Busting out a New Year!

Well this year is a hard one to end.  So many things happened.  So many things didn't.  I had planned to just change life completely and that didn't happen.  So while I am posting new recipe and menu ideas on this page primarily, it's also a place for me to chat with myself.  So tonight as the New Year begins in less than 6 hours, I want to come clean.  I can actually cook.  I can actually create recipes and menus.  The problem is that I often don't.  I want to.  But I often don't.  Most times I am grabbing a sandwich or a piece of fruit or some veggies.  Yep, those broccoli, cauliflower, carrot with cheese sauce are a favorite.  Just microwave, and cut off half the bag and use a spoon and I am good.  No dishes to wash, and even the spoon is plastic.  However, there are good reasons for this little issue.  I won't go into them here or anywhere, but I will change that in 2015.  By doing so, I am going to take back control of my life and my health.  It's horrible to be in pain and to know that some of it can be as a result of what you are eating.  Yep, I have found out that I am "hyper sensitive" to some things that all along I have eaten regularly.  Seafood is now a rare thing.  Thanks.  Oh well...at least on those rare occasions that I can eat those things, I will make it worthwhile by creating wonderful dishes with them.  To that end, here is one of my favorite seafood dishes.  I will now only have once in a while.


SEAFOOD TOSTADAS

24 hard shell tostada shells
2 cups shredded crab or lobster meat cooked (I use the Louis Kemp stuff half of the time)
2 cups miniature shrimp or "salad" shrimp cooked
4 cups finely shredded Monterey Jack Cheese
2 cups sour cream
144 pieces sliced large black olives (I am not sure how many whole black olives this is--it depends on your ability to slice evenly)
Hungarian Paprika

On a couple of cookie sheets, spread out your tostada shells.  In a large bowl, mix together your cooked shrimp and crab or lobster meat.  Divide it evenly into 24 different amounts or just try to evenly spread the mixture over the 24 tostada shells.  This should be a good thick amount of seafood. Carefully spread evenly the shredded Monterey Jack Cheese over all 24 tostadas.  I like lots of cheese.
Bake at 350 for 15 minutes or until cheese is melted thoroughly and tostada edge is crispy.  Remove from oven and quickly, using a pizza cutter or very large, very sharp knife, cut each tostada into 6 wedges.  Now dollop a drop of sour cream on top of each triangle, add a single olive round and sprinkle generously with the Hungarian Paprika.  Pass around the room and everyone enjoy!  It's a great "nosh".    I usually like to serve this with the previous recipe of Crab Fondue.
I do not like it with the jalapenos but here they are with them.  And I serve them neater than this.  I like to see the slices of the tostada.  In the second picture, they used cheddar cheese and chives.  You can do whatever you like but my version is the one I like best. Again...ENJOY!

Death by Chocolate Trifle

Everyone knows what a trifle is right?  It's a layered dessert that has many different individual things in it, layered over and over until you get to the top of the trifle "bowl".  See pictures below for examples.

                      

                     

Now as you can see there are many varieties that can be created.  However, I can promise you that I am going to make your eyes swim with delight if you are a chocolate lover.  So here goes....

You will need the following "ingredients".

Devils food cake, baked by the boxed directions and sliced horizontally into 4 "layers".

8 cups of prepared chocolate pudding, cold and set

10 cups of nearly frozen cool whip

8 full size kit kat bars, broken into sticks and the sticks in half for 8 pieces per full size bar

8 full size butterfinger bars, crushed. divided into 2 bar bowls

8 full size milky way bars, cut into half inch slices

40 strawberries

1 bag of milk chocolate chips, melted to dip the strawberries in

4 full size heath bars, crushed

The trifle is layered in the following way;

1. devils food cake layer

2. 2 cups prepared chocolate pudding spread over cake

3. 2 full size kit kat bars broken in 8 pieces each for 16 pieces sprinkled in the chocolate pudding

4.  2 cups nearly frozen cool whip spread over the pudding and kit kat bars

5.  sprinkle 2 crushed butterfinger bars over the cool whip

6.  2 milky way bars, cut into 1/2 inch pieces and dropped over the butterfinger cool whip layer

Start all over again.  Repeat layers until you have all four or your bowl is nearly full.  (we use the largest we could find)

To top it off, spread over the top the extra two cups of cool whip and place in the fridge, covered with plastic wrap.  Now melt your chocolate chips in a microwave safe bowl and after cleaning and drying your strawberries, dip them in the melted chocolate chips.  Place on a wax paper lined tray in the fridge to harden up.  While this is happening, crush your Heath bars.

After your strawberries have hardened, place them in a circular pattern on the top, point side up, of your trifle.  Sprinkle with the crushed Heath bars.  Refrigerate for at least 2 hours.  

Serve cold. (Hint:  If you desire to add more calories and more lusciousness, heat up caramel sauce and hot fudge sauce and drizzle only as you serve each individual serving.  DO NOT PUT ON THE TOP OF THE TRIFLE!  It will not be as yummy cold.  Only serve that individually.  And this is truly DEATH BY CHOCOLATE TRIFLE.

One of my Holiday Party Favorites--Crab Fondue

Okay so this is just something that I love for the holidays and for superbowl parties.  It's my version of Red Lobster's Crab Fondue Bread Bowl.

1 large bread bowl
2 baguettes sliced into thin "crustini's"
1 pound miniature shrimp, cleaned and deveined
1 pound crab or lobster meat (you can use the louis kemp stuff)
2 large jars of queso dip
1/4 block of Velveeta, cubed
dash of balsamic vinegar
dash of worcestershire sauce
4 tablespoons butter
salt and pepper to taste

Cut into your bread bowl to create the "bowl" part of your bread bowl.  Take the top that you have cut out and slice it into 2 inch thin pieces.  On a couple of cookie sheets, spread out all of the crustini slices and the slices of your bread top in a single layer.  On another cookie sheet, place your bread bowl.  Set this all aside until after the "fondue" is done.
In a large skillet, place your butter, shrimp, crab or lobster meat (or both) and season with salt and pepper to taste and stir fry everything till cooked and heated to the point of crisp edges on the meat. Now add your queso and stir to incorporate your seafood.  Once all is hot add your cubed Velveeta, dash of vinegar and worcestershire sauce.  Stir until completely melted and well blended.  Remove from  heat.  Now toast lightly your bread bowl and crustini's.  Remove from oven and pour your dip into the bread bowl and serve with the crustini breads or you can use any "scoop" tostito chip.

Thick Center Cut Pork Chops, leftover hash browns, yellow and green squash, apples

8 thick, center cut pork chops
2 cups hash browns potatoes
2 eggs
1/2 cup finely shredded cheddar cheese
4 yellow squashes
4 zucchini squash
2 apples
1/2 cup parmesan cheese
salt and pepper to taste
1/2 teaspoon ground ginger
1/2 cup brown sugar
1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper
dry ranch dressing powder
1 cup panko bread crumbs
butter
Preheat Oven to 350 degrees and line a roasting pan with tin foil and spray generously with Pam or other oil spray.  Butterfly your thick pork chops. (this means to slice them open horizontally but do not slice completely through). Set aside.
In a large bowl, mix together your shredded hash brown potatoes, eggs, and cheddar cheese.  Divide this mixture into 8 equal portions and place each portion on 1/2 side of the butterflied pork chop. (if they are smaller pork chops, you may need to use less)  Fold the empty side over the top of mixture and if necessary, use a toothpick to secure the two sides together. They don't have to be sealed, just held together.  In a small bowl, mix together ranch dressing (you choose how much--some people like it really strong) and your panko bread crumbs.  Make sure that you have all the pork chops touching, and sprinkle over the whole grouping of chops your panko bread crumbs and ranch topping. Bake for 35-45 minutes (depends on thickness of pork chop) until your pork has reached a temperature of 145 to 150 degrees.
While this is baking, cube, skin on, your yellow squash, zucchini squash and your apples.  Once cubed in a large skillet, using butter, saute your cubed mixture.  They should remain crisp tender.  Sprinkle over the whole mixture, the brown sugar, ground ginger, cayenne pepper.  It should be all in one bite, tangy(ginger) sweet(brown sugar) and a little kick of heat(cayenne pepper).
As an additional side dish, I like to heat up sauerkraut and diced beets.  This makes for a very colorful plate.  Also, a basket of corn bread muffins is a great compliment to the meal.
ENJOY!

Anonymity.

I interrupt this blog on dish ideas to talk a bit about anonymity.  It's funny that the whole purpose of the Internet is to share information.  However, there seems to be a little too much sharing of that information.  Too much really bad stuff.  From the innocent that discovers porn through a popup to a very bad person who seeks to find victims.  The internet is allowing crime to explode and harm so many people.  And yet, there are those who can easily hide behind the anonymity of open wifi hotspots, and made up names and it is mind-blowing that the "authorities" are unable to catch them.  I am saddened that so many people are hurt.  And yet, one of the things that we depend on is that privacy, that anonymity.  The ability to learn.  To research.  To teach, even.  Is there a line that is crossed?  You bet.  But who is to define that line?  Governments?  Religions? Or the people themselves?  Well yes.  All three.  We need to govern ourselves.  We need to make right choices.  We need to go to the religious leaders and even if we find fault with them, they mostly stand for truth and righteousness.  I hate that we can't always depend on them...but they are, after all human and suspect to human frailties. The government?  Yes the government.  If there was a way to "police" the internet as much as they are able to hand out speeding tickets through speed traps, then we would be able to have a cleaner place to do all of that research.  So anonymity offers privacy.  But it also offers protection to those that would do wrong.  What do we sacrifice?  Why do we sacrifice?  For me, it would be nice if, like on TV there was a sensor.  That porn would be eliminated from the internet.  Trust me it's easy to find and to get to.  Why?  Because they charge for it and the know that corrupt minds lead to addiction of corrupt actions.  And the sale of illegal substances, guns, and other horrible things would be policed with just as much vigor.  And so , I would be willing to have a little less anonymity, if there could be some entity that would police the content for its value on the INTERNET.  It is a tool of good quality.  It is also a tool of evil.  Beware how you use it.  Because you are NOT anonymous.  Not to everyone.

Beef and dumplings! Yes!

1- 3 pound pot roast.
4 large carrots, diced
2 large onions, cubed
1-12 ounce bag of frozen peas
1-4 pack of cheap biscuits
1/2 cup flour
3 tablespoons butter
water
2 cups flour
salt and pepper

In a slow cooker or the oven cook your pot roast as you normally would with the carrots and onions.   I usually cook it at 350 for about an hour. And set aside.  In a large pot, melt the butter to an almost brown state...not burnt, and of the half cup of flour, add at least 3 tablespoons and stir to make a paste.  I add salt and pepper too.  Then add water a little at a time to make a great gravy for your "beef and dumplings".  Go back to your beef and shred it to pieces.  Pour your beef and carrots and onions into the pot with the gravy.  Leave it on warm.  Now, take the biscuits and roll them out flat in the flour and then, using a pizza cutter or a very sharp knife, cut into strips about 1/2 to 1 inch wide.  Turn on your beef mixture and bring it to a boil and add the peas (I add chopped up mushrooms as well) and drop a couple at a time the biscuit strips.  Bring to a boil, stirring constantly, until the dumplings puff up and cook.  Remove from heat and let it sit for about 15 minutes.  Serve in a warm large bowl.

 

Cubed Steak, potatoes, beets.

Well this is easy.  Pan fry the cubed steaks coated with salt, pepper and flour.  Leave bits and pieces in the frying pan and add some flour and water and make a gravy.  Cube your potatoes.  In a separate pan, using a little oil and butter, fry the potatoes for a "home fries" dish.  Lastly, heat up your beets in a pot with the liquid from the can and some apple cider vinegar.  Serve as 3 separate parts of a meal.  No need for casseroles tonight.

Shrimp, pasta shells, zucchini, bell peppers.

Whew!
Okay.  I am not sure that any of these items really go well together.  I am going to give it my best shot below.
So here's what I have come up with:
Shrimp,
pasta shells,
zucchini, diced
bell peppers, diced
parmesan cheese
2 crushed garlic cloves
flour
butter
red pepper flakes
salt
black pepper
2 cups milk
Boil pasta in salted water until al dente. In a large skillet, stir fry your diced bell peppers and zucchini just enough to "crisp" the edges.  Remove from pan and set aside.  In your skillet, add 1 tablespoon of butter and saute your crushed garlic.  Add two more tablespoons of butter and 2 tablespoons flour.  Stir to make a paste.  Slowly add the 2 cups milk and 1 cup parmesan cheese.  Add your vegetables and pasta and lower your heat to warm.
In a separate skillet, place your shrimp toss with parmesan cheese, salt and pepper, and red pepper flakes to taste.  This should take only a couple of minutes.  Be careful on the red pepper flakes because too much will ruin the meal.  Serve shrimp on top of the pasta.

Polska Kielbasa Sausage, pasta, frozen veggies-several different ones

Wide Noodle Pasta

Polska Kielbasa Sausage

Steamers with broccoli, cauliflower, carrots and cheese sauce x 2

Velveeta cheese 1/2 block

4 tablespoons butter

4 tablespoons flour

2 cups milk

Boil your noodles and set aside.

Slice up the sausage into diagonal 1/4 inch slices.  In a frying pan, pan fry the sausage till there is a crispy outside edge.  It adds flavor.

In a separate pot, melt your butter and slowly whisk in the flour to form a paste.  Slowly add milk to make a thick sauce.  Melt in the Velveeta cheese.  If you like a thinner sauce, feel free to add more milk.

In your microwave cook the steamers as directed on the package.

Mix your steamers into the cheese sauce.  Toss in the noodles and make sure that your noodles are completely covered with your sauce and mixed well with the veggies.  Add more if you like.  I like lots of veggies.  Then when it is all well blended, toss in the cooked sausage pieces.  Serve!

I know it doesn't sound sexy or gourmet or even "wonderful".  But trust me it's good.

Second Menu

Wide Noodle Pasta

Polska Kielbasa Sausage

Frozen peas and carrots

Campbell's french onion soup, 2 large cans

Red pepper flakes (to taste)

Mozzarella cheese, finely shredded

Boil your noodles.  The last five minutes of cooking, add your frozen peas and carrots.  Immediately drain after al dente and set aside.  Fry up your sausage in slices in a hot pan.  In the pot with your noodles, peas and carrots add your onion soup and a 1/4 teaspoon of red pepper flakes and bring to a boil.  At the very end add the sausage.  When serving in a bowl, sprinkle with the finely shredded Mozzarella cheese.  

Canned Tuna, Carrots, Potatoes, Cheese, Almonds

Whew!!!  This one was hard.  Of course I had in mind when I saw tuna the traditional tuna casserole.  But with no noodles, I had no choice but to come up with something else.  I did find out that she does have so frozen peas as well.  And so, the following was born:

Tuna Au Gratin

8 large potatoes
2 cans tuna in water
1 bag frozen peas
2 large carrots diced
4 cups cheddar cheese, shredded
1/2 cup slivered almonds, toasted
6 tablespoons butter
6 tablespoons flour
Salt (to taste)
Pepper (to taste)
4 cups milk

Pre-heat oven to 400 degrees F.  Slice the large potatoes into 1/4 inch slices and add the two cans of tuna by tossing together with the peas and the diced carrots.  Make 2 layers of potatoes first in a buttered deep large casserole dish.  This part doesn't have to be layered but they can be as long as you make sure that the tuna is dispersed nicely among the vegetables.  Season with salt and pepper to taste.
Set aside.
In a pot on the stove, melt butter and slowly stir in the flour, salt, and pepper over medium heat, whisking CONSTANTLY.  DO NOT STOP OR YOU WILL GET LUMPS IN YOUR SAUCE.  Add milk a cup at a time until sauce is smooth and silky.  When it has thickened add in three and a half cups of the finely shredded cheddar cheese.  Continue to stir until cheese is completely melted.  This should be about a minute.  Remove from heat immediately.  Pour over the casserole dish filled with your potatoes, tuna, peas and carrots.
Cover with tin foil and bake for 1 and a half hours. (90 minutes).  Just before moving this from the oven, in a frying pan on the stove, toast your slivered almonds.  (I would add some seasoning like garlic salt, or cayenne pepper,)  When the casserole comes out of the oven, remove tin foil and top with the remaining 1/2 cup cheddar cheese.  Bake another 10 minutes to form a top to the casserole.  When you remove it from the oven for the last time, sprinkle with the slivered almonds and serve.

Chicken Breast Fillet, Asparagus, Stove Top Stuffing, Carrots, Mushrooms

4 Chicken Breast Fillet's butterflied (lay on a flat surface and slice horizontally but not all the way through)
2 boxes stove top stuffing mix
Asparagus,
Carrots
Mushrooms
Honey,
Pecans
Salt and pepper to taste
Butter.
4 slices swiss cheese
1 can cream of mushroom soup
1/2 soup can of milk
1 tablespoon worcestershire sauce
1 tablespoon Balsamic vinegar.

Okay so here goes:
Take your butterflied chicken breast fillets and season them liberally with salt and pepper.  Set aside. Take your fresh asparagus and break them where they break on their own.  If you don't know what I am talking about, here is a video link: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_hx6rNViqbs   Set aside.
In a frying pan, melt 3 tablespoons butter, and saute your mushrooms.  (DO NOT ADD SALT)
Take 6 asparagus spears and place them on the one side of your butterflied chicken breast fillets.  Top with mushrooms.  Place a slice of swiss cheese (or other white cheese) over the top of the asparagus and mushroom filling.  You may want to "seal" these fillets together with toothpicks, but I just do things carefully.  In your frying pan, place your fillets and pan fry them partially.  Making sure to get a good browning on the fillets edges.  Prepare your stove top stuffing.  Place in a 9x13 inch casserole dish, spreading evenly.  Now place your partially cooked chicken breast fillets on top of stuffing.  Cover with tin foil. (to prevent drying out)  Bake for 15 minutes or until your chicken reaches 165 degrees.  While this is baking, in a small pan, empty your cream of mushroom soup, worcestershire sauce, and balsamic vinegar and mix with 1/2 of a can of milk and heat through.
In a second small pan, slice on a diagonal your carrots in thin slices.  Add 2 tablespoons of butter, and saute the carrots until crisp tender.  Now add pecans and toast them just enough to bring out the nutty oils.  You will see the glistening sheen on them.  Now add 1 cup of honey and stir the whole mixture and serve as an amazing side dish.
To serve your main dish, plate and pour over the top of each serving  your mushroom "sauce".  In this dinner meal you get some decadence without much work.  It's easy and in spite of the prep time, requires no real expertise.   Enjoy!

Center Cut Pork Chops, potatoes, broccoli-cauliflower-carrot mix

Center cut pork chops
White potatoes, mashed
Bagged broccoli-cauliflower-carrots
Jiffy corn bread mix
Garlic Salt
Butter
Milk (for potatoes)
30 Wheat Ritz Crackers, ground
1 tablespoon Sugar
Salt and Pepper to taste
2 Eggs
1/2 cup Milk
1 cup Flour

In a small bowl, mix together flour and wheat Ritz Crackers, salt and pepper and sugar. Set aside.  In a second bowl, mix milk and eggs.  Dip pork chops into the egg-milk mixture and then dredge them in the flour and wheat Ritz Cracker mixture.  Place on baking sheet.  Bake at 350 for about 30 to 45 minutes or until the internal temp is 145 degrees.
While this is cooking, peel, cube and boil potatoes. In the pot, add milk, butter, garlic salt, (you can also add some sour cream and chives here and some cream cheese--it's a taste thing)
Steam your veggies and top with cheese if you want to.
Make your Jiffy corn bread according to the directions.
Serve!!!

Easy Peasy!!!

Beef, mixed vegetables, steamed potatoes, canned tomatoes was the list today.  And so..what else could it be but SOUP!!!  Vegetable Beef Soup.
2 pounds cubed (1 inch) beef
3 cups cubed steamed potatoes
15 ounce canned tomatoes
32 ounces frozen corn, peas, beans and cubed carrots
2 quarts beef broth
1 large diced onion
In a large skillet, brown off and cook the cubed beef and the diced onions.  Season with salt and pepper.  In a large dutch oven or soup pot, pour all beef broth, and the frozen vegetables.  In a smaller bowl, mash up the tomatoes and then add them to your soup pot.  Bring the whole pot to a boil.  Once boiling add the meat and the potatoes.  Reduce to a simmer and serve with your favorite grilled cheese sandwich or even a PB&J.  Either way it's a filling healthy meal.  By the way, leftovers will freeze easily or you may "can " it.  This you can do buy heating to a boil and pouring into jars.  Add your lids and place on a cookie sheet inside a 250 degree oven for about an hour.  This is called oven canning and when you remove the jars from the oven, carefully place the jars on the counter to cool.  As they cool you will hear a distinctive "pop" of the lid sealing itself.  Once cooled, tighten lids completely and store on your shelves.  According to the information I have read, this will last up to a year if unopened and properly sealed.

Using the same ingredients, you can combine all the ingredients but the canned tomatoes (after cooking the beef and onions) and add a lovely brown gravy to serve over white rice.  It can also be thickened to make a"brunswick" type stew that can be served over either rice or mashed potatoes.

Now,...if you really want to get ambitious, make a thicker stew and with a can of grands type biscuits, place half (horizontally) of your biscuit in a large muffin tin, fill with stew mixture and top with the other half of the biscuit and bake for a quick individual sized beef pot pie popover.

Enjoy!

Today's request included:  Ground Beef, Frozen Green Beans, 1 Sweet Potato.  My solution?
Sweet Potato Shepherd's Pie
(adapted from the same recipe at the "Taste of Home" recipes. Prep time is 25 minutes and the Bake time is also 25 minutes.
1 large sweet potato
1 large white potato
1pound ground beef
1/4 cup chopped onion
frozen green beans
1 cup tomato sauce
2 ounces softened cream cheese (optional)
2 tablespoons butter
2 tablespoons 2% milk
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon pepper

Scrub and pierce sweet potato and white potato; place on a microwave safe plate and microwave uncovered on high for 10-12 minutes or until tender.  Turn once.
While that is cooking, in a large skillet cook beef and onion until it's cooked through. Drain completely.  Add the beans tomato sauce and spices.  Spray down your casserole dish and then pour the meat mixture into the dish and set it aside.
When cool enough to handle, cut potatoes in half and scoop out the pulp and place in a small bowl.  Mash with butter, milk, softened cream cheese, salt and pepper and spread evenly over the meat mixture.
Bake uncovered at 350 degrees for 25-30 minutes.
***the recipe at Taste of Home uses corn instead of beans and used more spices.

Now this is only one recipe.  There are plenty of things you can do with these ingredients seperately.  I tend to do casseroles because they are easy "one dish wonders".

If you want to do separate "dishes" I would follow the following menu:
 1 pound of ground beef,
1/2 cup bread crumbs
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon pepper
1/2 cup diced onions
1 egg
mix all ingredients together and form into small meat balls.  Brown off in a skillet until done.
In the same pan, add your favorite BBQ sauce and simmer on low.
green beans
1/4 cup diced onions
1 clove garlic, minced
2 tablespoons butter
1 sweet potato, sliced
1 white potato, sliced
In a separate skillet, stir fry your sliced potatoes with onions and garlic and butter. When these are done and have a nice caramelization on the edges, add in your green beans and saute for a couple of minutes until they are heated through.
Serve with Corn Bread or Corn Bread Muffins.

Turkey Tired!!!

Today was leftover turkey, stuffing, broccoli, carrots,  and rolls.  So of course the recipe will be...Turkey Stuffing Casserole.  Quite simply this is the same as the Chicken stuffing casserole but you use your leftover turkey.
layer stuffing, broccoli, carrots in a casserole dish.  Open a can of cream of chicken soup and mix it with half a can of milk.  Pour over the whole dish and bake.  If you want to make it even healthier, add all the green been casserole leftovers as well.  It will just make it a creamier messy dish.  Either way, by the time you get to this point, it should be the last of your Thanksgiving Turkey Dinner.  Enjoy!

Chicken, Broccoli, and rice?

Today's challenge for dinner was Chicken, Broccoli and Rice.  My solutions were the following two recipes:  

Broccoli Rice Casserole
1 can of condensed cream of broccoli soup
1 cup water
3/4 cup uncooked rice
1/8 teaspoon pepper
4 chicken breasts (or pieces)
1 pinch Paprika
Broccoli
Velveeta or shredded cheese
Preheat the oven to 375 degrees F.  Stir together the soup, water, rice and pepper in an 11 inch casserole dish.  Top with chicken breasts.  Sprinkle with paprika and bake for 30 minutes.  Remove from the oven and on the outer rim of the casserole dish, surrounding the chicken, place your broccoli pieces and sprinkle with the shredded cheese or pieces of Velveeta.  Return to oven and bake for an additional 15-20 minutes,  Make sure that your chicken is at 165 degrees on the meat thermometer. (NO PINK AT ALL)
_________________________________________________________________________________

Balsamic Chicken 
Broccoli
Chicken
Cream of chicken soup
Cream of mushroom soup
1 soup can of milk
Velveeta (1/4 of bar)
3 tablespoons Balsamic Vinegar (or to taste)[we like lots]
3 tablespoons Worchestershire Sauce (or to taste)[we like lots]
Butter, margarine, or Pam Spray
Cut chicken into bite size pieces and season with salt and pepper.  Stir fry in a pan with the butter, margarine or Pam the chicken until the edges are crisp tender and the chicken is done.  Remove from pan the pieces of chicken and set aside.
To the pan, add the cream of chicken soup, cream of mushroom soup, milk and velveeta and stir to get all ingredients combined and smooth.  Once smooth, add the Balsamic Vinegar and Worcestershire Sauce TO YOUR TASTE.  This is an important step because in our family we love the strong taste of the Balsamic and Worcestershire.  After the sauce changes to that nice deep rich color from the last two ingredients, add your chicken back and simmer until hot through.  Serve over rice with a side of Broccoli.  I suggest a salad as well, since this is a very starchy meal.

And there you have it folks....2 "meals" using the 3 requested ingredients.  If you have a set of ingredients, please let me have a go at it.  I love coming up with menu suggestions.

What's for Dinner?

For some time now, I have been watching The Food Network channel shows and especially the competition shows.  Let's take Chopped.  I try to take what they get in their mystery baskets and come up with recipes.  I do the same for Cutthroat Kitchen and any other show that I can just to be able to test my ability to come up with something nutritious.  Now...I may not be as "gourmet" as these people are on the shows, but I can come up with a good wholesome meal.  As an example, on the cooking show that is on right now about the "holiday bake off"... they were given a "ready made" pie crust from the refrigerated section and were told to make something with it but not a pie.  My thought was "empanadas" or some other "pastry".  However, I could think of so much that my brain was on fire.  I also thought,...this could be fried as well.  But then...it's a baking competition.  But for me, filling it with a savory filling and making a pocket with it was an option.  Let's pretend.  Cut out circles with a large cutter or free hand it.  Place cooked steak, caramelized onions, cooked bell peppers, mushrooms and shredded cheese.  Bake and you will come out with amazing "Philly Cheesesteak" rounds.  But for the sweet side, I would take some lemon curd and some blueberries and mix them together and bake them in the circles or in the empanada shape and top with the crystallized sugar and a small amount of meringue.  I think that would be a great "tart".  
So...because of a request from a dear relative/friend, I am asking---what's for dinner?  What do you have in your cabinets and freezer and yet still don't have a clue of what to do for dinner with?  Give me a list.  I'll figure something out.  Hopefully I will also get feedback on it and people to let me know how it turned out and how it was received by the family.  Please keep in mind that, no matter what the products are, I also try to be budget friendly.  This all started when I was a young college student and had maybe $20 for groceries per week.  I did things like have ramen noodles soup but adding in thin slices of ham or turkey with frozen veggies and maybe a sprinkling of parmesean cheese.  I sometimes added an egg to turn it into an "egg drop" feel to the much more filling soup.  I have also turned it into a thicker "stew" by adding a little flour or corn starch (depended on what meat was in it) to create a more savory dish that could be served over rice or potatoes.  Even macaroni and cheese can be made to be filling with the right additions.  Don't hesitate...send me what you've got.  I'll do my best.  After all, this is what fun is to me.   

Steak Salad Recipe

Steak Salad  

6 cups spinach leaves
6 cups mixed lettuce leaves torn into 1 inch pieces
1 cup shredded carrots
1 cup shredded purple cabbage
1 cup shredded cucumber
2 cups grape tomatoes
1/2 cup bacon bits
1 cup shredded cheddar cheese
2 pounds favorite steak grilled and sliced into thin strips
Crumbled feta cheese
Toss everything but the steak and feta together, spread over your serving platter and then lay the thin slices of seasoned steak over your veggies and crumble your feta cheese over everything.  Top with dressing below when serving.

Dressing

Balsamic vinegar
A-1 steak sauce 
Extra Virgin Olive Oil
Dried Cranberries, diced
Raisins, diced 
Walnuts, chopped
These are all to your own taste.  I have found that I like more A-1 steak sauce than some, but I put it on everything.  Just feel your way through this recipe.  Start and build it to your own tastes but remember to write it down so that you can duplicate it later.

Let's get ready for fall.

As the seasons begin to change, and fall is in the picture, we begin to look to things that we can cook that keeps the house smelling like a home from the 1800's or so.  It's hard to describe but it's like walking into your grandmother's kitchen on a Sunday afternoon or a holiday afternoon with family.  We crave that feeling that life is good.  It all starts with a meal.  The first thing we crave after we arrive on this earth is food.  And that feeling of being satisfied for the very first time never leaves us.  We seek that with every single meal.  On that note, here we are on the cusp of September, the last month of the 3rd season and we want to "prepare for the winter". Now, having said all of that, we are a "fast food" society with a "throw away" mentality.  We need to be able to prepare things not only quickly but simply and yet elegantly.  I will be posting some of the great recipes from different cook books that I've collected but adding my own little twists in them.  Please forgive me if I go on and on about them, but we are living in a time when food prices are outrageous and we need to make the most of what we have.  The first recipe is:

Onion Mushroom Soup

4 cups thinly sliced onions

2 cups thinly sliced button mushrooms

1 stick of butter

1 cup milk (2 cups if you want a creamier soup)

8 cups beef broth

1 loaf of French Bread

12 slices of Muenster cheese

12 slices of Monterey Jack

In a large skillet saute mushrooms and onions in the melted butter. You may need more butter but that is your call.  (I use enough to taste the butter as well as the onions and mushrooms) In a large dutch oven or pot, heat up your beef broth.  Do not boil.  After the onions have become translucent, transfer the whole skillet of mushrooms and onions and butter, into the simmering beef broth.  Slowly add the milk and season with salt and pepper if needed.  While this is simmering, (again, do not boil) cut thick 1 inch slices of the French Bread and toast these slices in an oven slowly.  You want the bread to be "crusty".  While these are toasting, prepare your crock bowls (deep oven safe bowls) by filling nearly to the top, with your soup.  Take your toasted French bread slices and lay them gently on top of the soup.  Layer one slice of Muenster and one slice of Monterey Jack on top of the French Bread toast.  Bake in the oven on 400 degrees for 5 minutes or until the cheese has melted and begun to ooze over the sides of your crock.  Serve with an amazing beef salad and you have a complete meal.  (Salad recipe to come)  

Every once in a while, I crave Greek. Here's my desire in Greek.

Lets do GREEK!!!
I love gyro's.  They are the best!  So below here is an easy way to get what you want without having to go out.
MEAT FILLING
1 pound ground beef
1 pound ground lamb
2 eggs
1/2 cup minced onions
1 tablespoon minced garlic
1/2 teaspoon ground rosemary
2 teaspoons sea salt
1 teaspoon pepper
1 teaspoon dried marjoram 
Mix together all of the above ingredients and mold into a loaf and place in a loaf or bread pan.  Cook for about an hour at 325 degrees.  Please check temperature to make sure that meat is at 165 degrees internally.  Drain grease away and remove from pan.  Place on a platter and slice in 1/4 inch slices.
SAUCE
Prepare cucumber sauce:  
16 ounces sour cream, 
1 cucumber shredded, 
3-4 mint leaves minced, 
pinch of salt and pinch of pepper, 
1/2 tablespoon red wine vinegar, 
1 teaspoon balsamic vinegar,
1 teaspoon finely minced garlic
Mix all ingredients together until creamy and well combined.
For assembly you will also need:
8 heated pita bread pockets
Shredded lettuce,
chopped tomatoes
thinly slice red onion
feta cheese
TO ASSEMBLE:
Grill the pita bread pockets.  I do this in a cast iron skillet or on a grill.  Place several slices of the meat in the middle of the pita pocket.  Top with shredded lettuce, chopped tomatoes, red onion (I leave this out) and nicely crumbled feta cheese.  Drizzle the top with your cucumber sauce and serve.

In the next few weeks I will do over any recipe that you wish to make it a little easier and maybe, just maybe a little cheaper.  Just comment and let me know.  I will take it as a challenge to do your request proud.

A little Kitchen Tip--The Best Fried Chicken

Okay so today, I am watching the food network again and it dawned on me that one of our classic favorites in the south has yet to be redone in a way that is actually healthy for you and yet provides EXACTLY what we want.  Fried Chicken.  Now before you baulk about it, let me explain.  I am a great believer that yes, you can coat and bake chicken and it will be good.  I love baked "fried" chicken.  However, it's not the same.  So here's what I do.  And while my father, who is an executive chef, "hated" the idea and said that it took away from the flavor when I told him about it, when he tasted it, loved it.  Below, I am going to explain everything to you.
I love to use chicken breasts, but I have done the whole chicken pieces.
1.  choose your chicken parts.
2.  in a pot of water, add salt, pepper, and whatever other "seasonings" you want to.
3.  add 2 chicken bouillon cubes
4.  boil chicken until it is "almost done".
5. while waiting for the chicken to get par cooked mix flour, salt, pepper, and again your same seasonings if you would like, that you added to your water.
6.  remove from boiling water and let it "drain" on paper towels, but do not dry the chicken, it needs to be wet
7.  dip your chicken in flour mixture
8.  in a pan or deep fryer, heat your oil appropriately to 350 degrees
9. fry the flour dipped chicken for just until the coating is sufficiently browned.  It will only take a couple of minutes because your chicken is almost completely cooked.  It needs to be 165 degrees when finished.  Because you have cooked the chicken previously, the amount of oil soaked up in the cooking process is SIGNIFICANTLY LESS.  You get the crunch of the fried chicken and you cut down on the calories and on the unhealthy oil.  You have incredible flavor because you can season it however you want to.  It's amazing.
ENJOY!!!

Change is good right?

Well it's been a week since I posted, and not that anyone else is reading this or that it is public or anything since I am "computer blonde" but here I am again..  Tonight I was just thinking about all the changes that are happening in this world and in life.  My third daughter gave birth to a pre-mature son 8 days ago.  February 13th.  It was a unique situation since I had given birth to her 9 weeks pre-maturely almost 26 years ago. (May 14, 1988).  It changes your life.  And just like her, he is extremely jaundice and has the same blood disorder that their father did and all four of my girls did.  Sadly, there is nothing that can be done as it is genetic.  You learn to live with it and eat what you must and avoid what you must and that's that.

Change.
When I was younger, I would get sick with a cold and my grandmother, who lived with us would make an "onion soup".  This was a soup that was really just onions caramelized and then added to a broth.  Mind you it made me gag when I was a girl.  I hated it.  It stunk up the house and I refused to eat it and was force fed many a spoonful on the supposition that it was "medicine" for the cold.  Now, I love onion soup.  That wonderful deep brown beef broth mixed with those thoroughly caramelized onions and then topped with a thick slice of French bread with a thick melted slice of mozzarella cheese.  It is amazing and I will order it almost every time I am able in a restaurant.  Saying that, last night and the night before, there was some cooking going on in my house by others and the smell of the onions with their garlic and butter nearly took my breath away.  I had to sleep with two fans on me.  The smell filled the house and the garlic, while overpowering was only a distant memory by the time you inhaled the smell of the sharpness of the onions.  How then can I love them cooked to pieces and hate them raw?  The composition of them changes.  And they become something that they were meant to be.  Now I know people who eat onion sandwiches and dice up or slice up raw onions on EVERYTHING!  But that's not me.  I would rather have them transformed into the near translucent perfection that clings to the dipped spoon in a hot bowl.

I like the change that is wrought when we put an onion through the paces and turn it into something wonderful.  Even if it is just onion soup.  The point is, that we need change.  Change is good.  We can only grow if something changes us.  It can be from the inside out or from the outside in.  There is something wonderful that can happen if we but let it.  Much like that onion that has sat in the basket for way too long, we peel off the layers of skin and finally get down to who we are.  We present ourselves sometimes in a way that isn't really truth.  It is a facade.  Much like that "onion soup" that my grandmother used to make.  It was only the beginnings because she didn't know any better.  But with people, that facade hides what we truly want out of life.  Sure there are people out there that are just as good about not hiding but they are usually the ones that aren't afraid to be a little rude and a little uncouth.  However, for most of us, we have these layers of outer skin that hides our fears, our tears, our dreams, and our desires.  In order to move towards a more perfect us, we must allow those layers to be peeled away.  We must allow our inner goodness and desires to come out of us.  Because the change that can happen is, we begin to look for that change ourselves.  We can see what we will become and will reach for it.  I am excited about all the changes that are going to occur in my life in the next 50 years or so.  I do expect, even though now it doesn't always feel like it, that I will live another 5 decades.  I will, now that the layers have been pulled back and the pungency of my core has been revealed, I know now, what I can become.  It is my goal to reach my fullest potential between now and that next 50 years ending.  I will become, what the core of me dreamt me to become.  Yes, change is good.  And I will embrace it.

MockTails?

Today I watched a show on the Food Network channel called "The Kitchen" and one of their segments every show is:  "It's 5 O'clock Somewhere".  This is where they create drinks with alcohol.  There are several shows that do this and it drives me insane.  Sandra Lee does Sit on her show "Semi-Homemade".  Again it drives me nuts.  It feels like these people believe that we, as American's are constantly drinking.  Really?  For years I have created combination drinks.  I've never called them cocktails or mocktails or whatever, I called them "punch".  And so I set about creating unique combinations.  Now, I don't drink, but I love uses wine glasses, champagne flutes, etc.  I think they are elegant and beautiful and classy.  So, I create sparkling drinks that add some excitement. So it doesn't have to be alcohol to look lovely and add to a meal.  I love using grape juices to sparkle up the table.  I will take a lemon lime soda and freeze them into little cubes or balls, I prefer balls, and drop them into the juice.  The juices have to be very cold.  Also, frozen grapes make a wonderful addition to any drink.  I love to freeze fruit period for drinks.  Pineapple chunks, strawberries and blueberries make for a punch that is both fun and amazing and as they thaw, they add a great flavor.  Don't be afraid.  Even frozen cranberries and oranges make a delightful holiday drink served with white grape juice.  It doesn't have to be alcoholic.
So create your own "Mocktails" and enhance even your normal "everyday" meals.  Family is more important than any guest but it's fun to treat them as guests at every meal.

The BIG GAME!!!

I am a sports enthusiast.  I love watching sports.  I love them live and I love them on the TV and I love throwing super bowl parties.  I watch as much of the Olympics as I can and I really do follow certain teams in sports that I love.  I'm very eclectic in my choices I suppose.  But at any rate, I love watching great athleticism. Having said that, I am in awe of the wonder and amazing things that people do to themselves.  Drugs, alcohol, self mutilation, self loathing, self destruction.  I am aware of them all.  I am a victim of two of those.  Self loathing and self destruction.  I don't like my physical form.  I hate it.  And because of that, I have let it become my disability and it has led to a destruction of certain aspects of my body.  Looking back, it wasn't intentional, it was simply a bi-product of my circumstances and of the abuse that happened to me.  It's not an excuse.  It is what it is.  However, I have had in my life one reoccurring poem that always gives me hope.  Yeah yeah yeah, I know, I would do everything I could to turn back the clock.  And I know that reading the scriptures should inspire me to do what is necessary to pull me out of my situation.  BUT  Below is the Poem.  I hope it will remind you that there is always hope.  For all of the hype and fun and everything that goes on around these athletes and how amazing their skills are and how amazing this Super Bowl will be, there is one game that is far more important.  The game of life.  And this life...well, it truly is THE BIG GAME!
The Touch of the Masters Hand
T'was battered and scarred, and the auctioneer thought it scarcely worth his while, to waste much time on the old violin, but he held it up with a smile; "What am I bidden, good folks," he cried, "Who'll start the bidding for me? A dollar, a dollar; then two! Only two? Two dollars, and who'll make it three? Three dollars, once; three dollars, twice; going for three.." But no, from the room, far back, a gray-haired man, came forward and picked up the bow; Then, wiping the dust from the old violin, and tightening up the loose strings, he played a melody pure and sweet as the caroling of angels sing.
The music ceased, and the auctioneer, with a voice that was now quiet and low, said; "What am I bid for the old violin?" And he held it up with the bow. "A thousand dollars, and who'll make it two? Two thousand! And who'll make it three? Three thousand, once, three thousand, twice, and going and gone, said he.
The people cheered, but some of them cired, "We do not quite understand, what changed it's worth?" Swift came the reply: "The touch of a master's hand."
And many a man with life out of tune, and battered and scarred with sin, is auctioned cheap to the thoughtless crowd, much like the old violin. A "mess of pottage," A glass of wine; a game, and he travels on. "He is going : once, and "going twice, he's going and almost gone." But the Master comes, and the foolish crowd never can quite understand the worth of a soul and the change that is wrought by the touch of THE MASTER'S HAND.------Myra Brooks Welch

Seriously $10 dinners for four? Trust me, I can do better.

So today, while waiting on the snow, I was watching TV and since I hate soap operas but wanted to stay in tune with the weather situation, I was flipping through channels and caught the last few minutes of a show on the food network about $10 dinners for four.  And so, when I saw what she made, I thought, wow, I can do that meal better.  And so here is my take on her onion soup, salad and breadsticks.  First of all, I love the bread on top of the soup and toasted with cheese.  And so, here it goes:
4 large onions ($1.38 for 7 equals .20 each so .80 total)
Beef bouillon cubes times 6 (equals about .30 total)
4 slices of french bread (16 slices for $1.39 equals .09 each slice so .36 total)
4 tablespoons margarine  (.25)
1/2 head of lettuce ($1.09 / 2 equals .55)
8 tablespoons ranch dressing (which she didn't count--.50)
1 tomato (.33)
1 cucumber (.33)
4 slices mozzarella cheese ($2,59 for 12 slices so .88 total)
I made almost the exact same meal, for $4.30
And yes those are the real current prices.
PREP:
Slice all onions in half forming a half circle and then slice them thinly. (no chopping)
In a pan, add your 4 tablespoons margarine and your onions and caramelize them.  Then break up your cubes of beef bouillon.  I put them in a ziplock bag and smash them with a rolling pin if they are too hard.  Sprinkle this over your onions and margarine mixture and slowly add 4-6 cups of water.  Stir until it is nice and bubbly.  In four oven safe bowls, fill with your onion soup leaving enough room at the top for the bread slices.  Toast the bread slices and place them gently on top of the soul in the bowl.  Cover each bread slice with the cheese slice, don't worry about overhang, it is a great crispy treat.  Bake for about 5 minutes at 400 degrees or until cheese is melted and BEGINNING to turn golden.
Slice lettuce or tear it, dice tomato, slice cucumber thinly.  Toss together with the 8 tablespoons of dressing and serve on a plate.  Remove the bowls of soup and place beside the salad on the plate.  Serve.

We can always cut costs.  There are specials and deals and coupons and we should take advantage of them.  I know it sounds silly but with the printing costs being what they are and companies putting coupons in the papers at least 2 times per week, are we really going to waste them? USE THEM!  Don't be embarrassed either.  The stores are reimbursed for the money lost.

Why did I do this blog?  Because there are going to be times when money is super tight.  We almost always go through times when we wish for more but simply can't do it financially.  This is a wonderful meal. Especially on days when you are not in the mood to spend even 30 minutes on making a meal.  Now there are some add on's if you want it to be more filling and more protein laden.  Brown off seasoned ground beef or beef carne picada (sold at Wal-mart) and nice fresh button mushrooms and add these to the onion soup concoction.  This will add cost but by using just a half a pound, you add texture and flavor and proteins and it becomes a filling dinner.  It is still a simple dish and the meat and mushrooms can be cooked at the same time as the onions.  If you would like to remove the cheese and bread, and add a little flour as you finish sauteing the onions, meat and mushrooms, this becomes a savoury thick dish that can be served over rice.  Variations are a wonderful part of life. Enjoy!

Have I done any good?

There is a talk that I love that brought to mind the change in the title of this blog.  "Remember This:  Kindness begins with me"  In that talk, there is a specific quote from President Monson of the Mormon Church that I also love.  I will type it below for your viewing:
"I please with you to have the courage to refrain from judging and criticizing those around you, as well as the courage to make certain everyone is included and feels loved and valued".
The speaker, Mary N. Cook of the Young Women's General Presidency, goes on to say:
"We can follow the example of the good Samaritan and 'change the world' of just one person by being benevolent.  I would like to invite each of you to do at least one Samaritan-like act this coming week.  It may require that you reach beyond your usual friends or overcome your shynes.  You may courageously choose to serve someone who doesn't treat you well.  I promise that if you will extend yourself beyond what is easy to do, you will feel so good inside that kindness will start to become a part of your everyday life.  You'll se that benevolence can bring joy and unity to your home, your class, your ward, and your school.  'Remember this:  kindness begins with me.' "
There are several things that are brought to mind when I read and remember this talk, first, I am old.  (giggle) This talk actually took place in 2011.  But I remember the lesson from way back when I was a child.  In our church the 13th article of faith states the following:  "We believe in being honest, true, chaste, benevolent, virtuous, and in doing good to all men; indeed, we may say that we follow the admonition of Paul, We believe all things, we hope all things, we have endured many things, and hope to be able to endure all things.  If there is anything virtuous, lovely, or of good report or praiseworthy, we seek after these things."
Now lots of people remember that lost part easily because it does talk about endurance and seeking after good things, but for me, I love the part of it that says: "and in doing good to all men;".  We believe in doing good to all men in spite of their circumstances. Somewhere in my tutelage, I remember someone teaching me to never judge and say I'm not going to help someone because they will probably drink it away or they made their bed so now they lie in it?  The Savior didn't think that way and in fact offered his service and love to all. The love of the Savior is shown in so many incidences but one of my favorites that goes along with this train of thought that I have started is, that of the harlot. She was about to be stoned to death when the Savior intervened and stopped the stoning by saying:  "He that is without sin among you, let him first cast a stone at her."  This is such an important lesson in doing the little acts of kindness that will change a life.  Never judge or analyze why they are in the circumstances.  Just serve.  Serve others.  It should never be a choice to serve only the ones that look like they are down on their luck verses the person you presume is a druggie.  I have been guilty of it.  I have been afraid.  But now, it matters not.  I have learned my lessons.  I will talk about that in another blog.  For today, well, serve others without restraint and without pause and without judgment.  It will change you and change your life.
So,,,for your pleasure please enjoy the following:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aIeA_5yYgB4