Just~One~Donna

Are you planning to gather some friends and family to watch the Patriots and the Giants battle for bragging rights on Super Bowl Sunday?  You'll be wanting some ideas for foods to serve that can be made ahead, will keep well throughout the game and will pack a punch of flavor.  Here are some ideas that I know will satisfy all your hungry football fans. Appetizers My Slammin' Guacamole  You can't have a football party without guacamole and chips, can you?  No, of course, you can't.  This recipe is chunky and delicious. Slammin' Guacamole My Favorite Salsa   You'll want some salsa with those chips in addition to the guacamole and this recipe is delicious.  We make it at our house all the time.  Watch out!  It's addictive, but this recipe makes plenty for a crowd. My Favorite Salsa Jalapeno Poppers   These jalapeno poppers are always a favorite at our gatherings.  I often make a batch a week or more ahead of when I will be serving them.  I jus

Yogurt is a staple food in my refrigerator.  I've been a fan of the Yoplait Light line of yogurts for several years.  With flavors like Boston cream pie, strawberry shortcake and raspberry cheesecake, what's not to like?  I also like that Yoplait Light has 100 or 110 calories per six ounce container, making it a sensible snack.  Last year I tried making my own yogurt at home using a crock pot .  That was a surprisingly easy and successful way to make plain yogurt at home, but I really like having my yogurt portioned out in individual serving size containers.  Oh, sure, I could have done that on my own, but I didn't own any appropriately sized containers.  Excuses...Excuses... Yogurt Maker That brings me to my new favorite kitchen gadget.  I received a yogurt maker as a gift and have been busy making a batch of yogurt once a week since receiving it.  The yogurt maker came with the yogurt cooker and seven, six ounce glass containers with screw on lids.  The lids als

Has hell frozen over?  Have pigs started flying?  I ask because last week I made a purchase that must have happened as a result of one of those two things.  Those of you who know me will agree, I'm sure, when I tell what that purchase was. My Very Own Power Tool Yes, friends, I purchased a power tool of my very own.  It's my first...and only...power tool, or any kind of tool, for that matter.  Yes, we have tools at my house.  They are Hubby's tools.  I don't touch them as a rule.  Well, occasionally I touch them.  I have been known to screw in a loose screw, or hammer a nail that is sticking out where it shouldn't be.  Power tools have been left to Hubby's domain...Well, except for the electric hedge trimmer.  I kind of like that one. Let's get back to MY power tool.  It's a variable speed orbital sander.  Cool, huh?  I bet you are wondering what I am going to do with it, right?  Well, I have gotten a bee in my bonnet, so to speak, and have decid

While in Florida a month or two ago I had the most delicious grapefruit martini at a restaurant.  We asked for the recipe, but the bartender was vague wanting to keep the proprietary concoction under wraps.  Ever since I've been wanting to recreate the flavors of that martini.  You know what I mean, don't you?  Sometimes you get something stuck in your brain and it just won't go away. The Citrus Zing Martini Well, earlier this week I made a Pan Seared Cod with Citrus Salad that got me thinking about the flavors in that grapefruit martini.  It would be a great addition to share during Citrus Week here on Just One Donna . Unfortunately,  I would definitely not be able to recreate the original martini, but I thought I could make myself a tasty impostor. Voila!  The Citrus Zing Martini was born. Citrus Zing Martini Printer Friendly Recipe Serves 1 The Ingredients 2 ounces ruby red grapefruit juice 2 ounces mandarin orange vodka (I used Absolut) 1 oun

Pan Seared Cod with Citrus Salad It's time to indulge in your favorite citrus fruits.  Unlike most other fruits and berries that come into peak season through the summer and early fall, citrus fruits are at their peak during the colder months of the year.  That makes January and February ideal months for recipes calling for your favorite citrus flavors.  This week I'll be sharing recipes made with citrus.  I guess that means we could call this Citrus Week at Just One Donna . I'm a huge fan of citrus, particularly those with a bit of a tang, like lemons, limes and grapefruits.  Today I wanted to take advantage of the lovely grapefruits and oranges in my local markets, particularly blood oranges.  I have never purchased a blood orange before, so this is a new culinary adventure for me.  I wanted a recipe that would highlight the flavors of these beautiful, fresh fruits, so I decided on a simple seared cod with citrus salad as my main dish. Simple to make and bur

Kale Chips What's all the fuss about kale chips?  That's what I have been asking myself lately.  It seems that everywhere I turn, someone is talking or writing about kale chips.  Can they really be worth all the buzz?  Well, I set out to answer that question this weekend.  I had a large bunch of kale on hand I had purchased for my yummy kielbasa soup.  A bunch of kale goes a very long way so I had a lot of kale left over.  It was the perfect time to try making some kale chips. I started with some research.  I reviewed many, many recipes for kale chips and learned some important things to consider: You only need three ingredients: kale, oil and seasoning.  Choose whatever seasoning you think you will like The kale should be washed well and completely dry The temperature and timing for baking the kale are key.  Too hot of an oven and too long will produce burnt ash.  Too low of a temp and too short of a baking time will produce limp chips Here's how my kale chips exp

Kielbasa Soup Winter finally came to town here in southern New England and with temperatures in the teens I start looking around for soups that will warm our insides.  This kielbasa soup is inspired by a recipe from Leen's Lodge, in Grand Lake Stream, Maine .  Grand Lake Stream is a very tiny town in the Down East Region of Maine known for its excellent fishing and hunting.  I told you a bit about Grand Lake Stream after I visited there last summer.  Leen's Lodge is one of the camps where hunters, fishermen and other outdoors types can find accommodations.  Leen's Lodge serves hearty meals and this soup is one of their specialties.  The recipe I am sharing with you today was inspired by Leen's original recipe, but I have taken some liberties with the ingredients.  You'll find this recipe makes enough for multiple meals or a large group and is perfect for freezing.  I started the recipe on the stove top and finished it in my crock pot, but you can easily make

Recently I was introduced to the word "grissini".  Do you know the word?  Little did I know that grissini is the word for those long, pencil-thin, breadsticks you often see in Italian restaurants.  The word came up in a discussion I was having about appetizers.  I was planning the appetizer course for a small dinner party and a friend recommended bacon-wrapped grissini.  Well, that was the first I had heard of this delectable little treat and of course, I wanted to try making some. Breadsticks Wrapped with Spiced Bacon Appetizer Sweet and Spicy Bacon Wrapped Breadsticks   I think you'll like my version of Bacon-Wrapped Grissini.  It's a good one.  Quick and easy, you'll love this tasty appetizer.