2 small or 1 large can(s) whit albacore tuna
head lettuce, chopped
tomatoes, chopped
Frozen petite peas, rinsed with hot water
Red onion, chopped
Chinese noodles
Mayonnaise
Seasoning salt
Pepper
Toss the first 5 ingredients. Mix mayonnaise, seasoning salt and pepper to taste. Mix dressing with salad ingredients. Add Chinese noodles. Serve immediately.
You may notice something is missing. What could it possibly be?...How about measurements? Yeah, how about 'em? This time, it's not my fault. I got this recipe Wednesday night at an Enrichment meeting. We taste tested it and I just about died it was so good. I'm not kidding. Good enough that the very next day I made it for dinner and ate it all. Ok not all by myself, Tyler helped.
Here's what I used:
1/2 head lettuce.
1 can of regular tuna - completely and utterly drained
1 tomato
0 peas - I laugh (and gag) at the thought of putting peas in my salad
1/4 red onion, diced (this was too much for me. I'll cut it down even more in the future.)
1/2 can (about 5 oz) of Chinese noodles
about 8 heaping TBSP of mayo
a lot of seasoning salt and pepper
Toss, serve with French bread and enjoy.
This was a perfect main dish for Tyler and I. We both had two helpings. But if you're feeding a larger family, you may want to double my quantities. I did not use albacore tuna, I just used a regular (small) can of tuna. It was a little more fishy, but overall it was still delicious!! I think you could substitute a can of chicken or ham and it'd still be awesome.
Mmmm!
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Friday, June 5, 2009
Friday, May 15, 2009
Pad Thai with Shrimp
4 cups water
1 package (6 - 8oz) linguine-style stir-fry rice noodles (rice stick noodles*)
1/3 cup fresh lime juice
1/3 cup water
3 TBSP packed brown sugar
3 TBSP fish sauce or soy sauce
3TBSP soy sauce
1 TBSP rice vinegar or white vinegar
3/4 tsp ground red pepper (cayenne)
3 TBSP vegetable oil
3 cloves garlic, finely chopped
1 medium shallot, finely chopped or 1/4 cup finely chopped onion
2 eggs, beaten
12 oz frozen cooked peeled deveined medium shrimp, thawed
1/4 cup finely chopped dry-roasted peanuts
3 cups fresh bean sprouts
4 medium green onions, thinly sliced (1/4 cup)
1/4 cup firmly packed cilantro leaves
*Thin or thick rice stick noodles can be substituted for the linguine-style stir-fry rice noodles.
Tyler and I couldn't decide which one we wanted to try...so we got both. Pictured above, the ones on the right are the noodles the recipe is talking about. But on the left are also rice noodles that are delicious! Below you can see close ups to see the difference between the two.
Neither one is very expensive. They run just a few dollars a package at your local grocery store. I know that seems like a lot (especially since it'll only make one meal, maybe two), but this dish is relatively cheap if you mostly use what you have at home.
1. In a 3-quart saucepan, heat 4 cups water to boiling. Remove from heat; add noodles (push noodles into water with back of spoon to cover them with water if necessary). Soak noodles 3 to 5 minutes or until noodles are soft but firm. Drain noodles; rinse with cold water.
2. Meanwhile, in a small bowl, stir lime juice, 1/3 cup water, the brown sugar, fish sauce, soy sauce, vinegar, red pepper and 1 tablespoon of the oil until well mixed. Set aside.
3. In a nonstick wok or 12-inch nonstick skillet, heat remaining 2 tablespoons vegetable oil over medium heat.
Cook garlic and shallot in oil about 30 seconds, stirring constantly, until starting to brown. Add eggs. Cook about 2 minutes, stirring gently and constantly, until scrambled but still moist.
4. Stir in noodles and lime juice mixture. Increase heat to high. Cook about 1 minute, tossing constantly with 2 wooden spoons, until sauce begins to thicken. Add remaining ingredients except cilantro (note from D: that includes shrimp, peanuts, bean sprouts and green onions). Cook 2 to 3 minutes, tossing with 2 wooden spoons, until noodles are tender. Place on serving platter. Sprinkle with cilantro. Garnish with additional chopped dry-roasted peanuts and green onions if desired.
PAD THAI WITH CHICKEN: Substitute 2 cups chopped cooked chicken for the shrimp.
I'll just give you a second to let your mouth water.
Doesn't that look amazing? It was. My friend, Melanie, made this the other night and we invited ourselves over for dinner. Literally. It was so good we left with full bellies and the recipe.
Melanie used the thin noodles, and it was divine. The thicker noodles soaked up the flavor more, but the thin noodles had a lighter flavor and feel. So they're both delicious and wonderful.
I used fish sauce, only because I had it in my fridge. Melanie did not use fish sauce, and her Pad Thai was less sweet than mine. In the future I'll use soy instead. We also used rice vinegar, but I think Mel used white. Use whatever you have. Don't go out and buy rice vinegar unless you use it on a regular basis. I use rice vinegar for sushi, so I usually have it on hand. But like I said, don't go out ant buy it. Just use white vinegar.
Tyler put in the red pepper and even asked me before he did it, "Are you sure you want this much red pepper?" I told him yes because I think Mel is a recipe-follower and hers wasn't too hot. Well, I don't know if she cut back or if our red pepper is more potent or if Tyler used 3/4 of a tablespoon rather than a teaspoon...but ours was burning hot! In the future I will cut back to probably half a teaspoon of red pepper.
You are always welcome to use jarred garlic rather than fresh. The flavor will be different (some say maybe not as good), but use what you have in your fridge. We always have both, so it doesn't matter to us.
We usually have shrimp in our freezer too (I love Shrimp Scampi!), but if you don't have shrimp, don't go buy it just for this dish. It's expensive! Use chicken. Melanie made hers with chicken and it was delicious! I don't know which one I prefer more, but the chicken will probably be what we make in the future because it's less expensive. If you use chicken, though, a little more preparation will have to go into making it because you'll have to do that before you even start on the noodles.
I did not use peanuts because I didn't have any. I always have cashews on hand because of we love Cashew Chicken. So I used those instead. I'm not sure it made a huge difference. We had peanuts at Melanie's house, but both were good.
I didn't know what bean sprouts were as apposed to alfalfa sprouts. Bean sprouts are bigger. Before you use them, be sure to was them carefully. Who knows where they've been?! I rinse them in cool water until they're no longer slimy. I did not measure them (what a nightmare!). I just took too handfuls and called it good.
Melanie used the thin noodles, and it was divine. The thicker noodles soaked up the flavor more, but the thin noodles had a lighter flavor and feel. So they're both delicious and wonderful.
I used fish sauce, only because I had it in my fridge. Melanie did not use fish sauce, and her Pad Thai was less sweet than mine. In the future I'll use soy instead. We also used rice vinegar, but I think Mel used white. Use whatever you have. Don't go out and buy rice vinegar unless you use it on a regular basis. I use rice vinegar for sushi, so I usually have it on hand. But like I said, don't go out ant buy it. Just use white vinegar.
Tyler put in the red pepper and even asked me before he did it, "Are you sure you want this much red pepper?" I told him yes because I think Mel is a recipe-follower and hers wasn't too hot. Well, I don't know if she cut back or if our red pepper is more potent or if Tyler used 3/4 of a tablespoon rather than a teaspoon...but ours was burning hot! In the future I will cut back to probably half a teaspoon of red pepper.
You are always welcome to use jarred garlic rather than fresh. The flavor will be different (some say maybe not as good), but use what you have in your fridge. We always have both, so it doesn't matter to us.
We usually have shrimp in our freezer too (I love Shrimp Scampi!), but if you don't have shrimp, don't go buy it just for this dish. It's expensive! Use chicken. Melanie made hers with chicken and it was delicious! I don't know which one I prefer more, but the chicken will probably be what we make in the future because it's less expensive. If you use chicken, though, a little more preparation will have to go into making it because you'll have to do that before you even start on the noodles.
I did not use peanuts because I didn't have any. I always have cashews on hand because of we love Cashew Chicken. So I used those instead. I'm not sure it made a huge difference. We had peanuts at Melanie's house, but both were good.
I didn't know what bean sprouts were as apposed to alfalfa sprouts. Bean sprouts are bigger. Before you use them, be sure to was them carefully. Who knows where they've been?! I rinse them in cool water until they're no longer slimy. I did not measure them (what a nightmare!). I just took too handfuls and called it good.
And lastly, I thought the dish looked a little bland until I put on the cilantro. I did not sprinkle it on top before I served it because Tyler doesn't love cilantro, so I knew he'd ask me to leave it off if it wasn't mixed it. And I think it added to the flavor of the dish because I let it cook for another minute or so after adding the cilantro.
This is a great and EASY dish. I know all my instructions make it look hard, but it really isn't. It just takes a little effort because you have to chop cilantro and onions and garlic. But once you get all the ingredients together, it literally takes 5 minutes to cook.
Wednesday, May 6, 2009
Horchata
1 cup uncooked white long-grain rice
5 cups water
1/2 cup milk
1/2 tablespoon vanilla extract
1/2 tablespoon ground cinnamon
2/3 cup white sugar
Pour the rice and water into the bowl of a blender; blend until the rice just begins to break up, about 1 minute. Let rice and water stand at room temperature for a minimum of 3 hours.
Strain the rice water into a pitcher and discard the rice. Stir the milk, vanilla, cinnamon, and sugar into the rice water. Chill and stir before serving over ice.
I LOVE horchata! (Pronounced or-CHA-ta) It's a Mexican rice drink, and it tastes like rice pudding. I don't love rice pudding...in fact I hate rice pudding. But I love horchata. This is a very easy drink, and very festive (sorry I'm late on the Cinco de Mayo post).
Changes to the recipe: cinnamon. That is a LOT of cinnamon! I had to add another half a cup of milk and a few tablespoons of sugar to cut through the cinnamon, and it still didn't work. I even scraped off the excess cinnamon floating on the top. So I'd cut it down to about a teaspoon. Ground cinnamon will float to the top or sink to the bottom. That's the nature of the beast. So if you'd like, you can soak 2 cinnamon sticks in the rice water for three hours, and that should give you a nice flavor. Or you can just use the ground cinnamon and stir your drink before serving.
I love horchata. Who needs Bajio's when you can make horchata at home? Now if I could only figure out how to make their lime chicken... Pin It
5 cups water
1/2 cup milk
1/2 tablespoon vanilla extract
1/2 tablespoon ground cinnamon
2/3 cup white sugar
Pour the rice and water into the bowl of a blender; blend until the rice just begins to break up, about 1 minute. Let rice and water stand at room temperature for a minimum of 3 hours.
Strain the rice water into a pitcher and discard the rice. Stir the milk, vanilla, cinnamon, and sugar into the rice water. Chill and stir before serving over ice.
I LOVE horchata! (Pronounced or-CHA-ta) It's a Mexican rice drink, and it tastes like rice pudding. I don't love rice pudding...in fact I hate rice pudding. But I love horchata. This is a very easy drink, and very festive (sorry I'm late on the Cinco de Mayo post).
Changes to the recipe: cinnamon. That is a LOT of cinnamon! I had to add another half a cup of milk and a few tablespoons of sugar to cut through the cinnamon, and it still didn't work. I even scraped off the excess cinnamon floating on the top. So I'd cut it down to about a teaspoon. Ground cinnamon will float to the top or sink to the bottom. That's the nature of the beast. So if you'd like, you can soak 2 cinnamon sticks in the rice water for three hours, and that should give you a nice flavor. Or you can just use the ground cinnamon and stir your drink before serving.
I love horchata. Who needs Bajio's when you can make horchata at home? Now if I could only figure out how to make their lime chicken... Pin It
Sunday, April 19, 2009
Hillary's Carmel Sauce
3/4 cup sugar
1/2 cup buttermilk (1/2 cup regular milk with a dash of vinegar)
1/2 cup butter
1 tsp baking soda
vanilla to taste - about 1 1/2 tsp
Melt butter, add buttermilk. Mix in sugar and vanilla. Add the baking soda. The sauce will rise, cook in a tall pan.
This sauce is more like syrup. It's divine on french toast, pancakes, ice cream...pretty much anything. Like I said, it's more like syrup than sauce.
When I was in Ecuador, I'd make myself french toast and carmel sauce every morning after a Noc shift (Noc was the night shift, so we'd go at night and leave when the next group of volunteers got there in the morning).
It's called Hillary's Carmel Sauce because Hillary was one of the project managers, and she introduced us to this recipe. I have since come across it in other cookbooks, but to me it'll always be Hillary's recipe. Pin It
1/2 cup buttermilk (1/2 cup regular milk with a dash of vinegar)
1/2 cup butter
1 tsp baking soda
vanilla to taste - about 1 1/2 tsp
Melt butter, add buttermilk. Mix in sugar and vanilla. Add the baking soda. The sauce will rise, cook in a tall pan.
This sauce is more like syrup. It's divine on french toast, pancakes, ice cream...pretty much anything. Like I said, it's more like syrup than sauce.
When I was in Ecuador, I'd make myself french toast and carmel sauce every morning after a Noc shift (Noc was the night shift, so we'd go at night and leave when the next group of volunteers got there in the morning).
It's called Hillary's Carmel Sauce because Hillary was one of the project managers, and she introduced us to this recipe. I have since come across it in other cookbooks, but to me it'll always be Hillary's recipe. Pin It
Mustard Sauce
Mix in saucepan:
1/2 cup sugar
5 tsp dry mustard (powder)
1 tsp salt
1 tsp cornstarch
Add:
2 beaten eggs
1/2 cup milk
1/4 cup vinegar
Mix over medium heat. Add:
2 TBSP butter
Cook over medium heat for fifteen minutes. Yields 1 1/2 cups.
We put this mustard sauce over ham. I would literally make a ham JUST so I can have mustard sauce. When I visited my parents over Christmas and we had ham, I had to phone my mother-in-law to get the recipe just so I had mustard sauce to go with my ham. If you find something else to eat mustard sauce with, please be sure to let me know! Pin It
1/2 cup sugar
5 tsp dry mustard (powder)
1 tsp salt
1 tsp cornstarch
Add:
2 beaten eggs
1/2 cup milk
1/4 cup vinegar
Mix over medium heat. Add:
2 TBSP butter
Cook over medium heat for fifteen minutes. Yields 1 1/2 cups.
We put this mustard sauce over ham. I would literally make a ham JUST so I can have mustard sauce. When I visited my parents over Christmas and we had ham, I had to phone my mother-in-law to get the recipe just so I had mustard sauce to go with my ham. If you find something else to eat mustard sauce with, please be sure to let me know! Pin It
Wednesday, April 8, 2009
Yummy Rolls
Mix together: 1 cup margarine - melted
2 cups water
2/3 cup sugar
2 eggs
Add & Mix: 2 TBSP yeast - then let it sit until it bubbles up (around 7 - 10 minutes) See picture:
Mix, add, and mix again: 1 tsp baking powder
Mix in gradually: 6 1/2 cups flour
Let rise until dough doubles (about an hour). Divide dough into thirds, or if you want smaller rolls you can do fourths. Roll out into a circle. Cut into 12 equal triangles. Start at the top and roll as tight as you can. Put on a pan, about three rows of six rolls. Let rise for a little bit but not too much. About 15 minutes. Bake for 12 minutes at 400 degrees F or until golden brown.
Rolls are soft and fluffy, not flaky like a croissant.
Fun Varieties: Still bake for 12 minutes at 400 degrees F or until golden brown.
Almond Rolls: (note by Deborah: This is the only way I make these rolls. They are to die for. You will crave them for days afterwards.) Mix together 3/4 cup sugar, 1/3 cup rolled oats, 1 1/2 teaspoons almond extract.
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2 cups water
2/3 cup sugar
2 eggs
Add & Mix: 2 TBSP yeast - then let it sit until it bubbles up (around 7 - 10 minutes) See picture:
Mix, add, and mix again: 1 tsp baking powder
Mix in gradually: 6 1/2 cups flour
Let rise until dough doubles (about an hour). Divide dough into thirds, or if you want smaller rolls you can do fourths. Roll out into a circle. Cut into 12 equal triangles. Start at the top and roll as tight as you can. Put on a pan, about three rows of six rolls. Let rise for a little bit but not too much. About 15 minutes. Bake for 12 minutes at 400 degrees F or until golden brown.
Rolls are soft and fluffy, not flaky like a croissant.
Fun Varieties: Still bake for 12 minutes at 400 degrees F or until golden brown.
Almond Rolls: (note by Deborah: This is the only way I make these rolls. They are to die for. You will crave them for days afterwards.) Mix together 3/4 cup sugar, 1/3 cup rolled oats, 1 1/2 teaspoons almond extract.
Roll out the dough into a rectangle.
Spread about 4 TBSP of melted butter on dough (note from D: I don't bother with melted butter. It's too messy to me. I just spread regular butter and it melts in the oven.)
Then sprinkle with mixture.
Follow directions from original recipe. Cut into triangles. Starting from fat end, roll tightly.
Put on a pan (note from D: I've never sprayed the pan for fear of making the rolls soggy on the bottom, but I think you probably could) and let rise for 30 - 40 minutes. (Note from D: Yeah right! As soon as I get those puppies on the pan they go in the oven! They'd probably be bigger and fluffier if I let them rise, but I can't wait that long.)
You can sprinkle a little sugar, or the mixture, on top to give it a little extra something. Or you can frost it while the rolls are still hot.
Eat these with dinner, for breakfast, or as a snack. Eat them, and you'll always want more. Mmmmmm.
Cinnamon rolls: Instead of using almond roll mixture, put butter and then sprinkle whatever toppings you want inside: brown sugar, cinnamon sugar, nuts, raisins, craisins, coconut. Let rise for 30 - 40 minutes. Bake and frost while hot.
Chicken roll-ups: Mix together 4 oz softened cream cheese, 2 cups cooked and cubed turkey or chicken, 1 can of mushrooms drained and diced, and chopped onions. Roll out half the dough into a rectangle, cut so that the pieces are in smaller rectangles (about a dozen of them). Put some of the mixture onto the dough, fold over and pinch the edges. These don't have to rise. After they are done baking, serve with a hot gravy made from cream of chicken soup and milk.
This dough can also be used for scones or pizza dough (just roll out onto sprinkled dry corn meal).
Spread about 4 TBSP of melted butter on dough (note from D: I don't bother with melted butter. It's too messy to me. I just spread regular butter and it melts in the oven.)
Then sprinkle with mixture.
Follow directions from original recipe. Cut into triangles. Starting from fat end, roll tightly.
Put on a pan (note from D: I've never sprayed the pan for fear of making the rolls soggy on the bottom, but I think you probably could) and let rise for 30 - 40 minutes. (Note from D: Yeah right! As soon as I get those puppies on the pan they go in the oven! They'd probably be bigger and fluffier if I let them rise, but I can't wait that long.)
You can sprinkle a little sugar, or the mixture, on top to give it a little extra something. Or you can frost it while the rolls are still hot.
Eat these with dinner, for breakfast, or as a snack. Eat them, and you'll always want more. Mmmmmm.
Cinnamon rolls: Instead of using almond roll mixture, put butter and then sprinkle whatever toppings you want inside: brown sugar, cinnamon sugar, nuts, raisins, craisins, coconut. Let rise for 30 - 40 minutes. Bake and frost while hot.
Chicken roll-ups: Mix together 4 oz softened cream cheese, 2 cups cooked and cubed turkey or chicken, 1 can of mushrooms drained and diced, and chopped onions. Roll out half the dough into a rectangle, cut so that the pieces are in smaller rectangles (about a dozen of them). Put some of the mixture onto the dough, fold over and pinch the edges. These don't have to rise. After they are done baking, serve with a hot gravy made from cream of chicken soup and milk.
This dough can also be used for scones or pizza dough (just roll out onto sprinkled dry corn meal).
Mom's Five Chip Cookies
1 cup Crisco shortening or butter
2 eggs
2 1/4 c flour
1 tsp salt
1 tsp baking soda
3/4 c brown sugar
3/4 c white sugar
1 1/2 tsp vanilla
chips: butterscotch, milk chocolate, semi sweet chocolate, white chocolate, mini kisses or peanut butter or swirls or vanilla.
Beat together shortening and eggs. Add flour, salt and banking soda and mix. Add sugars and vanilla and mix. Stir in chips. Bake at 375 degrees for 8 - 10 minutes.
These cookies are absolutely a favorite in our house! My mom sent them to me while I was in Ecuador. Every time we go on a family trip Tyler says, "Are you going to make your mom's cookies?" I think there would be mutiny if I ever tried to make a different kind.
If you notice, there are no measurements for the chips. That's because I don't know how much is supposed to go in. I usually just pour in a bit of all the chips until it looks like there are enough. Maybe a fourth to a half a cup of each. And I usually just use whatever I have in my freezer for variety. That means my cookies are usually four chip: milk, semi-sweet, and white chocolate and butterscotch. Yes, I always have those kinds of chips on hand because Tyler loves cookies, and he loves these cookies.
The recipe says to bake for 8 - 10 minutes. I pull them out right at 8 minutes because I've found that even at 9 minutes they flatten out and turn crispy. So if you like flat, crispy cookies (and some people do!) then you can let them go for a little longer.
Enjoy! Pin It
2 eggs
2 1/4 c flour
1 tsp salt
1 tsp baking soda
3/4 c brown sugar
3/4 c white sugar
1 1/2 tsp vanilla
chips: butterscotch, milk chocolate, semi sweet chocolate, white chocolate, mini kisses or peanut butter or swirls or vanilla.
Beat together shortening and eggs. Add flour, salt and banking soda and mix. Add sugars and vanilla and mix. Stir in chips. Bake at 375 degrees for 8 - 10 minutes.
These cookies are absolutely a favorite in our house! My mom sent them to me while I was in Ecuador. Every time we go on a family trip Tyler says, "Are you going to make your mom's cookies?" I think there would be mutiny if I ever tried to make a different kind.
If you notice, there are no measurements for the chips. That's because I don't know how much is supposed to go in. I usually just pour in a bit of all the chips until it looks like there are enough. Maybe a fourth to a half a cup of each. And I usually just use whatever I have in my freezer for variety. That means my cookies are usually four chip: milk, semi-sweet, and white chocolate and butterscotch. Yes, I always have those kinds of chips on hand because Tyler loves cookies, and he loves these cookies.
The recipe says to bake for 8 - 10 minutes. I pull them out right at 8 minutes because I've found that even at 9 minutes they flatten out and turn crispy. So if you like flat, crispy cookies (and some people do!) then you can let them go for a little longer.
Enjoy! Pin It
Thursday, March 12, 2009
Q-tip: Spaghetti
Spaghetti is boring. The same old same old. Right?
*shrug* Depends on who you ask. If you're askin' me, no. It's not boring. But that's probably because We don't just eat warmed spaghetti sauce from a jar on top of noodles.
Spaghetti is a very versatile thing. Add meat and the whole thing changes. Ground beef is a normal choice for sure. We usually brown a pound of hamburger, then I save half of it and freeze it for future spaghetti uses. Or try making it with meatballs instead of just browning ground beef. That'd be a treat.
Bored with beef? Try ground pork. Tyler LOVES spaghetti with ground pork. My mom used to make it with sausage. That's a favorite of mine. Or try chicken.
Chicken? Yes. chicken.
So you've tried all the meat options and decide you love it with beef, but it's still boring. What now? Try changing the pasta. There's an idea. Eat spaghetti with angel hair, bow tie, elbow macaroni, penne, or rotini (the swirly pastas). They all taste pretty much the same but you'd be surprised how much of a difference it will make.
So you decide you like the chicken and the rotini the best. What now?
Here is my new favorite idea. Add a jar of Alfredo sauce to your spaghetti sauce. Yes, Alfredo. My sister, Maura, does this all the time and calls it tomato cream sauce. I just ate it tonight for the first time and loved it. Tyler loved it too. He even went back for seconds. It's easy, it's delicious, it's new. What more could you ask for?
Let's say you make regular spaghetti and beef, but you make too much. Dreading leftovers? Don't. Butter fry your left over spaghetti and it will taste better the second night than it did the first. Just melt some butter - a lot of butter - in a skillet and dump in your leftovers. Heat until warm and the noodles have turned orange. Oooooohhh, it's so delicious.
So. Now you have some ideas for ways to dress up your spaghetti.
Enjoy! Pin It
*shrug* Depends on who you ask. If you're askin' me, no. It's not boring. But that's probably because We don't just eat warmed spaghetti sauce from a jar on top of noodles.
Spaghetti is a very versatile thing. Add meat and the whole thing changes. Ground beef is a normal choice for sure. We usually brown a pound of hamburger, then I save half of it and freeze it for future spaghetti uses. Or try making it with meatballs instead of just browning ground beef. That'd be a treat.
Bored with beef? Try ground pork. Tyler LOVES spaghetti with ground pork. My mom used to make it with sausage. That's a favorite of mine. Or try chicken.
Chicken? Yes. chicken.
So you've tried all the meat options and decide you love it with beef, but it's still boring. What now? Try changing the pasta. There's an idea. Eat spaghetti with angel hair, bow tie, elbow macaroni, penne, or rotini (the swirly pastas). They all taste pretty much the same but you'd be surprised how much of a difference it will make.
So you decide you like the chicken and the rotini the best. What now?
Here is my new favorite idea. Add a jar of Alfredo sauce to your spaghetti sauce. Yes, Alfredo. My sister, Maura, does this all the time and calls it tomato cream sauce. I just ate it tonight for the first time and loved it. Tyler loved it too. He even went back for seconds. It's easy, it's delicious, it's new. What more could you ask for?
Let's say you make regular spaghetti and beef, but you make too much. Dreading leftovers? Don't. Butter fry your left over spaghetti and it will taste better the second night than it did the first. Just melt some butter - a lot of butter - in a skillet and dump in your leftovers. Heat until warm and the noodles have turned orange. Oooooohhh, it's so delicious.
So. Now you have some ideas for ways to dress up your spaghetti.
Enjoy! Pin It
Tuesday, February 24, 2009
Dangerous Chocolate Cake
4 tablespoons flour
4 tablespoons sugar
2 tablespoons cocoa
1 egg
3 tablespoons milk
3 tablespoons oil
3 tablespoons chocolate chips, optionals
mall splash of vanilla extract
1 large coffee mug
Add dry ingredients to mug, and mix well. Add the egg and mix thoroughly. Pour in the milk and oil and mix well. Add the chocolate chips (if using) and vanilla extract, and mix again. Put your mug in the microwave and cook for 3 minutes at 1000 watts (high).
The cake will rise over the top of the mug, but don't be alarmed! Allow to cool a little, and tip out onto a plate if desired. EAT! (This can serve 2 if you want to feel slightly more virtuous). 
Because now we are all only 5 minutes away from chocolate cake at any time - day or night!
I'm eating this right now. I'm surprised to discover that's it's light and fluffy. I expected it to be dense and rich. It's pleasant and I don't feel all that bad about eating it all because it's so light.
Pin It
4 tablespoons sugar
2 tablespoons cocoa
1 egg
3 tablespoons milk
3 tablespoons oil
3 tablespoons chocolate chips, optionals
mall splash of vanilla extract
1 large coffee mug
Add dry ingredients to mug, and mix well. Add the egg and mix thoroughly. Pour in the milk and oil and mix well. Add the chocolate chips (if using) and vanilla extract, and mix again. Put your mug in the microwave and cook for 3 minutes at 1000 watts (high).
The cake will rise over the top of the mug, but don't be alarmed! Allow to cool a little, and tip out onto a plate if desired. EAT! (This can serve 2 if you want to feel slightly more virtuous).
And why is this the most dangerous cake recipe in the world?
Because now we are all only 5 minutes away from chocolate cake at any time - day or night!
I'm eating this right now. I'm surprised to discover that's it's light and fluffy. I expected it to be dense and rich. It's pleasant and I don't feel all that bad about eating it all because it's so light.
It may look gross, but trust me, it's delicious. I topped mine with a little chocolate syrup. Next time I'm going to put some cherries on top. Mmmm.
Sweet and Sour Chicken
chicken breasts, sliced into 2"strips
cornstarch
1 dash salt
oil
egg
1/2 cup chicken broth
3/4 cup sugar
1/4 cup ketchup
3/8 cup vinegar
1 TBSP soy sauce
Dip chicken in beaten egg, then coat in cornstarch. Fry in oil until brown on edges. Place in pan. Combine remaining ingredients in a sauce pan to make sauce and bring to boil. Pour over the top of the chicken and bake at 325 degrees for 30 minutes. Baste while baking.
I won't lie, this recipe is deceiving in it's easiness. The first part is kind of hard and very messy. It uses a LOT of cornstarch, so to cut it back a little, try mixing in a bit of flour. The consistency will change just a bit, but not too much.
I usually double the sauce (as usual) and make plenty for leftovers. This is such an amazing dinner! I promise, you'll never go to Fong's again...or whatever cheapo Chinese food place you frequent. This is a hundred times better.
Serve with Fried Rice. Pin It
cornstarch
1 dash salt
oil
egg
1/2 cup chicken broth
3/4 cup sugar
1/4 cup ketchup
3/8 cup vinegar
1 TBSP soy sauce
Dip chicken in beaten egg, then coat in cornstarch. Fry in oil until brown on edges. Place in pan. Combine remaining ingredients in a sauce pan to make sauce and bring to boil. Pour over the top of the chicken and bake at 325 degrees for 30 minutes. Baste while baking.
I won't lie, this recipe is deceiving in it's easiness. The first part is kind of hard and very messy. It uses a LOT of cornstarch, so to cut it back a little, try mixing in a bit of flour. The consistency will change just a bit, but not too much.
I usually double the sauce (as usual) and make plenty for leftovers. This is such an amazing dinner! I promise, you'll never go to Fong's again...or whatever cheapo Chinese food place you frequent. This is a hundred times better.
Serve with Fried Rice. Pin It
Fried Rice
1/4 cup oil
2 eggs, well beaten
1 - 2 cups chopped ham
3 cups cold, cooked rice
1/2 cup chopped green onion
1/2 tsp salt
dash of pepper
2 TBSP soy sauce
Scramble eggs in oil. Add meat, saute for 3 minutes. Add the remaining ingredients. Cook, occasionally stirring, until warm. Serve with your favorite main dish, like Sweet and Sour Chicken or Teriyaki Meatballs.
We generally follow this recipe as is. Why mess with perfection? We do not use real ham because that's too expensive. We use the fake ham ("meat" that's molded, dyed and flavored to look and taste like ham) and it's a lot cheaper.
Occasionally we won't have green onion and we'll use a yellow onion instead. The flavor isn't as good, but it still works just fine.
Usually we double this recipe so that we have plenty of leftovers. Pin It
2 eggs, well beaten
1 - 2 cups chopped ham
3 cups cold, cooked rice
1/2 cup chopped green onion
1/2 tsp salt
dash of pepper
2 TBSP soy sauce
Scramble eggs in oil. Add meat, saute for 3 minutes. Add the remaining ingredients. Cook, occasionally stirring, until warm. Serve with your favorite main dish, like Sweet and Sour Chicken or Teriyaki Meatballs.
We generally follow this recipe as is. Why mess with perfection? We do not use real ham because that's too expensive. We use the fake ham ("meat" that's molded, dyed and flavored to look and taste like ham) and it's a lot cheaper.
Occasionally we won't have green onion and we'll use a yellow onion instead. The flavor isn't as good, but it still works just fine.
Usually we double this recipe so that we have plenty of leftovers. Pin It
Q-tip: Meatballs
Meatballs are awesome. I love meatballs. You can put them in spaghetti, serve them over rice, make a bunch of them at once and freeze them...the possibilities are endless! And don't get me started on flavors.
The thing I've found with meatballs is that it's the sauce that really makes the dish. I have a generic recipe for meatballs and I switch it up depending on the sauce.
I always use seasoned bread crumbs, egg, milk, garlic powder, onion powder, and dehydrated onions. Sometimes I add some wheat germ or corn meal for extra folic acid or something. Occasionally I put rice in them, though I don't have a ton of luck with that.
The biggest trick with meatballs and making them healthy is this: bake them instead of fry them. My mom always baked her meatballs, so it was weird to me to see a recipe that called to fry the meatballs. That's just crazy talk! Bake them for less oil, less grease, and better chances of having your meatball cooked thoroughly. Also, make them smaller so they'll cook faster.
Cheers! Pin It
The thing I've found with meatballs is that it's the sauce that really makes the dish. I have a generic recipe for meatballs and I switch it up depending on the sauce.
I always use seasoned bread crumbs, egg, milk, garlic powder, onion powder, and dehydrated onions. Sometimes I add some wheat germ or corn meal for extra folic acid or something. Occasionally I put rice in them, though I don't have a ton of luck with that.
The biggest trick with meatballs and making them healthy is this: bake them instead of fry them. My mom always baked her meatballs, so it was weird to me to see a recipe that called to fry the meatballs. That's just crazy talk! Bake them for less oil, less grease, and better chances of having your meatball cooked thoroughly. Also, make them smaller so they'll cook faster.
Cheers! Pin It
Teriyaki Meatballs
3 lbs ground beef
3 cups quick oats
3 eggs, beaten
1/4 large onion, chopped fine
1/4 cup oil
1 cup ketchup
1/3 cup vinegar
1/2 tsp dry mustard
1/2 tsp garlic salt
1 cup brown sugar
a/4 tsp pepper
1/4 cup Worcestershire sauce
1 TB flour
Combine onion and oil in fry pan. Cook onions. Combine ketchup, vinegar, mustard, garlic salt, brown sugar, pepper, Worcestershire sauce and flour in saucepan. Mix together with onions and simmer for 1 hour. While sauce is simmering, make meatballs: mix ground beef, eggs and oats.
*D: That's the recipe. Here's how I do it:
I disregard the recipe. Honestly. I make meatballs the way I make them: ground beef (one pound for the two of us, but I'd use three pounds if you've got more than four people eating), an egg per pound, seasoned bread crumbs, garlic powder, dehydrated onion, pepper, Mrs. Dash, and Worcestershire. I mix it up, form the meatballs, put them in a glass baking dish, pour the sauce over the top and bake at 350 - 400 degrees for about a half hour.
The sauce I do NOT simmer for an hour. No thanks. I mix the ketchup, vinegar, brown sugar and Worcestershire sauce and heat until mixed (about 5 - 10 minutes). The dry mustard gives it a little more of a kick, so I don't always add it. I do not add the flour or garlic salt. I just don't.
Serve these bad boys over rice or pasta or with steamed potatoes and corn. Mmmm. Pin It
3 cups quick oats
3 eggs, beaten
1/4 large onion, chopped fine
1/4 cup oil
1 cup ketchup
1/3 cup vinegar
1/2 tsp dry mustard
1/2 tsp garlic salt
1 cup brown sugar
a/4 tsp pepper
1/4 cup Worcestershire sauce
1 TB flour
Combine onion and oil in fry pan. Cook onions. Combine ketchup, vinegar, mustard, garlic salt, brown sugar, pepper, Worcestershire sauce and flour in saucepan. Mix together with onions and simmer for 1 hour. While sauce is simmering, make meatballs: mix ground beef, eggs and oats.
*D: That's the recipe. Here's how I do it:
I disregard the recipe. Honestly. I make meatballs the way I make them: ground beef (one pound for the two of us, but I'd use three pounds if you've got more than four people eating), an egg per pound, seasoned bread crumbs, garlic powder, dehydrated onion, pepper, Mrs. Dash, and Worcestershire. I mix it up, form the meatballs, put them in a glass baking dish, pour the sauce over the top and bake at 350 - 400 degrees for about a half hour.
The sauce I do NOT simmer for an hour. No thanks. I mix the ketchup, vinegar, brown sugar and Worcestershire sauce and heat until mixed (about 5 - 10 minutes). The dry mustard gives it a little more of a kick, so I don't always add it. I do not add the flour or garlic salt. I just don't.
Serve these bad boys over rice or pasta or with steamed potatoes and corn. Mmmm. Pin It
Sunday, February 15, 2009
New York Cheesecake
15 graham crackers (1/2 grahams, so 7 1/2 whole crackers)
2 TBSP butter, melted
4 packages of cream cheese, 8 oz each
1 1/2 c sugar
3/4 c milk
4 eggs
1 c sour cream
1 TBSP vanilla extract
1/4 c flour
Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Grease 9" springform pan. This is a springform pan:
There's a glass, or metal, disc in the bottom or the pan and then the latch is released, the disc is removable.
Put the graham crackers in large plastic bag and crush them. I use a rolling pin and it works marvelously. In a medium bowl, mix the graham cracker crumbs and butter together. The mixture will be that of moist crumbs. It will not be wet, and it won't even clump together.
2 TBSP butter, melted
4 packages of cream cheese, 8 oz each
1 1/2 c sugar
3/4 c milk
4 eggs
1 c sour cream
1 TBSP vanilla extract
1/4 c flour
Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Grease 9" springform pan. This is a springform pan:
There's a glass, or metal, disc in the bottom or the pan and then the latch is released, the disc is removable.
Put the graham crackers in large plastic bag and crush them. I use a rolling pin and it works marvelously. In a medium bowl, mix the graham cracker crumbs and butter together. The mixture will be that of moist crumbs. It will not be wet, and it won't even clump together. Press the crumbs into the bottom of the greased pan. Press them slightly higher along the edges to create a very shallow lip.
In a large bowl mix cream cheese and sugar until smooth. Blend in milk and then mix in eggs one at a time; just enough to incorporate them. Mix in sour cream, vanilla and flour until smooth.
Pour filling into prepared crust. As you can see, it's very near the top. Yes, it does rise. I have never had it over flow, but I'm not willing to risk it. I put a cookie sheet under the cheesecake just in case.
Here you can see the cake has risen out of the pan.
Once it cools, it will condense again. It is important to read the instructions. But it's even more important to follow them. Leave the door closed on the oven, otherwise this will happen:
I wasn't too worried because it all tastes the same. But your cake will not crack if you leave the oven door closed. I promise.
It still looks good anyway, if I do say so myself.
Next you just need to slice it up and "doctor" it (as my in-laws say) to perfection. My drug of choice? Cherry pie filling and chocolate sauce.
Mmmm.
Tell me your mouth isn't watering right now...
Aren't you impressed? If you make this for company or your spouse or your in-laws, they will be impressed too.
And trust me, it tasted as good as it looked.
Pin It
In a large bowl mix cream cheese and sugar until smooth. Blend in milk and then mix in eggs one at a time; just enough to incorporate them. Mix in sour cream, vanilla and flour until smooth.
Pour filling into prepared crust. As you can see, it's very near the top. Yes, it does rise. I have never had it over flow, but I'm not willing to risk it. I put a cookie sheet under the cheesecake just in case.
Bake in preheated oven for 1 hour. Turn oven off and let the cake cool in oven with the door closed for 5 - 6 hours. This prevents cracking.
Chill in refrigerator until serving.
Here you can see the cake has risen out of the pan.
Once it cools, it will condense again. It is important to read the instructions. But it's even more important to follow them. Leave the door closed on the oven, otherwise this will happen:
I wasn't too worried because it all tastes the same. But your cake will not crack if you leave the oven door closed. I promise.
It still looks good anyway, if I do say so myself.
Next you just need to slice it up and "doctor" it (as my in-laws say) to perfection. My drug of choice? Cherry pie filling and chocolate sauce.
Mmmm.
Tell me your mouth isn't watering right now...
Aren't you impressed? If you make this for company or your spouse or your in-laws, they will be impressed too.
And trust me, it tasted as good as it looked.
Sunday, February 1, 2009
Turtle Cookies
2 eggs
1 cup flour
3 TBSP cocoa
1 stick butter, melted
3/4 cup sugar
1 tsp vanilla
Mix ingredients and spoon into waffle iron. Cook until done. Sprinkle with powdered sugar and serve.
This is such a fun, delicious treat. They're so stinkin' easy to make (you don't even have to preheat the oven!) and boy are they good. They use and entire stick of butter...they have to be good! A word of caution: don't fill the waffle iron with dough like you would if you were making waffles. You just get giant chocolate waffles. Spoon a little amount in and you get fun "turtle" shaped cookies. Pin It
1 cup flour
3 TBSP cocoa
1 stick butter, melted
3/4 cup sugar
1 tsp vanilla
Mix ingredients and spoon into waffle iron. Cook until done. Sprinkle with powdered sugar and serve.
This is such a fun, delicious treat. They're so stinkin' easy to make (you don't even have to preheat the oven!) and boy are they good. They use and entire stick of butter...they have to be good! A word of caution: don't fill the waffle iron with dough like you would if you were making waffles. You just get giant chocolate waffles. Spoon a little amount in and you get fun "turtle" shaped cookies. Pin It
Sunday, December 14, 2008
Coconut Rice
I got this recipe from maresfoodandfun.blogspot.com (adapted from Natalie Heath)
1 cup jasmine rice
2 cups coconut milk
1/3 -1/2 cup sugar
¾ cup milk
First rinse the jasmine rice with cold water until your water is clear and not white. Put the rinsed rice in a medium pan and combine with sugar, milk, and coconut milk. Bring to a boil and then turn to low. Cover and cook for about 25-35 minutes. Stir rice and milk every 5-10 minutes. Rice is done when milk is absorbed and rice is tender. Remove from heat and let cool. Serve warm. Serve with Island Pork Tenderloin.
It is important to use the jasmine rice and coconut milk. It won't taste the same if you just use regular rice and only regular milk. My mom and I love a dish that is this rice topped with mango. Mmmm!! SO good. We also loved it with the Island Pork. Pin It
1 cup jasmine rice
2 cups coconut milk
1/3 -1/2 cup sugar
¾ cup milk
First rinse the jasmine rice with cold water until your water is clear and not white. Put the rinsed rice in a medium pan and combine with sugar, milk, and coconut milk. Bring to a boil and then turn to low. Cover and cook for about 25-35 minutes. Stir rice and milk every 5-10 minutes. Rice is done when milk is absorbed and rice is tender. Remove from heat and let cool. Serve warm. Serve with Island Pork Tenderloin.
It is important to use the jasmine rice and coconut milk. It won't taste the same if you just use regular rice and only regular milk. My mom and I love a dish that is this rice topped with mango. Mmmm!! SO good. We also loved it with the Island Pork. Pin It
Island Pork Tenderloin
I got this recipe from maresfoodandfun.blogspot.com (adapted from Epicurious.com)
2 tsp salt
1/2 tsp black pepper
1 tsp ground cumin
1 tsp chili powder
1 tsp cinnamon
2 pork tenderloins (2 1/4 to 2 1/2 LB total)
2 TBS olive oil
1 cup packed dark brown sugar I used light brown sugar
2 TBS finely chopped garlic
1 TBS Tabasco
Preheat oven to 350°F. Stir together salt, pepper, cumin, chili powder, and cinnamon, then coat pork with spice rub. Heat oil in an ovenproof 12-inch heavy skillet over moderately high heat until just beginning to smoke, then brown pork, turning, about 4 minutes total. Leave pork in skillet. Stir together brown sugar, garlic, and Tabasco and pat onto top of each tenderloin. Roast in middle of oven until thermometer inserted diagonally in center of each tenderloin registers 140°F, about 30 minutes. Let pork stand in skillet at room temperature 10 minutes. (Temperature will rise to about 155°F while standing.)Serve warm or cold with coconut rice.
I followed these directions except that I used a pork roast rather than tenderloin and my meat took longer to cook. So I ended up having to cut the pork into slices and continue to cook it so that it would cook faster. It turned out pretty good though because then the sauce covered all the surfaces of the meat rather than just the edges.
Mmmmmmm!!!!!! Pin It
2 tsp salt
1/2 tsp black pepper
1 tsp ground cumin
1 tsp chili powder
1 tsp cinnamon
2 pork tenderloins (2 1/4 to 2 1/2 LB total)
2 TBS olive oil
1 cup packed dark brown sugar I used light brown sugar
2 TBS finely chopped garlic
1 TBS Tabasco
Preheat oven to 350°F. Stir together salt, pepper, cumin, chili powder, and cinnamon, then coat pork with spice rub. Heat oil in an ovenproof 12-inch heavy skillet over moderately high heat until just beginning to smoke, then brown pork, turning, about 4 minutes total. Leave pork in skillet. Stir together brown sugar, garlic, and Tabasco and pat onto top of each tenderloin. Roast in middle of oven until thermometer inserted diagonally in center of each tenderloin registers 140°F, about 30 minutes. Let pork stand in skillet at room temperature 10 minutes. (Temperature will rise to about 155°F while standing.)Serve warm or cold with coconut rice.
I followed these directions except that I used a pork roast rather than tenderloin and my meat took longer to cook. So I ended up having to cut the pork into slices and continue to cook it so that it would cook faster. It turned out pretty good though because then the sauce covered all the surfaces of the meat rather than just the edges.
Mmmmmmm!!!!!! Pin It
Toffee Butter Crunch
1 cup butter
1 cup sugar
3 tablespoons water
1 tablespoon light corn syrup
1 cup semisweet chocolate pieces
1/2 cup finely shopped pecans or almonds
1. Line a 15x10x1-inch baking pan with foil, extending foil over edges of pan; set pan aside.
2. Butter sides of a 2-quart heavy saucepan. In saucepan melt butter; add sugar, water and corn syrup. Cook and stir over medium-high heat until mixture boils. Clip a candy thermometer to side of pan. Reduce heat to medium;; continue boiling at a moderate, steady rate, stirring frequently until thermometer registers 290 degrees F, soft crack stage. Watch carefully after 280 degrees F to prevent scorching. Remove saucepan from heat; remove thermometer. Pour candy into the prepared pan, spreading quickly.
3. Let candy stand about 2 minutes or until set; sprinkle with chocolate pieces. Let stand 1 to 2 minutes. When chocolate has softened, spread over candy. Sprinkle with nuts. Chill about 20 minutes or until firm. When firm, use foil to lift it out of pan; break into pieces. Store tightly covered in the refrigerator for up to 3 weeks.
I followed this to a t and it still scorched a little. However, instead of chocolate chips, I took a Hershey's bar and broke it up, sprinkling the squares across the toffee. It worked too. The heated toffee melts the chocolate. Don't be afraid to spread it. By that point the toffee will be firm enough that you won't be misshaping it.
Enjoy! Pin It
1 cup sugar
3 tablespoons water
1 tablespoon light corn syrup
1 cup semisweet chocolate pieces
1/2 cup finely shopped pecans or almonds
1. Line a 15x10x1-inch baking pan with foil, extending foil over edges of pan; set pan aside.
2. Butter sides of a 2-quart heavy saucepan. In saucepan melt butter; add sugar, water and corn syrup. Cook and stir over medium-high heat until mixture boils. Clip a candy thermometer to side of pan. Reduce heat to medium;; continue boiling at a moderate, steady rate, stirring frequently until thermometer registers 290 degrees F, soft crack stage. Watch carefully after 280 degrees F to prevent scorching. Remove saucepan from heat; remove thermometer. Pour candy into the prepared pan, spreading quickly.
3. Let candy stand about 2 minutes or until set; sprinkle with chocolate pieces. Let stand 1 to 2 minutes. When chocolate has softened, spread over candy. Sprinkle with nuts. Chill about 20 minutes or until firm. When firm, use foil to lift it out of pan; break into pieces. Store tightly covered in the refrigerator for up to 3 weeks.
I followed this to a t and it still scorched a little. However, instead of chocolate chips, I took a Hershey's bar and broke it up, sprinkling the squares across the toffee. It worked too. The heated toffee melts the chocolate. Don't be afraid to spread it. By that point the toffee will be firm enough that you won't be misshaping it.
Enjoy! Pin It
Pin Wheels
Caramel:
1 cup white sugar
1/2 cup karo syrup
1/4 lb butter
1/2 cup canned milk (evaporated)
1/4 tsp salt
(triple to make a double batch) Cook caramel until firm ball (between 230 and 232 degrees). Whip slightly and pour in buttered cookie sheet. Once cool, put on wax paper on counter. Roll out melted marshmallows on top until they reach the edges. Marshmallow layer is on top of caramel layer, roll like a jelly roll. Slice and enjoy.
Marshmallow:
20 big marshmallows
powdered sugar: enough to make it a consistency that you can roll out
Put marshmallows in a glass bowl and microwave for ten seconds. Stir until they are a little gooey. Put in for ten more seconds and stir again. Repeat until marshmallows are melted. Add powdered sugar and mix with a wooden spoon until you have a good consistency. You may knead the marshmallow with your hands if desired. Don't overcook the marshmallow or they will go hard and brittle. Pin It
1 cup white sugar
1/2 cup karo syrup
1/4 lb butter
1/2 cup canned milk (evaporated)
1/4 tsp salt
(triple to make a double batch) Cook caramel until firm ball (between 230 and 232 degrees). Whip slightly and pour in buttered cookie sheet. Once cool, put on wax paper on counter. Roll out melted marshmallows on top until they reach the edges. Marshmallow layer is on top of caramel layer, roll like a jelly roll. Slice and enjoy.
Marshmallow:
20 big marshmallows
powdered sugar: enough to make it a consistency that you can roll out
Put marshmallows in a glass bowl and microwave for ten seconds. Stir until they are a little gooey. Put in for ten more seconds and stir again. Repeat until marshmallows are melted. Add powdered sugar and mix with a wooden spoon until you have a good consistency. You may knead the marshmallow with your hands if desired. Don't overcook the marshmallow or they will go hard and brittle. Pin It
Saturday, December 13, 2008
Marinated Pork Chops
1 tablespoon soy sauce
2 tablespoons vegetable oil
1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce
1 teaspoon lemon juice
2 tablespoons brown sugar
2 tablespoons ketchup
6 pork chops, trimmed
Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
In a small bowl, thoroughly blend soy sauce, vegetable oil, Worcestershire sauce, lemon juice, brown sugar, and ketchup.
Place pork chops in a medium baking dish, and spread with 1/2 the sauce.
Bake pork chops 30 minutes in the preheated oven. Turn, and spread with remaining sauce. Continue baking 30 minutes, or until internal temperature of the chops has reached 160 degrees F.
I got this recipe on allrecipes.com. Holy cow, it is DELICIOUS!!!!!!!!!!! I will never ever ever make another kind of pork chop again. And it was so stinkin' easy. Holy cow. I mean pig. It's almost like a teriyaki chop...almost. They're so good I want to make them again. Mmmm.
The only thing I would change is that I doubled the sauce recipe and it was just barely enough. If you want a lot of sauce for dipping or if you want to serve it over rice, I suggest you at least triple, maybe even quadruple the recipe for the sauce.
Despite the title, the chops don't have to marinate. I stabbed my chops with a knife and then poured the sauce over the top so that the sauce could incorporate in the meat, but otherwise I threw those bad boys right in the oven. I did not serve them with rice, though that would have been yummy too. I served them with fried potatoes. Pin It
2 tablespoons vegetable oil
1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce
1 teaspoon lemon juice
2 tablespoons brown sugar
2 tablespoons ketchup
6 pork chops, trimmed
Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
In a small bowl, thoroughly blend soy sauce, vegetable oil, Worcestershire sauce, lemon juice, brown sugar, and ketchup.
Place pork chops in a medium baking dish, and spread with 1/2 the sauce.
Bake pork chops 30 minutes in the preheated oven. Turn, and spread with remaining sauce. Continue baking 30 minutes, or until internal temperature of the chops has reached 160 degrees F.
I got this recipe on allrecipes.com. Holy cow, it is DELICIOUS!!!!!!!!!!! I will never ever ever make another kind of pork chop again. And it was so stinkin' easy. Holy cow. I mean pig. It's almost like a teriyaki chop...almost. They're so good I want to make them again. Mmmm.
The only thing I would change is that I doubled the sauce recipe and it was just barely enough. If you want a lot of sauce for dipping or if you want to serve it over rice, I suggest you at least triple, maybe even quadruple the recipe for the sauce.
Despite the title, the chops don't have to marinate. I stabbed my chops with a knife and then poured the sauce over the top so that the sauce could incorporate in the meat, but otherwise I threw those bad boys right in the oven. I did not serve them with rice, though that would have been yummy too. I served them with fried potatoes. Pin It
Monday, November 24, 2008
Red Lobster Shrimp Scampi
**Warning, this recipe is not cheap, and you must be 21 or older to make it...or at least buy the ingredients.**
1 cup white cooking wine
1/2 c unsalted butter
1 lb raw shrimp, peeled, de-veined
3 tsp minced garlic.
Melt butter and mix with other ingredients. Cover shrimp with butter sauce and bake at 350* for 6-7 minutes. Be careful not to over cook the shrimp (or they will get rubbery). Shrimp is done when it has turned pink.
The last few times we have made this recipe, we have been disappointed that we can feel a burning in our throat as we eat the shrimp...aka not all the alcohol burned off. So we had to keep cooking it until it did burn off, and then the shrimp was over-cooked and it all went to pot.
So. Tonight I made this recipe again and I swore not to get my husband or myself drunk off our shrimp scampi. We value our temple recommends. What I did tonight was melt the butter, we used salted butter (I think it flavors better), and wine in a sauce pan. I cooked it to about boiling, and then I simmered for a few minutes. We also added the garlic while simmering to get the flavor in the sauce. Pour the butter sauce over the shrip and put it in the oven un-covered.
We've used the pre-cooked shrim a few times, so you just have to watch it to know when it's done (because it's already pink). We put the shrimp in the oven for about 8 minutes. We knew it was done when we could open the oven door and not feel like we were walking into a bar. Seriously, if all the alcohol isn't cooked off it smells like a drunk. A very garlicy drunk.
Enjoy! Pin It
1 cup white cooking wine
1/2 c unsalted butter
1 lb raw shrimp, peeled, de-veined
3 tsp minced garlic.
Melt butter and mix with other ingredients. Cover shrimp with butter sauce and bake at 350* for 6-7 minutes. Be careful not to over cook the shrimp (or they will get rubbery). Shrimp is done when it has turned pink.
The last few times we have made this recipe, we have been disappointed that we can feel a burning in our throat as we eat the shrimp...aka not all the alcohol burned off. So we had to keep cooking it until it did burn off, and then the shrimp was over-cooked and it all went to pot.
So. Tonight I made this recipe again and I swore not to get my husband or myself drunk off our shrimp scampi. We value our temple recommends. What I did tonight was melt the butter, we used salted butter (I think it flavors better), and wine in a sauce pan. I cooked it to about boiling, and then I simmered for a few minutes. We also added the garlic while simmering to get the flavor in the sauce. Pour the butter sauce over the shrip and put it in the oven un-covered.
We've used the pre-cooked shrim a few times, so you just have to watch it to know when it's done (because it's already pink). We put the shrimp in the oven for about 8 minutes. We knew it was done when we could open the oven door and not feel like we were walking into a bar. Seriously, if all the alcohol isn't cooked off it smells like a drunk. A very garlicy drunk.
Enjoy! Pin It
Wednesday, November 12, 2008
1-2-3 Peanut Butter Cookies
1 large egg
1 cup sugar
1 cup peanut butter
Mix ingredients together and bake on cookie sheet (tablespoon sized portions flattened with a fork) for 10-12 minutes at 350 degrees.
This has to be the easiest recipe ever created. And it was probably made easier by the fact that Tyler made them since I was a little under the weather. Have you ever seen an easier recipe? And it's quick and not to expensive either since it's mostly things you have on hand. Tyler used half creamy and half crunchy peanut butter and they were divine.
Thanks Hanna! Pin It
1 cup sugar
1 cup peanut butter
Mix ingredients together and bake on cookie sheet (tablespoon sized portions flattened with a fork) for 10-12 minutes at 350 degrees.
This has to be the easiest recipe ever created. And it was probably made easier by the fact that Tyler made them since I was a little under the weather. Have you ever seen an easier recipe? And it's quick and not to expensive either since it's mostly things you have on hand. Tyler used half creamy and half crunchy peanut butter and they were divine.
Thanks Hanna! Pin It
Saturday, November 1, 2008
Chocolate fondue in a CROCK POT!
I found this awesome recipe here. I knew I just HAD to try it out and I'm so glad I did. It's mondo easy and super good. Here's the recipe:
1 1/2 cups chocolate chips (semi-sweet, dark, milk, or white. Your choice.)
1/2 cup heavy cream
1 tsp vanilla
optional (*Note from Deborah: You know that I do not promote the use of alcohol, especially in recipes where the alcohol does not cook off. However, I told you I'd leave recipes in their original form, so I have. Furthermore, I think these may give you an idea of different ways you could flavor your fondue.)
you can doctor this up with:
1 T Grand Marnier
1 T rum1 T Peppermint Schnapps
1 T Bailey's Irish Cream
1 tsp peppermint, orange, coconut, etc. extract
pinch of espresso powder
The Directions.
The proportions here fit into a Little Dipper. Although the booklet that comes with the Little Dipper says that it only holds 1 cup of contents, I proved this wrong with my earth-shattering discovery that a whole can of Progesso Clam Chowder fits perfectly.
If you do not have a Little Dipper (psst. the holidays are coming...) you can put an oven-safe dish inside of a larger crock pot. Do not add water. There's no need to create a water bath for melting chocolate in the crock pot. It melts nice and slow. Or! you can quintuple the recipe and have a good ol' time.
Put chocolate chips in the crock pot. Add the heavy cream and teaspoon of vanilla. Cover. Plug in and cook on low (or the ON setting for the LD) for about an hour. Stir. Serve with apple chunks, banana slices, cubes of pound cake, strawberries, or marshmallows.
Isn't this the perfect recipe? It's easy, it's entertaining, it's delicious, it's impressive, and it is SO good! If I gave out gold stars, this would get five.
I tripled the recipe because we had company coming over. It was more than enough. But that's ok because guess what? It re-warms nice and easy and might almost be better the second day
.
Mmmmm, I love chocolate. Tyler prefers milk chocolate to semi-sweet, so that's what we used. But it might be a little too rich for the faint of heart.
I freeze my chocolate chips to make them last longer. I did put frozen chips in the recipe. It took a little longer for them to melt, but it was ok. It just meant that I had to stir every ten minutes or so to make sure the outside melted chocolate wasn't burning.
In goes the cream. Yes, we used heavy whipping cream like the recipe calls for. You'll only need a pint. Like I said, I tripled the recipe and had about a half cup left of cream.
The melted chocolate makes me think of Willy Wonka and the fat kid who gets sucked up into the tube because he fell in the chocolate river. If the river was made of this chocolate, let me just tell you that it'd be worth it!
And here:
We have Kadie, Kaleb, Ryan and Tyler. We just put the crock pot in the middle and made everyone swear on pain of death that they wouldn't double dip. We served marshmallows (strawberry and regular, but you honestly can't taste anything but fluffy chocolate), pineapple (canned, but you could use fresh if your ambitious), maraschino cherries, banana slices, and apple slices. They were all someone's favorite. We wanted to try strawberries, but they were outrageously expensive.
We're not fancy, we don't have fondue sticks. We just used forks (or hands as Tyler is demonstrating) and they worked swimmingly.
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1 1/2 cups chocolate chips (semi-sweet, dark, milk, or white. Your choice.)
1/2 cup heavy cream
1 tsp vanilla
optional (*Note from Deborah: You know that I do not promote the use of alcohol, especially in recipes where the alcohol does not cook off. However, I told you I'd leave recipes in their original form, so I have. Furthermore, I think these may give you an idea of different ways you could flavor your fondue.)
you can doctor this up with:
1 T Grand Marnier
1 T rum1 T Peppermint Schnapps
1 T Bailey's Irish Cream
1 tsp peppermint, orange, coconut, etc. extract
pinch of espresso powder
The Directions.
The proportions here fit into a Little Dipper. Although the booklet that comes with the Little Dipper says that it only holds 1 cup of contents, I proved this wrong with my earth-shattering discovery that a whole can of Progesso Clam Chowder fits perfectly.
If you do not have a Little Dipper (psst. the holidays are coming...) you can put an oven-safe dish inside of a larger crock pot. Do not add water. There's no need to create a water bath for melting chocolate in the crock pot. It melts nice and slow. Or! you can quintuple the recipe and have a good ol' time.
Put chocolate chips in the crock pot. Add the heavy cream and teaspoon of vanilla. Cover. Plug in and cook on low (or the ON setting for the LD) for about an hour. Stir. Serve with apple chunks, banana slices, cubes of pound cake, strawberries, or marshmallows.
Isn't this the perfect recipe? It's easy, it's entertaining, it's delicious, it's impressive, and it is SO good! If I gave out gold stars, this would get five.
I tripled the recipe because we had company coming over. It was more than enough. But that's ok because guess what? It re-warms nice and easy and might almost be better the second day.
Mmmmm, I love chocolate. Tyler prefers milk chocolate to semi-sweet, so that's what we used. But it might be a little too rich for the faint of heart.
I freeze my chocolate chips to make them last longer. I did put frozen chips in the recipe. It took a little longer for them to melt, but it was ok. It just meant that I had to stir every ten minutes or so to make sure the outside melted chocolate wasn't burning.
In goes the cream. Yes, we used heavy whipping cream like the recipe calls for. You'll only need a pint. Like I said, I tripled the recipe and had about a half cup left of cream.
The melted chocolate makes me think of Willy Wonka and the fat kid who gets sucked up into the tube because he fell in the chocolate river. If the river was made of this chocolate, let me just tell you that it'd be worth it!
And here:
We have Kadie, Kaleb, Ryan and Tyler. We just put the crock pot in the middle and made everyone swear on pain of death that they wouldn't double dip. We served marshmallows (strawberry and regular, but you honestly can't taste anything but fluffy chocolate), pineapple (canned, but you could use fresh if your ambitious), maraschino cherries, banana slices, and apple slices. They were all someone's favorite. We wanted to try strawberries, but they were outrageously expensive.
We're not fancy, we don't have fondue sticks. We just used forks (or hands as Tyler is demonstrating) and they worked swimmingly.
This is so good, you really should try it. It'd be a great dessert idea for company or for Valentine's Day.
Cheers!
Sunday, October 19, 2008
The World's Best Fish Recipe
If your house is like mine, your husband/father/brother/son likes to go out and bring home the bacon...or wild game of some sort. And then you're left scratching your head saying, "What do I do with a dead fish?" Or "how do I prepare elk meat?"
For years Tyler would bring home a fish and expect me to prepare it. And being the doting, loving, submissive wife I am (haha! *snort*), I always obliged. So for years we ate fish seasoned with butter, garlic and dill. Sounds good, right? No. Wrong. It's not good. Wild fish taste like what they eat. What do they eat in a lake or river? A lot of moss and bugs. Yeah. Ew. Butter and dill are great on a salmon or a halibut. But they don't go well with moss.
After that I dreaded Tyler going fishing because I didn't want to have to make whatever he caught. I think he dreaded it too because he didn't want to have to eat it. But then we found a couple of really good recipes, and now we LOVE when he brings home fresh fish!
This is his most recent spoil. Caught from Henry's Lake here in Idaho. Tyler was pretty proud of it. I always look at raw food suspiciously. If it still has scales and fins (or fur or feathers) it's not quite food yet. As soon as it's nicely packaged and sitting on the shelf at the grocery store, then I think of it as food. Anyway, here is the recipe that had no name, so I gave it one:)
The World's Best Fish Recipe
1 salmon fillet (we never catch salmon around here, so we use trout. I'm sure you could buy salmon and use this recipe. And when it says fillet, it's not talking a little chunk of fish, it's talking one half of the fish meat that has been cut away from the scales and bones to make a nice portion of fish.)
2 cups fresh lemon juice (we use concentrated lemon juice, so we only use about a fourth to a half of the called amount)
1 cube butter (yes, it pains me to say that Tyler uses real butter in this recipe. I didn't find this out until last night when he replied, "why do you think you like it so much?")
1 T Fish seasoning of choice (we use Old Bay, but you could use a designated fish seasoning, dill, garlic blend, thyme, a mixture of all kinds of seasonings...)
1/4 cup brown sugar (essential ingredient)
lemon zest (we do without)
black pepper
Preheat the over at 350*.
Make a tin foil bowl (on a cookie sheet) and place the fillet inside. Melt the butter and mix with lemon juice, seasoning, pepper, and brown sugar. Drizzle the butter mixture over the fish.
Once the oven is preheated, switch to broil. Put the fish on the upper rack. Check on the fish after 8 - 9 minutes. Pull the meat using a fork. If the meat is pink and flaky, the fish is done.
Once preheated, switch to broil.
Mmmmm. Look at all that butter! That's liquid gold in our house!
It really is very tasty. It's sweet and tangy and you can't even taste moss:) I hope you get to use this recipe sometime. Pin It
For years Tyler would bring home a fish and expect me to prepare it. And being the doting, loving, submissive wife I am (haha! *snort*), I always obliged. So for years we ate fish seasoned with butter, garlic and dill. Sounds good, right? No. Wrong. It's not good. Wild fish taste like what they eat. What do they eat in a lake or river? A lot of moss and bugs. Yeah. Ew. Butter and dill are great on a salmon or a halibut. But they don't go well with moss.
After that I dreaded Tyler going fishing because I didn't want to have to make whatever he caught. I think he dreaded it too because he didn't want to have to eat it. But then we found a couple of really good recipes, and now we LOVE when he brings home fresh fish!
This is his most recent spoil. Caught from Henry's Lake here in Idaho. Tyler was pretty proud of it. I always look at raw food suspiciously. If it still has scales and fins (or fur or feathers) it's not quite food yet. As soon as it's nicely packaged and sitting on the shelf at the grocery store, then I think of it as food. Anyway, here is the recipe that had no name, so I gave it one:)The World's Best Fish Recipe
1 salmon fillet (we never catch salmon around here, so we use trout. I'm sure you could buy salmon and use this recipe. And when it says fillet, it's not talking a little chunk of fish, it's talking one half of the fish meat that has been cut away from the scales and bones to make a nice portion of fish.)
2 cups fresh lemon juice (we use concentrated lemon juice, so we only use about a fourth to a half of the called amount)
1 cube butter (yes, it pains me to say that Tyler uses real butter in this recipe. I didn't find this out until last night when he replied, "why do you think you like it so much?")
1 T Fish seasoning of choice (we use Old Bay, but you could use a designated fish seasoning, dill, garlic blend, thyme, a mixture of all kinds of seasonings...)
1/4 cup brown sugar (essential ingredient)
lemon zest (we do without)
black pepper
Preheat the over at 350*.
Make a tin foil bowl (on a cookie sheet) and place the fillet inside. Melt the butter and mix with lemon juice, seasoning, pepper, and brown sugar. Drizzle the butter mixture over the fish.
Once the oven is preheated, switch to broil. Put the fish on the upper rack. Check on the fish after 8 - 9 minutes. Pull the meat using a fork. If the meat is pink and flaky, the fish is done.
Once preheated, switch to broil.
Mmmmm. Look at all that butter! That's liquid gold in our house!
It really is very tasty. It's sweet and tangy and you can't even taste moss:) I hope you get to use this recipe sometime. Pin It
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