BB: Vegetable (Chicken) Pot Pie

My husband wasn't going to let me get away with making a pot pie and NOT putting chicken in it. Really, it's fine by me because it's important to me to have a decent amount of protein in a main meal, especially if I am making a treat like pot pie. I made a few changes (listed in italics) with the vegetables she used based on what I had available, and cut the recipe in half. I also decided to try a lattice crust for the first time. I had so much fun making it! We loved the pot pie, and I thought the addition of saffron was really neat. (And I was happy it was in there after I realized I completely forgot to add the parsley!) It was a great comfort meal for a very windy, chilly day!


Vegetable Pot Pie
from Barefoot Contessa Parties! on page 255
Chosen by Deb of Kahakai Kitchen
See the other Barefoot Bloggers here

For the pie:

• 12 tablespoons unsalted butter (1 1/2 sticks)
• 2 cups sliced yellow onions (2 onions)
• 1 fennel bulb, top and core removed, thinly sliced crosswise (omitted)
• 1/2 cup all-purpose flour
• 2 1/2 cups good chicken stock
• 1 tablespoon Pernod (omitted)
  
• Pinch saffron threads
• 1 1/2 teaspoons kosher salt
• 1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
• 3 tablespoons heavy cream
• 1 1/2 cups large-diced potatoes (1/2 pound)
• 1 1/2 cups asparagus tips (omitted)
  
• 1 1/2 cups peeled, 3/4-inch-diced carrots (4 carrots)
• 1 1/2 cups peeled, 3/4-inch-diced butternut squash
• 1 1/2 cups frozen small whole onions (1/2 pound) (omitted)
  
• 1/2 cup minced flat-leaf parsley (used dried)
• 1 cup frozen peas
• 1 cup chopped cauliflower
• 2 cups diced, cooked chicken
  
  For the pastry:
• 3 cups all-purpose flour
• 1 1/2 teaspoons kosher salt
• 1 teaspoon baking powder
• 1/2 cup vegetable shortening
• 1/4 pound cold unsalted butter, diced
• 1/2 to 2/3 cup ice water
• 1 egg beaten with 1 tablespoon water, for egg wash
• Flaked sea salt and cracked black pepper

Directions

Melt the butter in a large pot over medium heat. Add the onions and fennel and saute until translucent, 10 to 15 minutes. Add the flour, reduce the heat to low, and cook for 3 more minutes, stirring occasionally. Slowly add the stock, Pernod, saffron, salt, and pepper, and bring to a boil. Simmer for 5 more minutes, stirring occasionally. Add the heavy cream and season to taste. The sauce should be highly seasoned.

Cook the potatoes in boiling salted water for 10 minutes. Lift out with a sieve. Add the asparagus, carrots, and squash to the pot and cook in the boiling water for 5 minutes. Drain well. Add the potatoes, mixed vegetables, onions, and parsley to the sauce and mix well.

For the pastry, mix the flour, salt, and baking powder in the bowl of a food processor fitted with a metal blade. Add the shortening and butter and mix quickly with your fingers until each piece is coated with flour. Pulse 10 times, or until the fat is the size of peas. With the motor running, add the ice water; process only enough to moisten the dough and have it just come together. Dump the dough out onto a floured board and knead quickly into a ball. Wrap the dough in plastic and allow it to rest in the refrigerator for 30 minutes.

Preheat the oven to 375 degrees F.

Divide the filling equally among 4 ovenproof bowls. Divide the dough into quarters and roll each piece into an 8-inch circle. Brush the outside edges of each bowl with the egg wash, then place the dough on top. Trim the circle to 1/2-inch larger than the top of the bowl. Crimp the dough to fold over the sides, pressing it to make it stick. Brush the dough with egg wash and make 3 slits in the top. Sprinkle with sea salt and cracked pepper. Place on a baking sheet and bake for 1 hour, or until the top is golden brown and the filling is bubbling hot.

Barefoot Bloggers: Butternut Squash Risotto

My former childhood self would be appalled at my present love for butternut squash. I could bear to stomach it as a child, and after learning a few different ways to prepare it, I fell in love! So, I was excited to see that the next BB recipe was Butternut Squash Risotto. This recipe did NOT disappoint, in fact, it's my favorite risotto to date! We LOVED this and I can't wait to make it again! I cut the recipe in half and it was enough as a side dish for 4 meals.

Butternut Squash Risotto
~1 butternut squash (2 pounds)
~2 tablespoons olive oil
~kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
~6 cups chicken stock, preferably homemade
~6 tablespoons (3/4 stick) unsalted butter
~2 ounces pancetta, diced (omitted)
~1/2 cup minced shallots (2 large)
~1 1/2 cups Arborio rice (10 ounces)
~1/2 cup dry white wine
~1 teaspoon saffron threads
~1 cup freshly grated Parmesan

1. Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F. Peel the butternut squash, remove the seeds, and cut it into 3/4-inch cubes. You should have about 6 cups. Place the squash on a sheet pan and toss it with the olive oil, 1 teaspoon salt, and 1/2 teaspoon pepper. Roast for 25 to 30 minutes, tossing once, until very tender. Set aside.

2. Meanwhile, heat the chicken stock in a small covered saucepan. Leave it on low heat to simmer. In a heavy-bottomed pot or Dutch oven, melt the butter and saute the pancetta and shallots on medium-low heat for 10 minutes, until the shallots are translucent but not browned. Add the rice and stir to coat the grains with butter. Add the wine and cook for 2 minutes. Add 2 full ladles of stock to the rice plus the saffron, 1 teaspoon salt, and 1/2 teaspoon pepper. Stir, and simmer until the stock is absorbed, 5 to 10 minutes. Continue to add the stock, 2 ladles at a time, stirring every few minutes. Each time, cook until the mixture seems a little dry, then add more stock. Continue until the rice is cooked through, but still al dente, about 30 minutes total. Off the heat, add the roasted squash cubes and Parmesan. Mix well and serve.

Platinum Chef 9: Apple Pumpkin Chili

I'm BACK! I've been quite busy in the last month preparing for a huge exam. It is OVER now, so I can finally get back in the kitchen and start sharing recipes again. YAY! I also happen to think this is the perfect way to come back... with the Platinum Chef Challenge! I love this event, as it seems to be the only way to get creative juices flowing in the kitchen.

This time, Lisa of Lime in the Coconut chose GREAT ingredients for fall! This round we had to create something with sage, bacon, apples, shallots, and mushrooms. All I have been able to think about since the arrival of fall is CHILI, and I decided that all these ingredients definitely belonged in a chili together. We already have a favorite red chili, so I decided this should go the white chili route. We're a no beef household, so I use either ground turkey or chicken and, for this challenge, turkey bacon (which really is nothing to write home about. I would have much prefered real bacon or some pancetta or something, but alas, those are off the list, too). The flavors really came together nicely in this, and the best part is that it's just an easy throw-together recipe for the crockpot. Love it!

Apple Pumpkin Chili

• 1 pound ground turkey or chicken, browned in a skillet
• 2 cans (15 oz each) white beans, I went for one can northern and one can navy
• 1.5 ounces shiitake mushrooms, stems removed, cleaned, and sliced
• 4 slices bacon, browned and crumbled or chopped
• one medium shallot, diced
• 1 granny smith apple, diced
• 1/2 of a 14oz can pumpkin puree (about 1 cup)
• 2.5 cups chicken broth
• 1 tablespoon dried sage
• 2 teaspoons coriander
• 2 teaspoons chili powder
• 1 teaspoon thyme
• (optional) equal parts arrowroot or cornstarch and chicken broth, for thickening
• grated gouda cheese, for topping

Combine all except thickener and cheese in a crockpot. Stir to mix ingredients. Cook on high for 4 hours or low for 6. Add thickener if desired and heat on high for a few minutes to thicken sauce. Serve, topping with grated gouda.

No TWD. For a while. :-(

I made a very hard decision recently to leave TWD for a while. I have a lot going on right now (nothing really bad, in fact, most good!), and I have to put down the whisk and spoon and bowls and (gasp!) give ye ole stand mixer a break. One day I hope to rejoin the ranks and finish baking through the book. I have loved every second of being a part of such a great group, and already miss it very much! Keep bakin' strong!

Check out the other Tuesdays with Dorie bakers, and their Chocolate Malted Whopper Drops, here.

Banana Split Cupcakes

So I had a end-of-summer party coming up, and I had offered to bring two desserts. The problem is that I really had no idea what to bring. Last year I brought Stuffed Strawberries and the Better Than Sex Trifle (both of which were huge hits!).

As it turns out, this was my week for Tuesdays with Dorie, and since I had chosen cookies and was already planning to make them, that became one of my desserts. The other idea came from a stroke of genius from my good friend Katie. She was actually offering ideas to someone else who needed inspiration, and the idea for an ice cream sundae cupcake came flying out. I instantly thought it was just about the most fantastic idea ever, and we set to work on the logistics.

Somewhere along the line, I decided I wanted mine to be banana split cupcakes, with a layer of vanilla, strawberry, and chocolate cake, a layer of banana pieces, all topped with a fudgy chocolate frosting and, or course, a cherry!

For the actual recipes, I drew inspiration from Baking Illustrated (the vanilla/strawberry portions of cake), and from my cute little Cupcakes! book (for the chocolate portion). I have heard so much about Hershey's "Perfectly Chocolate" Chocolate Cake that I immediately thought of it for this recipe (well, the frosting, at least!).

For the assembly, the basic principle is to layer the vanilla, then strawberry, then banana, then chocolate layers, as I demonstrate here:

(Please ignore the fact that I forgot to take this last picture the first time around...and now the pan is dirty!)

Banana Split Cupcakes
Adapted from Baking Illustrated , Cupcakes!, by Elinor Klivans, and Hershey's.
Makes 24 cupcakes

For the vanilla/strawberry layers:
~2 ¼ cups ( 11 1/4 ounces) unbleached all purpose flour
~1 ½ cups (10 1/2 ounces) sugar
~2 ¼ teaspoons baking powder
~3/4 teaspoon salt
~1 ½ sticks (3/4 cup) unsalted butter, softened
~3/4 cup sour cream
~2 large eggs and 2 large egg yolks, at room temperature
~2 ¼ teaspoons vanilla extract
~1/2 cup pureed strawberries, from fresh or frozen and thawed
~few drop red food coloring (optional)
~2 ripe bananas, sliced and quartered

For the chocolate layer:
~1 ½ ounces unsweetened chocolate, chopped
~½ cup unbleached all-purpose flour
~¼ teaspoon baking soda
~¼ teaspoon baking powder
~1/8 teaspoon salt
~¼ cup (½ stick) unsalted butter, at room temperature
~½ cup plus 2 tablespoons sugar
~1 large egg
~½ teaspoon vanilla extract
~¼ cup sour cream
~¼ cup water

Adjust oven rack to middle position; heat oven to 350 degrees. Line standard muffin/cupcake tin with paper or foil liners.

Begin vanilla/strawberry batter by whisking together flour, sugar, baking powder, and salt in bowl of standing mixer fitted with paddle attachment. Add butter, sour cream, eggs, and egg yolks, and vanilla; beat at medium speed until smooth and satiny, about 30 seconds. Scrape down sides of bowl with rubber spatula and mix by hand until smooth and no flour pockets remain.

Divide batter evenly into two bowls. To the strawberry bowl, fold in pureed strawberries until combined. Add food coloring, if desired, and mix well to distribute color.

Begin the chocolate batter by placing the chocolate in a heatproof bowl or the top of a double boiler and place it over, but not touching, a saucepan of barely simmering water (or the bottom of the double boiler). Stir until the chocolate is melted and smooth. Remove from the water and set aside to cool slightly.

Sift the flour, baking soda, baking powder, and salt into a medium bowl and set aside.

In a large bowl, using an electric mixer on medium speed, beat the butter and sugar until smoothly blended and creamy, about 2 minutes. Stop the mixer and scrape the sides of the bowl as needed during mixing. On low speed, mix in the melted chocolate. On medium speed, add the egg, mixing until well blended into the batter. Add the vanilla and beat until the mixture looks creamy and the color has lightened slightly, about 1 minute. Mix in the sour cream until no white streaks remain. On low speed, add half of the flour mixture mixing just to incorporate it. Mix in the water. Mix in the remaining flour mixture until it is incorporated and the batter looks smooth.

To assemble the cupcakes:
Layer 1 tablespoon of vanilla batter into cupcake liners. Follow with 1 tablespoon of strawberry batter, gently dropping it on top of the vanilla layer to reduce mixing of the two. Follow with 4 quarters of sliced banana. Finally, add 1 shy tablespoon of the chocolate batter, gently dropping it on top of the strawberry/banana layer. Bake for 20-22 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean. Transfer to a wire rack to coop completely. Once cooled, frost cupcakes with chocolate frosting (recipe follows) and finish with a maraschino cherry.

Hershey's "Perfectly Chocolate" Chocolate Frosting

~1/2 cup (1 stick) butter or margarine
~2/3 cup HERSHEY'S Cocoa
~3 cups powdered sugar
~1/3 cup milk
~1 teaspoon vanilla extract

Melt butter. Stir in cocoa. Alternately add powdered sugar and milk, beating to spreading consistency. Add small amount additional milk, if needed. Stir in vanilla. About 2 cups frosting.

Chard, Walnut, and Gorgonzola Risotto

I had some gorgonzola cheese leftover from the Dinner Divas Chicken Cobb Burger, and didn't wait it to go to waste (as some cheese has, in the depths of that not-actually-so-deep cheese drawer). A quick googling brought me right to this amazing recipe. Not only to do I love risotto, but I had some chicken stock waiting to be used and this recipe brought a new challenge: chard. I have never cooked with (heck, eaten) chard, and truthfully didn't know it existed in the non-swiss variety. Thankfully, my local produce store is the BOMB and has everything under the sun. Finding chard was no problem (though now I have to figure out what do with the rest of it!).

This turned out much as I imagined. I couldn't really taste the chard, so I still don't really know what it tastes like, but still got the benefit of some vegetation in my carb heaven. The gorgonzola was a bit strong for someone who doesn't *love* it, but the toasted walnuts were such a wonderful addition. Since it's not really a strict recipe, and more a... handful of this and a hunk of that type recipe, I decided to measure along the way so I could remember how much of what I'd used. We paired it with some chicken breasts marinated in the lemon-rosemary paste from the Barefoot Bloggers Butterflied Chicken. :-)

Chard, Walnut, and Gorgonzola Risotto
from Cookthink

~1 quart (4 cups) of chicken broth
~2 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
~1/2 cup diced onion
~1 cup arborio rice
~3/4 cup dry white wine (if you notice were I said my grocery store is the "bomb," I'll give you one guess as to where the rest of the bottle went)
~1 cup of chopped chard, stems removed (I used about 4 good sized leaves to get about 1 cup chopped)
~1/2 cup of chopped walnuts, toasted (I pre-chop mine as soon as I buy them because I use them a lot in baking)
~2 1/2 ounces gorgonzola cheese
~salt and pepper to taste

Heat chicken broth in a saucepan and maintain at a simmer. Meanwhile, head the olive oil in a large saute pan. Add onion and cook to allow to soften, about 5 minutes. Add rice and toast it, while stirring, about 2 minutes. Add the wine, stirring to combine, cook for 2-3 minutes. Add simmering chicken broth, one ladle at a time, stirring constantly with each addition until broth is absorbed. About halfway through the broth addition, add the chopped chard. When all the broth has been incorporated, add the walnut and cheese, stirring an additional minute or so to allow the cheese to soften and melt. Add salt and pepper to taste.

TWD: Chunky Peanut Butter and Oatmeal Chocolate Chipsters

YAY!! It was finally my turn to select a recipe for Tuesdays with Dorie. I literally went through every single page in the book, and wrote down my favorites. I had 9 possible recipes to choose from. I contemplated using a random number generator (dorky, I know) to pick, but then decided to involve my husband in the decision (so I could make sure he helped me eat it!). Initially, anything without a picture was a no-go for him. But ultimately, the draw of peanut butter was too much, and he chose the Chunky Peanut Butter and Oatmeal Chocolate Chipsters (what can I say... the man loves his Skippy!)

Oh, hi! Best.cookie.dough.ever!
True to my own heart, I had to incorporate Dorie's suggestion to make an ice cream sandwich out of them. Since the cookies have so much going on, I just went with plain vanilla.

I hope everyone enjoyed making and eating these cookies - I know I did!


Chunky Peanut Butter and Oatmeal Chocolate Chipsters
From Baking, From My Home to Yours, by Dorie Greenspan, page 73.
Makes about 60 cookies
Check out the other Tuesdays with Dorie bakers here.

These are three really great cookies rolled into one. They're chubby, crispy, chunky and crackly topped, perfect for dunking into a big glass of milk, dipping into a bowl of ice cream or keeping company with coffee and super for school bags, picnic baskets and kitchen counter cookie jars. The oats and chocolate chips make the cookies plenty crunchy, but if you're like me and think tons of crunchy is only just enough, you'll opt for a peanut butter that's studded with nuts. (I use Skippy Super Chunk.)

~3 cups old fashioned oats
~1 cup all purpose flour
~1 tsp baking soda
~2 tsp ground cinnamon
~1/4 tsp freshly ground nutmeg
~1/4 tsp salt
~2 sticks (8 ounces) unsalted butter, at room temperature
~1 cup peanut butter--chunky (my choice) or smooth (but not natural)
~1 cup sugar
~1 cup (packed) light brown sugar
~2 large eggs
~1 tsp pure vanilla extract
~9 ounces bittersweet chocolate, chopped into chunks, or 1 1/2 cups store-bought chocolate chips or chunks

Getting Ready:
Position the racks to divide the oven into thirds and preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Line two baking sheets with parchment or silicone mats.

Whisk together the oats, flour, baking soda, spices and salt.

Working with a stand mixer, preferably fitted with a paddle attachment, or with a hand mixer in a large bowl, beat the butter, peanut butter, sugar and brown sugar on medium speed until smooth and creamy. Add the eggs one at a time, beating for 1 minute after each addition, then beat in the vanilla. Reduce the mixer speed to low and slowly add the dry ingredients, beating only until blended. Mix in the chips. If you have the time, cover and chill the dough for about 2 hours or for up to one day. (Chilling the dough will give you more evenly shaped cookies.)

If the dough is not chilled, drop rounded tablespoonfuls 2 inches apart onto the baking sheets. If the dough is chilled, scoop up rounded tablespoons, roll the balls between your palms and place them 2 inches apart on the sheets. Press the chilled balls gently with the heel of your hand until they are about 1/2 inch thick.

Bake for 13 to 15 minutes, rotating the sheets from top to bottom and front to back after 7 minutes. The cookies should be golden and just firm around the edges. Lift the cookies onto cooling racks with a wide metal spatula - they'll firm as they cool.

Repeat with the remaining dough, cooling the baking sheets between batches.

Serving: I can't remember when I actually served these. They're more often plucked from a cookie jar than picked from a platter.

Storing: Wrapped airtight or piled into a cookie jar, the cookies will keep at room temperature for about 4 days. Wrapped and frozen, they'll be good for 2 months.

Playing Around: You can substitute soft, moist raisins for the chocolate chunks or just stir in some raisins along with them. If you're really looking for crunch, toss in chopped peanuts too (salted or not). With or without the chocolate chunks, raisins, and nuts, these cookies are great with ice cream or around ice cream - think about them the next time you want a chipwich-ish ice cream sandwich.

Harry and David Chicken Enchilada Soup

One of my lovely gifts from the recent What's Cooking Summer Gift Swap was a jar of Harry and David Pepper and Onion Relish. Thankfully, it came with a host of recipe ideas! As soon as I saw the Chicken Enchilada Soup, I knew that is what we'd be having.
To add more flavor, we grilled the chicken using an Emeril's Essence spice rub before cutting up for the soup. Also, to cut down on the fat a little, I used one can of evaporated milk in place of the cream. It certainly isn't the prettiest soup, but wow, the flavors are great! The relish has a sweet heat to it that really makes the soup dance. I'm actually a little sad now, because I increased the recipe to use up the whole jar of relish (and to ensure there'd be leftovers!), and now I don't know how to make this without the relish. It definitely took the soup to a different level. I suppose this is where I am supposed to put my thinking cap on and start experimenting!

Chicken Enchilada Soup
Source: Harry and David

~1 Tbsp vegetable oil
~1/4 cup chopped onion
~1 clove garlic (if you read my blog with any frequency, you know I tripled that)
~3/4 cup Pepper and Onion Relish
~1 1/2 cup chicken broth
~1/2 cup cream (or one 5 oz can evaporated milk)
~salt to taste (I used about a tablespoon of tomato/chicken bouillon)
~3/4 cup Monterey Jack Cheese, grated
~1 cup cooked chicken breast, diced
~1 plum tomato, diced (my addition)

Heat oil in pot over medium heat and saute onion and garlic. Add relish and chicken broth and cook with pot covered for 15 minutes over low heat. Add cream, salt, (tomato) and chicken and simmer another 8-10 minutes over low heat. Stir in cheese and serve hot.

Lime-Cilantro Chicken

I've had this recipe starred in my google reader for a while now. I needed something easy for grilled chicken the other day, and this fit the bill! It certainly helped that I happened to have a bunch of fresh cilantro in the fridge waiting to be used. I only marinated it for a few hours instead of overnight, and it still turned out GREAT with tons of flavor! We loved it and will certainly be making it again!

Lime-Cilantro Chicken
From The Deen Bros. Cookbook - Recipes from the Road, seen on My Baking Heart.

~1-1/2 limes
~1/2 c fresh cilantro leaves
~1/4 c vegetable oil
~2 tbsp honey
~1-2 jalapeno peppers, trimmed and sliced (remove seeds)
~2 tsp tomato paste
~4 cloves garlic, chopped
~Pinch of salt
~5-6 boneless, skinless chicken breasts

Finely grate the zest and squeeze the juice from the limes. In a blender, combine the zest and juice with remaining marinade ingredients. Puree until smooth. Pour marinade over chicken and toss to coat. Cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate overnight.

After the chicken has marinated, preheat the oven to 375. Place chicken breasts on a foil-lined baking sheet and bake for about 45 minutes or until juices run clear. (We grilled them instead - yum!)

Round Up: Platinum Chef Challenge 8!

I must apologize for the delay in getting the round-up together. I have no real excuse other than I forgot!

This round of the Platinum Chef Challenge had us creating dishes tofu, eggplant, olives, plums and oats. (You can see mine here.) We had three great entries, and as host of this round I get to select the next host.

First up, we have Cara of Cara's Cravings. I think of Cara as incredibly creative and talented in the kitchen, so I was excited to see that tofu was a new ingredient in her own cooking. Taking inspiration from a favorite seafood dish, she created a mouthwatering Pan-roasted Tofu with Capers, Tomatoes and Olives. The flavor combination here sounds amazing!
For the remaining ingredients, Cara devised what seems to be one of her favorite healthy-meal tricks - turning vegetables into fries! Her Eggplant Fries with Sweet and Spicy Plum Sauce look just like huge steak fries, and the sauce sounds wonderful.

Next we have Catherine of Fresh From Cate's Kitchen. This was her first time participating in Platinum Chef and we are so glad to have her! Cate created a wonderful looking Herbed Eggplant Salad with Creamy Garlic Dressing. I've never ventured farther than vinaigrettes when it comes to homemade salad dressing, so her use of tofu to create a healthy version of a creamy dressing is genius to me! This looks so good, I'm ready to dig right in!
For her second recipe, Cate went straight to my heart - I love all things frozen! And let's be honest, a little alcohol makes it that much more enticing! Her Plum and Port Sorbet in Oatmeal-Almond Buttercrunch Cups are SO cute! That sorbet recipe is so simple and looks so good - I can't wait to try it! The cups sound like a very versatile base for adorable little desserts.
The third entry comes from Lisa of Lime in the Coconut. Lisa is another first time participant! I am so excited to see new bloggers joining in. My typical PCC experience is much like Lisa described... as soon as the ingredients are posted, they are ALL I can think about until I settle on my recipes. Lisa also drew inspiration from seafood, using tofu in place of scallops for her Vegetarian Surf & Turf: Grilled Eggplant Steaks served with Panko-Encrusted Tofu "Scallops", Kalamata olive tapenade and a grilled tomato coulis. I love that she grilled the tomatoes and eggplant - making it a great summertime meal. Her presentation is stunning and the flavor combination sounds incredible. (and really, I love panko-crusted-just-about-anything!)
For her second recipe, Lisa chose a Rustic Plum Tart with Ricotta Cheese and Crumb Topping. I love the additions of the ricotta and topping to a traditional simple fruit galette. It really looks like it gives the tart some substance, and what could be better than a cream cheese pie crust! This was a VERY tough decision, but I have chosen Lisa of Lime in the Coconut as the winner of Round 8! I just can't stop staring at that surf and turf - it looks amazing! Congratulations Lisa! Look for the next round appearing in her blog soon.