oil to the middle of the well and beat them together with your fingers or a fork until thoroughly combined. Slowly pulling small amounts of flour from the inside walls of the well into the egg mixture and mix until a stiff dough forms. Knead the dough, adding more flour if needed to prevent it from sticking. The dough will now need to rest for 30 minutes, cover with a damp cloth.

Once the dough has rested cut it into thirds, shape each piece into a circle, then flatten each piece with your hands. Your surface should be floured. Roll the dough until very thin, about 1 mm, flipping it over as you roll and flouring as needed.

Once your dough is thin enough fold the pasta round in half from top to bottom and then fold in half again from top to bottom. Cut the rectangle crosswise into 1/4 inch-thick slices. Unroll the pieces and toss with flour. Spread on a floured parchment sheet and let noodles dry for 30 minutes.

Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Once boiling add half of the pasta to the water. If you aren’t eating all of the pasta in one sitting you can refrigerate the other half to use later. Cook for about 4-6 minutes. You be the judge, take a piece out and taste.

Serve however you would like. We had a pan of olive oil, garlic, cherry tomatoes and basil ready and waiting. We put the cooked pasta right from the boiling water into our sauce and mixed thoroughly, sprinkled with Parmesan and served. Delicious! We will be making this fresh fettuccine again.

This recipe says that it will feed four. I’m not sure how much each person is eating, but with our cutting the recipe in half we could have easily fed 4 people.

We found our recipe on Tasting Table website.

Beef Queso Dip Recipe

Posted by Missyon 24 February 2015

Beef Queso Dip Recipe: While this would be a good appetizer to bring to a party, it is also just a great snack to make for your family at any time for no reason what so ever.

1 lb. ground beef
10 ounces Velveeta (cubed)
1/2 cup shredded Monterey Jack cheese
1 can Rotel
1/2 cup medium salsa
2 tablespoons chopped fresh cilantro leaves
4 green onions chopped
Salt and pepper to taste

This is really simple! Brown your hamburger in large frying pan. Drain off the fat. Add in cubed Velveeta cheese to the browned hamburger and stir until melted. Then add in Monterey Jack cheese, Rotel, salsa and mix well. Stir cilantro, salt and pepper and cook for another 2 minutes.

I garnished mine with a little extra shredded cheese and green onions. Serve immediately with your favorite tortilla or corn chips. We have no idea how it would be heated up the next day because it was gone quicker than it took us to make it.

If you want to take it up a notch you can add, black beans, sweet corn and red peppers. What is your favorite Southwestern dip to make? Leave us a comment below, we love to try new recipes.

Strawberry Cheesecake Dessert Recipe

Posted by Missyon 22 February 2015

Strawberry Cheesecake Dessert Recipe: Sunday morning confession…I’m having strawberry cheesecake dessert for breakfast and I don’t feel a bit bad about it.

Creamy, delicious and oh so satisfying! We found this recipe on South Your Mouth blog and switched it up a bit by making homemade whipping cream to replace the cool whip. Yum!

Ingredients:

2 pounds strawberries
15 graham crackers (2 sleeves)
1 8oz package of cream cheese
1 14oz can of sweetened condensed milk
2 3.4oz boxes of instant cheesecake pudding
3 cups of milk
2 cups of homemade whipping cream or 1 12oz container of Cool Whip

Start by washing and slicing your strawberries (1/4 inch thick.) Dry and set aside.

In 13×9 baking dish line the bottom with graham crackers. You may have to break some pieces to fill in the edges.

If you are making your own whipping cream make that first and set aside. You will need 2 cups.

In a large bowl mix cream cheese and sweetened condensed milk with electric mixer until smooth. Add in cheesecake pudding and milk and mix for 5 minutes. Gently fold in the 2 cups of whipping cream or Cool Whip.

Pour half of the cheesecake mixture on top of the graham cracker bottom. Then add a single layer of sliced strawberries. Top the strawberries with another layer of graham crackers. Pour on the remainder of the cheese cream mixture and then decorate the top with the rest of your strawberries.

We also crushed up some graham crackers and sprinkled them over the top of the dessert. Place in the refrigerator for 6-8 hours to set up.

Serve and enjoy!

Gorgonzola Cream Sauce Recipe

Posted by Missyon 21 February 2015

Gorgonzola Cream Sauce Recipe: So good! We are a little late putting on this recipe, but this is what we made for Valentine’s Day and it was delicious.

Quick and easy and it adds the perfect finishing touch to your filet or any steak. Giving it that fine dining/gourmet feel.

Ingredients:

2 cups heavy cream
2 ounces crumbled Gorgonzola cheese
2 tablespoons grated Parmesan cheese
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon ground black pepper
Dash of ground nutmeg
6 strips of bacon, fried and crumbled
3 green onions chopped

You can cook your filet any way you would like or you can check out our cast iron skillet method here.

To make your sauce pour the heavy cream into a medium saucepan, bring to a boil (medium heat.) Once boiling reduce your heat and simmer until the cream is reduced by half. Be sure to stir the sauce occasionally.

Once reduced by half remove it from the heat and whisk in the Gorgonzola cheese, Parmesan cheese, salt, pepper, and a dash of nutmeg, stir until the cheese has melted.

Once your steaks have been grilled and rested pour your Gorgonzola sauce over the top and garnish with crumbled bacon and chopped green onions. Perfection!

If you like this recipe be sure to share it with your friends on Pinterest.

The original recipe came from All Recipes, we made some changes of our own.

Tattoo Cover Up Makeup Product Review

Posted by Missyon 19 February 2015

Tattoo Cover Up Makeup Product Review: We have had quite a few requests for tattoo cover-up products. After doing some research we decided to give Hard Candy Glamoflauge a try.

We started out by tracing the outside of the tattoo with the concealer pencil included, then filling in the area with the heavy duty concealer. We were working on a small area, and it took very little concealer to cover. Be sure to blend it in to the surrounding area with a makeup sponge. Let dry for a few minutes and apply again. We applied a total of 4 coats in order to get maximum coverage.

In the end the tattoo was concealed very well, and from a distance it was not detectable at all. I would use caution if your clothing is going to rub against the area, the concealer will rub off onto your clothing.

This would be a great product to use if you have a tattoo you want to cover up for an night out, a formal event or you simply hate your tattoo and don’t want to have tattoo laser removal.

Have you had success with any other products? Let us know in the comments below.

Quick and Easy Coconut Shrimp Recipe

Posted by Missyon 15 February 2015

Quick and Easy Coconut Shrimp Recipe: For Valentine’s Day my daughter put in a request for coconut shrimp. After a little looking around we found this easy recipe. I always go for easy the first time around.

Let me just say that getting any kind of compliment from my 14 year old is rare. She really enjoyed these and is already talking about when I make them again.

Ingredients:

1/3 cup flour
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon pepper
2 large eggs (beaten)
3/4 cup Panko bread crumbs
1 cup sweetened shredded coconut
1 pound raw large shrimp (peeled and devein)
Coconut oil or vegetable oil

Directions: You will need 3 bowls.

Bowl 1: Combine flour, salt, and pepper.

Bowl 2: Beat eggs.

Bowl 3: Add Panko and coconut, mix well.

In a large skillet add enough coconut oil to cover the bottom. Keep temp on medium heat.

First dip your shrimp into the flour, then eggs, and then dredge the shrimp into the coconut mixing, pressing gently to adhere. Make sure that you get a lot of coconut on each shrimp. Set the coated shrimp aside on a plate and coat the remaining shrimp.

It is easiest if you fry the coconut shrimp in couple of batches, you don’t want to crowd the pan. Flip when they are golden brown (about 2 minutes each side.) If you like them a bit crispier fry each side for 3 minutes.

Place on paper towel when they are done to get rid of any extra oil. Plate up and serve with sweet chili sauce.

We found this recipe on Sally’s Baking Addiction.

My Happy Place in Somerset, Wisconsin

Posted by Missyon 12 February 2015

My Happy Place in Somerset, Wisconsin. The name says it all! When I walked in the door something happened and a strong sense of calm and happiness came over me. Inviting, exciting, fresh and new…

Yesterday was my second time browsing the beautiful, fun, one-of-a-kind pieces of art at My Happy Place — where everything old is new again. I can’t wait to go back!

While gathering first hand information for this story I discovered just how difficult it is to put into words what owners Brett and Cherie Link have managed to brilliantly create in the small town of Somerset, WI. So maybe I should just shout: YOU MUST MAKE THE TRIP — it will be worth it!

Unique, One-of-a-Kind, Evolving, Whimsical, Heartwarming

I was invited to sit down in the back room to chat with Brett, Cherie and store manager extraordinaire Sheryl Amos. I was immediately in awe while listening to the amazing story of their journey.

Suffice it to say, a visit to My Happy Place is guaranteed to warm your heart because it truly is a magical destination.

You will find high-end, one-of-a-kind custom furniture, home goods, jewelry, clothing and much more, all handcrafted or repurposed by a handpicked group of local artisans.

You won’t want to miss their grand opening on Friday, Feb. 13, from 5pm-9pm. Browse while you enjoy drinks, appetizers, 10% off your purchases and a chance to win prizes.

My Happy Place is located at 252 Main Street, Somerset, WI 54025. Be sure to follow My Happy Place on Facebook to get a first look at the newest creations to hit the floor. Their store hours: Thursday 10-7, Friday 10-7, Saturday 10-5 and Sunday 11-3.

Vintage and Modern Collide

Brett and Cherie have surrounded themselves with unique and talented artists. Sheryl Amos and Theresa Parnell came from ‘A Whimsical Place.’ Theresa is the resident Paintologist and her work is amazing. The team also includes Connie Kasella, the Furniture Whisperer, and Claire Patterson, Home Stylist. Creativity oozes from this team.

The New Richmond News recently did an in-depth story on Somerset’s newest destination. Check it out here.

Orange Sesame Chicken Recipe

Posted by Missyon 11 February 2015

Orange Sesame Chicken Recipe: This is the light version of orange chicken. It was equally as good as the full calorie recipes we have used in the past.

We found this recipe on Cooking Classy blog and we will definitely be making this again. It may look like there are a lot of steps to this but it really was easy to make.

8 chicken tender filets (dice into 1 inch pieces)
1 1/2 Tbsp Canola oil
Salt and pepper
2 cloves garlic (minced)
2 tsp orange zest
1/3 cup fresh orange juice
1/4 cup low-sodium chicken broth
3 Tbsp low-sodium soy sauce
3 Tbsp honey
2 1/2 Tbsp granulted sugar
3/4 tsp onion powder
1/4 tsp dried ginger
2 Tbsp white vinegar
1/2 tsp Sriracha hot sauce (optional)
2 Tbsp cornstarch
Sesame seeds

Cooking instructions: Heat large skillet or Wok on medium high heat. Add canola oil, once hot add chicken pieces, season lightly with salt and pepper. Cook chicken, stirring occasionally, until it is completely cooked through. Remove chicken from pan and set aside and leave the remaining oil in the pan.

Turn burner down to medium heat and return skillet to heat. Add the garlic and saute 30 seconds. Remove the skillet from heat. Add OJ, 1/4 cup chicken broth, orange zest, soy sauce, honey, sugar, onion powder, ginger, vinegar and Sriracha (if desired.) Season with salt and pepper to taste and return to heat.

Stir together cornstarch with remaining 2 Tbsp chicken broth in small bowl until blended. Pour mixture into skillet, stir constantly until sauce bubbles and thickens. Remove from heat and toss chicken in sauce mixture.

You are ready to serve. We had white rice and pea pods with almonds with our orange sesame chicken. Delicious!

Pea Pods with Almonds Recipe

Posted by Missyon 9 February 2015

Looking or the perfect side dish to serve with dinner? Pea Pods with Almonds are a delicious treat and good for you.

Ingredients:

Pea Pods
Slivered Almonds
Grape Seed Oil
1 tablespoon of minced garlic
Sea Salt

You can use any kind of pan you like, we prefer a cast iron skillet. Heat up 2 tablespoons of grape seed oil (med-high heat) and toast your almonds to the half way point. Add garlic and pea pods and mix well. Season with sea salt. Stirring often so that you don’t burn your almonds on the bottom of the pan.

Be sure not to cook your pea pods for too long, they taste great when they are still at the crisp point. If you want to mix it up a little bit add a some Sriracha sauce to give the pea pods some heat.

Enjoy!

Author: Missy